You guys are some of the sweetest people, thank you all so much for your kind words on these little stories! It means so much and I'm so happy you are all enjoying them. I just love this movie so much, saw it again today!, and I can't stop writing! So I hope you enjoy this new chapter. It's mainly about Maurice and Belle (who's relationship I absolutely ADORE) and of course Adam sneaks his way in :)

"They really do know how to throw a party around here."

A small smile on her lips, Belle couldn't help but laugh at her father, who looked at her with a playful smirk.

The celebration was unlike anything she had ever seen or experienced. It was even beyond something she could imagine in her own mind when reading. Growing up in a small, poor village, there weren't many opportunities to come to royal parties. It wasn't the type of lifestyle she was in, though she had read as much as she could about them in her books. The details about the lavish dresses and the exquisite music did them no justice when it was actually experienced in person.

It had been overwhelming at first. Belle found herself almost breathless as she walked into the ballroom, which only a few weeks ago she and some of the castle's staff had cleaned. But there was something different about it now, with all of the guests talking amongst themselves, dancing along with the music. The butterflies that had been bothering her as she dressed started to rise again. She took a deep breathe, trying to squash her internal panic, and looked up at Adam.

The rest of the world melted away when she meet his gaze.

Now, Belle found herself in an alcove off the ballroom floor, sitting on a bench as her father sat next to her. His smile was warm, as it always was, and took one of her hands into his.

"I'm surprised that your prince let you go long enough to take a break," he teased, he gaze turning to the young man in a powder blue outfit across the room.

Adam's back was to them, his long blonde hair tied with a light blue ribbon, and he seemed very animated as he talked to Lumiere. The older man laughed at something Adam said, placing a hand on his shoulder, and Belle found her own smile growing.

"I may have mentioned to him that I wanted to sit for just a moment or two," she confided, a tired sigh escaping her, "I haven't danced for that long since...well never!"

"Long ago are the days when you would be stepping on my feet," Maurice said wistfully, "now you seem to have the perfect dance partner."

Blushing slightly, Belle ducked her head, "Papa…"

"It's funny," he continued on, rubbing a small circle into her hand, "watching the two of you dance, all these people around you. But if you really looked, it was like you were in your own world. He couldn't take his eyes of you, you know. Not even for a second.

"I see it too, living here in the castle. It's small things, but they add up. It makes me so happy," he squeezed her hand, looking into his daughter's eyes, "to see you so happy. You've dreamt so long to find something more, to find someone who understands you. And now you have."

"Oh Papa," Belle whispered, throwing her arms around his shoulders and hugging him, "I love you so much."

Maurice hugged her back, squeezing tightly, "I love you too Belle."

Pulling away, his hand found her cheek and his smile grew, "You remind me so much of your mother Belle. She would have been so happy to see you, to see the beautiful, smart woman that you've become today."

Belle's chest tightened up at the mention of her mother. There was still so much she didn't know about her, even though she had gone back to Paris to where her family once lived. Those had been her last moments. But her mind still held so many questions how her. She dared not ask, knowing how hard it was for her father to talk about her mother.

Still, she wanted to know more.

"What was it like," she began, leaning in closer to him, "falling in love with her? When did...when did you know she was the one for you?"

For a moment, she thought she asked too much of her father. His gazed flickered away from her, a frown pulling at the corner of his lips. It was the same reaction she would always get when Belle asked about her mother.

Something changed though. She watched him intently, holding her breath for a response. Slowly, Maurice looked back at her, a sad smile replacing the frown, and unshed tears in his eyes. Belle had to hold back her own, squeezing his hand tightly.

"I first saw your mother in Paris, just by chance. I was in a square during a busy summer day, the market was full, and I didn't have much money to my name. But I did have my art and I was painting when I saw her. Her dark hair stood out in the crowd, she was moving so fast," he chuckled, shaking his head, "she was always on the move. There was always something happening with your mother, moving from one idea to the next. Never wanting to slow down.

"Lucky for me, she did stop. She saw me painting, our eyes met, and...I just fell."

"Just like that?" Belle asked with a laugh.

"Swept me off my feet the moment she came over to talk to me. She was so different from the people I had met in Paris. We understood one another," he trailed off, his smiling growing as he tilted his head, "like how you and Adam understand one another."

If she could have smiled any wider, Belle would have. She could picture her parents in her mind, meeting together in a busy marketplace, off to the side like they were the only people in the world. Her mother was still a mystery to her, and the small pain in Belle's heart would never leave when thinking about her, but the pieces were slowly coming together. A strong, fearless woman. A loving woman, a woman who was ahead of her time. A woman who her father loved with all of his heart and beyond.

The last part of his sentence finally hit her and she blushed, "You think so?"

"Oh my dear, I know so. I used to look at your mother the same way."

A swish of blue caught Belle's attention and she turned, Adam slowly making his way over to the two of them. He seemed hesitant, glancing from her and Maurice with a worried expression, but she waved her hand forward.

"I didn't mean to intrude…," the younger man said as he entered the alcove.

"Nonsense, you are more than welcome here my princ-"

"Monsieur, you don't have to call me prin-"

"And we've discussed you not calling me 'monsieur'," Maurice countered playfully, standing up, "You are more than welcome here Adam. I was just taking my leave."

Belle watched them, worry fluttering in her stomach.

Adam bowed his head respectfully, a shy smile on his lips, "Maurice. I'll try not to slip up again."

The older man chuckled to himself, patting Adam's shoulder, "I'll see you both later."

Belle sighed, the small tension that had built up leaving her body. Her father was always one to tease, and he was having a good time of it with Adam.

"Your father," the young prince said, snapping Belle from her thoughts, "is still an enigma to me."

A light laugh escaped her lips as he sat next to her, "He's always been like that. Having some fun at your expense I'm afraid."

"I don't mind it," he replied, his gazed focused on her, "He's a very kind man. Kinder to me then he should be."

Shaking her head, she took his hand in her's, "I've told you not to be so hard on yourself. My father has already forgiven you, don't let those thoughts fester within you."

The past few weeks had been like a whirlwind. Something that had become a theme, much to Belle's dismay, was how much guilt Adam could hold within himself. She could see it when they were together, when his eyes lingered on the house staff for a moment longer then they would have. When she would find him out in the gardens by himself, tracing over the white roses that still grew even without the curse. The nightmares that would plague him. It all began to take a toll on him, even though he tried to hide it.

Many times she tried to reassure him. At first it didn't seem to have too much of an effect and she was at a lose as to what to do. She had gone back to the village for a weekend, to help her father finish packing, and had Adam stay back at the castle. She explained it to her father, who listened very intently.

"Sometimes," he had said, "People need to find it in themselves to forgive their self. The wound is still fresh Belle, and though it pains you to see him this way, it may take some time."

When they arrived back to the castle, she knew something had changed. His eyes shined like she had rarely seen, the darkness that lingered over them gone. It was like a weight was lifted off on his shoulders. She tried, when he and her father were in deep conversation, to ask Lumiere what had happened. The normally chatty man just smiled at her, winking, and mentioning that late night conversations seemed to be the best for their prince. It just left her most confused, though glad to see him more lively then he had been in the past few weeks.

Sitting next to him now, looking into his eyes, she gave him a reassuring smile, "Don't them linger on this wonderful day. Everything is so beautiful, there should be no reason for dark thoughts."

He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it lightly, "Are you enjoying yourself? I know it can be a bit overwhelming with all of the people and the dancing."

"Of course I'm enjoying myself!" she said happily, playfully bumping his shoulder, "did I give the impression I wasn't?"

"N-no of course not!" he stammered, a light blush appearing on his cheeks, "I just wanted to make sure you were comfortable, you mentioned that big events like thes-"

With a raised eyebrow, she tilted her head, "Who told you that?"

"I…," he stopped, shrugging his shoulders with a small smirk, "may have heard it from a little bird."

"Did this bird happen to be working within this lovely home?"

"There is a possibility."

Laughing, she rolled her eyes, "Which staff member did you threaten?"

"Threaten?" he said with mocked offense, sitting up straighter, "How dare you accuse me of such slander."

"Can I guess it was from a certain 'head of the household'?" she asked, earning a snort and grin from the young man.

"The man can be rather chatty," the prince conceded, "Though I did want to make sure you were enjoying yourself. It's a bit different from having the whole ballroom to ourselves."

She hummed in agreement, looking back onto the ballroom floor. The guests mingled amongst themselves, some still dancing away with the lovely music Cadenza played. That night of just the two of them dancing seemed so long ago with how much had happened in between. But she could still remember it perfectly, the sensation of him picking her up and twirling her around in the air. How she almost forgot to breath at certain points, her focus completely taken by him. The feeling his paw, his hand, on her waist as they danced their way around the entire room. It was in those moments, looking into his eyes, that she found herself coming to terms with her feelings.

Turning her gaze back to Adam, she smiled softly, "Everything is perfect," she whispered happily, "Nothing could be more perfect. I'm here with you, I'm here with my family, my friends. I've never felt more at home. This is everything I could have ever dreamed of."

Gently, he tugged her against his side, his forehead resting on her's. His gaze held nothing but warmth as he looked down at her, his smile stretching across his face.

"You are...the most beautiful person I've ever met," he whispered, his nose bumping her' slightly as he slowly moved closer.

She closed her eyes, a hand gripping his arm slightly, "Don't be so dramatic," she teased.

She felt his laughter against her lips, "I happen to like being dramatic," was his reply and his lips met her's. The kiss was soft, tame, but she could still feel the passion that came from him. It sent a warmth through her entire body and she bit back a sigh as they separated.

"Home…" he said softly, his hand resting on her cheek, "I like the sound of that."

"Home it is then," she laughed lightly. It was where she felt safe, where she had found herself in different ways then she could have imagined. The castle was where her whole life had changed and as she kissed Adam again, she knew it would always be home to her. With him, with her father, with her friends within the staff.

This was the start of the adventure she had longer craved for.