Author's Note: This is ImagineATale, who is woefully behind on several stories, along with Ladivina, who is woefully behind on A Place Called Home. But we have an excuse! We have come together as Imagivina to collaborate, and have been working tirelessly. And here is the first chapter! Enjoy!

Beast sat perched on top of the turret looking out over the vast grounds of the castle. He had let her go. He no longer cared about what it would mean for him, he had accepted it the moment he had made the decision to let her go. He thought of the servants, the fate that awaited them, if it hadn't already come. Suddenly from the corner of his eye he noticed a source of light falling down from the turret and he turned his head.

"Hello Beast!" The newcomer took out his pistol as he spoke, "I'm Gaston. Belle sent me."

Beast turned away, he didn't want to believe it, even if part of him did.

Gaston moved closer as he continued to speak.

"Were you in love with her? Did you honestly think she'd want you?" He continued to taunt.

Suddenly, Gaston felt something like his quiver being tampered with. He turned to see Belle with his arrows.

"Belle?" he said, surprised, as he turned to face her. She broke his arrows in half.

"Did YOU honestly think I'd want YOU?"

Beast, shocked that Belle was even here, turned and watched, jaw hanging, as she angrily addressed the intruder in military garb.

"I most certainly did not send you!" she said. "I would never put him or anyone else I cared about at the mercy of someone like you! Not intentionally anyway." Here she shot an apologetic glance behind Gaston at Beast, silently mouthing 'I'm so sorry', before turning her attention back to Gaston, knowing her exposing Beast in the mirror had caused this whole mess. "As I recall, you pretty much forced me to show the Beast when my word that he existed was, as you said, 'hardly proof' that my father is not crazy. Is that what you meant when you said I had sent you? Because quite frankly I wasn't thinking beyond proving my father's sanity. And when you relieved me of the mirror and started riling up the mob, I quickly wished I had thought it through first. You even made sure, or tried to anyway, that I couldn't get here by locking me with my father in the asylum wagon! You slowed me down, but thankfully my father was able to pick the lock. I told you not long before coming to this castle that I would never marry you. Tell me Gaston, what is it about you trying to send my father to the madhouse in my absence and then leading a mob here to kill someone I specifically said was harmless that made you think I would change my mind?"

Beast had given a small growl at the mention of Belle and her father being locked in an asylum wagon. Now he was wanting to roar and really let Gaston know exactly what he thought, seeing that it seemed Gaston thought his behavior would earn him Belle's affections. But he held back, wanting to know what this excuse of a man would have to say for himself in response to Belle's rant, which Beast had enjoyed immensely. He at least enjoyed the energy behind which Belle unleashed her verbal assault...the information about what Gaston had done to Belle and her father, not so much.

Beast had regretted locking Belle's father, then her, in the dungeon, and had vowed to himself that no one would ever reside in one of his cells again. But right now, he was thinking that Gaston just might be someone well suited for a nice cozy cell.

Giving an angry look, Gaston turned to Belle.

"As soon as I kill that Beast of yours, you will marry me! No one says no to me!"

"Just watch me!" Belle countered. "No one says no to you? Well I am honored to be the first." She looked him square in the eye. "NO!"

She tried to rip the pistol from his grasp, but was quickly pushed aside. Not wasting time, Gaston quickly aimed for the Beast.

"One more step Belle and it's over."

She quickly halted her movements, not wanting to risk Gaston shooting Beast. "Don't do this, please."

"I think I will. You dare choose this monster above me?"

Her heart was racing, she had to save Beast. "Please Gaston, don't do this." Slowly she inched closer and let out a startled gasp.

Hearing her coming closer Gaston grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his grasp, now aiming for her.

"Let me show you who's better."

Returning his attention to the Beast he saw shock reflected in it's face. Clearly it did care for Belle. He smirked and started to laugh.

"Let's see how much he cares for you."

Beast felt the panic rising inside him. The brute had her at gunpoint. This would not do and he had to get him to turn the gun away from Belle.

"Let her go!" he said firmly, though fear made his voice quiver slightly. "Please...don't hurt her. If you truly care about her let her go. Even if you don't care about her, let her go. Don't hurt her. Put the gun down. Or if you must, shoot me instead."

Hopefully, Gaston would do the right thing and just let Belle go and leave. Failing that, Beast hoped Gaston would move to train the gun back on him. If he did, Beast would make a grab for the muzzle of the pistol, hoping to snatch it away from Gaston. He watched Gaston very carefully for any opening to do this.

"Make no mistake Beast, I will marry her. She is just playing hard to get, she knows I like a good hunt, don't you Belle. She is just a little confused, but I'll take care of her. I would never do anything to harm her, she just needs some persuading, like her father. He denied me her hand, why should I care what he thinks?"

"Let go of me Gaston." Belle tried to struggle, but Gaston took an even firmer hold on her.

"Belle, hold still or I might take his advice and point the pistol at him."

Beast was quickly gathering that Gaston was not one to see reason. And Gaston was really starting to get under his skin. But he knew he had to remain calm if this situation was going to be resolved without anybody getting hurt.

"Confused eh?" he said, no longer trying to sound cordial but still maintaining a sense of calm. "Perhaps you'd care to enlighten me as to how she is confused? Thinking she doesn't want you? The person who is holding a gun on her and who just said he doesn't care what her father thinks since he denied you Belle's hand? If I were Belle I wouldn't want to marry you either. But you think she does want you and is just playing hard to get, letting you have a good hunt? Explain that to me...what is it about how you're treating her that makes you think she would want you?" He paused. "If she does want you that's her choice. But there is nothing about her right now that makes me think that's the case. And having gotten to know her, I don't see her wanting someone who is treating her as you are, or who thinks so little of her father for withholding his blessing."

He wanted to look Belle directly in the eye, but he would not let his gaze leave the gun and the hand that grasped it, not wanting to miss the slightest chance to move for it. He spoke gently now.

"Belle? Is marrying Gaston what you want? Have you just been playing hard to get?"

"NO!" Belle yelled fiercely. "I'm not playing hard to get nor am I the slightest bit confused. Gaston do you remember what you told me happens to spinsters in the village after their fathers die in a bid to get me to marry you? Well guess what! I'd beg for scraps on the street before I ever married you!"

Beast was impressed by how defiantly she spoke even with a gun on her. It reminded him of when she had, just as defiantly, told him she'd sooner starve before eating with him. Belle and Beast had shared many meals since that first night. But never did Beast think she'd played hard to get, or that he had 'won' her. Quite the contrary...he was well aware that she had only chosen to be a friend to him in response to him showing genuine kindness. Which was not what Gaston was showing.

He really needed a chance to open up for him to swipe that gun without risking Belle getting hurt.

"Of course she is confused, one look at you says it all. No one would want you, not anyone sane at least. But no worries, once you're dead, I'll cure her of those ideas." Gaston calmly stated.

"The only crazy one here is you Gaston!"

"Do you really mean that Belle?" Gaston asked in fake interest. "You're not leaving me much choice with those thoughts of yours…"

While at first he had only pointed the pistol, he now cocked it. Hearing the click right next to her ear, Belle started to get a little worried.

"You think she wants me just because she doesn't want you?" Beast asked. "I'll grant there's nothing to recommend me in my appearance but whoever she does or does not wish to be with, I respect her wishes."

It was hard to keep himself calm. But he had to try. He could feel his temper rising, but if he let it get out of control, he might make a mistake that could endanger Belle. At the same time, the danger Belle was in had just escalated. This needed to be brought to a conclusion, and Beast realized now that trying to talk Gaston down was not heading them towards the desired outcome. He hoped Gaston would soon make a mistake, but he didn't want that mistake to be a bullet in Belle's brain. He had to get Gaston to turn his rage back on him. He needed to get that gun back on him and thus away from Belle so he could make a move.

"You know what I think?" he nearly roared. "I think you're a coward! You say you're going to kill me but you have that gun on her and cocked it while it's trained on her head. You're doing it because that's easier isn't it? Easier to threaten a girl who can't get away? Is that all you can do? You came to kill me but you just can't do it? What, is it because you now have to shoot me while I'm facing you? Had she not shown up you'd have had no problem putting a bullet in my back would you? You can only shoot a woman or shoot your victim from behind? What a weak, pathetic coward! If that's not how you want to be seen then prove it! Point that gun back on me and shoot me while we stand face to face! Look me right in the eye while you put a bullet into me. If you can't do that you're a coward!"

Not that Beast planned to allow him to get the gun aimed at him. As soon as it was pointed away from Belle he would grab it and hopefully get it away from Gaston. He just hoped what he said would get Gaston to make the mistake Beast desperately needed him to make. Hopefully without making the mistake Beast was hoping to avoid. To help prevent that mistake, he added a warning in a low, quiet growl.

"Make no mistake, if you pull that trigger on Belle that will be the last thing that you ever do!"

"No one calls me a coward!" Gaston turned his head. "I think I should give him what he wants, you even get to watch me in action. You should feel honored Belle." He whispered in her ear.

Belle wanted to shake her head, plead for him not to do it. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see it.

Seeing Belle close her eyes, Gaston pushed the gun to her head.

"Open your eyes Belle, you should see this."

She opened her eyes and looked at Beast who was standing there, still waiting. Then she felt the gun move away. Even though she knew what this meant, she couldn't help but sigh in relief now that the gun wasn't at her head anymore.

Still holding onto Belle, Gaston smirked, it was time to end this. "Say your prayers Beast!"

Beast wasted no time. Once that gun was no longer pointed at Belle, he grabbed the muzzle with one paw, the wrist of the hand holding the gun with the other, and pulled the two forcefully apart. Turning the gun outside, aiming at the night sky, still holding Gaston's wrist firmly with the other paw, Beast pulled the trigger, discharging the bullet into the air. He pulled again, firing another round. And again, only nothing came out. The pistol was empty.

Throwing it hard against an inside wall in the tower, he took Gaston's other wrist in his now free paw.

"Let her go," he growled. "And Belle, when he does, go open up a cell. I'll bring him to it once I have him fully disarmed. If you like, you get to do the honors of closing him in, since it seems as if he's been harassing you for some time now."

In order to persuade Gaston to let go of Belle's wrist, Beast tightened his grip on the wrist of the hand holding Belle enough so that the tips of his claws pressed into Gaston's skin. Not enough to puncture, but certainly enough to cause some discomfort.

As much as he may have wanted to inflict some serious bodily harm on Gaston, Beast would use only the force required to get Belle out of Gaston's grasp and Gaston securely behind bars where he could do no further harm.

Gaston struggled as best he could, but the claws that were pushing into his wrist were proving to be too much. Giving a slight shout of pain he released Belle's wrist, as soon as he did he felt himself being lifted.

"Belle go now!" Beast told her.

Not wasting any time she quickly ran back inside the turret. She pulled the lever of the first cell she passed. There she waited for Beast to bring Gaston. As she waited, she thought of how close it had been. She never wanted Beast to put himself at risk again. She hoped he was alright and on his way down.

Gaston was still struggling to get away from Beast.

"Let go of me!"

"Not until you're disarmed and in a secure location where you can't cause anymore trouble," Beast said sternly. "And you can sit there until you learn how to behave and treat people with respect!"

Beast made short work of removing Gaston's quiver, then going through his pockets and removing bullets, a knife, and something Beast put in his own pocket instead of tossing it aside like he did the hunting paraphernalia.

Once he was certain the intruder was completely disarmed, he carried him down to the cell Belle had opened. He had planned to walk in and drop Gaston in place, but realized it would be impossible for Belle to actually hold the door open just enough for him to go through, which had been his original thought. Oh well, he'd have to be rougher than that. Not that this Gaston fellow deserved the more gentle approach, he just had planned on being the more civilized of the two. But there was really only one way to do this. He turned to Belle.

"Do you want to be the one to close him in? I'll do it if you prefer, but thought you might like to do it since it seems he's caused you some grief," he said.

"I'll do it," Belle said. "Gladly."

"I'll have to toss him in I'm afraid," Beast said. "When I do, go ahead and close him in. I told him he could sit here until he can behave and treat people with respect."

As soon as Beast had given Gaston a good toss, hard enough to get him well away from the door so as not to cause problems for Belle as she closed it, but gentle enough he wouldn't be very badly hurt, Belle closed the cell door. Beast reached into his pocket and pulled out what he had put in when relieving Gaston of his weaponry.

"The mirror," Belle said. "Beast I'm so sorry. If I'd thought before showing you to them I-"

"I just thought I'd take it off his hands when I was disarming him," Beast interrupted. "I don't think you really intended to regift this."

Beast turned to face Gaston, and so did Belle. They wondered how he would react.

Gaston was seething with anger, they would regret this the moment he got out of there. He stood up from where Beast had dropped him and moved to the door, giving it a good kick.

"Let me out of here! Do you know who I am? No one does this to me!" Gaston ranted.

Giving the door of his cell one more good kick, he turned his attention to Belle. "This is not what you want Belle, you are just scared that the Beast will hurt you if you don't do what he says. All you have to do is let me out and I'll kill him. You'll be free then, free to return to the village. You even get to marry me, all your dreams will come true." He gave her one of his most charming smiles.

"Have you gone completely mad?" Belle replied. "I told you clear as day, I will NOT marry you!" How thick could that man be? She stepped forward towards the door. "I will never be your wife."

Gaston smirked as he quickly put his arm through the steel grate, grabbing Belle's wrist, pulling her closer.

"You will be mine, you hear me."

Beast growled.

"You let go of her!" he said. "Do you want to feel my claws again? I'll not have you holding her against her will! And she need not fear me hurting her if she doesn't do what I say. I'm not the one who held a gun to her head!"

As long as Gaston had this attitude, he was looking at a long time in the dungeon.

Gaston saw the Beast coming closer, thinking quickly, he pulled Belle's arm inside of his cell.

"I'd like to see you try! Now open the door!"

Beast growled. Gaston thought he could get Beast to let him go did he? Well he had another thing coming.

Beast thought of grabbing Belle and yanking her free of Gaston's grip, like he had with the pistol before. But he quickly dismissed the idea as it would probably cause Belle some injury. He gave Gaston a fierce glare.

"Let! Her! Go!"

"Open the door first," Gaston said icily. To make his point, Gaston gave Belle's arm a twist until she cried out in pain. "Or do you care more about keeping me in than you do about her wellbeing?"

Beast saw he had little choice. He could not allow Belle to be hurt. Besides, he knew Gaston wouldn't get very far. Beast could grab him as soon as he set foot outside the cell. Or...Beast could do something else, something that would really annoy the ruffian. And it was actually an idea Beast found he quite liked.

"All right," he said calmly. "I'll open the door." And you can try to escape, he thought to himself.

He pulled the lever, allowing the door to open. As soon as Gaston let go of Belle and she pulled her arm back through, Beast grabbed her and pulled her protectively close to him. No way would he let Gaston grab her on his way past.

"When I move," Beast whispered in her ear so only she could hear him, "stay put. I have a little surprise in store for him."

He watched and waited for his moment.

Not one to waste time, Gaston quickly left the cell and descended down the stairs. He would return later he vowed, no way that some filthy animal would best him. He would go home, collect more weapons and gather a few men.

"I'll be back Beast! I'm not through with you yet! Your hide will be my new rug by the end of the week!" Gaston shouted up, as he continued to run down.

As soon as Beast had allowed Gaston just enough time to think he was free, he made his move.

"Stay here," he reminded Belle as he started moving. He set the mirror on a ledge as he passed. "I don't want him using you again."

He knew he could outrun Gaston and overtake him on the winding staircase. But he remembered what Gaston said about enjoying a good hunt. If Gaston liked a good hunt, Beast would give him a good hunt.

Just as Gaston was coming to a turn on the tower staircase, Beast got close enough that he could cast a shadow in front of Gaston. He then backed up so it appeared as a passing shadow.

Breathing hard as he rushed down, Gaston looked for anything familiar from when he had first come here. As he made a turn he saw a shadow pass him by and halted. The Beast, he thought. He quickened his pace, determined to stay ahead of the Beast.

Beast knew this castle like the back of his paw, and knew every secret passageway. After the second turn, at which point he cast another brief shadow, he turned into one such passageway that he knew communicated with the kitchen.

After seeing the shadow again, Gaston looked around. He didn't see the fleabag and smirked, he was almost downstairs.

Once in the kitchen Beast hurried out through the dining room and into the foyer. Staying in the shadows, hearing Gaston running down the last of the tower stairs, he allowed himself to make a slight noise as he entered the foyer, then silently moved into position.

Gaston, looking triumphant, burst into the foyer. He had made it and the Beast was nowhere in sight. He hurried to the door.

"I know you've been trying to get to me Beast!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. "Well you didn't! I'm leaving now, and remember, I'll be back!"

Beast smiled, knowing Gaston was about to have a nice dent punched into that oversized ego of his. He waited, and as soon as Gaston was just feet away from the main entrance, he jumped, landing right in front of the doors. He grabbed Gaston as the latter was about to run right into him, having barely time to stop.

"Well that was a good effort, I'll give you that," Beast said. "Unfortunately for you though, not quite good enough. Also unfortunately for you, I'm not too happy with the way you've been using Belle to your advantage, causing her fear and going as far as to inflict physical pain."

Without further ado, Beast dragged the hunter right back up the spiraling staircase to the dungeon.

"I know my way around this castle," he said, deciding to do his best to get under Gaston's skin. "I knew just how to get into the foyer before you did. For as cocky as you are, as sure of yourself, you sure didn't succeed now, did you?"

Gaston struggled, this wasn't happening! He would not be bested by an animal!

Reentering the dungeon, he turned to Belle, who had been watching Beast in the mirror and was thus holding it.

"I'm sorry it took me so long Belle," he said. "I could have outrun him by the time he got halfway down the stairs, but he did say he enjoyed a good hunt, so I figured I should humor him."

He held Gaston by the collar mere inches from his face.

"I hope that stunt you pulled to get me to open the door was worth the trouble for you."

He then once again gave the scoundrel a good toss and slammed the door once Gaston was back in the cell. He walked over to Belle and guided her further from the cell.

"Keep your distance this time, all right?" he said. "I don't want him to be able to grab you and use you for leverage again." He then turned to Gaston. "Did you enjoy the hunt?"

Gaston was seething.

"I'll get you for this, I am the hunter! When I get out, I'll show you how a true hunt goes, mark my words Beast!"

Giving the door a rough shake, he moved back. Let those fools think they have won, in the end I'll be the one standing, he thought, and Belle will be by my side.

Beast thought about responding, but decided that Gaston wasn't worth the energy. He was about to put his arm around Belle and lead her out of the tower, but decided to let Gaston see that she would go with him voluntarily. So he held out his paw, which she took without hesitation. He then led her down out of the tower.

Once in the foyer, he turned to face her. He looked down at her hands, one holding the mirror and one holding his paw. The one holding his paw had been the one Gaston had hold of in the cell, and the wrist had red marks from his grip. Beast lifted her hand for a closer look.

"I'm so sorry Belle," he said softly, gently running a thumb across her reddened wrist. "He had a strong grip. And that twist he gave you. Belle...are you all right? He didn't break anything did he?"

Beast thought if Gaston had broken, or even so much as strained or sprained something, it would be very tempting to go back up and give Gaston's arm the same treatment.

"I'm fine," she said shaking her head. "The nerve of that man, can you believe him?"

Belle wanted nothing more than give Gaston another piece of her mind, but considering how it turned out the previous time, she thought better of it. There would be another day for that.

"Thank you for helping me, and letting me go to help my father." She gave a small sob. "Did you know Gaston was having him sent to the asylum? He had told the village about you, hoping to get some help. When I tried to tell Gaston that the castle and you did exist, he said that I would say anything to help my father and my word was hardly proof…" Now Belle looked up with tears in her eyes, "…I showed you to them in the mirror. I didn't think and…"

Beast placed his arms around her.

"You did the right thing Belle. I set you free to help him and you did what you had to, don't blame yourself."

She shook her head.

"It was my fault Gaston came here to kill you. When he started to rile up a mob, I was so scared for you and it made me realize things. I have never been happier than I've been here with you, I want to be with you here at the castle. The village has never been my home, here I do fit in and…and…"

Beast was looking at her in awe, she called the castle home and wanted to be here, with him. He looked at her expectantly, wanting to know what else she wanted to say.

"…and…I love you."

"You...do?" Beast was stunned. "I love you Belle." He thought of her father "After what happened in the village…" He paused. "…do you think your father would...like to come here? I know that seems unlikely given what...what I did last time he was here. But no one will think he should be in the insane asylum here."

"I'm sure he will, I told him about you, how you've changed. Looking back on it, I think he knew I loved you before I did," Belle explained.

Beast suddenly realized something and a huge smile crossed his face as he began trembling with joyful excitement.

"Belle! I love you. First requirement of the curse! I had to learn to love. And I earned your love in return...that was the other requirement. Belle any second now the curse shall lift!"

Belle gasped, he had done it. She wondered what everyone would look like after they had changed back. Would she even recognize them?