Belle woke up to Emma sitting on the edge of her bed holding a glass of wine.

"What's that for?" She asked sleepily. Emma handed the goblet of red wine to Belle.

"It's breakfast Emma Swan style. I'm on Belle duty this morning so get yourself into some yoga pants and a pony tail because we start in ten minutes."

"Belle duty?" Belle asked after swallowing a sip of wine. Emma was walking out of the room, leaving Belle alone with her questions and her wine. "START WHAT?"

She was tempted to ignore Emma and go do her own thing, but she had promised Gold a week, so with minimal grumbling she dug out black yoga pants and a stretchy pink tank top with a ponytail wrapped around yesterday's hair. She wandered down into the kitchen where Gold and Bae were getting ready to leave for the day. Bae brightened when he saw Belle.

"Hey ma-Belle," he said smiling. "What are you doing today?"

"The Emma Swan work out, apparently," Belle told him, setting her glass down on the table. "It involves wine and yoga."

"That sounds like fun," Bae smiled. "Will you be home for dinner?"

"Unless Emma kills me. Will you be home?"

Gold was holding his breath watching his son charm Belle. She didn't even realize what was happening, which made the situation that much more endearing to Gold. He shouldn't feel proud watching his son manipulate the woman they loved, but Bae was just like his father.

"I will be. We could make tacos?"

"I do like tacos."

Bae jumped up grinning ear to ear. "Awesome," he exclaimed before heading out. Gold smiled at Belle about to head after his son.

"Emma is waiting for you in the basement."

"Thanks," she smiled back, heading towards the basement. The moment her foot touched the landing she was punched in the stomach.

"What was that?!" She asked, doubled over. Ryan appeared from the shadow and hit her again, knocking her off her feet.

"Get up, Belle," he said. "Get up and fight me back."

"No," she wheezed, holding her stomach.

"Get up or I'm going to kill you. Defend yourself or die, Gold isn't going to ride in on a white horse and save you. No one is going to save you. Get up Belle."

Belle climbed to her feet, a little afraid of the man in front of her and how cold he sounded. She wasn't on her feet for a second when he hit her again. His face was intense and focused.

"I can't do this!" She shouted, trying to deflect his blows. Ryan slammed his foot into her, throwing her back.

"Then you die."

"I don't want any of this!" She shouted angrily. "You all want this!"

Ryan reached down and pulled her to her feet while pushing her up against a wall.

"I died for you!" He shouted, his face inches from hers. "You know what I want?! Solitude in death, not to be kicking the shit out of a whiny, spoiled princess with Daddy issues! You want to walk around pouting, poor me, I don't remember the life I fought so hard for, I don't remember the man who gave up his life for me so I could live it, boo damn who. Get it together, Belle."

He released her, leaving Belle staring after him, shaken.

"Why don't you go take ten before you hurt somebody," Emma suggested, appearing in the room. Ryan let out a howl of frustration as he stormed out.

"Did he really die for me?" Belle asked once she was sure he was gone.

"Yeah. Being resurrected is kind of messing with him, he used to really love you."

"But he doesn't anymore?"

"I don't think he can love, to be honest."

Working with Emma was much less terrifying. Emma had Belle sit in a chair as she probed through Belle's mind, trying to find the memories Mila had stolen and see if she could bring them back.

"I think I know where they are," Emma said after several hours, "But every time I try and see them I get thrown out."

"Is it even possible to get them back?" Belle asked, feeling a headache coming on.

"Yes. Think of it like...like a cut. We have to peel off the Band-Aid and get through the scarring-"

"Where did I leave my wine?" Belle cut off Emma, grossed out.

"We just need to get you healing yourself again! Once you're in control of your abilities I know you'll regain your memories."

"Well then, if that's all," Belle said sarcastically, indicating her cuts from the day before.

Belle and Emma spent the rest of the afternoon pricking Belle with a needle, trying to stop the bleeding. Belle didn't succeed once and was starting to feel defeated.

"It's just the first day," Emma said as they went up to the kitchen. "It's going to happen."

"And if doesn't?"

"It will. Stop thinking like that. I know somewhere in there you are fighting yourself to get out. Gold will be home in a minute and then I am going to go. Mary Margaret will be over tomorrow morning with Archie. It's gonna happen."

"Thanks."

Belle was cooking taco meat when Gold got home with Bae. Bae came running in, dropping his bag on the floor to look at what she was cooking.

"Smells good," Bae said breathlessly.

"Thanks," she smiled, watching as Bae began to shred lettuce. She wanted to make things right for this boy even more than she did for herself. She thought about that as Bae chattered about his day at school, friends he had and teachers he liked. Gold was in his study going through things, trying to find what Mila had taken from him. He had known what everyone called her that when they were growing up, but to him she would always he Emmeline. The mother of his son, the woman who had divorced him and still believed herself to be a tragic victim, forced into a life she didn't want. He had given Emmeline everything, a new life away from the family she hated, wealth, privilege, an uncontested divorce, custody of their son, and she still chose to fake her own death rather than muster the courage to just be honest. He could have forgiven her all that had she not deprived Bae of a mother twice in his life. It was entirely possible Belle never recovered her memory and left both him and Bae.

He would never forgive her that.

Belle and Bae decided to eat their tacos in front of the television so they could watch a movie. Gold had told her that movie watching were more of a Belle and Bae activity. Getting to know Bae was much easier than Gold because Bae did not have his heart on his sleeve the way Gold did. She felt like there was less pressure with Bae so she opened up more, talking to the boy as if she remembered what he meant to her.

"How is your training going?" Bae asked her during a quiet moment in the movie. Belle looked up, surprised.

"Not well," she admitted. She expected him to press her but he dropped it, going back to watching the movie. She was grateful for that.

Bae went up to bed a little after that, leaving Belle alone on the sofa with her thoughts. So much was riding on her getting her memories back. It wasn't just about being a step mother and a wife, but being with her friends and part of something bigger than herself.

"It's nice to see you two together," Gold commented, leaning against the door frame. She looked up at him and smiled, unsure of what to say to that.

"I just wanted to tell you good night."

"Hey! Wait!" She jumped up and scrambled after him. He paused on the stairs, waiting for her to catch up. She jogged up the stairs, stopping on the stair on top of his head. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," he agreed, looking up at her. Belle shifted her weight nervously, unsure if this was a good idea but it was too late to turn back now. He was looking up at her with calm, interested eyes which put her slightly more at ease.

"I was wondering if you would let me kiss you?" She bit her lower lip, watching as his entire demeanor changed. His facial expression froze, his posture stiffened and it didn't appear as if he was breathing. She was doubting herself when he relaxed.

"If you'd like," he said softly, walking up the remaining stairs. She followed him, stopping him on the landing.

"I meant now."

"Ah. Okay then." He turned to face her, his face carefully composed to reveal nothing. She was a little uncomfortable making the first move, but she knew he would never kiss her without her consent, so she needed to ask.

She leaned up on tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. She kept her hands at her sides, not expecting anything. For a moment everything was fine, it was no different from kissing a random stranger. She was about to pull away and tell him good night when the strangest feeling began blooming in her chest and spreading throughout her body. Involuntarily she brought her hand up to his neck as she deepened the kiss. Gold sighed into her mouth as he caressed her cheek. He broke the kiss and took a step back, his eyes guarded.

"Good night," he told her softly, stepping away.

"Night," she called back, watching him disappear behind his bedroom door. She walked down the hall to her own room, touching her fingertips to her lips. She had not expected the feeling that was now boiling under her skin. She laid in bed, tossing and turning, trying to get to sleep but she was unable to get that kiss out of her mind.

She flung the blankets off her and got out of bed. She wanted to go to see him but didn't want to wake him so she went back downstairs. On the sofa sitting in front of a muted television was Gold. When she walked in he looked up at her.

"Couldn't sleep," she said, coming to sit next to him. He pulled back the blanket he was under to share with her.

"Me either," he agreed.

"Is it always like that, for us?" She asked, keeping her eyes fixed on the television.

"Always," he said softly. She looked over at him and smiled softly.

"Stay with me tonight?"

"Always," he repeated, letting her rest her head against his shoulder. She turned the volume up on the family court show. They stayed where they were, watching the show, until Belle drifted off into sleep.

She woke up to Mary Margaret gently nudging her awake. She looked around and found she was alone in the room, save for Mary Margaret.

"I brought you juice and a bagel," Mary Margaret said softly, "For whenever you're ready."

Belle nodded gratefully. "I'm going to take a shower first."

She went quickly up to Gold's bedroom where he was tying a blood red tie in the mirror.

"Good morning," he said when he saw her. When he got a good look at her he turned around, surprise on his face.

"Belle...your face..."

She looked in the mirror and saw her cuts from Hooks attack were gone. She ripped the bandage off of her arm and found smooth skin. The material from the stitches was stuck to the sticky part of the bandage. She looked up at Gold, stunned.

"I don't know how I did it," she admitted. He was smiling at her.

"You will."

She took a quick shower and met Mary Margaret in the basement. Like the day before Ryan met her at the landing, but this time she was ready. He was still the more skilled fighter but she was able to dodge some of his blows.

"You're doing better," he told her with his cold indifference.

That became the theme of the next four days. Every day she got a little better in her fighting with Ryan and their sessions became longer. In the afternoon one of her friends would spend the day drawing blood and asking her to heal herself. What had once seemed impossible was now becoming easier. She had some control over her abilities, though she hadn't realized this until Ryan pulled knives out during their fight. Belle was afraid of him, afraid he would actually kill her. He had no problem slashing at her or stabbing her, and demand she heal herself while he continued to fight. Her friends had decided this was the best method because it was producing results, so they took turns attacking her. Ryan was the most effective because he was the most unpredictable. Belle had a good command on her healing although too much of it exhausted her. Her friends assured her this was normal.

On the day they decided to attempt to bring her memories back, Archie went missing. It had been Archie who planned to help her bring them out, being a psychologist. Ruby and David were out looking for him while Belle was training herself to heal others. It was Emma under Ryan's knife today, taking slashes while Belle healed her when it became too much. They didn't want to exhaust Belle so they were just shallow, superficial cuts, no more exhausting than healing a bruise.

Bae and Gold were home that day, Bae practically bouncing off the walls with excitement. Emma and Belle were coming upstairs in good spirits to eat lunch when Mary Margaret's phone rang. Belle and Emma ignored it in favor of the sandwiches Bae had made for them, unconcerned.

"This looks amazing," Emma complimented, stuffing half the sandwich in her mouth.

"Charming," Gold commented, watching Emma eat. Belle giggled, winking at Bae. Their good spirits were infectious.

"They found Archie," Mary Margaret said, pulling out a white latex suit. Emma was immediately out of her chair.

"Where?"

"Hook has him in an abandoned warehouse. Ruby sent directions but they need help."

"You stay here with Bae," Gold told Belle before dashing off for his own suit. Belle watched as Bae picked up the phone Mary Margaret's phone for a minute, and then sat back down.

"Your suit is in Dad's closet," Bae told her softly. Everyone was running out, wanting to meet up with David and Ruby as quickly as possible.

"They told us to stay here," Belle said practically.

"I have a power, too. Did you know?"

"Teleportation, yeah."

"What if I said I was going to go with or without you?"

Belle looked at Bae hard. "I'd say you better bring me with you."

"Then go put on your suit."

She was excited and nervous as she located the gold suit in the back of the closet. It was easy to get in to, and more comfortable than she expected. She had her boots and the mask on in moments, even lining her eyes dark to make her less recognizable. She was pulling her hair into a high pony tail when Ryan and Bae came up.

"I made that for you," Ryan said.

"It's comfortable," she said awkwardly, standing in front of him. "Are you coming?"

"I am. Ready?"

"Your Father is going to kill me," Belle said as she took Bae's other hand. Bae grinned up at her.

"You always say that but he never does. Let's go save Archie."

Before they left Ryan pulled out a large, curved knife and hooked it on Belle's belt. "For Hook," he said.

Bae transported them outside the warehouse. She and Ryan crept up to the window and looked in to see what they were up against. Inside Operation Scorpion was heavily outnumbered by more of the undead. She could see Hook standing on a second story landing, grinning at the carnage underneath him.

"Bae. You stay out here no matter what happens; do you understand? If anyone comes out here you leave."

"But-"

"Don't argue," Ryan snarled, shutting Bae's protests. Ryan and Belle split up. Belle had spotted emergency stairs that had to lead to the second story landing. After his attack on her, Belle wanted nothing more than to give Hook a rematch. She pulled the rusty stairs down, wincing at the noise, and began to quietly climb. They went up to the roof, but stopped at a window in the second story. The glass felt thin and easily breakable. Hook would hear her shattering it; that was unavoidable, so she needed to be quick about it. She leaned back and with more force than she knew she possessed, she kicked the glass in and flung herself through it. Hook spotted her immediately, his grin widening.

"Couldn't stay away, could you love? We have to be more careful or people will start to talk."

She pulled the knife out and held it in front of her. "This time it's an even fight."

"I hardly call it even," he smiled, taking the first swing. She blocked; her blade and hook clashing loudly. Below them Ryan had joined the fray with bloodthirsty enjoyment. It was also when the rest of Scorpion realized to kill the undead they would have to chop their heads off.

Gold couldn't help but look up, Hook was his target. He did not expect to see his wife, clad in her golden suit, fighting him with skill he didn't know she possessed. It was stunning.

Hook was relentless, and all the training she had done with Ryan had not prepared her for this. She had completely turned off her brain and was just going with it. Some of the moves she used were things she had never tried before but she didn't question it. She had pushed Hook back to the railing and had her knife pressed against his throat. This was it, she would cut it and they would be done with him.

"Well, get on with it then," Hook echoed her words from his earlier attack. She raised the knife when they warehouse doors blew open and more undead came flooding in, followed by Cora and Mila. Between them they were holding a struggling Bae. Gold was trying to get to his son but was overwhelmed by the amount of new undead.

Hook took advantage of her distraction, slicing up her back with his hook. The pain was overwhelming, blackening her vision momentarily. Things seemed to have slowed down as she focused on her wound. She knew Hook was above her, prepared to strike again but she couldn't move. Behind her eyes something felt like it was being ripped. She concentrated, sending her healing into overdrive, unaware she could cause herself to pass out.

Her vision exploded in blooming stars as memories began flooding back in. She staggered, kicking Hook off of her with violent force. She was running on pure adrenaline, jumping up to her feet and beating Hook back. When he hit the railing she pressed the knife hard against his throat while making eye contact with Mila. She was going to kill them both.

Cora was distracted by a fighter Belle didn't recognize, leaving Mila standing there with a gun pressed up against Bae's head. Belle added pressure to Hooks neck, drawing blood. Mila looked frantic as she made her way towards the stairs, forcing Bae to go with her.

"Let him go!" Mila said desperately, her eyes never leaving Hook.

"Let Bae go," Belle snarled.

"Okay, okay," Mila took the gun off of Bae's head. Belle pulled Hook up and shoved him towards Mila, knowing the three of them would be having a showdown regardless. It was her own sense of fairness that made her underestimate the people she was dealing with. As Bae crossed to her Belle watched Mila point the gun at Bae and pull the trigger.

"Not my son, you bitch!" Belle screamed, pulling Bae away as the gun fired. The bullet hit him in the back, sending him flying into her arms. Mila seemed stunned at what she had just done as they noise the bullet made echoed around the room. Beneath them Gold witnessed the entire thing. His fury exploded around him, causing windows to shatter and the heads of every undead around him to explode simultaneously.

"He couldn't have started with that?" David commented, unaware that Bae had just been shot.

"Go!" Hook was ushering Mila out and onto the roof. Belle could feel Bae on her hands as members of Operation Scorpion made their way up to them.

"They are getting away!" Belle shouted. David was running after them, Emma hot on his heels. Below Ryan stood, surrounded by the dead, looking despondent. Cora and the mysterious fighter in black were also gone.

Belle looked down at Bae, her hands on his body but she knew to heal all the damage she would need to get the bullet out.

"Bae? Bae can you hear me?" She asked urgently. Gold had gotten to them and was kneeling on the other side of his son.

"How bad is it?" He asked her, tears in his eyes.

She didn't need words to convey the gravity of the situation. Bae looked up at her, his brown eyes dull and out of focus.

"She...tricked me," He told her apologetically.

"It's okay. It's okay. Bae, can you get yourself home? I need to get you home..."

"Can we move him?" August asked as he accessed the situation.

"Too much bleeding," she said. Bae looked up at her, barely conscious.

"I can try."

"We'll meet you back at the house," Mary Margaret said. August was whispering in Bae's ear, calming him down and relaxing him enough to teleport back home.

Belle grabbed hold of Bae's hand as the boy squeezed his eyes shut and they were gone. They reappeared on the grounds of the house and Bae had passed out, the exertion too much for him. She was about five hundred feet from the door and she didn't have much time. She took off running at full force, aware that the adrenaline was starting to wear off. She pushed through, determined not to fail her son.

She found tweezers in her bathroom and a lighter in the kitchen. She was grateful for Gold's need for meticulous order as she ran back outside.

"I should have been a doctor," she muttered, gently turning Bae over. "Please don't move Bae. This is going to hurt, it's going to hurt, but it's okay. I promise, I've done this to myself before, it's okay. There, it's out. It's out," she talked him through it, pulling the bullet out and tossing it in the grass. Bae wasn't moving, barely breathing, as she put her hands on his body and pouring herself into him. Nothing had ever been so important, meant so much. The problem was how much damage on small piece of metal could do to one person. She could feel the extent under her hands and it would have been too much if she was completely rested. She concentrated on the worst parts, hoping if she could at least stop the bleeding, he would be okay when she eventually passed out. Bae was still breathing and Belle was barely hanging on. She kept going, even as her head became too heavy to hold up. She eventually passed out, her hands staying on him as she slept.

Gold got their first and found his son and wife both on the lawn. Bae's wound was still open but no longer bleeding. He carefully lifted the boy up into his arms as Ryan followed behind, gathering up Belle. Together they put each in their beds. No one knew she had her memories back with the exception of Belle, so Ryan put her in the room she had been staying in. He wanted to stay and wait for her to wake up so he could tell her goodbye, even if she didn't remember him, but being around other people for too long became too painful and his urges became too demanding to ignore. He would find her later when she woke up.

Gold allowed everyone to stay in his house because he knew Belle would want it, and because he couldn't bare to leave his son long enough to throw them out. Bae seemed stable but comatose and he had no idea it would take for Belle to wake up. He only hoped Bae would hold on for as long as it took her.

It took her two days. She woke up with a pounding headache and the driest throat. She was still in her torn, bloodied suit so she changed before heading down to the kitchen for some orange juice. The kitchen was empty, save for Ryan.

"You're awake," he said flatly.

She gulped down her glass of orange juice before responding. "Ryan."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Belle."

She moved across the room and hugged him, feeling him stiffen under her touch. "You remember."

"I remember."

"Better get up to your boy," he said nodding towards the stairs. "Its good to see you."

"We'll talk later," she promised, rushing for the stairs. He watched her sadly, though she never saw it.

She never heard his whispered goodbye, either.

Gold was reading when Belle came into Bae's room. "You're awake," he said as she sat on the edge of Bae's bed.

"I will fix this," she assured him. Gold stood up.

"I need to do something quickly," he told her softly, backing out.

"It'll take a little while," she promised. As she went to work to heal Bae, Gold walked out of the house and on the edge of the grounds, where Ryan was waiting for him.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Gold asked him seriously.

"I'm sure."

Gold nodded and took a step to Ryan, his hand raised.

"Take care of her," Ryan told him, braced for death.

"I will," Gold promised before flicking his wrist. He couldn't watch as blood began to pour from Ryan's eyes, ears, and nose, he knew what a melted brain looked like. It was over in a matter of moments; Ryan was at peace, just as he wanted.

He left Ryan in a coffin Ryan had prepared, he would bury him after he let Belle say goodbye. He was sure she would want to, even if she didn't remember what he meant to her.

Upstairs Bae was awake and Belle was giving him juice. Bae wasn't speaking, just holding Belle's hand.

"How are you feeling?" Gold asked his son. He could hear Bae's thoughts screaming at him, asking the same question over and over. How could his mother shoot him? Gold watched Bae replay the scene over in his head. The part that struck him most were Belle's words, "Not my son, you bitch!" and how she pulled him out of the way. The bullet was intended for Bae's head, instant death.

Mila and Hook would die. Mila first, for her betrayal, and then Hook.

"It's going to be okay, son," Gold told him, letting the boy cry into his shirt. Belle stepped out to give them a moment of privacy. She went back down to the kitchen to talk to Ryan, instead finding Emma, Jefferson, Archie, Mary Margaret, David, Ana, and Ruby all standing there.

"Hey," she smiled, happy to see them all. One by one they all hugged her, expressing their happiness that she was alive and well.

"Is Ryan in the basement? I want to talk..." she trailed off when Mary Margaret put her hand over her mouth to stifle a cry.

"Belle..." Archie began, but a memory of a conversation between Gold and Ryan in this very kitchen, a promise of death.

"Where?" She asked. She wouldn't let him do it. "Where is he?"

Mary Margaret began crying, unable to stop herself. "He's gone," Ruby told her. "They already did it. By the pond."

"No!" She screeched, running for the door.

"Belle!" David shouted from behind her. She knew they were following her so she ran hard. She didn't make it before David caught her, wrestling her to the grass.

"Get off me, get off me, get off-"

"Belle, stop it!" David shouted at her. "It's what he wanted, he knew you would try and stop him, Belle stop!"

"I wanted to make things right," she told David, his anger and fear devolving into sadness.

"You did," David promised her, helping her back to the house. Gold was waiting for her, his expression carefully guarded.

"We should give them some privacy," Emma said. Belle watched as everyone filed out quietly, unable to look at either of them.

"You...you remember?" He asked her hoarsely.

"How could you...without letting me tell him goodbye?" She asked, ignoring his question.

"You would have talked him out of it. He didn't want that."

She nodded although she didn't accept it.

"Do you hate me?" He asked her. She shook her head no.

"I love you," she told him, letting him pull her into an embrace.

"I love you too."

A war was coming; Cora's side had fired the first shot. She knew she couldn't count on any or all of them coming out alive, but for now they had each other. They could love. In that moment it felt like they were already winning.