Samantha Rose

Raise Hell

Sam trudged through the house, straight out into the backyard, and into her little workshop. She only slowed long enough to mumble "Don't wait up for me" to Belle as she passed by. Rumple came home only a few moments later.

"Belle, I need you. I need to talk with you."

"What's wrong, sweetheart?"

His eyes searched his wife's face, hoping he could find an answer there that would suffice better than his own. But there was none.

"I thought we were making progress this week, Belle. We were starting to act like a real family. Then that bloody pirate showed up and... she is very powerful, sweetheart. Dangerously so, sometimes."

"No, she...she can't be. She's the child of our True Love - that's light magic."

"Your True Love is the Dark One, Belle. And I've been the darkest one. That's quite a bit of dark magic, love. And, let's just say, you were right. She gets it from me."

"What are you saying, Rumple? That she's darker than you?"

"Belle, I just think it'd be best if we let her be. If she wants to see us, she will come to us," he advised. But his words fell on deaf ears as Belle headed for the back door. "Where are you going, Belle? I told you, she is dangerous!"

"You are her father, Rumplestiltskin. And I am her mother. She is my daughter and I will not let her be alone, in this world or any other. You want us to be a family? Maybe it's time we start treating her like the family she is and not some stray who wandered into our yard."

Belle spun on her heel and went outside. Quietly, she tried the door to the workshop and found it unlocked. The air was thick with magic. Books were strewn about and puddles of colorful liquid dotted the floor. Finally, she spotted Sam sitting on the floor, slouched against a wall. She did not lift her eyes to greet Belle and made no effort to get up, so Belle simply joined her on the floor. They sat in silence for several minutes before Belle finally spoke up.

"We're trying, Samantha. I know, its not easy for any of us. But we are trying."

"He didn't tell you, did he?"

"Tell me what?"

"Never mind," she drew in a shaky breathe and slowly released it. "I'm not blaming you guys for my life's problems, Belle. I'm not. But I can't just flip a switch and love you guys and be family when I was taught to pretty much hate you. I know you aren't people who deserve my hate, and I don't actually hate you, I just... I don't exactly love you yet."

Belle mulled over the words she'd heard. They made sense, even if they weren't easy to hear. She couldn't find words anymore, so she reached for Sam's wrist. The young lady did not protest and allowed Belle to trace the birthmark there, along with the scratches and scars that marked her arm.

"Some are battle scars, per se. Some are from when I was first learning magic," Sam explained. Her voice was calm and understanding of her mother's curiosity.

"All this," Sam indicated the magic and the mess surrounding them, "this is all very personal for me. I told you I have intentions to destroy Hades, and I said it could be a 'family' thing, but this is all for me. This is something I need to do and now I'm ready to do it. Would it have brought us all closer? Probably. But I don't even know if I will succeed, and I do not want anything to happen to you on my account."

Belle looked slightly flustered, still unable to find words. Sam sighed again and continued.

"Look, I've got some more work to finish up here tonight. And probably clean up a bit. Don't wait up for me. We can all talk in the morning. Okay?"

Belle nodded and rose. She paused at the door and turned to see her daughter still slumped against the wall.

"Goodnight, Samantha," Belle said quietly. She turned and began to leave.  Had Sam's voice been any quieter, Belle would not have heard the girl respond with her own Goodnight, Belle. She smiled quietly to herself as she left, shutting the door behind her. Belle leaned against the door and looked up into the darkening night sky. 

"Mrs. Dark One Gold. What's it been, three years already?"

Belle felt her knees go weak and her blood run cold at the voice. She wanted to scream, to yell for her husband, but her voice failed her. The man the voice belonged to finally stepped out of a shadow. His smug grin made Belle sick. At last, she found her voice.

"Hades. What do you want?"

"I came here to find my daughter. I don't keep a constant eye on her, but I can tell when something is wrong. Someone has been tampering with her magic. I can't see her. This is the last place she was. So, you tell me where she is and I'll let you live. Probably."

"There's more to why you're here."

"You always were the clever one, Belle. But so am I," his voice dropped ominously. He approached Belle, inches from her face. She bristled but did not back down. "I know what happened here, Belle. I know Sam found out about you and your husband's...relationship with her. Perhaps your friends should have paid more attention to the deal we made. It didn't have to be you or your Dark One to tell to the truth. But if she ever found out... they broke the deal."

He inched closer, his voiced lowering to a whisper.

"No one breaks a deal with me."

Belle could not hide the fear in her eyes as she met his gaze. 

"You can't take living people with you to the Underworld."

"Oh, I don't need to," he said, placing a hand on her arm and moving her away from the door. Once she stood closer to the middle of the yard, he finished his thought. "I'll meet you there."

And with a flick of his wrist, Belle was flung backwards into a portal that had opened behind her. A smug grin plastered his face as the portal closed. He cast a glance at the salmon  house. Rumplestiltskin had not heard any of what had just happened. Before disappearing in his cloud of blue smoke,  Hades sneered in the direction of the workshop, then the house.

"Catch ya on the other side, Dark One's."