𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞

♕𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞♛

The next day Adam had gathered Mal, Vanessa, Ben, Nick, Celina, Robin, Fairy Godmother, and his wife at Ben and Nick's office to talk about what happened yesterday.

"I think we all know why we're here. The people are in a panic about Hades. He almost got out." Adam started and he reminded his sons after seeing their expression. 

"Who knows what he would've done if he had escaped?" Fairy Godmother shook her head as the other adults agreed.

"We can't risk having another villain on the loose." Adam told his sons as Vanessa looked down thinking of what they could do. "I really feel like this is my fault. I'm supposed to protect Auradon." Mal looked over to Ben as Vanessa looked over to her oldest sister while Nick placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You did, you do protect Auradon." Ben assured Mal as he held her hands. "Every time we open the barrier, we're exposed to danger. Maleficent, Uma, Hades." Adam listened as he reminded them of everyone that got to Auradon before Ben and Nick's phone rang so they went to answer it.

"Maleficent's scepter and one of the queens' crowns have been stolen." Nick informed everyone after he and Ben saw the message causing Fairy Godmother to gasp as Celina and Belle shared a look while Robin looked down with a head shake. 

"Uma?" Adam asked his sons after glancing over to Vanessa. "We don't know that, dad." Ben shook his head as they weren't told that.

"It's not her I would know if it was her." Vanessa told Adam as she was sure it wasn't her cousin it couldn't be. 

"When people hear this, they will never want to leave their houses." Celina folded her arms as she knew what this meant. "They'll be terrified." Robin agreed with his wife as he realized.

"What do we tell them? Mal? Vanessa? What do we do? How do we keep evil out of Auradon?" Belle asked the two girls as everyone turned to them. "I think that there's only. . . one way to guarantee their safety. And I think that there. . . can't be anymore going in and out." Mal started as her eyes started to water but Vanessa turned to her in confusion.

"I think that we have to close the barrier. . . forever." Mal explained as the adults agree which did not go well with her sister or the Kings. "No!" Vanessa exclaimed standing up quickly as Ben and Nick agreed with her. "Sweetie. . . " Celina began seeing her daughter's distraught expression.

"No. We can't just close it. That's ridiculous." Vanessa crossed her arms not having it. "Vee, I don't want this either but it has to be done." Mal explained to her younger sister but Vanessa wasn't backing down. 

"Mal, we've promised them a better life. We promised they could go back and visit whenever they wanted to. What are we just going to break that promise?" Vanessa questioned as she wasn't about to break their hearts.

"There's children over there that have been dreaming of this. People that are excited to finally get a chance at some happiness. We both know how it is living over there. Trapped." Vanessa reminded her as she knows how everyone at the Isle felt about this. "But we have to think of everyone here in Auradon." Mal told her sister softly knowing how she felt about this.

"Closing the barrier won't do anything Mal. Dad will still be trying to get out of the Isle every time he gets the chance and he's immortal. He's got the time. Closing the barrier will enrage him to keep trying." Vanessa shook her head in anger.

"And closing the barrier will only show the VKs over there that they're just meant to be locked up for the rest of their lives. . . . My crews over there. So are Harry and Gil. I promised them a chance of happiness and freedom. I'm not taking that away from them or anyone from the Isle."

"We have to think about the people we have here." Mal walked up to her as she gestured the adults with the brothers sighed, shaking their heads.

"Yeah well everyone in the Isle are our people too. And I am thinking of the people we have to protect. I'm willing to fight to protect everyone from the Isle and Auradon for as long as I can. You think we don't know how people are going to react with this information, well we do we've experienced it our whole lives." Vanessa reminded her before she looked over to the adults.

"I'm not going to be for this. They're my family too and I'm not going to leave them there. Hades won't ever stop and this will not be a solution but the breaking point for everyone." Vanessa shook her head as she walked over to the door.

Before she could leave Mal spelled her causing her to shut her eyes as she fell back luckily Nick caught her on time. 

"What'd you do?" Celina asked Mal as she was worried and confused.

"It's a spell that'll make her forget the whole conversation. She'll wake up in an hour." Mal explained with a sadden expression as she didn't want to take her sister's memory. "She's right though we can't close the barrier forever." Ben shook his head as he agreed with his best friend. 

"We saw how everything is and we did this to give the children a chance." Nick shook his head as he laid his fiance on a couch they had there.

"Sons. . ." Adam started as he wanted them to see. "No." They both shook their heads as they began to walk off. "Guys, hey I don't want to take away your dream. Because it was so beautiful. And it is why I fell in love with you." Mal started as she stopped them before she looked over to Ben. 

"But as Kings, and as Queens. . . what's our duty?" Mal asked them with a serious expression. "To protect Auradon." Ben and Nick answered sadly after sharing a look with each other. 

"But do you know what this would mean? All those kids. Are you prepared for that?" Ben asked her as Nick shook his head not believing they're actually going to do this. "I know what it means. . . and no, I'm not prepared for it. I just think that we have no other choice." Mal shook her head as she answered him.

"Sons? Mal's right." Adam called out to his sons as the three turned to him. "I just don't think that we would forgive ourselves if something terrible happened." Mal told him as she walked over to her sister patting her sleeping shoulder sadly.

~~❦~~

Published~ August 4, 2020