Jay blew on his hands trying to warm them and looked down with concern at Carlos. Doug said to meet them near the bridge in 2 hours, they still had one hour to go and it was freezing. Neither of the boys could risk trying to get back to their parents houses for anything warmer to wear, they couldn't risk getting caught, again. Carlos was in a ratty t-shirt and shorts without shoes and already had the first stages of frostbite showing. Jay pulled Carlos into a dry overhang away from the wind and made him sit on a crate he dragged over before taking the smaller boys feet and holding them against his chest in effort to warm them.

Getting to the meeting place had been an ordeal itself, Jay had to practically carry Carlos part of the way and he hoped that they weren't followed. The minutes ticked by excruciatingly slow as they waited. "Jay.." Carlos said, his voice barely audible and his eyes glassy,

"Yeah pup?"

"I'm cold."

"I know." Jay decided to give up on the boys feet for the moment and tried to warm him by holding him against him. After what felt like an eternity he heard the sound of a vehicle driving closer.

"C, wake up, they're here." Jay said.

Carlos opened his eyes but it was obvious he wasn't really there. Jay heard the vehicle come into view and began to stand holding up Carlos.

"Mom?" Carlos whispered.

/

"Come on step on it" Lonnie urged the driver she looked at Jane and Ben nervously, they told Carlos and Jay 2 hours, and it was getting close. She looked out the window at the falling snow and worried about the boys on the isle, neither had left Auradon with clothing appropriate for winter weather and according to Mal and Evie all of them had taken all their clothes to Auradon with them not expecting to go back.

Jane looked back at Lonnie nervously, they were just getting to the bridge and with the weather it was making driving a little more difficult and once they passed the barrier the road got even worse. Ben looked worried too. But they couldn't turn back now.

/

"C, we have to run." Jay whispered to the boy next to him who looked ready to collapse as it was.

The vehicle he hoped was coming to rescue them was in reality the only vehicle already on the isle, Cruellas. Carlos nodded once but stumbled as he tried to take a step. Jay saw the other car in the distance finally making it across the bridge.

"Come on. We have to run." He looked to the right and saw Cruella and her henchman driving towards them on one side and on the left, further away, was the black royal car coming to save them. Jay half carried half dragged Carlos, who struggled to move his feet in a helpful manner, towards the left, towards safety.

Because of the weather, for once being helpful in slowing Cruella down, Jay, Carlos, Cruella, and the AKs all converged at roughly the same time. Jasper and Horace jumped out of the car and tried to grab Carlos from Jay at the same time Lonnie and Ben jumped out of their car swords drawn. Carlos felt like he was in the middle of a tug of war, Jay and Jane pulling him one way and Horace and Jasper pulling him the other. Lonnie swung her sword at Jasper who let go of the boy as he tried to avoid the (in all honesty, fairly dull) blade. It was all that was needed for Jay and Jane to yank Carlos out of Horace's grasp and pull him into the waiting car.

Cruella screeched and yelled and got out of her car chasing after them but Ben and Lonnie had managed to get into the vehicle themselves and close the doors and the driver stepped on the gas harder than he ever had in his life.

"Carlos!" Jane cried as she took a good look at the boy who was fading in and out of consciousness. His feet felt like ice but it was clear he had a fever as well as being chilled through. Bruises, welts, cigarette burns, cuts, and scrapes littered his body worse than when he had first arrived in Auradon and he had lost any weight he had put on and was once reduced to little more than skin and bones. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they passed the barrier and headed towards Auradon General Hospital.

When they finally made it to the hospital Mal, Evie, and Doug were waiting for them. Ben carried Carlos up the steps as Jay followed right behind and Jane and Lonnie a short distance behind them. It wasn't long until they had Jay cleaned up and sent on his way but Carlos was going to need some work. That much was obvious as the small boy lay unconscious in the sterile hospital room, he was wrapped in several layers of blankets and an IV hooked up for fluids and medication. Everyone else sat around the room waiting for him to wake.

Thanks for reading! Please review. I love hearing what my readers think of the story.