Mustard Lady, I was looking forward to your commentary and you did not disappoint! They're going to have to figure out something to get through to rude boy whiny butt aren't they? Yes it is good nobody has to deal with him alone.

Banzi, thanks. :)

rubbernoseswampdonkey, LOL

Faller Lover15, next update is...right...about...now.

This chapter was challenging to title according to my chapter naming challenge. Ladivina looked up some Gordon Lightfoot lyrics and had a suggestion, and I thought of some lyrics from a song, but neither quite clicked for me. Then I remembered the song Alberta Bound, looked up the lyrics to make sure I remembered the line I was thinking right, and it is that song that brings us our title for this chapter.

Belle and Beast went into Beast's room shortly before bed. Agathe had yet to come and they knew she planned to, so they decided to go into the master bedroom and wait for a while.

"I can hardly wait for Agathe to come," Belle said. "I think she'll be interested to hear about how the first day went with Gaston."

"I'm sure," Beast said.

"Were you this difficult when first cursed?"

"Oh I was difficult until after you showed up Belle. I don't know if I was difficult in the way Gaston is, but I was never paralyzed either. With either curse, there's an adjustment period. I was so used to having quite an impeccable outward appearance. Suddenly looking like a monster was not easy to accept. Gaston is used to doing things on his own. And having people adore him and not question or challenge him. Losing his independence, and being around people who won't give into all his demands, will not be easy for him to accept. I'm not surprised he's handling it poorly. I don't condone his behavior, but I do understand where it's coming from."

"How long until you adjusted?" Belle asked. "You were difficult until after I came, but that was nearly a decade in. Surely you were...used to things before that point?"

"Used to things, and resigned to my fate," Beast said. "I changed after you came because I had new hope. I tried not to get too hopeful but it's not every day that a pretty young maiden finds her way onto these grounds. So hope crept in. But I'd lost all hope years before you showed up. I'd accepted the situation I was in, and quickly after that resigned myself to remain this way for all time. With Gaston, our first challenge will be to just hang in there while he comes to terms and accepts his situation. Our next challenge will be to keep him from losing hope and resigning himself to remain in his situation once he's accepted its reality."

"Quite insightful my dear Beast."

Belle and Beast turned to see Agathe standing by the door.

"Belle, do you know if your father is still up?" Agathe asked. "His input would be nice."

Belle walked to the table with the rose and mirror, picked up the mirror, and asked to see her father.

"He's just entering the West Wing probably on his way to his room," she said, setting down the mirror.

Agathe stepped out into the corridor, returning a moment later with Maurice. All took seats.

"Well," Agathe said, "I wanted to check up on you folks and see how you've coped over the first day. I'm sure it hasn't been easy for any of you."

"No it hasn't," Belle said frankly.

"Gaston is very stubborn," Beast said. "He's taking the curse pretty poorly, which is to be expected. He can't do the things he's always been able to do but doesn't want help. Last night I offered to help him with the chamberpot before bed. He refused. I asked if he didn't need to go and he said when he does he'll figure out how to get himself to it. I was going to point out that he was unable to get himself there, but could see he was stubborn and would probably have to learn the hard way. So I wished him luck and put him in the bed."

"Did he learn the hard way?" Agathe asked.

"Oh he did. LeFou came down this morning asking for help in moving and bathing Gaston. He had been unable, of course, to get himself to the chamberpot, and unable to hold his bladder or bowels. LeFou and I bathed him while Belle took care of his bedclothes. He thought he should be entitled to Belle bathing him. I gave him a piece of my mind about that."

"Then there was breakfast," Belle said. "Stubborn again, not wanting help, spilling milk after Papa advised he let someone help with it. Then dove face first into his food when he couldn't grasp his flatware and made a mess of himself. He didn't want anyone helping to clean his face. Trouble is he couldn't do it. Gave LeFou quite the glare when he tried to help. Beast said either let LeFou clean him or he would. Gaston got pretty demanding that I be the one to clean him, but I said LeFou and Beast were both capable. He kept insisting I do it until Beast just went over to him and got the job done himself."

"I really don't like how he feels entitled to my daughter," Maurice said. "The aforementioned examples, plus he rather smugly stated that at least Belle was cooking for him 'as it should be' and said she would come to her senses. I'd say it was a frustrating first day from where I sat."

"I didn't give into his demands," Belle said. "Like I said I told him the others were quite capable. If he wants me to do something he's not going to get it by acting all entitled."

"That is good," Agathe said. "Belle and Beast, you may want to let Gaston see that you two love each other. I'm not saying you have to go overboard with it or anything but it wouldn't be a bad idea to let him see that Belle is taken."

"Probably a good idea," Beast said.

"How are things with LeFou?" Agathe asked. "He could help or hinder, being Gaston's best friend. He might be able to talk sense into him or enable his ego."

"I think it's a bit of a struggle," Belle said. "I'm not sure what to think. He's not quite as enthusiastic in his encouragement of Gaston. We had a chat with him last night about enabling. He may understand that enabling is best avoided or maybe he just doesn't know what to make of this whole curse business."

"Could be either," Agathe said.

"I think it's a struggle for the young man," Maurice said. "He's so used to boosting Gaston's ego. I can tell it's hard for him not to."

"Are any of you regretting taking this on?" Agathe asked. "Do either of you Belle and Maurice regret staying?"

"I don't for half a second regret staying," Belle said. "I'd never have left Beast on his own. Even with LeFou...well as we've established he's a challenge in his own right. As for regretting the whole thing, I'm not ready to say that yet. I did get kind of overwhelmed earlier today after having to listen to Gaston thinking he was entitled to me. And I know it's a long shot trying to get Gaston to change for the better. But if it gets our friends back it's worth it, and it will really be worth it if he breaks his curse and frees our friends from their curse. If not, at least they won't be inanimate."

Beast and Maurice nodded in agreement.

"Agathe, speaking of the servants, I have a question," Beast said. "You said it was best if Gaston and LeFou do not know that the curses are connected. But when the first petal returns, there will suddenly be walking, talking houseware. I have no doubt they'll find that a little...startling. What should we tell them?"

"That is a good question," Agathe said. "You can tell them that because the rose that kept time on your curse by dropping petals, causing the staff to become more objectified with each petal lost as well as structural damage to the castle, is keeping time on Gaston's curse by reversing the wilt, the progressive damage of your curse is reversing. That when the last petal returns the castle and staff will be in the condition in which I left them after first placing the curse. Just don't tell them that breaking his curse can lift the curse on the staff. The progression that occurred as the rose was wilting is reversing because the wilt is reversing. Please make sure the staff know that this is all we want Gaston and LeFou hearing. We don't want Gaston trying to meet his requirements just to satisfy his hero complex."

"Right," Beast said.

"There is another regret I have with the original curse," Agathe said. "That is not providing a way that I could be contacted in the case of questions or concerns. I probably wouldn't have left you, Beast, with a way to contact me since you, until you started changing for the better, might have abused the privilege. But I wish I'd left a way for the staff to contact me in case of any concerns. With that in mind, I come bearing gifts." She reached into her pocket and produced three small stones. "Beast, I'm still working on the best way to allow you to change forms at will. But I have a stone to give to each of you." She handed the stones to those assembled. "Should you have questions or concerns, just hold your stone in your hand...or paw as the case may be, and say my name. I will then know that my presence is desired. Should I not appear within a minute or so, briefly state what you wish to discuss and I will come as soon as possible. You can keep your stones in your rooms, which is what I recommend, or in your pockets so you always have a way to contact me with you. If you choose the latter, please make sure Gaston and LeFou don't see you using them. It is best, for the time being, if Gaston, and by extension LeFou, do not know that I can be contacted."

"Thank you," Beast said as he placed his stone by the rose and mirror on the pedestal.

"Yes, thank you Agathe," Belle said.

"Being able to make contact with you may prove beneficial," Maurice said. "Thank you, Agathe."

"You are all welcome," Agathe said. "I shall take my leave now. Goodnight and good luck. I hope tomorrow is better than today, but knowing Gaston I'm afraid I wouldn't count on it."

And with that, Agathe was gone.