Belle sat staring at the bricks around her. She still didn't understand why he had gotten so angry, but she knew that he was still seething from the crashing sounds above her.

'Why was he so upset? I was freeing him from his curse,' Belle thought. She started to go over all of the different scenarios of why he wouldn't want his curse broken.

The sound of the door opening shook her out of her reverie. She straightened her spine, expecting to see her employer/lover standing there, but was instead greeted by the sight of a teenaged boy.

The boy breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her and quickly crossed the cell.

"Are you his prisoner?" the boy asked quietly.

"Yes," Belle answered, "but who are you?"

The boy glanced over at the door conspiratorially before replying, "That doesn't matter. I'm here to get you out of here. Come on; let's go before he realizes that we're leaving."

Belle's brow creased at the teenager's words and she told him, "I'm not leaving."

"You've got to be kidding," the boy said exasperatedly, "He has you locked up and you're not going to come with me."

"No. Why are you trying to kidnap me?"

"I'm trying to save you!"

"I don't need saving." Belle sounded more confident than she felt. "I'm staying here."

"Why on Earth would you want to stay?"

Belle smiled and explained, "I'm in love."

"With the Dark One." Incredulity and disbelief laced the boy's words.

"Yes. I'm in love with him," Belle stated, "I love him and nothing will change that."

The boy sat down next to her and grabbed her hands. "He will kill you," he claimed with utter conviction, "and if he is in love with you too, then your life will be a waking nightmare. Trust me."

Belle tore her hands from his grasp. "How do you know?"

"I've lived with it," he said, a haunted look coming into his eyes, "Now please come with me, and let's get out of here!"

"I'm not going to leave. I can break his curse and I'm going to."

A look of longing passed over his face. "Really?" The boy whispered.

"Yes. True love's kiss can break any curse and when I kissed him, he started to change."

The crashing sounds came to an abrupt stop above them. The boy glanced up quickly and stood while saying, "I hope can. But I don't think anything can break this curse."

"Not true."

The boy held up his hands in mock surrender, and walked to the door. "I wish you luck," he murmured, "Are you sure you don't want to escape while you can?"

Belle smiled. "I'm sure."

"Goodbye then. I doubt I'll see you again."

As the boy was walking out the door, Belle put her hand on his shoulder. "You said that you lived through him loving you. Who are you exactly?"

The boy's face brightened with a memorable smile. "I think he really loves you. If he didn't, he wouldn't be acting so betrayed."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Goodbye, stepmother. I hope we meet again."

The boy left, closing the door behind him and leaving a confused and heart-touched Belle behind.