"You ready?" Misty nodded and they both got out of the car to enter the building. The social worker they had been meeting with throughout the month met them as they entered and Cordelia smiled softly at her.
"Brooklyn is just in there. She's expecting you, so you can go on in," They nodded and gently pushed the door open before stepping into the room. There was a girl stood by the window in the room with long dirty blonde hair cascading down her back. She turned and glanced at them as they entered and Cordelia caught sight of big brown eyes before she turned back to the window.
"Umm, hi, Brooklyn," The girl finally turned and faced them and leaned back against the window. She was dressed in ripped blue jeans and a plain black t-shirt which were paired with old black converse. She glanced between the two of them for a moment.
"So, I get dumped on you for the next two months?" Cordelia bit her lip and Misty looked at her curiously, "You're fostering me, right?"
"No, umm, we're adopting you," The girl furrowed her eyebrows and looked at them funnily.
"Why?" Cordelia cocked her head to the side slightly in question, "I mean, who in their right minds adopts a sixteen year old?" Misty snorted and the girl's eyes went wide, "I mean, no offense I guess."
"Nah, it's a valid question. Your social worker asked us the same thin'," The girl nodded slowly, "And we don't really have an answer. We just are," Brooklyn nodded again and looked up when her social worker stepped through the door.
"She hasn't scared you off yet, has she?" Brooklyn huffed slightly and rolled her eyes.
"Not at all," Was murmured out by Cordelia. They talked for a few more minutes before Brooklyn left to grab her things.
"Just.. Call if anything comes up," Cordelia nodded to the woman and they looked up when the girl stepped back into the room with a book bag hung off of one shoulder.
"You ready?" The girl nodded unsurely to Cordelia and then followed the two of them to the car. She slipped into the backseat and bounced her knees nervously, "Okay, we need to make a stop."
oooOOooOOooo
Cordelia parked in the mall parking lot and slid from the car before Brooklyn watched Misty do the same. She got out cautiously and Cordelia grinned at her, "We need to get you some things."
The girl nodded slowly, "Clothes, some things for your room-" Cordelia was cut off.
"I get my own room?" She then looked sheepish, "Sorry. I'm working on my butting in problem," Misty giggled and Cordelia smirked at her.
"Yes, you get your own room," The girl nodded, "So, let's go," They made their way first to the clothing store and Brooklyn stood quietly until she realized they were both looking at her.
"Umm, what?"
"Well, we're not going to be wearing them," The girl glanced around and Cordelia nodded, "Whatever you want. Just come find one of us when you're done," The girl raised her eyebrows and glanced between the two of them.
"You're serious?" Misty nodded and the girl finally slipped off into the store.
"I think my heart just broke," Misty nodded down at her wife as they watched the girl walk off, "How are we going to make up for sixteen years of mistreatment?"
"We're gonna do our best and hope it's good enough, sweetpea."
oooOOooOOooo
They'd paid for the girl's clothes and were now stood looking at bed sets, "It's a queen size. So whichever," The girl nodded and bit her lip.
"What color's the room?" Misty snorted and Cordelia swatted her playfully, "Umm?"
"It's white. The whole house is white," The girl raised her eyebrows.
"It's an old house. We can paint your room if you want," The girl shook her head thinking that she probably wouldn't be there long enough to even worry about it.
"White's fine," She picked up a dark green bed set and Cordelia nodded in approval. They made their way to the register and paid for it before leaving that store, "So, are we done?"
"You need shampoos and whatever for the bathroom, right?" The girl nodded and they located everything that she needed easily, "Have you had lunch?" She shook her head and they decided to eat in the food court.
oooOOooOOooo
They made their way home and Misty led the girl upstairs and showed her her room as Cordelia took a phone call on the first floor, "So this is it," Misty pushed the door open and the girl's eyes widened slightly. It was a large space with white walls like they'd said earlier. There was a desk pushed against one wall and a bed situated against another. A dresser and a vanity were also present and there was a door that Brooklyn assumed was a closet. Misty set down the bags that she had been carrying and the girl did the same before Cordelia finally walked in and sat her bags down as well.
"Is this okay?" The girl looked over at her like she was crazy.
"This is great," Cordelia nodded.
"So, how about we let you unpack and then we'll give you a tour?" The girl nodded and the two women left the room quietly.
oooOOooOOooo
Brooklyn made her bed and then unpacked everything. She grabbed the back pack she'd had with her and unpacked the few clothes that she'd already had and then pulled out an old picture. She looked at the two people in the photo and sighed as she ran her finger tips over their faces, "I miss you."
Brooklyn then hid the picture under her socks in their drawer before leaving the room and heading down stairs. Misty was leaned back against the counter with a bagel in her hand and Cordelia was sat at the counter shaking her head.
"We just ate, Mist," The wild blonde scrunched her face up.
"What's your point?" She looked up when Brooklyn stepped into the room and took another bite, "Tell her I'm not crazy," The girl raised her eyebrows and shifted her gaze between the two of them.
"I think I'll stay out of this one," Cordelia glared playfully at her wife before standing.
"Unpacked?" The girl nodded to her and Cordelia motioned for her to follow her, "Okay, so just out here is the greenhouse."
oooOOooOOooo
They'd given her a tour of the Academy and she was now in her new room sat cross legged in the middle of her bed as she read. She looked up at the soft knock on her slightly open door and saw Cordelia push the door open slightly.
"Dinner's ready," The girl looked at her in question, "Unless you're not hungry? Or you want something else?" The girl shook her head quickly and followed Cordelia from the room. She could hear music as they entered the kitchen and looked up to see Misty dancing around the room as she placed plates on the table.
Cordelia disappeared for a moment before coming back and dumping cat food into a bowl in the corner, "You have pets?" Misty looked up and nodded.
"A few. Mac's at the groomers and Rhiannon should come runnin' in a few minutes. She's not sociable at all. She only comes out when she wants somethin'," Cordelia nodded in agreement and Brooklyn looked over when a black and white fluff ball caught her eye. The cat made her way to the bowl and sat down to eat.
Brooklyn watched the two of them take a seat and realized that they wanted her to join them. She blushed before taking her seat and looking down at her lap. They ate relatively quietly and Brooklyn looked down when something brushed against her leg. The cat then jumped into her lap and settled down. She shrugged and looked up to see the two of them gaping at her.
"Should I put her down?" She asked tentatively.
"No, if she's not botherin' ya then leave her. It's just, she doesn't do that. She hides and doesn't let anyone touch her," Brooklyn looked down at the purring cat and bit her lip. She just shrugged again before going back to her dinner.
"Is there anything else that you need?" Brooklyn looked up when no one answered and saw Cordelia looking to her for an answer.
"Oh! Me, duh. No ma'am," Cordelia smirked in amusement and nodded to the girl.
oooOOooOOooo
Brooklyn had taken a shower and was dressed in a pair of boxers and a tank top as she sat in her room with her book from earlier. She jumped when something jumped up on her bed and saw Rhiannon settle down on the foot of her bed. The girl just raised her eyebrows before looking back down at the book in her lap.
She looked up when someone knocked lightly on her doorframe and saw Misty stood in the doorway this time, "That's different," She motioned to the cat on the foot of her bed.
"Is she allowed on the furniture?" The girl's eyes had widened and Misty heard panic slightly enter the girl's voice. She nodded quickly.
"Yeah, darlin'. She's fine," The girl relaxed some, "I was just headin' ta bed. Ya need anythin'?" The girl looked at her funnily before shaking her head.
"No, ma'am. I'm fine," Misty nodded.
"Okay, good night," Was said as Misty backed out of the room.
"Night," Brooklyn looked back down at her book before letting out a yawn. She closed it and set it to the side before sliding under the blankets and settling down with the cat still sleeping next to her feet.
oooOOooOOooo
Cordelia looked up when her wife entered the room and slipped into the bed beside her, "The cat's sleepin' with her," Cordelia sat her book down on her bedside table and flipped her lamp off before sliding into Misty's arms.
"She likes her," Misty nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "They can be broody together," Cordelia giggled and swatted her wife when she pinched her gently.
"That's not nice, Dee," Cordelia pouted.
"I know. She's adorable. But let's face it, all teenagers are broody," Misty laughed and finally gave a small nod as she tangled her legs with her wife's.
"She's a little.. Skittish?" Cordelia nodded and nuzzled her nose against her wife's cheek.
"That comes with being in the system, sweetheart. She's had a hard life and we'll just have to be gentle with her and hope she feels comfortable with us," Misty nodded and kissed her gently, "I probably won't be here when you get up in the morning. I need to run into town and get a few things. I'll pick up Mac while I'm out," Misty nodded as she tightened her hold on her wife.
"Night, darlin'."
"Good night, Misty."
oooOOooOOooo
When Cordelia came home the next morning, she let the dog off of his leash and saw him take off upstairs to find Misty. Cordelia stepped into the kitchen and found Brooklyn sat on the counter with a bowl of Lucky Charms in her hands. The girl looked up wide eyed and quickly slipped down from the counter, "Sorry," Cordelia shook her head as she opened the refrigerator.
"Please, if I made a rule about girls being on my counter half of them wouldn't be able to reach anything," The girl looked confused.
"There are more people who live here?" Cordelia looked over at her for a moment before nodding.
"I guess not everyone does know. This is an Academy, so yes, there are quite a few girls who live here during the school year," Brooklyn nodded slowly as she now took a seat on a stool at the counter, "This is an Academy for the magically gifted," Cordelia braced herself for a potential blow up.
"Magically gifted?" Cordelia nodded.
"Witches," She simplified. She then flicked her wrist and closed the refrigerator door to emphasize her point. The girl watched her wide eyed.
"What about.. Self healers?" Cordelia looked at her funnily before nodding.
"We haven't had any since Anna Leigh Layton died," The girl bit her lip, "Why?" Brooklyn dropped her gaze to her cereal and took another bite.
"Because I can't get hurt," Cordelia's eyes widened, "I mean, I was in a car accident years ago and I suffered head trauma and a severe laceration to my spinal cord and numerous other things that should have killed me but I was fine and back to normal with not even a scratch within the hour," She finally looked up to see Cordelia looking at her in wonder, "The doctors just wrote it off as misdocumentation on my file but.." The girl trailed off and Cordelia nodded.
"And this happens every time you get hurt?" The girl nodded.
"Yeah. I mean I can be shaving my legs and cut myself and I guess smaller wounds heal faster because they usually close right back up before my eyes," Cordelia nodded, a small grin gracing her lips.
"That's amazing," The girl blushed and looked down when the cat brushed against her legs, "That is too. That cat is an asshole," Brooklyn snorted and Cordelia shrugged, "Misty insisted we keep her, she has a habit of bringing animals home so don't be alarmed if you find anything strange in the house," Brooklyn nodded, "She found Rhiannon outside. Someone had run her over and Misty rushed her to the vet. They told her to just have the thing put down but she insisted. And there she is," Brooklyn looked down at the cat who was insistently rubbing against her leg.
"She said you had a dog too?" Cordelia nodded.
"Mac ran upstairs. He's probably trying to wake her up. She can sleep through anything," Brooklyn laughed and stood to wash her bowl out and placed it back in the cabinet, "Speak of the devil," Brooklyn turned and saw Misty walk into the room rubbing at her face and still dressed in her pajamas. A large St. Bernard trailed in behind her and promptly made his way to Brooklyn before sitting down at her feet and looking up at her.
"What are ya? Animal whisperer?" Brooklyn shook her head and petted the dog lightly. He wagged his tail happily and laid down at her feet when she leaned back against the counter.
oooOOooOOooo
Brooklyn had gotten dressed in a pair of denim shorts and a purple top before descending the stairs. She curled up in the corner of the couch with her book. Within minutes, the cat was jumping up onto the couch and settling down near her. She just shrugged in acceptance and went back to her novel.
When Misty finished her breakfast, she stepped into the living room and saw Brooklyn and Rhiannon on the couch. Making another scan of the room revealed that Mac was also laid next to the couch close to the girl as well. The girl looked up when she sensed Misty and saw the woman looking at Mac.
"Does he know any tricks?" Misty laughed.
"Nah, he's too stubborn. But he's sweet enough ta keep around," Brooklyn grinned and sat up when the dog stood in front of her.
"Hey, buddy. I think you can prove her wrong. Can you sit down?" Brooklyn asked playfully and her laugh was cut off when the dog sat down and looked to her, "Umm, that was totally a coincidence but good job."
Misty was looking on in wonder and watched the girl look at the dog for a long moment, "Can you lay down for me?" The dog did as he was asked and Misty almost laughed at the look on Brooklyn's face, "Speak?" The dog barked happily and Brooklyn almost choked as she stood up quickly on the couch and moved away from the dog, "Did you hear that?"
Misty looked at her strangely, "Yeah, he barked," Brooklyn shook her head.
"No, he spoke," Misty furrowed her eyebrows and looked back to the dog, "He did. I'm not crazy," Misty held her hands up.
"I didn't say ya were. Weirder thin's have happened," Brooklyn was still stood up on the couch looking at the dog like he was going to attack her, "Dee?" Cordelia came down the hallway and looked at the scene in the room before looking to her wife for explanation.
"He talks," Cordelia raised her eyebrows and looked over to the girl who was standing on her couch, "And so does Rhiannon. God, shut up for a minute would you? Geez," Cordelia looked back to Misty who looked just as confused as she felt, "One at a time, please," Brooklyn nodded, "Mac doesn't like the dog food you bought yesterday and Rhiannon hates your comforter not you," Misty raised her eyebrows even higher and saw the girl finally relaxing.
Brooklyn looked over to them and saw their expressions, "I'm not crazy."
"Of course not. Self healer and an animal whisperer. That's new."
oooOOooOOooo
The girl was on her bed that night when Cordelia walked into the room and placed a bag down beside her. Brooklyn looked up and Cordelia nodded before the girl reached for it and pulled out two boxes, "Umm?"
"Lifeproof case. If I've learned anything, it's that teenagers and glass screens do not go together."
"This is mine?" The girl looked back to the phone in her hand and Cordelia nodded to her.
"Yeah. All yours. Just don't make any international calls please?" The girl laughed lightly and nodded before Cordelia left the room. She turned the phone on and put it in its case before grabbing a scrap of paper from her book bag. She dialed the number and held her breath.
"Hello?"
"Jess?" The other end was silent for a moment.
"Brook?" The girl breathed out a sigh of relief, "Dude, where are you? How are you?"
"I'm fine. I'm in New Orleans. Someone adopted me."
"No shit?" The girl laughed.
"None," Brooklyn settled on the bed with the phone to her ear, "Are you okay. You're cool?"
"I'm good, Brook. I got emancipated and I'm living with Jake," Brooklyn nodded, "We're both working and while it's not much, it's better than being in the system."
"Yeah, I bet it is," They talked for a long time before finally hanging up. The girl stared at her phone for a long moment before sitting it on her nightstand and getting up to grab the old picture from her dresser, "Goodnight," Was said as she traced the face with her fingers.
oooOOooOOooo
Brooklyn had gotten up and threw on a pair of shorts and a top before making her way downstairs. She found Cordelia in the kitchen making pancakes and the woman turned to face her as she stepped into the room.
"Blue berries or no blue berries?" The girl looked at her for a moment before looking to the two stacks in front of her.
"Umm, without please," Cordelia nodded and plated a few before handing them to the girl. She pointed to the syrup and Brooklyn grabbed it before propping up on the counter with her breakfast, "Thanks," Cordelia just nodded and turned the stove off a moment later before grabbing her own breakfast and propping up near the girl.
"I was going to get a pedicure today. You want to come? Misty hates it," Cordelia rolled her eyes playfully and the girl looked at her cautiously, "I mean. You don't have to, of course," The girl looked at her for another long moment before finally nodding.
oooOOooOOooo
Cordelia had driven the two of them to the mall and they were now sat in large massage chairs with their feet in large tubs of warm water, "So," Cordelia looked up at the girl and Brooklyn blushed, "Are you and Miss Misty married?" Cordelia grinned at her and nodded.
"A year and a half. Though we've been together almost five," Brooklyn nodded, "What about you? Any lucky boys out there?" Brooklyn coughed lightly as she blushed.
"I, umm, sort of play for the other team," Cordelia nodded.
"Right, I really need to stop assuming things," Brooklyn sighed in relief, not many people took that news well, "So, any lucky girls out there?"
"I wish," She then blushed brighter when she realized she'd said that out loud. Cordelia laughed lightly and nodded. Brooklyn looked down at the woman who was massaging her feet and sighed gently.
"Is there anything that you want to do while we're out?" Brooklyn looked over at Cordelia and shrugged.
"I'm fine," Cordelia nodded slowly, "Sorry. It's just, not many of the people I've lived with actually care what I want to do," Cordelia nodded in understanding then, "So, I've never had to answer that question."
"Well, if you ever want or need anything, just let us know, okay?" Brooklyn nodded and looked back down before her eyes lit up and she looked up at Cordelia who smirked at her, "What?"
"Is there a bookstore here?"
oooOOooOOooo
Cordelia parked in the parking lot of the town's bookstore and could see Brooklyn's smile out of the corner of her eye. She felt her heart flutter as they got out of the car and made their way inside, "I need a few volumes for the Academy. I'll find you," Brooklyn nodded and watched the woman walk off before heading into the store.
The girl found her favorites easily and noticed that there were now three more books added to the series, "Jeez, when was the last time I was in a bookstore?" Was mumbled to herself as she bent and picked them up. She looked up when Cordelia stepped down the aisle she was on with a few books in her arms.
"Are you getting those?" Brooklyn nodded and looked up confused when Cordelia grabbed them and added them to her own stack.
"Umm," Cordelia looked up at her in question, "I can pay for them. I had a job in the town of my last foster home," Cordelia furrowed her eyebrows.
"Shouldn't you have been in school?" Brooklyn shrugged.
"I got my GED when I turned fifteen so I wouldn't have to go to high school and could work," Cordelia nodded and noticed the girl conveniently not meeting her eyes.
"Fifteen?" The girl nodded still not looking at her.
"I was always a fast learner, and someone had to do it," Cordelia looked to her to continue but didn't press when she didn't.
"Well, you don't have to buy them. We took you in, sweetheart, and we'll take care of you," Brooklyn bit her lip and glanced back to the books in Cordelia's hands before finally nodding to the woman in defeat.
oooOOooOOooo
Cordelia and Brooklyn stepped into the kitchen where Misty was dancing around to her music. There was a plate of cookies on the counter and Cordelia grabbed one before pecking Misty on the cheek. The woman turned and grinned at her before looking over to Brooklyn who was looking down at the cat who was now rubbing up against her leg.
"I need ta grab somethin' from the greenhouse. Ya can have those if ya want," The woman gestured to the plate and Brooklyn nodded her thanks before grabbing one as Misty left the room. She took a bite and watched Cordelia open the fridge.
A few minutes later, Brooklyn let out a strangled noise and Cordelia looked up from her phone in alarm. Misty stepped back into the room around that time and saw the look on her wife's face as she made her way to the girl's side, "Brooklyn?" The girl tried to clear her throat again before pointing to the cookies and looking to Misty questioningly.
"They're almond cookies," The girl's eyes went impossibly wider and she tried to stand but Cordelia had to catch her.
"What do you need?" The girl looked at her.
"Back pack," Was choked out and Cordelia transmutated from the room before reappearing with the girl's book bag. Brooklyn reached for a zipper but her hand was shaking too hard so Cordelia unzipped it and located an Epi-pen which she wasted no time in using on the girl's outer thigh.
"Call an ambulance," Misty nodded frantically and grabbed her cell phone before dialing, "Breathe with me okay?" Brooklyn nodded and focused on Cordelia as she stood in front of her and cupped her cheeks gently. She tried to focus on her breathing and finally felt herself relaxing.
"They wanna know if she's okay enough for us to drive her in. It'll be half an hour before they can get an ambulance here?" Cordelia looked back to Brooklyn in question and she nodded her agreement. Misty relayed the message and then rounded the corner and looked at her wife, "I got her," Brooklyn looked to her in question as Cordelia grabbed her keys and headed for the front door.
Her question was soon answered when Misty scooped her up like she was weightless and carried her out to the car, "I'm so sorry, Brooklyn," The girl shook her head trying to convey that she didn't blame the wild blonde carrying her, "I promise I'll make this up ta ya."
oooOOooOOooo
When Brooklyn woke, she sat up quickly not knowing where she was. Cordelia stood and grabbed her shoulders gently, "Hey, you're okay. You're in the hospital," Brooklyn finally remembered everything and slowly sat back in the bed, "How do you feel?"
"Fine," The word was croaked out and she grimaced at the sound of her own voice. Cordelia nodded and looked up when Misty walked into the room with a bouquet of balloons and a stuffed teddy bear, "Umm."
"She's awake! Dee, ya were supposed ta call me," Cordelia smirked as her wife rounded the bed and sat the balloons down before holding the stuffed animal out to the girl who laughed lightly before taking it.
"She's been awake a literal minute, Mist," The wild blonde shrugged.
"Which means ya shoulda called me fifty-nine seconds ago," Brooklyn giggled at that and Misty turned her attention back to the girl, "Are ya okay? 'Cause I can get ya somethin'? I'm so sorry, by the way! I had no clue ya were-" She stopped when the girl held her hand up while smirking.
"It's okay. It's not like I told you," Misty grimaced and the girl nodded.
"I still feel bad, so whatever ya want? It's so yours," Cordelia nodded in agreement and Brooklyn just looked down at the bear in her arms unsure of what to say.
oooOOooOOooo
They had released the girl with the instructions to take it easy for a couple of days. Brooklyn was sat in the corner of the couch reading and Cordelia was curled up in the arm chair on the other side of the room doing the same thing.
The girl looked up when Misty plopped down beside her with a note pad and a pen, "So, we're not missin' anythin' else," The girl raised an eyebrow and saw Cordelia turn her head and look their way, "Any and all allergies?" Brooklyn stared at her for a moment before realizing she was serious.
"Almonds and penicillin," Misty nodded and Brooklyn watched her pen fly across the pad, "Miss Misty, you don't have to do this. I'm fine," Misty shook her head and looked at the girl.
"I don't care," She looked back down, "And drop the Miss. It makes me feel old," Brooklyn laughed but nodded in agreement, "Favorite color?" She heard Cordelia snort at that one.
"Really?" Misty just nodded, "Green," She watched the woman write something else on the paper and caught Cordelia's eyes. The woman just shrugged as she grinned at her wife.
"Favorite ice cream flavor?" Brooklyn looked at her for a moment.
"Moosetracks," The woman just nodded as she continued to write.
"Birthday?" Brooklyn bit her lip for a moment. She had a feeling this one wouldn't settle well with either of them.
"June fifth," She didn't look up but heard Misty's pen stop.
"But that was-" She cut Cordelia off.
"Yeah. It was the day you adopted me," She finally looked up at them and saw them looking at her with wide eyes.
"Why didn't you say anything? We would have celebrated," The girl shrugged.
"I honestly didn't realize what day it was until the social worker asked you to sign that form and it was on the top," She girl shrugged, "I just.. It was never important before. Just another year closer to being out of the system," She caught Misty's blue eyes and then Cordelia's brown ones before looking down at her lap.
"Well, umm, favorite cake flavor then?" Cordelia nodded and the girl shrugged.
"Chocolate, I guess," Misty nodded and wrote it down.
"And what d'ya want for your birthday?" The girl looked up at her strangely, "Don't think just cause we're a few days late that we're not celebratin'," The girl shook her head.
"You really really don't have to," Cordelia had already stood and left the room with her phone pressed to her ear and Misty shook her head.
"But we are," The girl bit her lip, "Dee's orderin' a cake right now, sweetheart," Brooklyn felt tears well up in her eyes as she looked at her lap and blinked them away, "So what d'ya want?"
"I honestly don't need anything else. You guys have been.. Amazing," Misty grinned at her.
"But there's gotta be somethin'?" Brooklyn bit her lip, "Alright, name it."
"My license," Misty nodded slowly, "I don't want to drive. In fact, cars terrify me. But I always just wanted something with my name on it. Something real, y'know?" Misty nodded with a smile on her face.
"Yeah, I know."
oooOOooOOooo
Cordelia drove them into town and parked before looking at the girl, "Are you sure you can drive enough to get through the test?" Brooklyn nodded and looked over at her, "Alright. Let's do this," The Supreme sat in the waiting room while Brooklyn took her test. She looked up when the girl came back in and stood, "So?"
"I made a seventy-five," Was laughed out.
"What did you have to make to pass?"
"A seventy-five," Cordelia laughed then and smiled at the girl.
"Then congratulations, baby girl," Brooklyn felt her heart flutter at the endearment but didn't comment on it. They took her picture and issued her license before the two of them left the building.
"Thank you," Cordelia shook her head as she sat down in the car.
"You're so welcome, Brooklyn," Cordelia then drove them to pick up the cake she had ordered before heading home. They entered and Misty ran out of the kitchen nearly colliding with Cordelia who skirted her with the cake in her hands.
"Did ya get it?" The girl nodded and pulled it out of her pocket. The woman smiled and hugged Brooklyn before pulling back quickly when the girl tensed up at the contact. She didn't let her smile falter though, "Let's eat some cake then!"
oooOOooOOooo
After dinner and cake Misty got up and ran up stairs before coming back into the room and taking her seat again. Brooklyn looked up when she placed a small jewelry box in front of her on the table. She looked to Cordelia who just nodded.
"You guys really didn't have to," Cordelia shook her head.
"Oh, would ya just open it?" Brooklyn laughed at Misty and reached for the box uncertainly. She opened it and saw a gold chain with circular gold pendant hanging on it with her name engraved on it in an elegant script.
"How?" Cordelia laughed.
"Misty picked it up while you were taking your test," Brooklyn looked up at her and sat the box down before getting up and hugging the both of them.
oooOOooOOooo
The girl was awake after the two women had gone to bed later that night. She looked to her bedside table and picked the jewelry box up before opening it and pulling the necklace out of it. As she went to put it on, she noticed another engraving on the back of the pendant. The girl felt tears well up in her eyes as she read it. 'We love you.' Was written in the same script as her name and she breathed in deeply before placing the necklace around her neck.
Brooklyn got up and located the picture in her sock drawer, "I know you loved birthdays. I'm sorry you're not here," The girl took a shaky breath, "I love you and I miss you. I think about you every day," She traced the picture lightly before placing it back in her drawer and laying down to go to sleep.
oooOOooOOooo
A few days later, Brooklyn stepped into the greenhouse to see the two of them in there already. Cordelia was watching Misty as she read something and then laughed when her wife got frustrated, "Intent, Misty."
"Yeah, yeah," The wild blonde looked up and caught sight of Brooklyn before grinning, "I dunno why ya insist on makin' me do this. I don't need an incantation ta bring thin's back, baby."
"Misty, we've been over this," Misty just giggled and her wife shook her head. She read the incantation again, this time with more intent, and Brooklyn watched the plant in front of her bloom back to life.
"Woah, that was amazing," Misty grinned at the girl who was now stood across from her on the other side of the work table.
"Ya wanna try?" Brooklyn shook her head, "It can't hurt?"
"She's right, most healers have the power of resurgence," Brooklyn bit her lip before reaching her hand out for the paper in Misty's hand. She looked at it for a few moments before focusing on a plant and whispering the words out with as much emotion has she could, "You did it!" Brooklyn felt herself start shaking and dropped the paper before running from the greenhouse, "Uh oh," Misty looked over at her wife with wide eyes, "I'll go."
Cordelia made her way into the house and upstairs. Brooklyn's door was open and she looked in to see the girl sat on the bed with her back to her, "Brooklyn?" The girl didn't reply and Cordelia took a step into the room, "Brooklyn, sweetie, are you okay?" The girl finally shook her head and Cordelia made her way to her, "Are you hurt? Do you feel sick?"
"No," Was barely whispered out and Cordelia sat down beside the girl before noticing the paper she was holding in her hands. Her cheeks were stained with tears and Cordelia felt her heart aching for the girl.
"What's going on, sweetheart?" Brooklyn took a breath before holding the picture out to the woman. Cordelia looked at her for a moment before taking it. She heard Misty come in the room and the woman sat down on Brooklyn's other side. There were two girls in the photo. One was obviously a younger Brooklyn and there was another younger blonde girl in the photo.
"That's Katherine," The girl whimpered out, "Katie got really sick a few years ago," Cordelia nodded as tears welled up in her eyes, "Leukemia," The girl took a shaky breath as more tears fell down her cheeks, "We were in a group home and no one even cared. She was my baby sister, dammit!" Misty's eyes went wide, "No one cared and I couldn't take care of her! I tried. I really did. I tried to get her the medicine that she needed and I tried to work and make money for her but nothing was ever enough," Cordelia wrapped her arms around the girl now and Brooklyn buried her face into the woman's shoulder.
"Sweetheart, there was nothing that you could have done," Brooklyn was crying hard now and Misty rubbed soft circles over the girl's back.
"She didn't deserve what happened to her. It was long and it was painful and she was always in so much pain. She cried for hours until she passed out it got so bad and I couldn't do anything to help her," Cordelia was now rocking the girl back and forth, "She died days before her sixth birthday. Days before. She was so excited, even though she was too sick to celebrate," The girl was sobbing now and barely getting her words out, "And you know what her last words to me were?" Cordelia shook her head, her own tears falling down her cheeks, "Thank you, Brooklyn. She thanked me! She was dying and she thanked me. I couldn't even do anything to help her and she choked those words out!"
Her shoulders shook with sobs and Cordelia pulled the girl into her lap as she rocked her and shushed her soothingly. Misty leaned forward and pressed kisses to the back of the girl's head and Cordelia saw her wife's tears falling down her cheeks as well, "Brooklyn, you have to know that there was nothing you could do. I mean how old were you? Ten?"
"Nine," Cordelia nodded, "But I was all she had and she was all I had and then she was just gone," Misty ran her fingers gently through the girl's blonde hair, "I couldn't get sick and I couldn't get hurt and that disease took her instead of me. It's not fair."
"I agree, baby girl. But you were nine, what were you supposed to do?" Brooklyn looked at the picture in Cordelia's hand.
"I can bring things back from the dead," Cordelia finally realized the reason for the girl's sudden break down.
"Oh, sweetheart. Bringing a person back from the dead is very very hard. I've only done it once and that was only to become the Supreme. Your little body wouldn't have been able to do it then," Brooklyn let more tears escape her eyes and Cordelia gently cupped her cheeks and thumbed them away, "You couldn't have saved her, darling. But I think I know what she meant when she thanked you," Brooklyn looked to her questioningly, "You never once gave up on her. You were there for her until the end. You tried everything that you could to save her and she knew that. She knew that you were hurting too but that you loved her enough to be there for her. She was thanking you for all of that."
The girl took a shaky breath and shook her head, "I thought I'd exhausted tears for her," Was said as she wiped at her face.
"You never truly get over a lost loved one," Misty nodded in agreement with Cordelia.
"She's right. Ya never do, ya just learn ta remember the happier times ya had with them and then it's not so hard ta remember the harder times," Brooklyn looked at her for a moment before nodding with a smile on her face.
"She used to have this idea in her head that she was going to marry Prince Harry, as ugly as he is, and she would become a princess and eventually become queen," Cordelia grinned at that and nodded as she rubbed her hand over Brooklyn's hair, "She was," Brooklyn looked down at the picture, "She was a little princess."
oooOOooOOooo
Brooklyn woke up the next morning with Misty curled up next to her on her bed with her arm thrown over the girl protectively. She grinned softly before removing herself from the bed and heading downstairs. The girl stepped into the kitchen and grabbed a bowl of cereal before jumping up onto the counter.
Cordelia entered the room and smiled softly at the girl there, "Morning, Brooklyn," The girl nodded sheepishly.
"Morning," Was mumbled out and Cordelia pulled something out of a bag which she handed to the girl. Brooklyn looked at the beautiful picture frame for a moment before looking to Cordelia in question.
"I'm assuming that's the only picture you have of her?" Brooklyn nodded, "It's looking a little worn, so I got you this. You can do whatever you want with it of course. I just thought you may want to hang it up or sit it somewhere so you can always see it," The woman shrugged and Brooklyn took it from her before tracing the intricate design with her fingers.
Brooklyn sat the frame beside her before sliding down off of the counter and pulling Cordelia into a hug. The Supreme didn't hesitate in hugging her back tightly, "Thank you," Cordelia shook her head and pressed a kiss to the girl's hair. Brooklyn felt someone else step up behind her and wrap their arms around the two of them.
"I want in on this," They both laughed at Misty as she hugged them.
"Thank you guys… So much," Cordelia held her tighter as Misty pressed a kiss to her hair.
"We love ya, darlin'," Brooklyn grinned softly.
"I love you guys too."