The Light in the Dark Kingdom

Belle

Belle watched then kiss as she shut the door, rubbing her victory in her face, but she had hope. She walked away from his house and back towards the library, knowing well what they were about to do in his bedroom. She walked into the library and sat, reading books until a while later when she heard a knock at the library's main door.

She placed her book on the chair and moved towards the door, still dressed nicely, "Gold," she smiled as she opened the door to see his hair tangled, "I started to think you weren't going to come see me."

"Belle, listen," he said, stepping inside and shutting the door. She stepped towards him and his eyes fell to look over her body. His hand moved to cup her face and he searched her eyes, "I can't decide," he said to her, and her eyes drifted away. He guided her eyes to look at him, "You have to understand, dearie, I can't choose between, you, the woman I love, whom I thought was dead, and the woman I love, whom I craved for over the last twenty-eight years during the curse, but I know that it doesn't feel right to be here. I can't face breaking either of your hearts."

Her eyes fell and he guided her chin back to face him, "I truly am sorry, Belle," he told her hesitantly as a single tear rolled down her face, "but I know that I can't have both, and I can't choose you." A tear rolled from his eyes.

She shut her eyes and slowly took a step away, "At least I know, now, that I can stop fighting for you," she said shaking her head slowly, "I saw how you look at her. I just thought that, maybe, you would have been able to look at me that way again." She took a deep breath and shut her eyes, trying to hold her tears back. He stepped towards her, apologizing again, but she shook her head, finally meeting his tired eyes. He reached for her and she jerked away, "Don't touch me," she cried, "I know where your hands have been, and I don't want them anywhere near me. Please," she cried and shook her head, "If I can be of no more assistance, then I am going to have to ask you to leave."

"Belle," he pleaded for a moment and her eyes grew distance, "Please."

"Leave." She demanded calmly and glanced at the door.

"I'm so sorry," she shook her head and watched him walk out of the door. Following behind him to lock it before mocking quickly toward her bedroom.

He entered his house quietly and shut the door as softly as he could, walking silently through the front of the house until he reached the bedroom. He placed his shoes back into the closet and took off his coat, hanging it neatly. Pulling off his clothes, and throwing it back on the ground as if he had never left. He crawled into the bed and the girl turned to face him, her eyes squinted open, "Where did you go?" She asked him as he positioned himself under the sheets beside her.

"No where," he told her, "Go back to sleep."

"I heard the door and your car," she told him, sitting up to see that it was almost one o'clock in the morning, "Don't lie to me. Did you go to see her?"

He huffed lightly and nodded, "I went to tell her that I have made my choice," he said hesitantly and the girl watched him as he slowly turned to face her, a small smile forming on his lips as he searched her eyes.

She smiled and tucked his hair behind his ears, "I choose you too, Rumple." She told him happily and kissed him before wrapping herself in his strong arms.