Congratulations, we're almost at the climax, thank you all for sticking with it. And to those of you who are new, sorry, it's a long ride, but I hope you enjoy it. Sorry for leaving it for so long. Life happened, but I wanted to finish this story with more than just a quick ending. You all deserve a good finish. Here we go readers!

Chapter 9 Magic

Dark Heart's steps fell silently as he followed Broken Heart down the burned staircase of her former home. He noted the fact that he no longer required light to see as the moon faded from view, but neither did she, her eyes glowing blue in the darkness.

The staircase exited into a cold crypt lined with several doors, each intact and seemingly untouched by fire.

"This room alone was preserved when the Care Bears destroyed our home," she paused to remove a key ring from her belt, "This is the secret to winning our revenge over the Care Bears."

She took a key and opened a door to reveal what looked like an amusement park. A large Ferris wheel loomed quietly over quiet rides and silent blue caravan.

"I don't see how take a trip on the Ferris wheel is going to bring down the Care Bear empire."

She laughed derisively, or at least he thought it was a laugh. It was more similar to rasping wheeze. "Darling if I wanted a ride we'd be trying to find a mouse instead of sacchariferous bears. No, we're in a sort of different path. One without True Heart Bear or Noble Heart Horse."

Dark Heart's brow furrowed, "But I chased them across a sea. I remember a storm."

"And in your path they found refuge; however, in this timeline," she gestured toward the open door, "They didn't quite make it and sacrifices had to be made."

Dark Heart felt a lump in his throat, "You mean I…"

"Let's call it mutual destruction," she said as she waved away his question, "In essence, the Care Bears and Care Cousins were forced to grow up on their own, separately, and without the guidance of their mentors. But you would never be a threat to them."

Dark Heart swallowed hard, "So what was a threat to them?"

"Ah," She glanced at the doorway, "That is the right question." Her hand brushed against the emptiness of her chest, "The recipe for any evil just takes one lost forgotten child and a Devil to make a deal."

Dark Heart shifted uncomfortably. She wasn't wrong. The weak and desperate always struck the fastest deal. Oftentimes they just wanted the barest amount of acknowledgement. They were often alone and secluded from family and friends. They always yearned for just a sliver of approval obtained from others and in exchange they'd offer themselves. Eventually they'd offer the world to prevent going back to that lonely shadow. He'd done it to Christy and she'd almost paid in blood.

He looked back at Broken Heart, startled to find her watching him silently with those cold blue glowing eyes. She said nothing as she nodded towards the blue caravan wagon, "THE GREAT FETTUCINI" was written in garish font. "Here we find another who made a Faustian bargain. A boy named Nicholas and a book who offered him a power unlike any other."

Dark Heart frowned, "And here we find yet another parallel timeline trope!" He slammed his hand against his face. John would love this. He was always going on about the MCU and how they would eventually have to tie loose ends with a multidimensional universe. The thought of his friend brought a pang of sadness to his heart.

Amusement colored Broken Heart's face as she smiled slyly at him, "I suppose it's the only way to explain how so much evil slips by past the Care Bears."

Dark Heart's attention returned to the open door. "So what," he asked, "we just go in there and take the book?"

Broken Heart sighed, "The book is useless without someone for it to control. For the book to work, we need the boy. We get the book and lure the boy here."

Dark Heart frowned, "The same way you lured me to the lake?"

Broken Heart shrugged, "I merely used opportunity to my advantage. You did the same to Christy."

His eyes glowed red, tinged with rage and pain, "Don't say her name."

Broken Heart's eyes flashed with fear, but only for a moment, "Remember, I'm not your enemy. Your real enemy is three feet tall and full of love and kindness."

"The real enemy is whoever hurts Christy. I will get her back, she's mine and I'm hers. Now, stop playing games and let's get started." Dark Heart's eyes stopped glowing, but the red tint remained. He gestured towards the door.

Broken Heart smiled slightly, a gentle mask to hide her fear. She knew Dark Heart's true power. She walked through the door and into gentle cool night of the city. Things were in motion now, hopefully Nicholas would still have a modicum of loneliness and they weren't too late.

Mr. Cherrywood couldn't sleep. That night he tucked in the children and kissed his wife good night. There was something about tonight. Something familiar and sad, like a lingering cold. Mr. Cherrywood leaned against the window. Kim was already falling asleep, she'd had a long day comforting the smallest of their foster children from the trauma of being abandoned. He sighed, the world could use more kindness.

He often wondered where The Care Bears were and if they still helped lonely children. He saw so many tear-filled children enter his home. Oftentimes, a fresh set of clothes or a homemade meal was the greatest kindness many of these children saw. He hoped the small amount of magic he learned was enough to bring a small smile to their faces.

Speaking of magic, I forgot I promised Kim I'd put on a little magic show for the kids tomorrow. I better head to the caravan and get some props.

He peered down at Kim, she was fast asleep, a gentle snore with each breath. He smiled, she hated being reminded that she snored. He best not wake her, it was only a short distance to the fairgrounds. As children, he, Kim, and her brother Jason played on the fairgrounds. Eventually, Jason was able to purchase the grounds and preserve it as some sort of vintage tourist venue. As adults, Mr. Cherrywood would sometimes reprise his roll as magician. Nicholas the Great, magician extraordinaire!

I hate to wake her, I'll leave her a note and be back before she worries. He peeked into the kid's room. Each one, sound asleep and deep in dreams. No worries then, everyone's asleep.

He put on his shoes and grabbed his keys, greeting the cool night air with a brisk walk to the car. He drove past the quiet houses on his lane. He didn't notice how quiet the night was as if every living creature in the small town were asleep.

"We're too late." A cold voice startled Nicholas Cherrywood as he fumbled in the caravan looking for a magic hat.

"I thought you said a boy, not a man," A deeper commanding voice shot back.

Nicholas stood very still. An old fear crept in the back of his head. It'd been a long time since he last dreamed of her. "I'm so sorry," he hesitantly chuckled, "there isn't a late night show tonight."

"I must have miscalculated," the raspy voice sighed, "still, the power lingers, even the Care Bears couldn't destroy it."

"Don't you think they would have taken the book?"

They can't mean….Nicholas' felt a lurch in his stomach. He spent so long working through the trauma of that experience. Kim still had nightmares. He began to turn, "I'm sorry, bu-"

"Stay right there," the raspy voice called out, "I'm sure you can't do anything very harmful, but better safe than sorry."

"Please," Nicholas heard the fear in his voice, "I have a family. If it's money you want, I can open what I have saved here."

"Don't play games old man," the deeper voice scolded gently, "No one forgets the Care Bears. Especially when they help you out of a hopeless situation. You know what book we want."

"You don't want that book," he whispered, "Not even the Care Bears could take it with them, they were too pure for it. I couldn't keep it in here. The kids like to poke around when I bring them. I couldn't have that book falling into the hands of a misguided child. A lot of our kids come to us broken and used, it takes so long to get them to trust us. If I got as far as I did, I can only imagine how the book would twist a more abandoned heart."

Nicholas eyed the desk and spotted the worn letter opener where he always kept it. He gently pocketed it in his sleeve as he turned around. They couldn't find the book. He wouldn't let them. He would die with that secret. He only hoped Kim would understand if something went wrong.

He was met by a pair of glowing red eyes, "I need you to understand something," the young man reached and grabbed Nicholas' arm, "What you're thinking of doing right now is not a good idea. I have one goal and that's to save the one who saved me. We don't have to kill you or torture you to get what we need. You said you had a family, so I need you to think about it this way. We can take the book away from all of you. Absolve you of your burden. You'll never have to worry about it hurting you again."

"Otherwise," the cold voice said behind the young man, "someone worse than us will find it. That book will only stay hidden for so long."

Nicholas looked into the red eyes of the young man. He remembered seeing those hurt eyes on himself. The guilt of hurting someone close to you. Someone who trusted you. "What's her name?"

"That's not your concern," the shadow drew closer.

"I meant," Nicholas swallowed looking back at the man with bright red hair, "the one who saved you. I can tell she means much to you. What's her name?"

The young man blinked in surprise, "Christy."

"My girl's name is Kim," Nicholas smiled gently, "Well, I should say wife."

The young man's expression hardened, "My girl is dying."

Nicholas looked down. His resolve waned. It would be nice not to worry about his own family or his wife anymore. Whatever this young man's story, it had to be worth some measure of trust. "I need to know that you won't use it to hurt anyone, especially the innocent."

The young man took a deep breath, "I can't promise anything."

Nicholas respected the honesty. Even the best intentioned could harm the worst, "Can you promise to not allow your soul to be warped by the book?"

"I think I can manage to control its power with my own."

"I don't want to know what that means," Nicholas looked behind the young man to see a shadowy figure in the back, "But I would rather go with you and control the book myself. I've beaten it before, and I have more to protect now that I'm older. Besides, who knows if you'll even be able to read it. She's a stubborn thing."

"Fine," the shadow shifted, "Now hurry it up, we need to get back before the door shuts. Where did you hide it? Far from here"

Nicholas shivered, "I said I didn't hide it in here. It's not inside the wagon, it's under. I couldn't figure out a better place for it." He noticed the shadow shifted, like smoke when you douse a candle. Blue eyes glinted in the smoke as the shadow turned out the door. The young man outstretched a hand and hinted for Nicholas to exit first. Smart boy, Nicholas thought as he went out the door.

He stooped down and began to crawl under the wagon. He blindly felt for the door and reached for the letter opener he tried to conceal. He popped the handle off to reveal a key and felt for the lock on the door. A gentle click sounded as the door fell open. He reached his hand in and felt for the worn cover and cold lock of the book. He pulled it down, it was heavier than he remembered. He reached back in and found the intricate key that would open it. He felt a tingling, smelled ozone in the air. He hadn't even thought of opening it, how could it know?

"Fuck!" he heard the man yell out. He turned to see shuffling feet as the hairs on his arms began to stand. "They've figured it out, how the fuck did they figure it out?!"

"Just move you idiot!"

Nicholas saw the running feet of the young man and the shadow's dress brushing across the dirt. A bright light shone around the caravan. He quickly shuffled from under the wagon and looked up at the bright light. He thought he heard Tenderheart Bear crying out his name. There you are, he thought as the weight of the book was lifted from his arms, it's been a while.

Author's note: I'm so very sorry it's taken so long. I do hope it was worth the extended wait. I do promise to eventually finish this story. Though I'm not gonna lie, I'm not entirely sure how it'll go. Until next time, adieu. P.S. I'm sorry for the lazy multiverse shoehorn answer. That's the only way to make the two Care Bear movies fit together since the second one reneged the first one.