Gaston quickly caught her and lay her down gently

"Eliana!" her father shouted and rushed to her side. "Please my daughter, wake up."

"Perhaps it wouldn't have been such a shock if you hadn't kept her waiting this long," Gaston said harshly. "You can't let her wait anxiously for hours and then just turn up as if it was nothing."

"Gaston..." Adam started to say but was interrupted.

"No Master," Eliana's father said. "He is right, this was obviously too sudden for her. I am glad he is protective is her as I would hope one courting my daughter should be."

"You bet I am!" Gaston said and he turned to Eliana when he heard her groan a little. "Sweetheart? Wake up my lovely darling. I am here and so is everyone else, even your father."

"Fa...father?" She called as she woke and opened her eyes.

"I'm here my sweet daughter," he said. "I should have had someone warn you in advance instead of just sitting there."

"It is really you!" She said and hugged him. "You're not dead!"

"No I am not," he said smiling. "I heard that the curse made people believe that. I am so sorry darling. You have grown so much, your mother did a great job raising you."

"As did uncle Pierre," Eliana said. "He always helped us if we needed help."

"He did?" her father asked surprised.

"Well he did call you some choice words," Eliana said chuckling. "He said you were too useless to even manage to stay alive but that we shouldn't be punished for your weakness."

"That sounds more like the awful man I remember," her father said chuckling. "I still have no idea how he and Amelia could be related, siblings no less."

"He doesn't like Gaston either," Eliana said chuckling.

"But for my sweet Eliana I am willing to try and get along with him," Gaston said.

"That is very kind of you to try," Eliana's father said. "However that man is not one to change his opinion easily."

"Clearly," Gaston said grumbling. "That man is holding a grudge for years now."

"That he does. But where are my manners, my name is Antoine Toilette, but you may call me Toine as most do here."

"Alright," Gaston said. "In that case Toine...What on earth was more important than your daughter?! Keeping her waiting like that!"

"Gaston!" Adam said. "You will not disrespect him, if you must ask you will do so politely."

"No, it is alright," Toine said. "He is merely looking out for her and I am glad he is. However, the curse...it was horrible enough on it's own however I became to worst object of everyone and it left me troubled even now."

"What father?" Eliana asked concerned.

"I was unfortunate enough to be turned into a...toilet..."

Everyone looked at him in shock and Belle blushed knowing what the man must've seen of her. Now she knew why Adam was reluctant to tell her.

"A toilet?!" Gaston exclaimed as he tried to contain his laughter.

"What is so funny about that?" Eliana asked a little upset.

"It means I won't have to punish him for keeping you waiting anymore," Gaston said. "The curse already did."

"That is one way of looking at it I suppose," Adam muttered. "But as you can hear his curse was highly unpleasant and he has been bathing nearly every chance he had."

"That I can understand," Eliana said. "I'm sorry the curse was so horrible for you father."

"Thank you," Toine said smiling. "How about we eat before it goes cold? Would seem a shame to let it go to waste after all the hard work the staff put into it."

"Let's eat," Eliana said. "I've never seen food like this, never dreamed of seeing something like this."

"If you come to live here on one glorious day then you'll see it everyday," Gaston said smiling.

"I would love that," Eliana said. "But first you need to end the curse and then we'd need to make another position on something you'd like."

"On my sight you mean?" Gaston asked. "I told you that I'd do what makes you happy, that is good enough for me. You needn't concern yourself with that. Besides the only thing I'd miss seeing is you."

"That is so sweet," Belle said smiling. "But you do matter, if you prefer to go without your sight then she would be remiss not to consider it for you."

"Perhaps," Gaston said thinking it over. "However I'm hungry and I'd like to start eating."

People chuckled and they all took their seats.

"To a happy reunion," Adam toasted.

"To a happy reunion!" Everyone said joining in.

After lunch Eliana had opted to spend some time with her father and Gaston had let her go with him to catch up. Instead he was riding across the castle grounds on his horse. He never rode here before since without his sight he could only make rounds around the castle. He smiled at the thought of how happy Eliana looked when she first saw the castle and later met her father. It was definitely worth the trip, however soon they would need to leave.

Eliana had been spending the few hours

with her father getting to know each other.

"How are your sisters doing?" Toine asked. "Have they turned out as good as you have?"

"Eloise is more like uncle Pierre, but not so bad as he is," Eliana said. "Elise is more like me and mother. She also supported me and Gaston from the start, Eloise needed more convincing but has warmed up a bit."

"Good to know," he said. "He is a good man and has helped us all. At first I didn't think much of him, however after I heard what he did for us I can't help but be proud of you for choosing him. He'll be good for you and with a bit of luck I'll reunite with your mother and sisters soon. Perhaps then your uncle will give him the chance he deserves."

"I hope so," Eliana said. "But if he won't accept Gaston now he won't ever remember you."

"Then he can't really insult me anymore either," he chuckled.

"I'm sure he'll find a way," Eliana chuckled. "He always does."

Both laughed for a moment.

"What time are you expected back?" Toine asked.

"Before nightfall," Eliana said. "So we'll leave right after dinner."

"Which won't be much longer," he sadly said. "You do know you can visit me whenever you want?"

"I know and I'll try to come back as soon as possible," Eliana said. "Too bad I can't tell mother or my sisters about you yet."

"You will be able to soon," he told her. "Just hold on a little longer, even if it is a big secret. You always were bad at keeping them but this time you must."

"I know," she said sighing. "It is just so hard, I did tell Elise about why Gaston is blind though, she was already nice to him and I just couldn't keep it to myself."

"That sounds like you," he said chuckling. "But don't tell them about me alright? Not until they remember."

"I promise father," Eliana said. "I won't tell them."

"That's my girl," he said. "Let's find the others so we can have dinner before you return."

Eliana nodded and they headed for the dining room.

After dinner Eliana was sad to leave her father but she knew it was for the best.

"Hopefully until soon," she told him.

"Hopefully," he said while hugging her. "I couldn't be prouder of the woman you became, you are a real joy."

"Thank you father," she said. "Meeting you was much more then I could've hoped for. Before we arrived I didn't even know what relative I would be meeting. I thought it would be a cousin or something but this is so much better."

"I love you my daughter."

"I love you too," she said and gave him one last hug before letting go.

They headed for the carriage and after they had left Eliana turned to Gaston.

"Will we return soon?" she asked.

"If you wish," Gaston said. "Do keep in mind your mother needs to approve of the trip without knowing about him."

"That won't be easy to explain," Eliana said. "And I don't want to lie and make excuses either..."

"Then you'll have to wait until I end it," Gaston said. "How about we'll visit your uncle tomorrow, try to get him see reason?"

"I'd like that..."

"Then that is what we'll do," Gaston said smiling. "I'll have to take off the ring before we arrive so I'll lose my sight again. Please keep looking at me so I can keep picturing you until I break the curse again."

Eliana smiled lovingly as she look at him.

"That is just perfect," he said and didn't take his eyes of her until it was time to take off the ring.

He looked at the ring and then back to her.

"Will you take it off? Then you'll be the last thing I see before everything turns dark again."

"Are you sure?" She asked. "What if I do something wrong?"

"You could never do anything wrong," he said and held out his hand. "Go ahead."

Eliana nodded and took a hold of the ring, then pulled it off as she was looking at him.

"See, you did it perfectly," Gaston said smiling and hugged her. "As dark as it could be again."

Carefully he felt around her face and gave her one tender kiss on the lips.

"Thank you my sweet Eliana."

"You're welcome Gaston."

She leaned against him and all too soon she was back home.