𝑶𝑪𝑬𝑨𝑵 𝑬𝒀𝑬𝑺 - Rumplestiltskin [1]

THIRTY SEVEN

37|WORRIED DRINKING

"Henry? What are you doing hear?" Bella glanced up from her phone when she heard Emma speak, the pair and Mr. Gold all walking into the police station.

"I came to congratulate you." Henry said excitedly while closing his book, the same book that made Bella question the existence of her life.

"For what?" Emma questioned, not knowing what she had done.

"Your genius plan." The boy answered like it was obvious. Bella sent Mr. Gold a look, raising her brow with confusion at the pairs conversation.

"And what plan is that, Henry?" Mr. Gold asked him. Henry glanced down, nervous and not wanting to speak causing Mr. Gold and Bella to leave the mother and son and walk further into the station. "Right."

"Emma, get in here now." Bella shouted through the halls, eyes wide as she stared at the empty cell.

"Sheriff, could you join us, please?" He asked kindly, feeling Bella reach out and grab his pinky with concern. "She's gone."

"Henry, what did you do?" Emma said to the boy with worry, thinking he had done this.

"Nothing. She was gone when I got here." Henry raised his hands innocently as he followed his mother further into the room.

"Her arraignments tomorrow. If she's not here...." Mr. Gold trailed off, not wanting to voice what would happen in front of Bella.

"She's a fugitive." Emma finished his statement anyway. "Doesn't matter if she's convicted for Kathryn or not, she's screwed. I have to go find her before someone notices she's missing."

"You mean Regina?" He asked as Emma began to run out the room.

"The arraignment's at 8:00 am." She continued, opening her desk drawer and grabbing her things. "I'm sure she'll be here bright and early to celebrate her victory."

"Well, you have until 8:00 am, then." Bella sighed, biting at her nails nervously. "Mary Margaret, why would you leave?"

"What about me? How can I help?" Henry questioned eagerly, wanting to help find his teacher.

"Go home." He wandered up to his mother and said something quietly that Bella could not hear, instead she looked at Mr. Gold with pleading eyes.

"Ms. Swan, I know time is of the essence, but if Ms. Blanchard doesn't return, her future is in jeopardy." Mr. Gold called out to the Sheriff as she was leaving with Henry. "And if you're caught helping her, so is yours."

"I don't care. I'd rather lose my job than my friend." Emma stated and left the station with Henry.

"I need a drink." Bella announced, turning to the man beside her with tears in her eyes.

"Let me drive you home." He offered, grabbing her hand and taking her to his car.

Bella locked the door behind them and shut the curtains while Mr. Gold sat on the sofa and watched her. After making sure the apartment was shut up for the night she grabbed a bottle of whiskey and two glasses before cuddling up to his side.

"I have Mary Margaret's arraignments tomorrow." He tried to remind her but she poured him a drink anyway. The pair  continued drinking far into the night, Bella completely legless as he carried her to her bed. He removed her clothes till she was just in her underwear before helping her put on a large shirt.

"Stay." She mumbled, grabbing his suit jacket and pulling him to sit on the side of her bed. "Please stay."

"Don't worry, I'll stay." He kissed her forehead and striped out of most of his clothes before slipping into the bed beside her.

Bella cuddled into his side, listening to his heart as he wrapped an arm around her, stroking her hair as she fell asleep in his arms.

When she awoke in the morning she was alone with a note and rose beside her head on the pillow. Bella smiled to herself and sat up, holding her head as it pounded. She wandered into the kitchen, feet padding across the cold ground as she spotted a fresh pot of coffee boiled. Glancing at the time it read 8:10 am which meant Mr. Gold had only just really left. She placed the rose in a clean empty wine bottle while sipping on the coffee, contemplating marrying this man for his kind acts.

Bella plugged her phone in and saw she had two voicemails, one from Mr. Gold and one from Emma. She listened to Emma's first, smiling when she heard Mary Margaret was found and back in her cell in time. Mr. Gold only reminded her to drink water and take pain killers.

"Definitely marrying this man." She laughed to herself and carried on her usual morning routine to make herself look more alive so she could visit Mary Margaret later. "Another day, another pain in my ass."