The small stone building they'd claimed as theirs back when he was sixteen was dark when they finally stumbled back. Mal was swaying, leaning subtly against Evie, the two holding each other up. Carlos was on his back. It had taken Mal ordering him to let Jay carry him to get him there, but he wasn't sorry. He refused to let their youngest walk. Not after failing to help. Jaw tightening, Jay eased Carlos down to stand by Evie outside while he went in alone to make sure the single room was safe.

Cloth and leather sat in tidy piles beside a sewing kit Evie had carefully filled and constructed over the years. Tattered journals sat amongst pieces of charcoal and plant dyes on a desk near the back. A few books were scattered around the room. On the mattress were several threadbare blankets, two nearly flat pillows, and a single thick quilt. He checked the chest hidden under the piles of cloth. Their spare knives and dagger were there. As were Evie's potions. Nothing out of place.

"All clear," he called over his shoulder as he found their half-melted candle and lit it.

The other three staggered in, Mal closing the door behind them. For a moment they all stared at each other. Nothing could really be said. Tomorrow they would be leaving the Isle. Going to fucking Auradon filled with all the goddamned goodness of the world. There they'd face a task none of them knew how to do. Even better, if they couldn't figure it out, they'd die.

His gaze dropped to the twining thorn branches stretching across Carlos's collarbone. If he didn't know better, he'd think it was a tattoo. Identical to the ones the others wore. As if they'd designed it themselves and wore it as a symbol instead of it being a mark left behind by a curse. Anger tightened his chest and he closed his eyes. Not now. No point. He couldn't do anything about it now.

A near silent sniff drew his attention to Evie. The princess's face was hidden by her blue hair, the strands no longer properly styled. But her shoulders curled inward just barely and she had a hand lifted to her face. Stepping forward, Jay took her left hand. Unlike the rest of them, her curse mark wasn't easily noticeable. Probably because her bitch of a mother wanted to avoid ruining her perfect image. When she looked at him, he lifted her wrist to his lips. Just a brush against her skin, careful of the pain he knew was still there. Tears filled her eyes and she gave him a trembling smile before brushing her lips across his collarbone, returning the gesture.

Keeping her hand in his, Jay turned to Mal and Carlos. Wordlessly, Mal nudged Carlos over. Their youngest barely reacted and Jay intertwined their fingers while Evie did the same. Still silent, Mal joined them, grabbing Jay's arm and steering them to the mattress. There, she arranged them: Carlos tucked against her, Evie beside him and in Jay's lap with her legs tangled with Mal's, Jay leaning his shoulder against her own. She surveyed them before nodding to herself and Jay smirked a little. Damn she was possessive.

As Evie tangled her fingers with Carlos's again, Mal rested a hand on the back of his neck. "Come back, pup," she murmured. "Come back to us."

Silent, Jay rested a hand over Evie's and Carlos's, offering a soft squeeze. Several minutes passed, Evie humming softly, Mal trailing her fingers through Carlos's hair, before his brown eyes focused, fingers twitching.

There was a pause and then Carlos whispered, "This is real."

Evie's delicate brow furrowed and Mal's jaw set. Jay bit back a sneer. "It doesn't matter," Mal said, thumb rubbing circles on Carlos's skin.

"But Mal-"

"It doesn't matter," she repeated. "All of us are going. No one is being left behind. And Auradon can't do anything to us that we can't handle."

Nothing about this was going to be simple. But none of them questioned her. Together, Evie and Carlos pressed closer to him and Mal and he rested an arm over both of them. That, at least, Mal had been right about. They were all going. All of them.

"What do you think it'll be like?" Evie asked after a moment. "Mother says that it's greener there. The grass and plants."

"There's a lot of different animals there," Carlos chimed in. "I'd love to meet a cat. Lady Tremaine's stories about Lucifer are actually kinda nice. Or maybe a horse." His eyes glittered. "Maybe I can actually have a 'pet'?"

Determination flared in Mal's eyes, and Jay knew exactly what she was thinking. Their pup deserved to be happy. She'd make it happen. "You can have all the pets you want," she told him with a nod.

Jay shared a quick glance with Evie. Yes, Carlos would be allowed any animal he wanted. There weren't a lot of animals on the Isle that weren't meant for food. And bonding with an animal made it a target. Auradon supposedly adored animals. Which was part of the reason Cruella's villainy was exposed in the first place. What they were trying not to think about was which animal got Cruella caught. An animal that would be in Auradon. The only animal that scared Carlos. Dogs.

Wanting to avoid that topic, Jay smirked. "I'm more interested in the people. All the stories make them sound like wimps. All noble and shit."

"It'll be all prissy princesses and dumbass princes," Mal scoffed. "With no villains around they've probably gotten soft as hell."

Jay laughed. "Who cares? More territory for us to control." Mal's eyes lit up. For years she'd been dreaming of expanding their territory, claiming full control of everything but the shores. And not only was there more territory, it would be an easy claim. "Maybe even an entire kingdom."

"There are other ways to get a kingdom, you know," Evie smiled, batting her lashes.

"Fine," Mal said, feigning a sigh as she rolled her eyes. This wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last, they'd had this conversation. Evie preferred a quiet take over, one she claimed was less likely to damage the resources they were claiming. Like him, Mal preferred to just get it over with without having to play a long game. Easier to take it than try to outwit someone. A lot less waiting too. "We'll get you a prince to play with. A nice little toy."

Toy was right. Evie'd have all the princes wrapped around her finger within a day and she could take her pick. Not that any of them were good enough for her. Or even worthy of her attention and time. Time she could be with them. Jay pressed a kiss beneath her ear and Evie giggled. So kill him. Mal wasn't the only possessive one.

The other two must've been thinking along the same lines because Carlos worked his way into her arms while Mal caught her chin and pulled her into a kiss. In response, Evie cuddled Carlos closer and returned the kiss while finding one of Jay's hands with her own. "I'm still yours," she soothed once Mal was satisfied her point was made.

"You're always ours," Mal replied. Jay nodded and Carlos hummed his own agreement. They'd let her have her prince. It was her birthright and the only thing that could possibly satisfy her mother. But they weren't going to let her go either.

Silence fell between them and Jay rested his chin on Evie's shoulder. The princess played with Carlos's hair as he melted against her. And Mal stared at the wall. Finally, she said, "Get some sleep." 'We'll need it' hung in the air and none of them acknowledged it.

Instead, Jay and Carlos let Evie go so she could gather the blankets while they did what they could to make the mattress as comfortable as possible. Mal went through the room, setting each of their traps and making sure all the tripwires Carlos had made were in place. She also stashed their passports for leaving the Isle among her art supplies. Jay helped the other two get settled in bed and arrange the blankets.

Only when she was satisfied that they wouldn't be caught off guard did Mal blow out the candle and return to the bed. Evie and Carlos were already curled together, seeking comfort without admitting it, so Mal moved to stretch out beside Jay. Eventually, the breathing around him evened out and deepened.

Except for one.

Neither of them spoke. They didn't need to. Her leg bumped his. She was worried. Not scared. Never scared. What were they going to be facing? Who would they have to fight? Who did they have to watch? How did they even start trying to accomplish such an impossible goal?

Would they die slowly if they failed?

Jay rolled so his breath would brush across her shoulder. He didn't have the answers. But it didn't matter. He wouldn't let her face it alone.

Gradually Mal fell asleep.

He kept watch.