Love Will Find a Way

~Eight~

Ben was walking through the halls of the castle. Where is she he asked himself. Suddenly, he spotted Belle. "Mom-"

"Benjamin," she replied.

"Have...have you seen Madison anywhere?" Ben asked.

"You won't like the answer I'm going to give you," Belle responded. "Why do you care where your daughter is anyway? It's not like you cared before."

"I've always cared about Madison," Ben said.

"Really?" Belle asked, "because you have a funny way of showing it."

"I know, I know," Ben said, "I know what I did was wrong, but I want to make it right."

"It only took eleven years."

"Can I please explain myself without the remarks? I know what I did was wrong. At the time, I was just upset. I couldn't even look at Maddie without seeing Mal in her. I will admit, yes, I neglected her for a few years, but when I wanted to make things right, it was already too late. She had moved on, but I didn't."

"Why did you have to be so harsh and strict with her?" Belle asked. "Your father wasn't even like that with you. He actually listened to your ideas. I mean, he allowed you to bring villain kids for that matter. Why do you have to be so traditional with her?"

Ben shrugged. "I guess...without Mal...I lost myself. When Mal left, I didn't know who I was anymore."

"How do you think Doug, Lonnie, and Jane handled it?" Belle asked. "They lost their loves too. I mean, Lonnie had to raise-"

"Two kids on her own. I know," Ben said. "Doug kinda ranted to me about it the other night. I understand what he was saying, and he's right. It wasn't right of me to do so. It wasn't fair to them on the way I acted. I also missed Maddie growing up. I mean, she's going to be queen soon."

"And graduate in two years."

"I don't need to be reminded." Ben sighed. "I just want to apologize to her for everything. I know she may not forgive me, but I just want her to listen to me."

"I'm sure she'll come around at some point. Just remember, this is eleven years worth of apologies you're doing."

"I know."

"Here's an idea," Belle began, "why don't you apologize to Doug, Lonnie, and Jane. I feel like they deserve one as well."

Ben nodded. "Okay."

Ben had called Doug, Lonnie, and Jane to the castle. He was surprised that all had agreed to come. Well, Lonnie had to bring Jamie along with her, but he didn't mind. He explained to them why he had invited them. He was scared that they wouldn't listen, but to his surprise, they listened to what he had to say.

"I can't believe you guys actually listened to me," Ben said.

"Hey," Lonnie began, "you were obviously going through a hard time."

"But you three were too," Ben said. "I acted like such a jerk."

"Well," Jane began, "there's no shame in starting from the beginning again. We can make it work."

"They're right," Doug said. "We can make things right again."

All four of them stood up and talked. They filled Ben on everything they had done in the last eleven years. It was then that Ben noticed Jamie hiding behind her mother.

Ben bent down to the ten years old's height. "I don't think we ever met formally," Ben said. "I'm Ben."

"Don't be shy," Lonnie said to Jamie. Lonnie looked up to Ben, "I promise, she is far from shy."

"She is," Doug said.

"I'm Jamie," Jamie replied as she shook Ben's hand.

Ben chuckled. "I guess I should start looking for Maddie to do eleven years of apologies in day."

"Does he not know?" Jamie asked.

"Know what?" Ben asked.

Doug, Lonnie, and Jane were motioning to Jamie to start talking, but she didn't know what they weren't getting at. "He doesn't know that Maddie went with Levi, Daisy, and Christian to the catacombs to go the Isle to go look for Mal, Evie, Carlos, and daddy?"

"....What?"

AN: Sorry it's been a while. I've been going through some things, and I haven't been motivated to write any of Descendants stories recently. I promise that chapters are coming!