*game/talk show host voice* And we're back folks to The Deep End of the Ocean! Here with us today is our main speaker, Star, along with her fabulous co-host and collaborator, Gummy!

Today, on the episode of What's Gonna Happen In This Dramatic Story Next?, we have a new chapter! Written by Gummy, we dive (ocean pun not intended) further into the story of King Ben, future queen-to-be-but-not-quite-yet Mal and the former's inner turmoil. Oh, if only we knew what was gonna happen next. *puts hand to heart dramatically but quickly recovers*

Guess you'll have to read the chapter to find out! Enjoy! *waves and raises hand excitedly*

"Belle! Wait up!" Mal called out to her boyfriend's mother, who turned around as soon as she heard the former villain call her name.

Belle stood with her hands on her hips, obviously angry. Or annoyed. Mal could guess a whole bunch of other emotions she was feeling, but decided it was just mainly those two. "Let me guess, he sent you here to try to talk me out of the royal escort, huh?"

"Yes," Mal confirmed. Upon seeing Belle huff and roll her eyes, she quickly added, "But hear me out! You and I both know he needs someone to be with him at all times, if not most."

"Yes," Belle nodded, "Where are you going with this?"

"Well," Mal reasoned, "Ben and I have almost the same exact schedules minus two classes. When he has tourney, I have P.E., and when I have art, he has French, but that is right down the hall from my class. For Tourney, I figure Jay and Carlos can be with him, and then I can get out five minutes early from P.E. and walk him to French. I already walk with him to most of his classes anyway, so it wouldn't really be as much as a problem as it would be if he had a royal escort."

Belle nodded, understandingly. "I suppose you do have a point, but if you ever want to stay at the castle, you have a room here; just so you're always close and won't have to walk to and from your dorm everyday." Belle offered, and Mal nodded. Belle had then sighed, relieved, and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder before continuing. "You know, Mal," She added, "I'm really glad Ben found someone like you."

Mal smiled, nodding in agreement at the former queen's world's. "And I am really glad I found someone like Ben," She admitted.

Monday morning. 8:15 am.

"Ben, are you sure you are up to going back to school sweetie?" Belle asked, nervously. She knew she'd been strict when she scolded him on Wednesday afternoon, but now she was starting to regret what she said and rethink her decision.

"Yes, Mom, I need to go back." The king answered politely, "I have a ton of work that needs to get done." He had then shrugged before adding, "Besides, I need some normal back in my life." He still wasn't allowed to work on any of his kingly duties and, to put it lightly, it was killing him (pun not intended). That, and he was completely bored during school hours without Mal by his side.

"Okay, but be careful," Belle reminded her son. "And if you ever start feeling sick or unwell, just let Fairy Godmother or one of your teachers know and you and Mal will both be excused." Ben had then nodded to get his mother to stop ranting, but either Belle didn't notice it or she chose to ignore it completely. "I specifically contacted each of your teachers five times—"

"Mom, I have six teachers. Isn't that a much?"

Belle ignored her son, once more, and continued. "—so there should be no problem if you need to be excused and if there is, just tell them to contact me, Fairy Godmother, or your father and one of us will deal with it."

"Mom!" Ben breathed, placing both his hands on his mother's shoulders. "I will be fine and Mal will be there with me all day by my side. Not only that, but you've already tripled the guards and security cameras at the school just in case."

"I know," Belle nodded as she hugged her son, feeling like a huge weight had just been taken off her shoulders. "I'm just worried. Your father and I are both are. You were gone for three straight weeks before you were found again."

"I know, Mom." Ben said as he hugged her back. "I don't blame you for being worried. I would be too if someone I loved—like Mal—vanished."

Belle had then let go from the hug, sighed and glanced at the time. "Exactly, and, speaking of which, she should be here any minute—"

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and without waiting for an answer, Mal barged right in. "I am here now, royals," She exclaimed playfully as she bowed down to Belle, who smiled and rolled her eyes, before turning to Ben. "Ready for school?" She asked him, taking his hand and leaning slightly on to his side as she did so.

"Yep," Ben said, popping the 'p'.

"Bye Belle!" Mal waved to the former queen as the two walked out of the room.

"Bye Mom!"

Later that afternoon at 2:15 pm.

It was their 6th hour class when Ben started having migraines. That was their science hour with Mr. Delay. Ben, finally after ten minutes into the horrific feeling in his head, caved and told Mal, who was sitting next to him. She got up and as told Mr. Delay what was going on, he nodded and allowed the both of them to be excused. Mal nodded promptly, before going to clear up her and Ben's things, and slowly brought the king to his dorm.

When they got there, Ben fell onto his bed, dramatically, covering his eyes from all the bright lights around him, which were aggravating the migraine further, as he did so. Mal walked around and closed all the curtains and turned off all the lights before going into the bathroom and getting a rag and bowl. After filling the bowl with cold water, she went and sat next to Ben and put the cold rag on his forehead, hoping it would help sooth his pain. After a while, his face loosened up and was no longer scrunched in pain when suddenly he started jolting around, screaming slightly, as he held his head in his hands.

"Ben?" Mal asked, shaking the young king, "Ben!" The former villain had then, not knowing what to do, rushed down the stairs and into Fairy Godmothers office frantically.

"Mal!" The kind woman looked up, confused and concerned. "What's—"

"We were just sitting in Ben's room 'cause he was having a migraine and, while he laid down, I was keeping a cold rag on his head on and off for a little over an hour when, suddenly, he just started screaming and jolting around and now he's in pain and is holding his head in his hands and I just don't know what to do!" Mal shouted out all in one breath, her face red from running down the stairs at full speed.

Once she did, however, Fairy Godmother jumped up and they started running to Ben's dorm, both of them ignoring the strange looks and whispers they were receiving from other students and staff as they passed.

And that's it for tonight folks! Stay tuned for the next chapter, which will be written by Star! A new chapter/episode of The Deep End of the Ocean will be coming up in a few days!

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~Star