Hey guys! Been a while! So just a heads up I change perspectives a lot in this one. I hope it doesn't get too confusing, but let me know how it is and I'll try to alter future chapters based on the feedback on my perspective switching. Anyways enough of my rambling...enjoy!

Day 60: Experiments

Beast POV

The door opens and I cry out happily. My legs are really long now so I reach the woman in just a few strides. It's Kris, it always is. Once I had someone else visit who wasn't nice like her. It was a man who was mean and tried to take some of my blood so I attacked him with my stinger. Kris wasn't very happy with me because of it, but I could tell she was angry that the man who had come in hadn't asked her permission so she stopped being angry at me fairly quickly. She takes samples from me all the time, but she's gentle and explains as she does it. The man had tried to use force, that's what had scared me.

"Hey, sweet boy. How are you today?" I chirp in delight as she rubs my head. Elsa doesn't come as often as Kris does, which makes me happy. Kris is always patient with me and kind. I rarely see her get upset or angry. I can't say the same for Elsa...

I now have arms. They're slender, but strong and Kris gently takes my hand as she looks at one. I quietly fold my legs beneath me, like a bird, as I wait for her to finish. She prods the skin and lightly pinches, but her eyes are constantly checking for signs of pain. Kris rarely hurts me and it's never on purpose so I smile and wait. Finally, she finishes and talks into her earpiece in a hushed tone before turning back to me. "Good boy, Beast." I coo happily and she smiles. Kris has such a beautiful smile. I love to see it. "You've been a very good boy lately, actually. I should figure out some kind of reward..."

I hurriedly shake my head and grab my pad and pencil. They give me all kinds of things to use for writing, but these are my favorite. Kris watches as I write and I show her what I've written. My writing is sloppy and crooked, but she knows what I write. 'Don't have to.'

"Oh?" She seems surprised. "Why not Beast?"

I scribble on my pad some more and show her. 'You treat me nice. That reward.' She smiles, which makes me smile.

"Oh, Beast..." She rubs my head again and I coo. "You're such a sweet little boy... Now, come on. Sweet or not, you have class." I stand and hurry after her as she walks to the dry erase board that takes up a good chunk of the wall. It's what we use for class so I know she's going to be my teacher for a while now, not my playmate, but that's okay with me. As long as she's here, I'm happy.

Elsa POV

I watch as Kris teaches Beast some mundane lessons. We teach him things so he feels like he's aiming for some kind of goal, but in reality he'll use the bare minimum of what Kris teaches him.

It alarms me how at ease around him she is. She treats him like a human boy. She treats him like he's her son. Ridiculous. Attachment shows weakness. I was attached to Clive and he wanted a child. Look where that child got us! Still...I quietly observe the way Kris is with Beast. She is gentle and all her movements lack any sense of hostility. It does well for Beast's growth to be treated so tenderly...but, alas, I worry.

Lately, Kris seems...hesitant, to take samples from Beast and to run tests, even harmless ones. She says they violate him and other preposterous notions. I need to do something about this. She needs to realize he's simply a specimen, an experiment to run tests on. And I think I know just how to do that...

Kris POV

I stand and stretch. It's been a long day, but I don't mind. Beast is always so attentive and he learns so quickly. I'd spend all my days with him if I could...

A soft mewing sound near my thigh distracts me. Beast tilts his head, watching me with curious eyes. "What is it, Beast?"

He picks up his pad and scribbles for a moment before turning it to show me what he wrote. 'Idea for reward now.'

I smile at him warmly. "Yes, dear?"

Beast writes some more and shows me once again. 'A story.'

"A story?" He nods. I suppose that makes sense. Everything I teach him and do for him is logical and rational. It all has a purpose. A story would probably be a nice change for him. "Alright. How about when I visit tomorrow I'll bring a storybook? It'll have nice pictures for you to see." He immediately smiles and claps his hands, making excited chirping noises. It's rather amusing seeing Beast get worked up over something like this. I can't wait to bring him the book tomorrow...

"I brought your treat, Beast!" He sticks his head out of his hammock and his eyes light up. Beast enjoys climbing so I thought a hammock would be fun for him to sleep in. Before he got as big as he is now, but when he had grown too big for his cat tower, he wasn't balanced enough and the hammock was too difficult for him to climb into. I had been at the pet store a few days later looking for ideas for climbing structures for Beast, and had paused to look at the various animals. The ferrets particularly amused me. They were curled up in a furry heap in a hammock like bed. It was a large square with rope attached to each corner that made it hang from the ceiling. As soon as I got back to the lab, I proposed my idea to Elsa. She seems to enjoy my initiative and imagination and liked the idea. By the end of the week, Beast had his new bed and loved it. It was this bed that he now poked his head out of and smiled at me from.

I wave a thin picture book in one hand and he jumps out of his hammock, running over to me and jumping up and down excitedly. Naturally, we are observed at all times so I have to teach him his lessons first, but we finish quicker than usual and I sit cross legged to read Beast his story. To my surprise, he climbs into my lap, looking at the book. I know I'm being watched...I know I should move Beast from my lap and chastise him for this... Hell, Elsa would probably give me a gold star if I slapped him and walked out. Yet, when he turns and looks at me expectantly, all I can do is open the book and begin to read. "This story is called Something to Fight For. Once there was a little boy who didn't like to stand up for himself. Everyone pushed him around and told him what to do. He went through life doing what he was told...never questioning anyone. Then one day, a bunch of kids were mean to a girl on the playground. She started to cry, but they were still mean to her. He ran over and stood up for her, helping her. The two of them became best friends. They grew older and had kids of their own. One night, his son asked him if it was ever okay to be mean to people. His father told him it was never right to be mean to people. His son then asked if that meant he should be quiet if someone was mean. The boy's father ruffled his son's hair and told him that he shouldn't do that if it was something worth fighting for, like family and the son was quiet for a while. Finally, he looked at his father and told him he was worth fighting for. His father hugged him close and said he was worth fighting for too. The...End..."

Beast is quiet then snatches up his pad and I watch over his shoulder. 'You worth fighting for.' He turns and smiles at me.

"As are you, Beast...as are you..." I'm nearly overcome with the desire to kiss his forehead. Odd. Well, not really. He is like a child to me after all. Why does he have to be Elsa's child...?

Elsa POV

I walk to the bathroom calmly and wash the blood from my hands. I had been so angry, so very angry. My nails had bit into my hands, leaving small smears of blood. Watching Kris treat Beast like he was her child... The audacity of that little bitch... Well, the time has come to teach her a lesson about this...Beast needs to learn one as well...

Today, Kris walks in right on time. She's always early for her shifts with Beast. I smile as I go over a graph nearby. She glances in through the window as she heads for the door to Beast's chamber and pauses when she sees he's not in there. I feel a thrill of delight as I watch the happy smile slip off her face and her hand pause above the doorknob.

There's soft footsteps behind me and I wait a moment before making an irritated sigh and turning. She looks at me worriedly over her glasses. Inside, I sneer. Kris never shows her emotions except with Beast so I know she is truly worried. "What is it Kris? I'm rather busy." There's an catch in my voice, but it could be misconstrued as irritation instead of excitement so it fits perfectly.

"Umm...Ma'am...where is Beast?"

"He's clearly just hiding."

"No, Ms. Kast. He knows when I come to teach him. He's not in there. Something's wrong..."

"Oh...that's right." I tap my chin as if I only just recalled something. "Naturally, he wouldn't be in there today." I quickly turn back to the computer I'm at so that she can't see the grin spread across my face.

There's a long pause and then she quietly speaks, careful and precise. "...then where is he?"

"Oh? Didn't you get the notice? He's going through experiments for the next week." I spin in my chair, legs crossed and one hand tapping the chair's arm. "Frankly, I think the timing is ideal. His growth has slowed at adolescence, unlike Dren. We don't know if this is the rate his growth will now progress or if it's a temporary speed alteration, but either way now is an excellent time to act."

I watch various emotions battle it out in her eyes, but after just a moment she goes back to being calm and collected. "I concur and as Beast's co-handler, I would like to supervise or at least observe these experiments."

My eyes scan her face for weakness and I find none so I give her the answer I know will make her blood run cold. "No." She opens her mouth to foolishly argue so I continue. "There is no purpose. They are operating under my direct orders. They will do as I say. I will notify you when Beast is back in his cell and when you should continue your teachings. Until then, you are dismissed."

I spin back around and after a few moments there's soft footsteps and the door opens and closes. Ahhh...this will be entertaining...

Kris POV

I throw open the front door and close it with a dull thud. A happy voice calls from the kitchen. "Well, someone's early! I started dinner, but it will still be a while before it's done." I glance in the kitchen where Jessie is making food. Her wavy red hair is pulled up in a thick clip as she bustles around. "I'm making your favorite! Chicken parmesan!" She grins then frowns as she takes me in. "Hey...what's wrong...?"

I just shake my head. "I'm sorry. I'm just not hungry. . I...I didn't feel well so I left work early. Now I think I'm going to go shower..." Hurriedly, I move from the doorway up the stairs. I grab my towel and robe and dart in the bathroom. Jess and I have been together nearly five years now...she'll be able to tell something is wrong.

The water rushes from the shower head in an icy burst. I stand under the water numbly for a minute and then the tears come. Goosebumps raise all over my body, but my cheeks grow hot as the tears race down them. I slide to my knees, slouched on the shower floor as I cry. My hands cover my face as my crying turns to full on sobbing. What Beast must be going through...I can only imagine. Elsa treats him like any old experiment, but he's like a human child. It'll be like torture for him!

The door creaks open and I hear footsteps, then the shower curtain is pulled back enough for Jess to poke her head in. As soon as she sees me, she turns the water off and pulls the curtain back all the way. I feel the soft towel wrapped around me and she pulls me out of the shower to beside her on the bathroom floor. I sob into her shoulder and she holds me close, rubbing my back until I run out of tears. "Hey...now will you tell me what's wrong...? Because something is definitely wrong."

I sniffle against her shirt. "It's complicated..."

Her fingers guide my chin up to face her and she smiles at me kindly, then lightly brushes her lips against mine. "Then why don't you get into some dry clothes and we'll discuss it for as long as it takes, okay?"

I nod and she guides me to our room. Once she sees me looking though my clothes she heads out to get us drinks. It's then that it finally comes to me: today is our anniversary. That's why she was making me my favorite food. I instantly feel awful, but it's the way Jess is, no matter how much she was looking forward to this evening, she wants me to be happy and get things off my chest. I'll have to make it up to her...but first I need to talk to her abut Beast. Maybe she can think of something...at the very least she can listen. I head down to my waiting wife, ready to share what's wrong this time.

So what'd you guys think? Too many perspective changes? Too confusing? Hope you guys lied it! As always please review and hopefully I'll be quicker to update for chapter 4. Sorry again!