The one light in his darkness had been Baelfire. Now he was gone, off to another world where he could only be reached through True Love’s Kiss. That had been the hardest part of the Blue Fairy’s betrayal. The only way a creature of the darkness (And obviously, Rumplestiltskin was The Creature of Darkness.) could reach the land Baelfire had jumped into was through True Love. The creature must both be loved and learn to love in return in order to reach his boy.

Rumplestiltskin had thought these two would be the key. Oh how wrong he’d been. He scoffed to himself as the dawn broke the next morning. He should have never brought Tilly with him. He should have never gone in the first place. That had been his first mistake, yes. Agreeing to do the deal with King Gaston. Ugh, King Gaston. The bore. Belle would never be happy with him. But, why should he care? So long as he fulfilled the deal, he’d never have to see Belle again. It was better that way.

Tilly clambered into the tent he’d magicked for himself. “Up and at ‘em, Rumple! We’re almost there.” She said, voice bright and full of cheer. “Mayhap you and Belle will talk this out?” She enthused. “There’s no use in pretending you don’t want her.”

Rumplestiltskin scoffed, throwing his bed covers down. “I don’t want her.” He lied, hopefully convincingly. “And there’s nothing to talk out. I heard you both.” He snarled out, standing up and getting out of bed.

“Heard us?” Tilly repeated, confusion etching onto the blonde’s features. “What do you mean?”

Rumplestiltskin stared up at the ceiling, praying that it would open and a dragon would eat him alive. When that didn’t happen, he swallowed and repeated the dreaded words that he’d overheard: “Who could ever love such a beast?”

Tilly froze in her place. “Rumple, you’ve got it wrong. Go talk to Belle. Right now.” She demanded, unfreezing a moment later to reach across for Rumplestiltskin’s scaly hand. “You’ve got it wrong.” She repeated.

“Tell me more about how I misheard that.” Rumplestiltskin scoffed, shaking his head and pulling his hand away. Contact still unnerved him, especially after the decades he’d spent alone. “No, I will not.” He snapped. “Leave me alone, Tilly.”

Tilly made a noise of frustration, but blessedly she stomped out of the tent. Rumplestiltskin pretended that he didn’t care what she was doing, where she was going. All he had to do was focus on getting Belle to the wedding chapel sometime today. It should be easy enough.

Or, you know, not.

When Rumplestiltskin finally emerged from his tent, Belle was already out of her tent, brushing her long, brown hair. It reminded him of chocolate, the gooey kind that would make anyone barf. Except, before it had been barfed out. Yeah, Rumple, he told himself with a roll of his eyes. Tell Belle how her hair reminds you of unbarfed chocolate.

As if.

“Where’s Tilly?” Rumplestiltskin asked when he noticed the blonde was missing. So much for not caring. Oh, would you just shut up? He snarled at himself.

“She’s gone ahead to cancel the wedding.” Belle said nonchalantly, continuing to brush her hair.

“What do you mean, cancel the wedding?” Rumplestiltskin roared.

Belle calmly put aside the brush, placing it delicately on the log she was sat on before she stood. “I’m not marrying Gaston.” She insisted. “I don’t love him - never have.”

“Love comes later.” Rumplestiltskin wanted to kick himself. He shouldn’t encourage Belle to marry that bore. But what was he supposed to do? He couldn’t propose himself. Not knowing her answer would be ‘no’.

“I don’t want to marry him.” Belle retorted. “And you can’t force me to.” She added, daring him to argue with her. He didn’t.

“What do you expect me to do with you then, dearie?” Rumplestiltskin snapped. She was inching her way closer to him. It was unnerving.

“Listen - There’s something you don’t know about me.” Belle began. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but then I. And then Tilly said you heard me….” She sighed, wringing her hands as she moved ever closer to him.

“I grow weary of your hedging.” When in doubt, snark. Surely that was the answer.

It was not.

Belle grimaced. “When the sun sets, I uh..” she swallowed. “No, let me start at the beginning. A faerie came to my christening, and uh, she cursed me before I was sent away to the tower. Every night, until the next sunrise, I grow scales.” She said, all at once, then took a deep breath. “It will be that way until I share True Love’s Kiss with my heart’s mate.”

“I see. That’s why you have no wish to marry Gaston, isn’t it.” Rumplestiltskin asked evenly. “Well dearie, I can fix this. For a price.” he added, making a theatrical hand gesture.

“I’m not here to make a deal.” Belle responded, finally close enough to him that her nose touched his shoulder. “And that isn’t why I don’t wish to marry him. You are.”

Rumplestiltskin swallowed thickly. “I don’t understand. You said…. Who could ever love such a beast?” The words came out in a rush of confusion.

“Most people would view having scales as beastly.” Belle responded, reaching up and cupping his cheek. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he thought for a second he was dreaming. “Not you..” Belle continued candidly.

“I was an idiot.” Rumplestiltskin whispered in horror. How could he have let her go, without saying a word in her defense? He was the worst kind of fool.

“Smarter now.” Belle shrugged, her hand still on his cheek. “Do you understand now, why I can’t marry Gaston?”

His arms wrapped around her waist, keeping her close and, to his shock, she nuzzled his shoulder, coming closer to him still. “I think so.” He murmured. “That doesn’t mean you want this, though. Me.” He persisted in his disbelief.

“Oh, but it does.” Belle assured him with a kind laugh. “I know you and I……”

“Wait.” Rumplestiltskin cut her off. Her face fell. But he had to tell her. “Before you say anything…” He told her then, of his cowardice, about losing his son. His arms were still wrapped around her tiny waist at the end, and they were both in tears.

She wrapped her arms around him then. “And all it takes is a kiss?” She looked up at him with bright blue eyes. “A kiss, and you are closer to Baelfire?”

“Yes…” Rumplestiltskin could not believe how well she’d taken it.

And then her lips were on his, and Rumplestiltskin gave up trying to believe things. Instead, he kissed her back as the world around them swirled.

He pulled away gasping for breath. Belle’s eyes were still closed, and she looked dazed. “Are you alright?” he whispered.

“Yes.” Belle opened her eyes, taking his hand. “And now…. We have your son to find.” She decided, looking up at him with a look so full of love that it took his breath away.

“Indeed.”