Author's Note: Okay, here's a story that came to mind and insisted upon being written. Basically, when Belle realizes the reason for Gaston wanting to kill the Beast is to get the Beast out of his way of having Belle, she agrees to marry him. This should get interesting.

Disclaimer: I do not own Beauty and the Beast or its characters. Disney does.

Another Author's Note: I just made a few changes, particularly about how Gaston calms the crowd. Thank you, TrudiRose, for suggesting ways to make that part more realistic.

"My father is not crazy, and I can prove it!" Belle stood in front of her house, holding the mirror the Beast had given her upon her departure from the castle. She was desperate to keep her father out of the asylum, and didn't want to marry Gaston in order to do it, which was the ultimatum. "Show me the Beast!" She held the mirror out to face the crowd. Villagers gasped as the image of the Beast appeared.

"Is it dangerous?" one of the villagers called.

"Oh no he'd never hurt anyone," Belle said. She looked affectionately into the mirror. "Please, I know he looks vicious, but he's really kind and gentle. He's my friend."

As Maurice, having been released by Monsieur D'Arque's men ran over to Belle, Gaston stepped up and placed his hands firmly on Belle's shoulders.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you had feelings for this monster."

"He's no monster Gaston!" Belle said, pulling away from Gaston. "You are!"

"She's as crazy as the old man!" Gaston grabbed the mirror from Belle. "The Beast will make off with your children! He'll come after them in the night! We're not safe until his head is mounted on my wall! I say we kill the Beast!"

The crowd was now riled up, transformed into an angry mob. Nobody listened to Belle when she insisted he would never do the things Gaston was speaking of. And suddenly it dawned on her why Gaston wanted to kill the Beast. He saw the Beast as a rival for Belle's affections, and wanted the Beast out of his way. Belle thought quickly, desperate for a way to save the Beast.

"Wait!" She held up her hand as she called out, just as she did at the Beast's dungeon, pleading for her father's freedom. "I'll marry you."

"What was that?" Gaston turned and looked at Belle. "Did you just say you'll marry me?"

"If I did..." this really seemed like de ja vu to Belle. "Would you let the Beast live?"

"Yes," Gaston said. "But you must promise to stay with me forever."

Belle thought for a moment. She looked back at her father.

"No, Belle," Maurice said. "Gaston is not right for you, you've said so yourself! I won't let you do this!"

Belle, ignoring her father, turned back to Gaston and looked him in the eye.

"You have my word."

"Done!" Gaston said, turning to the crowd. He would now have to calm them. He had to come up with some excuse now after getting them fired up about how the Beast was going to attack them. Studying the mirror, he came up with an excuse. "Friends, there has been a change of plans! I see now that the Beast is in the woods, and while we were preparing to go after him, a pack of wolves has been mauling him. The Beast is now dead! We are safe! And, I also have some good news! Belle has agreed to marry me. It will happen at nine o'clock tomorrow morning! For tonight, let's all go to the tavern. I think I'm due for a little bachelor party." He turned back to Belle, handing her the mirror. "I think you'll need this, to help you get looking your best. I want you perfect. Be ready for me to pick you up at a quarter to nine. Not one minute late!"

Belle took the mirror and watched as Gaston led the villagers away, toward the tavern. She turned back and headed into the house, followed by her father.

"Oh Papa!" Belle sank into a chair, on the verge of tears. "I...I...there are just no words..." She then remembered what Gaston had just said about the Beast. She was sure it was just an excuse to calm them down, never admitting that the real reason for letting the Beast live was the agreement, but she needed to make sure. She lifted the mirror up to look into it. "Show me the Beast, please." To her relief, the image that appeared was of the Beast in his room, very much alive. "He's not in the woods, and he wasn't mauled by wolves," she said. "It was just a ploy to calm the mob."

Before the image faded, Belle noticed that the last petal fell from the rose, and watched as the Beast let out an anguished roar. She knew for some time there must have been something about that rose, but wondered the significance, and wondered why he was now so distraught. She put the mirror down on the table.

"Belle, why did you do this?" Maurice asked. "I mean, you did the exact same thing for the Beast as you did for me when he held me captive! You'll marry Gaston to save...a Beast?"

"Like I said Papa, he's changed," Belle said. At this point, Chip hopped over.

"That's right," Chip hopped up onto the hand Belle offered to him and faced Maurice. "I used to be really afraid of the Master. He was really scary, and really mean. But now he's really nice, and I'm not afraid anymore." Of course, Chip didn't grasp the meaning of what Belle had done for the Beast.

"Chip...you need to get back home. Your mother will worry soon, if she's not already worried," Belle said. "Papa, I need you to take Chip back to the castle. And I want you to let the Beast know what happened. Actually I'm going to write a letter to him for you to give to him. And I want you to stay at the castle."

"Belle, couldn't I just take Chip home, drop off the letter to be given to the Beast, and then leave?" After his previous experience with the Beast, Maurice was understandably in no hurry to come face to face with him again. His head believed Belle and Chip, but emotionally, well, just the thought of it caused terrible anxiety.

"Papa, it's okay," Belle said. "He won't do anything nasty to you again, I promise. Please...make sure you deliver my letter to him face to face, to be sure he gets it. And stay there, where Gaston cannot use you."

About two hours later, Belle had finished her letter. She walked Maurice out to Philippe. She gave him her saddle bag, where she secured the letter for the Beast and Chip. When he had mounted the horse, she also gave him the mirror.

"I can't have you getting lost in the woods, Papa," She said firmly. "You must get to the castle as soon and as safely as possible. This mirror will show you anything you ask for. Ask it to show you the safest way to the castle."

"Okay, Belle, I'll do that," Maurice said. "Belle...good luck tomorrow."

After they embraced, as well as they could anyway with Maurice atop Philippe, Belle stood back and Maurice started off.

"Goodbye Papa!" She called. "Goodbye Chip!"

She watched until they were out of sight, and then went back into the house before collapsing in a chair sobbing. She had once again given up her freedom, and she did not see much hope of things getting better, like they did at the castle. And she worried about her father traveling by night. She would just have to hold onto what hope she could that things would turn out for the best.