Author Note: Author Note: Tales of Arcadia is one of my favorite franchises and is a series that I will always keep near and dear to my heart. I love fantasy and the supernatural. After the series went on passed Trollhunters, I was hoping 3below and Wizards were going to be based around the two other main characters, Claire and Toby like Trollhunters was for Jim. We did get some of that in 3below for Toby and we did see some cool moments for Claire in Wizards. But I felt robbed and sad that Claire is mainly in the plot to help her boyfriend and Gilmore Del Toro tried to scrub that off with magic. I love the idea of Claire having a magical abilities. But felt like nobody extended on that. After Wizards ended, I wonder what would Claire's life be like as a witch? How does this affect her relationships? And this is part of my own wishful thinking, but I wonder if Morgana and Claire are related somehow? And also this may contain spoilers for Wizards.

Also, I'm modifying my story and the chapters. All three parts of these stories are going to be in the same chapter. Either less chapters and they're longer, or more chapters and they're shorter. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Arcadia. I only own the story.

I feel my power growing increasingly every day, trapped and scared. How will I cover this up? If this does come out, how will my friends react to this? Will my parents take this kindly? So many questions are spinning around me. I fall into my thoughts as I shiver and whimper. I can't lose control again. I look in the bathroom mirror to my reflection. I look into my eyes and see them start watering. My body begins to shake and burn up into my chest.

"Don't cry, my child." A familiar voice whispered in my ear like Morgana was trying to comfort me.

I look around to no one around. I glance at the mirror before lowering my head to look at my arms. The slashes are still there, but they'll disappear soon. I close my eyes, feeling hot tears stream down my cheeks. I stepped back until my back hit the wall and fell to the cold floor. I pulled my knees to my chest and tucked my chin into them. I let the darkness surround me.

"Don't give up, my child."

"Claire?" Darci's voice came into my head. "Are you alright, Claire-bear?"

I don't give a response.

"Claire, you've been in there for 15 minutes. Are you okay?" Mary asks calmly.

I raise my head to see Darci and Mary's shadows under the door.

"Claire! Answer us or open the door." Darci says in a gentle tone.

Before answering, my brain shoots with screams and whispers. Images of flashes and the burning pain of fire in my stomach. "NO!" I scream. I want my friend's arms and presence around me so much, but they would have burning questions, and I would annoy myself.

"Claire! What's wrong? You're not OK. Please open the door. Let us in." Darci pled.

When I go into the bathroom, I lock the door whenever I go in, whether it's doing my business or not. Even if they try to open the door, they can't.

"Claire, open the door," Mary says, raising her voice a little, causing me to wince.

I respond by sobbing into my knees and muttering to myself repeatedly. After a few minutes, the doorknob twisted but did not turn, and thumping on the wood came next.

"Claire, unlock the door," Mary says.

"Claire. We are worried about you, and it doesn't sound like you're alright. Open the door!" Darci says.

I start crying as the screams in my head won't go away, and the doorknob twists and shakes again.

"Claire!" BANG! BANG!

I don't want them in. My body is a few feet away from the door, but I can't open it. My hands heat up, and I stare up at the doorknob. Next, the doorknob turns from black to brown, to yellow, to orange, to read in seconds.

"OWWW!" Darci screams.

"What the hell?!" Mary yells.

I cry louder. I just made the doorknob burn like fire and burned Darci's hand.

"Claire! Are you ok in there, girl!" Darci cries with pain in her voice.

"Go away!" I scream. Not at them, but at the voices and sounds in my head to disappear.

"Claire, you're scaring us. Do you want us to call your parents, Douxie or Jim?" Darci asks with concern.

"Yes." I cry, my voice breaking. I need Jim and Douxie. I want Jim because he's my boyfriend and can comfort me. He knows more about trolls and wizards than Darci and Mary do about aliens. I need Douxie because he's a wizard and my mentor. I want him to know if anything is wrong with me magically. He came back from New York a few weeks ago on a mission, and he's here.

"Should I call your parents first or-"

"No! No! Call Jim first and Douxie next! Please don't call my parents!" I yell to the door.

"Ok," Darci replies.

"I don't want my parents to know," I say before sobbing again.

"Ok," Darci says before dilating something and her phone ringing. After three rings, it stops.

"Hi, Jim. It's Darci. Are you busy right now? Okay, good. Claire is in the bathroom, crying and screaming. We can't get her to come out. She says she wants you and Douxie to come to her house right now. Please get here fast! Mary and I are scared for her. Ok. We'll see you soon." Darci says before hanging up the phone.

Each end of the sentence stood for the end of her part of the conversation. I can't hear Jim's side of the conversation.

"Claire, Jim is on his way here in about 10 minutes, and Douxie is with him. They will be here shortly." Darci calmly says.

"Why do you want the 'hottie guitar boy' around?" Mary teases.

"SHUT UP!" I scream. Once again, to the voices, not her.

"Not the best time, Mary. Let's just wait for the others to get here. Go downstairs and see when they'll be coming. I'll stay up here." Darci snarls.

Wait?! What?! Who are the 'others'?!

"Ok," Mary responded. After, a pair of feet walked farther away and down the steps.

"Are you alright in there, Claire-bear?" A gentle, calming Darci asked after a few minutes or two of silence.

The same question she asked me when she found me in the bathroom of the double date with our boyfriends. I was not ok, and I'm not ok now. "Leave me alone!" I cry.

"It's OK, Claire. Jim will be here soon." She reassures me.

I don't respond. I now focus my attention on the room. The bathroom is white and bright, but the space becomes darker and colder as the minutes roll by. I've begun to shake, paralyzed in fear. Tears run down my cheeks like heavy rainfall. I haven't cried this hard since Jim turned into stone. I need him right now. I need him to save me from this nightmare.

"Claire, my child. Don't cry." Morgana's voice gently hits my ear.

"I'm coming for the wizard who can hold the Shadow Staff, born in the middle of the ten months of the year and who our champion is less than, but they will have power that the Arcane Order knows not. They will either be the savior or doom of the war!" A voice hissed.

"Morgana... Where are you... I'm scared." I sob into my shirt.

"Who's Morgana?" Darci asks, voice shaking.

I hear Bellroc and Skrael's laughter pierce my ear. "Get away from me, Bellroc and Skrael... leave me alone!" I cry louder.

"Claire! Who are you talking to?!" Darci asks.

I close my mouth. After what felt like an eternity, a buzzing echoed through the room, making me jump. I looked around and found my phone beside me, beeping with Jim's contact number on the screen. I try to reach for the phone until I feel a cramp in my stomach and yelp in pain.

"Claire! What's going on in there?!" Darci cries, thumping at the door. I shrunk into a little ball beside my phone. I don't want to talk to Jim on the phone; I need it to be face-to-face. After ten rings, he gives up and sends me a text message.

Tex message: 'Are you ok?! I heard from Darci you're crying. I am almost at your house. Hang on.'

I'm relieved he's coming, but I bring myself to smile. Please, Jim. Hurry! One minute, two, three, seeming like an eternity until the door opens and slams a minute later.

"He's here! They're here!" Mary shouts from the first floor.

I shiver in fear as thundering sounds come up the stairs.

"Where is she?! Is she okay?!" Jim's frantic voice comes to my ear.

"She's in there, but I don't know if she's ok. She keeps saying weird names like Morgana, Bellrock, and Skaer, and she's been crying and screaming. I don't know what's wrong or if she's hurt or something?!" Darci cries like she saw a ghost.

"It's OK, Darci. Go over to Toby and calm down. I'll talk to Claire." Jim speaks calmly.

Wait!? Toby's here?

"Ok," Darci sighs. I hear shuffling on the floor, and the noise outside silences the air. Only a minute later, someone speaks.

"Claire." My body shakes when Jim's voice says my name. "Claire. It's me. Are you alright?" He calmly asks.

I want to be honest, but I now feel guilty about Jim, Douxie, Toby, or anyone else in our friend group showing up. "No." I cry back to him.

"Please open the door."

"No!"

"Claire, how can I help if you won't let me in."

I don't respond and wait for Jim's voice again.

"Claire, I, Douxie, and everyone else is worried about you. Douxie is next to me, and we want to help you." Jim says calmly.

The air is silent again, and another knock on the door. "Claire." Douxie's voice says. "We're here to help. Please open the door, Sis." He pleads in a gentle voice.

"Claire, what's wrong?" Jim asks after a minute passes.

"I'm scared, Jim," I answer, my voice breaking from tears. I don't want to say anything more, but I can't. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I keep having these strange dreams at night. And when I wake up, they just keep coming. I try to control what's coming over my head, but I feel like something will explode if I don't. But when I do, it gets worse." I cry.

"Of what, Claire?" Jim asks in concern.

I bite my lip. My chest starts glowing again, and my hands show my purple lights. "Of my magic." I cry in pain. Darci and Mary might be in the hall outside of the bathroom and listening, but I don't fucking care. I wait for someone to knock on the wood and hear them speak, but nothing happens. For three minutes, there's only silence.

"Claire." Jim's voice speaks. "I know you're scared, but you are not alone. Douxie and I are here to help you. You don't have to bottle it up. Take a deep breath and open the door for us to help you."

I sigh and do as he says, unlock the door. Hearing a click, I slowly open the door to a sweet, gentle smile belonging to a dark-haired, blue-eyed, 16-year-old boy. I throw myself into his arms, nestling my head against his chest. Jim's arms instantly wrap gently around my waist. I cry loudly in his jacket, and his arms pull me tighter against him.

"Shhh! Shhh!" He shushed me, stroking my hair.

I close my eyes, enjoying his scent, the comfort of his arms, and the silence of the area. "I'm scared, Jim." I broke out through my swelled-up throat. He rubs my back and shushes me in response. It felt like an eternity, but someone had to cut the beautiful silence.

"Are you alright, Claire?" I hear Toby's voice through Jim's jacket.

I want to lash out, but I don't have the energy to move a muscle and leave my boyfriend's comfort. I don't want to look at Toby.

"Do you want everyone to leave?" Jim asks quietly.

I grip his jacket tighter and nod my head.

"Toby, Douxie, take everyone downstairs, and we'll be with you guys soon," Jim says.

A few seconds later, footsteps go down the stairs, and silence is heard again. I'll take a deep breath and gather my composure, making Jim's grip loosen around me.

"Claire, look at me." He demands gently.

I dumbly obey. Once again, I lift my head to see a sweet, gentle smile, but it turns more severe in seconds. His hand caresses my cheek and brushes my hair behind my ear. I almost melt from staring into his beautiful sapphire eyes.

"Do you wanna tell me?" He asks quietly.

I nod my head and take a deep breath. "It's kind of a long story," I say, my voice shaking.

"I have all day." He says.

I take another deep breath. "It all started after we left Arcadia after the Eternal Night battle. I thought it was from Morgana and it would go away, but it didn't; during the summer, the magic only got worse inside me. I wanted to tell you. Every time I tried to, I choked up, and I would lose my words of what to say. I was scared and didn't know who to turn to. To Blinky, to Merlin, or even to you." I stop to take a breath. "When I was by myself, I would try to practice using my newfound powers in secret. To control them on my own. It works a little bit. Remember all the strange things going around us that not even Merlin or Blinky could explain on our journey to New Jersey?" I finish.

"Yeah. I remember when an explosion of purple flames threw you to the wall and me to the opposite side of the room. Merlin didn't know who or what caused it, and I found you passed out from the blow to the head." Jim adds—an Adventure we had in Colorado.

I chuckle a little, only to lose it after a few seconds and become more serious. "That was me. When Merlin called us, we again met Douxie, Steve, and Toby. I felt more comfortable again despite Merlin placing you in a gemstone. When we went back in time, Douxie helped me greatly with my powers and taught me how to control them. While that was good and all, something felt wrong. The more we stayed in Camelot, the more my magic grew stronger. My magic grew dangerously more when the Arcane Order battle ended and Morgana was killed. Since we returned home and went back to school, I've been trying to suppress and control my powers. But I can't, and I just..."

"Shhh! Shhh! Shhh! Please don't cry." Jim shushes me and pulls me back into his chest as I break down again.

I clutch him tighter, pulling myself closer, and sob louder in his shirt, but he keeps shushing me. I lost my sense of time and was overfilled with tears.

My body relaxes. "Claire, I want you to take a hot shower, get on some comfy clothes, and come downstairs. Ok?" Jim whispers in my ear.

I nod my head. "But what about-"

"Don't worry. I'll explain everything to our friends, especially to Mary and Darci. You just worry about cleaning yourself up." Jim answered, interrupting my question.

He releases his grip around my torso. I weakly lift my head again to see my boyfriend's face. His hand ghosts my skin and caress my cheek. I lean into his touch, take his hand, and kiss his palm. I look back up at Jim's face and smile sweetly at him. He returns the smile and leans in to kiss my forehead. He gets up to his feet and helps me to mine. We share a kiss before I walk to my room.

I open the door and see NotEnrique on my bed. "What's wrong, Sis? I couldn't come out 'cause of all the fleshbags out there." He says with concern.

"A magic mental breakdown. I cut myself in the bathroom and cried my eyes out. My friends are downstairs, and I'm gonna take a shower." I answer in annoyance while walking toward my dresser.

I open it and grab some clean underwear, black leggings, and fuzzy purple socks. I turn around and walk to the closet. Sliding the door open, I look through the hangers of clothes. It's almost 5:00 PM. I want to wear some pjs, but I don't like wearing them this early. But I'm tired and need to wear something soft. I look past several hanging clothes for a baggy, purple plaid shirt. I've worn it several times before, and it's a perfect top for chilling out in. I unhook the sweater before I walk towards the door and turn the knob.

"Stay here, and don't come out until I come back," I command NotEnrique before closing the door and holding the fresh clothes to my chest. I slowly walk to the bathroom door, open it, shut it, set my clothes on the toilet, and open the shower curtains. I look down and remove my clothes while staring at the dry blood on the bathroom floor. My blood. After removing my shirt, the slashes on my arms are covered in blood. Thankfully, it's not wet.

The healing process is already working. The slashes will be gone entirely within a few days; it depends on how bad the cuts are. As soon as I undress, I enter the shower/tub. I slide the curtains and turn on the water. It's cold and tickles my feet. After waiting a few seconds, I pull up the switch to make the water come overhead.

It hits like ice, and I clutch my mouth with a scream, making a groan against my teeth. I quickly turn the water temperature up, moving another switch to the left, as Jim wants me to take a hot shower, but as the hot water touches my arm, I feel the urge to scream, the pain too intense to bear. After another few seconds, the pain swells away, and I start to clean myself. As the water hits my body, I suck in the water's steam, returning to the memories of New Jersey, Camelot, and the Arcane Order—the horror of war, evil, magic, and my mistakes.

Nimue told me the truth about myself. I'm a walking mistake. Every move I made, every choice I made, I caused suffering. Wanting to save my baby brother from the Darklands is why Gummar finally broke free. Only caring for Jim's well-being leads to the death of Morgana and Merlin. Those are just some minor issues I have. No matter what I do or even breathe, I seem to cause something or someone pain. Maybe that's why Morgana believes we aren't so different than Merlin could ever comprehend. I'm a bad omen.

I shake my head as Jim's voice rings in my ear. "You are not evil, Claire."

I try to focus my attention on the water covering me. It feels good on my skin and might sting my wrists, but I'm used to the pain—the silence and light of the room welcome calm for me. I turn off the water and slide the curtains thoroughly washed, soaking wet and shivering. It might be warm water, but leaving is like stripping heat out of the body. I step out and grab a towel to wrap around myself.

I walk towards the mirror on the wall with the steam covering the reflection. I swipe over the steam mirror, now seeing my face in the glass. I stop and look closer to someone else in my reflection. Same hair, same eyes, but not me. Someone who I had never met before and looks familiar at the same time. I see my irises; then the sclera turns purple. I jump, panicking. I close my eyes and complete them before taking a deep breath. In and out, in and out, calm down. This isn't real. When I open my eyes, my eyes won't be purple. I open my eyes, and they turn normal in the reflection that is finally mine.

I take off my towel, exposing my naked body. I somehow got a tingling down my spine. What would it be like if Jim saw me naked?

"Hey." He whispers, walking up to me.

"Hey," I whisper back.

Jim comes right behind me, his head beside my ear and half-naked body touching my back. He moves his hand up my arm, making me shiver. "I think you look beautiful," Jim whispers, tickling me before kissing my neck.

I shiver and shake my head, getting rid of mature thoughts. Jim and I haven't even talked about taking our relationship further. I grab my towel from the floor and quickly dry myself. I hold my warm, dry clothes and place them on my body, ensuring my sleeves cover my slashes, making me more comfortable and calm but exhausted. I slowly open the door and look around, seeing nothing or anyone. I grab my worn clothes, open my door, and walk to my room, where NotEnrique sits quietly on my bed.

We don't talk as I throw the clothes in a hamper. "Do you want to meet my friends?" I ask my surrogate brother, turning to him.

"Really?" He asks, looking surprised but excited.

"Yeah! I think it's time. Come on!" I answer, gesturing to the door, and NotEnrique approaches me. We exit my room and quietly walk across the hall to the stairs. I hear talking and muttering voices on the main floor, telling me my friends are still here. I fall and groan softly in pain as I reach the first stair. Every step I take is like I want to throw up, and I lean against the wall and take a few deep breaths.

"You ok?" NotEnrique whispers, climbing near my arm.

I turn to him and nod my head. "Yeah. Just feel the wind knocked out a little." I groan. I get up, and the voices grow louder. I turn to NotEnrique. "Stay here, be quiet, and wait till I call for you to come out. Ok?" I instruct him. NotEnrique nods, and I walk more quickly but softly down the stairs. I take the first step, and all my friends are in the living room. Jim and Zoe sit down while Darci, Mary, Douxie, Toby, Aja, and Krel stand up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on. Do you mean you, Toby, and our best friend are part of the group of Troll Hunters who fought evil trolls who lived under our town for centuries? You transformed into a Half-Troll creature and took Claire away from us!" Mary screams, staring at Jim in anger.

Jim looks nervous. "Yeah." He admits. Everyone, including Darci and Mary, knows trolls exist, thanks to the Eternal Night Battle. Still, Mary and Darci don't understand why I left Arcadia for the summer and didn't seem to retain their memories.

"It wasn't his fault; I wanted to go with Jim to New Jersey," I say out loud, making everyone with their backs to me turn around, making me fake a smile, hugging myself.

Jim gets up and walks up to me with open arms and a warm smile. "Hey, Claire!" He says softly, placing his arm on my shoulder. "How do you feel?"

"Better," I admit. "A little tired, though."

Jim slides his whole arm around my back and touches my other shoulder. "Then why don't you sit down." He replies and gestures to the spot next to him. I walk, feeling his body pressed against the upper right side of my body.

"Yeah, and you can explain what you have been doing this past year!" Mary yells angrily, causing me to wince and Jim to growl as I sit down.

"Mary, leave Claire alone. She's been through a lot lately." Jim mutters, taking a seat next to me.

"I don't care! Darci and I deserve an answer to why Claire left us!" Mary screams.

"Mary, calm down," Darci says softly, placing a hand on Mary's shoulder.

But Mary yanks her upper body away, fuming in rage. "I deserve to know!"

"And you do," I reply softly, looking down at the floor.

"Claire, you don't have to."

"No, Jim! Mary and Darci are my friends and deserve the the truth about what's happened." I protest, interrupting Jim. I look up at my friends with crossed arms and furrowed brows. "Do you want me to answer a set of questions or explain the full story?" I ask them.

"Explain the full story, and don't leave out any details!" Mary answers, pointing and scowling at me.

I'm hurt Mary or Darci would use that sentence to ask me about something they are excited about in my life. But now, Mary uses it to yell at me with anger. I take a deep breath and straighten up. "I'm sure Jim and Tody explained to you what the world of magical creatures, trollmarket, trollhunters, and the Darklands are, right?" I ask.

Mary and Darci both nod their head with glaring eyes, not talking.

"It all started when goblins took away my baby brother. I explain everything that happened within the past year with meeting trolls, joining Jim and Toby to fight trolls, needing to hide it, leaving for New Jersey for the summer with Jim as a Half-troll with the other trolls, traveling back in time to Camelot, handling my magic, and anything else I'm hiding from them. "When I returned home as summer ended and school almost began, something felt wrong. I started feeling anxious and stressed with my magic powers, which grew during the summer. There were some instances where I almost or did make something blow up or/and make something strange happen, like changing the weather, creating shadows, and making the lights flicker or explode. I tried to control whatever was happening inside of me, but that only strengthened my magic. I started to feel alone and scared. I didn't know what to do and who to tell. I did have Douxie as my mentor and fellow wizard, but he was in New York City and had a mission to do, and everyone else was enjoying their normal lives back. So I felt I had no one. I'm so sorry, Mary. I'm so, so sorry, Darci. You probably hate-"

"Hey, hey! Shhh! Shhh! It's alright, Claire. Please don't cry. Shhh! Shhh!" Dari's muffled voice whispers, and two bodies and four arms wrap around me.

I take some deep breaths and try to calm down, leaning my head against Darci or Mary's shoulder. I spend a few minutes tightly holding my friends, composing myself.

"We're sorry, Claire," Mary mumbled in my ear as I gathered the rest of my composure.

Darci and Mary let go, and I pull away, seeing their hurt and teary eyes. "Guys, I'm so sorry-"

"Claire, don't you dare say 'I'm sorry again," Darci says sternly.

"You already spilled your guts and cried, making you look puffy, girl," Mary says in the same tone, tears in the corner of her eyes.

"But aren't you confused or mad at me?" I whine.

"We were mad at you for ditching us, lying, not telling us what was happening, and leaving us without a goodbye, but for everything you just told us and what you've gone through, we're reconsidering," Darci answers.

"And we are confused about what we've just been explained. But hell! We discovered aliens and trolls existed three months ago, and I think we can handle anything thrown at us." Mary adds, sounding snarky, making me smile slightly.

"Claire, you're our best friend, and we want to help you no matter what happens. We're so proud of you for telling us the truth and being upfront. This might be hard to handle, but we'll do it for you." Darci says sweetly.

"Thank you," I mumble softly and hug them. I look up to find Douxie's hazel eyes. He glances at me and looks up over my shoulder. I turn my head and see Jim nodding, looking over me. I turn back to Douxie, and he shakes his head before looking at me with hurt eyes.

I let go of Darci and Mary, and they crawl away from me to allow Douxie to walk to me and sit with his knees a few inches away. I focus on his eyes, seeing the hurt, guilt, regret, and pain.

"I'm sorry, Claire." He mumbles quietly.

Douxie's body tense up, and tears are in his eyes. In a few seconds, Douxie grabs my shoulders and pulls me into his arms, catching me off guard. I lean into his chest and let out a deep sigh, relaxing in one of my best friend's arms. Soon, Douxie lets me go, and I look at him with tired eyes, slumped back and hugging myself.

"Claire, I'm so sorry I wasn't here for you. Hearing what you said is sad, and I wish I could help, but I was in New York City and couldn't. I feel like a failure to you. You are my student, and I find it's my job to help, protect, advise, and teach you, and I didn't after I left Arcadia to protect Nari. I wish to reverse time, help you better, and ensure this won't happen, but I'm here and can help you now. No matter what happens, don't hesitate to tell me what's wrong. Alright?" Douxie says with a raspy voice.

I nod my head, and we hug again. Douxie stands up and helps me to the same level with his hand. Douxie places a hand on my shoulder while everyone somehow gathers around us.

"Claire, we are all here for you and will help you whenever needed. You are not alone." Douxie says calmly and smiles.

Soon, everyone comes closer and touches a part of my shoulder or back with smiles and nods. "Thank you, guys," I mumble, and everyone walks to a seat or hugs me, making 7 out of my ten friends. Darci, Mary, Douxie, Toby, Krel, Aja, and Jim, but someone is missing from the picture. "Hey, do you guys want to meet someone?" I ask, finally smiling.

Everyone raises their eyebrows but nods their heads. I turn my body to the staircase. "You may come out now; they won't bite," I shout. It takes 20 seconds, but NotEnrique slowly crawls out of his hiding place and walks to us. Everyone doesn't scream, but Mary, Darci, Zoe, and Douxie look at NotEnrique in shock, with wide eyes and open mouths.

"Hi, everyone!" NotEnrique says shyly, waving his hand.

There is a hush of silence in the room for a while before hearing Mary's voice.

"Awwww, it's so cute!" She shouts, looking like she saw a kitten. She and Darci rush to NotEnrique's side; they touch him, and he enjoys the pets.

"What is it?" Zoe asks in disgust, holding her nose.

"It's a he, and his name is NotEnrique, and he's a changeling." I hiss at her.

"Yeah! I'm Sis's cool younger changeling's brother!" NotEnrique shouts happily, making Mary and Darci giggle.

"Wait- He's your brother? How? You two are different species, and you already have a brother." Darci says in confusion, raising an eyebrow.

NotEnrique comes to me and climbs onto my shoulder. "Well, this little rascal was the troll who took my brother's place and the reason I started as a trollhunter. NotEnrique is a changeling, a troll who can change into any appearance he's bonded to, and that's my brother." I answer, smirking at the little troll on my shoulder, who returns it.

"Really? That's so cool!" Darci shouts. "Can you do it for us?"

NotEnrique and I glance at each other with worried expressions. "No! After Jim rescued Claire's brother from the Darklands, I can't transform into the little one anymore." NotEnrique answers.

"After an awkward talk, my parents allow NotEnrique to stay here. He sleeps in my room, and I see NotEnrique as a brother, even though he is a troll." I add, and NotEnrique hugs my neck, making me giggle and kiss him. Archie comes out and hisses while NotEnrique is on my shoulder.

"Hey, who are you?" NotEnrique hisses at Douxie's familiar cat and leaps to the floor, a couple of feet away from Archie.

"Who are you?" Archie hisses at NotEnrique.

Before either can attack the other, I grab NotEnrique, and Douxie grabs Archie.

"Hey, hey, let me go! Let me at him!" NotEnrique growls.

"Put me down, Douxie! Spy!" Archie hisses.

"Calm down, you two!" I shout at the animals and look down at my troll brother. "NotEnrique, Archie is a friend and isn't going to hurt me," I said before looking at the black cat. "Archie, NotEnrique is not a spy of the Arcane Order." It takes a few minutes, but Archie and NotEnrique calm down. Douxie and I set our animals down but don't let them go.

"Archie, he's not going to hurt her," Douxie whispers and lets Archie go.

I let NotEnrique go, and he slowly walks to Archie. They circle each other, tilting their heads.

Archie turns into a dragon, and NotEnrique looks at him with amazement. "Wow, how did you do that?" He asks the little dragon/cat.

Douxie and I laugh at the two as NotEnrique and Archie have a friendly conversation.

"I haven't seen a changeling before," Douxie says in amazement, making me giggle.

But the happy moment ends when I fall from the pain in my body and hold my mouth.

"Claire, are you ok?" Jim asks, rushing to my side.

I lean against my boyfriend's shoulder. "No!" I groan in pain. Jim helps me up and leads me to the couch.

"Hey Jim, when are Claire's parents coming here?" Zoey asks, sitting in a chair.

"Wait-what!" I panic, stiffening up

Jim turns to me with a concerned look and lightly touches the places of my covered slashes. "Claire, I called your mom to tell her what I saw in the bathroom and being worried about you," Jim replies.

I groan and throw my head in my lap. "What did you tell her?" I mutter.

"I told her what happened to you when we all came downstairs. She wanted to talk to you, but you were in the shower. Ophelia was at work when I called her but said she would be here as soon as possible. She told me to make sure you didn't hurt yourself and feel comfortable before hanging up to call your Dad." Jim answers but doesn't help me any better.

"What's the problem with Claire and her parents?" Douxie asks, making me look up.

Douxie looks confused, raising an eyebrow and his arms crossed. He hasn't met my parents before, which can be a problem. Letting my skeptical parents meet my mentor or magic. Yeah! That's not gonna end well. "Trust me; you haven't met my parents yet, Douxie."

We hear a car park up to the house, and my body shakes from the moment of dread. My heart pounds in my chest before the house door opens loudly.

"Claire! Claire, where are you?" Mom's voice shouts.

I shiver and want to sink into the couch, hugging myself. "I'm in here, Mom!" I shout and turn around. I catch her eyes staring at me with horror and panic. She runs to me, and everyone clears the path of the living room. Mom didn't even question the strangers in her house.

"Show me your arms!" Mom orders, grabbing my hand.

I recoil from them and shake my head.

"Sweetie, I'm trying to help you. Please show me your arms." Mom states and repeats but calmer.

I take a deep breath and open my arms to let Mom unbutton my sleeves and pull them to show the slashes. Mom gasps; her eyes are sorrowful, and tears coat them.

"Oh, my goodness, Mija..." Mom says, trying to keep her composure. She takes a deep breath and gives me a stern look before turning to my friends. "May someone get Claire a water bottle, an ice pack, and dry and wet wash clothes."

Jim gets up and rushes into the kitchen. Mom turns around and sees all my friends smiling nervously at her.

"Did we interrupt you from work, or did they let you go?" I say bitterly.

"Oh no, Mija! No, no, no! After hearing what happened to you, I called your father and ran out without talking to my boss. You are much more important than my professional career." Mom says sweetly, turning to me.

I roll my eyes. Since when has she been worried about my well-being?

Jim returns with everything Mom asks of him and hands it to her. "Thank you, Jim!" She says kindly, something Mom wouldn't say to Jim, even in such a tone.

Jim and I share a glance, smiling at each other before I groan and turn my head back to my left arm, and Mom covers it with a damp washcloth. Mom cleans my arms with the wet cloth and places the ice pack on my right arm.

"When you're arm starts to go numb, switch the pack to the other arm. It doesn't look like it's bleeding." Mom states and hands me the water bottle. "Drink some water and relax. Your father will be here soon."

I nod my head and obey my mother. She gets up and walks back to let Jim sit beside me. I lean against my boyfriend's shoulder, relaxing from the stress of the past hour.

"Oh, and by the way, who are these kids besides Toby, Mary, and Darci?" She asks calmly, not stern or skeptical.

Before I answer, another car pulls up to the house, footsteps, and the door slams open, making me stiffen up.

"Claire! Claire, where are you, Mija?" Dad shouts.

"Javier, shush! Claire is in the living room. Don't scare our second child." Mom hisses.

I turn my head and see my dad's worried and panicked face. He rushes and kneels in front of me. I straighten up and rub my eyes, smiling weakly at him.

"Show me your arms!" Dad demands, and I obey and open my arms to show them.

"Oh, Mija..." Dad mumbles when observing my weak and exhausted body and slashed arms.

"Hi, Papá!" I say softly, chuckling.

"How did this happen?" Dad says in his panicked tone. It's not a question; it's a demand.

"Ummm..." I look around at my friends and try to think of the best way to describe what I did to myself. No one is going to approve or like the answer. "I-I... cut myself."

Dad and everyone in the living room gasp and look at me in shock. I feel guilty and lower my head into my shoulders. As seconds passed and no one talked, I played with my fingers and bit my lip, feeling more shame and guilt.

Dad blinks and straightens up. "We'll talk about this later, Claire." He says softly and sternly.

I nod and sigh in relief, glad Dad or Mom won't shame me in front of my friends.

Dad turns around and sees my friends as Mom did. They all wave at Dad, nervous. "Claire, who are these kids besides Toby, Mary, and Darci?" He asks calmly, not stern or skeptical.

"There are the rest of my friends, Dad. Krel, Aja, Zoe and Douxie." I answer plainly.

"Hi!" Everyone on the other couch says, smiling awkwardly.

"Thank you all for helping my daughter," Dad says kindly to them.

They all reply, 'Don't mention it,' but Douxie gets up.

"You're welcome, Sir!" Douxie says kindly. Mom walks to the living room with Enrique in her arms, and Douxie steps closer to my parents. "It's a pleasure to meet my apprentice's parents finally."

I roll my eyes but blush as Dad smirks at me. "Claire, where did you find this young man?" He says with a cocky attitude.

"Javier!" Mom hisses, giving Dad a stink eye.

I groan and roll my eyes again. "Dad, this is one of my best friends and mentor, Douxie." I introduced him to my parents.

Dad raises an eyebrow. "Mentor? Apprentice? What is going on?" He asks in confusion.

Rightfully, my parents would be confused. I glance at Douxie and nod to let him explain while I watch, leaning up against my boyfriend.

"Ophelia, Javier, your daughter is a witch. I'm a wizard and Claire's mentor who helps advise, teach, and protect her in the art of magic." Douxie says with a smile.

But instead of being proud, my parents turned their eyes to me, looking even more confused. "Claire, what's going on? What is this boy talking about?" Mom asks.

I tense up and glance at Douxie. "Wait? You didn't tell your parents about what happened two months ago?" Douxie says with wide eyes.

I wince and tense up. "I was trying to find a good time to explain Douxie," I tell him and turn to my parents. "Mom, Dad, Douxie is right. During the summer, near the 20th of July, Jim and all the other trolls arrive in New Jersey and find a hearthstone, but it is small, not even the size of me and Jim combined. But with our troubles came a monstrous creature called the Green Knight. He struck Jim in the chest, and we had to return to the 11th century. During this time, I met Douxie and saw Steve and Toby again. After long and hard conflicts, all three of us returned to our time, turned Jim back into a human, destroyed the Green Knight, and stopped a terrible group called the Arcane Order. During all this time, I discovered I can do magic, and since I have no experience, Douxie became my mentor." I explain to them.

Mom and Dad still look confused. "Really? First trolls, then aliens, letting our daughter wander the U.S., and now magic and wizards? What is this world coming to?" Mom says, looking fatigued.

I look at Douxie, reassuring me and making a light bulb come to mind. "Wait, I can show you!" I say with excitement, quickly standing up. It gave me a rush, but I recovered. I throw my ice pack down to my seat and stretch my arms before me, showing off my slashes to everyone.

I take a deep breath, and my hands start to glow violet. My parents look shocked, with Enrique cooing at the glow. I turn my palms up and breathe, focusing on the slashes. The violet glow sweeps my arms, stinging my skin, but it's working; the slashes dissolve—a sense of joy as I watch my skin heal entirely from the slash marks.

I gently place my hands down, and everyone stares at me with flabbergasted faces, specifically my parents. "Whoa, you have healing powers!" Douxie says in excitement, grabbing my hand and examining it.

"What-what..." Mom trails off, almost fainting. Dad steadies her and takes Enrique in his arms.

"This is impossible!" Dad says, looking pale as a ghost.

"It is. Your daughter is a witch." Archie says with confidence.

I notice him at the feet of Douxie in the concern of my eye. Mom and Dad try to look for the source of the sound but fail, thinking it might be someone at their level.

"Down here." Archie hisses, and my parents look down before they turn white as sheets and speechless than ever.

"Oh, my god..." Mom says with shock, looking at the black cat.

Archie walks over to me and sits, smiling.

"It-it talks!" Dad says, also in shock.

"Yes, yes, I'm a talking cat. I'm Douxie's familiar and can turn into a dragon." Archie says politely, making me smile nervously at my parents.

Mom takes a few steps back, and Dad grabs her hand. "Ophelia, are you alright?" He says softly with concern.

"I just need to have a moment to think." Mom breathes, and I feel like sinking when seeing Dad's eyes. She walks back to the kitchen with her hand on her face, looking scared.

I feel guilty and ashamed again, thinking my parents won't approve of this. They dealt with trolls and let me go to New Jersey with Jim. How are they going to deal with their daughter being a witch? I walk over to Mom and try to finish her gaze. "I'm sorry, Mom; you probably think I'm insane and disappointed in me," I say with shame. Mom takes a deep breath and turns to me with her sad, painful eyes, but they're not disappointed or disgusted. Her eyes are full of regret and shame, catching me off guard.

Mom walks over to me with a smile. "No! I'm sorry for my reaction; this is too much to swallow now, but I'm not disappointed or think you're insane. I always thought you were a free spirit like Abuela." Mom says, spreading her arms out and wrapping them around me.

I freeze from the feeling of my own mother's arms around me so gently yet tightly. I hadn't remembered receiving a hug from her like this in a long time. Granted, Mom did hug me when I came out of the shadow realm after being pushed in and when I returned home, but those hugs were more secure than loving. This hug is the latter.

I give in and return the hug, wrapping my arms around my mom's lower back. I snuggle in her chest, and Mom's grip grows tighter, stroking my hair. I want to cry for my mom for the first time, finally feeling affection from her. I close my eyes and a tear slides down my cheek. I start trembling and have a lump in my throat.

"Shhh! Shhh!" Mom says, breaking the hug and lifting my head. "It's alright, Claire. I know this is scary for you, and you feel alone, but Dad and I will help you whenever you need it."

Mom's eyes are gentle and affectionate. I bite my lip to keep another tear in my eyes. "Thank you, Mamá!" I cry with a hoarse voice. We hug again, and I look up from Mom's shoulder to Dad and Enrique. Dad's eyes are the same as Mom's, and they embrace us, too, with Enrique babbling.

I feel at peace once and for all and smile in my parents' arms. We let go, and I look at both of my parents. "Thank you, guys!" I cry, rubbing my eyes and nose.

"We love you, Claire, with all our hearts," Dad says sweetly, and his smile is the same.

"We'll talk about this later. Alright, Mija?" Mom asks.

"Alright, Mamá!" I answer, smiling as I walk to my friends in the other room. They are all either satisfied or bored, having to sit through all this drama. "Sorry, guys."

Jim gets up and walks up to me, smiling sweetly. "It's OK, Claire. We're just glad you're ok." He says, and we hug.

Everyone in the living room gets up and starts talking and laughing, making me smile and glow inside. I walk up to Douxie with Archie on his shoulder and my parents, who are talking. "Hey!"

"Hey, Cheeky!" Douxie says, smiling.

I roll my eyes and turn to my parents. "So this is your teacher of magic?" Dad asks, smiling but raising an eyebrow.

"Yes! Douxie is an excellent teacher!" I cheer, clapping my hands together and smiling.

"And Claire is an outstanding student. I haven't met another girl so determined and intelligent after 900 years ago." Douxie proclaims, smiling.

I wince and turn to my parents, who raise their eyebrows even higher. Dad relaxes and smiles. "900 years old? You look great!" He cheers, making me sigh with relief and smile.

Enrique babbles and reaches up in Dad's arms, making Douxie and Archie look down. "Is this Claire's little brother?" Douxie asks.

"Yes! This is Enrique!" Dad answers.

Douxie bends down to Enrique and smiles with his fingers reaching out. "Hello, little one! Your sister is a witch." Douxie says sweetly. Enrique giggles and says a 1-year-old hello to my friend. Douxie giggles as Enrique grabs his fingers, making me and my parents laugh.

After some talk about what Douxie does and when we do lessons, I walk away to my boyfriend. Jim is talking with Toby, but he glances in my direction and smiles. We open our arms and embrace one another tightly yet affectionately. Jim kisses me on the forehead and strokes my hair.

We pull away slightly but still hold on to one another. "Thank you for coming over here again, Jim," I say softly.

"No worries, Claire. I'm just glad you're ok and safe." Jim replies, caressing my face.

I frown and sigh. "I'm sorry Papá commented about Douxie before getting to know him." I apologetically say.

"No, no! It's OK, Claire. I know I hadn't made the most favorable first impression to your parents than Douxie did." Jim says sweetly, rubbing my back.

I smirk at him, lean on my tip-toes, and give my boyfriend a quick peck on the nose, making him chuckle. "I love you, Trollhunter." I sigh in happiness.

"I love you too, Claire," Jim says before pulling me for another hug. I snuggle in Jim's chest while he rubs my back. "Call me if you ever need someone or just want to talk. Don't ever hesitate to reach out. You are not alone, and I'm here for you." Jim mumbles in my hair. I close my eyes, not feeling alone anymore.

"We are here for you, Claire," Morgana says sweetly in my ear.

Author Note: I'm so sorry for the slow update. Please review.