This is the first part of my 'what if' three-shot, about a possible future for the castle had Belle never come.

I'd like to apologize in advance for dialogue-heavy-ness and any out-of-character-ness.

The stories Clockwork (by Holli) and Forever Condemned (by LumBabsFan) were both a great inspiration for this piece.

Summary: What if Belle had never come to the castle? What if, after ten hopeless years, the fate of all those who inhabited the castle was sealed? What if they were never to be human again?

Disclaimer: I do not own Beauty and the Beast

The candelabra and the mantel clock stopped bickering. The teapot froze while trying to urge her youngest son to bed, and at the same time the child fell silent in his resistance. The pipe organ stopped playing, and the flute stopped cheering - two unheard of events.

Although they could be sure of what, everyone in the household could tell that something had happened. Something monumental. And the servants were quite sure they knew what.

A horrible, heart-wrenching roar from the West Wing confirmed their suspicions.

The last petal had fallen. The Prince's twenty-first year had arrived. The spell was permanent now, and everyone in the castle would remain as they were at that moment...forever.

"Cogsworth..." Lumiere said, slowly lowering his head. "...Do you think that...?"

"I have not doubt, Lumiere," Cogsworth replied. The candelabra sighed.

"G...Go check. We need to be sure."

Cogsworth stared at his friend, eyes widening. "Are you serious? Now? The Master will tear me to pieces - Literally!"

"But if it is not too late...! If there is still a chance, we mustn't give up hope, mon ami!"

"There is no if', Lumiere! We are going to stay like this! Forever!"

"Maybe there is still time!" Lumiere protested. Before Cogsworth could argue, a new voice interrupted the fight.

"Oh, Lumiere! Oh, Lumiere!" In a flash of feathers, Babette was down the stairs and at the candelabra's side. "I have just been to the West Wing, and - Oh, Lumiere!"

"Cheri, what is the matter?" Lumiere asked, carefully putting an arm' around the feather duster. She blew out the flame, due to habit more than concern - catching on fire could hardly compare with their newly-sealed fate - before she began wailing again.

"Oh, Lumiere!" She cried once more. "The rose is dead, and we might as well be, too!"

"So it's true then?" A fourth voice asked. Mrs. Potts hopped down the carpeted hall, passing the suits of armor, whose heads drooped deeply. Chip was following his mother, looking sad and confused.

"I'm afraid so," replied Cogsworth.

"Oh dear." The teapot looked away, crying silently. Chip gasped.

"You mean... We're never gonna be human? Ever again?"

"Ever again!" Babette echoed, detaching herself from Lumiere.

"Well," Mrs. Potts looked up, "the others ought to know."

Cogsworth nodded. "Right. Lumiere?"

"Oui?"

"Find anyone who may be in the gardens and alert them at once. Babette, you take the East Wing and boiler room, Mrs. Potts, you inform the kitchen, as well as the organ room. Chip - the entrance hall. I'll go to the dining hall and then cover anywhere that's left," the mantel clock ordered. Enchanted object or not, he was still Head of the Household, after all.

Mrs. Potts nodded in agreement. "Afterwards, the five of us will meet back here," she added.

"Right, we meet back-" Lumiere began, then turned to Mrs. Potts. "Why? It's not like there's anything we can do. It is over."

"I hate to say it," Cogsworth spoke up, "but I agree with Lumiere. What is the point anymore..." he lowered his head, "...to anything?"

"There will be none of that," Mrs. Potts said gently. "Our lives aren't over now, we've been living this way for ten years. We can keep it up. No one's going to be happy about this - none of us are, that's for certain - but we can't give up on life, no matter how great the tragedy."

"She's right," Cogsworth said, though he didn't look any less hopeless. "Let's go, then."

Mrs. Potts, Babette, and Chip left, but Lumiere lingered for a moment.

"Ah, Cogsworth?" He called before the clock went to leave.

"Hm?"

"The gardens...shouldn't take too long. Surely I can handle the dining room and anywhere left over," Lumiere offered. Cogsworth looked at him suspiciously, and he sheepishly continued. "There is one itty-bitty favor I have to ask of you, though."

Cogsworth groaned. "What, Lumiere?"

"If you could...The attic? It's up in the high tower, and as a candle, so many steps are quire a daunting challenge..."

"Is there even anyone up there?" Cogsworth inquired.

"Oui...Angelique and her assistants."

"Ange...The castle decorator?" Lumiere nodded and Cogsworth scowled. "She's been up there...all this time?"

Lumiere smiled nervously. "Well, I don't think you were there when she said she was going up there and swore to never come down...It was shortly after we transformed, and I believe I was the only witness to her claim..."

Cogsworth looked slightly unsure, but nodded. "Alright, Lumiere. I'll tell her."

"Merci," the candelabra said. He paused, then sighed and began to hop off, but Cogsworth called after him.

"Lumiere...Are you going to be alright?"

Lumiere looked back at him. "No," he stated simply. Cogsworth slowly shook his head.

"Of course not...I don't know why I... That was a stupid question. I'm sorry."

Lumiere sighed again, deeply, then nodded. "It's okay."

"I think... In the back of my mind, I always knew it would come to this."

"We all did, mon ami. I think we all did," Lumiere agreed, and he went down the hallway, leaving Cogsworth to head for the attic.

Well, there's part one. Thanks for reading. Just so you know, the second and especially third parts focus quite a bit on Angelique, with Cogsworth also playing a large role.