Who is excited for a new chapter? I am! I can't wait to see what you guys think of it!

But first a quick warning. This chapter will touch upon Bloom's medication and her stopping with that. I feel inclined to warn anyone who is on medication and wants to possibly stop using them... Always consult your doctor first. Never stop cold turkey. You can get really sick, both physically and mentally. Fiction is not always a good representative for real life.

Also, I've heard rumors going around that FF might be going offline. I'm not sure whether there is truth in it, but fear not! This story is also on AO3. I won't delete this here, and will keep posting new chapters until the site goes offline. IF it does.

Well, on with this new chapter.

Enjoy!

Usual disclaimer: I do not own Winx Club or the cover of this story.

Book I - Chapter XIV: Death By Homesickness

Updated: 13/11/22

"Hey, gran." I yawned loudly as I dropped into the snow and made my way towards the fire up ahead. "I brought you cookies…"

"Stop calling me that," grumbled Valtor, standing in a ring of fire that was slowly moving over the ground and forming different diagrams that I had also seen in my Dragon Fire Spell book. "You are late."

"Sorry…" I yawned again. "Stella insisted on a slumber party, since we are all leaving tomorrow for the Day of the Rose. And despite the name, you are not supposed to sleep at slumber parties. I couldn't come up with a plausible excuse to go to bed." He eyed me for a moment when another yawn cut through my explanation. "Sorry," I apologized again, quickly pressing a hand to my mouth when yet another urged its way to the surface. "But why can't I call you gran? You call my Red and since I regularly visit here and bring you cookies…"

Valtor glared at me. "I am NOT your grandmother."

"You are old enough to be." I cursed when another yawn hit me. This was getting ridiculous. "How old are you exactly? I dove into some history books, and they all claimed you were terrorizing the Magic Dimension for quite some time before they finally caught you."

"I stopped aging around my thirties."

I tilted my head slightly to the side, eyeing him curiously. "And how long have you've been thirty?" I groaned miserably when I heard myself say it, causing him to arch a questioning eyebrow. "I swear I will quote Twilight if you say "a while". I know what you are…" I gagged at the cheesiness of it all. Why I had ever liked Twilight was a mystery to me.

His lips quirked slightly up. "I have no idea what that is, but this once again proves you hear my thoughts a lot clearer than you think."

"I am not exactly hearing them." I slumped down between the nearest fires, rubbing my hands over my arms against the familiar cold. "More like an educated guess? Maybe some form of precognition?" I yawned yet again.

"Stop doing that," he bit out, his mood quickly switching from amusement to annoyance. The line between the two was thin with him. "I need you sharp." I opened my mouth to apologize yet again when he cut me off with another glare. "What did I say about that endless apologizing that you tend to do?"

"Sorry…" I grimaced at the look he shot me, biting my lip to suppress the urge to say it yet again. "I can't help it. Yesterday the girls and I had kitchen duty, and the teachers have been drilling us about all this stuff we need to remember since our midterms are coming up. On top of that, my dreams are back and they are more than a little scary. I'm basically awake every two hours and can't fall back asleep."

Valtor turned his back at me, moving a hand to force the plate of cookies out of my hands and float to him. "These dreams of yours… What are they about?"

"Can you actually eat that?" I wondered rather than answering his question, too observed with watching him take a bite out of one. "I mean, do you experience your stomach filling while eating them?"

"I don't feel much of anything, just that I can't move," he answered, with that edge he tended to get whenever I mentioned his imprisonment and wondered what that was like. "And yes, Red. I do experience satiation while eating them." I wondered for a moment what going to the bathroom was like, and instantly regretted even thinking about it when he shot me another glare. "I am not discussing that with you."

I smiled innocently, resting my chin on my fist. "Hey, I'm just curious."

He rolled his eyes at me, though I couldn't actually see him do it. "Will you get back to answering my question if I answer yours?"

One of the greatest but also most annoying things about Valtor was that he adapted easily. Quick of mind, so to speak. He had probably realised after our second conversation that I tended to change the subject or ask a different question when I didn't want to answer one of his. And as the clever bastard he was, he had come up with what I considered blackmail. He would answer one of my questions if I in return answered the one I didn't want to.

"It is not blackmail," the man in question corrected, having heard my thoughts once more. I scowled at the unfairness of it all. "Simply using your curiosity to my own advantage."

"It is blackmail and you know it, Wolf." He shot me that annoying grin of his. Unlike "gran" or "old man" – he especially hated the latter – he rather enjoyed my latest nickname for him. And it suited him, especially with those wolfish grins of his. "I rather not talk about them. Just thinking about them…" I shuddered, curling into myself as the latest flashed before my eyes. The air around me seemed to grow colder, the darkness clawing at me like it had in my dreams. "Besides, can't you just take them from my thoughts?"

"That would require you thinking about them." I yelped when something hit my head, the familiar smell – his smell – filling my nostrils. "And you are actively trying NOT to think about them."

"There is a reason for that." I wrapped the coat around myself, humming in delight at the warmth. I loved that coat and how I could curl up in it. It was by far the best thing in this entire world. "Why do we have to meet here? Why couldn't we meet up somewhere that resembles Solaria, or better yet: California?" He made that noise that I had come to recognize as his "I'm disappointed and frustrated with you". I scowled. I did not like that noise. It reminded me too much of my mother and while Valtor was teaching me more than one thing, I refused to consider him a father figure. That would- Well, it would be more than a little disgusting, not to mention messed up. "What did I do now?"

"You haven't figured it out yet."

"Figured out what?"

Valtor gestured around with that deadpan gaze of his, which differed really not all that much from his usual expression. "We are on Domino, Red."

My brows knitted together as I gazed around. "What? Why?" He shot me that glare that screamed "think for a change". I huffed somewhat indignant, crossing my arms with a scowl. "Let me guess: because it is the place the Dragon – the source of our powers – rested and we were both born on it, the whole "the Guardians have to come from Domino to be able to contain the Dragon" thing?"

"When you actually think, rather than just blurt out the first question that pops up in that head of yours, you prove to not be entirely clueless." I shook my head with a smile. That was his way of giving me a compliment. Messed up, yes, but I took pride in them. "Back to your dreams."

"I am not that desperate to know how you go to the bathroom while being a popsicle," I cut in. He glared at me. He hated the word ever since I had blended his name with popsicle, ala Iron Man style. Valsicle. Not my finest joke, I would admit to that but I thought it was pretty funny. He didn't.

"No, you are trying to get out of answering my question." I gulped when his eyes momentarily flashed red. "Do not make me use another truth spell on you." I grumbled, calling him all kind of unpleasant things both under my breath and in my head. But the only thing that did was amuse him.

The truth spell he had used after our "little moment", though he refused to refer to our hug as that. He wanted to know more about this cartoon world I had mentioned, and hadn't been satisfied with my vague answers. The damned bastard had put it on me by using his coat, spelling that and then having me put it back on. I was still more than a little upset about that, swearing I would get back him for it though I had yet to figure out how.

The upside to him forcing me to spill all the beans was that at least someone knew and shared the burden knowing future events with me of. Though it was mostly hilarious when I pictured his cartoon version and he started swearing and ranting that he was nothing like that.

I was contemplating doing just that when a ball of fire flew past my head. "Red…" I shuddered at the way he growled his own nickname for me. Damn me and my hormones, and damn him for being too handsome for his own good. "Stop evading the inevitable."

"Why do you want to know so badly?" I crossed my arms with a scoff at the look I got in return. "It's just lots of darkness."

"No, it is not. You are not the type who is scared of darkness." Often Valtor reminded me a little of Tecna. The two had the same way of stripping things down and saying them like they were simple facts. "There must be something else. Something that scares you enough that you wake up."

Against my will, my last dream – well, nightmare really – flashed before my eyes. The one I had just before coming here. Flying through the air as fast as my wings allowed, fear gripping at my throat, knowing I was being followed. The darkness constantly clawing at my ankles, leaving long scratches and pulling me ever closer to whatever was following me. The menacing rumble…

I jumped when Valtor snapped his fingers in front of my face. He was frowning down at me. When had he even made his way over to me?

I blushed at the intensity in his eyes, the seriousness. "And they are always like that?"

"Yes…" Another shudder ran down my spine. "Sometimes there is this dark type of fire…"

The dreams had started shortly after I had my heart to heart with Valtor. No, not shortly. The first night after. At first I had wondered whether it was subconscious warning me of him, before quickly dismissing that notion. Whatever hunted me in the nightmares was nothing like Valtor. It was evil and foreign, whereas I had never gotten that vibe around the man who was the Yin to my Yang.

"Yang to your Yin." I let out a deep sigh when he corrected my inner thoughts once more. "Yang symbolizes masculinity whereas Yin symbolizes femininity." I just dropped my chin to my chest. I was too tired to deal with this. "And while I'm flattered by your trust in me, I do like to remind you once more of your naivety."

"Why?" I leaned slightly back, shooting him another tired look. "It is not like you're planning to make me fall in love with you, then convince me to bust you out of prison, and kill me once you are a free man again." I arched a daring eyebrow at him. "Or are you planning something entirely more fiend like?"

"Now that you mention it…" My breath hitched at the look he shot me, his eyes flashing red again. My whole body tingled, just like that time he had played with the ends of my hair while I had ranted about Faragonda's latest interrogation. "I'm biding the time until I can have my wicked way with you."

"As if." I almost laughed at the fake threat. "You have way too much principals to turn to something as low and pathetic as rape. You think rape is the epitome of a man feeling utterly powerless."

He arched an eyebrow, that smug half grin tugging at the corner of his lips. "What was that about not hearing my thoughts?" I snapped my mouth close, narrowing my eyes at him. He was unfazed. He once claimed that my glare was as intimidating as a kitten. "Think, Red. You already know what is hunting you in your nightmares." I wanted to protest but the intense look he shot me instantly changed my mind. "What do you know that controls darkness, shadows, and fire?"

A weight dropped in my stomach and I instantly shook my head, my throat tight. "No." He arched an eyebrow. "We are still in season one, which means we are dealing with the Trix. Darkar doesn't show up until I'm in my second year."

"You also shouldn't know about my existence until your third year," he reminded me easily. "Or know that you are the lost princess of Domino until the Trix stole your powers."

My heart leaped to my throat, panic flooding my senses. "But that would mean things are changing!"

"Maybe you should accept that the cartoon you watched might have been based on our world, but is not a true representation." I chewed my lip. That was not the first time he had suggested that. "The universe is infinite, Red. For all we know, there are endless alternate universes all centring around our lives, including the one you saw as a child."

I rubbed my temples, groaning miserably. "You are giving me a headache."

Valtor's fingers wrapped around my chin and lifted it up, forcing me to meet his eyes. The blush instantly rose to my cheeks again, his touch setting my skin on fire. "You need to accept that you ARE Eliane of Domino, Red. That this IS your life, and not just an innocent display that isn't influenced by YOUR actions." I bit my lip. Of course I knew he was telling the truth, but holding on to that little thought that none of this was real… "Darkar has been obsessed with getting his hands on your powers long before you were even a gamet in your father's scrotum. Just because you are supposed to be dead, does not mean he is lounging back on some beach and twiddling his thumbs."

I almost snorted at the image of Lord Darkar in some Hawaiian trunks and a pair of sunglasses on a tropical beach.

"Thank you for that image." Valtor's own lips quirked up a little. "Though he looks nothing like that."

I shrugged. "That was what the cartoon depicted him like, but I already guessed he will be a lot scarier in reality."

"And then some." A shadow fell over Valtor's face. That tended to happen whenever his former "master" or his "mothers" were mentioned. I hated that look, that haunted gaze which told a million stories that I couldn't understand yet.

His hand closed around mine and I cringed. I had instinctively reached for him, to comfort him, but Valtor wasn't a man who enjoyed showing weakness, or being comforted. Quite the opposite, he excelled in masking it. But due to our connection, I excelled in seeing through his mask. I didn't even have to try, I just instinctively knew when he was hurting.

I quickly dropped my eyes, more heat rising to my cheeks as I pulled my hand back. "Sorry…"

He didn't scold me this time, instead pretended the whole thing hadn't happened. "Darkar has waited centuries until someone in your family was blessed with the Dragon's Flame. He will have searched endlessly for an alternative after your supposed death. But I suspect he haunts your dreams because he knows you are not dead."

"How could he possibly know that?" I wondered with a frown. "Only we know. And yes, there might be people who suspect but you said it yourself: suspecting something is different than knowing for sure."

"You using your powers was probably enough to alert him that you are still alive." The grim look on Valtor's face made my stomach turn unpleasantly. "The Dragon and the Phoenix are each other's counterpart. While the Dragon is pure, light and life, the Phoenix is corrupt, dark and death. Together they keep the balance."

"But you are the Keeper of the Dark Flame," I protested. "There is a dark side to the Dragon as well."

"One that shouldn't exist." I flinched at the words. How could he say that so emotionlessly? These were his powers we were talking about, the one thing that kept him alive. "The Dragon and the Phoenix were supposed to exist separately, keeping the balance but never interacting. Yet Darkar found a flicker of that flame and by sharing his darkness with the Ancestresses who in return corrupted the flame for him, he created something that should never have existed." He shot me a pointed look. "Before they found the rightful Keeper in me, they had tried it on countless other children. None which survived. I think that says enough about how destructive the Dark Side of the Dragon is, don't you agree?" I cringed when he pointed a finger at me. "But you are the Keeper of the Dragon's Power as it is supposed to be. And it is that pure form that Darkar needs, not that he didn't try to get me to open the portal to Relix." The flicker of pain that crossed his face made me swallow all the questions that arose on the matter. Clearly it hadn't been a pleasant experience. Though I highly doubted anything related to Darkar could be considered pleasant.

"I still don't understand something," I told him, my brows furrowing. "If we are both Keepers, then what is Darkar?" That part of the story had always confused me in the cartoon. Darkar was powerful, but wanted more power. First, why did he even want that? And second, why would he need the Dragon's Flame to reach it? The whole Relix realm and its power still made little sense but I hadn't been able to convince Valtor yet to explain it properly to me.

"Darkar is the Phoenix. While the Dragon grew tired and rested itself, the Phoenix never did. That is why there are no Keepers of the Phoenix. Why he does not resemble a human being, or can take a human shape." Valtor gritted his teeth. "Your return to the Magic Dimension will not have gone unnoticed by Darkar. He is still hidden, which is why you cannot feel his presence yet. But that does not mean you don't sense the threat he poses."

"So my dreams are a warning?" I concluded with a deep frown. "Of things that are yet to come?" He inclined his head. "But then why did I only start…" I knew the answer before I finished the question. "If you possess the Dragon's Flame that was corrupted by Darkar's own power, then the two of us realising who the other was would have made him aware that I am not dead, right? The part of your powers that is his doing would have made sure of that."

"See?" I rolled my eyes at Valtor's smug grin. "You are not completely clueless."

I shook my head, rubbing my forehead. This was not improving my headache. "But you said Darkar couldn't control you. That while he is partly responsible for your powers, they are no longer connected. You made sure of that."

"He doesn't need to control me, or still be connected to me." I chewed my lip at his sharp tone. "He is the Phoenix, which means that he senses when his opposite is at full strength. While I possess a piece of the Dragon that shouldn't exist, it is still a part of the Dragon. And when the Dragon brought us together…" He waved a hand through the air, like the rest should be obvious.

And it was. Together we formed the full strength of the Dragon and thereby posed a threat to Darkar. Which meant that when I had succeeded in visiting Wolf on my own free will that first time, I had knocked over a domino, which in return made Darkar aware that I wasn't just alive but also interacting with his former minion.

"Great." I let out a deep sigh, realising where this was going. The butterfly affect. Like I didn't have enough on my plate. "Just great. So now I have to worry about Darkar as well."

"Not yet." I glanced hopefully up at him. "Darkar cannot venture into the light without suffering immensely, and the Dragon made sure that even during the night, there is light. He will have to find new puppets to do his bidding now that the Ancestresses and I are no longer at his disposal, and those are not easy to come by."

"He could try the Trix, just like I saw in the cartoon," I suggested with a grimace.

"Then the Trix first have to catch his attention, and despite using dark magic, they still live in the world of light." He straightened himself, forcing me to crane my neck to look up at him. Why did he have to be a giant? "From what I've gathered from your stories –" I shot him a nasty look. "– the Trix probably won't catch his attention without the Dragon's Flame. After all, they won't be able to summon the Army of Darkness – one of his favourite creations – without it. And I am fairly sure that that was what made him aware of them."

I glanced at the fires surrounding us. "Which brings us back to binding the Dragon to me and preventing that from happening."

The reason I hadn't been able to find a spell was because there didn't exist one. Well, there did but no one in the Magic Dimension knew about it. The only one who had ever used such a spell – and was thereby its creator – was Valtor, to bind his own flame to him, preventing Darkar and the Ancestresses from taking it from him. His first rebellious act, and I often wondered if it had been his last.

"I need you sharp," repeated Valtor his earlier words, again with that edge. "And currently your eyes are more drooping than focussing."

I scoffed tiredly. "Any chance you have a spell to block dreams? If not, then I am not sure how or when this is going to change."

He snapped his fingers, the diagrams of fire abruptly changing shape until they formed a tight circle around me. "That ought to keep you warm enough. Get some proper sleep."

I frowned. "Is that even possible?" He arched an eyebrow at me, silently daring me to question him. I had argued with him once – just once – on something and that hadn't ended well, but since that moment he took half my questions as an insult. "Cocky bastard," I grumbled, curling deeper into the coat before lying down. With the fires surrounding me, it was rather nice and warm, and their smell was soothing. I watched them dance, the flickering red and yellow rather hypnotizing.

I sneaked a peek at Valtor, who was now seated in another circle of fire and reading my Dragon Fire Spell book, as he had started to call it. How he had gotten his hands on it, I had no idea. It took me a lot of concentration and magic just to take the cookies with me, and this was the first time I had succeeded.

Speaking of cookies, he was eating another one and the crumbs were falling on my book. If that caused a stain, I would fucking kill him.

"It is not really your book." Valtor flipped a page, my stomach jolted at the sight he made. Crossed legged, resting his cheek on his fist, strands of hair falling in his face, his complete attention ensnared by the book in his lap. The epitome of an educated man. What a sight he made. Damn him, his handsomeness, and my hormones. "I am projecting and reading what you have so far shared with me." He waved his cookie at me without gazing up. "Neither is this, which brings me to your question." My cheeks tingled when his grey eyes snapped up and met my own blue ones through the fire. "While they satisfy my hunger and even help me to keep up my strength, I am not truly eating them. My body is currently frozen, which means I have no active digestive system."

My mouth twitched. "No bathroom breaks then."

He snorted and I caught a flicker of amusement before he refocussed on the book. "No. I do not have that luxury."

I chewed my lip while letting those words bounce through my head. And the only thing I could come up with in my sleep deprived state? "You must have the worst case of itchy nose while you can't scratch it."

To my astonishment he laughed, a deep raw sound that seemed to vibrate the very air around us. It was almost as soothing as the flames and as I drifted off, it was all I heard.

I hadn't realised how homesick I had been until I was standing directly in front of the house. "How can a house become a home in two short years while the one I lived in for sixteen never felt like that?" I snorted. "Wolf would say that that is a stupid question."

Mike and Vanessa hadn't changed a thing in the few months I had been gone, but the house had never looked more beautiful in my humble opinion. The half dead shrubs on either side of the front door, the bell that still didn't work because Mike refused to replace it – "it's just new, damn it!" – and the lock that squeaked like a mouse was being murdered… It was just pure perfection. Even the somewhat musty smell only the combination of sweat, bad ventilation and high temperatures caused, was heavenly.

"At least they haven't changed the locks yet," joked Stella as we entered the house.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "That sure would have been awkward."

"You have a lovely home, Bloom," complimented Musa timidly. While her mood had drastically improved the moment we had left Magix and Alfea behind, the fact remained that today was the Day of the Rose and therefore a painful reminder for Musa that she had lost her mother at a young age.

"Yeah, it isn't too shabby," agreed Stella, allowing her critical gaze over Mike and Vanessa's somewhat outdated furniture. "Sure, it could use a make-over and it is by no means a palace, but still, it is rather cosy."

"Stella," scolded Musa sternly. "We are guests here. You shouldn't criticize."

Kiko let out a miserable meow from his basket. He had been desperate to get out ever since we had arrived in Gardena. I put him down and let him out, and he instantly shot off to inspect the familiar ground. All his favourite spots got a thorough head rub and when he came across a coffee mug beside Mike's favourite chair, he abruptly fell down and "accidently" knocked it down.

I laughed. "Some things really never change." He eyed me innocently, his tail swishing and all thoughts on lying down suddenly forgotten. "Mike is going to wish I left you at Alfea, little devil."

"Oh, you couldn't possibly," protested Stella. "Who would feed him? Griselda?" She snorted. "Can you imagine that?"

"Barbatea offered to keep an eye on him. She is rather fond of him." My eyes were drawn to a new picture, one which was proudly posed in the middle of the mantlepiece. "But I stick with what I told you that first day, Stella: where I go, Kiko goes."

I smiled as I picked up the picture. It was taken at my graduation. Mike and Vanessa were standing on either side of me – me in that red graduation gown that shockingly hadn't clashed with my hair – and they wore the proudest smiles while I was trying to disappear into my gown.

"Are you crying?" Stella draped an arm over my shoulders, shaking me out of memory lane. A quick touch confirmed my cheeks were damp. "Oh, Bloom…"

"I guess I hadn't realised how much I missed Mike and Vanessa until now," I admitted shily, wiping furiously at my cheeks and clearing my throat to get rid of the tightness. "Come on, I will show you girls where you can sleep."

Despite the fact we were all dead on our feet and in desperate need for more sleep, Stella and Musa insisted they come with me after settling, to surprise Vanessa at her shop. I hadn't told Mike or Vanessa about the long weekend I had, or that I was planning on coming home for it. No, that was a surprise and I couldn't wait to see them.

Stepping back into my own room only made me more emotional, though I blamed the lack of sleep as well. After Wolf had practically ordered me to get some sleep, I had had a relatively peaceful night. Until Daphne showed up and taken me back to Domino, urging me to "come home". I had abruptly woken up, finding myself back at Alfea rather than with Valtor, with Flora hanging over me and wondering why I was insisting that I couldn't go home. I dismissed it as a weird dream. While Flora had let it go at that moment, I was sure she would come back to it on a later date. I loved the flower fairy, but her tendency to fret over me like a mother hen was bloody annoying from time to time. Flattering, but annoying.

My fingers danced over the familiar iMac, ran through the soft fabric of my canopy, and even followed the lines I had drawn once upon a time.

"I missed you," I murmured lovingly to the room. To my books. To the plants which had survived my absence. Vanessa must have looked after them. "It is good to be home."

I made quick work to put my stuff away, pausing only when I caught sight of my old medication in the bathroom, the stock I had left behind. The funny thing was that when I had left for Alfea, I had been fretting over whether I should or shouldn't take it with me, worried that I would have to go without it.

"And look at me now." I smiled at my own reflection, the same cyan-blue eyes staring back yet filled with so much more life than last time they had gazed into this mirror. "Medication-free and thriving."

When I had come to see as my reflection as truly MY reflection, I couldn't say. But Valtor's words from that night had rung true. I couldn't pretend that this wasn't my life, especially not after Barbatea's confirmation that this was my original body, though I had yet to figure out what our "creators" were.

I wasn't an observer, a gamer who controlled an avatar but couldn't change the storyline. There was no pause or reset button, or three lives before it was game over. Holding on to that truly made me that naïve girl Valtor regularly accused me of being.

"Face it, this is your life and everything you do will make a difference." I ran my fingers through my hair. "From now on, consider what you know as guidelines, something that I should expect but won't necessarily happen." I swallowed, my throat tight. "Even if that scares the crap out of me…"

What if I had changed too much? Things were already so different. I had yet to meet the Trix officially. I had no idea where the tunnels connecting the different schools were or if they even existed. And whatever happened to Icy's duck?

"What if Helia won't return to Red Fountain next year? He becomes an essential part of the specialists, not to mention important to Flora. And what if Layla won't find her way to Alfea? I can do without Darkar, but we aren't the Winx without her. Not really."

While Layla had not been a role model of mine, she had sparked envy in me. A beautiful woman who could be both feminine and beat the guys in sports? Speaking about a badass. And Layla introduced the pixies to the Winx, and I really wanted to meet a pixie. They were just adorable, and so funny.

"It wouldn't be the same without her…" And that wasn't the only thing that bothered me. I paced anxiously back and forth through the bathroom. "What about Stella? She and her parents aren't currently talking. That is my doing. And what if Valtor was right and Darkar appears earlier than we expect? How are we going to deal with that?" I grimaced. "Scratch that. The better question is: how am I going to deal with Darkar? Especially after Valtor warned me that Darkar is after my powers…"

Thousands of questions swirled around my head and it felt like I was drowning in them. If the Trix never got the chance to go bad, then they wouldn't be sent to the Omega Dimension and then Valtor would truly be stuck there for eternity. And just because I didn't fully trust him, didn't instantly mean I wished him an eternity of cold.

My breath hitched when a harsh almost warning pull below my stomach snapped me out of my thoughts. I scowled, shooting annoyance straight back at him. "Keep out of it, you noisy bastard."

The downside of sharing a power source with an evil son of a bitch, was that he noticed whenever my thoughts ran away from me with quickly changing emotions as result. And they woke him up, though I seriously doubted the bastard ever truly slept. He was more like a bat, always sleeping with one eye open. Either he let me know I was annoying him by pulling harshly at our connection, or his own curiosity seeped through.

Whatever it was, he liked to remind me he was always there and I had yet to figure out how to shut him out, close the connection off and get my privacy back. And I really wanted my privacy back.

Just because my instincts weren't screaming danger when I was around Wolf, or that the Dragon had urged me to find him, didn't mean I trusted him. Valtor was notorious for manipulating people, using them to his advantage, and then ditch them at the opportune time, often when they least expected it. He would never offer anyone his help without there being some gain in it for him. And he might call me a naïve girl – and often justly so – but I was no fool. I knew damn well he wasn't helping me out of the goodness of his heart, but I had yet to figure out what was in it for him.

Whenever I wondered about that while I was around him, he would stick to "I'm bored" or "I've nothing better to do with my time". There might be truth in it, but it wasn't the sole reason. After all, Valtor was damn good at giving half-truths. I could learn a thing or two about that from him.

I chewed on my lip, shooting my reflection a final thoughtful glance. "Maybe I should ask Daphne… She could probably tell me more about him. Not to mention there has to be more to that story about Oritel breaking his nose…"

I wasn't all that surprised when I left the bathroom and found Musa and Stella in my room. Neither noticed I had joined them, Musa too engrossed with one of my books while Stella was sitting behind my sketching desk and shifting through my old drawings.

I cleared my throat, causing both to jump and turn around, as if I had just caught them with their hands in the cookie jar. I chuckled, arching an eyebrow. "Did you two find what you were looking for?"

Musa showed me the book she was holding. "I was looking for your Harry Potter books. But instead I found…" She twisted the book around, frowning. "What is Twilight?"

I chuckled. "Oh, sweet innocent Musa. You are better off not knowing." That only seemed to capture her interest even more. "It is about this human girl who falls in love with an angsty sparkling vampire and a hot-tempered werewolf. It is really popular here on Earth, but honestly, it isn't all that good. I wouldn't recommend it."

"Why would anyone want to date a vampire?" Stella wrinkled her nose, her face more than a little disturbed. "I mean, chef Sfoglia isn't all that bad but he is the exception to the rule."

Yes, Alfea's chef was a vampire. I had almost fainted upon learning that before bombing the girls with question on how vampires existed and what they were like. They were pretty much like Bram Stoker had described, though no one was quite sure how they came to be.

"Well, here people tend to romanticize them." I fell on my bed, groaning happily. "Nothing ever sleeps as well as your own bed…" I pointed without looking to the bookcase nearest to my bed. "Top shelf, first book on the left. That is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, though for some reason they call it the Sorcerer's Stone here in the USA."

I grunted when something landed half on top of me. Stella muttered an apology before getting on the other side of the bed beside me. "How can you sleep on this?" she protested, hitting something beside me. I peeked open an eye and saw she was assaulting my migraine pillow. "There is absolutely no support."

"That's the point." I jabbed my elbow in her side when she continued to twist and turn. "Stop moving. I'm trying to appreciate my bed here." Stella scoffed. "It's my migraine pillow. It's supposed to be softer than soft."

"Uhm, Bloom?" called Musa hesitantly. "I don't think this is the right book…"

"What?" I groaned, turning onto my back and sitting up. There went my plan to simply lay on my own bed and take a quick nap. "Of course, it is."

Musa cleared her throat and then started to read out loud: "Deary diary, today Andy asked me for my number. I was so excited…"

"What?!" I jumped up from the bed and in two steps was beside her, pulling the book out of her fingers and twisting it over. While on the outside it looked exactly like a Harry Potter book, the inside was most definitely a diary.

"Oh!" Stella sat up, grinning eagerly. "Who is Andy?"

"My ex-boyfriend," I answered vaguely, quickly scanning the pages for the dates. The last entry was the day before I ended up in this body, meaning this was the diary of my predecessor. How had I never noticed this was here? This contained vital information that was like two fucking years late.

"That's it?" Stella demanded after a long silence. "Come on, Bloom! Details!"

I slapped the book close, putting it back on its place. I was going to read that whenever I got the chance. "Sorry, Musa. I forgot this was here."

She shrugged, trying to pretend she wasn't bothered while her aura screamed embarrassment. "I got as much."

Stella abruptly clung to my arm, shaking it a little. "Bloom!" she whined. "Details…"

"There really isn't much to tell." I tried to shake her off but she refused to budge. "Andy was a friend from school. We had been friends for ages before giving a relationship a shot, then after graduation I broke up with him. He was moving to New York while I was staying here, and it wasn't like we were in love or anything."

"Did anything juicy happen?" Stella wiggled her eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes. "Nope. Nothing ever more than kisses, and even they were more pecks than proper kisses."

"Sounds dreadfully boring," complained Stella, scrunching her nose somewhat disappointingly.

I finally succeeded in shrugging her off my arm, rubbing the spot she had clung to with a grimace. That was going to leave a mark. "Why do you think I ended things with him?" I narrowed my eyes when Stella's grin took on a scheming hint. "Whatever you're thinking, it isn't happening."

Stella completely ignored me, twirling a lock of hair innocently around her finger. "And is Andy the only boyfriend you've had?"

I turned to Musa. "Why does she suddenly give me the creeps?" Musa shrugged in answer. I huffed, turning back to Stella and narrowing my eyes when I noticed the naughty sparkle in her eyes. "The only one who matters. We were together for two years. Before that I was too young to have a serious relationship."

Stella's smile brightened. "So you're still a virgin."

"What… Why…" My cheeks flushed bright red, my eyes bulging, as embarrassment flushed my system. "Stella!"

She giggled. "No need to get flustered, Bloom. There really is no shame in admitting that."

The truth was I had no idea whether I was a virgin or not. If I hadn't swapped bodies I would have easily answered that no, I wasn't a virgin. I had lost my virginity at the age of fifteen, to one of the gardener's summer helpers, and had multiple relationships – very short relationships – afterwards. Sex had been a distraction, something to make me forget about my messed-up and loveless life.

But I had no idea what my predecessor had been up to. "I really need to read that diary…"

"Well, I don't know how things are in the Magic Dimension but here on Earth we are a bit more reserved when it comes to our sexual relationships." I crossed my arms in front of my chest, trying to ignore my burning cheeks. "Sure, there are exceptions but most people are rather private when it comes to that."

I had never been comfortable with discussing my sex life. My friends from my life as Sybil Blackburn had been rather open about their conquests, exchanging stories on which positions were most pleasurable, how to properly give a hand- or blowjob, how to seduce someone. I had usually tuned out when they had started talking about that, ducking my head to prevent them from seeing my flushed cheeks. There was something not quite right about listening to a bunch of fifteen / sixteen years old talking about that.

Musa grasped my shoulder and shot me a warm smile. "You are not the only one, Bloom," she assured me, her cheeks wearing a pinkish glow as well. "I haven't either…"

Stella's eyebrows shot up. "Are you truly telling me that you and Riven didn't…"

"I told you already a hundred times!" Musa shook her head violently, her cheeks now taking a shade that matched my hair. "We just kissed and then fell asleep on the couch!"

Stella scoffed. "Well, that is disappointing."

"Hardly," I disagreed. "I think there is something sweet about waiting with having sex until you are certain." Musa shot me a grateful smile, one I answered before I perched my hands on my hips and turned to Stella. "I take it you do have experience."

Stella twirled another lock of hair innocently around her finger. If this had been a cartoon, there would be an actual halo above her head. "Well, I am not supposed to have sex until I'm married. While Solaria is one of the more modern kingdoms in the Magic Dimension, they are stupidly conservative when it comes to sex before marriage. Especially regarding their princesses."

I arched an eyebrow, not buying this innocent façade at all. "Supposed to and actually keeping to it are two different things." I pointed to the innocent smile she shot me. "And that is a confession if I've ever seen one."

"I assure you, I'm still very much a virgin." But the twinkle in her eyes made me arch an eyebrow at her. I was not buying that at all. She giggled and this time even she flushed a little. "Bloom, my darling girl, allow me let you in on a little secret: you can have sex without immediately losing your virginity."

"You can?" wondered Musa with a deep frown. We exchanged a sceptic look.

Stella slumped down on the bed with the biggest smile. "Let's just say that Sky is rather good with his fingers." Her eyes twinkled even brighter. "And his mouth."

"Good God, Stella!" I clasped my hands over my ears. "Sky is a friend, a good friend! While I am more than happy for the two of you, I really don't need to know what you two get up to behind closed doors!"

"What are you talking about? Nothing like that happened behind closed doors." Stella was feigning innocence and I scowled unpleasantly at her. That halo had turned into little devil horns. She was enjoying this, seeing me all flustered. "There is nothing more exciting than loving one another out in the open."

"So that is what you two are up to during your long walks in the garden," guessed Musa. While she was as flushed as I was, she also seemed curious. "Why would you do such things out in the open? Where anyone can walk in on you at any possible moment?"

Stella giggled. "Oh, not just any possible moment. Codatorta has the tendency to find us in the most compromising positions. Sky had to endure quite a few lectures, not to mention detention because of it."

"Are you and Sky already at that point in your relationship?" I wondered. I sat down on one side of her and Musa slummed down on the other. "I am not judging, Stella, but it's just…" I chewed hesitantly on my lip. "Maybe I'm a bit old-fashioned, believing that sex has to mean something and if you are not sure, it is better to wait. It is a rather intimate activity…"

My experience with sex might have changed my view. I had never felt more bare or vulnerable while lying naked under another. All control slipped right through my fingers when the pleasure became too much, resulting in heart-breaking disappointment when I was left unsatisfied and that was often the case.

My former lovers might have been older than me – by quite a few years – but most had lacked experience. Only the much older and really handsome men – the ones who made my mother's parties a bit more bearable – had proven to me that they knew what they were doing. Partly why I had a thing for powerful older man with reputations.

Stella grasped my hand, smiling warmly at me. "I appreciate your concern, Bloom. But sometimes you just know and Sky is simply perfect for me."

"You think that now…" I chewed my lip. "Wait until you discover he is lying to you."

"Just be careful," I begged her, before looking at Musa. "Both of you. Riven and Sky are great but the last thing I want is to see you hurt. And emotions can get mixed up when sex is involved. If you think it feels right, I won't judge or stop you, but I don't want you to take this lightly." Their brows furrowed and I grasped both their hands. "We are young, we are beautiful, and we have our whole lives ahead of us. Who knows where we will be in five years? I'm just saying that men can come and go. There is no shame in waiting until you are absolutely sure you have met the right person, nor is there in experimenting. As long as you are careful."

Musa's fingers tightened around mine, a watery smile pulling to her lips. "You know, Bloom… I think you would be a great ruler. You are level-headed and kind, giving warnings without disapproving."

Stella chuckled. "You will certainly make one hell of a mother one day."

I tried to hide how uncomfortable Musa's statement made me. Luckily, I didn't need to try too hard as Stella's phone pinged. She instantly grabbed it out of the tight white jeans she was currently wearing. They were stunning on her, making her seem even tanner than usual. I hated them. Walking beside her made me look like a freaking ghost.

Musa and I exchanged a look when her whole face lid up. There was only one person in this universe that made Stella that happy. "Speak of the devil and he will appear…"

"Oh, Sky just invited me to the Rose Ball!"

"Marvellous, darling," I drawled, my former English accent slipping through for a moment. I grimaced, my hand landing on my throat at how odd that sounded. "Might I kindly remind you that we aren't in Magix?"

"Yeah, and what happened to a girls' only weekend?" Musa crossed her arms in front of her chest and shot her an accusing glare. "The one you insisted we would have? How did she put it?" She eyed me curiously. "No men other than Mike allowed?" I nodded in confirmation while Stella scoffed, perching her hands indignantly on her hips. "How typical of you to throw that out of the window the moment Sky texts you."

"I'm not throwing anything out of the window," argued our blonde friend hotly. "I was just excited…"

"Rubbish," echoed Musa and I as one.

"Fine!" She gritted her teeth. "Maybe I was considering the offer. But you two shouldn't be so quick to judge." She glared. "Because the invitation is also extended to you, by your two favourite specialists."

While Musa seemed somewhat taken aback, I just rolled my eyes. Brandon was cute and often easy to be around but I currently had other things on my mind. "Then tell him we are flattered but we will have to pass."

Stella blinked, clearly taken aback by my lack of reaction. "I thought you liked Brandon?"

"I do," I admitted with a shrug. "But he is a little too smothering from time to time. And I don't want a man who treats me like a porcelain doll."

"And I thought you didn't like him," pointed Musa out with a frown. "You've been glaring daggers at him ever since the swamp incident, not to mention you've been refusing to call him by his name. You and Flora are constantly arguing whether Bloom and Brandon are a good match or not, with you thinking he isn't and Flora thinking he is."

Stella shrugged innocently. "Just because I'm not rooting for the guy, doesn't mean I don't want to see Bloom happy with someone."

I arched an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I just don't think Brandon is the right guy for you." Stella tilted her chin in the air, getting that familiar haughty look when she was convinced she knew best. "He adores you, anyone with eyes can see that, but he is also a hero type. And you need a man who is selfish enough that when trouble arises, he is out rescuing you and only you, while you are out rescuing everyone else."

I chewed my lip, considering that before inclining my head. "Fair enough."

Musa eyed me thoughtfully. "You know, I kind of see you with a bad boy."

"Oh, you are spot on with that," I laughed. "I've always had a thing for villains and bad boys…" Stella and Musa giggled at my confession.

Almost like we had rehearsed it, Valtor reminded me he was still very much present. My stomach gave an abrupt pull, causing my hands to instantly land on it to have it settle back down. This time it was curiosity.

But the timing had my cheeks flush bright red and for a moment I was terrified he had somehow found a way to listen in, or hear us. "Stay out of my head, Wolf. It's a girls' only weekend."

"Anyone we know?" wondered Stella with a wolfish smile, clearly having noticed my flushed cheeks. "Because we already know that Riven is taken."

I scoffed, crossing my arms and wishing not for the first time I could control my blush. "You do realise that just because you are interested in Sky, Tecna is into Timmy, and Musa into Riven, that that doesn't mean my circle of male associates ends there, right?"

Stella's smile dropped, her eyes narrowing just a little. "Don't tell me it is that prick of a wizard from Solaria."

"Stella, she did nothing but complain about him and all the other wizards after the ball," reminded Musa with a laugh. But the word wizard had more heat shoot up my cheeks, and even biting my lip.

Stella naturally noticed, her eyes widening and a bright smile tugging onto her lips. "So it is a wizard!"

"No!" My protest came too quickly, too strongly, and I cringed when I heard the lie in my voice. Speak about busted. "It… No… There…"

Stella hopped closer, her eyes gleaming, and she crossed her legs elegantly. "Spill."

I scoffed, with a deep sigh. "There is nothing to spill. Just some stupid schoolgirl crush."

Musa's eyes practically popped out. "You're crushing on a teacher?!"

"No…" I frowned. Now that sounded really convincing. My shoulders slumped in defeat when the two shot me a sceptical look. "Yes?"

Stella's hand moved so quickly through the air she nearly slapped me. "Who?!"

"You don't know him. But he is helping me out with my powers…" I groaned, hiding my face in my hands. "Just forget about it, okay? Like I said, it is just some stupid schoolgirl crush. And he is way too old for me."

"Oh!" Stella was practically bouncing. "How scandalous! Bloom has a crush on an older teacher!"

"Just forget about it," I begged again, locking my hands behind my neck. "I don't even know why I'm attracted to him. I mean… Sure, he is good-looking but he is an ass and arrogant, not to mention rude and have I mentioned he is way too old…?"

I was trying to persuade them more than I was myself. I knew exactly why I was attracted to Valtor.

First: he was my favourite villain.

Second: he was ever better looking than in the cartoon. He sometimes reminded me of Henry Cavill – deep voice, powerful jawline, permanent scruff, cleft in the chin, and a pair of striking eyes – except then even handsomer. As far as that was possible.

Third: he was really powerful and I tended to have a thing for men with power.

Fourth: I could banter with him to my heart's content.

Fifth: he was smart as hell and I loved a man with brains. The mere image of him reading my Dragon Fire Spell Book was burned in my mind and made my body tingle in all the right places. Yeah, I wasn't forgetting that one anytime soon.

Sixth: he was completely and utterly out of my league and I tended to go for those guys. My thing for bad boys and villains had more often than not gotten me into trouble. Sometimes with my mother, sometimes with my father, even a few times with the law. Not that my parents knew anything about that. If they had, they never would have allowed me out of the house again. My mother would even have sent me to the nuns. Of that I was sure.

"Get your head out of the gutter," I scolded myself, like I did whenever my thoughts trailed down that particular path. "Why would a mighty wizard – the self-proclaimed most powerful wizard in the Magic Dimension – slash badass villain even take a second look, let alone develop an interest in an eighteen year old? The eighteen-year-old he called a whiny child and a naïve girl on multiple occasions."

I hoped if I repeated this enough times I would start to believe it and my crush would disappear. After all, if he noticed I was crushing on him, then Valtor wouldn't be Valtor if he didn't take advantage of it, used it to his benefit. And no matter how much I liked him, I was not busting him out of the Omega Dimension.

Then there was the tiny fact I had shipped Bloom and Valtor like crazy as a child, the tension between the two even noticeable when I had been a young girl. And I hadn't even known what shipping was at that time. That said enough, didn't it?

The reality was proving to be a little trickier, especially since I was still struggling with my instincts urging me to trust him while my head screamed that that would get me either killed or in serious trouble. It didn't help he was throwing his coat at me whenever my teeth even started clattering a little, or that he tended to sneak touches. He especially seemed to have a fondness for my chin. And that damn stunt about him urging me to get some sleep last night, or him healing me after the swamp incident, or his fingers toying with my hair…

"Ugh!" I hid my face in my hands as the moments he hadn't been a complete and utter bastard but rather a thoughtful and somewhat kind bastard swirled around my head. "Stop thinking like that!"

"Is it that guy you've been drawing?" wondered Musa, she along with Flora the only two who had caught me drawing Valtor on multiple occasions. "The one with the eyes you claim you can never get right?" I groaned in my hands, nodding reluctantly. Musa whistled impressed. "Damn, girl. No wonder you aren't that interested in Brandon."

"Hello!" Stella waved a hand through the air. "I'm missing something here! Since when are you drawing him? And why does Musa know what he looks like and I don't? Bloom, have you been holding out on me?!"

"Since the swamp incident," I admitted reluctantly, dropping my hands with a sigh. "And she knows because she and Flora caught me drawing him. I will show you one of my drawings when we get back to Alfea, 'kay?" Stella beamed. "But can we please drop it for now?" I begged. "I know I'm changing the subject, but I want to see my mom."

Stella swore I wouldn't get off that easy and "we will most definitely be discussing this later" before agreeing we better go and surprise Vanessa.

We left Kiko at home, and made our way – arm-in-arm – towards the centre of Gardena. Musa and I had to forcefully pull Stella with us whenever she caught sight of another fashion boutique. She only stopped doing that when we promised we would go shopping with her the next day. We had to pause even more whenever Stella and/or Musa caught sight of something they wanted an explanation to. But finally – after a delay of at least half an hour – we made it Vanessa's shop.

My stomach fluttered happily when I peeked through the window. Vanessa was behind the counter, busy with a customer. She was exactly as I remembered her: wearing her white shirt and green overalls, and her customer smile. Her hair had grown in the time I hadn't seen her, but other than that she was still the same woman.

I blinked rapidly at the tears in my eyes, clearing my throat before turning to Stella and Musa. "Are you sure you want to come in with me?" I swallowed, my voice raw with emotion. "I mean…" I wasn't sure if I could go and see my mom in front of them without the guilt overwhelming me. Especially on a day like today. "I don't want to make you two sad…"

Musa and Stella exchanged a sad smile before wrapping their arms tightly around me. "You are the best friend a girl can ask for," muttered Stella and Musa nodded in agreement. I almost shrieked when they abruptly pushed me towards the door, stumbling forward. They laughed when I shot them a glare. "Now go and see your mom!"

Vanessa's shop smelled as wonderful as always, the many flowers and bouquets creating a perfume that was just heavenly and soothing.

My eyes teared up as I took everything in. Nothing had changed, just like the house, but the sight was simply stunning and one I had missed more than I had realised.

"One moment," called Vanessa without looking up. "I will be right with you."

The first tears trickled down. Hearing her voice in person was so much better than hearing it over the phone. "That's okay. Take your time." Vanessa froze, her head snapping into my direction. I smiled timidly when I caught her gaze, my bottom lip trembling as I struggled to keep a grip on my emotions. "Hi, mom."

Vanessa let out a delighted squeal, the flowers slipping through her fingers, and in a blink of an eye she was in front of me and squeezing me tightly against her. "Bloom…" I laughed and cried at the same time, embracing her just as tightly back. "Oh, sweetheart…" She pushed some hair out of my face. "What… How…" She shook her head and just embraced me again. "Oh! I've missed you!"

"I missed you too, mom." I took a deep breath in, analysing her smell – flowers and dirt – and storing it away as best as I could. "So much…"

Vanessa refused to let me go for the longest while and I was perfectly alright with that. Only when the door opened again did she move. "Stella!" Vanessa let go of me and moved to my blonde friend, embracing her just as tightly. "Oh, dear, how wonderful to see you again!"

Stella's eyes widened and I almost laughed at the look on her face. I didn't because her aura abruptly turned grey with yellow edges. I hadn't seen it before, but it worried me. Luckily the next moment it brightened again and Stella smiled warmly, practically melting into Vanessa's arms.

"Hello Vanessa."

"And who is this?" Vanessa's eyes zoomed in on Musa, whose cheeks were suddenly a little more flushed.

"That is Musa," I introduced her, not needing to explain more. I had told Vanessa and Mike all about the girls.

"Oh, I'm so glad to meet you, Musa!" Musa's jaw landed on the floor when she was pulled into Vanessa's arms and hugged tightly. "Bloom has told me so much about you."

"Hi…" she whispered back shily.

"Oh!" Vanessa let her go, smiling radiantly and reaching for my hand. I instantly took it. "What are you girls doing here?!"

"Surprise." I spread my arms with a wide smile. "There's a long holiday and we were allowed to go home."

Vanessa's bottom lip trembled, her free hand landing on her chest. "You didn't mention that last time you called!"

I shot her a duh look, unable to keep the smile from my lips. "That is why it's called a surprise, mom." I jerked my head towards her customer. "You should probably help the good gentleman over there before we chat."

Vanessa petted my cheek with the fondness smile before hurrying back to her customer.

"I love your mother," told Stella me the moment she had left us to it. "She is the best."

"Yeah…" My eyes glittered proudly. "She and Mike both are. I'm lucky they adopted me."

"I hadn't expected to be welcomed so- so…" Musa struggled to find the word, eventually settling with a shake of her head. She smiled warmly. "She really is wonderful, Bloom."

"What exactly did you tell her and Mike?" wondered Stella, lowering her voice. "Not everything, right?"

"I did leave out the part where I nearly died."

The two snorted. "Obviously."

"Didn't tell them we encountered the troll a second time either, or that you girls nearly died in Magix that first day. Or that our headmistress grounded me."

"Just the fun stuff then," giggled Musa. I gave her a one-shouldered shrug. "Smart."

Vanessa wished her customer a good day and once he had left, quickly flipped the sign on the door to "closed" and walked straight back to us, pulling me into another tight embrace.

"I'm ecstatic to see you, sweetie. I really am! But…" She let out a deep sigh, pulling away. "I am more than a little confused as to why you are here. I mean, the holidays are still weeks away and it is a Thursday."

"Not in Magic Dimension they aren't," smiled Stella. "Today is the Day of the Rose –"

"Their version of Mother's Day," I clarified quickly.

"– and that is a universal holiday. Which means no classes, and a pass to spend the weekend at home."

Vanessa's brows furrowed as she gazed from Stella and Musa to me. "Stella and Musa were planning on staying at Alfea for the weekend," I answered her silent question. "I couldn't leave them behind, so I invited them."

Vanessa instantly smiled, though I knew without a shadow of a doubt she would ask me the real reason once we were alone. "Well, you girls are more than welcome." Musa and Stella beamed. "Does your father already know?"

I shook my head. "No, he is next on the list. But I wanted to see you first." Vanessa instantly pulled me back into her arms. I let out a content sigh, melting against her and holding her tightly, afraid that if I let her go, she would dissolve and I find myself back at Alfea, and that all of this was nothing more but a pleasant dream. "I really missed you, mom."

She pressed a kiss on top of my head in that way I had missed so much. She didn't say it back, instead laughed. "Well, I am excited to hear all about your adventures so far. How about you girls tell me all about it over some coffee?"

I laughed when Musa and Stella asked at the same time: "What's coffee?"

This was promising to be a wonderful weekend.

Thank you so much for reading! Let me know what you thought of it, if something confuses you, or if you noticed any errors. I appreciate the feedback, both good and bad, and pointing out errors helps to improve my writing!

I hope I won't leave you all waiting another month before posting the new chapter, but no promises. I've reached a point in this story where I know WHAT I want to write and have a general idea, but it just won't come out the way I want. If that makes sense...

Till next time!

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