A/N Hey guys, i'm opening up my inbox to now start taking requests so hit me up some time, let me know if you enjoy it :) And Thank you to Gummybear1178 for this prompt
"Before we move onto today's weather I would like to bring up one more topic for this morning's discussion. For those of you who haven't realized, today is the one month anniversary of his Majesty's and Lady Mal car crash that left out trusted king paralyzed waist down and his Lady with a broken arm and a concussion. However, the driver of the vehicle wasn't as luckily as he sadly lost his life, for that, at 1 o'clock we will be holding a minute's silence for Pat Vindaloo, Their Majesties trusted and loved driver."
After the squeaky-voiced presenter finished this morning's news, Mal turned off the TV. Today was the one month anniversary of their car crash and since an innocent man lost his life. Since the crash Mal had been in and out of the hospital, mainly visiting Ben but also because of her concussion and her arm. The doctors did the best as they possibly could to nurse Mal's concussion, however, for Ben they gave him a wheelchair and some painkillers.
Since they left the hospital two weeks ago, Ben refused to let anyone see him and eventually he locked himself away in his chambers. Due to this, his parents have had to start governing the kingdom until Ben comes out of his depressive state, but for now, all he does is lay in his bed while Lumiere and Cogsworth bring him his school work. Ben had also given up on speaking to anyone via the phone or emails, he had pushed everyone away so that left Mal to make the one-sided phone calls at night, she would speak to him for hours on end about her day and he would listen until he grew tired. She was sure that her voice was the only thing keeping him alive at the moment.
Usually, every morning Mal would wake up, watch the news and gossip with Evie and that's all she had done since the accident as she wasn't allowed back into lessons until the doctor had 100% cleared her from any medical problems. However, this morning was different, Mal had decided that she was fed up of only speaking to Ben at night and never hearing him reply, she was fed up of only talking to Evie, Jay and Carlos. She missed Ben and she was sure that he missed her too. With that in mind, Mal crawled under her bed and pulled out her old school backpack and started preparing all the necessities she would need if she wanted to drag Ben out of his room, let alone his castle.
Mal packed her purse, snacks, spare clothes, a warm blanket and her leather jacket. She slung the bag onto her back and headed out of her dorm door, locking it behind her. As Mal started walking down the empty corridors, she pondered what she and Ben would be doing right now if that car crash didn't happen. She was soon broken out of her daydream when she reached the end of the corridor and was now face to face with a set of glass doors labelled entrance. Mal forced the doors open and made her way down to the little village that resided close to Ben's castle.
After going down several winding paths, Mal finally made it down to the village. She took a small detour through the park and ended up outside of Milo's Bakery. Ben's family loved all the sweet treats that came from this small bakery, so Mal decided to step inside. When she opened the small wooden door, a little bell rang that signalled the head chef that someone had entered the store.
"Ah Lady Mal, How's my favourite customer?" The Chef asked as he placed down a tray of freshly baked muffins that needed to be put on the shelves.
"Fine thank you, I'm just here to pick up something for Ben and his family, hopefully, it will cheer everybody up. How are you, Milo?" Mal greeted the chef as she shifted the weight of her backpack to her other shoulder.
"I'm splendid, the family are all hard at work making our new batch. Yes, I've heard today was the one month anniversary, what a horrible time, poor soul. How's that boyfriend of yours holding up?" Milo asked as he signalled his eldest son to come out from the kitchen to start stocking the shelves.
"Honestly, I'm not sure how he is, he won't talk to anyone so I'm hoping a cake will make him open up," Mal replied as she waved to the baker's son who soon waved back.
"Ah, yes of course, What can I get you?" Milo inquired as he pulled out a large plastic container from underneath the counter.
"May I have four large chocolate chip cookies in a separate bag please, two eclairs and a pack of six soft drinks with four slices of Carrot cake and two strawberry muffins with a batch of Jelly doughnuts and chocolate covered strawberries please," Mal ordered. Once she had finished, she pulled her backpack off her body and placed on the floor where she started fishing around inside looking for her purse. When she finally found it, she looked up at the baker who had already placed everything she needed inside of a large paper bag.
"Ah, My lady, please, free of charge. Send his Majesty well wishes." Milo insisted. Mal gave him an odd look but before she could say anything, Milo handed her the paper bag and gave her a warm smile. Mal placed her purse back in her bag and walked out of the bakery.
She then proceeded to carry on her trek to Castle Beast through a flower-filled forest. As she was halfway up the muddy path, her phone started vibrating. She pulled it out of her pocket and read the caller ID, it was Belle.
"Hello?" Mal spoke uncertainly, wondering why the former queen had decided to call her at this hour of the morning.
"Mal honey, I was wondering if you could make it up to the Castle at some point today. Adam and I are concerned about Ben, he is now refusing to eat and I figured he would be more willing to listen to you rather than his mother" Belle pleaded to Mal, her voice breaking.
"Of course, Belle, I'll be there as soon as I can and don't worry about food, I've just been down to the bakery Ben likes, I should have something he might eat" Mal was now sprinting up the muddy path, Mud sprinkling on the bottom of her jeans.
"Thank you Mal, I hope to see you soon" and with that Belle had ended the conversation, which Mal was quite thankful for as she was starting to get out of breath from running up a hill. Soon but surely, Mal made her way to the entrance of the castle, a journey that should've taken fifteen minutes had only taken Mal five as she sprinted.
Gathering her breath and strength, she lifted her arm and scrunched her fist and knocked powerfully on the grand set of wooden doors. After her third knock, Mrs Potts came and answered the door, quickly letting Mal inside the King's home. As soon as Mal took one step inside of the glowing room, Belle came running down the stairs. No words needed to be exchanged before Belle linked arms with Mal and pulled her up the stairs and towards Ben's chambers. Once Belle unlinked their arms, she turned to Mal and gave her a quick hug before mouthing the words 'Thank you'. With that Belle descended down the corridor towards her library, leaving Mal outside of Ben's door.
Mal, shaking, raised her hand up to the door and knocked twice, after receiving no reply, she placed the same hand onto the golden door handle before turning it slightly and hearing a small click. Slowly to not startle Ben, she pushed the door open and closed it again, dropping her backpack and the bakery bag onto the floor by his door.
"Ben?" Mal whispered as she looked at the back of him while he was sitting in his wheelchair staring out of the glass door that leads outside to the balcony. Gently she took a step closer and whispered his name again. After no reply, she took another step and repeated his name, time her voice broke as she allowed tears to flow down her cheeks.
"What Mal?" Ben finally replied as he turned around in his wheelchair, now his whole body was facing her, however, it was tense, he was waiting for her to gasp or scream or break up with him for not talking to her since the accident or breaking up with him for the way he was now. However, nothing could have prepared for what happened next, Mal jumped towards him and gave him the biggest hug any human, Fairy, Beast or Ogre could imagine, and for the first time in a month, Ben felt loved, he tried to return the hug but it was quite difficult with two big wheels and his legs blocking his body from hers. After a few minutes, she pulled away and wiped her tears away with her sleeve.
"I've missed you Ben, so goddamn much" Mal confessed, she stared into his eyes that were once filled with pain and boredom.
"Why?" Ben questioned, why would someone as loving as Mal miss him? Why would someone who could have any boy she wanted, miss him? Ben truly couldn't comprehend why she was here and why she cared. He felt as if all he was now was an outcast to society, someone that needed help to eat, use the bathroom, go to bed and move around. Why does she still love him? Was it out of pity?
"What do you mean Ben?" Mal asked, confused as she rested her once broken arm on his shoulder as she crouched down to meet his eyes.
"Why are you here? Why do you still care? Why would you want me? you could have moved on and found someone better but you chose to stay and pity me just like the outcast I am" Ben was angry and upset, He doesn't need her pity and he certainly doesn't need another person to treat him like an outcast.
"Ben, I love you, I have done nothing but worry about you for the past month. I care because you taught me to care, You, taught me how to love and be compassionate. There will never be enough words in the world to describe how much I love and care about you. I only want you, Ben, I don't want anyone else. Honestly, Ben, I can't see a future with anyone else but you. I want you, Ben, I want to be your Fiancé, I want to be your wife, I want to be the mother of your children and I want to be the grandmother to your grandchildren. Ben, you have to see that I will never stop loving you, no matter how many wrinkles, wheels or freckles we have. I promise Ben." Mal pleaded with Ben, showing him how much she loved him. A few stray tears fell down both their faces, Mal went to wipe them off but Ben stopped her.
"You love me that much?" Ben questioned
"Forever and Always" Mal promised as she moved towards Ben's face where they both shared one of the most passionate kisses they've had since the accident.
Minutes later they broke apart when oxygen became a necessity. Mal picked up Ben's hand and held it in hers. "A Little Birdy told me that you have stopped eating your Majesty and because of that and the fact that we haven't seen each other in over a month I propose a date" Male declared as she squeezed Ben's hand reassuringly, more for her than for him.
"Yes, My Queen, however, where do you propose we go, I don't know if you've noticed but I'm not in the best of positions right now." Ben tried to reason with her, right now all he wanted was her.
"Well my King, last time I checked, you owned a garden with a table and chairs with a beautiful floral arrangement, how about we dine there?" Mal questioned as she gave him one of her devilish smirks. One that he hadn't seen in a while. Ben only had to give Mal a nod before she zoomed towards the door when she picked up her bags and held the door open as wide as it would go.
"After you, my king" Mal curtsied
"Why thank you my Queen" and with that Ben rolled out of his chambers and down the corridor with Mal behind him where they were soon greeted by his parents, who mouths had dropped to the floor. They could never get Ben to move an inch but here Mal was giving Ben the confidence to leave his room.
"Ben, Mal, Lovely to see you again, where are you off to?" Adam greeted the love-struck couple as he held his wife's arm that was linked with his.
"Mal has convinced me to go down to the gardens with her for some lunch, would you like to join us?" Ben asked as he looked up from the floor and up to his parents.
"It would be our pleasure, to join you, unless Mal had other plans?" Belle interjected before her husband could reply, claiming that they had stacks of council work to do, she looked at the woman who had stolen her son's heart for an answer. Ben and Adam also looked to Mal, waiting for her answer.
"Of course not, please join us, the more the merrier plus it would be nice to have a good catch up," Mal replied, a huge smile covering most of her face. Everyone made their way down to the end of the corridor where they had begun to descend down the stairs whereas Ben had gone down the newly fitted ramp that was next to the stairs. Hearing commotion coming from the corridor, Lumiere and Cogsworth walked out of the family sitting room only to see the whole royal family at the bottom of the stairs walking out of the back door, it was a wonderful sight to see, Ben finally leaving his room but of course, Cogsworth had to ruin it.
"Ah your majesties, what a wonderful sight to see" he admitted as the family turned towards them.
"Yes Cogsworth, it's nice to see Ben again, we were just heading outside for a small picnic, would you like to join us?" Mal asked as she placed her hand on Ben's shoulder.
"No thank, me and Cogsworth have tons of work to do, but it's nice to see you again. Kayla is playing outside though and I'm sure she will be thrilled to see you again. Good day, your Majesties" Lumiere dragged Cogsworth away before he could interrupt anything else.
Adam opened the door as wide as possible to allow his son, his son's girlfriend, his wife and himself through into the back garden. Once they reached the back where the table and chairs were kept, they all chose a seat but not before Adam removed one from the table to make room for Ben. Everyone then turned to watch Mal as she pulled out the Bakery treats from the brown bag.
On the table, she placed down the Carrot cake, eclairs, four of the six soft drinks, strawberry muffins, jelly doughnuts and the chocolate covered strawberries. "Well you've certainly packed us a treat Mal" Adam commented and everyone at the table agreed, they were about to tuck into the baked goods however a squeal interrupted them.
"Benny!" Everyone turned to see the source of the voice, it was Kayla, Lumiere's niece. She had come to visit for the week as she hadn't seen her uncle in a while and she adored Belle's huge library and for a six year she was quite smart. She quickly ran over and gave Ben and Mal a quick hug before climbing on to Adam's lap. "Hello Kayla" Mal greeted her but she noticed that all of Kayla's attention was drawn towards the sweet treats that covered the table. "Want something to eat?" Mal asked to try and receive some of Kayla's attention and it seemed to work as the little girl started to vigorously shake her head.
Mal immediately dove back into the Baker's bag and pulled out the bag or large chocolate chip cookies. She was going to save them for her and Evie but what Evie doesn't know can't hurt her. Mal handed them to Kayla and the smile on the girl's face grew then times the size it already was.
Seconds later everyone dug into the treats that covered the table and before they knew it, the sun was setting. Kayla was rushed to Bed after drinking the last two cans of the soft drinks and Belle and Adam insisted on cleaning up the mess after Mal had gone out of her way to bring it to them.
"Thank you, Mal, for everything" Ben spoke finally after the two had been sat in silence for ten minutes, starring at the sunset.
"It's no problem, Ben, I missed you so much" Mal admitted as she rested her head on his shoulder.
"so, you're the only person that could drag me out of my room, what's next, to the local tavern?" Ben joked, however, he was not expecting her next reply.
"Actually …" Mal joked back. Ben just gave her a strange look which set off her laughing fit and for the rest of the evening, their giggles and jokes filled the warm air of the evening.