Hey, guys!

I've been working on various story chapters in different fandoms lately, trying to get ready to update different stories. My theater acting has kept me very busy lately!

I have a surprise for you all! I don't own BATB. This story will be different times of Lissa and Gaston when they were younger, mainly before the time of the movie line! I believe I'll make him the goofball we all know, but not necessarily evil-FOR ONCE. I miss writing these two siblings so much, and I thought you all would enjoy some more stories of them as children, which are so much fun to write.

So, here's chapter one. Hope you enjoy!


4-year-old Gaston raced into the kitchen to the breakfast table. He eagerly looked up at the tall clock standing back against the wall and clenched his fist. "Yes!" He congratulated himself. "I bet I beat Giles at his house to breakfast. I'm faster than he is!" But then he frowned with disappointment at the breakfast table. There was no food ready save half a loaf of bread and a slab of butter.

"Momma! I'm hungry!" He called. "Where are you?"

"In the bed chamber, Gaston." His mother, Alice replied weakly from her bedroom. Gaston bounded to the master bedroom and burst inside. He stopped short. His mother was lying in the bed! Alice never laid around in the morning, but was always up and doing her momma duties.

"Momma? I'm hungry!" Gaston announced as he peeked at her over the edge of the bed. He was only four but already as tall as boys twice his age.

"Ohh," Alice moaned. "I am sorry, my son." She threw him an apologetic smile. "I'll...get you something to eat." She slowly pushed herself up to a sitting position but grimaced. Her long, dark hair was sweaty and she was pale.

"Momma, you look...green!" Gaston announced. "Are you sick?"

"A little. Don't worry, my beautiful boy." Alice said, stroking his hair. "Momma will be alright. I had just had a spell this morning, that's all."

"I'm hungry." Gaston whined, rubbing his little tummy for emphasis.

"Alright." Alice nodded and slowly rose to her feet, gulping hard. She felt another wave of nausea come but tried with all her might to force it down until her son was taken care of. She sluggishly made her way to the kitchen.

"Hurry, Momma!" Gaston begged and clambered up onto one of the chairs, anxiously waiting for his breakfast.

"C-coming." Alice assured him. She cut some bread and buttered it, then added strawberry jam, Gaston's favorite. "There you are." She shoved the plate toward him.

"No eggs?" Gaston pouted.

"Not this morning, I'm afraid." Alice said quickly, gripping the table for support and clutching her stomach. She was turning even more pale.

"Milk?" Gaston asked.

"Y-yes."

"I'm really thirsty, Momma." Gaston insisted.

"Alright! Just eat your toast!" Alice scolded, surprising even herself. "I'm sorry...I..." She moaned.

"Momma, why are you holding your tummy? Does it hurt?" Gaston asked.

"Gaston, I...I think..." Alice couldn't finish her sentence as she covered her mouth and fled to the bedroom just in time to reach the chamber pot.

"Momma?" Gaston called and raced after her. "MOMMA!" He wailed in horror as he watched her throw up. "Momma, what's wrong?!" Alice couldn't answer as she kept vomiting. Gaston burst into tears and ran out of the house, screaming for his father.

One of their neighbors, the dressmaker happened to be walking by and immediately came to the distraught boy's aid. "Why, Gaston? What on earth is the matter, lad?" She asked in alarm.

"Momma's dying!" Gaston panicked, clutching the lady's skirts. "Momma's sick!" Lady Amelia rushed inside the Legume's home. Gaston collapsed to his knees on the lawn, crying his heart out. Neighbors walking on the street gathered around the front yard of the Legume household, confused and worried. Lady Amelia barked out at someone to fetch Gaston's father and the doctor.


Henry Legume, a traveling merchant, rushed to his son but couldn't get a coherent answer out of him and barged passed him into the house. The doctor arrived soon after. While he tended Alice, Lady Amelia came out and tried to comfort Gaston. "Now, now, dry those tears." She said sweetly, dabbing at his eyes with her apron.

"What's wrong with Momma?" He sniffled.

"We shall know soon enough." Lady Amelia brought him back inside and fixed them all some chamomile tea to quiet their nerves.

"Is Momma going to go away, like Monsieur Farnsworth did?" Gaston asked his father.

"I pray not, son. You must not say such things." Henry Legume said.

"He's a child, Henry. And he's frightened." Amelia reminded him.

"The doctor will take care of your mother." Henry said more softly. The doctor emerged from the bedroom in the next half hour. "Doctor Haggard, is my wife going to be alright?" Henry asked anxiously.

"Yes, Henry." Dr. Haggard sighed. "The way you all aroused me I thought she was dying of food poisoning! She's approximately four weeks along with another bundle. That's all. So you see, nothing to worry about."

"You're saying, my Alice is with child again?" Henry gaped.

"Yes, Henry. Excuse me." Dr. Haggard rolled his eyes and saw himself out. Lady Amelia was put off by his sour attitude but nevertheless, she smiled brightly.

"That is wonderful, Henry!" She clapped.

"Papa, what did the doctor say?" Gaston asked.

"You're mother is going to have a baby, my boy." Henry smiled, ruffling Gaston's hair. "I must go to her!"

"What's a baby?" Gaston scowled, confused. Lady Amelia and Henry laughed.

"Your momma is making another child, like you." She tried to explain.

"What?" Gaston's eyes grew big.

"You're going to be a big brother!"

"Oh!" Gaston smiled. "What does that mean? Momma is making a child? You mean like when she makes sweaters? Like that?"

"No, no!" Lady Amelia laughed, hugging the bewildered boy.

"Is Momma okay?"

"Yes, lad. I promise you, she's alright." Lady Amelia patted his head. Gaston didn't believe her until he was able to go see his mother for himself. She wasn't so pale anymore and she beamed happily.


A baby. The concept of his mother having another kid inside her body went completely over Gaston's head. Henry and Alice tried over and over again to explain to him what that meant, but he still couldn't grasp a word they said. His parents both seemed extremely happy though, and kept calling him their 'big boy', and 'little man', which made him swell with pride. He liked being called that. It made him feel grownup and really important. But one thing he still didn't get: what was a baby?

One part of the deal that Gaston objected to was when Alice started showing. Her clothes became snug, and her belly started growing very round and very large, and she walked around much slower. "Momma?" Gaston asked her one snowy November morning.

"Yes, Gaston?" Alice answered wistfully from her spot in the rocking chair, knitting red yarn.

"You're very fat." Gaston pointed out glumly. Alice frowned.

"Mmm-hmm." She grunted, her cheeks growing very pink.

"Why is your tummy so fat, Momma?" Gaston persisted. "Your belly looks like the big pumpkins we just put away for winter!"

Oh, Lord, give me patience! "Ohh, Gaston. Gaston, what am I going to do with you?" Alice sighed, leaning her head back. "I've told you many times before, it's because the baby is growing bigger inside me, and needs room to develop properly."

"But why does it make you so big?"

"Because otherwise, the baby would be crammed and that could hurt the child, and stunt its growth."

"Huh?" Gaston crinkled his eyebrows.

"When you grow up, you'll understand." Alice rubbed her face. Then she gasped, jolting.

"Momma? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Gaston watched her worriedly. She gasped again, but then she smiled brightly, rubbing her stomach. "Momma?" Gaston cocked his head.

"Nothing is wrong, son." Alice answered sweetly. "Everything is just right. The baby is kicking!"

"What?" Gaston stood back. "You mean inside your belly? It can do that?"

"Yes!"

"I didn't think the baby was real. I didn't know it could move!"

Alice laughed in spite of herself, snorting. "Give me your hand, son. Feel right here." She said, placing his hand on her side. She felt a small flutter inside. Gaston yelped and sprang back, hiding behind a chair. "Oh, Gaston. Come here, son. It's nothing to be afraid of!"

"Momma? What happened? I felt something!" Gaston's jaw hung open as he gaped up at her with large gray eyes.

"It was the baby. Come here." Alice coaxed him. "Come on." Gaston cautiously approached his mother as if afraid a frightening beast was going to spring out at him. He kept his eyes trained on her belly, waiting and watching to see if anything would happen. "Gaston, I assure you, there's nothing to be afraid of." Alice said. "Now, come here."

She gently took Gaston's hand when he reached her and held him closely to herself as she placed his hand back on her middle. He felt a jolt under his hand again and gulped. "Isn't it wonderful, son?" Alice kissed his head.

"But, doesn't it hurt, Momma?" Gaston asked.

"No, my love. It feels marvelous." Alice hugged him.


When Henry arrived home that night, Gaston bounded to him at the door. "Papa! Papa!" He announced.

"Not so loud, lad. Papa is fatigued. And your caterwauling is giving me a headache." Henry grumbled.

"But, Papa. This is important." Gaston huffed, putting his hands on his hips.

"Very well. What is it, son?"

"I felt the baby kick today! I felt it before you did! At least, that's what Momma says." Gaston boasted.

"What?" Henry gaped and hurried to his wife.


Gaston found the baby's movement fascinating, and often asked to touch his mother's stomach to feel the infant moving. His 4-year-old brain was beginning to realize that whatever a baby was, it was indeed alive!

But as the months dragged on, Gaston grew impatient. His mother couldn't run after him and play like she used to, she needed help with extra chores, she cried when she wasn't really sad, she became more quick-tempered (highly unusual), and she was often very tired. Gaston didn't like that one bit. She assured him that when his new brother or sister arrived, he'd have a new playmate after the baby grew a little. To make him feel better, she counted on him a lot to assist her with the chores, but she always called him her big hero or strong little man. That did boost his ego, but how much longer would his mother be like this?

Gaston's fifth birthday had been a fine one indeed. He'd played with his friends and his father had given him money to spend on whatever he wanted that was affordable, and had even thrown in some extra for how much he helped his mother. Gaston was delighted! He'd spent most of the money on sweets, and his mother had baked his favorite cake. His friends gave him a homemade slingshot for his birthday. Gaston loved it, and took to learning to shoot it right away. But he was severely warned not to shoot at his mother's stomach or the slingshot would be taken away forever. Gaston always made sure to never aim at his mother, ever!


A month after Gaston's fifth birthday, on a cool, overcast day in mid-May, Alice went into labor. Gaston freaked out when she told him to fetch help, just like the first time he'd seen her with morning sickness. Doctor Haggard was out of town at the time, and so was Gaston's father. Thankfully, the midwife Jolene came to aid Alice and so did Lady Amelia.

Gaston was really scared, especially when he heard his mother screaming and crying. The grownups told Gaston's playmates to take him to their favorite spot and play to their heart's content. But Gaston didn't feel like playing, making himself pretty miserable company for his friends. He couldn't help it. He was deeply worried about his beloved momma. What was that baby doing to her?

It was near sunset when the blacksmith's apprentice, Ben, came hurrying to fetch Gaston back home. Gaston ran with all his might-already have grown two inches since just his birthday!-and didn't stop until Lady Amelia grabbed him in the doorway. "Slow down, Gaston. You must be quiet." She shushed him.

"I want to see Momma!" Gaston demanded.

"Alright then. But stay very quiet. Shh." Lady Amelia told him, leading him into the master bed chamber. The midwife was hovering over Alice, who had a small bundle cradled in her arms. Her face glistened with sweat and her long back hair hung beautifully around her shoulders. A loud wailing that sounded like an angry little cat broke the silence.

"Momma?" Gaston whimpered. Alice looked to him and smiled.

"Gaston, my beautiful boy! Do come." She murmured. Gaston climbed up onto the bed and stared at her.

"Momma, are you alright?" Gaston's lip trembled.

"Yes, my love." Alice stroked his face. "I'm absolutely fine. Meet your sister!" Gaston froze.

"A sister?" He sputtered. "Does that mean it's a girl?"

"Yes, she is. Isn't she beautiful, Gaston?" Alice whispered. Gaston stared at the baby in his mother's arms. The child was definitely human, but she had no hair, her face was red, and she was so small! How could he play with her? She looked like she couldn't even run. And on top of that, she cried loudly, hurting Gaston's ears.

"I wanted a boy, not a girl!" Gaston complained. Alice sighed.

"I know, son. But things don't always happen the way we want them. But she is ever so precious, isn't she?"

"Eh." Gaston shrugged. "She's so little, Momma. I can't play with her! You said I'd have a playmate. Well, I can't play with that."

"You will not refer to her as a 'that' or 'it' anymore." Alice scolded him. "She's your sister now. Don't you even want to know her name?"

"What is it?" Gaston asked in annoyance.

"Elise." Alice crooned, kissing the baby.

"Whatever." Gaston scowled. His chest burned with jealousy. He didn't want to share his mother or her affection.

"Gaston! What kind of thing is that to say? Won't you even say hello to her? You know, you're going to be a big boy now, and I'll need you to protect her when I can't look after her."

"I'll think about it. I'm hungry." Gaston said with a sour expression and left the room.

"Gaston..." Alice stared, dumbfounded at the doorway. The baby cried harder.


From that day on, Gaston helped his mother begrudgingly. That baby took up so much of her time, and his father was often away on business so he didn't share in much of the chores around the house. Alice did her best to keep reminding Gaston how much she appreciated his help, and that he was growing fast into a handsome, robust young man. Gaston liked to hear her praise, but he resented his little sister. What did she have to come for anyway? He'd been perfectly happy with just himself and Alice and Henry. Now? His parents, especially his mother were waken at all hours of the night. Elise, or Lissie, as they began to call her for a nickname, cried a lot and needed to be fed, changed, rocked, and looked after all the time.

When Gaston walked into the house, he didn't even say hello to the baby unless his mother told him to. Gaston was miserable. Sharing the attention and affection of his parents was exhausting and he didn't like any of it. But Alice kept telling him that Lissie needed to be safe and cared for because she wasn't big and strong like her brother. Lissie cried whenever she heard Gaston's voice and he never went out of his way to spend time with her. The only one who could ever quiet her down was Alice.


One summer day three months after Lissie was born, Alice had taken her children for a drive in the buggy out of town through the country. It had been a lovely drive, then they headed back to Villeneuve to shop before supper. Alice set the basket with Lissie in it by the fountain at the town square and told Gaston to sit with her. "Yes, Momma." Gaston pouted.

"That's my big boy." Alice smiled, patting his head. "I shan't be long."

"Puh. A day of leisure and I get stuck babysitting." Gaston scowled. He stared down at Lissie to make sure she wasn't hungry yet. "If you need a bottle, don't look at me." He told her rudely. "I'm not feeding you!" Lissie whimpered. "Hush." Gaston huffed.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" One of the men in town cried. It was Jean the potter. "Whoa, boy! Whoa!" He screeched after a large gray horse that was running wildly through the square. "Come back!" Jean yelled. Several other men were trying to capture the skittish mare, but the horse shied away as soon as they got close and began running toward the main square.

Gaston saw the mare galloping straight at them. He yelped fearfully, snatched the basket from its spot on the ground and quickly carried Lissie away to the flower shop and threw himself completely over her in a fetal position. And not a moment too soon! The horse kicked at the pottery and chicken cages at the fountain, just where Gaston and Lissie had just been.

The horse ran out of town and several men rode out to catch her. Alice came running to her children. "Gaston! Gaston!" She screamed and dropped to her knees at Gaston's side as a crowd gathered around. "Oh, son! Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Alice asked frantically.

"Momma?" Gaston looked up frightfully, his heart thudding in his chest. "Is the horse gone?"

"Yes, yes. Are you okay, Gaston?" Alice asked again. Lissie was screeching. "Ohh, oh, oh, my darling..." Alice reached inside the basket and picked up Lissie, rocking her. "Momma's here. It's alright."

"Are they hurt?" One of the ladies asked.

"Shall I fetch the doctor, Madame?" The blacksmith asked.

"Yes!" Alice nodded, her adrenaline still racing. "Ohh, shh. Shh. It's alright, Lissie. Calm down, dear." Alice begged, trying to shush the baby. But Lissie only cried harder.

"Give her to me, Momma." Gaston held out his arms. Alice was too shocked from what had just happened to realize how out of character this was of him. She quickly, gently placed the baby in his arms. "Shh. Hey, Lissie. It's okay now. You're safe. Gaston's here." Gaston told her sweetly. "Big brother's here now. You're okay. Oh, Lissie, please stop crying. It's okay." He lightly bounced her around like he'd seen his mother do.

Lissie started hiccupping and almost immediately went stopped screeching, gazing up at Gaston with fascinated blue-green eyes, staring at his face. "That's it." Gaston smiled down at her. Lissie was still shedding tears and whimpering, but she was amazingly quieting down incredibly fast now."Yeah. Everything's okay now. Yeah, Gaston saved the day! You know that, right?" He nuzzled her nose with his. Lissie laughed and started wringing her pudgy hands, reaching out to play with his small face. She lightly smacked his cheek. "Hey!" Gaston gaped. "You'll be sorry."

"Gaston, be careful with her!" Alice cried. Gaston lightly tickled Lissie's chin and she giggled heartily.

"Ahh, you're ticklish, ha ha!" Gaston boasted.

"She's not crying..." Alice sputtered. "She always cries when Gaston's around."

"I suppose she's been missing her brother." The new neighbor Maurice smiled warmly.

"Aye, she has." Alice cried happily.

"Gaston, you're a real hero, lad!" The priest exclaimed. "That could have been disastrous!"

"My apologies, Madame Legume." Jean the potter told Alice. "I just bought the new horse at a fair price, but I didn't know she was easily spooked. Oh mon deui! She might've trampled your children! Oh, forgive me, Alice!"

"But that didn't happen. Thanks to Gaston." One of the constables stated. "Good lad." He patted Gaston on the shoulder.

"You're a truly remarkable young man." Another man said.

Gaston greatly enjoyed all the attention and praise he was getting from the entire town. He was someone important now and he was only 5! And honestly, it felt good to know he'd actually done something good for his sister. And he'd gotten her to be quiet when no one else could, not even his mother! Oh, he couldn't wait to tell his father when he returned.

"Gaston? You've been aloof with your baby sister since she was born." Alice mentioned to him as she put Lissie in her cradle for a nap. "But today, you saved her, without me telling you to! What has aroused this change of heart, son?"

"I don't know, Momma. You've told me all the time that she can't run or do anything yet." Gaston said thoughtfully. "When I saw that big horse running to us, I just...I knew Lissie couldn't run away by herself. And the horse might stomp on us. So...I just grabbed her. And I knew you would be very, very sad if something happened to her."

"Ohh," Alice murmured, hugging him tightly. "And you. It would break my heart if anything happened to either of my beautiful children, Gaston. I know Lissie takes up so much of my time, but you will always be my special boy. Don't ever forget that, my love. Ever!"

"She laughed at me!" Gaston smiled.

"Indeed, she did."

"And I got her to stop crying!" Gaston boasted.

"Yes. Do you see now, Gaston? Lissie is part of our family now. But didn't feel entirely welcome until all of the family treated her that way. I think she knows you more than you realize. Remember how you used to tell her jokes and stories about yourself when she was in my tummy?" Gaston nodded. "Well, since she came out, you've barely spoken a word to her. She's missed you, son. She already knows you're her brother. And it would do my heart much good if you would start acting like it...as you did today."

"Of course, Momma. I want you to be proud of me!" Gaston threw out his chest.

"And I am. Not just because of your bravery today in the market, but mostly because you seem to have accepted your sister without force, and have taken up the responsibility to keep her safe. You're going to be a good big brother, Gaston. I love you."

"I will always love you, Momma. And I guess I love Lissie too. I just didn't know it yet! It would be just awful if she got hurt!"


Henry was most surprised when he returned home two days later to find his small son the talk of the town, and to see him actually happily playing with his baby sister, making silly faces at her and making her laugh. "My dear, what has occurred?" Henry asked Alice in astonishment.

"I believe the older brother instinct has finally found its way to our son's brain, and his heart." Alice said affectionately. "You should've seen him, Henry. He didn't think twice but just scooped her right up, out of harm's way."

"Indeed? Well, the entire town is talking about it!"

"So, is Gaston. He is telling all his friends how brave he was. I've had to shush him to stop bragging!"

"Well, he is certainly becoming a man!"

"He is."


18 Years Later

"Hullo?!" Gaston bellowed inside the house. "Lissa, are you here?"

"I'm here." Lissa answered, stepping out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. "What is it, Gaston? I thought you were hunting with Lefou. Have you forgotten something?"

"Oh, no." Gaston shook his head. "My boots are anything but clean. Polish them for me, will you?"

"It's not Wednesday." Lissa gaped at him.

"If you don't mind, my little garden flower?" Gaston pleaded. "I want to look my best, as always, when I ask Belle out to the spring festival!"

"That's not for two months, Gaston."

"All the more reason. If I do not ask her, someone else will."

"Pardon? Gaston, nobody ever comes to court Belle, save you. They think she's odd, and feather-brained." Lissa said indignantly.

"All the more reason for her to accept."

"Gaston, I really need to wash the breakfast dishes before I do anything else. Would it be too much to ask you to fetch me some water from the well?" Lissa asked politely.

"That is a woman's work." Gaston looked put off. Lissa shook her head.

"Fine. I'll get it myself, since it's too much work for an outstanding hero such as yourself." She huffed, grabbing the large, wooden bucket. She brushed passed him and marched out front door. "Unbelievable," She muttered to herself, heading down the steps toward the well. She didn't see Gaston's shotgun or his hunting gear that he'd just thrown onto the porch as he'd barged into the house. She tripped over the satchel and rifle, her legs giving out beneath her, shrieking, and tumbled down the steps onto the grass.

Her face was dirty now, her hair frayed, and as she started to pull herself up, her right ankle held her back as a sudden, throbbing pain flared through it. "Ohh! Oow," she moaned. She managed to sit herself up and breathed. Her ankle hurt so much. She breathed a few times, hoping the discomfort would go away, but it didn't. She tried getting up, but immediately dropped back to the ground. "H-help! Gaston!" She called.

Gaston burst out of the house and gaped at seeing her on the lawn. "Lissa? What has happened?" He asked.

"I need help!" She reached out her arm. "P-please, Gaston." She gritted her teeth. Gaston strode down the steps and knelt beside her.

"What happened?"

"You left your gear and your precious gun right in my path!" Lissa hissed. "I tripped."

"Are you hurt, Sis?"

"What do you think?" Lissa frowned at him. "I...I can't stand, not by myself anyway."

"Where are you injured?" Gaston asked seriously.

"My foot. I cannot bear weight on it." Lissa looked away. Gaston started to remove her left shoe. "No, not that one. The right one. Ooo." She moaned. Gaston carefully removed her shoe, earning a small gasp from her. He felt around her small ankle.

"Can you move it?" He asked. Lissa tried, grimacing as she did. "It does not appear to be broken, but I am finding lots of swelling. Let's get you inside."

"Gaston! Something wrong?" Lefou asked as he appeared. "I heard yelling and was afraid some trouble was about."

"Yes, Lefou. Fetch the doctor, will you? I think Lissa may need his services." Gaston answered.

"Oh! Is it serious?"

"I do not think so. But nevertheless..."

"I'll find him!" Lefou said quickly. Lissa threw her arm around Gaston's neck as he scooped her up and easily carried her into the house.

"What a day." Lissa groaned, biting her lip.

"Good thing I was here to rescue you, eh?" Gaston smirked.

"Good grief. I don't call carelessness, a precursor to accident, a rescue."

"Always using those big words." Gaston sighed. "Well, you're in a fine fix now, little sister. Looks like I shall have to take care of you."

"Hooray." Lissa sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder as he carried her to the sofa.

"Well, life is certainly not dull around here! I knew you were going to be trouble the moment I laid eyes on you." Gaston teased.

Lissa rolled her eyes, always cut off guard by his silly audacity. "Speak for yourself!"