Descendant's Future

Family

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~❶Mal❶~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I slowly wake up, feeling better than I have in weeks. There are two men talking above me. I open my eyes and everything is blurry. I can't make anything out. "Hey, how do you feel?" one of them says.

I try to speak but my mouth is dry and nothing comes out. I try to lift an arm and it shakily rises and I raise a thumb. My arm gives out and someone catches it.

"Can you speak?" I shake my head and the dizziness grows. I reach to clutch my head and someone massages it.

"Do know who you are? Squeeze my hand once for yes and twice for no."

I think for a moment. My name is Mal. I have three children. Magic. My mother's Maleficent. Evie. Carlos. Jay. Benjamin, Jayden and Abigail. B-Ben? Ben! My husband, Ben! The king. I squeeze my hand once and try to talk. "B-" I cough and I can't stop. I'm sitting and something's pushing at my lips. I drink some water and my coughs calm down. "B- Ben? Ben! Wh-where, where's Ben!" I scream. I'm pulled into someone's arms and instantly recognize them. The arms, the smell of his shampoo. "Ben?" I make sure. He pulls me closer. I start to sob.

"Mal, It's alright. You're okay. You're gonna be okay," he whispers. I wrap my arms around his neck and continue to cry. "It's alright, Mal. You're safe here."

"The- The kids. Wh- where are they?" I push away and try to sense them.

He pulls me back towards him and tries to quiet me. "Hey, it's alright. They're fine. They're right next to you, sleeping. They're just fine."

His tone changed. It's like he's trying to hide anger or resentment. Then I realize why. He lies me back against the pillows and I blink a few times, trying to clear my vision. "They're ours," I tell him. "I promise." I see a smile spread across his face. "Ben and Abby and Jayden," I say.

I yawn and he runs a hand through my hair. "Get some rest. When you wake up, we'll try to get some food into you." I nod and close my eyes. My vision darkens quickly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~❶Ben❶~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Do know who you are? Squeeze my hand once for yes and twice for no."

It's a minute of waiting. Of tension and worry. She finally squeezes my hand. Once. A smile stretches across my face. "B-" She starts coughing and Jay gives her a cup of water with a straw. "B- Ben? Ben! Wh- where, where's Ben!" she cries. I pull her close, trying to calm her down. "Ben?" She starts to sob into my shoulder.

"Mal, it's alright. You're okay. You're gonna be okay," I tell her. She tries to bring me closer. "It's alright, Mal. You're safe here."

"The- The kids. Where are they?" She pushes away and looks around.

"Hey, it's alright. They're fine." I feel my gut drop at the mention. Who's are those kids? "They're right next to you, sleeping. They're just fine."

"They're ours," She says. "I promise." I smile and look at them. "Ben and Abby and Jayden."

She yawns and I chuckle, running a hand through her hair. "Get some rest. When you wake up, we'll try to get some food into you." She closes her eyes and her breathing evens out.

"She remembers," I stutter out. "She remembers everything!" I cheer.

Jay smiles and grabs my shoulder. "Congrats. I told you we'd get her back."

I nod and grab his shoulder in return. "Why don't you go tell the others? I'm gonna stay here with Mal and the triplets."

"I'll bring them and some food when I come back." I nod and he leaves.