Epilogue

It was Christmas morning at the Noceda residence. Luz woke up bright and early, like many children much younger than her did on that holiday. Only Luz was not excited to go down and start unwrapping presents beneath the tree, at least not this time. She was far more interested in the guest who she had invited into her home the previous night.

As she left her room, Luz tiptoed quietly down the hall towards the stairs, carefully proceeding down them in the darkness. The sun had yet to start rising and the only light within the house at the moment was that of the Christmas tree. She peeked into the living room and found that Hunter was already awake as well. He was sitting on the couch, staring out the window and watching the beginnings of a snow flurry.

Luz stepped into the living room, Hunter taking notice of her right away. He didn't say anything, turning his attention back to the countless snowflakes slowly descending from the sky. Luz walked over to the window to watch with him, letting the silence between them continue for just a little longer.

After a couple of minutes, Luz stepped away from the window and plopped down on the couch next to Hunter. He glanced at her and then fixed his gaze outside of the window again. In the brief time he had looked her way, Luz could see there was still sorrow in his eyes. Luz wanted to talk to him about it, but feared it was still too soon. But she knew she could only wait for so long. She was worried and if she wanted to know, she would need to speak up. Preferably before either her mother or sister woke up and came into the room.

"How are you holding up?" Luz asked at last.

"I didn't sleep." He answered. "I couldn't stop thinking about my uncle."

"That's understandable. It hasn't even been a day yet." She replied. "Do you… want to talk about it at all? I mean, if you don't want to that's fine. I just thought that, you know… maybe you'd want to…"

"It's fine…" Hunter said with a sigh. "I'm not going to feel any worse about it if I talk, so I might as well. It… it just doesn't seem real. I saw it happen, but part of me refuses to believe it. And I have absolutely no idea what to do now. My uncle wasn't always kind to me." He noted, reaching up to feel the notch in his left ear. "But he was the only family I had left. With him gone… I'm scared to go back."

"Why? Because of the whole thing with him making you the new emperor?"

Hunter nodded. "I felt like I had no control over my future before. And now… I know I don't. I'm not sure I'm ready to be ruler of the Boiling Isles. It was enough work having to be the head of a coven."

"Don't worry about all of that right now." Luz told him, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "You can cross that bridge when you get to it. Let's just focus on what to do now." She continued, standing up. "And I think now is a good time to get some breakfast. What are you hungry for?"

"I'm not hungry, actually. But… I know I should eat something. So, whatever you want to make, I'll eat it." Hunter replied.

"Okay. Do you want some hot cocoa to enjoy until the food is ready?"

"Thanks, but I feel like it's a bit early to be having any of that drinking chocolate."

"How about a cup of coffee then?" Luz offered.

"What's coffee?"

"It's a drink that humans have in the morning." Luz explained. "If they had it on the Boiling Isles, it would probably be called bitter bean blood or something like that."

"Do you have tea?" Hunter asked.

Luz nodded. "Yup. Want some honey in it?"

"I don't." Hunter said, wrinkling his nose a bit at the thought. "I'm not fond of spicy food and I have no idea why you would put that stuff into tea."

"Oh, right, duh… Boiling Isles honey comes from Fire Bees." Luz reminded herself, bopping her palm against her forehead. "No, the honey in the human realm isn't spicy. It's sweet."

"It's sweet?" Hunter repeated with one eyebrow raised up, getting a nod from Luz in response. "This place is so weird. I'll pass on the honey. I prefer my tea without anything in it. Uh, please."

Giving a giggle and another nod, Luz left Hunter to continue watching the snow. Luz stepped into the kitchen and began heating water to make some tea for him. She grabbed some eggs out from the fridge and cracked them into a bowl, adding in a pinch of salt and pepper before stirring them up with a whisk. After melting some butter substitute in a frying pan, she began preparing an omelet with some diced bell peppers and tomatoes. In lieu of blowing a kiss as a final touch when it was ready, she instead topped the omelet off with a ketchup drawing of a smiley face.

She brought Hunter his breakfast and then made herself comfortable on the couch. While Hunter ate, Luz took out her phone and checked to see if anyone had posted a new Good Witch Azura fanfiction for the holidays. To her delight she found a few and spent some time reading them until the sun began to peek over the horizon. By then the snowstorm had picked up and the visibility outside was decreasing a bit. Hunter had finished his food and needed a refill on his tea. Luz got up to prepare him some more, setting the dirty dishes into the sink after putting the kettle on again.

While she waited for the kettle to whistle, Luz went over to her mother's bedroom and peeked inside. She found that her mother was awake, checking the weather on her phone. Vee was in the room as well, sitting cross-legged on the bed by Camila and watching the storm in complete fascination. The basilisk was so enraptured by the winter storm that she had yet to notice her surrogate twin was present.

Luz softly knocked on the door, opening it a little wider. "Buenos días, Mamá. Feliz Navidad."

"Feliz Navidad, Mija." Camila said, greeting Luz with a warm smile. "How's our guest?"

"He seems to be doing about as well as we can hope for." Luz replied with a somewhat sad smile. "I made him something to eat for breakfast already."

Camila patted the spot on the bed beside her and Luz walked over to crawl onto the bed. She scooted up beside her mother, who pulled her into a hug. Luz nestled herself as close as she could, letting out a giggle and resting her head on her mother's shoulder. Camila planted a kiss on Luz's forehead and then ruffled her hair.

"I am so proud of you, Mija. Going out of your way to help someone when it meant having to leave the party you worked so hard to plan."

"And someone who was supposed to be an enemy too." Vee added, tearing her eyes away from the window. "I'm amazed you could do that. I know I couldn't have if it had been me in the same situation."

"I just did what I thought was best. That's all." Luz replied. "I just hope that Amity isn't still mad at me. Eda contacted me last night after she got back and said that Amity was in a pretty bad mood when she found out what happened."

"Will she still be coming over today?" Camila asked.

"Uh-huh. I should be getting back downstairs to open the portal for her in a little bit."

"Well, then I should go and get started on breakfast." Camila replied, sitting up and getting out of bed. "And after that we can open our presents."

Camila put her bathrobe on over her pajamas and stepped out of the room. Luz went to follow and noticed that Vee was staying on the bed, an anxious expression on her face. It wasn't a mystery to Luz as to why Vee wasn't super eager to go to the living room. As it was, the moment Vee learned who Hunter was the preceding night, she had clung to Camila's side the entire time from that moment forward. She had even spent the night in Camila's room just to feel safe enough to fall asleep.

"Hey, it's okay to go out there." Luz whispered to her reassuringly. "He isn't going to do anything. He has no idea who you are. As far as he can tell, you're just another human."

"Are you sure?" Vee asked.

"Mmm-hmm. He's too upset anyway, so I doubt he'd try to cause trouble. And even if he did, he'd have to answer to Mamá. You know how she can be when she gets mad."

Vee smiled and gave a short nod in agreement. She got up off of the bed and followed Luz back to the living room. Once there, she still kept a fair distance away from Hunter. He either wasn't aware of her presence or just wasn't bothered by it and kept sitting quietly on the couch. After almost a minute, Vee decided to put on some music to get rid of the uncomfortable silence. She turned on the Bluetooth speaker on the coffee table, keeping a wary eye on Hunter and then selected a playlist of holiday songs on her phone.

A couple of minutes later, Luz heard the kettle starting to whistle and went to go prepare a fresh cup of tea for Hunter. After she brought it to him, she stepped back into the kitchen and checked the time. It was nearing eight in the morning, the time she and Amity agreed to open the portal. Luz rushed up to her room to get the portal key from where she had hidden it away under her mattress and then went back down to the kitchen again.

After a quick peek to check on Vee and Hunter, Luz went to summon and open the portal. The door opened and within less than a minute's time, Amity stepped into view. Her eyes locked onto Luz immediately and she stormed across the interdimensional threshold, advancing on her girlfriend.

"Luz Noceda, you have a lot of nerve!" Amity chided. "Do you have any idea how freaked out I was when I found out what you did?!"

"I'll let the two of you have a minute to talk things out." Camila said, leaving the kitchen.

"Amity, I know that you're upset with me, but…"

"The next time you tell me you're going to do something stupid, you had better be clear on just how stupid." Amity interrupted. "Because of all the stupid things you could have done, I never would have guessed you'd personally escort two of your biggest enemies right into your home realm!"

"It wasn't exactly something I expected to do either. The circumstances were… really surprising." Luz replied. "And it isn't like I rushed in without a plan. I would have been ready to run and call for help if things got hairy."

"I would hope so! Or better yet, you should have had me or Eda shadow you to be safe!" Amity said before taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh. "But, I don't want to spoil your holiday, so let's wait until after it's over to finish this discussion, okay?"

"Okay, Am-Am." Luz said, extending out both arms. "Apology hug?"

"Apology hug accepted." Amity replied, stepping forward and giving Luz a quick embrace.

"So, how is it over there?" Luz asked, almost hesitantly after their hug ended.

"Chaotic. Everyone in the marketplace was talking about how the body of our now deceased emperor was found lying out in front of the castle." Amity answered. "And there's groups of guards and scouts out searching for you-know-who. Rumors are starting to spread that he's dead too."

Luz let out a nervous giggle. "Well, they'll definitely be surprised when he finally goes back."

"And when exactly is he going to do that?" Amity asked, crossing her arms. "I don't like the idea of him staying in your home for even one second, much less an entire night!"

"He's being allowed to stay as long as he needs to." Luz replied firmly. "And that is my mom's decision, so that's how it will be. Anyways, did you get some stuff like I asked?"

Amity sighed and nodded. "I had no idea what to get, so I focused on practical things more than anything else. Where should I put them?"

"On the island is fine. I want to wrap them and put them under the tree right away. Do you want something to drink? I was just making some tea, the water should only need a minute or two to be hot enough again."

"Some tea would be nice, thank you."

Luz turned the burner back on for the kettle, getting a mug out from the cupboards. Amity brought out a magic bubble containing some shrunken bags. As she began returning them to their normal size, Hunter almost entered the kitchen. Fortunately for Luz, she spotted him and was able to keep him out by blocking the doorway with her body.

"Nope! Sorry, but you need to stay out of here for a little bit. I have stuff in here I don't want you to see yet."

"What are you talking about? Hunter asked, puzzled.

"Well… I have some presents in here for you that I had Amity pick out this morning. You remember Amity, right?"

Hunter leaned to the side and saw Amity glaring at him. He smiled a bit awkwardly and waved to her. She responded by turning away and turning up her nose with a 'hmph'. His smile fell and Luz took the opportunity to coax him away from the kitchen.

"Sorry about her. I think she's still an itty bitty bit mad at you."

"I can't say I blame her." Hunter mumbled. "So what was that about having presents for me?"

"It's pretty much just that. I had Amity pick out some stuff to give to you for Christmas presents."

"But why?"

"Okay, so I know that getting nice, new stuff won't ease the pain of losing your uncle. But I'd feel super guilty if the rest of us were unwrapping gifts today and you had nothing." Luz explained. "So I'm gonna wrap some things and put them under the tree for you."

"Oh… thanks. You didn't have to do that though."

Luz smiled. "Nobody really has to get presents for someone on Christmas. It's just a really popular tradition for the holiday. But I wanted to, so… no peeking, okay?"

Hunter nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Okay. And thanks again, Luz."

"De nada." Luz replied.

She stepped back into the kitchen to grab the bags Amity had placed onto the island. Then she hurried off to her mother's room to wrap them, turning to face Hunter while hiding the bags behind her back as she went. She narrowed her eyes at him and mouthed the words 'no peeking' before she vanished into Camila's bedroom, leaving Amity and Hunter by themselves.

"She is a strange one." Hunter noted.

Amity nodded, a serene smile on her face. "In the most beautiful way." She said with a happy sigh. Then her expression hardened and she stepped closer to Hunter, thrusting a finger out and poking him in the chest. "And she did you a very big kindness yesterday, so don't you dare forget that! Because if you ever betray her trust, or if you ever sell her out… I'll make sure you regret it."

"I… I don't think I could do that. Not after last night." Hunter told her. "I am going to be grateful for what she did for as long as I live."

"You'd better, because I will show no mercy if you ever hurt her." She warned, glaring daggers at him. "She can be too nice sometimes. But me? I'm still learning how to be a nice person. I can still behave like a Blight if I have to, so keep that in mind too."

The sound of someone clearing their throat caught the attention of the two witches. Camila approached them, focusing her attention on Amity. The expression on Amity's face quickly became meek and she folded in hands in front of herself, looking down at the floor. When Camila stepped up beside her, she swallowed a small lump in her throat, a mildly uneasy feeling starting to well up inside her.

"You don't need to worry, Amity." Camila told her. "I'm not upset with you. I just want to talk to you, so please look at me."

Slowly, Amity looked up to meet Camila's gaze. "I'm sorry." She said softly.

"I appreciate that, but I'm not the one who needs an apology." Camila replied. "We have a saying around Christmastime. Peace on Earth and good will towards others. I don't know what has happened between you two in the past. But could you put aside your differences for just today and get along with him?"

"Yes ma'am." Amity answered, looking towards Hunter with sincerity. "I'm sorry for how I spoke to you just now. But I am very protective of Luz and I consider you a danger to her. It isn't easy for me to overlook that, but in observance of the holiday I will try."

"Thank you." Camila said, also turning to look at Hunter. "Is there anything you'd like to say to Amity, Hunter?"

Hunter thought for a moment. "Yes, there is. You're right about me. I have been a threat to Luz and to her mentor, the Owl Lady. Saying that I was just following orders isn't a good excuse. So I'm sorry too, for whatever it's worth."

"Very good." Camila noted. "Now, I was about to start on breakfast. Would you two like to help me make some French toast?"

"I've never had a French before, toasted or otherwise." Amity replied. "Are they good?"

Camila giggled. "French is not a type of food, Amity. Come join me in the kitchen and I'll explain it to you."

Amity nodded. "I'd love to."

"Would you like to join us, Hunter?" Camila asked.

"No, thank you. I think I'll just sit back down for a while." Hunter replied. "I already ate too, so I'll pass on the toasted French."

"Suit yourself." Camila told him, holding back another giggle. "But I'll make sure we have extra in case you change your mind."

She stepped into the kitchen with Amity to get started on cooking. Hunter went back to the couch, sitting back and making himself comfortable. He found the music playing from the speaker on the table enjoyable and just listened to it for a while. It was nice to have something to distract him from the worrisome thoughts that had kept him up through the night and allow him to relax a little.

After a short while, Luz came back into the room. She had a bunch of items wrapped in colorful paper which she began placing beneath the tree among the many others. When she finished she took step back and admired her work with a satisfied nod.

"Perfect!" She declared.

"You really didn't have to do that." Hunter said.

"Too late!" Luz replied with a smirk. "I can't wait to see you open them. Amity picked out some really nice things for you, so be sure to thank her for all of it."

"I will. So… is this holiday all just decorations and gifts?"

"Mostly. It's kinda crazy because of how commercialized it is, but the important part of it is being with your family." Luz explained. "And the best thing about Christmas, at least to me, is that it's a day where everyone is like family. So today, you can be part of mine."

Hunter snorted a little. "To be honest, that sounds kind of sappy. But… it's the kind of sappy thing I could really use right now."

"So glad you think so." Luz said, sitting down beside him on the couch. "Mind if I put on a Christmas special for us to watch?"

"Makes no difference to me." He replied. "It's your house."

Luz grabbed the remote and turned the television on. She opened up her Webflix account and searched until she found something she liked. Hunter watched the special with her, somewhat interested in it but mostly confused do to a lot of missing context. He kept his many questions to himself so as to not ruin it for Luz, who was completely absorbed in the show.

Soon enough breakfast was ready and Luz paused the special to go and eat. In the short time she was out of the room, Hunter dozed off. When everyone else came back into the living room after enjoying their breakfast, they found him softly snoring on the couch. They all agreed to wait on opening presents until he woke up again and quietly spent the time listening to more Christmas music, keeping the volume low so as not to disturb Hunter while he slumbered.

The atmosphere in the living room of the Noceda household that morning was one of merriment. Hunter would awake later on, surrounded by the warmth and joy they shared with each other as they celebrated the holiday. He joined them and together they began unwrapping the many presents beneath the tree. Luz smiled as she watched him. She could tell that while Hunter liked all of the things he received, none were more appreciated than the comfort he had found in that house on that day. Something which she knew he had gotten thanks to a little holiday magic.

The End.