This hurts. I once rejected the love of my life because I did not know he was the love of my life. I was completely new to romance and understood nothing. If only I had spoken with him instead of running away. We had a happy ending not unlike a faery tale, but regret for lost time does remain.
This series, Ms. Megan, has always affected me deeply. I carry your Beauty and Beast in my heart.
This is the best version of this. I can relate to, I boldly say, all of the characters, emotions, struggles. This huts my heart to the deepest level. Thank you for this.
Re: Star Trek BATB, Deep Space Nine featured not one, but two couples who could qualify, Worf and Jadzia Dax and Kira Nerys and Odo. Kira and Odo was my favorite of the two.
Do you believe in destiny
Close your eyes and leave the rest to me
Do you believe in fantasy
I have to when it's right in front of me, oh
What are you doing here
In the real world
What are you doing here
So close I could touch you
What are you doing here
And what are you doing to me?!?!?!
I know right?! Gah! Beauty, I get it, you love him and right now he really needs you! But your "talking first" idea is really good advice for everyone you love, not just the Beast!
To be fair, Beauty, the Beast wasn't very open to having a conversation at the time--he was determined to do what he thought was best for you, regardless of how he would be hurting/killing himself as a result. So even if you'd thought to ask him some questions--and why would you, when you were homesick and had been told that you two couldn't have the kind of relationship you'd been fantasizing about--he might not have given you any answers.
As for how the Beast is doing right now--I think there is some time manipulation going on, magic-wise. Days seem to be passing for her, but only hours are passing for him. It's possible that the magical force holding his contract isn't keen on letting him go, and wants to find a way around that by keeping him alive until Beauty returns. That or Swan Mom is interferring somehow, since she's already sent Beauty a dream telling her that she has a choice to make and should do it soon.