What had he done? He didn't mean to! He had just been so angry and then it just happened. Carter could think of nothing else as he ran blindly through the halls. He didn't care where he was headed he just wanted to be alone. His mom was already mad at him, no doubt she was fuming now.

And Winnie...

Winnie saw everything.

He cried harder the sobs shaking him to his very core, falling to the ground.

"Carter?"

Winnie stood behind him. He couldn't face her. Not after what he had just done. but Winnie didn't leave. Instead, she joined him on the floor, wrapping her arms around him as he cried.

"I didn't mean to," he mumbled.

"I know you didn't. You were just defending your mom. There's no reason to cry,"

"But I hurt somebody,"

"She was asking for it," Winnie insisted, "I nearly clawed her myself,"

"You did?"

"Yeah, no one talks that way about your family."

She laughed.

"What?"

"You should have seen Shaggy!"

Carter smiled just a little, finally lifting his head to look at Winnie who smiled back at him. The two sat there in comfortable silence for several minutes while Carter calmed. He wasn't ready to go back nor did he want to. He had been defending his mother but she was probably angry with him for having such an outburst. He was taught to have good manners after all and setting someone, especially a relative didn't count.

He hid his face in shame when his mother rounded the corner.

"Carter?"

"I'm sorry, Mom, I-I didn't mean to!"

"I know you didn't, sweetie. I used to do the same thing," Christina explained, joining them.

This news surprised Carter. His mother always had such a good handle on her powers. Always kept her emotions in check. He had only seen her lose it a handful of times.

"Really?" he asked.

"Really?" Winnie echoed just as surprised as Carter.

"You forget, I was a kid once too," Christina nodded, "When my powers awakened I could barely control them. Just ask your Uncle the next time you see him." she smiled before turning serious, "I was scared of hurting someone. I didn't want my powers but I was stuck with them,"

"What happened?"

"My powers had just surfaced,"

...

Many years ago.

Christina was not having the best of days. This magic, her magic scared her. With a simple thought, she could affect things without meaning to. She couldn't control when it happened. Today had not been kind to her. It started with wanting chocolate milk and just got worse. Her clothes, she changed them, wishing those around her would stop, they froze. If she wanted quiet those around her lost their voices.

Now, she sat on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, trying to calm herself while she watched Anastasia. This movie often cheered her up. She laughed at Anya and Dimitri who bickered like children, giggled at Bartok the bat's antics, knew the words to every song. If the movie had one downside it was the villain. Rasputin. She wasn't scared of him, he had plenty of funny moments he was just unnerving a literal corpse falling to pieces. The way he snuck into Anya's dreams, trying to kill her. It wasn't pleasant.

He was onscreen now, ranting and raving making Christina roll her eyes.

Vanna poked her head in around this time, seeing Christina so absorbed in the movie on made her smile. Careful not to make any noise, Vanna crept behind the couch.

Christina screamed as someone grabbed her shoulders, blood running cold at the scream that joined hers. Spinning around she saw the source. Aunt Vanna was fire.

The fire was her doing she realized upon seeing the flames that consumed her wings.

Dracula rushed in. The fire was put out quickly but the damage had already been done, Vanna had a blistering burn on her arm.

Christina shook. It was her fault all her fault. She hadn't meant to do it! She didn't even know she could! But she had and now she had hurt someone.

it was all her fault.

…...

"Did you get in trouble?" Carter asked.

"No, Uncle Dracula knew it was an accident,"

"How did you learn to control your powers?"

"I had help just like I'm going to help you,"

"Promise?"

"I promise,"

The three returned to the dining hall shortly afterward finding Lucinda, Faybelle and Selena had moved as far away as they could, ending up at the far end of the long table. Carter inched closer to Winne when the trio glared at him.

"Aren't you going to punish him or are you too soft for that?" Lucinda snarled as they sat down.

Carter and Winnie shared a look. This woman did not know when to quit. They turned to watch Christina wondering if she would lose it like Carter had.

"No, my son can't control his powers yet. He hasn't had them very long,"

Lucinda huffed opening her mouth to speak only for Maleficent to stop her.

"I think you've done enough, Lucinda,"

"But Mother-"

"Silence, I invited you here to meet your niece and her family not to cause trouble,"

Carter and Winnie struggled to hide their grins.

...

After they'd eaten the duo went exploring, with permission of course. The castle was a very dark, very imposing place but they weren't scared. It was an adventure and it gave the adults to talk so it was a win-win.

"Which way, Winnie?" Carter asked when the hall splintered off.

'This way," Winnie replied pulling him to the right.

The hall they found themselves in didn't look different from the others but there was something about it that made them curious. At the end of the incredibly big drafty hall, they found two sets of doors. Both carved with thunderstorms and dragons. Carter pulled open the door to the left and stepped inside, gasping.

"Winnie, you've gotta come see this!"

Stepping into the room, Winnie was just as baffled as Carter. This room was the complete opposite of everywhere else in the castle. Pastel-colored walls depicting creatures of legend, blindingly clean white furniture. Everything in contrast to what was outside the door.

Carter soon found why.

"Winnie, I think we found my Grandma's old room,"

"Carter look at this,"

Carter gasped again, "No way!"