I am writing this way too late at night for me, so I apologize for mistakes. Please enjoy! And review, those make me so happy!

He froze, he felt something shift within him; an emotion he had not felt in quite some time, if ever. The girl was slack in his grasp, and he released. He felt the trepidation as he waited to see her chest rise once more. Waiting was more painful than any mutation or torture, and he felt something other than guilt rise near his eyes. Shifting closer, he cradled her in his arms as he heard the faint murmur of breath. Relief swept over him, releasing the breath he had been holding.

Movement behind him broke him from his revere, but he did not move. She was so tiny, her body was strong and feminine, but to the monster, she was but a feather. She smelt of rain and the embers of the fire, her skin had gone cold yet her lips remains a fleshly pink. Standing, he kept her close to his chest, if he had a heart that is where it would have lain.

A female voice whispered in the dark. "Is everything….?"

His eyes flickered in their sockets, the darkness revealed its secrets. The rose lay on the ground, a few black petals spread on the floor along with the glass. He sighed, a growl to the ear, and turned to face his servants. A few had timidly entered his chambers, most clustered around the door. "All is well."

"She…lives?" The voice asked, a form taking shape. She was remarkably the most human like of the creatures in the place, perhaps the most striking think was her eyes. Like a kaleidoscope they held many different wedges of colour, and they shifted when need demanded. She had fingers and arms that were free to move around, yet if inspected; the nails were made of paper, tiny words written on their pages. Her face was young, perhaps she had been a young mother once, with a soft smile and warmness to her looks. Slight wrinkles on her face had faint text that changed, her body wore a dress made of a fabric akin to paper.

"She breathes." He responded, a deep sadness entering into the gruffness. "Nothing lives in this nightmare."

The eyes shifted, resting on a golden colour as she scanned the room. Bruises were already forming on the girl's neck, but her chest rose softly against the creature's twisted torso. Looking at the rose, the eyes shifted to a blue colour, glowing in the darkness. "The petals are only dead ones, Master. No damage was done."

"The fault –" He breathed, and the castle trembled with fear and anticipation. " – is mine. She should not have come here, but I – " He grimaced and looked at his servant with a look befitting a small dog. "I let my rage carry me too far."

"It will be hard for her." The fireman hissed, "When she wakes she shall have no one to comfort her, to quench her fear."

"You think I don't know what I have done?" He snarled, stepping in towards the darkness. "You think I am not aware of my own hand? She could have broken, snapped, in my hand; like glass. That alone is not the worst of it. I am not so ignorant as you think, Lumiere." He spat the name like poison, his body beginning to shake. Eyes shifted colour, a raging silver, and the castle shivered along with the servants.

"The pain has returned." The paper woman spoke, her voice concerned. "How long-

"It never left, you fool. How many times do I have to say that books do not hold all the answers. Accept this, it is our fate." He hissed, moving past them quickly as he felt his anger rising. For once he was thankful for longer than normal legs.

He stopped outside her door, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with the notion that this tiny creature would no longer be near him. He sighed, forcing sentimentality away as he entered her room, placing her gently on the bed. He felt the fire roar to life, and he wished he had the capacity for smiling. In firelight the girl looked as pale as snow, her dark hair framing her face in a messy just tossed across a room way.

He had a sudden pang to move a piece of hair away from her face, it was laying so awkwardly over her nose. Such actions were not in the realm of possibilities, he knew. Turning, he moved toward the door.

"Where – where does it hurt?" Belle whispered, opening her eyes slowly and looking up at the ceiling. Her voice was raspy, it hurt to talk, but it had hurt more to just hear the words within the fog. She could feel his hesitation, but it paled in comparison to her own loneliness. It had a life of its own, growing within each potential second of being alone. It threatened her, looming in the shadows of the castle, with each murmur but no body for the voice. She could hear the sound of him moving away, and she let out a sob before she could comprehend herself doing so.

She jumped when he spoke, turning her head to see his figure hunched, like an old man by the door. "I….didn't mean for it to go so far."

Belle sniffed, the tears falling from her lashes onto her cheeks. "You were afraid." She responded in time, "I didn't mean to startle you."

"This place…" He started,

"I understand." She spoke, her voice raspy. "I could hear your pain, as if it lives in the walls."

"It does." He responded, turning so his face met hers. She flinched at the sight, but she did not look away. A moment of understanding grew there, and Belle moved slightly on the bed, making enough room for him to sit. He approached slowly, sitting down like a timid child. There was a long silence between them, Belle took in every aspect of his form. "Everywhere."

"Pardon?"

"The pain – it is everywhere." He said softly, looking up at the ceiling. Belle closed her eyes, she could hear the castle as is shuddered against the cold, and the gargoyles seemed to roar in the distance. The cobblestone steps wobbled under the force of wind, inwardly the castle curled in on itself; not wanting to surrender warmth or life.

"What happened here?" She whispered, opening her eyes once more. The creature shook his head slowly, growling as if to say not tonight. Belle let the silence linger, until he came to look her in the eye once more. "What is your name?" The question was so simple, so normal and yet she could feel him recoil back. "My name is Belle."

"I….do not deserve your kindness, Belle." He growled, "I do not deserve to be called anything less than what I am; a beast."

Belle frowned, tucking her chin down as she rolled to her side. "I can not call you that." She replied, a growing smile on her face that she did not try to hide. "At least not in your presence." He made a sound, the meaning she could not decipher easily until he spoke.

"Then you may call me William." He stood, covering her with a blanket; his long twisted fingers moved as gently as he could, seeing her flinch at his movement struck guilt into his heart. "But only in my presence." Belle smiled slightly, watching him leave with a mixture of fear and relief flooding her body.