A/N: Thank you to everyone who has followed/reviewed! It certainly makes my day to see that anyone has read my little 'fic. I hope you all enjoy the next chapter. :)
They name her Beatrice.
After a character in a Shakespearean work or as a homage to the maternal housekeeper everyone adored, no one knew. Beatrice was her name, and that was that.
Lumiere and Cogsworth hauled down Ben's old crib and other baby furniture from storage and placed it in the king and queen's master bedroom. Mrs. Potts was kind enough to whip up a warm knit blanket for the baby on such short notice. And Madame de Garderobe assured the royals that extravagant baby clothes were on the way.
It was a bit of an adjustment, having a newborn in their lives again. Though Ben was barely nearing four, having an infant felt like a lifetime ago.
Not to mention Beatrice had a tendency to rouse herself at odd hours of the night and cry uncontrollably for long stretches of time before finally calming down.
But it was all a part of parenthood.
With these thoughts in mind, Belle gingerly crept into bed with her husband, having just soothed Beatrice into a shaky slumber.
She glanced wearily at the digital clock on her bedside table, groaning at the time: 2:27 A.M. She felt as if she hadn't had a decent rest in the month since Beatrice joined them in the castle. It seemed as if her baby girl always wanted to be held close by a reassuring presence. Yes, Mrs. Potts was always willing to lend a hand whenever she was available, but she had a plethora of duties to attend to around the castle. And Madame de Garderobe and Plumette were eager helpers as well, but, like the matronly housekeeper, they had engagements that needed attention around the palace. The one person Belle wanted the most help from, however, proved to be the one who seemed least interested in being involved in Beatrice's life.
Casting a frustrated glare at the culprit currently sprawled with his back turned towards her in a deep slumber, Belle let out a frustrated groan. While she understood that Adam was heavily involved in making sure the kingdom ran smoothly and that their son was also receiving his due amount of attention, Belle had hoped her husband would be more supportive of their newest child.
In the month since Beatrice first arrived at the castle, Adam had rarely held her or even acknowledged her presence. Though she knew how hard it was for Adam to connect personally with those he's just met (the whole being transformed into a hideous beast by a stranger ordeal, though he certainly did deserve it), Belle thought that wouldn't be the case with their child.
"But that's just it," Belle muttered audibly in utter anguish, "you don't even think about her as our daughter."
She never dared utter that word aloud while Adam was awake for fear of upsetting him, and therefore, making her fears a reality. He wasn't connecting with their child on a paternal level, because, technically, Beatrice wasn't their child.
Adam didn't see things the way his wife did. He was extremely hesitant to give in to Belle's pleas to take Beatrice with them when they had found her, let alone to raise her as one of their own, only giving in to Belle when she turned to sobbing in desperation.
He never understood how much, how deeply that had hurt her, how badly she had wanted another child.
"She's only a baby," Belle murmured, tears flowing hotly down her cheeks. "Give her a chance."
Belle didn't think it fair that the beast she had given a chance of love to could grow into a man so closed to extending such grace to others. Of course, his protectiveness was stemmed from a desire to keep his family safe from harm, but Belle could hardly comprehend what a baby could possibly do to harm them.
He's afraid, Belle concludes. He doesn't want to admit it, but he's terrified.
There was nothing Belle could possibly due to qualm her husband's fear. All she could do was continue to nurture their daughter in the hopes that one day, in time, her husband would open up to the possibility of caring for Beatrice as he cared for Ben.
After a long stretch of choked sobs, the anguished queen finally succumbed to sleep.
The little princess, however, had other plans for her exhausted mother.
Beatrice's wails grew louder and louder, until she was fully howling to be held.
Belle blinked her heavy eyelids a few times before finally deciding to sit up. Before she could make any movements, however, she felt the bed shift beneath her.
Her husband had decided to take care of this one.
Belle watched in wonder as Adam gently reached into the crib for the whimpering baby and cradled her closely to his chest. He wordlessly plopped himself into the creamy-white rocking chair opposite their bed, his intense gaze on his wife the entire time. Once Beatrice had been lulled to sleep, Adam soundlessly placed her back into her crib and crawled back into bed.
The king and queen said nothing to each other; there was no need to. Instead Belle felt Adam expertly lace his fingers into hers. It's a comforting expression of his devotion and love for her, a communication that plainly states I'll try. And they fall asleep like that, hands still interlocked.
Beatrice doesn't wake again till morning.