Jay knew he and Gil had been in that room together for a while, he just wasn't sure for how long exactly. It just felt like a minute or two. But when they arrived at the meeting room he knew from the suspicious looks they got that this wasn't the case.
"Finally," Mal said when they walked in. She sat impatiently on a chair with her legs on the table. She putted her feet back on the ground, making it clear she was irritated. "Now that they've finally found their way back from the restroom, we can finally start."
Gil tilted his head a little bit, but then noticed Harry and Uma already sitting around the table. He greeted them with a smile. "Hey you guys, you're already here. They told us you would be later."
"Yes, they told us you were already here. But somehow we had to wait for half an hour." Harry had his eyes fixed on Jay, while playing with his pocket watch in his hand.
Jay noticed the hostile look Harry send him. He stared back at him, sending him a little provocating smile too. Harry narrowed his eyes, as if he could read what Jay had done with Gil a few minutes ago.
It wasn't that bad, honestly. They were just there, their arms wrapped around each other. It was Gil that took a step backwards, breaking their kiss. He reached for Jay's hand, but this time not just to hold it. Careful, still scared that Jay would change his mind and run away, he brought Jay's hand to his mouth. Only to place a gentle kiss on it. Gil had looked up back to Jay, a slight smile on his face.
Jay had felt like he wasn't able to breath anymore. He had never known that a little kiss on the hand could mean so much more. But it probably depended on who gave you such a kiss and why. Jay looked back up in Gil's eyes. He looked happy, but also fragile. Maybe even scared. All the doubts he had before fated away. Jay stepped closer to the other guy, his boyfriend from now on. He wrapped his arms around him and let his head rest on his shoulder. Jay could feel how Gil did the same, just holding him for a while. Standing closely, but still tentative. Jay believe they had been like that for just a couple of minutes. It appeared it had been a couple more than what he thought.
Jay shook his head and sat down besides Carlos. Harry's threatening look towards him didn't change his mind; it was the best embrace he ever had. He would've still been holding Gil if it wasn't for this stupid meeting. Suddenly he and Gil were apart again. He sat with Evie and Carlos at one side of the table, while the Sea Three sat on the other side. Jay saw how Gil greeted Uma and Harry, but they both didn't pay much attention to him. Jay hated it how there was suddenly an entire table between them.
"Glad you could all make it so soon," King Ben started the meeting formerly, as he rose from his chair. He sat together with Mal at the head of the table. "Mal and I apologize for getting you all here on such a short notice, but we have a few issues we need to discuss."
"Just a few, eh." Ben looked down at Harry, who just interrupted him. Harry send him a crooked smile, while Gil had to chuckle at Harry's comment.
Jay narrowed his eyes. He was one of the pirates again, but it didn't suit him anymore. He seemed so different just a moment ago when they were alone in that room. Fortunately Uma ended it quickly, just by sending the two boys an angry look. Harry smiled apologetic back to her, while Gil immediately shut his mouth and looked away.
"Go on," Uma sighed as she turned back towards Ben.
Ben nervously cleared his throat before he continued. "Mal and I had a discussion with my parents this morning. And they are, like a lot of other citizens of Auradon, not satisfied about the current situation. So they want to adjust a few things…" Ben stared down at the table for a moment, trying to find the right words.
Harry slowly started to raise his eyebrows, looking impatiently. "Yes?"
"They want to put the barrier back up, isn't it?" Uma guessed unimpressed.
"Not just that," Ben answered. He looked up at Gil, seeing how the other guy frowned back at him. He remembered how he met Gil for the first time, when he went to the Isle to search for Mal. He hadn't even realized it was Gaston's son. Gaston's sons should be aggressive and hostile. Instead of that Gil was just really surprised and excited when he figured out he was King Ben. Gil even apologized when he tied him up to the mast of the ship, asking if the rope wasn't too tight.
"So what else would be the problem?" Harry asked impatiently.
"What?" Ben turned his head back to Uma and Harry, who were impatiently staring back at him.
"Don't sweat is too much, King Ben," Harry said with a wicked smile. "We pirates can take it."
Ben cleared his throat once more. "Alright," he said. "But I want you guys to know that we don't agree with it. Mal and I, that is. We don't believe this is the right way to go. But… how do I say this." Ben was looking for the right words again. Mal rolled her eyes. Ben was a really nice guy, but it wasn't helping much at the moment. She sighed as she decided to take over.
"The old king and Belle want to send Gil back to the Isle of the Lost." Just as Mal expected Uma and Harry immediately jumped out of their seats.
"Have you lost your mind?" Harry shouted, as his chair fell on the ground.
"No way!" Uma responded. "There is no way you're going to take Gil away from us."
It was then that Mal noticed a third person standing up. Both his fists were slammed on the table, his jaws clenched and his eyes narrowed. It was a long time ago since Mal had seen Jay so furious. He didn't even seem to notice that all the others on the table stared at him. Carlos grabbed his arms, softly telling him to sit down, but Jay still had his eyes fixed on Mal. "Is this about the rose bush?" Gil carefully asked. Gil's voice made Jay look away from Mal. Gil looked back up at Jay. He looked scared, as if he could break any moment. Jay cursed the table between them even more, as all what he wanted was to hold him again.
"Guys, calm down!" Mal said back at them all. "Like we already said, Ben and I don't agree with these solutions. We are not going to send him back and we are not going to put the barrier back up."
"You better not," Uma said, bending closer to Mal. "Because if you do, I swear I will give you a watery grave very soon." Harry backed her up with a threatening glance in his eyes. Mal didn't seem impressed as she just looked back at the pirates.
"Could we all just sit back down please," Ben tried to calm the mood. He quickly sat down himself, setting an example. Uma sighed as she was the first to follow Ben's example. Harry noticed just in time he had to pick up his chair first before sitting down. Carlos had to yank on Jay's arm, before he finally sat down as well. Mal couldn't help but to think that maybe Evie had been right. Maybe Gil and Jay did get pretty close in such short time.
"Alright," Ben continued after everyone seemed to calm down a little bit. "My parents think that putting the barrier back up is the only solution we have, but Mal and I like to disagree."
"I'm just guessing here, but I assume you're having trouble controlling all the new VK's," Harry interrupted the King, looking at the ceiling. Ben looked back at him.
"We got many complains in this short time," Ben quietly continued, not wanting to admit it. "The people of Auradon finally got used of having the Core Four around, accepting Mal as their queen. But now we're having a whole bunch of VK's running around. And they are causing a lot of trouble."
"And why is this our problem?" Uma asked directly.
"We want your help," Mal answered. "We need a way to all live together, instead of throwing them back at the Isle. But honestly, at lot of problems start with you and your pirate crew. First of all, what were you thinking leaving your boat in our harbour?"
"The Lost Revenge is not a boat but a real pirate ship," Harry corrected her. "Secondly we did not leave her there, we anchored her in the harbour." Mal crossed her arms before her chest. She had no time for Harry being a smart-ass. She turned her head towards Uma, ignoring Harry completely.
"So you just want us to stay back on the Isle?" Uma asked back, not wanting to answer the question. "Or why wouldn't we be allowed to anchor our ship there?"
"Okay, let's all just take a step back," Evie quickly said, noticing the rising temper. "We just need to set some ground rules for everybody."
Harry and Uma looked at each other, not believing what they were hearing. Gil was still quiet, waiting for Uma and Harry to decide what to do.
"We are still pirates," Uma simply replied, looking back at Mal.
"You just need to find something else to do, because I cannot allow your pirates robbing the people of Auradon," Mal said back to her. "We know Harry has been caught stealing for ten times already. I don't even want to know how many times he got away with it."
Uma turned her head towards Harry again. The look in her eyes let the others know she didn't approve of Harry's behaviour.
"Yes, I know. I apologize," Harry responded on Uma's glance. "It's difficult to suddenly have to lay low. Back on the Isle I could steal in bright daylight and nobody dared to batch an eye."
"Stop stealing!" Mal said, raising her voice. "It isn't that hard."
"Let's try some different approach," Evie said, trying to get some of the peace back. "Harry, why do you feel the urge to steal."
"Because it's free and it's the best way to survive on the Isle," Jay answered, causing Harry to look up in surprise. Mal also slowly turned towards Jay, glad to see he had calmed down.
"Look," Jay continued. "We are all from the Isle here. Except for Ben… So let's stop pretending that we're so different from each other, just because we were on different sides back on the Island. Because we're not." Jay saw Gil looking at him. He finally didn't look like he wanted to hide behind his chair anymore. Instead of that a little smile let Jay know he was feeling hopeful again.
"I agree with Jay," Evie continued. "We are all from the Isle. We all grew up there. Except for Ben, of course. But we got the same roots and we know how hard it is to suddenly have to adapt to life in Auradon. But please, hear her out."
Uma and Harry looked at each other again, before Uma turned back to Mal. "Alright. What do you want?"
Evie sighed relieved, glad the meeting was finally going in the right direction.
"I know you have a lot of impact on all the VK's," Mal answered. "Not just the pirate crew, but all of them. I need you to send a good example, making sure they won't go astray. Only then we could make this work. And you need to ask permission to leave your boat in Belle's Harbor."
"For the last time; we anchored our ship."
Uma ignored Harry's commentary and slowly nodded. "Alright, I will lay some new rules on my pirates, if you give us permission to anchor The Lost Revenge in the harbour."
"Deal," Mal quickly said, not giving Uma the chance to add anymore obligations.
"What about the rest of the Isle?" Carlos asked the group. "Shouldn't the same rules and laws apply on the Isle in general."
"You want to change the Isle of the Lost?" Ben asked slowly. "We thought about it, but we don't think that's wise."
"Why not?" Carlos continued. "The Isle is a part of Auradon from now on, right? How can we expect them to live to our rules here in Auradon, if those rules don't apply on the Isle? Let's skip the confusion and let's make them equal."
"I actually like that idea," Jay said and playfully shoved Carlos. Gil smiled at them. He would like that idea as well.
"Forcing a law on the Isle doesn't seem like a good idea to me," Mal answered.
"But you're still forcing the new rules on them here. What's the difference?" Carlos asked.
"The dog is right," Harry came in between. "The Isle will always be a dark prison if you're not willing to change it."
Mal and Ben looked at each other for a moment, but then Ben turned to the rest of the group again. "We will discuss this later. For now; Uma, please control your crew of pirates and make the stealing and robbing rates go down. Otherwise there will be consequences."
"And those consequences would be the barrier being put back up and some people will be send back," Mal added. Uma raised her eyebrows on that last threat, but decided not to response on it.
"Well, that's all," Ben said. "You're all dismissed."
Harry was the first to stand up and kicked his chair. Uma quickly followed.
"Is it okay if I take a look in your gardens?" Gil suddenly asked. "I'm still not allowed in the school gardens."
"Of course," Ben answered, being surprised. He was sure Gil would respond to the threat they had made towards him, but instead he wanted to have a look around.
Harry rolled his eyes, when he grabbed Gil by his collar and pulled him up. "Let's go to your gardens," he said, dragging Gil along.
Jay kept a close watch when they passed and then left the room. Jay stood up, ignoring Carlos calling out for him, and followed the Sea Three.
