ACHOO! The green eyes grew big with the knowledge that… was not allergies.

No…No. NO! Mal growled to herself. I can't be sick! I'm too busy to be sick! Two papers needed to be written, she agreed to do a quick guest lecture for Fairy Godmother's Remedial Goodness class, Ben needed her for at least three dinner with Auradon royalty, and Evie asked for an hour dress fitting for who-knows-how-many-other events that are coming up. I CAN'T BE SICK! She stood with her head in her locker for a little bit longer praying that it was just a reaction to something. She found it hard to breathe through her nose, and she felt her eyes grow heavy.

No. NO!

"How's my fairy princess?" A cool cooing accompanied a warm arm that wrapped around her waist. Two thoughts went through her brain when she heard her king's voice; melt into his arms and relish his strength or save him from the any sickness so that he can operate at full capacity. So she turned to him with a sad apologetic look and step out of his arms.

"Mal, what's up?" Ben is not used to Mal stepping away from him unless something was seriously wrong. He went to grab her close, but her silent hand told him that wasn't a good idea.

She covered quickly by switching into her largest smile. "Ben, you have the worst timing. I have to go to class." He opened his mouth to rebuttal but she raised her hand again. "No. I have to go. If I hug you or kiss you I am going to lose my resolve and stay." Ben flashed her a wicked smile while reaching for her again. She jumped away from him playfully and smacked his hand. "No. I love you, but I have to go!" Ben watched his dragon fairy sway away looking over her shoulder to smile at him before disappearing into her art class.

Mal knew she was safe in Madame Rapunzel's Art studio, this was her refuge and no one dared bothered her in this world. She felt her eyes growing heavier than usual, but she figured she would just push through it and everything would be fine. She started with a clear idea of what she wanted to create, but ten minutes into the charcoal outline, her lines became blurred as her arms grew heavy. She tried pushing a little harder but her world started to spin.

"Mal," Rapunzel called to her through the fog. "Mal, are you alright?"

Mal did her best to sit up straight and answer, "I'm fine, I just haven't slept well this week." I mean, it isn't a lie. "May I leave early?"

"Only if you are planning to go back to your room," the designing princess demanded. Mal nodded her understanding and offered a weak smile. Her bed was calling her name and there was no way she would deny the request.

Groaning Mal curled a little tighter into the pillow when she heard a soft call of her name. I love the sound of Ben's voice. It feels like home wrapped up in the simple way he says my name.

"Mal, sweetheart," Ben called to her.

Without opening her eyes she replied with a smile, "Hello Benny Boo." Ben realized that her fever was making her delusional. Ben looked frantically at Evie. She and Doug had come in to find the sleeping Mal trying to pass off her coughing and runny nose as simple exhaustion. Evie didn't know what to do, for she had never been sick in her life, so she called Ben hoping he'd have a solution. She gave Carlos and Jay as much information as she could and told them that if she heard anything else they would be the first to know.

Doug brought in Doc at Evie's scared insistence, and he ensured all of them that she simply had a fever. "Between her exhaustion and stress, her immune system had weakened leaving her wide open for opportunistic disease," Doc explained. Those words were foreign to Evie but Ben had recently heard them himself when his mother insisted he go in for his annual checkup. It didn't even cross his mind what may have been going on with Mal.

"Benny Boo," Mal questioned, "where'd you go?"

"I am here, Mal," Ben whispered and covered her hand in his. "I'm not going anywhere." Minutes grew into hours and Ben never left her side. Even under the hawk watch of Evie he moved to the bed to lay down next to her. It was more comfortable than the chair and he found a way to be close to her without overstepping propriety. It helps that Evie hasn't even dared to leave the room.

Ben looked up from his book as he noticed Evie started pacing again. "Evie," he smiled, "she isn't going to die. It is just a cold, with luck she will feel 90% better in the morning."

"Morning? What time is it?"

"Midnight," Ben answered nonchalantly. Evie gasped in horror and ran to Ben's side.

"You have to get out of here," she demanded. Her eyes were wide and the sudden change in attitude confused Ben immensely.

"What?"

"You should get out of here," Evie continued. "People are going to talk. It isn't right for you to be here so late."

Ben chuckled hoping to break the tension. "Okay, I guess I understand that. If you think about it though people already know that I love Mal and that we are practically engaged to be engaged, so I don't think any of them would question my decision to stay by her side." Evie stepped back knowing he was right, but she still looked conflicted. Acting as the good diplomat that Ben proved to be, he negotiated, "If it would make you feel more comfortable I will move back to the chair."

Evie questioned the situation for a second. She could tell by the hard look in Ben's eyes that he wouldn't leave the room, but she didn't want her friend to be the talk of the town for the wrong reasons. She nodded agreeing to the terms set before her. But Mal had something different in mind. Just as Ben moved to get off the bed Mal turned to curl her arms around him. She didn't say anything but her cracked lips broke into a smile letting them know that everything would be alright.

Evie thought that she had lost the battle, but Ben stayed true to his agreement. He detached himself from Mal, kissed her on the forehead and sat in the chair. He got comfortable and then looked at Evie. "You should sleep. No use all of us getting sick from exhaustion."

She wanted to protest and kick him out, but she knew that if Doug were sick she would rather die than leave his side. Ben is a king and an honorable man, Mal was in the right hands.

Evie relented with a simple, "Goodnight Ben."

"Goodnight, Evie."

"Goodknife, Beggie B-" Mal mumbled sleepily.

Kissing her softly once again Ben whispered, "Goodknife, my Dragon Princess."

Author's Note: This was a request from WinterFreeze MusicGirl. I purposely chose not to make Mal get better in this story because I think the real focus should've been on Ben and Evie; their mutual love of Mal and their continual understanding of each other. I hope I did this story idea justice.