Hello there (General Kenobi)

[Sorry. I had to]

But anyway, how are you all doing lately? I hope you're doing well and safe after all that's happening in the world. I'm sending my love to you all. Here, grab 'em!

But back to business. This is a special chapter to commemorate the 100K reads of this story and I thank it all to all of you lovely Dreamers! (yeah, from now on...I shall call my readers and followers Dreamers) Love you all, Dreamers!

---

MEETING THE FATHER AND STEPMOM

Hedith sets her teacup on the saucer with a gentle clank. Pushing back a stray hair on her face to the back of her ears, she eyed the situation in front of her. Her boyfriend tensed and back straight like a stick had replaced his spinal column. Her father sat across him with an intense glare on the poor veterinarian. She had been avoiding this confrontation for the past three months of the relationship. Even after they became official, they made a detour to Artemis' mansion and vouched for Carlos so he could enter the women-exclusive manor. All to avoid her drama queen of a father.

But alas, family dinner just had to do it. 

"Hades, stop scaring the poor boy," Persephone scolded setting down the foods for dinner. And surprise, there is a salad somewhere on the table.

"I'm not scaring him. Are you scared, boy?"

"Ah--"

"Don't answer that, Carlos." Hedith glared at her father, grabbing her boyfriend's hand under the table. This eased the tension on his shoulders and lets out a soft sigh.

"Good to have you for dinner, Carlos," Persephone smiled, "Sadly I cannot cook for you today because you cant eat food in the Underworld so Ganymede catering had to cater us. I apologize."

"No need to apologize, Persephone," Carlos almost choked on her name. He wasn't sure what to call Hedith's step-mother since she technically have no surname to be referred to as Missus and calling her Mrs Hades sounds wrong.

Persephone smiled and urged him to start eating and they all followed.

"I heard that you're a very good friend of Mal," Persephone said with a friendly smile. Carlos was able to reciprocate the woman's expression and nodded. "Must have been a shock when you knew that Mal and Hedith are sisters."

"Yeah, but all the odd rivalry between them somehow started to make sense," Carlos answered, laughing weakly. His lips curved upward, wrinkling a little at the corner. His freckles crinkled together creating an endearing pile on his cheeks. One that Hedith find very adorable.

"Is that how you met? Through Mal?" Persephone pondered.

"Somehow," Hedith smirked. She looked over to him on the corner of her eyes and he had a sheepish grin on his face.

"If I remember correctly, she poured fish water on Jay and I when we were nine." That let out a small laughter from the Spring Goddess and Hedith. "The smell stuck on me for two more days." His nose crinkled in disgust but laughed along after a second.

"How stupid." Hedith heard Hades mutter. But Carlos didn't seem to catch it, thankfully.

"I've heard Hedith's mischief on the past from Hades. She's rather crafty," Persephone smiled, fondly.

"She still is." Carlos smirked at the blue haired woman beside him and caught a little tint of pink on her cheeks.

"So you're a doctor?" Hades started. The table turned silent until Carlos decided to answer.

"Veterinarian, to be exact. For animals only," he foolishly corrected which earned a raised eyebrow from the God of the Underworld. He then realized it was a bull move.

He tensed again. Hedith shook her head. "He's rather famous Mortal World, dad. Rather in-demand."

"Very capable. How many had he sent to the Elysium?"

"Dad!"

"Hades!"

"T-There were a few that I wasn't able to save," Carlos answered, nevertheless surprising even Hedith. "But I was trained to expect that sometimes. But saving lives of animals are what I do for a living so it's better to be optimistic."

Hades just hummed with a neutral look on his face. Maybe it was because Persephone glaring so hard at him or maybe because it was Hedith's hair flaring up. The two women are people he dare not to anger too much. Carlos wasn't able to notice it because he was too preoccupied with keeping his eyes on the King.

Hedith was starting to get very irritated by Hades' nosiness and pondering. It's alright if he's actually trying to get along with Carlos and not trying to make him lose confidence.

Thankfully, Hades was silent the rest of the dinner and by the time the wraiths came to fix the table, Hedith had pulled Carlos out of the room and into the glass wall that overlooks the River Styx. Souls whirled and wailed wherever they look beyond the glass. Carlos had became accustomed to all these creepy stuff after some time he started dating Hedith. But that didn't mean that he didn't feel a little creep out each time a soul stop in front of him and wail, mournfully.

"I'm sorry about dad." Hedith scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Carlos chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Nah. Forget about it. I was warned time and time again that it wouldn't be easy to get through to him," he said.

Carlos brushed up his white locked upwards and fixed his dress shirt. He made sure to present himself properly and thankfully Evie was there to lend a helping hand. As always.

Hedith rolled her eyes, irritably. "He's being stubborn. Sometimes I feel like he still sees me as a little kid." 

Carlos chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Hedith glared.

"No. It's just...I realized why I wasn't able to notice your crush on me seven years ago." Hedith's cheeks turned red.

"Because you had Jane."

"Aww come on. Jane and I are long done. Stop being jealous." Carlos wrapped his arms around her waist. She flinched, still not used with any form of show of affection between couple.

At the start of their relationship, Carlos had hugged her randomly that she had punched and slapped him on the spot. He was very hesitant to do them again after those but when Hedith told him that she was not used to it, he learned to asked before hugging or giving her a kiss. But lately, Hedith had slowly warmed up and he can wrap his arms around her regularly without earning a bruise.

"I didn't noticed because I saw you as a kid when we were younger." He laughed, the vibration of his throat can be felt by Hedith. "You were a kid to my eyes that I saw you almost like a sister."

"Yeah, you kinda sister-zoned me one time, you know." She deadpanned, aiming to make Carlos reflect on his words. But in all honesty, there's no reason for Carlos to be guilty. He never knew about her feelings back them. All because she wasn't one to admit something like that.

Carlos hissed, "Sorry." He chuckled again and intertwined his fingers with hers. "But you know, seven years had done you well. You grew up to be a stunning woman."

She was just glad that Carlos was hugging her from the back and the glass wall has very little reflective surface. She could hide the redness of her face.

"You're not bad yourself, De Vil." He turned and, wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face into his dress shirt. "But you're still a dork."

"You're not going to get over that, are you?"

Hedith shook her head, her forehead rubbing against his chest. Carlos chuckled at his girlfriend's adorable side and patter the top of her head. Hedith is surprisingly affectionate. Shy. But affectionate.

---

THE FIRST MONTH PARTY

"All I can say is wow!" Evie smiled, looking over the crib with a huge smile on her face.

Hedith peeked and her eyes were met by a bundle of flab and skin wrapped in lavander cotton-soft blanket. His eyes were green like his mother and small amount of hair on his scalp had shown to be inherited from his father. But the skin. The deadly pale skin, almost corpse-like, is something she could never mistake to be something that she and her sister had in common.

"What an odd specimen," was all she commented.

Mal shook her head with a smile. She knows Hedith was eccentric by nature and does not always say what's on her mind, but that comment really amuses her. It was the same comment their mother, Maleficent had said when he had laid eyes on her grandson a week ago. She had surprisingly accepted Mal's invitation to come and meet the newborn child and the very same statement that Hedith uttered was the thing that the Mistress of Evil had said.

Of course, she dare not to tell his sister of this uncanny detail.

"So what's his name?" Jay asked, waving a seashell keychain above the child to play with him.

"Cameron." Mal said fondly. Carlos entered the room to join his friends and girlfriend.

"Good afternoon, guys," he greeted as Dude follows his lead.

"Hey, guys. Lemme see the little pup!" Dude ran and approached the crib with his tail wagging behind him. "Cute pup."

"He ain't a pup, Dude. Okay? We've talked about this," Carlos reminded the dog to which he laughed at and continued cooing on the baby boy. "So everything's ready for the party tonight?"

"Yes," Evie exclaimed excitedly. "People from all over Auradon will be here for baby Cameron's first month celebration. It will be spectacular!"

"A ceremony will be held between Ben and our side of the family, too since it is the first grandchild for both, surprisingly." Hedith crossed her arms over her chest. "But mom's not coming, is she?"

Mal shook her head and stood on the other side of the crib, "Mom already came a week ago to see Cameron. And she won't be coming back for a while."

"Good. She won't mess up her grandchild."

"Hedith." Mal started but Hedith raised her hand to silence her older sister. "I forgave you Mal but that doesn't mean that I will ever do the same to Maleficent."

There was silence in between them as the other three people in the room looked back and forth the two. It was not until Jay chuckled decided to break the silence.

"So Evie...the outfits?"

Evie gasped and nodded her head in understanding. "Oh yes. Come on, guys! You'll love it. Let's go."

She grabbed Jay's arm and pulled him out of the room, after shaking her head towards Mal's direction. They passed through Carlos and Hedith where Carlos waited for his girlfriend to make a move. She was just crossing her arms over her chest, looking at her nephew on the crib.  Carlos gave Mal a concerned look and the queen reciprocated this.

No one can make Hedith give a shot on talking to Maleficent a second chance.

"Come on, Hedith." Carlos suggested, grabbing her wrist. "Let's leave Mal and the baby for a while. We'll see more of them later."

She reluctantly complied, dropping her arms and walked out of the room with Carlos' hand on her right wrist.

Later that night, the party started and everyone was so excited to see the young heir to the Auradon throne. Carlos, dressed in silver with red accents, waited by the door leading to the ballroom. The family of both the mother and father will be entering together with the prince and being Hedith's date for the occassion, he will also enter with them.

The other room is already flowing with guests and the rest of their friends are scattered to entertain them while waiting for the royal family.

"Carlos."

He turned to the sound of Hedith's voice and smiled widely with reddening cheeks. Before him is the ever elegant Hedith, daughter of Hades, Princess of the Underworld, dressed in a pastel purple cocktail dress with a fading blue skirt. He's already stunned by her every single time they see each other, throw in Evie's beautification skills, and he would be wishing to lead her out of the people's sight and walk around the royal garden for the rest of the night with her.

"Who's Aphrodite?"

Hedith raised an eyebrow then glared at him. "Excuse me?"

"I don't know any Aphrodite. I think I have the Goddess of Beauty here with me." he smirks, grabbing her hand and kissing it. A blush crept up Hedith's cheek as she shook her head with a small smile.

"How long have you've been waiting to do that?"

"Just on the spot. You stunned me," he continued. This time, earning a laugh from the princess and a punch on the shoulder.

"Keep doing that and I'm kicking you out of here."

"We wouldn't want that."

"Yeah, like how I don't want to see my daughter and her boyfriend flirting in public," Hades complained from behind him. Persephone smacked her husband's biceps but smiled fondly at the couple.

"So everyone's here?" Ben asked, Mal standing beside him. A palace servant following them with a baby stroller. Cameron laid inside it.

"Here," Belle smiled and came with Adam. She hugged Persephone and nodded at Hades as Adam shook hands with the king and queen of the Underworld.

"Let's go."

And the entrance ensued. Everyone rejoiced when they entered the party and Hedith smiled when she heard Cameron's making baby noises from his stroller. After the introduction, the ceremony began and Hedith sat down in between her father and Carlos.

The fairies gave their blessings, so did Fairy Godmother and last came Jane who wished for love to come to the child and his own be influenced to the worlds. Hedith smiled at Jane's wish and never doubt that it will happen. Unlike her and Mal, this child have a loving family to grow up on and an environment where he will be loved and accepted.

"The ceremony ended," Carlos whispered beside her ear. "You want something to eat?"

She spared him a side glance before turning to the party.

"I kind of don't like the exposure."

Taking that as a go signal, Carlos smiled and grabbed her hand and helped her up her seat. Without letting anyone know, they slipped out of the party and went to the garden where they sat on a bench.

"Their perfumes are killing me," Hedith gagged, breaking her posture for a second.

"Didn't thought you don't like perfumes."

"Oh, child. You don't know everything about me." She smiled and stood up from the bench, doing a twirl and did a small skip towards a tile.

"Educate me, oh great master of secret." Carlos played along. He stood up and stepped on the tile before her.

"How about a hand's on?" She smirked and waltz came out of the party's speaker. Such a convenience. "May I have this dance?"

"Is that really necessary?"

"Scared of having two left feet, De Vil?"

Carlos shook his head and took the offer, slipping a hand on her waist. Hedith blushed but did not try to hide it away and stared at Carlos' face. His hair, his eyes, his fanged smile, his freckles. Why does it all look immaculate for her? She doesn't know. She would like to know but all she really want to think about right now is dancing with her beloved.

Carlos smiled fondly at the woman in her arms. Such beauty and grace. Something that every book and document says about most goddesses have. She's the epitome of it all and it's just perfect. He had never felt this much appreciation and adoration for a person in his life, ever. And it almost feels like a dream.

"Not actually. But never to late to learn."

Hedith chuckled, a melodious music to Carlos' ears.

Everything is just perfect.