"A Strange Bond"
Notes: So, just how 'reasonable' is Mayor Kendrick? Tooth Fairy does what he should have done months ago and goes to admit that Alpha has been in their town before. What happens while he's there is not what he expected. Alpha clues in on a few things that sailed over Tooth Fairy's head, and she realizes that this may be her first true test as a community leader; representing herself and her people.
Sorry for the wait. It's been a rough couple weeks. Our dog has been sick for quite some time, but recently her health really went downhill, and we finally had to say goodbye to her on August 3rd. It wasn't unexpected, but we had her for twelve years, so it still hit pretty hard. I'm not fishing for sympathy, just letting you guys know the reason for the latest delay. Writing is something I enjoy doing, and my brain seems to be working again, so here we go!
"Chapter 28: An Unpleasant Dinner"
In spite of his efforts to reassure Alpha that everything would be fine, Tooth Fairy's heart was in his throat as he flew towards the clearing where his town's meetings usually took place, weather permitting. If the weather was poor, then the Town Council met in one of their homes; they had this on a rotating schedule, so that they always knew where to go. When the weather was fair, as it was that day, Mayor Kendrick usually wasn't hard to find.
For a man who was so punctual and by-the-book when it came to his job, Tooth Fairy could sometimes procrastinate about other things.
Specific exercises were something he liked to avoid; he got a pretty good workout from flying around the world every night, but he didn't walk quite as much as he probably should, and he hated doing push-ups and sit-ups. And sure, okay, maybe he liked to indulge in some pizza or a cheeseburger from time to time. Who didn't? But he thought that, overall, he was doing well enough in that respect.
Another thing he tended to avoid was doing things that might make him look 'stupid' to the opposite sex, hence his early reluctance to confess his feelings to Alpha. Still, given everything they'd learned about each other up until that point, and the time they'd spent in each other's company, it really hadn't taken much of a nudge to get him to speak up. That, at least, had resulted in a favorable outcome.
Not confessing to the mayor that he had brought an outsider into their town (although, technically, someone else had brought her the first time, and she had been his lift home when he was ill) would definitely be frowned upon. This still could have gone relatively well if Aiden hadn't forced Alpha to defend herself. Now, though? Alpha had once told him not to make promises he couldn't keep...
No...I can still fix this.
As Tooth Fairy descended into the clearing, he wasn't at all surprised to see Aiden there, speaking to an older Fairy male.
Mayor Kendrick was short. At 5'4'', gray-haired and balding, he didn't exactly cut an impressive figure. But these things hardly mattered when one possessed magic and was considered to be the mouthpiece of Oberon himself (not that anyone in Tooth Fairy's generation had ever actually seen the royal pair). His bushy sideburns gave him an old-fashioned, distinguished look, but there was something of the stoat in him as well; he and Aiden had the same pointy nose. The old man automatically looked up when he heard wings, and his expression was unreadable.
This man should play poker...
Aiden immediately clammed up, his eyes flinty and his mouth a sharp line as if he'd heard something he didn't particularly like.
Tooth Fairy landed softly and gave the mayor a respectful nod. "Mayor Kendrick. Aiden."
"Tooth Fairy," Kendrick gravely returned the nod. "My nephew came to me with some serious accusations against you and one other. His injury appears to back up his claim. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Wow. Haven't heard that one since I was fifty. Tooth Fairy saw Aiden's face regain some of its prior smugness, and he felt himself growing angry again. He hid his glowing hands in his pockets.
Aiden was doing no such thing, and instead his blue-glowing hands were clenched into fists at his sides.
"What are the accusations?"
Aiden blinked. "Are you stupid?"
Kendrick frowned. "Aiden."
"They did this to me!" Aiden pointed an accusing finger at Tooth Fairy.
"You've already told your side of the story, and now it is his turn." Kendrick clasped his hands behind his back, and diffused the situation. "You have delayed my supper over some silly fistfight, and this discussion would be over a lot more quickly if you were at home with an ice pack. Perhaps Shelby will have some of those little lemon cakes you're so partial to."
Shelby was Aiden's housekeeper, and cooking wasn't in her job description, but Aiden was hopeless in the kitchen. Tooth Fairy didn't think of it unless her name came up, but he had a pretty good idea why she often fixed Aiden his favorite treats without being asked. Of the three housekeepers he'd had, she had lasted the longest. He'll break her heart like he broke theirs...Then again, the rumor is that he dumped the last one for her, and they say she knew about them. Why am I even thinking about this? It's none of my business...
Aiden began to curl his lip, but caught himself in time. He decided not to push it, and flew away without another word.
His uncle must finally be getting tired of his attitude. Tooth Fairy hid a smirk under the guise of scratching his nose.
Mayor Kendrick sighed. "Well, I'm afraid you're in a bit of hot water, son."
Tooth Fairy immediately lost his smirk. "I can explain."
"Yes, I'm sure you can. But not out here. Come, we'll have supper at my house and sort out this unpleasant little mess. You like prime rib, don't you?" He fluttered the blue wings that so resembled Aiden's, and Tooth Fairy followed him.
"Sure." Tooth Fairy really preferred a nice juicy T-bone, cooked rare, but food was the last thing on his mind.
Mayor Kendrick's home was a grand tree house that put Tooth Fairy's relatively tiny home to shame. It was an enormous white oak, and it seemed even larger on the inside than it did on the outside. When 'Doctor Who' first aired, Tooth Fairy had had a good chuckle at The TARDIS and wondered if a Fairy might have had something to do with that idea. Given his peoples' habit of gleefully hiding in plain sight, he wouldn't have been a bit surprised.
Tooth Fairy cleared his throat after being ushered in, and he felt as if he had just stepped into a bygone era. Kendrick and many of the older Fairies preferred not to keep up with the times, and aside from the up-to-date bathroom and kitchen there wasn't a single modern convenience to be seen. He commented on the first thing he noticed. "New carpeting, huh? It's nice."
"I'm so glad it meets with your approval." The mayor clasped his hands behind his back as he led the way to the dining room. "Custom made by our own craftsmen. I'll never understand why you choose to live in that little tree of yours when you could have so much more. You could, you know. Without the Tooth Fairy, our town would be open to the human world."
Tooth Fairy folded his arms, hiding the fact that he was mildly offended. For a tree, his home was huge, and it was the house he'd grown up in. And the thought of going so far to take advantage of the perks of a job he'd inherited, whether he wanted it or not, just didn't sit right with him. Especially not when other Fairy men with smaller wings couldn't enjoy such a life either. He was happy enough with his 'man cave', with its comfy new couch and entertainment center. "What do I need with all that? I'm just one guy."
"Well, so am I. If it's available to you, why not take it?"
"I...just don't want it." Tooth Fairy shrugged.
Two ladies were waiting near the kitchen door when they entered the dining room, one a few centuries older than the other. Mayor Kendrick was a widower who had never remarried or fathered any children, so these couldn't have been daughters of his. The older one had black hair, pale skin, and green wings. The younger one was small, blonde, and her wings were a brilliant fuchsia. The older one turned to the younger, clearly annoyed by some slight that had escaped Tooth Fairy's notice. "Well? Fetch another place setting."
Tooth Fairy was growing more uncomfortable by the second. He didn't like to be a bother, and the poor girl hadn't done anything to deserve such treatment; he was an unexpected guest, and, truth be told, he wasn't hungry anyway. The dark-haired one's tone had been more of a vicious hiss than a curt order, and this stirred up his protective side. The blonde couldn't have been more than eighty years old! A Fairy 'teenager'. Just a kid, really.
Mayor Kendrick, who was a little hard of hearing and hadn't noticed the exchange, addressed the woman who had been so snappish. "We'd like some wine, Marcy."
"Uh, none for me, thanks," Tooth Fairy interjected. "I'm flying tonight."
"Wine for one," Marcy smirked at Tooth Fairy as she eyed his wings, then retreated into the kitchen. The timid girl, who was on her way out with Tooth Fairy's napkin and silverware, almost bumped into her. The glare Marcy gave her was poisonous and full of unpleasant promise, but she said nothing as she went to get the wine. Mayor Kendrick excused himself to look for his pipe, leaving Tooth Fairy alone in the room with the younger girl.
Tooth Fairy could see tears brimming in the girl's sky-blue eyes as she set the napkin and utensils in front of him with shaking hands, and he thought he heard a soft sniffle. He never could bear the sight of a crying girl. I don't think I like Marcy very much. This poor kid! "Thank you. This your first day on the job?"
"No, sir. My third."
"Uh-huh. What's your name, Miss?"
"Julia..."
He smiled. "Well, Julia, here's some advice. You listening?"
She nodded, clearly nervous and expecting correction.
Tooth Fairy looked around to make sure no one was coming, and lowered his voice. "We were all new at our jobs once. And when you're new, you're gonna make mistakes. People won't always be nice to you when that happens, but that's their problem. You don't have to let it be yours. Just try to tune them out, and keep at it. You're gonna be just fine."
A grateful smile lit up her face, and she wiped hastily at her eyes. "Thank you, sir."
"You can just call me 'Tooth Fairy'. Everyone here does." He wanted to tell her to use the name he preferred, but the day was already complicated enough without confusing a brow-beaten young serving girl, and he doubted he would see her again after this evening. Then he heard footsteps, and he whispered, "Ixnay, here comes Marcy."
Julia quickly backed off and went to get Tooth Fairy a glass of water since he had refused the wine, and she moved aside to let Marcy pass. She gasped when the older woman tripped on the carpet and lost her grip on the wine bottle, then disappeared into the kitchen before she could receive another scolding.
Tooth Fairy lunged and caught the bottle.
Marcy caught herself on the edge of the table, eyes wide as she stared at the bottle. Then her face turned beet red as she looked up at Tooth Fairy.
"You all right?" He asked mildly.
"Y-yes, sir," Marcy quickly straightened, reaching for the wine. "Forgive me."
Tooth Fairy gave back the bottle with a little smirk. "We all make mistakes. That's a good thing to remember."
Her embarrassed expression quickly iced over into one of cold, subdued anger; she knew a jab when she heard one. "Indeed it is."
Tooth Fairy tapped his thumb on the tabletop as he waited for the mayor to return, and watched as Marcy uncorked the bottle and poured. "I suppose I should have tried to catch you instead. That would've been the 'decent' thing to do. But then, the bottle might have broken, and the new carpet would've been ruined."
"Yes. Thank you."
Her mouth says 'thank' you, but her eyes say 'screw' you. He grinned. "Tell me...How much trouble would you be in if that happened?"
Marcy didn't answer, but she paled.
"I'll just keep what almost happened to myself. Wouldn't want anyone getting into hot water over an honest accident."
Marcy tightened her red lips before putting on a smile that showed more teeth than was strictly necessary. "Are you sure you don't want some wine, sir? I doubt one cup will impair a man of your...bulk." She quirked an eyebrow and looked pointedly at his belly.
And the claws come out.
"No thanks," Tooth Fairy bared his own teeth and pointed to them before saying in a loud whisper, "Lipstick on your teeth."
Marcy's vicious smile turned into an even more vicious sneer. "You're rude."
"Look in the mirror, if you don't believe me." Tooth Fairy heard the mayor's footsteps nearing the dining room, and they ended their conversation by some mutual, unspoken agreement.
"Marcy, I seem to have misplaced my pipe. Keep a sharp eye out for it, will you?" Mayor Kendrick sat down at the head of the table.
"Yes, sir." Marcy nodded, and went into the kitchen.
Tooth Fairy didn't miss the glare she gave him before she disappeared, and there was an awkward (at least, for Tooth Fairy) silence as the mayor sipped from his silver wine goblet.
Silver...Come to think of it, there's a lot of things in this room that are made of silver. Alpha would be as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a roomful of rocking chairs...
The two women brought out their plates, and Julia quickened her stride so that she could set down the plate she carried first...in front of Tooth Fairy.
Marcy faltered briefly, her eyes flicking towards Mayor Kendrick with something that might have been mortification.
Julia gave Tooth Fairy his glass of water and stared Marcy down, and the older woman set her plate down in front of the mayor without a word.
When the two men were alone, Mayor Kendrick got to work on his meal and began to speak. "Before we discuss the fact that you brought an outsider into our midst, I would like to hear your take on what happened today."
"Well...Alpha and I were at the movies," Tooth Fairy dutifully began to eat as well, but he couldn't really enjoy it. This was an interrogation that just happened to come with a fancy meal, and he knew it. "Afterwards, I went to floss."
"Floss?"
"We had popcorn."
"Ah."
Tooth Fairy speared a green bean with his fork, then remembered his manners and cut it into bite-sized pieces. "When I went outside, Alpha had a bruise on her chin and Aiden had a bloody nose."
Mayor Kendrick frowned and put down his knife and fork. "A bruise on her chin? How did she come to acquire it?"
"Yeah," Tooth Fairy nodded, "Aiden grabbed her. She was only defending herself. She didn't actually mean to give him a bloody nose-"
"Did you see it happen?" The Mayor narrowed his eyes.
Tooth Fairy hesitated, then replied, "No. But I trust Alpha. And when I came out, she was just restraining him, not attacking him. She even apologized, and gave him her hankie. It was all just a big misunderstanding."
"A 'misunderstanding'..." There was a hardness in the mayor's voice that Tooth Fairy wasn't used to hearing from the man. "What was there to misunderstand? Why would my nephew just grab a woman he doesn't know from Eve? It doesn't match up with his story of an unprovoked attack."
Tooth Fairy put a forkful of baked potato into his mouth. Normally, he would have enjoyed it. It was done perfectly, with lots of butter and sour cream, but knowing that he would have to tell the mayor what had happened to his sister left him with the taste of ashes. He pushed away his plate and put down his knife and fork. "He sensed what he thought was Fairy magic coming from her, and assumed that she..."
Mayor Kendrick blanched and leaned back from his plate. "A wing thief?"
"No..." Tooth Fairy shook his head, and his eyes began to sting. "Those wings were Brinna's, and they were stolen by someone else. It wasn't her..."
There was a long silence, and finally the mayor shook his head in sympathy. "I'm deeply sorry for your loss, Tooth Fairy. Truly, I am. I remember her; she was a sweet girl. But how did this come about?"
Tooth Fairy got up from his chair and ambled over to a wall to look at one of the many paintings. How to sum things up, and keep from losing it?
I put all those feelings in a box centuries ago. I can do it now.
"What do you know about how Alpha became a member of the Council?" He asked.
"Very little," Mayor Kendrick replied, "Almost nothing. Enlighten me."
Tooth Fairy turned and sat back down again. "The Hollow used to be run by a pair of Elves. A brother and sister who called themselves 'The Founders'. They applied for work at the North Pole, and didn't make the cut. And they went about as bad as anyone can go. They took my sister's wings, and used her magic to basically enslave the people they brought to The Hollow. Alpha was one of them."
"And she stole from them what they stole from your sister?"
"No..." Tooth Fairy sipped his water. "They kidnapped Santa's son last November, and when Alpha found out, she couldn't let that stand. So...me, Alpha, Santa, Sandman, Jack Frost, and Bernard teamed up with a few others from The Hollow to get him back."
The mayor nodded, dipping a morsel of prime rib into the au jus and chewing thoughtfully. He swallowed, then asked, "But how do Brinna's wings come into it?"
Tooth Fairy flinched. It wasn't as raw as it had been before, but hearing it mentioned so casually hurt his heart. He buried it. "There was a fight. They used Changelings, and...It wasn't hard to figure out where they got their Fairy magic from. After it was all over...Alpha helped me look for her wings. And we found them."
He flashed back to how he had broken down when it really hit him that his sister was dead, and he forced the thought from his mind. Remembering brought some of those feelings back, and he didn't want to break down in a situation like this. It wouldn't be appropriate, and his trust in the mayor was tenuous at the moment.
"And she took them? Forgive me, but I have to ask."
No, you don't...
Out loud, Tooth Fairy answered his question. "It's complicated. The Hollow is an underground cavern that's been sealed off from the outside world. Still not sure how they have air down there, but my guess is there's vents, like they'd have in a mine. The Founders...they used the magic to create Fairy Rings, and those are the only way up to the surface now. If I took Brinna's wings with me, they would've been trapped down there. So...I asked Alpha to...to take them, and..."
"What did she do with them?"
"They have a cemetery..." Tooth Fairy shook his head and waved a hand. "Look, I know for a fact that she...that she did as I asked. Brinna's magic chose to stay with Alpha, until she was comfortable with using magic. Alpha has her own magic. Mother Nature gave it to her when she joined the Legendary Council. Brinna's magic...well, it just..."
Mayor Kendrick could see that Tooth Fairy was struggling to continue and keep his composure at the same time, and he relented. "I understand. But how did you know that you could trust her with such a precious thing?"
Tooth Fairy didn't tell the mayor about how quickly they had become friends, or how he had felt drawn to her before he had even seen her in her human form. He didn't mention how thunderstruck he had been when she favored him with a 'human' smile, or how captivated he had been. He didn't tell the mayor about how she had held him while he cried, or how long it had been since someone had really held him at all, barring the occasional brusque 'man hug' between himself and a few of his guy friends; those didn't really count as 'holding', in his opinion. None of this was the mayor's business. But he could admit this much. "I saved her life, and she saved mine. My wings were being twisted off, and she knocked The Founders' heads together and pulled them off me. She never gave me a reason not to trust her."
The mayor mulled this over, then sighed. "Yes, but even so...A person might save a life just to gain an ally."
"No, she's not like that." Tooth Fairy controlled his anger. "She proved to me that she was trustworthy, and those people didn't deserve to be trapped down there. And she delivered on her promise. I know that, because Brinna's magic was purple, and so was Alpha's for a few months. Alpha's magic is orange now. Brinna's magic isn't in her anymore. She's not a wing thief, and she never was."
Mayor Kendrick nodded, finally accepting Tooth Fairy's story. "Then she belongs on the Legendary Council. But this brings us to our next order of business."
Here we go...
The mayor continued, "Outsiders aren't granted passage without permission from the Town Council, and you haven't even asked for it. Yet, she has been here at least once."
Tooth Fairy drank all of his water in one go, and he sort of wished he had accepted the wine. "Well...it was kind of unavoidable, on our part. I wasn't doing so great, and The Council sent Alpha to check on me. She didn't know about the 'no outsiders' rule, and even if she did, Curtis-"
"Who's Curtis?"
He sighed at the interruption. He was ready for this meeting to be done. "Santa's number-two Elf. He dropped her off at my place without warning and left before she could object, and I had to give her a ride back."
Well...technically, he didn't have to. He could have easily conjured up a Fairy Ring in his living room, and Alpha wouldn't have been spotted at all, but at the time he didn't think of it. And Alpha could have done it herself, but the way he'd been feeling at the time he probably would have burst into tears at the sight of one. Surely, Alpha understood this, and that was one of the many reasons he loved her.
Mayor Kendrick sipped his wine. "Hm. Mother Nature's will supersedes ours. There will be no punishment for that one incident. But were there any others?"
Tooth Fairy knew he could lie and say that there weren't. No one had seen Alpha the day he was ill and she'd brought him back to his home. Still, there was a chance that he might have a slip of the tongue one day and be found out, and that wouldn't be good. He sighed, and reluctantly admitted, "Yeah. One other time, but there was a good reason for it."
"Everyone who breaks the law has a 'good reason' for it, Tooth Fairy. Don't think that your position excuses you from following the rules. I won't tolerate excuses, not if it means the safety of our town."
"But you just said Alpha belongs on the Legendary Council, and that means you know she's not a threat!" Tooth Fairy finally let some of his anger show. "What difference does it-"
"The difference is, the rules are in place for a reason, and we can't just pick and choose which ones to follow as we see fit!" Mayor Kendrick barked back, then reined in his temper. "Tell me your reasons for breaking the law a second time, and think carefully before you speak. How this ends for you depends entirely on what you say now."
Tooth Fairy took a deep breath. "I went to visit her place in early February. We were playing Scrabble, if you really want to know. My magic went into flux, and I got sick as a dog. I couldn't even stand without getting dizzy, so it wouldn't have been safe for me to use magic. So, she brought me back home. You can ask Mother Nature and Father Time, if you don't believe me. They dropped by that day, too."
Mayor Kendrick nodded thoughtfully, finished his wine, and poured himself another glass. He offered the bottle to Tooth Fairy, who shook his head. "I'll do that. But not because I don't believe you. I need to be sure."
If you're not sure, that means you don't believe me. I thought I knew you, Kendrick. I thought you knew me.
"But no disciplinary actions will be taken, I've decided on that. You were always a terrible liar, and I don't see a lie in your eyes now." Mayor Kendrick popped another piece of dripping beef into his mouth.
Tooth Fairy forced the words out. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet," Mayor Kendrick said when he had swallowed. "You've vouched for her character, but our Council will need to speak with her before we decide whether or not she will be allowed to enter freely. And if we find her lacking, if she's a threat to us, I will reconsider my decision not to bar you from living within the boundaries of the town."
This was, of course, the only punishment available to the mayor. Prison wasn't an option, because they needed the Tooth Fairy to do his job. When Mother Nature had granted his ancestor and her bloodline Legendary status, the king and queen lost the ability to dismiss one of them and appoint someone else to the task. He was needed, and he had no children. Nor would he. Even in exile, Tooth Fairy would still be able to do his job.
Tooth Fairy's expression didn't really change much. This wasn't the same threat it would have been several months ago. If things worked out with Alpha, she couldn't abandon The Hollow, so he would have to move there if they were to stay together. Aside from the public shame, which seemed less and less like an issue the more he thought about it, it wouldn't really be punishment at all. "Alpha isn't a threat. She has no interest in causing trouble for you; she has her own town to run."
"So, she's the mayor of the place you call 'The Hollow'?" Kendrick asked.
"They don't call her that, but...yeah, I guess so."
"And where is this place?"
Right in our back yard, and we never even knew it. "I'm sorry, Mr. Mayor, but it's not my place to tell you that."
The mayor nodded, accepting this. "Then, you will be our go-between. I'd like you to set up a meeting with her to come here and discuss the matter."
"I'm sorry, 'the matter'?" Tooth Fairy squinted.
"Yes. If she's willing to give myself and a few of my colleagues a tour of The Hollow, I will consider it a gesture of good faith. Bring her to me, and we will discuss it." Mayor Kendrick wiped his mouth, and placed his napkin on the table. As if on cue, the women emerged from the kitchen to clear their plates.
Tooth Fairy stared at Mayor Kendrick, and he couldn't explain the dull fear he now felt. This wasn't like the man he'd grown up knowing. Or was it? Was this what he was like behind closed doors, when his will was crossed?
He wondered if he was being too sensitive about this. It was possible. He was comfortable talking to Alpha about his sister, and even took comfort in it, but Mayor Kendrick was another matter. Maybe it wouldn't matter who it was, if he was being put on the spot. It was a breach of privacy, however necessary it might have been, and he resented it.
He needed to talk to Alpha.
Julia looked concerned, both at Tooth Fairy's expression and his barely touched plate. "Was it all right?"
"Huh? Oh! Yeah, it was very good. I just don't have much of an appetite tonight. Thank you, Julia." Tooth Fairy forced a smile.
Mayor Kendrick frowned at the girl. "Were you bothering my guest when I was out of the room?"
Tooth Fairy spoke up before she could stutter out an explanation. "No, I asked for her name so I'd know who to thank later." He looked at his watch. "And speaking of 'later', I have to go get ready for work. Those teeth won't collect themselves."
"Of course. You'll mention my request to her, won't you?" Mayor Kendrick got up to see him out.
"Yeah, I'll, uh...I'll let you know what she says, and I guess we'll go from there."
"Good!" Mayor Kendrick gave a jolly smile, which was more like the one Tooth Fairy was used to seeing, and stuck out his hand.
Tooth Fairy shook with him, and managed not to make a face at how greasy the man's palm felt. Whether it was oil from the meat or sweat, Tooth Fairy didn't know. The first thing he planned to do when he got to a sink was wash his hands!
Julia was scrubbing the pots and pans when Marcy came to join her, and the two women worked silently for a while, neither of them willing to be the one who spoke up first.
It was Marcy who finally broke the silence when her anger got the better of her. "What are you playing at?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you know how lucky you are to work in the mayor's house, you little halfwit? We do not introduce ourselves to the guests. They don't care who we are. We're there to serve them, and to take requests. That's it. Nothing else. Learn the rules and follow them. That's your job."
You're wrong. He treated me like a person, which is more than I can say for you. Julia pulled the plug, and the soapy water disappeared down the drain with a roaring gurgle as she turned to face Marcy. "I saw you spit in his food, Marcy. I don't think that's what 'serve' actually means. He asked me for my name, so I told him. It would've been rude not to. He was actually nice to me, but that wouldn't have mattered, because even if he turned out to be a real monster I never would've tampered with his meal. And I don't think Mayor Kendrick would appreciate-"
Marcy's hands flashed green, and she slapped her.
Julia's blue eyes widened and filled with tears. Then her hands lit up bright fuchsia and she slapped Marcy back, twice as hard. "Marcy...you will never hit me again. Ever."
Marcy held her cheek, stunned that timid little Julia would dare to hit back, and she fled the kitchen in tears.
Julia stared at her red palm, and gave her hand a little shake. "I can't believe I just did that..."
Alpha listened attentively as Tooth Fairy related the evening's events over some chamomile tea. He hadn't gone to work yet, but he still had a little bit of time before he would officially be running late. From the moment she opened her front door and was seized in a tight hug, she understood that he needed a loving ear. So, for a while, she just sat quietly and listened.
"She was my sister. It was private! He had no business asking me about her!" Tooth Fairy jabbed his own chest with a finger on the word 'my', and his face burned with hurt and anger. He was almost shaking, he was so angry.
Alpha didn't want to contradict him. This was still such a painful subject, and she suspected that it would be for a very long time. She was angry as well, because his mayor had forced him to discuss something painful and personal that he wasn't ready to make public yet, and probably never would be. And yet, as a community leader, and as someone who understood what it meant to take a Fairy's wings, she could understand the mayor's need for clarification. She might have done the same thing in his place. But hopefully with a bit more tact! "I'm sorry, luv..."
He sighed and rubbed his face, then got up to pace. His tea was untouched and still steaming. "The whole thing was just so bizarre. He was acting totally different. It's like I didn't even know the man."
"Mm...You were used to seeing one of his 'faces', and he showed you another."
"Huh?" He turned to her, confused.
Alpha stood up and went over to him, but didn't touch him. He was too agitated, and she could tell that it would only annoy him. "Everyone we meet, we show a different face to, depending on the situation. Most of the time, that face is still 'us', but a different facet of us, and..."
Tooth Fairy wondered what she wasn't saying. "And?"
She sighed, and hoped he wouldn't get upset by what she said next. "He's responsible for the safety of your people."
"He didn't have to ask about her."
"Yes..." Alpha nodded gently. "He did."
He scoffed and turned away.
"Roy, please, listen to me..." Alpha's voice was gentle, but firm. When he said nothing, but turned just enough to look at her over his shoulder, she continued, "It wouldn't have made a difference if it was your sister or another Fairy. He had to ask. He doesn't know me; he has no reason to trust me. The story his nephew gave him painted me in a very bad light, and he had to get to the bottom of it. He has people to protect. And I'm sorry this happened. But the face he showed you before today wasn't the face of a man who was concerned for the safety of his community. You got his 'friendly' face before. Today, you got his 'business' face."
Tooth Fairy felt a stab of betrayal, but it faded almost as soon as it struck. Her people meant the world to her, and he knew that she would lay down her life in a heartbeat to protect the people she loved. And this included him. But to be forced to vomit out the story of what had happened, without being given time to prepare beforehand? He didn't know if he would ever be able to eat a prime rib dinner again. He shook his head, fighting back tears. "I loved her, Alpha..."
Alpha stepped forward and took him in her arms. "I know you did, my love. Ye still do...and I'm so sorry. It's just...I don't think he meant to hurt ye. But I'm not sure how he could have avoided it, either..."
Tooth Fairy successfully kept the tears back, and hugged back tightly. Then he sighed and stepped back, ambling over to sit back down and have some of his tea. He had declined the offer of sugar, which hadn't surprised Alpha. It wasn't really his cup of tea, no pun intended, but it was all right. "He said he wants to set up a meeting with you. He was talking about visiting The Hollow himself..."
"Well, let's not put the cart before the horse," Alpha joined him and finished off her tea. "I have no objection to this meeting, but him coming here, it isn't just up to me. The City Council has to vote, and if their answer is no, then my answer is no."
Tooth Fairy nodded, polishing off his tea and giving his head a rueful shake. "I hate politics..."
"Aye," Alpha nodded. "A necessary evil, I'm afraid. When does he want to have this meeting?"
"He didn't say...I'm his 'go-between'." Tooth Fairy made air quotes with one hand.
Alpha frowned. She didn't like that her grieving boyfriend had been put in the middle, and however well she could understand Mayor Kendrick's motives, she shared some of Tooth Fairy's anger. "Tell ye what...You and I will have our game night with Sarah and Gemma. We'll have a fun time, and forget this unpleasantness for a little while. The next City Council meeting is meant to happen the day after that, and I'll bring it up with them. I have a town to protect too, and we'll put it to a vote then. After that, I will have an answer to give him when we decide on a meeting date."
"I don't get the impression he wants to wait," Tooth Fairy said.
"He can wait anyway. It's my move now. If I show up unprepared, that won't look good."
"I reiterate; I hate politics." He smirked and wrapped her in his arms. He was still angry about the whole situation, but once she'd put the mayor's line of questioning into perspective, he could at least understand it.
"Aye, it's not my favorite." Alpha hugged back, then kissed him. "I know ye had a hard time today. We'll work this out. You dodged punishment, which is good. If he was completely unreasonable, he might have ignored the circumstances and focused entirely on the actions. You told me it would be all right, and it will. We'll see to it."
He nodded, hugged her again, then sighed when his phone's alarm went off. "Well...duty calls."
"Aye," Alpha cupped his cheek in her hand and kissed him gently on the lips. "Now, go. You have a job to do, and so do I."
"You?" He wasn't sure what she meant.
"Harry took over my last hunt, so I'm taking over his tonight." She explained.
"Oh," He frowned. "Well...I hate it, but I get it. Try not to run into any bears tonight, okay?" He kissed her again and turned to go.
She laughed and gently pushed him out the door. "Get out o' here."
His laughter echoed hers as she closed the door, and she went to change into ratty clothing for her hunt.