It didn't take long for the crowd to dissipate. Mal turned to Jo, her smile faltering ever so slightly. "Let's go get your stuff."

"I can do that on my own," Jo said. She walked over to Imogen, knowing she had Mal's eyes on her, and asked, "Walk me home?"

Imogen grinned like a mad scientist, which, to be fair, she was. "Of course, Jojo." The two linked arms and set off back towards Jo's place. As they walked, Jo tried to wrangle her thoughts into one steady stream of consciousness. Her heart was beating so fast that her chest hurt and sweat gathered on her palms. She felt the familiar rumble in her stomach, the one that usually indicated she was moments from hurling.

"Almost there," Imogen murmured in her ear. Jo wasn't sure if Imogen meant they were almost back to Jo's place or almost in Auradon. Either way, the gentle reminder helped soothe Jo's stomach. When they finally got to Jo's doorstep, she sent Imogen on her way, claiming she felt a lot better. She knew Imogen had a lot more stuff to pack - notebooks and experiments and smoke bombs upon smoke bombs. 

Jo stepped inside her house for what would be the final time. It seemed Harry and Gil had cleaned up most of the mess. A part of her considered cleaning up the rest, but it wasn't her problem anymore, was it? She set to work gathering her things. Jo didn't have much - no one on the Isle did, but what she did have, she was taking with her. She had a rucksack she used to take to school. She filled that with two recipe books, a ripped-up photo album, some gifts she'd gotten over the years, and what remained of her mother's jewelry, which she hid under the loose floorboard in the sorry excuse for a kitchen pantry.

Once her bag was packed, she stood outside her father's room for what seemed like hours. Should she knock? Should she even bother telling him she was leaving? He'd never cared about her whereabouts before. This shouldn't be any different. She couldn't even remember the last time they spoke. Was it that day with Mal? God, that was over a year ago now.

Jo twisted her lips and knocked on his bedroom door. She could hear him shuffling around inside. She waited a minute or two, but deep down she knew he wasn't going to open the door. She knocked again and, tentatively raising her voice, said, "I got picked to go to the Isle. I'm leaving."

From within the room came a grunt that sounded vaguely like, "Good riddance." She set her jaw and ran downstairs. She took one last look around the house. This would be the last time she would ever stand on these creaky floors. The last time she would gaze through the windows patched with duck tape and cardboard. The last time she'd see the chipped cream walls and the shoddy furniture and the rusted kitchen and the holes in the plaster where her dad's fist had gone through and the tattered rug and the stains that had been there longer than she'd been alive. She took a deep breath, took it all in, exhaled, and let it all go.

She didn't even pay attention to the door slamming behind her. She had to make the run down to the docks. She had to say goodbye to Uma. As she passed, some congratulated her. Others booed her. She ignored all of them. She wasn't going to be like Mal. She wasn't going to leave without saying goodbye.

As soon as she burst through the doors of Ursula's Fish and Chips, Uma chuckled lowly. "You got picked, didn't you?" She was wiping down the bar. A few members of her crew were hanging around, but it was otherwise empty.

"Yeah," Jo affirmed. She'd had a whole speech prepared, but now she couldn't remember a single word. She cleared her throat awkwardly. "Yeah, Mal picked me. I'm going to Auradon."

"So, the little princess is finally making good on her promise?" Harry asked, appearing from out of nowhere. Gil was a step behind. "What about Imogen?"

"She got picked too," Jo explained. She crossed the room and took a seat at the bar. She dropped her rucksack by her feet. Uma rested her elbows just in front of Jo, drinking her in like it was the last time they'd ever see each other. Jo grabbed Uma's hand. "Hey. This isn't goodbye forever."

Harry scoffed as he plopped down in the seat next to Jo. "What? You going to bring us over next?"

"Like Mal would ever let that happen," Uma muttered with a scowl.

"I'm going to try," Jo promised. "I don't care what Mal says. You, Harry, and Gil, you guys had my back and that means something to me. That really does. I don't know how soon we'll pick the next batch of kids, but I'm putting your names on the list."

"Really?" Gil exclaimed, grinning. Jo couldn't help but match his smile. Gil's smiles were infectious. He was such a sweetheart. She teared up a bit. She would miss him.

She wrapped her arm around him in a half hug. "Yeah, yeah, I will. And in the meantime, I'm going to try to get fresh food shipped out more often. I'm not gonna just forget about you guys. I promise."

If that was coming from anyone else on the Isle, Uma might not have believed it. But this was Jo. Jo didn't make promises she couldn't keep. If she made a promise, she did everything she could to keep it. She cared too much to get anyone's hopes up just to disappoint them.

"Auradon doesn't deserve you, love," Harry sighed. He kissed the top of her head. Jo slipped off her stool and pulled her bag back onto her shoulders. She gave Gil a proper hug, then Harry, then finally Uma, who'd walked around to the other side of the bar.

Uma squeezed Jo and leaned in close to her ear. "Raise some hell for me over there."

Jo pulled away, her face lit up with a brilliant smirk. "Aye aye captain."

*

GUESS WHAT BITCHES???? IT'S NIA DAY!!!!!!!! *AIRHORNS*

on this very day many years ago mcrtyrs aka nia was born and the world is so much better for it!!!!!! i know i dedicate every chapter to you nia, but this is a special 'happy birthday also ily and i would die for you' dedication. this fic wouldn't exist if it weren't for you. i might try and do a double update for nia day but don't get your hopes up ;)

(sorry that this chapter kinda sucks)