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Chapter Text

Slowly pulling away from the kiss, I allow my eyes to open slowly before gazing down at Doug. Expecting to see his eyes open, I patiently wait. I quickly turn away from him, sucking in my breath. I silently anticipate him waking up, my body tensing slightly. But after a second, I don’t notice a single movement, not even a single sound.

        I gaze back at the boy, who stays sound asleep. What's going on? The kiss should have worked. I gently shake Doug to wake him up. "Doug, come on! Wake up! Wake up!" I exclaim as I try to shake him awake again. Nothing; Doug doesn't even flinch. 

        I feel panic and sadness rise in me. Why didn't the kiss work? I glance over at Mal and Uma, who both sigh as they look at me. I shake my head. No, this is some sort of joke! Doug will wake up! Doug has to wake up! I turn back to the boy, who still isn't moving, other than slow breathing. I feel tears burn my eyes. The kiss really didn't work.

        "I-I don't understand. Why isn't the kiss working?" I quietly whisper as I continue to stare down at the boy. I love Doug and thought Doug loved me, so why isn't the kiss working?

        Mal sighs as she moves past Uma and walks over to me. "I'm sorry, E. Maybe Audrey did something to make it so a true love’s kiss doesn't work. But it's okay. We're going to wake him up," Mal tries to reassure me as she gently grabs my wrist. I shake my head as a tear falls down my face, pushing my friend away. 

        "But the kiss didn't work! How could Audrey make it so that true love’s kiss doesn't work? Face it, Mal! For some reason, Doug and my love aren't strong enough," I state as I continue to just stare down at the sleeping boy in disappointment. Mal sighs before pulling me away from Doug.

        "Don't say that, E. I'm sure your and Doug's love is strong enough. Like I said, this is just Audrey's doing. Let's leave the guy to sleep, okay? We're going to wake him up. He’ll be okay," Mal reassures as she keeps my gaze off him.

        I sigh as I take a deep breath. Okay, fine, I'll leave Doug for right now. But I still have my doubts. I doubt Doug didn't wake up because of Audrey. I think I, for some reason, don't love him enough.

        Ugh, I'm the worst "crush" ever. 

        I take a deep breath to push down the heartbroken and sullen feelings overwhelming me. "Okay, let's go," I quietly mumble as I take one last look at Doug before I leave my workroom. Uma sighs as she follows me. 

        "You'll be fine, girl. Maybe that boy wasn't right for you anyway. Maybe he doesn't really love you or something," Uma tries to joke, making me turn and give the sea witch an angry glare.

        That is not true! Doug loves me! He has to love me!

        "That can't be true! Doug loves me; I know it! It's my fault. I must not love him or something," I assure Uma, who chuckles as she meets Mal’s gaze, but the purple-haired girl just returns it with a glare. 

        "Don't do this right now, Uma. Evie's clearly upset right now. And just don't say that. Doug loves you, E. And come on, you love Doug. I've seen it. Don't bring yourself down just because some kiss didn't wake him up. Okay? There must be a reason why the kiss didn't work," Mal states, and I sigh as I still don't believe Mal, but I don't want to fight her on it right now. 

        "Yeah, whatever. I'm going to go check on the twins and Dizzy," I brush off, wanting to move on. I try walking off to head into the living room, but Mal quickly runs to my side, pulling me into a side hug.

        "Okay, but we’re going to figure this out, E. Remember, don’t bring yourself down over this. It's not your fault, okay?" Mal steps in front of me, forcing me to meet her eyes. With my blank stare, feeling numb inside, I hesitantly nod.

        I know I shouldn't bring myself down, but I can't help but blame myself for this whole thing. I mean, I know Doug loves me. He's shown it. So, it has to be my fault. I must not love him enough for true love’s kiss to work. 

        "Yeah, sure. I'll be back," I tell Mal as I leave the kitchen. I head into the living room to make sure the twins and Dizzy are still comfortable. They’re still asleep, and now I doubt we'll be able to wake them up either. 

        But if anything, it might be better to keep them asleep. I don't want them to have to worry about how Auradon is still in danger.

        But I can't believe it. Doug really didn't wake up. I thought that we could make something out of our friendship all this time. Was it all for a waste? Are Doug and I just not meant to be? Am I not meant to be with him? If I'm not meant to be with Doug, who am I meant to be with? Am I even meant to be with someone? 

        I mean, Mal said that she thinks it's Audrey who made it so true love’s kiss doesn't work, but I know for a fact that whenever someone loves someone else enough, the kiss always works, so since the kiss must not have worked because I don't love Doug enough, which makes this situation with him all my fault.

        How am I going to explain to Doug about what happened? I don't know how I'm going to tell him that I don't love him enough that a stupid kiss doesn't work. Even though I really thought it would work.

        After checking on the twins and Dizzy, I head back into the kitchen and immediately spot Mal and Uma fighting again. This time, the girls seem to be fighting over Doug and why the kiss didn't work. I told them both why it didn't work, so why won't they drop it? I'm already upset; I don't want to get more upset.

        I groan as I storm over and get in between the two girls. "Will you both stop? You two have not stopped fighting since Uma got here! I've had enough of your fighting! I know we're all upset for our own reasons: Mal, you're upset about Ben and what Audrey is doing. Uma, you want all the kids off the Isle, but we can't do that right now because we still have Audrey to deal with! And I'm upset because the person I thought I loved apparently I don't love enough, so true love’s kiss doesn't work! We are all upset, and I understand that, but fighting is not the answer. So, can we just stop fighting, please, and just get along?" I exclaim in frustration as I feel tears enter my eyes again. 

        Mal and Uma both sigh as they look at each other, anger still glistening in their eyes. "Okay, fine. I'm sorry, Uma. Evie's right. We're all upset but shouldn't take it out on each other. Let's just stop fighting right now and focus on defeating Audrey and getting our friends back," Mal states, yet it doesn’t really meet her eyes. 

        She doesn't care. Of course, she doesn't.

        Uma chuckles before crossing her arms, her eyes still glistening with the same anger. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm sorry, Mal. How's that princess? Are you calm now?" Uma inquires, and I sigh as I place my hands on my hips, gazing down at the hardwood floor. 

        I'm starting to calm down, but I need time to think about what happened. "I'm calmer. But I just need some time, okay? I'm going to head up to my room to touch up my makeup and think, okay?" I admit that I need the space to think. Mal walks over to me, placing a hand on my upper shoulder. 

        "Okay, but we're going to be down here if you need us, E. I'm sorry about what happened with Doug, okay?" Mal expresses, and I slowly nod. I appreciate that Mal is trying to help, but right now, I just need my own time to calm down and think.

        "I know. I'm going to be okay. I'll be back soon. Now, I don't want to come back down here and see you both fighting again. You both need to get along, and if I hear fighting again, I'm coming back down here and giving you both a piece of my mind because I'm not dealing with this right now," I somewhat threaten the two girls, who both nod in understanding. 

        I give both a small smile, hoping they’ll keep to their word. "Okay then. I'm heading up to my room. I'll be back down in a little bit. Let me know if anything changes, okay?" I tell Mal and Uma, who both smile and nod.

        "Of course, girl. We're not going to fight. We're just going to have a snack and wait for the boys to get back. We'll be fine," Uma assures, and I nod as I look over at Mal, wanting to hear her confirmation as well.

        "Yeah, we'll let you know if anything changes. And I promise Uma and I won't fight," Mal states, making me nod. I’ll hold them to their word, but I don’t know if I can handle their fighting right now. 

        "Okay. I'll see you both soon," I mumble as I leave the kitchen and head to my bedroom so I can be alone for a little bit and touch up my makeup since all the crying I've been doing. I just know this whole mess must have messed up my makeup.

        I do blame myself, though. It's all my fault that Doug isn't waking up. I must not really love him or something. And I’m heartbroken that this is happening. How am I going to focus on the situation with Audrey if all I’m thinking about is how Doug didn’t wake up from me trying to prove that I care for him? 

        Maybe it’s because we’re not officially dating. Yeah, we’ve had friend dates, but nothing has been official. Neither of us has admitted that we want to be together. I was kinda hoping that waking him up would prove that we could be together, but it feels like that’s not the case. Maybe we weren’t meant to be together after all. 

        I head into my room, sitting at my vanity to touch up my makeup. It's nice to get away from Mal and Uma for a little bit. I care for both of the girls so much, but they can be a little much at times. I know we're all stressed with Audrey, but we all need to calm down a little bit. We need to have a level head if we are going to defeat the girl. 

        That means we can't fight over the smallest things right now. We need to stick together and be strong together. I can't continue to be upset over Doug. I can worry about him and the kiss later when he wakes up, and Audrey is finally defeated. 

        But once this is all over, I'm going to have to explain to Doug what happened. Oh gosh, I know that's going to be hard. I don't even know what to do now.

        Do I just end things with him before they really have even gotten started? Do I try to build a stronger relationship with Doug so that if this ever happens again, a true love's kiss will work in the future? Do I just ignore this whole situation, and Mal's right with Audrey making it so true love’s kiss doesn't work? I have so many thoughts and have no clue what to do about it. 

        But I'm right about how I can't worry about this right now. Right now, I need to focus on defeating Audrey. Maybe this was her plan, and she's trying to bring me down or something. I can't let this problem bring me down right now. I need to be strong, and I need to stand with my friends. 

        I know I can handle this situation, and that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to keep it together until we can all defeat Audrey and get Auradon back to normal. I can't let my friends down. I can't let my team down. I can't let Auradon down. 

        I finish touching up my makeup and sigh as I look in the mirror. Much better. Before, I looked like a mess. Now, at least, I look a little more put together. I put my makeup bag away and get up so I can head back downstairs. 

        Before I head downstairs, though, I hear something fly at the window. My eyes widen as I turn to it. Why in the world are their wooden boards flying against the windows?

        I run over to my bed and hop on it. I try to open the window, but I quickly find that it is locked. Okay, something is going on! Is this Audrey's doing? Okay, I need to get downstairs now! I need to check on Mal, Uma, and the kids to ensure they're okay. 

        I just hope everything is okay! But this has to be Audrey's doing. And if Audrey is behind this situation, then this must be serious. We're going to have to get these boards off the windows, or I don't know what's going to happen!

        We can't lose. We can't let Auradon down. We have to keep fighting for the safety of all of the kingdom. I just need to push all of the feelings away and focus on what matters most. Because otherwise, everything is going to be at stake. 

        It doesn't help that I can feel my heart starting to race, the anger bubbling inside as I can't get my thoughts off of what happened with Doug. I just have to hope that I can handle this because right now, I'm starting to have some major doubts.

Chapter Text

"We're trapped!" I hear Celia yell as I run down the stairs.

        Breathing heavily, I try to take account of what's happening, everything overwhelming me. Wooden boards fly against the windows, trapping us inside. I spot Mal and Uma in the living room, both in a panic. I turn to Celia, who is trying to get out by the door. I run over to Celia and pull her from the door, not wanting her to get hurt.

        "Come on. We're not getting out," I whisper to the young girl, who hesitantly nods as she follows me back to Mal and Uma.

        "You both okay?" I ask the two VKs, who both nod. I get behind Mal with Celia, not wanting to get in the way.

        Mal holds out her hands and tries a spell to remove the boards, but the spell doesn't work. I turn to Uma in panic. I notice the sea witch's necklace start to glow, and Uma grabs Mal's hand. Mal nods as Uma and Mal say the spell together, but still, nothing happens.

        I start to get more panicked. "Okay, the spell is not working! What do we do?" I exclaim in panic. Mal and Uma groan as they look at the boards that continue to pile on the windows. Okay, we're about to get fully trapped! We need to figure out how to get these boards down.

        "I'm scared! Are we not going to get out?" Celia cries out, now clinging to me. I sigh and try to push down my fears, but it's difficult. I want to reassure Celia, but I need reassurance myself right now. I don't know if we're going to be okay. And I don't know what to do since the spell didn't work.

        "Okay, everyone, calm down! We need to come up with a plan! Uma, let's try the spell again," Mal practically orders, making Uma nod as they repeat the spell. Still, nothing happens. Uma sighs as she puts her arm down.

        "We're not strong enough! We need another powerful person, and only two of us have magic. I mean, Celia has her cards, but that's not the kind of magic we need, and Evie doesn't have any magic," Uma realizes. Mal sighs as she turns to me, she looks at me with hope. 

        "I don't know about that, Uma. Evie, come over here," Mal orders, making me gaze at her in confusion.

        How am I going to get the boards down? Uma's right. I don't have magic. I sigh but rush over to my friend, still wanting to help in any way I can. If she has an idea on how to get us out of here, I'll listen. We don't have much time.

        "Mal, I trust you. But I don't have magic. How can I help?" I ask my friend, who rolls her eyes before tightly gripping my hand.

        "I think I have an idea! Let's try the spell again. Maybe this time it will work," Mal states, turning to Uma for confirmation. I quietly sigh as I don't know how I'm going to help do the spell, but I trust Mal.

        "How is this going to help, Mal? I don't have magic," I remind the purple-haired girl, who rolls her eyes as she connects her other hand with Uma.

        "Shh! Just trust me! Let's try the spell again," Mal exclaims before starting to chant the spell with Uma again. I start to join in, trusting the two. But as I start saying the spell, I feel shocks of something go throughout my body, making me stumble backward. Once I get stable on my feet once again, I notice the boards fall from the windows. 

        My eyes widen in shock, not believing Mal's plan worked, but I sigh in relief. Okay, well, it worked, but I can't believe it. I was able to help get the boards down.

        Do I have magic? I mean, I've never tried it, but I wouldn't surprised if I did. I've just never had the opportunity to try magic since I've been in Auradon; I am too busy worrying about other things to care about my magical abilities.

        Mal sighs in relief as she releases Uma's and my grip. She turns around, and her eyes glisten with shock. "We did it!" Mal exclaims, making me laugh. Yeah, we did!

        "I know. And I have magic!" I realize, feeling almost relieved. Practically all the girls in the group have some kind of magic: Mal, Uma, Jane, and now Audrey. I was starting to feel left out, but now it seems like I'm just like them. 

        I know Mother's a witch, but I didn't know the extent of her abilities. I figured I would have magic from her, but it's never shown up. I'll admit I've never tried it, except for the mirror that I've already given up, but I've never tried spells before. Maybe it goes beyond just my Mother, but I don't really like thinking about the other side of my family. 

        "Wait, you didn't know you had magic? How long have you been in Auradon?" Uma points out, making me roll my eyes.

        "Auradon doesn't like people using magic. I've never experimented with it before. I figured that I didn't have magic," I respond. I hate the fact that Auradon doesn't like magic anymore. I feel like Auradon could do amazing things if it allowed magic, but it's just the old ways. The heroes are too afraid of what magic does, but it doesn't stop me from wishing that magic was an open and accepted part of Auradon. 

        "Well, I'm sure that's going to change. I mean, how can this place be against magic? It's literally everywhere, and so many people here have magic. Including the future 'queen,'" Uma remarks, making me sigh. She has a point, but without Ben's say, the view of magic won't change. And I doubt it's going to get better after what Audrey is doing now. 

        "Well, I doubt it's going to change, Uma. Not without Mal and Ben saying so," I tell Uma, who rolls her eyes. I know she hates that Mal's the lady of the court, but in my eyes, it's a good thing. She'll speak for the vks and maybe one day allow magic to become a more accepted part. So many of the vks and even heroes have magic, why can't we have the ability to express that part of ourselves. 

        Uma just scoffs before crossing her arms. "Yeah, because allowing two people to have a say in everything is totally the perfect way to rule! You're going to need more people with different views if you're going to rule effectively. I mean, have you seen the Isle?" Uma explains, making me sigh.

        I'll admit, Uma does have a point. I wish it weren't just Mal and Ben having so much say. I wish I had a little bit of a say because I have views, too, but I'm not as important as Mal. Mal's the daughter of the most powerful villain; I'm just the daughter of one of the random villains. Mal has Ben. I thought I had Doug, but I clearly don't anymore.

        I shake my head, trying to push the feelings down. Once again, I cannot break down. Not now. Not when Auradon is in danger.

        "Uma, now's not the time for that," I decide to change the subject because I can tell Mal's getting upset again. "Well, I guess I have powers now," I nervously realize, curious to see all I can do with the new discovery. 

        Mal finally chuckles, dropping her defensive act. "Yeah, I know. I'm not the only one of us with magic now! You have magic, too; how does it feel?" Mal asks, making me softly chuckle as I pull away. 

        "I don't know. I guess I'm more shocked than anything," I admit. Out of all the times I discover I have magic, it just has to be the time that I'm heartbroken about Doug. Why is this happening now?

        But what confuses me is why I have magic. I mean, I know my Mom's a witch. I know the tell of her turning into an old hag to trick Snow White. She isn’t weak when it comes to magic by any means, even if she just used her potion knowledge and a small weather spell during that time. 

        But despite her believing she is only a queen, she keeps many of her witch roots. She has kept her many spell books, and she has a potion and spell room that she still visits occasionally. But she doesn't focus on it as much as she once did, even with the barrier up.

        She was never the biggest fan of her powers. Often, thinking using magic could interfere with her ability to be queen, but she wasn't afraid to use it when she had to. But she never bothered to teach me. She rather focused on me being a princess over a witch, figuring that was more useful to her.

        But, part of me always figured I wouldn't inherit her magic. I mean, I've never tried using magic before because there was no need. I don't even know how Mal figured that I could help get the boards down with magic in the first place. 

        "Well, it's a good thing. It's another thing we can use against Audrey. Now, come on, E. The boards are gone. We have something to celebrate!" Mal points out, making me softly chuckle. Well, I think we have something more to celebrate than the boards being gone and me having powers. 

        "Yeah, I know! But on a side note, I just happen to notice that you and Uma were both actually working together! I'm so proud," I tell the two girls, making both of them laugh, clearly trying to brush it off. 

        "Yeah, whatever, princess. Oh, actually, I just remembered," Uma remarks as she pulls out Hades's ember, and Uma hands it to Mal. Mal smiles and chuckles as she takes the ember and puts it away in her pocket.

        I'm proud of Mal and Uma for finally working together. When we work together, we can be more successful. I watch Celia run over to the window door, and she gazes out of it, seeming to spot something. 

        "Girls! The boys are back! Come on!" Celia exclaims as she pushes the door open and rushes out of the cottage. Uma and Mal both smirk as they look at each other and run out of the cottage. I softly smile as I head out of my cottage and step outside.

        I watch from a distance as Mal reunites with Ben while Uma catches up with Harry. I stay by the door, not feeling right going into the group without Doug. At least Mal and Uma are happy now. And for me, well, Doug is still asleep in my workroom.

        I sigh again as I watch the boys reconnect with Mal, Uma, and even Celia. I continue to stay away because I don't really know what to do. I don't want to bother anyone. Right now, I feel so upset, so I know I would just bring everyone else down. 

        Gazing over, I notice Carlos and Jane walk over to me. "Hey E, you okay?" Carlos softly asks me, and I hesitantly nod as I gaze over at Mal and Ben, who are now talking about his new beard and fangs.

        "Yeah," I blankly state. Jane looks around in confusion before she looks up at me.

        "Where's Doug? I thought you were coming back to find him," Jane inquiries, and I sigh as I hold back tears again. I glance in the direction of my workroom. Doug is still in there. But I know he won't wake up anytime soon.

        "Oh, um. Well, we found Doug. But, um, Doug's under a sleeping spell. And I tried true love's kiss, but he didn't wake up," I admit to the two others, whose eyes widen in shock.

        "Oh, I'm so sorry, Evie! Umm, how about I go check on him? I'll be right back, okay," Jane exclaims as she enters my cottage. I sigh as I watch Jane push past me. I glance down. Carlos stands beside me and wraps a comforting arm around me. 

        "I'm sorry that Doug didn't wake up. Do you know why he didn't wake up by any chance?" Carlos asks me, leading me over to sit down instead of standing off to the side, away from the rest of the group. 

        "Um, I think I might not love him enough. I thought I liked him, but we're not even officially dating. Maybe I don't care or love him enough for it to work," I explain, closing my eyes as all the worries pour out of me. Carlos shakes his head before turning my head to gaze at him. 

        "What? Evie, come on. I know you. You love Doug with all your heart. I know you want to ask him out. There has to be another reason why true love's kiss didn't work," Carlos assures, and I shake my head as tears sting my eyes again.

        "But there’s not any other thing that I can think of that could be the reason! Carlos, it has to be me! It has to be my fault," I cry out, making Carlos shake his head before pulling me into a comforting hug. 

        "Come on, Evie. Don't blame yourself for this. It's not your fault Doug didn't wake up. Okay? There has to be another reason for him not waking up," Carlos reassures, and I just sigh as I hug Carlos back because I really need comfort right now.

        "Maybe," I quietly state. Carlos sighs as he pulls away from me.

        "It's going to be okay, Evie. I'm sure of it. And, actually, there is something I want to talk to you about. I have this-" Carlos says, but he gets cut off when Jane comes back. I turn, and my eyes widen in shock.

        "Hey, guys. Doug woke up," Jane reveals, the boy slowly approaching us. I expected to be happy to see him, but I only feel hurt and betrayal. Jane was able to wake him up, but I couldn't.

        Did Doug just trick me or something? Was he awake this whole time, and I didn't know it! Did Doug just put me through so much pain on purpose?

        I quickly get up, practically storming over to the boy. "When did you wake up? Were you awake the whole time?" I angrily exclaim. Doug's eyes widen in shock as he gazes over at Jane. The fairy sighs as she pushes me away from Doug.

        "I used a spell to wake Doug up. So, he wasn't awake the whole time," Jane reveals, and I sigh as I glance up at Doug. I start to calm down.

        I suppose Jane could have just woken him up from a spell. But it doesn't change that I couldn't wake him up in the first place!

        "Okay, well, I'm just happy you're okay," I tell the boy as I hug him tightly. I sigh in relief as I close my eyes, wanting to feel his embrace again. But Doug pushes me away, making me gaze at him in confusion.

        "Um, sorry, Evie. But not right now, okay?" Doug responds, and I continue to stare at the boy in confusion.

        Is he mad at me or something? What am I kidding? I'm sure he is. I couldn't even wake him up with a magical kiss!

        "Are you mad at me? I'm sorry I couldn't wake you up with true love's kiss," I cry out, making him shake his head as he takes a few steps back from me.

        "No, it's fine. It's not your fault. It was probably the spell's fault or something," Doug brushes off, and I sigh as I keep getting that answer. But no matter what, I can't shake off the feeling that it wasn't the spell's fault. It has to be either Doug's or my fault. And I know it isn't Doug. So it's my fault.

        "Sure, I've been getting that answer a lot. I'm going to head over there," I tell Doug as I head over to my outdoor fireplace. Doug sighs as he walks over and sits on one of the benches far away from me. I watch as Carlos approaches Jane before Carlos leads Jane over to a bench.

        Jane sits down, and Carlos pulls out a small gift for Jane. I sigh as I watch the scene unfold. Carlos gives Jane a necklace with their names combined. I just sigh as I watch them. Why do I feel jealous? I shouldn't feel jealous by watching them both interact. I like Carlos and Jane's relationship, so why do I feel jealous?

        After a few minutes, Ben speaks up again. "Okay, guys, we need some of us to find Fairy Godmother. Uh, Doug, Jane, are you both in?" Ben asks as he looks over at the two, who both nod as they walk over to Ben. I stand up to get a better picture of what's happening.

        "Yeah, I'm in," Jane assures, and Doug agrees.

        "Yeah, me too," Doug states, and Ben nods. Carlos sighs as he walks over and he stands beside Jane.

        "Wait, you guys are going to need someone else coming with you. Uh, Gil, can you go with them?" Carlos asks Gil, who smiles and nods as he rushes away from the other pirates to Doug and Jane.

        "Of course I can, dude! I'm up to find Fairy Godmother!" Gil exclaims in excitement, and I notice Doug and Jane both quietly sigh. Why do they look so annoyed? Something feels off about that. But I can't put my finger on it.

        "Okay, well, Gil, Jane, and Doug can go find Fairy Godmother and the rest of us are going to Fairy Cottage to find Audrey. Sounds like a plan?" Ben asks, gazing between all of us. I slowly nod with everyone else.

        Even though Doug's awake now, I can't help but feel as if they're something still wrong. But I'm not going to bring that up right now.

        "Yeah, let's go," Mal calls out before heading toward Fairy Cottage. I follow close behind, watching Doug, Jane, and Gil make their way to the museum, and I follow the others to Fairy Cottage. I just hope together, we can end this mess once and for all!

        Audrey has done enough today. I just can't believe she found a spell that would make it so true love's kiss doesn't work. It breaks my heart and leaves me in so much doubt about everything, from my relationship to even my own abilities. I just hope that we can figure this out and put this mess behind us once and for all.

Chapter Text

"Evie! Evie! Evie, come on! You know I did what I had to do in order to protect Auradon!" Mal pleads out while we stand right outside Fairy Cottage. I shake my head as I ignore the girl.

        I can't believe Mal! She's planning on closing the barrier forever and leaving all the VKs there! That is beyond too far for me. I can't believe she would do that to all the VKs! 

        "No, Mal! I can't believe you! I trusted you! You know how much I've been through tonight, and you give me and everyone else the news that you are closing the barrier for good! No, this is beyond far! I'm leaving!" I exclaim as I storm past Mal so I can leave because I can't deal with this right now. I need to get out of here before I do something I regret. 

        I mean everything that happened on the Isle, everything with Audrey, and most importantly, all that happened with Doug! I can't deal with this anymore! I can't deal with-

        I hear a sound from behind me. I turn, and my eyes widen in terror as I see Mal, Carlos, Jay, Dude, and Ben are now stone, completely unmoving. I stumble back, not knowing what to do. 

        I can't believe this is happening. This has to be Audrey's doing! Why is she doing this to us? Why does Audrey keep ruining our lives? This is all Audrey's fault. She's the one who did all this to the kingdom! And Mal is the one who ruined our friendship and left the Isle behind. Why is my life being ruined by those around me?

        I slowly approach Carlos, frozen as he bends down to Dude. I sigh as I bend down to him, feeling horrible that he's stuck on this issue and that it isn't his fault.

        "I'm sorry this is happening, pup. I can't believe Mal, either. I can't believe she's closing the barrier permanently. But we can't give up. We still need to defeat Audrey," I whisper to the statue. I know Carlos can't hear me right now because he's stone, but I just need someone to talk to, and I know if Carlos weren't stone right now, he would listen to me.

        I sigh as I stand up and glare at the statue of Mal. Despite me feeling hurt by what she did, I know it's up to me to save Auradon. Unlike Mal, I can't give up on Auradon or the Isle. Walking over to the statue, I gaze down, noticing that she dropped the extinguished ember before she turned to stone. Picking up the little blue crystal, I observe it. Well, this is no use now. It doesn't work anymore.

        I put the ember away in my pocket and storm past my best friends' statues, still feeling my frustration and hurt bubble inside me. I can't believe Mal. I can't believe that she betrayed me!

        I thought she was my best friend, but she just threw that all away! Mal promised me! She promised all of Auradon and the Isle that we'd bring all the VKs over to Auradon. And Mal betrayed that. It was her choice to close the barrier permanently.

        I make my way out of the woods and to the front of Beast Castle, still furious at the purple-haired girl. I just can't believe she would do that to us. I trusted that she would speak up and protect the VKs. But she didn't.

        Was that all for nothing? Has she truly forgotten her roots? 

        I gaze up and see Uma and Harry walking towards me. I sigh, knowing they probably don't want to talk to me, but I know we still need to defeat Audrey. Uma and Harry are mad at Mal, and I am, too. But Audrey is still out there, putting everyone in danger. We can worry about Mal later. Right now, we need to focus on defeating Audrey.

        "Uma! Harry!" I call out, running over to the two. They both stop to stare, neither of them seeming impressed to see me. 

        Uma simply rolls her eyes. "What are you doing here? I bet you got upset with the 'dragon.' Heh, I'm honestly a little more than just mad at that girl," Uma remarks.

        I quietly sigh, knowing they have a complete right to be upset. But we need to put that behind us and defeat Audrey and save Auradon. That's more important than what Mal's decisions are right now. 

        "I know. Uma, listen. I know we have our differences. I know we're both mad at Mal right now. But Audrey is still out there and putting us all in danger. We need to stay together and defeat Audrey," I remind the pirates, knowing that I need their help in order to stop the evil princess because I can't do it on my own. 

        "Well, what do you expect us to do? What can we do to defeat that prissy princess? And where even is Mal? Why aren't you with the others?" Uma inquires, making me roll my eyes as I don't really have time to answer questions. Who knows what Audrey is out there doing right now?

        "Well, we need to defeat Audrey, obviously. And Mal and the others are stone. And I think I might have an idea on how to defeat Audrey, but I'm going to need your help, Uma," I tell the sea witch, who just scoffs and crosses her arms. 

        "So, the girl who betrayed us is stone? Huh, that serves the dragon right. And what's your plan for defeating Audrey? It's getting late, and I'm getting tired," Uma remarks. I sigh as I reach into my pocket and pull out Hades's ember.

        I'll admit I have so many mixed opinions about this little tiny gem. Something I hate to acknowledge, but it's the truth is that Hades is my Dad. Not that I see it that way because he's never done anything for me. He's done more for Mal than he ever has for me. I don't blame Mal, but I blame that man. 

        Mal and I are the only ones that know. We promised that to each other when we were little that we would keep it a secret. I was so furious at myself and at him that he wasn't there for either of us. But Mal promised me from a young age that despite what happened with our parents, we could rely on each other, and we kept that secret. And I think she kept that, well maybe until now, but with Auradon being in danger, things tend to change.

        But, to him, I'm just a simple mistake after Mother tricked him. To be fair, I doubt Hades is totally the victim since he knows what he did, but what do I know? But he told me that I wouldn't inherit his powers. He promised me that, but I can't help but wonder if I still have enough power from Mother mixed with the heritage to reignite the ember.

        I don't know if Uma would be strong enough since she's only Hades's great niece or something, but I would rather she and Mal focus on defeating Audrey. I only just discovered my powers. I don't want to risk overusing them under Audrey's direct threat. I'm sure it'll take quite a bit of power to reignite the ember, but we can do that more contained away from the threat. 

        "We're going to use this. I know the ember has been extinguished, but there has to be a way to reignite this thing. And I'm going to need your help because I know we both are upset with Mal, but we're going to need her help. Mal's the only one that can defeat Audrey. I'm pretty sure I'm strong enough as well, but reigniting the ember is probably going to take away all my energy, so I'm going to need you to turn Mal back from stone for me," I explain as Uma stares at the ember in my hand. 

        Uma still seems hesitant. After a second, she sighs in defeat. "Okay, fine. If it means we can defeat that princess, I'll do it. But wait before trying to reignite the ember. Let's get Mal back before reigniting that thing," Uma orders as I put the ember up once again.

        "Yeah, you're right. Let's get going so we can get this over with," I tell the two pirates.

        "Yeah, let's go," Uma says, annoyed, as we head back into the woods to return to Mal and the others.

        When we get into the woods, we head back to Fairy Cottage and find my friends' stone statues. I turn to Uma and Harry. Uma sighs as she walks over to the statues.

        "Wow, I have to admit this is a little sad. But anyway, I'm guessing you just want Mal back to normal right now?" Uma asks, holding her shell necklace. I nod as I walk over to the statue of Mal.

        "Yeah, I don't think it's safe to turn the others back right now. I don't want to use too much of your energy, and I don't want Audrey to get suspicious before we can defeat her," I explain as Uma's necklace starts glowing bright teal. 

        "Got it. Let's get this show on the road. Turn our friend back from stone to lighten this heavy load," Uma chants, causing teal sparkles to surround Mal. In a puff of teal smoke, Mal turns back to normal.

        Uma and I take a step away from the purple-haired girl, and we both glare at her, not happy that we're relying so much on her when she's the one who betrayed the Isle, but we have no other choice. Mal starts coughing, but she soon calms down and gazes up at me.

        "You turned me back from stone? How?" Mal cries out, scowling in confusion. I just sigh, knowing that we don't have much more time. I'm starting to get an even worse feeling. 

        "Yeah, whatever. Listen, Mal, we don't have much time. Audrey is still on the loose, and she still has the scepter. And we're going to need you to defeat Audrey," I explain, making Mal slowly nod. 

        "Yeah, of course. What do you need me to do?" Mal asks me, making me pull out Hades's ember to show the girl. 

        "We're going to use this. I'm going to reignite the ember, and you're going to defeat Audrey with it," I explain, making Mal scowl in confusion as she tries to reach out for it, but I clutch it close.

        "But why can't I reignite the ember? I'm pretty sure I have to reignite the ember," Mal exclaims, and I shake my head as Audrey is dangerously powerful with Maleficent's scepter. I can't risk Mal losing any of her power reigniting the ember because it's going to high energy levels.

        "No, it's going to be too much power on you to reignite the ember. Let me do it. You're going to need to be at your highest power in order to defeat Audrey," I order, making Mal sigh as she hesitantly gives in. 

        "Okay, but how much power are you going to be using?" Mal asks me, and I sigh as I look down at Hades's ember in my hand.

        "A lot. And since I'm pretty sure my powers are just starting to strengthen since we just discovered them, it's probably going to take all my power for a while. I'm sure I'm going to get the power back, but right now, reigniting the ember is going to take all my energy. But I'm going to have to do this because you are going to need all the power you can get. You both can use the ember to defeat her. So, I'm going to have to do it by myself," I admit, holding the ember out. Mal quickly shakes her head before placing her hand on top of mine. 

        "Wait, but you're going to be okay, right?" Mal asks me, and I nod as I look down at the girl. I know I'm going to be okay.

        "Yeah, I don't know exactly what will happen once I reignite the ember, but I know I'm going to end up using all my power. But I'm going to be okay, Mal. I promise," I reassure the purple-haired girl, who hesitantly releases my hand.

"Okay, but as long as you're going to stay safe. But what do you want me to do once you reignite the ember? How am I going to defeat Audrey?" Mal asks me, and I sigh as I look over at Uma, who nods.

        "You're going to use your dragon magic to defeat Audrey. Once we get Audrey taken care of, you should probably bring Audrey back to the castle so we can figure out what to do with her. But just focus on defeating Audrey with your dragon magic," Uma says, and Mal nods as she looks up at me.

        "Okay, I got it. I have a plan. Let's reignite the ember and get this over with. Let's defeat Audrey once and for all," Mal declares, and I smile and nod as I hold the ember up in front of me.

        "Yeah, let's do this. All of Auradon is in danger. Reignite Hades's ember so we can defeat Audrey and change her," I chant, allowing my magic to flow through me easily once again. 

        Suddenly, I feel all my power go from me into the ember. A dark blue light goes from my hand and into the gem. As I feel my power release, my body starts to grow weak and tired. I softly smile as I watch the gem light back up with power.

        I did it! I reignited the ember!

        "You did it, Evie! You got the ember working again!" Mal exclaims before pulling me into a tight hug. I softly laugh as I feel the rest of my power and energy go into the ember. My vision starts to get blurry, and I feel like everything is spinning. My senses quickly leave me, making everything feel light and hazy. I stumble forward, making it difficult to stay up.

        Okay, I'm about to pass out. I should have guessed that, but I did not prepare myself. I try to keep myself balanced before I just crumble to the ground. I have to grab onto Mal to support me as my vision goes dark. I'm going to need help. 

        "Yeah, I did. Okay, someone needs to be prepared to catch me. I feel like I'm about to pass out," I admit as I stumble forward. Mal has to grab me before I fall to the ground.

        "Okay, right! Evie, it's going to be okay. I'm here, okay," Mal assures, as my eyes fall close. My legs give way, and I collapse to the ground. Mal keeps her grip on me, slowly bending down to the ground so I don't get hurt. Leaning against my best friend, I feel myself lose consciousness as I slip into a deep sleep.

        Now that I have reignited the ember, I hope Mal can save Auradon because I'm counting on her.

Chapter Text

I squeeze my eyes shut as I hold Evie close as she finally slips into unconsciousness. Reaching down, I take the ember from Evie's hand before dropping it into my pocket for later. I can feel the newly renewed energy coming off Dad's ember.

        Evie did it! She got the ember reignited again.

        Gazing up at Uma, I see the fierce glare in her eyes. I quietly sigh, knowing that Uma's still furious at me. I understand where she's coming from, but really, I didn't know what else to do except close the barrier. I don't want to put Auradon in any more danger, especially with everything that Audrey's doing. But I forgot that closing the barrier would leave the VKs at even more risk. 

        “Okay, what are we going to do with Evie?” I bring up, knowing that we can't leave her here. While leaving the boys as stone is one thing, I don't want to keep Evie out here completely vulnerable. 

        Uma just shrugs before motioning over to Harry, who is off by a tree, to get him to come over. “Harry, get over here! We’re going to need your help,” Uma calls out, making the other pirate come running over.

        “Yes, Cap’n?” Harry asks the sea witch, gazing down at Evie and me.

        I can't help but feel irritated that Uma suggests that I willingly leave an unconscious Evie with Hook. Not that I think he would do anything; I just don't feel safe leaving one of us so vulnerable with any of the pirates. 

        "Take the princess back to King Kid's castle and stay with her. The traitor and I have to defeat the Maleficent wannabe," Uma instructs the other pirate, who nods in understanding before turning his gaze to me.

        I stare at the other boy hesitantly, not trusting leaving him with Evie. How do I know they'll get back to the castle safely? 

        "Got it, cap'n. It should be simple enough,” Harry responds, giving me a smirk that tells me that he knows I don't like the idea but that he's still going to listen to Uma—that Uma's in charge over me after I proposed a way to keep Auradon safe. 

        "Exactly. Mal let her go. We have the other princess we need to defeat,” Uma practically orders, making me glare at the other girl, still not trusting to leave Evie alone with one of the pirates. Especially Hook, of all people!

        “No! I don’t trust Harry alone with Evie,” I admit; Uma just rolls her eyes in annoyance, and Harry just chuckles at my concern. 

        "It's not the time Mal! Aren't we supposed to save the kingdom? You know Harry isn't going to do anything to Evie. Now, we don't exactly have time to spare!" Uma declares, and I don't falter, instead tugging Evie closer.

        I just can't trust it, not after what happened to the boys. Audrey's already caused enough pain tonight. I don't want her doing anything else to my friends.

        “I don't trust it, not after everything Audrey's done. Harry's not strong enough to fight Audrey if she tries something,” I argue, knowing if the other girl changes her course of action and decides to go after Evie and Harry, that could spell even more danger. Evie's out for the count, and the only thing Harry has is his hook; he has no magical abilities whatsoever. 

        Uma groans as she glares at me. “But we don't have time to waste, Mal! Audrey's after us, not Evie. Just let Harry take Evie to the castle! He's not going to let anything happen. Besides, isn't Audrey an Auradon girl? I doubt she's going to attack someone when they're down. Not even us VKs would do that,” Uma responds with a bite, trying to leave no room for argument. 

        Harry nods in agreement, shrugging casually as if this is no big deal. “Yeah, Mal. I promise ye that nothing is gonna happen to yer friend. I'll take 'er back to the castle and stay with 'er the whole time. I'm not going to let anything happen," Harry promises, making me sigh, tilting back and keeping my grip on Evie.

        As much as I want to continue arguing with Uma, I know that isn't what Evie will want me to do. She would rather me leave her with Harry instead of sitting here arguing and not getting anywhere. Evie would rather me focus on stopping Audrey over her own safety. 

        But I guess Uma and Harry are right. I can’t leave Evie alone, and Uma and I need to defeat Audrey before anything else happens. And I do think I trust the pirates more than some people. I quietly sigh, finally giving in. Harry can take Evie, but if anything happens, I don't know what I'll do. Evie's been through enough tonight. I don't want her to have to deal with any more stress, especially if we can't defeat Audrey. 

        “Ugh, fine! Take Evie back to the castle, but make sure nothing happens to her. If it does, I'll never forgive you. She shouldn't even be in this situation, after all. It's my fault this happened after all,” I tell the two pirates. If I didn't force the group apart, Dad's ember wouldn't have been extinguished, and Evie wouldn't be asleep. It's my fault that we're so deep in this mess anyway.

        “Well, ye should have thought 'bout that beforehand. But anyway, hand the little witch over,” Harry comments, motioning for me to hand Evie over to him. I gaze down at my friend one more time, silently begging for her to be okay, before pulling away. 

        I help Harry pick up Evie, gently cradling her in his arms before I get up, brushing myself off. Okay, let's get to work. It's time to save Auradon once and for all. 

        “Okay. Let’s get going, Uma. We’ve got a villain to take down,” I declare to the sea witch, who nods before we start storming back to Auradon Prep, where we figure Audrey should be, while Harry takes Evie in the other direction towards Ben's castle. 

        Walking through the woods towards the old castle school, both of us pause, Uma turning to me. "Before we do this, there's something that I want to say, Mal,” Uma starts, giving me a serious look. I scowl in confusion. What's so important that she needs to bring up now? 

        “What?” I respond, wanting to go ahead and get it over with so we can find Audrey.

        Uma glares at me dead in the eyes. “I'm not doing this because of you. I’m doing this because of Evie and all the kids on the Isle. I can’t believe that you're closing the barrier for good. And I know that Evie doesn’t want us to fight, but she’s not here right now, and I promise you that we're both so infuriated at you. Your decision to close the barrier will affect so many VKs, and I can’t believe you are making that choice. Now, while I'll still help you fight the little 'wicked rose,' just know that after this is all over, I never want to deal with you again. I'm going back to the Isle to be with my people since you clearly abandoned them!" Uma declares, making me stare at her in a mixture of frustration and acceptance, knowing I can't stop her. 

        I know Uma's mad at me. She has every right to be. I don't even blame her for wanting to go back to the Isle. The VKs are going to need it when I close the barrier. I hate that I'm doing it, but I don't have any other idea to keep Auradon safe! But I understand that she isn't doing this for me, not after what I did, but I hope we can get through this and find a way to move forward. 

        “I know, Uma, you have every right to hate me, but you have to understand that I don't have any other choice! As the lady of the court, I have to protect Auradon!” I cry out, making Uma shake her head, her eyes narrowing in even more anger. 

        “How is locking innocent children on an island forever protecting Auradon? By closing the barrier, you’re just putting the VKs on the Isle in danger when they're already surrounded by danger and poverty! If that’s what you want, Mal, to put all the VKs through more pain and suffering. More than we’ve already been through! You did a really good job at it. You're not protecting all of Auradon; you're just 'protecting' the heroes!” Uma declares, throwing her hands out. 

        I just stare at my old enemy. I'm not just protecting the heroes; I want to protect all of Auradon, but by doing that, I need to leave the barrier up so no one comes in or out. But maybe before we do that, we can bring more VKs over. Maybe not all hope is lost. I can bring the VKs over so they can be safe while leaving those who deserve to stay where they belong. 

        But I'm not ready to bring that up, not after asking Ben about it. “That's not my intention, Uma! Please, let me explain,” I practically beg, making Uma shake her head before storming off away from me. 

        “Save it! I’ve had enough of your excuses, Mal! I don’t want to hear anymore! Let’s just defeat Audrey so I can get back to the Isle and protect all the VKs you are leaving behind,” Uma finally yells in response as she gets further ahead. I shake my head before running ahead to join, knowing that if Uma and I are going to get along, I might have to take the risk and tell her what I'm thinking. 

        "Uma, listen to me. You might not have to go back to the Isle,” I exclaim, hoping that will make her hear me out. Uma just pauses, turning to stare at me in even more fury.

        “Are you kidding me? I’m not leaving those kids on the Isle alone! I am going back there to protect them from the villains and the danger that resides on every corner. Now stop! You've said enough. Don't dig yourself into an even deeper hole,” Uma states as she keeps walking. I watch as the sea witch walks into the woods, leaving me alone. I can't follow her this time. She's not going towards Auradon Prep anymore. She's now leaving me. 

        I quietly sigh under my breath as Uma travels further into the distance. I've screwed up even more. Now Uma's so fed up with me that she doesn't even want to fight Audrey. What am I going to do? I don't want to put Auradon in even more danger, but I don't want to risk the villains getting out whenever we bring more VKs out. The only way I'll do it is if I bring all the kids out at once, but that's going to get so messy so quickly. I quietly shake my head. I can't worry about that right now. I have to defeat Audrey and save Auradon.

        I continue running ahead, trying to get to Auradon Prep as quickly as possible. Arriving at the prep school, I keep my head on a swivel, trying to figure out where Audrey could be hiding. She isn't far away; I can feel the energy from Mom's scepter.

        Suddenly, I hear Celia scream out for help, followed by Audrey saying that no one is there to save the girl. My eyes widen as I feel my eyes glow, my own magic fueling me. Purple smoke surrounds me, and I feel myself transforming into the dragon I've come to know so well. 

        Once I finally transform and get my bearings, I fly up, using Dad's ember to defeat Audrey. When the magic hits the villainous princess, she falls to the ground, slipping into unconsciousness herself. Suddenly, I hear clapping before I gaze down. I spot Uma underneath me. Hmm, it looks like she's shown up after all. I'll admit I wasn't quite expecting that. 

        I fly down so I can get to Audrey and Celia. After pulling Celia into a quick hug and making sure she's okay, I bend down to try and wake Audrey up, but I quickly find that she isn't moving. I even try to pull out the ember to see if it works, but still, nothing.

        No! I must not be strong enough to wake Audrey up! What am I going to do?

        I guess I’m just going to have to take Audrey back to Ben’s castle and see if I can get Dad to wake Audrey up since I’m not strong enough. He's on the Isle, but I think I should have enough say to bring him over, long enough to save the AK or maybe even Evie if it comes down to that. I slowly stand up and gaze over at Celia, who is still standing in the corner, trying to hold back her fear. 

        I give the younger girl a reassuring smile. “Come on, let’s get down from this tower. Hop on,” I say before transforming into a dragon again. Celia nods in agreement before I pick her and Audrey up and fly them down to the ground.

        Reaching the bottom, I release the two girls before I transform back into a human. Uma comes running over to Celia, Audrey, and me. Uma sighs in relief when she sees us. “Finally! Now, what are we going to do with the villain princess? We can’t just leave her here and risk her waking up and trying to take over Auradon again,” Uma reminds as she pulls Celia into a protective hug. 

        I sigh as I gaze down at the unconscious princess. “I don’t think Audrey is going to wake up without getting Hades. Can you take Audrey to Ben’s castle while I see if the boys are no longer stone and if Dizzy, Squeaky, and Squirmy are awake yet?” I ask Uma, who nods as she carefully picks Audrey up.

        “Yeah, sure. As long as Audrey doesn’t wake up or anything, I’m fine. Is the kid coming with me?” Uma asks me, motioning over to Celia, who's trying to take a deep breath; obviously, she has been through a lot tonight. 

        “I want to go with you, Mal. I want to know if Dizzy and the twins are awake. They’re my best friends, after all,” Celia admits. 

        “Okay, you can come with me then. Let’s go see if everyone is back to normal. We’ll meet you at Ben’s castle, okay?" I ask Uma before we start heading in the direction of Fairy Cottage.

        “Yeah, I’ll see you then,” Uma declares before walking, still carrying Audrey back in the direction of Ben's castle. I turn back to Celia, motioning her to follow me. 

        Celia and I start making our way back to Fairy Cottage. As we walk, both of us remain silent. I guess Celia still must be mad at me. When we get back to Fairy Cottage, I smile as I notice that Ben, Carlos, Jay, and Dude are back to normal. The four of them are leaning up against the trees, waiting for us to get back. 

        Ben looks up, and he smiles when he sees me. “Mal! You’re back! And you’re okay!” Ben exclaims as he comes running over, bringing me into a tight hug. I softly chuckle as I hug my boyfriend back.

        Carlos and Jay stand up, and they walk over to me. “Okay, now that we know Mal’s okay, we need to get to Ben’s castle. Isn’t that where you said Evie is right now?” Carlos asks me, and my eyes widen in confusion. How does Carlos know that? When we were talking to Evie, the boys were still stone, and I don't think they were conscious while they were stone. 

        “What? How do you know that, Carlos? You were stone when Evie passed out,” I ask the black-and-white-haired boy, who chuckles as he looks over at Jay and Ben, who both chuckle as well.“Yeah, but I could still hear and see a little bit of what was going on. And Jay and Ben heard and saw some stuff as well. The three of us say you get turned back from stone, and Evie uses all her new powers to reignite the ember. We saw everything. And how did you not know that Mal? You were stone as well,” Carlos reminds me, and I nervously chuckle, gazing down.

        “Well, I didn’t think you guys could hear and see everything going on as well. I thought I could hear and see everything because I had magic and related to my Mom and all, who technically was the first wielder of the scepter.  But you guys saw stuff as well,” I realize, making the boys all laugh. 

        “Yeah, we did. We saw pretty much everything. So, are we going to head back to my castle so we can see Evie?” Ben asks me, and I shake my head. I want to head back to Evie’s cottage so we can see if Dizzy and the twins are up.

        Celia immediately shakes her head, still clear that she's upset. “No! Mal promised that we'll go back to Evie’s cottage to see if Dizzy and the twins are awake yet,” Celia declares.

        I know she wants to return to the cottage and see if her friends are awake. Hopefully, we can go now, as I'm sure they'll have a lot of questions if they are. 

        “Okay, yeah, that’s probably a good idea. Let’s head back to Evie’s cottage,” Ben says, and I nod as we start making our way back to the cottage so we can see if the kids that were asleep when we left are finally awake and all of Auradon can finally return to a sense of normalcy.

        I hope this nightmare's finally over.

Chapter Text

Reaching Evie's cottage once again, all of us pile into the relatively small-sized cottage. Celia immediately runs forward, searching for the sofa where Dizzy and the twins were asleep the last time we were here. Once we get into the room, she scans around before noticing Dizzy and the twins are now at the kitchen table, enjoying some of Jane’s cake. Celia laughs as she runs over to Dizzy and the twins.

        “You’re awake!” Celia exclaims, running over to hug the other girl tightly. Dizzy laughs as she takes the fork out of her mouth and hugs the other girl back. 

        “Yeah, we woke up a little while ago. What happened?” Dizzy curiously asks, making me chuckle as I walk over to the counter.

        "Well, Audrey, Sleeping Beauty's daughter, tried to take over Auradon and put everyone to sleep. We had to go and stop her,” I explain to the younger girl, who nods as she gazes over at the twins, who are enjoying the cake as well.

        “Well, that explains why Squeaky, Squirmy, and I fell asleep. But is everyone else awake now?” Dizzy curiously asks, gazing at me with wide eyes. I slowly nod as I find a seat across from the kids. 

        “Yeah, now that we defeated Audrey, we’re pretty sure everyone is awake now,” I assure the girl, who nods as she gazes at all of us.

        “But, where’s Evie? Was she put to sleep, too?” Dizzy asks in concern as she stands up and gazes around for her older friend. I sigh as I don’t know how to explain what happened to Evie to Dizzy. I don't want to confuse or worry her. 

        “Oh, um, sort of. Evie is asleep right now. But Audrey didn’t put her to sleep,” I admit to the young pre-teen, making her eyes widen in shock. 

        “Please don’t tell me Evie’s dead!” Dizzy cries out. I immediately shake my head no. Evie's not dead, far from it, actually. 

        “No, no, no, Evie is not dead. Um, we discovered that Evie has powers. Audrey tried to attack the cottage, but Uma, Evie, and I were able to use our magic to stop her. After Celia got the ember wet, making it lose its power of the ember, Evie had to use her new power to reignite it. But since Evie’s powers are still growing and it takes a large amount of power to do the spell successfully, it made her pass out, and now we need to give her some time until she wakes up again,” I clarify, knowing that Dizzy's going to be concerned until she can see Evie again.

        “But Evie is going to be okay, right?” Dizzy asks me, and I smile and nod as I don't want to concern the younger girl. 

        “Yes, we got Evie to Ben’s castle, and she is resting there right now,” I assure Dizzy, who sighs in relief. 

        “Okay, can we go to Ben’s castle, please? I don’t want to be alone with the twins anymore, and I know the twins don’t want to be here alone anymore, either,” Dizzy admits, making me chuckle. We came back to Evie's cottage in the first place so we could bring Dizzy and the twins to the castle to be with everyone else.

        They've been here alone long enough. We need to keep an eye on them while we deal with Audrey and Evie. Just because Audrey's defeated, she's passed out as well. We need to make sure both of them are okay. 

        “Yeah. We’re bringing you guys to Ben’s castle so we can check on Evie,” I tell Dizzy, whose eyes light up with excitement along with Squeaky and Squirmy.

        “Really! We get to go to Ben’s castle!” Squeaky excitedly asks, dropping his fork as he nearly jumps out of his seat. 

        I can’t help but laugh. So much for the shy boys on the Isle. I’m glad to see them come out of their shells.

        “Yeah, that’s why we came here, actually. But we need to get going now. It’s getting late, and I need to check up on Evie,” I inform the kids as I don't feel right leaving them alone after everything that happened today. 

        “Yeah, I want to know if Evie is up as well! Let’s get going,” Dizzy exclaims as she gets up, quickly putting her plate away before running to the door, ready to go. The twins do the same. 

        I softly chuckle, understanding their excitement but also knowing that we can't leave without getting the boys. “Okay, one second!" I run to where the boys were waiting for us. "You guys ready to head out?” I ask Carlos, Ben, and Jay, who all nod as they walk over to the door.

        “Yeah, let’s go see Evie,” Carlos states as I open the door. Celia, Dizzy, Squeaky, and Squirmy rush out of the cottage first, followed by Carlos, Ben, and Jay, with me close behind them. As I close the door behind us, I rush ahead to the kids who are already heading in the direction of the castle.

-+-+-+-+-+-

        When we get to Ben’s castle, we head inside, and I immediately rush upstairs to find Evie. I spot Harry and Uma in the living room, just relaxing after our long night with little to no sleep. The sun is starting to rise now, showing just how long we've been up trying to defeat Audrey.

        But Harry was the one who was supposed to bring Evie back here and make sure she stayed safe. But as I walk into the living room, I don’t see my best friend anywhere so I storm over to the two, determined to know where they left her. 

        “We’re back. Where’s Evie, and why are you not with her!” I snap at the two as I grip onto the back of the couch. Uma and Harry gaze up at me, the sea witch sighing as she brings her legs up on the couch.

        “Okay. Chill. When Harry brought Evie here, one of the servants recognized her and brought her to the room, where she apparently stays while you both are here. She's okay, but none of us have been able to wake her up. It's like she's completely out of it," Uma reveals, making my eyes widen in shock.

        What? What does Uma mean? No one's been able to wake her up?

        “What! But I thought Evie would wake up by now! What's wrong with her?” I exclaim in fear before gazing over at the others, all seeming equally as concerned. 

        “That’s what we thought too. But Evie’s just not waking up. Reigniting the ember might have been too much on her body,” Uma states, and I shake my head as I cross my arms. No, Evie needs to be okay. Evie has to be okay! I don’t know what I’ll do if she doesn’t end up being okay.

        I feel someone wrap their protective arms around me. Gazing up, I see Ben holding me close. I sigh as I look down but feel secure in his embrace.

        “But Evie has to be okay! I don’t know what would happen if she isn't,” I cry out, tears entering my eyes. Ben sighs and kisses the side of my head.

        Uma sighs as she stands up. “Woah, don’t say that. Evie is doing just fine. She'll wake up. Just give the girl some time,” Uma argues, crossing her arms to show that she's staying firm. 

        I shake my head as I pull away from Ben. My thoughts swirl about my best friend, thinking about what would happen if she never woke up, especially after our fight. I might not ever be able to apologize to her and make things right. I would never be able to hang out with her again or for her to be there for me. 

        "She better wake up. I would never forgive myself if she doesn't," I admit, as I know this is all my fault. I was the one who got the group upset and made Celia drop the ember into the water in the first place. I'm why Evie was forced to use her powers when she still barely has a grip on them. 

        "I'm sure she'll wake up, Mal. As Uma said, we just need to give her some time. But, Uma, how's Audrey doing? I doubt she's awake either?" Ben speaks up for me as I try to force my emotions down, knowing that there's no way I can break down in front of the pirates.

        I still can't expose that weakness, especially to them.

        “Yeah, you're little "hero turned villain" still isn't awake yet either. Both girls are just sleeping away,” Uma remarks. Well, that's just another thing we have to deal with this morning. 

        "Well, we probably should check on Audrey first. I want to see Evie, but I don't think I'm ready to face her yet," I quietly admit, still feeling horrible that I've gotten my friend into this situation.

        I'm sure Auradon is going to be more focused on Audrey's status because I doubt we're going to even bring up the fact that Evie has magic yet. I don't even know if that's something Evie would want to be public knowledge. The logical step is to make sure Audrey's getting the treatment she needs first before moving on to Evie. 

        "Okay. We can check on Audrey first because she's probably going to need the most care. If Evie's just recovering from a magical overload, she should be stable, but with Audrey, we could end up having a whole other mess on our hands. Do you know where the servants are keeping Audrey?" Ben asks, as I've already given him and the others the basic overview of what happened while they were stone.

        "Yeah, the servants said she's staying in one of the guest bedrooms on this side of the castle. I think I know where it is," Uma reveals as she and Harry start making their way towards the door.

        But instead of following, I shake my head before turning to the kids. "Wait!" I call out before eying the kids. "Stay here. I don't think you need to go in there and see Audrey like that," I order the kids, making Celia give me a glare.

        "Okay. No. We're not weak! We deserve to be in there!" Celia exclaims, making Dizzy sigh. She glances over at the twins as they continue to explore the large sitting room in Ben's castle, but she has obviously never seen anything like that before.

        "Well, I'm fine with staying here. But I want to see Evie!" Dizzy admits, her voice desperate like the still young girl she is. I'll admit, I do feel bad for the kids. We've dragged them from the only world they've ever known and thrown them into this mess that none of them are ready for yet.

        "You'll be able to see Evie soon, but I would rather her be awake before I take you in there. How about you both stay here and watch the twins? Once we get the girls awake, I'll take you in there myself," I suggest, making Dizzy nod in confirmation while Celia glares, staying firm.

        "I'm not weak, Mal. I can handle seeing a "princess" asleep!" Celia argues, making me sigh in frustration.

        "Yeah, but I don't want more people in there than have to be. Plus, we're going to be talking about stuff that I don't really need you listening into," I state, knowing that we're going to have to get Queen Belle, King Adam, Fairy Godmother, and who knows who else to discuss how to wake Audrey up. I don't want too many people being in the room. 

        Uma just groans before storming over to us. "Mal, stop treating the kids as weak. Celia's with me. If she wants to be in there, then let her. I don't see the big deal!" Uma argues, making me speak up.

        "But I just don't think-"

        "Stop. Let Celia make her own decisions. Plus, she's more a part of my crew than yours. The twins do, too, since Harry used to have to protect them back on the Isle. You can enjoy controlling your little crew, but leave mine out of it. Come on, Celia," Uma affirms, making Celia smile as she joins the older girl's side.

        I nearly let out a scream in frustration, feeling just like everything is out of control. But before I can, Jay approaches me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Just drop it. You know it's best not to mess with crew dynamics. I'm sure the kid'll be fine. She's from the Isle; it's not like she'll see anything that different from what it was like there," Jay states, making me sigh in defeat before gazing back over at Dizzy, who has gone over to the twins to gaze out the window to the busy gardens below.

        "Okay, we're going to head out. If you need anything, servants are always around. Tell them what you'll need, and I'm sure they'll give it to you," I instruct the three kids, making Dizzy turn to give me a thumbs up before going back to staring out the window. 

        I quietly sigh before I start to follow the pirates out of the sitting room and up the stairs to one of the guest wings. I'm surprised Uma knows her way around so quickly. But then again, she navigated the docks, which probably had more twists and turns than this place. Ben runs forward to help a little, but it seems like the sea witch already has this place down. I'll admit that is a little unsettling. 

        Uma leads us to one of the guest bedrooms, walking to the door and pausing to gaze back at us. “Audrey's room. The little witch-princess is right beside her." Uma points to the two rooms, each with a couple of Ben's top servants outside whispering amongst themselves.

        I silently gaze over at Evie's door, terrified to see my best friend on the other end. I don't even want to imagine what she looks like right now. I shake my head, knowing that I need to focus on Audrey before I handle Evie. Evie’s going to be fine, but we don’t even know what happened to Audrey.

        Uma opens the door, and we head inside. I take a step forward, only to gaze back to spot Carlos standing right outside the room. I can't help but stare at the boy in confusion. Ever since I saw him turn back from stone, I'll admit he seems a little more down than I would have expected.

        “You okay?” I ask the white and black-haired boy, who sighs as he leans up against Evie’s door. I watch as Ben steps into the main bedroom with Celia and the pirates, but Jay stops behind me, closing the door to Audrey's room to give us privacy in the hallway; even the servants scatter, leaving just us three. 

        “Yeah, I’m just a little worried about Evie. What if she never wakes up?" Carlos whispers, his eyes seeming fearful in a way they haven't been for months.

        "She'll wake up, dude. Don't say that. As Uma said, just give the girl time," Jay assures the both of us because I've been constantly worried about it as well. 

        Carlos pushes off the door. "But I'm still worried. I mean, did you see her earlier? I haven't seen her so upset in so long," Carlos admits. I reach out to place my hand on his shoulder.

        Evie did seem off earlier, but that was because of what happened with Doug. But I doubt what happened with him will affect her being asleep. She'll just need our support when she wakes up. Just like she’s there for us, we need to be there for her.

        But I still can't help but feel worried about Evie. As much as I want to be confident and say that she's going to be okay, there's still so much unknown with her magic. I don't know how serious this overuse of magic is going to affect her. And since magic, in general, is so tied to heritage, I might need help figuring out her magic to understand it fully.

        But I know I need to be brave for my crew, but at the same time I know we need to be honest with each other. We don't always have to be so strong and put together all the time. So I sigh, but I stare at Carlos. 

        “I get what you mean, C. I can’t help but worry, either. But we have to have hope. We need to give Evie some more time, and if she doesn’t wake up soon, I'll figure something out,” I assure the boy, who slowly nods before staring back at the door. 

        “Okay, I just hope Evie wakes up soon,” Carlos whispers. I reach out to touch his shoulder, completely understanding where he's coming from. 

        “Yeah, me too. And we'll go check on her soon. But let’s check on Audrey right now. And if Evie doesn’t wake up after we check on Audrey, we’ll see what we can do,” I tell Carlos, who nods as he closes his eyes and leans his forehead against the door.

        Jay sighs before he reaches out and places his on Carlos's back. "Come on, dude. Evie's tough. She'll be fine," Jay helps assure the other boy. 

        After a second, Carlos reluctantly moves away from Evie’s door and gazes at Audrey’s door. “Okay, let’s check on Audrey,” Carlos affirms before walking towards the door. 

        Jay smirks before opening the door to allow us inside. The boys enter first before me. Once I spot Audrey just lying down on her huge pink bed, I can't help but feel sick. I slowly walk over to Ben, knowing that both of us need to support each other through this. 

        After talking with the servant who's been waiting here with Audrey, it's clear that she isn't waking up. When the servant steps out to call Audrey's grandmother, I apologize to the others for making the decision to close the barrier, knowing I need to rethink my decision, but until then, I'm not bringing that up.

        But as I watch Audrey sleep, I realize that there is only one person who would know enough about the kind of magic needed to wake Audrey up—someone who's knowledgeable of this weird in between of being awake and basically dead. 

        We're going to have to call my Dad to come wake Audrey up. He'll know what to do best since I have already tried it with the ember. I'm not strong enough. I know it's dangerous to take him off the Isle, I know that, but what other choice do I have?

        Maybe not only could Dad help wake Audrey up, but if worse comes to worst, he could maybe help wake Evie up. I know my best friend does not want to see him under any circumstances, but I don't know what else to do.

        So, I tell Ben that Hades could wake Audrey up. He sends out an order for some Royal Guards to get my Dad off the Isle. Uma, Harry, and Celia decide they want to go back to the Isle, and I reluctantly let them since I don’t want them to get hurt, but I know I can’t control their choices. Ben agrees and brings a limo to bring Uma, Harry, and Celia back to the Isle.

        I sigh as I watch Harry, Uma, and Celia leave as quickly as they can. It's later in the day now and it doesn't seem like my Dad's going to be here until tomorrow. But despite the late hour and the fact that I haven’t slept in over twenty-four hours, I can't bring myself to head to bed. All the worries continue to swirl inside like magic, threatening to overwhelm me and send me into a downward spiral.

        I look back at Audrey as Ben walks over to sit beside the bright pink sofa. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me close. “Come on, Mal. How about we get some rest? Tomorrow, Hades will come, and he will wake Audrey and Evie up,” Ben suggests, making me sigh as I lean against the king. 

        "Do we have to?" I whisper, making Ben chuckle as he pulls me closer.

        "Yes. Come on. It's late, and we've had a busy couple of days," Ben responds, making me groan as I reluctantly pull away.

        "Fine. Let's just go," I whisper as I force myself up. I glance back over at Carlos and Jay, who have stayed the whole time, sitting beside each other, playing some kind of game on their phone, leaving us to our own devices, but being there in case I need it. 

        “Come on. We’re heading to bed,” I call out to the boys, who both gaze up.

        “Fine. But can we check on Evie first?” Carlos asks as he puts his phone away and stands up. 

        "Sure. Just don't stay in there too long. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow," I remind the boy, who nods in understanding but walks out of the room, followed by Jay, who wants to go check on her as well. 

        I softly chuckle, glad that the boys actually have the confidence to go in there, unlike me, who's still terrified. "Well, I'm going to head to bed. Night Ben." I start heading towards the door, but Ben reaches out to grab my hand.

        "Are you sure you don't want to go check on Evie?" Ben asks, making me shake my head, still not ready to face my best friend yet.

        "No. I'm not ready yet. I will tomorrow when Hades comes. But I need to head to bed. Night, Ben," I pull away from the king before quickly leaving the room and go to my bedroom, which is very close to Evie's room, so I know if anything happens during the night, I won't be too far away.

    -+-+-+-+-+-

        The next day, the guards bring my Dad over from the Isle, and he is able to wake Audrey up with his ember rather easily. When Audrey wakes up, we all apologize for what happened, and we start to make up. 

        But as the guards start pulling Hades away after we all finish apologizing to each other. Hades groans as he pulls back. “Wait, I have a question,” Hades starts, pulling back on the guards and forcing them to stop. He turns to me, so I take a few steps forward to gaze up at my Dad. 

        “Yeah, Dad?” I ask Hades, who sighs as he looks around the room.

        “Where's your little friend? I figured she would be a little more involved. You both are always together?" Dad remarks, and I instantly know who he's talking about. He's asking about Evie. 

        To say that Dad and Evie's relationship is tense is a definite understatement. While Hades and I have never really gotten along, he kinda stuck around because he was in a long-term relationship with my Mother. Only when the Isle was created did the two start to have their issues.

        According to him, the affair with Evie's mother was an accident, but Maleficent refused to let him continue to see the Evil Queen, which is why Hades and Evie have never gotten along. It's even worse than I do with the guy. Evie and I know that he's our Father, but it's not something we talk about often. She has been furious at him for years, and while he's strong, he's never stepped in to protect either of us. 

        I already know Evie won't be happy once she wakes up. She made it clear she never wanted to see Hades again, but right now, her safety comes first. She needs to wake up and be okay. So, if we have to get Hades to use his powers, we will. 

        “Umm, she’s asleep. She passed out last night after something happened, and now she won’t wake up either,” I quietly reveal, trying not to go into too much detail. I'd rather my Dad not know that his ember got extinguished, so I’m not going to mention it.

        “I see. And where is she right now?” Hades inquires; his voice is stern but comforting. I sigh as I motion to the door, where I know Evie is still sleeping. I still haven't been able to bring myself to go in there. 

        “In the next room over,” I reveal. 

        “I see. Can I see her before I have to go?” Hades asks me, gazing at both of the guards still holding him. I immediately nod, hoping that he'll know how to wake Evie up. But I don't want to tell the guards that in case they get worried. But I trust my Dad. I know he would never hurt Evie or me.

        He might "act" like it, but I know why he does it. 

        “Yeah, follow me,” I say before I walk over to the door. I glance over my shoulder to see the guards start coming with my father into Evie’s bedroom.

        I quietly sigh; I would rather the guards let Hades go while we handle this. This needs to stay between the three of us.

        “Can you leave us alone for a second? I won’t let my dad do anything but just leave us alone for a second, and we’ll be right out,” I order the guards, who hesitantly let Hades go. My Dad and I head into Evie’s bedroom.

        Once my eyes land on my best friend, I can't help but freeze. I take a small step over to my Dad. 

        My Dad sighs as he stares at Evie. She stays passed out on a large bed. The large bed makes it look like Evie has been swallowed by her smaller frame. She stays unmoving, obviously in her coma-like state. “What happened? How did this happen?” Hades starts as I start walking to my friend's side.

        “Well, apparently, Evie has powers now, and when she tried to use them, she passed out, and now we can’t wake her up,” I confess as my Dad joins me by my side.

        He quietly sighs to himself. “I always had a feeling that she would end up having powers, despite what her Mother claimed. I should have warned you,” Hades admits, dropping his head. I pivot before staring at my father in shock.

        Did he know the whole time? And he even bothered to lie to his own daughter? I seriously can't believe that. That's a whole new low for him.

        “You knew Evie had powers! You said she would never have magic! You knew that she had magic and then lied to her!” I exclaim, feeling upset that he would lie to us. I mean, he's a villain, after all, but why would he lie about something like that?

        Hades sighs as he takes the ember from his pocket. “Listen, I’ll try to explain more when Evie wakes up. Let me focus right now,” Hades orders as he motions for me to step back. I quietly sigh but move out of the way as my Dad gets to work. 

        But I can't help but sigh as I watch Evie. I hope I can get some answers.

Chapter Text

When I finally start to wake up again, my senses return slowly. I stretch a little bit to wake myself up more. Opening my eyes, I immediately notice the room I'm in goes from a dark blue color to simple darkness. My vision starts to stabilize again, and I gaze over and see Mal staring at my bed. She smiles when she sees me open my eyes.

        "Evie! You're awake," Mal exclaims as she runs over to me and pulls me into a tight hug. I softly chuckle as I hug Mal back. Once she traps me in her tight embrace, I nearly feel like I'm being strangled, as the part-dragon girl doesn't know her own strength. 

        "Mal, let go, please. You're squeezing me really hard. Please be careful; I still don't feel that strong," I tell Mal, who nervously chuckles a little before pulling away from me and sitting down beside me.

        "Sorry. I'm just happy you're awake," Mal confesses, seeming relieved. 

        Still feeling fuzzy and weak, I rub my eyes to help wake up more. I remember what happened before I passed out. When I used my magic to help reignite the ember, only to pass out from overuse. But what now? Where they able to succeed and defeat Audrey?

        "Yeah, so did you defeat Audrey?" I ask Mal, who gives me a small nod in confirmation. I sigh in relief.

        Yes! Audrey's no longer a threat to Auradon, and we're safe! I have no clue how she did it, but I hope the combined power of Mal and the ember helped.

        But I'm still a little worried about what happened to Audrey. While I know she appeared to be evil, I can't help but hope that something deeper is going on beyond a good girl turning bad because of jealousy. 

        "Yeah. I used Dad's ember and my dragon magic to defeat Audrey. But she's good now. We're pretty sure my mom's scepter corrupted her. But Dad fixed it," Mal explains, glancing up at Hades, who stands back, seemingly closed off.

        Well, either way, I'm glad Audrey's back. I was really concerned that she had turned evil for good. 

        "Well, that's good to hear. I'm glad Audrey's back and no longer trying to take over Auradon. But you brought Hades over to reverse the curse on her?" I inquire, glancing between Mal and Hades.

        What's he doing in my room? I thought I made it clear I never wanted to see him again. What made him bother to stop by my room when I'm not going to give him the time of day? He didn't want to be there for me. Why should I give him anything? 

        "Yep. I was just chillin' in my little cave, and next thing I know, your stuck-up Auradon Guards stormed into my home and dragged me over from the Isle so I could wake up the girl," Hades reveals, the irritation dripping from his tone. "But when I arrived and noticed that only one of you was here, I started asking questions."

        "So, now you suddenly care about me? Why? Because I'm in Auradon now, and nothing bad is ever supposed to happen here?" I ask sarcastically, knowing well that there must be a deeper reason.

        "Evie. It's not like that. I've always cared about you. It was just hard back on the Isle," Hades states, making me raise an eyebrow, not believing that it’s just that.

        "How exactly? You didn't want anything to do with either of us, but you sure cared so much more about your ex-wife's daughter than the daughter of your short fling just to show off power. What's changed!" I exclaim to the man standing in my room.

        He isn’t my father. He wasn’t there for me, so how do I expect to see him as such?

        "Evie. We don't need to talk about this right now. We both know what your Moms would have done if I had gotten too involved. I was trying to protect you both! But right now, this goes beyond them. This is about you two," Hades brushes off, making me scoff.

        "Once again, she goes by Mother; she hates the term 'Mom.' You would have known that if you gave us the time of day. So, seriously, why are you here?" I'll confess it's not that nice to suddenly wake up from a magic coma to see someone who has betrayed you for so long suddenly show up back in your life. Let alone trying to insist on suddenly being in your life.

        "Evie. He's here because he was the one to wake you up. He knows about your magic," Mal reveals, making me grow quiet. Of course. That must be part of the reason he's here. He's always been obsessed with the thought of magic and powers.

        At least I know I didn't get his magic; he said so himself. This new magic must be from Mother's side. She is a witch, after all. It makes sense that I would get magic from her.

        "Of course. But what's the big deal? It's not like it's from your side," I respond, simply crossing my arms. 

        "Will you hear me out?" Hades finally snaps, making me glare harder. 

        "Fine. What?" I respond, but I don't really want to give him the time.

        "There is so much about the circumstances between your Mothers that neither of you know about. And I'll go into that later, but not right now. I'm here to talk about your magic. Mal told me that you used your magic to help strengthen my ember, but you ended up overusing your magic. Which is the main reason I'm here. Now, can we talk about that?" Hades asks me.

        I just sigh before bringing my knees to my chest.

        He really wants to focus hard on this magic thing. What's the deal with that? 

        "Why do you care about my magic? You said only Mal got your powers," I bring up as I had no clue that I had powers before.

        Ever since I've been in Auradon, I've assumed I'm powerless like most people here. I was curious at the beginning if I did because of Mother, but I never really tried, and I didn't need to. Mal had powers, and once we turned good, we were pressured into giving up our magical tendencies. I'll admit I always felt something under my skin once I crossed the barrier into the magical world, but I figured everyone felt that. 

        But when Mal convinced me to try and help her and Uma bring the wooden boards down back at my cottage, things changed. I was bewildered about where the magic came from, but almost relieved to know that there was an explanation for what I felt and my heritage.

        And yes. I remember using my new magic to reignite Hades's ember. I remember feeling like I needed to do something to help. I didn't know if I would be strong enough because Hades told me I wouldn't have his magic, but it didn't hurt to try. I knew it was going to be difficult, and I didn't want Mal or Uma to be at a disadvantage. So, I took one for the team.

        I want to bring up what happened with the ember, but as I gaze over at Mal, I notice her look, silently telling me that Hades doesn't know his ember got extinguished, so I'm not going to mention it.

        I watch as Hades continues to falter for a second. "I know I said that. But I only said that to protect you. If Maleficent had found out that you had my powers, she would have flipped on both of us! Plus, I didn't have to worry about it since the barrier was up. I just hoped that you wouldn't find out; well, I did until you and Mal defeated her," Hades explains, making me scoff in irritation. 

        He still could have told me. Even when Maleficent was around, I wouldn't have shared anything like that with her. I guess he has a point that it would have been dangerous when I first got to Auradon, but I would have been careful. Besides, Mal has magic. I didn't necessarily need magic when I first came here. But it hurts that he lied to me. 

        I sit up more in bed to stare straight at the man. "Well, thanks to you, I didn't learn that I have powers until now. Do you know how shocked and terrified I was when I learned I had magic? I guess it's a good thing I'm not that strong. I mean, I literally passed out after doing one significant spell," I remark. I finally move over to allow Mal to sit beside me while Hades stays a safe distance away.

        "First off, no. You are powerful. You reignited the ember, which is next to impossible to do. Your powers have only been unleashed, and it takes time for them to mature and stabilize. But you are powerful. Don't underestimate yourself," Hades presses. I instantly gaze over at Mal.

        We didn't tell him that the ember had been extinguished. How did he know that his ember got put out? Mal seems to be even more panicked as her body goes rigid.

        "How did you know the ember got extinguished?" Mal asks Hades in a panicked tone. Hades chuckles as he tosses the ember up in the air and catches it.

        "A father always knows. Plus, I could feel that the magic was different. You can't get away with anything when it comes to me," Hades responds, and Mal and I gaze at each other in shock. Well, at least he doesn't seem to be mad.

        "Well, it happened by accident. One of the kids dropped the ember in a bird bath," Mal explains as Hades plays with the ember, moving it through his fingers. 

        "Well, I figured that was going to happen," he slides the ember into his jacket pocket. "But I'll say I'm relieved to know that you discovered your powers. Now that your Mothers are out of the way, it is about time you both honed in on your magic."

        I roll my eyes. I still feel so hurt that he lied to me about my powers. For how little this man has been in my life, I can't trust him with my right mind. Why should I trust him now? Even if he is in Auradon, it doesn't mean he's going to change. 

        "Yeah, but why should I listen to you? You lied to me! I don't care that you say it's because you tried to protect us from our Mothers! Maleficent has been a lizard for over a year now, and Mother's still on the Isle! You couldn't have bothered to try to contact us? Because I know if I didn't know, you still wouldn't tell me. And don't lie. I know you!" I cry out, as I can't help it. He's abandoned me for so long. One conversation is not going to change that.

        "Evie, you don't understand how tense things were. Plus, I doubt the Auradon stuck-ups would want one of the villains trying to send out a message to you girls. And besides, neither of you could access your powers until the ember left the Isle. I made it that way right before the Isle was created to protect you both. So, neither of you could have used my powers until Mal got the ember," Hades reveals, making me gaze over at my friend. 

        At least that explains the blue now mixed into her hair. Once we stepped across the barrier, her hair changed to a mixture of her traditional purple and electric blue. My hair didn't noticeably change, but it is already blue.

        But I'll admit that kind of makes me feel a little better. Part of the reason it took me so long to discover my powers was because of the ember. But that's the same case with Mal since her powers also relied on the ember. I suppose that's the reason she could only use magic that was more similar to Maleficent before.

        And why couldn't I use any of my powers. I'll admit I haven't tried to tap into my witch heritage either. I just haven't really thought about it, but after the addition of these new powers tied to my Dad, I might as well start thinking about exploring that side of me as well.

        "So, the only reason I have powers is because of your ember?" I ask Hades, who nods. Well, that clarifies things. So, it seems like Mal and I are pretty equal on that front. Mal intentionally tried to use her powers. I didn't bother until she told me to try. But once I did, the powers flowed through me easily. Even now, when I still feel a little weak, I feel the energy flooding through my veins.

        "Yes, and that goes for both of you. But now that both of your powers have been triggered, you won't have to rely so hard on this thing. I mean, neither of you will be able to do everything I can, but you'll be able to do enough," Hades explains, making me slowly nod as I glance back over at Mal. 

        I already know we will both be in for a long ride to hone these powers. But I always love to learn, and I'm excited to see exactly what I can do now that my powers are finally unleashed.

        Mal smiles before glancing over at me. "See E? I told you you're powerful. I didn't have access to the powers either before I got the ember," Mal states, making me chuckle. She does have a point, and I'm curious to see what else I can do in the future. 

        "Yeah, I guess you're right. So, how did you wake Audrey and me up, if you don't mind me asking, Hades?" I ask the man, who sighs as he crosses his arms.

        "You're still not going to call me by what I am? And I woke you and the other girl up with the magic from the ember. I reversed the curse that was on Audrey and for you since your magic levels were so low, and I could tell your body was having trouble recharging since your powers were still growing. I gave you just enough power to help jumpstart your powers," Hades casually explains, making me softly scoff.

        I don't see this man as my Father. He's never treated me like one. He's just Mal's Dad, and that's it. He'll never have the right for me to call him Father. To me, he's my best friend's Dad. Plain and simple. Not much he can do will change that. 

        "Well, I guess I appreciate it. And what am I supposed to call you because you're not really my Dad, are you? I mean, you've been in my life less than Mal's, and you're hardly around her! I don't see you as my Dad, so you don't get the name. Why should I call you something you're not?" I bring up to the older man, my voice firm, yet I can't help but some of the hurt slip through.

        "Come on, Evie. As I said, things were complicated back on the Isle. I regret that I couldn't be there for you and Mal, but I had to do what I had to do. I had to protect you both," Hades states, making me scoff, his words not helping. 

        "Well, it just still hurts that you were never there for me! Mal might be my best friend, but it hurts so incredibly much that you cared so much more about her than me. You were never there when Mother hurt me. But you were there for Mal. How is that ‘protecting’ when you just let us get hurt by our own Mothers like that?" I sneer, my tone hostile and cruel. But I don't care. It's the same treatment I got from him my whole life!

        "I know you're hurt. But I did it to protect both of you! You both know your Mothers. I didn't want them hurting you any worse." Hades exclaims as he tries to step further, but I hold up my hand, not wanting him anywhere near me. 

        "Protect me? Mother was still hurting me. I had to conform to her beliefs. I had to be the perfect little princess. I could never falter, or else I would have been tortured! All the painstaking hours I spent on my appearance! All the times I refused to eat to make Mother happy! All the torturous experiments I had to partake in, not only trying to enhance my beauty, but Mother's own! Where were you then to protect me? Not to mention lying to me about my powers!" I start to get out of bed so I can face the man himself. The man who has been blind to how I was treated on the Isle my whole life. 

        "Evie, I-" 

        "Save it. You told me I wouldn't get your powers because I was your eldest daughter! I spent years of my life desperately wishing that I had magic to save myself. That, beyond the barrier, I could be powerful. I lost hope years ago that a Prince would save me from Mother's wrath. That I needed to be strong on my own accord. But you kept that from me! Do you know how much that hurts that you kept something of that significance from me?" I malevolently tell the man, my voice breaking. 

        Mal comes over to my side, places a firm hand on my shoulder, and tells me that she's staying by my side—just like we always do. We stick together through whatever comes our way.

        "Evie. I didn't even know-" Hades starts again.

        "Well, you should have!" I pull away from Mal, get out of bed, and storm off. I struggle to keep my breathing under control, suddenly feeling the intense sensation under my skin once again. My powers. They're probably tied to my emotions. I wouldn't be surprised if they were. 

        Mal walks over to my side again, stepping in front of me. "Evie, calm down. I don't want you to get worked up. But come on, I know Dad messed up, but aren't we supposed to be the ones to give the VKs a second chance? Maybe we can give the villains a second chance as well," Mal suggests, making me glance back over my shoulder at the blue-haired man.

        "Yeah, but some things can't be forgiven. Forgiving a VK who didn't know any better is one thing. He knew what he was doing. I glare at the man, making Mal sigh before stepping in between the two of us.

        "Well, maybe he might want to change. Maybe we can give our parents a second chance, too," Mal tries to explain, making me shake my head again. She's always had this desire for the villain parents to turn good like the rest of us. At one point, I did, too, but right now, I feel too hurt to even think about forgiving the man. 

        "Don't press it, Mal. I understand why Evie's furious at me. I left you both to deal with Maleficent and the Evil Queen alone, and I never once stepped in. I regret that so much now, and I wish I could have found a way to be there for you girls. But I know what has been done and can't change the past. I can just try to make it up to you both. But I know that will take some time. But now, I think it's time for me to get going. I don't want to keep those guards waiting," Hades remarks, the purple-haired girl sighing as she looks over at me before gazing down.

        "Okay, let me walk you out," Mal whispers, pulling away from me. I just sigh as I close my eyes, taking a second to find myself. 

        Opening my eyes again, I watch as Mal walks over to her Dad, starting to make their way to the door. I knew I just blew up at the guy, but I can't bring myself to want them to leave quite yet.

        "Wait!" I call out.

        Mal and Hades both pause before turning back to me.

        I stumble over my words for a second, them not coming out properly. I allow my body to take a deep breath. "Look. You screwed up big-time Hades. You put both Mal and me in danger by not being there for us. Not to mention that you lied. But Mal's right. Carlos is right. Sometimes, it's better to put the past in the past, forgive, and forget. It will take some time, but if you're willing to put in the effort, maybe we can have an actual relationship," I finally admit, making Hades softly smile before walking over to me. 

        "I know it will take a while. But I'm willing to work with you if you're willing to work with me," Hades states, making me softly smile. 

        "Well, if you're serious, maybe we can try to make things work," I respond as Mal approaches my side.

        "I agree. It's time for us to be able to move on from the past. Besides, Mom's still a lizard and the Evil Queen hasn't been seen in a while," Mal reveals, making me nod in agreement. 

        "Yeah, that’s true, I think it might be time to move on from the past as well," I respond, wrapping my arm around the purple-haired girl.

        "I agree as well. I would like to keep in touch. Seriously. But I need to get going. You don't want to know how difficult those guards are," Hades remarks, giving Mal a smirk as the shorter girl pulls away from me. 

        "Okay. Uh, bye, Dad," I quietly call out as they head back to the door. Hades chuckles, gazing back at me. I nervously bounce my heels, kinda shocked that I just said that.

        Hades gives me a small smirk. "Bye, Evie," Hades says, waving before Mal opens the door and leaves. I hope he keeps his promise. 

-+-+-+-+-+-+-

        A few minutes later, Mal comes back into the bedroom. Mal approaches me as I sit back on the bed. It seems like quite a bit has changed since I first passed out. It's about time we get caught up with the others.

        "Listen, Evie, I'm really sorry about closing the barrier and all, but-" Mal begins, but I roll my eyes as I cut the purple-haired girl off. She's going straight into that, isn't she? Well, I'm not going to listen to her lie to me.

        "There is nothing to say, Mal! You aren't going to change your mind, so why are you even apologizing?" I retort, making Mal sigh as she gazes down. 

        "Just listen to me, Evie. I'm not one hundred percent sure yet. And I will have to talk to Ben about it. But I'm thinking about reversing my decision and opening the barrier for everyone. Now, it's going to take some time to find out what we're going to do with the villains. But hopefully, if Ben and I can figure this out, we can bring all the VKs to Auradon," Mal reveals, and my eyes widen in shock.

        So, Mal is thinking about reversing her order? I mean, that's a good thing, but how do I know for sure? But opening the barrier for everyone? How would that even work? How do we make sure the VKs can come to Auradon without the villains getting loose and causing the havoc that has been festering for the past twenty-three years? 

        "So, you're thinking about opening the barrier once and for all for everyone? Meaning we're going to get rid of the barrier?” I ask Mal, who nods, making me smile, but still not entirely believing her.

        "Yeah, it's going to take some time because we definitely don't want the villains doing anything. But I don't want the VKs suffering anymore, so I want to help them," Mal states, and I smile as I'm relieved that Mal wants to change her mind.

        "Okay, well, you know if you need any help. You know I'm going to be here for you. And I'm sure Uma and the others will be here to help you, too," I tell Mal, who smiles and nods.

        "Yeah, I know they will want to help me as well. Thanks, Evie. I hope you're not too mad at me," Mal admits, and I smile and shake my head as I grab onto Mal's hands and squeeze them.

        "I was never that mad at you, Mal. Yes, I was shocked and upset because I thought you wouldn't leave the VKs behind on the Isle like you were. But I was never that mad. You're my best friend, and I care about you a lot," I tell the purple-haired girl, who smiles as she tightly squeezes my hands.

        I'm glad that things are good between us now. It's not fun to have falling outs with your best friends. I much prefer getting along. 

        "Thanks, Evie. You're the best," Mal replies, and I smile as I motion for Mal to hug me. Mal chuckles as we hug each other tightly.

        "No problem, Mal. You're the best as well," I tell Mal, who chuckles as she places her head on my shoulder.

        "Thanks, Evie. I don't know what I would have done without you," Mal admits, and I smile as Mal and I pull away from each other.

        "Aww, I don't know what I would do without you either, Mal. But now that I'm up, can we see the others? I miss them all, and I haven't seen them in what feels like forever," I tell Mal, who chuckles as she stands up.

        "Yeah, Dizzy and the twins are awake, and Ben, Carlos, Jay, and Dude are no longer stone, so we can go see them all," Mal reveals, and my eyes light up with excitement.

        "Wait, really? Dizzy and the twins are awake, and the boys are no longer stone? Yes I want to go see them!" I nearly exclaim, already rushing to the door, wanting to get reunited with the rest of the group. 

        "Okay, Evie, let's go see everyone. I'm pretty sure they are in the living room," Mal reveals as she gets up as well. I immediately rush to the door, already feeling so much more engaged now that I've had time to wake up. 

        But I'm just so excited to see the others. I haven't seen Dizzy or the twins awake since before all of this mess happened, and the last time I saw the boys was when they were stone and I was about to pass out. I miss them all and am so excited to see them again. 

Chapter Text

When Mal and I arrive at the castle's living room, I spot many of our friends hanging out, waiting for us to get back. Ben, Carlos, and Jay are over by the fireplace, Jane and Doug are on the sofa, and Uma and her crew are standing around, away from everyone else. Mal glances over at Uma and her crew in confusion before turning back to me.

        “I’ll be right back, Evie. How about you go talk to Doug and Jane? I didn’t even know they got back,” Mal states, and I nod as I watch the purple-haired girl walk over to Uma and her crew.

        I take a small, deep breath, preparing myself to go talk to Doug. What happened earlier still weighs on me heavily. I still feel repulsed that I couldn’t wake him up. That my love for him wasn’t strong enough to do so.

        Are we meant to be together? The kiss didn't work, so I'm starting to have doubts.

        But I know I still need to talk to him. I don’t want to have to throw everything away just because of one instance. So I hold up my head as high as I can before heading over to the boy on the sofa, a little too close to the other fairy for my comfort, but I'm not going to bring it up. We've already had enough tension between us recently.

        “Hey, Doug. I didn’t know you were back yet. When did you get here?” I start, clinching my hands together tightly. Doug gazes up at me and nervously chuckles before stealing a glance at Jay. I scowl in confusion, but I'll try to brush it off for now. 

        “Oh, we got here last night after Fairy Godmother turned back from stone,” Doug reveals, a kind smile appearing on his face, but it doesn't seem to reach his eyes.

        Wait, Fairy Godmother was turned to stone? Well, it seems like Audrey was after more revenge than I thought. 

        “Right. Well, I got here last night as well. Long story short, I have powers now, but Celia extinguished Hades’s ember, so I had to use my new powers to reignite it. But since my powers are still so new, it was too much. When I tried to use them, I passed out, and someone brought me back here. But I’m okay now, though,” I explain as I want to fill the boy in, but I can tell he isn't paying attention to what I am saying, instead keeping his eyes on his phone.

        What has gotten into him? He wasn't like this before Audrey threatened Auradon. This isn't the Doug I know, but then again, there's so much I don't know about him. Outside of school and the little bit he's helped me jumpstart my career, there's so much I don't know about him. He's somewhat of a secretive person, but then again, I'm not exactly that open to talking about a lot of topics, either, at least not with the Auradon kids. 

        He responds without even glancing up from his phone. "Well, I'm glad you're okay, but can we talk about this some other time? I mean, we've all had a lot going on recently, along with the band and all. Can we just talk about this later?" Doug asks me, and I stare at him in complete shock. 

        I mean, don't get me wrong: all of us have been through so much over the past few days. Audrey tried to take over Auradon, and all of us had to work together to stop her. Doug was spelled to sleep, and I couldn't wake him. I still feel horrible about that, but I thought he would still want to listen. I mean, I thought we had something special.

        But if there's anything I want to talk about right now, it would be what happened back at my cottage. I can't believe that he didn't wake up. I still feel like it's my fault.

        "Yeah, I get that. But look, can we talk about what happened back at the cottage? I just-” I begin, but Doug cuts me off.

        “It’s fine, Evie. Just drop it, okay? It’s not like it matters. Now, I’m in the middle of doing something. Can we talk about that later?” Doug brushes off, making my jaw drop.

        He’s not being serious right now, is he?

        “Fine, I’ll leave,” I quietly respond before storming back over to the boys. I cross my arms in frustration, irritated that Doug just brushed me off like that. Why is he acting like this all of a sudden?

        When I get over to the boys, I notice all of their eyes light up when they see me. The last time they saw me was before Audrey turned them all to stone. I'm glad that they’re back to normal.

        “Evie! You’re awake!” Carlos exclaims in excitement before running over to me and bringing me into a tight hug. I softly chuckle before hugging the boy back, always feeling so secure in his arms.

        I’ve always been pretty protective of the boy, just like he’s always been over me. I always trust that he has my back, just like I have his. I think both of us are relieved that we’re back to normal.

        I know I still haven’t told him about what happened back at the cottage with Doug, but I don’t think he really needs to worry about that right now. He’s so busy with Jane, I don’t want to ruin that for him.

        “Yeah, I woke up a little bit ago,” I tell Carlos as we pull away from each other. I see the cheerfulness in his gaze, something that none of us had back on the Isle.

        “Well, I’m so glad you’re awake, Evie. When Mal told me what happened, I was so worried. Well, I kinda saw the whole thing with your powers, but still. It’s not like I could exactly do anything,” Carlos reveals, making me stare at him in confusion, starting to put more pieces together.

        “Wait, you saw me when you were stone?” I ask the black-and-white-haired boy in confusion. Carlos nervously chuckles as he pulls away. 

        “Yeah, I could see and hear everything that was going on, but I couldn’t move or react to anything around me,” Carlos explains. Well, I guess that means all the boys saw what went down. That gives me even more of a reason to be concerned.

        “Well, I guess that means you saw pretty much everything with the ember and all,” I trail off as I still don't really believe what happened myself. I mean, my whole life, I assumed I would never have magic, and now it just snuck up on me, and there’s still so much I don't know about my powers.

        “Yeah, I saw everything. But you were so brave, Eves. I’m so proud of you,” Carlos tells me, making me smile. At least someone is proud of me.

        “Thank you, Carlos. I knew I couldn’t let evil Audrey win. I just did what I thought was right, and if it meant I had to use all my powers, then I would take that risk. I knew I had to save Auradon,” I admit, as the kingdom was counting on me. For so long, I’ve just wanted to prove to Auradon that I can be a warrior, and I think this time I did.

        “Well, that's amazing, princess. I think Auradon's going to be proud of all of us,” Carlos tells me, making me hold back a small giggle. 

        “Thanks. And you’re right. I think Auradon is going to be proud of all of us,” I respond, glancing up at Ben and Jay, who have both been standing back watching us the whole time.

“You’re both right. When I can finally tell the kingdom what you all did to save the kingdom, they’re going to be proud of all of us. But we’re glad you’re awake, Evie. How did you wake up? Did you wake up naturally, or did Mal have to do something?” Ben asks me, and I shrug. I’m pretty sure I woke up because of Hades, but I’m not entirely sure if Mal’s ready to reveal that to the boys yet.

        For now, this might just stay somewhat of a secret between Mal and me, at least until we're comfortable revealing that Hades is our Father, but I have a feeling that Mal will be more open to that long before I am. They have a better relationship, and I still don't like the thought of him as my Father. That’s just a part of myself that I’m not ready to face quite yet.

        “I’m not exactly sure, but Mal was in the room when I woke up, so maybe,” I admit, as technically, that is true. Mal was in the room, but I highly doubt she actually woke me up.

        “Well, yeah, but I also saw Hades go in there with her, and he was the one to wake Audrey up, so I figured he would be the one to help you, but it’s no big deal either way. But seriously, how are you feeling, Evie?” Ben asks me, and I smile as I start to feel better.

        "I'm feeling a lot better. I'm already feeling a lot more energized now. I guess it probably has to do with my new powers," I remark, making the boys chuckle.

        "Well, I'm glad you're feeling better. But I'm still curious to learn more about your powers," Carlos responds. I'm completely with him. I'm so curious to learn more about my magic. As someone who loves to learn, I can't wait to explore all my new abilities. I think there's so much for me to learn. 

        "Oh yeah. I'm so curious to learn about my new powers. I mean, there's so much to discover," I respond as I think there's a part of me that's always wanted magic, and now I finally have the ability to discover and study it. 

        I glance over to see Mal walk over, seeming much calmer than she did earlier. What Mal said about closing the barrier still weighs on my mind, but I don't think I need to bring that up until we get some alone time. Since I woke up, Mal and I haven't had much alone time; even Hades was in there when I woke up. But I still want to talk to her about her decision. I want to change her mind. 

        “Hey, what are you guys talking about?” Mal asks as she walks over. 

        “We’re just talking about my new powers." I can't help but notice how off Mal looks right now as she keeps glancing over her shoulder. "Okay, what are you doing? Something's wrong."

        Following Mal's eyes, I spot her glancing over at Doug and Jane. I quietly sigh to myself. I know she doesn't want me to be mad at myself for not being able to wake up Doug, but she doesn't need to hide in order to spare my feelings. I'm stronger than that. I don't want Mal to think I'm weak. 

        “Nothing. Don’t worry about it, Evie,” Mal quickly brushes off, making me sigh in frustration. This is exactly what I was worried about. She knows I'm upset, but she's made it worse by treating me like I can't handle the truth. 

        I gently reach out to take Mal's hands, making her look up at me. I know Mal might not want to talk about Doug and me, but I want to show her that I can handle the issue. Doug's my friend. I should be the one to deal with this problem.

        "Mal. Don't do this to me. You keep staring at Doug. Look, I know he and I aren't getting along right now, but you don't have to treat me like I can't handle this. I know he doesn't want to talk right now, but we're going to have to talk about the kiss soon," I assure the purple-haired girl, who sighs before glancing over her shoulder again.

        "No, E. It's not that I don't think you can handle it. It's just-" Mal lets out a loud sigh. "Can we step out and talk about this out in the hall?" she begs, making me stare at the girl in confusion.

        Only Uma and her crew know since they haven't gone back to the Isle yet, and Doug and Jane are in here. So, Mal must not want them to know. That makes me more concerned. Why does Mal not want Doug and Jane to know? 

        "Okay? Let's go out in the hallway then," I respond before we all step out of the living room and into the hallway so the people inside can't hear us as easily. 

        I immediately turn to my best friend, wanting to get the answers I want now. "Okay. What's this about? Don't tell me this is about Uma and her crew," I ask, not wanting to jump too far into conclusions. Mal hasn't even confirmed whether this is about Doug or not. I just kind of assumed it was since she kept glancing back at Doug and Jane. 

        "No. Uma and her crew are still going back to the Isle, but they just told me something that you’re not going to believe, but I'm pretty sure it's true,” Mal states, making me suck in my breath. Mal's tone doesn't sound exactly positive, making me even more concerned.

        "Okay, just tell me, Mal. What did Uma say?" I ask, preparing myself for whatever she has to say. Maybe Doug confessed that he doesn't think I love him. I wouldn't be surprised, but I know it's going to break my heart. I would rather hear that than live in the dark for even longer. 

        "Okay, fine. But this has to do with both you and Carlos. Um, according to Uma, when Gil was with Fairy Godmother, he saw Doug and Jane flirting with each other. They even kissed when they thought Gil wasn't watching. He even said that he heard Jane talking about waking Doug up with a true love's kiss instead of magic. But Gil said Doug and Jane didn’t want either of you to find out, but he knew better and told Uma, who told me, and now I’m telling you too,” Mal reveals, and my eyes widen in shock as I take in the information.

        Well, I'll admit I wasn't quite expecting that one. I was convinced that Doug didn't wake up because of something I did wrong. But if Uma's telling the truth (I don't think Gil would lie; he wouldn't have it in him),  then Doug's been cheating with Jane. It's one thing if it just affects me, but with Jane being involved, this brings in Carlos. And that makes me sick. 

        I immediately feel the rage start to bubble inside of me—so much so that I feel my powers just under the surface of my skin, begging to come out. But I glance away to calm my breathing. I can't believe either of them! I can't believe Jane. Carlos is so sweet; why would anyone even think of doing that to him?

        “So, Doug is cheating on me, and Jane is cheating on Carlos! I believe you, but why in the world would they do this to us?" I snap, feeling my anger rise even more. I mean, it is obvious that Doug and Jane have been acting off. I mean, they haven't even attempted to hide it, which makes me even more upset. But I guess that explains why I couldn't wake Doug up.

        I glance over at Carlos, noticing tears coming to his eyes, which just breaks my heart. Carlos doesn't deserve this. He deserves to be with someone who makes him happy. Not someone who would cheat on him and tear his heart to shreds.

        “Wait, Jane is cheating on me with Doug? I can’t believe it. I thought Jane liked me! I even gave her a necklace for her birthday,” Carlos exclaims as a tear falls down his face. I sigh as I motion for Carlos to come over to me.

        Pulling the boy into a tight hug, he's almost as tall as I am now, something I would not believe just a few years ago. I just hold him close, hoping to help him feel better. 

        "I know, pup. I can’t believe this is happening either. I don’t know why Doug and Jane would do this to us,” I tell Carlos, who sighs as he tightly embraces me and closes his eyes.

        “I don’t know why Jane would do this to me. I really thought we had something,” Carlos confesses, and I nod as I feel tears start to fall as well. Feeling shocked and hurt, I don't know what to do to help him feel better. 

        I feel Mal start to rub my back. “Trust me, guys, I didn’t believe it at first, either. But know Jay and I are going to be here for you both. We're a crew, we comfort each other,” Mal states, making me gaze over at my best friend, still not wanting to let go of Carlos. Even Jay steps over to place a comforting hand on Carlos's shoulder. 

        Ben nods as he steps forward, placing a hand on his fiancee's shoulder. “And I’m going to be here for you both as well. I can’t believe Doug and Jane would do something like that to both of you. I’m so sorry, and I would do anything to help,” Ben says as I carefully pull away from Carlos. 

        “Well, thank you, Mal. And thank you, boys," I pause, struggling to find the words. "I guess I know why the kiss didn’t work now,” I admit as I think back to when I was in my cottage staring down at Doug, baffled as to why he wasn’t waking up. Was I not a good enough girlfriend for Doug, so he went behind my back and cheated on me with Jane?

        I feel Mal wrap her arm around me. “Yeah, but it’s not your fault, E. This is Doug’s fault. Please don’t blame yourself for what happened with the guy. You too, Carlos; this is Jane’s fault,” Mal assures us, giving both of us a firm stare to ensure us that she means it.

        I gently bite down on my tongue. Now that Mal told me this, I think it's about time I head in there and get some answers from the guy directly. I might as well get it confirmed so I know for sure before I end whatever we had officially. 

        "Right, sure. But how about we head back into the living room? I think Doug and I need to have a talk,” I tell Mal and the boys, already making my way to the living room. Doug and Jane both have so much explaining to do.

        But before I can step into the room, Mal reaches out to grab my arm. "Okay, fine. But we're going in with you. We're not going to let you do this alone," the purple-haired girl assures, making all the boys nod in agreement. 

        "Yeah, Evie. We don't want you to have to deal with him alone," Ben backs up Mal, making me sigh before gazing over at Carlos. 

        Well, they can join if they want to. But right now, I want to know why Doug went behind my back and cheated on me with Jane! I thought I was good enough for Doug, but I clearly wasn’t! I want to know what Jane has that I don’t!

        "M'kay. If you want to join, you can. Come on, guys.” I say before reaching out to let Carlos take my hand. Just like Doug and Jane seem to be united, Carlos and I are going to be united as well, just like we were on the Isle.

        Carlos and I grew up together on the Isle. We were each other's first friends. We've been through so much together. While I love Mal and Jay, there's just something about Carlos that has always been different. We just get each other on a whole other level. It probably has to do with our Mothers, but through so many nightmares in our lives, we've been able to comfort and support each other.

        It's about time for us to get back to doing that, but I just wish it wasn't under these circumstances. 

        "But we're to do this together?" Carlos softly asks me, making me nod. I know we both need each other right now. So, I’m not leaving Carlos’s side for this. Doug and Jane cheated on us, and we both are going to get the answers we want. 

        "Yes. Neither of us needs to do this alone. This is about all four of us. If Doug and Jane want to do this to us, then we're going to show them just how united we can be. We're not going to let them get the better of us," I tell the other boy, who nods in confirmation, gripping my hand tighter. 

        "You're right. Let's do this together," Carlos tells me, giving me his smile that always helps me feel better. 

        “Exactly. We're going to do this together. Now let's go get some answers,” I tell Carlos, who agrees with me and holds a newfound confidence that builds me up as well. 

        United together, together forever.

        "Yeah, let's do this," Carlos declares before we walk together, side by side, into the living room. Glancing behind me, Mal, Ben, and Jay follow close behind, not wanting to leave us alone either. 

        My eyes go straight to Doug and Jane. They don't even know we've stepped back in here. Jane whispers something in Doug's ear, making him chuckle before giving her a peck on her cheek, only confirming what Mal told me just a few minutes ago. 

        I clear my throat, making Doug's eyes meet mine; his eyes widen in terror and realization. Well, it looks like I caught him red-handed. Now, I feel even worse than I did before!

        My eyes narrow as I angrily stare at the guy. Staring into his eyes, it doesn't even seem like he cares. Like it's not a big deal that I just saw him literally cheat on me! And he didn't even do a half-decent job at hiding it!

        I feel my anger rise again, a sensation of a match being lit ignites inside me. Oh, I’m beyond mad now. I'm not going to let him get away with this, and Jane isn't either.

Chapter Text

My hands clench into tight fists, trying desperately not do something I'm going to regret. Reading Doug and Jane's expressions, I can tell Doug is about to get defensive while Jane is horrified. But either way, I think they both know they're screwed!

        "Seriously, Doug? You know, I just saw that! Why would you do that to me? To cheat on me when I'm literally standing outside the room!" I sneer, glaring daggers at the boy. Doug's eyes widen a little as he gasps, quickly pulling away from Jane and standing up.

        "Evie! What are you doing here?" Doug tries to brush it off, while it's obviously way too late. I thought I had already made it clear that I saw the kiss. He's doing quite a pitiful job hiding it, actually. 

        I glance over at Carlos, his eyes meeting Jane's, full of hurt and betrayal. Seeing my friend so hurt only fuels my anger. 

        "First off, you already knew I was here! I literally stepped outside for five minutes to talk to my friends, and you're in here almost making out with my friend's crush! What were you thinking, Doug? If you don't love me, just tell me! Don't go behind my back and get with Jane without me knowing," I exclaim, suppressing the pain in my eyes as tears threaten to spill over.

        Doug just rolls his eyes, scoffing slightly. "Look, it's not like we're even dating Evie. So why are you so shocked? Besides, why would I ever date a villain? I thought you knew that already," Doug spits, making me stare at him in shock. 

        Does he think I'm a villain? I thought he was one of the Auradon people who saw us more than our parents! We just saved Auradon, for goodness' sake! I thought that proved that none of us are villains. It was one thing when we first came to Auradon, but now we should be more accepted.

        "You've got to be kidding me! I loved you, Doug! I thought we had something special! And how dare you! Just because I'm a VK and from the Isle doesn't mean I'm a villain! What do you think we've been doing the past couple of days? We literally saved Auradon!" I bawl, just feeling so hurt that I've been tricked for this long. How long has Doug thought this about me? 

        "Well, I never loved you. I just thought it would be interesting to study the dynamics of someone who lived on the Isle. But it's never been about any of you. It's only ever been about what I could learn," Doug reveals, making me stare at him with so much shock and hurt. His words almost a direct hit to my gut.

        I so adamantly want to show him just how angry I am that it's almost hard to hold myself back. I take a long, slow, deep breath to calm my nerves, but it doesn't help much.

        "Well, I can't believe I ever trusted you or loved you! Why would you play me like that?" I exclaim, feeling Carlos gently take my arm. I push him away, knowing just how furious I'm feeling right now; I don't want to hurt him. 

        "Like I said. You were just something I could study!" Doug admits, making me scoff. So, I'm just some experiment now? I mean, wasn't that the whole reason I came here in the first place? But it still hurts for Doug to stand here and say that to me. 

        "Well, I guess the joke's on me then. I can't believe I ever loved you!" I cry out, stepping forward to get closer to Doug, but Carlos quickly pulls me back, Mal quickly coming to my side to prevent me from moving forward either. 

        "Evie. I know you're mad, but don't take it out on him. We're better than that," Mal tells me, forcing me to look at her. I turn my gaze from her, glaring at the other boy who just broke my heart, but Mal steps in my way. 

        "Evie, look at me. Don't listen to Doug; just focus on me, okay," Mal tells me, trying to prevent me from staring at the guy. But I can see Doug roll his eyes, turning to face away from me. 

        "So, you can't even control yourself! You can't get a little mad without blowing up? Yeah, totally shows that you're not a villain! You know, maybe it's a good thing that you're closing the barrier forever, Mal. Maybe you can send you and the other villains with you," Doug practically howls, pointing his finger at me. 

        That's it! I'm not going to stand here and let him spew words like that about my crew! It's one thing to bring me into this, but once you bring the rest of my crew, that's it! I try to lunge at Doug, just to show him the villain I could be, but Mal and Jay quickly rush forward to pull me back. 

        "Don't do this, E. We're better than this," Mal assures me as she and Jay keep me from launching at Doug. I watch as Jane walks over to Doug, stepping in front of him to stop him from talking. Looks like I'm not the only one who needs to be calmed down by someone else.

        I stop trying to fight against Mal and Jay. I know better than to fight against them. It would only prove Doug's right. So, instead, I focus on my breathing, trying to calm my racing heart, trying to ground my thoughts. 

        Out of the corner of my eye, I watch Uma and her crew walk over from where they were, watching the whole thing go down. Gil started the whole secret spilling, so I wonder what those three are thinking. 

        Uma immediately steps in between us, glaring daggers at my now ex. "Okay, that's enough. You've said enough. You can't call us villains when we just help save your little kingdom. Now I suggest you and your new little girlfriend need to leave before this gets worse," Uma declares, as Harry and Gil immediately back their captain up in agreement, standing slightly closer to Doug in case things take a turn. 

        But instead of listening to the pirate captain, Doug scoffs and rolls his eyes. "Okay, you're one to talk, Miss Sea Witch! You infiltrated Ben's Cotillion and spelled our king! That sounds like a villain to me. And if anything, I'm the one who should be here right now. I was Ben's friend first, so maybe you all should be the ones to leave!" Doug snaps, making Uma roll her eyes before getting in Doug's face. 

        But I've had enough. Not only has Doug brought my crew into this mess, but he's now bringing the pirates into this. Now, Mal and Uma might not have gotten along in the past, but VKs help VKs. No matter what. We've got each other's backs when we need them. I'm not going to stand here and let some Auradon kid get away with hurting us VKs. 

        My breath starts to pick up again, and I feel my magic immediately come to the surface. It's so close I can almost taste it. It's overwhelming, making me close my eyes, and the next thing I know, Doug lets out a pained scream. My eyes fly open to see Doug wincing back in obvious pain. I'm about to try it again, but Mal grabs my arm. 

        "Evie, breathe. Trust me, you don't want to snap at Doug. He isn't worth it," Mal calmly explains, rubbing my arm before she turns to gaze at Ben. "Ben, a little help here!

        Ben nods as he motions for the guards to come over. "On it! Guards!" Ben calls out as a few guards come over. Mal and Jay tighten their grip on me as the guards approach Ben. 

        Doug just gives me a sick smirk. "Well, it looks like you're being taken away, Evie," Doug sneers, making my eyes wide with fear. I just accidentally hurt Doug. I don't want to be taken away, so I try pulling away from my crew's grip.

        "You know we're not going to let that happen, E. But Doug can't stay," Mal softly reassures in my ear, making me gaze over to see the guards walk over to Doug, ready to escort him out.

        "Wait, what are you doing?" Doug snaps as the two guards each grab one of his arms. 

        "The King has asked us to escort you out. Now let's go, " the guard orders, making Doug immediately start protesting to be let go. 

        "What! You can't do this to me! It should be the VKs who should be taken away!" Doug cries out as they start dragging him out of the room. 

        But Doug keeps pulling against the guards, begging to be let go. His screams are pitiful as I just try to block them out. Once he's gone, I try to tug against Mal and Jay's grip, but it's still no use. But at least he's gone now. 

        I finally let my eyes drift shut, knowing I need to calm down. Knowing that I have my crew here to support me. I then feel hands on my upper arms, making me open my eyes to see Carlos standing in front of me. 

        "Evie, it's okay. We got you; we're here. Don't let what Doug said get to you because it's not true. But we're here for you, and we're not leaving," Carlos assures before gently leaning his forehead against mine. 

        I take a deep breath as I start to calm down. I close my eyes and focus on grounding myself. Finally, Mal and Jay release their grip on me, allowing me to pull Carlos into a tight yet comforting hug. 

        But after a few minutes of trying to ease my worries, I finally feel stable enough to pull away. 

        "I can't believe Doug would say anything like that. I thought Doug liked me, and I thought he cared about the VKs," I admit to Carlos, who nods as he pulls me close and guides my head to his shoulder. 

        "I know Evie. I can't believe Doug either. But he's gone now," Carlos assures as we pull away from each other. Now that I'm feeling better, it's time to figure out how to move on. 

        "Where did you take Doug?" I ask Ben, who sighs as he looks over at Mal, who slowly nods.

        "We just escorted him out. We thought it was best since it's clear he's not helping the situation, and it's clear you both need some space," Ben reveals as Mal joins him by his side. 

        Well, either way, I'm relieved that he's gone. 

        "Well, thank you. I don't even know what happened back there. I've never felt like that before with my magic. What's going on?" I can't help but ask out loud. Carlos carefully wraps an arm around me to guide me back to the others. 

        Mal shrugs, not seeming entirely sure herself. "Maybe you and your powers are more connected than you thought. I mean, you’re only growing stronger now," Mal remarks. I guess that’s true. Ever since I woke up, I’ve been getting so much more energy back.

        But either way, I still can’t believe I have powers. But how am I going to get a grasp on them?

        “Yeah, but I still can’t believe I have magic in the first place. I had no clue I had these abilities,” I finally admit as Mal slowly walks over to me.

        “Yeah, me neither, but at least you’re not alone. I mean, we both have magic now, so maybe we can help each other learn how to better control them,” Mal admits, making me softly chuckle. Yeah, Mal isn’t the only one of the crew who has magic now. 

        “You’re right. We can both help each other, especially since I have a feeling we both have a lot to learn,” I remark, making Mal chuckle in agreement.

        “Yeah, you definitely have a point. But we’ll help each other. I don’t know what I would do without your support,” Mal finally confesses, and I know just how much truth is in that statement.

        We support each other so much. We help each other make the best decisions we can.

        "Well, that's why we have each other. We'll learn more about the magic with time, but right now," my eyes drift over to Jane, who has backed up quite a bit once the guards dragged Doug out of the room. Of all the people who would betray Carlos, Jane was probably one of the last to come to mind.

        But there she stands, still a little on edge, but I can't bring myself to feel bad for her, not after what she did to Carlos. 

        "But what are we going to do about her?" I suddenly bite, motioning over to the other fairy, making her eyes widen in fear. 

        The guards immediately start going over to Jane, but Carlos quickly holds out his hand to stop them. I'm about to speak up to tell the guards to go ahead and escort the girl out, but Jane decides to finally speak up. 

        "Wait, stop! Please, let me explain! I didn't know Doug felt that way! I care about you guys. I really do! I can't believe Doug either! I'm really sorry this is happening, but I want to make it better! What Doug did was not okay, and I would never agree to it," Jane exclaims, desperation evident, but I shake my head, not believing her one bit. 

        I'm not giving Doug any layaway, and so I'm not going to encourage Carlos to give Jane any. She knew exactly what she was doing when she cheated on him with Doug. But I'm going to stand by Carlos and support him. I know he might try to give Jane a second chance, but if that's ever going to happen, she has a lot to prove. 

        But before I can speak up for Carlos, he does so himself. "Yeah, but you knew that we had something special, Jane. I mean, I gave you that necklace! If you actually cared about me, you would respect that. So, you still cheated!" Carlos exclaims, making me softly smile, proud of the boy. But Jane tries to step forward, still looking desperate. 

        "But I'm sorry. And I had no idea that Doug would snap like that. I can't believe he would say those things to you, but please don't blame me!" Jane cries out, her desperation very clear.

        "Well, you broke Carlos's trust, Jane. You knew that you and Carlos had something special, and you betrayed that. It's going to take a lot more than just some pleading to make us even think about forgiving you," I exclaim, making Carlos nod in agreement.

        I watch as tears start to form in her eyes. "I know. I know! But I'm so sorry! Is there anything I can do to help? I know I need to help fix things. But I want to help make things right," Jane admits. I quietly sigh before turning to Carlos, not entirely sure how I feel about this whole thing. 

        Ben walks behind us. "If you want to help fix things, you need to leave. We have some things we need to talk through,"  Ben tells Jane, who quietly sighs before she follows the guards out of the room. 

        As Jane is escorted out of the room, Carlos and I both turn to face Ben. Jane leaves the room with the guards, and Ben walks back over to us. "Well, with that taken care of. Uma, Harry, Gil, you three ready to head back to the Isle?" Ben brings up, gazing over at the Sea Three.

        Uma gives a little smirk before pushing herself off the wall, the pirate boys following close behind her. 

        "Yeah, there's a lot we need to handle over there. We need to get back so we can help the VKs. Let's go," Uma states, her gaze stern as she gazes back at Harry and Gil. Ben nods in understanding as the pirates finally come over. 

        "Right. And we already have the limo set up for you. I'll walk with you all out to it if you want," Ben offers, making Uma smirk before gazing over at Celia, who comes running over.

        "I'm going too. The Isle needs me," Celia declares, making me gaze at the younger girl in surprise. I thought she wanted to be in Auradon. She was one of the kids we picked, after all. I don't know how I feel about her going back to the Isle.

        "Are you sure, Celia? I mean, you got picked to be here." Part of the reason we picked VKs that are a couple of years younger was because they don't deserve the Isle. They deserve to grow up in Auradon.

        But Celia nods in confirmation. "Yeah. I can't just leave the Isle behind. Once a VK, always a VK," Celia affirms, making Uma nod in agreement, carefully wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulder.

        "Yeah, just chill, 'fairest.' I'll keep an eye on the kid. Besides, the others are staying here," Uma motions over to the nearby place where they were staying earlier. Dizzy's just playing with the twins, but they saw the whole thing go down. I feel horrible that they had to see and hear all of that.

        "Well, I'm not going to stop you, Celia, especially if they're going to be closing the barrier for good. But we're going to miss you," I admit, making the younger girl roll her eyes.

        "I'll be fine, Evie. I'm a VK! I'm tough. I'll handle it myself. Plus, I need to be there for my Dad and the others. Can we go now?" Celia begs, making Uma nod before turning back to Ben.

        "Yep, ready to go, Beast Boy?" Uma inquires, making Ben nod before he walks with all of them out. I quietly sigh, hating that all of them are leaving.

        I wish we could just bring all the VKs over and not have to close the barrier for good. But at the very least, get the VKs safe. They don't need to live there forever; it's too dangerous, and the lack of resources makes everything even more dire. With the barrier closing, how are they going to get more resources?

        But I'm not going to argue with them. There's been enough tension for one day. So, I just sigh, crossing my arms, still not feeling right about it. 

        But I watch as Mal sighs, shifting on her feet. I hope she regrets her decision because I know no one agrees with her. Well, maybe some of the royals, but not any of her actual friends. Especially not the VKs.

        Mal's ordered the barrier to be closed for good. That means no VKs can come out and experience life here in Auradon. They'll be trapped in that prison full of villains for the rest of their lives. They're resources are getting cut off for good. We can't go back to support them. They're forced to live in all that danger and filth forever. I can't even imagine, but it's becoming a reality. 

        I mean, there's no good that comes out of that for the VKs. What is Mal thinking that is the right option? Mal of all people should know how stupid an idea that is. Maybe the royals, but not the daughter of Maleficent. She saw firsthand the cruelty that happens there. She should know that part of keeping Auradon safe is by getting those kids away from the neglect and abuse that takes place every second of every day on that nightmare island! 

        Who cares what happens to the royals when innocent VKs, including children, are locked away in that prison of torment!

        Mal sighs as she turns to Carlos, Jay, and me. "Well, I guess this is the end of the journey for a while. We learned that Doug's messed up. And we don't know if we can actually trust Jane," Mal admits, and Carlos, Jay, and I nod in agreement. Now it's just us four. Everyone else has already left. 

        "Yeah, but I still can't believe Doug! That monster hurt my crew! I'm so happy that dude is gone," Jay exclaims, making Mal, Carlos, and me all softly chuckle. I definitely can't argue with that one. 

        "Yeah, I can't believe Doug either. I'm happy he's gone as well. I just can't believe I loved him in the first place. I thought we had something special," I quietly confess, feeling even more heartbroken than before.

        "Yeah, but both Doug and Jane are gone now. We don't need them. There'll be other people," Carlos reminds me as I feel a tear stream down my face. I quickly reach up to wipe it, absolutely not wanting to break down here in the castle. I trust my crew, but not really the castle staff. 

        "Yeah, you're right. And Doug was just using me. But I just can't believe that I fell for his tricks! I was so stupid," I say a little louder than I meant to. I just wrap my arms around myself, turning away from the door, trying to keep myself from breaking down.

        But after a second, I feel a firm hand on my shoulder. Through blurry eyes, I see my best friend gazing up at me. She walks around to gently grab my hands.

        "You're not stupid for falling for Doug. He had everyone fooled. Evie, you're so smart, and just because that guy turned out to be horrible, it doesn't mean you're stupid. You are so smart, and we're going to help you through this," Mal assures me, trying to be as sincere as she can right now. 

        "Okay, you're right. But, um, can we do something else, please? I want to get my mind off of what happened today," I finally confess as more tears start to fall, knowing that my crew will protect me if need be. Mal nods before she pulls me into a tight hug once again. 

        "Of course, Evie. We can head upstairs. Ben just got a brand new entertainment room, and we can watch a movie. And I also think Mrs. Potts also just made some fresh ice cream that we can try. How does that sound?" Mal curiously offers, making me softly laugh before pulling away from the purple-haired girl. That actually sounds perfect right now. 

        "Yeah, I love that idea a lot. But I'm not in the mood for plain old ice cream. Have you ever tried to make milkshakes?" I bring up, making Mal smirk, obviously liking my idea.

        "Oh, you have a good point there, E! Let's go see what we can make!" Mal exclaims, grabbing my wrist before practically dragging me out of the room with Carlos and Jay following close behind us.

        I have to admit that I'm still shocked and heartbroken by Doug's words, but I'm relieved to have my best friends by my side. I don't know what I would do without them. We've been through so much together, and they always know how to calm me down and distract me. While I might not have admitted it in the past, my crew is really the best. 

Chapter Text

When I arrive at Ben's office a couple of days later, I'm just nearly bursting with anxiety but holding on to hope. Mal and Ben wanted me to come over to Ben's office at his castle to discuss something about the Isle. I'm assuming it has to do with the barrier, but Ben didn't say that over text, so I'm not one hundred percent sure. Either way, I'm so nervous because I still hate the idea of closing the barrier forever. 

        It has been a few days since I officially ended things with Doug. Doug and I didn't technically break up since we were never together, but it was the day I found out the truth about him. It's been hard, but I've been getting through it. Mal, Carlos, and Jay have been coming to my cottage daily to hang out, which has helped distract me so much. Everyone has been supportive, and I couldn't be more appreciative.

        Mal plans to have her engagement party in about a week or so, so she and I have been so busy. Mal has wanted me to be a tremendous part of her party and help design it, so I've been helping out. I might not be the best at designing parties, but with my eye for design when it comes to outfits, it can't be that much different. 

        I knock on the door, and Mal opens it a second later. "Hey, E! Come inside," Mal greets with a smile. I softly smile as I walk into the office, and she closes the door. I notice that Carlos, Jay, and Ben are already here. I walk over and sit beside Carlos. He scoots over and places a comforting hand on my knee.

        Mal then walks over and stands beside Ben, gazing at the three of us. "So, Carlos, Jay, you probably don't know why we wanted you guys here, but I think Evie does. I know I said I'm going to close the barrier. But discussing things further, I think I've changed my mind," Mal glances over at Ben.

        I can't help but smile. Finally, Mal's starting to come around. Ever since the chaos with Audrey finally subsided, the purple-haired girl and I have had some earnest talks, and I think I'm finally starting to get through to the girl. 

        We've agreed that trying to close the barrier permanently is not a viable option. Not only are we trapping the VKs in the very place filled with the most horrifying villains and monsters in the kingdom, filled with filth, danger, and suffering, but we're also preventing the kingdom from moving forward. 

        But we've also agreed we can't open the barrier without thinking things through. Allowing the villains to roam free without any restraint on their magic would be incredibly dangerous. Everyone remembers what happened at Ben's coronation; we don't need to have a repeat of that, just with every villain in the kingdom.

        They could end up causing havoc and hurting not just the heroes who have spent so long trying to push that part of the past aside, but us VKs, since we're so accustomed to their treatment.

        And our concerns are only confirmed when I hear more from Uma, since she has returned to the Isle. Even in a short period of time that she’s been there, Uma has had to deal with chaos and countless battles to keep her control since she was gone for so long, and her crew could only do so much. After Hades left, the villains are restless in trying to find a way out. And the tensions are only increasing. Once again, we can't risk the villains getting out and putting the remaining VKs and Auradon in danger. We can't let the villains just roam free. 

        I mean, I definitely don't think the barrier needs to be closed for good. That’s still the last thing we need to let happen. Our crew can't just leave the rest of the VKs behind. We need to come up with a solution to get the VKs safe and to prevent Auradon from danger. 

        We're the four VKs that so many other VKs look up to. We were the first to come to Auradon and prove that we can be good! That we don't have to follow in our parents' footsteps. We're the reason they could give us a second chance. They're counting on us for that. We can't betray that. That would break them.

        We haven't come up with a solution yet, but we hope this meeting will help us move in the right direction. We need to put in proper measures so we can keep the kingdom, including the Isle, safe. 

        "Well, that's good. But what are we going to do with the barrier? We can't lock it, but we can't exactly just open it either," I can't help but bring up. I know the whole thing with the barrier is going to be so tricky, so we need to be cautious here to do it right. 

        "Well, that's what we've been worried about and why I brought you here today. I think we need to come up with a plan together," Mal explains. Well, at least she brought us here. 

        "Right. I mean, I think we need to get at least most of the VKs out, but we can’t just let the villains run wild, either. I think we need to do something with the villains so we can get the VKs out, but not risk the villains doing anything," I admit as Mal grabs a pad of paper and a pen from Ben's desk.

        It seems like she has everything planned out. I'm glad to see my best friend coming around and taking charge for the VKs. 

        "Well, that's why we're here. I want to hear from you guys. What do you think we need to do about the Isle? It's clear I can't handle this on my own," Mal admits as she and Ben both pull over a chair to sit in front of us.

        "Exactly. I mean, I hardly know what it's like on the Isle. I don't know how it really works. And you all lived over there for the first sixteen years of your lives, but you haven’t lived there in a while. I wish we could have Uma, but I understand that can't easily happen," Ben explains, crossing his legs and nervously bouncing his leg. 

        Jay smirks as he crosses his arms. "We can put the villains in jail," Jay suggests, but Mal and I shake our heads, as that won't work.

        Auradon technically does have jails that were commonly used a while after the Isle was created. Beast and Belle weren't really open to opening the barrier just to put a criminal there. There had to be a more important reason to open the barrier. So, in their place, jails were created for the short-term detention of criminals, but they're relatively small and not designed to house actual violent offenders. 

        It just wouldn't be the wisest idea to house the villains there. There are too many risks. Jails aren't as magically enclosed, and I can't imagine putting our parents in a place so bare, crowded, and downright sad. I can’t agree with that idea. 

        And luckily, Mal seems to agree with me. 

        "No, Jay. The villains have already been locked on the Isle for over twenty years now. All that anger is festering and just threatening to bubble over. Putting them in jail would just make it all worse. They're not magically enclosed like on the Isle and don't have the space they all need. Plus, we need to be better than our parents. I think it's time we find a little more humane approach," Mal explains, an obvious point that she's thought this through. I'm proud of the girl. She's clearly wanting to make a change. 

        But in all seriousness, Mal's right. I think we can safely bring the VKs over with the experts' guidance and supervision. We have enough space at the different schools around Auradon, but it's a whole other ball game when it comes to the villains. 

         I try to think of what Auradon already has, so nothing new has to be created. But still, I can't think of anything that could be used. I just sigh, frustrated that nothing comes to mind. 

        But through the silence, Carlos speaks up from beside me. "What about one of the health centers? Aren't they like healing trauma centers? Maybe if our parents are in an enclosed environment and get the help they need, maybe they can be good again," Carlos suggests. 

        As much as I love that idea, I think it might still be too risky. Especially since, just like jails, most health centers don't have magical barriers to prevent them from using magic. I know Auradon is trying to become more magic-friendly, but we still don't want to risk dark magic being used. 

        "As much as I love that idea, C, most of those centers aren't the most secure and most definitely not magic-proofed. We don't want the villains to get any chance of escaping," I explain, feeling heartbroken that this whole thing isn't going to be a cut-and-dry case. Opening the barrier will require considerable care and consideration. 

        "Yeah, and who in Auradon is going to be willing to work with our parents? I mean, the heroes have spent years just hating our parents. I don't feel right leaving villains and heroes together. Besides, do our parents even have hope that they can be good?" Jay points out, and as harsh as it sounds, he has a point. 

        Even to this day, the heroes still live in terror of the villains escaping. I mean, they made that pretty clear when we showed up. I don't blame them as they experienced the pain and suffering the villains inflicted on the heroes. But at the same time, we know the villain's wrath more so than the heroes. We have to put up with it for sixteen years, or however many years the VKs have been stuck there. We all know what they’re capable of. Perhaps if we play our cards right, we can devise a secure yet beneficial solution. 

        But before I can speak up, Ben sits up in his chair, staring directly at the other boy. "Well, I still want to believe that anyone can become good. I understand it's going to take a lot of time and effort, but I'm willing to put in the work if you are, too. In Auradon, we have rehabilitation centers for people in crisis, and we always ensure we have plenty of room. And with just how many we have in Auradon, maybe we can have enough space for all the villains," Ben explains, making me smirk.

        Well, as long as there's some kind of humane magical suppression, enough space, and adequate supervision—they are our parents, after all—I think I might be open to the idea. 

        "Yeah, but how are you sure it's going to be right for our parents? While they're evil now, I don't want anything happening to them," I admit, as I want to make sure everything's clear before any of us completely agree.

        "Of course. I'll ensure that the top doctors specializing in their field are assigned to work at the centers. I'll make sure to talk to the doctors directly, along with visiting myself and directing people through the royal council with me. Of course, you all will be directly involved, and we'll have complete control over the operation. While the villains might be cruel, I don't want anything happening to them either. But I think through some time, dedication, help, and healing, I think we can maybe see improvements," Ben reveals, his signature smile grazing his face. 

        I'll admit that it makes me feel better. Of course, we'll need to explain the details further, but it sounds like we have a solid start and might actually be making progress. 

        "Agreed. All our parents have done some absolutely horrible things, not only to the heroes but to us as well. While I strongly believe that our parents don't need to be around any of the VKs, I still want them to be safe. While the villains didn't treat us right, maybe we can treat them right. I like the idea, Carlos. I'm open to trying it," Mal admits, her voice so strong, reminding me how much the purple-haired girl has come. 

        While it seems like Mal, Ben, and Carlos seem open to the idea, I'm still on the fence, especially with the whole magic worry. I don't want to just open the barrier without a plan on what to do with the magic. Even bringing the villains over to the centers could risk havoc in Auradon. 

        I know my Mother's magical ability, and it should not be challenged or messed with. She's arguably the strongest user of dark magic, and she isn't alone with crazy-strong magic abilities. 

        From sea witches to voodoo doctors to out of control out of this world magic. I don't want to subject Auradon to that. Besides, as much as I want to have hope that the villains can become good, I know you can't teach an old dog new tricks. But I don't want to get into a huge argument over this. They're making some good points, but I just need to ensure they're thinking about magic. 

        "Okay, but what about the magic? Once the villains are outside the influence of the barrier, they're going to have full access to their magic. We can't risk them overpowering us," I explain, making Mal glance over at Ben.

        "I can work with Fairy Godmother to ensure the villains can't use their powers in rehabilitation or while getting there. Fairy Godmother knows magic to create a whole magic-proof barrier. I'm sure she knows how to cancel powers on individuals as well," Ben reveals, making me sigh in relief.

        I've started to trust Fairy Godmother; I'm sure she'll help us. 

        "Well, I just want to ensure the villains can't use their magic," I admit before leaning against Carlos, letting him wrap his arms around me. 

        "We won't, we'll make sure of it. But I say I think we have a plan? Right?" Mal points out, making me sigh, pulling away, and shaking my head. 

        I still don't feel right about this. 

        "Okay, wait up. I'm still not one hundred percent on this. I mean, I trust you guys, but I'm worried about taking this chance. I don't want to put the VKs in danger. Which group are we going to try and bring out first, the VKs or the villains?" I can't help but ask, making Mal turn her gaze to me, firm but reassuring.

        "I can assure you, E. Ben and I will not let anyone get hurt here, whether it be the VKs, the villains, or anyone in Auradon. I promised to keep the kingdom safe, and I'm determined to keep it that way." Mal gazes over at her boyfriend. "I think we need to get the VKs out first to ensure they're safe and then worry about the villains. Once we do, we can return and try to find any VKs left behind. I think the Isle days are over."

        I sigh before leaning more into Carlos. I think it would be best to bring the VKs out first, just to control them and get them safe. Then we can focus on the villains because they have less over our heads. But I trust Mal and Ben; they seem like they really want to protect the Isle, and I want to keep it that way. 

        "Okay, well, we definitely need to discuss more of the details, but thank you. That means a lot," I admit, thankful to see both of them coming around. 

        "Of course, E. We want to hear you out. But seriously, if you ever have any concerns, please don't hesitate to tell me or Ben. We want to hear you out," Mal assures me, making me nod in understanding. I’m thankful that I know I can go to Mal about anything, which I really appreciate.

        "Okay. Thank you, M.  I really appreciate it," I tell Mal, who smiles and laughs.

        "Well, what are best friends for, Evie?" Mal responds with a smile. I'm thankful that I have Mal. I don't know what I would do without her. 

        Even on the Isle, we always stuck together. When we were young, Mal and I used to sneak out together, beyond our mothers' wishes, and cause mischief together. We got each other no matter what, and I'm determined to keep it that way.

        "Thanks, M," I admit as Jay sighs and glances up at Mal.

        "But what if the villains get out? What if they team up to try and escape? What if they overthrow the doctors and take over Auradon? I don't think we should go through with this, guys," Jay brings up again, and Ben and Mal both sigh as they gaze at each other.

        "We won't let the villains out. I'll hire highly trained guards to monitor the villains and ensure they don't escape or cause any harm. And this is just the beginning. We can work out everything and make sure everything is put together and working before we put the villains there," Ben explains, making Jay hesitantly nod in understanding. 

        "Okay, well, I'll hear you out. There's still a lot of planning that needs to be done, but I understand this is still the beginning, and so there's still a lot to talk about," Jay explains as Mal gets up to get a pad of paper off the table before sitting back down. 

        "Of course. We need to start on this now because the VKs don't need to be on the Isle longer than necessary. Additionally, our engagement party is in a month. I want to open the barrier during the party. But I want to get all the villains off the Isle before that. So, let's get started now," Mal brings up, and Ben nods as he starts making a phone call.

        "Exactly. I'm going to call Fairy Godmother, and we can discuss our idea more." Ben offers as he starts punching in the Fairy Godmother's phone number into the office phone.

        Ben then picks up the phone and calls the Fairy Godmother. After a brief conversation, Ben convinces the headmistress to come over, and we begin planning the rehabilitation facility for the villains. We have a lot to plan if we are going to get everything set up before Mal's engagement party.

        It takes over a week, but we finally finished all the plans for the rehabilitation center. By the second week, we are already having meetings with the people building the rehabilitation center while Ben works to find the top doctors and guards to oversee it. We also met with the doctors and reviewed every villain to determine where we would place them and how we would treat them at the center.

        Everything gets set up at the center, which only takes about a week and a half. And for the last few days before Mal's engagement party, Mal, Jay, Carlos, and I go to the Isle, round up every last villain, and take them to the center. It takes a while and a lot of magic from Fairy Godmother, Mal, and me, but we finally get all the villains and VKs that we don't think are safe for them to roam free in Auradon.

        Mal and I also visited some of the VKs on the Isle. We told them about our plans for the Isle and bringing the VKs to Auradon, and everyone was excited to hear about it. They're going to stay there until after the engagement, but we're working hard to arrange accommodations for them in Auradon as well.

        When we're done, Mal and I finalize the plans for the engagement party. With everything set up, it's the day of the party. Mal and I couldn't be more excited to bring the VKs to Auradon and celebrate Mal and Ben's engagement.

Chapter Text

I stand with Mal, Carlos, Jay, and Ben on the balcony of a little castle where we plan to make the Isle and Auradon meet. I tightly grip Carlos's hand as we recite the spell to open the barrier. Happy tears enter my eyes as I watch the magical barrier across the ocean fall. Everyone starts to cheer as the barrier disappears before our very eyes. 

        A magical bridge forms, connecting Auradon to the Isle. I glance over at Mal, who has the widest smile. The purple-haired girl laughs joyfully as we all watch the citizens of Auradon walk onto the bridge. It's happening! We open the barrier! The moment I have been waiting for my entire life is finally here, and I could not be more excited. 

        No more children living their entire lives in fear on the Isle. No more suffering from hunger, pain, terror, or so many other things. The VKs from the Isle can come here to live in Auradon. They can have the life they are meant to live.

        This day is truly the best day ever! I know this will be the start of some significant changes for us and all of Auradon. I know the barrier coming down once and for all is just the beginning. 

        I just feel so exhilarated after everything that's happened. I know Carlos, Jay, and Mal feel the same way from the looks on their faces.

        This is just the best! I can't believe it. The barrier is gone forever!

        We all step back, and Fairy Godmother comes over to hug Mal. Before we know it, all the VKs from the Isle come running across the bridge to Auradon. I stand with Carlos as the VKs arrive on Auradon soil. We all run out to meet the VKs down below, wanting to greet them to know they are welcome. 

        I stand among the crowd a short while later and smile when I see Mal and Hades walk over to me. Hades was the one villain that Mal and I decided against sending to the rehabilitation center, as long as he doesn't do anything evil. Hades agreed, and now he is allowed in Auradon. "Evie," Hades starts, and I smirk a little bit as I gaze up at the older man.

        "Hades," I respond, making him sigh as he turns to Mal. I sigh, crossing my arms while trying to put up an uncaring facade. But, deep down, I really am glad he's here.

        But I don't want him to feel like I don't want to talk to him. "We're glad you're here. Today is the start of a new life for everyone," I tell Hades, who chuckles as we start walking together, all side by side. 

        "Yeah, so glad that thing is down once and for all. So, how did you convince Mal to allow me to be free in Auradon while the remaining villains are locked away?" Hades inquires. Mal chuckles as she glances at me, making me giggle.

        "Actually, it was mine and Mal's idea. Mine originally, since I knew you proved yourself to Aurdon when you woke Audrey and me up. As long as you keep your promise and don't cause any trouble, you are allowed to stay free," I reveal to the man, who smiles before glancing over at Mal.

        "Yeah, trust me. It took a lot of convincing of Ben, Fairy Godmother, and so many others, but when Evie and I explained why you should be allowed to live here, eventually they agreed," Mal confesses, and Hades chuckles as he wraps his arms around Mal and me.

        "Well, I'm glad you did. I don't know what I would have done in that place. I know it's supposed to help villains, but that would have just made it worse for me. I don't enjoy being told what to do," Hades remarks, making both of us laugh.

        "Yeah, that was one of my reasons why you should be allowed to not go to the rehabilitation center. And why you woke Audrey and Evie up," Mal admits, and I nod in agreement.

        "Yeah, that's true," Hades responds as we continue walking together. After a minute or so, Mal stops before turning to her father. 

        "Well, thank you for coming, Dad. We're glad to see and talk to you here. But Evie and I are really busy since we are heading to the Isle early tomorrow morning to make sure all of the VKs that want off the Isle can get off it, so we have a lot of planning to do," Mal reveals, and Hades nods as he pulls away from Mal and me. 

        "Of course. I need to find a place to stay since I'm in Auradon now, so I need to get going. We'll stay in touch, okay?" Hades responds, making both of us give a small nod. Of course, I have a feeling that we'll be hearing a lot more from him.

        "Yeah, and um, Ben, Mal, and I have set up some places for the VKs who have already graduated high school or those who are too young to go to school, and the people who are caring for them don't have a place to go. You can talk to Ben. I'm sure he can help you find a place," I offer, knowing that there are already a lot of plans set for everyone from the Isle coming over to the kingdom to start their new lives here.

        "Okay, I'll talk to Beast and see if he can help find a place. Bye, you two," Hades responds before holding out his arms. "Now one more hug before I leave." Both Mal and I chuckle before hugging the man, before carefully pulling away.

        "Bye, Dad," Mal tells Hades. He smiles and nods as he heads deeper into the crowd. Mal laughs as she turns to me.

        "Oh my gosh, I'm so glad. I can't believe the barrier is gone. This day is the best day ever," Mal admits, and I nod in agreement as today has been a day I've waited for so long. 

        "Oh my gosh, yes, Mal, of course this has been the best day ever! I mean, all the VKs are free now," I tell Mal, who nods as she brings me into a hug.

        "I know! The VKs are free, but we don't have to worry about the evil villains anymore. I feel so much better now that the VKs are free," Mal responds as we pull away.

        "I know, I feel the same, M. I feel the same way," I respond, taking a deep breath, finally having a weight off my shoulders.

        I glance over and smile as I see Carlos come running over to me. "Evie! We did it! The barrier is open! The VKs are finally free!” Carlos exclaims as he runs to me and crashes me into a hug. I gasp as I almost fall backward, but luckily, I catch myself.

        But I love seeing the boy's excitement, especially when I feel the same. "I know, Carlos; I'm so happy," I tell the boy, who smiles and nods as he pulls away from me.

        "I know! This day is the best day ever! Think about all the VKs that are free now! All the VKs can finally be free and safe," Carlos exclaims in so much excitement, and I can't help but laugh, knowing that's so true and it's something that should definitely be celebrated. 

        "I know!" I respond as Carlos grabs my hands. As both of us spend the moment together, Mal, who I'm sure was listening, walks over.

        "Yeah! The VKs are all free and allowed to come to Auradon as they please, but there's still work to be done. Remember, we're heading to the Isle early tomorrow to take stock of everything; not to mention, this whole celebration is continuing at Ben's castle. And don't forget about the cake! But we should probably head over now since we have an early start tomorrow," Mal reminds the two of us. 

        Of course, I couldn't forget about tomorrow. We don't know if all of the VKs will be open to coming over, so we're heading over to see if we can reassure them that Auradon is safe and that they can finally come over. I'm sure it's going to be a long and arduous day for all of us, no matter what we see. 

        "Right! Yeah, I'm definitely in the mood for some cake! Especially what happened after Jane's cake! I can't believe someone ate her cake. I know Jane turned out to be dating Doug, but I still spent good money on that cake," Carlos remembers, and I sigh, the memories hitting once again. Carlos turns to me, and his eyes widen in realization. "Oh right, sorry, Evie." The boy brings me into another hug.

        "It's okay, Carlos. I'm doing better. At least Doug isn't here. We don't have to worry about him anymore. But yeah, I'm in the mood for some cake as well," I assure Carlos, not wanting today to be burdened by everything else that happened. It’s not his fault.

        "Yeah, I know we let Jane off the hook right now, but I'm still glad she's not here either. That would be awkward," Carlos admits as I gently rub his back in comfort. 

        "Yeah, I agree. But how about we not worry about that right now? Today's supposed to be a happy day, remember?" I remind the boy, who smiles as he pulls away from me.

        "Yeah, you're right. So Mal, are we heading to the castle?" Carlos asks Mal, who smiles and nods as she motions for Ben to come over.

        "Yeah, come on. We have some more celebrating to do!" Mal exclaims. Carlos and I both smile and laugh before meeting Jay, so all four of us can walk to the castle together. Hand in hand as the core four, just like it’s meant to be.

-+-+-+-+-+-+-

        When we get back to the castle, everyone heads inside, and we head to the ballroom to continue the party. Carlos and I go straight over to the food tables so we can get some cake together. 

        After getting some cake, we lean up against the wall. Carlos smiles as he gets a little cake on his fork and holds it up to me. "Hey Evie, open up," Carlos playfully says as he holds the cake up to me. I giggle as I take a bite of the cake. Oh wow, I love that! Well, I guess I do love it after I pick the cake out. 

        "Ooh, that's perfect. Here, try mine," I tell Carlos as I get some cake on my fork, and I feed it to him. He laughs as some of the cake ends up on his nose. Carlos's eyes light up when he gets a taste.

        "Oh wow, that's good. You pick out some good cake, Evie! This is amazing," Carlos responds as he takes a bite of his own cake. I laugh as I take another bite.

        "Thanks, pup. I had the help with Mal, but I know her well and what kind of cake she likes, as well as the types of cake other people like, so I knew what cake would be good," I tell Carlos, who chuckles as he takes another bite and wraps his arm around me.

        "Well, I know I love anything chocolate, and I know you do too," Carlos brings up, as I take another bite of the cake.

        "Oh yeah. I love absolutely anything chocolate," I respond before we finish up the cake. As we finish our cake, I glance over at Uma and Mal, who are talking. I wonder what those two are talking about.

        "I'll be right back, pup. I'm going to go talk to Uma and Mal will quick," I tell the boy, who nods as he glances over at Jay.

        "Yeah, I'm going to catch up with Gil and Jay. Bye, Evie!" Carlos exclaims, already heading in the direction of the two other boys.

        "Yeah, bye, Carlos," I say as the black-and-white-haired boy before parting ways. I smile as I walk over to Mal and Uma, who are surprisingly talking away as if there wasn't any tension between the two. How did that happen?

        “Well, it looks like you two are getting along," I playfully remark as the two girls turn to me. They both chuckle a little once I get over to them. 

        "Yeah, I thought I might be at least a little nice to the girl that took down the barrier," Uma playfully responds, making Mal laugh in response.

        "Aww, well, I thought I needed to be nice to the girl who wanted to protect the Isle," Mal states, making Uma wrap her arm around Mal.

        "Aww, how sweet. I'm so proud. You remember how you were both fighting when our journey began?” I playfully remind the two, who both roll their eyes.

        "You know that girl is still annoying, but I see why you like her," Uma retorts. I give the girl a playful glare at the laugh. 

        "Hey, what can I say? Evie and I have been friends since we were kids! You get used to it," Mal states, and my jaw drops a little bit. Mal laughs as she pulls away from Uma and walks over to me. She pulls me into a hug. "I'm kidding! I love how you are, Evie," Mal assures, making me sigh in relief before hugging her back.

        "Yeah, you better be right. I just like to see you both getting along," I state, thankful since I was worried that they were both going to put Auradon in even more danger than it already was, but they proved me wrong. 

        "Yeah, I'm glad to be finally getting along with Uma. Thanks for helping us, Evie," Mal responds as we pull away.

        "Of course. I knew we could be a better team if you both got along," I tell the girls as Mal glances back at Uma. 

        "Yeah, we can be. We were all stronger when we got along and were nice to each other. And that was because of you, Evie," Mal responds, making me smirk. 

        Of course. I know they couldn’t have gotten along without me. 

        "Of course. I knew I had to find a way to ensure you got along if we were to have any chance of defeating Audrey. And I'll say I was successful," I tell the two VKs.

        "You sure did, girl. I never thought I would get along with this girl again," Uma responds, giving me a pat on the shoulder.

        "Yeah, same. So, since we are heading to the Isle tomorrow, do you know where we should start trying to find younger VKs or those who don't know that the barrier is down?" Mal asks Uma, who thinks for a second before answering. 

        "Near the docks in the market area. Those were where we've found most of the younger VKs trying to find food and help," Uma reveals as she knows the Isle best. 

        Well, we'll definitely remember that. We need to know the quickest ways to check every part of the Isle to make sure we find all the VKs who need to come to Auradon for help and support. I know it's going to be a hard and long journey, but if everyone Ben and Mal have recruited works together, we will be able to find all the VKs. It will just take some time.

        "Okay, we're going to need to make a plan on what we are going to do on the Isle, so we find all the remaining VKs on the Isle and find out if they are coming to Auradon or not," Mal says to the pirate captain.

        "Yeah, we need to make a plan. Once this celebration is finished, I say we get straight to work," I state, knowing that in order to get the most out of the trip, we need to be prepared. 

        "Exactly, I agree, E. We can go ahead and make a plan for the Isle," Mal states as Ben walks over to us.

        "Hey, what are you girls talking about?" Ben asks as he wraps his arms around Mal's waist. Mal smiles as she gives Ben a quick kiss.

        "We're talking about our plans for the Isle. After the party, we need to devise a plan for what we will do on the Isle so that we can find all the remaining VKs," Mal reveals, and Ben nods as he takes in the information.

        "Okay, I'm sure we can make a plan to find the remaining VKs. But we are still at a party. So, if you want Mal, may I have this dance, my future queen?" Ben asks Mal as he pulls away from her and holds his hand out for her. Mal laughs as she grabs Ben's hand.

        "Well, you do have a point. I will take this dance, king," Mal responds, making the king laugh as he pulls Mal into the crowd. Uma and I laugh as we watch Mal and Ben scurry away together. 

        A second later, Harry walks over to Uma. "I just saw Beast Boy and Dragon Girl start dancing. I think it's time we show off as well. May we dance, cap'n?" Harry asks Uma, who laughs and playfully rolls her eyes.

        "Yeah, sure, pirate. Let's do this," Uma retorts, and Harry laughs as they grab hands and run off so they can dance. I sigh as I cross my arms and watch the two couples enjoy themselves on the dance floor. I can't help but feel jealous, as I had something similar just a few days ago.

        I then feel a small tap on my shoulder. I turn and smile a little when I see Carlos standing behind me. He smiles when I meet his eyes. "Okay, we aren't dating, but maybe we can dance? So many other couples are dancing, and I also want that. So, maybe we can dance just as friends, though, if you want," Carlos nervously rambles out. 

        I smile and giggle a little bit as I lean over and gently kiss Carlos's forehead. "I would love to dance, pup. I think we both need someone to dance with right now," I tell the boy, who nods as we both blush a little bit and grab each other's hands.

        "Thank you, Evie! You don't know how much this means to me," Carlos responds, and I smile as I grip Carlos's hands tighter.

        "Well, you don't know how much this means to me either. I think we both need a distraction," I tell Carlos as he starts to pull me out to the dance floor with the other couples, who are dancing happily.

        "Oh, I know! Well, I think that's enough talking. Let's dance," Carlos states, and I smile and nod as we both feel the beat of the music and dance together, enjoying the day that will be a new beginning for so many VKs to come.