"No bother knocking, dearie," Belle jumped at her master's high-pitched giggle as the doors creaked open. She quickly dropped her raised fist.

He sat at his spinning wheel, body now turned to her. He raised his eyebrows at her then gestured towards her. Right, it was her turn to say something.

"Oh, um… I'm sorry to disturb you, I just –well-"

"We've spoken about your rambling before, dearie."

"Right. Sorry- I'm sorry, I just…" she cut off in a frustrated breath and he shook his head hopelessly, but his eyes were glinting with amusement at her obvious discomfort.

"Perhaps you'd like to come back in a few minutes? After you've rehearsed what it is you want to say?" He giggled again at her glare.

"May I sleep here tonight, please?"

Well, that was a surprise. He blinked, tilting his head to the side.

"Come again?"

She huffed and only then did he notice her arms wrapped around herself, rubbing at the gooseflesh on them. She pointed her chin towards the hearth, currently crackling with a nice, warm fire.

"My 'room'," she wrinkled her nose, "is freezing. Just for tonight, please?" Her eyes lingered on the dancing flames with longing. He was quick to reply,

"Well, hate to disappoint, dearie, but I'll be up all night spinning. And what do you expect, it is called the Dark Castle." She wasn't about to give in.

"Dark, not cold. I won't make a sound; I'll go straight to sleep. I promise."

She was already moving to the large, plush chairs before the fire. She stopped and looked at him with big, pleading eyes.

"Please, Rumpelstiltskin"

And, because he was more affected by those eyes than he'd like to admit, he only offered a small nod. Her face burst into a brilliant smile and she made her way quickly to him, reaching to take his hand in hers. He hid his shiver; her hands were like ice.

"Thank you," she breathed, squeezing his hand. "Thank you."

He watched her scamper back to the chair, curl up in it like some house cat and shut her eyes.

He silently resumed his spinning, but watched her out of the corner of his eye. He heard her breathing get slower and deeper. He watched her head gently loll to the side, mouth opening slightly. She really had fallen right to sleep. His hands stilled on the wheel and he just watched her for a long few minutes. Then, he finally broke his eyes away and continued his work.

The next morning, Belle was surprised and a bit disoriented to be waking up in a nice, warm and large bed. She blinked away sleep, yawned, and then looked down. Her body was covered with a large, heavy fur blanket and a new pillow lay beneath her head. She gave a small, bright smile and got up to begin the day.