A/N: This was originally going into ASMR Auradon, but it's too much of a family story rather than just an Evie centred story so it's aesthetic didn't quite work.

Enjoy!

Sometimes Evie couldn't believe that her path in life had brought her this far.

She watched the birds soar over her head, shadows against the brilliant blue sky, she closed her eyes and felt the sun warm her face and she breathed slowly, savouring every moment she had. She could smell the salt in the air from nearby ocean, she could smell the food cooking from the barbecues nearby and she was aware of everyone around her. She could hear Doug's whistling, hear Mal's singing while Jay strummed his guitar. She heard Lonnie and Audrey laughing, all noisier than the ocean that she usually could hear.

What had felt like a lifetime ago, she and Doug had abandoned the city for the coast and they settled into the sunny slowness of their coastline. They still worked, Evie still designed and made dresses, Doug was still a consultant for whoever needed his skillset, but with their small shack on the south coast, the pair learned new things.

They learned how to build a house, Evie knew DIY as it was, a childhood on the Isle taught you how to patch leaks even if the teaching had been sporadic and crash-courses, when the wind almost tore the roof off, Evie knew how to batten down the hatches. They learned how to catch and grow their own food. They had blazing rows, but they made up with just as much passion. They waved away the royal builders that Mal and Ben sent, but they welcomed their friends with open arms. They had Harry build another crazy shack in the plot of land next door; the pirate trio missed the ocean too much and having Uma as a neighbour had perks.

The houses had grown haphazardly, adding whatever room they had learned to build, and there was no semblance of order or aesthetic. It was a crazy eccentric mess that suited the life Evie and Doug had started to build.

But at that very moment, an older Evie was stretched out on her sun trap roof terrace, and she listened to the noises of her family and friends with an appreciation of being away from the madness. It was Carlos who came up to find her. He slung himself into a different chair and waited for her to open her eyes.

"Who sent you." Evie's eyes remained firmly shut, despite knowing it was Carlos who had intruded on her peace.

"Nobody." His hair had always been white, but every strand was snowy white. Evie blamed the fact he had Jane had opted to have four children of their own, and still teach the masses of Auradon.

"Liar." She smiled and heard him chuckle.

"Ben sent me to collect you. You're needed as a mediator between your husband and your son in law."

"Which one."

"Shang."

"What's the argument this time?"

"How to bbq chicken properly."

"Oh niblets, really. That's the third time this summer" Evie finally opened her eyes. "Why isn't Lonnie or Jay getting in on this? Shang's their son as much as my son-in-law."

"Oh yes, that's true but Aurelia is siding with them and staying out of it."

"Cowards." Evie stood and stretched. The years of joy had given her a few wrinkles (she thought often of her mother's horror at her well earned laughter lines), and grey streaked in her dark blue hair but as she set herself between her warring family she was every inch the fierce young princess she had been when she first set foot in Auradon.

She kicked both men away from the barbecue with fleas in their ears and finished the cooking herself. She gave a sharp whistle that still sent adrenaline through her three children's bodies despite the fact they were in their twenties, and within fifteen minutes, not only was peace restored but the first round of food was being served.

Evie took another break about an hour later to watch the quiet buzzing activity of the family she loved. She saw Doug debating with Gil, she watched Harry and Uma tell off their youngest child, who was still a teenager, while Audrey and Chad were passing out the drinks. Mal and Ben were serving up the burgers, Carlos and Jane trying to harangue their youngest into eating squash noodles. Her own brood of children had laid the table and brought all of the food out of the fridges and were finally eating. Aurelia was quietly arguing with Shang, no doubt for calling Evie down from the terrace and setting off the military precision Evie could exact out of her family. In fact if the blue haired mother had moved closer she'd have heard them.

"I blame you." Aurelia half hissed as she spooned salad out.

"For what?!" Shand wanted to be outraged, but he could feel Mama Evie's gaze.

"For arguing with Dad! You got Uncle B involved, and you know he has no patience for that!"

"I didn't think he'd get your mum!" Shang had reached for the bread now.

"What planet are you living on darling, Mum is the Queen of Negotiations. You know this, I know this. The whole kingdom knows this!" Aurelia heaped a spoonful of coleslaw onto her bread and took a bite, savouring both the flavour and the look on her other half's face.

"Coleslaw on bread, I will never get used to that Aurelia Miner." He grumbled. "Yeah but I also like the way I bbq chicken."

"Then just ask Dad if you can make your own?" Aurelia raised her eyebrows and facepalmed at the dawning comprehension on her husband's face. "Remind me why I love you." She shook her head.

"Because I make a mean curry." He kissed the top of her head and laughed.