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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
- 8
- 9
- 10
Faster almost than Belle could blink, Ruby had ran outside of the diner. Belle had one instant to cry out the woman's name, and then her need to follow kicked in. It was more than self preservation, though Belle did fear the damage that both Ruby and Rumplestiltskin could inadvertently do with misspoken words. Her reputation could very well end up in tatters, Belle maligned and exposed in the heat of the moment by a careless comment spoken by either of the two.
Instead she was more concerned over what the two strong willed, powerful creatures might end up doing to each other. Ruby was after all, no mere waitress, but a strong and fierce werewolf, who was unwaveringly loyal to her friends. She wouldn't care much, that Rumplestiltskin was as strong in magic as a werewolf was in physical strength, and that the man was even quicker to lose his temper than even the most feral of wolves. And although Ruby might be wary, she wouldn't let Rumplestiltskin's reputation as the Dark One, stop her from righting a wrong against a friend. Especially when that friend was Belle, someone she had always considered far too good for the likes of a beast like Rumplestiltskin.
Fearing it might come to blows, Belle hurried down the street. She could see Ruby had caught up to Rumplestiltskin, the man not bothering with his magic to speed away. The wolf had firm hold of his arm, all but wrenching him aside to face her. Belle saw the thinly veiled attempt he made to control his fury at Ruby's daring touch, his grip on the expensive walking stick going white knuckled.
The eyes of the patrons of the diner were on them, people having hurried to the glass windows to peer out onto the street. They weren't bold enough to actually come out to eavesdrop, but there were others out and about. Others more bold, or having just that strong a curiosity that it override their good sense. Those brave few actually stood there, not quite crowding around Rumplestiltskin and Ruby, who were already having a heated exchange in low tones.
Ruby however, was getting progressively louder, gesturing angrily with the hand not holding onto Rumplestiltskin's arm. The man although sneering, his eyes dark and furious looking, still maintained that quiet calm, Rumplestiltskin valuing his privacy. Belle dared not hope for more, not wanting to build her hopes up that he might be guarding her reputation by speaking in so soft a voice.
Such was Ruby's anger, and increasing frustration, that the woman didn't seem to realize how loud she was getting. Belle noticeably flinched, hurrying past the curious stares of bystanders who stood closer than they should.
"Got her so twisted up inside..." Ruby was in the midst of saying, as Belle drew near. Neither the wolf nor the man so much as looked towards the brunette beauty, not when they were too busy glaring at each other. "That she thinks so little of her own self worth, that she would sacrifice just about anything for you."
"It's not something I ASKED her to do." Rumplestiltskin pointed out with a snarl. "She made that decision on her own."
"Because you had her thinking she had no choice!" Ruby shot back. "When Belle should have told that pirate AND YOU exactly where you both could go!"
"Ruby...!" Belle all but hissed the woman's name and was ignored.
"But no. For some reason, she loves you. Though Gods above, we all know you're not a man worthy of such a thing."
"Are you through with wasting my time?" Rumplestiltskin demanded, his voice and expression totally cold. Even the heat of his fury had been swallowed up, leaving him to appear dead to feeling.
Ruby made an outraged sound. "Wasting your time? Is that what you think this is?!" She scoffed then. "I'm here to make you realize just what you tossed aside, and how Belle will be better off to have been freed from you!"
"Ruby, that's enough!" Belle snapped, and finally got acknowledgement, though the wolf wisely did not take her eyes off of Rumplestiltskin. The man's entire being radiated tension, with violence underlying his every move. If Ruby didn't let go of his arm soon, she might find herself backhanded by more than just his magic, a thought that was alarming to Belle for more than just one reason.
Once, once she would have been sure Rumplestiltskin would have been able to control himself. That he would have been too good a man to genuinely hurt a woman, especially one who was simply acting out of concern for the friend they both loved. But now? Now Rumplestiltskin seemed unpredictable and dangerous, as if his grief and disappointment, his bitter hurt over Belle's awful choice, was slowly spiraling him back into darkness. A darkness Belle didn't know how or if she could stop, especially when the only thing that might possibly appease him, was to allow Rumplestiltskin to kill Hook in cold blood.
"It's not enough." Ruby insisted, eyes still on Rumplestiltskin. "He's hurt you terribly."
That interestingly enough, got Rumplestiltskin to briefly flick his eyes in Belle's direction. For one second Belle let hope build in her, seeing the searching look the man gave her. Briefly, she swore a flicker of worry shown in his eyes. And then his gaze hardened, having noticed something about her neck. Belle guiltily brought a hand up to cover the mark left by Hook's lips, positive she was turning red in humiliation.
Trying to remember just when the pirate had left such a mark on her neck, whether it had been before or after Rumplestiltskin had found them in bed that first time, a flustered Belle still spoke. "I am not the only one who is hurting...."
"So you think what....that justifies his abandoning you? That it's okay for him to just turn his back on you, after all you've done, all you've sacrificed for him?"
Rumplestiltskin was still staring at Belle, and though his gaze was unreadable, Belle knew he had seen her red face, an all too telling sign of Belle's own shame. He might even be trying to remember if she had been marked earlier, and if she hadn't, Belle shuddered to imagine what Rumplestiltskin was thinking of her now. How much worse would his hurt and his anger be, to even suspect Belle had slept with Hook a second time. Never mind the times that had followed after, the pirate a downright sexual beast with an insatiable appetite where desire and sin was concerned.
Wanting to say so many things, Belle could only whisper a soft spoken apology. "I'm sorry."
Ruby grit her teeth at that. "If you ever, EVER cared anything at all for her...then let that be enough. Forgive and move on from what has happened." But it was clear it cost Ruby to say that, the woman sour faced as she fought to keep from adding some snide comment.
"Belle knows what needs to be done, in order for THAT to happen." Rumplestiltskin said, and though she flinched, Belle shook her head no immediately.
"I can't let you do that....Not at the cost it will demand on you." She told him. His expression was the utmost in bitterness.
"Then it appears we have nothing left to talk about."
"You....you bastard!" Ruby snapped. Rumplestiltskin was already jerking his arm free, Belle reaching to try and restrain Ruby from lunging at him. "Your love isn't worth a damn thing, if this is how you treat her!"
"Love isn't always enough." Rumplestiltskin answered, calmly adjusting his suit's jacket. "And though it can accomplish a great many things, not even love is enough to get me to tolerate Belle's involvement with that man."
"You selfish, cowardly..."
"Ruby that's enough!" Belle said loudly and firmly, though her heart was breaking even more. Rumplestiltskin had finally found the one thing he wouldn't forgive her for, so hurt and angered by Belle's bad decision, that it blinded him to everything else. It didn't matter she had done it for him, for his chance to be reunited with his son. All he seemed to focus on was that Belle wasn't allowing him to kill Hook, as though she was protecting the pirate when in truth she was protecting Rumplestiltskin, his soul, from the darkness inside him.
It was down to choices again, terrible ones. She could let Rumplestiltskin murder Hook, and get him back, but at the cost of his soul. Or she could continue to protect that goodness inside him by blocking his attempts at a killing revenge, but lose that loving relationship they had once had.
To Belle, difficult though it was, there was only once choice she could really make. And that was to protect Rumplestiltskin's soul, the good side she knew still existed, even at a cost to herself. It didn't stop her from hurting, from having her heart ripped in halves.
As she stood there, blinking back tears, Belle was aware that this was the second time Rumplestiltskin had walked away from her. The second time in roughly twenty four hours that he left without so much as one more look her way. Belle wanted to break down completely, her lower lip trembling as she held in a sob. Sensing the turmoil in Belle, Ruby stopped fighting her grip, and turned instead to embrace her.
"It'll be okay..." Ruby whispered. "Someday...."
"Someday what?" Belle asked, and Ruby shifted uneasily before settling on an answer she must have thought wouldn't hurt quite so badly.
"Someday the pain won't be quite as bad, you won't hurt this much."
The sobs almost came then, only the awareness that they were being watched by a very nosy crowd of people. Trying to shield herself against Ruby's body, the woman with the red streaked black hair turned to glare at the bystanders.
"Go on, get!" She all but snarled. "You've seen and heard enough!"
The crowd let out unhappy murmurs, not all of them moving to leave. Belle could feel their eyes on her, their overwhelming desire to be privy to secrets they had no right to, suffocating her. She could only pray that the way she hid herself against Ruby's side, that not many would notice the kiss mark on her neck. But even if by some miracle, only a few did, the public, and not cryptic enough words spoken here today, would give the crowd plenty to speculate on.
Shamed faced, and trying not to cringe, Belle let Ruby guide her past the crowd. She could hear them talking, and not much of it was in quiet murmurs. People saying things about how they knew that Rumplestiltskin would have eventually turned his back on Belle, even wondering what unforgivable sin she had committed to make a beast like the Dark One abandon her.
Belle knew she owed them nothing, and certainly not an explanation. And still she flinched when speculation turned to the man mentioned. They couldn't have known who Hook was, not when neither of the three had said him by name. But it was still horrifying to hear them run down the names of every man she had ever held so much as a brief conversation with, these cruel gossips loudly trying to piece together, perhaps goad Belle into revealing just what had happened.
"Just ignore them." Ruby was advising, the two almost to the diner's front entrance. Cars could be seen slowing, the people inside them wondering what held the crowd on the sidewalk's attention.
"Easier said then done." Belle murmured, somehow managing not to let out a broken sob. She stepped into the diner, and found herself the focus of more stares. And then Granny from across the room was briskly clapping her hands together, demanding everyone stop being so rude or that they could leave.
With a murmur of dissent, the patrons of the diner, turned back to their forgotten meals. "Keep your head held high." Belle heard Ruby advise. It was difficult, extremely so, Belle fixing her gaze on the booth she had previously been sitting at. The booth that gave her a clear view of the pawn shop, Rumplestiltskin having disappeared inside. It's sign had been turned to announce the shop was closed for the day, the man who owned it having no need for the problems and money of the townspeople.
Belle had a feeling the pawnshop would remain closed for a lot longer than a day. Rumplestiltskin DID have exactly what he needed, at least to find his son now. The son Belle had endeavored to ensure he could be found, a son that Belle wondered if she' ever be able to look at without feeling the pain of her loss.
Wondering about that, and if the pain would ever numb down to a more manageable level, Belle listlessly picked at her now cold drink. Ruby had followed her to the table, but at the sight of a car slowing, searching for a spot in which to park, she hurried back out onto the street.
Belle watched as her friend approached the three coming out of the car, two women and a man. The tall, lovely blonde, bore a resemblance to both the man and woman she was with, her parents, one time rulers of the Enchanted Realm, and many of the kingdoms within. Belle had never had true experience with them as King and Queen. Snow white and her prince had simply come into power AFTER the Evil Queen Regina had imprisoned Belle in her tower.
The Charmings, as Ruby affectionately referred to the family, were not people Belle was terribly familiar with as a whole. Snow White and her daughter, the sheriff of this town, had been away almost as long as Belle had been free. The prince however, was a different story, though right now he was so worried for his family's safety, that he couldn't manage even a small smile at Belle.
Ruby slid in next to her at the booth, the blonde sheriff, whose name was Emma Swan, taking a seat opposite the two women. Her mother Snow White, joined her in sitting down, while the prince remained standing, both guarding the women and daring anyone to defy sense and come near enough to eavesdrop.
Conversation among the group didn't immediately flow. Belle couldn't bring herself to do more than whisper a sad hello, her fingers fidgeting on the cold drink glass. The sheriff, Emma, began to speak, an almost impatient note to her voice that was cut off at Ruby's question.
"Where's Henry?"
Asking the sheriff about her son, softened the woman's face. She smiled, and it was genuine. "He's with Doctor Hopper and Pongo." Her eyes touched on Belle. "I want to thank you for that, for what you did to rescue the doctor."
Belle nodded, but still couldn't find the words to speak.
"He wasn't hurt, was he?" Ruby asked.
"He's been roughed up a bit, but otherwise, he's fine. Remarkably so, given we all thought he had been killed!" Emma said, wide eyed and shaking her head as though she still couldn't believe the strangeness of what had happened.
"It was Cora who was responsible." Snow White added.
"Cora AND Hook." muttered Ruby with a soft growl.
"Doctor Hopper wasn't sure who either of his captives were, but from the descriptions he gave us...." Emma sighed. "It's definitely them." Her brow furrowed with her frown. "How did they get to Storybrooke? The compass should have been the only thing that could have led them here!"
Belle was lost, not knowing all the details of Snow and Emma's struggles to get back to the town of Storybrooke. "Compass?"
"An item that was key, to keeping us from ending up lost in one of a dozen different realms." Snow White explained, and Emma seemed to shiver at that. The sheriff was still so new to magic, to the idea of other worlds existing, but her stint in one of those other lands, had been enough to get her to believe in a great many things.
"I'm afraid I don't know anything about how Hook could have gotten here." Belle offered apologetically. "Nor did I see any sign of this Cora...."
"But you've been to his ship?" The prince asked, and Belle found herself nodding, even as her cheeks flushed with color.
"It's invisible." She revealed. "Completely hidden from the eye, and docked at pier twelve. I found it by pure chance..."
"How?" A curious Emma asked.
"There was a few clues..." But Belle now wished she hadn't been so clever in tracking the pirate down. "Once I got to the pier, it was almost easy to find it." She remembered the birds, the great white seagulls flying over head, some of them landing on top of the invisible masts. "The magic only cloaks the ship and the people inside. It doesn't affect lesser creatures, or the fish feed I scattered to find it's steps."
"Just what were you doing there?" Another flush of color at Emma's question, Belle fidgeting more with the glass.
"It's....it's complicated."
"But it might help us." Emma quickly said. "If Hook and Cora are still working together..."
"I don't know if they are." Belle told them. "Honestly, I don't think Hook cares about anything but getting revenge on Rumplestiltskin..." She was almost pleased her voice didn't break then, that her eyes didn't overflow with tears. But her hand shook all the same, Ruby covering it with her own in a show of support.
"Revenge? Revenge for what?" Emma's brow wrinkled.
Belle hesitated. "It's not my story to disclose."
"But they involved you in their revenge." Ruby pointed out.
"I involved myself." Belle muttered.
"Wait, THEIR revenge." Emma said, frowning further. "As in it's not just a one sided vendetta on Hook's part?"
"No, they both have reason to...to hate." Belle told them. "Not that I think it justifies them going after each other."
"Or involving innocents in their spat." Ruby added, still covering Belle's hand. Only she was aware of it's tremble, the Charmings not privy to how badly Belle was trying not to shake.
"Is it going to continue?" The Prince asked. "Why isn't Hook dead?"
Belle knew what he was really asking, the man wondering why Rumplestiltskin hadn't already killed the pirate. "I asked him not to kill Hook."
"And he listened?" Snow White asked amazed.
"I have...HAD a special relationship with him." Belle said by way of explanation, a sad look on her face.
"HAD?" Emma questioned sharply.
"There's been some....complications." Ruby growled. "Despite all Belle did, all her sacrifice, Rumplestiltskin is as cold a monster as ever..."
"That's not fair!" protested Belle, at the same time Emma and Snow both spoke in quizzical tones.
"Sacrifice?"
Another flush of color on Belle's face, the woman lowering her eyes.
"Just WHAT happened?"
"Did Hook...did he hurt you in some way?" Snow added after her daughter's question.
"It doesn't matter...." Belle muttered, and Ruby made an enraged sound.
"Doesn't matter?!" The Charmings echoed the wolf's sentiment.
"It was my own choice..." Belle added.
"Wasn't much of a choice." Ruby grumbled.
"Okay, would someone please tell me what's going on? If not why Hook and Rumplestiltskin are after each other, then WHY you were there on his ship?" Emma demanded.
Belle considered the question a moment, before speaking in a slow, halting manner. "Hook took something important of Rumplestiltskin's. Something irreplaceable. I went to get it back, to try and keep the peace so that no one would end up hurt or dead...."
"And you found Doctor Hopper instead." Emma noted, and Belle nodded. "Then what happened after?"
There was a squeeze on her hand, Ruby trying to be encouraging. "I...." Belle couldn't look at anyone then. "I made a deal with Hook."
"A deal?" Snow White was concerned. "What kind of deal?"
"To keep Hook from destroying Rumplestiltskin's irreplaceable item." Belle whispered. "There was no time, no other thing I could do..."
"You should have let him destroy it." She heard Ruby grumble under her breath.
"What did you do for it?" Emma's phrasing left Belle mortified, the tears falling.
"Oh....OH." Snow White made a noise of understanding, and hurriedly handed Belle some napkins. Belle took them gratefully, and began wiping at her tears.
"What?" Emma was confused, not having grasped what Belle's sacrifice was. "What did you have to do?"
"Emma..." Snow White put a hand on her daughter's shoulder, shaking her head no. The blonde glanced at her mother, and some kind of understanding dawned.
"You didn't..." Emma said out loud, and then at Belle's loud sniffle, became angry. "I'm going to kill him." She announced.
"You'll have to get in line." Ruby said. "Because I'm going to kill him first."
"I hate to pull rank, but I think in this case I should be the one to kill him." The prince was saying.
"No one is killing anyone just yet." Snow White said, trying to be the sensible one.
"But he blackmailed her into sleeping with him!" Emma hissed, just a little too loudly. She was quickly shushed, but Belle could swear the diner had gone quiet around them. She cried harder at that, further humiliated.
"He can't get away with this." Emma added in a quieter tone.
"He won't." Stated the Prince.
"It was my choice." Belle whispered, drawing their attention back to her. "I did it for Rumplestiltskin....I did it so...so..."
"What could possibly be that important?" Snow White asked.
Belle could only shrug.
"Stop protecting him!" exclaimed Ruby heatedly. "Not after he's betrayed you..."
"I betrayed him first." Belle said. "In trying to save him, in trying to save his....to save his precious item, I hurt him badly....."
"I don't understand what could be that important for you do have...have..."
"That's what I've been trying to make her understand. NO item is more important than Belle's own self." Ruby was exasperated and angry again. "That man Rumplestiltskin has got her so confused, so twisted about that she would and did just about everything for him!"
"I love him." It was a simple statement, but it tore a powerful reaction out of her, Belle openly sobbing.
The sheriff seemed uncomfortable with Belle's tears, shifting in her seat. Snow White watched with moist eyes, handing more napkins to the brunette. "We all sacrifice for love." She said out loud. "Even if the one we love can't always appreciate it."
"He's never going to forgive me..." Belle whispered, then made protesting noises at Snow White's feeble attempt to reassure her of the opposite. "I KNOW that to be true. I've seen the look in his eyes, have had a taste of his pain. He can't forgive me, not for what I've done! Nor could he have forgiven my allowing Hook to destroy that item of his!"
"A rock and a hard place." Emma said. "Terrible place to be."
"You're better off without him, without either of them." Ruby said, trying to hug Belle.
"At least the worst part is over, right?" Emma asked, and Belle stiffened. "Please tell me it's over..."
Belle practically cried harder. "The deal wasn't for one night." The mother daughter went wide eyed, while the prince's jaw clenched.
"That's it, Hook's a dead man!"
"Kill him AFTER we find out about Cora." Even Snow White was now thirsting for the pirate's blood.
"Please don't!" Belle protested, moving to following the Charmings as they stalked determinedly towards the diner's exit. Ruby was close behind, softly growling.
"Why not!?"
"I..." Redder than she had ever been, Belle whispered. "I made my bed, my choice. I have to accept it...." But she didn't have to like it.
"Not so sure about that." huffed Emma. "But we will consider letting him live..."
"For now." Ruby was heard to mutter.
"Still going to pound him good." Emma added.
"We'll probably HAVE to, if we want to get him to reveal anything about Cora and her whereabouts." Snow White pointed out.
"We'll take turns holding him down." Ruby said, managing a feral grin. "His highness can get the first punch in."
"I might not be able to stop at one punch."
"That's okay, neither will I!" Was Ruby's reply.
They were out on the street, heading for the Charmings' car. Belle moved to follow them inside the vehicle and was stopped.
"I think...." Snow White spoke in a soft gentle tone. "You better stay here. You've had enough of Hook to last you a lifetime."
"I haven't even met the man and I am sick of him." The Prince muttered, as he strapped himself into the car.
"But..." Belle gave a feeble protest. It was not that she wanted to go with them, but she felt like she HAD to. As if her presence there was the only thing that could stop any potential violence from getting out of hand.
"You just go home and rest." Snow White tone was firmer now, the woman giving not so much a suggestion but an order. Belle's attempts to protest this, was quickly shushed, the four driving away within two minutes time. Belle was left standing on the sidewalk, fighting not to break down, as she wondered just where home was now.
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To Be Continued.....
Ah....so aside from getting sick which delayed all my updates big time, I was having difficulty with the Rumple Belle Ruby scene. Or rather I was worrying and dreading it so much, that I didn't try to write this story for a while. Fortunately I only had to rewrite that scene once...I hope I did a good job, I mean I worried I would have Rumplestiltskin come off too mean to Belle, or too bitchy or something.
Also, had to rearrange some of my plans for this chapter. See I had always imagined that scene leading to Belle doing something drastic. But then I realized I couldn't see Rumple as anything but a private man who wouldn't shout explicit details about Belle and Hook. nor could I see Ruby, even accidentally, revealing in front of a crowd that same info.
So I had to scramble mid chapter to fix things, to rearrange some stuff. Made the conversation with the Charmings the catalyst for what is going to happen next. Although the trigger ended up being the go home, I don't have a home realization for that.
I had also honestly thought, hoped to have this chapter have the story so advanced that the chapter ended differently....at Belle's drastic moment. Now it looks like instead I might have to do a double POV, or rather start with a Belle POV and switch it out midway. We'll see what happens with ten. Right now I am hoping to spell check, proofread, and get this posted before I have to run out the door for a fasting blood test.
Laters!
Michelle
- 8
- 9
- 10
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The Trade Off