A/N: Finally, I'm back. Sorry for taking so long, I've been doing a lot of other stuff. Oh boy I have a lot of people to acknowledge, so let's get started with that.

The Albino Wolf: THANK YOU SO MUCH! I seriously appreciate the compliment! I'm glad this is one of the best you have ever read, I hope this next chapter suits you as well.

RCRC36: Thank you as well!

shadowstriker55: Thank you and here's the next one you've been waiting for patiently!

Cold-heart-Angel23: Thank you, I do agree, it's a different path that hasn't been taken as much. Thank you, I hope I'm doing a good job with writing her, she's a bit difficult at times but I like to challenge myself with difficult to write characters. Sorry for not updating as soon, but here it is! Finally!

I apologize once more for being so late, and this chapter won't be very long, but hopefully it will satisfy you! Also the next one will be longer, or so I plan, so don't worry! So here we go!

Beatrice's POV:

As she stared at him desperately, she saw his eyes fade slightly, as if he were going into some sort of memory. Not wanting to disturb him-for she was feeling much pain at this whole mess- she turned away silently, and looked out into the dark woods. If only she had been there to see the two brothers go. Well, she had, but she should have stayed and watched for one of them in case they… in case something like this had happened. But no, she had to go and save her family, and while that was more important, at least to her, now this had happened, and she was feeling worse every minute she thought about it. Brushing back a bit of red hair, she said, very quietly, and only for the two of them to hear, "I shouldn't have let you leave like that."

Wirt, or more correctly, as she saw it now, the Beast, did not reply at all. He appeared to be thinking something either the same or different, she did not know, but she did know that he was thinking something along the same lines as she was. This was horrible.

Yet was he? With everything that was different about him… he was no longer just a kind boy, the dark and mean, and fiercer, side of the Beast had kicked in. He probably didn't care for her, no matter what he said. She knew the nature of the Beast as well as anyone in the Unknown did, and because the previous one had been so horrible, this one was most likely going to turn out the same. She wondered if there was any way to save him, but most likely, there wasn't. Goodness knows what was going on in his world, in his place. Poor Greg. Lost and alone. She knew the younger boy looked up to Wirt a lot, but now… a silent tear slipped down her face, she still was not facing Wirt, but she could feel more coming and refused to let them start. Beatrice could not give way to emotion in front of someone like Wirt. The poor creature would run away.

Since the ever-threatening fear of having to marry this horrible man, she hadn't wanted to think about what Wirt would say. Now she knew what he would've. What he had said, what the spirit of the Beast had said, proved everything right.

"I don't understand you. You wish to conceal yourself, but you are not fully transformed. There is a way…" she then quit talking, knowing it was hopeless. No more tears went down her face, but she was still feeling the empty hollowness that she had felt for the past 20 minutes.

"I… Beatrice… I don't understand either." Wirt said, and it really was Wirt, she could hear him again, it was his voice. She looked at him, her eyes brightening, hoping the real Wirt was there.

"So you are good? You will recover! I will save you. And I'm sure Greg will try his hardest to as well… from your world."

"I never said that!" he snapped, glaring at her, with his bright yellow eyes. She stumbled backwards, staring at him. She should have known there was still the nasty part of him.

"Fine. Go on your own. Become the Beast. Because you know what?!" Beatrice shrieked, and whirled around, "I don't care!"

With this last sentence, she broke into a sob, tears beginning to stream down her face, and she crashed to the ground. Every last bit of strength she had was gone, and now it was all hopeless. Her red hair was in her face, sticking to it as it became entrapped in her tears. She could only see Wirt standing there, but he wasn't coming any closer. He was standing, completely still, not seeming to care that she was standing there.

"Neither do you, I can tell!" she screamed once more, still furious, and then watched as he seemed to fight internally against his own mind, he was being torn in two, just as she was, one part of her couldn't believe this was Wirt, but the other half of her told her it was, and she needed to help him.

Suddenly the door to the house opened and she saw the Beast disappear behind a tree. Her mother came out, looking desperate, and when she saw Beatrice on the ground, she ran over to her. Beatrice was still sobbing, and felt her mother's gentle hands on her shoulders. Looking up through tears, she grasped her mother's right hand, and with one last look behind her, pulled herself up and walked into the house, leaning on her mother's left shoulder.

When they got inside, her mother looked at her gently, and seemed to be, not ready to punish her, but to comfort her.

"Whatever it is, my dear, please, take off your clothes up in your room and get to bed. You need it." she said. Beatrice, since her normal teenage ignorance was forgotten, didn't glare, only nodded slightly, tears still going down her face.

Running up the stairs, she made her way to her room, and locked the door. She then got undressed, shoved on a robe, and after extinguishing the lamp, crawled hurriedly into bed. She hardly felt the need to go to sleep, but Beatrice couldn't help it. Her exhausted body and desperate mind couldn't handle much more.

The morning sunlight flooded her eyes alarmingly when she awoke. Beatrice could hear a bird singing outside the window, and for a few moments, she forgot everything that had happened the previous night and felt joy flood her. Then the bird reminded her of the time she had been one herself, and then she remembered Wirt.

Sitting up suddenly, she found that she had kicked off all the sheets in some apparent dream, and her robe had become untied. Rushing to the dresser, she grabbed a dress and began to get changed and once she was finished, ran downstairs. Maybe Wirt would be out there, so she could get him home. But looking out the window, her hope died as she remembered his form from last night.

After sitting down at the table and grabbing some food, and eating it slowly, she began to let her mind wander. There was no telling what that horrible man that she was apparently being forced to marry was going to do today. If he came around, she would surely burst into tears again. Unless she could convince someone she didn't want him-which, as her mother had made clear, there was no doing-she was going to be forced to hear him prattle on about nothing.

Beatrice walked outside, looking around at the beautiful, cloudless sky, and breathed in the air. Her mind cleared, and if she could keep it like that, this day would be perfect.

A/N: Alright, well, I hope I get the next chapter up as soon as possible! Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Once again, please, review, review, review!