XXII. Why didn't you save me?

The Great War by Taylor Swift

Mal, Uma, and Evie all celebrate their victory, laughing and high-fiving each other. The boys all shoulder bump each other in celebration, grinning widely.

As Uma and Mal go in for a high-five, they freeze mid-air, realizing what they were doing. The boys stop too, realizing they've all just shared a moment of unspoken camaraderie. There's a brief, awkward pause before they all break into their separate groups.

The pirate crew takes the opportunity to celebrate as well, Harry wrapping an arm around Estella's shoulders. He presses a kiss to her cheek, pulling back quickly to make sure she's not hurt. "You good?" he asks softly, scanning her for any signs of injury.

Estella gives him a soft smile, nodding. "I'm fine, just... tired. But I'm alright."

Uma notices the affectionate exchange between the two, and gives Estella a high-five before turning back to the group. "Well, at least some of us know how to enjoy a win."

Gil chimes in, his grin wider than ever. "It's what we do best!"

Meanwhile, the VKs are still processing the whole situation. Evie rolls her eyes and tries to lighten the mood. "Alright, how about an ice breaker?" she suggests brightly, seeing the look of reluctance on everyone's faces.

Groans immediately come from Estella and the others. Jay even grumbles under his breath, "Are we seriously doing this right now?"

But Evie, undeterred, turns to the pirates, her smile still in place. "Okay! You guys say something you really like about the other person, alright? I'll start." She pauses for dramatic effect, then turns to Estella, "Stella, your braids are so cute!"

Estella immediately glares up at her. "Don't call me Stella," she snaps, her voice firm but her eyes narrowing in annoyance.

Evie steps back, surprised by the sudden intensity in Estella's voice. Her expression falters a little as she looks at her old friend, sensing the tension between them. "Oh... right. Sorry, Estella," she mutters, clearly a bit hurt by the response.

Uma rolls her eyes, clearly uninterested in the awkward moment. "Is she always this perky?" she mutters under her breath, but loud enough for everyone to hear.

Evie's face falls slightly, but she tries to smile and recover. "Well, I just wanted to start things off on a good note..." she trails off, looking around the group for a better reaction.

The tension between the groups lingers for a moment, but there's an undeniable sense of camaraderie beneath it all—fighting side by side had created a strange bond, even if the ice-breaking efforts weren't exactly going as planned.

Uma raised an eyebrow, looking at Evie with a sly smirk. "Where does the cheerleader bunk down?" she asked, the sass in her tone clear.

Evie and Mal shared a glance before Mal answered, "She's still in the school dorms. Summer school, you know."

Harry suddenly let out a loud cackle of manic laughter, making Estella jump. She whipped around to face him, eyes wide. "What? Summer school? Summer? School?!" Harry laughed harder, his hand coming to rest on Estella's head, his elbow pressing lightly against her. "No wonder she wants revenge!" he said, still chuckling at the absurdity of it all. "It's nae surprise, eh?"

Estella shot him a look, a little thrown off by the sudden outburst but not entirely surprised. "You're ridiculous," she muttered, shaking her head.

Mal, clearly trying to regain some control, straightened up. "Alright, boys, you go find Ben," she ordered, then turned to the group. "We'll meet up at Evie's in two hours."

Estella immediately spoke up, cutting through the air with her sharp tone. "I'm not going anywhere with you," she said firmly, glaring at Mal. "I'm going with Harry and Gil."

Uma nodded, looking pleased with Estella's decision. "We're going with my plan," she declared, looking around at everyone with a smirk.

Mal scoffed. "It was the obvious plan," she muttered, clearly not thrilled with the shift in control.

Gil, eager as ever, threw his hands up in mock defense. "Uma said it first!" he shouted, grinning.

Uma gave a small nod, clearly pleased by the support. "Exactly."

Estella shot Harry a quick glance, smirking at the thought of the unexpected alliances forming. Harry just shrugged, his usual grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Guess we're stuck with Uma's plan then," Estella said with a grin, moving closer to Harry and Gil as they all turned to head in the direction Uma was leading them.

Jay, Carlos (and Dude), Harry, Gil, and Estella clambered through the Enchanted Woods, their footsteps crunching the leaves as they shouted for Ben, but their voices echoed without reply. Jay and Carlos were leading the charge, shouting the king's name with urgency while Estella and Harry strolled behind, enjoying the quiet of the forest and each other's company.

Harry kept his hand on Estella's back as they walked, his lips close to her ear as he whispered, "Ye sure ye trust these woods? Ain't the safest place."

She gave him a small, teasing smile. "What's a little danger when I've got you by my side?"

"Ah, ye know it." Harry grinned, squeezing her shoulder gently.

Gil, a few steps ahead, bent down and plucked a wild berry from a bush, tossing it into his mouth with a cheerful smile. Estella smirked and crept up behind him, leaning in close to his ear. "Some wild berries are poisonous, you know," she whispered with a mischievous tone.

Gil froze, his eyes widening in alarm. He quickly spit the berry out with an innocent look on his face and turned around. "Hey, we should play that icebreaker."

Jay, not realizing what was happening, smiled at Gil. "Yeah, that's a good idea." Then he turned to Estella, clearly still trying to figure her out. "Um, Stella. I mean Estella, I like how you're happy with Harry, and you can steal pretty well now, which is funny, I guess."

Estella rolled her eyes dramatically and groaned out loud, hoping Jay would take the hint. "Yeah, yeah. I get it, Jay. Just... no more icebreakers," she said, walking over to Harry, who chuckled at the interaction.

As Jay talks about Tourney, Gil looks at him with astonishment. Harry leaned back against a large oak tree, crossing his arms. "Tourney, thas' a wee boy's game," he said, his Scottish accent making the words sound even more dismissive.

Jay looked at Harry with mock indignation. "Come on, you know it's a classic! Adventure, strategy—"

"Adventure, aye. But don't be tellin' me that's a man's game, Jay," Harry teased, his grin wide.

Gil nodded in agreement, laughing. "Yeah, Jay. Stick to jumping off things and bouncing around. Which is very cool, If I do say so myself."

Meanwhile, Estella had crouched down to pick another wild berry, studying it for a moment before popping it into her mouth. Harry, still standing nearby, casually stabbed it with the end of his hook and brought it to his own mouth, humming in surprise at the taste. "P.S.," Harry said with a smirk, his eyes glinting. "Your mutt went that way." He nodded toward a path deeper in the woods, where Dude was barking frantically.

Carlos turned to look, calling out for his dog. "Dude!" he shouted, running after the dog's echo.

"Ye really know how to keep him on his toes, don't ye?" Estella teased, walking back over to Harry's side, still smirking at the playful banter.

"Ah, he'll catch up. But aye, I do have that effect on people." Harry winked, wrapping his arm around her waist.

As the group continued their search for Ben, the playful atmosphere among them never wavered, and the Enchanted Woods felt a little less intimidating with the crew by each other's side.

The group trekked deeper into the Enchanted Woods, the trees growing denser as they continued their search for Ben. Suddenly, a strange smell hit their senses—something musky, pungent, and wild. Dude, ever the comic relief, wrinkled his nose and commented, "Smells like someone forgot to take a bath, huh?" His tail wagged in the air, oblivious to the discomfort around him.

The group froze, their attention now focused on the strange odor when, without warning, a beast leapt from the bushes, landing with a heavy thud on the forest floor. It was a massive creature, its fur a mix of blue and yellow, and its eyes wild with a mix of confusion and anger.

The group let out startled yelps, jumping back in unison. Harry was the first to react, pulling Estella behind him as the beast lunged. "Bloody hell!" Harry muttered before swiftly dodging the creature's powerful swipe, kicking it back with a quick and forceful motion. The beast grunted in annoyance but quickly crouched by a nearby rock, its palm held up to the sky as though trying to find some solace in its madness.

Carlos squinted, tilting his head. "Ben? Did Audrey do that?" His voice was filled with disbelief, trying to connect the dots.

Estella chuckled lightly, her arms crossed. "Thought I recognized those crown pants," she teased, her gaze scanning the beast as she took in the familiar sight of the blue and yellow clothing.

Gil gasped loudly, putting a hand to his mouth. "He's got a boo-boo!" He pointed to Ben's side, where a noticeable injury could be seen. "That's why he's so cranky."

Jay shot a sidelong glance at both Carlos and Estella. "You're both good with animals, and Estella, well... you were close with Ben," he said, looking between them. "One of you do something!"

Estella rolled her eyes and huffed, crossing her arms. "Fuck no. You want me to talk to him like he's a puppy?" she shot back sarcastically, but her voice still held an underlying concern for Ben.

Carlos, seemingly more willing to step in, nodded determinedly. "Fine, I'll handle it." He took a cautious step forward, slowly approaching Ben with his usual calm demeanor.

The beast, still crouched by the rock, looked up at Carlos, its eyes softening ever so slightly, as though it recognized him. Carlos kept his voice gentle, his hands held out in a non-threatening manner. "Ben, it's me. We're here to help you," he called softly, trying to ease the creature's anxiety.

Estella stayed behind with Harry and Gil, watching Carlos slowly close the gap between them and the transformed king. "He's either going to bite Carlos' head off, or this is going to go smoother than we think," Estella muttered under her breath, eyes narrowing in curiosity.

Harry, ever watchful, kept his stance firm. "Aye, let's just hope it's the latter," he said, keeping his gaze on Ben—on the man who used to be their king, now twisted and wild, his humanity lost in the beastly form.

Carlos slowly counted down, his hand trembling slightly as he reached the final number. With a sharp pull, he removed the large splinter from Ben's hand, wincing as Ben let out a low growl of discomfort. But just as the splinter was removed, a sudden burst of sparkling water sprayed out from a hose, dousing Ben and sending a shimmering mist into the air.

Everyone turned quickly to see who had arrived, and there stood Jane, holding the hose, her face lighting up with a wide grin. Carlos' smile grew impossibly wider at the sight of the familiar face. "Jane!" he said, his voice filled with relief and happiness.

Estella, however, shot a side-eye at the girl. The last time she had seen Jane, the girl had been a bit of a boring know-it-all, always eager to give advice and lecture everyone about following the rules. But seeing her again now, Estella just couldn't muster up the same enthusiasm.

Carlos and Jane both nervously fumbled over words as they greeted each other, rambling in awkward yet genuine excitement about being reunited. After a few moments, they couldn't help but pull each other into a tight, relieved hug, both of them making sure the other was okay after the ordeal.

Meanwhile, Ben was still trying to get a handle on his transformed state. His fangs and beard were new, and he absentmindedly touched his face, running his fingers over his sharp fangs. Jay stepped in, helping him sit down as he steadied himself. Ben was still disoriented, his mind racing with everything happening. He hadn't noticed Estella yet, thankfully, as he focused on his new, strange appearance, more concerned with his body's transformation than the group around him.

Just as Ben seemed to get a little more adjusted, another burst of water came from the hose, splashing him once more. Jane let out a startled gasp, her hand flying to her mouth as she took in the sight of Estella standing nearby, now fully clad in her pirate attire. The sharp change in Jane's expression didn't go unnoticed, and she blinked a few times, clearly struggling to process what she was seeing.

"E-Estella?" Jane stammered, her eyes widening with shock. The name left her lips as a whisper, barely audible in the air.

Estella froze. The last thing she expected was for Jane to recognize her like this, in her full pirate garb, standing in front of them after all this time. It had been years, and here she was, so different—so much a part of the pirate life that she barely resembled the girl who once walked the halls of Auradon Prep.

Jane's voice wavered as she continued, "Your mom came back from Pixie Hollow a week ago. I told her you were at summer school... She's been worried sick because you haven't been answering her letters or calls..." Her words hit Estella harder than she expected.

Estella stood frozen for a moment, shock washing over her as she processed Jane's words. Her breath caught in her throat. She hadn't expected this—not the concern, not the questions about her absence, not the reminder of the past. The moment Jane gasped, it was like a floodgate opened in Estella's mind.

"E-Estella..." Jane whispered, her voice shaky with disbelief. Estella's stomach twisted, the old pain resurfacing at the sound of her name—her real name. Not a pirate's moniker, not a cold front. But the girl she had once been, the girl Ben had known, the girl she used to be.

Ben turned around quickly, his eyes wide in disbelief. He took in the sight of her, his gaze flicking to her pirate attire and the hard edge in her expression. It didn't take long for him to recognize her, and when he did, his breath hitched. His hands shook slightly as he took a few unsteady steps toward her.

"Estella?" Ben's voice was thick with emotion, barely audible. His feet carried him forward without thinking, drawn to her presence like a magnet, like he'd been waiting for this moment for too long.

Estella didn't wait for him to reach her. The anger she'd been suppressing boiled to the surface like a storm threatening to break. She stepped forward, chest heaving with every breath, her fists clenched at her sides. As Ben reached her, she didn't let him get close enough to touch her—not yet. But the moment their eyes locked, the weight of everything she'd been carrying finally crashed over her.

She threw her arms around him, her grip tightening as the tears that had been building up for years now flooded her eyes. The anger, the hurt, the betrayal—all of it washed over her, and she buried her face against his shoulder as she sobbed, her body shaking with the weight of emotions she couldn't contain anymore.

"Why didn't you save me, Ben?!" Her voice cracked, loud in the air, full of hurt and resentment. "You left me on that damn island to rot! You—You were supposed to be different! You were supposed to help us!" The words tore from her throat like a scream, full of pain and frustration. The way he had promised things would be better, that Auradon was the place where everyone would be accepted. But he had never come for her.

Ben's body stiffened at her words, but he didn't pull away. His arms slowly went around her, as if he was afraid she would disappear if he didn't hold on tightly enough. He was speechless at first, just holding her as the tears soaked into his shirt.

"I—I tried, Estella," Ben murmured, his voice barely a whisper as his hands gently moved to her back, as though comforting her in the only way he knew. "I didn't know what was happening, I didn't—I tried, I swear I did. It was... it was all out of my control. I thought—" He paused, choking on his words. His tears began to spill, but they were quiet, unnoticed by Estella as her emotions roared louder than anything he could say.

Estella pulled away slightly, still crying, her eyes full of fury as she looked up at him. "You thought what, Ben?" she demanded, her voice shaky but sharp. "That I could just sit there and wait for you to fix things? That I could just wait until you decided I was worth saving?"

Ben's face crumpled in agony as he met her angry gaze, his chest tightening with guilt. "I didn't know what to do," he said softly, his voice breaking. "I was caught between worlds. I thought I could fix things—fix Auradon—but I couldn't even fix the people who needed me the most."

"Don't give me that," Estella snapped, shaking her head as more tears fell from her eyes. "You could have saved me. You could have come for me! I didn't ask for anything, just... just to not be forgotten. But you let me rot there, Ben. You let them all rot there." She swallowed hard, trying to steady herself, but the words kept coming. "You—You didn't care enough to save me."

There was a long, painful silence between them as Ben simply looked at her, unable to find the right words. The raw truth of her words cut through him like nothing else. He had failed her. And no amount of apology could take away the years of abandonment she had endured.

Finally, with trembling hands, Ben cupped her face, his thumb gently brushing away the tears that streamed down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, his voice full of regret. "I should've come. I should've tried harder. Please, forgive me."

But Estella pulled away from him quickly, stepping back. She crossed her arms, anger still flashing in her eyes despite the tears. "You don't get to ask me that. Not after everything. Not after you left me behind."

Ben's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as he watched her retreat. He wanted to fix everything—wanted to fix the years of hurt he had caused, but he knew, deep down, that it wasn't that easy. The rift between them was deep, too deep for words alone to bridge.

Estella turned away, wiping her eyes furiously, her voice still bitter. "You're not the same person, Ben. You left me behind, and now you come here with your fancy crown and your beard, like you can just fix things with a smile. Well, I'm done waiting. I'm done pretending that I can just pick up where we left off."

Ben could only watch her walk away, feeling the weight of his failure as she faded into the distance. All he had wanted was to help, but he had failed her in the worst way possible.

He had no idea how to fix it.