Chapter 1: In Paris…

Belle and the Beast had traveled to Paris by the enchanted book the enchantress left behind. The Beast had wanted Belle to go to the place she has always wanted to go: Paris. She wanted to see what it was like in Paris… how big or small, remarkable things about Paris, and, most of all, why her parents loved Paris so much. In the library, Belle spotted the book while the Beast was putting books back in the shelves.

She asked, "What is this book about?" The book was showing a map of the world, and it was also glowing. He asked, "What? Which one?" She stared at the book's page, and said, "This one." He walked over to her, and he smiled and explained, "This is an enchanted book. The enchantress left this book behind after she cursed me and the servants. This book will take you to any place in the world that you dream of seeing."

Belle was excited because she could feel her past coming back to life when she thought of going to Paris at that moment. Maybe even seeing her mom's old things, or what exactly happened to her. Her father never came upon the story of how she died, but Belle was always determined to find out.

Beast asked, "Is there a certain place that you would like to visit in the world?" She smiled and replied, "Paris. My parents loved Paris." Beast said, "Oh, I love Paris, too. It is a fascinating town." Belle asked, "How do I take us there?" He smiled and held her hand. Beast explained, "Point to Paris on the book…" He lead her hand to where Paris is located, and he said, "Now… close your ways and visualize going there…"

Belle closed her eyes, and thought of her past. All she could remember was her father and herself in the cottage they live in now. All Belle wanted to see so badly was Paris, and she was hoping to open her eyes in the town. Beast was still holding her hand, and he chuckled. She asked, with her eyes still closed, "Are we there?" His reply was, "Open your eyes, Belle…" When she opened her eyes excitedly, all she saw was a dusty, crumbly attic.

Her smile of excitement faded, and she walked around the attic. She saw some drawings… drawings that she had drawn herself. Beast said, "Well, we're in Paris. What would you like to see first?" Belle looked around in disappointment, and she saw a tiny crib. She said sadly, "Paris is so much smaller than I imagined." Beast said, "Well, it is, but there are many things to tour." Belle bent down next to the crib, and saw a drawing in it.

The drawing showed Belle as a baby, and her mother holding her. It was a drawing of the painting her father had painted. Belle could not believe that she took her and the Beast to Paris, the town that was fascinating to him, but disappointing to Belle. Then, Belle thought of the song her father sang as she walked in the cottage a few days back…

She sang, "This is the Paris of my childhood… these were the borders of my life…" She stood up from the crib, and searched the attic for her past. Beast would dreamily watch her because it was obvious that he was proud of himself. Belle looked at every object she saw, thinking of her as an infant.

She sang, "In this crumbly, dusty attic… where an artist loved his wife…" She looked at the drawing of her and her mother, and sang, "Easy to remember.. harder to move on…" Belle could feel a wave of tears rushing up her eyes. Beast would listen to her soft voice sing sadly, and watch her smiling face turn into a melancholy frown.

Belle sang, with some tears falling, "Knowing the Paris of my childhood… is gone…" Belle bent down next to the crib again, and looked around the attic again. Beast asked sadly, "What happened to your mother?" Belle replied, "It was the only story Papa could not bring upon himself." Beast looked behind him, and Belle continued to watch him in sadness.

He found a mask… a doctor's mask. He picked it up, and explained, "A doctor's mask." Belle and Beast locked eyes, and she walked closer to him. He said, "Plague." Belle was in complete shock; she now knew that it would be hard on Papa to tell the story of how her mother died. Belle turned around… seeing a rose-shaped baby rattle.

She picked it up, and she kept having flashbacks of her as a baby. The rattle somehow made her remember her mother dying. Belle remembered everything that happened on the day of her mother's death…

….. Flashback to Belle's mother's last day….

Belle's mother was lying in her bed, with Maurice and a doctor by her side. She had sickly tears falling down her eyes, and the doctor closed his kit. He told Maurice behind the mask, "You must leave… now. Take your daughter with you." He left the room, and Maurice held his wife's hand.

She groaned while sobbing, "Go as far as you can. Take her with you, and raise her right." Maurice had tears falling down, and his wife sobbed, "Tell Belle that I loved her."

Maurice didn't want to leave his beloved wife, but he knew she was dying. Maurice handed his wife Belle's rattle, and she gave it a kiss right in the middle. Maurice let go of his wife's hand, and took the rattle from her. He ran to Belle's room, and carried a crying Belle out of the house.

He officially was a widow, and his daughter knew nothing of her sickly mother. All she had was the rattle with her mother's final kiss.

…..End of Flashback…

Thinking of that moment made Belle cry harder than she ever had in her life. She bent down next to the crib she laid in before her mom died, and sobbed. She heard Beast say, "I'm sorry I ever called your father a thief… I'm sorry about your mother."

Belle would continue to sob, and she kissed the rattle in the same spot her mother did. Belle looked up at Beast and said with sadness, "Let's go home." She looked at Beast with wet eyes, and he looked at her with sorrow. He felt so bad for her… he totally forgot about his own mother. The woman he was in love with experienced the same thing with her mother.

He smiled because he knew that she wanted to go back to the castle. He held her hand, and he said, "Close your eyes… imagine the castle…" Belle did what he told her to do, and when she opened her eyes, she saw Beast's library.

Once they were in the library, she said, "Thank you so much for taking me to Paris. I now know more about my past. I can't thank you enough." They both smiled at each other, and he said, "Don't worry. I'll do anything for you." She hugged him, and he returned the hug, feeling chills in his bones.

Belle and Beast were great friends. Beast was in love with Belle, but she only really liked him. Beast is so close to breaking the spell… he knows the perfect way to break it… a dance with Belle.