Rockabye •Descendants

rockabye •twenty-nine

...

The next day, Ben had finally left his room. Left the castle. He walked to Auradon Prep, turning from corner to corner until he got to his destination. The door of Serena and Ginny's dorm room. He gave the door a few knocks and with some shuffling heard from inside, the door opened wide. Ginny let him in and shut the door behind him.

"Have a seat, Ben." Ginny says, pushing her desk chair to him as she sat on her bed. Ben sat down and looked at Ginny with a questioning look. "You didn't tell anyone you were coming here, right? Your parents? Friends? Girlfriend?"

The last thing Ginny needed was for Mal to be involved and make this whole situation worse. Now, it wasn't just Mal, but everyone. Ginny didn't need everyone bickering her about responsibility and 'doing the right thing by coming forward'. She didn't need Ben telling everyone she knew where Serena and Athena are.

Ben shakes his head 'no', an answer that Ginny found satisfaction in. "No. A lot has crossed my mind. Reality hit me, Ginny, and I know now what I need to do."

"And what is that?" Ginny asks curiously. Ben puffed out his chest.

"I am King. It's my responsibility to lead Auradon, just as it was my responsibility to be there for Serena when she had our baby. I blame myself for not sticking up to my parents. I was scared and everyone was telling me how this was going to ruin my life. I see now that is was my decision to be there or not. I may not have been there for the first few years, but I'm here now. I'm stepping up and I'm not going anywhere."

"Those are some big shoes to fill, Ben. What would your parents and Mal think?"

"As far as I can see, from now on, this is between me and Serena. Everything having to do with our daughter stays between me and her."

"That's good. It's for the best, to be honest. This can better your relationship with Serena, showing her you do have a mind of your own." Ginny said bluntly. For a moment Ben felt insult with her comment, but at the same time she was right. "And once Athena gets to know you better, it'll be easier for her to accept you."

"That's all I want. I want to be there for her. To be her father, take her on fun adventures, celebrate her birthday, get her a DOG!" Ben exclaims truthfully. "I want Serena and I to be friends. Before the whole baby situation, before us being boyfriend and girlfriend, we were best friends. In my heart, I'll always love her..." Ben says the end to himself more than to Ginny. Ginny responses to him nonetheless.

"What about Mal? I'm not exactly her number one fan, but I don't think she deserve to get her heart break."

"Mal and I may have started out not so truthful ways, but my feeling for her are real. I will always have love and respect for Serena, she was once my greatest friend and mother to my child. I just don't think she and I could ever make a relationship work." Ben says.

"All right then. That's how you feel. A bit sappy, but hey that's just me talking." Ginny always found a way to make something so serious into a joke.

"You told me you know where Serena is. Why is it only you?" Ben asks, getting straight to the point of it all.

"I am Serena's best friend and Athena's godmother. Of course she would tell me where she was going." Ginny answers, almost offended that Ben would think she wasn't a trustworthy friend.

"What about Chad? Isn't he godfather?"

"That's the difference between me and Chad, Ben. With Chad, he would immediately let Ariel know where Serena and Athena are. He would think he's helping Serena when in reality, it would make the problem worsen. With me, I wouldn't tell anyone unless Serena wanted me to. I ain't no snitch." Ginny says with a snap in her fingers.

"Then why are you telling me?" Ben asks. His question made Ginny smirk.

"'Cause Serena said it was okay." Ginny pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it over to Ben. "Before she left, she came here to get a few of her things. She wrote down this address and asked me to give it to you."

"Really?" Ben asks, looking over the writing. It was definitely Serena's print. He quickly shoved the paper in his pocket.

"She left because she wanted alone time with her daughter, without the constant nagging coming for Ariel, I guess. Even Serena needs a break away from her mom. Anyways, she wanted you to go over there, so I suggest you go home and pack a bag."

"Pack, why?"

"Just relying a message, but I suggest you do it. This might by your only chance at proving you can step up."

"Thank you, Ginny."

"Don't thank—well actually, yes, thank me. I did this out of the goodness of my heart, but I am not a pigeon for everyone to send messages to one another." Ben chuckles lightly and stands.

"Either way, thank you."

"I expected a gift basket of muffins." Whether Ginny was joking or not, Ben planned on doing just that. He said his goodbye and left. His first destination was home to pack. His next was the mysterious place that Serena was at.

In a cottage by the river, a little princess sat outside in the grass and fed the baby lamb daisies that she picked. She petted the soft animal as it let out a noise before it walked away. The little princess watched it leave and waved goodbye as the sound of a door opened and shut from a far.

"Athena!" Her mother called out. The little princess stood up, brushed the grass off her dress and ran towards her mother who had carried a tray of lunch out. Some much fun and adventure the little princess has been having since she arrived to his happy home.

FORGIVE THE ERRORS.