After standing for a few seconds longer I came to a decision. I knew that I couldn't run off or teleport as Evie had already seen me, and if she heard me teleporting away the first person she would tell would be Ben. And before I knew it he'll be combing this area, and selfish as I know but we hadn't been in the area long and I had hoped to stay her long enough as Edward loved this nursery and I didn't have the heart to take it from him.

I took a deep breath as I turn back into my normal self and I took a couple of further deep breaths before I stepped out from the tree. As I took a couple of further steps I saw Evie's eyes land on me and they instantly lit up.

"Mal!" she gasped as she quickly dropped her bags and ran towards me. She quickly pulled me into a hug which made me freeze for a few seconds before I loosely slid my arms around her waist, it felt weird to hug Evie after all this time but this soon passed as I tightened my arms around her waist. "Is this where you have been hiding all this time?" she questioned as she pulled away but kept her arms around me. It was at this point in which I noticed subtle changes in Evie also, just like Ben she looked like she had lost weight and even though she had make up on I could see slight bags under her eyes. Seeing my sister like this made me start to mentally kick myself again at how my disappearance had affected my family.

"No" I advised. "I have been to other places too" I confirmed.

"Why Mal?" she asked. "Why did you leave?" she pressed.

"Because-" I started as my panic started to build up once more. Yes I know that Evie wants to know why I just got up and left like that but I didn't think that in the middle of a forest was the right time nor place to have this conversation. I just hoped Evie would understand this, given my reaction to seeing her after all this time.

"Yes?" she prompted.

"I can't really talk about it right now" I dismissed.

"Why not?" she stated as her face dropped. "Mal it has been four years" she reminded me.

"I am aware of how long it has been Evie" I answered as I pursed my lips together. "I don't know if you will believe me when I say-" I started as we both dropped our arms from each other.

"Yes" she prompted once more as I took a step back, which made he look slightly panicked.

"It has been just as hard for me as it has been for you" I advised. "I didn't want to leave" I confessed. "I planned on coming back, I guess-" I said but stopped myself for a couple of seconds before continuing. "Things changed, and coming back wasn't an option" I added and I watched her pull one brow up at me. "I think I was even kidding myself" I laughed sadly. "Giving myself false hope" I continued sadly. "I can never come back" I finished. This was the truth, even when Ben and my family found out about what happened I didn't see a way in which me and Edward could return to Auradon and be with them. In my eyes there was no way for that, me and Edward weren't safe. And I wasn't about to put me and mostly Edward into a situation that wasn't safe.

"Mal" she sighed sadly. "That can't be true" she pressed.

"It is" I confirmed.

"Do you even want to come back?" she dared ask. In all honesty I did want to go back, I hated all the moving around and safety measures that I has put into place. And in another world where it was safe me and Edward would be back in Auradon and living a very happy life. But we were in this world where I didn't see this as a possibility.

"It doesn't matter what I want" I shrugged.

"Yes it does!" she exclaimed. "If you want to come back, you should come back" she told me.

"Evie-" I started. "It's just not that easy" I continued.

"Why is it not?" she pressed. I took a deep breath and looked at my watch and I noticed that I needed to get back to the nursery as it was close to the time in which I needed to pick Edward up. I looked up at Evie and then a new problem came to me, how was I going to get to Edward without Evie finding out about him? I highly doubted she was going to let me out of her sight now that she had found me.

"It's not important" I dismissed. "Anyway-" I sang cheerfully. "This has been lovely and all, but I need to go" I told her. "Somewhere I need to be right now" I smiled nervously.

"Mal come on!" she exclaimed.

"What?" I asked in mock innocence.

"If you think I am about to just let you walk out of my life again-" she started to warn me. "You are sadly mistaken" she pressed. "You are my sister Mal" she reminded me with a meek smile. "There are a lot of people still looking for you, a lot of people who still care and love you" she continued. "I can't just let you disappear again" she told me. It was at this point in which made and Evie shared and glance and I came to another decision. Evie was right I couldn't keep running, no matter how scared I was. The truth was always going to come out and even though I was scared of it happening I had to be strong. I just didn't know how people were going to react or what the short fall was going to be.

"Is it ok if I come with you?" she asked eagerly and by the look in her eyes I didn't have the heart to refuse her.

"I thought you weren't letting me out of your sight?" I teased with a smile.

"No" she smiled back. "I'm not" she confirmed.

"Ok" I nodded. "You can come with me" I told her. "But just give me a second" I added.

"Why?" she asked as she pulled her brow up at me once more. Instead of answering her I took a deep breath and I slowly changed back into my disguise, which made Evie throw me a very confused look. "Why have you done that?" she questioned in confustion.

"You may have found me E-" I started to explain. "But I'm not quite ready for the whole world to find me" I confirmed. "Not just yet any way" I quickly amended.

"Ok" she nodded as she turned and quickly picked up her bags. "I see what you mean" she advised as I stepped up to her and we both started to walk out of the forest, the same way that we had entered it.

"Erm" I muttered, which made her look over to me. "E?" I asked.

"Yes?" she replied.

"Please don't tell anyone that you have seen me!" I begged.

"I can't really promise that M" she told me. "Surely you know that?" she pressed.

"Yeah" I nodded as I pursed my lips together.

"But I won't do it yet" she promised with a warm smile.

"Thank you" I warmly smiled back.

We then continued to make our way out of the forest and as we did this I took in what had just happened. I did suspect that Evie had only promised not to say anything at the moment as she doesn't want to scare me. I understood why she felt like this, she was obviously being very careful with me in case I ran off again. I also thought it was down to the fact that we hadn't seen each other for such a long time. I couldn't lie as having Evie was making me feel slightly better, however I knew what was about to happen and the trouble that was no doubt about to ensue. But the only saving grace was that I had a little bit of breathing space before it came to that. I only had one issue on my mind right now - how was Evie about to react to meeting Edward?

A/N: Hey guys, I know I have left it on a cliff hanger. But you guys know me well enough now to know that I tend to do things like that. I also wanted to give you the chapters that I had ready, I didn't see the point of holding on to them while I was working on other things. I didn't believe that I was doing you guys or this story justice. I really hope you enjoy this story, I know that it has twists and turns and admittedly some dark scenes ahead but we will get through them together. Much love as always, RSD xoxoxoxoxoxoxo.