When Dizzy spins Mal around to look at herself in the mirror she feels like she can breathe again for the first time in months. Finally the girl staring back at her is her. Through her magenta bangs she sees badass and rotten, ready to take on the world. Not some anxious stumbling fake blonde princess.

Mal paid Dizzy with what was left of her Auradon money. The bitter thought that she didn't need it anymore flitted through her head. Dizzy deserved it for all her hard work. As Dizzy pranced over to put her newly earned money away Mal came face to face with a dark figure from her past.

Harry Hook was currently focused on stealing from Dizzy which gave Mal a moment. Her heart dropped into her stomach and she felt sick looking at him. A bunch of confused feelings and memories started rumbling around in her stomach. Mal used to play Harry and bend him to her will. She was disgusted to remember sometimes that involved her touching and teasing him until he gave her what she wanted. He would give up plans, hiding place, get Mal and her gang out of binds, and so much more. It was pathetic how easy he was to manipulate. Which enraged Uma to no end and Mal just thought that was hilarious.

Her mother had always taught her love and intimacy were weakness. So she held power over Harry but never let him touch her or get close to her. Mal was glad she hadn't. Ben had taught her what intimacy really was. Being intimate had become reserved someone special, it meant something. It was no longer something Mal could just engage in with anybody. It was no longer a tool Mal used to hold power over the guy standing before her to manipulate him in their stupid gang wars. Her heart ached but she had to remain strong. No room for weakness on the isle.

If Mal wanted to survive here again it was time for her to dominate him in a different way. Show him who's boss by belittling him. She needed her territory back. "Still running errands for Uma or do you actually get to keep what you steel?"

Harry spun on her with a knowing glint in his eye that made her nauseous. "Well, well, well, what a nice surprise."

But she had to keep up her mean mug. This she knew how to do. She wouldn't let her emotions betray her ever again. She was strong. She was good at this. If Mal knew one thing it was how to make people feel small in the shadow of her leadership. "Hi Harry."

"Just wait until Uma hears you're back." Hook eyed her up slowly. "She's never going to give you back your old territory."

"Oh well that's okay. Because I will be taking it." Mal thrived on sarcasm. It felt good to be back.

"I could hurt you." Harry reached out and ran his hook through Mal's hair. She no longer felt sick she felt mad. He was going to have to learn that's not the way things were going to work anymore. Map grabbed his hook and yanked it away from her. Then she took her gum out and stuck it on the pointy end. "Not without her permission I bet."

Harry leaned back and grabbed the gum off with his teeth staring at her with heat. Mal rolled her eyes as he walked off. He would learn she wasn't giving him even her table scraps anymore.

When Mal got back to her hideout she stared at the disarray it had become in her and her mother's absence. At least nobody had the brains to try to take it over. At least she had a place to sleep tonight while she plotted to take back the rest of what was hers.

"Normally I would plot with Evie but she isn't here," Mal spoke to her mom as if she wasn't a tiny lizard in a tank. Mal sighed. She hated to admit it but she missed her gang. Things just didn't feel the same without them. And she hated that she missed Ben.

Mal grabbed her spray paints and go to work. Graffiti always helped clear her head. Before she even realized it she was painted Carlos and Jay on the wall. Then Evie next to herself.

Ben stared at Mal's place in wonder. He had so many questions. Every detail he encountered he wanted to know more. Was she happy growing up here? Then he rounded a corner and spotted her. His heart lept at the sight of her. Even though her hair was different than when he last saw her he immediately knew it was her. Her petite yet strong frame. That signature purple hair. All the studs and the dye on her clothes. He felt as if he hadn't seen her in months. And it dawned on him that he hadn't. This was the real her. And he had gone on letting her believe this wasn't what he wanted. He could see that now. But that was the furthest thing from the truth. This was the girl he had fallen in love with. This was the girl he wanted to be with. She was strong, beautiful, fierce, fun, and so much more. Ben knew he had to fix this.

"At least I don't see a picture of me with horns and a pitchfork." Mal spun around startled. "Ben?"

She almost thought it was a dream. He had snuck in so quietly but how did she not notice?

He started to advance towards her but Mal held up her hands abruptly to stop him. All Ben wanted to do was scoop her up in his arms but he listened to her nonverbal request and halted. "Mal I'm so sorry about our fight. It was all my fault and I-" Ben couldn't find the words. Everything didn't feel grand enough to express how he felt. He lifted his ring up in a gesture to her, "Please come home."

Mal put down her spray can and found the courage to walk towards him. "Ben I am home."

Ben felt like a fumbling idiot for the first time in his life. He didn't know what to say or how to act. "I brought the limo. It's a sweet ride." Ben wanted to kick himself. He had meant to make light but he just ended up sounding like an ass.

Mal looked like she was about to cry. Mal knew it was over but Ben hadn't quite realized that's what was happening yet. "I don't fit in Ben. I really gave it my best shot. And if you think that I could change, I think you're wrong."

Ben was starting to realize she seriously was breaking up with him. He hadn't allowed himself to believe that was even a possibility but he couldn't ignore it now. He wished he had more time. He wished he was the guy she deserved. But most of all Ben wished he had been able to make her understand he loved her just the way she was. He felt desperate, "Then I'll change. I'll skip school, have more fun. You know, I'll blow off some more responsibilities-"

Mal cut him off. This was exactly why she left. She was who she was and she didn't want to poison Auradon, poison him with that. "No, no. See, I'm such a terrible influence. It's only a matter of time before I do something so messed up that not only does the kingdom turn on me, but they turn on you-"

Ben cut her off this time, stepping in and invading her personal space. "Don't quit us Mal." He grabbed her hand and put his ring in it. Mal's breath caught having him so close again. This is exactly why she didn't want him getting close to her. It made this so much more painful. All she wanted to do was kiss him and let him take her away. But she couldn't. Mal tried that already and the cold hard truth was that it didn't work.

Ben stared into her eyes, "People love you. I love you. Don't you love me?" Ben had always thought she did love him she just wasn't ready to say it. But now that his world was crumbling he wasn't so sure that was true anymore.

Mal fought with all her might not to let the tears bubbling up inside her spill out. She put his ring back in his hand and pushed it back to him. "I have to take myself out of the picture. Because it's what's best for and it's what's best for Auradon."

Ben reached out to pull her in for a kiss. He just couldn't accept this. "Mal no please." But Mal just stepped backwards out of his embrace. "Ben... I can't do this."

Every inch of her body yearned to lean in a kiss him. While all the water in her body threatened to spill out of her eyes. She had to turn her back on him and walk away. "You should go, Ben. Ben please go, please leave."