The girls hurried back to Miss Robechaux's Academy to find it swarmed with protesters. Cordelia recognized a few faces from media footage she'd seen of Westboro Baptist Church. Her smile quickly faded as she looked at her phone. 13 missed calls from Queenie and Zoe. She checked the one voice mail she had.
"Cordelia, it's Zoe! You have to get here as soon as possible! Please call me!'
Cordelia hung up the phone and shoved it in her purse. She looked over at Misty and squeezed her hand tighter than she meant to.
"Misty, whatever happens, stay close to me," said Cordelia in a calm voice that didn't match her eyes.
"What about Bucky?" asked Misty referring to the fox whom she'd named Buckingham Nicks Day.
"Let him lay in the back seat. I'll leave the air on," said Cordelia.
Misty nodded and did as the supreme said. When they got out of the car and walked towards the house holding hands, this made the protesters even angrier. Cordelia rolled her eyes and cleared a path by waving her hand. Zoe, Queenie, a few of the other girls were standing on the porch.
"God hates fags!" yelled a balding man holding a sign.
"Hmm...I think you're right, " said Queenie lighting a cigarette and pressing it to her skin.
The man screamed out as the flesh on his arm burned. He ran away, but the rest of the crowd refused to retreat.
"Have you called the police? " Cordelia asked still squeezing Misty's hand tightly.
"They said that they were protected under the First Amendment, " said Queenie bitterly.
"You're all going to hell!" shouted an older woman.
"No, thanks. We've been there before, but I'd be happy to show you the way," Zoe retorted.
"Either you leave, or we'll make you, " Cordelia said forcefully. She was squeezing Misty's hand so hard that Misty had lost the feeling in it.
From somewhere in the crowd, a glass bottle zoomed toward Cordelia's head. She managed to easily deflect it, but Misty was seeing red. She yanked her hand free of Cordelia's and ran into the crowd.
"Misty, don't-"
Before Cordelia could finish, someone had knocked the swamp witch unconscious. It was Cordelia's turn to see red. She pulled an old trick out of her mother's book and stared hard at the man who had punched her. He winced and cried out as his brain temperature skyrocketed.
"Stop it! Please! " the man begged.
Cordelia walked into the crowd and forced the man to lie flat on the ground. She stomped his face with a sharp high heel causing his nose to gush blood. She then stared ferociously at the others.
"Get the fuck off my property right now unless you want to leave in a body bag," Cordelia spat.
The protesters didn't need told twice. Cordelia and the girls rushed over to Misty. She was out cold. She looked lifeless.
"Baby, please wake up, " said Cordelia clinging to her lover.
"She needs to go to the hospital!" said Zoe.
Cordelia nodded but still held on to Misty. It took two girls to pull her away.
"Miss Cordelia, you need to move," said Mendy gently.
"Someone get Bucky to the greenhouse, " said Cordelia shakily.
Everyone stared in confusion.
"The fox! Get the fucking fox out of the car!" Cordelia snapped.
Three of the girls ran to Cordelia's car. The rest stood frozen waiting for further instructions. The only sound until the ambulance arrived was the sound of Cordelia struggling to breathe.
"I have to go with her!" Cordelia yelled.
"You're too hysterical. I'll ride with her," said Zoe patiently.
"She's right," said one of the paramedics putting Misty on a stretcher.
"I can drive you," Dawn offered touching her shoulder.
That's when Cordelia saw it, what Misty wouldn't tell her. She saw Dawn's hand trailing up Misty's skirt then Misty throwing her away. Cordelia used her powers and threw her back just as abruptly as Misty had. She could never seem to protect the woman she loved.
"Are you okay?" Mendy asked.
"Queenie, help Dawn pack her things before I break her neck," Cordelia seethed, her eyes cutting into Dawn viciously.
"Oh, he'll no I-"
The animosity in Cordelia's glare made Queenie too nervous to keep talking. Cordelia had never felt more remorse or more rage. Even Fiona never made her feel quite like this. She ran to the car before anyone could stop her and drove recklessly fast to the hospital.
"How is she? " asked Cordelia urgently.
"The doctor said she has a concussion, " said Zoe.
"And she hasn't woken up yet?"
Zoe shook her head.
"They're going to keep her here for observation after she does, " said Zoe.
Cordelia gasped as she entered the room. Misty looked like a porcelain doll, pale and still and beautiful but lifeless...so lifeless.
"Misty, baby? Can you hear me?" said Cordelia gently.
Misty made a few groaning noises but didn't wake. She mumbled a few things in her sleep, including Cordelia's name.
"Yes, I'm right here," Cordelia whispered.
Nothing. Zoe had gone to get Cordelia an overnight bag, so Cordelia stood by the bed in silence. She pressed the back of her hand to Misty's forehead. It was cold and clammy. Since Misty showed no signs of waking any time soon, Cordelia retired to a chair and fell asleep.
"Mrs. Fox?" the doctor said nudging Cordelia who came alive at once.
"Hmm," Cordelia replied.
Misty sat up slowly and looked over at Cordelia, whose heart skipped a beat, and gave her a weak smile.
"Misty! How are you?" Cordelia asked more demanding than she meant.
"She has some internal bruising, but she seems otherwise okay. We still need to keep her here until morning to be sure, " said the doctor.
"Okay, thank you, " said Cordelia getting up and walking to Misty's side.
The doctor gave orders to not let Misty fall back asleep until they got home the next day. Then he let them have some privacy. It was now 8 o'clock at night, so there was plenty of time to kill.
"Misty, I'm so sorry, " said Cordelia choking back tears.
"No...no. I'd do it again. I'd do anything to protect you, Delia, " said Misty looking up at Cordelia in adoration.
"I would do the same for you. I've failed you miserably, " said Cordelia now barely audible.
Misty grabbed both of Cordelia's hands and kissed them. Cordelia released the sob in the back of her throat.
"You didn't fail me. Don't talk like that," said Misty, her tone making her own head ache.
"I love you more than you'll ever know, Misty Day, " said Cordelia sitting down on the edge of the bed.
The witches kissed much lightly than either of them wanted to, but Cordelia didn't want to risk causing Misty's head more pain.
"Come on, Delia," Misty almost pleaded.
"The doctor said you need to relax," said Cordelia trying to hide the longing in her own eyes.
"Do you always follow the rules? " asked Misty teasingly.
"If it means doing what's best for the ones I love, yes," said Cordelia.
"Fine," Misty sighed.
Cordelia wrapped her arms around Misty and closed her eyes.
"If I can't sleep, you can't, " said Misty pinching Cordelia's arm.
"I'm the supreme. I can do whatever I want," Cordelia said smirking.
"My bed, my rules," said Misty.
" You're a little shit, you know that? " Cordelia laughed letting go of Misty.
"Hey, where you going? " asked Misty frowning.
"I have to make a quick phone call. I'll be right back, promise," said Cordelia.
