Last time Stella, along with Brandon, Riven and Musa, traveled to the headquarters of The Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. There they met up with Max Kildare and The Ramblers. Stella revealed a shocking turn of events on Magicx; Bloom caught Sky cheating on her. Yet there are those in Bloom's circle of friends who believe that things aren't what they seem. Stella asked Max and his team to come to Magicx to clear up this mystery. On with the show!

Chapter 2: Tear-Stained Reunion

"So this is Magicx," said an awe-struck Jill, "It's a lot nicer than the last parallel universe we visited."

"You can say that again," said Andrew, "With absolute certainty."

The Ramblers found themselves in the city that shared the name of the planet that served as the central point in the magical universe. The brains of the group, (Violet and Virgil) starred in amazement at the advanced level of technology around them. The younger girls of the group (Julie, Fay, Laura and also Violet) were looking at the strange and incredible fashion statements the people of the city were wearing. Everyone else was just looking around, wishing they had more than one pair of eyes.

"You can sightsee later," said Stella, "We need to get to Alfea and help Bloom." With that Stella did a teleportation spell that soon had everyone outside the gates of Alfea, school for Fairies.

"Don't ever do that again!" exclaimed Michael as he and the others from his universe gasped in surprise at the sudden teleportation.

"I agree," said Max, "If you're going to transport us from one place to another, at least warn us about it first."

"But you got to admit," said Virgil, "It was an exhilarating experience."

Inside the school grounds they met up with Flora, Helia and the others, including Layla's boyfriend Tatewaki Kuno. Old friends greeted each other while new faces were introduced. Tecna and the others, who went with Bloom to fight Voldemort the previous summer, were shocked to see not only Fay alive, but also Jill's husband Andrew.

"We were told you were dead," said Tecna, "That you were dragged into a Thinny a few years ago."

"I was," said Andrew, "But I'm not so easy to kill."

"None of us Meta-Humans are easy to kill," said Jill, "Especially when we have something worth fighting for."

"And that would be?" asked Flora.

"Three simple ideals that mean a whole lot," said Laura, "Truth, Justice and Freedom."

"I prefer two simpler, yet equally important ideas," said Shawn, "Love and Peace."

"Truth, Justice, Freedom and Peace I get," said Carmen, "But I don't think Love is what Bloom needs right now."

"It's exactly what Bloom needs," said Stella, "She needs to know that there are people who love and care for her. Otherwise she might do something stupid."

"Wait a second," said Musa, "Weren't you supposed to stay with Bloom?"

"It's all right," said Elise, "Morgan is with her."

"You left Bloom alone with Morgan!?!" exclaimed Stella before running towards the school dorms.

"What?" asked Carmen, "What did we do?"

"For the student body president of your school," said Riven, "And the smartest witch of your generation, you two can be really dumb sometimes." With that he, Brandon, Flora and the rest of Bloom's friends headed after Stella. Max and his team followed.

"I take it that this Morgan isn't someone to be left alone with," Laura said.

"Morgan's okay in he own right," said Flora, "She loves particle jokes, but she's always there for her friends."

"But given Bloom's current state of mind," said Tecna, "I wouldn't leave her alone with any one person."

"Especially if that person is a witch," said Musa.

"I thought you were cool with witches by now," said Carmen to Musa.

"I am," said Musa, "I just think you would be more responsible than to leave Bloom alone with Morgan."

"I would never do anything irresponsible to Bloom!" snapped Carmen, "I swore an oath to serve her, and a witches' oath is her bond."

Stella meanwhile was already halfway to the dorm room she, Bloom and the other members of the Winx Club shared. As she raced down the halls, terrible thoughts crept into Stella's mind on what she might find.

One example was that Bloom slashed her wrists with a straight razor. Another was that she overdosed on sleeping pills. Even worse was that Bloom asked Morgan to throw a hairdryer into the tub while Bloom was taking a bath.

"Oh god!" exclaimed Stella, "Oh please, god, don't let it be true!" She reached the door to her dorm and burst in. The girl's dorm had one big sitting room filled with couches and cushions, connecting to the bedrooms and bathroom. Stella saw Morgan lounging on one of the couches, reading a manga she bought on Earth.

"What did you do!?!" shouted Stella, "What did you do to my best friend!?!!"

"Quiet!" hissed Morgan, "Bloom's alright. She's in her room taking a nap. At least she was taking a nap, before you cam barging in here."

"Oh," whispered Stella, "Sorry, I just thought she would convince you to do something terrible."

"Like what?" asked Morgan, "Help her kill herself? I'm crazy, but not that crazy."

It was then that the others arrived at the dorm. There was a bit of a pileup at the door, due to the fact that everyone was trying to get in at once.

Both Stella and Morgan 'shushed' the others. "Bloom's alright," said Stella, "Everyone wait outside. I'll go check on her."

Everyone except Flora, Brandon, Musa, and Carmen, as well as Jill, Laura, Max, Steve and Virgil stayed in the lower dorm with Morgan. Stella went up to Bloom's room and knocked on the door.

"Bloom?" asked Stella, "Sweetie? You okay in there?"

"Go away, Stella," said Bloom in a quiet, miserable tone, "I want to be alone."

Stella sighed in relief that her friend was alive, still depressed, but alive. "Well I'm coming in anyway," said Stella, "'Cause there's some people who want to talk to you."

She opened the door and went in. Bloom had the lights turned off and the curtains closed so that the room was in near darkness. "I don't want to talk to anyone," said Bloom, "I don't want any cheering up. It's my right to be miserable if I want to."

"You've been miserable long enough, sweetie," said Stella as she threw the curtains open. Bloom looked terrible: her bright red hair tangled and sticking out at odd ends, her face stained with tears, her eyes red and dry from all the crying.

"Honey, you're a mess!" exclaimed Stella, "Let's get you cleaned up."

"Stella, please!" snapped Bloom, "Just leave me alone!"

"Oh no," said Stella, "I'm not going to let you drown in self pity. Now get out of bed and clean yourself up. You've got company downstairs."

Bloom opened her mouth to retort, but Stella beat her to the punch. "I don't want to hear how miserable you are! I don't care that you want to be left alone. Now get up, damn it! Up!! UP!!!"

Realizing that it was pointless to argue, Bloom got out of bed. "You know that you can be really mean sometimes," she said.

"Only when I've put my foot down," replied Stella.

Half an hour later Bloom and Stella emerged from the bedroom. Bloom looked much better after a long, hot shower. She wore blue jeans and a red t-shirt. Her eyes were still bloodshot somewhat. All the time Stella brought her friend up to speed on the latest happenings to Max and his team.

After coming down the stairs she saw Jill and the other ramblers. There was a moment of silence as Bloom realized that her friends from the other world were here.

Max broke the ice: "For my 15th birthday, my dad and uncle took me deer hunting. We bagged a good-sized doe and planned to butcher it for venison. But before we could get it to town a mountain lion stole the carcass. We chassed the critter ten miles before catching up, the creature dragging our prize all the way. What was left of the deer was the sorriest thing I had ever seen in my life."

"You think I look that bad?" asked Bloom.

"No," said," Max, "I'm just thought you'd feel better that there are other things worse off than you are."

"Ignore him," said Jill, "He knows not what he speaks of."

Bloom managed to smile at Jill's joke. "Is it true that you got married?"

"You bet!" said Jill as she showed off her wedding band, "I found the man I loved, after I thought I lost him for good. I'll introduce you to Andrew, as well as my stepdaughter, Violet. You'd like her, she's an absolute genius inventor."

A few minutes later Jill was introducing Bloom to Andrew, Violet and the new members of the team. Her spirits were definitely on the rise. But when Bloom shook hands with Julie, her face darkened, falling into a mixture of shock and rage. "You!" she exclaimed, "How dare you show yourself here!!"

"What are you taking about?" Stella asked.

"It's her!!" shouted Bloom, her finger pointing at Julie, "She's the girl I caught with Sky!!"

The end of chapter 2. Next chapter things really get fudged up, 'nuff said. Reviews will be rewarded with cake and pie. See you next time!