Choice

(Saturday Night, August 24th)

"You love him," Carlos comments.

Chad glances inside the hospital room. "He was dying."

"It's still true."

Chad frowns at him. "You don't still have feelings for Jay?" Carlos looks down, and Chad comments, "It's thanks to that psycho that Ben's in a coma right now."

"He was trying to protect Mal," Carlos defends. "After what he saw him do to her at court, he wasn't going to risk losing her to a—"

"Beast?" Chad interrupts. "Is that what you were going to say?"

"He'll wake up," Carlos deflects.

"Mal's a frickin' dragon," he continues. "She has magic. If she had just stopped him from attacking her, this would have never happened."

Carlos's eyebrows furrow. "Just because someone has the power to stop an attack, it doesn't mean they have the—the means. How was she supposed to know it would happen?"

Chad's expression softens. "She saw it coming. She knew what he was doing."

Carlos shakes his head. "Whatever." He walks away, and Chad sits on the bench. He saw it coming, he had the power to stop it, and he didn't. He could really use his drugs right now. He takes out his phone, but he's had no luck finding any covert websites or instructions to real-life hangouts. He stares at the chat box. Hawthorne can't make him feel any worse than he already does. He's a science teacher. This is sort of a science question. Chad types: You don't happen to know how oxy is made, do you? It takes him a minute to send it. It takes five more minutes for the message to be marked as 'read'. The minutes slide by, and he knows there won't be a response; however, he receives a new email. It's another list of class materials, except this one has an address for the book store. There's a sale tomorrow at one in the afternoon. Chad stares, and when his father sits next to him, Chad turns his phone over.

"Hey."

Chad faces him. "What did the doctor say?"

His dad takes a moment. "When they did the emergency surgery, they found intestinal parasites."

"Ben's a carnivore," Chad reminds him. "You said he would have an easier time living with those things."

"I did." Charming nods. "And now the doctors are telling me that because Ben needed another transfusion with the wrong blood markers, his fever caused him to enter the coma. It was hard enough to meet his carnivore dietary requirements last time, and now they have to worry about the parasites taking the nutrients instead." He pauses. "They said that when people restrict food at his weight, it should still be significantly harder to lose weight than what he's managed… His eating issues weren't the only thing causing it, and because he is malnourished, the parasites are going to have an easier time wreaking havoc on his body."

"Is he going to die?"

"They're going to experiment with a liquid antiparasitic," he informs.

"So, he won't die?"

"I hope not," his father says, and Chad looks down. "There's something else." Chad looks at him again. "Apparently, cross contamination is a higher risk when carnivores prepare their food where humans cook. After I told the doctor about your guard getting sick, they said they want all of us to get tested for parasites."

"Is that what he has?" Chad asks, "Parasites?"

"I talked to him." He explains, "Bernard admitted that he ate peanut butter from our kitchen. As you know, Ben's had a habit of eating the peanut butter with raw hamburger."

"But Dino will get better?"

"He will be getting tested today," his father confirms. "As will we." He hesitates, "I hate to ask, but… the doctors said intestinal parasites can be passed through sex."

Chad frowns. "I didn't cheat on Carlos."

"And Carlos?" he asks. "Is it possible that he has parasites?"

Chad stares for a long moment. "I guess, we'll know if I need any medication." His dad nods. "Why so quiet? Starting to second guess if carnivores and humans can coexist?"

"It's not that," he reassures. "But parasites are more deadly to humans, and you don't always get a warning. Some people live with them for years, before it burrows into something it shouldn't have and then… You're at a higher risk of dying if you date one."

"So, you don't want me dating Carlos?" he assumes.

"No. I'm not saying that." His father takes a deep breath. "But maybe be more careful. You know, don't do anything oral. Use a condom."

"And don't use any of the toys he uses," Chad adds. "What about blood? Parasites don't just infect the intestines."

His father frowns at him. "You're right. I don't want you dating him." Chad looks away. "But if you are, I want you to be smart about it."

"You know, no." Chad evenly expresses. "I get it. It's illegal. It's dangerous. God wouldn't want this life for me. Have any other words of wisdom?"

"Just one." He meets his eyes. "Make sure it's worth it. Everything has risks. We evaluate what to invest in based on the value it offers us. So, make sure it makes you happy."

"I am happy," Chad sadly says. "I'm very happy."

"I wasn't sure if you would come," the black-haired professor says, as he examines the book spines on the shelf.

"Ben's dying. Again." Chad murmurs, "I'm not making the best decisions right now."

"I think I know what you need." He takes a hard cover book from his satchel and hands it to him. "My book on self-improvement."

"No offense," Chad scoffs. "But when I came here, I was expecting to get a little bit more out of it than some book."

"Trust me," Hawthorne says. "I think you will find that everything you need is in those pages." Chad eyes over him, before he opens to the middle of the book. A portion is cut out near the binding, and six pills are placed inside. "Just remember to pace yourself. Too much of a good thing can make things worse."

Chad closes the book. "I promise not to read it all in one sitting."

"What do you say?"

Chad's frown deepens. "Thank you, Professor."

"Eat anything today?" the nurse asks.

"No," Chad answers in annoyance.

She hands him a granola bar. "Eat this first."

He gapes. "I never needed to take oxy with food. Just give me my meds."

"The medication can cause nausea," she reminds him.

"I don't care," Chad yells. "I've gained enough weight this month. Anymore and I won't be able to fit into my tourney uniform."

"It's a good thing tourney is a spring sport, then." The nurse threatens, "Either take the pills as prescribed or I won't clear you for any of the fall activities either."

"But I'm not even hungry," Chad complains.

"You can still eat." He narrows his eyes. "Look. I'm sorry, but I have orders not to give you your medication unless you follow the guidelines."

"Your guidelines suck," Chad argues.

"I'm sorry," she says again.

He jumps from the stool. "I don't need this. I'm out of here."

The phone sirens, and Chad reaches for it to swipe the alarm off. "Chad."

"Dad?" he groggily inquires.

"The nurse called," he informs. "She said you didn't take your medication today." Chad closes his eyes. "Chad. Are you okay?"

He hums. "Yeah. Yeah. I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine." Chad groans, and his father says, "That's it. I'm coming." The phone slips from Chad's hand, and his eyes drop shut. "Chad." The hot hand places on his arm, and he cracks open his eyes. "Chad."

"Dad?" He releases a slow, shallow breath. "You're fast."

He picks up one of the pills. "What are these?"

Chad closes his eyes again. "Can we not right now?"

"Where did you get these?"

"Probably stashed them somewhere last year," Hayden intrudes. "Ben inspired him, hiding all his pills in tic tac cases."

"You knew about that?" he disbelieves.

"He likes to watch people suffer," Chad whispers.

His dad looks back at him. "Why, Chad?"

He murmurs, "I think I took too much."

"Chad." He urges, "Open your eyes."

"I need to rest."

"No," he asserts. "Open your eyes."

He whispers, "I only took two."

"You've been sober for nearly a month."

"I know." He shakes. "I'm sorry."

"You're cold and drowsy," he notes.

"It helps me sleep."

"I'm taking you to the emergency room." He asks, "Can you stand?"

Chad pushes himself from the bed but then clutches his stomach and lays back down. "No. Feel sick."

"Help me with him," he requests.

Hayden questions, "Why?"

"Because I'll give you a hundred dollars," Charming offers.

"Make it two hundred," Hayden negotiates, "and we've got a deal."

"A couple days ago King Ben was stabbed by Jay, one of the kids from the Isle." Charming faces Snow White. "It's believed he was trying to protect Mal from any future harm King Ben might bestow, after Ben had bitten her the week prior." He pauses. "Ben was rushed to the emergency room and given surgery, but Ben has a very unique blood type. He had an adverse reaction from the transfusion: his fever had risen, and now he's in a coma."

"Sorry," the reporter interrupts, "but how does a fever cause a coma?"

"Well…" Charming takes a deep breath. "When a fever gets too high, it can damage brain cells. With adequate sleep, some of those cells can regenerate." He clears his throat. "Anyhow, um, as sure as I am that King Ben would want nothing more than to forgive Jay and allow him to stay, he's in no position to speak and the law states that the punishment for treason is exile. Jay might not have been trying to overthrow the monarchy, but he did nearly succeed in killing the king. That is why he will be sent back to the Isle of the Lost."

"Hey." Chad smiles when he sees Carlos. "I'm glad you came."

He eyes over him. "You're handcuffed to the bed."

Chad frowns, staring at the chains. "I'm a flight risk."

"So, they handcuffed you?" Carlos gapes.

"It's just until they get my meds sorted."

"Well, at least you can't stop me now," Carlos contemplates.

"Stop you what?"

"Chad." Carlos steps towards him. "You need to know, this doesn't have anything to do with you or Ben."

"What doesn't?" Chad questions.

Carlos hesitates, "I've decided to go back to the Isle."

"You're going back to the Isle?" Chad disbelieves.

"Jay's being sent back," he explains.

"I don't care," Chad asserts. "You're my boyfriend—not his."

"Mal's going," Carlos calmly continues. "Everyone's going."

"That's it?"

"I came here to say bye," Carlos comments.

"Are you even medically cleared to leave?" Chad argues.

"I'm doing better."

"Weren't you just diagnosed with diabetes," Chad dismantles. "You know the key word in that? Die."

"I can't metabolize sugar," Carlos corrects. "It just means I'll have to be extra careful not to exceed my limit."

"But your limit's going to be any." Chad warns, "Eventually, you won't be able to have any at all, and it will build up until you die. The Isle doesn't have insulin, does it?"

"Insulin comes from the pancreas," Carlos counters. "I'll figure it out."

"Human insulin is different from animal insulin," Chad dismisses. "It's going to be harder than eating a bunch of wild cats."

Carlos takes a moment. "You know, Aziz actually said that he didn't care, you know, that I'm leaving."

"If I asked to you stay," Chad considers, "would it make a difference?"

"I can't stay just for you."

"You're my first," Chad divulges. "You're the only person I've had sex with."

"First guy, you mean," Carlos corrects.

"No."

Carlos eyes over him. "You said you went to that brothel."

"Paradise?" Chad strains a smile. "I chickened out. Look." He moves his hand, but the cuffs clank, attached to the bed. "I've done a lot of things with a lot of people, but you're the only person I've had real sex with."

Carlos wets his lips. "I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll stay."

Carlos's mouth remains agape. "I'm sorry. I can't."

Chad feels the tears sting his eyes. "We just started dating. We just made it official."

"I know," Carlos acknowledges.

"Then stay."

"Chad." Carlos falters, "You have to know this wasn't going to last. I mean… we're so different from each other."

"How?" Chad's jaw drops. "We're athletic. We like science." Carlos looks down. "We're not that fucking different."

He meets his eyes. "But you love Ben."

"Ben?" Chad's expression grows grim. "You're not jealous of a dying man?"

"He's not going to die," Carlos answers.

"Says who?"

"Says Evie."

Chad takes a moment. "So, what? Just because some witch says Ben's going to live, that means he will?"

"Yes."

Chad shouts, "And if he doesn't? Then you're leaving me for no damn reason."

"I need to protect my family," Carlos defends, and Chad shakes his head. "You and Ben belong together. Me. Mal. We're not going to stand in your way anymore."

"Anymore?" Chad cries. "I just got you."

"I'm sorry," he says again.

"Fuck you," Chad shouts, throwing the ice water at him; however, Carlos dodges it, and his father steps into the room.

"What's going on here?" he questions.

"I was just leaving." Carlos stares at Chad as he leaves, and Chad takes in a big, shaky breath when Carlos exits from view.

"He told you," his father assumes.

"You knew?" Chad whimpers, "You knew, and you didn't talk him out of it?"

He takes a seat beside him. "Chad."

"He was my first." He keeps himself from blinking. "He was the first person I had intercourse with, and now he's leaving. What, a week after we started dating?"

"I'm sorry."

"Everyone's so fucking sorry." Chad outrages, "I'm sorry your childhood crush is dying. I'm sorry the person you lost your virginity to is leaving the country."

"Chad," he starts.

"But at least I get to be king, right?" Chad continues. "It's a good thing I don't have anyone who might tempt me to break that frickin' law now."

His father hugs him. "It's okay. It's going to be okay."

"Did you know Carlos was his first?" Charming asks.

"First what?" Ella questions.

"That he lost his virginity to him."

She turns to him. "He said he's done thing with girls."

"Not intercourse, apparently."

She pauses. "No. How was I supposed to know?"

"You're a girl," Charming answers. "Maybe he talked to you about the… importance."

She takes a long moment. "We never discussed how to make it special." She eyes over him. "He never asked you when the right time would be?"

"I mean," Charming comments, "it's not like he asked me how to tell if a guy was interested or how to entice one."

She shakes her head. "What are we doing?"

He takes a seat and sighs, "I don't know."

Ella takes the chair beside him. "How's he faring?"

"Well, he's really upset that Carlos is leaving."

She takes a deep breath. "Chad is a such a social person. I can only imagine how much… interaction they've had with each other."

"I'd rather not think about it too much," Charming admits.

"He's shared something special," she rewords. "And now he's lost it. It's not something he's going to find from just anyone."

Charming shakes his head. "I don't want him to go back to dating girls just for the sake of being with someone."

"Now would be a really great time to repeal the sodomy law," Ella encourages. "It's not every day that someone admits to a royal that they're breaking the law."

"I'm not going to the counsel with this when the king is in critical condition." Charming reasons, "A country without a king is a country in chaos."

"Tomorrow we will be a country without any of the villains' children," Ella says.

"That doesn't make me feel any better." Charming comments, "Carlos and Evie are good kids. Even Mal had her moments. They don't deserve to go back there with him."

"It's their decision." Ella remarks, "And with homosexuality being illegal, I don't blame the homosexually inclined to want to leave."

"But this is a good country," Charming tries. "Everyone should want to be here."

"Well, clearly, not everyone does," Ella restates, and Charming runs a hand over his face. "They don't feel welcome here, and our son doesn't either." She shakes her head. "Something's got to give, Charming, or our son will be sent away too."

"Not sent away."

"So long as it's illegal, he could be." She asks, "If he really doesn't feel wanted, what's stopping him from confessing his sin to his online audience? What's stopping the people from demanding that he receives the same kind of punishment their loved ones have?"

Charming's eyes lower. "I see your point, but it's still not something I feel comfortable doing without King Ben's permission. We only get one chance at this. We need to do it right."

"King Ben has a personal stake in this," she reminds him.

"And I don't?"

"Forgetting for a moment that Ben's English isn't where it needs to be to have this debate with the counsel, doesn't he have a habit of growing quiet when he gets upset?" She opinionates, "You will have a better chance getting through to them than him."

His eyes lower. "I suppose I can casually bring it up."

"As for Auradon," Charming continues, "Ben—King Ben—had planned to hold an event, where the people could line up and pay to ask voluntary royals any question they wish."

"Like whether my daughter's still a virgin," King Phillip opposes.

Charming purses his lips. "She is, isn't she?"

"After dating your son," he scoffs, "I didn't dare ask."

Charming rests the papers on the long table. "Chad never had intercourse with Audrey, if that's what you're afraid of."

"You sound sure of yourself."

"Because I am sure," Charming comments. "Now, whether they did anything else, I couldn't tell you. But Chad only dated Audrey for a couple months, and she doesn't strike me as the kind of girl to give anything up very easily."

King Phillip confirms, "She isn't."

"Then I doubt anything happened at all." Charming picks the papers up again. "That being said, the event will need to be postponed as King Ben is still in a coma."

"Do we need to reach out to his cousin?" Rapunzel questions. "Ace is Ben's only remaining relative of crowing age."

"In Ben's will the crown goes to Chad," Charming negates. "I'm to act as regent."

"But it is his monarchical rite to rule," Rapunzel rebuttals. "He's next in line for the throne. The law states it."

"Well, maybe the law's wrong," Charming angers, before he pinches the bridge of his nose. "Sorry." He takes a deep breath before facing her. "Ace doesn't want the throne. He wants to protect his land. He wants to hunt for his family. He wants to live in peace. But in their culture—his pack—if we offer him Ben's throne, he couldn't say no even if he wanted to. If he did, he would appear weak. He could lose his alpha status, and—I don't know about you but—I think Ace is going to make a great alpha, someone we can negotiate with if we need to."

"I agree," King Florian says. "We don't need a bunch of wolves running wild. Ace asked for the title before. If he really wants it, he can ask for it again."

"Ace is royal by blood," Rapunzel dismisses. "That law is there to prevent war."

"And you don't think their views are going to conflict with the people we rule?" Charming points out. "You see how Ben and his father behave, and they were raised in human society. Imagine what a real wolf would act like."

Silence erupts, and Aladdin speaks up, "King Ben isn't dead, yet. May we all stop acting as though he is?"

"Really, though." King Eric comments, "My wife's views on things were really out there. In her father's kingdom, if someone wasn't making themselves useful, they were served as food to the merfolk. Thank the seas that she's a pescatarian. I can only imagine what a carnivore would think like."

"The wolves have a ritual, where their dead are eaten by the remaining members of the pack," King Florian informs. "I can tell you right now, my wife and son would never do that."

"No one's perfect," Charming shouts, and everyone's attention is directed to him. "So, the wolves aren't perfect. You think Ben is? Obviously, he isn't. And neither is Chad."

"Prince Chad wouldn't eat anyone," Eric comments.

"No, but he is homosexually inclined," Charming divulges. "So, unless you'd like to repeal that law, he's not going to be a righteous ruler either." He takes a deep breath and brings his fingers to the corners of his eyes, as he chokes, "Sorry. I've been holding that in."

"How long have you known about that?" Aladdin asks.

Charming shakes his head. "Ben tried to tell me that Chad had a crush on him, but I was convinced it was just a figment of his imagination. After all, Chad was a true follower of Christ at the time, and Ben… he'd already made questionable choices." He faces the counsel. "Chad's been involved with Carlos de Vil since last semester. Apparently, things got serious between them, because Chad's really upset that they had to leave."

"Carlos de Vil wasn't required to go," Rapunzel inserts. "He could have stayed if he wanted."

"He didn't think their relationship was going to last," Charming comments, "and I don't blame him, not when we have laws against it." His eyes scan the counsel. "Those kids decided to spend the rest of their lives in that prison, because we don't accept people as they are."

"As they are?" Phillip repeats. "Does that mean you have no plans to deal with Chad?"

"What am I supposed to do?" Charming asks. "He can't stay interested in a girl longer than a month. I'd rather not let him hurt anyone else."

"What, then?" Phillip prods. "When King Ben wakes up, you're just going to let the two of them get together?"

"If that's what they want." Charming answers, "Sure."

"Unbelievable."

"Hey," Charming takes offense. "These are my kids you're talking about. Don't you think I know what's best for them?"

"Let me just say what everyone is wondering." Phillip's eyes narrow. "Why is it your kids ended up like this? None of ours have this problem."

"You're wrong," Aladdin speaks out, and the counsel looks at him. "Aziz has been struggling too. He told me I'm going to have to arrange a marriage for him."

"Arrange a marriage?" Eric questions.

"He's not interested in girls at all," Aladdin explains. "He's not even willing to take the time to date one. At least, Prince Chad made it that far."

"I think my son just has a higher sex drive than yours," Charming says, "but thank you for coming to my defense." He pauses. "If we were to discuss the sodomy law, what would you have to say about it?"

Aladdin takes a moment. "I would say that there's an extremist group in my kingdom who kills homosexuals, and it doesn't stop anyone from acting in sin. Humans sin. It's just what we do, but it doesn't keep us from helping the people we love. It doesn't make us bad people." He sighs. "And if even the most devout children of God can stray, then homosexuality must be more complicated than just having a lack of morals. These people aren't straying away from good. They're striding towards love. I think the law should be repealed."

"Your wife wouldn't be happy to hear that," Phillip mentions.

"My wife has her own problems," Aladdin dismisses. "She uses religion as a crutch. I'm trying to stay objective to the facts, and the fact is I met a lot of homosexuals when I was living on the streets. They got kicked out of their homes for it. They were still good people."

"You're using it as an adjective," Phillip notes, "as though these acts are who these people are."

"You can't choose who you love," Eric comments.

"Okay. So, there's a few people who only share attraction with the same sex," Phillip accepts. "What about the rest of us? What about people like King Ben, who would have never entertained the idea of a homosexual relationship prior to those villain's kids showing up. He was happy to be in a normal relationship. He and my daughter had two good years together, and now he's just all over the place. Are we really to make our people's children just as confused as King Ben by subjecting them to this idea that you can date anyone?"

"To be fair," Florian interjects, "King Ben said he had feelings for his mother prior to the villain's kids showing up here. He was already a lost cause."

"I hate to interrupt," Rapunzel says, "but that just proves what I'm about to say." She waits for them to turn towards her. "The sodomy law was signed in the same document that made pedophilia illegal. If one law goes, the entire document does."

"Then we amend the document." Charming gapes. "I understand your fears, King Phillip. I really do, but Chad didn't catch the concept of homosexuality from Carlos or Ben. He convinced your daughter to cheat on Ben with him so that Ben wouldn't be dating anyone. And as absurd as that entire plan was, it proves that homosexuality is not contagious. No one is going to enter a homosexual relationship if they're not already thinking about it on some level."

"Which brings me back to my point," Phillip argues. "For the average man who choses to be with a woman because it's the expected thing to do, what's stopping them from turning away from women altogether?"

Charming almost smiles. "Sorry. Um. Are you saying that if homosexuality had been legal, then you wouldn't be with your wife today?"

"I'm saying no man would." He argues, "It's not exactly easy to bed a woman. It takes time and commitment. If sodomy was legal, then men would be just pairing up and taking care of their needs then and there."

Charming can't help but grin. "Well, I can tell you that your sexuality is far more fluid than mine."

"Same," Eric comments. "I'd take a photograph over a man any day."

"We're getting off topic," Rapunzel jumps in.

"Look." Charming's expression evens. "I know I took everyone by surprise."

"We can't vote if we're not all present," Phillip asserts.

"I know." Charming continues, "Take some time to talk it over with your families and think about it. We'll reconvene when Queen Athena and a representative of the dwarf's reservation can meet." He purses his lips. "Who here thinks the wolves deserve a say in this vote as well?"

The counsel members glance over each other, before Florian opinionates, "They're animals. If they're going to have sex, they're going to have sex."

"You should ask," Rapunzel suggests. "Given that you're not handing the throne to Ace should King Ben take a turn for the worst… you should at least ask him if he'd like to come."

"But does he get a vote?" Charming questions.

"Yes," Rapunzel answers. "If King Ben was allowed to vote, his cousin can too." She turns to Florian. "These people are sick. Like your wife. It doesn't make their voice any less important."

"Those things are nothing like my wife," he denies. "They want to live like wolves? I say we treat them like animals."

"That's enough for today." Charming announces, "Thank you, everyone, for coming."

"You knew that Chad's homosexual."

"Took me a good minute to figure it out." Audrey's eyes widen. "It's obvious once you see it."

"See it?" her father questions.

"You know." She rolls her eyes. "Just how Ben's all he ever talks about."

"Do you think it's right?" he asks. "For them to be together, just because they're attracted to each other?"

"Right's not the right word." Audrey frowns. "But what's not right is that Chad strung me along—strung all of those girls along—when he didn't feel anything for any of us."