"WHY? WHY? WHY WOULD YOU TELL HIM THAT?" Christina exploded.

She may not have remembered very much from the weeks after her father's passing but she did remember Headmaster Grimm arriving to "offer his condolences" when really he was there to pressure her mother into having another child. A "pure fae heir". Her mother had burst into tears and little Christina did not like seeing her mother in tears nor did she like the man who looked at her with disgust and underlying hatred. Alissa had blasted him from the house before running to her room. When Christina followed she was saddened to see her mother curled up on her father's side of the bed.

So, to find out who told Grimm made her raving mad.

Maleficent, however, remained eerily calm watching as her granddaughters magic swept across the room burning through the air. The tapestries and banners barely clinging to the wall, decorations flying past

It seemed she wasn't even aware she was doing it.

Christina did not yet fully realize her own power and Maleficent longed to teach her. Not in the way she taught Alissa before her but by helping her grow regardless of how Christina used her powers.

For now, she had to calm Christina.

"Christina, I can explain if you let me,"

Maleficent could feel the anger, the rage churning in her granddaughter. She knew how to quell it and she wasn't afraid of it. Quite pleased actually at just how powerful she was. Christina said nothing, folding her arms across her chest, waiting for her to speak.

"It was just after your father's death,"

…...

Alissa was heartbroken, devastated. It was clear to anyone who saw her. It had been years since Maleficent had actually spoken to her daughter but she often looked in on her discretely. Checking her crystal, watching Christina play from her mirror sending Diablo. Although, Maleficent had attended the funeral a few days prior not a word was said between them. Maleficent had been ordered to remain out of sight and only saw the briefest glimpse of her granddaughter as she said goodbye to her daddy. It was often said that The Mistress of all Evil only had the capacity for hatred that she felt nothing and if she did it was anger but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Seeing her daughter in such pain hurt, cracking her stone-like demeanor.

And who should visit exactly at that moment but Headmaster Grimm himself he greeted her briefly before beginning his spiel about Alissa's need for a pure fae heir. Seeing the normally stoic queen upset, however, caused him to stop and inquire about what was troubling her.

"My daughter is very upset, hurt, her one true love has just died."

"Puck? But how...?"

"Not Lucinda, you fool!", Maleficent snarled, fighting the urge to cry. "Lord Radu has passed into the Eternal Night. My dear Alissa is devastated! And poor Christina..."

"The vampire died?", Grimm said, utterly failing to fake his surprise, a faint smirk on his lips. "Sad. But perhaps now she can marry a fellow fae and have a proper heir to her Destiny..."

"Silence, you pompous windbag!", the dark one roared, causing Grimm to back away in fear. "My daughter has lost her One True Love! My granddaughter has lost a good and loving father! And you DARE speak to me of 'Destiny' and what is 'proper'?! I should turn you into a hedgehog and send you to play croquet for the Queen of Hearts in Wonderland! Now get out and NEVER return to my mountains!"

"Now that I think about it, Milton didn't seem surprised to hear Radu had died. He wasn't from our realm, so the records would not record his death", Maleficent finished thoughtfully.

Christina had calmed now thanks in part to Shaggy who stood beside her, holding her close. Calm and curious. How could Headmaster Grimm have known? Had he been spying on them. Or maybe he'd paid someone to spy on them? It was possible given her history with Grimm. Even now, Christina could tell he wasn't at all pleased she had returned. Then Maleficent asked the question which had been eating at her from the start.

"Why would he send you to your father's family when I was more than able to take you in?"

"That's what I've been wondering," Christina replied.

"I think the Headmaster and I need to talk. I'll go at once tomorrow," Maleficent declared

"Christina, we'd better be going back soon it's getting pretty late," Clawdeen observed.

"First, we need to talk with Mom," Faybelle reminded them causing Christina to shudder again.

She hadn't seen her aunt since the fiasco that was her sixteenth birthday and she would have preferred to keep it that way.

...

"Happy Birthday, Butterfly," Alissa greeted when Christina entered the kitchen for breakfast,

"Thanks, Mom," Christina grinned sitting down at the table.

"Your father would be very proud of you,"

"He would?"

"I know he would. Now, after breakfast-"

"You want me out of the house so you can decorate,"

Alissa smiled.

"Don't worry, I'll be out of the house and out of your hair."

As soon as Christina was gone to visit Melinda, Alissa set to work pulling out the decorations she had hidden all over the place. First, she cleaned the cottage until it sparkled then she set to work. She hung streamers from the ceiling, tied balloons to every post and doorknob she could find, spread a table cloth over every table. Each one decorated with butterflies and strung her hand-painted happy birthday banner over Christina's door and as she worked she couldn't help but sing:

Salagadoola mechicka boola
Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo
Put them together and what have you got
Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo

Salagadoola mechicka boola
Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo
It'll do magic, believe it or not
Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo

Yes, salagadoola means
Mechicka booleroo
But the thing mabob that does the job
Is bibbidi-bobbidi-boo

Salagadoola menchicka boola
Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo
Put them together and what have you got
Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo

Little did Alissa know, Christina and Melinda were just outside preparing the yard for the party.

Yes, salagadoola means
Mechicka booleroo
But the thing mabob that does the job
Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo

Salagadoola menchicka boola
Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo
Now you put them together and what have you got
Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo

Bibbidi-bobbidi, bibbidi-bobbidi
Bibbialta do-do-do-do-boo

"Are you done, Christy?" Melinda laughed, "Can we go to Bookend now?"

"Okay, okay,"

The girls were so preoccupied that they didn't notice the raven watching them.

Maleficent put her head in her hands, "Where did I go wrong?"

Meanwhile, Alissa was still hard at work.

It was as she was cooking that the guests started to arrive. First came Red, Bigs, and their children who quickly fell into 'we're sworn enemies mode' when Raven and Maddie arrived. When Christina returned an hour and a half later with Melinda in tow the party began. They sang, danced and played party games. All were so wrapped up in merrymaking that none noticed the raven perched on the windowsill watching Christina with interest.

"Happy Birthday, dear, Christina," Maleficent whispered, pressing her hand to the glass of her magic mirror, "Maybe one day we'll meet,"

Christina had just sat down at the table to open presents when the door opened. Lucinda and Faybelle walked in, both angry at not being invited, both demanding to know why they had been "Forgotten about" Alissa was having none of it and stood protectively in front of her daughter and their guests.

"To be quite honest, Lucinda, I didn't want to invite you. Every time you come to visit it's only so you can belittle us and brag about Faybelle's rather mundane accomplishments,"

"Hey!" Faybelle squawked.

"So, why would I invite you knowing you'd try to take the attention away from my daughter on her special day?"

Lucinda struggled for a comeback before finally turning her attention to Christina. Her lips parted in a cruel smile as she pushed past Alissa coming to stand before her niece. Christina saw what her aunt was planning as she pulled her wand out. Before Lucinda could utter a word Christina had her pinned to the wall.

"Feisty aren't we. Cathy?"

"My name is CHRISTINA" the angered teen roared, flames leaping off her body...

"ALISSA DO SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR BRAT!"

"What did you just call my daughter?" Alissa growled

Lucinda tried to fight back but Christina overpowered her. Growing angrier by the moment. Consumed by white-hot anger until...

BOOM

Lucinda was sent flying through the wall with Faybelle flying after her. As soon as they were gone Christina came to her senses and fell to the floor having overexerted herself. She promptly burst into tears.

"Christina, Butterfly, it's okay, it's okay,"

"I-I"

"You're okay," Alissa murmured pulling her distressed daughter close.

"I got mad again," Christina sobbed.

"It's okay to get mad,"

"No,"

"Yes, come on let's open presents. Then we'll eat cake,"

Christina was still shaking but after a few minutes, she had calmed.

Anger = bad things.

…...

"Christina?" Shaggy asked, "are you okay?"

Christina had frozen on the doorstep of Lucinda's home. Every time she saw her aunt she had an outburst. She wasn't ready for this. Faybelle opened the door and let them inside. Christina followed numbly, quietly.

"What are you doing...here?" Lucinda asked her voice faltering.

Her eyes grew wide as she took in Christina's appearance.

"Mom?" Faybelle asked warily.

"You have THE DRAGON MARK?"

Lucinda flew at Christina in a rage only to be cut off by a snarling Shaggy.

"Back it up. NOW," He ordered

Lucinda blanched, "You're a-"

"Werewolf," Shaggy smirked, wrapping his arm around Christina's waist, "My friends and I are here to ask you about your sister and I'd like, advise against harassing my girlfriend,"

Lucinda looked around at the group before her. These strangers were powerful and with the way they surrounded Christina she was nervous. The female werewolf and her scaly companion were by far the most powerful. Making them the ones she had to worry about. Growling, she turned her attention to Faybelle.

"You've gone soft on your cousin"

"No, no, Mom. I'm in it for revenge,"

"Revenge?"

"Think about it. If we find out who killed Uncle Radu and Aunt Alissa we can exact our revenge,"

That thought brought a wicked smile to Lucinda's face.

"Fine, let's talk,"

…...

Lucinda happily charged inside their home while Alissa lagged behind at a much, much slower pace. While Lucinda went to find their mother, Alissa went to her room and didn't come back out until dinner that evening. Lucinda's entire conversation with her mother revolved around Alissa.

How's Alissa doing in school?

Is anyone messing with her?

Has she cursed anyone?

Her mother never, ever asked about HER it was all about Alissa. It made Lucinda incredibly angry when Alissa finally showed her face for dinner Maleficent's sole focus was Alissa. Lucinda tried in vain to get her mother's attention but nothing seemed to work. It was like this every time they came home. Lucinda just couldn't handle it any longer. Standing abruptly from the table she let her sister have it.

"I'm tired of this! I'm tired of playing second fiddle to you! I'm tired of being second best. Of being in your shadow Alissa! From the moment you entered this world you were all Mother cared about. My accomplishments? My successes? She didn't care for any of it! ALL SHE CARES ABOUT IS YOU! ALISSA! ALISSA! ALISSA! IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT YOU!I WISH YOU'D NEVER BEEN BORN! "

Alissa had no clue that Lucinda had felt this way and now, watching her lose it terrified her. Even more so when she fired magic lightning at her. On pure instinct Alissa raised her hands to protect herself and unknowingly conjured a shield that reflected the magic back at Lucinda who barely dodged it, hissing as it painfully struck her shoulder.

"LUCINDA! HOW DARE YOU ATTACK YOUR OWN SISTER!"

"You ALWAYS favor her over me, Mommy!", Lucinda shouted, her anger actually greater than her fear of her mother for once. "Ever since she was born, it's like I don't even count! Well, guess what, Mommy? SHE doesn't even want to be EVIL! She wants to be a GOOD fairy! She said it out loud to the whole castleteria today! "

Lucinda grabbed Alissa's bag from where she had discarded it earlier and began digging through it despite her protests.

"And THIS s a note from Headmaster Grimm! He wants to see you about it. So who's your favorite NOW?!"

Rather than answer Lucinda, Maleficent turned her attention to where the very shaken Alissa stood.

"Is this true, Alissa?"

"Yes, Mother," Alissa nodded, "I want to be a good fairy"

"Go to your room so we can discuss this,"

"Yes, Ma'am,"

Once Alissa had departed, Maleficent turned to Lucinda.

"Don't EVER try that again,"

"But Mother-"

"Enough! I refuse to listen to your whining! Now, GO,"

Lucinda fled, her dear returning in full force.

…...

"Mother always coddled her! Even when she learned the TRUTH..."

Lucinda's ranting and raving had begun. Quickly, quietly, the group joined hands and allowed Christina to transport them out of there on the path back to the school.

"That's everyone except Headmaster Grimm," Clawdeen declared.

"And after we get his interview?" Raven asked.

"We look for clues,"

Lightning cracked and thunder boomed overhead catching them by surprise. The sky had darkened foretelling an oncoming storm which Melinda did not handle too well.

"Not rain! Not the rain!" she cried shaking as she watched the sky rumble and flash.

Shaggy laughed, "Like, are you scared of a little water, Melinda?"

Christina smacked him painfully much to his surprise.

"Ow! Like, what was that for?"

"Use your brain for Fairies sake! She's the daughter of the Wicked Witch if she gets wet she'll MELT! PAINFULLY!"

Shaggy, realizing his mistake apologized profusely while Christina worked to ensure her friend's safety. First a raincoat with a hood. Then gloves. Then rubber rain boots and finally a large umbrella. Content with her work they continued on their way as it started to rain. However, just when the tallest towers of the school came into view a monster dropped from the skies blocking their path. Black and red with beady eyes and sharp claws wielding a scythe that shone in the flashes of lightning.

"I-I thought you said there weren't any monsters in Ever After," Shaggy cried.

"There aren't," Christina darkly replied.

"Then what is that thing?"

"Trouble,"

...

Okay, I know it's shorter than usual but it's been sitting here a while and I figured it was time for an update. besides, it met all the points on my list. Unlike There Is A Town which is gathering dust so to speak. Three lines! That's it! well. there might be more. It's been a while after all. Anyway, I'm going to lock myself in a closet and try not to pull my hair out. because my to-do list looks like this:

Start the next Chapter of Scooby's Revolting Adventure.

Decide on Flashbacks

Kick the mystery aspect into gear.

Craft perfect mystery for The Lady In Red (AkA marathon every vampire related mystery I can)

Melissa's chat with Batman.

Keep subplot moving.

Work on Wingless.

Melinda's play.

Ongoing mystery (CLUES CLUES CLUES)

Flashbacks, Flashbacks, Flashbacks.

Breathe.

Finish short stories.

Breathe.

Ignore There is A Town until creativity strikes.

Try not to bang head against the wall.

Anyway, please review!