Evermore ~ Rumplestiltskin

Chapter Eighteen

Liana's POV

It was time for Archie's funeral. I was in the shop, looking in the mirror. "Are you coming, sweetheart?" I questioned.

Rumple then walked into the back of the shop to which I was. "I'm sorry, Ana, but I have some business to attend to..."

I looked at him. "Does it have to do with the border?" He nodded his head. "Okay," I sighed, looking in the mirror, trying to adjust my dark purple bucket hat. "How do I look?"

"You look beautiful sweetheart," said Rumple, coming over to me, and wrapping his arms from behind me, nuzzling his nose into my neck.

"Are you sure?" you asked.

"Yes," he said. "Ana, darling, don't doubt yourself. Remember, this is just a funeral. People are not going to be commenting on the way you look."

"But I want to look presentable at least-"

"Darling, you look amazing," he kissed my neck. 

I sighed. "Okay, if you say so." I then removed his arms that were resting on my waist, turned around and gave him a kiss. "Good luck at the border."

He smiled. "Thank you, darling."

I smiled back at him before heading out of the shop and to the graveyard.

                              +++

I stood next to Belle, and Ruby quietly as Mary Margaret spoke. "Some of us knew him as Archie. Others as Jiminy. But we all knew him as a true friend."
Pongo, Archie's dog then started to whimper. "And though he may now be gone, he will always live on inside of us, reminding us to be our best selves, to do the right thing, to always fight for what we believe in." Mary Margaret wiped away a tear. I bent down to pet Pongo. "So we shouldn't think of today as goodbye. Just as a way of saying, Archie, we'll be listening."

A tear ran down my cheek as I watched as Marco went over to his friend's grave. He placed Archie's umbrella next to the grave and bent down. "I miss you so much, my friend," said Marco. "Well, at least you're in a better place."

Even more tears ran down my face. I then felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Belle who offered me a hug, seeing as no one else came to comfort me.

I hugged her right before letting go. I then walked up to Archie's grave, after Marco had walked away. I knelt down and said, "Hey Archie. I-I I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you had to go like this— it wasn't your time yet," I sniffled. "Heck... it should have been me. I should have been the one Regina killed instead of... you... you were such a kind soul and I— I was a monster for most of my life... I-"

"Liana," It was Belle again. She approached me. I turned to look at her. "Don't ever say such a thing."

"What?" I questioned.

"You deserve to live just as much as Archie," she replied.

"No— you— you don't understand Belle. It should have been me, not Archie. Why did it have to be Archie?" I cried.

Belle pulled me into another hug. "I-I think it was just an unfortunate matter of fate," said Belle. "I mean... we all die eventually it's just a matter of how and when. So, it's nothing that we have control over, and I think you just have to accept it. I think that's something that Archie would say."

"You're probably right," I said, sighing.

"How about you come to Granny's with Ruby and I?" Belle asked, removing herself from me.

"Um... I would love to... but I have to go to the shop," I said.

"Alright," said Belle. "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call!"