A/N: These books get me emotional, what can I say? I have so many feelings about Tom and Carl being awesome mentors.
Disclaimer: Not you DD.
Title: i will guard growth and ease pain
Words: 1365
Summary: Six people Tom and Carl helped, and one person who returned the favor.
i.
Their newest wizard mimicked Carl's gestures - one hand over the other, palms facing each other, and thumbs extended. Jaw clenched, she listened to his instructions that he recited in a slow and calm voice that blurred his Brooklyn accent. Lights flashed in the enclosed space of his hands, as if several miniature lightbulbs were flashing off at once.
The Speech was thankfully very adaptable, even if a wizard had a painfully embarrassing stutter.
The girl tried, and only a few sparks lasted a second or two before the spell spluttered and died.
"Good. You're getting closer," said Carl. He dropped the gesture, massaging where a cramp had started near his thumb. Their manuals flipped to the next page automatically, and the diagrams flickered to life about the next set of basic spells that every new wizard started off with.
The girl groaned and took her glasses off to rub her tired eyes. "I h-hate how s-s-low this is taking." She winced at her words, and then twisted her lips into a dissatisfied line.
Carl caught the way her shoulders dropped, and the air of defeat that surrounded her. "Hey," he said. "The Universe obviously believes in you; you were given the Oath for a reason, kid."
"There's been a mist-t-take," she spat the last word out.
"Then let's prove that wrong." Carl regarded her with a steady gaze. "We're going to make a damn good wizard out of you."
ii.
Tom dug his feet in the sand, enjoying for a brief moment of the sea salt breeze slipping through his hair, the water lapping at his toes while he heard the calming cacophony of the waves crashing.
He opened his eyes and was greeted by the sudden shape of a whale. The image blurred in the water, the light twisting around her as her shape-changing spell snapped in place. In her place was a gangly young girl with freckles that matched the discolored spots that marked her whale-self.
"Dai!" She stumbled to her feet, obviously not used to her bipedal form.
Smiling, Tom offered her his arm to help steady herself. "And I greet you, cousin. What seems to be the problem?"
"It's a long story," she said, "but what do you know about Malinowski's Concept when being applied to krill?"
Tom blinked. He looked over to the ocean and blinked again. "Are you trying to tell me that someone spelled the local krill to burst into song and dance?"
The wizard nodded. "I believe they're doing something called The Book of Mormon, I think?"
iii.
Carl sat by Betty's side with Tom hovering next to him.
"Hi, Mrs. Callahan," said Carl softly, painfully aware of the beeping machinery that surrounded them. He tried to stop his hands from shaking when Tom handed him the flowers. "We thought you would like some company." A single sunflower petal fell to the floor.
"Tom? Carl?" she rasped. It broke Carl's heart all over again to see Nita's vibrant mother like this. It reminded him too much of the time when he would sit by his dad's bed, their hands grasped together as Carl recited the Mi Sheberakh until his voice would get hoarse from use. "How nice to see you." She struggled to sit up to greet them better.
Tom rushed to her side, helping her up. "Easy there."
"I'm sorry that I can't be a better host." She slurred her words around, her eyelids fluttering as she fought to keep them open. "I don't think I'm having one of those good days."
"Is there anything we can do?" asked Carl.
It took her a moment to answer. "Could you read to me—from your wizarding book?" She licked her dry lips. "I would like to hear the Oath."
iv.
Kit took a deep breath. "I need advice. About girls."
Carl gave Tom a quick glance. This should be fun.
"Uh, Kit." Tom rubbed the back of his neck. "We're not the best people you should go to when it comes to that sort of advice."
Kit appeared ready to drop to his knees and beg, but Annie, who was happily nuzzling his knee, wasn't going to make that happen. He sighed and gave the demanding dog a belly-rub. "But I can't go to my pop about this," he said, his voice gaining a hysterical edge. "I'm pretty sure he doesn't know what to do when all of a sudden I can read Nita's mind when we're—"
His mentors started to break into laughter.
Have you tried giving her a treat? Annie asked curiously, unaware of how Kit's face turned a bright red. I like treats, she continued.
"An occupational hazard," wheezed Tom. "Happens from time-to-time when you have partners who might you end up partnering with."
Kit's jaw dropped.
Carl waggled his eyebrows. "Do we need to give you The Talk, young man?"
v.
The koi fish broke the surface of the water again, flecks of sunlight reflected off his orange-red scales. How was that one?
Tom rubbed his chin. "Not bad. The simplicity really adds to it. Nita?"
"Was that a prophecy about tomorrow's math test?" she asked.
You are the Visionary, said the fish. I only want to compete in the poetry contest.
vi.
The cemetery in Connecticut was from another time and place. Tombstones were engraved with names, both Hebrew and English, from the people that used to live in a village somewhere in Austria; and small rocks were placed at certain graves from loved ones.
A girl was sitting in front of a grave, legs crossed and fingers knotted together. Carl sat down next to her, his heart and soul heavy with the purpose for the meeting.
He hated this.
The girl broke the silence. There was an odd cadence to her voice that made him think back to all the other times he had to say some version of the speech that he despised with every fiber in his being.
"I am sixteen-years-old," she said. "I don't want to die, Mr. Romeo."
Too young. They were always too young.
You're loved by family and friends." The words rang like a corny song in his ears. "What's loved, lives."
"But I want to live!" She faced him tears already falling. "Why can't I live? Haven't I done enough? Can't the Powers be happy with what I've already done?"
Carl didn't say anything. He curled an arm over her shoulders, and allowed her to pour her heart out in wretched sobs. Timeheart. Love. Friendship. Magic. It always wasn't enough to help the living.
It would never be enough.
vii.
The news broke early that morning. Annie jumped on their bed, their phones went off, and their manuals started to make the world's most annoying bird noises that were reserved for very important messages.
"Oi!" Tom snapped. He threw the blankets off his side, glaring at their surroundings. "Carl, I need you for this."
Carl swore under his pillow. He reached for his phone while Tom talked to Annie. "What is it, girl? Is there a wizard stuck in a well somewhere?"
Good news! she barked. She licked all over his face, covering him in slobber and fur. You have to see it!
"Carl," said Tom, now sounding more awake. "You really have to see this." He handed Carl his phone and reached for his manual. Confetti and multi-colored lights burst into the air as he opened the large book.
They both stared at the growing amount of messages.
"Well." Carl's face broke into a yawn. "Guess now we can get married anywhere."
"Sleep first, get married later?" suggested Tom. He looked up from replying to the texts that friends and family had sent. He was smiling. After being married, accidentally and on purpose, on so many planets, it was more than a relief to see that there were no more barriers stopping them from reciting the vows on their own planet and their own country.
Thank you, Tom silently said to the Powers-That-Be. He had a distinct feeling about what their former macaw was up to. He reached for his partner's hand. "Nah, let's get married right away."