Chapter 3

For someone else

2022

Talia's POV

I woke up and wondered why I was smooshed. Someone was on my tummy and someone else was cuddled up next to me. I started to teleport away when Dad stopped me.

"Just a little longer, Sweetheart." He said softly.

"Ok." I stayed still.

"Dad, what happened? Why was he so upset?" I asked telepathically.

He paused. "We mistreated you, Talia. Mister Xanatos and Fox were emotionally neglectful. I… I didn't stop it. She had attempted to run away many times before and when Alexander was born, we focused more him. Puck found her after a few months due to an attempt on her life. Then yo- she broke up with Adriana and, and I kept ruining her dates."

He held me closer now. I felt the regret and devastation in his breath. I rubbed his arm. "You, Talia got angry with me after I told her she could impregnate women and we fought. And then- And then we never saw her for 5 years."

"Is this his first time seeing…?" I frowned.

"No, Puck found her this year, she lives in Oregon. I hurt her. I hurt her so much-"

Tears fell down his cheek. Alex rolled over, wiping them. "Uncle, it's ok. She forgave you; she wants you in her life."

"My little trickster…" I let Owen and Puck cry and mumble apologizes meant for someone else.

Talia's POV End

2017

Alex's POV

The game room door opened and I paused my game.

"Is Dad back yet?" Tai asked.

"Dad's making him walk a mile in the park." I said.

"Yeah?" She nodded, cracking open a bottle of cider. I started to take it away when I remembered this wasn't our Tai. She was older, I think, it wasn't really clear. "You know, this was the kind of shit I wanted to avoid. This messed up spell junk."

"You're at least 21, right? Your body is telling me it's 17. Don't take that out of context." I added.

"23. My magic was activated when I was almost 17. It's younger than I actually am. Thus my aging has slowed as my magic grows stronger." She grimaced bitterly.

"Tai, what happened? Why did you run away?" I asked.

"Your parents never paid attention to me, but I've accepted that David and Fox will never love me like they do you. But it still hurt. It hurt more when Puck began to forget about me. I ran away twice when you were born. Once for a few months, the next… For 5 years. I made mistakes; did things I'm not proud of. I met a girl named Sarah in my human persona, Rachel. I just took control of Rachel, that's all I did. I didn't even know until I… She thought someone snuck in and- She was so scared." She took a swig of her cider.

"Oh, Tai." I hugged her. She buried her face in my chest and slowly calmed down. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, it's important. A year after Sarah's funeral, I found Adri again. We got back together. Everything was good for awhile. Then… I went to your sixth birthday. After a few almost encounters, I got drunk and called Dad. They found me. I visit them and Alex and Dad visit me." She finished, now sipping her drink. I took it away from her. She frowned.

"It's too early." I put it in the fridge.

"So, what's your Talia's story?" She looked at me.

"Dad adopted her and we discovered she was Puck's daughter, but not in the traditional way. She was going to die, but Puck used his magic to save her. A couple months later, Grandpa gets sick and we go see him. Then the Phoenix comes and takes Tai. I guess she met Owen and Puck because Dad said Owen got protective of her. And I think she maybe might have Oberon or someone high on the chain because someone declared her princess." I said.

"When was she going to die? Cause Puck saved me when I was 14." She unconsciously rubbed her forearm. Oh Jesus.

"When she was a baby." I said. "… Do they hurt? Your scars. Sometimes, Tai's hurt when she gets upset. Puck said it was because her magic couldn't focus on healing. A massage usually helps."

"That explains some things." She hummed. "I don't think it'll help."

"Why not?" I asked.

She went quiet.

"Ok, but the offer's still there if you want it." I shrugged to relax her.

Truthfully, I was sickened to my core. She was mistreated and traumatized. And by our own parents- I took a shaky breath and realized how hard this timeline swapping stuff was. Tai had me lie down and she cuddled me, rubbing my back. I stroked her hair and just let the moment happen.

Alex's POV End

2022

Talia's POV

"So, how were you adopted?" David asked.

"Time dancing." I chewed my waffle. They waited for me to finish. "I was taken to the past and I met Grandpa Xanatos and Grandpa Renard. And you and Owen too. But after Grandpa Renard died, I sent to the recent-er past and saw how my mom died. Demona and Macbeth shot her and abducted me. The Weird Sisters hid me in Central Park until it was time for me to go to jump off the castle."

Everybody was silent. I didn't blame them. Alex sat on my lap and hugged me. Owen was trembling in rage. They knew it wouldn't do any good to attack their timeline's Weird Sisters, but they still wanted to.

"Are you ok?" Fox asked.

"I mean I think so." I said.

"She might be having a delayed reaction. It'd be best not to trigger her emotions before she's ready." Owen said.

"I cried about it. Twice." I said.

"And that's good, but watching two people die is very distressing." He told me.

"I feel ok right now." I scrunched up my nose.

Puck put Owen's hands up. Well, hand and fist. "Finish eating, Alexander."

He hugged me again, reluctantly going back to his seat. We finished breakfast and then my phone rang.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Tai, why didn't you come home last night?" Adri berated me.

"Hey, Adri- Dad, give it back!" I grabbed for my phone.

"Hello, Adriana. This is Owen. A lighting storm caused the mirror escape spell to- connect with another timeline. That wasn't our Talia." He winced. "I understand you're upset, but there is nothing we can do until tonight. It has to be at the exact time we did it last night."

He disappeared and Puck came back with Adri. She was still shorter than me; eyes still that pretty dark blue. Her hair was uncombed and she was wearing her paint clothes. I knew this Adri was older, but I still wanted to kiss her. She hugged me, nuzzling my neck. Owen coughed. She stopped. Then she started hitting him.

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOU LOST TAI AGAIN!" She screamed.

I hugged her. "Adri, babe, it wasn't his fault. We should have refused to do the spell. If one of us had, we wouldn't have swapped places."

She sniffed, twisting around to cling to me. "I've lost you too many times."

I frowned as I rubbed her back. Everyone looked away, ashamed. I held her as we went to her room and cuddled. She babbled and talked about things I didn't understand.

Talia's POV End