spoilers, oh so many spoilers.

[seesbeauty]

[Belle is a wreck. She's scared, alone...and above all else, confused. She's wringing her hands around a shard of the broken cup, hidden within her grip and digging into her skin. The last thing she remembers before being shot...]

He told me that this Mister Gold would help me...that he would protect me. And now you keep telling me that, but--

Being back where I started, being shot and being harassed aren't what I would call help.

It's only a matter of time until she comes back for me. I can't go back in there, I can't.

Comments

[gild]

[ It takes a while to go and say anything. At all. To get past how fucking bad it hurts, porcelain shards digging under skin and scale and gods, he can't do this. ]

I... [ It wasn't harassment, I love you, and you loved me too in spite of everything and everyone and if true love were anything at all it would have worked. ] It was entirely... Out of line, miss, yes. I'm terribly sorry. Really and truly, I am.

The man who shot you will be dealt with, and you'll be protected, and. ...You won't have to deal with me at all. I'm leaving town, so. There's no need for worrying anymore.

[seesbeauty]

[The sight of him makes her tense up, the porcelain chip digging further into her hands. Any tighter and it might draw blood.

She has to physically stop herself from saying good. It's on the tip of her tongue, but she's calmed somewhat. She's almost lucid.]

I won't be protected here. I--I can only protect myself.

[gild]

[ He bites back a warning, watching those hands and not wanting any more damage to come to them, to her - too little, too damned late. ]

There's a few who can help with that. A woman, named Red, and another named Snow. They're... They will help you.

[seesbeauty]

[She hesitates, still holding that chip tight, unsure.]

...Why should I trust you?

[gild]

You'll not have to take my word for it. [ Something almost slips in at the end of that - dearie, sweetheart, love - but even his usual level of uncomfortable familiarity is too much now, certainly for her, after all he's done. ] Simply stick with them, they'll prove their own worth quick enough.

[hattergonnahat]

You're not going back. They won't allow that, now.

[seesbeauty]

How can you know that? I don't--I don't know any of them, I don't know you.

[hattergonnahat]

And if you did, you wouldn't need to ask.

[seesbeauty]

How you be so sure of that? [She's panicking, of course, and she has every reason to.] ...Why did you send me to him? Why did you even help me?

[hattergonnahat]

Because Regina's screwed enough people over. If anyone in this town could make her pay for what she's done, it's Gold.

And I know for a fact he'd never let anything happen to you, if he could help it.

[ He's just going to leave his own agenda out of this one. ]