Dave looked out the window of the plane. He couldn't believe that he was returning to America after two and a half years. What had once seemed familiar to him was now going to be strange and distant. He wasn't sure if he liked the sound of that, even if it was better than having to pay in pounds.

To tell the truth he had been under the impression they were never going to go back. Then, just a week ago, Balthazar had come to practice and said;

"Horvath and Morgana were sighted in Africa."

Dave had waited, wondering if this was anything to do with him.

"Africa's far away," he said after a while.

"Duly noted. I do know rudimentary geography," Balthazar said.

"Sorry."

"So you should be. But I have been to Africa a total of two times," said Balthazar, "I have no connections there, and no influence with the local Merlinians."

Again Dave wondered when his Master was going to start making sense.

"So they've obviously forgotten about us," continued Balthazar, "Or they've found something more pressing. We're going back to the big apple in a week. I've booked a flight."

By his feet Tank rolled over, eager to be scratched. Dave complied, looking with worry at the animal.

"The flight takes animals. So he'll just be in a carrier, under a seat. By which I mean, your seat," Balthazar said, understanding the look, "You think I'd give you something and then make you leave it behind?"

Dave shrugged. He didn't understand anything Balthazar did.

"For future reference, I wouldn't," continued Balthazar, "Training's off for today. I suggest you start packing instead."

He turned and walked off after that. It took nothing for him to rearrange their lives. Dave wondered more than ever where his Master and guardian had come from. Although Dave couldn't picture him any older or younger than he was currently, by Balthazar's own admission he had been an apprentice. Had he moved around a lot when he was young? Had he undergone the moves for the same reasons? Was that why he had such a cavalier attitude towards going to different places? Did he even have any friends?
There was Ambrosius, but he didn't think Ambrosius counted. It was also starting to worry him about how old Balthazar was exactly. He looked like he was somewhere in his mid-to-late thirties, but he seemed older. Him getting on with the thousand-year-old Ambrosius was another clue. How many years ago had Balthazar been born? More worryingly, how many centuries ago had Balthazar been born?

It wasn't like he could just go up and ask him. Balthazar always found a way to elude personal questions. So he was hiding something. That made Dave uncomfortable. Of course he trusted Balthazar. Balthazar had saved his life. He had taught him magic. Dave had been under his care for around three years. It was hard not to trust someone after all of that.

At the same time Balthazar had saved his life. He had taught him magic. Dave had been under his care for around three years. And he knew nothing about him. Balthazar might have made it his job to save his life, that made sense. Dave got the feeling he didn't just pick up orphan boys, take them in, and teach them to do magic though.

There was also the ring that had once been a small statue of a dragon. So the reaction meant he was going to be a powerful sorcerer. Well and good, even though he suspected that Balthazar had lied about that. No matter how good Dave got with magic he wasn't hero material. Yet, Morgana said that Balthazar was only supposed to take one apprentice. That meant that, as cliché as it sounded, the ring was destined for him. At the time he had been in danger and then Balthazar had carted him off to England. In the excitement he'd forgotten about the incident.

With homecoming came a whole new set of worries. How long exactly had Balthazar known Morgana? The more he went over that day in Chinatown the more he realized that she must have known him. There was a deep hatred between them that was caused by more than just being in different orders.

The same went for Horvath, though he could tell his hatred for him was something special, even more so than his hate for Morgana. Balthazar might now possess the Grimhold, but he hadn't always. He hadn't always had something that they desperately wanted. So, what had he done to them? Or, more likely, what had they done to him?

Whatever it was, it must have been terrible. Dave wondered if that was connected to Balthazar's lack of friends or family. If Horvath had been willing to bleed and kill a young boy he had never met for longer life, then what would they do to someone they actively hated? It couldn't be good.

Even his kidnapping raised questions. Morgana needed longevity potions to stay young. Horvath didn't. How come he could stay young while his mistress couldn't? Weren't they from around the same time period? Was there something, somewhere that he was missing? There must be. He just couldn't see it.

From underneath his seat Tank whined. They were making their descent now and the sudden drop of the plane must have upset him. Other than that his dog had enjoyed their flight. Balthazar had told him that if Tank yapped all through the twelve hour flight he'd throw him off the plane. Dave assumed he was joking, but he didn't want to take any chances. So it was a good thing that Tank liked flying and had been relatively quiet.

His eyes slid over to Balthazar, who was busy filling out landing cards. He trusted his Master. He did. Dave knew that Balthazar wouldn't harm him, and had given him a sort of home. He was starting to wonder if Balthazar trusted him though. Hadn't he earned a little trust? Nothing big, but enough to know the man who had taken him in would be fine. Home wasn't anything without trust.

One day he would ask when he couldn't stand not knowing any longer. Dave didn't know when that day would be, but he both dreaded it and looked forward to it. That day would show how much trust Balthazar really had in him. He just hoped that it would be enough for him to continue to trust Balthazar.

The plane touched down. Even before the 'fasten seatbelt' sign was off Balthazar had unbuckled and was getting their luggage out from the overhead compartment. Dave got up and took Tank's carrier with him from under his seat. Balthazar handed him his backpack. He jerked his head towards the front of the plane.

"Welcome home."

Dave smiled nervously. He sure hoped so.