Hey Descendants Family!

Wow, it feels good to be writing these again. I'm still not 100% yet, but I am feeling so much better than I have been.

Thank you to everyone who reached out to us in understanding of the situation, we love you guys and thank you so much for the support.

Anyway, new chapter! For now we'll be updating on Mondays, we didn't write anything while I was sick so we have to really knuckle down and get this book done.

But done it will eventually be, and as soon as we feel a little more comfortable we will start posting twice a week again.

Lots of Love!

-Dark-

She stares at the screen as it cuts out.

That had been the last thing she had been expecting when they'd been told they were going to have to speak to her mother.

She so wasn't complaining, but still, fuck.

She sighs before she tilts her head to look up at Ben, "So, that was T and Hook."

"Yeah-" Ben blinks before his lips twitch into a smile, "That was pretty awesome," He purses his lips as he tilts his head to the side, "the God made things a little weird, and I have no idea what I'm going to do about getting him a phone. Talk with Zeus maybe?"

She snorts, "Good luck with that." She pats his back. "But honestly I say fuck him." She drops his hand as she steps away, "I have zero clue what the fuck that was," She was still processing everything herself but, "I just know Senior doesn't deserve shit."

Ben bites his lip, "I can't disagree with you on that." He sighs, "But you saw how T- which I seriously understand your hatred of his hood at this point-"

"No shit right? Obnoxious fuck." She shakes her head.

That was one thing she didn't have to process.

What the fuck was T doing? Mother knew he wasn't thinking.

Stealing shit from her mother.

Unifying the goblins.

Whatever the fuck that had been with Senior.

Fucking shitiot was going to give her a heart attack from a sea away. Ugh.

Ben chuckles, "But Had- Senior, Senior didn't seem to care that they were there, or that we were talking to them. I uh, I guess I just had a different expectation."

She bites her lip, so was she. "Ugh." She drops her eyes taking a deep breath. "He's not usually like that." She could feel her headache coming on. She glances at Carlos and Evie in concern to find them still staring blankly at the black screen.

Yep. Definitely a headache. She rubs her temples.

She and Jay were going to have to explain so much.

"I saw Fairy Godmother on my way here, I think she mentioned something about hot chocolate and cookies?" Ben runs his hands over her shoulders before he turns to David and Jay.

Shit. She still had to deal with that shit show from-

"Really?" Carlos's eyes widen, interrupting her thoughts as he inches closer to the door. "I want-" He stops when he gets next to her, lips turned in a frown as he looks her over, "to know if you want cookies."

She's not the only one to snort. "If I want cookies, huh?" She lifts an eyebrow, unable to help her amusement.

Carlos blushes as he looks down and toes the floor awkwardly, "Yeah? Or hot chocolate, cause maybe you like that better."

She shakes her head as she ruffles his hair. Might as well. It might be the last batch she got before what happened with Jane and Audrey in the cafeteria had her ass carted back to the Isle. Stupid hair spell.

She resists the urge to shiver and hates herself for it.

T had sounded so- Like he had the day he'd scared the shit out of her with that threat.

She didn't think he'd actually kill her, but honestly, she wasn't really sure she'd ever seen T pissed. Annoyed, sure. Angry, kinda. A dick, oh abso-fucking-lutely.

But she wasn't sure what the fuck that coldness she'd seen in him was. If it was him pissed, she wanted nothing to do with it.

She never would've guessed- Her eyes narrow.

No. she resists the urge to stomp her foot- She wasn't scared of T. Not that idiot. The dumbass who spent half their time together- Ugh. Had he really always let her kick his ass? She swallows a growl. No. That was just ridiculous. She didn't need a fucking pity kick.

"Come on pup, sounds like Mal's craving cookies." Jay teases as he slips up behind Carlos, ruffling his hair as well.

But she saw the briefest glance, the concerned look in Jay's eyes.

As always, she and her second seemed to be on the same page.

What the fuck was that? T with Senior?

And Harry just rolling with it?

"I could go for some hot chocolate too." Evie walks over to link her arm through Carlos's, "And, well, it sounds like we have a lot to talk about."

She didn't miss the way her gaze leveled on Jay.

But when Evie turns to her, she's stunned by the sadness.

"Well, sounds like I wanted cookies." She answers, ignoring the second half of Evie's comment.

She and Jay were in for it tonight.

She looks up into Ben's concerned Hazel eyes when she feels him run his thumb over her shoulder again.

"Getting to hang out a little longer sounds good to me," Ben nods slowly before he looks over her shoulder and then back to her, "if you're okay with me joining you."

"Yes!" She jumps on the offer so quickly she grimaces.

She so didn't want to deal with the consequences of lying to Evie and Carlos, and there was no way they'd ask their questions with the Prince around.

A hurt Evie was a passive-aggressive Evie, and she was so good at taking it to the next level.

Ben's face lights up as he grins, "Well then."

"If you guys are okay," David softly chuckles as he runs a hand through the back of his hair, "I better get back to my office and let Nani know where I went."

"Sorry," Jay glances at David with a small smile and a nod, "Thanks for the help."

"O'course bruh." David's eyes sweep over all of them. "If any of ya need to talk, ya know how to find us." He grins.

"Thanks, David." Carlos nods.

"O'course iki bruh." David lazily saluted them before he slips from the room, glancing back at them in concern before he disappears.

Great. She breathes out. "Proud of your self-control pup, but go for it."

Carlos beams at her before he bolts from the room, Dude barking excitedly at his heels.

A chill runs down her spine when Evie is the only one to not laugh.

Yeah.

That boded well.

"I'll go make sure he doesn't make himself sick." Evie offers as she walks off without looking back.

Jay rubs the back of his head as their eyes meet for the briefest moment. "Good call…" He calls after Evie.

She takes Ben's hand back and squeezes it before she pulls him with her. He was a Prince, right? So, might as well use him as a shield.

The hot chocolate and cookies were so not worth it.

That had been intense.

And uncomfortable.

And sitting there with Fairy Godmother asking if they were okay, only to have her correct herself was just weird.

They weren't even Mrs. Potts' cookies. They came from a package.

He sighs as they walk back to their room in silence.

An overwhelmingly oppressive silence.

Like they were back on the isle and he was trying to avoid the twins.

A chill runs down his back as he races ahead to open the door.

Anything to get a break from the looming tension.

He wasn't sure who was going to snap first, but so far he had it narrowed down to Evie and Mal.

Girls.

He sighs again.

Not that he could blame Evie. Or even Mal.

He wasn't sure any of them had been ready to see T like that, though at the time he'd just been happy.

Now he was wondering what he was missing.

"So…" Jay shuts the door behind him with resignation. He glances at Mal as he leans against it.

Mal sighs as she makes a wide berth around Evie to fall to her back on the bed. "Still soundproof."

"Good!" Evie snaps, "Because I have a few choice words for you two," She walks up to Jay and stabs a finger into his chest before she looks over to Mal, her voice rising with every word, "and I would be mortified if anyone else could hear me talking like this!"

He grimaces as he slowly tiptoes behind Evie to go sit on the couch to peek out behind it.

The three of them rarely went at it.

"How could you! How could you know things about T and keep them from us? I thought we talked about this! I thought we agreed that we wouldn't do that anymore! That we're a pack and we work together!"

"Evie." Jay sighs as he wraps his hand around her finger, only to have her rip it away.

"No! You don't get to 'Evie' me." Evie glares at Jay, "You don't get to preach shit and not do it."

He shrinks behind the couch.

Oooh.

Evie never swore. Or took that tone. Let alone with Jay.

"I shared my letter from Deez with you, but now that I think about it, you never did. Is that how you knew something was wrong with T?" She stomps her foot. 'What is wrong with T?"

Jay rubs the back of his head as he looks towards Mal.

"JAY!" Evie snaps her fingers in his face.

He's shocked when Jay actually jumps.

"Do not look at Mal!" Evie snaps as she jabs her finger into his chest again, "You look at me and you answer me. What is wrong with T?!"

He shrinks.

Evie was giving out orders. And not over measurements.

This was terrifying.

Jay takes a deep breath and breathes it out before he turns back to her. "It- We didn't want to worry either of you. We didn't understand what was going on or what it meant. We just-"

"But it has something to do with Deez knowing, Ben knowing, and David knowing?"

Jay grimaces, "Well yeah but-"

Evie stomps her foot, "Don't. You. Dare. Fucking 'but' me!" Her finger stabbing into his sternum.

"E, c'mon. We didn't want to talk-"

"OH, I didn't fucking notice." Evie seethes again punctuating each word with a painful ram to Jay's sternum with her finger.

"E, I'd be c-"

Evie turns on her heels her freezing glare, "Don't fucking even Mal. But don't worry, I have plenty to say to you too," She pivots back to Jay, "Please, continue with the fucking obvious."

He watches as Jay shifts under her scrutiny as he cowers behind the couch.

He couldn't recall a single time Evie had ever been this- this

Enraged.

Livid.

Seething.

He felt stupid for thinking Mal was scary.

He glances to the bed to see Mal staring at Evie in shock as she bit her lip in uncertainty.

Yeah. Him too.

"We didn't know how to answer-"

Evie shrieks as she stomps her foot. "Didn't know-" She seethes, "Didn't fucking know? C and I could've fucking helped you fucking know you-you-You!!" She bites out as she kicks Jay's shin in frustration

He blinks. Had she really just-

"Fuck," Jay jumps to the left away from her, "Evie we were going to-"

"What- What were you going to do Jay!? Tell everyone in this fucking school before telling the two of us!? Your fucking gang. Your 'pack'."

Jay grimaces as he turns to Mal for help before Evie marches over and grabs him by the chin, "No. Don't look at her, look at me." Evie furiously demands. "We four-" her eyes suddenly water, "we are all we really have." Her voice slips to the barest whisper as she struggles to continue, "We are a family, and you didn't trust us."

He bites his lip.

He hadn't thought about it that way, but as Jay and Mal both look away-

He still didn't believe that.

"You didn't think we could handle what you two were handling," Evie slowly shakes her head, "so you lied to us. You told us you'd explain later-" her voice cracks, "except later never came."

He winces as Jay shifts and bites his lip before he sighs and suddenly pulls Evie to his chest and presses her head against him, "That's not true, and you know it."

He blinks. That was probably the bravest thing he'd ever seen Jay do. And he'd seen Jay do a lot of brave things.

Evie screams into Jay's chest. No words, just pure outrage and-

Sadness?

He bites his lip before he touches the tips of his fingers to his face in confusion, pulling them back wet.

He jumps when he feels arms wrap around him from behind him as the couch sinks.

"We-" Mal pauses as her whole body goes stiff.

He turns to face her before he quickly tries to clean his face, "Sorry-"

"C…" She bites her lip before she shakes her head and presses him to her chest tighter. "Don't…" She drops her eyes. "We never meant to-to hurt either of you." She breathes out softly before her eyes bounce back to where Evie was still screaming and now pounding against Jay's chest.

"I know." He whispers before he hesitantly wraps his arms around Mal, "I uh, I don't fully understand yet, but um, I don't think you guys wanted to hurt us, or didn't trust us."

Mal blinks before her eyes sweep over his face.

He stiffens when she moves suddenly to-

He slowly blinks. Confused.

Was-

Was Mal hugging him?

"I mean, we are a family, and uh-"

What was he supposed to do?

Mal.

Mal was hugging him.

His poor brain refused to move past that realization.

Mal squeezes him tighter before she pulls back. "We are…" She sighs sadly, "We just- We didn't know what to do…"

"That's okay, I don't know what to do a lot of the time." He sighs as his grip on her tightens, "Most of my problems can be solved with Roogle, not that that's helpful, ya know, right now-"

Mal smiles weakly, her eyes brightening slightly.

Maybe in amusement?

"But um, if it's okay to say, maybe next time try asking?"

Mal's eyes flicker to Evie and back, "That… Is probably the smartest thing you've ever said."

He grins up at her before he bites his lip, "I um, well, I can't claim that-" he sighs, "I got it from David."

She smiles back at him before she pulls him with her turning him to rest against her as she leans against the arm of the couch so the two of them could face Evie and Jay, her arms draped over his shoulders.

His eyes narrow.

He didn't hate this but- It was just… Different.

Different, but nice.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder- Was Mal using him as a shield?

"Are you breathing E?" Jay asks as he holds Evie up, "Or are you just exhausted?"

"What do you think." Evie sniffs.

Jay cracks a sad smile before he sweeps her up into his arms and looks around the room. He lifts an eyebrow when his eyes land on him and Mal before he shrugs and walks over so they could join them.

He can't help his look of fear towards Evie as he scrambles backward and further into Mal's chest.

Was she going to keep yelling at them? He shrinks in Mal's arms and ducks into her shoulder.

Jay sighs as he plops down on the couch resting against the opposite armrest, as he holds Evie to his chest. "I'm sorry, I know it's not what you want to hear, but I am."

Evie huffs as she weakly looks up at him, eyes studying his face before she sighs and leans against his chest. "Actually, that's all I really wanted to hear." She sniffs, "That you regret how this was handled."

"I'm sorry too." Mal sighs, as her arms tighten around him. "We fucked up."

"Yeah, you two did." Evie nods, "And I paid the price. My eyes are going to be so puffy now. And my makeup is absolutely ruined. And there is no way you can convince me that was not ugly crying."

He could hear Mal audibly click her mouth shut.

He shifts in discomfort.

This was a first.

"Um…" He winces at the way his voice shakes, "Can we, um…" He scratches at his arm, jumping slightly when Mal places a hand over his and squeezes. He swallows hard, "Can we know what's going on now?" He whispers.

"Yeah," Jay sighs, "So um, my letter, the one Deez wrote… She, um, she knew. Knew that there was something wrong with T." He glances at Mal before his eyes drop to Evie. "Did you two notice how they were acting before we left?"

How they were acting?

"I know Deez was, well I know she dipped for a little, and not to the cove either."

"And T was, agitated and more...Short, than normal," Evie adds.

Jay nods, "A lot was going on, and it was all right before the Howler."

He bites his lip, "They both seemed better though, in the library I mean, when-" He shudders, relieved when Mal joins him.

"Fuck that spider."

He nods. "But um… Yeah, what was wrong with them?"

Jay sighs, "Well, apparently the night she ran out of the hangout, she went to see Yensid."

Evie looks up at Jay, "I was there that night, I don't think I've ever seen Deez look so excited. After the announcement that something big was going to happen."

"We think that was why she went to see Yensid, I mean he was the one who encouraged her to write, wasn't he?"

He nods, "Yeah, he thought having a VK writing king on behalf of others would help."

Evie looks between Mal and Jay, "That's not a secret though." She sniffs as she rubs her eyes.

"No, it's not." Jay nods, "But while she was there we think she and Yensid must have talked about T because in my letter she said that he offered her books about what's wrong with T, but she didn't handle the conversation very well, so she never got them."

His nose scrunches, "That doesn't sound like D."

"We didn't think so either, girl likes to read almost as much as she loves writing," Jay rolls his eyes, "and helping others all the more."

Mal takes a deep breath before she blows it out. "I'm sure you both remember how pissed I was after T made a deal with my mother."

He nods his head. How could he forget always looking over his shoulder and avoiding the hangout?

"Yeah?" Evie agrees with a bite of her lip.

"Well," Mal sighs, "T scared the shit outta me that day. Like, legit…" She drops her head to his for a moment before she lifts it and settles her chin there instead as she gathers him closer. "It wasn't just the deals, or the way he was being such a stupid ballsy fucking idiot with the way he was being so… So, I don't know, fucks to give I guess? Like he didn't care that he was talking so flippantly to my mother and the God of fucking Death."

He could hear her swallow.

"And I uh…" Mal actually whispers. As if she was-

His brow furrows and he found himself too afraid to move. What if it broke whatever was happening right now?

But-

If he didn't know better…

Did Mal actually feel guilt or shame? Cause right now it sounded like a mixture of- He bites his lip as he feels something drop on the top of his head, feeling her shift as she turns away.

He glances towards the other side of the couch for confirmation.

Evie was staring at Mal with concern, while Jay was looking away with his eyes shut.

"It was after when I was-" Mal picks her head up to shake it, "I've never heard anyone so cold. Callous. Let alone fucking T. And I uh… He said some shit. Shit, I should've-" She squeezes him tighter, "Told you all about, but I didn't know how to like… Share it, I guess. But he um, he sounded like he was preparing to die. Like for real… Because he was going to confront his father… He um… T's never- He was scared. And looked so- Lost."

His arms tighten around her's, gripping her arms as if his life depended on it.

This was what they were hiding?

That T planned to do something as dangerous and stupid as confront an OV?

Who did that?

Who wanted that?

"He kept mentioning a she and her. And at the time I didn't catch it but now that we know, it, well it doesn't make sense, but does at the same time. But um… It wasn't 'til I read Jay's letter that it clicked..." Mal trails off.

He feels his back straighten strangely as he tries to turn and look at Mal, "T's a girl?"

"No, he isn't," Evie states staunchly with a frown.

Jay sucks through his teeth with a grimace, "Uh, well T's not."

"Thank you," Evie huffs.

"But T's a second personality." Jay continues slowly.

"What?"

"You heard the name Faustina right?"

"I mean, well, there was a lot being said, but I mean, vaguely…" He looks back at Jay.

"I'm with Carlos." Evie pouts as she looks between Jay and Mal in confusion.

"Faustina is the girl T is protecting," Jay explains as he looks over his shoulder to Mal, "as in, Faustina was there first, and then T started protecting her, like I guess coming out so that Faustina wasn't always trapped in the room or something." He sighs, "We don't actually know everything about this situation though."

Evie blinks as her brow knits even tighter and her lips purse together, "No… No, that-" She shakes her head, "That's not possible."

"See Jay, you got all over me for not believing it, but clearly-"

Mal's small hand flairs in front of his face, gesturing towards Evie.

T being protective made sense.

When wasn't T being protective of someone, or everyone?

But he tilts his head back into Mal's chest to look at the ceiling, sure Mal and Evie had protected him through the years but-

No. Jay said T was a boy.

So T had to be a boy.

Right?

Or was it more abstract?

Like T was a boy-

But Faustina was a girl.

Why wasn't his brain making this make sense?

It made him feel somewhat better knowing that Mal and Evie were confused too. Even Jay seemed lost and they'd known about it for months. He chews on his lip.

Wait. He blinks.

"Is this like a…" He shifts in discomfort. He hated looking stupid. "A David thing?"

Jay's eyes narrow, "Like is this something related to mental health? Or is this something David or Nani can better explain? Cause honestly both."

He bites his lip.

"Right, but back to the gender thing. T is a boy right?" Evie asks tightly. "Right?"

Jay studies her for a moment before he bites his lip.

He lifts a brow in confusion.

Why was Jay amused?

Mal snorts, "Yes, princess your knight stalker is a dude. Apparently," She makes a noise between a snort and a scoff, "He just doesn't have the parts."

Evie closes her eyes as she rubs her temples. "But is a boy." She stresses.

He could understand her confusion, but her conviction bordering on desperation was-

She was usually so much more understanding so what was the-

"For all intents and purposes, yes, E," Jay affirms her.

"Oh!" He looks at Evie. "Cause you, like, liked-liked him for a bit?"

"No. Not like that. I just-" Evie's lower lip pouts as she looks away, "Maybe a little."

Jay coughs to hide his snort as he rubs her back, but Mal straight-up laughs.

He wasn't sure he liked the fact he was sitting in front of Mal anymore.

Not with Evie glaring swords in his direction.

"Oh, shut up you." Evie huffs.

"Sorry E, I just-" Mal struggles behind him, "Yes, T is a boy. From everything we have learned, there's a good chance he wasn't even aware that he was in a girl's body."

He was not a fan of blind sighs. Especially when the sigh was behind him.

"Until he was aware, I guess. He seemed like, really confused. And angry. And lost."

"And that's about the time Deez wrote to me, asking for my help, because she didn't know how to handle what was going on. But she was very worried about T, and just, didn't want him to feel alone."

"But we can all agree T is a boy then?" Evie reiterates.

"E! Yes," Jay rolls his eyes behind Evie's head, "T is a fucking boy."

Evie sighs as she leans against Jay. "So," She frowns as she looks between Mal and Jay, "You two have had…" She shakes her head. "How?"

"David kind of cracked the case more open for us." Jay shifts uncomfortably, "And well, Deez wrote an actual letter about herself to Ben, and it helped line a few things up for all of us, but still not enough to really figure everything out."

"Oh." He blinks, was that the letter he wouldn't let him see?

"We haven't even gotten to read that yet." Mal pouts.

"Really?" Evie asks in surprise. "So, Ben is keeping secrets too?" She shakes her head.

"No!"

He couldn't help the jump.

"He just- Like-"

"David suggested that we take it slow with that letter, because she wrote a lot of personal things about herself, as if she was trying to apologize about not introducing herself sooner." Jay finishes for her. "And, David and Ben agreed that it was a hard letter to read. But, any of us can, we just have to do it with David or Nani."

"Oh," Evie sighs, "I see."

"Huh." He frowns. How bad was it? He bites his lip, "But, you guys are gonna read it right?"

"Well yeah, we just wanted to talk about it with you two first," Jay says softly. "We just didn't know how, not when we were so concerned and confused ourselves. Which again, sorry. But neither of us, uh... Swallowed it well-"

"More like choked," Mal snorts derisively.

"But David and Nani both know about what we've been going through trying to look into this," Jay continues, "and I gave David permission to talk to you guys about anything we talked about related to it, if it'll help."

"Of course it will." Evie nods firmly. "Now we can all work on it and support each other together."

"I would feel better having that," Jay says slowly as he hugs Evie to him.

He tilts his head to the side before he hesitantly raises his hand.

"Yeah pup?"

"Uh um… Random question." He turns to Mal before he settles his eyes on Jay, "Does it like have a name?"

"Spli-

"Why?" Mal interrupts.

He turns and looks up at her, "Because I want to know?"

Mal purses her lips before she looks to Jay. "He's gonna roogle it."

Jay exhales, "I'd rather you roogle it with us or with David man, but not alone, k?"

"Why?"

"Dude, no one should be alone when they read about this, more specifically what can cause it."

"Why?" Evie asks this time, "What causes it?"

"Trauma." Mal spits out, making Jay close his mouth on whatever explanation he'd been about to offer.

"Okay?" He blinks, "But what type of trauma?"

"The kind of Trauma that requires David or Nani to help understand it."

"You are talking us in circles and I don't appreciate it." Evie frowns, "We all care about T, and we talked about this. No more secrets."

Jay closes his eyes before he lets his head fall back to rest on the arm of the couch, "You know how we all have things that happen at home that we don't want to talk about?"

"Of course," Evie furrows her brow.

"Well, you're asking us to talk theories about what could have happened to T and Faustina to cause this."

"Oh." Evie shifts in discomfort.

"And I wouldn't want to do that to any of you, so it feels, wrong to do it to T."

"That makes sense…"

He nods, "But the name?"

Jay sighs without picking his head up, "Split Personality it's a Dissociative Disorder."

Oh. Like depression and anxiety. Psychology just hit things right on the nose. "That's why you two went to that tent?"

"Not that it was super helpful." Mal pouts, "It's hard to ask the right questions when you don't know what the right questions are."

"Yeah, David has been a lot more helpful," Jay admits.

"So has Nani." Mal agrees.

Evie tilts her head to the side as she looks between Mal and Jay curiously before she blinks several times. "I see. That's… Good to know."

He smiles tentatively at Evie. That was, he nods slowly, at least she wasn't mad anymore. He sags with relief into Mal.

"That's a good pup," Mal whispers just loud enough for him to hear as she lifts one of her hands to run her hand through his hair.

Yo,

So, that was a chapter.

What did you guys think about E's response? Was anyone expecting her to lose her shit like that?

And speaking of E, how did you find that scene where she and C figured out T was a girl?

Anything you would have liked to have seen with this chapter?

Feedback always helps!

I think I'm usually more entertaining than this but I'm just drained. Sorry.

Much love and appreciation

-Twisted

Any questions?