Once Upon a Time Promises

_**Hi all! So, this story is a spinoff on "Thank You" and it's also part of my plan to write a Rumpelle-themed fanfic every day until the finale.  
If you remember correctly, "Thank You" was about Belle and James when they were locked in Regina's dungeon together. Well, this one is about Rumpelstiltskin and James. It takes place in the Pilot, after Snow and James go to talk to Rumple about the curse..but James has something else to say.  
Reviews are always appreciated! Love always!  
I OWN NOTHING. ALL CHARACTERS ARE PROPERTY OF ABC AND DISNEY!**_

PROMISES**_  
_**"Tell me her name! I want her name!"  
James looks to the floor and tries to lead Snow out of the dark chamber. "Come on. We're leaving," he says.  
"Missy! You know I'm right! Tell me. What's her name?"  
Snow turns around to face the person responsible for letting the Evil Queen destroy her happiness with that curse. "Emma" she says "Her name is Emma."  
James grabs Snow's wrist and pulls her out.  
"What were you thinking?" he asks, "Did you not hear the knight? If he knows her name he will have power over her!"  
Snow rubs her belly as if to comfort Emma from the thought. "James, please. He means no harm to our child. Now come, we must go."  
James sighs and watches Snow make her way down the hallway, being led by a knight. "I'll be there soon," he calls after her. She looks back and nods.  
James stands in the hall for a minute, thinking. He knows that if he truly wanted what was best for the kingdom...what was best for Snow and his daughter...he should leave right now. But he'd made a promise. And he was going to live up to it.  
He slowly opens the door to the chamber where Rumpelstiltskin is kept. Locked away.  
Just like Belle.  
James shoves the thought to the back of his mind, hoping...praying that she got out. She must have.  
Of course, he knows she hasn't gotten out. If she had, she would have reunited with her true love. James knows that better than anyone.  
But this man she claims to love is a horrible. He'd sent her away. He'd hurt her. It was his fault she was locked away in that damned tower so why should James try to help him? Why help someone who has caused nothing but pain? Who is to say whether or not it was really true love?  
She was. Belle was. One knows when true love is found, and if she said she had it with Rumpelstiltskin, then she did.  
He'd promised her.  
"Rumpelstiltskin!" he says, "Rumpelstiltskin!"  
The man himself turns around. "Well," he says, "If it isn't Prince Charming. Didn't think I'd be seeing you again, dearie."  
James sucks in a long breath, trying not to let himself be irritated. "I've come to deliver a message."  
"Oh! One you couldn't mention while your dear Snow was in the room. I do hope it wouldn't upset her."  
"It has nothing to do with her!"  
Rumpelstiltskin moves his hands in that graceful and dramatic way he always did. "Well, then. What is this about?"  
"It's about Belle."  
His eyes are suddenly dark. His hands coil about the bars of the cage and he stands up taller and leans over James. "What did you say?" he asks through his teeth.  
"I said I have a message for you. From Belle."  
He grabs James by the throat, angry and unforgiving. "I don't know what you're trying to do, dearie," he tightens his grip, "but I can assure you. It isn't going to work."  
James pushes his hand away, standing up. "What on earth did she do to you?" he asks.  
"She's GONE! She's gone FOREVER!"  
"What in God's name are you talking about? She told me to tell you that she loves you!"  
Rumpelstiltskin turns away from James, angrier now, and shocked that anyone who claimed to have such a pure heart would do this. "What are you trying to accomplish!" he demands.  
"I'm not trying to accomplish anything. I'm just keeping my promise."  
"And what promise would that be, Prince Charming?" he spits the name.  
"I told her I would find you," James says matter-of-factly, "whether it be in this life or the next. I told her I would get you back to her."  
"I won't be going back to her."  
James gives him an odd look. "You think she's dead."  
"I KNOW she's dead!"  
"Believe what you wish. I've done what I said I would." And with that, James turns and walks out of the room to find.

"Well, thank goodness you have more sense than to believe that."  
Rumpelstiltskin whips around to face the unwelcome visitor."What do you want?" he asks.  
"Just protecting you from yourself. It's hard to believe she'd stoop that low, isn't it?"  
His eyes narrow. "Who would?"  
Regina locks her eyes with his. "That wretched Blue Fairy, of course," she says.  
No. He knows the Blue Fairy is the purest evil there is...but to defeat him this way...would be just her style. His fists clench together and he feels the need to kill something (preferably a little fairy) right this second.  
"Sad, isn't it?" Regina says. "I just thought I'd warn you. Can't have you losing your power right before I enact my curse now can we?"  
He says nothing, overcome with strange emotion. Because for a split second, he had believed that his Belle was alive and searching for him. And yet again, the fantasy had been ripped away. It was predictable.  
Regina laughs. "I thought you might thank me," she says, turning to walk away.  
"Wait!" he says. "Thank you, Regina."  
"My pleasure."  
Her heels click against the stone floors on her way out. She sighs in relief. Her leverage had nearly been ruined. That prince. Each day she wishes she'd been able to stop his getaway. She lets out a huffy breath. How she hated a man who kept his promises.


End file.

Once Upon a Time, Drama, Hurt-Comfort