Familiar ending
Second multiple ending to this fic, once again thank you all so much for reading, favouriting and reviewing this fic. I'm also really happy you all seem to like how I write Bloody Mary. :D She's my favorite character (And Waifu XD) What can I say? I got a thing for women in leather who can kick ass. Also in the chapter "Choices matter" did anyone get The walking dead game reference in the title? And check out my BigbyXBloody Mary fanfic "A kick in the teeth is good for some,". I been thinking about continuing it, plot ideas had been stirring around in my head. Sorry if this update took too long, It was hard getting hyped to write this chapter since I don't ship BeastXBeauty... Oh well enjoy.
Anxious fingers tapped against Beauty's thigh, to ask her to stop fidgeting around would be asking the impossible. The red jacket wearing woman couldn't sit still if her life depended on it. She was doing anything but staying calm and composed. If it was up to her she would be pacing back and fourth throughout the Trip trap... but Holly and Grendel (mainly Grendel) got annoyed by it. All she could do sit around and wait an hope he would come.
It wasn't easy convincing Holly and Grendel to agree to help her. Holly wasn't too keen on keeping her bar open later and miss a few more hours of sleep. Grendel wasn't fond of helping her since she had to tell him and Holly the whole story. Both of them were greatly disappointed upon hearing about the mistaken drunken one nightstands Beauty have had with Bloody Mary. However, just because Mary was a sly and evil woman that didn't excuse her actions. She should had told Beast right away, and said no to the dinner with Mary and returned the diamond necklace... Beauty almost threw her whole marriage away for a little freedom. Yes a life with no worries or cares to dwell upon sounded nice, but it wasn't real... unless you were willing to do the wrong things in life like Bloody Mary did. Lies, deceit, stealing and murder... that was the life Mary lived, it was all wrong, no matter what reward it gave ... it was the evil way of life...
That wasn't the life for her... she wasn't evil, Beauty was above Bloody Mary. No matter what she refused to fallowing a path that contained such vile things. Hoping one day Bloody Mary would just become a faded memory, a bad dream, or just disappear into thin air. Her fingers twirled a lock of her thick blonde hair. How long had she been waiting again? It was driving her insane. All that her mind would let her think about was either the cruel path she was trying to avoid... and of course Beast.
'Beast...' her lonely mind echoed. Beast was the man she loved with all her heart for countless years, they been together so long she lost count. Yes, life in the city was hard... but the time she could share with Beast whenever she had the chance made it all worth it. Marriage would always have a few bumps on the road, some bigger then others of course, but who's to say that bumpy road couldn't be smoothed out. Get rid of the bumps and have a fresh start on a whole new road. There life together had its highs and lows, and this was major low for them... the lowest there ever been since they fallen in love.
But they were married for a reason, and that reason was they loved each other more then anything in the world. Beauty could barely think of a life where Beast wasn't lying next to her in bed, his arms wrapped around her in a tight and comforting embrace as they slept. Longing her those more kind and loving days to return before everything else happened. Once again the worry and fear she forced her to unknowingly drum her fingers on the bar counter, causing a little "pitter patter"noise to fill the Trip Trap. This clearly irritated Grendel who hated noise, clenching his glass of beer he glanced at Holly, a silent gesture to Beauty with his head.
Beauty's eyes lit up as a small glass of amber coloured whiskey was place in the front of her. "Here, to calm your nerves." Holly grumbled.
"I-I shouldn't be drinking." after all, drinking was one of reasons she was in this mess.
"Look lady, I don't buy a drink for just anyone , especially on my salary." Grendel muttered taking a swing of his beer. "It will calm the nerves, trust me."
Glancing at her hands she picked up on how they trembled. No way could she talk to Beast like this... if he ever showed up that is. After a sigh the whiskey was quickly done with. Beauty had to admit the alcohol did seem to help ease the shakes, hopefully just one glass would help her get though this, she needed to stay sober right now.
"Your lucky I'm doing this, bar was suppose to be closed hours ago." Holly grumbled refilling Grendel's drink.
Beauty's blue eyes lowered to her empty glass. "I-I know..." a sigh escaped her lips. "I'm sorry about dragging you into this mess... but I got to make things right." resting her chin in the palms of her dainty hands, her eyes averted back to the bartender. "I made a mistake... I almost put my husband's life at risk, I want things to go back to the way they were before..."
"Beast can be just as annoying as the next Fable," Grendel started, staring at his glass. "And he ain't the brightest... but I'll be damned if that wasn't someone who cares about you. Finding people who care is hard nowadays... easier to find someone who looks down on you." he grumbled.
Holly's eyes glanced at a clock which hung on the walls of her bar. "He should had been here by now..." the troll grumbled.
"You know how hard it can be to hail down a cab at these hours." Grendel reminded. "Wouldn't surprise me if he decided to walked."
Beauty tilted her head slightly. "Uhh...what did you tell him?" she questioned. Of course she herself wouldn't be able to talk Beast into venturing to the Trip Trap. Many, many, many times she called him...but no avail. Beast just refused to speak to her through the phone or even bother to make plans to meet in person. This left her with having Grendel and Holly to convince Beast to enter the Trip Trap at this ungodly hour.
Grendel gave a careless shrug of his shoulders. "Told him there was an emergency, and he had to get his ass down here."
Beauty sighed and glanced at the bars doors, how would Beast react when he saw her? Would he just leave the bar in a fit of frustration? Once again Beauty's fingers drummed against her thigh in worry. Feeling the nervousness come back to haunt her , her hands started to slowly tremble again.
Holly was about to refill her glass until Beauty stopped her. "No... I really need to stay sober for this, I 'm a lightweight... And besides, don't think Beast would take me seriously if I was drunk." she explained. Holly gave a slow nod and took the glass away to be washed.
"You really don't know how well you have it..." Holly grumbled washing the glass.
"Its not like a I meant for this to happen." Beauty argued.
"She ain't talking about the affair." Grendel added, staring deeply at his drink.
"Princesses and princes are usually the first ones to get checked when they need help..." Holly's voice was as black as ice with each word she spoke. "But us trolls and ogres... we fall through the cracks." a sad sigh escaped her lips. "I sometimes wonder what if they listened sooner..." Holly shook her head. "Never mind, ain't your problem..."
"I'm sorry about Lily..." Beauty barely managed to say that, what else could she say?
"Like I said, not your problem... ain't anyone's problem." Holly grumbled. Grendel hesitated a bit before putting a hand on her shoulder, to try to comfort her. The sound of the door opening caused all three of them to look over their shoulder. Beauty felt her body turn to ice, there he was... the man she loved her whole life , Beast.
"Hey, I came as soon as I-" he paused upon seeing Beauty sitting in one of the bar seats. "Beauty?" he said breathlessly, his eyes widening in shock upon seeing her there.
Swallowing the salvia in her mouth, she offered him a weak smile that came along with soft eyes. Her heart felt like it would burst from beating so wildly. This would most likely be her last and only chance to make things right. "H-Hi." Beauty stuttered.
Both Grendel and Holly exchanged uneasy glances. "We're leave you two alone..." Holly said. She and Grendel left for the back room, neither saying anything.
Scared that Beast would just leave, the red clad woman got up from her seat. Her legs felt like they lacked bones, like she would just collapse right there. "I... We need to talk."
An irritable sigh escaped Beast's lips. "I've figured we couldn't put it off any longer." he plopped himself down in one of the wooden stools next to her.
The eerie tension that was between the the two made Beauty feel light headed, she wasn't used to this feeling between them... then again she wasn't used to anything that had happened the fallowing days, period. Her bright blue eyes soon stared at his sad ones. Taking a deep breath she then spoke.
"B-Beast, I'm sorry..."
He lowered his head. "I know that Beauty..."
She shook her head. "No, you don't know, You don't know how much I hate myself everyday for getting us mixed up in this." It was true, ever since the time Beast and Mary fought she couldn't stand to look at herself in the mirror, the person she hated most in the world wasn't Bloody Mary, Dum, Dee, Jersey, or even The Crooked man... it was herself... "Not a second goes by that I'm not consumed with guilt, I feel like I can't barely get through the day after what I've done to put marriage."
"Beauty?"
"Yes?"
" Have your ever heard the saying... "Everything happens for a reason?"" Beast quoted.
A slow nod from Beauty. "Yes..."
"Maybe that's what this is..." Beast shook his head. "You were upset and unhappy with me, then you started seeing Bloody Mary...you went out and had fun... Maybe it happened for a reason, maybe it's a sign we should divorce." he confessed.
"No, no, Beast that's not right , you know what Bloody Mary's capable of." Beauty argued. "Why would I want to be with someone who could murder me?!"
"It didn't have to be just Mary you know, it could be anyone with such riches and freedom. Mary isn't the best example but she did what I never could... make you happy and give you the life you truly deserve." another sigh from Beast. He lowered his eyes at his hands. "You had to work at Open arms, take out a loan from The Crooked man's crew...you don't deserve that Beauty... And I don't deserve you."
"Beast-"
"Beauty, let's just agree this will be the last time we meet..."
"N-No, Beast... I don't want that, and I know you don't either." her heart raced faster, a wave of worry ran through her. Beauty was anything but ready to give up the one she truly loved.
"I don't, but we're just not happy together! Can't you see? We're not going to work." his voice cracked at that last part. Sure her and him fought every now and then, but this was far from a normal fight...
And this was one fight Beauty didn't intend to lose.
"You said everything happens for a reason right?" a slow nod from Beast. "Maybe it is a sign, but not one saying we should leave each other for good... maybe it's one telling us we need to work harder on our relationship." this clearly caught Beast 'a attention as he looked up at her, his round eyes wide. "Yes our lives would be easier if we had money, if I never met Bloody Mary, if what happened never happened, life would be great, right?" she explained. "M-maybe what happened is a sign... a sign that we should try harder in our marriage, we been through thick and thing together. Are we really just going to throw all those centuries away just because we hit a rough patch?"
"Beauty, this is more then just hitting a rough patch. We're not happy together... Face facts, those few nights you were with Bloody Mary was better than centuries with me." Beast stated.
"Beast,... everything happens for a reason-"
"You already said that..."
"Beast, we married each other for a reason, we love each other. We been married for centuries, and been through everything together... why should we give up now?" her blue eyes soften as she grabbed ahold of Beast's hands. "I'm got going to lie, I did have fun with Mary, I had a taste of a life with no rules or duties... but no one can live like... She kills and hurts Fables, Bloody Mary is a vile and cruel woman, I'm not going to live a life base on lies and deceit. I want to live an honest life with the man I love, who is dearest to me and can make me happy."
There was an pause between them, both staring into each other's eyes. Beauty could only hope for the best outcome... Everything she ever known... True love, passion, care, and everything else that was familiar to her was at risk here.
"We 're still in debt though... what if they send Mary after us?" he asked.
Beauty let go of Beast's large hands, digging through the pockets of her pants she retrieved a diamond necklace. Personally Beauty was thinking about destroying it, but even though it held the painful and unwanted memories that would forever linger in her mind no matter how far she wanted to push them away... that necklace could be a key to the problem.
"That's the necklace Mary gave you..." Beast said staring at the piece of jewelry in shock.
"I was going to destroy it... break it or flush it down a toilet... but Beast, this thing is worth thousands! It's more then enough to pay our debt!" she exclaimed. "We could pawn this off and get The Crooked man's crew off our backs... we can have a fresh start... maybe invest in some marriage counselling ?" she suggested.
"I-I...I'll think about it Beauty."
For once in a long time a wide smile spread across her face, that reply gave her the feeling of being kissed by a million butterflies. "Really? That's great!" Beauty exclaimed gleefully.
"I've said I'll think about it..."
He would think about her, us, them, there marriage... Beast would be thinking of all that.
And that was more then enough to make her happy.
Weeks later...
Beast parked the car in the parking lot, removing the set of silver keys he and Beauty left the car and made there way to there apartment. They had just returned from another counselling session. At first the two were rather iffy feeling about the subject , but after the first few appointments it all just started to come together perfectly. The two of them learned the two things there marriage lacked, listening and trust.
It was an odd think to learn, and as silly as it sounded to have to learn those things but it was what saved there marriage. After walking a few flights of stairs the two entered the kitchen. Beauty fetched a bottle of white wine from the cabinet.
"Thank god traffic wasn't too bad." Beauty said placing the wine on the table.
"Of course, these streets never seem to let up." Beast remarked fetching a plate of sliced baguettes and a side of fine cheese from the fridge, and setting it next to the wine, he then fetched two crystal wine glasses.
"Least we have the rest if the night to ourselves." she replied pouring them both a glass. Beast bit into a baguette, after polishing it off he grabbed ahold of his glass.
"A toast," he declared raising his glass.
Beauty raised an eye brow at him. "For what though?"
"For centuries of marriage,"
"And centuries more." she finished as they clinked glasses.