video.

[beltet]

Um. [ there's a girl in the video, in what looks like some kind of hospital gown, sweater, and coat. her brown hair is long and tangled, and she looks.. a little freaked out. (who can blame her?) she crosses her arms a little defensively across her chest, shifting from foot to foot and leaning down slightly to peer uncertainly in the mirror. ] I-- I guess this is a way to communicate? [ a short, slightly hoarse laugh. ] It's-- nostalgic, I guess. It makes me homesick-- magic, I mean. Not that I always.. approve, but..

[ she trails off, taking a ragged breath and leaning back, glancing away. ]

This is-- Canada? I-- I was in Storybrooke just a few minutes ago. [ a shudder, and she presses the heels of her palms to her eyes, shoulders hunching inward slightly, before offering another laugh, this one just a touch hysterical. ] I swear I'm going to start screaming if that was all some kind of-- hallucination. It's not-- It's not fair.

Comments

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[beltet]

I-- was, yes. It was a while ago, though. [ she glances down at her hands, plucking at the sleeve of her sweater. ] .. We had a.. disagreement and I left, but..

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[hostage]

He don't really talk much about his life before, so... I mean, whatever it was, I'm sure he ain't mad at you about it or nothing. He's a real nice guy.

Shit, I didn't even introduce myself, huh. I'm Jesse Pinkman. I work with Mr. Gold sometimes.

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[beltet]

[ she smiles in return, dropping into a slightly rusty curtsy in her hospital gown and wool leggings. ]

It's nice to meet you. I'm Belle. And-- I guess I'm not really worried about him turning me away. [ not after the way he'd reacted in his shop in storybrooke. not after what he'd admitted to her. ] I know how to handle him for the most part.

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[hostage]

[Jesse laughs because - well, out of all of his partners, Mr. Gold's the one who's never needed handling. He's so completely reasonable.]

Well, I'm glad he's got you looking out for him, Belle.

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[beltet]

Really, he should be grateful, too. [ she huffs slightly, mouth pursing. naturally, as petite as she is, her ability to intimidate is probably zilch. ] That man and his clutter.

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[hostage]

Oh my god, I know. I mean - not that I'm one to talk - but his shop is seriously like Hoarders sometimes.

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[beltet]

The habit of a lifetime, unfortunately. He tends to collect things from everywhere he goes. [ she toys with the edge of her sleeve again, shrugging slightly. ] --I suppose he has a pawn-shop here?

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[hostage]

Yup. Just renovated, so it looks pretty nice now.

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[beltet]

Does he still-- [ a slight, vague gesture of her hand, brows drawing together. ] --make deals?

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[hostage]

[Deals, huh. His housekeeper knows this?]

Is that what he did back home?

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[beltet]

.. Um. [ where she's from, everyone knows who rumpelstiltskin is and what he does and what he's capable of. but here? she's not really sure how much to say. ] Well, yes, sort of.

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[hostage]

You got a deal with him, too?

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[beltet]

.. Sort of. That's how I wound up his housekeeper. I haven't thought of it that way in a long time, though.

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[hostage]

What'd you -

I mean, uh. That's personal, huh? I guess I'm just wondering what it was like...

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[beltet]

What it was like? Do you mean making a deal with him?

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[hostage]

Yeah.

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[beltet]

Well.. technically, it was my father who made the deal. I just agreed to it. It was terrifying at first, though.

[ video | locked ]

[hostage]

Oh.

What was - I mean, what about it was terrifying?

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[beltet]

R-- Mr Gold used to have a rather intimidating reputation. And the deal itself meant I couldn't go back home.

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[hostage]

[How horribly familiar.]

But he was good to you, right? I mean, once you were there.

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[beltet]

[ she nods, smiling a little wistfully. ]

It took some adjusting for both of us, but yes. [ up until the end, at least. ]

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[hostage]

Good.

[Because honestly he can't take learning that yet another partner of his is secretly a monster.]

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[beltet]

[ well, there's a reason her story is 'beauty and the beast', after all. ]

Are you a friend of his?

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[hostage]

Yeah. I mean, I think so.

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[beltet]

[ her smile takes on a relieved, fond note. ]

I'm glad, then. Thank you, Jesse.