AN:: Hello everyone, I'm thrilled that so many people enjoy this. I had realistic hopes. That maybe it would take time for people to become interested. Big thanks to those who reviewed asking me to continue. That motivated me to keep going. Any way on with the fic.

Chapter 5

After their wonderful Christmas time passed and things calmed down. Late one night Belle wasn't fairing well in her sleep. A nightmare was plaguing her mind. Finally she shot up in bed screaming. A few moments passed and Beast burst through her door

"Belle!? What happened?" Beast asked moving to her bed. Belle was a disheveled mess. From tossing and turning so much. Belle said nothing at first just glomped him. She was trying to calm her rapid breathing and her heart rate.

"It was awful! I saw Gaston killing you!" Belle said in a panic. She was crying into the fur around is neck.

"Well it was just a dream." Beast gently stroked her back attempting to calm her. She sniffled and sighed.

"You're right." She tried making herself believe it. It's so hard to move on from such a vividly realistic dream, though. She pulled back and kissed his cheek. She pulled back again to see is very slight shock. She then was braver and kissed his lips. He kissed her back. They both slowly pressed for a deeper more passionate kiss. When they parted for breath she saw his nose flash as did he. He saw the light. His nose was human again. "Your nose is human again." She stated the obvious. He smiled and hugged her. He was so happy to have even met her. She was his best friend now. Had become so awhile ago now. They curled up together in her bed. She wouldn't let him leave because, she still needed comfort. He was more then happy to provide it. They spent the rest of the night cuddled together in her bed.

A few days later Belle was out in the garden gathering flowers. She enjoyed the spring flowers. They smelled wonderful and were beautiful. She had noticed over time since Beast began changing. So did the castle. It was no longer the dark and gloomy place it was, when she arrived. It looked more vibrant and alive. When she first arrived the castle looked as though. It could have been haunted. No longer now. She began to realize that the Beast's curse was tied to the castle and residents. The staff in the beginning looked like old and decrepit objects. They now looked brand new.

Suddenly the sky grew dark and the wind picked up. Belle's magic told her something bad was coming. She dropped her flowers and ran for the nearest door into the castle. The conservatory was the closest to her. Using her magic she called to Beast.

"Belle! What is wrong?" Beast ran to the hall to the conservatory. Meeting her halfway.

"Something is coming! Something bad." Belle explained.

"What is?" Beast asked curious as to what she meant.

"I'm not sure. I sensed something with my magic." Belle explained as best as she could.

"Well your magic has been reliable up till this point. So let's trust it." Beast said wrapping his arms around her.

They moved to the main entrance of the castle. Before long they heard a commotion approaching the gates. It sounded like an angry mob. Coming into view there was only Gaston and some other hunters from the village. Including his little friend Lefou.

"Why can't he leave us alone?" Belle questioned more rhetorical then anything else.

"He's a bigot. Always has been always will be. I think he was a bad influence on me, growing up." Beast had bad timing trying to lighten the mood.

"What? Now really? Suppose it is good information none the less." Belle was baffled then quickly accepted.

They prepared themselves for the fight they knew was coming.

Gaston and his group approached. As the animated object staff surrounded Belle and Beast. The staff were as loyal as they came. It was like staring down a preditorial wolf pack.

Gaston stopped at the gate. His followers stood with him.

"Well is this where the village whore ended up! Fucking the monster of this castle!" Gaston called nastily.

Beast roared angrily itching to rip the bastard's throat out.

"No. Nothing he says is true." Belle was hurt by his words but stayed strong. She put her small hand on Beast's larger, then hers, arm. To keep him calmer and more level headed. They needed all their whits about them for this fight.

"Get them!" Gaston yelled pulling out his bow and losing his first arrow without a second thought.

The staff that was a coat rack swung a large kettle parallel to Beast's face blocking the arrow. Belle was already oozing magic by the time the arrow hit the stone pavers. She used her magic and her arms for emphasis. To throw the gates open. Scaring the village hunters for a moment. When the gates hit the wall. The staff was already upon the hunters. Beast lunged at Gaston avoiding his arrows on the way. He threw Gaston into the side wall of the bridge. Gaston recovered quickly and pulled a knife. Throwing it he got Beast in the shoulder. It didn't slow Beast at all.

He took the blade from his shoulder and threw it away.

"Beast!" Belle called worriedly. Then her magic summoned a sword in front of Beast's face.

He nodded, not turning, to let her know his gratitude. He took it and fell into his learned stance. From all of his fencing tutoring. Gaston reached for his bow but came up short. It lay shattered under him. He drew his sword instead. He charged Beast and Beast parried with little problem. A small bit rusty but once you learn. It's like riding a horse. It comes back to you quickly.

Lunging, parries, riposte, remise, and reprise. They danced the art of sword play. Being fairly equally matched made this hard. Gaston got dirty though pulled another 2 knives. He threw them into the Beast's stomach at this close range. Did a good amount of damage to Beast.

Beast fell to his knees.

"So, Damien, how does it feel to be slaughtered like a wild animal? Especially by your old friend." Gaston taunted getting cocky. He pulled out another knife. Before anyone could react he jabbed it in Beast's back.

"Nooo!" Belle screamed her pain at seeing Beast's pain. She unleashed her magic. She rose into the air. Gaston and the hunters rose with her. She glared at the hunters. They were flung into the forest by an unseen force.

"Aaah!" Gaston screamed like a girl.

"You will never harm another again. You will know no happiness. You will only know sorrow. The kind you inflicted on others. You with not change but others with know of your crimes. The crimes against others souls." Belle cried as she spoke. She dropped Gaston abruptly. He hit the pavers hard breaking something. She lowered to the ground. Then ran to Beast's side.

"Beast?" Belle called her voice quivering in fear.

"It will take more then this to kill me." He ground out through the pain. Trying to joke. The staff gathered near but still mindful. Not to get overwhelmingly close.

Belle was exhausted but she didn't let that stop her magic. She channeled it to try and heal him. His wounds began healing. Pushing the knives out as they healed. After the last knife fell and the wound sealed over with tender new skin. Belle fainted, falling unconscious over Beast. Beast weakly smiled and held her for a few moments.

Lifting her sleeping form, he slowly made his way into the castle. Forgetting about Gaston. Gaston just limped away like a wounded dog.

Beast very slowly and weakly climbed the stairs. He headed for her room.

Arriving at her door the wardrobe already had the door open. She stood near the door in the hall. Waiting till they entered. She closed the door after they did. She then waddled away.

Beast laid Belle on her bed. Then crawled in next to her. He wrapped her in his arms and he fell fast asleep.

They were so tired they slept for 2 days straight. They didn't wake till the third morning.

Belle woke first, feeling his warm protective embrace. She carefully rolled over to face him. He still looked the same. As he had since his nose changed. She kissed his cheek and laid small pecks. Trailing them to his mouth. He smiled as she kissed him. He tightened his arms. Slowly waking up. He started kissing back. The he woke the more he kissed. They devoured each other's mouths. As the fought for dominance.

Then both their stomachs growled their complaints, about hunger. Belle giggled as Beast gave a small chuckle.

They stretched and climbed out of bed. Belle grabbed a casual dress the wardrobe left hanging near her dressing screen. Belle slipped behind it and stripped then threw the dress on quickly.

Stepping from behind the screen. She wore a beautiful lavender and blue rose trimmed, elbow length sleeve, just past knee length, square neckline dress. She slipped on a matching pair of flat slippers.

Beast held out his hand and grasped hers gently. When she took his hand. He lead her to the kitchen. So the staff could prepare something for them.

They were still tired. Not so much so that they would drop. Just they still needed a few days to recover.

The kitchen staff prepared everything and anything. They were ecstatic to see their master and mistress well.

Belle picked some over everything. So did Beast. They ate their fill and thanked the staff.

More time passed and Belle and Beast couldn't sleep alone anymore. So they shared her bed every night.

AN:: Still have a chapter or 2 to go.