I apologize that it has been so long since I last updated. The main reason being is because for this story I am having such a hard time coming up with plot ideas of one-shots between Belle and the Beast. I really enjoy putting Ella and Kit in this story, but it is also about Belle. Well, I hope this chapter makes up for it. I'm stuck with writer's block right now about Belle and Beast. I don't want to write down all the shots included in the movie, because we all know what happened. I want to put in my own, but I', kind of lost right now on that.

Ella's mind was still so dazed by the news of her father and her loneliness without Belle around that she barely functioned. She did her chores and her shopping, the usual things, but always with a sad and blank look on her face. She hardly spoke and couldn't make herself eat any food. One day while Gaston was busy in town, Lefou decided to check on the poor girl. He felt so guilty of the needless pain she'd been put through, and hoped that somehow, he could ease her suffering. He found her in the little garden, gathering vegetables and herbs. She looked the same, only worse. She was no longer the pleasant, lively girl around the house. She was a mere shell. Truth was, she was in deep shock at the news of Maurice's 'death', plus Belle was not here with her and Ella had no idea what had happened to her. Ella hadn't cried since the night Gaston had lied to her. It was all bottled up inside. Lefou gulped and felt worse when he saw her.

"This is wrong." He told himself. He knew that she needed to let out her grief, for anyone with real eyes could see how keeping it in was eating her up. He approached her. "Good day, Ella." He removed his hat. Ella slowly gazed up at him and nodded, but didn't speak. Then she went back about her business. "It's...it's good to see you outdoors, keeping busy." Lefou tried again. Ella nodded again.

Lefou gulped hard. He wanted to tell her the truth, but then she would ask why he let Gaston lie to her. Plus, how did he truly know if Maurice was still alive now or not? Could he possibly do this? His heart raced, not sure how to begin, but he knew he had to say something! "Ella...I.." he stammered. Ella stopped and listened silently. "I...I just want you to know that...that...I'm so sorry about what Gaston told you about Maurice." His words ran together. He thought he saw a flicker of emotion in Ella's eyes and by the way she bit her lip hard, it looked like she was trying hard not to cry.

"It...wasn't your fault." She said sympathetically. Lefou felt sick. He was relieved to see her talking, but her words felt like a slap in the face! It was partly his fault about this! Yet, he'd tried to stop it, but being there to witness Gaston's dark deeds as a silent accomplice really ticked his conscience, making him miserable inside. Aww, to heck with not knowing that Maurice was alive! Lefou had to say something!

Your father didn't fall off a cliff, he prepared himself to say. What he was going to say after that, he had no clue! He never believed a sweet girl like Ella would do this, but she might ending up slapping him in the face! So what? Lefou told himself. I honestly wish she would! It would actually make me feel better. "Ella...I..." Lefou tried to speak, but he was interrupted.

"Ah, Lefou! There you are." Gaston greeted in a friendly voice. Lefou sighed and Ella turned her head back to her work. Though Gaston had been 'gracious' enough to gently break the news to her, she didn't want to see him. "I took one look and you seemed to have disappeared."

"I had business to tend to." Lefou said glumly, putting his hat back on. He couldn't tell Ella anything with Gaston breathing down his neck. "Good day, Ella. I hope you feel better." Lefou tipped his hat and slowly walked away.

Ella kept working in the dirt, not saying a word. Gaston leaned against the fence looking down at her and she could feel his penetrating stare, but she kept her eyes on her work. "Mmm. Beautiful day, isn't it?" Gaston asked cheerily. Ella slowly looked up at the sky, as if she was noticing for the first time.

"It is." She whispered, then started again at her task. Gaston was trying to quickly come up with what to say next. He knew what he wanted to say, but Ella was very unhappy and didn't look like she was in a chatty mood.

"Keeping busy, I see." Gaston commented. Ella merely nodded. "Look, Ella, I know how hard this must be for you," Gaston sighed heavily, turning on the old sympathy, "losing Maurice, and your sister missing...I can't imagine it." Ella's shoulders stiffened and she froze. Her face was contorted with deep hurt and a few stray tears finally escaped her eyes. "Tears are good for the soul." Gaston commented smoothly. Even he couldn't deny that she was struggling with grief, which fit in just perfectly with his plan. Ella sniffled and wiped her nose, smudging dirt streaks on her face. She wiped her dirty hands on her apron and picked up her basket, intending to go into the house, but Gaston hurried over and stood in front of her. Ella's shoulders slumped.

"What is it you want?" She asked. She was so uncomfortable around this guy, after some of his behaviors she'd seen, he still reminded her so much of her stepmother: that coy gleam in his eye, that horrid, conniving smile, his patronizing manner. Ella didn't want to see or speak to him anymore than was socially necessary, but it seemed like he and Lefou were the only ones who actually talked to her and visited her since that awful night.

"Ella, you're alone now." Gaston explained, which only made Ella cringe more.

"Must you remind me?" Ella asked heavily, her eyes beginning to glisten with more tears.

"Ella, I'm your friend. You know that, right?"

"Do I?" Ella gulped.

"Of course!" Gaston smiled. "You and Belle know that I'd do anything for you. And now with Ma..." He cleared his throat, stopping himself when Ella sharply turned her head away. Okay, maybe he shouldn't have said it that way. "In your situation, you can rest assured that I'm here for you. For both of you." He added emphatically. Ella didn't like his tone when he said both.

"Meaning?" Ella sighed, anxious for this conversation to end.

"Well, two orphaned girls, no profession, no means to support them..." Gaston suggested, watching to see if she was catching on. She just stared at her feet. "I can help you." He added in a creepy voice. Ella frowned at him and was very close to totally losing it.

"Will you excuse me, please?!" She pleaded. "I just want to be alone." Tears spilling out of her eyes, she quickly brushed passed him.

"Certainly." Gaston said casually. "Was it something I said?" Ella raced into the house but Gaston followed her to the door. She shut it without noticing him. It seemed that he often got the door shut in his face when he visited this family, but what he couldn't seem to comprehend was why! He sighed but smirked to himself. "Well...no need to rush things, I suppose." He remarked and finally walked away.

Ella leaned against the door, shivering and breathing deeply. Fresh tears poured out of her eyes. She tossed the basket onto the edge of the table but it fell, with the vegetables landing on the floor. But Ella didn't care. She was so disturbed right now and had to blow off some steam. She grabbed the broom and furiously swept the floor even though there was really no dirt to sweep. She wailed and groaned loudly, swinging the broom till her arm muscles cramped from being used so vigorously too quickly. Her eyes fell on Maurice's crafting table. Misty-eyed, she raced over there to one of his tools. Clutching it till her knuckles turned white, she angrily threw it down on his table. She kicked over her basket of laundry but just let the clothes fall. Then she ran up the stairs to her and Belle's bedroom. Finding Belle's book on the nightstand, Ella picked it up, glaring at it with hot tears. Then she flung it onto Belle's bed-where Belle should've been-and then threw herself onto her own. She sobbed heavily, so hard that she had to catch her breath. Her tears were saturating her pillow.

Ella let it all out. She cried her heart out, mourning over Belle taking up and leaving-though Ella knew she would never do so without a good reason-, mourning over hearing no word from her, wondering if she was hurt or okay, and worst of all, Ella grieved deeply over the tragic loss of Maurice, another kind, very loving father he'd been to her, and now she'd lost him too! "I'm sorry, Mother!" Ella wailed. "I'm sorry! I said I would have courage but I don't. I don't believe. Not anymore. I don't believe anymore!" The painful memories of her mother's death and her father's were vividly coming back to her now though it had been years ago, and those mingled with these new, festering wounds, Ella felt as if her body inside was being ripped apart.

Lefou was scuffing his shoes in the dirt when his eyes fell on a welcome sight: Kit! Making sure that Gaston wasn't around, Lefou hurried over to the prince. "Your Highness?!" He called.

"Monsieur Lefou. I've told you, please call me Kit." Kit smiled.

"As you wish." Lefou sighed.

"Something the matter?" Kit asked curiously.

"Well, yes." Lefou nodded. "I was hoping you could help me with something."

"I'll try." Kit shrugged. "That's what a prince is here for, to serve."

"Yeah, I guess. It's Ella, Monsieur Maurice's adopted daughter."

Kit's face fell. "No news of her sister Belle." He murmured. "Or her father." Lefou's face grew hot. He knew better. He cleared his throat.

"Well, I just saw her and she's taking it really hard." Lefou said earnestly. "I didn't know what to do, and she doesn't have a whole lot of friends in this village. Would it be too much to ask if...you think you could see her, maybe talk to her a little?" He asked timidly.

"Me?" Kit sputtered. "I'd be happy to. Not sure if I can accomplish much, but I will certainly try. Captain, you'll go with me?"

"Of course, Your Highness." Kit's captain of the guard nodded.

"I'd just feel better if she had a real friend to talk to." Lefou said, hanging his head.

"Well, it sounds to me like you are one of them." Kit smiled.

"I hope so." Lefou said. Kit's words actually made him feel worse instead of better. But he was incredibly relieved that Kit was going to try and console Ella. At least she had a true friend to stand by her. Gaston surprised Lefou by suddenly clapping him on the back.

"Can't you stay in one place?" He joked. "You seem to be roaming all over today."

"I guess I'm restless."

"Well, let's go hunting, shall we?" Gaston suggested.

"All right." Lefou agreed. What else could he do?

Kit and his captain slowly approached the Pister's house. As they did so, they could hear a sweet, mechanical melody playing. Kit cocked his head then came up to the door. He lightly knocked but there was no answer. Being too much of a gentleman to barge inside, his captain slowly opened the door a crack. He could see Ella's back to him. She was huddled on the floor against the wall, cradling something in her lap. "Your Highness," The captain whispered, beckoning Kit over. Kit peeked in and saw the domestic scene, but he also noticed that Ella's face was terribly red-stained with tears. Kit nodded and his captain slowly poked his head inside. "Miss?" He asked softly. Ella tightened her grip around herself and unhappily looked up in surprise. The deep pain in her eyes was not lost on the soldier. "Please forgive my intrusion, Miss, but there is someone here to see you." Ella's eyes widened when Kit stepped in. Her lept at the sight of him. She tried hard to smile and wipe her eyes, but it was impossible.

"May I?" Kit asked slowly. Ella bit her lip and very slowly nodded. Kit stepped in and cautiously approached her. He had never done something like this before, and hoped he wouldn't blunder it. He would do his best to be a gentleman, but who was he, a stranger to try and bring comfort to this girl? What should he say? Should he say anything?

"That's a lovely melody," he began awkwardly. "We heard it from outside. It's most sweet." Ella winced and stared at the object in her lap. It was a very intricate model of a lovely, yellow living room with outer light teal walls. Inside it was a small family sitting on the sofa: a beautiful woman with golden hair, a dark-haired man leaning close to her, and a little girl who greatly resembled the woman. They were only porcelain figures, but they looked so happy. Kit could also see what looked to be tiny mice scurrying on the floor.

"It...it was my mother's song." Ella whispered, as the tune of her favorite song played on through the house.

"Mmm." Kit grunted. "I wish I could remember my mother's." He sighed. He wasn't sure if he should've said that or kept his mouth shut. After all, it was a bit off topic, but when he nervously glanced at Ella she was gazing at him with heartfelt sympathy, even in the midst of her own grief.

"You don't?" Ella asked in a cracked voice. Even though she felt as if her world was falling apart all around her right now, she felt grateful that she had her mother's song to live on in her heart.

"I'm afraid not." Kit shook his head as he stooped down close to her. "This is a beautiful piece. I've never seen one like it. It's exquisite. Did your fa..." He stopped himself, wondering if he had gone too far. Ella grimaced as more tears came out. "I'm sorry." Kit whispered, gently patting her hand.

"My father," Ella gulped hard from the painful lump in her throat, "Maurice," it felt so odd calling him by his first name, "he...he made it for me!" She wept. "See? These are my parents. And this...this is me. This was our home. We were very happy..." At that point, she began loudly sobbing again and buried her face in her knees. She couldn't help it. Kit watched, feeling terrible for her, but not sure what to do.

It's my fault, I shouldn't have come, he told himself. "I'm sorry." He said aloud, and hoping she wouldn't think of him as brash but only trying to be a friend, he tightly gripped her clenched hand, squeezing it in reassurance. Ella was more grateful for his reassuring presence than she could speak, but it was too painful to express as her long bottled up grief poured out.

"I miss him!" Ella wailed. Kit nodded silently and handed her his handkerchief. She wiped her eyes with it, but more tears came out. She finally started to calm after a little. "I'm sorry." She said.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Miss." The captain said kindly.

"I miss him so, and...Belle..." Ella tried to compose herself but her voice was still full of quivers. "I don't know what's happened to her. I'm afraid."

"I gave you my word." Kit spoke up. "I will try to find your sister. And your father." Ella looked at him gratefully. Ella thought he meant Maurice's body, but Kit had no idea that Gaston had lied to Ella about Maurice's death.

"Thank you." She sadly smiled, her shoulders still shaking. "I don't know why you're being so kind and doing this for me, but I'm most grateful."

"It is no trouble, Miss." The captain smiled. Ella became calm but her eyes were still red and little tears still streamed down her face. She tried to wash herself up and offered them some tea and biscuits. Seeing that she was very lonely, the gentlemen thought, why not? Even though she was filled with grief, she tried be hospitable. The mice scurried on the table and started climbing up Kit's shoulders.

"Uhh," he gulped, unsure of what to do. He didn't know whether to be amused or irritated.

Ella's jaw dropped and she slightly giggled.

"Oh dear! I'm terribly sorry!" She exclaimed and came to gather her little friends. "Ohh, really, Gus Gus. That is not the way to treat a guest. Now come here." The mice crawled up into Kit's hair. The captain laughed heartily.

"Aaahhh," Kit shook his head and wriggled, trying to get the little rodents out of his hair, literally.

"All right." Ella smiled and picked out her pets. "I didn't want to do this, but into the cage you all go. Honestly, Jacqueline! I'd expect you to conduct yourself better." She put them into their little cage. "I'm very sorry about that." She said to Kit.

"Ohhh," Kit bit his lip, feeling his hair and shoulder blades, making sure there were no other little visitors on him. His captain sat there snickering. "I don't know what to say..." Kit gaped, wide-eyed.

"I really am sorry." Ella shook her head, embarrassed. "I think they like you. But I suppose I should've made sure they weren't running around loose. Next time, maybe give them a scrap to nibble on and they won't be so brash again."

"I'll remember that!" Kit nodded. "I think we should go now. Thank you for having us, especially when you're having a rough time right now."

"Thank you so much for coming." Ella smiled. "Thank you for trying to help. I hope and pray you find Belle. Do be careful!"

"I will." Kit said confidently, bowing and lightly kissed her hand. "Good day, and do not lose heart." Ella nodded. The captain bowed too.

"You are most gracious, Miss." He said. "We'll do all we can."

"Thank you." Ella smiled gratefully. She trusted these two men much more than she trusted Gaston. But she was still heartbroken and for the moment, alone again.