Chapter Fifteen

Time seemed to thoroughly enjoy passing quickly over the Château Mountains. Before anyone had noticed, another few weeks had turned into a month.

One warm summer night, Babette sat in front of a tiny mirror in her room, brushing her hair out for the evening after a long day's work. Lucien's last visit still played vividly in her mind, but over time, the pain had gradually become less of a burden.

He had released her from their bond, but at the same time, he was willing to let her be as happy as he was. An amicable parting had somehow brought a strong sense of peace that she never expected. Lucien had found the woman he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with, and his wife obviously felt the same way about him. As a friend, Babette was now quite content to accept that.

As for herself, romance was coming into her life again slowly but surely. A few days after Lucien's visit, she reopened her heart to the friendship between herself and Lumière, allowing it to flourish and grow. It was difficult at first with the feelings of love still being one-sided, but as time went on, any discomfort she was feeling slowly vanished. Their playfulness, their talks, everything they had shared before Lumière had confessed his love returned as if no such words were said.

Lumière himself found a growing delight in their friendship as well. Simply having her by his side was all he wanted at present; love would hopefully bloom in time, but he refused to rush her towards a romantic relationship. He cared about her too much to force her into something they both knew she was not ready for. Only when the time was right would he attempt to woo her into a courtship. The decision was in her hands alone, and Lumière made absolutely certain that Babette understood that.

Tonight, however, was the night.

Rising from her seat, Babette changed into one of the dresses she had altered upon her arrival, one that she affectionately called the "Cogsworth Compromise." The sleeves and neckline had been cut, just like her dress of rebellion, but the skirt was a long, appropriate length. The perfect choice, she thought with a smile.

Leaving her hair loose, Babette quietly made her way to the wine cellar. According to the rest of his staff, Lumière was always there in the evening, making certain that all was in order and taking notes for inventory. Sure enough, they were correct. As Babette silently treaded down the cellar stairs, she heard the sounds of bottles clinking and being moved nearby, and following the noises, she found Lumière instantly.

He did not hear her at first, and of course, her presence startled him when he turned suddenly to find her standing there.

"What are you doing down here?" he asked once he caught his bearings, his tone revealing more of a concern than a scolding. "You should be in…"

Whether he was about to say "bed" or "your room", Babette would never know, nor did she care, for she had placed her finger gently on his lips to silence him.

"I know where I should be," she whispered, "But it is not where I want to be."

Lumière looked at her in confusion, reaching to remove her finger from his lips although he did not let go of her hand. "Babette, you really should get some rest. Tomorrow is a cleaning day, remember? You are not under my jurisdiction for that, thus I can not cover for you."

Babette smiled, bringing his one hand around to her back along with the other, as she leaned into his embrace. "I have done the same amount of work on a mere ten minutes of sleep; I will be all right," she said. "But I must speak with you."

Desire was Lumière's only instinct in times when such an exquisite woman wanted him to hold her close, but he called upon every bit of strength he had to resist her. "What could you possibly have to see me about at such a late hour?" he asked, barely able to keep his voice from quivering.

"Something that could not wait until morning," she replied.

Before Lumière knew what had happened, the most incredible feeling overpowered him as she drew his lips to hers. Their first kiss, such a simple action that was very common between lovers of course, but never had one been as amazing as this. Not even in his dreams had Lumière felt such an elating sensation! It was the solitary experience that he had wanted ever since he realized how much he loved this woman, and in tangible reality, it was more breathtaking than he could have ever imagined.

When she broke away from the joining, laughing gently at his surprised and rather euphoric expression, Lumière desperately tried to draw her into it once again.

"Ah, ah, ah; not yet," Babette warned with a grin. "I was serious when I said we needed to talk."

Lumière smirked, promise gleaming in his eyes. "Actions very often speak louder than words."

"Even if those words were as strong as…'I love you'?" Babette asked coyly.

Lumière immediately ceased his attempts to continue their kiss to look at her. "Did you…say what I think you said?" he asked, a smile slowly forming over his lips.

Babette returned the smile, affectionately reaching to stroke his hair. "I have been thinking about this for so long," she explained, slowly sitting on the ground and leading him to sit beside her. He, of course, obeyed before she continued. "You have given me time to sort out my feelings, and I can no longer hide, nor deny them any longer. I suppose…I have always loved you, mon cher, but I was foolish, thinking about Lucien."

Lumière shook his head. "It was not foolish," he said. "One thing that I have grown to adore about you, Babette, is your strong belief in whatever you are passionate about. You felt in your heart that he would be there for you; now that I think about it, I would not have expected any less."

"But look where my beliefs left me," Babette protested. "Pining for a lost love that would never be what it was…when my true love was at my side the entire time."

Lumière could not suppress a grin. "You do not know how wonderful it is to hear you say that," he said, reaching to hold her close. She was all too willing to cuddle in his arms as he added, "Late is better than never."

Babette smiled, toying with the buttons on his coat. "It is the honest truth," she whispered. "You have been nothing but good to me, Lumière. The day I arrived you could have very easily turned me away without a second glance to keep your place here secure." She turned her eyes up to gaze into his, her smile broadening as she saw genuine love and happiness. "But you did not; you believed in me when no one else did. Even in our most heated arguments, you never lost faith in me. I regret not realizing that sooner."

"It takes a special woman to draw love out from its murky mist of a hiding place, ma chérie," Lumière replied, brushing a loose curl from her face gently. "I never dreamt I would ever find the love that I feel for you."

"You think I am special then?" Babette cooed playfully, moving from the buttons to the lace cravat at his neck.

"Special enough for the most brilliant and romantic man in the world?" he asked with a smirk. "Oui, I believe so."

"This man is not exactly a modest one, is he?" she asked, eyebrow raised. "Perhaps I should reconsider before it is too late."

"Of course, you shouldn't," Lumière replied, gathering her hand to kiss each fingertip one by one.

She gasped softly at his touch. "I shouldn't reconsider? Why is that?"

Lumière tenderly took both of her hands in his. Placing a kiss into her palms, he trailed his lips along her arms in exploration, muttering in-between each moment of contact. "Only a woman who is equally as brilliant and romantic…namely yourself…should be his mate…his one love till the end of eternity."

Babette grinned, a coquettish gleam in her eyes as she leisurely rested on the floor, beckoning him to follow. "There is no end to eternity," she whispered. "Is he certain he wants to be with her for as long as that?"

Lumière replied first with a soft, soothing kiss before he answered, "Absolument, mon amour."

With her eyes fixed on his, Babette took Lumière's hands, placing them at the ties on her dress. Although he understood her silent plea, however, he stalled for a moment as if questioning whether he should oblige her.

Babette only leaned in close to his ear, and whispered, "Please."

Lumière closed his eyes tightly, his weakening will power failing him as she warmly breathed the simple request in a single word. Watching her expression intently, waiting for any sign of discomfort, he met her demand, undoing the lace bodice strings from her dress. She, in the meantime, returned the favor with his own buttons and ties.

Neither Lumière nor Babette were innocent in the physical sense of love, each having their share of previous lovers. Before tonight, it had always been about the bodily pleasure, the sheer ecstasy of the joining between a man and a woman. But nothing they had ever experienced felt so pure, so true than that of which occurred that evening. At the very instant he had taken her, the couple had truly become one in body and spirit, realizing even in such a divine moment that they were meant to be together.

After quite some time, with their energy clearly spent, Babette rested against Lumière's shoulder, closing her eyes pleasantly exhausted.

Lumière combed his fingers through her tangled locks. "And thus begins the sweet seduction of sleep," he murmured softly.

Babette shook her head. "I am just resting my eyes."

"A likely story," Lumière laughed, lightly running his other hand over the smooth curve of her waist. "Dare I try to get the truth out of you?"

"It does not take much to pry the truth from me," Babette replied, a flirtatiously challenging smile playing about her lips.

Never one to resist temptation, for he was only human and thus weak against the charms of a temptress, Lumière stole another fervent kiss. "I should be insulted by that," he said. "But I must remind myself that the lady is tired, and satisfied; therefore she is surely unable to think properly before she speaks."

"Indeed," she agreed, nuzzling into his neck before gracing it with a kiss. "Monsieur must forgive me."

Lumière grinned adoringly. "Of course I do." When her eyes started to flutter dazedly into sleep again, he added, "To show such forgiveness, I ask permission to escort mademoiselle to her much more comfortable room."

Babette smiled sweetly. "I would not dream of denying you the honor then."

After both were dressed once more, Lumière gathered her into his arms, carrying her upstairs to her room. Placing her gently on her bed, he tucked her in as one would a child before turning to leave, but he stopped when he felt Babette touch his arm.

"Stay with me," she whispered pleadingly.

Lumière laughed as he sat down beside her. "The lady is utterly insatiable," he said.

Babette pouted adorably. "Please stay," she entreated. "I do not want to sleep here alone, not without you."

Lumière sighed, but smiled as he made himself comfortable. Babette snuggled under his arm, closing her eyes as she pillowed her cheek contently in the crook of his neck.

"Lumière?" she muttered sleepily.

"What is it, chérie?" he asked, soothingly caressing her back to lull her to sleep.

"Mmm," she purred in approval before she spoke one last time that evening. "Je t'aime, mon cher."

Lumière grinned, slipping away into slumber happily for the first time in so long.

"Je t'adore, mon amour."


See final chapter for review acknowledgement. :-)