Mari:

Mermaid Hair:

Bane:

Auradon Prep - Outside

That same night, back in Auradon, Mari and Bane were walking together, looking around, confused. Mari was eating snacks from a little baggie.

"Where the hell are they?" Mari asked. "It's not like they could just disappear into thin air."

"Right," Bane agreed. "But we don't know where they are. Ben and Anthony said that they needed to talk to Mal and Malia about their disagreements about magic, and I assume that Jay would be with Yeva, and Carlos would be with Ara. Evie is probably with Doug. I'm not sure where Izzy would be since she's been so distant lately."

"Yeah," Mari sighed in agreement. "But where would they have all gone? I don't get it, Bane."

Bane chuckled. "Mari, I'm sure that things are fine."

Mari tilted her head skeptically, but let it pass. "Fine." They walked over to a stone bench, sitting down. "We have to get inside soon because of curfew, but what do you want to do until then?"

"I'm not sure," Bane admitted. "But I can tell that you can't stop thinking about the others. Are you worried?"

"A little," Mari answered. "I mean, I just have this feeling like something bad's happening. I don't know how to explain it."

"Well, maybe we can take a break from worrying about everyone everyday and take a beat," Bane suggested nervously, not sure about how to bring this up but knowing they needed to talk about it. "And talk about what it means now that after we kissed and after everything we've been through. And how it's been clear we've been on more than one date. And there is a certain stage that two people reach where it turns from friendship into something more, and I don't know if we've reached that part yet."

Mari smiled knowingly, tilting her head. "Bane, are you asking me to be your girlfriend?"

"No," Bane lied nervously. Mari tilted her head at him,  raising her eyebrows, unconvinced. Bane hesitated. "Maybe." Mari lightly nudged Bane to get him to come clean completely. Bane smiled. "Yes. I don't know why I'm so nervous about this. I mean, we've known each other for forever, and been friends since we were like six. And..."

"Well, will it make you less nervous is I answer your question right now?" Mari asked.

"What question?" Bane asked.

Mari gave him a look. "About me being your girlfriend."

Bane nodded in realization, blushing in embarrassment. "Oh! Yes, that would make me less nervous. Mari, will you... um, I mean..."

Mari smiled in amusement, smiling. "Yes, I will be your girlfriend." They both smiled excitedly. "I don't get it, either. I mean the nervousness. Because I remember liking you for forever, but I didn't know that it was that kind of like until before all of this started happening."

"Yeah, me too," Bane agreed. "I mean, I've always liked you as a friend, and then I know that it turned into more than a like, but I didn't know it at the time. And now..."

"Now..." Mari repeated.

"We're together," Bane finished.

They both smiled.

Mari held up her snack baggie. "You want some?"

Bane nodded. "Sure."

Mari took a snack out, sitting further away from Bane. "Catch."

Bane smiled, sitting back. "I love this game. Give me your best shot." Mari tossed the snack at him, which Bane caught with in his mouth. "Oh!"

Mari smiled. "Amazing."

Bane did a little cheer. "Yes!" He took a snack from the bag. "Your turn." He threw some at Mari, making most of them miss on purpose, but Mari still caught one, eating. "Oh, you only caught one."

They both smiled, laughing.

Mari looked down. "What do you want to do when you get out of here? Auradon Prep, I mean."

"Well, I'm still a prince," Bane pointed out. "And since magic is pretty discouraged, I'm not sure. Although people are more open about magic now, they don't think it's to be relied on, and I agree with that. But I don't want to give it up completely. Magic's still as much a part of me as it is for you. What about you?"

Mari shook her head, shrugging. "I don't know. I wouldn't be tethered to school anymore. My parents wouldn't be able to order me around anymore when I'm older, at least not like they can right now. Or Ara for that matter. Ara and I wouldn't have to continue to choose between our parents, Scotland or the sea. I honestly don't know what I'd do after school."

"Well, you're still a princess," Bane pointed out. "In Scotland, the sea and here. So you and me? We could basically do anything?"

Mari looked up at Bane, beaming a smile. "I like the thought of being able to do anything with you."

Bane grinned. "Me too."

As Mari and Bane looked at each other, they were close to kissing, but just then the school lawn's sprinkler system turned on, making them both jump in surprise as they were splattered with the water, laughing at the sudden cold.

Mari, getting wet, could still remain in human form thanks to wearing her mermaid necklace, but her mermaid hair came out once she came into contact with the water, in the braid it was always in when it came out. Bane and Mari were still laughing.

Mari took her mermaid hair down so that it was no longer in the braid, shaking it out. "Oh, great." Bane looked at her, stunned. Mari was confused. "What's that look for?"

"I think this is the first time that I've seen your mermaid hair down, not in the braid," Bane answered. Mari smiled. "It's beautiful either way." They chuckled. Bane gave a princely bow to Mari. "May I have this dance?"

Mari gave Bane a princess curtsy. "Of course you may."

They started to dance in the sprinkling water over the school lawn.

"You and Ara may be used to getting this wet all the time, but I'm not," Bane told her.

Mari smiled. "Oh, shut up. You know this is perfect."

They continued to dance and smile, laughing together. Bane held his hand toward Mari. Mari took his hand.

Bane pulled Mari close, starting the slow, beautiful dance step by step. "I found a love for me." They circled and spun around each other. Bane pointed at Mari, making a diving motion with his arms to reference all the times she dove into the Enchanted Lake in front of him over the years. "Darling, just dive right in." Mari smiled, shaking her head. "And follow my lead / I found a girl, beautiful and sweet / I never knew you were the one waiting for me." Bane took her by the waist to lift her above his head and spin her around, lowering her, and they circled each other again, before he lifted her above his head again, placing her down, spinning her around. "Because we were just kids when we fell in love / Not knowing what it was." They sat on a bench, looking at each other. Bane circled around Mari to sit on the other side of her, and she did the same to him, as he spun her around as she did, standing, spinning her around while she was sitting down, sitting with her again to hug her from behind, both smiling. "I will not give you up this time...." They both stood, up on the bench, stepping from behind him to behind her, still dancing carefully. "Darling, just kiss me slow." Bane spun Mari around, jumping down. Mari spun in the air as she jumped down as well. "Your heart is all I own." They took each other by the hands to pull each other closer and spin around, still dancing, circling around each other, spinning around the other. As Mari leaned back into Bane's arm behind her, she swayed her head and arms around beautifully, wrapping her arms around his neck, as they went back to dancing. "And in your eyes, you are holding mine." Bane spun Mari around, lowering her in a dip. "Baby, I'm." They stood straight, circling around the other, with her hand on his chest and his hand on her waist. "I'm dancing in the dark / With you between my arms." They turned forward, holding out their arms, kicking off their shoes. "Barefoot on the grass." Mari turned to Bane, as they both smiled. Bane took her hand and spun her closer. "Listening to our favorite song."

They swayed together back and forth to the song.

Mari sang softly but beautifully. "When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath / But you heard it, darling, you look perfect tonight."

Bane spun Mari around, pulling her closer into his arms as he lifted her up and spun her around, making her laugh, putting her down. "You look perfect tonight."

Mari smiled, shaking her head, as they continued to dance. "Well, I found a boy / Stronger than anyone I know / He shares my dreams / I hope that someday we'll share a home / I found a love to carry all my secrets / Carry love of our own." Bane spun Mari around, lifting her up, spinning her around. "We are still kids but we're so in love / Fighting against all odds." Bane put her down, as they took each other by the hands again and started dancing. "I know that we'll be all right, this time.... / Oh, just hold my hand / I'll be your girl, you'll be my man / I see my future in your eyes..." Bane spun Mari around, as they both pulled each other closer by the hand. "Baby, I'm." They continued to dance. "Dancing in the dark / With you between my arms / Barefoot in the grass / Listening to our favorite song."

Bane twirled Mari around repeatedly, making her laugh. "When I saw you in that dress, looking so beautiful / I don't deserve this, darling, you look perfect tonight."

Bane and Mari ran along the grass together to meet each other on the other side of a fountain, meeting in a more fast paced dance, but still beautiful and sweet. "Baby, I'm dancing in the dark." Mari stepped up onto the edge of the fountain, leaning over to place her hands on Bane's shoulders with her leg raised behind her. "With you between my arms." Bane spun her around while she stayed in place, lifting her up in his arms to spin her around, placing her down. "Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song." The sprinklers went off again, getting them more wet, making them both smile, spinning around to enjoy it. "I have have in what I see / Now I know I have met an angel in person." Bane had his hands on her waist, and Mari had her head tilted back toward the sky, arms raised at her sides. "And they look perfect." Bane spun Mari around, and they circled around each other, with her hands on his neck, looking up, laughing. They finally stopped dancing, just relaxing in an embrace. "I don't deserve this / You look perfect tonight."

Bane and Mari looked up as the sprinklers continued until they finally stopped, looking at each other, smiling, laughing. After a long moment, they finally kissed passionately. After a few moments, they pulled away, getting their shoes.

Mari smiled, pulling Bane along by the hands. "Come on, I'll race you back to the dorms so we can change." They smiled, nodding, letting go of each other's hands, facing forward, ready. "On the count of three. One, two..."

Before Mari even said three, she took off running. Bane yelped in surprise, taking off in a run to catch up, following the sound of her sweet but evil at the same time laughter.

-----

Isle of the Lost

VKs Hideout

Izzy:

Yeva:

Malia:

Ara:

Yeva, Mal, Malia, Evie, Jay and Carlos had come up to explain to Izzy and Ara that Harry and Gaige had taken Ben and Anthony and Izzy's scepter.

Izzy was now angry. "If you guys hadn't come here, none of this would have happened. What were you thinking?"

"We were trying to help you," Evie answered. "Izzy, we knew that you weren't doing good because of that stupid scepter and because of Queen of Hearts and because of us not even noticing what was going on, and we wanted to help."

"Yeah, and we completely blew it, guys," Carlos told them.

"Okay!" Jay said. "Okay. So, what are we gonna do?"

Mal used air quotes. "'We' are not doing anything. Harry took the scepter and Queen of Hearts to get Izzy to come to him. Gaige said it himself to Yeva about why she wasn't allowed to come or any of the rest of you. Izzy and Yeva have a past with Uma, River, Gaige, Harry and Gil, but everything else is between River, Uma, Malia and me."

"And River and Uma are punks," Malia told them. "And guess what? Now Izzy has to get that scepter and Queen of Hearts from Harry, and Mal and I have to go get Ben and Anthony."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Carlos told them. "Mal. Malia. Izzy. You're still gonna have to go through Harry, Gaige, Gil and their wharf rats."

"Yeah, you're gonna need us," Ara agreed.

"Gaige and Gil won't get involved if River and Uma don't want them to," Yeva pointed out. "And Harry--"

"I can handle Harry just fine, thank you," Izzy told them. "He doesn't want to fight. Yet, anyway. I don't think."

"Way to lower any confidence that we have in this plan of yours, Izzy," Ara told her sarcastically.

"Gaige said to come alone," Mal pointed out. "Malia and I can handle Uma and River. And like Izzy said, she can handle Harry."

"Mal, Malia," Evie pleaded. "Izzy, come on."

"Gaige said to come alone," Carlos agreed. "I know one thing. I'm not going anywhere."

Carlos plopped down on the couch.

Jay looked at Mal, Malia and Izzy. "We'll be here when you get back."

Mal, Malia and Izzy nodded, leaving. Evie, Yeva and Ara watched them go, not liking the idea of them going, but knew the others were right, sighing worriedly.

Izzy was thinking of the past.

-----

Flashback

Isle of the Lost

Night - Izzy's Castle - Balcony

Izzy:

Izzy was on her balcony again, waiting.

Harry leaped over the railing of the balcony, landing next to Izzy, smirking. "Hello, my little duckling."

"You're never gonna stop trying to scare me, are you?" Izzy asked.

Harry smirked. "Depends. Have I scared you?"

Izzy scoffed. "No."

"Liar," Harry mocked. "I'll give you some slack this time, though. For the special day."

"What special day?" Izzy asked.

Harry mocked a gasp. "You don't know?"

Izzy realized he knew, sighing, tilting her head. "How'd you figure out that it's my birthday?"

"You're a princess, love," Harry reminded her. "Queen of Hearts has the news out and about by now."

Izzy sighed. "Damn her. She knows I hate my birthday. That's why she did it."

"I figured," Harry admitted. "So I'm guessing Queen of Hearts tried to throw you a party for your birthday."

"If we were not on this damn Isle, she would have thrown me a damn ball just to spite me because she knows I hate it," Izzy answered.

"Sorry, love," Harry said.

"It's okay," Izzy told him. "You can find a way to make it up to me."

Harry chuckled, pointing at Izzy. "I think I already have."

Izzy looked at him curiously in confusion. "Curious. Tell me."

Harry smiled, reaching into his satchel to pull out a little baggie. "I could tell you, but wouldn't it be more fun to show you instead?"

"You got me something?" Izzy asked. "Harry--"

Harry silenced her with a kiss to stop her protest. "Love."

Izzy crossed her arms, just looking at him. Harry raised his eyebrows, clearly not backing down.

Izzy smirked, giving in, sighing, grabbing the bag, opening it, turning it over, making her heart necklace fall into her hand, the one that Harry had taken off of her in the present. It was dark red and vibrant with a frame and skull the color of gold or brown, like pirate's treasure, to signify both of them, one of the necklaces that Izzy always wore. She was in awe, looking surprised but touched by the gift. "Harry..."

Harry smiled at the reaction. "Do you like it?"

"I love it," Izzy answered, smiling.

Harry took the necklace from Izzy, opening the clasp. Izzy turned her back to Harry, pulling her hair up so he could put the necklace around her neck, releasing the hair once he did, turning to look at him, holding the heart of the necklace.

Harry shrugged, smirking, still trying to act too cool. "A little on the nose, but, hey."

Izzy smiled, her smile faltering, as she started to think about what she usually did to guys like Harry, following in her mother's footsteps and usually breaking their hearts and leaving them behind. But none of those boys had ever treated her the way Harry did, good. Great even. She knew that she was starting to feel something more than just teasing or game playing as she usually did. She felt like she could actually feel something for Harry, but knew her mother would never allow it, that the Queen of Hearts would either rip his heart out if she didn't, or remove her head if Izzy refused to break him like she broke so many others. She didn't want to do it to Harry. Not to this one. Not this time.