Author's Note: I'm sorry this is so short. Look out below, there's trouble.
CHAPTER ONE:
Becky shifted through all the appointments. She had been the one to make the reservations because she had thought that Dave would miss something. Becky's friends went to the restaurant once or twice before, gushing to her about the details. She had been secretly jealous, and couldn't wait till she had a boyfriend who would be able to take her there. Now Becky had her wish. She smiled at the thought. Becky held out her schedule and debated whether or not she had enough time to pick out a new outfit for the date. She wanted it to be special, since both of their fathers weren't around. She felt a small pang of sadness; then she remembered Dave's odd behavior at the coffee parlor yesterday.
"I wonder how I can make a conversation without mentioning dads," Becky murmured to herself. She went to her closet for some decent clothes and saw her cell phone, which was on the chair. She decided to call Dave.
Her phone rung three times before he picked up.
"It's Becky," she said. "How are you doing, Dave?"
"I'm fine," he said. "Three thirty, right?"
"Yes," Becky answered, glad he recalled. "So what are you doing? I'm not even dressed yet," she admitted.
"Me either," he said, his voice sounding a little preoccupied. "Look, Becky, I think I have to call you back. Tank is having fun shredding up the couch."
"Sure, sure! Remember the date," she reminded him. Then she hung up. Finally, after getting the correct outfit on (her favorite, yet still new dress), she went to see Dave. He opened the door the first time and she smiled at him. He wore a nice, clean suit.
"You look pretty," he told her shyly.
"Thanks. You look handsome yourself. Let's go."
They got a taxi. Thankfully, many were available on this night. At the restaurant, many couples were there. It was decorated gorgeously and French menus were present. Becky could see that most of the people dining were young women and older men; daughters and their dads. She felt a sting of sadness, but remembered that she was here to have a good time with Dave. They got a good table, thanks to the reservations. The food was well prepared. Becky couldn't recall the last time she went to a nice place like this for dinner.
They avoided speaking about fathers. Or Father's Day in general. Instead, they talked about Dave's training.
"What have you learned?" she asked. The idea of magic now intrigued her.
"Not a lot. I'm levitating at an okay pace," he said modestly. "Veronica's been a great help…as much as she has been a distraction. She and Balthazar, er, get a little busy when we're supposed to be training." Becky tried not to laugh at that. She failed.
"How about you? The studio?"
"Things are fine. We've got three more people listening," she added. "I have no idea who, but I'm sure Andre got at least two of them. How's that paper of yours?"
"I'm surprised you remembered," he admitted. "It's good. Could be better. I'll have to work on it more. And train with Balthazar." He frowned. "It's cutting into my time," he complained lightly. Becky lifted her glass and saw that it was empty. She turned her head to call over a waiter or waitress, and found herself staring at a young woman marching her way over to their table. She wasn't going in any other direction; her eyes were solely latching on to Becky's own.
"Dave?" Becky whispered to him. "Do you know that girl?"
She was now in front of them, towering with her tall stature. Becky could see her more clearly now. She had waist long curly hair, auburn. Her eyes were brown and she was fit. She wasn't wearing a dress, but a long burgundy coat. The girl definitely did not clothe herself for a dinner date. Becky saw that her expression seemed amused. The young woman had a teeny tiny smile on her face. Something about her was so familiar…
"Hi," Becky said, surprised she had spoken at all.
The woman smiled at her. "Hi." Then she inclined her head towards Dave. Becky threw a quick glance at him, and saw that he was frowning, his eyes angrily looking at the surface of the table.
"Davey? That you?" She giggled.
Dave's head snapped up. "Don't call me that," he said, irritated, to the girl.
Davey? Becky thought, mystified.
"Oh, don't be like that," the girl said, really enjoying herself. "Whatever happened to friendly relationships?" "I never said anything about that," Dave hissed at her. Becky was stunned; he was being so mean to her, but she had a feeling he was acting like such for a good reason. "How did you get out anyways?"
"By sheer luck and great intelligence," the girl responded, flashing him a grin. "You're not the only smart one in the family, Dave."
"Why are you here?" Dave demanded. Worry began to build up inside of Becky.
"Don't be rude," she scolded him. "So, dear Dave, I just stopped by to tell you that he's gonna come over soon; since it's a special day, y'know?" She turned around and left the restaurant.
Dave abruptly got up from his chair. "We have to go. Now."
"What do you mean?" Becky stumbled. "We just came here!"
"She's a sorceress," Dave explained. "Bad news. Let's go." He stormed out of the restaurant, and as soon as Becky heard the word sorceress, she felt a need to follow.
Dave got a taxi hurriedly. He threw the address at the man, who accepted it without caring. He brought them to his apartment. Becky stayed in the living room, frozen with confusion. Dave could be heard storming off and rummaging through something. He had been pretty angry back in the restaurant. But why? He knew the girl. They could have been past boyfriend and girlfriend. But Dave said he never had a girlfriend before, not a real one. And if that girl was a Morganian, wouldn't she have done something back then? Well? Becky didn't think she was a Morganian. Or, if she was one, she could have been cocky and teasing. Or perhaps the young woman was only human, like her. She could have known Dave and they weren't on good terms, apparently.
Becky went into his room to confront some answers. He was in the closet, a dark shape bent over something. Becky wrinkled her nose at the smell of ancient clothes.
"What's happening? Who was that girl?" Becky demanded from him.
"That was someone I knew," Dave sighed, still in the closet. "Becky, I'm sorry for our night being ruined. But don't worry. I don't want to talk about her right now. She annoys me."
Becky processed this. It would be mean to speak about her when Dave didn't want to, even though it would be rational. "A sorceress? Is she a Merlinian?"
"She can practice magic, but I don't know about her loyalty," Dave answered. "Becky, can you stay here for a little while? I have to go back and check with that girl. I won't be long."
"Stay? I can't come with you?"
"She doesn't like humans," Dave explained. "Please, just stay."
"How do you know it's safe, Dave?" she asked, trembling. Was he insane? He had faced sorcerers before, and survived, but Becky didn't want him going out there with only one ring to rely on.
"She won't hurt me," Dave said insistently. "Trust me on this. She's close to me, all right?"
"Close?" Becky repeated. "How close?" Dave got up from the closet and continued to the door, still wearing the tux.
"Almost like family close," was his weary reply.
"I'll stay, Dave!" Becky called. "But you better come back after five minutes, or I'm getting Balthazar!"
"Okay! I love you!" And then she heard the door shut loudly. Becky paused as the silence claimed her. She slowly sat down on his bed, toying with her bracelet. So far, this was turning out to be a bad Father's Day. She grabbed her cell phone and put it right on Balthazar's new number. He would come back. He had to. Her hand itched to call, but one minute had not even passed.
Dave gritted his teeth as he trudged back down in his tux. He was having a nice time with Becky, momentarily forgetting his current problems and family complications until Rachael showed up right in front of their table, going on and on. And she used his childhood nickname! Seriously, not even his mother called him Davey anymore. Dave actually doubted his eyes when he saw her there. She had been gone for so long, and been locked up pretty tightly. He hadn't seen her since he was eight. Dave felt a blast of cool wind and jumped. He got another taxi and the man there drove him to the restaurant. Dave saw that his sister was in front of the doors, smirking at him. He marched over to her.
"Hey! You!" Dave hissed.
"Dave!" the girl cried, acting pleasantly surprised. "Where have you been? Why, I thought you were inside! With that human girl!"
"I was, but then you paraded inside," Dave fumed. "How did you get here? You're supposed-"
"To be in the Cell, I know," Rachael finished bitterly. But then she added brightly, "Come on, Dave, let's go talk somewhere more private."
"Fine. Follow me." Rachael followed him to Bowling Park. The exact place where Dave had defeated Morgana. This installed a sense of security and self-confidence in him. If he could beat one of the most strongest Morganians of the world, Morgana herself, then he could talk with someone of less power. He wanted Rachael out of his hair immediately. Part of him held on to Becky. If she called Balthazar…
"How did you get out of the Cell?" Dave demanded.
"Oh, that." She waved her hand absentmindedly. "The walls of the Cell have been weakening, toots. No one has ever thought of putting up some stronger foundation; I was just a little girl back then, after all. It's not like I was something to protect from the world." She grinned at him, revealing her sharp tooth.
Dave frowned at it. "All right, that's nice of them. How did you find me?"
"Please. I could track you from Siberia if I wanted. That simple."
Dave glared.
Rachael's eyes suddenly grew suspicious. "Now, it's back to business. Where is he?"
"Who?" Dave asked casually.
"You know!" Rachael exploded. Her eyes were large and angry now. She jammed her hands into the pockets of her red coat. "Where is Pops, eh? I know you're hiding him somewhere. He would have helped me, or he would have stopped you from being with that stupid human girl." She sniffed in disapproval.
"That is none of your business, Rachael. You want to find him? Find him yourself."
Rachael called out to him as he began to walk away. "He's your father too, Dave! Some son you are!"
Dave ignored her. He had to go back to Becky and try to cover this mess up. If he could.
Becky had enough. More than five minutes passed. Dave could have taken more time to talk to that girl. She had been the one to stress him out, and Dave probably needed more than five minutes to speak with her. But her limit was reached. She couldn't take any chances. Becky grabbed her cell phone. And then she heard that awful noise.
It came from the closet. The closet was rattling. The door shook, trying to break open. It kept shaking, and shaking, and shaking. Her fingers froze around her cell phone. This was not average, even for Dave. There was something inside that closet. It continued to angrily quiver. Becky was afraid the door would be split into two if that pattern kept up. The closet banged three more times, in a rhythmus thudding. Like Morse Code.
"Hello?" Becky whispered. She was trembling again.
Three more knocks. Oh, no way! It was a code! Whatever was in there, whether a person or monster, it had heard her and was trying to contact her! Becky stood up, leaving her phone on Dave's bed. She took a few hesitant steps forward the now-silent door.
"Hello?" Her voice was much clearer, louder.
Three more bangs! She had to open it now. Becky took her purse and fumbled around for some kind of defensive tool to keep in her hand, in case something evil was lurking inside the closet.
Becky felt her fingers curl around her pepper spray. Good. She held it while the other hand reached forward the door's knob. The closet wasn't making any noises…
Her hands gripped the knob tightly.
And then she opened the door.
Becky's hand shot out and pepper spray flung out of the little container. She kept her eyes shut as she unleashed the spray. Nothing. She didn't feel anything. One eye opened hesitantly. Becky opened the other eye. There wasn't any person or beast in front of her. Not even around the room. Just pitch darkness in the little space of the closet, and a white object in the middle.
Becky picked the item up with no doubts. Interesting, she didn't feel so frightened anymore. Becky eagerly turned the thing in her hands. It was only a box. It looked like a box for keeping jewelry or something like that. But nothing was in it, except for a little pile of fine blue crystals. They looked much like sand.
"Why does Dave keep sand in his closet?" Becky mused out loud. She decided not to open it. Becky randomly thought of Pandora. Right. She should not touch it. It was all his. Becky could ask about it when he got back.
Furious knocks on the door brought Becky back to earth.
She opened the door and paled when she saw the girl in the red coat. the one Dave went to see. But no Dave in sight. Becky craned her neck to look around the young woman. No Dave.
"Where is Dave?" asked Becky, her lips quivering. She didn't want to be alone with this girl.
Instead of getting an answer, Becky was thrown across the room. She fell to the floor, but luckily, no broken bones or sprains. Her head hurt a little from the sudden rush, but she was definitely okay. Now anger took her. Who was this girl to barge in and push her to the ground like that? Not even a decent hello! Becky got up and stiffly went into Dave's room, where she heard the girl go.
When she got there quickly, she saw the girl holding the little box of sand. All the color drained from Becky's face again. Whatever warmth she felt before was gone.
"Hey!" Becky roared, furious of the rudeness coming from the girl. "What are you doing here?" Some part of her knew it was dangerous to be speaking like this with someone who controlled magic. But she was angry. And she had pepper spray. Now was the time to use it. Becky lifted her hand, but the next words stopped her plan.
"Thanks a ton, human," the girl said, smiling angelically at her. "This'll help." With that, she thrust open the window in Dave's room and leaped out.
Footsteps came crashing through, evading Becky's ears.
Dave was suddenly behind her, yelling.
"What was that? Did someone-"
She could have sworn he saw the closet door open, the box of sand gone.
"Becky! There was something there, a box, is it-"
The pepper spray dropped from her fingers.
"I'm sorry, Dave. This is all my fault."
And then she fainted.
Becky, you delicate thing! Okay, sorry this is super short. But I had to save the rest for the next chapter!
-A.T.