A/N:

Sorry this took so long to get up. I had sever writer's block. This is the last chapter and just so you guys know, I don't believe in happy endings.

Belle pushed herself up from the ground where she wept with much force. Her limbs were aching and her heart was lead. She had to see her father! The distraught girl trudged through the snow, her dress wet and heavy. The way to Maison Des Lunes was long and dark, especially with the sun sinking behind the hills. When she arrived at the structure she simply walked in. It was so quiet that she could hear the droplets from her dress rupture on floor.

"Hello?" Belle called walking forward clasping her dress with nerves. "Hello?" She called again. She looked around until she saw D'Arque standing right in front of her. She jumped back in surprise and pressed her hand to her heart. "You frightened me Monsieur." She breathed a small smile on her lips from slight embarrassment.

"My apologies, m'dear," he said with an eery tint. "How may I help you?" he asked as if he wasn't expecting her arrival.

"My father, I wish to see him," she said her voice very official.

"I believe you know where his room is," D'Arque said holding out a key. He was, of course, referring to her first entry.

"Thank you," she said as she took the key. Her heels made echoing noises as she walked by D'Arque into the hall way. As she walked Monsieur kept a weary eye on her.

Belle let out a sigh of release when she left his eye view. She covered her face with her hands and let out a dry sob. This place, this terrible place, frightened her to no extent. A place that vile should not be permitted to stand. She recovered her senses and headed for room ACX. Belle walked with haste until a hand came out and grabbed her arm. She let out such a shriek that it could have drove birds from the church down the lane. Unfortunately a scream was not a license to come to anyone's rescue in that place.

"Hush," A voice said pulling Belle closer into the darkness of an unlit corridor. "My name is Frederique and I mean you no harm but you must stay quiet." Belle nodded. "You must leave this place. You are subject to a vile plot in which it ends to no way in your favor. Gaston and my husband—"

"Your husband?" Belle asked not knowing who that was.

"Please just listen. They secretly plan to engage you to Gaston. They seem determined to succeed and are going to the lengths to kill you for it. Your life is at stake Belle. You—must–leave!" She whispered urgently. There was a door closing in the distance and Frederique looked in its direction as if expecting an attack. Her eyes were shining with the tears of fear. "You must listen to me, Belle. They have already corrupted your father and he means to follow through in their plan without the intention of telling you. You are not safe, you have no one, you are alone."

"Why are you saying this?" Belle asked insulted that this girl would say her father was in on it and would not tell her! More so go through with it.

"I say this because it is true!" Another door closed. "Please, you must believe me. Why would I lie? I have to go!" She said turning to go into the darkness.

"Wait!" Belle whispered. "Come back." But it was too late. Belle clasped the key to her father's door in her palm and stood there in silence. Belle heaved a shaking breath and made to leave. When she exited the building the snow seemed even more chilled than ever before. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she walked back to her home.

How could her father do this to her? After what she had done for him! He would— the nerve. Belle crossed the bridge and stopped in the middle of it. She looked down into the ice speckled surface. If she jumped, could she fly? Belle stepped on the side of the bridge and looked down over. The tears were falling down her face as she slipped her leg over the side and then the other. She leaned over the side and could see herself in the water. She was pale with saddness and confusion. Like Frederique said, in anyway she would lose. In any way Gaston would come out victorious. Not if she jumped though. Belle smiled in morbid delight as her fingers twitched with the begging for her to let go. She yielded to her hands and let herself fall. She closed her eyes awaiting the icy blow. But it never came. Belle opened her eyes she was in the arms of the beast on the other side of the bridge. When Belle realized what she was about to do she balled into the fur of the one she loved.

"Beast," Belle sobbed clutching his fur. "He— he—" But that was all she could get out. "I can't do this," She cried.

"I know Belle, I know." The Beast cooed stroking her hair with one claw. "I'm here."

"Why did you come back?" Belle asked remembering the threat Gaston had given him. The threat that he would kill Belle.

"I never left," The Beast said hugging her close. "I followed you all the way here. It's a good thing I did too," he said this with disappointment.

"I'm sorry," Belle said wiping her eye with one hand. "I can't see any other way."

"We'll figure a way Belle."

"Maybe we should go to the police," Belle suggested.

"What can the police do? They admire Gaston just as much as the rest of the town."

"Maybe I can just come with you to your castle."

"That is a fabulous idea," The Beast said helping her up. The two of them got to the castle without delay.

-Two months later-

" Where did she get to anyway?" Gaston asked furiously to D'Arque.

"How am I to know? I barely ever leave the asylum."

"It has been two months and there has been no sign of her! The police have no word of her! There is nothing! She's just disappeared!"

"People just don't disappear," D'Arque said quietly. There was silence in which only the cracking of the fire could be heard.

"No they don't," Gaston said rubbing his chin.

"What?" D'Arque said knowing the look of thought more than anything.

"That beast! She has to be with him! Why did I not see that before?"

"When blinded by inquiry many things go unnoticed," D'Arque said standing up.

"We have to find the beast. He will die this time. I'll show no mercy!"

"Gaston, perhaps—"

"No! I'm leaving right now. You make sure her father is secure. I'll be back with the blood of the beast on my conscience!"

Gaston left the building in a fire-like anger. He was absolutely in an outrage! He was blindly walking into a supposed doom. No one infiltrated the Beast's lair and lived to tell the tale. Little was Gaston aware of this. Since he was coming for Belle the Beast would break him. Gaston rampaged into the castle and withdrew his knife.

"BELLE!" Gaston called into the distance of the castle. "Belle I know you're here!"

Belle looked up from her book to the sound of Gaston's angry voice.

"Beast," she whispered. "He's here."

"Excellent, " the creature said heaving himself up. "Go now!"

Belle nodded with a victorious smile and ushered out the back way of the castle. She didn't like that passage much but a way out was a way out. She brushed away a spider web from the torch that she would take for the passage was underground and there was seldom light down there. Belle took the torch in her left hand and held her dress up with the right and began her musty journey to the outside of the castle. Although she had her dress in her hand part of it still dragged on the ground and it was steadily picking up mud and other unpleasant substances.

When light at the end of the tunnel appeared Belle's heart skipped a beat and her throat was full. She threw herself into the open with such anticipation she almost received whiplash. She threw the torch into the snow causing it to go out with a hiss. From a far view it seemed the snow was smoking with Belle in front of it, the smoke behind her blowing in an extreme angle. Belle started for the town and got there at dark.

As discretely as she could she slipped through the shadows of the town, going behind buildings. And through allies. She skulked like a villain all the way to The Maison Des Lunes. Belle grasped the key to her father's door which she had put on a chain around her neck. She entered through a door in which physicians and such people with those sorts of occupations would enter. She went unnoticed. Belle walked through the asylum with the intention to not make a sound. She could not but help herself to stay her journey when she heard voices.

"I know you were the one who warned that vile beauty," she heard D'Arque spit with venom.

"No, it wasn't me," said a voice that was hushed and scared. Belle recognized it as Frederique's, God bless her soul.

"Don't lie to me, woman!" D'Arque yelled rendering a sharp slap.

"I'm not!" Said the hysteric voice of Frederique. Her voice was wavered and moist. It was obvious she was crying.

"Give me that doll!" D'Arque said. Belle peered around the corner and saw D'Arque throw a small rag doll with yellow hair into the fire.

"NO!" Frederique screeched going to the very front of the fire. "Marion," she said looking at the floor. "That was the last connection I had with my family you vile, you monstrous!" She said standing and beating at his chest. D'Arque first looked surprised but that turned into a look of anger. He grabbed her wrists and threw her down on the ground. The two were yelling at each other at the same time and nothing could be comprehended.

Belle figured that she had invaded their privacy quite enough and continued on her way. Besides, their heated discussion would keep D'Arque's attention while she set her father free. Belle crept through the corridors until she saw the forsaken room, ACX. She hurriedly unlocked the room and let herself in. It was horrible. Maurice was deathly thin and his already grey tinted hair was messed with more grey and some white. There was barely anymore brown on his head. He was huddled in the corner with no shirt and tattered pants. His shoes were gone and he had only one sock. Those things had their turn to be noticed however. What Belle saw first wasn't the whiskers on his face, the dirt caked all over his skin, or the cuts carved into his skin. The thing that popped out were his eyes. They were empty with solitude. What ever glint they had when she saw him last was gone. It was almost as if he was dead. And in a way, he was.

"Papa?" Belle said closing the door quietly behind her. Maurice didn't stir. "Papa, speak to me," she said walking over to her father. He remained motionless and silent. As if Belle hadn't spoken a word. Belle held back a whimper as she cautiously approached him. Up close Maurice smelled of sweat and dried blood. Bell stopped breathing through her nose when she got close but still put her hand on his back. At her touch he flinched away and covered his greasy head with his hands and began crying while mumbling incoherent sentences. The only things she caught were: "No, not again," and " I'll be good this time."

Belle watched in horror as her father went into quiet hysterics. What had been done to him? Belle collapsed into a sitting position as her father's face screwed up in discomfort and he began twitching and convulsing violently.

"Papa," Belle whispered urgently. She was in a state of shock and couldn't force her voice above a whisper. "Papa what is it!" She asked fear in her voice. Maurice seemed to calm slightly at the sound of Belle's voice but went on convulsing. "Papa, shhh, its ok, I'm here," Belle said wrapping her arms around his twisting form. At the loving touch Maurice's twisting ceased and reduced to a slight vibration. "Its okay." Belle cooed.

"Belle?" Maurice said in a barely audible voice.

"Yes Papa, I'm here. Its going to be okay," Belle said hugging him while tears ran down her cheeks.

"Belle,"Maurice said as he closed his eyes in extreme happiness. Her touch was warm to him and the first love he had felt in over three months. If he had been there another hour without a loving touch he would have perished there and would never had come back to the light.

"Let's get you out of here," Belle said sniffing back her sinuses. Belle leaned her father on her shoulders and carried him out of his square prison.

"Belle, how are we going to go undetected?" Maurice moaned. It hurt him to talk and move.

"Shh, leave it to me, Papa," Belle said planting a kiss on his head. Belle dragged him down the hall with extreme circumspection. When it was time to pass the room in which D'Arque and Frederique were arguing it was quiet. Belle's heart began to beat violently as she peered around the threshold to see Frederique lying on the ground motionless. D'Arque was no where in sight. Belle was grasped by fear as she helped Maurice into the room to get to Frederique. The young woman was sprawled out her eyes wide with fear but with the glaze of death. She was dead. Belle knelt down beside her, praying to keep the tears at bay. She saw a shattered glass next to the girl and then noticed her wrists covered with spilt blood. Belle closed Frederique's eyes and let her own tears fall. She had escaped. She was at peace.

"Mother?" She heard a small fragile voice say. Belle whipped her head in the direction of the doorway and saw a young man standing there. He resembled D'Arque but held a more subtle nature. "Mother?" he said again as he walked into the room. He knelt by the corps and was in fearful shock. His breath was coming quick and loud and his eyes were glossed over with tears. "Don't leave me," he whispered looking into her face.

Belle looked around not sure what to do. She stood up and went over to her father. It was almost unbearable to look at. He was on all fours looking at the dead face of his mother fighting to not cry.

"What happened to you?" He asked no one touching her bloody hand. "Don't leave me," he said again resting his head on her bossom. Tears were falling down his face as he clutched her dress in internal agony. Belle helped her father up and made to exit the room. "Where are you going?" The boy asked looking up at Belle.

"I am going to take my father home— I am sorry for your loss," and at that she turned to leave.

"Take me with you," he said standing up. He wiped his nose and eyes and looked firm. "Please."

"I'm not sure that—"

"Please! Don't leave me here alone. Not with him," He said tears falling down his face again. Belle couldn't deny him. He was such a sight to see.

"Come," Belle said pulling Maurice out of the room. The three of them got to the entrance hall in a matter of minutes and quickly exited. The snow was cold and the sky was black. The lights of the town down the lane shone like stars of fate guiding Belle back to safety. They made it to her house in silence and undetected. Once inside Belle locked the door and placed Maurice in his bed. She heated some water and got a cloth and began mopping his dirty face. After a minute or two she looked over at the boy who was looking deep into the fire with such sadness that Belle felt a pang in her heart.

"What is your name?" She asked him. He looked over to her and his cheeks were wet.

"Eloi D'Arque," He said quietly.

"What a nice name," Belle said trying to clear the sadness in the air. It was to no prevail. After a moment or two of silence Eloi spoke.

"I loved my mother," he said. "I can't believe she's gone— I can't believe she took her own life— I don't blame her," he said with a sorrowful chuckle. "I'm amazed she lasted this long. She would always teach me against my father's word. Yet, she would tell me to obey him. Mother would tell me that my knowing better was what would get me into heaven," he swallowed hard and clasped his hands behind his back as he fought to keep the tears at bay. Belle got up and walked over to him. She placed her hand on his shoulder.

"It'll be alright," she said as she rubbed her thumb over his shoulder. Eloi looked into Belle's face and began crying harder. He collapsed to the floor and sobbed with his hands over his face. Belle wrapped her arms around him and they cried. "You're safe now." she said running her hand through his hair.

After some time she had to go and see the Beast. She got her horse and rode all the way to the castle nonstop. When Belle arrived it was heavy with silence and she was weary to enter. Once she opened the large door she was in shock. Everything was overturned and out of order. Belle looked around with her mouth half open until she spotted Lumiere.

"Lumiere, The beast did he—" But she was cut off by Lumiere shaking his head. He pointed one enflamed hand in the direction of the west wing. Belle didn't need to be told anything else. She raced up the stairs and in the direction of the west wing. She burst into the room and saw the beast laying on the ground with a puddle of blood around him. "NO!" she yelled as she collapsed on the floor with her arms around him. She cried into his fur and begged for him to still be alive. It was no use, he was gone. After eveything she had done, everything she worked for, she still lost. It was all lost.

"Good evening Belle," came the voice of Gaston. "Are you ready to go home my little wife?"

Belle let two large orbs of tears run down her face as she stood.

"Yes, husband— We shall go home."

- End

A/N

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