After Ever After

Finding Hope

"Alrighty, almost done here," Ben said while he scribbled on an official looking piece of paper. Harry and I were back in the chairs in front of the King's desk, both with a stunned-stupid expression on our faces. We expended so much energy arguing over who would take the blame and stressing over the outcome, and then Beastie Boy comes along all 'oh yeah I have a simple solution to all this chaos I JUST CREATED BY GIVING YOU GUYS AN IMPOSSIBLE DECISION.' I swear this guy is more two-faced than a King should be.

Ben cleared his throat, tapped the papers on his desk and explained, "So, here's the story. I gave Harry, an experienced former authorities-evader, a mission to test our security systems. Uma's room was the only one which was heavily guarded, so he broke into that room. The smallest boat we have is the speed boat, so he jacked that one to stay low profile through the night. Overall, our security system failed the test miserably and extreme revisions need to made."

Ben seemed very content with his work, and honestly I was okay with whatever kept Harry's record clean. I exchanged a glance with Harry. He looked back to Ben and asked, "So just like that? Last night was legit, and Uma can stay?"

"Yep!" Ben answered cheerfully, but there was one thing that was bothering me. I leaned forward in my chair.

"Why are you letting us off the hook?" I asked suspiciously. "We actually did break rules."

"And while that is true," Ben replied as he put the papers into a file folder. "You could have gone anywhere in that boat, yet you came back. Now, based on the fact that the boat wasn't out of fuel, you don't have any shortage of boating skills, and Harry wasn't beat up in any struggle,"–Harry snickered there–"you must've come back willingly."

I hesitated for a moment, and then I nodded in affirmation. "If you really wanted to escape, Uma, you would have," the King said as he stood up from his chair and headed towards the door. Harry and I looked to each other again and stood up as well. Ben stopped at the door but did not open it. Instead he turned to us and added, "Here's the deal. I have a lot of hope for people. Some may think it's misplaced, but I have it anyway. Just promise me that I won't regret this."

I didn't say anything, but Harry gave me a small nudge, signaling that I should say something. I stuttered out, "Uh yeah, sure."

"Okay, good," Ben replied, sounding convinced. Considering I usually ignore him completely or say something rude, an uneasy yes is better than usual. Either way, I was trying to be sincere. Ben opened the door for us. "I'll have you two driven back to the dorms. Harry, see to it that Uma makes it back to her room. Uma, I'll check on you in a week."

With that ending statement, Harry and I left, and Ben closed the door behind us. I looked up at Harry, and I could tell he was just as relieved as I was. In an instant he picked me up in another hug, and this time I hugged him back. We didn't need to say anything, nor did I think we could put how we felt into words. All that matters is that we both won a losing battle.

We did as we were told and went straight back to my dorm room after the cop car dropped us off at the school. I swallowed my pride and let Harry give me a piggyback ride up to my room. Not only did my ankle hurt, but I was dead tired! I was not in the mood to do anything but sleep. I was exhausted from more than just staying awake all night, and I needed to catch a break from the world for a bit. Luckily, it was Saturday morning, so Harry and I didn't have to go to any classes.

But before sleep, I needed clothes that weren't drenched in water.

"I'll be back out in a minute," I told Harry as I grabbed some dry clothes and headed into the bathroom. He gave me a small nod of acknowledgement, and I suddenly remembered that he jumped into the water, too. I picked up an oversized black hoodie from a nearby chair and threw it at him. "You change, too," I noted. "I'd hate for you to get sick on a weekend."

He smirked in reply, and I shut the door to bathroom. I was still wearing Harry's letterman jacket, which I noticed smelled like a combination of sawdust and boot polish. I felt safer in his jacket, but I took it off and hung it up on the hook on the door. I discarded my wet pajamas and changed into a light blue long sleeve T-shirt and black running shorts. My braids had fallen from the bun, but I didn't care to fix it. I didn't have the energy to shower away the lingering sea water; I always smelled like shellfish anyway.

I looked at myself in the mirror, and for the first time since I got to Auradon, I didn't look pitiful. I was constantly focusing on the past with no belief that the future would turn out better. I had been doing the same thing that day! I compared little things like a piggyback ride or a sprained ankle to life on the Isle. I really was miserable there, and that's why I wanted out so badly. I didn't realize until now that I was actually off of the Isle, just like I wanted. The only reason why I felt the past over my shoulder was because I kept looking back at it. Not anymore. I looked in the mirror that day and felt hopeful and relaxed, and I looked like it, too.

I left the bathroom with a soft smile on my face, and Harry was still standing against the door. He was wearing the hoodie I gave him, and he had wiped away the smeared guyliner from his face. "What are you smiling about?" he asked.

Instead of explaining my internal feelings, I shrugged and said something that was equally as true, "I'm just happy I can finally get some sleep."

He laughed while I crossed the room and got into my bed. Before I laid down, I patted a spot next to me for Harry to sit and asked, "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course, Captain," he replied with a chuckle as he sat next to me on the covers. I rolled my eyes but laughed a little nonetheless.

"Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?" I requested in a soft tone.

His goofy smirk faded into a serious smile, and he nodded his head. "Aye, Captain," he answered, and I finally let my head fall onto my pillow. My back was facing him, but I could tell he was still sitting there like I asked. I can't say why, but something felt off. I looked at him over my shoulder and found him sitting straight up.

"Are you dense, Hook?" I joked. "Lay down with me."

He looked at me, totally dumbfounded, but I just turned my back on him again and waited for him to move. "If you say so," he sighed as he brought his feet up and set his head down a decent distance away from mine. He was looking at the ceiling, and I was looking at the wall, but his presence still made me feel comfortable.

I quickly fell into deep sleep, and when I finally woke up in what seemed like the late afternoon, Harry was still there, sound asleep. He had scooted closer to me at some point, and one of his hands was loosely tangled in my hair as if he was playing with it when he fell asleep. I didn't wake him though. I could tell that he too was exhausted by that day's events. Besides, his face looked softened and relaxed when he was sleeping, almost like an innocent little kid. I recalled a mantra I used to repeat when I was on the Isle.

Pirates over princes every time, am I right?

Then Harry snored loudly in an obnoxious manner. Even so, I stand by what I said.