Go the Distance

10

The group made their way to Audrey's room. She had been restored to herself and was lying on her bed. She looked eerily peaceful. Mal and Evie sat across from each other on their side of her bed.

"She's slipping away," Evie said sadly.

Mal dropped her head for a moment before lifting it back up. "There's only one person in the world who might be able to do something about this, and that's Hades."

Ben frowned. "Hades? He wouldn't do it. I wouldn't risk it."

Mal met his eyes. "Actually, he might do it for me. He's my father."

The others, excluding Evie, looked at her in surprise.

Ben sighed. "Okay. Well, I'll have to send guards to get him."

Uma stepped closer to Ben. "Maybe I can hitch a ride. The Isle is my home. Someone needs to be there to protect it."

Harry stood behind Uma and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Well then, you'll need your first mate."

Mal turned to Uma. "The Isle will be in very good hands."

Celia stood and walked closer to Ben. "Can I go too? I wish I could be in both places."

Mal gave her a small smile before turning back to Uma. "I really think that Evie was right, and... I do think that we could've been friends. And I'm really sorry that I lied to you guys. You all deserved so much better than that."

Jay offered her a smile. "You were just trying to do the right thing."

"Yeah," Uma agreed.

Evie stood from her chair. "I get it."

Elias nodded and smiled. "We all do."

Maia nodded her agreement and stood by her brother's side.

---

The next morning, Hades was scheduled to arrive.

There was a knock on Audrey's bedroom door and King Beast opened it. Hades walked in, wearing chains around his wrists and ankles. He had three guards standing behind him.

Mal walked up to him and said, "Thank you for coming."

Hades looked down at her. "Didn't have much choice."

"Can you wake her?" Ben asked.

"Since when do heroes care about villains?"

"She's..."

Hades interrupted him. "One of your own?" He let out a sarcastic laugh. "Right. When you guys try to destroy the world..." He shrugged. "It's an error in judgment. But when it's one of us... lock them away and throw away the key. Right, Beast?" He lifted his hands and people backed away. "Yeah, I'm gonna need to use my hands."

One of the guards unchained Hades and he held a hand out, silently asking for the ember. As soon as it was placed in his hand, his hair began glowing blue.

Hades smirked. "Haven't lost my touch." He stepped closer to King Beast and growled. The king growled back.

"Dad," Mal called.

Hades made his way to the foot of Audrey's bed and swirled around the ember. A blue light encased the room and after a few moments, Audrey sat up and the room returned to its normal color.

Queen Leah turned to her granddaughter. "Audrey. You're okay."

Audrey looked at each of them. "Tell me it was all a bad dream."

Ben looked at her sympathetically. "I wish I could, but it's over now."

Audrey scooted closer to Mal. "I'm sorry. I wanted to hurt you." She turned to King Beast and Queen Belle. "I wanted to hurt all of you."

Mal offered her a small smile. "I have owed you an apology for... a very long time now."

"And so have I," Ben added.

Maia nodded. "Elias and I have too."

Queen Leah let out a sigh. "And perhaps, I have owed you one, too." She curtsied to Mal, and Mal curtsied back.

The chains were placed back on Hades' wrists and he looked down at them. "Oh, yeah."

He was taken out of the room and Mal followed after him so she could say some final words.

Maia glanced up at Ben and he smiled, taking her hand.