Bloom stared at nothing and everything.
The thoughts raced through her mind as she watched as her life crumbled away.
Where did we go wrong? Why did this have to happen? What could I have done different?
This never should have happened, I should have told him 'no'. Now because of my actions my friends are going to die and I was the one that signed the death warrant.
I condemned all of us...that day...the day I died.
Chapter One: The lonely red House
The old beautiful house loomed before them. It's paint had worn away in places where the rising sun beat down upon it's boards in recent years, peeling away like the petals off an old flower past it's bloom but make no mistake about it, the marron coloured house with white trimmings was by no means shabby looking, it held in its walls a certain charm that made people who came upon it or had the pleasure of gracing it's walls feel a sense of safety and of belonging. This was the feeling the specialists were given as they stared at the two story house. The scent of the rose garden circling the path way to the front door filled their noses and the sounds of the nearby river flowed into their ears. But it was not the houses appearance that faltered the gown men in their journey to the front door. No, not the house at all but rather those that resided in the house.
Six girls, all striking in personality and in appearance, each one so different and talented that everyone at the infamous school of Alfea for girls and Red fountain training school for boys knew exactly who they were. There past victories and triumphs over evil left their names engraved in the history books for eons to come.
The famous Winx Club.
And it was in this strange and mysterious house that these six women resided. Calmly living out their days and nights as they saw fit, somehow no longer weighted down by responsibility or duty to their kingdoms. How they came to accomplish this was a mystery much speculated by their peers at Alfea, and it was these rumours that had given the Winx club a bad name.
No one, not even the famous specialists know why the Winx club was no longer in the service of protecting the fair people of Magix, No one but the girls themselves. But not even they could fully understand it.
It happened two and a half years ago, the evil Valtor had been defeated and the world rejoiced for the brave heroines. But little did the world know that not everything was happiness and rainbows for the Winx club. A dark force more evil and powerful had descended upon them and six months after the defeat of Valtor the precious girls of the Winx club disappeared. As sudden and as fast as an eclipse the world went from peace to sheer panic, plunged into darkness and was left in that darkness for a whole two years, awaiting the day the Winx would return to them, especially the Specialists. And one fine day after the world had moved on and the people just breaking away from their sorrow of accepting the inevitable, the Winx were gone, they came back to them. Shock became disbelief and disbelief became suspicion.
How had Magix finest technology and searching not been able to find them?
Where did they go?
Why did the Winx disappear?
And who had taken them?
What an ugly house! Thought the odious and disgusted Mr Spitter. Mr Spitter was not impressed by its appealing feeling nor its rosy gardens or its glassy river just around the corner. Can't believe this! The famous Winx Club lives in this piece of junk house. Damn Red Fountain headmaster and headmistress of Alfea, made me come all the damn way out here to babysit a bunch of slackers like the specialists while they grill there ex-girlfriends about a damn stupid little letter. That MIGHT shed some damn light on where they've been the past year. Silly little girls probably ran off when things got tough and...what the damn hell is that smell?!
The disgusted male known as Mr Spitter was in his usual mood, summed into three words...grumpy, lazy and grumpy. He did not like standing around out the front of the house that had not inspired any feeling and wait till the specialists got the nerve to ring the door bell. His patience had run out.
"C'mon you sissy girls! Pull your skirts up and knock on the damn door!"
The six tall and muscled specialists were sent plummeting out of their retrieve of the house. They squared their shoulders and marched up the tile steps at the constant waving of the odious Mr Spitter. They had had their ears talked of on the long drive out here by the small and sweaty man about being tough and not giving into the "Damn silly girls eyelash waving!" After only being with the man for an hour, their patience was running as thin as Mr Spitters was.
"If he doesn't shut his trap, I'm gonna rip off his toupee and shove it down his throat" Muttered Riven the tough and snark specialist to his teammates.
Brandon chuckled and whispered back "I'll hold him for you" while Sky smirked and said "And I'll staple his mouth shut as a back up, so he can't spit it out"
Riven laughed at this as lightly punched the tall blond and the brown headed man in the shoulder.
"Agreed"
The Three men weren't usually this nice to each other, but their annoyance for Mr Spitter had outweighed there snarkiness for each other and had created an alliance when joking about him was involved, and it was ever since Mr Spitter became there new history teacher.
But this small banter was cut short as each team mate remembered what lie behind the wooden door in front of them. Mr Spitter stepped forward and pounded on the door as each man held his breath waiting for their true loves to appear. But strangely enough the constant pounding of Mr Spitter was met with silence.
Mr Spitter cleared his throat and started pounding again, louder than before. But he did not stop this beating as he was eager to get a response. On and on for a whole minute he knocked until the group of men were met with a yell of anger, pounding on wooden floors as someone made their way to the door and thrust it open.
There stood a pale headed girl with blackish, bluish wet hair that reached just past her well endowed chest. Clad only in a navy blue bathrobe embroidered with a huge black dragon down the front, Musa the fairy of Music was not pleased, she was also dripping wet like she had just gotten out of the tub. Her eyes widened as she took in the people on her doorstep with a look of annoyance and her black eyes darting from one person to the next.
Mr Spitter took a moment to appraise the small skinny girl that was half naked in front of him, struggling for words he barely sputtered out a "Good morning miss" when the heavy wooden door was slammed closed with a bang and a menacing look in the young woman's eyes.
They could hear her mutter to herself as she walked away from the door on the other side.
"Six giant clowns and a sweaty midget at the door"
What a cow! Thought Mr Spitter.
"Musa!" they were then met with a disapproving yell of another girl, who proceeded to half run to the door and swing it open.
The men were taken aback at the sudden change in person. Flora the Fairy of nature stood with an apologetic look on her face. Not before surprise flashed in her eyes but she did not let it falter her.
The beautiful tan girl stood before them in a nightgown that reached just above her knees, it was green silk with baby pink lace and flowers sewn into it with small white socks on her feet, she held a bowl on pancake mix and had flour on her cheek. Her hair was dry and waved down her back in luscious waves. She seemed to want to apologise for Musa's behaviour but not finding the right words. Musa stood a few metres away from the door, looking at the group of men standing before Flora with her usual arms crossed and eyebrow raised.
Flora finally she just shrugged and said "Ah... Musa's not...a morning person" she gave a light nervous chuckle.
This seemed to thaw everyone out as Mr Spitter said in his formal but without patience voice he used when addressing a student "I can see that...ugh we need to speak to the entire household immediately. It's a matter of great urgency and we require entry to your...ugh" Mr Spitter thought back to the houses appearance, still in obvious blindness to its appeal "...Home"
Flora immediately looked slightly alarmed and opened her mouth to inquire about the urgency when Musa strode forward and looked at Mr Spitter like he was an idiot "Its six thirty in the morning!"
Mr Spitter merely smiled in his sickly way and stared at the two women. After a pause Flora silently opened the door and stood aside. The specialists hesitantly walked inside with Mr Spitter in the lead, striding arrogantly.
As their backs were turned Flora threw Musa a questioning look as Musa rolled her eyes.
The specialists took this opportunity to take in the house on the inside. The foyer had a crystal Chandelier hanging from the roof as it presided over a stair case off to the right as you walked in, on the left of the foyer was a nicely furnished sitting room with a fireplace in its wall. It also had a pair of white door that led into another room that was sealed off. Beyond the foyer was a spacious dining room and behind that a modern looking kitchen. Everything in the house was clean and neat but still had various items scattered around giving that lived-in look.
The two girls walked in front of the guests as they stood in the foyer, staring at them warily. "Please wake up the rest of the household and show them to an appropriate sitting area so we can address the situation" Mr Spitter informed them.
Musa and Flora looked at him like he was an alien "You want to wake up Stella before eight o'clock?" Flora asked slowly.
Mr Spitter simply stared at them and said slowly also "Is that a problem?"
The two girls groaned and looked at each other knowingly "I remember when i tried to wake up Stella before she was ready to get up" Musa said only to Flora, ignoring the men "She bit me"
The specialists snickered and tried to disguise their laughter as cough, they didn't succeed. Mr Spitter looked around annoyed "Can we get on with this?!"
The two girls turned back to Mr Spitter, looking offended.
Musa spoke first "Just who are you?!" hands on hips.
"Everything will be revealed once the household is present"
"I don't want to wait for the 'household to be present', tell us now!"
"Know your place little fairy!" Mr Spitter said stepping forward, Riven immediately felt his body coil, ready to spring if he dared try anything, and he was already on his last straw with his ill mannered teacher. Also on top of everything he was upsetting Musa, something Riven, even though he had done so in the past, was not going to allow.
Musa obviously was not going to allow this little man to yell at her she also stepped forward so she was positioned in front of him, they were about the same height, which was saying something for Mr Spitter because Musa was the smallest out of the Winx Club.
"Look you little leach, you come to our home at the crack of bloody dawn and demand our time while you insult us every time you open your mouth and i won't stand for it!" Musa's voice had taken on that 'No-arguments' tone. Flora behind her stood still with her eyes wide, she had seen Musa in this state before "So heres what's gonna happen, your gonna stand right there and shut your trap! I don't give a damn who you are or what you want. So now I'm gonna go upstairs and get dressed and when i come back then we'll talk" she paused to stare into Mr Spitters eyes and then swept dramatically up the stairs.
Mr Spitter was stunned into silence, the specialists wanted to applaud and Flora just stood there with her arms crossed and shook her head silently.
Awkward silence descended and Flora started at wring her hands together look at the group, mostly looking at Helia. She had not spoken to him for a year, they only saw each other that first day of school and she had felt too frightened to say anything or approach him so she stayed silent. Her heart pounded in her chest and she felt like crying at the sight of him because deep down, she knew she would never be kissed by him again, she couldn't let him.
She quickly directed her gaze away and found her eyes at the white double doors leading out of the sitting room, reminding her of what she intended to do that morning. It would be a good distraction.
"Umm I need to water the flowers" she said quietly gesturing to the doors "You don't have to stay there by the way, just make sure your back inside by the time Musa comes back" tucking her hair behind her ear.
Helia remembered doing that for her a thousand times when they were together, his heart began to ache a little bit more.
Flora put down the bowl of pancake mix and walked toward the white doors, the specialists followed not wanting to be left with Mr Spitter who stayed where he was as Musa instructed. The room revealed to be a small conservatory that held flowers of every variety and colour in pots and hanging from the roof, they were a beautiful sight but none compared to the view they got when Flora opened another set of doors opposite to the white door in the conservatory leading out to a gigantic backyard. Trees and grass and everything you could ever grow in the ground was laid out in front of them, a veranda that led down to a set steps that led to a white stone path raced across the yard downhill for a few yards that led to a gigantic glittering river, coupled with docks and guesthouse.
Sky let out a low whistle "and I thought my palaces garden was nice looking"
Flora looked excitedly at the view and said quickly "Really? You don't think it's a bit much, none of the girls would tell me"
Before Sky could answer Helia said "It's perfect" although he was staring at Flora intently and not at the grand view. Flora blushed and looked away to hide the clenched fists at the side that faced away from the boys, white knuckles showed through tan skin.
Don't cry, just don't cry. Cry later Flora thought as she picked up a watering can and filled it with water.
While Flora was busy watering various flowers, the specialists wandered around the small conservatory, taking in every detail. This skill was one that had been drilled into them from when they started school and they knew it could come in handy at uncovering truths, as they wanted to at the moment. Truths like...why did their girlfriends leave them in the middle of the night? Why did they act so strange those weeks before hand, growing distant and cold toward them?
These questions would have to wait. And before answers would be theirs...they'd have to wake up the girls first.
Upstairs Musa had just reached the top and stopped to listen to the awkward silence and small conversation Flora had administered while she was away.
Damn it! Why are they here?! We're not ready for any questions or seeing the guys after so much time. It hurts too damn much...
Musa felt that hollow ache go into her chest as she thought of all those lonely nights she'd spent without Riven or the words she'll never get to say...ever again. As sad as Musa was at that moment she didn't cry. Musa had learned over the years that crying would get you nowhere and its best just to put on a brave face. She was startled by the sudden appearance of Techna who was walking out her door dressed, showered and ready for the day; Techna had always been the morning person, unlike Musa and Stella. The only reason Musa had gotten out of bed so early this morning was because she had never gone to sleep, she feared her nightmares too much, something that she'd never tell her friends though.
"What's going on down there? I thought I heard voices...guy voices by the sounds of it" Techna looked curiously down the stairs.
Musa didn't want to tell her, she didn't want to tell any of the others that the specialists were here, she just wished they'd never come. Why did Flora even let them in the door!?
Taking a sigh she said slowly "The specialists are here"
Techna's gasp of surprise was overshadowed by Layla and Bloom's doors bursting open and Layla stepping into the hall while bloom stayed on the threshold of her room.
"The specialists!" All three girls screamed. Down the hall in her room while she slept Stella princess of sun and moon cringed in her sleep.
Why did they have to scream that? Flora thought desperately as she straightened up. The sudden yell from upstairs could not be mistaken for anything else but the girls. The guys had noticed this too and were looking up at the roof above them, eyebrows raised. Flora felt like groaning and slamming her head against the brick wall in front of her. Slowly putting the watering can down she quickly sped into the house and up the stairs.
Musa was in the middle of slamming her head against the wall when Flora reached them, she looked at the three girls who stood in the hall way, frantically gesturing down the stairs and making lots of hand movements.
Techna had her hands over her mouth looked apologetic and mouthed to Flora sorry! While Bloom and layla stumbled past Flora to kneel on the stairs and look through the banister down at the foyer, even though the guys were nowhere to be seen.
"Why? Why are they here?" Bloom whispered while gesturing her hand downstairs, while layla squished her head between the wooden bars and whispered "How'd they even get here?"
Musa who had kneeled down beside them said in her normal voice "By Car" She was met with various slaps.
"No" Layla continued "How did they know where to find us?"
"They must have gotten our address form the schools administration office. This must mean that Miss Faragonda is in on this little visit too" Techna said as she paced back and forth in the small width of the hall way, she paused as she glanced at Musa for the first time "Musa why are you all wet?"
Musa rolled her eyes and said "Damn it all! Let's just tell them to go away" she suggested, looking annoyed.
"We can't do that!" Flora exclaimed
"Why not?"
"Because its rude!"
"I can do rude"
"And suspicious!"
"Honey I think their suspicious already"
"Musa!" The four girls whispered/yelled at their tiny, still half naked friend. Musa threw her hands in the air "Fine do what you want with them, I'm gonna go get dressed!" She stalked down the hall to her room and closed the door.
Techna, Bloom, Layla and Flora all silently peered down though the banister into the foyer. They all tried to get their feelings and surprise at the visit in check as they thought quietly. They had only just gotten back from their 'absence' a month ago and had only just moved into the old, pretty house. Of course it came as a huge shock to everyone when they got back from out of the blue, they had all just turned up to school on the first day of the term, suitcases and registration forms in hand, acting as if they had never left. Within an hour newspapers and television station reporters had swarmed the school, the girl's parents beating down the door and students gossiping left and right while the six anxious girls all hid in the upstairs bathroom of block two in the school. Starting to doubt their decision to return.
"We should have never come back" Musa whispered as she took another drag from her cigarette. Musa was not a usual smoker but today's stress had gotten to her and she needed an outlet, the others didn't blame her for this vice, they all had different outlets...and some of them were even worse than smoking.
Musa was sitting on the window sill over-looking the crowds as they swarmed the school, Stella was standing in front of the bathrooms only mirror reapplying lip gloss, Techna was pacing the tiled floor, Flora was sitting on the ground with Layla and Bloom was standing and looking out the bathrooms second widow. All their suitcases spread around the tiny cold room.
"It was time we came back. We couldn't have run forever" Techna muttered lost in her own thoughts.
Musa shook her head slowly as Layla looked up "Your right Techna, it was wrong of us to stay away as long as we did, it was time we went back to our families and put them out of their misery"
Stella was readjusting her headband "Well we didn't have much of a choice, we had to stay away" she sighs "Although it's good to be back...finally" smiling as she turned away from the mirror "I mean did you see how many cameras are out there? We're like stars again!"
Flora perked up with a small smile "Yeah and everyone seems really happy to see us again, I bet our parents are on their way here now coming to see us, I've missed mine. And Helia..." Flora suddenly stopped and the girls knew why. They all knew that they would never get to be with their boyfriends again. They didn't say a word for a long time.
Musa finally broke the silence as she always did "Yeah I guess it is nice to be back" she said as she threw the finished cigarette butt into the sink "and maybe...everything will be ok" The others smiled and nodded.
There was only one thing left to say and Bloom was the only one who could say it, the others only had to listen.
"But things will never be the same"
The bathroom door slammed open as Miss Faragonda and masses of reporters stood outside.
It had taken a whole month for the girls to say no to every reporter and slink away into the shadows as best they could. Miss Faragonda had welcomed them back with open arms but they could see she was dying to know what happened too, as were their parents. But they said no to them too and just told them they were happy to be back. Parents like Stella's and Flora's wanted to take them back to their own planets and keep them under lock and key but a firm reassurance that they wouldn't be going anywhere put the concerned parents minds at ease.
Miss Faragonda had told the girls that they could take as much time as they needed to sort things out and move back to Alfea. But the Winx Club girls told her that they would not be moving back to Alfea. They purchased an old Victorian house thirty minutes away from Alfea, brought some new furniture, food and clothes, then began rebuilding their lives. They told no one where they would be living but the school. Just because they'd said no to the reporters didn't mean that they'd given up pestering them, so the girls kept their location secret.
The girls knew they would be missing out on school by remaining at home but they were prepared to take that risk. There was a reason that they didn't want to go to school. When Flora said that she had only seen Helia that first day at school, it had been at Alfea. And Alfea had combined with Red Fountain to make one big school for fairies and soldiers.
This was why the girls kept away; they knew that if they went back to school they'd have to face the specialists. But that didn't seem to be the case anymore since the men in question were now standing in their conservatory.
Snapping out of her thoughts Layla stood up firmly and said "I'll handle this, you guys stay here" The others watched as she marched down the stairs clad only in red trackey pants and a white top.
The specialists had started to get concerned when Flora had not come back down from upstairs and stood silently in the conservatory. They were startled when a determined looking layla came marching down the stairs and into the sitting room, hands on hips and stared at them.
Mr Spitter...who was still rooted to the spot from Musa's order spoke up first from his perch "Well it's about damn time! You really are shabby hosts if you leave your guests standing in your house like this, and one of you even threatened me! Now that's just bad manners! Why Miss Faragonda even puts up with your tardiness is beyond me! And another thing..."
Musa who was in the middle of doing up her boots when she caught the sound of a squeaky little voice from down stairs, she had always been good with hearing, being the fairy of Music and all. If that idiot isn't carful, he'll wake up Stella! Then where will we be?! And I thought I told him to shut his trap... Musa flew out her room passed the hiding girls on the stair case and stomped down into the foyer. She boldly came up behind the raving little man, took him by the ear and screamed "Hey!"
Layla who had been about to speak when the little rude man interrupted her put her hand to her mouth in surprise when Musa suddenly appeared.
Musa No! She ran to the door and quickly opened it while Mr Spitter started to verbally abuse Musa for man handling him in this fashion.
Musa, who took immediate offence to the little man dragged him toward the door and practically threw him out the open door. The specialists observing this scene burst into fits of laughter. The sight of Small little Musa, throwing their much disliked history teacher out the door was something they would never forget. But their laughter was cut short when Layla yelled from the door over the yells of Mr Spitter said "And...That goes for you too gentlemen!"
All sound stopped, even Mr Spitter who watched as he lay on the stone front porch. The guys had not been expecting to have this reaction from the girls, being evicted from their house had not occurred to them as an option. But there Layla stood by the door with Musa looking serious and pleading at the same time.
"I'm sorry but...you all need to leave"
The guys stood in the foyer at the two girls and then one by one, filed out of the house in a mindless daze. They had asked us to leave...
Once they were out the door Musa took the door from Layla and closed it slowly, she caught sight of Riven looking back at her and paused. What could she possibly say to make it alright? Nothing...she closed the door and quietly headed for the stairs. Techna and Flora stood and started to walk down stairs while bloom stayed where she was.
Ten seconds passed as they all took in what had taken place.
Bloom shot up from the stairs "No! It can't end like this!" She ran down to the foyer, passed her friends and out the door. No one stopped her.
The guys and Mr spitter were just about to drive away when they caught sight of the red head girl in small blue shorts, a white halter top and long black socks ran up to the car.
Sky who had not yet gotten in the car turned to meet her stare, he looked like he might grab and hold her.
"I'm sorry...I'm mean...we're sorry. We didn't want that to happen but we weren't expecting you all to show up here and then we kind of freaked out and it just took us by surprise. We will come back to school and we will answer some questions but just...just not know. We need time. Just some time...please" Bloom had never been one to beg but she would setting for pleading.
The seven men looked at her and it seemed that the authority had switched from Spitter to Sky the moment Bloom and exited the house. Sky stared at her for a long time while she stared back at him. God he had missed her. He loved her. But he had never thought she would come back to him.
He nodded at her and she visibly relaxed, she then turned and headed back to the house.
Sky looked after her for another long moment but was interrupted when Mr Spitter beeped the horn of the car impatiently.
Bloom leaned against the front door as she closed it behind her, a loud sigh escaping her.
She could hear Flora humming to herself in the conservatory, Musa singing to herself as she applied make up in the hallway mirror, Layla working out on the back veranda and Techna on her new computer at the dining room table.
Bloom walked slowly back up to her room and sat down on her bed. She stayed like that for an hour and a half, thinking of the past and worrying about the future. I never thought it would be this hard to let him go...
Later.
Stella finally found the will to crawl herself out of bed at around 8:35 and stumble downstairs for breakfast, oblivious to the scene that had occurred earlier that morning.
Wearing her satin baby pink pyjama's with black lining, hair perfect even after sleeping.
She walked into the kitchen/dining room that were connected and stuck her head in the fridge hunting for breakfast. Flora who was once again cooking pan cakes (The old batter had been forgotten after their guests left) over the stove.
"Morning sunshine! Sleep well?"
Stella grunted from her place in the fridge, pulling out some juice. Techna let out an almost silent laugh from the dining room table, as she browsed the internet, at her blond friend's morning attitude.
The girls had decided that they wouldn't tell Stella until she was a bit more conscious. So spilling the beans would have to wait until about 9:30.
Flora smiled at Techna knowingly. "Want some pancakes? We've all already had some but you're welcome to the last of them"
Stella's head shot up with a half asleep look on her face "pancakes?" she muttered as she made her way over to Flora and the stove...slowly.
Laughing Techna said "Ya know if you smashed her head into the pan cake mix, you think she'd notice?"
"Probably not, oh poor Stella" Flora whispered to her friend.
Musa walked into the kitchen took in Stella's zombie-like behaviour and shook her head smirking, then looked around the kitchen.
"Where's Layla? And Bloom?"
"Layla has gone for a morning run and Bloom's in bed, I think she was just a bit too tired" Techna said as she dragged her eyes away from the screen.
Muss shrugged and said lazily "Well I for one am off to the store, I need new head phones, shotty ones I brought last month didn't survive" she headed toward the front door.
Flora called out after her "Be careful of reporters, and make sure no one follows you home...or any fighting or violence or explosions, kay?"
Musa waved a hand "yeah yeah"
Musa walked down the front stone steps of their house toward the small little car that Techna let her borrow if she didn't want to drive her motorbike.
She was about five metres away from it when she pressed the unlock button on the keys.
That's when the car exploded.