AN: Hey y'all! I added a new bit at the end here, so if you've already read, just go down to the last paragraph. Unless you need a refresher, because I'm writing the next chapter now and hopefully will post it within the next couple of days! - Anna :)

Bittersweet And Strange

"Hey Sam, there's a naked girl in my room who needs our help," Dean said in a way of greeting as he walked into the dining room.

A look of disgust crossed his brother's face, who was hunched over his laptop. "I'm not doing a three-some with you, Dean."

He'd open his mouth to explain farther, but then his face mirrored Sam. "Ew. No. No, there was a rose in my wall and I touched it and it turned into a girl named Belle. She's spewing stories about a beast and talking houseware and I guess being a flower she had no clothes on so when she changed—"

"I'm not watching porn with you either—" Sam cut him off, absentmindedly. He blinked a couple times, trying to clear his blurry eyes. But he'd been at this too long.

"God Sam, no- just, no. There is an actual cursed rose-turned-girl in my room who needs our help – Ugh, I can't say anything now without sounding dirty, thanks to you," Dean tried to reiterate, sighing in annoyance.

His brother finally looked at him with interest and slammed his computer shut and he added, "Her name is Belle, and she's rambling on about the Beast and household appliances."

"Like… Beauty and the Beast, the Disney princess story?" Sam asked, rubbing curious but still tired eyes.

"Technically she wasn't a princess…" Dean corrected, but the look he got from Sam caused him to continue on, "Apparently what we know is a bit off. So the Beast wasn't cursed into a beast, but was cursed by a witch because he lost control and killed her son. Sounds like some sort of Were or something maybe, but that curse is broken with Belle, but he's still a beast. They cross the Man of Letters and he gets killed and somewhere in between that and now Belle fight with one Sebastian and was cursed into a rose, and then I…" He trailed off, because he really didn't know what he had done.

"And you just come and touch it, and poof, she's a women?" Sam tried to finish for him, and he nodded, "No wonder why there was no sequel to the movie," The younger brother commented thoughtfully.

"Makes sense," Dean shrugged, before adding, "But yeah, she's really naked in my room, man. I was going to grab some of Charlie's clothes and try to get the rest of the story out of her."

"Sounds good. I'll go the library to see if they made a note of her anywhere," Sam said as he stood up and stretched, his bones popping.

"Wait for me to see her. She's just… she just seems fragile. Don't want to overwhelm her," The older brother added, before heading out the room to Charlie's room.

Sam's mind was truthfully very heavy with Dean-related things. Like the Mark of the Damned book hidden in an old wooden box in his room. He was at a loss to what he should do with it… as he's been told plenty of times it was nearly impossible to translate. '

He forced those thoughts out of his head as he entered a library, as he needed his all as they begin this new case. The Book was safe in a spell-warded box for now. Nobody knew he had it.

There was a loud thump when Sam entered the library and he immediately tensed, his hand hovering over where a knife was located on his body. He froze when he found what he currently faced… a young women in nothing but a flannel shirt that stood with open hands in surrender and a book bent up on the floor at her feet.

"Oh," Sam said, momentarily unable to think of anything else to say. She warily eyed his hand, and he found the knife had made its way out of its hiding spot. "Sorry," He added, putting the weapon away, and placing his arms at his side, lose fingered to show he had nothing in his hands. "You must be Belle. I'm Sam, Dean's brother."

Belle nodded before saying in a quiet voice, "I'm sorry. I ought've not came here. Dean is probably expecting me in his chambers. But, but… there is so much knowledge in this room. It brings me comfort."

"Don't worry about it. I came in for the same reason as you, for knowledge. I was checking if they had mentioned you in anything in here," Sam explained, and she smiled softly.

"Thank you, but you will not find anything in here on me, I'm afraid. I rather humiliated Sebastian. I do not think he would have documented our encounter, nor would he have been truthful in it had he done so," Belle replied. Her voice was so melodious and clear, and Sam had a moment's thought of how he perfectly matched her delicate looking body.

"Will you tell us what happened then, Belle?" He asked, gently. Belle's mouth opened to reply, but she didn't get a chance to answer.

"Sammy!" Dean suddenly called from down the hall, "I lost her!"

"No, Dean, she's in here!" Sam replied back, eyes on Belle. Cautiousness edged his shout back, but she did not flinch. They must not mistake beauty for weakness, he realized, sizing her up. Fragile, delicate as she may look, she must have been through a hell of a lot to get here.

"Oh!" Dean exclaimed in relief, rounding the corner into the library.

"I will," Belle finally answered when he walked in, "If you tell me your story first."


Now enlightened on Dean's current situation, Belle had many thoughts flying through her mind. A different curse, but generally the same outcome. Bloodshed. Death. And it was uncontrollable. Her heart ached for her Adam.

However as Dean told his story, she noticed he told it in a detached way. Like it didn't matter and it was all over, and there was no point in even discussing it. He was adamant there was no other future for him, Belle could see that clearly. He'd given up.

Sam warily watched him as he spoke. His face was etched in exhaustion, but there was a small glimmer of hope in his eyes, even though it has all but left Dean's. He held out hope for his brother. He would not give up, and he would go through hell and back for his brother's salvation.

He would break the curse, Belle felt sure looking at him. But at what cost?