Some stuff I was gonna take out, but decided to keep it in. It's been a frustrating week, and I try to get it all out creatively.


A low buzz droned in the ceiling through aged fluorescents, flickering a lambent sheen along lavender wood that'd been freshly buffed. Vacant bleachers lined the brick walls coated in pastel purple, basketball hopes abandoned on opposite ends of the court until the next P.E. class.

Apprehensive palms pushed the grey double doors, purple boots slow in their squeaks along wooden flooring as the first to arrive. Fast thumps in her heart counteracted any earlier brain fog; Chloe had made certain never to utter a word of Susie to anyone, so who found out?! Was it Crocker's fairy obsession?! She never took him serious enough to believe he could expose her!

Clinks echoed off the walls, whirling her around to the young billionaire scanning the gym from the gym door. Seeing a similar yellow note crinkled in his hand, Chloe didn't consider another child writing the note. But if Remy also received a note…then was it right to deem him the culprit?

Only when Remy lay eyes on the startled girl did his skeptical brow crease. The note said to meet in the gym, so if she was here, then this must be her doing. Then again, he spotted the same note in her hand that was in his. What if that note was just a blank piece of paper as a guise? That, he couldn't chance. Without the only person to ever truly love and care for him, there was nothing to live for…

Cynicism approached her in guarded steps, extending an expectant hand in his grave mutter "Show me your note."

Her nerves struggled with eye contact, the note trembling in her grasp. Would showing him expose Susie? He left her little time to second guess, making her gasp from his quick snatch. His stern brow remained unchanged as he unfolded the paper. Hmm, the only difference between his note and hers was something about a necklace, reading just half the sentence before her own quick fingers took back what was hers.

Chloe couldn't risk losing a special person in her heart, one that has become more and more of a mother supplement. Didn't stop her remorse for such uncouth actions. "…I-I'm sorry."

Remy held his firm gaze, and judging by the gloss in her eyes, that means... "…you have a fairy."

Chloe blinked back her tears of weakness "…a-and so do you."

Little time was given to process this revelation when the two blondes glanced towards the metal doors that clinked a third time to see raven ponytails and purple rims shuddering by the entrance. As Remy recognized her from when her religious family were invited to the country club for laughs, Chloe recognized her from when she'd foolishly collided with her in the hallway.

It wasn't long before both recognized one corner of yellow paper peeking through a notebook clung to the little girl's chest. Doubt this girl would be here for any other reason other than…

"Wait…" Chloe breathed, looking to the fellow godchild nearest to her. Coming to a realization that she never expected. "Do…we all have fairies?"

"You'd be correct."

Facing the opposite end of the gym, Tootie's doe stare was the first to see a pink hat and matching winter coat appear from behind the bleachers. Chloe and Remy turned in that same direction, recognizing the fellow 5th grader from his brunette shag and beaver teeth.

"…Turner?" Remy squinted. When the heck did Timmy Turner show up?

Studying the pink and green wristbands beneath his coat's sleeve, Chloe realized she'd seen an eraser and pencil in those same colors. She saw no yellow note in his hand, and after waiting for Timmy to stand just a couple feet away, she asked what she assumed everyone was thinking "…did you write these notes?"

"Yes." Timmy openly confirmed.

Chloe should've figured from the misspelling of 'exposed.' "…you couldn't have been less threatening?"

"It's not that threatening." Timmy dismissed.

"…saying you'd expose our fairies isn't that threatening?" Remy flatly countered.

"Not the point, genius." Timmy snarked. "Besides, if you didn't have fairies to expose, you would've just ignored it as some dumb Crocker prank."

Still inches from her only exit, Tootie observed from the sidelines. Timmy has fairies too? Why? Because of Vicky? Or…because of what happened to his sister, Sophia?

"Then you must have a fairy too for you to even know what they are!" Remy pointed an accusatory finger, and Timmy exhaled.

His twin would never purposefully lead him into peril, yet the risks were still high. Certainly, if these kids figured out that he had godparents without directly saying so, then his chosen family won't get taken away forever…

Right?

Timmy lowered his chin to his wristbands. I hope Sophie was right about this… "Cosmo…Wanda?" he called upon his beloved fairies "…you can come out, now."

Wristbands glittered into two magical creatures upon command, floating on either side of their godchild. One with shamrock-green eyes that matched his shag, white button-up collared in a black tie with black slacks and black button-toe shoes. The other with fuchsia eyes matching the large swirl atop her head and the curl just above her back, a small lump visible through a plain-yellow tee and black jeans with black block-heel Canyons. Golden crowns hatted them, kept afloat with fly-like wings. Gold star-like wands clutched in their hands.

Awe stared at the magical creatures, particularly one raven-haired girl in her timid steps forward. Timmy had not just one fairy, but two. What did this mean? Was he miserable enough to need more magic? Or was because the man and woman were together? It started to look more like the latter when green lovingly laced his fingers with pink.

The other kids soon remembered that the lone 4th grader was still here from the lack of squeaks across the floor in her approach. Tightening her squeeze around her notebook, Tootie looked down to her bracelet. Biting her lip before she nodded for Rose to make an appearance.

When a teal cloud materialized, tight curls of marmalade-orange supported a golden crown, the same color as the gold star-like wand in her hand. Fly-like wings protruded from the back of her boysenberry choker halter that was worn over a pink stripped long-sleeve, paired with dark-denim jeans and navy boots.

Stubbornness gritted Remy's fists. Why should Turner get two godparents that love him, but he doesn't!? "…you too, Juandissimo."

His watch glittered into a chestnut man with vibrant blue-violets, a gold crown above long, black hair pulled from his widow's peak into a single low pony. Matching blue-violet belt looped around black skinny-jeans as tight as a second skin to his bulging glutes and calves, a fitted-white tee outlining every muscle that seemed almost impossible for a man his short stature. That same white tee proving how ripped those muscles were in an audible tear.

"Carajo…" Juandissimo cursed under his breath, quickly poofing a new shirt. Not the most appropriate first impression in front of a bunch of children…

Deciding to join the other fairies without being prompted, an indigo cloud revealed an ebony fairy with indigo eyes and an afro of kinky black curls hatting a gold crown. Fly-like wings protruded from her purple off-shoulder blouse worn over a fitted white long-sleeve. Dark denim jeans were footed in navy block-heel Canyons, a magical wand held in her grasp.

Sending Chloe in absolute panic. "Susie, what are you doing?!"

"Honey, it's okay." Wanda gently spoke to the anxious child. "She wouldn't have come out if it wasn't safe."

"Yeah, see?" Susie floated closer to Chloe's level, placing a motherly hand on Chloe's tense shoulder. "I'm still here, Chlo-bird."

Counting to ten in her head, Chloe palmed her tightening chest in attempts to level her breathing. Wasn't Lexapro supposed to prevent this? What's going on!?

Silence befell the godchildren and fairies, not very open to socialize outright. Even with proof of other kids like him, Remy's guard trusted no one. Shivering fear gripped Tootie's voice box in a chokehold, and most of Chloe's focus went towards not hyperventilating. At the very least, her anxiousness seemed subdued. Though it could still spiral out of control…

"Hiiiiiiiiii brother-in-laaaaaaaaaaaaaw!" Cosmo's gaily wave led Wanda to palm her shaking head. Leave it to Cosmo to not read the room.

"Shut up, Cosmo!" Juandissimo gritted his teeth which his godchild happened to catch.

"What!?" Cosmo's innocent beam didn't see the big secret. "You married my wife's sister, so, by definition, that makes you my brother-in-law!"

Only but a million questions running through his mind, Timmy looked to his godmother starting with "…you have a sister?"

And Remy raised a brow to his godfather, only just realizing just how little he knew him below surface level "…and you're married?"

Juandissimo pinched the bridge of his nose. This wasn't how he envisioned diving into his personal life. "Long story..."

No warning upheaved glittering purple vomit in near buckets, sheeting down onto brunette's pink hat and seeping into his hair. Wiping purple from his vision after spitting out the gunk that'd managed to slip into his mouth, a mixture of embarrassment and bafflement gawked to his godmother's apologetic frown. Cosmo promptly brandished his wand on his wife's behalf, cleaning his godchild back to brand new.

"Pause." Susie spoke up first. That was no ordinary bile "…Wanda, you pregnant?!"

Wiping her mouth with a backhand, Wanda subconsciously hunched under the strong intrigue of the other fairies' stares. Guess there's nothing more to hide "…w-we were gonna tell you guys when we were further along. You know…just in case."

Susie looked to Rose looking at her, lips curling from the same realization. Chloe and Tootie flinched from outburst of their godmothers' shrill squeals, and with a puzzled brow, Juandissimo watched his sister-in-law essentially get dogpiled by the sheer excitement of her best friends. He too would be happy for Wanda if he wasn't so confused. How did they conceive a child when the male of the pair was infertile?

"Oh my gosh, since when!?" Susie couldn't wait to ask after she and Rose let Wanda go.

"Our little champ had made a wish for us to have a baby a few weeks ago." Cosmo pointed to Timmy's coy grin.

"Oh my goodness, how sweet!" Rose had never heard of a godchild wishing a baby for their godparents. Such a thoughtful gesture too endearing to overlook.

Wanda met Rose's smile with a solemn grin. "Just…don't tell Spike." she then addressed Susie. "Or Thornton."

"Why?" Susie quizzed.

"Because Schnozmo and Blonda don't know yet." Wanda responded, soon looking to Juandissimo. "And I'd like to tell Blonda myself."

"My lips are sealed." Juandissimo assured, his small grin genuine. "Congratulations to you both."

"Oh! That reminds me." Floating over to her former unsuspecting brother-in-law, Susie yanked Juandissimo in a pinching tug on his right ear. Remy and the other godkids didn't know what to make of the godfather's ear getting practically ripped off his head, and Susie showed little mercy as she yelled into that same ear.

"I was told you almost got ya'self clapped by some pedo nanny!"

Juandissimo clenched. "…por favor, can you not?!"

"Can I n-, BOY!" Susie proceeded to yank harder much to Juandissimo's aching grunts. "Losing one Magnifico was enough heartache for many lifetimes, and I'll be damned if I lose another!"

"…w-what?"

Her godchild's worried whimper loosened Susie's grip, Juandissimo seething as he clutched his pulsing ear. Susie cursed under her breath…she said entirely too much.

"Uh-uh." she flew from Juandissimo down to Chloe. "You need to unhear alla that!"

What?! Chloe didn't understand. "But why-"

"Chloe." Unlike Connie's raging fire, Susie purposefully contained her flame. "Unhear it."

"Susie-"

"We are not doing this!"

Chloe pressed her lips in a gritted line, grudgingly taking the hint. In her respect for Susie, getting on her bad side was the last thing she wanted. "…I-I'm sorry."

Glossing blue eyes led the godmother to slightly lower her defenses, letting out a sigh. Though still patient with Chloe, she would never want to push her inner troubles onto a child.

The other godchildren, Remy, Timmy, and Tootie, exchanged awkward glances. Not only do their fairies all know each other, they're all long-time friends who apparently, are also related in some form or fashion…

…what are the fairly odds.


Sounding of the bell rang aloud, signaling the transition into lunch as students poured into the halls like stampedes.

While students conversed next to lockers or traveled in groups towards the cafeteria, Remy shut his locker after dumping unnecessary textbooks and binders from his Dior bag. Fastening the combination lock in a short clink. He wasn't in a huge hurry to eat in the cafeteria since his personal chef Henri had other lunch obligations to attend to (i.e. the Buxaplentys wanted Henri for themselves.) Not too much of an inconvenience; a magic wand is a lot faster than a spatula.

"Yo, Bux!"

Standing in front of his closed locker, mint-green half rolled in his sullen groan. His back facing the Griffin brothers that he knew were behind him just from the pretentiousness.

"You know Trixie's upset, right?"

Remy turned to Chad's assertive question that he apparently should've been privy to. "…why is she upset." he expressed sympathy with sarcasm.

"Because you won't talk to her!" Tad pressed a blaming finger against Remy's chest. "And now Veronica can't get her to come out of the bathroom!"

"…and this is my problem…how?"

"Uh…because she likes you?!" Tad's annoyance emphasized.

"You mean she likes my inheritance." Remy flatly corrected. "There's a difference."

"You really think you're better than us, don't you?" Chad crossed his arms, his question once again asked as a statement.

"…did I say that?" Remy raised a brow. "Or is that what your fragile egos assumed?"

"You're not above us, Bux!" Tad defended, stepping forward as emphasis.

Remy was far from intimidated. He never did care for their hauteur "…is that so?"

"It is so." Tad challenged. "Cuz if you were, then why'd ya nanny quit?"

Only at this did Remy's blood run cold. He was aware that the Griffin brothers knew Mr. Nicholas was no longer his nanny. Personal affairs had little privacy because the Dimmsdale 1% socialized in exclusive circles. No, that wasn't what froze him.

What froze him was those craving brown eyes and that disgusting grin of lust that flashed across his eyes just at the mere mention.

Remy slit his brow, terse in his mutter "…he was fired."

"Or did the Buxaplentys just say he was fired as PR?" Chad smirked snootily, delighting in striking an obvious nerve.

"Yeah, Bux." Tad's arrogance egged. Suspicious for a young billionaire's ferret to attack a grown man and send said grown man packing not even a full 24 hours after. "Why'd ya nanny really leave?"

Vexation boiling in his veins. First they tease him for even having a nanny, and now they wanna tease that he somehow drove said nanny away. The fricking nerve of these two…how dare they cast judgement when they have no clue what he's been through! No fricking clue at all!

"Walk away, ahijado." Juandissimo was in close proximity to his godchild's wrist, meaning he could feel the accelerating thumps in Remy's pulse. Remy was getting agitated, meaning he was given those boys exactly what they wanted, and as his godfather, he needed to give a reminder that Remy was better than that.

Scowl locked on the Griffin brothers, he gritted his fists. Remy didn't need to look at his watch to hear his godfather's rede. "Piss off." he spat. Pushing past them in his exit, stomping away from their glares following him.

"Don't even think about sitting with us again, Buxaplenty!"

Chad's smug caused Remy's frustration to whirl back around. "Is that supposed to hur-" Remy bit his tongue with a sharp intake of air then released in a low growl. Why even give them the satisfaction of finishing that sentence? "…whatever…"

Remy walked away, and this time, he didn't bother looking back.

. . . . . .

After Elmer shut his locker, the Terry Totter trio traveled towards the cafeteria. Terry Totter lunchbox in toe, Chloe dragged her feet on auto pilot. Halfway through the school day, and seconds still dragged like hours. In an ironic way, intimidating consequences for falling asleep in class worked better than caffeine. And yet, there was still the cursed afternoon slump on a full stomach.

"Elmer's mother is taking us to see the Terry Totter and the Prison of Secrecy movie this weekend!" Sanjay's merriment informed, traveling along Chloe's right. "We would love for you to come with us!"

Her love for and devotion to the series might have considered about a month ago. With her body adjusting to foreign medication rewiring her broken brain, enthusiasm felt unknown "…I-I don't know if my parents will let me go…"

"Why not?" Elmer frowned to Chloe's left. "Do they not like Terry Totter?"

"…among other things."

Elmer noted her gloom that'd become a common occurrence. "…are you okay?"

"Yes." Chloe replied automatically. "Why?"

"You haven't been yourself, lately..."

Chloe hugged herself. Was she ever herself before?

"Is it your medication?" Sanjay inquired, and when Chloe's tired nod replied, he then asked "Then why keep taking it?"

She could ask the same question, but she could only respond with "…because my psychologist says I need it."

"But it doesn't seem to be helping…" Elmer remarked, and Chloe had no rebuttal.

"You should try meditation!" Sanjay imposed as the trio entered the cafeteria. "My mother and I meditate eeeeevery morning at first light, and it does wonders!"

That's so great for you, Sanjay…Chloe held her contemptuous tongue. Yeah, it's sooooo easy to clear a constantly clouded mind. Gee willikers, how come I never thought of that!?

"It could help with your anxiety and take you off that medication!" Sanjay continued, all happy go-lucky as he opened the cafeteria door for Chloe and Elmer.

"…maybe." was all Chloe felt she could say, until her waning energy decided that she'd had had enough feigning patience for one day.

Passing the forming school lunch line, she broke away from the trio in a different direction.

"Wait, where're you going?!" Sanjay's smile saddened. "Are you not eating lunch with us?!"

"…I'll see you guys later…" Chloe spoke over her hunched shoulder. Sanjay and Elmer were nice, but being their main means of socialization was starting to become excessively draining. She could wish to have Sanjay's gusto, but why bother? That'd be as pretend as simulating a smile…

"You know Sanjay means well…" her indigo necklace sweetly offered. The poor boy was just trying to help. Only in the most minimizing, least productive way possible.

Squeezing the handle on her lunchbox, Chloe kept her chin lowered.

Occupying a lone table amid the cafeteria, Remy hugged himself with his head down. Incased in an invisible bubble, isolated from the rest. He'd faired pretty well forcing Mr. Nicholas from conscious thought throughout the day. But after his unwarranted interaction with Tad and Chad, that creep encroached upon his mind. Mulishly overstaying his welcome.

"Do not let them goad you…" his purple watch consoled. Why did those Griffin boys have to come and stir up unpleasantries without real cause?

Remy shifted uncomfortably, lifting his head as rigid breaths strained through flared nostrils. Sensual moans echoed between his ears, gropy older hands prickled below his beltline. Churning the pit of his stomach as his legs crossed squeamishly.

"…a-are you okay?"

Mint-green snapped to a pair of baby-blues studying him. Lunchbox plastered with images of a young magical wizard, the handle clasped in her fretting clench.

"I-I…um…" the platinum blonde looked down to the indigo necklace that'd led her here "…we…" she then looked back to the young billionaire. "…noticed you here and…" her nerves rubbed her forearm "…it seemed like something was wrong."

Her inquiry was met with guarded uncertainty. He wasn't used to someone randomly coming up to him with concerns for his wellbeing. Moreso from someone whose fairy was the sole reason of acquaintance. "…I-I'm fine."

As an expert in shoving pain behind 'I'm fine,' Chloe diverted her stare briefly, licking her lips "…do…you mind company?"

Remy's fixed stare held her gaze, faltering Chloe's eyes under the pressure.

Timmy followed his two best friends in their approach towards a free table in the cafeteria.

"You think your folks are ever gonna change?" Chester questioned in continuing the randomly brought about conversation of how Timmy had overheard his parents on the phone with his maternal grandmother that morning. Overhearing his mother's complaints over the extra mouth that they hardly feed.

"…dunno." Timmy sighed, setting his tray in front of Chester and AJ's trays.

"Well, albeit not on purpose, knocking your sister down the stairs resulted in their daughter's death." AJ commented matter-of-factly, opening his milk carton. "And not to excuse their unforgiving apathy, but it'd save you the energy by not playing into their spite."

"Easy for you to say." Timmy grumbled, not even lifting his fork. "Your parents don't make it known that they rather you dead than your sister."

"Ouch…" Chester empathized, scooping a spoonful of processed corn

"They've actually said that?" AJ quizzed before he sipped his chocolate milk.

"In more than just words…" Jadedness stared at the glop of gravy spread across the single turkey breast.

Why did it have to be her…why couldn't it have been him?"

His mother's grievance plagued his mind. Flooding his mind with what ifs without the love of his godparents preventing him from a permanent solution "…I should just take her place."

"Wow…that's…" Chester didn't know what to say to something so disturbing "…dark."

"…it's how I feel." In his lowered gaze, Timmy couldn't lie and say he didn't still have regrets of not giving his parents what they want. Even with his loving godparents, even with the possibility of having other godchildren as companions. Did he truly deserve this life when his precious sister had her whole future unfairly stripped away?

"Don't let them break your spirit, dude." Timmy lifted eyes to Chester's consoling words. "If they don't wanna forgive you, that's their problem."

Timmy stared at the metal-mouth blonde, nearly touched by his sentiment. Chester was Chester, but a big heart like his was hard to come by.

"Plus," AJ scooped a spoon full of green beans. "you shouldn't cry wolf like that."

Timmy's flattened brow looked to AJ's analytical remark "…what does that mean?"

With little attention, AJ swallowed the green beans that he chewed. "Meaning if you actually did wanna die, you would've done something."

Blue eyes froze, widened as his wounded heart received a cross blade in its core. His blood chilled and his stomach roiled in heartache, having not touched a single crumb of food.

"Dude!?" Chester's voice cracked, glaring to the boy genius beside him. "That's not cool!"

"Dude!? Suicide is serious!" AJ rebutted, seeing nothing wrong with his comment. "It's not something you just say nilly willy-"

"I tried to choked myself with Sophie's ribbon!"

The radiant light of the resonate bellow attracted bystander flies, catching the attention of a few students when trays trembled slightly from the impact of Timmy's frustrated fist pounding the table's surface. He stood on his feet, glare wide with rage. Such rage that his best friends since kindergarten had never seen before.

"I was that close! That close to being with Sophia again!" Nails dug into his palm, brimming aggravation into his eyes "…and you wanna say I'm crying wolf?!"

His best friends could do nothing else but gawk at him. Even if a joke, Timmy had said some off-handed things before. Like when they'd tell him 'see you later' after getting off the bus, and he would respond with 'no you won't…' just to laugh it off right then and there or show up the next day as if all was normal.

But this? Hearing that he'd actually attempted to make himself not exist anymore…was next level.

AJ stared at the threatening gloss within his best friend's blue glare, beside himself. Man, did he so wish to take back those abhorrent words "…Timmy, I-"

"SAVE it!" Timmy didn't bother grabbing his tray, all semblance of an appetite completely obliterated. Standing to his feet, his bitter tongue grumbled "…some 'best friend' you are…" before he stormed off in resenting haste.

"Dude, come back!" Chester pleaded, yet his plea had fallen on deaf ears.

"…Timmy?" his pink wristband frowned at the grim in his forward glare, worried that the darkness within had been awakened.

"AJ didn't mean it like that." his green wristband tried, though Cosmo honestly had zero clue of AJ's mindset for such bluntness.

Yet Timmy knew the boy genius well enough to know that he was one to speak his mind. meaning AJ meant exactly what the frick he said. Brunette brows furrowed further. Too late dulling the sharp blade already lodged deep in his freakin' spine!

Notebook tight in her clutches, Tootie traversed through the crowded maze of the cafeteria. Hanging her head as if to shield herself in a bubble of invisibility, scanning for a table away from anyone's reach that she could claim for herself.

"Do you know what you'd like for lunch?" her teal bracelet asked courteously, and she responded with a short nod. "What would you like?"

Settling for an abandoned table, Tootie took her seat after removing her wool jacket. She set her notebook flat against the plywood, opening to the blank page bookmarked by her pen. A portion of Vicky's babysitting money usually paid for her school lunch, but because a lot of Uncle Vic's paycheck was already tied in bills and paying off the truck on top of court fees, most of that babysitting money went towards gas. And that truck drank diesel like water.

Writing her wish for a turkey sandwich, pizza pringles, and apple juice box, Tootie didn't notice the sneaking advancement of the school bully. Crouching towards her along the edge of her table before he lurched, a fast claw swiping her notebook.

Tootie's frown met Francis's discolored simper, shifting her black boots to balance on the bench seat. Her arm reached for the notebook that Francis held captive, raising it just outside her short range.

A taunting palm to the center of her face restricted her reach, snickering at her struggle. "Let's see if your god'll get your book back."

Her grunts received little mercy. The higher she clawed, the higher he raised her notebook. His grimy hand to her face kept her at bay, putting all her efforts in vain. Riled defeat stung behind her glasses.

"Aww, wittle baby gonna cry?" Francis mocked her welling tears in his demeaning baby voice. "Cry for your god, wittle baby. Go ahead."

"Go die inna fire, Francis!"

Recognizing the prepubescent screech, Francis tilted his thick neck to the little pipsqueak behind him. He'd thought sure the little punk had learned his lesson when he beat his ass to a damn-near pulp in Mr. Birkenbake's office. "Aww, look at wittle Turner playing knight in shining armor!" the bully teased.

"Leave her alone!" Timmy's feet stood firm, already sour aside from Francis' dumb taunt. He wasn't gonna stand for some punk picking on a fellow godchild far weaker than him. Granted, he was acting on his own stubborn volition instead of Sophia's guidance this time, so this could very well be a fool's move. Too bad he couldn't bring himself to care.

The back of Tootie's arm wiped any more tears from falling, bewildered by David facing Goliath with no weapons. Never trust a twerp who killed his own sister, her sister echoed between her ears. But Vicky had said that when Timmy had resented her. Was she to heed this same warning when Timmy played for the same godchild team?

"And what're you gonna do about it, Turner?!" Francis goaded, menacing in his smile towards his new target.

Without much thought, Timmy lunged forward with a back heel to the bully's kneecap. Taking little time acknowledging the audible bone crack before his gritted fist aimed for a hard jab to the gut. The black notebook dropped from his open palm as the school bully toppled over and crashed to the ground, searing pain shooting through his dislodged knee.

As the light of brash actions attracted a few onlooking bugs, Timmy paused for a moment, staring down at his own hands. Recalling the time when he'd wished to be stronger, feeling a similar surge of energy. Was this something akin to his ability to communicate with his sister in the afterlife? Wherein, if he never undid the wish, his abilities stayed intact?

If such was true…then Francis was in for another rude awakening. Irritation wanted to smash someone's brains in, make them hurt how he hurt. What better outlet than Dimmsdale Elementary's pain in the butt…

"Timmy…" Wanda got a bad feeling from her godson's smirking scowl. Watching as his ominous steps inched towards Francis already writhing on the ground. "…Timmy, don't!"

Heavy palms shoved the school bully's back to the ground, pinning his shoulders. Timmy straddled him with knees to the sides of Francis' torso, and in one swift motion, his left hook met the side of Francis's skull.

Just one packed punch blew out the candle behind grey eyes, yet Timmy's fists of fury were not finished.

Wadded fists smashed his hard skull and pulverized his lax jaw in an endless loop. Each swing let out a gritty grunt, pounding as hard his might could muster. He didn't care if he was punished with detention again. He didn't care if scarlet started to stain the front of his fists. His agony screamed through each biting blow…

"STOP it!"

An ear-pierced screech clutched his right hook from landing, blue eyes blinking red from his sight. He couldn't tell if he'd blinked enough just from the battered blood oozing from grey skin broken in multiple places. Discolored teeth coated crimson, dripping in a long trail from the corner of gaped lips. Scarlet trailed from the large nose bent at the oddest angle, blackish blue swollen near the sideburns and just below his hairline.

Timmy goggled at what he'd done, shock tightening his chest. Hearing murmurs from other students when he realized he had an audience. Baby blue scanned the room, meeting the baffled stares of onlookers. Spotting mint-green and baby-blue equally taken aback by the pink-hatted boy's seemingly unprovoked outburst.

"…T-Timmy…"

He snapped to the whimper nearly inaudible if it weren't for the whimper being within earshot. Facing the sheer fear brimming in purple eyes, her shoulders trembling as she clutched her teal bracelet for comfort. Her voice almost sounded unrecognizable from how long it'd been since he'd heard it. And yet, he could hear her distress. Hear her fear. Fear of him.

[Make a wish, Bubba!] he could hear his sister urge. [Now!]

"…I-I wish I didn't beat up Francis!"

Timmy didn't know what else to wish for, and Cosmo and Wanda's raised wands did their best to rewind time.

In one wink, Timmy found himself standing in front of a conscious Francis whose menacing smile turned towards his new target.

"And what're you gonna do about it, Turner?!" Francis goaded.

Instead of breaking his knee, this time, Timmy simply approached the cowering raven-haired girl. Taking her by the arm with little time for her to retrieve the notebook that was still in Francis's clutches.

He took her from the table away from the bully's smile that turned upside-down in disappointment. "Hey! Did I say you can walk away!?" Francis demanded confrontation, something Timmy wasn't about to give again.

Timmy kept walking. Tootie's arm in his grasp as he led her away in no real direction. Even walking past the table where Chester called out to him once more, no intent on stopping. When he noticed that it felt like dragging weight heavier than him, he looked back to her outstretched hand reaching for her prized possession. Soon realizing what her resistance to his hold was reaching back for.

"I wish Tootie had her notebook back." Timmy wished willfully, and Cosmo and Wanda's wands transported Tootie's notebook from Francis's hand to between her fingers in a greenish-pink cloud.

Timmy didn't stop until they were close to the cafeteria's entrance, not really sure what he was supposed to do beyond this point. Although part of him favored the original outcome of Francis on the ground, he knew, deep down, that wasn't him. That was anger…that was hurt. But who would understand that?

Soft whimpers disrupted his thoughts, looking to the tears glistening behind her troubled grimace. His rigid expression softened at her stare, releasing her arm for her to then squeeze her notebook close to her chest.

"…are you okay?" Timmy thought to ask. She nodded in response, though he was more convinced of the latter by the tears that she lifted her glasses to fretfully wipe away. "…he didn't hurt you, did he?"

Tootie shook her head, partially truthful to his question. Francis didn't hit her or pull her hair or anything, but her spirit definitely felt bruised.

The teal bracelet waved her wand, poofing Tootie's wool jacket that'd been abandoned at the table. "Thank you, Timmy." Rose spoke on her goddaughter's behalf.

"No problem…" Timmy solemnly acknowledged. He watched Tootie's bottom lip tremble in a sniff. "Hey, um…" he averted her gaze for a moment. Struggling with his want to be alone and the need to not feel alone. "…you…wanna eat lunch together?"

Purple eyes widened in a hushed breath. She couldn't remember the last time another kid wanted to be near her let alone eat lunch, and if Tootie didn't know any better, she would've thought her heart stopped completely.