A/N: Due to excellent reviews, I decided to type this up. I also love this story and Jimli, we are not close to done yet! :) Also sjamerlinfan, your wish has come true. This is the fastest update I ever done. You guys know the drill, review, PM, etc. I like the end for this chapter a bit. Also you guys are awesome!

Disclaimer: "No One Would Listen" is by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Ch. 7: Truths Revealed

After that night, Gabriella inquired with Tristan about what happened. He simply answered, "It has been like that for a while." She never pushed about it after that day but kept a small eye on him. She occasionally had a dream about the man, always wondering who he was but the man always said a forgotten life. This man's calming presence made her blush but Tristan's presence made her heart pound a bit against her chest.

She learned that the place that everyone called The Hall of Portraits was the only place that Tristan used as a place for his transformation but she also noticed that it was only when the moon did not appear in the sky. Therefore, when that night came, she would follow Tristan as he went into the room, wait patiently until his transformation was complete before she entered.

When dawn came, Tristan noticed that Gabriella was sitting in the chair, which was in the room. He could not help but feel his stomach do somersaults and his heart beating fast. He lightly smiled before lifting her gently up and carrying her back to her bedroom.

It was a nice thing that added to their budding friendship. They both had someone to rely on after all the years of loneliness and independence. They also learned that Andrew had disappeared after the incident possibly hoping Tristan would forget it.

One morning, Gabriella could feel a gentle poke on her arm. She gently looked up to see Tristan crouched in front of her, wearing spectacles as he peered at her. "Happy Birthday," he told her.

She smiled gently rubbing her eyes of the sleep. She sat up a bit realizing that she was still in the living room while she was trying to sketch and fell asleep. As she began to wake up, she took Tristan's hand as he helped her up; she placed her arms against her chest while he chuckled lightly. "How did you know," she asked.

"Luka."

"Oh," she then noticed her position and gently pulled away. She then glanced at Tristan's face again noticing the glasses. He looked slightly tired but the glasses made him look a bit younger. "I never knew you wore glasses," she gently said.

Tristan quickly removed them. "I wear them when I read but anyways, I have your birthday present ready if you want," he shyly said.

"Tristan…you didn't have to."

Yeah I do. He simply smiled and began to lead up the stairs going past his bedroom, twisting and turning until she reached a room with two doors. "Tristan, what's this," she inquired.

"Why don't you open it?" She giggled gently before she opened the door, when she looked at inside, she gasped. There were many paintings with canvasses spread around the room; the main picture on the wall was of a beautiful woman with black hair and blue eyes.

Blue grayish eyes. "Tristan, it's beautiful in here," she marveled at the paintbrushes and canvasses.

Tristan smiled, "It's yours."

Gabriella turned around with wide eyes as she shook her head, "I can't."

"Gabby-"

"Tristan, please. I can't accept this."

"Gabby…" Without a word, Gabriella walked out leaving Tristan alone in the room stunned. He looked up at the portrait of the woman and sighed, "Mama, what did I do wrong?"

"Nothing you did wrong, Tristan," he turned around to see Zelda standing behind him. She closed the door as she took a seat, "I'm even surprise that you gave this room to her. I thought you never wanted to come here."

"My mother would have liked her. If she hadn't passed away…"

"You mean for not leaving."

"Excuse me?"

Zelda smirked, "Your mother left you and you didn't know that?" Tristan's eyes widened as Zelda stood up, "Did your father also know that he had an affair too?"

"You're lying."

Zelda shook her head as she ran her hands down Tristan's arms, "Your mother left you after your father had an affair. He met this beautiful woman and slept with her before tossing her aside. Your mother found out and left while your father said she died. Your father messed with the wrong person."

Tristan immediately turned back around with rage in his eyes. His eyes were golden as he lowly growled, "He had it with you?"

"Your father promised me everything," she hissed. "Then he said that he just needed a quick woman since his wife didn't do much but take care of his worthless son."

"So as punishment, you cursed his son. You are nothing but a scorn woman! I am nothing like my father," he yelled. He lunged at Zelda before she disappeared. He clutched the air before yelling loudly and storming out of the room.

B&B

"I had to deny him. I couldn't accept it, I don't deserve it," she quietly whispered.

"Gabriella," she heard her name being call.

Gabriella turned around and answered, "In here." She then returned to petting Angel, her cloak wrapped around her body. She listened as she heard footsteps walking in and she looked up to see Sofia with a concern look in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Tristan's been acting weirdly," she told her. "I never had seen him so…upset before."

"I might have been my fault."

Sofia raised an eyebrow, "How so?"

Gabriella looked down at her feet. "He gave me this beautiful room and I denied him," she answered quietly. "I wasn't sure how to handle it."

"Gabriella, please talk to him."

"I can't. He wouldn't understand. I'm just scared of-," she could feel the tears in her eyes building up as she wiped them away.

Sofia gently pulled her close, hugging her softly. "Talk to him," she gently pushed.

Gabriella nodded and soon began to walk to the rose garden. She could hear low growls as she pushed open the gate seeing Tristan in his cloak pacing back and forth. "Tris," she gently said, he ignored her before saying louder, "Tristan…"

"What?" His eyes darted to her, darker angrier, his voice was colder, and his body was more tense.

Gabriella backed away slowly, "Tristan, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"Seems everyone likes to hurt me," he coolly said.

Gabriella flinched, "Tristan, please understand…"

"Understand what?! Just leave me alone, Gabriella! I just want to be alone," he snarled at her. He turned around and suddenly he stopped, seeing the tears and fear in Gabriella's eyes. It seemed all the anger he felt slowly faded away as his eyes lighten up, moving closer to her. "Gabby…"

"No. Just leave me alone," Gabriella cried before running off.

Tristan closed his eyes in anguish before he heard a small swoosh came. "Wow, you don't know how to control your temper," Zelda stated.

"Can't you just go away?"

"Tristan, it's her birthday. She rarely celebrates it like you rarely celebrate it. She feels guilt because awful things happened on her birthday."

Tristan turned around, "What?" Zelda gave a sad look and patted the seat beside her before Tristan walked over to the seat sitting with her.

B&B

I thought he would never be like the others. I thought he was kinder than the others were but he's just like my father described, a monster. Why do people always hurt me? Gabriella cried in her pillow as she lied in her bedroom.

"Sometimes, it's out of their own rage and hurt," she looked up to see the man. He walked over, sitting at the edge of the bed. "He's hurting as much as you are, Gabriella," he told her softly.

"No, he isn't."

"He thought his mother died but it turns out she left him. His father had an affair and she found out, leaving him. She had enough, but stuck because of Tristan until that day. Then his father abandons him and he comes every three months to see him. But there is no love or happiness, just hate and disgust."

Gabriella shook her head, "He doesn't know what pain I have."

"You should let him know then."

"What if he wants more?"

Suddenly then door knocked as she opened her eyes, she sat up in her bed before walking over and opening the door. When she opened it, she could see Tristan looking down and away. He looked up and greeted, "Hello." Gabriella looked away, gestured him inside, Tristan entered in, and took a seat in a chair. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I didn't know about everything."

"You're hurt as much as I am," Tristan nodded as she sighed and sat down. "My family was happy, my father and mother fell in love and they had me. We all were together happily until I was sixteen, my mother noticed my father's growing habits in gambling and I fell in love with a young man." Tristan could feel a pang in his heart at the mention of this but continued to listen, "On my birthday, my mother and I had a fight. I stormed off to that young man's house and he took advantage of my emotions and me. He used me and when I returned home, I learned that my mother went out to find me. She was killed by a robber."

Tristan's heart dropped, so what Zelda said was true. Gabriella wiped the tears from her eyes, "My father blamed me for that and I blamed myself."

"It's not your fault," Tristan whispered. He could feel his anger boil slightly at this man who she thought loved her. He wanted to hurt him for hurting someone as wonderful as her. He wanted to comfort her and tell her that she is cared for immensely.

Gabriella shook her head,"It feels like it is and my father reminded me each time of this, that's why he always made me get his money back because I was already damaged. When you gave me that gift, Tristan, I don't deserve it…" she began to cry. Tristan suddenly felt more guilt take in as he realized that his rage hurt her, his monster self hurt this beautiful person who was his friend, who he had grown quite fond of.

He got up from his chair, slowly approaching her. "Look at me," he asked her. Her eyes looked at him as he gently wiped them away, "You are not alone and you are not damaged."

"Promise?"

All Tristan did was cross his heart then took Gabriella's hand over his heart, whispering back, "I promise."

It was a promise well kept. That evening, Tristan made sure that dinner was ready for Gabriella for her birthday. When she arrived, she was amazed at this and as the summer gradually ended with Gabriella celebrating with everyone in the Castle while Tristan watched on the side, the signs of winter in the Castle began to take over.

When she awoke the next morning, Gabriella found a small bouquet of many different colored roses except red ones. She smiled as she looked out her window for a moment before she was surprise to see the frost on the window.

She went downstairs and asked with Tristan, also asking back about the art room. She didn't wish to work in it yet but she would hope to go in there one day, an answer Tristan accepted happily.

About the frost, according to Tristan, he said that the seasons were faster in change. Fall would skip and go straight into winter frost and that meant staying inside more. She also wondered about the roses that now were Tristan's good morning for her, each day with a new color of roses by her bedside but mostly white ones. Tristan told her that the garden was never affected by the frost as long as it had guests.

Late one afternoon, Gabriella heard piano music playing; she walked down the hallway until she reached the art room and slowly opened the door to the art room to notice that the room was slightly rearrange with a small piano in the corner.

The player was Tristan who was with his eyes closed. Gabriella walked over, took a seat by a canvass, and gazed at the piano player. His fingers ran slowly down the keys as they played the slow melody with him quietly singing.

"No one would listen

I alone could hear the music

Then, at last, a voice in the gloom

Seemed to cry, "I hear you"

I hear you fears

Your torment and your tears."

Gabriella picked up a small piece of charcoal and began slowly to sketch him as he continued to play to his unknown audience. She smiled, as she made sure that he had his face showing even though of the scars. She just wanted to capture those blue eyes that made her curious.

"She saw my loneliness

Shared in my emptiness

No one would listen

No one but her

Heard as the outcast hears…"

His head lifted up, noticing Gabriella. He suddenly stopped as he watched her sketch. Gabriella could feel eyes watching her and noticed the music stopped as she looked up blushing hard. "I heard you playing," she smiled.

"I noticed," he smirked.

"I hope you don't mind. Just play one more line and I should be done," Gabriella told him. He raised an eyebrow and looked at her before her eyes redirected to the canvass, "I was sketching you."

"You might want to get rid of it," Tristan told her as he refocused to the piano, playing another chord and began to sing it again.

"No one would listen…

No one but her…

Heard as the outcast hears…"

Gabriella finished the last bit before standing up, "I won't trash it. I think it's lovely and I don't see any portraits of you in the Castle."

"Because it reminds me of what I was."

"But I like who you are now," she retorted. Tristan sighed before walking over to her; he stood beside her and looked at the painting. He grinned at it as she showed the portrait off, "If you keep coming in here and play, I'll come in here to paint?"

Tristan nodded, gazing at it. It was of him, playing the piano, his face looking up at her with his eyes smiling at her, his scars lightly shown but he had to admit.

It looked wonderful.

He then glanced down at Gabriella, seeing a full-blown smile across her face. It made his heart beat faster as she looked up at him and gently hugged him. He hugged her back as she said, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For my gift, it was most thoughtful gift I ever got."

"Of course." I would give you everything even this heart…

He was riding through the forest, his face looked older as his beautiful dark brown hair was slowly graying. His youth and beauty were depleting but he didn't care for he was still handsome in his eyes for his son was still hideous. He unfortunately had to see his son and see if he hadn't cause issues yet.

After all, it was the duty of a duke and a good father.