Again, if you are offended, please PM me. I am doing my best to be accurate.

Trigger warnings.

Carlos shot a pleading glance at Jay, but he only glared back.

"Go on," Jay told him.

"My mother makes me do all the chores around the house." Carlos shrugged. "And she hurts me, yeah."

"Lame," a voice stated, casually.

Jay barked out a short, harsh laugh. "Show them."

"No."

"Show them, or I will."

Carlos glared, then tentatively pushed his sleeves up. Mal and Evie gasped. Jay took in all the scars, then glanced up at the ceiling, clearly trying not to show just how upset he was.

A voice screeched, "Why did you do that?"

"So yeah." Carlos pushed his sleeves down quickly.

Mal wasn't ready to drop the subject. "Those aren't all from her...?"

"No. They aren't. I'm fine."

"You are not. Fine."

"Yeah well judging by your arms, you aren't so fine either. Some of those are new."

"Hey," Evie interjected. "Chill you guys." She and Jay shared a look. "Do we all want to sleep together tonight? Carlos?"

"She won't care. The house is clean, so she won't notice I'm gone."

"All right."

"In the meantime," Jay decided, "we can sit on the roof and look out over the water. Maybe something is happening in Auradon." He stood, and the others followed suit.

...

When Carlos got home early the next morning, his mother was already up and in a rage.

"SHUT UP!" his mother shrieked, grabbing the nearest pan and hurling it across the room. "Shut up. Shut up! SHUT UP!"

She turned around. "Oh and Cameron, dear, the kitchen is a mess. I would like it cleaned if you don't mind terribly." She grabbed his arm with a talon-like grip and jerked him towards her. She slapped him. Hard. "What the HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" she screamed in his face, spit flying everywhere. Her fingernails dug into his arm. With the other hand, she stroked his hair. Carlos froze, heart pounding wildly. He could taste the terror.

He couldn't move. She brought her hand to his cheek and caressed it.

But then suddenly she let go and was gone. Carlos's legs collapsed under him in relief and he fell to the floor, head down, willing himself not to cry. A crash was heard in a different room, accompanied by more screams and some swearing.

"Clean the kitchen, you fool!" a voice shrieked.

"Yeah, whatever, Shane," he muttered to the voice.

It sputtered indignantly. "Excuuse me!"

"Well you don't need to make things worse."

"But it's so much more fun!"

"Where's Ro when we need her?"

"How am I supposed to know. I only keep myself."

Carlos rolled his eyes and stood, bending down to pick up the pot his mother had thrown. He looked around the kitchen. Uncooked noodles were everywhere.

"What the heck." He shook his head at the thought of his mother doing this, and then found a broom.

"It looks horrible! Pick it up! Pick it up!"

"Shane. Shut. Up."

"I can say whatever I want whenever I want."

"Clearly." He began sweeping.

"Poor Evie," another voice stated.

Carlos smiled. "Hey, Ro."

"Heyo! You need to be careful," Ro began thoughtfully.

"DESTROY THE MORTALS!" Shane screamed.

"Do you mind?!" Ro sounded annoyed. "Can I hurt him?"

"No!" Carlos was louder than he would have liked to be. "No," he whispered.

"Ok, ok, back off," Ro replied. Carlos swept the noodles into a dustpan and then poured the noodles from the dustpan into an empty jar.

Shane interjected, "I honestly wouldn't mind."

"Stop it, Shane. You are not hel..." he trailed off as Mal stormed through the door, slamming it shut. Her face was white and her lips were in a thin line.

She stopped. "Who were you just talking to?"

"I wasn't," he lied easily.

She pushed it aside. "Emergency meeting. Now." She grabbed his arm and began pulling him.

Carlos resisted. "Wait. But does the kitchen look clean?"

She barely looked around. "Fine," she replied shortly. "Come on." She all but dragged him out the door.

"What's the big rush?" Carlos asked jogging to keep up with Mal's pace.

"Jay has been keeping secrets from us, so I'm calling another meeting."

"Didn't you just protest this when Jay made us do this same thing yesterday?"

"Shut up."

Shane laughed. Carlos smirked.

When Mal and Carlos got to the hideout, Jay and Evie were already there. Carlos had never seen Jay look so upset and depressed.

Mal didn't even bother to sit down. "You were the one who fucking made us all tell all our secrets. And here you are keeping secrets from us! What the hell is this?" she spat.

"M," Evie pulled Mal down to sit next to her. "Calm down."

"Calm her down! Make her stop!" one of the voices called.

Carlos sat cross-legged between Mal and Jay. "What's up?"

Mal glared across at Jay. "He didn't tell us everything." Suddenly she whipped her head towards Carlos. "And I don't think you are either. I'm not falling for your lies."

"She knows! Lock down the forts!" a voice screamed.

Evie stirred slightly. "M, one at a time."

Carlos glanced at Jay. His head was down, but Carlos could still catch a glimmer of a single tear that had traced down his cheek.

"What the hell is going on?" Carlos spat.

Mal stared, her mouth slightly open. "Carlos!"

"Language, Carlos," Ro reminded.

"Oh, please."

"Jay," Mal ordered. "Tell them." Her voice softened. "Or I will."

As always, reviews are much appreciated.

-FlatFox