Hello everybody!

Child of Dreams, sad, isn't it?

Leeds, thanks.

Eternallyenchanted7, you'll probably be a little horrified with this chapter's plot twist, but at least Agathe will offer some aid.

AutobotGuy710, thanks.

Cloelius Princess, here you go.

Okay folks, here we start getting into the plot twist that ladivina suggested. I know, it's kind of gutwrenching. But it's a plot twist I just couldn't pass up!

Beast made it to Didiane's room and rushed to her side. She was shivering despite being under the warm blanket.

"Beast," she said. "I'm so cold."

Beast touched a paw to her forehead. She felt anything but cold. In fact she felt quite hot.

"You actually have a fever," he said softly.

"Fever and chills..." Didiane said. "First sign that Maman was ill."

"I'll go get some water to help bring your fever down." he said. He rushed out of the room.

He descended the East Wing stairs and suddenly paused on the landing between the wings. The implication of the child's words chose this moment to sink in.

"Fever and chills... First sign that Maman was ill."

Her maman was ill with...plague. And now she was showing the first symptoms Belle had shown. Could she have left her mother too late to avoid infection? This thought was simply too much emotionally for him to bear. Letting Belle go, losing his entire staff practically in the blink of an eye, spending twelve lonely years, learning Belle was unhappy and mistreated those twelve years, and now was dying, then watching her die in the mirror and having to tell her daughter, that was already too much. But now Didiane was sick and he feared it was plague. He was sure he would lose Didiane now too. The weight of despair caused all emotional composure to fail him, and right there on the landing between the East and West Wings, he sank to the floor, buried his face in his arms on his lap and wept. His body shook and at times nearly convulsed with sobs.

"God if you're listening I know I've paid you little mind since I lost my mother," he said as he cried. "Certainly not since the curse as I know you couldn't possibly care for a creature like me. But Belle was no creature. Didiane is no creature. If you care about anything or anyone please don't let Didiane's young life end this way! Please!"

He continued to weep. He knew that he would not leave Didiane once he went back to her. He couldn't be at Belle's side and now if Didiane had plague the only one he had to worry about getting infected was himself, and at this point he didn't care about that.

He was in the middle of his meltdown, aware of nothing around him. He did not realize that he was suddenly no longer alone on the landing.

"It's been a while," a vaguely familiar voice said. "About twenty-two years I believe? Twelve since the curse sadly became permanent. You were so close I was sure you'd make it. But things happened with Belle I hadn't counted on."

"You..." Beast whispered, realizing who it was. Why was the enchantress here now? It vaguely occurred to Beast that he should perhaps be angry at her. For the curse, for Belle having to be so unhappy after he'd condemned himself and his entire staff to set her free, and that now she was dead from plague. Surely it would have been within the enchantress' power to intervene? But Beast was in such despair that he just didn't have the physical or emotional energy that was required to be angry. He also found he didn't have the physical or emotional energy to care that someone was seeing him in such a state. He would normally strive to regain his composure, but after all the anguish he'd been through and was still going through, he just wept on.

Agathe was rather taken aback by the state in which she'd found the Beast. She'd checked in on him often, even after the curse had become permanent. She'd also kept an eye on Belle, remaining as the village spinster. She had wished Belle could have returned to Beast and that the curse could have been lifted. But she'd been essentially forced to marry Gaston. Still Agathe had kept an eye on things in Villeneuve and the castle. And she knew Beast had spent the last twelve years in grief, but at no point did she ever look in on him to see him reduced to a sobbing heap on the floor. And she knew that Belle had sent her daughter here, for Didiane had run into her on her way out of town and said her mother was dying of plague and had sent her away, and Agathe had kept an eye on the child to make sure she was safe. Seeing the enchanted mirror in Didiane's possession was a clue as to where she was going, and Agathe soon found she'd been right. She was sure the news Beast would receive about Belle would devastate him, but she was sure that the child's companionship would help him be less melancholy. She had come to offer something that would help with raising the child. But she found Beast so broken and she was growing quite concerned. She had to find out what was so wrong. She didn't have a good feeling about this.

"What's wrong Beast?" Agathe asked gently. "I know Belle's daughter recently came as her mother was dying of plague. I know you've grieved for twelve years and the news about Belle would be difficult but I thought Didiane's presence would do you good. I had actually come to offer some help in regards to Didiane, but considering how distraught you are I'm gathering something must be amiss?"

Beast's head shot up hopefully at the word 'help', but slumped back down when it became apparent that the enchantress seemed unaware of Didiane's current condition so hadn't come to heal her.

"I watched her die in the mirror," Beast choked out. "And now Didiane's got it."

"Are you sure?" Agathe asked.

"She's got fever and chills. Said it was the first thing that happened to Belle."

Agathe knelt beside Beast and placed a hand on his shaking shoulder. She spoke gently.

"That is worrisome. But fever and chills can mean other things. Any coughing? Vomiting? Diarrhea? Lesions?"

Beast shook his head.

"Where is her room? I'll go have a look. I'll be able to tell even if there are no further symptoms whether or not the fever means what you fear."

"East Wing," Beast choked out. "Third door on the left. But you should wait until I can compose myself and go with you. She might be alarmed by a stranger in her room."

"I won't alarm her," Agathe said. "She knows me well as Agathe the village spinster. Her mother has always been kind to me, which is how I knew she was the one to send to you. I knew she was coming here as she passed me on her way out of town and told me her mother sent her away because she had taken ill with plague. I had a good idea where she was headed as she had the mirror. I kept an eye on her with my own mirror to see she made it safely. So she knows me well. I'll go pay her a visit. You needn't try to compose yourself. You've held your emotions for far too long. Just let them go until your body naturally stops its purging process."

With that, Agathe put her arm around Beast's shoulders for a quick hug, at least she meant for it to be quick. She wanted to get to Didiane as soon as possible to confirm, or, she hoped, rule out, Beast's suspicion. But he stiffened, causing her to keep her arm around his shoulders.

Beast was a bit confused. All this time he saw the enchantress as a cruel tormentor. An enemy. Now she was offering comfort? Why? Agathe sensed his confusion.

"I know we didn't have the best first meeting," she said softly. "And I know that because of that I am probably not exactly your favorite person in the world. But it was never my intent to be cruel, but to save you from yourself, from the path you were on. I knew you had the potential to be a better person, but something drastic would need to happen. I do have regrets, things I wish I'd done differently when placing the curse. In fact my reason for coming was to broach the subject of reversing some of it, but it seems Didiane should be seen to first. I am sorry...very sorry...for the suffering you've gone through. There are things I didn't consider that I should have. I know my attempts to console must seem a little startling but I offer comfort because I do care."

Beast gave a slight nod of acknowledgement.

"I'll go check on her," Agathe said. "Try not to worry too much until we know how much we need to worry. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Agathe patted his shoulder, stood, and ascended the Eastern staircase. When she got to the door indicated by the Beast, she knocked lightly and entered. She frowned as she saw Didiane on the bed, clearly miserable. She walked over to the bed.

"Hello, Didiane."

"A-Agathe?" Didiane asked. "How did you get here?"

"I came to see the Beast," Agathe said. "I'm an...acquaintance of his. He's awfully worried about you."

Agathe placed her hand on the shivering child's forehead. It was definitely hot. She stood over the bed, looking intently at Didiane. She hadn't vomited yet, and didn't show anything beyond the fever and chills. Didiane groaned. So maybe she had pain as well.

"Are you hurting anywhere?" Agathe asked.

"I ache all over," Didiane said.

Though there were no lesions or swellings or anything that would cause a doctor to say definitively that it was plague, Agathe knew. Now she had to tell Beast, and this was something she was not looking forward to. Didiane's next words seemed to confirm it.

"The night before the doctor confirmed Maman had plague...she told me to stay away from her until we knew for sure. But late that night I snuck into her room. She was asleep. I went over to her and kissed her. I didn't do as she asked and now I have it too, don't I?"

"Shhh," Agathe said. "Just rest right now."

Agathe lifted her hand and caused Didiane to fall asleep. She then walked to the door and blew on the hand that had touched Didiane, rendering any disease on her hand harmless. Her magic made her immune to the illnesses of mortals, but she could still spread disease if she did not take precautions after touching a contagious person. Though she suspected Didiane was not yet contagious, since she was not yet coughing, vomiting, or showing lesions, Agathe was not willing to take that chance. Then she went down the stairs to the landing where she knelt beside the Beast, putting her arm once more around his shoulders.

"I have her sleeping, I've made sure she'll sleep through the night, so she's not uncomfortable for the time being."

Beast had cried until he no longer could, having used up his supply of tears. The fur on his face was still soaked though. He looked up hopefully at Agathe.

"It's not...what I feared right?" he asked, his eyes were pleading to not have this hope dashed. "I'm just overreacting. Tell me I'm overreacting."

Agathe's troubled expression told him that whatever the news was, it probably wasn't good. But he hoped with every fiber of his being that it was not plague.

"I want nothing more than to tell you that you were overreacting," she said, stroking his shoulder with her thumb. "But I'm afraid your fears are well-founded. I could tell, but then she confirmed it herself. She confessed that the night before Belle's illness was confirmed, she snuck into her mother's room despite Belle telling her to keep her distance until they knew. Belle was sleeping and Didiane went over and kissed her."

Beast's head and shoulders slumped forward. He wanted to weep all over again, but since he'd already wept himself tearless, he could not. He could only emit an anguished moan.

"I'm sorry," Agathe whispered.

"Don't let her die like this," Beast begged. "Surely you're able to heal her?"

"I'm afraid that's a bit complicated," Agathe said. "Once someone becomes sick, the illness is supposed to run its course. I can take an illness from someone, but then I'd have to put it in someone else so it could run its course. That's never sat very well with me. I've never done it before."

"Let this be your first time," Beast said after about half a second. "Give it to me."

"Are you sure?" Agathe asked. "Plague is not something to be trifled with. And I cannot know how your body will react. A benefit to being a beast is that your body is very strong. Maybe you're strong enough that you can fight it off. I can't promise that you won't die of the disease however."

"I don't care," Beast said. "If someone has to die, better me than her. I don't know who would take care of her, that's my only concern should I die, but what's important is she lives. Her mother sent her away to keep her alive. If I can make sure that happens I'll do whatever it takes."

"I think I can help as far as making sure Didiane is cared for," Agathe said. "Actually my reason for coming was because I thought you could use some help. Especially when she starts having...monthly events...not having someone around who is female I'm sure would be rather awkward for both of you. Plus, what happened to the others has always been one of my regrets. If I were to reanimate everybody that became inanimate when the curse became permanent, would that be all right with you?"

Beast stared at Agathe as if she'd just grown a second head. Was she really proposing restoring life to the staff? And while he appreciated that she would do it, and was thinking of how it would help with Didiane, if it was one of her regrets why didn't she reverse the inanimation right away?

"That would be all right, of course," he said. "But...if you've always regretted it, why after twelve years? Why not right away? If Didiane hadn't come along would you have just kept on regretting it?"

"Magic is a fickle thing," Agathe said. "It is hard to reverse out of its specific conditions. When I placed the curse on you and the staff, one thing I am glad I did was that I did build a provision in it that if the curse became permanent and the staff became ordinary objects, they could be revived at anytime if, first, I deem you deserving of their company, which I do, and have these twelve years, and second, if anything were to happen that you might be unable to handle on your own. Certainly raising a child of the opposite gender who will enter puberty at some point within the next few years could qualify, so I could reanimate them on account of that. Having a child that needs care while you are gravely ill definitely qualifies." She paused for a moment. "You should probably explain to them what's going on before you take the plague upon yourself. They'll want to know why they're moving and speaking again. They'll need to know about Didiane. And I'd suggest you pick two or three of them to be in your room with you. Being objects they cannot get sick, and can help take care of you. Others can leave supplies by the door for them. Where would you like me to gather them before reviving them so you can talk with them?"

"The ballroom," Beast said. "I think that should accommodate everybody. By the way...there is something else...I'm wondering if you can do...for Didiane."

"What is that, Beast?"

"When I told her that Belle had passed, which I saw in the mirror, she begged me to retrieve Belle and bury her on the castle grounds. I wanted to do just that but of course I knew we couldn't. Is it possible you could retrieve her and bury her on the grounds? Then Didiane will at least have a grave to visit. I'd like that too of course, but it is for Didiane, not myself, that I ask."

"I think it's a lovely idea," Agathe said. "Why don't I get everybody in the ballroom and reanimate them? Then I'll leave you with them to explain things to them. Perhaps you'd like to say goodbye to Didiane in case you don't survive, or write her a note. I'll return at sunrise with Belle. Would you like to be there when I bury her, before I transfer the plague to you?"

"I'd like that," Beast said.

"All right," Agathe stood and raised her hands, causing various objects to float through the air from all directions, heading towards the ballroom. "Let's go to the ballroom. This is everybody inside the castle. I'll leave the horses-turned-saddles in the stable, but they will be reanimated as well."