Hey! I wrote this story because I've always wondered what happens afterward. Do they have kids? When do they marry? How does Belle find out the truth about the Beast? So I decided to write this. This is my first short story that I've thought worthy enough to publish on fanfiction so it might be my only story for a little while. Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

By the way I have changed the Prince's name from Ryder to William. I know a lot of people think that the Beast's name is Adam or whatever else is out there, but Disney never actually made a name so to me, he's a William.

And I do not in any ways own Beauty and the Beast. Disney Owns It, Not Me!

The Morning After

Belle woke up in a different room than the one she had grown fond of in the past weeks. And to make it weirder, she wasn't even on a bed. Her back was stiff from lying in an awkward position all night, but she didn't remember falling asleep on a couch. When Belle went to sit up something tugged at her hair. She rubbed her half awake eyes, and turned to see what the source of her discomfort was. There was a man.

A MAN!

And a handsome man too.

He was fast asleep next to her and his right hand was tangled into her brown curls, as if he had fallen asleep caressing it. She gently pulled it free while admiring the stranger. But then she remembered the night before. He wasn't a stranger! Belle remembered, Beast, her beast was dying from the stab wound Gaston had inflicted on him. She had spoken to him, tried to reassure him, but it did not prevent the feeling of him becoming still and cold underneath her. But then, he started to rise and glow and she had been afraid for him. As quickly as it had risen she saw the bright light fade and he floated to the ground.

Instead of the furry, large, sweet beast she had known, in his place was a handsome, muscular, blond haired man. He had rushed over to her, took her hands, and said, "Belle, it's me!" She had known it was her Beast because of his eyes. The same piercing bright blue eyes that you could loose yourself in. His voice too was the same but a lot softer and coming from a smaller chest that couldn't growl or roar. It was the happiest she had ever heard him be.

Then the next thing Belle had known she was swept into his arms and they kissed. As she smiled at the memory she knew that kisses were truly amazing things. She had always read about kisses, but never actually had one. There was no possible way to describe a kiss in a book, she decided.

And then one by one the whole castle had changed, and the castle staff inside. The Prince had left her to greet four people who Belle recognized as Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, and Chip. Even the dog turned back into what it really was; a brown and white terrier instead of a brown and white footstool. He had come back to her and lifted her up into the air. The whole night was hectic and quick but Belle had enjoyed every moment of it.

Somehow she and her former beast had ended on the couch, neither of them had meant to fall asleep, but they had talked a tiny bit and drifted into slumber. It was understandable. It was something like 3 am by then and after the night they had had, anyone would have been exhausted.

But now, as Belle stared at the Prince she realized that she still had so many questions. It made total sense that the castle was cursed, who ever heard of a beast and a castle filled with talking objects just appearing out of nowhere? And what about all those hints he had said, stuff like, "It stopped being important", or "I learned it a long time ago" or "It stopped mattering?" all hints that something in his life had changed drastically. Why had she been so clueless? But why had he been cursed, and how long?

As if he had heard her thoughts, the man's eyes flickered open. He sat up and stretched. When he saw is legs he nearly jumped for joy. His grin was so big Belle had to smile. Then he turned to her. Belle suddenly felt very shy and self conscious. Did her hair look okay? Did she have bags under her eyes? Compared to this god sitting before her, how did she look?

"Hi." She said quietly.

"Hi." He said and they were silent.

"I love you."

"I love you." They said at the same time. Belle blushed but those words gave her more courage.

"I'm very, very confused." He smiled grimly and pushed his hair back. The same way Beast used to do with his mane.

"I guess I do owe you many explanations. What do you want to hear first? Knowing you, you've probably already figured it out." What was with all this blushing she was doing?

"It's been very confusing," she mumbled, "Why didn't you ever…. Well, can you tell me why you were a beast? Please?" Beast, or should she say the Prince sighed like this was the question he'd least like to answer. But then he started his tale,

"When I was a boy, 14 I think, I was very spoiled and greedy. I was arrogant and conceited and so much like that man, Gaston. Yes, I would have admired Gaston back then. From the very beginning I had never believed in or trusted love. My parents had gotten themselves killed over what they called true love (I was ten) and slowly I became colder and colder after their deaths. Of course Mrs. Potts looked after me, she was my nurse and Cogsworth and Lumiere were supposed to be my teachers. I remember not showing up for classes.

This was the way I was up to my fifteenth birthday. I think I was opening presents when Cogsworth opened the door and announced that there was a stranger at the door wanting to see me. Now I of course refused several times but finally I went to see what was bothering me.

At the front door there was an old hag. She was hunched over and frail looking. I thought she was hideous. I yelled at her to go away and I admit I insulted her and called her names," he saw her expression and winced.

"I'm not proud of it. She held out a shimmering red rose and offered it as payment for a room, out of the cold. I refused her and tried to send her away again. Then, in a flash of white light, the hag seemed to melt away and in her place was a beautiful enchantress. She instantly terrified me for I had realized what I had done. I fell to my knees before her and begged for her forgiveness. She laughed at me and said, 'Cruel prince, there is no love in your heart; you would even refuse a beggar woman shelter on a cold winters night. So I bequeath this curse upon you: You will be a Beast on the outside until your face does not reflect your heart and you earn and learn to love. You must find this true love from a maiden before the last petal falls from this rose. But remember beauty is on the inside.' Then she disappeared and I felt the worst pain. It felt like all my limbs were breaking and expanding. The pain was horrible but it only lasted a couple of minutes. When I woke up I realized what I had become."

He stopped and his head dropped. Belle put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him and he continued,

"I had claws and fangs and fur and a tail. I had horns. I could roar and growl in a way that even scared even me. I was a monster. And then slowly I found out what the curse had done to the castle. Instead of the bright, open palace I had grown up in, the place had turned dark, ominous, and silent. And the servants, if I hadn't been so riled up in my own misery I would have felt worse about them. They too had been punished for my mistake; they were objects. And worse, they depended on me to break the curse." He smiled bitterly at Belle.

"At first I decided to leave the castle, and try and find some poor, pretty milk maid to woo and convince that I was a prince. If I could just get her to say those three words… So I left the castle and it didn't work so well. All the girls who saw me ran, I was constantly hiding from hunters. I gave up after a day. Then of course I believed I would be a beast forever. I tried to commit suicide many times, but they never worked. It was like the Enchantress wasn't letting me give up.

So I slowly gave up on life and became the horrible, cruel monster that locked up your father. But then, I don't even think the enchantress was expecting you to come and offer to take his place. (She did know what was going on the whole time. She visited me in my dreams which I thought was cruel, but I realize now she was just trying to help me.) But the moment you did that, you gave me hope." He put his hands on her cheeks and said,

"And I thank you for that and will be forever in your dept for setting me free. I love you." Belle stared into his deep blue eyes and pondered what he had said.

"What are you thinking off, Belle?" She sighed,

"Many things. And I guess the main thing is, how could I be so darn stupid?" Belle moaned. Beast instantly went to comfort her.

"Why, how could you say that?"

"No! I really was so stupid. I knew it didn't really make sense, talking objects and a frightening Beast living in this castle in the middle of nowhere. You don't find that a lot! And on top of that a kingdom missing a prince? After all the books I've read about magic you would think…. And of course, if I had asked you would've pushed me away."

"I never would have!"

"Sure about that?"

"Well, I, well yes I would have." He looked very glum.

"Why didn't you tell me?' She changed her position on the couch, not intentionally making herself closer to him.

"The spell would have never have been broken if I had told you," he said, If you knew about the curse, and then knew was depending on you to love me you would have felt compelled to love me. You would have felt like I was using you and it would have never have been true love. And besides, I didn't even want to talk about my past life. Anything that reminded me of what I had lost despised me. Don't be upset, but even you reminded me of what I had before." Now it was Belle's turn to look gloomy. Another question popped into her head.

"What was your name?" He didn't answer her at first.

"I haven't called myself by that name in years, you should probably just keep calling me Beast, and I'm used to answering to it. And besides I don't care what you call me and the boy who answered to that name is not me and…"

"Beast."

"What?"

"What. Is. Your. Name?"

"My name, my name is Prince William Justin Cedric Bonchifet."

"Wow. So should I call you Prince William Justin Cedric…?" He grimaced.

No, no, just William if you must."

"You are NOT a beast anymore."

"That is a good thing." Belle was recognizing her beast very well in this handsome man.

"So now that you're human again, does this mean you are King?" She dreaded the answer. His eyes bored into hers as he answered,

"Yes, it means I am the rightful King and you would be Queen."

"Me!" Belle squeaked.

"If you'd marry me?'

"Did you just perpose to me?"

"What do think?"

"But I'm a peasant, not a princess! What do I know about being Queen?"

"About the same amount I know of. You forget, I have been a beast for years, I haven't seen my kingdom never less ruled it." He shrugged, "Laws can be changed. And I know of a certain former clock who is very good at making forged documents."

Belle laughed, "Cogsworth?"

"Yep."

"You know, I should have known you weren't a Prince," she whispered.

"Why's that?"

"Because Beasts usually can't dance so nicely."

"Yah, I was a real graceful fur ball," he muttered. Belle threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck in an embrace. William laughed and whispered in her ear,

"I'll take this as a yes."

"Absolutely!"

He broke the hug and stood up before Belle. She was instantly disappointed. Was he going to leave so soon? William held out his had and said with a grin,

"Dance with me?"

"We'll," Belle pretended to think, "You might not be such a good dancer now…"

"Then I'll just have to prove it to you." He swept Belle and they were dancing around the room. They both fumbled and Belle stepped on his feet, but they laughed the whole time.

Then, they kissed.

It was briefer than the first one because someone walked into the room. They broke apart quickly, both embarrassed and out of breath. Belle hopped she wasn't blushing so much.

It was Lumiere. He came into the room with a smirk on his face, obviously knowing what he had interrupted.

"Pardon, mademoiselle, master. But Mrs. Potts thought it wise for the love birds to part and get into some more, well not ruined, clothing. Breakfast will be ready soon, Belle…" He gestured towards the door and Belle broke away from William. She gave him one glance and smile before she left he room. And she said, "I love you."

"I love you too, Belle."

William slumped back onto the couch and sighed with contentment. Lumiere looked at him and grinned.

"You must be miserable," he scoffed, "Beautiful girl, human again, you're the king, yep you must be truly feeling heart broken inside.

"Of course." William rolled his eyes. They were silent for a little bit, admiring each other. They hadn't seen each other as a human for years, and even then, William had been still an adolescent.

"Master?"

"Yes?"

"You do know that soon you will be required to make your presence known to the royal courts. They will ask where you have been…" William groaned.

"I know, I know. It's going to be complicated, explaining this. But for now, I'm not going to worry about it." He smiled up at Lumiere, a plan forming in his mind.

"For now, I don't want anything to change. I'm set for life."

Belle smiled into the mirror as she changed into a different dress; a dark green one that hugged close to her body and showed off her curves. Mrs. Potts stood behind her, trying to figure out how to salvage her old dress. The blue one was muddy, torn and beyond wearing again. It didn't matter one bit that this dress was one of the only ones she had, because wasn't everything know going to change? Wasn't this castle going to be officially her home?

"You look very beautiful, dear." She turned behind her to smile at Mrs. Potts.

"It's going to take a very long time for me to get used to not having to look down to talk to you," Belle laughed.

"I don't think it will take as long as you think," said Ms. Potts with a knowing look. "After all, you seem to have already adjusted to the master." As she finished Babbette came running in, holding Chip by the hand.

"Hasn't been a little boy again for a day and he's already broken something," she muttered. "Belle has he asked you..."

"To marry him, yes he did."

"And what did you say?" chorused all three of them.

"What do you think?"

"Oh yippee!" cried Babbette, "It's so romantic! You should get married tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow!"

"Yes, and you should wear that yellow gown, and we can have the whole ball room covered in roses, and we can invite everybody in the lands…." Babbette's fantasies were cut off by Mrs. Potts.

"Certainly not Babbette, the wedding cannot be tomorrow. Only yesterday the master was a frightening animal that nobody would think of marrying. In some ways they barely know each other."

"Can I still be the ring bearer?" Asked Chip.

"Of course, Chip," said Belle, The servants left the room and Belle took one last glance of herself in the mirror. She felt different. Was this what it was like, being in love? She felt older, wiser, and to her surprise, prettier. And she felt like she had more confidence.

Whatever it was, there was a man just a couple of rooms down from where she was who loved her and was willing to risk his life to save her. And she was willing to do the same. In all the books she had read, this was true love. As she walked out of her room, and towards her love with open arms, she knew in her heart,

Fairy tale happenings do come true.

The End.

Thanks for reading and I hope it wasn't very bad. Please review and I would love suggestions. And if you think i should try and write the wedding scene or when their first baby is born then please review!

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Thanks!