Mal woke up to find Ben gone, not that she was complaining about that. Mal was confused about the night before, she knew that her date with Ben and all the movies and snakes were nice but that last part… mal shivered just remembering it. The VK saw the note that The king had left on his pillow, realizing that he had gone for the day for royal work. Upon this realization mal wasted no time in getting ready for school and leaving the king's room.

In her haste to run and get back into her routine, Mal forgot to avoid Jane. She listened as the girl asked question after question, not bothering to give Mal a chance to answer any before moving onto the next. Mal tried to push down her annoyance at the young fairy's enthusiasm, however the look of sudden fear that flashed across Jane's face and the sudden burning behind her eyes told Mal that her eyes where glowing. Mal blinked away the Magic as quickly as possible, just hoping that no one would tell ben that she almost lost control.

The VK breathed a sign of relief upon seeing Evie approach, hoping she might notice Mal's discomfort and help her escape. Luck was not on her side, as had become the usual recently, and Evie simply started talking about her dress for cotillion. The bright side was that Evie and Jane could now just bounce idea's off of each other and Mal took the opportunity to zone out and take a moment to breathe. That moment was quickly shattered with the word "engaged". Granted they said "engaged to be engaged to be engaged" but that was still enough to snap Mal back into the moment.

Engaged? She was supposed to be engaged to the man who tried to… nope Mal didn't want to think about that. But he has said this was just a ruse! Date until the people where ready to accept more children from the isle then quietly break up so Ben could date more "princess" types. That was what they had agreed on, not Marriage! Mal could feel herself start to hyperventilate, words coming from her mouth that she had no control over, nor could she hear them. Mal felt her thoughts racing but couldn't seem to grasp any of them except for "engaged".

The panic came to a screeching halt in Mal's head as she heard the soft "Hey" from the exact person she had no desire to be around right then. Ben looked at her with a mix between concern and suspicion so Mal quickly schooled her own expression into a simile, even if it made her want to puke. Ben quickly put his arm over her shoulder and lead her away from the girls with a wave, thinking that they might have been giving her too much information at once. He knew she didn't always handle that well.

The pair stopped at a locker that had a spray painted "Evil lives" sign (mal still had no idea why he let that stay up, maybe something about reminding people of her roots?). "are you okay" Mal heard the soft voice but it still made her flinch. Ben frowned at the action but let it go as he could see Mal was really upset. "I have something to make you feel better" the king said these words with pride as he began to lead Mal away, not seeing her panicked expression.

Mal felt the need to cry with relief when she saw the thing that was supposed to make her feel better was a motor bike, much like the one Ben drove then on to the enchanted lake then to… Mal still didn't want to think about that. Mal gushed over the bike like she knew he wanted, giving him a kiss on the check and everything.

Ben seemed satisfied with her performance and let her go to class with a remined about their picnic later. If mal wasn't panicking before, she diffidently was now. She didn't know how Ben would react to find out that she had forgotten. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't a public thing? No, Mal knew better than that, he would just take out all this rage there and then as no one would be around to see. So Mal went to her last class, hardly hearing a word as she desperately tried to come up with a plan. She knew that she would only have 20 minutes between the end of her class and when she would have to leave, including the time saved on her new motor bike.

The bell rang and Mal scrambled out of her desk and sprinted for her dorm room to try to make anything for her picnic with the king. The fairy arrived and quickly realized that she had no food as ben didn't want her eating anything without his approval. Looking around in panic, Mal spotted her spell book peeking out from under her mattress. That was it! She knew there was a spell in there to make any food a delectable feast! Mal glanced at her watch as saw that she had 4 minutes left until Evie got back so the VK threw her spell book in to the picnic basket, then picked the lock on Carlos's food stash (old habits die hard), sealing his bread, peanut butter, and some jelly.

Mal knew she was absolutely breaking some kind of rule regarding vehicle speeds one her way out to the enchanted lake, but she knew she needed that time to get everything ready. Mal quickly made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on her only plate and cast the spell as fast as her fingers could move. Before her eyes, the single sandwich transformed into a feast of legends, specifically beauty and the beast's.

It was done with perfect timing, for just as Mal got her spell book packed away and hidden under some napkins in the picnic basket, Ben came walking out to her. Ben looked delighted with the meal, complementing Mal on everything and calling her the perfect girlfriend.

Mal's only mistake was letting her guard down just as Ben decided to get some napkins. By the time Mal realized what he was doing, he had already found the spell book.

"What is this?!" the words where more growl than speech. Mal felt her mouth suddenly go dry and she quicky stood up to back away from the angry king. "You had Maleficent's spell book?! THE ENTIRE TIME!?" Whatever distance Mal had put between herself and the Beastly Ben was quickly forgotten as he ran over to the scared girl, picking her up by her neck and throwing her down on the ground, still choking her. "What, am I just not worth you time so much that you just used magic instead?! YOU ARE DESPICABLE"

Mal struggled to breath in Ben's hold. She used the air that was left in her lungs and quickly chocked out "Sorry… forgot… panicked" If Mal thought the king's hold was tight before it was nothing compared to now. Mal felt the familiar buzzing in her ears and tingles in her lips that told her she was on the verge of passing out. Mal didn't want to pass out, she had no idea what ben would do once she did, so, in a moment of panic, Mal jerked her knee into the king's crotch.

Mal felt the hand release her throat and heard a low grown that told her that her strike met its intended target. Coughing and choking Mal picked herself up from the ground and tried to put up her hands in a peaceful gesture to Ben who had just started to rise himself. "Ben I'm sorry. If you will just let me explain-" Mal was cut off by a powerful, backhanded swing that knocked her into the lake.

Mal felt something sticky run down the side of her face and reached up to wipe it away. When she brought back her hand, she saw it was covered in blood. Mal was bleeding. And she could see it. That meant… oh. The enchanted lake washed away all spells. Including glamor's.

Ben must have seen it just as Mal did. He growled even more viciously. "This is all YOUR FAULT! You used magic on what was supposed to be a special date and RUINED IT. AND I have to buy you a new glamor." Ben ranted and raved as mal stayed frozen in the lake, not daring to move. Ben checked his watch, growling again, before he turned back to Mal. "If I don't order you a new glamor right now it won't be here before the weekend. You are to go directly back to my room and see no one and I will deal with you later." The lasts of the beastly king's words where so close to growls that it took Mal a seconded to figure out what he had said. Luckily, by the time she realized, the king had gone.

Mal let the cry that was caught in her throat lose, finally free to lose her composure. Mal turned to look at herself in the lake. There were four scratch marks along her cheek, right where the king had struck her. Ben must have had his claws out. Mal dragged herself out of the lake, examining her un-glamoured skin for the first time in months. She had often wondered what her skin looked like under the glamor, but she had never expected what she saw. There was hardly a square inch of skin that was not burned, cut, or marked in some way.

Mal wanted to throw up. Even the worst of the worst on the isle never had THIS many scars. Mal started her trek up to her bike, trying her best not to think about what ben had in store for her when he "delt with her later". Even the worst villains on the isle had never been known to treat anyone like this. So Mal instead thought of how Ben was when he said he loved her. Right before he shoved his hands down… no still not thinking about that. She thought about how he told her she was the best girlfriend ever. Right before he called her despicable and slapped her across the face. Mal thought about how he had told her he liked her the way she was, and then demanded she change everything about her. Mal didn't know what to think anymore. She was so confused. Was this love? Mal had never acted this way with her crew, she could even imagine it. The VK couldn't even stomach the idea of acting this way toward… not the time to think about that. Maybe she didn't actually love them? But not even the most loving villains on the isle treated anyone this way.

All of Mal's thoughts just seemed to lead back to the isle of the lost. Mal stopped suddenly as the idea stuck her. THE ISLE! OF COURSE! The one place Ben didn't and could never rule was an island full of villains! If she wanted to save herself, she could just go back. Plus, it was a big hit to Ben's image; what did he do to his girlfriend to make her abandon Auridon? It was a stretch to imagine that anyone would ask about her of that Ben wouldn't find a way to just brush them off, but that wouldn't be Mal's problem anymore.

Mal knew that Evie, Carlos, and Jay where well liked and famous enough to be out of the king's reach. Everyone would notice if the best dress maker in land went missing, or the captain of the ROAR team, or everyone's favorite inventor and tutor. With this the VK reached her bike and got on with a resolve that she hadn't felt since coming to Auridon.

Mal road to the shoreside, looking out over the isle of the lost. The Fairy chanced one more look back at Auridon and let a cunning smirk settle across her face once more, thinking about the message she sent to Evie to give to Ben. She then cast her spell and let the bike carry her home. Back to the isle of the lost. Boy, it felt good to be back.

(Ben's office)

AN: this includes a lot of ben's thoughts in his pov, I don't condone anything in this. Not gonna lie I kinda freaked myself out here so if abusive thoughts trigger you please skip this part.

Ben was angrily typing at his computer trying to locate another glamor just like the one Mal had ruined. The place he had ordered it from previously had discontinued it due to "legal obligations". Ben managed to find another one, at double the price. The king growled to himself as he placed the order using his private account. Mal would definitely be paying for that. Ben growled to himself again at the memory of almost perfect girlfriend lying to him so easily and betraying his trust. He had told her to never use magic! So why did she feel the need to do it for this. Was it that she didn't think he was worth the time and effort it took to cook? Was it that she thought he was stupid? What if it wasn't the first time?

Ben felt himself boil over with rage at his last thought. He would defiantly be asking her about that tonight. Ben knew exactly what he planned for her punishment tonight. Ben smirked to himself. Good thing his walls where soundproof.

Ben Started to gather up his papers when Evie burst into his office. The king hid his annoyance at his girlfriend's former crew member and her lack of knocking. "Ben." She addressed him. Ben gave her his best royal smile, secretly hoping she would hurry up whatever this was. He had stuff to get to tonight! "It's mal." Ben froze. Did she tell Evie? Did Mal take advantage of the broken glamor to show Evie the marks? But if she had, then why would Evie be coming to him? "She's gone back to the isle".

Ben had to forcibly lock his muscles in place to keep from throwing his desk across his office. The king as shaking in rage. She left him. Mal ran back to the isle he had the decency to rescue her from! He had given her a much better life here in Auridon! And this is how she repaid him! Mal should know better than that and if she didn't he was going to make damn sure she would soon.

Ben was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he almost didn't notice Evie handing him his beast ring. The one Mal always wore. Along with a note. The king took the note, probably a little more forcibly than he should have but he wasn't really worried about that. The note read;

"If you are reading this, I went back to the isle of the lost. I couldn't handle the stress of being in Auridon any longer, I just wasn't myself anymore. I'm sorry. Evie, Jay, and Carlos, you are not to blame. You tried your best to help but I hid the signs too well. Ben, it was fun. I won't be seeing you later.

-Mal"

Ben crumpled the paper in his hand. So that was it. She was trying to get out of punishment. The king couldn't decide if her desperateness made him want to forgive her or punish her twice as hard. he would have to decide when he found her. Ben groaned internally, realizing he would have to go get His misbehaving girlfriend. But he would be at such a disadvantage on the isle. That was Mal's home terf, she knew every hiding place and ben had never even been there . he would never find her. Unless… Ben looked at Evie. Unless he had help.

"I have to go get her and beg her to come home." Ben frowned at the thought of begging but had his back turned so that Evie couldn't see it.

"You'll never find her ben. You need to know the isle and-" Evie tried to explain but Ben cut her off.

"SHE NEEDS TO BE HERE." Ben slammed his fists on the table, cracking the wood. "I will bring her back" Ben didn't see the confused and scared look that flashed across Evie's face upon hearing his shout and low growled words as she was practiced in schooling her face into a pleasant smile in any circumstance.

Ben quickly quieted his anger and turned to face Evie again. "I'm sorry. I just… she belongs here. With me." Ben refused to meet Evie's eyes as he spoke for fear that she might see the anger in them.

Evie filed his reaction away for later, they had a mission right now. "Then take me with you." The words had barely left Evie's mouth when a quick and hearty "Yes" was spoken by the king. "Ok. Actually, we will need Jay and Carlos too. Safety in numbers." Evie took a deep breath before continuing. "let's get two things straight. One; you have to promise you won't leave me there."

Ben was struck by that thought. Leave her friends there. Isolate her from her only support system no matter how little it was. It was the perfect punishment for her running away. as for the picnic… well that was still to be determined. People would buy that the VKs had chosen villainhood. Right? Ben saw Evie waiting for an answer. "Yes" Ben lied easily. It was a gift of his. And she seemed to buy it.

"Two; you aren't going dressed like that." Ben looked down at his suit and groaned inwardly. He let Evie drag him out of his office and into her dorm as he resigned himself to the next few hours of being Evie's dress up doll. It would all be worth it though. Once he finally got a hold of Mal.