A one shot set in the time when Belle was still living with Rumple in his castle. Some fluff. Enjoy!

Belle twirled around and around, until she could not stand upright any longer and started to crumble to the floor. But before she would touch the cold dark wood floor, arms wrapped around her and brought her up again. She turned her head slightly and hiccupped.

Rumpelstiltskin frowned down at Belle and leaned his head forward and took in a deep breath. He almost started to laugh at his Belle's foolishness; it looked like she got into his liquor cabinet. He knew Belle would never drink something of his, unless she didn't know it was his.

"Dearie...what have you gotten yourself into?"

She giggled. Rumplestiltskin couldn't help but feel the warmth that always curled around his toes and climbed up his body when he heard that carefree laugh. He almost smiled. Almost. He had to at least try to be stern with her so she couldn't end up in this predicament again.

"Belle try to get a hold of yourself. Where did you get the bottle?"

She squirmed in his arms, and he stilled in realization that he was still holding on to her. He let go of her, but caught her elbow when she started to tilt backwards.

"What bottle," she slurred, while her cheeks became more red. And how lovely she looked. Just like a Rose.

"The bottle that you drank."

She giggled again and took a clumsy step towards him. "Oh that shiny bottle! It was so shiny and it said Roses and I thought how interesting, and I...um...took a sip! But it was so yummy and I drank it all!"

He sighed and started to direct her to the chair next to the fireplace. He gently placed her in the chair and her goofy grin on her face slipped off her face like melting snow and now was replaced with a frown. Her blue eyes looked up at him with a guilty expression.

"Did I upset you Rumple? I wasn't supposed to drink that bottle was I? Is that why I feel so...light? Like a bird?"

If he wasn't concerned for Belle he would be laughing on the floor at her sayings and actions. She was too adorable. But now was the time to get his Belle sober and start to act like his normal Belle again.

She continued on, tears starting to form in her lovely blue eyes. "I'm sorry Rumplest...Rumples...Rumple. I won't ever drink a shiny bottle again. Please don't be mad at me." She paused. "Are you going to send me to the dungeon?" Before he could get a word out, she started to rise from the chair. "I'll go to the dungeon now."

Before she could start to walk away, he gently pushed her back in the chair. "Belle, dear, there is no need for that. Though if you ever do touch one of my drinks again, I might have to send you there." She nodded her head in understanding. Now that was out of the way, he could set her right. "What you need is some water and rest." He raised his hand to snap a glass of water, but Belle grabbed his hand, her blue eyes wide and anxious.

He knew if anyone else tried to stop him like that he would hex them or do some unspeakable damage, but this was Belle, sweet and innocent Belle who giggled and blushed so pretty. He raised his eyebrows in question, and he smiled inwardly at the blush that crept up her pretty neck.

"Yes Dearie?"

"I was hoping..."

"Yes?"
"I was hoping that we could dance..."

"Dance?" His voice rose higher at the question. He was not expecting that. "Why would you ever want to do that?"

She looked away and started to play with a piece of hair that had fallen in her face. Somehow her hair had come undone from the bun she had it in earlier; probably due to her careless twirling.

"Well I used to dance a lot at home, but this is my home now and there is no dancing. I miss it. And I was hoping that we could dance...please?"

Rumplestiltskin turned around and walked towards the window that faced the front courtyard. Belle never asked for anything, and now she was asking for this one simple thing that only he could give her. A month ago when she first arrived he would have laughed and said, "Dearie dancing is for fools. And are you a fool?" But now...now he wanted to see her frown lift into a smile, a secret smile that she only used for him when he did something to make her happy. You are getting too soft. He turned around from the window and walked towards Belle, his face a mask of what his intentions were.

Belle glanced up at him, unsure now. He took her hands and lifted her off the chair until they were standing face to face. She was more steady now, which would help for what they were about to do.

"How about a deal dearie?"

Her eyebrows pulled together in a frown. "A deal? What kind of deal?"

"One dance is all you get. And for this dance you must..." He could choose a number of punishments, but there was now a concern about her well being. "You must go to your room and get some sleep, never drink anything of mine again, and to not mention this night in the future. Deal?"

"That's it?"

He grinned his impish grin. "Would you like more?"

She shook her head. "No..no that will be fine. Thank you."

He snapped his fingers and in the corner appeared instruments that begun to play by themselves. Belle's head snapped up in surprised and she turned towards him with that special smile that was just for him. Yes, just once dance was worth that smile. He would do anything for that smile, and deep down that scared him more than anything. He told everybody that he wasn't afraid of anything, but that was a lie. There was one thing that he was afraid of and it was this simple beautiful young woman in front of him.

The instruments started to play something fast pace, and before he knew what was going on, Belle grabbed his hand and led him to the middle of the room. Before she could say anything, he snapped his fingers again and the table with the chairs vanished. She giggled and then curtsied to him.

"May I have this dance good sir?"

He smirked. He liked the playfulness of his Belle. He bowed and said, "It would be my pleasure...as long as you do not step on my feet."

Belle rolled her eyes, but she stepped forward and raised a eye brow at him when he didn't move. "Well are we going to dance or not?"

He hated feeling so vulnerable and so...so human. But that's what he was feeling at the moment. "I-"

She must have understood; she always understands somehow. He still can't fathom how she just...knows what he is feeling. "Here, you put your arms around me like this," she took his one arm and wrapped it around her waist, "And then put this arm right where my arm is...there...see? We make a perfect dance couple." She smiled sweetly up at him, but he didn't smile back.

In one hand he was holding on to this wonderful girl's delicate hand in his and in his other hand he was feeling Belle's fabric that wrapped around her waist. If his skin could show blushes, he would be red faced by now. He hadn't held a woman in...a very long time.

"You have to hold on to me tighter, or you'll lose me while we dance."

And so he held on tighter, because he never wanted to lose her. Ever.

They started to dance, and twirl around the room. Belle laughed in happiness, and he even grinned a couple of times that made Belle grin back. The dance lasted a couple of minutes when the music changed to something slower. Their pace changed and now they were gently twirling to the music. He knew he said one dance, but when he felt Belle sigh in content as she leaned her head against his chest, he couldn't bear the thought of stopping this magical moment.

To think, all he was going to do tonight was just make straw into gold and then make a few potions. But this was much better, and he would be lying if he said he hadn't dreamt once or twice of this. It was almost too good to be true. And he knew that Belle was only doing this because she was under the influence and tomorrow she will most likely be horrified that she danced and sighed in content with the Beast. But that was tomorrow; it could wait.

They swayed side to side, her head still resting against his chest. "Rumple...?" She whispered his name, like it was sacred, like if she raised her voice any higher it might break the spell.

"Yes dearie?"

"Thank you."

"For what? I should be thanking you, for not stepping on my toes the whole night."

She giggled. "Silly. Thank you for this night, and for being so kind towards me."

There was a feeling pressing...suffocating his heart, and it was so hard to breathe. There was a million and one things to say in that moment; some teasing, some kind, some harsh, but all that came out was a grumble in his throat. And then a few moments later his breath was back and two words came breaking out of their cage and slipped quietly out of his mouth. "You're welcome."

He waited to see if she would say anything, and that's when he realized that they had stopped dancing and just were standing in the middle of the room, Belle leaning against him. He peered down at her and he laughed softly to realize she had fallen asleep. Snapping his fingers, the instruments stopped, the fire went away, and the table with chairs reappeared. Swiftly, almost like a prince carrying his princess, he swung her up into his arms and started to walk up the stairs that would lead to her bedroom.

Rumplestiltskin could pretend that he was her prince, but at the end of the day he was the Beast carrying his prisoner to her cell. A cell that was filled with every need she could every desire, and the softest bed that would hopefully give her sweet dreams. He gently laid her down on her bed, and pulled up the quilt until he covered her whole body.

He was staring at this beauty, his beauty, and an ache started in his chest. He wanted her...oh how much he wanted her to be his. But Belle was untouched by darkness, and she would never truly be his in the end. All he could do was try to make her happy. He slowly reached down toward her face and tucked in a stray hair behind her ear. He took a step back, before he could do anything else he would regret and started to walk out the door when he saw a empty bottle on her desk. Shaking his head he grabbed the bottle, and shut the door. The bottle would go in his room, a object to remember this night.

The next day when Rumplestiltskin arrived back at the castle from one of his deals he opened up the doors to usually he saw Belle dusting, but she was nowhere in sight. Frowning, he walked forward until he saw a note with her hand writing on the table. Afraid that something happened or she ran away, he picked up the note quickly and read with a trembling hand:

I had a dream last night. It was filled with dancing and laughter. And also gentle arms that put me to bed. I would like to say thank you to the man who took care of me in this dream. No more shiny bottles for me.

Belle

He laughed and folded up the piece of paper. She was sneaky, his Belle. The deal was for to never bring up the night again, but he never said anything about dreams. How clever of her to write him a note of thank you through a fake dream. He put the note away in his vest, where later he would put it right next to the empty bottle she drank. He looked around and saw the door to the kitchen cracked open. He walked towards it. "Oh Belle, I've had a long journey. How about some tea?"