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Chapter Sixteen

Jay P.O.V

"Where did she go," I said looking around the family room. Carlos came running in with Evie following him close behind.

"Did you find her?"

Panting Carlos shook his head, Evie began pacing around while pulling her hair, she threw her hair back while letting out a groan, "How did we lose her?! Ben gave us one job?!"

Hearing footsteps my eyes moved towards the door, Lonnie and Jane came running in with Doug following close behind.

"Evie told us what happened" Lonnie explained once seeing my confused looked.

I nodded my head.

Evie smiled at them, "Thank you for coming."

"Ben is going to kill us" Carlos murmured.

"Ugh you're right," I said throwing my head back

"No, he won't" Jane exclaimed shocked that we would say that.

"No their right." Evie said taking a seat, "he wanted us to watch over her while he was in a meeting with the council"

"The council?" Doug uttered shocked

"As in.." Lonnie started

"The royal council" Evie finished for her, "With the Greystone Kingdom and the Charmington Kingdom"

"Oh, that's bad" Jane tortured shocked.

The three of us nodded looking defeated. Looking at the door where Lonnie Jane and Doug had just walked in from, I straighten up. Through the hall, I saw Ben walking with a small school, his arm wrapped around Mal while she looked down a little biting her lower lip.

"Oh no," I uttered. Completely out of ideas on how to get out of this.

Everyone turned to notice my gaze to the door.

Evie and Carlos clearing their throats straightened up while the others looked at each other worried-looking away.

"Ben" I started trying to explain but he put a hand in front stopping me from continuing.

"I already know what happened." he said looking down at Mal who was fiddling with her fingers looking down "and I think the runaway would like to say something."

Mal stayed quiet for a second before looking up at Ben and looking back down, letting out a sigh.

"I'm sorry" Mal mumbled out playing with her fingers, "I just wanted to see Ben"

I stood there shocked, how do you respond to that? But thankfully Evie was quick to jump in, "It's alright we were just worried about you."

"Mal" Ben said looking down at her. He lifted her face, "Don't run away again, okay? They are here to keep you safe you know that"

"I know" she nodded her head wrapping her arms around him and hiding her face into his chest she mumbled out, "I'm sorry"

Clearing his throat Ben continued to talk, "Evie can you and the girls take Mal to her room."

The girls nodded their head moving closer to Mal, but she pulled on Ben's hands looking sad and pouty, "But I want to stay with you"

Letting out a sigh he pushed with his other hand, her hair out of her face, "I know but I need to talk to them, it's important." before he placed a kiss on her head.

Mal turned her head to look at us guys before glaring, unwarping he her arms from him and moving annoyed out of the room, stomping off. I smiled, lately, she had been more relaxed with us. Mostly with the girls, she did, however, seem to have trouble trusting us when Ben was gone. She flinched and move anxiously around, staying tense. But the more we send her the better she gets it seems.

Ben eyes followed Mal as she moved out of the room, "Is she getting better?"

"Yeah she talks to us now more than a word of response," Evie said looking as Mal walked up the stairs.

"Does she trust you all?"

"No, she seems to trust the girls but not us, maybe Doug more than us two" Carlos answered.

Looking away, Ben turned to the girls, "Go keep her company."

Nodding they all left.

"We need to talk." Ben starting as he sat down, "King Stephan saw Mal."

"What!"

"How did that happen?!"

"Mal had been walking towards me as all the royals were leaving and he saw her." he said with a clenched fist "he fucking had the audacity to ask her to bow."

Doug took a sharp breath in, "she did didn't she?"

Ben nodded his head looking away, "I-I think he's going to try and use that to his advantage. He knows that Mal is at least unsettled by men. "

I let out a sigh rubbing my forehead, "Okay so what are we going to do?"

"Well, we definitely can't leave her alone anymore." Carlos added, "she needs to be with someone everywhere now."

Doug started tapping his foot against the floor, "We need security for the Halloween festival."

"I agree," Ben said looking dazed

"If King Stephan knows about Mal, he might tell Audrey and Chad" Doug continued to explain.

"We need to come up with a plan to protect her," Carlos said leaning forwards with his hands together looking at the floor, looking up "Any ideas"

Ben nodded his head looking extremely dazed with his eyes clouded a bit turning golden but still keeping, for the most part, the hazel and green from his eyes.

"Ben" I interrupted gaming everyone's attention and placing it on Ben, "What's wrong? You're dazed."

Snapping out he shook his head, "Sorry. It's just that Mal, our bond is getting stronger and I'm starting to feel her emotions."

"How is she?" Carlos asked.

Ben let out a smile, "annoyed, mad and she's pouting"

"That's great!" Doug said excitedly

I looked at him confused, "that shes mad?"

"No! If their bond gets stronger from what I read, they could talk to each other telepathically or at least sense each other distress and could find them if they're taken" he explained

"That's great! If Mal is ever taken Ben could find her!" Carlos grinned.

I leaning back.

"We can't tell anyone about this" I finally said, their eyes turned to me "if we tell people, King Stephan might hear something and find the magic to dull their bond. And right now that's the only thing we have to make sure Mal is safe."

"You are right" Ben added "maybe we can give her a necklace with a charm that had a tracker"

"But if they'd check that if they take her?" Carlos uttered confused.

"Exactly they can think it was the only thing we have to find Mal" Ben explained, "they'd know we wouldn't leave Mal defenseless without us having something to protect her."

"So a trick!" Dough exclaimed "that's brilliant"

"We need to also get Jane or Fairy Godmother to teach Mal how to use her magic," Carlos thought out loud.

I nodded my head, "She needs her own way of defending herself."

We turned to look at Ben. after all he was the one calling the shots about Mal.

He nodded his head agreeing with us but seemed to add another thing.

"You right. But Mal will be learning the basics with Fairy Godmother." Ben said looking at all of us before continuing "But there is something you need to know." giving him a confused look we motioned for them to continue, "I have decided that I'm going to bring Hades to Auradon and he and Maleficent will be representing the Isle in the council meetings"

Doug's breath hitched and he leaned back into the chair.

I stood up shocked. "What?!"

"Ben..." Carlos started looking shocked.

"I know but Maleficent is a fae like Mal. Jane and Fairy godmothers are fairies. Mal needs to learn from her kind to be able to completely get used to it. And not to mention that Hades and Maleficent will be able to help us find Audrey and Chad." he explained looking determined, like nothing we say would change his mind.

I cleared my throat after a new moment of silence, "And how do you know they would even agree with helping and coming here." I glared at the wall "why would they come to help Mal?"

"Because I have already tested this out in away." Ben started "Maleficent is growing. The guards watching her told her that Mal is hurt and she tried not to show it but we caught her later freaking out trying to get out. Hades, he's a tricky one but he wants to be in Auradon and if can somehow convince him to help us he will be able to stay." he stated looking lost in thought. "After all, I'm sure they'd love to rub it into their enemies that are their now free from the king's request."

Turning around I faced Carlos, He gave me nod, "He's right. They'd love to rub it into their faces that they got out without even spelling or anything."

I let out a sigh, "I know" I turned to look at Ben "and you're sure you're ready to have the Hades and Maleficent here? Is Auradon ready?"

He rubbed the back of his head, "Well no...but they everyone thought they weren't ready with you guys and looked how it turned out! Better than anyone expected."

"Well, I guess then." Doug said, "But you should properly tell Fairy Godmother to have her on alert."

Ben let out humm, before getting up "let's go check on the girls"

Following his head we heading to Mal's room. The walk was relatively quiet, up the stairs following the fall turning left just quiet until we got closer to Mal's room. There we hear giggles.

Jane. which made Carlos smile

Evie that caused Doug to blush

Lonnie making me suppress a smile.

But no Mal. Ben drowned immediately and moved to open the cracked door further opened. I stopped him though and lifting my hand I pushed him so we can listen.

"Mal" Evie sang "Mal"

"Come on, Mal" Jane chimed.

"Mal Ben is just downstairs," Lonnie said, Ben frowned before breaking into a small smile, I think he was sensing or feeling Mal's feelings. Lonnie who had stopped talking for a few seconds moved into bribery when that didn't work."Do you..do you want a strawberry?"

Opening the already cracked open door, we saw the girls surrounding Mal who was laying down with the blanket surrounding her like a cacoon. The girls were right next to Mal near her large window wall. She stubbornly pulled the blanket closer to her before shaking her head, well I assume that's what she was doing.

The girls noticing our arrival smiled before Evie gave us a wicket look, "Well I guess will tell Ben he should give away all the strawberries"

I saw Mal's posture stiff but didn't say anything about it. I looked to my right, at Ben, he had a small grin with his hands in his pockets looking at Mal with hearts in his eyes. It was disgusting but at least I know he would never hurt her.

"Maybe he will meet someone new" Evie continued.

All of our attention turned to Evie shocked. The girls gave her panicking looks with their eyes wide and lip parted open. But Evie just gave them a small wave saying she knew what she was doing.

I turned to look at Carlos who gave me a confused look which I returned while Ben and Doug exchange expressions. It mostly looked like Ben was bewildered by Evie's statement and Doug trying to tell him that she might be having an alternative motive than to hurt Mal.

Before we could say anything else, it seemed like Mal processed what Evie said and immediately sat up.

Well tried she was wrapped around the blanket so when she tried to get up she immediately fell back down before trying again still wrapped around the blanket.

"No," Mal said before trying to take the blanket off of her, but she struggled. So she changed her strategy, she laid back on her bed trying to unroll herself from it before kicking it off and landing on the other side of the bed. Mal took a deep breath with her hair sticking out in different directions and front of her eyes but before she could take a step the blanket she had kicked off was still wrapped around her left foot caused her to almost hit the floor.

Luckily Been caught her before she fell.

Well, actually he just cushioned her fall.

Falling back he hit his head against the floor but protected Mal.

Mal landed with her head against this chest. Her eyes were closed tight holding her breath. Realizing she was fine and had already fallen, she opened her. She stared at her at our legs before blinking and looking up to stare at our faces, Carlos and I gave her wave while Dough just smiled at her. She furrowed her eyebrows before her eyes widen when she heard a groan. Turning to look at Ben who let out a groan and was rubbing his head she wrapped her hands on his shirt.

She broke out into a smile, before resting her chin on his chest, "Hi"

He broke out into a grin before letting out a chuckle and raised his head, "Hey"


okay so since I missed last week here is the second chapter

dedicated to...danifan3000

honestly wasn't going to update but you guys wanted another chapter

also, NOTE

I am talking a small BREAK will not be able to update next week or the following probably...not sure yet

The next chapter will be about Mal having a girl's day out while Ben is dealing with some Isle business...

Questions?

YES chapter 18 will be about Maleficent and Hades

Ohhhh IDEA!

POV of Gaston JR.?

leave a review or PM