𝑶𝑪𝑬𝑨𝑵 𝑬𝒀𝑬𝑺 - Rumplestiltskin [1]

THIRTEEN

13|ALCOHOL

"I'm so tired." Bella whined as she belly flopped their small sofa, watching Mary Margaret with a raised eyebrow as the woman crazily scrubbed at the dirty plates she was cleaning. "And I thought I was crazy for agreeing to a fourteen hour shift."

"You might want to ease up or that Brillo Pads gonna press charges." Emma added, finally breaking the woman away from her deep thoughts.

"The dishes were just piling up." Mary Margaret said distantly, still continuing the dishes.

"This hasn't got anything to do with David stopping by?" The blonde interrogated the woman causing Bella to pop her head up. "I saw him sulking away as I pulled up."

"We just...he just..." The teacher stumbled over her words before stopping.

"I know what your both "just". And you did the right thing." Emma reminded her.

"She's right." Bella rolled on to the her feet and sat beside Emma, both watching Mary Margaret closely. "Men are like children, difficult and time consuming."

"Did something happen with Mr. Gold?" The two women stared at her with worry.

"Oh, no. I just haven't seen him in a week due to work." She waved them off before turning her attention back to the teacher.

"He made a pretty compelling case." Mary Margaret admitted, refusing to look at the pair.

"But he's still married. I know. I was just at the party." Emma stated causing Bella to roll her eyes as she remembered that's why she had to work fourteen hours, she was covering Dr. Whales shift.

"What do I do?"

"You need to stop cleaning and have a drink." The deputy sheriff ordered before standing up to grab her coat.

"I second that." Bella said while perking up, running to her room to get dressed. She threw on a pair of fluffy pajama bottoms and an oversized sweatshirt before joining the two women in the seating area.

"Here the thing." Emma started as she opened the bottle of sixty year old Scotch Whiskey. "I don't know a lot about relationships, other than having many that failed. But generally speaking, if you think want you're doing is wrong, it is. So you gotta stay strong, and he has to figure out his life."

"To wise decisions." Bella grabbed her glass and clicked it with her roommates before letting it burn her throat with a large gulp.

"That wasn't very wise." They laughed as the ebony haired doctor grimaced at the taste. She nodded in agreement and took another gulp, trying to drown out the burning.

"I might finish this bottle, I need it after today's shift." She refilled her glass before staring at the clock on the wall. "I'm going to head out, I need some fresh air after being stuck in a hospital."

"Be safe." Mary Margaret smiled at her friend, worrying the low tolerant woman was about to wander the streets.

"I always am." She went to her room and threw on a pair of jeans and boots before disappearing into the cold night air. Bella wandered the streets and found herself outside 'Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop', the closed sign on the door. "Dammit." She mumbled to herself, turning around to leave when a hand grabbed her shoulder. "Holy hell."

"Sorry, love." Mr. Gold apologised with a chuckle before his lips turned into a frown when he smelled the Whiskey on her. "Have you been drinking?"

"It's been a long day." Bella giggled, the alcohol starting to take over. "I need to sit down."

"Come on, dearie." He unlocked his shop door and led her inside before locking it again. "Take a seat." He offered her the bed, watching as she tucked her legs underneath her while her body swayed.

"Do you have anything to drink here?" She questioned, looking around the small back room as the world blurred.

"Here." She recognised the liquid he gave her as tea and laughed to herself as that was not what she meant. Bella grabbed his hand and made him sit beside her as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Why do I feel so safe around you? It's like I know you even though you've always just been another face in the crowd until recently." Bella hummed, eyes feeling heavy as they started to flutter closed. "I'm just going to rest my eyes for a little bit."

"Take all the time you need, dearie." Mr. Gold stroked her hair until she fell asleep on his shoulder. He moved her so she was lying fully on the bed and draped a blanket over her body. "Rest peacefully, my princess."