i'm the master of my sea

LACEY FRENCH. 25. MOTHER. WAITRESS.

[hyperionlacey]

Sorry Not Sorry

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

It was simply arousing to see her massaging her own breasts, Michael wishing that they had more time so that it could be his hands on her rather than her own. Later, though. Later that evening if they were both in the mood for it he would take his sweet time and ensure every inch of her met his touch. Be it through his hands or his lips, he would worship her skin as she deserved. Now he knew what he thought was the truth, he felt terrible about how he’d reacted and was going to more than make it up to her.

A brief grunt at her touch to his cock, a little mewl of protest when his hand was no longer between her thighs and he was soon replacing it with a low curse and groan of pure pleasure. That hand from between her legs went between their bodies to cup and caress one of her breasts, his other hand gripping on to her body to help support her where she settled. 

Aware that they could both be rather vocal when intimate had Michael pressing his lips to hers, hoping that even if all they did was linger close, breath mingling together, it would help quieten the sounds that escaped them. His hips began to move, their bodies finding that rhythm together that had always been effortless and natural. Never had it felt forced or like they had a fumbling period of learning about each other’s bodies. It had just happened, and it was sign enough to him that this woman was the one for him.

The sensations rocked through her body, the sparks in her chest running right down to her centre as she massaged her chest, plucking at her nipples, her back rested against the wall behind her. She did feel terribly guilty about lying to him, she wished she hadn’t had to do so, but it was the only way she could keep the two of them together without him worrying that she was a loose canon, the only thing that could ensure they could still do this. Right now, with his memory lost, this was the time she felt closest to him, when he wasn’t calling her Lacey or feeling resentful that he wasn’t Gideon’s biological father when the opposite was true. The universal truth was blindingly clear when they were intimate like this, and that truth was that they loved each other.

So she clung to that little fact, greedily pressing her lips against his own and letting her moans melt into his lips. Her arms wrapped around his neck, clinging to him while he moved inside of her, a punishing and deep rhythm that had her keening, a breathy moan escaping her with each thrust. If he wasn’t muffling the sound with his mouth, then they definitely would have caught the attention of his colleagues, policemen often too nosy for their own good and a few would have come looking, if they weren’t careful. Belle did her best to be quiet, biting hard at her lip as she brought a hand between them, pushing her skirt higher so she could rub firmly at the bundle of nerves, fingertips brushing against his cock as he moved inside of her, in and out, in and out, the pleasure building within her. 

Her touch combined with his own, was a heady combination and she came with a muffled moan of his name, tightening around him and limbs trembling. It took all of her self control to moan out Michael, instead of Rumple, like she really wanted to. 

[hyperionlacey]

Sorry Not Sorry

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

Michael knew that they shouldn’t do this, that it was a dangerous move to make but in the position they were in they’d at least have a few seconds to look more presentable, or for him to bark at someone to get out. The spot he’d moved her to would give them privacy in more way than one and, so long as nobody saw them at it or had it on record, then it would be just fine. So he simply grinned at her words, a brief wink following.

With her undoing his shirt and sliding her hands down towards his belt, his own hands were snaking along her waist to begin bunching up her clothing a little. “Well, I’m just following your lead…” he replied with faux innocence, even if the look in his eyes said that he had quickly caught up with her idea here and was on board with them stealing a little time to be intimate together. “So really, it’s a question I should be directing to you…”

If she ignored everything that had gotten them to this point, including the lies she’d had to tell in order to fix things between them, then this was actually one of her fantasies come to life. Getting to be intimate with him in his place of work was always something she enjoyed, she had very fond memories of whenever they’d fucked against his desk while Rogers was out of the office but this was a step further, and it carried a deeper risk of getting caught. A part of her found that sexy, however, and she smirked at him when he winked at her, her hands tugging at his belt to undo it. Belle wouldn’t be able to get him naked, nor would she let him completely expose her, just in case anyone walked in. They might be aware of what they were doing but at least they wouldn’t see her boobs. 

‘‘Mm, so you want me to tell you what I want. I knew you liked being bossed around really...’‘ She grinned, his hands skimming along her waist and making her let out a breathy sound, goosebumps appearing on her flesh. The skirt she was wearing could easily be pushed up, her panties tugged off or pushed aside, and she knew they were on the same wavelength here. Belle didn’t push his shirt off of his shoulders, instead letting it hang open so she could tilt her head, lips pressing against his collarbone and mouthing hot kisses against his skin. Her hands dropped to his hips, holding him in place as she hummed, as if thinking it over, trying to decide what she wanted from him. 

Her lips travelled from his collarbone, up to his throat and to his ear, her breath hot against him. ‘’I want you to touch me until I’m trembling and then fuck me until the whole precinct knows that I’m yours.’’

[hyperionlacey]

Sorry Not Sorry

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

There wasn’t much he could deny Lacey, especially now when he felt guilty for how he’d behaved with her the night before when she’d been a victim of some asshole in the bar. So when she asked him for another kiss he murmured a quick ‘anything for you’ and did precisely that. A soft kiss that had him resting his hands tenderly on her waist so he could hold her close to him. Even when the kiss broke he lingered in close to her, not wanting to break that spell just yet.

His lips began to curve upwards as it became obvious to him just what Lacey was intending and, giving a brief bite to his bottom lip, Michael was putting his hands on to her waist to guide her just a few feet back and one to the left, a look of mischief in his eyes. “No camera coverage in this corner…” he replied, letting her know that if she did indeed have that in mind, then he would be open to it. So long as he wasn’t starring in a porno movie that security could watch, he would be content with that.

Her grin remained when he pushed her backwards gently, guiding her to a spot in the corner of a room, hiding them from the immediate view of the door in case anyone walking in and, the security cameras according to him. The feel of his hands gripping at her waist always filled her with warmth, knowing that if he applied just the right amount of pressure, it would leave those pink marks that she loved to see for a few hours afterwards. Whether it love-bites or scratch marks or bruises against her rear, she loved to see the evidence of their passion afterwards, knowing how intense and intimate it always was between them. Even before she’d had her memories, she’d felt that connection between them, and it’d been just as incredible. 

‘‘Mm, that’s convenient...’‘ Belle trailed off playfully, eyes lighting up as she felt the edge of a shelf pressing against her lower back, potentially the perfect height for her to sit on so they could make up the right way. Trying to hide her amusement, she gave him her best doe eyed look, hands sliding to toy with the buttons on his shirt, undoing the first couple so she had access to his chest. She knew she couldn’t undress him completely, just in case someone like Rogers did indeed walk in and risked seeing his peachy rear from behind, but she wanted to expose some skin to touch, lick and kiss. 

‘‘What’re you suggesting we do in this private corner, Mr Weaver?’‘ She questioned innocently, as if she hadn’t been the one to suggest making up in this manner, and wasn’t currently sliding her hands down towards his belt, toying with it. 

[hyperionlacey]

Sorry Not Sorry

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

Michael was at least glad that he knew what had gone on, even if not glad about what it was. It meant that he felt like Lacey wasn’t losing her marbles and he didn’t need to worry about her like that. Nor did he need to worry about the impact that may or may not have on Gideon. It still stung whenever he was reminded in any way that Gideon wasn’t technically his son, but he loved him as if he were and he swore Gideon loved him as if he were his Papa. That was ultimately what mattered, wasn’t it?

With her lingering in close to him, he was smiling softly, a brief sound coming from his lips. Though he did have work to do, terribly important work at that, he wouldn’t rush her out of there. If Gideon wasn’t with her he assumed he would be with Mrs. Potts which meant they had time to just talk, be close. Catch up after their missed time together. “No, I don’t have to,” he replied gently. At least if someone came along too they wouldn’t question her presence in there; he could easily talk about how they were discussing an old case. Perhaps even one relating to Gaston that she may have information on, or be able to recognise aspects of. Easily done.

There was no rush to get back to Mrs Potts, quite the opposite in fact. The other woman hadn’t looked after Gideon for a few weeks, both her and Michael had handled the childcare amongst themselves so one of them was with their boy the entire time which was good for him but his beloved and unofficial grandparent had missed him and scolded her - lightly, of course - for not coming to see her more often. Now they no longer lived across the hall it was more difficult to go and see her but it’d made her more resolved to see her more often, and she’d tell him about it later, when they were all at home together after their respective work days. Her little interruption might delay him a little, he may end up at work for longer but she hoped not. 

Her lips curved when he revealed he didn’t have to rush straight back into the precinct itself, hands sliding to cup the base of his neck, holding him just like he held her waist. ‘’Then kiss me again?’’ She requested lightly, leaning in so she could nip at his lip, teasing in how she did so. Now he no longer thought she was going crazy, they could get back to normal, they could resume their usual relationship and she wanted that. Belle didn’t want him to think too hard about what’d happened the night before, nor did she want him to have lingering thoughts about her drink potentially not being spiked. While she always appreciated his protectiveness and loved how he defended her, she didn’t want him to dig too deep into this. Perhaps another distraction was needed.

‘‘What’re the chances of us having, say, 15 minutes of uninterrupted time in here, hmm?’‘ Her question was light, playful and she let her hands slip down to begin to unbutton his shirt, caressing his shirt as she did so. 

[hyperionlacey]

Sorry Not Sorry

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

The stress he’d felt about the night before was gone, though he admittedly had replaced some of that with stress over her job. But he knew that this was essentially what she had to feel about his job, every single day and he had to respect that. He also had to respect if she wanted to do the job because she did with his choice too. He just worried about her, like she did with him, and he wanted nothing more than for her - and Gideon - to be safe. 

He smiled the moment they shared a kiss, albeit a brief one, and he was nuzzling back against her. To him, sometimes it was more intimate to just stand and hold each other, to share a quick nuzzle. Because whilst sex and even kissing said ‘I’m attracted to you’, doing something like nuzzling noses against each other said something much deeper. Something that said that they not only were attracted to each other, but loved each other too.

“I love you too,” he murmured, tilting his head to steal another kiss from her lips. Soft and slow, he took his time with this one, just wanting to share a connection and make up for the night they’d lost.

He would no doubt wonder where Gideon was at the moment, but he’d likely realise that there was only one person she really trusted with their boy and that was Mrs Potts. She trusted Alice too, of course, because she was an honorary big sister to the little boy but she didn’t really know whether he would after everything that had happened and it was better to be safe than sorry if her cursed persona was more unpredictable. Never did she ever think Alice would ever hurt her unofficial brother but this curse was cruel, she was on strange medications and Belle desperately wished she could help but she’d tried to help Rumple and even that had backfired so she knew she had to be careful and cautious.

Her lips curved into a smile when he spoke those words of love to her, meeting him for that gentle and loving kiss. They loved each other so much that it transcended any kind of curse, and they were still together no matter what. Belle’s hands gently raked through his hair, a soft sound of approval slipping from her lips as they kissed, and she lingered in close even when it broke, her forehead resting against his own.

‘‘You don’t have to be back to work straight away, do you?’‘ 

[hyperionlacey]

Sorry Not Sorry

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

She had a point and he knew he didn’t have any argument against it. He’d been shot in the line of duty - admittedly he didn’t blame his job for that, just the fact that Tilly had been off of her medication - but it was still something that he couldn’t argue had happened to him. He bore a scar on his chest, albeit a smaller one than there should have been thanks to his enhanced healing abilities, and that had to be a constant reminder to Lacey of what had happened to him. “Fair point,” he murmured, accepting and wishing that he could make her feel safer about his work, as he now wanted to feel about hers.

A slight tilt of his head and brief lopsided smile and he couldn’t really argue that she’d seemed pretty nuts last night. “Well, it was… concerning,” he admitted, his hands gradually moving further round her waist until he was pretty much embracing her. “If you’re sure…” he didn’t sound it, but he wouldn’t pressure her. He would definitely see about Mrs. Potts babysitting a few nights when he was off though so he could go to the bar and observe people himself just to be sure nobody was trying anything in there.

Law enforcement was the last occupation she’d expected for him, even under a curse, but she supposed it did make sense in some ways. Rumple had a very protective nature, he might try and act unbothered but he always did try to protect the innocent - particularly women and children - and he was certainly good at solving a mystery. If nothing else, she very much enjoyed seeing him with his gun and badge and it was a fantasy she’d never really known she had until now. Naturally, she always worried for him and she felt anxiety whenever she knew he was working, because she knew that curse or no curse, he was working the job of a cop and he could come face to face with anything during the day. Tilly had been off her meds but there was nothing to say he couldn’t come against someone much worse. 

His lopsided smile had her chuckling, at least relieved they could chuckle about it now and put it behind them. It had meant lying but it’d been her only option, and she was sure he’d understand when he knew what was truly going on. ‘’I’m sorry,’’ Belle spoke earnestly, arms sliding from his chest to slip around his neck, bringing him closer to her so she could peck her lips against his own in a gentle and brief kiss between them. Her heart was so relieved that they could be close again, that he wasn’t holding this again her or acting oddly with her. They had each other, and that was the most important thing. 

‘‘I’m sure. I love you.’‘ She confirmed gently as she nuzzled her nose against his own, lingering in close.

[hyperionlacey]

Sorry Not Sorry

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

He was wracked with guilt for how he had reacted to her and now he felt fully determined to do all he could to make it right with her now. He was fully convinced by this, fully sure that this was the truth of the matter. It did surprise him that she didn’t want him to get some sort of justice and was about to argue that before her hands were on his chest. Just as she wanted it to be soothing it was. He was still on edge but now more about what had happened to her than anything else, but not quite as badly as before.

“I don’t like the thought of you there…” he admitted, moving in closer still to move his hands from her shoulders, down to her middle so he could loosely embrace her. “I’m sorry I was such an asshole with you about everything. Are you feeling okay now? I swear, just say the word and I’ll find who did it…” he would do anything to protect Lacey, whatever it took, and he didn’t want her to be in danger. If she wanted to quit working at the bar over it all then he would encourage it and be perfectly fine with it. He had money, and they could always find her other work. Safer work.

With his arms sliding around her waist, Belle felt the issues between them evaporate, knowing he would no longer worry that she was crazy. It hurt, because she was lying to both him and herself about it all, and she truly just wanted him to know what was going on around them but clearly he wasn’t ready to see the truth yet. She needed that dagger, to try and find out where it was so hopefully it might jog his memory and even if it didn’t, it would stop anyone else being able to use it against him. Too many people had done that, they’d hurt him and she wouldn’t let it happen as long as she was alive. 

‘’Your job is infinitely more dangerous than mine, and I just about manage to let you come to work everyday.’’ She reminded softly, hand rubbing against where she knew his gun shot wound to be, not arguing but simply offering her own point of view - he’d been shot because of his own job, he dealt with dangerous criminals all the while and she swallowed her fear. Belle missed the library, yes, but she didn’t mind working at the bar, not when it brought a decent wage home, it gave her the ability to see what was going on with everyone in the city and it was her cover. She wanted to work, to provide for her family, and she was doing that. Even if Michael was worried, she had to admit it was also much safer than hustling and playing pool to make money like Lacey had once done. 

Dragging in a soft breath, she gave a nod of her head, managing a half smile. ‘’I forgive you as long as you forgive me for acting like a looney. I must have been reading too many fairytales to Gideon, hmm?’’ It was a good excuse, it was believable, even if she felt her skin crawl at having to claim it was all a lie. It felt like a betrayal, but there wasn’t much she could do. ‘’I’m okay and honestly, I just want to forget it. They probably did it so quickly that we wouldn’t catch it on the CCTV anyway, right?’’

[hyperionlacey]

Sorry Not Sorry

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

Michael would have to admit that he didn’t want things to be like this between them either. It was awkward and uncomfortable, something he wasn’t used to at all with her. Even in the early days when they’d both been rougher around the edges he’d felt a sense of comfort with her. He’d never felt awkward with her but last night and right now, he did. He didn’t quite know how to handle that, nor did he quite know how to fix it. Other than talking, which wasn’t something he felt prepared for just yet. It seemed though that he had to become prepared for it, one way or another.

As Lacey continued on, concern washed over him and he forgot the frustration and doubts, instead stepping in closer to put his hands gently on to her upper arms as he tried to take a good look at her. “Oh God, I should have known something like that had happened…and there I was, being an asshole about it all. I’m so sorry. Do you want me to review the tapes from the bar? I can find whoever put something in those drinks, make them pay for it.” With his own private brand of justice on this occasion. Someone had put something in to a drink, she’d been drugged and now he needed to find who did it and punish them for it. 

A soft breath left her when he stepped in closer, gently touching at her upper arms. She did feel terribly guilty that she was lying to him about this, not telling the truth about the situation, but she knew it was a necessary evil in order to fix the awkwardness between them, to salvage their relationship after what had happened last night. A forlorn looked tugged at her face, and she glanced down at the floor before looking up again, her hands gently going to rest against his chest, touching him and soothing him. ‘’I-- it’s okay, I didn’t realise at first. It was only this morning when I thought about it, you know? I should have known why it tasted off, I should have done something...’’ Belle knew that was a good excuse as to why she’d acted so erratic, why she’d said such crazy things and and it stopped him thinking that she was some kind of lunatic. 

Belle quickly shook her head, stroking his hands over her chest to try and soothe him, to stop him from getting worked up. She wanted him to forgive her but she didn’t want him to go out and play vigilante, especially when it didn’t actually happen. ‘’No, no, honestly, it’s fine. I don’t want to make a big deal of it, okay? I’m angry at myself for letting it happen.’’ Lacey would always know to be vigilant and careful, after all, but she’d of had to let it slip this time, she’d have to claim she hadn’t paid enough attention and simply presumed there was something wrong with the beer pump at the time but in reality, it’d made her hallucinate and say crazy things. 

‘‘At least I came home, right? I don’t even wanna think what would have happened if I’d been working at the bar all night...’‘

[hyperionlacey]

Sorry Not Sorry

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

He eyed her curiously and sighed a moment, reaching up to rub at his eyes tiredly. He felt exhausted after last night and he hated that they were like that right now but after what had happened he felt restless all night, and he did too today. Until they were settled once more he knew he would be on edge. Yet he didn’t feel like now was the place or the time to discuss everything from last night. Truth be told, he didn’t know what to even begin to say.

“Couldn’t we have just talked at home later?” he asked, frowning briefly. He didn’t like that she’d put herself - and him, for that matter - at risk like this. Being in there without an officer, without permission, was dangerous. She could have been arrested and he could be in some serious trouble at work. It was just good fortune really that it had been him that 

Still, when she turned those eyes on him like that there wasn’t much he could do to resist her and it was with a sigh that he was taking a step in closer to her. “…alright. But why were you saying all of that? Why were you– do you really believe it? I need to know that.” He needed to know if she was crazy or not, as simple as that.

It was convoluted and maybe didn’t make complete sense, but it wasn’t entirely suspicious either. It was odd, yes, but he at least didn’t tell her that he didn’t believe her and she felt a small flash of relief. A very, very small one, that was. ‘’I-- I couldn’t wait. I didn’t want things to be like this between us.’’ She admitted nervously, which was one hundred percent true. Belle hated this distance between them, these lies and secrets with so many things left unsaid. But she’d tried to say those words, to tell him those truths, and it’d left them like this, with the situation having blown up in her face and her having to try and salvage it before he threw her in some kind of institution. 

Belle had known he didn’t believe her, but it stung to have it confirmed and to have him speak to her as if he thought what she’d said was crazy. Maybe it sounded that way, but it was the truth and she wasn’t any closer to explaining that to him. For now, she simply had to do the last thing she wanted to do; and admit defeat. Her face fell as he asked his question, and she quickly shook her head, looking down at the floor. ‘’I-- no, of course not. I can hardly even remember all of the things I said last night, Michael. I just know that we fought, I sounded like a looney and my head has been spinning all night.’’ She admitted weakly, looking forlorn and upset, which wasn’t an act. Her words weren’t entirely true but the emotions were. 

‘‘I don’t even know what happened. I don’t know what came over me. I know you’ll think I was drunk, but I wasn’t. I couldn’t have been. I had a glass of wine at home and a beer at the bar, and I didn’t even drink all of that. It tasted off so I threw it away and changed the barrel before coming home.’‘ Her nose wrinkled as if remembering the odd taste, and she swallowed down any guilt she might have felt about lying. If he thought she’d acted crazily because someone had spiked her drink then he’d be angry and protective, but his anger wouldn’t be directed towards her and they’d be okay again, until she could wake him up. 

[hyperionlacey]

Sorry Not Sorry

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

Michael would have jumped out of his skin were he not a little more composed than that but he was still visibly shocked at the fact that he wasn’t alone in the evidence room. Even more so to see who precisely it was in there with him. Someone who could get in some real trouble for being in there on her own, without having a law related reason for being there. With a shocked look in his eyes, it fell in to place why he couldn’t find his keycard with his badge when he’d looked for it earlier. Lacey clearly had it, because how else had she ended up in there?

“Lacey what are– did you– you can’t be in here, Lacey,” he stuttered through his thoughts and, giving a glance around realised he’d have to do some work with security later to erase any tapes that caught her doing lord knew what in there. Maybe something he’d ask Rogers to do as he had a better relationship with that particular department. It wouldn’t be good to involve Rogers but at the same time he was the one cop in that whole place that he had some sort of trust in. 

If she’d been caught in here by anyone else, it could have spelled serious trouble and she supposed it was lucky that it was Michael over anyone else but she still had to think on her feet. A breath left her when he pointed out the obvious that she couldn’t be in there, her nose wrinkling as she stepped forward, into the light where he could see her more clearly. ‘’I... know, I know, okay?’’ She managed breathily, looking across at him with a guilty expression on her face. She truly did feel guilty about everything, she hated that this was happening between the two of them and she wanted to hold their relationship together, at least long enough for the curse to break.

The cogs were turning around quickly in her mind, trying to think of a good enough excuse for her to be there, especially if he knew she had taken his key card. That was perhaps a harder one to explain and she stuttered briefly, trying to keep it together. ‘’I wanted to see you. I was about to text you, get you to meet me in here so we could talk properly. I know it sounds crazy but your office is hardly private, is it?’’ He shared it with Rogers and although they’d locked the door a few times, shutting his partner out so they could be intimate, it was a good enough excuse to hopefully be believable to him right now. 

A sigh and she stepped forward, brushing a hand through her chestnut curls and looking at him with doe eyes. ‘’I wanted to talk to you about last night, to say sorry...’’ 

[hyperionlacey]

Sorry Not Sorry

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

The night had been restless without Lacey by his side. Michael had grown so used to being with her and having her there that her absence was noticed. But he was too stubborn to go and find her, to ask her to sleep next to him that night. He didn’t understand what was going on, he couldn’t understand why she was saying what she was but he could only hope that morning would bring some clarity to things. If she was still determined to go along with this story then he would be interested to see just how she could prove it. He didn’t have any ideas. He didn’t know about the dagger, he didn’t even think of things like a DNA test to prove what she was saying about Gideon. None of that came to mind because he was so set on what he saw as the truth in the world. Especially where Gideon was concerned. In his mind the first time he’d met her had been that day in the street when Gideon was already very much alive. Not some random night before to conceive the boy. That was where she absolutely lost him on this; Gideon wasn’t his by blood, but he loved him as if he were.

When the boy came to him in the morning he was happy to scoop him up in to his tired arms, sorting his breakfast out and feeding him, even getting the boy dressed and ready for the day. With him, he was absolutely normal’ taking care of him, tickling him and making him smile which in turn had Michael smiling. He couldn’t deny that the bond he and Gideon had was immediate and that he loved him. That was undeniable.

It was strained with Lacey which he didn’t like at all but as he left for work that morning he resolved to throw himself in to his efforts in trying to understand just what was going on around him. He went through some old files and, after realising he’d somehow left his keycard at home was borrowing Roger’s to go in to the evidence room so that he could look through old files and boxes in there. Anything unclaimed, anything in unsolved cases; anything that might point him in a direction that he hoped made some sort of sense. 

So as he swiped the card and opened the first door and then the second to enter the evidence room, he did so with no knowledge at all of the fact that he wasn’t the only person in there right now.

As she stepped inside the evidence room, Belle quickly began searching amongst the boxes, with no real idea of what she was looking for. Well, she knew exactly what she was looking for so that wasn’t entirely correct, but she had no idea where the dagger would be. She didn’t even know whether it would actually be in the evidence lock up, but Belfrey had taunted him, seemed to suggest it might be linked to one of his cases and that meant it had to be around somewhere, surely? That was the thought she clung to as she searched through the boxes, trying to be quiet and pray no-one was watching the cctv tapes right now. 

She was hidden behind one of the stacks when she heard the door click open, her eyes widening as she tried to hide, wanting to see who it was. Her heart practically sank when she realised that it was the exact man she hadn’t wanted to see, not just yet. He needed that evidence, she needed to find the dagger in order to try and produce something, yet here he was, and he was going to realise she was up to something if she didn’t think fast on her feet. Visiting him at the station was something she did regularly, but she didn’t often hide out in the evidence room.

Dragging in a deep breath, Belle figured it would look better if she revealed herself, and she stepped out from behind one of the large shelves, brushing a hand over her skirt. ‘’...Hey.’’ 

[hyperionlacey]

Sorry Not Sorry

The night before had been a nightmare. Their conversation went round and round in her head, taunting her all night long as she tried to sleep in the rocking chair beside Gideon’s bed, to no real avail. Her boy had woken up half way through the night and he likely would have settled himself off to sleep but since she was right next to him, she ended up bringing him out of his cot and cuddling him close, rocking him gently. He had grown out of breast-feeding by this point, he only tended to have a bottle of normal milk in the morning and before bed now and she had to admit she missed nursing him, even more so now she had all their previous memories together - she held the memories of Rumple holding both of them as she’d nursed for the first time very closely in her heart. Holding Gideon close and rocking him back to sleep helped soothe her in some way and by the time they both woke, it was nearing 8 o’clock in the morning.

Belle was absolutely dreading seeing Michael, but she knew she couldn’t really avoid him when they lived together. She was still undecided on how to deal with the situation so she let Gideon lead, letting him totter out of the room to find his Papa while she went for a shower. It gave them time together while she had an excuse to not talk to him, biding her time until she’d decided the right course of action. He had work that day so by the time she got out of the shower, damp hair loose against her shoulders, it was almost time for him to go and there were very few words said between them as he walked out the door. It made her heart pang to have that kind of distance between them but she was still upset he didn’t believe her.

Of course, she didn’t really blame him. Without evidence, she probably did sound like a crazy person and it made her even more determined to find the evidence they needed. Primarily, his dagger. If she had that, she could protect him from Belfrey or the witch, stopping them from controlling him and it also might help jog his memory if he saw it. She clung to that hope and all throughout her shower, a plan had formed in her mind. A plan that had her swiping one of Michael’s key cards from his bag before he left that morning, and one that involved her calling Mrs Potts to see if she would take care of Gideon for a few hours. She agreed so once they were up and dressed, she took the boy over there and then headed straight to the precinct. 

But this time, she wasn’t there to see Michael, not quite yet. She kept her head down as she entered, sneaking past the receptionist and heading to where she knew the evidence room was. Belle knew she needed to fly under the radar and it had her cautious, avoiding people until she reached the locked room. With the key card, she swiped it and let out a sigh of relief when the door unlocked, letting her step inside so she could search for the dagger. 

[detective-weaver]

Compounding Confusion

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

It was all ridiculous but if Lacey could prove it - or Belle, or whatever the hell she wanted him to call her - then great. But until then he couldn’t get on board with it. Whilst it might explain some things he was seeing and experiencing he still couldn’t go with it as fact. People were meant to stop believing in fairy stories when they grew up and he had done. Not that he could remember when or how he had done, but he at least knew that right now, as a grown man, he didn’t believe in it all.

He did however worry for her sanity and, be default, for Gideon. He just had to keep an eye on her, to ensure that she didn’t take this fantasy too far. If she did, and he felt like Gideon was at risk, he genuinely didn’t know what he was going to do about it. A bridge he’d cross when he got there, if he had to. He sincerely hoped he didn’t.

“You too,” he replied simply. The ball was in her court; if she felt like she could prove it then she needed to do whatever it was to do so. Until then, he was entering their bedroom and bathroom, readying himself and soon getting in to bed. Restless but determined to put this day behind him, he lay in bed and exhaled heavily; this was a mess, and a mess he wasn’t quite sure how to wade out of.

Now he didn’t believe her and seemed so sceptical, she wasn’t entirely sure how to move forward. He would think she was crazy, there was the potential for things to be incredibly awkward if she didn’t find some kind of evidence but she’d been trying. Desperately, for weeks, and nothing had come of it. True love’s kiss hadn’t worked, neither had his connection to Gideon and she’d even tried making him carry around her little white elephant key chain for a few days, hoping it might make something flash in his mind but it hadn’t. He was so deep under that she felt utterly lost, and it was incredibly isolating, even more so now she’d tried and failed to make him understand.

It left her quickly wiping away tears as he walked away from her, feeling utterly devastated that there was this new wedge between them. A new obstacle, something else to deal with when she wasn’t sure she had the strength right now. Belle was scared for her husband, scared for her son and she feared for what might happen if he continued to be so deeply under the curse. She knew he’d tried to put something in place to protect his power and his sense of self, he’d given it to Tilly while he’d given her the gift of being with their son and she hadn’t minded that. Tilly - or Alice, rather - had strong powers that he’d been helping her cultivate, guiding her like a father and they both trusted she’d do her best to wake him up but her cursed persona was trapped underneath a fog of medication right now. There was no-one she could rely on for help. 

Holding back a sob, she poured the rest of the bottle of wine down the sink before making her way down the hallway to their bedrooms. She paused outside their room, hand resting on the door handle with the temptation to go right in but she changed her mind quickly, not feeling ready for another debate. Instead she went further, walking quietly into Gideon’s room so she could sit on the rocking chair by his bed side, resolving to stay right there for the night. 

[detective-weaver]

Compounding Confusion

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

He just looked at her and took in then exhaled a heavy breath. Crazy might not be the correct word to use but it felt like it was close right now. He couldn’t think of anything else that suited how she was behaving, what she was saying. Especially when she brought Tilly in to it. “No, Tilly shot me because she was off of her meds,” he replied flatly. Tilly was much better when on them, no confusion clouding her mind. She was a calmer person, someone who saw the world for the real one they lived in. As far as he was concerned, that was all it was. Which was why he’d never been angry at her. It wasn’t her fault, it was the fact that she hadn’t been on her medication and he would never hold that against her. 

Another sigh and he was lifting his arms out to the side before dramatically letting them flop against himself. “I don’t know. I don’t know. But you’ve changed your tune on that woman all of a sudden, just because of this madness,” he knew Lacey as hating Belfrey and now she was saying she was right in regards to something so crazy? Even that was throwing him through a loop too.

“Prove it and I’ll believe it. But until then? I’m done tonight. I’m going to bed. If you join me, it’s not to talk about this.” He knew it was early and he hadn’t even eaten anything but he was truly just that done with this conversation. It was ludicrous and as far a leap as he could take for Lacey, this felt like a step too far. Indulging some crazy fantasy wasn’t loving her, no. It was encouraging her to do something he was seeing as mentally damaging. To her, and to Gideon if she fed him these ideas too as he grew up.

A breath of protest left her, wanting to retort that Tilly didn’t need her medication. She’d always been a little bit eccentric, yes, with an imagination that could run wild but Belle had loved those qualities about the girl who she considered to be one of her own. Rumple had brought the girl into their home, and she’d been a little unsure at first but soon enough her infectious personality and sweet nature had won her heart over quickly. Gideon, too. The boy had absolutely adored her and still loved it when he got to see her. 

By the time the curse had hit, Tilly had travelled with them and she’d been more like their adoptive daughter, a sibling to Gideon and a girl they both loved dearly. She was part of the family, and now she could see that she’d just been trying to wake Rumple up by shooting him.  ‘‘Tilly-- Tilly was trying to wake you up. The only time she spoke sense was when she wasn’t on her medication.’‘ Belle protested even if she knew it was no real use, he wasn’t about to listen to her even with how much she protested. It had her sighing, tears stinging her eyes as she fought them not to fall. 

Her mouth opened to protest, wanting to retort that she wasn’t lying, that she was telling the truth about it all but she knew he wasn’t going to listen to her at all. He was going to get into their bed and she wasn’t sure she could join him, not when she felt so hurt by his attitude. All she could do was purse her lips together, unable to retort anything because she knew it wouldn’t help. All she could do was watch him as he walked away from her to their room, refusing to apologise for her words when she felt so strongly about them. 

‘‘...You do what you have to do.’‘

[detective-weaver]

Compounding Confusion

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

To him she certainly seemed drunk right now. Coming out with these fantasies as if she believed them, talking to him as if they had more history than they did. He wished that it were true, that he and Lacey were connected like that and Gideon was his son in every single sense of the word. But it wasn’t true. He lived in the real world and lived by evidence. He couldn’t take a leap of faith or believe in her fantasies simply because for him, that’s all they were.

As she became more steadfast in what she was telling him was ‘the truth’ he became more defensive and took a few steps back, shaking his head all the while. “Just sto–stop it. Stop it.” He replied, firmly with his final exclamation of it. “Can’t you hear how crazy that sounds? I know Roni can be a bitch but an evil Queen?” he scoffed, lifting a hand to shake that around the air, as if saying no, that’s nonsense. 

He watched her scramble away and back, waving the cup in his face like Tilly had done and he exhaled heavily, both hands now gesturing towards it. “It’s just a cup. It was just a cup when Tilly waved it at me, and it’s just a cup now.” To him, a cup wasn’t proof of what she was saying. It was just a cup, nothing more. He couldn’t explain why he’d felt like he did need to repair it but a lot went on these days that he couldn’t explain. Even still, even with not being able to explain things he couldn’t believe that such a nonsensical story was the truth.

“I tell you what; really prove this to me. If you can, great. But otherwise, I don’t want to talk about this because this is crazy. I’m not– I’ve had a long day of dealing with crazy stories and theories. I don’t need that at home, too.”

It hurt her even more when he stepped further back, holding the chipped cup in her hands with an upset expression on her face. Deep down, she knew that she shouldn’t of been surprised that he was so doubtful but it still wounded her. A part of her had still hoped that he’d be more receptive, that he’d maybe even humour her and open himself up to the idea but he was becoming more and more irate and it left her concerned that it was all spiralling out of her hands. ‘’I’m not crazy. Don’t call me that.’’ She snapped quickly, nose wrinkling in distaste at that word. It reminded her too much of when she’d lost her own memories and resumed a blank cursed identity, with no idea of who she was. 

He barely even looked at the cup and it had her groaning in frustration, shaking her head. ‘’No! Tilly was trying to wake you up as well, she shot you because she thought that it would wake you up somehow, I know that now...’’ She trailed off, a pleading edge to her voice. She knew that Tilly had just been trying to do what she could, and she could certainly understand the girls frustration. 

‘‘I-- right now, I can’t. I’ve tried so hard to break this curse and get you to remember who you are but you just... you aren’t.’‘ She became quite tearful at that, eyes glassy as she considered all the ways she’d attempted to get him to remember the truth, still so upset that it hadn’t worked. He was so level headed, so determined to have facts and evidence, that he wasn’t remotely open to this idea. ‘‘But just ask yourself - why would so many people keep talking about this other life, this other reality, if it wasn’t true? What Belfrey is talking about... it’s true.’‘ 

[detective-weaver]

Compounding Confusion

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

“No, Lacey. Storybooks are just that; stories. They’re not real, they’re not true. Please, just get a glass of water and go to sleep,” he replied firmly, not buying in to this. It was the fact she was so insistent about Gideon that bothered him the most right now. It didn’t just bother him, though. It hurt. It hurt because that was something he didn’t ever have a real chance at and it was like she was taunting him. That the lad he loved as his own wasn’t ever going to truly be his. However much he loved Gideon, they’d never have that blood bond.

He wished that it were true. That Gideon was his, that they had this amazing connection that crossed over some curse but he just couldn’t take that leap of faith. He was a cop, he worked on evidence and though she had a compelling argument about how Gideon had settled with him he couldn’t put it together like that. “If you want me to call you Belle, if that’s the name you want then alright, I can get on board with that. But the rest is… it’s just a fantasy. There’s no evidence. No proof. It’s just a story from a book.” He shrugged then, reaching up to rub at his forehead with his fingertips. It was just too much for him and he couldn’t go with it. Today had been an insane day and this was the craziest evening. It was all just a little much for him to take right now.

The firmness of his tone had her flinching, hating that he was so incapable of listening to her when she desperately needed him to. She knew it was a difficult concept to accept but if he just tried, if he opened his heart and trusted her, then this conversation wouldn’t be so damn difficult. ‘’I’m not drunk!’’ Belle retorted back, exasperated that he continued to think that. Yes, the half an empty bottle of wine on the counter could be an indication that she potentially could be but she wasn’t. She knew her limits and Lacey’s love of hard liquor meant that she wasn’t even really tipsy. It’d just given her the dutch courage she needed to start this conversation and honestly, she was majorly regretting it in that moment. 

A groan of frustration left her and she threw her hands out to the side in a gesture, looking at him. ‘’I’m telling the truth. Roni, she’s the Evil Queen and she adopted your grandson, Henry Mills, when he was a baby and he helped her become a better person. Jacinda, she’s Cinderella and Rogers, he’s Captain Hook. Don’t you ever wonder why he doesn’t have a bloody hand?’’ Her words left her in a ramble, a slightly wild look in her eyes but it was all due to anger and frustration, making her heart pound in her chest. It was so upsetting to her that Rumple, or Michael in this case, was being so obtuse and refusing to accept the truth here. 

 He was right that there was little proof but an idea sparked in her head and she rounded the counter, reaching to grab the chipped cup that he’d repaired and she’d settled in the window sill. Holding it in her hand and waving it towards him, she tried hard not to cry that this hadn’t gone the way she’d wanted it to. ‘’This cup is my proof. I chipped this in your castle all those years ago and it’s been a symbol of our love ever since. That’s why you brought it home with you. You were drawn to it, I know you were.’’ 

[detective-weaver]

Compounding Confusion

[hyperionlacey]

detective-weaver‌:

With his brows furrowing as he looked at her, Michael was utterly clueless as to what to do here. Lacey was talking crazy, acting as if a fantasy world were real and whilst he would play along for Gideon’s sake when reading to the lad, this was a whole other kettle of fish. It had his hand dropping away from her as he sighed, shaking his head as he gestured that he needed a little space right now. “Lace…” he began, exhaling again as he gestured between them. Suddenly he didn’t even want his beer any longer and was putting it down on the kitchen side, a slight twist to his neck as if trying to get a knot out which was forming thanks to stress.

“Look, we’re not even engaged yet, alright? I’m planning on it, so if this is a way of finding that out, well, there.” He grimaced though as she spoke of Gideon, a clear sadness crossing his face. “No matter how much we both want that to be true, it isn’t. He’s my lad, yes, but not– we don’t have blood. But that doesn’t matter, does it? I love him all the same.” They hadn’t even met until that fateful day where he’d seen her across the street so being Gideon’s biological father was, unfortunately, in his eyes utterly impossible.

“I’m not in the mood for this. If you’re trying to conjure up some sexy roleplay, I’m too tired and I don’t want to fantasise that I’m some crazy sorcerer, alright?”

Her eyes widened slightly when he stepped away from her, her hands dropping down to her sides as her heart clenched painfully. It hurt, it really did, that he was pulling away from her right now when she was quite possibly allowing herself to be the most vulnerable she’d ever been while in Hyperion Heights. She was baring the truth to him, trying to be as honest as she could be but instead, he was throwing it back in her face, he wasn’t listening to her or believing her at all. ‘’My name is Belle.’’ She pointed out with a sigh, reaching a hand to rub against her forehead to try and starve off a headache that was undoubtedly coming from the stress rising within her. Maybe it’d been a bad idea to tell him, but she wasn’t sure how to go back now so perhaps she had to just hammer it home.

A breath left her as he revealed he wanted to marry her, probably even had a ring knowing him, and she felt her heart constrict painfully. ‘’I know that this doesn’t make sense to you and it’s heart to believe but I promise you I’m telling the truth. We got married in the forest under the moonlight and it was beautiful. Gideon is your son by blood, I swear. I think that’s why he was so drawn to you in the beginning and how he’d only settle when I brought him to your place - because he knows that you’re his Dad.’’ Now she was looking back, thinking about the time they’d spent in Seattle under the curse, she had begun to sense that her clever boy hadn’t been cursed like everyone else. He was just an infant, whoever had casted this curse hadn’t bothered to make sure a small baby was under and he wasn’t. He’d know his Papa from the moment he’d seen him. 

His words had her sighing, shaking her head and trying to reach out for him, touching his arm. ‘’Will you just listen to me, please?’’ She pleaded, almost tearful. ‘’I’m telling you the truth. I’m Belle, you’re Rumplestiltskin and Henry Mills’ storybook is completely true.’’