I do not own Once Upon A Time. Although I'm a Rumbelle shipper, I have to say that it was about time Belle woke up and set Rumple to rights. And, as much as I do love Mr. Gold, he needed to be taught a lesson. I just wish it hadn't been so harsh.

This has not been beta read. Any mistakes are my own. Please review. I'd like to know if I'm wasting my time . . .

Aftermath

Chapter 5

Heaven help me, she thought, but I am enjoying this. Lucy smiled at Rumple as he helped her into the passenger side of the Thunderbird. He had quickly taken the gentleman's role, driving them about town, taking her shopping. He was on his best behavior. Her eyes flickered lazily up and down his lean form as he moved around the car, getting in the driver's side and buckling in. I could so get used to this.

"Where now, milady?" Gold asked her. He started up the car.

"How about a late lunch?" Lucy suggested. "Then we could go back to my place. You were going to speak to my penny-pinching landlord about upgrading the plumbing, I believe."

He grinned ruefully. "As you wish," he told her as he steered the car towards Granny's diner. "I would like," he told, "to go by my home - "

"No, Rumple, that's not a good idea - "

" - to pick up some clothing," he finished. "I can't very well keep wearing the same suit every day." He stopped at a traffic light and glanced at her. "And I need to get back to my shop. Not that I don't enjoy spending time with you, my dear - I've always enjoyed your company. You know that. But, I need something to occupy my time."

She caved. "Alright," she told him, "after lunch I'll call Belle. We can get you some clothing and personal items."

"Thank you, Lucy," he said simply. He parked the car in front of the diner and twisted in the seat to face her. "I really don't know how to thank you for everything you have ever done to help me. No matter what, you've always come through for our family, in both the old world and here. No one has ever - "

Lucy reached out and set a finger against his lips, stopping his words. "Hush, Rumple," she told her tenderly, "there's no need for thanks. It's really very simple. I love you."

A weak smile shook the corners of his mouth. "Oh, Lucy," he whispered. "You know I don't - "

"I know, I know." She slid her hand to the right to cup his cheek. "I know you don't love me like that. I know these feelings I have are all one-sided. I know I'm setting myself up for a world of heart ache and pain. I know."

Mr. Gold leaned forward and gave her a tender kiss on the forehead. "Lucy," he told her as he hugged her, "you are too good."

She swallowed hard and choked back the threatening tears. "Yeah, that's true," she joked, swatting him on the chest. "Let's go eat."

As they entered Granny's, heads turned and tongues wagged. The small diner was suddenly overfilled with scathing voices and acid tongues. Barely whispered words were spat out and followed them, hissingly along, like a legion of snakes.

"Did you see him kiss her?"

"Right out there in the car!"

"- spending money on her all over town -

"I heard she's defending him for murder- "

" - tried to kill Captain Jones! And he's dating his grandson's mother, too. "

" - a case of domestic violence, and I know Swan issued a restraining order - "

"That cheap blonde came pounding on her door at 3:00 this morning - "

"I'll bet she's sleeping with him."

"Well, he was in her apartment all night!"

" - and wearing the same clothes he had on yesterday -"

"Belle walked home all alone the whole way from town line!"

"Poor Belle, no wonder she's looking so pale and sad - "

"Divorce? They were just married!"

"David Nolan served the papers this very morning."

"Whore!"

"Cheating bastard!"

Crimson stained her fair cheeks, but Lucy held her head high and calmly waded through the gauntlet of cruel wagging tongues. Mr. Gold, on the other hand, merely glared at everyone as he helped Lucy into a booth by the window.

"Whaddayawant?" growled Granny. She had popped up like a dour jack-in-the-box. Her arms were folded over the chest as she glowered down at the couple.

Lucy ducked her chin and cast her eyes on the gleaming tabletop. Gold, however, met her fierce expression. "Could we see a menu," he asked, "or perhaps a bit of courtesy?"

"Nope," Granny growled.

Gold opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Lucy cut in softly. "We'll both take whatever the lunch special is." Her blue eyes steeled against the green eyes of the older woman. "We don't want any trouble, Mrs. Lucas, just lunch."

"Hmph!" Granny snorted. Then she turned on her heel and left.

"Holds a grudge forever, that one does," Gold remarked casually. He flicked a few fingers towards the departing older woman.

"I would imagine it has something to do with the deal you made her for a 'cure' for her late husband's lycanthropy," Lucy replied in the same tone.

"Well, it worked, didn't it?" he argued. "Lucas was no longer a wolf."

"Rumple," she chided, "he was no longer alive either."

"That was not my fault," he replied swiftly.

"Nothing is ever your fault, is it?" Granny grunted. She dropped two plastic plates of fish and chips on the table. Half of Gold's fries bounced out onto the table top. "Eat fast," she warned him. "I want both of you gone quickly. I don't want to see Belle upset." She jerked her head towards the other end of the diner, where Belle sat with Archie.

Gold's attention was riveted to the booth. He stared in desperation at the chestnut curls of his wife. "Belle," he whispered.

"Rumple," Lucy called softly. But she knew his thoughts were elsewhere. Pushing her plate aside, she slid out of the booth and caught his hands. "Rumple, try to eat something. I'm going to speak with Belle."

He nodded, absent-mindedly grabbing a fallen chip from the table and shoving it into his mouth.

"Hello, Belle, Archie," Lucy said gently. "May I join you?

Archie looked on the verge of argument. Instead, he removed a shoe box and large envelope from the seat beside him, allowing Lucy to sit down.

Lucy noted Belle's red-rimmed eyes. "I'm sorry," Lucy offered. "I'll just wanted to see if you'd had time to check over the paper work." She nodded and tapped the envelope.

"No," Belle answered gently, "it's all right. Is Rumple here?"

"Yes," Lucy admitted, "we came in for lunch." She shook her head. "We didn't know you were here. I'll make him leave if - "

"No," she said insistently, "I want to see him. I want to talk to him before I sign those." She pointed to the envelope.

"I thought you had decided to sign them," Archie reminded her. He opened the envelope and spread the documents on the table. "The papers are all in order and seem to be beyond fair."

"I know I decided to sign them, Archie," Belle argued, her voice raised. "But that was this morning. I just can't sign them without talking to him about it."

"I wouldn't recommend that, Belle," Lucy told her carefully.

"And neither would I," Dr. Hopper reproved. "You are very vulnerable right now, in a fragile state. In fact, you shouldn't be making any significant decisions for several months - "

Belle turned an angry expression on Lucy. "I know very well why you wouldn't recommend it." Then she turned and equally angry face at her friend. "And, I can talk to him if I want, Archie," she maintained. "He is still my husband, and I do love him." Tears began to well in her eyes.

Lucy bit her lip and cast a furtive glance at Archie, who shrugged elaborately. "Okay, okay," Archie held his hands up in surrender. "If you want to talk to Gold, it's fine. Just don't let him fool you." Archie opened the shoe box and withdrew a gauntlet. "Remember what this is?"

"The Gauntlet of Weakness," Lucy answered Archie's question.

Belle and Archie both frowned. "You know about this?" Archie asked.

Lucy smiled. "Oh, yes," she told him. "It leads to the thing a person -"

"- loves the most," Belle finished her sentence bitterly. She stared angrily at Lucy. "It led me to Rumple's dagger, the real one. The one I notice you just happen to be wearing." A trace of jealously tinged her voice.

Archie sat back and cut a glance back and forth between the two women.

"Not exactly, Belle," Lucy replied coldly. "The Gauntlet of Weakness leads to a person's greatest weakness, which is not necessarily the thing he loves most. Usually, one's greatest weakness is his greatest love, but they are not always the same thing.

Belle looked skeptical, but Archie was clearly very interested. He shifted sideways in the seat and pushed up his glasses. "What do you mean?"

Lucy spoke honestly. The curse of honesty, she thought instantly. I'm going to lose him again. "Take, Rumple, for example," she offered, "his greatest weakness is the dagger, but not because it's a symbol of magic or power. It is physically his greatest weakness because whoever wields the dagger, controls him. He literally becomes a slave to the owner of the dagger." Lucy reached out and took the gauntlet, turning it over and over. "It is not, however, his greatest love." Lucy stopped and looked Belle square in the eye. "How could he ever love being forced to slavery, especially after what Zelena did to him?"

"Oh," Belle whispered. "Poor Rumple, and I - " she faltered as tears fell. "I used that dagger to cast him out of town." Her hands flew across the table, and she grabbed the gauntlet, taking Lucy's hands in the process. "Then why did he sign those divorce papers?"

"Because that was what you wanted," Lucy told her with a sigh. "Belle, you obviously love him, and I know for a fact that he - "

" - loves you more than my continued existence," Gold said softly. "I'm sorry. I know I'm supposed to stay away, but I can't. Belle, you have to let me explain."

"Rumple," she cried, "you don't have to say a word. I am so, so sorry. I didn't understand. Please forgive me."

"No, I was wrong," he continued. "I was greedy for power, but - "

"But I'll solve that problem for you both," Lucy said resignedly. She stood slowly, pulling Archie along with her. "I'll just keep the gauntlet and the dagger." She stuffed the gauntlet back into the shoe box and shoved it unceremoniously into her new handbag.

Gold frowned at that news, but he quickly took up her vacated seat. At the moment, he was far more interested in Belle than either the gauntlet or his dagger. Lucy, he knew and trusted, would be quite capable of keeping both safe and sound.

"Come on, Archie, let me give you a ride back to your office," Attorney Farmer said. "I think I would like to set up an appointment with you." She linked arms with Dr. Hopper and pulled him along to her car.