Chapter Seven

A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs who come out to play at times. Everything else is owned by Disney.

Hey all! I'm so sorry for the delay in updating! I've been trying to get my Ao3 account back up and running—so far I've gotten about four of my six Watch and Learn stories up completely, two of the three Choosing stories and about half of Truth or Fiction. And this story of course! I have the same username there so please, go and check it out! :D It'd be appreciated!

I'm going to try to maintain updates here—I just got caught up in getting everything up over there.

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

Mal sighed as she rested her head against the mast of The Lost Revenge. After Dizzy brought her back to her Isle self rather than the Auradon painted Lady of the Court she'd been pretending to be, Uma had made sure to tie her up where everyone could see her. Some of the crew had taken to jeering at her though some were kind enough to spare what provisions they had.

She'd refused, telling them to give it to any younger crew members they had. Just because she had history with Uma didn't mean Mal wanted kids to starve because they were pirates.

"Uncomfortable Princess?" Uma asked as she walked up, having heard the sigh. "Good."

"Actually I was just thinking you were getting lax on your rope tying," Mal shot back. "It's almost as if you want me to escape your clutches, Shrimpy."

Uma growled but shook her head, not taking the bait. "You talk a good game Mal but I know it's killing you to be bested by my crew. The defeater of Maleficent brought down by measly pirates."

"You didn't best me," Mal told her, narrowing her eyes as she looked at Uma. "You cheated, sending in Harry and Gil the way you did instead of confronting me yourself."

"I'm a pirate and a VK, of course I 'cheated'," Uma shrugged and sat down on the steps of the deck right in front of Mal. "Besides, you didn't exactly play softball with what you did to Harry's wrist so I think knocking you out was fair play."

Mal rolled her eyes and shoved down the slight feeling of guilt she had toward injuring Harry. She hadn't meant to do that, not in the slightest. But her magic had been flaring up even over in Auradon because she'd been forcing herself not to use it.

Well, scratch that. She was using it but only on herself. It was the only way to get the vultures known as the media to stop speculating when she and Ben were going to break up. But big magic? That wasn't something she'd done. It was harder to keep it under wraps for starters.

And…and the last thing she wanted was for Ben to be disappointed. Like he had been during their fight.

"How's it feel to be the King's girlfriend now?" Harry asked as he leaned against the mast. Mal ignored him though; the bandage on his wrist was in her line of sight and the last thing she wanted to think about was the fact that she'd hurt him.

That she'd broken her word, her promise to him, to be one of the few people not to hurt him.

"You'd better hope Jay comes through," Uma told Mal.

"Nice try Uma but Jay's not on the Isle," Mal said, resisting the urge to sigh. "He's got his own life in Auradon now."

Uma raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Then he must have a twin that none of us knew about because the person I met with? That was Jay. I ran with him for four years, I think I'd know what he looks like. Even if he's spent months getting soft over in Boreadon."

Mal couldn't help but freeze. Jay…he was here? On the Isle?

Well granted Evie must have found my note but I didn't expect Jay to follow me here, she thought. That note was just supposed to be a goodbye, so that way they wouldn't follow me. It's too dangerous for them!

"Wait…was that…?"

"Claudine?" Uma asked and Mal nodded, the sight pulling the purple haired girl out of her thoughts and back to the moment at hand. "Yeah see after you and Jay decided to split our crew, Harry and I decided it'd be better to hurt Freddy where it hurt first and recruited Claudine. He got us back by snatching up Shayla and Locklyn of course."

"How in the world did you keep that you snatched Claudine from Freddy a secret?!" Mal exclaimed, ignoring Uma's barb about Jay and Mal splitting the crew. That wasn't what needed to be the focus, especially since it wasn't true. Mal wasn't the one who laughed while her friend almost drowned after all. "Jay and I never heard about you bringing Claudine into your crew and I can guarantee you that would have been something that spread throughout the Isle."

"She preferred to be in the bell tower at Dragon Hall at first," Uma shrugged as if the news really wasn't that big of a deal. "Besides, if it didn't have to deal with you, you didn't pay attention to it."

"I'd say that goes both ways," Mal told her. "And there's no way Freddy would have been happy with you scooping up his sister. Even if he has nothing but distain for her."

Distain was probably an understatement if she was honest. The only reason Freddy seemed to remotely care about Claudine was so that it reflected well about him and his family's name. He didn't care about Claudine as a person.

Mal blinked in surprise, however, as she watched Claudine walk over to Henry and kiss him on the cheek. Her surprise only grew as Henry gave her a smile and returned the kiss before grabbing Dustin to work on sparring.

"…that's new," she said after a minute, taking that time to regain her ability to speak. "The kissing I mean, not the sparring."

"Yeah we're still not sure how that happened, when it happened or how long it'd been going on," Uma said, having followed Mal's gaze. "Trust me, it's weird walking into the supply closet and finding those two mid kiss."

"You find it weird cap'n? Claudine's practically my sister, the Captain did date her mother after all," Harry spoke up. "Actually she's only thirteen months older than Harriet and with how bad the Isle records are, she very well could be my sister."

"…since when did you learn how to count?" Mal asked.

"Claudine told me once when we were talking about it," Harry said with a slight shrug and Mal nodded. That made more sense now that she thought about it.

Okay…even if this is probably the strangest moment of my life, it also feels…a little nice. If Jay was here too, it'd even be like the split never happened, Mal thought. The thing is though…Jay is here. On the Isle at least. And if Jay's here, that means Carlos and Evie are probably here too. Probably thinking they could convince me to go back. At least Ben's not here, even if I kinda do want to see him. If the Isle's not safe for me, it's definitely not safe for him.

"Twenty more minute's cap'n," Harry said, pulling Mal once more out of her thoughts.

"You'd better hope Jay follows through on his word," Uma said. "Though considering what he's kept from you, I'd be surprised."

"Jay hasn't kept a thing from me. Unlike you, he's actually loyal," Mal said, her voice getting low. After all, Jay'd been there for everything. He'd been the first one to side with her when she decided to choose good over evil. Mal knew there was no one she'd want by her side than Jay.

Uma paused for a minute and then shook her head. "You keep telling yourself that Princess. Maybe it'll be a little comfort when you're swimming in the phantoms below the minute Jay doesn't come through."

Mal stared at Uma, slightly wide eyed as she heard that. "You do that, you risk Auradon cutting off all aid. Ben wouldn't be happy," she said once she'd finally regained her voice. No reason for Uma to know that she and Ben had broken up after all. Of course, Mal also had one trump card that she knew would prevent a trip off the plank—Uma was loyal to her family after all.

Mal's palms started sweating slightly at the thought of going into the water, but she curled her hands into fists to avoid Uma or Harry seeing. Being on the ship so close to the water was one thing but thinking about actually going in? That was another thing entirely.

Jay…I may not have wanted you to follow me but I hope you've got a plan, she thought as Uma and Harry walked off. I know we can't give Uma Fairy Godmother's wand but…I can't go into that water. Not again. I…I don't want to die with the last words I said to Ben to be what I said in our fight. I don't want to die having never said goodbye to you or Evie or Carlos.

But Mal knew one thing for certain. No matter what Uma claimed, about Jay not being loyal, Mal knew that Jay would always have her back. No matter what.

So why didn't that make her feel any better? Why did she still feel that crushing sense of dread every time the waves lapped against the ship?

More importantly, why didn't she ever get those swim lessons Ben offered to give her in the first couple of months after his coronation? Oh right. Her stupid pride.

At least Hadie doesn't know I'm back otherwise…wait a minute. He'd be on the Isle right now! He could get Steph! Why am I such an idiot?

Mal shook her head slightly and brushed off her mental link. Hadie? Hads?

Mali!

Yeah Hads, it's me.

Are…are you really back on the Isle?

Mal sighed. Yeah Hadie I am. Listen, I need your help.

Anything Mal!

Get your mom. Uma's got me tied up to the mast of the Lost Revenge. If there's anyone she'd listen to, it's her Aunt Steph.

But…but wouldn't Uma listen to dad more? Shouldn't I get him?

No Hadie. Mal thought but tried to keep any emotion out of her tone. Steph would be the better pick okay? Uma…Uma told me that Jay's on the Isle too so I want you away from the ship if you're here. I don't want you in danger if a fight breaks out.

Butt what's the point of training me if I can't help?

Just do it!

Fine Mal but I don't like it, Hadie thought and Mal shook her head. It didn't matter if he didn't like it, all that mattered was that Hadie was safe from harm's way.

Now all she had to was hope that Steph made it to the ship before noon. Before Jay came with the wand. Because if she didn't, there was no telling what would happen.