As the group dispersed for the break, four rooms seemed to appear out of nowhere. If anyone looked closely, they would have seen a small trickle of magic from the end of the Blue Fairy's wand. Alas, no one actually did look closely so the rooms seemed to appear.

"How does this place always seem to know when we need a private room?" Persephone muttered to Hades, who shrugged. The Olympian contingent, sans Uma and Mal, had taken one of the rooms, Hades glaring at his brother.

"Can I help you?"

"Hades, be nice," Persephone warned. "Your brothers want a word, not a war. Even if I'm not incredibly fond of one of your brothers, we should still hear them out."

"I'll be as nice as he lets me," Hades grumbled. "You try to take over Olympus once and you get stuck on an Isle, barely able to access your powers while kids die all around you and only able to see your wife half the year."

Persephone sighed. "Dear, you didn't just try to take over Olympus. You technically did. Besides, I doubt your brothers are here to pick apart the past."

"Your wife is right, Hades," Zeus stated as Poseidon nodded, standing at Zeus' right side. "We noticed Mal's extraordinary transformation earlier."

"Um, grandfather? Uncle?" Macaria spoke up, looking at the adult Gods in slight confusion. "No offense but Mal was a dragon. You'd have to be blind not to notice."

Meg chuckled at her daughter's words. "She's got a point, Zeus. Maybe a different choice of words would have been appropriate."

"What I meant was it was an impressive transformation, especially for one's first time," Zeus stated, shaking his head slightly before turning back to Hades. "However, she'll need to learn to control it. That could be extremely advantageous for her in the future."

"Why?" Hades asked.

Zeus stared at Hades for a second. "Why...?"

"Why would that be advantageous for her?" Hades asked, his arms still crossed. "It seems to me, brother, that you're only thinking about what could be advantageous for Auradon. Mal is your niece, my daughter yet you're treating her like a weapon!"

"Hades, I would love to treat Mal like my niece, the same way I treat Elle and Melody. If only I'd known Mal was alive for the past sixteen years!"

"How long are you going to play that card?" Hades asked, his hands curling into fists. "You would have known if you'd just asked Persephone. You know, my wife? The person who lives on the Isle six months out of the year? She could have told you or directed you to the registry!"

Poseidon rubbed his temples, having chosen to stay out of the argument. He figured it was best, considering the future actions of his granddaughter. "And this is why the last extended family gathering we had was Hercules' birthday party," he muttered.

"Are they always like this?" Persephone asked, looking over at her brother in law. Sure Hades never really liked to talk about Zeus during their time together on the Isle but Persephone couldn't remember the last time the divine brothers had had a conversation before the Isle was formed. Hades preferred to stay in the Underworld while Zeus ruled from on high from Olympus.

"Well there was that brief period of time when Hades and I were in our father's stomach but other than that, yes. That's pretty much the relationship between Hades and Zeus."

"Hades," Meg spoke up, ending the bickering between the two Gods. A brave move considering both of them had access to their powers. If one looked closely, one would be able to see a bit of smoke coming from Hades' fists. "Mal will need to learn to control her powers. Unless you want to read a report about a giant fireball incinerating Auradon Prep? Or a dragon attacking Leah's castle?"

Hades sighed but the tension in the room seemed to die down a little. "Well played my little nut-Meg. Well played."

"I don't work for you anymore Hades. You don't get to call me that." Meg told him, glaring slightly.

Hades rolled his eyes. "Oh yes, I know. And how convenient for you that you're just so happened to be married to the son of a council member. Considering they threw every villain and sidekick on that Gods forsaken Isle. Guess you managed to throw the right curves at the council after all."

"Hades!" Persephone warned.

"I love Hercules!" Meg snapped. "You're not honestly suggesting I used my relationship with him and his father to keep off the Isle, are you?"

"If the sandal fits..."

"Alright, enough," Hercules spoke up, giving a small glare to his uncle and placing a hand on Meg's shoulder. "We're not here to talk about our past. Even though I would like to point out, uncle, that had it not been for your machinations I would have spent my whole life on Olympus."

"And you also wouldn't have met Meg or had your kids," Hades pointed out. "You're welcome."

Persephone sighed. "I hate it when he has a point," she muttered.

"Mom?" Hadie whispered, tugging gently on Persephone's sleeve causing her to look down at her son. "Is dad going to become a fireball again?"

Persephone bit her lip as she looked at the three Gods. Hades certainly seemed angry enough for a fireball to form. "It's not out of the realm of possibility, Hadie."

"Oh," Hadie said softly and was silent for a few minutes before speaking back up. "Can I go find Mal?"

Persephone frowned. Uma was out there, and while she hadn't committed the same acts as her on-screen counterpart, Persephone couldn't help but be a bit worried about Hadie interacting with her.

After all, as was pointed out, they had access to their powers. Despite Uma's lack of access to water, Hadie was still incredibly unfamiliar with his powers. He would need the same training Mal would get.

Still, her son was right. Mal should be there.

"Herkie?" Persephone said softly, catching the youngest son of Hercules' attention. If Hadie was going to go look for Mal, it wouldn't hurt to have another person along. Safety in numbers was something they learned quickly on the Isle.

"Yeah Aunt Persephone?" Herkie asked, walking over. Persephone couldn't help but feel a slight joy at the ease the kids seemed to have at accepting one another and her as family.

If only the adults could be as mature as the kids, she thought, glancing back at her husband and his brother briefly before focusing back to Herkie.

Persephone gave the young boy a small smile. "Would you go with Hadie to find Mal? We probably shouldn't be making a decision like this without her input," she said.

Herkie nodded. "Sure thing," he said before looking at Hadie. "Come on, Hadie. It might be a good idea if we left before lightning ends up striking. Mom and dad would probably send us out of the room if that happened anyway."

Hadie chuckled and the two boys quickly made their way out of the room. Once in the main room, Herkie looked at the three remaining doors after not seeing any sign of the familiar purple hair.

There were still plenty of people in the main room. Eugene and Rapunzel were surrounded by their brood while Aziz and Ashaki chuckled at something Aladdin had said.

"Which door do you think Mal's behind?" Hadie asked softly.

"I don't know," Herkie said and bit his lip. "Why not try...this one?"

He pointed to a door to his left and the two boys slipped inside. To their surprise, Mal was not in the room. However Chad and Emir were.

"Hey guys," Emir said, looking over Chad's shoulder. It was clear that they had just entered the room, or at least hadn't started their conversation; as neither boy seemed startled by the younger boys' appearing in their chosen room.

"We were looking for Mal," Hadie said, feeling a bit braver now that he was out of range of either his father or his uncle's powers. Again, he wasn't afraid of either of them but only a complete fool wouldn't fear the powers of the Gods. Hadie was many things but he was not a complete fool. "She wasn't in the main room."

"I think she's with Ben," Emir said. "Or at least that would be my best bet. If she's not with Evie, Jay and Carlos plotting Uma's demise, that is. We'd have heard if she transformed back into a dragon."

Herkie and Hadie nodded, turning out the door and leaving to look for Ben. Emir chuckled and turned back to Chad.

"So, what can I help you with Chad?" Emir asked. To his surprise, Chad didn't answer so much with words but with his fist. Granted, there were many things Chad Charming knew how to do that were expected of him as a prince. Throwing a punch was not one of them, seeing as Cinderella's son he'd been raised to have courage and be kind. At least, that's what Ben always said but no one really saw any proof of that. So even though he tried his hardest, Chad only grazed Emir's jaw.

"Feel better?" Emir asked, a little concerned. Chad wasn't the type to throw punches, preferring to act like a male version of Audrey and do his machinations from behind the scenes. His mother's teachings clearly did not stick upon Chad's arrival into teendom.

"Once you realize what you're putting Kitty through, I will be," Chad told him, waiving his fist to remove the sting from his knuckles.

"Putting Kitty through? Wait, what does Kitty have to do with this?" Emir asked. Though the punch made sense now. If there was one thing that would cause Chad to drop the poised prince persona, it would be to protect his sisters from any threat. Real or imagined.

Chad sighed. "You really don't see it? How she looks at you?"

"Dude, I don't mean to sound clueless but I really have no idea what you're talking about."

"Kitty has a crush on you," Chad said, his voice flat, and Emir froze.

"She what?"

"Yeah," Chad nodded. "She thought you were going to ask her to Cotillion. You know, when you got up and asked Emma instead break before last."

"Look Chad, Kitty's nice. A great friend but she's two years younger than us," Emir told him. "Not to mention, she's your little sister. She's Ashaki's age for Gods' sake! I truly had no idea and if I...I led her on or anything I am so sorry!"

"I'm not the one you should be telling that to," Chad said simply and Emir sighed.

"I know," he nodded and ran a hand through his hair. "But I am all the same."

Chad nodded and turned to leave. "Oh. Kitty never knew we had this conversation. She actually asked me not to talk to you. If you ever do clear things up with my sister, keep my name out of it."

"Of course," Emir told him but pulled Chad back into the room for a moment.

"Wha—"

Before Chad knew what was happening, Emir let his right fist fly across Chad's jaw. "You really thought I'd let you just punch me and not return the favor?"

"It may have crossed my mind," Chad said, rubbing his jaw. Unlike Kit, Aladdin had actually taught his son how to throw a punch so there would be a bruise on Chad's jaw.

"Yeah well...I also have been wanting to do that since your on-screen self's comment about getting the throne should something happen to Ben," Emir said, shaking his hand slightly. He may have known how to throw a punch but that didn't mean his hand didn't still sting.

"You know I haven't actually said that right?"

Emir shrugged. "Doesn't change the fact that I've wanted to. You're loyal to Ben, when it suits you. But you and I both know your heart belongs to Audrey. If she told you to jump, the only question you'd have is 'how high?'"

"Look Emir, I know you're Ben's best friend. But so am I," Chad told him. "Not to mention I've been his friend since we were infants. The day I betray Ben is the day I quit the team to join the cheerleaders. Not gonna happen."

"I don't know, Audrey might like the sight of you rocking some pompoms," Emir chuckled and the two of them walked out of the room to join their families in the main viewing area. "Besides, you did side with Leah at the Family Day fiasco. One might say—"

"I'm allowed to disagree with Ben, even though we're friends," Chad told him. "That's not what I meant by 'betraying Ben'."

Emir nodded, he knew what Chad had meant. Meanwhile, the subject of their conversation was in his own room; having what was probably the third most awkward conversation one could have with their parents.

"Ben, what were you thinking? Jumping into the water to stop a fight between Mal and Uma? One of whom had transformed into a giant octopus and the other into a dragon? You didn't know they'd be able to hear you or see you! Akiho and Emir raised an excellent point; what if Uma had held you hostage again? I know you wanted to make sure there was peace between Auradon and the Isle but you could have made that speech from the yacht!"

"So, I just want to get this straight," Ben said, resisting the urge to pinch his nose from frustration as his mother finished up her lecture. "I'm being lectured on my future actions that were done after coming out of the hypnosis of a girl who will never escape the Isle anyway now because of us watching this?"

"Well when you put it like that, we sound totally insane," Adam/Beast chuckled.

Belle sighed. "Ben, I know it won't happen. But you saw Mal's face during that scene. My heart broke for her, both the on screen her and the Mal that was in the room with us. And that comment...Benjamin Florian La Bête, I know I raised you better than that. Spelled or not, it shouldn't have even been something in your head!"

Ben nodded, not wanting to say a word. It was rare for his mom to trot out the full name but when she did, it was better to just sit and take the lecture than try to argue.

The last time she went 'full name', he was five. Granted it was an accident and Chip shouldn't have had an open can of soda so close to his laptop the day before his paper was due but Ben shouldn't have been in Chip's room either. It was lucky that the then fourteen year old had everything saved on a flash drive and was able to finish the paper on Beast's computer.

The laptop, though, was completely ruined. Let's just say Ben spent the next few months earning the pocket money to pay his parents back after they bought Chip a new one. Did that stink? Yeah. But it was fair.

"Not only that, but Ben, you're clearly overworked. I know you're king but you're also sixteen. Your main worry should be homework and sports and having fun with your friends," Belle said, pulling Ben out of his thoughts and back to the conversation at hand. Clearly his mom had gone on a tangent, part of which Ben had missed in his woolgathering.

"And your girlfriend," Adam/Beast added. "Audrey may have been a political match, but we do like Mal. She's good for you; and apparently falling in love with non royals is a family tradition."

"It's not like you had much choice dear," Belle teased. "I believe you once said it was between me and a teapot?"

"Uh, yes but we're getting off topic."

Ben chuckled at his dad's attempt to steer the conversation away from his joke from six months ago.

Belle smiled softly as she heard Ben's chuckles before shaking her head gently. "Ben, I really think you should consider Fairy Godmother's offer to graduate early."

"Mom, I said I would," Ben said and then sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I mean, I'll miss being a student but I have the credits and the grades to do so. It just makes sense. Besides, as Mal said, it'll take some of the stress off the teachers; not having to worry about possibly failing the king."

Belle sighed and nodded. "I know Ben. Trust me, I wish you could still be a student and be king. But, as this viewing showed us, that's a lot of stress to put on someone."

"At least you're not telling me to break up with Mal," Ben joked but it was weak.

"Why would we do that?" Beast asked, tilting his head. "As I said son, we like Mal. She's good for you and you her. Not to mention, it'd be hard to advocate you breaking up with your True Love."

Ben couldn't help but smile at the thought of being Mal's True Love. He had known though, or at least suspected, Mal had a love for him since the first viewing. Even if she hadn't said it out loud. The scene where Mal had made the anti-love spell brownie to remove the love spell she'd placed on him, where she had been moved to tears...Ben couldn't help but suspect that to be an act of True Love.

After all, the love spell had required a tear of human sadness—Mal, as half Fairy and half God, would probably not count. But she could have kept the spell on him. Mal didn't know about the Enchanted Lake, she could have gone on without the knowledge that Ben knew he'd been spelled. But she didn't.

That one act, sacrificing her happiness so that Ben wouldn't be spelled anymore...what could have been more of an act of True Love than that? As Queen Anna had proven, an act of True Love didn't have to be a kiss.

You know, I wonder what Mal did with that brownie after the last viewing? Ben thought. Since she already probably had it made, she might have thrown it out. Be a waste but what else could you use an anti love spell brownie for?

"Son?" Adam/Beast asked and Ben flushed a little at being caught in thought.

"Sorry, lost in thought I guess," Ben said.

Adam/Beast chuckled. He had a suspicion as to what Ben was thinking about but he would keep quiet for now. "We should probably go back to the main room before our lack of presence is noted."

"Good idea," Belle nodded. "Ben, I want to meet with you though after all this. I want to help figure out what exactly has been going on with the food that we've been sending to the Isle."

"Mom, you're supposed to be enjoying your retirement," Ben said. "I can't ask you to—"

"Ben, I want to," Belle said gently. "Besides, there are only so many books I can read before I'm in danger of reading every book in the library."

"I think you've done that already dear," Adam/Beast spoke up. "At least, according to Mrs. Potts and Cogsworth. The last time we got a new shipment of books for the library was when you were pregnant with Ben."

"That doesn't seem right," Belle frowned. "I could have sworn..."

"Trust me Belle," Adam/Beast chuckled. "I think you read the copy of Romeo and Juliet you ordered so many times, the spine broke. To say nothing of the damage you did on your copy of Pride and Prejudice. I think we actually had to order two copies due to how often you read it."

Belle shook her head before turning back to her son. "Well anyway, Ben, I'm happy to help. But regardless I want you to promise me you'll take a break soon. Your father and I were rulers for twenty years, we know how stressful the job can get. You'll burn out if you don't take breaks."

"I know mom," Ben said gently. "I was actually going to go and visit with Granddad after Cotillion. Maybe introduce him to Mal?"

"I think he'd like that," Belle said with a smile. "I don't recall, did my father ever meet Audrey?"

"No," Ben said and shook his head. "I had wanted to before the VK initiative took place but our schedules didn't allow for it."

"Well, now they will," Belle said with a small smile. "I'd call first; knowing my father, he's hard at work on