"What are we going to do about last names when we get married?" Derek asked as the two boys lay on the apartment floor between stacks of boxes.

"I'll take yours, of course," Sam replied, hoping that would be that.

"Maybe we should hyphenate. It's all the rage." Derek smiled. He waved his open hand as if reading a marquis. "Derek Stevenson - … What is your last name?"

"Oh, that's neither here nor there. We'll talk about names when the time comes." Sam smiled, trying to hide his wide-eyed anxiety. Derek began to speak again when the buzzer rang. Maria and Ly were downstairs, ready to go.

"I'll let them up, and you go down and get the truck, darling. We'll start bringing things down." Derek nodded at Sam, with a lost expression on his face. "That was close," Sam whispered to himself. Maria and Ly burst through the door a few seconds later, stealing hugs and grabbing boxes.


"I can't wait until all your things are intermingled with mine… origin indeterminate."

Sam giggled, "Origin indeterminate, eh? I'm not so sure my multi-colored knick-knacks are gonna blend with your beige, black, and browns." The men laughed at their own silliness and differences.

"I'm not all that different from you, babe. I can be adventurous and… cute," Derek grinned and attempted a sly stare.

"Oh, yeah. That's so sexy." Sam couldn't help but laugh at his lover, hoping he'd never take these simple things in life for granted. When your life span is spread over a long period, you tend to fill it with things and time and space instead of with people and love and laughs. Practical jokes and mortals' reactions to what seems mundane to a witch or warlock are all fun and games. That's it though. They're just fun and games. Laughing with someone you love and who loves you back can fill you with so much happiness.

"Are you alright, Sam?"

"Of course… I was just thinking." Sam looked into Derek's eyes, hoping he'd never forget this moment. The two men embraced and kissed.

Sam was excited. He was unpacking his things in someone else's home. It was his home, too, now. He had never felt like this before nor had he ever dreamed of feeling this way about anybody, especially a mortal. Oh, but that didn't matter to Sam, at least not anymore. He could grow to enjoy the mortal things in life, like unpacking his own boxes without magic.


"What aaaaaaare you doing, dear?"

"Mother! You can't just pop in and out as you please anymore. There are other people who live here that are just not used to it."

"Who? Ol' what-his-name? Darryl will get use to it in time. I mean you can't keep a thing like this a secret." Helena shrugged as if nothing was wrong. Sam, however, knew there was something wrong. No mortal would react kindly to finding out his lover and new roommate was a warlock, a witch, a sorcerer.

"Mother, you just have to give me time. I'll tell him eventually, but until then, let me do things on my own terms, please. Derek just needs to get used to my mortal habits first."

Helena cackled. "Mortal habits? Darling, you've barely lived among them a year, and you say you have 'mortal habits'? That's nothing more than a mere phase. All this apartment nonsense and this job, it's so unlike you Samuel. You used to be so carefree, flying off on a whim, meet new people everyday. There's a whole world out there. What are you doing in here? Unpacking boxes? By hand, nonetheless!"

No, Sam's mother would not understand this time. It wasn't just about "living like a mortal" or even loving Derek, which in itself was the most important thing in Sam's life right now. Sam wanted to experience things in a different way. Magic made everything much too easy, and living an easy life doesn't always leave room for learning. What's the fun in snapping your fingers and having everything you've every wanted? Or almost everything at least.

"Mother, I enjoy doing things by hand, and you will just have to accept that. And Derek is a part of my life, and you're going to have to meet him eventually. I want you to be nice to him."

"Yes, yes, of course. I just don't understand this infatuation with the mortal lifestyle and this… human. What can he offer you that a warlock cannot?"

Sam thought long and hard about what he could tell his mother. Finally, the answer came to him. "True love."

"Oh, Samuel, reaaallyy?" Helena seethed.