Chapter Ninety
A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything else belongs to either Disney or the Greek Myths.
*shakes head* Honestly guys, how are we ten chapters away from 100? And we're still in Choosing Love! It's going to be interesting to see how any chapters Choosing Home adds to the total here :D
Thank you all for your constant support here! It means a lot, especially with RL still being hectic :D
Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think! :D
Jasmine took a scroll and tentatively unfurled it. After everything that happened in the previous scroll…she couldn't help but hope it was a more upbeat scroll.
Mal sighed as she looked at the letter in her hands.
"And we're back to the sighing," Hadie said softly.
"After what happened in the last scroll, I don't blame Mal for sighing," Dizzy whispered.
It was the first time someone on her crew had reached out to her now that she was in Auradon but she knew the handwriting well.
"Wait, didn't a previous scroll say you'd been getting reports from the crew?" Hadie asked.
"Maybe it means the first time someone from the crew had reached out personally and not just the reports?" Mal offered.
The letter had come in from the goblins from Henry.
"As opposed to…?"
"Harriet, Derek, me?" Sammy said, answering Jay's question.
"Ah. Right," Jay nodded.
She had to wonder if there'd been a request for the letter to be expedited considering how quickly it had arrived.
"I…might have given the goblins an order to expedite any mail sent to the palace from the Isle," Benji said.
"And you didn't tell me this because?" Malinda asked, raising an eyebrow.
Mal,
I'm sorry I have to write this but I can't think of anything else.
"You did the right thing Henry," Malinda whispered as Benji rubbed her back.
There was a bad stampede at the barge a week ago. I know we're used to stampedes at the delivery barges but this one seemed to be even worse than normal. Let's just say the hyenas ate well that day. As did the lions and tigers, we're assuming.
"If…if the stampede was really as bad as was described in the scroll, that's a safe assumption," Sammy whispered.
Little did we know that Ryan's sister was at the barge. She...Mal, she didn't make it.
All of the older siblings in the room held their younger siblings a little closer as they heard that. Well, all of the older siblings who were children that is.
Hades might have felt for the Sunspot Pirate, but that did not mean he was about to embrace Zeus thank you!
Ryan's had a rough time of it, understandably so. I know it's only been a week but I'm worried about him. So's CJ.
"Of…of course I'm worried about him," CJ whispered as Harry continued to hold her close. "Or at least scroll-me's worried."
I'd hate for you to come here but you might be the only one he'll listen to. Mal...I'm really worried. He's gone really quiet and he doesn't talk to anyone except for maybe CJ...and he doesn't spar with anyone. In fact, I don't think he's left the crew's quarters except to eat and relieve himself.
The older VKs looked at each other, a feeling of dread rushing down their spines as Jasmine read that.
"You don't have to ask Henry," Mal whispered. "It's my duty as co-captain."
Even if it's just for an hour, you might be able to get through to him when we could not.
-Henry
"I hope Mal's able to help Ryan," Squirmy said softly.
Mr. Smee smiled and held his son close. "I do too," he told him.
"Everything okay?" Ben asked as he knocked on the doorframe to her room.
"Not even in the slightest," Jay shook his head.
"No," Mal sighed and shook her head. She'd wonder what he was doing there at a later date. For now she was just happy he was there.
"What were you doing there?" Malinda asked, looking over at Benji.
Benji shrugged. "Wanted to see you."
"What's wrong?"
"You remember Ryan? The boy you met when you came down to the Isle with us?"
"Brown hair, green eyes, red shirt?" Ben asked as he walked in. "Yeah I remember."
"Ry does leave an impression on you," Henry said with a sad chuckle.
"Didn't you two meet when he tried to steal your sword off your belt?" Jay asked.
Henry nodded. "He couldn't even lift it," he said.
"He lost his sister in a stampede at the food delivery barge last week," Mal sighed softly. "None of us even knew he had a sister though we suspected something. He'd sneak off the ship with food or sometimes even clothing that we kept on board in case we had any new members or a gangless kid needed some help."
Ben shook his head. "You don't have to explain yourself to me, Mal," he said softly.
Ben didn't say anything but just sat down next to her, gently rubbing Mal's back. "I thought things were doing better on the Isle?"
"We might make some things better but it won't change overnight," Chip shook his head.
Lucas nodded. "Rome wasn't built in a day after all."
"They are," Mal nodded. "But people must not trust the food barges will stay as good as they've been or something. People getting crushed on the food delivery day isn't anything new, but it's the first time any of the crew had an ally be affected. For it to be family…"
"We know Mal…" Henry said softly.
"You should go to him," Ben said softly.
"Both of us should," Uma said. "We're both his captains after all."
"You know that's a good point. Why didn't Henry write to Uma?" Celia asked.
"Probably because Mal's dating the King?" Dizzy said softly.
"Ben, I can't just drop everything and go to the Isle," Mal sighed. "As much as I want to help Ryan, we're coming down to the wire with Cotillion. It's next week! What if someone needs me?"
"I think Ry needs you more, Mal," Henry said softly.
"Jane can handle stuff for a couple of hours," Ben said gently.
Benji smiled sheepishly as he looked over at Jane. "Sorry about that, I just assumed…"
"Ben…we've known each other for so long, I'm sure you knew what I was and wasn't able to handle," Jane said gently. "Plus we do have a committee."
"Right now, Ryan needs a friendly face. A different friendly face since I'm sure Henry and the others are pretty friendly to Ryan right now."
"He's my brother, of course I'd be friendly," Henry sighed.
Mal nodded though she bit her lip in thought. It would be a good idea, the more she thought about it. She was one of the Captains after all, and if there was anyone who could help Ryan it'd be her. Who better than the daughter of the God of the Dead after all?
"The great-niece of the same God?"
Henry shook his head. "Okay Uma. Gods forbid this happens again, I'll write to you too."
"That's all the cap'n's asking," Harry nodded.
"Alright," Mal said softly. "Besides, from Henry's note, Ryan's in a bad place. He's not even sparring with CJ of all people and those two are usually sparring partners."
Sparring partners…future boyfriend and girlfriend…Malinda thought, biting her lip to prevent a small smile from appearing on her face.
"Well then let's go," Ben said. "Give me five minutes to grab—."
"Why am I not surprised he's going?" Audie sighed.
"Ben, no! You're the King, you can't go galavanting to the Isle every time something happens," Mal stated as she stood up.
"Mal I will continue to say it until it sticks," Benji said. "The Isle houses my subjects, if something happens to them I want to be able to see if there's anything I can do."
"Mal, Ryan's your friend," Ben said. "Why wouldn't I want to be there to help you if I can?"
"Ryan might not want to be crowded though," Lucas pointed out.
"You did hear me say that you're the King?"
"What good is being King if I can't help people who need it?"
"You can help Ben, but you can help by delegating," Lonnie told him.
"And if someone on the Isle captures you because they realize who you are? Ben, the last thing I want is for you to get hurt!"
Don't think about Ben getting kidnapped in the second viewing, don't think about Ben getting kidnapped in the second viewing, Audie thought to herself.
Ben sighed and sat down on the edge of Mal's bed. "It's a risk I'm willing to take. Mal, I've been in Ryan's place. Maybe not exactly the same but I do know what it feels like to lose a sister."
Abby got up and wrapped Ben up in her arms. The message between them was silent but everyone knew what she was saying: dead or not, three or not, she would always be his sister.
It was Mal's turn to sigh as she sat down next to Ben, gently resting a hand on his shoulder.
"Thank you," Benji whispered to Malinda as she rested her head on his shoulder.
"I know I was only three when it happened, but I still miss her," Ben whispered. "The one thing I think that'll always hurt the most, now that I'm older and can really process it, is not being able to get to say goodbye…"
"I..I think that was the hardest thing for us all. At least if...if Abby had-had been a stillborn…" Belle whispered; Beast holding her close. "...Yes it still would have shattered our hearts but at least we would have had the chance to see her..hold her..and get the closure of a goodbye. With the miscarriage...there was nothing physical to make it real...she was just gone..."
Mal paused as an idea began to form in her head. Say goodbye... she might be able to help with that.
"Mal…what are you thinking?" Hadie asked, looking over at the older version of his sister.
Or at the very least she knew a guy who could help with that.
"Oh! Yeah dad could definitely help with that!"
She'd have to ask him but her dad was usually okay with helping out the kids of her crew if he could. Though...this might be where he drew the line.
"Depends on what you have planned, Mal," Hades said softly.
"Get your jacket Ben," she said softly and Ben looked over at her.
"I'm coming?"
"Why would she ask you to get your jacket if you weren't?" Elle asked as Akiho shook his head.
"Well I wouldn't want you to wear the jacket around Auradon after all," Mal chuckled as she stood up once again and put her jacket on.
"Even though you totally should," Malinda said as she looked over at her husband.
Ben smiled slightly and kissed her forehead before rushing out to grab his Isle jacket and beanie. At some point he knew he wouldn't be able to rush off to the Isle but if he could do it now, he'd be happy to.
"And we've lost her," Jay sighed, shaking his head as he noticed the look on both Mals' faces as Ben's beanie was mentioned.
"Where are you rushing off to?" Akiho asked as Ben burst into his dorm.
"What…why are you in Ben's room?" Emir asked, looking over at Akiho.
"Considering I don't know the future, I can't tell you," Akiho chuckled.
"Why are you in here?"
"Seems Ben wants to know the same thing," Emir said, shaking his head.
"Looking for you. This is your room isn't it?"
"Why are you looking for me?"
"It's Akiho. Does he need a reason to look for you?" Melody asked, shaking her head.
"Emir and I were going to ask if you wanted to play a pickup game of Tourney. The other guys are down for it and are down at the field."
Ben perked up before looking at Akiho, Chad, and Emir. "Why don't we do that now?"
"Because the last thing we want to do is add to your busy schedule, captain," Emir said.
Ben bit his lip as he slipped his jacket on. "Sorry dude, as much as I would love to do that, there's an Isle emergency—."
Benji shook his head. "Yes I consider anything important to Mal to be an emergency, no matter how dramatic that sounds," he said as he noticed the looks he was getting.
"You know, if you want to be alone with Mal, you can just say so," Akiho chuckled as he got up and clasped a hand on Ben's shoulder. "You don't have to come up with a code word to do so."
"Although I won't lie, that's not a bad idea," Malinda said, giving Benji a small smile.
Ben shook his head. "Well I mean, I'll be with Mal but it truly is an Isle emergency."
"Knowing Akiho, he'd want to come with when he hears that," Emir said and shook his head.
"What happened?" Akiho asked, his tone growing serious as he looked over at Ben. There had never been a moment where Ben was more grateful that Akiho had grown close to the VKs as now. He explained everything that happened and Akiho nodded.
Akiho sighed. "For all the grief I give you for not having guards Ben…I think I'll understand that this time it's personal."
"I'll let Emir, Jay, and Carlos know," he said. "And Emma, just in the off chance something happens where we'll need the King. Now go!"
"And maybe it'd be a good idea to let Chip know as well," Lucas said. "At least that way there wouldn't be panic if you needed the King and Emma was there and the royal family didn't know."
"Thanks dude," Ben nodded as he ran back to Mal's room. Meanwhile, Mal had already gotten changed into her Isle garb and was in the process of reaching out to her father to see about getting her idea underway.
"This might just be me but maybe it would be better to check with Uncle Hades before telling Benny to get his stuff?" Uma suggested.
Dad?
Yeah Mali?
You got a sec?
For you? Always. What's up?
"That goes for both of you," Hades said, looking over at Hadie. "If either of you need me, I will always have time for you."
Might want to make it you three, dad, Malinda thought. Yes she knew Rea wasn't even a thought in her father's head yet but still!
Mal sighed. If I were to come by the Underworld with someone—
You know when I said you were grounded for going to the docks the last time you were here, I didn't mean you had to come back home, Hades told her.
"Grounded?! For what?!" Mal exclaimed. "I was in my territory!"
Besides, your mother has already been informed so she can monitor your grounding over there.
That's not why I'm asking, Mal said, rolling her eyes.
That's my girl, Hades thought with a smile. After listening to too many scrolls where Mal had to be timid, it was nice to hear her having an attitude. Even if it was with him.
Neither one of her parents had been particularly thrilled that she had gone to the ship even though she had been completely safe. Between the crew, Harry, Uma, and Ben, there was no way she could have drowned.
Malinda shook her head. "I was in my own territory and yet I got grounded," she muttered.
Plus the last time Freddy had been able to go to the docks was when she was nine anyway.
"It'll be a cold day in Tartarus before Freddy sneaks by us," Henry nodded.
The Rats enjoyed chasing him off and nine times out of ten, it resulted in a fight between the Rats and the Angels anyway.
"Is the tenth time because we're asleep?" Harriet asked. "On what planet would we see the Angels in our territory and not fight them?"
"Barge day?" Sammy suggested.
Harriet paused before sighing and nodding her head. Her First Mate had a point.
Dad, I'm sure you know there was a bad stampede at the barge a week ago.
Oh yeah, we were busy weighing souls that day. Most of them went either to Tartarus or the Asphodel Meadows.
"Sounds like the usual for a barge day," Hades sighed.
Did any go to Elysium?
I think a couple did...why do you want to know Mal?
"Mal's never really shown a pointed interest in where any souls go so the fact that she suddenly is…" Hades said, his voice low before he sighed. "It'll perk my interest and/or my concern to say the least."
Mal sighed once again before she answered. Henry reached out to me. Apparently...Ryan had a sister who got caught up in the melee. Do you remember if a young girl with the last name Williams went to Elysium?
"If a twelve year old didn't go to Elysium, I'd be surprised," Poseidon said.
Hades was silent and Mal knew it was a big ask. After all, it wasn't as if 'Williams' was that unique a last name.
"Wait...it isn't?" Henry asked. "Because Ryan's the... only one I knew of with that name and there didn't seem to be too many 'Williams' in the records when we looked up Ry's last name at Dragon Hall years ago…"
"Wouldn't…wouldn't you have seen the records for Kristy then?" Evan asked softly.
Was the girl's first name Kristine?
I'm going to say 'yes' only because I don't truly know. Henry didn't say in his letter.
"Huh…that probably should have been something I put in my letter," Henry said softly.
"To be fair, you didn't know Mal would reach out to Lord Hades," Claudine said, gently rubbing Henry's back.
Since we're assuming this is Ryan's sister, you'll be happy to know that she did go to Elysium. But I don't know how much good that will do him Mal, if the grief is still fresh.
"Any closure for him would be better than none," Belle said softly, glancing over at Abby.
Ben...he said it might be a good thing if Ryan had the chance to say goodbye...
Mal...you know mortals can't stay in the Underworld proper for very long. The only reason your friends were able to stay the night in their guest rooms was because that was the living quarters.
"Yeah as nice as Elysium sounds, I'd rather not get stuck there," Uma said.
I know dad, but even a half an hour with his sister would be better than nothing. Henry said Ryan's really down and I don't blame him. It couldn't be easy losing his sister.
"I think that would be an understatement," Rachel said softly.
Something tells me you're wanting more than just having me let your crew mate into Elysium…
Mal stared at her father in slight shock. "How'd you–?"
"You really think I wouldn't know what was going on by that point, Mali?" Hades asked.
...would Ben be able to join him too?
Why in the world would I—?
Persephone shook her head. "To be fair, it is a valid question."
When Ben was three, Belle miscarried, Mal said quickly as if to stave off a lecture from her dad. Ben never really got to say goodbye, considering he was you know three. But he's done so much for me dad, and...what could it hurt? I don't exactly have any other friends who have dead loved ones.
"Excuse me?!" Jay and Harry both exclaimed.
Jay and Harry?
"Thank you Lord Hades!" Jay nodded.
"You're welcome Jay…and you're around enough that you know you don't have to use my title," Hades said.
Jay's made peace with his mom's death, considering how many years it's been. As for Harry...I honestly think being here in Auradon has done more for him in terms of that than seeing his mother would.
Besides…if I was going to bring Harry then we'd need to bring Harriet and CJ, Malinda thought. It's only fair that they all get to see Milah.
Besides, unlike Ryan's sister and Ben's sister, there's no guarantee Milah's in Elysium.
"And now we know that she is," Harry said softly.
Oh she is.
She is?!
"No need to act surprised there Mal," Harriet said, shaking her head.
Her only true 'crime' in life, well besides being a shrew of a woman, was leaving her first husband for Hook.
"A shrew am I?" Milah asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked over at Hades.
Hades shook his head. "The last time I saw you was when your soul was being judged. You were a little shrewish."
"I'd just died!"
But she loved her children, anyone could see that.
Milah sighed and nodded. "And I always will love them, no matter how old they get," she said softly.
But that's neither here nor there. Mali, if you're serious about this, bring them. But they get a half an hour only. I'm not going to be the one who gets the King of Auradon stuck in the Underworld.
"I'm pretty sure I've got enough of a rep over in Auradon, don't need to add to it," Hades nodded.
Deal dad...and hey, while they're in there, we can finally have some time together. Since I won't have to rush off.
"I know your father will love to hear that," Persephone said with a small smile.
That's music to every father's ears.
"Lord Hades is right about that," Phoebus nodded.
Mal grinned as she ended the chat just as Ben walked through her door.
"Ready?"
"Sure am," Mal nodded. The two of them scurried to the garage where they opted to share Ben's scooter rather than a limo. There was really no point considering it was just the two of them.
"Plus a scooter is easier to hide," Audie pointed out.
Mal couldn't help but grin as they crossed over the bridge and hid the scooter.
Auradon was great after all...but the Isle would always be her home.
"I just have two homes now," Malinda said with a small smile.
"Captain and Mitchell on the gangplank!" Bonny cried from the crows nest as Mal walked up.
"Well at least we know Bonny doesn't need watch training," Harriet shook her head.
"Mal!" Henry grinned, walking over to greet her. Unless Mal was mistaken, there was almost an air of relief in his smile.
"You know Mal'll save the day!" Jay grinned.
"No scouting run this time?"
"Ryan comes first," Henry stated and Mal nodded.
"He always has and always will," Henry nodded.
You got that right, CJ thought with a mental nod.
"How is he?"
Henry sighed. "In all honesty...I've no idea. He won't talk to anyone Mal. Not even CJ. I know it's only been a week but if he's bottling it up, it's only going to explode out of him at some point."
"And most likely that 'explosion' is going to be at Freddy or the Castors if Ryan can't find him," Jay said
"...And likely without back up I'd say," Uma added.
Mal gave the older boy a small smile. "I know Henry. And I know the motto of the Isle is 'you cry you die', but that's never been the motto of this crew and I would hope it never would be."
"Never has been, never will be," Malinda nodded.
"Not unless the crew's changed it without my knowledge," Henry said quickly.
"We wouldn't do that," Sammy shook her head.
"That…that goes against Captains' orders," Squirmy whispered.
"You cry you die?" Ben asked softy, looking at Mal. Mal shrugged.
"It's rougher for VKs here than it is in Auradon," Henry told him. "But you guys are probably on a time crunch. Ryan's in the crew's quarters."
"The only time crunch we had was the thirty minutes in the Underworld," Benji said. "We would have stayed for as long as Ryan needed."
Mal nodded and went to go into the crew's quarters. It was empty, which was normal for that time of day. The only lone person in there was the brown haired crew member she was looking for.
"I'm surprised CJ's not glued to his side," Harriet said softly.
"Ry?" Mal asked, her voice soft as she sat down on the edge of the mattress.
"Mal?" Ryan asked in shock, his voice raspy as if he hadn't used it in a while. Then again, Mal thought, he probably hadn't. "What...what're you doing here?"
Malinda sighed as Benji rubbed her back. "I think the worst part was that he had to ask," she whispered.
"Henry wrote me, said you were having a bad go of it after the stampede last week," Mal said gently, giving the younger boy a kind smile. "I wanted to come over and check on you."
"Like any captain worth her salt would do," Harriet nodded.
"Or any Queen," Sammy added.
Ryan sighed and rolled over onto his side. "I really just want to be alone Mal," he said softly.
"Too bad. If I've learned anything from Uma, it's how to be stubborn," Mal said.
"From what I've heard, you've been on your own all week," Mal stated. "I came all this way to be with you, I'm not going just because you tell me to."
"You got that right!" Mal nodded and crossed her arms as if to punctuate her point.
Ryan shrugged. "Do what you want Mal. You're the Captain and the one dating the King."
"…That's a little mean, she's just trying to help," Akiho said with a small frown.
Anna shook her head. "Remember, people make bad choices when they're mad or scared or stressed. And that would include grieving as well. You just have to throw a little love their way."
"...you want me to have Mitchell come in here?" Mal offered, not exactly used to this almost sullen attitude from the normally bright and happy crew member. She remembered Ryan had liked Ben in the time they had interacted.
"I'd have been happy to help if I could," Benji said.
"No offense to the new guy Mal but there's no way he'll understand the roughness of the Isle since he's been living in Boreadon all this time," Ryan said with a small sigh.
Benji held back a sigh. Ryan might have been grieving hence his sullen attitude but he also had a point. It was still hard to understand the roughness of the Isle at times, having lived in Auradon all his life.
Mal gave Ryan a small, sad smile. "I think he'll understand more than you think. But come on, I've got something I want to show you."
"Show you the one thing that might truly help you right now…" Henry whispered.
"What is it?" Ryan asked, not wanting to get up but knowing that when his captain was asking something, it usually wasn't a request.
Malinda shook her head. "I'd never force anyone to do something they didn't want to do!"
"Neither of us would," Uma nodded.
"It's a surprise."
"Really? You're not even going to give me a hint?"
"That would just give away the surprise," Evan shook his head.
"That'll ruin the surprise," Mal told him as they made their way to the deck. "You'll like it though. Trust me."
"Maybe like is the wrong word…but it will help," Malinda said.
"Uh huh. The last time someone on the Isle said that, it wasn't a nice surprise," Ryan muttered and Mal had to hold back a wince at the reminder. She hadn't even realized how similar her words had been to Scar's.
"And I'd actually been going more for Ben's words on our first date," Malinda sighed. "When he told me the picnic would be a good surprise."
Grabbing Ben, the three of them made their way to the Underworld in silence.
"Wait...Mal, am...am I in trouble?" Ryan asked as he realized where they were heading.
Hades sighed. While he normally liked knowing the sunspots feared him, Mal's crew were a different animal. They were loyal to Mal and the last thing he wanted was to make him seem like someone they couldn't go to for help if they needed it.
"What? Of course not," Mal shook her head.
"But, you don't normally take crew to the Underworld—."
"I mean Harry and Jay have rooms in the Underworld and they're crew. So does Uma," Mal shrugged.
"There's someone I think you need to talk to," Mal told him as they entered the Underworld. Hades walked over to them and handed Mal a golden necklace with an hourglass on it.
"Half an hour Mal," he said as a reminder. "Any more and they risk getting stuck there permanently."
"And that's the last thing anyone wants," Rapunzel said softly.
"I know dad," Mal nodded.
"They?" Ben muttered.
"It might be a good idea to tell Benji the plan before springing it on him," Chip said.
"I need to talk to my dad but I was hoping you could stay there with Ryan," Mal muttered back to him. It was a partial lie of course. She did hope Ben would stay with Ryan.
Benji shook his head as he gently rubbed Malinda's back. "You know you could have told me what you were planning," he whispered.
"And that would have ruined the surprise," Malinda told him.
Ben nodded and the three of them made their way to a golden door surrounded by green vines. Mal knew this door—it was the door to Elysium, where the souls of the good and pure belonged after their life string was cut by Atropos. Even if she hadn't checked with her dad, she knew a young girl on the Isle probably would have ended up here.
"Not every girl," Claudine thought as she thought about Shayla.
"Ryan?"
Ryan froze as a petite, brunette girl came running up to him. Even though she was transparent, he knew her hair was brown just as he knew her eyes were bright blue. He knew his sister.
"Any sibling… hell, any family member, would know their loved one no matter the changes…" Benji said softly. "That just proves how much they love them."
"...Kristy?"
Mal couldn't help but give a small, sad smile at the sight. "I'll give you some privacy Ryan. Mitchell here will stay in case you need someone though. Thirty minutes."
"And because Ryan likely wouldn't have anything to keep track of the time," Henry said. "Ben would."
"He'll be okay," Ben said softly.
"I know...but that's not the only reason I want you to stay," Mal told him, her voice turning gentle as she led him a ways away from Ryan and Kristy. Ben almost fainted at the sight.
"What happened?" Belle asked, nervously grabbing Beast's wrist in fear that something had happened to Ben.
There before him was a teenage version of his mother. Someone he had never met but somehow knew all his life.
Belle gasped, her hands flew to her mouth as she realized just who was standing in front of Ben.
"...Abigail?"
Abby smiled. "And here I was wondering if I'd ever turn up in these scrolls," she said softly.
"Hey Benji," she said with a small smile, keeping her voice as soft as possible to avoid Ryan from hearing. Ben, as if on autopilot, reached forward to hug her but stumbled as he fell through her.
Abby shook her head. "If only I could have been solid there. If only for a second," she said softly.
"Transparent, remember?" Abigail said sadly as Ben righted himself. Mal slipped out of the Underworld to give both brothers a private moment with their sisters.
Abby looked over at her sister-in-law and smiled. "Thank you," she said softly.
"I've missed you," Ben said softly. "I know it's silly since I never really knew you—."
"It's not silly Ben," Abigail said gently.
"Missing a loved one could never be silly," Emma shook her head.
"I've missed you and mom and dad too. But Ben...I've been so proud to call you my brother. You took the crown before you needed to so dad could finally have a chance to grieve. Bringing the VKs from the Isle is one of the best things I could think of. And don't think I didn't cheer when you finally got out of that horrid contract!"
Abby shook her head slightly. "I swear I was this close to haunting dad and Leah when I heard about that contract," she said.
"It took some convincing, that's for sure," Ben gave a weak chuckle at that.
"It took a freaking love potion cookie!" Emir exclaimed.
"Because you're unfortunately very stubborn," Abigail said softly. "You're lucky that Mal's just as stubborn. She's good for you Benji. Don't let her get away."
"I won't."
"And clearly I stuck to that promise," Ben said, looking over at his future self.
"Good. Because if you do, I'll haunt you to make sure you realize what an idiot you were."
"I'll do it too, don't think I won't!" Abby nodded.
Ben chuckled again and pulled out his phone. "Do...do you know if photographs work down here?"
"No one's ever tried," Abigail told him. "Why?"
"I mean…to be fair, the last time a mortal talked to one of the souls of the dead, I don't think cameras were a thing," Hades said.
"Mom's birthday's coming up. I...I was thinking I could—."
Belle gasped, her hands flying to her lips. "Oh…if it works, that photo would be priceless to me," she said.
Abigail gave him a soft smile. "Give it a try. If it works, I think mom would love it more than books themselves. But only if you're in the photo too. Give mom a photo of her two kids for the first time."
Benji smiled. "Looks like younger me's going to need to come up with a new gift idea since the surprise here is spoiled," he said.
Ben couldn't help but give a sad smile at that as he nodded and flipped his camera into selfie mode. Crouching down to get to Abigail's height, he smiled as he took the photo and crossed his fingers that it would turn out well. Or at all.
Maybe…maybe I could work with Mal…and build a camera that works in the Underworld proper, Carlos thought. Ben's done so much for us…he should have the confirmation of knowing his picture came out the way he wanted.
While Ben was checking on that, on the other side of Elysium, Ryan was still staring in shock at the sight of his little sister.
Henry sighed. "His little sister…in the one place he never expected or wanted her to be."
"Hey Ry," Kristy said gently and tears began to prickle in the corner of Ryan's eyes at the sound of her voice. "Oh, no! No more tears. Please Ryan, you've cried enough over me. It wasn't your fault."
Claudine smiled sadly as she heard that. "And that is probably the only 'it's not your fault' he'll believe," she said softly as she gently rubbed Henry's back. She knew the redhead would have told Ryan that every chance he got.
"The last thing I told you was to stay away from Freddy," Ryan said softly. "I could have gotten the food from the barge. I'm...I'm older. It'd have been better if I'd gone."
Ryan, if you'd gotten crushed, it would have killed CJ and Henry and Derek. Not to mention the rest of us, Malinda thought.
"I was smaller, I thought it'd work in my favor," Kristy shrugged.
"Because Fred led you to believe that," Claudine whispered.
"I'd lived more Kristy. If I'd gotten crushed, it wouldn't've—."
"Don't you finish that sentence Ry!" Henry and CJ exclaimed at the same time.
"Ryan! Don't you ever say that again! It was my choice to get the food, it was my choice to talk to Freddy and it was not your fault! Don't you know that dad would be devastated if anything happened to you?!"
"Any good parent would be devastated at anything happening to their children," James sighed.
Ryan sighed. Their father had been in a right state for the past week ever since Kristy died. Henry had been the one to tell him, since he was acting Captain and Ryan was in his crew.
"Mal and I should have come back and done that," Uma said softly.
"Not to mention Derek and Henry," Kristy added, continuing on her tangent. "Plus I'm pretty sure CJ would come here and kick your butt for getting yourself killed!"
"She's got that right!" CJ cried.
"But—."
"But nothing Ryan," Kristy said firmly. "I know I'm the younger sibling here but you need to start living again! Lying on your bunk in the crew's quarters is only going to make people worried about you. You have a chance to get off the Isle at some point. For both of us okay?"
"Those words sound familiar," Ben said as he thought back to the little family meeting the Le Bêtes and Chip had had during one of the breaks.
Ryan nodded softly, roughly wiping away the tears that had begun to well in the corners of his eyes. He wasn't going to let them fall. Like Kristy said...he'd cried enough already.
Aziz shook his head. "There's no shame in tears…but it's not good to cry forever."
"I...I miss you though. So much."
"And you always will Ry," Malinda said gently. "No one's saying you have to stop."
"I miss you too. But how about you turn that grief into motivation into kicking Freddy's butt?" Kristy suggested, sighing and shaking her head.
"I don't think you need to tell this lot twice, they're chomping at the bit to kick Freddy's butt," Rose said as she looked at the VKs.
"He's not that good of an ally as I thought if he's not even going to help as I got crushed."
Sighs could be heard around the room.
"Gods…she was so innocent," Sammy whispered.
"You mean is," Dizzy spoke up. "Our Kristy's still here."
Uma nodded. "Fireball's right."
"Wait...he was there?" Ryan asked in shock before his fists started to clench in rage.
Claudine sighed. "I know I say this a lot but I'm just going to repeat it, Fred's not long for this world when we get out of here," she said.
"I saw a glimpse of him," Kristy shrugged. "But it was really hard to make out."
Henry paused. There…there was no mention of us finding Freddy's body…he…he didn't slip past us did he?
Ryan clenched his jaw. Freddy had been there, had watched as Kristy had been crushed and done nothing! Ryan didn't even care that Freddy had been in their territory. He was going to answer for letting his sister die.
"And he does Ryan, he does," Malinda said with a small nod.
"Ryan?" Mal's voice said softly.
Kristy sighed. "Looks like our time is up. But just remember...I'll always be with you. Whenever you feel the need to do something stupid, just listen to the little voice telling you not to do it."
"Because that voice will be her…watching him," Benji said softly.
Ryan chuckled, the feeling a foreign one after a week of almost soul destroying despair. That didn't mean he was completely back to his usual self...but he was starting the path back.
"Good…and Derek and I will be there for him, no matter what," Henry said.
"Thanks Mal," he said softly as the three of them walked out of Elysium.
"Don't mention it Ry," Mal told him, the golden door closing firmly behind them as they made their way out of the Underworld and, for two of the three of them, off of the Isle.
"I'd do it for anyone in the crew," Malinda said.
Jasmine shook her head. "That's the end of the scroll. Who wants to read next?"
"Audrey does!" Phil Jr. said quickly.
"Phillip!"
"What? You haven't read since we got here."
Audrey rolled her eyes. "Fine."
