A few days after his graduation, Ben found himself once again at his desk working away. He had to say, it was a lot easier to get through his paperwork without juggling classes as well. It was still a lot of paperwork but the stress was certainly alleviated.
"Sire?" Dean's voice came in through the intercom. "Carlos DeVil is asking for a moment of your time. I know you're free but I wasn't sure if you wanted an impromptu meeting. Shall I let him in?"
"Of course!" Ben said and smiled. He always had time for one of his friends, especially if they were trying to go through the official channels rather than just meet up with him in his room or something. Besides it was rare that he got one on one time with Carlos; the younger boy was usually with Jay, Mal, Evie, Jane or Emir and Akiho. Ben had to admit, he was curious to see what Carlos wanted to talk to him about.
"Hey Ben," Carlos said as he walked into the office, Dude trotting dutifully by his side. Ben gave a soft chuckle, he had expected nothing less. It was actually why there was now a small dog bowl of food and water by the side of his desk. In the off chance someone would have Dude with them if they needed to speak to him in his office.
"Hey Carlos," Ben said, giving him a grin as he stood up and bent over to pet Dude behind the ears. "What's up?"
Carlos sighed as Dude made a beeline for the food and water. "Um...I want to propose something for the Isle. If it's possible?"
"Let me hear the idea first and then we can see if it's possible," Ben said as he sat back down. "If for some reason it's not, I'll work with you to make it possible."
Carlos couldn't help but give Ben a small smile as he sat down. "I...I want to set up a safe house. On the Isle. Mal and Jay had set one up when we were kids, and Evie and I used the clubhouse after we were brought into the gang but...I want to set up something that's more Auradon approved."
"When you say safe house...?"
Carlos sighed. "Things...things are different where we're from Ben," he said softly. "Let's just say the idea of a 'loving' parent is rarer than a bit of the sun around those parts."
Ben nodded, wishing he didn't know what Carlos was referring to. But he did. Seeing the glimpses of the children who were still on the Isle when Ben had gone over there with Mal and the others, Ben could tell that there was a lot more that needed to be done.
Not to mention all that he had seen in the two viewings.
"I want to set up a place for boys and girls of the Isle," Carlos said. "Kids who would have to make the choice between sleeping someplace that's not the safest for them and sleeping on the streets of the Isle. It's a lose-lose for them either way. They're either risking their safety staying home or risking their safety by sleeping on the streets and getting jumped if they're not in a gang or crew. Something that is more common for the younger kids than the older ones."
Ben nodded. "I definitely think that's feasible Carlos. I'll talk to the council so we can get funds allocated to it but I think that's something we should go ahead and pull the trigger on now. Is there a location you were thinking of?"
"Um, there's an old abandoned warehouse near the middle of the Isle," Carlos said. "It's in sort of neutral territory too so kids from all the gangs could come and have a place to stay if they want. I just...Ben for some of these kids, the thought of going to Auradon is the only thing they have to hold on to.
Ben sat quietly, not wanting to say anything in case he spooked the other boy. The last thing he wanted to do was make Carlos talk about something he didn't want to but it was rare for them to offer up information about their past. While it was happening more and more, it was still infrequent. Yet Ben knew for the four of them to offer any information was a show of trust on their part.
"I'm not telling you this to make you feel guilty or anything since your dad set up the Isle and everything," Carlos said softly. If Ben hadn't been looking at the boy's face and seen his lips move, he might not have known Carlos had said anything. "I just...look Ben when you go from sleeping in a nest of furs surrounded by bear traps to living in Auradon and sleeping in your own bed, you want to try to give back if you can."
"Wait, bear traps?" Ben asked, stunned. He definitely didn't expect that. Where did they even get bear traps on the Isle?
Carlos shrugged, almost as if he had expected Ben's reaction. "She's got cruel in her name for a reason."
Ben didn't have to ask who 'she' was—he already knew.
His mother did that to him? Ben thought, still stunned at the thought of a parent being able to do that to their child. Yeah he knew the Isle wasn't the greatest which after two viewings, dating Mal for a year and discovering the truth behind the food deliveries, Ben knew to be an understatement. Still, the idea of a mother doing that to her own son...
Ben had a sudden urge to go and give his mother the biggest hug known to man.
"That scar on your ankle," Ben said softly as the realization came to him, "the one Akiho, Emir and I saw at the sleepover after Cotillion? That's what that was from?"
Carlos shrugged again. "It was before I knew how to just stay put," he muttered. "Clearly I kept the foot though so no harm done."
No harm done?! Ben thought, staring at Carlos incredulously. Ben knew, thanks to what Jay and Carlos had told him after cotillion, that the Isle didn't have a medical system. Carlos had been incredibly lucky to somehow avoid losing his foot. That could have made the difference between life or death on the Isle from what Ben had seen.
"Look Ben, I'd...I'd rather not talk about my past," Carlos said. "I mean, you saw what Cruella was like in the first viewing and you know she's the one who gave me my fear of dogs. I just don't see how getting shocked or angry would help, especially when there are kids in situations similar to what mine were growing up and they don't have Rodger or Anita to help them out."
Ben nodded. "Of course. Work with Mal to get that set up Carlos. I can get you guys whatever you need."
"We may need to take another trip to the Isle Ben," Carlos told him. "To get the place set up and everything. This trip would have to be an officially sanctioned one too, we can't risk you getting hurt by sneaking you onto the Isle again."
"And this time you bring me! I'm good for protection!" Dude chimed in as he looked up from the food bowl, causing Ben to chuckle and Carlos to roll his eyes.
"I thought we agreed you were going to stay quiet?"
"We both knew that wasn't going to happen so why were we fooling ourselves?" Dude asked before ducking his head back down and Carlos sighed, shaking his head.
"I hate the fact that he has a point," he told Ben.
"Hey, I don't mind if he talks," Ben said, still chuckling a little. "It may have been a little jarring at first, during the video, but now it's actually kinda cool."
"Thank you Ben!" Dude said, looking back up at Ben with a little doggy grin on his face before hopping up onto Ben's lap. "I always liked you!"
"Really? And it wasn't the fact that I used to sneak you chicken when I'd visit you on the Tourney field?" Ben said dryly.
"That helped! Kitty did the same thing, I like her too! Even if she is named after a cat!"
Ben and Carlos chuckled, both boys shaking their heads in amusement at the dog.
"Anyway Carlos, the idea sounds great," Ben said as he leaned back in his chair and made a note in his planner so that he could remember to bring it up at the next council meeting. Something that proved to be harder than he thought with the canine in his lap. "Like I said, I'll get the ball rolling on my end in terms of getting funds allocated to it so things like bedding and the works can be provided."
"Thanks Ben," Carlos said. "I...I don't have anything else so I'll let you get back to work. I didn't mean to just barge in here—"
"Carlos, you didn't barge in," Ben told him, letting Dude hop back down off his lap. "You let Dean know you were here and made sure I wasn't on a call or something. Trust me, if you want lessons on how to barge into my office talk to Akiho or Mal. I'm sure they'll gladly teach you if you want."
Carlos chuckled. "I know they probably would. Jay and Emir would too if I asked 'em. They'd probably throw in lessons on how to pick the lock to your office for that matter. Evie's probably the only one who wouldn't just going off of how she came into your office during the viewing."
"I told her she didn't have to knock," Ben shrugged.
"It's Evie, she's going to knock regardless," Carlos told him. "Though knocking when Dean can tell us when we can and can't go in seems pretty silly now that I think about it."
"Dean might have been on lunch at that point in the viewing," Ben said. "He works too hard, I have to twist his arm to get him to take lunch breaks and even then he takes them at his desk."
Carlos gave him a blank look, one that seemed to say 'did you really just say that?'.
"What's that look for?" Ben asked in confusion.
"Mal told us about how she and Evie had to come to your office with a picnic basket packed with sandwiches Akiho had made after the first viewing because of how long you had worked. I don't think you're the best person to say when someone works too hard Ben—and if someone is working to the extent that you're concerned about them, maybe offer them a vacation or something."
"That...might be a good idea," Ben nodded. "I can't remember the last time Dean's taken a day off."
"My point exactly," Carlos nodded and then seemingly changed the subject. "I'll meet up with Mal so we can get started on getting the safe house set up. It might just be temporary bedding for now but from what Mal told me, your council's a lot faster at getting stuff for the Isle now."
"Especially since we got Aurora and Anita on board," Ben nodded. "Anita especially, she has a way of getting everyone back on topic if we devolve into an argument."
"Well when you have to keep ninety nine Dalmatian pups in order, thirteen other people is probably a breeze by comparison," Carlos told him and Ben chuckled.
"Hey Carlos, is...is there anyone you want to come from the Isle?" Ben asked. "I know we're going to start sending out applications soon for kids to fill out so we can start bringing more kids but I wanted to ask in case we came across their name."
Carlos paused for a moment. "I...I wouldn't be mad if my cousin got a chance to come to Auradon," he said.
"Who's your cousin?"
"Diego. Diego DeVil," Carlos said. "But I know the girls want Dizzy to come since she got that invitation at the end of the viewing. Plus other kids might need it more than Diego. If that's the case, there'll probably be other groups he can come in."
Ben nodded. "I'm working with my council now to set up a special day each month where kids can fill out applications and you four can make the choice. We'll keep the groups small at first—starting with four kids. Maybe once certain people get used to the idea we can start having larger groups."
"By certain people you mean the former Queen Leah?" Carlos asked.
"Maybe," Ben shrugged. He hated the fact that Leah still had so much sway over his decisions but the last thing he wanted was to subject kids to her ire. He hadn't heard anything from Leah since she was removed from his council. If it was anyone else, this would be cause for celebration but Ben had known Leah since he was three. There was another shoe about to drop with her, he had a feeling.
"Ben, to quote me from when I first learned to talk, you just gotta man up," Dude said, pulling Ben back out of his thoughts.
Carlos chuckled at the dismayed look on Ben's face. "Yeah, that was pretty much the look on my face when Dude told me that too," he said. "Then again, you know that was the look on my face because of the viewing."
"I have to say, I never thought I'd be told to 'man up' by a dog," Ben said.
"You never thought you'd be dating a girl from the Isle either," Carlos pointed out. "Or that the Blue Fairy would come and give us all those viewings."
"Both are excellent points."
"Dude's right though," Carlos said after a minute. "Leah has no more power—she's not queen, she's not on your council. By all rights, she's lucky she's not dragon chow after you told us about how she was responsible for the state of the Isle's food. Why allow her any more power than what she deserves?"
"Habit I guess," Ben said. "But you're right. The group after this first one for VK day, we'll make bigger. Say six kids?"
"That sounds good," Carlos nodded. "Would they need to fill out the applications again or would we just pick from the previous stack?"
"I'd say fill out the applications again. If we just selected from the previously filled out applications, then kids who didn't fill out applications the last time may not get a chance to go if they changed their minds."
"That makes sense. You know there are going to be some kids who won't want to go right? Some of the Warf Rats for instance, they might see leaving as betraying Hook and Uma. At least according to Jay. He always seems to know their mindset, him and Mal both do. Evie and I never really understand it but it helped us keep our territory back on the Isle."
Ben nodded. "I figured some kids might not want to come to Auradon, and I'm not going to force anyone to come who doesn't want to. It should be their choice."
"Well hopefully kids do apply," Carlos said. "It's a good idea Ben and there are a lot of kids out there who deserve it."
"Thanks Carlos," Ben said with a small smile. "Let's get your safe house up and running first. I'm still working with Mal on the specifics for VK day so it might be a few weeks before we officially get that up and running."
"Sounds good," Carlos said and stood up. "I'll let you get back to work Ben. Sorry again—"
"You apologize again and I'll get a squirt bottle and start squirting you with it," Ben said flatly, causing Carlos to chuckle. "You didn't disturb me, if I'd been busy Dean would have told you."
"Okay, okay," Carlos said. "Down boy."
Ben rolled his eyes. "Go find Jane or something. I'm sure she'd love to spend time with you."
"Only if you do the same with Mal," Carlos teased before scooping Dude up and made his way out of the office. Ben shook his head before pausing. Carlos did have a point.
"Hey Dean, I don't have any meetings today do I?" Ben asked, poking his head out of his office.
"No sire....do you want one?"
"Nope," Ben said. "If anyone asks for me, tell 'em I'm with Mal."
"Yes sire," Dean nodded and Ben made his way down the hall to find his girlfriend. He could do paperwork later.