A walk around the Library
Chapter 1
Storybrooke. For the very few people that heard of the little town, they describe it as: charming. Cute. Charismatic. All it was missing was a library.
There was a building that was used as the library, but it was closed for years. Since Regina Mills was elected as Mayor. The town was convinced it was because she hated creativity and loathed it when people where happy.
Regina was truly a miserable woman. She lived for evil schemes and revenge. The town's people hated her. Not that she was all bad. She adopted a son ten-years-ago, and although people thought she treated him coldly, she loved him with all her heart as he did her.
The truth was just before she was elected for Mayor her heart was broken. Her mother went out of her way to make sure that her writer boyfriend broke up with her. Cora had always been disappointed in her daughter's choice of mate, it displeased her that Regina always searched for love. So Cora setup a fool proof plan, or that is what she thought.
Cora paid a man to get close to her daughter and make her fall for him, then brake it off as cruelly as possible. Quick and simple. Although the plan failed in that aspect though, the man- Daniel- he feel in love with Regina. He wanted to make a life with her.
That would simply not do for Cora. She took a risk. Just as Regina's victory was announced, Cora took her aside and told her the truth. The whole truth.
Regina was outraged. Heartbroken. Bloodthirsty. All at once.
She broke things off with Daniel and told her mother that she never wanted to see her ever again. Cora just shrugged and for the last time warned her daughter of the mistake that is love.
That was all. Regina never saw her mother again or Daniel for that matter but she carried the heart break with her every day, determined that she would never be so easily fooled again she closed her self-off to the rest of the world. It worked only for a few years and then she realized how utterly empty her life was. Then she decided to adopt. All at once she was filled with love again. True what they say there is no kind of love like the love of a child.
For a while that was enough for Regina. She was happy. Her son was wonderful. He was imaginative, smart and kind. Almost everything that his mother was not. Regina encouraged this, she encouraged his curiosity, love of knowledge, reading and art. She wanted so much more for her son this she got from her mother. She wanted her son to feel loved and supported.
Unbeknown to her, Henry wanted the same for his mum. Henry was a smart boy. He saw how a few select men looked at his mum. It disgusted him. A select few men, that is except for the new guy that moved to town with his son. Robin Hudson. For a while Regina and Robin butted heads and argued regularly, but then the wistful stares began. Henry could see walls start to rebuild around his mother's resilient heart and he started planning.
He befriended Roland, Robin's young son, to learn more about the man he wanted to make his mother happy. With the information that was provided by Roland, Henry got a clearer idea of how he was going to get the two single parents together.
Henry prepared Robin and Regina a romantic picnic which he set-up in the forest surrounding the town. Which the town's people lovingly called 'The Enchanted Forest'. Henry next sent his mother a note and a map asking her to meet him there. Then he approached Robin. He should inform one of them. If the man refused all he would have to do is met his mother in the forest, as she thought he was and have a lovely picnic with her. She would never know.
Robin was of course shocked by the idea but it took very little encouragement for the man to agree to meet Regina for the surprise date. He even got her a bunch of flowers- Apple Blossoms- her favourite.
At first, Regina nearly walked away when she saw Robin there instead of her son but stayed when she heard how much work her son put into setting it up for her.
The date in a word was enchanting.
Bit by bit Robin picked away at Regina's wall until he smashed it away with a Hulk sized fist. He made her laugh. He made her want to cry of happiness. He made her want to love again.
They told each other everything. Robin told her of his late wife and how he recovered his broken heart. Regina went deeper and told him of her betrayal. It was the first time that she breathed the words in twelve years to another living soul.
The beginning of their relationship started off rough. Not only were Regina's insecurity's still overwhelming but Storybrooke was filled with vicious gossipers itching to say a cruel word about the Mayor and her love life- but for every insecurity, every vicious rumour, every fear and ever tear, Robins soothing lips were there to kiss it all away.
Months into their relationship, Robin came to Regina for a favour that was worrying him for a while.
"Hun, I want to talk to you about the Library" He started
"What about the eyesore?" Regina half sneered
"Ah, well, I was wondering if it would be possible to, maybe reopen the place?" Robin inquired gently
"WHAT!" Regina screeched
To Robin's credit he only jumped a little.
He may love her but it did take a while to truly get used to her mood shifts.
"Darling you, of all people, know the reason I closed the Library in the first place" Regina said softer now, more hurt than anything else.
"Yes, I do" Robin agreed
He took her hand in his and stoked it soothingly
"Then why are you even bringing the matter up in the first place?" Regina asked, her eyes started to fill with tears. She tried to blink them away but one got away from her and rolled down her right cheek.
She felt the sadness that she tried to let go of sink back into her heart.
Robin reached out to her and cradled her head in his large hand.
"It is selfish of me, I know, but it is for Roland really. He has been tested for dyslexia and is falling behind in school" Robin told her "I want to help him get his best chance"
"But how does that include reopening the Library?" Regina pleaded
Her heart went out to the little boy she now considered a second son but she could not see the connection to the library.
"I was never really good at school either" Robin began "I wouldn't be that useful to him and I'd hate to burden his teachers…"
"Robin" Regina warned
"It is another selfish reason really. Roland's godmother, the librarian, her work situation is getting worse and if there is anyone that could help my son, it would be Belle." Robin confessed "Please, Regina, Belle is the little sister I never had and she needs my help… I need her help, Roland needs her help"
Regina didn't know what it was that made her give in, the pleading need in his eye, the natural curiosity of the woman her lover grew up with, the motherly instinct to put the needs of a child first, or just to prove how much she loved Robin- but no matter the reason in the end she still muttered the words:
"Okay, for you anything" she said lovingly "But there is a catch"
And that is how Belle French found herself on a flight from New York, to Boston where she would meet her childhood friend. After she picked up her light carry-on, she quickly travelled through the airport to where she knew Robin would be.
Once she spotted Robin and Roland, she burst into laughter- they were both wearing chauffeur caps and holding a sign reading 'Looking for the most awesome librarian/godmother in all the land'.
Belle rushed towards the father and son which she embraced tightly.
"Hello! Hello! Thank-you guy's so much, this fantastic" Belle squealed in pure bubbly happiness
"Heya, Bluebell!" sighed Robin, squeezing his friend and son closer
With both Regina and Belle here, he thought, my family will be complete for the first time in a long time.
They walked quickly to Robin's SUV to make the four-hour-drive back to Storybrooke was partly quiet, though Roland did talk ideally for a while before falling asleep in the back seat, soon followed by Belle.
Robin smiled sadly, and waited for a while before he gently woke her.
"Hey Belle, we are half an hour away and I need to talk to you about the library" Robin whispering so not to wake his son
"You said on the phone there was a catch" Belle yawned as she stretched her limbs
"Yes, well, you see… when Regina got the library closed she had to make a deal with someone" Robin started
"With who? What kind of deal?" Belle asked, curiosity overcoming her exhaustion
"Mr Gold" Robin stopped like that was enough
"Who?" Belle asked
"The beast of Storybrooke!" Robin exclaimed
"Sorry what? I don't understand" Belle asked confused
"This guy, who practically owns Storybrooke-"
"I thought your girlfriend was the Mayor?" Belle asked
"She is but Mr Gold has bought up most of the land and property in and surrounding Storybrooke" Robin explained
"Okay and? What kind of deal did Regina make? And why does it concern me?" Belle pressed
"Mr Gold was in the process of buying the library when Regina decided that she didn't want the place open anymore… they fought tooth and nail about it for weeks when Mr Gold just had enough and offered a deal, Regina lower the price of the building and he would keep it closed until the day she decided she wanted it to be reopened- but after that she would never have any control over the library again" Robin told her
"Seems more than fair" Belle stated, not understanding the big deal
"That's because you don't know the man! Belle he is ruthless, greedy and unforgiving! He preys on desperate souls and the weak-willed! The man is a snake!"
"I thought he was a beast" Belle sniggered
"Belle! Don't joke this is serious" Robin scolded "I've had a run in with him myself, he is terrifying. You should hear half the horror stories of what he did to the town"
Belle yawned loudly for effect.
"To be honest, you sound very hypocritical" Belle informed her dear friend
"How so?" Robin asked
"Before you and Regina got together didn't you tell me of the feared Madame Mayor?" Belle stated
"Touché, but still this is different" Robin argued
"I don't see how and anyway there is more to a horror story then just a beast" Belle quipped "There is always a deep-seeded reason to the characterization"
She turned her head and looked out the window just as they entered the town.
Robin could feel that she wanted to drop the subject. He just could not resist one last comment.
"Well don't come crying to me when you see how beastly your new boss is… oh and welcome to Storybrooke."
Belle stared out her window, awe-struck at the beauty of the smallish town around her.
She tried to study each shop as they passed, but there was too much to see.
One shop stuck out though 'Mr Gold pawnbroker & antiquities dealer'
Her new 'boss' did seem to have allot of different hobbies: landowning, deal making, antiquities seller and apparently soul stealing.
Mentally she scolded herself.
Belle always prided herself upon keeping an open mind about people, especially people that others have shunned. Never judge a book by its cover. As the old saying goes.
Robin parked the car outside a diner. Grannies diner.
"Regina and her son always dinner here around this time" Robin told her "I can't wait for you to meet them"
Belle smiled weakly.
She was also excited to meet the woman that was making her closest friend so very happy, but she was also worried. When she first met Marian, the woman despised Belle, she could not understand how two people- male and female- could be so close and their not be any deeper feelings being involved.
It had nearly cost Robin and Belle their friendship. Belle being adamant that she would not get in the way of her friends love-life no matter what the cost.
Though that in the end was what made Marian see the truth that Belle was not after Robin. Belle mused that it also helped that she confided in Marian of her one true touch of love.
Belle would rather not go through that again.
She didn't have the energy to share the story again.
It was fun at the beginning, but now it just depressed her.
Roland had just woken up and was just a hungry as Belle was. She hoped that Grannies made a good burger.
She followed Robin and Roland up the short path to the diner. Being several paces behind her eyes explored the new surroundings, Belle didn't see when Robin went into the diner or when he kept the door open for someone leaving.
She didn't even register the sound of a cane tapping rhythmically on the path but when she turned she crashed into someone.
She was about to fall backwards when she heard a crash and felt a pair of strong arms wrap around and pulled her close to a warm body and familiar scent.
"You alright there Dearie?" a thick Scottish accent
Surprise, lust, anger, love, hate and so many other emotions filled her in the matter of seconds.
She looked up for the first time showing him her face.
"Bobby?"
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