Hi everyone! Wow, I just love the reviews I've been getting. ;) I think that there is enough material for at least two more chappies after this one. We'll see. Anyway, I just want to put another shout out to Serengeti Dawn, you rock! Also, TrudiRose, I have never been a fan of mobs, but they have their uses. For example, I was listening to Phantom of the Opera (another BatB spin off) today and it hit me. I always hated the one in the Disney movie. Those mindless peasants just lit their torches, mounted their horses, screwed their courage to the sticking place and let Gaston lead the way. Morons. Mindless Sheep.

I digress. Anyway….here's another chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: The Mighty Mouse owns all rights to the movie. No Enchanted Objects were harmed during the writing of this fic.

Tear Drops and Rose Petals: A Bitter Tear to Swallow


BOOM!

Belle jumped in the Beast's arms as she clung to him and he, in return, tightened his grip on her, as a fierce urge to protect came over him: the sudden need to protect his home, his love, his Happily Ever After.

BOOM!

There were shouts below stairs mixed with the sound of shattering glass and wood. "What's going on?" Belle asked, her voice wavering with a slight undercurrent of fear. She felt completely safe with the Beast, but something inside told her that it wasn't her own well-being that she needed to fear for. The Beast, consumed by an animal-like feeling of dominance and protection, grabbed her arm and swung her towards the bed. She gave a small squawk as she bounced onto the soft cushions, the bed ropes creaking with the sudden weight. He then pulled the drapes closed around her and started for the door. Belle, rumpled and utterly confounded, pulled the drapes open, shaking the hair out of her eyes. "Wait!" she sputtered, her small hands clutching the drapes in a death-grip.

The Beast turned, her voice bringing him back from the killing edge. "Stay here," he growled, although the anger wasn't directed at her. Belle frowned, "I want to know what's happening. This is my home too, you know. I want to know what's going on." She demanded, her eyes flashing with a mix of pride, annoyance, and a slight twinge of fear. At seeing her like this, this fiercely proud side of her, the Beast loved her even more at that moment, if that were possible. He went back to the bed and gently pushed her hair out of her face, and she leaned in against his paw. "You are the most important thing in my life. I need to know that you are safe. I will not, cannot, think of what I would do if I lost you." He said coaxingly. Belle eyed him a moment, mulling over his tender words. "Oh, all right, go." She sighed, leaning back onto her heels.

BOOM!

The Beast fell on all fours and bounded through the door and down the hall. Back in the West Wing, Belle strained to hear that the Beast was truly gone. When he was, she slipped out of bed and carefully made her way downstairs after him.


Earlier that night, back in the village, Maurice had let his only daughter go with his blessings. She had left a magnificent mirror that she said would show him anything in the world; and that is how he could check up on her when he wanted to. He placed it on the wooden vanity in the hallway after he came in from saying goodbye. Not long after, Gaston rode up to his house and pounded on the door. "Belle! Maurice!" he roared from the other side of the sturdy oak door. When the old man opened it a little, Gaston shoved forward, causing Maurice to fall to the ground. Gaston grabbed the poor old man by his collar and hauled him up off his feet until they were at eye level.

"Tell me where she is old man." Gaston growled as he shook Maurice forcefully.

Maurice gasped and struggled to speak, "She's gone to someone who loves her; not a hulking brute like you!" he spat.

Gaston's eyes darkened as he threw Maurice to the floor. Enraged, he grabbed the closest object he could: a silver mirror off the table nearby. He raised it over his head, his large fists shaking in barely controlled rage. "Tell me where Belle is or I'll…" A blinding green light erupted from the mirror and Gaston was so shocked that he almost dropped the cursed thing onto the floor. Almost. When the light dissipated to a soft glow, Gaston held the mirror out at arms length as Maurice scrambled back to safety. The old man forgotten, Gaston stared into the magic mirror. Inside the ostentatious frame, he saw Belle, in a white dress, her face turned upwards, eyes brimming with love, a look that he had longed to see directed at him. Instead, she was gazing lovingly at a…beast. A horrible monstrous beast. So Maurice had been telling the truth about a beast in a castle. He then remembered the abandoned castle in the woods that had once been the crowning glory of the region. The King had died about ten years before, and the young Prince soon after; or so they said.

With a scream of rage, Gaston threw the glass down, his mind drumming with anger and disgust. "She was supposed to be mine." He hissed, "She still will be. I'll kill that monster and mount his head on my wall. Then I'll teach that little whore that no one says no to Gaston." He growled as he punched his meaty fist into his palm.


He followed the trail through the woods and soon came upon the haunted castle. He walked quickly up to the door and when he saw Belle's horse hitched to the gate, he knew he was in the right place. With a gratified sneer, he pushed the doors open and walked in. He stood there, dripping on the plush carpet, taking in the main hall. Even though it was dark, he could see that the castle was huge and with his crude country style, opulent. He walked over to a chair (again, not an enchanted one), and tossed it across the room, only satisfied when he heard it crash against the wall. Patting the loaded pistol strapped to his muscular thigh, he secured the quiver of arrows strapped to his back. He turned around in a complete circle, and when he reached his point of origin, "Come out and face me Monster!" he bellowed to the listening silence. He waited, breathing hard. Then, there was movement in the shadows above him near the staircase.

The Beast bounded down the hall, his claws clacking against the tiled floors. He skidded to a halt at the top of the stairs as the man below bellowed, "Come and face me Monster!" This intruder dared to come to his home and openly challenge him. Fool.

In his meanest, most terrifying voice, the Beast growled, "How dare you enter my domain and challenge me. What do you want?"

The man looked up in the direction of the voice. "I've come for the girl. My girl. I'm here to save her. And to kill you."

The rage that the Best felt at that moment was like nothing that he had ever felt before. This man, this puny man, thought that Belle was his. Belle belonged to him, by her choice. He still had the element of surprise. One quick swipe of his massive paw and it would be over. The bloodlust that filled his brain was maddening. Another roar flooded his throat, screaming to be released; behind him, he heard the light footsteps behind him. He didn't have to turn around to know that Belle was there. His anger ebbed, and when he turned around, he gave her a pained look as if he said, "Do you mind? You've ruined my moment." Belle, in turn, gave him a shy smile, making him melt inside. She looked over his round shoulder to the main hall where the man still stood, waiting. Her eyes widened when she saw him. "Gaston?" she asked, her pert brow furrowed in confusion.

The Beast felt a pang of jealousy spear through his heart. "You know him?" he asked gruffly. This man was handsome; there was a chance that Belle would still go with him.

Belle nodded slowly. "From the village. He wanted to marry me, though I don't know why. I hardly know him. He's handsome sure enough, but he's rude, and conceded, and…completely unattractive." She scrunched up her face in a grimace. The Beast gave a bark of a laugh then threw his paw over his mouth to muffle it as Gaston swung around in the direction of the noise. In that moment, the Beast weighed himself to this Gaston fellow. Was I ever like that? He asked himself in horror. Belle put a small hand on his forearm, and when he looked at her, she shook her head a little. No then.

Below stairs, Gaston was becoming more and more impatient. "I'm not leaving without the girl!" he shouted to the darkness.

Belle's eyes narrowed and she brushed past the Beast and began to walk down the stairs. The Beast reacted a second too late, "Belle…" he called in a worried tone as he scrambled to follow.

She was halfway down before Gaston saw her. "Belle, come to me." He said coaxingly, a gloved hand reaching out to her.

Belle straightened as a flash of anger darted through her eyes. "No. I'm staying here where I belong." It was apparent that Gaston was trying to reign in his anger, and he tried again, laboring to keep his voice calm. "Belle, I said come to me now." His eyes were dark with anger. Belle planted her feet on the stairs and glared at him. That did it. Naked anger washed over Gaston's handsome features, revealing the true monster inside. He charged up to her, seething. "Dammit woman! I said come here or I'll-" he stopped dead in his tracks as the Beast swept out of the shadows and took his place at Belle's side. "Touch her and I'll rip your arms off." He growled.

Gaston flinched at the sight of the Beast. "This is the monster that you chose over me? You'd be his whore and not my wife?" he snarled. The Beast pressed himself against Belle, daring the man to come closer.

Belle regarded him with a cool gaze. "I'd rather be his whore than the wife of a monster like you."

It took a moment for the full brunt of the insult to sink in and when it did, Gaston seethed even more. "You little bitch!" he spat. From beside Belle, the Beast said, "Say one more thing, and I'll rip your throat out."

With murder in his eyes, Gaston lunged for Belle while the Beast pushed her away just as Gaston crashed into them. Gaston was able to grab hold of her arm and tugged and she went tumbling down the few remaining stairs with a terrified shriek. "Belle!" the Beast cried as she landed at the foot of the stairs. A few heart wrenching seconds later, she rose shaking, with a dribble of blood flowing from a cut on her forehead. "She's not your woman, monster." Gaston snarled as he raised the pistol. A shot rang out as it ripped through the Beast's shoulder. The Beast howled in pain as he fell to his knees. Gaston then picked up a piece of wood from the broken chair and raised it high above his head. "It's over Beast, Belle is mine!" He began to bring the massive plank down when Belle cried out "NO!" and flung herself over the Beast's prostrate form. (Sound familiar? Think Pocahontas;) )

"No!" she cried as she buried her face into the Beast's soft fur. Gaston glowered down at her. "Belle, get out of the way!" he snapped.

"Belle…get back…please…" the Beast pleaded softly, pain lacing every nerve of his body, agony slowly sapping his strength. "I won't leave you," she told her beloved, her small hands shaking in rage as she clung to his fur. Gaston snickered, "Once I kill this pathetic creature, you'll come to your senses. Look at him! He's all fur and fangs, all of him! Look at me: muscle, brains and good looks. All that power, that strength, wasted. Can't you tell the difference?"

Belle took a deep breath, "Yes, I do. You're the fool Gaston and the true monster here."

Gaston lunged forward and grabbed her by the hair, "Lying whore!" She cried out in pain as he pulled. The Beast tried to rise, but when he lifted his head, his mind swam and nausea overcame him. He vaguely heard Gaston rage, "I'll beat you into submission!" Hot anger filled the Beast and replaced his sickness. The thought of that monster putting his hands on Belle. His Belle. The Beast hauled himself up and separated the two roughly; Belle fell back onto her pert derrière and scrambled back towards the stairs. Then he grabbed Gaston by his throat. The Beast roared in his face, much like with the wolves when Belle had been attacked. Gaston's anger withered into fear as he wiggled in the Beast's fierce grip. He clawed at the Beast's massive paws, trying to free himself. "Please, don't kill me! I'll do anything!" he pleaded.

The hot anger inside the Beast screamed for his blood; but his human heart called for compassion. "Get out," he snarled as he dropped the whimpering man back onto the floor. Gaston fell to his knees, gasping for breath in between sobs. The Beast clutched his arm as he made his way towards Belle. "Oh Beast! You're hurt!" she cried as she touched his arm. He winced, and then smiled a little as he wiped the blood from her brow. "So are you."

Behind them, Gaston soon recovered and glared at the happy couple. Stupid bitch, I'll kill that monster and take her if it's the last thing I do. He reached for the dagger in his boot and drove straight towards the Beast. It was Belle who saw the flash of cold steel before the Beast did.


Dum dum dummmmmmmm……ooh, this is getting scary! What will happen? ::jumps up and down with her hand in the air:: I know! I know!

Until next time, gentle Readers. He he, am I truly evil yet?