I was sat outside trying, and failing, to figure out my Chemistry 2 homework when, to my surprise, Ben sat across from me. I looked up in surprise at the King trying to process why he would want to talk to me. Please, don't ask about the twins or genie...

"Hey, Quinn," Ben smiled. "I know we don't talk anymore, but we used to be so close. I miss that."

I was taken back. This is not what I was expecting. I closed my Chemistry book looking him dead in the eye. "Do you know why the group fell apart?"

Benjamin shook his head.

I sighed. It's time he knew the truth. "I don't know if it's my place to tell this story, but... you deserve the truth."

Ben nodded looking slightly more worried than he was before.

"So, do you remember that really nasty nickname that people gave Nadia in middle school?"

Ben nodded. "Rat. I tried to get them to stop."

"Well," I sighed. "The person that gave her that nickname... was her first real crush."

Ben looked shocked but didn't say anything.

"When we were kids, Nadia had this huge crush on Audrey," I explained. "Audrey, despite being Nadia's closest friend at the time, always made Nadia insecure. Especially about her hijab. She would make these offhand "jokes" and "comments" that would just come across as mean. It only escalated when Audrey found out about Nadia's crush on her. This information was like a green flag for Audrey. She knew that no matter what, Nadia would do what she asked. So Audrey took full advantage of that. She had Nadia doing the worse things, sometimes even things she knew made Nadia uncomfortable. There is nothing more in the world that Audrey seemed to hate than Nadia's hijab. I'm not really sure why. Audrey used to say things like Nadia wears the hijab to hide her rat features. And even though Audrey played them off as jokes, they were anything but, and people started to call Dia Rat because Audrey did. It started to really get to Nadia. She would often cry herself to sleep. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore, she went back to Agrabah. And you know the rest..."

Ben nodded grimly. "When she returned, she didn't wear her hijab, and she was a completely different person."

"Even though Audrey wasn't the full reason Nadia took off her hijab, she was a big part of it. When Jonas and Xeno saw what Audrey had done to Nadia, they were pissed. They threatened Audrey's life. And I was mad enough to let them. If it wasn't for Melody or Léonne, I might have let them." I said looking down in shame. "From that moment on, the group split. The people that believed Nadia changed on her own with no input from Audrey and the people that knew Audrey's bullying changed Nadia. The only thing we agreed on was to keep it from you because you have such a pure heart, and we didn't want to influence the way you would rule Auradon."

"So none of you told me to keep bias out of my ruling?" Ben asked looking at me in disbelief.

I nodded. "It wasn't my idea. If it's any consolation, we've kept parts of it from Nadia too."

"No! That's not any consolation!" Ben snapped standing up. "You guys should've told me! I thought we were friends!"

"Ben!" I shouted. "We were friends. We just wanted to keep the ugly truths from you."

"By not telling me when one of my friends was bullying my other friend!?" Ben glared at me.

"I'm sorry, Ben," I said. "We should've never kept it from you."

Ben sighed before smiling slightly. "I'm sorry for getting mad at you. I know why you guys did it." Ben smiled at me stepping away from the table. "I'm going to let you get back to your chemistry homework."

I rolled my eyes adding sarcastically. "Thanks, that's what I wanted."

I plopped down on the end of Sara's bed completely ignoring the annoyed look she was giving me. "What are you doing here, Quinn?"

I groaned. "I couldn't take another second of Chem 2 homework!"

"Maybe if you paid attention in class," Melody, Sara's roommate, mumbled.

I stuck my tongue out at her. "Oh, like you pay attention in any of our classes, Mel."

Melody glared at me before bursting into laughter. "You've got me there, Fitzherbert."

"Okay, move off my bed," Sara said shoving me. I didn't move. "Off! Now! Quinn!"

I snickered. "Fine, fine, fine." I slipped off the bed only to immediately jump back on it near the head now.

Sara shrieked in frustration. "Older brother's are the absolute worst!" She turned to Melody in a huff. "You're so lucky that you're an only child."

"I don't know," Melody replied. "Sometimes I think it would be nice to have a sibling. Then maybe the castle wouldn't get so boring."

I laughed. "Our house is anything but boring."

Sara snorted rolling her eyes. She once again tried to shove me off the bed but completely failed.

"Don't you have a room you could go hang out in!?" Sara snapped.

"Yeah," I said. "But if I hang out in my room, I can't annoy my little sis."

Sara groaned in frustration again. Melody laughed from her place on her own bed.

I looked at her my signature smile on my face. The smile that is said to make everyone swoon. From my odd position, I was able to see a slight tint on her cheeks as she looked back down at her laptop. I glanced at my watch, suddenly seeing the time. "Fuck!" I exclaimed popping up. "See you later, Mel, little sis! I've got somewhere to be!"

I rushed out of their room not waiting for any questions. I rushed down my hall worried about what would happen if I was late. I arrived at the agreed meeting location with a few minutes to spare. I sat underneath the shade of the tree waiting for them to show up. Finally, from behind me, I heard a voice say. "How nice to see you again, Rider."

I hummed walking through the streets of the Isle towards what Kamal, Ani, and I called home. I miss Maddie terribly, but Maddie had only been gone for two months, surely a wedding takes longer than that? At the thought of a wedding, I internally groaned. I do not want to think about marriage. I decided to turn around as it might be a good idea to visit Harriet. I have grown quite fond of the woman since getting to know her, and she always seems to give me good advice.

I made my way towards her ship, Valkyrie. She was a magnificent ship rivaling that of the best vessels in the Dunbar's fleet. Once I stepped on the deck of Valkyrie, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. It's almost like Harriet's ship was calming me. Harriet, who stood at the helm talking to her first mate, smiled upon seeing me.

"Dia! If it isn't me third younger sibling," Harriet exclaimed crossing the way to me.

I smiled. Somehow, I have gotten very close to the Hook children during my time here on the Isle. "Hey, big sis!"

Harriet smiled leading me to her captain's quarters. "So how are you doin'?"

"I'm okay," I sighed looking down. "I'm worried about everything going wrong."

Harriet laughed. "You've got backup plans on top of backup plans. There's no way anything is going wrong for ya."

I gave her a weak smile. "Harriet, why do you and your siblings like me? Is it because of what I can provide you or is it something else?"

Harriet looked taken back by my sudden change of subject. "Dia, where is this coming from?"

I shrugged. "I've just been thinking about it. I'm a child of the desert. The three of you are children of the sea. Why do we get along?"

Harriet rolled her eyes. "Stop overthinking things!"

I looked at her surprised.

"We like you because you have a similar thought process to us! Ya are willing to go to any means to achieve your goal. Besides CJ needed a friend closer to her age. CJ needed someone to keep her head on her shoulders. And Harry... he needed someone outside of Uma's crew to talk to him. Besides," Harriet smiled. "You're fucking amazing."

I laughed.

"Seriously, though, Dia," Harriet said her joking air disappearing. "Thanks for being a friend to me younger siblings. I know we don't get along well, but knowing that they have you is good enough for me."

I smiled nodding. "So, what can I do about this marriage thing?"

"Well, if ya Dad isn't listening to ya," Harriet said. "Then maybe ya boy will."

I smiled. "Maybe I'll get to talk to him soon."

Harriet returned the smile. " I hope you'll get to talk to him soon." Again her smile dropped as she leaned forward whispering in a more serious tone. "I know you're friends with almost everyone here, but a reminder that Villain Kids aren't a force to be reckoned with when they don't get their way." She leaned back in her chair. "Don't sail into a hurricane wall if you can keep up with the eye."

I nodded only half understanding the metaphor.

Ani, Kam, and I were all sitting around a table at Ursula's Chip Shop playing a round of Cee-lo a game that Zhen Nan taught me when Harry came in a wide-grin on his face.

"Uma," he called catching the teal haired girl's attention. "You'll never guess who's back on the Isle."

Uma looked at him expectantly as did the rest of us when Gil came rushing in. "Uma! Good news! You'll never guess who I just bumped into!"

"So don't keep us in suspense boys," I snapped. "Tell us who you saw."

Harry smirked. "Mal."

Uma grinned. "Perfect."

"Well," Gil said. "I just ran into King Ben, Evie, Jay, and Carlos."

At the mention of Carlos's name, my heart fluttered. Carlos is on the Isle? I have to see him.

Uma smirked. "I have an idea on how we both can get what we want."

Kamal stood up. "I believe I just had the same idea."

The two explained their plan. "Kidnap Ben!?" I snapped. "Benjamin is a little squish! He's a clueless child!"

"Exactly why we should kidnap him," Harry said.

I rolled my eyes remembering Harriet's advice to me. Let the Villain Kids have their way. "Fine. I'll help."

Harry smiled putting his arm around my shoulder. "That's my Sultan!" I shoved his arm off.

"Come on, let's get this over with before I begin to feel guilty." I mumbled heading out the door of the Chip Shop Harry hot on my heels. The rest of the small crew we were bringing with us followed in silence. I led the group towards what we had found to be Mal and the other threes hideout on the Northern side of the Isle.

When we arrived we could see three people waiting around the entrance. I caught a glance of Carlos and my heart skipped a beat.

"You can't run to him yet," Harry breathed beside me.

I rolled my eyes. "I know that." I zipped up my red jacket hugging myself against the cold air.

Harry chuckled. "Cold, love?"

"Don't call me that, and of course I am! I grew up in the desert!" I snapped returning my attention to the group of people in front of us. There hadn't been much movement. I watched Carlos. He looks so sad. He looks thinner. He has dark circles under his eyes. He had straightened his hair which kind of bummed me out. I always loved his curls, but he looks good either way. I've missed him so much. I wanted to run to him.

"Head's up, lass," Harry said breaking my chain of thoughts about Carlos. "King Beast approaches."

I nodded at Harry who signaled to the crew. I stepped out of the shadows hoping Ben would recognize me in the hijab. "Ben!" I whispered desperately.

"Nadia!" He exclaimed surprised.

"Ben! You have to help me! I don't know when they'll come back! They found us at coronation! I've been so scared for months! Please!" I sounded desperate. By this time, Gil had found his way behind Ben. He forced a chloroform rag over his mouth and nose within seconds Ben was out cold. Gil and the crew tied up Ben and took him towards the Chip Shop. Harry approached the three VKs from Auradon who I could hear now were desperately calling for Ben.

"Don't scare you?" Harry asked. "That's my speciality."

"Harry," Evie grumbled upset by his appearance.

"What'd you do with Ben?" Jay snapped.

"Oh Ben?" He looked back slightly at me motioning with his eyes for me to come closer. "We nicked him! Mhmm."

I stepped forward into the light causing gasps to run through the group we were addressing. "Hey guys..."

Harry smirked putting his arm around my shoulder to which I tried to wiggle out of, but he had too tight of a grip. I settled for glaring at him. "Yeah. And you want to see him again... have Mal come to the chip shop tonight... alone. Uma wants... a little visit."

"Hook, do you want to keep using that fake hook or do you want a real one?" I snapped.

Harry laughed. "Oh, Sultan, we both know you wouldn't cut off my hand."

"I might not," I said smirking at him. "But I can't make any promises for my royal guard."

Harry fake pouted. "Don't be like that, Princess. I'm only trying to help, remember?"

"You? Help? Oh, Pirate, you forget I know you too well to fall for that." I bopped his nose causing him to laugh.

Harry looked back at the group before us that seemed really pissed, especially Carlos. "Aw, Jay, seems like you've lost your touch."

Jay lunged at Harry but Evie held him back causing Harry to laugh again. I rolled my eyes done with the middle child of the Hooks shenanigans. "Are you done, Harry!?"

Harry gave me a sideways look before rolling his eyes and barking at Carlos before walking off whistling. I rolled my eyes again. "I'm sorry for him." I lingered for a bit looking at Carlos, longing to touch him before quickly running off to follow Harry.

I looked to Jonas one last time. "You know what to do?"

Jonas nodded waving me off. "Shatter the glass once you four are through. God, Quinn, it isn't rocket science."

I nodded. Anwar looked at us through the glass. "You guys ready?"

I looked back at the other three who nodded. "Yeah we're ready, Ani." With a wave of his hand he allowed us to pass through the barrier. I was the first to try surprised when the gold barrier didn't affect me at all. With a huge smile, I climbed through the vanity into Ursula's Chip Shop.

The other three followed and with one last wave Jonas shattered the vanity mirror.

"Welcome to the Isle," Kamal said clasping my hand quickly.

We greeted each other when the doors swung open behind us. Expecting to see Nadia, I turned around excited to see my close friend. I was shocked to be met with the now purple haired Mal.

"I'm back," she said in a sing-song voice not even taking notice to the six Auradon kids standing in the middle of the Chip Shop.

A/N: So yay! My other MC has made it to the Isle!! Also where's Nadia??