A/N: I may have forgotten about this, so for anyone still reading, thank you for your patentice! Obviously very AU after the previous episodes. Hope you enjoy!

Something wicked was coming.

Belle could taste it in the air just as she felt the cold wind hit her skin. The moon was full and high in the sky and became a bright light onto the tiled floor. She took this as a sign of things to come. A nagging feeling in her skull told her that Rumplestiltskin was about to do something extreme that even she would not be able to save him from. It was almost a year now her strange band of companions had watched his deterioration through the use of mirrors he would walk by. She saw the darkness in his eyes and refused to believe that this was the man she had fallen in love with. Most days she questioned if what she felt was real. Her father had told her 'Belle, you know it is true love when it rips your heart apart.' How much more damage her heart could take was still unknown.

Hope was still present, this she knew, but she feared he would not take it. This was to be the night they were to greet him, yet they still were unsure how to even break out to him. There had been no sign of him that day. The Genie believed he was still in his estate, which made it impossible to project to him.

The enchantment was ready and been settling most of the day. Regina had been out and not expected to return till tomorrow morning. The Huntsman could promise no more than that. She made sure to brush all the dirt off of her face and try to look healthy. This visit was not for her pity but for his saving.

With a burst of the door, the Huntsman strode towards her with a few more last minute ingredients. He took the potion that had been setting, hidden behind a brick, and he unlocked the cage door. With the dozens of times he had done this simple act for her, she was still grateful.

The enchantment was simple, really. She was the drink the potion, which allowed her body to absorb power that would be inaccessible for those untouched by magic. With this new gift she would have a short time to project herself through a reflective surface, only a slight difference than transportation. Instead of propelling herself forwards through the mirror, just a reflection could pass. It seemed almost too easy.

"Songbirds should not be kept behind bars," He whispered as he set the bottle and the strange ingredients on the table.

"Excuse you?" She laughed and stood next to him.

"We have all heard you singing," The Huntsman said. "You are like the songbirds in the forests. I haven't heard them sing in a long time. It's a welcome."

"Yes…well…wolves don't do too well in cages as either."

This man had become a comfort to her this past year. He was the closest thing she could call a friend in this strange place. It was plain to see his distaste with the Queen. She wasn't sure who had it worse, The Huntsman and his forced affection to the Queen or herself and her imprisonment. Truth was they were both kept locked away from the world. With this, she took pity and connection with him.

"Will it be finished after this?" She asked, taking a step closer to see inside of the bottle. The liquid was swirling and with each new ingredient a puff of smoke would pop in her face. It had a strong herby smell and made her head spin.

"Are you still sure about this?" The Huntsman capped the bottle and gave it a few shakes. "You know if you no longer want to…"

"I still want too," She cocked her eyebrow at him. "We've worked too hard for this, why wouldn't I?"

The Huntsman looked away for a moment before sighing. This man looked far too young to be so old at heart.

"I just want to make sure that you love this…"He looked for a word. "….man."

There were moments in her life when she questioned most of her choices. What would her life have been if she had not gone with Rumplestiltskin? Married to Gaston with a stomach swollen with his child and her country riddled by war. Instead she had chosen her own world in a mighty castle in the mountains and a man who fell for her for her mind and not her father's influence. He had casted her out, but she was far from one to hold a grudge.

"I do love him," She smiled, the first time telling someone with complete certainty.

The Huntsman gave her a welcoming smile and handed her the bottle. She had never truly had a friend look out for her before. Everyday he would tend the small wounds Regina sometimes left behind on her skin. He gave her food if it had been denied to her. They talked throughout the night learning about each other's lives. All this and she never even found out his name.

"Regina has been spotted just outside of the castle," The Mirror suddenly interrupted them. "We must be quick."

"I thought she would be gone till tomorrow," She hurriedly whispered. The Huntsman grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her in front of the mirror.

"Things must have changed." He pressed the potion in her hands.

The liquid was now bright purple and smelled of river water. Pinching her nose, she threw the vial back and let the thick mixture run down her throat. It immediately made her body tremble and her head feel like air. Power was not a good feeling to Belle and she almost regretted it.

"You only have a few moments,' The Huntsman gripped her shoulders as she faced the empty mirror. "I will pull you out when she has come up the stairs and throw you back into the cage. Pretend illness. Don't be frightened."

"I do not fear the Queen," Belle cocked her head towards his voice and touched his hand. "The Queen is nothing compared to the power Rumplestiltskin has. He will free us."

Taking one last look to the Huntsman she faced the mirror. A small whisp of purple smoke began to twirl in the middle and branch out towards the frame. It sounded like storm wind.

"When the smoke enters the room and fills your vision begin to walk. Walk until everything become dark and search for a light. There may be the slightest of openings, a mirror perhaps not fully covered." The Genie said. "If you cannot find one, then turn back and we will pull you out."

"What will we do then?" She had to scream over the thunderous noise.

"Then hope is lost…"

The man in the mirror's final words were blared away as the fog clouded her vision. The pressure lifted from her shoulders as the Huntsman's hands let go. She could feel the fear trying to build up but she would not allow it. She had seen the Queen do this a thousand times and never had it gone wrong. Fear was just the Queen's weapon against her. She must be brave.

Without looking back, she began to walk forward through the purple fog.

The moon was sinking into the lightening sky as Rumplestiltskin laid awake once again. He found he could not sleep with such a beauty beside him. Images of the night before popped up in his thoughts. How sweet her hips buckled against his own, how those dark lips molded into a kiss…it was more than one person could take. It had been too many centuries since he had been in bed with a woman and he still felt the thrill in his bones.

Belle lightly talked in her sleep. Rumple was unsure if she knew this, but it was nothing embarrassing. Little words or phrases would leave her lips. From what he could catch, it was about her stories about her old village. Silly tales about the moon. Yet as it casted it's shadow over his sleeping Belle, she looked more like a ghost than a human.

It was then the memories came back to him. Every vision he had seen that last year in the old world, that surreal moment when he completely lost his mind.

Did she really come back for him for those few precious moments? As she stirred, he found himself having to quickly wipe a painful tear away from his face. Of course, fate would have it that she saw it. He let out a small sigh and tried to laugh it away.

"What is all this sighing about?" She whispered, digging herself into his bare chest.

Their only covering was their own skin and the moonlight. It was comforting being so close so soon. Belle was such a strong confidence woman that it reflected onto him. While near her, he did not take his disability, his scars, or his age as toll of his body. If she found him attractive, then nothing else mattered.

"Just a few memories, my dear," He muttered.

"Don't leave me in the darkness about it," She smiled sleepily.

He left a soft kiss on her head as she dozed off again. In due time she would know all there was to know, but for now, he just wanted her warmth.

Once her vision became clear she desperately searched for an opening. Everything was so dark that she felt as if she had gone blind. The world seemed to swallow her. For a moment she thought as if she should run when she caught sight of what she had been searching for. It was the smallest sliver but it began to open wider for her. Running to it, she managed to touch the silver line and felt as if she was being sucked in. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and squeezed through.

Opening her eyes to a blurry world, she stumbled before catching herself. Her vision slowly became focused to a dark room. The stars glittered in and the moon casted her shadow down upon her. There was Rumplestiltskin sitting at his wheel. Dark hair fell over his eyes and his lips were clenched in a straight line. Thin and agile fingers ran the thread through the wheel and caused it to turn to gold. Even though she had seen him progress and live for weeks this was the first time he seemed real.

"Rumplestiltskin…" She whispered, swallowing the lump in his throat.

The man stopped playing with the thread and sat up straight. She saw him take in a deep breath before looking at her. Confusion crossed his face before he jumped to his feet. Shoulders rolled back and his dark eyes widening, he took a small step towards her. She wanted to run to him but she felt chained to the room behind the fog. Haste was advised so she knew she had no time for a reunion.

"I have to warn you,' She had started before she found her master weeping.

The man who created himself into a monster, the Dark One, was crying.

Sense was screaming 'no' before she desperately tried to reach out to him. Yet when she tried to put her hand on his shoulder, she found she could not feel him. Her hand drifted through as if she was only fog…it took a moment for her to remember she was only a reflection of herself and nothing more.

"You need to stop this madness," She told him.

He did not listen as he kept trying to grab her. The tears were gone but his gaze was clouded. He had fallen to his knees in front of her and threw his head back to see her while muttering the word 'ghost.' She wished she had time to explain but could feel the Huntsman's worry. She had been sent to save them. Should Rumplestiltskin keep on the path of destruction, he would surely fall and she would lose him forever.

"Concentrate," She sternly said, catching his attention. "The Queen is out for your destruction and I just want you to be safe."

A weak smile fell on Rumplestiltskin's lips and Belle finally gave herself a moment to enjoy being back. After a long voyage to find him only to be stopped by a bitter queen, she felt like she had made it home. She took a step closer to the fallen man and let her hand hover near his cheek.

"I'm sorry, Belle," He told her. "I truly am. Please come home."

"I can't," She said, her voice cracking.

"Please, Belle," He sucked in his sob and tried again to grab her.

Although she could feel the tears well up in her eyes, she knelt down to him and gave him a soft smile. Wanting nothing more than to kiss him again, she begged him to look at her.

"What is all this sighing about?" She asked. "You have your power, you just need to learn to not give up. "

"I have nothing!" Rumplestiltskin called out.

"You don't understand, I…"

Before she could finish she felt someone tugging her back. Within a moment she felt herself being pulled through the cracks. Giving one last pleading look towards her old Master, she had little idea when the next time she would see him. She had never loved one before, and a part of her wished she didn't, for this felt worse than anything the Queen could do to her. He was screaming for her to return to him as she saw her hands begin to fade. Before she could say goodbye, she found herself back in the dark room. But it was the Queen who held her, not the Huntsman.

"You think you are clever, girl!" The Queen screamed as she pushed her back in the cage.

The Huntsman was standing near the door, avoiding her glance. The man was back in the mirror calling to the queen. The room was still spinning from the fog and smoke that she cared little of what happened now. She had used up what seemed like all the bravery she had seeing Rumplestiltskin and she had nothing left to give. Luckily, she heard the Genie speaking up.

"Don't you see, My Queen, this is in your best interest," The Genie said.

"How is this in my best interests?" The Queen gripped the desk the mirror was placed on. "How does having Rumplestiltskin know that his 'one true love' is alive help me!"

"He thinks he is going mad," The Genie responded, his eyes drooped. "He believes he has seen a ghost. His manner will soon become madder and he will surely make a mistake. Soon, he will be out of your way, Your Highness. Rumplestiltskin will become his own downfall."

The Huntsman's face fell and it all made sense to her. The Genie had tricked them. She had forgotten she was dead to Rumplestiltskin. After what could only have been a year being apart, she must have felt like nothing more than a ghost. Feeling the bitter taste of betrayal, she now understood this was a plot. The Queen had made Rumplestiltskin believe she was dead and seeing an image that he couldn't even touch would be certain of it…

"You tricked me!" Belle cried out, looking at the mirror.

The Queen gave her a look of amusement before she turned to the mirror and cocked an eyebrow. "How did you make it in the room, my dear friend, if he had covered up every glass in the estate?"

"The moonlight," The Genie responded.

Belle looked out the balcony and towards the moon. Everything had happened so fast that she did not have time to realize how her reflection made her way through the cracks. It was never through a mirror, but somehow through the reflection of the moon on the floor.

"A girl who can reflect the light of the moon?" The Queen stated, looking first to the sky before coming to the cage. "He must mean a lot to you to have the moon allow you to use her rays…you must tell me your secrets."

Before Belle could respond, The Queen held her arm out for the Huntsman to take. She saw the slight roll of his eyes as he sadly took it. As they left the room, Belle looked at the man in the mirror.

"I thought you said the Queen took away your true love," She sternly said, "Why would you do the same."

"The Queen is my love and my life," The man replied. "I will be with her for her entirety. You must understand."

Belle simply nodded and moved to the farthest side of the cage. She wanted nothing more to do with the Genie, or the Queen, or the Huntsman. The storm was coming if this was only the calm. She wanted to do nothing but sit back and wait.

When she woke the next morning, she found Rumplestiltskin was gone. This left her baffled as to how that man managed to leave her sight without having her wake. The way there were entangled would have made it difficult for anyone to escape. Instead, she found a letter explaining to her he would be back in a short time and how to make breakfast. But she read past all that and focused on just one line.

I love you. I could not wait for lunch to tell you.

She thought about this as she picked out an outfit from the box Rumple had left behind. A simple brown dress and yellow cardigan and her hair drawn back, she managed to figure out how to apply the strange makeup she found in a drawer. Even though he was a very organized man in thought, his house was quite a mess. She understood why he had needed her to clean so many years ago. She gave a small laugh remembering how she had cleaned the estate as she began to stack empty picture frames and baskets on top of each other. She was his housekeeper then so she might as well tidy up now.

Unfortunately, it only took 15 minutes before the modern world got the best of her. She had managed to accidently tip a whole bag of flour on top of her head. She wondered what the bag on top of the cold box…refrigerator…but she couldn't find a ladder. Being much shorter than the box, she managed to touch the bag if she stood on her toes. What she didn't plan was for it to come crashing down on her. After a few moments of being covered in a powdery mist she managed to spit out the chalky flour and battered her eyes open.

"Well, looks like I've got myself a little ghost."

Sure enough, Rumple seemed to show up at the wrong moments. She scratched the top of her head, causing a little cloud to arise around her. He had a cocky grin on his face and a rather nice suit.

"It also looks like you are about to get a hug," Belle challenged.

Rumple's eyes widened and he slowly began to back away. He wasn't fast enough, though, for she jumped in his arms, causing a massive flour explosion. For a moment she was afraid he would be upset, but instead she felt the amusement in his body as he squeezed her close.

"You are crazy, my Belle," He said, balancing himself on his cane.

She apologized, forgetting the limp. This was new to her and something this Mr. Gold had that her Rumplestiltskin did not. In time, she planned to learn all the differences. Till then, she would make due.

"Do not worry about this old leg of mine," He motioned down to the cane as they began their journey upstairs to get out of their powder-covered clothing. "I'm not exactly a young stallion, but I'll be able to keep up with you."

"I can believe that," She cooed and she rested her head on his shoulder.

When the reached the top step, she eyed him silently. He may not look exactly the same or even sound similar but this was the man she had fallen in love with. This she was absolutely certain. For the first time, she decided it was time to let down her guard and accept that she was safe in his arms.

She was finally home.