Belle sat in her carriage, staring out the window as she twisted her ring on her finger.

"Are you nervous?"

She looked at Gaston where he was sitting across from her and smiled. "Of course not." He cocked an eyebrow and she forced a laugh that sounded fake even to her. "Why would I be nervous?"

"Because it's been a year since you've been to the Frontlands," he said and she looked out of the window again, silent for a long moment.

"I'm just worried," she whispered. He reached across the gap between the seats and put his hand on her knee, squeezing it.

"I know."

The last time she had seen her spinner and his son had been the morning she left his town. She and Gaston had stood in the square with Duke Leonard and his family.

"Thank you for your hospitality and friendship," she called out to the crowd, forcing a smile. "If any of you need help, do not hesitate to approach Duke Leonard—" the kindly man smiled "—and do not hesitate to request an audience with me. I am your princess and one day I will be your king, but I only have my crown because you trust me with it, so trust me with it. Let me help you." She thanked Leonard and took her horse's reins from Gaston, pulling herself up. When she waved at the crowd one last time, she saw Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire standing in the back, Rumplestiltskin's arm around his son's shoulders and tears glistening in his eyes. She pressed her lips together to stop herself from calling out their names and tightened her hands on her reins, kicking the horse into a trot and hurtling out of town, Gaston and his knights close behind her.

They rode for most of the day and once camp was set up in a clearing that night, Belle went and sat by a creek away from all the men who were thrilled to be going home. After a while, Gaston came and sat next to her.

"It's okay to cry," he murmured.

"Kings don't cry," she said, watching a fish in the water.

"No, but people do," Gaston said, nudging her shoulder with her own. "A king who isn't a person is not a good king, and sometimes the person under the crown needs a good cry."

"How is this possible?" she whispered, staring up at him with her heartbreak showing on her face for the first time. "I've known him for three months. Three months! And now I'm wishing I didn't have to go home so I could stay with him."

"I don't know, Belle," he said and her tears finally spilled over. He pulled her to him and let her cry herself out on his shoulder.

Over the next year, he had managed to scare off her two suitors.

"So much could have changed since I last saw them," she said, frowning out of the carriage's window. Gaston didn't say anything, just squeezed her knee again before releasing it and sitting up straight.

"My father wants me to think about marriage more," Belle said quietly. "He wants me to consider you again." Gaston snorted and her lips twitched. "I don't know what to do. He just wants me happy before—before his sickness gets worse… But if I can't be with the one person I actually want to marry."

"So your next best choice is your closest friend," he murmured.

Belle passed a hand over her face tiredly. "I don't know what to do."

"Nothing is impossible," he said and she sighed. "But put it out of your head for now, Belle. This is the last stop on the tour, so focus on your subjects and worry about marriage after."

Belle tried to smile at him and nodded.

Every year, King Maurice would go on a tour of the kingdom to meet with his lords and subjects, but this was the first tour in four years because of the war and now Maurice's health was too poor to travel, so Belle was taking his place with Gaston at her side.

It was late in the afternoon when they came into town and stopped in the main square before heading to the Duke's castle.

Gaston got out of the carriage first, holding out a hand to help her step out of it, her skirts swishing. Looking around, she grinned. The previously war-decimated town was now bustling with trade. The main road was paved with cobblestones instead of being mud, the buildings didn't look like they would fall over with a strong gust of wind anymore, and there was a schoolhouse on the other side of the square.

"Leonard did an amazing job," Gaston said and Belle nodded, smiling and waving at the people she recognized.

"Belle?!" She looked towards the school and saw a tall, thin boy with short brown hair running towards her. She frowned as he came to a stop before her before gasping.

"Baelfire?" He nodded and she laughed, craning her neck to look him in the eyes. "How have you grown so much in a year?" He shrugged, smiling at her, and she laughed as she pulled him down for a hug. "It's so great to see you, love!"

"You too! It wasn't the same without you here," he said, stepping back to smile at her before looking at a spot over her shoulder. "Papa, look who's here!"

Belle whirled around and was suddenly face to face with Rumplestiltskin, who was staring at her like he was sure she would disappear any moment. She gave him a timid smile as he kept staring.

"Hello," she whispered before finding her voice and wiping all uncertainty from her posture. "It's good to see you again."

He nodded slowly, gripping his walking stick tighter. Baelfire looked between them before smiling down at Belle. "Can you join us for dinner tonight?"

She tore her eyes away from Rumplestiltskin and smiled back up at him. "I would love to, Bae, but I have to greet my host. Perhap—perhaps tomorrow? If your father is alright with it?" She glanced at Rumplestiltskin uncertainly.

"Of course," he said too quickly and looked down at his feet. "It would be our pleasure."

She smiled. "I'll see you both tomorrow then."

"It will be just like old times!" Bae said, hugging Belle again before running off.

"Just like old times," Rumplestiltskin murmured and turned to walk away.

"Rumple, wait," she said, stepping forward. He looked back at her, staring at her outstretched hand, which she slowly drew back to her body. "How are you?"

"We're good," he said, avoiding her eyes.

"No, not you and Bae," she said, stepping closer. "How are you?"

"I—" he met her eyes for a moment before turning away again. "I'll see you tomorrow evening, your highness."

"Of course," Belle whispered hoarsely, staring after him and feeling like all the air had gone out of her lungs. She forced herself to smile at the townspeople as Gaston ushered her back into the carriage to they make their way to the castle.

"The boy seemed glad to see you," Gaston said as they neared Leonard's home, watching her closely.

Belle smiled. "He's a sweet boy."

"And your spinner…?"

"He's shut himself off from me," she said, sighing. "When he does that, he's nearly impossible to read."

"But you intend to break through to him tomorrow," Gaston said carefully.

"Aye," she said, smirking slightly. "That I do."

Belle paused, frowning at the building in front of her. Where there had once been a tiny but cozy shack, there was now a small house with a well-kept yard. She glanced around to make sure her memory had taken her to the right spot and when she concluded that she was indeed where Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire's home had been, she walked slowly up to the door before she realized that this was the same building, just with some work to make it larger and stronger.

She knocked and grinned when Baelfire threw it open. "I thought I was at the wrong house at first," she said as he stepped aside to let her pass.

"It looks great, doesn't it?" he said, taking the basket she was holding and setting it on the table.

"It does," she said, looking around and noticing Rumplestiltskin standing awkwardly next to his spinning wheel in the corner. She smiled at him.

"We did it with your gold," Rumplestiltskin murmured, drawing a soft smile from her as he looked questioningly at the basket.

"I didn't want to be a burden," she said by way of an explanation.

Rumplestiltskin stared at her for a moment before understanding crossed his face and he shook his head. "No, no, you've done enough. We are feeding you tonight, B—princess."

She tried to stop herself from wincing at her title as he shuffled off into the next room—Belle was pleased at the fact that there even was another room—and returned with a small pile of plates. "Bae, bring the food to the table."

Belle watched as they set the table and when Bae drew out a chair for her, she smiled. "What a gentleman," she said.

It was nothing like the dinner they used to have. Those were filled with easy conversation and comfortable silences. This one involved Belle and Rumplestiltskin both talking only to Bae and avoiding so much as looking at each other.

By the time the meal was over, Bae threw down his fork and glared at them. "What is wrong with you two tonight?"

"Nothing," Belle murmured.

"Everything is fine, son," Rumplestiltskin said, staring at his plate as if it would get up and start dancing at any moment and he would miss it if he looked away.

"Liars." Bae stared at his father and rolled his eyes. "Papa, why won't you call Belle by her name anymore?"

Rumplestiltskin stayed silent, poking at the food left on his plate, and Belle gasped with sudden understanding. "He thinks that I won't want to be friends with him anymore after a year back at court," she said, staring at him as she addressed Bae. "I'm not so shallow as that, Rumple."

"That's not it!" he said, addressing her directly, though his eyes were still downcast.

"Then what is it?" she cried. He looked her in the eyes and she froze. His mask was gone and she could read him like one of her books again. "Oh."

"Oh?" Bae said, but neither of them looked away from the other to acknowledge his question.

"The feelings I had for both of you when I left last year are unchanged," Belle whispered, eyes still fixed on Rumplestiltskin's, which widened.

"What?" Bae said, glancing between them and the way they were staring at each other as if they would drown if they looked away, and his jaw fell open. "Oh." He stood up abruptly and they both looked up at him. "I'm going for a walk."

When he looked back over his shoulder before walking out the door, Belle was staring at her hands with an unreadable expression on her face and Rumplestiltskin was watching him with a mixture of terror and relief. He gave his father a smile before slipping out the door.

The room fell silent and after a few minutes, Rumplestiltskin sighed and stood up, grabbed his walking stick, and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Belle asked, chewing on her finger.

"To my wheel," he said without looking at her. Her lips turned upwards as she stood to follow him, taking her chair with her and settling next to him at the spinning wheel.

She watched him spin before swallowing and looking at her hands again. "Rumplestiltskin, if you don't—if you don't feel the same way as you did before, then just tell me."

"What?" The wheel halted and she looked up at him to find him staring at her with complete shock on his face. "You think that I don't love you anymore?"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course I do. If you still loved me, then you would talk to me or even look at me."

He turned back to his wheel before speaking again. "I don't look at you because it's too painful to see you and know I can never have you."

"You've always had me," she whispered.

He glanced at her. "Princess—"

"Belle," she said, leaning towards him.

"Belle," he breathed, reaching out to trace a finger down her cheek. "I can't…" Whatever thought he had died on his lips as she leaned closer to him, staring at him with sad eyes and a quivering lip that he couldn't resist kissing.

She kissed him back, slow and soft, more gentle than the one they had shared before, and when he pulled away and she smiled at him like she had never seen something more wonderful, he whispered "I love you" and she kissed him again.

They broke apart when the door banged open and Bae walked in, smirking when he saw them. "I knew it," he said. "I knew it." He walked up the stairs that had once led to his loft and before disappearing from view, called back "I knew it" one last time.

Belle giggled and turned to look at Rumplestiltskin, her smile fading as she reached out to put her palm on his cheek. "I'm only here for a week this time," she whispered.

He closed his eyes, placing his own hand on top of hers. "So I get to see you for one last week and then you disappear back to your castle again."

"It doesn't have to be like that," she said and his eyes flew open.

"What, you'll stay here and be a spinner's wife?" he said, laughing coldly.

"If I could, I would without a second's thought," she said and he froze, staring at her before turning his head to kiss his palm.

He laced his fingers with hers and drew their hands away from his face to rest in his lap. "But you can't."

"But you could come back with me," she whispered, putting her other hand on top of their joined ones and squeezing. "Come back with me, Rumple. You and Bae."

He laughed again. "Belle, sweetheart, spinners don't marry princesses."

"Why not?" she cried. "It's not like you have to worry about ruling since I'll be king. Why shouldn't I marry who I want and be happy?"

"You can't honestly want me," he said, drawing his hands away from hers. She moved hers to rest on his knees.

"I haven't thought of anyone else since I met you and I never thought of anyone else the way I think of you before," she whispered. "Please, Rumplestiltskin. Don't force me to marry a man I don't want to be with just so that my family line will continue."

When he just stared at her, she sighed and stood up. "I'm leaving after market day, so you have until then to make your decision." She frowned down at him. "If you decide to stay because it's what's right for Bae, I'll accept that. You're a father first. But don't let your worries about fitting in at court or giving people something to gossip about stop you from doing what you want."

She turned away from him then and walked out the door wordlessly like she had last year. The only difference was that this time she glanced back at him.

Two days later, Belle was in the schoolhouse with Duke Leonard's wife, Evelyn.

"It's really been quite a success, Milady Lioness," Evelyn said, smiling at Belle as she showed her the smallest of the two classrooms. "We've made it mandatory for children to attend until they're thirteen and if they want to attend past that age, they can study in this room until they come of age."

"This is wonderful," Belle said as she looked around the room. The door opened to show Bae standing outside sheepishly.

"Can I help you, child?" Evelyn asked, peering at Bae.

"Belle, can I talk to you?" he said, his eyes fixed on her.

"Manners!" Evelyn said before turning to Belle.

"Your grace, Bae is fine," she said, waving away Evelyn's apologies. "If you would excuse me for a moment?"

Evelyn frowned but nodded and Belle followed Bae out of the room and into the field behind the schoolhouse. He led her to a fallen log on the edge of the forest, where he sat and patted the spot next to him.

He waited until she was sitting to speak, staring at a line of ants on the ground. "Papa told me what you asked him."

"And?" she said, watching as he broke a branch off the tree to poke at the ants.

"I want us both to go with you, but…"

"But your whole life is here," Belle said, sighing and looking towards the village.

"Yeah," Bae said before looking up at her with the same brown eyes Rumplestiltskin had. "You're really in love with my papa?"

"Yes," she said, smiling at him. "I love your papa and you very much."

"I can barely remember my mama. My only memory of her is her being sad." Bae took a shuddering breath before looking towards the village. "You really—you really want to be my step-mother?"

Belle waited until he glanced at her to reply. "I do, Baelfire." His lips twitched. "I didn't expect to become so attached to you when I stopped Hordor from taking you to war," she said, smiling.

Bae laughed at that and stood up. When she copied him, he hugged her tightly before leading her back to the schoolhouse.

"I'm going to try to convince Papa to go with you on one condition," he said as they walked.

"What's that?"

"I can become a knight," he said, grinning at her.

"Bae, love," she said, laughing. "You'll be a prince." She giggled at his expression before reaching up to ruffle his hair.

Rumplestiltskin still hadn't spoken to Belle again by market day. She saw him as she walked around the town, but he avoided her every time she came close to him.

"He still hasn't made a decision," Bae said, scowling as he came up beside her where she stood watching the market.

She sighed and leaned against the side of the butcher's home. "Does he realize that I'm leaving tomorrow?"

"He wants to go," Bae said. "I can tell he does, but he thinks he's a coward and cowards don't deserve princesses."

"Even if he was coward, it's not a question of what he thinks I deserve," she growled. "I make my own decisions, and believe me, I spent the last year wishing that I had asked you two to come with me. I know what I want."

She looked over at Rumplestiltskin's stall and frowned. Gaston was standing in front of it, leaning across the table of threads to talk to Rumplestiltskin, who was staring at him intently.

"Are you having dinner with the Duke?" Bae said.

"Aye," she said, clenching handfuls of her skirt in her hands as she watched Gaston and Rumplestiltskin.

"Can you come by afterwards? I'll tell Papa to make his decision by then to tell you."

Belle looked up at Bae and nodded. He leaned down and kissed her cheek before walking over to his father.

She was anxious for the rest of the day, wrinkling her dress where she held it and putting even Gaston on edge.

"Calm yourself," he said, grasping her shoulders to stop her from mounting a horse to ride to Rumplestiltskin's after dinner. "Whatever happens, just remember that you won't regret not asking them this time."

She nodded and he kissed the top of her head in a rare display of affection. "Good luck, Belle." He gave her a leg up onto the horse, where she arranged herself to sit sidesaddle.

"Thank you," she said before urging the horse on.

When she reached Rumplestiltskin's home, she tied up the horse and took a deep breath before knocking on the door. Bae opened it and let her in without a word. Rumplestiltskin was sitting at the table and barely looked up when she entered.

"So?" she said more to fill the silence than to find out what the verdict was, glancing between father and son.

"Belle," Rumplestiltskin sighed, standing up. "I can't be a princess's husband."

"Yes, you can," she said, walking forward to stand across from him at the table.

He shook his head. "I wouldn't know how. I belong here, not in court."

She slammed her palm on the table, startling him. "Stop it, Rumplestiltskin," she yelled at him. "If you say no, say it because you don't want to be with me. I think you don't belong here or in court because you belong with me wherever I am, and if you disagree, then stay here, but if you agree, then come with me, damn it!"

"What would your father say if you come home with a spinner and his son in tow?" he murmured, glancing at Bae, who was leaning against the door and watching them.

"My father wants me to be happy," Belle said, rounding the table to stand in front of Rumplestiltskin. "You two make me happy."

"Belle," he whispered, staring down at her with tears in his eyes.

"Rumple?"

He sighed, shaking his head again. "I want to be with you, so badly, but… We can't come with you. It's not the right place for us."

She stared at him, her face falling. "And I can't change your mind on that?"

"No," he said. "I'm sorry, sweeth—princess."

"You're going to regret it. Forever," she said, biting her lip before turning to walk away. Bae stepped away from the door and she could feel both of them watching as she opened it to leave their lives again when a voice from the corner startled all of them.

"I wouldn't leave so soon, Milady Lioness." Belle whirled around and saw Zoso sitting on Rumplestiltskin's spinning stool.

"Zoso?" Rumplestiltskin said, his jaw hanging open.

"You always were observant," Zoso said, inspecting his black fingernails.

"The Dark One?" Bae whispered, drawing close to Belle, who nodded, eyes fixed on Zoso.

"What are you doing here, Zoso?" Belle said. "Neither of us called on you."

"Are you lot aware that I have the powers of premonition?" Zoso said, raising his eyes.

"No," Belle said as Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

"I thought as much," he said, standing. "This is a defining moment for not only your lives, but the kingdom. With your decision, Rumplestiltskin, the future will go in one direction or the other. I wanted to make sure you were fully aware of the two options before you made your choice." They all watched as him as he stepped towards them.

"Should you choose to stay, the princess here will go back to her castle and rule as king after her father's death. She will be a good king, merciful and fair, loved by all. However, she will refuse to marry if there's no love in it for her and so will die childless and alone. She will have passed her throne to her dear Gaston and his children, but the kingdom will erupt into civil war over the crown. You, Rumplestiltskin, will also die alone and unhappy. The only good things in your life will be your son and his children, but you'll rarely get to see them because young Baelfire will have taken a spot in the king's court with the woman who might have been his mother." Zoso said, staring at Rumplestiltskin.

"And if we go with Belle?" Bae said, eyes fixed on Zoso, who smiled.

"If you go with Belle, then the court will face one of the biggest scandals in memory. The princess marrying a lowly spinner will be second only to the king declaring that his daughter would one day be king. However, once the old ladies stop gossiping, the kingdom will be thrust into wealth and peace. With a peasant on the king's arm, the common people will have a voice never before offered to them, and you, Belle, will be a great king, not merely a good one. History will remember you as the best king Avonlea has ever had and your marriage to Rumplestiltskin will begin what will later be known as the Spinner's Golden Age, which lasts for centuries, and when each of you pass on, you will die happy and surrounded by your children and grandchildren to be mourned by the entire kingdom if not the entire Enchanted Forest."

Belle stared at him, her mouth open slightly before looking at Rumplestiltskin, who was staring at Zoso with shock. "Rumple?" she said and he turned his eyes on her, desire shown on every feature.

"You really want us to come with you?" he said, disbelief coloring his voice. "Really and truly?"

"More than anything," she whispered, walking up to him.

He nodded, pressing his lips together and touching her cheek with his knuckle. "Oh, sweetheart. We'll come with you."

The biggest smile he had ever seen on anyone spread across her face and she stepped forward to hug him, pressing her face into his neck as he wrapped his free arm around her, burying his face in her hair.

"Thank you," Bae murmured to Zoso as Belle clung to Rumplestiltskin.

"My pleasure," Zoso said. "It would be a shame to see a true love like theirs go to waste."

Belle pulled away to stare at Zoso. "True love?" she said, blinking rapidly as she took a small step away from Rumplestiltskin. "Proper break-any-curse true love?"

Zoso laughed. "Indeed."

"But… how do you know?" Rumplestiltskin said, his hand still on Belle's waist.

"True love's magic has a very specific feel to it and it's coming off of you two in waves." He laughed again at their shocked faces before bowing. "My offer of an alliance is still in place, your highness." He disappeared without another word.

All three of them stared at the spot that Zoso had just been standing in when Bae cleared his throat. "I'm going to go say goodbye to Morraine," he said, slipping out the door with one last smile thrown towards them.

Belle looked at Rumplestiltskin, who smiled down at her with a look of pure happiness as he brushed some hair out of her face. "I suppose I should pack," he murmured, not taking his eyes off of hers.

"Yes, I suppose you should," Belle said, leaning up to brush her lips against his before pulling away to help him get ready to leave.

They had the rest of their lives to be together, after all.

A/N: And that's the end. Thank you so much for sticking with this! I would LOVE to know what you thought of this, so please, please, please leave a review! I've gotten amazing responses to this already, so I'd really like to know how you all thought of the ending. Thanks for reading!