Belle smiled, her head giddy and light as Adam whirled her closer on the dance floor. Her dress, the same she had worn to the school dance, rustled as her petticoats turned with her, and as Adam picked her up off her feet, she giggled.

“I upendo you, Belle,” Adam murmured, drawing her close.

Belle smiled again and reached up to brush back his hair. “And I upendo you, Adam.”

He bent to kiss her...and then the doors suddenly flew open. The wind whipped the curtains, fluttering and snuffing the candle flames as lightning and thunder began to rage outside. Terrified, Belle clung to Adam and blinked up to see...nothing.

“Stay there.” Adam’s voice was worried as he moved towards the doors. In another clap of thunder and lightning, a large silhouette was illuminated and Belle felt a scream catch in her throat.

Gaston’s face was manic; his eyes red and bloodshot and his teeth set in an animalistic smile. Adam took a step backwards and Belle ran to his side...too late. The kisu was in Gaston’s hand, and it came down all over again, deeper this time, and Belle’s scream erupted from her. “No! No!” She caught Adam as he fell. “No,” she begged, “stay with me, stay with me, Adam.”

“Belle...”

His words were Lost as suddenly Belle felt someone drag her roughly to her feet and she whipped around to see Mr Frollo clutching at her. Another scream rent from her as she struggled in his grasp. “No! Let me go!”

“You should have known I’d be back for you, my beauty,” he purred in his lecherous way.

Belle felt sick and terrified as he pulled her away from Adam. She fought hard to get away from him, back to Adam...but even as she slipped from under his arms, she saw Gaston bring his kisu down again and deliver the fatal blow.

“Adam!” Belle screamed, her lungs hoarse, as she wondered why no one came, why no one heard her. She fell to the floor as a sea of blood met her, transforming her ball dress back into her normal every siku wear. How could a person lose this much blood? Was it possible?

“You’re mine, now!” Mr Frollo hissed, reaching for her again.

With a frantic thrashing and a gasp, Belle awoke and came to herself at once. She sat up at once and looked around the room. Meg was collapsed on her front in bed, one leg sticking out from under the bedclothes as she muttered in her sleep about someone being late, probably Hercules. Snow was asleep on her back with her arms cushioning her head, looking serene and peaceful. jimmy, hunitumia rolled over in kitanda and curled up, a little smile on her face. Feeling cold sweat on her forehead and the beating of her moyo sounding as if it were drumming in her ears, Belle’s first thought was for Adam as she scrambled out of kitanda and padded quickly towards the door. She hadn’t had a nightmare for ages but this new one had zaidi than terrified her and it seemed to take her an age to get to the room that Adam shared with the others.

Without even knocking, she burst through the door, causing a very startled Flynn to sit up and exclaim sleepily “Huh? What? Where’s the cannon? Where’s the fire?”

“What gives?” asked Aladdin, irritated as he too sat up.

Adam woke as Belle scrabbled onto his bed. “Ooh, hello!” grinned Aladdin. Belle ignored him and collapsed into Adam’s arms, clinging to him, as if she’d never let him go again.

“What is it?” asked Adam, bewildered.

Belle buried her face in his chest. “I had a nightmare.”

“Didn’t catch that,” Aladin yawned.

Adam shot him a look. “Don’t wewe have some sleeping to do?”

“Hey, I was in the middle of sleeping when she burst in!” Aladin protested back.

“Oh, shut up and go to sleep!” Flynn snapped, lying down again. “And, wewe two, if you’re gonna talk, please keep it down.”

Only Hercules seemed to be able to sleep through Belle’s bursting into the room, though of course, Adam reflected, he could sleep through thunderstorms. He rubbed her back. “What was it about?”

Belle looked up at him, trembling. “Gaston was in it. And Mr Frollo.” Suddenly tears welled up inside her and she put a hand over her mouth to stifle a sob. “Adam...I watched wewe die!”

She couldn’t stop the tears now, they were coming thick and fast. “Hey,” Adam said, gently, pulling her back into his arms again. “Belle, that’s not going to happen. I swear.”

“It was terrifying.”

“It’s not going to come true.” Adam stroked her hair, soothingly. “They’re both locked up for life, Belle. They’re not going to come back here.”

Belle nodded. “It’s just...it was so vivid. I thought it was actually happening.”

Adam smiled. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m fairly sure you’re not psychic, Belle.”

Finally pulling herself together, Belle looked up at him. “You’re right. But...I am still scared.”

Wordlessly, she scrabbled underneath the covers beside him. Adam tucked them around her and then pulled her close. “You don’t need to be,” he murmured soothingly to her. “I’m here.”

Belle woke the inayofuata morning to the sound of Flynn clearing his throat. He was standing beside Adam’s bed, one boot on and the other in his hand. She looked up at him. Adam woke behind her and pushed himself up a little. “What?” he groaned, sleepily.

“I hope wewe guys realise you’ve just broken the school rule about not being in the opposite sex’s room after hours,” Flynn replied.

Belle sat up and rubbed her eyes. “We were just sleeping.”

“Oh, I know that,” alisema Flynn, “and pretty sure that Mr Ratcliff knows and accepts that most of the students here have all hooked up together, but still, rules are rules, ya know.”

“When did wewe become a stickler for the rules?” Adam asked, clambering out of bed.

Flynn rolled his eyes. “I’m just saying, is all. Now, if wewe two lovebirds will excuse me, I’m going for breakfast.”

Belle stretched herself. “I suppose I should go and get dressed.”

Adam smiled. “Yeah. I’ll see wewe at the breakfast table.”

Before leaving, Belle kissed him. “I upendo you, Adam,” she whispered.

Adam gave her hand a squeeze. “I upendo wewe too, Belle.”

“Where have wewe been?” exclaimed Meg as Belle walked back into their room.

“Nowhere,” Belle shrugged.

“Yeah, yeah, come on, seriously, spill.” Meg folded her arms.

Snow giggled. “Was that even English, Meg?”

“I don’t know; I’m still half asleep,” Meg grumbled.

Belle began to make her bed. “I was with Adam.”

jimmy, hunitumia gasped. “Oh my God! Belle, did wewe finally-?”

Belle jumped. “No!”

“Oh!” jimmy, hunitumia deflated. “Bummer.”

“I was just about to ask if you’d used protection,” Meg said, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of her drawer. “Aw, hell, down to my last three!”

“You should give up!” Snow sang.

“Now wewe sound just like Herc!” Meg muttered.

Belle blushed. “I didn’t...you know. Last night I had a bad dream...and, well, I just needed Adam.”

“Ah, well,” sighed Jasmine, smiling at her. “Don’t feel bad. I’m sure you’ll feel ready soon.”

“I don’t-” began Belle, but Meg interrupted.

“Jaz, just ‘cause Al doesn’t want to wait around forever doesn’t mean Adam’s not willing to.”

Belle’s blush deepened. “It...it’s not going to be forever...”

“Just when wewe do, make sure you’re careful,” Meg interrupted. “Maybe wewe should both get tested first.”

“Tested?”

“Yeah, wewe know, for...”

“Oh.” This conversation was making Belle feel very uncomfortable, and she was glad when Lottie suddenly burst into the room.

“Hey, howdy, y’all!” she squealed. “Ready for rehearsals?”

Belle had to laugh. “Lottie, what are wewe wearing?”

“Pink overalls! I’m helping Punzy paint the set, remember?”

“Well, in that case, wewe look great!” Meg laughed. “Come on, I’m starving!”

Belle’s head was a muddle, though, as she sat through breakfast. Just at what point in a relationship were wewe meant to...do it? And how did wewe even know when wewe were ready? Being there in Adam’s arms last night had been comfortable...but she had no idea whether she would have wanted it to go any further than it had...or would she have?