Moments Unforgotten

A collection of short vignettes surrounding Rumplestiltskin and Belle's days spanning from the Dark Castle to present-day Storybrooke, from both POVs. Watch as the relationship blooms and love enters the lives of the Beauty and the Beast...

• Alone •

Rumplestiltskin was always alone. It was all he knew — it was part of his identity to delve into his darkness, his magic, his power, somewhere only he knew. When anyone tried to penetrate the shield he'd put up, they paid for it – dearly.

It wasn't that he enjoyed being alone; no, that wasn't right at all. No one preferred loneliness. It wasn't human nature to lean toward reclusion — though, if you'd pointed that out to him, he'd remind you that he wasn't exactly human. He was the Dark One: no human emotion, no human needs, therefore not held to human standards.

But she saw past that. She was the first person to see past his hard, scaly outer shell, only to find there was a man, not a monster, deep inside. She discovered more about him than he knew of himself.

He had a heart; she'd felt it beat.

He had a mind; she'd heard him speak.

He had a life; she'd watched him live it.

But the day he'd let her live it with him? That was the day she truly understood who he was — why he was bitter and afraid and alone, utterly alone. It was clear to her then that he needed someone to stand behind him, or he'd be afraid to move forward. She could be that someone. She could help him conquer his fear and learn to love again. She could even learn to love him.

But why? Why did she turn to him, of all people, and offer a hand?

Because no one deserved to be alone.

Thanks for reading! This is my first attempt at a vignette collection, so I hope it goes well with everyone :)

I adore Rumbelle, but I wasn't ready to write a whole story on them. Thus, the vignettes were born! I plan to write 30-50 chapters, all different, starting with each letter of the alphabet. They all have a key word (which is why "alone" was italicized every time it was used) that slowly span through their relationship at different points in their lives. This kinda covered the whole relationship up to this point; I wanted to start with something neutral and wordless.

So, yeah :) Follow, favorite, whatever you like. But please, PLEASE review! It can be two words, flame, whatever, I DON'T CARE! I just adore feedback :) So speak up!

Welp. That's all for now, folks.

* *-TheSongbird341-* *

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Once Upon A Time... but that would be so cool, right?