I'm baaaack. Well hasn't this been a fun year? Hopefully this brightens your 2020 a bit. It's a long one! Two more chapters in this season! WHAT WILL HAPPEN!? Sound off in the comments below xoxox JTD

Esmeralda busied herself with making sure her and Angelica's costumes were pristine for their performance this afternoon. Though she tried hard not to, she couldn't help but let her mind wander to the clandestine affair that she'd been having. She was a level headed person. No one – let alone a man – had ever had this much power over her. But there was something about him she could not get past. She got lost in her thoughts, reliving the endless hours of lovemaking they'd enjoyed mere hours ago.

"Es? Are you okay?"

Jasmine's voice brought her back to reality and she blinked to regain control.

"What? Oh. Yeah. I'm fine. Just spaced out there for a bit"

Esmeralda zipped up Angelica's costume in it's garment bag and hung it on the back of the front door.

"What are you doing here? Did my brother get his claws on you again last night?"

Jasmine sighed.

"It's not like I want it to happen. It just does, sometimes."

Suddenly, Esmeralda could empathize with the way Jasmine felt.

"I get that."

"If only there were an antidote."

"I'd buy stock in it."

The two laughed.

"Buy stock in what?"

Angelica asked as she strolled out from her bedroom in her robe, positively glowing. Angelica had never looked happier. She was radiant. There was a twinkle in her eyes. Esmeralda's stomach dropped. Guilt enveloped her body.

"In an antidote for that certain male weakness," Jasmine replied.

Neither Jasmine nor Angelica noticed Esmeralda's face grow red with guilt.

Angelica smiled brightly thinking about the night she had just shared with Aladdin.

"Oh that's easy! You find his opposite!"

"Do tell! It seems like it's working on you!" Jasmine replied.

Angelica blushed.

"Well Aladdin and I spent out first night together. And let me tell you, he is everything that Jack Sparrow could never dream of being."

Jasmine's eyes grew wide with curiosity.

"Yeah?"

"Let me tell you, when I'm with him, I just feel so light and joyful. There's no angst. There's no torment of the heart. Just ease. And he gives me butterflies."

"That's great to hear! Now I know there's hope for us, right, Es?"

Esmeralda smiled, forcing back tears of guilt and pain. For a split second she thought her indiscretion wouldn't hurt as much now that Angelica was so elated with Aladdin, but Esmeralda knew better.

"Yeah. I guess there is hope for the rest of us. I'm so glad, Ang."

"Me too. I'm going to start getting ready with hair and make up for the show. Jas, are you coming?"

"Oh of course! I'm a guest of Cruella's actually. I should probably get ready myself."

"Cool. See you there! Es, are the dresses ready to go?"

Esmeralda nodded.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

"Oh, Ang. I think that's my phone on the counter. It's probably Meg. Can you bring it to me?"

"Sure thing."

When Angelica picked up her sister's phone, her euphoria dissipated into angry curiosity. Jasmine took notice of Angelica's change in facial expression.

"Something wrong, Ang?"

Angelica's nostrils flared. She took in a deep breath. Ignoring Jasmine's presence, she stomped toward her sister and showed her the lock screen of her phone. Esmeralda looked up to face her sister and her heart sunk. Time stopped. She felt sick. The moment had come. It was time for Esmeralda to come clean.

"Oh. My. God."

"Do you want to tell me why Jack is sending you a barely there picture of himself wearing one of our scarves?"

Jasmine gasped.

"What the fuck?"

Neither Angelica nor Esmeralda heard Jasmine.

"Angelica, let me explain."

"Is there something going on between you and Jack?"

Esmeralda swallowed hard, looked down and nodded her head in defeat.

Silence. Complete silence.

"You're fucking Jack now? I thought you were with Dimitri?" Jasmine interjected.

"Yes, dear sister, what happened with Dimitri?"

Tears threatened to pour as Esmeralda quickly prepared her explanation, knowing full well, her sister would never forgive her.

"Angelica, I didn't mean for any of this to happen. You have to believe me. When it started all I wanted to do was tell him off for hurting you so bad the last time he set sail."

"It's been going on since then? How could you do this to me?"

"Believe me I didn't want to! When he got back, I told him no more. I told him he was a cad. I told him how much I hated him. I told him to leave you alone and stop messing with your feelings. And then...I don't know...then it just kept happening again and again and..."

"Spare me. Please."

"I'm sorry. You have to know that I hate myself for this. I would never do anything to hurt you, Angelica. You're my sister. And I love you."

"You sure have a funny way of showing it."

"Angelica, please - "

"You are sleeping with not only my ex boyfriend - the man who put me through hell emotionally – but also the only man I've ever loved."

Esmeralda cried. Though her sister's insults stung, they were nothing compared to what she'd told herself this past week. Her legs gave out from under her and she was on her knees.

"You call yourself my sister. Say you love me. Say you would never hurt me. Yet you do this? I would never do this to you. I would never betray you like this!"

Esmeralda nodded along in tears.

"You're right."

"You're damn right, I'm right! In fact, you're just as low life as he is! You two practically belong together! Neither of you have the heart or mind to think of others before yourselves! Even your own family, you give no consideration for! Remind me to tell Meg to keep an eye out for you around Hercules!"

Jasmine was willing to let the two sisters have it out but Angelica had gone too far. She cared about both Angelica and Esmeralda enough not to let this get too out of hand.

"Angelica, don't! You're not being fair! Esmeralda isn't like that!"

"How do I know what my sister is like anymore? I never thought she was the type to stoop to the level of a man stealer!"

"Angelica, you have to believe me, I didn't want to steal him. I didn't want to be with him in the first place. It just happened. I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I swear."

"Come on Ang, you said yourself you were done with Jack. Aladdin was everything and more, sunshine and rainbows. What happened to that? Forget about Jack. Can't you see he's manipulating Esmeralda just as he's manipulated you and every other girl he's set his sights on?"

"Esmeralda was always the stronger one. She was always above being manipulated. Seems you've met your match."

Esmeralda shook her head.

"No. No. It's not like that. Jasmine's right. He's manipulative. But you're right, I am stronger than that and I should've known better. You're my sister and I love you. And I'm so so so so sorry for what I've done."

"That makes two of us, sis."
"What do you mean?"

"I mean I can't trust you anymore, that's what I mean."

"Angelica, I understand where you're coming from, but you can trust me. I'm your sister."

"My sister would've have done what you did."

"Ang, come on. Give it time."

"Stay out of this, Jasmine. This is between me and my...Esmeralda."

Jasmine bit her lip. She wanted so badly to fix it for the both of them so they could move on. Silence ensued. Nothing could be heard except for Esmeralda's tears.

A door down the hallway opened. Clopin strutted down the hallway to the living room where the three of them stood silent and motionless. He saw Esmeralda on her knees on the floor. Her head in her face. She was crying. Angelica stood over her, stiff and contemplative. Jasmine stood off to the side in the kitchen, eyes darting between his sisters in a panic. Something had happened.

"What'd I miss?"

Angelica turned around to face her brother without a blink. She handed him Esmeralda's phone.

"A sister's betrayal."

Angelica stormed off to her room and slammed the door.

Clopin looked at the picture on his sister's lock screen. His jaw dropped.

"Well, isn't that something. This won't affect your performance today will it?"

Jasmine groaned.

"And Angelica says that Esmeralda is the sibling that doesn't think of others' feelings? Jeez, Clopin! Can't you see that your sisters are going through something right now?"

"Come on, Jas, our careers are at stake here!"

"Come on, Clopin, your sisters' feelings matter here!"

The two continued arguing, but Esmeralda couldn't hear what they were saying. Angelica had every right to be angry and upset with her. Esmeralda felt she deserved everything she got. She felt like crawling into a hole and staying there for eternity. But just as Angelica had said, she was the strong one. She was the one that when faced with a challenge, she accepted the challenge with vigor. And that is what she had to do today. She wasn't sure where she stood with Angelica as a sister at the moment, but she wasn't going to let that stand in the way of a working commitment. Esmeralda wiped the tears from her eyes and firmly stood up. She quieted her cries and took a deep breath.

"I'll be ready in time for the show, Clopin. Don't worry."

Clopin and Jasmine quit their bickering and turned to face Esmeralda.

"Are you sure, Es? I'm sure the Charming family would understand if something would come up," Jasmine replied.

"I'm not so sure they would," Clopin said under his breath, followed by his foot being stepped on by Jasmine.

"I'm sure. I'll put a pause on this for the performance. After that, Angelica and I will decide where we go from there."

"Good. I'll go tell her to be ready." Clopin replied heading toward his sister's room.

When he left, Jasmine went toward Esmeralda and opened her arms to her, sensing she needed a hug right now. Esmeralda patted her on the back, appreciating her friend's intuition.

"Thanks, Jas."

She pulled away.

"No problem. I mean. I know you're really remorseful. I can tell. Angelica just needs time to cool off. She'll be fine."

Esmeralda really hoped for the sake of her relationship with her sister that Jasmine was right.


Gong. Gong. Gong.

The bell tower in Mount Olympus Park rang three times signaling the time. Noon. One hour before the Campaign Launch party was set to begin.

Sinbad anxiously awaited the text from Eric for the ship to be set sail. Flynn and Aladdin stood on Zazu Bridge talking about whatever. Tullio was on his phone playing a game. Jack and Will had checked in. Phoebus gave the all clear from his view at the docks. Sinbad picked up his phone and sent a smoldering selfie to Meg, hoping to pass the time flirting before she had to start taking pictures.

But Meg was in no condition to respond.

Breathless and satiated, Meg lay in Hercules' arms on the floor of her office behind a desk. It had been so long since she and Hercules had been together that they couldn't control themselves. Hercules held Meg tighter to him, kissing her tangled auburn waves. She pressed her head against his chest.

"I've missed you, Hercules."

"I've missed you, too. I don't even know what I was thinking trying to get over you."

She leaned up on her elbow facing him.

"I'm sorry I was so cold to you, Herc."

"Don't be, Meg. No more apologies, please. We're not thinking about the past. Only the future."

She smiled. Her colorful eyes radiated all shades of purple.

"I'd really like that, Herc. I really would."

He pulled her on top of him and kissed her passionately. His hands running through her hair. And then the bells from Mount Olympus Park interrupted the moment.

"Is that the noon bell?" she asked against his lips.

"Mmhmm."

He continued kissing her but she scrambled off him.

"Damn, I have to get ready."

She started to search for her clothes, grabbing every item she could, tossing Hercules' clothes to him.

He attempted to stop her.

"No. Don't get ready. Stay here with me. Let's just play hookie on this launch party."

She smiled as she found her bra and fastened it.

"Oh, Herc, that sounds amazing, any other day I would but this is a big paying job and if I don't take those pictures of Esmeralda's and Angelica's outfits, I will most definitely catch hell."

Hercules sighed.

"Yeah. I guess today's not the best day to play hookie. Promise me you'll play hookie with me soon?"

He winked.

"Of course, wonder boy. I think it's long over due for us."

Still scantily clad, she sank over him and kissed him.

A phone buzzed.

"Is that mine or yours?" she asked between kisses.

"I think it's yours. Mine doesn't buzz."

She pulled away to look for it. He continued to kiss her neck.

"Dammit. Where did I put that thing?!"

"I think I'm laying on it."

He put his hand underneath him and pulled out a buzzing phone.

"Looks like you're miss popular over here. You've got 6 messages from Flynn. 10 from Esmeralda and what looks like quite the serious selfie from Sinbad."

Meg rolled her eyes and snatched her phone.

"Are you gonna tell him?"

She nodded with a reassuring kiss.

"Trust me. The first chance I get. Now will you please unhand me so I can get my equipment together?"

He laughed.

"Do you have time to get my equipment together one more time?"

"I walked right into that one, didn't I?"

"Yeah. You did."

They kissed again and made love one last time this afternoon before Meg had to start her work for the day.

Sinbad would never receive the response from Meg that afternoon.