Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Men are stupid," Belle had had a few too many.

"Amen," Her best friend Ruby didn't let that stop her from pouring Belle yet another shot of spiced rum.

"I don't need him, I don't need any of them." She'd decided this three shots ago, but still felt the need to repeat it every time a new one was poured for her. "All they're good for anyway is babies. I can have a baby without a man." This, however, was a new decision.

"Technically," Ruby slurred, pointing a finger at Belle and blinking a few times to try (and fail) to study herself. "Tech-i-nichally you do. But I know what you mean." Their next shot finished off the bottle and was drank to the toast of: "Screw men!"

"It sounds like you two are having a hell of a time."

"Richard!" Belle had completely forgotten that they'd called him. Ruby and Belle had hit the bar after Belle's long time fiancé decided that he didn't want to settle down after all. Instead he'd decided he wanted to run of with a stripper he'd met and her two friends to Vegas. He'd called her 2 hours from town and told her the wedding was off and she could keep the ring.

When Ruby had found out (through the sobs and hiccups of a distraught Belle over the phone), she had taken her friend to flirt with guys and drink her problems away. And when it became clear that neither were in a position to drive, Belle called the only person in town that she knew wouldn't judge her or ask her to talk about it. Surely by now the whole town knew, especially seeing as how the unofficial town gossip Leroy had seen George leaving with the three blonde bimbettes.

Belle hopped off of the bar stool and Richard Gold held his arm out to help steady her. "Why don't we get you home?" He asked with a near smile before turning his brown eyes on Ruby. "And what about you, Ms. Lucas? Is someone coming to gather you?"

"I can walk," she said, brushing him off with a messy wave of her hand.

"I won't be the reason you stumbled into the street to your death. You can come with us and I'll drop you off." He spoke with a sternness that made Belle let out a sound that was half snort and half giggle like children do when they watch their friends get in trouble.

"Fine," Ruby slid from the bar and sauntered towards the door. "Watch it, Gold. I might start to think you're secretly nice."

----

Belle was the only person in Storybrooke who thought that Gold was anything more than a stingy, cold-hearted, old man. She was his only friend, as superficial as their friendship was. She had a kind and caring heart that helped her see past his exterior to see the man beneath it, and her oaf of a fiancé had had that heart in his hands and crushed it. If Richard ever saw that bastard again he would find himself with a face full of cane.

Currently, though, he limped behind his friend and the diner girl glad that they were steady enough to talk themselves to his Cadillac. He wouldn't be able to support them both. He could maybe handle Belle, who was smaller than even he was, but Ruby Lucas was all legs and two tons of hair products. He and his cane wouldn't stand a chance.

Belle took the front seat and Ruby the back, both girls still chattering and laughing. Their rapid fire conversation seemed, thanks no doubt to the alcohol, like their own personal language. He was content to let them talk, only making out two or three worlds in every sentence. The best he could tell was that they hated men and something about babies. Or maybe it was bimbos. For all he knew it could have been both. The Gaston boy hadn't gotten his stripper knocked up, had he? That was a rumor Gold had assumed was simply made up.

By the time they had dropped Ruby off safely to the care of her grandmother and made it to Belle's apartment, the pretty brunette was fast asleep against his shoulder. He felt bad about having to wake her, but he certainly wouldn't be able to carry her up the stairs to her apartment with his cane. The trip up the steep steps was silent and slow for the both of them, Gold just behind her to make certain she didn't fall. Neither spoke a word until they made it into her apartment.

"Thanks for not asking," she said, leaning against him for a moment as dizziness washed over her.

"It's none of my business," he explained, leading her towards her bedroom. "And it's none of anybody else's either. Remember that." He had no doubt she wouldn't be able to walk out of her apartment without being asked about what had happened.

When they got to the bedroom Belle flopped down onto the bed unceremoniously. He couldn't help but smile a bit at the sight of it before he set his cane against the dresser to help her out of her shoes at least. For a moment, he thought she'd fallen asleep. With her shoes off he brought the blanket up around her to keep her warm.

"Richard?" She murmured.

"Yes, Belle?"

"Can I have your baby?"

Well that was certainly not at all what he had expected to come out of her mouth. He gaped at her, something that was lost on the blue eyed beauty who had truly fallen asleep by the time he was able to breathe again. Hopefully she would forget that she'd said anything.

----

The next day Belle awoke with the worst headache imaginable. The alarm going off on her bedside table sounded like a bullhorn being let loose right in her ear and she nearly knocked it off of the table in an attempt to turn it off. She didn't want to get out of bed, ever. The blinds were drawn and the curtains closed, but the small amount of sunlight that crept through blazed around her and made the throbbing that much worse. What the hell had happened last night?

Oh, right-- she'd been dumped.

Belle let the memories of the night before come back to her as pulled the blanket up over her face to save herself from the hellish light that plagued her. She and Ruby had talked and drank and Belle had cried her eyes out before coming to the very drunken conclusion that men sucked. Well, that was harmless enough, she supposed. Slowly the fact that she had also decided that all she really wanted was a baby returned, as did the fact that Richard had been the one to see her home safely.

She always knew she could count on him. He was a gentlemen, after all, and her friend. He was probably the only guy in the world that wouldn't have tried to make a move on her while she was drunk off her ass. That thought had occurred to her the night before as well, and there was something else that she'd decided-- something that Belle couldn't quite recall...

Shit.

Belle sat up quickly, head spinning and pounding as she looked for anything to catch the bile quickly rising in her throat. Luckily, she found a small trash can on the floor beside the bed that she didn't recall being there before. She moaned into the can after heaving up the meager contents of her stomach. Today was not going to be a good day.

Wiping her mouth with a tissue she looked around as was happy to find a large cup of water that may have, at one time, contained ice, and her bottle of pain killers. Apparently putting her to bed and taking off her shoes weren't the only things Richard had seen to before he'd left. Before she gathered her strength to go and take a shower (and clean out the poor trash can), Belle grabbed her phone and texted Richard.

Richard, thanks for picking me up last night. And bonus points for the trash can, water, and pain meds. You're a life saver.

His reply came shortly after she'd taken three of the pills and drank at least half of the cup of water.

It was no problem at all. I hope you aren't feeling too bad. -R

She made an unladylike noise.

I feel awful. But that's what get when you try to drink your sorrows away.

Slowly she made her way into the bathroom with the can, trying not to throw up again as she cleaned it out. Her head was killing her, but hopefully by the time she got out of the shower her meds would have kicked in.

That's something I understand more than you might realize. -R

If you aren't feel up to Granny's I could bring you coffee on my way to work. Let me know. -R

How could the town see Richard Gold as a monster when he did things like this for her?

Coffee would be amazing, thank you. See you in an hour.

She kept her shower short, but when she was done she felt well enough to think she wouldn't get sick anymore. Her head still ached but it was a duller throb than before. She'd never been more glad that she worked just down stairs and in a dimly lit library. Soft lights, quiet atmosphere, and she didn't even have to step outside.

It wasn't until she was putting the finishing touches on her makeup that the final realization of what had happened the night before hit her. She had told Richard Gold that she wanted to have his baby.

Oh good god.

Maybe he hadn't heard her. Or understood her. After all, she was drunk and slurring her words pretty heavily. Add that in with her pre-existing accent and maybe he thought she was speaking gibberish. Hopefully, anyway. Otherwise things were about to get seriously awkward.

----

Walking towards the library, Gold was nervous. Would she remember what she'd said to him the night before? Had she meant what she'd said? And on that note, what had she even meant by it? Belle was certainly beautiful, but he'd never seen her as anything other than the pretty little librarian who had befriended the monster. She was his best friend, but never anything more.

She looked like hell. She still looked beautiful, but she'd lost some of her luster and her smile clearly didn't reach her eyes. He didn't know if it was the break up or the hangover that gave her the melancholy air, but he had a feeling it was probably both. "Hey," he said with a shy smile. "I brought your coffee." He held up the cup and set it on the circulation desk for her, avoiding her gaze as he remembered the night before. "And some doughnuts just in case you got hungry."

With the cup out of his free hand he moved the bag out from it was gripped between his cane and hand and put it on the table as well. "Thanks," she said, and the awkward silence that followed told Gold that she did remember.

"I'd better leave you to it--"

"Wait," he had been about to leave, but stopped and looked up at her slowly. She sighed and sat in a chair, grabbing the coffee. "You heard me, didn't you? I'd hoped you wouldn't have heard or understood what I said. I'm so sorry."

She was embarrassed, that was plain as day. And Richard couldn't blame her. "Don't worry about it, you were drunk. You didn't know what you were saying." She winced at that, and for a moment he worried that he'd spoken too loudly and hurt her head.

"The thing is, I did know what I was saying," suddenly she found her coffee cup extraordinarily interesting. "If I wasn't drunk I wouldn't have said it in that way, obviously, but-- well I've been thinking and last night I came to what I think might have been a very logical conclusion."

Richard felt like he had to sit down for this, and he found the chair across from her and sat heavily. "And what conclusion would that be?" He asked, having no idea how to prepare himself for whatever it was she'd decided.

"I want a baby. I've always wanted a baby." Now she looked up at him, tears threatening in her bright blue eyes. "George left me, and that hurt-- but what hurt most was that I wouldn't get a family. That's all I've ever really wanted." Things with George were supposed to be perfect. She was supposed to marry him, have his children, and live happily. But why couldn't she do all of that, just without him?

"Belle, I don't understand." He was completely lost. Why would she want to have a baby with him, of all people?

"I don't need a husband to have a child. But the idea of having a stranger's baby-- I don't like it." She sat up a bit, leaning on the table. "What if my child has a genetic disease that the sperm bank didn't catch? Or what if the doctors needed a full family history and I could only give them half?" She shook her head. "I'm not comfortable not knowing who the father of my baby would be."

"Belle," This was all happening really quickly. George had only just left her less than 24 hours ago and now she was talking about having a baby by herself. And was she really asking him to be the donor for that child? He was beginning to worry about her...

"Hear me out, please-- I want to do this. I know it's all of a sudden, but you don't have to decide right now. You're smart and kind and healthy, and I trust you. If you would agree, I would love to choose you as my donor." He couldn't speak. He could barely breathe. "You wouldn't have any responsibilities for me or the child, I could take care of us both by myself. I won't tell them who you are and you don't have to have a relationship with them if you don't want to. I don't need your money or your time, just your sperm."

She blushed at that, realizing how odd it sounded to say out loud. "Can I-- have some time to think this through?" He finally got words to leave his mouth, but he didn't have the heart to outright deny her.

"Yes, yes of course," Belle said, nodding her head. "This is a crazy thing to ask, I know. I don't expect you to have an answer now. Just promise me you'll consider it?" She had a hopeful little smile that broke his heart.

"I promise I will consider it, if you promise me that you'll do the same." He couldn't shake the thought that this was her version of rebounding. He didn't want his friend stuck with a child she didn't really want. "This is a huge decision to make. I'm just afraid you may be entering into it too lightly."

"Deal," she said, smiling at him. "Thank you for worrying, but I know this is what I want. Still, I will talk to a few other people while you consider my offer." Hopefully Archie Hopper was one of them. He sighed, and stood still in a bit of a daze.

"I really should go now--" he stopped just before getting to the door and turned around. "And Belle? I'm very sorry for what happened."

Her smile was sad and he was afraid she might cry. Or worse, hug him. "Thank you, Richard. Have a good day."

What the hell was he going to do?

Chapter Text

It’d been almost a week since he had promised Belle he would think about her proposal. She hadn’t bothered him or asked him for his answer, but he knew she had spoken with Archie about her plan. Archie seemed to think it was a good idea, and while Belle was still mourning the loss of her engagement, he thought that she wanted the baby for all of the right reasons. The only thing the child would do is help expedite that mourning.

Richard would have to figure this out soon, she wouldn’t wait forever. He knew that she would be a wonderful mother. She was gentle and loving, stern yet affectionate. And that was just with him.  She would raise their child to be as kind and intelligent as she was, and that child would make her so happy. She could pay for the child and her father would be more than willing to help, he knew. So what was holding him back?

He supposed he was worried about what would happen between them. She was his best friend, and if anything happened and he lost her--

Still, he couldn’t just tell her no because he was being selfish.

Instead, he’d decided to talk to Archie who, in turn, had suggested that he bring his concerns to Belle. He should have figured that would be his advice.

Richard had called her and invited Belle out for coffee. Seeing her arrive so bright and hopeful made him all the more anxious. “Hey,” she said with a smile as she took the booth across from him. “How’ve you been?”

“Good, good--” he played with his napkin, setting it out over his lap out of pure nerves. “And you?”

“Better,” she tilted her head to the side a bit. “It’s been an adjustment without George, but I’m doing okay.”

“That’s good. I’m glad you’re feeling better.” He really was glad she seemed to be doing well. “I’ve given some thought to your proposal.”

“And?” There is was again-- that hopeful look.

“And-- I don’t know, Belle.” The disappointment that colored her features made him feel terrible. “It’s not that I don’t think you’ll be an amazing mother or even that you won’t keep your word, it’s just that I worry about how it will affect, well… us.”  He blushed a bit and glanced away.

“Us?” She asked with an odd look on her face. “Richard, what do you mean?”

“You’ve quickly become my best friend. If we do this and it affects that friendship--” he sighed and shook his head.

“It won’t,” she said quickly. “Richard-- I’m not asking you to be a boyfriend or a father. I don’t want a boyfriend, nor do I want a father for my child. I don’t need anything from you but your…. well, you know.” She didn’t want to say it out loud in the middle of Granny’s. Especially with Ruby coming to drop off his coffee and her iced tea. When she was gone Belle continued. “After it’s all done we can just go back to being friends like nothing happened.”

Well that sounded good. How hard could it be for them to pretend nothing happened? It didn’t have to be a big deal. She would just be his pregnant friend and that would be that.

“And you’re sure you want my-- specimen?” He still couldn’t believe she wanted her baby to share genetics with a man like him. He was hated and nothing much to look at. If the kid would have any chance it life it had better look more like its mother. Belle chuckled.

“Yes, I’m sure,” she told him. “So-- is that a yes?” She asked, biting her bottom lip and looking up at him. He returned her look with a gentle smile.

“Yes, Belle. I will be your donor.”

The other patrons of the diner had no idea what was going on, but suddenly Belle was squealing in excited happiness and leaning over the table the best she could to hug him. Gold chuckled and hugged her back, just glad to have made her so happy. She deserved happiness, and as long as he never lost her friendship he would be glad to help her any way he could.

----

Richard thought it would be a good idea for them to sit down in a private setting and go through a Donor Agreement. He suggested that Belle get herself a lawyer to look through the paperwork with her, but she trusted him. He explained the paperwork to her and they discussed how they would handle certain situations. If the child decided, when it got older, that it wished to know who its true father was the two of them would meet to discuss whether or not they thought it best to tell him or her. Until that time, Gold would only be known to the child (and by extension, the town itself) as his or her mother’s good friend.

They determined, in writing, that Richard was asking for no compensation for his donation and that he would have no claim to any resulting child. And in the same respect, Belle would have no claim to any monetary support from Richard on behalf of the child. Once the paperwork was all in place, they both signed and dated them in duplicate, each taking one for their own records. With that done, all that was left was for Richard to provide the specimen.

Chapter Text

Ruby was in full party mode. Belle was due to arrive at the diner any moment for her surprise party and the tall raven haired woman was practically bouncing with excitement. It’d been a month and a half since that son of a bitch George Gaston had run off with those three floozies and her good friend had decided that she wasn’t going to wait any longer to start her family. Ruby wasn’t sure she understood the rush, but if it made her friend happy who cared?

The idea of Belle letting a doctor put the sperm of a complete stranger into her was odd to Ruby, but Belle seemed comfortable with it. If it were Ruby, she would have wanted to know more about her donor than just the bare minimum details about health and coloring. She’d want to make sure her baby daddy wasn’t some psycho murderer, for one. On that note, she'd also rather get pregnant doing something fun rather than with a cold turkey baster up her hoo-ha. It didn’t seem to bother Belle though, so Ruby would be nothing but supportive. Hence the party.

Today was the day that Belle had gone to get inseminated at the doctor and they had planned on Belle going to the diner afterwards so that they could celebrate together. What Belle didn’t know was that Ruby had thrown together an Insemination Party for her. Most of the adult women in Storybrooke had shown up to show their support for the quiet but sweet little librarian that they all loved, and when Belle walked through the door they were all going to shout: “Surprise!”

“Where is she?” Ruby whispered, checking her phone. Belle was due to meet her ten minutes ago…

----

Richard knew the idea was that he would have nothing to do with the child, but he was Belle’s friend. When she’d called him because she was nervous about going to her insemination appointment alone and Ruby was busy with work at the diner, how could he turn her away?

She was anxious in the car, and he couldn’t help but worry that she was having second thoughts. When he asked her about it, however, she assured him that that wasn’t it at all. She was excited, just nervous. “Do you think I’ll be a good mother?” She asked softly. Her own mother had passed when she was young, did she even know how to be a mother?

They’d pulled into the doctor’s office and he parked the car, turning in his seat to look at her. “Of course,” he said, taking one of her hands. His warm chocolate eyes met her baby blues and he smiled tenderly at her. “You are a kind and generous woman with such a big heart. Your child will be loved and cherished and grow up to be just as intelligent and caring as you are.”

Belle’s eyes were filling with tears and at first Richard panicked. Had he said the wrong thing? But when she hugged him, he relaxed. “Thank you, Richard.” He patted her back softly and smiled as she parted from him. “It shouldn’t take more than an hour,” she told him. “So if you want to leave and come back, that’s okay.”

“Not at all,” he shook his head. “I’ve got nothing important to do today, and I’ve brought that book you recommended for me.” He knew that she would be busy with the doctor, but if he had to bet he would say that she would feel better knowing he was there the whole time.

And he was right, she seemed more at ease knowing he was going to be there. He sat in the waiting room with his book of short stories by Edgar Allan Poe, marvelling at the idea of his sweet little friend sitting and reading a story about a man being buried alive in a catacomb. He was enjoying the stories, but they seemed like something so unlike what a gentle soul would read. She surprised him every single day.

It took under an hour for the insemination to occur, and afterwards she came out to rejoin him. “Well,” he asked with a small smile. “How was it?”

“Strange,” she admitted with a chuckle as they began to walk towards the Cadillac. “I feel a little violated.”

He chuckled at that and held the car door open for her. “How long until you know?” He tried not to sound too interested, worried she might think he wanted more than they’d agreed upon.

“The doctor said I could take a test in two to four weeks.” She settled in the car and played anxiously with the hem of her skirt. “But he also said that even with the fertility treatments I’ve been taking it might not take the first time. I might have to come back and do it all over again.”

Gold hoped it took, for his friend’s sake. “Well let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.” He wanted her to be happy, and if the process had been uncomfortable he certainly didn’t want her to be uncomfortable again. She seemed concerned by it as she looked out of the window. “Hey, why don’t we get some ice cream?”

His suggestion had the desired effect, and she smiled. “I have to meet Ruby soon at the diner, but we got done a little early. She won’t mind.”

----

Richard was such a dear friend. She'd felt bad about dragging him to the doctor's office with her, after all he had no responsibility to her or her future child. He didn't seem to mind, though, and even took her out for ice cream after. While they sat at Any Given Sundae and enjoyed a shared banana split, they discussed the Edgar Allen Poe stories he'd been reading. She was glad he was enjoying them, and couldn't help but chuckle as he admitted to not really seeing her as the type of woman to enjoy such dark literature.

"I'm a very complex woman, Mr. Gold," she only ever called him Mr. Gold when she was either teasing him or angry with him. She'd very rarely been angry with him, however, and now she was teasing. "I thought you might have learned that by now."

"I learn it more and more each day, Ms. French." He said with a chuckle, nonchalantly scooting the second cherry towards her side of the bowl. They shared sundaes every now and again, and ever since he'd learned that cherries where her favorite fruit he'd always made certain that she got both of them. He never drew attention to it, and neither did she. She had learned a long time ago that Richard Gold's acts of kindness were better left undiscussed. He preferred it that way, and she would indulge him.

After their ice cream, Richard drove her to Granny's where he offered to walk her in and stay with her until Ruby was ready. She was fifteen minutes late, but Ruby had sounded busy earlier and was probably still handling customers. As he held the door open for her it once more struck her what a gentleman he was, and such a good friend. She would never understand why the people of Storybrooke couldn't take a few moments to look past his cool and hardened exterior to see that he was much more than the surly pawn shop owner and stingy landlord they all thought him to be.

"Surprise!" Belle jumped as a chorus of voices rang out to greet them. Blue eyes wide, she looked around to see the whole diner decorated with what looked (to her intense embarrassment and amusement) like happy cartoon characters of sperm and a colorful banner with the words: 'Happy Insemination Day!' scrawled across it in glitter. Belle covered her mouth and laughed as Ruby came forward and hugged her.

"What is all this?"

"Your insemination party, which you are late for, missy!" Ruby told her, taking her arm and leading her further in. "We have pin the tail on the sperm, one of those bean bag tossing games where all of the bean bags look like sperm, and a cake that-- well let's just say it tastes better than it looks."

To which Granny piped up with: "That's what they all say," much to the embarrassment of Ruby.

"Wow, this is so amazing! Thank you." Belle hugged her again. "Sorry I'm late, I got done early and Richard and I went out for ice cream after. I thought you were working and might still be busy." Speaking of Richard...

"Hey, are you leaving already?" She'd caught him just before he'd slipped away.

"This seems like more of a party for friends," he said by way of explanation.

"You're one of my friends too," she pointed out. Best friend, really. What other friend would donate their own seed to help her conceive?

"Girl friends," he amended with a small smile.

"Right," she supposed that a man would feel out of place and awkward playing pin the tail on the sperm, and besides-- Richard wasn't a very social man. Parties made him feel extremely uncomfortable, even when they weren't semen themed. "Well thank you for all of your help today. It means a lot to me."

"It was my pleasure, Belle. Enjoy your party." Before he left Belle leaned up on her tip toes to press a chaste kiss to his cheek and delighted in the way he blushed, as he always did when she kissed his cheek.

When he left, Ruby grabbed her arm and lead her back to the party. "I didn't want to say this while Gold was here," she said softly into Belle's ear, "But we may or may not have also hired a stripper."