Chapter 14 - Leaving Us Here Will Be Their Last Regret!

(A/N) Sorry again for another late chapter but it's a long one and one of my struggles with writing I've realized is that I find it difficult to write emotion heavy chapters. I hope you enjoy this! Please let me know what you think as I'm quite nervous about this one.

Disclaimer: I do not own Descendants or any of the characters.

Harry was jittery with energy. He couldn't stay still and found himself pacing around the ruins of Ursula's chip shop. Sometimes he would stop at the stage, rest his back against it with his arms folded and stare intensely at the swing door exit. After a few moments, he would let out a frustrated growl and head towards the door, only to stop and change his mind.

Everything was wrecked worst than the ships at Shipwreck Cove.

Uma's grand opening was ruined, the entire chip shop trashed after months of renovating and redecorating. Ursula would be furious with her daughter, putting the blame completely on her shoulders. Harry clenched his hand into a tight fist, seeing red as he thought of those responsible.

Mal, Jay and little Carlos. Oh, when he got his hands on them there would be hell to pay! He would love to run his hook through the VKs's precious leader, but that honour would fall to Uma now. Considering everything that had happened tonight, Uma deserved to get her revenge first hand.

Jay on the other hook, he wouldn't be so lucky. Harry had never liked the boy but now he had a personal score to settle with him. Jay was going to suffer when he next saw him. If the wretched coward hadn't snuck up behind him and knocked him out like the honourless snake that the boy was, maybe he could have convinced Evie to join his crew. She could have been standing here by him right now. But no, thanks to Jay she was out there somewhere with them. Those blasted, scurvy brats who didn't deserve her!

"Are ye really choosing them over me?"

"You're the one who made me chose."

Harry's anger faltered when he thought back to that small exchange, guilt rearing its ugly head. He hadn't meant to make her feel like that, like she had to choose then and there and under such distress between him and the VKs. That hadn't been his intention at all! He had been protecting her! Taking up the role of the prince and slaying the dragon that wished her harm. It was Mal who had tried to do her in!

Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair as he remembered her voice, pleading with him to stop, to not bring down the comeuppance that Mal so rightly deserved. He recalled that sharp pain, like a dagger in his chest, when Evie had blocked his blade, the look of hurt on her face. He couldn't get rid of that haunting image of her hazel eyes, imploring him to stand down before it went any further. She had looked desperate and panicked, not wanting to fight him but afraid for the safety of the defenceless girl behind her.

Harry let out a curse.

Mal didn't deserve Evie's protection or loyalty. And yet, she had it. He should have remembered that, remembered how unwavering Evie's loyalty was. He should have backed down when she had asked. Mal couldn't have done any harm to Evie without her weapon and she had been surrounded. But Harry had let his more wild side take over, his thirst to avenge his friends clouding his judgement. He had made his princess feel like she had no choice but to pick a side. When she had accused him of making her choose it was like a punch to the gut. Yes, he ultimately wanted her to leave the VKs but he had never wanted to put her in a situation where she felt she had no choice!

No longer in the heat of battle, Harry knew he couldn't hold it against Evie for choosing the VKs over him. He had been in her situation before, someone forcing him to choose between friends and he had retaliated by choosing the ones who hadn't made him choose. He would not have his hand forced by anyone. He made his own choices. Evie had obviously felt the same way. He understood why she did what she did, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt him.

Harry eyed the swing doors once more.

He needed to fix this. He knew the trust that he and Evie had built up was riddled with cracks and tears and would take time to repair, but he would do it. No force wielded by any gods would stop him. He would win back her favour through blood, sweat and tears if need be. And once he had he would convince her, make her realize just how pathetic the VKs were. There was no way they could be together unless she realized that. If they wanted to be with one another then they had to be on the same team. Having their friends accept their relationship was no longer possible. Not after everything that had happened tonight. Neither side would accept it and he couldn't blame them.

The thought spurred him into action. He stormed towards the door, pirates who were cleaning up jumping out of his path.

"Harry, what are you doing?" Gil asked cautiously, watching the boy quietly from where he was sitting on the stage.

"He's thinking about going after his pretty princess, that's what," Uma snapped as she came into the room, having showered and put on fresh clothes. "After what happened, not a good idea. Quite clearly she's chosen her side."

"That could have all played out differently if ye hadn't broken yer truce!" Harry gridded to a stop, whipping around to face Uma, a snarl on his lips. "What did ye think ye were doing? Everything's ruined now!"

He certainly hadn't forgotten Uma's ill-timed reveal and broken truce. If she hadn't gotten caught up in the moment, so determined to bring Mal to her knees, then everything might have turned out very differently.

"Oh, so this is my fault?" Uma scoffed. "I was trying to bring her over to our side! I misjudged how Evie was going to react!"

"Now there's an understatement if I ever did hear one," Harry said with a harsh laugh. "And now she's gone and probably wants nuthin to do with me!"

He knew he was being unfair on Uma with those remarks. Mal having tried to take Evie down with a sword had presented the perfect opportunity for Evie to switch sides. Uma didn't know Evie as well as he and even he had thought she would have switched sides after that incident. They were both wrong.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Uma replied seriously. "That girl's clearly in love with you, Harry."

Harry's felt a tightness in his chest, his eyes softening with hope. He glanced away, looking longingly towards the door. He wanted that to be true. Dear seas below, he did. To have his heart's desire return his feelings and end any doubts if she felt for him as deeply as he did for her.

"And how do ye know that, Uma?" Harry asked quietly, wanting some kind of confirmation to his wish.

"Have you not seen the way that girl looks at you?" Uma asked. "Not to mention she risked her friend's anger to be with you. And according to you, she came here to warn you about their prank tonight when she found out about it. You don't do that if you don't care about someone."

Harry swallowed, his grip on his hook tightening. Even if it were true, that didn't mean she would want to be with him now. She was as stubborn as him when she wanted to be. And tonight, he knew he had hurt her. He saw the look of pure betrayal on her face when she had figured out Uma's plan and realized he had known about it. Yes, it was underhanded and yes it was motivated partly by his own selfish desire to be with her, but it was also because he wanted her to be safe and with friends who would look out for her and cherish her. The VKs weren't good enough for her. Not by a long shot. He just had to make her see that.

"And if she doesn't come around," Uma continued, as though hearing his doubts, "then the circumstances will force her. Where is she gonna go now? Do you think the VK's are gonna keep her around after tonight? No. We still win. Evie will have no one else to turn to. We'll have her on our side. The VKs will be finished. Mal will be all alone. We win. Now, I'm going to go deal with my mother. Gil, do not let him chase after Evie. Got it."

Gil saluted unsurely.

Harry watched Uma leave.

So he was supposed to just wait for the VKs to turn on Evie? Let the wolves tear her to shreds and he would be left to pick up the pieces? Not bloody likely!

The moment Uma was gone Harry charged towards the door.

"Harry, wait!" Gil spluttered, scrabbling off the stage. "Uma said-"

"I don't give a toss she what said!" Harry shouted. "I'm going to see Evie and no one's gonna-"

Gil threw himself at Harry's waist, tackling the boy to the ground.

"GIL!"

The temporary VK children laughed and shouted as they raced through the dark alleyways, splitting off from the main group with a quick cheer as they arrived at each of their homes. Finally, only the four main VKs were left. They ran in silence, snaking their way through the streets and side passages. By the time they came to a halt at Bargain Castle, they were all exhausted and panting heavily, all in serious need of rest.

Jay rested against a wall, Carlos heaving himself onto a stack of crates beside him. Mal stood by the gate to her home, her back resting against it. Evie stood a few feet away, her hands on her knees and back bent. All their faces were flushed, their hair and clothes dishevelled from the fighting and running.

"Well... that was... fun," Carlos panted.

Jay glared at him from the corner of his eye.

"Fun?" Mal laughed. "What about that was fun?"

Everyone flinched as Mal's voice pitched angrily. With a snarl, Mal straightened her posture, pushing herself away from the gate. Her eyes were on the verge of glowing threateningly, a glare set firmly on her face.

"Carlos nearly got tarred and feathered! Uma humiliated me in front of everyone! Harry almost cut my hands off! And now we know, that Evie over there, has been gallivanting with our enemy!" Mal slammed her fist furiously into the gate, causing it to rattle loudly. "What about that was fun?"

Carlos shrunk into himself at Mal's outburst, looking away demurely.

Mal whirled on Evie, pointing a finger accusingly at the startled girl.

"As for you!"

"Wow! Hold up!" Jay shouted, quickly jumping to stand between the two girls. "Mal, let's all take a breather and calm down!"

"Who are you to tell me to calm down?" Mal spat. "You knew about her and Harry and you didn't tell me! You're just as bad as her!"

Mal tried to shove her way past Jay but the boy would not be moved. Mal growled in frustration, her eyes glowing brightly. When Jay still refused to budge she let out a curse and moved away. She grabbed a rock from the ground and tossed it at the sign that would elevate the gates to her home. She didn't say another word as she bound up the stairs, not looking back once.

The three remaining VKs stood there is tense silence, neither able to look at the others. It was Evie who broke the quiet first, her voice ginger and hesitant, unsure if now was the right time to ask the question that had been bugging her for a so long.

"Jay... why didn't you tell Mal?"

Jay didn't look at her, still staring at the staircase that Mal had vanished up.

"Because... you're my friend too." He turned to her and Carlos then. "You two better get heading, it's late. I'll talk to Mal. She just needs some time to cool off."

Evie and Carlos nodded mutely, both sharing a passing glance before parting to go their separate ways.

Evie sat on her window ledge, silently watching the sway of the trees in the gentle breeze. It was a radiant day outside, the ever-present clouds looming above the isle glowing a pearly white colour, rather than their bleak, miserable and thunderous dark grey.

Usually, Evie loved days like this, days were she could dawn a summery dress and flit about in the sunshine. But today she couldn't help but resent the weather. It didn't feel very fitting that outside should be such a bright and calm day when here she sat in utter turmoil and misery. She almost wished it was another typical dull and rainy day on the isle - at least that way the weather could match how she felt.

She was exhausted and restless, sleep having evaded her the previous night. All night she had laid in bed wide awake, tossing and turning, trying to figure out her emotions and worrying over what was going to happen now.

Everything that could have gone wrong, had gone wrong.

Her friends had discovered her relationship with Harry in the worst way imaginable. She had found out that Uma had been manipulating her, trying to plant doubts in her mind about her friends and lure her away from them, all as a nasty little ploy to destroy the VKs and get back at Mal. She had been a pawn, a pawn for vengeance and she had almost fallen for it. She felt like an idiot!

Then there was Harry...

She no longer knew where she stood with him. She felt nothing but hurt, betrayal and anger for the pirate at this moment. He had known what Uma was up to and after dwelling over it all night, she realized he had even played a hand in it.

"I know yer worried about Jay and the other VK's, Evie. Ye shouldn't be. If they were yer real friends they'd try to understand."

"Ye know, if ye wanted ye could always join my crew."

Evie bristled as his words whispered in her head. She believed him sincere when he had insisted that his motives were not the same as Uma's, that he genuinely wanted to be with her without the secrecy and rivalry. But as pure intentioned as his reasons were, it didn't make it any less hurtful or wrong. He had tried to manipulate her. He had let his friend manipulate her. And the manipulation had all been a way of hurting her friends.

She was furious at him. He knew how important her friends were to her! How much she treasured them! And still, he let someone try to use her against them.

There was also no forgetting his feral nature readying to strike down Mal. Evie had been terrified for Mal, knowing full well that Harry would have brought that sword down. Vengeance for two friends, he had said, all in one foul swoop. She hadn't asked for him to get revenge for her. He knew she had held no desire for it, that she considered the history between her and Mal in the past. And yet he had still tried to lash out at Mal. Even if he had only been going for revenge on Uma's behalf it didn't make the situation any better. The moment he raised that sword he had put her in the horrible position, giving her no choice but to act, to choose a side.

It had broken her heart.

She didn't want to have to raise her blade against him like he was an enemy. But that was exactly what she had been forced to do.

She couldn't help but think back on what he had been about to say before Jay had knocked him out.

"Evie, I don't want to lose ye. Evie... I lo-"

She wasn't quite sure what he had been going to tell her, but she had a heart aching feeling that it may have been I love you. Evie breathed in deeply, raising a hand to her chest. Well, after everything that had happened she didn't think she would ever find out for sure. She didn't know what was going to happen between them now. She may never find out if that was what he was about to say or even what her own response would have been.

Everything was ruined. Her friendships were ruined. Her life was ruined. The special bond that she had with Harry was ruined. Everything. Was. Ruined!

Evie cursed, slamming her hands against the window and standing up. She flew over to her bed, flinging herself onto it and burying her face into her pillow. She allowed all the pent-up frustration and torment that she had felt over the past few months to break free in the form of tears, her body shaking with each sob.

She was so tired. So very tired of everything being so confusing and difficult.

She wished that everything could be just like the fairy tales books that she had read when she was a little girl. But life wasn't like that, was it? Not for a villain. There was no fairy godmother with a magic wand who would spell away all her woes. There was no magic lamp that she could rub and wish away all the conflict in her life. She didn't have three guardian fairies watching over her. Nor a handsome prince to rescue her from all the misery. No. None of that was for her. Afterall, villains didn't get the fairy tale ending that the heroes did. And that was something she should have learned by now.

Craaack.

Evie opened her eyes, frowning at the sound of something having been crushed. Her heart jolted when she realized what it was. She sat up on the bed, tossed her pillow aside and looked down at the mattress where she had hidden the shell necklace that Harry had given to her.

"No, no, no, no!" Evie whimpered. "Oh, no. What have I done?"

When she had thrown herself onto the bed and grabbed her pillow, she had accidentally broken the necklace that was hidden underneath. Evie gingerly reached out, touching the shards of the red and blue shell clustered on her mattress. Evie let out a shaky breath, tears trickling down her cheeks. With infinite care, Evie picked up what remained of the necklace, more small pieces of the shells falling as she lifted it. She ran her thumb over what was left of the shell, her eyes closing as the memory of Harry giving it to her washed over her.

You were the start of all this, Evie mused.

For her, the moment her relationship with Harry had started to tilt from enemies to something else was the moment she had laid eyes on the gorgeous necklace he had made for her. From there on it had been a slippery slope from neutral acquaintances, to friends, to lovers. If he hadn't given her this shell necklace, that first gesture that had softened him up to her, she wondered if they would have gotten to the point they had now.

Evie pulled the necklace close to her chest, looking at it longingly.

She figured that the necklace had been a silent thank you for her assistance with the head injury that he had received during their fencing match for the first red shell. She wondered why he had bothered, seeing as it had been her underhanded, dirty tactic that had earned him that wound. The shell necklace he had given her wasn't exactly a worthless trinket. The main shell had been stunning and worth a lot more than the original shell that she had fenced him for. The two accompanying blue shells had probably been worth a pretty penny too. He had also taken the time to pierce and weave them into a necklace and had then travelled the fair distance to her home to give her it. A lot of time, effort and resources had gone into making this necklace.

For Evie, it was the very founding stone of their friendship.

And here it was, broken in her hands.

It hadn't endured. Just like her relationship with Harry, it had crumbled under pressure. At least the necklace hadn't taken any prisoners. Her ruined romance with Harry, on the other hand, had taken down every other aspect of her life with it.

Now she was alone. With no friends. No lover. And a broken shell as her only companion.

"Evie!" Her mother's voice sang from downstairs. A feeling of Déjà Vu rolled over her, making her nervous for her mother's next words. "You have guests!"

Guests? Who in her mother's name could be visiting her?

Evie caught her reflection in the mirror and felt a flare of panic race through her. She looked a mess! Her hair was tousled and her tears had messed up her makeup and caused her mascara and eyeliner to run. Oh, magic mirrors! She needed to make herself look presentable! Evie scurried over to her vanity table, quickly fixing herself up. She had barely finished when there was a loud knock on her door.

Evie made her way over to it, smoothing down her clothes and giving her hair one last run through with her fingers. She opened the door, a polite smile on her face. What she saw sent a whole new wave of panic through her.

"Carlos, Jay, what are you guys doing here?" Evie asked, staring at them wide-eyed.

"We umm... came to talk to you," Carlos said, sounding a little awkward. "Can we come in?"

Evie nodded, letting them in. Jay leaned against the door, his arms crossed and looking very uncomfortable. Carlos was looking very much out of his element too, sitting cross-legged on the bed, his lip caught nervously between his teeth. Evie sat down on the edge of the bed, rubbing her arm as she felt her own nerves set in. There was a tension in the air, an awkwardness that Evie despised having settled between them.

"I guess you're here to talk about what happened last night, huh?" Evie asked quietly.

"Yeah," Carlos drawled slowly, his face cringing slightly. "So... umm... you and Harry... had a thing going?"

"We did," Evie replied lightly, staring at the floor. "But not anymore. Not after last night."

"You know, I kinda wish you'd told me about the dating part," Jay said, giving her an unimpressed scowl.

Evie ducked her head, biting her lip.

"I'm... Jay, I just-" Evie floundered with her words, unable to figure out what she wanted to say. That she knew she should have told not only him but Mal and Carlos the truth? That she should never have hidden it from them? That the whole time she had she had felt horrible? There was so much she wanted to say, but one thing she knew she had to say came to her lips. She said it with no shame, knowing it was the only thing that could convey how she felt. "I'm sorry."

Carlos and Jay both looked at her, startled.

"There's nothing else I can say but that I'm... sorry. You're my friends. You're always there for me. You're always looking out for me. I should never have hidden the truth about me and Harry from any of you. I was just... I knew that I would be kicked out the group, that we wouldn't be friends anymore, that I would be banished again, that I-"

Evie covered her face with her hands and flopped forward, hiding herself from view.

"I know that doesn't make it any better. I shouldn't have become friends with Harry. It happened out of the blue. I just... I really liked him."

"Do you want to tell us what happened? How it is you two started dating?" Jay asked, raising an eyebrow. "I think we deserve to hear it. Especially since I'm not convinced Harry wasn't using you."

Evie wanted to protest that but instead, she bit her tongue. Now wasn't the time to get defensive on Harry's behalf.

"I do, but... I want Mal to be here. If she'll let me explain myself."

"No more running away and delaying everything?" Jay asked.

Evie nodded. Oh, she wasn't looking forward to this but Mal deserved to hear her explanation, to know the full story through her and not filtered through someone else's perspective and biased intentions. And she had to do it now, not later. Putting it off hadn't served her well at all, it only allowed for Mal to find out in a cruel way that had possibly damaged their friendship forever. No more prolonging the inevitable. It was time to face the music and the consequences that would dance along after it.

"Well great! Because she's already here," Jay said, almost cheerily as he swung open the door.

Evie felt her heart leap into her throat at the sight of Mal leaning against the doorframe.

Oh, my evil mother... Jay you...

The feeling of wanting to bolt out the room nearly had her jumping to her feet. But when she saw the look on Mal's face, an expression of begrudging stillness there and her body posture tense and rigid, Evie realised that Mal was just as uncomfortable as the rest of them. She didn't look like a dragon set on a warpath ready to burn Evie's little queendom down to the ground. No, she looked like someone who was willing to listen. For now.

"Mal..." Evie began.

Mal held up her hand, cutting her off. "Jay wants me to give you a chance to explain yourself and I am. I've heard what you've said so far, so continue."

Evie wrapped her arms around herself tightly, nodding her head.

Without further ado, Evie told them everything, everything that she felt they needed to know. She told them of how she and Harry first met, of her walk on the dock and her stolen tiara. She admitted to them that she had slipped into enemy territory to retrieve it, something that Jay gave her a thorough scolding for. She told them of her next encounter with Harry and how it led to her starting fencing lessons with him. Their truce she explained in detail and she even indulged them with Harry's reaction to their prank against The Lost Revenge, something that had Mal and Jay silently smirking. She explained that it was sometime after the party that she and Harry had started dating.

She glossed over much of the details, unwilling to share her intimate and tender moments with Harry. From kisses, gently touches, gifts, precious and painful secrets, conversations under twilight skies and heart-swelling moments, none of those would leave her lips. Those were her memories to cherish and hers alone. She doubted the VKs would need - or even want - to hear those details anyway, especially given their disdain of the pirate. They would know such moments were there, unspoken though they were.

Evie even confessed to her uneasy truce with Uma and her crew and revealed that she now knew that the sea witch's daughter had been manipulating her and that Harry had known. Evie tried her best to ignore the scoff that Mal gave her, the fairy girl feeling that Uma's trickery should have been obvious. She refused to look at Jay, knowing that the boy felt the same. Evie then explained how it was that she had found out about their prank against Ursula's Fish and Chip Shop grand opening, that she had been going to tell Mal the truth when Maleficent let slip their plan - something that made Mal hiss with displeasure.

"Mal... I should have told you. I know I should have. I should have told all of you," Evie whispered, feeling utterly ashamed. "I wanted to. I was going to! I was just..."

"Scared," Mal finished for her. "Well, you were never stupid Evie. You were right to be scared."

Evie felt a swell of fear at Mal's words and pulled her arms tighter around her. She braced herself, waiting for Mal's sentence to spell the end for her.

With a sudden burst of energy, Mal began pacing back and forth, her breath leaving her in angry puffs.

"When I found out about you and Harry, I was furious. No, I am still furious. Uma humiliated me. I felt... betrayed... and livid that you had gone behind my back and were fraternizing with the enemy!" Mal hissed. "And you were right. I wanted to kick you out the group. I wanted to get even and make you feel as awful as I felt."

Mal stopped her pacing, turning to face Evie.

"You betrayed me."

Carlos and Jay winced, glancing away.

"You hurt me."

Evie flinched, ducking her head and feeling ridden with guilt.

"But..." Mal took in a deep, calming breath. "You also saved me."

Evie, Carlos and Jay looked over to Mal in surprise, startled by her words.

"When it came down to it... you stood up for me... and you protected me, against crazy Harry of all people. Even though, you had plenty of reasons to let him strike me down. Everything Uma said was true. I did banish you. I bullied you. I hurt you. I locked you in a booby trap filled wardrobe. You have every right to hate me. And if I had been in your shoes I would have let him bring down that blade." Mal laughed suddenly, looking up. "Actually, I was in your shoes. And I did lash out... But you didn't."

Evie watched Mal carefully, unsure what to say. Mal sighed, running a hand through her short hair. She moved over to sit beside Evie, letting out another long breath.

"When I saw you standing there with Uma's arm over your shoulder, I really thought you had betrayed us. That you were just... using us. But... even being the villain that you are, that's not something you would do. It's not your style," Mal said quietly, a little smile quirking at the corner of her lips. "Evie... you said that you were... sorry. Well... I'm so-" Mal cleared her throat, struggling to bring herself to say the word. "I'm... sorry too. For everything that I did to you before we were friends."

She took Evie hand in her own, squeezing it tightly. Evie could see just how uncomfortable the girl was, pushing her comfort zone to the limit once again for her.

"Though let it be known that I am never, ever, ever, ever, EVER, saying that word again. No one is allowed to ever mention it again," Mal added quickly, flashing Evie and the two boys a warning glare. "If my mother ever found out that I had said that then being grounded for the rest of my life will be the least of my worries."

Everyone laughed softly, feeling a little of the tension dwindle away. Carlos scooted closer to the girls while Jay walked over and joined them on the edge of the bed. They sat shoulder to shoulder, knees to knees, a tender look passing between them all.

Mal was the first to stretch out her hand. She gave the others a look, silently asking them to do the same. Jay grinned, reaching over and placing his hand on top of Mal's. Carlos smiled and placed his on top of Jay's. Evie hesitated, looking at them unsurely.

"After everything... you all still want me to be apart of the VKs?" Evie asked quietly.

"Without you... there is no VKs," Mal said, a wicked glint in her eyes.

Evie couldn't stop the smile slipping onto her face. She reached over, placing her hand on top of Carlos's.

"Without any of us... there are no VKs," Evie amended, earning her wide grins and smiles from the rest of her friends. "Cause we're rotten."

"To the core!" The rest chimed.

They stayed together for the remainder of the night, talking through the last few months events, clearing the air as best they could. None of them were overly comfortable with talking about their feelings, so they steered away from the more emotional sides of the topic as best they could. They'd pushed their quota for emotional sappy talk for the year, Jay continually insisted whenever the conversation turned towards that way. When the sun finally set, they decided to call it a night.

"Well, we better get going," Mal said as she rose to her feet, stretching. "You guys coming?"

"Yipe," Jay said, getting to his feet.

Mal and Jay walked over to the door, stopping when they realized Carlos had not followed.

"Carlos, you coming?" Jay asked.

"I'll catch up," Carlos said nonchalantly, waving them off.

Mal and Jay nodded, giving them another quick goodbye before leaving.

Evie turned to him, pushing her hair behind her ear. She looked at her oldest and dearest friend, still feeling regretful for not revealing the truth to him. He was the first friend she made after her banishment had been lifted. He had saved her from the wardrobe of horrors at his mother's home. He was sweet and kind and if there was anyone who she could have confided in, it should have been Carlos.

"You look like you have something on your mind," Evie said, lifting an eyebrow. "What's up?"

Carlos shifted a little and twisted his hands, looking anywhere but at Evie. "I umm... have something of yours."

Carlos reached into his satchel. What he pulled out had Evie's mouth dropping open. It was Harry's pirate hat, the one that she had borrowed only for him to gift her with. Tenderly, she took the hat from Carlos, her fingers stroking it dolefully.

"My hat... where did you find it?"

"I found Jasper and Horace messing about with it. They found it outside the manor," Carlos explained. "It was Harry that gave you it, wasn't it? I mean, seeing as it is a pirate hat and all."

"It was," Evie admitted softly.

"It was also Harry that you were dancing with at the party too, right?"

Evie nodded, her heart stinging of the memory of that night. She remembered how dashing Harry had looked while dressed in his princely attire, how her heart had tingled as he had pulled her in close for their first dance, the feeling of his hand in hers, their late night stroll and their near first kiss.

"How did you guess?" Evie asked curiously.

"It was a hunch. You seemed pretty umm... taken... by the prince that you danced with, but I couldn't figure out who it was until, well, we found out who it is that you're dating," Carlos said quietly.

"Was dating," Evie clarified.

"Oh, right," Carlos winced and cleared his throat. "Are you... okay? I mean, we can talk about it, if you want."

Evie smiled at his question. He sounded so nervous and awkward, the poor boy completely out of his element. She appreciated his attempts at comfort though. Even after everything that had happened, Carlos was still her faithful and understanding friend. Evie reached over, placing her hand over his.

"I'll be fine Carlos. And I appreciate you bringing this to me. I thought I'd lost it forever."

"Just remember, that is you ever need someone to talk to, about anything, I'm here for you, alright?" Carlos said quietly, placing his own hand over hers reassuringly.

Evie smiled, leaning forward and giving him a quick hug.

"I better go catch up with those two," Carlos said, jumping to his feet. "We'll meet up tomorrow for some milkshakes. My treat. And by my treat, I mean your paying."

Evie scoffed in disbelief, chucking a pillow at Carlos as he fled towards the door. He laughed cheekily, sticking his tongue out at her before escaping her room and closing the door behind him.

With a sigh, Evie flopped back onto her bed, feeling like the most blessed girl on the whole isle. She could scarcely believe how everything had turned out. She still had her friends. She was still a VK. She had never felt more relieved in her entire life! She couldn't stop the laughter that broke free from her, a grin spreading across her face.

Mal, Jay, Carlos, I promise I'll never hurt any of you like that again.

There was only one uncertainty in her life now...

Evie's laughter quietened down. The relief giving way to that dreadful feeling of heartache once more. After everything that had happened at Ursula's Fish and Chip Shop and with the truth about her and Harry having been revealed, she realized there was no possible way for her and Harry to be together now. Not with her once again an official VK.

She didn't think it was right to ask her friends to tolerate her relationship with him. And she refused to entrain the idea of another secret romance between them. She would not do that to her friends again. Evie scoffed at herself. She didn't even know if he would even want to continue being in a relationship with her after everything that had happened. And she was still so angry and hurt by him to even think about what she wanted to happen between them now.

Evie pulled the broken necklace out from under her pillow, looking at it blankly.

Why did everything have to turn out so messed up between us, Harry?

Evie tightened her grip on the necklace. With an infuriated curse, she tossed it across the room, taking no satisfaction in the sound of it shattering against the wall.

She sighed, clenching her eyes shut as she collected herself. Without another thought, she got ready for bed and slipped between the sheets before turning off the lights. She snuggled into her thick quilt, closing her eyes and hoping sleep would be within her grasp tonight. She needed the rest, just one peaceful night before she had to endure the difficult path before her.

Deep down, she knew what had to happen and it was going to hurt her. The answer was simple; she couldn't be with Harry anymore.

And that was the most painful realization she had ever felt.

Mal, Jay and Carlos walked side by side down the dirt road, away from The Castle Beyond The Way. They all felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from their shoulders, the tension that had plagued their group for so long now having been cleansed.

Mal cast a glance towards Jay. He had followed her up to her house last night, refusing to leave her be without talking to her first.

She had been enraged that he had kept such an enormous secret from her. They were meant to be best friends and they had always had a no secrets between them agreement. Jay had stood his ground against her, not intimated by her flash of green eyes or fearsome temper. He knew her too well and had seen her temper far too many times to be intimated by it as others were.

You're not my only friend now, Mal. Everything's different, he had told her.

She wasn't the only one who his loyalties belonged to. At one point it had only been the two of them, two best friends against the entire isle. But now their little duo was more than that. Evie and Carlos were apart of their group. Jay had told her that he had to protect and look out for them too now.

As bitter and begrudging as she was to admit it, she knew he was right. He had been put in difficult position. He admitted that had he thought Evie was double-crossing them he would have told her in a heartbeat, but because he felt she was genuine with her feelings for Harry he had kept her secret hidden, hoping to deal with the issue himself, lest it tore apart their group. He had also been highly wary of Harry, believing the pirate to be either toying or manipulating Evie.

Mal strongly agreed with him, especially after learning that Uma had been trying to manipulate Evie in hopes of wedging the VKs apart.

Mal couldn't help but smirk. Uma's cunning little plan had nearly worked. Nearly. But now it had backfired spectacularly. The VKs had come out of her twisted mind game stronger and closer than ever before. Mal would make sure nothing came between any of them again.

"Mal, what are we gonna do about Uma and her crew now?" Jay asked.

"If they make a move against us we'll strike back, just like we always do," Mal replied, glancing over at him. "As for Harry, I don't want him going anywhere near Evie. I don't trust him. And I think you were right, he was using her, just like Uma. Evie said it herself, he knew that Uma was trying to manipulate her. He was probably doing it too, but Evie didn't realize because she trusted him."

Jay nodded in agreement.

Carlos remained quiet, watching the two at the corner of his eye.

"I didn't get the chance to say to Evie, but I confronted Harry not that long ago. I wanted him to back off from her, but he wouldn't listen. He even dared me to tell you, Mal." Jay scoffed under his breath. "He didn't care if you found out or not."

Mal nodded. "If Harry comes near Evie, we deal with him. Got it?"

The boys nodded their heads in agreement.

They walked off into the shadows, Mal casting one final glance towards the castle behind them.

If Harry Hook wanted to get to Evie, he would have to go through her and the VKs first. Afterall, the dragon always guarded the princess. Especially from wicked pirates who wished them harm.

Harry was not happy.

It had been a week since he had last seen Evie. Well, he had seen her, he just hadn't been able to speak to her. Uma and Gil, along with the rest of the crew, were keeping a sharp eye on him, restraining him from sneaking away to see his princess. Whenever they caught him trying to slip away he would be reprimed by Uma who insisted that he had to be patient. Evie will come around, she told him. Just wait.

As much as it went against his impatient nature, he had reeled himself in and fought against his urge that demanded that he go see Evie. It was driving him insane! He missed her. He wanted to see her, to mend the broken bond between them. But if Uma and Gil believed that the best course of action was to wait then he would endure.

It was when he had seen Evie in town, laughing and smiling with Mal, Jay and Carlos, that he began to question the usefulness of this torturous waiting game. The VKs didn't look like a group of friends breaking at the seams with mistrust, unease and anger. No, they looked perfectly content and happy with one another.

When he had relayed the information to Uma, she had been raging, knowing that her plan had failed.

Harry didn't know what to do now. He wanted to go to Evie, to try and amend things before it was too late and the VK's completely turned her against him, which he knew they would. He was particularly worried about Jay's influence, the boy having been meddlesome in his and Evie's relationship for far too long.

But every time he left the ship to go see her at her castle, he hesitated. What if he made everything worse? She would be angry. There would be a fight. And as loathe as he was to think it, going there may confirm his worst fear... that it was over. That he would be unable to salvage their relationship. That the night at the chip shop had been the breaking point for them. It was a thought he could hardly bear, one that sent an ache quaking through his very bones.

As the days passed, Harry grew more and more unsettled, feeling as though time was devouring the only chance he had of sorting everything out with Evie. Most of the crew avoided him now, scared in case he lashed out in anger at them. He was very easily agitated of late, snarling at anyone who got in his way.

It was another week, the weekend before the new school year started, that Harry worked up the guts to go and face his princess. He had been about to start the climb up the tower to her window when he had seen the second figure in her room, leaning against the window sill, her back to him. The purple hair gave her identity away instantly. It was Mal. Harry cursed under his breath at his bad luck. He would have to come back tomorrow night and hope that the purple haired vixen wouldn't be there.

Little did Harry know that by then, it would be too late.

"Evie, are you sure you're going to need all of this stuff?"

"Of course I do, Mal!" Evie gasped. "This is all the essentials!"

"Evie! It's a sleepover!" Mal said with an exasperated sigh. "There's no way you're going to need all this stuff! You've packed enough stuff for, like, a year!"

"Nope, my mother said pack everything!"

Mal was standing by Evie's window, watching the other girl glide around the room, neatly packing away all her clothes, accessories, makeup, shoes, beauty products and other possessions. By the time she was done, her pretty, bejewelled, azure suitcase with a golden crown design on it was bulging. Evie struggled to keep the case lid shut, groaning as she forced the zipper around it, sealing all her prized possessions away inside.

Evie glanced at her suitcase, a satisfied smile on her face. "Right, where is my other suitcase?"

Mal rolled her eyes, pointing a finger lazily towards under the bed. Evie grinned, skipping over to the bed and pulling out an even large suitcase that matched the other one. She flung it onto the bed and opened it up, quickly moving back over to her wardrobe to select the next round of clothes that she would be taking.

"I still can't believe your mother's not only letting the four of have a sleepover at her castle but also that she's the one who came up with the idea."

Mal nodded, a frown settling on her features.

"I find it... odd. Like, really odd. She's never liked it when I've invited people to sleepover. She hates the company. It disturbs her evil plotting," Mal said, finishing off with a mocking tone. "I think she's up to something and I'm pretty sure all our parents are in on it."

Evie popped her head out of her wardrobe, giving Mal a worried look.

"Something that involves all four of us? What could they possibly be up to that would require us having a sleepover?" Evie asked.

"I don't know," Mal muttered. "But I don't think we're going to like it."

"Now that you mention it, I do find it strange that we're having this sleepover tomorrow. Don't we start back at school the next day?"

Mal hummed in confirmation.

"Well, if my mother is up to something, we're only going to find out when it's too late to do anything about it," Mal sighed.

She pushed herself away from the window sill, wandering over to Evie's vanity table and taking a seat. Upon it, she noticed a black pirate hat, decorated with blue glitter and ribbons, the one that Evie had worn to the House of Villians party at Cruella De Vil's mansion. She stared at it, a frown forming on her face.

"Have you spoken to Harry Hook recently?" Mal asked lightly.

No one had mentioned the pirate since Evie had revealed the full truth of her relationship with him. Even though they had all forgiven Evie for her deception, no one wanted to mention Harry, knowing that Evie was still hurting over the incident at Ursula's shop. Evie had told her in confidence that she had felt betrayed by Harry for knowing about Uma's plot, and that although she still cared deeply for him, she refused to have anything to do with him anymore.

It had been over two weeks since then and Mal knew that the wound was still fresh, but she wanted to make sure Harry hadn't made contact with Evie. She, Jay and Carlos had been making sure the pirate stayed clear of the princess, whenever they noticed him in town they would steer Evie clear of him, making sure she never even noticed he was there.

"Nope," Evie replied nonchalantly, flipping her hair behind her. "And I don't plan to."

Despite her nonchalant air, Mal knew the princess still missed the pirate. She saw it in the way Evie would take a double glance when someone in red walked passed them while they were out. She saw it in the way that Evie would stare wistfully at the high masts of the ships docked in Golin Wharf, visible over the rooftops in certain areas in town. She saw it right now, the way Evie tensed at the mention of Harry's name and the way she kept looking at the pirate hat at her vanity table, her fingers occasionally skimming over it as though debating whether or not to pack it.

"You know you are way too good for him anyway, right?"

Evie ceased her fluttering around the room. She gave Mal a tight smile, one that told her that said she disagreed but she didn't want to start a debate.

"Let's just... forget about pirates," Evie said softly. "We have more important things to worry about, like what our parents are up to."

"Well, whatever it is, we'll face it together. All of us," Mal said, smiling.

The morning after next the VKs were in for the shock of their life when they discovered that the reason for their sleepover was merely an excuse to have them all packed and ready for the next school year. A year that they would not be spending at any of the schools in the Isle of The Lost, but instead... in Auradon.

The moment Harry waltzed into The Dead Man's Wreck, he knew that something was off.

The tavern always had a jovial and welcoming atmosphere. There was always the loud thrum of music in the air, with customers cheering along, swaggering their drinks high above their heads, singing old tunes of sailors past with merriment. No one stayed in their seats for long, opting to jump around the place, swinging on ropes, dancing around and causing some sort of ruckus. It was always glorious anarchy. So much so that it was like the sea, never still, never quiet, always on the move, showing how alive it was!

Yet the tavern he had just walked into was anything but.

No music could be heard, only the quiet murmurs of customers who seemed nervous, their eyes shifting around for anyone listening in on their secrets. Most were seated at the tables littering the place and only a few sat at the bar. The bartender, a fearsome petite blonde who was seen fighting more often than actually attending to customers, was quietly cleaning some mugs, her eyes roaming the place warily.

This place is deader than half my father's old crew, Harry thought grimly.

"Well, you took your sweet time getting here."

Harry turned to the sound of the voice. Over in the corner, by the green glass windows, was Uma and Gil, sitting at their usual table that was reserved for them. Gil grinned meekly at him, giving him a little wave. Even he seemed to be on edge at the strange tension that hung in their usually jolly haunt. Uma sat with her arms crossed, looking as tense as the sea before a storm.

"What's with all the long faces in here, then?" Harry asked, signally for the waiter to bring him a drink. He pulled out a chair and flopped down onto it, casting aside his jacket. He threw his arms over the back of the seat, crossing his legs. "I'd say it feels like someone's died in here but usually that's cause for celebration."

"You haven't heard the news?" Uma asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Where you have been, mate?" Gil asked. He was sitting on his chair backwards, his arms wrapped around the chairs back. "This is the biggest news to hit the isle since, well, ever!"

Harry rolled his eyes, snatching his drink off the waiter who immediately scampered off.

"Well, I'm sure ye two will be more than obliging and tell me," Harry said, taking a swig of his drink.

Uma and Gil shared an unreadable look.

"Several villain kids have been chosen to leave the isle, to attend Auradon Prep," Uma told him, watching his reaction carefully.

Now that surprised him. Harry straightened in his chair, putting his drink down.

"Really?" he drawled, excitement tinging his voice.

How foolish of those in Auradon, but who was he to look a gift seahorse in the mouth? This was a golden opportunity. Whoever got out could find a way to break the barrier, then release them all. And when that moment came, Auradon was finished. Suddenly, all his hopes and dreams seemed tangible, something he could almost reach out and grasp.

"And who are the lucky dogs?"

"Not us," Uma snapped, looking away bitterly. "But you won't believe who they picked."

Harry cursed. Of course, they wouldn't get picked. Leaving their hopes for revenge in the hands of someone else did not sit well with him. He was a stickler for the old words of wisdom, that if you wanted something done right you did it yourself.

"Who?"

Gil hesitated, watching Uma cautiously as he spoke. "Well... there's Mal."

Uma slapped her hand off the table, rattling their drinks and startling the two boys. She looked beyond vexed, her face twisted into a vicious snarl. "Of all the people on the isle that could have gotten picked, of course, they pick that stuck up little drama queen!"

"Mal got picked?" Harry spat. "Are ye serious?"

Gil nodded, edging his seat away from the fuming girl beside him.

"Who else?" Harry snapped.

This time Gil watched Harry with unease, wincing as he spoke. "Jay."

"Jay?" Harry said lowly. "That petty wee thief got picked as well? Next, ye'll be tellin me that their bratty friend Carlos got picked too!"

"Um... actually," Gil drawled, cringing as Harry's face lit up with realization.

Harry snatched his drink, gulping it down. He flung it aside, the mug breaking against the wall, causing some of the other customers to jump at the silence shattering sound. No one said anything upon noticing it was Harry who had thrown it, instead they turned back to their own gossips, not wanting to draw attention to themselves. No one wanted to get on Harry's bad side, especially not when he was in a foul mood.

"So the fate of the isle and all our lives lies in those three idiots hands? Wonderful," Harry quipped.

He didn't try to hide the bitterness or resentment in his voice. Those hopes of escape and vengeance seemed to already be disintegrating before his eyes. Of all the villains they could have chosen. Those three...

"They aren't the only ones who got picked," Uma said lightly, her eyes seeking his out.

"Who else?" Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair.

He didn't see how this could get any worse.

Uma and Gil went very quiet and for a moment Harry thought they weren't going to tell him. Finally, Gil cleared his throat, giving Uma a look that told her she should be the one to tell him.

"She's gone too."

Harry frowned.

"Who?"

"The fairest of them all."

Harry blinked, his eyes widening.

"Evie?" He asked, leaning forward. "Evie's been chosen to go?"

"They've already left. Maleficent told them a few hours ago before they were taken away to the lands of happily ever afters," Uma explained, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair.

Harry felt his heart ache. Evie was in Auradon? If he had known she was going to be whisked away from the isle - from him - he would have spoken to her sooner! He cursed himself, wanting to hook himself right in the jaw. If only he had gone to her sooner...

"Rumour has it that their parents have a plan," Gil chipped in, taking a quick drink of his beverage. "A plan to rip down the barrier and free us all. And it all relies on those four getting the Fairy God Mother's magic wand."

Mal, Carol, and Jay he had little faith in. But Evie...

"This might work," Harry said, a small grin twitching at the corner of his lips. "If they pull it off-"

"If they pull it off," Uma cut in. "And with them, that's a big if."

"Evie's with them. She's smart. If anyone can pull it off-"

Uma rolled her eyes.

"It's not that I don't think they have the capability of bringing down the barrier," Uma continued. "I've spent enough time with Mal to know exactly what she's capable of. What I wonder is whether or not they'll want to?"

"What do you mean?" Gil asked, frowning. "Why wouldn't they?"

"They're out there, free. They don't need to let the rest of us out. They hold no loyalty to any of us," Uma stood up, placing her hands firmly on the table top. "They can pretend to be goody two shoes and leave the rest of us to rot."

"Now ye sound ridiculous," Harry mumbled. "I may not have confidence in some of their capabilities, but they're all villains through and through."

Rotten to the core, that's what they were.

"You may have hung out with Mal for a time, but you don't know her like I do." Uma shook her head, a smile that was anything but happy on her face. "Carols, he's hardly a villain. He just gets dragged along for the ride. He's soft and he's weak. And Jay I'm sure will be quite happy to sell us all out for the life of luxury that Auradon has to offer."

Harry frowned, glaring at the table top.

"And what of Evie then?" he asked lightly, his eyes moving to catch hers.

What did Uma have to say about her? At the corner of his eye, he saw Gil looking nervous and he couldn't blame him. This was dangerous territory for their friendship. They all knew how close he and Evie had become, how important she was to him, even if their relationship was on the rocks at the moment. The last whelp that had the guts to speak out of line about his fair princess had learned that losing your head wasn't just a metaphor.

Uma took a while to respond.

"I think she could be swayed to stay there," Uma said softly, carefully. "Afterall, it was always a prince she always wanted, wasn't it? And Auradon is full of em."

Harry's grip on his hook tightened, a dark look falling over his face. He was barely able to hide the swell of fury that was building inside of him, memories taunting him viciously.

"As if I'd chose a grubby pirate over a handsome Prince!"

"Though I have to admit," Dizzy continued, "I never thought you would date a pirate! You always said you would only go out with a Prince with a big castle with lots and lots of mirrors!"

"All my mother wants me to do is marry a Prince and live in a castle with a mother in law wing, and lots and lots of mirrors," Evie confessed.

The final taunt came in the form of the conversation Evie had shared with her mother. It whispered in his mind like a ghostly echo, goading him. He wasn't a prince, he didn't have a castle, he wasn't rich and he wasn't nobility. He was a pirate, the complete opposite of everything Evie claimed she wanted in life. And now she was in a land filled to the brim with princes. It must have been a dream come true for her.

Harry took in a deep breath.

"Perhaps it's best we leave judgement for the time being," Harry finally said, rising to his feet. "Well see what happens."

It was several agonisingly long weeks later that Uma's suspicion proved to be true.

Harry lay on his back in his hammock, his arms behind his head and his ankles crossed over. Outside, rain pelted onto the windows, the wind and waves rocking the boat and causing his hammock to sway. It was a perfectly miserable night, perfect for how he and everyone else on the isle were feeling.

"I take it you've heard the news from Auradon?" Uma's voice called out. She was standing by the door, leaning against the frame with her arms crossed.

Oh aye, he had heard the news.

They had been betrayed. Back-stabbed. Abandoned to live for all eternity on this island while four of their fellow villains flitted about freely in paradise. Those wretched, accursed, traitors!

"Oh, I've heard," Harry replied dryly.

"Are you okay?"

No. No, he wasn't okay. Mal, Carlos and Jay, he could feel only anger at. They may have shared no significant relationships with him, but to know they had the chance to free him and everyone else off the isle, this disgusting, abysmal place, and had instead taken that chance away from him, run off with it themselves? It grated on his nerves and sent his blood boiling. Back-stabbing turncoats! To give him a taste of freedom and pay back only to snatch it away?

But that wasn't what got to him the most. No. Right now it felt like he was being torn apart, that his heart was breaking.

And it was her fault.

Despite the rift between them at the moment they were meant to have been friends. They had looked out for each other, had been there for each other, they had shared so many intimate and special moments. They were always meant to be something more than enemies. They had been friends. They had been lovers. And yet... here they were... on opposing sides once again.

Harry let out a growl of frustration, running his hands through his hair before flinging himself out of his hammock. He stomped over to the window, crossing his arms and looking out at the choppy waves of the sea. Far off in the distance, he could see the faint light of Auradon, winking at him tauntingly.

"We were friends."

"I know. Just like me and Mal were. Things change. People change."

No, it wasn't. It wasn't the same at all! This was different! He wanted to shout, to strike out at something, anyone!

But Uma was not the one who deserved his wrath. She was his friend. His faithful friend. Her and Gil were the only ones to stick by him, to be there for him. He had thought that Evie was one of them. One of the crew. Someone he could rely on, trust and be there for. Now he knew the truth, and oh, how bitter it was on his tongue.

That conniving, manipulative little minx! That-that...

Harry smashed his hook into the window sill, letting out a shout of frustration.

She knew! She bloody knew how much it meant to him to escape this blasted island! To be free to chart the seas. To see seek vengeance for his father. To prove himself to be the most fearsome, bloodthirsty, wicked pirate there ever was. She. Knew! She had known since the first time they had met!

She had the chance to grant him that wish, his deepest and most needed wish... and she turned her back on him. On evil. On everything that she was meant to stand for! She got her wish and like a spoiled little princess, she refused to share that freedom.

Uma entered the room fully, making her way over to the Harry. Gil appeared at the door and followed after her. They both placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulders. Together the three villains stood there, pillars holding one another up, always there for one another, together till the end.

"Don't worry, Harry. We'll get em back for this," Gill assured him.

"Oh, definitely. Leaving us here will be their last regret!" Uma said, a nasty smile forming on her lips.

"How right ye are," Harry grinned evilly. "All good things to those who wait."

Evie may possess his heart, but that didn't mean he would forgive her for this.

Very well, Evie. If ye want to play the heroine princess, so be it. I'm not going to lie to myself. I am what I am. I am a villain and now... I'm yer villain. One day, we'll get off of this Isle, and on that day, I will find ye and make ye pay.

For every hero needed a villain.

What? You didn't think this was the end of the story... did you?

(A/N) Fini~*THERE'S A SEQUEL! Okay, now that I've got your attention I hope no one is still clutching their pitchforks and lighting up the torches. I felt it best to end this story here, leaving it as a pre-Auradon tale. The next story I want to do for this pairing will be a sequel to this and will take place after the Descendants first movie.

Why leave it here? It means we get to go on another adventure with these two, one were they have all this history behind them. Both of them feel as though they've been betrayed so I have this issue I can explore. It also leaves room for a hate/love relationship, angst, pinning, old feelings that never disappeared coming back with a vengeance, clash of morals, and much more!

This was actually the first chapter of Hooks and Poison Apples that I wrote. As I'm sure most of you know, originally this story was meant to be one-shots, but with everyone's encouragement and support it turned into the multi-chapter story we have here. It's had a lot added to it and information changed to fit with the story, but this is technically the first Evie x Harry thing that I wrote.

Review Replies:

Wolfy-Queen: I am so sorry for the heartbreaking. These two darlings have a long way to go to reach their happily ever after, but hopefully all the pain will be worth it - if they get their happy ending that is ;)

T. F. Crosby: I am so sorry XD I feel so bad for Carlos. I realized I have sorta picked on him in this story, poor dear. Let's be honest, who doesn't want to adopt him? He's a wee sweetheart. It broke my heart to have Harry and Evie fight and have their relationship to the point it has, but happily ever after can't come easy. Were would the fun be in that? XD They have to earn that happy ending! Besides, all the struggles they go through now can only make them stronger... hopefully. Good luck with your writings! Can't wait to read more of you work! :D

Pinklizardqueen: Glad you liked the chapter! I'm afraid Mal beat you shrimping Uma XD I have a few other stories planned out! :D Besides the sequel to this 'Hooks and Hearts,' I have two other ideas I'm working on. One is a Halloween treat called 'Hoist The Colors' and another one is about 'what if Evie was a lost girl in Neverland and Harry grew up with his father on Neverland' story. I'm very excited to finish and share them!

Sandra Mar: I'm so glad you liked the chapter! Sorry for the whirlwind of emotions XD Thank you for the lovely review!

StoryWriting1414: Sorry for the cruel cliffhanger and sorry for how long this update took! I'm so happy you're enjoying the story!

QueenieManaia: Sorry for the heartbreak! Thank you so much for your amazing review! It had me over the moon! Hopefully, Evie and Harry will be able to overcome this - as well as some other things that are going to get thrown their way in the next story. They've got a long way to go before they get their happily ever after - if they get it - but I'm sure all the struggles will make them stronger in the long run.

Vgray: I'm so happy that you liked the chapter! It took me ages so I'm really happy people enjoyed it! Don't worry, I have no intentions of abandoning this story. It's finished now but it'll be getting continued through the sequel which I won't be abandoning either! :D It may be a bit more difficult to get chapters out as quickly as I had at the start of this story, but that's because I'm back at uni now. But have no fear, I'll fight through it and have this hevie story finished! Hopefully, giving Harry and Evie the ending they deserve.

I'm glad you liked the other hevie stories I wrote! :D They were such fun to write and helped me get over my writer's block when I got stuck on this story. Sorry about the heartbreak and mean cliffhanger in the last chapter. But very true, it can't all be life in rose gardens and happy couples. They have to go through struggles and conflict. In the long run, I think it'll help them become stronger. They have a long way to go before they get their happily ever after - if they get it. We'll have to wait and see what happens in the sequel! :D How the VKs will react to Harry and Evie potentially having a relationship in the future we'll have to wait and see.

Maelyn: I am so sorry T-T It broke my heart to do it but it had to be done. But very true, they have to go through tough times first. They have a long way to go, and I'll be throwing quite a few more obstacles in their path, but hopefully, our lovebirds will make it out of it together and the ship will be sailing again. That happy ending has to be earned first though ;)

dancergymnast2003: You are on fire girl, with these Descendants puns (see what I did there?). Thank you for your wicked review! Very true. Evie shouldn't have waited as long as she did to tell Mal. It was understandable why she did, but refusing to deal with the situation only made everything worst. Sometimes it's best just to rip the plaster/band-aid off and deal with the situation, no matter how much you don't want to. Well, what's next for the story we'll have to wait and see ;) It'll take place in the new story 'Hooks and Hearts.' I decided it was best to end this story here, leaving it as a pre-Aurdaon story.

Jbird1916: I'm so glad you liked it and that it was worth the wait! It broke my heart to split them apart T-T Yeeeeeah... sorry they didn't get back together in this chapter. They've got a bit of a ways to go before that. It can't be too easy. That would be boring and means we'd miss out on all the pinning for each other in the meantime ;)

Kikicm4: No problem! :D Haha, yeah, tbh I hated and loved writing the chapter. It broke my heart to break them up T-T Oh my stars! You're a jelsa shipper? Same here XD Loved those two! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Can't wait: Hope it was worth the wait!

AtaDaughterofPoseidon: I'm so sorry for breaking them up. It broke my heart. But they won't necessarily stay broke up forever ;) They have a difficult time ahead of them but I'm sure it'll make them stronger in the long run. Thank you for your lovely review!

NancyMachado: Sorry for the breakup, but happily ever after never comes easy. What'll happen to them we'll have to find out in the sequel ;)

Guest: They broke up but it doesn't mean they'll stay that way forever ;) Getting married and having kids would be a lovely happily ever, who knows, maybe its instore for them. We'll have to wait and find out. But they've got a long and challenging road ahead of them.

Guest: Glad it was worth the wait! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

VGRAY: This was the last chapter for Hooks and Poison Apples, but there's a sequel called Hooks and Hearts that so far has about eight chapters, though will probs have a few more.

Please Answer: That's what happened my dear. They all made up and became much stronger friends than before.

Tajinprincess: Glad you loved the update! :D Sorry about the heart breaking! I looooove happy endings, but if they're going to get one - which I hope they do *wink wink* - it'll have to be earned first. They've got a long way to go.

wakahisass: Thank you for the awesome review! Hmmm, will they get back together? Who knows :3 We'll have to wait and see *cough cough yes* They've got a long way to go though. What's love without a wee bit of drama and conflict? Jay... sigh... he just loved ruining hevie moments T-T On the bright side, since he didn't get to say the words it means that moments still to come in the sequel :3 Pluuuuus there's maybe Evie saying it too!

MayTime: Here's an update! Hope you enjoyed!

Guest: Updated! :D

KateGT: What's a relationship without some drama and conflict? ;) I feel like I portrayed Mal quite viciously in this story, but that's mainly due to us only seeing her through the eyes of other characters, ones who either don't like her or in Evie's case, although she likes Mal, she does have a difficult history with her. Thank you for your lovely review! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Thank you, everyone, for all your support! If it hadn't been for your lovely words and encouragement this story never would have become what it is. It means a lot to me that I managed to write this story and it's thanks to eveyone for supporting me! Also, big shout out to Ashara Lynn for editing many of the chapters and helping me improve my writing! :D

Next stop, Hooks and Hearts~*

Summary: It's one thing to fall in love with your secret friend, but being in love with your villain? That's a whole other story... (HarryxEvie).