"What are you doing Blair?" Max demanded as he stared at the sight before him. He'd heard tales, but never could he imagine a sight like the one before him. Cord and Cain were just as shocked; they wanted to turn around. The canine David Vickers began to growl, until Todd stared at it and then it took a few steps back by its owner Cord.

"Max, have you lost your mind? I should ask you the same thing. Have you followed me?"

"I now know why it is you haven't accepted my proposal. This…this creature…has put some kind of spell on you. Do not worry, Blair. I'm here and you do not have to worry any longer. I will take care of it." Max looked around and saw exactly what he was looking for, an ancient sword, and he grabbed it and pointed it at Todd. Todd swiftly grabbed it away and pointed it back at Max.

"No, Max. Stop this. Stop it right now. You don't know what you are doing. He hasn't done anything wrong. He is a good man. He would never hurt me. You have to stop this nonsense and just forget about us, Max. It's never going to happen. I don't love you. You are a good man. You deserve a wonderful woman who will love you and accept you for the man that you are. I just can't be that woman."

Max couldn't help but notice how, subconsciously, Blair's eyes flickered towards The Beast as she talked, and he knew something was up. "Let me get this straight, he is so wonderful and perfect, and you turn me down. What is it, Blair… do you have feelings for this…this creature?"

All eyes were on her as they awaited her answer, Todd especially. "I don't really know. I don't know how I feel. I feel a connection with him I never have with anyone else before, I do know that. And I will not let you hurt him."

"Blair get out of my way. I'll take care of him, my way," Todd growled as he started to lunge for Max. Blair again intervened and pleaded with him, looking him in the eyes.

"No, Todd. You know this isn't the way. You know what the right thing to do is. You know in your heart that you can't go around hurting people because you're hurt. They don't know what they are doing. You do. Are you going to be like them or are you going to be better than they are? Because the Todd I know would not hurt anyone, and that's the one I have come to care about."

"Isn't that sweet, she has feelings for the creature. They look so good together, don't you think?" Max laughed, turning towards his friends.

"If I do you would never understand. You don't understand the first thing about feelings or compassion or kindness. You don't understand how the heart works, Max. That's why I can never be with you. You and I are too different. We want different things from life," Blair walked up to him and touched his cheek gently, with Todd glaring at him.

"Okay. Okay. If this is what you want I can accept this. Max Holden doesn't beg for any woman. Come on boys. Let's go. Are you coming Blair? At least let us escort you home. For old times' sake."

Blair looked at Todd, and knew how frustrated he must be. His birthday was fast approaching and yet nothing had happened. She was feeling something for him, but what it was, she wasn't sure. Was it love? Surely if it were they would know it by now. So she walked up to him and hugged him then turned around to walk with the boys, not looking back. She wasn't sure what she would do next, if she should even bother seeing Todd any more, but for right now she just wanted to go home.

0000

About half way through the journey home Max spoke up. "David Vickers seems to have wandered off. Imagine that."

Cord began to panic. That was his wife, Tina's dog, and if he went home without David then he would be in big trouble. "I thought you were watching him, " he turned to Cain.

"It's your dog. Your problem."

"You know what, boys. You and Blair keep walking back to the village. I will be more than happy to find the little devil. You know how dogs can be. I will return shortly. Blair…take care of yourself," Max said cryptically before wandering off.

It never occurred to her to think of it as strange that Max was the one that noticed David Vickers was gone. Max hated dogs. They were too much trouble, at least in his opinion. She looked around and realized that Todd was in deep trouble indeed. She had to get to him before Max did.

By the time she got to the castle, it was too late. The place had obviously been torched, and there were blazes everywhere. She yelled out Todd's name, but if he heard her he never responded. The place wasn't too bad, so she decided to trudge carefully.

She wasn't in there but a few minutes when she was suddenly swept off of her feet. It was him, and she didn't have time to say anything. In one swift motion he lifted her up off the heated floor and carried her outside, where he laid her down. She began to cough, and when she stopped she opened her eyes.

Todd had disappeared. Where had he gone? She wanted- needed – to thank him, yet he was nowhere to be found. Surely he didn't go back into the burning building. At the foot of the entrance lay his shirt, and she began to panic. What was it that was so urgent that he needed to lay down his life for? Then it occurred to her- it was her. He gave his life so that she could live. The thought was too much for her as she began to break down in tears. He was gone, and she would never be able to tell him how she really felt about him. What kind of man would sacrifice everything for the woman he loved? The kind of man she wanted to be with forever, that's who. And now he was gone, never to be told the truth. Blair realized she didn't even care about the curse anymore. She wanted him, just as he was, and everything felt so wrong now; in just a matter of days her world had been turned upside down. And now in a matter of minutes all that she had waited for for her entire life had disappeared, gone with the ashes of a cruel act of a vengeful man.

As Blair fell to the ground, burying her face into her hands, she felt a touch on the small of her back. Startled, she looked up to see a very handsome man looking at her, smiling. At first she wondered who this stranger was, but then he turned his head and she saw the scar, and she knew. Even without that mark, she still would know him from the warm familiarity of his eyes, and for once she was speechless.

"It's ..it's you," she managed to say as soon as he kneeled to the ground to join her. Blair sat up, and Todd took her hands in his as they faced each other.

"It's me. And it's you. It's me and you. We did it. I don't know how but we broke the curse. I guess I owe you a thank you," he looked down.

"No, it's you. I don't know your mother, and I don't want to know her, but I think this wasn't about me. It was about you and you learning to love someone other than yourself. And I think you have. I'm glad you have," Blair smiled.

"Why couldn't she have just sent me to my room?"

Blair smiled. "I know it must have been hard, but look at it this way- we found each other, and I don't know about you but I will never let go, not after everything we've been through. I don't know why but I know now that I believe in love at first sight."

Todd laughed. "Come on. First sight?"

"Okay. Maybe it took a few times. But I knew there was something special about you, and I'm glad I saw it through. There is one thing I would change about you, however."

Todd rolled his eyes. "So you can get past my physical appearance but I have an inner flaw that just bothers you? This ought to be good."

Blair put her finger on his mouth. "The thing I would like to change about you is you are forgetful. You have forgotten to kiss me, and it's your birthday already."

He grinned. "I guess I have. We'll just have to remedy that." So he pulled her close to him, there as they sat on the ground, and he kissed her with all of the passion that a man who had been a prisoner in his own body could have. Finally when they pulled away they shared a sly smile with each other.

"What happens next, after the girl gets her guy?" Blair asked as she took hold of Todd's hand.

"I know you want me to say they live happily ever after, but that's not how it works. The guy makes the girl mad, she tells all her friends she hates him, she ditches him for another guy to make the first one jealous, they get back together, and it all starts over again…." Todd saw Blair look at him with amusement in her eyes. "Oh what the hell, they live happily ever after. At least until they wake up in the morning."

Blair playfully hit him on the arm.

"What?"

"I don't know about happily ever after but I can see it's going to be a very interesting ride," she smiled.

"Happy- I don't know about. But interesting- that I can guarantee," Todd said before taking her into his arms again, this time vowing that he would never let her go. And in the end, he didn't. Turns out happily ever after came along , imperfect, scarred, and battered after all. And neither of them would have it any other way.

The end