12

Chapter 11: An Offer and Acceptance

Belle sighed as she walked into the basement where Rumple seemed to be concentrating on what else, but spinning.

"He's still asleep."

He was Harry.

Rumple nodded. "Should be to mid morning. That was a strong Calming Draught I gave him."

"He was terrified." Belle said. "Are you sure he's alright?"

"He'll sleep." Rumple said avoiding the issue.

Belle looked at—what were they? Boyfriend and girlfriend seemed too immature for them. But they weren't married. Rumple never asked and Belle never expected him to either. And lovers sounded just vulgar.

She guessed boyfriend and girlfriend would have to do. Even though neither she nor Rumple were twelve.

Belle sighed. "He's going to be okay, Rumple. You know that, right?"

He shook his head. Even Belle had a hard time believing herself.

Harry might've tried to blow off the whole ordeal, but it was clear that the boy had some sort of something.

Belle didn't even have to be the cricket turned shrink to know that.

It was also quite obvious from Harry's screaming that the pain came from his home. It was obvious by Rumple's face that that was not going to stand. Except for some really dark looks, he hadn't really said anything.

Not that he really had a chance. Regina had been hissing and spewing, but Rumple had been oddly quiet and that scared Belle.

She knew that something was going on in that head of his, and whatever it was, it wasn't good.

Belle wasn't a stupid woman. She knew she was never going to change Rumple. You had to realize that if you were going to be in a relationship with the Dark One. Otherwise, you'd be in for years of one disappointment after another, culminating with a terrible event where you had to make the choice of true love or to be a stupid hero.

Belle didn't want to make that choice.

That was something she had come to the realization of, and she was glad it was sooner than later in the relationship. However, just because she accepted Rumple's faults, didn't mean she was a complete doormat.

Which was why she sighed and said, "What are you planning on doing?"

"The same thing as before," He answered. "We're getting out of town. After seeing that pirate, I don't want Harry anywhere near him or Cora."

"Hook wasn't that threatening. He was just ogling over Emma Swan's derriere. Besides, he doesn't have the power of the Dark One." That was true, Hook was mostly staring at Emma, though he gave Belle a couple of looks that made her shudder not that she would tell that to Rumple.

"Or an eleven year-old whose mother is a psychopath." Rumple countered. "Besides, now that I know that magic exist in the outside world, getting out of here will be a lot easier."

Belle glared at him.

"What?" Rumple asked.

"You can get so power obsessed."

He shrugged.

"It's not a good thing." Belle said.

"This isn't about power, sweetheart." Gold said. "It's about protection. Harry needs protection."

She had to give it to him there. Sighing she said, "I still don't like how giddy you are, Rumple."

He frowned. "I'm not giddy."

He looked giddy to her. She sighed, "You know, I'm not going to judge you."

He raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not."

He rolled his eyes and went back to his spinning.

"Rumple, I know that I can't change you. Believe me, when I say I've accepted it."

"You see the good in me," was his reply.

"Yes, but I also see…I also see the other part of you." She said, "And I'm fully aware that it's a part of you."

"You're not going to like what I'm going to do." He said.

He was talking about the Dursleys. She didn't have to be a mind reader to know this. She sighed. "I imagine I won't."

"And now you're going to lecture me that I'm better—"

She sighed as put her fingers through her dark hair. "I could, but it would be a waste of time, wouldn't it?"

He shrugged. "Probably. He shouldn't be acting this way, Belle. He shouldn't be so small. I know I'm not the tallest of men, but even I was taller than him at that age. I have to do something."

"You've been." She said.

Rumple had been doing everything to help Harry. He had been spending all his spare time brewing potions, late into the night. He was determined to get his child back to the picture of health. He had even been letting Regina into their house, which was a great feat for both of them.

Rumple just shook his head. "I should've talked to him more. I knew something was wrong. I've been there. I know how it feels to be unwanted, but I didn't think it was this bad. He seemed so nonchalant about it."

"How could you have known?" Belle said. "Harry is very reserved. You and I both know that."

"He's still my son." Rumple said.

Belle sighed resigned. "So, what are you going to do?"

He shrugged. "Still working on the final details."

Belle raised an eyebrow. "You know already."

He looked up. "Maybe."

"Rumple, please tell me you're not going to kill them."

"I'm not doing anything that illegal, sweetheart."

"Oh, that's supposed to make me feel better."

"I thought you accepted me. Thorns and all."

"I do, but that doesn't mean I have to like that part of you."

"But you do." He said.

"I don't." She countered. "Especially since doing something illegal could cause you to become arrested and me to be a single…whatever I am to Harry. What are we even?"

"You're my fiancée." Rumple clarified.

Belle looked at him. "Seriously?"

"What?" He said.

"That's how you're proposing?"

Rumple blinked. "I what?"

"Proposed. Just now. You called me your fiancée, Rumple. You've never even asked me to marry you."

"I never did?" He sounded baffled.

"No," Belle said. "It's a little presumptuous, don't you think?"

"So, you won't, marry me?"

"I never said that." She said.

"So, it is an option then?"

"Let's talk terms and conditions." She said.

"I'm the one who makes the terms and conditions." Gold said stopping his spinning entirely. "You're forgetting, sweetheart, I'm the deal maker."

"Yes," Belle said. "But the places have switched, Rumple."

He looked at her and shook his head.

Belle laughed. "Don't like being in this position?"

"Well, not normally…but if it involves you…."

Belle smiled. "Okay, then."

"Okay, what?"

"I'll marry you."

Rumple blinked. "But what about those terms and conditions?"

Belle laughed. "Forget the terms and conditions, I just want you."

Needless to say, not much spinning was done the rest of the night and morning until Harry woke up.

They should've talked more though. God knows, there was a lot to talk about that they didn't really get much of an afterglow.

Harry was still unconscious. Rumple was right when he said he had given him a particular potent potion. So, they did have time to talk. But it wasn't what newly engaged couples should be talking about.

There was no talk about whether or not to have a spring wedding or if they should elope. Instead, they needed to talk about their imminent departure from Storybrooke, which Belle wasn't exactly a fan of.

She sighed heavily when Rumple mentioned that the doses to the potion he made were almost ready.

"You know it's the only way." He said. "You saw Hook. I believe you said he was up to something."

Belle inwardly flinched at the mention of Hook. She did not like the pirate. She understood his animosity towards Rumple, but God the look of hatred the man gave her—

And he worked with Cora. That made him even more dangerous, especially with the added complication of Harry.

Needless to say, she now saw why Rumple wanted to get the hell out of Dodge, even if they'd have to deal with Regina's wrath.

She sighed. "Yeah, I get your point, but there's so much going on. Do you even think Harry's in condition to travel?"

"He'll be fine." Rumple said.

Yeah, he didn't even sound convinced.

"We could take Regina up on her offer," Belle said. "The ward's you have are already strong. Imagine if she contributed to them."

Rumple shook his head. "We need to get out of Storybrooke."

"I know," Belle said. "But it can wait for a few days. Harry was a wreck tonight, Rumple. He needs to get settled in. Traveling will stress him further."

"He's cooped up." Rumple said. "Because of all of this. He's not happy, Belle."

Belle sighed. "Well, what about Henry?"

"Henry?" Now Rumple really looked confused.

"They're around the same age." Belle said, "I'm sure that they could be friends."

"He lives with the Charmings." Rumple said.

Good point. Still, she was going to counter. "He's Regina's son."

"Adopted son."

"Surely, there might still be some loyalty there?"

Rumple gave her a look.

"Regina could give him a loyalty potion or something?"

"I don't condone the use of magic on children."

Now she rolled her eyes. "I really don't think Henry would be that big of a problem, Rumple. It's better than Harry running off again. And I do think we should stick around here for a while. We should at least have a plan of sorts of where we're going."

"Oh, I know where we're going." Her imp of a fiancé said.

She sighed. "Yeah, we'll think about what I said."

They were in the shower when he finally answered her.

"The library."

"What?" Belle asked.

"I'll ask Regina to help me put wards up around the library." Rumple said. "I'll let Harry go there for some non-magical study time. He needs that, his grammar skills are atrocious and you, my dear, are great with grammar. If Henry's there, you can say he's some random peasant's child."

"A random peasant."

"You'll think of something."

She glared at him. "Oh, I'll think of something…really, Rumple? You know I hate lying."

"Belle," He said his voice more tender this time.

She sighed. "Fine, I'll think of something."

"Thank you, sweetheart." He said.

"You owe me." She said.

"I'll get you something at Tiffany's." He said, "When we go there."

Belle looked at him, "Tiffany's?"

"You were reading that book and watched the movie, remember? You complained about how the movie ruined the book."

"Well, it did. Fred was gay in the book. And Audrey Hepburn's character was a bit of a prostitute. But I still loved the movie. And it's nice of you to remember. So, we're going to New York then?"

"A quick trip." Rumple said. "It won't be our final destination."

"Would you tell me where that would be?" Belle asked.

"Now where would the fun be in that?" Gold asked.

Surprisingly, Harry took the idea that they were engaged very well. All he did was shrugged as it was unexpected and told Belle congratulations.

He did blush though.

Harry blushed around her quite a lot.

It was cute, Belle thought. She really had never felt very maternal. She was in her mid-twenties, after all. But she always liked the possibility of being a mother, even though she had never thought of it since being with Rumple.

Children just never occurred to her. And she knew Rumple didn't want a replacement to Bae and she'd never ask him too, but Harry just sort of fell into their lives, unexpected but a blessing in disguise.

She knew most women in her position wouldn't think that their…fiancé's (she finally had a term) long lost son would was a blessing. More like a curse. Belle had read plenty of the raunchy romances in the library where a couple would be torn apart because of the introduction of the precocious miracle child.

She supposed it helped that the mother of the miracle child was a sociopath who her fiancé went on rants about how much he hated her, but it wasn't that.

Belle genuinely liked Harry. And she was really worried about him. Worried about him and his father.