Hello Again Dearies! Sorry for the delay - work and waking life have been keeping me from my writing here lately. Please enjoy! - Sed

Chapter 4

Last Night:

"How about we make a deal instead…" Rumpelstiltskin trailed off as he heard Belle pull her clothing back into a more normal order behind him. The incubus looked at him incredulously, through the void that held no eyes, but the sorcerer was keenly aware that the demon was watching him.

"Go on…" The incubus finally vocalized, tendril wisps of arms going to try and free the dagger from his foot, the one that was pinning him to the floor.

"Don't try it; it will end poorly for you. No, rather an option to free you from your obligations to a certain frigid bitch that has been an ever more disappointing failure as time passes. I will take you and your mate to another realm, one where she cannot follow you. Your mate first, you kept bound here as collateral to secure her agreement. Once she is safely neutralized as a threat to myself and to my Belle, then you will be delivered to her. In exchange, before you are delivered to her, I would ask that you stop the snow storm that is currently burying my bloody castle, as well as something that I think you would find entirely too enjoyable." Rumpelstiltskin had a certain revenge in mind.

"And this second condition, what would that entail?" the incubus asked after taking a moment to process what he was being told.

"You can change form to any that you have seen in dreams before, correct?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, fingers steepling together as he began to pace. "There is a particularly young, strapping male that the Evil Queen once loved – he was killed. Enter her dreams, take his form, and then siphon to your black little heart's content."

"No! You can't do that. Master, it's cruel, even if she is as black as you've told me she is!" Belle interjected from behind him, coming forward to put a small hand on his forearm, tears starting to form along her lower lashes. "No matter what she has, or has yet to do to you, that is cruel, even for you, Master." Rumpelstiltskin looked from her hand on him, to her face, and then back to her hand, before squaring his shoulders and clearing his throat.

"Scratch that last part from the deal, until you want to do that on your own." He felt the tension in Belle's hand relax, as he hazarded a look to her face, his heart nearly beating out of his chest at the look in her eyes. "I didn't do it for you, get that idea out of your head." He added quickly, as a knowing smile spread across her lips, her hand remaining on his forearm.

"Deal." The incubus said quickly.

"Deal. In you go then." Rumpelstiltskin recalled his dagger, freeing the incubus from the floor, pulling the first container he could think of from his collection that was non-magical, a certain copper flower vase, and using it to bind the incubus inside. The furnishings would be temporary after all. Once the succubus was safely in the other realm, then the incubus would be freed there as well. Now, he just had to figure out how to capture the succubus. "Belle, dear?" He turned to look at her again, a genuine smile on his face as he covered her small hand with his own. "How would you like a day or two to visit with a very clever child I am particularly fond of?"

"And just when I thought you had run out of ways to impress me…"

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Early morning came quickly. Rumpelstiltskin's plan had been all along for them to teleport to an area of the Enchanted Forrest where the person whom could travel between realms lived. Of course, Belle would be watching over a child while her master and this person took the succubus to another realm, they had to capture her first, and then they would be back to fetch her. Sitting on her master's bed combing her hair out she wondered about the child she would be watching, her eyes on the spinning wheel as her master thought.

"You said you were very fond of this child, yet gave no indication if the child was a little boy, or a little girl." She finally spoke, starting to braid her hair into a tail over her shoulder. She would need her hair bound since it had been a while since she had washed it properly, what with the snow and all the chaos that had been going about the castle lately.

"Her name is Grace, and she is very clever." Rumpelstiltskin told her, his hand going still as the familiar cadence of the wheel turning stopped. "She and her father lost her mother some time ago. He is doing the best he can to raise her, but while we are gone, he will need assurance that she will be properly taken care of. He doesn't like to leave her alone very long at all." He supplied, looking over his shoulder at her.

"Well, I've not had much experience with children, but I will do my best, Master. Tell me, does she like stories? Maybe I could read to her."

"We may be gone a day or two, possibly a week, so if you think stories are going to keep her occupied that long, you're sadly mistaken. I'll bring you both to the castle, as soon as we have captured the succubus, so you have an abundance of snow, exploring, and stories to keep yourself entertained, and I know that the both of you will be safe that way. As long as neither of you leave the main courtyard, then the magic protecting the castle should still keep you safe. Wander outside of that and well…you're on your own, dearie."

"Then I suppose that we should make every effort to keep inside the courtyard, but I cannot promise that you will not come back to a courtyard filled with snowmen." Belle smiled as she tied off her braid with a yellow ribbon, and moved off the bed, gathering her traveling cloak. "So we may be there a day or two, and then before you leave for the other realm, you will come and collect us and bring us here."

"Your understanding is, as always, completely accurate. Now, I know the last time we traveled this way, it left you disoriented. My advice; don't hold your breath. Take my arm, dearie." Rumpelstiltskin rose from the spinning wheel, holding his arm out to Belle in a gentlemanly way, her smile never faltering as she took his arm. With a thought, and a blink of her eyes, they were standing in only a mildly chilly part of the forest, a small hut with a curl of smoke coming from its chimney nearby.

"Oh you're right, that was ever so much easier this time." Belle waved at the red smoke that they had arrived in, her face twisted in a look of discomfort, but not the bewilderment or total confusion he had seen on her features the last time.

"If only more people would realize that. Now, let us go see Miss Grace and her father, Jefferson." Rumpelstiltskin put a hand to her back, hovering, never fully touching her, but close enough that she could feel the warmth of his hand through her cloak and her bodice. He had walked with her like this when she had gone with him the first time.

"You've never mentioned a Jefferson before." She asked, more than a statement. Belle turned slightly so she could look at his face as they covered the small distance to the cottage. "In fact, you've never mentioned Grace before either…" she trailed off as a blonde headed flash of child came barreling at them, Rumpelstiltskin's hands deft as he caught the child in a hug to keep from toppling over.

"Uncle Rumpel!" Came a delighted squeal from the ball of excitement he hugged.

"Well look at what I've caught, Belle, a little forest nymph! I believe we shall need to skin her and dry her pelt to sell at market! Neh, neh!" Rumpelstiltskin changed before her eyes, the sentence might have been in malice towards someone breaking in, but he was charming, every bit an uncle in that moment. Belle's smile widened underneath her hood, as amber eyes turned to her, cautioning her to never mention the occurrence again. She knew that look well, and the smile deepened into a knowing smile as Grace was deposited back on her feet. "Grace, this is Miss Belle, she will be staying with you as your father and I take care of some business."

"She's really pretty Uncle Rumpel, is she going to be my Auntie one day?" From the mouths of babes. Rumpelstiltskin looked panicked, fumbling for the right words.

"Well, that… I mean, She…" He started, wondering how to explain in a way a young mind would comprehend.

"Hello, Grace," Belle stepped in, kneeling down so that they were eye to eye. "I work for your uncle, at his castle, and it would be improper for me to be your auntie in the rules of society. But rules are made to be broken sometimes," Belle added quickly with a wink. "Are you going to be okay with me spending some time with you?" She asked, holding out a leather gloved hand to the girl.

"Uncle Rumpel, break the rules and make her my auntie, I like her." Grace demanded, taking Belle's hand and pulling her to the cottage. "Come see my tea set, we can have tea before Papa and Uncle Rumpel go!" Belle laughed at Graces exuberance, and allowed herself to be pulled along, a wide smile across her face. Eyes wide, Rumpelstiltskin watched the exchange, and with a half smile forming on his face, he followed along, shaking his head.

Jefferson offered Belle tea, pouring her a steaming cup of sweet smelling liquid into mismatched cups. Belle smiled graciously, and added sugar sparingly. The inside of the cottage looked like he and Grace were doing what they could to just have a small bit above comfortable existence. The one room cottage was homey, lived in, inviting. It smelled of love and happiness, even with the air of not being complete, of being just the two of them. Belle sipped her tea as Jefferson and Rumpelstiltskin talked, Grace having moved her chair as close to Belle's as possible to lean against her side as the men spoke.

"So, Wonderland." Jefferson began, as he handed a tea cup to Rumpelstiltskin, before sitting down and pouring his own cup of tea.

"It is the only place that Regina cannot follow them, unless you take her there. And well, there may be someone there who would like to come back to this realm now that he's failed what he went there to do." Rumpelstiltskin explained as he took a sip of the sweet smelling tea. It was robust, with a hint of orange. He would need to find out where Jefferson got the mix from, as he watched Belle's face brighten with delight at the tea. Jefferson's eyes followed Rumpelstiltskin's gaze, before the other male shook his head and snapped twice.

"I'm over here." He joked, a smirk crossing his features. "I assume my standard payment will be met?" He asked, as Rumpelstiltskin set his tea cup down, steepling his fingers together, much like he always did when making a deal. Belle shifted slightly, putting an arm around Grace as they remained silent. Grace looked up to Belle then, grinning. The child had some mischief in mind, Belle could already tell.

"Yes, yes, your standard fee. I should remove a stipend for Belle, since she will be doing the hard part of the work." Rumpelstiltskin leaned back in the chair, crossing his legs as he did.

"If you think it appropriate." Jefferson looked to Belle then, leaning forward a bit. "You promise you'll take good care of her? Make sure she's safe until I return?" Belle's mouth opened to say something, but she hesitated. The look on Jefferson's face was so full of love for his daughter. She had seen that look before, when her father looked at her. She caught her moment of rudeness quickly, and gave Grace a small hug.

"You have my word that I will make certain she is well cared for in your absence." Belle promised, holding her hand out to Jefferson to shake on the deal. Jefferson took her gloved hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

"Then I will be in your debt, Lady Belle." He murmured to her, as he let half lidded eyes study her face.

"Stop molesting my help, Jefferson." Rumpelstiltskin sighed, looking to Grace. "I believe your father means to make Belle your step-mother if we let him keep mooning over her like that." Jefferson shook his head with a smile, as an embarrassed blush spread across Belle's face.

"No, I don't believe that Mister Jefferson means anything of the sort Master." She spoke quietly, looking down to Grace.

"You could be my mother, Belle!" Grace said excitedly, pulling on Belle's traveling cloak a moment, Grace's voice dropped to a whisper. "But I think Uncle Rumpel would be silly not to make you my auntie."

"Enough of that, dear. Miss Belle is a beautiful young woman; she will not find a good match with me." Rumpelstiltskin reached out and ruffled Grace's hair, as the child giggled. "Shall we?" He directed at Jefferson.

"I'll meet you outside after I talk to Grace a moment. Would you mind, Belle, allowing us a moment?" Jefferson smiled at Belle, as she set her tea cup down.

"Oh! No, of course not. I will just…. I will be outside then." Belle smiled, covering over how flustered she felt at all the talking about mothers and aunts and the like. She rose from her seat at the table, her hand patting Grace's shoulder. "I will be back in a moment Grace." Rumpelstiltskin rose from his seat as well, ushering Belle outside, and closing the door behind them. Jefferson looked to his daughter then, his eyebrow raised as he chuckled.

"She could be your mother, eh?" He asked as Grace smiled at him.

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"She will be a handful, she's being very insistent on things today." Rumpelstiltskin cautioned Belle as they walked through a clearing near the cottage. "And she is used to having her way on just about everything." Belle had pushed the hood of her cloak back when they had first entered the cottage, and she had neglected returning it to her head as they walked, Rumpelstiltskin's hand hovering above the small of her back once again.

"A handful you say? Much like someone who demands his morning tea at exactly eight o'clock in the morning every morning, including holidays and weekends?" Belle teased him, a smile on her face as she did. This was the most relaxed she had seen him since she had come under his, semi-unwilling, employ. "Thank you for negotiating a small portion of money for me. I should like to get some fabric, perhaps make myself another working shift and a heavier night shift for the season change. Perhaps…" She trailed off, thinking.

"Perhaps?" He asked as they stopped in the clearing. He had assumed he had provided for her all manner of things that she should need. He had made sure her wardrobe contained clothes for working, and for resting when she had the occasional time alone, the cloak she was wearing, and the soft gloves that covered her hands. Traveling leathers, boots, stockings, underthings, night clothing, a bed with warm blankets and furs, pillows, books, a toilette complete with basin and bowl, a fire place, book shelves, small items that had caught her eye here and there. Had he missed something while he had been furnishing her room? Changing it from a dungeon cell to an actual room over time.

"Perhaps, a ball of wool yarn and some knitting needles. I could knit in the evenings as you spin, a shawl for me to have for the evening time, for when it gets colder in the next few months." She finally supplied, as he nodded.

"I tell you what…" Rumpelstiltskin started. "I will spin you a lovely blue yarn to make a shawl from, if you sit and read to me in the evenings while I spin it." She had been silent the last few evenings, the chaos that had been their lives the past few days catching up finally.

"I believe you have yourself a deal, Master." She smiled at him.

"One more part of this deal…"

"Oh?"

"No more calling me Master."

"Of course, Ma…Rumpelstiltskin."

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Jefferson poured imaginary tea into his daughter, Grace's, tea set, a part of the good bye ritual they held so dear with one another over the past few years. He knew that Rumpelstiltskin needed time to explain his plan to Belle, and thus was spending as much time as possible with his daughter before they would head off to try and complete their silly mission of sorts. Grace eyeballed him from across the table, suspicion on her face.

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?" He finally asked, picking up his real tea cup and taking a long drag off the hot liquid, letting it warm him in the winter afternoon.

"Because you're not telling me anything not to do while I spend time with Belle while you and Uncle Rumpel go off and do who knows what." Grace quipped back, taking a cookie from the plate at the center of the table.

"Do you really want to know?" Jefferson asked, setting his tea cup back down on the table.

"I would. You never tell me anything of your adventures." Grace leaned forward, patting her father's hair with a smile.

"Well," Jefferson began. "It is a complicated matter. Uncle Rumpel has an uninvited guest in his castle, who refuses to leave. He needs my help to make sure this guest will finally leave so he and Miss Belle can return to some harmony of living."

"So Uncle Rumpel does like Belle?" Grace edged a bit closer, a wide childish smile crossing her face. "So she might be my Aunt Belle?"

Jefferson sighed, folding his hands together on his lap, his face one of thought.

"Papa…" Grace hedged, almost at the edge of her seat now.

"Yes, perhaps. But you mustn't mention that to him. Uncle Rumpel has spent a long time alone, and has a hard time trusting people, Grace, you know that. Let him come to the conclusion on his own, otherwise we'll have a very grumpy Uncle Rumpel on our hands, and you know what happens when he's grumpy."

"He turns people into snails!" Grace giggled, rocking back in her chair, the look on her face one of delight. Yes, Rumpelstiltskin would turn those who annoyed him into some sort of object he could easily crush, but Jefferson had never told her what happened to them after the transformation was complete. Usually some ugly and messy death, as for as much as the old imp was ruthless, he was completely well behaved around Grace. Jefferson had seen the sad looks in the past, and assumed that Rumpelstiltskin had children, but with as old as he was, there was no telling where those children were now, if even still alive. The fact that Grace had taken to him so easily put the imp off guard, his actions grandfatherly even.

"Yes, he turns them into snails for his gardens; snails are good for gardens, aren't they?" Jefferson smiled at Grace then, pouring her more of the watered down tea he kept for her, so that she wouldn't be up all night making poor Belle face the full brunt of a hopped up eight year old.

"They are. They are good things for some plants, but bad things for others! And birds eat them. But the birds help carry seeds from place to place, and then we eat the birds at supper." Grace went off on a tangent, and Jefferson could feel his brain starting to process the words in the mind of a mad man. He watched his daughter's face as she continued on her merry way in some sort of circular logic that would make sense to him eventually, smiling and nodding along while she talked.

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"I am very sorry to ask this of you Belle, but I must know a few, rather, personal details about you so that I can keep the real you separate in my mind." Rumpelstiltskin began as he took a seat on a log, some length from the cottage where they had left Jefferson and Grace.

"Of course, ask anything." Belle replied as she sat down next to him, turning to face him. Rumpelstiltskin lifted a hand, finger extended as he stopped, rethinking his next words.

"I shall understand completely if anything I say shocks you into smacking me." He prefaced his first question. "Are you, Belle, still a maiden?" Belle's cheeks went bright red, her hands twisting in her skirts as she looked rather panicked.

"You once said, that a maidenhead could secure alliances, well mine did. With Gaston's kingdom, for their help in the war. Of course it wasn't enough in the long term, but he did…" Belle trailed off as Rumpelstiltskin waved a hand.

"What has been done to you in the past is over with now. You have no maidenhead any longer, and I am assuming that the tall oaf that told me I couldn't take you was Gaston. No doubt wanting to taste the goods to make sure they were ripe for the picking before committing to an alliance."

"Something of the sorts." She replied, staring down at her hands still. Carefully, hesitantly, he placed one of his hands over hers, patting them gently, before letting his thumb work the worry free across the back of her hand.

"I understand." He could barely speak past the rage that was welling up inside him. His pretty little maid had been defiled by some common lout who probably couldn't even spell his own name, let alone write it. "So, that is one very telling difference. The succubus every time she has come to me has assumed you were still a maiden." He calmed a bit, letting the implications turn over in his head. "Do you have any birth marks or does your belly button stick out, instead of in?"

"I don't see…" Belle began, as she went to move, Rumpelstiltskin's hand on hers stopping her.

"Please, Belle. I need to know the differences, so I can tell you from her, so I can trap her and be rid of her and bring you home again." He didn't look at her, as she regarded him with mistrust.

"I have no birthmarks, and my belly button dips in, not out." She finally supplied, his eyes closing as he made his mental map.

"Any scars, or moles?" He asked, eyes still closed. He felt her move, hearing her skirts rustle as she did. Laces were being pulled, and the sound of fabric falling to the forest floor made him decide it was not safe to open his eyes yet. "What are you doing?" He choked out, trying not to think.

"Instead of this questioning, which will take too long…" Belle took both his hands in hers, moving them to her bare shoulders. "Feel, look, taste what you need to. Make sure you know the real me, instead of trying to keep this awkward conversation going." Belle closed her eyes as she felt his thumbs stroke along her collar bones, a sharp intake of air the only thing keeping her from bolting outright. Gaston had not made a favorable impression on her, but if Rumpelstiltskin was anything like what the incubus had done to her, he was a far cry more worthy to touch her than Gaston ever had been.

Rumpelstiltskin kept his eyes closed, his fingers slowly running across every inch of her flesh, knowing her body without sight first would make it easier. Belle had crossed her hands over her chest, the modesty even with permission making him gentle. He ran his thumb down her left arm, peeling it away first, then her right arm, letting her cover her more intimate areas as he spent his time continuing his mapping. Index finger sliding down the slope of her breast, he caught her nipple between thumb and forefinger, rolling it from one side to the other before repeating the process on her other side.

Belle bit her lower lip to keep from making any sound as his hands circled around to her back, pulling her closer as he buried his face in her hair, breathing deeply, committing her scent to memory. His fingers splayed, each hand moving lower until he cupped each cheek of her behind, weighing them with his hands, his fingers kneading the skin. She reached out to steady herself, her hands gripping his shoulders as his fingers moved across the curve of her hips, a small gasp as those same fingers traveled lower, splaying again across her stomach, lower still as he continued.

"Tell me to stop Belle." He murmured into her hair, his fingers sliding across the first traces of the curls of her sex, his hands trembling as he slowed his assessment of her body.

"No." She whispered as she felt his index finger slide between her nether lips, the blush of embarrassment rising in her cheeks, her chest. Belle's legs felt unsteady as he curled one arm around her waist, pulling her closer, as a second finger joined the first. The sound he made as his fingers found her wet, ready, snapped her eyes open, her head leaned against his as those nimble digits circled her clit over and over. She tilted her hips back, giving him better access, as he finally opened his eyes.

"Belle." His voice was a plea, asking for permission, the look of uncertainty on his face as he continued rubbing her, harder now, his movements deliberate. She was certain the incubus could never have imitated him now, seeing him like this. She tried to catch her breath, and failed; her words little more than a breathy whisper.

"Oh dear gods, yes." She finally managed as his fingers slid inside her, curling against a point of pleasure she never knew had existed, her knees buckling out from under her. He held her tighter, keeping her from falling as his lips crushed against hers, his tongue pressing forward into her eager mouth, their mutual moan lost. Rumpelstiltskin pulled her into his lap, his free hand drawing her leg up over his hips, as she moved the other leg of her own volition, her hands gripping his leather vest as she ground down against his fingers, her movements untrained, her limbs trembling as she tried to remember to breathe. She whimpered as he pulled his fingers from her, breaking the kiss long enough to slide both digits into his mouth, sucking the taste of her from them. Something changed then, whatever restraint he had been showing gone, as there was still far too many layers of clothing between them. Their hands both worked quickly to free him of his vest and shirt, their lips meeting again as they fumbled to unlace his leathers. Mostly undone, he stood, carrying her with him, backing her into a nearby tree, as he freed the last lace, her hands aiding him in pushing his pants down his hips, before her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her lips parting to allow his tongue to sweep into her mouth once again, tasting the tangy aftertaste of herself there.

Belle moaned, feeling his flesh meet hers, the hard length of him sliding against her, over and over, but not entering her. She gripped a handful of his hair, completely ready for him at this point, and frustrated that he wouldn't comply. She felt his forehead against her own, her eyes locked with his as he broke their kiss.

"I can't Belle." He told her between gasping breaths, still sliding against her, faster, the heavy feeling of her orgasm making her lower abdomen flood with warmth.

"Please, gods, please Rumpel…" Belle groaned at him, as he moved faster, his mouth closing around her nipple as he continued to stroke her. His teeth grazed across her skin as her body tensed, her orgasm hitting her, her cry scaring birds from their nearby nest. Rumpelstiltskin's movements became jerky, less rhythmic, as she felt the first hot rush of his own orgasm spread across her belly. He jerked once more, before he let her down to her feet, both hands catching her cheeks as he kissed her, slow, deeply passionate kisses. He finally wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to his chest, one hand going to cradle the back of her head, the other moving so that his hand could knead her lower back. Belle pressed her hand over his heart, feeling the muscle underneath finally slow to a much more normal pace. She fought his tongue, and was rewarded as his own retreated from her mouth, pulling her along with it. Her breathing slowed, and eventually his did as well, his forehead resting against hers one more time, as he broke the kiss once more. "Why not…" she eventually asked, the confusion showing on her face. "Do you not want this too?"

"I told you Belle, I am not in the habit of ravaging young, beautiful women. If, and when, a full consummation happens for you again, it will be in a marriage bed, as it should be. Until then, if you're so set on this, this will have to be enough. And dearest, never, for a moment think that I do not want this. You would be sorely mistaken if you thought otherwise." His voice was tender towards her, as he brushed her hair back from her face, his hand cupping her cheek as he kissed her again.

"Chivalry from the Dark One, and yet a million new ways you never fail to impress me…" she smiled against his lips, as he kissed her one last time before they would have to part. He pulled his pants back up over his hips, tying the leather laces back in place as he knelt, picking up her shift and bodice, fully intent on helping her dress. Off guard as he was, he never suspected that the intimate moment he had just shared with Belle, had really been shared with the succubus, until he felt the sharp crack against the back of his head, and the whole world went dark.

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"Did you find him?" Belle was on her feet the moment Jefferson entered the castle's Great Hall, her hands twisting in worry, as Grace continued to breathe deeply in slumber on the couch near the spinning wheel. Jefferson held a black gloved hand up, motioning for her to follow him to the kitchen, so they wouldn't wake Grace. Belle pulled her shawl from her shoulders, and added it to the blanket over Grace, before bee-lining for the kitchen door. Jefferson was close behind her.

"I did." He said quickly as Belle rounded on him the moment the kitchen door swung closed.

"And?" She asked, tears already forming along her lower lashes.

"And, it's bad. He was beat pretty soundly, and it appears he's been drained of most of his power. I don't know how long he's been hidden in the stables out there, but he showed no sign of frostbite, so I can only assume whoever did this has been keeping him warm." Jefferson leaned against the island counter, folding his arms against his chest.

"Where is he now?" Belle was barely keeping herself together. Almost a week ago, her master had vanished, and not returned. Had it not been for Jefferson coming to the castle, Belle didn't know what she would have done. She was magically sealed into the castle's grounds, unable to leave unless her Master accompanied her, or he willingly let her leave the grounds.

"I moved him up to his room as soon as I found him. He's still asleep and gaunt right now. Something or someone has been draining his magic, and has left him almost a shell. Are you certain you do not know where he keeps the majority of the more… risky magical items he's procured over the years?" Jefferson pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought. He knew Rumpelstiltskin kept items that would break a magical sleep like this, but he was uncertain of where the imp kept them. "Belle, it is important that he rest now. He was old, even before he was the Dark One, I'm not sure when he's going to wake up, but he's going to be raging mad when he does."

"I know this, I've been here a while now, but I don't think he would take that anger out on you, Grace, or myself. He should know that we were not involved in whatever did this, and no, I do not know where his 'secret cache' is, but I have an idea. I know where the spell books are, maybe something in there would be able to tell us what has happened to him. I'll make up a room for you and Grace, since it's so late and you'd not make it back through the snow." Belle went to head out of the kitchen.

"I appreciate that Belle, especially now that this snow storm has moved further inland, our cottage nearly had snow to my waist when Grace and I left. I knew here would be warm, and Rumpelstiltskin has never turned us away in weather as bad as this. As annoyed as he acted in those times we've come to him in the past, I think he secretly enjoyed the company." Jefferson stopped pinching his nose then, and yawned. "I'm just glad the door to the downstairs had been cleared, so I was able to bring my horse in, poor thing would have frozen out there tonight."

Belle smiled sadly, and then nodded. "I'll go get your bed made up, I'm assuming that Grace won't mind sharing with you, or should I make her up her own room?" Even with how the past week had gone, Belle remembered her manners.

"She'll be fine in with me, and it saves you from more work than necessary." He replied as he bent over beside the stove, shoving another log of wood into its belly to keep the fire inside going. "Just going to make a spot of tea before bed. Go on, I know where everything is, and I'll pour you a cup as well." Belle nodded once, and then left the kitchen, heading to the stairs that would take her to a wing of the Castle that served as guest quarters for the evening. Intentionally, it also would keep their guests as far away from Rumpelstiltskin's library and laboratory as possible.

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Incoming picture message from Belle Gold.

"Guess what arrived in the mail today?"

"Is that what I think it is, my love?"

"Why yes, yes it is. What time are you closing the shop?"

"I'll be home in ten minutes."

Incoming picture message from Belle Gold.

"Make that five."

"I'll be waiting…"

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Belle Gold had arrived home early, the library closed on Wednesdays at four, to allow her time to come home and prepare dinner for her and Rumpel, as had been tradition over the past few weeks leading up to their nuptials, and a ritual she planned on keeping now that they were legally married. She had nearly skipped back to the house when she had checked the mail today. Their vows had been spoken over a week ago, but until they held the legal documentation, Rumpel's old-fashion "code" wouldn't be satisfied. He had once explained to her that even if he was regarded as a monster by most, he did have rules that he lived by. She had remembered that conversation with displeasure on their wedding night. Something about making sure that the law, the Gods, and her family not being able to cry afoul their union, and that he wouldn't have her viewed as some doxy around town. Thus, their wedding night had been much like most nights, spent in bed, wrapped around one another, but with no consummation. Belle was particularly ready for that part.

Kitchen timer chiming that her lingonberry tart was done; she donned oven mitts and pulled a casserole dish from the oven. She had texted him a little over two minutes ago, and she assumed that he would burst through the door any moment, based on the pictures she had sent him. One of the license, stamped with official seal, and then another of her cooking in just her high-heels. She was fairly certain that the tart would be just the right temperature by the time they were done.

Pulling the oven mitts off, she returned them to their proper place in the drawer beside the oven, turned the oven off, and made her way towards their bedroom. As she climbed the stairs, she felt like she was being watched, enough so that she stopped, and looked behind her. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, but the chill that had just run up her back, raising the fine hairs along her neck made her call out.

"Hello? Is someone there?" She asked to the well lit living room from her perch on the stairs, her nakedness forgotten as the first trickle of fear started to worm its way into her head. "Hello?" The crash from the bedroom made her jump, a startled shriek coming from her as she kicked off her heels and ran down the stairs. Thankful she had left her dress on the couch; she grabbed it and pulled it on over her head as she ran into the darkened parlor, hiding behind one of the folding paper dividers that had been placed near the windows. Belle held her breath as she heard the footsteps upstairs. She mentally cursed herself for not having grabbed the gun she knew was in the hallway drawer, next to the door. With someone moving upstairs, she very much did not want to give away her position.

The hinges of a door being opened upstairs made her cover her mouth and nose with her hands, fear having taken deep control of her now. Her cell phone started to chime in the kitchen, and the footsteps moving along the hard wood floor upstairs stopped. Crouched and hidden, Belle kept quiet as those footsteps started down the stairs, and into the kitchen. She heard her cell phone stop chiming.

"Well hello there, dear." Came a saccharine-sweet voice. "Surely you remember me. Oh no, I know exactly what I am doing, and if you don't return my mate to me, I'll make sure you never see yours again." Belle choked down her scream as she heard the cell phone hit the far wall of the kitchen. She needed to breathe, but she didn't dare. Magic was in this world, and it had unpredictable effects, and Belle was quite certain that whomever was in their house right now, would have magic. Belle jumped as she heard dishes, glasses, and her casserole dish hit the floors and shatter. Trembling uncontrollably now, she tried to back herself further into the corner hiding spot.

"Where are you…" came the same saccharine, sing-song voice. "I can taste your fear, Belle." The footsteps started again, through Rumpel's home office, as more items shattered on the floor. When the loud crash of a bookshelf being turned over sounded throughout the house, Belle screamed before she could help it. "I heeeeeeeeeear you… Ready or not! Here I come." Belle panicked, and made a break towards the front hallway, her bare feet slapping on the hardwood as she tried to make it to the front door.

"BELLE!" She could see his outline through the stained glass of the front door, his hands moving in some sort of spell, the door wasn't locked, the bolt wasn't turned, but the flash of green around the frame told her it was magically sealed. "BELLE!" Rumpelstiltskin yelled again as his cane crashed into the stained glass, ricocheting off like it was made of steel. "Gods be damned!"

"Rumpel!" She called as a form of black smoke appeared in front of her. Belle skidded to a stop, back peddling as fast as she could.

"Well hello, dearie." Her doppelganger smiled at her, index finger wagging back and forth. "Tut, Tut… trying to run away from our game. Now then… shall we?" Belle's eyes were wide as she kept backing up from the copy of her, its hands holding a shimmery-green bottle. The copy smiled brightly, and Belle swore she had never seen a more malicious smile, even from the Evil Queen, for as long as she had lived.

"See, all we're going to do… is put you in here. And then I'm going to drop you into the center of the deepest body of water I can find in this godsdamned little hovel you call a town, and you will never, ever, see your mate again." The copy pulled the ornate stopper from the bottle, holding it out towards Belle. "Au Revoir, Belle Gold. Better hope that he cares for you more now than he did back then."

"Rumpel!" Belle yelled as green tendrils snaked towards her, pulling her to the bottle, and then, nothingness, except the vague awareness of someone calling her name.

"And now, I get my mate back." The fake Belle laughed as she heard the Dark One throwing magic at the door, trying any means possible to gain entry to his own home to save his mate. "Did you hear that Dark One?" The copy yelled at the door, which only intensified the amount of fire that was being lobbed at the stained glass.

"If anything happens to her, I will kill you. Slowly, and with great pleasure." Rumpelstiltskin's voice was cold, calculated in his threat, as empty as it was at the time, especially since her enchantment on the door wouldn't break until she left the house. The copy giggled, turning to the stained glass to mock him.

"Oh, Dark One, you have no idea just how much you're going to suffer before this is all done. I'll take my leave now, your house is a little messy you know. Maybe you need to invest in a maid…"

"Oh, now I'm really going to kill you, and your mate," was the only reply the succubus waited around to hear, before she vanished in a cloud of black smoke. Rumpelstiltskin opened the door to his house finally, surveying the damage done. His eyes caught sight of the desert shattered across the kitchen floor, and his lip pulled back into a sneer. "But not before I make sure you beg for your death."

Well there it is - Hope you enjoyed it! Leave me a comment if you did, you didn't, or if you want me to burn under the Library, cursed! Thank you so much to my lovely beta reader, any polish in this chapter is entirely her doing (And yes, my dear, it is a Greek Tragedy...) Make sure to check out her stories as they are *ever* so lovely every single time - Miss CharlotteAshmore. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and followed - some days you're the only reason I sit down and work on these little tales.

Next installment will be in two weeks, What is our Rumpel going to do to get his wife back? And for that matter why are these two still causing trouble?!