I just wanted to say this quickly. The Beast is coming to an end in about three to five chapters. Then I will get started with the prequel-slash-stand alone, Red Snow.

      We walk into the baseent of the church where the support group meeting is being held. I swear I see someone familiar getting the stuff for the metting ready. She catches my eye and runs out of the room with inhuman speed. Weird. Grantaire looks at me worriedly. "Belle, you are paler than those Vampires on that show you love so much. Are you okay?" I give him a smile.

      "Of course I am." I reassure him.

      "I don't know Arabella..." Grantaire trails off uncertainly.

      "Let's take a seat, shall we?" I ask him. I am desperate to change the subject. He nods and we take two of age and gives a smile to everyone there. The girl has chestnut hair and clears her throat to start the meeting. Everyone, and some familiar faces jump out at me, turns their attention to her. Her eyes are a warm amber-ish gold and her skin is a carmel color.

      "¡Oye, yo estoy hablando ahora!" The last few remaining people who are chattering quiet down. "I am Rogue Castillo, for those new people I see in the background." She answers in a lightly accented voice. The room itself is dark and windows stream mininal light into the florecently lit basement. Grantaire and I nod silently. Then, she displays a smile that could ignite the warmest fire ever felt. "Why don't you two introduce yourselves? ¿Sí?" She requests in a genial voice. Some time, in the twenty seconds we started the meeting, a man a lot taller than Rogue and slightly more serious entered the room as if he were a ninja.

      Grantaire looks at me slightly fearful. I bite my cheek to keep me from laughing at the way his eyes became gigantic saucers. I take his hand in mine and stand up. "Arabella!" Grantaire hisses at me. I cock an eyebrow.

      "You wanted to be here to try and break your habit. You need to introduce yourself as well." I counter logically. Taking a deep breath, I plaster a smile on my face. "Hello, everyone! I am Arabella, and the sponsor to this lovely man right here." I point to Grantaire. The normally extraverted man now radiates a subdued aura. I elbow him in his side.

      "I am Grantaire Matthias. Nice to meet you all." He tells everyone without stuttering. Then, he pulls me down into our chairs. It is an interesting hour that passes. Grantaire and I learned about some people and their struggles, among them a captain from the US Navy by the name of Natalia Evermore. Grantaire related to her struggles the most. 

      It seems that a lot of the attendees actually came to make sure that they don't relapse into their vices. I do not see how that helps; however, Grantaire seemed to enjoy it and wants to come back next week. I believe that that is a positive sign, after all we went for him. Grantaire and I walk past an open door to a supply closet and I catch snipets of conversation. "D, she came! She was here standing in front of us!" The woman who lead the meeting exclaims with too much emotion to her serious male counterpart. I hear stiffled sobs and the sound of footsteps. I had not known that the footsteps are my own as I sneak closer to hear better.

      "Red, Red, listen to me." I hear a sharp yet caring tone to the voice that sounds awfully familiar to me. The sobs seem to stop as the man spoke. I move my head so I can see the two. The girl is comically shorter than the boy by a head and a half. The boy seemed to be looking down at her and his icy-metallic-blue-that-teeter-on-a-stormy-silver eyes seem to hold every thought that crosses his mind. Suddenly, I begin to feel that I am intruding on a private moment. I turn to leave when I hear something that I never thought I would hear.

      "Desmond Castillo! She sat there! Right in front of me! It was Arabella, D! It was my little Belle!" By this point, I am running silently down the hall and to the door. Her words peirce me like a blade. My little Belle.... The girl said "... my little Belle." It could be someone else, I try to reason with myself. Obviously they had to be talking of another woman because I have never seen them in my life, right? I am too rapped in my own thoughts that when I am faced with the sudden sunlight, I wince and hiss. Grantaire runs over to see if I am okay. I look up and say one thing.

      I say one torturous thing. "She said 'my little Belle'."

      "What do you mean?" Grantaire asks.

     "They talked about a girl... and she said 'my little Belle'." I reply shakily. "It was a really freak coincidence." I ramble on. I see his phone in his hand and I raise an eyebrow. "What was the phone for?" I ask despreate to change the subject. Grantaire's turquoise eyes pour into my peridot green ones. Is he trying to see if I am okay? I ask in my head.

     Grantaire must have found what he was looking for in those brief moments between heartbeats. "My mother called." He begins as we amble in an uncharted direction. "She is hosting a party in my backyard in two weeks. She is inviting her friends and the family to meet you." At this, I let out a groan. "And she says you need a dress." Grantaire ends with a high pitched squeak. I break out into a grin.

     "Really? A dress?" I ask aloud with a mischievous grin appearing on my face. I grab Grantaire's hand and pull him towards our (well, my) car. 

     "Where are you taking me?" Grantaire asks as we both climb into the Jeep. I give him a mischeivous grin.

     "We are going dress shopping!" I say happily. Then I turn the key in the ignition and my Jeep, which I named Caroline, roars to life. I pull out of the parking lot and hit the highway. 

     "... And on a roadtrip!" I add laughing once we enter the parkway from the highway enterance.