"I'm so close. So close. A few more weeks and I'll have it."
Dave thinks to himself, his notes spread nearly out across the countertop and a vial of off white fluid twirling between his fingers absently.
"A couple more tests, then I save her. We'll have our happily ever after. She'll be happy, healthy, and young forever."
The thought puts a smile on his face.
As if the simple thought of testing summoned her, one of the girls he had purchased appears in the doorway of the lab.
"And maybe I can stop putting these poor girls through hell with these endless tests."
"You know better than to interrupt me when I'm working.
He snips at her. However, as soon as the words leave his lips, he knows something is wrong. There's fear in her eyes, unshed tears threatening to spill down her face.
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"Come quickly, it's Belle."
Dave is out of his seat and rushing for the door even before he realizes he's moved. He shoves past the girl, not even really seeing her as he darts through the door.
It's not until he reaches the top of the stairs that he realizes he has no idea where he is going. He has a heartbeat of pure panic, then his eyes fall on two maids near the bottom of the entry hall stairs.
Before he even knows he's in motion, he's running that direction, roughly shoving one of the maids out of the way, he looks down on Belle, clearly haven fallen down the stairs and her limbs twisted into impossible angles.
The sound that escapes his lips is like a wounded animal, anguish rising up in him in a wave that threatens to completely overwhelm everything he is, everything he was, and everything he would ever become.
He nearly drowns in his own despair before he realizes that Belle is looking at him, not dead in spite of the massive trauma to her body. Through the pain, tears in her eyes, she smiles at him. Her lips part and it clearly pains her to draw breath to speak.
"Love you."
Belle says in barely more than a whisper.
"More than anything."
The last word tapers off in a rattle deep in her chest as the light seems to leave her eyes.
END.