Life begins at the end of your comfort zone

Neale Donald Walsch

The next two weeks both drug and flew by. The new children would have to have a place to sleep, which meant carefully matching them with roommates who would be welcoming but not easily intimidated. It meant arranging for testing to see where they were academically. It meant finding enough people with magical knowledge to bring down the barrier. And it meant choosing chaperones for the trip.

Fairy Godmother herself had been roped into the trip, to handle Mal, along with Anita for the deVil boy. If she wanted to take on a nurturing role with him, now was a good time to start. His signature had been impossible to read, though she was fairly certain that his name started with either a 'C' or and 'L'.

Like the raid 15 years ago, things were done in secrecy. She suspected that these teenagers wouldn't appreciate an elaborate welcome, and she disliked the thought of them becoming some sort of freak show to be gawked at and talked about. It would happen, but she didn't need to put them on display their first day here.

Both Ben and King Adam had very badly wanted to go, but that idea had been quickly rejected. The Island was a dangerous place, and the last thing they needed was a hostage situation.

The ride to the Island was quiet and strangely lovely. Anita, while still looking like the epitome of an elegant lady, was dressed down in jeans and a pullover shirt, carrying only a small bag. She looked ready to fight back if things turned poorly. "I hope this goes well. Roger is a little uncertain about the entire thing."

"He may well be a sweet boy at heart." The words felt hollow and false.

"I know that it's hard for you to believe, but Cruella was a sweet woman. Brilliant, fun. We were like sisters all through high school and college. I've never had a friend like her before or since. She just got sick, and no one could help her. What happened with the puppies...it was terrible, but you have to understand that she wasn't in her right mind. I miss who she was."

Fairy Godmother wondered if Anita had been one of the people against creating the Island in the first place. "You think that we should have done more for her."

"No. When she was stable, and taking the pills she was supposed to, I could see flashes of my best girlfriend. But then she wouldn't take them any more, and she would spiral back down. She was dangerous, and we couldn't make her do the things she needed to to help herself. I wish there had been more options, but there weren't."

"Her boy could have well inherited those issues." It hurt, but it needed to be said.

"I know. We're just going to have to hope for the best." She clutched her bag closer. "I brought some pictures for him to look at. I thought it might help him feel more comfortable."

The woman in the pictures bore little resemblance to the madwoman that had been sentenced to the Isle. In those pictures, Cruella just beamed with good humor and intelligence. There were shots of her and Anita cheerleading, smiling together at a school dance, doing their hair and nails. It was heartbreaking. And if it felt that way to her, she could only imagine how it felt to Anita.

"She would want me to help with her son. We had it all planned out. We were going to have our babies together, both boys, and we were going to raise them like brothers. It just didn't happen for me. I can't help her, but I can help him."

They were rapidly approaching the barrier, and Fairy Godmother felt her stomach clench. It had always come down on command before, but she would prefer to not be splattered on it like a bug on a windshield.

But it came down without a hitch, the car coming to rest on the dock. It was well past midnight, and there were few people around. Rumors flew about creatures that lived in the waters surrounding the Island, ones that were able to breach the barrier and snatch unsuspecting Island dwellers to their doom. Those rumors were 100% false, but it kept people from attempting to disrupt the barrier, so she did nothing to counteract them.

At first she saw no one, but then two figures appeared out of a doorway. The smaller must have been the deVil child, but woman accompanying him was clearly not Cruella. He stepped forward grimly, as if he was on his way to an execution rather then a better life. There was a trash bag, mostly empty, clutched to his chest. The Evil Queen, for it was her, walked with him, but she didn't touch him, nor did she make any effort to speak to him and offer comfort. When the finally got to the car, she opened the door for him and touched his back one time. She looked at the pair in the car. "His mother was unable to bring him, but she sends her regards." When she looked at the boy, who was staring at his battered boots and looking like he had no idea where he was, her eyes softened and her hand twitched as if she wanted to hug him, at least reach out and touch him one last time. But she didn't. "You know what to do."

He nodded without making eye contact, and slid into the seat. When she closed the door, he made no effort to reach for her, nor did he even look after her. She might as well have been a stranger to him.

Anita and Fairy Godmother exchanged looks. That had been...anticlimactic. She had expected a scene. She had expected insults and curse words and threats should anything befall this child. At the very least, she had expected Cruella to come herself.

She certainly hadn't expected the woman to just leave the kid and walk away. Why go through so much trouble to keep him all those years ago, and just abandon him now?

The light on the roof of the limo was on, allowing her to see the boy well enough. He was...not what she had been expecting. His hair was dark at the roots, but faded to white, the colors like Cruella's. But his skin was quite light and splattered with freckles. He was small and thin, though it was hard to tell jut how thin with the jacket and long sleeves he wore.

But those eyes. Dark, dark, brown, nearly black and fringed by the thickest eyelashes she had ever seen on a boy. They were a contrast to his light skin and looked like they held all the secrets in the world. When he peeked over and accidentally made eye contact with her, she felt as though he was pulling her into a black hole, one she would be lucky to escape from. There had always been rumors about Cruella's own eyes, and how she had enslaved men with just her gaze. He looked away immediately.

So this was the one they were accusing of trying to break the barrier? This quiet, frightened child? She didn't believe it.

Anita was the one to break the silence. "Hello there, Sweetheart. I'm Anita and this is Fairy Godmother. It's nice to meet you. We had a little trouble reading your handwriting when you signed your paperwork. Can you tell us your name?"

Nothing. The kid looked down and started to tremble, but he didn't make a peep. Could he speak? Did he even have a name? Anita looked helplessly at Fairy Godmother, but neither one of them knew what to say. It had been less the a minute, and already this kid was proving to be more of a task then they had thought he would.

Determinedly, Anita tried again. "It's ok to be a little shy. I get nervous around new people, too You don't have to tell us anything right now." She reached out to stroke his arm.

There was an explosion of movement as the kid shot over her lap and against the far window of the car, knocking his head sharply His arms came up to cover his face in what almost looked like a boxer's pose. What had been a small tremor turned into violet shaking.

Obviously, someone had struck this child, and more then once if the strength of his reaction was anything to go by. Anita dropped her hand, tears springing to her eyes. "Sorry. It's late and I know you must be tired."

Fairy Godmother was grateful that someone had thought to apply the child locks to the car, because she could hear him scrabbling at the door handle in a desperate attempt to get away from them. His eyes dashed up to the sunroof, but it was closed as well. He was trapped.

Things could have gone any one of a dozen ways, but they were interrupted by the arrival of Maleficent and her daughter. Fairy Godmother stiffened. Maleficent strode forward confidently. "Here she is! Ready for her brand new life as a good little girl. Mal, go put your suitcases in the trunk of the car."

Mal herself looked less then impressed. She stood with one hip cocked and her eyes trained on her mother. Fairy Godmother's skin crawled at the combined look of hatred and worship in the girls eyes.

The older woman leaned into the car, her horns bumping against the doorframe. "Hello, Fairy Godmother! Are you really so disappointed in your own daughter that you need to import mine? I don't blame you, Darling."

"How dare you!" She wasn't disappointed in Jane, not even a little bit. The girl was sweet and obedient, even if she was falling victim to some of the typical teenage girl shallowness. "Jane is a lovely girl, and any mother would be thrilled to claim her has their own."

"Hmph. Well, I certainly hope you can do better by Mal then you've managed to do with your own child. Not to mention this Island. Mal? I expect that you'll remember everything we've talked about and live up to my expectations for you." She smirked at Fairy Godmother and blew her a kiss. "Toodles, my Sweet! I'm hoping we'll see each other again very soon."

Unlike her companion, Mal did look after her mother as she walked away, and she looked devastated. She looked like exactly what she was: a little girl who had just been abandoned by her mother. Fairy Godmother opened the door. "Come on, Dear, it's time to go."

Upon stepping into the car, she noticed the other occupants for the first time. Her eyes went narrow and her lip curled. "You."

Without warning, she lunged over both women and attacked the little deVil boy, slamming him against the door. He transformed from a terrified child to a wildcat and fought back. She slammed her forearm across his throat and he flipped over and kicked her in the thigh with both feet, knocking her loose.

"Hey!" She and Anita grabbed at them, trying to stop the fight. "Knock it off, both of you!"

The managed to wrestle the pair apart and push one against each window. "What was that!"

"I'll kill him." Mal's words were hissed, and the deVil boy bared his teeth at her.

Fairy Godmother was regretting this already. She banged her fist on the partition separating them from the driver. When he rolled it down, she snapped. "I need to have a kid sit up front."

He looked in the rearview mirror at the kids, who were shooting eye daggers at each other. "No way. I do not get paid enough to wrestle wild animals."

"One of us will sit with them and ensure that they behave." She tightened her grip on Mal, who was still fighting to get free. "I'll double your pay." They were already paying through the nose, but she was desperate.

"Fine, but I don't want the girl. Give me the quiet one." He stepped out and opened the door for Anita and the deVil boy. She thought that he might try to bolt as soon as the door opened, and she had already decided she wasn't going to chase him. Clearly, both of them were far more damaged then they had suspected, and wasn't going to run him down and force him. A dark part of her was almost hoping that he would make the attempt.

But he didn't. He made sure to grab the trash bag (that couldn't possibly be what he had his possessions in. It was too small, and didn't even look full. No, she must have missed the Evil Queen putting his possessions in the trunk of the car.) and followed Anita. He had a perfect shot at running when Anita stepped into the car first, but he just followed her.

Mal was glaring at the back of his head, so Fairy Godmother put the divider back up, leaving only an inch or so down so she could communicate with Anita if needed. "What was that about, Mal? He didn't do anything to you."

"This time." Her eyes snapped. "He steals from me. Bastard."

Now was not the time to address the language issue. "He steals from you? What does he steal?"

"Food. If you don't watch it all the time, he'll get it and then you can't catch him." She crossed her arms.

Fairy Godmother suspected that if this kid was stealing food, it was probably because he was starving. Not just hungry, but starving.. "I see."

She looked up front, but no one gave any indication that they could hear her. "What's his name?"

"I don't know."

She didn't know the name of a boy who appeared to be her sworn enemy? "Really? What do you call him, then?"

"Mother Fucker." She said it without a trace of irony.

"You've never once asked him is name instead of just beating on him?" So far they had impulse control issues, fear issues, aggression, and foul language. And they hadn't even hit the bridge yet.

"Oh, he doesn't talk."

Even though she has suspected as much, Fairy Godmother had to confirm it. "Ever? And do you know why?"

"I've never heard him and neither has anyone else. And I think he doesn't talk because he's stupid."

Again, she wasn't going to pick a fight with the girl tonight. While she thought of something else to say, Anita leaned backwards. "Do we have some refreshments? We could both use a drink and I believe my friend here is hungry."

She tore open a pack of peanut butter cups and passed a soda through the gap. The second cup was offered to Mal, who took it suspiciously. Her eyes widened as she tasted it. "That was...not the worst."

"May we have another one as well? Also maybe take the paper off? I'm pretty sure he swallowed that, too." Anita extended a hand and Fairy Godmother pressed a few different snacks through. She just hoped that they didn't end up making him sick.

They were rapidly approaching the barrier, which meant they were almost home free. She was grateful that it was nighttime, and there was no way Mal could see what was happening. The deVil child probably could, but he wasn't going to be saying anything about it.

Two things happened as they hit the barrier. The first was that there was a frightened whine from the front seat, proving that he was indeed capable of making noises.

The second was that Mal went absolutely ballistic. Her eyes turned bright green and began to glow. It was just like looking at her mother, and Fairy Godmother drew back. Then she started to scream, tearing her fingernails down her own face. The sound bounced all over the car, making the driver jerk the wheel and causing another tiny whimper from up front.

Prince Phillip had been right. Once she passed the barrier, the magic that had been blocked from her exploded out, and she had no way to cope with it, physically or mentally.

Things might be peaceful in Auradon now, but Fairy Godmother hadn't helped make that peace by being useless. She put her face to the divider and bellowed "Drive! Anita, keep him calm!" while simultaneously whipping her wand out from under the seat. She had retrieved it from the museum two weeks ago, refamiliarizing herself with it and remembering all the things that it could do. She froze the girl, preventing her from hurting herself further and silencing the car. One Mal was still, she pressed the wand to the girls temple, knocking her out.

Looking at the suddenly peaceful face, Fairy Godmother felt nothing but pity for her. She was going to have a hard road ahead of her. They were gong to have to reevaluate their entire plan for her. She couldn't go to the dorms or class until she was better able to cope with her new power. This plan had fallen apart before they even set foot on Auradon's shores.

The thought made her remember that it was a 'they' and not a 'she'. She leaned forward. "Is he ok?"

There was a long silence before Anita offered. "He's quiet."

That didn't sound good. Fairy Godmother leaned forward, trying to see what the boy was up to. He had curled up into a tight ball against the door, arms over his head and body stiff. He had to be terrified. Anita looked over helplessly. "He doesn't want me to touch him."

Neither child moved for the rest of the trip, despite Anita's coaxing words and her own offers of more candy then any 10 people could eat. She expected Mal to remain unconscious for quite some time, but had hopes that the boy would move.

As soon as they were close enough, she put in a call for both King Adam and at least two of his strongest guards to meet them at the hospital. Someone would need to carry Mal, and she had no idea what to do with the deVil boy. The King had to see this, and be aware of the long reaching consequences of both his choice 15 years ago and the one made just a few weeks ago. Not that she was innocent in those choices either, but she had a feeling that these two would remind her of her choices for a very long time.

The driver looked over to the passenger seat, then in the rearview mirror. "This might not have been a good plan."

"Nobody asked for your opinion." Anita's voice turned ice cold, before returning to it's cajoling state. "I wish you could tell me your name. It seems mean not to have something to call you."

"That's right, nobody asked for my opinion. Nobody asked for anyone's opinion about dragging a pair of feral animals into Auradon and setting them loose. Seems to me that the citizens should have been asked, or at least made aware. Or were you just hoping they would fit right in? Because I'm telling you right now they won't. You put mad dogs down."

How many citizens of Auradon felt the same way? These were only teenagers, and ones who had suffered greatly at that. But they were more damaged then anyone had suspected. Was it just these two he objected to, or was it all of the children from the Island? Was there an entire contingent of citizens who wanted them gone?

It was hard to think about. "These are humans, not dogs."

Again, he looked at first one, then the other, and shrugged. "Not seeing so much of a difference."

As much as she would have liked to give him a further piece of her mind, she was afraid to. He might dump them out of the car right there on the bridge, and they were still too far from home. So she bit her tongue and waited. She would speak to the King in private, later.

He was waiting for them outside the hospital, a guard on each side. He must have rushed to answer he call and be ready.

The first guard pulled the door open and lifted Mal out, cradling her as tenderly as they had cradled the babies 15 years ago. She had seemed larger then life on the Island, but now she looked very small. Fairy Godmother took a minute to stare at her, cataloguing her relaxed face and sweet features. She had a feeling it would be a while before she saw this again, and it would be nice to remember it. "The spell should last a bit longer, but we need to monitor her closely. She's completely overwhelmed with her magic.

The second guard opened the front door and reached out for the deVil boy. "Come on-" He might have been wanting to say something more, but was interrupted by a black and white blur coming for his face. Apparently he was more aware of what was happening around him then they thought, and made a mad dash for freedom the minute he could.

For a second they all gaped at his retreating back. Mal had been right, the boy was fast. And headed for the water. The thought of him not being able to swim spurred her into action. "Chase him!"

Running the poor boy down was not going to make him trust them any more, but desperate times called for desperate measures. The guard (Alan? Austin? Amos?) managed to grab the kid right before he hit the water. His voice carried back. "No, no, you can't- Ow! Ow, the little piranha is biting me!"

Not just biting, but firmly latched on. The guard (goodness bless him) determinedly drug the kid back and into the hospital, never flinching. A few minutes passed, during which time someone must have pried the boy loose, and he returned, arm freshly bandaged. Fairy Godmother sighed and prepared another string of apologies. She sensed that she was going to get very good at this over the next few weeks or months. "I'm very sorry. I had no idea he would bite and-"

He cut her off with a wave. "It's alright. He was just trying to defend himself, and something tells me he's had the roughest night of his life. He's scared and he wants to go home."

Sadly, she wasn't so sure that that was true. Something told her that this boy had had many rough nights in his 16 years on earth. "Thank you for your understanding."

King Adam looked at her, taking into account her flushed face, mussed hair, and the wand still clutched tightly in her hand. "I take it you had an eventful trip."

It was all she could do not to burst into tears. "They're...awful. I've already broken up a fight between them, no one thought to mention that the deVil boy can't talk and we don't even know his actual name, Mal can not mentally handle the magical awakening, and one of them bites! They probably both do!"

He wrapped an arm around her. "It's alright. We know that the adjustment would be difficult for everyone. We'll just have to keep them separate for a while, and let whatever the issue is die down. Did you ask Mal if she might know the deVil boys name?"

"Of course I did. She doesn't know, but apparently he answers to Mother Fucker." The king's jaw dropped at her language, and suddenly she found herself giggling hysterically. "Well, at least we can call him something!"

The laughter helped her focus and blow off some of the tension of the day "Should we see how our little snapping turtles are doing in there?"

"Did they bring anything?" He peeked into the limo.

She leaned in and retrieved the trash bag that the deVil boy had been holding. "The rest is in the trunk. Mal had two big suitcases and I'm not sure what else he had."

King Adam had retained much of his amazing strength, and he lifted Mal's suitcases with one hand before coming back up with a funny look in his face. "That's it. There's nothing else in there."

So that trash bag was it. All of his 15 years distilled down to what felt like nothing in her arms. "Oh."

Neither one said anything more as they walked up to the hospital, because there was nothing to say.

Mal still slept, with a team of doctors checking her vitals and keeping a close watch on her. They would do a full exam and blood work, of course, but Fairy Godmother suspected that things would come back perfectly normal. The girl's problems were going to show when she woke up and her magic flared back to life.

They were greeted outside the deVil boy's room by a frazzled looking doctor. "We would like your permission to sedate him for the exam. He's obviously stressed and I don't think that causing him further trauma at this point is a good idea."

She wondered if this man was sporting a bite mark somewhere as well. "Whatever you think is best for him. How is he doing?"

"Quiet. You can peek at him through the one way mirror if you like. "

The hospital, and thus the mirrors had been built long ago, when Auradon was still a dangerous place. They hadn't been used in years. Both she and the King walked into look at their newest citizen. He sat on the bed in stony silence, his shoulders straight and his eyes locked straight ahead. One of the doctors spoke briefly to him and lifted his arm for the sedative. The kid didn't flinch as the needle went it, nor did he attempt to pull away. This was clearly par for the course to him. Adults hurt you, and it did no good to fight back.

The drug was quick-acting, and his eyes started to droop in minutes. He startled as his balance failed, and jerked wildly when the doctors attempted to help, but there wasn't much he could do, and he eventually went limp.

The Kind shook his head. "Poor thing. He really doesn't look like his mother, other then the hair. I wonder who his father is."

"Goodness only knows. I don't believe we know anything about the other side of their family trees."

"Do you think we should take a look through their things? We don't want to find out that they've brought any unpleasant surprises with them."

It felt wrong to invade their privacy like that, but safety came before etiquette. "That would be a wise course of action."

Since both children were deeply sedated, they stepped away and into a better lit room. Mal's suitcases went first. King Adam raised an eyebrow. "Quite the decorations, aren't they?"

From a purely aesthetic view, they were. The suitcases had been painted with a dragon design, two in perfect reflection of each other. The words 'Long Live Evil' were skillfully worked into the design. Lovely, yes, but disturbing at the same time.

The first suitcase contained neatly folded clothing. Fairy Godmother shuffled through it, looking for a weapon that could have been hidden. Nothing. The second suitcase had a rather eclectic mixture of objects. Some jewelry, a few books, photographs and a bunch of art supplies. There was a small horned doll, looking well loved. "Do you think she drew the picture on the suitcase herself?"

"It's certainly possible. If she enjoys art, that can be used as therapy for her later" She swept a hand through the assortment of objects. A diary tumbled out, catching on her fingers. For a moment, she considered reading it, but decided against it. The girl had lost so much tonight, why make her lose her privacy as well? "I don't see anything dangerous." She close the suitcases. "Though who knows what they might be able to turn into a weapon."

The deVil boy's bag contained three outfits, all in black, white, and red. "He's picked up his mother's fashion sense, I see."

"He's probably never been encouraged to develop his own. Among the assorted bits of clothing were 4 shirts, 3 pairs of shorts and one jacket. That was it. No long pants, no extra shoes, no pajamas. No socks or underwear. "This isn't enough for a full week. He needs more."

The king smiled grimly. "I would suggest buying it in his favorite colors. Cruella didn't send anything else?"

"No." No books, no pictures, not a plush lovey or a blanket that might smell like home (though home apparently smelled like cigarette smoke and mildew). "Wait, what's that?" There was a piece of paper sticking out of a jacket pocket.

It was a letter, neatly sealed in an envelope. Fairy Godmother tore it open and read it out loud.

To whom it may concern,

I am writing to tell you a bit about my boy, as Cruella is not likely to provide any information. His name is Carlos. He does not have or respond to any nicknames. His mother is Cruella deVil, his father is unknown.

As I am sure you have already found out, he does not speak. He has never spoken that either I or his mother has heard, not even as a baby or toddler. He will gesture when he wants to and he does understand everything that is said to him.

Carlos is very smart. He has never attended school, but has taught himself with no help from his mother or I. Given some wires and spare parts, he has built functioning refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, and remote controls. What they control, I have no idea, since he doesn't tell me, but they obviously function. He both reads and writes, though he prefers science and moths to the language arts. He hates writing stories.

He eats everything, and has no allergies. He does have frequent small colds, but seems to get over does not have other health problems.

I do not know what he does socially, or if he makes friends. He has certainly never brought any to Hell House, but there are likely many reasons for that. Most days he vanishes into the market when his chores are done and doesn't come back until late at night

Carlos is a very obedient boy. He does what is asked of him and does not show an attitude about it. His mother has taught him to be that way.

He is very self sufficient. He cooks for and feeds himself, washes his own clothing and knows how to take care of the house. He studies hard. He does not need an adult to remind him to do these things.

It is my hope that Carlos will be able to see a real doctor who will help him learn to speak. I think that he will, given time.

He is a very gentle boy. It is not in his nature to fight or be aggressive at all.

I will miss him very much, but I feel that he is better off in Auradon. His mother is a dangerous woman, and I fear for his safety and life if they are not separated.

Please take good care of him. He is an exceptional child, and one with a great deal to offer.

Grimhilde, Queen of the Island

PS: I lost my own baby girl, Evie, in the Great Raid 15 years ago. I hope most of all that she is loved and cherished by whichever family was lucky enough to raise her. Though I know I will not see her again, I think of her often and miss her always. I want her to know how very much I love her.

PPS: We do not dye Carlos' hair. It grows that way naturally.

When she was finished, she couldn't look the King in the face. This was his daughter being discussed, and it was being thrown in his face that she had another family out there.

"I think we've done enough for tonight." His voice was tight. "Get the boy some clothing and whatever else you feel they might need. I'll come back by tomorrow to check on them."

He turned on his heel and walked away, leaving her standing in a hospital with two half-feral children whose needs she had no idea how to meet. To waste time, and to get her mind off of things, she looked over the letter again. So Carlos cooked, cleaned, and took care of his own schooling needs. What exactly did Cruella do?

It wasn't hard to read between the lines of the letter, either. She now knew exactly why the boy responded so violently to being touched.

With a soft sigh, she put her forehead against the wall. "Well, Mal. Well, Carlos deVil. Welcome to Auradon."