Dreams of Stars (A Once Upon a Time/Jiminy Cricket fanfic)

Dreams of Stars Part 23

On a day like this, cleaning Mr. Gold's mansion was extremely frustrating. Kaelin worked feverishly, her mind completely absent from the task. She should be out there, helping Geppetto search for Pinocchio, or babysitting little Alexandra, or assisting Nova in attending to the injured. Not that she thought she could do something as practical as attending to the injured, but anything was better than this. Out of all the people who needed help today, she was helping Rumpelstiltskin. That thought came with a certain measure of guilt, but Kaelin tried to remind herself that she was really doing this for Jiminy.

The thought of Jiminy warmed her from head to toe. It was hard to believe that it was only yesterday she had remembered who he was. Going over all her memories of Archie and placing them in the context of who they really were was delightful. No wonder he had seemed so familiar and safe the first day she met him. No wonder the cricket from her dreams was named "Archie"—and it had surprised him so when he heard his own name! That memory was particularly funny, and Kaelin giggled quietly to herself as she washed the windows. She tried to imagine it from "Archie's" point of view. So the curse had chosen the name she had given him so long ago! How was that so?

A step sounded on the wood floor behind her, and Kaelin hurriedly silenced her laughing. Oops. She hadn't expected Rumpelstiltskin to be here at this time of day, but then, things were changing. Cautiously, she glanced over her shoulder, then stopped in surprise. That wasn't Rumpelstiltskin. Still holding her window-cleaner-soaked paper towel, Kaelin turned to look at her.

The young woman who had just come in had long, wavy, dark brown hair and a wide but beautiful face. Her clear, blue eyes drew Kaelin's gaze. They held both a deep kindness and a deep sadness.

The young woman frowned slightly and smiled a bit at the same time. "I-I'm sorry..." she began as though her thoughts were somewhere else. Her voice had a slight accent to it which only made it seem all the more gentle.

Kaelin liked the woman instantly, but felt deeply curious about her. Who was she, and why was she here in Mr. Gold's mansion? What was that sadness in her eyes? "What's your name?" she asked.

"Belle," the young woman replied.

"I'm Kaelin."

Belle seemed flustered. "I'm sorry," she repeated quickly, "I've just come to fetch something for...Mr. Gold..."

"Do you work for Mr. Gold too?" Kaelin presumed.

"No, I don't...Though I used to." Belle kind of smiled to herself, looking to one side. Then she met Kaelin's eyes. "But are you saying that you work for him?"

Kaelin slightly raised her hand with the wet paper towel in it, which was somewhat blue from the window-cleaning fluid and smelled of mild chemicals. She shrugged. "Well, I don't get paid for it. It was my end of a deal to clean his mansion every week for a year."

Belle laughed. "Are you serious?" she said, "It was the same with me once, but that was a long time ago. Back in the Enchanted Forest. I knew Rumpelstiltskin as...as the Dark One."

"I met him briefly like that..." Kaelin said, shuddering, "I'm...sorry you had to work for him."

"Oh, no, don't be," Belle said suddenly, emphatically. Then she seemed flustered again and lowered her eyes.

"Wait, so—" Kaelin stared at her and frowned slightly, surprised at this reaction. "So if you're not working for him anymore, why are you fetching something for him now?" was the only thing she could think to ask.