It had been nothing short of a shock. A horrible one at that, when Milah had approached the Gold family, sat at their table in Kellerman’s, enjoying the entertainment for the evening. As Milah had sarcastically asked if they let the staff sit with the guests now and Rumford froze in horror, he had instinctively cast a glance over towards Baden, playing with a few other children on the dance floor.
God, he hoped she wasn’t planning on trying anything with his son. Their son. No, his son. She’d dumped him on Rumford’s doorstep and ran when he was barely a few days old. Belle was his Mother. She was the one who had loved him from day one, and she was the one that Baden looked at as his Mama.
“Belle…” he whispered, his pregnant wife nodding as she reached to put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m way ahead of you,” she assured him, eyes narrow as she looked at Milah. Even without engaging her in conversation she knew from how tense he was, the horror in his eyes, that this woman was the one he’d told her about those years before.
“Pack your bags, because you’re going to be removed from this establishment and resort within the hour,” she threatened, rising to stand as she encouraged her husband to do so. Rumford was in a state of utter shock but he did as he was told, Belle patting his shoulder once more before she was going to their son. They’d get out of there too, and she would go talk to the owner. Money talked, and with her Father’s money she knew she could do one thing for Rumford right now; have Milah removed, and her booking cancelled.
The further away from them, and Baden, that they could get her, the better.
It had been a terribly long day for Robbie. First he’d gone in to Gold Inc for the end of financial year board meeting and, immediately after it, argued with Dorothy about how he was acting like he was still running he company. Whilst the agreement had been that he would be consulted on certain deals, even now a year down the line it was hard for him to not have full control over the empire he’d built.
Of course, a very expensive bunch of flowers would greet Dorothy by way of apology on her arrival in to the office tomorrow as, on reflection and after a very frank discussion with his wife, he knew that Dorothy was right. He’d been the one to draw up the contracts, he was the one to choose to step away and trust her with his business. He needed to prove he truly did exactly that, and not behave as he had done today.
He’d exhausted himself with work and, as she put their boy to bed, Eliza snoozing away also, he’d settled in his office chair as he jotted down ideas for something else to start to get his teeth in to; a charity. A charity he wanted to plan out with his wife, another day and another time. Of course, exhaustion didn’t have patience and it had him drifting off as he worked, hand gripping on to his pen, pad before him on his desk.
It had only been Belle gently coaxing him awake, taking the pen from his hand and stroking his hair that had him clutching her other hand to draw to his lips to kiss the back of it tenderly. “Thank you, for your patience,” he murmured low, eyes glazed briefly with the exhaustion he felt.
He nuzzled her hand, Belle’s other running down over his cheek as she perched on to the edge of his desk. “We’re a team. Your problems are my problems, and hopefully your flower delivery will patch over the little argument you had today. Problem solved,” she smiled warmly, not wanting him to beat himself up over it. Dorothy and he were fiery and had clashed many times through the years. He was apologising for it, and Dorothy would understand.
Exhaling softly, Robbie pressed his cheek to her hand, his smile mirroring her own. “You’re one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.” He murmured low, truly meaning it.
It was enough to have her smiling back, a brief push together of her lips, tilt of her head. “One of?” she asked lightly, aware even before he elaborated exactly what he meant. But that didn’t mean that she couldn’t tease him, just a little. Bring that smile further on to his face and coax him out of that office and straight in to bed for a much needed sleep.
Breathy, Robbie wrapped his other hand around the one she’d cupped his cheek with, clutching both of hers tenderly in turn. “You, Neal and Eliza. What more could I possibly want?” he asked her. Yes, work had been his purpose for most of his life but they both knew, all too well, that his entire axis had shifted the moment she came in to his life. She and their children were his purpose; he just had to remind himself sometimes that he didn’t need to be so involved and controlled over his business any longer.
It was in safe hands with Dorothy, just as he was with Belle.
“Because I am,” Rumple retorted with a smirk. Turning to look over towards a very unimpressed Belle, he knew he had two ways to play this. Obnoxious, continue to talk at her about the Supernatural and things she mostly already knew, or to be contrite, admit that whilst he usually was the smartest in any room, that changed when she was in there too.
Truth was, he loved her intelligence. He loved how they could debate for hours, or discuss even, the finest and the simplest things in life. She was a tour de force of a woman, his intellectual and physical equal. He’d never been so enthralled with another person and, now they were actively in a relationship, he’d never felt so comfortable with anyone else either.
So he grunted briefly, rolling his eyes as he gestured towards her. “Aside, of course, from when you’re in the room also. But when you’re not, it’s a given that I’m the smartest.” A pause and his lips curved back upwards into a smile that he directed towards her. “Better?” he asked, lips pushing together, well aware that she’d likely still give him a hard time, but hopefully be pleased with the fact he certainly acknowledged, and respected, just how intelligent she was.
You also said your name was Amy Adam which, come to think of it, sounds really stupid. What was Britney Spear already taken?
YOU (2018- ) cr. Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble
She was laughing as she stepped back away from Rumford who, a little tipsy, was busy crooning away at her. Jefferson and a few of the guys had insisted on taking Rumford out for a few drinks as a sort of bachelor party for the wedding that he and Belle were at the tail end of planning. With them due to marry in under two weeks time, Rumford had wanted to dedicate his time to that but, on Belle’s insistence too, had gone out for the evening. After all, she would have her own little celebration with her friends in a few days, so he deserved his too.
He’d not drunk a lot but he had absolutely missed her. Enough to have picked a flower from a random garden on the way back to her - he would apologise to the home owner if he could even remember where he’d done it - and begin singing to his wife to be the moment he’d gotten back to their room. Mercifully Bae was fast asleep and dead to the world, enough for Rumford to get away with his soft singing.
Singing ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ to her, she was left both amused by his state and flushing in giggles at how, even when he’d drunk a little too much, he was still utterly sweet and romantic with her. Rumford just adored her, absolutely, and had spent the entire night telling his friends just how excited he was to marry her.
“Then kiss me!” he declared, puckering his lips to her with a quiet laugh. A request that Belle, giggling again, was all too happy to indulge with a quick peck to his lips. Quick to leave him wanting more, and quick to allow her the chance to sidle back in close to him, both of them embracing each other warmly.
Robbie knew he was being too loud but he was in a terrible mood and he fully intended on it. Belle had caused him problems the night before by losing her temper once more when out drinking with her friends and it was evident that she needed to avoid the alcohol when in such a mental state. The first time she’d gone out and drunk with Ruby and the others, she’d glassed Will. The second she had insulted the bartender at The Rabbit Hole and been banned. It was only because Robbie had agreed to give them a month rent free that she had been allowed back in, after she had blown Robbie to high hell to essentially bribe him in to doing so.
Last night she apparently had decided that in her inebriated state that it would be a good idea to try to burn the flower shop down on her own. She’d almost burned herself in the process, and it had only been because Jefferson had passed by on his way home and spotted her about to make a mistake by doing it without Robbie helping to cover up her involvement that it had all been put to bed.
Jefferson had coaxed her home - she vomited in his car on the way home too - and stumbled about the house, causing Robbie to need to carry her up to bed and lay her in a position that would mean if she vomited again she at least wouldn’t kill herself.
It was one slip up too many and he needed her to stop it. To behave better and not draw so much attention if she was actually ready to burn the shop down. Too many things were requiring his attention lately, and he was starting to get spread too thinly. So, as way of punishing her, he’d made sure to bang and clatter about in the kitchen much more than he needed to. He’d made sure to put the radio on a tad too loud and predictably it had roused Belle.
Hands bracing on to the kitchen counter to look at her, dressed already in his smart pants and shirt for the day with the sleeves rolled up to his shoulders, he gave her a dead pan look. “Oh, I’m sorry. Am I causing you to have a headache? I wonder what that’s like, Belle… I wonder.”
Was he setting them up to argue? Most likely. But he was in a terribly foul mood and he knew that if he just told her that she needed to behave better she’d get defensive and they’d argue anyway. So why not launch right in, let her see his frustration and perhaps maybe that would get through to her. Nothing else seemed to these days.
Mock gasping at his wife, Rumford had to laugh quietly as she sat in her nightgown, perched on their bed, little baby bump just about visible. She was the most adorable and beautiful woman but she had constantly changing pregnancy cravings, and every pregnancy seemed to come with different cravings.
This was the third child she was carrying of theirs now and the cravings for this pregnancy were actually quite simple in comparison to the others; Cheeze It’s in milk. Disgusting combination in his opinion, but nice and easy. They always had a few boxes around - the kids loved them too - and always had plenty of milk too. She also wasn’t quite as ‘scary’ about her cravings which meant he liked to tease her sometimes about it.
Like right now as he walked to the bed and playfully held back the dish of food and cup of tea that he’d made her to go with it. The kids were tucked up in bed and he felt confident that they had a good few hours at least until the youngest likely woke them up. Which meant they could joke around and play a little, which is why he was left laughing quietly as she pouted over at him.
“Well, if you’re going to go extreme like that, how can I not hand it over? Food first, cuddles next. Deal?” he asked as he settled on to the bed and held the dish out to her for her to take and likely devour quicker than even their oldest lad, Baelfire, could devour his food.
Jefferson was worried, visibly so but he knew he had to try to hold it together for once. Rumple always held it together for him and right now, he needed them. He was unconscious in his bed, Belle not leaving his side, and Jeff was almost as bad. Mercifully the magic had protected him from the sun blast but everything that had followed had taken it all out of him. If he wasn’t already the undead, it was a definite that he would have been dead because of all of this.
Two days so far he’d been out cold and Jeff had tried multiple times to break his skin to give him blood, hopefully to bring him back around but Rumple’s skin just couldn’t be broken like that. One moment had Jeff suggesting they use holy water to break the skin but he’d immediately shut himself down with a lengthy and dramatic ramble about how it might burn his arm off, or get in to his blood stream then and burn him from the inside out.
They just had to wait until he woke up and then he’d have to feed. Probably from a person, which he’d hate, and which then brought out the quandary of who it was that he was to feed from. Something that Belle seemed to shut down immediately whenever it was brought up and Jeff suspected it was because she herself had opted to be the one he drank from.
All of this worrying had Jefferson rambling more often than not. He’d rambled about eggs, the source of all magic, witchcraft, why he didn’t eat bread and now he was rambling about Rumple and the changes he’d seen in him over the last few months. “I’ve never seen him in love before.” He mused, his eyes briefly going wide as he saw Belle’s head shoot up from where she’d had it rested on the bed, by Rumple’s shoulder, her hands both wrapped around one of his.
“Excuse me? In love?” she asked, breathy as she did so. Love was a word neither of them would dare to go near but yet even if she didn’t admit to it, deep down, she knew it was a possibility. He was dedicated to her, he’d thrown away an opportunity to find out anything about his son just to keep her alive. She knew that he’d spent hundreds of years longing for the truth and when it had come down to it, she was what he’d chose.
Shit. He loved her, didn’t he?
“Uh I mean. Well,” Jeff cleared his throat as he pushed up from where he’d briefly sat. “I mean. He doesn’t say. He. Well.” Another cough. “It’s just a turn of phrase. I’ve never seen him in love before. I’ve also never seen him ah, skydive. Or shower. Just one of those things I say, you know. I. Wow, it ah, it’s hot in here, isn’t it? Phew…” he began to tug at his collar, his cheeks starting to flush as he found himself flustered. Rumple certainly hadn’t spoken of love when it came to Belle but the few things Rumple had shared made it obvious to him; Rumple felt for her, perhaps even loved her.
Jefferson gestured then that he was going to leave the room and with a little stumble did precisely that. He hoped he hadn’t dropped a bombshell there, nor did he want to make things difficult for his friend or Belle but sometimes his mouth ran away with itself, and sometimes he couldn’t catch up with his thoughts until it was too late.
Belle was stunned as she watched Jefferson leave, staring at the door for a good minute before she was forcing her gaze back down towards Rumple. He lay there, still as pale as ever, looking like he was even further over the threshold of death’s door. But she had to have faith, she had to have hope. He’d wake up, she’d make him feed and then life would continue somehow. It had to. With him loving her and with her loving him. Maybe. She didn’t know.
Groaning out loud, she laughed quietly, pressing her forehead against their joined hands. “You love me, don’t you? I say I don’t want that.” She paused then, falling silent as she forced her eyes shut, thoughts swirling around her mind so rapidly it almost made her feel dizzy. “But maybe I do.”
Cocking an eyebrow up at Belle, Rumple was both touched and humoured by her choice. Not only of item to bring him, but the very fact that she said he looked cold. He was always cold thanks to his Vampire skin but he knew that it was more an excuse than anything else to sit with him and break him out of his thoughts.
He’d sat in the same spot on the back porch for over an hour, both of them opting for a night off of patrolling. Considering the fact they’d both been through the wars when fighting Cora and supernatural activity was at an all time low thanks to the closing of the Hellmouth it was a safe bet for them to have one rare night to themselves.
It had meant that he had allowed his mind to wander, a symptom of his not keeping busy, whilst she’d sat by the roaring fire in the living room, a cup of tea by her side and the first edition he’d gifted her of Pride and Prejudice cradled in her lap. Each page she turned with the most delicate of touches, showing the novel the respect it deserved. That was until she’d realised that his brief stroll outside for some air had turned in to him being gone for an hour. So she’d followed, spotted him in place and decided that she needed to do something to get him talking.
“…as opposed to how rosy my cheeks usually are?” he quipped, even as he reached to take the steaming mug from her. She extended the one in her left hand out towards him, that one clearly intended for him. The one in her right had marshmallows on top - an addition to his kitchen that he had certainly never expected, but now she was staying with him, it was a given - and from his first sip of the one she’d handed him he knew that his had a little addition in to it of it’s own.
“I know you don’t like very much when I add blood to my drinks. Thank you,” with the distinct taste of a few drops of blood added to his Rumple knew she’d made a very conscious choice here to make him something that he would enjoy, and something that would bring him back, if only long enough to share his evening with her, and not just in the space of his mind.
Pausing a moment as Belle took a seat beside him, Rumple decided that whilst he didn’t to immediately launch in to the subject on his mind, he did want to do one thing. So he inched in closer and gently wrapped his free arm around her, embracing the woman he loved. Because right now, she was exactly what he needed, and this was exactly how he needed things to be.
Rumford grinned over at his wife, squeezing her hand gently. There were only a few movies for them to choose from that evening but with Jefferson staying at their place again as he got back on his feet, he was also babysitting their growing brood of children. It was a rare date night for just the two of them, Rum and Belle taking the opportunity to go to the movies together after enjoying a pizza together in the park, as well as some ice cream that she had definitely eaten more of than he had. Which he didn’t even remotely mind, of course.
Even now at his age, with their few years of being married together and the movies she had in turn introduced him to through the years he was still hopeless when it came to scary movies. Night of The Living Dead was showing and he was hoping more for a light comedy like I Love You, Alice B. Toklas. But with his wife suggesting a horror with the sole intention of making out? Who was he to say no.
Of course, she could handle horror movies much better than he could. It was never her clutching his hand, squeezing tight and gasping in horror. She never had to hide behind her hand, nor did she squirm through the entire movie. Any jump scare didn’t have her shrieking out like it did him, so he knew that the making out was absolutely for his benefit. Whatever she did watch of the movie he didn’t doubt she’d enjoy, and he would hopefully be too blissed by her lips on his to notice anything that would have him too scared by it all.
“Mm, now how can I resist that?” he asked her, laughing quietly as he pecked his lips to her cheek. Only her cheek as they were finally at the front of the line for tickets and he was pushing over the money as he requested two tickets to the horror movie that he absolutely hoped didn’t leave him with nightmares.
Rumple was bleary eyed as he lifted his head up from his place on the pillow, Belle having woken with a jolt. He often found himself drifting on to sleep next to her after they were intimate, be it making love or a quick fuck. He didn’t really need to sleep at that point and usually did for a few hours in the morning when she left for her day at the library but he often couldn’t help it because of the comfort he felt beside her when they were sated through intimacy.
She had a delivery that morning coming to the library of new releases and it was due at 8am. Which meant she had intended on waking up around 6 to have breakfast, shower, dress and drive in to town back to the library. Sometimes having his home on the outskirts of town - which was practically hers now even if they didn’t actually put that kind of label on to how often she stayed and all of the things she had kept there - was very inconvenient. Just like it was right now.
Forcing himself up on to his elbows, yawning as he blinked a few times to bring himself back round, Rumple couldn’t help the brief little smirk that crossed his lips. “Someone was comfortable… or in a sex coma. I know which I’m going with,” he drawled, causing Belle to huff at him, pick up his discarded sock - because it was the closest thing to her as she scrambled for her own clothing, shower be damned - to toss at his face, telling him to ‘shut up’ as she did so.
“I’ll make you some breakfast, have a shower, relax. You have what, half an hour? Don’t do your hair, you’ll be fine,” he shrugged, beginning to get up and out of bed as he began to rub at one of his eyes. Not caring about his nudity - she’d seen it all countless times before by now, had her lips on almost every inch of him and knew his body better than she knew her own - he just grabbed a clean pair of underwear to pull on as he walked. He’d make her some toast, put on some butter and jam like she usually had and put a cup of tea in to one of those flasks she had brought in to his house. Probably the one with roses on, as he thought that was quite a sweet looking item. “You look beautiful as you are,” he added, tossing the compliment at her as he walked off.
It was at least enough to make her pause and smile, briefly allowing herself to enjoy the softness in his compliment. That was until she snapped herself back to reality and opted to indeed shower as he said. It was only a shame she didn’t have time for him to join her.
The irony was that Robbie finally had walked away. Albeit only for a few days so he could find a little peace in his mind once more. He’d finally broken and he’d done so in spectacular fashion, in front of Belle, breaking down and sobbing as he told her that he just couldn’t keep on as he was doing anymore. Her pain was valid, yes, but so was his. His pain had been buried underneath layers of self expectation and loathing, a need to be strong for her but those layers became too heavy for his weary heart to continue to carry. Something had to break, and he finally did.
He’d retreated to the cabin for a few days, leaving his phone at home in a purposeful attempt to just find himself again. By no means was he ending their relationship, but he was ending something. An era where he gave and gave and got nothing but pain in return. He was ending that, he was ending the neglect of his own self for her benefit and he couldn’t even begin to feel guilty for any worry she’d had over the last few days over him and their relationship. He’d had months of that himself, so perhaps in a twisted sort of way, it was only fair she finally carried some of that burden herself.
She’d finally felt like she couldn’t hold on any longer without them talking and so, bringing his phone in the event he wouldn’t yet come home but wanted to open communication again without her there, Belle had turned up at the cabin. With a dinner that needed warming thanks to the drive up there, and a pleading look in her eyes, he had let her in and put the food in to warm. He’d not had much ‘fresh’ in the way of food over the last few days but there were tins in the cupboards and a few frozen items that had sustained him. Admittedly it was nice to inhale the scent of the meal she’d brought, and his thank you to her had been genuine.
Now they were sat at the small dining table, birds chirping away outside, oblivious to the tension in the air, and he paused a moment with his cutlery at her words. A brief moment where he darted his tongue out to wet his lips, and he was shaking his head briefly. “I think if nothing else these last few months, I’ve proven my dedication to you and in attempting to salvage our relationship. I’m not walking away from you. But I do need things to change, Belle. If they don’t, no matter how much I want our relationship to survive, it can’t.” It was frank, it was honest, and he knew that he could no longer try to pussyfoot around her. If his honesty pushed her away, then he had to accept that, didn’t he?
“Can you look me in the eyes and tell me, with all honesty, that you love me, Belle?” he asked, making a point of making eye contact with her. To him, that had been his biggest concern; he didn’t think she loved him anymore. He feared that she stayed with him out of obligation, that she felt like she had nothing else left. So he needed to know if he was fighting for a relationship with a woman who loved him, or if these last few months had just been him partaking in the slow death of the most important and defining love of his life.”Real, genuine love. Not just a need to have me, or to have my dedication to you. That you love me.”
Robbie simply smirked at the man, lifting his hand up to briefly rub at his chin, shaking his head as he did so. “I doubt it is, but the fact remains, Mr Nottingham, that you tried to cross me. I, with the kindness in my heart, gave you opportunity to purchase a very valuable property from myself, and you try to play a game with me to lower the asking price? No, no. I don’t like games, but when I do play them, I don’t lose.” A sardonic smile, sharp at the edges and he was dropping his hand down as he gestured to the shipping container behind Keith, clearly moving things along in that particular physical direction.
“You cost me money. So you are going to go in to that container with this little laptop, already loaded and ready for you to put in your financial details, to send me as compensation. The money you were going to pay for the property, you’ll also send. But the property remains mine,” he was going to make him pay for the time and effort that had been wasted, the fact he had to shut down his business after drugs were planted there in an effort to lower the price and align it with a reputation.
It was the Rabbit Hole which Robbie owned the building to and made a very large amount on through rent. Keith had wanted to buy the building itself and take over the lease, to expand the bar in to a place for local bands to also perform and likely to use as a front for illicit dealings of his own. Robbie was willing to sell, simply because then he’d have the money (not that he needed it) and would be able to keep tabs then on Keith. To ruin him when he inevitably slipped up with whatever he was trying to use it as a front for. Robbie didn’t just dislike Keith Nottingham, he hated him, and it was all part of a long game for him. He’d take his money, let it sit on the pile he already had, but he would also play the long and drawn out game that gave him the most satisfactory of endings.
But Keith had tried to plant drugs in there, to make it look like it had always been used to sell it. Mercifully he was useless at trying to set something up and the young man he’d had trying to help him - some fool by the name of Hansel - had slipped up. Namely when he’d tried to hustle his own way in to a more powerful position, and had dared to try to kidnap Belle to try to force Robbie’s hand against Keith. If Robbie had fallen for it, killed Keith, then Hansel would have swept in and made the deal himself at the lower price, thusly making quite the deal.
Robbie had put a bullet in his head as he’d grabbed on to Belle and it had meant that Robbie had decided to alter his plans for Keith. Whether he knew what Hansel was intending with Belle or not didn’t matter; she had the bruise on her arm as proof of it all, and Robbie was very protective of her.
The container was a shipping one for Jefferson’s restaurant and so kitted out for freezing various fish. Perfect for this little moment with Keith. “It’s rather cold in there. In fact, so cold that you’ll freeze to death in an hour. Or lose limbs first to frostbite, neither of which I’m sure you’d like to endure. I’ll let you go under two conditions; that you perform the transaction within that time and also, one other little thing.” Now his smile became darker, the gun he held in his other hand remaining trained on a shaking Keith as he tilted his head briefly towards the man watching them. Dove, who was wrapped up nicely and warm, ready for any cold weather and able to survive it for much longer than a man in a t-shirt and jeans like Keith was could do.
“My dear Belle was hurt by your associate. The one I have you on film talking to yet you continue to deny involvement with. I understand, it’s ah, it’s difficult to admit our faults and yours was interacting with a man even lower than yourself. Difficult, I know. But you see, I don’t care about the money, that’s just a point of principal and how I have to do business. I have to make sure you know that messing with me is a very expensive affair. I can take my compensation for the deeds done against me financially. It’s fine. But her? Now that’s where it gets emotional,” his tone dropped then and he approached Keith, lip curling with a silent snarl. Hurting Belle was an unforgivable crime. Whether he knew or not, did the deed or ordered it or not, it didn’t matter. His actions had led to those, and she had been harmed as a result. It all had to lead back to him, he had to take responsibility and he had to be the one to pay the price for it.
Quite a price it would be indeed.
“This fine gentlemen will be joining you in the container. When you’ve made the financial transaction, you will turn your attentions to the large scales in there and you will provide me with payment for the harm she endured. I want a pound of your flesh. Literally. I don’t care where you take it from, but I do care that it is precisely a pound. Anything less, and you die. Dn’t worry though if you can’t do it yourself; he’s very adept with a knife, and more than willing to help.” He drawled, his smile going wider all the while. He was going to make Keith pay and he would make sure it would be a life long reminder to never cross him.
That was if he didn’t shoot him anyway when he came out of there, or let him bleed to death. Dove would happily let him die, the man also protective of Belle. She was the one person who would off limits in this world, and the one person that Robbie would take such extreme measures for.
“In you pop. We’ll see just how smart you choose to be about this.”
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