P.S. Content warning for sensitive themes in this chapter.
It seemed like a very tortured and painful eternity before Ben stopped crying in my arms, but even when he did stop crying, we both still held each other close in silence. After a few minutes I felt his arms tighten around me slightly, which made my arms also instinctively tighten around him. It felt like both of us were scared to let each other go, and I was feeling so overwhelmed at this moment. Of course, I was going to be there for Ben, nothing was ever going to change that. However, what most people didn't understand about mine and Ben's relationship was that there was a complexity to it that wasn't in everyone else's. We had a Beast and Dragon bond, and right now my hypersenses was off the charts, I wasn't just consoling the mortal part of Ben but the Beast part too.
I didn't know how long me; Ben and Evie were sitting in silence before the door to the family door slowly opened. The three of us then all sat quickly up straight and we all visibly all held our breaths as we watched as a small, petite, blonde hair and green-eyed woman in light blue scrubs step into the room.
"Hello, Your Majesty" she advised politely as she closed the door behind her. "Lady Mal" she directed to me as she stepped up to the three of us, which made me nod at her. "Lady Evie" she added as she offered Evie a smile to which Evie nodded back at her.
"How is she?" Ben asked hopefully.
"She is doing well Your Majesty" the nurse answered, and I felt Ben sigh in relief next to me. "She is asking to see you all" she advised. "Your father asked me to come and get you, I don't think he wants to leave her again" she offered sympathetically.
"Ok" Ben noted and me and Ben then slowly stood up.
"Well, I will wait for you here" I heard Evie say as Ben slid his hand into mine.
"No" the nurse stated and the three of us all looked over to her.
"What?" Evie questioned in confusion.
"The Queen Elder asked for the three of you Lady Evie" the nurse informed her.
"Oh" Evie muttered. "Are you sure it's ok?" she asked as she slowly looked over to Ben.
"Of course, it is," he meekly smiled. "My mother sees you as a daughter as well" he reminded her fondly and I watched as Evie meekly smiled back at him before she stood up. I then let Ben lead me from the room as Evie walked quickly behind us as we followed the nurse to wherever Adam and Belle were - with the three of us not knowing what we were going to find when we were all finally reunited.
The three of us then were all led to a side room; however, all of the blinds were pulled to a close and Richard and a couple of members of his team were standing outside guarding. They all nodded at us as we walked past, and the nurse stood to one side as Ben pushed the door forward and the three of us stepped into the room.
When my eyes fell onto the scene before me, they widened slightly and I froze, and I heard Ben and Evie gasp next to me. Belle was lying in a hospital bed, which was propped up, so she was sitting up with her eyes only opened slightly. She was now dressed in a light blue hospital gown with a mint green blanket over her body. A large dressing was now wrapped around her head, so her dark brown hair was now hidden underneath it. An IV drip was on the left-hand side of the bed which was connected through a cannula in Ben's right hand. Her right hand was currently covered by both of Adam's, and the look on Adam's face was of pure agony.
"Hello" Ben said as he dropped my hand and stepped forward. I then watched as he quickly stepped forward and pulled his mother into a hug. To allow them to have this moment me and Evie both walked into the top right-hand side of the room and we both picked up a chair for ourselves. We then both carried them back to Ben, to find him sitting in the other large seat similar to what Adam was sitting in on the other side of Belle's hospital bed.
"Hello dears" Belle said meekly as me and Evie placed our seats down onto the floor. "Thank you for staying" she advised meekly as we both took to our seats.
"Anytime" I answered and out of the corner of my eye I saw that Evie smiled and nodded in agreement to this.
"You gave us quite a scare," Evie teased.
"Sorry" Belle chuckled back.
"Don't be sorry" Evie quickly dismissed.
"You can't help it if you are unwell" I interjected, and I watched as Belle looked from me to Evie and back to me again before she bit down on her bottom lip.
"Come here you two" she advised as she held her arms out and me and Evie both stood up and we both shared a hug with Belle. However, when I pulled away and returned to my seat to allow Evie to hug Belle, I couldn't help but note how frail my soon to be mother-in-law currently looked.
"Did they say what was wrong?" Ben asked, breaking the silence as Evie sat back down in her seat. I then watched as Adam and Belle both froze at this question before they shared a concerned look and pursed their lips together.
"You tell them," Belle stated.
"Ok" Adam nodded at this, before taking a couple of deep breaths before he looked over to me, Ben and Evie. "There is a reason why your mother has been feeling sickly, headache, dizziness and blacked out-" he started to advise.
"Right?" Ben said slowly. "Why?" he questioned in concern. The room then filled with silence as Adam and Belle looked at each other again, the way they were acting was really starting to worry me. Yes, I understood that there was going to be a reason as to why Belle was unwell, and this was concerning enough. But the way Adam and Belle were acting was making me believe that something sinister could be going on, which I hoped really wasn't the case.
"Because your mother is fourteen weeks pregnant" Adam confessed and me, Evie and Ben froze at this.
"What!" Ben exclaimed. I really didn't know how to process this. Belle was pregnant! I was over the moon for her and Adam, especially given that I knew that they both had had problems in the past. Now I understood why Adam and Belle were acting the way they were, they were both concerned. They are going to be older parents, but I knew that me and Ben were going to help and support them every step of the way. Ben was going to have a brother or sister, and I knew that he was going to be a perfect big brother. Just like I knew he was going to be a perfect father to our children when the time came around to it.
"Yeah" Adam replied nervously. "And that's not all" he stated as he pursed his lips together.
"What?" I asked for the three of us.
"I'm expecting twins," Belle answered as she cupped her stomach and smiled happily.
"Twins" Ben repeated slowly in shock.
"Yeah" Adam repeated and I watched as Ben looked down for a few seconds before he looked back at his mother.
"And there are complications-" I heard Belle say before we could fixate on the fact that there were going to be two new additions to our family.
"What complications?" me and Evie let Ben ask his parents.
"Well given that I am older-" Belle started as she smiled down meekly but lovingly down to her stomach. "Expecting twins" she added as she looked back up at Ben. "And what has happened in the past, it is classed as a high-risk pregnancy" she confirmed sadly.
"Very high" I heard Adam mutter, which made me look over to him and I saw the pain in his eyes. I knew that some was causing Adam to ask like this but due to the fact that Ben's body stiffened up next to me I knew that this was not the time nor the place to ask. "I never expected this to happen again" he sighed sadly.
"Me neither," Belle answered. "But we will get through it Adam" Belle offered to Adam as she looked lovingly over to him.
"Yeah" he replied as tears quickly started to gather in his eyes. "Sorry" he quickly apologised as his voice broke. "I just need a few moments, if you could excuse me" he quickly added as he quickly got up and left the room, with the door closing behind him with a loud snap.
"Ben can you please go and check on your father" Belle stated as she stared at the door that Adam had just left out of. "He'll be going through a lot at the moment" she advised before tearing her eyes from the door and looked over to Ben.
"Ok" he nodded, and I watched as he quickly mirrored his father's actions and quickly left the room in pursuit to find his father. The room then fell into silence, however before I could say or do anything to try and reassure Belle, she broke the silence as her eyes landed on me and Evie.
"I know the pair of you will want to know-" she started. "And I don't mind talking to you about this" she smiled tiredly at me and Evie. "I know you will keep it private," she added.
"Of course," both me and Evie said together.
"But Belle, you don't need to tell us," I urged. This was the truth she didn't have to tell me and Evie. Yes, I was dating her son, but if she didn't feel ready to tell me and Evie what was causing her and Adam's current behaviour, I knew that both me and Evie would respect that. I just didn't want Belle to feel obligated to tell me and Evie something due to the situation she currently found herself in. Because this wasn't the case, and I would make sure that she knew this.
"I do," she insisted. "You are my family" she weakly smiled at me and Evie again. Even though I knew that Belle saw me, Evie, Jay and Carlos as her family it still meant a great deal to hear her say it out loud - even after all this time.
"The truth of the matter is that-" she started before she bit down on her bottom lip. "Me and Adam have actually had five children" she admitted, and I nodded at this. "But only Ben-" she began but stopped when tears started to gather in her eyes.
"Belle, you don't have to-" I reminded her as I slid my left hand into her right.
"I want to Mal" she insisted. "You are going to be my daughter-in-law," she added. "I need you to know," she urged.
"Ok" I nodded at her.
"Ben is our third child" she sniffed as she wiped her nose on the back of her left hand. "I suffered two miscarriages and two still births" she advised before she bit down on her bottom lip. I will admit the thought of Ben with siblings was strange to me, but I knew that he would be a good brother to his siblings. However, it did then make me realise that if Ben's brother's and or sisters had been born me and Ben would probably be living different lives. I don't know if his eldest sibling would have thought to bring any VK's from the Isle of the Lost. But I knew one thing for sure no matter who brought me to Auradon Ben or one of his siblings, me and Ben would always find each other and fall in love.
"You said Ben was your third child" I stated, as I pulled myself out of my train of thought.
"Yes" she confirmed. "He's our miracle baby" she said as her eyes lit up and I knew she was probably now thinking about Ben.
"Yeah, he is a miracle" I agreed.
"I now see why Adam left like he did" Evie added sadly.
"Yes" Belle nodded. "It was very hard on him as well" she confirmed. "He was very protective over Ben as a baby" she advised.
"I can imagine," I replied.
"Yes, it was very hard for the pair of us, and after our last pregnancy-" she began to explain. "Which resulted in a stillbirth" she continued as tears started to gather in her eyes once more. "We decided that we would stop trying," she explained as she wiped both of her eyes with her left hand. "So, these two-" she began as she dropped her hand from her face, and she looked down lovingly at her stomach. "Come as a surprise" she finished as she looked over to me and Evie.
"When are they due?" Evie enquired.
"Well-" she said. "They are due at the end of February, could possibly go into the first week of March" she added. "However-" she continued before she pursed her lips together. "Given the complications that I have already told you about there is a very good chance that they could come early," she finished.
"If they do, we will deal with it" I said as I squeezed her hand. "As a family" I offered kindly.
"As a family" she repeated lovingly as I felt her squeeze my hand back. The room then fell into silence as me, Belle and Evie just started to enjoy this family moment together. Yes, there was a lot currently going on in my family at the moment, more than we ever could have expected when we were on our tour. But I knew that we would be able to get through it, we were a very strong family unit, and we could get each other through anything - and this time wasn't going to be any different.
Nearly half an hour has passed and there was still no sign of Adam or Ben, so I excused myself from the room to go and find them. When I left the room, I watched as Evie slid over and sat in my seat so she could be closer to Belle. I offered them a brief smile before I left the room and as the door closed behind me, I couldn't help but think about the fact that we were going to get two new additions to our family. It was such an exciting time ahead, of course I knew there was concern and worry ahead for everyone involved but I knew that we would do everything in our power to support Adam, Belle, Ben and the twins.
I then walked down the corridor and through the emergency department, I started to fill with concern when I couldn't see neither Adam and Ben. I then decided to try outside and when I walked outside the busy emergency department, I saw Adam and Ben sitting on a bench not so far away, in the hospital gardens, next to a large water feature. As I walked up to them, I could see that they were both sitting in silence, obviously taking in their current situation, I just hoped that the pair of them didn't think that I was about to intrude.
"Ben" I said as I stepped up to them. I watched as they both slowly looked up at me, and I felt my heart start to break when I saw that tears were flowing down their cheeks. "Ben, you need to go to your mother," I advised. "She needs you, you are her son" I added.
"Ok" he nodded as he wiped his eyes with both his hands quickly before standing up. "Are you coming in?" he asked his father.
"No, I need a little bit more time" Adam muttered as he pursed his lips together and he looked down.
"Ok" Ben repeated. "I'll see you in there" he advised as he looked away from his father and looked at me. "Are you coming in?" he asked as I meekly smiled at him.
"I'll be in in a bit" I answered, and I watched as he nodded at me before he walked away to return back to Evie and his mother. An awkward silence then filled the air, part of me didn't really know what to do in this situation but I knew that I needed to be there for Adam - even if it meant just sitting with him. "Is it ok if I sit?" I asked and I watched as Adam slowly looked up at me before he spoke.
"Yes" he replied solemnly, and I quickly sat down on his left-hand side. We then fell into another silence, I just concentrated on the water feature in front of me. I didn't expect Adam to want to talk, not now anyway. If he wanted to then that was going to be on his terms, there was no way that I was going to push him before he was ready.
"I know you probably think it's bad that I'm out here" he muttered. "And not in there" he advised as he nodded to the hospital behind us.
"No" I answered as I looked up to him. "There is no judgement; and there never will be Adam" I told him. "I understand why you need some time," I finished.
"Belle told you?" he exclaimed as his face dropped in concern.
"Yes" I confirmed. "And I won't breathe a word to anyone" I promised. "That is your business" I finished with a warm smile. "I don't know what to say to make you feel better Adam, I can't pretend that I know what you have gone through" I stated. "Because I don't" I said as I pursed my lips together. "I can just be there for the pair of you. I just hope that is enough" I advised, hoping my words would give him some solace and reassurance.
"It is Mal" he meekly smiled at me. "You being there is enough" he added as he lifted both hands up and wiped his eyes and cheeks of tears before putting his hands back into his lap. We both then shared a smile as silence began to consume us even more. To help Adam in his time of need I reached over with my right hand, and I slid it into his left and I gave his hand a light squeeze, to which he squeezed my hand back.
"And I will sit here with you," I vowed. "For as long as you need to" I offered.
"Thank you, Mal," he replied politely.
"You're very welcome" I returned, and I watched as he threw me a warm look.
"You have done it again," he told me.
"Done what?" I asked in confusion as I pulled one brow up at him.
"Proved me wrong," he answered.
"Sorry" I quickly apologised. "I don't understand" I admitted, and I watched as he nodded at this.
"You have proved why you are the woman for my son-" he began to explain. "You know that I doubted your relationship with Ben when you first came to Auradon" he reminded me. "But time after time you prove why you are the final piece to our family" he continued. "I am so glad that we have found you-" he said but stopped. "Sorry" he apologised. "That Ben has found you" he amended. "You are what my family needs, and I am so glad that you are in our family" he finished proudly.
"And I am so glad and grateful that you and Belle have allowed me to become part of our family" I returned kindly. We both then just sat in silence one more and I watched as Adam took a couple of deep breaths as if he was trying to settle himself. However, tears quickly started to flow down his cheeks down his cheeks once more, which compelled me to give him a hug - if he wanted.
"Do you need a hug?" I offered. I watched as he nodded at me, and I slid closer to him. Adam then rested his head against my right shoulder, and I wrapped my arms around him as he wrapped his arms around me also. We were only hugging for a few seconds before I heard and felt Adam break down crying in my arms.
I started to fill with concern at the fact that I knew that the press was in the distance so they no doubt had already taken photos of me, Adam and Ben outside the hospital. I knew how they were probably going to misconstrued everything, this is one thing I hated about being involved with a royal family. Everything was so public, even moments like this which should be private. I just hoped that they didn't get the wrong end of the stick, as the press have been known to do in the past.
*Evie's POV*
When Ben entered the room, I watched as Ben shared a brief loving look with each other, I then quickly excused myself. Yes, Belle may see me as another daughter, but I think she and Ben needed some time together, as I went to close the door behind me, I heard Belle burst out crying and when I turned, I saw that Ben was now hugging his mother.
I pursed my lips together as I let the door close with a low snap, I then walked slowly down the corridor in a bid to find Mal and Adam. I started to feel selfish in this moment I know that I should be concerned about Adam, Belle, Ben, Mal and the twins; and don't get me wrong I was concerned about them. But after hearing about the struggles that Adam and Belle had it me thinking about the possible problems me and Doug may have. I quickly pushed this thought away, I needed to concentrate on my family. And in this moment, this was something that I was going to strive to do, as I knew they would do the same to me.
My mind then moved onto how this situation was now going to effect Mal and her future family, they had already gone through so much early since we had left college. But now with the proposition over Ben and Mal's head and now the twins, I just hoped that everything was going to be ok on both accounts.
When I walked out of the department my eyes quickly swept around the area and my eyes landed on Adam and Mal sitting in the hospital gardens. I then started to walk towards them, but I suddenly stopped when I see Adam rest his head against Mal's shoulder. I then watched as Adam and Mal started to hug before he broke down in her arms.
Given the fact that Mal was currently helping Adam I decided to and get something to eat and drink from the hospital café at the other side of the emergency department. In this moment by the looks of it, Belle needed Ben and Adam needed Mal. I was so proud of Mal, she fitted just perfectly into the Beast family. It was her rightful place; she had found her place in the world. By Ben's side, the love of her life. And watching her be with her future family, made me very proud of my half-sister.
A/N – I just thought I would add a note to say that I loved writing the special moment between Adam and Mal, I hope you enjoyed it too.