The Story Of Rumbelle

The Secret

-The next day, still in the past-

Belle was in the courtyard of the castle hanging the laundry to dry.  Suddenly, The Evil Queen appears behind her.

Regina: I thought you were no longer his maid since you admitted your feelings for each other.
Belle:*flinched* Regina!
Regina: Exactly me, in the flesh. You missed me?
Belle: What do you want?
Regina: I want to have a little chat with you, like in the good old days.
Belle: I'm not interested in talking to you.
Regina: Oh, but I think you will be. When you'll hear that it is about your beloved master.
Belle: Look, I really don't care about your lies, I'm busy...
Regina: Okay, you can continue doing your work.  I'll tell you anyway.
Belle: I don't think you want me to call Rumple.
Regina: It's in vain, darling.  I can stop you before you move a finger. Besides, you must be grateful that I left you alive... *silence* Anyway, I must tell you that a knight of mine was walking through a forest yesterday and saw something very interesting...
Belle: I wonder what...
Regina: Not what, who... He saw a man not very tall, with leather pants and long curly hair.
Belle: *Her eyes widened*  There's no way he could've seen Rumple.  He was at the castle last night.
Regina: Are you sure there weren't moments when he wasn't with you?
Belle: *silence* Fine, i'm listening.
Regina: Wonderful.  So, my knight saw that he was in front of a house, not very big.  Then a woman came out.  I don't remember her name, but I know she's the one who tried to beat my sister.  To be honest, I don't know what was in her head, even if Zelena and I don't get along perfectly, I know what she is capable of.
Belle: Dorothy?
Regina: Yes, exactly!
Belle: But what would Rumple talk to Dorothy about?  He said he didn't know her...
Regina: Then I assume he lied to you.
Belle: But... why?
Regina: That doesn't concern me, it's your business and his.  I was just the messenger...
Belle: Did-Did your knight hear what they said?
Regina: Uh, I don't know if I should tell you... It's not very pleasant—
Belle: Tell me!
Regina: Okay, okay, if you insist... He didn't really hear everything, but he told me that they were talking about something like Dorothy keeping a secret, that if she tells someone, he will kill a wolf.  I didn't really understand the phase with the wolf, but anyway.
Belle: No, it's not possible!
Regina: I'm afraid it is...
Belle: How do I know you're telling the truth?
Regina: Ask him himself and see what he says... I am truly sorry Belle that you are going through this.
Belle: You're not sorry.  You told me this to break us up.
Regina: I told you this so that you would know the truth.  I always knew what Rumple was really like, I wanted to open your eyes too.  *laughs and teleports away*

Belle hesitantly goes to the library, where Rumple was also.  He was sitting at his desk, reading from a book. She walks lightly into the room, undecided whether to ask him or not.  However, she gathers courage.

Belle: Rumple?
*he turns his head*
Rumple: Belle! *gets up and goes to her*  I'm so glad you're here.  I want to talk about something.  I kept thinking and...  I have something to confess.
Belle: You have? 
Rumple: Yes... You know, I don't wanna hide anything from you anymore.  I want to start learning how to be honest with someone...with you.
Belle: *smiles* Really?
Rumple: Yeah.  That's why I need to tell you that... *big silence* I-I read your diary... *Belle's smile drops*  Look, I'm sorry, but I can explain... When I let you go, I still thought the kiss was a trick, until I read what you wrote.  Your words seemed so sincere that they reached my heart.  I am very sorry that I invaded your privacy, I know you trusted me that I wouldn't read it...
Belle: Hey, it's okay. If that's what made you believe me, then I don't have a problem with that. *he smiles* But... is that all you wanted to tell me?
Rumple: Yeah. That's it.
*She gasped in disappointment*
Belle: Well, then I also have something to discuss with you.
Rumple: Oh, of course.  What is it?
Belle: *gasp* I know about you and Dorothy.
Rumple: What?
Belle: I know you met her last night...
Rumple: So that little rat told you...  Oh, she will pay dearly for messing with me.

He rushes out of the room with anger, but Belle grabs his arm, stopping him.

Belle: Wait! She didn't say anything...
Rumple: Then who did?  *she doesn't say anything, and that makes him angrier* ANSWER ME!
Belle: *startled* Regina...
Rumple: Ugh, it's unbelievable...
Belle: Rumple... What was it about?  What didn't you want me to know?
Rumple: It's... nothing important.
Belle: Nothing important?!  Because what happened earlier seems exactly the opposite to me.  You said you'd kill Red if she didn't keep the secret...
Rumple: Look, that was just a lie.  I told her this to make sure she wouldn't say anything, but I wasn't serious.  Belle, I would never kill your friends.
Belle: Oh, yeah?  Tell that to Gaston...
Rumple: We talked about this before, he was not your friend.
Belle: You cannot decide who is my friend and who is not!  You don't know anything about friends and you don't have any, precisely because you can't be honest with them!

Then she realized that her words hurt, and if she could she would take back what she said, but it was too late.  However, they both knew she was right.

Belle: *gasp* What was the secret about?
Rumple: *In the silence, he looked straight into her eyes, knowing that he had to tell her the truth*  After Dorothy tried to defeat Zelena, the witch came to me wanting to make a deal, to take revenge. I told her that I was not interested in such a thing, but she was going to offer me something interesting in return... Something I wanted.
Belle: What could you possibly want from her?
Rumple: There are some sparkling ruby ​​shoes that you can use to travel between worlds.  Even worlds without magic.
Belle: And with them you could find your son...
Rumple: Yeah...  So, I accepted the deal and started looking for Dorothy, then I kidnapped her.  The thing is, I stupidly burned a bracelet that was very important to her from her dead grandmother... Finally, I took her to Zelena's castle and then I was on my way home.  The next day, when I went to her again to ask for the slippers, she told me that the girl had escaped, so she wouldn't give them to me.  This is because the agreement was for her to take her revenge, but she was too weak and did not succeed...
Belle: And why didn't you tell me all this? I mean, that happened in the past—
Rumple: It's not much of a past.  It was about two months ago... When you were still imprisoned by the Queen. *silence*
Belle: You let me down...
Rumple: I know, and i'm sorry. I thought that if I tell you, then what we have will be ruined. Because of who I am.
Belle: But you did something even worse. You hid this from me and then lied to me that you didn't know her!
Rumple: Belle, i'm so sorry... I wanna change.

He grabs her head with his hands but she takes a step back.  His heart breaks.  And hers too.

Rumple: You don't believe me?
Belle: How could I? *wants to leave*
Rumple: Wait! Where are you going?
Belle: Outside.  I need some fresh air.
Rumple: Where?
Belle: In the nearby forest.
Rumple: Let me come with you—
Belle: I wanna be alone...
Rumple: When you return?
Belle: Before the sun touches the ground... Why?  You don't think I'll come back?
*she leaves*