AN: I really wanted to update this quicker but personal things came up. Also, I'm really trying to work on my academics and since I'm studying court reporting, sometimes my arm are tired, lol.

Chapter Nine

9.1

As they walked down to the village, Adam held Belle's hand and brought it to his lips. He kept gazing at her belly and he knew that she kept gazing at where the cape rested over the lump protruding from his backside. They both had their secrets. "Belle, there is something that I'd like to ask you?" Adam said softly. "If it's not okay then please tell me no."

Belle stopped and tilted her head to the side, she raised an eyebrow curiously but didn't say anything. She squeezed his hand and saw the nervousness in his eyes.

"If you're not okay with it -" Adam began but Belle placed two fingers over his lips.

"Adam, tell me the truth, I won't get upset as long as it's not something like you've agreed to have my memories erased," she said and he shook his head.

Adam slowed his breathing but then looked to her belly and then into her eyes. "Tell me honestly because this is important. If we have a daughter, how do you feel about the name Juliet?" he asked and Belle smiled happily. She placed her hand on her belly.

"I love it," she replied and Adam tilted his head with a smile. That name was important to their relationship and he found it absolutely beautiful. It was how he and Belle had connected through reading. The play showed a young woman who believed whole heartedly in love and he wanted his daughter to have the same qualities as her mother…if it was a girl. "I think it would suit our daughter perfectly. It's a nod to well written literature and it's a beautiful name of its own. Juliet."

"Are you sure that it's okay?" Adam asked her and Belle nodded before softly kissing his lips.

"I love it," she took Adam's hand in hers, "but we can't be sure that it's going to be a girl. It could be a boy, I'm not so sure about the name Romeo but -" she looked at Adam's expression to see that he felt the same way. "We'll find the perfect name for a boy as well."

"I wanted to propose it in case something happens to my mind," Adam said nervously. Belle could see the insecurity and self-doubt in his expression. She leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"I love it. Juliet…are you a Juliet?" she asked her belly and laughed as she saw Adam blush slightly. He truly was adorable and even when he was covered in fur and much larger than he was now, she would still think that he was adorable. "I don't think your mind will go but yes, if it is a daughter then she'll be our Juliet." She laughed as she saw Adam's happiness but then frowned.

"Is something wro-" he began to ask her and Belle stared at him.

"I don't want to make a formal announcement about the pregnancy," she told him and Adam opened his mouth to speak but Belle stopped him by placing her hand on his chest. "I'm not ashamed to be having your child at all but the added pressure, the maybe additional visitors. I think until we know what's happening to you and that you're safe, we'll be quiet about it."

Adam nodded. He knew that Belle would start showing more soon but he also felt that he would have to pretend to have a serious illness to keep people away from him when he started to grow fur and his hands really did turn into paws.

As they came near the booksellers, Adam looked over at the tavern which seemed to be quiet. The chances of Gaston having returned already seemed to be quite low. Adam knew that his family had given that man a warmer welcome into the castle than he had had ever since he was interested in plants and birds and butterflies. Then he had seemed 'too soft' and not following in the line of aggressive monarchs.

He heard people talking about him and he took a step back as if they could see underneath his cloak. Nothing like that was possible but Adam had never felt more conspicuous. He moved over to the side and towards the bookshop. Belle placed her hand on his shoulder sensing how nervous he was.

"It's okay," she told him as he looked around wildly. "They are talking about you because you're a prince, they don't see you all the time. You're someone to be celebrated," Belle attempted to comfort him. She kissed his cheek before turning to their friend.

"Hello," she smiled as he looked over Adam. "How are you today?"

"Very good, how are the two of you?" the seller asked before turning his attention more towards Adam. "Are you okay, your Highness?" he asked and Adam laughed, shaking his head as if to not call him that. The seller smiled before frowning, "You know, there are lots of stories about magic and curses, I don't know about curses returning but people are writing new stories every day, some based on real life."

"Curses?" Adam laughed weakly. He rubbed his upper back, "Nothing, there's nothing about curses," he laughed and the book keeper nodded. Belle looked between them. Did he know? No, only she and some of the servants – their friends – had seen Adam transform and most of the villagers hadn't seen the beast other than in the mirror, they couldn't have linked the beast and Adam.

"Do you -" Belle asked as Adam stared at the man in horror.

"I don't mean any offense, I am very glad that you were able to break the curse but I don't agree to not believe that my theory isn't correct." The seller said and Adam still looked at him completely haunted at what he was saying. "Are you going to pu-"

"No, I wouldn't do anything to you for your thoughts. I do not want to persecute people for thoughts or ideas. Everyone should have freedom of thought," he said before Belle grabbed hold of his hand. Were they actually experiencing this, that they weren't as privy to the curse as they thought.

"Then trust me that I don't mean you harm," the book seller said. "And I believe that those who would cause you harm are uneducated and uncultured," he looked to Belle who was surprised that he was giving this opinion so openly. He hadn't seemed to want to talk about these political or personal opinions that weren't related to the books.

"What do you know about the curse returning?" Belle asked and Adam shook his head slowly. Weren't they just confirming what was going on?

"I know there are a lot of magic users and there are a lot of people who can curse things," the seller said. He looked between them. "I have always appreciated the help that you two have given to me and my store, monetary and otherwise, I don't seek to do anything with this information but if you need safe harbor, I can do my best to provide it."

Adam looked between the two of them. "You knew?" he asked and the man nodded. How could he have come forward with so little judgment and so much kindness when he knew about his true self?

9.2

Adam flinched as he heard the sound of a young boy laughing whilst he stood in the dungeons of the castle. This was where he had held Maurice captive, this was where he had first met Belle. He had wanted these cages destroyed. Why did he need his own set of cells when most human problems could either come to a resolution through discussion or there were other places to put people, other courts and rulings to oversee them.

However, he had kept the one corner cell constructed and even reconstructed certain parts of it. Was this going to be his new home? Was this where he would be spending the remaining portion of his life? He heard the sound of laughter once again and frowned as he saw the boy there. Fortunately, Chip had not had to go through the pain that he had gone through. Chip had somehow been trapped without aging as he remained in the cupboard or at least he had had a slow aging, maybe two or three years unlike the painful transformation he had been through.

"Are you okay?" Adam coughed. When he was younger, Chip was close to his age but now the boy could enjoy his childhood. Adam was thankful for that. Of all people involved, Chip was the most innocent of all of them and even as a teacup he hadn't acted angry or bitter or hot headed, he had been hopeful and full of joy that shouldn't be tampered with.

"So you're transforming again?" Chip asked as he tilted his head to the side. He looked at his hands. "Does that mean -"

Adam walked over to the young preteen and pushed his hair back, acting like an older brother. "No," he said, his eyes showed his deep desire to protect those he considered family. "No. I will not allow anything to happen to you or your mother or your siblings," he said and Chip blinked.

"You're not going to leave, are you? I know you can get mad at times but Belle doesn't mind about that. Belle's happy to have you here and we are as well. If you lose your way I'm sure that we can help you with that," Chip said and Adam laughed weakly.

"Thank you," he told him before gently ruffling the boy's hair. He really did enjoy having him here and had given adequate living quarters both inside the castle and in the nearby areas to those who served him. They truly more of his family than his staff.

"Chip!" Mrs. Potts called out and Adam placed his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Go," he whispered, "She's calling for you."

"I might also be wanting to see how another young man is doing," Mrs. Potts said as she approached him. She put her hand to Adam's forehead, "You're running a little bit of a fever," she told him and he laughed weakly as she treated him as her own child. "You're going to get sick being down here, you don't belong down here, Adam."

"You know, it's too bad that no one loved me when I was younger, I could have -" Adam saw the woman in front of him raise her eyebrow as if saying that she knew something he didn't. "Maybe it had to be a romantic love."

"Adam, I have cared for you since you were a baby," she reminded him. "Yes, you were an ill-mannered, snobby, brat but I still cared about you I care about you now and all I know is that you remaining down here will get cobwebs in your tail, are you going to argue with me about that fact?"

"Don't you want to tell me that I shouldn't have a tail," Adam argued as he put his hand through it. It had definitely started growing larger and bushier. "It's not hu-"

"I know that it's not humane to keep your young pregnant wife all alone especially when she's concerned about how you're feeling emotionally. You've got all of behind you and I dare say that we are worth a lot more than your other family," she paused as she said that. "You wouldn't -"

"I would never tell them that," Adam said before leaning down and wrapping his arms around the older woman. "I really wish that you had been my mother," he told her and she closed her eyes and hugged him in return.

"And I really wish that you had been another son of mine."

End of Chapter Nine

Thank you for reading

Thank you to gisela19wwe for reviewing Chapter Eight

Your reviews definitely motivate me to keep writing so thank you