It's okay, ImagineATale. The end of the last chapter wasn't what you think! Just read and you'll see. I agree, there needs to be more of Gaston in here, but I just can't seem to fit him in yet. After watching the movie, after he left Maurice to die, it doesn't really show what happened with him till Maurice is at the tavern and accuses him of attempted murder. It's like Gaston just gave up on finding Belle and waited for her to magically reappear. But don't worry, everyone. The next chapter WILL have him and the rampage of his madness beginning!

I'm sorry it took me ssooo long to post this chapter. I wanted it to be touching, and I debated so much about what details of the dance to leave out or include, but here it is. Hope you like it.


In the morning when Madame Garderobe greeted Belle, she suddenly remembered the painful event last night. Then she noticed the rattle wasn't in her hand. "Ma'am, where is my rattle?!" Belle asked frantically.

"Right there, beside you." The wardrobe pointed out. Belle glanced at the nightstand, and sure enough, there it was! She gasped in relief. But she noticed that it was sitting on a very small red velvet cushion, inside a small golden box! It was beautiful. Belle picked it up and gazed at it in amazement and confusion.

"But, how did..."

"The master wants you to have the box as a present, to always keep your treasure safe in." The wardrobe said dreamily. Belle smiled and held it close to her chest.


Later after breakfast as Beast followed Belle into the ballroom as she wanted to make an inspection of the cleaning progress, Belle gave him 'the look'. "Wh...what is it?" He gulped. What have I done now?

"I wanted to thankful you for your gift." Belle smiled. "It was very thoughtful of you."

The Beast blushed. "You're welcome." He shrugged, trying not to show how thrilled he was that she liked it. His heart raced with excitement.

"I just wish I had been awake when you brought it to me, so I could thank you properly."

"No, it's all right." The Beast shook his head. "You needed rest, and I didn't want to disturb you."

"Well, thank you. Surprises can be fun." Belle chuckled. The Beast grinned.

"Sometimes." He shrugged. Belle giggled.

"Oh? So you don't think me coming to your castle unexpectedly was a worthwhile surprise?" She teased. The Beast gaped at her in horror.

"No!" He blurted out defensively. "No, I...I mean...no..."

"No, you don't think so?"

"No!" The Beast grunted. "No, I mean...yes! I-I-I mean...yes, I think you were...are, a worthwhile surprise. Ugh. Why do females always try to put words in your mouth that you don't intend to say?" He groaned.

"Well, if I'm going to be here for a long time, you'd better get used to it." Belle warned him. He frowned and gave her 'that look' that intimidated her so when she first laid eyes on him. He gave a very loud growl. But this time it only made Belle smile and giggle. She had to admit, he could actually be kind of cute when he chose to be. "I'm sorry." Belle said, touching his paw. "I didn't mean anything unkind by my remark. I'm sorry if I hurt you." The Beast stared at her with a little surprise. Then he tried to change the subject.

"You know, you've been doing such an amazing, beautiful job of cleaning the castle." He said softly. "And the ballroom looks exquisite, something I thought would never happen again. We should celebrate! With a dance!" Belle couldn't remember ever seeing or hearing him so excited.

"A dance?" She asked, her interest highly spiked.

"Well, unless you don't think it's a good idea." The Beast sighed. "It was merely a suggestion."

"I'd love it!" Belle exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

"You...you do?" The Beast stared blankly at her.

"I haven't danced in years. You're right, we should!"

"If you'd really like to." The Beast smiled, glad he'd found something else to make her happy.

"Oh, I do!" Belle smiled widely. "It's a splendid idea."

"Good. Then we'll do it." The Beast nodded.

"How about tonight?" Belle suggested. The Beast froze, he could feel the hot flash underneath his furry face, and there was panic in his eyes.

"T-t-tonight?!" He gasped. What had he gotten himself into?


The whole castle was filled with great excitement. The servants could not be more thrilled. Mrs. Potts and Plumette saw that every last nook and cranny was spotless, Lumiere made sure that dinner would be unlike any they'd ever had. Cogsworth tried to prepare the music and decor'. Everyone worked extra hard, but with a sense of great anticipation. They all wanted the romantic dinner tonight to be absolutely perfect!

"Tonight, they will gaze and sees stars in each other's eyes, they will fall in love, and the spell will be broken. And we will be human again. You'll see!" Lumiere twirled.

"Will you ever stop playing entremetteur?" Cogsworth asked.

"Nay!" Lumiere protested. "I wouldn't dream of it!"

"You are absolutely hopeless, my friend." Cogsworth shook his head with a slight chuckle. "I'm afraid you are a lost cause."

"Merci, Monsieur." Lumiere bowed.

"Mama, what is an entremetteur?" Chip asked. Everybody laughed.

"It means matchmaker." The Beast grumbled as he appeared. "I might've known. It's what he does best."

"Now, come, come, Master!" Lumiere clapped his handles. "Time for your bath."

"My what?" The Beast gulped.

"No time for dawdling!" Cogsworth agreed. The Beast looked back at the ladies with panic on his face as he was dragged away by Chapeau.

"Plumette, what is a matchmaker?" Chip asked. Plumette spread her wing around him.

"A matchmaker is someone who helps two people fall in love and they get married." She said.

"Oh." Chip nodded. "Can I stay up and watch?"

"I suppose." Mrs. Potts chuckled.

"You're pretty good at this matchmaker thing." Plumette said smoothly to Lumiere.

Lumiere shrugged. "What can I say? I shed candlelight. It is a gift."


The Beast could never remember being this nervous in his whole life! What if he was clumsy and crushed Belle's tiny toes under his huge hind paws as they danced? What if during the waltz he accidentally tore her beautiful dress with his claws as he held his paw around her waist? What if he said something stupid and she locked herself in her bedroom? What if she thought a creature like him looked ridiculous all dressed up? What if she made fun of the way he danced? What if this, what if that, what if, what if, what if...He was only being polite when he suggested the dance to Belle. He'd never imagined she'd actually say yes!

"Do not be so nervous, Master." Lumiere encouraged him. "She is the one."

"Stop saying that!" The Beast huffed. "There is no 'one'."

"Stop being so nervous and tell Belle how you feel." Mrs. Potts scolded. "Because if you don't, I promise you'll be drinking cold tea for the rest of your days!"

"In the dark..." Lumiere whispered.

"Covered in dust." Plumette added.

"Dark, and very, very dusty." Lumiere leaned into him. The Beast gulped and looked petrified. He already did feel nauseous as Cogsworth said he would later, and his big heart was racing a hundred miles a minute as his servants made presentable and fit for a ball dance!


Belle stood perfectly still as Madame Garderobe gushed over her gorgeous appearance. The wardrobe had made up the most beautiful ballgown Belle had ever seen in her life. It was like the dresses she'd read of in her princess heroines' fairy tales. Belle had never felt so beautiful in her life. The gown was entirely gold, with an exquisite matching necklace, and matching, winding ear-bands. "Ohhh, beautiful!" Madame Garderobe exclaimed. "Absolutely beautiful. But there is one thing missing. Ahh, the finishing touch." Golden magical dust flowed through the air down from the chandelier on the ceiling, and all over Belle, making her dress shine. Though thousands of butterflies were tickling her stomach inside, she smiled confidently and slowly opened the door. She was ready.

She stood at the top of the stairs of the East Wing, facing the Beast on the West Wing's stairway. He gave a nervous twitch of the mouth. Belle smiled warmly. He looked grand in his magnificent blue suit which really brought out the blue in his eyes. His heart pounded harder as he took in how gorgeous she looked, more than usual. Belle was so busy gazing into his face that she didn't see the deep red blossom sticking out of his coat pocket. They slowly approached each other and taking the Beast's arm, they descended down the grand staircase but instead of heading to dinner, Belle led to him to the ballroom. He followed without question. They entered as the music began. The Beast stared at Belle curiously, intrigued but nervous. She just smiled at him and curtsied. The Beast gave a very gracious bow. Belle held out her hands, and reluctantly the Beast slipped his giant paws in them. But once they touched, there was a sense of warmth, familiarity, and unbreakable confidence that each knew they could feel from the other. It washed away all of their doubts and worry. Together, they twirled and held each other through the most romantic, thrilling, fun dance they'd ever shared with anyone! It was as if every fear and heavy care in the world didn't exist.


When the magical waltz concluded, the Beast led Belle out to the balcony. It was cooler out there, and the sky was painted with shining stars. At first, they both just stood there in companionable silence, taking in the view and what had just happened between them in the ballroom. The Beast thought back on all those days of the past, when he didn't even dare to chase down a daydream but only wallowed living in a blur of anger despair. All that time, he'd never taken the time to truly see things the way they were. But now as he looked, he marveled: here was Belle, shining in the starlight. Here she was, and suddenly he felt that standing here it was all so clear, he was where he was meant to go!

"I haven't danced in years." The Beast blew out a breath.

"I've never been to a dress ball before." Belle said.

"No?" The Beast sputtered. He would've imagined by looking at her that an attractive girl like Belle would've had flocks of eligible young men begging to take her out. "Well, I hope you liked it."

"It was amazing." Belle said wistfully. "It was unlike anything I ever imagined." Her face glowed. The Beast cocked his head at her and smiled. "Thank you." Belle smiled warmly at him. The Beast took a deep breath: it looked like this was it!

"It's foolish, I suppose," He began, "For a creature like me, to hope that one day he might win your affection." Well, that was a start.

"I don't know." Belle said lightly with a grin. The Beast looked at her, his eyes lighting up with hope.

"Really?" He asked. "Do you think you could be happy here?" Belle's face grew serious.

"Can anybody be happy if they aren't free?" She replied. The Beast's face fell. She was right. Though his thought of her as a prisoner had fled long ago, he realized painfully that he'd never truly declared her free from her bond. "My father taught me to dance." Belle said, smiling. "I used to step on his toes a lot." Her father, yes, the Beast realized that she hadn't seen him since she'd taken his place.

"You must miss him." He said gently.

"Very much." Belle nodded, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Would you like to see him?" The Beast offered cheerfully. Belle stared at him.

"What? Yes, I would! But...is that even possible? How can that be?"

"Come. I'll show you." The Beast said, placing his arm around her as he led her to the West Wing. He picked up the mirror. "Now this mirror lets you see anything you ask." He handed it to Belle. Belle stared at it nervously.

"I wish to see my father." She said quietly. The mirror vaporized into a reflection of her father. She was not prepared for what she saw. Gaston had his arms around Maurice's shoulders, but Gaston was wearing a cruel, cold smile. Maurice did not look comfortable at all. As a matter of fact, he looked scared and heartbroken. To make matters worse, Belle saw Tom, Dick, and Stanley surround Maurice and then seize him! Gaston stood by with a satisfied smirk. They started assaulting Maurice. "Papa? Papa!" Belle gasped in horror. The Beast watched with grave concern. He'd hoped showing Belle the mirror would cheer her up, but something was terribly wrong! "Papa! What are they doing to him?!" She shivered, clenching the mirror.

"What's happening?" The Beast asked. Belle was at a loss for words and showed him the mirror. The Beast watched intently. Maurice was being held fast and the three ugly goons were hurting him! The Beast's face narrowed in protective anger. Belle was crying.

"He's in trouble!" She whimpered.

The Beast gazed at her sorrowfully. He'd only meant to make her happy but had succeeded in causing her pain. He couldn't bear to see her distressed like this. Not daring to look at the rose, he said bravely, "You must go to him." Belle looked up at him incredulously.

"What?" She sputtered.

"You must go to him. He needs you. No time to waste!" The Beast insisted, though inwardly he felt a sense of despair unlike any he had before.

"B-but..."

"Belle, you must go! If you want to save him. Now go." The Beast said firmly.

"Thank you." She said tearfully. She handed him the mirror.

"No, no. Keep it." The Beast smiled sadly at her. He pulled out of his pocket the red rose he'd picked for her hours ago. He plucked the blossom from the stem and tenderly set it in her hair. This was how he wanted to remember her. "Then you'll always have a way to look back on me." He said gently, giving her long brunette hair a soft, affectionate swipe. Belle smiled tearfully at him.

"Thank you." She said and gave him one quick but firm goodbye hug. Then she ran out of the West Wing, and he thought...out of his life. He watched longingly. Soon Cogsworth waddled inside and found him there miserably watching the rose.

"Well, Master, everything is going like clockwork!" The clock cheered. "True love truly does win the day!"

The Beast couldn't bear to look his friend in the eyes and hung his head. "I...I let her go." He sighed.

"Of course. Now that you and she...what?!" Cogsworth gasped. "You what?"

"I let her go. I set her free." The Beast moaned.

"But why?"

"Why would you do that, Master?" Lumiere asked.

"Because he loves her." Mrs. Potts said soothingly, but with sadness.

"Her father was in trouble. She has to save him. I set her free. I'm sorry I couldn't do the same for you all." The Beast finally looked them in the eyes. As the servants disparagingly all left him alone, the Beast rushed up to his tower, hoping against hope for just one last glimpse of Belle before she completely disappeared from sight forever. She was easy to spot, her golden gown shining like a light as she rode Philippe out of the castle grounds. The Beast watched in deep anguish, more acute than any pain he'd ever known in his life. Belle was gone, and she was never coming back. But she'd left him a different person and for her sake, he refused to destroy or bury the intense feelings of sorrow, even though it felt worse than heck. Holding to the pain was a connection to her and he didn't want to lose that...ever, even though he was losing her presence! His heart was bleeding in agony right now, but he didn't shake it off, he just let it singe him. She would never come back, he would never see her again, but her memory, her love, her presence was still so very much alive to him, even though she wasn't physically there. The Beast wanted to hold onto that forever.

Belle sat astride Philippe and raced him as fast as she could back to the village. Her father was in trouble, and she had to save him! She only hoped she wasn't too late!


So, I decided to change things around a little bit of what Belle saw in the mirror. You'll find out why in the next chapter. Reviews are welcome.