In twenty-two years, Mal had already lived through more than most princesses had ever experienced. When she set foot on the island, she saw the most terrifying sight yet. Fairies lay on the cold, dirty ground, scattered in the alleyways and she focused mainly on her family, who by fate were lying on the doorstep of the house where she lived for years.

"Ben."

She ran straight to her husband, who seemed to be the most awake person there.

"Hi, don't worry, I'm fine."

He said receiving the hug, but also trying to show her his best friend.

"Evie, what happened?"

She crouched down towards the blue girl carrying her son.

"At the time all that happened, a rock came loose and hit Tommy's arm." She was crying over the baby, who was also crying endlessly. Mal went over to see her nephew and was startled by the size of the wound. "A fairy thinks it was one of the magic support stones that hit him. We need to get him to an urgent hospital, Mal."

"But we can't leave here, not now."

Mal said quietly, because she didn't have the heart to spill the truth to her friend.

"We can't? So, I'm supposed to see my wounded son and leave?'

She asked with tears in her eyes.

"That's not its E..."

"Mal!"

"Mal!"

"Mal!"

And suddenly everyone seemed to be calling her name at the same time, making her more frightened than she already was. She wanted and was going to disappear, but remembered that the Island inhibited her powers.

"Come here."

Rashid pulled her out of the crowd of fairies and friends so that she could breathe.

"Tommy's...Carlos...Clarion."

When they went to a more secluded alley Mal seemed to be in automatic mode, just repeating everything they'd said to her.

"Calm down, take a breath."

Rashid asked her, holding her cold hands.

Mal leaned against the wall and as soon as she stopped to breathe, she began to cry like she hadn't done in a long time. Her cries were of exhaustion, despair, fear, worry and a mixture of other feelings that she wasn't expressing.

"What happened, Rashid?"

He asked, still crying.

"I don't know exactly yet, but I have a bet..."

(...)

Flashback

The guardians had been imprisoned since Mal's first trip to Neverland. Although it was assumed that none of them were crazy enough to leave the Fairy Kingdom, Clarion didn't trust them, especially Demetrius.

"If I don't get out of this room, I'll go mad."

The general of Auradon said for the hundredth time. The queen's imprisonment meant that they had to stay in the room until order was restored and Ben could lock them up in a real prison.

"Do you think it's better here than in Auradon?"

Colbi tried to persuade him.

"How about nowhere?"

Cirse reminded him.

"We need to find a way to escape."

"And what would you do with Agatha? Because from what I remember, she doesn't like us very much."

Helena reminded them. The queen had arrested her too, so she was also involved.

"I don't know, but we'll do something to get out of here."

(...)

"Mal fought Agatha, from what Carlos told me it was a long battle."

Jane told her mother. Whenever Clarion released her, she would go over and tell her how things were going and make sure the world hadn't collapsed yet.

"Is she all right?"

As much as Fairy Godmother was involved in the whole situation, she was still the great benefactor and didn't want harm to come to anyone.

"She's fine, she's resting now. Mom, I have to go."

Whenever they got together, the trio who shared a room with the fairy paid attention to everything Jane said.

(...)

"Can you take me to her?"

Demetrius asked Cirse.

"For a short time, the spell isn't very long."

"It's enough."

Since the day before, when Jane had released that information about the fight between Agatha and Mal, Demetrius hadn't rested thinking about a possible plan.

"Can you do it now? I want to take advantage of Helena being asleep."

"All right. Ready?"

"Anytime."

"Shall we go then?"

She recited the spell, sending him to the castle, which was now commanded by Agatha Darkness.

"Hello, Auradon." Demetrius said with an air of nostalgia for his homeland. He was used to a life in royalty, living locked in a room was nowhere near his lifestyle. When he stepped into the castle, he could see the witch on the large balcony looking thoughtful from afar. "From what I can see, you've actually managed to reach the kingdom."

She turned around abruptly, not believing her eyes.

"You?"

Of all the imaginable people she had expected to find in her room, Demetrius was far from being one of them.

"Good to see you mio grande la amor."

He said ironically and moved even closer to her.

"That's not Spanish, it's Italian and it's far from French."

"Forgive me, I'm not very good with other languages."

"Why did you come to commit suicide?"

"What?"

"I don't see any other reason for you to come here, apart from wanting me to kill you."

"Although it would be a great honor to die by your beautiful hands, I didn't come here for that. I want a deal."

"You really are crazier than you were twenty years ago."

"Look, you hate me and the feeling is mutual, but there are people who hate you more and want you dead, which is no different from my desire. However, my life is more important than yours, so..."

"To the point."

"I'll tell you where everyone is and their plan to finish you off and in return you let me have my life in peace."

The sorceress smiled at the agreement, but already knew that her part would certainly not be upheld.

"All right."

"A witch's words can't be broken, right?"

"Have you been studying me all this time? Yes, I keep my word, I won't kill you."

(...)

Auradon, currently

"So, how was it?"

Agatha asked, as she swiped her lipstick in front of the mirror.

"All destroyed."

Chad replied, returning to his natural manly form.

"Great, and Mal? Did you kill her?"

"I didn't see her, she wasn't there."

"How? Stupid!"

She felt her hatred returning and it was visible in her burning eyes.

"She wasn't there. I looked for her, but she wasn't there. One of the fairies said she was on a trip."

"Damn it! The third master. Battle Magic."

She reminded herself. Demetrius explained the whole plan to her.

"What's up?"

It's important to note that at this point in his life, Chad had already understood that she wasn't such a kind person, in fact, she never had been, but more than before he saw that this woman was evil simply for pleasure.

"No, it's far from it. Do something useful and get these bodies out of here."

He said in relation to the bodies of the former guardians who were on the verge of death.

"You... you... you'll pay Agatha."

Demetrius said with blood pouring out of his mouth. Agatha did as she had said, she didn't kill him, but with a bewitched sword and just one blow she split his body in two.

"You always complained about what I did to your leg. That's it, you won't be using it any more.

Worse than killing Demetrius would be depriving him of his luxuries and real life, even worse would be imprisoning him and Agatha knew it.

"Witch, you have to die."

"Oh Demetrius, I kept my word, I didn't kill you, but you should have understood by now that I'm not to be trusted, I'm the villain, have you forgotten?"