Disclaimer: This story is completely original. All characters, settings, and events are spawned from my own mixed up little mind and may not be used, copied, or adapted without my express written permission. Do not steal my story!!!

(( Sorry for the long break. The holiday season's been kinda insane. ))

16.

The next day was sunny and as close to perfect as a late spring day got. Toby was sure the universe was quietly laughing at her. The house's annoyed creaking had woken her up and she'd descended the stairs to find her mother obsessively cleaning everything, something she only did when upset about something. Toby didn't have to ask what she was upset about.

"I'm going to Dom's," she announced to the fairy godmother-in-training sitting at the kitchen table. Verum looked up over the rim of her cup of tea, her amethyst eyes calculating just how serious Toby was. With Fiz still at the castle, Georgette who knew where, and papers spread across the table in front of her, Verum didn't have much of a choice. So, reluctantly, she nodded.

"Take Theo with you."

Toby didn't object, just headed out the door with the dragon-turned-human a few steps behind. She wondered, angrily, if Verum had said something to Theo, because he didn't say a single world on the walk to Dominic's. It was a walk Toby normally enjoyed; his house was further down the country road, over an ancient wooden bridge, then along an unnecessarily winding and twisting driveway. Theo followed her silently, hands in his pockets.

Toby couldn't figure out what to say to him, so she didn't say anything.

Finally, they were there, and she climbed the porch to the door, mentally smiling at the familiar, protesting squeak of the old wooden boards. She raised her hand to knock, blinking when the door swung open before she could even touch it. She stared at the pretty blonde who'd ground to a halt just inside the door.

"Julie?"

"Toby! Err.. hi!" Dominic appeared behind Julie, his pale blue eyes flicking between the two girl's. Toby's gaze snapped to him, quietly and rather intensely demanding a reason for this. One instance of Julie being decent to her didn't convince the brunette that that goodwill would endure, and it certainly didn't mean she wanted to talk to the blonde any more than absolutely necessary. Dom's recent cold treatment of her only intensified her anxiety about Julie's presence.

"I'll call you later," Dom said to Julie. Toby felt as if he'd slapped her. He'd never just.. brushed her off like that before.

"Oh, uh, sure," Julie said, glancing between the two of them. "Nice seeing you, Toby. See you, Dom." She slipped past Toby, descending the stairs hurriedly. She glanced over at Theo, who was watching Dom with all the sharpness of a cat's ready gaze. Casting one last look over her shoulder, she turned and hurried off down the road.

Toby stared at Dom. "Why was she here?"

"I don't think that's any of your business," Dom snapped.

"What is wrong with you?! You've turned into a total jerk! Why are you so pissed at me?!" Toby's voice sounded tinny and high-pitched in her ears. Oh god, she was about to start crying.

"Nothing," Dominic replied stiffly.

"Nothing? You've hardly spoken to me since this whole mess began, and now you're hanging out with the girl who terrorized me for years and I'm supposed to believe it's nothing? Give me a break!" Toby snorted derisively.

Dom glared – not at her, but past her – at Theo. Toby half-expected to see sparks flying. "Shocked you missed me, what with a dragon to do your bidding now." Toby gritted her teeth against the urge to shake that stupid sulk off of Dom's face, hearing Theo hiss softly in draconic warning behind her.

"Fine. Be a sulky child. I just came to tell you the Trolls who I am now, so before they can mount an invasion and probably kill me and destroy everything, I'm leaving for the Fairy Court. Have fun with Julie," Toby said, voice thick with frustration. She turned on her heel, and without even a good-bye or a glance over her shoulder, she strode down the steps and away from her best friend. The dragon fell into step next to her, though not without shooting Dom one last dirty look.

Theo didn't say anything, but it was strangely comforting just to have him there.

Toby had just rounded the hedges at the end of the drive when she nearly plowed Julie over. The blonde took one look at Toby's face and frowned. "Toby…"

"What, no sneered 'Tobias'? No mocking 'princess'? How sweet of you," Toby snapped, furious.

Julie frowned. "Well you've certainly got the royal attitude down."

"What do you want, to gloat that Dominic's so mad at me? To flaunt the fact you've somehow managed to turn this all into my fault and finally succeed in driving away my one last friend?"

"I didn't come here to fight, so stop being such a—"

Theo stepped forward, fire in his eyes. "Do not talk to the Princess like that."

Julie's eyes narrowed as she stared at him, as if judging for herself how serious he was being about the threat. She suddenly sighed, shaking her head.

"Look, Toby. It's not what you think. Dom was just—"

"Not what I think?! Oh? Then what is it, Julie? Tell me! I mean, you've made my life so wonderful and full of joy and happiness the past ten years, I'd really love to know how it's not what I think!" Toby struggled to keep her voice from reaching yelling pitch, glad to have Theo at her side.

"I was jealous, okay?" Julie spat out, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

Toby stared at her, trying to keep her jaw from burying itself in the dirt she was standing on. "… what?"

"Dominic's a great guy, Toby. He's handsome, the top of his class, nice, a star athlete, the works… Any girl would love to go out with him. But he only has eyes for you. He'll be nice, sure, and attentive, but the moment you even frown, he drops everything and everyone and comes running. I mean, there's nothing even special about you. You're aloof, refuse to talk to anyone else, and don't even make the effort to be nice to others…"

"Wait, so because I don't open myself up to your every attack, I don't deserve Dominic?" Toby replied, her eyebrows arching. She didn't know whether to be hurt or angry.

"Oh please. You're so busy looking for attacks that you don't realize you imagine half of them," Julie replied, rolling her eyes.

Theo balled his fists, taking a step forward. Julie let out a gasp, throwing her hands up, but Toby reached out and caught Theo's arm, staring at Julie with icy green eyes. "You have about ten seconds to explain why you're talking to me before I let Theo turn you into an oversized slice of cheerleader toast."

Julie stared between the two of them for a moment, then shook her head. "Nevermind. You don't deserve how much he likes you." She turned to walk away, then paused, glancing over her shoulder. "And he asked me over to make sure I wasn't going to go blabbing your story to the world. He was protecting you again, though I'm not sure why anymore."

Toby stared after Julie. For a long moment she just stood there, grappling with the anger and upset that raged through her. Finally, she inhaled, looking over her shoulder to find Theo staring at her. She shoved her emotions away; she was sure she was imagining the sympathy in his eyes anyway.

"Let's go. They're probably waiting for us." Then she turned and headed in the opposite direction of Dom and the blonde, heading home.