It was a few days after Christmas, and Numbuh 274 had left. Belle Ron W, Hermione, and the team and I took Beast and Harry outside to feed the birds. Beast was unsuccessful: he kept on moving towards them and scaring them off. Harry didn't move at all, but he too was unsuccessful, the birds didn't trust him. Luckily, Belle seemed to know a way to get the birds to trust Beast according to her going towards him. After watching her for a few seconds I too did the same thing to Harry: spread some seeds from their paws onto the ground and stand back. It worked, soon a couple of birds ate the seeds on the ground, then switched to Beast's and Harry's paws.

Another bird playfully attacked me, and, barking, I chased the bird to a tree. The bird flew higher into the air as Belle joined me. Belle at first hid behind the tree, and then we looked back. Belle smiled while I giggled. Ron W, Hermione, and the team, who were watching me and couldn't see what was funny, looked back at Beast and Harry. That's when they saw that a whole flock of birds had almost covered both Beast and Harry! My friends giggled too, it was a funny scene after all. The birds flew away, causing Beast and Harry to cover their heads with their paws, and when they looked back up, a couple of snowballs hit them in the face! Harry and Beast then prepared to throw snowballs at the ones who hit them, Belle and I, and we got into a snowball fight. even Ron W, Hermione, and the team joined in. Except for the Eds that is, they stuck to their compartments.

After we went back inside, Belle read to us.

Days later….

Beast, Belle, Harry, and I prepared for dinner and a ball. This time, during dinner, Beast ate like a human instead of a beast. Beast wore a blue tux, Harry wore a dark green tux, Belle wore a yellow dress, and I wore my red velvet Christmas dress. During the dinner and ball, Mrs. Potts sang.

MRS. POTTS:
Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly

Just a little change
Small to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared
Beauty and the Beast

Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise

Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bittersweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong

Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast

Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast

Beast took a while to get used to dancing; obviously he hadn't done it in years. As we were dancing, we noticed at one point that Belle seemed to be falling in love with Beast! At least she did rest her head on his shoulder. Harry and I smiled at each other and broke free a little so that we could high-five. The Eds made gross faces at the dancing.

"Knock it off!" Kevin snapped quietly.

"Yeah, Harry and Miranda are only dancing as friends," Rip added. "And you should keep that in mind for future Adventures."

The Eds, both nervous and scared, disappeared into their compartments.

Beast, Belle, Harry, and I danced and danced towards a balcony. Once there we stopped and rested on the railing.

"Belle, are you and Miranda happy here with us?" Beast asked.

"Why yes." Belle said.

However, Beast and Harry noticed that we both seemed a little sad.

"What is it?" Beast and Harry asked.

"If only I can see my father again, just for a moment, I miss him so much." Belle admitted

"You too?" Harry said to me understandingly.

"Actually I'm only worried," I replied. "Knowing dad he'd come after me and considering he hasn't been here by now…."

"Now that you mention it I'm worried too." Harry agreed.

"There is a way you can both see your dads." Beast said to Belle and I.

At that, he led Belle and the team and I into the West Wing, which the team and I were pretty amazed about.

"This mirror will show you anything," Beast said, handing us a mirror. "Anything you wish to see."

"We'd like to see our fathers," Belle said to the mirror. "Please."

The mirror glowed, and with great horror Belle and I saw our fathers sick and lost in a forest!

"Poppa…oh no…he and Steve are sick!" Belle said, very worried. "They may be dying and they're all alone."

I was too worried to say anything but "Dad." in a worried tone of voice. I had never seen my dad that sick before. Beast and Harry also looked a bit sad.

"Then you must go to him." They both said.

"What did you say?" Belle asked.

"I release you," Beast said. "You're both no longer our prisoners."

"You mean, we're free?" Belle and I asked

"Yes." Beast said; Harry nodded.

"Oh thank you, hold on poppa, we're on our way." Belle said, even though she knew they couldn't hear us.

Belle handed Beast the mirror.

"Take it with you," Beast said. "So you'll always have a way to look back, and remember us."

"Thank you for understanding how much they need us." Belle said to Beast.

"Bye Harry, and thank you." I said. "I'll be back, I promise."

Harry only nodded sadly.

Belle, riding Philippe, and I rushed out – with the rest of the team joining us of course – into the woods. As we left we heard Beast roar and Harry howl with sadness. Poor guys, Belle had finally started to like Beast, and now we were leaving to save our fathers. The worst part was that Beast and Harry didn't have much time left.

Belle and I called for our dads. The rest of the team called our dads' names too but we didn't hear any response. Suddenly, we saw them lying still in the snow! Belle and I picked them up and rested them on Philippe. Belle and the rest of the team and I then headed straight home. Belle and I sat by their side as they lay in bed. My friends didn't join us, they instead waited for us in the forest. Unfortunately, they didn't notice a strange snowman leaving.

"Belle (Miranda)?" Maurice and Steve said, waking up.

"Shh, it's all right poppa, we're home." Belle said.

"I thought I'd never see you again." Maurice and Steve said, sitting up to hug us.

"We missed you so much." Belle and I said.

Despite my independence, which would increase with time, I still enjoyed hanging out with my parents. But mostly only when we did fun stuff. Even so I did care about them...when they weren't driving me crazy.

"But the beast!" Maurice and Steve said. "How did you escape?"

"We didn't escape poppa, they let us go." Belle explained.

"I'm glad Harry finally managed to talk some sense into him," Steve said to me. "The beast wouldn't listen to him back when he was trying to save us from being locked up."

"That horrible beast?" Maurice said almost at the same time.

"But he's different now poppa, he's changed somehow." Belle said.

Maurice, Steve, Belle and I suddenly heard a noise. Belle's bag moved, tipped, opened, and Chip unexpectedly appeared!

"Hi." Chip smiled.

"Oh, a stowaway." Belle and I smiled.

"Hello there little fella," Maurice said. "Didn't think we'd see you again."

"Belle, Miranda, why did you go away?" Chip asked. "Don't you like us anymore?"

"Oh Chip of course we do, it's just that…." Belle began