Where My Heart Belongs

by MrSova

Amity woke up paralyzed in her sister's Clinic with no memory of what had happened to her. With Odalia gone, she must take upon her the role of the Blight Industries Heiress. But she had to get better before she could do any of that. To achieve that, Emira assigned her sister the best Volunteer in Bonesborough - Luz Clawthorne. Originally posted on AO3

6. Chapter 6 - The Total Recall

Luz took Amity's plea very personally to help her find out what had happened to her. Not that the witch knew the human was fighting to get her fiancée back. As a matter of fact, at that moment, Clawthorne had a strange feeling, as if she never proposed. After all, they had been engaged for less than a day before everything was taken away.

At the break of dawn, Emira let Luz into Amityʼs studio. The Healer grinned at the human, knowing what she would witness momentarily. The brunette tiptoed toward the center of the spacious rook and found the lavender-haired witch sprawled on her bed, still wearing yesterday's clothes, surrounded by notes, hugging a thick book she must have been reading when she fell asleep.

The pointy ears twitched, letting Luz know Amity was slowly waking up. The brows tied before relaxing again, pink lips parted a few times, smacking, and a low groggy hum left the witchʼs throat the way the human always found cute. After what felt like an eternity, the gold eyes slowly cracked open, blinked a few times, and finally landed on the smug, smirking tan face.

"Aah!" Amity exclaimed, her eyes widening with fear.

She instinctively threw at Luz a giant fireball, jumping off her bed, igniting her hands defensively, and looking around the room in panic. Her eyes roamed the surroundings, and she was almost sure there was a human right before her not even ten seconds ago.

"Titan, I must be going crazy…" The witch whispered to herself, extinguishing her flames and straightening up.

"So you say you're interested in human anatomy, huh?" Amity stiffened when she noticed a tan hand emerging from the other side of her bed, holding her copy of 'Grey's Anatomy'.

Apparently, the witch was not hallucinating. Indeed, a very real human lay on the floor of her studio. Amityʼs slanted ears twitched. She crawled over her bed and hesitantly looked over the edge of the mattress, finding Luz on her back, facing the pale, blushing face.

"Do you have a death wish? What are you doing here?" Amity asked in a low hiss, squinting furiously, seeing the cheerful grin the insufferable human sent her.

"I was supposed to pick you up for our first session in search of who you were and what happened to you," Luz replied mischievously, reminding the witch about her plea, "But finding out you were studying me was not a thing I expected," She added, earning an even deeper blush from the witch.

"I was NOT studying you!" Amity squeaked in embarrassment, retrieving the thick book and sitting back on her bed.

"Oh, yeah?" Luz asked, sitting up on the floor.

"I was…" Amity looked away, blush creeping on her face, "Worried…" Her ears twitched in embarrassment.

"Awww… Aren't you the sweetest?" Luz grinned teasingly.

"Say another word, and I will scorch that grin off your face," The witch growled, her eyes delicately glowed in a warning.

"No reason to get so flustered, Princess," Luz continued to mess with the other woman, cocking her head in faux confidence.

"Gah! I thought we were over it!" Amity growled, clenching her trousers in frustration.

"Just teasing, Amity," Luz lifted her hands defensively, "But you know…" She added more seriously and sincerely, getting the witch's attention, "If you want to know something, just ask. I'd be happy to..."

"I have no questions!" Amity snapped angrily.

"Alright, alright, easy," Luz said, smiling sheepishly. Silence filled the room, and the witch breathed heavily.

"I'm sorry!" Amity suddenly yelled, shocking the human even further with her outburst.

"Huh?" Luz looked at her dumbfoundedly.

"I donʼt know why I'm so angry!" She yelled again, and Clawthorne saw tears glistening in the golden eyes.

"Woah, I'm sorry," Luz got to her feet, hesitant if she should approach the witch, "I wouldnʼt be an ass if I'd know," She said softly, trying to sound reassuring.

"It's not your fault," Amity wiped her unshed tears, "I think…" She gulped, letting out a growl of helplessness, "I think it's been stewing in me for a while. I didn't want to take it out on you. You've been trying to help me since day one!" She kept yelling, and the waterfall of tears rolled down her cheeks, "Fuck! What's wrong with me!?"

"Amity," Luz took another reluctant step closer.

The human was just a few inches away from the Heiress, looking at her with worry and care. She then took the leap of faith and touched Amity's shoulder, opening her arms and letting her know she was there for her.

"There's nothing wrong with you," Luz whispered, reassuring the frightened woman, "Youʼve been hurt. I shouldn't have teased. You were sleeping, I frightened you, and you were overwhelmed… I'm very sorry…" Luz continued while the golden, teary eyes roamed the tan face. The witch looked confused and scared.

Suddenly, without any warning, Amity crushed Luz in a breathtaking hug. She clenched the flannel, pulling the human closer, hiding her lavender head in the reluctantly returned embrace. The pointy ears fluttered while the witch tried to ignore the strange sensations running through her body.

"Wow…" Luz thought when she felt Amity's sensations, "She's so frustrated…" She blushed, realizing that, knowing her fiancée's upbringing, the witch probably did not even consider sexual frustration in the equation.

"I'm sorry…" Amity repeated, but she did not pull away.

On the contrary, the witch snuggled closer. A low, quiet purr erupted from her chest. Luz was almost sure the witch unknowingly rubbed the side of her head on her collarbone, searching for affection.

"Amity," Luz said with a shaking voice, feeling her fiancée's desires arise, "You have nothing to be sorry about," She delicately pushed the witch away, who looked aside with shame, her ears slanted nervously.

"I shouldn't have purred… Not today, not yesterday, not…"

"Amity," Luz stopped her, pulling the witch's chin up to look into her teary, golden eyes, "Iʼm sure you know this is a natural reaction. You can't apologize for purring anymore as you would apologize for breathing," She said with a warm, supportive smile, "I'm just glad that around me, you feel safe enough to let yourself…"

"Shut up," Amity whispered and fell back into a hug, pulling the human close.

Luz chuckled at the defensive reaction, returning the affection. She was glad that despite everything that was happening, despite Amity having no idea who the human used to be to her, the witch felt safe enough to be vulnerable, enough to let herself purr and tug the warm body impossibly closer.

"Thank you…" Amity whispered sincerely.

She was so ashamed of how she felt around the human. The witch often felt disgusted by herself, thinking how she craved closeness with the subspecies, but she did not want it to stop. She did not want to pull away or let Luz go.

"No need to thank me," The human whispered in reply, "Are you ready to start looking for answers?" She asked, and she immediately felt that Amity pulled her closer and tried to hide how she trembled, "Are you scared?" The witch nodded, "It's okay… I'm here for you," Luz cooed.

"I'm scared to know the truth… To get another attack…" Amity gasped, never letting go, "Iʼm scared to hurt you again…" She admitted, clenching her eyes shut, afraid of the human's reaction.

"It's okay. Let's start with something small…" Luz delicately pulled away, and Amity sent her a questioning gaze, "Well, you need answers, so I thought we could go to the Library?" She offered, and the witch's expression lightened immediately. Her ears twitched, and she tried to contain her smile.

"O-okay…" Amity said. Luz chuckled at the way the witch tried to hide her excitement.

"Go, get ready, and we'll leave immediately," The human added, and the lavender-haired woman did so without question.

Luz hoped her plan would not hurt the witch. She had prepared some activities and believed everything would work fine with Amity's cooperation. After all, thanks to Willow and Hunter, she was more prepared this time.

After a quick shower and a small breakfast, Luz took an anxious Amity to the Bonesborough Library. They stopped at the main hall, and the human could feel the Heiress flustered with heat, thinking of their dance the other night. She pushed these memories to the back of her mind, and they went further.

"Alright, Blight," Luz smiled at the witch, "Here's a task for today," She said with a teacher-like mannerisms, smiling warmly. The witch gulped nervously, "Follow your gut. See what piques your interest," She said. Amity's lips parted in shock, and her expression faded.

"Thatʼs it?" The witch tied her arms and looked at the slightly taller woman with disbelief.

"Oh, trust me…" Luz leaned over, flustering the witch, "Thatʼs more than enough for now," She added and pulled back, tying her hands, smirking at her companion.

"Like, anything?" Amity was still nervous but returned to her task.

"Totally anything," Luz confirmed, "Iʼm gonna sit here and do some of my work. Feel free to interrupt me at any time. I want to know about everything," She added, smiling widely. Amity nodded, trying to hide her excitement.

"Am I really allowed to read any book I want?" The witch could not believe it.

The witchʼs ears perked up, and she was lost between the tall bookshelves in no time. It did not even take her five minutes to return with some books. Luz sent her a curious look. While there were quite a few tomes about the Healing and Mind Gaps, Luz smiled when she noticed engineering manuals.

"That's my girl," The human thought, refocusing on her work and learning more about the Bond.

Luz did not say a word, and she did not interrupt Amity's flow. She watched from the side how the witch took notes about her condition. It was not long before the engineering books consumed her whole. The Heiress flipped through the pages, and after a while, she returned the redundant books.

Once Amity had not returned for a while, Luz became worried. She left her research and belongings at the desk and looked for the lost witch. It did not take her long to find the Heiress standing before the romance section with ears slanted in anxiety.

"See something you like?" The human tried to lift the mood, teasing about the teenage romance novels.

"This isn't right, Luz…" The witch whispered, making Luz realize this was serious, "There's something here…" She added, and without a miss, she found the correct book, opening the secret room of this particular lone witch.

"Wow, how did you…?" Luz tried to sound shocked. She could not let Amity suspect she knew about her secret hideout.

"Just a feeling…" Amity explained, hesitantly entering. She looked around and took everything in. The desk, the couch, the shelves. It seemed all too familiar, "This is strange…" She said once the room had closed, leaving them in, "I…" Her breathing hitched, and she suddenly had to grab her head. Her left hand tried to grab the wall for support, but with no success, "Oh, no…" Amity gasped weakly in a shaking voice, falling to her knees, still holding her head, "Please… I'm not strong enough," She whispered, knowing what was coming next. Her right hand traveled down to her chest, feeling the dull pain erupt in her ribcage.

Luz quickly approached the witch, cradling her body and keeping her steady, lowering her to the floor. Their eyes met, and the human saw the honest-to-Titan fear. Amity's breathing was getting heavier and more labored while she tugged her hair painfully. She then started kicking her legs, trying to get away from the pain, but it was no use.

"Please, no…" The witch gasped before everything went black.

Amity saw herself in this particular hideout. She shared a painful story that she could not recall. But then… She had no idea who sat beside her. That person seemed hidden behind a veil, but she knew she kissed that someone. Well, they made out.

"Someone… Liked me?" Amity could not believe it.

The Heiress had no idea she had fallen to the floor. She was unaware that Luz had been calling for her for the past few minutes. When her roaming eyes blinked her vision away, she was shocked to see the scared human hovering above her.

"Amity, please, talk to me…" The witch heard that one.

"I'm okay…" Amity gasped, taking a deep breath, "It's okay, Luz…" She added, her ears widely fluttering as she could not get up from the floor. Luz still held her closely, "I…" She stuttered, "I think it was a memory…" She gasped, inhaling sharply again, trying to understand what she saw, "I think I was with someone," She whispered. Luz stiffened immediately, "I didn't see their face… But…" She gulped and smirked slightly, shaking her head in disbelief, "It's good to know there was at least one person interested in my sorry ass…" The human did not understand the tears that suddenly left the golden eyes.

"Care to elaborate?" Luz asked, picking the hurt woman up and moving the witch onto the couch.

"I…" Amity hesitated, "I thought no one wanted me… I mean… I know my upbringing was strict, but I still hoped…" The witch bit her lower lip, trying to control her emotions, "It doesn't matter because whoever that person was, they aren't here…" She looked away, hurt, thinking she was all alone.

"Oh, Baby, how wrong you are…" Luz thought as she sat beside the witch, providing her comfort, hoping that one day, Amity would remember. For now, she was there for the witch.

"Well, their loss," The human's sudden exclaim dragged the Heiress from her thoughts, "I'm here now, and I'm here to stay, Blight," She said jokingly, surprised she earned a small smile from the witch.

"Thank you, Luz…" Amity blinked rapidly, wiping her tears away, "Titan, sorry," The witch rolled to the side, resting her head on the human's lap, "I just… I feel so alone…" She added, quietly crying while Luz held her close.

"I get it's all super confusing, but I won't let you go through it alone…" Luz whispered, pulling the witch closer into a tight embrace, helping her get more comfortable, "Not anymore…"

The human kept Amity close, caressing her hair and trying to calm the witch down. It was not long before she noticed the witch was fast asleep in her lap, exhausted from the sudden emotional turmoil. Luz smiled at that and continued her caresses, enjoying the moment's serenity.

"I made sure no one would love her!" Luz recalled Odalia's words.

"You failed successfully…" The human thought, watching how the witch balled her clothing, pulling it possesively, relaxing under the delicate touch.

Luz walked Amity home and promised to pick her up the following day for the next attempt to find out more about her past. The witch borrowed the Mind Healing textbooks, hoping to continue her research independently. In the meantime, the human had to prepare for tomorrow's activities.

When the witch bid the brunette farewell and disappeared in the Clinic, Luz's friendly and warm expression faded. She did her best to keep herself composed in front of Amity, but now that she was gone, the human could not hide it anymore.

Luz ran between tall buildings, finding a dark alley where she fell to her knees. She looked at her right hand, where the ring from Willow sent a burning sensation across her body — a sensation that had only been growing for the past few hours.

"G-Ghost…" The human gasped, summoning the Palisman, which appeared immediately beside her, "I need to get to the magic-restricting room… Now…" She explained, breathing heavily.

The cat immediately transformed into a staff, and Luz straddled it quickly. They soared the skies and hurried to the Owl House. The human stumbled through the front door, trying to control her sensations.

"Luz? Is that you?" Eda's head popped out from her workshop.

The witchʼs ears slanted in fear when she noticed her daughter, curled in pain, sweaty, and pale, limping toward the basement with the Palisman's assistance. Luz breathed heavily through clenched teeth while tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I got you, Kid," Eda whispered supportively, taking hold of her daughterʼs trembling body.

The witch helped Luz into the room, and the human fell to her knees immediately. With a shaking hand, she removed the ring. She fell on all fours, releasing a feral roar of agony that deafened her mother.

"I'm here, Luz," Eda cooed, kneeling beside the human, caressing her back soothingly, "Let it out. You're safe…" She continued.

Yet, Luz did not hear her. The vision Amity saw in the Library flashed before her eyes. The pain the witch experienced right after hit her like a speeding transport worm. A loud screech of the demon living inside her added a new wave of agony. It made her release a mighty wave of golden, magical energy.

"Luz!" Eda called for her daughter, who fell to the floor and started to shake, drooling uncontrollably. Her eyes turned pitch-black before illuminating with a golden glow, "Please, hold on," The witch pleaded, grabbing her daughterʼs head to support her before roaming the room, "Owlbert, Ghost," She spotted the Palismans sitting close by, "Get me those pillows," She instructed, and the magical companions assisted her immediately.

"Hoot?" Owlbert perched on Eda's shoulder.

"I donʼt know what else we can do…" The witch whispered helplessly.

They sat with Luz throughout the entire attack. They tried to ignore the roars, screeches, and cries released by the human, along with the demonʼs magic. Everything may have lasted barely a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity to Eda.

Finally, Luz's body stopped spasming violently, and the gold aura started to disappear along with the blackness of her eyes. Eda waited patiently, caressing her daughterʼs face in support, cleaning it from tears and saliva. The human's breathing slowed down, and her body turned limp on the floor. She closed her eyes and tried to regain her composure.

"T-Thanks… Mom…" Luz gasped, weakly opening her eyes. The blurriness quickly disappeared, and the human looked at her motherʼs distressed expression.

"H-how do you feel?" Eda stuttered nervously, her eyes roaming the tan, exhausted face while her ears slanted in fear.

"Better…" Luz whispered, "But I don't think I'll use it ever again…" She added, looking at the discarded ring, trying to sit up.

"Can you tell me what happened?" The witch asked, and her daughter nodded weakly.

Eda moved them to the couch, where she helped Luz lie comfortably while her daughter shared about her day. The witch listened patiently and noted that Amity seemed to remember more and more. However, somehow, Luz was still removed from these unblocked memories.

Seeing Amity get more determined to restore her memory gave everyone hope. Luz was stubborn enough never to use the magic-blocking ring, but she always kept it on her, just in case the situation required it.

Zariyah was shocked to see how the young human broke the Heiress's icy facade, helping her become more confident and open about herself with each passing day. The Mind Healer encouraged Amity to keep following her instinct as long as someone would support her.

"So, what do you think we should do now?" Luz asked Amity when they ran out of ideas.

They were lying on the couches in the living room of the Owl House, staring at the ceiling, when they felt they hit a wall. They have tried over a dozen things, but nothing has triggered Amity's memories in days.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving," The witch replied tiredly. Luz immediately sat up, a wide grin plastered to her face, "Why do I have a bad feeling about your expression?" Amity asked teasingly, but her ears slanted nervously.

"Make us something to eat," Luz offered, getting off the couch. The witch's expression followed the example of her ears, "Come on!" The human pulled the witch up and, with a child-like joy, dragged her to the kitchen.

"B-but Luz!" Amity tried to oppose, but she did not pull away, enjoying the positivity radiating from the human.

"No buts!" Luz stopped by the kitchen counter, "I've cooked enough meals for you. I think you can handle preparing one for me," She teased as she retrieved the ingredients needed for scrambled eggs.

"But I haven't cooked a meal in my life," Amity said nervously, "And I have already poisoned you once!" She pointed out.

"Well, just don't add Apple Blood, and we should be safe," Luz jested and sent the witch a wink that flustered her to the level the human had not seen since their first book club.

"Not funny," Amity fought through her blush and growled at the other woman.

"It was my stomach that was burned, and I'm laughing, so relax finally," Luz said with amusement. She handed the witch her favorite rectangle-shaped cleaver.

"W-what do you want me to…" Amity stuttered, seeing the massive blade.

"Relax," Luz softly said as she peeled the onions, "It's a vegetable cleaver. I will teach you how to chop onions," She explained, and the witch notably gulped.

"O-okay…" Amity stuttered, and Luz's expression faded. She knew the witch's speech impairment was the first clue to her emotions.

"Okay, listen," The human lifted her hands, "I don't want to force you to do anything, so tell me if you don't want to do this," Luz looked at the witch and waited patiently.

Amity looked down at the cleaver and then at the ingredients. Her ears were slanted and covered in pink when she recalled how the human held her close while teaching her to flip the omelet. She was not brave enough to admit it out loud, but she wanted to feel that again.

"Teach me," Amity finally said with a little more confidence.

Luz eyed the pale face, which was still dusted in blush. She could feel her fiancée's mixture of simultaneous reluctance and excitement. The human nodded in agreement and stood beside the witch, retrieving another knife.

"Okay, now look closely," Luz lifted her hand, holding a tool, "Place your thumb on the blade right behind the heel," She presented how she held the knife, "Now, secure the spine of the blade with your forefinger," She continued, "This gives you the best control. We wouldn't want you to chop off those prodigy fingers," She teased, and Amity smiled sheepishly.

She thought again about how she felt strangely comfortable around Luz. She hated learning new things just as much as she loved. She always feared failure and people pointing out she was not the best in the field instantaneously.

"Hold on! Why would I fear that?" Amity wondered, realizing what went through her mind.

"Are you still with me?" Luz interrupted the train of thought.

"Yes, sorry," The witch blushed, ashamed of how she got distracted, "Like this?" She presented the hold on the blade.

"Almost perfect," Luz replied with a smile. Amity's ears dropped, "Don't worry," She said warmly, taking the pale hand into her own and adjusting the hold, "Nothing is ever perfect, and imperfection is beautiful," She risked quoting Alador and watched the witch's reaction closely, letting go of her delicate hand.

Amity's eyes widened in shock, her ears twitched, and her lips parted, showing off the tips of her fangs. She blinked a few times in disbelief before shaking her head and refocusing on the task.

"Everything okay?" Luz wanted to ensure.

"Y-yeah…" Amity sounded unsure, but the human was not about to push.

"Now, grab the onion like this," Luz said, "Cut it in half. It'll make the chopping easier," She gave an example, "Hold it with your nails. That way, your knuckles protect you from a bloody accident," She explained, noticing Amity's hesitation after she cut the onion in half, "Do you want me to help you start?" She asked warmly, waiting for the witch to make a decision.

"I think I'd like that…" Amity replied in an unsure voice, unaware of what that meant.

Luz let her knife rest on the counter, and with a heated face, she stepped back and stood right behind the witch. Amity felt the warmth of the human body behind her, and she stiffened up immediately.

"I'll help you start, okay?" Luz whispered in the most supportive voice she could have mustered.

The human leaned above the witch's left shoulder to see the counter. She felt the twitch of the ear on her cheek and a delicate tingling in her spine, which she decided to ignore. Luz then put her hands on the pale ones, helping Amity correctly hold the knife and the onion.

The witch did not know how to behave. She was full of conflicting feelings. There she was again, with Luz, in the kitchen, in a compromising position. She dreaded even admitting how much she craved closeness with the human.

"You're a Blight, for Titan's sake!" The Heiress tried to recompose herself.

Amity felt a warm breath right next to her ear, and she could not recall if she had ever felt such a strange and powerful jolt of electricity running down her spine. Then again, she could not recall letting anyone so close to her.

"Now, you have the advantage I don't have," Luz's voice dragged Amity from her stupor, "You can hold the onion with your primal nails," She felt the witch stiffen again, "But you don't have to," She added in the same tone, knowing how her fiancée used to be constantly shamed for her nature, "Now, cut the onion moving the knife elliptically, slowly pushing the onion toward the blade, not the other way around," She helped Amity start the motion, "Just like that," Luz praised, slowly removing her hands from the pale ones.

Chop… Chop… Chop…

Amity slowly started chopping the onion by herself. Luz stepped aside, smiled proudly, and watched the pale face twist in concentration. The first half of the onion was gone, and the witch grabbed another one without a stutter.

Chop, chop… Chop, chop… Chop, chop…

Amity's tempo increased. Her movements became more sure, confident, and fluent. Luz did not know if that was her fiancée's instinct or if she was starting to remember the fantastic kitchen skills they discovered together in the Human Realm. Whichever the case, the human was not going anywhere.

Chop, chop, chop… Chop, chop, chop… Chop, chop, chop…

The cutting tempo was increasing. Amity's movements never faltered. The witch chopped one onion after another while Luz removed peels from new ones. The pale wrist moved in a perfect, well-calculated rhythm while her free hand grabbed another half of the vegetable.

"What's going…?" Danielle entered the kitchen, and she paused when she noticed the Heiress chopping the onions as if she were possessed by Julia Child herself.

Chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop…

Luz gestured for Danielle, who quickly covered her ears, to come closer while Amity did not hear anyone around her. Her mind was clear of any thoughts as her instinct took over. She did not feel the stinging of the onion fumes in her eyes. Her actions entirely overtook her.

Chopchopchopchopchopchopchopchopchop…

Then, the worst thing that could have happened took place. The witch ran out of onions. The pale hand, with now lengthened fingernails, scratched the counter, and when she did not find another vegetable to chop, slice, or dice, she shook her head and looked up. She wiped her teary eyes with the top of her hand and looked at the humans before her.

"I guess I'll be making onion soup for dinner," Amity said with a wide smile that Luz could not return. She could already feel what was coming, even if the witch was still unaware of it, "It's your favorite, isn't it, Mamá?" She asked innocently as if it was the most normal thing to ask the Nurse who watched her worriedly.

"Amity?" Luz asked tremblingly, "Let go of the knife…" She pleaded, confusing the witch, who did not understand why the human looked so pale, "Now!" She ordered, and Amity understood why the Clawthorne had become so forceful.

The witch let go of the knife and grabbed her chest. She held herself up, holding the counter with her free hand, and her ears fluttered in panic. She took a sudden wheezy gasp, and the pupils in the golden eyes shrank in fear to the size of dots. For all their failed attempts, she had to get an attack while making some food.

"Amity!" Danielle and Luz exclaimed simultaneously.

The witchʼs legs wobbled beneath her, and she frantically roamed the tan women before her. Her ears moved unevenly while her quivering, parted lips let out shallow gasps, showing off her fangs.

"N-no…" Amity took a sharp inhale, and suddenly, everything went dark.

"Amity!" Luz exclaimed and ran toward the witch, scooping her right before her body made painful contact with the floor.

The human winced in pain when she fell, holding the witch close and safe as she watched the golden eyes roll up. She caressed the pale face, tense in overwhelming pain while cooing at the hurt woman.

"H-how?" Danielle wanted to ask, but then she noticed a ring on Luz's finger, "Luz… You said you wouldn't…"

"I can't leave her…!" The younger woman replied in a shaking voice, never looking away from Amity, rocking them in panic. She caressed the pale face, helping the lavender head rest on her lap, "It's okay, Amity. You just need to get through it," She addressed the witch, soothing the mauve locks.

Amity looked into the hazel-brown eyes and heard Luz's words of comfort. Suddenly, everything turned dark. She had no sense of her body or her existence. The witch had the strangest feeling, as if she was a spectator of a life she used to have.

While Danielle watched Amity seize in a safe hold with her eyes rolled up, Luz felt her fiancée's pain enter her ring to punish her later. The witch relived how she learned to cook from MewTube, how someone taught her how to slice and dice, showing differences between different knives.

At that moment, Amity had no mind to worry about who that person might have been. She worried about how she was once again compromised in front of the human. She was a Blight!

"Amity, just hold on, you're doing so well," Luz tried to support the witch.

"I'm pathetic…" Amity thought in a reply before the sounds were cut off, too.

Her visions started spiraling. What began with a memory of cooking a simple meal turned into a strange vision of how Odalia forbade Amity to eat, starving her to prove a point. How she forced her daughter to fight through starvation, forbidding her to nourish herself.

"N-n-not… M-my… M-m-mother…" Amity gasped, and a waterfall of tears rolled down her face.

Danielle could not ignore the overwhelming feeling of heartbreak. One moment, the witch involuntary called her a mother, and a second, she heard Amity say something entirely different. Yet, she was not about to leave the young woman just because of her uncertainty.

"AAAAA!" Amity let out a feral howl, arching her spine, before the shakes ravaged her body, stiffening her muscles in spasms.

"Luz…" She thought, focusing on the warm, comforting caress on her cheek that brought her back, "Please… Don't leave…" She thought, right before she was again cut off from her surroundings.

"Just relax, we'll get through it…" Luz cooed, and Danielle could see the witch's erratic behavior.

"D-don't go…" Amity cried through clenched teeth, "I…" The humans shared a look. It had not happened before for the witch to talk while having a seizure, "Don't want…" She forced words out of her, "Can't lose you… Again…" She added, and her magic started roaming around her and Luz's form, quickly rising to a dangerous level, pushing objects away.

"L-Luz…" Danielle gasped as if she were choking. The said woman faced the doctor and realized Amityʼs magic hurt her.

"Hooty!" Luz called out, and the house demon immediately appeared, "Take Danielle out of here," She ordered, glad she had decided to put on the ring.

"Ma'am!" He exclaimed and widely opened his beak.

"No pellets!" Luz roared, and he immediately stopped.

"S-sorry," Hooty said, guiding Danielle out of the house through the kitchen door, helping the woman finally catch her breath.

"Mom!" Luz called for Eda with panic, the hazel-brown eyes tearing down.

She did not want to let go of Amity, and she did not want to be weak. With the overwhelming power the witch released, she knew it was a matter of minutes rather than hours before the ring would overwhelm her. She could already feel the tingling sensation erupting in her middle finger. Still, she was not about to leave Amity as long as she needed her.

"M-mom…" Luz gasped, increasingly overwhelmed by the burning feeling in her hand, "A-anyone…" She added weakly. When she noticed Eda enter the kitchen, her eyes rolled up, knowing she and Amity were safe.

"It's okay, Kid, I'm here," Eda reassured her daughter, "Dang, that's a powerful one," She murmured to herself when she noticed the overwhelming power escaping the pale body, approaching the two women on the kitchen floor.

The witch looked at them with worry. Luz held Amity close. She supported and helped her fiancée through the experience while becoming more feverish. Eda noticed how the ring on her daughter's middle finger began to glow, making it look like it was about to melt, sending jolts of pain through the tan body.

"Okay," Eda said, approaching her daughter, "Iʼm gonna take Boots to your bed, and you need to take off that ring," She added, trying to take hold of Amity, "Luz?" The witch whispered when the human was not letting go of her fiancée, "You need to let go, now," She added, and Luz released the witch from her hold and grabbed her right hand, "Dani!" She called for the other human while she brought Amity up, "Help Luz, please," She asked and left the kitchen, making it safe for Danielle to return.

"Shit, shit, shit! I can't move…" Luz panicked, trying to force her body off the floor.

Her breathing was increasing when Danielle entered the kitchen. The older brunette quickly approached her ward and slipped her hands under her armpits, trying to pull her up. Luz's body was so stiff, paralyzed with pain, she did not budge.

"Hooty, a little help, please," Danielle addressed the house demon, who watched them with worry.

He immediately approached Luz. Without another word, he surrounded her with his long, feathery neck, unceremoniously dragging her to the basement so fast that Danielle had to run behind them.

"It's okay, Luz," The older human knelt beside Luz, caressing her back soothingly, "You can take it off now," She added, watching as her ward struggled to move her hand and remove the ring.

"B-b-bucket…" The young woman managed to stutter, letting Danielle know how bad it was.

The moment Luz removed the ring, she felt the pain coursing through her body. It felt as if her bones burned inside her, scorching the muscles and ligaments. The woman roared in pain. The tears rolled down her cheeks.

Suddenly, the memories Amity unblocked flashed before her eyes. Everything went black. Danielle returned with the bucket just in time for Luz to start retching, drooling heavily, and desperately gasping for air. Her forehead was covered in a thick layer of cold sweat when she struggled against the nausea.

"Shh, shh, shh," Danielle tried to calm her ward down.

Finally, Luz's breathing started to even out, and she gulped heavily. She sat back on the floor, and with a shaking body, she regained her composure. She then lay down on the floor, facing the ceiling, her chest still heaving.

"I hate that ring…" Luz finally gasped, wiping the sweat off her face, only smearing it.

"At least it protects you from Amity's suffocating outbursts," Danielle approached her with a cold towel to help clean her face.

"Huh?" Luz arched her eyebrow, "Oh, it doesn't do that," She said, earning a questioning look, "It's the demonʼs magic that protects me," She explained weakly.

She did not say anything else. Luz closed her eyes and relaxed while Danielle continued to cool down her face. It did not take long before she fell asleep right then and there, in the middle of the floor of the magic-restricting room in the basement of the Owl House.

A few hours later, Amity woke with a pounding headache. She winced and groaned when the feeling of her body started to return. Her ears twitched, and she felt a familiar bedsheet under her fingertips. She cracked her eyes open and looked around the room.

"Oh, shit…" Amity turned to the side with panic and started retching.

Her hair ruffled, her nails lengthened, and her stomach cramped repeatedly. She did not notice someone offer her a bucket and caress her back soothingly as she attempted to remain calm. After a while of struggle with no result, she felt her body calm down. Amity noticed her nails and retracted them, looking at them with disgust.

"Are you okay?" She heard Danielle's worried voice, which made her ears twitch.

"Y-yeah…" The witch replied hoarsely and soothed down her hair, forcing the ruffle down.

"Are you sure?" The woman asked and watched Amity from the side.

"She doesn't look good…" The human thought worriedly.

"I recalled something… I think it was a memory…" She wiped a rogue tear away before it slipped past her eyelids.

"Would you like to share?" The older woman offered with a warm smile.

Amity found the courage to look up at the Nurse, and she roamed her face. This woman was so kind and respectful despite the witch's rude behavior. She realized the older woman was wearing casual clothes with her hair strangely held by a colorful scarf.

"Why are you here, Danielle?" The Heiress asked.

"I was worried about you…"

"I meant the Owl House…" Amity explained what she had in mind.

"Oh," Danielle blushed and looked away, "I kinda date Luz's Mom," She mumbled, earning a snort from the witch.

"I take it it's kinda fresh," Amity teased, offering a fanged smile, briefly forgetting about her predicament.

"That obvious?" Danielle chuckled nervously.

"Yeah," They shared a giggle, "Iʼm sorry for losing control like that," Amityʼs expression faded, "I didn't mean to hurt you…"

"Do you remember what happened?" Danielle asked, moving from the bed to the chair to look at the witch more carefully.

"Bits and pieces…" Amity replied, whispering. She looked away, and her ears hugged her head in a shameful slant, "I know I hurt you and Luz again…" She looked up, "How is she doing?" Danielle's heart broke at the sight of a worried gaze.

"Sheʼs fine, just sleeping it off," The Nurse replied supportively, "Don't beat yourself too much. We chose to stay by your side," She added softly with a smile that quickly faded when she noticed how the witch hugged herself, trying to choke back a sob, "Oh, Cariño. What's wrong?"

"T-thank you…" Amity looked at the older woman and let tears escape her golden eyes. She snarled, clenching her teeth, showing off her fangs, trying to control her emotions, but she failed miserably, "I donʼt de-deserve…"

"Shh, shh, shh…" Danielle risked and pulled the witch into a tight embrace, sitting on the bed beside her again.

Amity did not return the gesture, still hugging herself, but she did not pull away. The Nurse soothed the tense back with calming gestures and was surprised to realize the Heiress snuggled her face into the crook of the neck until she slowly started to calm down.

"I'll keep you safe, Mija, I promise…" Amity heard Danielle's voice echo in her head.

A sudden vision of the gold light surrounding the older woman, who looked down at her worriedly, flashed before her eyes, making the witch immediately pull away. She shook her head forcefully and roamed the tan face with panic.

"What the fuck!?" The witch thought. Distress filled her heart.

"Miss Blight?" Danielle, sitting beside her, asked, "Are you alright?" Amityʼs ears twitched, and suddenly she looked away.

"Y-yes," The witch replied, "Iʼm just confused. It'll pass," She added, clearing her throat. The human did not believe her, but she knew better than to say what she thought.

"We'll be here whenever you're ready, Cariño," Danielle did her best to sound warm and supportive.

"Pathetic excuse of a daughter…" Odalia's voice haunted Amity's mind, making her stand up rapidly as if something burned her.

"Miss…"

"I have to go!" Amity interrupted the woman, and she hurried toward the door without saying another word.

She stumbled through the room, getting her boots and putting them back on, and hurried through the corridor, rushing to leave this house. She almost ran Luz over on her way, not seeing anything, blinded by the desire to run.

"Woah, where's the fire?" The brunette asked jokingly, but her light expression faded when she noticed the panic written all over the witch's face, "Amity?" She tried to call for her fiancée, but the said woman was already gone, running toward the Clinic as if her life depended on it.

Ghost materialized beside Luz and meowed questioningly. The human sighed helplessly. The cat jumped and sat on her shoulder, purring soothingly and bumping her head in support before Luz turned toward her room, facing Danielle, who stood by the doorframe.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what happened," The doctor said apologetically, looking at her ward with a gaze filled with remorse.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Dani," Luz sighed again, entering the room, "She remembers more after each attack. Her real memories conflict with her fake ones and the things she knows," She explained, cleaning up her desk in the hope of focusing on something other than feeling Amity's inner turmoil.

"How are you hanging with sharing that feeling and pain with her?" Danielle approached Luz, placing a hand on her shoulder and making her ward stop what she was doing. Ghost meowed in agreement with the older woman.

"I'm scared, Dani," Luz placed her hands on the desk and leaned on it, letting her head down in defeat, "I can live with the pain, I can live with the attacks, but I can't live with the idea of not being there for her…" She explained and took a deep, calming breath, "Every memory she recovers leaves her more and more confused, more scared, and more prone to run away and get defensive again," She looked over her shoulder and noticed the Palisman looking back at her with sadness seeping out of the blue eyes.

"Meow?"

"Don't worry, I'm not giving up, Ghost," Luz said with a sad smile.

"You can understand her?" Danielle said, reminding Luz of her presence. The younger woman turned around and leaned her hips on the tabletop.

"Yeah," Luz smirked, tying her hands on her chest, "I discovered that during our road trip," She looked back at the cat and petted the small, white, furry head, earning happy purrs from the creature, "I think that's because I bonded with Amity. So when they bonded, I guess it included me by some extension," She added before facing Danielle again, "But there's no book that would explain it in any way."

"How so?" The doctor could not contain her natural curiosity.

"Every book I found on Bonding Magic, the books that Amity read, says that it's an exchange of magic to connect two souls on the deepest level," Luz said, "They say how to perform the Bond, how to learn to control the sensations, and what the consequences of one person dying are, but none of the authors predicted everything that's happening to us," She explained, chuckling dryly.

"Well," Danielle smiled, "Maybe once this is all over, you can write your book on the topic," She offered. Luz returned the smile, but it did not reach her eyes.

"Yeah…" She whispered dryly, "When it's over," She sighed again, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders, and stood up to start cleaning again, looking for distraction.

Danielle decided it was her cue to leave and let Luz rest. She was worried about how Amity ran away from her but knew she could not bother the young woman. The witch needed space to come to terms with everything happening to her.

In the next two days, Luz did not bother Amity with her presence. She could sense how bad the witch was feeling, mauling the visions she had over and over again. The nights were once again filled with nightmares, worrying everyone with how tired both women looked.

Amity did not dare to admit even to herself that the only moment she could sleep peacefully was with the human beside her. She knew something was pulling her toward Luz, but she was too ashamed and distraught to even think about the reason behind it. So she kept pushing it aside, ignoring it to the best of her ability.

Amity was lost in thought, watching the new Hexside Academy Grudby Team during their training. She did not notice when Skara approached her with a broad, cheerful smile, heaving from the workout.

"Hey, Amity!" The Team Captain greeted the witch, "Fancy meeting you here," She added, smirking friendly.

"Oh, yeah," Amity straightened nervously, "I hope you don't mind?" She asked worryingly.

"Of course not," Skara smiled widely, "I was actually hoping to have a short, friendly match with you after our training," She offered, "Although only Cat is staying, so if you'd get someone to be on a team with you, we could play," She added, "That oughta take your mind off things, huh?" Amity blinked a few times, looking at the other witch dumbfoundedly.

"I don't… I mean… I…" The Heiress paused, sighing heavily, trying to regain control of her speech.

"Just think about it," Skara interrupted, seeing how confused the lavender-haired witch was, "We'll be here anyway, whether you decide to join us or not. The training ends in two hours, so you have plenty of time," She added, and she slowly strutted back to the fields, "I gotta go now, byeeeee!"

"Shit…" Amity thought, letting out a small whimper.

Amity fought herself. Only one person came to her mind when it came to this type of challenge. She groaned at herself in the middle of the forest, feeling torn between her feelings and her responsibility.

"Just get a grip, Blight…" She thought bitterly, walking toward the familiar building, anxious about the confrontation she had to face.

"Come on, Hooty! This isn't a game!" She heard a familiar voice that made her heart stutter.

"Well, I'm having fun, hoot!" The house demon teased.

"Dude, you reek!" Luz's echoed in the distance, and the heaviness on the witchʼs heart slightly lightened.

"You reek too, hoot! You think that citrus perfumes are nice?" Hooty mocked while Luz tried to catch and brush him with a long loofa.

"I like to think they are!" The human jumped forward and summoned the vines with Plant Glyph, immobilizing the demon, "Gotcha!" She exclaimed with pride and started brushing the dirty feathers.

"No, stop, hoot!" Hooty begged for mercy while Luz relentlessly cleaned him from all the dust and mud, and Titan knew what else, "Hoot! Stop! Amity is behind you," He added, noticing the witch, hoping she would save him.

"I'm not falling for that, Hooty," Luz said, but she suddenly stopped washing the demon, "You know, that's actually pretty low. You know she hates me, and it doesn't matter…"

"I donʼt hate you…" Amity's delicate voice startled the human.

"AAAAA!" Luz exclaimed, lifting her right leg and grabbing the loofah like a baseball bat, turning to face the sudden voice, "A-A-Amity?" She asked in shock, disbelief, and embarrassment.

The witch looked at her with slightly amused eyes, even if her expression was still hard and cold. Luz was relieved that Amity was not wearing a suit, looking more like herself than her mother.

"What are you doing here?" Luz straightened, trying to recompose herself, "How long have you been standing here? How much did you hear?" She rambled, making Amity smile delicately.

"Well," The witch drew a spell circle, summoning at least a dozen abomination loofahs, wetting them in the bucket prepared, and helping Luz clean the demon, who screamed as if he were deskinned, "I like your perfumes," She added, blushing up to the tips of slanted ears, flustering the human as well, "But I was hoping you'd like to play a small game of Grudby with Skara, Cat, and I?" She asked, releasing the house demon.

"Freedom!" Hooty squealed, escaping, leaving the two women alone.

"You want me? On the team? With you?" Luz was unsure she heard right.

"I donʼt know if you know how to play Grudby, but I couldnʼt think of anyone else…" The witch rambled, stopping when she noticed Luz's smirk, "Did I underestimate you again?"

"Big time," The human sent her a wide devilish grin, showing off her white-gold fang, her eyes shone with mischief, "Well, I don't have to clean Hooty anymore, thank you for that, so let me just grab my gear, and we can go," She added, and Amity felt herself relax.

She waited patiently before the Owl House, enjoying the serene moment. The house demon eyed her regretfully but did not dare approach the Heiress. The witch chuckled under her breath, shaking her head in disbelief.

"And to think I was nervous to come back…" Amity thought, reminding herself that the human was nothing but kind and supportive toward her. Suddenly, her expression faded, "I made her think that I hate her…" She realized bitterly, vowing to be better.

"Okay, don't wait up for me, Mom! Byeeee!" Luz called into the house, dragging Amity's attention back to reality.

The witchʼs ears twitched when she noticed Luz in the Grudby uniform. Her long, lean, muscular legs were clad in short leggings covered by loose shorts. Her upper body was adorned with a short tee, shoulder pads, and a jacket. No, not a jacket. The jacket.

"W-what the hell, Luz?" Amity stuttered with nervously twitching ears. She eyed the greenish jacket with a gold star on the right side of the chest and an 'L' on the left, "Y-you?! You were a Star Player?" She stuttered in disbelief.

"Short-lived fame. I was never even allowed to play against Glandus," Luz shrugged it off, enjoying the witch's shocked stare. It was not long before the shock faded, and a malicious grin brightened the pale face, "Are you okay?"

"More than okay," Amity whispered in a voice that usually indicated Luz was about to be in trouble, "We're gonna wipe the ground with their bodies," She added, grabbing the tan hand and dragging the human into the forest and toward the Grudby field.

"Titan, you're a competitive spirit, Blight," Luz teased with a chuckle and followed the witch, who returned the affection, enjoying their interaction, forgetting how it hurt her to stay away.

They were halfway through the first half of the match. Luz and Amity had to admit that Skara was pretty good. Her Bard Magic was very effective against Abomination and Glyphs. Cat was not far behind, although she was clearly a much weaker witch than the other two.

"Come on! Where's the fucking Smidge?!" Cat exclaimed, exhausted from the training and a friendly game. She looked furiously at Luz, who chuckled at her frustration, "Whatʼs so funny, human?" She growled tiredly.

"Hey! Don't you 'human' her!" Amity opposed, surprised at how protective she felt all of a sudden.

"Yeah!" Luz agreed with a giggle, "Only Amity can call me that," She teased, enjoying how the lavender-haired witch blushed at the comment. Skara and Cat snickered at the Heiress's expression, "As for the Smidge," Luz mercifully dragged the attention away from Amity, "You have to win fair and square with us," She added with a mischievous glint in her eyes as she snapped her fingers.

"Hoooo-oooot!" Hooty emerged from the ground, holding the Rusty Smidge in his beak before disappearing back into the ground.

"There goes cleaning him," Amity thought with amusement.

"Oh, you're on, Clawthorne!" Skara exclaimed with a smirk, showing off her fangs, wetting her lips with her tongue, readying to whistle.

Luz lowered herself, preparing for the attack, too, loving the challenge. Amity shared a look with Cat, and they smiled sheepishly, following the example of their respective Team Leaders.

"Team Leader, my ass," Amity thought, but she followed Luz's example anyway.

The witch could not help but eye Clawthorne. The human smirked, looking Skara deeply in the eyes and challenging her. Confidence radiated from her as she waited for the game to start. Amity could not help but gawk.

"Gahoooooot!" Hooty reappeared and tossed a ball in the center.

Luz jumped to apprehend the ball. Skara knocked her down with a small whistle. Amity used that moment to sneak the Abomination in between Skara's legs. It made her slip, forcing her into a split.

"Hey!" The Bard witch opposed when the madly giggling Amity retrieved the ball.

The field erupted with fire, making Blight change her course. With a loud thud, she stumbled on Cat's vines, falling hard to the ground, letting the ball off her hands. Luz was not far behind her, retrieving the ball before Skara could.

"Quite dexterous for a human…" Amity smirked, watching Clawthorne run toward the hoop, "Shut up!" She reprimanded herself right in time to hear Luz's voice.

"Amity!" The human passed the ball toward the Heiress, who summoned a large abomination hand, giving her enough time to draw in the dirt.

The ball bounced off the purple slime just in time for Luz to propel herself into the air on the large ice pillar. Skara and Cat could only gawk at the action so quick, smooth, and well-orchestrated that it seemed as if their opponents had played before. They did, but neither Skara nor Cat knew about it, nor Amity recalled it.

The lavender-haired witch watched Luz with parted lips as the human grabbed the ball and used a Fire Glyph to push herself toward the hoop. She dunked, slamming the ball across the goal. Clawthorne grabbed the hoop before falling to the ground.

"Alright!" Amity cheered with childish joy so unnatural to her.

But she did not care. At that moment, she was happy. Luz let go of the hoop and landed on her right knee, feeling its strain before standing back up. Suddenly, Amity's cheer died, and so did her expression when her cheeks lit up in the deepest shade of crimson red.

"Titan, that's not good…" Blight thought, seeing Luz.

Confused by the unfamiliar sensations, the lavender-haired witch gulped heavily, watching Luz use her tee to wipe the sweat off her face before shaking her head to remove excess sweat from her soft, curly, brunette hair.

Amity's ears slanted in submission and covered in dark blush, matching her face. Her expression followed the example when she noticed the human's abdomen muscles strained underneath smooth, caramel skin.

"Wow," Amity did not notice Skara approaching her, wiping the sweat off her forehead, "I didn't know you had it this bad for the human…" She teased with a smirk, watching the Heiress's expression.

"Oh, Luz got herself a keeper…" The Bard witch thought.

"I do not!" Amity immediately exclaimed in an embarrassingly high-pitched voice, unaware of how the magic erupted from her body. She was shocked that anyone would suggest such a depraved thing. Or maybe rather that someone would notice her forbidden attraction, "How dare you even…?" She could not finish the sentence when she felt her temperature rise further.

"Oh, no…" Amity thought when she realized she could not contain her emotions.

"Amity?" Skara hesitantly asked when she noticed a sudden change in Blight's behavior. The Team Captain's expression faded, worried for her friend.

Amity stepped back, feeling hotter by a minute. Her ears fluttered widely, and her breathing increased. She did not notice that the game had stopped. Luz, Cat, and Hooty watched her from a distance, trying not to overwhelm her. The Heiress grabbed her chest, feeling the painful pressure in her bile sac, gasping for air.

"What the hell happened?" Luz asked, quickly approaching Skara.

"I donʼt know!" The witch exclaimed, just as confused as everyone else, "One moment she's ogling you like a piece of meat, and suddenly she's all… This!" She pointed toward Amity, who struggled to keep her breath in check while the purple aura danced around her panicked figure.

Luz refocused on Amity, ignoring the desired piece of information. The witch gasped hard, fangs peeking from underneath her quivering lips. She tugged the tee on her chest, feeling suffocated and paralyzed with fear. The lavender head shook, trying to regain control of her body, but it was clearly not working.

"Get away!" Amity knew she was losing control.

"Stay behind me," Luz addressed Skara and Cat before she stepped toward the lavender-haired witch, "Amity, it's okay. Whatever triggered you, I want you to know I'm here for you…" She spoke softly, but the panicked woman took another step back. Her gasps for air became rasp, but it looked like she was trying to communicate.

"Luz, are you sure…?"

"Shh!" Luz hushed Cat, focusing on Amity's wellbeing.

"M-M-Mother…" Amity choked out, confusing everyone. Luz exchanged looks with Hooty. He disappeared into the ground, knowing his mission now, "Mother…" The witch continued, shaking her head with even more urgency, trying to clear her mind, taking another step back, having more trouble breathing.

"Amity, easy, try breathing with me…" Luz approached her, entering the swirling, warm aura and trying to calm her down.

She placed her hands on the witchʼs shoulders and rubbed her thumbs to soothe the woman. Amity was heaving. Her ears kept twitching while her eyes were empty, roaming the void before her. Suddenly, her knees weakened, and Luz guided her to the ground, unable to maintain her posture.

"C-control," Amity suddenly gasped, "I need to control…" She continued as if she were talking to herself. Luz followed her down to the ground while Skara and Cat watched them from above, confused, "A-a-a-and…" The Heiress gulped loudly, looking away with confusion, "I-I-I… I tried to control… M-m-myself…" She was mumbling to herself when another surge of pain erupted from her chest, "AAAAA!" She screamed, clenching her eyes, snarling, and balling her clothes as if she wanted to rip her skin off of her, unknowingly lengthening her nails.

"Amity! Amity, it's okay…" Luz cooed, carefully forcing the pale face into her hands and watching her fiancée.

"N-no… I'll hurt you again…" Amity cried out, whining in pain at the thought, "Please, you need to run…" She pleaded, briefly regaining clarity of her mind. The gold eyes bore into the hazel-brown, "Please, Luz… GO!" She roared, and the human pulled the witch into a tight hug before the witch could do or say anything else.

Luz's right hand rested on the lavender hair while the left caressed Amity's back soothingly. Their bodies flushed together while they shared their pain, which seemed to increase by a minute.

"Y-you need to leave me…" Amity whispered, letting herself cry.

"I'll never leave you, Amity. I'm always here for you… In any way you need me at the moment," Luz let tears roll down her cheeks, feeling the weight of her words.

She wanted her girlfriend, her fiancée, but if this version of Amity were all she would have, Luz was not the one to complain. She loved the person the witch was more than the idea of their happy ending.

"I'd take that Blight over my Baby any day if that meant she's still in my life…" Luz thought bitterly, never taking her panicked eyes from the love of her life.

"AAAAA!" Amity suddenly fell forward, leaning further into the warm embrace, "I can't control…" She gasped, eyeing Cat and Skara. She forced herself to pull away and finally fixated her golden eyes on Luz, "Please leave me…" She asked, making the human even more heartbroken.

"Cat, Skara, go," Luz addressed the other witches without looking at them, "You know what to do…"

"What about you?" Skara asked.

"I'm not leaving Amity…" Luz looked back at the pale face contorted in pain. The witch gasped for air while her eyes rolled up.

"But…"

"IʼM NOT LEAVING HER!" The human roared, furious that anyone would even suggest otherwise, overwhelmed by the sensations coursing through her body.

The yell made Amity open her eyes, and a slight smirk appeared on the pale face. Yet, the witch could not comprehend her situation. She did not see Skara, and Luz's face disappeared just as quickly. All she could feel was the enormous pressure, begging to be released.

"Amity, listen to me," Luz whispered, leaving comforting caresses on the pale face, "Youʼre safe. Please, you need to let go…"

"I… Can't…"

"You have to!" Luz opposed, feeling the witch's discomfort and hoping to help, "I know you're scared," She placed two hands on Amity's face, caressing her cheeks with her thumbs, "Iʼm here, just let go… I'll keep you safe…" She added.

At that exact moment, Amity's aura erupted with the power she knew only from her dreams. Skara did her best to cover Cat from the powerful blast from the witchʼs body. The Heiress's magic circled her and Luz uncontrollably, scaring everyone.

"AAAAA!" Amity roared, her back arching in pain, but Luz held her close and secure.

"Thatʼs it, let it go…" Luz whispered, pulling the woman into a comforting embrace, "Iʼm not going anywhere," She added. Out of nowhere, she felt Amity's nails dig in her back.

"L-L-Luz…" Amity tried to pull back, looking into Luz's eyes, "I c-c-can't move away… I'm h-h-hurting you…"

"Shh…" Luz cooed, ignoring the warm trickles of blood running down her back, "It's okay, you're okay," She said soothingly, caressing the sweat-covered, sticky hair, "Stop fighting, Amity…" She added, knowing where this was all going. Tears uncontrollably rolled down her cheeks, "Let go, Amor," She did not control her words when she felt the witch's nails in her back.

With those three words, all hell broke loose. Amity roared in pain again, but this time, she was not holding herself back. She surrounded herself and Luz with her magic's bright, purple light. Luz noticed how Skara helped Cat away while the Owl Demon saved her with its magic.

Then, everything went from bad to worse. The memories flashed through Amity and Luz's mind, paralyzing them both. While the witch released her aura, unable to force it back anymore, the human saw the problem at hand.

Amity's vision appeared before the hazel-brown eyes. Luz saw how Odalia controlled her daughter's urges. The memories of punishments the Heiress had to endure for having an interest in other people, hoping for romance, closeness, and love.

"Oh, no…" The human thought.

Luz could see these visions, and as much as she was happy Amity was regaining her memory, she dreaded knowing she was supposed to see herself. Yet, her persona seemed to be removed from these memories, obscured behind the dark veil of Odalia's curse.

"Please… N-no…" Amity gasped. Her back stopped arching, and she fell forward into the human's embrace again, sobbing pathetically, hating herself for it.

"Shh, you're doing great," Luz mumbled, ignoring the nails in the muscles of her back while she let her forehead rest on the witch's shoulder, "Iʼm there… For you," She added supportively, hoping Amity would not notice her exhaustion.

"Hoot!" Luz could not understand the demon, as she was too focused on supporting the witch in her arms, fighting the flooding sensations away.

"L-L-Luz…" Amity gasped between sobs, "T-t-too… M-much…" Her strength was slowly leaving her.

Luz could feel the witchʼs nails leaving her back, and the woman in her arms turned limp. The powerful magic surrounding them disappeared, and the Owl Demon took that as a sign to conceive their power. Amity mumbled something incoherently under her breath while her ears kept twitching nervously.

"Youʼre safe…" Luz whispered, swallowing a sob while tears rolled down her face.

She looked at Amity and could not control her emotions. She cried harder, pulling the unconscious witch into a protective hug, keeping her upper body secure and her head close to her heart. Her tan fingers ran through the sweat-covered lavender locks when she heard people approach her.

"Luz?" Someone asked, but the young woman shook her head, unable to respond.

"Kid, talk to us," Eda knelt beside Luz and touched her daughterʼs back.

Luz hissed in pain and winced, making her mother notice her bleeding wound. Danielle sat on Amity's other side, checking her pulse and breathing, worried about her cheeks covered with feverish blush.

"Sheʼs going to be okay, Luz," Danielle spoke softly, touching Luz's tense arm, "It's gonna be okay, Luz. Tell us what happened?" She asked, nodding at Eda.

"W-we played…" Luz hissed when her mother applied a Healing Spell, "I donʼt know what happened exactly… Skara was with her when it started," She let out a shaky breath and calmed herself down before looking back at the limp witch in her arms.

"Cariño…" Danielle whispered, sympathizing.

"She didn't seize this time," Luz paused momentarily, replaying everything that happened in her head, "Her visions were so clear, but she…"

"She seized, Kid…" Eda interrupted suddenly, "Just because it wasn't all stiff, foamy seizure, it doesn't mean there was none," She explained.

"Is that why she couldn't let go?" Luz asked, feeling the pain in her back disappear.

"Yeah," Eda confirmed, caressing Luz's healed back in comfort.

"She was so scared," The young woman whispered.

"Kid, let's take you someplace safe," Eda offered, and even though Luz nodded in agreement, she did not move.

"Let me help," Danielle offered, retrieving Amity from the hold. Luz slightly struggled against letting go of the witch, "Don't worry. She's safe with me," She added, smiling softly in reassurance.

"There you go," Eda cooed and let her hands sneak under Luz's armpits, "Alleyoop!" She exclaimed, lifting her daughter and helping her stand, "How are you, Kid?"

"O-okay…" Luz whispered, finally finding the courage to look at her mother, "Iʼm so sorry, Mom…" Her voice quivered, "I know I'm a burden…"

"Luz, what the hell?" Eda lifted Luz's face forcefully, interrupting instantaneously, "We've been through this when you were fourteen," She added, watching her daughterʼs face with worry, "You are not and never were a burden!"

"Whatʼs wrong?" Danielle asked, keeping Amity safe in her firm hold. The human approached Eda, watching how the witch inspected her daughter with an anxious expression and slanted ears.

"It would seem her own issues resurfaced this time…" Eda whispered, noting how Luz could not look her in the eye, "Come on, Kid. You need to rest," The witch addressed her daughter, and they all headed out of the Grudby Field.

Danielle walked behind Eda, who carefully guided Luz, and she watched Amity with worry. She recalled the day she thought the witch would kill her. The older human was so scared of the young woman in her arms, but now all she could see was a girl who needed her motherly love and support.

Emira watched Amity sleep in her bed. Eda, Danielle, and Skara separately filled her in on what had happened. The Healer was glad to see her sister go out, try to have fun, and let people into her life. But knowing how it usually ended in her current condition broke the green-haired witch's heart.

"You okay, Hun?" Viney asked, bringing her wife a cup of Brew before kissing her head in support.

"Just worried about her…" Emira sipped her drink, "I just want her to be okay, you know…" She sighed heavily, "I want her to be happy again…"

"Was I…" Amityʼs groggy voice startled the Healers, "Was I happy?" She opened her eyes and faced her sister.

Amity watched how Emira held her wife's hand for support. Once again, she realized she judged Viney too harshly. The brunette was the one helping her sister through everything, helping her stay strong while the Heiress treated her like a pest.

"You used to be," Emira confirmed, dragging her sister from her thoughts.

"Emira… Did mother…" Amityʼs breathing hitched, "Did she…" She clenched her eyes, giving Viney and Emira a moment to exchange worried looks, "Did she control me in…" She exhaled nervously, blinking rapidly to control her tears.

"Amity, take it easy," Emira leaned forward and grabbed her sister's hand, "What did you remember?"

Amity winced, trying to sit up, but her entire body was too stiff even to flinch. She then looked back at her sister and Viney, gathering the courage to speak. The supportive expressions gave her the courage.

"I recalled… Titan, that's embarrassing," Amity chuckled, letting herself show her nerves, "I saw Mother using her Oracle Magic to control who I liked… If I liked anyone… If you know what I mean," She added, quickly looking away.

Emira noticed her sister's ears slant and turn red in a deep blush, twitching nervously. Viney could not hold back her chuckle before she reminded herself what Odalia did to the poor witchling.

"She did… You never told me the details, though," Emira broke the silence, making Amity look back at her with a frightened gaze, "I can't tell you more. You know you have to remember everything on your own…"

"I… I know… S-sorry…" The Heiress's breathing hitched.

Amity tried to lift her hands, slowly attempting to fight the stiffness of her body. She winced and tried again. Emira stood up and helped her sister to a few sips of water, earning a grateful look.

"Youʼre gonna be fine, Amity," Emira caressed the lavender hair, "You will be happy again, but recovery takes time. It's never pretty and can get messy…"

"I hurt Luz again…" Amity interrupted, feeling the guilt resurface, "I just couldn't…"

"Hey, hey, Amity, easy," Emira pulled her sister up into a tight hug, earning a small whimper, "Luz is fine, and you will be too," She encouraged, soothing Amityʼs tense muscles, "Just give it time…"

"I need to get my magic back under control…" Amity pulled back, "I can't let myself lose it like this ever again…"

"Um, you know it's okay to let go sometimes?" Viney spoke up for the first time. Amity glared at her, "You can't keep everything bottled up. It's not safe or healthy for a regular witch, let alone someone as powerful as how you Blights are," She looked at her wife with a smirk.

"I'm not powerful…" Amity whispered. She paused when she saw the hesitant look the Healers exchanged.

"Is that a lie, too?" The Heiress thought.

"You don't know how powerful you are, do you?" Viney whispered in awe. The silence filled the studio for a more prolonged moment before the Heiress broke it.

"So what do you suggest? What should I do?!" Amity squeaked angrily.

The witch did not even realize her mobility had returned to her until she noticed she was sitting on the bed with slightly bent knees, holding her head. She thought over everything she heard, trying to make the best decision.

"You keep fighting your nature, and it's killing you," Emira said softly, "You started your training at the Knee for a reason. Maybe you should go back to that, but now let yourself go. Let yourself feel these emotions, let the magic out, be one with who you are…"

"Why did Mother control me!? Why did she make me feel so ashamed of who I am?!" Amity suddenly exclaimed, angrily throwing her hands in the air, interrupting her sister. She was on the verge of crying, watching Emira look away, "Answer me, dammit!"

"You know, I can't…" The Healer whispered with a heavy heart.

"Did I know why? Before the accident," Amity asked another question, frustrated with the situation.

"I believe you did…" Her sister replied.

"Amity," Viney stepped forward and knelt by her bed, "I tried to keep my distance since you woke up, but I can't watch you do this to yourself anymore. You don't remember, but I wasn't just Emira's wife to you before the accident…"

"Viney, what are you doing?" Her wife hissed at her, worried she would trigger her sister.

"You know what was done to you, even if you are too afraid to let yourself accept it," Viney continued, and Amity watched her with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry…" Amity suddenly whispered. Emira watched the two most important women in her life curiously, "I was so rude to you when you let me stay in your home…"

"Amity…" Emira whispered in disbelief.

"It's our home, Amity," Viney said, smiling widely, "It's been for a while, but you need some time to remember it…" The younger witch's ears twitched as her golden eyes roamed the Healer's face and green, calm orbs, "Take your time. We're not going anywhere."

Amity looked at her sister and then back at Viney. She looked so conflicted, hurt, and confused that neither of the Healers knew what to do. It's always so different when the sickness does not affect your patient but people close to you.

"I…" Amity choked nervously, "I think I'm ready to let go…" She looked up at Emira with determination.

"How can we help?" The older sister asked, smiling supportively.

Emira helped her sister pack for the second attempt at regaining control over her magic. Neither of them knew nor understood why or how Amity lost the ability she learned when she was a very young witchling. That only meant she needed to relearn it. She knew it would be much more difficult this time around with a fully developed and overgrown bile sac.

She left for the Knee early in the morning when Bonesborough was still sleeping, making it easier for her to sneak away, not dragging attention to herself. The last thing she needed right now was some nosy journalist finding out she could not control her magic anymore.

The witch panted with relief when she noticed the ruins of the old city where she had set her camp the first time around. All she wanted to do for now was to set up her tent, rest from her hike, and eat something.

"Took you long enough," Amity screamed, frightened by the sudden sound of a familiar voice.

"Luz!? What are you doing here?" The witch asked, staring at the human who smiled at her cheekily.

Amity had a lot of mixed feelings at that moment. She was happy she did not have to go through her training alone, but at the same time, the Heiress was also frightened she would end up hurting Luz. Again.

"I heard you decided to give your training another shot, so I wanted to make sure you wouldn't anger the Slitherbeast again," Luz said teasingly, approaching the witch and helping her remove the heavy backpack.

"Yeah, right…" Amity faced the human and watched her with a stern, serious expression, "Why are you really here?" She asked. Luz's joking mannerisms faded.

"I'm here to help, Amity," Clawthorne said softly and earnestly. They retrieved the tent and began setting up the camp together, "You know that Lilith is my aunt," The witch glared at her. Still, she did not interrupt, "I could only imagine you wouldn't want her around. She told me how she trained you when you were younger and how to help you now," She explained by the time they finished setting up the camp.

"I donʼt get why you would want to help me…" Amity looked up at the human. Her gaze was full of remorse, "I was so mean, rude, and horrible toward you," She said and clenched her fists on her coat, "If someone's paying you, would you tell me?"

"No one is paying me," Luz quickly replied, not letting the witch spiral into her intrusive thoughts, "You were scared… And I suspect you still are. I know, for a fact, you are a kind person with the biggest heart," She added softly. Amity blushed delicately at the compliment, "I want to be here because in the weeks we spent together, you grew on me. I want to see it through to the end," She explained. The witch looked back at her with a small smile, "Would you let me be there for you, please?" Luz asked, wanting to give Amity a chance to make it her decision.

The witch watched the woman before her. Her pointy ears twitched nervously, and Clawthorne knew she was analyzing all the pros and cons. Luz always adored that expressiveness. Amity bit her lower lip, closed her eyes, and released a long, calming breath.

"Okay," The witch finally choked out, opened her eyes, and looked at Luz, "Please, help me get my life back," She asked, and the human smiled supportively.

"I'll do my best," Luz said softly, making Amity feel safe again, "Let's have breakfast first, okay?" She asked, and the witch disappeared inside her tent.

"I have some rations here…"

"Like hell, we're gonna eat that," Luz scoffed, making Amity pop her head out.

"Huh?" The witch murmured dumbfoundedly.

"If you want to have the strength to train, you need to eat a proper meal," Luz said, digging through her belongings, not wanting to explain these rations were not exactly human-friendly, "Sit, relax, gather strength! I'll cook," She added. Amity could not help but do exactly what she was told.

It felt weird to be taken care of. At the same time, it felt so good it confused Amity all the more. She watched the human set up a small iron pan and some ingredients and start a small fire with her Glyphs. It did not take long before the stew-like dish began to smell so good that the witch's stomach growled angrily, demanding to be fed.

Luz smiled at that but did not mock or comment in any way. She was glad that Amity allowed her to stay and help, so she was about to do everything she could to make it easier for the witch.

By midday, they set up the training area for Amity to relearn how to make the magic flow with each movement. Luz used some Construction Glyphs to prepare a large, smooth area, overseeing the Fallen Titan, and help the witch reconnect with the Island.

It was a sight to behold, and the human could not look away from how Amity moved gracefully, dressed in her training clothes, revealing her porcelain-like pale, scarred body. Luz tried not to stare, but it was not a simple task.

The witch started with powerful hits and kicks, ending with fiery blasts erupting from her hands and feet. Then, the energy changed, and the moves became more delicate and fluid-like. The Abomination Magic erupted the witch's body, moving swiftly around her, becoming one with her movements.

The nature of her movements changed again, and the abomination disappeared. Amity was suddenly surrounded by a swirl of her aura, which erupted at her feet and danced like a small tornado around her body, lifting her hair in an eerie image.

"Titan, she's so powerful…" Luz thought, watching the woman with lips parted in awe.

Then, without warning, the aura's smooth movements faltered, and its intensity increased unevenly, making the witch stop her routine. Whatever was happening, Luz immediately realized something was wrong. If not by the magic's behavior, then by Amity's distress, which she felt too well.

"N-no…" The witch gasped. Suddenly, the magic blasted out of her body, momentarily blinding Luz before it died.

"Amity!" Luz exclaimed with panic. When she regained sight, she noticed the witch on all fours and rushed toward her, "Talk to me," She pleaded, kneeling beside the Heiress, not knowing if she could touch her.

"Ugh…" Amity let out angrily, and her nails lengthened, scratching the ground below her, "I let myself get distracted…" She explained, sat on her heels, and looked at the Titan, ignoring the human's worried gaze.

"Are you sure you aren't hurt?" Luz asked worryingly.

"I'm fine," Amityʼs voice was frustrated, and Clawthorne could not blame her.

Luz watched the determined expression worriedly. Amity's ears were slanted. She looked at the Titan as if she hoped they would guide her. The golden eyes reflected the sun, and the human could not stop thinking about how beautiful the witch was.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Luz asked, hoping to be of any help to the Heiress, chasing her thoughts away.

"I…" Amity looked at Luz, and her ears fluttered anxiously, "I thought about some of the memories I recovered…" She looked away sheepishly.

"Do you want to tell me?"

"It's just so confusing, Luz…" Amity sat on the ground and pulled her knees to her chest, "The more I remember, the more confused I am," She tried to explain. Luz did not dare to interrupt, "The more I remember, the more I am concerned about who my Mother was… What kind of Mother she was…" She added and then rested her forehead on her knees.

"Do you want to tell me what you recalled?"

"No," Amity mumbled into her knees, "I just need to train, that's all," She added coldly, getting up with frustration.

Luz knew that there was no arguing with the witch. She moved away from the training area and observed Amity, trying to pinpoint when her control was faltering and to be as helpful and as supportive as possible.

"Okay, so maybe I want to tell you what I recalled!" Amityʼs frustration suddenly broke the silence after their dinner.

They lay on warm blankets, staring at the vastness of the night sky, illuminated by millions of stars, and leaning on Puddles, who was sleeping peacefully. The human turned her head and watched the other woman.

"That was eating you alive all day, wasn't it?" Luz asked with a chuckle.

"Actually, a whole week," Amity admitted, her gaze never looking away from the stars.

"So tell me," Luz turned to her side and faced the witch, "What do you remember?" She asked and watched Amity gather her courage. The Heiress sighed heavily and turned to the side, facing the human. The comforting hazel-brown gaze helped her relax.

"You see, when I woke up in the Clinic, I thought I knew what's what. And now, with every memory, my worldview is shuttered. I thought I was alone, but I remember there was someone. So where are they? Was it just a fling? Or was I some pathetic slut…"

"Woah, woah!" Luz opposed that language, "Why would you even think that?" She asked, her tone becoming soft again.

"Don't I fit the profile?" The human arched her eyebrow questioningly, "Rich, stuck-up bitch, looking for an affection she didn't get at home," Amity explained, and Luz rolled her eyes.

"We'll get back to this, but tell me what else you remember," Luz said patiently, noticing how Amity's expression faded.

"I remember…" The witch paused, "I think my Mother was not the person I thought she was…" She returned to her back and gazed into the stars again. She closed her eyes and her slanted ears, looking for the courage to continue, "I remember she tried to control me. Every, most intimate part of me…" She clenched her hands on the blankets, trying to control her emotions, "Iʼm scared because, despite everything I know, I feel that those memories are real, and that's what really happened, not the things I thought were true," She added, and Luz watched her carefully.

"Do you want to tell me more?" She asked, and Amity faced her again.

"I feel… Ashamed…" The witch said, watching the scarred eyebrow arch in question. She sighed heavily, "I feel ashamed because… I remember how she punished me for…" She blushed, "For, um, having needs…"

"You don't have to say anymore if you don't want to…"

"I want to… But it's not easy…" Amity looked back at the stars, "She humiliated me in front of my siblings… When they were gone, she did that in front of Boscha… She starved me if I was not… Controlling myself, so to say…" She did her best to explain.

Luz did not ask for more details. She could still remember Amityʼs memory of Odalia's visit as if she had experienced it yesterday. The human knew the Heiress could not be herself at home.

"I'm sorry, Amity," Luz returned to her back as well and gazed at the stars, too, "You didn't deserve any of it…" She added in a whisper, and silence filled the space between them

"Maybe I did…" The witch broke the heavy pause. Clawthorne faced the other woman and felt heartbreak and sadness seeping from Amity's expression, "I think I'll get some sleep before I say too much," She said, standing up and covering Luz with the blanket she had been using for the past few hours.

"Sure, I'll see you in the morning," The human mustered the most optimistic smile she could, "Sleep well," She added, and their eyes met.

"T-Thank you," Amity replied sheepishly, quickly looking away.

Luz watched the other woman disappear in the tent, and she allowed herself to lose her mask of never-ending optimism. She added a few more twigs to the fire and snuggled into Puddles, who purred delicately in her sleep, hoping that tomorrow would be a better day.

A painful tug on the round ear woke Luz up in the middle of the night. She opened her eyes and realized the fire had died and the night had entirely fallen over the Isles. She sat up, wiped the sleep away, and looked at the griffin questioningly.

"What the hell, Puddles?" Luz murmured groggily, and the animal let out a quiet trill, pointing toward the tent with its beady eyes.

Griffin shrugged the human off their body, and Luz understood something was up. She left the covers on the side and fought the coldness of the Knee away, standing up reluctantly. The human entered the tent, and she immediately heard a strained breathing.

Luz retrieved a Light Glyph, and when a delicate glow illuminated the interior, the human noticed Amity lying on her back, breathing hard with her eyes open and her slanted ears twitching irregularly.

"Amity…" The human whispered and immediately approached the witch. She knelt by the top of the lavender head, not knowing how to react, "Amity, shh, I'm here," She took a risk and touched the pale face, running her thumbs across her cheeks.

"N-no…" Amity let out shakily, and her eyes lit up with a purple glow.

Luz froze. She watched the witch arch her back and clench her fists on the blanket. She could feel the ears tremble under the lavender hair. The human started shushing and caressing the pale face again, hoping that would help the Heiress.

"L-l-let me out…" Amity mumbled through clenched teeth, and for a moment, Luz could have sworn the Light Glyph had disappeared.

"Let me out! I have to…" Amityʼs voice echoed through the darkness while the pale hands scratched the metal-like wall before her.

"Now, now, Mittens," Amityʼs voice filled with mockery replied from the other side of the wall, "Mother wouldn't want you to humiliate yourself like that…"

"Shut up! Mother is dead, and you're not stopping me from getting out!" Amity growled out, lengthened her nails, and scratched again with more determination.

"Ugh…" Luz shook her head, blinked rapidly, and chased the vision away, "Thatʼs it, Amity, fight," She whispered, encouraging the witch.

"Meow?" Ghost suddenly appeared beside them, and she sat beside her witch.

"It's no memory, Ghost," Luz replied quietly, "I think she accidentally accessed her Mind Scapes," She added worriedly, but her caresses never faltered.

"Mrawr?"

"No, I shouldn't interfere without support. Her Doppelgänger almost killed me once already," Luz replied thoughtfully, "We just need to support her, help her through…" She added and looked around the tent.

"I need to make sure she won't hurt herself…" Clawthorne thought, devising a plan while watching the witch shake in her sleep.

"Ghost, get me those pillows," Luz asked, pointing at the giant pillows at the side of the tent. The cat complied and pulled the required object with her teeth, "Okay, now let's make sure she's covered with a blanket," She added when she started getting more comfortable.

Luz sat behind the sleeping woman, spread her legs, and pulled the witch close into a hug, keeping her fiancée's back on her stomach and her head on her chest. They sprawled on the giant pillow, and Clawthorne held Amityʼs trembling body tightly. Ghost circled them, ensuring they were covered securely with a warm blanket.

"I… C-c-can't…" The witch slurred, and her body stiffened again.

"Shh… You can. You can do anything you put your mind to…" Luz cooed and tightened the embrace, holding the shaking hands securely and watching the tense body with worry.

"I need to get out!" Amity roared.

"You won't. Just get used to it, Mittens…" The Doppelgänger teased from the other side.

Amity clenched her fists and let out a low, frustrated growl. She closed her eyes and could have sworn she felt her hair flow up. When she opened her eyes again, her entire body was surrounded by a swirling aura, illuminating the room she was kept in.

Amity was about to assault the wall, which she recognized to be a massive vault door, when she noticed things cluttered in the room with her. Things that were not supposed to be forgotten.

Luz watched the witch's aura erupt and swirl around the inside of the tent, lifting little pieces of paper notes in the air. Amity trembled and mumbled in her dream, but the human was not about to wake her up, too scared of the consequences. She hushed, cooed, and caressed the lavender hair, trying to help her fiancée through the night.

The cold Knee air entered the tent and caressed the pale face. Amity's brows scrunched, and she let out a small grunt. It took her a moment to realize that she was warm and comfortable despite the chilly wind on her face. She turned to the side, not realizing she was hugging a warm body.

The golden eyes cracked open, and Amity's ears slanted in fear, hoping the human was not aware of the way she hugged her. But she did not pull away. She purred quietly, reveling in the pleasant sensation. When she realized Luz was left to sleep outside, her purrs died, and her dreamy expression faded instantaneously.

"Luz!? What the hell?!" Amity exclaimed in shock, jumping away from the embrace, "Wh-why…? I mean…" She asked the moment Luz opened her eyes and wiped the sleep away.

"Shit, sorry, Amity," The human gasped nervously, "I was hoping to leave before you wake up…" She paused, realizing she was rambling and not really explaining, "You were screaming at night. Puddles woke me up, and I came over to calm you down. I'm sorry, I fell asleep…"

"What?" Amityʼs voice cracked, and the human gulped nervously.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…"

"You came over to calm me down?" Amity interrupted. The hazel-brown eyes roamed the pale face questioningly.

"Y-yeah…" Luz confirmed reluctantly, "Iʼm sorry for abusing your boundaries. I was hoping to help… Ugh!" The witch threw herself in a rib-crushing, breathtaking hug.

"Shut up," Amity whispered, desperately clutching the human's clothes.

"Wh-what's going on?" Luz asked worriedly as she hesitantly returned the embrace. She soothingly circled the witch's back, seeing as the more petite woman needed it.

It took Amity a moment before she pulled away, averting the warm gaze, ashamed of herself. The witch clenched her clothes and cleared her throat. The pointy nervously slanted ears slightly twitched before she found the courage to look up at the human.

"I was never…" Amity paused, rephrasing what she wanted to share, "I donʼt remember anyone ever caring for my sleep," She cleared her throat again, "When I…" She looked aside, trying to control the tears swelling in her eyes, "If I ever woke up anyone because of a bad dream, I…" She could not continue.

"You were punished," Luz finished the sentence. The lavender head nodded in confirmation, her expression filled with shame, "Thatʼs why you are always so defensive and reluctant to ask for help…" She stated rather than asked.

"I'm sorry, Luz," Amity whispered, but the human was not having it.

"No, Amity," The human interrupted sternly, "Iʼm sorry my presence startled you. I shouldn't be here without your consent…"

"Okay, stop!" Amity exclaimed, shocking the human, "Yes, you startled me, but you were just trying to help," She looked at Luz with a sharp gaze, "Thatʼs what you always do. You help me. Emira is scared of me, Viney keeps her distance, Danielle's dating your mom, Skara is confused, Willow is not who I remember her to be, Boscha tried to rape me…" Luz's chuckle enraged the witch, "Whatʼs so funny!?" She snapped, blushing in anger.

"Have you noticed how many people you have listed?" The human asked, smirking knowingly, "Youʼre not alone, Amity. Yes, Emira is scared, and others may have their issues, but they all try to be there for you… If you would only let them in," She added. Amity's face was shocked, and her jaw slacked.

"So why do I feel safe only around you?" The witch asked, squinting in suspicion. Luz was sure she turned just as pale as the woman before her.

"Hoot!" The Owl Demon scolded her. The human's expression immediately changed into a mask of confidence.

"I guess that's just my charm, Princess," She teased, wiggling her brows. Amity slightly blushed but understood the human was uncomfortable with the question and tried to avoid it, "Come on, Blight. Let's get some breakfast," She added, getting up to leave the tent.

"Breakfast?" Amity parroted with confusion.

"Yes, breakfast. Griffin eggs would do you good. You know, we have a Griffin with us," Luz explained, making the witch snort.

"I'll be right out," Amity promised, feeling strangely at home with how the human treated her.

"Such a weird being… Person," The witch corrected herself, shaking her head in disbelief.

Amity reveled in the feeling of safety and familiarity around Luz. It was strange, but it felt right. The witch knew she needed more time to understand it, but she could not deny how much she trusted the human and wanted her around.

After finishing their meal, Amity returned to her tent to change into her training clothes. Luz did her best not to gawk at the witch. As the Heiress sat on her heels on the large boulder, breathing regularly, trying to control her magic, the human found the pale body divine.

"You're staring, Clawthorne," Amity noted, and Luz looked aside, pretending she was not, "I can feel it, you know?" She explained. Yet, she did not even flinch.

"I'm sorry. I'm just curious," The human explained, hoping to be of assistance, "I have never seen a Wild Witch training…"

"A Wild Witch?!" Amity squeaked in surprise, snapping her eyes open. Her magic disappeared, and she looked at Luz in outrage.

The human gulped nervously, trying to understand if she insulted the Heiress in any way. Amity blinked dumbly and looked like she was trying to comprehend what she had just been called.

"Why would you call me a Wild Witch?" The witch asked, forcing herself to control her tone.

"Um…" Luz looked aside. Her face flushed with a nervous expression.

"Luz?" Amity urged, "Please, talk to me," She added. The softness of her voice encouraged the human to look at the other woman, "It seems you know something you were not supposed to tell me," She said. Luz clenched her jaw, confirming the suspicions.

"What do you remember about your power, Amity?" The human asked. She climbed the boulder to sit before Amity and talk her through the slip of her tongue.

"I'm not sure I understand what you ask about," The witch admitted, "I remember I was never too powerful. There's a reason Willow called me half-a-witch, right?" She said, feeling uncomfortable under the human's intense gaze.

"So why did you come to train here? I mean, first time around," Luz asked, and Amity tied her brows.

"I hurt Skara…" The witch looked aside shamefully, "She wanted to help me. I panicked, and I hurt her," She explained.

"And how did you anger the Slitherbeast?" Luz asked, hoping to guide Amity to the conclusion.

"I couldn't control the magic…" The witch admitted, "I tried a simple Fire Spell, and it felt like my bile sac swelled, releasing the power I never possessed…" She paused and blinked blankly, looking back at the human before her.

"Amity?" Luz asked worriedly, unsure what was happening, "Are you okay?" She added, not knowing what to do.

Amity looked at her scarred forearms and stood up. Her ears fluttered anxiously, her brows tied in a frown, and she looked at the human, who watched her with honest-to-Titan worry. The witch's breathing hitched at the mere consideration of what went through her mind.

"Luz…" Amity whispered shakily, "Why would anyone lead me to believe I'm weak?" She asked. Luz stood up, understanding what the witch had in mind, "When I woke up, I couldn't even do magic…" She added, shaking her head, thinking of the possibilities.

"Amity?" Luz hoped to help the nervous woman calm down.

"You are the only person who doesn't look at me like I'm a magical time bomb," The witch continued.

"How can I help?" Luz closed the distance between them and took a gentle hold of the pale palms.

"Stand back," Amity replied. Her voice suddenly determined. The hazel-brown eyes roamed the witch's face, unaware of what she had planned, "Something was blocking me yesterday. I want to push through it," She explained, her voice more reassuring.

"I'll be right here if you need me," The human replied with an equal amount of worry and support.

Amity nodded in gratitude and waited for the human to leave the boulder. She then concentrated on the sensation of magic coursing through her. She moved with grace, experiencing the different densities of energy. The warmth of raw power guided her.

Luz recognized the pattern, and when she noticed the familiar movements, she was shocked to see that the witch had not fallen this time. Amity continued, but fear entered her heart when she realized she could not stop herself.

Her turns and kicks continued, and the fuchsia energy roamed the pale body more fervently. Luz felt the heat of the magical fire on her body and noticed the witch's fearful expression. She did not know what to do.

"Amity?" Luz whispered, hoping to help the witch pause and take a break.

"No, Luz!" Amity exclaimed, her voice shaking with fear, "Run!" She added, sending a giant fireball at the human.

Luz paled, seeing the massive fuchsia inferno. There was nowhere to run and hide in time. She acted on instinct. The human retrieved a Fire Glyph and accepted the blow. The spell's power pushed her back, forcing her to fight against the energy.

Luz felt the heat in her fingertips and smelled the burned leather of her glove. She could not see anything past her hand, and she understood she needed to act before the power of the Glyph would run out.

"Luz!" Amity's worried call mixed with the Owl's chirps.

"Fuck…" Luz thought, realizing she had to redirect the spell before it would be too late.

"AAAAA!" The human roared when she straightened her hand toward the sky, releasing the Fire Spell into the clouds and triggering a snowfall.

"Luz!" Amity's worried voice made it to the human's ears, but she could not react.

The witch rushed toward Luz, her heart pounding hard against her chest, filling her with worry. The last thing she noticed was her magic flying toward the human, and then suddenly, it was directed into the sky.

The clouds darkened their surroundings. Everything stopped when the witch realized what had happened as Luz guided the inferno into the sky. Amity saw the human wobble, holding her right hand, which shook in pain, oozing dark crimson blood. The Heiress rushed forward, making it in time for the hurt woman to fall to her knees.

"Oh, Titan! Luz, I'm sorry!" The witch knelt before the human. She wanted to touch Luz but was too scared to do anything. She was shocked she felt a strange pain in her hand, too.

"What the hell?" Amity panicked, realizing her fingers tingled with pain while she was not hurt.

"It's okay…" Luz whispered, looking into the golden eyes, smirking slightly, "It was my fault…" She added, but Amity was not having that.

"Come on, let me help," The witch offered, helping Luz up, trying to ignore how the other woman's pain affected her.

"You had your brain fried. That's it. You're officially crazy, Blight," The Heiress reasoned with herself, taking hold of Luz.

The human whimpered in discomfort, holding her hand as she cooperated. Amity guided her back to the camp, where she helped her sit by the fireplace, which she started with a small spell circle, warming them up.

Luz rested her head back and realized Puddles warmed her from behind, letting out pleasant vibrations as she purred. The hazel-brown eyes refocused on the woman before her, realizing Amity removed the remains of her glove.

"Stay still, Luz," The witch instructed. She drew a spell circle and focused on the burned fingers.

"Mmmm…" Luz mewled in pain. Her legs kicked the snow, but her hand remained immobile.

Amity continued the Healing Spell, trying to ignore the emotions and sensations rushing through her when she heard the human's pained cry. The witch did not understand why she felt a deep sense of emptiness filling her chest at the thought of hurting the woman she healed.

"All done," Amity finally said and released the hand. She sat beside Luz and pulled her knees up to let her chin rest, "I'm sorry," She whispered, looking away, fixating her gaze on the Fallen Titan.

"Don't…" Luz gasped. She eyed the woman and noticed her closed-off position, "Thank you for healing me," She added and saw how the pointy ears slanted in shame, "Do you want to tell me what happened?" She asked, but the silence was the only answer she received.

The snow stopped falling. The dark clouds disappeared as the atmosphere released the surplus of the magical charge. After what felt like an eternity, Amity let her knees to the sides, sitting cross-legged, and sighed heavily.

"I don't know how to explain it to someone who doesn't have a bile sac," The witch said, never looking away from the Titan, "But I felt something was blocking me. Always at the same moment… I don't fully understand why, but it made me afraid. As if something bad would happen…" Luz did not dare to interrupt.

The human observed the woman beside her. Amity stared at her hands as if blaming herself for all the bad that happened. The pointy ears slanted anxiously, and the dark brows tied in frustration.

"I know you can't tell me anything but…" The witch paused, looking up at the Fallen Titan, "I feel like my memories were altered. I kept thinking why the hell do I feel so comfortable around you?" She blushed a little, "You helped me follow my instincts from day one," She faced Luz, "I always feel… Myself…" She looked back down at her hands and sighed heavily.

"What are you trying to say?" Luz asked, not following.

"With every memory you help me unlock, I feel more like myself, Luz," Amity explained, "I noticed that in the Clinic," She added, "When I was released and you…" She paused, looking up at the warm hazel-brown orbs that were always there for her, "I felt so lost," She wiped unshed tears and looked away shamefully, "I realized that when you came over to the Manor…" The lavender head shook in disbelief, "I can't admit how safe I suddenly felt… It's so confusing…"

"I'm glad," Luz said softly. Amity looked at her confusedly, "That you feel safe, not that you're confused," She smiled, and the witch chuckled a little.

"Dork," Amity whispered with amusement.

Luz was surprised to realize the witch was leaning on her shoulder. The human stiffened momentarily. Unsure how to proceed, she decided to embrace Amity. The shorter woman sighed heavily and melted into the reluctant hug. Her small purr encouraged Clawthorne to continue. A freshly healed hand rubbed the pale, bare arm.

"Amity, you're freezing cold," Luz noticed. The purrs stuttered and died.

"Oh… I stopped being cold a few hours ago…" The witch replied with shame.

"Dang it, Amity," Luz pulled back. She removed her glove and touched the pale face, making it blush.

"What are you…" Amity tried to ask, but the human was already on high alert.

"Youʼre freezing. I need to warm you up," Luz ran toward Amity's tent, "Do you have that potion that burned my stomach?" She asked but received no answer, "Amity?" She urged.

The silence frightened the human. She clumsily stumbled out and fell to all fours when she noticed Amity lying on her side beside Puddles. The griffin trilled nervously and covered the pale body with her wing.

"Let me check her, Puddles," Luz approached the witch.

The griffin lifted her wing, and Luz was relieved to see Amity breathe evenly and shiver. The human touched the pale forehead and worried there was no reaction. A small whimper left the chilled body, and the human determinedly tied her brows.

"Okay, that's enough," Luz decided to act.

The human scooped Amity off the ground, and the witch leaned into the warm embrace. Puddles trilled, standing up. The griffin shook her body, straightened her wings, and waited for Luz to bridle her.

"Mmmmnnngghhhhh…" Amity whimpered when a painful shiver passed her body.

"Come on, Puddles. We need to hurry," Luz urged the griffin as soon as she secured the witch in her embrace.

Amity unknowingly leaned further into the human, searching for warmth. Luz frowned worriedly and removed her chimera coat, hoping her body warmed it enough to help the witch. She watched the Heiress intensely. Her mind played games on her.

Luz could have sworn that the witch knew who she was to her. The way she snuggled in and mumbled the human's name in her sleep while clenching the tan arm and sniffing the lemon scent lingering on the coat gave her hope.

"Luz?!" Danielle's voice pulled her ward from her thoughts.

"Huh?" Luz did not notice when her legs automatically brought her to the first floor of the Clinic, "Iʼm sorry," She mumbled, realizing she worried the older woman, "Iʼm afraid she may be hypothermic," She explained in time for Viney to approach them.

"Not here," The Healer said, guiding them to a free exam room, "Lay her down," She gestured to the bed, closing the blinds, knowing how Amity was sensitive to light and not wanting anyone to know she was hurt, "Now tell me what happened," She asked, drawing a spell circle.

"She was training at the Knee. We then sat and talked. I didn't even notice she could have been cold until she…" Luz paused, blushing, averting Danielle's gaze, "Um, she lay on me, and I hugged her…"

"Thatʼs when you noticed she was cold?" The older human asked, and Luz nodded in confirmation.

Viney opened the coat and noticed Amity's skin pinked with cold. The younger witch whimpered in discomfort and shivered. Her nails lengthened, and her hands searched for the warmth that was taken from her. The Healer smirked and closed the coat again.

"Good instincts, Luz," Viney said, facing the human, "Covering her with the coat warmed up with your human body heat…" She smiled proudly, "You may have saved her life, but her core temperature is dangerously low," She added. Luz scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief.

A low, stuttering purr got their attention. They stifled their delicate laughter when they noticed Amity turn to the side and snuggle her face into Luz's coat. The pale hands clenched her furry collar, and the pointy ears twitched before relaxing.

"Do you want to admit her?" Danielle broke the silence.

"No. She's not hurt nor malnourished. She only needs to warm up, and she can do it in her studio," Viney approached a small chest of drawers, "Here," She returned to Luz, "Make sure she drinks this and help her warm up," She instructed.

"I'll get you a thermometer I brought to the Clinic," Danielle offered.

Luz smiled, feeling all the support the women were offering. She looked down at the sleeping, shivering witch and took her to the studio. Emira was nowhere in sight when they passed through the living quarters.

"Luz…" Amity muttered in her sleep.

"Amity?" Luz knelt by the witch's bed. The golden eyes opened reluctantly, "Hey there. I need you to drink this…" Amity tried to sit up abruptly, "Easy, easy," The human's warm smile offered her a sense of safety, "You got a little too cold, but it's okay…" She explained, "I brought you home," She added, seeing panic in the witch's eyes.

"Thank you…" Amity gasped shakily, relaxing immediately.

"Anytime… Princess," Luz teased a little to conceal her worry, opening the vial.

Amity accepted the medicine, and her body began to shake deliriously. She did not understand what was happening to her. Her nails lengthened, her slanted ears twitched in panic while her filled-with-fear eyes roamed the room.

"Everything's alright, Amity. Calm down," Luz realized her fiancée's agitation, "The potion is warming you up, so you will start shivering before you regain…"

"H-h-help…" Amity gasped, alerting Luz.

"Okay, okay, okay, stay calm," The human said sternly, "I'll help you warm up, Amity," She removed her trousers and tee. Only her underwear and the Concealment Stone remained. The witch could have frozen in embarrassment if her body was not shivering so fervently, paralyzing her with pain, "Don't get flustered. It's a very primitive but successful human survival method," Luz explained.

"W-w-what…?" Amity tried to ask.

"It's called a body heat transfer," The human said informatively, "It would work best if I could remove the outer layer of your clothing, but it's okay if you…"

"O-o-okay…" Amity choked, nodding, desperate for those painful shivers to end.

Luz froze at the consent. She blinked dumbly before a tiny hoot urged her to act. The human knelt beside the bed and gazed into the golden orbs. She could feel her nerves mixing with the witch's fear and discomfort.

"I'm going to remove your trousers, Amity," Luz informed, and the hurt woman nodded in agreement, "Then I'm going to help you under the covers and hug you. My body temperature should help the medicine get you out of hypothermia," She explained.

"J-j-just m-m-make it s-s-stop," Amity begged, her eyes filled with tears.

Luz did not say anything else. She knew how the muscle spasms hurt. Amity tried to assist in her trouser removal, but the witch only got in the way. The human slightly blushed when she glanced at the Heiress's body, contrasting the dark violet bed covers.

"It's going to be better soon," Luz reassured, crawling into the bed. She did not know if Amity blushed or if she was heating up, "If you feel uncomfortable, let me know. I just want to help you," She reassured the other woman.

"D-d-don't go…" Amity whimpered, facing the human with a flustered expression. She could not care less about her shame, "Iʼm…" She gasped, clenching her eyes, "Iʼm s-s-scared…" She admitted with indignity.

"Shh, shh, it's okay, Amity," Luz cooed, pulling the witch into an embrace, "Iʼm not going anywhere. Try to relax. My heat should help you get better soon," She whispered, and Amity snuggled into the embrace. The pale body tried to get as much contact with the warm one as possible, "I know it hurts…" She tightened the embrace, "But you're safe…"

"I…" Amity tried to speak, "I.. I was c-c-cold…" She stuttered, returning the hug desperately. Luz frowned, confused with what the witch had in mind, "M-m-my clothes… Wet…"

"Oh, no…" Luz thought, realizing what was happening.

"Amity, you're safe," She tried to reassure the woman. The witch stiffened, and her back arched.

"C-c-can't drown…" Amity gasped, "I h-h-have to… G-g-give sign…" Luz pulled the woman closer, trying not to think of the night she almost lost her fiancée.

"Youʼre safe, Amity," The human repeated reassuringly, tightening the hold on the pale body. The witch incomprehensibly mumbled while Luz tucked them in tightly, "I promise to keep you safe," She added more to herself.

Amity shook deliriously, unable to do or say anything. Her mind played tricks on her, showing her some strange visions the witch could not accept to be true. Luz closed her eyes and focused on the shared sensations. She saw her fiancée's memories.

The human's mind was flooded with visions of the green trees, the blue skies, a large bonfire, the cold lake, and an urgent need to fight. Luz saw Odalia hiding between the trees, recalling how Amity claimed she did so. She felt the burning sensation around her wrists and saw the magic-restricting shackles.

"Amity?" Luz slightly pulled away to look down at the witch in her embrace.

"Shit…" The human thought in fear.

A magenta glow covered the golden eyes before they rolled up. The cold, shivering body stiffened suddenly, and Luz gulped, knowing what was happening. She pulled Amity back into a hug, securing the lavender head.

"N-n-no!" The witch choked out.

The lengthened nails found their way to the tan back, digging in. Before Luz could have roared in pain, Amity seized violently, arching her spine. The pink lips parted despite clenched jaw and released a desperate huff of air, mewling pathetically.

Luz could not hold any longer. She tried to keep the witch safe, but the combination of the pain in her back and Amityʼs vibrant visions overwhelmed her. The human could have sworn she tried to hush reassuringly, but everything turned black before she could think of another thought, leaving the witch alone with another attack.