Belle woke to the sounds of shouting. She could barely process the words as she strained to hear them.

"You shouldn't have told her!" Everard shouted.

"She would have found out eventually!" The invisible woman shot back.

"I wanted to be the one to tell her Violet, and all in due time!"

"You know what happens if they try to escape!" Violet replied calmly. 

Belle dully noticed she was lying on something soft.

Dimly she remembered why she had passed out.

The memory of the graveyard was vivid. But the numbers didn't add up. In order for there to be so many gravestones. The women must have died early... suspiciously early.

Belle thought of her sore wrist, and she had a sneaking suspicion as to how the women died so early.

Belle opened her eyes in a state of panic, almost vaulting off the fainting couch she lay on.

She listened for the direction the voices were coming, from and decided to go the other way.

Her bare feet made soft padding noises across the wooden floor of the library.

"But don't you see Violet? She'll think... She'll think like the others did, that I was the one killing them!"

"Then she wouldn't be wrong. It was your pride that did this to us." Violet replied venomously. 

"I couldn't let Pan win! You just know I couldn't." The Beast snarled.

"It was a fair trade!" Violet argued.

"It was NOT!!!...Look now's not the time to talk about this. Will you please go check on her?" Everard sighed.

"Fine, your Majesty." Violet replied stiffly.

Belle froze near the door, she silently turned the knob and opened the door slowly.

From her vantage point she could see the beast's reaction as the door squealed.

And his eyes met with hers.

"Belle!" He shouted. 

Belle sprinted out the door and down the stone steps, through the garden and out towards the dark forest.

"BELLE NO!" Everard's voice boomed. 

Belle's feet beat an uneven staccato against the stone courtyard, as she made a beeline for the trees.

The black fence loomed ahead of her, Belle gathered all her courage and half pulled, half jumped over the fence.

Belle flew over the fence, landing roughly on the other side. The tree branches of the forest beckoned her in with their clawed hands. 

"Belle please! You don't know what you're doing!!!" he shouted.

But Belle took no heed to the begging beast. Instead she plunged into the depths of the forest.

The trees and brambles pulled her into them, and there was no light, for the branches had entwined themselves so tightly. Belle ran until the Beast and his castle were no more than an unpleasant memory.

And finally she stopped to rest, leaning against a vividly blue florescent mushroom.

Belle laughed as she looked at her bare feet. They were torn and raw, no doubt from the rocks on the forest floor. Belle sank down and puled her knees to her chest. Her very being was bogged down with emotion. the tears burned her throat and suddenly she was aware of something shifting in the air. Her ears perked up and that's when she heard it.

"Are you alright darling?"

Belle blinked up at the handsome redheaded man.

He leaned against a tree smiling down at her. 

"You know I've always been of the mind that pretty girls shouldn't cry~" he smirked.

"I'm not-"

"Not pretty?! I beg to differ madame!" The man replied in an over-exaggerated tone.

"No!" Belle laughed. "I was going to say I'm not crying."

"You shouldn't lie..." The man replied, his face darkening.

"I'mm not lying! I'm merely taking a break to... erm..." Belle replied, running a hand through the ends of her hair. 

"To find your way? Are you lost dear?" The charming man asked. 

"I suppose."

"Well then, Peter Pan at your service." The man grinned with an elaborate bow, extending a hand to help Belle up.

"Peter Pan! The Peter Pan?!" Belle smiled, accepting his hand.

Peter helped her stand.

"Yes... and you are...?" he asked. 

"Oh I'm terribly sorry, Belle. Belle Wright." She smiled. 

"Belle! What a beautiful name! Tell me love, you wouldn't be running form a certain monster would you?" he asked lowering his voice.

"Why, yes I suppose I am..." Belle nodded.

"Is he far behind you?" Pan asked intensely. 

"Well no, I think I lost him..." Belle replied wide eyed.

Pan sighed and pouted. "...Pity, I'd have loved to have seen his face... again." 

Belle caught a glint as Peter pulled something from his pocket. Something metal shimmering in the blue glow of the massive mushroom behind her. 

"Still I doubt he is very far behind you, you are his charge after all..." Peter smiled twirling the shiny thing in-between his fingers swiftly. 

"How did you-"

But Belle was interrupted, by a shadowy figure floating through the trees in front of them.

"Ah, and there he is! The BEAST!" Pan grinned evilly, taking hold of Belle and pulling her swiftly to his chest.

"Be careful creature! I mean business." Pan hissed. 

"Let her Go!!!" The beast growled. 

"I don't think I will~ I've grown rather fond of your princess. I do believe I'll keep hold of her for a little while longer."

Belle struggled to wrench free of Pan's grasp. 

"Over my dead body." The beast growled.

"Hmm, no. How about hers?" Pan laughed maniacally. 

Belle gasped as she felt the coldness of a blade against her neck.

"No!" the Beast cried out.

"Oh, yes..." Pan cackled.

"Belle, do you trust me?" The Beast asked, his emerald orbs locking onto her pleading brown eyes.

Belle gave an almost imperceptible nod.

"More than I trust him," she gasped, as the knife bit into her skin.

Pan chuckled and tightened his grip on the knife. 

The Beast circled the pair but dared come no closer...

"Now Belle!" He shouted. 

Belle lifted her foot and stomped on Pan's toes with all her might.

Pan let out a mighty squeal and in a flash of light he was suddenly up in a tree.

Belle rushed over to stand by the Beast.

"Fine!" He huffed. "She will not die... Today. But she'll never break the curse. How can she? She barely trusts you, how can she love you? You may as well give me Rose now." He mocked looking at his nails.

"SHUT UP!" The Beast Bellowed.

Belle jumped back as the Beast flew into the tree nearly knocking Pan down.

"Oops, missed me!" Pan laughed mockingly, teleporting to another tree.

Belle backed up against the mushroom and watched the men fight with wide eyes. 

She looked around for some way to help, her eyes finally finding a medium sized stone. She picked it up and watched as Pan teleported in another wave of pixie dust. Then she drew back her arm and lobbed the rock at his head. He pulled back, the rock just barely missing his head. He tilted his head to get a better look at Belle.

"Hello princess." He purred. 

Belle's eyes widened as he started to disappear again.

"I like this one she's a fighter... you may actually have a chance this time Everard..."

Belle's heart pounded as she heard the voice behind her say softly.

"Nighty night princess."

Pan took the hilt of his dagger and knocked Belle out with it, as the Beast rushed to her side.

But Pan had already gone.

So, the Beast scooped her up and headed back towards the castle.