Seeing the pain and...vulnerability in Maleficent's eyes as she told her story, then ASKED-not demanded-her to return touched something inside Christina. It showed her grandmother in a somewhat different light. But still...
"I-I think I feel I understand you...Grandmother", she said, acknowledging the familial bond out loud for the first time. "But Your castle, the moors...I'm not comfortable there.
"It is your home, Christina", she replied, touched that her grand-daughter was finally accepting her, even if only a little.
"Wait", Red interjected. "There IS another option. I've been keeping Alissa's cottage here in the Hollow livable, just in case she and her family ever returned. You can all stay there, and no one will know but us."
"That, like, sounds safe and fair to me, Christy", Shaggy said. "Plus you could, like, maybe learn more about your parents there."
"And without the dark, unfamiliarity of my domain causing you stress", Maleficent added. "That is acceptable. With Diaval remaining in my castle in my stead and Diablo as a go-between, I can still run my kingdom as well."
"But what about that?" Christina flinched, her powers continuing to flare.
The last thing she wanted to do was burn her mother's cottage to the ground.
"I have just the solution," Maleficent smiled.
A second later there was a necklace around her neck and the flares stopped altogether.
Christina looked from the necklace to her grandmother in confusion.
"What did you..."
"This is what I did for your mother while she was learning" Maleficent explained, "The necklace limits your powers until it's taken off"
"Limits?" Shaggy echoed, "Like, she can't use her powers?"
"Not exactly", she explained. "It binds the unintended flares, and the power of her deliberate magic in proportion to how much control she gains"
"No more flares?" Christina asked nervously, she didn't want to believe it.
"No more," Maleficent nodded.
"Now then," Red smiled cheerfully, "How about dinner?"
…...
Duncan and the others shot out of the portal one by one. Duncan caught clawdeen while Kenny did the same for Frankie who caught Scooby by the tail.
"Um, weren't we supposed to land the closest to where Christina and Shaggy are?" Kenny asked, scratching his head in confusion, "Or did I misunderstand? Because I don't think they're here"
"You're right," Clawdeen sniffed the air, getting to her feet, "They aren't"
suddenly, there was a glowing wand in front of their faces.
"Talk, quickly" the wielder commanded, "Or you'll be sorry"
"Easy, easy," Duncan tried to appease the fairy, "We're only looking for our friends, our portal dropped us here"
"Friends? What friends?"
"They were taken, brought to this world, we only want to bring them home"
A cruel smile split the fairies face, "Let me take you to someone who can help"
…...
"I wondered where your mother started disappearing to," Maleficent remarked, "When she stopped coming home on the weekends"
Christina stood silent in the living room of the cottage that was exactly as her mother had left it. Faded animal sketches tacked to the walls, school books were strewn across a coffee table, a vase of long dried roses in the center. Next to the door was an easel, a half-finished painting covered with a sheet rested on it. Wordlessly, Christina moved through the room peeking into the kitchen, clean and waiting.
"Alissa's room and the guest room is down the hall here," Red directed Christina.
Slowly, Christina moved down the hall, reaching shakily for her mother's door only to freeze.
"I'm right here, Christy," Shaggy said from behind her.
With a deep breath, Christina pushed open the door finding another room frozen in time.
The bed was made up with a colorful patchwork quilt alternating blue and white squares. A thick rug spread before the bed, books left on the bedside table, to the right of the door was a small desk carved with woodland creatures, covered in artwork. Moving farther into the room, Christina pulled the lacy curtains open.
"Her clothes are still in the closet"
Christina turned to face Red.
"Do you want to see?"
"Yes"
Red pulled open the closet.
"Like, are we sure clothing preference isn't genetic?"
Christina didn't hear, however, stepping toward the closet. Slowly running her hands across the flower-print dresses, brightly colored tops and, pleated skirts.
"It's late," Red declared, "I have to be going"
"Thank you," Christina whispered.
"Of course," Red grinned, "I'll see you tomorrow, goodnight"
…...
"Miss Thorn!" Milton Grimm pointedly exclaimed, "what is the meaning of this"
"They fell out of my mirror, claims they're looking for their friends"
"We are," Duncan nodded.
"Why would there be monsters in the realm of fairy tales"
"Because Christina is half-fairy" Clawdeen huffed, already not liking the man before her.
"Please," Kenny interrupted, "Let us start from the beginning"
…...
Will I ever go home? Will I ever see my aunt. Uncle and, cousins again?
It's hard to believe I'm here. In my mother's cottage, in her bed. It's surreal to see this place, to be in this place. Frozen in time, waiting for someone who's never going to return.
Isn't it weird to mourn for the parents I never knew? To wonder what my life would be like if I had? Would they be proud of me or would I be a disappointment? Would I be an only child? Would I have brothers and sisters? Would my powers be so scary or would they finally be under control not about to go haywire every moment of every single day?
It does no use to ask these questions. I'll never have answers but I can't help but ask them. They're always there, lurking in my mind, hiding in my heart.
The only thing I can say for certain is that I miss my parents.
I wish I could have known them.
With that thought, Christina shut her diary, blew out the candle, and settled down to sleep, the what-ifs still swirling through her mind.
But, little did she know far away, hidden deep in the dark where no one would find them, someone was watching with tears of their own.
…...
Short, I know but it's alive which is the point. This story's kind of stop and start which I hate but I can't help it.
A big thank you goes to my friend, DRAGONDAVE45 for all of his help, Lord knows I needed it.
Please, Review.