All the words in the world couldn't have prepared Gold for the bliss of waking up next to Belle the next morning.

It was staggering, the feeling of opening his eyes to find Belle curled up against his side with her head on his chest, fast asleep, knowing she was there because of him. Because she chose to stay. It was like a fantasy, one that he'd cherished long before Storybrooke; to be able to wake up beside Belle and know that she wanted to be there next to him.

He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, watching the way the light coming through the blinds landed on the auburn strands. She seemed more at ease this morning; the dark smudges under her eyes still persisted, but he liked to think their talk had relaxed her, too. He hoped it had. He could easily spend all day curled up with her in bed, possessively guarding her dreams, now that he was allowed.

He very nearly threw his phone through the window when it startled her awake not five minutes later.

"Who was it?" Belle murmured, stretching herself awake beside him, and the tender, languid kiss she so casually planted on his lips helped alleviate any lingering fears he had about her bolting out of bed to get away from him.

"Dunno. "He pressed her tight against his side, running his tongue across her lower lip to beg entrance to her mouth. It could have been the pope calling and he'd have still declined the call without looking at the number so long as she was in bed with him, but she leaned back and wrinkled her nose.

"Worst businessman ever, Gold."

Gold leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose, rubbing his hand along her shoulder muscles until she relaxed against him with a pleased noise. "It's Sunday."

"So?"

He smiled wickedly at her. "I'm not doing business when I have you all to myself all day, Belle."

"Not all day." Belle corrected, and he made a noise of complaint in his throat when she pulled away enough to meet his eyes. She was smiling. "I need to go job hunting still." The phone began to ring on the bedside table, and she gave him a quick, hard kiss before sitting up. "And you need to answer your phone."

He'd have gladly let his business fall to the wayside and dueled Regina with swords in the town square to remove Belle's debt, but neither of those things would have made her happy, so he just grumpily grabbed the phone and accepted the call without glancing at the little screen.

"This is Mr. Gold."

A voice he didn't recognize was on the other end of the line, but he didn't understand a word the man said because Belle had taken that moment to slide out from under the sheets, and it wasn't until she turned around and swatted him playfully on his good knee as she sauntered into the bathroom that he remembered the phone in his hand. The man was still talking.

"I'm sorry," Gold replied distractedly, shaking himself to clear his mind. "Could you repeat that?"

"I said, I'm ready to sell."

The water turned on in the bathroom and distracted him all over again, thinking about Belle under the hot shower. He wondered if she'd let him join her. "And who is this?"

"Moe. From the gift shop on the strip. I'm ready to sell."

"Moe-" Gold blinked, suddenly placing the name, and he sat up and cleared his throat, the businessman in him finally waking up. "Wonderful. I'll bring the paperwork. When can we meet?"

As it turned out, Belle was more than happy to let him join her in the shower, and it wasn't until they'd worn out both the hot water and each other that they finally emerged. It was nearly an hour later that Gold remembered the phone call well enough to bring it up.

"I may have to do some work today after all," He hedged, offering Belle a bite of a freshly cooked blueberry pancake as she perched on the edge of the counter next to him. She'd been instructing him on how to cook a "proper meal," which apparently included adding ingredients to simple recipes, but they'd both been so hungry that not a single pancake had been adorned with butter or syrup, or even made it to a plate. He didn't mind in the slightest.

"Oh?" Belle purred, and there was suddenly nothing more he wanted to do less than work when she gently licked the blueberry residue from his fingers.

"Tease," He growled between his teeth.

"Will it take long?"

He ground his teeth, using every last shred of his willpower and his bodies exhaustion to not pounce on her in the kitchen like an animal. Even when he was half-certain he could do no more than please her, it was an overwhelming urge. Belle deserved to be pampered.

"I hope not. Just dropping off paperwork and doing a walkthrough. I'm purchasing a shop on the main strip."

Belle was suddenly distracted, and he wasn't sure if that was a blessing or a curse, because she stopped her attentive affections on his hand and looked excited. "Oh! I was going to check on jobs on main street! Maybe we can go together?"

Gold's heart was suddenly beating in a very strange rhythm. "You...you want to come with me? In public?"

Her gentle kiss melted his bones, but the understanding, affectionate smile melted his soul. "There's nothing I would like more."

They managed to clean up breakfast and get their coats on without too many distractions, but they both stopped in their tracks when he opened the door to his shop and found a thin layering of white covering the outside.

"Snow!" Belle cried, stepping out into the powdery substance with glee. It was unseasonable and wet; the delicate little footprints Belle left in the stuff left a view of the concrete below, but when he gathered his cane and stepped out into the smattering of snowfall he couldn't help but grin.

"I didn't know you liked snow," He teased. Belle had never expressed an interest in the stuff at the Dark Castle, and he found himself wondering if the trait was part of cursed Belle or if his little Lady had been holding out on him so many years ago.

"I love it." Belle replied, putting out her arms and spinning in a circle, sending flakes scattering in the air before returning to his side. He noticed the very pointed stare of the couple on the sidewalk across the street when Belle stood on tiptoe to plant a lingering kiss on his mouth, and when they drew apart, she took his briefcase from him to grasp his free hand with hers and entwine their fingers.

Gold felt like a schoolboy; like he was breaking all the rules and no one could say a thing. Walking hand in hand with Belle down the street without fearing what people would think to see her with another man and an engagement ring on her finger.

The ring was gone. So was the man attached to it. Soon, that man would be gone permenantly. Now that he was able to hold onto Belle in public and steal kisses and not worry about the acidic whispers reaching Belle's ears, he never wanted to stop.

Belle tugged him to a stop before pointing her thumb at the first shop when they reached the strip; some flowery, feminine place with soaps and fragrances in the window. He could see his destination several shops down.

"You go ahead," She murmured against his lips. "I'm going to ask about my applications."

"I'll just be a few shops over," He promised, squeezing her hand before letting her go. "Meet you there?"

Belle winked at him. "Just try to avoid me."

Moe didn't seem to be in any better of spirits when Gold stepped through his door than he had been the last time they met, but Gold met the other mans narrowed eyes with a smile nonetheless. Nothing, not even this prickly shop owner, could ruin his day.

"Good afternoon," Gold called as he limped over, placing the briefcase on the counter to pop it open and retrieve the paperwork inside.

"If you say so." The man finished with the bouquet he was creating before wandering over and giving Gold a strange look. It seemed that the general public weren't the only ones to be disturbed by his good spirits, and that only served to elevate his mood further. The balding man glanced down at the enormous pile of paperwork Gold pulled from his briefcase. "What's all this?"

"Agreements and purchase contracts," Gold responded distractedly, offering them to the man. "Selling a property involves a lot of signatures and forms. May I have a look around while you fill them out?"

He didn't care about the state of the shop, but he wandered through it anyway as Moe poured over the paperwork. They were both merely attempting interest; there was no way the man would read through the entire contract before he signed it. It was likely the pudgy man had no laywer; Gold was one of the only in that profession in town, and he likely could have cheated the man out of the pavement under his feet and the clothes on his back if he'd been so inclined.

The shop was tiny; similar to Golds in that it too had an apartment over it for the shopkeep, as well as a small workshop in the back, and the very stirrings of an idea had just begun to take shape when he remembered that Belle would likely be glancing into the shops to find him. He quickly hurried back downstairs, where Moe was in the middle of a bog of paper, hastily signing his name to each piece. As Gold suspected, the man only gave each agreement a cursory glance before putting pen to ink.

The scent of flowers pervaded the very walls of the place, and Gold looked around the shop in interest.

"What will you do with all these flowers once the shop is gone?" He wondered vaguely if the man would, out of laziness, include them in the contract. Belle would like them, if only for the few days they all lasted.

"Didn't peg you for a flower man," The older man replied.

"Not for me," Gold replied icily, stiffening at the man's acidic tone. He readjusted the handle on his cane, trying not to preen at his own confession. "I have a Lady who would enjoy them."

"Did you buy her, too?" The man asked conversationally, and Gold stiffened.

Ignoring him, Gold scooped up a handful of his completed paperwork to look through it, wondering if it was too late to steal the mans clothes off his back. The man had guts, to insult him to his face. That didn't stop him from severely disliking him.

"Look good?" The man grunted, pushing the last of the pages that required his attention towards Gold. "All this lawyer crap..."

"Fine, fine." Gold replied distractedly, glancing through several pages before he came to a printed name beside the man's illegible signature and he froze.

"Moe," He stammered, staring at the paper in disbelief. He turned it around and showed it to the man. "This here. What does it say?"

"My name." The man replied gruffly. "Moe. Moe French."

"French?" He repeated weakly, staring at the man with completely new idea. "Is that a-a common name?"

They both turned when the bell above the door chimed, and Gold felt his stomach drop at the intense, brilliant smile on Belle's face as she took the two of them in.

She rushed forward as Moe stepped around the counter, and Gold swallowed a curse when she wrapped her arms around the other man. "Papa! What a nice surprise!"

Moe was holding onto Belle like it had been years since he'd seen her, and the affection in his eyes was obvious. "Belle, my girl. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm here with Mr. Gold!" Belle responded, and she leaned back in her father's arms to nod towards him. "I didn't know you were selling your shop, papa. You should have told me!"

"Mr. Gold?" The pudgy mans eyes swiveled up to take him in, and Gold couldn't help but bristle. "Belle, what are you doing with him?"

Belle didn't see the instant that realization dawned on her father's face, but Gold could, and it took all of his willpower to not snatch Belle out of his arms. His tone took on unmistakable disgust. "You aren't...you aren't with this monster, are you?!"

"Papa!" Belle scolded, backing out of Moe's embrace, and Gold prowled forward to wrap his arms around Belle from behind. No one was allowed to speak with his Belle like that, not even her own father. He watched as the man's beady eyes widened at the possessive gesture, and an ugly expression twisted his face.

He jabbed a finger in Gold's direction. "You. Get out of my shop."

Gold's lip twisted up in a smile, and he grabbed one of the papers still scattered around the counter to wave at the other man. "This is my shop."

"Gentleman."Belle's cold tone surprised him, and when she wiggled out of his grasp a moment later he let his arms drop to his sides, doing his best not to flinch. He'd heard her use that tone before. That tone only meant bad things.

She reassured him a moment later when she turned and put a hand on his cheek, ignoring the explicit complaint that her father made. "Mr. Gold, will you step into the other room for a moment? I need to speak with my papa."

"As you wish." He never needed a reason to kiss her, but when he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers he knew it was only to spite her father. When he pulled away a moment later, he almost smirked to see that the other man's face was nearly purple with rage.

Gold had barely disappeared behind the door to the storeroom when Moe's voice exploded in the small space, demanding answers. As much as he wanted to keep Belle safe, she'd asked for privacy, and he found himself hurrying up the stairs to the caretakers apartment when he could still hear Belle's quiet voice arguing with her father.

Oh Gods, He thought to himself. What if he forbids her from seeing me?

She's a grown woman, His mind hissed back. Don't be an idiot.

He had no idea what to do with himself once he arrived in the loft; it was still occupied, after all, and Moe's things littered the small space. If he hid there without something to do, knowing Belle was fighting a battle below his feet he'd go crazy, and so he occupied himself looking it over with a critical eye to ignore the anxiety bubbling in his stomach.

It would be a good, solid one-bedroom apartment once all of the other mans things were gone and he was able to gut the place. The carpets needed replacing, the walls could use paint, but all in all, it wouldn't cost him much to fix. At the pride he'd paid, he could afford to make a nice profit off of it. He wondered how quickly he could throw the man out, and if Belle would argue against him removing the man forcibly right that moment. It was her father, after all, but if he recalled correctly she'd said they weren't close.

Gold paced the living room until he could no longer hear the unintelligible sound of the family quarrelling downstairs, and then he hesitantly descended, listening for any sign that he was still unwelcome in the dispute.

He was nearly to the door of the workroom that led to the shop when Moe's voice caught his ear, and he stumbled to a stop.

"Belle," Her father was whispering. "Does he have something over you?"

Belle's voice was exasperated but sincere. "Papa, he cares about me. Why is that so hard for you to understand?"

"Belle, that man doesn't care for anything but himself and his own selfish goals. Haven't you heard the stories?"

Gold's ignored the guilt that chewed at him for eavesdropping on such a private conversation, but that didn't stop him from pressing closer to the door when Belle spoke. "Papa, he's not like that. Those stories-"

"You lived outside of town, Belle. You don't know the things that man is capable of. Whatever happened with Gaston, I'm sure he'd take you back if you just asked-"

Belle's voice was suddenly hard. "I don't want to go back to Gaston, Papa. I didn't love Gaston. He didn't make me happy."

"But this man does?" Her father demanded, and Gold's breath caught. "Does Mr. Gold make you happy? Are you in love with him, Belle?"

There was a long pause; long enough that Gold had to resist the urge to crush his ear against the door and snarl in frustration, but Belle eventually spoke.

"He makes me happy," She responded slowly, and he could all but see her twisting her fingers together in his mind, the same way she always did when she was nervous. "And I care more about him than I ever did for Gaston, Papa."

"But do you love him, girl?" Her father asked. He sounded defeated, like all the life had been squeezed out of him at his daughters confession.

Her response was so quiet Gold almost didn't catch it, and the guilt that swam in his belly at hearing it made him ill. He should be out there, holding her. He should be the one asking her those questions, not her angry old Papa. "I don't know. I can see myself falling in love with him, Papa. He isn't the only one who cares."

Whatever her father responded, it was lost on Gold. Belle could love him. Belle cared for him. The world stopped, and when it started again it was as if his whole body was rushing to catch up; his heart was pounding. He was shaken when he emerged from the other room a moment later, and the alarmed look Belle gave him over her father's shoulder was only confirmation of her words. He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck, hoping she wouldn't ask if he'd overheard the conversation. He wasn't in the habit of lying to Belle, and he was half-sure that even if he tried to pretend otherwise, Belle would notice.

"Everything okay in here?" He asked, trying and failing for a lighthearted tone. Belle's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but their gazes only held for a moment before Moe turned to him and planted his feet.

"You're a beast, Gold." The man growled, crossing his arms. "First you take the town, then you steal my little Belle. You're older than me, God damnit. I shudder to imagine you pawing at her-"

"Papa!" Belle exclaimed, but the older man waved her off, instead moving to put his face inches from Golds.

"You have no right to be with my daughter. No right. You don't deserve her-"

"I know that." Gold responded, and surprise flitted across Moe's face before the beady eyed man jabbed him hard in the chest with a pudgy finger.

"And you never will. I don't understand why my little girl wants to be with you, but you do not have my blessing."

Gold's response was ice, and the contrite look on Belle's face only made it colder. "I never asked for your blessing. We aren't married. I've never needed it."

Moe's hands bunched into fists. "If so much as a hair on her head is ever hurt by you-"

"I don't need a threat from you to make me treat her right, Moe." Gold's voice was a growl; animalistic and full of hatred, and he was relieved when Belle stepped between the two of them to keep them apart.

"Please don't fight," She begged.

"There is nothing to fight about," He responded mildly, stepping past Belle to gather up Moe's paperwork and deposit it into his briefcase, feeling the other man glaring daggers into his back the entire time.

He nodded towards her father when the clasps on the briefcase closed.

"I'll have a copy of the paperwork forwarded to you tomorrow morning, along with a cashiers check for the full amount." He took Belles hand in his own, smirking at him. "I expect you out by the end of next week. It's been nice doing business with you, Mr. French."

The other man glowered at him. "Just get out."

He followed Belle obediently out of the store when she tugged on his hand, feeling her fingers trembling beneath his own when he squeezed reassuringly, and she took him by complete surprise when, out of view of her father, she burst into tears.

"Belle?" He cried, wrapping his arms around her small form and flinching when she pressed her face against his neck, feeling her hot tears touch his skin. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I'm angry. He told me he wanted me to get back with Gaston." She whimpered. "He wouldn't listen—He kept saying you had me bewitched. That you were a beast. He doesn't even know you!"

"You probably scared the poor man half to death. Parents always want what's best for their children, Belle." Gold murmured, pressing a kiss to her hair. "And I'm not by any means what is best for you."

He stepped back when Belle pushed at his chest, and he watched as she swiped an arm across her eyes angrily. "It's not fair that other people you treat you that way. You aren't a beast."

Belle was upset on his behalf, because of something her own father had said. It simply would not do. He switched tactics.

The hapless smile was on his face before he could stop it, and he gestured towards himself. "If you say so."

That stopped her, and she sniffled once before looking up at him with watery eyes. "What-What did you just say?"

He leaned forward and pressed a kiss under each eyelid to dry the last of her tears. "If you say I'm not a beast, than I'm inclined to believe you."

She looked perplexed, her blue eyes wide as she stared at him. "Why?"

He shrugged, taking her hand in his again before squeezing and giving her a smile. "You've never been wrong before. If you say I'm not a beast, I guess I just have to trust you."

Her lower lip trembled, but she smiled and gave him a shaky laugh. "You're unbelievable."

"No, I'm an ass." He pressed a kiss to her forehead before winking. "You're the unbelievable one, remember?"

The shaky laugh she rewarded him with dispelled any remaining darkness in his mood, and she pressed her lips against his even as she swatted at him. "You really are an ass."

The reminder that Belle could find herself falling in love with him hit him like a ton of bricks, and he was grinning by the time she leaned back.

"What?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing."

"You look like a kid that's just won a candy store." She teased, taking hold of his hand again, and he was overwhelmingly pleased that with all the commotion she seemed to have forgotten her fear that he'd overheard her conversation. "Spill it."

He was about to shake his head before an idea came to mind, and his glee only intensified. "I just remembered that you owe me a date, that's all. And I think I'd like to cash it in."

She suddenly looked wary and suspicious all over again, and she narrowed her eyes at him playfully. "Why do I get the feeling that I should be concerned?"

His grin was wolfish and predatory. She had every right to be concerned; there was no way in hell he was going to mess up this time. There would be no losing track of time, no fourty five minutes lost, no Granny's diner or apology flowers. Belle could find herself loving him, and he wasn't going to leave anything to chance. "Because technically it's our first, Belle. And first dates should always be memorable. What are you doing tonight?"

She quirked an eyebrow at him, but she was doing a poor job of hiding the smile playing on her lips. "Does it honestly matter?"

"No." He responded, his eyes glimmering. "It honestly doesn't."

"Well," She leaned forward, pressing her lips against his. "Then I guess that I'm going on a date."

Hey guys! Sorry this chapter was a little late, but I hope you enjoy it! :) Would love to hear what you think, as per usual. Who is excited for Lacey next week?! I know I am.

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Please don't forget to check out my other story, Fable, if you're interested! Thank you again for all your kind words!