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timelordthirteen · 6 years

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Heads Above Water (Sutherelle fic)

Robert Sutherland/Belle French, Explicit

Summary: Another crisis, another long day and night, and Robert Sutherland finds himself alone with his assistant Belle.

Notes: So I guess someone had to the first right? An Anyelle fic for Bobby’s new project Cobra on Sky TV. Details lifted from the article such as Sutherland’s wife and other character names. This is probably awful. Unbeta’d and a hot mess.

[AO3]

The light hit strangely along the table, split by the gap in the blinds and bent like an arrow.

Sutherland leaned forward, his hands braced to either side as the enormity of the day finally settled on his shoulders. He stared blankly at the strips of light cutting across the wood. Between breakfast on Tuesday morning and this moment, over thirty-six hours later, there had been meetings, emergency protocols, two press conferences, and a call from his soon to be ex-wife.

The memories were strange, hazy in that way you know will clear later, that will let you look back, detached and cold, but not relive. The regret that had nestled at the back his throat was familiar. He suspected it would be with him for a while as would the events of this crisis. When he started this job, he knew these sorts of things could, and probably would, happen. He’d watched others lead the country through similar situations, always from a distance, but it was different when he was the one in it. There was no hindsight, no news commentary, just a steady stream of experts and advisors telling you the odds of this or that without any clear direction as to what he should do.

There had been a moment where he was sure he was drowning. He could feel the slow downward pull, the pressure of the darkness below as it threatened to swallow them all. Ultimately, they’d managed to navigate through it, for better or worse. He supposed the front page of the Guardian would tell him which it was tomorrow, not that they would ever have the whole story.

The door to the conference room opened, and Sutherland looked up to see his personal assistant, Belle French peeking through the gap.

"What are you still doing here?" she asked, slipping around the door and letting it close softly behind her. “Where’s Ms. Marshall?”

He straightened and sighed. “Gone home, I hope. At least that’s where I told her to go.”

Her eyes softened and her head tilted as she approached, her gaze studying him. He didn’t know how long she'd been here, if she’d gone home at some point to sleep like some of the others, or toughed out with cat naps on couches like he and Anna had.

“What are you still doing here?”

The way he turned the question back on her made her smile. "Waiting for you, I guess. Making sure you don’t need anything before I go."

He nodded. “I’m fine. You should get out of here.”

"You first," she replied, dryly.

His eyebrows lifted. There was change in her posture, a hesitation, and then he laughed. She stepped closer and touched his arm, her fingers curling over his white shirt as she grinned up at him. The gesture was casual, but it grounded him in a way he hadn’t felt in hours. He wanted to lean into it, to wrap her hand in his, and savor the simplicity of human contact.

There was an itch beneath his skin, a restlessness brought on by the ebb and flow of adrenaline. He felt shattered to his core, but sleep seemed an impossible idea. He swallowed and felt the knot of his tie pressing against the column of his throat. His laughter faded, and he licked his lips, looking down at her hand where it still rested on his arm. She didn’t move it, and it felt like a dare.

Belle’s hand slid down from his forearm to his hand, and her lips parted at the first touch of her fingers on his skin. She had been his assistant for only the last year, having replaced the one he brought with him from his time in the Cabinet. The older woman had found the stress and long hours of working in the PM’s office to be more than she could handle, and she left after the first five months.

Sutherland himself was surprisingly easy to work for, even if the press didn’t like his rather forthright way of answering their questions. They called him gruff and snippy, said he was too aggressive with his language, especially since the divorce. Much of it seemed to Belle to be couched in their distaste for the son of a Glasgow dock worker having reached the heights of power in British politics. He didn’t forget where he was from, and since his opponents were fond of reminding him, he embraced it rather than fought it.

She liked the fast pace of her days, the constant flow of events and meetings, and how nothing was the same even hour to hour. Her years working in libraries and research made her a wiz at organization, and her previous job in the Department for Transport helped her with the general methods by which 10 Downing Street functioned. It didn't fully prepare her for the job, but there was something to say for trial by fire.

Sutherland met her gaze. “Miss French...”

“You did a good job,” she said, giving his hand a light squeeze. “I know Marshall won’t say it, but...you did.”

His throat felt strangely tight, and he managed a thin smile as he nodded. It gave him an odd sense of clarity, a knowledge that all this had impact on real people, most of whom wouldn’t full understand the brush with chaos their country had just survived.

Belle’s head dipped as his eyes trailed down. She should have gone home already, but leaving after everything that had happened, going out into the world with people riding in taxis, eating pizza, and walking their dogs knowing what she knew, just didn't seem possible. Real life wasn't real life once you knew what went on behind closed government doors. “You’re not alone, you know.”

A shudder swept over him. “I know.”

Did he though?

There were things between them, things he had avoided confronting for so many reasons. Belle was his assistant, his employee, but everything with her had been easy right from the first moment. Rachel, despite their ten years together, had never really understood him, but then again, he'd never really made an effort to let her either. In hindsight, it was inevitable that things would end between them, but even though she had filed for divorce eighteen days ago and his ring was sitting in a dish in his bathroom, he was still technically a married man.

It was the wrong moment for this, he thought, but then again, the moment would never been right, not while he was in office.

Belle felt his hand shake and then slide, pulling out of her grip, and she watched as he turned towards her.

"Thank you."

There was no hitch in his voice.

Her eyes met his again, dark and unreadable. "For what?"

There was weight in the question, and she felt his hand brush the edge of her jaw. The pad of skin slid over the line of bones, the sensation of his fingers soft and hot. Unconsciously, her hand reached for him, her fingers running along his tie. Her nails caught on the fabric as he leaned in, his mouth pressed over hers.

Belle stiffened, her shoulders tightening, and he pulled back, watching her.

"I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I - I didn’t - ”

Her hand rose and cupped his face, and he stopped, lips parted. She shouldn't - they shouldn’t - but she pushed up, closer, if only to see if he would move. His hand tensed over hers for a split second before she kissed him.

It was hard and messy, and he made a deep sound against her mouth when her tongue flicked over his lips. She let it slide along the line between them, slipping in and brushing against his teeth, lightly as if to tease him. He growled and his mouth opened wider, deepening the kiss as she shifted to stand between him and the table. She could feel his other hand in her hair, curling deeply into the strands, as the other moved around to her back to pull her to him.

The kiss was furious and selfish, leaving his mind spinning. His mouth stayed hard, fighting her, and she pushed back, letting her teeth sink into his lip and pull at the flesh. Maybe, this is what she wanted when she came to look for him, he didn’t know or care. It was easier not to, to stay in the moment and let it happen.

"Let me sit."

It came suddenly against his mouth, her voice thick and strained. They broke away, panting against each other as his mouth grazed hers. She stared silently at him, her heart pounding against her chest, as her hands reached back, and she pushed herself up to sit on the table. Dipping forward, he dropped his mouth over hers, his hands coming around to tug at her hips, pulling her to the edge. His teeth snagged her lip as she pressed up against him. They stopped for a minute, breaking the kiss long enough for him to shed his suit jacket, and for her to hitch her skirt high on her hips. It was enough to spread her legs and allow him to stand between them, a intentional declaration that shocked him back to reality.

“We shouldn’t.” His lips brushed hers as his palms ran up her thighs, over the bands of her stockings.

Belle leaned back, holding his gaze, and slid her black cardigan down her arms, letting it drop behind her on the table. Then she pulled her camisole out of the band of her skirt, flashing the pale, soft skin of her abdomen. She grinned as he palmed her breasts, squeezing softly before letting his fingers slide down over the silky fabric and underneath.

His breath was ragged as he pushed her shirt up, making more room to touch her. “Are you sure?”

She reached up and drew him down to lick at his mouth, taunting him until he kissed her hard. He could feel her taut nipples through the thin lace of her bra, and ran his knuckles over them, up and down, until she mewed a squeaky yes into his mouth.

"Tell me what you want.”

Sutherland’s voice had dropped, low and rumbling against her neck as he kissed his way down to her shoulder. She shivered, and he slipped a hand up under her skirt, pushing the fabric higher until he reached the elastic of her knickers.

The way he touched her was too gentle, and she whimpered and bit her lip, the strain in her muscles crawling up her neck, prickling her skin. Her eyes met his, and he pulled back, his hand sliding down over her thigh. She moaned again, arching slightly, and he plucked her nipple with his other hand.

Her skin was hot where he touched her, a feverish heat that made his blood thrum in his veins. Anyone could walk in and catch them, see their clothes disheveled, their mouths red from kissing. The thought made the warmth spread faster, thicken in the back of his throat, and his hand returned, slipping up and under her skirt again.

“Belle,” he whispered, brushing his nose along her cheek and then up to touch a kiss to her temple. “Tell me.”

The sound of his voice wasn’t loud, but her ears were ringing anyway, everything muffled by the rush of her blood and the beat of her heart. His thumb started to rub against her panties, pressing hard and letting the fabric slide against her clit. She was wet and hot, and she knew that he could feel it too, her need and desire.

“You.” The word was forced out of her mouth and she swallowed hard. “I want you.”

Her eyes were hooded as she looked up at him, her lips pressed together. His hand remained between her thighs, pressing just a little harder as her hips lifted.

“Please.” She shifted towards him, trying to press herself closer. Her nails scraped at his shoulder, digging in through his shirt.

His fingers pushed under her panties, finally touching her, and she gasped as her head fell back and her hand swept out behind her, shoving over a pile of folders. The pressure of his fingers, slipping in and out, urged her hips into rhythm, as his thumb started sliding up and down her clit. She rocked against him, her gasps turning into pants, the pressure building in her core, too fast and too much. Words were tumbling out of her mouth, but she didn’t know what she's saying, and an instant later she came hard, with his fingers twisting and curling inside her, and her hand tugging at his shirt.

She swayed into him, fumbling for his belt as she tingled with the remains of her orgasm. He drew her forward, hand sticky against her leg and pressed his mouth into hers again. His erection was heavy against her thigh, and she reached for him, wriggling her hand inside his trousers to free his cock. She felt him slip between her fingers, velvety and hot, and it made her pussy throb with fresh arousal.

He swore as he pulled away, trousers skimming down to catch on his knees as she wiggled out of her underwear. She reached for him again, and he caught her by the wrist. “I don’t - I don’t have anything.”

“Pill,” she offered quietly, slipping out of his grip and wrapping her hand around his shaft. “If you want. I’m - I’m good.”

She was watching him again, stroking him slowly. His head was spinning, but he understood her words, and the gravity of what she was giving him. He trusted her, with this as much as anything else. Anna would tell him off for it, but she was disinclined to believe anything that didn’t come with a triple checked dosier to support it. Gut feelings weren’t her thing.

“Okay.” Sutherland licked his lips, but they still felt dry, his tongue thick and catching on his teeth. This was madness, he knew that, yet neither of them seemed to be stopping. “Okay.”

Belle's eyes shot open at the first thrust of his cock. She buried her face against his chest to muffle the scream of pleasure erupting in her throat. It was hard and fast and perfect, hitting the right spot every time, and even though her body had barely come down from her first orgasm, another was building quickly. He seemed to sense it, and pushed her back, giving him space to fit his hand between them.

He swore again, cursing breathlessly into her hair as he leaned over her. His thumb managed to find her clit in the mess of skin and clothing and slick juices, and the first flutter of her cunt nearly forced him over the edge. Jaw clenched, he braced his other hand on the table and pulled almost all the way out before pushing back in, lifting her hips just a bit more.

Three more times were enough, she sobbed into his shirt, trailing streaks of makeup across the white fabric. He followed immediately after, feeling the relief down to his bones, and they sagged against each other, breathing in rhythm, until she pushed at him.

“Sorry,” he muttered, face flushed and hot. “Shit.”

Everything was a mess around them; clothes, papers, a water bottle he'd forgotten was there. It dribbled off the edge of the table and soaked into the Persian rug. He stepped back, stumbling as he pulled up his trousers, and tried not to stare as she slid off the table.

Sutherland ran a hand through his hair and blew out a puff of air. Whatever energy he’d had left was sapped, and he thought about just collapsing here instead of trying to make it back to the private residence. A hand touched his arm, and he nearly startled. Belle was looking up at him, her face inscrutable.

“This -,” he started, frowning. “I, um, I can’t do this.”

"I know," she agreed, with a small smile. “It’s okay. It’s not - anything.”

His eyes narrowed, unsure of what it was he was trying to say or what she was agreeing to. Before he could work it out, she gave his arm a squeeze and turned to go, pausing at the conference room door to say a soft goodnight. He watched her fingers trail over the edge of the door before it closed. After a long moment, he dropped down into a chair and exhaled, his eyes falling shut.

In the morning, Belle was in his office before eight, carrying a stack of papers in a wide folder and a cup of coffee. Sleep was a fitful proposition at best last night, her skin still humming from his touch. The ambiguity of how they left things had made a knot in her gut, and she didn’t want to leave it up to him to address it.

“Do you have a minute?” she asked, sweeping by the corner of his desk to set the coffee to the left of the blotter. The papers she set to the side, pressing a bright green post-it note to the top, a visual cue they’d worked out that meant read this before you do anything else.

Sutherland glanced up at her and then looked at the thick folder. “Sorry, no. Cabinet’s meeting early today.”

“Right.” She shook her head and smiled, understanding the quick dismissal for what it was. “I forgot. Never mind.”

She breezed out the door before he could say anything more, and he flipped open the folder with a sigh. He wasn’t afraid exactly, not of her going to the press or to Anna, not like that, but he didn’t like how they left things.

Later, he caught Belle on his way back from a meeting. It was after six and she was still trying to sort out tomorrow’s schedule, how to make it so he could be in three places at once without pissing anyone off.

“Belle…”

She looked up, almost frowning at the way he used her first name instead of the usual Miss French. It made her want to hope for things she couldn’t have. “Yes, sir?”

The formality and distance unnerved him, misplaced next to the memory of her scent on his fingers, and her wet heat around his cock. He could feel her stare, her awareness of him, and he perched on the edge of her desk, reaching out to lay his hand over hers.

“Are we - alright? After -”

“Last night?” she asked, looking up at him. The corner of her mouth curved slightly as he blinked dumbly, and then she nodded. “We’re fine, Mr. Sutherland.”

“Right.” He stood and tugged on the hem of his jacket, crossing to his office door before stopping again. “Did you, uh, need something this morning? I have time now, if you like.”

Belle looked down at her hand, and then met his eyes. There was a softness there that made her feel too warm, and she pressed her nails against the top of her desk. “No. Nothing important.”

#sutherelle #sutherelle fic #anyelle #anyelle fic #lemon #lemon fic #belle x robert sutherland #fic #queen and country

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smartgirlsaremean · 7 years

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My Heart’s in the Highlands - Chapter 17

Fandom: OUAT, Hamish Macbeth

Pairing: Bellish

Rating: T

Summary: With Rumplestiltskin gone, Belle can't face going back to the Enchanted Forest without him. She leaves Storybrooke forever, travels the world, and ends up in a small village in Scotland, where she meets a constable with a very familiar face. Nominated for Best Anyelle in the 2017 TEAs.

AO3

Chapter 17 - Strange Bloodline - Belle faces a bit of her past, Hamish gets a lesson, and Belle makes a discovery.

They were the strangest census-takers Hamish had ever seen. The seven dwarfs, their adopted non-giant giant brother, and a group of women in nun’s habits stood uneasily in the sheriff's station, all of them eyeing him with varying degrees of trepidation - a few with outright horror. Ruby from the inn was there, as was a small iron-haired woman Hamish assumed must be the Granny of legend. She was clutching a crossbow and looked ready to rip the world apart. Prince Charming had gone home after they arrived, the deep circles under his blue eyes attesting to his need to sleep - and that was another strange meeting for him. The prince - Emma seemed to fluctuate between calling him “Dad” and “David” - had looked him over carefully, his expression completely neutral, before shaking his hand and welcoming him to Storybrooke. It was the most normal interaction Hamish had had so far.

“David and Mr. Gold were...well, friends is maybe pushing it...but they had a lot in common,” Emma had explained. “I wouldn’t say he liked him, but...he understood him to a certain extent.”

Now Emma was outlining Hamish’s plan for them, assigning pairs of census-takers to sections of the map. When everyone had their assignments, they marched out into the town armed with clipboards and pencils, and Emma leaned against the desk and took a deep breath.

“So now we wait,” she said wearily. “I hate waiting.”

A man with a hook for a hand - Hamish could only assume he was Captain Hook - stepped up beside her, his blue eyes dark with sympathy. “Why not search the woods with me? We haven’t assigned anyone that part of town but it’s worth looking around, isn’t it?”

Hamish frowned a little. We haven’t assigned anyone…? So far all the good captain had done was stand about looking pretty and concerned. Belle had given him a wide berth, and whenever he moved into her part of the room she always inched a little closer to Hamish.

“Yeah, I guess,” Emma answered. “Let me just take care of one other thing.” She pulled out her phone and walked out of the room, leaving Belle and Hamish alone with the pirate.

Hook turned to Belle. “Thank you for your help,” he said. “After everything, no one would have been surprised if you’d never come back.”

Belle crossed her arms. “I care about Neal, and I wanted to help. Why are you here, Captain?”

“I was brought here like everyone else,” he pointed out.

“Were you? Emma said you woke up on your ship. Why not just sail away?”

Fidgeting, Hook looked away. “I recognized the city from my last sojourn here, and I remembered that Baelfire had lived there once. I wondered if he lived there again, and when I found them I knew it had been no accident. If I had returned with no memories, the odds were good the others had as well.” He stepped a little closer, flinching when Belle stepped back. “I am very sorry for your loss.”

“You hated Rumplestiltskin,” she said flatly. “I still have the scar to prove it.”

“Scar? What scar?” Hamish asked.

Hook grimaced. “Er - a, uh - misunder - “

“You shot me,” Belle snapped. “After you tried to corner me in the library and after you captured me on your ship. I lost my memories - I could have lost my life - because of you. How exactly is shooting someone on your third attempt to kill them a misunderstanding?”

Hamish’s fingers curled into fists, and he could feel his face reddening.

“I regret all of that,” Hook said. “I was...I was mad with vengeance. Revenge had driven me so long that I would stop at nothing to get it.”

Belle shook her head. “But you didn’t go after him, you went after me. What had I ever done to you?”

“I couldn’t touch him, and…”

“Stop.” Belle’s voice cracked and Hamish was torn between wanting to pull her into his arms and wanting to strangle Hook with his bare hands. “I don’t care. I just...I can’t do this.” She turned to Hamish and squeezed his arm. “I’m going to the shop. Rumple kept a lot of his old books there and I might be able to learn something about what’s happening.”

“I’ll come with…”

“Hey, Hamish?” Emma poked her head back into the room. “Henry’s on his way over for your debriefing.”

“I’ll be fine on my own,” Belle said with a shaky little smile. “Just find me when you’re done, okay? Emma, I’m going to the shop to do some research.”

“Hook, you could go with her and…”

“No,” Belle said firmly. “I’m fine.”

“Okay. Well, let us know if you need anything.” Emma looked back at Hook. “When Henry gets here we’ll go take a look in the woods, like you said. No telling who’s hiding out there.”

Belle’s hands shook as she made her way through town to the pawnshop. Everyone else she’d been able to see with composure. Snow White and Prince David, who had once locked Rumple in a cell to stop him from collecting on a deal Cinderella had willingly, eagerly made. The Blue Fairy, who had tried to send him and his son away from the Enchanted Forest forever instead of helping him to defeat the Darkness.

But Hook...oh, she would never, never forget the look in that pirate’s eyes when he had chased her around the library, or when he had held her at gunpoint on the Jolly Roger. Those eyes had been cold, calculating, shrewd - he had known that hurting her was the best way to hurt Rumple, and he had spared not a single thought for her. He had seen her as a thing to be used against his enemy, a tool with which to destroy him, and while Belle firmly believed that anyone could be redeemed, she was not quite ready to forgive the man who had hunted her and her true love with such single-minded intent, such cold-blooded tenacity.

Walking into the pawnshop was like walking back in time. Not a single artifact was out of place, all just as she remembered it, and for a wild moment she half expected Rumple to step from behind the curtain and smile at her, invite her back to look at some precious new object he’d found, or tell her the story of how this or that item had come into his possession. A wave of emotion washed over her, threatening to drown her with its intensity, and she pushed it back down. Rumple was gone, but he might have left something in the shop that could help them understand what was happening.

She moved behind the counter and bent to inspect the magical tomes he’d kept there. Carefully she pulled them out and set them on the glass, blowing the dust away with a tremulous breath.

Walsh had told her that his employer could bring Rumplestiltskin back, but Rumple had always been adamant about the impossibility of such a thing. Dead is dead, he would say. Magic can do much, but not that. It was one of the fundamental rules of magic, and Belle knew that even if he could break it he would not - some prices were too great to pay.

What, then, could be this mysterious person’s plan? Belle thought she had an idea, but it was so dangerous that she couldn’t imagine anyone with even a modicum of magical knowledge attempting it. She flipped through the pages of one of the books, her mind running over the possibilities, and she was so absorbed that she didn’t hear the bell ring over the door of the shop.

“You must be Mrs. Gold.”

Belle gasped, her head snapping up. A woman with curling red hair and shining green eyes stood on the other side of the counter, a nervous smile playing across her pretty features.

“Uh...no, I’m...I’m not,” Belle said, closing the book hastily.

“Is Mr. Gold around?”

“No, he isn’t.” Belle smiled sadly. “He died a few years ago.”

“Oh! I’m so sorry for your loss…” She searched Belle’s face, and Belle took pity on her.

“Belle.”

“Belle.” The woman touched her hand kindly. “That’s such a pretty name.”

Smiling, Belle moved her hand out from underneath the other woman’s. “Thank you.”

“I’m so sorry to bother you, but I was hoping to buy a baby gift for a lovely woman I met in Granny’s diner. Maybe you know her, she goes by Mary Margaret here.” At Belle’s surprise, the woman explained, “I’m helping her with her pregnancy and today is my first day on the job. Curse or no curse, a girl’s got to work.”

“Mary Margaret?” Belle breathed a little more easily. “I think i may have just the thing.” She turned to walk around the counter to retrieve the mobile Rumple had said had once belonged to the royals. It would be fitting for the new prince or princess to have something from the Enchanted Forest. As she fetched a stool and removed it from its place hanging from the ceiling, the woman cooed with delight.

“It’s lovely! What exquisite craftsmanship!”

“I believe the dwarfs made it for Emma; it was to hang in her nursery, but...well, we all know how that went, don’t we?” Belle said.

For just a moment the woman’s calm facade faltered and she looked confused. “Oh, yes of course,” she said. “The Evil Queen’s dark curse.” She looked at the mobile in Belle’s outstretched hands. “I don’t suppose you have any way to wrap it? I would look a bit awkward carrying that down the street.”

“Certainly.” Belle pulled a box out from behind another counter and then began the painstaking process of tucking the various glass unicorns and wires and poles into the box without breaking or tangling anything. “I’m sorry, what did you say your name was?”

“Oh! Zelena. I wasn’t a part of the first curse, somehow - I must have just missed it.”

“I understand there are a lot of newcomers this time around,” Belle mused. “What part of the Enchanted Forest are you from?”

“Oh...here and there.” Zelena shrugged. “A midwife goes where she must you know. Thank you so much for your help, Belle, you’ve been a treasure.” With another smile she lifted the box and turned for the door, but spun to face her again, horror on her face. “Goodness! I almost forgot - how much for the…”

“Technically it always belonged to Mary Margaret,” Belle told her, “so take it and welcome.” Rumplestiltskin would be horrified, Belle thought with a secret smile, but she would have been able to talk him around.

“You are a treasure,” Zelena cooed. “Thank you so much!” She swept from the shop and Belle sighed, turning back to her books. Halfway to the counter she stopped with a frown, the carefully approached the painting that hung behind the counter - the one that concealed Rumple’s safe. She had not touched it since she entered, but when she looked closely, she saw that the latch hadn’t caught. Cautiously she swung the painting open and stared at the safe helplessly. Since Hook had broken into it, Rumple had sealed it with blood magic so that no one could open it save himself or his kin. A shiver ran down her spine.

She had discovered at least one reason that Neal was missing.

Henry had familiar dark eyes, and Hamish realized with a start that they looked exactly like his own. The boy set a heavy leather-bound book in his lap and he stared at the gleaming gold title. Once Upon a Time. He fought the urge to laugh, even though the situation was anything but funny.

“So...my dad said you’re a cop in Scotland,” the boy said.

“Aye. Police constable.”

“You look a lot like my grandpa.”

“So everyone tells me.”

Henry flipped the pages of the book until he came to a story titled The Spinner. “That’s him,” he said. The man in the picture was small and thin, with shaggy dark hair that reached his shoulders. His eyes looked too big for his pinched, angular face, and he was clearly underfed and weak, but Hamish saw the resemblance immediately. “He was a spinner with a bad reputation - they said he was a coward. His land was fighting a war against ogres and they were drafting kids.” He pointed to the young boy in the illustration. “That’s Baelfire. These days he goes by Neal Cassidy. He’s my dad.”

“So all this,” Hamish waved a hand at the book, “all this happened, what...thirty years ago?”

“Not exactly. The first ogre war was about three hundred years ago.”

Alright...so Snow White was in her early thirties with a daughter her own age, and that daughter had had a kid with a man who was three hundred years old. Made perfect sense. Hamish felt his head start to pound.

“I don’t know how much you want to know…”

“Everything,” Hamish sighed. “I want to know everything.”

“That’ll take a while,” Henry said. “How about just a recap?”

An hour later Hamish knew more about fairy tales than he’d ever wanted to know, and he could now understand why it had taken Belle an entire night to tell TV John her history. Hell, he was surprised it hadn’t taken them a week. “So...this Rumplestiltskin...he was behind everything?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Yeah. It was all to get back to my dad.” Henry looked at the final picture in the book, a picture of Snow White and Prince Charming clutching each other, fear writ large on their faces. The last few pages of the book had been torn out, and Hamish found himself a little upset that that was the last image to be seen. “I know everybody was scared of him. Some of them even hated him. But...he was my grandfather.” Henry flipped slowly back to The Spinner and gazed sadly at the peasant’s face. “I wish I’d known him better.”

Hamish’s phone rang and he frowned at the screen before answering. “Belle?”

“Could - could you bring Henry to the shop, please? I need to test something,” she said nervously.

“Of course,” he said. “Everything alright?”

“I don’t think so, no. Just...come quick.”

“What’s up?” Henry asked as Hamish hung up.

“She wants us tae go to the shop. D’you know where that is, lad?”

Henry gave him a wry look. “This is Storybrooke. It has one main street and I grew up here. I know where everything is.” He rose from his seat and headed for the door, leaving Hamish to hurry after him.

When they entered the shop, Hamish stopped and took a breath. The place was filled with objects and jewelry and crockery and strange odds and ends, and the atmosphere was heavy and dark. It was a veritable Aladdin’s cave, and Hamish wondered if the odd prickling feeling on his skin was a result of the magic that must surely be collected here. Belle was behind the farthest counter inspecting a wall safe.

“Hello, Henry,” Belle said with a smile.

“Hey.” The boy glanced around the shop uneasily. “I haven’t been in here since we came back. I don’t think anyone has.”

“I think maybe they have, but I need to check something to prove it.” She looked at Henry thoughtfully. “What do you know about blood magic?”

“Not a lot, but it sounds like magic in blood?”

“Rumple sealed this safe so that only his blood could open it.” Belle looked suddenly uneasy. “But when it comes to magic, blood doesn’t just mean blood. It means family.”

“So...you think my blood could open Grandpa Gold’s safe? Cool!”

“Yes. Which means your father’s could, too.”

“Oh.” Henry’s grin immediately dimmed. “Oh, right. Yeah. Do you think that’s why my dad as taken?”

“I don’t know, but I’d like to see if I’m right. Do you mind?”

“No, of course not.” Henry eagerly held out his finger. “Go ahead, stab away.”

Belle rolled her eyes and took a needle from a nearby pincushion. Gently she pressed it into the tip of his finger, and then stepped back so that he could press his finger to the lock of the safe. There was a soft hiss and a faint green glow, and the safe’s lock clicked open. Hamish tried not to feel surprised or shocked as the door swung open.

“Awesome,” Henry whispered.

“Yes,” Belle said shakily, “but Henry...that means I’m right, and someone could use your father’s blood to open the safe.”

“But why? Is there anything missing?”

“Yes.” Belle pulled out an empty jar and stared at it. “I just don’t know what. Rumple kept all kinds of things in here, and he never got around to letting me label things.” She shook her head. “He knew what and where everything was, infuriating man, and he didn’t see any reason to...anyway. I have no idea what was in this jar.”

“Did you have any visitors today?” Hamish asked.

“I - yes, one, but she was looking for a gift for Mary Margaret.”

“Did you know her?”

“No.” Belle felt a little dizzy. “But I don’t know many people from the Enchanted Forest.”

“Did you ever leave her alone out here? Go into the back for any reason?”

“No.”

“Who was she?”

“A midwife named Zelena - she said she works for Mary Margaret.”

“I’ll ask about her later,” Hamish said. “See if she checks out. For now…”

The door to the shop burst open and Emma stood silhouetted in the doorway, Hook directly behind her. “Henry!” she cried. “There you are!”

“What is it? What’s going on?”

“I’m still not sure, but from now on you don’t go anywhere without me.” Emma reached out and pulled him close to her side.

“What’s wrong, Emma?” Belle asked. “Weren’t you in the woods?”

“We were,” Emma breathed. “But things have gotten weird. Er. Weirder.”

“That’s possible?” Hamish asked faintly.

“Apparently.” Emma stooped down and leveled her gaze with Henry’s. “Kid, that book of yours doesn’t say anything about winged monkeys, does it?”

#bellish #my heart's in the highlands #hamish macbeth #belle french

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thestraggletag · 8 years

Text

TEA Nomination List, Part Two

For anyone looking for a suggestion as to who to nominate in a certain category. Please help me get some of these fics and their writers the recognition they deserve! Also please forgive me for the many I’m likely to forget. This is also one heck of a rec list for anyone looking for something to read.

Under a cut for length. Also broken into two because otherwise the links don’t work.

GENERAL AWARDS

Best Drabble

It’s an open secret that Belle is Mr. Gold’s mistress by ThatRavenclawBitch

Best Post-Ep fic

The Future's So Bright by ThatRavenclawBitch

Want by CallaFallon

Sleep Well by Evelyn6

Best Comedy Fic:

The Stuff of Nightmares by TheStraggletag

Routine by TheStraggletag

The Set-Up by Nerin28

Always There For You by RoyaltyLaine

Best Movie AU:

Animal Instincts by TheStraggletag

Belle's Story by TheStraggletag

Best Historical AU:

Dark Night of the Soul by bookwormchocaholic

Riverside Park by morganfir

The Reluctant Guardian by Nerin28

Best AU

EnchantedWorld by RoyaltyLaine

Since the Fall... by Gwenore

Beneath the Skin. by Gwenore

Game of Thorns by TheStraggletag

Best AU!OUAT:

The Lynchpin Universe by Catspook

The Future's So Bright by ThatRavenclawBitch

Best Series:

The Lynchpin Universe by Catspook

Best Holiday Fic

All Hallow's Fall by stillsearching47

SPECIAL CATEGORIES

Best Crack!Fic

The Stuff of Nightmares by TheStraggletag

Best Drama

Closing Time by Bad_Faery

Always One More Time by Bad_Faery

Best Supernatural

Since the Fall... by Gwenore

Beneath the Skin. by Gwenore

Woods Lovely, Dark and Deep by B_does_the_write_thing

The Lighthouse by @winterswanderlust

In The Shadows by TheStraggletag

Hidden Treasures by TheStraggletag

Best Season Rewrite

Between Present and Past by whitesheepcbd

What to Expect When You're Expecting (Wizard Edition) by CallaFallon

Come Back to Me by Evelyn6

Forgiven by Evelyn6

Best Prompter

@thestraggletag (this is my year, I feel it!).

EVENTS

Rumbelle Secret Santa

The Birth of a Fairy by AnnieVH

Game of Thorns by TheStraggletag

Rumbelle Christmas in July

Bad Timing by TheStraggletag

Once Upon A Rising Moon by CallieB for TheStraggletag

Around the World in 80 Days (More or Less) by Megara Bee (Megara_Bee)

Rumbelle Revelry

Woods Lovely, Dark and Deep by B_does_the_write_thing

Madness Is White by @13callieb

The Mysterious Incident of Shadowhearst Manor by Of_Princes_and_Savages

The Lighthouse by @winterswanderlust

Mantis Menagerie

The Gods of Our Shores by Lady_Therion

Harborside by MintIceTea

Adrift by TheStraggletag

Monthly Rumbelle (Non-Smut)

Square One - By @13callieb

Transposing Digits by stillsearching47

Six Degrees of Separation by WorryinglyInnocent

Under My Skin by stillsearching47

Monthly Rumbelle (Smut)

Cave of Wonders by WorryinglyInnocent

Great Rumbelle Blow-Off

Spinner's Helper by ishtarelisheba

Head over Heels by B_does_the_write_thing

Rumbelle Is Hope

Spinner's Wife by ishtarelisheba

CHARACTER AWARDS

Best Dark One

Disrupted by theoneandonlylittlebird

Thrall by Little_Inkstone

The Birth of a Fairy by AnnieVH

Best Belle

Always One More Time by Bad_Faery

Thrall by Little_Inkstone

Best Mr Gold

The Birth of a Fairy by AnnieVH

Best Spinner!Rumple

The Sweetheart Deal by Little_Inkstone

Spinner's Helper by ishtarelisheba

The Queen's Request by B_does_the_write_thing

Best Woobie!Rumple

Always One More Time by Bad_Faery

Best Rumbelle Child

A Special Child by CallaFallon

ART

Best Cover Art

The Future’s So Bright Cover by @midstorm

Ruins of Camelot Cover by @midstorm

Best Graphic Art

Dark Castle Kisses by @midstorm

Rumbelle kiss in Her Handsome Hero by @midstorm

Best Fanart

When the Beauty loves the Darkness by @nia-sketches

Hades and Persephone by @licieoic

Living Alongside Your Ghost by @licieoic

Spinning Rumple by @nia-sketches

Best Comic/Graphic Novel

I’m so sorry by @nia-sketches

Best Artist

@nia-sketches

BEST AUTHOR

@winterswanderlust

@morganfir

@bookwormchocaholic

BEST RUMBELLE FIC

The Birth of a Fairy by AnnieVH

Always One More Time by Bad_Faery

BEST ANYELLE FIC

Adrift by TheStraggletag

No Light Over London by lotus0kid

The Poor and Unfortunate by applejackcat

My Heart's in the Highlands by Nerin28

Newbie Spotlight:

@gwenore

@bookwormchocaholic

@winterswanderlust

#rumbelle #rumbelle fic #the espenson awards #TEA nominations

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evilsnowswan · 8 years

Photo

Here are my TEA recommendations. The list is still under construction - I’ll be adding to it for a bit until it’s time to make a final nominations list. I just thought sharing it early would be helpful to others who are struggling through their likes, tags and bookmarks right now.

If you are on this list and don’t want to be, shoot me a message.

My own stuff isn’t on here at all, because I don’t believe in nominating/voting for your own work as artist/author (it’s fine, but makes me uncomfortable personally). If you are looking for my humble plea for nominations - my TEA Promo Post is here.

Fluff

Family:

Proud by @annievh

Winter Traditions by @witchnova221

The Heat of the Moment by @thescholarlystrumpet

The Nanny by @thatravenclawbitch

Always There For You by RoyaltyLaine/@poca-staks

Belle’s Chipped Leaves by Kindleheartzyou/ @beliza-fryler

Comfort:

Magnificently Improper by @theplasticview

Tesselate by @ak-vintage

Hope is a Thing With Feathers by @endangeredslug

Finding Home by Thefreedictionary (Showdown)

Fix-It:

Just a Dream by @woodelf68

Reunion:

Until Last I See You by @magnoliatattoo

Hope is a Thing With Feathers by @endangeredslug

Smut

Kink:

Cherry by @ladybookwormwithteeth

Right Here, With You by @handwithquill

Indulgenceby @thescholarlystrumpet

Snapshot by @worryinglyinnocent

A Woman On Film @worryinglyinnocent

A Dedicated Follower of Fashion by @ifishouldvanish

In Heat by @prissyhalliwell

Romance:

The Gold Dress by @onceupona—ohyouknowtherest

Red Lights by @rufeepeach

Neverland by @emospritelet

A Dozen Roses by @ladybookwormwithteeth

Through the Storm by @thescholarlystrumpet

Comedy:

Painting Faces by @we-aim-to-misbehave

Caught in the Act by @onceupona—ohyouknowtherest

Dutch Courage by @rufeepeach

Playing Doctor by @maplesyrupao3

Thirty Flirty and Thriving by @bookwormchocaholic

Threesome:

Three that Testifyby @thescholarlystrumpet

PWP:

Hot and Cold by @woodelf68

Aesthetic by @endangeredslug

Hellfire by @ladybookwormwithteeth

The Lesson by @woodelf68

Best BDSM:

Right Here, With You by @handwithquill

Cherry by @ladybookwormwithteeth

Cleanliness by @ladybookwormwithteeth

Angst

Why?:

Penance by @emospritelet

The Monster by @beauty-in-gold

Death:

The Monster by @beauty-in-gold

Oops:

A Slip of the Heart by @rowofstars

Hurts so good:

Best Served Cold by @breaktimewritings

Romance

Best Date:

Tesselate by @ak-vintage

The Passive-Aggressive Floral Arrangement by @of-princes-and-savages

Closer by Daydreaming Doll (Showdown)

Best Courtship:

Always late to the Party by @alsywalsy

Skin Deep by @bookwormchocaholic

The Passive-Aggressive Floral Arrangement by @of-princes-and-savages

Painting Faces by @we-aim-to-misbehave

Best Bed Sharing:

Overlooked by @worryinglyinnocent

Conspiracy Afloat by @still-searching47

Best First Meeting:

Weak Ankles by Glass Slipper (Showdown)

In Time by @thenaughtyscandalousscorpio

Sexual Therapy by @breaktimewritings (RosexKnight)

Hope is a Thing With Feathers by @endageredslug

Girls on Film by @woodelf68

Candy Girl by @mariequitecontraire

Chance Encounter by Purple Polka Dots (Showdown)

GENERAL AWARDS

Best One-Shot:

“Belle has nightmares” prompt by @rufeepeach

Chance Encounter by Purple Polka Dots (Showdown)

Arrows by Cinderbee (Showdown)

Third Time Lucky by Riddled (Showdown)

Best Drabble:

Tortoise!Rumbelle by @bad-faery

Best Post-Ep fic:

Just Swim Down by @rufeepeach

The Future’s So Bright by @thatravenclawbitch

Best Comedy:

The Nanny by @thatravenclawbitch

Out of Control by @annievh

Best Movie AU:

Catch a Falling Star by @charmedrumbelle

Best Historical AU:

Better to Face the Bullets by @ishtarelisheba

Persuasion by @handwithquill

Any Port in a Storm by @rufeepeach

The Reluctant Guardian by @smartgirlsaremean

Best AU:

For the Love of a Daughter by @bellegold

Dark Sight by @maplesyrupao3

Painting Layers of Love by @still-searching47

The Story Teller by @b-does-the-write-thing

Best AU!OUAT:

Gentle Souls by @hedwighood

Freeze on the Stones by @toseehowthestoryends

Best Series:

Reckless Abandon by @rufeepeach

The House Guest by @b-does-the-write-thing

Chocaholic Series by @bookwormchocaholic

Fourteen Days by @mariequitecontraire

House of Strays by @lady-therion

Best Crossover:

Gold Rush by @annievh

The Magic of Family by Scales and Arpeggios (Showdown)

Warmth and Desire by Desperation and Gin (Showdown)

Best Holiday Fic:

Seven Days of Christmas by @mariequitecontraire

Skating Lessons by @bellegold

Six Degrees of Separation by @worryinglyinnocent

Christmas Day by @magnoliatattoo

Best Remix:

Pixie Dust by @emospritelet

The Fairy Gardener Remix by @prissyhalliwell

SPECIAL CATEGORIES

Best Golden Lace:

Reckless Abandon by @rufeepeach

Best Crack!Fic:

xxx

Best Drama:

xxx

Best Supernatural:

A Dragon's Heart by @worryinglyinnocent

Dark Sight by @maplesyrupao3

With a Word by @b-does-the-write-thing

Best Season Rewrite:

Come Hell or High Water by @standbyyourmantis

Best Trend:

The Lesson by @woodelf68

Best Prompter:

@thestraggletag

Events

(All fics in this category are limited to 2016 events)

Rumbelle Secret Santa

A Pleasure to Burn by @of-princes-and-savages

Painting Faces by @we-aim-to-misbehave

New beginnings by @judymulder

I Must Be Warmer Now by @ifishouldvanish

Brandy, Apples and Spice by @rufeepeach

A Dragon's Heart by @worryinglyinnocent

Rumbelle Christmas in July:

Dark Sight by @maplesyrupao3

Blushes and Brushes by @rowofstars

The Nanny by @thatravenclawbitch

Rumbelle Revelry:

The Mysterious Incident of Shadowhearst Manor by @of-princes-and-savages

Ladies Of The Night by @thenaughtyscandalousscorpio

Woods Lovely, Dark and Deep by @b-does-the-write-thing

Mantis’ Menagerie (will be known as May Day Menagerie from 2017 on):

The Gods of Our Shores by @lady-therion

Adrift by @thestraggletag

Seal of Love by @endangeredslug

Water Logged by @we-aim-to-misbehave

Harborside by @minticetea

Finding Home by @thecompletebookworm

Monthly Rumbelle (Non-smut):

Seven Days of Christmas by @mariequitecontrarie

Six Degrees of Separation by @worryinglyinnocent

Let’s go Back to December and Stay by @handwithquill

A Fresh Start by @woodelf68

Monthly Rumbelle (Smut):

Reflections by @woodelf68

Once Upon a Lifetime by @still-searching47

Return to Cave of Wonders by @worryinglyinnocent

An Education by @worryinglyinnocent

Great Rumbelle Blow Off:

Never Have I Ever by @breaktimewritings

Spinner's Helper by @ishtarelisheba

Look Back in Anger by @emospritelet

Fall on Your Knees by @thescholarlystrumpet

Rumbelle is Hope:

Baby of Mine by @sarashouldbestudying (Rumbelle Revolution)

Driving Lesson by @wierdogal

Hope is a Thing With Feathers by @endageredslug

CHARACTER AWARDS

Best Belle:

Belle from Inheritance by @rufeepeach

Chubby!Belle from All of Me by @mariequitecontraire

Best Dark One!Belle:

xxx

Best Lacey:

Reckless Abandon Lacey by @rufeepeach

Buried Treasure Lacey by @emospritelet

Best Barely Legal!Belle:

Belle from Penance by @emospritelet

Belle from Heat of the Moment by @thescholarlystrumpet

Best Dark One:

The House Guest DO by @b-does-the-write-thing

The Story Teller by @b-does-the-write-thing

Best Mr. Gold:

With a Word by @b-does-the-write-thing

Disrupted by @theoneandonlylittlebird

Best Spinner!Rumple:

Harmless by @rufeepeach

The Queen’s Request by @b-does-the-write-thing

Best Woobie!Rum:

Red Lights by @rufeepeach

The Birth of a Fairy by @annievh

The Ice Queen by @charmedrumbelle

Best OC:

Clerk from Dark Sight by @maplesyrupao3

Best Rumbelle Child:

Bae from Inheritance by @rufeepeach

Best Villain:

Cora Mills from Freeze on the Stones by @toseehowthestoryends

Nurse Mills from Better to Face the Bullets by @ishtarelisheba

Art

Best Cover Art:

“Choker of Lace” by @licieoic

“Real Inside” by @dekujin

“Find Me Tomorrow” by @angelqueen13art

“Heart of the Ship” by @qtarts

“Any Port in a Storm” by @midstorm

Isabella’s Baby by @rumpledspinster

Best Graphic Art: Gif sets, photosets, etc.:

[X] by @rumpledspinster

Pirate Belle by @midstorm

Pieces by @rumbelleluv

All of Me by @rowofstars

Feet In the Air, Head On the Ground by @rowofstars

Blushes and Brushes by @rowofstars

Gideon’s conception by @nirvigedearie

Best Fan Art:

[Selkie!Rumbelle] by @nia-nita

[Secret Santa] by @angelqueen13

“You’re Still Here” by @licieoic

“Hold Me and Love Me” by @licieoic

[Dorks] by @cocoadrops

C’mon Rumple… it’s tradition by @nia-nita

[Green Dress] by @erel89

[“The Cure”] by @erel89

[Sad DO!Rumple] by @enveniya

“Deeper, Dearie” by @suchadearie

[BATB Dress] by @captainpinsel

DarkOne!Belle by @goldesque

Flower picking by @nia-nita

Surprise kiss by @cocoadrops

Waiting by @licieoic

Rainy day in Storybrooke by @erel89

Lacey and Mr. Gold by @nynaeve88illustration

sea wizard Rumple and librarian Belle by @nia-nita

“Mermaid Belle” by @licieoic

[Animated Spinner!Rum] by @nia-nita

Fairy!Belle (In Heat) by @nia-nita

Best Comic/Graphic Novel:

[Things Belle scolds me for] by @doodlinglina

“Shipwrecked on a Mystical Island” by @delintthedarkone

“A Rumbelle birthday party” by @foxmurphy

“I want my Bell back” by @mercisnm

The Fairy and the Librarian by @nia-nita

[Belle doesn’t know how to make a compliment] by @cocoadrops

Light Switch by @kamdensl

Incredible by @kamdensl

Best Artist:

@nia-nita

@erel89

@kamdensl

@licieoic

@bookwormappreciationlife

@cocoadrops

@rowofstars

BEST ANYELLE FIC:

Tiger Lilies by @emospritelet

Look Back in Anger by @emospritelet

No Light Over London by @lotus0kid

A Pleasure to Burn by @of-princes-and-savages

Adrift by @thestraggletag

BEST ANYEM FIC:

The Third Wheel by @junoinferno

BEST RUMBELLE FIC:

Penance by @emospritelet

Inheritance by @rufeepeach

Dark Sight by @maplesyrupao3

All of Me by @mariequitecontraire

BEST AUTHOR:

@emospritelet

@suchadearie

@thescholarlystrumpet

@rufeepeach

Rumbelle Fandom Lifetime Achievement award:

@mariequitecontraire

@deweymay

@crankynerdgirl

Newbie Spotlight:

@of-princes-and-savages

@nirvigedearie

@theoneandonlylittlebird

@still-searching47

@poca-staks

#the espenson awards #tea promo #tea promos #teas 2017

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