Switched Tales 2

Not Coming Back

The four walked down the alley where the hideout was. Lonnie stopped, picked up a rock and threw it at the sign. Which opened the gate to the stairs that led to the hideout. They led Mal over to the stairs as the gate was going up.

Mal started to walk up the first steps, then she turned to the three. "Wish me luck."

"All the way up." Lonnie instructed.

Mal slightly nodded, then turned back around and started walking up the steps.

"Good luck." Doug called after her.

Mal walked up to the hideout. There were spray cans rattling and hissing from the main room. Mal walked into the main room and was looking around amazed.

She stopped when she saw Ben spray painting the wall. She noticed his hair was back to what it first looked when they first met. Just with little lighter brown hair.

"At least I don't see a picture of me with horns and a pitchfork." Mal was saying and Ben turned around her looking scared.

"Mal?" Ben questioned.

Mal started to walk closer to him, but Ben held the spray can and his other hand to make her stop.

"Ben, I'm so sorry about our fight. It was all my fault, I..." Mal was telling him, then she looked up at Ben and held up the bracelet. "Please come home."

Ben stepped down. "Ben." He tossed the spray can in a bin. "I am home." He walked up to Mal.

"I brought the limo." Mal pointed behind her. "It's a sweet ride."

"I don't fit in, Mal." Ben confessed. "I really gave it my best shot. And if you think that I can change, I think you're wrong."

"Then, I'll change." Mal told him. "I'll skip school, have more fun. You know, I'll blow off some more responsibilities."

No, no. See, I'm such a terrible influence. It's only a matter of time before I do something so messed up that not only does the kingdom turn on me, but they turn on you." Ben was explaining.

"Don't quit us, Ben." Mal grabbed his hand. She put the bracelet in his hand looking down at it. "The people you." Then she looked up at him. "I love you. Don't you love me?"

Ben was looking at Mal, then he looked down at the bracelet. He picked it up with his free hand and started to smile. Mal was watching him and smiled too. Then Ben put it in Mal's hand and pushed her hand away.

"I have to take myself out of the picture because it's what's best for you, and it's what's best for Auradon." Ben told her.

"Ben, no, please." Mal got closer to him.

Ben backed up and stopped Mal. "Mal... I can't do this." Ben turned back around.

Mal was trying to hold back tears as she watched Ben grab the spray can again.

"You should go, Mal." Ben said, then he walked up the two steps and turned to Mal. "Mal, please go. Please leave."

Mal slowly started to back up, then she turned around and started walking out. She wiped her eyes as she left.

Ben stood there watching Mal leave. He was upset and wanted to cry.

Mal walked down the steps where the other three were waiting.

"So..." Doug said as Mal was walking down. "Where's Ben?"

Mal finished walking down the steps and answered. "He's not coming back."

"What?" Doug asked. "I'll talk to him." Doug walked over to the speaker.

Mal started to walk back down the alley without anyone with her.

"Ben. Ben, it's Doug." Doug was saying through the microphone. "Let me just talk to you for a second. Ben, come on."

Ben rushed over to his speaker. He pulled a lever, then yelled into the speaker. "Go away!"

"Let's give him a couple hours to cool off." Lonnie told Doug.

Jane looked down the alley. "Guys." She looked over at the two as they walked up. "Where's Mal?"

"Mal?" Doug asked. "Mal!" Doug and the others sighed in relief. "Mal, don't scare us like that."

"Don't scare you?" Audrey joked as she walked up. "That's my specialty."

"Audrey." Doug glared at her.

"What did you do with Mal?" Lonnie questioned demanding an answer.

Audrey answered pointing behind her. "Oh, uh, we nicked him. Mmm-hmm." She turned back to the three. "Yeah, um, and if you want to see her again." She pointed up to the hideout. "Have Ben come to the Cook Shop tonight. Alone. Chad wants a little visit." Audrey looked at Lonnie and played sad. "Aw. Lonnie. Seems like you've lost your touch."

Lonnie was about to attack Audrey, but Doug grabbed her shoulder and said. "Lonnie."

Audrey smirked and laughed at Lonnie, then looked at Jane. "Boo!" She turned back around and walked away while whistling.

Lonnie started climbing up to the hideout as the two others followed behind.

"If you guys never would have brought her here this never would have happened." Ben was lecturing them while his left side was leaning against the wall. "What were you thinking?"

"She was gonna come with or without us. We just wanted to protect her." Doug defended them.

"Yeah. And we completely blew it." Jane mentioned.

"Okay." Lonnie spoke. "Okay, so what are we gonna do?"

"We are not doing anything." Ben told them. He walked down the steps. "This is between Chad and me, and he's punk. And guess what, now I have to go get her."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Ben, you're still gonna have to go through Audrey and her wharf rats." Jane said.

"Yeah, you're gonna need us." Lonnie added.

"Chad said to come alone." Ben replied.

"Ben, come on." Doug was saying and Ben made a face at him.

"He said to come alone." Jane said to Doug. "I know one thing. I'm not going anywhere." Then Jane sat down the couch.

"We'll be here when you get back." Lonnie told him.

Ben turned around and started heading the stairs. They all watched him leave..