Mal turned around and smirked at Uma before kicking the plank leading up to the tunnel into the water below. Right as her foot finished pushing the plank, Mal's smirk disappeared and her mouth fell open while her eyes widened. For there across from her, a silver hook was run through sapphire blue hair. Evie stared back with the widest eyes Mal has ever seen while she struggled against the grasp of Harry Hook. Uma now sported a smirk as she turned from her first mate and his captive to the purple haired fairy across the way.
"Well, well, Mal. Looks like you recused a prince but lost a princess." Uma gloated as she walked closer to Evie. Before Mal's response was voiced, they all heard an echoed "MAL!" coming from the tunnel. Evie watched as Mal's head swiveled back and forth between the tunnel and her. Summoning as much courage as she could, Evie opened her mouth and surprised everyone by yelling, "Go Mal!"
Mal opened her mouth to argue back but Evie wasn't going to hear it. "Get Ben back. Auradon needs him."
"But.." Mal was cut off again by Evie. "No Mal. Get Ben back to Auradon. I mean, Doug will be missing him." The last sentence was almost whispered and a small sad smile graced Evie's face. All Mal could do was nod and, with once last glance at the girl that had become more like a sister to her than a best friend, turn running down the tunnel back towards the limo.
"Let's go!" Mal yelled as she grabbed Ben's jacket, pulling him along with her to the open door. She needed the physically attachment to Ben or she would have ran back down that tunnel to free her best friend. As the limo sped along the streets of the Isle, Mal didn't want to talk to anyone. When Ben apologized for things not going as she expected, Mal bit her tongue not to lash out that the plan never involved leaving behind one of their own. Evie didn't belong on the Isle, she never had, and now it was all Mal's fault that she had even come back in the first place.
"Umm...guys. Not to interrupt but where's Evie?" Of course Carlos would be the first to notice. Mal grumbled in her mind. Ben stopped talking and looked around the back of the limo for the first time. "She...she was right behind me when I went through the tunnel" Ben said slowly. "You sure she's not up with Jay and Lonnie?"
Mal just shifted in her seat and kept her eyes glued out the window. "M…" Carlos stared at her. "You were the last one through the tunnel. Did you see her?"
Mal couldn't tell him the truth, she didn't have the heart, so all she choked out was a quick "yes". Ben let out the breath he was holding and leaned back in relief. Carlos sat searching her face for a more detailed answer that she wasn't willing to give any moment soon.
Once back on Auradon Prep grounds, the gang was leaving the garage where they put the limo when Doug came running down the stairs from the school. Mal knew the moment Doug tripped over his feet to a stop in front of them that he had noticed a certain bluenette missing.
"Guys…where's Evie?" Doug asked, craning his neck like he was looking for her behind someone.
"She's right…"Ben's voice faded out as he looked around and noticed as well that they were in fact one person down. Mal would have laughed at his face if the situation wasn't so serious. Instead she felt her feet drag her pass Jay and Carlos, who were staring at her, and up to Doug, laying a hand on his arm.
"She's on the Isle Doug," Mal whispered, not being able to look anywhere expect at her combat boots. If it were even possible, Doug's face would have turned paler as he stuttered "the...the...the Isle…"
Ben whipped around at Doug's stuttered confession and turned pleading eyes towards Mal. "But you said you saw her." Mal grimaced as she turned around and looked at Jay and Carlos. "I did see her…in Harry's clutches after I pushed the only way from the docks to the tunnel into the water below."
"I broke my promise…" Ben breathed out. All eyes turned towards the King who was pacing and muttering. "I broke my promise to her. I promised she wouldn't be stuck there again." Jay rounded on the newly crowned King, grabbed the collar of his jacket, and drew back a fist. "You should have been watching her then!" Before his fist could connect with Ben's jaw, Mal shoved Jay away and stepped in between the two. "It's not his fault," she nearly growled as her eyes turned their fluorescent green. "Mal, you heard him," Carlos protested.
"Yeah, I heard him, but I also heard Evie." Mal retorted. Everyone quieted down and Lonnie was the one that spoke up, "What did she say Mal?"
Mal looked up, eyes returning to her normal color as tears formed and threatened to spill. "She told me to go," Mal choked out. "She told me to leave her there. And I did." Ben moved to wrap his arms around Mal but she pushed him off and shouted, "I LEFT HER! I turned tail and ran away when my best friend needed me the most!"
A hand landed on Mal's shoulder and she was surprised to look up and see Doug staring down at her. "You didn't abandon her Mal." When she went to open her mouth and argue, Doug surprised everyone again as he wrapped Mal in a hug. "She made a choice, Mal. And you respected her decision." Mal could feel the tremble in Doug's shoulders has he was trying to hold it together. She withdrew, looked him in the eye and whispered, "She told me that she'll miss you." Doug just stared down at Mal and she smiled. "Not in the exact words, but she definitely wanted me to pass that message to you." Tears finally started streaming down Doug's face, and Lonnie grabbed his shoulders leading him back towards the school with Carlos and Jay trailing behind them.
Mal turned towards Ben and noticed he was staring out at the Isle. She stepped up to his side and grabbed his hand, squeezing it in her own. Ben glanced down at his girlfriend and his determined look made her nod. A silent promise between the two that they would do everything in their power to get Evie back from the Isle as quickly as possible.