Chapter 7

"Hadley, I know you're here. Artemis told me. Please just talk to me," Elyse says as she enters the dorm room. Ice blue eyes filled with anger over Chad. As the dorm door clicks closed, the closet door opens. Exposing Hadley's bare pale arms. "I know what Chad said is a lie. He's still jealous of me turning him down last year," she adds as she sits down across from her kinda maybe sorta more than a friend.

"I can't even put words as to what we are. The fact that you don't believe him astounds me," Hadley scoffs as she pulls her button up shirt back on. Covering the thin, light scars on her shoulders. Scars from her desperation to stay in the closet on the Isle.

"I know that things are different on the Isle. That you can't be true to yourself. Freedom is still new to you. It's why I'm willing to wait as long as I have to. I would never dream of pushing you. I could never rush you," the snow princess whispers, pulling her blue haired friend into a hug. Smiling as the smaller girl relaxes against her. A sign of trust that took months to build up.

"Thank you, snowflake. I means so much to me that you believe me over Chad… I just wish that I was better with my words," Hadley says as she leans back. Resting her head on Elyse's shoulder.

"You show your thoughts through actions. You found an alternative way of talking," Elyse whispers into Hadley's blue hair. Holding the shorter teen close to her chest, glad that the blue hair was not in flames. Remembering back on the week before…

It was Elyse's seventeenth birthday and Hadley had been avoiding her ever since they kissed. Always leaving the room whenever she entered. Talking in hushed whispers with Ben. The sudden avoidance worried the heir of Arendale. Worry that she messed up by letting Hadley kiss her. When her mothers told her to stay at school, she thought that she would be spending her birthday alone for once. So when she walked into the gardens to get some fresh air, she did not expect to see the blue streamers mixed amongst glacier blue twinkling icicle lights on the tress. The chocolate cake with white frosting. The chocolate roses dotting the sides of the cake. The mountain of presents on the picnic table. All of the VKs were there, along with Ben, Jane, Lonnie, and Doug. But more important to her, her Aunt Anna and her five year old brother Marcail. The little heir of DunBroch. Elyse hadn't been expecting any of this… she saw it as Hadley's way of showing that she cares.

"I really threw an awesome party for you," Hadley chuckles as she hugs one of Elyse's arms.

"It was easily one of the best surprises that I ever got from someone. Nothing can top that kiss though," the princess grins as she doesn't stop Hadley from moving her arm to be even closer. At this point, she's used to being used as a teddy bear. Ever since Hadley had a nightmare that first night.

"I think I can come up with a better surprise," Hadley says giving her a little smile. "I'm ready to make things between us official. To be girlfriends."

Elyse smiles as she tilts Hadley's chin up for a kiss. "That is a better surprise. Now are we staying in this closet all day or are we going to get some food?"

"So will I be reintroduced to your moms as your girlfriend now?" Hadley asks as she gets up. Pulling back on her dark blue button up shirt. Chuckling as Elyse gets up to help her now girlfriend with the buttons before the blue haired girl had a chance to start on them.

"Well my entire family thought that we were dating for a couple of weeks now. Those posts of us cuddling and making funny faces together on instaroyal made quite a few royals assume things," Elyse laughs before kissing Hadley's forehead. Taking the younger girl by the hand as they leave the closet. "Now let's get you cleaned up. Show Chad that whatever he says does not matter."

All the way up to that Friday, Elyse and Hadley were almost inseparable. Constantly annoying Chad by walking each other to class, holding hands, and not so secret kisses. Chad wasn't the only person they were messing with. Mal wasn't very happy to see the happy couple either. Not because they were rubbing their relationship in her face, but because she knew that Maleficent would kill Hadley for it. Likely within the next few hours now that Evie is helping Mal get ready. "Evie… do you think we should tell Hadley the plan?"

"Maybe… she really doesn't have anything to prove to Hades though. She may even try to stop you," Evie says as she does up the back of the purple high collared gown. "She lost her edge! She quickly went soft after hanging around Elyse."

Mal sighs and sits down on her bed. "I'm responsible for her. I need to make sure that she stays safe."

"Tell her that she should go to Olympus. Watch the coronation with her family. They'd keep her safe from your mother," Evie suggests as she sits down next to Mal.

The purplette shakes her head. "Hera banned Hadley from talking to Hades. Unlike our parents, Hades was actually a good parent to Hadley. She refuses to talk to Hera now. Hadley will just have to make a run for it."

During the coronation, Hadley wasn't with the other VKs. After the lunch with Elsa and Merida, they invited Hadley to stand with them during the coronation. Her leg bouncing in boredom as Fairy Godmother gave Ben her blessing. Only starting to pay attention when Jane grabbed the magic wand and accidentally opened the barrier. Running to catch up with Jay, Carlos, Evie, and Mal. Never realizing their plan of stealing the want to take down the barrier. When Mal took the wand from Jane and didn't return it to Fairy Godmother, the fourteen-year-old's hair started to flame up. "Mal… just give back the wand."

"Listen to Hadley, you don't have to do this," Ben says walking over to Mal, hand outstretched to her.

"We don't have a choice, Ben! Our parents…" Mal starts to say, backing away from him. Ivory wand clutched tightly in her hand.

"Your parents can't reach you here. They can't get past the barrier. You're safe," Ben assures them. Hoping to get through to them.

"We can follow our hearts here. Be who we truly are without fear," Hadley adds in. Moving to stand next to Ben. "We're safe here."

Within seconds if Hadley saying that they're safe, Maleficent appears in a cloud of purple smoke. "I'm baaaack! Miss me?" the Mistress of all Evil cackles as the royals and students in the cathedral panicked and started to run. "Mal! Wand me! Chop op!"

As Maleficent waits for Mal to tos her the wand, the teenage purplette turns to the daughter of hades. Seeing the pure heartbreak in her eyes. "I'm not your pawn anymore, mother," Mal says as she turns back to her mother. Pushing Hadley behind her for protection despite the girl being a good five inches taller after her latest growth spurt. "Fairy Godmother!" the half-fey shouts out as she tosses the wand to the older good fairy.

Within seconds of catching the wand, the headmistress began to wave the magic wand. "Bippity boppity…"

"Boo!" Maleficent sneers before waving her scepter, freezing everyone except for Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos. "We should probably start by doing this…" the villainess says as she flings the frozen body of Hadley into a pillar with another wave of her scepter. "She isn't needed. Never was," she adds as she grabs the wand from Fairy Godmother's frozen hand.

"Just leave, mother. Go back to the Isle. We don't want you here," Mal says as she moves closer to her fallen sister. "We're happy here."

"Oh don't tell me that you went soft like your sister," Maleficent says as she points the wand at her younger child. The one curled up at the bottom of a pillar.

"And now I command wand to my hand!" Mal shouts with her hand outstretched. The ivory wand tugs its way out of Maleficent's hand and flies into Mal's hand. "Hades! I did not think that would work!" she exclaims in shock.

"You insolate child! You're not getting away with this…" Maleficent growls as she turns into a black scaled dragon. Green flames shooting out towards the teenagers.

The four villain kids duck behind a pillar to escape the flames. "Follow me/ I have a plan," Mal says as Jay pulls Hadley to safety behind the pillar. Without waiting for a response from her friends, from her family, she runs out in front of her mother. "This is between you and me mother!" she shouts. Emerald eyes glowing. Identical eyes glare back at her in an intense staring contest. "The power of evil is good as none when stands before four hearts as one," she chants. Using it to throw Maleficent's concentration. Resulting in the older fey to turn into a lizard the size of her heart.

Fairy Godmother comes back from being frozen before the others in the cathedral. "You have all earned As in Goodness Class," she smiles as she takes her wand back from Mal. With a "bippity boppity boo," the fairy releases everyone else from the dark fairy's spell. All except for the daughter of Hades.

The second Mal saw that Hadley never woke up, she runs over to her baby sister. As she was about to shake Hadley awake, Elyse ran over to her girlfriend. Kneeling down next to the blue haired girl. "Go join the others. I'll take Hadley to the hospital." As all of the other students of Auradon Prep went to the part to celebrate, Elyse sat next to the still sleeping Hadley in the white hospital room. Hoping that she wakes up soon. Due to being thrown into a pillar, three of Hadley's ribs were cracked and she had a concussion. With some minor brain swelling according to Doc. Her body had shut down to slow her breathing to preserve strength. One of the ribs being only a centimeter away from puncturing her lung, one deep breath is all that it will take to finish the job.

A/N: So I'm ending this story here! I'll be continuing it in a sequel set between D1 and D2 at some point.