disclaimer: Characters still owned by Disney. I'm just writing something so I don't go mental on lockdown because my area has blown up with covid cases.

A/N: Next chapter is going to be pure fluff. Also, it will start to show how close Diaval is to both Aurora and Maleficent.

Aurora awoke to find Maleficent sitting up and painting hard, her shoulders quivering and eyes wide. Aurora wanted to reach out to her, to comfort her, yet she knew how that had ended the last time.

"Godmother?"

Maleficent looked over, eyes reflecting the moonlight that filtered through the window. Aurora could see how her eyes were oddly shiny.

"Sorry, did I wake you?"

Her godmother spoke her tone barely above a whisper and prompted Aurora to reach for her.

"No." It was a lie and Aurora felt a bit guilty for it but when her godmother patted her on the hand with a gentle hint of a smile, it made it worth it.

"I don't believe you."

Maleficent grumbled at her but her hands and voice were gentle and Aurora released a breath she didn't know she had been holding. There was no heat behind the words, not even when Maleficent continued.

"I don't need my goddaughter lying to try to protect me."

"Sorry." Aurora found herself saying in spite of herself "I just hate seeing you like this."

She didn't want to think about the nightmares that her godmother had, she didn't want to think about how awful to Maleficent that her father had been. Yet she couldn't stop the thoughts once they got started.

"Godmother?"

She began tentatively, barely brave enough to ask. The hum she got in response prompting her to continue, that Maleficent was listening.

"You don't think I'm...Like him do you?"

She heard her godmother mutter something in a language she didn't quite understand (and wasn't sure she wanted to).

You pushed away everyone and cursed everything but worse yet, you did the same to a child that felt as lost as you. She just wanted you to like her and you said shit like that, while she was home no less! Of course, she overheard you.

Maleficent berated herself as she tried to form the words that would comfort her goddaughter, to reassure her that she had in no way was destined to become like that man.

Reaching over, she turned on a dim lamp by the bedside before sighing once more.

"Not at all."

She replied finally, knowing it wasn't enough.

"Aurora Rose, the only person you are is you. You may resemble Leila, maybe have the mischievous and cunning like your father was as a boy but you're not them."

She saw the girl flinch at the use of her first and middle name though she saw the fear leave as quickly as it came on, replaced by an unreadable, dark look.

"So I do remind you of him."

Maleficent sighed and nodded, leaning back against the headboard, though phantom pains still ravaged her body.

"Not the man you knew but the boy I grew up with. I don't know what happened to Stefan that made him change."

She responded, squeezing Aurora's hand.

There was silence for some time, Aurora seeming lost deep in thought. Then she spoke again.

"I'm glad you're being honest with me. Whenever I happened to ask my Aunts about anything they always avoided the subject. I mean, I'm not a little kid anymore. I can handle the truth."

Perhaps you can but you shouldn't have to face every hard lesson in life all at once.

Maleficent thought though she nodded.

"Yes, I am certain you can but sometimes, the truth hurts far more than a lie." Maleficent countered, wondering what the girl had evidently overheard from those three idiots.

"I honestly think I would prefer it. Even you talk to me about stuff, even if you don't outright say it."

"Some things can wait until you're older, Beastie. But I will do my best to always tell you the truth if you ask."

"Do you have the nightmares often?"

Maleficent sighed at that, having thought Aurora had gone to sleep and had been half dozing herself.

"Yes, more than I would like to admit. Now it's nearly four, go to sleep."

"One more question then I will."

Maleficent scoffed at that and cracked open one eye to look at her in the dim-lit room.

"What?"

"It's something I heard my Aunties say about you and well….about my father too, Now I know that he hurt you." Aurora began "they said that he broke everything he touched, including himself. Do you think that's true?"

Maleficent was quiet for a long time, long enough in fact that Aurora added

"I don't think you're broken, I just…."

Maleficent cut her off.

"I know Aurora." She said "and perhaps it is. Your mother wouldn't talk much about him outside of a few complaints here and there."

"What kind of complaints?"

"Aurora, you said one last question. Go to sleep."

Maleficent silently thanked whatever deity that was out there that the girl actually grew quiet.

"goodnight Godmother."

Maleficent hated how timid the simple phrase sounded but decided not to point it out.

"Goodnight."