AmethystPearl99, your new Gaston refrain was great!

Mustard Lady, I know and I have a lot of fun writing their banter.

ImagineATale, the cooking comments were especially for you since you said he needed them in his expensive education! I agree about the banter, though Gaston and Beast are more sarcastic with theirs. Example the poetry he's quoting, Gaston would never know the meaning of the poem (even if he did let Beast finish), but the title: On his blindness, was also another jibe of his. Their personalities would keep it from becoming friendly, more like making fun of each others misery.

Banzi and Ann, thanks for the support!

ImaginationStories, he truly is getting close.

This chapter is a bit shorter, because I wanted to get it out now before I leave for three days. Next one will be longer, I promise.

Chapter 17

Belle had returned to her room in the inn as fast as she could, desperately biting back the tears that wanted to fall down. When she had finally entered the room, she carefully placed the music box on the bedside table and turned it on. Tears coming as soon as the music started playing. Her father had been so kind to her, so understanding of her sadness, not knowing it was for him. Would he even remember this in seven months? When his memory would be returned. She longed for the day to come, wanting to wrap her arms around the man who had raised her. The music box had stopped playing without her noticing, as she continued to stay deep in her thoughts, tears still streaming down her face.

Inside the castle Beast had given Gaston a chair to sit on beside the pedestal, it was quite unnerving to see how long the man could look at it. Though he had done that himself in the beginning, longing to be human again.

"Beast?"

"I'm still here."

Gaston sighed, "Do you believe I can do this? Break the curse I mean?"

Ah, Beast thought, there it was. How should he answer the man, he had been rather curt with him in the past, but Gaston had made such progress since then. "It depends on what you believe, I had given up hope long before Belle ever set foot inside the castle and failed. Have you given up?"

Gaston shrugged, "I don't know."

How could he not know? He had always been overconfident and arrogant about breaking the curse, but a big part of those traits seemed to have disappeared when he let go of the image he was trying to uphold. Sure he still had his moments, butl they were mostly in good jest. "I know Belle believes in you and I have noticed the changes you have made. Most likely, I'm letting my own failure cloud my judgement of your capabilities."

"You don't want to believe in me?"

Beast sighed, "I want to believe, but for selfish reasons I refuse to."

Gaston snorted, "I hardly believe you'd like for me to stay here forever."

"In a way I wouldn't mind it, I see a lot of myself in you. A kindred spirit if you will, someone who understands the pain a curse can bring. Though Belle was cursed, it was never to punish her. That is something only we know."

He'd never thought of it that way, though he liked all the help Belle gave him, he did feel better understood by Beast. "I wish I could help you..."

Beast stood there in shock, it can't be.

"...and your servants. You may have deserved your curse when it happened, but who you became and are now certainly didn't. Besides Belle does love you and you her, wasn't that the requirement?" Gaston asked.

Feeling rather uncomfortable on that subject, Beast stayed silent.

"Lost your tongue? Or have I thought too much of the love you share?"

"No, we do love each other. But...circumstances prevented us from admitting it to each other in time. And I don't mind being a Beast as much as you think."

This was surprising to Gaston, "You don't want to be human?"

Beast sighed, "I have always loathed being what I am now, but Belle loves me anyway. What bothers me most is losing my servants, who were basically my family. They were innocent, but punished even worse than me. Thinking about it now, I wished I had begged Agathe to spare them that faith when she placed the curse. But being the man I was, the only one I begged for was myself, I didn't think or care about their fate until after Belle arrived." He truly was a horrible person back then.

"My last memory of them is not one to be proud of. As I said before, the curse became permanent not long before you arrived, I was yelling at one of them to get out of my way. Lumiere, who had been turned into a candelabra, told me in his last moments that he and the rest of the staff didn't blame me for what had happened. I yelled at him, and all he wanted to do was say goodbye." Beast finished. He regretted this moment more than anything in his life, maybe he deserved to stay a Beast.

This gave Gaston a new understanding of Beast, no wonder he was so protective of his furniture, or servants. "Where are they now?"

"Most have been brought to the servants quarters, but some had made special requests. Like a mother and son wanted to be reunited in the boys old room. Once a week I go there to keep it clean, it's the least they deserve." They did look peaceful in that room, Beast thought.

"Could I meet them?" Gaston hesitantly asked.

"Not them, I'd like for them to have their well deserved peace, but I could show you someone else." Beast walked to his vanity, where he had left Lumiere months ago. He had wanted to stay useful even now and regularly provided light in the room. Taking a hold of Lumiere he walked up to Gaston, guiding his hand to the candelabra, "This was Lumiere."

This was when the truth really hit him hard, Beast had truly lost everything and everyone he once knew. Feeling the cold metal in his hand made it hard to believe this was at one point a living and breathing human being. Dead because two people couldn't say they loved each other in time.

At the village the tears had finally stopped falling. Belle was planning to visit the church, meeting the one person besides her father who had shown her nothing but kindness.

Walking along the street she noticed how everything was still the same, except for the whispers behind her back. She had always shrugged them off, not wanting them to get to her. Now she actually missed them in a way, it was too quiet now for her. The church came into view and she smiled.

She opened the door and looking to her left, the first thing she saw were the books she used to borrow, checking the titles she noticed they hadn't changed since the day she left.

"Bonjour! How may I help you?"

Belle turned around and saw the face of pere Robert, "Bonjour, I was just admiring your book collection."

Smiling pere Robert picked one up and gave it to Belle, "It is unusual for a lady to be well versed in the written word, but not unwelcome."

Belle took the book the priest had given her, "This is actually my favourite, it's just so sad their lives had to end in such a way." She lovingly opened the book and turned a few pages.

"Sadly the people in the village are not interested in books, you are the first to do so in a long time. Why don't you keep that book, a gift from one booklover to another."

Belle gasped, "I couldn't, what if someone else would one day want to borrow it?"

The priest just shook his head, "I've had that book for eight years now and you're the first one to show any interest in it. Please accept in as a token of gratitude to have been able to meet such an exemplary young lady such as yourself."

"Thank you, I will cherish it always."

Pere Robert just smiled, "I know you will."

"I have to go, perhaps we will meet again someday." Belle said.

"Perhaps we will, au revoir!" The priest shook his head, what a peculiar, but polite young lady. Looking out the window he saw she had started reading as soon as she passed the door.

As she read, the scene became more familiar. She could feel several stares at her back and sighed a breath in relief. It was good to be back, even if it was just for one day. She made her way back to the inn, it was getting dark and she wanted to leave early in the morning.

She had entered her room and locked the door.

"Welcome back Belle."

Belle turned stound and saw Agathe sitting on her bed. "It's good to be back, but I'm returning to the castle tomorrow."

Agathe smiled, "I know, how are you doing? Was meeting your father everything you hoped for?"

"I don't know, I was too busy trying to keep myself under control. It was good to see him again, but it hurt so much. Talking like a stranger, will he remember today?"

"He will, I think it is good you did. He knew of your curse, when his memory returns he'll know you've broken it." Agathe held op the music box, "He's very gifted at his craft."

Belle smiled, "I know, I have always been proud of him."

"Something is about to happen at the castle," Agathe stared in the distance and smiled.

"What is happening?"

"Nothing bad, I assure you. Quite the opposite in fact. Perhaps it would be better if you stayed here till tomorrow afternoon. This is something only they can do together, will you give them time to do it?"

Belle pondered it for a bit, yes, she would give them until afternoon. Whatever it was they were doing, she would trust Agathe.

Beast stayed in his room, Gaston had given him a lot to think about. Did he really mean it? He wanted to help them all. Beast laughed, if he only knew that he was the only one who could. Against all odds he was starting to like the man, he had been sincere when he said he wanted to help. Between all the insults and cocky attitude, there was a man who wanted to be of service to others. Beast walked up to the rose and placed his paw on the bell jar. "I believe he can do it Agathe, and I know he will. He will not fail us, he's too close to doing so. He only needs to know and accept the consequences of his past behaviour. I will not let my anger get in the way again." Tomorrow he would tell him about that night.

At the dining table Gaston was eating his bread, he had a lot to think about. Beast had said he didn't mind his presence anymore, truth to be told, he was starting to like it here as well. He could relax without anyone expecting too much of him, his only concern was the curse. At the village he had always enjoyed the attention he got, but there it was more out of respect for his past actions in the war. Here he was being appreciated for himself, there was one thing he wanted to do, but he would wait till early morning, he didn't want Beast to try and stop him.

It was still dark when Gaston left his room, he silently made his way down, stopping at every little sound he heard. He carefully opened the door and closed it behind him. Finally he was outside and released the breath he was holding. He found the open path that lead to the gate and started walking.

Gaston was starting to feel that uncomfortable sensation again, one he had felt many months before. Decided he had gone far enough, he stopped walking. They had told him Agathe could see and hear everything that happened here and he wanted to give the hag a piece of his mind. Cursing people was bad enough, causing their deaths in the process? No, he would tell her exactly what he thought about it.

"Agathe! Show yourself!"

If anyone wants to make a request of what Gaston should say to Agathe, leave it in your reviews or send a PM. I'll see what I can do!