Insanely Sane

3: 11

Outside at the entrance to Auradon, Evie and Catherine noticed Mal and Ben coming. "There they are."

Mal and Ben bowed to the crowd before climbing the stairs to address everyone.

Ben smiled. "Lady Mal and I wanna thank you for celebrating our engagement with us today. I couldn't be happier to call you my queen. So... raise your glasses, to our future queen of Auradon."

Everyone lifted their glass and said, "To our queen of Auradon."

Carlos and Edward grinned. "Speech, your specialness!"

"Speech, your fancy one!" Jay called.

Mal's face dropped. "I can't. I can't be queen of Auradon."

Kiara frowned, wondering what Mal was saying.

"Mal," Ben said softly.

Mal met his eyes. "I can't turn my back on the Isle. We made a decision to close the barrier forever. And it was my idea. But it's wrong. I've learned... that you can't live in fear... because it doesn't actually protect you from anything." She let out an awkward laugh. "You never know where the bad is gonna come from. And you never know where the heroes are gonna come from either. Without Uma and her pirates, Auradon would be gone. And without Hades... my father..." The crowd let out a surprised gasp. "Audrey would be gone. We are all capable of good and bad, no matter which side of the barrier we come from. And that's why I can't be queen of just Auradon. I have to be queen of the Isle, too. And it's time that we take the barrier down forever."

King Beast frowned. "We can't do that."

Ben turned to his father. "It's up to us, Dad. I choose to be a king who moves forward. It's time for forgiveness. It's time for new beginnings. The barrier will come down!"

The crowd erupted into a loud cheer. "Yes!"

"Bring it down, Mal," Ben said.

Kiara grinned, all anger at her friend almost immediately disappearing.

The crowd started applauding and Mal called the VKs up to the balcony. Fairy Godmother gave her a nod.

Mal smiled and said, "To make the world a better place..."

All the original VKs finished, "...we have to do it face to face."

Mal pointed the wand at the Isle and a gold shimmering light shined. The gray cloud over the barrier disappeared and the bridge connected the Isle and Auradon. Mal leaned into Jay and she and Edward squeezed Kiara's hands.

[Break This Down]

A Chinese dragon Mal appeared and some of the VK parents appeared.

Kiara, upon seeing her father, ran up to him and hugged him tightly.

Jefferson smiled and spun her around.

Edward and Catherine walked up and the Wonderland trio, and Jefferson, shared a smile, glad the border was down for good.

Eventually, the crowd dissipated, and only the original VKs remained. They stared out at the Isle.

After a moment, Evie asked, "Do you ever miss them?"

Carlos and Catherine nodded. "Yeah."

"Do you think they miss us?" Mal wondered.

Carlos met her eyes. "Yeah. Of course."

Kiara smiled. "Why wouldn't they? We're their kids. I mean, I miss my father so, so much and I know he misses me just as much. But with the barrier down, I can see him, and vice versa, whenever I want."

Mal placed her fist in the middle. "Cause we're rotten..."

The VKs placed their fists in the middle, next to hers. "...to the core."

"Hey, last one over the bridge..." Carlos began, smiling at Catherine who gave a quick peck to his cheek.

"...is a rotten apple!" The VKs finished.

They started running across the bridge to the Isle.

Edward grabbed Kiara's hand, stopping her, and kissed her. Kiara smiled and continued running down the bridge to see her father and her old home once again.