Bree's heart sank to her stomach when she spotted Beasley. Streams of tears rushed down her face and she struggled to look away but the gory scene made her eyes transfixed to the spot.

Beasley laid limp by a fallen oak tree and by the look of his multiple injuries, he had been caught in Jimothy's trap but had somehow broken free thereby causing a lot of damage. His horns had broken off and Galloway held on to one of them which was covered in blood and soot.

For a sickening moment, Bree thought his eyes had been plucked out but a closer look made her believe they had only swollen shut. His leg twisted facing the wrong way and his chest heaved in and out with effort as though he struggled for breath. He had one arm gently folded across his chest making Bree realize it was also badly broken and bent. How Galloway had managed to hurt Beasley this much was a devastating surprise to Bree.

Bree shuddered and walked further to the scene. Galloway snapped his head toward her as her form appeared by his corner.

She limped towards Beasley and knelt by his head even though her back was threatening to split like a wet cracker.

"Come to watch your pet die, no?" Galloway snickered. Even though he had managed to break Beasley, he wasn't left untouched. He was also covered in blood. His shirt had been branded with Adidas ™ sized claw marks and he had a horseshoe sized divot on his face. His eye was swollen and his jeans had been ripped at the knees. He looked weak but still strong enough to have another go at the pair.

"You've had enough. Leave him alone." Bree pleaded, gently stroking the side of Beasley's face but he was barely aware of her presence.

"Oh no. The beast killed all my men and tried to eat me. I won't spare it. It's an abomination." Galloway shrieked with rage.

Bree stared at Beasley's face. He already looked half dead and she had to lean in to hear his shallow but present breath.

"It's over. Let him go. You've already won and that's all you wanted right?" Bree asked trying to keep her voice steady but the amount of tears that came out of her made it impossible.

Galloway laughed mockingly. "Why do you shed tears for the animal? It has no feelings whatsoever, no pity. It has no sense of reasoning. It only knows to kill like the wild creature it is and i will put it down before it does me."

Bree's breath hitched as Galloway suddenly charged but a very swift force yanked her to the other side of the tree, spilling a rain of leaves and dust followed by the loudest snap.

Bree sat up quickly and gasped. Galloway was standing in front of a crouching Beasley. From his back, one end of the horn protruded whilst Beasley held the other end. He was baring his teeth at Galloway and his swollen eyes had managed to open, blazing a fearsome blue.

He leaned in and whispered something to Galloway before the man's limp body disconnected with the horn and fell over. He was dead.

Bree let out short labored breaths. Her heart pounded in her eyes and her body shook from fear but only a fear of losing Beasley. His gaze shifted to her for a minute before he slumped to the ground in a dead faint.

Bree rushed over to him and knelt by his side weeping her eyes out, feeling overwhelmed by confusion and regret. She couldn't possibly get him to a hospital and there was absolutely nothing she could do to save him at this point. He couldn't fix himself either and with the amount of blood he had lost, he would be dead within the next six to eight minutes. Bree didn't understand how she knew that but she did not care either.

"What do i do now?" She wailed quietly whilst wiping the corner of her eyes and Beasley's face, repeating the process as if washing away his blood with her tears.

His good arm suddenly moved to his back and stayed there for a while then he pulled it out again with his fist closed.

"What's that?" Bree asked as he unfolded his fist. It was a small piece of paper folded into a tiny square. Despite how dirty he was, the item was disturbingly clean.

"m-mother!" He whispered.

"what?" Bree asked and took the paper from his hand then opened it. It was the picture of a lady. She had thick brown hair and brown eyes. The picture looked like a vignette taken straight off a gift card or a picture frame. The beautiful woman wore a tiny golden tiara across her forehead that was ultimately lost in her hair. She was smiling at the camera or probably something behind the camera.

"Who is this?" Bree asked.

"Home!" He said.

"Is this woman from your home town?" Bree asked looking from Beasley to the picture. How he had gotten the image of a strange lady wasn't something she wanted to discuss but apparently the strange lady had a connection to Villeneuve.

"I'm gonna find her, okay? You're going to be okay. I'm gonna find a new place where you can live far from any harm." Bree said even though she did not believe it. He was going to die and she was going to be miserable for the rest of her life.

"No. This is the end. I can't keep hiding and running." He said. His voice was clear now and calm and Bree felt that it was a bad thing. Usually before people died, they no longer felt pain and became incredibly calm. She had witnessed her father's passing and asked him if he was hurting but he had said no right before his eyes shut for good.

"You're not gonna leave me you hear me? You can't." Bree yelled then her voice lowered. "Please don't leave me."

Beasley chuckled quietly. "wasp."

Bree laughed back even though she didn't want to. It would probably be the last time they shared an inside joke.

"You know you remind me of my grandmother." He said.

Bree nodded, trying to comprehend how he knew who his grandmother was but hey, crazy stuff had happened too much to not believe this bit.

"You remember your grandma? That's good." Bree said nodding amidst tears.

Beasley's arm moved to touch her face and almost covered her entire head but she leaned in nevertheless.

"Thank you, Bree." He said.

"For what?" She asked with a sniffle.

"For being the world's greatest friend and showing me places and making me happy. You never made me feel alone. I don't deserve to know someone like you."

Bree stifled a laugh. "shut up." She laid on his chest as his breathing began to slow down immensely. The tears had stopped but it suddenly began to pour again.

Bree inadvertently began to count his heartbeat. thump-thump, thump. . thump, thump. . . .thump.

She tightened her grip around his large body, squealing as he took his last breath.

"I love you, Beasley." She whispered.

thump!

Every thing went still and quiet. Bree was afraid to lift her head but she did.

Beasley's head was propped up by the tree and his face had tilted to the other side, a dark shade of brown cascading from his horns to his torso then down to his feet.

After a while, he began to look like a heap of charcoal. Bree was frozen in place. She did not blink back the tears or try to move. She just knelt down, staring at him.

She finally bowed her head to look at the picture in her hand. The lady in the frame looked very familiar but Bree was sure he had never met her before. She had a smile that was nice and regal at the same time. Bree thought she was probably cosplaying a princess.

The sound of hooves hitting against the floor made Bree turn. Jonas came galloping towards her.

Bree had never felt so happy to be in the presence of another living thing before. In her broken state, she ran over and threw her arms around the horse's neck and cried. As if Jonas was aware, he dipped his head in a comforting manner.

Bree cried until her shoulders vibrated and her cheeks burned. Her head also ached and her back pain had hurt for so long that she considered it a part of her.

She stood still, hugging Jonas and sniffling when the horse began to squirm uncomfortably.

"Jonas, what. . . .?" Bree began then turned.

Beasley's dust was beginning to look a brilliant green. Bree gasped as his form began to look life like again. She walked over to him and stood over his head watching the green slight slither across him like serpents of smoke.

Suddenly, he began to look transparent. Bree's forehead crumpled and she looked to Jonas for any sort of explanation but the horse still whinnied uncomfortably.

When Bree looked down again, she could see a trace of white spreading across his chest forming some kind of . . . .

"a shirt?" Bree whispered.

The rest of a human form began to materialize inside Beasley until the creature vanished and left a young man lying down in his spot. Bree had run over to hide behind Jonas but the horse was also looking to take cover like you hiding behind me? Coward! I should hide behind you.

Bree peeked at the sleeping young man that had already began to stir awake. He finally sat up and took one glance at himself than at Bree. She yelped and hid behind Jonas again, wondering who the stranger was and how he got there.

She could hear him shuffling to stand up then peeped from behind the horse again. The man had walked a bit further and was also peeking at her. They both yelped and jumped back.

Bree hugged herself since Jonas had moved away from their middle. "Do i know you?"

The stranger suddenly smiled. Bree looked at him from his head to his feet. He wore a really big white dress shirt and brown trousers and a pair of old boots. He had beautiful auburn hair that was held in a low ponytail. Then there was his eyes. They were blue like a clear ocean and she recognized them very well.

"You saved me." He said. He sounded a bit excited but confused. His voice was very clear and rich and his face. . . Bree almost fainted. He was prettier than her. Bree's head went zzzzzxylyhgghvbmlzzz. The man is dang beautiful! Are we dreaming?

"I did. . .I did what?" She stuttered trying to inch away from the stranger who was now reaching for her hand.

"Bree, it's me."

"Huhn?" She whispered. A strange sensation went up her spine as his fingers interlaced with hers. He drew her close and put his free arm around her waist. Bree could pick up the smell of forest and flowers and granite.

"Beasley. It's me." He said with a wide, gentle smile.

Bree's one eye involuntarily shut. "No. That's. . It can't. . you can't be. . ."

"And i heard what you said at the last minute." He said with a smirk.

"Wh-what?"

"I love you too." He said.

Bree took a moment to breathe. He couldn't be Beasley but then again, Beasley was nowhere to be seen and had been replaced by an oddly beautiful young man. He was smiling down at her, patiently waiting for her to speak up. His eyes were all the assurance she needed. She had stared into them too many times.

"It really is you." She said placing a hand on his cheek. He was warm, certainly not dead or injured and completely human. She wanted to ask how? How was everything possible? but she didn't want to push her luck. She was still digesting the fact that the 14ft beast she used to hang around with was a handsome fellow in disguise.

"It is me." He repeated and pulled Bree in for a hug. She found herself laughing and crying and sputtering incoherent words but Beasley only hugged her tighter as if he understood everything. She felt incredibly happy. Happy that Galloway had lost and she had won. They had won.

When human Beasley pulled away, he suddenly looked exhausted. She quickly grabbed hold of his shoulder fearing that he would go back to being Beasley again even though she really didn't mind but his human form was way better, we can all agree on that.

"What is it?" She asked out of concern.

"I guess it wasn't easy being that big for such a long time." He scoffed making Bree smile out of pure relief.

Bree went over to Jonas and pulled him gently by the reins. "We should go back."

Beasley stood up looking at Jonas like an old foe turned friend. "Nice to see you again, fella. Sorry about all the hay."

Jonas whinnied like apology accepted! You owe me 90 bucks. He brushed against Beasley's face and the latter laughed.

"I'm happy we're on good terms now." He said patting the horse.

"We have to get back now cause i need to see a chiropractor." Bree said arching her aching back.

Beasley walked over to her and gently lifted her onto the horse then climbed behind her, allowing them both to take control of the reins.

"Just so you know, my real name is Frances." He said tightening his grip around her arm.

Bree turned to look at his smiling face that was so close, her insides felt like hot yogurt.

"So, your name isn't Beasley? Huhn! seems appropriate."

He nudged Jonas and the horse took gentle strides down the steep road. On the way back, Frances explained everything to Bree and she listened with abrupt attention. It was a tad difficult to concentrate as Frances would occasionally lean in to talk in her ear and she would momentarily forget how to breathe.

He explained in full detail where he was from and how he had been cursed to be a beast until well, a woman desired him which Bree had done.

In her mind, Bree couldn't help but imagine how messed up it would've been if Beasley had transformed into someone's grandpa or weren't even human at all. She'd developed romantic feelings toward a. . .

Snap out of it!

"So, this girl wanted to marry you and you said no and she got mad and bibbidi bobiddi booped you into a hideous monster and sent you on a free fall all the way to London unless another girl fell in love with you?"

"I guess that's pretty much it." Frances shrugged.

"That is just messed up. She's crazy. She needs to see a therapist." Bree said rolling her eyes. We do too. We just watched a beast turn into full time pretty boy.

"Well, she's a couple of centuries old so she's definitely gone crank."

"She's what now?" Bree asked turning to look at him but by then, they had come close to the ruins near his demolished cave.

He stopped and jumped off Jonas, going over to inspect the broken structure.

"This used to be my room." He finally said after a long silence.

Bree wanted to jump off of Jonas but that would be the last straw to break her aching back, literally. So she sat put and watched.

"It followed you here? How is that possible?" Bree asked.

"I don't know. I've been trying several times to see if it can somehow take me back home but it's just plain old ruins. Here to remind me of the things i've lost." Frances said throwing away a small brick he had picked up.

"What if it's a. . . ."

The world suddenly seemed to spin and Bree with it. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped sideways, falling off the horse like a log.

Before she could hit the ground, Frances caught her. Her skin went pale and burned with an intense fever.

Frances gently lifted her and placed her atop Jonas.

"Hey fella, you don't happen to know any infirmaries around, do you?" He asked the horse.

Jonas neighed affirmatively and Frances climbed on behind Bree. The trio rode into town in the dark and Frances couldn't help but admire all the lights and how different the town was. It looked much much smaller now which was strange because this was how small a town was supposed to look but having lived as a 14 foot monster for 10 years could change one's perspective.

It was almost dawn but the whole place was dead silent save for the clip-clop of horse hoof. Frances thought of how different this realm was from his. Back at home, townsfolk would've gotten to work already.

Anita had been right about worlds existing outside of Villeneuve. Had she been here before? A thousand thoughts floated around in Frances' head. He wondered what he would do now that he was human again.

What he wanted more than anything was to see his family again. He had been so angry at them but if he had known that night would be the last night he'd see them. . .

"Why are we stopping?" He asked when Jonas halted by a giant Oak tree.

He looked up at the building behind a large gate only a few feet from a cobbled passageway. He'd seen buildings like these before and even bigger ones too but he had difficulty telling hotels apart.

"Is this where she lives?" He asked whilst alighting Jonas. He carried Bree bridal style and approached the gate. Almost as though he had been expected, a small part of the gate flew open.

A man stood there. He was tall and broad and by his side stood a lean black bloodhound.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" The man asked.

"Excuse me mister but this lady needs immediate medical attention." Frances said hoping the man was nice even though he didn't look it.

He peered at the Frances and then at the girl he carried like his bride. When he recognized her, he frowned out of shock.

"Bree!" The man said coming forward.

"Oh good, you know her." Frances sighed in relief.

"Is she alive?" The man asked. His dog continued barking at Bree as if she were a treat instead of a human being or maybe the canine was worried.

"Yes she is but she's had a very rough day." Frances explained while Sawyer led him into the building. They took a machine that Sawyer explained would take them up even though Frances barely felt any movement. He wanted to ask if the funny box worked but the doors suddenly slid open and they were in a different room.

He was led to a door and Sawyer knocked twice. The door opened and the face of a middle aged lady greeted them. She broke into tears when she realized who Frances was holding and he didn't need to ask to know she was Bree's mother.

She ushered them in while Sawyer offered to take Jonas back.

"What happened to her?" Melinda asked, placing a warm towel against Bree's forehead. She looked fazed by the young man that had brought her daughter home but decided not to ask any questions until Bree woke up. That did not stop her from stealing glances though.

Frances sat and watched Melinda attend to her daughter until all the color in Bree's face returned. He was moved by how much Melinda cared for Bree and that made him want to kick himself. He was also nervous because she glared at him suspiciously probably because of how often he asked "is she okay?"

"She'll wake up later at noon." Melinda announced then offered to Frances a warm bath and a meal.

He wanted to decline at first for reasons he didn't understand but Melinda had those kind eyes that one couldn't say no to. She was utterly confused by the entire scene but took it all in pretty calmly and still managed to be hospitable.

He showered and Melinda made the best meal he'd ever tasted. He wasn't sure if he had tasted his own mother's food twice. Antoinette never cooked. But his grandmother did - always.

He suddenly felt very homesick. He buried both hands in his hair and bowed before a polite cough from behind made him sit up.

"Sorry to intrude but is it okay if we talk for a bit?" Melinda asked wringing both arms.

It was staggering how much Bree looked like her, the same way his mother looked like her own mom. He hated how everything reminded him of home now and home seemed so far away, impossible to reach. He'd searched for weeks and Villeneuve was nowhere on the map.

"Of course ma'am." He answered politely and Melinda sat on the stool on the other end of the kitchen worktop. She went silent for a while as if fiddling for words to speak.

"What happened up there?" She finally asked.