Beauty and the Beast

15

Stevie spent her days in the castle up until two or three in the morning and she'd sleep until around noon, so by the time she got down to the main village of Evercrest it was nearing dinner time. She started going right but then remembered that Jess was now living with Lori and Christopher and they weren't the owners of the house anymore. With that in mind, she turned left and made her way to Lori and Christopher's house. 

She was nervous as she knocked on the door, and she didn't know why but she just swallowed thickly and knocked. When Christopher opened the door his mouth fell open and his eyes grew wide. 

"Do you have another spot for dinner?" She asks hugging her dog closely.

"Ugh...LORI SET ANOTHER PLATE!" Chris calls.

"What on earth for?" She asks coming around the corner and peering over Chris' shoulder.

"Stevie?" She asks.

"Hi." Stevie nods. 

"Come in. Come in." Lori cheers as Chris steps aside. 

Stevie hugs both Chris and Lori and she breathes in the smell of meatball stew. 

"Now, where's my niece?" Stevie asks.

"In the dining room with Jess come on." Lori grabs her hand and pulls her into the dining room.

Jess was rocking a cradle and spooning stew into his mouth when he saw Stevie. He dropped the spoon into his bowl and he immediately stood up and wrapped his arms around his daughter. 

"He let you go?" Jess asks once they're all seated. Stevie cradling her niece in her arms.

"It's...It's complicated." She sighs.

"How is it complicated?" Chris asks.

"Well...We kind of sleep together." She winces. There was no way she was actually saying this in front of her father. But in reality, she was and it was awkward and she couldn't believe she was doing it. 

"Sleep together how?" Jess growls.

"Sleep together like how you make a baby sleep together." She motions to the sleeping baby in her arms.

"You're not..." Jess starts.

"NO! At least I don't think I am. We've been sleeping with each other since December and I haven't had a scare." Stevie shrugs.

"Why are you sleeping with your captor?" Lori winces.

"It's not like that. We started out hating each other. Then around July, we became friends, and it wasn't until November that we started getting romantically involved. He was in bed with me this morning when I read your letter. He said that I should go to meet my niece because family is important. All of his family is gone, it's just him and his servants and I guess he doesn't want me to suffer like he does." Stevie shakes her head.

"What do you mean suffers? He gave you his mother's necklace for Christmas," Lori states as Stevie's free hand automatically goes to the pendant around her neck. 

"That's why he doesn't come down. His...his family was never really there for him. They never taught him how to be King and when they died he was just thrust into this life and it overwhelms him. He's a social outcast in a lot of ways." Stevie shrugs.

"You have Stockholm syndrome." Chris points out.

"I do not." Stevie states.

"But you do, you fell in love with the man that kidnapped you," Chris tells her.

"He didn't kidnap me. I went willingly. It's different." Stevie defends. 

"How long is he letting you roam free?" Jess changes the subject.

"Well...that's the thing, he said that I could go for a while but he didn't expect me back." Stevie swirls her stew around.

"Wow," Jess says.

"I know. I'm thinking about staying for about a month and then going back. It would be different if we still had the house, but we don't and I don't want to intrude too long. Maybe a month and a half. Help with the baby and all of that. And besides, that's my home. It's sad to say but it is. He gave me the library, and my bedroom is amazing." Stevie smiles.

"Well Teedee, I'm just glad that we get to see you, and maybe he'll let us see you more often." Jess rolls his eyes.

"Dad, you're okay with this?" Chris bellows.

"Christopher, she's 36 years old. I can't ground her and keep her locked in her room. If she's happy in the castle and that's where she considers home to be, that's where her home is." Jess explains. 

"Well, I'm not okay with it. He's a monster and if you plan to go back to him, I don't want you around my daughter." Christopher scoffs.

"Christopher, that's not fair." Lori smacks his arm.

"He's toxic." Chris spits.

"But don't punish her for that. Stevie, ignore him, you can see the baby whenever you want." Lori reaches over the table. 

"I appreciate that Lori." Stevie glares at her brother. 

***

The next day, Lori the baby and Stevie head into town. They avoid the Tavern at all costs, but they do go to the Library. 

"Stevie you look amazing, where have you been?" Robin asks.

"I needed a change. I'm only here for about a month and a half and then I have to go back home. I'm living up on the mountain now, and it's wonderful." She smiles.

"But there's nothing up on the mountain." Robin cocks an eyebrow.

"There's about...oh, sixish families up there. A man from the community comes down here every week for a grocery run it's all fine and well. I just came down to see my niece." Stevie smiles tickling the little baby's chin in her little baby carriage.

"Well, it's so good to see you. We miss you down here." Robin hugs her. 

"I miss you all too but I love being up in the mountain...and I don't have to worry about Don Henley." She rolls her eyes.

"Don't say his name too loud or he'll come here." Robin states.

"I know. He' s horrible." Stevie laughs a little bit.  

"Well, it was nice seeing you. Would you like to work a shift?" Robin questions.

"Agh...no." Stevie shakes her head quickly. 

"Well suit yourself. Lori, how are you feeling?" Robin turns her attention to the redhead.

"I'm fine..." Stevie tunes her out as she looks around the library. Compared to Lindsey's this place was a garbage dump.