Getting Away

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

This worked out perfectly. Belle had been wanting to get out for a while. She wanted to get away for a bit. Not necessarily away from her life or from her family but away from Storybrook. Just for a while. Of course she was going to come back. The opportunity presented it's self in the form of the Annual Maine Librarian Convention. When Belle got the invitation, she was giddy.

She had not expected her husband to be happy about it of course so there was no surprise when she had told him later that he clearly was not. He had business to take care of here in his shop so Belle would be going on her own. She had asked him to recreate his potion that had been used on Neal's shawl when her husband had left the town. It had been poured on her favorite gloves. They were something that she wore as often as she could and when she was not wearing them, she could have them in her pocket. Always on herself. It was time to go.

Belle was packed. The luggage was in the hallway beside her and Belle was looking at her husband waiting for him to say something. As her husband would not be able to leave the town to take her to the hotel, Belle had called a taxi. It waited for her at the curb. There was an unsettling silence right now. Belle did not know what to say. She was dressed in a smart black business suit and her dark hair was piled on top of her head. Long dangling ruby and diamonds hung from her ears and she wore the barest amount of makeup.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

Gold could not say he was happy when he heard form his wife that she had gotten a invitation & she was leaving Storybrooke for a Annual Maine Librarian Convention. It was not he was not happy for her it was more he could not go with her & see she stayed safe, not that she could not keep her self safe. It was just more, he feared what he would do if she got hurt, not it was more he knew what he would do if she got hurt once he caught the person & with out Belle around their was not saying he would not fall into his old ways & hurt the person more greatly than if Belle was with him.

He made the potion for Belle & had even gone so far as to make more sending a second vile with her should she need it for any reason, as if to put him at ease that nothing bad would happen to her. He made sure that Belle would have money & anything else she would need yet it still eat at him he could not go with her & he was sure some people took note mostly those that feel on the bad side of his mode. Of course he was working on away to show up later on at the Annual Maine Librarian Convention, he easily could find reason to close his shop for a time & anything else would be their when he got back.

Now his wife was before him, ready to leave he felt like he should find reason she should not go yet now with the silence setting in he looked at Belle as he moved to kiss her after the kiss he spoke "I love you Belle.., I wish I could go with you, but I know you will have fun & I will be here when you get back"

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

Belle smiled softly when he told her he loved her. Of course she already knew he did but it was always nice to hear. After they shared the kiss, Belle's arms moved around her husband hugging him to her. After all the had been through there was no question that i would be difficult being separated for even this week but it would be fun as he had stated.

"I love you too." She whispered in his ear and then after a few more moments of the embrace, Belle released him and then took a step back. "I'll only be away for five nights. I'll be back." She offered a soft smile and ran the fingers of one hand down along his jaw to his chest.

The taxi driver pressed on the car horn impatiently and Belle jumped slightly. "Time to go." She said now and then took up her bag and the handle of the wheeled suitcase. She gave her husband one last kiss and smile and then turned and headed down the walk way he heels clicking on the pavement.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

He smiled with her words of love & he returned her embrace, five days would be hard with out her it would be almost unbearable "A day with out you is all but, unbearable 5 days will much worse" He could not help, but return her smile of course her touch could do things to him that, no one else could much like her look of course the taxi driver beeping the horn made him think of doing something to the man yet for Belles sake he would hold back this time "I wish it was not, yet I know" He wish he could of savored her kiss a bit longer even if he knew it had to end, he could only move to fallow to watch her leave until he could not see the taxi any more.

Only then did he turn as if to go back inside, yet he used his magic to tae him a shot distance for the boarder of Storybrooke, yet he was hidden up in a tree allowing his magic to not only allow him to keep his balance yet also keep him hidden so he was not spotted as Belle left, once the car was out of sight only then did he leave heading back into the home, where he would try to wait for Belle even as part of him told him to run after her, for he knew he would not last with out her.

It did not take long in his mind for him to become restless about wanting to see his wife & missing her & he knew soon he would fallow her, as soon as everything was ready he would fallow his wife, to surprise her something he knew she would enjoy yet he had to find out more about what would be happening at the convention.

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

Belle got into the back of the taxi and gave the driver her destination. She was silent as the car pulled away from the curb. She did not look back. It was too hard. She was looking forward to the week ahead of her. But at the same time, she was already missing home. When the car was moving towards the boarder of town, Belle held her breath suddenly frightened.

What if she forgot who she was again? He husband would maybe find a way to remind her again but what if he couldn't? Then they had left Storybrook. Belle slowly let out a breath she had not realized she was holding. mentally she went over everything she knew about her husband and her old world. She sighed with relief. Belle had not noticed her husband in the woods and now she was off. Belle sat back in the seat finally relaxing.

The hotel was large. When the taxi pulled up at the doors, Belle paid and then the door was opened by the hotel doorman. Belle gave him a smile as more men hurried to take her luggage from the trunk. It was not long before everything was going full force. Belle had been in her room and called Robert to let him know she had arrived. She was now in the conference hall with the others.

smile was on her face. There were so many people here all with the same interests as her. There were to be guest speakers and dinners and a party. There were booths and a stage set up Belle walked around the room greeting other people and picking up flyers, and samples, and catalogs.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

Robert smiled & his heart beat quickened a bit, when Belle's call came in fact he put all on hold just to speak with her, glad to hear he voice even if his heart tightened with the want for her to be close when it could not be. They spoke for a bit before they had to say goodbye yet, he was glad to hear she made it safely to the hotel lord only knows what he would of done if anything would of happened yet he would of moved heaven & earth to get to Belle & see that things where taken care of if anything ever did happen.

After the call & his heart rate went back to normal he worked more to finish with what he had to do, before he could even look at leaving of course as much as he wanted to be to see Belle tonight he knew that at the rate things where going he would not be able to leave until the morning of course the main thing was to be their time enough to be their for the party, that would mean if he showed up early he would have to lay low to keep Belle form seeing him at least until after the party, of course the party is when he was going to seek her out & see if she would spot him out or not, for it would be a masked party just for fun & it would help him surprise Belle & that was all that mattered. Once he was done at the shop & got home, he moved to get packed up on what he would need, before placing it by the door so it was ready to leave as he continued to do what he need to do in order to see all would be taken care of for the time being at least until they got back.

He made sure to grab things that he thought might be needed, he was looking at renting a limo for the time why their with a driver so his car would not be spotted unless he did like his wife & hired a taxi & then the limo to keep form being so easily spotted yet, he worked over what was best & form thsse he made the plans to go with them before moving onto anything other plan or action tht needed taken care of.

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

The night went well but it had been a long one. Belle had spent the following day listening to speakers and enjoying lunch with the others. They had had what some would consider boring conversations about books but to Belle, it had been heaven. The next evening was to be the party. It was a costume party.

The costumes were to be from characters in books. Belle had considered, with a chuckle, coming to the party as Herself. Or rather, who she used to be. Belle from beauty and the beast. Only without her beast. But she felt it might bother her as the night went on to pretend to be someone she actually was.

Instead, she spent the time after lunch getting dress in a costumes she had piece together last night in the near by shops. She was going to be Margaret "Meg" March Brooke. From Little Women. Her hair was tied up at the base of her neck. She wore a lacy dark green floor length old fashion dress. around her neck was a black velvet choker with a gold locket. She looked beautiful.

When she was ready, Belle headed down to the conference room. It had been transformed. The lights were dimmed, there was a band at the far end of the room and tables set for dinner surrounded a dance floor. Heads turned when Belle entered. She looked down and blushed as her new Friends hurried towards he with compliments.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

Gold was shocked it took so long yet he was able to get done & now that it was done he was able to get to the hotel when he made sure to avoid Belle & stayed in his room until the party he could laugh at the style of the party it left him to think if he should go as himself Rumpelstiltskin or as the beast form Beauty & the Beast yet in the end he could not help passing up the draw of a deal even here, yet he did not wish to stick out greatly so with some changes to his costume.

he left the high collar of course yet he shorted the coat onto a vest, that was grommet in the back along the shoulders & covered over the back & the tails that ran down his coat in front was shortened & mostly removed so only the collar was left, he had a leather mask on his face that looked like an imp of legened, his hair was pulled back into a pony tail, to help hid more of who, he really was & he went with dress pants as well dress black shoes to wear, something else that went with his costume quite well of course he bought a red rose that he shorted down a bit to make it fit more with his vest if he would need to pin in to it or that, yet the steam was long enough still he could hand it to the only one that held his heart in such a way, also to help he put in blue contacts to help change his eye color so if Belle saw him she would not pick him out so quick, of course that also lead to he had to change his voice just a bit to help of course it was said that in books he was kind of mad so taking more like his old self & new self was not a bad thing.

As he entered the party area a few people turned to look at him yet he gave them no mind as he looked for the one person he knew so well, of course he did find reason wish to not make it so clear he was looking for someone he did talk with other people as he keep an eye out before at times getting a drink, with a bit of time he saw his wife she was breath taking as ways & as beautiful as anything to ever walk the earth. Now it was only time he waited for the right moment to present its self to him speaking with her.

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

Belle was a bit surprised by the number of compliments she had gotten. She had been told by her husband that she was beautiful numerous times but Belle was not used to so many men telling her the same thing. To be honest, it embarrassed her. She tried to spend as much time as possible with her female friends.

They drank and laughed and mingled. Eventually, Belle made her way to a empty table where her fiends soon joined her. She had not idea that her husband was here. She would have had a hard time seeing him even if she did have some idea. Belle was having fun but she was still missing home.

Eventually people began to dance. Hors d'oeuvres were being served and champagne handed out. Belle had been asked to dance more than a few times but she refused gently. It didn't feel right. The music was fun and the people were great. Belle stood finally and then began to walk slowly around the room pausing here and there to chat.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

He could not help smirk as Belle turned men down, he knew it was a blow to their egos that one so beautiful turned them down, served them right at least those that had impure thoughts or actions they wished things to take. He did do other things before he would see if he saw where Belle was, he was glad to see she was having fun, Robert for his part did well to avoid Belle or try not to be noted as she moved form different groups, of course that only lasted so much time before he approached his wife interested to see if she would dance with him, if she would right off he knew it was him. With out magic he had to think about his footing on his one leg he could walk on it yet it just would be hurting greatly in the morning or likely it would be, so taking some pain pills might be the best option for him.

Once he was close enough to his wife he spoke "My lady..." He waited to see if Belle would stop to speak with him, only once she showed a sign of it did he speak on "Might I have a dance with you?" His heart beat quickened as he waited for her words not sure if she would turn him down or not & if she did he knew he could not be unset with her for not seeing threw what he wore. Of course it mattered little on what his wife wore she was always breath taking. Of course if she accepted to dance with him he would watch his footing, yet he had ways to give himself away not that he would just yet he just was glad to be close to his wife once more.

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

Belle turned slowly when she was spoken to. Right away she felt as if she had known this man. She could not see his face but still she felt at peace with him. It was odd and Belle frowned slightly. "I'm sorry," She told him now. "I am not dancing tonight."

Strangely, She regretted saying no. Belle looked down at the ground for a moment before meeting his eyes. "Excuse me." It confused her. She had no regret refusing the others. Belle looked at him once more with a soft smile and then turned away from the man and headed for the bar.

She rested one arm one the wooden bar top and waited for the bartender to notice her. It of course did not take long and the bartender moved towards her with the smile most men were giving her tonight. One of male lust.

The woman ordered a glass of ice wine and Belle took her drink and then turned away from the bar resting her back against the wood as she took a sip. She sighed, the man still on her mind.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

It was clear with her words she did not spot who he was, he glad at last part of him that she turned him down of course the other just wished to grab her & drag her off some where. Yet he did not acted other than moving form her path more so she could pass him, his eyes fallowed her as she walked off he was not done with trying to win her over & make her get a good idea it was him just not yet for it was to soon.

He moved to other areas waiting for the time to act, a few times women came up to asking if he washed to dance yet like his wife he turned them down, he was only hear for one to night...the one that help his heart & made him become a better man.

A bit later after he had something to drink at last some of it he could not say he could hold back as he went looking for his wife that his draw to her was eating at him like a moth to a flame once he spotted her he slowly approached he moved to take the red rose in his hand once he was close enough to her as he bowed some as he spoke "A rose for my lady, to show no ill will about before hand" As he spoke he held it out to Belle before he paused a moment before he spoke on again "If your have it" He was not sure she was get his words if thy would sink in fully he just had to wait to see what would happen.

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

Belle saw him coming yet she did not move from her place against the bar. Everything about this man was familiar and yet she could not place it. It was like a itch she could not scratch.

Slowly it begun to come to her though when he stopped in front of her. Belle's eyes fell to the rose. "Thank you." She said softly. Of course her mind went to the dark castle.When Rumpelstiltskin had first given her a rose.

She took the flower now with a small smile. Suddenly she was sure this was him. "Rumple?" She said softly and then shook her head embarrassed. Belle brought the rose to her nose and inhaled lightly. Of course it wasn't him. He was miles away.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

He for a moment thought she would leave yet she did not he was glad as he got to her, as she took the flower he bowed to her, a he returned her smile. He than heard her words her almost question as not fully sure it was him, yet wanting it to be him "Of course, dearie" He smirked more as he spoke on "For you I would be anyone you wished to night.... after all it is a party is it not..... even if I must take on the role of your husband, not that such a thing will change after tonight"

He watched he closely as much as he might wish to take her into his arms he held back not sure she would if she did not think it was really him. He of course had taken hold of her hand lightly placing a kiss after the word dearie, as he had looked at her before kissing her hand with his last words before moving to look at her in the eyes.

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

TO say that she was surpised would have been an understatement. She was stunned. Her mouth opened to speak but nothing came out. She shook her head again and a small smile formed on her lips that formed into a happy grin. She did not make a show of her emotions, however.

Belle's free hand came forward to the side of his face and caressed it over the mask before dropping to take his hand and stepping around him. "Dance with me, Husband." She said now.