Always by your Side - A Descendants Story : REWRITTEN

Chapter 17

"You ready?" Ben asks Mal when they're standing in front of his parents' castle.

They're joining Belle and Beast for dinner tonight to finally tell them the big news. At this point they're not quite sure how they're going to react. Or, well, they're not going to be happy, that's for sure, but maybe it won't be too bad since they are already married. They're just not going to mention the baby was conceived before their wedding day...

"I'm hoping that that's a rhetorical question," she tells him, nervous as ever.

Ben's parents already love her like she's their daughter, but putting this big news on their plate... it's a lot to take as parents. Especially since they're still in high school, being teenagers.

"I'll tell them the news, you don't have to say anything if you don't want to, okay?" he assures her.

"They're not going to be mad at us, will they?" Mal asks him.

"No, no, of course they won't," he says, though he's not even convinced of it himself. "... I hope."

"Oh God..." Mal sighs.

"It's going to be fine, don't worry," he says, and rings the doorbell.

Lumière opens the door and lets them in. "Good evening, Your Highnesses," he greets them, taking their coats.

He leads them to the parlor, where Belle and Beast are already waiting for them. They happily greet each other and then sit down for a pre-dinner drink. Two sodas for the kids, of course.

Ben's constantly waiting for the right moment to tell them, but when they move to the dining room, he still hasn't told them. He constantly chickens out, trying to find a good way to tell them. The appetisers arrive, then the main course and then dessert; still, the secret isn't out.

Mal looks at him, trying to tell him to make a move now, before they go back to Auradon Prep again. Ben knows it's now or never.

"Mom, dad, we uh- we have something to tell you, before we leave," he says when they're standing in the foyer about to put on their coats.

"Oh?" Belle says, not knowing what to expect.

"Well, uhm, it's- it is, I guess, happy news... in a way. Not ideal, perhaps, but- we think it's going to be just fine," he babbles.

"Okay..." his dad says, not following what the hell he's talking about.

"We uh, we are, in a couple months, expecting a uhm- we're expecting a baby..." he finally manages to get out.

His parents are silent for a moment, too stunned to speak.

"Well, that's uhm- wow... uh, congratulations," Belle finally speaks.

"You're not mad?" Ben asks, nervously.

Belle looks at Beast who still doesn't say anything.

"I think we are- surprised. That's for sure," she says. "But we'll support you. We're happy for you, you're our children after all..."

Ben smiles at her and then looks at his father. "Dad?" he carefully asks.

Beast clears his throat. "I'm also happy for you, son," he says, quite formally.

Ben's content with their reaction for now, knowing they just need some time to process it, give it a place and get used to it. They'll warm up to the idea of a grandkid, he knows it. It'll come.
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After a few weeks of only sleeping in Ben's room, the nightmares seem to have reduced significantly, to the point Mal finally feels good enough to sleep in her own room again. Evie is of course overjoyed to have her roommate back after being on her own for over two months.

She got all these new decorations for Mal's side of the room, and put a new blanket and some pillows on her bed to make it more comfortable. She also bought a maternity pillow for her, now that her bump is making it more difficult to lay down comfortably.

"I'm staying here today," Mal groans frustratedly, after taking all her clothes out of her closet.

"Are you not feeling well?" Evie asks, looking up from her homework.

"No, I just can't find anything to wear," she sighs, sitting down on her bed.

"What about that purple shirt I made you last week?" Evie suggests.

"It's not the problem that I don't like my clothes, they just- don't fit anymore," she tells her. "There is only one sweater that can hide my bump, you know that white one, but I spilled coffee over it last night."

"And there's nothing else?" Evie asks, standing up to take a look in Mal's closet.

"Nothing," she confirms.

"Well, then there's really nothing else to do, other than to-" Evie starts.

"I'm not going to tell everyone I'm pregnant," she cuts her off. "There's no way I'm ready for all the staring and whispering."

"You're going to have to tell the kingdom sometime, maybe it's better to just get it over with, don't you think?" she reminds her.

Mal shakes her head and walks over to the phone. "Ben?" she says, after dialling his number.

"Hey, good morning, wha-," he says, but Mal doesn't even let him speak.

"You need to get over here, now! I don't know what to do!" Mal tells him, slightly panicking, and then hangs up.

A few minutes later Ben comes running into the room. "Are you okay?! What's wrong?!" he asks, confused as to what's going on.

"My last sweater has a big stain in it," she tells him, handing him the sweater.

"I can ask Mrs Potts if she can get it out for you," he says, confused as to why it's such a problem.

"But I need to wear it now," she says. "It's the only one that doesn't show that I have a bowling ball growing on my stomach."

"Oh God..." he sighs, sitting down next to her. "Well, we knew this would happen eventually."

"But not now! I'm not ready for everyone to know," she tells him.

"We don't really have much other choice," he reminds her. "We're just going to have to tell the people and it'll be over just like that."

"Easy for you to say, huh? You don't have to carry an actual baby with you every hour of the day, while people are going to stare at you because you have a huge ass stomach, but for me it's a little more complicated," she snaps at him.

"Okay, let's just try to calm down and think rationally right now, okay, we have to make a statement and-" he tries.

"Don't tell me what to do!" she tells him.

Evie can't help but chuckle at the scene in front of her; her two friends bickering like an old married couple. She immediately regrets even making a noise, because Mal looks at her furiously. "So, you think this is funny?!"

Evie immediately puts on her serious face. "No, of course not."

Mal takes a deep breath, closing her eyes and then finally turns to Ben again. "Okay, so, what's your plan then?" she asks calmly.

"Well, I'm guessing you don't want to make a big announcement or anything, so I'd say we just go out there and not say anything; ignore people staring and talking and just go about our day like normal," he suggests.

"If it's our only option..." she sighs, finally giving in. "Let's do it."
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