So, I didn't think I'd like Just Add Magic enough to write for it but it is such a good show and I love our main trio of best friends. I'm not too fond of Mystery City so this is not canon to that spin-off, just to the main series. I will try to keep in line with the writing of the show and obviously add my own where necessary to the story. No pairings in this story, to me, it ruins the magic of the show, no pun intended.
1. From Where We Began
Magic would always remain a part of Kelly's life, whether she had the cookbook or she didn't. After graduating from high school, she worked part-time at Mama P's to gain experience so one day, she could open her own restaurant. Maybe something for sweets – since that was her favourite thing to do with her grandma. Hannah had gotten her admission to a university to get into teaching while Darby had gone to a school for the arts hoping to get into acting or stage plays later down the track. Her future self had been right – the real magic was in the world, not in the cookbook.
It was a normal morning and Kelly was getting ready to head out to meet the other girls for a reunion they had every Sunday. They had tried to catch up every Sunday and their friendship hadn't changed like she once feared. She was putting things in her bag when a glow from her bed caught her attention and she turned around, eyes widening. It was the magical cookbook, staring back right at her from the bed, the fork, knife, and spoon logo glowing. It looked as brand new if she had found it today for the first time. Why was it here? The book had moved on to new protectors and from what she had seen Zoe and the others were doing a great job. Maybe it had moved on from them too and something else had happened? But why had it come back to her? Had the new protectors not been worthy?
A ding on her phone brought her attention to the fact that Darby had texted her. Of course, she was running late. She really didn't want to ruin their meet-up, but her heart was sinking. She had a feeling something really bad was about to happen. Why was she feeling this way? Did having the cookbook back mean that something terrible was going to happen? Instead of texting back, she pressed video call instead.
"Hey," Darby said, answering right away, eyebrow slightly raised. "How am I here before you? You and Hannah always get here before I do. You are feeling ok, right?"
"Darby," Kelly cut her off before Darby could start rambling about something. "Can you and Hannah come over, like right now?"
"What's wrong, Kelly?" Darby asked frowning. "I thought we were meeting up at Mama P's."
"We were but…the cookbook is in my room again, we need to go see Grandma now," Kelly said immediately. It was too bad Ms Silvers was no longer in the neighbourhood because she might have gone to her first. If there was anyone who knew about magic, it was her. Other than Chuck but she honestly hoped he wasn't involved this time.
"Wait, what? Why now?" Darby asked, forehead crinkling. "I mean, I've been kind of missing magic, wait that's not the point, right? I'll get Hannah and we'll come over."
"Thanks, Darby," Kelly sighed a little. "I am a little worried."
"Don't sweat it ok?" Darby smiled a bit. "Look on the bright side, it'll be nice to have another magical adventure. I just hope it's not something too bad."
Kelly smiled a bit, knowing Darby would see how important this was and come right away. She picked up the cookbook once she hung up, flicking through it. A lot of new spells had been added to the book, which was easily seen from how heavy it was now, but the book flicked back to the first page once more. A message appeared on it in red ink and capital letters.
'SAVE MAGIC'
The way the phrase screamed at her sent a chill down her spine. She, Hannah, and Darby were no longer the protectors of the Book anymore, but the book had come to them. Had new protectors not been chosen to take over? Had they failed like Caroline, RJ and Noelle had? Like the OCs had in some way? Why had the book come to them? Something really bad must be happening and she had nothing to go off other than the red warning which the more she looked at made her feel as if she were becoming physically sick. Was magic becoming corrupted and that was why the book was so desperate? Before she could dwell on it, even more, the door to her room opened, Hannah and Darby rushed in.
"I was frantic when Darby told me the book was back," Hannah said frowning, looking at it in Kelly's hands, falling silent at the message.
"Save magic?" Darby read aloud. "It's in red too and red usually means things are really bad."
Kelly nodded, about to tell them they should head out to see Grandma and they could use the Teleporting Tamales to go to Miss Silvers and Mama P if needed be, but the world began to blur in front of her, the book slipping from her hands. Her feet gave out from underneath as she sunk to the ground, knees digging into the cold, hard floor, feeling her hands beginning to shake.
"Kelly!" Both Hannah and Darby cried, wrapping their arms on either side of her.
"Are you ok?" Darby asked, voice rising slightly as she rubbed the side of Kelly's arm, something that would usually make her feel better. Now was the exception, apparently.
"You look a little pale," Hannah said biting her lip. "You're not getting sick, are you?" She reached out, feeling Kelly's forehead before sighing in relief. "You're not warm. Kelly, what's wrong?"
"I feel sick," Kelly admitted, wrapping her arms around her stomach. "The book is desperate, you guys. It…it came to us because…" Her stomach churned even worse, feeling physically weak and she closed her eyes. If she was feeling like this, it wouldn't be long before Hannah and Darby started feeling the same way. They needed to cook. A protection spell for now until they could figure out what was going on.
"Now that you mention it, I was feeling a bit shivery this morning," Darby admitted, eyes widening a little. "Do you think it could have something to do with the book?"
Hannah winced a bit. "My body is beginning to ache too. Kelly, what do you think is going on?"
"And how do we fix it?" Darby added. "Like, where do we even start?"
"I think…someone is corrupting the magic," Kelly managed to say that, beginning to cough lightly but pushed that back to look at her friends. "And because of our connection to it, we're feeling its aftereffects."
Darby shivered a bit, her body beginning to tremble lightly. "The s-shivers are beginning…are beginning to come back." She could barely get the words out right now, stuttering on each word. "Kelly, what…do we do?"
Kelly exhaled, trying to calm herself especially as Hannah's grip around her hand loosened. She needed to keep it together. If they were going to figure this out, they would have to do it as one team, just like they always did. "We cook. First…we need to cook a protection spell. We can't protect magic if we fall ill from the aftereffects. I know this is difficult, guys. But we can do this. Together." She coughed, a throbbing ache going down her spine, but she ignored it, instead holding a hand out to Hannah and Darby. "I need you, guys."
Darby grasped the outstretched and Kelly tightened her grip around it. Hannah collapsed against her slightly and Kelly used her own free hand to grasp her other friend's hand.
"Let's do this," Hannah managed to say weakly. "We have to."