A SINGLE FLICKERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED THE PARLOR as the redhead sat at the piano, her fingers hovering over the keys. No matter how badly she wanted to play, she couldn't bring herself to let her fingertips dance across the ivory. The knowledge of Madison's assault loomed over her, a blanket of 'could have, should have, would have' flooding her mind. She continued to blame herself for not having been with the girls that night, harboring the pain that she felt following through with her word had caused.
Corey stood from her seat at the piano and moved into the large dining room. She shook her head, sliding the liquor cabinet open with one hand and an inward sigh. She swallowed hard, pulling out a decanter full of liquor and a single glass before turning and placing both down on the table behind her. The pattering of bare feet approaching pulled her attention away from the liquor in front of her as she called out into the darkness.
"Can't sleep?" She asked, not yet seeing the form of the witch that approached. She could eliminate a few members of the coven from a list of who could have been awake and exploring the dark, quiet, halls of the academy so late at night. Madison refused to walk around the lower floor of the estate without something protective on her feet, her slight mysophobia getting the best of her.
Cordelia only stayed at the estate while Hank was out of town and, aware that he hadn't left for his business trip yet, Corey knew it couldn't have been her. Queenie walked with an extra hop in her step, moving mostly on the balls of her feet, and the footsteps moving near her were very much heel-to-toe. The only options left were Zoe, Nan, and Fiona; not only did Spalding not speak, but he moved without making a sound.
"Just need a drink," the Supreme let out a light laugh. She clenched her closed hand slightly as she moved into the dim light of the parlor, rolling the pills she held in her palm in a circular motion with her fingertips. Corey nodded once, popping the decorative plug out of the top of the decanter and pouring its contents into the glass beside it.
"You're not usually up this late," Fiona added. She attempted to make small-talk while she waited for Corey to pass her the glass. A light laugh left the redhead's lips as she placed the decanter back down against the table, her fingers wrapping around the glass as she lifted it to pass it to the older woman in front of her.
"It's silly, really," Corey shook her head. A small smirk played on her lips as she reached her arm out. Fiona raised a brow as if asking for her to explain. "Madison's upset with me over things I can't really control. For some reason, it's keeping me awake." It wasn't a lie, the fact that Madison was giving her the cold shoulder had been bothering her slightly but she knew that, within time, the blonde would go back to instigating her usual banter. Fiona nodded once, a hum leaving her lips as she reached out to take the glass from Corey.
Their fingers brushed against each other and, just like with Madison, the things Fiona wanted to keep hidden flickered before the younger witch. A strange heat crept across Corey's neck as she watched a young Fiona slide a blade across Anna Leigh Leighton's throat. She stood slightly taller as Fiona tossed her head back, washing her medication down with the contents of the glass in her hand. The smirk on the redhead's lips faltered as she blinked back the flickers of Fiona's past that had invaded her vision.
"Ah, to be young and in love again," Fiona sighed. She shook her head as she rolled her eyes at the redhead. Corey turned away, reaching for another glass out of the liquor cabinet. She froze slightly, stammering as she opened her mouth to counter Fiona's comment.
"W-we're... we're not," Corey stood still. She was unsure of the next move to make. She already knew that the Supreme found the Montgomery girl to be her weakness, but Madison had never verbally stated the words that Fiona had been insinuating. If she had, she hadn't said them to Corey directly.
"Oh, please," Fiona scoffed. She moved to the sofa in the middle of the parlor before sitting in the center of it. "I know young love when I see it, Corinna." She shook her head. The redhead quickly grabbed a glass and followed her lead. Corey poured herself a few fingers of liquor as she listened to Fiona's ramblings. She pointed a wavering finger at the younger witch, a sideways grin on her face as she spoke.
"She'll come to her senses eventually," the Supreme adjusted her weight slightly while she sat so that she could face the redhead. Corey swallowed hard, gulping back the bitter taste that Fiona's words left in her own mouth. "They always do." Fiona reached out, placing a reassuring hand against Corey's knee.
The redhead nodded, bringing her glass up to her lips instead of verbally responding. She wanted to groan, to roll her eyes and lace her words with venom as she stood up for the blonde. She wanted to tell the Supreme that she had no clue who she was talking about, but she stayed silent. Because Fiona was right. The longer the Supreme stayed with the coven, the more Corey saw a likeness between the two. The difference was that Madison wasn't one to assassinate her competition.
Sure, there were the incidents with the director and the bus, but she had her reasons for those specific encounters. Whereas Fiona killed for power, Madison did it to protect herself. At least, Corey hoped that was the reason. She wasn't sure what she would do if Madison devolved into the horror that is Fiona Goode, but she knew that— whatever it came to be— it wouldn't be enjoyable on either of their parts.
The loud half-whispers of the girls on the upper level of the academy pulled Corey from her sleep. She groaned as she shrugged her jacket on. She took a step out the double doors of her bedroom that led out onto the wrap around balcony. After staying up and drinking with Fiona for most of the night, the last thing she needed was to be ripped from her light slumber because there was a boy outside.
"He's cute," Nan muttered. Corey rolled her eyes. She ran a hand through her loose curls before pulling her hood over her head as she made her way to the corner that Queenie and Nan had camped out on.
"Like butter on a stick," Queenie sighed. She leaned her elbow against the stark white railing below her. As she hummed, she shook her head. The girls watched as the neighbor grabbed the bottom hem of his t-shirt and tugged it over his head.
"What are we gawking at?" Corey asked. She shoved a hand into her jacket pocket to pull out her pack of cigarettes, leaning against the pillar as she looked between the girls and the group below them. She immediately found the boy they had been drooling over as he emerged from the moving truck with a box in his arms. The click of heels approached behind her. Corey relaxed slightly, knowing that Madison wasn't far behind.
"Our new neighbors moving in next door." Nan smirked. She turned to look at Corey briefly as Madison leaned against the wrought iron railing on the edge of the balcony.
The redhead rolled her eyes at the faux fur coat that Madison had decided to wear in the Louisiana heat. The blonde continued to put fashion over her own personal comfort as usual. Corey pulled a cigarette towards her lips, the flame flickering at the end before it even neared her mouth as she shoved her pack back into her pocket with her free hand. She watched as who she assumed to be the boy's mother approached the movers with a tray of lemonade.
"Where's your modesty?" The woman called out. She shook her head at the shirtless boy as she moved slowly, making sure not to spill the glasses of lemonade filled to the brim on the silver platter in her hands. "Put your shirt on." She spoke quickly as she neared the metal bed attached to the back of the moving truck.
"It's totally wet, Mom," the boy responded in a groan. He huffed as he moved a chair wrapped in plastic from the back of the truck to the metal bed under his feet. Corey sighed silently, her free hand moving to rest against Madison's back.
The blonde quickly pulled away from the girl's touch. Her angry eyes landed on Corey's peachy face before they quickly returned to the scene that unfolded below them. After the conversation she had with Trinity, Madison wasn't comfortable. Even having slept beside the redhead the night before, she was terrified of the idea that her team could pull her away from her home at any moment.
"Hell is naked before him and destruction hath no covering." The neighbor spoke in a monotone voice, shaking her head at the boy who hadn't listened to her requests. She placed the tray down gently, her head tilted as she stood up straight.She looked around, taking in their surroundings, before her gaze landed on the four girls standing on the balcony above them.
Though Corey wasn't looking in their direction, she could still tell that the group had been caught people watching. It seemed as though Madison had realized this as well as a smirk crept across her face, her fingers tapping against the railing delicately.
"Get in the house and put on a clean shirt." The woman's brows furrowed as she watched the group above them. Her son turned to see the four girls on the balcony next door with a raised brow. His eyes locked with Madison's as she tilted her head. Her eyes narrowed at the boy who stood with his mouth slightly agape. There was a tense silence that surrounded the group, causing the girls to shift their weight anxiously.
"Has, uh, anyone seen Zoe this morning?" Corey asked. She kicked off the pillar behind her as she flicked the ash from the end of her cigarette. Madison shrugged, turning to look at the taller girl with a bland expression on her face.
"She said she had to go meet up with someone, wouldn't be back before breakfast," the blonde sucked the corner of her bottom lip into her mouth as she tried to keep the extra details of the situation to herself. Although she knew fully well that the redhead was most likely aware of the other girl's whereabouts, she wouldn't spill any details— especially after having fought with the brunette about visiting victim's family members.
"Well, in that case, I'm going down to eat. I'm sure Spalding has breakfast ready by now, and it seems like the show is over." Corey flicked her cigarette off the balcony and into the front yard of the academy, rocking on her heels as she turned.
"Shit, me too, I'm ready to eat," Queenie spoke with a smile as she pushed off the railing, ready to follow the redhead down the hall and back into the building. Madison laughed, bringing her hand up to her face to stifle the noise that erupted from her throat.
"When aren't you?" She asked. She followed in suit as she quickly moved to step in line with Corey. The redhead could hear the movement behind her before she heard Queenie attempt to speak again, rolling her eyes at the encounter between the two young witches.
"If you didn't have your guard dog, I swear, I'd snap you like a twig," Queenie threatened. Her fists clenched at her sides as Nan slowly joined the group behind her.
"Just ignore her," Corey spoke over her shoulder. She glared at the blonde who matched her pace. "She knows she gets a rise out of you, it's the only reason she keeps doing it." Madison rolled her eyes, a light groan leaving her lips.
"Thank you, Captain Clairvoyance," the blonde muttered. She spoke loud enough for the rest of the group to hear. "We all truly wanted your input on the situation at hand." The sarcasm dripped from her lips as she spoke, her head shaking slightly with the attitude that rolled off her shoulders.
"Not clairvoyant," Corey groaned. She rolled her eyes as she reached for the door handle in front of them. The door pulled open with a sigh and Corey stepped back to let the girls into the hallway before her. They walked through the halls in silence, Corey quickly taking the lead of the group once more.
As they walked past Fiona's room, she could hear angry whispering coming from behind the closed door. The redhead wasn't sure if the Supreme was talking on the phone or if she was arguing with someone in the room but she wasn't going to stay and find out. By the time the group entered the dining room with plates in hand, Nan finally broke the silence.
"I can't stop thinking about our new neighbor. He's nice," she leaned forward, grabbing a handful of berries to pile onto her plate. Corey, being the oldest, stood in the back of the line behind Queenie and let the other girls fill their plates first. "He's waiting for someone." Nan grabbed more fruit for her plate as Madison reached for a spoon. The blonde scooped up some blackberries before adding other various fruits to the collection in her possession.
"Maybe he likes a little chocolate," Queenie grabbed a muffin from the table as she spoke, quickly moving around Madison to follow Nan to the other baked goods that scattered the table. The blonde laughed through her nose, shaking her head as she handed the spoon to Corey, their hands brushing against each other gently as the redhead rolled her eyes.
"It's hilarious to listen to you virgins get all hot and bothered." Madison spoke with a smirk, stepping to the side as she put her plate down and quickly pulled out a chair. She made sure to leave the chair next to her open knowing that she still wanted the other girl close.
"I'm not a virgin," Nan chirped proudly, holding her head up high. Corey couldn't hold in her laugh as she put her plate down to Madison's right, the table settings prepared as though Spalding had known in advance that Zoe wouldn't be joining them for breakfast.
"I'm not. I get it on all the time. And guys find me hot." Nan spoke proudly as she sat down. She tucked her feet underneath her as she tried to gain some height at the table that was too tall for her to be comfortably seated at.
"Look at you," once again, Madison's voice was dripping with a sarcastic undertone. She rolled her eyes, her shoulder bumping against Corey's in a falsely accidental manner as she adjusted her seat underneath her.
While the girls talked across the table, Corey's head turned at the sound of a wheeled cart moving in their direction. She sat up taller, her protective instincts over Madison taking over as she finally pulled her hood from the crown of her head. The blonde looked up from her plate with a smirk, her eyes locking on the youngest member of the coven who sat directly across from her.
"Who'd have thought we'd have so much in common?" She picked up her fork as she looked back down at her plate, quickly stabbing some fruit before looking back up at the two witches seated across from her. She pointed her fork in Queenie's direction, talking with a tilt of her head. "So, what's your story, Queenie? Who popped your chocolate-covered cherry?"
"No one yet. She's a virgin." Nan answered for the other girl. She leaned over the table with a devilish grin on her face. Corey raised a brow at the encounter, knowing that they had just had a conversation about invading each other's privacy and how it shouldn't be done. She returned her attention to the group before her, unintentionally talking over the other girls.
"Shut up, Nan. I'm saving myself." Queenie dropped a hand down against her fork in defeat, her bottom lip slipping between her teeth as her nose twitched slightly. Madison sighed, placing her fork back down on her plate as Corey's voice echoed against the walls slightly.
"I thought we had a clear discussion about staying out of other people's heads yesterday, Nan." The redhead raised a brow at the youngest witch, her hand instinctively moving to a protective position over Madison's thigh as she heard the wheeled cart come to a stop. Nan nodded, her head dropping to look at her hands as she pursed her lips.
When the sound of a plate touching the table caught her attention, Madison reached out a hand to pass the assorted breakfast foods to Corey. The redhead's brow furrowed as she looked up to see Spalding's face bruised and scratched. He looked as though he had been hit or walked into one of the decorative sconces. Though she assumed he had just injured himself unintentionally, her guard remained up.
"What happened to you?" Madison let out a laugh, her brow furrowed at the man in front of her. He let out a hrumph as he narrowed his eyes at the girl. He placed a plate of food in front of Queenie, leaving Madison's plate setting as the last to be passed off.
Spalding stood taller, his hands clenched against the handle of the food cart as he squared his shoulders. Corey's brows flew upwards as she sat up, her neck craning slightly to look over the back of Madison's head. The blonde looked at the man with an arched brow as she leaned her elbows against the table.
Spalding wheeled the food cart behind Madison. He leaned over her to place her plate in front of her, pausing to inhale the scent of her shampoo. Going the extra mile, he let a hand graze her hair. Madison froze, the panic in her eyes visible. Corey watched the man with a burning glare, her hand hovering over her steak knife as her jaw rolled in anger.
As Spalding's hand caressed Madison's throat, the blonde forgot how to breathe. Her mouth fell open as he allowed himself to apply pressure. Madison's eyes searched the redhead's face frantically. Corey's fingers wrapped around the handle of the blade as she launched from her seat.
She pointed the knife at the scraggly man, knocking her plate onto the floor and causing it to shatter as she moved. Corey threw Spalding off the actress, pushing him back against the food cart with her elbow. Spalding's hands immediately flew upwards in surrender as the serrated edge of the steak knife pressed against his skin.
She fought with the man, pushing him farther away from the table of girls. The coven watched with hushed whispers dancing around the table. The food cart fell over, causing the dishes to clatter against the floor. Heels quickly clicked down the hallway, heel-to-toe, as the commotion unfolded in the room.
Madison swallowed hard, her eyes locking onto Corey as the girl continued to fight against the man who had grabbed her by the throat. Corey's features softened as she caught a glimpse of Madison startling once more. Madison quickly relaxed, which caused the redhead to let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. She shoved Spalding against the wall, freezing as the sound of Fiona's voice filled the room.
"Hey!" Fiona called out. Her echoing voice broke up the chatter between the girls at the table as she crossed the threshold. The redhead noticed the small scratch on Spalding's neck as she returned her attention to the man in front of her. She smirked, her eyes traveling from the spot where the blade pressed against his neck
"What the hell is going on here?" Fiona leaned against the wall next to Corey, her eyes locked on the redhead. Madison's eyes locked on the trio as she swallowed hard, quickly folding her hands in her lap.
"Spalding grabbed Madison," Queenie spoke in a low volume. Her fear for the situation at hand only showed in her voice. Fiona's brows flew upwards, her eyes flicking between the redhead and the man she had pinned against the wall.
"If you ever even think about touching her again, I'll do a lot more than just nick your skin." She spat through her teeth, her nose twitching as she stepped back from the butler. She handed the steak knife to the Supreme as Madison's pulled at her forearm. The blonde tugged her back, away from the table where the rest of the coven sat with wide eyes.
Corey wanted to ask if Madison was okay, but one look at the girl's face told her all she needed to know. The blonde was panicked, her heart threatening to escape her chest with each beat. The redhead wrapped an arm around her and pulled her out of the room as quickly as she could.