A/N: After reading some reviews, I've made some minor edits to the last chaper, in the way that LeFou speaks. I haven't hugely altered the dialogue, but I've done things like substitute 'going to' for 'gonna', etc. If you want to go back and have a look at it, go ahead. If not, it doesn't interfere with the plot so don't worry about it. However I have taken onboard what some reviewers have been saying about LeFou and his character so in the coming chapters I will do my best to reintroduce some of his dopiness and his bumbling characteristics.


CHAPTER 7

Just speak to him.

No.

Why not?

He won't want my company. Not after the way I treated him.

That's no excuse. It's always possible to bury the past and start over.

Humph.

What is it? Are you scared?

Scared? Of course not!

Well I never. Maestro Forte, scared of making amends with little Fife.

I'm not scared! I just don't want to speak to him…

Coward.

I'm not a coward!

Then talk to him. Go on. Now.

This was the third time that week Forte had been battling with his conscience. It was only Fife, what was there to be afraid of? After all, he had plucked up the courage to apologise to the master a few weeks ago, and he had been alright with Belle… so what was stopping him from making up with Fife? His former apprentice… who was surely doing fine without him.

No! No, why was he being so… negative? He had been doing considerably well, trying to be civil to the palace inhabitants – he couldn't let someone like Fife stop it all.

Looking up from the organ, he studied the young man scribbling away at his desk, so absorbed in his work. Dare he disturb him?

Yes.

Forte slowly walked over to where Fife was sitting. 'Fife,' he said, his voice shaking a little.

Fife jumped. 'Y – yes, maestro?' he replied, looking innocently up at Forte.

'I… could I speak with you?'

'Um, sure…' Fife giggled nervously.

Forte leant awkwardly against the desk, watching as Fife put down his quill. 'Fife,' he said, struggling over his words, 'I… I know that during the past few weeks we haven't… we –'

He stopped, took a deep breath, and then tried again. Why was it so difficult?

'Things have been awkward between us,' he muttered quickly, 'that much is obvious. We have barely spoken to each other ever since I… came back – that doesn't surprise me, however. I'm sure you weren't keen to once again associate yourself with someone who – who tried to –'

'Kill us all,' Fife mumbled quietly, looking away.

'Yes,' Forte whispered, slightly startled at Fife's bluntness. It sounded terrible when it was put like that. He cleared his throat before continuing. 'But, to tell you the truth, Fife... I miss your company.'

Fife stared at Forte, his eyes wide. 'You… you do?' he asked.

Forte nodded. 'I do miss working with you and, well, I was wondering if you'd be willing to forgive me for… the way I've treated you… both before the – incident – and ever since. I understand if you can't, but –'

'Of course I'll forgive you, maestro,' said Fife suddenly, smiling slightly at the now stunned-looking Forte. He had been forgiven… just like that? No questions like Adam, no negotiations like Belle? 'I've missed your company too.' Then he said something that shocked Forte even further. 'I look up to you, you know.'

Whatever Forte had been expecting, it was definitely not that.

'I… I thought you were frightened of me,' he said lamely.

'Well, yes, a little – sometimes. But, maestro, I've always seen you as a – a sort of mentor, really. I… want to be like you.'

Forte stood there, speechless. A moment later he gathered himself and awkwardly laid a hand on Fife's shoulder. 'Well, I… I hope that we can – in the future…'

He trailed off, but Fife nodded and seemed to understand. They gazed at eachother for a few seconds, then Fife checked his watch. 'Seven o'clock,' he said, 'shall we go down to dinner, maestro?'

At the dinner table, Forte made an effort to get more involved in conversation than usual. Something about his brief reconciliation with Fife just moments ago had put a spring in his step. It was as though a void within him had been filled, a missing puzzle piece placed where it should be.

Forte soon found himself listening intently to Lumière's amusing stories about Cogsworth before they both came to work at the palace, occasionally nodding to show he was listening or chuckling slightly at the outrageousness of some of them. Lumière had taken the opportunity to tell the other servants these anecdotes whilst Cogsworth was in the bathroom, having excused himself a few minutes before. Forte was sitting opposite Fife and Lumière and between Mrs Potts and Cogsworth's currently unoccupied seat at the table, stabbing half-heartedly at his food with his fork.

'… An' zen 'e slipped and fell on 'is derrière – right in front of ze girl, too!' Lumière was saying, concluding his latest tale, 'I don't know 'oo looked more embarrassed…' This earned a hearty laugh from the other servants, and Lumière immediately launched into his next story.

Just then, a smash was heard and moments later Cogsworth came loudly bursting in through the enormous oak doors of the dining hall, causing everyone to turn their heads at the disruption. The group of servants who had been listening to Lumière's tales cheered when he entered the room, but the smiles were soon gone from their faces. Cogsworth was shaking like a leaf, his face as red as a beetroot, and he was babbling about something and pointing towards the hallway. The whole room went silent.

'Cogsworth, what's the matter?' asked Belle, looking genuinely worried.

'T – t – they're here!' Cogsworth replied nervously, 'It's – it's them! You know…'

'Pardon? I don't understand…'

'You know what I mean! He – the little guy – Gaston –'

'You're not making any sense, Cogsworth,' said Adam looking puzzled, 'Gaston's dead. Who's here? Who is it?'

'G – Gaston's henchmen… I think they want r – revenge! LeFou's leading them – they've broken into the palace – they're coming – they're coming!'


Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Hopefully I'll be able to wrap up this story over the next two weeks as school starts again in September, and there's only a few more chapters left to go, anyway. Please leave a review, all critiques welcomed! :)