T…What if

Mal was exhausted when she arrived back in her room. It was well after 7 pm. She collapsed onto her bed. The problem with that was, as soon as she came in and was just about to pass out…in walked Evie, Carlos, Jay, Lonnie, and Audrey.

"REALLY!" Mal barked. "Honestly, I am not in trouble, I was just meeting a few new people. Just let me sleep."

"Mal?" Evie asked, looking at her exhausted friend.

"Look, I needed to work out a personal issue. It's all covered. I just need…time before I am ready to talk about it." She looked at her Isle friends first, than to Lonnie and lastly Audrey. Mal knew Audrey was only there for the gossip. "Fariy Godmother and I had a nice long talk and we have it under control. It's nothing that will affect ANY of you, Auradon or Ben. It's about me and no one else."

"Ok, you heard her, clear out." Jay said kicking everyone, including Evie, out of the room. He closed the door, locking it, and himself inside. "Mal?"
"Jay…look you know we have always been able to keep each other's secrets. I will trust you with this, when I am ready. It's about the Isle and it won't affect anything here I swear, but I need to process it all right now. I will find you when I am ready to talk."
"Just wanted to make sure, we were still good, Sis." He hadn't called her that since she was 12, but it was nice to know he still thought about her that way.
"Always. You are and always will be my protective big brother." Mal smiled at Jay. He hugged her, something he hadn't done since they were 9, and left the room.

Mal fell asleep. She dreamed of days long ago. She was 5 years old again. It was the second week of school, and she was in the lunch room. Her mother had as usual not bothered to pack her anything for lunch, and gave her nothing to trade for to get a lunch at school. So Mal sat there watching all the kids eat their measly meals of moldy bread, or over ripened fruit, or even a nice egg. Jay sat down next to Mal, and looked at her empty spot on the table in front of her, he looked at the two pieces of fruit he had grabbed from the vendor on the street before he had gotten to school. He picked one up and placed it in front of Mal. "Hi, Maleficent, I am Jay son of the great Jafar."
"Please don't ever call me that, I am not allowed to go by that name. I have to earn it." She confessed.

"You have to earn your name?" HE asked.

"Yes. Mom, thinks it is a right to be named after her, and I have to earn the right." She quoted the speech her mother gave her on a daily basis. "I…I like Mal."
"Mal it is. Hungry?"
Mal was afraid to admit it, thinking that if someone told her mother that she wasn't able to survive on her own that she wasn't worthy of the name. "I am good." She snipped. Jay looked at her thin pale face, and forced the soften apple into her hands. "I can't…if she…"
"I won't tell, and if someone asks I'll tell them you demanded it of me."
"I…yeah…ok."

{Days like that when she was five happened a lot. It was then Jay taught Mal how to have street smarts and how to steal. By 6 Mal and Jay were a team to be reckoned with. And a team of thieves they were until that day when Mal and he were about 9. Maleficent had found some of Mal's art. And she flipped out on Mal. To the point where she literally kicked Mal out. Right down the back stairs. When Mal hadn't been at school for two days nor around the streets, Jay had come looking for her. He found her cold and ill at the bottom of Maleficent's back cement stairs. He picked her up and carried her to his house. His father was counting money and hadn't seen Jay come in. He snagged her food, and fed her. He dressed her broken arm and nursed her back to health. Three weeks Jay hid Mal in his room as her arm healed.}

Another dream started

"Mal, what happened?" He asked her every day and every day she refused to answer, until the middle of that third week.

"Jay you are like a brother to me."
"Always, Mal." He looked at her pale face, knowing what she was about to say was going to be tough.

"Mom found my drawings." Jay was the only one who knew she liked to draw, and not just tag with spray paint.
"I guess she didn't like them?"
"Nope. She threw me out."
"Threw?"
"Well kicked really. She told me to leave, that drawing weren't evil, and I didn't deserve to live with her if I wasn't evil. And then she kicked me down the stairs. The next thing I remembered was you carrying me here."
"Sis." He hugged his friend, knowing that was a huge thing to admit. They all had bruises from time to time, and they never admitted to each other where they came from or why. It just wasn't talked about on the Isle. And what was worse, Jay knew that Maleficent had meant what she had said to Mal. No one had heard of her even looking for Mal over the past three weeks.

Mal woke up with a start. She hadn't remembered the day she'd told Jay that in a long time. She knew, she had to find him. She looked at the clock. 8:00 am. He might be up. She could see Evie was still sleeping. She texted Jay. I am ready to talk brother.

Common area in ten, Sis. Was his reply.

Mal met Jay in the common area, he could tell she was stressed. He hugged her. The bushes moved, but neither saw what moved them, Audrey.

"Ok, I am listening when you are ready." Jay said sitting on the top part of the picnic table looking down at Mal.

Mal took a deep breath, and got ready to begin. She knew Fairy Godmother had told her not to talk about this, but she needed to trust someone. Ben knew, but he wouldn't understand.

"So…Adam sent men to my house on the Isle as soon as we left the coronation."
"Ok." This was not where he thought this was going to go at all.

"They cleaned out my house. I…they only took stuff from my house, I didn't know. I didn't ask for it." She admitted nervously, hoping he wouldn't get upset.
"I can see that." He was calm, he couldn't see her concern over this, she didn't ask for it.
"You're not mad?" Mal was shocked.
"Why should I be, it was nice of him to save your stuff, I mean that place would have been picked over in a heartbeat after that broad cast. My father would have been first in line, you know that, than Evie's mom would have moved in. She still most likely has."

"I…I just thought you guys would be upset because I have all that I left behind and you guys…"
"Mal, I never knew what was going to happen when we came here. I took everything I held important. Besides, I am sure if I had left anything of any importance behind my father would have sold it by now."
"Well, that was easier than I thought." Mal smiled at Jay and he picked up her shaking hands.
"Look Sis, it's all good." Neither heard the photo taken by Audrey's camera. "I know Carlos did the same. As for Evie? I don't know, none of us know that much about her. Not really."
"Oh she's already told me she misses things that are on the isle."
"Ok, well it's not your fault remember that, you didn't ask Adam to go get that stuff."
"I know. Fairy Godmother, Jane, myself and those three fairies that helped defeat my mother the first time spent all day yesterday going through the stuff. I took 4 huge boxes from my room, down to one that I really wanted to keep."
"Let me guess, most of it your art work?"
"Yes, and a few outfits and jewelry. A few small pieces I forgot I had. Stuff my mother most likely never saw, stuff we stole." Mal joked. "But they have it all for now, to make sure it holds no curses or enchantments. Not sure how without magic on the Isle, but they said I can have the stuff after they check it out."
"Ok, what about Maleficent's stuff?"
"They are keeping all of it in a magic safe room, I don't know where and I don't want to."
"Good thing, who knows what crazy stuff she had in there?"
"Yeah. I feel better, thanks Jay. I…That's why you are my oldest and closest …friend."
"Anytime Mal. What does Ben think of all this?"
"He knew his father had sent for the stuff, but had no idea it was arriving yesterday." Just then Mal and Jay's phones signal. They both pull them out to see the picture of them holding hands.

"What the!" Jay yells looking around.

"Its fine Jay, Ben knows we are friends, good friends. All I have to do is talk to him." Mal tries to calm her friends, and convince herself too. The phones signaled again and this time it was a text. If you want your secret kept from Ben, you will leave him alone. Mal looked at Jay and whispered, "I think its Audrey, I am going to text Ben before she gets to it."
"OK, I'll respond to our blackmailer to keep her busy." Mal quickly texted Ben Hi, sorry to wake you. I just wanted to give you a heads up. I really needed to talk to someone from the Isle I could trust about the boxes from my house. I met Jay this morning. He is my big brother, my protector since I was 5. He was the only one I could trust. Anyway I think Audrey followed us, because after I told him about the boxes and how sorry I was that the others didn't get that same chance to have their stuff, he held my hand because I was shaking. I got this. (She had taken a screen shot of the photo and text.) So I am being truthful and honest with you. Love Mal

Ben responded immediately. She sent it to me too. Thank you for telling me the truth. I understand. I also trust you. Someday I would love to hear your tales from the Isle. I want to know you back then. It's what made you who you are today. Thank Jay for me. Did I mention I love you? And never worry about Audrey, as long as we are honest with each other, we are good.

Mal sent back a quick, I promise when I am ready to share, you will be the first to hear it all. I promise, truth always. Luv U.

Mal looked at Jay who was laughing. Mal switched phones with Mal. He typed anytime this is Jay on Mal's phone while Mal read Jay's exchanges with the blackmailer

Not sure who you are, but there is nothing romantic about me and Mal Jay responded.

You and the purple haired fool make a much better couple than she does with Ben. Stick with your own kind. You Isle kids need to leave us Auradonians alone. Came the text back, that's was when Mal was sure it was Audrey. She giggled. And read on.

Yea about that, looks like all four of us are dating Auradonians. Mal looked at Jay. She knew about herself and Evie, she had no idea about the boys. She pointed to the last text. She swore he blushed. He just shrugged. And then whispered 'I'll tell you later, Carlos and I still have to do some asking'. Mal just laughed again.

The two left the common after that, and went back to Mal's room to find Carlos and Evie there. They had the picture on their phones too. "They call us the evil ones." Jay screamed. "That little witch. Look Mal just needed to talk to her big brother about stuff. Audrey is taking this how to get Ben back WAY TO FAR."

"Did she send this to the whole school?" Mal asked

"I don't know, hang on." Evie called Doug. "Doug, did you get a weird picture message this morning? No, ok. No just a funny error. Thanks."

"I texted Jane she didn't either." Carlos said and they all looked at him. "What I have her number, so what." The girls giggled, and Jay winked at Mal.

"You can trust them." HE whispered at Mal.

"I know. I'm just not really supposed to talk about it."
"You can trust them." Jay encouraged again.
"OK. Guys sit down." Mal looked at the other two and told them about the boxes. Carlos was fine, Evie was a little jealous, as she did have things on the isle she wanted, but she did understand that Mal didn't ask for it. That it was just done for her. And she couldn't wait to see what else Mal had to add to her wardrobe. Mal felt better.