Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon A Time. I'm pretty sure Disney does... and if it doesn't, it's certainly getting royalties... unless they are counting on the publicity to sell more of their "super platinum ultra special remastered cool" version of their movies?

Beginning Author's Note: I was watching OUAT the other week, and it suddenly really bothered me that there was zero diversity in the show. No one but white American or British (of various flavors, please forgive me for lumping other British Isle nationalities in there) and all freaking heterosexual. Ok, fine, it's Disney (probably). But... wow. One (half) black dude.

Also for some reason, though I love me some Rumbelle, the story makes me a bit uncomfortable. On pondering, I think it is because usually the 'Beauty' ends up in the 'Beast's clutches because of an offense (her father trespassing in the Disney version). In OUAT? Very contrived and kind of Stockholm syndrome feel to it. It just didn't sit with me totally right. Belle says "I wasn't going to come back" and "any curse can be broken" when she kisses him. Sounds more like she wanted him to change so that she could love him, versus loving him and breaking the 'curse'. I put curse in quotes as I loathe when the beast has to turn back human and lose all the cool powers.

And then, aha! An epiphany. I can solve these issues with a fun little AU (well, with some twists, of course). Thus:

Premise: Belle is the Beauty for the Beast, but she got the wrong Beast.

Also at the time of writing this, the Mad Hatter episode just happened. I am skipping all current plot points (eg- the 'murder') and assuming they are resolved by the time of the story. So this story may become AU (as in, contradicted by canon) at any time. Most of this story will/does occur in the fairytale world. Only the first 2-3 chapters will be in the 'real world'.

Onward!

OoOoOOoOoO

"My dear, you look peaked. Would you care for an apple?"

"Oh, no, thank you. I'm fine."

"I insist. It's from my very own orchard. At least have a bite- let me know what you think of it. It's a long, dusty road to where you are going."

"How do you know where I am going? I don't know myself."

"Ah, well you are nowhere at the moment, are you not? Everywhere is far from here."

Belle took a bite from the apple and had to concede that it was the most marvelous thing she had ever had. "Thank you, madame. But I really must be on my way."

*"You carry very little."

"I don't want to be slowed down."

"Ooh, running from someone..."

OooooOoo

Emma cursed as another piece of paper sliced through the side of her finger. Annoyingly, nothing seemed to be on computer in the town's records. Nothing at all. However, it did make it both easier and harder that everything... and that really meant everything was written down and recorded. If she believed Henry, Emma would have said that the world was recording every moment of all of their past lives in all the intimate detail of an omniscient author.

"Aha!" She crowed. The birth records for one baby girl, father: Moe French. No mother noted, which was really odd... and no birth name, either. The rest of the file was a gold mine, though. Sent off to live with a man for reasons not stated... there was brief mention of 'ogres' which made no sense, then institutionalized under the direct supervision of the Mayor. "Gotcha." Emma smiled. No matter that the file had odd holes like the aforementioned fairy tale author had gotten lazy half way though. No death certificate, just patient records (hideously boring- the words 'no change' in a column stretched in identical rows). The last entry was for only a few months ago. The day she came to town, actually. How odd.

"I need to confirm this." Emma mused. She copied the whole folder and stuffed it in her bag before walking out of the Public Records Building. She was lucky enough to find Mr. French on the main street, selling flowers out of his van.

"Hello, Sheriff." Moe said warily. "I'm still not going to press charges. All healed up already." He smiled weakly.

Emma looked at him dubiously. "I kind of doubt that, but that's not why I'm here." She stated. "What can you tell me about your daughter?"

"A monster took her." He answered promptly, and without emotion. "She wanted to go, but eventually she came back, then she left again." He recited. "To Boston."

"Right." Emma drawled. "Details?"

Moe blinked. "I don't know what you mean."

Emma stared at him incredulously. "I mean, what happened to your daughter?"

"I told you." He frowned. He rubbed his forehead.

"You told me nothing. Your daughter is missing- don't you care?" She asked in frustration.

"I..." More now brought both hands up to his temples. "I'm getting a headache."

"Mr. French..."

"I don't know. Ok? She is where she is supposed to be. I can't see her."

"Mr. French, you are not making any sense... is Mr. Gold threatening you?"

Moe French's eyes went wide, and then curiously blank.

"Mr. French?" She asked tentatively.

He blinked slowly and turned his head in her direction. "This discussion is over." He said flatly.

"But..."

He turned around and ignored her.

OoOooo

"I'm telling you, Archie, you should try to have Moe French come in and talk to you. All I did was ask him about his daughter- he gave me the cold shoulder. It's not normal behavior. I think Mr. Gold is mixed up in there, somewhere..."

"You should leave it alone." Dr. Hopper poked his egg, watching the yolk run in a distracted fashion.

"Excuse me?" Emma growled.

"That girl... it's done. She's gone."

"Um, no she's not. I'm trying to find her, anyway. What the hell has gotten into... hey! Where are you going?" But Dr. Hopper just continued to walk out of the diner, looking sort of dazed. "What in the..."

"Hey, Emma."

"Hi, Kid." Emma muttered, frowning after the psychiatrist. "What's gotten into everybody?"

"The curse." Henry replied promptly.

"Yeah, right." Emma sighed. "Well, then Operation Cobra isn't doing so well. All I've gotten is a curt 'a monster took her'."

"Ooh!" Henry sat up excitedly. "Maybe she's Beauty."

"What?" Emma finally focused on her son.

"You know, like in Beauty and the Beast. The story is in there, but I haven't been able to figure out who's who. It's one of the big ones that is still a mystery."

"Right."

"No, really!" Henry lisped rather dramatically in his effort to get his mother to understand.

"Henry, I am looking for a real girl."

"Exactly! So all you have to do is find the Beast's castle, and she'll be there." Henry beamed.

"Alright, kid. I'll look for the castle, then."

"She'll be in the dungeon." Henry added happily.

"Hmm. You may be on to something, there. She has to be in the basement for no one to have noticed her." Emma mused. "What buildings have basements of sufficient size to house a person..."

"See! I knew you would figure it out, you're the hero." Henry smiled.

OoOOoOo

Back in Public Records, Emma was again braving the piles of papers, this time blueprints of the homes and shops of Storybrooke. None were of sufficient size to have basements large enough, though it was certainly possible that someone had built it without applying for a permit. She rather doubted it, though, as she had come across permits for a sex dungeon (which had peaked her interest). It was in the hotel, though, and readily accessible. And, according to the logs (who keeps logs of these things!) was regularly used- most commonly by the Mayor. Ruby was a close second.

"Hah. Regina could definitely be the 'beast' locking up some poor maiden." Emma scoffed. "But maybe Ruby is a better lead..." She mused. There were partners of both sexes listed for Ruby, whereas only males for Regina. "Nah..." She shook her head. Certainly not Ruby; she was no older than the missing girl.

There was another lead, however. They hadn't been kidding when they said that Gold owned the whole town. Every single deed was in his name, with the exception of public buildings (the school, the hospital, and, strangely enough, the Mayor's house). Even those, however, he managed.

Emma sighed. She really didn't want to talk to Gold. It was like verbal wrestling with a polar bear- difficult, humiliating, and almost certainly futile. But she was at the end of her rope. Considering how closed off he had been before, she didn't have much hope that this time would be much better.

OooOoOo

Emma entered the dim shop cautiously, trying to ignore the creepy objects in order to focus on finding the owner. "Mr. Gold?"

"Ah, Emma." He said from directly behind her.

Emma suppressed a squeak and whipped around to see his ironically smiling face. "What can I do for you this fine evening?" His accent made 'fine' roll, somehow.

"Um..." Emma cleared her throat. "I'm looking for a missing person..."

"I thought we had discovered the fate of Mrs. Nolan." Mr. Gold said slowly as he walked by Emma.

Emma had to shake her head at his attitude. Cool as a cucumber, even with the poor woman declared dead. All she got was a 'discovered the fate'- well, it was one way to put 'found heart but not the rest of the body'. "I am still looking..."

"For the rest of her?" Mr. Gold smirked, the corner of his eye glinting from where it was tilted beneath the curtain of his hair. "Ah, yes. Well. If you want to do 'whatever it takes' I am sure you will eventually find what you are looking for."

"That's not why I came here." Emma said in frustration.

Mr. Gold straightened. "Oh, that is a given." He said, placing both hands neatly folded on top of each other on his cane. "No one comes here without a reason."

Which was sort of an odd thing to say, but it was a shop, she supposed... and it wasn't like Gold had friends. Everyone was terrified of him. "Well, I am asking you, as an agent of the law, if you are aware of any of your buildings being remodeled to have extra attic space or basements." Emma said shortly.

He looked nonplussed. "No, none of my buildings have been modified."

"Are you sure?"

He twitched the corner of his mouth in annoyance. "Quite sure, dearie. I like to keep the buildings pristine. It adds to the 'quaint' feel of the town. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Hmm." Emma replied dubiously.

"If you want to know about buildings that have been renovated, I'm afraid you will have to look for ones that the Mayor has updated over time. Her modernistic style..." He sneered at that description, "means that she changes the décor and sometimes the infrastructure almost every year."

"Hmm." And this time, Emma was more thoughtful. It certainly made sense. "Well, I suppose I was always going to need your help..." since she certainly wasn't going to win against Regina without him. That had been made perfectly clear. Even if she couldn't trust him to help her for her sake, maybe he would for this mystery girl he had beaten a man over.

"Standing up to the Mayor again?" Mr. Gold deduced. His gaze sharpened and he leaned forward slightly. "Whatever for this time."

"I told you, a missing person." Emma could feel her face setting into a stubborn expression as she braced.

"And why would you think that I would care..." Suddenly his expression became thunderous. "I told you that she is beyond help."

"Well I don't consider 'in the Mayor's clutches' as beyond help." She retorted mulishly.

"You don't know what you are talking about!" He snarled, his accent becoming so thick she almost couldn't understand what he was saying.

"Yes, I do." She knew this was going to be difficult. Hopefully he would refrain from beating her with his cane as well. He was shifting his weight like he was considering it.

"She is dead." He hissed.

Emma blinked. "Not as of my arrival in town, she's not."

"What?" He started. "Your arrival?" His voice was significantly weaker.

"Well, I mean, that date. It was an odd coincidence, I grant you..."

"But... she was dead..." He stared at her, looking like she had hit him with a stick- right in the back of the head.

"Yeah, well, I don't know who told you that, but she's been in some undisclosed location for years." Gold's face abruptly lost all color and he swayed. "Hey, there, steady!" Emma said as his bad knee gave out and he crumpled. She caught him just before his head smashed into a set of shelves. She rolled her eyes at the drama. If the man could keep his feet he probably would have avoided being knocked out by Ashley when she maced him as well.

"Not dead..." He was completely oblivious to her.

"Yes, and in the Mayor's sole custody." Emma said grumpily.

Suddenly he lept out of her arms and raced out of the shop, barely using his cane.

"Where are you going?" Emma called after him, hurrying to stand herself and catch up to him. It was surprisingly difficult. It was like the man had suddenly received a shot of... something.

"I am going to rend her limb from limb." Mr. Gold growled.

"Whoah, there." Emma finally caught his arm and barely managed to duck the subsequent lash of the cane. "Hey!" Her eyes widened when she thought she saw his eyes begin to glow in the fading twilight. He abruptly settled and the glow disappeared. No- had never been. Emma shook her head- she had been talking to Henry too much.

"Why shouldn't I?" He lilted, sounding a bit too cheerful, like whatever she said would not dissuade him.

"Well, for one, I'll arrest you again..." Emma muttered, but she knew that wouldn't matter to him before it even left her mouth. "Besides, we don't know where this unnamed Ms. French is held- the only person that we know who would know is the Mayor..."

"I can get her to tell me where she is." Mr. Gold barred his teeth viciously.

Emma gritted her teeth in annoyance. "And on top of that, no one in the town besides you will even talk about her, or acknowledge that she exists, so how do we know there isn't a way that..." Emma threw her hands up in the air in frustration, indicating some intervention would happen.

Mr. Gold tracked her hands, his lip twitching. "Are you suggesting that she would disappear by magic?"

"Yes!" He smirked at her. "Well, no, I mean..."

"I know what you mean, dearie." He sighed, and it seemed as if something folded up and tucked itself into his skin. Emma watched the process in fascination. "You are correct, rushing into things always ends with poor outcomes."

"Right." Emma watched closely, but couldn't see the... well, for lack of a better word, 'aura' that had been around him. She hadn't really noticed it while it was there, because he did sometimes exude... something. But now that it was so quickly and efficiently removed, she could almost taste the absence of it.

"See something you like, dearie?" Mr. Gold asked with an ironic twist to his lips.

Emma started, realizing that she had somehow moved so close to Mr. Gold that if she put out her arm, it would touch. Hell, they would crack heads if she took one more step. She stood up and cleared her throat. "I thought I saw something." She muttered.

"Indeed." Something in Mr. Gold's eyes glinted, but she refrained from leaning forward again to try to see what it was. Because it was nothing. "How about you show me why you are so certain that Belle is still alive?"

"Belle..." Emma repeated suspiciously. "That's her name? Short for Izabelle, perhaps?"

"No." Mr. Gold replied unconcernedly. "Just Belle. I believe it is French for 'beautiful'."

"Right." Not like anyone didn't know that little tidbit thanks to Disney. Thanks to Beauty and the Beast. Emma sighed and started walking. She felt a sudden desire to ask Mr. Gold if he had ever kept a woman captive in his house. But she was just as suddenly afraid of the answer. Not from violence on Mr. Gold's part... but because... what if he said yes? What if he said 'of course, in my fairytale castle, I kept a young girl prisoner and she changed me to this'? She snuck a glance at the man walking beside her and huffed at her own foolishness. Mr. Gold was no Prince Charming. If he was the Beast, the taming had obviously failed miserably. Emma skipped a bit at that small reassurance.

OoOoOooo

"Hi, Emma!"

"Ngh." Emma picked up her coffee and took a sip, nearly missing her mouth as her eyes were closed and her hand was shaking.

"What's wrong?" Henry asked. Then, at a whisper. "Is it Operation Cobra?"

"Ngh." Emma grunted again. Though... yeah, ok, it was. How else to define staying up all night with a manic pawn broker poring over city records in search of a woman named 'Belle' being trapped against her will by an unnamed 'Beast'?

Emma noticed when Henry had been silent for more than five seconds. She blearily peeled one eyelid open. Her son's eyes were as wide as saucers and it looked like the only reason his jaw was not hitting the floor was because of the counteracting force of his huge grin. "Ungh... I didn't just say that out loud, did I?"

"Yup!" Henry said cheerfully, his eyes shining. "So you believe me?" He asked, dancing, somehow, without standing up.

"I'm not ruling it out." She muttered. And would likely have regretted it, if she wasn't so damn tired. But, no, it did seem to make Henry happy. "When you have ruled out the impossible..." She quoted halfheartedly.

"Yeah- the curse isn't impossible." Henry grinned.

"Just really, really improbable." She grumbled at her coffee.

OoOOOoO

"What did you do to Henry?"

"Whaa!" Emma started awake and nearly fell off the desk chair she had been perched in precariously.

"Oh, I am so sorry! I thought you were just thinking about something." Mary-Margaret apologized, helping Emma to sit back upright without upsetting the chair further and ending up on the floor.

"Tha's fine, I should be up anyway." Emma yawned. "What time is it?"

"It's time for dinner. When you weren't home yet, I decided to bring you something to eat." She held out a cute little basket with red checkers. "Ruby let me borrow one of her smaller picnic baskets." She beamed.

"Right." Emma rubbed her face. The smell of the food was beginning to wake up her stomach and remind it that it hadn't had anything all day except for coffee. "Thanks."

"Are you alright? It's not like you to sleep at work. And you were out all night last night."

"Yeah, I just got caught up on a lead in this thing I'm working on on the side." Emma said. She flipped open the cloth and practically cried to see the delicious grilled cheese. She promptly stuffed the whole thing in her mouth.

"Emma! Chew your food!"

Emma practically choked on the sandwich. She swallowed in a big gulp then looked up at the smaller woman. "What, are you my mother?" She grinned.

Mary-Margaret chuckled. "I believe I am, according to some." She shook her head. "Well, try not to stay up too late tonight. The Mayor will come and fire you for sleeping on the job."

Emma saluted with the other half of the sandwich. "Yes, Mother."

A huge smile burst into being on Mary-Margaret's face. It startled Emma in its intensity, but before she could fully process it, Mary-Margaret was out the door.

"This town is weird." She grumbled.

OoOOOOOo

*following excerpted from the show

A/N: A bit short, but hopefully I will be satisfied with the next part and post it tomorrow.