Baz

It was him. The Mage. I know it was fucking him. Penny's theory has confirmed it. He killed her, fuck. I'm going to explode, like Simon does. He did it, just to fucking cease power. I need to kill something. To hunt.

I cant.

I press my head into my hands, grounding myself. I cant. I cant. I cant. No, I won't.

Unless it's him.

If I saw him right now, I know I would do it. I'd rip his throat out and watch his blood run down his stupid Robin Hood costume. Fangs or not.

Simon, I need Simon.

No, he'd shrug it off. Deny it. He wouldn't even talk.

I think I want him anyway.

"I might be wrong, Baz," Penny says, voice quiet.

My hands tighten into my hair. "No," I growl. "It was him. It's always been him."

A hand comes to rest on my shoulder, and I feel the bed dip as Penny sits beside me, "I'm sorry."

I draw a shaky breath, "please don't, Penny."

Her hand moves in between my shoulder blades, running circles. "Ok."

I lean into her, hiding my face in her shoulder as tears start to fall. I'm breaking, all over again. Because of the Mage. And Simon's not here.

Simon

I can't think. Oh Christ, I can't even breathe. I don't know if I've stopped running or if I still am. Everything's hot.

It's happening again.

I hope I don't hurt anyone.

He hurt me.

Baz

Penny's still got her arm around me when I feel it. Simon's magic.

I sit bolt upright, and everything else suddenly slips away.

He's gone off.

Penny stands too, her hand clutching my arm, "Baz? Do you feel that?"

My chest constricts, "Simon."

I need to find him; this one feel's bad.

Penny's already heading to the door, ready to fight. I follow, grabbing my wand. If someone's- Crowley, if he's hurt, I might end up killing something after all, and I don't think I'll care. Manticore or Humdrum. Imagine that, the Chosen One's enemy slaying the Humdrum for him. The Mage will be seething.

She stops me as we reach the door, blocking it. "Baz, you're hurt."

I push past her, trying to focus on where his magic is coming from, "I don't really care, Penny."

She cut's in front of me, "you should! If not for yourself then for him."

"Penny, If something happens and I could have stopped it-" I don't have time for this, I need to get to him. Fast.

She keeps up, "just let me handle whatever it is, alright? You look after Simon."

I think I can agree with that.

Simon

I don't know where I am. I'm somewhere, but it feels like nowhere. Moving. A space between spaces.

Baz

This isn't supposed to be here. It's supposed to be the old sports shed, full of dust and old equipment. It's not.

It's a nursery.

I look to Penny, confused. Simon's magic led us here. It's so strong I can barely see past it. But why…

"It hid itself away when it's ward's failed," she whispers.

I look again, and I remember the photo from The Record. Blackened and charred. My Nursery. The first breach in Watford history. I swallow. It happened here. This is where she died.

Then why is Simon's magic… I step inside with my wand raised, searching. Everything is covered in ash and soot, the cots rotting away. But there's no manticore. No Insidious Humdrum.

Just Simon.

He's curled up on the ground in the centre of the room, hands over his head.

And he's crying.

I run.

His magic is filling the room, hot. There's a second wave coming. Gently, I move his arms out of the way. I almost recoil. His cheek is red. Inflamed and angry. His tears have left tracks through the thin layer of dust on his face. I sit him up, holding his shoulders, and I realise that he's trembling. I cup his uninjured cheek, "Simon."

He won't look at me, "the Mage, he-" A sob wracks through him, and his shoulders shake, "Baz."

Simon

He's pulling me into his lap, holding me, and I think Penny's here as well. Baz is whispering something and I can't hear the words, but he's close. Too close. They're both too close. It's going to happen again. I need- they're too close.

I won't be able to shield them. Not this time.

"-Simon, love. It's alright. We've got you. Deep breathes now."

Baz

I don't know if he can hear me, but I'm going to keep talking till I know that he can. Penny's got her arm around us both, and she's running a hand through his hair. I keep talking, "Just breathe, It's over, you're fine." I've never said these words before; I wanted too, every damn time. But I never did. I prodded instead. I'm holding him now, and I'm kind of scared because this hasn't happened before, and he might go off again. He's usually up on his feet pretty soon after, bothered and irritable, but okay none the less.

Why did he come here? It looks like he's the one that scorched it, but it's been like this for thirteen years.

Simon's grip on my shirt tightens, "going to happen again. Leave."

Penny kisses his hair, "we're not leaving you, Simon."

He stirs, trying to move away. "Not safe," he says, voice strained.

I gently turn his face to me, gripping his hand, "share it with me. I'll use some of it for you." We've done it before and it was fine, and if it helps now I'll bloody well do it again. He's thinking it over, but he looks worried.

"It'll work, Simon," Penny says, encouraging.

He swallows, "I'll try."

And then he starts to push.

Penny yelps, pulling her hand away. His magic must sting her like it had last time. I don't know why it doesn't hurt me. It's uncomfortable, at first, but then it settles and it feels like power. Hot and inextinguishable. He's watching me carefully, ready to stop at the first sign of my discomfort. If it hurt I wouldn't show him, he can't hold it all by himself.

But the feeling of the sheer strength of his magic at my fingertips… Crowley, if someone else other than Simon had this power, someone less kind. It's a fearful thought. I need to get rid of it, just in case. I try not to focus on where we are, willing us somewhere else. I think I know the rhyme.

I look up, willing the magic into my words, "twinkle twinkle little star, up above the world so high!"

And then there are stars.

Like last time, I'm not actually sure if we're in space; we just seem to be floating. Simon's still pushing, holding us here. Wherever here is. The room's gone, or at least we can't see it. I'm glad. Penny's on her feet, gaping at the sight. It is very impressive. Beautiful. It's all him.

Simons sits up a bit now and loosens his grip on my shirt, gazing up at the stars. He seems calmer, and his tears have slowed down. I draw him closer, resting my chin on his head, "you're bloody amazing, Simon."

"You cast the spell."

"Your magic."

He breathes, resting his head against me. "Guess so."

Penny turns to us, "Simon this is- wow!" And she's off again, turning in circles as she admires a nebula.

I won't ask him to stop, he will when he's given enough. There must be a lot, he doesn't let up. And I'd been angry earlier. I didn't realise or think if…

Simon goes still suddenly, and I can feel him thinking.

I run my thumb over his hand, "Simon?"

He tilts his head up a little, so I have to lift my chin. "Baz, is your heart beating?"

Well that's interesting. He shouldn't be able to hear it. It's supposed to be quiet, and slow. Even if it's excited.

"Baz?"

"It always beats, you dolt. I wouldn't bleed if it didn't."

His brow furrows, "yeah, but it's loud."

"Well I did just have the living daylights scared out of me."

He puts his head back against my chest, "sorry."

I frown, "Christ, Simon. What on earth are you apologising for? It's not your fault."

"But it is, Baz," he whispers, "this is why he…"

He pulls away from me, his magic too. I hear Penny give a small groan of disappointment as the stars disappear.

And we're in the old sport's shed. Like we're supposed to be.

Simon stands, not seeming to notice, "Baz, he- your fangs."

He's gone pale. I stand up with him, worried he's got amnesia or something. I hold his arms, steadying him, "Simon, I know."

He shakes his head, looking in pain. "No! He, fuck, he tried to get me to…"

Penny goes over to him, resting a hand on his back, "what are you trying to say, Simon."

He's teary again, "he wanted me to drink something. He said it would give me control."

"Over your magic?" I ask.

He nods, "he said it wouldn't give me the usual consequences, and the vial, it had… I thought it had dust in it."

Penny's brow as furrowed, "what do you mean by consequences, Simon? What consequences?"

Consequences, always consequences. The Mage took the rats because I missed school, but I don't think that's what Simon means.

"It wasn't dust," he says, starting to shake again, "in the vial, it wasn't dust. I think …I think he crushed them."

I frown, "crushed?"

He looks at me, pained, and I see it. Sympathy.

…wouldn't give me the usual consequences.

A chill runs down my spine.

"My fangs," I whisper, almost too quiet to hear.

Penny pales, "is that why you went off, Si?"

He shakes his head, "no. I mean, maybe? I got mad, really mad. I wanted to kill him. I don't think I would have, but he…"

I look at his cheek, still angry and red.

It doesn't matter if Simon would have killed the Mage or not.

I'm going to.