I am back! Before tomorrow's episode, I had to make an effort to finish at least one more chapter, so enjoy!
Della walked the unusually quiet hallways of the manor. Granted, it was little past three in the morning, but the call to adventure never cared for a curfew. So the fact that there was nothing to disturb the night was almost a feat on its own. And still, Della was awake, going back to her room after a quick trip to the kitchen to make some tea while wearing her blanket as a cape to keep the cold from bothering her. She still couldn't quite grasp the concept of time and often found herself gazing at the rooftop while laying uselessly still, while all the others simply went to bed and waked up with the sun.
She exhaled turning the corner to reach her door, already dreading the idea of having to wait for sleep to come visit instead of easily giving in to it. But then she found the even more unusual sight of someone already standing at her door, equally awake and out of sorts.
"Just knock," Lena told herself in a hushed manner unaware that Della was at the end of the hall silently approaching her "no harm in trying" she argued to herself, but still just shuffled in place "No, just go back to bed" she grumbled clearly fighting her insides in the matter, so Della put an end to her monologue as she finally reached the door.
"Lena?" she called softly making the teen jolt in surprise turning around and back at the closed entrance. She seemed to mumble something to herself, but Della only caught on the word 'stupid' as Lena embarrassedly fidgeted.
"Is there something you needed?" Della asked with a gentle smile.
Lena pressed her beak shut same as her fists while holding the air, as if trying to decide whether or not to say it, but ultimately she shook her head "No, nothing. Just taking a walk" she said before unconsciously rubbing an eye. She seemed to be more sleep-deprived than when the usual slumber parties took a toll on her "see you at breakfast" she started to walk past her when Della reached out and grabbed her forearm.
"Hey, kiddo?" she called softly, but Lena only shrugged further, so Della used another approach "as long as you are up, why don't you keep me some company? I kind of want to wait outside my door too" she promptly sat down with her back resting on the wooden frame, an arm extended with the blanket outstretched. Lena only hesitated for a moment before sitting at her side, being embraced under the blanket that enveloped her as well. Just then she seemed to relax a little, letting her guard down as she closed her eyes tiredly, knowing fully well sleep would evade her.
A brief silence filled in before Lena tried to meet her gaze "Why are you up?" she inquired, not completely surprised by the fact that Della was actually up and about.
"I wasn't tired" the answer got her an arched brow as a response "Ok, I am tired just not…exhausted" she explained "Before I only went to sleep when I was absolutely about to pass out from exertion" she admitted "it's still a bit odd to sleep just for the sake of schedule and not whether if I'm drained"
Lena nodded, that made more sense given what she knew about the older duck.
"Mrs. B. has caught me a few times roaming through the darkness. It's just so quiet and calm. No noise, no bright colors, no light…"
Lena chuckled under her breath "Yeah…just shadows and thoughts echoing through whispers"
Della hummed to herself before looking down at her reflection in the mug "Mrs. B. actually suggested that I'd made myself some tea whenever I couldn't sleep"
"That's the most British thing ever. Serves Tea Time right"
"In all honesty, it's very soothing" Della stretched the cup towards the girl, letting the warmth tickle her chin "Here, I haven't drunk from it, you can have it"
Lena hesitated before grabbing it, breathing in the steam "…Thanks" she mumbled, leaning into her shoulder with such easiness and familiarity, it made Della smile. She trusted her.
"How was the sleepover?" Della asked casually.
"Good" she replied, taking a sip "no mayor demon summoning or anything, so that was nice"
Della chuckled lightly "Yeah, no screams down the hallway. Must have been a peaceful evening"
"Yeah, they all fell asleep about two hours ago" there was something bitter dripping in her words.
So Della gently ran her fingers up Lena's short hair, in smooth caresses "Nightmares, kiddo?" she asked cautiously, feeling the teen shift, hiding deeper into her shoulder.
"…kind of…?" she provided gazing into the tea "it's been a while since the last one…"
Della could read her body language, the way she looked at her surroundings, how she tried to take as little space as possible "…They get worse when you are here, don't they?"
Lena pulled the blanket closer to her chest, hiding in the shadows.
"Does Webby know?" Della continued "That it makes you uneasy to be here?"
"No. She loves the sleepovers, I don't want to take that away from her and I do like them! It's just…being back into the manor after almost a year since the Shadow War…" she traced back "It's…it's like… all of this is the dream and when I wake up I will be under Magica's control again" she shrugged "it makes more sense that this is the fantasy. How can all of this be real when for so long all I had was…?" she shrunk deeper "I don't…I don't want to wake up and see aun-" her voice was at the verge of cracking.
"It's okay" Della assured, holding her closer "she isn't here anymore"
Lena whipped her eyes, just in case tears had slipped away "That's what I like about my new home" she admitted "first thing I see is Vi's bed next to mine, in a room filled with nerd posters. And most mornings I wake up to the sound of Indy's voice singing while making breakfast" she chuckled "I never had that before, so it's easy to tell myself that this is reality post-Magica" she huffed, smiling to herself before her face turned into a dark corner "but…when I wake up and I'm at the mansion, I feel like the mission to get the dime isn't over. And that's scarier than anything, the idea that I'll betray them again, that I'm nothing but a puppet…"
Della wrapped both arms around her, driving her to a full embrace "You don't have to fear her anymore, honey. You have us"
"I don't deserve any of you" she held on tightly, fighting off the tears.
"Hush now" Della cooed "that's not true" she cuddled her "you deserve to be happy," she said firmly "you've earned it, sweetie"
The way the teen's body shook and quivered was sign enough that the sobs were taking over. Della hummed softly, rubbing a palm up and down her back "You are not alone. Even if she came back, you have a whole army behind you. From an ex-spy and her deadly apprentice to the most daring adventurers in the world, one of which is the richest duck on earth, and you even have a so-so space pilot that crashed into the moon" that earned her a small chuckle that got drowned under the blanket. Della smiled "and all of us love you so very much, honey" she pressed a kiss on her head "you are not an outsider. You don't need to tiptoe around or look over your shoulder whenever you visit. Our doors are always open to you. You are not your aunt"
That simple sentence broke her, because sometimes she couldn't bring herself to believe it, that Magica and she were two different people.
"What if I am?"
"Then I'll still love you," she said earnestly, noticing the way the teen froze in her arms "This version of you is the only one I've ever known. So even if by some impossible and bizarre reason, you are like her, that won't change the way I feel about you, honey" she stroke her hair carefully.
Lena sniffed, pushing the tears aside with the sleeve of her sweater "You'll regret it"
"Let me decide that" she countered softly, looking for her face "Plus, you'll probably regret my company as soon as I try to cook something"
Lena actually let out a short-lived laugh "Yeah, I saw the cake"
Della shrugged "I've improved" she offered a soothing gesture "and so have you"
Lena was still a bit caught off guard "…thanks, Della"
"Right back at you, kid" she smirked before being cut off by a yawn.
"Finally feeling exhausted?" she teased lightly but was betrayed by her own body when she imitated the yawn as a chain reaction.
Della chuckled, readjusting her position "I don't know, I could stay here for a little longer" she pulled the blanket closer, giving her a genuine smile.
Lena knew Della was only staying there so she wouldn't have to go back to Webby's room, where the all-too-familiar memories played themselves, where nightmares ensured.
"Yeah, I could stay here for a bit too"
"Great" she tilted her head back, getting comfortable when she felt Lena rest her head fully into her shoulder, cuddling there, already half asleep for that matter.
Della felt something warm inside at the sight of the teen so calmed and comfortable "Good night, honey"
"She's not here!" Webby urged after having searched through the room.
"Maybe she's already at the breakfast table?" Louie suggested rubbing his eyes, clearly, it was too early for him to start panicking over anything.
"Although Lena tends to have the habit of sleeping in, I do reckon it might be possible her hunger could have driven her out of bed"
"Come on, let's go check" Dewey waved a hand as they followed to the kitchen were Beakley was preparing a huge feast.
"Morning, children" she greeted in her formal voice as Scrooge searched for a cup to pour coffee.
"Granny! Have you seen Lena?" Webby asked out front, jumping up the stool to be at the same eye level.
"I can't say that I have" she answered unbothered before noticing the frown on her granddaughter's face, but a very Scottish thick accent accompanied by a curse cut the moment.
"Where is my favorite mug?!" Scrooge exclaimed, "It was here last night!"
That sparked a thought on the former spy as she looked around the bar, noticing the misplaced tea herbs.
"I might have an idea of where she might be" she turned to the older duck "and your mug"
The triplets decided to leave that mystery for later and instead began having breakfast with Violet while the other three walked up the stairs.
"Where are ye taking us?" Scrooge asked while they turned the corner, but Beakley simply looked over her shoulder making a motion for him to keep quiet as she pointed at the end of the hall, right outside Della's door, where said duck and the shadow teen were peacefully sleeping side by side, nuzzled together.
The sight on its own was enough for Scrooge to not care about the mug that lay beside them. His eyes shimmered as he gazed at Della's peaceful face. He knew there were a lot of adjustments she was still going through, but somehow, as she held the smaller duckling under her wing, she seemed to be back on Earth, to her former self, all while learning how to bond and take care of others and herself. And those were the same thoughts Webby was having regarding Lena. Both the space pilot and the witch had a hard time copping, trusting, and talking to people, and yet, here they were, leaning into one another metaphorically as well as physically.
That until Lena started stirring as if somehow she had felt their presence and was now slowly coming back to her senses.
"Lena!" Webby couldn't help but to launch into her arms, tackling her into a hug that was both frightening and most welcomed once Lena could make out her surroundings.
"Hey, Pink" she answered drowsily, looking around, noticing the others.
Della groaned waking up as well, rolling her sore neck "What-?"
"Here we go, lass," Scrooge said gently stretching a hand at her, helping his niece up.
"Uncle Scrooge?" she stood up, feeling the blanket fall down.
"Let's go have a cup of coffee, shall we?" he smirked "seems like you had quite a night" he added softly, seeing the girls already going to the kitchen.
Della smiled a bit sheepishly "Yeah" she picked up her little campsite.
"I'll take care of that" Beakley offered before raising a brow "was the tea any help?"
"I think it was, for her in this occasion" she admitted.
"I'm glad"
"Anything else that could help her?" Scrooge inquired regarding the magical being Magica had left behind to fend for herself. Scrooge had a big debt he had tried to repay repeatedly, but the teen always dismissed the topic.
"Maybe…we should ask Ty and Indy to host the next sleepover," Della said to their surprise "just while some memories of the past leave these walls and some new can be made over there"
Scrooge smirked "I'll make sure to give them a call"
Thanks for reading! I'll try my best to publish another one today or tomorrow, until then!