Chapter I

Letting out a sigh, Belle smiled, watching as Chip and the others played while they waited for the party to start.

"Belle, are you alright dear?", Mrs. Potts asked, gently laying a hand on the younger woman's shoulder.

Jumping, she took a moment before she turned to look toward the elderly woman. "I was just thinking. I can't believe all that's happened to me over the last couple of years. I can barely imagine that was me, begging Adam to take my life. Or that what he did to Papa was real."

Nodding, Mrs. Potts gently tucked a stray hair behind Belle's ear. "I understand dear. Though he's completely changed, I'll agree with you."

Letting out a sigh, Belle suddenly stopped what she was doing and turned to take one of Mrs. Potts hands into her own. "Do you know where Papa is? I haven't seen him since breakfast.", she asked, knowing he'd had a few not so good days lately.

"Unfortunately not dear, but I saw him with Adam earlier, so I don't think I would worry too much.", she replied, hoping it eased the younger woman's worries.

Nodding, Belle nervously brushed her hands down the skirt of her dress. Letting out a sigh, she was suddenly surprised at hearing the sound of feet thumping along the tile floor.

"I wonder who that could be.", Mrs. Potts curiously asked aloud.

The next moment their questions were answered as Luminere and Cogsworth approached them.

"Belle, Belle.", Cogsworth called, reaching their side. "Adam and your father are back."

"Cogsworth, what are you going on about?", Mrs. Potts demanded, frowning as she set her hands on her hips.

"He just wants to make sure that Belle is in here when he shows up. I don't know all the details.", he replied in his defense.

"Well, I'm glad they're back.", Belle replied, not wanting to cause anymore disagreement between the two.

"Yes, I'll go see how they're coming.", Luminere added, when suddenly the pair could be seen at the doorway.

"Belle?", Adam called as they pair began walking toward her.

"Adam...", she whispered as he walked up to her, gently laying a hand on her cheek.

"Happy Birthday.", she whispered, looking into his sapphire eyes.

At first taken aback, he chuckled, slowly pulling her toward him until their lips met.

"What were you and father doing?", she asked a moment later as they still stood close, his breath tickling her nose just a bit.

"Well... you would like to know wouldn't you?", he asked in a teasing tone of voice.

Gasping, she gave him a mockingly serious expression. "Well, yes I would. You know how worried I get about father."

"Ok..." Turning to look towards the little man, he waved him over.

"Here you are.",he quietly said, holding it out for Adam to take.

"Thanks.", he replied, laying a hand on top.

"Belle... I can never do anything that could be enough to say either how much I love you or how sorry I am for the way I treated you that first night. You're... No one has ever meant this much to me. But..."

And with that, he lifted the lid, revealing a stunning jade green dress.

Gasping, Belle found herself speechless for a moment when she was startled, feeling Adam slip his hand into hers.

"Belle...", he whispered, kneeling, one hand in his pocket. "I've been waiting all week for this day... Belle... Would you marry me?", he asked, pulling a small box from his pocket before opening it to reveal a diamond ring.

"Oh Adam...", Belle whispered laying a hand over her chest, her eyes beginning to mist.

"Well?", he asked.

Though the answer was clear before, Belle gave a nod of her head unable to form the word on her lips.

Then, her hand shaking, she allowed Adam to slide the ring on before throwing herself into his arms, burying her face into his chest as he held her close, running his fingers through her hair.

Cogsworth and Luminere looked to one another, grins on their faces while Mrs. Potts and Maurice, both touched, having felt the excitement before themselves.

"Oh, Belle. This is wonderful, dear.", Mrs. Potts cried, happy for them both, though she had known for sometime it wouldn't be long until this moment came.

Suddenly turning to face her father, Belle smiled, his eyes shining as much as her own. "Did you know?", she asked, suddenly curious.

Blushing, Maurice nodded. "Why do you think I went with Adam? I needed something to distract me from how excited I was.", he replied.

"We all knew dear. We just uh... Well at the same time, Adam hasn't had a real party... well..." Looking down she dropped off the rest of her sentence, truthfully unable to remember.

Hesitantly, Adam looked down, suddenly feeling embarrassed. He knew what she was referring to and he truthfully was ashamed. He was ashamed of the way he had treated all of them; Mrs. Potts, who had cared for him, if he had to say, like a mother would and both Cogsworth and Luminere, who somehow had been his friends for years. And of there were the two that were soon to be his new family; Maurice, who he couldn't imagine forgiving him after the way he had treated him the first night and, most importantly there was Belle, the only woman he had truly loved this way.

"Thanks, Mrs. Potts.", he whispered after a moment, noticing that the others were staring at him.

"You're welcome dear. I know you and Belle will be happy."

"Mama, what's happening?"

Startled, Mrs. Potts turned around to see her son Chip, standing with the other children, all with confused expressions.

"Come here Chip.", Belle gently called, waving him over.

"Yes?", he asked, still confused as she laid her hands on his shoulders.

"The master asked me to marry him.", Belle replied, a smile on her lips.

"Oh.", was all the reply Chip could give.

"Well, this is a good thing Chip.", Belle replied, not quite sure why the boy seemed so disappointed.

A moment later however, Adam gave Belle a glance, to which she nodded, knowing they though the same thing.

So, kneeling, he laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Chip... If it's ok with your mother... How'd you like to be a part of our wedding?", he asked, a smile on his face.

Slightly confused, the boy looked to his mother who gave him a nod.

"Yes, Chip.", she assured him.

Understanding, the boy looked back. "I be honored to Belle."

"Good.", she chuckled, tussling his hair.

"I love you Belle.", the boy whispered, gently wrapping his arms around her.

"We all do dear.", Mrs. Potts added, the gentle smile ever present on her lips.

"Papa, I can't believe it. I'm so happy.", Belle told her father later that night as they sat alone, talking, just the two of them.

Taking his daughter's hand, his eyes twinkling though he merely smiled to himself. "I had hoped you'd find yourself a worthy man. Now that I look back, I'm sorry I thought so much of Gaston. I know you two will be happy.", he replied, feeling his cheeks heating ever-so-slightly.

"I know father and I forgive you. I didn't like him when I first met him and I don't like him now. Not to mention that he attempted to kill both you and Adam.", she replied, whispering the last sentence.

"Well, Belle, that's all over now... I wonder what your mother would think now if...", Maurice whispered himself, his voice barely audible as he turned looked down at his hands resting in his lap.

"I'd like to think she'd be just as happy as you."

Wrapping an arm around his shoulders, Belle gently kissed his cheek before letting out a yawn.

"Why don't we head on to bed now and you can let all those little dreams of yours fill your head?", Maurice suggested letting out a yawn himself.