The more time passed without Mal and Uma acknowledging that they were great at working together, the more Evie considered outing the hidden history the two groups had. The hidden connection might have been enough to at least push Harry and Jay into accepting each other again and that could have been enough to cause Mal and Uma to unite in their anger at being lied to by people they thought were their friends. However, since that would cause more unnecessary rifts, Evie took another approach. Icebreakers. In a move that was so bold she surprised herself, she considered the pirates and settled on saying something nice to Harry. "Harry," she said, causing him to look at her with cautious curiosity, "Great accent." She kept her tone as to the point and non-flirty as she could. Her icebreakers did not work, though, and after a brief discussion they split up, boys to go look for Ben and girls to look for clues about Audrey.
Once again, Jay was struck by Gil's fascination with all things Auradon and fresh food. The undoubtedly kindest of the pirates stopped to eat berries and then suddenly decided to play Evie's icebreaker and complimented him. He felt strangely significant and humbled by the fact that Gil admired his agility. Somewhat thrown, Jay chuckled and joined Gil at the bush. "I like how you get a kick out of a berry bush."
"I guess you've seen everything by now, huh?" Gil felt embarrassed as he realized how obvious he had been, unlike Harry who skulked around pretending like he wasn't enjoying Auradon over the Isle. "Furry rocks, giant fish," he continued, glancing at the berries in his hand, "You're probably used to grabbing lunch off of a bush."
"No, I mean, not really," Jay admitted, though he was ashamed to realize that he was definitely taking his new life for granted, "I mainly just use the vending machines at practice." Eating some more berries, he smiled at Gil. "You know, tourney kinda eats up the most of my time, so…" The wholesome conversation was interrupted by Harry laughing hysterically, mocking him for playing tourney. It didn't seem to affect Gil though, which Jay appreciated. Ignoring the pirate, they got to talking about adventures they wanted to go on, driving Harry spare. The meaner of the two pirates interrupted once again, telling them that Dude had gone off in another direction, just in time for them to hear Dude call for Carlos.
It broke Evie's heart to find Dizzy and the Smee twins affected by the sleeping curse. But it was nowhere near to punch in the stomach it was to find Doug. Ignoring the nagging sensation that it wouldn't work, she tried to wake him up, shaking him and calling his name. She ignored whatever Uma and Mal were saying until Ursula's daughter suggested that Evie would be able to wake Doug up. Because that was the issue she had been trying to ignore. She recalled some words of wisdom Quinn had given her during one of their many conversations about Evil Queen's demands that her daughter find a prince. 'Evie, just because someone is your true love, that doesn't mean you are theirs.' Never before had those words resonated with the blue haired princess. She was confronted with the truth she had kept locked away for a long time. Her true love wasn't lying on the floor in front of her, affected by a sleeping curse. No, he was out in the woods, trying to find Ben. "Can I be alone with him?" The stall worked and Evie glanced back at Doug as Mal and Uma left them. She stood up straight and paced back and forth a few times, trying to think of another way. She doesn't find one. All she could do was hope that her possibly being Doug's true love was enough. Pressing her lips to his, she silently acknowledged that it was a goodbye.
They all waited silently for a moment and Mal was shocked to see that it didn't work. Evie pulled away from Doug and looked down at her hands, further surprising Mal by seeming guilty, rather than devastated. Everyone knew that Doug adored his girlfriend and as Evie's best friend, Mal could have sworn that the blue-haired designer reciprocated those feelings. Before she could move to comfort Evie and ask the questions burning on her tongue, Uma absently wondered where the guys were and Mal's concern switched to her fiancé.
Whatever the group expected to see when they caught up with Carlos' mutt, it wasn't what they got. No, instead they were faced with Ben the Beast, rather than Ben the King. A Ben the Beast that lunged at them. Harry stepped back just in time to avoid getting caught on lethal claws and Carlos dragged Gil with him out of the way. The beast launched toward them again and Harry almost ended up ripped to pieces. Only Jay shoved him out of the way. Twice. Snarling at Carlos, Harry tried to ignore the feeling growing in his chest that he didn't care to identify. He inwardly cursed Gil's kindness as he pointed out that Beast Ben seemed injured and that Gaston had once told him that King Beast didn't handle pain well. They all volunteered Carlos to take care of whatever was hurting the bane of everyone's current existence and prepared to dodge another attack. Beast Ben roared as Carlos pulled his hand away and held up a large splinter. Harry winced, eyeing the piece of wood warily, even he unable to stop himself from feeling bad for the beast. A spray of water over their heads had them all turning around to see a girl in blue. Glancing back at the beast, they found the king in its place. Sagging against a tree in relief, Harry appraised the girl that had saved them as she explained that it was water from some Enchanted Lake. Grinning seductively, he approached her. "Well, well, well," he murmured appreciatively, "I'm Harry Hook and you, my little duckling are… ravishing." He was only somewhat disappointed when Carlos scoffed.
"Ravishing and taken… just in case anyone was confused."
While Jay assured Ben that, for the time being, Harry and Gil were on their side, Harry tried to reconcile himself with what had gone down. As they started to head to Evie's place, he could only imagine what kind of place it was considering her tastes, he approached Jay. "Hey, Jay, um," he began awkwardly, clearing his throat, "Yeah, thanks for saving me, gorgeous face." The responding smirk on Jay's face was enough to let Harry know that a truce had been established. If they could joke like they used to, they could one day be friends like they used to.
Back at Evie's place, the owner of the house watched with a small smile as Uma and Mal finally started to bond with each other. Evie herself was still ridden with guilt, a feeling she was sure would intensify once the real object of her affections came back. She listened as Mal admitted to having made a mistake when she alienated Uma, though she had no time to celebrate. The doors and windows were magically boarded up, trapping them inside. Celia came rushing down the stairs, panicked and they all huddled together. Mal tried uttering a spell, but it didn't work, further increasing Evie's fear. Her jaw dropped when Uma suddenly grabbed Mal's hand and they repeated the spell. It worked and Evie felt a smile so large it hurt her cheeks spread over her face. "You did it, together," she breathed in awe, looking between them, "This is what I've been talking about." Her joy grew as she watched her friends, because they were both her friends in her eyes, actually being civil, almost friendly, with each other. Though any joy she felt fell into a clump in her stomach when Celia announced that the boys were there with Ben. She followed the others outside, barely stopping herself from jumping into Harry's arms just like Mal had with Ben. Instead, she gave him a smile and let him greet Uma.
Jay caught the smile they shared, unbeknownst to her, and felt hopeful. He absently listened as Ben and Mal talked about Fairy Cottage and where it was, seeing Quinn in his mind's eye. Maybe, if Harry and Evie reconciled, they could help him get back in her good graces. He chuckled along with the others as they watched Carlos stumble through giving Jane her birthday present. The tender moment was interrupted when Ben suggested that Jane go find Fairy Godmother. "I don't know if it's a good idea to send her alone," he interjected, smiling apologetically at the girl in question, "I, for one would feel a lot better if someone else went too." Carlos agreed and Jay looked back at Ben. "Send Gil, he's cool and knows how to fight."
After strategizing, Harry waited impatiently as they approached Evil Princess' hideout. He was hoping for a fight, longing for the rush of danger. To his immense disappointment, they didn't find a fight, just a ponce screaming his lungs out as they set him free. Harry laughed, trying not to think back to the smile Evie had given him. He needed a distraction, something to take his mind off of the conflicted loyalties tearing him apart. He got more than he bargained for though. It started as with a joke between Uma and Mal. Which quickly evolved to the revelation that Mal never intended to keep her promise about letting all the kids off of the Isle. Harry's gaze snapped to Evie's before both of them looked at Jay.
"The barrier will be shut for good."
Perhaps for the first time since they were separated by Ben's decision to bring villain kids to Auradon, Jay found himself completely on Harry's side. He was reeling, thoughts of the promise he made to Quinn swirling through his head alongside the realization that he would be forced to break it. As a result, Jay did nothing while Uma called Mal out for taking advantage of them. Evie didn't defend her best friend either, placing a hand on Jay's shoulder in a show of support and solidarity. Harry came up to them, briefly squeezing Evie's hand as he approached Ben. Jay felt the pirate's pain as the anger in his words as he tried to yell at Ben was replaced by hopelessness. He silently vowed that he was going back to the Isle before the barrier closed. He would much rather be stuck on the Isle for the rest of his life, with a chance of winning back Quinn's trust, than remain in Auradon for the sake of a friend who lied to him. They all understood Celia when she threw Hades' ember in the birdbath. It was a little ill-timed but they understood no less. Harry looked at Evie and Jay one last time before he and Uma walked away.
Never before had Evie felt so hurt. She looked at Mal, disappointment seeping through her every pore. Mal tried to explain herself, but Evie refused to listen as she glared at her former best friend. "Closing the barrier was your idea?" Again, Mal tried to defend her choice, but Evie was done. So done. Gesturing wildly in the direction that Uma and Harry had gone, Evie raised her voice at Mal for the first time ever. "You say that you did it for us," she spat, "Yet you didn't stop to think about the fact that you were lying to Jay." Catching her own phrasing, she rushed to correct herself before Mal realized the meaning behind the words. Jay wasn't the one whose secret would be revealed that night. "You lied to Carlos and you lied to me." Tears rose in her eyes as started to back away from the girl she'd almost thought of as a better friend than Quinn.
"What about the kids we left behind on that island?" Mal looked like Evie had punched her, but Evie couldn't care less. She could feel Jay's silent support in the hand on her arm. She could hear Carlos' agreement in the fact that he didn't speak up to defend Mal. "Did you know that Doug didn't wake up because I loved someone else," she asked acidly, trying to keep her voice steady, "Did you know that if you close the barrier, I will never see my true love again?" It only took a second for Mal to understand, but Evie was finished with letting the purple-haired liar talking over her. "I fell in love with Harry long before I met you," she bit out, tears streaming down her face, "And if he's going back, so am I." She turned and started to follow Harry and Uma, wondering if Jay would too.
"Hold up, Eves," Jay called, catching up to her, "I'll come with you."
Mal felt her world fall apart around her and rushed to apologize again. Before she could get a word out, a flash nearly blinded her and her friends were stone in front of her. She cried then, truly. She cried for her lost friends, for the choices she's made and the sister she would never learn more about. Stone-Evie's hand is locked with Stone-Jay's and that grip told her that if she didn't make things right, she would lose them both. Carlos would stay, she knew, he wasn't cut out for the Isle and he still had Jane. The loss of Evie and Jay though… Evie was her best friend and Jay was her first one. She couldn't let it happen. Rushing after Uma and Harry, Mal promised herself to set things straight.
It wouldn't be easy, Mal realized as she caught up to them. "Uma, stop," she called, running to get ahead of them, "Stop, please, I need your help, we have a chance if we do this together." Uma wasn't having it, rhetorically asking if her friends had ditched her. The reminder was a stab in the chest, but Mal pushed harder. "Ben saw something in you and today, Uma, I saw it too," she admitted, pleading with the pirate captain, "You care, Uma, you care about everybody and Auradon is worth saving." Seeing nothing but detached disinterest in Uma's gaze, Mal met Harry's furious one. "Evie told me that she loves you." Uma's eyes widened, as did Harry's. "She told me that she would go back to the Isle with you, but she can't do that if she's a statue, can she?"
"Ye talk pretty," Harry said, weakened by the possibility that Evie supposedly still loved him, "But we've already made up our minds." He couldn't afford to believe her, not when she just revealed that she had lied about something that affected all of their lives. Harry nodded in agreement as Uma made it clear that Mal had brought her troubles upon herself and that she had to figure out how to fix it alone. The kept going, leaving Mal behind.