Chapter Twenty-Two

A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything and everyone else belongs to Disney.

*stares at review count in amazement* Holy cats you guys, I did not expect this! We went over seven hundred reviews! Thank you all so much for your continued support and for continuing to enjoy this story!

Thank you to everyone who provided the correct French usage for the previous chapter! it was greatly appreciated (as stated before I do not speak French other than the occasional word or two so I'm highly reliant on online translators which I know are not perfect). I did include another bit of French in this chapter, if there's any mistakes please let me know. It's supposed to translate out to 'Thank the Gods you're safe'.

Special thanks to AmethystDragon14 for their help with this chapter! :D

ObsidianDarkArrow: Oh thank you so much! Hopefully I'll be able to include a nice right hook for Leah and Natalie!

Guest: Oh I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

Guest: I can promise Audrey will have some punishment or at least more than she had in the movie.

LadyWinchester23: Thank you so much! I took Latin and Spanish in High School/College so I greatly appreciate the French help-and I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter!

AliceCullen3: Oh I'm so glad!

danifan3000: Hmm, there's an idea I never considered but it's definitely one worth exploring re: Carlos talking to Chad about claustrophobia. Oh that's a good point about Leah!

Mushishixxxholic: Oh I'm so glad!

Bananaboat2009: Oh yeah, I'll definitely be writing one shots about your head canons! lol Mal's definitely me with the whole zoning out of boring meetings!

Tracie Adams: Oh thank you I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter!

medical ranger: Oh thank you! I do definitely like the idea of Belle and Persephone having a talk as parents on how to rectify Mal's want to please everyone but really that stems from having Maleficent as a guardian. I mean the girl was stealing candy from babies to please her. But don't apologize for the rant! This is a pro-rant zone!

Guest: That...is a good point and I may have chuckled at the idea of Elsa carrying a Hans-icle to the Isle.

Maybelle Rose: Oh I"m so glad! Yeah I could have had Ben comfort Mal a bit more-that is definitely on me. But I do agree, MOUAT is a beautiful song!

Mata631: Oh trust me, I question Beast whenever I can!

Creator of Magic: lol I loved writing Natalie getting slapped especially by Uma since I'd written one of the Natalie chapters in Choosing Love before writing that part. And I'm with you, especially since with Snow White she's fourteen and you know, the prince is kissing a girl he thinks is dead. Ah Leah, her ego gets any bigger and it'd be its own country!

Guest: Oh thank you so much for the French assistance! :D

TheRanger'sDaughter: I think seeing her future actions and the culmination of her oldest friend being turned to stone would have snapped her out since she's seeing everyone's reactions too. Oh I agree with you there regarding Chad, that flinch he gave when Audrey went to run her fingers through his curls and then when Ben went to help him up were very telling. And you're right, Audrey does instigate the kiss in D1 between her and Leah.

OrangeJaw29: That...is definitely something I can explore. I like the idea.

Marcus Emrys: It's never really addressed where Maleficent is since you're right, we never see her in D3. My headcanon is that she's currently Hades' pet-he has a little aquarium for her and every morning he gloats at her.

AmethystDragon14: Oh I'm so glad! Exactly, stop tearing into Mal! lol yeah they're not going to be happy with her! I have to say I enjoyed writing the Rose sibling moment :D

cassyo: Oh trust me, it's always bugged me because of how Uma's upset and it's like 'um...you were dangling the ember over the ocean. What was Mal supposed to say?' But I'm so glad you're enjoying the story! :D

61394: Well your guess was right-as for Natalie, she's either extremely prejudicial against the VKs or just eager to please her employer.

epiiphxny: Aww, thank you! But yeah it hurt to write as well.

TVD384: Agreed, go Uma!

Guest: Thank you! For Harry, I was mainly going off what my captions said because that scene always makes me feel a bit uncomfortable (it's basically my Cotillion of D3) so I had that scene muted.

lilyflower101: Well...at least there'll be a story after this one!

Technobabble1: Oh thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it-yeah MOUAT is not in my top favorites in terms of the songs, just because of the little memory lane it does. I wouldn't mind it so much if there wasn't a song like that in all three movies.

twilightgirl587: Oh trust me, he's not a happy papa! Yeah sibling love, the best kind of love in terms of true love imo. Uma is everyone's hero in terms of slapping Natalie!

billyandkimfan1994: Natalie definitely did deserve to be slapped!

Kaybugg1: Oh thank you I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter!

OceanBlueSeaEyes: I hope the hate's not toward me! :D

Sorceress of Magic: I'm so glad you liked the Audrey and Phillip Jr. part!

smc-smfan1: Oh thank you!

LOST MUSES: Oh I'm so glad you're still enjoying the story! 1. I definitely agree and you're right KC served Evil Like Me. 2. Exactly! Mal had almost no political experience and a tendency to want to please her authority figures, what else would she do but suggest closing the barrier? 3. So am I! :D 4. Yeah, when I first watched D3, I chuckled a bit but it wasn't until my fifth watching that I realized he was possibly claustrophobic and it stopped being so funny. 5. hmm, I didn't think his clothes were that bad. 6. Oh that'll be fun! 7. I'm not really sure how the curse works, I only just read the first book where they mention that. 8. Oh trust me, there'll be a discussion over that! No worries, a part three of your review will be welcomed! :D

Turnabout of the Shadows: Respectfully disagree, at least in terms of Mal saying right off the bat they were going to close the barrier. Uma has the ember, the thing they need to stop Audrey, and she's dangling it over the ocean. In that instance Mal has no choice but to say no. I think if Evie hadn't said anything, Mal may have gone for the 'an eye for an eye' route but because Evie did say something and to Ben, she had no choice but for the truth to be revealed.

Guest: Ask and you'll receive! :D

Lord of the A.U. FanFiction: Oh well thank you so much! Um...is there a time limit on writing that? It sounds fascinating but I'm already working on two stories so I don't think I'd be able to take on anything more. But thank you again!

Roxas Itsuka: It really was. I didn't mean for it to be so but it was. Audrey and Mal will really have a lot to deal with with everything that happens with their future selves. I don't think anyone would use Chad's claustrophobia against him but you never know. Heh, that's definitely going to be something I'll have to bring up when the time comes!

Stoffe: Hey I liked the Bal hand holding while sneaking off to storm Fairy Cottage! It's so cute!

Kanfan: Oh thank you so much, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! :D

Hope you all enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think! :D


"Yeah, save your little friend, Mal!" Audrey's voice called to Mal from the top of the school as pink flashes of lighting went off.

Dizzy squeaked in fear as Uma and Freddie glowered at Audrey. Freddie wrapped her arms around her little sister who'd grown quiet in worry for her future self.

"Oh, you're lucky I don't have my talisman to access my friends on the other side," Facilier growled. "Otherwise, you pest, you'd learn to enjoy spending the rest of your insignificant life as a mosquito."

"I never thought he could have gone worse than a frog for me," Naveen muttered to Tiana.

"You know, in a twisted way, we owe him for our being together," Tiana muttered back. "Had you stayed human, our only interaction would have been when you gave that little bow to me on your way to Lottie's house and then you'd be married to Lottie and I'd probably still be working two jobs to try to get my restaurant."

"And we wouldn't have our boys and Lady Lottie wouldn't have Conner or Carter," Naveen smiled. It had been at Tiana's insistence that Charlotte get at least a title, considering it had been her dream to be a Princess since she was a child. And she had given that up for Tiana to have her chance at love.

Mal turned back and her eyes flashed bright green as a cloud of purple smoke surrounded her. As it faded, a dragon flew to the top of the school, growling.

"Oh it's going down!" Freddie grinned, barring her teeth as she sat on the edge of her seat.

"Celia was my pick, she's my responsibility," Mal stated firmly. "Auradon's important but I'm sure in that moment, all my onscreen self cares about is getting Celia to safety."

Emir nodded but he was on the edge of his seat as well. He knew how much Ben loved Mal, if she got hurt or worse in the battle...with Ben's future self turned to stone, the Agrabah Princeling didn't know how his friend would react.

Mal fired off a fireball at Audrey who seemed to defuse it as Celia cowered in the corner.

"How…how do you defuse a dragon's fireball?"

"Apparently like that."

Audrey laughed as Mal roared before being forced to dodge as Audrey lashed out with the scepter.

"Watch out Mal!" Macaria shouted, biting her lip in worry for her cousin.

"Help me, Mal!" Celia cried as Mal continued to dodge blast after blast from the scepter. Audrey grabbed Celia and held her close, laughing menacingly as Mal growled.

"Careful not to fry your little V.K. buddy," Audrey said, her voice low.

"You hurt her and you're the one who's going to fry," Freddie growled. "Maybe you'll even get to tell Frollo what his precious Hellfire's like!"

"You're just going to let them talk about a Princess like this?!" Leah exclaimed, looking at Aurora.

"Her sister's threatened, she's allowed to be worried," Aurora stated. "I know this won't happen but Audrey needs to know there're consequences for her actions."

"Aurora!"

"Yes mother," Audrey said softly.

The scene cut to Uma and Harry running back before ducking as Mal flew past them.

"You came back," Mal said softly.

"You ever know me to run from a fight?" Uma asked, giving Mal a small smile.

"Whoa!" They both exclaimed.

"Dragons are, and will always be, terrifying," Uma stated.

"Agree to disagree," Ben muttered, his eyes locked on the screen as if looking away would ensure the onscreen Mal getting hurt.

Mal hovered in place and tried to reignite the ember with her dragon breath.

"So…where was she keeping that ember?" Ashaki asked, tilting her head. "I mean, she was probably keeping it in her pocket as a human but dragons don't have pockets."

"Ash?"

"Yeah Lucy?"

"You're pondering again."

It glowed bright blue for a second but it quickly went out once more.

"Good idea," Hades nodded. "But still, I might be the only one who can reignite it."

"She doesn't stand a chance without the ember," Uma said.

Mal couldn't help but smile slightly as she saw the on screen Uma pat Harry on the arm in her concern.

"Mal's got this," Hadie stated, glaring slightly at Uma. As if to say Oh now you care?

"Help me, Mal!" Celia exclaimed again as Audrey continued to hold her close, almost locking her neck into her elbow.

"Um…I'm right there!" Uma exclaimed, looking at her sister. "I can help! Why aren't you calling for me?"

"You left me once," Celia muttered. "Mal at least got me off the Isle."

Audrey let off another blast from the scepter, hitting Mal in the wing and causing her to start to careen down to the ground, roaring in pain.

"Mal!" Hadie shouted, his eyes wide in worry.

"Shh, shh," Persephone said gently, wrapping her son up in her arms. She didn't care that he was eleven or that he might want to look tough for the other VKs in the room. She couldn't hug Mal, she was going to hug her son. "It's okay my little lightning bolt. This future won't happen."

"But she's hurt on the screen mom!"

"I know, and it kills me to see her like that. The only comfort I have is that it won't happen to our Mali."

Ben's eyes widened and he held Mal close to him, as if to ward off any potential harm that could come to her.

"I'm okay," Mal whispered.

"I know," Ben whispered back but his attention was firmly on the screen.

Audrey bit her lip as she saw Mal's onscreen self careen down to the ground. She hoped Mal would be alright!

"Come on," Uma told Harry, running toward Mal. Harry quickly followed, still staring worriedly at the falling Mal.

I could hold you up in the Cove…I can't catch you from the air, Harry thought as he watched the onscreen Mal continue to fall.

Audrey laughed before glaring at Celia, who was still trying to squirm out of her grasp. "Hold still, you little brat!"

"You make one mark on my sister and I'll make sure you stay still! Permanently!" Freddie growled.

Celia somehow escaped Audrey's grasp and leaned against the stone of the castle as Mal screeched. The younger VK began to run as Audrey stalked after her but there wasn't anywhere for her to escape to.

"She'll be alright cap'n," Harry whispered to Uma, resting a hand on her shoulder. "The little Shadowling's tough."

"There's not a lot of room for her to escape there, Harry," Uma whispered back. "If she got hurt…"

"She won't. Mal won't let her."

Mal continued to screech as she careened to the ground, somehow stopping before she hit and hovered maybe ten feet off the ground as Uma and Harry ran up. Uma paused and pulled out her shell, which unlike the last time, was glowing once more.

"Thank Gods," Ariel sighed as her shoulders slumped in relief. Eric wrapped his arm around her shoulders and rubbed them in comfort.

"We're stronger together," Uma told her as Mal hovered in pain. "We're stronger together! I'm right here, Mal! Regain your might and ignite. I'm right here, girl.I'm right here. Regain your might and ignite!"

Mal couldn't help but smile slightly as she saw Harry's mouth move slightly, almost as if he was mouthing along the words of the spell with Uma.

Mal growled softly as her green eyes were bright with unshed tears. She uncurled the claw that held the ember to show that it was glowing bright blue once more.

"Yes!" Emir and Akiho exclaimed in relief.

"Thank Gods!" Elle sighed. "Mal's got a shot now!"

"Oh fantastic!" Olaf grinned before pausing. "A shot at what?"

Akiho sighed, not wanting to have to explain battles to the snowman. "Olaf, why don't you go and spend some time with the Smee twins? This part might be a bit scary for them."

"Okay!" Olaf grinned and walked over. "Hi! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!"

"That was very sweet of you, Akiho," Elsa said with a small smile.

Akiho shrugged. "They've been through enough. All the VKs have."

Persephone leaned over and chuckled softly. "So Hades, still think you're the only one who could reignite the ember?"

"I'm glad they were able to do it," Hades said, smiling at his wife's teasing. "Guess two Godlings equals one God in this case."

"Yes!" Harry exclaimed before quickly catching Uma as she fell backwards, either in relief or from the effort of the spell.

"You alright cap'n?" Harry asked, looking at Uma in concern.

"The spell's probably more magic than I'm used to," Uma shrugged but gave her first mate a small smile.

Mal seemed to have a bit more of her strength as she looked at the ember.

Meanwhile, back on the roof, Audrey was still in the midst of her cat and mouse game with Celia.

"You want a piece of this, huh?" Audrey exclaimed.

"You, Princess, are lucky this will not be your future," Uma growled as her fingers brushed over her shell, the light illuminating her fingers. "Know this though, in case you get it in your head that you want to return to your 'Queen of Mean' status. You. Do. Not. Touch. My. Sisters."

"Or mine," Harry growled, fingering his hook as Audrey paled and nodded vigorously.

"Harry, I can take care of myself," Harriet said in fond exasperation.

"Not the sister I was referring to," Harry muttered. He was the only one who got to mess with the runt and everyone needed to know that! Not to mention Mal was practically a third Hook sister anyway…or at least she had been until the split.

"No, no!" Celia shouted, ducking back into the corner as Mal rose back up, this time armed with the ember.

Dizzy frowned and then glared slightly at Audrey. Celia was one of the bravest people she knew and to see her cowering in a corner like that…

Evie better give Audrey something horrid to wear! Dizzy thought with a small nod. I know she hasn't done this but she still deserves some punishment right? I mean, we were all kept on an Isle because of who we were born to.

Audrey began to laugh once more as she turned to see Mal and waved the scepter, as if to scare Mal off. She then let out another flash of pink lightning which was met by Mal using the ember. Pink met blue and a battle for dominance began.

"Come on Mal!" Hadie cheered on his sister.

"Kick her ass," Kitty growled, glancing over at Chad. As if making sure he hadn't gone back into his near catatonic state he'd gone in when his onscreen self had been shoved into the closet.

The blue light began to overtake the pink, and if one looked closely at Audrey for a second, they would have seen a slightly worried look on her face.

"Go, Mal!" Celia shouted from her spot in the corner.

"Go, Mal!" Harry cheered on.

"You got this! You got this, girl!" Uma exclaimed from the quad.

Mal gave her cousin and the boy who'd been like a brother to her a smile at that. It'd been years since she had heard those words from the squidling or pirate and, she wasn't going to lie, it sounded good.

The blue light from the ember continued to overtake the pink light from the scepter and the scepter began to shake in Audrey's hand as Mal overpowered her and with one final push and a roar, Audrey was knocked backwards.

"You won," Jay said softly.

"Looks like it," Mal sighed. "It's not much of a win though if you guys are still encased in stone."

"Yeah!" Harry exclaimed, dropping his hook to the ground in celebration. "Come on!"

Mal and Jay stared at the screen in shock.

"He dropped his hook," Jay whispered. "He never does that! I think the last time he did that was…"

"The day he was saving me," Mal said softly, nodding slowly.

"Yes!" Uma almost squealed as the captain and first mate embraced in a hug, Harry spinning Uma around.

"Guess that explains why he dropped the hook," Jay smirked, whispering to Mal. "He wouldn't want to hurt Uma in the hug."

"What are you two muttering about?" Uma asked. "Not getting stabbed by his hook is always welcomed."

"Since when do you welcome hugs Uma?" Mal asked, raising an eyebrow.

"There is a very short list of people who I won't gut for hugging me, but as surprising as it might be, Harry is on that list," Uma said with a shrug.

"It's not that surprising," Jay muttered to Mal.

Harry, meanwhile, couldn't help but stare at Uma with a small smile.

"Good to know cap'n," he said softly.

Uma shrugged but smile back. "You're my first mate Harry. You're always the exception to my rules," she said softly.

"That's Uma speak for 'I love you'," Mal whispered directly in Jay's ear, smirking slightly.

"If this viewing doesn't end their denial, nothing will," Jay whispered back. "You know when they finally admit it, we probably won't see them for a week or longer. They do have ten years of pent up frustration to get out."

"Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest," Mal nodded. "Not to mention that they've been apart with Uma off the Isle, so there's that frustration as well."

"When you two are quite finished with your little 'whisper fest'," Uma said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh don't be jealous Uma. You can have a 'whisper fest' with Harry if you want," Mal teased.

"And why would I feel the need to do that?"

Because you love him, Mal thought, making sure the mental link was on mute. Uma didn't deserve the whole Olympian contingent of their family hearing that.

"Because he's 'an exception to your rules'," Jay teased.

Uma rolled her eyes again. "Let's just finish the viewing."

Harriet gave her brother a knowing smile as she saw the onscreen version of Harry spin Uma around.

"To repeat something you said earlier, this would be the part where he should kiss the girl," Elle whispered to Melody, who smiled.

Celia got up slowly as Mal descended to the roof of the school, quickly changing back to her human form—only now her hair was almost entirely blue instead of purple.

"Mal!" Celia exclaimed, running toward her.

"Celia," Mal said, wrapping Celia in her arms. "It's okay. I've got you."

"You're not mad?" Celia asked in shock.

"What? That you were upset at finding out my onscreen self lied to you?" Mal asked. "Apparently in Auradon, feelings are encouraged so no, I wouldn't be upset."

"Remedial Goodness 101 has a two hour class on smiling and I wouldn't be surprised if Fairy Godmother added more lessons," Evie commented.

"Joy," Celia shook her head.

Mal looked over to see Audrey, now in the outfit she had worn on the day of the proposal, lying on the wooden floor.

Phillip Sr. gently pulled his daughter toward him. He knew this future would never happen but he didn't care. Seeing Audrey lying there, motionless…he needed to confirm that Audrey was still there with him.

"I'm alright father," Audrey said, her voice soft.

Phillip Sr. knew it would be too much to ask for her to call him 'papa' again like she had earlier…but that didn't mean there wasn't a pang in his heart when it didn't come.

"Let your father have this," Aurora said gently. While they never had favorites amongst their kids, Audrey would always be Phillip's little girl.

Audrey nodded softly before smiling slightly, turning her head so that her face was buried in her father's chest. It had been years since she'd had her father's embrace like this…she'd missed it.

Mal slowly approached the Princess and knelt down next to her.

"Audrey?" Mal asked, worry audible in her voice as she felt for Audrey's pulse.

"Oh, no."

Mal held the ember to Audrey's chin but there was no change. As Mal straightened up, she could hear her father's voice from earlier:

You're only half Hades. The ember won't do everything for you that it does for me.

"I…I had hoped I wouldn't need to use that side of your powers," Mal said softly.

Mal looked down, almost resigned as the screen fade to black.

As the screen came back, all those who were under the sleeping curse were seen waking up as the Smee twins and Dizzy began to slowly yawn and sit up from their spots on the couch.

"Oh thank Gods," Sammy and Ava sighed in relief, as the Charming sisters sank back in their seats.

"I'm hungry," both the Smee twins said.

Sammy couldn't help but give a sad smile at that as she held her brothers close to her, having moved to sit with them during the fight. VKs knew the feeling of hunger too well, and she hoped her brothers would learn to forget that feeling.

"Same," Dizzy nodded. The three of them quickly helped themselves to some of Jane's birthday cake, now a small remnant of what had been there at the beginning.

Jane shook her head in amusement. "Well, I hope everyone enjoyed my cake."

"If it helps, it looks like it was delicious," Celia told her.

"Oh!" Fairy Godmother exclaimed as she was released from her statue form.

"Merci les dieux vous êtes en sécurité," Lumiere whispered into Fairy Godmother's ear. Fairy Godmother smiled at her husband.

"Mom. Mom!" Jane said, almost whispering as if not to disturb anyone else as Doug and Gil also got up .

"Why is Gil off to the side?" Uma asked.

"Probably to give them time to run," Mal noted. "He's closer to the door to the museum than Jane and Doug so if anyone was to attack…"

"Bibbidi-bobbidi, what happened?" Fairy Godmother exclaimed.

"Let me explain…no wait, it'll take too long, let me sum up," Ashaki said with a grin. "Jane presumably told you to get your wand since you were running up the steps of the museum when you were turned to stone. Mal faced off with Audrey in an epic battle where she turned into a dragon and knocked Audrey out using Lord Hades' ember. Then you got unstoned."

"Thank you dear," Fairy Godmother said kindly, not wanting to remind the youngest Agrabahian royal that she'd been watching the whole time as Aziz and Emir shook their heads at their sister. Lumiere wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders, rubbing her arm in comfort. He wasn't going to lie, it was nice to not see her encased in stone anymore.

"Was that a Princess Bride reference?" Ben grinned.

"Emir said you wouldn't stop talking about that book you got when you went to visit your grandfather with Mal so I wanted to see what all the fuss was about," Ashaki said with a shrug.

"The spell has been broken," Jane told her, Gil smiling in the background. "It's okay."

"I…I think the roles need to be switched there," Cinderella said softly. Poor Jane shouldn't be comforting her mother…

Back at Fairy Cottage, Evie, Jay, Dude, Carlos and Ben were also released from their statue forms; Ben coughing and bending over slightly.

"Well considering it looked like King Ben was about to say something before he got turned to stone, the breath was probably caught in his lungs making the return to breathing a bit more painful I'm assuming," Merryweather said.

"That…is a logical assumption," Beast nodded though he still looked worried.

Jay, Evie and Carlos all looked at each other in concern but no one commented on it.

"Oh yes, you just see Ben bending over slightly and coughing and you just think 'oh it's nothing. Better not comment on it!' Mal muttered under her breath.

"Come on. Let's go," Ben said, leading the way.

"Go where?"

"Also, your fiancée's not there," Akiho pointed out. "How about a 'hey, where's Mal'? Considering you don't know that Audrey's been knocked out and all so for all you know there's still danger afoot."

"I like him again," Hades nodded.

"When did you stop?" Persephone asked.

"When he gave you that newspaper."

"You good?" Evie asked Carlos as the three of them followed Ben.

"Yeah." Carlos told her as Evie rested a hand on his shoulder.

Mal smiled slightly at the sight. Even though Evie was her go-to for 'girl talk', she was still closer to Jay than any of them. Which meant that Carlos and Evie had been left to develop a sibling like bond of their own.

It was nice to see that even though they were in Auradon, that bond hadn't been diminished.

The scene cut to an exterior shot of Auradon Prep before cutting to the inside of Audrey's dorm room. Audrey could be seen on her bed as Evie and Mal sat on either side of her.

"Is that…a dragon in the center of the headboard?" Lonnie asked, tilting her head as if to get a better look.

Audrey sighed. "Grammy thought it might…entice Ben into restarting our relationship since he always had a passion for dragons," she said softly.

"…he's in a relationship!" Chip exclaimed, glaring at Leah. "With someone he loves! Someone he is engaged to! I know the concept is foreign to you, you, you…words can not begin to describe the loathing I feel for you right now!"

"Chip, Chip, it's okay," Lucas said gently. "Ben and Mal don't look like they're going to split up over this and now all Leah's done is put the wrath of Lord Hades and Lady Persephone onto her."

Phillip Jr. tilted his head. "Who changed her?"

"What do you mean?"

"That's not the outfit she was wearing on the roof," Phillip Jr. stated. "What, did Mal and Evie slip her into pajamas?"

"She's slipping away," Evie said softly. Mal looked at her before looking back at Audrey and dropped her head.

"You know, if her parents wanted, they'd probably have grounds to bring you up on charges of second degree murder," Harriet stated, glaring at Leah. Normally Sammy would be resting a hand on her shoulder or trying to get her to relax but the blonde was off comforting her brothers with her father. "You know, for being the cause of the near death of their daughter!"

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Lord Zeus, you're the God of Law. Am I accurate in my assumption?" Harriet asked, looking over at Zeus.

"I would say, young Captain Hook, that you are accurate," Zeus nodded.

Ben paced as Uma stood at the foot of Audrey's bed, arms crossed. Harry, Carlos and Celia sat on various pieces of furniture while Jay looked at one of the photos on the mantle.

"Looks like history's to repeat itself," Phillip Sr. sighed and continued to hold Audrey close to him as if his arms could ward off the future events. Forgetting, in his worry, that such a future would never happen.

Mal picked up her head and sighed. "There's only one person in the world who might be able to do something about this, and that's Hades."

"Yes I might be able to do something about that," Hades nodded. "Why would I though?"

"Because your daughter would be the one asking?" Persephone countered.

Hades sighed. That would be the only reason he might help the Sleeping Brat. Hey, it might seem cruel to judge her off of her future actions but he was a God. They had turned people into spiders and mint plants because their egos were challenged, did it really seem out of the realm of possibilities for him to hold a grudge over what might happen to his daughter?

"Hades?" Ben said as Mal looked over at him. "He wouldn't do it. I wouldn't risk it."

Hades raised an eyebrow and looked over at his future son-in-law. "Oh really?"

"Hades," Persephone chided her husband as Ben seemed to get extremely pale in trepidation at Hades' reaction at his onscreen persona's words.

"Actually, he might do it for me," Mal told him as Evie looked over at her. "He's my father."

Ben stared in shock and looked off as Carlos looked over at Jay, clearly surprised as well.

"Okay I know we all knew but did you two know?" Jay asked Harry and Uma. "Scratch that, I know you guys know now but your onscreen selves didn't know until Mal said it."

"Jay, Jay, Jay," Uma shook her head. "Do you think the onscreen me an idiot?"

"No…?"

"Mal's hair turns almost blue after using the ember, she used and was able to reignite the ember, and she's sitting close enough to Audrey there to check her status in the realm of the living. I think my onscreen self should be able to put the pieces together."

Not to mention his reaction to seeing Mal almost drown when we were nine, Harry thought as he bit his lip.

"Okay," Ben said softly, picking up his pants and straightening his belt, looking down before crossing his arms as if in thought.

Emir couldn't help but chuckle slightly at that. "Yes Ben, pick up your pants. It's not like Lord Hades is going to be in the room at that moment."

"Ignore him Ben," Mal shook her head. "I do have to say that you're taking the news rather calmly."

"Well first of all, Lord Hades did tell us all at my coronation and…I may have had my suspicions before Hadie told us back in the first viewing," Ben said.

"You had what now?"

"Your eyes really do have little golden flecks in them," Ben stated. "Only the descendants of the Gods have those and I got the chance to really study your eyes after the love potion cookie—"

"I still want details about that!"

"Later Uma," Mal stated. "Go on Ben."

Ben chuckled. "Well, I had that and then after History of Pirates and Woodsmen, you dropped a sketch from your notebook. I picked it up to see it was a Cerberus. Don't worry, it's safe. I was going to give it back to you on Family Day but…well the first viewing happened so it's filed away in my office."

"So you had gold flecks and a Cerberus drawing and you immediately thought 'child of Hades'?" Jay asked.

"Are there any other Gods on the Isle?" Ben asked.

"…touche."

"That does explain why you didn't freak out more when Hadie spilled the beans in the first viewing," Mal mused.

"Well, I'll have to send guards to get him."

Emir and Akiho looked at Ben in astonishment, causing the teenaged king to roll his eyes slightly.

"I do employ guards you know!"

"Yes but you don't use them!" Akiho stated, causing his parents to shake their heads in amusement.

"Maybe I can hitch a ride," Uma said softly as Carlos and Jay made their way over to them. Ben and Mal looked over at her.

"Why?" Elle asked softly. "When you're free from the Isle?"

"It's my home," Uma shrugged. "And even if Mal's not going to close the barrier, someone still has to make sure it's protected."

"And you'll need your first mate to help with that," Harry nodded firmly.

"Me too!" Gil stated. "I know I'm just crew but I'm with you Uma, no matter what."

"The Isle is my home," Uma said with a small eye roll. "Someone needs to be there to protect it."

"Well, then, you will need your first mate," Harry stated as he walked over and rested both of his hands on Uma's shoulders. Uma looked over at him and shook her head softly, almost in amusement.

Harriet couldn't help but smile slightly at the sight. Even though Harry may remain perpetually in denial, he would always be loyal to Uma.

"The Isle will be in very good hands," Mal told them, giving them a small smile which Harry and Uma returned.

"Someone has to make sure the clubhouse stays safe," Mal nodded.

Uma and Harry couldn't help but smile at that.

"Um, Mal?" Jay whispered, leaning over to her. "You might want to go in and cover up a certain painting before giving them access back."

"What do you…oh. Oh!" Mal whispered back, as she remembered a certain painting of Uma on the walls of the clubhouse. A painting with a big red 'x' over it.

"Can I go, too?" Celia asked, putting the pillow down that she was holding and making her way over to the group as everyone looked over at her.

Uma couldn't help but feel a twinge of relief at that. Even though she wanted her sister to enjoy the freedom of Auradon, she couldn't protect her if they were separated like that.

Facilier sighed softly in relief. He knew this future wouldn't happen, what with the Rose girl no longer possessed by the scepter, but that didn't mean that he wanted the onscreen version of his daughter in danger where he couldn't help her.

Freddie sighed softly as she held her sister close. "Guess I'll have to find a way back onto the Isle."

"What?!" Celia and Uma exclaimed.

"You girls really think I'm leaving you by your lonesome?" Freddie asked.

Celia crossed her arms. "You could be our friend on the other side!"

"I wish I could be in both places."

"You can though," Ally said softly, as she looked over at Freddie.

"It'll be alright," Freddie whispered to her, feeling her gaze.

Mal looked over at her and Celia looked down, a slight forlorn expression on her face. Mal sighed as she got up and looked at the group.

"I really think that Evie was right," she said. "And...I do think that we could've been friends."

"Could've been…are…" Harry said, moving his hands up and down like they were a scale.

She gave a small smile, which Uma returned; the corners of her mouth turning up ever so slightly as she nodded her head.

"And I'm really sorry that I lied to all of you guys," Mal continued. "You deserved so much better than that."

"Let it go cap'n," Sammy whispered into Harriet's ear as the eldest Hook sibling pinched the bridge of her nose, the first mate having moved back to her spot next to Harriet. "We know. Uma was holding the ember hostage."

"You were just trying to do the right thing," Jay said quickly, as if forcing the words to come out of his mouth.

Mal gave the other boy a small smile at that. Jay would have her back. Even if she didn't really deserve it, he would still have her back.

"Yeah," Uma agreed. Mal looked over at Evie who stood up from her chair.

"You getting up to hug me E?" Mal asked softly.

"I hope so. Despite the fact that you're not much of a hugger," Evie replied, just as softly. "Special circumstances though can change that."

"I get it," she said softly and Mal gave her a minuscule smile, almost mirroring Uma's previous one as the corners of her mouth barely turned up.

Mal couldn't help but smile at that, relieved that her onscreen self would still have her friends even in the future that would never happen.

Ben gently rubbed her back, feeling her relax slightly.

"So…where's Audrey's family?" Emir asked, causing everyone to look at him in surprise. "What? I get it's late and Audrey just spent presumably a week being an evil despot but I doubt that would stop Queen Aurora from rushing to Audrey's side."

"It's a fair journey from Auroria to Auradon," Aladdin told him. "I'm sure the next bit of the viewing will show Audrey's family by her side."