Hello there! This is my first try to a good witch- story. I've only watched the series and not the movies. And this story is AU after the last episode of series 4, "Tossing the Bouquet" So anything in the Halloween Special that has aired or in the future doesn't matter. Okay? Well, this story starts at Nick and Grace's graduation from high school. And I don't remember it mentioning where Nick and Grace were going to college so I made something up. That's about all you need to know about that…

…And too. I have an Instagram account where I put up pictures about the fanfictions I work on, if you want to find it, it's called "Linneagbfanfiction" and I put up updates on what chapters I'm working on and stuff. And a bit ago it was let's see now… twelve years ago since my grandma passed away. And she died from liver cancer. And I already have a couple of stories for Epilepsy awareness and I mentioned I wanted to write something for Liver cancer awareness and show that it does happen and it doesn't just happen to alcoholics and drug addicts (Not saying anything insulting about those)… And I also wanted to write something for good witch and here we are. I hope you like it.

This first chapter is told from Sam's point of view. Future chapters it might switch in between different people's pov. But I'll always let you know when it changes so I hope it won't be a problem.

The cover photo is my photo, and the same as for the story "Love is stronger than hate". That story doesn't have anything to do with this one. But I thought the picture suited with the title. I think I shot it at church once about a thousand years ago.

Okay, now I'm done.

"So… Nick decided he wants to be an electrician…" Cassie mentioned while she and I were searching for seats in Middleton High School's auditorium to watch our children graduate. "…That's not a bad profession is it?"

"Not at all. Here…" I found a line of chairs were there were two empty seats next to each other, led Cassie in first and then sat down at the end myself. "Not as good as being a doctor. But Nick faints at the sight of a needle so I guess I let go of that hope by the time he was little and had his vaccines…" I couldn't help but smirk- I couldn't give any less about what profession Nick chose as long as he was happy and healthy. "The college was called Winterville I think. It's in Chicago… kid's longing back to the big city. At Winterville he would also has a chance to play football so I think it's going to be perfect for him."

"Grace isn't going quite so far away. She's only going to Bayshore College of medicine. Where they spend their first year of college looking into all professions in medicine. And then for the second year and the rest they choose one and then they study- a lot!"

"And we both know which medical profession is the best and correct one to choose."

Cassie lightly hit my arm and laughed, I couldn't help but laugh to. How I had learnt to love these two girls- apart from Nick the two most important parts of my life.

"It's about to start now."

I cleared my throat (as if I would have needed to do that) and sat up properly when Principal Charles Whitlock walked over to the microphone that stood on the stage, glanced towards the curtains on the stage leading to the hallway. In which all the students about to graduate stood in their graduation caps and gowns. Talking in between parents and siblings died out and the large room fell quiet.

"Thank you." Principal Whitlock started at last. "Now, I know none of these parents, grandparents, siblings or other families can wait to see your child, grandchild, sibling come out. Or whoever you came here to see. But just a second- I am Charles Whitlock and I am the principal for you who don't know that. People call me Charlie but you... may not! And here we go." He riffled in some sheets of paper he held. "There's a big screen behind me and you have all sent in old pictures from when your graduates were younger. And I sure hope some of you sent the most embarrassing ones. Now let's start from the beginning shall we?... Leonard Aaden."

A tall, red haired boy came walking onto the stage. Behind him on the big screen showed a photo of him at two- or- so- years- old, with a big smile, the look in his eyes as if he knew he had done something he shouldn't have, and a big thatch of hair- as red as it still was now. With a smile, now he took a diploma from Principal Whitlock. Held it up and turned to the audience, and then half ran with big steps off the stage on the opposite side he had come in from.

"Shelly Abrams"

Since both Nick and Grace were on "R" I and Cassie knew we'd have to wait for a bit. Still, while I noticed there were people who didn't- we clapped and cheered as big for both Leonard Aaden and Shelly Abrams and everybody else that came up on stage until…

"Nicholas Radford."

Never have I ever been an as proud father as when the picture on the screen on the pack of the stage showed two year old Nick, with wide- open hazel eyes and his finger up his nose.

I could have watched that photo all day long. Then I saw my Nick come onto the stage in front of all these people, take the diploma that meant he had mastered all of his classes. And as he held it in the air and then hurried off the stage.

Another second passed by and then a photo of two year old Grace turned up on the screen, with short, dark hair, a sweet smile, in a yellow dress end with a bouquet of flowers almost as big as her I couldn't help but feel a smile grow on my lips. A smile of another kind then the slight laughing at Nick's photo.

"Grace Russell."

Clapping as hard as I possibly could I watched as Grace came onto the stage, smiling and with her dark hair- partly covered under the graduation cap flying after her as she made her way over to the Principal, took her Diploma and shook his hand. Held it up while I photographed from where I stood and then left.

"Maxwell Samuel."

The graduation continued, during clapping and cheering until our arms and palms were warm and sore. But how could we not keep clapping and then have to choose for who he wouldn't?

"William Zachary Jr."

Middleton's high school didn't have more than a couple of thousand students. Still, the seniors graduators' names reached all the way from A and at last to Z. When a young African- American boy came on the stage before we could finally stop clapping and let our arm fall towards the arm rests between the seats.

"Now…" Principal Whitlock whipped his forehead pretending to be exhausted after all of those names that had to be called. "Family, friends and enemies… Can I ask all the graduates to come out on stage again?" He took the microphone and moved it to the very front of the stage before the teens walked back out. "Is it me getting older or do the graduates get younger and younger for every year. Time for the graduation speech by one student who has done exceptionally well in all of her classes. Welcome forward, Grace Russell."

"Did you know she was going to do this?"

I leaned close to Cassie and whispered in her ear, she only shook her head back at me. Well, that must be a first for when somebody wanted to surprise her… That surely wasn't an easy thing to do.

"Hello everyone…" Grace said into the microphone, I faced forward again and listened close to every word. "…Since I found out I'd get the chance to do this I tried to think of something to say… And I wrote this really long speech. Then found one sentence I didn't like and I ended up throwing the whole thing away. And also, I think I'm talking for all of us when I say I really wouldn't mind the short kind of speech."

I couldn't blame Grace for seeming more insecure and nervous than I'd ever seen before, and I could see her look around until at last she found her mum- and me who showed her two thumbs up and hope that she could see it in the dark. Even at the distance I could see a smile form on her lips and she raised slightly before she continue.

"…Then we could get out of here as soon as possible. And then I suddenly remembered that first day. Almost four years ago. When we were in our homeroom and the four years of high school ahead of us seemed like an eternity. And then time only flew by and here we are. After four years of high school. And during those four years… my God. Everything that's happened!... We made friends, we met bullies… we met new parts of our family…" She looked to her side towards where Nick stood. "There were bad days and good, during the beginning, before we found our way through the labyrinth of these hallways we ended up… a bit of everywhere really. We had A's… and B's. We complained over teachers and tests or other students we didn't like… we laughed and then we watched "the impossible" and at least half of us cried. We made relationships… we ended them again and at last. We are here today with four years of so many memories it seems like it must have been an eternity at least. And then I wondered how this could just be the end and then I realized…"

Grace made a pause, and for a moment I couldn't help but to feel a frown for in my forehead. It wasn't obvious if the pause was intentional or not and she almost seemed to be swaying dizzily where she stood.

"…And then I realized…" Before I had the time to really worry Grace started again. "…That I haven't even turned eighteen yet. And some of us are going to college… we'll keep in touch. And maybe in a whole lot of years some of us will meet up and maybe some of us will have children at the same age as we are now. And then I thought that with all that, and everything I don't know ahead of me… this can't be the end. It can't be the end because this is only the beginning." Grace stopped talking and glanced over the group ahead of me. "Thank you for your time."

Grace turned and walked back to the group to stand next to Nick, principal Whitlock had been standing right next to her and clapped along with the rest of us for Grace's speech.

"I think I'll have to agree with Grace on the one that I think no one in here would mind if we made this short. So… after those four years you lot…" He stepped to the side and turned a bit so he could see at least some of the students. "All luck in the future, off you go."

A loud roar of cheering from all directions went through the auditorium, our teens ran in all directions since they would know all the ways out of here. So there was a whole lot of stumbling, excuse me's and pushing before we had found our way out on the school yard. And by then accompanied by both Linda, Brandon, Lori and Tara- well, that would make everyone except for our graduates.

"Lori…" Grace suddenly came hurrying up to us. "…Brandon, Tara. What are you doing here? Bran, you said you had to work…"

"I couldn't miss my favorite sister's graduation could I?" Lori pretended to be hurt. "Congratulations Grace." They hugged tightly. "Hey Sam… And congratulations to you too Nick." Nick just came walking up to me. "Hey… I liked that old photo of you. Do you remember when it was shot?" Brandon broke down laughing and had to lean towards Tara's shoulder not to fall.

"Very mature Brandon."

Nick and Linda were both glaring at me for choosing the photo, especially at all Brandon's laughing and Tara's comment for it Nick turned as red as the graduation gown he was wearing.

"I'm not ashamed to admit I chose the most embarrassing one."

Jokingly, Cassie slapped the back of my head and I couldn't help but laugh either. Brandon thought it was funny more than anyone else of us thought and was wiping tears from his eyes.

"You only think it's so funny because there's a picture of you that's just the same."

Grace's comment had Brandon himself turning just as red as Nick was at this point. But then, Brandon didn't have to show his photo for several hundred people all at once. And it only had him laughing more.

"Aha, urgh, haha. Yep. I admit it. There's one just the same of me…" Brandon said when he could breathe enough to talk again. "Now. I wish I could come celebrate with you at whatever but I have to get to work…" He hugged Grace one more time. "We've got a present for you but we forgot it to make it in time. See you guys."

I knew that after what happened to Jake, Cassie and Grace. As well as Lori always felt insecure when Brandon got his police- jacket on and left for work. And I always wanted to say something to at least get their mind on other things.

"I guess… should we get home and have some celebration. With you, me, you, you, you…" I pointed to Cassie, myself, then Grace, Nick and Linda. "And George was on his way too and I guess whatever people are at the hotel right now."

"I have to go. I have to work too. Congratulations dear." Linda hugged Nick tightly one more time. "See you some time." With that she left too. I tried not to look at her- away from the risk I would make this moment about her and me.

Tara was leaving too to get a ride of Brandon, so she gave Grace a quick hug and then ran after him…

"Actually… I know we've been spending as good as every day all the time together lately but… The class has come along about putting an end to it with a late lunch just about now. And everybody's going…" With a hopeful glance in her eyes Grace looked to her mum. "…I can go, can I? If you want to have some sort of celebration we can have it… later…"

"Of course you can go. We can do that anytime. Have fun, what about you Nick?"

"Oh. I'm eighteen. I don't have to ask for permission, I can just go. Especially after you just showed everybody that old picture."

And I would probably never hear the end of it now.

"It was your mum who shot it."

Nick just rolled his eyes at me, but I could see a small smile that had formed on his lips- he might or might not be as embarrassed as he was acting.

"Have a great time you two." I just smiled while Nick and Grace were about to walk away. "And don't worry about anything. You'll have plenty of time for that for the rest of your lives but not tonight. Okay?" I and Cassie had walked to the school not to have to worry about finding a parking so we started walking back. "It feels good that when my daughter walks away like that I don't have to worry that she'll come home in a police car in the middle of the night or get drunk or do drugs or anything. I don't even have to mention it- she knows to make the right choices."

I smiled- I trusted my son by now but by the time back we lived in New York it had been a whole other stories…

We didn't say anything to each other on the whole way back, I on one side was re- living a bunch of memories from my own graduation and Nick's whole childhood. Right on my left I'd guess that Cassie was doing the same but about Grace up until we walked up to Grey House and found a small family we hadn't met before in the hallway. In form of two young adults, one man and a woman. And a young girl about four or five.

"Welcome to Grey House. I'm so sorry. Have you waited for long?"

"Not at all. We just got here. And I'm sorry. We said we were going to be here in two hours first so it's not your fault we ended up here… well… we could go around and around about this all day. But we're all here now and no harm done." Cassie got behind the small reception desk she had. "The name's Clover. Victor Clover."

"And as you may know my name is Cassandra Nightingale but you can call me Cassie."

The little girl Victor Clover had sitting on his hip was wearing a smile from ear to ear and that look on her face of a child that was never silent for long.

"And my name is Candelaria Eloise Clover."

"What a beautiful name." Cassie smiled brightly at the young girl with a big, teal bow in her dark hair. "Candle, healthy or sun and Clover… sounds like your whole name will bring you luck." Candelaria only toothlessly smiled just as bright back while Cassie took the right key from the drawer in front of her. "Room number five. Just up the stairs here and to the left. If there's anything you wonder then I'm here and…" We could hear footsteps coming up the driveway and without looking up when he came in Cassie greeted "Hey George- you can ask him too if there's anything you wonder about, he knows everything there is to know about this house. Do not fear. Rather ten questions too many than one too little. The kitchen is over there and feel free to use whatever you can find in there. Although that part of the house…" She pointed in the other direction. "Is our living area so don't come in there unless you are invited and with one of us. Was that everything?"

Since I was rarely here when new guests arrived I sometimes forgot how much there was to remember when another new one came to stay and even I, who lived here every day had forgotten about half of what she had said already.

"Should I help you carry your bags…"

"My name is Candelaria Eloise Clover. And you can help me carry my backpack…" Mr. Clover let his daughter down to stand on her own two feet and started pulling her backpack off, Mr. Clover himself took each big trunk in each hand and looked as if about to say something.

"And I'm George." He helped Mrs. Clover take one bag and took the little, frozen- themed backpack and threw it over one shoulder. "George O 'Hanrahan."

"That's a weird name!"

I had to bite my lip not to laugh at the little girl's comment. How many times hadn't I thought the same? Children and their honest ways…

"Candeleria!" Mr. Clover scolded. "That isn't a very nice thing to say is it? And…" He took the small backpack from George's shoulder and gave it back to Candeleria who pouted. "Oh no. You packed yourself and wanted all of your toys with you. So you can carry that one yourself as well."

Candeleria was pouting still, and I still had to bite my lip not to make a sound while I looked away and tried to take a breath. It wasn't exactly made any easier when George leaned down so only the little girl would be able to hear him- I heard it too as I was standing right next to them.

"Actually…I agree with you. I have a very weird name! But I do think your name is very pretty."

The little girl only smiled back (I was starting to think she always smiled- but knowing kids her age, probably not), pulled her backpack on and before her parents and George made her way up the stairs.

"What a lovely little girl." I nodded agreeing and watched the Clover's move up the stairs with their little one first and her pink backpack bumping back and forth towards her back. "It feels like only yesterday Grace was about that age."

"Grace?" George turned around at the top of the stairs. "It feels like only yesterday my Jenny was about that age. When Grace was feels like it should have been only minutes ago."

Something sad always got into George's voice when he talked about his daughter. For a parent to lose a child was the worst thing that could ever happen to a person, no matter what age. And I could feel something squeezing my heart while I turned to Cassie who was wearing a frown I just recognized way too well.

"What? What's going on?"

"I just have such a weird feeling something is about to go wrong."

I raised an eyebrow- since when couldn't Cassie place the exact feelings as what was about to go wrong or who it was standing behind her or anything?

"I know. I know. When people come into the store I just know. But when it's about someone I love- you, or Grace or Nick… then it's not as clear. I just get a feeling and I had that feeling the night Jake died and…" Without finishing the sentence she closed her eyes and drew a deep sigh. "I'm sorry. It's probably nothing. I just watched my daughter graduate so what shouldn't I feel for the moment being?"

"And that you're right about." George came down the stairs. "I remember… sorry. I don't want to get into that when its' Grace and Nick's graduation day…"

"I have to go." Before neither I nor Cassie could say anything else George disappeared. Cassie shook her head and I could see she tried to ignore the feeling. "I just have to do some paperwork back at the clinic. I won't be gone for long. An hour or two at the most." I leaned forward and kissed Cassie's cheek. "Try not to worry so much. The kids are just having fun. We'll be able to celebrate a bit more someday… I'll be back soon."

And when I left Grey House that afternoon. Little did I know that those couple of hours of "soon" would be the first few whiles of something that made everything change.

Candelaria and her parents looks like Scout Larson, Kristoffer Polaha and Lodovica Comello.

Random fact (I leave one or more of these in every chapter I put up)

I really wanted to come up with something better for Grace's graduation speech. But what is here is what I came up with and hopefully you guys don't think it was too bad.

And at last, English is not my first language. If you see any faults in grammar or anything could you be so kind and write it in a review or a pm and I'll try to make it better next time I use it? Thank you. (And please, write what is the problem and not just there's a problem. Because if you do the latter I can impossibly know what it is- thank you!)