Chapter 28

Belle raced through the castle. She knew that she couldn't return to the village for help. Even on Philippe, the fastest horse she knew, it would take too much time. Adam would be dead by the time she returned with help. So Belle did the only thing she knew to do. She went to the library.

In only took seconds for Belle to find the book she was looking for. After all, she always kept the library books well organized. Belle tucked the book under her arm and ran back to the bedroom, hiking her dress up so it wouldn't be in her way. When she burst into the bedroom, she saw Adam was motionless on the ground. Belle hoped she wasn't too late.

"Adam?" She questioned, placing her hand on his cheek. His skin was cold. She got no response, but she could see his chest rising and falling. "Adam, please…"

"I thought you left me," he said, his eyes opening just slightly.

"I would never leave you."

"I love you," he whispered.

"Don't. Don't do that. Don't say goodbye."

"Tell me you love me," Adam begged.

"I'm going to help you," she replied, wiping away tears. She had to keep it together. She had to save him.

"Please…"

Belle looked into his eyes. She could not deny him his dying request.

"I love you," she whispered. Adam's eyes closed. "No, please. Stay with me."

Adam did not open his eyes. Belle took a deep breath. She couldn't let him give up.

Using the light from the candlestick she had brought up earlier, Belle opened the book. It was a medical textbook. She began to read about what to do for a wound like Adam's. Belle ran around the room, gathering the supplies she would need. She was thankful that one of the maids had left a clean basin of water on the table near the bed. Belle stripped the bed and used a knife to rip long strips of cloth from the sheets. She would need all the fabric she could get her hands on to stop the bleeding. When she was sure she had everything the book said she would need, Belle knelt down beside Adam.

"I'm sorry. This might hurt," she said. He did not respond. It only made Belle more determined. She would not stop until she was sure she had done everything she could to save him. She knew he would have done the same for her.

Belle took a knife and began to saw through the arrow, a few inches away from the wound. According to the book, she shouldn't try to pull the arrow out until she could make it shorter. Once the end of the arrow came off, Belle tossed it aside. Next, she began wrapping the base of the arrow where the wound was with the strips of cloth. She packed the cloth in so that the wound was all but covered. By the time she was done, her hands were covered in blood. Belle turned the page of the book, smearing the blood over the pages, but she didn't care. The next step was to remove the rest of the arrow as quickly as possible while continuing to pack the wound with cloth. She knew the process would be simpler with an extra set of hands, but she had to do it alone. It was all up to her.

Belle grabbed the arrow with one hand and held cloth ready with the other. She pulled straight up with her all her strength. As soon as the arrow came loose, blood began pouring from the hole. Belle clamped the cloth against the area as tightly as she could, hoping she could stop the bleeding. Next, she picked up a needle and thread she had already prepared and slowly began sewing up the wound, wiping away the blood as it spurted out. Adam made no sounds. Belle feared she was too late.

When she was satisfied that she had sewed up the wound as best she could and no more blood was coming out, she wiped it clean with a wet cloth. Belle stared down at Adam's chest. The bleeding had stopped, but there was so much blood all over Adam and around her that Belle feared the worst. Unable to do anything else, Belle laid down on her side next to Adam. His face was turned towards her, his eyes closed. Belle put her hand under his nose. She could still feel his breath. He was still alive. Belle knew she couldn't roll him over and she wasn't strong enough to lift him. He was going to have to stay exactly where he was. Belle took his hand and squeezed it.

"Stay with me," she whispered. "Please. I love you. I can't do this without you. Please."

Dawn was just approaching when Belle heard talking from inside the castle. She was still lying on the floor next to Adam, her hand grasping his. She had stayed up with him all night just to make sure he was still breathing. He hadn't opened his eyes, but she could still feel breath coming from his nose. Belle had checked the wound several times. The stitches still held. The blood was mostly dried. Belle had re-dressed the bandages, using even more strips of cloth from the bed sheets.

Belle scrambled to her feet at the sound of the voices. Even though her body hurt from spending the night on the floor, Belle ignored the pain and ran out of the bedroom and to the top of the steps. Lumiere and Cogsworth were walking through the foyer. She could hear Cogsworth saying something about being quiet, but Lumiere was his usual, loud self.

"Help!" Belle called out.

Lumiere and Cogsworth looked up, both gasping. Belle knew she must look terrible. Her dress and hands were covered in blood. The bottom of her dress was ripped. She was sure her face was pale and her hair was a mess.

"Madame Belle, are you alright?" Lumiere asked, bounding up the steps with Cogsworth not far behind.

"It's Adam," she said. "He's hurt. I need your help."

Belle raced back to the bedroom with Lumiere and Cogsworth following her. They all huddled around Adam.

"He was shot?" Cogsworth questioned.

"It was a bow and arrow," Belle explained.

"Who shot him?" Lumiere asked.

"Gaston."

"Gaston? How?" Lumiere continued.

"Where is he now?" Cogsworth added.

"I...I pushed him," Belle admitted. "Over the balcony. He's...he's dead."

"Oh, Madame. Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" Lumiere wondered.

"I'm alright."

"We will take care of the king," Lumiere said. "Why don't you go get yourself cleaned up and lie down for a while?"

"No! I won't leave him. Please, just help me move him."

Carefully, the three of them managed to move Adam onto his bed. They made sure he was on his side so that he wasn't leaning on the wound. Belle checked his wound once more before covering him with blankets. She sat beside him on the bed, caressing his cheek.

"I'll go fetch the doctor," Lumiere said.

"Thank you."

Lumiere ran off.

"Is there anything I can get you?" Cogsworth asked.

"Perhaps some tea," Belle answered quietly.

"Right away, madame."

Cogsworth turned to leave. "Cogsworth," Belle called out.

"Yes, madame?"

"Would you...would you take care of Gaston? Bring him back to the village. They can bury him there."

"It's kind of you to even think of him, madam. He certainly doesn't deserve it."

Cogsworth patted her on the shoulder before leaving the room. As Belle turned her attention back to Adam, she noticed something sparkly on the floor just underneath the table beside their bed. Belle leaned over and picked it up. It was the most beautiful crown she had ever seen. Belle placed it on top of the table. She knew that was what Adam was going to give her. That was why he had asked her to meet him in the ballroom. Belle wished she had just gone with him to the bedroom. Perhaps if they had been together, she could have stopped Gaston. Belle buried her head against Adam's shoulder and cried.

Hours passed. Lumiere had returned with the doctor, a different man than the one who had treated Belle after her miscarriage. He examined Adam and told Belle that she had done everything perfectly. If she hadn't followed the directions in the book, Adam would have certainly died. The doctor re-bandaged Adam's wound and gave him medicine to stop any infection. He told Belle that the only thing she could do was wait. He also checked on Belle, assuring her that as far as he could tell, her baby was doing fine. He ordered her to rest and stay nourished. Belle told him he would do her best.

Cogsworth came in a little later, assuring Belle that Gaston was, in fact, dead. He most likely died on impact as his body was bent and broken in dozens of places. Belle cringed as Cogsworth told her the details. The undertaker in the village took possession of the body. The villagers would have a funeral. Cogsworth told them no details of his death. Only that it was an accident. They seemed to accept the story.

Belle thanked Cogsworth, but did not want to waste any more time thinking about Gaston. He had already ruined her life in so many ways. She would not allow him to ruin it now. Instead Belle focused all of her attention and energy on Adam.

Throughout the day, the rest of the staff went in and out of Adam and Belle's bedroom, bringing Belle tea and food. She ate mostly because she knew she had to for the baby. She really had no appetite, but she ate anyway. Mrs. Potts sat quietly with her for a while until Belle told her that she'd rather be alone with Adam. None of them could stop apologizing for not being there when Gaston shot Adam. Belle assured them it was not their fault.

"Please stay with me," Belle whispered for probably the hundredth time. She wasn't sure Adam could hear her, but she said it anyway.

A few moments passed when suddenly Belle heard Adam moan. She placed her hand on his cheek and stood to lean over him. She watched as his face began to twitch.

"Belle," he croaked out.

"I'm here," she said, caressing his cheek. "I'm right here."

His eyes opened and he focused in on her. "I had a terrible dream," he said quietly. "I was in our room and Gaston...he came out of the shadows and had a bow and arrow and..." Adam tried to move, but hissed out in pain.

"Easy," Belle soothed. "You must be still."

"What happened?"

"It wasn't a dream. Gaston was here. But it's alright now."

"Gaston was here? How?" Adam asked. "He was dead when we left that terrible house. I shot him."

"We don't have to worry about that now."

Adam grew panicked. "Are you hurt? Did he hurt you? What about the baby?"

Belle shook her head. "I'm fine. He didn't hurt me. And the baby is fine, too."

"Where is he? I'm going to kill him."

Adam began thrashing around in the bed, trying to get to his feet. Immediately he felt sharp pain rip from his back up his spine. Belle placed her hand on his chest, trying to calm him.

"You were shot. You lost a lot of blood. You must rest." Adam finally laid back against the pillows once more. He closed his eyes until the pain he was feeling subsided. "Here, Mrs. Potts made some tea that will help with the pain."

Belle busied herself with pouring a cup of tea. She sat on the edge of the bed and helped Adam sit up and held the cup while he sipped on it.

"Where is he?" Adam asked. "Gaston. Where is he?"

Belle put the cup down. "I killed him," she said, looking away from Adam.

"You…what? How?"

"I pushed him over the edge of the balcony."

Belle wiped away a tear. Adam brought his hand to her chin. He turned her head so she was looking at him.

"Why are you crying? He was an evil man, Belle. He deserved what he got."

"I know. I've just never...taken a life before. And I had to say some…horrible things to him. Things to get him to leave you alone. I had to pretend to care for him. I had to…"

Adam stroked her hair.

"It doesn't matter. You saved me. You saved yourself and our baby. I don't care what you had to do. You are the most amazing woman I've ever met. Did you know that?" Belle couldn't help but smile. "If anything had happened to you or our baby, I would never have forgiven myself."

"It's alright," she assured him. "I'm alright."

Adam placed his hand on Belle's stomach. "What do you think it is? A boy or a girl?"

"We won't know that until the baby's born," Belle said.

"I know. But what do you think? What do you want?"

"After what happened last time, I just want a healthy baby."

"Of course that's what I want too," Adam agreed.

"But you do have a preference, don't you?" Belle asked. After so much time together, she knew when Adam had more to say.

"I'd like a little girl," he answered.

Belle was surprised. "Not a boy?"

"As you said, I'll be happy as long as you and our baby is healthy. But I think I'd like a little girl who grows up to be just like her mother."

"I'm afraid there isn't much of a place in this world for girls like me."

"Then we'll just have to change that then, won't we?"

Belle smiled. "I suppose we will. But just think, if it's a boy, we can teach him to be a good man. We can raise him to be compassionate and kind. To be loving."

"We can fix all of my father's mistakes," Adam said. "Whether a girl or a boy, we will make sure our child is loved." Belle nodded. "I just want us to be together and happy."

"That's what I want too." Tears came to Belle's eyes. "When I thought I was going to lose you…"

"You could never lose me," Adam said, taking her hand in his. "No matter what, I'd always be with you. But you saved me, Belle."

"I will always save you. I will never give up on you…on us."

"Promise?"

She nodded. "Promise."

"There was something I was going to give you," Adam said. "I must have dropped it. It must be…"

Belle stood up and went over to Adam's wardrobe. She opened a drawer and pulled out the crown. She brought it back over to the bed and handed it to Adam.

"Is it this?"

"It was supposed to be a surprise," he said.

"I saw it on the floor when I found you. Mrs. Potts is the one who picked it up and put it away safely. I'm afraid I was too busy worrying about you to be worried about a crown. It was your mother's, wasn't it?"

Adam nodded. "Yes. But now it's yours. The queen. My queen."
"That sounds so strange."

Adam lifted the crown up. Belle bent her head to make it easier for Adam to reach. He placed the crown atop her head.

"It's perfect," he said. His arms dropped down heavily by his sides and he yawned.

"You must rest," Belle said.

"Would you stay with me?" He asked. "Until I fall asleep?"

"I will stay with you until you wake up," she replied.

Adam closed his eyes. Belle laid down beside him, the crown still on her head. She gently placed her head on the pillows and closed her eyes. Together, they slept.

Author's Note: I was very determined to have a "when in doubt, go to the library" scene (as Hermione Granger would say). As a librarian, I love how books can not only take you on journeys, but can also teach you things and be informative. I will warn everybody that this story is nearing its end. There will be a few more chapters, but I think the story has ran its course and my inspiration has taken me on to other things. But, don't worry – it's not quite over yet!