Hey Lovies!!

Here is the next chapter of Descendants: A Different Tale! I really hope that you guys like it! I know it took me a hot minute to update, but I am struggling in my organic chemistry class and I just got back from vacation. I am hoping to post... maybe in the next two weeks. I am going through a lot of school changes and I know next year, I am going to be entering my career program, so I won't be posting as often.

Again if you have any questions, do not hesitate to PM me or comment.

Missing Pieces is next!

ENJOY!


"Mal! Mal! Mal! Mal! Mal! Mal! Mal!" Audrey yelled as she banged on their bathroom door.

Mal groaned and threw her head back as she let her niece bang on the door. If she knew any better, and she did, she would think that Audrey was more excited for her and Ben's date than she was. It was all she had been talking about since Ben left their dorm room the day she got back from Olympus. Anytime that Mal's phone rang, Audrey would be over Mal's shoulder reading her text, wondering what Ben and Mal were planning for their date. She groaned whenever she found out that Ben had decided to plan the date himself, and started to badger him when she had seen him around school. It had only been a week, but to Ben and Mal, it had felt like a year. Mal shook her head, before she walked over to the door and saw Audrey standing close to the door.

"Yes, my dear niece?" Mal said as she leaned her head to the side.

"Are you excited for today?" Audrey asked as she pulled Mal by the hand and sat them both on her bed. "I mean you kind of have to be. It's your first date!"

Mal laughed at Audrey's eagerness. She knew she was just excited, but Mal started to wonder if she was this excited about Mal's first date, how excited would she be for her own.

"I am excited," Mal said with a firm nod. "I don't think as excited as you are, but I am excited."

"What are you going to wear? Did he tell you anything?" She asked.

"He told me to dress comfortably, which probably means that we are not doing anything fancy, which is fine by me," Mal said with a laugh. "He also said that I may want to bring a swimming suit, but I told him that I didn't know how to swim. You should have seen his face when I said that," Mal said with another laugh.

"I could only imagine," Audrey said as she laughed too. "And knowing him, he is going to want to teach you."

"He could try, but I don't know how well that would go," Mal said as she got up to grab her phone.

"Did he text you?" Audrey asked as she followed Mal to her nightstand.

"Yeah," Mal said as she read the text. "He said that he would be here in about an hour, and is hoping that it would be enough time for me to be ready."

"We have to hurry!" Audrey said as she yanked Mal's hand again and pulled her into their bathroom. "We have to make you look perfect," she said as she started to rummage through her makeup.

"Hold on," Mal said as she held up her hands, before Audrey could put any makeup on her face. "If Ben wants to go swimming, why am I going to do my makeup?"

"You have a point," Audrey said as she looked back down at her makeup caboodle. "How about just a little bit of blush, some mascara, and some lipstick or gloss?"

"That would work," Mal said as she smiled. "I don't use a lot of makeup anyway. Mom and mama said I don't need much."

"You don't," Audrey said as she lightly brushed some blush into Mal's cheek. "You are so beautiful you don't need anything. I think I just got excited and wanted to do the full works on you."

The hour flew by and before Mal and Audrey knew it, there was a knock at the door, making Audrey lightly squeal in excitement. Mal shook her head and walked over to the door and saw Ben standing there in a pair of dark blue jeans and a light blue shirt. His hair was neatly ruffled and he had a small bouquet of flowers in his hands.

"You look pretty," he said with a small smile as he looked at Mal.

She looked down and was glad that she chose a pair of overalls and a flowery shirt over her baiting suit.

"Thank you," she said as she looked down at her outfit. "You look very nice too."

"Thanks," he said as he looked down and remembered the flowers in his hand. "These are for you," he said as he held the flowers out for her. "I thought they were pretty and I thought of you when I saw them."

Mal smiled as she took the flowers into her hands and smelled them. She knew a lot about flowers and could tell what flowers were in the mixture just by the smell.

"Thank you," she said as she looked at him and smiled. "They are very beautiful."

"You are very welcome," he said as he shoved his hand in his pocket. "Are you ready? Or did you need a little bit more time?"

"I just need too…"

"I can take care of those for you," Audrey said as she walked up to Mal and took the flowers out of her hand. "You two go and have the best time ever."

"Okay thank you, Audrey," Mal said as she smiled at her niece. "We'll see you in a couple of hours."

"See you," Audrey said with a wave, before Mal turned around and took Ben's outreached hand.

She took it and they walked down the hall hand in hand, excited for their date. They didn't know how it was going to go, but they were hoping that it was going to be magical.


"Where are we going?" Mal asked as Ben led her outside of the dorms.

"I was thinking we could go to the enchanted lake," he suggested as they walked toward the student parking lot. "It's only a 15 minute ride and I thought you might like the scenery around it."

"I have never been," she said as she started to get excited. "Audrey has told me that your dad took you and your friends over the summer breaks. She said it is very beautiful."

"It is," Ben said with a small laugh. "I know my parents won't approve of us going without an adult, but I won't tell if you won't," he said just before a purple and blue puff of smoke appeared in front of them.

"Pain."

"And Panic."

Two creatures said as they bowed to Mal.

"Reporting for duty," they said together, before they looked up at the two teenagers.

"Nope," Mal said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Not going to happen."

Ben was confused as he looked from Mal and back to the creatures.

"Your daddy-o sent us to watch over you, Mallykins," Pain said as he walked up to Ben. "He wants us to make sure that there is no… funny business happening," he said as he looked Ben up and down.

"DAD!" Mal yelled, before a cloud of gray smoke appeared and Hades stood in front of them.

"Yes, my dearest princess?" Hades said as he looked down at his daughter.

"Take dumb and dumber home with you, now," she said as she pointed down at Pain and Panic.

"They are only here for your protection, Mally," he said as he smiled down at her.

"And do you remember the last time they 'babysat' someone?" She asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I thought we talked about this yesterday?"

She questioned, making Ben stand there very confused and awkward.

"Mom and mama both told you to settle down and not do anything stupid," she said.

"Me sending someone to watch over my princess is not me doing anything stupid," he said as he mocked her gestures.

She pointed at Pain and Panic who were not wrestling on the floor.

"You think having them watch me on my date is not stupid?" She asked, making Hades look to see his henchmen on the floor rolling around.

He shook his head and groaned, before looking back at Mal.

"Okay," he said as he ran his hand down her face. "You have a point and I guess you can go without them."

"Thank you," Mal said as she nodded and smiled up at her dad. "I know I am your little girl, but you have to know that I am 13. I am always going to need you, but you have to let me live," she said, making him laugh.

"Okay okay," he said as he nodded his head. "I will leave you two for your date. Just make sure you two have fun, and have her home before curfew Ben?" He said as he looked up at Ben.

"Oh course, Lord Hades," Ben said with a nod. "We are just going to the enchanted lake."

"She doesn't know how to swim," Hades said, making Mal look at him with wide eyes.

"I do know that," he said calmly. "There is a pillar that is on the water's edge, if she doesn't want to go in," Ben said, not missing a beat.

"And he told me, and I did come prepared, because I do know how deep I could go," she said as she looked up at her dad and tilted her head to the side. "I promise that everything will be fine and even if I fall in, I am sure Ben will play Prince Charming and save me."

Hades looked at Ben with a smirk on his face, trying to contain his laughter. He knew Ben was a good boy, but he was a father, and he needed to make sure that his daughter was going to be okay.

"I'll leave you to it then," he said with a nod. "Have a good time," he said as he smiled at the two. "Pain! Panic! Let's go."

"Soo… we… we aren't going to be following Mally and Beastie Jr?" Panic asked as she slowly walked up to Hades.

"No," Hades said as he looked down at them. "Mally is going to have a good time on her date, and if she doesn't," he said as he looked back at Ben. "Well, let's just say that… I'll be the one turning into the beast."

A cloud of smoke consumed Hades, Pain, and Panic. When it cleared, they were gone, leaving Ben and Mal to head toward the lake.

"Sorry about him," Mal said as she turned to Ben. "He is a little much."

"He's your dad," Ben said as he shook his head and held his hand out for her to take. "He's just trying to make sure you are safe."

"I am the princess of the Underworld, and not to mention that I am also the princess of the Moors," she said. "My parents are Maleficent and Hades, Persephone is my stepmother, Demeter is my step-grandmother, but my grandmother nonetheless," she said, making Ben laugh. "My sister is Princess Aurora, Queen of Auroria, and my uncles are Zeus and Posiden. I don't really think anyone is going to mess with me."

"You have a very good point," Ben said as he stopped them in front of his scooter.

"What is this thing?" Mal asked as she looked at the scooter.

"It's my scooter," Ben said as he grabbed the two helmets on the seat. "I told my parents that I want a motorcycle when I get older, and they told me that I need to do the basics before moving up to that."

"It looks like a mix between a motorcycle and a scooter," she said as she put the helmet on her head.

"It's better than the Vespa I was riding before this," he said as he kicked his leg over the side and held his hand out to help her. "I looked like a dork on that one."

She laughed loudly, before Ben kicked the pike into gear and they rode out of the parking lot. The ride was nice and Ben heard the small noises Mal made whenever she saw something she liked. When they got to the path, Ben turned off the bike and got off.

"We're here?" Mal asked skeptically.

"We have to walk a bit, but we will be there in 15 minutes," he said as he held his hand out to her.

She took off the helmet, before taking his hand and he led her down the path. It wasn't that long before they came to a bridge and Mal was holding both sides of the rope and swaying back and forth.

"This is beautiful," she said as she turned to face Ben and smiled. "How did your dad find this place?"

"He took me hiking when I was 7," Ben said as they continued across the bridge. "We came across it and we have been coming ever since."

"I can't wait to see it," she said as they came off of the bridge.

"Well, it's just over those rocks," he said as he pointed to the giant boulder and then Mal heard the water.

She looked up at him and smiled, before she started to walk faster toward the sound, with Ben following right behind her. She stopped when she saw the crystal clear water. There was a waterfall and a clearing that had wrecked pillars laying amongst them.

"Wow," Mal said as she walked closer and saw a picnic set up on the ruins. "When did you do all of this?" She asked as she walked onto the ruins and Ben followed her.

"I may have gotten up super early to pack the picnic and get it ready, before picking you up," he said as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "I even asked Audrey what your favorite foods were, so I could have them here for you."

She turned and smiled at him. She didn't know what a first date was supposed to be like, but she liked the one Ben had planned for them. They both sat down and started to eat, before Ben started a conversation.

"So, tell me more about you," Ben said.

"What do you want to know?" Mal asked as she wiped her hands on a napkin.

"Everything."

"Well, I am 13, going to be 14 in two months," she said. "My middle name is Bertha, and I swear, if you tell anyone I will be so mad at you," she said as she pointed at him, making him laugh and nod his head in understanding. "My favorite color is purple, I love to draw, but you already knew that," she said with a small laugh. "I live with my mom half of the time, and then I live with my dad, step-mom, and brother the other half of the time."

"You have a brother?" Ben asked with a bright smile.

"I do," Mal said with a nod. "His name is Hadie and he just turned 6."

"Wow," Ben said. "I have a sister," he said, making Mal look at him with a surprised expression. "She is 3."

"Audrey never said that you had a sister," Mal said as she sat on her knees.

"My parents wanted her to be out of the spotlight until she was a little older," he explained. "They used to hate all of the people and press who would try to bombard us on our outings when I was younger, so they only take her on outings to other castles or private parks."

"That's understandable," she said with a nod. "I would hate for Hadie to be in the spotlight at such a young age. Mama and dad didn't take him to Olympus to meet everyone until he was almost 3."

"I guess our parents have something in common," he said.

Mal said as she smiled, thinking about her brother. "He didn't want to come to take me to school because he was throwing a fit about me not going home as often."

"You two are close then?" Ben asked.

"Closer than I thought we were going to be," Mal said with a laugh. "He's a little fireball, but he's kinda cool, as far as 6 year olds go. He'll be coming to Family Day though," she said with a bright smile. "Mama said she was not going to miss Family Day even if Hadie let Cerberus out," she said, making Ben laugh.

"That's good," Ben said as he nodded his head and leaned himself against his elbow. "Rosalie will be there too. This is going to be her 'first' outing where the press will be there and my mom and dad are kind of nervous," he said.

"Everything will be fine," Mal said as she waved him off. "I bet if anything even attempts to go south, my dad, Aurora, or Ryder or Aziz will shut it down before it could get worse," she told him, making him smile. "I may do something too, but we will just have to wait and see," she said with a wicked smile, making Ben laugh again.

"Well, I am glad to hear that my sister will be safe," he said as he smiled up at her.

"Plus, family day isn't until next year," Mal said with a laugh.

"Very true," Ben said, nodding in agreement. "How is your pen pal project coming along?"

"It's going great!" Mal said excitedly. "Evie wrote back to me when you asked me out on our date, and I just sent my next letter to her."

"What is she like?" Ben asked.

"She is the daughter of the Evil Queen, she is the same age as we are, and she loves fashion," Mal said as she started to list all of Evie's interests. "She has two other friends and a surrogate sister too."

"She sounds nice," Ben said with a smile.

"She is," Mal said. "I know that this is a 'semester' project, but I think I am going to keep writing to her after all of this is done."

"Only after a letter?" Ben asked jokingly.

"I can tell who is a good person from a bad one," Mal said as she sat back on her butt and looked at Ben. "Because I wouldn't be here on a date with you, if you were a bad person."


When Ben and Mal got back to school, they walked back to her room. They just walked up to the door just as Audrey opened the door and pulled them both inside.

"Tell me all about it!" She exclaimed excitedly as she turned to face the pair.

"About our date?" Ben asked as he sat on the edge of Mal's bed.

"No," Audrey said. "About the weather. YES ABOUT YOUR DATE!" She yelled, making Mal and Ben laugh.

"What do you want to know?" Mal asked with a shrug. "We went to the enchanted lake and talked. Ben packed a picnic and we just got to know each other. It was really nice," she said, making Ben's cheeks flush a little red.

"Nice enough for you two to go on a second one?" Audrey asked with a smirk and snide smile on her face.

Ben turned to look at Mal and she was smiling down at him with a soft smile of her own. They both had a really good time, and I know they were both hoping to do it again.

"I would," Mal said as she looked at Audrey. "I mean… I had a good time," she said, before she peeked to look at Ben's expression.

He was smiling, trying not to laugh, making her roll her eyes.

"I had a great time," he finally said, making Audrey slump her shoulders.

"Of course you had a great time," Audrey said as she threw her hands out. "She is Mal. The best person on the planet."

"Okay, Audi," Mal said as she looked at her niece with a surprised expression. "I know you think I am the best, but not everyone else will."

"I do think you are amazing," Ben said, making Mal turn to look at him. "And if you would like, I would really like to take you on another date."

Her cheeks flushed at the compliment, and her heart started to pound in her chest hearing that he wanted to go out with her again. She was young to be dating, and not to mention that she never thought that she would be dating this soon after starting actual school, but Ben was really nice and she thought he was really cute.

She nodded her head, making Ben smile. He was happy that their date was a success, because he really liked Mal.

"Maybe we could plan for something at the castle," he suggested. "My parents made me a gaming room, but I have a bunch of movies in there and games too."

"That sounds fun," Mal said as she nodded her head. "We can plan something. I know we have a lot going on with spirit week coming up soon, so we can wait for whenever we are both free."

"Don't you babysit for your parents this weekend?" Audrey asked as she leaned on Mal's bed and smiled up at her friend.

"Yeah," Ben said hesitantly as he looked at Audrey with a confused look. "And I am concerned about how you know that."

"I'm Audrey. I know everything," She said, making Mal and Ben laugh loudly. "Anyway, maybe Mal could go with you," Audrey offered. "Mal loves kids. You should see her when she plays with her brother."

Ben looked at Mal who was shaking her head in amusement, as she looked at Audrey. He wouldn't mind spending a day with her, and maybe Rosie would love playing with Mal.

"I mean, if you want to come with me to watch my sister, I don't think that my parents would mind," he said as he scratched the back of his neck, hoping that it would be something she would say yes to.

"I mean, if your parents don't mind, sure," Mal said, making Ben look at her with wide eyes.

"Okay," he said as he stood up and started to walk backwards toward the door. "I'll give them a call and…"

"Hey!" Mal said as she held her hand out to him, making him stop. "You're about to back yourself into the door again," she said with a smirk.

He huffed a laugh before nodding and opening the door. "Yeah," he said as he turned back to look at Mal and Audrey. "Thanks. I'll talk to you later, ladies or I'll text you later tonight, Mal," he said.

"Bye, Ben," Mal said as she waved to him and he closed the door behind him.

"Sooooooo," Audrey said, making Mal look down to see her niece kicking her legs in the air and looking up at her. "Did he kiss you?"

Mal shook her head and laughed, before she turned and walked toward the bathroom.

"Wait!" Audrey said as she scrambled off the bed to catch up with Mal. "Where are you going? Did he kiss you?" She asked as she followed Mal into the bathroom. "I need answers."


Mal and Audrey were finishing passing out the cheer uniforms and were just getting back to their dorm when they saw Ben standing outside of the door. He had texted Mal saying that his parents said it was okay for her to go over and help Ben with Rosie, which they were both excited for. He told her that he would meet her at her dorms after he got his Tourly equipment, just in case she was going to be running later than anticipated.

"I finished early and you still beat me here," Mal said with a laugh, making Ben look up to see them walking toward him.

"We finished earlier than I was even anticipating," Ben said as he shoved his phone in his pocket. "I even took my stuff to my dorm and changed, before coming over here."

"How long were you standing here?' Mal asked as Audrey pulled her key out and unlocked their door.

"Only 5 minutes," he said as he followed the girls into the room.

"Okay, I'll just change and put these in my closet and then we can be off," she said as she walked into her and Audrey's closet to hand up her cheerleading uniform.

She quickly grabbed a pair of shorts and a baggy sweater, before walking over to the bathroom to change. She quickly put her hair up in a high ponytail, letting the short ends of her hair fall and frame her face. She put her phone in her pocket and walked out of the bathroom to see Ben and Audrey talking.

"I'm almost done," she said as she scurried over to her bed and sat on the edge to put her socks and shoes on.

"We're not in a rush," Ben said as he walked over to where Mal was sitting. "My parents aren't going to be leaving for another hour, and we are only 30 minutes from the castle."

"Okay," Mal said as she slipped on her shoes. "I just didn't want you to be late."

"Even if we were late, we would still be on time," he said with a laugh.

She laughed and shook her head, before she stood up and walked over to her nightstand. She was excited but nervous too. She had met Ben's parents, but she was about to spend the entire day with him and his sister. She put her phone in her pocket before grabbing her bag and throwing it over her shoulder.

"Okay, I'm ready," she said as she turned to him.

"Okay, let's go," he said as he held his hand out to her.

"See you later, Audi," Mal said as she and Ben walked toward the door. "I'll text you when I am on my way back."

"Okay, have fun," Audrey said as she waved at Ben and Mal as the door closed behind them.

Ben and Mal rode to the castle and Mal laughed as Ben sped up. He loved the sound of her laughter and it made his chest feel warm. When they got closer to the castle, Ben slowed down and pulled up to the castle, just as his parents and sister walked out.

"Benny!" Rosie yelled as she saw her brother.

Ben helped Mal off the bike and they placed their helmets on the bikes seat. He smiled up at the 3 year old, before he jogged up the steps and took their mom's arms.

"Hello, Rosie," Ben said as he threw her up in the air, making her laugh.

Mal walked up the steps, smiling at the interaction between the siblings. She thought that it was sweet and she loved seeing how happy Ben was to see his sister. When she got to the stop of the steps, Belle turned and smiled down at her.

"Hello, Mal," she said. "It's so good to see you again."

"It's very good to see you too, your majesty," Mal said with a small bow.

"No need for bows," Belle said as she shook her head. "We all may be royals, but we do not bow to each other here."

"Oh. Okay," Mal said, hesitantly. "Thank you for letting me come over."

"Thank you for coming to help Ben," Adam said. "Maybe we could come back to a semi standing castle this time," he said as he turned to look at his children.

"Daddy," Rosie said as made a face at him.

"Rosie," he mocked, making a face at her.

She tried to keep a straight face, but she cracked and started to smile, before Adam picked her up out of Ben's arms and started to smother her in kisses.

"Anyway," Belle said as she turned to Mal. "We will be back later, if you guys are hungry please let Mrs. Potts know, or you guys can order something, and can you please make sure that Rosie is in bed before 8?"

"Why are you telling Mal?" Ben asked as he walked over to his mom and Mal.

"Because maybe someone will remember what I said," she said as she looked at her son with a raised eyebrow. "Plus, if you need anything, call us or Mrs. Potts will be here," she said as she turned back to Mal.

"You got it," Mal said with a small laugh. "I promise that Rosie will be in bed by 8."

"Thank you," Belle said with a sigh of relief. "We'll see you later."

"Bye mom and dad," Ben said as he held his hands out for Rosie. "Come on, Rosie."

Adam gave Rosie to Ben and they waved bye to Adam and Belle as the limo drove away.

"Alright," Ben said. "Rosie, this is my friend Mal. Mal, this is my little sister Rosalie, but we all call her Rosie."

Rosie looked at Mal and smiled at her, before holding her hand out to her hair.

"Purpew."

Mal laughed and nodded her head. "Hi, Rosie," Mal said with a wave. "Do you like my hair?"

Rosie nodded her head, before she held her hands out for Mal to take her into her arms. Mal placed her on her hip, before Rosie started to play with Mal's hair.

"Boo too!" Rosie said in excitement.

"Yeah," Mal said as she started to bounce Rosie on her hip. "I have blue and purple hair."

"It pwetty," she said with a small laugh.

"You have very pretty hair too," Mal said as she twirled her finger around one of Rosie's curls.

Ben smiled at the interaction between Mal and Rosie, thanking the gods that Rosie liked Mal.

"Come on you two," Ben said, making both Ben and Rosie look at him. "We can play later, because right now, I'm hungry."

They walked into the castle and Mal stared gloriously at the ceiling above her head. The ceiling had a beautiful mural painted on it and it looked like it told a story. The delicate features made her smile and she wanted to fly up to see it, but she had Rosie in her hands.

"It's my parents' story," Ben said, making Mal break out of her thoughts. "They had it painted when the castle was first built, and always wanted the memory of their love story to be a permanent memory for everyone."

"I don't understand how it couldn't be," Mal said as Ben led her to the kitchen. "I mean it's a tale as old as time. How the beauty fell in love with the beast. I don't know a better love story."

"Hello," a woman said, making Mal jump a little bit. "Oh. I am so sorry, dear. I did not mean to frighten you."

"No," Mal said as she shook her head. "You didn't. Sorry, I'm Mal," she said as she walked up to the woman and held her hand out for her to shake.

"I am Mrs. Potts," the woman said with a kind smile.

"I Rosie," Rosie said as she waved at Mrs. Potts.

Ben, Mal, and Mrs. Potts laughed at the 3 year old, making her snicker and him her face in Mal's shoulder.

"Are you three hungry?" Mrs. Potts asked as she walked back around the counter. "I could make you something if you would like."

"Cookie!" Rosie yelled as she looked up from Mal's shoulder and over to the older woman.

"We don't have many cookies right now, Rosie," Mrs. Potts said. "And you need to eat something to make you grow big and strong like Ben."

"I want cookies!" Rosie yelled, making Mrs. Potts look at the young girl with an astound look.

"Hey," Mal said, making Rosie look at her. "What if we eat lunch and after, if it is okay with Mrs. Potts, you, Benny, and I could make some cookies?"

"Yay!" Rosie said as she started to bounce in Mal's arms.

"As long as you clean up the mess, that is okay with me," she said as she smiled at Mal and Rosie. "Now, what would you three like for lunch?"

After lunch, Mal helped Mrs. Potts clean the dishes, while Ben went to change Rosie into different clothes. When they got back to the kitchen, Mrs. Potts was gone, and Mal was measuring out some flour.

"Maw!" Rosie yelled as Ben put her on the floor and she sped over to where Mal was standing. "I up?" She asked as she held her hands up to Mal.

Mal picked her up and placed her back on her hip and she started to scoop the brown sugar out of the bag.

"Do you need any help?" Ben asked as he walked over to Mal.

"Sure," she said with a smile. "Can you get Rosie a chair to stand on? I think she would like to help me stir."

Ben nodded and walked around the counter and got a chair, before walking back over to Mal and Rosie. Rosie was eager to help Mal and was bouncing up and down, holding onto the counter so she didn't fall.

"Do you want a chocolate chip, Rosie?" Mal asked as she held a couple of chips out for Rosie to take.

Rosie took the chocolate into her hand and sat on her butt, eating them one by one, making Ben and Mal laugh. Mal turned back to the bowl just in time to see Ben sticking his finger into the raw bowl. She looked at him with an 'are you kidding me' look.

"What?" He asked, trying to hide his laugh.

"You are going to get sick from the raw egg," she said as she playfully shoved his shoulder.

"It's worth it," he said as he stuck his finger back into the bowl. "It shouldn't be that good then."

Mal shook her head and laughed before she took the bowl and walked around Rosie to start scooping them on the cookie sheet. She felt very… comfortable here. She didn't know why either. She never felt this way when visiting a new place, but this was different. She felt like she was home.

Mal placed the cookie sheet into the over, before she grabbed her phone and set a timer for 15 minutes to check on the cookies. When she turned around she saw that Ben was already starting to clean up, while Rosie was licking her hand that was covered in melted chocolate.

"Here," Mal said as she walked over to Rosie and picked her up off the chair. "We will wash your hands and then you won't be covered in chocolate."

Rosie clapped her hands as Mal walked over to the sink and turned the water on, making sure that it was warm enough for her. Ben placed the bowl and utensils in the sink next to the one Mal was using, before he noticed she had flour on her face.

"Look at me," he said, making Mal turn to look at him with a confused look.

He put his hand up to her eye and she closed them shut, not knowing what he was doing. He lightly brushed his thumb over her cheek, wiping the flour off her cheek. She opened her eyes just as Ben was pulling his hand away, and he gave her a small smile that made her chest feel full.

"There," he said. "You had a little flour on your cheek."

"Oh. Thank you," she said with a small laugh.

"Dry?" Rosie asked as she held her hands up in front of Mal's face.

"Yes," Mal said, looking at Rosie with a bright smile. "Let's dry you off and then we can check on the cookies."

"You think they'll be ready?" Ben asked as he passed Mal a clean kitchen towel.

"No, but I would like them to be perfect instead of burnt," she said, making him laugh.

"Very true," Ben agreed. "Do you want to color, while we wait for the cookies, Rosie?" He asked.

"Yes!" The 3 year old said eagerly as she nodded her head.

"I think I have some of my pencils and my sketchbook in my bag, if you want to get it?" Mal said as she gestured to her bag that was sitting on the other side of the counter.

"I can go and get her's," Ben said as he shook his head. "I wouldn't want her to ruin your pencils or notebook."

Mal shook her head and laughed, before she walked over to her bag and grabbed the leather notebook and pouch of pencils. She pulled one of the colors out and flipped the notebook open to a blank page, before she started to draw something.

"She won't ruin them," Mal said as she continued to draw. "These pencils never run out," she said, making Ben look at her in confusion. "I know I can't see your facial expression, but I can only assume you are confused," she said with a small laugh. "These were a gift from Hermes, before I came to school. He would always see Haley and I drawing, or in Haley's case scribbling," she said, making Ben laugh.

He saw that she was drawing a butterfly and it was very detailed and beautiful from the little time it took her to get where she is.

"He told me that these will never break, dull, or even need sharpening," she said. "And trust me, Herkie and Hercules both tried to break them and both had no luck," she said as she held one out to him. "Go ahead. Try it."

Ben took the pencil into his hand and tried to snap it in half, but it would not budge. He looked at Mal to see her looking back at him with a smirk on her face. He put it against the counter and put all of his weight onto the ends of it and it was still not breaking. Ben gave up and looked at the pencil to see that it did not even have a dent from the counter, before he handed it back to Mal.

"Wow," he said. "Do you think Hermes could give me a pen like that for my coronation? I think that would come in handy."

"I'll see what I can do," Mal said with a laugh, before she picked up her notebook and took a step back. "Want to see something even cooler than my pencils?"

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" Rosie yelled as she started to jump up and down.

"Okay," she said, before she blew on the page and the butterfly she drew flew off the page and started to fly around the kitchen.

"Butterfy! Butterfy!" Rosie said as she pointed to the butterfly.

"Wow," Ben said as he watched the butterfly fly around the room. "That's amazing."

The timer on Mal's phone went off and she closed her book, making the butterfly turn into glitter and fall into the counter.

"Aw," Rosie said as she looked at the falling glitter.

"Don't be sad, Rosie," Mal said. "The cookies might be done."

"Cookie!" Rosie yelled.

After the cookies were done and the kitchen was clean, Ben, Mal, and Rosie were in Ben's game room watching a movie. It was almost over, when Rosie turned to Ben and Mal and looked at them.

"Want to pay mwah," she said, making Mal look at her confused.

"You want to play?" Mal asked, making Rosie nod her head.

"Mwah!"

"What is mwah?" Mal asked and noticed Ben snickering next to her. "What?"

"Show Mal what mwah is," Ben said.

"Daddy pays mwah wit me," she said before she crawled over to Mal and grabbed the sides of her face. "I gonna mwah you!"

Mal was so confused, until Rosie started to kiss Mal's face all over, making her laugh and finally understand what mwah was. Rosie laughed, making both Ben and Mal laugh even harder. When she let go of Mal's face, she looked over at her brother and smiled.

"I gonna mwah you, Benny," she said as she crawled over to him and grabbed onto his shirt to pull herself up.

She started to kiss his face, and Mal couldn't help herself but to take pictures of them because they looked so cute. When she looked down at the pictures, the laughing got louder, making her look up to see that Ben was kissing Rosie's face all over. When Ben stopped Rosie looked at Mal and then back to her brother.

"Benny mwah Maw," she said as she pointed at Mal, making both Ben and Mal's cheeks flush pink.

Mal sat there, trying not to laugh, while Ben sat there as red as a tomato. He turned to peek up at her and saw her covering her mouth. He felt brave and scooted closer to her, before he grabbed her face and started to kiss it all over, making Rosie clap and Mal laugh. He kissed her across her eyes, forehead, cheeks, and nose, but avoided her lips because he did not want to overstep his bounds. Sure, he knew that they liked each other, but he was not going to kiss her without her knowing.

"Maw mwah me!" Rosie said, making Ben stop kissing Mal's face.

Ben looked down at Mal and smiled, before he noticed how red her face was. She was smiling, making Ben smile brighter, before he pulled away and Mal turned to grab Rosie's face to smother her in kisses.

When Belle and Adam got home, Mal was in the library reading to Rosie and she was asleep on Mal's shoulder. She heard the door open and saw Belle and Adam quietly walking over to her, telling her to stay quiet.

"Ben went to get her some pajamas, and we didn't want to wake her up…"

"That's okay, Mal," Belle said as she smiled at the young girl and then looked at her daughter. "How was she?"

"She was great," Mal said as she quested Rosie so Mal could face the king and queen. "We ate lunch when we got here, we made some cookies, which are still in the kitchen if you would like some," she said as she pointed at Adam, making him smile and make a bee-line toward the kitchen. "We colored, watched a movie, played mwah, ate dinner with Mrs. Potts and Chip, played a board game while Rosie colored, and then I read to her and she fell asleep," she said, making the queen smile brightly.

"Well, I am glad she was not a handful for you," she said as she brushed some of Rosie's hair out of her eyes. "Maybe you could help Ben babysit more often."

"It was funner to have someone here with me," Ben said, making him mom and Mal turn to see him walking in the room with Rosie's pajamas in his hand.

"Ben, 'funner' is not a word," Belle said with a snarky smile. "But I am glad you both had fun. Now, why don't I take her and I can take her to bed, so the both of you can ride back to school?"

Mal nodded her head, before she stretched her arms up. Ben had offered to take Rosie upstairs an hour ago, but Mal said it was alright. She had missed Hadie being this small, but it was a little different now because Mal was bigger and not 10 like when Hadie was 3.

"Ready?" Ben asked, waiting for Mal.

"Yeah," she said as she nodded her head again. "I want to see if Evie wrote back yet."

"That's your pen pal right?" Adam asked as he walked back into the library with about 5 cookies in his hand.

"Adam, we're about to go to sleep," Belle said as she shook her head at her husband. "Now you're going to wake up with a stomach ache."

"It will be well worth it, because these are delicious," he said as he looked at Mal and smiled.

"Thank you," Mal said with a bright smile. "I love to bake and Rosie wanted some cookies."

"She has your sweet tooth," Belle said as she looked up at her husband.

"2 and 0," Adam said with a glorious smile. "Ben and Rosie have my sweet tooth. But anyway, you were talking about your pen pal, Mal?"

"Oh, yeah. Her name is Evie and she is… she's from the Isle," Mal said as she looked down at her feet, trying to avoid the possible horrified looks on Ben's parents' faces.

"The Isle?" Belle asked, making Mal look up at her. "Adam and I weren't aware that mail was being sent to the Isle," she said as she looked up at her husband with worry.

"It shouldn't be," Adam said. "I'll have to talk to FG and we will have this sorted out, I am so sorry, Mal," he said as he gave Mal an apologetic look.

"No," Mal said as she held her hands out to them, trying to calm both parents. "I do not mind at all," she said. "Evie is actually a very kind person, and she is the daughter of the Evil Queen. She is our age and she loves to make clothes," she said, getting excited talking about her friend. "I chose the Isle because I have always found the Isle interesting and have always wondered about the conditions of it or if there are any children."

"Why?" Adam asked, before gaining a slap to the chest from Belle.

"Well, to be honest," Mal said as she held her hands in front of her. "The Isle could have easily been my home."

Adam and Belle stood there, not saying anything, because they didn't know what to say.

"I talked to Ben about this when we were at the sleepover, and we talked about it for a bit," she said.

"Ben has always been fascinated by the Isle," Belle said with a small smile.

"So I have heard," Mal said before she turned and smiled at Ben. "We both had the same thoughts about how the Isle could have been our home, or in my case, I could not have been born at all if things had turned out different."

"If you don't mind me asking," Adam said as he leaned against the couch. "How did you come along?"

"Dad!" Ben exclaimed in embarrassment, though Mal started to chuckle at the King's question.

"No," Mal said as she shook her head. "That is actually a very valid question. My mom is no fool, she said. Though my dad thinks he can get away with anything, let's just keep that in mind. My dad and Persephone were arguing, so my dad went for a stroll up here," she explained. "He came across the Moors and really enjoyed the scenery. That was until he came across my mother who was not very pleased to have someone come into the Moors uninvited. He tried to pull the "God" card, but my mom was not phased by his, and I quote, stupidity," she said, making them laugh. "They talked for a while and my mom was talking about how Aurora and Phillip were trying to have a baby. My dad asked if my mom had any children of her own, other than my sister. She went into detail about how after Aurora and Phillip got married, she had wanted to have another baby. Nothing came of anything after that, until my dad came back to the moors a couple weeks later, asking my mom if she would like to have a baby with him."

"Well that is something," Adam said, before Belle spoke up.

"I am just going to take her upstairs and put her in her room. I will be right back," she said as she quickly walked out of the room and upstairs.

"As I was saying," Mal said as she turned back to face Ben and his dad. "My dad asked my mom if she would like to have a baby with him, which made her very confused and, I quote again, really pissed off," she said, making Adam laugh. "He explained that he had no feelings for her, other than the utmost respect, but he thought that if they had a baby together, that they could have a very rare and magical child the land has ever known," she said. "My mother was still dumbfounded by the offer, but asked him how his wife felt about it, and that was when Persephone, who is mama to me, came and said that she would not be mad because a baby is a blessing and this would be a very special thing for the gods and the faes."

"Persephone was okay with your dad wanting to have a baby with another woman?" Ben asked, looking at Mal confused.

"This is what they told me, but knowing mamma and everything," she said, trying to hold in her laughter. "She was probably really mad, until dad explained what he was thinking."

"I don't know any woman who is that understanding or… I don't even know what the word is to describe this situation," Adam said.

"Me either," Mal said. "Mom said no to both of their faces, and told them to not come back to the Moors, because she felt that they were going to be ruining her reputation."

"Understandable, and may I say, an appropriate reaction," Adam said with a nod.

"Very true, but a couple of weeks went by and my mom kept thinking about my dad's offer. She said she had dreams about a little girl running in the Moors, and the thought haunted her dreams until she couldn't take it anymore," Mal said. "She summoned my dad and Persephone, and asked them the conditions of having a baby with Hades. They said that it would be a regular parental agreement, whatever that means," Mal said, making Adam laugh. "And that just because this was my dad's idea, doesn't mean that he is going to take the baby away from her."

"I would hope not," Ben said.

"And it was not a regular… baby making situation either," she said, trying to find the right words. "I was 'conceived' by magic," Mal said.

"Really?" Ben asked in excitement.

"I was," Mal said with a nod. "So, technically, I am not human, but I am just as 'real' as Ben and Audrey are."

"Your mother had a normal pregnancy?" Adam asked.

"Yep," Mal said with a nod. "Audrey and I are only two months apart and there are pictures of Aurora and my mom pregnant at the same time."

"And both sides of your immediate family are close?" He asked.

"As close as ever," Mal said with a smile. "Hadie loved coming to the castle, but Audrey hates when he gets into her stuff."

"Audrey never mentioned Hadie before," Ben said.

"Like your parents are with Rosie," Mal said. "Though my dad is a little more strict."

"Okay," Belle said as she walked back into the room. "What did I miss?"

"Mal was born from magic," Adam said, making Belle look at her in shock.

"What?"

"I was born from magic," Mal repeated. "I was not 'conceived' like a normal baby would be, but I am just as normal as Ben and Audrey, though I have very cool powers," she said, making everyone laugh.

"You do," Ben said, nodding in agreement before he yawned.

"Okay, I think we better be going, before Ben gets even more tired," Mal said. "Ready?"

"Yeah," he said with a nod. "We'll see you later mom and dad," he said as he held his hand out for Mal to leave first.

"Please ride safe, Ben," Adam said as he followed them out of the castle. "And could you please text or call one of us when you guys make it back?"

"We will," Mal said as she put her helmet on and got on the back of the bike. "Thank you again for having me over."

"Anytime, Mal," Belle said as Ben started to drive away, leaving the castle behind them and heading back to Auradon Prep.


Spirit week was crazy. Mal was in charge of a lot of things, but mainly getting things ready for the first tourney game of the season. She and the rest of the cheerleaders were busy painting signs for the game and making sure that balloons were everywhere. She was rushing to the girls locker room with the face paint kit her sister bought for her and Audrey last week, when Sudrey shoved a hat in her face, making her stop in her tracks.

"Pick a paper," Audrey said as she smiled brightly at her aunt.

"Um… hello. Nice to see you. Do you need any help?" Mal said as she shook her head and laughed.

"Hello. Nice to see you. Now, pick a paper!"

"Geez," Man said as she put her hand in the hat and pulled a paper out.

She opened it and saw the number 7 drawn on it, before she turned it around to show Audrey.

"What is this for?" Mal asked.

"We are writing the tourney players numbers on our cheeks for the game," she said as she turned around to walk away from Mal.

She quickly switched the hats in her hand, hoping Mal didn't see the switch.

"Okay," Mal said as she walked after Audrey. "Who is number 7?" She asked.

No one said anything, making Mal look at the others as they started to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Mal asked in confusion.

"Um…" Haley said, trying to control her laughter. "Ben is number 7."

Mal turned to look at her niece who's back was turned to her, and she looked like she was rummaging through something.

"Audrey Rose Beauty," Mal said, making Audrey freeze and slowly turn to look at her aunt. "Did you rig this?" Mal asked as she held up the piece of paper between her fingers.

"Me?" Audrey asked in astonishment. "Why on earth would you think I would do such a thing?"

"Because I know you," Mal said as she tilted her head to the side.

"Well, maybe you don't know me as well as you thought you did," Audrey said as she looked away from Mal and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, and my hair isn't purple either," Mal said, making everyone in the locker room laugh.

"Well, you can't change it now," Audrey said as she smiled at her aunt. "Everyone has picked and there are no more numbers to pick from."

"I'm not complaining," Mal said. "I just wanted to know if you rigged it."

"Oh… well… since you aren't complaining. Yes. Yes I did," Audrey said, finally admitting that she rigged the drawing.

Mal shook her head and laughed before she went over to her locker and grabbed her pom poms. She looked in the mirror of her locker and took a deep breath. This was not her. She was not the peppy type, but she was doing this for Audrey and Haley. She also knew that she would be good at it, and it would just be something she would get used to and enjoy. She fixed her shawl and skirt, before closing her locker and seeing Audrey smiling at her with pain in her hand.

"Okay," Mal said with a small laugh. "Paint my face."

Audrey squealed before she had Mal sit down and painted Ben's number on her cheek. When she was done, and was covered head to toe in glitter, Mal, Audrey, and the rest of the cheerleaders walked out toward the tourney field to wait for the team to run out.

Back in the boys locker room, Ben was pacing back and forth, not knowing what to tell the team before the game. He was nervous. He knew practices were going great, but now that it was game day, he was nervous to rally up his team.

"Hey," Az said, making Ben stop to see his friend standing in front of him with a smile on his face. "You got this. Just take a breath and lead us onto the field."

Ben smiled and nodded at his friend. He knew he could do this, but he just felt pressured about being 13 and the tourney team's captain.

"Okay," Ben said with a nod, before he shook his head. "Okay. I got this."

"Yeah you do," Az said as he playfully punched Ben on the shoulder.

"Alright, Knight!" Ben yelled, gaining the attention of his teammates. "It's game day! We have had amazing practices and I want the exact same effort put into tonight's game as you guys have put into practice," he told them as they looked up at Ben. He felt confident, but he wanted to know that he was no more important to the team than they were. "I know that some of you have been in this team longer than I have, and I know that there are some of you that deserve to be team captain over me. I am very proud to be a part of this team and I do not want you to think that I think I am better than any of you, because that is the farthest thing from the truth," he said as they continued to look up at him. "We are a team. There is no 'I' in team and if we work hard like we have been for the past couple of weeks, we can lead each other to victory."

He looked down at them and wanted to say more. He felt like he needed them to know that he means everything he is saying.

"Like I was saying, there are some of you who have been on this team…"

"Ben," Emir said as he held his hand up. "I have known you since you were 5. You have a heart of gold and coach asked all of us who we would want to lead our team to victory," he said as he walked up next to his brother. "We chose you. Not because you are going to be king or because we felt we had to. We chose you because we know that you are the best fit for the job," he said, making Ben smile. "Next year is my senior year and I know with you leading us, we can win the championships."

The entire team started to chant Ben's name, making his cheeks feel hot and turn red. This was his team and they were counting on him to be there for them.

"Thank you, Emir," Ben said as he knuckle bumped him. "I really appreciate all of you and the work we have put into our practices and the bond we have as teammates and friends. Now, who's ready to win!?"

"WE ARE!" Everyone chanted as they raised their helmets in the air.

"Who are we?" Ben asked.

"KNIGHTS!"

"Who are we?"

"KNIGHTS!"

"Let's go!"

Ben hopped down from the bench and led his teammates out toward the tourney field. They heard the cheerleaders start to cheer and jump as they ran toward them, and they started to shake their pom poms when they got closer.

Ben saw Mal's purple hair from 50 yards away. She was closest to the field and when he ran past her he saw that his number was painted on her cheek, and his cheeks turned hot again. He noticed that all of the cheerleaders had numbers painted on them, but knowing Mal had his, made his stomach flutter. She smiled back as he ran by and when all of the players were past the cheerleaders, they followed.

"You ready, Ben?" Coach asked.

Ben nodded his head, bouncing from one leg to the other.

"Let's get out there, knights!" Coach yelled, before Ben and the starting lineup ran onto the field to get into position.

Halftime came quickly, and Ben and his team were standing in the sidelines as the cheerleaders took the center of the field. A blue flame appeared on the side of the bleachers and Ben saw Hades and Persephone standing there ready to watch the Mal perform for halftime. Persephone crouched down and it looked like she was talking to women, and that was when Ben saw Hadie's blue hair flame up. He was going to walk over to say hello, but Persephone consumed Hadie and herself in a puff of green smoke, disappearing from where they appeared. Hades laughed and saw Ben standing where he was and gave him a wave and smile. Ben returned the gesture, thanking the gods that he was on Hades' good side, for now.

The music started and Ben turned just in time to see Mal and the other girls doing their routine, and he had to admit that they were very good. Ariana, Mal, Haley, and surprisingly Jane were doing back flips as the other cheerleaders were dancing. Audrey, Ariana, and Haley surrounded Mal and she put her hands on Haley and Audrey's shoulders. They hoisted her up and she was standing on the palms of their hands, before they pushed up and Mal did a flip in the air that made the entire crowd gasp. She landed in they three girls' hold and they placed her on her feet before she held up her pom poms and yelling 'go knights'.

Everyone cheered as they rushed to the sidelines and toward where the tourney players were standing. Mal went to get a drink from her bottle, and without hesitation, Ben walked over and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hey," he said as she turned to face him.

"Hey," she said with a smile on her face.

"You did great. Almost gave everyone a heart attack when they threw you up," he said with a small laugh.

"Yeah," she said as she nodded her head. "But everyone doesn't know that I can fly so…"

Then Ben remembered the trick she played on him when he and Chad got to the castle the night of the sleepover. He nodded his head, letting her understand that he understood where she was coming from.

"Hey, Mally," Hades said as he walked over to the two 13 year olds.

"Dad!" Mal yelled as she turned to hug her dad. "What are you doing here?"

"I was here to watch you and Audrey on your first game," he said.

"Where are mama and Hadie?"

Hades sighed and laughed. "Hadie was throwing a fit because he couldn't run to you and Audrey so Persephone took him home."

Mal laughed. "I get it," she said. "I know you can't stay long, but I am glad that you came."

"Anything for you, my little fae," he said as he put his fingers under his chin. "But you are right, I have to go so Persephone doesn't kill Hadie," he said with a laugh. "Have a good rest of your night and I'll see you soon," he said, before he turned to look at Ben. "Keep up the good work Ben. I see you boys have a good lead."

Ben nodded his head and smiled. "Thank you. We are trying."

"Alright," the god said. "Let me know how the game goes and I'll see you both soon."

Hades consumed himself in blue flames, disappearing from where he was standing.

"Ben!" Coach yelled, making Ben turn around to see that coach was gesturing for him to go back to the team.

"Good luck," Mal said, before she pushed herself up to kiss him on the cheek, making his face turn hot again.

"Hu… uh… thank you," he managed to stutter out, before he smiled down at her. "I'll… I'll um… see you after the game."

"You betcha," she said, before she walked over to get her pom poms and Ben ran back over to his teammates.

"Um… what was that?" Emir asked as he crossed his arms over his chest and Chad, Ryder, and Aziz were standing behind him.

"What do you mean?" Ben asked, hoping that they would drop what they saw.

"I saw a little fairy goddess kiss our future king," Emir said as he playfully punched Ben, making him laugh.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Ben said, trying to play it off.

"Yeah. Okay," Emir said with a scoff. "Let's go. We have a game to win."

The game ended with the knights winning 27 to 12.

"Meeting in the rec room?" Az asked as he nudged Ben on the shoulder.

"Yeah," Ben said with a nod. "I just want to go to my room and shower before."

"I think we all do," Az said with a laugh. "The girls are going to be there too."

Ben nodded, before he packed his bag and rushed toward the dorms. He was one of the last to leave because coach wanted to talk with him, but he managed to get to his room quick enough to take a shower and head down just as Chad and the other guys were heading down. When they got to the rec room, they saw that they girls were getting pillows, blankets and snacks ready for everyone.

"Hey, guys," Patch said as he walked up behind Ben and the rest of the guys.

"Hey, Patch," Ben said as he raised his hand to high five the boy. "Are you joining us tonight?"

"At Haley's request," Patch said with a laugh. "Good game by the way. You guys did great."

"You can thank our team captain for that," Ryder said as he wrapped an arm around Ben's shoulder. "He led our team to victory."

"We did it as a team," Ben said as he playfully shoved Ryder's shoulder. "But anyway, was Doug coming?"

"He was changing when I came down, so he shouldn't be that far behind," Patch said.

"Are you guys going to stand there all night or are you going to come over here?" Jane called, making the boys look over at her in surprise.

She sat down with Ariana, and the girls started to talk to each other, while the boys walked over and sat around where the girls set everything up. Ben sat down next to Mal who was lost in wiring in her notebook.

"Wacha doing?" Ben asked, making Mal snap her head to see him looking at her.

"I'm writing to Evie," she said as she held up her notebook. "I got her letter today and I didn't have time to write before the game."

"What did she write?" He asked.

"See for yourself," she said as she held the opened letter to him.

Dear Mal,

The Isle… the Isle is not the nicest place. I don't know any other nicer terms for it. It's dirty, the water is not the cleanest, and it's hard to get food here. I wish I could just show you, but I would never wish this place upon my worst enemy. I do appreciate the sketchbook you sent me, and from what you told me about you, I would love to make you something. I don't know how long it will take, but I promise to make you something that will be fabulous.

To be honest, I really like the letters we write to each other, and I look forward to reading them. I feel that you are one of the truest people I have ever come to get to know, and I just really like that you chose to write to me. I don't know how you feel about writing to me, but I really value you as a person. I wish we could meet, but I know that is a far-fetched dream. But a girl can dream right?

My friends think you are cool too, and Jay says that you are too good to be true, but he is something else. Carlos is the one with the brains. He can fix, literally, anything. I don't know if I have mentioned before but his mother is Cruella, and to say he is the opposite is an understatement. She is not the best for him, and he tried to stay as far away from her as he could. Jay on the other hand, he has to see his dad more than he wants. Jafar is 'too good' to be stocking his store and has Jay do it. I mean, how could you ask a 7 year old to start stealing at a young age!

I am sorry that this letter turned into a rant for me, but I feel like I could tell you anything and that you would never judge me for it either. I know I keep saying this, but I am really happy to have another friend to talk to.

Until we write again!

Love, Evie

Ben's heart sank a little, reading what Evie wrote.

"Me too," Mal said as she took the letter from his hand. "I wish I could do something."

"I mean, we can't now, but maybe in the future," he said, making her look at him with wide eyes. "I don't know what I could do," he said in a very low tone so no one else could hear him. "But maybe we could start making plans. The two of us. What do you think?"

"What kind of plans?" She asked as she put her stuff in her lap and turned her body to face him.

"I could maybe grab some old records to see how the Isle is functioning, or see how their food barges are," he said. "I don't like what I read, and I want to make the Isle a better living place, even if it was intended for 'villains'."

Mal smiled brightly at him, not believing the words that were coming out of his mouth. She never, in her wildest dreams, thought that the crowned prince of Auradon would have the same views as her. She always felt like she was the only person to care about the Isle, but knowing that someone else cared just as much as she did, made her like there was hope for good change.

"We'll talk more about it later," he said, making her nod her head. "Right now, let's just enjoy the night with our friends and celebrate the victory we had tonight."

"Deal," she said with a nod and smile.

The rest of the night went by fast and they all had fun with their friends. Things were about to get interesting for them and no one knew what was yet to come.


Until next time my Lovies! xoxo GM