When Jay woke later that morning, he was shocked to learn that it was already almost noon. He hadn't moved as he slept, so he gently rolled over to see both Evie and surprisingly, Mal, staring at him with amused expressions. "What?" he asked unaware as to why, although he was happy to see Mal awake.
"You snored," she informed him weakly as she adjusted Ember on her chest.
Both she and Evie were nursing the girls, so he opted to dramatically flop back over and sulk. "I do not."
"Okay then," Evie joined in, "then why is there a bear in bed with us and why does he look like you?"
The laughter that erupted from the girls caused him to laugh as well; it felt good to laugh again. Mal seemed to be doing a little bit better, and that was a weight off of his chest. He then flopped over onto his back and crossed his arms behind his head as he stared at the ceiling in thought. All seriousness flooded back as he mentally prepared himself for their last day on the Isle. There was still just so much to do and plan for, and he knew he had to do most of it without Mal. She would want to help, but he wasn't going to let her overexert herself. She needed to rest; it was going to be hard on her tomorrow. He would spend as much time with her as he could to help formulate the plans before he had to pass them along to Roan. He scoffed at the idea. He always liked Roan, but he could be a little more hesitant at times. He was one of their best fighters but was also a little more laid back, taking in the details before figuring out what to do with them. As for Jay, he was always ready to jump in and deal with the consequences later. He was a great choice to leave in charge of the Dragons, but Jay wasn't sure if he would be able to do it all by himself now that things have gotten more serious in their absence. Dahlia was already acting like a second, maybe it was time to solidify that notion before they left.
Most of the day was spent coming up with plans for departure. After waking up with a little energy and doing some planning with Jay, Mal went back to being in and out as her fever burned, but she was able to hang on for most of it. And if things couldn't get any worse, Ember had gotten sick alongside her. She had a slight temperature and had thrown up several times, as had Mal. Evie didn't like making potions in the same room as the girls, but she had no choice as she had to watch Mal, as well as Ember and Kenzi. She was working on a variety of things, a sleeping potion being one of them. They were planning on giving it to the girls so that they would sleep as they were smuggled from the Isle. The other, the vitality potion, she was hoping would give Mal the amount of energy she needed to be able to spell them all. Mal would have to do two spells at once, something she hadn't ever done before; especially in her extremely weakened state. She was going to have to hide all of their injuries again to avoid questions as they made a break for the safety of their dorms. And at the same time, hopefully in a short burst, she would have to make the babies invisible within the bags they would be hidden in. They could all almost bet that their bags would be searched upon arrival. Evie could only imagine what sort of punch these potions would pack if they actually contained magic. But, if she squinted hard enough, she could almost imagine the blue shimmer of magic they gave off once they were completed. It was never there before Auradon, could it really be? If Mal and Maleficent could possess magic beneath the barrier, then why couldn't she?
After a long and hard day as well as one last fitful night of no sleep, Sunday morning came at last. Jay and Carlos had been in and out of the room, packing things up and double checking the emergency exit Carlos had sense enough to carve out of the wall the day before. They all dressed in long sleeves, this time Mal sporting the biggest sweatshirt she owned. What she wouldn't give for one of Jay's right now as it rubbed against her injuries. She had already used most of his and unfortunately ruined them. Even Evie couldn't get those blood stains out.
Evie packed for all of them, packing light because most of the things they would need would be given to them in Auradon whenever they needed. The thought made them sick, but it also allowed the rest of the crew to take what they needed of theirs. She saved the antibiotics for last, knowing that she had to smuggle those within her shirt; no one would dare look there. Evie had to get creative in her packing. She had to sew the babies' clothing into their own, making it look as natural as possible to avoid suspicion if their bags were searched. She had to forgo any toys; there was no way to hide those.
As the light finally began to filter through the room and the early morning shadows danced, it was time. Against everyone's wishes, Evie had slathered on her makeup over any injuries that would be peeking out of them all lest Mal's spell failed. Jay scowled the whole time she covered his face, but Carlos was a team sport. Mal scowled just the same, but she could only imagine how bad she looked. The rest of her crew hadn't seen her since the night she was found.
"Wow," Jay exclaimed when she finished up with Mal. "You look...normal."
"Geeze, thanks," Mal groaned with a tired sigh. She had no idea how they were going to pull all of this off. She could barely walk and when she did, her stomach screamed at her, her leg screamed at her, and her back joined in with the screaming as well. Her ribs felt as if they were coated in shards of glass, and her skin felt as if it were burning her alive. Her legs shook as they tried to support her, weakened on one side by the knife that had gone in and twisted, cutting it open and leaving nothing but agony and difficulties.
Carlos noticed the hesitation in her eyes and shuffled over to her. He offered Ember a goofy smile who was nestled pitifully against Mal before grabbing her in his arms. "Are you ready to move downstairs?" he asked her.
Instead of answering, Mal hoisted herself up and Jay rushed over to her side as well. She pushed him away as she swayed, but Jay wouldn't back off. "Let me help you."
"I got this, Jay," she growled as she nodded for Carlos to grab Ember for her. She had to work on appearing as normal as possible for Auradon.
"I know you think you do, Mal," Jay argued back, "and you probably do, but we don't need to push it. Save your strength until we are back in the dorms."
With her old fire and a tinge of green light illuminating her eyes, she whirled on Jay. "I said back off."
"Fine," he said with an edge to his voice, but he followed closely just the same. Right when they reached the stairs, he knew she wouldn't have made it, and he knew that she was not about to ask for help. So, he risked injury and slipped his arm around her, sneering triumphantly when she let him and grinning when she rolled her eyes. He let her go right at the bottom, because he knew that she wanted to look strong in front of her crew.
They were all there. The entire crew was squeezed onto the second level, and their eyes lit up in relief when they finally saw Mal for the first time after being rushed through after almost bleeding to death. They knew her injuries were hidden beneath makeup and her clothing, because the rest of the core four were missing the marks they had the day before. They could tell she was hurt though, they knew what to look for. Her eyes were glossy and dull from pain, different from the strong, determined look she always sported. Her chest rose and fell too quickly, telling them that she was out of breath and struggling. They also didn't miss Jay's hand resting on the small of her back to keep her standing strong, or Carlos on her other side, letting her lean heavily into him as she stubbornly tried to do it on her own. As Evie cradled Kenzi, her eyes kept flicking to Mal, obviously worried that she could collapse at any moment.
"We leave for Auradon," Jay started strongly, "but that doesn't mean we won't see you all soon. I'm sure you all know how important this is, for us to be over there. And while we are gone, it's not going to be easy for you guys."
Before he could continue, Mal held her hand up for him to stop talking. She needed to be the one to do this. "I almost died," she explained. "I almost died, but I got up and I'm going to continue to fight for all of us. I know you guys can do the same. Watch each other's backs, listen to Roan and Dahlia, and trust your instincts. We are all in this together," she finished breathlessly.
A coughing fit took over and she disappeared behind Jay and Carlos, hiding her from view as Evie worried over her. Concerned whispering muffled the struggling sounds as Mal tried to get her breath back.
To distract the crew, Jay took back over, happy that Mal at least got to say something. "As I told you all, we will have Hun spies all over the place. Even if you don't see them, they will be there. Only those assigned to a safehouse get to stay there. Regretfully, the rest of you will have to shelter elsewhere in your teams to watch each other's back. Only safehouse leaders will have access in and out. Roan, as discussed, you will be in charge as well as safehouse leader for here. Nova with Jasper, as well as any injured will stay on the top level with what supplies are still here. Those here to guard the safehouse will stay on the second and third level; no one stays on the bottom floor. The only time the emergency exit will be used on the top level is if we are infiltrated."
"Seriously guys," Carlos added in with his usual charm, "I worked hard on it." He had spent so long tearing off boards and chipping through brick and drywall to make the hole large enough for a person to fit through. It led to the roof on the building next door, and the recessed roof provided the perfect cover for anyone down below who may be looking for them.
"I need to see this," Jay said as he grabbed his chin in thought. "Everyone in this safehouse, move left, and everyone in the other, move right. Everyone else move back." The shuffling brought Mal back around to her original position, and Jay moved to the side without protest as his hand found its way to Mal's back once again. When the movement stopped, he looked to Mal for approval, knowing already that she would agree since she had been the one to plan it in the first place, she just hadn't seen it yet.
"I like it," she nodded, and then Jay voiced it aloud.
"For this safehouse, we have Nova with baby Jasper, Roan as leader, Mila, Ava, Finn, and Elliot. Safehouse two," he nodded in their direction, "we have Dahlia as leader, Octavia, Maddox, Leo, and Connor. Everyone else will be on the streets in their teams. None of you are to ever approach the safehouses lest you lead a Hun straight to it. Only Roan and Dahlia slip in and out. So, Brooks," he nodded as he listed them all, "Jace, Rhett, Luna, Thea, Ivy, Serenity, Piper, Aria, Thalia, Tatum, Oliver, and...Jaxon," he winked at the new kid, "you all have to be on your toes. Weapons are being run by other VK's, and we don't know what all is out there yet. Look out for the other innocents out there and use your best judgement to safely find the meeting spots."
Roan then stepped up and after a nod from both Jay and Mal, stood on the ledge with them. "Lets not forget that we have an alliance with Uma's crew. We're aligned, but that doesn't mean that we are all on the same side all the time. Keep out of their territory unless me or Dahlia give orders otherwise. If you come across any Huns at all...give them hell. No one is to be out there unarmed, and don't be afraid to use extreme measures. This is going to get bad before it gets better. The Huns don't know we are on to them, so let's keep it that way for as long as possible."
"Maleficent is planning something," Mal started again with a lower voice that she wanted. "We don't know what that is, but until then, just remember that she has Shan Yu's army behind her. Don't piss them off. I'm going to get you all out of here, you just have to be patient."
"We're with you, Mal," Dahlia said from the side with a proud smile. A chorus of low voices joined her, and Mal smirked back at them all proudly. She didn't know what she would do if even one of them died by her mothers hand. It was time to free the Isle of the Lost. After some last minute orders and clarifications, the Dragons began moving out of the safehouse as carefully as they could.
"We're almost there," Jay whispered to Mal in his arms as they moved towards the barrier where they would be meeting the Royal Guard. Mal hadn't taken the vitality potion just yet; she wanted to wait until the last possible moment so that it would last as long as it could. She had made it a few blocks before she started to trail behind as her breath started to fail her. As for the babies, they were slipped their sleeping potions right before they left the safehouse; they weren't taking any chances at them being found. Carlos carried Ember in a soft duffle bag, clutching it protectively to his side as they moved through the streets. Kenzi was in a large backpack strapped to Jay's back. They stuck to the shadows as they moved, the crew spreading out around them and alert for danger.
It was early, but most of the Isle was already stirring as they started their day. When they reached the square, it was already bustling with activity, but it was still sparse enough to give them all anxiety. It was too open for an attack. For all they knew, Maleficent could be planning to make a run for it as soon as the barrier opened. She could strike them all down. She could...do anything she wanted to them.
They had all planned on waiting in the square for protection, but it's gaping holes made them freeze in the alleys instead. They were early, but that was planned so that scouts could prowl the area first to make sure it would be safe for them to walk to the barrier when it was ready to be opened. After twenty minutes had passed, their lead scout, Oliver, ran up to them with an excited grin on his face. "We have company," he warned them before Thalia and Red appeared with none other than the Pirate leader herself. "Pirates are everywhere."
"What the hell are you doing here, Uma," Jay spat, still sour over the other day when she refused to leave their safehouse the night they brought Mal in. The square was a neutral zone, but it was still uncommon for Uma to be here in the first place.
Uma gave an unbothered laugh before pushing passed him and planting herself before Mal. Immediately, Jay swung to Mal's side as Carlos did the same while Roan, Luna, Brooks, Oliver, and Thalia pushed the pirate back, forming a protective line before them. Uma didn't even look offended at the motion and instead, she waited, annoyed, until she knew Mal would put a stop to the games. After a snap of Mal's fingers sounded from behind the line, it begrudgingly melted away but stayed close nevertheless.
"What do you want, Uma," Mal asked in exhaustion as the teal haired girl took in her appearance.
From afar, she had looked like nothing had ever happened, but she wasnt stupid. She had seen her lying on that blood soaked floor back in Hun territory. She had seen her the moment she stopped breathing, and she had seen the horrendous wounds that marred her body. Now, she saw the same things Mal's crew did, and her heart skipped a beat when she traced the outline of the injuries she had seen hidden beneath the makeup. "I waited at my ship for an update. No one came."
Mal arched her eyebrow in amusement, though she wasn't quite sure what the girl was going on about. "Jay?" she questioned, waiting for him to fill her in.
With a sigh, he relaxed which in turn caused the rest of the Dragons to relax as well. "I'm sorry," he breathed, "it's been hectic…"
With an unexpected laugh, Uma moved closer until both Mal and Evie tensed towards the boys, telling her immediately what was hidden in the bags Jay and Carlos carried. She immediately paused, nodding in their direction with a questioning look on her face. When Mal refused to acknowledge it, she knew they had the babies with them. "Well today is your lucky day," she called before backing away and moving into the square. With a shrill whistle, the Pirate crew amassed into the area, mingling with commoners and making it look fuller, as well as more protected. She came back over to them, and Mal smiled slyly back at her as dark clouds began to roll in.
"Everyone but Roan and Dahlia to the square," she ordered. Everyone did as they were told, and Oliver pushed out the rest of them from the alleys. They all looked so natural as they laughed with one another and essentially hung out. When Uma stayed behind, Mal nodded for Jay, Carlos, Evie, Roan, and Dahlia to move into a huddle. Looking at the clock, she noticed that it was five minutes before the bridge would extend to the Isle. She fished the vial from her pocket, wincing as the movement pulled at her everything. Her hands shook as she brought it to her lips, but when it was down, she immediately started feeling stronger. "Okay," she began as she made eye contact with Uma. "We learned some things that I think you need to know about."
"Mal…" Jay warned, but she shot him a death glare that immediately shut him up.
"My mother is controlling the Huns, which I'm sure you already know, but she also has Shan Yu's army in her back pocket...robe pocket?"
"Army?" Uma asked as she crossed her arms in disbelief. "What does she need an army for? She already controls the Isle."
The shrug Mal was able to produce gave Uma her answer, but she continued anyway. "I'm pretty sure she needs it if the barrier comes down."
"If? If the barrier comes down?" Uma's brow furrowed in slight anger as she prepared to throw accusations at the crew. "I thought that you were supposed to be bringing it down, Mal. What happened to that?"
"I never said that," she spat back angrily. "I'm still going to do what I set out to do, but I've got to find a different approach. Could you imagine Maleficent out there in the world? With an entire army backing her? She would rule both lands, Uma. Could you live like that? She would destroy us, she would destroy you for getting in her way. No, I'm trying a different way."
Uma was still angry, but at least Mal was still sticking to her word. Maleficent may rule the Isle, but Mal was going to set it free; she hoped. "What else," she asked as she softened her expression, though her teeth remained clenched.
Mal kept her gaze steady, debating on how much information to give to her rival especially after she had seen their safehouse. "My safehouse is off limits. We have Hun's tailing us, trying to find a way in. Our...organization is going to be different."
Uma snorted. "Your organization isn't planning on ignoring borders, is it?"
"Don't be stupid," Mal huffed. "All I'm saying is that if you need the Dragons, they won't be at the safehouse. Meet them in the square or at the orange building a few blocks from the safehouse. Someone will be there and can quickly get everyone together."
Uma chewed over the information for a few seconds before giving Mal a respectful nod, and then smirked at the bags the boys were carrying. "Take care of them."
Mal nodded back, and then Uma rejoined the mixed crews in the square. All was fine for a few more minutes, but then eyes started snapping over to the balcony overlooking the square. A dark figure cloaked in black glided to its edge, horns glistening in the fading sunlight right as the golden bridge extended from Auradon. As is by some cue, a light drizzle began to fall, and Maleficent's eyes searched the square for her daughter.
Mal felt her mother searching for her. Her mind began to feel heavier and she knew that Maleficent was flexing her magics to do so. She slammed up a mental barrier which in turn caused her to release the breath she was holding, the strain from it already taking a toll on her body.
"Mal, what is it?" Evie asked when she noticed the change in her.
Mal shook her head and rubbed at her temple before Evie snatched her hand away. She didn't want her undoing all of her hard work to cover what she could. "She's looking for me. We need to get out of here; now," she demanded when the royal limo came into sight.
The small crew around her had heard her and threw on their hoods before giving each other a little space and moving unseen through the crowd. The tension between them could be cut with a knife as they all had a target on their backs. A small commotion on the other side of the square caught their attention, and Mal knew that it was Uma providing some sort of distraction until they could make it to the barrier gate. Once they were there, it would be too hard to get across the crowded area and towards them without causing some sort of uproar. They made it just in time, and the guards exited their vehicle that was in front of the limo they were to be occupying.
Mal, Jay, Evie, and Carlos all stepped forward and met the guards, the shimmering barrier still between them. They could feel their judgemental eyes raking over them as they did their best to appear as unthreatening as they could hiding beneath layers of clothing and makeup.
"Where are your parents?" the lead guard asked as his eyes peered into the bustling square behind them.
A gruff "they didn't feel like coming" came from Jay, but Mal scoffed and cocked her head behind her to where she thought Maleficent was still. "My mother is here."
The guard let his eyes travel to where she had gestured, and Mal couldn't help but try and swallow some of the panic that was beginning to claw its way up her throat. "She looks angry," he said as his hand disappeared into his pocket for the barrier remote.
Mal forced herself to roll her eyes in annoyance. "When isn't she?" she asked him, and he grinned at her boldness.
"Fine," he sighed, clearly showing them that he was one of the ones that thought they should be locked in here for the rest of their lives. "Let's go."
The moment the barrier had even an inch of openness, Mal powers returned and recharged her, and she whispered the incantations that she had burned into her mind. First, she shrouded the girls hidden within the bags, and then she buried their injuries so that even the most perceptive eye wouldn't see the failing makeup that was attempting at hiding it as the rain tried undoing the hard work. The drizzle had turned into a harsher rain as they stood there, having no choice but to listen to every word the guards said until they were safe back in Auradon.
"Bag check," the lead guard said as he tried to forcefully rip the bag from Carlos. Mal and Evie had their hearts in their throats, but it was Jay who stepped in and had the man back off. Jay was the one who more gently pulled it from Carlos's shoulder and laid it on the ground in front of the man. By this point, Mal had recovered enough to peer behind her and saw that most of her crew and the pirates were hanging around the balcony her mother still stood on. A smile crept to Mal's lips when she saw the frustration that radiated off of the evil fairy at not getting the chance to get to Mal, but there was also a look of pleasure on the woman's face as the scepter at her side pulsed with a sickly green glow. She looked strong, and when she flexed her fingers down to the square below, Mal watched in horror as everyone there, villagers included, bring their hands to their heads as if in pain. As her fingers glided through the rain, Mal watched as Uma, Roan, and Dahlia were forced to their knees in pain and fought the urge to scream. Just as Mal was about to make a run to the barrier to plead for the guards to open it again, Jay caught her hand and forced her to stay still and keep the guards distracted. She couldn't bring attention to them or they would be sent back through and left there. This guard detail was not on their side and clearly would not put up with games.
As the lead guard went through Jay's backpack next, Mal turned and out of the corner of her eyes saw how the rest of her crew were already dragging Roan and Dahlia away as Hook did the same for Uma. As the search through their bags proved that the VK's were not hiding anything, a sudden realization hit Mal. Everytime the barrier opened, her mother grew stronger. The revelation sent Mal's mind spinning as she became more and more lightheaded at trying to keep her spells up. How could she have not realized it sooner? The barrier had opened a total of four times in the past few months. Once for the core four to be picked up, and then again as they left the Isle for the first time, and then once when they were dropped back off for Fall break. Today marked number four. She didn't think she needed to count drop days, because the ship just seemed to slide in. There was no opening of the barrier then, some kind of safety protocol or something. She exhaustedly shared this with Evie and the boys once they were in the safety of the limo. To say that they were horrified was an understatement. This was very bad.
Across the water, excitement instead of dread floated through the air. Ben was twisting his hands as he had been waiting for this moment the second he saw the royal limo disappear from his sight after dropping off the VK's back on the Isle. After talking with his parents and Fairy Godmother after sending them back, his mind had raced with endless possibilities of what life might be like over there. His mind also kept flipping back to the evening on the Lake, when all of them bore such horrendous scars on their bodies. The look of betrayal splayed across Mal's face had given him nightmares. Never would he want to hurt her or give her any indication of distrust. He was glad when she finally realized that he had no idea, and that he dropped the subject of being under her spell as well. He knew she was sorry for that, she showed it everyday.
The Beast family had arrived back to Auradon the day before after spending the holiday on the far side of their realm, and Ben wasted no time in joining in with the housing committee to make the VK return more enjoyable. He thought that a total room makeover would serve to lift their spirits, especially after hearing day after day how much Mal hated the pink and frills of their dorm. The boys never complained, but he knew that they would be jealous if their's wasn't spruced up as well. They were mostly done with the makeover when he joined in, but he was able to make a few personal touches.
Ben's father of course had been an endless pool of unknown. He had tried talking to him about what he thought the spell would show, but the King would brush him off every time as he went about his business. Ben had caught him the day before staring off across the water towards the Isle of the Lost. His face was unreadable, but Ben wouldn't approach him anymore about his thoughts. Honestly, he was afraid of what those thoughts might be. Today, he was hoping for some answers, but Fairy Godmother squashed them with a sad smile. The spell she had cast over the VK's to watch over them on the Isle would need time to collect itself before they could all see what the four were up to over there. Even his father looked a little disappointed, but he was still unsure about his intentions. He did hope though that they would share some things with him, and that they wouldn't have to use magic to coax it out of them.
As the clouds began to spill the rain they had been trying to hold back, Ben was forced to duck under his umbrella that his mother made him bring. It was quite large, so he pressed closer to Fairy Godmother and shielded her with it as well, right about the time the limo should be gathering the VK's. When the familiar sleek black car began to approach once more, the light drizzle had started to come a little harder. He was excited to see them, his worries slipping to the back of his mind as it pulled to a stop just as it did on the first day they had arrived. He couldn't wait to show them their new rooms and then take them to the day-long buffet he set up for the arriving students. He hadn't seen all of his friends in a week, and he was glad that they would all be back together in just a few short hours. Who he saw step out of the limo though, were not the VK's he had come to know.
Their eyes haunted him. They were all anxious and clearly over-stimulated as they flinched at the crack of lightning slicing across the sky and the news people rushing them with questions and flashing cameras. Guards and Fairy Godmother alike all rushed them as well, to get them out of the rain of course, but the way the VK's carried themselves, tense and overly aware of those around them told him that something happened. Jay and Carlos seemed to shield the girls and kept their elbows sharp and bags clutched to their chests to keep everyone away from them. Their wild eyes passed him with not so much as an ounce of recognition until he called their names. Only then, Jay looked at him with a flicker of recognition before offering a sheepish smile and hurrying away into the rain, leaving him and Fairy Godmother standing dumbfounded. Mal wouldn't even look at him, and as hard as he tried, he couldn't catch her eye. Either that or she was ignoring him. He would let them settle for a while and then check in on them. Well, at least they were back.
Get to the dorms, get to the dorms, Mal thought over and over as her lips kept repeating her spells. Her body was starting to fail and the potion she took was wearing off. As soon as she figured that the guards on the Auradon side weren't going to search their bags, she dropped that spell and focused on keeping the one up that kept their injuries hidden. The torrent of rain had washed away any attempts of hiding the injuries, so it was all up to her now until they could get behind closed doors. Little by little, she let parts of the spell fail as she fought to keep from passing out. All outward appearances were being hidden as they passed familiar faces in the halls, but those under their clothing would have been clear as day. A warmth had spread across her middle, and she slipped her hand over it to hide the blood that she knew was about to be soaking through.
Jay, Evie, and Carlos kept stealing nervous glances to Mal as they hurried along the obnoxiously lit hallways. It was clear that she was fighting so hard to stay on her feet, but her eyes were unfocused. Their situation was a double edge sword. Hurry so that Mal doesn't collapse in front of royalty and returning students, or take their time and have Mal definitely collapse in front of them all. The facade she had plastered on her face was unnerving to them. It was void of any emotion at all, and she was just letting her feet carry her as both Jay and Carlos pressed against her while they hurried behind Evie. By the time they made it to the girls room, they were all but propping up the fae girl.
"Bring her into the bathroom," Evie said gently as her eyes warily darted around the newly remodeled room; it was ingrained in all of them. Before, they knew of all the possible hiding spots where their enemy could be hiding. Now, it was all new. "Put her here," she directed as Jay gently shuffled Mal to the floor. "De omnibus dubitandum" she told him as he nodded to her in acknowledgement and backed out of the room to look for hidden danger. They resorted to different languages that they had picked up here and there in certain situations. It was different enough to throw off whoever was listening; Latin was their favorite.
The voices of her friends were all but a roar in Mal's ears as she felt herself ease onto a cold floor. The smooth surface reminded her of their dorm bathroom, but the familiar smells of their shampoos and soaps were non-existent so she couldn't be sure. Black dots swam in her vision and her head felt heavy, dizziness threatening to pitch her the rest of the way to the floor but she hung on. She had to know if they made it okay, but that thought was chased away when she felt her stomach heave for the third time that day. Some kind of object was thrust into her grip just as she lost the scarce contents of her stomach, but she recognized the texture of it to be the garbage can that Evie threw a fit over one day in the campus shop. She gripped onto blue and purple studded can for dear life as the effects of throwing up sent waves of pain wracking through her body once again as everything pulled and ignited pain. There was absolutely no energy left in her and the grip on the garbage can loosened, but somebody next to her took the hint and grabbed it from her. The faint smell of rain and lavender invaded her senses as warm arms pulled her towards it, and immediately she knew it was Evie. Her grip was loose and comforting, and her body was relaxed. That told Mal everything she needed to know; everyone had arrived safe back to their dorm.
"The room is clear," Jay announced as he popped his head back into the room, grimacing at the state Mal was in. "Is she okay?" He shuffled over to them and kneeled next to Mal who was now leaning heavily against Evie, eyes closed but he knew she was trying to fight through it.
Evie looked at him in uncertainty. "She's so weak, and she isn't responding to my questions. Either she can't hear me because she's exhausted, or she's ignoring me."
"Mal?" he tried as he reached to feel her forehead. The heat he felt radiating from it touched him even before it grazed her skin. Mal gave a slight jerk in surprise, eyes opening and looking right passed him; she couldn't see. He took back his hand and stood, linking both of them behind his head and blowing out a breath of anxiety. "Let her rest for a minute," he said, not sure what else to do. "Want me to get the girls settled?"
"Please?" Evie asked. "I need to get Mal changed out of these wet clothes. Well, we all need to get out of these wet clothes before we get sick. I'll work on Mal and then change. You guys can go check out your dorms after that. Cool?"
"Cool?" Jay snorted with a half laugh, crossing his arms and leaning against the door frame in amusement. "Are you in charge now or am I?" As usual, Jay always got her to smile when she was stressed. He also always followed her orders as well, so she knew she didn't need to ask him again.
"I'm right here y-you know," Mal managed to slur as her teeth began to chatter from the cold and fever. She weakly managed to gather herself up but Evie held her against her to prevent her from moving.
"Mal?" she asked uncertainly as some of the limpness against her began to tense. "Just sit here for a minute, okay? You just ran across Auradon Prep after almost dying a few days ago."
Both Evie and Jay were prepared for Mal to fight back somehow, but all she did was rest her head against Evie's shoulder and give a small nod. She understood her limits.
"Wow," Jay huffed, "that was easier than I thought." He then gently tapped Mal with his foot and laughed when she weakly flipped him off. With a more relieved laugh, he told them to call him if he was needed, and then closed them in the small room after flicking on the heater. They had forgotten about that luxury.
Evie didn't move for close to 10 minutes. She thought that Mal had fallen asleep, but when Mal lifted her head and then tensed suddenly, she knew she was wrong.
"What the hell happened in here?" Mal asked in a low voice as she warily surveyed the once familiar bathroom. All of the appliances were still there, and she was leaning against the tub with Evie, but the color scheme and accents were not how they left them. Mal felt Evie shrug, and then they both sighed at the chore it would be to become used to the room once again. It was almost like a violation that someone had been in here and touched their things.
Evie was glad that Mal was more alert. Now that she was, she needed to get her into some warm, clean clothes before she got any sicker. Her teeth were already chattering from the cold and pain, and her lips showed that bluish tint to them, a sign they now knew that they needed to watch her breathing. Shit. As she helped Mal out of her rain soaked sweatshirt, she became all too aware of the red staining the clothing beneath. She reached behind her and grabbed one of the new blue hand towels off of the sink and lifted Mal's undershirt. Before she could do anything, Mal snatched the hand towel from her and pressed it into the angry wound in her middle as she pursed her lips together when the pain followed it. "Mal," Evie warned, "take it easy."
"I can't take it any more easy than I already am, E'. And turn the damn light off, it's hurting my eyes." She struggled to sit up a little straighter, but the effort finally released the pressure she felt in her head in the form of a nosebleed. "Shit," she growled in frustration. She threw her head back for only a few moments before the amount of red draining into her throat had her gagging.
Evie let her panic in for only a moment before she grabbed yet another hand towel and held it to Mal's nose. She took in her friend's wet and dirty form before sighing and sliding over to the marble vanity, digging underneath for the first aid box. She pulled out what she wanted and slid back over to Mal after flicking off the lights, happy that some of the nosebleed had slowed. The tiny night light on the other side of the bathroom did little to illuminate the space, but they were all used to working in the darkness of the Isle. "I'm gonna patch you up the best I can, but I really think you need a doctor.
Mal arched her eyebrow at her in warning, and Evie immediately dropped the thought. It obviously was not up for discussion. Even in the dim light, Mal could still see some of the darkness in Evie's eyes that told her she was holding something in. "You haven't dealt with it yet, have you?" she asked the blue haired princess in regards to the Evil Queen's attack. When Evie stiffened, she knew that she was right .
"I'm fine, Mal," she said a little too dryly.
Her movements waivered, but Mal let her work on hiding the worst of her injuries under the new, dry bandages. She was avoiding her gaze, and that told her that she was struggling with what happened when her mother had her. She could push Evie, but she most definitely didn't want to hurt her. When she was done, Evie slid from the bathroom to grab new clothes for the both of them. While she was alone, Mal lifted the hem of her shirt and peeked at the now red stained cloth she still held to her stomach. She expected it to look bad, but she wasn't prepared for how little it had healed since she earned it. There was almost no progress at all and it hurt worse than ever before. The reality hit her then that she just may not recover from this one; something was very wrong. Trying to save Evie from the trouble and concern , she cleaned it the best she could in the dark with shaking hands, jumping in alarm when the door opened again and Evie slipped in.
"I could have gotten that," the girl said. Evie dropped the bundle of clothes at their feet and then sat on the edge of the tub, not even asking Mal if she could remove her shirt.
"Eves," Mal warned in concern, knowing that this was how Evie acted when something was on her mind and wanted to talk about it. She just couldn't make the first step herself. Evie just went through the movements, trying to keep herself distracted and focusing on the task at hand. "Talk to me." She winced as she helped to shrug off her shirt and shift so that her bare back wasn't pressing into the freezing cold tub behind her. She could feel her skin tighten around the stitches there as goosebumps littered her skin among the carnage there. Her body jerked subconsciously in pain and for a moment, that was all there was in the world; pain.
Evie's heart jumped into her throat when she noticed. She grabbed a towel and draped it around Mal's front, the least she could do to keep her warm as she inspected her injuries. Still she didn't speak. She wanted to, but Mal had already been through so much and she couldn't bear to cloud her already crowded mind with her problems. As she ran her hands down the shivering girls back, she sighed when they paused at Mal's rib cage, a silent signal that she needed to check on the broken bones beneath. Regret filled her soul when at her sigh, Mal dug her fingers into the bulky towel and bit into the soft cloth to muffle any sound that may rip its way from her throat. As she pressed over the purple and green skin, a soft moan from Mal had her hurrying along. She thoroughly rushed checking on the other wounds covering her friend; the stab wound on her shoulder, the dislocation of the other as well as broken collar bone, stab wound to her thigh, and then the rest of the broken and marring injuries that turned her stomach in anger and sadness. "I'm sorry," she told her when she was done and helped her into her clean dry clothes. The tiredness in Mal's gaze made her feel even worse when she didn't respond to her, but she knew it was just the exhaustion. "Come on," she started, "let's get you into bed and then go from there."
"No," she refused as she looked at Evie's clean and untouched clothes piled next to them. "Not until I'm sure you are okay." She wasn't about to let Evie deal with her thoughts alone.
Evie rolled her eyes at her as she moved to help Mal to her feet. "I'm fine, they aren't even that bad."
Mal wrenched her arm away from the girl and hardened her gaze. "That wasn't a request."
Evie opened her mouth to say something back, but the fire in Mal's eyes shut her up instantly. On one hand, she was sympathetic for what Mal was trying to do, but on the other, she was angry, and that was how she chose to express herself. She ripped off her clothes in a rage, hesitating for only a moment when she ripped the last bandage off...the one right over her rib cage. She stood before Mal, exposing herself to the madness of her mother and her goons that now marked her skin as she made sure Mal knew that she was forced to submit to her order completely against her will. Mal's calm gaze angered her more. She should be cringing at the sight before her, but that wasn't the point of what the Dragon leader was trying to do. In the back of her mind, she knew Mal didnt force her to show her the damage on her body; she wouldn't have punished her for defying that order and walking straight out of the bathroom. Evie realized that she bore herself to Mal willingly. Her best friend knew that she needed her.
"Come here," Mal 'ordered' the princess softly as she reached out one hand to her. That was all it took for Evie to finally break and collapse next to not her leader, but her best friend. This time, Mal held her as she finally addressed what her mother had done to her and just how much it was messing with her mind. "Evie, I hope one day you can see yourself how everyone else around you does. You are perfect," she told the girl. As Evie cried even harder, Mal did the best she could to clean the engraved word on her friend's body. Having arms wrapped around her neck was putting a strain on her, but she didn't care one bit as she finally covered the word so that Evie wouldn't have to. Out of everything that the Evil Queen had ever done to her daughter, she knew that the mental manipulation was at the top of her list of ways to break the Isle princess. It would take a long time for Evie to get over what had happened to her on the Isle.
"I don't ever want to go back," Evie cried into her. "Please don't make me go back to the Isle. I can't do it; I won't."
Mal held her as she promised. "You are never setting foot on that rotting piece of trash ever again."
After her sobs turned into sniffles, Mal was thankful that Evie was finally calming down enough to check over her injuries. The stitches to her other side had bled some, but Evie was able to clean them without breaking down anymore. Mal could see that she had put herself in a trance as she busied herself over the other cuts and scratches nestled among the bruising littering her figure. When she had finally pulled on her own warm, clean clothes, they both sighed at the thought of the worst being over. Or so they thought; the world always had a way of kicking them when they were down.
Eventually, Mal was finally in her own bed and content when Ember was next to her. The young girl was still sleeping, so Mal figured that it was as good a time as ever to get some sleep as well. Evie had chosen to do the same with Kenzi next to her, and the boys left to go check out their own room.
Jay and Carlos were hoping that their room hadn't changed much. They were happy with how it looked when they saw it for the first time ever. The girls' though needed a much better upgrade. A slight anxiety filled them when they walked in and indeed found it to be different. There were more reds, yellows, and blues throughout, as well as some upgraded furniture. A silent signal from Jay had Carlos searching his side of the room for potential intruders while he searched his own side. When the coast was clear, they both collapsed into their beds and breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's finally over," Carlos breathed as he relaxed into the plush comforter.
"No it's not," Jay breathed in frustration as he pulled himself to his feet and trudged to his closet, pulling out something clean and comfortable to wear. "It's only just begun." At those words, they both couldn't help but burst into laughter. It was such a cliche thing to say, but in the end, it was true. After they changed, he ended up throwing a bag to Carlos to pack as he did the same. "We are going to stay with the girls. I don't feel comfortable leaving them alone with the littles, especially with Mal in the state she is in."
"How is she, really?" Carlos asked as he shoved things in his bag. He knew the answer of course, he just wanted it said out loud.
Jay sighed. "Not good. She's going downhill fast. Evie says she isn't healing like she should be this time. We've got to come up with something to say when she doesnt show up for her classes. For all of us really."
"All of us?" Carlos asked.
"Well, duh," Jay scoffed. "Someone has to stay behind with Mal and the babies. I was thinking we take shifts, but we can talk about that when we get back in there." Before too much else could be said, a soft knock at the door sounded and the two of them jumped in alarm. Their minds slipped back to the Isle as they quietly crept across the room and took up positions on either side of the door.
Hey guys, it's Ben, they heard muffled behind the heavy door.
Shit, Jay panicked for a second. He looked to Carlos and pointed for him to hide out in the bathroom. He was in a short sleeve shirt and his arms bore the scuffles of the Isle from the past week. For himself, he threw his hood on and made sure his hands were gloved, hiding his bruised knuckles. When he was satisfied, he cracked the door and made sure Ben couldn't see his bruised face. "What," he demanded, cringing at how rough it sounded.
For a moment, Ben didn't speak. He was too stunned to until he cleared his throat, trying to remember where they had just come from. "I just wanted to welcome you all back. I hope your fall break went well!" When what sounded like a sarcastic laugh came from Jay, he realized that he was failing in this conversation. "Well...I hope you all like your rooms. Could I come in for a moment?"
"No," Jay said dryly. "Mal got us all sick. Wouldn't want you to catch a cold."
"Sick?" Ben repeated. "I'll go check on her in a second; see if she needs anything."
"We got it, Ben. Thanks."
This little reunion wasn't going at all how Ben pictured it. Something else was going on...or was Jay acting this way because he really was sick? Was that why they all looked so haunted when they arrived? Were they just sick? Either way, he would get the answers he was looking for when Fairy Godmother's spell was complete. He couldn't wait for that. "Well, then I guess I'll leave you guys to it." Just as he was turning away, he added in one last thing in the hopes that he could see Mal. "We are having a big banquet buffet for the returning students. You should all come, even if it's just for a minute."
"Sick, remember?" Jay said abruptly, adding in a little cough to make it sound legit.
"Oh, right," Ben said in disappointment. "Maybe I'll have someone bring some food over for you guys then. What do…"
"We're fine, Ben." Jay cut him off. "Thanks for the offer, but we all really just want to sleep."
And just like that, the door was shut and Ben was left in the hall, wondering what the hell had happened to his friends.
The boys slipped back into Mal and Evie's room with the key and locked it closed behind them. The four girls were still sound asleep, so they stashed their gear and relaxed in the room. Carlos pulled out extra bedding from one of the closets and threw a comforter to Jay, but he tossed it to the back of the couch and elected to climb into bed with Mal instead. The moment she laid down earlier had him worried when her breathing became more labored, and he wanted to be there in case it stopped. For the moment, she seemed fine so he left her alone as he pulled down the covers to see Ember curled up against her. A sheen of sweat covered her brow as well as her own fever burned. The tiny girl was pressing against Mal's ribs, and she knew it had to bother her, even in her sleep. So, he delicately pulled Ember into him and held her as she snuggled into him instead. One last look at Carlos told him that he had just checked on Evie and Kenzi, and he was now settling onto the couch before disappearing in a heap of blankets.
"Jay?" a voice whispered next to him; he thought Mal had been asleep.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" he asked, but when his gaze met hers, he knew that something was troubling her deeply.
"Jay," she began with a slight shake to her voice, "If something happens to me...if I don't make it, will you take Ember for me?"
Stone cold dread filled Jay as the meaning behind her words hit him harder than his father ever had. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he whispered back to her, but he could see that she was serious. She was looking at Ember cradled in Jay's strong arms, and he could see the beginnings of tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "I know you said no doctors because they could blow up everything we have been working towards, but Mal, you are talking as if you are dying. You're not dying."
"Jay just promise me, please?"
"Mal, I-'' he tried to start, but this wasn't just a conversation out of the blue. Her eyes were still staring at Ember and he knew that she had thought long and hard about this. She obviously knew something he didn't, but of course he would take care of Ember. "But why me?" he asked, shocked when her eyes finally slipped back to his and he could see the depth of what she was trying to say to him.
"Look at you with her," she whispered. "You love her as if she were your own; you always have. I know Evie would if I asked, but I'm asking you, Jay. Please take care of my baby girl when I'm gone."
"You mean 'if' you're gone," he added, but he understood the seriousness of what she was asking. This was obviously weighing heavily on her heart. "Of course I will, Mal. But you aren't going anywhere."
"Jay, listen to me." Her voice hardened and he knew she was giving him an order this time. "If it happens, you have to make me disappear."
"What the hell, Mal?" he argued as his voice cracked.
"I don't know," she admitted. "Do something so that makes them not look into it. You stick to the plan and save the Isle, Jay. When the time is right, Ben will get Auradon on our side, but not until he is King. Do you hear me? Don't you dare try and save me Jay."
He wanted to respond, but he couldn't. He was so shocked at what she was telling him to do. How was he supposed to just sit back and let her die if it came down to it? She would literally be sacrificing herself to save the Isle. If he were in her shoes, could he have had the guts to understand that? Hell no. Mal was the leader of the Dragons for a reason. Whether she makes it or not, she will be the savior of the Isle. All he could do was nod to her, but he knew she could see the absolute promise that he held in his eyes. The small smile that tugged at the corners of her lips told him as much.
Every one of them were wrestling with what the Isle had thrown at them. There was so much going one, and they desperately needed a break. They were all so exhausted and here, they could finally breathe for a few moments. The bed was comfortable and warm, the room was warm, and their clothing was new and warm as well. The room was clean and there was no violence happening outside of their door. If they were hungry, there was a buffet waiting for them, or they could find food in a matter of minutes instead of hours. They had a fully stocked first aid kit that could be replaced so unnervingly easy, and no one here wanted to hurt them. Well, the last one was a little tricky. Eventually, Jay allowed himself to surrender to the exhaustion that had been with him for the past week, and he fell into a deep sleep along with the rest of them.