1 Day after the Coronation

Mal's POV

Ben took my hand and led me to his motorized bike, the one we took on our first date. "Where are we going?" I ask. Ben turns and looks at me "It's a surprise." Is all he says and I can't help but smile. He gets on the bike and I follow slipping my arms around his torso and leaning my head against his shoulder. He starts the bike and I watch the buildings of Auradon fade. I close my eyes and enjoy the fresh, clean, air. The kind that you can't find on the island.

When I open my eyes again, I see a tree with a building around it, a- "treehouse," Ben says. "Have you ever seen one?" He asked. I shake my head, "We barley have trees on the island." I say. Ben pulls my hand lightly "Come on" he says. I laugh.

He climbs up the ladder first and then I follow. Inside is bigger than it looks, and it looks like Ben made another picnic. "Are you sure this meets the requirements of lunch for a king?" I ask. Ben turns to me, "Even a king enjoys a picnic in the treehouse of his childhood." He replies.

I sit down and run my fingers along the wood. He sits in front of me. "Question," He says.

"Answer" I reply. "Okay, what?" I say smiling. "When you spelled me, it wasn't because you had a crush on me, was it?" He asked. I bite my lip. "No" I say quietly, I feel tears brimming on my eyes. "You needed to get to the wand" He says.

"Yes, but when you brought me to the lake and the whole first date, I realized it was wrong, that's why I made the reversing spell" I say, a tear escapes my eye. "I know, but I think that you cared for me a little bit. You went into the lake to save me, even though you can't swim" He told me. I feel his hand against my cheek as he wipes the tear away and I look at him, he was staring at me, "I guess, but I really do care about you now. You know that right?" I ask. "I know," He whispers and I smile. "Good" I whisper back.

He grabbed a strawberry and takes a bite. I take one and mimic him. "You really didn't have strawberries on the island?" He asks, incredulous.

"No, we really didn't have that much, you guys live in luxury over here." I tell him.

"But I figured you guys grew stuff, food" He said.

"No, we only got what your dad sent us… we would trade stuff for it. Kind of like a black-market" I say.

"Oh, so your mom would go a barter for your food" He says. I shake my head.

"I had to find it for myself. She only got for herself. A lot of the time I would go without dinner because I couldn't find something valuable enough for a trade" I whisper.

Ben squeezes my hand, "So what Lonnie said was true?" He asks.

"What did Lonnie say?"

"Just that she doesn't think that villains love their kids."

"Some of them do, just our parents, the evilest of them all, they didn't really want us. We were a burden to them so they put us to work or they sent us off on crazy missions. Like the wand" I say.

Ben shakes his head. "That's not right"

"It's not. But there was nothing we could do."

"I wish I could understand what the island was like. But barely anyone crosses between."

"Would you like to see? I mean I can show you what it's like." I say.

"How?"

I stand up and offer my hand which he takes. I hold both of them and recite a spell.

"Let me see, Let me See, Take me to the memory. Through the pain, when I was insane, before I was tamed. Let me see let me see, Take me to the memory"