Belle recovers

Sunlight streamed in through the open window as Belle opened her eyes and took in the room around her. She was back in her tower room at Adam's castle. She began to lift herself and felt a dull pain in her abdomen.

Looking down under her nightgown, Belle saw a bandage wrapped around her midsection.

"You're awake," a deep male voice said.

Belle turned to see Adam sitting next to her bed. He still wore the suit from the ball. His hair looked bedraggled and he looked exhausted.

"What happened?" Belle asked.

"I should ask you that," Adam said. "One moment I was fighting Gaston and then another moment you were standing above me and falling to the ground. I caught you and saw a new ice sculpture on my patio that wasn't there before." He smirked. "It wasn't to my taste, so I had it disposed of."

Belle recalled that she'd been able to summon her magic to freeze Gaston. "How long was I out?" she asked.

"Through the night and half the day," Adam said, looking out the window. "I'd say it's about noon right now."

"What happened to everyone?" Belle demanded. She recalled Adam's mother falling before D'Arque. "Is your mother okay?"

Adam's pained expression told her everything. He shook his head. "She…fell," he said. "She hadn't recovered enough strength. Even everything your mother did to heal her wasn't enough. She passed away in my arms." Tears filled his eyes.

Belle reached for his hand, wincing at the pain in her stomach as she moved. "I'm so sorry," she said, her voice choking. "I wish I'd had time to get to know her." Inwardly, Belle felt angry at herself. She'd had some time to get to know the sweet Estelle. But she'd spent the past couple of weeks alone and sulking.

Adam placed his hand on top of hers. "I wish we'd all had more time with her," he said. "I'd only just gotten her back." He looked at Belle. "I was so afraid I'd lost you too." His eyes darkened. "I can't believe he shot you."

"He finally accepted that I had magic," Belle said. "He declared that I was no wife of his."

"Well, if he were still alive," Adam said, "that could be useful in annulling your marriage. But things as they are, he's not going to be coming anywhere near you ever again."

"Is he dead?" Belle breathed, shocked at the mixture of emotions rising in her.

"We cracked open the ice to be sure," Adam said. "But his heart had completely stopped beating and we burned him with the other dead."

Belle shuddered, both horrified and relieved at the news of Gaston's death at her hands. She'd have to work through those complicated feelings. She hadn't intended to kill him, just stop him. But for now, she had more pressing things to know.

"D'Arque too?" Belle asked, remembering the way her mother had vindictively stabbed D'Arque. There was no way he could have survived.

"D'Arque, a few of the rabble rousers, and some of my best men," Adam confirmed. "What a disaster."

Belle held Adam's hand, reflecting on all of the violence and action from the night before. "What are we going to do now?" she asked.

Adam squeezed her hand. "I like this talk of 'we,'" he said, echoing his previous words from weeks ago. He stroked her hand for a few moments before saying, "we address the village and make reparations."

"Are you still holding an audience for them?" Belle asked.

"Yes," Adam sighed. "I was informed that there's already a large crowd, but I didn't want to leave you. Mrs. Potts is feeding them and we have the musicians playing to entertain them. Feeling like I couldn't delay further, I was just getting ready to go when you woke up."

"Well," Belle said. "Then let's go." She sat up gingerly and pulled back the covers, setting her bare feet on the ground. She wore only a simple white nightgown.

Adam watched her, a barely disguised hunger in his eyes. He looked away quickly. "I should find Fifi or someone to help you," he said, averting his eyes from her.

"No need," Belle said. "I won't be long. Why don't you freshen up? You don't look the part of a prince at the moment."

Adam breathed a laugh, running his hands through his hair. "True," he said. He wandered over to her dresser, where a large bowl of water sat and a variety of hairbrushes. Belle left him to wash his face and straighten himself out, disappearing behind the privacy screen and donning one of the everyday dresses she'd been given to wear at the castle. The green dress was more formal than her customary blue dress she'd worn in the village, but still comfortable.

Belle emerged from behind the privacy screen and joined Adam at the mirror, taking the brush he'd just set down and running it through her hair before pulling it back with a green ribbon.

He watched her brushing her hair. "I can't tell you what that does to me," he said. "Seeing you brush your hair with the same brush I just used."

She smiled at him. "It might be the same as what it does to me," she murmured.

"I want to touch you," he said, crossing his arms over his chest as if to stop himself.

Belle turned towards him. "Then why don't you?"

"You sure it's okay?" Adam asked, twitching a little as he moved forward and stopping himself.

"I wouldn't ask you if I didn't mean it," Belle said.

Adam put his arms around Belle's waist, pulling her close. Part of her felt nervous at the enclosed arms around her, but she calmed it with few breaths. Adam's presence soothed her. This wasn't Gaston. Gaston was gone. Forever. She inhaled deeply, breathing in his scent. Belle laid her head against his chest as she'd wanted to do the night before. He stroked her back, holding her close. Belle closed her eyes, soaking in the feeling.

"I was worried you'd never want to be touched," Adam said. "After everything with…"

Belle froze a little at the implication and then relaxed again as his hand ran up and down her back. "Part of me felt nervous, but you make me feel safe. You know, when I was with him, I actually pretended I was with you," she murmured. "It made the experience…bearable. Pleasant even at times."

Adam pulled back his head to look down at her. Belle squirmed under his gaze. "I don't know what to say," Adam said. "Part of me is thrilled you imagined me. That you could find some solace even without me physically being there. Another part of me hates hearing you say it could have been pleasant with him."

Belle put her hand on his cheek. "I have nothing to compare it to," she said. "And believe me, I have a strong imagination. When I lost myself in the dream of it being you, I had no idea who I was with." She looked down bitterly. "Until I had no choice to know who I was with."

"Bastard," Adam said, cursing Gaston's name. "I wish I could kill him over again."

"It's all over now," Belle said, stroking his cheek. "The only thing we can do is move forward."

Adam kissed her lightly on the forehead. "You are quite right," he said. "That's all we can do."