Hey guys, this was an idea that came to me and I wanted to see how it would go. Yet again I wrote this before D2 came out but I didn't really need to know everything to write this. I hope you enjoy it; what did you guys think of D2? (Yes I have already written this but I just wondered what your opinion were - my intention was always to post this just after the film). Much love RSD xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo.
ADDED AFTER WATCHING D2: I have added extra details to this one shot so it relates more to D2. I just thought that I would make you aware as it may give you MAJOR spoilers to the film. So if you haven't watched the film yet then read at your own peril.
It was now half eleven at night; after the Royal Cotillion me and Ben made our excuses and came to the Enchanted Lake. After everything that had happened me and Ben just needed to be alone; yes we may have sorted things out but it still felt like there were a few things that we needed to talk about. Yes I was petrified of losing Ben but I needed to talk to him; to get him to understand why I felt so conflicted. And how this made me feel; yes this was going to be a scary conversation - as I didn't know which way it was going to go.
"Ben?" I said after we had been lying in silence between the stone pillars; fire flies were now floating around aimlessly in the air and in the distance we could hear the waterfall crashing down into the lake below. I loved the fact that Ben had chosen to show this place to me; after all the stress and the drama it was nice to just sit and listen to the world go about its business.
"Aha" he replied as he reached up and slid his hand next to mine on his chest and interlocked his fingers with mine.
"Thank you" I said against his strong broad chest.
"For what?" He asked which made me slowly look up at him.
"Coming to the Isle" I advised.
"You didn't need to" I stated as I pursed my lips together.
"We both said some hurtful things" I added as I bit down on my bottom lip as I looked away from him.
"I know" I heard him mutter and I knew that we were both replaying our argument in our minds.
"I'm sorry for what I said" I muttered.
"It's ok" he replied as I looked back at him.
"No it's not!" I urged.
"Ben I-" I started before I stopped myself to take a deep breath to contend with the sudden wave of guilt that hit me.
"I put you at a great risk; Uma could have really hurt you" I said sadly and I felt tears start to build up in my eyes. I wasn't lying if I didn't do as Uma said she would have really hurt him. Heck! Harry could have killed him! It would have broken me if that had happened; yes I chose to go back to the Isle but that was before I realised that I could be myself. That it was ok to be me; Ben loved me for who I was and that was the main thing; what scared me is what could have been? If anything had happened to Ben then I would have lost my soul mate; the first person that saw the good in me and knew that I wasn't evil. That was a very high price to pay; and I was going to make sure that Ben was never in that position ever again.
"Ben what if true loves kiss didn't work?" I asked as tears started to flow down my cheeks.
"I would have lost you forever Ben, seeing you like that with Uma Ben it killed me!" I cried as my mind started to play back the memory of Ben and Uma at the Royal Cotillion.
"Hey" Ben said as he pulled me tight against him so my head was now against his chest.
"Don't fixate too much on this" Ben said as he pressed a kiss to the top of his head.
"The main thing is that we are together now" he added as he stroked the top of my back in a bid to try and reassure me. It did make me feel better however I needed to speak to Ben about something; yes we had fixed things on the Isle before we came back but I still needed to speak to him.
"That is what we need to talk about" I advised.
"Right?" Ben said slowly.
"I thought things were ok" I heard him say which made me look up slowly at him. I noticed that panic had started to surface in his eyes in case things were about to change dramatically; this was also my worry as well but fingers crossed we would get through this.
"They are" I urged.
"But we still need to talk" I advised.
"Things might change after this" I said sadly as I looked away from Ben.
"Mal you're scaring me" he admitted which made me quickly look back at him.
"Sorry" I quickly apologised.
"Ben the reason why this happened-" I started as I started to remember mine and Ben's argument which caused this whole mess.
"I was trying to be someone that I'm not; I felt as if I wasn't me and it was killing me" I advised as tears started to gather in my eyes.
"I'm not saying that I want to be evil because I don't" I pressed as I watched his face and his blank stare was starting to worry me.
"But I need to be me. I need to have my bright purple hair; be sarcastic, sassy, do pranks-" I started to explain.
"I don't know whether I can be who you need me to be Ben and that thought petrifies me" I advised as a stray tear started to follow down my right cheek.
"I really don't want to lose you!" I cried as I wiped my eyes.
"Mal listen to me" Ben said as he cupped the right hand side of my face.
"You are not going to lose me" he promised.
"I love you" he said lovingly.
"And I love you" I returned.
"More than strawberries" I chuckled.
"More than Tourney" Ben laughed as I wiped my eyes free from tears again.
"Mal you be you" Ben said sincerely.
"That is the woman I fell in love with" he advised.
"And if I am honest-" he started and I noticed that he quickly looked up at my hair before his gaze dropped back down onto my face.
"I prefer you bright purple" he said with a small smile.
"You're just saying that" I accused.
"Am not" Ben said seriously.
"Are" I argued.
"If this never happened; I would still be blonde" I countered.
"Yes" he agreed.
"But by the sounds of it you would be very unhappy and I don't want that" he stated.
"I want you to be happy Mal; that is all I want for you" he said lovingly as he stroked my cheek with his thumb.
"I want to make you happy" he finished.
"And you do" I urged.
"I'm just worried that-" I started as I stopped myself as I started to panic. What I was about to tell Ben was always something that I was going to worry about; I already had gone through this with my mother. I never wanted to go through this with Ben; as it would break me and practically kill me.
"That?" he prompted.
"I might not be enough" I said as I looked away from him and pulled my face free from his hand. All I wanted was for Ben to be happy; and due to my mother always telling me that I was weak, pathetic and not good enough all my life I was scared of this being a reality for the rest of my life.
"Mal" Ben said sadly as he cupped my face again which forced me to look back at him through tear filled eyes.
"Please don't think that" he begged.
"You are enough" he promised sincerely.
"Heck!" he exclaimed.
"You surpass what I need" he advised as I wiped my eyes free from tears again.
"You love and accept me the way I am; that is I what I need. Just like I love you and accept you the way you are" he advised sincerely which made me smile. This is all I wanted for Ben; he gave me everything that I needed and everything that I didn't even know that I needed. So I wanted to be everything that he wanted and needed in return.
"I can only hope that I am everything you want and need" he said lovingly and I nodded at him which made him smile at me.
"I know you are my soul mate" he said sincerely as he started to stare into my eyes.
"My heart is telling me that" he urged.
"You're my soul mate too" I replied and I watched as Ben smiled at me again. Me and Ben then stared at each other for a few seconds before I pressed my face close to Ben's and I pressed a long and loving kiss against his lips. After I pulled away from Ben I was met with a grin and I couldn't help but chuckle as I snuggled back into Ben's chest.
"Looks like we are stuck together" I heard Ben tease as he pulled me close to him.
"Wouldn't have it any other way" I said lovingly as I slowly looked up at him.
"Me neither" he replied lovingly and I watched as Ben pressed a light kiss against my nose.
Me and Ben stared at each other for a few seconds before I watched him chuckle and I pulled one brow up at him; why was Ben laughing?
"What's so funny?" I enquired.
"Erm" Ben said nervously which started to make a spike of panic start to prick up in the back of my mind.
"Ben?" I asked.
"I don't want to upset you" he advised.
"Right?" I questioned slowly.
"Well I definitely want you to tell me now" I advised.
"I would rather you laughing than crying at me to be honest; but I would like to know what I have done" I teased hoping that this would make light of this situation.
"Well it's not funny as such" Ben chuckled.
"I just laughed at the thought of it" he explained.
"Right?" I repeated.
"Ben honey" I stated.
"Please tell me?" I begged.
"I just thought it was funny when something came to my mind" he advised. I threw him a look and started hoping that he would use this as his prompt to continue.
"That I am the most protected man in this kingdom" he said with my favourite cute smile.
"Yes you are" I confirmed.
"How would that upset me?" I asked slowly.
"It's what I am about to say that might upset you" Ben said slowly and I watched as he bit down on his bottom lip.
"Ok" I replied.
"Go on" I prompted.
"Not everyone's girlfriend can turn into a dragon" Ben said as he winced in case I was upset by what he had said. I felt my body freeze in his arms and I then slowly looked into Ben's eyes. Yes Ben was right; he was the most protected person in this kingdom. Yes I turned in a dragon due to my situation with Uma however I did this because I was so annoyed at her. I don't think I would ever get thrown into anger like that again; well I hoped not. Uma pushed past the brink of no return and nothing but losing Ben was ever going to make me go to that extreme again.
"I guess that is true" I muttered.
"Are you ok?" Ben asked quickly.
"Yes" I confirmed and I let a small smile spread across my face so this should reassure him.
"You haven't upset me Benny" I advised and I watched as Ben started to smile down at me.
"You are right; no one is more protected" I agreed.
"More loved" I said sincerely and I watched as a large grin spread across his face.
"Than you in this kingdom" I finished with a toothy grin.
"Hmm" Ben purred before he reached over and pressed a long and loving kiss against my lips.
"Mal no one loves you more than me in this kingdom" Ben promised sincerely.
"I know" I replied.
"My heart is telling me that" I said lovingly. Me and Ben grinned at each other for a few seconds before our faces slowly gravitated towards each other's and my lips found Ben's with a heated passion that ignited both of our souls. I could tell this by the way me and Ben's bodies quickly moved against each other's as we clung eagerly to each other. I also knew that no one else loved me more than Ben in this kingdom due to the way that Ben was acting with me right now; the passionate way he was kissing me right now was making my heart want to pound through my chest and my stomach was fluttering constantly. I tried to mirror Ben's movements as I wanted him to know how much he meant to me; I wanted him to know that he was my world and I never wanted to lose him again. I felt Ben groan against my lips as I ran my tongue over the roof of his mouth and I felt Ben's hand cup the back of my head as we got lost into our loving kisses. I felt my lungs start to ache from the need of breathing and a thought came to me so I pulled away and I watched as Ben's eyes slowly opened. Me and Ben then started to get lost into each other's eyes and as we did this I made a decision - this couldn't happen again and I needed to make sure that it didn't.
"Something else is on your mind?" he asked after a few minutes of us staring at each other in silence.
"Yeah" I advised.
"Ben I want you to promise me something?" I asked. I knew it was probably wrong of me to ask this of Ben but I didn't care I couldn't have him at risk again.
"Ok" he said.
"What?" he questioned.
"I can't have you at any risk ever again, I could have lost you in so many ways to Uma. But it would have been my own fault" I advised sadly.
"I know it is probably wrong of me to ask" I stated.
"Right?" Ben prompted slowly.
"I want you to promise me that you will never go back to the Isle" I answered as I bit down on my bottom lip.
"Mal" Ben whined.
"That is not necessary" he stated.
"It is" I pressed.
"Ben please?" I begged.
"If you love me you would promise me" I said and I watched as his face dropped slightly. Yes it might have been cruel to say this to him; but I needed him to promise me this. I didn't want Ben going back to the Isle and put at a risk again. I couldn't lose him! I just couldn't he was my soul mate and my one true love and losing him just wasn't an option.
"Mal!" Ben puffed as he pulled a disgruntled face at me.
"I know you think I am being cruel; but Ben it will break me if you get hurt" I advised.
"I couldn't bear it" I said sadly and my voice broke in panic.
"I promise I'll never go to the Isle" Ben promised as he stared into my eyes.
"Thank you" I replied as I took a couple of deep breaths to try and elude the panic that had filled my mind and body.
"You know it will be hard not to worry when you go back" Ben said as he pursed his lips together.
"I don't intend to" I dismissed as I reached up and cupped the left hand side of his face.
"My home is Auradon" I said proudly.
"With you" I added lovingly which made Ben smile.
"I don't need to go back" I advised before Ben pressed a long and loving kiss against my lips.
"Me neither" Ben answered as we pulled our lips away from each other's.
"Good because I don't think I could go through this again" I said.
"I nearly lost you for good Ben" I added sadly as I pursed my lips together.
"No you didn't" Ben dismissed.
"Ben you thought that you loved Uma!" I exclaimed as my mind started to spitefully play the memory of seeing Ben kissing Uma's hand and telling everyone how much he loved her.
"Ben you were telling everyone how much you loved her" I advised darkly.
"How much you wanted her to be your lady of the court!" I spat. I watched as Ben opened his mouth to say something but I quickly put my right index finger over his lips to stop him; there was something that I needed to tell Ben and I needed to tell him without him stopping me.
"Ben please let me say this" I stated and I watched as he nodded at me.
"If that is what you really wanted; without the magic-" I started as I removed my finger from his lips.
"Then I would have stepped aside and let you be with Uma without a fight" I said sadly as I felt my eyes started to water.
"But she hypnotised you to want all of that; I couldn't just leave you in that position" I advised as I looked down and tried to contend with the lump that was building in my throat.
"So if I actually wanted Uma-" I heard him start.
"You would have let me go?" he asked before we fell into silence.
"You love me that much? That even if you can't be with me you want me to be happy" I heard him say as I felt his arms tighten around me.
"Yes" I confirmed as I wiped my eyes free from tears.
"Mal come here" I heard Ben say before he pulled me into a hug so now my face was pressed against his chest.
"I feel the same; I never want it to happen but if the roles were reversed I would do the same" Ben said before he pressed a kiss to the top of my head.
"I never want that to happen" I said sadly as I pulled away and looked up at him.
"Ever again!" I exclaimed.
"Me neither" he agreed as he cupped the left hand side of my face with his right hand.
"Mal I want to advise you of something" Ben started as he started to let his eyes burn into mine.
"Ok?" I prompted.
"Even though I was spelled I felt like there was something wrong; I still felt a pull towards you" he advised sincerely.
"Really?" I asked incredulously as I hoped that this was true. I knew that Ben wouldn't lie to me but the fact that I now knew that even though he was under Uma's spell he still felt something for me.
"Yes" he confirmed.
"I am so glad that you fought for me" he said happily as he brushed his thumb along my bottom lip.
"Sorry us" he amended.
"Yeah" I said happily with a small smile.
"Well you are my soul mate Ben; I'm not going to give you up without a fight" I added with a grin.
"Hmm" Ben purred before he pressed a long and loving kiss against my lips.
"Back at you Dragon" he teased.
"Ha!" I said sarcastically at my new nickname.
"What?" Ben asked innocently.
"I like that nickname for you" he advised.
"Hmm" I purred.
"Well I suppose as I call you Beast; you should be able to call me that" I chuckled as I started to slowly stroke his chest.
"Good" Ben said smugly before he pressed a kiss against my lips.
"Oh and Ben" I said after I pulled away breathlessly.
"Yes Mal" Ben said lovingly.
"I totally digged the bad boy look" I flirted.
"Hmm" Ben purred at me.
"Did my Dragon like that?" Ben flirted back as a smirk spread across his face.
"Very much" I admitted.
"My bad boy" I purred before I rolled over and pulled Ben on top of me. He laughed breathlessly at my actions and he quickly pressed his lips against mine in a heated fashion that caught me off guard. Ben quickly deepened the kiss and the last thought that was on my mind before I got lost into my make out session with Ben was that I was glad that me and Ben had been able to get through this. And this is how it would always be - always.