"I ruin everything."

Maleficent hated to see her goddaughter cry or in pain and those words made it all the worse.

"No, you don't Beastie. Why do you even think that? Because of a little fall?"

She retorted instead of everything she wanted to say as she took a seat beside her.

"No, but I could have hurt you and I wanted you and I ruined this week and…"

Maleficent cut Aurora off before she could continue.

"No Beastie. You didn't ruin anything and as for me...I survived more than a little bump into a stream." She said before sighing "I know you were looking forward to this week but we can figure out something to do instead."

"What? Sit around and do nothing?"

Maleficent was slightly taken aback by the tone, though she just squeezed her goddaughter's hand.

"Surely it's not been that boring staying with me?"

She watched Aurora's eyes widen at that before she glanced down.

"Sorry, that wasn't fair and no, it hasn't and I…"

Aurora began to say just as Diaval's arrival cut her off.

"What happened here?"

"Why didn't they tell me this? Hell, why didn't Leila tell me the bastard hit her?"

Diaval sighed as he moved to put his hand on Maleficent's shoulder, hoping to help her at least keep her voice down.

"You don't want to know the answer."

He responded, earning a look.

"Diaval, just tell me."

I don't want to hurt her. She has been through hell and back these last fifteen years but she needs to know the truth.

"They thought they would have made better guardians for her...Thank heavens that Aurora found that letter and confronted them."

He watched her expression change before she quickly replaced it with a blank mask.

"Aurora wanted to come here?" She repeated, "look what good that idea did."

Diaval sighed and shook his head.

"You love her, Maleficent. Don't even claim you don't."

He watched as Maleficent sighed.

"What is love, Diaval? An emotion. That's it. Just because I love her doesn't mean I know what the hell I'm doing! They are right, I will end up hurting her."

Diaval sighed as Maleficent pulled away, her expression stone as she bit out.

"I can't keep her. Her aunts should come to get her."

"You can, you're just too afraid to try! Love may be an emotion, Maleficent but it has pushed people through situations that are comparable to hell!"

He began, his own voice rising slightly

"That little girl loves you dearly, are you really going to hurt her like that? To send her away like she means nothing?"

With that Diaval stood and left the room.

Maleficent sighed as she walked into Aurora's room, finding the girl sleeping soundly as the words from the conversation earlier blended together with the words from the letters and journal that Diaval had managed to receive.

Leila, you knew I would care for her...But why me? Why not one of your relatives that could give her a normal life?

She thought as she straightened the covers around the girl, mindful of her injury.

I can't keep her, her aunts should come to get her.

Her own words echoed back, sounding so much like the same ones she had heard when she herself was very young. She would never forget how that had felt. She could never make Aurora feel that level of pain.

"Godmother?"

The voice broke her from her thoughts.

"I'm here. Are you alright?"

Even in the dim light, she saw Aurora nod, though she fidgeted a little with the edge of the blankets.

"Yes ma'am. I...I need to talk to you if that's okay?"

Maleficent wasn't sure if she wanted to know why the girl looked so nervous but she sat down on the edge of the bed anyway.

"I'm sorry about earlier...I didn't mean to insult you or imply…" like before Aurora trailed off but after a second, she continued:

"I just wanted all of us to be together. Usually, if I'm with Diaval you're home or if I'm with you Diaval's at work and his dinner over on Fridays don't count."

Maleficent found herself chuckling at the explanation.

"I know, Beastie. though I'm sure I'm not the most entertaining of housemates either."

That response earned a smile, though it faltered a bit as if Aurora was remembering something.

"You still love me, right?"

What brought that on? Maleficent couldn't help but wonder.

"Yes, Aurora. I still love you."