Disclaimer: I do not own LG and Beauty and the Beast.

Remember that Bo didn't know Lewis-Lauren's true identity and the story is narrate through her, so we will only see things through her perspective!

Part Three:

Swarmed in Bo's vision was the color of blood. A rich, dark red. It took her a moment longer than she liked to notice why was it crimsons the only shade her sight perceived.

She was standing amidst a rose garden. And as far as her eyes could take her, surrounded her was a sea of scarlet roses.

The roses' smooth, velvet petals dyeing the shade of blood, their glamour blinding their spectators of unspoken promises. Protected their beauty were the sharp edged thorns, ready to lash and cut those who dare lay a hand on their exquisite counterpart. A deadly combination, one was to lure and the other was to inflict damage.

Bo was, like every other, found herself enraptured by the exotic flowers around her. Its scent, its look, and the way it swayed in the wind – it was like a siren call to her. Touch me it said, take me away from these despicable thorns it begged, and who was Bo to deny such beauty its heartfelt request. So hunched down she was and her hand outstretched, ready to pluck the flower away from its dreadful place atop the prickles.

"Ysabeau." Suddenly, a voice she did not recognize call out to her. Her trance was broken, what was it that she was about to do? Her memory eluded her, and not one bit of her cared.

"Bo." The voice spoke her name again and this time it had captured her whole attention.

Straightened herself Bo turned to face the stranger, idly she wondered how they knew her name. As her eyes came into focus, golden was the first thing her eyes caught sight of; it was a nice contrast of how much burgundy she had taken in.

Mane the color wheat, a profound jaw line, thin pink lips, straight nose and eyes with tint of hazel. Slender waist, a lithe body with long legs cladded in pants. The stranger – the woman – stood before Bo was beautiful.

The rose garden forgotten, its allure diminished and all of her senses honed in the strange blonde. What was it about that woman that intrigued her so? And Bo was determined to find out.

"Who are you? And may I ask how do you know my name?" How did the blonde know to call her Bo?

"You told me to call you Bo, Bo." Answered the blonde, completely disregarded Bo's first question.

"We've never met before, surely I would have remembered if we did." And surely they must have met more than once for Bo to tell the woman to call her by her preferred name. Ysabeau reminded her much of her late mother.

"We've met, don't you remember?" Inquired the blonde.

"Is that so? I'mafraid couldn't recall." Bo said regretfully.

"It's ok, you needn't apologize. This form that I am in, it is no wonder that you are not able to recognize me."

"What do you mean?" The woman only smile forlornly at Bo, refused to elaborate any further.

"May I know your name, Miss...?" There was no reply and those warm brown eyes continued to gaze at Bo with a sadness so profound that she found it somewhat suffocating. "You know my name, it is only fair that I know yours."

The woman sighed; her eyes closed as she contemplated whether or not she should gave her name away. This troubled Bo greatly, surely it was just a name, what harm could come with it?

Finally the blonde came to a decision, her eyes once again settled upon Bo and she spoke.

"Lauren." Lauren, Lauren.

"Lauren...?"A shook of a head was all Bo got and she didn't push for more.

"What are you doing here Lauren?" And what am I doing here?

"No, not me, but you Bo. What are you doing here?" I don't know, I don't remember. Does it matter that I don't remember?

"Look around you Bo, maybe it will help you know."

And looked around her she did. Crimson still greeted her eyes but it was different. Different how she did not know but as she watched it finally dawned on her: withering, the roses were withering and they were withering at an alarming rate. From all around her the flowers were decaying; the farther away the floras were from her, the faster they crumbled, so fast that only a circle of fresh roses around her remained. But they too were dying, albeit slower.

The sky above her had darkened upon all the deaths surrounded her, like the roses, the sun only shone where Bo stood. A circle of sunrays enveloped her, exactly where the flowers were still alive. But soon the light would go away, and only darkness shall remain. The moment the last rose wilted away, it would be the moment everything was over.

Darker and darker the sky grew, withered and withered the roses still. Only when did the last few roses were about to fade away that Bo managed to shake out of her stupor. Instinctively she bended down and a rose she snatched away, away from the horrible fate it sure would meet if she had let it there, crumbled away like the rest of the garden.

The last of the floras were gone, dead, lifeless. Only the one Bo plucked had stayed alive, still vibrant. On her haste to rescue it, the rose's sharp thorns had punctuated her skin. Drops of blood trickled down her hand, dyeing the stem scarlet. She looked on, mesmerized by her own blood.

Tock. Tock.

How long had she stared at her own life fluid she did not know, but it was enough for her blood to dry, and it was enough for her dripping blood to form a small puddle on the earth. Suddenly the knowledge that she was not alone entered her mind.

"Lauren!"

The woman was eerily quiet during the whole thing; it was as if she was never there. Bo spurned around, panicked. It was so surreal, the entire time she was in this garden. Lauren was the only tangible thing in this wretched place. She was there where she was, so it was not a dream. Bo released a sigh. Relief? Should she felt relief? Relief that her reality consisted of herself and a stranger alone in a desolated rose garden, where the only light existed was shone in a small circle upon them? If it was indeed her reality, a dream she wished she were in, then she could wake up from this strangeness of a place.

Lauren was indeed there where she was, but instead of standing like before, the blonde was now on her knees, her head in her hands and without needing to look at Lauren's face, Bo knew it was contorted in pain, if the whimpering the woman was making was any indication.

"Lauren!" Yelled Bo and she were about to make her way toward the blonde when the woman let out a growl.

"NO, DON'T!"

To Bo's utter horror, Lauren's skin began to crack. The sound of bones snapping could be heard in the uncanny silence garden. Worse yet, Lauren began to scream and her agony was felt with every cries. Bo stood rooted to the spot, watched on fearfully was the only thing she knew how to do. She watched as Lauren's hair began to grow, she watched as Lauren's nails elongated – sharpened, she watched as Lauren's bones cracked – her frame lengthened, she watched as Lauren's muscles tore at the fabric of her shirt and pants, she watched as Lauren's jaw grew longer, wider – her teeth razor sharp, and she watched as Lauren's hazel brown eyes turned into slits – the warmth no longer there. She watched it all, she watched as the solemnly Lauren transformed into the menacing Beast. And she watched as the beast lunged at her, ending her pathetic life.

xxx

"Bo! Bo-Bo!"

She woke up with a start. It was a dream after all and what a dream it was, leaving her shaking and soaking in sweats. Gathered her face in her hands, Bo breathed hard, ignored the concerning stuffed rabbit for the moment.

Desperately she tried to cling onto whatever she could get from the dream, lest it all faded away like dreams always do. Rose garden, Lauren, beast, blood were all she managed to salvage. The specific events were lost to her, but guessing from her shivering and the lingering fear she still felt from the dream, a pleasant experience it was not.

In her muddle mind, Bo tried to make sense of her dream. Why, how, where were they connected? And why did she feel an overwhelming urge to remember? What was it that made her dream important so?

Lauren, somehow that name resonated deep within her, Lauren, she called out again. That name, it held much significant meaning, she knew at least. But how much?

"Bo, how do you know that name?" Startled from her own thoughts, Bo looked at the rabbit perplexedly.

"Pardon?"

"That name, Lauren, how do you know it?" Asked the black rabbit again with an edge in its tone.

Did she say Lauren's name out loud? She did not know.

"I – I don't know." Stammered Bo. A blank look on her face, she did not know. How her unconscious mind conjured up with the name was beyond her. All she knew was Lauren associated with gold and warmth, and everything that was beauty.

The rabbit scrutinized Bo, not really believing her words. Its fake eyes seemingly bored a hole into her, unblinking and lifeless. The unfazed eyes of the rabbit creep Bo out and made her squirmed uncomfortably. When she was about to say something to dispute the uneasy silence, the stuffed animal spoke in its usual cheerful voice.

"Come on Bo-Bo, you must be hungry."

xxx

What Kenzi the rabbit had failed to mention, was that she was going to have her breakfast with the beast.

Still intimidating, still in its humongous self, the beast was as frightening as ever. After last night some of Bo's fear should have eased, but they didn't. She could only hope that with time, her fright toward the beast would subside, for she did not want to constantly living her life in terror.

The stillness between Bo and the beast was stifling, both did not know how to strike up a conversation – one was afraid that its presence was not welcome, while the other was still fighting to get over her fear. In desperation, Bo searched for the stuffed animal in hope for a friendly face as well as hoping that with its cheerful nature, the rabbit would surely make the awkwardness between her the beast less soon but gave up for she knew it had abandoned her just like it did at the dinner. The monster before was the one to break the silence.

"After breakfast would you like to have a tour of the castle? I am more than pleased to be your guide." Such polite words jarred starkly with its gruff voice, but Bo found herself nodding nonetheless.

"It is so kind of you to offer Lewis. The tour would be much appreciated."

Silence engulfed them once more.

xxx

"This is the music room, that door over there is the painting room, sewing room - urgh."

Kenzi said enthusiastically as the rabbit's stuffed hand pointed at each door it announced, its tone showing exactly what it thought about the room. Somehow, the rabbit had tagged along for the tour, filling the ever reserve atmosphere between Bo and the beast. Bo was grateful.

"Do you play anything Bo?" The rabbit poked its head from its place at the monster's shoulder, it had prior opted to perch on the beast instead of Bo. A cute little stuffed animal and a scary big beast together, it was sight to behold.

"No, I don't know how to."

"This big one here know how to rock a piano, if you want to learn surely you two can work something out." Bo swore if that rabbit could blink, it would have given her a wink already.

While Bo stared at Kenzi incredulously, wondering why it came up with such an offer. The beast however, coughed awkwardly into its monstrosity of a fist.

"Urmm, what do you mean by 'rock'?" Bo asked, not wanting to dwell too much on Kenzi's suggestion.

"Wutttt, you don't know what rock is?" Erm, definitely not the kind of rock we all know. "Oh. Em. Gee. Bo-babe, there is so much for you to learn! I can't wait to teach you all the fabulous thing we can do together, eek!"

The rabbit squealed excitedly, somehow making Bo regretting her decision to ask. Helplessly Bo turned to look at the beast and somehow she was not surprise to find its face full of cluelessness. At that moment, a mutual look of bafflement was shared between the two, an understanding was reached and Bo was glad. She was not the only one who failed to understand Kenzi. The rabbit may be the beast's creation, but it seemed like its eccentricities were unplanned.

"So, as Kenzi said, if you ever want to learn how to play, I am more than willing to teach you." The creature spoke, completely ignored the still ranting stuffed animal on its shoulder.

"I would definitely keep that in mind." Bo smiled, took the beast's lead and tuned Kenzi out. The rabbit was still oblivious to the change in the air, too self-absorbed to notice.

"Shall we move on with our tour, Milady?" The beast graciously opened the door for Bo.

"Gladly."

xxx

"You have a room full of undergarments?" Bo asked in disbelief as she entered said room.

"Yeah, what do you think Bo-Bo? The clothes in your closet have to come from somewhere." Kenzi said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Bo frowned, "Erm, they come from my closet? Where else do they come from?"

"Here, silly! And other rooms as well!"

"So you take clothing from here to my room." Bo shrugged, "What I meant was, aren't this a little excessive? How much undergarments do one need? Surely not this much." Though she couldn't deny that the pieces before her were of the best quality and design a girl could wish for. She ran her hand along a corset, admiring its handiwork.

"Puh-lease, we do not carry the clothes in these rooms to your closet, too much work! Haven't you notice Bo-Bo, that your closet will give you the clothes you want at that moment? That way you don't have to tread all the way here to search for the right outfit." That caught Bo attention, with the corset still in her hand, the brunette beauty swirled around.

"It can do that?" She asked incredulously to which the rabbit nodded.

"Uh huh, if you want a blue dress, think about it then open the closet. The thing will then give you all the blue dresses it can find in the castle. The same goes if you want shoes, hats, ... Clothing only though." She never knew, but given that she only used her closet once this morning, it was understandable. Still, this place never ceased to amaze her and it properly never would, especially with magic involved.

"Nice piece you are holding Bo-Bo!" And before Bo could say anything, a gruff voice had beaten her to it.

"I agree. It is indeed a nice piece. You have good taste Bo."

Heat flooded Bo's cheeks, the beast was here with her all this time. With her, in a room full of *ladies'* undergarments, and watching her gushed over them all. Worse yet, it had complimented her choice, all the while looking nonchalant about it! Like it just appraised her of her attire and not at all her choice in lingerie! Why did the beast follow her in here anyway? Shouldn't this place restricted for ladies only? She already knew the creature was sick in its mind, she just didn't know in what ways and how much. Now she knew, and it was not something she could tolerate. It was improper and indecent! Unbeknownst to the beast and Kenzi, who were busy surfing through more pieces of underwear, Bo's cheeks were now red because of anger instead of embarrassment like mere moments ago. A particular fragment of their conversation floated over to the brunette:

"Ooohhh, this one is perfect, it will totally make Bo-Bo's girls even more magnificent than they already are!" The black rabbit said as it pointed toward a revealing red brassiere, to which the beast nodded approvingly.

"Yes, this will accentuate her curves perfectly. Excellent choice, Kenzi, I expected no less from you."

.

.

.

Bo snapped, and it was painful. This is for the women all around the world! reverberated throughout her mind.

xxx

In the end, their tour was cut short due to Bo's outburst and the brunette had refused the beast's company for three days straight, opting to eat alone or not at all. It was only when Bo had cooled down enough that she agreed to dine again with the monster and finally finished touring the castle. This time the creature had wisely steered clear of any womanly sections that it knew of and the tour had ended in peace.

Who would have thought, certainly not Bo that the beast's perverted nature was exactly what she needed to help her to get over her fear of the monster. The image of a huge, intimidating beast cowering with a cute, small stuffed animal, begging for her forgiveness while she herself was yelling and hurling any pieces of lingerie she could find at them was a sight to behold. And when she was no longer furious with the beast, the fear that had always harbored within her was suddenly gone. It surprised her for how fast it was for her to see that the monster was not really a monster, at least to the true meaning of the word.

She could see it now, beneath the monstrosity, Lewis was just another being, a very lonely and mysterious being at that. A being that longed for another companionship, it was a little awkward, a little shy and perverted but it was good at heart. It was misunderstood, but not anymore, because Bo could see it now, and she understood.

Perhaps, she thought, staying here isn't so bad after all.