Dinner was pleasant, consisting of all her favorite foods. But, Christina stayed silent, there was so much she wanted to say, so many things tumbling within but her family was so happy to have her back it was wrong to burden them with her feelings. There was no need for them to worry.

"Christina, you've barely said a word," Maleficent declared, "Is something wrong, dear?"

"No," she lied, "I just like to listen"

Though the adults weren't convinced, none pressed her for which Christina was happy.

"Perhaps you'll talk more once you see the dessert spread, your mother cooked up," Radu smiled, "She left no dessert out"

"None," Alissa smiled.

It was hard for Maleficent not to do the same. Alissa had scantly smiled in the ten years Christina had slept. When she had smiled it was forced, fake to please those around her. So to see the smile that had all but disappeared warmed Maleficent's heart in ways she couldn't begin to explain.

"Vhat do you like best in your library?" Radu prompted his daughter hoping to get her talking.

"I don't know," Christina answered truthfully, "I'm still finding things but I like being able to read books again, you can never read books in dreams they're always strange"

"How many books have you read already?"

"Two"

"You'll have that library finished by weeks end"

"I wouldn't say that, Mom," Christina laughed weakly, "I can't read that fast"

"I beg to differ," Alissa grinned.

…...

her parents had gone to bed, the entire household had gone to bed.

All except Christina who like the night before sat awake in her library.

Silent tears ran down her face, her eyes swollen from the crying.

I feel like a child.

Such a child.

"Christina"

Startled, she only relaxed when her father sat across from her.

"Daddy? I thought you were asleep"

"And I thought you might be avake," Radu smiled, "Ve can keep each other company"

Grimacing she started to explain, "Daddy, I-"

"It's alright," Radu stopped her, "I understand, you're scared you'll fall asleep"

"It's stupid"

"No, no it isn't"

"But-"

"No, no buts'. It's okay," Radu promised, "Have you found everything yet?" he changed the subject.

"What else is there to find?"

"Vhy don't ve go find out?"

/...

Meanwhile:

There had been something almost hypnotic about her. The way she looked at him. There had to be some reason Shaggy couldn't get Christina out of his head. Mysterious as she was. Why had he woken her up? Why had he felt so compelled to keep those petals-harmless as they were-off of her? How had his touch woken her?

This was perhaps the most confusing of all.

Shaggy was only sure of one thing:

He had to see Christina again.

…...

A few days had passed, Christina simply going through the motions fighting sleep until she could no longer do so, waking at first light, dressing in comfortable clothing, and hiding away from the world. Today it was cloudy and cool but not rainy so she tried to lose herself in another book, hoping to escape the harsh realities for a while longer.

"Butterfly?"

"Mom?" she looked up questioningly.

"I was going shopping, come with me?" Alissa asked hopefully, secretly desperate to get Christina out of the house.

"Sure," putting her book to the side she stood to follow her mother.

In truth, she wanted to hide from the outside world. The much different unforgiving outside world where the fae bent on killing her, the cause for her ten-year-slumber still roamed free. But, the hybrid dutifully followed her mother, quiet as a mouse.

"Are you okay? Christina?" Alissa asked as they climbed into the car.

"I'm okay, Mom," Christina nodded quietly, "Everything's just-"

"Different?" Alissa finished, "I know but the important things haven't changed"

flipping her hood up she laid her head on the cool glass of the window.

"I wish things hadn't changed at all," Christina admitted, her voice scantly above a whisper.

"I feel the same, Butterfly," Alissa patted her knee, "It's scary, terrifying I know"

The car pulled into the supermarket parking lot which was surprisingly empty given the time of day. When they climbed out of the car, Alissa walked over to Christina, pulling the trembling teen into a hug.

"It hurts, Mommy, it hurts"

"I know baby," Alissa kissed the top of her head, "I know"

They stood there for a beat, Alissa wishing she could wipe away all of her daughter's pain with that hug. The best she could do was wait for her to stop trembling after which she kept pace with Christina in case she wanted to talk.

"What do you want for dinner?" she asked to break the deafening silence.

"I don't know, whatever you want to cook, Mom"

"How about a big garden salad with all the fixings? Or tomato soup and grilled cheese?"

"Whichever you prefer, Mom, it doesn't matter to me,"

"I think we'll do soup then, made from scratch,"

"Sounds good"

The two walked on in silence, Alissa mumbling ingredients while pulling them from the shelves while Christina picked at a loose thread, doing her best to ignore the worried glances she could feel her mother giving her.

"Butterfly, how would you like to go to the animal shelter when we're done here?"

this idea caught Christina's attention like nothing else had, "May we?"

"Of course, we can!" Alissa squeezed her shoulders, "I think a few more pets are exactly what we need at home"

Christina smiled, it was small and fleeting but it was there.

Now that her daughter wasn't shuffling along with her eyes glued to the floor Alissa felt herself relax.

"Daddy mentioned you wanted to have the party on Saturday," Christina quietly declared.

"Yes, everyone is eager to see you," Alissa nodded, "We'll resume your lessons next week"

But Christina only nodded, pulled back into the quiet bubble she'd inhabitable since waking.

"Why don't you go get some ice cream for dessert tonight?" Alissa pointed to the nearby freezer, "Any flavor you want, I'll be on the next aisle"

"Okay"

Waiting until her mother had turned the corner, Christina shuffled her way to the ice cream where she scanned the shelves inside the freezer, unable or uninterested in picking the treat. There were, after all, more concerning things than ice cream. Like seeing all her old friends ten years older than her with careers and children while she was still a junior in high school. She was living the plot of a sci-fi novel and no one else noticed.

It just wasn't fair.

"Christina?"

Startled, she stumbled backward.

"Whoa," Shaggy caught her before she could hit the ground, "I like, didn't mean to scare you"

"It's fine, I'm okay," Christina shakily responded after Shaggy set her back on her feet, "Just stuck inside my own head"

"Like, I have those moments too," Shaggy promised.

Scooby took this moment to emerge from behind Shaggy with a bag of dog treats in his mouth upon seeing Christina he stopped short.

"Hello, Scooby," Christina quietly greeted the Dane, kneeling to his eye level.

"Rello," Scooby returned the greeting, happily wagging his tail when Christina patted his head.

"Butterfly?" Alissa popped around the corner, "Oh," she caught sight of Shaggy and Scooby, "Hello again"

"Hi." Shaggy sheepishly greeted remembering how overjoyed Alissa had been to be reunited with Christina.

He didn't know how he'd done it, managing to wake Christina when he shouldn't have been able to.

"I have everything we need for dinner," Alissa turned to Christina, "Did you pick some ice cream?"

"This one, please," Christina hurriedly grabbed the last mint chocolate chip.

"I should have known," Alissa laughed.

"It is my favorite"

"I know"

"Like, we should be going my Mom will be expecting us home soon," Shaggy declared, checking the time.

"We're having a welcome home party for Christina on Saturday, I would be honored if you and your friends came," Alissa handed Shaggy a slip of paper with their address hastily scribbled on it.

"We'll be there," Shaggy promised, "Come on, Scooby, time to go"

Scooby had been getting all the pets from Christina. But he dutifully followed behind Shaggy.

"Let's get you to the animal shelter, Butterfly"

…...

This had to be the happiest Alissa had seen her daughter.

"Hi, puppies" Christina kneeled in front of the kennels, "Aren't you so cute?"

The dogs yipped happily, tumbling over one another to see her, pawing at the kennel door. All different breeds and colors. As cute as they were, however, a sudden movement two kennels over caught her attention.

"Oh, you don't want them, Miss," the attendant cautioned, "They're vicious dogs,"

"They're not dogs, they're wolves," Christina brushed off the attendant.

The wolves watched her silently, studying her it seemed. There were three in total, one male with midnight-colored fur then there were two females one with cream-colored fur the third was clearly the leader she also had midnight-colored fur but there were distinctive sliver patches on her paws, chest, and belly.

"Hello," she greeted.

The leader rose to her feet, plodding over to the kennel door.

"She'll take your hand off"

"You don't know my daughter as I do," Alissa smiled secretly.

The wolf cocked her head, regarding Christina with a curious expression. She sniffed Christina's fingers before wagging her tail.

"Huh?"

Alissa moved past the befuddled attendant to her daughter.

"I think I found my pets, Mom"

"I think so too"

…...

"Vell, who do you have here?" Radu smiled at his daughter as she entered the manor.

"This is Thunder, Fluffy and, Jade,"

"Hello," the trio greeted in unison.

"They talk!"

"I see," Radu chuckled.

Alissa came inside followed by pixies carrying groceries larger than themselves.

"Why don't you take them to your room, Butterfly?"

"Okay, Mom"

When Christina disappeared into her room, Alissa sat down beside Radu.

"I'm worried about her"

"She's strong Alissa but she has been asleep for ten years," Radu replied pulling his wife close.

"I know but I wish we'd never done that to her"

"Ve did it for her, Love"

"We could have done something else"

"Alissa, don't do this to yourself"

"But-"

"No, don't go there," Radu wiped away her tears, kissing her forehead, "Don't go there"

Alissa's teal eyes swam with tears, "She's frightened, you know"

"I know"

"How do we help her? Can we help?"

"I don't know, dear, I don't know"

…...

Christina was sprawled on the floor in an upper alcove of her library with her wolves and Prince spread around her, all snoring away.

I just don't know what to do with myself she wrote, The world keeps turning, days come and go, I wish it would all just stop. No, I need to stop thinking about it. There's no way for me to go back and undo what's been done. After all, I did check. But there have been so many sleepless nights, so many days spent in my own head, I should be grateful I'm alive, overjoyed that I'm awake but the truth is I hate it!

I hate that life continued without me!

I hate that I missed out on so much.

I hate that I can't change things.

I should be finished with school.

I should be on the throne.

I should be married and have kids.

But, I don't, I can't.

I don't even have friends my own age! I only have acquaintances.

It's dangerous to leave the house unescorted. There is no flying when I need to think.

All because Popinjay's still out there, lurking, hiding, scheming my family's downfall.

I hate all of it!

...

I suppose this is a good enough stopping place. The next chapter will open with the party so we see where Christina's friends and family are after ten years (after I figure that out) in the meantime, please review!