"Belle."

"Mr. Gold – what can I do you for?"

He inwardly cringed at the disattached manner in which she spoke to him, cleaning a glass behind the counter at Granny's. She had somehow persuaded her to not only give her a job but also a room at the bed and breakfast at half the price. So there he was two weeks after she decided to leave him watching her turn into a scullery maid when she should be at home, in their home, treated like the queen that she was.

He grasped his cane and prepared his speech once more in his head.

"Sweetheart, come home. I'm sorry Belle I really am. I'm trying but I can hardly change a lifetime of habits in the short time that you've come back to my life."

Belle silently looked at him her blue eyes trying not to give anything away but he could see the hesitation looming. Yes, he had her.

"Belle I love you. Come home." She swayed on the spot obviously missing his words as much as he missed saying them.

She opened her mouth with a look of longing.

"Belle, if Mr. Gold isn't going to order anything then you have to ask him to leave. " Ruby cut in eyes fierce and in your face. "Please." She added smugly.

Both girls had become quite the pair since Storybrooke had regained its memories.

Belle looked at the other girl and a flash of understanding went between them.

"Mr. Gold I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Belle said eyes once again betraying nothing.

Damn. He almost had her back.

"I'll have a slice of apple pie." He looked straight at Ruby. "Please."

Belle watched as her friend cut a piece of pie practically destroying it in the process . " Cream?"

"Absolutely." He replied a smile on his face.

She sprayed the contents on and passed him the plate. "Can't say I didn't try." Ruby whispered in the other girl's ear.

And Belle returned her gaze to Mr. Gold….Rumplestiltskin…... Her true love.

"Anything else."

Mr. Gold took a bite of his pie and looked at her with determined eyes.

"Let me take you out to dinner tonight."

Belle's cheeks went red and she bowed her head. Real embarrassment clearly displayed on her face. "I can't."

"Can't or won't?"

Her face turned another shade darker and he could tell there was something she wasn't saying.

"Why?" He asked not bothering to try to sort things out in his head. He needed answers. Now. Worry started creeping slowly into him.

"I- um I have a date tonight."

He choked on his food and glared angrily across the bar to the red streaked girl. Surely she had planned this all out to spite him.

"Who?" He asked eyes ablaze with anger. Who in this town…HIS town would dare come near what was his.

"Jefferson."

Of course, only that mad fool could possibly think he'd get out of this alive.

"You will not go."

Her face brightened with outrage.

" You have no say in the matter… as long as you're unwilling to change then I'm not yours. True love be damned, this is a different era and if I want to go have a one night stand with the hatter that's my problem, not yours, not anymore." She emphasized and with that took off her apron and walked out of the diner completely.

He sat there looking at a half-eaten pie and stabbed it wishing it was that it was Jefferson's once dislodged face.

Belle was his and he was going to show her no matter what she wanted …that was one thing he wasn't willing to change.