Santana glanced at the old man who had walked in with a simple case and taken a seat at the bar. He was a massive bear of a man, and his presence made her uneasy. According to Marissa he'd just showed up the day that she had taken off and had come in every day. It was the same thing, he'd sit at the corner of the bar, away from most of the other people. He'd order a whiskey and have a meal and he'd stay until closing, ordering a drink every hour on the hour which he would nurse until it was time for another one.
There was just something off about him, that set off alarm bells. But he hadn't done anything, and according to Marissa he tipped generously. Marissa believed he was just a poor old man who had lost his wife, or something and needed to be around people. As far as she was concerned Marissa was an idiot.
"Another whiskey please."
Santana turned to look at the man who pushed his glass forward, and grabs the whiskey bottle and gets ready to pour it, meeting his eyes. "I haven't seen you around here before."
"I'm attempting to repair my relationship with one of my daughters," he says after a moment. "Also looking to get to know my granddaughter."
Maybe Marissa wasn't as big of an idiot as she thought. "Well I hope it goes well for you," she said as sincerely as she could sighing as she looked at how empty the bar was, it was already after ten. She glances at her phone as it buzzes, and decides to ignore it for now. She wasn't Charlie's personal chef, though no one seemed to appreciate her food more than Charlie.
That didn't mean she was going to actually to head to the grill and make Charlie food, she had a customer. Though when Charlie showed up to take out the trash, she'd make her a sandwich or—the familiar sensation of Charlie's magic causes her to look up as Charlie appears. "We've talked about this Charlie," Santana sighed and is rewarded with a pleased smile.
"I helped Quinn, she has a girlfriend now," Charlie explains as she unbuttons the cuffs on her sleeves and rolls them up as she takes a seat at the bar. "Where are the mac and cheese bites?"
Santana glanced over at her only patron for a moment, who was watching them, and the feeling of uneasiness was back, he was smiling at Charlie. It was beyond creepy. "I told you in the text that I wasn't going to make you mac and cheese bites."
"I can—"
"We talked about this, no teleporting into the restaurant Charlie, I'm still dealing with the hipsters and getting the normal clientele back. We also talked about the fact that since you don't work here, you do not get free food and you can't use the kitchen anymore." At least Charlie hadn't teleported into the kitchen this time and begun to use the kitchen.
Charlie puffed her cheeks and turned finally noticing the man who was sitting in the corner and frowned as she watched him moving towards the case on the ground, immediately Charlie stretches her hand out and tries to call the case towards her. But the long black case doesn't dematerialize into her hand, and she notices the small amused smile that crosses the old man's face. It takes her a moment before she turns to Santana and taps her shoulder, teleporting her up to her bedroom. "Quinn said that you couldn't touch me," Charlie said calmly, and Santana said she couldn't kill any Templars.
"The only thing that is currently stopping the Templar's from coming after you is the fact that containing you would be difficult. We have the largest trove of magical information, and yet containing you is near impossible, I imagine that in a few days you'll have already figured out how to force summon the items you can summon." The man stated simply, as he opened the case revealing a sword.
Charlie was about to respond, when the door to the kitchen slams open, and Santana glares at her, "Have you lost your mind?" Santana began, ready to tear into Charlie for her odd behavior. It takes the gleam from the sword to make her realize that the man she'd been serving had indeed been a Templar. "Well—fuck."
Charlie uses the moment's distraction to move, teleporting in front of the man only for her legs to be swept from under her causing her to lose her balance and teleport back, surprise etched on her features. Sure, there were times when she was predictable with where she teleported, but he was fast and agile, and he seemed to know where she was going to be.
"Is that it? I'm surprised you gave Cassandra such a hard time," the man stated simply. "You rely to heavily on that little parlour trick."
Charlie's lips curl in frustration and she's about to move again when she feels an arm on her elbow and she looks over at Santana. "You need to leave."
"We need to leave," Santana said firmly, she could already feel the swirl of power that surrounded Charlie. She's surprised when Charlie pulls her arm free.
"They need to know that they can't threaten you," Charlie says as she slowly shifts her stance. He was dangerous. She moves quickly using her magic to close the distance and pick up speed as she moves. What she doesn't expect is to be blocked once more, and to have a heavy hand smack her on the head.
"I just told you that you rely to heavily on that teleportation trick of yours. There is only so many angles you can attack from."
A palm slaps her hard on the back causing her to stumble forward. The watch on her wrist begins to beep loudly and rapidly as she takes a shaky breath, and her body begins to heat up.
"Charlie." Santana barked out, wincing at the harshness of Charlie's magic. She was pumping out too much magic. Charlie's magic had never been warm but now it felt practically oppressive, she'd gotten stronger.
"All that raw power, and you have no idea how to handle it," the man shook his head as if he were disappointed and shifted on his chair as Charlie tried to hit him again. Her swings were massive, and it easy telegraphed what she wanted to do and what she was targeting.
Santana turns sharply to the man, wondering if he could feel what she could. He hadn't actually made an attempt to hurt Charlie, and if she didn't stop this fight now Charlie would burn out quickly. She moves quickly and as Charlie gets pushed back, she steps in between them, and nearly winces at the fact that Charlie's irises were glowing slightly. Santana immediately placed her hands-on Charlie's face forcing Charlie to look at her. "Charlie, it's okay. I don't think he wants to hurt you."
"I don't want him to hurt you," Charlie replies and tries to break away from Santana's hold on her, but Santana doesn't budge causing Charlie to turn to her.
"I think he's your grandfather," Santana informs Charlie plainly, it had taken her a few moments to piece it together. But his words, from earlier the delight he had on his face—it all made sense. "If he wanted to hurt me, he could have done it earlier. I'm not saying to trust him, but I need you to calm down, I'm fine. I'm fine right now, I promise." Santana swallows as Charlie's magic flickers for a moment. "And if he's a threat, you can teleport me to somewhere safe." She relaxes when Charlie's magic finally cuts out and the beeping from her watch stops. Santana turns slightly to look at the man, "You are her grandfather, aren't you?"
The man smiled, "Lawrence July. Her maternal grandfather," Lawrence said as he slid the case across the bar. "Quinn mentioned that you wanted her sword. I had one crafted for you."
Charlie flicked her eyes towards the weapon for a moment, before pushing it across the bar back to Lawrence, "I don't care if you're my grandfather. I told Quinn that I didn't want to meet you."
"Quinn isn't aware that I'm here, yet. She'll probably be upset that I went against her wishes, but I came back to help your mother and I've grown tired of waiting for you to be ready. I am an old man. I could drop dead tomorrow."
Santana scoffed at that assessment, he may be an old man, but he was healthy, and clearly still as quick and as strong as a man half of his age. There was a jovial note in his tone, like he wasn't the least bit threatened. "Templar's aren't welcome at my bar, so if all you wanted to do was pick a fight—"
"I don't remember it like that."
"You just said you were a senile old man," Santana reminded him, "You walked into my restaurant, with a damn sword. You're a Templar, it doesn't matter if you're Charlie's grandfather. You don't seem to care about Charlie's feelings, meaning that you started this."
Lawrence raised a brow at Santana, so she was the person who had earned Charlie's trust and adoration. They didn't have much information on her but from the looks of it, Charlie trusted her. At least she seemed to have a proper advocate. "Perhaps, but she was the one that tried to take something of mine with her magic. Nonetheless, to get over this misunderstanding, Charlie come have a drink with me. Two whiskeys please."
Santana doesn't budge, "Charlie doesn't like whiskey."
"Well then make it whatever she prefers then," He pats the seat beside him. "Have a seat." He pauses when Charlie doesn't move. "Please."
Santana turned to Charlie it was her decision, but she really needed to do something about the fact that Templars kept stopping by in her bar. She can feel a pulse of magic splash over her and she watches as Charlie's brow furrows ever so slightly as she stares at Lawrence.
"You're not going to be able to teleport me away, you think you're the first summoner that I've faced? I took precautions," Lawrence sighed.
Charlie's magic ebbed away after pulsating once more, "I don't want to have a drink with you. I don't want to talk to you, I want you to leave."
Lawrence didn't make a move to leave, "Charlie we're family."
"I don't know you," Charlie pointed out. "You're a stranger, and you could be lying. Trying to trick me into going back with you, trying to threaten me into going back with you." Charlie glanced at Santana after she said this. "I don't want you here."
"I didn't come here to fight Charlie. I came here to start a relationship with my granddaughter. As I've stated I'm an old man, and not finding you and rescuing you was my biggest regret. You were hidden from me, purposefully. I wanted to raise you Charlie; we could have managed your abilities when you were younger. However, I am only one voice on the council, and when I made my intentions clear they hid you from me. I am not like your father; I am not like the other Templars."
"Bullshit." Santana said immediately turning to Charlie. "Ask him how many Magic-Touched he's killed. They always say this Charlie, but they're the ones committing a genocide of our people. They're the ones that have stolen our history. He cares because you're his blood and he can use you, in whatever stupid shit the Templars are doing. But how many people are there who are being treated like you were, tortured for days on end, being turned into a killing machine for the Templars?"
"I've killed hundreds of Magic-Touched." Lawrence answered with a shrug of his shoulders, "Not every Magic-Touched individual is a good person. I have saved lives. I know you may not be able to appreciate it, but everything I did was to save lives. We're a massive organization and despite what you may believe Ms. Lopez we do far more good than harm."
"You didn't answer her questions," Charlie pointed out. "I just want the Templar's to leave me alone. You're a Templar and if I wasn't your granddaughter you wouldn't be here. I don't want anything from you, but to be left alone."
Lawrence frowned and pulled out his wallet, there was a finality to Charlie's words and he wasn't going to push his luck. "You are my granddaughter and I understand why you hate the Templars. But there are changes going on right now, and you need to be careful. I'm doing what I can to fix Templar mistakes and take us in a new direction, but change is slow."
"I don't care. Your part of the organization that kept me in a cell and did bad things to me. Things that I think of as normal until people tell me just how bad what you did to me was. Then I have to deal with it. I know I'm not the only one it's happening to, and you saying that you're working on change doesn't mean anything to me. They're nice words, but I don't care if there is a civil war in the upper ranks of the Templars. The Templar's have done enough to me, and I don't want to get dragged into their mess. So please just leave me alone."
Lawrence nodded and placed the money on the bar. "Very well, keep the sword I had it forged for you." He said leaving the case on the bar as he turned on left the restaurant.
Santana swallowed and looked at Charlie who was touching the black case on the counter, "You know every family has their issues. Your issue is that your family belongs to the cult that is the Templars." She winces at the flair of magic around Charlie.
Charlie's watch began to beep, and her nose began to bleed but after a moment the case disappears. She wipes her nose with the back of her hand. "I really want some mac and cheese bites Santana."
"What'd you do with it?"
"It's at the bottom of the Hudson," Charlie smiled pleased with herself as she flops into the seat and looks at Santana, the exhaustion suddenly evident on her face as her adrenaline ebbs away.
Santana laughed, "Sit, let me close up and then I'll make you some food, and then I'll call Sebastian so we can talk about the next steps."
Charlie nodded and placed her head on the bar, suddenly feeling very tired, "And a burger."
Santana rolled her eyes but smiles at Charlie, "And a burger," she said gently patting Charlie's head and using her magic to put Charlie to sleep.
