Ch 2:

(Warning: the beginning of this chapter contains blood and gory details, just so you know if that makes you queasy)

Their bedroom mostly looked the same as it had last time Carlos was there. There was the vanity covered in Cruella's black and white wigs, next to an ironing board and washbasin, and a lumpy mattress on the floor.

But what was on the lumpy mattress is what made Carlos' heart stop.

His sister Chloe was unconscious on the lumpy mattress, laying on her side, her face partially hidden by black and white hair. Curled up next to her was a cat, but her leg is what made Carlos freeze.

Her leg was trapped in the steel jaws of one of his mother's bear traps.

"Chloe!" Carlos cried, bolting into the room.

The cat jumped in shock, arching her back and hissing with her fur fluffed up. When her green eyes landed on Carlos, she relaxed slightly.

"It's just us, Bee. It's okay." Carlos whispered quickly, dropping to his knees next to the mattress. He frantically brushed the hair from Chloe's face. It was drenched in sweat and sticking to her skin, and she was paler than normal and her skin was feverish to the touch. Even her freckles seemed paler. And bruises mottled her skin.

"This isn't good." Mal spoke from where her and Jay knelt at Chloe's feet. "This wound is definitely infected."

Carlos dragged his eyes from his sister's face to look more closely at the wound, and bile rose in his throat at the sight. The teeth of the trap were imbedded in the soft flesh of Chloe's calf, which was red and swollen to almost twice the size of her other leg, smelly, green puss coming from the wound. It was enough to nearly make Carlos vomit.

"She probably couldn't get it open." Carlos guessed. "When I got my leg in one of those it took both of us to open it."

Mal and Jay were already prying it open, and it clearly wasn't an easy thing to do. "Yeah, the joints are rusted, it's practically sticking shut." Jay explained, the slightest strain to his voice as they pulled it open. As soon as it was open, Mal practically tossed it across the room, safely away from everyone while Jay grabbed a thin sheet to wrap tightly around the wound.

"I'll carry her to the car." Jay decided. "If there's anything else you want, Carlos, grab it now. She needs to get to a hospital or something."

Carlos nodded, asking Mal to carry the chest while he carried Beelzebub. No way was he leaving his cat here, especially after she clearly stayed with Chloe while she was injured.

The group trekked out of the mansion and back the way they'd come. After a while, Carlos acknowledged that his cousin was still with them.

"Thanks for the help, Diego." he finally spoke, glancing over at his cousin.

Diego shrugged. "No problem. I've always said the two of you were too soft for this place." he joked slightly. "I'm glad you're getting her out of here." he added more seriously.

Jay glanced almost suspiciously over his shoulder as they walked. "And what's in it for you?"

Diego rolled his eyes. "Nothing, honestly. I mean, if you want to put in a good word for me with the King for the next group of VKs you bring over, I won't argue…" he trailed off, once again joking.

Carlos grinned, nudging his elbow to Diego's. "I was going to do that anyway, man."

They reached the limo with no issues, and Mal quickly explained the situation to the driver while Jay carefully set Chloe down on the backseat of the limo.

"Thanks again, Diego." Carlos told him.

"Yeah, and can you give this to Cruella when you have the chance?" Jay asked, holding out an envelope with the royal seal on it. "It's an official notice from the King, explaining things."

"So she can kill the messenger?" Diego joked, taking the envelope. "Sure thing, I'll make sure she gets it."

They thanked Diego again and said goodbye as they climbed into the limo. Chloe was laid out across the seat, and Carlos rested her head in his lap. Jay sat a few seats over, and Mal took her original seat, pulling out her cell phone to call Ben and update him. The original plan of meeting Ben, Fairy Godmother, and Evie in front of the school was officially cancelled. They would have to meet them at the closest hospital.

As the limo drove, a bit faster than before, Carlos stared down at his sister while brushing the sweat-soaked hair from her face. Her brows were furrowed in discomfort and her skin felt hot to the touch.

It had always been clear they were twins, though they used to look a lot more alike when they were younger. They both had fair skin and an abundance of freckles all over. They both had thick, black eyebrows and the De Vil's trademark black and white hair. While Carlos' hair was simply white with black roots, Chloe's hair was shoulder-length and more wavy than curly like his. It was white with a layer of black underneath and strands of black visible here and there, and her bangs were slanted to the right and mostly white with black underneath and a few strands of black visible from the roots to the end. They also had similar noses, though Chloe's was a bit more narrow, and her cheeks were a bit rounder. And while Carlos had brown eyes, Chloe's were green like their mother's. Right now, though, bruises covered her face. She had a greenish bruise, probably an older one, on her jaw, a darker one around her eye, one on her opposite cheekbone, and one just under her hairline, only visible now after Carlos brushed her bangs out of the way.

Beelzebub climbed over Chloe's hip to curl up against the curve of Chloe's belly on the seat, a quiet purr rumbling from her chest. With one hand still stroking his sister's hair, Carlos reached over to scratch the loyal cat's head.

The ride felt like it took forever, but Carlos was pretty sure that was just his internal panic talking. His eyes kept traveling to the sheet wrapped around Chloe's leg, the red stain on the fabric growing more and more as the wound continued to bleed.

He watched as, instead of taking the road that would lead to the school, the limo took a left and traveled around the edge of Auradon City. They pulled into the parking lot of a building that was as big as a castle, but much more modern-looking. It had a flat roof, an ambulance parked out front, and a sign that read 'Auradon City Hospital'. As the limo pulled up in front of the hospital, Carlos saw Ben, Evie, and Fairy Godmother waiting for them, all looking equally worried.

The limo parked, and Carlos helped Jay carefully lift Chloe out of the backseat so the older boy could carry her quickly into the hospital. Carlos and the others followed closely on his heels.

It was a blur after Jay handed Chloe off to a doctor. People talked, the doctor asked questions, they were ushered into a waiting room to sit. All Carlos could think about was his sister and whether or not she would be okay.

AN: Here's that early update. Sorry it's also short, but at least it's a few days early! And you'll only have to wait a few more days to find out exactly how Chloe ended up in such bad shape.

What does everyone think of me including Beelzebub in the story and having Carlos bring her to Auradon with them? I just couldn't imagine leaving her behind.

Thanks!