AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you so much for the continued support and interest in this story :) I hope you all like this chapter!

It took all the willpower Belle had for her to be able to think straight. She took a deep breath, blinking slowly.

"How long have you all been here? Why didn't you come and get me earlier?" she asked with a quiet, alarmed voice. Her eyes were the only thing that gave away the fear that was tightening her chest again- the same, agonizing fear she wished she could forget already.

"We 'ad just come in when you and your father came, mademoiselle," Lumière said hastily, "Cogsworth was having the watch and 'e immediately sent a guard to get 'elp when 'e noticed something was wrong." Belle sighed and nodded.

"Alright, you all know what has to be done," she said with quiet determination, "Lumière, Cogsworth- would you lift his shirt and turn him over so I can access the wounds. Mrs Potts- please, go get monsieur Jean and bring back bandages, clean towels- one cool and damp for his forehead- and a bowl of hot water."

Mrs Potts nodded, briefly touched Belle's cheek with her hand, and rushed out of the suite. Belle started pacing with her fist on her lips, and her breathing was accelerating.

"Belle," she heard Maurice say her name, and she stopped pacing to look at her father who had stepped closer and now placed his hands gently on her shoulders, "it will be alright, the prince will make it once we have tended to his wounds and fever."

Belle had lost her voice, and she simply wrapped her arms around her father's torso, squeezing her eyes shut. She could not believe they were in for a setback like this now that everything had seemed so promising. She was almost more afraid than she had been so far.

"I can't lose him, I can't," she whispered to her father and held him tight.

Then Mrs Potts and monsieur Jean came rushing in with everything that was needed. Monsieur Jean immediately prepared a hot towel and passed it to Belle while Mrs Potts walked to the head of the bed and pressed the cool towel against Adam's forehead. Belle removed the first bandage and frowned. The wound seemed to have healed just fine. However, she decided it better to clean it with the towel before bandaging, just in case.

"Papa, can you help me bandage the wound," she asked, not looking at Maurice. Maurice grabbed a clean bandage and walked to Belle. They bandaged the wound together, and Belle started to untie the second bandage.

"Monsieur Jean, I think it best if I use separate towels for each wound this time, minimize the risks," she stated, and monsieur Jean nodded. Soon she was passed an unused, hot and damp towel and she revealed the second wound. She gasped. The wound was clearly infected, it was red and the skin was slightly swollen. She carefully cleaned it with the towel and gestured for a clean bandage that her father helped her tie. She took a deep breath before getting to the third wound.

"Now let's hope only the second wound is a problem," she whispered to herself and removed the last bandage. She sighed in relief when she noticed that it had healed just as fine as the first one. She was passed a third clean towel, and she cleaned the wound. When she and Maurice finished bandaging, she sat next to Adam who was now lying on his back again. Mrs Potts was still holding a towel against his forehead.

"Thank you for the help again, everyone," she whispered and let her eyes wander at all of them one at a time.

"We are just as worried as you, my dear," Mrs Potts said quietly, "of course we want to help."

Belle smiled at her sadly before turning to look at Adam and realising something. She was aware that this was the former Beast- he had transformed before her very eyes after all- there was no question. This had to be the person she had learned to love in Beast because there was no longer Beast but only the prince that Belle had witnessed him transform into. However, the more she thought about it, the more she felt something was off about all of it. She knew she loved him and willed him to get well soon but she was missing something, which made her feelings complicated.

"Papa, Lumière, Cogsworth..." she said slowly, "could I please have a word with Mrs Potts? It's... just some girl stuff I'd like to discuss."

Maurice placed her hand on Belle's shoulder, smiling at her, and Belle took it before he withdrew it. The three men walked out of the room, closed the door behind themselves, and Belle turned to look at Mrs Potts.

"So, what is it you wish to talk about?" Mrs Potts asked her, frowning just slightly. Belle turned to look at Adam's face.

"You know that... I fell in love with Beast, otherwise none of you would be human again," Belle started.

"Yes, my dear."

"And I do fear for the prince that I see in front of me," Belle continued slowly, "but... I feel like there's something I'm missing, something I need for me to be sure of my feelings again."

Mrs Potts listened carefully, and lifted her brows in surprise when Belle finished.

"I know this must sound very weird because he transformed right in front of me, it has to be him but I..." Belle continued hastily, "I can't quite put my hand on what it is. And I feel terrible because of this doubt that is shadowing my feelings for him!"

"Oh dearie," Mrs Potts said quietly and smiled gently at her, "I don't think this is weird at all. Our Master was still a beast when you fell in love with him, after all. And you never knew him, never knew what he looked like, before he was turned into a beast. I should think your contradictory feelings and your doubt are perfectly understandable, even if all your reason is screaming that it is him, that he transformed right before your eyes."

"The only thing I'm sure of right now is that... I wish I could talk to the person I fell in love with in Beast, whether he's in human or beastly form. I wish there was a way for that person to know that I really, truly love him back. I don't think Beast dared to believe in that possibility even when he knew that I had came back. He was already unconscious when the love that I returned transformed him, after all. If only I could have stopped the mob, stopped Gaston! Adam might be awake!"

She hung her head low, and with the corner of her eye she saw that Mrs Potts had reached out her free hand. Belle gulped and grabbed it.

"I'm sure that if- when- the prince wakes, everything will be alright again. I am certain your feelings will be clear again. I knew the sweet boy with a heart full of love and also the difficult young adult who, unfortunately, had to learn the hard way to love again. Trust me, dearie, I know in my heart that the gentle, kind, loving man you helped Master become really is the sweet boy I once knew. And words cannot tell you how grateful we all are to you for helping him bury the beast in him and finally become the man his late mother would have wanted and raised him to be."

Belle felt tears fill her eyes, and she smiled thankfully at Mrs Potts. Mrs Potts' words had helped ease her mind for now but she was still very aware of that shadow-like doubt that made her unsure of her feelings.

"Thank you so much, Mrs Potts," Belle said quietly, still holding Mrs Potts' hand, "you words made me feel a lot easier, at least for now."

Mrs Potts nodded, smiling.

"Would you like to have this watch for yourself now, or would you like me to stay?"

Belle closed her mouth and glanced at Adam with slightly raised brows.

"I can stay here, you may proceed with what you need to do," she said, "but could you send someone in here with a book, please? Makes no difference which book they bring, I can read anything."

"Of course, dearie," Mrs Potts assured and left the west wing.

Belle stood up from the bed and walked out to the balcony. The morning sun was still shining and it kept Belle warm when she leaned on the railing. She let her eyes wander all over the gardens and noticed a bridge in the distance. Suddenly she remembered a certain day when she had walked there with Beast, reading aloud to him. When they were in the middle of the bridge, they had looked at a breathtaking winter landscape over the pond for a moment. That was the first time she had heard him admire nature, and he had said it felt like he was seeing it for the first time. After a moment he had asked if there was more, and she had continued reading. She smiled sadly at the memory, and realised that she missed Beast even more.

Then she remembered the day when she and Beast had gone outside to see Philippe, and she had shown him how to earn Philippe's trust. Philippe had first tried to step away but Belle had calmed him and gently placed Beast's paw on his neck. Philippe had stopped on his tracks, not afraid anymore. That was certainly when she had become aware of her feelings for Beast, an affection that had then turned into love when they had danced.

"Belle?"

She glanced through the balcony doorway and rushed back in when she noticed Maurice standing there with a book.

"Papa, I was just..." she started.

"The castle grounds and the surrounding woods are wonderfully beautiful now in summer, aren't they?" Maurice smiled and stepped outside to the balcony, "I've never had a view quite like this one, though I have to admit that the view over Paris from our old attic window was also rather impressive."

"Yes indeed," Belle sighed and followed her father, "though I don't know about the attic, I never really took a good look out the window there. I was more concentrated on what was there, inside the attic. But yes, this view really is magnificent, in winter and now in summer."

Maurice sighed, and looked at his daughter with a serious face.

"Care to let me in on what you talked about with Mrs Potts? Of course I understand if it really was something you don't wish to talk to me about but you look very bothered by something and I'd like to know if I can help."

Belle kept looking at the castle grounds, and pondered her father's words for a moment.

"It's just... I can't help doubting my feelings for Adam," she finally revealed.

"How come?" Maurice asked, with raised brows.

"I'm somewhat certain it's because the man I fell in love with was still in a beastly form. Now there's no more beast," Belle continued, "of course I'm aware that Beast must now be the prince I can see but I'm still missing something. I think I need him to wake up, I need to be able to communicate with him to be certain. I hate this doubt but there's nothing I can do about it at the moment."

Maurice seemed to get lost in thought after what Belle told him.

"That's one of the reasons why I'm afraid. I'm afraid I might never get to figure this out and overcome the doubt," she finished.

Maurice put his arm around her shoulders, and Belle leaned on his side.

"So, what did you bring me?" she asked eventually and looked at the book in Maurice's hand.

Maurice withdrew his arm and gave Belle the book he had brought her.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream? I guess Shakespeare is just what I need right now- thank you, Papa," she said warmly and chuckled.

"I guess now you wish to read in peace then," Maurice said and turned around to walk back inside.

Maurice had almost passed the doorway when Belle called him.

"Papa?"

Maurice came into a halt, turned around and looked at his daughter with a friendly, questioning face.

"Yes, Belle?"

"Thank you," Belle said simply and stepped to her father to give him a hug.

"You already thanked me for bringing you the book," Maurice chuckled. Belle pulled back.

"No, thank you for being here- for listening to my silly doubts and... for taking my falling in love so well," Belle finished slowly, "I know the first impression you got from Beast was far from a good one but you still believe me when I tell you he's changed."

Maurice gaped Belle for a moment.

"You should know that I will always, always be here for you, Belle," he assured quietly, "and of course I believe you. I witnessed some rather odd things myself when I ended up in here for the first time so if those peculiar things were real, why on earth would I not believe it possible that the beast could change? Especially under your selfless, caring influence."

Belle took Maurice's hand and smiled gratefully at him. "I love you, Papa."

Maurice responded with placing his free hand on her cheek. "I love you, too."

Then he let go of her and walked out the west wing. She looked at the book she was holding, and walked to the bed.

Belle lay on her back next to Adam. She did not notice that she was drowsy until she had been lying still for a long time, and she placed the open book on her stomach, daring to close her eyes for a moment as she did not believe she could fall asleep before she was drowsier than this.


Despite what Belle had thought, she had been drawn into another nightmare. She was still next to the unconscious Adam and took a look around, confused. When she looked out the window, she noticed that everything about the dark clouds was eerie and exposing a gathering storm. Suddenly she heard the door creak briefly. She gasped and turned alertly to look at the door, now in a defensive position over Adam's torso. Nothing could be heard for a moment.

Who's there? Belle asked loudly.

The door creaked again, and she felt the urge to go and expose whoever it was behind the doors but decided it better to shield Adam.

Show yourself! she almost shouted.

Eventually the door opened with a bang and Belle's jaw dropped.

No, it can't be you- you're dead! she breathed. It was Gaston who was standing in the doorway. He looked like the handsome himself with his long, raven black hair and tall stature, but this time there was also something very different about him. There was something about his handsome looks that managed to reveal his cruel, heartless nature that could not have been seen on the outside before. He looked more intimidating than he ever had.

Oh, Belle... do I look dead to you? I have come to finish off what I started, and then I'll take you home, to finally marry me like you should.

Belle crouched down over Adam, shielding his torso with her body as well as she could. She almost reminded Gaston of a threatened cat that tried to defend herself, ready to attack if needed.

No, I won't let you do it! You will have to kill me! she shouted.

Why on earth would I kill the woman I want for my wife? Move aside, you insolent girl!

Over my dead body! You will never, EVER have me for your wife!

Gaston, now angered further by Belle, stomped to the bed. At first he struggled trying to make Belle loosen her grip on Adam but then easily pushed her away. The force made her fall on the floor with a thump, and she hit both her knees on the hard stone floor. She groaned loudly through gritted teeth in agony. After the worst shot of pain was gone, she gripped the blanket next to her and slowly lifter herself into a sitting position next to the bed.

Belle... she heard a totally new voice whisper. She had not heard this particular voice before but she recognised it immediately. It reminded her so much of the voice Beast had when he had spoken softly, empathically but it was now fully human. She bit her lower lip as she was still in a lot of pain, and noticed with shock that Adam had opened his eyes and now tried to reach out his hand to her. She barely had time to open her mouth in disbelief before she saw from the corner of her eye that Gaston lifted a dagger, intending to stab Adam to the heart.

No, don't! NO! Belle shouted, reaching out her left hand as the pain made her uncapable of standing up at the moment.

Then in one flash of shiny metal, she woke up. She was panting, and she shot up into a sitting position, no longer in any physical pain. The book that had been open on her stomach fell on the floor with a thud. She could only stare forth with her mouth and eyes wide open. It was only a nightmare, Gaston is dead, she told herself and took a slow, deep breath.

"Belle," the low-timbre, quiet voice from the nightmare suddenly said.

Her face went blank for a moment before she slowly turned around to look at Adam, holding her breath. Her brows lifted fast and she loudly let out the breath she had been holding just now. She took his hand, looking in his drowsy eyes that were indeed the same, mesmerising blue she could not get her own eyes off of the night she had danced with Beast. Those eyes spoke for him, and they told her more than any words could. Most importantly, they told her that the man she had fallen in love with was finally right there with her. Her best friend, the love of her life. She was relieved that the doubt that had been shadowing her feelings and bothering her was now long gone. Her heart was bursting with love again.

"Adam?" she whispered.