Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies.

Chapter 5: The Jacket

Caleb wished he could take her home. That location is where W.I.T.C.H. now had their meetings. Will was a smart girl, if he took her home questions would surface. Questions with answers he knew she would not be able to handle.

"Blunk, why do you think she-older I-jumped off the bridge?" Will asked. She'd decided it was best to direct her questions to him. Caleb was acting like he was on some top secret James Bond mission.

"Anti-Muses," Blunk replied seriously.

"Anti-Muses," Caleb and Will repeated thoughtfully.

"Very suggestive creatures," Blunk said in remorse.

"You could've mentioned that earlier Blunk," Caleb said glaring at him. "Did you see them around her?"

"No but Blunk know they were there," he said seriously. "Will not hurt herself on her own."

"What are Anti-Muses?" Will asked turning on her heels to face Caleb.

"Creatures that get into their victim's mind," Caleb replied. "They feed off their weakness tormenting the victim until the poor soul would do anything to escape them." He shook his head. "They have no name. Hay Lin is the one who coined them as Anti-Muses."

"But I could have killed myself," Will said incredulously. "How could I let them trick me so?"

"Once they get a hold of a victim, it's not much the victim can do," Caleb said. "No one can escape them, but it seems like you did." He grinned at her. She didn't willingly try to hurt herself. I only wish I could've gotten to her before they forced her to.

So he knows how to smile. It was that cocky half-grin the Caleb she knew sometimes graced them with when he was telling them about his battles as rebel leader. "Okay, this sounds like an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Charmed," she decided nodding.

"Blunk go to Meridian and get Irma," Caleb commanded. "Make sure the princess and prince know of these new developments."

"Okay, bye Will," Blunk said grinning. He rushed to sniff out a new portal.

"The princess has been found?" Will asked excited. "Who is it?"

"I'll let her tell you," he replied. "If she deems it safe for you to know."

Will's spirits rose significantly. If she could learn the identity of the lost princess than maybe they could head off Phobos's sinister plans for her.

Ten minutes later, she was safely in the restaurant sporting one of Caleb's t-shirts and wrapped in a huge blanket. Caleb had changed into some dry clothes. They sat waiting for the Guardians to show up. Once Blunk raised the alarm they would come running.

"Where's Mrs. Lin?" Will asked softly. "She should be here. She's always here."

"She's, um, she's under the weather," Caleb replied not quite meeting her eyes.

"What do you mean under the weather?" Will asked fearfully. "I-I mean is she okay?"

"I hope so Will," he replied honestly. "I hope so."

"After these events your relationship with Caleb changed?" Yan Lin prompted.

"He's a kindred spirit," Will replied. "I found someone that I could make fun of my bad decisions with and he could do the same." She sighed. "We held the fate of Meridian in our hands but only we knew when those symbolic hands shook with fear or hesitation."

"Or grief?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"Love?"

"Funny you should say that," Will said sighing.

I assumed as much, Yan Lin thought her brown eyes shining. "Why?"

"He began to illusion himself in love with me," she said tragically.

"An illusion?"

"It was obviously in his head," she declared.

"Obviously," Yan Lin agreed.

"You're making fun of me aren't you?" Will asked suspiciously.

"Of course not Will," Yan Lin replied her brown eyes sparkling. "We all are well acquainted with Caleb and his Pepé Le Pew outlook on life." Startled red eyes met amused brown ones. Will laughed softly surprising them both.

"When you put it that way . . . ."

It was the month of July. Will rushed home from the mall. She had a huge package in her arms that she wanted to sneak passed Caleb and Blunk. If her luck held out, they were still in Meridian for the day. Luck ran away from her when Caleb opened the door before she could get her keys out of her pocket.

"Hey," he said rubbing the back of his head with his hand. She stared, surprised he was back. Caleb was wearing blue jeans and a green t-shirt that matched his eyes.

"Hi Caleb," she replied inwardly groaning. "What are you doing back so soon?" she asked surprised.

"There wasn't anything going on so I came back here," he replied. "The girls send their . . . love." He acted as if the word left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"From your expression they sent a few kicks in the groin as well," she replied sarcastically.

"Might as well have," Caleb replied smirking. "Guys don't send messages of . . . love."

"You haven't heard of Cupid yet have ya?"

"What's that?" He asked his attention now on her package.

"Nothing," she replied quickly. She tried to hide the somewhat large package behind her back, failing miserably at the task.

"Oh," he replied. "I'll just take the box of "nothing" and-"

"No, no," she replied quickly. "I got it."

"Okay," he said confused.

"There's a few bags of groceries in the car you can get, since you want some manual labor so badly," she said winking.

"I have to keep in shape," he said jokingly. He headed for the car and she went inside. Before she got over the threshold, Blunk's arms reached out and grabbed the package from her. He rushed off laughing.

"Blunk!" she shouted. She rushed after him.

Caleb returned to see Will and Blunk having a tug-of-war over the package. He put the bags on the floor, watching them amused. "This is not for you it's for Caleb!" She shouted. They seemed to notice him at the same time. "Can we kick him out on the street?" She addressed her question to Caleb. He used his right to remain silent.

"No!" Blunk exclaimed in horror. He let go of the package.

"Rule of the house, don't take things away from the owner," Will said glaring a Blunk. "It is the quickest way to get kicked out."

"Blunk take bath!" He declared grinning.

"Yeah right," Will muttered.

"He did actually," Caleb revealed. "You didn't notice the clean air when you entered?"

"No I was busy." She sniffed suspiciously. She'd learned to breath through her mouth during the summer. There was no other way to live on the same planet as Blunk. The room actually smelled of the dozens of air fresheners she bought to combat Blunk. "Thank you Blunk," she said gratefully. "Thank you."

"It took hours to bathe him," Caleb revealed honestly. "You might not be so thankful after you see the state of the bathroom."

"How did you talk him into it?" she asked in shock.

"I told him if he didn't bathe regularly for now on you'd kick him out and he'd have no where to watch television."

"Oh, blackmail."

"Blunk like it here."

"Remember that," she warned him.

"That's for me?" Caleb asked suddenly.

"Yeah," she replied knowing it would be futile to lie. "It was on sale and when I saw it I thought of you." She sat down on the couch with the box in her lap.

He walked around the couch and sat on the coffee table facing her. "What possessed you to buy me something?" He asked curiously. He gently nudged the end of her shoe with his.

"Because your old one should've been junk pile material months ago," she replied honestly.

"A new passling?" He asked grinning. She smiled back shaking her head.

"No!" Blunk wailed not seeing Will's denial.

"Here," she said passing the gift to him. "It was supposed to be a Christmas gift, but I figure since Blunk has set his sights on it, he will open it months before Christmas arrives."

"Blunk so resents that accusation," he said frowning. He folded his arms and looked away in an overly dramatic huff.

"Cornelia dramatics," Will pointed out smiling. Caleb nodded his agreement. He started trying to untie the bow. Will knew it would take forever. The bow was a mission impossible. She witnessed the saleslady making it. She reached over, put her finger under the ribbon and pulled up gently. It broke easily. "It's not Pandora's Box."

His green eyes looked into hers. He smirked and then pulled off the top of the box. He pulled the dark brown leather jacket out of the box. He held it out and looked at it in curious surprise. Will stood so she could see his reaction over the jacket. "Do you like it?"

"Yes," he replied thoughtfully. "Are you sure this is for me?"

"Yeah, try it on," she commanded. He put it on quickly. She smiled. She sat back down on the couch, so she could fix the collar. "You look great." She put the empty gift box on the floor. She grabbed the zipper. "I thought of you the minute" -her words faltered as she got the zipper going- "I saw it. I bought it a couple of sizes too big so you can grow into it instead of out of it." She looked back up at him after she studied the jacket a few moments.

She was surprised to note that he was already studying her and had been doing so for some time. He looked as if he was trying to read her or understand her. Flustered she asked, "So, did some point with me walking in the house did your tongue go on strike?" She sat back, folding her arms in an attempt to create more space between.

"Why would you waste money on me?" he asked.

"Waste money," she repeated frowning.

"I didn't mean that the way it sounded," he said quickly. "My old coat is fine, you should keep your money for yourself."

"Caleb, your old coat is falling apart," she pointed out. "You've also out grown it. It's so tight on your arms I don't see how you breathe."

"I could've had it refitted in Meridian for free."

"You don't like it, do you?"

"Yes I do," he assured her. "I know you're saving for school or whatever. I feel guilty that you spent your money on me."

"It was on sale," she reminded him. "It's my money I can spend it on whoever I want."

"But-"

"And who says I'm even going to college?" Will asked. "I hate school and "higher" education is paid for out of pocket. If I didn't have to go to grade school, they could not pay me to go. What do I look like paying to go somewhere I despise?"

"You're not going to college?"

"I don't know," Will declared. "Maybe I'll move to Meridian and become a hermit."

"Or you could stay with me," Caleb offered one side of his lips upturning in amusement.

"Yeah right."

"I'm serious," he said. "Staying with you this summer has been interesting."

"I really didn't think you could hold out this long," she admitted honestly. "I betted the others that you'd leave by the first month."

"I like living with you."

"Am I as scary up close and personal than I am in passing?" She asked jokingly. She sat up to goad the answer out of him. He leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers.

"I'd say you're much scarier," he replied. "Thank you for the new jacket."

"It's the least I can do," Will replied closing her eyes. "You've been great. I could not have gotten through this summer without you." He kissed the tip of her nose. Her eyes opened in surprise. She stood, breaking all contact. "What was that for?"

"The new coat," he replied. "Should you start dinner or should I? Either way it won't be pretty."

"Hey," Will said frowning. "I'm getting better at it."

"Caleb is the one getting worse at cooking," Blunk blurted. Caleb glared at him.

"I'll make it," Will said grateful for the reason to escape. She hurried to get the bags Caleb brought in and rushed in the kitchen.

"Hot lips," Blunk teased grinning.

"Where'd you hear that," Caleb asked taking off the jacket.

"Cornelia."

"Why is she the only one you pick up your slang from?" Caleb asked.

"She's cool," Blunk said in awe of the blonde. "Caleb like Will now?"

"I've always liked Will," Caleb said frowning. "She needs someone around who's not the guardians. Someone who she doesn't think feels obligated to be with her because she's the leader of the group. She's a good person. I don't want to see her bury herself in an emotional hole that no one can get in."

Most of what Caleb said went right over Blunk's head, but he understood some of it.

"The girl who was once the keeper of the Heart was corrupted by its power," Caleb revealed. "I won't let that happen to Will. I'm not going to let her alienate herself or depend on the Heart to get her through the pain."

"Blunk help."

Blunk rushed in the throne room. Queen Elyon Brown and all the other guardians were inside. The elusive prince was nowhere to be seen.

"We got big problems!" Blunk shouted running to Elyon.

"I'm aware of the situation," Elyon replied. "I called the guardians here because of it."

The prince entered the throne room at that moment. "Are you aware little sister that this is my evil half's plan?" He asked. "That since we are no longer at full power he will use this hour to crush us."

In order to defeat Elyon, Phobos went on a quest for the staff of Malin. It was made from the bones of a long dead evil sorcerer. When the power fused with him, the prince who stood before them was created to help Elyon stop Phobos. He was Prince Phobos from another time and place.

Prince Phobos was connected with the evil one of this world. The prince felt all of his evil thoughts and desires. The good prince at first was struck down with the evil radiating from the other one. He'd just stayed in his room balled up in a ball, staring into nothingness, trying to escape the visions of evil.

Irma Lair was determined to break him from his affliction. She sometimes sat in his room and just talked to him. He never said a word, but Irma's determination eventually broke through his defenses. He came to depend on her jokes and voice.

He was now ready to do the job he was created to do, to protect his sister and Meridian.

"I have faith that we will still defeat him," Elyon replied. "Will still is the guardian of energy. Even if she hasn't unlocked all her powers yet."

"We need our Will," Cornelia Hale spoke up.

"She is our Will," Hay Lin declared frowning.

"She means the one who can throw energy bolts powerful enough to send an army running for their Mamas," Irma declared.

"We can still do this," Taranee Cook declared. "We still have our powers, the royal guard, and the rebels."

"Bring Will and Caleb to me," Elyon commanded the guardians. "And please don't freak her out to much."

A/N: Sorry for taking so long with this update. I've been busy. Oh yeah, I'm very familiar with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I learned Will's name from The Puppeteer. Thank you again for that piece of info.