I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for your kind comments. My cat has since passed on, and I am doing better. Thank you for being patient with me. I cant promise weekly or bi-weekly updates, but I sure can try. Thank you again.

And I did realize something about the last chapter…thank you to trudyrose for bringing it to my attention….that I wasn't really thinking of Gaston's trophies correctly. That shall be fixed, maybe not in that chapter, but they will be touched upon again, in a more accurate way. Thanks trudi!

Once again, I DO NOT own BATB or anything to do with it. Hence the reason I am giving those who do own it the credit they deserve. Thank you.

…And yes, I am still working on my other story, never fear .

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Chapter 2 – Off to the Fair

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Gaston drummed his fingers on the armrest of his chair, pouting, as he stared at the fire. He slumped over, resting his chin in the palm of his other hand.

"How dare her. Me? Egotistical? Ugh…she's impossible."

"Well hey there Gaston! How about a nice cold drink?"

"Not now Lefou." Gaston stood up and turned his back to his short pudgy friend, taking his chair with him."

"Aw, now what's wrong now?"

"It's that bull headed girl again." Lefou sighed and walked around the chair to look at Gaston,

"Why are you tearing yourself apart over her? You could have any girl in town ya know…" He chuckled as he nudged him lightly with his elbow, motioning over to the giggling blonde triplets in the corner. Gaston rolled his eyes and turned his chair again.

"Because Lefou. Anyone as handsome as me deserves someone as beautiful as her."

"She'll never go for you. You could ask her a million times and she's still say no."

"Well maybe I'll have to come up with a different plan. Or….maybe I just wont give her a choice."

"What do you mean?"

"Get the whole town together Lefou. Musicians, the baker, townspeople, everything! If Belle wont come to the wedding, we'll bring the wedding to her!"

"Aaaand…. How do you expect to do that?" Gaston looked to Lefou, his voice more excited.

"We'll wait till that loon of a father of hers leaves, and I'll go up to her and propose. With a whole wedding in her backyard there's no way she can say no! Come on! We've got work to do." Gaston stood up, walking out of the tavern, Lefou close in tow.

Belle huffed angrily as she walked through the front door of her house, slamming her basket down on the table. From the basement she could hear the sounds of her father tinkering with the machine. She sat down in a chair near the table and opened her book, attempting to read it. Her eyes merely skimmed over the words as Gaston's voice reverberated in her head "Its time you get your head out of those books Belle, and start concentrating on more important things…You've got to start thinking realistically Belle… You cant live with that lunatic father of yours for your whole life."

"Heh…realistically." Belle chortled. "As if the idea of me with him is even close to realistic." She sighed and shook her head, flipping to the next page. There was suddenly a loud bang from the basement, causing her to jump up as her father called her name. She ran to the door, and opened it, expecting to be drowned in smoke. To her surprise there was none and she started down the stairs, her father meeting her halfway.

"It works! It works Belle!" Belle returned his bright smile,

"I knew it! I knew you could do it Papa!"

"Saddle up Philippe girl! I'm off to the fair!" The two worked quickly, and within a few hours Maurice was heading down the road, waving his daughter farewell. Belle smiled lightly as she turned and walked back inside. After the day she had, things had gone surprisingly well. After a quick dinner, she turned in for bed, praying she wouldn't have to deal with Gaston the next day.

The sunny morning passed on slowly as Belle attended to the other animals she and her father owned, before she returned inside to read her book. She lay back in the chair, her legs dangling over an armrest as she read. She had gotten almost half way through when a knock came from door. She laid the book open on the table and walked to the door, looking through the contraption her father had made to help them see who it was at the door. She groaned as Gaston's large blue eyes peered through. She moved to open the door, barely having time to move aside as he barged the rest of the way in.

"Gaston…what a surprise…"

"Isn't it though?" He walked in importantly. Belle gave him a quick once over, noticing the formal red jacket with gold adornments and his crisp white pants and shiny black boots.

"Hmm…what's he up to now?"

"I'm just full of surprises." Gaston continued on, "You know, there's not a girl in town who wouldn't love to be in your shoes. And this, well…" he stopped only for a moment to lick his teeth clean in the mirror, giving a broad smile before turning to face Belle,"This is the day your dreams come true." Belle smirked, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"What do you know about my dreams Gaston?"

"Plenty! Just picture it." Gaston plopped down into the chair Belle had been sitting in, and dropped his feet on the table, the mud dripping onto her book. He wriggled his boots of, flexing his toes through the holey socks. "A rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting on the fire for dinner, and my little wife, massaging my feet, while the little ones play with the dogs. We'll have six or seven." Belle quickly disguised the disgusted look on her face with a fake confused smile.

"Dogs?"

"No Belle!" Gaston laughed as he stood up, puffing out his chest. "Strapping young boys, like me!" Belle turned as she marked her book and placed it on the bookcase, rolling her eyes with her back to Gaston,

"Imagine that…"

"No need to imagine it Belle! Do you know who that wife will be?" He advanced on Belle slightly.

"…let me think." Gaston cornered her off,

"You, Belle!" Belle hid the disgusted look that wanted to creep its way onto her face. She ducked away from him, toward the door and saw something out the window that made her gasp. "A wedding party!" She turned to look at Gaston angrily.

"So that's your plan is it?! You think you can just…barge right in here after how you treated me yesterday, bring the whole town into the back yard, propose to me and just expect me to accept?! You've got to be kidding me!" Gaston smirked.

"You're a sharp one Belle, I'll give you that…so what do you say?" He stepped toward her.

"I say you're crazy"

"The only one here crazy is you if you say no. It just makes sense Belle. The most handsome guy in town, with the most beautiful girl."

"That's all that matters to you, isn't it? Looks." Belle looked to him, her mind began to formulate a plan. Gaston closed her off against the door.

"Not at all Belle. Its just…a plus factor." Belle smirked, looking to him, her plan in place.

"Do you…really think I'm the most beautiful girl in town Gaston?"

"Of course I do." Gaston brought his face a bit closer to hers.

"Well then… there's just one thing to say…" Belle leaned in towards his face, only inches apart. At the same time her hand found the doorknob and opened it, stepped aside as Gaston fell out. "Good bye!" She slammed the door behind her, locking it. Gaston slowly sat up from the mud puddle he had landed in. Lefou was conducting the small band lively, and looked over his shoulder to Gaston. He bent over, using the baton to lift the long bangs away from Gaston's face.

"So…how'd it go?" Gaston growled angrily and stood up as he grabbed Lefou by his throat.

"I'll have Belle for my wife! Make no mistake about that!" With that, he half dropped, half threw Lefou into the mud and stormed off.

Back inside the house Belle huffed angrily as she plopped into her chair, crossing her arms over her chest.

"OH! Of all the nerve! Did he really think that was going to work?!" She stood up and walked to the back door, peeking out to make sure everyone was gone before walking outside. She grabbed a bucket of chicken feed and threw angry handfuls down to the ground, the hens and rooster watching curiously, picking along at the food. As Belle went along she muttered angrily to herself before throwing the rest of the bucket on the ground and running off, through the large fields. She stopped at a large hill that overlooked the valleys below. Laying down among the daisies and dandelions, she picked a dandelion, blowing away its soft, fluffy white pedals and watched them float away with the light breeze. It was then she heard the whinny of a horse. She sat up and looked around.

"Hmm?" Suddenly Philippe charged forward and whinnied loudly. In tow of him was the wagon, empty except for the machine under the blanket. Belle ran over, calming down the large horse.

"Papa? Philippe! Where's Papa?" Her eyes searched the horse's as if looking for an answer in his large, worried orbs. She moved quickly, unhitching Philippe from the wagon. "We've got to find Papa…" She stopped, coming to a realization. "But I can't do it alone. I'll need help." She sighed, disgustedly, looking to Philippe. "And I guess…it's going to have to come from Gaston." She groaned lightly and led the horse toward the stables to tack him up. "Come on Philippe! We've got to hurry!" She soon had Philippe ready and placed a cloak around herself, mounting onto his back. She turned him towards town and hurried Philippe along. She rode along the streets, ignoring the looks some of the town's people gave her. Up ahead she saw Gaston dismounting his horse in front of the tavern.

"Gaston!"