I'm back, maybe with another banger, we shall hope.

Also, the summary for this fic is a play on the game The Last of Us II when the character Lev tells Abby "Only when weak may I carry my true strength." Felt that'd be fitting.

I've been fighting with this plot for the longest, and so much crazy has been going on that I literally had to take a few days off work because of mental health. Let's just say that if it weren't for my husband and fanfiction, I probably wouldn't be here, so thank you to everyone who has stuck around and have been patient with this series. I say this a lot, but your support truly does mean a lot to me.

Since this is the last entry of this particular series (I have other series in mind after this one.) I wanted to give little bits of 'trivia', facts and ideas that didn't make it in the final overall plot-line. For example (and this is probably gonna be a shock) Spike and Cupid were originally supposed to be a couple. Reason being, I originally wanted to play with Spike's sexuality because, originally, Rose and Thornton were not meant to be in the series. But then I was like "Actually, let's not do that" because it didn't seem right for Spike's character.

Anywho, here's the first chapter!

Shamrock-green burst through the marblewood front door with a bang. Sparkling white stars against black skies watched sympathetically from above as the fairy's unstable wings flew in a distraught pattern down the snake of the driveway. While unable to make out his surroundings through his blurred tears, he managed to stop next to the black SUV parked behind the upgraded Fairywinkle car, stamping a sweaty palm against the passenger door as he clamped his eyes shut through sobs growing more erratic by the second.

"Oye, Cosmo!" Blue-violet called out to the green fairy sobbing frantically against the SUV, hurrying over to his aid. Pinning Cosmo's shoulders against the car in a non-restrictive manner, the Hispanic fairy knew he didn't have much time to try and bring Cosmo back down before he spiraled into an uncontained hyperventilation. "Focus on your breathing."

"I-I ca I…" Cosmo squeaks struggled to form words through shaky breaths "…ca…I…c-c-can't-"

"You can." Juandissimo coaxed. "Just breat-"

"Just GO AWAY!"

Juandissimo stumbled back slightly from the force of Cosmo's defensive shove, staring into the eyes of a shattered soul. Almost as if Cosmo's madness was blind to who stood before him. "…I am only trying to hel-"

"I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP!" Cosmo's crazed emotions tremored his voice, his throat restricting into even shorter intakes of breath.

"Cosmo?!" Fuchsia rushed through marblewood to the love of her life, her flaxen twin not far behind. Flying past her ex, she kneeled as Cosmo's wings began to give out, clutching both of his cheeks wet with his troubled rivers. "Babe, look at me!"

"WANDA VENUS! BLONDA JUPITER!" the brawny head-hauncho in charge growled from his front porch. "Don't chus runaway from me!"

"Daddy, we are not little girls anymore!" Blonda challenged her father's authority, frankly sick of his 'Big Bad Wolf' act after all the terror he's caused.

Though all he could see was an aura of pink, the green fairy's panic was able to detect his one and only calming grace. "…W-Wan…d-d-da…"

"I'm right here, okay?" she pressed her forehead against his, watering eyes softening her voice. "I'm not going anywhere…"

A fuzzy haze crinkled in his mind, his lungs lacking the air to inflate them. Black gradually tunneled his view, the arguing voices around him muffling into incoherent mush. He could still make out one voice though, the voice of his pink angel that cried out "COSMO!"

His vision was enveloped by the darkness that consumed his heart…

*8 MONTHS PRIOR*

The warmth of summer-afternoon shimmered through pink clouds along the horizon of the city below, wind gusting through the magenta sky. A few cars drove along the city streets, some passing by the grand-acre imperial campus located in the center of the college town Rainbow Bridge.

Blending foundation into her almond-brown skin, dark orchid eyes stared back at her reflection in the vanity mirror of the bedroom. Raven hair was crimpled and parted to one side with the extent of its length draped over her shoulder, her orchid off-shoulder blouse embroidered with floral designs along the ruffled neckline and tucked into high-waisted dark-denim shorts. She paired her sister-in-law's old golden-hoop earrings with a gold necklace that belonged to her late mother, black gladiator sandals footing her feet.

Juanita Magnifico now occupied the original four-bedroom apartment at Gemini's Palace that her older brother Juandissimo and his roommates moved out of to downsize into a two-bedroom within the same complex. Currently, she was readying for another evening-shift at Uncle Knuckle's Chuckle Bunker, sorting in her mind through the musical interludes for restaurant guests before the show as well as the show's roster for all the musical cues her and her bandmates would perform. Sunrize en Paradize had become quite the notoriety at the comedy club, guests and performing acts often showering them with praises during intermissions and after shows. Though performing for a comedy club wasn't her end goal, it certainly served as a nice foot-in-the door into the entertainment industry.

The chime of her phone next to her makeup supplies caught her attention, flipping it open to see the text "I am outside" sent from her longest best friend, Encanto Majesto. She sent quick response before making her way towards her bedroom door, floating out to see two of her three roommates inhabiting the kitchen and her nose catching a whiff of a particularly herbal yet poignant smell.

"Endigow, seriously?!" Juanita groaned to the yellow-tanned fairy with obliquely-set indigo eyes lined in black. "Weed brownies, again?!"

"Relax, Nita Bonita!" Endigow Tsuki chuckled from the gold marble countertop sectioning the kitchen from the living area, setting light to one of the many greenish-brown candles atop different flat surfaces. They had their black and purple synthetic dreads parted down the middle over their purple skull-and-crossbones T-shirt tied in a knot at the base, revealing a slither of their lower torso's skin. Silver-pyramid studs belted their black cargo pants riddled with chains with the pants cuffs hanging over their black combats, fingerless black and purple stripped gloves accessorized with the assortment of leather cuffs and chains that accessorized their forearms. "I got Cannabolish candles on deck!"

Endigow had decided to give up house-renting to live with their bandmates. Reason being? They didn't want to be alone anymore, and they didn't have to. Plus, why pass up paying just a portion of rent and utilities instead of having to be fully responsible for all of it?

"This better be a good batch this time." The fairy with bright-yellow eyes glowing against her flawless umber skin interjected, checking the freshly-baked brownies in the oven for any imperfections. LeShae Reignbeaux wore her long, golden-blonde sisterlocs in a side-part with a few locs threaded in rainbow hair-yarn. LeShae A black bandana designed in white paisley worn a choker, her black sports bra was sleeved with a blue-denim jacket, ripped high-waist skinny-jeans hugging her hour-glass with black converse sneakers hiked in a high platform.

"I know it's a good batch!" Endigow boasted. "I have successfully mastered the art of crafting weed brownies from scratch!"

Sighing in dismissal, Juanita hovered to the front door to let her expected guest in. She was greeted with honey-brown skin and lime-green eyes, smiling back at her through his thin goatee. His hunter-green waves flowed past the more-defined pecs of his olive Henley shirt somewhat unbuttoned and cuffed at the elbows, his biceps slightly flexed from hands tucked into the pockets of dark-denim jeans paired with black vans on his feet.

Juanita allowed her eyes to have a bit of an intrigued scan, recognizing Encanto's transformation. He'd always been closer to the slimmer side, especially in their childhood, but he'd became well-acquainted with a gym over the past summer.

And Dios mi, did it show.

"Hola, tonto." Juanita teased, holding the door for Encanto to enter.

"¿Qué pasa, pendeja?"Encanto returned their usual playful banter before the herbal mixed with a coca scent soon punched him in the face. "Dios mi, are brownies always this smelly?!"

"Only the ones you put cannabutter in." LeShae grinned softly, taking the baking pan from the oven to allow the brownies to cool.

"Don't act brand new, Canto Burrito!" Endigow smirked, floating over to harmlessly poke his shoulder. "If ya want, we can give you one to try."

"No, gracias." Juanita spoke for her best friend, taking him by the arm and leading him across to her bedroom. "Let us go where the air is cleaner."

Bringing him into her room, she promptly shut the door as Encanto chuckled, making himself comfortable by hovering to sit on the edge of Juanita's lilac pullover. "Never a dull moment, si?"

"Definitely not with Endigow around." Juanita scoffed as she uncapped her concealer, seeing Encanto behind her through her mirror. "How is campus life?"

Encanto shrugged coolly. "Upperclassman dorms are literally the same as freshmen dorms, just with nicer appliances and bathroom we only have to share with our adjoining neighbor."

"Eso es bueno, at least." Juanita brushed her applicator to targeted areas of her face. "I could never go back to communal showers."

A couple taps knocked against Juanita's door before it opened, a pale-skinned fairy with tangerine ringlets pulled into a high-pony tail tied with a turquoise scrunchy. A varsity jacket color-blocked in Fairy Academy's designated turquoise and pink with yellow accents coated her white-cropped tank fitted to her slim form, her mini-skirt ruffled amber footed in white booties. "Hey, Nita!" came Starr Boundé bubbly greeting, hovering to her best friend since Poofy Pants while she blended in the concealer she just applied. "You mind if I borrow your lip-gloss?"

Deciding to make himself known to the fairy that flew past him without so much as a 'hello, Encanto scoffed lightly. "And just who are you trying to impress?"

Tangerine eyes turned to those lime-green suns that could stare straight into her soul, a prickling in her stomach that weren't there a second ago as her tone shied into the flush that rosied her cheeks. "…no one."

Arching a questioning brow, Juanita handed her berry glitter gloss to Starr. "…you can have this one; I do not use it as much, anyway."

"Thanks." Starr swiped the gloss as if hiding a secret, turning with a bashful wave. "…h-hey, Encanto."

"Hola." Encanto's greeting sounded more like a question as to why someone he'd known for years suddenly acted as if they were meeting for the first time.

"Y-you uh…" Star stroked her high-pony, looking down at pastel-blue carpet more than up at Encanto's quizzing gaze. "…doing alright?"

Encanto blinked slowly. "…should I be asking you that?"

"…uh I-I'm gonna go finish getting ready."

When Starr exited the room just as fast as she entered, Encanto stared towards Juanita staring at him. "¿…qué fue eso?"

"No tengo ni idea…" although Juanita knew exactly what was going on with Starr.

Encanto's 'glow-up' caught the attention of a variety of 'thirsty' females on campus, particularly Starr. Granted, this was not the first time Starr was 'enchanted' by Encanto; Juanita officially introduced Encanto to Starr during sophomore year of Poofy Pants, and in Starr's case, it was love at first sight. However, Encanto was in another relationship at the time and made it clear that he only saw Starr as a friend, nothing more. So, Starr did her best to put her feelings aside, and the three of them all functioned well as best friends...until recently.

With almost five years of friendship under their belts, Juanita easily read the many pages from the book of Starr. She'd noticed Starr leaning closer into Encanto whenever they floated together or socialized, the instant hot flashes whenever she was within mere feet of him, the way she'd fidget or stroke her hair while struggling with eye contact. It was kind of cute considering Starr was the only one between the three of them romantically inexperienced.

Perhaps this would finally be the year Starr had a chance at love…but would Encanto feel the same way?

Juanita and Encanto were always peas in their own pod. Even when Fairymendo's foreign exchange program separated them, their seemingly inseparable connection remained. Naturally, Encanto was closer to Juanita than he was with Starr. Close to that of a shared vault of inside jokes and personal secrets only they would ever know about the other. Though as she caught him stealing glances at her through the mirror when she directed her attention back to finishing her makeup, she couldn't help but question whether Encanto only had eyes for his best friend other than Starr…

And whether she could continue to deny her own reciprocation.

The aspiring actress brushed the flaxen curls that bounced past the shoulders of porcelain skin, ensuring no strand of curl was out of place before setting her brush along the granite countertop. With rosette eyes examining her reflection in rounded bathroom-mirror, Blonda Fairywinkle straightened the turquoise puffed short-sleeves adding volume to her off-the-shoulder blouse with a banded hem just above the pink-leather belt looped around low-rise white shorts. A solid white belt-buckle matched her pearled choker, bracelet, and earring set, pulling her outfit together with white-heeled pumps.

Whilst making a few finishing touches to the pink-berry lipstick that had previously been applied, the bathroom received a few knocks before the door opened, her boyfriend's blue-violets peering curiously from behind the door before his entry.

Juandissimo Magnifico approached from behind, toned-chestnut biceps squeezing tenderly around her waist as a loving peck to her cheek brought a warm smile from ear to ear. His black-silk hair draped down his back with a few strands over his bare shoulders, a purple wife-beater worn beneath a white button-up with cut-off sleeves. Indigo-leather looped around black jeans, the cuffs folded over black Doheny-vans, and the diamond studs piercing his ears matched his signature silver chain hanging over his brawny pecs.

"Could you not have waited until after I was finished getting ready to go?" Blonda smirked, pretending to be bothered.

"Mi belleza rubia, you take too long." Juandissimo crooned in her ear, pretending to be impatient.

"Well now it's gonna take even longer cuz of you." her eyes rolled playfully. "I have to touch-up the blush you just rubbed off."

"Oh?" his cheek brushed tauntingly against hers, smearing more of her hard work. "Does this help?"

She scoffed, now actually a little bit annoyed. "Uh…no?!"

"Amor, you look fine without all of that." Juandissimo reiterated her natural beauty, backing away in his release to give her some space. "Besides, Cupido wanted me to come get you."

Pressing the applicator against the rosy blush, she raised her brow through the mirror's reflection at her boyfriend. "Why."

"He says he is tired of waiting."

"Oh my gosh, I was literally almost done!" Blonda chuckled, applying blush over her left cheekbone. "Prissy little diaper ass…" Checking herself over once or twice to ensure the once blemished side matched the untouched-blush side, she combed out a few curls with her hands before she caught Juandissimo's reflection still hovering behind, eyeing her with a thoughtful curling in his lips. "…yes?"

"Just thinking of how lucky I am." Juandissimo admired. "Or, should I say, how lucky we both are."

She began to clean up her makeup pile, intrigued by his comment. "How so?"

"So much has happened to us and between us that has once separated us, and yet…it all has led us back to each other."

"Hmm…" She turned to face him as she propped her herself against the countertop. "Wanna know what I think?"

Her captivating gravity inched him forward. "Of course."

"As utterly terrible as most of the things that've happened are, I believe things happen for a reason." Using one arm outstretched, she took one of his hands into her own with a sentimental smile. "And things fell apart so that better things can fall together."

Accepting her invitation, he drew her closer with a hand behind her waist, careful to hold her at a distance he knew she was comfortable with. "Such as…us?"

As her heart did that annoying flutter thing again, she met his drawn gaze with her own. "…like us."

If you had told Blonda that she would enter a new, almost refreshing relationship, and her heart would remember what it's like to feel and show love, the Blonda from a few months prior probably would have call your bluff. In the same vein, if you had told Juandissimo that he was capable of letting someone in the way he used to let in the first ex he ever loved and he could fall for someone else so deeply, the old-Juandissimo would never think such possible. Patience primarily drove the wheel of their relationship, pressing the pedal slowly yet steadily. It was important for both not to rush their courtship, though that didn't mean their puppy love couldn't get a little handsy every so often.

"Ahem." the enamored couple heard a blush-pink love-god clear his throat, turning to see his angelic wings floating in the doorframe in a hands-on-his-diaper stance. Blush-pink undercut styled in an asymmetrical bang layered just above one baby-blue eye, he wore a white cropped-tank under an open blush-pink sleeveless button-up, similar pink buttons formed in the shape of tiny hearts. "You lovebirds done?! We still gotta reserve a table at Uncle Knuckle!"

"Sheesh, Cupid, you act like we're running late or something." Blonda scoffed, leaving Juandissimo to float past Cupid's impatience into the bedroom.

"We told everyone to meet us at eight, and it's already 7:40!" Cupid griped as Juandissimo joined him near the bathroom's doorway, Blonda grabbing her purse. "I still want us to have time to eat dinner and everything before the show!"

"Relax, Cupido." Juandissimo coolly patted Cupid's back. "The comedy show does not start until nine, and even then, most shows are not strict about starting right on time."

"Hey, guys?" The group then heard the nasally voice approach the bedroom. The elf-eared lad sported a white T-shirt under a lilac button-up with short sleeves, black-leather pants gloved around his slender footed in white pointy-toed cowboy boots. "I just got a text from Juanita; she says seats are filling up really fast so we should probably hurry up if we want a big table."

"See?!" Cupid made his way over to his boyfriend Binky Abdul, speaking in a 'I told you so' manner. "Now can we go?!"

"Alright, alright, cálmate." Juandissimo exaggerated his sigh, floating to his side of the bed to retrieve his wand off the nightstand. He loved Cupid like a brother and always valued him as a friend, but it can get a bit annoying whenever Cupid's patience wore thin over the miniscule of things.

The ebony fairy with warm indigo eyes hovered in the center living area while texting her longest best-friend Wanda ensuring she and her husband will meet them at the comedy club, crisscross goddess braids of her natural hair trailing down her left side past her chest. Wearing an indigo halter twist-neck top tucked loosely into blue-denim daisy-dukes clasped around her full hips with a black belt studded in silver pyramids, paired with silver-chain earrings and black-heeled leather boots, her left hand sparkled from the silver wedding band worn proudly followed by the purple tanzanite engagement ring with opulent diamonds on each side.

Susie Magnifico, formerly known as Susie Sprinkle, floated to take her seat along the black-cotton loveseat against the moth-grey wall, a white-marble electrical fireplace mounted into the wall perpendicular to the sofa with matching book-shelving on each side. The thirty-two inch flat-screen faced the sofa standing atop the marble tv stand supported on gold hairpin-style metal legs, floored in shaggy-beige carpet with a hard cut-off between the living area and the stormy-grey oak of the tightly-packed peninsula kitchen.

When she heard the single-bedroom door from behind the mini-hallway's wall open, she was graced with the satisfying sight of cool icy-blue eyes and honey-brown skin whose gold wedding-band ringed his left finger, his raven-black hair slicked back with waves curling just past his cuffed sleeves. Her eyes scanned the many muscles protruding through his slim-fit denim button-down shirt, a gold-Cuban necklace draped over his clean-shaven chest almost teasingly exposed, and a similar gold chain looped from the side of his black skinny-jeans, shoed with cerulean Doheny-vans.

"Hey there, hubby." Susie rose from the loveseat to greet her husband with a tender hug. "You look nice."

"And you look muy hermosa." Alewandro Magnifico kissed her with soft lips, cupping her waist. "Mi esposa."

"Esposa…" Susie repeated in a breath, leaning back to make eye contact as she twirled a strand of his curls with one finger. "Still getting used to that."

He leaned forward to brush his nose against hers, grinning amorously. "Just as I am still getting used to having you all to myself."

The newlyweds decided to rent their own one-bed at Capricorn's Cave Apartments, 1) because they were pretty affordable compared to some of the other complexes near campus, and 2) none of the off-campus student apartments offered single bedrooms. They would have kept their two-bed with Wanda at Scorpio's Layer, but they wanted to experience the feeling of living on their own as a married couple.

She practically melted against his palm when he raised his left hand to cup her cheek, drawing her into another tender kiss. His other hand held onto her waist, pushing her pelvis against his as he purposely deepened their kiss when her throaty moan gave the sense of yearning for more. Her gentle fingers ran through his curls as his lips trailed from hers down to the base of her neck, and her head rocked back with closed eyes when his passion sucked her skin.

"Boy, stop." Susie smirked blissfully. "You know what happens when you do that."

"Oh that I do." Alewandro teased, continuing to nibble her nape.

"Wandro, stop." she held her hand against his chest, attempting to resist the pleasure she wished they had more time for. "We're supposed to meet everyone at Uncle Knuckles, remember?"

But he didn't want to resist, and judging her smitten smile, neither did her. "How about a quickie?"

Susie scoffed. "Wouldn't be worth it for a quickie."

Taking that as a challenge, Alewandro's thrusting himself against her caused her to gasp, giving her rear-end a taunting tap followed by a cupping squeeze as he dared in his sultry accent "...how about I make it worth it?"

Damn this man…Susie knew that when it came to physical intimacy, Alewandro was a fast learner of all the ways to entice her, ways in which she herself didn't know were possible. Of course, it didn't take very long for him to do so considering they were wild bunnies on their honeymoon, releasing almost four years of sexual tension in one week of exotic escapades.

Falling prey to his erotic commands, Susie joined Alewandro in feverish kisses, allowing his hands to travel wherever they pleased as she wrapped his neck with her arms. Alewandro began to float backwards as he led her past the archway into the short hallway, breaking apart only to ensure he wouldn't run into anything as he took a left towards their bedroom where he tapped her on the cheeks again to make her giggle before shutting the door with his foot.

"There." the teal-eyed fairy finished lining her best friend's lips with a subtle pink gloss, marmalade curls styled in a short yet fluffy bob with an apple-red cloth tied around her head where a puff bang sat over the forehead of her ivory skin. "All done."

"Thanks, Rose." the girl with swirly-pink curls emulative of her twin gave a friendly smile, seated atop her cotton-candy pink duvet. Wanda Fairywinkle's curls were tucked behind both ears lined with diamond studs, her leather necklace with silver spikes hung over her yellow off-the-shoulder blouse with puffed-short sleeves and a banded hem just above the black-leather silver-studded belt looped around low-rise black shorts. Pink knee-highs layered over fishnet stockings, black knee-high combats laced over, and her signature yellow armwarmers gloved her arms, matching the rounded-earrings clipped to her lobe.

"No probs." Rosemary Glimmers returned the sentiment, white racerback cropped tank layered with a burgundy-leather jacket and her low-rise skinny jeans belted with the same apple-red cloth. A ring molded in a stemmed rose with two pedals made out of sterling silver ringed her right hand, burgundy-heeled leather boots at her feet.

Wanda waited on her bed as Rose left momentarily to return to Wanda's bathroom across the hall, setting the lip-gloss on the bathroom counter. When Wanda's lease was up with Susie and Alewandro's two-bedroom and with LeShae agreeing to move in with her bandmates, Rose offered Wanda LeShae's old bedroom in the three-bedroom she already shared with her boyfriend and longest best-friend.

"You mind if I ask you something?" Wanda asked as Rose returned inside the room.

"Ask away." Rose plopped next to Wanda on the bed, figuring they could have a bit of girl-chat while they wait for the boys to get ready to leave.

Toying with the rubber-band around her wrist with a timid hand, Wanda hesitated before tilting to look Rose in the eye. "…how were you able to learn to trust Spike again?"

"…well…" Not expecting that question, Rose paused thoughtfully. "…Spike hasn't given me a reason not to."

"So you're not worried about his temper?" Wanda inquired. "Or his outbursts?"

"There haven't been any real triggers that would make it difficult for him to keep under control." Rose assured. "Besides, trust is a two-way street."

"You're right…" Wanda exhaled as her chin lowered, his inviting-green eyes and warming smile heavy on her mind.

Over the last few months of their rekindled romantic relationship, Wanda found herself struggling to trust her boyfriend again. Not necessarily in him forming feelings for someone else behind her back like the situationship with that witch Rhonda, more so in her somehow doing something wrong that would bring about the nastier side of him, the spiteful side of him.

"Has Cosmo said anything to hurt you?"

Without much thought, Wanda shook her head. "No. He hasn't done anything, either."

Rose could still sense a bit of doubt. "…but you're worried something will set him off."

"…I guess?" Wanda shrugged, not entirely certain of the answer. All she knew is that the back of her mind couldn't help but fear the worst case, fear that one day her actions would make him upset enough to take it out on her. "I just…don't want to get hurt again."

"It seems like he's really making an effort this time." Rose spoke from previous observation. "You won't get hurt if you stop thinking you will."

"Yeah…" Wanda sighed again, resisting the urge to tug the elastic for a snap. "…you're right."

"C'mon." Rose took Wanda by the hand, wanting them to focus on something else. "Let's go see of those goofballs are ready."

Tangerine dreadlocs tied in a low pony reaching the base of his back and a chin goatee trimmed neatly from his chin, the mocha fairy flipped the collar of his unbuttoned orange polo baggy over the white tee beneath, a white bandana designed in black paisley tied around his left wrist. Crewcut dark-denim fit loosely with the hems folded over fire-orange sneakers trimmed with white soles. "Another family-feud meal, eh?" Thornton Garner joked to his best friend who was sitting on Thornton's bed, hovering to his nightstand for his phone.

"But what if her brothers are just as bad as their 'spawn of Satan' mother..." the pale fairy groaned, cobalt-blue eyes matching his mullet-fade mohawk. A light-denim vest worn over his favorite Fairnevermore T-shirt missing sleeves, Spike Twinkle's skinny-jeans sagged slightly with a black belt covered in silver spikes and black chuck-taylors laced around the anklets, sterling-silver carved with the missing outline of a stemmed rose around his right finger.

When her twin brothers turned eighteen, Rose had just entered freshman year of high school when they decided to join the fairy military career instead of attending university. Earlier that morning, Rose had gotten that her older twin brothers Parsley and Basil were sent home from active duty to use their two months of military leave, and they would be staying with their mother Daisy during that leave. Her father Thyme thought it'd be good for them to meet his wife Juliet and seventeen-month-old son Forest, as well as introduce Spike as Rose's boyfriend.

Despite their inability to be actively present in their baby-sister's life while they served their magical world and protected its freedom against opposing threats, Basil and Parsley knew she was dating again; however, just as Daisy, they automatically distrusted the bastard bold enough to court their sister, especially after the fiasco of her ex-boyfriend Zimmerman who was abusive in every literal sense of the word.

"Relax man, her brothers are pretty chill." Thornton commented.

"Was that before or after enlisting?" Spike asked sardonically.

"I mean…they were cool to me, at least." Thornton added with a shrug, remembering Basil and Parsley like the brothers he never had. "But hey, they just gotta get to know you."

"Yeah, cuz that worked out so wonderfully before…" Spike recalled the infamous night almost two years ago when he met Rose's parents for the first time. The night from Gerald Springer hell.

"Hey, you two." both men turned to find teal eyes followed by fuchsia, Rose hovering over for a seat on her boyfriend's lap. "You guys wanna take my car and Wanda rides with Coz or just all wait for him when he gets here?"

"I still can't believe he hasn't crashed that deathtrap of a car yet." Thornton jokingly referred to a specific white mustang convertible with the manual shift, making Wanda smile faintly.

"It'd make sense for us to carpool together." Spike replied to Rose's question, hugging her hips to support her weight. "Y'know, save gas and all that."

"Technically we'd save even more gas with magic." Wanda added, floating next to Thornton.

"Yeah, but don't chu wanna ride with cha mans?" Thornton drew Wanda towards him with a playful arm laced around her shoulder, a faint flush of rose in her cheeks. Funny how Thornton started back with the CxW witticisms the moment she decided to take him back, as if all of Thornton's previous qualms and quarrels with her boyfriend vanished when he felt no bad vibes from her decision to give love one last chance.

"It's settled then." Rose concluded with a cheeky smile. "Deathtrap it is!"

"…alright, then." Wanda reached into her front pocket for her cellphone. "I'll see if he's on his way."

Brushing the wild shag out of his shamrock-green hair trimmed to the length just above his neck, matching green eyes observed himself in chic-vanity mirror of the half-bath. Pale-ivory facial 99% free of acne and teeth still brace-face free, a crisp-white polo was worn over an elbow-sleeved green shirt with the collar flipped and the hem tucked into his crewcut black jeans, green converse-sneakers tucked beneath the jean's folded cuffs. The fairy grimaced faintly at his reflection, ruffling his hand through his hair as if doing so would make himself look more presentable. Cosmo Cosma, while not entirely satisfied with his appearance, wanted to look good for the woman of his dreams…the woman he thought had gotten away.

While struggling to be satisfied with the way his hair looked, he almost didn't notice his older brother leaning against the doorway from behind, hands tucked into his black-cuffed jeans where his white button-up with the popped collar and loose black necktie was tucked in with black leather belting his slender waist. Schnozmo Cosma's hair was a similar shamrock-green and shaggy style to his younger brother's except longer in length. He could pass for Cosmo's twin if it weren't for his exceptionally-large nose which, currently, stuck itself into Cosmo's business. "Goin' somewhere?"

"Going out with Wanda and our friends." Cosmo replied, giving himself a spritz with the cologne Schnozmo let him borrow in the scent of cucumber-melon, a scent he remembered Wanda loved. "Uncle Knuckles is having a celebrity comedian so we're all meeting up."

"Ahh, nice."

Schnozmo hovered out of his brother's way as Cosmo exited the bathroom, following him into the vast open-plan area lined with LED mood lighting along the ceiling of Schnozmo's Sagittarius Skylight luxury apartment. The east wall was glassed in floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking the scenic city view. A black-leather U-bumper couch surrounded the 50-inch flat-screen encompassing one of the white marble walls where mounted waterfalls illuminated dark-blue lighting on either side. A white, shag rug layered over the dark mahogany wood floor of the living room, cut off by the white marble of the spacious u-shaped kitchen/bar filled with the latest appliances and mahogany cabinets.

"…y'know," Schnozmo spoke, soft eyes watching Cosmo gather personal items like his wand and his wallet. "it's good seeing you like this."

Cosmo paused his flight, staring at his brother's rare sentimentality. "…like what?"

"Seeing you spend time with ya girl and ya friends again." Schnozmo explained, recalling much darker moments in Cosmo's life that led to him living on Schnozmo's couch in the first place. "Seeing you…happy."

Considering those words as he thought back to the not-so-distant past of losing it all, Cosmo felt his lips curl in the faintest grin. "…I am happy. And I wouldn't be if it weren't for you."

Schnozmo coolly shrugged, down-playing his active role in Cosmo's comeback. "I guess."

"No, seriously." Cosmo persisted sincerely. "If you hadn't done what you did for me, I'd…probably be dead."

"…yeah." A somber sigh led to Schnozmo's more genuine gaze towards his brother. "And I'd never let that happen."

"…same to you." Cosmo reciprocated, his demeanor equally as earnest. "Ever."

Both brothers maintained their eyes upon the other, stuck on how to proceed. Taking the initiative, Cosmo flew to his brother, Schnozmo frozen when his arms were locked by Cosmo's brotherly embrace. All though not the first time his little brother openly expressed himself like this, sappy moments like this still felt weird to the now twenty-eight year old, especially since both of their mothers only allowed affection under certain conditions.

"Hey, enough with the mush-gush, huh?" Schnozmo broke the awkwardly sentimental tension with a light ruffle to Cosmo's hair.

"Sorry." Cosmo chuckled in response at he let go, leaving to retrieve his car and apartment keys from the key-hanger next to the front door. "I'll be back pretty late."

"Kay." Schnozmo turned to float into the kitchen, now itching for a glass of champagne. "Remember; the alarm code is 9895."

"Kay." Cosmo looked over his shoulder. "Love you, big bro."

"Yeah, you too, lil bro."

Shutting the door from behind, Cosmo traveled down the long corridors dimly lit with spiral LED lights. He turned towards the wall to his left, tall windows revealing the setting sun of rich oranges and magentas, and once he reached the elevator that led to the parking garage, he took out his phone to respond to his girlfriend's text.

With the drop-top down and his green locks flowing freely in the summer breeze, Cosmo maneuvered the transmission to slow down for a left turn onto the residential street, driving near the sidewalk along the brick fence surrounding the university. Briefly taking his eyes off the road to acknowledge the broad campus as he passed by, he reflected upon the grueling journey it he endured to reach his final year.

Working at a crummy old diner to make ends meet, he had a sizeable yet quality group of friends, something he didn't have growing up as the target of endless bullying. He also had second chance with his soulmate after coming close to ending his life, thanks to the manipulative and abusive influence of his mother, Mama Cosma. Finally cutting ties with his mother's toxicity left him broken, so much that the poison in his mind began to distrust the one person who'd always been trustworthy towards him. This led to his darkened heart seeking the love he always had along from someone who was incapable of the love he needed, and he broke his true love's heart just to end up paying the ultimate price for it in the end. He lost his job, his friends, his love, and his dignity, and suddenly, the brother he grew up the first twenty-one years of his life without any knowledge of appears out of thin air, saving him from himself.

How he managed to keep up with schoolwork and exams amidst the chaos was beyond him. He can only explain that as a miracle. Everything up to this point was a miracle, Schnozmo being his 'guardian angel.' He provides financially, both in basic needs and in education, and most compelling of all, he sought the resources to give Cosmo the psychological help he so desperately needed from years of physical and mental trauma. It was bittersweet for Cosmo knowing that this was his last year, meaning this was his last year living under Schnozmo's roof. But he knew he would have to fly away from the next eventually in order to begin his dream career as a fairy godparent. Not only that, but he would also begin this career with his life with his sun, his moon, his star shining through the darkness of light.

Even someone as somewhat oblivious as Cosmo could tell Wanda was still holding back. Walking (or floating, rather) on eggshells around him, not being her true self. It wasn't difficult for him to be the Cosmo she loved, but her walls created more of a challenge to prove how much he'd grown from all of his many, many regrets. The emotional abuse he once did not know he was even capable of slashed one too many wounds into her heart. No matter; if he couldn't get over those walls or knock them down, then he was going to find his way through them. He was going to open her eyes and make her see just how much she means to him, make her feel just how much he loved her. He was going to make sure she knew whose she was, and he was going to ensure he would never leave her or forsake her again…

He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, and through hell and highwater, he will stop at nothing to turn that dream into a reality.

Driving into the parking lot of Scorpio's Layer, he spotted her swirly-pink hair hovering alongside his high-school best-friend and his girlfriend as well as the best-friend he met working at said crummy old diner. He set the park break once he brought the car to a standstill, unbuckling himself to float out of the driver's side.

Eyeing him curiously, Wanda waited as Cosmo flew to her, greeting her with a simple kiss on the lips that shuttered her stomach lovingly. He then lifted the door handle to open the passenger door, smiling warmly once he held it for her to enter. "Milady."

"Okay Coz, I see you!" Rose acknowledged Cosmo's gesture with praises, Wanda floating inside the car. "Bein' a whole gentleman out here!"

"Aye, he's not the only one." Spike made his own polite gesture by opening the passenger side of the backseat for his lady. She giggled when he planted a smooch onto her cheek before she entered, Thornton rolling his eyes at their adorableness him as he entered the backseat on the driver's side even though he had his own girlfriend now to do cutesy couple stuff with too.

With driver and passengers aboard, Cosmo released the clutch enough to drive steadily from the building to the apartment gates, watching for oncoming traffic before driving onto the main roads towards Uncle Knuckles.

"Yo, Coz." Thornton lifted himself to lean over Cosmo's headrest as the car was shifted into second gear, his seatbelt preventing him from leaning further. "How's about you show-off that horsepower!"

"Yeah!" Spike also encouraged. "Let's get this mustang galipin'!"

"Uh, nuh-uh!" Rose disapproved, feeling as if she were sitting between two grown children. "It's the end of the month and cops are out in droves! The last thing Coz needs is a speeding ticket!"

"Or a ticket for reckless driving!" Wanda added from the passenger seat.

"Yo, Coz got a clean record! And he can keep it clean by just lookin' out for 5-0!" Thornton pointed out, eager in his need for speed. "Besides; he knows what he's doin'!"

"Says the person who just called this car a deathtrap not that long ago!" Rose taunted the tangerine fairy to her left. "You are a horrible influence, you know that?!"

"Aye…you stuck wit me all these years!" Thornton taunted back. "So what that make you?!"

"Cosmo, I don't think you should." Cosmo's eyes darted temporarily from the road to cautious rosette orbs staring at him.

Spike scoffed lightheartedly from behind her. "Oh c'mon, Wanda! Live a little!"

"Coz, you don't have to listen to them!" Rose also cautioned.

Only for Thornton to yell obnoxiously "Do you hear the woooooords that are comin' outta my mouth?!"

Stopping at the stop sign leading out of the residential road onto busy streets, both sides of Cosmo's conscience played tug-a-war; listen to reason, or listen to desire. Schnozmo warned that driving a car was not a game. It could mean life or death if he wasn't careful. On the other hand, he remembered the frightening yet thrilling exhilaration when he drove at higher speed for the first time, power and confidence he'd never felt before surging through his veins...

…#YOLOGang.

Ensuring no lawful authority were within eyesight, Cosmo drove out into the nearest right lane where no other cars would be disrupted by him shifting gears. Once he entered into right gear for maximum acceleration, his tires screeched etching dark tracks as zooming torque sped towards the silhouette of sky-scrapers and yellow-crowned roof-tops, putting pedal to the metal.

AN: FYI, I won't be keeping a strict upload schedule just to help with inspiration, so chapters will come out whenever I can get them done (aka when they're written and I revise them to try and not sound like utter crap.) This was obviously an introductory type chapter so not much happens, but, like always, stuff gets crazy as we go.

Feel free to leave your thoughts!