Chapter 9 – The Space Between

Harry ignores the shocked gasps and the argument now steaming up behind him as he runs and reaches the door. He doesn't even hesitate as he throws it open and slides to his knees as he stops next to Hayden who's staring at the open door, anger in his gaze. He unties the restraints, knowing Uma made it so either of them would be able to untie them afterwards in case she was too busy to do so at the time. He stills after untying the last of the restraints and watches as Hayden instantly pulls off the gag, running out the room. He practically flies down the stairs from the speed he's moving, and people gasp at the sight of him.

"Hayden!" Mal exclaims in shock and hugs him as she remembers why Harry ran off, realising what must have happened.

"No time for that, sis!" Hayden declares, quickly breaking the hug. "Ben's been spelled! We have to…"

"I know." Ben says next to her and it's only then that he realises that Uma is in the sea, the tentacles she now has splashing in the water, watching him with anger.

He looks back as a hand lands on his shoulder. "Hayden, I…" Harry gets no chance to finish his line as a pain shoots through his face and he's thrown back to the ground when Hayden suddenly punches him in the face.

"That's for kidnapping me!" Hayden growls.

"Yeah, okay, kinda deserved that." Harry agrees, rubbing his face as he gets back up. He tries not to get distracted by how hot Hayden looks when he's angry, his hair flaming bright red. They're then forced to push away their inevitable argument when Uma attacks the ship with her tentacles, water spraying the deck. He can feel Mal's fear spiking and mixing with her anger before he looks over to see purple smoke flowing from her. It pushes up and covers her completely. When it clears, a purple dragon is in her place, Mal no doubt, even without the twin connection between them. She soars into the sky to defend them and attack Uma with fireballs.

Uma throws a tentacle back at her. "Come on, let's finish this once and for all!" Uma declares and attacks Mal again who swoops out the way, flying close to the ship as everyone ducks. Hayden can't help but feel useless as he can't do what Mal can right now, not unless it's to do with their souls, which he's not stealing under any circumstances. Mal fires at Uma again who ducks under the water to avoid being hit. Hayden feels his own anger shaking through him and fights back as he feels power surge through him, knowing what his body is trying to do. If he changes too, everyone will know. They'll know why Mal and he are so close. Know why they always seem to know when the other's in danger and what they're thinking. They'll know they're twins.

"Hayden!" Harry exclaims, catching him as he stumbles and Evie rushes to his other side, a knowing look in his eyes.

"Hayden, it's hurting you. Don't fight it." She insists and some are watching him as others watch the fight. Hayden shakes his head, enduring the pain but panic runs through him when a roar of pain comes from Mal. Uma had taken advantage of her being distracted after seeing Hayden in pain, worried for her brother. Mal stumbles back, dropping towards the sea as Uma goes in for another attack while her enemy's down.

"Mal, no!" Hayden calls, standing suddenly and reaching a hand out towards her, panic rushing through him as he lets his mind slip enough for two large dragon wings to appear in white smoke from his back. They're as black as the midnight sky and smoother than the peaceful flowing sea. They're so long that they kiss the ground where he stands, swaying from the sudden change. He doesn't seem to notice this as he feels power shoot through him that he never felt before, the irises of his eyes glowing an even brighter blue than before and pushes the power onto Mal, somehow sensing her in a way that he couldn't before. The power is visible too as it comes from him in a beam of white light that gives her more strength than ever before. He doesn't realise that this power, this unique, unforeseen power unrelated to his dad, is from his true powers emerging, the God side of him breaking through.

Mal quickly flies up out the way of the attack and looks at him and he just knows she's thanking him. She then turns back to Uma and roars loudly which makes the boat shake as powerful winds push Uma back through the sea, her resistance useless against it. Another roar sounds and Ben dives into the sea, swimming between the two. "Mal, Uma, stop! Back down!" He pleads and, Hayden feels the power break from him, and he drops to the ground or would have if Harry hadn't caught him, holding him in his arms as he kneels on the ship. Evie watches him worriedly but he's still awake and focused. With their help, he stands, holding the railing for support as they watch Ben try to reason with the two fighters.

"What are you going to do Ben? Splash me?" Uma laughs, splashing the water around her as she speaks.

Behind Ben, Mal flies lower, ready to defend him if Uma tries anything, growling at the girl.

"That's enough! This has got to stop! This isn't the answer!" He calls, looking between the two as he speaks. "This isn't the answer! The fighting has got to stop! Nobody wins this way! We have to listen and respect each other. It won't be easy, but let's be brave enough to try. Uma, I know you want what is best for the Isle. Help me make a difference." He offers a hand and waits, hoping. A tentacle raises and moves towards him, Mal growling in warning but it's unnecessary as the tentacle just drops the gold ring in Ben's hand. She smiles sadly before diving back under the waves, the fight over.

Ben swims over to the ship, a ladder being dropped down for him as everyone applauds. Mal lands and transforms back into her human form, clearly shocked by what just happened. Her dress has magically changed to match the much nicer one in the stained-glass image behind her. Hayden smiles weakly at her when she rushes over to him, worried for him but gasps when she sees his wings, barely noticing the whispering around them. He doesn't. He whispers to her, "How do you want to take this? Say dad has wings too? They might buy it. Especially if you back me up. He is a God, after all. And in some images, the devil is shown to have wings."

It's then she realises that there's one other person in her life she's been pushing away, been hiding from everyone she loves and cares about. He's part of who she is and she could see all the times it hurt to lie about who they are to each other, how painful it would have been to have to put on an act like that for all their lives. She doesn't want to hide it anymore. She smiles sadly at his words and takes his hand, Hayden confused as music suddenly starts playing in the background (Space Between).

His wings disappear in a cloud of white smoke, startling him, but he then gets distracted as Mal starts singing to him, holding his hand, "I didn't know what you were going through. I thought that you were fine. Why did you have to hide?"

Hayden realises she's asking about his six-month absence, hiding in the underworld and smiles sadly as he sings, "I didn't want to let you down. But the truth is out. It's tearing me apart, not listening to my heart." Hayden moves away from her and stands near the edge of the ship, looking at the horizon. Putting his hands on the railing, he looks down as he sings, "I really had to go."

"And I would never stop you." Mal sings as she puts an arm on his, looking at him.

"Even though it changed." He refers to his wings, proving he's not just Hades' son to them.

"Nothing has to change." She adds and he turns away from the rail, Mal following him as he walks back and faces her, both of them singing along.

"And you can find me in the space between. Where two worlds come to meet. I'll never be out of reach. 'Cause you're a part of me so you can find me in the space between. You'll never be alone. No matter where you go. We can meet in the space between." They end up in the middle of the deck, everyone watching in silence as they realise the two are closer than they let on, an unspoken truth at play here.

Hayden shakes his head sadly. "And nothing can stay the same." He notices her watching him, a sad knowing look in her eyes. She knows. She knows that he wasn't just scarred emotionally in the underworld and how it sometimes it got too much to take. "It's growing pains."

Mal gently takes his wrists, turning them over to rub her fingers over the healing scars. "Don't hide all your scars. They show how strong you are."

Hayden vocalises, "Oh, woah." Hethen gestures to the crowd. "I know you have to stay."

"But I'll never really leave you." She sings.

He smiles at sister, no longer wanting to hide the truth. "Nothing has to change."

"Even though it changed." She adds, mirroring his smile.

Hayden runs across the deck, stopping a few feet away from where he was before. Mal moves a few steps closer before stopping, singing together, "And you can find me in the space between. Where two worlds come to meet." They both hold out a hand to each other, ironically out of reach, as they sing the next line. "I'll never be out of reach. 'Cause you're a part of me so you can find me in the space between. You'll never be alone. No matter where you go. We can meet in the space between."

Hayden shakes his head with a smile. "There are no words left to say."

She smiles at him, gesturing to the world around them. "I know you gotta find your place."

"But this is not the end." He reassures.

"No." She sings and then looks at Ben and his parents with a smile as she sings the next line as if trying to get them to understand, "You're part of who I am."

Walking around the ship while keeping the same space between them, they both sing, "Even if we're worlds apart. You're still in my heart it will always be you and me, yeah." Mal runs up the steps, stopping halfway, as Hayden runs after her, stood at the bottom of the stairs. "You can find me in the space between. Where two worlds come to meet."

Without warning, she runs down to meet him, and he pulls her into a hug, pulling apart and holding hands. "I'll never be out of reach." Mal sings.

"I'll never be out of reach." He adds, pulling her back to the middle of the deck.

"No." She echoes behind him.

"Cause you're a part of me so you can find me in the space between." They sing together.

"You'll never be alone." She reminds, not letting him go as if afraid to lose him.

"No matter where you go." He sings.

"We can meet in the space between, yeah." They both sing.

"No matter where you go." Mal waves a hand around, gesturing to the world.

"No matter where you go." Hayden echoes, mirroring her wave.

"We can meet in the space between." They sing the final line together as the music fades.

Mal smiles at him and nods. "It's time." She says softly and he looks worried.

"You sure?" He asks, eyes flickering around uncertainly, untrusting of them knowing.

"You're part of me and I'm done hiding who I am. I'm done hiding who were are." She insists, pulling him by the hand and over to Ben and his parents. He does all he can to keep calm as he knows that everything is about to change, and nothing will ever be the same.

I know this was Evie and Mal's song but it just works so well for her and Hayden that I had to include it.