Mustang52: Yeah, she really did her best. Nobody else was going to do it. Thanks for reviewing!


All my friends are heathens, take it slow

Wait for them to ask you who you know

Please don't make any sudden moves

You don't know the half of the abuse

Heathens (Twenty-One Pilots)


Uma's crew lit a bonfire in the middle of Sirk's square as the sun set. They had gathered materials from the market stands which had been abandoned by their owners and cleared some snow to make it work. They had taken some chairs so they wouldn't always have to stand around. Despite their victory, Mal's appearance and her saving the innocent weighed on them. Tonight was going to be a quiet night.

Gil was sitting apart, holding some snow against his wounds. They would have given him slack if these wounds had been inflicted by Mal. But they weren't, and he'd become the crew's disgrace of the week. That title previously belonged to a young girl with dark hair who thought to have heard an intruder in the middle of the night, but what ultimately turned out to be a crow. He didn't mind and enjoyed to stay away from the others for the time being. His wounds could heal in peace and nobody bothered him.

Everyone was chatting with someone else. Melinda was having a merry conversation with the knight, Archie. Carlos sat somewhere in the back, far out of sight of those close to the fire. Uma and Harry also sat closely together, enjoying some rum together. Other than that, some of the teenagers had to stand guard until at least midnight. Uma did not like surprises coming her way.

One of the guards came running closer. It caught Uma's eye immediately.

"We have an intruder!" the boy said, loud enough for everyone to hear. Conversations came to a halt and all turned their attention to the approaching guards, who brought the intruder closer. The intruder – a young man with long brown hair and a spiteful look in his eyes – did not struggle, allowing the guards to peacefully bring him towards Uma. Uma stood up from her seat and the guards pushed the young man to his knees.

"Who are you," Uma asked him, "and why did you come here?"

The young man lifted his head to look at Uma. "I am Jay, son of Jafar, and I have come to strike a deal with you."

"Well, Jay," Harry said, "you are in no position to make deals with her." Uma possibly had wanted to say the same, but Harry had taken the words right out of her mouth.

"I have information," Jay continued, not intimidated by the pirate, "and enough resources to last you the next two years."

Uma folded her arms and watched the young man, unimpressed. "We don't need your resources. We're good on our own."

Uma was looked at the guards. "Take him away."

"I know what happened today," Jay said as the guards took his arms. Uma lifted a hand, causing the guards to stop. Jay shook the hands off of him before continuing. "I know Mal showed up and denied you access to those people. I wanna bet that wherever you're going next, she'll be there, too. She's not going to allow you to continue this crusade.

"I can offer you information and resources. I'll inform you of Mal's weaknesses. Might give some extra info on the resistance, too, if I'm feeling generous. I'll provide you with the weapons you need for your conquest, anything you ask, it's yours."

Jay waited while Uma and Harry weighed his words. The only noise was the crackling fire and the soft breeze.

"Sounds tempting," Harry said, placing his hook against his chin. "Almost too good to be true."

"He's right," Uma said, nodding in agreement and looking at Jay. She was certain there was a certain price tag connected to those resources and information. "Say we accept the deal. What do you want from us?"

Jay answered without hesitation. "Nothing. I will be grateful if Mal is gone. I only ask her head in exchange for the information."

Uma weighed the options, for it would be her who'd make the final decision. There lay nothing but anger and vengeance in his eyes – not aimed at her, but at Mal. He was telling the truth. Besides, his information may help her find a way to break the curse.

"I believe you," she said eventually. Jay grinned widely, but she did not pay much attention to that. "Now come – we have much to discuss."

Jay followed Uma upon the stairs, into the city hall, footprints trailing behind them in the snow.


Half an hour later, Carlos waited below the stairs of the city hall. If he guessed correctly – and he was certain he was right - Uma would want someone to validate Jay's information and to confirm he's telling the truth. After she was done with Jay, Uma would call on him. She'd ask Jay enough questions to figure out he and Carlos had been close at one point. But until he was called inside, he waited and watched his comrades.

It was comforting to see these familiar faces around him. He felt at ease in this crowd, with these people he'd trust with his life. It hadn't been easy to find a home, but he did. There wasn't a better place to be home than with them.

Gil still stood aside, talking to one of the newer recruits. They were having a substantial conversation and once again, Carlos couldn't help but notice that Gil looked tired. He hadn't done much – he never did do much – but still, he always managed to look exhausted at the end of the day.

Closer to the fire sat Melinda and Archie, their chairs so close to each other they almost touched each other. He couldn't see their faces, but Carlos imagined they wore big stupid smiles Carlos could picture so easily. The two liked each other, and now they finally were getting together.

A big stupid smile… he'd worn it before. He'd seen it before, on Jane's face whenever he was in the same room as her. Sometimes, Carlos wondered how she was doing, whether she had moved on or if she was still alive. Questions like that haunted him and always seemed to resurface unexpectedly.

But, as always, he was able to shake them off. He shouldn't think about her. Not now. It distracted from the goal everyone in the square was working towards.

At long last, Jay exited the city hall. Carlos turned his head to the sound of the door being opened and caught Jay's gaze. Jay's eyes widened and Carlos grinned mildly. It's been way too long since they've last seen each other, and that look on Jay's face was just priceless.

Slowly, Jay walked down the stairs, only looking away from Carlos to make sure he wouldn't slip. Once he was safely on the ground again, he joined Carlos and placed his hands in his pockets.

"Hey," Jay began, immediately followed by an awkward pause. Carlos did not say a word. "So, I… didn't think I'd see you again."

Carlos merely shrugged. The universe had its ways of bringing old friends back together for a short reunion.

"Where have you been?" Jay then asked. Carlos remembered the son of Jafar had been detained and put in a dungeon below Maleficent castle. News regarding his status as a prisoner hadn't reached Carlos, not even after he… escaped? Broke out? It wasn't important, anyway. To a traveler like Jay, this question was just natural to ask, almost like "how you doin'?".

"Everywhere," Carlos answered, no animosity in his voice. "It took me a while to find my place. Now I'm here." He caught Jay staring at him with a suspicious look in his eyes.

Carlos nodded at him. "What're you looking at?"

Jay shrugged, folding his arms, glancing away from Carlos every once in a while to make the staring less awkward.

"Nothing in particular," Jay answered. But the answer he gave didn't satisfy him. He added: "I was under the impression that you changed."

Changed. Turned good, he must've meant. "You're not wrong." The battlefield came to mind, the archers he'd rallied to continue their attacks, and how he'd put an arrow in one of Jay's limbs. Good times. "But I made up my mind. I can't give it up."

Melinda laughed loudly and heartily. Jay turned his head to the sound. His gaze lingered on her and Archie. At long last, Jay shot Carlos a worried look.

"There's a knight and a girl who could pass for a Bear of Dunbroch. Are you sure you're at your place here?"

"Yes, I am," Carlos said, convinced of his answer. He tilted his head slightly to the right, not looking away from Jay. "Are you?" Jay glanced at Carlos again, that concerned look on his face ever-present. Carlos thought to identify a hint of fear or disbelief in Jay's eyes. Carlos liked that. Jay always thought that people would listen, no matter where it went. It may be true, but with Uma's crew, he did not hold that power. He should feel grateful Uma had even decided to negotiate with him.

"Hey, Carlos!" The two old friends turned their heads. Harry stood in the doorway and glanced down at the two. He needn't say anything else. Carlos cast one last glance at Jay before mounting the stairs and walking inside the building.

City hall was a beautiful building. Once. The years had not been kind and whichever villain was in charge of the territory Sirk belonged to, they did not care about aesthetics or the upkeep of important buildings.

Harry guided Carlos to the mayor's office and he even opened the door. Uma sat on the chair behind the desk as if it was her throne, and the name tag on the desk had been thrown across the room. Harry snuck past Carlos to stand behind Uma, arms folded and his gaze upon the villain kid.

Carlos walked into the room and stayed at a respectable distance from Uma, keeping his hands behind his back. He bowed before his leader.

"You called for me?"

Uma leaned forward and stared at him strictly. She placed her hands on the table. The scene in front of him made him believe what was to follow would be secretive. "I need you to be completely and utterly honest with me. Don't lie."

She emphasized the last two words, sounding more like a threat than a command. Carlos let it slide.

"You have my word," he said. Uma smiled evilly and leaned back in the chair. Carlos relaxed again.

"Jay mentioned you. How well do you know each other?"

Carlos shrugged. "We used to be good friends. That ended when Mal broke away from our group. That's when it went downhill."

"Tell me, can I trust him?"

Carlos thought about it for a couple of seconds, and then he nodded. "Yes. As far as I can see, he has no reason to lie. He wants Mal gone, and can offer you everything he has promised. Money, weaknesses of enemies, and other resources. But you must keep in mind that he is selfish. He is only asking so you can get rid of an enemy for him. However, if I may give my opinion, I believe that with his help, it will be easier to break the curse."

Uma smiled still. The information pleased her, and it pleased Carlos that he had been of assistance.

"That was all," Uma said, glancing with joy at Harry, who returned the same look at her. Carlos bowed again and exited the mayor's office.

Outside, people were still talking to each other. Some of the teenagers had apples in their hands. Archie and Melinda just stood up, walking away with stupid grins on their faces and holding hands. Gil seemed to be doing well, but he still looked sour.

Carlos joined them, grabbing an apple and taking a bite.