Hey Guys. Here is Chapter 2 for you. A HUGE THANK YOU to you all for your reads, reviews,follows and favs. And of coarse a MASSIVE THANK YOU to my AMAZING beta xez2003. This chapter would be an absolute MESS without you! I really do not know what I would do without you! Without further ado take it away chapter 2!

DISCLAMER: I DO NOT OWN DECENDANTS ALL RIGHTS GO TO DISNEY ANY DIOLOGE YOU RECONISE BELONGS TO DISNEY I OWN NOTHING!

Mal woke up the following morning to the familiar and comforting gloom of her room. After the strange dream about her meeting with Ben the previous night, she was relieved to have woken up back in her bed, surrounded by her rusty old furniture. Before her mind started wondering back to her dream, her line of thought got interrupted by her mother's loud voice as it thundered from the nearby balcony. As she did every morning, she yelled at her subjects who would scatter away in fear.

Mal smiled as she thought about how her mother could know something about the Dark Forest. She quickly changed out of her pajamas and went to look for her.

"Hey Mom? What do you know about the Dark Forest and its beast legend?" she asked as soon as she found her in the kitchen, working on her so called potions.

"What everyone else knows Mal! But why are you worrying about that silly place, my girl? You should be focusing on your training instead." Maleficent scolded, scowling at her.

"Yes Mom." Mal said quickly and turned to walk away. She knew better than to continue arguing with her when her mother was in that kind of mood. She returned back to her room, picked up a few supplies, stuffed them in her backpack and headed out.

Mal left Bargain Castle and headed towards the marketplace, deep in thought. She couldn't stop herself from thinking about her dream the previous night and she wondered why her curiosity was just overwhelming her. She just had to find out more about Ben even though he was just a boy like all the others. She suddenly shuddered as she remembered her mother's harsh words about her training that morning and she quickly brushed off any remnant silly thought about him. She simply concluded that her dream last night was just her subconscious telling her that it was best to find out all the secrets of the Isle so that she would be able to rule over it one day, just like her mother. She smirked as she remembered the way Ben broke that holly branch and she realized that she could actually use someone like him in her gang. It certainly appeared that he was quite strong and if he had really lived and survived in the forest all this time, he would be a very valuable asset in helping her rule the Isle. So she made up her mind and decided to venture back to the Dark Forest, seek him out and ask him to join her gang. And by keeping him close to her, she would definitely find a way to get him to tell her more about the Dark Forest and finally find out the truth behind its legend.

As she walked through the marketplace, she spotted a perfect outfit for him. She masterly slipped a yellow t-shirt, blue jeans, a blue denim jacket, and pair of blue gloves into her backpack as she passed the various stalls. After all, she was an accomplished thief just like Jay. In fact if you were to ask them about their partnership, they would both tell you that is was formed over their common love for stealing things.

She left the marketplace smirking as she overturned the last stall, spilling on of its contents on the cobbled floor and turned in the direction of the forest.

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Mal walked along one of the paths in the Dark Forest until she found the clearing Ben and her had spent the night. She then turned to head in the direction Ben took off, carefully avoiding the holly bush. She walked a few meters through the dense foliage until this gave way to reveal another uneven narrow path which eventually led Mal to another clearing. On the edge of this clearing, she spotted a partially concealed tatted looking shelter of some sort. From her position she could make out that the shelter was held up by large sticks propped up against one of the trees with one side made out of ripped tarp while the other side and the roof was made out with what looked like woven grass.

This must be Ben's. Mal thought as she slowly approached the makeshift tent to get a closer look.

She suddenly gave a startled cry as the ground beneath her feet gave way and she fell into a hole. After taking a few deep breaths to calm herself from the shock, she carefully checked herself for any injuries and sighed in relief as she found only a few minor scrapes. She gingerly stood up to examine the hole she had fallen into. It wasn't a very deep one and Mal tried to jump to reach the edge with her hands. After a few failed attempts, Mal realized in frustration that she was unable to climb out of it by herself.

As she looked around to search for anything that could help her get out of there, the outside light was cut off and Mal looked up at the shadow that had covered the entrance of the hole.

"Ben." she gasped.

After a few awkward moments of them just staring at each other, Mal decided to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Can you help me out of here?" she asked him. Mal hated asking for help as she considered it a sign of weakness but she definitely had no intention of remaining stuck in that hole for the rest of her life.

Ben stood still in shock as he looked down at the latest victim of his trap. When he had heard a nearby noise and approached his makeshift hole, he fully expected to find an entrapped animal, certainly not the girl who had recently saved him and taken care of his injuries. His body immediately froze and his heart started to beat a million beats a minute as he gazed at her, exactly how he had first felt during their encounter two days ago. Back then, his pain clouded mind had instinctively told him that she was a threat to him; after all she was another human being just like him.

He had been on his own in this forest for as long as he could remember. As he grew up and slowly found the courage to explore his surroundings, he had come to the conclusion that no one else lived here and the forest then inevitably became his home. Away from civilization and any other form of human contact, he had spent his life living wildly, trying to survive the forest's various dangers. But his meeting with Mal two days ago had turned his world upside down and had left him with a sense of disarray. Not only had she surprisingly taken care of his wounds and given him food and a blanket but she had also spoken of a mainland which her mother and she apparently ruled. And as he spent more time with her, his instinct started telling him that maybe she was not like him after all and that she was not a threat to him. Unbeknownst to the both of them, Mal's simple act of kindness towards him had subconsciously stirred some old forgotten feelings and memories buried deep within him, and these would end up changing their lives forever.

"So are you going to help me out or what?" Mal's impatient voice rang out and brought Ben out of his reverie. He stared at her for a moment longer before instinctively bending down to offer her his outstretched hand. Mal gripped it and he pulled her up with one simple sharp fluid movement. As Mal dusted herself off, she thought how her impression regarding Ben's strength was indeed correct and how he would definitely be an asset to her gang. Now all she had to do was to convince him.

"We really need to stop meeting like this you know." Mal quipped trying to start a conversation but an uncomfortable silence fell back almost immediately as he did not answer her. Mal then noticed that he was still wearing the bandages she left him with and decided to try and change tactic.

"How are your wounds? Are they healing?" Ben just simply nodded in response.

"Did you do that?" Mal asked, looking back at the hole he had just pulled her out of. "You really need to be careful where you dig those things. Someone might seriously get hurt."

"Yeah. It's meant to catch food." he replied quietly.

"So you live here?" she asked looking over at the little shelter.

"Yeah" he replied softly and stepped away from her and went to sit in front of the shelter. She quickly followed him and sat on a nearby stone a short distance away. Ben simply continued to gaze deeply at her, which made Mal feel uncomfortable so she decided to jump the preamble and get straight to it.

"So you must be wondering why I am back in the forest. I actually came here to look for you." She told him as a look of shock and surprise appeared on his face.

"You know I mentioned how my mother rules the Isle. Well one day it is going to be my turn to rule all over it and I need to know all of its secrets. And that is where you come in, Ben. You can finally satisfy this curiosity that has been nagging at me since our last meeting. I want to know more about the legend that surrounds this forest. Are you actually the beast rumored to live in it?" She asked.

At the mention of the beast, Ben's face suddenly changed from one of surprise to one of fear and he suddenly stood as if he was ready to bolt away. Mal noticed his sudden change of behavior and she quickly decided to change the subject as she did not want him to run away like the previous time. She would have to find another way of approaching the legend subject if this was his reaction.

"Okay. Okay. Calm down. There is no need to talk about that if you don't to." She said as Ben visibly relaxed again.

"Actually there is a second and more important reason why I came all the way up here to look for you. I have a preposition to make you, Ben. As I told you last time, while my mother rules the whole Isle, I am the ruler of the villain kids. You know, I could really use someone like you in my gang. So what do you say?" Mal asked.

"Really?" he asked softly after a few silent moments, shock and surprise once again written all over his face.

"Yes of course. You appear to be very strong and you survived out here in this forest for this long. You definitely have the right set of skills I need in my gang. In return you'll get a stable roof over your head and a decent meal every day. Well, as decent as the Isle can offer but it's definitely better then catching wild animals with makeshift traps." Mal continued trying to persuade him.

"I don't know-"he said.

"Come on…how can you hesitate?! Think about it and look at how you live. You can certainly do better than this. I can't believe you would want to stay here all your life while there is a whole Isle to explore and rule, as part of my gang. Unless of course you have a reason to stay here. Family maybe?" Mal asked.

Ben's face changed into one of sadness at the mention of family but Mal decided not to say anything else. This boy is just too mysterious. But if I continue pushing him for answers he is going to bolt away. I need to find a different way to get answers out of him. Mal thought as she turned to look at him expectantly, waiting for his answer.

Ben's heart started beating wildly in his chest as Mal's proposal started sinking in. Can it be real? he thought as he realized that he had an opportunity to explore this world outside the forest and maybe in the process even find a way to finally be safe away from him. And Mal did have a point on how he lived he reasoned as his sense of curiosity got the best of him and it overcame any fear he had of coming face to face with other human beings. Mal is not so bad after all and she is a human being he thought.

"Ok." he finally said softly as he made up his mind.

Mal smiled in satisfaction. For a few seconds, an unexplainable happiness invaded her but she quickly pushed it aside as she remembered her mother's harsh words of that morning and the reasons why she had asked him to join her crew.

"Great. But first things first. You definitely can't be part of my gang looking like some kind of cave man. Here!" she said as she opened her backpack and threw him the outfit she had stolen earlier.

Ben looked at the clothes in his hands in wonder for a few longs seconds, before turning and hurrying into the shelter to get changed.

Mal looked at her handiwork in satisfaction as she circled him slowly once he came out a few minutes later.

"You look good." She said. "And you will look even better once you get a haircut when we are back in the mainland." Ben smiled shyly.

"Come. Let's go then. So before we go, is there anything you want to take with you to the mainland?" She asked him as she gave him her backpack. He nodded before taking it and headed to his shelter. Mal watched in avid curiosity as he picked up some old books. While he was doing that, a small object that appeared to be a photo of some sort, fell out from one of the books and landed on the grass. He quickly picked it up and stared at it for a few long moments before returning it back in its place. He then joined her once he was finished.

"So, have you ever left the forest?" Mal asked as they started walking out of the clearing.

"No" he said softly.

As she was about to start telling him about what to expect once they reached the mainland, the air was suddenly shattered by a loud roar. Mal instinctively jumped in shock while a look of complete fear took over Ben's face. Without seeming to think about it, he got hold of her hand in a death grip and frantically pulled her as he started to run away from the clearing.

They continued to run as Ben forcefully pulled her along like a mad man, not caring about what was in their path, as if they were being chased by the devil himself. When they reached the edge of the forest and finally got back to the main road leading to the mainland, Mal felt as if her lungs were going to explode and she pulled Ben back and finally got him to slow down.

"What…was…that?" she managed to gasp, as she tried to get her breath back, once they stopped.

Ben stood still in his place, his heart threatening to burst from his chest as he caught his breath. His terrified expression had not subdued and he anxiously looked back in the direction of the forest as if he was expecting something or someone to have followed them. He visibly calmed down after a few long moments of silence and turned to face Mal and grimly replied "My father."

Mal's eyes widened in shock and she was about to ask him more about it but decided against it as she remembered his previous reaction when she first mentioned the beast. It is useless asking him about his father now. He will not tell me anything anyway. She thought. But this legend just got a lot more interesting and it seems Ben's family is the key to it all.

"So do you think we are we safe here?" she asked.

He nodded and Mal signaled for him to follow her as they turned to walk back to the mainland, the rest of their trip in silence.

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As they walked through the mainland and initially came across only a few shabby looking shacks and huts, Ben still felt reasonably calm. He looked around in awe as he silently took in his new surroundings. He watched intently as they passed through the now narrowing streets as a number of villagers and their younger kids cowered back in fear as soon as Mal approached them, letting them pass through. But all that changed as soon as they reached the busy marketplace. His heart started beating wildly in his chest as the crowded place and its loud noise quickly overwhelmed him, making him feel trapped. He instantly felt his defensive survival instincts take over and before he could control himself he growled menacingly at anyone that came near him or even looked at him.

"Ben! Woah, calm down. In a way it's good to be assertive and have your wits about you but that isn't exactly how we do things around here." Mal tried to explain to him in an effort to calm him down.

"You just have to chill and mind your own business. You need to learn how to be subtle and creep around the place. Like slipping through a crack if you catch my drift. Most importantly the golden rule of the Isle is that if you want something you just simply have to take it. But don't worry I will teach you. For now just stay close to me and no one will bother you I assure you." To prove her point, she picked up a rotten apple from one of the stalls giving it a bite, before turning the entire stall upside down and telling everyone to get lost. With a minute, the once busy marketplace was deserted as all the vendors had fled away in terror.

Mal led him to the back entrance way of Lady Tremaine's 'Curl up and Dye' and smiled when she came face to face with Dizzy, her granddaughter.

"Hey Dizzy. I have a job for you. Interested? She asked.

"What do you need Mal?" she asked happily.

"Dizzy, meet Ben. He is your next customer." She said before turning to Ben. "Ben this is Dizzy. She's going to give you a haircut."

Dizzy squealed excitedly and went to take Ben's hand to lead him to a nearby chair but he backed away in fear.

"Ben its ok. She just wants you to sit down." Mal explained and pointed to the tattered chair.

He nodded slowly and let Dizzy guide him to the nearby chair. Dizzy then went behind him and picked up a pair of scissors but Ben instantly flinched as soon as she did the first cut. "Sorry." she apologized softly.

"It may feel a little funny Ben but it won't hurt I assure you." Mal explained. Ben calmed down enough for Dizzy to finish her job.

When she was finished, Dizzy took him over to one of the shop's cracked mirrors. Ben stared at his reflection in complete awe for a few long minutes. He just couldn't believe that this was him. Since he grew up in the forest and never had a mirror, he had always wondered what he really looked like. He touched his now short hair which now just arrived to the top of his neck.

Mal picked up a blue beanie she found in the shop and approached him, putting it on his head.

"Now you look like a proper Vk and are ready to join my crew." She said proudly.

Ben looked at his reflection again before returning to look at her. He didn't say anything but he just couldn't stop the tiny smile which appeared on his face, as he felt a strange feeling bubble inside him.

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They left Lady Tremaine's 'Curl up and Dye' through the back door and started to head towards Mal's hideout, but came face to face with Harry.

Harry's face lit up with a delighted smirk as soon as he noticed Mal coming his way. He had wanted to talk to her ever since their last meeting at the docks. He had been totally impressed with the power Mal had shown off when she handled Uma and he had decided that he wanted her as his. They would make the ultimate perfect power couple and together they would rule the Isle without any interference, leaving a strike of terror in their wake.

"Hey Mal. That was a sneaky trick you pulled on Uma." he said with a look of complete lust on his face, completely ignoring Ben.

"Yeah well. She should have thought twice before setting me up to get poisoned." Mal snapped, not in the mood to deal with Harry at moment. "So did she send you to get revenge?"

"Oh no. Actually I'm here to ask if you have anymore holly. I have a few people I'd like to settle a score with. You could help me if you like. We'd make a good team." he flirted in a low voice.

"As if Harry. I have better things to do then waste my time with you." Mal scoffed. "And for the record. No. I don't have any more holly." She snapped as he tried to step around him.

"Oh but I think you'll find-" Harry started to say as he grabbed Mal's arm to stop her. But before Mal had the time to retort and pull her arm away from him, Ben let out a low menacing growl and lunged at Harry. He grabbed him by the throat and pushed him to the alley wall, effectively pinning him before he started to punch him relentlessly.

"Ben stop!" Mal yelled and Ben's head whipped around to look at her.

"Stop." She said again more forcefully and Ben dropped Harry roughly to the ground before returning back to her side.

Mal smirked and walked up to Harry, who had managed to stand up and was now using the wall for support. She quickly pulled out a dagger, which was hidden in her boot, and put it up to his throat.

"Now consider this a final warning Harry. I would suggest you get lost permanently. Because next time you bother me, I will not stop Ben here and I assure you that you will not be so lucky to escape with just a few scrapes and a bruised ego." Mal threatened. She released her hold on him and watched as Harry turned to give one last look at Ben before limping away.

"Come on." Mal called out to Ben as soon as Harry was no longer in sight. Mal smiled at him with a satisfied smirk on her face. "I knew I made a good decision when I asked you to join my gang."

"You have strength and that's good. But strength alone isn't enough around here. It will just turn you into any other common thug on the Isle. No, to really survive and rule this place, you need skill. I will teach you how to focus and control that strength of yours and learn to channel it by using a weapon like a dagger or a sword." she told him as they continued to walk down the alley.

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They eventually stopped in front of a worn out looking staircase which appeared to lead to a shabby looking cabin and was secured by a sort of metal cage. Mal picked up a rock and threw it on the nearby sign which lifted the metal door and cleared the passageway.

"Welcome to my hideout and your new home." Mal told Ben as soon as they climbed the stairs and found themselves in a large living area. "I have been keeping this place as a refuge for when I need to get away from my mother for a few hours."

Ben just looked around in awe as he gazed at the spray painted pictures and the large room itself. This cabin might not be much for any other inhabitant of the Isle but for Ben, who hadn't seen or lived in a proper home in years, this appeared to be a castle. The eerie light in the room came from the large cobbled coloured glass windows and a few dim bulbs. The entrance way was mostly void of any furniture apart from some scattered old looking wooden tables, two old tattered sofas and a small broken down television.

"I have a spare room you can sleep in." Mal said bringing Ben out of his thoughts. "Come on. I'll show you." She said as she led him to a small grey walled room with a dark green and blue themed bed and small dresser.

"So…this is yours if you want it." Mal said softly as Ben entered the room and carefully sat on the squeaky bed.

Ben felt a strange feeling take over and overwhelm him as he fingered the soft sheets and mattress beneath him. A memory from his childhood suddenly overtook him as he found himself as a young child lying on a similar bed as he looked up at a woman who appeared to be reading to him from an old looking book.

Mal watched dumbfounded from her spot by the door as she suddenly saw a sad expression take over Ben's face before he buried it in his hands and his body started visibly shaking. She just stared at him for a few long moments not sure what to do. But the sight of him like this something stirred deep within her as he just somehow reminded her of herself, where she would always curl on her own bed in this very refuge after a harsh argument with her mother, who pointedly reminded her that she was a very big disappointment to her. Before she could stop herself, she instinctively approached Ben and sat on his side, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Ben is pulled out of his trance by the gentle feel of a hand on his shoulder. He slowly turned his head and faced Mal who smiled slightly at him. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly.

Ben shook his head.

"Okay. It doesn't matter. You can talk about it whenever you feel comfortable." Mal said awkwardly, before she decided to change the subject.

"It is almost time for dinner. Come! You must be hungry." She said as she stood up and led Ben to the kitchen to prepare their evening meal.

They prepared and ate their dinner in silence, as none of them seemed to want to discuss what had just happened in Ben's room. As night-time approached, Mal stood up to leave and return to Bargain Castle.

"I have to go home for the night but I'll come back tomorrow morning so that we can start your training." she said.

As she went down the steps, she stopped to look back at Ben to find him watching her. She stood there looking at him, wondering what had gotten into her when she comforted him earlier. Her mom's harsh words rang in her ears, reminding her that sometimes Maleficent thought that Mal wasn't evil enough to be her own daughter. She abruptly turned away, telling herself that she will show no more weakness around anyone.

After he watched Mal leave, Ben returned to his room to settle in for the night. He took out the books he had brought with him from the forest and placed them on the drawer close to his bed. He picked up one of the books and opened it to take out the old photo which he kept there. He stared at it for an instant before putting it back in its safe spot. He took one last look around his new room as he thought about the crazy events of the day. He laid down on the bed and closed his eyes as soon as his head hit the pillow. A ghost of a smile appeared on his face as his last thought before sleep claimed him was of the feeling of Mal's gentle hand on his shoulder….

That's it. So Ben's is out of the forest but the mystery round the Beast deepens. How long do you guys think Mal's vow of 'no more 'weakness'' is going to last? lol I hope you guys liked this chapter. Please review? Pretty please?