"Doctor Jekyll?" Selvina asked in alarm.
"Merlin didn't say doctor," Belle replied quietly. "What is a doctor?"
"Like, someone who makes sick people feel better."
"A healer?"
"Yeah, I guess, but anyways, Merlin specifically said Jekyll?"
Belle nodded. The two girls were discussing their newfound discoveries while attempting to eat a breakfast in Selvina's room at the inn. It was a rather small room with only a bed, a chair, and a desk for furnishing but both were too deeply ingrained into their tales to care about such things.
"Do you know a Doctor Jekyll from your world?" Belle asked apprehensively.
Selvina nodded and swallowed her piece of bread. "There is a book about him and this monster he turns into. Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is what it's called. I've never read it but we talked about it a little bit in school. The impression I got from him is that he was rather crazy. He didn't sound like a friendly or trustworthy person, especially Mr. Hyde."
Belle sighed forlornly. "According to Merlin, he's the only one who can help us."
Selvina paused mid-bite and stared at Belle, unmoving. She pulled the bread away from her mouth, her eyes unwavering, and asked slowly, "And you want to go find him, I take it?"
Belle met her gaze and swallowed. "Well, yes, I do..."
Selvina pursed her lips, clenched her teeth, and breathed deeply through her nose. "When....when did you want to do this?"
Belle looked away and shrugged, pulling her arms close to her body. "I don't want to leave you alone, Selvina."
Selvina's face hardened. "But?"
Belle eyed her, glanced away, and then eyed her once more, straightening her back slightly. "But if I wait too long I may never get a chance. This war could go on for years and years and Adam and I may get killed or Jekyll himself, if he's involved in it."
"Oh, and the thought of never being able to touch Adam is just too much to bear, eh?" Selvina asked harshly. "You have him with you at all times! At least he's with you now, right?! Jack is gone and I may never get to see him again but that's never a worry for you, Belle, because the man you love is always with you. He's a part of you! Is it that you want to touch and hug and cuddle with Adam or is it that you've grown tired of him and want him gone?!"
"No!" Belle retorted, her face reddening. "I love Adam, Selvina, like you love Jack!"
"Then why do you want him away from you so much? I would do anything to have Jack here with me right now. At least you have that luxury!"
"And you can kiss the man you love, Selvina! I can't!"
"At least you never have to worry if it's the last kiss!"
"You and Jack can have a future together! Adam and I can't!"
Selvina furrowed her brows in confusion. "What do you mean? You guys will grow old together no matter what."
"Yes...but it will forever be just Adam and I..."
Selvina thought about it momentarily and then looked away, realizing what she meant. She calmed herself down somewhat and then said, "Are you sure there's no way?"
Belle eyed her crossly. "How exactly am I supposed to get impregnated?"
Selvina threw her arms up and snapped, "I don't know! Is there some magic way your two souls can combine and make a baby or something? I don't know how it all works!"
Belle smile lightly at Selvina's expression and shook her head. "No, it doesn't work that way. As magical as our bond is, and as far as I know, we can only have a baby the regular way."
Selvina thought about it and then grimaced but immediately tried to hide it. It didn't work.
Belle, however, took it in good spirits. "I know, Selvina, it's rather strange. I understand that. I know it is. My life, with Adam inside me, is rather odd. You just don't know him like I do. I had this mirror back in the castle, the same one you met us in, that would show me who he truly was. To anyone else, he looked like Beast, but when I looked into that mirror I saw a man, a human man. Beast's kind were created by a warlock converting humans into creatures so deep down, underneath all that fur and spikes and muscle, he's a man."
Selvina felt her mind clicking several pieces together. "So that's why you want to find Jekyll so much. It's not just to give Beast his own body but to see if when he's apart from you, he becomes human."
Belle nodded. "Dual-souled ones like Adam and I have always been together. There haven't been any that have split apart and gained their own separate bodies so I don't even know if it's possible for Adam to attain a human form. I just know that if there's a sliver of a chance to make that happen, that we should take it.
"I know it makes us rather selfish and maybe insecure as well, but we both want to live together and raise a family of our own. My father managed to do it with my mother but his other soul was more of a friend to him than a lover. I can't help it that Adam and I love each other. It happened and it can't be undone. Even if I wanted it to happen—which I absolutely don't—I wouldn't do it. I love Adam with all that I am and my only dream is that, before I die, I get to hold him and kiss him. That's all I want. I have a home now, here in New Avalon, but I want to share it with Adam at my side, not inside."
Selvina nodded, though as understanding took place she also realized that there was a chance she would left without another friend in the near future. "Do you know how far Jekyll is?"
"I'd have to ask Merlin how long it would take me to get there. Adam and I would have to be careful, being in enemy territory. I'd have to do most of the journeying, even though Adam could get us there sooner."
Selvina sighed deeply and stated more than asked, "So you will leave me..."
"I don't want to, Selvina. If you wish me to stay, I will stay. You're alone enough as it is. I wouldn't want you to feel abandoned."
"Yet, I don't want you to feel like staying with me is stripping you away from that one chance of giving Adam his own body. As much as I don't want to be alone here, I don't want to be the reason you and Adam can't be together. What kind of a friend would I be if I did that?"
"You are more important to this world than Adam or I, Selvina, and you deserve to have friends alongside you. Adam is quite capable of protecting you as well. I would not feel like you're taking away our chance."
Selvina's mouth twitched. "You say that now, Belle, but when winter is halfway through and we're still sitting here, bored out of our minds, you'll begin to wonder what it is you're protecting me from and why you aren't out there looking for Jekyll. Don't lie to me and say that you won't start thinking it. I know I would."
Belle sighed. "Fine, I won't say it. It wouldn't be a lie, though."
"Belle, I mean it. Besides, the earlier you two leave the sooner you can come back... I have Tinkerbelle, and Huck if ever decides to show up. I can always make new friends too." Selvina then sat straight, spread her arms wide, and forced a smile. "I'm the shield of Faeryum, who wouldn't want to be friends with me, right?"
Belle frowned. "Selvina, I don't want—"
"I said, go, Belle."
"I just want to—"
"Go! Belle, I said go. Just go, ok? Leave me now before I get mad..."
"Selvina! I am not going to—"
"GO!!!" Selvina shot up from her chair, stomped to the door, and opened it wide. "Leave my room, Belle. Go and find that stupid Doctor Jekyll and give Adam his own human body and then the two of you can come back and live happily ever after, like it's all supposed to be."
Selvina's eyes widened slightly when a shudder crept across Belle's body and it seemed her arms and legs bulged for a moment. Belle's eyes were shut and she appeared to be fighting something down. She muttered something under her breath, slowly stood up, and walked out of the room, her eyes shut the entire time.
Once she was out in the hall, she opened her eyes and turned around. Selvina met her gaze and fought the urge to slam the door in her face. She saw pleading in Belle's eyes and it softened her heart to see the pain in them. Belle truly didn't want to leave Selvina yet love was pulling her away nonetheless. She thought of what she would do to have Jack by her side again and understood the plight slightly better.
In her world it would be akin to a long-distance relationship through emails, text messages, or Skype. Your loved-one was there, a word's glance or listen away but never truly there with you. As much as you wished for it, you could never touch or hold or kiss the one person you loved the most. No matter how close you two became, you would forever be worlds apart. If finding Jekyll was like purchasing plane tickets to finally hold hands with the one you love, then Belle deserved to make that happen. She and Adam had endured far too many hardships already. They had their home. All they needed now was each other.
"I'll miss you," Selvina finally said, her heart heavy.
Belle smiled as moisture began to gather in her eyes. "I'll miss you too, Selvina. We'll try to return as soon as we can, I promise."
Selvina wanted to wish her luck and say so much more but all she could manage was a nod before she had to blink frantically in an effort to keep the tears at bay. Belle seemed to understand and rushed in, giving her a hug, which broke the dam. The two girls sniffed back tears together and held the hug for many minutes before eventually, slowly, pulling away.
"Thank you, Selvina," Belle whispered after she wiped her eyes.
Selvina wiped at her own eyes and nodded again. "No need to thank me. You don't need my permission to go. You two deserve this chance." With a light chuckle she added, "Now go, before I change my mind."
Belle smiled back, eyed Selvina for a moment more, then turned and hurried away.
Selvina watched them disappear behind a corner before closing the door, sliding down to sit on the ground, and bursting into tears once more.