Gaston was sobbing and clutching his wife's hand. She was his world, he could not lose her. "Please, Belle, please don't leave me."
A misty, golden glow filled the room. Gaston knew that light. He looked up to find Agathe smiling kindly at him. He turned towards the doctor and started. The man was completely frozen in place. No part of him moved, not his eyes, not his chest, nothing. Gaston turned back to Agathe.
"This moment is currently frozen. Once time restarts, he will never know I was here," Agathe explained.
"Save her," Gaston pleaded. "Please," he choked on a sob, "I can't live without her. Please! I'll do anything! Give anything! Let me die instead, please!"
"She will live, and so will the child. The two of you will grow old together and live to see your children's children. Your love has grown since last we met, but it must grow greater still. A love story for the ages."
Agathe waved her hand over Belle. The puddle of blood instantly disappeared and color returned to her face.
"Dry your eyes and compose yourself, Monsieur Gaston. When time resumes all will be right with the world. You must not give any indication that anything was ever amiss. Even though she is going to be fine, your wife still needs your strength right now."
Gaston stood and went around the bed, dropping to his knees before Agathe. "Thank you," he sobbed. "Thank you."
She raised him to his feet. "No need to thank me. Your prayers and those of your family were heard, and I was sent to answer."
He wanted to embrace the woman, if she was a woman, but he wasn't sure if that was wise. He moved slowly, giving her every chance to object. She seemed happy to allow it, so he squeezed her tightly.
"Thank you. I am eternally grateful. May I tell her of this, once it's all over?"
"You may." Agathe smiled again. "Just remember, Monsieur Gaston, a love story for the ages."
"I promise." He stared at her for a moment then blurted, "What are you? Belle said you were an enchantress and you told her she was right, but that's not the whole of it, is it?"
Agathe smiled at him serenely. "There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Monsieur Gaston, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
That seemed to be all the answer he was to receive. Gaston sat back down in the chair. Took a deep breath and calmed himself. Then he looked up at Agathe and nodded. She waved her hand again and disappeared.
Time started moving again. The doctor encouraged Belle boisterously. "Almost there, Madame. Almost there. Everything is going beautifully."
Belle seemed the picture of vitality. She groaned and gasped with each push, but there were no more screams of pain.
"Here's the head," the doctor announced. "Push, Madame!"
"It burns!" Belle hissed through her teeth.
"Almost there, my love. You're almost there. We're going to meet our child very soon," Gaston encouraged.
"The head is out. Now the shoulders, and it will be all downhill from there," the doctor explained.
Belle pushed and Gaston watched in awe as the baby's shoulders emerged. One more push and the child was in the doctor's arms.
He smiled at them. "You have a lovely daughter."
Belle beamed at Gaston and he beamed right back. "Rest, now, darling. You were magnificent."
She lay back on the pillows and watched as the doctor clipped the cord, cleaned the baby up a bit, and wrapped her in blankets. He then handed her to Belle.
"It's good to try and nurse immediately after birth," he coaxed.
Belle held the baby to her breast and Gaston looked on in wonder as the tiny babe began to suckle.
Belle grimaced. "It hurts."
"It will get better in time," the doctor assured her. "If you have any trouble, talk to Sophie. She knows many...ah...tricks to make things easier."
Belle nodded and turned her attention back to the baby. "What shall we call her?"
They had discussed several names both for boys and girls, but made no final decision.
"Agathe," Gaston replied without hesitation.
Belle eyed him in slight surprise. They had never mentioned Agathe as a possibility.
"I'll explain later, but for now let me just say...it's important to me," Gaston supplied.
Belled nodded. "Agathe it is then. Hello, beautiful Agathe."
The baby had stopped nursing and was asleep. "Well, Papa, would you like to hold your daughter?"
Gaston took the precious bundle from her gently and sat back in the chair. As he stared down into his daughter's perfect face, he thought his heart might actually burst from happiness.
"Go and show your family, Monsieur Gaston, while I...er...tidy your wife up a bit."
Gaston walked into the sitting room. "Everyone, meet Agathe."
The men gathered round, oohing over the baby.
"May I?" Maurice asked.
"Of course, Grand-père." Gaston handed Agathe to her grandfather.
After a few minutes Gaston said, "It might be a good idea if I put a diaper on her before anyone else holds her."
LeFou, Stanley, and Père Robert laughed and nodded.
Gaston looked at Maurice. "Um, a little help."
Belle had made him practice on a doll, but he was still quite clumsy. Maurice had raised Belle from infancy by himself. He must know how to do it properly.
Maurice clapped him on the shoulder with a grin, "Come on, son."
Once properly diapered, Gaston carried the baby back out to the sitting room.
"Let me hold her for a moment," Père Robert said, "then I'll leave you with your family."
"I went to get him so he could bless the baby," LeFou explained.
Gaston had wondered why the priest was still there as Agathe seemed to have changed the circumstances, but it seemed rude to ask.
Père Robert took the baby and peered down into her face. Then he closed his eyes and offered up a prayer. "We thank you for bringing this precious child safely into the world. We pray you would bless her with health and strength. We pray your blessings on her family. May they raise her to show kindness and love to all she meets. Amen."
"Amen," they all repeated.
He handed Agathe back to Gaston with his congratulations and left.
"Me next!" LeFou bounced forward excitedly. "Come to your Uncle LeFou, Agathe."
LeFou held and bounced and cooed to the sleeping babe. He grumbled when Stanley insisted it was his turn, but handed her over.
"Hell, Agathe. I'm…" He stopped and looked uncertainly at Gaston.
"That's your Uncle Stanley, Agathe," Gaston replied confidently."
Both Stanley and LeFou smiled broadly.
The doctor came into the room with his bag. "It is not good to long separate a newborn from the mother, gentlemen. Take the baby back to her mother, Monsieur Gaston. I shall return later to check on them both. Madame Gaston may get up and move around as she is able to tolerate it. Eh...you might want to get her into the chair and change the bed clothes."
Gaston nodded. "I'll get Belle into the chair then come back for Agathe."
He helped his wife to the chair, brought her the baby, then stripped the bed. "Rest for a bit, then I'll help you change clothes."
Belle nodded, humming a lullaby.
Gaston made the bed with fresh sheets and quilts then sat down on it across from his wife.
"Belle, I have to tell you something." He related the entire story of how she'd come so close to death, but Agathe had appeared to save her.
Belle's eyes were wide as saucers. "You told her to let you die instead?" She choked out.
"I would gladly die to save you and our baby."
"Oh, Gaston! I couldn't live without you either."
"You could have. For the baby, you would have found the strength."
"Now I know why it was so important to you to name her Agathe."
Gaston nodded. "We owe everything to her. She helped us change for each other, and now she has saved you both."
"A love story for the ages," Belle mused. "Well, Monsieur Gaston, I suppose we have no choice but to do as she asks." His wife smiled at him and then down at their daughter.
"I suppose not," he replied as he gazed at the chair that now contained his entire world. "No, I think we really must do as she says."
A/N: Well, friends, this was the last chapter. I hope you enjoyed it and got the happy ending you wanted. Thank you all again so much for your lovely reviews, faves, and follows.
Shameless plug: If any of you are Phantom of the Opera fans, I have an Erik/Christine fic I will start publishing soon, maybe this weekend or next. I'd love to see some of my wonderful readers back for it. :)