The rest of dinner had gone off without a hitch. Amity had decided to check into her hotel, and Camila gave her a ride there from the restaurant. She and Luz said goodnight with a hug and a kiss, and separated, vowing to see each other again the next day.

But later that night...

Tap tap tap. "Meow."

The sound made Luz stir in her bed, but she didn't wake.

Tap tap tap. "Meow." Tap tap tap. "Meow."

Luz stirred again, but did little more than roll over...

"MREEEOWWWW!"

Now she was awake. Luz sat up right in her bed and turned towards her window, spotting a white cat. "Ghost?" The cat tapped the glass again. What did she want? Luz got out of bed and opened her window, looking around for a moment before spotting her girlfriend in the front yard. "Amity?"

"Heh...hey Luz." The witch sounded nervous. "I...I know it's late, but...can I come in?"

"Uh...sure." Taking a few steps back, Luz watched as Amity drew a spell circle and the mud below her lifted her up until she was level with the window. She reached out her hand, and Luz pulled her in. Amity seemed to be trembling, but this wasn't a particularly cold night. "What's going on? Are you okay? It's nearly 3 in the morning."

"I guess that makes us even," Amity laughed nervously before bursting into tears and throwing her arms around Luz. "I had a bad dream," she said softly.

"Let me guess," Luz said as she put her own arms around the other woman, "I died?" Amity nodded and tightened her grip, prompting Luz to rub her back. "No te preocupes, amada. Estoy aquí y me quedo."

"For how long?"

Suddenly, the lights turned on. "¿Luz? ¿Qué está pasando aquí?" Camila stood in the doorway, her face softening the moment saw the tears running down Amity's face. "I'll go make you some tea. We can all talk downstairs."

Amity sat on the couch, a blanket over shoulders and a hot cup of tea in her hands. Luz and Camila sat on opposite sides of the witch. She calmed down a little, but was still distraught.

"It was the same as our phone call...except...I was there...on the roof...with you, and..." The witch sobbed heavily. "...and you jumped anyway."

Camila looked at her daughter with worry. "¿Es cierto? ¿De verdad ibas a suicidarte?"

"Lo siento mama. Es cierto." Luz couldn't look at either of them. "Please believe me, I'm not in that state of mind anymore."

"I do believe you, Luz. But...why?"

"I'd already lost Amity. I didn't think she'd ever forgive me after our breakup, and then I found myself facing the truth that I'd wasted my life on something truly impossible. Without that, and...without her, I had no reason to keep going...I didn't deserve to keep going."

She looked up as she felt Amity grab her hand. "I never stopped loving you."

"I know that now, Ami. But at the time, I was so sure you'd grown to hate me and that you'd moved on."

"I tried, Luz. Classmates and co-workers would set me up left and right. I met some really nice women in California, but nothing panned out. And do you know why?" Luz shook her head. "Because they weren't you." Amity sighed and looked back at her mug. "I've been thinking about what you asked me at the end of the therapy session...if we were only back together so I could keep you alive."

"You said that wasn't the case, and I believe you."

"And that's true, but...you were right about something: That kind of relationship isn't fair to either of us." Amity started to sob again. "I shouldn't be looking over my shoulder every few minutes just to make sure you're still there. What if one night, I fall asleep with you in my arms, then wake up the next morning to find what's left of you splattered across the pavement?...What if I'm not enough for you?" Camila pulled Amity into a hug as the witch burst into tears.

Luz waited a moment for her mom to finish comforting Amity, then took both of her hands and clasped on to one of the witch's own. "Amity, you're more than enough for me. When I called you that night, I was fed up with life, I believed the only thing I had ahead of me was more suffering and misery. Mi amor, you lit up my darkest hour. You gave me hope when I had nothing left. I've got another chance to be the partner you needed me to be all those years ago. If I still have a future in this realm, you're in it. Whether or not either of you believe me, I mean it when I say that...I want to live."

Nestled on the mantle in the Nocedas' living room was a blue wooden egg. For five years, it lay there dormant, waiting for its mistress to return and express her deepest wish. Throughout Luz's speech, it started to glow. And with those last words, there was a flash of blinding violet light. The three women watched in awe as a purple orb floated over to Luz, who held her palms out for it. The light dissipated, and floating in her hands, Luz found herself staring at a purple and white snakelike creature with cat ears and a green orb on its tail.

"Hi, little friend. Are you my Palisman? I'm so sorry I left you behind, I...honestly thought you'd never hatch." The snake stuck her tongue out at Luz and chirped happily. Luz smiled tearfully as the creature nuzzled itself against her cheek. "It's nice to finally meet you, Stringbean."

The Palisman then floated over to Amity and Camila, briefly nuzzling each of them before resting on Luz's shoulder. The two of them smiled, looking at each other before turning their attention back to Luz, herself smiling and laughing in a way they hadn't seen in nearly a decade. They both pulled Luz in for a tight hug, finished their tea and adjourned to bed, their worries firmly abated.