Carlos POV

"You did what!" Carlos yelled at his roommate.

"I didn't have a choice." Jay answered sheepishly. He had just gotten done telling Carlos all about how he told Audrey some of their secrets. Most of them were about him, but some had to do with Mal too.

"What do you mean you didn't have a choice? There's not telling her and not pissing off Mal and then there's telling her and Mal potentially killing you both!"

What the hell was he thinking? She's going to kill him. This was as much her secret as his!

"I trust her okay. I'm with Evie on this one, we need to build trust in our relationships and open ourselves up."

"Who are you and what have you done with Jay?" Carlos was bewildered.

Since when does he want a real relationship? I thought he was just in to getting it on with her.

"I'm sorry Carlos, but it's true and you know it. You are just fortunate enough to already have someone special."

"Ya, someone who is not here." Carlos grumbled. "What's to stop Audrey from blabbing to the world? And what about Ben! He's probably going to kill you for this when he finds out!"

"She promised not to tell, but Mal needs to tell Ben."

"Ya, like that'll ever happen. We all know how closed off she can be." Carlos rolled his eyes and resumed game play. He was still trying to beat the last level of the game.

It would help if people would stop having a crisis while I'm playing.

"Aren't you worried about her?" Jay asked his roommate.

"I'm not following."

"She woke up in the forest with no memory of everything that happened after I cut her."

Carlos stopped the game again to look at his friend concerned.

"She did heal extremely fast too," Carlos added. "Could it be her dad?" They exchanged worried glances.

"I have no idea, I told Audrey because we need more people watching her. I didn't tell her everything though."

"Don't. The rest of the secrets are Mal's to give out when she wants to. We can't run the chance of it somehow getting back to Ben before she's ready."

Carlos, thinking that his opinion on the matter was no longer needed, resumed game play again. He was defeated after two more minutes and had to restart the level frustrated.

"What's she going to do? Kill us? That's not so bad." Jay tried to joke but he had no idea what she was capable of here. Even on the Isle it was questionable at times. Her temper had resulted in a few kids never being seen again.

"You're kidding right? You don't think she'll hurt herself?" Carlos was annoyed.

Of course he would think only about her hurting others!

"Nah, I got rid of the knife and told her I wasn't going to do it anymore." Carlos gave up on the game, stalked over and smacked Jay on the head.

"What was that for?" Jay asked rubbing his head where Carlos had smacked him, half tempted to wrestle him to the ground for it. Carlos hardly ever started a fight, but he always finished one.

"Because you are an idiot! Mal doesn't need you to cut her, she can do it herself. She's been doing it to herself of and on for weeks and you haven't even noticed!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Are you really that dense?"

"No?" Jay stuck his tongue out at his friend.

"I swear!" Carlos threw up his hands, "That doesn't just go away here. In fact, here has made it worse or have you not noticed how drained she is. She's gotten paler and thinner since we got here."

"So?"

"SO, she is overworking herself trying to please her mother and now that that is gone, what do you think she is going to do?"

"Oh's right you stupid head! You have no idea why she does it do you?" Carlos was yelling in his face now.

"I thought I did."

You are such a fool! You let it go too far because you weren't paying attention to your friend.

"We need to talk to Evie."

"Why?" Carlos asked intrigued.

"She might be able to keep Audrey in line."

"She's going to want to talk to Doug about this." Carlos sighed.

"Then we let her, we all need to open up."

"Good luck telling Mal that."

"Well, for now we watch. If she really is losing control then we go to someone that can help."

"Ben?"

"No, Fairy Godmother. Ben can only find out from Mal."

"Agreed." They fist bumped and turned back to the game.

"I bet you a day with Dude that I can win this level?" Jay laughed at Carlos's bet.

"Why would I want a day with Dude boy?"

"Fine, how about my chocolate stash versus yours?" That was what Carlos wanted to bet the whole time. He knew that in order to get Jay to take the bet, Carlos had to offer him something that he would not want first.

"I'll take that bet! You get one try dog lover."

"You are on then thief!" They fist bumped again and Carlos finally went back to the game to win. He was so full of adrenaline from his conversation with Jay that he hardly noticed that he had won the game. The only person in all of Auradon to beat the game and all he got out of it was Jay's stash of chocolate. Needless to say, Jay did not go to bed happy that night.

Audrey POV

Audrey was standing in the dark of her room waiting for Doug to pass by. When she got back from dinner with her parents earlier, she had quickly noticed that Evie and Mal were not there. She knew that Doug would insist on walking with Evie back to her dorm so she only had to wait in the cover of darkness. She needed to talk to him as soon as possible. She saw a flash of blue and quickly closed the door enough so that she could just barely see out a crack in her door. When she saw them start to kiss, she nearly gagged and looked away.

Ew, so gross! She could do so much better. Why did Doug have to fall for his father's villain's kid? Ugh!

When she heard the door click shut, she quickly looked back out the crack and waited for him to pass her door. When he did, she grabbed his shirt and dragged him into her room, slamming the door in the process. She through him in the chair in her room and flicked the lights on.

Her room was covered in pink and blues and looked as if it was a single person's room except for the lamp that was sitting near the door on the bookshelf. Despite being a Princess, her parents wanted her to learn to play nice with others so she always had a roommate. Fortunately that roommate was Jordan, the genie's daughter, who only needed her lamp leaving the room to Audrey. This worked in Audrey's favor as well because she got double the closet space and double the vanity space. Plus, Jordan rarely spent time in the room because it was quieter and less pink in her lamp.

Doug, momentarily blinded by the sudden light, blinked a few times and straightened his glass before accessing his surroundings.

"We need to talk," Audrey spoke to Doug from behind him causing him to jump.

"Apparently Audrey," he looked her in the eyes, "don't you know it's illegal to kidnap someone?"

"Seriously?" she rolled her eyes and sat down across from him in her chair, "I did not kidnap you."

"If this is some elaborate scheme just to get me to break up with Evie and get me to see the 'error of my ways' then I'm leaving. I am not listening to that again."

"That's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Then what?" Doug asked curious. She had never wanted to talk to him if it was not degrading him in some way before.

"I need your help with something."

"What?" Doug's mouth fell open in shock.

"Is it really tat hard to believe that I would ask you for help?"

"Well, yes, actually." Audrey looked at him annoyed by his response.

"It's about the Isle Kids." she answered timidly.

What if he does not want to help me, then what do I do?

Doug stiffened and eyed her.

(Doug POV) What is she up to?

"I need you to look up any information that Auradon has kept record of them before they got here."

"Why" Doug was right to be weary of her intentions.

"I can't tell you."

(Doug POV) Red Flag

"And why not?"

"Because Jay asked my not to."

"Wait, Jay is in on this?"

"Well, not exactly."

"You and Jay are friends now?"

"Dating actually." Doug's mouth fell open again.

"What?"

"I am not explaining the dynamics of our relationship."

"Fine, I'm not investigating my friends."

"I just want to know more about them."

"You're going to use this to blackmail them."

"No, I'm not. I just want to know more about them."

"Then ask."

"What if they don't know though? They might not know the answers and they might not realize how much Auradon has on them."

And by the look on his face, that is one point for Audrey.

"This sounds like a Ben problem."

Crap, I can't go to Ben.

"And what if Ben does not like their secrets? We could lose our relationships."

Now, I've got him.

"Alright, I'll see what I can find out."

"Thanks" she smiled a genuine smile at him.

He cares that much about Evie that he would readily go against his best friend for her? Maybe there is more to this than meets the eye. These villain kids brought the strangest changes here. Hmm, there not all bad though.

"I'll try to help as much as I can." Doug nodded at her and walked over to her computer, signing on under her name.

"How did you do that?"

"Genius, remember? And seriously, your password is 'Aurora' that is like everyone's first guess for you."

Rolling her eyes Audrey dragged her chair over and sat beside him.

"So where do you want to begin?"

"Public Records."

That should be where their birth certificates and other legal misdemeanors are.

"Okay," Doug logged onto the public records information database and looked for the Isle kids. "Interesting."

"What?"

"The only thing here on them is their name, grade, and who their Villain parent is. Nothing else is here and it should be here."

"Hmm, okay, try the signing in using a council's information. They have a more elaborate database."

"Um, Audrey, I don't have an access for that."

"Well, lucky for you, I know my mother's login 'genius'." Doug glared at her remark but allowed her to sign in. Once she as in, Doug pulled up the file in the Isle kids and started with Jay.

"Okay, it says here that Jay is the son of Jafar, duh, and mother is deceased. There isn't a name though. According to the database, he was never convicted in a crime. Huh, I thought he would've been."

"Doug, I don't think there was a legal system over there."

"Right, okay, Carlos is the son of Cruella and Cruella's husband who went insane and currently is in a mental institute in Wonderland. No misdemeanors either. Evie, daughter of the Evil Queen and King Leopold. Snow White's dad? How is that possible?"

I guess she really is a princess. Who would've thought it?

"Didn't he die when Snow was really little?"

"Ya, hmm, no background information on that and no law breaking either."

"Okay, what about Mal."

"All it say is daughter of Maleficent and no law breaking."

"No father?"

"Nope, there isn't even a birth certificate."

"Hmm, what about the King's files?"

"You want me to break into my best friends file?"

"Well, yes."

"No way! I could get in serious trouble for that!"

"We need to know more Doug, this literally said nothing which means that if there is anything, it is in Ben's files."

"Fine!" Doug went back to the Public Database and after a few codes, pulled up the login for the King's Database, "So, any clue on his password?"

Crap, of course he does not know that!

"Try something Mal related." Doug tried a few passwords ranging from Mal's name to an 'I Love' statement with no luck.

"Okay, what about something about being King?"

"Ben isn't as conceited as you are."

"Okay fine," she shot him a glare, "try something with his parents."

After a few attempts Doug was surprise when he got in. Apparently Ben's password was ROAR.

"What did you do?"

"I'm not telling you!"

"Okay fine," she held up her head in defense, "just look up Jay then."

"Fine," he pressed a few buttons and was surprised to see the file on the Isle kids had more than 4 names in it, "Is Ben planning on bringing more over?"

"Maybe, I doubt he will now though."

"Should we be doing this Audrey? I mean, can't Jordan hear us?"

"Jordan is home with her dad." She gave Doug a funny look, "she left with Aladdin's kids a few days ago. Remember?"

"Oh, right," turning back to the screen he added, "It looks like Jay is known for being a thief, having anger management problems, enjoying hurting others, and only one death."

"He killed someone!" Audrey asked distraught.

Dating a villain kid from the Isle is bad enough, but a murder! My grandparents will never allow it!

"No, it says here that a little boy died in the presence of Jay, but that is all."

Oh thank you! I can still be with him now!

"Hmm, there's a locked file on here too. I can't unlock it though. It's a link to someone else so we will have to go there to find out wat it is. Hmm, looks like Jay's mother died in childbirth."

My poor Jay! Never knowing a mother's affections.

"He is also a really good fighter and is known to be friends with Mal, Evie, Carlos, Jack and Yuna."

"Who is Jack and Yuna?"

"I don't know, ask Jay! I'm not looking anyone else up besides our friends."

"Fine. Move on to Carlos."

"Looks like Carlos has a fear of dogs, well, had a fear of dogs. Known for being a nuisance to the public by stealing things and messing with them before he gives it back. Also, really good at electronics. Nothing really major, his mother is obsessed with treating him like a servant though. Friends with the same kids as Jay, but looks like he has a more intimate relationship with Yuna. Known for doing drugs apparently."

"Well, there aren't any drugs here."

"Must be why he is friends with Dude."

"Okay, he is boring. What about your girl?"

"I don't want to look."

"What if there is something that she doesn't know?"

Doug thought it over before answering, "Fine."

It is so easy manipulating people.

"I guess her mom performed a spell conceiving Evie with the late King Leopold. According to DNA tests, she is his and is entitled to half of his inheritance."

"See! She probably didn't know that. Snow is going to be so mad though."

"There looks to be a debate here between the council about whether or not to award her King Leopold's kingdom and council seat. Most think she is too young to tell whether or not she will be a good queen. They can't deny her when she is older though it looks like. She's known for being friends with the same group as well and being over the top about her beauty. There isn't any potential misdemeanors though."

She really was a good two shoes before she got here.

"What about Mal?"

"Nothing, it's the same as your parents file. There is only this locked file that I can't open."

"But you are logged in under the King!"

"So this is the best kept secret in the kingdom that it looks like Ben won't even have access to until he takes over the Kingdom officially."

"So who knows about it then?"

"My guess, only Fairy Godmother, Belle and King Adam."

Now what do I do!

"Thanks anyway." Audrey replied defeated. She had never been so sincere before that Doug was shocked.

"We got some information."

"I know, we will just need to talk to them I guess."

I have a feeling that I know what part of that locked file is.

"You said that Carlos was good with electronics."

"Ya, so?" Doug asked as he logged off the computer and wiped any trace that they were in the database.

"So he might be able to open that file."

"Or he might know what is in that file."

How manipulative. I like it.

"Well Doug, there is more to you than meets the eye I guess."

"Thanks." he blushed.

"We can't just ask him though. We need them to open up to us this information, get them to trust us completely and then we can ask them to do this."

"Why can't we just ask?"

"If I were them, I would be afraid that Ben might send me back to the Isle if I broke the law again."'

"Okay fine," he muttered as he stood up. Glancing at the clock, he realized that he was a few minutes past curfew, "Crap! I have to go." He ran to the door to throw it open and race to his room before Fairy Godmother caught him.

"Um…bye?" Audrey replied after Doug was already out the door.

Well, that was very interesting. What is the Council hiding about Mal?

Ben POV

Ben was so absorbed that when he heard her screams for the first time, he threw up his papers in a frenzy and rushed to the door to open it and protect whoever was screaming. Seeing no one and hearing nothing, Ben shut the door and turned to grab his papers when he noticed Mal thrashing about on the bed.

Oh, she screamed. Wait, she screamed! Mal!

Ben leaped over the carpet to run to Mal's side. She had a look of pain on her face and was sweaty. Ben grabbed hand and noticed the little cuts running up and down her arm.

Are those scratch marks?

He felt her forehead and noticed that she was burning up. He took the blanket off her and was surprised by what he saw.

She's covered in them!

There were little scratch marks all over her body.

"Mal!" he tried desperately to shake her awake, but it wouldn't work. She was in too deep of a sleep.

"Mal!" he called to her again grabbing her shoulders and forcefully moving her.

"MAL!" his voice got louder as he grabbed some water and threw it on her trying to wake. He was getting more desperate as her cuts got deeper.

I can't wake her. I don't know what to do! Mal! Come back to me!

"Mal," he whispered as tears started to fall down his cheeks, landing on her shoulder. One tear landed on her nose causing Ben to run his finger down her forehead and nose again to wipe it off.

"Mal, my little half-faery, please don't leave me her alone." he whispered to her as he dragged his finger down her forehead. When he reached between her eyes, he noticed her breathing quicken and her body relax as if she was waking up.

"Wake up my love," he whispered to her as her eyes started to flutter. When his finger reached that tip of her nose, her eyes finally fluttered open.

"Hi," she uttered to him, but Ben could tell that it was hard for her. He didn't need to see the bruises on her throat to know that her throat was sore. However, relief flooded Ben's senses when she was finally talking again. He couldn't help himself and grabbed her head to kiss her, but she turned her head at the last second when she realized what he wanted causing him to kiss her cheek. Despite the pang in his heart, he was content because she was okay.

We need to talk tonight.

Ben hugged Mal as she slowly woke up. The more coherent she became, the more she started to shake. She could remember bits and pieces of her nightmare, but she couldn't remember it all. It was the same dream that she had been having since she arrived in Auradon. This was the first time that the bruises on her throat made it out of the dream though. The cuts on her body had been appearing every morning since Family Day.

It must have been a really bad dream.

Mal sat there in silence, shaking in Ben's arms. She was so cold.

"Mal," he whispered at her, running his fingers through her hair.

It's so much softer than I thought her hair would be.

"What time is it?" she asked while pulling out of grasp. She had felt so safe and loved in his arms, but she knew it couldn't last.

Glancing at the clock, he sighed, "about 10 minutes after curfew."

"What!" she threw the blanket off her and jumped off the bed. She was ready to run out the door.

Mal POV

I have to go! It's after curfew! Fairy Godmother is…

The room started to spin.

going to kill…

Mal felt her thoughts start go fuzzy.

..What's happening… to me…

Mal felt her legs start to give out.

"Mal?" Ben asked suddenly alarmed when he saw her stagger. Her mind had gone too long without oxygen when she felt her body give out. She was surprised to find that Ben had caught her from falling on the floor.

She relaxed against him causing Ben to wrap his arms around her waist supporting her leaning against him.

"Are you okay?" he asked concerned. He could feel her breathing against him, it was very weak.

"I'm fine," she tried to push him off and stand up on her own, but it was a weak effort.

His arms are so comfortable and warm. I'm so cold.

Ben looked at her closely and brushed the hair away from her neck.

(Bens POV) She is definitely not fine.

Her bruising had already healed to a dark green and yellow, but her cuts were still deep. She was still sweating and shaking.

(Bens POV) She feels like she is in shock.

He took a long smell of her hair and realized that she was most definitely in shock.

(Bens POV) What was this dream?

"You are not going anywhere."

"But curfew," her eyes were fluttering shut.

"Oh no you don't, stay awake Mal," he half dragged her to the bathroom and turned the shower on high. Waiting for it to get warm, but not too hot. When the water was finally to Ben's liking, he pushed both him and a shivering Mal into the water. Of course, his suit was going to get soaked, but he could care less right now. He was more concerned with Mal's well-being right now.

It's cold, It's so cold! It's…

The water was enough to shock Mal out of her shock.