#bdrpjane2.0

@my-lost-darling, @lost-girl-at-sea

After work, Belle headed to Jane’s apartment. The air was brisk and overcast, playing with the hem of her skirt, along with the leaves that had fallen on the sidewalk. She fiddled with the strap on her bag as she walked. She had given Jane the heads up that she had news and scheduled a time to visit when both she and Wendy would be available, but she felt guilty. 

It had been a handful of weeks since Elfhame. 

While the visit was still fresh in Belle’s mind (and in her dreams and nightmares), she knew if she was on the other end of this, she would be angry. It was just that as soon as she’d returned, so much had happened. Belle’s mind had turned to her own family, her own children, and the Darling’s plight had taken a backseat to all of that. She had, of course, texted Jane that John was alive and that he was fine. Healthy, even, but she had promised her she would come by to discuss more at first opportunity.

It was not a lie that this was truly first opportunity. However, Belle had the distinct feeling that Jane already didn’t like her. Wendy was impossible to read, but if the Darlings were anything like the Acherons, or even the Bonfamilles, she would side with Jane, if only on principle.

Belle took a deep breath when she finally reached Jane’s door. Reaching up, she knocked and then took a step back, waiting for someone to appear. When they did, she managed a smile.  

“Hullo,” Belle greeted with a little nod of her head. “I hope I have come at a good time?” 

@lost-girl-at-sea​, @my-lost-darling​, @thedipster​

When Belle first had...heard the call of Bedivere or...whatever, she hadn’t understood why. 

Why her, of all people? 

Usually, her favourite question to ask was why? but when it came to this...she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer, because she was beginning to suspect there wasn’t an answer. Swynlake didn’t have a reason for the people that it chose. If it even chose. Or, perhaps, when the souls had been released, they had just catapulted into the first bodies they found. It was a funny sort of twisted logic for the girl who, her whole life, had wanted to be special.

The tricky thing about that was that she had never really believed she was special. Though, these days, she was starting to realize that maybe...being special had nothing to do with some divine intervention. It was the decisions you made that made you unique. And it was the people who loved you that made you feel special, even if you weren’t.

All that being said: Belle finally felt, at least, a bit useful in this whole operation. She was not the best fighter. (Though, she was getting infinitely better these days, with Merida and Arthur and the other knight’s help.) She was an excellent researcher. And she was one of the only native Swynlakers. Which meant she knew people.

When talk had come up of the fae realm, Excalibur, and retrieving it. Well--Belle had volunteered to get in contact with Jane. After all, she’d known John. He’d been her TA. (The last time she’d see him, actually, he’d helped her when her water had broken. It burned her that that memory was fuzzy at best.) She knew Jane too. They had been classmates, more or less. And Belle respected her. She hoped the feeling was mutual. 

It had appeared so when Jane hadn’t just--hung up the phone when Belle had mentioned John. Instead, she had invited her over.

As per Knights of the Round Table Honor Code, or whatever, Belle had to take a “partner” with her. Which she thought to be relatively asinine of a rule, considering that she was perfectly capable of handling this on her own. The Darlings were not their enemy. They were going to help them. They were, hopefully, going to help each other. 

The door opened after Belle had knocked briskly and she smiled. “Hullo, Jane,” she greeted the other woman with a reserved smile. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.” 

@lost-girl-at-sea​

Belle was late.

Belle was often late. Never to class, but other engagements? It was surprising if she was on time. She often grew distracted--with assignments, sometimes, even just with a good book that refused to be put down. Part of the problem was also anxiety. She hated to be the first one at any sort of engagement. This often had gotten her in trouble when she was younger. And now that she was a student again--it was getting her in trouble again. Except--this time, she wasn’t late to class. She refused to be.

This was not class, however. The History/Philosophy Department dinner-social hosted by Professor Binns at his house in the Woods was not mandatory, but it had been strongly implied that missing it would reflect poorly on Belle’s academic networking. And as much as Belle hated networking, she knew that it was going to be useful. Especially because she would be needing to get an internship while she worked on her license. 

So, yes, here she was. Late because she’d had to change her shirt after Opal had spit up all over it right before she left. And late, because she’d been taking some time to unwind and enjoy a book--and had lost track of time, Hades coming home from a Board meeting and remarking with surprise at the fact that she hadn’t left yet.

When she entered the dining room--a little breathless and definitely flushed, her eyes darted about before landing on Professor Binns at the head of the table.

“Professor Binns, I’m so sorry I am late.”

“Thank you for joining us, Mrs. Acheron. Please--I think there is still an open seat down near Ms Darling. Isn’t that right, Jane?” He smiled tersely before going back to his salad. 

Belle’s blush deepened--she had no idea who Jane Darling was (she didn’t have a moment to wonder if she was at all related to John), but there was only one open seat left at the table. 

Scurrying over, Belle pulled out the chair and sat down, shrugging off her bag--which was too full, she had meant to transfer her wallet and keys and such to her smaller bag that wasn’t half-school-bag, half-diaper-bag but she had been in a rush. As she moved to slide it under the table it smacked lightly against the girl--Jane.