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Something was wrong.
Mal felt that with her whole being. She knew it from the moment she took her place on the sidelines and watched Ben walk down to the podium as the choir sang. When she began this plan, she didn’t expect it to turn out the way it did.
With her falling for Ben.
For Ben to have actually fallen for her in return.
Nor for her friends to find their own happiness through sports, an animal, or people. But here they were.
Happy.
And being good.
It never occurred to her that it could happen. Yet it did.
It happened.
And now, standing in the church, watching Ben take the oath, she can’t help but doubt everything. For magic’s sake, Ben told her he knew she spelled him after their date and never called her out. He believed in her when all he thought of was to do her mother proud. Every moment with him was bliss.
An escape from her mother’s expectations.
From doing what she’s been told, what she was always supposed to be. Instead, she got to be open and see what it meant to be good…to be herself. She never got to find out who she was while on the isle because of how her mother always pushed these expectations on her. Training her to be as bad as her.
When they first got to Auradon, Mal enjoyed being mean. Making waves and sowing distrust in people.
But then came Ben.
Her friends found things they enjoyed doing that didn’t involve being evil. But she…she had Ben showing her how good it felt to actually be nice. About how thinking of others could feel just as good.
If Mal was being honest, she couldn’t believe none of her friends called her out when she said it felt extra cruel to keep Ben under her spell when they took over when they discovered making the anti-love potion. If there was ever a moment for them to realize something was up. It was that moment. Yet none of them questioned her.
And now?
Now that she saw what she had caused, it finally hit her what Ben had wanted them to see. She felt shame and guilt clawing at her throat as Jane stole the magic wand, ranting about making herself beautiful.
She had done that.
She made this girl self-conscious by digging into buried insecurities made by Audrey and her own mother, unknowingly. A mother who looked terrified for her daughter, who knew nothing about wielding a magic wand. She knew what the fairy godmother had meant, but even the most well-intentioned words can hurt.
And she dug into it and made it worse.
She had to do it.
Or…thought she had to do it.
At the time, it didn’t matter, it was just another step toward achieving her goal. But now? Now her stomach rolled with guilt. She couldn’t help but grab Ben’s arm when he came to stand protectively in front of her. She barely breathed as she watched Jane grunt and spin from the force of trying to contain the wand's magic, untrained in the ways magic could feel like.
She didn’t think.
She just moved.
Nothing registered to her as she rushed toward Jane. It all felt like static to her ears, but she was sure people were saying stuff. Or at least shouting. But none of it registered. Nothing mattered besides getting everyone—Jane—out of danger. She rushed toward Jane, wrapping her arms around the younger girl to grasp at the wand.
Even though Jane couldn’t control it, she still fought back. Yelling and shoving in desperation to keep the wand in her grasp. Mal couldn’t help but grunt in response as she pulled with all her might. With one last choked gasp, Mal managed to wrench the wand back, taking a stumbling step back while Jane stumbled forward. Looking at her empty hands, Jane looked around frantically, eyes wide in fear.
She seemed to finally realize what she had done, eyes locking on the frightened people grouped together. But then her frightened eyes landed on Mal, and it was like every fear she had originally about them came true. Letting out a silent gasp, Jane booked it, running for the nearest exit or place to hide from the masses.
Mal just stared until Ben came to stand in front of her once more. All Mal could do was breathe heavily as she stared at Ben, who just stared at her, a desperate and hopeful look on his face, one hand raising hesitantly toward her. “Mal, give me the wand,” Ben said softly, hand reaching as if to take the wand.
She wished she could loosen, give the wand over. But, instead, her grasp tightened as she took a step back, face twisted up out of desperation to make her mother proud and a longing to be with Ben. “Stand back,” she demanded, arms trembling minutely. She had a mission.
A mission to complete.
A mother who’ll finally be proud of her.
Yet the very thought of completing that mission turned her blood to ice.
“It’s okay,” he continued, tone remaining soft while taking a hesitant step forward.
Mal shuffled back, eyes flashing through her uncertainty. “Ben, I said, stand back!” she shouted. It felt like her voice was echoing through the whole building. She could barely breath and it felt like her voice would give out.
Yet it never did.
It impossibly stayed steady.
She didn’t know how.
“I told you so!” Audrey shouted, stepping closer while her family clawed at her arms. But when Mal turned to face her, brows drawn together in fear and anger, Audrey screamed with her family, stumbling backward when they pulled once more. She couldn’t believe Audrey.
Even if she was right in a way.
She knew Audrey would never like her, but she didn’t think Audrey would be stupid enough to rush toward someone holding a magic wand as steady as she was. She felt its power coursing through, waiting to be used once more.
She could only hear as her friends rushed in behind her, doors creaking and clanging from the force of their entrance. No doubt clustered together to pull them back to safety. “Let’s go,” Carlo said, breath heavy.
“Revenge time,” Jay added, hand waving to beckon her closer. His face was set even as the rest looked uncertain.
“You really want to do this?” Ben asked, his voice cracked toward the end. As if he couldn’t believe they would throw everything away.
That they couldn’t shake away everything they were taught after their short time in Auradon. Something cracked in Mal at that. Seeing that belief in Ben that they could be good and turn their backs on their parents. She wanted to.
Oh, she wished she could just turn her back.
But there was a part of her that would always crave her mother’s love. To make her proud. No matter how impossible it really was. “We have no choice, Ben! Our parents—!” Mal began, voice cracking as she tried to convey their impossible situation.
“Your parents made their choice,” Ben interrupted, voice strong even as his eyes shone with grief as he realized how trapped they felt. “Now you make yours,” he finished, and she wanted to believe him. Believe…that they could make their own choices instead of following the paths and decisions their parents made. A completely different choice they wanted.
Because it made them happy.
She wanted that more than she could dream. The only thing she could hear was how heavy her breath was in the eerie silence after Ben’s words. She couldn’t help but look at Belle, lips trembling like she was about to sob because Belle looked disappointed but so understanding as she gripped her husband's arm. It was the face of a mother who understood how her child could do something wrong but still want better for them.
And it hurt Mal to see it directed at her while the woman was clearly still worried about her own son, who was bravely standing between them.
Why couldn’t her own mother be like that?
She couldn’t help but glance over at Fairy Godmother, the only other person to believe in them at the beginning. Who saw their rough edges and was willing to put in the work. Her gaze was sorrowful and worried as she looked at them. As if she knew exactly what they went through and what they feared if they gave in to the temptation in front of them and be good.
Mal thought about everything the Fairy Godmother had done, all her words, and Mal knew if there was someone she made proud, it was her. The Fairy Godmother had been proud of them for everything they did. She gave the care and attention they needed, where their own parents fell short.
When Mal thought about someone being proud.
The only two people she thought of were Ben and the Fairy Godmother.
They were the people she wanted to make proud.
To show they were right to believe in them. That giving them the kindness and space to grow allowed them to become the people they seemed to always know they could be.
Her arms were trembling more, the wand dipping just a fraction. “I think I want to be good,” she whispered through a cracking voice.
“You are good,” Ben asserted, stepping forward, and Mal couldn’t help how her face scrunched at that. Like it was impossible that he could believe she was good already. Despite everything they’ve done.
“How do you know that?” she demanded, her arms raising once more as the wand trembled. Her grasp tightened on the wand, the delicate detailing digging in painfully, a stark contrast to everything going on around them.
It felt grounding.
“Because…because I’m listening to my heart,” Ben said softly, his own voice cracking while one hand rose to cover his heart.
Staring at Ben, Mal’s fingers itched to cover her own heart. A heart that’s been twisted and torn apart by her clashing needs and wants, hopes and expectations. She wanted to be the daughter her mother could be proud of. She wanted to be the girl Ben saw in her. But most of all, she wanted to be with Ben. To be happy. His conviction made her want to believe him. Believe that he was right.
That deep down, she was good.
That she could be that girl Ben saw and fell for despite everything.
But she was afraid.
Afraid of disappointing her mother. Of disappointing Ben.
That part of her wanted to do what she could to get her mother’s approval. To be the horrible person she wanted. Destroy lives just because. To be the most powerful person in the room.
Just to get her mother’s approval. To be told how proud she was of Mal.
But instead of puffing up or rising to the challenge, her heart paused. Dread filled her while her breath caught in her throat.
It felt like her stomach was a void even as her torn heart pleaded for her to be with Ben. It wanted both things even though it was impossible. She couldn’t make her mother proud while also being with Ben.
She had to choose.
Listen to her head that knew the fear her mother instilled in her?
Or listen to her heart that wanted her to be with Ben.
“I…I want to listen to my heart too,” Mal whispered, voice raw as she stared at Ben once more, earning a smile from him. As he took a step forward, she turned to look at her friends, a fragile, hopeful, smile on her lips as she looked at them. Saw their hesitancy. But also their quiet courage to follow her lead and break free from the prison their parents made for them.
The gilded cages that forced them onto one path. “Guys—” she began, but then there was screaming and cowering and gasps.
Looking up, Mal watched as a dark green fog twisted through the shattered glass roof before knotting around a column. It was then settling itself in front of the steps to the podium. “I’m back!” Maleficent shouted, her staff thumping against the tiles, a triumphant grin on her lips as she stared at the Fairy Godmother.
“It can’t be,” Mal whispered, despair filling her as Maleficent turned to face her. “Go away, mother,” Mal said, voice resigned yet firm. She knew it was hopeless to ask. To beg. But she did. She asked her mother to leave with a resigned face that spoke of how she knew how this would go.
That feeling of wrongness filled her, and Mal thought she was going to be sick. It was like magic itself was twisting restlessly. Though with how her mother used magic, it was a possibility that her mother was doing that exactly. Twisting the very magic around them in ways it was never meant to do to throw them off. To leave them off kilter.
It would be just like her.
There was some foolish hope that they’d have more time. To think. To plan. And maybe…just maybe there was this small part of her that hoped her mother couldn’t leave the isle despite that beam that arched out of the church from the wand. As if that small part of her hoped enough, the barrier would remain standing while something else was hit.
A foolish hope to have.
No matter how small it was.
“She’s funny. Oh. I'm so,” Maleficent cackled, turning to look at the group on the podium, pointing back toward her daughter before turning to face her once more. “You’re very funny. Here. Wand me. Chop chop,” she ordered, one hand raised, fingers waving for Mal to hand over the wand.
Mal just stared at her mother.
It felt like she couldn’t breathe.
The whole world felt frozen…yet continued to stare at her. Demanding an answer.
Will she continue following her mother? Or will she break free and follow her heart? Maleficent had an expectant look, which slowly twisted into a frown the longer it took for Mal to do as told. Forcing air into her lungs, Mal shook her head.
“Give me the wand,” Maleficent demanded, fingers waving once more in demand.
As she glanced over at Ben, something shifted in her. That little voice in her head, clamoring for her to make her mother proud, finally shut up. It was like Ben cast his own spell to quiet everything down in her mind so that she could decide what she wanted. Not blindly follow her mother through the fire once more. She stared her mother in the eyes and shook her head once more. “No,” she whispered, hesitant to speak louder even though she had finally spoken up against her mother.
“What was that?” Maleficent demanded, voice hard while her eyes flashed. All around them, people were watching wide-eyed, grasping onto one another as they watched mother and daughter clash.
“I said…no,” Mal said, voice somehow soft yet carrying. Everyone couldn’t help but watch with bated breath.
“What are you talking about?” Maleficent asked, brows furrowed while her lips were twisted into a scowl.
“No, I will not give you the wand. No, I will not help you reign terror on Auradon. I’m choosing my own path. Not the one you chose for me,” Mal said defiantly, making herself stand tall in the face of her mother. A part of her wanted to cower under her mother’s stare, but she thought about Ben’s proud smile and knew she was making the right choice.
“Falling in love is weak…and ridiculous. It’s not what you want,” Maleficent dismissed, fingers tightening around her staff as she looked at Mal.
“No, it isn’t,” she whispered, her own grasp tightening on the wand.
“So this is how it’s going to be. Well, looks like you fell for their lies. No matter, I’ll deal with you later,” Maleficent hissed, her eyes glowing green as she used her magic.
It was one trick the three had seen several times during their friendship with Mal. This stare down with glowing eyes that Mal always lost because she wasn’t strong enough yet. They always wondered what it was about, and they were terrified of the answer.
As Mal stared her mother down, her whole body trembled. There was a growing pressure all around her. It felt like her head was in one of those presses she saw in class. Sweat beaded at her temples before sliding down her neck.
Give in.
It was a whisper only she could hear, but she flinched like it was shouted.
Follow mother.
Mal’s whole body was shaking, trying to push off the pressures surrounding her.
followfollowfollowFOLLOW!
Something shattered.
Mal gasped, terror-filled eyes stared at the stained-glass window far above. Her arms fell, only one hand weakly holding onto the wand still, while it felt like her consciousness was pushed into the backseat.
The group could only stare in growing horror as Mal looked at her mother once more, eyes dim and cloudy with no recognition in them, half-lidded with her lips partly open.
“Mal…Mal!” Ben shouted. He felt like he couldn’t breathe as no recognition flashed in her gaze. It was like she was a puppet waiting for its master to pull their strings. He let his mom pull him back, gripping her arm tight as his tongue felt glued to the top of his mouth. His mom’s grip tightened on his arm.
Was he shaking?
He couldn’t tell.
He glanced down at his hands that were wrapped around his mom’s arm. They were trembling slightly even as his grip tightened. A sob tried leaving him, but it got caught in his throat, leaving only the hitching of his breath as any indication of what was happening.
“Bring me the wand,” Maleficent ordered, a smirk slowly growing on her lips as Mal took a step forward. Her head was tipped forward, as if her body was just barely holding it upright, her movements somehow graceful but jerky at the same time. When Mal came to a stop in front of Maleficent, her arm jerked up, the wand barely staying in her grasp. Maleficent cackled as she snatched the wand out of her daughter’s hand, gaze burning as she stared at her before turning triumphantly at the assembled group. “Thank you, dear. I’ll deal with your rebellious self later,” she sneered back, the staff raised to tap against Mal’s head.
A choked sound left Mal’s lips, her body going rigid, tremors running up her form.
But then it was like her strings were cut.
Her legs buckled under her, and Mal’s head went back. She crumbled down, rolling down the steps to lie in a tangled heap at the bottom, a cut at her temple bleeding profusely. Her arms and legs were bent and tucked around her, and Ben was terrified of what damage could have happened even during that short fall. “Mal!” he cried out, barely heard over his people’s horrified screams.
Her friend’s though…they looked terrified, barely making any noises as they stared at Mal’s form. Evie had a hand raised to her mouth, as if she was either trying to hold in any noise or possibly because she felt sick. Carlos had taken a step back, looking pale while Jay looked stricken, his eyes burning with rage while his fists shook at his side.
“Oh boo hoo. Are you worried about your whittle princess?” Maleficent taunted, a crazed look in her eyes as another cackle left her lips.
But Ben couldn’t look away from Mal. Her face slack, chest barely moving with her every breath. His teeth gnashed together as he turned burning eyes toward Maleficent. The woman who was supposed to love and care for Mal.
Mal was supposed to have a mother who cared for her.
Instead…she got a monster who was willing to hurt and throw her away.
A soft growl grew in his throat at Maleficent’s words. He always thought that while the villains would always be villains, horrible people willing to maim and kill just because, he thought that they would at least love their children. Care and love them as any parent would. But no. He’s seeing firsthand what Mal had to go through growing up. The monster she had that stalked her even when there was a barrier keeping them separated.
Her words…
‘We have no choice, Ben!’
They were ringing in his ears with a clarity he didn’t know he needed. She had meant those words, but probably in a way she never imagined herself. There was a ringing in his ears that grew into a crescendo. His lips pulled back into a snarl as he stared at Maleficent, his brows furrowed, scrunching his nose while he ripped away from his mom. If she said anything, it was lost to the ringing. His body felt like a tight coil just waiting to be released, while his hands alternated between being fists and spread like claws. His skin itched and tingled. There was a prickling sensation on the back of his neck while his fingers burned. The next time his hands clenched into fists, a prickling, needle-like pain filled his palms.
He stalked toward Maleficent, acting on an instinct he didn’t know he had.
Maleficent actually looked worried, her expression pinched while her hands turned white from how tightly they were grasping her spear and the wand. He barely noticed how the crowd flinched back more, faces full of awe and fear at what they were witnessing. He stalked closer to Maleficent, a deep rumbling growl built in his chest. He bared his teeth in a way he’s never done before, a pair of soft gasps hit his ears, and he turned just enough to glance at his parents without losing sight of Maleficent.
Briefly, he wonders why they look as shocked as they do. But then his attention turns back to Maleficent when she shifts back. Ben lets out a rattling roar, leaning toward the woman who’s caused so many problems while his hands hover splayed at his sides.
He hears tearing, and when he glances down, he notices how his clothes have torn. The seams of his pants from the knees down were ripped apart, while the front of his shoes burst. Several sections of seam along his jacket were similarly torn, allowing fur and new bulk to breathe while the cuff seams were fully ripped apart for several inches.
Ben was shocked. While he had been prepared to learn what would come from being the son of a man who was once enchanted for years, he never expected this. Never expected the chance to even partially transform into a beast like his dad. That would explain their shocked expressions. Another guttural growl left Ben when Maleficent took a step toward Mal.
Here was a scent in the air he couldn’t identify with his newly enhanced senses. But it was concentrated around the scepter and wand, along with surrounding the Fairy Godmother and Maleficent with residue clinging to Mal. If he had to guess, he’d say it was the smell of magic. The scent upon the scepter and Mal were sour, as if it had gone bad.
It wasn’t a scent he wanted on or around Mal.
No.
It was never a scent he wanted to smell on her.
Maleficent looked to ponder something before a smirk grew on her lips. Cocky. She pointed her staff at Mal, a cruel smirk twisted on her lips as she pointed the wand at him and his family. “I wouldn’t get closer if I were you. We wouldn’t want…something to happen…do you?” she asked between cackles.
Ben couldn’t help the whine that left him when Maleficent’s staff tapped Mal. His eyes flicked toward the Fairy Godmother, who gave a minute shake of her head. Not that he could blame her. She didn’t have her wand while their most feared enemy had both her staff and the wand, along with threatening someone. Glancing over at Evie and the others, he saw that she had stepped back.
Before he could wonder long, he realized it was to make sure Maleficent didn’t realize she was doing something as Jay and Carlos stood together in front of her. Posed like they were trying to shield her from Maleficent when in reality they were keeping Maleficent’s eyes on them instead if she looked their way.
Ben growled, drawing everyone’s attention even as he watched Evie through the corner of his eyes. She was holding something, raising it up to her mouth to whisper something. “You…you try anything…I’ll make you regret it,” Ben promised, voice rough and deep in a way he didn’t recognize.
“Oh…is that so? What are you going to do?” Maleficent demanded, her tone teasing like she knew there was nothing he could do.
In a way, she was right. There was nothing he could do in that moment.
But someone else could.
“Mirror mirror in my hand, shine a bright light!” Evvie shouted, turning the mirror around as a bright white light shone out, blinding anyone caught in its ray.
Maleficent yelled out in alarm as she raised a hand to cover her eyes. Taking the opportunity, Ben dashed forward with a rumbling growl and snatched the wand out of her grip while shoving her away from Mal. Tossing the wand to the Fairy Godmother, Ben stood protectively in front of Mal, body curled and ready to pounce at the first moment.
“Why you little—” Maleficent growled, turning to look between him and the Fairy Godmother, calculating.
“Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!” the Fairy Godmother shouted, twisting her wand just so that a beam of magic shot out toward Maleficent. Maleficent shouted in alarm as she waved her staff in response to block the magic.
It soon became a fierce duel as the two powerful magic users duked it out. Spells were tossed back and forth between the two while other fairies, witches, wizards, and sorcerers worked to protect everyone else in the room. Soon, there was a shimmering shield protecting the cowering citizens. A spell landed close to him, and Mal, a cackle leaving Maleficent as it did so, and Ben couldn’t help but roar in response. When her back was turned once more, Ben rushed forward to tackle Maleficent to the ground.
Her staff clattered across the ground until it hit the steps. Maleficent snarled, her claw-like nails dug into his face as she tried to shove him away, but Ben just roared in her face, watching with satisfaction as she seemed to pale in response.
Before either one could do anything else, the Fairy Godmother was there at his side, hissing her magic phrase, which soon had Maleficent trapped, unable to move a muscle. “We’ll find something special just for you,” Fairy Godmother said, but it wasn't important to Ben anymore. No, he had something else now that demanded his attention.
“Mal,” he murmured, turning toward Mal’s unmoving form. Kneeling down at her side, Ben gently picked her up, cradling her limp body close. One partially transformed paw cupped her face. “Oh, Mal,” he whispered, a soft rumble leaving him. His thumb rubbed across her cheek, leaving a smear of blood from where it tracked through the trail on the side of her face.
Pressing their foreheads together, all Ben could smell then was the metallic scent of blood, the weak remnants of whatever spray Evie convinced Mal to use, and something entirely her that he couldn’t name even if he wanted.
It was everything to him.
It killed him that she was in this state.
He shifted, her arm that had rested on her stomach flopped out, and a faint, ringing ting echoed. Ben looked down to see that his ring had made the sound from its place on her finger. Releasing Mal’s cheek, he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips to press a feather-light kiss to her knuckles. “How do we help her?” he rasped, not even seeing how his parents froze at how rough his voice sounded.
“I will need to look her over, your Majesty. So why don’t we take her somewhere private?” the Fairy Godmother replied, and Ben nodded.
“Of course,” he whispered before adjusting his grip to pick Mal up bridal style. From there, he followed after the Fairy Godmother, barely noticing as knights surrounded them. The only things he did notice were his parents’ hands on his shoulders as they followed him. But even then, it was a passing knowledge as he stared at Mal’s unconscious face while following the Fairy Godmother.
Nothing else mattered.
Mal had to be alright. She just had to. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if she wasn’t. Nor did he want to know. Just the thought of it had his breath catching in his throat, his blood feeling like ice, while it felt like ropes were wrapping themselves around his chest. It was a fear he hadn’t had before, but now that he had Mal, it was all he could think of.
He never knew loving someone would mean feeling this fear and worry, but he was willing to endure it if it meant having her in his life.
He’d endure anything to have her in his life.
Arriving at one of the private rooms situated around the healing ward, Ben moved as directed and gently placed Mal down onto the bed before stepping back. Once he was clear, the healers were stepping forward with the Fairy Godmother. Bending heads together, Ben barely understood anything they had said as they worked. While they did so, another healer appeared in front of him to clean up the cuts Maleficent left him. But then she was turning with a frown on her lips that Ben had rarely seen.
But it never meant anything good.
“At this moment, neither the healers nor I can tell what Maleficent did. It appears to be an old magic I haven’t learned about, but rest assured. We will do everything we can to wake her up,” the Fairy Godmother assured, and if Ben was honest, it didn’t do anything to reassure him. Instead, this ache settled deep in his chest. As if he were already grieving for a woman who wasn’t even dead.
Moving to sit at Mal’s side, Ben ignored his parents as they clustered together with the healers and the Fairy Godmother, talking in hushed tones. As if he couldn’t understand them with his newly enhanced hearing. But even though he could hear them, nothing they said stuck. It felt like there was static in his ears as he stared at Mal. The various cuts and bruises she had gotten were patched up. Her hair was matted around the bandage on her head, and Ben couldn’t help but reach out and run his fingers through the tangled locks carefully. A soft rumble left him when Mal’s face turned into his palm.
“I’m here, Mal. You’re safe now…and I’ll always protect you,” Ben promised. While he continued to run his fingers through her hair, his other hand grabbed Mal’s, carefully tangling their fingers together as he did so. He so desperately wanted to hold tight, but with his claws, he was terrified. He couldn’t help staring at them. They were dark and curled down…the ends a sharp point meant to hurt. Ben hoped he didn’t hurt her with them inadvertently at any point while holding her.
He didn’t think he could take the guilt of it.
Hearing the click of a door, Ben turned to see that it was just him and Mal remaining in the room and briefly wondered if that meant something bad before shaking it off and turning back toward Mal. He brought their joined hands up to press a kiss to her knuckles, rubbing a thumb across them after as he stared at her face.
“Oh, Mal,” he whispered, his eyes slipping shut as he pressed their hands to his head. He stayed like that for hours. Barely reacting as healers came and went along with the Fairy Godmother. But all too soon, the sun was setting, and Ben knew he’d have to leave. He hated it. Hated it with every fiber of his being, but knew he’d have to. They wouldn’t allow him to stay overnight. “I’ll be back tomorrow,” he promised, leaning over to press a chaste kiss on her lips. “I love you,” he murmured against her lips.
“I…lo-ove y-you too,” Mal croaked out, barely able to squeeze Ben’s fingers as he looked up in shock.
“Mal!” Ben breathed out, his breath getting knocked out of him as he stared at her beautiful green eyes. He couldn’t help himself and started peppering kisses over her face, which scrunched up even as a smile grew on her lips.
“Wh-at happened?” she asked softly, voice cracking once more.
“Your mother…she…she put you under her spell and knocked you out the moment after she got the wand. We managed to stop her, but you didn’t wake up…we couldn’t figure out what happened,” Ben explained, a soft growl leaving him as he thought about what Maleficent did once more, but when Mal weakly squeezed his hand, it stopped.
“My hero,” she murmured, accepting the water Ben grabbed with the hand that had cradled her head. “I love you,” she whispered, a weak smile on her lips as Ben beamed at her.
“I love you,” he whispered before healers descended into the room. It was going to be tough for Mal once she left this room. To accept what her own mother did. But Ben knew they’d get through it. Because she had him, her friends, and his parents. They’d all give her the support she’d need to move past it. But that was for another day. Instead, he focused on what was happening in front of him. That was the only thing that needed his attention.