Morning Descendants!

Getting a chapter out to you a little earlier in the day than I normally do, we're just so excited because we've gotten so much work done on book 5!

We hope you enjoy the update, and please don't forget to leave us some love!

-Dark-

Faustina frowns at the soft knock before she pulls the bottle she was working on away from the flame. Only one of their family members would knock so hesitantly. She pads her way over to the door and opens it, smiling when she finds Deez.

"Sorry to bother you," Deez smiles as she slips silently into the room, "I promise it's just a quick question though."

She closes the door before she turns and studies Deez, "How can I help you?' She offers as she walks over to a crate and sits down before motioning to the chair across from her.

Deez tilts her head to the side as her eyes narrow thoughtfully, "Wait-" She takes a hesitant step closer as she stares into her shadowed eyes, "Faustina?"

She smiles as she nods her head, "I suppose you were hoping to find T." She bites her lip as she starts fidgeting with the sleeve of her hoodie. "Sorry."

"No-" Her blue eyes light up, "Well, I mean yes, I guess I was, but I'm so excited to finally talk to you. Like for real talk to you." She squeaks happily as she dances excitedly in place, "I mean, you've talked to everyone else now, so I was starting to worry that I'd done something or scared you, but I'm just happy you're talking to me."

She tilts her head to the side. She was pretty sure Gil had felt similarly. "Sorry." She bows her head slightly, "I promise it wasn't personal, I just-" She bites her lip. "T and I both agreed it would be safer if I didn't come out unless I was here or the cabin and-" She bites her lip harder, "I'm not comfortable around so many people. It gets too loud. And overwhelming. Sorry if I hurt your feelings."

"Oh." Deez quickly sits in the chair, "Sorry. I get that." She says in a much more even tone. "I had a hard time at first too. I still have to get away sometimes."

"I know." She offers the smaller girl a smile. "Thank you." She sighs as she stops fidgeting and folds her hands in her lap.

"But you didn't hurt my feelings or anything. I just, kind of figured you'd come back out when you wanted too. Now that I've seen your eyes, I know I've seen you before. It makes more sense now that I understand a little better."

She can't help her smile, leave it to Deez to notice something so subtle. Still, it was curious, she couldn't recall being out on the isle, at least not around Deez. Still… It made some things make more sense. Interesting.

Then again most things Deez noticed were.

She nods, "Now that I know…" She looks away, as she fidgets with the hoodie again. "We know-" She corrects herself. "I'm pretty sure it was me most of the time whenever we- Me and T, were one on one with a member of Book Club… Ever since we found out, they're the memories that stand out the most to me." She admits.

She apparently had a thing for other introverts. They tended to be calmer and quieter than their counterparts. Not that she didn't enjoy spending time with the others but sometimes they could scare her with their random outbursts.

"I think it was even before that. I think it was you helping me teach Gil how to read after the first few days." She chuckles lightly, "I thought you and T were messing with me at one point-" She stares off for a moment before she shakes her head.

"I think I was out for part of that. T isn't all that patient."

"That is almost painfully accurate," Deez admits with a scrunched nose.

"Sorry you thought we were messing with you. I swear it wasn't intentional." She chews her lip, "Do you mind sharing when and why so it doesn't happen again?"

Deez shrugs with a small smile on her lips, "I figured it was a new game T was trying to come up with. I knew he didn't like people knowing anything about him, like his past, or home, so I tried really hard not to-" her eyes drop as her brow furrows.

"Connect the dots?"

"It is a lot harder than it looks to not do it." She pouts.

She covers her giggle, "So was controlling your fire, but you managed that."

Deez bites her lip as she nods, but then her eyes widen as her head snaps back up, "I am so sorry for all the times I burned you. I've never even said sorry to T, but T was kind of the one that either jumped into that or pushed, so I mean I should, but he also stops me every time I try."

She tilts her head to the side, "You never burned me." She frowns as she sits up straighter folding her hands in her lap again.

"Oh." Deez relaxes back against the chair, "You asked me to tell you something?" She prompts with a pout.

"I was just curious why you thought we were messing with you, so it doesn't happen again."

"Oh." Deez nods, "It was one of the answers I came up with to explain why I felt like there were two of you, or why T could seem so different sometimes. I thought T was testing me, or that there were two of you and T was not telling anyone because you guys liked that it made the Shadow seem like he was able to be everywhere." Her brow furrows, "But then there was a time we were talking about something with Carlos, and I saw this like, change." She shakes her head, "I didn't tell anyone though, because I couldn't figure out how to explain it."

Observant. That was always the word that came to mind when she was with the Fire Princess.

Whether it was a god power or natural ability she'd never been sure. But for someone so young she was constantly watching other people and reading even their smallest micro-expressions.

It was something she admired about her. "I thought me and T were twins." She volunteers, hoping it would be more helpful than confusing. "Until we-" She frowns. She didn't want to mention how they'd figured everything out. "We're friends with the goblins too. That's how we always figured out where to be." She smiles shyly. "Carlos." She smiles wider, "Always seemed to bring me out. He taught me so much, it was fascinating. I love science and math, and the fact he taught us to read. Plus, out of everyone, he was always the most subdued. No offense." She looks down, "I love how passionate all of you are."

"I'm still kind of hot-headed," Deez shrugs with an amused smile, "I get it. I'll try to make sure I'm quieter when I know it's you though."

She holds up her hands, feeling her cheeks burn. "Please don't. I really do love the passion. Not many on the Isle are. Besides, with T joining the family it's something I need to get used to."

"I'm not." Deez frowns as she purses her lips, "But you're my friend and I want to be able to talk to you more often, so if being my quieter self with you will help, then I'm happy to have someone to be quiet with again."

Her friend? So soon? Really? She couldn't picture Deez lying about such a thing. It made her chest warm. She can't help the smile that curves on her lips, "You're always welcome to write in here while I'm working."

"I'm so taking you up on that. Harry likes stealing my pens and it gets really annoying." She huffs before her features soften, "But I can't help loving him anyway."

"Of course." She nods before her blush intensifies, "He's hard not to love."

"They all are." Deez chuckles.

A slow smile tugs at her lips, "Yes, they really are. I used to love hearing stories about all of you… And the pictures T used to bring me. They always made me so happy. Almost like I was actually there- Which I guess I was even if I can't remember all of it. But-" She blushes harder as she fidgets with her sleeve, "I was the one who got to pick who he followed."

"Oh really?" Deez smiles, "You picked us?"

She nods. "When we were all younger, you guys used to pass through the red lantern district. And I loved watching everything from the windows." She bites her lip as she looks down. "I always loved it when I saw you and Uma- It used to make me cry when my Father was cruel to you both. Seeing you two together was usually the highlight of my day. It always made me so happy. To see how protective she was of you, and to see how much you looked up to her. Such sightings were so rare, it hurt so much when you two stopped coming that way- Not that I didn't understand. If I could've gotten away from him, I would've too..."

Deez blinks, "That, that was. We stopped walking that way a little before the time I messed up in the chip shop. That was so long ago. You've known us that long?"

She nods. "I lived by those windows. Watching everything I possibly could. Always looking out for people like you and the Captain. People who made my chest bubble with warmth when everything else was so cold."

"Wow." She smiles as she sits up straighter, "I think I did that too. Because I remember the first time I saw Uma. I remember wanting to always be with her, because she made me feel special, made me feel warm and happy, and like the world wasn't so scary." She blinks before she reaches into her bag and pulls out a pen and paper.

"The Captain certainly has a way of making people feel at ease and welcome. She's one in a million." She bites her lip. "And even though it took T-us years to actually get the courage to meet her, I feel very much the same."

"I mean, as awesome as she is," Deez chuckles, "she's also a little intimidating."

She nods, "All of you are intimidating...Well, except Gil."

"Really? Most people think the opposite, which makes me sad because he's the sweetest guy ever. But, he used to get so angry when we were younger, understandably," Deez says as if she were afraid she needed to defend him, "but he's really managed to temper that out."

"I met him when we were both little. The first time and only time I ever left the church. T offered to stay behind in case Father came..." She bites her lip. "Gil- He used to come to the church with his father and brothers. I um-" She blushes deeply, as she fidgets. "I thought he was pretty. And he was always so careful and gentle when he approached people no matter how nasty they were. He was the first person my age I ever met, besides T of course." She places her hands in her pocket when she feels warmth pool.

Deez frowns as she watches her before she looks down to her thumb and then back, "You should really be careful." She warns softly, "I never realized I was biting my thumbs until recently, and even though I heal a lot faster than you they all get on to me about it."

Her blush intensifies as she ducks her head, "Sorry." She twists her hands in her pockets, "Thank you for the warning. I'll do my best to stop."

"Want me to bandage it while you tell me more about meeting Gil the first time? Uma says I'm getting really good at it."

"Are you sure? I can take care of it on my own."

"Well duh, you're you. But if I practice I can get better, and you can tell me more about Gil." She slowly stands from the chair before looking around the room, "And since you're you, you must have stuff in here."

At the vote of confidence, she smiles, "Thank you, Deez." She stands up and walks over to another crate and slides off the lid before she gathers bandages and a bottle of alcohol.

"You know, when the others want to do things for you, it's not because they think you can't."

She turns back to Deez with a frown, "I just don't want to be a bother. I'm already so grateful that you all have let us stay around for so long. So is T. Expecting more just seems ungrateful."

"You're not a bother." Deez chuckles, "But, it took me a long time to see it too." She tilts her head to the side, "Doesn't it make you feel warm when you do things that help?"

"It makes T feel useful." She frowns, "but I've never personally done anything to help really." She places the bandages on the table next to Deez before she kneels in front of her.

"That's not true at all." Deez sighs, "You're like Gil, you don't give yourself any credit. And are you more comfortable on the floor?" She asks before she takes the box from the table and sits on the floor in front of her.

She smiles as she moves a little further away to give Deez more space. "Usually. As always T and I are complete opposites."

"Oh," Deez chuckles, "yeah that's true, he likes to perch like Shrimpy does, the higher the better."

"Don't get me wrong, I love heights too. I just don't like drawing as much attention to myself as he does."

Deez holds her hand out for Faustina's as she blinks, "Huh. Still, I think you've done more than you're willing to admit. And I bet if you think about it, you felt warm when you did it." She scrunches her face up in concentration as she starts cleaning the back of her hand.

She tilts her head to the side, "I guess it's hard to tell. My chest is always warm whenever I'm near any of you."

"I'm happy you're letting me help. For a lot of reasons, but mostly I like that you trust me enough to let me try. And ya know," She chuckles as she looks up mischievously, "the fact I get the rest of the story."

"It's hard not to trust all of you…" She admits softly. It really wasn't. She'd picked them for a reason after all. Seen them when they thought no one else was watching. Lived for the stories T would share about them. It was hard not to trust them after everything she'd learned through the years. Hard not to trust their intentions. Hard not to admire, respect, and love them for who they were beneath their masks.

"Of course you'd want to hear the story." She giggles, "So, after T offered to switch places with me- I was dancing over the roofs-" She smiles at the memory, "It was one of the- I still don't know how to describe it, but it was one of the best things I've ever experienced." She shakes her head, "But uh, when I hopped over one of the alleys I heard someone crying." She frowns. "And even though T had warned me not too, I couldn't help myself. I felt an overwhelming need to see what was wrong." She rolls her lip between her teeth. "So I hopped down. Though I think he was too absorbed in his own world to notice. He jumped nearly a foot in the air when I reached out to him," She smiles fondly, "not that I didn't jump too."

"I feel bad now, but at the time I didn't recognize him. The windows were so high and difficult to see from it was hard to make out faces. I thought he was another girl at first. Because of his long hair and the dress he'd been forced to wear." She traces absent patterns on the floor with her free hand. "I thought he was pretty. And I told him as much. That he was too pretty to cry." She takes a deep breath, "But it made him cry harder. So I sat next to him, rubbing his back until he was able to calm himself enough to explain with no uncertain terms he was a boy." She bites her lip, "But he was still upset." She plucks at the cargo pants she was wearing with a frown. "Because boys weren't supposed to wear dresses." She smiles at the memory. "I could feel how upset he still was. See it." She frowns, "So, I patted his head, told him to stay, and promised to be back." She lets out a sigh. It broke her heart to see someone hurting so badly.

"It was the first time I'd ever stolen anything. I was afraid God was going to strike me down for it. But when the lightning didn't come, I finished finding what I needed before going back to him. I was so thrilled that he'd stayed- Though looking back it was probably because he was too embarrassed to let anyone see him cry." Or dressed like a girl. "But when he saw what I had and was offering to him-" She smiles brightly, "I will forever remember that grin. The way his eyes lit up as he took the clothes." It was the first time she'd ever been able to help someone in such a way. T was moody, sure, but he'd never cried. At least not in front of her.

"I waited for him to get dressed and made sure he was okay before I followed him back to his house from the rafters and ledges, making sure he got home okay. On the way back I stole more clothes for T since he hated wearing my clothes-" She chuckles, "And that's pretty much the story of how I met Gil. I doubt he remembers it, but it's one of my most cherished memories."

She smiles when she looks down to find Deez's bright blue eyes staring at her in awe. Her hand was clean in Deez's grip, but she was clearly too enthralled by the story to have bandaged it.

"Deez?" She shifts in discomfort after a long moment, not used to being stared at so intensely.

Deez blinks before she pulls back slightly, her eyes widening when they drop down to her hand, "Oh, sorry." She grabs a roll of cloth and starts wrapping her hand, "I just, no one's ever told me a story like that."

"Like what?" She tilts her head to the side.

"With so much detail. Like, you talk the way I try to write. Can I please write that story down? I really like it, I mean I'll ask Gil for permission too, but that was amazing."

She blushes. "You asked how we met." She traces patterns on the floor again. "If you'd like. I don't mind as long as Gil doesn't." She bites her lip. "I don't think my recounting is anywhere close to your writing skills, but thank you for such a high compliment."

Deez smiles as she tears the bandage and gently ties it off, "I'll ask first, promise." She puts the roll back in the box, "And, would you be willing to tell me more? I mean, I know you're busy, but like, every once in a while would you tell me another story about you?

She tilts her head to the side, "That's really the only one worth telling… That's the only time I was the one who left. Sorry."

"But you watched people, like you knew about me and Uma. You could tell me about that, the things you loved seeing."

"Oh." She blinks, "Sure, if that's something you're interested in I can do that for you."

Deez rolls her lips over her teeth as she nods, "I'd really, really love that." She whispers.

She smiles, Deez looked beside herself with joy. It made her chest bubble with warmth at being able to do something to make the younger girl so happy. "Well, I can't say no to that now can I?"

"I hope not." Deez cheers before she wraps her arms around her.

She blinks before her smile softens and hugs her back.

"Sorry, should have asked first." Deez quickly apologizes.

She smiles softly, "It's just you. I don't mind. I wasn't lying when I said I trusted you, trust all of you not to make sure it doesn't hurt. I just- One on one."

Deez slowly blinks as she pulls away and nods, "Got it."

She looks down, "Thank you. For taking care of my hand."

"Thanks for letting me." Deez grins, "And the story."

"Any time." She smiles. "And of course, it was nice to be able to share it with someone. It's one of my fondest memories. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you."

Deez hops to her feet, "I've taken a lot of your time, so I'll go get to work on my writing."

"Feel welcome to write down here if Harry gets bored." She reminds her as she stands to her feet. "It was a pleasure finally being able to meet you, you know, consciously." She walks over to one of T's messenger bags and dips her hand into a zippered pocket.

"I'll remember. And yeah, it was nice to be able to finally make that make sense."

"Here, we're barely home anyways. And both of us know how to pick locks." She walks back over and offers her the key Uma had left them. "I'm glad." She smiles.

Deez grins up at her as she holds her hand out, "Thank you. T would have told me to learn to pick the lock if I wanted a place to hide."

"The tumblers can only take so much abuse." She teases as she reaches out and pats the other girl's head.

"And I am really bad at it." Deez shrugs, "But would you mind letting T know I have a question for him?"

"Sure." She nods.

"Thanks, Faustina." She opens the door before she looks over her shoulder and smiles.

"Anytime." She watches as Deez slips out the door before she walks over and locks it before returning to the table.

She was curious if anyone else was going to come looking for T today.

She wasn't sure how to ask for help without being overbearing, but she was hoping that he and Harry would start working on the whole issue of them being unable to break a hold.

It scared her to think about ever ending up in that situation again.

Boom! Another one bites the dust...

So what did you think of the stories? Were any of you expecting it? I think we teased something about it ages ago, but can't really remember. Shocking I know. LoLz.

But anyways…

What did you guys think about D and Faustina's first meeting? Did it meet your expectations? Or was it underwhelming?

How did you like finding out more about Faustina and her thoughts on the Sea Family?

Are you surprised she was the one who selected who T should follow?

What about D's reactions? Can you blame her for being so thrilled over Faustina's story?

Did you feel for Gil and what his brothers would do to him?

Let us know!

Much love and appreciation,

Twisted