Customary disclaimer-I don't own Descendants.

Uma glared across the yard at them. She remembered Carlos from the Isle. She'd grown up around him and she'd seen him when he came to rescue the prince—yet she hadn't been prepared to see how different he was in Auradon—how different they all were.

Carlos laughed, lighting up, shoulder pressing against the girl next to him when he leaned over and whispered something in her ear. She blushed—actually blushed! The twit of a girl wasn't from the Isle. Jane was the Fairy Godmother's daughter. At first Uma had been sure the VKs were using her to get something, but this had been going on for months, ever since she and some of the others got here from the Isle.

Carlos held Jane's hand like it was a treasure, eyes following her every move. The other day the stupid klutz had tripped, but he'd been there in a blink, steadying her and catching her bag. Uma noticed how careful he was with her, like she was glass. Why? Everyone on the Isle knew how Cruella De Vil treated her son. She liked to cause pain and when it suited her, she'd offered him up to her friends to be teased and burned and, if the rumors had been true, much worse. So how could he be there now, smiling like he was happy and walking hand-in-hand with that girl? Like he was one of them?

Jane couldn't know the real Carlos—the reality of any of them. She couldn't look that naïve and smile that sweet if she did.

Uma hadn't planned to talk to the girl, but that day Carlos had bounded off with Jay for training and the halls had cleared and there she was—all alone, smiling like an idiot and stuffing her books into a locker wallpapered in pictures of her and Carlos.

Uma was sick of seeing the VKs pretend to be innocent little good kids. They weren't. She knew it. She knew them.

"Oh, pigeon, the two of you are so cute," Uma said with the sickly sweet tone that all the kids here mistook for genuine.

Jane turned, surprise changing her round features for only a moment, and then she was happy again, as if they were friends. "Oh. Oh, thank you."

"You must be having those 'first date nerves'," Uma said before the girl could get anything else in.

Jane blinked, slowly closing her locker. "What? It isn't our first date…"

"Oh? But I mean, it's those first weeks of a relationship, you know? They're always so exciting and you two are so cute." She rolled the word like an insult.

Jane's smile wavered. She was trying so hard not to see it, to only look for niceness in Uma. "No. We-We've been dating for five months now."

"Oh. Really, pigeon?"

"Why do you keep calling me that?" There was some dread in her voice now, hushed though, like she knew what was coming.

"What? Pigeon? Oh, because you're just one of those people, you know? Forgettable, gray, dime-a-dozen? Your background, pigeon. I mean, how else could you be dating a guy from the Isle for almost half a year and still just be holding hands?" She laughed cruelly. "That's got to be weird even for Auradon guys, right?" Uma said, heart hammering when the girl's smile snuffed out like a flame. "Aren't you worried you're just his good kid cover? How better to blend in with Auradon?" Uma pressed, soothing her own anger and fear with the momentary rush of hurting someone else.

Jane had tears in her big eyes already. It had been so easy. "I-I…"

"Don't worry, pigeon," Uma cooed. "Just enjoy it. It's the closest you'll get to anyone ever really wanting you." She walked away then, slow enough to catch the sound of Jane's first little sobs before she ran off in the other direction.

Uma turned the corner and almost jumped out of her skin, Harry leaning against the wall there, waiting for her and looking smug. "Oh, Uma, why did you do a thing like that?" he asked, smiling coyly even when she knew he hadn't liked what she'd done. He was all for kidnapping, stealing, and general danger but he had never really been cruel.

"She was too happy. It was making me sick," Uma snapped, starting past him.

He caught her arm, tugging her into his side and whispering, "It wasn't her happiness that upset you. Maybe if Carlos can be happy here, we could too?"

She jerked her arm free and he let go. "He's not really happy. He's just pretending."

"I don't think so…" Harry said, rolling off the wall and following her.

"You watch. A few ripples in the water and they'll break."

He hummed in disagreement, keeping one step back and to her side, forever her first mate no matter where the wind took them. "Do you want to make a wager?"

A grin tugged one corner of her mouth, head cocking to glance back at him. "What sort of wager?"

"The dangerous kind."

Carlos sat at their usual table in the courtyard with Jay, one of the rare moments it was just the two of them. And if he'd learned anything from the social interactions at Auradon, it would be short-lived. He caught his best friend flashing a smile at Lonnie as she walked by with her friends, the raven-haired girl returning the grin with just a little extra glint. They'd been not-so-secretly dating.

A shadow cut across him, someone sitting on the table beside him. Carlos looking up, expecting any one of a dozen possible friends but not Harry Hook. His easy smile pressed down into suspicion. "What?"

Harry grinned wider. "Been a while," he said, the words rolling in his accent.

"Yeah. Maybe we should keep it that way…" Jay said from the other side of the table.

"I just had a question or two," Harry said with an innocent pout. "You're supposed to help us new villain kids acclimate to this good life, aren't you?"

Jay raised a brow. "I don't remember agreeing to that."

"What do you want to ask?" Carlos said, uncapping his juice and watching the other guy wearily.

"It's about your girlfriend," Harry said. "She is, isn't she? Your girlfriend, that is. Uma and I have had a bit of debate on the subject and—"

"Why?" Carlos said, voice lower now. "Stay away from Jane."

"Aw," Harry sang with a grin. "So, she is your girlfriend. You can't blame us for being curious, you just seem somewhat—dispassionate. Not that I can blame you after all you've been through..."

Jay was on his feet first, grabbing up the other guy by the collar and dragging him off the table, dumping him in the grass. They got the attention of all the tables around them and Carlos flushed, first hot with anger and then chilled with embarrassment. Shit. He stood up, catching Jay's shoulder to drag him back a step before he could pounce on the now laughing Harry. "Let it go," he whispered and then took that last step forward and held out his hand.

Harry stared at it, laughter pulling down into confusion, waiting to be kicked or struck maybe. And then, uncertain, he reach up and slid his hand into Carlos's. Carlos pulled him to his feet. "I don't know what you're trying to do, but leave Jane out of it. If you want to drag up the past—if you're trying to start something with us or just humiliate me—"

Harry lifted his hands as though in surrender. "Not at all."

Carlos sighed, jaw flexing with temper before nodding stiffly. "Fine. Just leave her alone."

Harry walked away first, spinning on his heel.

Carlos felt too many people still watching, whispering. Jay hovered at his side. "I gotta go…" Carlos muttered before leaving.

It had been so easy to leave his dirty past right there—in the past. But it wouldn't stay and he'd known that. He felt it sneaking up on him every time he was with Jane. The closer she got, the closer it got. But he had never felt happier than he did with her. He wasn't sure he'd ever really been hugged before she wrapped her arms around him that day he asked her to cotillion—not really, not like that.

But he hadn't thought this whole dating thing through, not really, because sometimes they kissed and sometimes he wanted things to go further, but he couldn't do that. Not without telling her. And that just reminded him of what a piece of shit he had been so far, tricking her into a relationship with him, not knowing how damaged he was. She deserved better and he knew he'd have to tell her everything and it would be the end.

He'd run all the way back to his room, almost slammed the door before Jay burst in after him, winded. "Damn it. You really do belong on the track team…"

Carlos started, surprised his friend had followed. They usually gave each other space when they wanted it without argument. "What the hell?"

"I think we need to talk," Jay said, still catching his breath.

Carlos looked around the room, suddenly feeling cornered. "I don't want to talk."

Jay nodded. "Yeah. I know. Me neither. That's why we haven't."

"Then let's not!"

Jay shook his head, leaning back against the door as though to underline that there was no escape. "Have you had sex before?"

Carlos blinked.

"I know bad things happened to you. I don't mean that. I mean…" He groaned, searching for words, cringing. It was obvious he'd practiced this conversation to some extent because Jay never pushed out this many words without a plan of some kind. "You and Jane haven't…"

"No!" Carlos snapped, cringing, not liking the way the memories of his own sexual encounters on the Isle lined up with any thoughts of Jane. A part of him was terrified that THAT was what sex was, despite all logic and what he'd heard from his friends, he was afraid he'd be doing that to her. He'd sooner die.

Jay nodded steadily. "And you haven't told her." It wasn't really a question, but Carlos shook his head stiffly anyway. "Okay. That's okay."

"Stop talking to me about this!" he groaned, starting to pace. He was going to have to tell Jane. She was going to dump him. There would be no more hugs, or those cute good morning text messages she sends, or holding hands, or snuggling and watching movies together…it would just be over.

"I can't. We're family and someone has to give you the talk."

Carlos froze, pivoting to look at him. "The what?"

Jay crossed his arms. "The talk. We're going to have the talk. You need to know about sex."

Carlos cringed. "I know about sex."

Jay wrinkled his nose skeptically. "I really don't think you do, or you wouldn't look that upset."

"I don't need to talk about it."

"Then shut up and let me talk so we can get this over with."

Carlos froze, dread welling in his stomach. This was really happening and he couldn't get away.

Hours later, Carlos finally made a jump from his window and took a long walk around the campus. Jay had gone into graphic detail about how to have what he called, "a fun time for all". He'd even thrown in a lecture about condoms and offered him one. That was when Carlos finally took to the window.

He didn't go back to the room before dinner, deciding not to risk more of this conversation. Instead he went to Evie and Mal's room. Only Evie was there, immediately asking him about the altercation with Harry Hook in the yard. It seemed just about everyone was talking about it, though most of the kids at Auradon were chalking it up to villain kid behavior.

"Oh, tell Jane I collected her homework from class. I hope she feels better soon."

Carlos looked up, surprised. "What are you talking about?" Now that he thought about it, he hadn't gotten any of those cute text messages from her since this morning.

"She's sick..?" Evie sounded less sure now, raising an eyebrow. "She missed class. I just figured… I mean, I tried to call her but she didn't answer."

His heart thudded in his chest, mind racing back to when he last saw her. This morning. They'd met between classes in the hall. She hadn't seemed sick. She'd been perfect. "I have to go," he said, out of his chair and across the room. Evie didn't argue.

Jane was trying to convince herself not to sink into this pit of self-hate but it was proving impossible and with every class she missed, the more upset she was with herself and the worse it got. Was she really still just that insecure, frightened girl? She hadn't changed at all? No. No. She was beautiful inside and that mattered. And she had friends. And she had Carlos.

Carlos. Uma said she was just his good girl cover but that wasn't true. As much as Jane didn't believe in herself, she believed in him. He wouldn't treat anyone like that. He was kind and funny and she would know if he didn't like her—wouldn't she? She just needed to be alone and get herself together. Or, at least, that's what she'd told herself five hours ago when she retreated to her room and locked the door.

Someone knocked.

Jane almost didn't answer, standing in front of her door, hand hovering over the knob. She looked terrible, hair a mess from fretful pulling and her eyes rimmed red and swollen from crying. "Who is it?" she eeped out.

No answer.

She held her breath, straining to hear if anyone was still there. She leaned closer, ear to the wood. She exhaled. No one. They'd gone away—she didn't have to face the world just yet.

And then a heavy thudding came from behind her, making her squeak out a scream and whirl around just as a guy climbed in her window. She froze, deerlike for a second, gawking at Harry Hook in her bedroom. Did he have the wrong window? Did she really want to find out?

Her eyes bulged when he grinned at her, his boots landing on her floor with a solid thud and his lean body swaying—never quite still.

Jane whirled around, already pressed to the door and groping for the handle. Yes. She was going to flee her own room—a place that had been her sanctuary minutes ago. The door didn't open. Stupid! She had locked it. She turned back the bolt but just as she began to open the door it slammed shut. A chest pushed to her back, pressing her up against the door and knocking the air from her lungs.

"Sorry, pet," Harry cooed.

She elbowed him in the ribs and he let out a laughing cough. He pulled back but didn't let her go—dragging her by the arms back into her room and shoving her away from the door.

Jane jerked free of his hold, already blocked from the door, and went for the window instead. For one, ridiculous, second she thought she'd climb out the way he had come in. She clutched the window ledge and stared down three flights to the cobblestones below. Stupid!

Harry laughed, a daunting and somewhat mad sound.

She spun around to stare at him, hands still gripping the window sill just below her rear. She pressed back, almost sitting in the window. "You can't just come in here," Jane said, trying so hard to sound strong. "G-Get out!" Her voice cracked, words jumping in her throat. Stupid! Stupid!

His laughter quieted, but his smile stayed. "I only wanted to chat."

Jane relaxed a little. "Really?" she squeaked out.

His pale eyes glinted. "No, pet," he confessed with a touch of pity. "I was thinking of kidnapping you."

She whined. "Why?"

He rolled his shoulders. "Uma's on her way. I think it best I get you first. Not sure what she has in store for you…"

Jane wrinkled her nose, painfully confused now. "Why?" she pressed. "What did I do to you two?"

He laughed loudly, like she'd said something really funny.

She eyed the door around him. There was no way she could run for it without getting caught. Why would Harry and Uma want anything to do with her? Why had Uma been so cruel this morning? She cringed at the memory, certain that she had no one but herself to blame.

Harry took a step toward her and Jane jerked back without thinking. Her body tipping back when her thighs pressed to the window sill. Panic lanced her heart but she couldn't blink, couldn't think beyond that shocking way Harry Hook's expression changed. One second he'd been his smiling, wild self and then, in a flash, it was gone, replaced by fear and thunderbolt of seriousness. He leaped for her just as she was falling out the window.

Carlos opened her door, forgetting to knock in his panic. "Jane—" he started, works choking when he saw Harry's back just as the pirate was lunging for Jane. And then Jane was toppling back, out the window. Out the window!

She didn't even scream—just making a little surprised sound in her chest.

Harry grabbed her, one hand twisting in her sweater before his other arm hooked around her middle, dragging her back into the room. Carlos was there when he did, wrapping his arms around her and turning, pivoting her away from Harry and the window—away from all the dangers in sight. Her eyes were big, glassy and unseeing in a flush of panic. He backed her gently to the wall, looking her over quickly, hands sliding up the sides of her neck to cradle her face. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

Jane blinked, jumping when she returned to herself, surprised to see him. "Carlos?" she jumped up onto her toes and wrapped her arms around the back of his neck, burying her face against his cheek.

Carlos sighed, fingers in the back of her hair, turning to glare at Harry. "What did you do?"

Harry held up his hands innocently. "Nothing. You came before I had the chance," he added with a wicked grin.

"What's your problem?" Carlos hissed. Jane unraveled from him, fingers curled in the back of his training hoodie when he turned to face Harry.

"I only had a few questions…" Harry pouted. "I just wanted to see how this whole 'villain kid and good girl' deal works. And you two don't seem to be going anywhere so maybe we could—"

"No," Carlos snapped. "Why would you—No!"

Jane poked her head around Carlos's side, nose wrinkled. "I don't want to date you! And that's not a good reason to kidnap people, you really shouldn't do that."

"Kidnap?" Carlos repeated before shaking his head hard and taking two big steps forward.

Harry barked at him but it didn't stop Carlos from grabbing him up by the front of his jacket and shoving him toward the open door. "No. No. No." He pushed him all the way out, taking one step to follow and jerking his collar to drag him in close. "I warned you."

"I wasn't listening."

"I'm not joking," Carlos said tightly. "Whatever game you're playing, she almost fell out of a window."

Harry's smile faltered. "That was an unfortunate surprise… But technically I rescued her soooo—"

Carlos shoved him hard, sending him reeling across the hall and into the wall. "Stay away," he snapped each word clearly.

Harry collected himself to bow with a flourish.

Carlos slammed the door and locked it. He found Jane hovering behind him nervously. "I don't even know him! Why would he want to kidnap me?" she said.

He sighed and shook his head, catching her hand where it fluttered in the air between them. "I think he's up to something. I don't think it's really about you… There's something I need to tell you."

Jane stared at him, forgetting all the oddities of the day. "Oh no," she said quietly, tears coming up. "You really are breaking up with me?"

Carlos blinked. "What?"

Her eyes darkened with tears. "Uma said I was a good kid cover and that's why we haven't… done more… stuff…" She blushed furiously.

Carlos realized whatever Harry was up to must have to do with Uma. He sighed, closer to her, thumbing away her tears. "No, I'm not breaking up with you and you're not a cover. But I need to tell you some things and if you want to break up with me after that, I'll understand."

Jane stared up at him, completely confused now. There wasn't anything she could think of that Carlos could do that would make her want a day without him.

"Life on the Isle wasn't okay," he said softly. He'd never wanted to have this conversation, but he couldn't let her hear it from someone else. And she deserved the whole truth from him. He reached up and pulled the zipper of his hoodie down.

Her eyes widened at first and he wanted to smile because it was so damn cute. And then her expression changed, gaze flicking around to take in the scars littering his skin over a tight network of muscles. He rolled his shoulders, always watching her face, and dropped the garment on the floor. Tears were gathering in her eyes, hands hovering in the air over his skin but not touching. Her gaze flickered down to the cigarette burns on his ribs. "Oh. Oh no."

"You're my first girlfriend. My first love," Carlos explained, voice quiet. "But I don't have a lot of other firsts to give." Her tears spilled over and he winced, heart hurting. "I'm sorry. But I had to tell you."

Jane shook her head, sliding her hand into his. "I want to know everything about you. You're the nicest person I know and I like you so much." She blushed. "I love you. And no matter what bad things have happened, I'll always want to be with you."

He smiled relief and leaned his forehead to hers. "Really?"

She was still blushing. "Really."

Harry swung around the corner and marched across the yard. The sun setting, the campus hushing into another evening. He found his captain sitting on a table in that garden square, under the shadow of a tree as though she could not wait for the night to reach her in mere minutes. He sat on the bench, beside her boot and leaned back against the table, cocking his head up to look at her. He loved sitting below her—loved the angle it offered her. She looked right—above him. "I think I won."

"It's not done yet."

He smiled. Eyes on her. Always.

Okay. This is my first. Trying something here. Hope someone enjoys it! Hoping to do more with it. 3