Author's note: Don't hate me just yet...
Escaping the noise was way harder than avoiding the rest of the guests as they slipped away, heading upstairs. Out of all the rooms in the manor, somehow both seemed to gravitate towards the one that held the most history in it. Webby's room.
Lena walked in, avoiding looking at her left, instead, her eyes wandered up, finding the glow-in-the-dark stars that seemed to gaze back at her.
Webby closed the door behind them and suddenly the silence became so much more violent than any word either of them could utter.
Lena instinctively gazed at a dark shadow as if planning an escape route. She could easily teleport with one of them and be out of there in less than a second, but the time to flee had passed, now was the time to stand her ground.
"I've...missed you" Webby spoke first, awkwardly holding her hands behind her back.
Lena averted her eyes "I've missed you too" she meant to say 'long before these past few weeks'. She had missed how things used to be between them, how the sleepovers used to be their thing, how they were a duo, how she could tell her anything, and even when words didn't work, Webby was able to read her. It had been a while since the last time Lena felt that assurance. And now, here they were.
Another pause prolonged, how to even start?
"I'm...sorry I snapped about the string and shoved June into a bookshelf with my magic"
That's what had started the rift in the first place, right? But as the words came out, it didn't feel like it was the center of the problem anymore.
Webby felt it too as she twiddled her thumbs.
"I...I am sorry as well, for-for what I said to you, for how I reacted. I-I know you didn't mean to" Webby offered. She wanted to jump into her arms and hug her, but something kept her from doing just that.
"Didn't I?" Lena huffed. She was sorry she had hurt June and that she exhibited such low self-control, but...her actions had been a reflection of how she had felt at the time. She would even have fought Magica herself to preserve that string. In fact, she already had "I...know it was uncalled for, it just...touched a nerve" she didn't dare to elaborate on it "Luckily, June didn't take that first impression to heart, so, you know? she and I are good" she tentatively tried to smirk "Just like you wanted, right?"
Why did that stung Webby? It shouldn't have, it was true, wasn't it? She had been mad at Lena for being mean to her sister and the teen had apologized- twice already- for it. So it should be all good! Better than good! They were getting along, they were close...closer than Lena and her had been lately.
"Ye-yeah" Webby smiled through her own deceiving thoughts "She's- she's lucky to have you help her" the words tasted sour, she wanted to mean them, but couldn't bring herself do it.
"One more name to add to the list of manipulated kids under the control of an abusive adult, huh?" she said dryly "Boyd and I needed new members" she swallowed the knot on her throat "the only thing she's missing are blue eyes and it's the whole set" Lena tugged at her own friendship bracelet "At least if I have been any good at this is because...I learned from the best..." she mumbled, thinking back at their shared history "I put you through the very worst, hands down a literal nightmare once and still..." she stopped herself, unwilling to let emotion take over "you really should have given up on me long ago, but you didn't so...I'm-I'm trying to be that person for her"
There was something hanging in the air, a kind of tension that was hard to describe, words weren't enough between them, or at least, not those words.
"I-" Webby felt conflictive emotions swirling inside. She didn't like it, because her head said one thing, something rational and well-executed, like a plan or a board she could organize and draw conclusions from, but her heart? Her heart was completely torn "I wish you had been that person for me" the words left her before they were even registered. She blushed madly trying to catch up to the events "I'm-I'm glad you are helping June, I am, I am" she stressed to herself "But I needed help too, I...I needed you"
Lena was caught off guard "Wh-what?"
"I just found out recently that all my life was a lie! That-that Granny kept so many secrets from me, that nothing I thought I knew was true! I-I wanted to talk to someone who wouldn't judge me, someone who was not directly involved by blood in any of this, I thought- I wanted it to be you! But... you never reached out"
The accusation impaled Lena deep and sharp "How could I?!" she refuted, trying to figure out why she was yelling at Webby, why was something boiling inside? Why did she felt so...hurt? "I didn't felt like I could talk to you! You- you literally turned your back and ran off with May to find June! We had been friends for so long and you just-! You made a choice!" saying it out loud didn't make her feel better, as she came to realize the resentment ringing in her voice "You got yourself into enemy lines without telling anyone, without asking anyone for help, you left everyone behind!" Her chest ached like it never had before as the pounding got louder in her ears. She had been mad at Webby, she had been hurt by her actions.
"I was trying to find out who I was!" Webby stood in front of her "You are probably the only one that could understand that!" she said brokenly "That's why it wounded me so much! Everything I thought I knew was a complete lie! Who my parents were, who I was related to, who I was!" she untangled her bow, throwing it to the ground "And I can't talk to anyone about it! Not to Granny or the boys and definitely not Scrooge McDuck -my dad!" she exploded "I was a lab experiment! Just like June and May" she tried to meet her eyes through her teary ones "And maybe I wasn't raised by F.O.W.L. like them, but I still was their first attempt. I am like you. And I thought I could say all this to my best friend"
"Am I your best friend?" Lena challenged back, guarded, finally gazing at the wall to find what she was already expecting, a cut string. "You could have tied it back together, put on a new one, or at least throw away the old one. Any sign would have done it, but I couldn't figure you out. You re-arranged everything on your board but that...was I supposed to assume it's because we were on good terms?" her voice betrayed how much that had weighed on her.
Webby felt her own blood run cold at her words. She hadn't thought...she hadn't wanted to admit all the little things that were clearly pulling them apart, that she too had been actively pushing her away, because something had scared her when they started to grow closer.
Lena exhaled defeatedly "...I didn't know you felt that way about the whole situation with Scrooge and the others, but I wish I had. Because I would have loved to help you back, to finally, for once in my life, do justice to our friendship and not be the only one taking" she chuckled dryly to herself "but we can see how that one ended" Lena couldn't keep going, she felt all her drive and energy be washed away, probably as the result of so many restless nights bearing with this burden of emotions she couldn't untangle. Perhaps she wasn't ready after all, or she simply wasn't strong enough to say what she was feeling regarding the smaller duck. So she reached for the exit, trying to also leave behind what she couldn't face.
"I am sorry about the board" Webby called out, fearing that she might walk out the door without looking back "I didn't mean to push you away I just..." she was unable to say why she couldn't fix it yet, perhaps she was still trying to answer that herself. She shook her head trying to clear her thoughts, and evade that topic "It- it's a piece of thread, it shouldn't have to mean more than that"
The words sunk deep into Lena's being, she even thought she heard something break. Lena's mind took her hostage to a memory of the past, to when she had to let go of her first friendship bracelet because Magica forced her to, that had been only pieces of thread too, but it meant so much more to Lena.
Webby felt how her words had shattered something precious inside the teen. The smaller duckling didn't even mean what she said, but she had been terrified to say what the string meant to her as well, so she tried to take away the power it held over her own heart, but by denying that, she just had severed something else, and she knew it.
"I-I mean, it-it was-"
Lena turned around, tears running down with violent persistence "Don't you know what losing you means to me?!" she shouted, leaving everything in a chaotic silence as their eyes met. A whole conversation was held with just that brief exchange of glances 'If I lose you, I lose everything, I lose myself'.
But that's not what was said out loud.
Lena wiped the salty tears with the sleeve of her signature sweater. She hated that she didn't have a heart or blood, but tears? Those she had to spare "Forget it, Webby. I'm just overreacting again, right? It was just a piece of string" she walked to the board... and removed the remaining part "there, see? Doesn't have to mean more than it is" she placed it over her hands.
Webby saw the red line over her palms "No, Lena, I didn't-"
"It's okay, Pink. Really" she smiled. Not out of malice or sarcasm, she just looked...broken "I'm going back to the party" she reached the door but stood there with a hand on the knob "we are still friends, at least on my end" she added weakly "But maybe I am not the best person to talk to, after all. Luckily you have a lot of people that care for you, so-"
Webby couldn't will her body to move, to shout out 'But they are not you!'. She stood still as the door closed. And once alone, she hugged the little piece of string against her heart, where it belonged.
May was sitting by herself, watching everyone else enjoy the dance floor. She had been part of it for a while, but suddenly, the feeling of being among them and not really knowing if she belonged pushed her to find a bit of solitude.
"I see I am not the only one that needed some peace and quiet" Violet approached, sitting down to reach for her glass of soda.
"I got tired," May said. It was true, she just didn't explain in which way.
"Understandable" Violet said "Are you excited to sail again throughout the world?"
May eyed her suspiciously "Why are you asking?"
"Am I not supposed to?" Violet retorted raising a brow.
"Did Lena put you up to it?"
"I beg your pardon?" even under Violet's stoic face, the confusion was clear "What does Lena have to do with my question?"
May noticed belatedly that she had unwillingly gotten into a situation in which she had to explain herself "Nothing. She just...told me I should talk to you"
"A matter about science or the paranormal?" Violet inquired about her areas of expertise.
"No, about..." she gazed around, no one was really there to hear what she was about to say, no one but the hummingbird "about my new family" she found herself admitting. Somehow she didn't felt like the purple bird would judge her for it, or at least her critique would be purely observational, no personal feelings involved, and that she could deal with.
"Oh" Violet said, no trace of emotion on her tone "Then, no. My sister said nothing of the sort to me"
May blinked "You are not going to ask about what?"
"Not unless you want to share," she said matter-of-factly "would you want me to ask?"
May was tongue-tied at that "I don't know" she admitted aback with herself.
"That's acceptable, think it through. It seems like it's an important matter to you, so I won't press"
May found herself smiling at that, fumbling with the edge of her new dress, thinking back at it "I just don't think you could understand" she admitted "you are with a family that planned on having you"
"Ah," Violet said as if realizing something, probably understanding why Lena would have suggested her of all people to help the yellow duckling "Of course, my dads diligently put their efforts into having me form part of the family, but what people tend to forget is that the fact that I was adopted into a loving family means that I had biological parents that didn't plan or wanted me as much. Perhaps their circumstances were precarious, I don't know. But the fact remains that I am not with them. So yes, in a way, I do understand you. I spent my very early years in foster care, I was lucky I got adopted at a young age, but still, the memories are there"
May took a moment to process those words "How did...how did you get used to living with your parents?"
"Through time and effort, on both parts. I admit I was not a conventional child, I represented challenges they were not prepared for, such as some experiments that ended up blowing the kitchen, but they never stopped their efforts on welcoming me into their family. They loved me unconditionally. They wanted a child, I needed a family. I can't picture myself in any other household. They are my home"
The way she said those words as if they were pure facts was somehow comforting. She believed them, she stood by them, she had found her place...so maybe May could find her own too.
If there was something else to be said, it was abruptly interrupted by the shadow materializing out of the darkness as Lena reached for her sister.
"Vi, I'm going home, okay? Can-can you tell our dads?" she did an effort to keep the sob out of her voice, but the tears were still pouring.
"Lena?" Violet grabbed her hand pressing tight "What hap-?" she cut herself off, her frown deepening into an expression of anger "what did Webbigail say to you?"
"No-nothing, this-this one is on me. I should have known better than to think..." she swallowed hard, but her throat still closed.
"Lena?" May called, seeing the always laid-back and fearless teen so distraught was unsettling.
Lena gazed up, she hadn't even noticed her there. A curse escaped the witch's beak as she tried to dry the tears "May, I-I'll come back to see you off at the bay, I-I promise. Tell June I won't let her down, okay?"
That wasn't on May's mind, she hadn't even thought of that, she was ...concerned about Lena "Ye-yeah, I'll tell her"
"Thanks" she took a step back "I'll see you at home, sis"
"Wait" the hummingbird urged.
"I just want to leave" her tone was pleading as a fresh batch of tears threatened to takeover.
"I'll go with you" Violet stood up taking her hand "wait for me at the entrance, I'll tell our parents that we'll start walking home," she said soothingly "don't go on your own, promise me you won't leave with the shadows in this state"
Lena breathed in unevenly, nodding in response. They both knew what personal demons could wait for her in those dark corners if she didn't get her emotions in check first.
"Thank you," Violet said honestly as she hesitantly let go of her hand to go look for their parents.
Lena pulled herself together as best as she could.
"I'll walk you to the door" May offered.
"Don't, it's your party, they'll notice if you are gone," Lena said facing away from everyone else, not wanting preying eyes on her.
"I'll worry about that" May answered firmly.
Maybe it was the determination in her tone or the fact that Lena was ready to flee, but she didn't fight her on the matter.
Just as they were arriving at the entrance, Scrooge McDuck clicked his glass of wine with a golden spoon, managing to get all eyes on him.
"May I have everyone's attention, please?" his smile was grand and open, he was glowing "My nephew would like to say a few words" he allowed Donald to walk to the center of the room, under the spotlight.
"I'm not good with words, but there are just a few I would like to say tonight" he spoke in his usual tone of voice. Even if some of his words were lost or misunderstood, the action he did next was broadly recognized, as he knelt down in front of Daisy, holding out a small box with an outstanding ring inside. One he had asked Scrooge for as a family inheritance that same morning. One he had asked Della if it would be alright if he used for which she had shred tears of pure happiness in return. One he was offering Daisy right now "Would you marry me?"
The silence was deafening as Daisy's eyes landed on his own and the rest of the world ceased to exist.
No one dared to breathe, not until the place was filled with one word only...
"Yes!"
The room exploded in a massive celebration as Donald slipped the ring into her finger for a perfect fit. Donald rose to his feet only to catch Daisy in arms as she launched in for a kiss. The rest of the world came crashing back when everyone closed in to congratulate the newly engaged couple.
"You are going to get married!" Della hugged her twin in a choking embrace "you casanova!"
"Uncle Donald!" the triplets tackled him in as well.
June embraced Daisy strongly as the woman knelt down to hold her as well.
"We'll be an official family, darling," she said for the girl to hear.
"And I don't see why we don't make that a reality as soon as possible" Scrooge patted Donald's back "get married here in the estate, invite whomever you want, you'll have everything ye desire. That's my wedding gift for the two of you" he pointed with his cane "this is one adventure I can't miss" he hugged his nephew "One I feared I might lose when I pushed you away" he held on tighter "Donald Duck"
Donald hugged him back "Uncle Scrooge"
And suddenly everything was going to change once again...
Author's note: Not quite done with telling this story, let's see where it takes us...
See you Wednesday!