Disclaimer: I do not own Disney Descendants nor the characters, just this fic.

Full pink lips sighed, green eyes fluttering closed as she leaned against the wall. She was bored, her feet were already hating the high heels she was wearing and the lace itched. There were so many other places she'd rather be than here but she couldn't leave if she wanted to because her friend had driven her so she was stuck until they were done. Perfect. Pressing herself further into the wall Mal tried to wish herself invisible as yet another man who thought he was God's gift to women tried to convince her she wanted nothing more in the world then to forgo her intelligence and allow him to seduce her for the night.

Life had given her a bitter, jaded view of the world but could you really blame her for that? Her mother was a convicted felon and she'd spent most of her childhood being bounced from foster home to foster home, abused by the people who should be caring for her, until she met Evie, Jay and Carlos. Together the four of them ran away, stealing what the needed to survive until they were old enough to get jobs.

It wasn't until they were sixteen that they found what they loved to do. For Evie it was sewing, the girl taking a job at a boutique until she scrounged up enough money to start her own business. Jay loved sports, the talent scouts snapping him up to play professionally. Carlos was all about animals, he'd managed to get himself a scholarship to veterinary school and now worked full time in a clinic while weekends were spent teaching Puppy Preschool. Finding her path was difficult for Mal, she wasn't that great at school, not unless you counted hexing people, but she was a talented artist. Now she paid her way by working as a restorer for a prestigious museum while her weekends were dedicated to creating her own works.

The day the four of them had finally managed to scrounge enough cash between them to buy their own place was the day they finally realized they could be more than their parents. They had formed their own crazy little family and built their own lives. They had carved out their own little place in the world but that still didn't mean Mal had to like other people trying to talk to her. She chose a job where she didn't have to interact with people for a reason, they were boring and all of them seemed far too full of their own importance…which brought her back to her current situation.

Evie was slowly becoming the designer label all the rich and famous wanted to wear so it was no big surprise that she'd been invited to attend a royal ball, and of course that meant she was dragging all of them with her. Jay was reveling in the attention, preening under the gaze of many of the girls, and Carlos was shyly tolerating it purely because Jay's arm was slung around his shoulders. It was no secret in their little family that Carlos shared Jay's bed most of the time. Carlos had been in love with Jay since before his voice broke, but Jay had a taste for the ladies that Carlos just couldn't satisfy yet somehow the younger boy never got jealous of Jay and his one night stands, probably because he knew that once Jay had worked out his desires for the night he'd come straight back and curl up with him. It probably helped that Carlos wasn't the most sexual person, he much preferred the cuddling and small touches so he didn't begrudge Jay's needs for pleasure.

Over the other side of the room was a vision in blue, Evie's bell-like laughter lighting up the conversation as she easily held the small crowd's attention. Her 'sister' had taken to high society like a duck to water, she thrived under the attention and practically preened every time a man offered her a drink or his hand for a dance. There was no hint of Mal's social awkwardness, just a blithe smile and politely flirty banter that drew the people around her in and made them vie for her attention. She was so caught up on her thoughts about her friend, the same friend who had forced her into the dress and heels she was wearing and then held her down to apply makeup and fix her hair, that she hadn't noticed the man standing beside her. "Two feet to your left." he muttered.

"What?" Mal turned to face the newcomer, wondering if he too was going to insult her intelligence only to be met with the warmest green eyes she'd ever seen. A rich blue mask hid the top half of his face, the colour matching his crisp suit while sandy-blond hair threatened to fall over the top of the mask. Pink lips quirked upwards into a cheeky grin.

The man chuckled softly, nodded to the spot beside her. "Two feet to your left, it's the perfect spot to hide while still being able to see everything." Taking two steps to her left Mal found he was right, she could see everything that was going on while being completely hidden from view. Her light green eyes stared up at him from behind her purple mask only to have him slip into the spot beside her just in time for a girl wearing nothing but pink to walk over to a few feet away from where they'd been standing. Pressing his finger to his lips he wordlessly asked for her silence, holding his breath until the girl had passed. "That was close."

Mal glanced between the man and the girl who'd just left and back again before smirking up at him. "So I'm not the only one avoiding people. Tell me, why would a guy like you be hiding from a prissy pink Princess?" Her voice was smug, a slight note of sarcasm slipping in as all her awkwardness seemed to dissipate. The fact that a man who was clearly born into this world was just as keen to avoid people as she was gave her the courage to allow her usual sassy wit to shine through.

"Because she's a prissy pink Princess." He replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world before explaining further. "Audrey, she's a nice girl and her heart's in the right place but she doesn't understand business or politics, nor does she want to. She wants a handsome Prince to sweep her off her feet and I want someone I can actually talk to, someone I can bounce ideas off." He wanted someone who wasn't content to just be a wife and mother, he wanted someone who refused to take a backseat and let someone else dictate their life.

Mal nodded, that was exactly what she wanted too. She wanted someone who wouldn't treat her like a pretty face, someone who actually cared about what she had to say. Evie might be content to have men fawn over her looks but she'd seen the heartbreak those kind of guys caused for Evie and she hoped that one day she'd find a guy who didn't just treat her like a porcelain doll but for now she'd just be a good sister to the blue-haired girl. She was so lost in her thoughts that her mouth moved of it's own the moment he asked for her name. "Mal."

Smiling he offered her his hand. "I'm Ben. Lady Mal, would you care to accompany me for a walk?" Bowing slightly he waited for her to take his hand, slipping outside before anyone could notice them or their departure. It wasn't until they were in the gardens that he spoke once more. "Tell me about yourself. Where has a girl like you been hiding away from the world?"

Mal didn't quite know where to start but slowly she began to tell him about her work. She started off with the intention of just giving him a small summary of what being an art restorer entailed but the moment she began on her current project she just couldn't stop and Ben just let her speak. He loved the way her face lit up as she spoke, the way her face became so animated about the various brush strokes and techniques required for different pieces.

Ben was just so easy to talk to that before she knew it she was speaking about her mother. She didn't tell him her mother was a convicted criminal, just that she hadn't been a part of her life. Her words stopped the moment a warm hand grasped hers. "You're possibly the most incredible woman I've ever met." Ben told her earnestly, his eyes showing he was being completely honest with her. "You've accomplished so much without any assistance and that is truly remarkable."

Mal blushed, turning her face away from his intense gaze only to have his fingers gently bring her focus back to him. "Dance with me." His voice gained a slightly husky tone as the faintest strains of music filtered out to their little spot in the gardens. Kicking her shoes off Mal nodded, letting him pull her into his arms before gently guiding her into a slow waltz. After a few wrong steps Ben lifted her up for a moment before setting her down so her toes rested on top of his shoes.

Moonlight shone around them, bathing them in its pale light as they danced amongst the roses. The sweet scent of the blooms filled Mal's nose, soothing her until her head rested against Ben's shoulder, eyes closing as she let him move them both around the garden. Two fingers tilted her chin until Ben could stare down at her face. "Your eyes are mesmerizing."

Mal paused, blinking up at him. "Not my hair?" Purple hair tended to stand out and most people commented on that. Was it natural? How often did she dye it? Was she purple other places as well? The final question was usually asked by guys right before she punched them in the face. Her hair was just naturally purple, she didn't know why it just was and dyes didn't last. She'd managed to have black hair for a whole two days before it went back to purple.

Ben chuckled at that comment, his hand reaching up to brush a stray purple lock behind her ear. "Your hair is noticeable but your eyes are memorable. I'd certainly remember meeting those eyes." Carefully he removed her mask, his smile only growing when he saw just how beautiful she was beneath the mask. "And I'm betting your lips are unforgettable." His thumb brushed against her full lower lip for a moment before he took his own mask off.

Mal's smile dropped the moment she saw his face, blood draining from her skin. Ben, sweet, honest Ben who said the most wonderful things to her was the crown Prince. She was an art restorer with a criminal for a mother, no hint of who her father was, and she had absolutely no place being anywhere near him. "I have to go." Completely forgetting her shoes Mal turned and ran and she didn't stop until she was far, far away from the ball and Ben.

It had been two weeks since the ball. Two weeks since she had run all the way back to her apartment, two weeks since Evie had screeched over the mud covering the lower two feet of her dress, two weeks since she'd almost kissed the crown Prince. A small part of her kept whispering that she'd made a terrible mistake but the rest of her refused to take notice, she was the daughter of a criminal and last time she checked that wasn't standard criteria for a future Queen.

Evie had found herself a new man but this one actually seemed to be treating her right. Mal had walked in to their apartment only to find her sister making out with someone on the couch. Grabbing her art supplies she turned around and walked back out the door to find a spot where she could sketch the people passing by.

"You know most people would actually be happy to have a Prince interested in them." Evie scowled at her during dinner. It was no secret that Evie had dreamed of having a Prince sweep her off her feet and carry her off to his castle, but as it turned out her new man was best friends with a Prince, Prince Ben. Jay and Carlos glanced between the two girls, trying to work out what exactly was going on before Carlos's foot touched Jay's under the table, a silent promise to explain everything later. "I didn't say anything this time, but you should."

Mal stood up, fists slamming down on the table. "Yeah, well I'm not most people." She loved Evie, she really did, but sometimes the girl just didn't know when to keep her nose out of other people's business. "I don't need a man telling me who I am or what I should do, I don't need someone else to complete me and I certainly don't need some stupid Prince thinking I'm going to swoon into his arms just because he has a stupid castle and a crown." Leaving the table Mal stalked into her room and closed the door behind her. Pressing her back to the wood she slid down the door, it was true, she didn't need any of those things but she did want a Ben.

Pulling her hair up into a messy bun Mal sat down at her desk. It was a quiet day today, the rest of the people in her area had left early but she really wanted to finish the section she was on. Settling down to work she became so focused on the task at hand that she had no idea how much time passed until someone clearing their throat brought her out of it.

Looking up Mal froze the moment her pale green eyes landed on his face. Letting out a startled cry Mal jumped backwards, falling off her chair only to have Ben catch her before she hit the ground. Setting her back down on the ground the Prince took a moment to study her before stepping backwards and awkwardly pointing to the pair of shoes she'd left behind at the party. "You uh…I thought I should return them."

Mal pulled her magnifying goggles off her head, setting them on the bench beside the painting she was working on. One hand combed through her hair, trying to make herself look less disheveled then she knew she was in her old, grungy, paint-stained clothes. "Right." Evie would be wanting those heels back. "Wait, how did you find me?"

Ben rocked awkwardly back on his heels, a sheepish grin on his face. "That was the easy part. You told me which painting you were working on so I just called around until I found out which museum had it. The hard part was organizing a security detail so I could come here myself." He hadn't wanted to send someone to see her, not when he wanted to do it himself. There was just something about Mal that drew him in, like they'd known each other before maybe a lifetime ago, he just knew he wasn't ready to let her go, not yet. "And to invite you to dinner."

Oh if Evie could only see this, the girl would be screeching with glee. "So you came all the way out here just to return a pair of shoes and invite me to dinner." It seemed like an awful lot of work just for a date, especially with someone like her. "Okay first, I am so not the kind of girl you should be doing this for, and second, look at me, I'm hardly dressed for some fancy restaurant." Somehow she doubted any of the places he could be seen eating at would welcome her paint-smeared jeans and scuffed old combat boots.

"Then it's a good thing we're not going to a restaurant." Ben replied simply, offering his arm to her. "And I happen to think what you're wearing is perfectly fine." Racing over to the sink Mal quickly scrubbed the paint off her hands before taking his arm, she was more than a little curious as to where he thought would accept her and her raggedy clothes.

His driver took them all the way back to the palace. Mal began to freak out the moment the car pulled in to the long winding drive but stopped before they reached the palace itself. Taking her hand Ben led her into the gardens until she spotted a gazebo overlooking a lake with a picnic already waiting for them. "It had to be somewhere within castle grounds or my security team would have a field day and there's a very good chance they'd stop me from being able to see you for a few weeks as punishment for going somewhere I might get a paper-cut."

Mal glanced around at the picnic and the moon reflected on the water and she had to admit, it was actually pretty romantic. Besides, she had to give him points for listening to her and working out where to find her all based on a painting. Taking a seat on the blanket she couldn't help smiling the moment he sat down beside her. There was just something about him, like they'd met before, but she couldn't seem to pull away from the spell he'd wrapped around her.

The basket was full of treats she'd never tasted before in her life but her favourite was the bowl of strawberries. Having to steal to eat meant you didn't get a lot of good things, you just took what was needed, and even after they'd bought their own place the four made sure to pool their money and save as much as they could. Every so often Jay or Evie would treat the group to wine and chocolate, sometimes even a nice cheese, but those were few and far between and usually happened around someone's birthday. Mal had never tried a strawberry before that night but it was no her favourite treat, something Ben made a note of. "Ben, this is…amazing, but you shouldn't be wasting time with me." Sighing Mal lay backwards on the pile of cushions Ben had laid out for them.

Laying down beside her Ben wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Mal, I've read your file." Security made him when he proposed the venture. "Growing up without a parent must have been hard and given your situation I don't know what I would've done, but that's not who you are." Pulling her closer he brushed his nose against hers, one hand stroking the hair away from her face. "You're Mal Bertha Faerie, a witty, funny, intelligent art restorer and that's the girl I want to get to know, that is, if you'll let me."

Mal groaned, shoving Ben lightly. "I can't believe you just called me Bertha. I hate that name." Of all the stupid middle names her mother could have given her, she chose Bertha. Just another example of how her mother tried to ruin her life before it had even begun.

"Would it help if I said my middle name is Florian?" Ben retorted. He honestly had no idea what his parents were doing when they chose that name for him. He could only assume his mother was seriously high on pain medication when she wrote it down but it was certainly not something he made public knowledge. Bertha was still worse than Florian any day though.

"You have yourself a deal." Mal told him softly, nudging her nose against his. "I shall allow you to take me on another date…Florian." Cackling with glee Mal finally let herself relax into his arms, enjoying the warmth and strange sense of security they provided.

Ben escorted her back to her apartment, smiling softly as she curled up in his arms. "I'll walk you up." Ben muttered softly into her hair only to have his driver clear his throat loudly and give him a very pointed look. "I shall remain here in the car and wait until I know you're safely inside." Taking her hand he kissed her knuckles before wrapping her fingers around the stem of a single red rose. "Until next time."

Mal closed the door to her apartment only to have Evie's voice shriek at her. "Where the hell have you been? Your shift ended hours ago." The girl stopped short the moment she saw the soft smile on Mal's face, the rose clutched between her fingers. Racing to the window she threw her head out just in time to see Ben's car drive off. Turning back to Mal, Evie smirked. "Well it's about time. Tell me everything."

May your thoughts and creativity flow

-Lady Ami DragonHeart