Chapter One Hundred

A/N: I do not own anything with the exception of my OCs when they come out to play. Everything else belongs to either Disney or the Greek Myths.

Smh, how in the world have we gotten to 100 chapters already? It honestly seems like it hasn't been that long since we started and yet here we are lol. A big thanks to everyone who's stayed for all 100 chapters, and to everyone who's been coming and going as well. I know 100 chapters is a lot to read in one sitting so please know that every single one of you is appreciated!

Hope you guys like this chapter! Let me know what you think! :D

Belle took a scroll and took a steadying breath. Yes she could see the future version of her son sitting before her but it didn't change the fact that in the scrolls, harm had come to her son. Harm that could have resulted in his death.

And that terrified Belle.

The two stayed wrapped up in each other's arms for what felt like an eternity.

"I wish it had been an eternity," Malinda said with a small smile as she rested her head on Benji's shoulder.

Only the sound of a small yip brought them back to reality as Estelle looked up at the two of them from his spot next to Ben.

Audie shook her head. "Why is it cute Mal and Ben Cotillion moments are always interrupted by someone connected to dogs? Carlos in the second viewing in my timeline and now Estelle?"

"How're you feeling?" Mal asked, gently brushing a bit of his hair out of his eyes. His beautiful hazel green eyes that for a moment, Mal had feared had been gone from the world forever.

"Again though, as we've said, the minute dad got wind Benny was in the Underworld, he'd boot his soul back to the land of the living so quickly, Ben wouldn't even be cold," Hadie said, shaking his head.

"Ask me in a minute," Ben said softly, blinking gently to try to get the world to stop spinning. "I'm...I'm still trying to regain my bearings here."

"That's completely understandable," Beast said softly.

If he was being truthful, it honestly felt as if he had teleported once again though teleporting didn't leave him with a throbbing headache. All Ben really wanted to do was lie down and hold Mal close to him, as if reassuring himself that she was alright.

"And you should," Chip said. "Head injuries are nothing to muck around with!"

But he knew he couldn't. A King needed to be present to reassure his frightened citizens, to show that he hadn't been affected by that whack on the head. To show them that he could bounce back from an attack with ease.

Chip shook his head and looked over at Beast. "I blame you for this."

"What did I do?" Beast asked.

"All that muck about how Ben needs to be 'strong, powerful, Kingly'," Chip told him, rolling his eyes.

"You want to stand up?"

"Please."

Mal rose to her feet before gently lifting Ben to his, quickly moving to hold him steady as he swayed slightly.

"You see? To bed with you Ben!" Chip insisted.

One hand rested on his chest while the other wrapped around his waist to keep him up. It probably didn't help that the sea was still slightly choppy.

"My apologies," Poseidon said, looking rather sheepish.

"You're apologizing for something you'll do in the future?" Hades asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe it'd be better to get you a room where you can lie down," Uma said, noticing the swaying.

"Yes, listen to Uma!" Chip urged.

Ben shook his head, ignoring the slight nauseous feeling that came as a result. "Not yet. There's something I need to do first."

"See a doctor? Yes, yes you should," Chip nodded.

"Ben we've already taken care of Freddy—."

"You guys didn't kill him did you?"

"You should have," Benji muttered.

"No but I can see how you might think that by the choice in words," Jay nodded and whacked Harry over the head.

"Like you wouldn't have said it the same way Jay!" Harry exclaimed.

"No, I wouldn't've because I am older than you and therefore wiser."

"One year! You are one year older than me!"

"That's still older," Kitty said.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Minutes, you are minutes older than I am!"

"Still older," Kitty teased.

Mal chuckled slightly before turning to Ben. "Ben you were just knocked out. Whatever you have to do can wait, can't it?"

Malinda chuckled softly. "You won't be saying that once he does it," she said.

"Mal I promise, it won't take long," Ben told her as an attendant handed him back his suit jacket. He smiled slightly as he felt the box that held probably the most important thing he could ever have in his pocket. "It's a gift for you—to show my Lady how much she means to me."

"...I'm fairly sure scroll-me knows what she means to you Benny," Mal says softly.

Malinda nodded. "I did," she said softly as she kissed Benji on the cheek.

Belle shook her head slightly. Of course Ben would insist on still going through with this even after being unconscious for Gods knows how long. "He gets this from you, you know," she muttered to Beast.

"Actually if I remember correctly, I wasn't half this insistent on proposing to you," Beast said with a small chuckle.

"I have no idea what you mean."

"Gift of a library ring any bells Adam?"

"Hey you liked that gift" Beast teased as he looked at his wife.

"You like to read and at the time you'd just saved my life!" Beast muttered, though he was slightly thankful his wife was referring to that and not his stubborn attitude toward her tending to his wounds. Both after the wolf attack and then again as they regrouped after Gaston's siege of his castle.

Belle shook her head.

"Well it would have been pretty bad form to just have you lie in the snow considering you'd saved my life."

"Are we keeping score here?"

"Hey, it could have been worse. I could have followed Cogsworth's advice and gotten you, and I quote, 'chocolates, flowers, promises I don't intend to keep...'"

"So...the library?"

"One word mom. Books" Ben said with a smile.

"Mrs. Potts suggested it after Lumiere mentioned you liked to read and that you'd read all the books in your room by that point."

"Remind me to give them a raise."

Dad would like that, though he insists Queen Belle and King Beast pay him more than enough anyway, Jane thought with a small smile.

Mal, though, heard none of this as she was busy dealing with a particularly stubborn King. "Ben, while a gift is appreciated, it's not exactly the time for it. You can give it to me later, tomorrow even—."

"Oh you're perfect Mal," Abby sighed, a grateful tone to her voice as she sighed in relief.

"Mal I promise, it'll be quick," Ben said. The unveiling of the portrait was the perfect time to propose and he wasn't going to let Fred Frollo ruin it! Not Mal's night. "Lumiere, unveil the gift please!"

"Since he's not here I will say it for him. Yes your highness," Jane said with a smile.

"Also, what's this referring to Freddy by 'Fred' nonsense?" Harriet asked. "Only Claudine can do that."

Benji shook his head. "I apologize for what I thought as a teen."

"That's all we ask."

"And now the unveiling of King Ben's masterpiece. Designed especially for his Lady!" Lumiere announced and Ben gently spun Mal around so that she could see the curtain raise and the stained glass window be revealed to the world.

"Some things truly never change," Audie said with a small smile. "He said that in the second viewing in my timeline."

Mal gasped as she saw it. It was truly amazing, with her purple hair flying behind her and the dragon in the background. She couldn't help but chuckle as she saw it, knowing Ben had gotten an up close view of her dragon form at his coronation before Emir, Jay, and Akiho whisked him to safety.

"And we almost couldn't with the struggle he was putting up, as I recall from the scrolls," Ahkio said with a fond smile.

Yet...here, it didn't look evil. It didn't look like it could be connected to the Mistress of All Evil in anyway.

"It's Ben," Abby said. "Do you really think he'd make a dragon look evil?"

The eyes of the dragon looked like they almost held a hint of mischief to them, the same look her friends claimed she got before she worked on a tag or pelted Evie with a smoke bomb.

"Which she does not do any more," Dizzy said with her typical almost face splitting smile.

There were blue accents throughout the stained glass window as well and vines trailing up and down the border. It almost looked like they were scaling the frame, as if they were there to remind people who her true mother was.

"Finally!" Hades and Demeter muttered.

Tears began to prickle in the corners of her eyes as she looked closely and saw that, on the tiara that was on the stained glass her, there wasn't just a dragon. There was a dragon...and a Cerberus...surrounded by a wreath of flowers. She would even bet that the Cerberus had a pomegranate in his mouth, knowing Ben the way she did. There was a small plaque on the frame of the window: Family is Forever.

"That sounds amazing", Dizzy said, looking awed.

"Ben..." she said softly as she turned to face him. She had no idea he even remembered that, it'd been so long since she made that tag. So long that it had finally faded from her locker.

"I never forget anything when it comes to you. No matter how long it's been," Benji murmured with a slight smile.

"You know me. You...you truly know me. You've never asked me to change, even when I felt like I wasn't good enough for you. You even stopped me from changing myself to try to please the kingdom. I love the gift. Ben...I love you."

"Awwwww!"

Ben smiled and gently cupped Mal's cheek with his hand before stepping back slightly. He could celebrate hearing those words in a bit. Right now, he had something more important to do.

Emir and Ahkio froze, their mouths opening then closing. They knew what it was from the other scrolls of course but Ben was really….

"Mal, sometimes life will present you with something that, looking back, can only be credited to Fate," Ben said as music began to play in the background.

"You mean like being transported to the lair of the Fates to read scrolls about our past and future?" Emir asked.

Benji chuckled. "You know, I think you might be onto something there."

Music that, if one listened closely, would have sounded very familiar to the purple haired Godling, the brunet King, and the raven haired thief standing in the background. Music that Auradon only knew because of a certain cookie.

"So then wouldn't it also be familiar to everyone at Cotillion?" Lucy asked.

"I know you disagree but I believe it. The decision to bring kids from the Isle to Auradon was the best decision I could have made because from the moment we got together, hell from the moment we met, you have been the best thing in my life. I never want that to change."

"And I stand by that," Benji nodded.

Got to say, for being rather disoriented, I timed that perfectly, he thought as the music ended at the same time he got down on one knee.

Audrey froze and stared in shock. No…. she thought.

Mal couldn't help but gasp softly, her hands flying up to her mouth. Was he really...?

"Ben..."

"Oh yeah, he's doing exactly what you think he's doing," Malinda said as she smiled at the memory.

"It's you and me Mal," Ben said as he pulled a box from his suit jacket pocket and opened it. In the box sat what was probably the most beautiful ring Mal had ever seen, with a gorgeous purple gem sitting dead center on a golden band. The band almost looked like a a dragon surrounding the gem if Mal was honest—she'd have to talk to Ben about his dragon obsession but that was for a later time. "It's you and me forever. Will you marry me? Will you be my Queen?"

"Should we check on your mother?" Philip asked. "I half expected her head to explode in her cell when she heard that."

"I don't know if she can hear any of this," Aurora said. "And do you really want to check on Leah?"

"No…but I thought you might."

Mal stared at him for a moment as time seemed to stand still, the remaining Cotillion guests watching with bated breath. Was she truly ready for that? To be someone's wife? To be Ben's Queen?

"We stayed at 'future Queen' for three years," Malinda shrugged.

She had barely made it through the six months of Cotillion prep. What if she got another Natalie as a handler?

Benji shook his head. "I don't care what it took, you would never have another Natalie as a handler," he told Malinda.

But, as she told herself, she had gotten through it. Thanks in a large part to the man she loved. The man who was kneeling in front of her, staring at her with hope filled eyes.

….How could I say no when he's looking like that…? Mal thought, glancing at Ben. But…marriage isn't done on the Isle…but you're not on the Isle…wait, why am I even thinking about this? I'm not going out with him…

All she knew though, at that moment, was that she never wanted a life without Ben in it. Seeing him, face down on the deck as though dead, made her acutely aware at how fleeting life really was...which was ironic considering her father was the God of the Dead.

"I think you can be forgiven, Mali," Hades said softly with a slightly sad smile.

"Yes!" Mal nodded, tears welling in her eyes. Happy tears though. There had been enough sadness that for now, only happy tears would escape her eyes tonight.

Ben grinned as he stood up, though Mal needed to quickly grab him to stabilizing him once more otherwise he'd have fallen back onto the deck.

"Yeah he needs to lie down," Shang said.

Malinda shook her head "I was working on that but Mr. Stubborn had to propose to me instead," she said with a small chuckle.

He gently slipped the ring on her finger before bringing Mal into a loving kiss. A kiss that Mal readily returned, holding onto Ben tightly as if he'd disappear if she let go.

"That feeling sadly won't go away in a hurry," Claudine said softly as Henry wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Tears ran down Mal's cheeks like waterfalls but she didn't care. All she knew was she was with the boy she loved, and he was still alive after facing off against Freddy. Nothing else mattered at that moment. No rep, no reporters. Nothing.

Benji kissed Malinda's forehead softly, hoping to convey without words what he wanted her to know.

"Got to say, it's almost like they're a True Love," she could hear Uma's voice faintly in the background. "Makes sense though. Doesn't something like that only go to the best?"

Audie smiled. "Again with the transcending timelines though I'm not surprised."

Mal smiled against Ben's lips as the kiss continued. Just like before, it seemed to be an eternity before they broke but alas, even Godlings need to breathe.

"TMI!" Hadie said, but there's a teasing note to his voice this time.

"Now will you go and get checked out?" Mal asked softly as it was her turn to cup Ben's cheek with her hand. "I just got an amazing fiancé. I don't want anything to happen to him."

"Doesn't matter what title Ben has, that'll never change" Malinda nodded with a small smile.

Ben smiled gently as he leaned into her touch. "Mal, I can't just leave. I—."

"Yes you can Ben! I actually think people would understand you leaving!" Akiho exclaimed.

"Ben, you swayed twice getting up after being unconscious from a hit from the hilt of a sword," Mal said softly. "I don't want to seem pushy but—."

"Yes, be pushy!" Chip urged.

"That's okay Mal," Emir said as he and Akiho strolled up, flanking Ben on either side like body guards. "We're excellent at being pushy when it comes to Ben and his health."

"They really are," Ben nodded. "Though they've never camped out in my office and dragged me out of it at bedtime like some people."

"Give me a look all you want Ben, it was for your own good and I'll do it again!" Lonnie said with a proud grin.

"I thought you two were with Freddy?" Mal asked.

"It's Freddy's turn to do a Snow White impression," Emir stated. "Besides, the rest of the team's with him...and is that ring new?"

Emir flushed slightly and turned to Snow. "Err…sorry?"

Mal nodded, a small smile on her face as she rested her hand on Ben's chest; making sure that both boys could see the ring.

"...you actually did it?!" Akiho exclaimed. "I missed it?!"

"You thought I wasn't going to do it?"

"You knew?!"

"It's me Ben. What about me implies I wouldn't know?" Akiho asked, shaking his head.

Akiho chuckled. "Mal, it's me. When it comes to Ben, I know almost everything...but in this case I had a suspicion he was going to propose at some point. Came across some designs for the engagement ring. I had no idea he was going to do it tonight!"

"...When were you thinking I'd do it then?" Benji asked.

"When I have the ability to talk to my future self, I'll let you know," Akiho chuckled.

"It was the best possible moment," Ben said, looking like he was going to shrug but thought better of it.

Malinda shook her head. "There were so many other moments where you could have done it," she said.

"Maybe," Benji shrugged. "But if I had to do it over, I wouldn't change a thing. Except for the being knocked out beforehand."

"You realize you've raised the bar for the rest of us to an almost impossible height right?" Jay stated. "At least Emir and Akiho are next, considering the team said you all do everything together."

"But…he hasn't even proposed yet! In fact, do you even have a girlfriend?" Emir insisted, looking at Aziz.

"Not gonna tell you little brother," Aziz shook his head. "And you know you can propose before me right? It's not some truth universally acknowledged that a younger brother must wait for his older brother to propose before he does."

"Did you just alter a Pride and Prejudice quote?" Rachel asked.

"I did," Aziz chuckled.

Emir paled slightly and Akiho clapped his hands together. "Hey, what were we saying about getting this King someplace where he can get checked out? I for one think that's a great idea!"

"What's the matter guys? Do we scare you that much?" Elle teased, hiding her slightly longing smile at the thought.

"You? No," Akiho said. Your great-grandfather on the other hand?

"Guys, I'm fine," Ben said as Emir and Akiho began to walk him toward the cabins.

"Officially banning that phrase," Belle muttered under her breath.

"Let us be the judge of that," Emir stated as Mal ran after them, having realized that they had left her just standing there. Yes, she was now a Lady of Ben's court. Yes, she was now the future Queen of Auradon.

"Hmm…I might not be happy with Mal getting engaged so young but I will admit…I could get used to hearing my daughter referred to as Queen of Auradon," Hades said.

That didn't matter. Belle could do the Queenly duties. Her mom could handle organizing Freddy's transport back to the Isle. All Mal wanted to do was be with Ben.

"Yes, let the adults handle that," Jasmine nodded. "You two just go and relax."

"Guys, come on..." she could hear Ben's voice in the King's suite and shook her head slightly as she walked in.

"No we will not 'come on'! You could have died Ben, we'll be worried whether you like it or not."

"Ben, you were knocked out. Forgive us for wanting to make sure you're okay."

"I second that," Mal nodded as she walked in. "I already know you feel a bit dizzy, considering you've swayed twice upon standing. How's your head? Can you tell me how many fingers I'm holding up?"

"You know whether he's concussed or not, which he clearly is, he's earned a night off anyway," Mulan says firmly.

Ben tried to focus on her fingers but they kept moving back and forth. Seriously, did Mal grow three hands?

"Ben?" Mal prompted.

"Um...six?"

"Yup he's concussed," Henry sighed.

Mal glanced at her lone raised hand and then back at Ben. "Okay, I think it's safe to say you've probably got a concussion but I'd like to call in a professional to be sure."

"Medical system at your fingertips. Use it," Hades nodded.

"Good idea," Emir nodded.

"Yeah, Ben is notorious for working through injury," Akiho said. "Remember that time he tore a ligament in his ankle when we were fourteen and he tried to pretend he wasn't limping all day?"

"Why was he not sent to the nurse? If the limp was visible?" Beast demanded.

"He kept insisting he'd get it checked out after classes," Chad said softly. "To be fair, we did have like three tests and a pop quiz that day."

Emir tilted his head. "How do you remember that? It was like two years ago!"

"The same way you guys remember Ben's injuries, I remember his reasons for staying in class," Chad shrugged. "Also you think I wouldn't remember how it took you, me, Akiho, Li, and Miguel almost carrying him to the nurse when it got so bad even Ben's pain tolerance couldn't handle it? Plus you called Aziz who did carry him."

"...We need a new policy for the nurse apparently," Fairy Godmother said. "Why didn't she call King Beast and Queen Belle?"

"Actually why didn't the hospital call us since a school nurse likely couldn't tell if a ligament was torn," Belle said.

Chip shook his head. "I think I know, and it's likely the same reason we weren't told about Ben's Tourney concussion. Ben said he'd tell us, didn't he?"

"Oh yeah! When our biology teacher called him out on it when he asked Ben to turn off the lights, Ben put pressure on that ankle and you'd have thought we had murdered a boar in that classroom from how he gasped!" Emir nodded.

"...Since when was a boar Ben's favorite animal?" Lonnie asked, tilting her head.

Aziz shook his head. "I think Emir was comparing Ben to a boar," he said.

"That makes more sense."

Ben shook his head. "There's a difference between then and now guys."

"And what's that?"

"I wasn't King then."

"Seriously, I blame you for this," Chip said once more as he looked at Beast.

Mal sighed and pulled out her phone. She didn't want to call in backup but Ben was being stubborn.

"I mean…this isn't new…" Lonnie said with a small chuckle.

Apparently, when she rescued Ben from Audrey's grasp, she also gave him a fortified spine.

"Yeah well, if Ben can break into Mal's fortified heart, she can crack his fortified spine," Harry said softly.

Which was great. Really it was. Until it affected his health.

"What I said," Malinda and Mal nodded.

"Mal, who are you calling?" Ben asked.

"It's just a precaution Ben."

"Don't listen to him Mal!"

"'I was calling who you always call when it comes to stubborn boys. Since I wasn't his wife yet, there was his mother," Malinda said with a smirk.

"...You called Chip though," Benji said.

"Because I didn't know your mother's number!"

"Uh huh."

"Akiho, if you bring up that blasted Tourney game again...Mal who are you calling?"

"Take a wild guess."

"...you're not calling Chip are you?"

"In a roundabout way apparently," Mal said with a small smile.

Mal gave him a flat look. "Does Chip have a medical degree?"

"Actually you'd be surprised at what Chip dabbles in," Emir mused. "Plus he'd probably be the only one we could trust to not blab this to the media."

"They do that, we'll toss them overboard," Uma said.

"Why is that even a factor? This was filmed throughout the entire Kingdom, including the Isle!" Akiho exclaimed. "People already know! We get an actual doctor in here so we can know for sure—."

"...You okay?" CJ asked slowly, looking at the blond.

Emir shook his head. "There's too much to unpack when it comes to Akiho so your best bet is to just throw away the whole suitcase," he said, gently teasing his best friend.

"Akiho, calm down," Mal told him. "I'm just bringing in Chip so that way he can break down Mr. Stubborn's defenses. I'd call Belle but she's needed to do the Queenly stuff since Evie whisked Emma to safety and I'm not leaving Ben's side."

"Neither are we," Emir said firmly.

"Never have, never will," Emir nodded.

"I need someone to make sure the others don't kill Freddy before he can get to the Isle," Mal stated.

"And I'm sorry but why can't we kill him?!" Harry exclaimed.

"The rest of the team can handle that," Akiho said with a shrug.

"Yeah don't worry, he's not getting past all those guys who care about Ben," Chad said softly.

Mal sighed and turned her attention back to her phone. Thankfully, it seemed that Chip had heard every word as not five seconds later there was a knock at the door.

"I'm just that good," Chip said with a smile.

"Benji being stubborn again?" Chip asked as Mal opened the door to let him in only to find that Belle had also accompanied the dirty blond man.

"Why is that surprising?" Belle asked. "He may be the King but he's more importantly my son."

"Mom?" Ben asked, his eyes wide in shock before wincing slightly.

Belle gave him a sad smile. "I know you're in pain right now Ben. You're so much like your father, it's scary. But you don't have to pretend. Not around me."

"Again you're my child first Ben."

"Especially considering this isn't the first time you've been concussed," Emir muttered and Ben shot him a glare.

"Emir! Ex yay on the oncussion cay in front of om may" Ben sighed.

"I'm sorry?" Belle asked before looking at Ben. "Ben, something like this has happened before?"

"Yes," Emir and Akiho nodded.

"Don't glare at me Ben," Emir scoffed. "I can't believe you never told your mom! After you promised coach!"

"Again, Ben knows how to glare?" Ashaki asked.

"Tell me what?" Belle asked, looking at the three of them. Mal moved slightly so that she was standing by Chip.

"Cue secret coming out in 3…2…1…" Abby said.

"What happening exactly?"

"You're witnessing two very worried shadows now officially at their wits end with the guy they're shadowing," Chip muttered to her. "I mean, I don't blame them. Concussions are nothing to muck about with and they get worse with every one you have."

"Which is why you need to take it seriously Ben!" Li'l Shang nodded.

"How do you—?"

"I'm a freelance videographer. I have to know a little first aid and identifying and treating concussions is one such skill I've gained. When they're done arguing, I'm going to recommend Ben lie down in a dimmed room for the rest of the night. Or at least until we can actually get a medical professional in here."

"I'm on it," Mal nodded.

"...he shouldn't sleep right?" Mal asked softly, her limited knowledge of first aid coming to the forefront of her mind.

"Right," Chip nodded.

"With…with being a Godling and having my magic…as limited as it was…I guess I never thought to learn first aid in full" Mal said softly.

"Tell me what?" Belle asked again and Mal realized that the three boys had yet to cease their bickering.

Ben sighed and looked at his mom. "I may have taken a small hit during the Imperial Academy game last year that resulted in a mild concussion."

"Ben you have a vastly different definition of 'mild'" Rose said, her voice low.

"Ben, don't try to understate it!" Emir exclaimed. "You got hit so hard, we're pretty sure you were unconscious for ten minutes! You went so pale, the players closest to you thought you were dead."

"And they know!" Emir and Ahkio said in relief.

"Benjamin Florian Le Bête!" Belle exclaimed. "I can't believe...you never told...why is this the first time I've heard about this? Your coach should have told your father and me the minute you got back from the game!"

"I should have. As a fellow parent if nothing else," Shang sighed.

"Oh it gets better," Emir stated. "Mr. Workaholic here neglected to tell coach that he had strep at the time."

"...Do you two have photographic memory of all my sicknesses and/or injuries?" Ben sighed.

They probably remember that more clearly because it was traumatic, Elsa thought, making a mental note to suggest to Anna that Akiho talk to someone about that.

"If coach hadn't found his pulse, we would have thought he was dead," Akiho nodded.

"...Probably not the best thing to say right now," Jay said. "Considering how close Ben came that night?"

"You're not helping," Lucas told him as Chip went pale at the memory of the prior scrolls.

Ben sighed as Belle went pale and Chip looked over at Ben in concern. "Guys, you're making it sound way worse than it actually was."

"Yeah I don't think we are Ben."

"Yeah we really aren't," Akiho nodded.

"Okay, okay," Mal said gently as she stepped forward. "As entertaining as this all is, let's not argue with the guy who probably has a throbbing headache okay?"

"Yes Mal," Akiho and Emir nodded.

"Thank you," Ben said, looking at Mal.

Turning to Ben, Mal stated, "and as for you, all you're going to do is relax in this room with the lights dimmed understand? Any paperwork you need to do tonight, give it to me. I'm your fiancée after all, my signature should be just as good as yours!"

"Was it? Is it?" Mal asked, looking at Malinda and even slightly at Zeus.

Malinda smiled slightly. "We never needed to find out."

"Mal—."

"Yes?"

"Don't tell me you're actually going to try to argue for paperwork?" Abby asked, looking at Benji.

Ben sighed. "I was just going to say I don't have any paperwork tonight. I made sure my night was free so I could spend it hopefully celebrating the good news with you."

Benji chuckled. "I believe you have your answer," he told Abby.

"Well...we can still do that," Mal said gently and looked at Emir and Akiho. "Guys, could you please make sure Uma, Jay, and Harry haven't murdered Freddy? I know you said the rest of the team can handle it but they trust you."

"Again if we did kill him, I fail to see why it would be a problem" Harry said.

Emir and Akiho seemed to almost straighten up at that and Mal bit her lip to hide a smile.

"Yeah it's nice earning Mal's trust," Jay smiled, as he knew the feeling.

"We're on it Mal," Emir nodded and the two boys made their way out of the room.

"I'll work with Ben's PR team," Chip said. "This is the second attack on a major event in six months and the first one where the King's been injured. It'll take some work to spin this."

Chip nodded. "Scroll me's right but I got your back Benji."

"Thanks Chip," Ben said softly.

"You get some rest Benji," Chip said gently, softly resting a hand on Ben's shoulder and squeezing it slightly. "Oh and congratulations you two."

"In case you didn't know, he really wants to start cheering 'welcome to the family!'" and bear hug you since you're not Audrey" Lucus chuckled.

"I figured," Malinda shook her head.

"Yes," Belle nodded with a smile as she held back the tears that were threatening to fall. I finally get a daughter.

Abby smiled softly and went over to give Belle a hug. "You'll always have me mom," she whispered in her ear.

"Don't cry mom," Ben said softly as he returned the smile.

"Happy tears, Ben. Only happy tears," his mom told him as she gently kissed his forehead. "Don't scare me like that again Ben okay? I know you're the King but your father and I are still going to have a talk about keeping stuff like that from us."

"Did we?" Beast asked, looking at Benji.

Benji shook his head, glancing slightly at Audrey to everyone's surprise before looking back at his father. "No, we never did. Something else came up that we needed to focus on."

"I...I didn't want to worry you," Ben said softly.

"Ben, it's the parents' job to protect their kid. Not the other way around," Belle said gently. "Mal, welcome to the family."

"Glad to be here Belle," Malinda said, resting her head on Benji's shoulder.

"Thank you Belle," Mal said with a smile as Belle came over and gave Mal a hug. Something that, she found, she didn't mind.

"Good," Her parents said softly. That showed them that their teachings had overruled the Isle in that case.

As Belle left, Mal found herself thankful for the slightly informal dress as she curled up next to Ben. There was no place she'd rather be.

"But what if you were on a surfboard out at sea?"

Malinda shook her head as she looked at Emir, Akiho, and Chip. "Why am I not surprised it was one of you who asked that?"

"That's the end of the scroll," Belle said. "Who wants to read next?"

"I will," Claudine offered, her voice soft but strong.

"Okay," Belle said and gave Claudine a small smile.