De Vil-Radcliffe

Chapter 24- Break This Down

A month later, Evie and I watched as Mal and Ben made their way up to the balcony. Carlos stood by my side, an arm around my shoulder as Mal and Ben appeared.

"Lady Mal and I want to thank you for celebrating our engagement with us today. I couldn't be prouder, or happier, to call you my queen. So, raise your glasses. To our future queen of Auradon!" Ben raised his glass of punch.

"To our Queen of Auradon!" we echoed.

"Speech, your specialness!" Carlos said.

"Your dragoness!" I added.

"Speech, oh fancy one!" Jay said.

Mal laughed, then stood there, silent, while looking at me. "I can't," she said suddenly, "I can't be Queen of Auradon."

"Mal?" Ben asked quietly, placing his hand on hers.

"I can't turn my back on the Isle," she whispered to Ben. She turned to the crowd, looking at me. "We made a decision to close the barrier forever. And it was my idea, but it's wrong. I've learned that you can't live in fear, because it doesn't actually protect you from anything. You never know where the bad is going to come from. And you never know where the heroes are going to come from either. Without Uma and her pirates, Auradon would be gone. And without Hades, my father, Audrey would be gone. We're all capable of good and bad, no matter which side of the barrier we come from." She turned back to Ben. "And that's why I can't be Queen of just Auradon. I have to be Queen of the Isle too. And, it's time that we bring the barrier down forever."

I froze. Was she serious?

"We can't do that," Beast said.

"It's up to us, Dad." He looked at the crowd. "I choose to be a king who moves forward. It's time for forgiveness. It's time for new beginnings. The barrier will come down!"

Mal waved us up as she held the wand in her hand. I ran up to her with the others.

"To make the world a better place," Mal and I said in unison.

"We have to do it face to face!" we all said together.

A mixture of gold, purple and red flew out of the wand and toward the Isle. It destroyed the barrier, making it nothing. The gloomy clouds that were hanging over the Isle disappeared. The crowd cheered as a solid bridge formed from one end to the other. Mal placed the wand in Fairy Godmother's hands and we both walked up to the railing.

It's time to bring together

Time for a brand new start

We gonna put it in motion

Break down what keeps us apart

No more, no division we down

New team, got the vision, unite

So we stand, now we living marching

In the light, one two, one two like

I see you (you see me)

Imperfect (perfectly)

Face to face

We can see clearly our similarities like

Day and night, wrong or right

Jay, Carlos, and Evie came up behind us, Carlos smiling at me.

We come together for a good time

We're gonna break this down

We're gonna rock the town

Everyone all around

Let's be whoever like this

Stronger together like this

We walked off the balcony and down the stairs, walking while singing onto the bridge.

Believing in second chances

And we're all starting today

Marching on in a new land

Our world's a better, a better place

Welcome, the addition new love

Unity, new beginning for us

Harmony that's the mission marching

In the light, one two, one two like

I see you (you see me)

Imperfect (perfectly)

Face to face

We can see clearly our similarities like

Day and night, wrong or right

We come together for a good time

Our groups met in the middle and we started dancing, Carlos and I dancing in front of each other while smiling.

We're gonna break this down

We're gonna rock the town

Everyone all around

Just be whoever like this

Stronger together like this

We reunited like this

We ran on the bridge toward Auradon, where we faced the true AKs.

Bringing it, bringing it, b-b-b-bringing it down

Bringing it, bringing it, b-b-b-bringing it down

Bringing it, bringing it, b-b-b-bringing it down

Bringing it, bringing it, b-b-b-bringing it down (down!)

The five of us ran into the entrance, taking positions and bowing at the VKs. Uma laughed and cheered as she walked into the archway, the VKs following behind her. Carlos ran up to me, picking me up and twirling me. We started to dance with the others.

We're gonna break this down (break this down)

We're gonna rock the town (oh, we're gonna rock this town)

Everyone all around (oh, around)

Just be whoever like this (come on!)

Stronger together like this (uh)

We be united like this

Bringing it, bringing it, b-b-bringing it down

We looked out at the Isle, panting, as Celia and Dizzy walked up to Mal. She hugged both of them as a parade came into view, a purple handmade dragon flying around. I smiled as Mal gasped, dancing around with the others. Dr. Facilier, Lady Tremaine, and Mr. Smee appeared next, and the four went to hug them.

"Ready to see your Mom?" I asked Carlos.

"No," Carlos scoffed. "That woman is terrifying."

"At least you have me," I said, kissing his cheek.

"That I do."