I had this idea where Evie found a baby in the streets of the Isle and decided to take care of it. Decided to write it down. This is between d2 and d3, almost the beginning of d3.
It's also Jayvie centered cause I'm so soft for them <3.
Sorry for any grammatical mistakes, english is not my first language. Hope you like it (if you do, let me know cause I've already written like four parts, got excited lol)
Rescued and Restored - Part One
It was finally happening. Evie's beloved program to rescue all those children from the Isle of the Lost was finally up and running. The Second Chance Program.
After the Royal Ball and Uma's escape from the Isle, there had been several months of preparation. Ben appointed Evie as the King's Counselor, and she had never felt happier in her life. Due to her lack of experience in the field, Fairy Godmother enrolled her in some courses to help Evie learn and understand all the responsibilities that came with being a counselor. It was intense weeks of studying and classes, but Evie managed to impress everyone with her efficiency and organization in this royal position. And when she finally had time to discuss her ideas with Ben, the program for the children of villains was finally ready. She was finally able to make a difference, just as she had always dreamed.
Evie was proving to herself that she was not just a pretty face, as her mother had taught her all her life.
Being the King's Counselor helped Evie financially above all else. The salary was good, and with the profits that Evie 4 Hearts was generating, she managed to make a good deal for her first property. It was a cozy house, spacious enough to live in, host her friends, and work on her designs. It was everything Evie didn't know she had dreamed of.
After all, she wasn't a girl of grand castles. She discovered her love for small and cozy cottages. At least for now.
Jay, Carlos, and Mal helped with the move. Jay practically didn't leave since Evie's first night in her own home. The girl's wardrobe was gradually being taken over by pieces of Jay's clothing. It was the time of rest that both of them needed.
While Evie had all these responsibilities, Jay had now become a coach at Auradon Elementary School when he wasn't helping the blue-haired woman with the details of the villain kids' Program. He had never connected so well with children as he did with his team. The little ones adored him and had enough energy to last the entire week.
They never thought their lives would take such different turns than expected. They never envisioned a life completely free. And now, with the opportunity to offer that to other children, they couldn't be more excited.
"We have to meet Mal at the castle in an hour," Evie said, sitting next to Jay on the kitchen island. The four VKs would be meeting this morning for a discreet visit to the Isle of the Lost. Only Ben, their parents, and Fairy Godmother knew about it. They were going to the Isle to assess the number of candidates for the new project. Evie was eager. She forked a piece of her pancakes and murmured with satisfaction as she took a bite.
"Please tell me Ben isn't going this time," Jay joked, smiling as he saw Evie laugh. "Seriously, I couldn't handle another rescue so soon. I'm still recovering from the first one."
"Mal made sure he stayed at the castle this time," Evie replied, chuckling as Jay leaned in and buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent and giving a gentle kiss to her collarbone. "We do need a vacation, don't we?" She reached up to caress the cheek of the dark-haired boy with one of her hands.
"Desperately," Jay murmured, still leaning against the blue-haired girl. "Let's go to Neverland, or Agrabah..." After thinking about it, he said,"You know what? Let's go to both. And maybe the beach afterward."
"Sounds like a plan to me," Evie whispered, giving him a quick peck before they both returned to their breakfast.
It didn't take long for the four friends to be on the other side of the barrier. Before they began their actual work, Mal reminded them of the task at hand. "We need to attract as little attention as possible. We're here just to observe a sample of children who might be suitable for studying in Auradon. If they recognize us, it's fine, we can be polite, but we can't stay here longer than necessary."
"What about Uma's territory?" Carlos asked anxiously. They were never 100% at ease when they were on the Isle, too many enemies, and especially because it was their second time there without finding their parents. It wasn't something they wanted to do; no one was ready for that yet.
"While we're apart, we'll stay away from the pirates' territory. We'll do our assessment there together," the girl said. "The same goes for any place near our homes, unless you're willing to find your parents."
"Definitely not," Jay said, while Evie nodded. It was too soon.
"Alright, let's get to work then. We'll meet back here in 30 minutes," Carlos concluded, and the four young people separated to observe, talk to the children on the Isle, and learn what they thought about living in Auradon and having a new life.
It was a fierce battle. Half of them couldn't care less about the "land of princes and princesses," but the other half dreamed of the opportunity to be whatever they wanted with the endless possibilities of Auradon. Evie spent the 30 minutes doing just that, and to her relief, most of the children and teenagers she spoke to were excited about the program.
However, the return to the meeting point was not as quick as Evie had expected. She walked calmly and purposefully back to the designated spot when she heard muffled crying as she passed by Enoja's Shop. The daughter of the Evil Queen abruptly stopped to give it her attention. It wasn't uncommon to hear cries on the Isle of the Lost, but this one seemed much more fragile and desperate than usual.
She looked around a few times, searching for a child huddled in a corner but found nothing. That's when she noticed something moving inside a dumpster in front of the shop. Evie's heart squeezed as she walked closer, and the crying became more audible. She looked down, and the scene immediately brought tears to the princess's eyes.
Wrapped in tattered cloth was a baby, inside a trash bag, discarded in the dumpster as if it meant nothing. Evie knew it wasn't an accident. The child was tied and wrapped enough to conceal the living being within the garbage. It was intentional.
"Oh no..." the blue-haired girl whispered, a mix of anger and sadness flooding her heart as she reached out to pick up the baby.
"Evie!" she heard a familiar voice call out, but she didn't bother to look back. Her eyes remained fixed on the baby, who cried louder than ever. "We were all at the designated spot, and you didn't come back. We got worried," Jay said, not yet seeing the child Evie was trying to untie from the trash. "Evie, what are you doing..." He trailed off as he caught sight of the same sight as the girl. Jay furrowed his brow.
"Jay, help me. There's something tied around her neck," Evie's voice was choked up, and the young man quickly approached, carefully tearing apart the dangerously tied cloth from around the baby's neck. He fell silent, stunned, as she removed the trash bag from the small being squirming in desperation. "I just found her. It's a little girl."
"Was she just thrown there?!" Jafar's son questioned indignantly. He saw Evie nod without saying a word as a solitary tear slid down her cheek. She cradled the baby in her arms and sighed, her heart breaking as Evie tried to soothe her.
"What do we do?" Evie whispered, her voice barely audible, as Jay approached and ran his hand through her blue hair. She couldn't bear to leave the little, fragile baby there after what she had witnessed, and Jay felt the same way.
"We'll take her with us," he said gently. Evie nodded without hesitation, and the two of them returned to the meeting point of their four friends. Carlos was the first to notice the bundle squirming in the arms of the daughter of the Evil Queen. Jay's nervous expression didn't go unnoticed by the platinum-haired boy.
"Who is this?" he asked, and only then did Mal notice their friends.
"We're taking her with us," Jay said. "We found her in the dumpster in front of Enoja's Shop."
"Oh my God," Mal exclaimed. "Wasn't there anyone around?" She approached to get a better look and tried to read her best friend's expression, but Evie never took her eyes off the baby. It was Jay who guided her through the streets.
"No, she was wrapped up enough to not survive until tomorrow," Jay replied angrily, and Mal and Carlos exchanged glances, shaken. Nothing more was said. The four of them returned to the car they came in. Evie managed to calm the crying child on the way. She seemed more tired than hungry. And that's when Evie looked up to meet Mal's gaze.
"Can we get a pediatrician to visit her at home?" she said, her voice sounding more fragile than Mal had ever witnessed.
"Of course, E," Mal smiled, tucking a strand of blue curls behind her friend's ear, offering some comfort. "I'll let Ben know and ask him to bring the best."
"Thank you," Evie smiled.
(...)
"Have you drunk the water I brought you?" Jay asked, taking Evie's hands as she stared at the baby lying on her bed, being examined by an excellent pediatrician and two nurses. "I'm talking to you..."
"I had a little bit," Evie finally answered, looking into the eyes of the dark-haired boy. "I'm not very thirsty." Her voice still carried anxiety, and Evie's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.
"Hey, look at me," Jay called her attention once again. "She's fine, we're safe now. You can relax." He pulled her into a hug, and Evie wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's waist, taking a deep breath and releasing all the adrenaline that was rushing through her body, calming down a little more.
"I know," Evie affirmed. "Thank you." She smiled, expressing gratitude not only for his recent words but for Jay's calmness and support when she was on the verge of losing it. He responded with a kiss on her forehead and took Evie's glass, heading to the kitchen.
"Well, Miss Grimhilde," the pediatrician began. "We're dealing with a mild case of malnutrition. The little one has a slight fever due to that. Therefore, for the next few days, we'll continue feeding her with breast milk, along with some regulated vitamins. You can retrieve the milk from our Auradon bank, and I believe your proximity to King Ben will help with the process. We've already brought the milk for today; you just need to pick it up tomorrow." The doctor explained while Evie nodded, paying attention to every detail.
"Can we determine her age?" the blue-haired girl asked.
"With the examinations we've conducted, we estimate that she's only about three weeks old, which makes her survival a miracle," the doctor surprised Evie with her response. "And that also means that the next few days will be a bit challenging. Will you be her temporary caregiver?"
"I believe so."
"Alright, since I already have your contact information, I'll provide you with further necessary care instructions for the baby over time," the pediatrician continued, writing her prescriptions on paper. "I'll also be available if you have any doubts."
"Okay, thank you very much," Evie smiled, bidding farewell to the medical team.
Once Evie was alone with the baby, she sat beside her, getting close to the little one. Now that all the adrenaline had subsided, Evie felt a mix of fear and excitement about the idea of temporarily caring for the baby.
She would never understand how such an angelic being could be discarded in the trash.
She began tracing the small features of the sleeping little being with her fingers. The sparse brown hair she had, her rosy cheeks, her tiny, pointed nose, and her rounded chin. Evie smiled, her heart filling with a warmth she had never felt before. She gently ran her fingers over the chubby little hands of the baby, plump even for a malnourished baby. And as she touched the baby's tiny feet, the baby squirmed as if tickled.
Evie's giggle caused the little one to slowly open her eyes, wriggling. "Oh, sorry for waking you, little miss," she whispered. Evie carefully picked up the baby and cradled her, placing her head against her chest, smiling as she heard the contented sigh from the little girl.
Jay slowly opened the door to the room, only to find Evie singing a lullaby while gently rocking the baby back to sleep. He smiled, quietly closing the door, giving them more privacy.
