I Wish I was Dead
(Wednesday Afternoon, July 10th)
When the grey-haired doctor enters the waiting room, Ben stands from his seat, "Dr. Roberts. How is she?"
"Mal has been stabilized," he frowns.
Ben lets out a breath of relief, but Belle observes, "That's not it, is it?"
Ben looks from her to him, and he informs, "Under normal circumstances, we could let her rest until her body replenishes her own blood supply."
"But?" Ben prompts.
"The body uses blood to regulate the distribution of body heat," he concerns.
"She's losing heat faster," Ben realizes.
"Without a transfusion," he informs, "she's not going to be able to retain heat very well."
Belle relays the information to Evie, and she whispers, "It would be just like when she was sick."
"And that was just three days," Ben recalls, before he turns back to the doctor. "She isn't going to last two weeks like this."
His blue eyes meet him, "There is something."
He shakes his head, "Well, what is it?"
"There wasn't an exact match," Dr. Roberts informs, "but we did find someone with similar markers in the database."
"Really?" Ben hopes.
"That's wonderful news," Belle breathes.
"Her body may not accept the transfusion," he warns, "but it's the closest blood type we could find."
"Well, who is it?" Ben asserts.
Dr. Roberts hesitates, "You don't happen to know General Li's daughter?"
Ben's jaw drops, "Hell no."
"If you don't know her," he starts.
"No," Ben holds up a hand. "I know her." He turns to his mother and Evie in disbelief, "Lonnie. Why is it always Lonnie?"
"What about Lonnie?" Evie's eyebrows scrunch.
"She has Mal's blood type," Belle interprets.
"Not the same blood type," Dr. Roberts corrects. "She just has similar markers, distinctions that normally indicates what someone is as a species."
"She has the same markers?" Evie frowns.
"Not all of them." He nods, "But most of them."
"But Lonnie's human," Belle comments in confusion, before she turns to Ben.
"She is," he confirms in stress.
"Maybe she has a recessive set of genes," the doctor solves, and they turn to him. "Whatever she is, General Li's daughter is our only candidate for a transfusion if you really believe Mal won't survive more than a few days in this condition."
"I can call her," Ben informs.
The doctor nods, "Make sure she hurries."
"You self-centered ass," Ben hears, before he turns and notices the muscular teen head towards him.
"Who called Mal's brother?" Ben softly says, as his eyes widen.
"Not me," Evie hurries.
Ben looks at his mother, before Jay pushes him, "You think that because you're king, you can do anything you want?"
"No," Ben denies.
He grips his shirt, "No. You just thought you could use Mal, because she was your girlfriend and you could do to her whatever you wanted."
"No," Ben disbelieves. "I—I just…"
When Jay raises a fist, Belle moves forward to grab his wrist and place a hand on Ben's shoulder, eyeing between them, "That's enough! You're here to support Mal, not to fight each other. Am I clear?"
Jay lowers his fist but continues to glare at Ben, "You're the reason she's in here."
Ben gulps, glancing down, "I know." before the tears intrude his eyes. "It's because of this that I broke up with her in the first place. I thought she would be safe."
Jay emotionlessly eyes him, "Clearly, you were wrong." and he continues to stare at him as he goes to sit next to Evie.
Ben looks away from him, and he fearfully whispers, "You called him?"
"You know they're like family," she reasons.
"Which is why you should have waited for the transfusion," Ben worries. "Now, he's going to kill me."
She sighs, "You're exaggerating."
"Am I?" Ben offers an intense look. "On the Isle it's kill or be killed."
"Well, they're not on the Isle anymore," she dismisses, "and if Jay wants to stay in Auradon, he will behave." Ben anxiously eyes off, but when she places a hand on the back of his head to lower it and kiss his forehead, he lets out a calming breath and shut his eyes. "You're going to be okay. Mal's going to be okay." He grumbles, and she places her hands on his shoulders, "Everything's going to be just fine."
Jay crosses his arms, "Can I kill him?"
"No," Evie slowly responds. "I think killing the king would qualify as bad behavior and get you sent back to the Isle."
"I don't care." He narrows his eyes at Ben, "I still want to kill him."
"I don't think Mal would like that," she warns.
"I'd be doing her a favor," Jay counters. "He should be the one in there, not her."
"And Mal would still be blaming herself," Evie adds.
"I just can't stand him," Jay vents. "He has this whole good king act, and then behind closed doors he's just—"
"Some monster?" Evie finishes.
"At least on the Isle we didn't have to hide who we are."
"Speak for yourself," she mumbles. "Everyone there thought I was weak, because I believed in love and never fought my mother off."
"You couldn't fight your mother," Jay reminds her. "She could throw knives without even touching them."
"My point is," Evie continues, "I only survived, because I was under Mal's protection." She turns to him, "Ben's been good to me. You're not going to hurt him."
"He hurt Mal," Jay focuses on him, and Ben scratches his head before looking away again. "Look at him. It would be so easy."
"I said no, Jay," Evie furiously whispers. "He didn't mean to hurt Mal. You hear me? He loves her. You know that."
Jay watches Ben eye down away from Belle, "He loves his mother more."
"Well, true," Evie notices the tension, before she uneasily grins, "but it's not like he would ever like…"
"Have sex with her," Jay finishes. "I bet he's thought about it. I bet he would think about it with his own kids."
"Jay," Evie hisses.
"We should just kill him now, so no one else gets hurt." Jay plans, "I could take him into the bathroom to talk, strangle him… watch him try to bite me, and he'd waste the last breath he has by growling at me."
"Jay," Evie sternly remarks.
"That sounds good." Jay stands, "I'm doing that."
He starts to walk over to Ben, and Evie hurries after him, "Jay!"
"Hey." Ben turns around, and Jay suggests, "Why don't we go to the bathroom to talk?"
Evie places a hand on his arm, "Jay."
He gives her a look, "I just want to talk to him."
"What?" her thin eyebrows furrow.
Jay turns back to Ben and nods over to the restrooms, "You coming?"
"Jay." Evie says louder, "Mal wouldn't want this." and Belle eyes between the boys in concern. "Jay. She would tell you not to."
"Well, she can't, can she?" Jay yells at Evie, and Evie silences. He inches towards Ben with wide eyes, "Because, he took her from us."
"Jay," Evie moves her hand to his shoulder. "Mal is still alive."
"You killed her," his eyes pinpoint at him.
"Jay." Ben takes a step back and lifts a hand, "Hear me out."
He grabs Ben's wrist and pulls him towards him, "You're going to pay for this!"
"Stop it," someone steps between them, and she pushes them apart and to the ground.
Jay reaches for his head, before he notices the black-haired girl standing above him, "Lonnie? Is that you?"
She gasps, "Would someone like to tell me what's going on here?"
Jay jumps to his feet and points at Ben, "Why don't you ask him?"
Lonnie sadly looks at him, "Ben?"
Ben scratches his forehead, "Right. Uh." before he wets his lips, stands, and steps towards her.
She watches his mouth open and then shut, his eyes lowering, "Ben?"
He gulps and faces her, his heart beating faster, as his eyes shine and he slowly confesses, "I assaulted Mal, and she tried to kill herself." She eyes over him in disbelief, and he lowers his head, "Sorry. I…" The tears fall to his cheeks, and he meets her dark brown eyes, shaking his head, "I didn't mean to. I—" He gulps, and he places a hand to his head.
"Honey?" his mother concerns.
"I…" His eyes slowly open, "Where's the… water?" before he walks past everyone towards the restrooms. He takes out the tic-tac case and dumps a few pills into his hand, before he brings them to his mouth and takes in water from the fountain.
"Ben?" He hears her voice but takes another drink instead of responding. She steps towards him, "Are you okay?"
He turns to her, "What? Mal didn't tell you how sick I am?"
"What?" Lonnie questions.
"I should be dead," Ben frustrates. "I wish I was dead."
"Ben," he hears her exasperate.
Ben gapes at her, "Mother." and he notices the tears flow to her eyes as she brings a hand to her mouth. "Mother." He shakes his head, "I didn't mean it. I…" He sighs and whispers, "I'm sorry."
She widens her eyes and steps forward, "Don't you dare be sorry." before she shakes her head, hugs him, and sighs. "You have such a long life ahead of you."
"It's going to be too hard," he whispers.
She lets go and meets his hazel green eyes, "You can make it."
"I'm just…" He wets his lips, "I'm sick of being sick. I'm sick of… of everything."
"The doctor said it will pass," she reminds him. "Life will get easier."
"I'm miserable. I make everyone else miserable." Ben shakes his head, "What's the point if life just always completely sucks?"
"How about to keep your father off the throne?" she seriously suggests.
"I want Chad to be king," Ben immediately replies.
"Pardon?"
"If I die, I want Chad to take the crown from me," Ben meets her warm brown eyes. "The people are important to him, and he cares about what people think of him. He would feel accountable for his actions. He would be good to them."
His mother takes a moment, "We should meet with the lawyer to legally write you a will, should you…" She straightens up, "Should you die."
"Thank you," Ben frowns.
She sighs, "You're welcome." before she shoes him away. "Go, now. I need a minute."
He nods; however, after he leaves, Lonnie steps towards her, "Did you just say you're seeing a lawyer about a will, like a death will?"
Belle faces her, "You shouldn't translate languages you don't speak."
"Well, are you?" she asserts, but Belle doesn't answer. "You're giving him an excuse to kill himself. How could you do that?"
"Ben is ill," Belle sternly eyes her. "He doesn't need an excuse to die." She deeply frowns, "It may just happen anyway."
"What?" Lonnie falters.
Belle looks over her, "I'm surprised no one's told you."
Lonnie shakes her head, "I've had my own stuff." before she meets her eyes. "I could have misinterpreted something."
"Well, now you know," she settles.
"So, Ben," she makes sure. "He's like… terminally ill?"
"It's only terminal until it's not," Belle evenly expresses; however, even though she'd kept her eyes open, the tears slip to her cheeks, and when she shuts her eyes, even more fall. "He's made it so far," she whispers, placing one arm over her stomach and her other hand to her mouth. "He can't just give up now."
"Your Highness," Lonnie starts, but then she sees the doctor behind Belle.
"Lonnie Li?"
She frowns at him, "Yes?" and Belle wipes the tears from her face before turning towards Dr. Roberts.
"Are you at least sixteen?" he questions.
"Yes," she confirms.
He hands her the clipboard, "If you agree to the transfusion, you need to sign these." She immediately places the pen to the paper. "And on the next page." She signs that one as well, hands it back to him, and he smiles, "We're ready for you. Come with me, please."
Lonnie looks back at Belle, Belle nods, and she faces the doctor again, "Okay."
- At this point, I'm going to have to highly recommend that you read Side Problems: In the Pack, if you haven't already. At the very least, read the corresponding date to this chapter. You're going to miss half of Ben's story if you don't.