A/N: :hides: I'm sorry it's been so long! I've been busy! Honest! And I got caught up in another fic I started. I'm so sorry! :bows head: Gomen ne sai! But here it is! The next chapter! So ta-da!
WARNING: Cursing and whatnot. Lemon is in the next chapter!
Chapter Three/Part Two:
A Whispered Lullaby
TOOTIE'S P.O.V.
"Hold still, Tootie!" my mother snapped at me. I fidgeted and then subsided, pouting.
"I would if you'd stop poking me in the eye." I muttered.
"I wouldn't have poked you in the eye if you'd just sat still to begin with." She said between clenched teeth.
"Touché." I said waggling my eyebrows.
My mother laughed and I giggled. "What a pair we make." She said kissing my cheek and finishing up the last of the make-up.
"A pretty one." I said cutely, getting another laugh out of her.
"Alright, off you go, Angel. Your date should be here any minute." She added emphasis on date making Vicky gag somewhere in the background. I adjusted the soft-feathered wings on my shoulders and took in a deep, shuddering breath.
'Here we go again.' I thought, hiding my nervousness. 'Why am I nervous? I don't have a curfew tonight. My mother said I could stay the night at Timmy's for all she cared because he promised to take care of me. He promised to protect me and keep me safe.' I walked outside and sat on the porch swing to wait for him. Feeling edgy and needing to do something, I reached into my purse to look for my compact to check my make-up once more. All soft colors. Light green and silver eye shadow, frosted pink lipstick, and black mascara.
I successfully hid a yelp when I reached back into my purse to put my compact away and felt something.
'She wouldn't dare…' I thought, hoping to all Hell and back I was right about my mother. I wasn't. My face flamed as though my blood wanted free via all the pores in my face. "Holy Mary Mother of God." I stated calmly, pulling out five foil packets. My sense of humor got the better of me. "How many times does she think a couple of virgins can handle in one night, jeez?" I dropped the condoms back into my purse and hid them in the hard-to-find zipper pouch while trying not to howl with laughter. I waited for Timmy grinning and giggling the whole time.
TIMMY'S P.O.V.
I walked out of my bathroom with a towel hanging precariously around my hips, as was my habit, when I let out a scream like a little girl. (If ever asked about it, I will deny furiously.)
"Whoa, Timmy… nice to… um, why is you nekkid?" Cosmo asked snapping his fingers and floating upside down.
I clutched at my towel and grinned. "Because I just got out of the shower and I haven't got my costume on yet." I said, and then blinked comically when all of a sudden I was wearing it. I turned around and looked at myself in the mirror. I grinned at Wanda's reflection. "Thanks."
"No problem, sweetie. I take it there's a dance tonight?" she asked, flipping Cosmo right side up.
"Wee! Aw, ride's over?" He complained when Wanda came over and hugged me.
"Yeah. Halloween Dance. I missed you two." I said softly.
"We missed you, too!" Cosmo cried out and clung to my neck. "Can we live here with you?" he begged. "Please? Timmy? Why won't you answer me!" He cried, squeezing tighter.
"Cosmo! He can't breathe!" Wanda said, ripping him from around my windpipe. "Sorry about that, but he misses you. And I miss you, too, Kiddo." After rubbing my abused neck and gaining my breath back, I laughed.
"It's damn good to see you again." I said. Wanda frowned at me. "Sorry. Darn good." She smiled. I always forgot how much she hated cursing. I walked over to my dresser and grabbed my Phantom mask.
"Woo! Lookin' hot-hot-hot!" Cosmo sang cheerfully. I laughed and shook my head. "So, are you and Chester goin' to hit on the ladies?" he winked.
I grinned again. "No. I have a date. I'll be going with my girlfriend."
Wanda and Cosmo gaped at me. "You mean…?" Cosmo started.
"Trixie actually said yes?" Wanda asked, aghast. I grinned evilly.
"Yes. She said yes. About two weeks ago. And I broke up with her about a week ago." I continued before my godparents could pick their jaws up off the ground and dove in for the kill. "Tootie's my girlfriend."
"WHAT!" Cosmo screeched. Wanda's jaw snapped shut and her eyes watered.
"Oh, sweetie, I knew you had it in you to see how nice and sweet she is." Wanda hugged me and I laughed.
"Yeah. I've been an idiot for long enough. Aside from the two of you, she's the only person who's always believed in me. Always. And always loved me. It just took me a while to realize that I loved her right back."
"Well, at least you didn't think it was an allergic reaction!" Cosmo cried and glared at Wanda.
"Hey, it's not my fault I thought that. I didn't know I got queasy when I was nervous." Wanda defended. My eyebrow rose. "That and I didn't want to admit I was in love with a half-wit." She grumbled. Cosmo's eyes filled and Wanda sighed, the corners of her mouth twitching. She decided to give him a break. "And then I realized it was you not a half-wit, Cosmo."
"Yay!" he cheered and hugged her. Wanda looked at me and rolled her eyes. I laughed again and began to look for my car keys, which I habitually lose, in my room. Cosmo floated in front of me with puppy-dog eyes and I smiled warily. "Can we go to the dance, too?" he asked pitifully.
"Um, I guess so. You'll need costumes, though, and to look like a couple of teenagers." I warned.
Wanda sighed and magicked herself into Little Red Riding Hood and then Cosmo was magicked into a handsome Big Bad Wolf. She did that herself, as well, for fear of what Cosmo might accidentally conjure. I gave them a thumbs-up and grunted in triumph as I found my keys. Wanda had had them put in my pocket when she used her magic to dress me.
"Wait." I said and paused nervously. "What am I gonna tell Tootie?"
"Uh, I'm your cousin from out of state and Wanda's my girlfriend?" Cosmo suggested. I frowned, contemplating and finally nodded.
"But just so you know, I don't know if I can make her believe it. I don't like lying to her and you both know I'm a horrible liar."
"Boy, are you!" Cosmo said loudly.
"Timmy, sweetie, kiddo… I think Tootie knows about us." Wanda said, smiling unsurely at me.
"But how? I never told anyone." I asked, confused.
"Well, you see, as obsessed with you as she was, the question should be, how could she not know?" Wanda reasoned.
I opened my mouth to respond and then shut it. "Duly noted." I shifted and grabbed an extra jacket. "I guess we'll find out."
I drove up to Tootie's house and started up the walkway, leaving Cosmo and Wanda in the backseat. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw her.
She smiled and glided toward me. 'Is she floating?' I thought, unsure if I was even breathing. "Am I dreaming?" I murmured aloud. She blushed prettily and I felt my heart hammer in my chest. "My God, Tootie, you look amazing." I whispered.
"So do you." She said softly. I shivered, feeling her voice like a physical caress. She frowned, looking at something behind me. "Who's that in your car?" she asked curiously.
"Cosmo and Wanda." I said, giving no other explanation, wondering if she knew.
Her lips twitched and she looked back up at me seriously… except I could tell she was laughing inside because of the way her eyes sparkled. "Well." She stated. "I'm sure this is going to be a magical evening." She said and covered a chuckle with a fake cough. I sighed.
'Oh yeah. She knows.' I thought. "She told me you probably knew about them." I said, knowing Tootie would understand that I meant Wanda.
"Oh Timmy, I've always known." She laughed. "Remember when you and I fed pink and green balloons sour-krout on my birthday?" I flushed and smiled.
"Oh yeah. They were sick."
"I had one, too." She said, smiling slightly.
"One what?" I asked, wanting her to say it out loud.
"Fairy Godparent." She stated. "I had one."
"But why?" I asked, frowning this time. 'And how could she remember?' I thought, confusedly.
"Hello? Vicky as an older sibling?" she said as if that were obvious.
I laughed. "Gotcha. I only had to deal with her when she babysat me. You had to live with her. I nearly forgot."
"My fairy godparent, Sally, had to leave me a month after Daddy died. Vicky had calmed down and I was starting to get more friends on my own. I was too grown-up for her to stay." She said sadly.
I blinked comically for a moment and finally decided to ask her what had been bugging me. "Wait. How do you remember her?" I asked.
"Probably the same way you remember yours. I faked forgetting them." I nodded and she continued. "Unfortunately, Sally thought I really did forget her and I haven't talked with her since. I was a little jealous of you for being able to keep in contact with yours. But I'm over it now." I pulled her to me and hugged her. I laughed when she yelped and jumped as my horn blared.
"Are we goin' or what!" Cosmo yelled as Wanda unsuccessfully tried to shush him. "Let's get this party started!"
Tootie pulled back from me giggling and twirled in a cute circle.
TOOTIE'S P.O.V.
As we drove to the dance, Wanda and I shared knowing looks as Cosmo growled and snarled as though he really were a dog.
"Oh, shut up, you mangy mutt." Timmy muttered. I snickered as Cosmo whimpered and made with the puppy-dog eyes. Timmy sighed. "I'm sorry already, yeesh!" I tucked my tongue in my cheek to keep from laughing.
My smile quickly died away when Trixie Tang pulled up next to us in her limo. 'Goddammit!' I thought viciously, refusing to acknowledge her presence. I had felt Timmy tense beside me and watched as he forced himself to relax. We had the windows down and I tried to think of something that would make me smile and smile big. Not snooty, like Trixie would, princess to peasant… but something special that only I know. A secret smile…
And then it hit me. My mother. I grinned and giggled and had to force myself not to cackle.
"Are you okay?" Wanda wanted to know. I nodded and motioned her to come over. She leaned forward and I whispered in her ear what my mother had done. She fell back into her seat, jaw agape. Then the giggles started. I joined immediately and our guys wanted to know what was so funny.
"I'll tell you later." Wanda and I said in unison to our respective men. With that said, we burst into giggles again. Cosmo pouted and Timmy smiled at me, knowing I would tell him later. I was still giggling by the time we reached the next stoplight, Trixie still right beside us.
Her window rolled down and she peeked out snobbishly. Don't ask how she did it, but she managed with that superior look on her face and a really bad make-up job. I think she was supposed to be a vampire… or a swamp monster. I'm sad to say it pleased me that she looked horrible. I'm not shallow. Not really. She glared at me when she noticed Wanda and I were still giggling. Cosmo turned his head and screeched. "Aaahhhh! Demon!" and promptly hid his face in the crook of Wanda's neck. She stroked his hair and glared at Trixie while I dropped my head onto the dashboard, both Timmy and I howling with laughter. Trixie's window promptly rolled up and her limo sped away, running the red light. I just hoped the limo driver didn't get a ticket because of Trixie's little bitch fit. It's not his fault she is the way she is. It's her parents' faults.
"I think I love you, Cosmo." I managed in between giggles and deep breaths.
He grinned and put his arm around Wanda. "Sorry. I'm spoken for!" he announced kissing Wanda on the cheek.
"Me, too." I murmured and sent a coy under-the-lashes glance at Timmy. He grinned and reached over to hold my hand as the light turned green; we drove the rest of the way to the dance listening to Cosmo and Wanda chatter and bicker.
The fancy hotel ballroom our school was using for the dance looked gorgeous. Chandeliers dripping in crystal and sapphires, the refreshments expertly placed next to the dance floor, and the cozy tables only large enough for parties of four. Some were pushed together to make room for others. I held Tim's hand tightly as I waited for Trixie to pounce with her posse. A couple minutes went by and we didn't see her.
I breathed a sigh of relief. "Hey, look. There's Chester. He's with…a couple of his water polo buddies. He didn't get a date. Bummer." I paused. "He looks kind of nice as a pirate." Timmy looked at me with his bottom lip sticking out. I giggled. "But you look so much better, Mr. Phantom. My heart's all ah fluttah." I said in my best southern bell accent and batted my lashes at him. He chuckled, shaking his head.
I spotted one of my friends sitting all by herself. 'I didn't think she was gonna come.' I thought frowning. She looked so… not miserable… bored.
I dragged Timmy to her and introduced them. "Annie? Hey, what's up?"
Her head shot up and she grinned. "Alas, intelligent people! I knew not they still lived in this world of low light and sparkles."
"Minstrel?" I asked. She plucked the strings of her lute and I could barely hear the lovely little tune over the DJ's current choice of metal. "And you can really play. That's cool." I said. She looked so pretty with her auburn hair glinting with gold, copper, and rust colors. Her green and gold peasant dress was exceptional, matching the green and gold of her eyes. She had to be one of the prettiest girls I'd ever seen. "By the way, this is my boyfriend, Tim Turner. Timmy? This is Annie Axmakor. She's new to our school."
"Axmakor? Annie Axmakor? Really and truly?" I raised a brow at Timmy. He grinned. "That's just about the coolest name I've ever heard." He said reaching out a hand to her. She reached up and shook hands. "Sounds like a pirate name. Like Black Anne Cash or something. Nice to meet you."
She laughed. "Right back at ye, milord." At his frown she laughed again. "I'm in character. I like role-playing." I sat next to her and she seemed to relax and enjoy herself. Timmy excused himself saying something about going to greet a few friends. I introduced Cosmo and Wanda. Cosmo growled, Wanda rolled her eyes, and Anne laughed. "Ah, another role-player. Cool."
Wanda coughed and it sounded suspiciously like "Stupid mutt." Cosmo pat her back.
"You're not catching a cold, are you?" he asked worriedly. She smiled and shook her head.
We all grinned and chatted until Timmy got back.
TIMMY'S P.O.V.
'Annie Axmakor! That's that new girl that fell on Chester. Well, she's certainly pretty like he said. I don't know about drop-fucking-dead gorgeous… well… to each their own. I hope he doesn't blow it.' I thought as I hailed him.
"Hey, Tim. Lookin' good. Where'd your woman go?" Chester said.
"Believe you me, she's very much her own woman." I laughed. "She's over sitting with one of her friends. Some new girl with pretty red hair." I mentioned casually. His head shot up similarly the way Annie's had moments before. But he looked more like a hound scenting blood. I bit back a chuckle. "Her name's Angie." I said and watched his face fall. "No, no, wait. That's not right. It was Amanda. No, Alison. No, Annie. That's it. Annie. She had a really cool last name, too." Chester looked like he was about to strangle me until I said the right name. He got all starry-eyed and smiled like an idiot.
'Oh, God. I hope I don't look that ridiculous when I think about Tootie.' I thought in embarrassment. I cleared my throat and got Chester's attention back.
"So, you wanna come see Tootie?" I asked subtly.
He flushed red and coughed, trying desperately to compose himself. "Sure." He managed nonchalantly. I snorted and turned my head so he wouldn't see me laughing at him.
As we made our way back to where Tootie and Annie were sitting, I saw Trixie shove her way through the crowd towards me. I grimaced and groaned and Chester turned to look in the direction my eyes were glaring. I barely heard him sigh.
"You go on ahead to Tootie. I'll deal with her." Chester nodded and looked over to where Tootie and Annie were. Annie looked up and blushed and Tootie waved him over cheerfully. I caught her eye and motioned towards Trixie. I shook my head when she would have gotten up to face this with me. She squinted at me, but nodded.
"Hello, Timmy. I see your date ditched you already." She commented snidely.
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. Sure. Okay. What do you want?" I asked unemotionally.
"Just one thing." She answered, surprisingly not snapping like a terrier with a rawhide.
"That big dramatic scene you never got to have because I broke up with you outside of school?" I asked, again with no emotion. I watched in wry amusement as her eyes flashed.
"No." she said through clenched teeth. "I want you back." She added more softly. She looked like she was about to cry. I didn't buy it. She could spout the waterworks on a whim. She stared down at her hand, holding her cup close to herself.
"I'm already seeing someone. You know that. You also know that I have no feelings for you except distrust and disgust." I said smoothly, refusing to let her see that she was getting to me. Her hand shook quickly once, the red liquid sloshing precariously close to the lip of the cup.
She looked up at me sharply, as if cut to the quick. As if I truly hurt her. And I watched with panic hidden as a large crocodile tear trailed down her cheek. "Why? Why don't you love me anymore?" she said in a panicked voice rising in volume.
"I never loved you. I was just following my hormones instead my intelligence." I muttered. I knew I was an idiot as soon as the words left my mouth. The slap echoed in the suddenly quiet ballroom. All eyes on us. I stood firm and didn't let my head snap to the side as it wanted to upon the force of the impact. "Here it is, Trixie." I said in dangerous tones, listening as my voice carried. "Scene one. Take two. Action!" I grinned maliciously as her hand rose to strike me again. Tootie stepped in front of me to grab Trixie's hand and missed; she received my blow.
I caught my breath as Tootie lifted her face and blood trickled out of her bottom lip. Trixie's ring had caught her. I'm sure that was on purpose, though meant for me. The music had yet to start, so I knew that even the DJ was watching.
"Satisfied? Oh, not nearly." Tootie murmured. "You could never be satisfied. Not unless someone who you find fun to torment is suffering. So go ahead. Hit me again. Hit Tim again. Or walk away and save face. Either way, it was your hand, and your hand only, that flew tonight. It was you who lost what could have been the most wonderful thing in your life. It was you who ruined your own chance at true happiness. You're to blame. Don't misunderstand. I don't hate you. I never could truly hate anyone. But I pity you. I always have. I always will." Her voice rose above the murmurs and mutters, though she never changed the pitch or the volume of her voice. "So, Miss Trixie Tang, what is it going to be?"
To answer her question, Trixie snarled and flung out her cup, ruining Tootie's white dress in a spill of ruby red punch. People booed and hissed as Trixie stomped out of the hotel… because Tootie didn't even react to her except for a single pitiful smile.
As soon as the doors slammed shut, Tootie put her arms up in front of her breasts. "God damn that punch is cold! Anyone got a napkin?" she yelled. The room burst into laughter and giggles and Tootie turned to grin at me as if to say, "I told you I can take care of myself."
She took my hand and led me into the deserted lobby. She took a deep breath and burst into tears. I pulled her to me even though she struggled not to.
"Dammit, Tootie, I don't care if you get punch on me! I'll get it dry-cleaned!" with that snapped out, I yanked her against me and held her tightly while she cried. I stroked her hair and murmured stupid promises and romantic words I didn't even know I knew. I swayed back and forth with her in my arms and I shivered. "You were right. That punch is cold." She giggled and hiccupped and I snuggled her closer.
I then did something that probably would have grossed me out had I seen someone else do, but for some reason it didn't bother me with her. I licked the blood from her lip and nuzzled her neck. It struck me then that it was kind of kinky.
"I love you, Tootie." I whispered and felt her shudder. "Still cold?" I asked, knowing that wasn't it.
"I love you, too, Timmy." She said instead of answering my question. I smiled down at her and wiped a last stray tear from her face.
"Do you just want to leave?" I asked.
She shook her head. "Hell no! I didn't even get to dance yet!" she pouted. I nodded and she tweaked my nose. "I'm gonna go in the bathroom and try to salvage this mess. I'll take Annie with me and rinse the dress off, maybe even get it to all be pink, then it won't look so bad."
Again I nodded. "Okay. Or you could just get cleaned up to where you won't be sticky and just stay looking like a gorgeous fallen angel." I suggested. She gave an unladylike snort, but I could tell she was considering the idea.
Hours later we were still dancing and having the time of our lives while Trixie was nowhere to be found. I knew that after that night, Trixie would probably spread more rumors than ever… but now that the school had seen what she's truly like, I doubt they'll believe her. But hey, that's high school. We grow up whether we want to or not. I'm sure there'll be hard times, but as I looked at the angel in my arms, I knew she would shine through the dreary and make my life bright. Cheesy… but true.
Cosmo and Wanda were hilarious... until Cosmo accidently used magic and turned himself into something that had everyone in the ballroom screaming and running away. "I knew it! I'm hideous!" he cried and "Poofed!" out. Wanda apologized and followed quickly thereafter.
"I think that's our cue to go." Tootie said. I agreed and we headed to my house. It was, and is, the greatest night of my life. I loved her. She loved me. There was nothing more I needed. Or wanted.
A/N: There it is. The long await final chappy. I'm writing the lemon for the epilogue and posting it whether anybody wants it or not! So, there! Blah!
