Finding New Love

Apologize

"What the hell!" Mal practically screamed as she was brought forward in chains. She should've expected it after the last heist that she pulled. But chains that blocked even a sliver of her magic out? That she hadn't expected.

She hated not being able to feel anything. She didn't know where Harry was. She didn't know where Carlos and Jay were and it was killing her not to be able to feel them.

She looked at the tyrant who had always stood at the dais. Even in her dreams. Although, in her dreams, he had always been a glorified king. There was always a problem with him being at the top. He could take away everything that she loved with just a snap of his fingers. And there wouldn't be anything she could do against him.

"Where are they?" she croaked out. She couldn't face any alternative to them being alive and healthy. If they were anything but, she didn't know what she would do. Cry maybe. Scream a little. And probably go insane.

"And why should you be making any demands out of my son when you are at his mercy," the former king said, his voicing booming across the room.

"Because..." Mal struggles to find an answer. "Because if they are anything but alive and unscathed, when I get out of these chains, all of your heads will go rolling. Starting with your over glorified son."

She didn't care what the consequences of her words or actions caused for her. She needed answers more than she would ever care about her life.

"Mom. Dad," a voice said. "Stop scaring her." The owner of the voice stepped forward, light illuminating their face. "They're fine, Mal," Ben said.

She scanned his face, trying to determine whether his words were the truth or a complete lie.

Ben knew that she was, and though he was a tad bit hurt, he knew that she had valid reason to do so.

"Can you guarantee something to exchange if what you say is a lie, or are you going to pull another fast one on me and cause something very bad to happen to you again," Mal said through clenched teeth. She needed them to be okay. She needed Harry to be okay. She didn't care what level of stupidity she was showing, or the desperation that she didn't bother hiding. Her friends were everything to her. She just got Harry back. She didn't want to lose him before they even figured out what they really were to each other. She knew that words had been exchanged between them.m, and she knew that she loved him, despite everything that they had been through.

"I swear on my crown that no harm has come to your friends, and that if you cooperate with us, no harm will befall them," Ben said, a hand laying over his chest as he said this.

"And if I don't agree to whatever terms you set out?" Mal asked, resting the waters.

"Then nothing's guaranteed for anyone."

Her heart dropped at those words. "And when did you turn into such a cold hearted monster?" Mal asked, her concern turning into a sneer. She supposed it was right around the time when he started slapping her and calling her pathetic, but she wanted to hear the answer from his moth.

"I only learned from the best," Ben sneered back. He instantly regretted it as he saw Mal's face drop again.

She let out a dark laugh. "Yes," she said, her voice barely a whisper, "I suppose it was my fault that we are in this situation to begin with, isn't it?"

Everything was her fault. She should've never listened to her mother and came to Auradon. She should've never given Ben the stupid muffin. And she definitely should've never fallen in love with him. That was her biggest mistake yet. Tears streamed down her face. If her friends got hurt, it would be on her. If they died, it would be herself, and she would probably lose herself to death as well.

"What do you want Ben?" Mal asked, finally exhausted. She was so tired of fighting the inevitable. But if she could just save the people that were most important to her, she could die, or be beaten, or face whatever they threw at her without regret.

A sigh came from the king. "I want to apologize."

Mal's eyes widened in surprise. And as she looked up from the ground, she found that the former king's and queen's eyes were also wide with astonishment.

"A-Apologize?" Mal asked, trying to understand what was being said. She gaped, and closed her mouth. And then repeated the process. She couldn't wrap her head around what was being said. "I thought that you were here to exact punishment or something," she said at last. "And if you were here to apologize, why the hell did you chain me up? And why would you separate me from the others?"

"Well, in hindsight," Ben said, scratching his head sheepishly, "it probably looks bad when I chain you up and everything, but I would prefer you not killing me before I apologize to you." He waved the guards to unchain her. "And I separated your friends because I figured they wouldn't edge you or each other on with their hate of me."

"You know," Mal said, "for someone who gets such good grades, you're not very smart."

Ben scratched at his head again. "Yeah, so I've been told. By many people actually."

"Where's Harry?"

Ben's look of amusement faded quickly. A look of seriousness and hate replaced it. And Mal's thoughts of sparing the man in front of her suddenly changed. Perhaps he had let go of the chain too quickly.