Evie paused outside of Oogie's infamous bar. She wasn't sure she was ready for the confrontation she would be having with her girlfriend. Mal could be vicious when she was mad. Adding alcohol to the equation didn't seem like it would end well for the other girl.

Evie had tried so hard to let the drinking go, to act like she had no idea what was happening right under her nose. This afternoon had been the final straw. Mal had forgotten to pick up her daughter from school. Macie was the one thing Mal never forgot. No matter what else was going on. Evie called Mal over and over again to try and find out where she was and how she could forget her daughter. Eventually a man answered the phone, claiming Mal had left her phone at the bar she now stood outside of. It was a good place to start in looking for Mal.

With one last deep breath, Evie pulled the door open and stepped inside. It was full of the type of people you would expect to be there. A lot of drunk people, dancing and laughing, stumbling to the bathroom, throwing up in the corner. It didn't take long for Evie to spot her blonde love. What Evie wasn't anticipating was the hot pink hair sitting next to her.

"So this is why you forget your kid? So you can come get drunk with your sociopathic sister?" Evie asked causing both girls to whip around on their bar stools.

"Oh fuck," Mal managed to get out before Evie turned and walked away. "E, baby, I'm sorry."

Evie turned back around to face Mal. "I thought I wanted to do this but seeing you like this, I think I'll pass." She turned back around and continued towards the front door.

"Evie!" Mal yelled, grabbing her arm.

"Let go of me!" Evie exclaimed, pain searing up her arm from Mal's grip.

"I'm sorry."

"Tell that to your daughter," Evie spit back. "You know, the one who you forgot at daycare? The one whose birthday is this weekend."

Evie watched the gears in Mal's brain trying to turn and catch up. Finally it clicked. "Macie," Mal said quietly.

Evie stood for a moment, chewing on her lips before she spoke again, "why did you throw away your sobriety?"

"I haven't done drugs," Mal stated simply.

"That's not how it works and you know it. And Hadley? Seriously?" Evie could feel her temper rising again.

Mal shrugged, "I needed a drinking buddy."

Evie pursed her lips together, choosing her next worlds very careful, "then she can help you with your hangover tomorrow. At her place. And when you decide to be sober again, you can come home. Until then, goodbye Mal."

Evie turned away once again but this time Mal didn't follow. She was fully aware she didn't have any rights to Macie and that she was barely hanging on to her own sobriety but she knew Mal didn't need to be around her kid in this state.

Evie stopped outside the door and took a deep breath, not allowing herself to break down into the sobs she wanted to.

"I'm keeping an eye on her," a voice said, just beyond where the light reached. Even in darkness, the voice was undeniable.

"Thanks, Uma." Evie quietly responded. "Don't let her leave with her. Or any girls for that matter."

"I promise."

Evie nodded in response, not wanting to speak. She took one last look at the bar and walked away.

—-

"What the actual fuck is wrong with you?" Uma demanded to the drunk blonde a few minutes after Evie had left.

Mal rolled her eyes, "hey Shrimpy." Mal laughed at her own joke while the room spun around her.

"Is there any reason you've decided to destroy everything you've built or are you just doing it for the hell of it?"

Mal picked up another shot and shrugged before Uma smacked it out of her hand. "Time to go."

"I'm not ready to go," Mal slurred.

"I wasn't aware I was asking you." Uma grabbed Mal by the wrist while the smaller woman squirmed to get away.

Hadley watched from the next bar stool, clearly debating whether she should get involved. After a few moments, she finally interjected, "she doesn't have to go with you, Uma."

"Back up, bitch," Uma snapped, before she continued to fight with Mal trying to get her to leave.

Hadley clearly had no desire to be a part of the confrontation. She threw her hands up and turned back around. She waved her hand to order another drink.

Mal fought hard but Uma's grip was too tight. She could feel her eyes burning but she fought against the dragon taking over. "Let go of me, Uma!"

"Not until you come outside and talk to me. Then if you want to destroy your life, that's just fine with me." Uma jerked harder and Mal stumbled to the floor in reaction.

Mal glared up at the sea witch, debating for a moment what the fastest way to get more alcohol was.

"You have 5 minutes," Mal conceded. She pushed herself to a standing position, Uma immediately stepping in to help her. Mal snapped her hand away, "I've got it."

"Clearly," Uma replied, sarcasm dripping from the word.

"Fuck you," Mal spat while she shakily made her way to the front door of the bar.

"Been there, done that," Uma muttered as she followed the blonde out the door.

"Shut up," Mal retorted.

Once they were outside Uma led Mal over the closest bench to sit on. Spray paint covered the seat from years of graffiti but it was the best they could do. Uma stayed standing with her arms crossed, looking down at the drunk girl. "What's going on with you, Mal.?"

"I don't have to answer that," Mal replied sharply.

"If you don't want to lose your damn family, you will."

Mal furrowed her eyebrows. She had no desire to talk about alcohol with her old friend. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Mal! If you don't figure this shit out, you're going to lose Evie. And Macie. Do you get that?" Uma asked.

"Don't talk about my daughter," Mal slurred.

"She isn't going to be your daughter if you don't stop drinking!" Uma yelled. "Why don't you get this? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"I can't handle it, okay?!" Mal stood up, stumbling slightly. "It's too much. It's all too much."

"What's too much?" Uma asked, her anger ebbing.

"Taking care if everyone all the time."

"No one is asking you to take care of everyone and you literally chose a profession that requires you to do that." Uma reminded her.

"I have to take care of Macie. She's a 24/7 job that I didn't ask for." Mal reminded her.

"You don't want to be a parent, use a damn condom."

"Watch yourself!" Mal growled.

"You brought her into this, not me." The sea witch reminded her.

"I didn't say I didn't want to be her mom. I said I'm exhausted being solely responsible for her."

Uma looked at her drunk friend for a while, gaging what direction she should go with her next statement. "Evie is responsible for her as well. She's practically her daughter too, Mal. Why don't you let her help with that responsibility?"

"She's a drug addict."

"Oh yeah because what you're doing is so much better." Uma raised her eyebrow.

"I'm not doing drugs," Mal shrugged.

"I don't give a fuck your justification for this, Mal! You need to wake up. You need to get you shit together and go be with your family," Uma snapped. "You have a good thing going with Evie. You have a family. Don't let your brain dead sister screw up a good thing."

Mal turned to walk away before stopping and spinning back to face the sea witch. "You don't know me, Uma. Not anymore. You don't get to say this shit to me. Leave me the hell alone." With that, Mal turned around once again and went back into the greenly lit bar.

Evie was hanging out around the corner from the bar, waiting for Uma to hopefully bring Mal to her so they could go home. She pulled out her phone and texted Chloe. Even though they weren't friends, she had agreed to help watch Macie so Evie could try to help her girlfriend.

Evie jumped when Uma appeared behind her. "You scared me."

Uma shrugged, "sorry."

Evie glanced around for a moment, "Where's Mal?"

Uma just shook her head.

"Oh," Evie said, then immediately went quiet. Mal didn't come. She would rather be with Hadley, drinking in a bar than with her and Macie. "I'm..um…I'm gonna go."

Uma squeezed Evie's arm in reassurance, "I'll keep trying okay? Go home to your kid. Protect her from her mom."

Evie felt the first tear fall from her eye. She couldn't believe the 180 her and Mal's roles had taken the last few months.

An hour later, Evie was snuggled in bed with Macie. She stroked the little girl's hair to get her to calm down enough to sleep.

"Blue. Where mama?" the child kept asking. Evie didn't know how to respond. So she kept playing with her hair, hoping it would help her fall asleep.

"I love you, Macie," Evie whispered as Macie's eyes started to droop. "Mama loves you too. She will be home soon."

Evie didn't believe it though. She couldn't. Mal was on the Isle, wasted. Who knew if she would make it home? Who knew if Mal would remember the fights and the conversations had that night? Evie didn't know anything anymore. Mal had made her feel safe for the first time in years and now she felt broken. Evie pulled Macie in closer, kissed her on the head and let the tears fall.