Beauty and the Beast (CAMREN CONVERTED)

Leaving Mike/Camila's Past

Narrator's POV

Ty's carriage moves through the scary woods as Luis squeezed in the back behind Ty and Mike. "No! I'm sure this is the way! Do you hear those wolves? That means we're getting very close to the castle." Mike said. "Look, enough is enough. We have to turn back." Ty said to the old man.

"Stop! That's it!" Mike points up ahead to the withered tree that is suddenly standing up again, the tunnel of trees now hidden behind it. Mike hops down from the wagon. "That's the tree. I'm sure of it. "Of course, it was downed by lightning at the time, but now it's been restored to an upright position, through some sort of... magic," Mike said while he gestures to the tree.

"Do you really want to marry into this family?" Luis quietly asks Ty. "So that means the castle is definitely that way!" Mike gestured to the right side of the path. An angry Ty steps out and approaches Mike. "I'm done playing this game of yours. Where is Lauren?" Ty asked Mike. "The beast took her!" Mike said.

"There are no such things as beasts or talking teacups, or...magic! But there are wolves, frostbite, and starvation." Ty stated. "Deep breaths, Ty, Deep breaths," Luis said, calming Ty. "So why don't we just turn around go back to Villeneuve? I'm sure Lauren is at home, cooking up a lovely dinner." Ty said calmly.

"If you think I've made all this up, then why did you offer to help?" Mike asked the dark-haired man. "Because I want to marry your daughter! Now let's go home." Ty said trying not to yell at Mike. "Lauren is not at home! She's with the—" Mike got cut off by Ty.

"IF YOU SAY BEAST ONE MORE TIME, I WILL FEED YOU TO THE WOLVES!" Ty holds his fist to strike Mike across the face. Luis runs over to intervene. "Ty! Stop! Breathe. Think happy thoughts. Go back to the war. Blood, explosions, countless widows..." Luis said lightening up Ty's mood. "Widows..." Ty said. "Yes, yes, that's it, that's it..." Luis' voice snaps Ty out of his rage. He puts on that Ty smile like a Halloween mask.

"Please, forgive me, old bean. That's no way to talk to my future father-in-law, now is it?" Ty said. "Future father-in-law...? You will never marry my daughter." Mike said savagely. Without a word, Ty hits Mike, knocking him out. "I saw that coming," Luis said.

Time skip

Mike is now tied to a tree. Ty secures the knot and walks to the carriage. "If Mike won't give me his blessing, then he is in my way. Once the wolves are finished with him, Lauren will have no one to take care of her but me." Ty said creepily. "For the sake of exhausting all of our options, do we maybe want to consider a less gruesome alternative?" Luis said. Ty climbs into the carriage. "Are you coming?" Ty asks Luis. Luis looks back to Mike, guilt in his eyes. He climbs into the carriage.

Ty and Luis ride off, leaving Mike to die.

Meanwhile in the Enchanted Castle...

Camila lies in her old human bed. Lauren dabs a large gash on Camila's arm. The beast bares her fangs and lets out a roar. "Ow! That hurts!" Camila roared. "If you held still, it wouldn't hurt as much," Lauren said. "If you hadn't run away, none of this would have happened," Camila said, thinking she had won the argument.

"Well if you hadn't frightened me, I wouldn't have run away," Lauren said. The household staff anxiously watches the battle of words. "W-Well you shouldn't have been in the west wing." Camila stammered. "Well you should learn to control your temper," Lauren stated, ending the argument that had to go on for about two minutes.

The beast is momentarily silenced. Belle looks down at the wound she has been dabbing. It's worse than she thought. "Try to get some rest," Lauren said. Camila's breath slows to a low rumble as her eyes slip shut.

"Thank you, Lauren." Ally said to the young woman. "We are eternally grateful," Dinah said. "Why do you care so much about her?" Lauren asks. "We've looked after Camila all her life." Ally said. "But she has cursed you somehow." Lauren noticed the sudden silence in the room. "Why? You did nothing." Lauren added.

"You're quite right there, dear. You see when Camila lost her parents and her cruel uncle took that sweet innocent girl and twisted her up to be just like him...we did nothing." Lauren noticed their shame. "Let her sleep," Dinah said. As the staff and Lauren exit the room, Camila stirs, shivering in a fever dream.

In the morning

Camila opens her eyes weakly, taking in the low light of sunrise. As her vision adjusts, the silhouetted figure by her bedside is revealed. Not her mother, but Lauren. A smile forms on Camila's lips, and he closes her eyes again.

In the glass jar, a petal drops as if floating on the melody. Lauren crosses to it. "What happens when the last petal falls?" Lauren asked the staff. "Camila remains a beast forever. And the rest of us become rubbish." Dinah replied. "I want to help you. There must be some way to lift the curse." Lauren said.

The staff exchange looks. "Well, there is one—" Shawn said but got cut off by Dinah candle-smacking Shawn, leaving a waxy smear on his face. "It's not for you to worry about, lamb." Ally said. "We've made our bed and we must lie in it," Ally added.

Camila opens her eyes, she's been listening. The years of shame and anguish haunt her face as she begins to remember what it is to be human.