Disclaimer: I don't own anything there. Disney owns Beauty and the Beast and its characters.

Back at the castle, Lumiere, Cogsworth, and Mrs. Potts were in the castle foyer.

"Well, that's that," Cogsworth said. "The last petal has fallen. We'll never be human again."

"Poor Master," Mrs. Potts said. "Did you hear that roar? I went to investigate, and not surprisingly, it was a response to the loss of the last petal."

"And here I always had hope, all these years," Lumiere said.

Suddenly, the footstool ran to the window barking. The three head servants went over to see what was going on.

"There's Philippe!" Lumiere exclaimed. "The girl has returned!"

"Wait a minute," Cogsworth said. "That's not Belle riding the horse."

"Oh my word," Mrs. Potts said. "It's her father."

They watched as Maurice dismounted Philippe and cautiously walked towards the door. They made sure to be at the door as it slowly opened, leaving room for him to step in.

"Good evening, sir," Mrs. Potts said. "Is all well with Belle?"

"It is concerning to see you here without her," Lumiere said.

"Well," Maurice said. "There is something wrong. I came here for two reasons." He pulled Chip out of his saddlebag. "This little lad seems to have snuck into Belle's bag when she was leaving. She asked that I get him back before his mother starts to worry."

"Chip!" Mrs. Potts said scoldingly. "I thought you were in the cupboard. Get there, now!"

"I'm sorry, Mama," Chip said, hopping towards the kitchen. "I just wanted to try to get Belle to come back."

"Well, you don't go wandering off like that. We'll talk about it tomorrow. Cupboard, now!" Mrs. Potts turned to Maurice. "Thank you, sir, for bringing him home."

"Yes, thank you," said Cogsworth. "Now, if I may ask, why wasn't it Belle who brought him back?"

"That's a bit abrupt of you, Cogsworth," Mrs. Potts said.

"I-I'm sorry," Maurice said. "Belle is...indisposed. She wants me to let the...B-beast know what happened. Um...c-could I talk to h-him?"

The servants understood the reason for the stuttering. Maurice's last encounter with their Master has been nothing short of terrifying. Cogsworth went off to let the Beast know of Maurice's arrival.

Meanwhile, in the West Wing, the Beast sat in his chair, just staring at the now dead stem of the rose, surrounded by the petals that lay around it. He didn't even turn to acknowledge Cogsworth as he entered.

"Uh, Master," the clock said. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but Belle's father has arrived on her horse. He says Belle sent him, and that there's something wrong with her. He requests an audience with you, sir."

At the words "there's something wrong with her", the Beast jolted back to his senses.

"Send him in here," he said.

"Yes, sir," Cogsworth said before leaving.

A few minutes later, a very nervous looking Maurice stood in the doorway. Sensing his presence, the Beast turned to face him, which caused the old man to cringe a bit.

"Come in," the Beast said softly.

Maurice cautiously stepped into the room, and stopped when he was some distance from the Beast. Despite what Belle and Chip had told him, he wasn't about to get too close. It would take a bit of time for him to relax.

"I-I'm s-sorry to intrude again," he said, pulling out the letter. "But there's a big problem with Belle. Something has happened to her. She sent this letter for you."

The Beast reached out a paw to take the letter in Maurice's hand. Cringing, Maurice took a step back and gave the letter a toss, which the Beast caught easily. He would read the letter in a moment, but he realized the issue of this man's fear needed to be addressed. The Beast was guilt-ridden, knowing his previous behavior had caused the fear Maurice was now displaying.

"Monsieur, I...I'm sorry," he said. "I was wrong before. You need not fear me now. Belle...she changed me."

"Belle did say you've changed," Maurice said. "I...I just don't know what to think." The old man shuddered, clearly still not emotionally ready to relax. "I can't even believe I willingly brought myself into your presence. But she insisted I do so, and if it can help her in any way..."

"Let me take a look at this note," the Beast said. "Fortunately, Belle taught me how to read." Unfolding the piece of paper, the Beast began to read the letter. He could tell Belle's hands were shaking as she wrote, and a look of concern crossed his face.

***

I don't even know where to begin. So much has happened since I got my father stabilized. I hope he's still okay when he gets to you. I told him how kind you had become, but I believe it will take some time for him to relax. But I needed him to deliver this to you so you know what happened, and I would like you to keep him safe at the castle if you don't mind.

Soon after he recovered from being near death, the director of the village's insane asylum came to take him away. Everyone in the village thinks he's crazy, and it seems when he came back asking them for help rescuing me from a Beast in a castle, it really didn't help their opinion of him. What's worse, there's this man who everyone in the village loves, almost worships, named Gaston. He's very influential in the village. Before I came to the castle, he had been courting me and just hours before I met you he proposed marriage. But I've always seen right through him. He is handsome, but he's very boorish and rude, and has an oversized ego. He wanted me as his wife, as his trophy wife. It was harmless though annoying at first, but, well, while you've changed for the better, Gaston has changed for the worse.

It seems he hired the director of the asylum commit Papa unless I would agree to marry him. All the villagers were around when they came to the door, soon after my father recovered. It all happened so fast, it seems like a blur. I didn't want to marry him, I don't love him. At all. Out of desperation, and I'm very sorry that I did this, I grabbed the mirror and proved to them your existence, and thus my father's sanity.

With that plan thwarted, Gaston riled the crowd into an angry mob. Despite my protests, he convinced them that you would come into the village and kill everybody, eat the children, etc., and that they must come to kill you. I knew the real reason Gaston wanted you dead, because he saw you as in his way of getting to me. And it was just like a flashback to when I was pleading for you to let my father go. Before I knew it, I agreed to marry him. It happens in the morning at nine o'clock. I don't want this, but it had to be done to spare your life.

Please do not try to storm the village to rescue me. They will make short work of you. It's all my fault they even know about you. I'll never forgive myself if they hurt you. Please, just stay away from the village. Don't try to rescue me. I'll be okay, trust me. I'll just be stuck cooking, cleaning, and bearing children until we have, as he put it, six or seven strapping boys like him. You know, wifely duties.

I don't know what he will try to do with my father in order to manipulate me. I don't want to bear his children, I don't want to, well, how do I put it delicately...I don't want to do it with the likes of him, and plan to avoid it as long as possible. Please keep Papa safe at the castle. I will only do it with him if and when it seems he will try storm the castle again. Hopefully he doesn't do it to me forcibly. I wouldn't put it past him.

When I first got to the castle, Mrs. Potts told me it would all turn out all right in the end. That proved to be the case as you became gentle. I can only pray that turns out to be the case here, but honestly the only change I see Gaston as capable of is change for the worse. I can only hope things get better.

Oh, and I was watching you in the mirror after the mob dissipated. You see, to calm the crowd after making them think you would kill everyone, Gaston looked in the mirror and pretended to see wolves mauling you to death...he'd never admit he was sparing you because I agreed to marry you, and the crowd was so enraged I doubt they even noticed our exchange. When I got back inside, I looked to be sure you were alive, and as I figured, it was just an excuse on his part. Anyway, the rose...I've known since I first found it that there had to be something about it. But I'll always be curious as to why you roared so painfully when the last petal fell.

Well, I guess there's not much else to say. I have to get Papa headed to the castle. I'm sending the mirror, I don't want him getting lost in the woods again. It's not good for his health. I'm going to tell him to ask the mirror to show him the safest route to the castle. I guess this is goodbye.

By the way Beast...I love you.

Belle

***

The Beast's paws were shaking by the time he finished the letter. He was flooded with so many thoughts and emotions. His beloved Belle was prisoner once again, and once again it was of her own choice. And once again she did so to protect one that she loved. Yes, he now knew she loved him. It may have been too late to break the spell, but at least he now knew. And that fact relieved and horrified him at the same time. He was relieved, because even if he had to remain a Beast for all time, at least he did managed to love and earn love. He was horrified, because this meant that she had just sacrificed her freedom for him. And now he felt even worse for what he had previously done to Belle's father, now having firsthand experience with the horrible feelings Maurice must have felt when he took the old man's daughter away from him, even if it was of her choice. And she implored him not to try to help her, but how could he not? He swallowed as the taste of bile rose up into his mouth, that taste that suggests one may vomit at any moment. Once the bile went back down where it belonged, he made a desperate call for his head servants.

"LUMIERE! COGSWORTH!! MRS. POTTS!!! COME QUICKLY!!!! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!!!!!"

Suddenly, he heard a crash and looked to see Maurice falling over a pile of furniture. While the staff had tidied up the wing, the Beast trashed it again in his despair when Belle left, and even more when the last petal fell from the rose. It seemed his thunderous bellowing for his staff had frightened the fellow so badly that he tried to flee, only to run into a pile of rubble. Nice going, he silently scolded himself. You've just scared the total crap out of him again.He rushed over, kneeling beside Belle's father. He pulled a table that fell onto the old man and gently placed a massive forepaw around his shoulders, using the other forepaw to clear a spot tor Maurice to stand before pulling him to his feet. He left his paw around the shaking Maurice's shoulders, hoping that his gentleness would register, and that he could begin to gain his trust. He didn't know what to say. He should have known that bellowing out like that would terrify the already nervous man, especially considering their previous encounter. He silently prayed that this would not cause the frail fellow's health to go back downhill.

The teapot, candelabra, and mantel clock appeared within moments. Cogsworth addressed the Beast.

"You called, sir?"

The Beast, realizing he must have dropped Belle's letter while rushing to the aide of her father, looked around. When he saw it lying on the floor, he gestured to it.

"Read that," he said, voice full of concern.

Lumiere, extinguishing the flames on his 'hands' picked up the note and they all read it.

"The poor child," Mrs. Potts said, blinking back tears.

"I can't imagine," Lumiere said.

"A little late to confess her love, wasn't it?" said the fussy Englishman-turned-mantel clock.

"Cogsworth, what a thing to say!" Lumiere scolded. "Can you not tell she's in a very bad situation?"

"The spell doesn't matter now," the Beast said softly, his paw still on Maurice, who was still shaking, albeit slightly less. "What matters now is the one I love is in such a position, and for my sake. And she doesn't want me to rescue her, fearing for my safety. But how can I just sit around and let her remain with someone who obviously doesn't love her? I...I can't."

Suddenly, there was a flash of light in the room, and there stood the Enchantress.

"Congratulations, young prince," she said. "You were a bit late, but have learned to love another, and have earned her love in return. While I can't excuse the time limit, I will help you with the current situation."

"What can you do?" asked the Beast, removing his paw from Maurice and standing to face the one who placed the curse on him and his staff.

"Do you want to get Belle out of that situation?"

"Of course," the Beast said. "But...somehow I have to do it without putting myself at risk. I don't care about my safety, but Belle would be crushed if something happened to me, which is why she begged me not to help."

"Well, pick one of your staff to go scope out the situation. Don't worry, I'll make sure no one is harmed."

The Beast looked down at his three head servants, as if silently asking for a volunteer. It was Lumiere who stepped up to the plate.

"I'll go, Master."

"Okay," the Beast said. "I'll send Lumiere."

"Very well," the Enchantress said. She snapped her fingers and produced a tiny necklace, which she put around Lumiere's 'neck'. "Lumiere, this necklace functions similarly to the mirror. Only it will take you anywhere you wish to go. Just tell it where you want to go, and you'll be there the very next moment. Go to Belle's house and let her know you're there. And if your Master doesn't mind, perhaps you could satisfy her curiosity about that rose. Watch the wedding, but keep away from anyone's sight. Then hang out where Belle and Gaston will live, only revealing yourself when Belle is alone. Scope out the situation. Learn Gaston's routines. Spend a few days there, or as long as it takes, and figure out when would be the best time for your Master to act. I'll be back at that point." She snapped her fingers again, and produced another mirror. "Take this to Belle, since she sent back the one your Master gave her. That way she'll have a mirror to see what goes on here, and your Master can also see her.

With another flash of light, she was gone.

"Lumiere," the Beast looked at the candelabra, eyes full of gratitude, and worry. "Thank you...and...be careful."

"Oui, Master!" Lumiere said, saluting the Beast. He then nodded to all who were present before speaking to the necklace. "Take me to Belle's house." And with that, he was gone.