Reprise

No dream to pursue, so
I looked to myself, despise all the things I see

-"If I Can't Love Her (Reprise)

Rumplestiltskin stared longingly at that chipped cup, the one that would only remind him of Belle. It'd been two weeks since Regina dropped by and told him of her death. He couldn't believe it, couldn't sleep at all. Visions of Belle being tortured- her screams, coils cracking across her pale skin, the pain she must have went through to choose her own death. He couldn't bear it.

And he knew it was all his fault.

Since then, no deals were made. He didn't deserve the pride and glory he got from them. Belle was right- not even his power was worth this despair.

So when he received a letter from Regina, requesting him to attend to her at her castle, he initially crumpled it into a ball and threw it in a corner. He sighed, pushing his spinning wheel ever so slowly.

He thought about what Regina had said...scourges and flaying. Beads tearing into her flesh. He closed his eyes. He was not the only one to blame. The men who had inflicted such torment on her...had they even heard or listened to her? If they'd taken the chance to know her, they would have seen how pure and kind she was. Rumplestiltskin knew they'd find her strange- she claimed she had the capability to love a beast. But she was far from possessed or evil. She wasn't tainted from knowing him, in fact, he'd come to know more light and love from her.

Just thinking of it, he growled. He would tear their limbs off. The bloodthirsty, power-hungry fiends...justice would be served in their crimes, Rumple swore to himself. Regina must have more information on them. Once he avenged Belle's death, he would not be in despair anymore. He beckoned Regina's note from the floor and it unraveled and laid flat in his hand. He folded it neatly, tucked it in his pocket, and sauntered out of his castle.

"What note?!" Regina barked at Rumplestiltskin. "Are you mad? I sent you no letter."

"Really?" It was out of character for Regina to not want something from him. He retrieved the letter from his pocket and gave it to her.

"This is NOT in my hand!" She flung the note out into the court that was observing her. "WHO sent this?!"

No one stepped forward.

"Excuse me, madame..." he sneered, "are you telling me that I came ALL this way-"

"Save it, Rumple. We all know you used your magic to get here." Regina's eyes suspiciously scanned the crowd and then landed on Rumple. "What I don't know is why you forged this note to come to my castle."

"Obviously, I can't get enough of you, Rrrregina," He excessively rolled his 'R' when he said her name.

"That's 'Your Highness' to you, worm. I am your queen." She held her nose high and regally. "Why are you really here, Rumple?"

"I've already told you, I received that note. I assumed it was about the deal you approached me with a few weeks ago. Am I wrong?"

"What deal? Oh!" Regina stuttered and Rumple knew she was hiding something. "Never mind that. It all worked out."

"Did it?" He brushed it off. He didn't care about her interests and they were wasting time that he could be terrorizing Belle's killers. "Well, in that case, I have a deal for you."

"Yes?" Regina raised an eyebrow.

"Any favor you want...in exchange for the names of the clerics that tortured Belle."

Regina laughed, "You're still stuck on that maid?!" She waved her hand, "I have no information on that. Talk to the villagers." She began to dismiss him, but then her eyes widened, "Actually, why don't you let me do that? I'm sure you are a very busy man."

"No thanks," he turned away, "Your people would never tell you the truth."

"Rumple, I insist." She stomped her foot down on the royal tile. "They will see through to your intentions and lie to protect their friends. Let me do it. I'll send it spies."

"Fine!" Rumple continued down his path.

"And Rumple!" Regina shouted after him, "I will be calling in that favor soon!"

Before he could exit Regina's castle, Rumplestiltskin was pulled away. Something dark and heavy was placed over his head and he heard, "Take him to the dungeon!"

He relaxed. Really, they should know better. He threw off his attacker with a flick of his wrist and took off the bag on his head. There were two men lying on the ground in front of him. "What were you thinking?" He laughed and shook his head. "Now I'll have to kill you."

Someone came from behind him, wrapped an arm around his waist and whispered, "Play along, I have information on Belle's murderers."

"I'm not going to fall for that one." Even as he said it, Rumple didn't move. The temptation that this person could have helpful information was too much.

"Trust me. You can break out of any of our prisons if I'm lying to you."

Rumple nodded. That was true. The other assailants were rising to their feet. They grabbed him and they made their way down to the dungeon.

The person behind him, Rumple still didn't know his name and he couldn't see his face, shook off the other two guards, saying, "I've got it from here."

"You can't handle the Dark One by yourself," One of them said gruffly.

"I can. Regina's orders. I've got a cuff on that disables his powers." The guard behind Rumple held up his forearm with a broad cuff over his wrist. "He's going to the deepest of the prisons and Regina doesn't want to take any chances with more than one person being trapped in there with him."

Rumplestiltskin deduced that the other guards weren't very bright men because they simply shrugged at this explanation, heading in the opposite direction.

When they were out of eyesight, Rumple once again used his powers to throw off the man.

"Hey! Ow! What'd you do that for?" The man rubbed his head where it had hit the stone wall. "I'm just trying to help you."

"Just making sure that cuff didn't work." Rumple brushed off his pants and stretched his arms where he had been handled too roughly. "What information do you have for me?

The man stood up. "My name's Gregory." He held out his hand.

Rumple didn't take it. "I don't have time for this. Tell me what you know or I'll cut off your tongue!"

"Wow. She said you'd be a little harsh..."

"Who said that?!"

Gregory brushed past him. "Come with me."

Rumple's heart raced in anticipation as he was led to the deepest part of the dungeon. After a while, he heard a very quiet sound, like the rocks were moving together. He had the urge to stop Gregory before it got any worse. He had a sinking feeling that he was being lead into a trap. "God help your whole family if-" Rumple started.

"You can take it from here." Gregory stopped at the entrance of a pitch black cave. "She said you would come for her, but I didn't believe it. I guess she was right," he shrugged and turned away. "Watch out for the snakes."

Rumple noticed that the noise had gotten louder and now sounded like hissing. He looked to his feet and a snakes winded around the prison bars and cowered in dark corners. "Wonderful," he said sarcastically.

Rumple produced a flame from his fingertips so he could see. He stepped over the snakes into the cave.

"Rumple?" He heard her voice from the back of the prison. She stepped forward into the light. Her hair was matted and there was dirt all over her dress and hands. She looked frail and her eyes were red. He saw wounds on her arms that looked like snake bites, but no mistake- it was her.

It was his Belle, alive

A/N: So sorry that this is just a set-up chapter!

More excitement to come! I've got lots of interesting things in store for them. :) Also I love different, creative titles, so I've called this "Reprise." It's not super creative, haha because a reprise is just something that is similar to but different than what it is based off of. And hopefully the chapters will feature lyrics from the reprises from the musical.