Another thank you to all my faithful reviewers, especially ImagineATale, Mustard Lady and banzi, who have all reviewed every single chapter so far. Also to Child of Dreams and Yinlai who also reviewed a big chunk of them.

Rubbernoseswampdonkey, uncle Gaston XD luckily has changed for the kids.

Banzi, thanks again!

Cristianqueenofegypt, thanks for your review, left a teaser for you.

Mustard Lady, Gaston does his best to right his wrongs towards LeFou, this was a good start. The villagers can be really nasty, but payback was to be expected.

ImagineATale, it's a great guessing game! So you've become a Gaston sympathizer in this story, who'd ever have guessed that would happen.

Yinlai, keep reading, she's back in this chapter.

This chapter took a long time, congratulations to my oldest daughter who turned 6!

Chapter 27

Adam had a restless night and had only fallen asleep due to sheer exhaustion. When he opened his eyes, he saw Gaston sitting at the table eating some bread. It was clear to him that Gaston did miss his sight, he sat opposite of the closet that held the rose, door opened so he'd be able to see it. "I can't understand why you like looking at it so much, at the castle you also spend hours staring at it. Is it because you miss seeing something?"

Gaston shook his head, "No, it reminds me why I'm doing this. When I walk out the door it will probably be even worse than yesterday, I need to remind myself what is at stake."

"Afraid you might give up?"

"Partially, I don't want to let them all down." Changing the subject Gaston turned around to face Adam, "Will you be finishing rearranging my room this morning or later today?"

"I'll eat something first if you don't mind. Do you have something to drink?"

"Downstairs, the tavern is still closed. It won't open for two more hours, I can practise doing basic things, while you have breakfast."

"Sounds like a good idea, need any help getting there?"

Gaston shook his head, "No, I'll manage." He got up and walked downstairs.

Finding his usual seat he sat down while waiting for Adam, he looked up at a sound of a very familiar voice.

"How are you doing?"

Gaston looked up, "As well as can be expected, all things considering."

Agathe nodded, "Understandable, they haven't shown you much kindness."

"I still have LeFou, which leads me to a question. Would it be alright if I tell him the truth? He said he feels there is something wrong with his memory, as if something is missing."

Agathe pondered this, "He has shown you he still cares for you, has he not? That means he has met the requirements already, it would be safe to tell him, though you must tell him to keep it a secret."

Relief flooded through Gaston, "Thank you, I had to lie to him before and it didn't sit well with me. I have lied too much to him in the past, if anything he deserves to hear the truth from now on."

"I understand how you'd feel that way, and I'm sure he'll keep it to himself. His unwavering loyalty to you will ensure it, how were you planning on telling him?"

"The rose, I'll show it to him. I'm sure that a rose that floats in the air will be sufficient proof to him."

Agathe laughed, "I'm sure it will be, they aren't very common."

"You don't say, here I was thinking there was an entire field of them at the outskirts of the village."

"There is my garden of course."

Gaston gave an incredulous look.

"Even I make a joke every once in a while, I just lack in opportunity to do so."

"Yes, I don't think that the people you...meet will be very receptive of them."

"Neither are there many that ask me to curse them again, you are the first to do so." Agathe added. "Are you regretting it?"

"No, I only regret my past behaviour. Things will settle down after a while, I'll just have to endure until then."

Gaston heard footsteps coming down, "Will you wait for Adam or are you leaving?"

Agathe placed her hand on his shoulder, "I only came to look in on you, I was here when they found out. I must say I admire the way you handled it, you took it with far more grace then I thought you capable of. I'll see you again, visit Monsieur Potts today at four. I'll tell his wife and son to look in the mirror Adam left for them, he is a kind soul and will treat you right. It'll give them all hope seeing someone succeed. Take care." Agathe left just before Adam could see her.

"You didn't have to wait for me." Adam said.

"I didn't, a certain enchantress paid me a visit."

This peaked Adam's curiosity, "What did she say?"

"Nothing special, she requested I visit Monsieur Potts at four, she'll tell his wife and child to look in the mirror. Seeing someone succeed might give the rest hope."

"She thinks he'll accept you that easily?"

Gaston nodded, "I know him, he's one of the most caring men in the village, I have no doubt he will. She also gave me permission to tell LeFou the truth, considering he has already met the requirements."

"I wish you luck with that." Adam grabbed something to drink and watched Gaston finding his way between the tables, memorizing the layout. It helped that the man had lived here for years and already knew his way around, he just had to get used doing it in the dark.

Walking around, Gaston enjoyed being able to walk through his old home. Relearning the basics was important to him, they may mock him for being blind, but he wasn't going to make a fool of himself. Satisfied with his accomplishments of the day he sat down beside Adam.

"LeFou will be here any moment, would it be alright if I spend the day with him, I'd like to tell him privately. You and Belle could also use a day for yourselves."

"No problem," Adam said. They didn't have to wait long before the door of the tavern opened and LeFou walked in alongside the bartender.

"Good day to both of you. Are you ready to go?"

"I'm going to see Belle and I'll finish your room later today, you'll have him all to yourself." Adam replied before leaving.

"Well, that's nice of him. Where would you like to go?" LeFou asked.

Gaston shrugged, "Doesn't really matter to me."

"Come on Gaston stop moping around, I'm sure there are plenty of people who still like you. The butcher asked how you were doing." LeFou said hoping to cheer his up his friend.

Gaston huffed, "Let me guess, he wished me well and hoped I'd be better soon."

"How did you know?"

"Because I was his biggest supplier." Gaston flatly stated, the man probably had his livelihood on the line.

Clearing his throat LeFou continued, "Yes, well, the baker..." Here he stopped for a second thinking. "You didn't supply him did you?" He asked carefully.

"No, I didn't."

"Good to hear! He asked if you'd like to come by for a chat. See, there are people that care!"

Not being able to think of an ulterior motive of the baker, he smiled, it gave him some hope. "Thank you LeFou, maybe we could talk to him later today." Remembering his earlier conversation with Agathe he decided it was time to tell LeFou the truth. "Would you come upstairs with me for a moment, there is something I have to show you."

At the town square Adam and Belle were having a leisurely walk, Belle showing him her favourite places. The church was the one place that gave her a blinding smile and she talked about all the books she had borrowed there, all twelve of them. No wonder she had been mesmerized by the library when he showed her, the books here couldn't even fill one shelve in there. As she talked on and on about the kind priest, he resolved to make a sizable donation in the future so that the church could invest in expanding their library.

"Belle, why don't you show me the inside. I would love to meet the man who supported you in your love for books."

Seeing Belle's beaming face warmed his heart and he followed her inside the church.

Adam looked around and saw the well kept room, Belle led him to the table that held the small collection. Touching the spines he could see they were slightly worn and wondered how many times Belle must have read each of these books.

A door in the back drew their attention when it opened and Belle saw Pere Robert entering the room.

"Bonjour, lovely to see you again Belle." The kind priest greeted. "This must be the man I have heard about." He held out his hand, "Pere Robert, it's a pleasure to meet you. I had hoped for Belle to find a man who would support her in her love for books and it seems she has done so."

"Adam," he said as he shook the offered hand. "I have, or rather, had a personal library, but I gave it to her as a present. I think it would give her great pleasure if you'd visit it one day."

"Yes, it would. It is truly an incredible collection, I don't think I'll ever be able to read them all!" Belle enthusiastically replied.

"I'll make sure to visit it one day, it sounds you have made your dreams come true."

"I have, Adam has given me more than I ever could have asked for."

The village priest smiled, "That is great to hear! I remember you visiting here a few months ago, you looked so sad, I didn't even recognise you."

"A lot has happened lately as I'm sure you've heard."

"Ah yes Gaston was staying with the two of you I heard. Must have been difficult I'm sure, he never was an easy man. Though I doubt his loss of sight made it any easier for both of you, or for himself."

"When he first arrived, his first impression wasn't a good one to put it mildly." Adam said, "Though I must admit as time progressed and he came to terms with himself and the loss of his sight, he changed for the better. It is quite amazing what the man manages to accomplish when he sets his mind to it."

Belle nodded at Adam's words, "Yes he has learned at lot and definitely changed for the better. I never thought he would become a friend, but he did."

"He is lucky to have found you in his time of need, who knows what would have happened to him without your help?" The kind priest said.

Knowing that without them, Gaston wouldn't have lost his sight in the first place, they changed the subject.

"I brought something for you." Belle pulled out the book she had received from the priest during her visit. "I believe it should be here, this collection brought me happiness during the years and I would hate to break it up."

Pere Robert accepted the book, "Just know that you'll always be welcome to borrow any of these books."

Nodding Belle took Adam's hand and moved towards the door. "Thank you so much for everything."

"No thank you Belle, and be happy with the man whom you've given your heart to."

"She'll want for nothing." Adam assured the priest.

The couple walked out happily and Belle continued her tour of the village, showing Adam everything she loved.

Gaston had led LeFou into his room and closed the door behind them. "Yesterday you asked me something and I couldn't answer you. But you deserve hearing the truth after all the lies I have given you over the years."

"You don't have to if you don't want to." LeFou tried to reassure his friend.

Gaston held up his hand, "No I want to, but I had to know if it would be safe to tell you."

"Are you in trouble?" LeFou was getting worried, why would telling him something be dangerous, it made no sense.

"Not anymore," Gaston started. "When I left the village, I was tracking down Maurice who had gone missing. It didn't take long for me to notice something strange. The tracks had just disappeared, I did recognise where I was however. I was close to that 'magical' tree where Maurice had led us. Looking around in the bushes I found fresh tracks exactly where he had said a path should be. Turns out he was correct, the snow, castle, everything."

LeFou was gaping, "It was?"

Gaston nodded, "Turns out the man was anything but crazy. And the Beast, I had never seen anything like it before. I tried to kill it but Belle stepped in between trying to stop me and that's where it all went downhill really fast."

"Did the Beast blind you?"

Gaston seriously laughed, "No, it turned out it wasn't Belle but an enchantress that stepped in between who didn't take kindly to me trying to kill the Beast. As punishment she took my sight and I had to learn to see and accept the truth I always refused to see. Also I had to learn to trust others, if I succeeded to do so within one year, my sight would be restored."

LeFou laughed, "That is a great new story to tell!"

Giving a wry smile Gaston continued, "It is no story, look in the closet to your right. The proof is in there, I was given a timekeeper in the form of a rose, it is the only thing I can see." He didn't hear LeFou move and got up himself, "Fine I'll do it myself." He walked to the closet that hid the rose. "I know you don't believe me, but what would you call this." He swung open the door and there was the rose.

LeFou rubbed his eyes, he honestly thought Gaston was losing it, but there really was a rose in there. Walking closer he realised his friend was telling the truth, the flower was floating an inch high. "It's real..."

"Yes, unfortunately one might think. But I'm grateful it is, it forced me to change who I am. I actually loath the person I used to be."

"You weren't that bad," LeFou started, seeing Gaston's pointed look he amended himself, "Maybe you were, but you are still my friend and you didn't deserve this. Maybe you can find that enchantress and she'll reverse it if you ask nicely."

Gaston laughed, "No need, I broke her curse a few days ago, the day before I got back here actually."

"So you can see again?"

"No, I asked her to put it back." Gaston wished he could see LeFou's face right now.

"Excuse me? You asked her to...put the curse back. Why?" He didn't see that one coming.

"The Beast was a man under a curse of his own, but he was too late to break it. The enchantress wanted to give him another chance to break it and connected his curse to mine, when I broke it he turned human again. Guess who that is."

LeFou's jaw dropped, "Adam."

"Yes."

"But why would you ask to be blind again?" Had his friend lost his mind?

"When Adam was cursed, he and all his servants were forgotten as part of his curse. Regrettably that didn't reverse, he has many servants who want their family back, but can't because they have been forgotten."

LeFou took another good look at the rose, making sure it was still there, he couldn't believe what he was being told. Yet it seemed he would have to.

"I took the curse back to help them, everyone who is kind to me and treats me with common decency and respect will have their memories returned when I break the curse."

"Do I have relatives?" LeFou asked.

Gaston shrugged, "I don't know, neither does Adam. We know Monsieur Potts has a wife and child and another servant by the name of Cogsworth apparently has a wife that he described as a shrew once, beyond that we have no idea. I asked the enchantress if I could tell you, she said I could since you have done what is needed."

LeFou looked surprised, "You talk to the enchantress that cursed you? You mean an actual normal conversation?"

"Yes we get along rather well, sure there were a few moments in the beginning, but we get along just fine now. She was here this morning actually, she requested I visit Monsieur Potts at four."

LeFou nodded, "So that means we'll visit the baker and Monsieur Potts today."

"If you don't mind."

"It's still early though, why don't we take a walk. If what you say is true, you can't hide yourself.

Sighing Gaston stood up, "Fine, let's go then."

LeFou held his arm and guided him outside, he noticed there was a busy crowd. The people noticed them quickly and he heard the hushed whispers coming from all directions and winced. Why would Gaston do this to himself? He looked beside him and his friend looked unfazed, but he knew otherwise.

Didn't you hear? Gaston...blind. He's useless now.

LeFou tried picking up the pace hoping to get his friend away from the whispers. When he did however Gaston stopped walking. "Come on, let's go somewhere quieter."

"No, just let them talk. I know you want to protect me from it, but if I don't face it now, it will only get worse as time goes on. Let's just go to the baker, you said he wanted to talk to me."

"Yes, he did." The two man resumed their way to the baker, whispers still following them.

He should have married when he still had the chance. Who'd want him now?...Not me that's for sure...

Gaston smirked, he recognized some of the voices as his former 'admirers'. How fickle they could be, how would they react when he had his sight returned.

Will you just stop it!

"Wait LeFou, listen."

LeFou heard the giggling of girls and could only imagine the comments that came with it. Why would Gaston want to hear it?

Come on, he's nothing now...

Just stop it!

LeFou frowned, he looked through the crowd trying to find the source, but couldn't find where it came from.

Not hearing anymore Gaston continued to walk, pulling LeFou along. He noticed LeFou quickly took over the lead and they continued their way to the baker. Gaston thought about the voices and it gave him hope, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad, some people spoke up for him. Hearing someone on his side made him feel a lot better and he confidently walked through the crowd. The other whispers not bothering him in the slightest anymore.

They soon arrived at the baker who was filling his empty tray.

"Gaston, LeFou! I had hoped to see you, how are you holding up?" The baker asked Gaston.

"I'm holding up just fine, we passed some interesting whispers on our way here. But nothing too bad, like what happened at the tavern."

The baker nodded, "I heard about that incident, I know how difficult it can be. I have a nephew who was born blind, who still did well for himself. I just wanted to tell you not to give up, there are people supporting you."

Gaston nodded, "Thank you, it does me well to hear that." It really did, he had no idea if the baker had any relatives, but if he had, they would be able to reunite. He hoped the meeting with Monsieur Potts later today would go just as well. Shifting his attention back to the baker he continued, "I have learn a lot, I can manage myself just fine. When I stayed with Belle and Adam, they actually created a path and trained a horse to follow it, just so I could keep riding. This taught me that being blind wasn't as bad as I thought."

"That is great to hear, I have to continue my rounds now, but I'd love to help you whenever you need."

"Thank you," Gaston said, "It means a lot to hear someone say it."

"You're welcome." The baker said while walking away to continue his round.

Still having a few hours left, LeFou took Gaston back to the tavern getting him a drink. "That went rather well, I didn't even knew he had a nephew."

"Neither did I, but I'm more worried about Monsieur Potts. His wife and child will be watching, I don't want them to be disappointed."

"I still don't get it, I know it has to be true but..." LeFou started.

"It is a bit much to grasp if you haven't experienced it. Even after it happened I was in denial." Gaston finished. "We could go back to my room, seeing the rose might help you. When I first saw it, I became obsessed with it. It being the only thing I can see, but also it was something I could not deny, it was there forcing me to accept it."

"Alright, I'd like to see it again."

The pair had returned to Gaston's room, LeFou sat in front of the rose. Recalling all he had learned, he was proud to be the friend of a man that had sacrificed so much for people who didn't even know it. His reputation had taken a fall and then there were the general difficulties he had to face. This was real, unbelievable as it was.

Time had flown by and it was almost time for the last meeting, they had arrived a little early, but they could start talking. Who knows maybe his wife and son were already watching.

At the castle Agathe walked through the halls, several servants keeping their distance, still fearful of her. Seeing the two she was looking for, she made her way to them. "Good day, Mrs. Potts. Gaston is about to speak to your husband, perhaps you'd like to see how it goes." Vanishing after she spoke.

Mrs. Potts turned to her son, "Would you like to see how it goes?"

"Could we?" Chip enthusiastically asked, jumping up and down.

Mother and son walked to the library and there right on the desk was the mirror their prince had left for them. "I'd like to see my husband." Mrs. Potts spoke.

The shimmering mirror showed him in conversation with Gaston. With baited breath they were watching what would happen.

"I heard what happened, you are all everybody talks about. Can't imagine it to be easy for you, or for anyone."

Gaston shrugged, "It hasn't been easy, especially in the beginning. How have you been in my absence?"

"Same as always, I keep forgetting things, but they always come back. At least I think they do, hard to know if you don't know what you forgot. Oh well."

"I'm sure it will come back, you are a good man, and that always gets rewarded." Gaston said, he knew he had just given a wife and son their husband and father back. "We'll leave you to it, I wish you a good day."

Monsieur Potts waved, "I wish the same to both of you."

Inside the library a mother and son cried, knowing when the time came they would be reunited with their husband and father.