They had won. Hecate could hardly believe it. She had thought Mildred would be her downfall when Pippa insisted the girl do the last round on her own. She was sure Pippa had intended to use Mildred to beat them but when she turned to gloat Pippa was smiling at the girl, smiling like she had every bit of faith Mildred could do it. It sort of infuriated her.

She wasn't any happier when Mildred pulled her stunt to get them to make up either. It was obvious Pippa had been visiting her student, how else would Mildred know they were friends who had a falling out. She surely hadn't told her and she knew it was Mildred because the girl never could leave well enough alone, and she had told them both Cackle wanted to see them, that was the dead give away.

She did have to admit she was rather surprised to learn Pippa had offered the worst student at Cackle's a scholarship, even before Mildred successfully demonstrated the weather spell and won the competition for Cackle's. She wasn't really sure how she felt about it either, so when she saw Mildred spying on them she couldn't help but to chase after her and ask her if she had considered the offer. She didn't want to analyze the relief she felt when Hubble insisted she liked being 'the odd one out'. Relief that actually had nothing to do with the fact Julie might not keep Aspen for her if Mildred exchanged schools. Though she tried to convince herself later that was all it was.

"Hecate…" Pippa's hesitant voice startled her as she returned from dropping off Mildred's cat Tabby. She wasn't exactly happy with Ms. Tapioca. She had asked her to see to the cat not send it off and break her student's heart by stealing her familiar.

"I thought you had left." Hecate tried to smile but it was as tense as their newly made up friendship. Pippa didn't seem to mind.

"I took the students back on broomstick and then transferred here." She admitted shyly. Hecate frowned. A transference spell from so far away couldn't have been easy on the other woman. Especially not after a near hours flight with two children. "I thought maybe you would be willing to talk some more. I know…" Pippa found herself hesitant. They hadn't really resolved anything only admitted to missing each other. It might have meant nothing more than that, Hecate may not even want to rekindle their friendship. "Maybe I overstepped my bounds. I'm sorry."

Hecate watched the emotions warring on the flamboyant witch's face but let none of hers show. She was touched Pippa wanted to speak more to her, touched that she had wanted it bad enough to immediately return. "There is nothing to apologize for, although you shouldn't have transferred, it's dangerous and you could have simply mirrored, Pippa." She didn't mean for it to come out as critically as it did. But she also hadn't wanted to let Pippa see how worried she was about her impulsive behavior.

"I wanted to see you." She couldn't help the blush that adorned her high cheeks at the confession. Pippa stepped toward her and nearly toppled as her legs gave way, Hecate moved faster than she ever had before to catch her. Her strong arms came up around Pippa's waist, bringing her close and secure as their eyes met.

Pippa caught her breath unable to look away. She knew they were in a public hall, knew anyone could walk by and see them, perhaps misinterpreted what had just happened. But….Hecate hid so much behind her mask. Behind her cold expression. She couldn't hide it now, with them so close her eyes were as expressive as Pippa's face. They reflected her fear, uncertainties and something else Pippa couldn't quiet place. Or…was at least hesitant to place.

"Ms. Pentangle are you alright?!" the sound of feet rushing toward them broke the spell. Although Pippa was reluctant to leave the comfort of Hecate's arms the witch maneuvered her firmly away. Though she kept her hand on her arm ready to act again should Pippa need it.

"I'm fine, Ms. Cackle." She tried to do the standard witches greeting to the teachers surrounding them and found Hecate's arm firmly stopping her from the gentle bow required.

"She is not fine. She transferred here after flying the students the whole way back." Pippa blushed, she hadn't wanted her impulsive action judged by everyone as well. It was obvious Hecate thought her an idiot for her impulsiveness.

Ms. Drill and Ms. Bat looked at her in shock but she noticed the Cackle's headmistress shot her a knowing grin. It was small and immediately replaced with a worried frown but Pippa knew she hadn't missed it and it made her blush match the color of her lovely dress.

"That was dangerous, dear." Ms. Bat scolded her.

"I know." She admitted. She hadn't actually thought about the danger at the time but the wizarding world was widely cautioned against long distance transfers. She knew that. She just hadn't been thinking about it, the whole flight back she only thought about getting back to Hecate, to telling her all the things she had waited the past thirty years to tell her. Only it hadn't exactly gone how she imagined had it. And she truthfully felt rather drained, drained and silly. One day and a student couldn't fix something broken for so long, at least not as quickly as she had hoped.

"Are you alright," Ada asked kindly, eyeing her Deputy Head covertly. Hecate's jaw was clenching and unclenching, the only sign that she had a rather tumultuous yet furious hold on her emotions. It was obvious to those that knew her well, namely Ada, that she was bursting with worry. And itching to make sure the lovely witch never did anything so dangerous again. Ada had no intention of letting her yell at the woman and ruin any chance of reconciliation between them though. "I think it would be a good idea to let the nurse check you out." She ignored Pentangle's attempt at brushing her concern off and instead turned her full attention back to her potions teacher. "Classes are over, you should go and fetch Aspen."

Hecate's eyes narrowed and Pippa stiffened under her arm. She glanced down but the witch wouldn't meet her eyes. She didn't have a valid reason not to go and get Aspen but a part of her wanted to stay, to hover over Pippa and ensure she was well. Another part was terrified for the woman to get to close, for their friendship to resume it's course. Hecate's feelings for the younger witch was just as strong as she remembered and she didn't know if she was still strong enough to do what was right for Pippa.

She did have to go and get Aspen, Ada was right even if Hecate didn't like her interfering. Classes were over and she had her word to keep after all. She made sure Drill had hold of the slightly wobbly Pentangle's Headmistress before she stepped away. "I will be back to check in on you." She couldn't help how stiff she sounded but Pippa inclined her head and smiled slightly at her before she disappeared to Julie's flat.

Pippa was left alone with the teachers feeling rather sheepish. "I'm sorry to cause you so much trouble. I wasn't thinking straight, I was just so excited to make up with… with Hecate."

"It's quiet alright dear. Though I don't believe darling Hecate knows what to make of it." Pippa looked troubled and Ada felt perhaps she had slipped up bringing her friends reaction further into the light. Pippa couldn't have missed the unyielding expression after all.

"Ill be alright on my own, I really don't wish to go see the nurse. I just need some rest and I'll be right as rain." she told them in the most cheerful voice she could muster. She wasn't sure what she expected when she came but that Hecate left her to see about another woman didn't bode well for her own feelings. Perhaps friendship was all she could be hoping for, although even that seemed to be walking a fine line.

Ms. Drill tightened her grip, "You don't mean to transfer back to school tonight, surely?"

Pippa pulled away as politely as possible and forced herself to stand alone without wavering, even though her world wouldn't be still. She knew she used a tad too much magic but she was a capable witch and she knew if it had been Hecate she wouldn't have let a little dizziness keep her from returning.

"I'm fine now. And it's obvious Hecate is too busy to discus…" she trailed off, she didn't want to share their business or her dashed hopes to the Cackle's staff after all. No sense in being made a fool or, or having them feel sorry for her. That was something she couldn't stand. "Well in any case I can return to speak with her at a better time or mirror her."

She started to take a step but her world spun again. Someone grasped hold of her shoulder, likely Ms. Drill. "Alright dear, if you won't go to the nurse you'll at least go and rest in one of our empty staff rooms. I know just the room to put you into." Ada smiled slightly at the two other teachers mischievously and they both knew what room she was speaking about. They returned her smile.

"I-" Pippa was going to say she was fine again but all the teachers shot her a firm gaze, she knew she wasn't getting away from anything tonight and she only had her impetuous self to blame. "Oh alright. I might need a little help up the stairs." She didn't think she could go through another transfer spell. She said so quickly when Ada raised her hand for just that.

"Of course, dear." Ada told her kindly taking one arm while Drill took another. Somehow the two witches managed to help her up the stairs and into a bed without too much attention from wayward students. She must have looked a sight though because before she passed out she vaguely remembered seeing Mildred Hubble's pig tails in the doorway.

~HB~

"HeeTee!" Hecate choked on air as the baby crawled over to her in excitement. Julie Hubble sat on her couch laughing furiously at the stunned look on the witch's face.

"She's been saying it all day." Julie said through her laughter, "I just knew she was talking about her Auntie Hecate." She shot the normal woman a sharp look that didn't quiet match the slight upturn of her lips. It was atrocious, the name was horrible…but Aspen had come up with it all on her own. All from feeling like Hecate was worth a name. Worth learning to say her name. It left a warm buzzing feeling in her chest were her anxiety had previously been.

Aspen pulled herself up by the tail of Hecate's dress and her butt shifted back and forth as she gathered herself and found her balance. She cooed up happily at her aunt and held her arms out expectantly. "HeeTee!" Hecate made a bit too much of a show of disliking it for Julie to believe her as she scooped the impatient child up in her arms. Aspen wasted no time in planting a sloppy open mouthed kiss on her aunt's cheek. Hecate actually blushed.

"She seems to be quiet taken with her Auntie Hecate." Julie's sincere smile eased Hecate's dislike of her poking fun at her name.

"So it would seem." She commented dryly. "Her bag?" Julie climbed off the couch and grabbed the bag off the kitchen counter and fished the bear from under the couch. Hecate noted how the Hubble's house was beginning to look just as much like a child daycare as her own room. There was toys and play mats littered all over the floor. Aspen seemed to be taking over their homes and it was curious that Hecate didn't really have a problem with it anymore.

"Can't forget him can we?" She held the bear in front of the child's face and titled him from side to side before going in for a neck tickle. Aspen giggled happily before catching him in her little hands.

"Thank you, Julie." She added, making the other woman smile. She saw a great difference in the way Hecate was acting now that she was getting used to caring for Aspen. Julie wondered how she was going to handle keeping the girl all day on the weekends.

"Bye-Bye, Aspen." She opened and closed her palm in a wave bye as Hecate disappeared from her living room.

~HB~

Hecate assumed Pippa had left when she went to supper and found the woman absent. It was both a relief and a disappointment until she asked Ada about how Pippa got on.

"Oh. We put her in a room dear. She wasn't fit for travel, as you pointed out." Ada didn't comment on the mild panic she saw flash behind her friend's dark eyes. "She won't be down for supper I'm afraid. She was positively knackered after all." Hecate nodded stiffly and turned her attention back to Aspen's disastrous attempt to feed herself. She scowled at the girls trying to help her.

"Girls…" she halted the harsh comment she would have usually said. Didn't she just tell herself at the Hubble's that she didn't want to be like her parents. Change had to start somewhere. "Don't get her too messy. I have to bathe her after all." Something she wasn't quiet adapt at yet, she was not going to admit it to her students though.

They stared at her in shock until she glared at them and they went back to fussing over the baby. Still they shot her curious stares all through supper when they thought she wasn't paying attention. She was acutely aware of their eyes on her, she just chose to ignore it. As she did most anything that bothered her.