Beatrice & the Beast

Chapter 28.

Ashton's POV:

She's really pretty... Beatrice. She has a pretty smell to her too. And when she's around? Everything seems less of a blur. She keeps me a little saner and I remember things.

Right now, she's sitting in the chair that she sleeps in and is reading me a book. The way her mouth moves when she reads is mesmerizing.

""In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." Elizabeth's astonishment was beyond expression. She stared, coloured, doubted, and was silent." Beatrice continues to read Pride and Prejudice to me and I stare at her intently.

"Also, Ashton, if you're not going to actually listen I can stop." It takes a moment for me to realize that she was actually talking to me. Her big, brown eyes look at me with a sort of attitude.

"Oh, sorry... I'm paying attention. I promise." She rolls those big brown eyes of hers and looks up at me. "Ash, you've always been such a bad liar." Huh... well now I know something else about myself. I'm a bad liar.

Beatrice stands up and goes to the table by my bed to get the water she left over there a couple minutes before. "It's getting late, so I think I'm going to hit the hay. You better too."

The clock that sits on the wall in front of me reads 9 PM. Beatrice must have been reading since 7 or so and I just realized that she never stopped reading to me. "I gotta get changed into my PJ's, okay? I'll be right back." She steps into the bathroom and closes the door behind her.

She's helped me so much and it's only been a week since I've been in the accident. I don't remember anything. I didn't remember Maycee, Michael, Cal, or Claudia either. Hell, I didn't remember my own parents. The only thing I remember is what I need to know to survive- wait... I can remember blurry memories of childhood too but those don't really count because I have no idea what's happening in them.

The bathroom door opens and a comfy Beatrice appears. She wears shorts with little Batman signals all over them and a black tank top. How does she look this cute?? She's in pajamas, for heavens sake.

"Okay, Ashypoo, bedtime!" She smiles and grabs her pillow and blanket that she told me I got her for her birthday. (Apparently it's her favorite thing.) I lean back my bed and sigh, "Okay, okay, okay. But, you finish that story tomorrow, okay?? I want to hear the end of it."

Her smile grows as she sits down in the small, cushioned chair that the nurses provided for her to sleep on. "Of course, Ash. I'll finish it for you. Goodnight now." Beatrice yawns, leans her head back and drifts off into sleep.

"Goodnight, Trissy..." I, too, drift off into sleep.

Beatrice's POV:

"Beatrice, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry." Ashton's voice fills my dreams and I open my eyes. Looking over at his bed, I see him. He's tossing and turning, but still asleep. I slowly get up and move towards his bed.

"I- I'm sorry..." His voice turns to a whisper as I gently place my hand on his forehead, wiping away his sweat that formed there.

His face... I've noticed that when he sleeps, his face is back to normal. Like, when he dreams, he remembers. He's back to his normal self and not scared anymore. Moving my fingers, I caress his jaw and the rest of his face; taking every feature in. Trying to memorize his face over and over again... I already know his whole body. I know every bit of him, but now... it seems like I barely know him. When we talk, I mean, when I tell him our memories and everything... I notice him becoming more and more comfortable with me. Or, even with himself. Caressing him now, his clenched eyes open slowly. Flinching back, I move my hand away from him, but he catches it. "I'm sorry-" I try to pull my hand away but he keeps his grip on it.

"Lay with me," Ashton whispers, "please?" The clock ticks on the wall. "Beatrice, I remember you. I remember us sleeping together. That's what I just dreamt about. And then... I dreamt about Luke and you. I hurt you. And, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come between you and Luke. But... I just... I love you. I love you so much, Beatrice. I have loved you since... I don't know when. You've been my best friend my- my whole life. You've been there for me through everything and I can't thank you enough, my sunshine. You're the reason why I get up every day. You. It will always be you."

There's silence... and then, a sigh of relief from my own mouth. He remembers us. For God's sake, he remembers. It's a miracle from every God known to mankind.

"Scoot, you nerd." I push him with my hand and he makes room for me next to him. I lay down beside him and he wraps his arm over my waist. The eyes I fell in love with stare back at me with compassion. "Ashton, I'm going to-" His lips crash onto mine as he pulls me closer to him. My hand raises up to cup his cheek as we kiss and Ashton's arm pulls me even tighter to him and we finally part. "I've missed you, baby."

He laughs and looks at my face like he's been gone for months and has just now gotten back home. "Beatrice, will you marry me?"

"What the hell, Ashton?" He's asking me to marry him and he just got his memories back? This boy... I swear.

"Is that a no?" His face changes to worry and he releases his grip on my hip.

"No! No, it's just weird timing is all. You just got your memories back and now, you're asking me to marry you?"

"Beatrice, you have bewitched me, mind, body and soul. I love- I love- I love you and I wish to never be parted from you again."

"You read it, you asshole." He's quoting Pride and Prejudice word for word without even stuttering.

"I've seen the movie and read the book. I remember now." The smile on my face grows and I pull his lips to mine. "I love you, Ashton." I say this into our kiss and we both smile. "And I love you, Beatrice."