Phillip crawled into bed and gently kissed the top of his wife's head. It'd been a trying time for them all but somehow they'd bounced back. In all honesty, Phillip had been worried about Aurora at first. She had almost clung to Arabella, as if trying to make up for the fact that she'd been unable to bond with Audrey when she was first born.
Thank Gods for Claudine. If it hadn't been for her, I don't think Aurora would have slept at all, he thought as he turned off the light that sat at his beside table. Claudine loves Arabella more than I think Aurora does, or Phil in all honesty. Or even me. It...I know we can never replace Audrey but having Claudine here is...is almost like having another daughter.
"It's hard to believe that it's been almost a year since Arabella was born, isn't it?" Aurora said softly.
"That's right," Phillip nodded, turning to look at her. "She's what? Eleven months?"
"Uh huh," Aurora said with a slightly sad smile. "We...we should think about setting up a party and a christening for her."
"Are you sure?" Phillip asked. "I know...I know that christenings usually aren't well received by your family."
Aurora sighed. "I know. But if she could get a gift that could help her later on in life, that would be worth it. Something better than Beauty and Song at the very least. And...I was thinking we should try to at least set up a video conference with Audrey."
"You were?"
"I know she made her choices and I know we're never going to get the chance to hold our daughter again," Aurora said, her voice soft. "But...she's still our daughter Phillip. She's still my little girl who used to beg to go to Fairy Cottage and feed the woodland creatures. Even if she called them all bunnies and birdies. Even if she couldn't hold Ari, she should at least get to see her."
Phillip nodded but a crash in the distance caused the two of them to pause and look toward the baby monitor.
"Was...was Claudine coming over?" Aurora asked as she sat up.
"She would have told us and she wouldn't have visited this late. She knows how I feel about her driving at night," Phillip said. That was one of the first rules he had instituted when he had started teaching Claudine how to drive: no more than one other person in the car when she was driving (not counting of course him, Aurora, Phil, and Arabella) and no driving in the dead of night.
At least, not when she was first starting out. That had also been a reason for his insistence on getting her a brand new car (used cars ran the risk of breaking down more easily plus there was no guarantee on maintenance). However, Claudine had insisted on a used car—she claimed it didn't make sense to get a new one when there were perfectly good preowned cars out there.
In the end, it'd been Aurora who came up with an acceptable compromise—they would get a preowned car but it could not be older than three years and had to be inspected frequently.
"If...if that's over the baby monitor, they could be in Arabella's room," Aurora whispered. "Phillip..."
"I know," Phillip nodded, getting up out of bed and grabbing his sword. He knew he probably wasn't a particularly imposing presence in his pajamas but he didn't care. There wasn't enough time for them to call the guards after all and they could divide and conquer. "You go check on Phil. Take one of the swords to protect yourself—and the frying pan."
Aurora rolled her eyes. "Just because Eugene taught me how to spar using a frying pan does not mean it's a practical weapon."
"Just take it," Phillip told her. "I'm going to go check on Arabella.
Aurora nodded and the two of the split off, Phillip quickly making his way to his granddaughter's nursery. Upon arrival, he had to pause as a sight that could only have come out of his nightmares was before him.
Freddy was in his castle. In his granddaughter's nursery.
"Step away from my granddaughter," Phillip growled, drawing his sword and pointing it at Freddy. "You took my daughter away from me but you'll touch my granddaughter over my dead body!"
"That's my daughter!" Freddy growled as Phillip walked up, slipping his body between the crib and Freddy. "You're honestly going to keep a father away from his daughter? Guess you Boreadon folks aren't as kind hearted as you claim!"
"You are the donor who helped create Arabella but that's it. You are not her father, you have no right to her," Phillip growled, pushing Freddy back from the crib.
"Without me, she wouldn't even be here! I have the right to see my daughter! If I was Audrey, would you be keeping me from her or is it just because I'm from the Isle?" Freddy snarled.
"What do you even want with her anyway? You don't want to see her, it's more likely that you want to kidnap and use her! All she is to you is a pawn!" Phillip shot back.
"You sent Audrey to the Isle without even getting to hold her daughter. I'm rectifying that," Freddy told him. "And you don't know me. Don't presume to know what I'm thinking."
"I know you better than you think," Phillip growled.
Freddy smirked. "Oh do you? Then you must already know that Audrey's pregnant again."
Phillip froze. "What?"
"Oh was that a shock to you your highness? Well then I guess you truly don't know me like you think," Freddy taunted. "Boreadon can't take what's mine and expect me to just sit back and take it. I'm taking my daughter to see her mother and we'll raise her to be the heir to our rule and you can't stop me!"
"You'll have to get through me first if you want any prayer of touching my granddaughter," Phillip told him, raising his sword so that it pressed lightly against Freddy's stomach. "I faced off against Maleficent in her dragon form, kid. I'm not scared of you. You won't get the chance to touch another member of my family again!"
Behind him, Arabella began to whimper as she could feel the tension in the room grow.
"It's okay Ari," Phillip said gently all the while continuing to glare at Freddy. "The mean man was just leaving."
"I'm not going anywhere without her!"
"It's either you leave here empty handed but alive or Lord Hades gets a new soul for the Underworld. Either way, you won't leave here with her. Honestly, with all you've done, your death is more than warranted!"
"Threatening the life of the man who gave you your granddaughter? Oh my and you call yourselves the 'good guys'!" Freddy scoffed.
"He's better than you Freddy! Now do as he said and back away from Arabella's crib!" Mal's voice growled from the doorway and both of them turned to look at her.
"I'm not leaving here without my daughter Mal!" Freddy growled.
"It'll be a cold day in the Underworld before anyone lets you touch that little girl! What? You really thought you and Audrey could break out of the Isle once again and we wouldn't know about it? Carlos modified the baby monitors so that if your voice or Audrey's was heard over it, an alert was sent to Ben. We knew you'd try again at some point," Mal snarled as a pack of guards moved to stand behind her.
"You act like a father wanting to have his little girl is a crime Mal. Especially seeing as you refused to let Audrey hold her," Freddy snarled. "What are you even doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be off playing Queen? Did it ever occur to you that all I might want to do is hold my daughter?"
"You can want to do that until the cows come home Freddy! That doesn't mean you're going to do it!" Mal snarled back at him. "And I'm sure Ben would agree that you've used up your last chance. Phillip, would you like to take care of him now or would you like a front row seat when he becomes dragon chow?"
"Lady Mal, please feel free to see to him personally," Phillip said. "I'd rather Ari not see this."
"Of course," Mal nodded as the guards quickly moved to grab Freddy. "I hope she's able to go back to sleep without much trouble."
"Me too," Phillip nodded as he sheathed his sword and picked up Arabella.
"Papa," she said softly, burrowing into Phillip's chest.
"It's okay baby girl. I'm here, grandpapa's got you. I'd never let anyone hurt you," Phillip cooed.
"You're not her father!" Freddy shouted as he struggled against the guards' grip. "I'm her father! What, are you going to raise her as your precious son's sister?!"
Phillip opened his mouth but then froze once more. "Phillip...Lady Mal, do you...?"
"Phil's okay," Aurora said as she walked up, her voice shaky. "Audrey...I went into Phil's room to see a dagger in his shoulder and Audrey prepared to throw another one right at him...you were right about that frying pan coming in handy."
Mal growled and turned to face Freddy. "Interesting. You claim all you two wanted was Arabella yet the first place Audrey goes is to kill her brother."
"Maybe if you'd let her hold her daughter Mal, before tossing her on the Isle like she was something you could just sweep under the rug, Audrey might have had a more maternal bond with our daughter!"
"She wouldn't have given her back Freddy, you and I both know this," Mal told him. "Now, I want you to answer me one question."
"What?"
"Where. Is. Claudine?"
Freddy scoffed. "Why should I care where that traitor is?"
"Right. That's the first honest thing you've said all night," Mal nodded and looked at the guards. "Get him out of my sight."
"Yes my Lady," the guard nodded and Freddy was manhandled past her. Mal had to assume he would be taken to the cells in either Auradon Prep or Beast Castle—though she was hoping more for Auradon Prep. More people there who could keep an eye on him.
"Mal...what did you mean when you asked Freddy where Claudine was?" Aurora asked once Freddy was out of ear shot.
Mal sighed. "The first thing Ben and I did once we got the alert that Freddy's voice had been heard on the baby monitor was call Claudine. But we got her machine. Normally I'd just assume that she was sleeping but since the whole reason we brought Claudine here was because we were worried Freddy might kill her..."
"Right," Phillip nodded. "Briar, can you call Claudine's roommate? Macy I believe her name is. I...I should go check on Phil."
"Quasimodo's daughter," Aurora nodded. "Right, right, I'm on it."
Phillip sighed and looked at Mal. "I assume you know...Audrey's allegedly pregnant again."
"I didn't Philip," Mal shook her head as Aurora gasped. "I'm guessing Freddy told you to try to mess with your head?"
"Yes," Phillip sighed.
"That...that explains the bump," Aurora whispered. "I...I had to knock her out before she...she was aiming a dagger right for Phil's heart, Phillip. Oh Gods! I'm a mother who just had to make a choice between her children—!"
"Briar, Briar, you made a choice to save your son," Phillip said firmly. "If Audrey was also in danger, that'd be one thing but...as much as I hate to say it, Audrey was the danger."
"Phillip's right," Mal nodded, quickly taking Arabella from his arms. "Go on. Check on your son, double check with Macy that Claudine's fine. I can look after Arabella for a bit."
"Are you sure Mal?" Phillip asked.
Mal nodded. "I do have a younger brother after all. I'm perfectly fine with looking after a baby. Especially a good one like Arabella here."
Phillip gave Mal a small, sad smile before making his way down to his son's bedroom. Bracing himself for what he might see, he opened the door.
"Phil?"
"Hey dad," Phillip Jr. said softly, a makeshift bandage over the wound left by his sister. "Gods, it's probably a good thing Audrey has lousy aim. I'm pretty sure she was aiming...for the chest..."
Or there was a part of her that didn't want to kill you right away, Phillip thought as he walked in, picking up his son's phone and setting it on the bedside table.
"I'm glad she missed then," he said with a small sigh. "You need anything for the pain?"
"I don't think...meds will do much..."
"Might help you sleep. After the night we all just had, it can't hurt."
Phil nodded. "Okay...you're right dad."
"I'll ask one of the servants to bring something right now," Phillip told his son, catching the eye of a passing servant who thankfully seemed to know what he was asking for as he nodded. There was no way he was leaving Phil's side unless he had to.
"Dad, I'm fine," Phil said but smiled as his dad sat on the edge of his bed. "Audrey was lucky she's pregnant otherwise I could have actually done something to her. Gods...that poor kid...dad? How's Arabella? Audrey said Freddy was going to get her!"
"She's fine, he didn't touch her," Phillip said, trying to sooth his agitated son. "I made sure of it myself."
"Thank Gods," Phil muttered. "I mean...I know you wouldn't let anything happen to her but the idea of him touching my niece..."
"I know," Phillip nodded, his voice low. Thankfully, an interruption came by the way of pain medicine for Phil.
"Bottom's up, Phil," Phillip said, handing his son the plastic cup which was filled to about the one third marker.
"Why couldn't they be pills? You can swallow them and not have to deal with an aftertaste," Phil muttered but downed the medicine. "Gods, why can't we find a way to make it taste good?"
Phillip smiled slightly as he got up. "Get some rest Phil...actually real quick, have you heard from Claudine?"
"No...I texted her to let her know about Audrey and Freddy...I think I got two words out though before Audrey hit me..." Phil said, his eyes starting to close—either from the pain or the meds. Phillip nodded and brought the blanket up to Phil's chest.
"Dad...with Audrey pregnant again...does that mean Mel and I would have to have two kids?" Phil asked, his voice soft.
"We'll discuss that later bud. For right now, let's just focus on you recovering from that stab wound huh?"
Phil nodded. "Mel's...she's been researching baby names....she likes Maya and Perseus."
"Those are nice names," Phillip said. "I can see where she got the inspiration."
"Yeah I...I like Maya but I've got my doubts on Perseus though it's...growing on me. I...I had my own ideas though."
"Yeah?"
Phil nodded. "If they're a girl...Madeline. If they're a boy...well I was thinking Phillip but I think we've got enough of them...so maybe Perceval?"
Phillip smiled. "I like those but you don't have to worry about that right now. Neither of you do, not till you turn eighteen remember. Focus on recovering okay?"
"I will," Phil nodded.
"...do you know where your mother had your sister sent to?"
"Her room, to be handcuffed to the bed. I...I wouldn't be surprised if Mal puts her under a sleeping spell to avoid any more trouble," Phil sighed. "Is...is it wrong that I'll miss her?"
Phillip shook his head. "Only if it's wrong that I'll miss her too. Get some rest bud. Hopefully your mother's heard from Claudine so we can all sleep tonight."
"I'm...surprised she hasn't called herself," Phil said softly as he drifted off to sleep. Phillip smiled as he walked out but paused as his son's phone buzzed. It was the second text alert, to remind someone that they'd gotten a text. The text was from Claudine's number.
Phil? What do you mean? Phil! Answer!
Normally he would never do this but time was of the essence. Phillip quickly opened his son's phone and thanked the Gods for his weak security. There, the most recent text sent from Phil to Claudine, were two words. Two simple words but they were enough to chill Phillip to the core.
They're here...
Whipping out his phone, Phillip dialed Claudine's number; frowning as it went straight to voice mail. "Claudine, call me as soon as you get this. I promise we're safe. I just want to know you are too."
It wasn't as if there were many places in Auradon for her to run too but it wasn't as if she'd go back to the Isle. Would she?