Ben carried me through the pipe that we saw when we first got to the Isle as I stopped struggling to break free. It was pointless. Harry was gone from my life, for now at least. Having Ben carry me brought me back to my roots a bit.
I'm Rapunzel's daughter. I am Rapunzel's daughter. I am Maria Fitzherbert. I am not a villain. I am good. I am me, the real me.
I kept telling myself that over and over again as Ben carried me back to the limo and placed me down right outside of it. "Hurry and get in," he told me holding the door for me as I rushed in and saw Carlos sitting with Dude and Evie. They were safe. My actual best friends were okay.
"Ria, oh my god, are you alright?" Evie questioned as she hugged me tightly as Carlos and Ben joined as well.
"I'm fine, thanks to Carlos," I smiled, knowing that if it wasn't for him I'd still be threatening to fight all of them at the moment. Mal finally came into the limo hugging me as well which warmed my heart. She tries to stay like a rock but she's got a heart a gold. I'm so glad that I can consider her my friend.
"Oh thank god you're okay, I couldn't risk you getting hurt too," Mal said hugging me individually as Evie and Carlos sat back in their seats and Ben sat next to Mal.
"Do you still love him Ria?" Ben questioned as I took my seat on the other side of him as we started driving off. I felt all eyes on me as I sighed and nodded my head.
"For me, I spent sixteen years with him. We were friends since we were babies. I know it's not real but it feels real to me. That's what would have happened if I lived there. That's the type of person Harry was and I got to experience that, no else can say that about him," I admitted avoiding eye contact with Carlos.
"Do you... not love me then?" Carlos asked with hesitation fearing the worst.
"Carlos, of course I love you still. I... it's... You... He..." I started to say not knowing how to word how I was feeling on the inside. If only someone could see and feel everything I was experiencing they'd be able to understand my extremely complex feelings.
"Hey, it's okay Ria. That doesn't matter right now. What matters now is that you're safe. We can deal with the effects of the spell later, I'm just glad you're not hurt," Ben told me as he wrapped his arm around me kissing the top of my head. "You had me terrified. I thought you were gone for good."
"About that, I'm sorry for everything I said to you and for the basically sexual harassment," I responded as he cracked half a smile.
"Like I said, that doesn't matter. It wasn't you," he answered as Mal sighed. "I'm really sorry that things didn't go the way you wanted them to," Ben told her.
"I mean as long as you're safe, that's..." she responded out of breath as we were all able to calm down since the huge battle.
"Well, I mean, at least I got to see the Isle. They're my people, too. Uma helped me see that," Ben told her as I nodded in agreement. Ben didn't go full on villain like I did but I could tell he understood where Uma and them were coming from.
"Ben, Uma captured you," Mal said taken back a bit by Ben's comment.
"She's an angry girl with a bad plan," Ben stated.
"I mean from what Harry told me, my morals never changed from the spell and they had me totally on board to capture Ben. I couldn't kill someone for it, Carlos is proof of that but all we, I mean, all they wanted was freedom and to some, they just want to make their parents proud by having a better life," I interrupted knowing that my memories were so screwed up at this moment but I knew what I felt.
"That's not so different from when you came to Auradon, Mal," Ben added as Mal scoffed.
"Awkward," Dude said as Carlos and Evie sat across from us.
"Dude, I know you can talk but that doesn't always mean you should," Carlos whispered to him and I couldn't help but crack a smile at that. The memory of what Carlos did with the truth gummy warmed my heart and memories like that pushed aside the fake ones with Harry. I still cared for my crew I couldn't deny that. Even though the memories are fake, the emotions are just as real as anything else.
We sat in silence for a few minutes as tension filled the limo while Jay and Lonnie were up in the front talking to each other just fine. Carlos was so right, I should have never came to the Isle with him. Maybe things would have been better and I wouldn't be crushing Carlos's heart like I know I am talking about any memory of the Isle.
"Ria, are you okay?" Ben whispered to me as we were approaching Auradon and I hadn't made eye contact with anyone in the limo since our last conversation.
"No, I don't think so," I answered so only he could here me as he held me a little tighter rubbing my arm a bit and I rested my head on his chest. "Do you think Fairy Godmother can fix me?" I asked looking up at him.
"I... I don't know. This seems more complicated than the love spell from before. Hopefully the memories will fade, if they do you can decide if you want to fulfill your promise. I'm not going to hold you to it, that wasn't the real you speaking," Ben told me as I nodded but a part of me knew that it was the real me and I don't break promises. That's not who I am.
The rest of the ride was quiet as Jay pulled up to the school and we all got out in silence. Carlos allowed Dude to walk on his own as he held my hand as we walked back to our dorms. Ben and Mal brought up the rear of our group and Mal was not having any love from Ben. She was completely separated from him and I could see why but I had to side with Ben on the whole Uma versus Mal ordeal.
"I'm going to go lay down, I just need some time to think. I'll be by your dorm for cotillion," I told Carlos giving him a kiss on the cheek as I let him, walking by myself.
I felt horrible leaving him while he knew I was struggling with my feelings toward him. There were memories from the Isle that absolutely hated him but I knew I supposed to be in love with him, the false memories just clouded my thinking. Hopefully being back on Auradon will make the memories fade quickly.
I walked back to my dorm and passing everyone brought back so many memories that were actually mine. Even little interactions that I had with people that I've only spoken to once made me feel at home. "Hey Ria!" I heard someone shout as I was walking down the hallway to my room. I turned around to see Kasper, my cousin, making his way to me.
"Where were you last night? Aunt Rapunzel called and you were nowhere to be found. She wanted to ask you about the cotillion," Kasper asked me as I rushed over to him and hugged him tightly. "Whoa, what's gotten into you? You act like you haven't seen me in years. Ria what's wrong? Are you crying?"
"I just love you so much, I don't tell you that enough. Family means everything to me," I told him as I broke down in tears. Seeing my family brought me back to my actual reality.
"What happened last night?" He questioned hugging me back as he laughed a little.
"I'll tell you later, I have to call my parents. If you see Erika, tell her I love her too," I said giving him one more squeeze before going off to my room.
"Okay? You better tell me at cotillion," Kasper yelled as I still walking down the hall quickly. "You're freaking nuts Fitzherbert." Family was the only people that ever called me by my real last name and it usually annoyed me especially hearing it from Kasper but this time it gave me hope. Hope that I'll be able to get over this stupid spell's after effects that were screwing with my brain so bad.
Once I made it to my dorm, I opened it to see Delta in her habitat as I broke down crying again. "My little baby, how could I live a life without you?" I questioned rushing over to her and picking her up giving her a little kiss on the head. She had no idea what was going on but she loved the attention she was getting. "I gotta put you down now, I have to call my parents," I told her as I plopped down on my bed and reached for my phone and called my parents.
"Hello?" My mother picked up and hearing her voice just made the tears keep coming.
"Hi mom, is dad home?" I asked. I needed to hear his voice. I needed know that he was alive and well. I need to see every reality in my life to cancel out the ones of the Isle.
"Yes, are you alright sweetie? You didn't call back last night, I was a little concerned," She questioned and I could tell she was trying to remain calm.
"I'm okay, I promise," I told her as she sighed.
"Alright, I'll put your father on," she responded as she handed the phone to my father.
"Maria is everything okay? You mother said you were crying," he answered. "Don't tell me it was that De Vil kid, I'll have to come down there and teach that little punk not to mess with a Fitzherbert," he threatened as hearing him being so caring and saying Fitzherbert caused me to bawl. The father I knew on the Isle was so distant and unemotional. No wonder I would have grown up to be a villainous pirate with no love in my life.
"No, Carlos is fine. I'm just so glad you're alive," I told him as he laughed.
"Of course I'm alive. What in the world on you going on about?" He questioned as I took a deep breath trying to not cry but I couldn't help myself.
"You're in for a big one, pops..."