Chapter Text
When Mal woke up she was practically buried under a pile of blankets and she let out a sleepy groan as she lifted her head, then she let her head flop back when the memories of what happened came rushing back. "Papa?"
"I'm here." the voice was from beside her and Mal turned her head to see Hades, who had clearly been sat on the floor next to the bed keeping an eye on her.
Despite how heartbroken she was that felt... nice actually. Her papa loved her. It was comforting and she let out a shaky breath. "Thank you. For... being there."
"Where else was I gonna be? Kinda trapped here." Hades shot her a teasing smile, and Mal laughed softly.
"You know what I meant-"
"Yeah Mali I know." Hades frowned, "Now do I need to murder your little boyfriend."
"Ex boyfriend." Mal's voice was quiet, "That was made very clear by his new girl today-"
"So killing him it is-if you let me off the Isle."
"No-no." Mal shook her head, smiling weakly. "I don't want you to hurt him even if... even if I am kinda heartbroken."
"He's not worth it." Hades snorted "You're the best that brat could ever dream of having Mali. Never forget that. If he was dumb enough to leave you
then he deserves nothing. You'll find someone better."
"I love him." Mal admitted quietly, "I thought he was the one, y'know?"
"If he can hurt you like this then he doesn't even nearly deserve you."
"I love you papa." Mal sighed, "You... I needed this. You."
"You were a mess when you got here." Hades scowled, "Ben'll be lucky if I ever see him and don't kill him."
"Papa no." Mal shifted, sitting up in the bed and giving him a serious look, "I don't want you to hurt him. I still love him. That... I love him enough to let him go if he wants to go." she tucked a curl behind her ear, frowning softly.
Something felt different, slightly off, though she couldn't put any words to it. "What time is it anyway papa?"
"Seven." Hades shook his head, "I know your party's supposed to start at seven but you were a mess Mali, I wasn't gonna wake you up and send you to a party when you were so worked up."
"It's okay papa. People will complain but right now that's the last thing I care about." she sighed heavily, "I wonder if I'll get any signal down here... I know the Isle doesn't exactly have cell service but-"
"You will, not good signal but passable." Hades looked somewhat guilty, "I tried to get deep enough to get through, there's little cracks that let in some cell phone signal. Never could get deep enough that I could access my magic."
"Right." Mal sighed, grabbing her bag from where Hades had placed it next to the bed and opening it up, raising an eyebrow slightly when she saw the number of missed calls. Twenty.
Five from Ben, seven from an unknown number, three from Evie, two from Jay and Carlos each and one from Audrey, and there were multiple voicemails too.
"Wow." she breathed out, "Just wow. I... Now I am actually concerned why the hell did they try and call me so much?"
"Did they leave messages?"
"Yeah, yeah there are a few." Mal frowned worriedly as she quickly dialed the number to call up her voicemails, holding her phone to her ear, brows furrowing when she was told there were six.
Then the first one started-surprisingly it wasn't from Ben but from the unknown number.
"Mal, Mal why the hell aren't you picking up I've tried to call you like, a dozen times and you're not answering. Gil said you were upset about something... what's going on what the hell was he talking about Samantha? There's no big secret I don't understand why you're so upset. I didn't even know you were coming here today. Please just answer the phone I'm worried about you."
Then there was the next one.
"Mal, Mal why the-why is the necklace I gave you hanging on my door handle what the-Mal I swear I don't know what I've done wrong I know we fought and honestly I think you were probably right I'm sorry... if this is what that's about then please don't keep ignoring me please just answer your freaking phone because I am scared right now okay legitimately scared I can't lose you I love you." and Mal could feel the confusion rushing over her.
"W-what-" but then the next voice mail was starting and it's Evie's voice this time.
"Mal, Mal Ben told us something went wrong when you went to see him, did Samantha show up or something did she say something to you? Gil said you knew about Samantha but I promise you Ben's had nothing to do with Samantha. He hates her you know that we all do after what she did to me on Family day. I'm gonna call Audrey okay I wanna know that you're okay so please just let us know were you are? I know everyone's on their way to Castle Beast I really hope you're there. God just... call us back please Mal whatever happened... call us back."
"Something's not right." Mal frowned, catching Hades' eye, "Something doesn't make sense. They... why would he pretend innocent like this I caught her leaving his room with his jacket and ring."
"Put it on speaker." Hades leaned closer, moving so that he was sat in the bed next to Mal as she clicked on the speaker phone button and pulled the phone away from her ear.
"Mal." it was Audrey's voice this time, filled with worry, "Mal, Mal please please you never ignore my calls, never, not unless you literally can't pick up so what's wrong why the hell aren't you answering your phone this... it's not funny Evie called me sounding worried as hell and she said you went to see Ben but something happened and you ended up not seeing him? She said something upset you-I swear to god if he's done something bad I will kill him Mal if he's upset you more than you already were I will take my heel and use it to poke his eyes out. God Mal please just call back...-"
"Mal!" that was Hadie's voice, "Mal please please be okay I don't wanna lose my big sister where are you? Come home please everyone's freaking out-"
"She'll be okay Hadie she always is." Audrey's voice was soothing, and Mal could see the pain in Hades' eyes hearing his youngest child sounding so scared, "Just... for god sake please call someone okay? Literally any of us."
"Her I like." Hades spoke when the beep sounded showing that it was the end of the message. "Much more than I like Ben." his arm wrapped around Mal's shoulder, squeezing gently.
"Mal." the next message was different instantly. Ben's voice was beyond the worry that there had been before, now there was anger in it too. "I just went into my room and someone's been in there it was Samantha wasn't it? I know she's taken my jacket and my ring-I took it off because I didn't... I didn't feel like I deserved to have it. God Mal whatever she told you was a lie I swear. Whatever she said was a lie. Please you have to believe me-" and Mal felt as if her breath had been stolen. Should she get her hopes up? It would be even worse if she got her hopes up only to lose him again. "I never... god Mal I swear I get why you'd believe it I haven't exactly been there for you lately and if she had the ring... but please give me a chance to prove that I didn't betray you I can't handle the thought of losing you once more. I'll... I really hope you're at home I really really do because I'm about to head there to find you. I swear if you make me search for you I will... I'll find you I swear no matter what okay I just... I know I said it before but I love you. Like, really, truly, seriously love you."
"Do you think he's telling the truth?" Hades raised an eyebrow, "I'd have to trust your judgement on this matter."
"I.. I really want to believe him... and Samantha does hate me... and.. and he's always hated her for what she did on Family day."
"Then you should go back and talk to him."
"There's one more message." Mal pointed out, as the message started, and it was Ben's voice again. And suddenly the voice was beyond terror it was frantic. "Mal, Mal she took my mom." his voice almost shook, "She's gone, I checked her vivarium and she's gone Samantha took her. I... everyone knows that it's my mom why would she steal... Mal you need to get home like now." and Mal felt her heart sinking.
What would Samantha want with Maleficent."
"Mal if she finds a way to restore her... if she comes back... I.. you need to be here, Auradon needs you okay. The Kingdom needs you I think we're in trouble, like, really big trouble." then there was the click of Ben hanging up and Mal looked at Hades, who frowned.
"Mal. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Ben the one Maleficent adopted to replace you so that she could still have a minion?"
"Yes." Mal nodded, her face pale. "Yes. That would be right. She was turned into a lizard during my coronation just under a year ago."
"So this girl who hates you has Maleficent?"
"I... Samantha doesn't have magic... but if she somehow manages to find a spell or something..." she shook her head, face pale, "If she restores Maleficent to her normal form... I need to get back to Auradon. Like, now."
"Right." Hades nodded, "Let's get you out-" and then the ground was shaking around them and Hades was shoving them both to the ground, curling himself around her protectively as he pressed them both close to the wall, shielding her from chunks of rock that fell around them.