Never Alone

Ben Finds Out/The Date Pt. 2

Evie was standing in the doorway of her dorm, and she saw everything that had taken place. She saw Carlos yell out Mal's name, she saw Mal running with Carlos into his room, and she saw Ben's broken and hurt expression. She reached down and helped Ben pick up all the flowers, chocolate, and stuffed animals Mal had dropped on her way to Carlos and Jay's room. Ben softly thanked her, and said, "Why did Mal run?" Evie decided something then she knew Mal would hate;she decided to bring Ben to see Jay during his nightmares, to see why Mal was always busy. They put all the stuff in Evie's room, and Evie took his hand again, and looked into his eyes. 

"I'll show you. I will explain it, and maybe Carlos will help me, because I know Mal will never explain it. She hates talking about it, and she refuses to accept the fact that other people can help him besides her. Sometimes Mal gets ideas in her head, and she refuses to let others help her. Well, most of the time. Carlos is the only exception. She's never fully accepted me to help Jay, but Carlos can. I just don't understand, but I swear things will all get explained." Evie told him. "But you have to swear never to judge. What you're about to see, isn't Jay's fault, it's the Isle that did this to him." Evie said and she pushed the door open to Jay's room. 

Carlos looked up when he heard the door creak, and he looked worried. Evie made Ben sit down, before continuing over to Carlos, who was aiding Mal in whatever she needed. Jay was writhing all over the place, like he was on fire, and he was screaming things Ben didn't ever want to hear, or repeat in his entire lifetime. Mal was next to him trying to get him calmed down. Mal gently put her hands on Jay's bare shoulders, and Ben saw Jay's entire back once Mal got him pulled up. His back was a mess of long, deep gashes that Ben recognized as barb tipped whip, and regular whip marks. He saw all the scars that were made by knifes and swords and red burn marks all over him. Mal was trying to stay calm, but Carlos and Evie could tell she was shattering inside all over again. Mal wrapped her arms around Jay's shoulders, pressing herself against him. Her right arm cradled his head and brought it down to her shoulder. He was shaking and shuddering badly, and Mal looked up to Carlos. He nodded, and he turned to look at Ben and Evie. "Come on. Let's go down to Mal's dorm." He said and Mal gave him a silent thank you as he ushered Ben and Evie out. 

Once in Mal's dorm, Evie asked how long they'd be staying there. "Until Mal texts me and says it's okay to come back." He answered putting in a movie. They watched Beauty and the Beast and The Emperor's New Groove, before Mal texted Carlos saying it was okay to come back. Before Carlos, Evie, and Ben had left, Mal was struggling to get Jay to calm down. Once the three of them had left, some of Jay's tension disapeared. Mal kept telling him over and over again that he was alright, and Mal was the only one there. She repeatly kissed his forehead to keep him from freaking out again, and to further calm him down, and she and Jay both knew that students had heard. 

Finally, Jay fell asleep in her arms, and she texted Carlos one handed. Jay's head was rested against her collarbone and his arms around her waist. Mal had her arms draped around his shoulders, pulling him closer to her. She pressed a kiss to the top of his head, and let her lips linger for a few moments. She stroked his long hair and gently ran her fingers through it, pulling out the knots very carefully. Carlos, Evie, and Ben came into the room, and Mal shushed them. Carlos sat down on Jay's bed next to Mal and he asked, "How is his back?" "He wants me to fix it with my magic, though it's a very painful way, but it's better than the other option." "What's the other option?" Carlos asked. "You don't want to know." Mal said shuddering a bit. She pulled the loose strands of Jay's hair behind his head so they all flowed down his back. 

"So, I told Ben we'd explain to him what's going on." Evie said in the dead silence. Mal turned to glare at Evie, and Carlos glanced back and forth between Evie and Mal. "Please don't fight again." He pleaded and Ben said, "Fight?" in confusion. "We tried to explain it to Evie's mom when she found Jay and Mal in bed at Jay's house when she was looking for Jafar. Evie and Mal fought, because Mal said it wasn't their secret to share. Mal was always the protecter of Jay during the dark, and Jay was her protecter in the light. Mal operates better in the night, and Jay operates better in the day, so they've always just helped each other. Even though Mal is two years younger than all of us, she always takes it upon herself to protect Jay, even though she was hurt by Jafar." Carlos explained and Ben whipped his head around to face Mal. "You're 15 and hit by Jafar?" "That doesn't matter. This conversation isn't about me, and no one needs to worry about me." Mal said and turned her eyes away from everyone.