June 18th, 1:47 pm

"Close your mouth beastie boy or you're gonna catch flies."

Called Uma out towards Ben once her second mate Gil left the room. The king, who hadn't even realized he had been staring, shut his mouth quickly. His cheeks turned a light shade of pink as he blushed, feeling slightly embarrassed at his actions. Ben quickly approached Uma and pulled up a chair from the hallway. He sat down near the young girl and bit his lip. Knowing what he was about to say touched a delicate subject, the diplomatic teen took a deep breath to calm his nerves. Then, before he could back out, dove straight into the sensitive topic.

"Uma, about Harry..." he started carefully, watching the girl's reaction carefully. She had simply been playing with her hair, twirling one of the long teal braids around her fingers, not paying much attention to the conversation. Suddenly alert, Uma let go of her hair and sat up a little straighter, her natural authority coming off of her in waves. "What about him?" She asked suspiciously, her brown eyes narrowing dangerously. Ben squirmed a little under her stern gaze, almost forgetting what he had to say. "I -uh- I don't…" Uma leaned backwards and gave him a look that said I don't have all day, get on with it. "Uh... I don't know if I can let him stay in Auradon anymore." Finally blurted out Auradon's young ruler.

Uma shot the king with a terrifyingly calm smile. Ben sinked into his chair, wanting to run and hide from the obviously furious girl in front of him. "Ben," said Uma in a sickly sweet voice. "What do you mean, 'Harry can't stay'?" He gulped, visibly afraid but he swallowed his fear of the real haired girl and held his ground. "Uma, he hurt you." He whispered, softly running his fingers up her arm. He drew his hand away instantly when the girl hissed in pain. "I'm fine." Affirmed the young girl with a snarl. "And I know he hurt me. He hurts Gil too." Ben was immediately worried and asked: "He has?"

Uma sighed and closed her eyes. When she opened them, her face looked so tired and full of hurt it was like she was so many years older, not just a 17 year old girl. "Not physically, if that's what has your royal panties in a bunch." Ben shuffled a little in his seat, partly relieved about the knowledge Gil wasn't physically hurt but worried about what would come next.

"But Gil is..." Uma paused, looking for the right word. "Fragile, let's say. He was hurt badly by his family when he was younger. Getting disowned by his father and forced to live alone on the streets from a young age. He found comfort in me, Harry and the crew. A new family." Ben nodded vigorously, indicating that he was following her story so far. "But Harry... he's not stable. It's something that runs in the Hook family, a mental illness. And it doesn't help that he was born and raised on the isle. Usually, I can talk him out of using his hook." Ben started to open his mouth, wanting to tell her that was why he couldn't stay. Uma glared at him. "Let me finish. Unlike most people believe, he never hurts me or Gil. He doesn't try to and his does his best not to let Gil see him when he's having break downs. But sometimes, it's inevitable and it pains Gil deeply whenever he sees Harry have another breakdown. He hates seeing his brother suffer."

Ben wanted to protest but he couldn't. He tried but it was a very weak attempt and he knew it. He barely convinced himself. "But... he still can't stay." If Uma wasn't angry before, she definitely was now. She stood up and practically screamed in Ben's face. "Can't stay? Can't stay!" She threw her hands in the air, as if to say can you believe this guy? Ben stood up as Uma paced around the room, her blood boiling with anger. "He has some serious mental problems, Ben. He needs help. Isn't that what Auradon does? Help people?" She stopped her pacing and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt to pull him towards her. "Unless that doesn't apply to us... Villain kids." She growled, her voice full of judgement as she implied that despite his good actions, Ben was still just another Auradonian who didn't care about the isle kids.

Ben felt trapped and didn't know what to reply to her accusation. "No, it's not... it's different." He stuttered. Apparently, it was the wrong answer as Uma rolled her eyes and plopped down onto her bed. "Different? So you're saying if Lady Mal, your precious girlfriend or one of her friends, came and you learned they had a mental problem, you'd do nothing?" Ben protested. "What? No! I'd help them. I'd get them to go see a specialist, I'd help them through it... oh."

Ben realized what was wrong with his statement. Uma nodded as the king sat down in his chair. "I can't believe I never thought of it like that. I still have a lot to learn and that's why I need you Uma." He looked at her with genuine hope in his eyes. "To make things right." He offered his hand as he silently pleaded her with his big puppy dog eyes.

Uma thought for a second and said: "If, I help you. I want the promise that Harry will be able to come to Auradon and get all the help he can get and that he needs. Also, that you will hurry up and bring more kids over because the isle is a dreadful place and without me or Harry to protect him, I'm afraid of what would happen." She shuddered at the thought of little kids getting ripped apart by the cruel world they were born into. Ben nodded eagerly. "Of course. By the end of the week, we'll have all the kids crossed over. Everyone will be given a basic medical exam, both physical and mental and if they seem to need anything, we'll get them the professional help needed." He paused. "And Harry can stay... as long as he doesn't keep his hook." Wanting to protest but deciding that was a fight for another day, Uma nodded and accepted the king's terms. She grabbed Ben's extended hand and asked. "Deal?" Ben grabbed it and confirmed with a smile. "Deal."

Friday June 21st (8:00 am)

Gil finished his breakfast at the cafeteria before heading down to the pier. Usually, he would grab another food platter for Harry but this time he decided enough was enough. He had been following the same routine every day for a little over a week now in hopes of getting stubborn Harry to react. Unfortunately, he was having no such luck as the older pirate hadn't moved since Tuesday. Today, like it or not, Harry would be coming back to the school with him.

It had been raining almost non stop for about three days. Gil always came back to the school soaking wet and freezing cold after seeing Harry. Even though it appeared as if the young Hook didn't or couldn't feel it, he was bound to get sick soon. This morning, when Gil arrived, the wind was whipping his face and whistling in his ears. The rain was pounding down onto the ground and you could hear the thunder starting to roll in. "Harry!" Yelled Gil, raising one hand to protect his face as he carefully braved the storm.

He could barely see two feet in front of him. Finally, the boy reached the end of the pier. "Harry!" He yelled again, this time in fright and surprise. His friend was unconscious and laying on his back. Dropping the food tray, Gil rushed to his side. Quickly scooping him up bridal style, the strong Gaston child carried the weakened first mate to the school.

He rushed as fast as he could, fear evident on his face as he watched his friend's lifeless form in his arms. Years of rope climbing and sword training had helped build up Harry's huge muscles despite the isle's rather inadequate diet. After a week of starving himself, not training and not sleeping, Harry started to lose weight like crazy. It was unhealthy and even scary to think of everything that was happening to his body because of that decision.

When Gil finally got to the hospital wing, he was halfway through having a panic attack. His pupils were dilated, his forehead was sweaty (although that could've been from the running), and he was starting to hyperventilate. A team of three nurses came into the waiting room running when Gil collapsed, sinking to the floor with Harry. Two of them pried Harry out of Gil's grip and placed him on a gurney, quickly pushing him to the emergency room.

The last nurse helped Gil calm down. She sat next to the poor boy and spoke calmly. She encouraged him to breathe slowly, in and out. Eventually, the pirate was able to calm down. Gently but firmly, she grabbed Gil's arm and pulled him up. Obediently, he followed her into a private examination room. Now that he wasn't panicking, the way he was shivering in his wet clothes was quite obvious. The nurse, Meghan, made sure to sit him down and gave him a blanket to warm up. Gil was now hugging his knees, still shivering and his face heating up. A violent cough escaped his throat. Nurse Megan knew it was most likely a cold so she grabbed a thermometer to check his temperature. 37,9 degrees Celsius.

"Oh, honey," she said with concern. "You have a nasty fever." Gil looked at her with confusion, his brain a little foggy from the virus. "What?" He slurred out. Patiently, the nurse explained: "you got sick from the rain. You're gonna have to rest and take some medication, okay?" He started nodding off, his eyes already closing on their own. But then he remembered why he was out there in the first place: Harry! "Wait!" He called the nurse who was getting medication out for him. She turned towards her patient and waited.

He told her about where he found Harry and how the older pirate refused to take care of himself. And how scared he felt when it started storming outside. He found Harry laying on the wooden boards unconscious, his body cold. It really did frighten Gil to believe his best friend was maybe dead. His eyes were glazed over and held a faraway light, like he was staring at something invisible, which he kind of was. Nurse Megan threw a second warm blanket over him while comfortingly reassuring him. "Don't worry, your friend will be just fine. He's being treated right now okay?" She told Gil while checking his pulse and breathing. Halfway convinced, Gil nodded. He vaguely remembered being helped into a wheelchair then he blacked out.

Uma had just been talking with Ben. She was telling him what he needed to know about the isle kids. Who got along with who, who definitely shouldn't be grouped together unless they wanted an all out war and who needed the most immediate help, from what she'd seen. She was in the middle of her sentence when she paused. "Did you hear that?" She asked the king with a frown. Ben nodded, also frowning as he stood up. "Yes, it sounds like someone saying your name." Both of them rushed into the hallway to see a half conscious Gil being pushed in a wheelchair while mumbling the words "Uma. Uma? Uma-Uma-Uma-Um..." The nurse accompanying him explained he was very sick from the rain outside and needed to rest. She gave Uma a bottle of medicine and instructed Gil must take two pills tonight at 8pm. With that, she helped the two teens install the blonde boy into the bed next to Uma's and left.

She sat next to Gil and ran her fingers through his hair softly. Uma asked Ben to leave them alone and he gladly left the pirates together. Bored, Uma decided to redo her hair. About three hour later, when she was barely done with half of her long braids, the nurse came back with another roommate for her. It was Harry. She gasped upon seeing her first mate's weak form, his skin so pale. After watching the nurses lay him down onto the last bed, the one across the room from her, Uma asked (demanded) for an explanation. They told her he hadn't been eating or sleeping since their stare down. He also had stayed outside at the pier without anything since that day, even though it had rained like crazy and the temperatures hadn't been agreeable or pleasant at all. He had been treated for the worst for now and was no longer in critical condition but he would definitely need to stay for an extended treatment. Uma nodded her understanding and the nurses left the room.

The young sea witch traced the pirates face gently with her finger. "Oh, Harry..." she sighed, running a hand through her first mate and best friend, the one she cared for the most out of all the people on the isle, dare she say it... her love's hair. He was always running around making the dumbest choices back on the isle. The ones that would only end up hurting him, eventually killing him. He was so reckless he didn't even consider his own safety, like, ever. Uma remembered all the times she thought she had lost him for good. There had been many close calls but today, seeing him right now sleeping peacefully on the bed, made her realize how lucky they'd been back on the isle that Harry never got himself killed for real. "What would I do without you?" Asked Uma out loud to no one in particular. Of course, she received no answer, given that both her boys were sound asleep.

After watching Harry sleep for a couple more minutes, Uma yawned, starting to feel a bit tired herself. She kissed Harry lightly on the forehead, wishing for him to be okay. She rubbed Gil's hair one last time, praying for her young crew member to get better soon. She had woken him up earlier to give him the medication and then he fell right back asleep, more coughs shaking his entire body. She sat on her bed, quickly changing the bands on her arm. The doctors said it was healing fast and that she should be able to leave tomorrow if everything went well.

Saturday, June 22nd (9:00 am)The past hour and a half had been torture for Uma. She couldn't fall asleep for she was too worried about Harry and Gil. She was pacing back and forth nervously. Now, the captain wouldn't have done that on the isle since she needed to keep up her image as a cold, cruel and ruthless person. But here, alone with the two she trusted most (and they were sleeping anyway) she allowed herself to show her worry. Around 8 am, someone had come in to check on her arm. Since it was fine, he said she could take off the bandages and she didn't need to stay but she decided to anyway since a) her boys were there and b) she didn't have a room at Auradon Prep.

Finally, Gil started to stir. Uma rushed to be next to him. Gil opened his eyes slowly. "Uma?" He asked groggily. "Yeah." She said. "Harry's gonna be okay." She said, knowing just what to say to reassure the young boy. Nodding, Gil yawned. "Okay." He said, turning onto his side to sleep some more. Frowning slightly since he had slept over 14 hours, she touched her hand to his head. She gasped. He was burning up again! She called a nurse who came in quickly to treat Gil's sudden fever.

While he was being taken cared of, she sat next to Harry's bed, running her hand through his hair as she thought of everything that had happened in the past week. Like he promised, Ben had brought over all the kids from the isle in less then a week, sending out five or six limos there twice a day. Every new arriving kid was screened and given a basic medical exam, those who needed it being given recommendation letters telling them who they should most likely think about seeing and ideas on what the issue might be.

Everyone was given a room, some needing to be 4 or five in one room since there weren't enough dorms yet for everyone. That didn't bother the villain kids either way, most of them actually liking being in close proximity with their gangs which reassured them.

Uma was happy to know they would all be just fine. But back to the issue of Harry, he had acted really weirdly that day and Uma didn't even care anymore, she just wanted to know why he had done what he did. But he wouldn't answer her right now and Uma knew that so she simply rubbed her thumb against his arm lightly while in deep reflection with herself.

Saturday, June 22nd (11:00 am)"Uma. Uma. Uma!" The young girl was woken up by someone repeating her name urgently with a Scottish accent. Opening her eyes, she looked around her and was confused to see Harry in her bed with her. "Harry?" She asked sleepily. "What are you doing?" He simply smirked. When it finally dawned upon her that this wasn't her bed, Uma jumped straight up. She fell asleep while tending to him, how ironic. "I'm gonna shower." She announced for no reason, getting up. Harry looked like he was about to bolt but Uma spinned around giving him a stern glare.

"Sit down." She ordered, her voice strong and powerful, not at all sleepy like she just woke up. Harry looked like he wanted to protest but he obeyed either way. "I'm going to shower," she explained as if talking to a five year old. She pointed a finger towards the bathroom across the room. "And you," she pointed a finger at him, "will stay in this room. Understand?"

This time, he really did protest. "But Uma," he whined. "Understand?" She asked more forcefully. Harry sighed and nodded. "Yes." He mumbled under his breath. Not satisfied, Uma asked again. "Harry. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Captain!" He said loudly before sitting back on the bed and pouting like a child.

"Good." Was all she said before heading to the bathroom. After, she would have a serious talk with her first mate about last week's events.

Elizabeth Annette: Thank you so much for your review to chapter 7! You are right, it is magic. Why it works? That's something that will be explained in the next chapter so I hope you'll stick around to find out! A hint I can give you is it has something to do with Fairy Godmother… ;)

Reviews? Those are always appreciated so if you want to take a few moments to share your thoughts, please do so! Thanks for reading and see you all next time!

xx Sasha xx