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The Trade Off	By : LotornoMiko Category: M through R > Once Upon A Time Views: 5409 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Once Upon A Time fandom. Nor do I make any money off of it or this story.

Chapter List
- 1-The Trade Off
- 2-Two
- 3-Three
- 4-Four
- 5-Five
- 6-Six
- 7-Seven
- 8-Eight
- 9-Nine
- 10-Ten
- 11-Trade 11
- 12-Twelve
- 13-Thirteen
- 14-Fourteen
- 15-Fifteen
- 16-Sixteen
- 17-Seventeen
- 18-Eighteen
- 19-Nineteen
- 20-Twenty
- 21-Twenty One
- 22-Twenty Two
- 23-Twenty Three
- 24-Twenty Four
- 25-Twenty Five
- 26-Twenty Six
- 7
- 8
- 9
The main street of Storybrooke made up the heart of the town's busy shopping district. Store after store lined up on either side of the road that extended for a good half a mile. If one was to continue along the road, eventually the stores would give ways to houses, the buildings growing more rich and ornate the further out they were located. Until finally one reached the mansions, where such notable personalities like the mayor resided.
Belle had never had reason to go to that part of town. Not when Rumplestiltskin had kept a cozy little home located behind his pawn shop. It had been meant to be an apartment building, but Rumplestiltskin had renovated it, turning it into one big house hidden away from the eyes of those who shopped among his wares.
It was a home she had shared with Rumplestiltskin. A home she instinctively sought out, Belle letting out a little dismayed sound the instant she realized what she had done. The fear of the unknown, of whether or not she would be welcome there, had Belle veering off the sidewalk. A car whizzed by, just barely managing to avoid her, the driver seeming not to recognize her as he angrily let his horn blare.
Belle barely acknowledged him, or what had almost happened, hurrying instead across the street. Her heart pounded, Belle more concerned over what sort of chilly reception she might have received if she had tried to enter into Rumplestiltskin's home. The unknown made her worry, made Belle unable to face even walking past the pawn shop's front. She simply didn't want to face a reality that had the potential to devastate her, Belle having lost her home as well as the man that she loved.
It would havd been too much of a crushing blow, one dealt too soon after so many others. Belle was sure she would break completely, the bleak reality of her situation proving far more crushing than anything Hook could have done to her on his ship. But Belle didn't for one instant consider returning to him. Didn't for one second wonder if she had burned her bridges on both ends, courting rejection not only from Rumplestiltskin but Hook as well.
Instead, Belle was almost relieved, nearly reveling in her bid for freedom. Even as Belle knew just about everything was lost to her, she couldn't stop the immense feelings of relief going through her to be away from the pirate. Away from him, and his suffocating embraces, and his eyes that saw far more than she wanted Hook to see.
Compared to the way Hook looked at her, Belle barely noticed the way people were giving her strange looks over her hurried, downright frantic dart and dodge progress across the busy road. She had little worries where they were concerned, not caring if she looked a fright, with her skin pale, her eyes red, and her hair wild. Belle didn't care that she lacked her usual smile, her cheerful upbeat way replaced by the flinching, frightened self that had emerged at the sight of the pawn shop.
She'd continue in that shifty, frantic, frightened way, barreling past people who hurried out of her way. Past men and women whose faces she barely acknowledge, let alone could identify. Until finally she saw it, standing like a safe haven for the lost and confused, it's neon lights beckoning like a beacon to her.
Granny's. Belle almost collapsed with a sigh then, feeling Granny's Diner would be the one place she would be safe. The one place she could rest and gather her thoughts, rather than run half cocked around the town. The diner was a safe haven and meeting point for many, the older woman who ran it always ready to greet those who walked through her doors with a smile. Granny and her granddaughter Ruby, would be a welcoming sight, a comfort to Belle even with the questions she might have to field from them.
In fact, it wasn't long before Ruby approached her, once Belle was situated in a booth in one corner of the diner. The window to the left of her, offered a good view of the main street, Belle able to see even the pawnshop from where she sat. She kept right on staring at it, even after Ruby set down a glass in front of her, the woman with the red streaked black hair speaking softly.
"Looks like you could use a drink."
Belle just made a noncommittal sound, almost wishing Ruby would give her a few more minutes before the questioning started. But luck had seemed to abandon the brown haired woman completely, the waitress Ruby sliding into the seat across from Belle. She couldn't, wouldn't begrudge Ruby for her concern, though Belle didn't immediately move to confide in the woman.
Instead she reached for the glass, pleased her hand barely shook it as Belle lifted it up for a sip. She felt Ruby's worried eyes on her the entire time, Belle stifling a sigh that would do nothing but arouse Ruby's curiosity.
"You've been staring over there for a while now." Ruby finally said, nodding towards the pawn shop. "I'd say a good fifteen minutes at least."
"Has it really been that long?" Belle asked, startled despite herself.
"Longer." Ruby replied. "That fifteen minutes is only from when I started keeping count."
Belle didn't even have the energy to muster up a blush, her face and body feeling too cold to call up an embarrassed warmth. She merely pulled her gaze from the window, a brief flicker of a glance at Ruby before she looked down at her glass. The tea inside was warm, but even it didn't hold the power to chase away the chill Belle was feeling.
"Belle, what happened?" Ruby frowned at the way Belle shook her head no, not content to let her dismiss her concern. "I do not mean to pry. Really, I don't. But it's clear something has happened. Something that has left you shell shocked and miserable."
Belle made a sound then, a sort of tortured half laugh that didn't last for more than a handful of seconds. "It sounds about right, given how I feel."
"What has he done to you?" There was an undercurrent of a growl in Ruby's voice, the woman almost wolfish as her protective instincts showed themselves.
Belle blinked startled eyes at Ruby, then quickly hastened to reassure her. "Rumple hasn't done anything to me..." But the words fell unconvincing from her lips, Belle's eyes growing wet.
Ruby handed her a napkin, Belle clutching at it like it was a lifeline. "He hasn't done anything." She repeated, then almost sobbed. "Except come close to breaking my heart."
Now it was Ruby's turn to give a wide eyed look, the woman's lips parting in surprise. "What? How?"
Belle hesitated, not sure she should even be sharing the details with Ruby, with anyone. Rumplestiltskin was a very private man, who took few if any into his confidence. He trusted even less, and once Belle would have beamed over the fact she was one of those privileged few. Used to keeping his secrets, to not betraying what he told her and what he did, Belle wasn't sure how she could break years of habit to open up to Ruby.
With Ruby's shocked gaze on her, Belle tried to think. Tried to decide what if any she could reveal. It didn't seem as if there was anything she could share, and yet Belle didn't know how Rumplestiltskin intended to keep things hidden. Not with Hook out there, the pirate likely quick to gloat and brag over his triumph over Rumplestiltskin. A triumph that had a surge of humiliated anger go through her, Belle realizing she wanted at least her friends to know what had happened, to hear about it from no one else but her.
Belle wished she could say that anger was enough to sustain her decision, Belle setting the tea glass none too gently on the table. Ruby seemed to sense the change within Belle, the black haired waitress sitting up straighter with an anticipatory gleam in her eyes.
"How much do you know about a pirate named Hook?"
Ruby frowned in response to Belle's question. "Can't say I know the man personally."
"But you have heard of him?"
"Only recently." Ruby answered. "And only from the accounts relayed by Emma and Snow. Seems this Hook was quite the thorn in their side and together with the sorceress Cora, nearly kept those two from returning to this world." There was a look in Ruby's eyes, something that made Belle wonder if there was more to be said than what the waitress was actually sharing.
"Fortunately..." Ruby continued. "And with no help from Regina and your Rumplestiltskin, Cora and Hook were prevented from crossing over to this world."
"Prevented?" How Belle wished that was true. "More like temporarily delayed." She sighed, Ruby's eyes first widening than narrowing in response to what Belle said next. "Hook is here. I don't know how, or when, or even if Cora is with him. But he's here in Storybrooke."
"You've seen him?"
Almost, almost she blushed from the heat now surging within her. "More than seen him." She sighed again, Ruby's mouth opening and closing as the waitress tried to think of what to ask first.
"Are you all right?" Ruby finally settled on.
Much to both women's alarm, Belle's eyes grew wet in response to that concerned question. "No. Not exactly. But I am managing."
"What does that mean?" Ruby reached to touch Belle's hand. "Belle, tell me...Did he hurt you?"
Belle bit at her bottom lip before answering. "Not in the way you're probably imagining. But yet...because of Hook, my whole life is all but ruined." Ruby gave a gentle squeeze on Belle's hand, her eyes concerned as she waited for her friend to continue. "Oh Ruby, I've made such a mistake." Her shoulder slumped, Belle fighting not to lower her head.
"What happened?"
Belle let out a choked laugh. "I don't even how to begin to tell you this. I don't even know how to make this sound right to myself, let alone to someone else..."
"Whatever it is, I won't judge you..."
"How can you not?!" Belle couldn't keep the tortured look off her face. "When I judge and blame myself? For being so stupid...for putting myself in a situation where I had to act, where I had to make that God awful choice."
Ruby's was quizzical, echoing Belle's words. "Choice? What choice?"
"Hook had something of Rumplestiltskin's. Something precious and irreplaceable." Belle shook her head no. "I should have stayed where Rumplestiltskin told me to. I shouldn't have been so quick to prove myself, so quick to try and play hero. I am a fool for going there."
"No, you're not." Ruby said firmly. "You just wanted to help the man that you love."
"And look where that desire got me! I've lost everything! Rumplestiltskin will never want to have anything to do with me...not without, maybe even if, I allow him to do the unthinkable and kill Hook."
"Can't say I understand. Just what happened?" Ruby asked.
"I..." A hesitation. "I came face to face with Hook. He uh...he gave me an ultimatum. I had to choose....let Rumplestiltskin's precious item be destroyed, or..."
"Or what?" Ruby gently prodded when Belle fell silent for longer than a minute.
"Or to give myself to him." Belle saw how wide eyed Ruby got, the woman looking flabbergasted.
"You didn't...."
"It was the only thing I could do! The only way to keep Rumple's precious item from being destroyed!" Belle exclaimed, all her agitation and desperation in her voice. "What Hook took from him is irreplaceable...Rumple NEEDS it."
"What could possibly be that valuable?" Ruby demanded with a hint of anger to her voice. "Belle, you are infinitely more precious than any object he could have had. Don't you realize your own worth, how irreplaceable YOU are?"
Belle flinched, shaking her head. "You don't understand."
"No I don't." agreed Ruby bluntly. "And I'm not going to sit around and let Hook or Rumplestiltskin get away with this!" She was reaching into her pocket, pulling out her cell phone.
"What are you going to do? Who are you going to call?" Belle was anxious.
"The Charmings. They need to know Hook and most likely Cora are in Storybrooke." Ruby was already dialing the number. "I'm only sorry we couldn't have had more of a warning to stop Hook from bothering YOU."
Belle quickly grabbed at a napkin, wiping at her eyes. She felt overcome with emotions, by the fierce protectiveness Ruby felt to right the wrongs done to Belle. She might even be crying just a little, over the words Ruby had said, over how there hadn't been time for a warning to prevent the whole situation with Hook from happening.
As Ruby had a hurried, and to the point conversation with whichever Charming had answered the phone, Belle resumed gazing out the window. Watching the people walk by, how innocent and care free they seemed. How oblivious they were to Belle's problems, and to the fact that the danger of Cora might well be lurking among them.
Belle realized then that she should have let them know sooner about Hook being in town. But she had been so caught up in Rumplestiltskin's problems with the pirate, that she hadn't had time to truly think. Hadn't had time to realize just what Hook's arrival in Storybrooke might mean, let alone think to warn the Sheriff of the threats.
Not that Rumplestiltskin would have wanted Belle to involve anyone else in their problems. Not when he was so secretive, even to her. The man had barely told her anything about the vendetta between him and Hook, leaving the pirate to fling a nasty surprise on Belle with the reveal that it had been Rumplestiltskin himself who had killed the woman both men had loved.
Shivering, Belle wondering if knowing that bit of info would have affected her decision to go to Hook's ship alone. Maybe if she had known just how badly Hook wanted revenge, how hurt he was by Mila's murder, maybe if Belle had thought it was something more than a petty disagreement the two had had, she would have stayed far away from the pirate and his ship.
"I'm such a fool." Belle whispered it, and still Ruby heard her.
"No you're not." She insisted, patting Belle's hand, then responding to something the person on the other end of the phone said. "And you're a far better person than I would have been in the situation." A wolfish grin was given to Belle. "I would have told both Hook and Rumplestiltskin just where they could go, for getting me caught up in their madness."
Ruby probably would have been able to overpower Hook, and forcibly take the scarf from him. If not in her human form, than as her wolfish counterpart, both halves stronger and faster than a regular human or wolf would be.
But Belle didn't have any super physical strength to call on, nor did she have any magic other than true love's kiss. She had to rely on her smarts, her quick thinking, and even that hadn't been enough when forced to make a split second decision on Rumplestiltskin's behalf.
"Where's Rumplestiltskin now?" Ruby asked, and Belle merely shrugged.
"I'm the last person he'll confide in now...."
"He's an idiot for that." Ruby made noise over Belle's attempt to protest that. "He doesn't have to like what you did, but he should at least be grateful and appreciate you sacrificed for his sake."
Instead Rumplestiltskin had had what amounted to his own ultimatum, the man wanting to kill Hook and turning even angrier at Belle's refusal to allow such a thing. "He was angry..." Belle said out loud, but it was a feeble defense. "He had just seen me in the pirate's arms..."
"That's still no excuse!" Ruby said savagely, then made confirming noises to whatever was being said over her cell phone. "Right, we'll be waiting."
"We?"
"They want to hear from you." Ruby explained. "You might be able to help them find Cora."
"I really don't know anything about her, and Hook hasn't bothered to mention her even one time." Belle stated.
"Then we MAKE him tell us what he knows." smirked Ruby, the woman looking like she was enjoying the idea of forcing the pirate to talk.
"I don't think it will be that easy."
"I'm actually counting on it not to be." Ruby looked almost vicious then, flashing her teeth at Belle. The brown haired woman couldn't help but shiver, remembering it was a werewolf who she was friends with.
Not that she thought Ruby would get out of control and do something permanent to Hook. She knew Ruby had more control over her wolf side than that, but still Belle wasn't fond of violence of any kind. Even to someone who deserved it, even to a man like Hook.
"Even if you hurt him, it won't change anything. Won't make things right between me and Rumplestiltskin." lamented Belle.
"Always did say you were better than that man deserved." Ruby grumbled. "His behavior over this just proves it."
"You don't understand..."
"No, Belle." Ruby interrupted. 'It's you who don't. Thinking some item is more important than your own self worth? Letting Rumplestiltskin twist you up inside, so you trade yourself away for it, and then he all but abandons you for it? You deserve better...and the hell if I'm not going to tell him that!"
Ruby was looking past her now, staring over Belle's shoulder towards the entrance of the diner. "Speak of the devil now." Ruby murmured, and Belle froze. Knowing who had to have walked in, and yet disbelief still shook her down to the core.
"Rumplestiltskin!" Ruby snapped out loudly, smoothly rising from her seat.
"Ruby!" Belle hissed, and quickly turned. She saw the shock in Rumplestiltskin's eyes, and then it was swallowed up by a flicker of pain, and then a burst of real anger. He actually grimaced, even as Belle stood up, nervously tucking her hair back over one ear in a self conscious gesture.
"Rumple." She said out loud. Her mouth felt too dry, Belle far too nervous at the sight of Rumplestiltskin. She wet her lips, then tried for a smile. It was tremulous at best, the woman taking a step past Ruby.
"You found it." Belle said, her eyes on the buttery yellow scarf resting on Rumplestiltskin's shoulders. "Rumple I'm so happy for you."
He looked at her, and she could see the struggle within him. He started to open his mouth, and then abruptly turned. He walked out of the diner, barreling past a couple in his haste to get away from Belle. Her cheeks flushed, Belle sure all eyes in the diner were on her, people noting the blatant dismissal Rumplestiltskin had just given her.
"Oh no he doesn't." growled Ruby, and suddenly she was running past Belle. It was all Belle could do to follow, gasping out Ruby's name in a strangled sounded voice.
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To Be Continued....
Ah....still feeling run down tired these past few days. Then Tuesday and extending into the early hours of Wednesday, I had a really bad migraine. So that really interfered with writing. I was gonna work on Restraint, but again trade off keeps insisting on just one more chapter. Course I thought there would be more of a Rumple Belle scene in this chapter, but I guess I can worry about how to get it right for NEXT chapter. Mainly I'm worry cause I don't want Rumplestiltskin to be totally...um can't think of the word, I'm blanking on it. Airhead moment!
But I want him to be angry, but not like a total bitch to her. But he needs to upset Belle enough for her to do something drastic. Needs to get her upset so that it's believable what happens next in terms of what she goes to do. So fun times (I.e. major aggravation! XD) for me to try and get the scene right for next chapter. *face palm.*
Originally I had about 10 KB written of the Ruby Belle scene, but thank God I rewrote it. It really stunk in comparison to what ended up being the completed chapter. Sometimes I swear my mind wants me to write the crappy version to get it out of my system, so that then I can hopefully write the much better version. ^^''
----Michelle
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The Trade Off