"Come on Carlos! Stop stepping on my toes!" Jay hissed running through an alley.
"Shut up you'll get us caught!" Carlos sassed back.
"Well well well, if it isn't some little lost boys." A familiar Scottish accent made them freeze where they were.
"Harry. How nice to see you!" Carlos faked a joyous reunion. "Now... my old pal... have you seen a tall boy, blonde-ish hair, wearing a blue beanie... maybe... screams... prince?"
"Oh... you mean Ben? Yeah we nicked him." There was an evil smirk laced on the hooks face.
"Jay! Carlos!" A voice accompanied by heels clicking ran toward them. "I can't find him!"
"We did." Jay mumbled turning her attention to the man in the red coat.
"Well I'll be hooked." The Scottish boy sneered. "You look like a princess now."
The girl was uncomfortable with the familiar face.
"Hi Harry." She cleared her throat and straightened out her shirt which was riding up.
"Hello duckling. Now... where have you been? In princess land? Don't you miss the filth of our sweet home?"
"I think you forget I don't have anyone here. I took care of myself. Auradon has hundreds of people looking out for me."
"For themselves of course."
"That doesn't matter. At least they try." She was bitter in her choice of words. She chose to use them against him. Harry Hook did try to salvage the girl he found sleeping on the street but he ended up finding his way with Uma, leaving her and her heart behind.
"I did try."
"Until you found a better team. Then you left me. Who's in it for their own greed now?"
Harry was stunned with her words. Before she had left she wouldn't have even spit out a sentence, now she was arguing with him.
"When did your vocabulary get so big, little duckling? Before you wouldn't even let out a quack."
"When I learned to stand up for myself without anyone else's help."
"Well well well... that tongue has gotten sharp." He smirked trying to not show his shock.
"Good. Now tell us where you've taken Ben."
"Oh come little duckling. Can't we sit down and catch up first?" Harry stepped closer to her and she didn't move. He ended up looming over her, their eyes never breaking contact.
"Show us... now. Or you can forget ever trying to catch up with me."
"Alrighty then."
The four of us traveled through the isle until we made it to a boat.
"Uma! We have guests!" Harry sang as Uma walked out.
"Ah! Welcome back you scum." Uma laughed
"Where is Ben?" I demanded answers
"So so nosy!"
"Ben!" Mal shouted and ran to a post where rope was tied around. I walked around to see Ben tied up.
Mal untied him and pulled him close to her.
"We are taking him." I snapped.
"Try to little girl!" Uma pointed her sword at me.
"I'm not a little girl anymore." I unsheathed my sword and pointed it at her. This was a dual now.
Uma lunged at me and tried to get me but I dodged and attacked her. I was now thankful for the fencing lessons I had taken with Lani back in auradon. Every day I complained and grumbled but it all now payed off.
The dual lasted for a few minutes until Uma swung her sword around and grazed my arm. I cried out and stumbled sideways. Within a second Harry was standing in front of me with his sword at Uma.
"That's enough." Harry intervened
"Oh come on. We were just having fun." Uma laughed. I grabbed my arm and scowled as my arm burned from the air hitting my wound.
"We are done." Harry stopped the fight and turned around to face me. "You alright duckling?"
"I don't need your help. I can fight my own battles." I seethed
"I'm just trying to protect you." He tried to grab my hand
"I don't need your protection."  I pulled my arm away from him and turned to walk away. "Come on guys, let's go."
"Y/n." Harry started "y/n come on."
I walked quicker, getting Ben to the car to go back to auradon. I ignored all of Harry's calls even when he ran to catch up. We made it to the car so eventually Harry met us.
"Get in the car." I told everyone to get in. I closed the door behind Jay who was the last person in.
"Y/n. Please."
"What Harry? What could you possibly have to say to me?"
"Please don't leave again."
"I don't have a choice."
"Of course you do."
"No, I really don't. Auradon is my home. Auradon cares about me. What would ever keep me here?" I squinted at him but his face turned to sorrow
"I'm here." Harry mumbled
"Harry..." she looked down.
"No it's fine."
"Harry..." she grabbed his hand "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."
"I just feel like you've forgotten me. You don't need me anymore. You're strong, independent. The last time I saw you... you needed me."
"Just because I don't need you to defend my every move, doesn't mean i don't need you. I've missed you since I went to Auradon. I just haven't missed the life from here."
"Well your life from here is me."
"Not exclusively."
"But I can't go with you."
"Maybe... maybe you can."
"What do you mean?"
"Come on." I pulled him by the hand into the car.
"What is he doing here?" Carlos asked
"We are taking him with us."
"What?! Are you crazy?!" Jay scolded
"Please. He's all I have from the isle. I can't leave him again."
"Ben?!" Everyone looked at Ben who was so confused
"What am I supposed to do?"
"You're king! Make an acceptation him!" I begged
"I can't just..." I gave him a pouty face and my eyes watered "maybe... maybe I can... try something."
"Yes!! Thank you!" I squealed and hugged him.

"So what's the verdict?" I clasped my hands and looked at him.
"He can stay." I cheered but Ben put his hands on my shoulders to calm me down "But... there are some conditions."
"Conditions?"
"He needs to lead by example."
"What does that mean?"
"He needs to maintain grades. C or above. He needs to have no disciplinary issues. Any issues outside of school will also be taken into consideration."
"Sounds... reasonable." Harry was screwed. Absolutely completely and totally screwed. "He can do it." I smiled at Ben and turned to walk away.

"So?" Harry asked as she walked into his temporary room which would turn into his dorm
"Um... Ben said you can stay."
"You don't sound so happy about that duckling."
"Well you kinda have to follow all these rules." I handed him the list Ben printed and Harry laughed
"I break half of these things rules on a daily basis duckling."
"Please please. Please just try! It's the only thing that can keep you here. If you're failing classes I'll help you study. If you feel like punching someone in the face, think about that person as me, then you won't want to punch them... hopefully." Harry laughed and pulled me in.
"I could never punch you duckling. I couldn't lay a finger on you. Well... at least not in a bad way." He smirked down at me and I stepped back
"Uh... uh huh." I was getting nervous. I hadn't seen Harry since I left and even when we were together, I felt nervous around him.
"What? Are you... nervous?"
"What?? No! What... what makes you think that?" He grabbed my hand.
"Well, maybe the fact that your hand could compete with the seas I've sailed before."
"Stop!" I pulled my hand away from him and wiped it on my pants.
"Oh come on. Don't be embarrassed. Everyone gets flustered around me."
Y/n was now sad. She didn't want to keep her crush a secret from Harry forever, but she also didn't want to be seen by him as every other girl. Because despite their separation for the past year or so and despite all the anger and resentment she felt towards him, he was still her best friend.
"I'm not... flustered." He cooed at the girl which set her off "Stop it! It said enough! Just leave me alone!"

It had been a day since y/n had shouted at harry. She hadn't tried to apologize and harry knew when she acted like that she really needed space. They grew up together, going from kids to teenagers so he understood her outbursts. He mostly thought of them as just hormonally induced, but once in a while he understood it was different.
There was a knock on y/ns door, right after breakfast. Y/n was busy checking herself in her floor length mirror after she had changed her outfit. She felt restrained in pants and actually grew to liking dresses since coming to Auradon. There was a slight handful of dresses which she accepted, but they were dresses nonetheless. She nodded to herself in content and opened the door.
"Harry." She whispered.
"Y/n." He saw her in a dress for the first time and didn't know how to respond. He knew she looked different, all of it coming from being in Auradon, but seeing her in a dress really cemented it in her brain.
"Did you... need something?" She asked.
"Oh right. I just wanted to... talk about yesterday... and... say... sorry." He choked on the words as they came out, not used to apologizing for his sly and flirtatious behavior.
"Wow make it a little harder to say why don't you?" She rolled her eyes, completely catching on to the tension in his words.
"Im sorry, pet. Look... I'm not very good with apologies. And I don't really see a way to make it up to you. But I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I made you feel uncomfortable yesterday. We are clearly different people to each other now so I hope we can communicate more and learn how we've changed. I miss being your friend. I miss seeing you every day. And I know the circumstances are different and you can protect yourself, but maybe I can be your safe space again."
"The princess are pretty stuck up. They make me feel sick sometimes."
"Then I can be your room to breathe. How does that sound?"
I nodded and smiled "I'd like that."
"So... maybe you can start with telling me why you're wearing a dress?"
"They actually aren't as bad as I thought." I twirled the skirt of the dress and laughed "kinda freeing compared to pants."
"I thought I'd never see you wear a dress."
"Yeah? And what do you think?"
"I think you look beautiful."
"Well thank you." It fell quiet so I tried to change the subject "so... are you nervous for class?"
"A little. But don't tell anyone that."
"My lips are sealed."
"Thanks."
Lani and Jane walked up to me and asked me if I wanted to hang out. They complimented my dress since it was the first time I'd worn it. Harry reached over and latched onto my hand.
The two girls noticed and smiled.
"Uh. I'd really love to but I have to show Harry around. Maybe later?" They both nodded and kissed my cheeks before they walked off.
"Sorry." Harry said as he let go of my hand "It's just habit."
"It's alright."
Harry used to hold my hand when we were on the isle. Mostly it was so I wouldn't wander off and get lost, but it was also a way to show other people that he would protect me when he felt his senses alarm.
"You don't have to do that here. I know it's new to you, but I'd let you know if you needed to be worried." I assured him
"Okay."
"Here. Let me show you around."
I wandered around school, I even showed him where my locker was and gave him my combo in case he needed anything in my locker.
"You're turning into a princess. Too trusting. What if I steal something?"
"Well I'll know who took it. The only person who knows this combo is me and you."
"Ah... well I'll have to be sneaky then."
"Y/n!" A prudish voice called.
I turned to see Chad standing behind me. I sighed and grumbled something under my breath. I gained composure and smiled.
"Hi Chad. What's up?"
"I need you for a second."
"F-for what?"
"I need you to take a picture with me. I'm doing a charity project and I need some pictures of the help. I thought you'd be the perfect person to do it with!"
I stepped closer to Harry and grabbed his hand.
"I think she's busy." Harry spoke.
"Oh... you... you would be perfect for this too. Picture it! 'Lost boy known for commuting the most heinous crimes comes to Auradon only to be helped by the most handsome, smart and charming prince'. I can see it now." He made a disgusted face and then clicked his tongue "the titles kinda long but I'll work on it. How does that sound?"
"Walk away." Harry stepped toward Chad.
"Harry! Harry!" I stepped in front of him and whispered "remember why you're here."
Harry looked at me and then turned around.
"Stupid rules."