A Knock awoke them both, he had fell asleep moments after her.
"Hello? I've got your clothes." It was Mrs Potts, presumably with Plumette's clothes.
"Ah, yes come in." Lumiere called back to her as he lifted Plumette off of his chest and tucked her back under the blankets. The door opened and Mrs Potts stepped through, a light blue night-dress slung over her arm, a rather fake looking smile on her face.
"Thank you, Mrs Potts." Lumiere stood to take the dress from her, a thankful expression on his face.
"Cogsworth will be back with the doctor shortly,"
"Ah, wonderful, mon ami."
"Feel better, Plumette."
Lumiere turned to Plumette, she made an attempt to sit up. He slowly helped her undress until she sat in no more than her underclothes. Stepping back to reach for her night-dress, "Arms up s'il vous plaƮt." He commanded and she shakily obeyed. Once over her head she pulled the night-dress all the way down, quickly slid back under the covers and closed her eyes.
"Lumiere?" She called out to him.
"What is it my darling?"
"Lumiere, I'm sorry." She sank farther into the bed and looked up at him.
"Sorry for what, mon amour?"
"I'm sorry that I lied to you."
"That is what you wish to apologise for? Mon amour you have no need to apologies to me, if anything I should apologies to you for not seeing through the lies and letting you get yourself so ill." He sounded angry, though she could tell he was more angry at himself than her.
Lumiere's face softened, he approached the bed slowly, and sat beside his sweetheart. "Lets agree we were both in the wrong and speak no more off it," She nodded, "Besides you need your rest, you should sleep."
Lumiere kicked his shoes off one at a time, removed his wig and coat, carelessly leaving them at his feet. He lay beside her, foreheads pressed together. He leaned in closer. She did the same. They got closer and closer and closer. Their lips were almost touching. Until...
"ACHOO" He hadn't expected that apparently, in fact it had startled him enough that he fell off the side of the bed.
"Aaggghh, dear God, woman are you trying to put me in an early grave." He wailed loudly, she giggled back,
"Sorry," He looked up with puppy-dog-eyes, "I'm not really sorry though."
"I knew you weren't."
Footsteps rattled down the hallway, Cogsworths heavy breathing mixed with metal doctors equipment clanging together in a bag could be heard through the walls, Plumette lay back in bed. The door shook, someone was slamming their fist gently against the other side.
Lumiere got up from the floor to answer the knock.
"Ah! Mon ami, I see you have returned with the doctor." The doctor was a short, blond-haired man with lanky, hairy arms and an odd frightening grin.
"Bonjour, it's a pleasure to meet you," He shook Lumiere's hand, " Now if you wouldn't mind leaving so I may examine the patient." He looked over Lumiere's shoulder to Plumette as he stepped into the room.
"Oh, of course." Lumiere left the room, leaving the doctor to do his job.
This left him and Cogsworth alone in the hallway, they looked at each other sadly.
"How is she?" Cogsworth often sounded upset, normally about silly little things but now there was a real reason to be upset and he would be the last person to take it lightly.
"I think she is putting on a brave face, I can tell she is not very well."
"Poor girl, I imagine you're quite upset."
"I am mon ami, I am. I wish I hadn't let her do this to herself."
"It can't be all your fault can it? I'm sure you're not to blame."
"But I feel I am to blame, she wasn't this sick last night or even this morning, but I let her get up and work and now we're here, mon dieu." Lumiere threw his head backwards in anger, his eyes glossy, tears threatened to fall and a few did before he stopped himself.
"She'll be alright Lumiere, it'll just take time." Cogsworth knew how much Lumiere cared for Plumette and how much this illness was taking its toll. Indeed he did feel quite sorry for the girl.
The doctor came out of the room a few minutes later, he looked confused and uncertain, he stood in front of Lumiere,
"This indeed is a mystery case, I suggest a cold wet cloth for the fever, oh and this for the headache," He handed Lumiere a pill bottle, "Apart from that I don't believe there is much more I can do."
"Thank you, sir." Lumiere looked disappointed.
"I'd best be going, now." Cogsworth started leading the man out of the castle, not before giving Lumiere a reassuring pat on the back and a quick smile.
Lumiere turned back to his bedroom door, he hesitated, but slowly pushed the door open.
Plumette lay still where he had left her, still flushed with fever yet shivering with a chill.
"Lumiere," She called out to him, "It hurts," she hated to whine but it really did and she wasn't about to sit there and say nothing. He snuggled up to her, gently pulling her onto his chest. "I know mon amour, but you will get better." His grip on her grew tighter, he place his hand over her stomach.
"Ah! Not there, Lumiere." She threw his hand off her, "Not there, my stomach hurts." Her face softens again, but a tear rolled down her cheek, he was crying himself.
"Try to get some rest mon amour," He kissed the top of her head, she buried her face in his shoulder.
And like that she was back in a land of dreams.
