Mal's trial is gonna have to wait to continue because we are on a one hour break. Enjoy.

Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.

I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, xez2003, CarvieCamfia, EroSlackerMicha, Quartz Rider, Eli201, danifan3000

To danifan3000: Yes, Audrey is mad at Mal only. Although, I guess I need to show more moments of her just to prove it.

In the defendant's room, Carlos was getting berated by Jay, Freddie, and Claudine for pleading the Fifth during his testimony. Everyone is suspicious of his refusal to reveal the details behind his breakup with Mal, which will only have people pointing fingers. At Mal, of course. Given her reputation, no one would be surprised if Mal's nature caused the breakup.

"You said it yourself, man. You don't plead the Fifth," Jay said to Carlos.

"Hey, I wanted to tell everyone, but she wouldn't let me," said Carlos.

"Did you have to listen?" Claudine questioned.

"No, but... I don't know. It just slipped," said Carlos.

"Now what are we gonna do?" asked Jay.

"Leave things to me," said Claudine. "You two have done enough. Jay did a better job, though."

"Hey, I was just telling them the truth," said Jay. "Right, Mal?"

Mal wasn't paying attention, apparently. She was just sitting down, facing the wall, arms crossed, and wearing a dark expression on her face. You never like it when Mal looks like she's ticked off. She wiped some dust off her nails, scratched an itch on her scalp, and hugged herself like she was getting cold.

"Hey, is something wrong?" asked Carlos.

"Why wouldn't there be anything wrong?" Mal questioned. "You heard what everyone said back there. The bad I've done outweighs the good. It is 100% not looking good for me."

"More like 65," said Carlos.

"I mean, Carlos, you heard what I said before. I can't stop hurting the people around me. I'm human poison," said Mal. "How can I possibly think the people are gonna let me have another chance? What was I thinking?"

"I thought you didn't care what would happen," said Jay.

"That was until..." Mal silenced herself. She didn't want to tell anyone about Ben, yet. "Look, guys, things have changed. I can't tell you how or why, but I need to win this trial. Impossible as it might seem, I have to. This isn't just about me or you. It's bigger than this."

"Like I said, Auradon is a place of hope and faith. That is how we're going to win this trial," said Claudine. "We have to give the people hope that you can still be good. We have to give them a reason to have faith in you. The bad may outweigh the good, but at least there is some good. We just have to show the people that the good upstages the bad."

"But Evie's the prosecutor, and she's not even taking it easy," said Jay. "If she keeps pouring it on, we're doomed."

"No, I'm the one who will be doomed," said Mal. "But the only way I can save myself is if Evie calls me to the stand again. I'll commit politic suicide if it means giving them all they want to know... except Carlos' magic."

"He has magic?" Claudine asked, surprised.

"Used to, but not anymore," said Carlos.

"Mal, I know you're not gonna like this, but why not just lie?" Jay suggested. "Stretch the truth, not too far if you don't want to, and get the jury on your side in an instant. You're a convincing liar, most of the time. I'm sure you can persuade the jury to think you're reformed. I mean, you are sort of reformed, but not enough to their eyes..."

"No, Jay," said Mal. "I'm not gonna lie to save myself. I win this trial through honesty, humility, and honor."

"The VKs Guide to Winning Court Trials. Lesson 1: The 3Hs," Jay joked.

Mal was having none of Jay's humor, as shown by her scowl. Carlos escorted Jay out the room before he could worsen her mood.

"Okay, I have one gamble I like to play," Mal said.

"What do you need?" asked Claudine.

"A loophole," Mal answered.

After pushing Jay towards Lonnie, Carlos decided to head to the prosecutor's room to confront Evie. She was just reviewing her notes while drinking coffee. She even takes the time to look at herself in her Magic Mirror. Typical Evie, Carlos thought. No matter how many life lessons you teach her, she will always and forever look into a mirror.

"Hey, Carlos," Evie greeted.

"How could you?" Carlos asked, skipping the greetings.

"How could I what?" Evie replied, not knowing what he's talking about.

"Ask me to divulge every single detail of my breakup with Mal," Carlos clarified. "Is this all part of your plan to help Mal?"

"Yes," Evie confessed. "If the people know that it was you who was responsible for the Auradon Prep rage party and not Mal, they will not only stop blaming her but they will also see that she did something good for you. She kept your secret and put herself in the media's line of fire to protect you. That will help Mal's case."

"Still, now it's gotten a whole lot worse," said Carlos. "Believe me, I wanted to answer your question, but Mal looked at me and told me no. I didn't know what to do. I had to do the thing that you told Mal not to do because I was afraid. That's who I've always been. A boy who is afraid of everything."

"Carlos, you're not that boy anymore," Evie said as she stood up and walked up to him. "Mal helped you become who Auradon turned you into again... in spite of the circumstances surrounding your decent to cowardice."

"We can talk all day about why Mal and I weren't supposed to be together in the first pace, but now we need to come up with a new strategy," said Carlos.

"I can't talk to you, Carlos. This could be seen as manipulating the prosecutor," said Evie.

"Evie, we're not talking here as witness and prosecutor. We're here talking as friends who just want to help another friend," said Carlos.

"Carlos, I have to go as hard as I can on everyone who testifies. It's my job," said Evie. "But I try to play it safe a few times to give Mal a chance."

"Well, here's an idea. Mal wants you to call her to the stand again," said Carlos. "You have to let her."

"I suppose we could get another testimony from her," said Evie. "I haven't asked all the questions yet. But I have to ask her about the breakup. With any luck, Mal will tell the jury a version of the truth without having to tell them everything about the breakup."

"Thank you, Evie," said Carlos. "It means a lot you're doing this."

Evie smiles and as she touches his white locks with her hand. She fondles with his hair and caresses his cheek in a gentle manner, like she usually does. Their friendship has been often touchy, mostly from Evie's side. The intimacy of their relationship has always made Carlos blush and it made Evie laugh every time his cheeks turned red. What she doesn't know, however, is that the red glow in his cheeks mean more than just feeling awkward when she touches him.

For reasons unknown, Carlos held her hand, which was still caressing his cheek. Evie's smile dropped and as a confused expression shows up on her face. Since she's the one who is always initiates the first move, it surprises her when he responds. She still remembers that dance they shared during the war. Just the two of them holding on to each other with the song "Can I Have This Dance?" playing through the speakers.

"Um..." Evie didn't know what to say.

"So..." Carlos too was lost for words.

Evie takes Carlos' hand into hers and kisses him on the cheek.

"See you back at the courtroom," said Evie.

Evie returns to work while Carlos leaves. He glances at her one more time, thinking about the postscript of Mal's letter to him, before closing the door behind him.

In the meeting room where the jury discusses the trial, eleven of the twelve members were just waiting for the trial to continue. The youngest member, a girl who recently graduated from college named Vivian, however, was looking over her notes from the trial.

"What's the point? We're gonna declare her guilty anyway," said the elderly Mal.

"Well, I don't believe in surrender," said Vivian.

"It's our families' lives at stake here," an adult woman reminded her.

"I love my parents so much, but we can't just let Uma win," said Vivian.

The door opens and in comes the King of Auradon himself, Ben. The jury was complete surprised since he was not expected to here at all. Ben smiled at Vivian, having heard her words just as he came in.

"And I appreciate that kind of mindset," he said.

"Oh, your majesty," the adult woman greeted him politely. "What are you doing here?"

"Shh," Ben replied as he locked the doors. "No one should know I was here. I'm here in secret."

"How could you have gotten in here without anyone seeing you?" asked Vivian.

"A couple of bodyguards who agreed to keep my presence confidential," Ben answered. "Mal sent me here. She told me that the jury could've been tampered with."

"And you're not wrong," said Vivian.

"Ursua's daughter?" Ben guessed.

"She threatened our families," said Vivian. "Everyone here is already giving up, but I'm not."

"What's your name?" Ben asked.

"Vivian, your highness," Vivian answered.

"Well, Vivian, I came here to make things right," said Ben. "I don't want you to judge Mal the way Uma wants you to. Now, I'm not gonna ask you to tell the people that Mal is innocent for my sake. I'm asking you to do what you feel is right. It's your choice. If you really believe Mal is a monster, then she is guilty. If you think there is a chance for her here in Auradon, then she's innocent. Whatever the result may be, it will be by your decision, not Uma's. We are supposed to listen to our hearts, not let others rule our lives. That's the biggest lesson I've learned in my life preparing to be king. It applies to everyone, no matter who you are."

"But what about our families?" asked the elderly man.

"Give me their addresses and I will ensure their protection. As your king, I promise you this. No harm will come to them," Ben promised.

"I am so glad you are our king," said Vivian.

"Glad to know my rule has not been disastrous," Ben said with relief.

Mal was about to go to the restroom to wash her face again as she was on the verge of another emotional breakdown. Safe to say, the whole "gamble" discussion with Claudine made her feel on the edge. She needed to calm down and she thought washing her face would do just that. Staring into fire made from her own magic and a glass of cider were not advisable at the moment.

To her surprise, she runs into someone she didn't expect to see today. A familiar blonde sitting on a wheelchair.

"Eleanor?" Mal asked.

"Hi," Eleanor greeted.

"What are you doing here?" Mal asked.

"I'm here to testify," said Eleanor. "I would've showed up earlier but I had things to take care of back at the orphanage."

Mal crossed her arms and asked, "What are planning on saying?"

"Just whatever is relevant to the question," said Eleanor. "You think I'm here to ruin you, aren't you?"

"I don't know. You're a complete mystery. You may be a good person, but your perception on VKs, especially me, is unclear," said Mal.

"You haven't told anyone about my secret, have you?" asked Eleanor.

"That the whole wheelchair thing is an act, no, I haven't," said Mal. "Lucky for you, because I've been itching to share it with someone. Probably Ben."

"You have to be patient, Mal," said Eleanor. "Once I tell you everything, you'll know why it was necessary for me to do all this."

"Just be completely honest at the trial and I'll give you a chance," Mal said darkly. "We're not friends, Eleanor. We're not even acquaintances. To me, you're just the girl who befriended Snowball when he was suffering. You're seemingly altruistic and unusually wise, from what Ben told me, but that's just a simple background. It means nothing to me."

"You want no stone unturned. I can respect that," said Eleanor. "But right now, you focus on saving yourself and I'll focus on being honest for the cameras."

"Just remember, Eleanor. You're on my watch list, and I'm not talking about movies," Mal said. "Just so we're clear, Uma is on that list."

Mal proceeds to the ladies' room. Eleanor couldn't help but feel a little afraid by her warning. With or without the magic restrictions, Mal is dangerous and that scares her.

I did promise in "Ways To Be Wicked" that the mystery of Eleanor will be revealed in this story. The revelation will still have to wait, but it will happen in this story. I just need to establish a clear visual on Mal and Eleanor's dynamic. I mean, you've read about Eleanor's relationship with Carlos and Ben (if not, you can go back if you want). Time to see how Eleanor and Mal's sort-of rivalry progress.