~Beauty~

Cold, that's what the basement is. And wet. There has to be at least 5 different leaks and mucky puddles cover the concrete floor. My nose is stuffy and I keep sneezing from the amount of dust down here.

I've been here for what feels like a few days. But I wouldn't know, there is no sense of time. There's only one tiny window in the corner that doesn't actually show anything because of the blurred glass. It drives me crazy.

I've been getting food from Carina but not enough of it. Every morning she leaves a plate of breakfast food near the door and dies the same for lunch and dinner. She looks sad when she does so, she knows it's wrong. I wish she would do something about it instead of following The Beast's orders like a mindless slave. But I remind myself I don't know the whole story. Who knows what's making her listen to him?

I feel sick. I think I may be coming down with something.

I curl up into a ball like I normally do. But this time, I lie on the floor and let myself slip in and out of consciousness.

Something isn't right...

My eyes open. I'm sweating, sweating so much- but it's freezing and I'm shaking. It doesn't make any sense...

I wake up again and I realize I have a fever. My vision blurs and my head feels heavy. I let myself blank out again.

My eyes open and I see Carina standing above me. I see concern in her eyes. Then I see The Beast's large frame rush in. I feel his cold hand touch my forehead, and I feel him lift me up and carry me away...

I wake up. Two figures stand over me, a cold rag on my head, muffled words."Her fever's really high. What do we do?"

"I don't know... Let's just give it time?"

"What if we don't have time? If something happens to her..." The voice sounds familiar but I can't place it. I can't think. All that's going on in my head is a throbbing pain.

"Ouch," I complain.

The voice is deep but soft."Shhh. It'll be okay. I'll make things okay. I'm sorry..."

I'm unconscious again.

I wake up. This time I don't feel cold, I feel warm. But the good kind of warm. I open my eyes and realize I'm on the couch in the living room. The fire is going and the flat screen TV is on above it.

What happened? All I remember is feeling awful. Why am I not in the basement? Did that maniac get tired of leaving me to rot?

I sit up and find that a warm blanket is covering me. I follow my legs all the way down to where my feet brush the lap of someone. That someone is wearing a hoodie that covers their face. The Beast.

~The Beast~

I watch as Belle's eyes flutter open. She sits up looking at me strangely. I can't bring myself to look her in the eyes.

"Good evening," is all I say to break the silence.

"Good evening?" Her eyes spot the window down the hallway. It's dark and shinning stars dot the sky. "How long have I been out of it?"

"About two days." Again, I don't meet her eyes, I just play with the TV remote for busy work.

"Oh," is all she has to say. The silence is filled by the TV. There's a cartoon playing. It's one I use to watch with my dad as a kid. When I wasn't like this and he actually loved me.

"Is this what you usually watch?" she asks. I finally look her in the eyes, trying to see if she's picking a fight or just teasing. I find that they're soft and non-threatening. I quickly look away. I punished those same eyes. . . and it almost resulted in her death.

Despite the guilt, I chuckle. "No. I was just looking for something to watch and then I found this. It reminds me of better times I guess."

"Me too." She looks at her lap as if contemplating whether to continue or not. "I use to watch this with my parents a long time ago. When my dad was alive and my mom was a better person," she says looking off, getting lost in her thoughts.

"I wasn't always..." She gives me her full attention and I cringe. The only part of my face that shows is my eyes, illuminated by the fire's glow. I'm glad that's all she can see. Who would want to stare at a beast?

"I wasn't always like this. When I wasn't, I did normal things to. I..." I trail off, not sure I want to open up to her so quickly. Not knowing if I can trust her, not knowing if I want to open the door that holds my past, the one I've kept locked shut for a long time. But it seems I owe it to her and it would feel good to get it off my chest.

"You what?" she asks shyly.

"I was going to be a cop." I sigh. It took alot to get that simple sentence out but it feels good to voice the thoughts that have been roaming my mind for months. I haven't had anyone to tell them too.

A hint of a smirk appears on her face. "The irony..."

"Not irony, I-"

The cartoon changes to a breaking news report before I can continue. A newswoman sits at her desk with a collection of papers in her hands. "Police are on the look out for Ryan Daniels for setting yet another building on fire. Sources say the whole building was destroyed. Three people were injured and one pronounced dead. Ryan Daniels was last seen headed upstate. If you have any information make sure to call 1- 800- Stop Crimes. I'm Veronica Rachel on New York 5."

I know I have to go. I've been after Ryan for a long time and this may be my only chance at catching him but Belle will know what I'm doing and be horrified. For some reason I haven't worked out, I don't want her to see me as a monster anymore.

"Well, I'm gonna head up to bed," I say standing up. "I know you're probably not tired so help yourself to the TV." I pass her the remote and she gives me a weary expression.

"And..." I try to swallow my pride as I say the words I told myself I would say while it seemed like she was dying. I'm sorry. Now they're a lot harder to say. She raises her eyebrow waiting for me to continue. The words don't come out so I improvise.

"And you can go wherever you want to go in this house except for upstairs. This is your home now, you might as well get comfortable."

"Home?" Uh, oh... I shouldn't have said that. "What do you mean 'home'? You're gonna keep me here forever? Is that what you're saying?" she asks with her face ready to collapse at my next words.

Panicking, I end the conversation. "Goodnight." I try to ignore her eyes that are burning into my back as I head up the stairs. Guilt chews at my stomach.

Once I get upstairs, I open my draw and pull out my mask and a new set of clothing. I take the clothes over to my room and stare at my only remaining rose. The one Belle's mother tried to take.

I have to get done what I have to get done. It's for the greater good, I keep telling myself over and over again. Right now, it doesn't feel completely right. I shrug the feeling away.

Ryan Daniels will be the next rose in my new garden.

~The Hunter~

The police are going after The Beast today. They've tracked his phone down and have his location and are preparing to leave. They called me 15 minutes ago and I ran here as fast as my legs could take me. I've been waiting in the station for a few minutes, pacing the area anxiously. Belle's mom is just walking in now.

"Where is he? Where did he take her?" she demands immediately. I can tell she's gotten just as much sleep as me. Her hair is in a knotted ponytail and the bags under her eyes make it look like she's been punched.

"He's been located in upstate New York. He is on the move though, going pretty fast." Officer Browns types something on the computer and adjust his vest.

"Do you think he has Belle with him?" she asks. I hope he does, that'll make things way easier.

"Possibly but there's no way to be sure. We're going to go now, we need you guys to stay here and wait for us to get back." His face is stern and composed. He's probably dealt with many cases like this one. Hopefully he understands why I'll follow behind his police cars in a few minutes.

"Of course," she says nodding and taking a seat on the bench next to me. "Please hurry." The officer nods and leaves us alone together. The rest of the station is busy and loud but the tension between me and her is louder so I start conversation.

"What have you been up to these days Mrs.Anderson?" It's been about a week since Belle was taken. The days have gone by slowly like time was mocking me about the absence of Belle. My voice is rough and tight as I say the words. I have to find away around this new resentment I feel towards her, for Belle.

"I've been thinking a lot...About the choices I've made in my life." She clears her throat and sighs. "I messed up with Belle and I'm gonna make sure I fix things."

"I don't mean any disrespect but it's not the first time those words have come out of your mouth." Mrs.Anderson has tried to change before. Little things wake her up like when she missed Belle in the school play, and she promises she'll change. But a week later the craving overpowers the guilt. It was like she was building Belle up and breaking her all over again and I hated watching it.

I watch her carefully but she just stares at her hands, refusing to make eye contact. "I know and those words aren't ever coming out of my mouth again because this time I mean it." She stares off into the distance, the determination in her eyes clear. "When my baby comes home," her voice cracks and tears fall from her eyes,"she's gonna have a mom again."

"I really hope so."

After a moment, I stand up, ready to follow the police cars. "But in order for that to happen, she needs to come home. And to ensure that we are going to follow those police cars."

"Hold on..." She grabs my arm and walks us over to the empty part of the station so no one will hear. "We?''

"Yep, you have a car and I don't." I start towards the parking lot. I hear her follow behind me.

"Who said I was going to let you use my car?" she challenges.

"You're gonna drive us because you love Belle just as much as I do and want to be there when they find her." I glance back to see her staring at me with narrow eyes. She knows I'm right.

"You love her? More like you have some petty crush on her..." she mumbles the last part and anger crawls up my chest, the words I've held onto so long threatening to spill out.

"Mrs.Anderson, I was there for Belle when you weren't. Which means I all the time. We've grown up together. We've gone through the good and bad times, had each others backs. She didn't grow up with any parents but she grew up with a friend. I have every right to say I love her. Do you?" I bite my lip waiting for her response. Though most of it was the truth I took it way too far and overstepped many boundaries.

She sighs. "Don't just stand there. Get in the car."

Author's Note- Who else is excited for this? :)