a/n- So sorry for how long this has taken me to post. Partially, it is because this chapter was so long I decided to break it into two parts for editing purposes and partially because these were sooooo difficult to write. I really hope you like them. Lots of exposition in these two parts.

I realized after the last chapter that I should probably mention that all the events from Chapter 18 until nearly the end of the story take place concurrently on the same day. A loose timeline is as follows: Beth and Veronica go to LA in the morning, Mick goes to see Dr. Griffith in the morning, Logan goes out for beer about noon, Beth and V go to the House around noon. Mick goes to see Liam early afternoon. Logan goes home and spends the afternoon wallowing. I will post another quick timeline in later chapters as more events happen.

The second part to this should get posted *fingers crossed* in the next day or two. At the very latest, this weekend. After that, it's all downhill from there.

Thank you to everyone who has commented, followed, favorited, or read this story. I am amazed by the response I am getting. As always, I'd love to hear from you!

Revelations: Part 1

"So this is what passes for a coven these days?" Veronica comments dryly, taking in the sand colored building and it's brightly colored sign reading: Hecate House: a Safe Haven for All Women and Children! On the sign, black silhouettes of woman and children playing were surrounded by a rainbow graphic.

Outside the building in a grassy lot, several children were playing on vividly hued playground equipment.

"I was expecting more 'Adams Family' and less 'Sesame Street'," Beth remarks.

"Where are the altars and black candles?"

Beth shrugs. "Maybe they save the good stuff for the tourist?."

"Ooh!" Veronica exclaims, clapping her hands together. "Do you think they've give broom flying lessons? Because I've been told I'd be a natural." In her ear, she can hear Ryder's tittering laughter.

Pulling her out of the car, Beth peruses over their outfits one last time. On the way there, Beth and Veronica had stopped for a quick bite and to review their backstories. It was going to be important that the two of them be on the same page if they didn't want their covers to be blown. Deep down, she didn't think they would really have any trouble gaining access to the place or convincing these women that they were a couple of girls seeking refuge from their tortured lives. But Mick would kill her if she didn't take every precaution to keep herself and Veronica safe.

Beth pulls out the fake ID's she had received from Ryder and groans. Snatching them away, Veronica says, "Are you kidding me?" Looking at the names printed on the ID's , she rolls her eyes. "Apparently my name is Sabrina Eastwick and you are Samantha Eastwick. Ryder, don't you think that's a bit obvious."

Ryder's voice came over the hidden receiver in their ears. "What? Like witches are known for their knowledge of pop culture."

"Remind me to inform Josef of your sense of humor," Beth adds. She was met with dead silence and she knew she had hit the target with her remark. She knew from then on Ryder would keep his comments to himself.

Looking down at the ID's again, Beth frowns. "Okay, Sabrina, what's your story?"

Veronica pauses, a finger to her lips in contemplation. "Hmm. We're sisters, natch. I'm a struggling waitress and you're-"

"-unemployed?" Beth supplies.

Veronica nods. "You've just discovered I've been in an abusive relationship with my boyfriend, Troy, and you've just gotten evicted from your apartment. We have no other family and nowhere else to go."

"You know," Beth suggests, "maybe you should take off some of your make-up. I can only faintly see the bruise under your eye and on your forehead." Tilting her head, she presses a finger to Veronica's cheekbone tenderly.

"Yeah, okay," Veronica shrugs with a nervous smile. "I guess getting beaten up by a movie star will be good for something other than my Fight Club resume." As she looks up at Beth, she arches a brow. "And you should change your outfit. That jacket looks way too expensive for someone who's supposed to be unemployed. It is super cute, though. Where did you get it?"

Laughing, Beth strips off her jacket and tosses it across the seat. "Would you believe Target?"

"No!" Veronica exclaims, and Beth laughs again. "Gimme!" She snatches it off the seat and stares at the tag. "You have to take me shopping with you! Finally, a girl who understands my fashion philosophy."

"You're welcome to borrow anything you'd like. Maybe once we're done here, you could come up to LA and hang out with Mick and I?" The words were out of Beth's mouth before she could think about what she was saying. But when she did pause and think about it, it felt right. She liked Veronica. She liked her sense of humor, her fierce loyalty. Sure, the age difference thing was a little awkward, but what did that matter? Beth hoped that Veronica would seriously consider the offer.

Veronica's face flushes as she bites her bottom lip, shuffling the ID's around on the table absently. "Thanks," she mumbles, not looking up.

Recovering first from the pregnant silence, Beth clears her throat and said, "Okay, so I'm gonna go change, and then will head out. I've got some stuff in my car that might work."

"Um," Veronica interrupts, her gaze hazy and distant while her hands fiddle with her fake ID, "Were you serious about this place being a coven?"

Stalling with a long breath, Beth wonders what to tell the girl. "Maybe. It's just a rumor at this point. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Everything suggests that it's nothing more than a what it seems to be. Why do you ask?"

Veronica shrugs, and her eyes drift off toward the door to the café. Her voice is low and serious. "I guess I've never really thought about it. You know, magic. Do you think they really believe in that stuff?"

The question takes Beth by surprise. Did she believe in magic? The answer used to be a definite 'no'. But dating a vampire had a seriously shifted her view of reality. Could magic, real magic, exist too? "I think that if there are 'witches' there, than they probably do believe it. You know, I've seen a lot of strange stuff, Veronica. Stuff that I never believed was possible before I experienced it for myself. Is that what you want to know? Do I think magic is real?"

"Not in the David Copperfield sense… but yeah." Veronica's eyes blank out again as if she was reliving a memory or lost in deep thought. Beth studies her, wondering where she was going with these questions. Blinking a few times, Veronica shakes her head, clearing the lingering thoughts away and says, "I used to have these dreams. About my friend Lilly, after she died. She would appear to me sometimes, when I needed her most."

The small café feels like it had closed in around them until they were the only ones left. The clanking of silverware and dishes, the low murmur of the other patrons, even the constant drone of the local news on the TV all become washed out. White noise in the background. "What happened?" Beth asks.

Shaking her head, Veronica grins, "she used to tell me how to dress." It slowly spread across her lips, lighting up her eyes for the briefest of moments, before dissolving back into the ether. "I miss her. All the time."

Beth is at a loss. What do you tell someone who's lost a person so important from their life? What would she need to hear if she lost Mick? Her mind goes blank. "Do you really think she was there?"

Veronica emphatically shakes her head 'no' before adding, "I think it was just my unconscious mind trying to hang on to my memories of her. You know, latent neurons firing in times of stress or whatever. Still, I wanted it to be real." She lets out a long, sad sigh. "I want to be the type of person that has faith. But that's not me anymore," she states with a firm shake of her head. Her chest hitches in rapid succession just before her whole body slumps back into the seat. "Sometimes, though….sometimes… I miss that Veronica desperately."

Beth realizes something. This is the first time Veronica has ever spoken these thoughts out loud to anyone. Even to herself. She decides to offer what advice she can. Normally, she would reach out and take the girl's hand in her own, but Veronica doesn't seem like the type of person that would be comfortable with a gesture like that. Instead, she leans back, away from the girl and hugs herself. "You know, Veronica, just because you may have imagined your friend's presence, doesn't make her any less real. And really, who's to say it couldn't have been her spirit that you saw. There is so much about the world that we just don't know." Like vampires, apparently, Beth wants to add.

"Yeah." Veronica wavers for a moment more in that realm of memory before suddenly snapping herself out of it with a visible jerk of her body. "Sorry, got a little Gilmore Girls on you, there." She chuckles lightly and slips the ID card into her jean pocket. "We've wasted enough time in the land of metaphysics. What say we go explore the world of witchcraft."

Beth huffs out a little laughs and nods her agreement. Before they leave the cafe, Beth places a hand on Veronica's shoulder, stalling her. "Look, Veronica, I know you don't know me very well, but I want you to know that whatever you want to say, you can just say it. I'm not going to judge you."

Maybe she imagines it, but when Veronica looks up to meet her eyes, Beth can see the relief there.

…

They are met just inside the front door by a tall, heavy-set woman wearing a bright yellow t-shirt bearing the same logo as the sign outside. Striding up to them purposefully, the woman smiles softly while taking in their appearance. Her eyes dart immediately to the small, fading bruises around Veronica's face and arms and she offers her a pitiful look which makes Veronica cringe inwardly. "Welcome to Hecate House, ladies. The name's Nan. How can I help you?" Her tone is loud, but sincere, and Veronica is somewhat humorously reminded of her old biology teacher, Ms. Stanhope, who used to start each class by shouting out - Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species…Repeat! - until the whole class reluctantly shouted the taxonomic classification along with her. Stubborn Stanhope, she used to call her, but only ever to herself. After all, she didn't have anyone else to tell that year.

The small, bright blue lobby area is sporadically populated with women and children, all of whom seem preoccupied by their own misery. Veronica tries not to stare at their faces. She can read such a mixture of emotions from them; fear, relief, worry, sadness, happiness, anger, that her chest feels caved in. Kids who should be bubbly and playful sat sullenly in the seats, staring dead-eyed at Dr. Suess or Harry Potter while their mothers hovered possessively over their shoulders, their own faces a blank mask. Focus, she reminds herself.

Beth takes lead and introduces herself and Veronica as "Sam and Sabrina." Veronica is impressed how Beth has effortlessly she has inflected her voice to appear scared and insecure, just like their cover identities would have been.

In her role as 'the abused girlfriend, Veronica does her best to remain quiet, invisible. Unfortunately, she could play this role far too well. She'd seen the actions and behaviors of battered women dozens of times when her dad was Sheriff and then later as a PI. Eyes down, shoulders hunched, arms around your waist. Jump a little when spoken too, like you're expecting the next blow to come at any moment. Smiles that never come close to reaching the eyes. Keep your hands in your sleeves, shy away from physical contact. Never volunteer anything about yourself. Never put yourself in a position to be noticed.

And then her focus was slipping. To Logan. To the summer before Lilly was killed. His father was in between movies that summer and was always at home. Logan had seemed so different then. At times, he was fine. Playful, flirtatious, eyes sparkling with mischief. But then his mood would change, shift into this snappish, sour thing. At the time, Veronica had thought it had to do with Lilly's mercurial shifts in affection, and Logan's own proclivity to be misanthropic. But knowing what she knew now about Aaron…

She repressed a shudder, knowing she had to keep focused on the here and now. But she couldn't help the way her heart was aching for Logan. How did she never notice what was happening to him? What kind of friend was she?

Nan's voice brings Veronica back to the moment. Unfortunately, she had completely blanked for most of Beth's rendition of their cover story and hoped none of the details they had discussed had changed.

"So, you'll be needing a place to stay," Nan surmises. "That's no problem at all. We could use a couple of people to help out in our nursery if you're up for it. Here at the House our goal is to get you back on your feet and help you find happiness with your own life. We've found that giving women a chance to earn their way, to work, and to make a difference is important in this process." She speaks as if she's spouting a sales pitch, and the way she smiles as she hands a pamphlet over to Beth, makes Veronica want to whip out her most sarcastic comments.

Thankfully, Beth has a better grip on her composure and she thanks the lady for the literature. "Would it be weird to ask if we could take a look around? I kind of don't trust new places and I promised to keep my sister safe." Her voice hovers between nervous and hopeful as she wrings the pamphlet in her hands.

Wow, she's really good at this, Veronica thinks. I need to ask her for method acting lessons. Maybe when I go visit her in LA. It occurs to her that she has assumed already that she will maintain the relationship with Beth after this is over.

Way to go, Veronica. See, you can overcome your trust issues. Well, some of them, anyway.

A second later, she is already thinking about how Beth probably was just making the offer to visit to be nice.

"Absolutely," Nan agrees. She knocks on a door behind her, letting a co-worker know that she is going to be busy and turns back to them. "I'll be happy to show you our House. In fact, maybe you'd like to meet the founder? She's in her office today and she always loves speaking with new clients. Not that you're just a client. You are our friend." She adds quickly in afterthought, and Veronica bites down hard on her bottom lip. "Anyway, why don't you come with me?"

Beth nods, and shoots a look at Veronica that says: keep your eyes peeled - not that she needed the reminder, she's already catalogued each and every person and object in the room. As they exit the lobby, Veronica feels the first prick of nervous adrenaline shoot through her. Not surprisingly, it's a feeling she's missed.

Hecate House feels much larger on the inside than it looked from the outside. Nan leads them through a series of connected corridors, some with rooms branching off, some just empty. The hallways mostly connect the sleeping quarters for all the women who live there, not unlike a hotel or a dorm. Inspirational posters, landscapes, black and white photos, and prints of famous artwork always grouped by subject all decorate the different hallways. Nan explains the posters as a way to tell which hallway they are in, each hall having its own cutesy nickname. Currently they are in the 'Positively Paws' wing. Veronica stares at a picture of a kitten in a tree and wishes there was a bathroom nearby. It's like she's trapped in a maze. A maze made up of her worst nightmares. She wonders if there is an exit to this hell.

Nan turns a corner and says, "We call this Daisy Lane," motioning to the various framed prints of flowers. The walls themselves are painted a bright fuchsia and the few doors adjoining this hall are actually open. Inside, the class-like rooms are filled with papers, boxes, computers, and shelves of books. "This is our learning center. We hold all sorts of classes in here, everything from school for the kiddies to job training to online college courses. Most of the classes we offer are staffed by former residents of the House. A lot of people who have lived here really feel the need to give back. It's a great system." Nan beams proudly and bounces off down the corridor. Veronica clenches her hands and literally bites down on her tongue.

Turning left, then right, Nan finally comes to a stop at the end of a corridor with a set of double doors. A small plaque with an engraved name is the only indication of where they are. She takes hold of the handle to enter, but changes her mind. "Um, this is Ms. Marla's office. She's in the middle of renovating, so it's probably a mess in there. But you nevermind that. I'm sure she'll be happy to meet you and answer any questions you might have."

"Ms. Marla?" Beth asks.

"Marla Peters. She's the founder." Nan's eyes shine with admiration. "Well, one of them. She's such a great lady. I think you are going to love her." She opens the door without knocking and motions for them to follow her in.

She was not kidding about the mess, Veronica thinks, taking a look around the room. I think Nan took us to a storage unit, not an office. What she can see of the office is such a throwback to the seventies that she has to bite back her laughter. Shag carpeting, dark paneled wood walls. Even a couple of avocado green chairs flank the big desk in the center. She's disappointed that there's not incense burning and pan flute music playing to complete the image.

The remodel is clearly going slowly. One wall has been repainted to a greyish taupe color and a couple of newer looking leather wingbacks sit under a drop cloth. The rest of the room is a collection of boxes and plastic tubs, painting supplies, and filing cabinets. There's so much clutter it takes her a minute to locate the elusive Ms. Marla, who is bent over stacks of papers in a corner, sorting them into boxes.

"Ms. Marla?" Nan calls, and an older black woman looks up with a smile. "I've got some ladies here that would like to meet you."

Ms. Marla abandons her sorting job and steps forward. She's dressed in old overalls and a t-shirt and absolutely nothing like Veronica expected. She's even older up close, probably approaching seventy, with very dark skin, and long braided hair held back with a yellow bandana. Hands on hips, her deep brown eyes crinkle with amusement as she looks them over. "Well, Nan. Who have you brought me?" Her voice is light and merry, and Veronica feels such warmth and authority radiating from this lady, she's reminded, oddly enough, of her father.

"This is Sam," she instructs, placing a hand on Beth's shoulder, "and her sister, Sabrina," nodding towards Veronica. "Sam has decided that she needed some help after she lost her job and apartment and then found out her sister's relationship with her boyfriend, Troy, was putting her in danger."

Marla nods in understanding, as if this was an all-too-common tale. "Of course. Well, you've made the right decision. Sam, Sabrina-" she holds out her wrinkled hands to each of them , "-it is very nice to meet you."

If Veronica hadn't been paying such close attention, she would have missed the flash of alarm in Marla's eyes when she shook Beth's hand. Then, almost as soon as it appeared, she furrows her brow, and the friendly expression was back again. But Veronica knows that look. It's a look that says that she knows there's a lie being told.

Wanting to deter the woman from catching any further lies, Veronica clears her throat before interjecting, "Um, I just want to say that I'm really grateful for you guys letting us stay here. We've been trying to find someplace, but, you know, money's tight, and no one else was willing to help." She flashes them her puppy-dog eyes and smiles sincerely. It's the look that wins over her dad every time. They return the smile easily, Marla noticeably softening, and Veronica relaxes. Crisis averted.

"Oh, no problem, dear. No problem at all," Nan replies bashfully. It's the first time the volume of her voice has dropped to anything resembling normal human levels. "It's just what we do. We help each other, and we've all been in bad places before." She looks to Marla for affirmation, but the older lady doesn't seem to notice.

Beth jumps in. "So what's your story, Nan, if you don't mind my asking?"

Nan's face flushes and she says, "Not at all. I was an addict. Drugs, drink…sex. Been here about 5 years and been sober ever since. This place, they're like family, you know? They look out for you. Care about you. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't come here." She trails off while looking pointedly at Beth, and all Veronica can think is, Sex? Gross. And she probably doesn't even know anything. We need someone who was here when Lana was.

"That's really amazing," Beth says, laying it on thick. Veronica wants so badly to roll her eyes that she can feel them twitching. "And what about you, Ms. Marla?"

The lady, who up until now, has been silently studying Beth, blinks rapidly before heartily laughing. "Oh, please, just call me Marla. Nan here is about the only one who calls me miss." She crosses her arms and tilts her head in towards Beth, like she going to tell her a secret. "Makes me feel old," she adds quietly. Nans eyes grow wide, but she refrains from commenting until Marla starts laughing again. "Oh, Nan. I am old. Don't mind my teasing you. You go right ahead and call me what you want."

"What if I want to call you a crazy old biddy?" Nan shoots back angrily. Beth turns to Veronica with a small smile playing across her lips. Clearly she's enjoying this as much as Veronica is.

"Well, then I s'pose I'd deserve it. Come on, Nan. Our guests probably think their hosts are a bunch of loons." She sighs and moves slowly towards her desk, indicating to the girls to have a seat in the chairs facing her.

Beth takes a seat, but before Veronica can join her, Marla holds out a hand. "Um, Sabrina. Would it be terribly presumptuous of me to ask to speak to your sister alone for a few minutes? I'm sure Nan here would love to finish giving you a tour of our facilities. Maybe she could show you to the room we have for you?"

Veronica can't help herself as she groans. I've got to go hang out with Paula Deen over there by myself? Are they trying to get put away for murder? She ties to cover the noise with a quick cough, but she flushes with embarrassment at the slip up. Thankfully, neither lady is paying her any attention at all. Then, it hits her what is actually about to happen. Getting separated was not exactly part of the plan. Panicked, her blood runs ice cold as she looks to Beth for instructions. Making signals with her eyes, she tries to ask Beth what she wants to do. With the slightest of nods, Beth instructs her to go with Nan. She then gives a little scratch on her ear, a reminder Veronica that Ryder was still listening should either of them face any real trouble.

Veronica turns to Marla and smiles demurely, fluttering her lashes a few times for good measure. "That'd be really nice." She hopes any nervous looks she's given off only translate as worried about being away from her 'sister' and not being trapped in that Hallway Hell with Nan.

Taking her by the hand, Nan uses her considerable girth to gently prod Veronica out the office door. She calls back into the room as she's leaving, "Don't worry, Sam, I'll make sure to take good care of her."

Beth spins around from the closing door to see Marla studying her with a curious hard gaze. The soft, easy smile she had been sporting is gone, replaced by a wariness that sets Beth's nerves on edge. "Um," she stutters, not sure why the lady had wanted to speak to her alone, "so, I guess I should –."

Folding her hands lightly a top her desk, Marla raises her head and narrows her eyes until they are like small blacken embers. "Let's start with you telling me why you are really here, Beth Turner, and go from there," she states simply.