Mal takes a deep breath waiting for Lumiere to call her name. She can do this. She rounds the corner slowly and it's just as terrifying as she could have imagined, at the top of a staircase with everyone staring at her. But then she locks eyes with Evie in the front row center. Evie's smile and support give her the strength she needs to press on.
Mal only makes it down a couple of stairs on her own before Ben's dad is there to help her down the rest. "Hey, Ben is on his way. And you look beautiful."
"Oh thank you," Mal hadn't thought about how her freak out would have effected not just Ben, but those close to him. Did they know what had happened? She suspected not considering Ben had ran right after her to the isle.
Belle grabbed her hands, "I know we were shocked at first, but you are exactly what Ben needs."
"And lucky for me she doesn't go by first impressions." Adam joked.
Mal felt so guilty. She had had all this support right in front of her eyes. How had she not been able to see all of this clearly. She had to make this right.
Mal turned and there Evie was by her side. More support she had been ignoring. She was so lucky to have all these people and resolved to not take them for granted and be selfish with her feelings anymore.
"How are you?" Evie asked as she walked her back to where everyone was standing.
Mal thought about facing Ben. About all that was at stake, "I sort of feel like I'm going to throw up."
"Okay. That's okay. Look, we're right here with you okay?" Evie looked into Mal's eyes. She wanted to show her she was solidly there for her.
Trumpets sounded announcing Ben had arrived. Mal's whole body was shaking with emotion. Then he turned the corner, looking so handsome in his nice suit. They locked eyes. Mal felt comforted to see he didn't look at her with anger or pain like he had been. Maybe there was hope she could fix this for the both of them.
Evie nudged Mal out of her trance, "Go get him."
Mal walked up to meet Ben and he bowed to her, "Mal, I wish I had time to explain." Mal knit her brows in confusion. That was the last thing she had expected him to say to her.
Ben turned to face the staircase and when Mal looked up she saw Uma all dressed up. She suddenly felt as if someone had punched her in the gut. She could feel her emotions overwhelming her. Of all the horrible nightmares she could have imagined would go down on this boat, this she could have never expected.
But the nightmare was only getting worse. Ben went up to offer Uma his hand and bent down to kiss it. That's when Mal saw his ring. On Uma's finger. Tears were threatening to spill out. Mal had never been more confused or in more gut wrenching pain than she felt right now.
It felt like a bomb had gone off. Her ears were ringing and she felt like she might faint. She could only gape at them and catch glimpses of what they were saying.
Mal looked back and forth at them gasping. "Ben, did you go back for her?" she let out softly, willing him to explain what her brain just couldn't process.
The more Uma talked the faster Mal's pain was making way for anger. Uma grabbed her hand and Mal immediately yanked it back, "Listen Mal, I just really wanted to thank you. I do. For everything. Thank you. Thank you so much."
"Don't you see Mal? You were right. You knew that we weren't meant to be together. That's why you never told me you loved me. Thank you!" Ben cut through Mal's heart like a knife. He really believed she didn't love him? Had never loved him?
Uma and Ben moved away to start dancing and Evie caught Mal so she didn't fall over in shock. Carlos grabbed Mal's other hand. He was vibrating with anger.
Jay couldn't take it any more. He knew if he didn't get them out of here he was seriously going to hurt Ben. He couldn't believe they could have all been so wrong about him. Jay grabbed Mal from Evie and started to lead them up the stairs to leave.
Belle and Adana grabbed Mal on her way out, "Mal. Honey we're so sorry. We had no idea. I'm going to talk to him."
That was it. Mal was crying. She turned to rush upstairs but Jane cut her off this time. "Lumiere, unveil the gift! They need to see it."
Everybody turned to face the other way. Lumiere rushed to announce, "And now, the unveiling of King Ben's masterpiece, designed especially for his lady."
Mal stared at the newly revealed stained glass in awe. Her confusion and pain were replaced for a second with love. There she was in all her glory. Bright purple flowing hair, glowing green eyes, and a beautiful and badass purple dress. "Ben did that?"
"Yeah he did." Evie smiled at her friend, filled with emotion.
"Oh Evie, Ben's known who I was all along." Mal grabbed Evie's hand and found herself being mesmerized and pulled towards the stained glass. How could she possibly have missed all of this the whole time?
"He loved the real you Mal."
"A true love, yeah."
"Told you," Carlos chimes in.
Mal smiled for the first time in what felt like months.
Uma jarred Mal our of her thoughts with a scream, "Cover that back up!"
Mal's head whipped towards Uma. She studied her closely. Then studied Ben. He was spelled!
"Fairy Godmother, bring down the barrier." Ben requested.
Mal could fix this. She had to snap him out of it. She took one last look at the stained glass and then stepped towards him, "Ben."
"Look at me," Uma kept trying to talk over Mal but Mal just kept her focus on Ben. If she pretended they were the only two people in the universe and didn't lose eye contact maybe she could snap him out of it.
"Ben, look at me. Ben, I never told you that I loved you because I thought that I wasn't good enough." Ben was locked into what Mal was saying, regardless of how big Uma's panicking had gotten. She had to keep going. This was her chance. She had to be honest with him. "And I thought that it was only a matter of time before you realized that yourself. But Ben, that's me."
Ben turned to look at the stained glass. She felt like she had to keep saying his name, keeping him focused and bringing him back to her. "I'm part Isle and part Auradon. And Ben, you've always known who we were and who we can be. Ben, I know what love feels like now. Ben of course I love you. Ben I've always loved you."
The emotion rushed through her. It did feel good to be honest and let everything out. Mal was overcome and she reached forward grabbing Ben's face and kissing him. His lips back on hers felt like coming home. She had missed every aspect of kissing him and wanted to memorize every small detail. She wanted to focus only on the taste of his lips and the way kissing him made her heart feel.
Ben pulled back and when he opened his eyes Mal could see her Ben was back. His lips curled up into a smile and her name passed them. He leaned forward touching their foreheads and noses. He didn't want to lose touch with her for a second now that he had her back and in his arms.
But their moment shattered into a million pieces with Uma running to try to grab the wand from Fairy Godmother. When Uma fails at that she runs to the edge of the boat, followed by everyone.
"Do not let your pride get in the way of something that you really want." Mal could see herself reflected in Uma's eyes as everyone stared on anxiously waiting to see what Uma would do next. But Uma didn't choose the same path. Instead she turned and jumped over the ledge of the boat.
The water began to bubble and rise like a tornado, looming over the boat until it broke on top of them. Ben tried to shield Mal but it was no use. In the wake of the wave was a hint octopus version of Uma. She whipped her tentacles at the boat causing people to fall back and scramble out of the way.
Mal looked around at the terrified faces of her classmates and friends. Her eyes landed on Ben who she could tell was working a mile a minute trying to figure out what to do. Mal felt overwhelmed and overcome. She could feel her eyes start to glow. It was more intense this time than anything she had experienced before.
Ben called her name concerned and she locked eyes with him. But whatever was happening to her she could stop it. The warmth of her magic radiated her whole body and suddenly she was a massive dragon flying above the boat. Her body was moving instinctively and with one singular motivation, to protect.
Ben was shocked. He had no idea that Mal could do that. And he was worried watching Uma and Mal fight each other in their animalistic forms. Ben didn't think he'd ever felt this helpless in his life. Mal could get hurt. His people we panicked and they could get hurt. Uma could get hurt. And all for what. He had to end this.
Ben was equal parts frustrated and determined. He threw his crown and coat off and took a running swan dive into the water. He tried to appeal to both of them. "Mal hold on. Stop! Back down!"
Uma laughed in his face, "What're you guna do Ben? Splash me?"
"That's enough. It's gotta stop. This isn't the answer. The fighting has got to stop. Nobody wins this way. We have to listen and respect each other. It won't be easy. But let's be brave enough to try. Uma I know you want what's best for the isle. Help me make a difference." Ben held out his hand. Mal snarled at Uma daring her to try to make a move. To try to hurt Ben. But Uma just looked sadly at them both and dropped Ben's ring in his hand before disappearing under the waves.