Of course Regina was coming. No one else would come down here, especially since Snow White and Charming had already been to him to ask him about the curse. He had been expecting her a little later, but she was here now so it didn't matter.
"Morning Regina!" he said, his back turned to her. "And what brings you to the darkness?"
"I have something I'd like to discuss with you. Something important," he heard her say.
"Yes, yes, of course you do. You can't live without my help," he said. He pictured her rolling her eyes and smiled. Oh, this was fun.
"You need to turn around for this," she said.
"I may do whatever I please, dearie!" he said. "And I don't think I want to turn around right now."
"Oh, you want to," she was smiling. "It'll be worth your while."
He restrained himself from rolling his eyes as he turned to her. What could possibly be so important that he had to turn around? But then he saw why and he froze.
Through the bars of his cell, he saw four figures in the dim light. One was Regina, that was obvious. There were two knights positioned at the sides of the fourth figure, holding the person by the arms. The person was tied at the hands and mouth so they couldn't speak. The person was shorter than himself, with long brown curls going past the shoulders. Even in the dim light, he could see the person's eyes. Bright, beautiful blue eyes. He knew who this person was. It was her, the person he hadn't seen in almost four years, the person he only saw in his dreams now. It was Belle.
"Her father locked her in a tower... scourges and flame... After a while she threw herself off the tower. She died."
Those were the words Regina had said when she had visited him after he threw Belle out. She had lied? Belle, his Belle, had been alive all this time? The shock made him stumble back just a step. He saw Regina smile out of the cornier of his eye, but his focus was on Belle, his beautiful Belle.
"I told you it would be worth your while," he heard Regina say, but he barely even acknowledged it.
"...Let her go," he said quietly, the imp in his voice nearly gone. He could see tears in Belle's eyes and it was killing him. Regina smiled and flicked her wrist. The knights untied Belle's hands and backed off. Belle quickly untied the rag at her mouth and ran to the bars of his cell.
"Oh Rumple," she said and a tear fell. Her voice. Her sweet, beautiful voice. He was still unsure if she was actually there or not, or if it was a dream all together. He numbly stumbled over to the bars, eyes wide and breath short. He cautiously reached out his hand and gently stroked her hand that rested on the bars of his cell. Her skin was soft and smooth. And real. She was real. He looked up from her hand into her eyes and he couldn't stop himself from allowing his own tears to line his eyes.
"Belle..." he breathed, barely audible. But she heard it and she smiled through her tears. She reached up and stroked his face with every tenderness in the world. Oh how she loved him. What had he done to deserve something as beautiful as her?
"You're...You're alive?" he whispered. She nodded.
"She had me locked away. I was going to come back to you, Rumple..." she said softly and a few more tears fell from her eyes. "I was coming back..."
She had been going back to him. After everything he had said and done, she had been coming back. If only she had reached him.
"It's alright, Belle," he whispered. "You're back now."
She nodded and smiled softly again. They heard Regina chuckle.
"Oh, how sweet! You really do love her, Rumple," the queen said. His attention turned to Regina. Yes, Belle had been coming back, but the reason she hadn't reached him was because of her. Regina had locked her away from the world. His Belle, his beautiful Belle, locked away from the world and sunlight... The very thought of it made him explode with rage, and before he could stop himself he lunged through the bars at Regina and grabbed her throat. He wasn't squeezing hard enough to harm her, but he was very close to doing so. The knights she had brought drew their swords but she flicked her hand again, signaling them to back off again. Belle was shocked but he was too enraged to notice. Regina was going to pay for what she did.
"Rumplestiltskin, no!" he heard Belle say.
"She locked you away, dearie," he said, not even looking at her. His eyes were fixed on Regina. "She stopped you from coming back to me. And for that, she must pay."
"No!" Belle cried. "Please! Don't stoop to her level! I know there's good in you. Don't go back to the way you were."
"That's right, Rumple, listen to her," Regina said. "After all, she's part of our little bargain. You haven't even heard my deal yet."
Deals. He couldn't resist them. He never quite understood why. But if a deal was to be made about Belle, then he would have to listen.
"...Are you going to let me go so we can discuss this?" Regina said, glancing at his hand. He snarled and bared his teeth, like an animal. Like a beast. He so desperately wanted to end her miserable life right then and there. But she had a deal. And Belle was watching. Slowly he let go of her neck, and backed up a little from the cell bars.
"Let's hear it then, 'dearie'." he said quietly, trying so very hard to keep his rage under control. Regina smiled and rubbed her neck before continuing.
"I'm willing to set you free, Rumple," she said. "You can go home, you can be free, and I'll even give you your precious Belle back. There's just one little thing you have to do."
"And that would be...?" he asked. No, it was more of a growl than a simple question. Now that Belle was in his life again, he would be more than happy to go back to his estate with her. But the price was always a difficult part of the deal. What could she possibly want? How to work the curse? She had the scroll...
Regina smiled, with that sly grin of a fox on her lips, and she pointed to Belle.
"You have to kiss her," she said. "You have to kiss her and break your curse. Otherwise she comes back to my dungeons and you stay in yours."
What? That was the price? He was torn. He looked over at Belle. Her eyes were wide with shock, and he understood that she had no idea this would happen. He would have to kiss her to be free with her.
A kiss. True love's kiss would break his curse. He would be without his powers, weak and lame like he once was. He needed his powers. They were like his walking stick that he had once used. But... Belle...
If he chose not to kiss her, he would be choosing to lock her away again; something he had once done. He would also be choosing his powers over her and that was a mistake he had done as well. He didn't want to do that to her again. But his magic was so important to him. It all came down to which was more important: his powers, or the love of his life.
Regina could see the pain and indecisiveness in his eyes and her sick, fox-like grin was spread across her face.
"I'd like an answer today, Rumple," she said. "My carriage is waiting."
Oh he so badly wanted to end her life. This wasn't an easy decision. It was a decision of his character and what was truly in his heart. He looked at Belle again and went over to her.
"It's your choice, Rumplestiltskin," she said before he could say anything. "Choose what's in your heart."
He sighed slowly and gazed at her, something he hadn't done in a long time. She was so lovely. So perfect. He had only known her for a couple months before that kiss that almost took his powers. That feeling of becoming weak again, that feeling that something was slipping away had scared him. He hated to admit it but it had. It had scared him so much... but he wasn't scared anymore. He could do it. He could lose his powers and live happily with Belle, couldn't he? But would she still love him if he was weak? If he wasn't that powerful man she had fallen for?
"...Belle?" he asked quietly. "If I lose my power, I won't be the same man. I'd be lame again, with my leg. I can't turn straw into gold. I can't do anything."
"Yes, you can," she said. He looked at her. "You can still love me."
Oh he didn't deserve her. But he loved her so much. He closed his eyes and let out a small sigh. When he opened his eyes he was smiling gently at her, and she smiled back.
Regina cleared her throat. He hated her.
"Any day now, Rumple," she said rather impatiently. He looked at her, his lips tight.
"Regina," he said. "I will do this. But you have to leave me and Belle alone. And when you unleash the curse, we are both together and happy, understood?"
Regina looked at him for a minute, deciding something.
"...Deal," she said. He nodded and turned back to Belle. Her face hadn't changed but her eyes were overjoyed. He hadn't chosen magic over her this time. Not this time... He was basking in this moment, when he chose the one he loved over the power he had held onto for so long. He loved Belle. He loved her so much. He could barely contain himself anymore.
"I love you, Belle," he whispered. She had no idea how long he had been wanting to say those words to her, and he had now idea how long she had wanted to hear those words from him. It lifted a huge bolder off his shoulders and washed relief over him. She smiled.
"I love you, Rumplestiltskin," she said. He could feel his heart explode with happiness. He loved her and she loved him. He could die of happiness right there. He stroked her face with his fingers, feeling that tingling, warm sensation he had felt when she fell from the ladder and he caught her. He couldn't take it anymore. He had to kiss her.
He actually made the first move, which surprised him. He leaned forward through the bars of his cell and pressed his lips against hers. She kissed him back and he could feel her love for him in that kiss. Like before, he could feel his power slipping away in a tingling, cooling sensation that had once scared him. But he wasn't scared anymore. No, he was in love.
When they pulled away, he could feel Regina's burning gaze on them but he didn't care. His gaze was fixed on he Belle, whose eyes were practically glowing with her love. Her love for him. That tingling sensation swept his whole body, and he could feel his power leaving. He saw his hands turning. They were no longer that dark, golden-green color that had covered him for so long. No, now they were the color of flesh that had no power. He wanted so badly to hang onto his powers, but he couldn't. It was too late now. He could feel his power almost gone, and then... Nothing. It was done. His curse was broken.
He looked at Belle again and saw that her love for him in her eyes hadn't even flickered. She still loved him even though he wasn't powerful anymore. He didn't deserve her... He turned to Regina who was looking him up and down.
"I liked you better with your powers, Rumple," she said, "but a deal's a deal."
With the flick of her hand the cell bars parted enough for him to walk through and he did. Well, more like stumbled through. He was lame again and walking sent shoots of pain up his right leg. He was about to fall when Belle caught him in her arms. It seemed like the tables had turned.
"Well then, Rumple, I have a carriage waiting for you two outside the castle. Don't try to rock it too much," Regina winked and she and the guards started walking away.
"I can't walk, Regina," he called after her. She turned.
"Oh, that's right," she almost sniggered. She took a twig from the ground and caused it to grow into a walking stick. He snatched it from her hands. "Good luck Rumple." and she and her guards disappeared in a puff of that purple smoke. Oh he hated her so much.
He turned his head and looked at Belle. He was free to be with her now. He could love her, he could marry her. And now that Regina had the curse he could eventually find his son. He could be happy. She touched his face lovingly.
"I'm so proud of you Rumple," she smiled. He smiled at her and pressed his cheek into her palm.
"Belle, I... I..." he had to apologize. For throwing her out, for yelling at her, for not believing her. Everything. But she stopped him.
"Why don't we get out of here first?" she said. "There'll be time for that later."
He nodded and they left the dungeon together, as they always should be.
"Rumplestiltskin is now powerless," Regina announced as she walked in. the mirror appeared next to her.
"I know," he said. "Now you don't have to worry about him interfering with your plan."
"Exactly," the queen smiled wickedly. "It's almost complete, too. Now we just need for that little caretaker to do her part."