Descendants Meets OUAT

Chapter 24

The woods are never a great place to be. It's where Red Riding Hood ate her boyfriend. Where the Dark One is reborn. It is home to wild animals with no laws. It's where Jefferson found her and told her own life story. The woods are a terrible place. And yet this is where Mal, daughter of Maleficent, has found herself running for her life. 

The trees blur together. Her feet barely touch the ground and she runs to escape. She's tired, yearning to stop, but if she stops she might not make it out alive. And she must make it back. Back to her friends. Back to Evie. Back to Ben. Back home. But where is home?  

In her soul she knows that home is with Ben and Evie. When she wakes, will she know this?

Something is whispering in her ear. 

"You are not safe. Go home and never come back."

The voice sounds both far away and right behind her. Chilling her to the bone and making her wish that the earth would swallow her whole. And then something sharp pierces her soul.

Mal's eyes fly wide open and she sits up. Unfortunately for Ben, he's knocked off the bed with no warning. 

"Are you okay?" She peers over the side of the bed to check on her boyfriend. 

"Yeah, I'm fine, are you? Are you not going to ask how you ended up in my bed?"

"Well, I wanted to see if you hit your head or something, but I guess we can start there. How did I end up here?" 

"Magic," Ben says weakly. How do you explain that your girlfriend just ended up in your bed without sounding creepy?

"No, but seriously, how did I get here?" The motherload of all awkward silences bubbles between the two. If the dream told her anything, they should head home before it is too late. 

"You just kind of appeared. Can I ask you a question?" 

Mal knows that Ben's answer doesn't really answer her question, but he doesn't seem like the kidnapping type. Maybe the type to be kidnapped. 

"Back at the hospital, why did you choose to go with Emma? Why not come back with us? We could have helped you."

A fair question, for sure.

"Honestly, everything is so confusing. It's like my memories are just out of reach. You guys were telling me so much information, I felt like I was letting you all down. Back in Gold's shop, I saw my mother's necklace. I knew it was her necklace, but I couldn't remember how I knew." 

Mal brandishes the necklace from her pocket and shows it to Ben.

"You aren't letting us down, it's just frustrating how quickly you left us to join strangers. You really can't remember anything?"

"Now exactly, not on my own," Mal sighs. Ben gives her a confused look and waits for her to continue. "My mom's necklace is embedded with dark magic. I put it on yesterday and I was hit with a bunch on memories, I didn't keep it on long enough to make sense of it."

This changes things. They wouldn't have to involve Maleficent. Not yet, anyways. If Ben could only convince her. 

"If you want, we can take it a little bit at a time?"

"I want to remember, I didn't yesterday. I got into a fight with Evie, I felt awful. I figured it would hurt a lot worse if I remembered. But I want my memories."

"Do you want a hand to hold?" 

Mal nods and Ben offers his hand. She puts on the necklace and a whirlwind of memories hits her like a freight train.

Musical numbers throughout the Isle and Auradon.

Plotting to give Ben a love potion. 

Stealing candy from a baby.

Struggling to fit in with the princesses.

Meeting Hades.

Steal a wand. 

Getting ready for a date with Evie. 

Giving preppy Auradon girls new hair.

Arm wrestling Uma.

Carlos getting over his fear of dogs.

Watching Ben become king.

Dizzy giving her a makeover.

Finding herself like six times.

Turning into a Dragon.

Standing up to her mother. 

Learning what being in love feels like.

Meet an evil Peter Pan.

Jefferson promising to help her get back. 

Learning Gold knows, taught, her mom.

Too many memories to sort through. Too many memories swirling in her head. Too much of a mental strain, she passes out. 

After making sure that Mal is still breathing, still alive, Ben calls Evie to let her know that Mal may or may not have her memories. To keep everyone in Storybrooke, there would be problems to come. 

Henry knows who they are, Mal told him. Most likely Henry already told his family. They will either need to come clean or come up with their own story. There is way too much to do. 

"She'll be okay, she always is," Ben assures himself.