Disclaimer: I do not own W.I.T.C.H. This is a work of fan fiction.

Season Three Episode Eight: "Cassidy Revealed" Chapter One

Varthan. Aljax and Garix bowed before their queen. Neera stood looking over a series of photographs. "Hmm. Who to choose?" she mused. "Garix, Aljax, have you any suggestions?"

Aljax stood. "Perhaps the fire Guardian's mother. She is already becoming suspicious on her own. Only a slight push would be needed to complete her journey to the truth."

"I concur." Garix added. "She is ripe for the taking."

"Very well. How shall we proceed?"

Aljax opened a viewing window. "Observe, my Queen. I think we can work with this quite well."

After watching the video, Neera smiled. "Very good Aljax. Very good indeed…"

Irma and Martin walked hand in hand through the park. She had just finished telling him the whole story, and his head was still spinning. "So Elyon Miranda and Caleb are aliens?" he asked.

"I'm not sure if that's the right word. Meridian is more like another dimension than a planet out in space."

"Multiverse theory. Interesting."

"Okay, no idea what that means." Irma laughed.

"It's no big deal. I doubt the difference really matters anyway. What does matter is, I want to help you out somehow. Oh, don't look at me like that. I know I'm not a fighter. There are other ways to help you know."

"Other ways like what?"

"I'm not sure yet. But I'll tell you one thing: What you've told me about this Queen Neera's attacks so far? There's something familiar to me about it. I can't quite put my finger on it though."

"Keep thinking." Irma said. They walked on.

The Cook home. In what was a rarity these days, all four members of the family were present for dinner together. This was due, in no small part, to an ultimatum Theresa had issued to Taranee, and her insistence to Peter that he invite Cassidy. "I've got them both here at once." she thought of Cassidy and her daughter, "Maybe one of them will slip with what this secret of theirs is."

As Lionel began to serve, he asked her "So, I hear you had a rough day?"

"Rough? Oh, you mean my being pulled in to help cover the local cases. Yeah, that's usually unpleasant but at least I got a good laugh out of it."

Cassidy asked, "Laugh? What happened?"

"Well, I was hearing the arraignment cases for these two low life thieves. Both of them rushed to my bench begging me to listen to their story…"

"Let me guess," Peter asked, "A sob story about how poorly they had it growing up. Probably including a grandmother who died four times?"

Theresa answered, "No, though I have heard that one. These guys though, they swore up and down they were accosted by magic fairies and a were-cat-" Theresa was interrupted by the sounds of both girls choking on their food. "Are you girls okay? What happened?"

"Uh… Nothing mom. It's just, um, so funny I couldn't help but start to laugh with my mouth full."

"Same here." Cassidy said.

Theresa said nothing. Just thought things over and reached a decision.

Frankie and Johnny were walking together near their homes. They both kept a nervous lookout for anything strange. "What'r we's gonna do's Johnny?"

'I dunno Frankie. At leasts dat dumb judge set our bails low enoughs we could pays dem. But now we's needs 'ta finds someone what'll believes us."

"Like who Johnny? Some kinda wizards? Who elses gonna believes a story 'bout fairies and cat-peoples?"

"No such ting as wizards Frankie."

"But dose fairies dids exist den?" Frankie retorted. Johnny didn't answer. He knew that for once Frankie had a good point. They continued walking. Johnny tried to think of a solution, but he was drawing a blank. Suddenly, the answer provided itself. A mysterious man emerged from the shadows of a narrow alley.

"Greetings gentlemen." he said, "My name is Aljax. And I have an answer to your current problems…"

After dinner, Taranee headed to her room to finish some schoolwork. Peter and Cassidy joined Lionel in the den for the night's football game. Theresa closed herself in her office, claiming to have paperwork to complete. She was actually planning out how to best approach the decision she had reached during dinner: follow Cassidy discreetly until she saw for herself whatever was happening. She felt ridiculous to be reduced to such a plan, but, by god, if her daughter was in some kind of trouble nothing was going to stop her from finding out what.

Plans made, she slipped upstairs, dressed appropriately, then slipped under the bedcovers and pretended to be asleep while waiting for Cassidy to leave. After half an hour, she heard the sounds of goodbyes. Downstairs, the door closed. Theresa jumped up and nearly collided with Lionel on her way to the back door. "Whoa! Where are you going this late?" he asked. Knowing her husband thought she was being paranoid, she didn't answer, but just slipped out and around the house, ready to follow the girl.

"An jus what's 'problems' does youse tink youse gots da answers to?" Johnny asked Aljax.

"Fairy problems of course. I know they came for you after your robbery attempt."

Frankie stepped in front of Johnny. "Dis geek's jus messin' wit us Johnny! Prolly heards us in da court todays, tinks he can makes fun of us!"

"I hears ya Frankie." Johnny said. "Beat it ya mook!"

"But gentlemen, I really do believe you. Would a description help? You never told anyone what these fairies looked like, right? I'll tell you. They were dressed in blue and purple clothing, with striped stockings. There were six of them, not including the cat-being. Each utilized a different power, fire, earth, electricity…"

Johnny and Frankie looked at each other. Then at Aljax. "Who are youse?"

"As I said, I am Aljax. And I can help you. These particular fairies enforce order and law. Now that they've taken you once, now that you have their attention, they will come for you again and again, every time you try something even vaguely illegal. But there is a way to break their lock on you. A way to be free."

Frankie asked, "And hows dat?"

"It's quite simple. They are beings of law. Harm the law, and you harm them."

Johnny was confused. ""Harm da law'? How's we do dat?"

"Elementary my boy. Eliminate the judge who you saw today. Kill Theresa Cook…."