Belle (Emilie de Ravin) and Rumple's (Robert Carlyle) relationship will continue to evolve in the second half of Once Upon a Time's current season.

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While Belle isn't sailing to the Underworld like the rest of our heroes, she will have her own important storyline in the episodes to come.

Once Upon a Time co-creator Adam Horowitz spoke with TVLine recently about how they will treat Belle in the second half of the season.

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"We have plans to keep Belle busy," Horowitz said. "Although she didn't get on the boat [to the Underworld] with our heroes, she's important to the story and becomes very involved."

And even though Rumple has become even darker than ever before, Horowitz noted, "We left [Belle and Rumple] in a place where that relationship was evolving . . . We're not abandoning any of those story threads, and we're hoping to pick up on them in an unexpected way."

Sure to complicate things is the return of Milah (Rachel Shelley), Rumple's former wife who notably died in season 2.

Milah "has a big connection to two of our main characters," fellow co-creator Edward Kitsis told TVLine previously. "We don't want to spoil anything, but... wouldn't it be weird if she met Emma [Jennifer Morrison]? She and Emma might be an awkward meeting."

Once Upon a Time returns for the second half of season 5 on Sunday, March 6 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

Watch a promo for the midseason premiere of Once Upon a Time below:

Tags: Once Upon A Time television ABC