Lovespell

Chapter 5

A/N: Yes, inspiration is FINALLY returning on this fic!!! I was up till nearly midnight last night writing this story. Review replies:

Shadow: Glad you enjoyed it. I hate cliffies too, but that one was just so perfect…

Exocontinual protocols: hah!! I surprised you. dances

Katiebug123: Glad you liked.  Yes, I've read the Phantom Tollbooth, I was even kind of thinking about it when I wrote this!!

Disclaimer: YWDiane Duane. I own Atin, though.

And to be clear about formatting in this chapter:

ThisNita's thoughts

ThisThe LP speaking privately to Nita, through the part of her that is overshadowed.

Chapter 6: The Lovespell

No…not me…it can't be me…I can't be overshadowed…Kit, what have I done??

The Lone Power (still speaking through Atin) laughed. "You see, Nita, I made a deal with you. Or, rather, I made half a deal. I didn't ask for your permission first, but I knew that my side of the deal would be so irresistible to you, you would just have to accept. So, I used your body, your power. And in return…I shall reward you with your heart's desires."

Nita glared into "her" eyes, as though trying to stare the Fallen Power down. "You do not know my heart," she said icily, realizing inside how cliché and weak that must have sounded.

Atin frowned. "Oh, but I do. I have inhabited your body…after changing it to suit my style, of course," she gestured at the gothic-style clothes, "and I know what your heart longs for. It is Rodriguez, is it not?"

Nita tried to shake her head, but ended up nodding.

"Well, I have a little trick of dark magic to use, here. It's called the Lovespell. You've probably never heard of it, but it works. It will make Rodriguez fall deeply and passionately in love with you. It's your reward for helping me through Atin." And with that, the overshadowed girl raised a pale hand, and Nita again felt herself spinning through blackness…

…to land in her deserted backyard.

Or formerly deserted, because suddenly she heard pounding footsteps come around the corner of the house. A moment later, Kit burst into the yard, an uncharacteristically big grin on his face.

"Hey, Nita! You're back!" he exclaimed exuberantly. "I missed you lots, you know!" And with that, he ran up to her and put his arms around her shoulders, just as she'd dreamed about him doing for nights on end.

"Wow, Nita, you're absolutely the bravest wizard I know," Kit chimed. "I'm so glad you're safe! That was such a dangerous assignment!" Then he kissed her.

For a moment, Nita felt happiness flood her. She was being kissed by Kit!! Wasn't this what she had hoped for all her life?

Something's not right…she realized. The same feeling of foreboding she'd gotten on top of the Statue of Liberty in the other New York was back. And the pressure on her mouth from Kit's wasn't helping her think.

Forgive me, Kit. she thought, and pushed him away. "Something's not right!!" she yelled at the Lone Power, wherever he might be at this time. "This isn't Kit!"

Isn't this your heart's desire, Callahan? the Power asked…or more, she "felt" him ask from within her brain.

"No!!" Nita yelled, "It's not! My heart's desire is to be Kit's true love…but I…love him for who he is! Everything he is, including when he's pigheaded and stuck up!!"

Oh, that's it…You want his faults, too? Won't be satisfied unless it's exactly the Kit you know? Well, that can be accomplished…More blackness, and now she was inside a church.

She looked beside her, and there was Dairine, looking a few years older than thirteen, in…a dress?? Not to mention a LACY WHITE dress?? Something was already wrong…

Frantically, the young wizard turned around. Her father was standing near Dairine, a look of glowing pride on his face. Kit was beside Nita, smiling in a sort of contented way that was so familiar to her. Also, he was wearing…a tux?? Roshaun was behind him, also in a tux, his long blonde hair making him look fabulous even in the stark blouse.

"Do you, Christopher Rodriguez, take Juanita Callahan as your lawful wedded wife?" a droning voice asked. Stunned, Nita turned to see…a priest??

I'm getting MARRIED?? To Kit?? I'm only 16!! she thought frantically.

Well, I had to mess with ages a bit to make it work out, but…isn't age relative in the world of heart's desire? Nita almost started in shock as she realized that the Lone Power actually sounded frustrated.

But before she could mull on that, she heard a deeper and more masculine version of Kit's voice begin to speak.

"No, I don't!! I won't marry her!!" the voice said, "If anyone bothered to pay attention, they would realize I don't love her! I don't even like her! She's a self-centered freak who will never realize that I WILL NEVER LOVE HER!! She just can't accept the facts that life doesn't go her way!!"

A sarcastic laugh accompanied the Power's next words. Is this what you want, Juanita? I was trying to tell you that Kit as he is would never love a girl like you—but you just didn't understand! So what do you want: the regular Kit, who after a while won't even give you a second glance, or the sweet, utterly devoted Kit I showed you earlier?

Wait a second, she thought/told the Lone Power in her mind, Why do you care if I'm happy? What do you want from me? It can't just be my power, or you'd have promised way less. What have I got?

Another flash of black light, and she was back on the crown of the Statue of Liberty in the Isolate Power's world. Atin was still standing beside the kernel-case, in the exact same place she'd been, but she had changed slightly. If Nita looked closely into her eyes, she could see the reflection of a middle-aged, red-haired man—the image humans saw when they saw the Lone Power.

"You're too smart for your own good, wizard," Atin spat. "Fine, I want something from you. Fine, it's more than I pretended it was. But do you need to know? I'm offering you your heart's desire. Why won't you accept it? Isn't it ample reward?"

For a second, Nita couldn't understand why herself. He did offer me what I've always wanted—Kit's love. Isn't that my heart's desire?

Then, suddenly, it all became clear. Why what the Lone Power was offering her wasn't what she wanted. "You read my heart wrong, Power-That-Was. You can't love—you have no heart, so you automatically assumed all I felt for Kit was infatuation. But it's not true, as I've just seen. What I want," here she took a deep breath, realizing how hard her next words would be, "is for Kit to be happy…even if it means not being with me."

As Nita spoke, a tall figure began to materialize behind him. Atin's expressionless eyes lit up as the form of a tall, redheaded, fairly handsome middle-aged man began to appear—the image human wizards saw when they saw the Lone Power. And her master was not alone—he was holding a very confused-looking Hispanic boy (currently paralyzed thanks to a nifty spell) by the elbow.

"Do you love him, though, Callahan?" Atin shot at her. The plan was working perfectly, she had no idea what was behind her…

"I…but…Atin—that's why I want to make him happy! That's why I care, even though I get your point…there's no chance he'll ever care for me as more than a friend. And it will be REALLY freaking hard to accept him with another girl…but if I have to…I guess I will. Because—yes, Fallen Power, you got it this time. I…I love him."

From behind Nita, Kit Rodriguez's eyebrows shot up and his eyes widened. Inside, his mind was racing full of thoughts. That's…how she feels?? I…I never knew!!!!!

Now the Lone Power laughed, and his overshadowed servant cracked a mocking smile. Nita whipped around so fast her short auburn hair slapped her in the face. Her eyes also grew wider as she took in first the Lone Power…and then Kit.

There was only one thought on her mind this time: Oh, great. What have I done now??

A/n: Like?? Hate?? Feedback would be great, thanks. hypnotizes readers Now, when I snap my fingers, you will press that little purple button in the corner there…