Forgotten

Shattered Friendship

The graveyard was unsurprisingly empty, with the villain's having taken over it wasn't safe for most people to be out. The casket and tombstone prepared by the Fairy Godmother herself. Everyone was dressed in black, even the VK's. All the color in the world, even in their hair felt dimmed as they lowered Ben's coffin into the waiting earth.

"He was the living embodiment of goodness. Benjamin Beast was a just and good king. He was a beloved son, lover, and friend. As his light dims, we shine our lights brighter in remembrance of him." Fairy Godmother choked up as with a swish of her wand the dirt began to cover his casket. Carlos clung to Evie as he sobbed into her shoulder, Mal stood stoically as tears painted her porcelain face, and Jay stood head bowed, hair masking the sorrow he desperately wished to hide.

"He deserved better..." Evie comments bitterly to the sky and Carlos nods absently, willing away the remainder of his tears, bottling them up for inevitably later that night.

"It's all my fault. He did this for me... he died to save me," Carlos clenched his jaw, self-loathing and regret bubbling inside his gut. Mal shook her head putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Ben died because that was the kind of guy he was. He was so good, too good that he would risk himself for those he loved. He loved you, Carlos, more than anything. He did it to protect the thing he loved most because of the goodness in his heart." Mal's voice gravely and a little strained trying to keep the last vestiges of her composure.

Carlos woke to arms being wrapped around him, waking from his nightmare. For the briefest of seconds, he had hoped it was Ben, only to be greeted with the face of the last person he wanted to see right now. Jay.

"What are you doing here?" Carlos said bitterly wiping the tears from his eyes and pulling out of the boy's embrace. Jay frowned but didn't protest, it all seemed to catch up with him finally.

"I came here to apologize Carlos. I know I messed up. I just want to help make things right. I get it now. After you got so mad at me it finally started to click that Ben was never the problem, it was me the whole time. I was just so wrapped up in how things were before he came along that I didn't want to let it go. I miss you, Carlos. I just want things to be okay between us." Jay's expression honest and desperate, he wants this so much and Carlos can see every bit of it, but his pain is still too raw.

"Okay? How can I be okay? The man I love is possibly going to die because of you! You are so selfish, Jay. We are supposed to be a team, us four, and that means this selfish crap needs to stop. You never were like this on the isle. I can't believe you. Do you even know what you have done? That spell Uma wants to remove is a time spell. Fairy Godmother and Mal rewound time to save the kingdom because Uma let all the villains out. Ben DIED!" Carlos couldn't help how much that short sentence rattled him to the very core. "He died protecting me. If they remove that spell, chances are he will die again. All those dreams of his? They actually happened. You were one of his best friends Jay. You just betrayed not only me but him." Carlos couldn't help the angry just as much as he couldn't help the tears. He was so overwhelmed he didn't even know what he was feeling anymore his body and heart just ached and he just wanted Ben to sweep him up into his arms and make it all better again.

Realization his Jay like a speeding train as memory after memory, feeling after feeling, came flooding into his heart and mind like heavy summer rain. The skies tore open and lightning striking his heart as the gravity of it all settles into his very bones. He remembers and now he knows what he has done. Without warning, Jay breaks down. The calm almost careless demeanor gone as he sobs into his hands. Carlos doesn't have it in him right now to console him, they both are broken in their ways but broken together. Finally getting the emotional response from Jay that Ben deserves Carlos can feel the goodness in his heart, like a small glimmer of Ben's warmth, remind him who Jay is. Jay is his friend.

"I messed up 'Los... I fucked up so bad. I'm so sorry." Jay cries and for a second Carlos feels bad for him before he remembers what he did. Carlos lets out a shaky sigh and puts a trembling hand on his friend's knee.

"When we get Ben back, Alive, I'll let him decide whether or not to forgive you. You betrayed me, but it wasn't my life you put on the line, Jay. Yes, you fucked up, fucked up so bad I don't even have words to describe it, but you're still my friend. So for now, I can't forgive you, but if and when we get Ben back, we will let him decide." Carlos and Jay looked into each other's tearful eyes and that spark, their friendship was there. It was faint and damaged like a broken mirror with a cracked reflection, but you could still see some semblance of what it was and what it held. Carlos got up and checked his phone. It would be time for school soon. He didn't have the strength to go but he needed to catch up with the girls on the plan.

"I'll do anything I can to help get him back, I swear. Let me help. I want to fix this." Jay begged and Carlos reluctantly nodded. Carlos got up, slipped into Ben's shower and changed back into his clothes. Together the two of them headed for the dorms together, getting a ride from Chip. When the two boys arrived all three girls were passed out. Mal on her bed snuggled up with Evie, their noses touching while Lonnie lay spread across the other bed reminding Carlos of how Ben looks in the morning. It filled him briefly with a shot of warmth that he needed an inner strength reminding him that this wasn't over. Ben could be fine, he just had to fight for him.