A/N: Okay, I started watching Beauty and the Beast a few months ago, and tonight I was filled with such inspiration that I just had to start writing a story about it. Unfortunately, I'm only on the first season, and haven't finished it, so any mistakes regarding Mouse or Vincent or anything else, are mine and mine alone.

Chapter One

"What's it like Vincent?" Mouse had asked him that day, the one year anniversary of Catherine having come into his life. "To have a love?"

His face had been so childlike, so full of curiosity, as his face normally was. But there was a trace of something new in his features, but one Vincent knew all too well.

Longing.

He knew the ache that was occurring in Mouse's chest as he heard again and again about various kinds of loves. From books, from the numerous stories the beings from Below told. Childhood, unrequited, forbidden, passionate, innocent. And so many more. The dull sadness as he tried to imagine a future, to him which could never be.

Vincent had experienced these emotions, these feelings, more than anyone. Then, completely unexpectedly, he had gotten something so wonderful, so beautiful, it was hard to believe it was even true at times. But it was, he knew it was. Every time he embraced her, felt her small form folding so easily and effortlessly into him, leading Vincent to believe she had always belonged there. Every time she said his name, her singsong voice making it sound like the most beautiful of all symphonies. And of course, every time his chest constricted whenever she wasn't near.

It was the most wonderful of all feelings, Vincent couldn't believe he was lucky enough to receive this incredible gift.

...

Mouse could see it all. Vincent thought he was concealing it well, but nothing could be hidden from him. Mouse was more observant than people gave him credit for. He saw the way he lit up when Catherine walked into a room, and when it immediately darkened upon her leave. When she was near, he saw the immense joy and love in his eyes, as well as Catherine's.

He wanted more than anything, to have someone look that way at him.

Even when he was young, Mouse could tell he was different. He could figure any type of mechanical problem out within seconds, and come up with new inventions in minutes. The ability to speak though, he noticed, was not one of his strong points. Others spoke clearer. Words more pronounced, flowing together easily. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how smooth sentences seemed in his head, when he tried to execute them, they came out broken, disjointed. It frustrated him greatly. That his ability to communicate with others was so unbelievably difficult.

Jamie was the first one who understood him at first literally, then as time went on, figuratively.

He loved her of course, but as a brother loves a sister. And he was thankful for all of his "family" in the world Below, but, as much as he loved them, he felt something was still missing. Like there was a void in his chest, never quite filled. Like a screw missing from one of his inventions, that didn't really disable it, but would make it work much better if it was there.

At least that's how he looked at it. It was hard to explain really, not that anyone was really asking him to. Mouse had a suspicion that Vincent suspected something different in him, a sadness, one that no one else noticed.

Vincent had always noticed more, always went out of his way to make sure everyone Below was happy, or just had someone to talk to. Not that no one else did, it's just with him, it was always top priority, others always, always before himself.

When the punishment of silence was forced upon Mouse, it was the loneliest time he had ever experienced. He had felt loneliness of course, but never like that. His entire family had seemingly abandoned him. He realized later that they were completely just in their decision, he had endangered all their lives, almost being discovered and exposing his world. At the time though, he was so filled with rage and hate, towards Father, the entire world Below, even Vincent. He had hated himself for hating them. Not once in any other time, had he felt so ugly. So unworthy of anything.

It was then that Mouse realized that that's how Vincent must feel. Unworthy of anything good, anything happy. It was completely absurd that he felt that way, of course, but he now had a better understanding of just why. He was unable to venture above, except at night, he didn't have the freedom to see her when he pleased. Yet he still loved her, even though it was so difficult to be together.

That's what he wanted.

He wanted a person who wouldn't care where he came from, that he didn't always speak in fully coherent sentences. Who's opinion wouldn't change of him, no matter what.

...

Mouse sat at his desk, tinkering away with his newest invention. He wasn't exactly sure what it was yet, but all of them started out that way, with no real purpose in mind until it started coming together. He had just picked up his screwdriver the tighten the loose screw by the bottom, when he heard someone enter.

He looked up, "Vincent!"

Vincent smiled, giving a single nod in response. "Hello Mouse."

"What..." he struggled, "bring you here?" he grimaced at his sentence's brokenness.

Vincent walked to Mouse's bed, sitting down, "Is something on your mind? That you wish to talk about?"

Mouse looked at him for a moment, then set down his screwdriver, eyes downcast, and clasped his hands together, letting them fall in his lap.

"Mouse? You can speak to me, whatever it is."

He looked up, biting his lip. He wasn't sure where to begin, it all made some sort of sense in his head, but the explanation out loud might not make nearly as much sense. As most of his thoughts worked out.

Vincent waited patiently, his eyes trained on him.

That was Vincent, always patient. Never interrupting, never pushy.

"I...I...feel....a...alone."

Vincent cocked his head, understanding. "You feel lonely?"

Mouse bit his lip again, doing a small, almost unnoticeable nod for the question's affirmation.

To anyone else, the normal response would be "Why?". But Vincent wasn't anyone else, he had a much better idea of what Mouse was feeling. He was sure of it.

"I...I...want..." he stopped.

"Want what, Mouse?" Vincent asked.

The young boy noticeably swallowed, hard, before continuing.

"I...want....l-l-love." Mouse looked down, somewhat embarrassed that he had voiced his thoughts aloud, that seemed sillier than they had in his head.

The tall, burly framed man smiled in response, comprehending Mouse's embarrassment. He stood then, walking over and placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, looking down at him.

"Mouse." he said, and he looked up, "What you're feeling, it's completely normal."

"It is?"

"Yes," Vincent replied, "It's only natural you want the kind of love that the world Below can't offer."

Mouse smiled up at him, "Like from Catherine?"

A smile spread over Vincent's face, "Yes, like from Catherine. Mouse, patience is a virtue. All good things will come in time. Remember that, alright?"

Mouse nodded, smiling, "Alright, I remember."

Suddenly, there was a burst of commotion coming from Father's study, Vincent and Mouse exchanged a confused glance before running down the stairs. When they got to Father's study, every member of the world Below was there, exchanging excited whispers and worried, nervous glances.

"Father?" Vincent said as they reached the bottom of the stairs, "What's going on?"

The man raised himself from his chair, his brow furrowed in frustration, "Pascal sent out a message over the pipes, he said someone is in the tunnels."

"Maybe it's Catherine, it's not the first time she's come unannounced." Vincent suggested.

Father shook his head, distracted by the nervous murmurs swirling around him. "No, no, it's someone else, someone foreign to our world."

Vincent grimaced, "Pascal!" he called out.

The man appeared by his side almost instantly. As if he expected to be called, which he probably did, knowing him.

"What did you see?"

Pascal furrowed his brow in concentration, "I'm not sure. It was much darker than normal, all I could tell was that they didn't look like one of us, and whoever they were looked like they were carrying a...a weapon of some sort, a gun I think. So I put an all-quiet signal over the pipes, sent the message, and hurried over as quickly as I could. I did it just in case, you know...?"

"No, no," Vincent finished, "I understand, we need to take every precaution to make sure we're not discovered," Father agreed with a few nods, "however, we don't know if this person is any danger to us, not yet."

"But they were carrying a weapon, Vincent!" Father said.

"Pascal said it was dark, and he said 'looked like'." Vincent said, "I will go and see who it is."

"You will not." Father replied adamantly. "We don't know who this person is, and seeing you might..."

"Frighten them, giving them an excuse to use it, I know. But I must, Father. This isn't the first time I've done something of the sort."

"All the same, we can't risk sending anyone down."

"Father..." Vincent pleaded.

"No, I told you, we can't--"

"I go." Mouse broke in, who up until this point had remained silent, eyes shifting between Pascal, Father, and Vincent as the conversation had gone on.

The entire room fell silent as all eyes were quickly trained on him.

"That's very brave of you, Mouse, but I told you, we can't risk it. Not even Vincent can go down." Father said to him.

Mouse shook his head, "I...I hide. I spy." To emphasize his point, he held his hands up to his eyes, then shifting them and peeking out.

"He's right." Vincent said, "Mouse knows these tunnels better than anyone, and could easily travel through them to see who the intruder is. No one else has that ability, Father."

Father grimaced, he was right. If anyone could travel around, undetected, in silence and efficiently, Mouse could.

It seemed like ages before Father finally spoke, the silence of that room with so many people inside had been almost eerie, the entire room hanging on his next few words.

Sighing, Father said, "All right, you may go, but as soon as you see who they are, what their purpose is, you send a message through the pipes that very instant. Understand?"

Mouse nodded, then looked to Pascal, "What tunnel?"

"East, lower level." he replied promptly.

Father placed a hand on his shoulder, "You better go now, and remember to send a message. This is of the utmost importance."

Vincent then said, "Thank you, Mouse, you're bravery means a lot to everyone."

Mouse nodded in acknowledgment to both comments, then turned to make his way out of the study into the vast mazes and arrays of the tunnels.

"Wait!" he heard from behind him.

Turning around, Jamie was running toward him, her arms open before finally clasping around his neck, giving him a hug. "Good luck Mouse, be safe, okay?" she said into his ear.

He smiled as he pulled away, "I be safe."

Jamie smiled back at him, "Good." and with that, she turned around and walked back into Father's study, immediately joining Vincent and Father.

Mouse sighed, and turned back to the journey ahead of him.

...

Hope you liked it, don't hesitate to review!