Belle wandered around the classroom. Rum was late to class. Rum was never late to class. She thought knew his aunt and uncle were very busy, but they always dropped Rum off on time. He thought it was because they didn't want him around, but Belle had decided it was because they knew how much more he liked school and wanted to make sure he spent as much time there as possible. But today, Rum wasn't here. She had already searched the coat area, the playground, even the Dark Tree. Rum simply wasn't here. She went up and tugged lightly on Mary Margaret's skirt,

"Miss Mary Margaret, where's Rum?" Mary Margaret smiled and leaned down to smile at her, but even Belle could see the concern in the lady's face,

"I don't know, Belle. I'm sure he'll be here soon." Belle nodded to the teacher and went over to the fort she and Rum had built yesterday. She crawled underneath the blanket roof and sat down. Rum would come soon, she knew, but Belle was still worried. It wasn't at all like him to be late.

That day, Belle only came out for snack and story time. When she went home that night, Mary Margaret talked a little to her parents, explaining that Belle had been melancholy all day. Belle listened in to the conversation, but her parents just explained that she would be okay once they got some good dinner in her. Belle went home that night and ate her dinner like a good girl and colored for a while before going to bed. She was awake until almost nine o'clock, though, worrying about Rum

The next day, as soon as she got to school, she looked for Rum. And there he was, sitting beneath the Dark Tree. He had Bae on his lap and was growling at the bear and pretending the bear growled back. Belle ran up to him and flung her arms around him,

"Where were you? I was scared!" she said, nearly suffocating him. Rum managed to gently pry her off,

"I was sick. I was throwing up and felt yucky." He said. Belle sighed,

"Well I guess it's okay then. But you better not be sick again! I was worried and I missed you and you can't go away ever again!" said Belle, hitting him lightly. Rum shrugged,

"Sorry. I missed you too." He grabbed her hand and Belle put her hand over his,

"I…I think we're supposed to kiss now." she said. Rum looked alarmed but Belle said, "It's what Mommy and Daddy do when one of them comes back from being gone." Rumpelstiltskin had to agree the idea held a certain amount of appeal, especially since it was Belle. He leaned forward and Belle leaned forward until her lips brushed his. She tasted like Cheerios and milk. It made Rum smile. Belle pulled back and smiled up at him,

"Can we do it again!" she asked happily. Rum laughed and kissed her again. The taste only got sweeter. Just then, Mary Margaret came out and called all the children in. Belle smiled at Rumpelstiltskin,

"C'mon! We can go ask Mary Margaret for a story and then we'll color!" Belle's eyes were sparkling, and Rum didn't have the heart to tell her that all he'd done yesterday was color and was tired of it. He let her grab his hand and practically drag him into the classroom. If Belle was happy, he really wasn't going to put up a fight, especially after he'd made her scared. Belle made him happy just by smiling. If he had to color an extra day to make her happy, that was okay with him.