CHRISTMAS EVE
Belle was adjusting the red and green bow in her hair when there was a knock on her bedroom door.
"Come in."
Mrs. Potts stepped halfway into the bedroom. "Belle, Tiana is here."
Belle smiled at Mrs. Potts through the mirror. "Fantastic! Show her to the kitchen and tell her I'll be down in a moment."
Mrs. Potts nodded and left, closing the door behind her. Belle and Adam were throwing their annual Christmas party for some of their closest friends. Tiana had offered to come over early and help make the dinner for everyone. The rest of her guests wouldn't arrive for another couple hours, which gave Belle time to help Angelique finish the last minute decorating.
Belle slipped on her shoes, sprayed a little perfume on her wrists, then headed down to the kitchen. Tiana was talking to one of the cooks while Naveen was peeling potatoes.
"Bonjour!" Belle greeted.
"Hey, girl!" Tiana greeted. Naveen gave her a quick wave, then continued on the potatoes.
Mrs. Potts and Chip came in as Tiana walked over to Belle.
"Miss Tiana, can I help?" Chip asked.
Tiana smiled at him. "Of course. Why don't you help Naveen peel the potatoes?"
Chip nodded and hurried over to Naveen. Mrs. Potts gave Tiana a hug, before going to help with the baking.
"Thank you so much for your help, Tiana," Belle said.
"It's no problem," Tiana said. "I'm happy to help."
Tiana got back to work and Belle made her way to the Ballroom. She immediately spotted Lumiere up on a ladder trying to hang a giant wreath. Cogsworth was standing a few feet away from the ladder shouting up at Lumiere.
"Higher!" Cogsworth called up to him. Lumiere raised the wreath. "No, no, no. That's too high! Lower! Good! Right there!"
Lumiere hung up the wreath and started climbing back down the ladder.
"Wait!" Cogsworth shouted. "It's crooked!"
Lumiere shot Cogsworth a dirty look before climbing back up the ladder and fixing the wreath. Lumiere came back down and picked up the stack of wreaths at the bottom of the ladder. He and Cogsworth then moved on to hang up the rest of the wreaths. Belle found Angelique standing in front of the tree, staring at a clipboard.
"Angelique, do you need any help?" Belle asked as she walked over to her.
Angelique flipped through the pages attached to the clipboard and looked around the Ballroom. "I think we've got it all covered."
"Are you sure?" Belle asked.
Angelique nodded. Belle turned to walk away.
"Oh, wait, Belle!" Angelique called after her. "Can you make sure the lights outside are working?"
"Of course." Belle pulled on her coat and went outside.
Lighted garland was wrapped around the edges of the entire walkway leading up to the door. Belle's eyes grew wide as she saw the whole front of the castle was covered in colored icicle lights. The castle looked beautiful. Belle couldn't wait for the rest of her friends to see it.
Just as Belle started to go back inside, her father stepped outside pushing a snow blower. It was then that Belle noticed the snow was actually up to her knees.
"Do you need any help?" Belle asked.
Maurice shook his head and smiled at her. "No. But, I think Adam was looking for you."
"Thanks, Papa." Belle kissed his cheek and hurried back inside.
She was immediately greeted by Adam. "Angelique is looking for you." He took her hand and led her into the Ballroom.
"Were the lights working?" Angelique asked.
"Yes. Everything looks wonderful!" Belle said.
Angelique nodded. "Of course it does." She smiled at Belle. "I'm going to get changed for the party."
Now that all the decorating and cleaning was done, everyone dispersed and started getting ready for the party.
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Esmeralda, Phoebus and their son, Zephyr, were the first guests to arrive. As Adam was taking their coats, Chip ran to the front door to greet Zephyr.
"Look what Clopin gave us!" Zephyr said, holding up two puppets.
"Neat!" Chip exclaimed.
The boys then ran upstairs to Chip's room.
"There are snacks in the Ballroom," Adam said as he hung up the coats on the rack by the door. "As well as some punch and apple cider."
"Adam and I would like to be here to greet everyone as they come in, so you can go ahead to the Ballroom and help yourself," Belle said. "Tiana and Naveen are already in there."
Phoebus laughed. "I knew Tiana was here the second I walked in the door and smelled the food."
Belle gave Esmeralda a hug before her and Phoebus walked away.
Rapunzel and Flynn arrived next. Rapunzel was wearing a red Santa hat and carrying a guitar case.
"I hope we get to sing some Christmas carols," Rapunzel said, setting down her guitar case. She took off her coat and handed it to Adam.
Belle nodded. "We will. Everyone is gathering in the Ballroom. Adam and I will join you once everyone is here."
Rapunzel picked up her guitar case and they joined the others in the Ballroom. Before Adam could close the door behind them, Jasmine and Aladdin walked in.
"This weather is awful!" Jasmine said as she stomped the snow off her shoes.
"There's hot apple cider in the Ballroom," Belle offered.
Jasmine and Aladdin handed their coats to Adam and hurried off to the Ballroom.
Aurora and Philip arrived next with a big dish of brownies.
"You didn't have to bring anything," Belle told them, taking their coats.
"Now, Belle, if our friends want to bring over brownies, who are we to tell them no," Adam said.
Belle smiled at him, then turned back to Aurora and Philip. "We have the rest of the snacks and treats set up in the Ballroom."
Aurora and Philip started walking away, but Adam stopped them.
"Can I have one of those brownies, please?" Adam asked. "Phoebus is here and I know if I don't get one now, I'll never get one."
Aurora smiled at him and took of the lid off the dish. Adam took a brownie and thanked her. Aurora put the lid back on and they headed to the Ballroom.
Pocahontas and John Smith walked in right behind them. John immediately noticed Adam eating the brownie.
"I thought I saw Aurora and Philip come in before us," John said. "That is one of Aurora's brownies, isn't it?"
Adam nodded as shoved the last bit of the brownie in his mouth. John clumsily shook off his coat and went after Aurora. Belle picked John's coat up off the floor, then took Pocahontas'.
"I'm sorry about that," Pocahontas said.
"Don't worry about it," Adam told her.
Pocahontas smiled at them, then followed after John.
"Merry Christmas!" Eric announced as he and Ariel let themselves in.
"Merry Christmas!" Belle said, giving Ariel a hug. "Where's Melody?"
"We dropped her off at the Darling's Christmas party," Ariel said as Eric helped her take off her coat. "She said she'd rather hang out with Wendy than come here and get stuck watching the boys again."
Adam nodded. "She'll be missed, but we understand."
"Please help yourself to snacks and drinks in the Ballroom," Belle said. "Almost everyone is here, so we'll be having dinner shortly."
Eric put his arm around Ariel as they walked to the Ballroom.
Meg and Hercules were the last guests to arrive. Meg pulled off her gloves and stuffed them into her coat pockets. She then took off her coat and hung it on the coat rack. Hercules handed her his coat and she hung up his as well.
"We're so glad you guys made it," Belle said.
The four of them walked into the Ballroom. Everyone was grouped off and talking excitedly.
"Welcome, everybody!" Belle called out. Everyone turned and looked at Belle. "Thank you all so much for coming. Now that everyone is here, it's time for dinner."
The guests all made their way to the dining room and took their seats. Belle smiled at the sight of all her friends back together again.