The Other Side (Ch 24 - Love & Destiny)

[obisgirl]

Title: the other side
AUTHOR: obisgirl
Rating: R
Characters:  Belle/Rush, Belle/Rumpelstiltskin, Emma/Baelfire
Summary:  Belle makes Baelfire promise her something and he tells her his side of the story about how he and Emma originally met. 
Notes: Spoilers for OUAT 2x06 “Tallahassee,” but it's more AU at this point. 
Disclaimer:  Once Upon a Time characters are property of Disney and Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis. I do not own Stargate Universe, Once Upon a Time or any of their characters.  All belongs to the lovely folks at SyFy and ABC. This fanfic is for pure entertainment.


“Baelfire,” Belle starts, “Did you really mean what you said before?” Baelfire turns and looks curiously at her.  “That I should leave,”

Baelfire shrugs.  “I can't see a reason why you would stay,” he muses and Belle frowns.  “Listen Belle, to be honest, it's a miracle that you and my father found each other again --- but your Destiny is not here; not anymore,”

Belle smiles to herself. “Your father said the same thing to me before he died,” she remembers.

“If he said that, then you should listen to him,” Baelfire muses, “You came here from a ship called Destiny and my father said that your Destiny is elsewhere...”

“I understand the pun, Bae,”

“I wasn't inferring that you didn't, you're a smart woman,” he adds, “I would be happy if you stayed but I would be okay if you didn't. You have a chance to start over, create your own Destiny, fall in love again if you want. Not all of us have that opportunity,”

Belle sighs.  “It took me a couple months before I adjusted to life on board Destiny. I made a few friends and eventually, accepted that this could be my life.  I accepted that I may never see my father, Rumpelstiltskin and my friends ever again.  Then, we arrived here and my world was turned upside. Now, it's flipped again. I could go back to Destiny and jump right back into my old life but staying here, feels right too,”

“If you found us once, then I don't doubt you can find us again if you needed,” Bae adds.

“So, if I choose to leave, I want you to promise me something Baelfire,” Belle reasons.

“What would that be?”

“Love again,” she says, “I know you tried to make things right with Emma and it didn't work but you shouldn't give up on her either.  If it's True Love, then you have to keep fighting for her,”

Bae smiles.  “I'm not sure if I have it in me to keep fighting for someone who doesn't want me,”

“I thought your father didn't want me after I first kissed him but it turned out, he was just protecting himself.  Somehow, I get the feeling Emma might be doing the same thing and if she is, you can't give up on her,”

“You shouldn't sell yourself short by thinking that staying here is the right thing to do when your Destiny is somewhere else,” Bae adds.

“I'll think about it,” she promises, “I am curious about something though: how did you and Emma meet? I mean, it couldn't have been in fairytale land since you two lived centuries apart, and you allegedly arrived in the real world long before she did,”

Bae smiles at her thoughtfully. “That actually, is a very funny story.  It all started with Emma's yellow bug, with her trying to steal it from me after I had stolen it someone else...the rest is history,”

“You were a thief?”

Bae shrugs. “It's not something I'm proud of but you have to remember, when I arrived in the real world, I was alone, I was young and scared.  If I told anyone where I came from, I probably would have been locked up in an insane asylum and I didn't have any real skills.  I didn't have my Papa to guide me to do the right thing either so I fell into stealing,” he explains.

“And Emma?”

“She was a teenager when I met her but the most beautiful person I had ever seen, her blond hair shining like the sun and her resourcefulness. Until I met her, I didn't have anyone relying on me to watch their back.  I loved her so much, I still do but fate intervened and it separated us,”

“The Queen's curse?” Belle asks.

“Not yet, not then.  He called himself Emma's guardian angel and if I really loved her, I would let her go and let her follow her Destiny; which I did. I kept my distance and waited for eleven years for her to come to Storybrooke and break that damn curse, not even realizing my Papa was there too,”

“Rumpelstiltskin wasn't able to break the boundary curse,” Belle remembers, “but he was able to create a portal. I volunteered to go first which he didn't like but I promised him, if we found each other last time, we would find each other again,”

Baelfire crosses his arms. “You were taking an awfully big risk by volunteering to go through,” he observes. “You could have been wrong and you and my father would have never reunited,”

Belle frowns. “I tried not to think about that possibility at first.  I was being brave, trying to do the brave thing no one else would,” she adds, “It might not have been the smartest thing to do though but if I hadn't volunteered to go through, I would not have seen the things that I have,”

“Or met the people that you have,” Bae adds, “Destiny is a strange thing. When I came to Storybrooke, reconnected with my father...I didn't know by going there, I would also find my son,”

“Yes, it is,” she agrees.  “I'm going to take a walk,” Belle grabs her green cloak and starts to head out as Baelfire stares after her curiously.

~~

The walk to Rush's quarters is an uneasy one.  He knows Ms. Armstrong, she's usually the most outspoken person in the group and typically, more talkative even during tense situations but this time, she is quiet and it bothers him. “Something on your mind, Ms. Armstrong?” he asks her suddenly.

The sound of Rush's voice startles Chloe but she quickly recovers.  “After we left the planet, Matt came to me and told me about what you did to Belle. I was furious and wanted to confront you about what you did but he advised me that the best thing I could do is leave you alone,” she rambles.

“But you want to know why I left Belle,” Rush adds.

“If you care so much about her, why did you do it?” Chloe cries.

Rush sighs. “Why does any man walk away when there's uncertainty? I was scared.  I didn't want to take the risk that Belle would choose to stay and I would never see her again, so I left. The one thing I did not count on though was that Colonel Young would turn Destiny around and go back for her,”

Chloe shakes her head. “You're an asshole, Rush,” she mutters,  “but if Belle does love you, God help her for loving a monster,”

Rush shrugs.  “We can't all fall in love with Prince Charmings, my dear. The universe would be a rather dull place,” he says before entering his quarters.

~~

Belle remembers when she wrote that letter to Rumpelstiltskin, pleading him to help her save her kingdom from the ogre wars.  She never expected that he would actually answer her plea; Belle remembers being curious about this laughing imp, how he was more monster than man the first time that she met him.  She remembers in the short time that they spent together at the Dark Castle (from winter through spring), how they had grown closer.

He was more than a monster. He was a man with a story of lost love and a son.  Belle thought that she could change him, make him a man again.  He cast her out and Belle left but not without the last word.

Her time with Rumpelstiltskin in Storybrooke was even shorter and shorter still in New Avonlea.

And now, Belle is at a crossroads, literally.

She could stay and make a life of her own or she could return to Destiny and pick up where she left off.

Love and Destiny are complicated matters.

“Have some spare change, m'lady?” a voice asks, startling her.

Belle jumps but quickly recovers, noting the beggar in front of her. She smiles kindly at him. “Sorry but I don't have any,” she says.

“That's quite alright love,” the voice continues, quickly taking her hand and swinging her about, flipping off the hood.  Belle wants to scream but she spots the hook.  “No need to scream.  I just want to talk,”

“So you disguise yourself as a beggar to get my attention?”

Hook shrugs off the beggar outfit and kicks it away. He drags her to a nearby rock and sits her down. Belle looks around to see if she can get away by Hook's already fastened her wrists together. “I thought you just wanted to talk? Why this?” she demands.

“Pardon the trickery my dear but I can't talk to anyone else,” he starts, “First of all, I'm sorry for startling you Belle,” Belle freezes. “And I'm sorry for your loss,”

“How do you know my name?” she manages. “And what do you know of my loss?”

“I know a lot more than you realize. I know that you were locked up for the 28 years Storybrooke was frozen in time, I know that your father kidnapped you and handcuffed you to a mine cart with the intent of sending you across the town line so that you would forget about your true love. And I know that Rumpelstiltskin has died and you're pondering about the next course in your life,”

Belle is dumbstruck.  “You got all that from watching me walk alone in the woods?” she queries.

“I'm a very perceptive person,” he smiles.

“So, what do you want from me?”

Hook frowns. “I thought actually that we might be able to help each other, Belle,” he says, sitting beside her. “I'm at a crossroads myself.  Rumpelstiltskin and I - well - we were old rivals.  And he's gone now and I can't go back to Neverland,”

Belle shakes her hand. “Wait a minute,” she says, “Are you seriously asking me for advice? I'm not even sure what I'm going to do myself,”

“I would summon that blasted talking cricket but he doesn't like me much,”

Belle holds out her wrists.  “If we're going to have a serious conversation, can you please do something about this?” she asks. “I promise I won't run away, you have my word,”

Hook gently slides his hook between a loose part in the bind and cuts them away, without scratching her. “Now, have you thought about doing something else with your life, other than piracy?”

“No,”

Belle sighs. “You like to travel though; I mean, you had a ship once,”

“I did but Rumpelstiltskin cursed this land to have no large bodies of water. He had a sick sense of humor,”

Belle smirks. “How do you think I can help you?” she asks finally.

“You're probably going to leave this place and if you do, I want to come with you. I want to make my own Destiny, away from here,” he says.

“Actually, I'm not sure if I'm leaving,” Belle muses.

“Why would you stay?”

Belle doesn't say anything.  Hook reaches over with his good hand and puts his arm around her shoulder.  “I hear things love. The enchanted forest was abuzz when you arrived here and Rumpelstiltskin being Rumpelstiltskin probably told you to move on with your life. So I ask, why would you stay here when you have another, more adventurous life waiting for you out there?”

“Because I'm not sure he would want me either,” she says, referring to Nick.

“If you have a Destiny, you have to seize it before it slips away. If you have love, you can't let that pass you by either,” Hook continues, “Love, finding love again only happens once,”

Belle glances at where his arm is located and rolls her eyes.  “Thank you for that insight but I still can't bring you with me,” she says.

“I loved someone once,” he muses, “We were happy until Rumpelstiltskin ruined it,”

“I'm sorry for your loss but I really don't think I can help you,”

Hook looks at Belle. “I can see why he fell in love with you; you're very pretty, very smart too,” he backs away slowly from her.  “Thanks for this chat, Belle.  It's greatly appreciated and oh, I would appreciate it if you didn't mention to anyone that you saw me too. Have a good day m'lady,”

Belle nods, watching him slip away, remembering Hook's advice. She can't let love slip away.  If their love is meant to be, Nick will find her and her heart will be whole again.

tbc This entry was originally posted at http://obisgirl.dreamwidth.org/213603.html. Please comment there using OpenID.