A/N: Hey all! I know it has nearly been a whole year since I updated but I've been really, really busy! I can report that I now have a job as a freelance writer and have a few original works in progress. I chose to update this as a Christmas present for you all. I have also had massive writer's block when it came to writing this chapter. Basically, this chapter has been like a quarter finished since March when I started writing it until the last couple of days. So this chapter was named after the Little Mix song, A Different Beat. It turned out differently to what I had planned originally. I could see the scenes clearly in my head but I couldn't write them down for some stupid reason.

I originally was going to have the last part of the chapter focus on Gia's relationship with Belle and Adam (Beast) a lot more then what I wrote. I will focus on their relationship with her later however. There are also a lot spelling and grammar errors as I have not edited this chapter at all. So without further ado, I give you, the long awaited chapter 12. One more thing as well, there is a reference to a one shot 'preface' to this story called More then What You Think which explains a little bit of Gia's origins. I would recommend reading that before reading this chapter but it it optional as a lot Gia's origin will be featured in this story anyway.

Chapter Twelve: A Different Beat

A few months past and before the students of Auradon Prep knew, it was three weeks before the mid-term exams.

While the girls found ways to keep themselves calm during study periods, the boys weren't so lucky.

Ben, Jay and Carlos knew they were out of their minds when they agreed to undergo extra Tourney training sessions at 4.30am every morning with Coach Jenkins. By the time the trio got to breakfast, they were exhausted which was a worry to Mal and Evie.

"You guys look exhausted." Mal said as the guys sat down at their normal breakfast table the first Sunday morning after their training sessions started.

"Yeah," Evie agreed as she picked at her bran muffin. "We've got exams too, remember?"

"I think we're in over our heads." Ben groaned. His head rested on the table so his voice sounded muffled.

Mal and Evie looked at each other before Mal reached over and took Ben's hand causing him to look up at her.

"You three need sleep. We're getting worried about you." Mal said squeezing Ben's hand. He squeezed her hand in return.

"After breakfast, go back to bed. Coach Jenkins should know better then to have you three training before mid-term week." Evie said, clearly appalled.

The boys looked at each other.

Ben looked about ready to protest when Evie gave him a hard look. "And I don't care if you're the king."

Mal had to hold back a laugh at the sour look Ben was giving Evie.

Ben sighed and returned his head to the table. "Fine." He mumbled. "We'll go."

Mal and Evie exchanged pleased looks.

After breakfast, the boys did as they were told and went back to bed while the girls went about their study. It might have been the weekend but the girls were determined to do well on these exams.

They had done well the previous year, despite having arrived at Auradon Prep later in the school year but before mid-terms had even started.

Mal had found she had caught the study bug, thanks to Ben's prodding. She understood that the guy meant well and only wanted what was best for her. She had never been real good at exams while she had been at Dragon Hall while she'd been living on the Isle of the Lost. She had found, however, that she was actually learning more in Auradon then what she had ever learned on the island.

After lunch, Evie had taken Jane to the one of the nearby shopping malls to buy more material, which left Mal alone in the room.

Mal felt somewhat at ease, sitting at her desk as she read the notes she had taken for Villain History. The subject should have been a breeze for her considering who her mother was and the origins in which she had come. The subject was proving more difficult then what she imagined. As the saying went, 'There are two sides to every story' but Mal had learned since returning to Auradon there was no right or wrong in the world, just differing opinions.

Absorbed in her study, Mal didn't notice Ben slip into the room and sneak up behind her.

"Miss me?"

Mal smiled and looked up to see her boyfriend hovering behind her. "What are you doing here? I thought Evie and I told you and the guys to sleep."

"I did. You should hear Jay and Carlos. I never imagined their snores would be so loud."

"Given the way their parents raised them, I'm not. They've never known comfort the way they have here in Auradon." Mal said tapping her pencil absently on the desk.

"I remember Jay mentioning he use to sleep under a shelf in his dad's shop that held heavy TVs."

Mal nodded as she flipped the page in her notebook. "Yeah. Carlos had a bed but no pillow and his blankets were his mother's furs. He had to be careful though because if Cruella caught him sleeping with her furs, she'd lock him in her bear-trap infested closet as punishment. In fact, Evie gave him one of her pillows that she had to smuggle from her mom's castle."

"What about you and Evie?" Ben asked as he perched next to her.

"We both had beds and pillows and blankets. Considering who our mothers are, I'm surprised that we weren't punished as badly as Carlos."

"How rough was it growing up with Maleficent as a parent?"

Mal looked up at Ben, giving him a sour look. She then answered his question anyway. "Rough. I use to get punished all because I wasn't evil enough. I only wish I knew what punishments Evie use to get from Evil Queen." She then returned her attention to her notebook. Before she could reach for the book, however, Ben's hand snaked out and shut the book. "Hey!" Mal protested.

"You've been here since before lunch. Come on, you need some time away from your study."

Mal snorted. "Says the guy who has only had what? Three hours sleep?"

Ben shot her a look that said 'I'm dead serious'.

"Okay, okay, fine." Mal rose from her chair, cringing from the stiffness in her back and legs from having been sitting for too long. "Let's do whatever you want me to do."

As it turned out, Ben had merely wanted to take Mal to the art room, her favorite place on all of the Auradon Prep's campus.

Ben perched on one of the tables while Mal did the one thing she enjoyed most, after drawing: painting. It was crazy to think that just over a year ago, Mal had been spray-painting images of her mother and the phrase 'Long Live Evil' on the walls around the Isle of the Lost. He had seen some of her art first hand when she had accidentally wished that she could go home to the isle. The spell had backfired terribly when Audrey, Ben and Evie had gotten trapped in the crossfire. Mal knew now not to wish on a Genie's lamp unless she was absolutely desperate.

"Thanks for bringing me down here. This is exactly what I needed."

Ben smirked as he nodded. "My pleasure. So tell me," he paused. "How's the study going?"

Mal snorted. "I thought you bought me in here not to talk about exams and study."

"I kinda lied about that," Ben admitted sheepishly as he hopped off the table and stepped over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Not really."

Mal giggled as she leaned into his chest. "Ooh. I like this new you. You're becoming evil."

Ben considered her words as he pressed a kiss to her hair. He then leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I've got a good teacher."

Mal chuckled. "You gonna let me go or do I have to jab you with this?" She held up the paintbrush that was in her hand.

Ben pulled a face she couldn't see and released her before going back to where he had been perched before on the table. There was nothing worse then getting jabbed with the end of a paintbrush.

Come to think of it, Ben had never seen Mal use a paintbrush before. He was so accustom to seeing her using spray paint that seeing her with a paintbrush was foreign.

"It's good to see that you're using something other then spray paint." Ben found himself commenting.

Mal stopped painting to give him a distasteful look. "I like art, Benny Boo. I can use whatever I want."

Ben laughed. "I never said you couldn't."

Mal pulled a face and went back to her painting.

Ben considered Mal's words. She did like art and she could draw better then any person he knew. He himself had the art skills of a four-year-old. He couldn't draw for crap and he was willing to admit it. "You know," he said causing Mal to straighten her back, implying she was listening. "My art skills resemble that of a four-year-old." He inwardly cringed knowing Mal was bound to laugh at him.

He was surprised when Mal turned around and walked over to him. "I love you just as you are." Ben found himself smiling before pulling her into his lap, her arms going instinctively to his neck.

"I'm glad." He grinned.

Mal grinned in return. "You don't have to be arty for me to love you. I hope you know that."

"Of course, I do."

"Then don't worry about it." Mal offered him a smile and he took the gesture as one that told him as long as he had Mal's love, that was all he needed.

Evie sat with her study notes for her Fashion Design class scattered around her. She was sitting alone at the picnic table she and her friends normally occupied.

She had completed her shopping trip with Jane but had found the trip unfulfilling. She hadn't be able to buy what she wanted as the shops were out of what she needed. She had this great design for an outfit that she had wanted to make but she couldn't do it without the right materials.

"Evie?"

Evie's head shot up to see Jordan watching her. "Jordan, hi."

"You okay? You seem… distracted." Jordan said as she sat down opposite her.

"I'm just annoyed, that's all." Evie admitted.

"Annoyed at what?" Jordan asked.

"I went to the mall with Jane earlier. I needed material for this outfit I want to make, only no one had the material I needed."

Jordan looked down at the design in front of Evie. Reaching for it, she studied it carefully. "It's pretty. Normally, pretty's not a word I use. I think I might be able to help you."

Evie's eyes widened. "Really?"

Jordan nodded. "I always have a ton of material left over whenever I make people's genie chic outfits. I actually have all the material you need for this." She tapped the sketch with a finger.

Evie brightened. "Thank you, Jordan. That's really sweet of you."

Jordan grinned and nodded. "You're an amazing designer, Ev. You're going to make it big one day."

The idea of becoming a big name fashion designer was almost too much to handle for Evie. "I'm not that good."

"Nonsense," Jordan snorted. "You're amazing. You do know that that dress you made for Audrey's mom for King Stefan's birthday trended, right?"

"I'm aware." Evie nodded. "Aurora came and thanked me personally. Though, I don't know what Queen Leah said about it though."

"Who cares what the old lady said? She has her head stuck in the old times. She holds grudges against those who had nothing to do with Maleficent's sleeping curse."

Evie didn't have to ask. She knew Jordan was referring to Queen Leah's vendetta against Mal all because of what Maleficent did to Aurora all those years ago.

What Evie found astonishing was the idea that Jordan of all people would actually call Leah 'an old lady'. In the time Evie had known Jordan, she had always been intrigued with the daughter of Genie's sass. She reminded Evie of Mal, but with fashion sense. Mal's fashion sense was getting better, considering she had Gia guiding her along the path that could one day lead her to become Queen of Auradon.

"I have to repay you somehow." Evie said, the words rushing out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop them.

Jordan waved her hands dismissively. "Don't worry about it. It's the least I can do. After all, you have helped me in the past."

Evie nodded.

Jordan rose from her seat but not before snapping her fingers.

A pile of pre-used material appeared in front of Evie.

"Wow," Evie said as she thumbed through the pile. "There's enough here to two make the same dress twice."

"Yeah. I tend to buy more then I can use. Take as much as you need." Jordan said.

Evie didn't argue as she quickly sorted through the material. She grabbed what she needed and pushed the rest back over to Jordan. "Thanks again, Jordan."

"Anytime, Evie." Jordan snapped her fingers and disappeared in a flash.

Evie returned her gaze to the material in front of her and smiled.

Jay and Carlos had been awake for at least fifteen minutes when Mal came barging into their room.

"Guys!"

Carlos jumped.

"Damn it, Mal. Don't you ever knock?" Jay said as he flopped back down against his pillows.

Mal smirked at them.

"Aren't you supposed to be studying or with Ben?" Carlos asked as Dude jumped up on the bed.

"I was with Ben just then." Mal nodded.

"Then what are you doing here?" Jay asked sitting up.

"He gave me an idea and it involves you two."

The boys looked at each other. They had come know when Mal was 'plotting' something. Most of the time, they weren't involved and Evie was often the one Mal went to for help with her 'schemes'.

"Why do I get the feeling that we aren't going to like this?" Jay cringed.

Mal grinned before she spun around and headed for the door. "You have ten minutes to be down on the Tourney Field." With that, she left, leaving Jay and Carlos to wonder what she had planned.

Jay and Carlos obeyed Mal's request and went down to the Tourney field as soon as they'd both gotten dressed.

Arriving down at the field, they found almost all their friends waiting for them.

Evie stood with Doug who looked mildly annoyed because he had been pulled out of his own study.

Lonnie had just arrived with Jane who looked about ready to cry.

Ben didn't look at all happy. Why, Jay and Carlos fathom. He was always happy whenever Mal was with him.

What struck Jay as surprising was Gia's presence. Normally, she wouldn't have gotten involved with school matters but apparently; this wasn't a school matter at all.

"Hey," Jay greeted Evie. "What's going on?"

Evie shrugged before turning back to see Mal walking to the front of the group. She also noted that Gia wasn't far behind her.

"Okay guys, you're probably all wondering why we've asked you all here."

There was a murmur of agreement and a nod of heads from the group.

"As you're all well aware, mid-terms are coming up and well, we need a miracle if we're to keep our heads, so to speak."

This caused a bit of confusion among the group of teens.

"What Mal means is," Gia said, speaking up. "Is that you've all got other activities that you have to contend with too. For the boys, excluding Doug, you've got Tourney at all hours of the day and of course there's Doug's band practice, Lonnie's martial arts training and hip-hop classes and whatever else you kids do in your spare time."

"Are you saying we need to prioritize?" Lonnie asked.

"That is exactly what we're talking about, Lon." Mal nodded.

"And I know exactly how to do that." Gia said as she turned to face Ben, Carlos and Jay. "Ben, Carlos and Jay, you're up first."

The boys simply stared at her before looking at each other.

Say yeah, yeah (Yeah, yeah)

Jay, Carlos and Ben found themselves on the running track on the athletics track. Gia stood observing them.

"What the heck are we doing here?" Jay asked, his hands coming to rest on his hips.

Gia eyed him. "I have noticed while some of your recent Tourney games haven't been… the greatest." She said, choosing her words carefully.

"That wasn't our fault," Carlos said raising his hand as if he were in the middle of class discussion. "The other teams were better then us."

"Yeah." Ben and Jay chorused in unison.

Gia gave them a sideways look and pursed her lips. "When I was at Auradon Prep, the Fighting Knights never gave up but with you guys on the team, I'm beginning to think otherwise."

The trio of guys looked at each other. They didn't like where this was going.

"Line up."

Ben and Carlos did as they are told. Jay stood defiantly crossing his arms as if in protest.

"Dude," Carlos said causing Jay to turn to look at him. "I would do as she says."

"Yeah, I agree." Ben said. He pointed at Gia and Jay was forced to look at her.

Gia's eyes glowed the same shade of green as Mal's did when she used magic.

Cringing and not wanting to upset his girlfriend, Jay moved into position on the track between Ben and Carlos.

There was an odd bang and the boys took off.

Say ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah

Carlos looked around nervously. He saw that Jenkins hadn't turned his attention on him… yet.

(Ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah)

Jay stood at the opposite end of the Tourney field watching as Chad sulked around. He froze when Chad stopped walking, his eyes focusing on Carlos. Was the arrogant little princeling going to attack Carlos? Jay felt himself unfreeze when Chad started to walk into the opposite direction.

Say yeah, yeah
(Yeah, yeah)

Ben sighed in relief when he saw that Chad had walked in the opposite direction. He didn't want to have to deal with Chad this early in the morning. His mind simply wouldn't be with it until breakfast.

Say ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah
(Ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah)

Jenkins watched from where he was standing by the cannon to see that Chad Charming had walked in the opposite direction away from the De Vil kid. He looked briefly to where Ben was standing saw hat even he was relieved to see that Chad walked away instead of going over to bully the poor kid.

The coach the looked over at Jay who looked ready for a fight. He was just glad when he saw Aziz walk over and hold Jay back.

I got a spoonful of sugar
That I think you'd like
No, I don't wanna preach

Ben rolled his eyes. He was sitting in the library with Lonnie and Titus, all their books and study notes spread out between the three of them. Audrey had walked in with a few of her friends and was giggling over something Chad had clearly told her earlier. He gritted his teeth.

"Don't let her get to you," Lonnie muttered through gritted teeth of her own as she applied paper correction fluid onto a mistake she had made on her English notes. "She thinks she's the princess of everything."

"What I would love to know is," said Titus as he absently examined his pencil sharpener. "Why is she even in here? She doesn't seem like the study and bookish type."

"I would love the know the same thing." Ben said as he returned his gaze to his Villain textbook.

But I think you might
Wanna cup
(Sip it up, sip it up)
(Sip it up, sip it up, sip it up)

Evie and Mal sat in their Auradon History exam, their heads jammed to capacity with knowledge. They had gone over their notes at least ten times and thrown quiz questions at each other as they had laid in their beds, waiting for sleep to come.

Mal twirled her pen in-between her fingers as she jotted down the answer to a question about the Chinese Army in which Lonnie's parents had served in when they had been younger. She smiled at what she had written down before she moved onto the next question.

Evie sighed as she wrote down the answer to a question about Tiana's past before she had become Queen of Maldonia. This is too easy, She thought. She looked over to where Mal was sitting.

Mal looked over at Evie when her best friend caught her eye. She smiled before mouthing; this is too easy at her.

The supervising teacher, Mr. Deaks cleared his throat and Mal and Evie snapped out of their silent conversation and went back to working on their exam papers.

At back of the room, Ben smirked down at his paper. He knew Mal and Evie had worked really hard on their study for this subject and he severely hoped that their study paid off.

I might be young
But I know my mind
I'm sick of being told

Jay stood by himself on the Athletic track, he took a few deep breaths before he took off around the track, pushing his legs as fast he knew they would carry him.

What's wrong or right
So give it up
(Give it up, give it up)
(Give it up, give it up, give it up)

Jane sat on the sidelines on the Tourney field, her fighting knights mascot's uniform sat next to her. She watched as the Tourney team trained. She wasn't paying attention to the whole team. She was more focused on Carlos.

She wanted to ask him out but she was always losing her nerve. You are such a coward Jane, She thought bitterly to herself as she chewed her lip. But Carlos looks so cute in that in that uniform.

She sighed before she gathered up her uniform and left the bleachers.

Uh-oh, now there you go
Out of your comfort zone

Mal stood in front of Evie's long mirror, wearing one of Evie prototype dresses.

"Just stand still for me." Evie said as she pulled out a handful of pins from her crown shaped pincushion.

"Just be careful you don't… ah!" Mal yelped as Evie accidentally pricked her. "Evie!"

Evie cringed. "Sorry."

'Cause I'm breaking out
Not breaking down, down, down, down
Ain't got nothing to prove

Fairy Godmother stood at the front of her Remedial Goodness class, watching her VK students as they took down the questions she had written down on the board. She watched as Freddie and Jade took down their answers and raised their hands.

"Freddie? Jade?"

"The answer to the first question would be give the princess a rose and an apology." Said Jade.

Fairy Godmother nodded, a smile creeping onto her face. "And the answer to the second question?"

"Comfort the puppy." Freddie answered automatically.

From the other side of the room, Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos clapped.

Ulysses and Titus clapped, clearly impressed.

Freddie and Jade looked at each other proudly.

Walk a mile in my shoes
I know the one thing that counts

Mal sat on her bed staring up at the spell jar that contained her mother, a dark expression her face. She had briefly fallen asleep and had dreamt of her mother. Her mother had said some terrible things to her like Ben would dump her when he realised she wasn't queen material.

The Mistress of Evil had even gone as far as to mock Mal's friendship with Evie, Jay and Carlos saying that they were only friendly towards her because they had no one else to turn to when it came to leadership.

Mal had fought her way out of the dream. Her mother didn't know her at all. She knew Ben adored her and loved her for who she was. She also knew that Evie, Jay and Carlos saw her as their sister and not just as their so-called leader.

"I'll show you, Mother that I am more then what you think I am."

Without a second thought, Mal rose from her bed and did a sweeping hand gesture, her clothes, hair and makeup changing on the spot. She walked to the door and left, slamming the door behind her.

I got the right
To make up my mind
Say it loud and clear

Jay stood in the locker room with Coach Jenkins going over a bunch of plays for an upcoming Tourney game.

When Jenkins nodded his approval, Jay let out the loudest cheer that the coach had ever heard in his life.

Jay's cheer was so loud that it could be heard as far out as the bleachers where Ben and Carlos were talking with Jade.

"Looks like Jay got his plays approved." Jade said.

For the whole wide world to hear
We're marching for love

"Ben, you get your royal butt back here!" Gia yelled.

Ben pulled Mal down the corridor of the East Wing of Castle away from the direction of his sister's voice.

The couple pinned themselves up against a shadowed wall.

"Do you think we lost her?" Ben whispered to Mal.

Without thinking, Mal leaned over and kissed him.

Ben kissed her back but pulled back when he heard the pounding of feet on the carpeted floor close to them.

"There you are!"

Ben and Mal cringed as they turned to see Gia standing in front of them, her hands on her hips looking rather unimpressed.

So turn up the drum
Say it loud and clear
For the whole wide world to hear

Gia flopped down on her bed, exhausted. Teaching Ben and Mal was a chore within itself. She had never seen either of them look so flustered and nervous in all the time she had known them. She knew they were practically joined at the hip but she never seen them jump apart the way they had. She had seen the nerves on their faces.

Yeah, we must have different shoes on
We're marching to a different beat
Yeah!

Mal sat in her pyjamas on her bed while Evie sat, also dressed in her pyjamas at her sewing machine. They hadn't spoken in over an hour and a half after they had gotten into an unnecessary fight about how Mal had handled her and Ben's dance lesson with Gia.

"M?"

Mal's head shot up to see Evie looking at her, apologetically.

"I'm sorry for our argument earlier. I wasn't thinking."

Mal gave her best friend a reassuring smile. "I'm sorry too, E. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

Evie rose from her sewing machine and went to hug Mal.

"I hope you have forgiven me."

Mal smiled and pulled back out of the hug a little bit. "Yeah, I have. But can I ask why?"

Evie flashed Mal a smile before pulling completely out of the hug and going back over to her sewing machine. She reached over and revealed a dress that she had been working on.

"I made this for you. You know, as a way of hoping (and praying) for forgiveness."

The dress was simple but it was most definitely Mal's style. It was Mal's favourite shade of purple but other then that, Mal couldn't see much of it through her tears of happiness.

"Oh, E," she sobbed. "It's perfect."

Evie smiled and hugged Mal again.

Mal smiled into Evie's shoulder.

So baby put your boots on
Keep marching to a different beat
Yeah

Evie walked out of her Fashion Design exam looking happy. She knew she would have been able to pass the exam even if she were asleep. It had been that easy. She wasn't inwardly gloating but it was easy.

"How was it?" Ben asked.

Mal had been meant to meet Evie outside the classroom but had been summoned to the art room instead. Ben, who had been with her had volunteered to go in her place.

Never in the slow lane
'Cause I like it fast
No time you waste
So I keep our feet on the gas

Ben sat in the driver's seat of his father's SUV. Gia and Belle sat in the back, anxiously clutching each other's hands as if it was the other's lifeline.

"Is this such a grand idea, dear?" Belle asked her husband.

"It won't be like last time, mom, I promise." Ben said in an attempt to comfort his mother's nerves.

Gia snorted. "The last time you drove us to the mall, you nearly rammed the car into a parking meter."

Belle elbowed her.

Gia yelped as she rubbed her arm.

"Have a bit of faith in the kid, geez." Beast said as Ben started the car.

Here goes nothing, Ben thought to himself as he removed the parking brake and slowly edged the car towards the gate.

(I live it up, live it up)
(Live it up, live it up, live it up)

I might be young
I know who I am
So I don't follow like a marching band

Doug sat in his regular place in the music room, his trumpet in his hands. He was distracted by the fact that he had a study date with Evie and Mal that afternoon. Ben had had to bail at the last minute because there had been a massive disagreement between Aladdin and Charming that he had fix before it ended up in the next morning's newspaper.

"Come on Dwarfson!"

Doug snapped out of his daze and went about his trumpet playing. This was going to be a long practice session.

So give it up
(Give it up, give it up)
(Give it up, give it up, give it up)

Mal sat alone in the art room, paint splattered on her face and in her hair. She had been given a practical assignment that she had wanted to get finished early so that she could send time studying in the dorm with Evie and the boys.

She sighed as she stared at the paint-splattered canvas in front of her. It was not want she had envisioned but she knew she would get high marks anyway. She was at the top of the class for a reason.

Uh-oh, now there you go
Out of your comfort zone

"Come on De Vil!" Ordered Coach Jenkins.

The disadvantage of being on the Auradon Prep Tourney team was that the team also got Coach Jenkins as a sub whenever Yao wasn't teaching gym.

Jay and Ben were notably absent from the class, which didn't make Carlos feel any better. He hated it when Jenkins ran the class. He didn't mind the coach when they were on the Tourney field but having him as a gym teacher was even worse.

Carlos had somehow gotten himself chosen to take what Jenkin's dubbed 'The Monkey Bar Test', which met swinging without fault to beat a certain time limit. This so-called test was worse then having to climb up a rope in the gym in order to ring a bell.

'Cause I'm breaking out
I'm breaking down, down, down, down

Carlos stopped near the middle of the monkey bars. He could feel his grip on the bar slip but he held on for dear life.

Ain't got nothing to prove
Walk a mile in my shoes

Ben held Mal exactly as Gia had shown him but it looked awkward. It felt awkward. He might have been a king and he might have tried to show Mal how to do the waltz but there was one thing he hadn't considered. Maybe they were both had left feet. Sure, his parents had their 'tale as old as time' but Belle had known how to dance. She had had to show Beast how do it.

Mal on the other hand, wasn't sure where which hand was supposed to go where.

"Take Ben's hand and extend your arm out." Gia instructed. Mal did as she was told. "Good. Now place your other hand on his shoulder."Mal did that too. "Excellent. Ben, pull Mal in just a little bit closer." Ben did he was told but it made him utterly uncomfortable, especially with Gia watching and telling them what to do. "Now do those steps again."

Ben took one step left. Mal followed his lead. He then stepped backwards. Mal followed. One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two…

"Ow!" Ben yelped as Mal stepped on his toes again.

Gia face palmed herself.

I know the one thing that counts

I got the right

Evie sat in her Fashion Design class with Flora standing at her shoulder watching her sketch out a final part of her latest design. Evil Queen's daughter looked up at her teacher expectantly. Flora smiled at her student, nodded her approval and patted Evie on the shoulder with Evie's smile widening.

To make up my mind
Say it loud and clear

Doug sat playing his Trumpet in the bleachers of the Tourney field with the rest of the Marching Band. It was on of those rare practice sessions where the Band Master had decided that practice would be more effective outdoors.

The Band Master clapped his hands in approval and Doug lowered his trumpet from his mouth, a small smile forming.

For the whole wide world to hear
We're marching for love

Ben and Mal tried their dance again only for Ben to yelp when Mal stepped on his toes.

Gia sighed and face palmed herself.

Mal whimpered as ben comforted her and told her that he was okay.

Gia sighed. "Let's try this AGAIN."

So turn up the drum
Say it loud and clear
For the whole wide world to hear

Evie sat on the bleachers watching the cheerleading squad, her design sketchbook sat in her lap. She was glad that she had left the squad when she had. She remembered all the looks that Audrey would give her whenever she tweaked her cheer uniform. She knew Audrey had been jealous because the rest of the cheer squad would fawn over her skills in design.

Pursing her lips, she looked down at the cover before flipping to the next available page and started to draw. She had an idea that she wanted to get down before she forgot it.

Yeah, we must have different shoes on

Gia demonstrated a few Latin dance steps to see if Mal could follow her lead.

It was a little bit awkward as Mal tried to follow her step for step.

Gia shook her head and showed Mal how to do the steps again.

We're marching to a different beat

Doug stomped his feet in time with the other members of the band. They were rehearsing for a school presentation at the town hall in town. This presentation was like a precursor for future Aurdon Prep students. The presentation was to show the parents and future students what Auradon Prep had on offer. A select few pre-existing students had been selected to talk at the presentation.

In years past, the presentation would have been done at the school but there had been a shift since Mal and her friends had become students. Fairy Godmother had decided that it would be best if the parents and future students not interact with the VKs until they actually enrolled.

Despite the entirety of Auradon knowing that the VKs were allowed in Auradon, the school board had decided that it would be best to keep the VKs out of the parents' decisions to enrol their children at the school. It was essential that no civil war of words were started among the parents with the VK students that they spoke to.

Yeah!
So baby put your boots on
Keep marching to a different beat

Carlos looked up at the monkey bars that hung above his head. He jumped up and grabbed a bar. He swung himself from one end to the other. By the time he reached the end, he was a little bit tired but he fought the urge to drop down to the ground. Instead, he swung himself back the way he had come and did it over again and again while he felt his arms were about to drop off his body.

Yeah

I got my head up

Mal stood in front of the long mirror as Evie did the finishing touches to the outfit that they had worked on together.

Shoulders back

Evie tapped Mal on the shoulder and Maleficent's daughter's shoulders rolled back into place.

I'm doing me

Evie finished smoothing out the folds in the dress while Mal stood staring at herself in the mirror. She turned left and right, examining the outfit from different angles.

So they can see

In the mirror, Evie grinned, on the verge of tears. "My work is complete."

Evie didn't even notice the sympathetic look on Mal's face.

I'm marching to a different beat
I take a look in the mirror

Ben and Gia poked their heads into the room to see how the friends were going.

And I like what I see

The royal duo stepped quietly into the room, closing the door behind them as they entered the room.

So baby, I keep marching

Mal and Evie turned and received an approving look from the pair. They smiled and nodded in return.

"Eat your heart out Queen Leah." Mal grinned proudly.

Her friends laughed.

To a different beat

Carlos shot around the running track, leaving both Ben and Jay in the dust. He was propelling himself to run speeds that could almost defy gravity.

Gia clicked the stop button on the stopwatch in her hand. Carlos stopped in his sprint when he reached her.

About half way around the track, Ben and Jay had both stopped, their hands on their knees as they caught their breath.

"How'd I do?" Carlos asked. He didn't even seem to be nervous.

Gia said nothing as she turned the watch around so its face was facing him. She watched as the face of Cruella's son lit up.

"I-I did it." Carlos said as he looked at the stopwatch time.

Ben and Jay appeared next to him. They both clapped him on the back.

"You did it, bro." Jay said with a smile.

Ben looked at Gia and grinned and nodded.

I got the right
To make up my mind

Ben and Mal swept around the ballroom while Gia observed them from the sidelines, her arms folded across her chest. The couple stopped spinning.

"How was that?" Mal asked, almost too nervous to ask.

"MUCH better." Gia said approvingly.

Ben and Mal smiled at her before smiling at each other.

Say it loud and clear

Ben and Gia stood on the sidelines of the Athletics track as they watched Jay and Carlos race around the track. Their hair flew everywhere as the former villainous pair flew pass them.

For the whole wide world to hear
We're marching so loud
So turn up the drum

The Marching Band's drummer drummed a set on his snare drum as Ben stood watching as Jay walked through a few plays with Coach Jenkins.

The drummer's drumstick slipped from his finger and it hit Ben in the hair. The young king yelped and placed his hand on his head. He gave the drummer a look that told him he wasn't happy about being hit in the head.

"Sorry, Ben." The drummer apologised with an awkward shrug.

Say it loud and clear
For the whole wide world to hear

Mal was standing on her bed spinning in a circle, the skirt of her dress spun with her.

Evie nodded. "Good to see that the material is tear resistant."

Mal gave her an odd look by said nothing.

Yeah, we must have different shoes on
We're marching to a different beat

Gia showed Ben and Mal her dance steps again and they copied her. It surprised her that they had copied her step for step without any mistakes. Her eyebrows shot up her forehead, approvingly.

I'm marching to a different beat
So baby put your boots on

"Five minutes." Said Delay as he checked the clock on the wall.

The students in the room scrambled to finish their exams.

Ben and Evie's pens scrawled across the last pages of their English exams.

Keep marching to a different beat

The students cheered as the final bell rang, indicating that the exams were over.

Yeah

Mal and Ben collapsed on the floor of the stone gazebo.

"I am just glad exams are over." Mal groaned in relief.

Ben groaned in response. "I don't think my hand has ever been so cramped in my life. It's going to take a month to get the feeling back."

Mal laughed. "I know my brain is relieved. I must have spent every night sitting up until god knows when studying with Evie."

"I can't say that I'm surprised," Ben said as he turned his head to look at her. "You, Evie, Jay and Carlos have worked so hard to get where you have."

Mal could feel her stomach turn over. She wasn't sure what the feeling was she was feeling. She wasn't sure if it was happiness from the praise that Ben was giving her or whether it was the guilt of having said anything at all. Perhaps it was something to do with the relief of exams finally being over.

She looked over to see that Ben had taken her hand. She issued him a thankful smile before she resumed looking up at the sky.

Gia sat in her office in Castle Beast going over last minute paperwork that Ben had thrust upon her just an hour before. He had 'told her' that the work needed to be done by 8:45pm that evening and that he virtually had no time to do it as his schoolwork came first.

It was now 4:45pm.

With a sigh, it had taken Gia a good half hour to sort through the files and to catalogue the files correctly before she started to thoroughly read through them. After about an hour: 5.45pm, about half the pile of paperwork had been signed and moved to the other side of the desk as a sign that they have been completed.

Knock! Knock!

"Come in." Gia called, not looking up from her work.

"Gia, my darling," Belle said as she slid into the room and quietly closed the door. "How is Ben's work treating you?"

Gia groaned and rested her head on the desk. "Don't ask."

Belle sat down opposite her daughter. "That bad, hey?"

Gia groaned again. "I don't get it, Belle," she said she lifted her head to look at her adoptive mother. "Why did he push all of his work onto me?"

"You're currently his heir," Belle said casually as if it were no big deal. "If something happens to him, you become queen. He wants you to learn."

"I'm the Lady of Auradon," Gia said as if the words hurt her to say. "I know the responsibility better then anyone else. Including him. I don't think he wants me to simply 'learn'. I know the role of monarch better then what he does."

Belle looked at Gia before she reached across the desk and patted her hand. "I know you don't like having to play second fiddle to Ben but you are his Major Domo, my darling."

Gia sighed. "I know. I have always loved wading on his hand and foot, but some times I think this is all too much. If you and Adam hadn't of allowed my birth mother to live here and give birth to me in Auradon then I would have had to be raised by a man who has virtually respect for women, other then the way that they look." Gia bowed her head.

"Gia, look at me."

Gia looked up into Belle's eyes and saw something that she never seen before: Determination and willingness to prove a point.

It was no secret that Belle was a fierce woman who knew how to stand up for not just herself but for others as well. It was well known that Belle had argued with Beast that her friend Vera, Gia's birth mother, had been seduced by Gaston and should not have been held accountable for having his child.

Beast had been all too willing to send Vera to live on the Isle of the Lost but Belle had threatened to divorce him if he didn't give her friend a chance to give her then-unborn child a happy childhood. He had believed that having any offspring of his and Belle's arch nemesis would be disastrous for the then-recently united Auradon. Turned out he had been dead wrong.

In the years since he and Belle had been given custody of Gia upon her mother death when she was six months old, he had watched as his young ward had blossomed into one of its key aspects.

Gia had bought about a whole new definition when it came to being a next generation 'hero'. Despite her villainous paternal bloodline, Gia had the heart and soul of a hero. If she were asked about it, she would simply shrug and say it was the way her adoptive parents had raised her. In a lot of ways, she had been correct. Belle and Beast had raised her in the way Vera would have wanted. She served as a mentor to her own generation as she had been one of the first offspring to be born within the ranks of the original heroes and villainous counterparts.

Belle and Beast had been very surprised at how Gia had turned out. She had inherited her mother's determination as well as her fierceness while she had unfortunately had inherited her father's love of the colour red as well as his charismatic personality. However, her version of charisma was very different to that of Gaston's.

Gia had only ever used her charisma to do good and that included in diplomatic situations while Gaston had only used his skill of charisma to charm and seduce women into his bed.

"You are not Gaston, Gia."

Gia blinked out of her daze. "Huh? What was that about Gaston?"

"I said that you are not Gaston," Belle repeated. "You have a good heart and you deserve to be happy. Beast and I love you so much and I hope you understand that." Belle patted her hand.

Nodding, Gia swallowed. "I-I know," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I love you, Beast and Ben so much. I don't care that Gaston is my father. He only sired me. That's all. As far I am concerned, Beast is my father. You are my mother. Ben is my brother. I have never thought otherwise."

Belle pressed her lips together. She was touched by what her daughter was telling her.

Still holding her mother's hand, Gia rose from her chair. "I think I owe Benny an apology and a heart-to-heart chat, don't you?"

Belle smiled proudly. "I think you might be right."

To be Continued...

Next up, our favourite descendants bid junior year farewell, Chad and Audrey run into trouble ahead of preparing for their senior year and Gia learns a secret about Gaston that not even Belle and Adam knew about him.