Family Maintenance

Author's Note

This chapter is a little short because of the way I mapped out the story. I think we have a chapter count, but I'm also the most indecisive person in the world, so we're going to put a hold on that, but we're looking at a total of 25, so if we do some math, we have about seven chapters left to go. I know I'm rambling, but I wanted to give you guys an idea of how much more angst (and fluff) we're going to go through! I've adored the journey so far and Wander has been so excited about the reactions this story has been getting, so keep the love coming! Anyways, enjoy this chapter!

Remember those reviews, I love seeing them!

Usually, when Mal encountered a problem, she would try and solve it head-first, with her leadership, Jay's strength, and Carlos's and Evie's combined smarts.

When it came to Ben, she chose instead to run off to her and Este's apartment and lock themselves inside, ignoring her friends' texts, which included Evie chewing her out for being a coward, which she was not . Carlos's and Jay's texts were mostly just teasing her about her feelings, which she absolutely did not have.

The texts also included Ben's desperate pleas to talk, which just the thought of facing him after… Her stomach turned itself over just thinking of it.

After so very professionally passing out in Ben's arms, Mal woke up in a pristine hospital room with a more or less worried Este in a more amused Evie's arms.

The doctor had stated she most likely had fainted from shock and after a few tests, Mal was discharged. She requested to be taken out through a back exit so she wouldn't have to face Ben or his parents, which resulted in a screaming Este as she didn't get to say bye to her daddy , and Mal almost fainted again.

Evie had opened her mouth to say something, but was quickly shut down when Mal's infamous irritated glare flashed across her face and the drive back to the apartment was silent, minus Este's wails.

Evie had helped settle Este for bed, tucking the sniffling child into bed while Mal washed her face and silenced her phone.

Mainly because the 619 and counting notifications from Ben were driving her crazy.

Evie emerged from the bedroom, her eyebrows raising at the black screen on the counter, Mal staring at it as if she could light it on fire with her eyes.

Which she probably could.

"M-"

"Not now, E. Thanks for the help," Mal said softly, brushing a strand of her hair away from her face. Her face was hardened. "Goodnight."

Evie didn't push further and had instead just hugged the shorter girl, kissing her cheek before leaving.

Mal rarely cried, but as she lay in bed curled up next to her small daughter, the tears still wet on her chubby little cheeks, her own tears sneaked out onto the corners of her eyes.

She felt horrible, guilty, for ignoring Ben, but it was for the best, wasn't it? She was trying to protect him from the mess that was her and Este, and trying to protect Este from the disappointment Ben could give her.

Seeing Este truly see Ben as a father figure… It would hurt when he forgot about them.

Mal fell asleep after several hours of lying awake, staring at the ceiling with her arm wrapped protectively around her baby.

And now, a week later, Este was writhing on the floor, sobbing, while Mal tried to finish up some schoolwork that was already two weeks late.

"Este, baby," Mal said, exasperated as she stood up from her desk to kneel beside her daughter. "Sweet girl, mama's trying to concentra-"

"No!" Este's fists pounded onto the floor and Mal winced. "No! No! Only Ben can call me that!"

Mal fought the urge to scream.

For the past seven days, it had been Ben, Ben, Ben, and Ben. Mal was trying to forget him, but Este was making it so, so, so hard.

It was Ben this, or Ben that, and while it was driving her nuts and made her heart thud like crazy, Mal didn't fault Este at all. Ben did act like her father. She was three, she would notice and figure that part out.

But it wasn't a great thing she figured that part out.

It also wasn't a great thing that everytime Mal heard Ben's name, her body seemed to have a mind of its own, fluttering heartbeats and jumpy butterflies in her belly.

They were just friends, though. That could happen to just friends, be attracted, but be just friends .

At least that was what Mal kept telling herself.

Her feelings were too jumbled to properly place her thoughts in order.

Mal sighed again as another yell ripped out from Este's tiny lungs and she stared longingly at her phone, wishing that the situations were different, where Este, and her, could see Ben as much as they wanted to.

Ben was just as miserable as Mal and Este were.

His eyes had dark circles from tossing and turning throughout the night, not being able to stop worrying about the two purple-haired girls that lived so near, but seemed so far.

His mind was all over the place- he had been late to three council meetings and forgotten to attend a castle staff meeting, which Lumiere had been all over his case about.

He had even forgotten to button his suit jacket and Akiho had to cover for him for a few minutes while he got himself fixed in the washroom.

Ben had promised everyone who asked that he was fine. As soon as Mal had been discharged, he had gotten his PR team on the job, asking them to state some reason that was not Este calling him her dad to explain Mal fainting.

It had worked, mostly.

Ben wasn't stressed out about the public, though.

Mal had ignored every single one of his calls and texts. Not even a single read. Gods, he had even emailed her. At this point, he was seriously debating on sending her a snail letter.

He just wanted, needed, to know if she was okay. If Este was okay.

And he wanted to apologize.

He knew Mal was just being cautious. He knew, and he blew it.

All chances of maybe being more with Mal.

Then again, he wasn't too sure if she returned those feelings.

Ben had realized the feelings when Mal had been in the hospital. He was terrified, maybe just as scared as Este was, seeing her normally sarcastic self lying unconscious on a hospital bed. Her purple gown stuck out amidst all the grey.

The sigh of relief and slump of his shoulders when the doctor had told him Mal was just fine, that there was no need to freak out.

Ben suddenly sat up in his seat at the council table and Belle ruffled her eyebrows. "Ben? Are you alright?"

That's it!

Mal had freaked out when Este had called him her dad, which had absolutely not boosted his ego at all, despite the circumstances. She was freaked out by their closeness, the growing bond between them, because he was the king of the perfect, goody-goody kingdom and the two of them were from the shady island.

Ben almost slapped himself across the face in realization.

"Ben?" Adam asked, concern lacing his tone.

Oh, he did slap himself across the face in realization.

"Sorry! I've got to run." Ben said, jumping up from his chair and collecting his binders.

"But we haven't finished discussing the agenda, sire!" Lumiere exclaimed.

The other royals' faces crumpled in confusion and Ben apologized profusely. "I have to fix something first. A very important something."

"Please tell me he's going to fix whatever the hell he has with Mal." Akiho murmured and Emir nudged him.

Belle raised her eyebrows and Ben flushed. "I have to talk to her."

"I was right!" Akiho beamed and Emir gave him a thumbs-up. A tiny smile came to his parents' faces and that was all the encouragement he needed.

Aside from wanting to hug the living daylights out of Este and maybe kiss Mal after he, hopefully, fingers crossed, fixed the whole situation.

He'd promise he'd always be by their side, crown or not. And he'd make sure to prove himself.

Ben fumbled with his phone, pulling it out of his jacket pocket, and his thumb landed on Mal's contact immediately.

I miss you both. Please call me. I just want to talk.