Hunter stared up at the ceiling, lying on the floor of the Noceda living room. The T.V. was playing a soft song as credits rolled on the screen – Luz had insisted they all watch some kind of movie about witches. It had been about three sisters who were witches who rose from the dead because something or other about a virgin. Hunter wasn't really sure, after it became exceedingly clear that it was almost completely factually incorrect, he had zoned out.

Gus and Luz had been the only ones to watch the movie all the way to the end. Luz was obviously a large fan of the film, and Gus had been ecstatic to watch any kind of human film. Amity had excused herself about halfway through to go to bed, plus Willow had gone to the bathroom and never came back. Vee hadn't even made the effort to leave, just curling into a ball at the edge of couch and falling asleep. Isabela at least had made a halfway effort to watch the film, wanting to support anything that brought Luz out of her depressive stupor, but by time the zombie had appeared on the screen, she slid onto the floor next to Hunter and started scrolling through her phone.

The moment credits appeared on the screen, Gus dragged Luz down to the basement, and the two of them decided to rewrite the film to be more accurate.

Hunter was in no mood to try and disrupt that particular brainstorming session. So, he stayed up in the living room, staring at the ceiling fan turn as he contemplated getting back on the couch and just sleeping there for the night. Vee was still taking purchase on the last third of the sofa, but if Hunter brought his knees to his chest, he was sure he could fit on the other two-thirds.

Isabela had not even considered the couch, having dropped her phone by her side and fallen asleep. She was snoring softly next to him, her palisman curled up on her stomach. His own palisman was sitting next to him, head tucked into his wing as Flapjack slept.

Hunter sighed and continued to stare up at the ceiling, letting his mind wander. They had been in the human realm for a little over a month, and Isabela and Luz were due to start school in just two days. That meant their efforts to work on the portal door were grinding to a near halt, as Luz and Isabela prepared for the upcoming school year. They had briefly entertained the idea of the rest of them going to school, but decided the hassle of coming up with back stories and hiding their ears would be more trouble than it was worth.

Isabela was unable to bring Algernon with her to school, out of fear that he might be found and the existence of the others would come to light, so just yesterday Isabela had approached Hunter and asked him specifically to look after Algernon while she was at school.

"Why me?" he had asked. All she had done was shrug.

"You just have a way with palisman," she said, and left it at that.

Hunter had been glad that Isabela had trusted him enough that she was willing to leave her palisman in his care. A palisman was a witch's – or human too, he guessed – most treasured friend and greatest ally. One did not take their care lightly. The fact that Isabela had trusted him after everything he had put her and her friends through, it made Hunter think that maybe he really had been forgiven.

His eyes lowered down to Algernon, who was sleeping peacefully, much like his bonded. Algernon was a sweet little palisman. He, much like everyone except for Amity's, had been in the care of the Bat Queen for years. They had no idea who Algernon had once belonged to or why they were no longer with them, but it was obvious that Algernon really cared for his bonded, regardless of the fact she wasn't a witch. Isabela had not even used glyph magic that much while in the demon realm according to Luz, only utilizing it when absolutely. Hunter knew that if Luz had not pushed her sister to come that day, then Isabela wouldn't even have a palisman. Isabela was perfectly fine with being a normal human without powers, which was strange to Hunter.

Hunter had no inherent magical powers of his own. Growing up, he had not known why, but know that he knew we was a clone of a human, he understood why, as the original had had no powers either. He had yearned to be like the others, to have the ability to create, to destroy, to build from an ability that came within himself. He had first had his artificial staff, and then Flapjack had given him his superspeed when he was in staff mode, but he still lacked any powers.

Hunter still did not know if he was a human or a witch. Maybe he was some odd mix of them both. Regardless, he was powerless by himself, and it made him feel weak sometimes, that he did not have abilities of his own.

How could Isabela be fine with just being a normal human girl? Did she not yearn for more?

"No,….." a voice moaned quietly. Hunter blinked, recognizing the voice, and turned his head to see that Isabela's sleep had turned restless. Algernon had woken up and was nuzzling his trunk against Isabela's cheek in an effort to calm her down.

"No," she repeated, louder. One of her arms swung out wildly, like she was trying to hit something. "Stop! Leave her alone!"

Hunter blinked, confused and surprised, and then he sat up, reaching for Isabela's shoulder to try and wake her up. Sweat lined her forehead and her brows were furrowed, and she shook her head in her sleep.

"Leave. Her. Alone!" Isabela repeated. Hunter shook her shoulders and called out to her.

"Isabela, wake up!" Hunter tried. Behind him, he heard movement, and he heard Vee speak.

"What's going on?" Vee asked quietly. Hunter continued to try and shake Isabela awake.

"I think Isabela's having a nightmare," Hunter explained. He was intimately aware of nightmares, he got them more than he would care to admit. "You've got to wake up! Wake up!"

Isabela's eyes opened with a gasp, and her brown eyes were staring up at his violet ones. Reached to rub her eyes.

"H-hunter?" Isabela asked. Hunter nodded softly and released his grip on her shoulders. He became aware of Flapjack flapping his wings nervously on the ground next to him. Isabela started to sit up, Algernon curling into her lap comfortingly.

Vee slithered closer to Isabela.

"Are you alright?" Vee questioned. Vee cocked her head to the side curiously and her eyes shone with compassion.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Isabela said quickly. A little too quickly. Hunter narrowed his eyes at the speed. "Just...a bad dream."

Vee and Hunter shared a look.

"I should get Camila," Hunter started, going to stand. "See if she can—" Isabela shook her head and stopped him by taking his hand.

"No!" Isabela said. Hunter's eyes widened. "I'm fine, really. Just a nightmare. There's no need to get my mom."

Vee considered this for a moment.

"Are you sure?" Vee asked. Isabela nodded.

"I'm fine. Really," Isabela said, giving Vee a weak smile. Hunter could tell Vee knew Isabela was lying, but they also both knew better than to push a Noceda when they were set on something. Isabela did not want her mom right now, and Hunter supposed they would have to respect that.

So, Vee just frowned and pretended to accept that answer.

"If you're sure," Vee slowly said. "I'm going to head to bed, I'll see you both in the morning." Vee gave them a final, unsure look before she disappeared out of the room.

Hunter and Isabela sat quietly in the dark for a few moments, silence emanating from the screen now that the credits had ended on the film and showing a suggested movie list. It cast them in a soft glow, and both just sat there, wondering which one was going to say something first.

"I know you said you don't want your mom," Hunter started slowly. "But do you want to talk about it?"

Flapjack flittered up to sit on his shoulder and chirped in his ear.

Be careful.

Hunter knew what he meant by that. When drudging through the waters of a nightmare, one was liable to drown if they lingered too long on it. The last thing Hunter wanted was for that to happen to Isabela.

Isabela picked up Algernon, cradling him in her hands, and the little elephant trumpeted something to his bonded. Isabela sighed at the sound, as if agreeing to something she did not want to do.

"It was about Luz," Isabela explained. Hunter raised a brow.

"We were, uh, back on the Boiling Isles," she continued. "Belos had her in his grasp and he was- he was going to kill her. Drop her off the side of the bridge outside of the castle. I was running and running and running, but I couldn't get closer. It was like the more I ran the farther away they got. I couldn't catch up."

Hunter should have known. Isabela was very protective of her sister; it was the whole reason she came to the Boiling Isles in the first place. Sometimes it was like Isabela only existed to look after Luz. If Luz was going to be scared of anything, it was Luz getting hurt.

"You really care about her, don't you?" Hunter asked. Isabela looked at him like he had grown two heads.

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked. "I'm her big sister. It's what I do. What I'm supposed to do, you know?"

Hunter did not know. He had no siblings of his own unless he counted the other grimwalkers. Even if he did, they were all gone anyway. So, no, Hunter did not understand what it meant to be a older sibling and look after someone else.

"I promised my dad, before he died, that I would look after her," she elaborated further. "She's always been different from the other kids. Never really fit in. And….kids are cruel. Anytime the world finds the smallest bit of sunshine, it tries to get rid of it. I couldn't let that happen to Luz. Couldn't let her be destroyed and turned into some kind of drone that went along with someone else. Especially since she was so special."

Luz was special, that Hunter could agree with. Luz was kind in a way that was hard to duplicate, hard to describe as well. Kindness and compassion came as natural to her as breathing. The word was not kind to the kind.

Isabela sighed and put Algernon onto the floor, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Sometimes I wonder if she needs me anymore," Isabela admitted. Hunter blinked.

"Why wouldn't she?" Hunter retorted. Isabela shrugged.

"I don't know, it's just…. she's grown so much," Isabela said. "She's not a little girl anymore."

"That doesn't mean she doesn't need you," Hunter shot back. "Isabela, I've only known you both a little while, but I know that Luz looks up to you. She loves you. Luz needs you, if only that she knows someone is in her corner no matter what."

"But what if I need her more than she needs me?" Isabela asked. "What if I don't know who I am besides Luz's older sister?"

Hunter considered his next words carefully, unsure what to say. Hunter was unsure who he was besides the Emperor's enforcer. Hunter could barely define who he was, let alone who Isabela was.

"I don't know who I am either," Hunter admitted. "I've been a servant of Belos for so long, I don't know who I am besides that."

Didn't help he was literally created to serve Belos.

Now it was Isabela's turn to consider her words and she scratched behind Algernon's ears.

"Maybe we can find out who we are together," Isabela suggested. Hunter smiled slowly.

"I'd like that a lot," Hunter said. Isabela grinned so widely her eyes started to crinkle. She held out a hand to him.

"Together?"

Hunter nodded and took her hand.

"Together."

Notes:

Chapter Bible Verse: "But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me, my glory; and the lifter of mine head." - Psalm 3:3

good news, bad news.

bad news: end of this story. i feel like we've established who isabela is and her relationships with hunter and luz.

good news: part 2 is coming and will cover season 3! I'll go back and do some one-shots for season 2 as prequels later, but isabela's story really starts in season 3 and goes a little beyond.

so stick around! part 2 will be out soon, because my workload has dramatically decreased.