ten_fwd | Family Business. [Action]

Closed to: Whoever has access to Rumplestiltskin's room.
You know what kind of beast you're dealing with.

Those words seemed to echo throughout her mind as she appears on the Enterprise. Belle's vision hasn't clearly yet and she isn't aware that she left the Snow Queen's cave. There was something entrapping her mind to the image of that mirror and it takes a few seconds for her to finally snap out of it, dagger dropping from her hands and clattering to the floor. Instantly Belle's hand shoots up to grip at her heart. Odd twists pain strike her there but it isn't physical. She scrambles to the floor, dropping down to her knees to retrieve the dagger and stow it back in her coat as she starts to sob.

She's angry and resentful and just plain pissed off? The dagger is fake. She should have known from the start that he wouldn't give her his main source of power. Why would he? He loved power more than he loved anything else. But if she's being honest with herself that's not why she's upset. She's upset because she couldn't resist the urge to use it like everyone else.

Belle doesn't deserve the pity she wants for herself nor does she expect to get it any time soon. How does one start to atone for violating the trust of someone they love? It's then somewhere between her own misplaced sorrow and hatred for being so weak that she finally notices the room. Where in the world is she? Blue eyes scan across her surroundings looking for something familiar but she finds nothing. This wasn't the cave she left? "Hello? Hello!" She pushes herself off the ground, wiping her eyes.

What right does she have to cry? This is her fault the exact same way Anna was her fault. Well roomies of Rumple or frequent visitors you have a Belle wandering around poking through stuff. Try not to be alarmed she doesn't bite.

Open:

Once she acclimated a little to the ship she found her way to the lounge and immediately takes a seat at the bar. Maybe she is channeling the cursed version of herself but she thinks she could use a drink. It's just too bad that Belle doesn't have a taste for alcohol at all. In fact, she hates most hard liquor but enjoys most wine. "Do you have anything red?" She inquires, trying her best to wear a polite smile that only wavers once the bartender is gone.

Maybe the lounge isn't that crowded but it's a sea of faces she doesn't recognize at all. Some of them are even different species but she doesn't want to ask about that. Such questions seem. . .rude.

But at least she can ask one to a friendly neighbor at the bar: "Can you tell me about where I am? Someone said this was called the Enterprise. What exactly does that mean?"

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"Oh, Belle." His tone is pained, but more because it hurts to hear her say those things about herself. "Don't believe anything that mirror showed you. You're not a coward. A coward wouldn't do what you did to save your people. I know cowardice....a little too well really, and you... you are in no way a coward." He reached to take her hands within his, his thumb stroking the side of one of them.

"And I don't believe you're easy to manipulate, you don't let anyone tell you what to do or what not to do. You said it yourself once. You decide your own fate, no one else. Not me, not your father, just you. I love you because you're an intelligent beautiful woman who makes me want to be better than I am. You find the goodness hidden within people and bring it out and when it isn't there...you create it." His eyes fall down to where their hands are joined and he sighs softly.

"Are you certain you want me to use magic to block those memories? I doubt I need to remind you that magic does come at a price. Even small magics like this...."

Edited 2014-12-29 07:21 (UTC)

Isn't she? She believed him that the dagger he gave her was real. It's poisonous that she still questions whether or not it is. The amount of distrust that mirror brought up about their relationship isn't something she thinks she can face right now. However running away from her problems won't solve anything either. In fact, erasing those memories probably makes her coward in the end. She can't even deal with the consequences of her own actions. Belle squeezes his hands, her gaze drifting back up to his. "You're always so kind." Not always, but she knew he was capable. "Thank you." She says softly, with a sad smile.

"I want to tell you something before I make a decision one way or the other. Maybe you won't understand it now but--I'm sorry. I am truly, deeply sorry and I hope I can earn the right to keep being seen the way that you described." She gulps back the nervous lump in her throat. "What's the price?"

Assuming he knows what it might be at all. She's sorry she betrayed his trust, and if she could make that right she would. Would he still look at her the same way if he was from her point in time? She doubts it which is what makes this moment something she wants to cling to, hoping to keep it if this closeness they share ever goes away.

She was right, he didn't understand why she apologized like that, the thought that she believed that she could lose the right to be seen the way he'd described her was painful, but he kept his protests to himself. He suspected they'd do nothing but aggravate this situation. Instead he merely gives her a sad smile before turning his thoughts back to the magic she wants him to do.

"I've never...really done what you're asking before. I mean-- I've erased memories before with potions. But those removed every memory dealing with a certain event or span of time. I'm not certain what the price will be for being selective and only blocking away part of a set of memories."

To be honest, while he would gladly help her forget, he doesn't really want to risk doing it with magic. Yet, he said he would and thus if she wants to risk it...he'll do it.

"If it is too much...I'll undo it. We'll find another way to help you forget if this doesn't work out."

Edited 2014-12-29 08:35 (UTC)

Talking about it might not aggravate the situation but she does appreciate that he doesn't pry any further. Best he only has to experience what she has done the one time rather than her rehashing it for him to expect when he returns. Well, he won't expect it but why make him carry the weight of it here? It's now become very apparent she'll have to hide the dagger herself to accomplish that which could get difficult considering they will be living together.

"If you're sure it's reversible once they've been taken I don't see a problem with trying." It worries her some that he doesn't know what the potential consequences are but she is asking a lot. Belle tends to stray away from asking Rumple to use his powers for her because so many others come seeking his help as desperate souls. She didn't want to be another transaction even if that's how he acquired her in the Enchanted Forest.

"I'll leave it up to your discretion when and if it should be undone since, I suppose, I won't remember asking? I'm not sure how this works either." She gives a nervous chuckle. "But I trust you."

"You'll remember asking, you just won't remember what you wanted to forget." There's a small smile at that and his mind briefly remembered a brief conversation about his own desire to forget something and when asked what he'd wanted to forget, he'd claimed to have forgotten. Of course in this case, she truly would have forgotten.

That last line however both pleases and hurts. He's happy that she trusts him this much and yet it hurts in a sense because he suspects he doesn't deserve that trust. What if he ended up abusing it? He didn't need to hurt her anymore than he had already.

There's no choice now but to follow through on her wishes and hope that when it came to paying for this bit of magic, he was the one who paid, not her. "When do you want it done?"

An interesting paradox that will make. Either way she has mulled it over in her mind and she is more okay with this as a decision if it means it can be reversed should there be adverse effects. At the end of the day she is coward for not being able to face the darker sides of her life, but she will one day, won't she? That feels like an excuse. "Alright."

"If it's fine to do now then I'll get it over with." She smiles reassuringly. "I know it won't solve anything but I have a lot to adjust to as it is." Baby steps. "Is that alright with you?"

In a sense it wasn't, but he'd be something of a hypocrite if he refused to let her take the easy road out, when he often tried to do the same thing at times. He had said he'd help her and if this was how she wanted to be helped, so be it. Hopefully it would go fine and he wouldn't have to undo it any time soon.

"Yes. We can do it now." He let's go of one of her hands to lift the freed hand before her face, a subtle gesture made once it had reached the level of her eyes. He felt the magic, watched as her eyes briefly dulled and partially closed as the spell took hold. Once done, he lowered his hand to rest over the hand he still held.

"All done, sweetheart."

She smiles, glad that he agrees. There is something to be said with the way he casts magic on her. It's so much different than how she saw it in the Enchanted Forest and in Storybrooke. She would say there's caution in his movements but she doesn't have time to let that observation come to fruition before he pulls the memory from her.

What's automatically noticeable is the brightness that comes back to her eyes though they still contain a wary quality that can't quite be place. Her skittish posture relaxes some and she genuinely smiles for the first time since she's been here. "Thank you." She leans over to place a small kiss on his cheek. "We were speaking before of the ship. How about a tour while we chat?"

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