I am terrible at updating, hence putting a few up in a short time to try and make up for how much I suck.

Yo MaMa: What if Belle never had feelings for the beast ?

Belle sat on her bed, running her thumb along the sides of the mirror in her hand. She longed for her friend Beast, or Adam as the castle had informed her after his passing. Little Town mourned Gaston, nearly worshiping him as a hero for giving his life to destroy the Beast of the Castle. The chapel was full with nearly every member of the village, save herself and her father. Her father had been locked in the institution, but she had been allowed her freedom. The village deemed she only defended the beast because he held her captive, and she let them think their hateful lies.

She was heartbroken, and blamed herself for his death. Missus Potts had informed her of Adam's curse, and what it took to break it. They had all held such hope for her, put her on a pedestal, and she let them down. She had cared for Adam deeply, but she could not call it love. She felt love took longer to develop. Given more time, she was sure she may have one day broken his curse, their curse. Now they were doomed to their cursed bodies trapped in the enchanted castle for the remainder of their lives. Because of her. The others had welcomed her to stay at the castle, but she couldn't bear the guilt. She had tried at first, staying in her old room. Missus Potts was kind enough to her, but she saw the change in the others. They didn't talk to her as much, and even the library failed to be the sanctuary it once was.

While Little Village held their memorial service to mark the one-year since Gaston's death, she felt the pain of Adam's death as if it were new, and the aching loneliness of the house without her father.

"Please, show my my father," she asked the mirror. It swirled, and her father's image came to shape. He appeared well, he was clean shaven and in clean clothes. She had been unsuccessful in demanding his release, but had been successful in at least significantly improving his accommodations. She visited him several days a week, but this was one day she couldn't bear to see him. She felt to blame for his imprisonment.

She had come to hate Little Town; after what they did. Her quiet village had proved it was not the peaceful place it once was. That its people were not the cheerful loving folk she grew up with. She had seen them at their worst, and was no longer capable of believing them at their best. She placed the mirror down and went to gather her cloak hanging by the door. Little Village had allowed her to keep her home, and she worked odd jobs around the village to maintain a meager income. She had saved everything she could, and scraped together just enough money to purchase a wagon. At the foot of her bed were most of her possessions, They consisted of a pathetically small amount of clothing, a brush for her hair, and an armful of books. She had stashed some bread, cheese, salt fish, dried meats, and a variety of vegetation in the ice box and a new block of ice to keep everything cold until she was ready. She slipped through the door and walked toward the stables. Phillip was grazing in his fenced pasture, and trotted excitedly to her,

"Hey boy, what do you say we go for a ride?" She asked, and his excited stomping showed his enthusiastic response. She laughed gently, and after giving him a brush and cleaning his hooves placed his saddle and leaped onto his back. She directed him to the woods, and guided him to the path that led to the castle. She led him in a gentle trot, and slowed to a walk as the castle came into view. She followed the northern road, keeping the castle to her right. She soon saw the iron fence, and led Phillip up to the gate. She dismounted, dying his lead to an iron post.

"I'll try not to be long," she said to the steed, and entered the small cemetery. She walked slowly, finding the stone she was looking for in the back row. It stood out from the rest, breaking the organized symmetry, the large plot standing out on its own. The carving on the stone was just a simple Adam no family name, no dates. It looked misplaced, but it fit him better that way. She knelt before the stone, feeling the tears mounting on her eyelashes.

"I'm sorry Beast," she whispered, using the name she knew him as. "This year went by fast," she paused, bringing the back of her hand across her eyes. "I doubt you want to hear from me. I miss you," she tried to smile, and shifted into a sitting position. "My father is doing well, all things considered. Phillip is as stubborn as always," she paused, wondering why she was making small talk with a stone. She was unsure if she believed in a heaven or a hell, but she knew there were things beyond her understanding. "I wish I could have broken your curse... maybe you'd still be alive. You'd be human. Everyone would be. They'd all be happy. I just wasn't this big hero everyone wanted me to be. I'm still plain old Belle, plain girl from Little Town," She hugged her knees, and sat in silence for a long while. She looked up at the dark gothic castle, wondering what it looked like in it's glory days. What it looked like before the curse. Roses surrounded the cemetery and she frowned at them, feeling that the flowers were mockign her. The flower that marked his curse now followed him into death. "It's not fair," she sighed, breaking her long silence,

"Life's never fair dear," a familiar voice echoed from behind her. Belle turned, startled, and looked at Missus Potts sitting on her cart.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll leave," Belle moved to stand, but Missus Potts moved her cart closer,
"None of that now," she scolded. "We never made you leave dear. I know the others made it hard, but we miss you dearie, you should visit us once in a while," Belle shook her head, and began to sob,

"But it's all my fault. It's my fault Gaston came here, my fault he killed Beast. It's my fault the curse was never broken..."

"I said none of that now!" Missus Potts did a little hop in place, and gave the impression of a woman stomping her foot, "It is not your fault the curse wasn't broken. And it was only a matter of time until the people of Little Town came here."

"All he needed was someone to love him," Belle sighed, "Bit I-"

"No one can force love dearie. We never should have put that pressure on you. Love happens when it happens. You can't force it. If you force it, it isn't true love," Her voice was as soothing as her tea, and Belle was able to calm her sobs.

"I miss him. How was it not love? How can it hurt this much?" She questioned, wondering if she could convince herself it was love everything would be fixed. That she could at least cure her friends, fix the castle, even if it was too late for Beast.

"I miss him too dearie, we all do. There's many kinds of love, I loved Adam. Stubborn fool that he was. I'm sure you did love him, in a way. But we can't choose who we love, you can't force it."

"You're stuck like this because of me," Belle replied, "everyone is. Everyone is stuck as a pot, or a candlestick, a clock, a broom. No real body because of me."

"You didn't curse us dear. You weren't a witch who didn't care who got trapped in her spell when punishing one young man. You weren't a spoiled prince who turned away an old woman in the cold simply because she was ugly."

"But it's my fault they knew about Beast. If I hadn't shown them with the mirror-"
"You did it to save your father, no one can blame you for that," Missus Potts nodded side-to-side,

"Yet they locked him up anyway," Belle sighed, trying to keep herself calm. The guilt was feeling as fresh as it did a year ago, when she helped the others dig the massive grave for Beast, with no priest to say words. When she went home to find her father locked up despite her proving he wasn't crazy. To return to the castle to find everyone treating her as coldly as Little Town.

"Come inside dear, have some tea, some hot food. The others understand none of this was your fault," Belle shook her head, and stood up, dusting off her dress.

"No. I don't belong here. I don't belong in Little Town. I've always wanted to see more. I think it's time I did. If I leave Little Town they'll let me take my father with me, we'll find a new place. There's too many memories here," Missus Potts tried to argue, but Belle shook her head again. "Thank you for everything Missus Potts. You've always been so nice to me. But I don't belong here." She turned, walking away from the protesting woman to where she left Phillip. She rubbed his nose as he nickered at her. "Come on boy, let's go see father."

I hope this was up to par... I know it's short but I couldn't see this one being much longer.