A/N: There's a bit of a language warning for this chapter as well as slightly tense situations between parent and child. Please read with caution.
"So, Ben, you still wanna give Mal a chance?" Chad asked his best friend.
"It couldn't hurt," Ben shrugged. "Sure, she might seem a little rough around the edges, but I'm sure she's a decent person who won't get me hurt or in trouble."
"Maybe if you look after her a bit," Aziz smirked. "Maybe you could be her Guardian Angel."
"Very funny." Ben scoffed and rolled his hazel eyes.
It was a long ride home for both Mal and Evie. Mal began to feel hurt and pained that she let Evie get into trouble, especially since her new friend looked very crushed to hear that her mother was disappointed in her, not to mention being called by her full name. She never saw it as a big deal personally and never thought it would affect someone else so terribly when she was just accustomed to getting into trouble and her mother being mad at her. Ciara's eyes were narrowed, but luckily, she continued to concentrate on her driving so then there wouldn't be a crash, but she didn't need to use any words to tell Mal that she was "very angry and disappointed" and the girl would most likely be confined to her room for some time.
"Get inside, Malissa," Ciara said once they got out of the car and pulled up to their home. "We need to talk."
"Yeah, Mom." Mal scoffed as she walked on inside.
"Watch that tone, young lady." Ciara warned sharply as she soon followed Mal inside.
Mal then wordlessly sat on the couch and hiked her legs up so that she could sit on them to be comfortable. Ciara then hung up her coat and hat on the rack by the door and shut the door, locking it instantly before she soon came to sit down on the living room couch next to her daughter. Mal didn't face her mother right away as she just stared into the cold, empty fireplace.
"Mal... Look at me..." Ciara demanded.
Mal soon glanced over, nearly looking dead-eyed.
"Why didn't you tell me you had detention?" Ciara asked.
"Like you would've answered your phone anyway," Mal huffed as she rolled her emerald eyes. "You barely even remember I exist anymore. As soon as we got here, you've been disappearing for hours and I only really see you when I hear you coming in late at night while I'm asleep."
"Mal... I know this move isn't easy on any of us and your father doesn't live with us anymore..." Ciara began to say.
Mal suddenly mumbled darkly to herself.
"What was that?" Ciara demanded as she crossed her arms.
Mal glowered as she crossed her arms as well and soon looked her mother in the eyes without fear. "I said I wish I was with him or with Lily!" she then spat out.
"You know for a fact that you can't be with Lily," Ciara said softly, though tried to sound firm in tone as that was a very serious subject. "Your sister was a very bright and intelligent girl and then she got into serious trouble. She got herself killed, Malissa. Is that what you want?"
Mal then groaned as she punched the pillow next to her suddenly.
"Do you not understand?" Ciara continued, suddenly getting very sharp in her tone of voice. "Your sister brought herself into a world of danger and rebellion and look where it got her. She literally dug her own grave and she had to lie in it."
"Maybe Lily didn't die," Mal glared. "Maybe she just faked her own death and ran away with her friends or Dad to get away from you!"
"Malissa Bertha, don't talk to me like that!" Ciara scolded.
"Quit calling me that!" Mal complained. "I hate it when you call me that! I hate the name Malissa! I hate the name Bertha! What do you not fucking understand?! It's MAL! CALL ME MAL!"
"Language!" Ciara warned.
"Screw your language!" Mal huffed.
"Malissa, what is wrong with you?" Ciara retorted. "It's almost as if I can't make you happy anymore!"
"I was never happy with you, Mom!" Mal sneered.
"Yes, you were!" Ciara retorted. "You were always so happy whenever you'd come home from school to play with your father. You were happy whenever Lily finished up her homework so that she could play with you. You were happy when-"
"Newsflash, Mom!" Mal crossed her arms. "I was happy once upon a long time ago! Before you and Dad started fighting or whenever you'd bust Lily for getting into trouble! We were all happy and then you became a control freak! If anyone should be at blame here, it should be you!"
"Me?!" Ciara glowered.
"Yeah!" Mal glared as her face turned red. "You don't care about any of us! All you ever cared about was yourself and no one could be happy unless you were happy! That's just bullshit, Mom, and you know it!"
"Mal... I will not tolerate salty language or insubordination in my house," Ciara narrowed her eyes, though her voice seemed to be cracking. "You better watch your mouth and behavior or else there will be consequences."
"Oh... I'm so scared..." Mal scoffed as she rolled her eyes.
"Mal... You better watch yourself," Ciara warned. "Because if you're not too careful you'll just end up like your father or sister."
"You mean free?" Mal smirked. "I'd love a taste of freedom."
"No, Mal, that is not what I meant." Ciara said through her teeth as she tried to keep herself under control.
"I'd do anything to track down Dad or Lily right about now," Mal replied before looking over at her mother coldly. "I bet they're having a hell of a lot more fun than we are now."
"MAL!" Ciara glared.
"Oh, am I grounded now?" Mal scoffed as she leaned back and spread her legs around, putting her feet up on the coffee table. "You gonna ground me now? That's right, Mom, suck the fun out. Take the fun out of everything."
"I SAID STOP IT!" Ciara sneered as she suddenly struck Mal across the face with her hand.
Mal gasped as that actually did catch her by surprise as her cheek caught her mother's slapping hand. She had very wide eyes and looked like a deer caught in headlights and she began to tremble a bit, unable to think of a proper response.
"Mal..." Ciara said softly as she instantly regretted what she just did. "Mal... I-I'm sorry... I..."
Mal didn't even answer her mother as she blinked, having tear-filled eyes. She then suddenly held her sore cheek and ran over to her bedroom and slammed the door shut, locking it right behind her.
"Mal... Come on, Mal..." Ciara frowned softly as she soon got up and off of the couch and knocked on the door, trying to get inside, but the door was locked. "Mal, don't lock your mother out of your room. I'm sorry! Please... Just come out."
Mal was soon lying down on her bed as she cried into her pillow, feeling the stinging pain on her cheek. She soon looked out her bedroom window, seeing one star shining brighter than the others that night. She soon got up off of her bed as she ignored her mother's knocking and muffled begging from the other side as she soon opened the window and rested her hands under her chin as she looked up at the bright star. She wished she could go back to the simple days and slowly closed her eyes as the star shined bright and she thought of one of the last times she and her family were happy.
She remembered that Lily was helping stuff and pack their suitcases. Their father promised to take them snowboarding out of town with some old friends of his while their mother decided to stay behind for some fun in the sun, taking a winter vacation over to Hawaii. Mal even giggled a bit as she remembered her father throwing snowballs indoors to get them in the mood before accidentally hitting their mother on the backside with a snowball. Though very annoyed, she laughed along with them. All those memories just felt like a fairy tale right now.
Meanwhile, though she was a very sweet girl and was seen as a princess in Auradon Heights, Evie was not spared from the scolding.
"I can't believe you lied to me like that," Regina firmly frowned at Evie. "Why didn't you just tell me the truth? I would've understood."
"I... I thought you wouldn't let me hang around Mal anymore if you knew she was in trouble," Evie said softly, trying not to cry. "I'm really sorry, Mom. I just didn't want you to hate her or me because of the detention and the surprise sleepover."
"Well, I don't hate her or you for that, and I don't hate you for lying, I'm a little upset about it, but I don't hate you," Regina said as she heaved a sharp sigh. "I'm just a little-"
"Disappointed?" Evie guessed since parents often said "they weren't mad, but only disappointed", though that just sounded like a flimsy excuse to ground said child.
"...Yes," Regina nodded as she had to admit that was true. "I'm a little disappointed in you, Evie. You were never much trouble before, even if you were sometimes angry and jealous when I first brought Henry home from the hospital."
Evie sulked as that cut her deep inside. Her mother just had to remind her of that.
"Evie, now, listen to me," Regina said softly. "I'm not furious or hate you, even if you lied to me, but I can see you just wanted to cheer your friend up."
"Well... Yeah... She hasn't been in school that long and she's already gotten into terrible trouble," Evie defended. "I just thought it was unfair. She should've at least been given a warning, right, Mom?"
"I don't know much about all of that since I'm not on the board of education, but I admire you trying to help a friend out and keeping yourself busy since your brother had a doctor's appointment," Regina replied. "I'm afraid though, you'll have to do some extra chores around the house to make up for this little error in performance."
"What?!" Evie gasped.
"Evie, please don't talk back to me," Regina said, firm, but still a little gentle at the same time. "You'll have to do dishes, take out the trash, and not leave the house next week."
"Am I still allowed to go to school?" Evie asked with a small shrug.
"You have to go to school... Nothing can ever change that," Regina reminded. "Just remember... I'm not angry, just disappointed and a little bit frustrated, but that doesn't mean I don't love you. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mom, I'm not a child," Evie said, trying not to throw a fit as she had always been mature about that, even when she was younger and more afraid of her mother. "I'm really sorry I told some untruths, but I just wanted my friend to be happy."
"I understand," Regina nodded. "Believe me, I've shared some of my lies to your grandmother when I was younger... Some were even fatal..." she then added softly and distantly before speaking a bit more vocally again. "But I don't want you to step foot out of this house for the rest of the day."
"Yes, Mom..." Evie replied.
"Very good," Regina said. "Now, do you have any extra homework you need to finish up for before dinner?"
"I just have a little bit," Evie admitted. "I'll go get it done and lock myself in my room until you call me down."
"I don't think you need to lock yourself up, but all right," Regina said with a small smile to show that she wasn't mad. "I'm sure you and Mal can talk again on Monday."
"Hmm..." Evie paused as she looked a bit unsure about that.
"Now, you head on upstairs," Regina replied. "Mr. Glass will be here any minute now and we need to discuss some new forms before dinner time."
"Yes, Mom." Evie nodded as picked herself up and went to go on upstairs.
"Oh, and Evie?" Regina soon called, making her older daughter stop. "Check on Henry and make sure if he needs help with his homework or not."
"Yes, Mom." Evie nodded again and then continued to work her way upstairs.
Regina nodded in return and soon walked off to head over to her home office.
"How did it go?" Graham asked as he was shown to be in the living room, standing up from the couch.
"It went decently, I suppose," Regina said, sounding a bit exhausted. "She's a good kid, she really is... But sometimes, I feel exhausted having a teenage daughter... At least she doesn't get sent to the headmistress's office all the time or talk back to me or use foul language."
"That, in enough itself, is a very big blessing," Graham nodded as he wrapped his arm around her. "Evie's a sweet girl, she's just getting at that age. We've all been through it before."
"I know, Graham," Regina said. "Evie and Henry are very good kids and I do my best to take care of them and this whole town. Sometimes I'm just worried it'll all disappear between my fingertips and I'll slip off the slippery slope. I mean... I've done some forbidden things that my mother wouldn't approve of... And that was enough to give me Evie in the first place," she then looked wide-eyed. "Oh, Graham, what if Evie-"
"Shh~..." Graham shushed before giving Regina a long kiss on the lips to soothe her as she then slowly shut her eyes with a small, sappy smile forming on her face. "That won't happen. Evie's too smart to do something like that."
"...Yes, I guess you're right," Regina nodded. "I enjoyed spending time with that Mal girl, I just hope that she isn't a bad influence."
"She seems a bit rough around the edges, yes, but Evie's strong and smart for her age and so is Henry," Graham coaxed as he stroked Regina's face before they both sat back down on the couch. "And don't worry about being a bad mother or not."
"You don't think I am, do you?" Regina raised an eyebrow then.
"I definitely do not, not at all," Graham reassured as he lightly patted her on the back. "You are perfect."
"Hmm... Nobody's perfect~" Regina smirked.
"Except for you," Graham smirked back as he took her hands. "I happen to know you are the most perfect woman in the whole town, Regina Mills~"
"Gr-Graham~"..." Regina giggled, blushing a bit. "Not when the kids are home~"
"You still have time until Mr. Glass comes by for a visit," Graham chuckled as he towered over top of her with a small smirk. "Why don't we have some good, old-fashioned fun? You look like you could use some cheering up."
"...I suppose I could have a little bit of fun," Regina smirked as she bit her lip. "But if the kids bust us, it's all your fault~"
"Fine, I'll take the blame," Graham chuckled. "Maybe I'll even be able to spend the night and have some breakfast tomorrow before school~"
Regina giggled and hugged him before they began to kiss each other, falling onto the couch together.
Evie sighed as she sat in her bedroom, sketching in her diary as she seemed to be sketching a new dress design. She had always had a love for fashion when she was growing up and even hoped to work in the fashion industry when she got older, touring to the most fashionable capital of the world: Paris, France. It was a great way for her to destress, especially when she couldn't go to the Mall for a long time after school and just let her imagination run wild. She still felt a bit sour though even though this was one of the few things to make her feel better before she flinched and heard a knock on her door.
"C-Come in..." Evie soon said as she continued to sketch.
"It's just me." Henry said, poking his head in through the door.
"Oh... Am I allowed visitors during my life sentence in this prison?" Evie smirked playfully.
"I don't think the warden would mind," Henry smirked back as he soon came in, shutting the door behind him, and then went over to Evie's desk and pulled the chair out a bit and sat on it across from his big sister's bed. "Don't you think you were a little too hard on Mal?"
"Hard on Mal?" Evie asked, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"You were kinda mean to her before Mom took us home," Henry explained. "Mom was disappointed in you and you just kinda snapped at her."
"I... I didn't think it was such a big deal..." Evie shrugged. "You're only 10... What do you know?"
"Evie, you're doing it again," Henry frowned. "That's not the Evie I know. You're always so nice, sweet, and helpful to anyone who comes your way. Mal might be a bit tough, what you said to her was kinda mean."
"...You're absolutely right, Henry," Evie said softly once she realized how what she said had come out. "That was uncalled for of me and I snapped at her when she was just trying to help."
"I'm sorry this weekend got spoiled because Mom and Mal's mom busted you guys," Henry said. "I think you need to make it up to her somehow."
"...Yes, Henry," Evie nodded in agreement. "You're very mature for your age."
"I try to anyway," Henry shrugged and rolled his eyes. "I don't understand a lot of kids who are my age. They just act like a bunch of donkeys whenever Ms. Blanchard can't come to class and Ms. Shirin is in charge in her absence and they wonder why they're all being yelled at the next day for 'insubordination'. Yeah! I wonder why? It's not like you did anything to warrant not having recess for the day!" he then ranted, sarcastically about his immature classmates.
Evie laughed a little bit as she found that funny.
"Just eight more years and I can get outta here," Henry crossed his arms with a firm pout. "When I grow up and get married, I'm gonna be alone."
"When you grow up and get married? Okay, Henry, good luck with that," Evie giggled. "You just have to promise you'll come visit me someday~"
"Oh, I will, Evie," Henry nodded. "I couldn't leave you trapped here. It'd be super boring without me around all the time."
"That's right," Evie smirked, pinching one of his cheeks, but made sure not to do it too long because then she would end up hurting him. "Want some help with your homework?"
"All right... You can help me because 'demicals' are just so impossible," Henry said. "Are you good at them?"
"I do pretty well with them, yeah," Evie nodded as she stood up off of her bed and took his hand to get out of the room into his. "After all, that's how I take care of spending my allowance and whenever there's a 50% off sale at the Mall."
"Just promise me you'll talk to Mal when you go back to school?" Henry reminded.
"I will, Henry," Evie nodded as she promised him. "I don't know what I'll say yet, but we will talk."
"Good," Henry smiled. "Because I liked hanging out with her when she was here."
"I did too, Henry." Evie smiled back.
And so, the two Mills siblings stepped out of the room before they heard grunting and squealing.
"Did you hear that?" Henry asked his sister. "It sounds like Mom's in pain or something."
Evie looked unsure and nervous before she and Henry went to go check on their mother.
"I dub thee Queen of Auradon Heights," Graham smirked as he was under the covers beside Regina, both cuddling each other a bit in her bed. "May ye long live happily and in rule of the town until the next Election Day."
"But who would be foolish enough to campaign against me?" Regina smirked back as she kissed him right on the lips.
Graham leaned in as he kissed her right back.
"Mom? Are you okay?" Henry asked as he opened his mother's bedroom door as the two adults quickly fumbled in the bed and pulled the covers over top of each other nervously. "We thought we heard screaming and-"
Suddenly, Evie and Henry stopped dead in their tracks. Regina and Graham smiled sheepishly while Evie looked jaw-dropped and wide-eyed as Henry just looked plain-faced and confused.
"...What are you guys doing in bed so early?" Henry asked out of confusion. "I thought Mr. Glass was coming over before dinner."
Evie didn't say anything as she just stared, gobsmacked and a bit traumatized.
"Oh, the trip back home was tiring and I needed to rest." Regina covered up sheepishly.
"And... I needed... To help her... Rest." Graham added, just as sheepish.
"Uh... Erm... C-C-Come on, Henry... I have to help you with your homework and I have a feeling... I'm gonna... N-Need to help handle dinner..." Evie stuttered as she sounded very sick to her stomach and also a little bit scared.
"I thought you were going to stay in your room until dinner~" Regina whispered to her elder daughter.
"Yeah, well, Henry got worried about you, so maybe next time you could put a tie on the door or send a text or..." Evie slowly blinked and soon went to put her arm around her younger brother's shoulder. "You know what? I'm... I'm gonna help Henry with his homework."
And so, the two Mills siblings left and shut the door behind them to go back into Henry's room.
"It's impressive that you can still provide her with a few traumatic childhood memories at this stage of the game," Graham smirked at Regina. "See? You are a good mother and she's even remembering the rules and facing the consequences of her actions."
"I think this being the ending to her weekend will be punishment enough for a long time." Regina smirked back before she kissed him with a chuckle.
"What was going on back there, Evie?" Henry asked.
"Never mind that, let's just go upstairs." Evie replied nervously.
"What about Mom?" Henry asked.
"SHUT UP, DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT OUR MOTHER!" Evie cried out, overreacting a bit.
Henry just blinked, feeling totally confused and lost as they soon went to head back to his bedroom.
Mal groaned as she sat up in her room, hugging her stomach as the sun was going down and it was going to be a long week starting tomorrow. It was Monday and it was going to be a pain in the butt. Not to mention she wasn't sure if she would still have a friend by tomorrow or not. She blinked a few tears in her eyes though as she stared out into the night sky and looked a bit depressed.
"Come on, Mal," Ciara soon called back after a couple of hours had passed. "At least get some dinner."
"I'm not hungry." Mal firmly pouted as she crossed her arms, sitting up then.
"Mal, you have to eat something," Ciara replied. "I'm not serving up cod liver oil or anything like that."
"Funny... I thought that was your specialty." Mal smirked.
"Come on, Mal," Ciara sighed sharply out the door. "I'm your mother. I can tell that you're hungry right about now."
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not..." Mal muttered.
Eventually, Ciara was quiet. A few moments had passed and it was just Mal left in silence. Mal soon looked around and crept over to her bedroom door and opened the door, looking from left to right. She didn't see her mother, though she saw a tray that had a plate of dragon-shaped cookies with a tall glass of warm milk.
"Bribery won't work, Mom..." Mal rolled her eyes, but she soon decided to take the tray of cookies and the glass of milk anyway. She then noticed the shape, thinking instantly of the good old days with her sister and soon ate them up and the next thing she knew, she was fast asleep in her bed after eating the plate of cookies and drinking the warm milk.
A/N: Hope that one was at least good, couldn't resist a little "Parent Squick", but poor Evie! Well, you know what they say, things get worse before they get better, especially for what's planned for after this... But will Mal and Evie be friends again? Only one way to find out! Keep reading!