Chapter Ten
A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything and everyone else is owned by Disney.
Dear lord, I never would have thought we'd have gotten this far this fast! Guys, we're only six reviews away from 300! Since this is my tenth chapter, that's like 30 reviews a chapter almost (apologies if it's not, math is not my strong suit).
Hope you're all doing well and staying safe! The year's almost over but it's not done just yet!
Creator of Magic: It really is sad, especially since in my AU Choosing Family/Choosing Love, I have them sticking together. Chad's decision is just a personal theory of mine because I gave him sisters in this...I honestly think that Chad would have protected them rather than just gone with Audrey because it was Audrey. And yeah I still don't know why they didn't run. Well like Audrey said, Auradon likes to forget...
ObsidianDarkArrow: Oh thank you! I'm glad you liked the chapter! Yeah, I had to give Chad some redeeming qualities otherwise I'd go insane with him. I don't know if I'll have Rumple (even though he's one of my favorite characters) just because in OUAT he was technically the Beast and since Ben was an only child in Descendants, I couldn't have Baefire.
OceanBlueSeaEyes: Ooh good call out! You're right and I'll make sure that gets addressed!
LadyWinchester23: I'm so glad that you liked the chapter! And thank you on the French call out (my dad took four years in school, I took Latin. Therefore I rely on Google Translate, which doesn't want to work.)
update: Ask and you'll receive :D
LeanneJordan: Oh thank you! You're very welcome-I'm eagerly awaiting the next chapter! Of course I'll address that, it was one of the many things that bugs me about the movie on repeat watchings. I get the sense you're excited about that!
Sorceress of Magic: That it does!
Bananaboat2009: Yep! Oh yay-I promise I'll try to write it in the future when I'm not as pressed for time and can sit down, really develop it! Probably, wouldn't surprise me.
danifan3000: That...is an excellent point. I'd say sleeping curse maybe? After all, it hit the entire kingdom so stands to reason Leah might have gotten hit by it.
toonanimefan: I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter! Trust me, I can't wait for the song too, it's one of my favorites in D3!
twilightfirl587: That it is :D
Tracie: I'm so glad you liked the chapter!
61394: Oh thank you! Honestly I always thought there was a bigger reason that someone like Chad, who was extremely vocal about his dislike of the VKs, would join Audrey. Plus, when I rewatched D3, it almost looked like he was looking past Audrey. Stay safe!
AmethystDragon14: Oh yay! Yeah, combination of holidays and social distancing will kinda make me want to write. Yeah, Janlos is probably my second fave ship (you all know Bal's my main ship!) Of course! An older sister protects her little brother!
Guest (fanart): Oh I'm glad! And I'm glad that that the descriptions work too-I look forward to seeing what you come up with!
Guest: Oh I'm so glad!
Guest: You know what...Dude being Copper's son is entirely possible! I mean, they call him the campus mutt so I'm sure he's got to have some of Copper in him!
storm: Oh I'm so glad you liked it! No I didn't see it-maybe it's on Youtube so I can check it out!
Turnabout of the Shadows: Oh thank you! I don't want to spoil anything for the next story so all I'll say is that it's not out of the realm of possibilities :D It's possible Chad was thinking with his 'friend downstairs' at first glance but ultimately he was trying to protect his sisters.
Technobabble1: Yeah, even I have to admit, I kinda got chills thinking about that implication. Oh thank you!
marissamtz000: As you wish! :D
TheRanger'sDaughter: That it is :D Let's just say, Leah's considering Chad as a fail safe. After all, Ben's already broken it off with Audrey once. What's to say he won't do it again? Meanwhile Chad's already proven loyal to Audrey and he so loyal that Audrey probably wouldn't have counted Chad when she said she was lonely and friendless since someone popular like Audrey would have been used to having a lot more friends than just Chad. I got that image in my head too!
lilyflower101: Indeed!
Wolf: Oh thank you! Um, no update schedule, it's honestly pretty random.
StydiaGal1993: Wait...I recognize that ship...Teen Wolf? *flash backs to college*...welp, I've found my people again! lol, in all seriousness I'm so glad you're enjoying the story and this chapter! I don't think he'll end up grounded, especially after what happens to him later. Thanks for the review-and don't worry about it being long, I love reviews of all lengths!
TR Lara Croft: First off, hope everything's okay! But I'm glad you've enjoyed the story thus far and hope you continue to do so!
billyandkimfan1994: It was smart but if she'd gotten hit while her head was above water but her body wasn't...it wouldn't have been good.
Roxas Itsuka: Honestly, I can't stand Chad either. Until I came up with that theory as to why he joined Audrey. It just seems more of what Chad would do rather than just join because he liked her. After all, someone as ego driven as Chad wouldn't have degraded himself down to 'smoothie run' guy just because of a crush. I will say that Chad is under something but it may not be a spell. Thank you for the suggestions, I will definitely consider them!
Hope you all like this chapter! If you need me, I'll be over there in the 'I just discovered Julie and the Phantoms and can't get over how Luke looks like he could be Ben and Mal's son' corner.
Mal sighed as she looked over at Jay. Jay tilted his head slightly, as if asking Mal if they should tell them. Mal shrugged softly in return. There really was no point in keeping it from Evie or Carlos.
Carlos had been under the crew's protection back when Mal and Jay had been with Uma and Harry, and really Evie should know too considering the number of times they had pelted her with smoke bombs.
Though to be fair, Evie probably blocked that part out, Mal thought. After all, between Uma and I pelting her with smoke bombs, Maleficent basically putting her mom and her under house arrest for failing to invite me to her sixth birthday and what happened to her dad, it's likely she doesn't like to think about that part of her life.
"E…it's kinda a long story," Mal said softly. "But…I know you know Uma and I used to know each other."
"It's not really something I like to think about," Evie nodded. "But M…you never tell people when your birthday is."
"Yeah well, when you're part of a crew, it's different," Mal said with a sigh. "Uma, Harry, Jay and I ran the Isle."
"So what changed?" Carlos asked. Mal could tell that he was a little taken aback by that fact but was taking it in stride. Then again, after finding out in the first viewing that Mal was half God, Mal doubted that anything could phase the dog loving boy. "You and Jay always seem ready to rip their throats out. Not that would be a bad thing, I don't really like how Hook keeps looking at Jane."
"You know Jane can take care of herself Carlos," Jay chuckled. "Plus Ben and Chad would probably pound Harry to a pulp if he even breathed around her. They consider her a sister plus you're one of the Tourney mates. The entire team would jump at the chance to back you up in a fight. Not to mention what Uma would do."
Mal shook her head before sighing. "To answer your question Carlos, we had a falling out when we were nine and Jay was ten."
"Must have been big," Evie said softly.
"Considering Mal almost died, that would be an understatement," Jay muttered. "Or at least she probably would have if she wasn't you know part God. Something she never told me by the way!"
"Jay, technically I never told anyone," Mal sighed. "The only reason Evie knew was because she brought my food to the clubhouse that day you couldn't back when I was about twelve or thirteen. She'd gotten a look at Hades, a look at me and she said she knew. No offense E, but I thought it might be safer to bring her in the gang than risk her blabbing it to the wrong person. If Freddy or Zevon found out…Plus Hadie was the one who blabbed it to the entire school in the first viewing."
"Wait, go back to where you said Mal almost died," Carlos said, holding up his hands and Mal softly shook her head.
"Carlos, do you remember when you were probably about seven or eight? The day in November when you and your mom got pelted with the smoke bombs?" Mal asked and Carlos nodded slowly. "Well…Uma and I were the ones to throw the smoke bombs."
"I gathered that from the purple and blue smoke," Carlos said gently as Jay rested a hand on Mal's shoulder, as if to remind her that he was there.
Mal chuckled lightly before sighing. "Well, with smoke bombs, they cover the whole area with smoke instead of fading instantly. Uma and I were running back to the Lost Revenge but I…I couldn't see the dock. I slipped off the edge into the Cove."
"But…Mal, you can't swim," Evie whispered, her eyes wide from shock and worry, and Mal nodded.
"I struggled to stay afloat," she said softly. "There was a bit of flotsam and jetsam in the waters that I could grab but nothing I could keep a firm grip on. But as I was struggling…Uma was laughing."
"…what?" Carlos almost snarled, surprising Mal but maybe she shouldn't have been all that shocked. Thinking back on the previous viewing, when Uma had been dancing with Ben in the future that'll never be, Carlos had been the one to glare at the two of them.
Like a little brother protecting his older sister.
"But…how did you survive?" Evie asked. "If you couldn't keep a grip on the debris in the water?"
Mal sighed. "It was Harry. He dove into the water and kept me afloat until Jay came to pull me out. The next day though Jay and I went to confront Uma."
"Confront is an interesting word to use for what we did," Jay shook his head. "You didn't even let her get a word out, just dumped a bucket of shrimp tails on her head and said she couldn't run with the crew anymore."
"So…I guess that's why you always got those chills when it got cold," Carlos said softly. "Whenever we were in the clubhouse, especially in the winter, you always got these really bad chills. Evie and I always wondered but we figured you'd tell us if it was anything to worry about."
"You still get them too," Evie sighed. "It's better in Auradon since there's actual heat in the buildings but there've been days where I've come back to the dorm to find you under a pile of blankets."
"My dad's Hades and my mother's Maleficent," Mal shook her head. "I'm already predisposed to not handling the cold well, what with the whole being able to turn into a dragon thing plus the whole fire thing Hades has going on. But yeah, the twenty plus minutes in the Cove didn't help matters."
"Did you ever ask her why she laughed?" Evie asked after a minute or two of silence. "Uma I mean."
Mal rolled her eyes. "It's been about eight years, E. Even if it mattered, I doubt she remembers."
"She remembered your birthday M. She'd remember this too," Evie said, determination coloring her voice. "You should talk to her."
"Bad idea," Jay said. "Uma and Mal, alone in a room with the ability to use their magic? The last time Uma and Mal faced off, Mal turned into a dragon and chased Uma around the room—and Peter Pan's not here to keep Uma out of Mal's reach this time. Are you looking for Uma to become barbecue?"
"Blue Fairy put the dampening ward up though—"
"You really think that'll hold up against Olympian magic?" Jay asked. "Daughter of Hades and Granddaughter of Poseidon? Not to mention Mal's the daughter of Maleficent. I'm pretty sure Maleficent's power can match that of the Blue Fairy."
"She wouldn't be alone though," Carlos spoke up. "You'd be in the room too Jay. Evie's right, you four should have a talk. We're going to be in this room a while and if Audrey's the way that she is much longer, we're going to have to work with Uma, Hook and Gil at some point probably."
Mal growled slightly at that. "After what Uma did to Ben?!"
"M, I love you but you can't hold a grudge over something that never happened."
"Watch me!"
Evie rolled her eyes. "Well I'll be watching you while Carlos and I go and get Harry and Uma."
"I take it I'm getting Harry?" Carlos asked as he got up.
"Actually I was thinking I'd get Harry," Evie said as they walked out. As they opened the door, they could hear Harriet's voice.
"Of course we're talking about that! Uma, you can't say you care about your crew and then leave the Isle! Do you have any idea—?"
The door closed, cutting off Harriet's sentence and Mal shook her head.
"I hate to say it but Evie and Carlos might actually be saving Uma and Harry from Harriet's lecture," she said.
"Yeah," Jay said softly before sighing. "Mal, are…I know we talked about missing them back in the art room the day before Cotillion but are we ready? To talk about that day?"
"I honestly think I won't ever be ready," Mal sighed. "But Evie's a force of nature when it comes to this stuff. She took a business class where they talked about these things called 'ice breakers'. She tried to make me do one. I was never more thankful for Natalie's schedule that day than I was then."
Jay chuckled slightly before the two of them fell into silence. Mal bit her lip as she couldn't help thinking about that fateful day. No, not the one where she almost drowned. The next day.
"What the hell Mal?!" Harry exclaimed as Uma stared at her in shock, a bucket of rotten shrimp tails sitting on her head.
"There you go," Mal growled. "Clearly you're not big enough or bad enough or loyal enough to run with us! Enjoy your prize for tossing four years of an alliance out the window!"
She knew Maleficent's spies would be watching. She knew she couldn't say what she truly wanted to say. It would seem weak—and the punishment for showing weakness would be worse than the punishment for letting someone get one over on her.
"So you're just going to walk away?" Harry shot back. "Gods Mal, don't be such a Maddy!"
"Gods Harry, use your brain!" Jay exclaimed as Mal snarled at the mention of her ex-friend. "Any other crew would have tossed Uma out on her backside for what she did to Mal! You don't just stand there and laugh when someone's drowning! Most of all your co-captain!"
"She snapped out of it!"
"After I yelled at her to do so!" Jay growled, the girls glaring daggers at each other. "Gods, Harry. I knew you were a First Mate but I didn't think you were a freaking lap dog!"
"I'm the one who dove in after Mal!" Harry shot back. "Meanwhile you stood on the dock, looking clueless! How you thought you'd handle being a pirate when you can't swim, I'll never know! Just go back to be a worthless thief!"
"I wasn't a worthless thief when you three needed a chicken!" Jay said, his voice low and menacing. "Besides, we're not talking about me Harry. We're talking about Uma and Mal! What if you hadn't been there? Uma can swim too! Instead she was content to laughing her head off while her best friend drowned! Gods, that's something the Casters or the Angels would do! Not us!"
"So what? Jay do you want to know what Mal just did?" Harry snarled. "She just made Uma open season to Freddy, Zevon and the others."
"If you want to be nothing more than Uma's lackey, go ahead," Jay scoffed. "The son of Captain Hook, a first mate. No wonder you used to feel—"
"Jay!" Mal barked as Harry lunged only to be held back by Uma. Both boys were glaring at each other harder than Uma and Mal were.
"Go on," Harry snapped. "Be alone. Just like your parents. They certainly did well for themselves. Oh wait, no they didn't. They got themselves killed or imprisoned. You can call the Captain a codfish but at least he didn't get killed!"
Mal rolled her eyes. "Fine. We'll go. Have fun getting that shrimp out of your hair Uma. Or should I say Shrimpy?"
"Be careful the next time you're around the docks," Uma growled. "There might not be a Harry around to save your neck Mali!"
"I'll take my chances. You and Hook here just stay out of our territory or we'll force you out!" Mal scoffed. "Come on Jay."
The two walked off and made their way back to the clubhouse. Mal may have used a bit more force than was necessary to open the gate and the two of them made their way up the stairs.
"You okay?" Jay asked.
"No," Mal growled. "I…I can't believe Uma! First what she did yesterday and now this!"
Jay nodded. "Well…it might not help Mal but you've still got me. You'll always have me."
"It does help Jay," Mal smiled slightly as she sat down on the bed that was in the clubhouse.
"And hey, you know Harry and Uma just need time to cool off," Jay said as he sat next to her. "They'll be back. They wouldn't split up the crew. What's our motto?"
"Ruthless but Loyal."
"Exactly. Those words mean something. Just give 'em a few hours. We've had our tiffs before, like when you and Uma used to squabble about who was in charge of the crew but we always bounced back."
Mal frowned. "Jay…if we…if we don't 'bounce back'…"
"Don't think like that."
"It's the Isle. I have to think like that. If we don't bounce back…who do we get to put into the gang in their place? We can't defend this territory with just the two of us. Harry wasn't lying when he said that Zevon and Freddy would be out in full force once they hear the news."
Jay sighed. "One problem at a time Mal."
The two friends sat and waited, Mal occasionally glancing at the door in the hope that Uma or Harry would be there with food or swords as if the fight never happened. But her hope grew dim as the bells of the clocktower in Dragon Hall began to ring later that night.
"They're…they're not coming," Mal said faintly.
"Uma could be busy at the restaurant," Jay tried to reason. "Plus, Harry could be working the counter at the fish shop."
Mal nodded slightly. Jay was right. Uma was her oldest ally, she wouldn't just write that off because of some words.
But as seven grew to be eight, then nine, and then even ten at night, Mal's hope died. She would deny it until she drew her dying breath but a few tears prickled in the corners of her eyes; a couple making their escape down her cheeks.
If Jay noticed this, he didn't say anything.
The next day, word spread around the Isle that Mal and Jay were paling around with Carlos DeVil while Uma and Harry had brought in Gil LeGume.
The Rotten Four were dead.
"For the love of all that is…Evie, unhand my hook!" Harry's voice demanded as he brought Mal back into the present.
"You want it?" Evie's voice teased, lacking the normal flirty tone that would normally be there when she teased the boys of the Isle.
"DEVIL!"
"Oh come on Uma, you honestly think Jay didn't teach me some skills when it comes to thieving? You should really keep a closer eye on that necklace of yours."
Mal and Jay glanced at each other in shock.
"If Carlos really wants Uma to talk to us, stealing her necklace is probably the worst way to make her in the mood to do that," Jay muttered to Mal, who nodded in response. Before anyone could say anything more, Evie and Carlos opened the door and tossed their ill-gotten gains into the room, quickly closing the door behind Uma and Harry when they rushed in.
"…what just happened?" Harry asked, not noticing Mal or Jay in the room.
"Well, you got your hook stolen," Jay said, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall as if he was bored. "By Evie no less. I guess you could say you lost your touch Hook."
"Jay," Mal warned, keeping an eye on Uma. The squidling didn't react to seeing Mal or Jay but instead picked up her necklace and turned to try the door.
"…locked," she growled softly. "Well give Blueberry and DeVil credit. They know what they're doing."
"They think we need to talk," Mal said.
"About what?" Uma scoffed as she turned to glare at Mal.
"That day, eight years ago?"
"I think we all said enough that day," Uma rolled her eyes. "But if you're offering, I'd love a reason as to why Harry's and my life got turned upside down."
"Your life?!"
"Mal," Jay said but Mal wasn't paying him any mind. Instead she marched up and stood close enough to Uma that the other girl could have put her hands around Mal's throat if she so chose.
"For eight years, I've been trying to figure out a reason why you stood there and laughed," she hissed, her eyes flashing bright green. Mal wasn't proud about the fact that Uma backed up a step upon seeing that.
After all, the last time her cousin had seen Mal's eyes go bright green, she had ended up facing down a dragon.
"Why? Why did you laugh? I called to you for help and all you did was stand there, laughing your tentacles off!" Mal growled. "Tell me that and I'll blast open that door and we can never talk again."
Uma didn't answer right away, but glanced at Harry. Mal sighed and backed up toward Jay, figuring Uma wouldn't appreciate Mal being in her face demanding answers. Mal knew she wouldn't if the tables were turned.
"I don't know…" Uma said, looking at Mal. "Why I laughed that is. Harry and I went to Yen Sid a couple of years afterwards but all he said was that people react to stressful situations in different ways."
"Oh yes, my drowning could have been considered stressful! That's not understating it at all!" Mal snapped. "What would have happened if Harry and Jay hadn't been there? Harry to keep me afloat and Jay to pull me out!"
"I told you that day Mal, that's not what happened!" Harry exclaimed and then looked over at Jay. "I can't believe you! You called me a lapdog but you had Mal all to yourself for eight years and didn't bother to tell Mal the truth!"
"Jay?" Mal asked. "What's he blathering about?"
"Hook, that's rich coming from you!" Jay snapped, ignoring Mal's question. "Or are you forgetting the two week flirtationship you and Mal had back when you were thirteen? You could have told her then!"
"I had one of my best friends talking to me again after four years! What was I supposed to say? 'Oh hey Mali, do you remember the day you almost drowned? Yeah do you mind talking about that?' That would have gone over well!"
Harry turned to Mal. "You may not believe me but what I told you that day eight years ago remains true. After Jay snapped Uma out of her laughing, she helped Lord Hades pull you out of the cove!"
"No, Jay pulled me out—!"
"Jay pulled me out Mal," Harry said softly. "He grabbed my hook out of the cove when it slipped from my fingers on the way out."
"Jay?" Mal said. "Come on Jay, if that was true, you'd be the first one to jump to Harry's defense. Hell, you and Harry were the ones more likely to come to blows that day than Uma and I were."
Jay sighed. "For once, he's telling the truth Mal," he said softly. "Once Uma snapped out of it, she helped pull you out of the Cove with Lord Hades's help since he had run up too. I don't know how he knew what was going on but it was a good thing he did since I could barely reach you. You were so out of it though, all you did was flinch away from her when she tried to rub your back. I was off to the side, getting Harry out of the Cove. By the time I was able to walk over there, Lord Hades and you had gone leaving Uma standing there."
"Didn't you notice I was smiling when I saw you walk into the restaurant the next day?" Uma asked. "If I had been laughing because you were about to die, wouldn't I have done anything else?"
"Why didn't you say anything?" Mal asked and then glared at Jay. "And we're going to talk about keeping secrets from me for eight years Jay!"
"You're not exactly one to talk, Mal," Jay muttered, keeping his voice low enough so that only Mal could hear him.
Uma sighed and shook her head. "You told Harry and me not to come into your territory. Of course Harry wasn't going to listen to you that day and I wanted to make sure he wouldn't hurt himself. We were halfway there when we remembered what all had happened."
"We went back to the Lost Revenge," Harry sighed as he leaned against the wall. "We figured we'd give you and Jay the day to cool off and then we could parley in the morning. The next day though we heard that you two had gathered DeVil so Uma brought Gil officially into the crew."
"The years went by and being your enemy…it just made it hurt less," Uma said, looking at Mal. "Harry and I…we lost everything after the Rotten Four split. We lost the clubhouse, we lost eating at Uncle Hades' restaurant…"
"…we lost you two," Harry said softly. "I…I was actually going to talk to you about meeting with Uma, Mal, the day you came to me and said our flirtationship was over."
If you had seen Uma's face the day she discovered us, you'd understand why that had to end Harry, Mal thought. She clearly has feelings for you but you know Uma, she doesn't really do the 'prissy' feelings. Then again…neither did I before Auradon.
"And you somehow kept him from killing Gil all these years?" Mal asked, turning to Uma and pulling herself out of her thoughts.
"It wasn't easy," Uma chuckled slightly. "But Harry won't go against orders."
Mal smiled slightly. No, no he won't, she thought. He's loyal to you and only you Uma.
"So what does…what does this make us?" Harry asked. "This has been a good parley but I'm not dumb enough to think that we're all friends again."
Mal sighed. "Look, I won't deny that…that I missed you guys. And maybe if it had just been what you did to me, knowing what I know now, I might have been able to just let it slide. After all, I forgave Evie for not inviting me to her party. I should be able to forgive you for a reaction you might not have been able to help."
"I'm sensing a 'but' coming," Uma said.
"But that last viewing…Uma, I know you didn't do it but how can I look at you and not think 'is this when she'll do it? Is this when she'll spell Ben?' And I know it's unfair but I…I just can't."
"So…maybe we just go back to a tentative alliance," Uma suggested. "By the way, I wouldn't do that Mal. Not when you know it can be so easily broken."
Mal couldn't help the small chuckle that came out and Jay shook his head, clearly amused.
"I like the sound of that," she said, still chuckling. "But…you've got to be okay with Evie. No smoke bombs, no nicknames. She's one of us Uma."
Uma made a face. "I can promise no smoke bombs, I withhold the right to give nicknames."
"It's a start," Mal sighed.
"Jay, I've just got one thing to say to you," Harry said, pointing his hook at Jay. "You leave me alone with Gil for more than a day again and someone will die. Whether it's you or Gil will be on how annoyed I am."
"Missed you too Harry," Jay shook his head in amusement. "But you know what Mal said about Evie goes for Carlos too. No tormenting him, no barking like a dog. Even though that wouldn't work on him anymore."
"…I can still deal with Gil when he's being his particular brand of annoying?"
"Yes Harry."
"I can work with that," Harry nodded as Uma shook her head.
"You've been dealing with Gil for eight years and you still haven't gotten over your hatred of him?"
"Uma, I don't think Harry will ever be over that," Mal said with a chuckle, not noticing the small smile on the other two's faces. It was almost like they had erased the past eight years and had just jumped back to how they'd been.
"M? It's been a little quiet in there," Evie's voice called from the other side of the door.
"Yeah, we just want to make sure no one's died," Carlos added.
Jay snorted. "Maybe you shouldn't have locked us in a room with Harry and Uma then left us alone," he called back.
"If we'd been in there you wouldn't have talked," Evie said. "It sounds like you did."
Mal nodded but shot a small glare at Jay. "We spent eight years hating them because you didn't want to tell me the truth," she muttered to him.
"I wanted to tell you Mal," Jay muttered back. "But…there was never a right time. And the longer the feud went on, the more awkward it became to try to talk about it."
Mal sighed and shook her head. When Jay put it like that…
"We're going to open the door now," Evie said. "Blue Fairy wants to continue with the viewing."
"No one's killed Leah while we've been in here has she?"
"Well Harriet's tried since she's still got a bit of rage toward Uma and it needed to be directed somewhere but Lucas held her back. I think Chip and Lucas have been unofficially appointed the people in charge of making sure Leah and Natalie don't end up killed."
"What a pity," Uma said, her voice dry.
"I'd say we don't do that but it's Leah," Mal sighed. "With what she's put the Isle through, I'd honestly be surprised if someone doesn't slap her by the end of the viewing."
"Can we volunteer for that?"
"No slapping her with your hook Harry."
"Wasn't going to but thank you for the idea Cap'n!"
The four of them chuckled before leaving the room, Evie having opened the door. Mal smiled slightly as she sat down next to Ben once more.
"Everything okay?" Ben asked softly as he kissed the top of her head.
"I think it will be," Mal told him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I think it will be."