Chapter 48: The Coming Dawn

Over the next few weeks, Elise and Marie stayed home in Portland, working on short articles for J&G Publishing and side projects. Elise was doing articles for the company and editing on the side for another small firm in town, while Marie was creating a name for herself online with portraits and events around Portland and Seattle. Things were even going well at home with Jareth; Marie was sure that the other shoe was going to drop soon though. He was doing his assigned chores, sometimes even without magic with Sarah, and other times with just a wave of his hand.

Marie was also emailing back and forth with Joyce Turner, sharing and collecting information for her Book of Shadows. Joyce had told her that she was sharing Marie and Elise's contact information with a young woman from England, someone that she thought would be a good contact and teacher. Marie had received an email from a Dawn S., a linguistic masters student from Oxford University, just basic information and an explanation that she would be more free to talk in about a month. So Marie and Elise waited, and forgot thanks to the hustle and bustle of work and life.

"Do you think," Marie started while sitting on the couch, feet up on the coffee table, "That maybe I could have Piper actually teach me that spell for enchanting jewelry for Jessica so that I could get her a collection of things she could wear out in the daytime and not die? And have it actually work?"

Sarah, who was sitting in a recliner across the room, looked up from her book and raised an eyebrow at Marie, "You're not a witch Marie. It wouldn't work."

"Are you sure? Cause I'm pretty special and have gotten other spells and artifacts to work despite not being an actual witch."

Sarah sighed and closed her book, a finger stuck between the pages where she was reading. "You've only done that on things enchanted to work for anyone, witch, warlock, or not. I'm sorry, but hey, my cousins think that I am getting pretty good at enchanting, and I am sure if I asked they would teach me and I could enchant some for you, okay?"

Marie huffed, then smiled and nodded at Sarah before turning back to look at her own book on her lap while Sarah opened hers back up and started to read again. Marie opened the book back up, and stared down at the words on the page.

"I'm going to go for a walk, so that in my boredom, I won't bug you and your reading. Tell Elise I'll be back in time for her cooking dinner tonight."

Sarah gave her a little wave, not looking up from her book, "Have fun catching pokemon!"

"You know it!" Marie tossed back over her shoulder as she left the house.

Marie walked the neighborhood enjoying the fall weather, heading to one of the parks nearby to see all the puppies and dogs out today, and of course get pokestops and catch pokemon; she was so close to a Charizard and just needed about 20 more candies. Listening to her music, smiling at neighbors, and generally enjoying the cool afternoon air, Marie made her way to a neighborhood park and found a bench in the shade to sit on and relax.

Marie stayed on the bench, eyes closed with her music playing and her phone vibrating when Pokemon Go needed to notify her. She enjoyed a light afternoon nap before a little hand landed on her knee. Sleepily, Marie opened eyes and looked down to find a little girl, around four years old staring up at her with a smile on her face.

"Hi, I'm Etta!"

Marie sat up in her seat and smiled, "I'm Marie."

"Are you playing Pokemon?" Etta asked, pointing to Marie's phone before starting to climb onto the bench and sit next to Marie. "Can I see?"

"Um… sure," Marie said, holding up her phone, and then looking out into the park, and saw a blonde woman walking towards them, and a brunet man laughing while talking on his phone, his eyes watching them all. "Your parents?"

Etta looked up from Marie's phone and nodded before looking back down. Marie looked and Etta was scrolling through Marie's Pokemon. "Oh! Cubone! He's so cute!"

"That is very true."

"Etta, what have I said about going up to strangers?" The woman asked, sounding more exhausted than upset.

"But she's playing Pokemon and she has Cubone!" Etta said, turning the phone to show her mother. "Plus I asked if I could see them!"

Marie looked over to see Etta staring up at her, eyes big, pleading to take her side. Marie looked back up, "She did ask. And I was just letting it sit. No harm on my end. But little Etta, you really should listen to your mother about talking to strangers."

Etta didn't verbally respond, only huffing and sticking out her lower lip before looking back at Marie's phone. Marie just shrugged and looked up at the woman, "I'm Marie. And really, no bother at all, I'm just relaxing today. Lazy Sunday and all."

The woman nodded and moved to sit on the other side of Etta, "I'm Olivia Bishop. Again, sorry about the child invasion. She takes after her grandfather sometimes, so easily distracted by the shiny things. Etta, you should give Marie her phone back. Your father will be off the phone soon and you can play again."

"Fine. Thank you for letting me look. Oh, we should compare! I'll get my daddy." Etta handed Marie her phone and started off across the park to the man on his phone.

"Etta!" Olivia called out, but stayed seated, watching Etta run to her father and latch onto his legs.

"She seems like a handful," Marie said, smile on her face. "Cute, but a handful."

"You have no idea. Takes after her father. Bath time is a nightmare at home, lord knows a hotel is going to be worse."

"Unless you have a tub with jets, those are fun. Where are you guys from? Having a fun vacation?"

Olivia looked over at Marie and smiled, "Boston, and yeah, kind of a vacation/work thing. And I have no idea about the tub and jets. I didn't check when we checked in. Plus, it's Peter's night to do the bath."

"Lies, it's yours," a male voice called out. Marie looked up and saw the man from the phone walking towards them, just within hearing range, carrying Etta up on his shoulders. "I have a child here that wants to compare Pokemon?"

"Me!" Etta yelled, hands wrapped about her father's forehead. "Let me down daddy!"

Etta soon made her way back onto the bench, and pulled her father's phone from his hands. "Look! I have two Cubone's!"

Marie looked down and nodded, "You certainly do! And almost enough candies to evolve one of them."

"I know. I also have three Squirtles. I like their bubbles." Etta's voice got softer as she started to pay more attention to the game, trying to catch a weedle that popped up.

Marie looked up and smiled at Peter, "Nice to meet you."

"You too," Peter said with a laugh.

"How long are you guys in town for?" Marie asked, glancing down at Etta trying to catch the same weedle on her phone.

"A week, just getting away from work and life. We've been here before, and decided to come back outside of work. Let Etta see the city." Olivia said, running a hand through her daughter's hair and looking at Peter.

For a moment, Marie felt like she was invading a private family moment, which was ridiculous because they joined her on her bench, and then it ended with Peter smiling and turning and looking out across the park and asking, "You're not from here, right? Vacation too?"

Marie smiled, "Nope, the accent always gives me away. I'm from Minnesota originally. My best friend and I moved out here for work at J&G Publishing, she's a journalist/writer, and I am a photographer. We get to travel all over the world."

"That sounds interesting," Olivia said, "traveling and getting to see the world."

Marie laughed before telling the story of her turning into a walking human lobster after going to Port Royal. All three talked for a while, Marie sharing travel stories and information about a few good hole-in-the-wall restaurants around that they would get good meals at and avoid the tourist rushes, and directed them to the BridgePort BrewPub for a nice dinner. Olivia and Peter shared stories about their travel, work, and life, keeping things PG for Etta, and Etta would jump in with stories about her family and her grandfather's pet cow, Gene, that lived at Harvard University. She really loved the cow and missed her grandfather, who she says went away last year.

Eventually the Bishops had to move on, and thanked Marie for her insights on the city. Marie walked with them for a few blocks, before directing them the rest of the way to the Brewpub and continuing on her way home in the opposite direction. She noticed when she was two blocks from home, a bald man standing on a street corner.

Marie quickly did a double take, but the man was gone. She looked around and rushed to the corner he had been standing on, searching for him, and clues as to where he might have gone to, but September wasn't there anymore.

"Marie!" Marie snapped around and saw Elise waving to her from have a block away. By the time Elise joined her, Marie had given up looking for the man, hoping that he was just a remnant, remaining here, out of time and space, to watch over and protect the Bishops, as Walter had obviously been successful in his mission.

"You okay?" Elise asked, her eyes scanning the area quickly.

"Yeah, just through I saw someone. But obviously my eyes are playing tricks on me. You're done with work?" With Elise nodding Marie asked, "Want to be my kitchen buddy while I cook tonight, I'm making Chicken Parm Lasagna?"

"Absolutely! Maybe I'll break out the new wine that Elliot gave us a few weeks ago." Marie and Elise continued to chatter the rest of the way home, not noticing the man called September walking out of an alley and away towards the restaurant district of Portland.

It didn't take long for them to get home, and settle down. Elise was smiling a goofy grin as she sat on the couch, texting. Marie was pretty sure she was texting Steve Rogers, but didn't say anything. Instead she sat down in an overstuffed chair with a mug of tea and a book, ready to read. However the second she got comfy, the doorbell rang. "Elise?" she looked up at her friend.

"Hang on, this is important," Elise replied still typing away.

Marie rolled her eyes and got up. "Never mind," she grumbled, setting down her tea and book on the side table. Marie walked to the door and opened it just as the doorbell rang again. "Yes?" she said opening the door to find a young woman with warm brown hair that was pulled back in a low messy bun. She had pale skin and sharp blue eyes that seemed to take in everything.

"Hi," she said. "I'm Dawn Summers. Are you Marie?"

Marie stared at the woman for a moment before her eyes widened in recognition. "Dawn? As in the Dawn S. that I've been emailing for the past month?"

"That's me!" Dawn replied. "I hope you don't mind me dropping in without calling? I had some unexpected time off and decided to hop a plane over to meet you! I can't tell you how much I've been looking forward to meeting another Erudite!"

TBC