(no subject)

[soulfulsin]

Fandom: Fairly Oddparents
Canon or AU: AU of an AU

Fic: (based on) The Nameless/Back to Black (one-shot)

A/N: I know, I know. I haven’t updated in forever. I’ve been busy irl, for one thing. For another, I forgot where I was in the actual fic, and I’ve been trying to return to it in the giant document I’m editing. I’m almost there, so fingers crossed that I might be able to get somewhere this week.

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The Fairy World Council knew something was wrong on Earth, specifically in Dimmsdale. The Unseelie Court became prominent, imprisoning fairy godparents and holding them captive within the city. Moreover, Asmodeus controlled Wanda Cosma, prohibited her from granting wishes, and isolated Cosmo from her and their godson. They knew Asmodeus was abusing Wanda, something Jorgen pointed out at least once daily. The Fairy World Council needed to step in, but to do so would be declaring war on The Unseelie Court. So, they continued to dither.

Jorgen warned them that Asmodeus gathered his strength while they prolonged their decision. Moreover, the longer they took, the more things would spiral out of control. Irritated with Jorgen’s meddling, one of the Council members decided to visit Dimmsdale if only to silence him.

The Unseelie Court’s base in Dimmsdale was The Lotus Hotel, so that was where the Council member arrived. Dark magic swirled around the building, enough to choke on. Accompanying that magic was the almost palpable sense of misery. Perturbed, the Councilman walked up to the front door. It didn’t open, which was hardly a surprise. Asmodeus wouldn’t permit a Seelie fairy to stride in, especially if they intended to help his captives.

Blasting the front door didn’t work either, to his surprise. A pink glow shimmered around the door, and the Councilman growled. Asmodeus had co-opted Wanda’s magic to prevent intruders from stopping by. However, Wanda’s magic was inferior to the Councilman’s own. Unfortunately, this meant he needed to focus harder on breaking the seal. He had to figure out how the spell worked and then unravel it.

After a minute, he had the proper counterspell, undid the lock, and stepped inside. He needed to locate Cosmo, Wanda, and Timmy to see whether things were as bad as Jorgen claimed. He thought Jorgen was exaggerating, although Fairy World’s enforcer was not known for it. Perhaps it was more that the Council didn’t want to face the truth--the situation was dire.

It took him little time to locate the few light magic sources within the hotel. The one furthest from the lobby, on the top floor, flashed erratically in his mental vision. Since he figured poofing in and out of floors was probably more trouble than it was worth, he opted to take the elevator.

It didn’t work. Nothing lit up, and the irritated Councilman poked the button harder.

“Did you really think it would be that easy?” a coldly amused voice called. The Councilman whirled; Asmodeus stood near him with Wanda pressed against his side. He carelessly dropped her to the floor as if she were a toy he no longer had any interest in.

“I’m surprised Fairy World bothered to show up,” Asmodeus sneered. “I thought they didn’t care.”

The Councilman ignored him. Wanda hadn’t moved; Jorgen had mentioned a curse preventing her from having free will. Along her left arm were scars that looked like tally marks. Wanda was taller, about adult human height, and lacked her crown and wings. Her face was gaunt, with bags under her eyes, and he sensed magical corruption within her. The dark magic was beating out the light and, at the moment, causing her physical distress.

He hadn’t intended to feel sorry for her. He’d arrived here to disprove Jorgen’s story. Instead, he focused on Wanda. He’d never seen a fairy in such abject misery. Wanda’s lips quivered; her eyes, which were apparently the only thing she could move, focused on him like he was her last hope. The Councilman was morose; they never should have let things go so far downhill.

Still disregarding Asmodeus, the Councilman stepped closer to Wanda. Her breath hitched like she was suppressing tears.

“Release her at once,” the Councilman snapped.

“She’s mine,” Asmodeus scoffed. “My conquest. Isn’t that right, Seelie bitch?”

The Councilman’s chest burned with fury. Wanda nodded against her will. He saw the pain in her eyes. Snarling, the Councilman redirected the dark magic flowing through the hotel, twined it with light magic, and sent it arrowing toward Asmodeus’s heart. He was not playing games anymore.

Asmodeus swept most of the attack aside, but a small sliver slipped through. Gasping, he clutched his chest and glared pure murder at his opponent.

“She belongs to me,” he snapped.

Wanda rose unsteadily; one of the marks on her arm was bleeding. As she pushed herself up, she winced. When her slit dress shifted, the Councilman saw bruises lining her thigh. They had waited too long. While the Councilman was almost positive he could defeat Asmodeus alone, he would rather have a backup if Asmodeus drew magic from his allies.

Therefore, squeezing his wand, he signaled the other Council members to attend him. Now. He did this surreptitiously, keeping his wand out of sight. He didn’t intend to let Asmodeus know what he was doing until it was too late to stop it.

“You don’t even miss Fairy World, do you?” Asmodeus scoffed at Wanda. He gripped her right arm tightly enough to bruise it. Then he dug his nails into her skin, and she hissed. The Councilman knew Wanda wanted to throw him off but had no choice. She was magically bound to him.

Asmodeus shook her hard and then slapped her across the face.

“Answer me, bitch.”

“No, I don’t,” Wanda lied, but her eyes gave it away. She was pleading for help.

The message had gone out. Whether his fellow Councilmen would arrive was another story. They should have no trouble joining him since he’d broken the magical lock on the door. He hadn’t been able to convey more than an urgent need for aid. They would check his location and determine whether the emergency was legitimate. It might behoove him to play for time.

While he intended to check on Timmy and Cosmo, he had no desire to leave Wanda to Asmodeus’s depredations. Therefore, he squeezed his wand and brought them to the lobby. Unfortunately, Timmy wasn’t alone. With him came Lorenzo, who had pinned him to the floor, spread his legs, and was molesting him.

Cosmo floated there, insensible to his surroundings. If the Bond was intact between him and Wanda, feeling everything she’d endured would have driven him insane. Sadly, that might make him the lucky one.

Wanda snarled, blasting Lorenzo off Timmy. Lorenzo slammed into the nearby wall. Wanda tried to pursue him, but Asmodeus wrenched her wand arm behind her back. She yelped as he twisted it further and further, almost to the breaking point.

“You do not act on your own,” Asmodeus snapped. “Do you understand?”

Timmy didn’t realize he’d been rescued. Instead, bleeding profusely, he curled into a ball on the floor and wept. Wanda strained to reach him, and Asmodeus snapped her arm. She screamed, which brought Timmy and Cosmo back to reality.

“Wanda?” Cosmo said, sounding thunderstruck. It might have been the first time the two had looked at each other in months.

For his part, Cosmo was unharmed. The Unseelie Court wasn’t interested in him as much as Wanda. He had bags under his eyes too, and he was also gaunt. However, he retained his wings and crown.

“I said, do you fucking understand me, bitch?” Asmodeus snapped and shook her by the broken arm. Wanda tried to suppress her scream, but it escaped anyway.

“Timmy…” she whispered despondently. Disgusted, Asmodeus flung her to the floor beside her godson. Cosmo glanced at his family and growled, surging forward to attack Asmodeus. The Councilman froze him and breathed a relieved sigh when two more members joined him. Another two arrived shortly thereafter. Five against one were the kind of odds he favored.

“What is this? A group meeting?” Asmodeus snapped. Wanda was trying to drag herself to Timmy’s side; he wept, scrubbing away his tears so he could see her and grab her good arm. Wanda pulled him tightly against her chest.

The trauma those three had endured…

Asmodeus, seeing that Wanda was still disobeying him, perhaps forgetting to compel her to stop, wrenched Wanda away from Timmy. He kicked Timmy in the small of his back to punt him away. Cosmo glanced between Timmy and Wanda; he couldn’t move, but it was obvious he would’ve been paralyzed by indecision. His lower lip quivered, especially when he counted the marks on Wanda’s arm.

“I see Jorgen was understating his case,” another Council member murmured beside him. He nodded; behind him, he sensed two more arrivals. The seven of them raised their wands and held Asmodeus in place. Asmodeus snarled; he might've had a chance against one or two of them. When held by multiple Council members, he was helpless.

That didn’t mean he didn’t try. He struggled toward Wanda’s discarded wand on the carpet. Sweat broke out on his face as he pushed against the light spell. The Council simply increased their strength until Asmodeus hung limp, barely breathing. The Councilman briefly considered ending it there, suffocating the Unseelie king. It wasn't like the bastard didn’t deserve it.

Instead, scowling, he demolished the hotel and sent everyone back to where they should’ve been. The Unseelie Court fairies who were left would be brought to Fairy World for trial. That went for Asmodeus too.

Wanda scrambled for her wand, held it up, and poofed off. The Councilman groaned. Right. The curse. It would’ve compelled her to follow Asmodeus. Groaning, he brought Timmy and Cosmo along and dressed Timmy. He also healed the injuries he’d sustained, thanks to Lorenzo.

Someone in Fairy World would know how to remove the geas. Unfortunately, he thought he might have to consult Big Daddy for that.

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Wanda was floundering. Thanks to the curse, she’d rushed to Asmodeus’s side, but Abracatraz had knocked her back into the street. This had never happened before. It was physically impossible to reach him; she didn’t possess enough magic to break through the wards. The curse had not been implemented while allowing for contingencies. It felt like a heavy weight had landed on her chest, and she could barely breathe.

“Wanda!” Timmy and Cosmo cried, but their voices were distant. To her confusion, she thought she heard babies wailing too. Someone was clinging to her; her vision faded out. The weight turned into water filling her lungs. It was hard to draw enough breath.

She squeezed her wand in one last ditch effort to satisfy the geas, but it deflated in her hand. Gasping like a fish out of water, she fainted into the cobblestones.

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“Uh…babies?” Timmy said, at a loss. First, they’d randomly arrived at Abracatraz, and, while Timmy was having problems processing that, two infants appeared beside Wanda. They clutched her dress and bundled against her chest. They also glared at Timmy and Cosmo accusingly. Any attempt to touch her was rebuffed by little sparks like static electricity.

“Those must be the twins,” Cosmo said. “Lily and Matilda.”

“That doesn’t explain why they’re here. Or why we are,” Timmy said. He shuddered, rubbing his arms. Wanda’s dress was sleeveless and revealed thirty-five tally marks. The last one bled onto the street. Her chest barely rose and fell; if they couldn't figure out how to move her soon, he didn’t know what would happen, but it wouldn’t be pretty.

The problem was--Wanda was the only one with a wand, and the twins were territorial. Timmy understood--if someone had wrenched him away from his mom, he’d be upset too. Instead, he’d had to deal with his parents’ deaths and then losing his fairies. His throat tightened. There hadn’t been time to process their deaths before Lorenzo swooped in and molested him on a regular basis.

“We need to take her to Big Daddy,” Cosmo said, his eyes wide. He reached for the wand, and one of the twins hissed, her tongue turning serpentine.

“I get that you don’t want anyone to take her away again,” Timmy said. “But we’re trying to help. You have to let us get medical attention.”

“She’s barely there in the Bond, either,” Cosmo said fearfully. Tears slipped down his cheeks. Looking abashed, one of the twins retrieved Wanda’s wand and tossed it to Cosmo. Being a baby didn’t help dexterity, and Cosmo had to scoop it up off the ground.

“Thanks,” Timmy said with a small smile. Cosmo brought them to Big Daddy’s office. The mafioso had his head between his hands, and, to Timmy’s shock, it sounded as if he were crying. Heavy sobs erupted, and Timmy was afraid to disturb him.

“Wanda…” Big Daddy moaned. “My baby girl. What are they doing to you down there?”

“Well, the good news is that she’s not on Earth anymore,” Cosmo said brightly. Big Daddy looked up suspiciously.

“Who dares to interrupt…” he trailed off. He stared at Wanda; Cosmo had to levitate her because she couldn’t float alone anymore. The two infants watched Big Daddy closely while crushed against their mother’s chest.

“Wanda,” Big Daddy breathed. He floated to her; a forcefield surrounded Wanda, which prevented him from touching her. Confused, Big Daddy stared at Cosmo.

“It’s not me,” Cosmo said.

“It’s the babies,” Timmy said, nonplussed. “They’re being super weird about anyone touching her.”

“These must be my new grandchildren,” Big Daddy said softly. “They’re trying to protect their mother.”

“They don’t trust anyone,” Timmy said. “They gave Cosmo her wand, but they won’t let anyone get close.”

“This is ridiculous,” Big Daddy growled. “We need to get her to the fence. How should he be able to treat her if they won’t let go?”

“Wanda’s fading in the Bond…” Cosmo said. He was crying, and his nose was running.

“You didn’t mention that!” Big Daddy snapped. He held up his wand and brought them to a small house in Fairy World. Timmy didn’t recognize the area. Before he could look around, Big Daddy pounded on the front door. When the fence didn’t answer immediately, he blasted the door open.

Looking annoyed, a gray-haired fairy without wings floated to the gaping hole in his doorway.

“Can I help you?” he snapped.

“My daughter passed out from a conflict by the geas. I don’t know what happened, but that idiot said she’s fading in the Bond.”

“I think I know what happened,” Timmy said slowly. Big Daddy spun to face him. “The Fairy World Council showed up and dragged me and Cosmo into the lobby. They blasted Lorenzo off me, and Wanda tried to get to me, but Asmodeus wouldn’t let her. The Council sent the Unseelie Court to Abracatraz, and the next thing we knew, she was like that.”

He scowled. “And the babies were like that.”

“I see,” the fairy said quietly. “You created an impossible scenario, and the geas doesn’t know how to respond. Wanda can’t reach Asmodeus, which the curse demands she do. Since she can’t reach him, the curse is acting against the light magic in Fairy World and battling within her. If she hadn’t spent so much time in the Unseelie Court, she’d be able to fend off the curse better in Fairy World. However, that geas has been on her for too long. She’s losing magic at a tremendous rate.”

“So what do we do?” Timmy said, frantic. His heart pounded. He hadn’t seen Wanda in months, and it sounded like she was dying. Cosmo whimpered, floating as close as he could to Wanda’s side, given the magical barrier surrounding her. Timmy felt bad for him.

“She’s gone into shock,” the fairy said. “I’ll have to bring in a doctor before she loses all of her magic and her organs shut down.”

“So do it!” Big Daddy barked. “Don’t just stand there!”

“I’ll do what I can to stabilize her in the meantime,” the fairy replied. He held up his wand, and a doctor Timmy didn’t recognize poofed in. The twins watched him apprehensively.

“You’re going to need to let go,” Big Daddy said in a surprisingly gentle voice to his grandchildren. “She’ll be okay, kiddos. You can trust us.”

They burst into tears but, to Timmy’s surprise, released Wanda only to clamp onto Timmy and Cosmo. Cosmo held one of the twins in wonder. She didn’t resemble Poof--she looked more like a human baby.

“This will take time,” the male fairy warned. He gestured for the doctor to follow him into his house, and Timmy watched, a lump in his throat, as Wanda drifted along with them. Cosmo whimpered and then lunged forward to kiss Wanda’s hand. There was the faintest telepathic buzz between them.

Looking bereft, Cosmo drifted back to Timmy and Big Daddy.

“The Fairy World Council better have a decent explanation for what the hell’s been going on,” Big Daddy growled. “I want answers, and I want them now.”

Timmy couldn’t muster the same outrage. He didn't know how to feel after everything that had happened that day. It looked like Lorenzo wouldn’t be his problem anymore, but it also looked like Wanda might be dying. He’d finally been reunited with his godparents and didn’t want to lose them again. Then there were the twins, about which he knew little.

Cosmo tried to poof back into the house, but a magical barrier blocked him. The door reappeared.

Cosmo wept, hugging the baby to him like she was a life preserver. Maybe, to him, she was. Timmy just hoped she wouldn’t be all they had left of Wanda.

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Timmy was exhausted, drained to the dregs. Cosmo and Wanda had a house in Fairy World, which suited them for now. He had no idea what had befallen his old house in Dimmsdale after he’d wished away Cosmo and Wanda. For all he knew, it’d been bulldozed. He had worse problems than what had happened to his stuff.

For the past six months, Lorenzo had owned him and used him like a sex doll. He relished hurting Timmy and used his anti-fairy wand to prey upon Timmy’s fears. Timmy had barely slept in the last six months--what little sleep he’d had was fragmented. As soon as Timmy shuffled off to a guest bedroom, he passed out on the bed.

Hours later, he awoke to find a baby poking his cheek. Timmy waved the stubby little finger off and groaned, rolling over. The baby was insistent and poked him on the other cheek. When that didn’t elicit the desired reaction, the baby fairy smacked him in the head with a rattle. Fairy dust landed on Timmy’s hair and shoulders. Coughing, Timmy forced his eyes open.

One of the twins, he wasn’t sure which because he couldn’t tell them apart at the moment, blew him a raspberry. She raised her rattle threateningly, and Timmy ducked back.

“Okay, okay, I get the picture,” Timmy groaned. There were no clocks in this room, and he’d lost his cell phone ages ago. The curtains covered the window; the lights were still on overhead because he’d been too tired to shut them off. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

“What is it?” he said. He wasn’t looking forward to playing nursemaid. It’d been different with Poof because Poof was his little brother. Timmy had no idea how to feel about Lily and Matilda. For fuck’s sake, their father was Asmodeus. He was evil, and he’d forced Wanda to give birth to them. They could be vile little creatures, for all he knew.

They didn’t look evil, but then again, as he’d learned repeatedly, appearances can be deceiving. He eyed the baby warily.

“Mama,” the baby said, and her lower lip quivered. She shook her rattle desperately. “Where? Mama? Where?”

“I…” Timmy frowned. “You mean Wanda?”

The baby huffed, blowing him another raspberry. “Mama! Where?”

“I don’t understand what you’re asking me,” Timmy said, yawning. “Go bug Cosmo. I wanna sleep.”

Sleep and maybe never wake up. What did he have to look forward to anymore? He was damaged goods, his parents were dead, and he might be about to lose his fairy godmother. Cosmo wouldn’t handle losing Wanda well, so Timmy could forget him too.

“No!” the baby said emphatically. “Want! Mama!”

Timmy groaned. He was not awake enough for this. “Do you mean Wanda, or do you mean your nanny? Because I have no idea who the second one is.”

The baby scrunched up her face like she was about to bawl. Timmy was in way over his head here.

“Cosmo! Help!” he called.

Cosmo poofed in, looking as tired as Timmy felt. There were bags under his eyes, he was wearing a smock with vomit on it, and the other baby was floating beside him. In unison, the twins said, “Want! Mama!”

“I have no idea what they’re talking about,” Timmy said. “They can’t possibly know that Wanda’s their mother. I’m sure Asmodeus whisked them away after they were born.”

“I don’t know,” Cosmo said. “Fairy babies can be pretty smart.”

“She woke me up demanding her mother,” Timmy said, shaking his head. “It can’t be Wanda. They wouldn’t know her from a hole in the wall.”

Growling, the infant nearest him raised her rattle and produced an image in midair. It was Wanda. It was from one of the obnoxious TV screens Asmodeus used to humiliate Wanda further by showing everyone how he was degrading her. In the image, Wanda looked distraught and reached out toward the camera as an Unseelie fairy walked away with the twins.

“How the hell do you remember that?” Timmy said. “There’s no way you saw Wanda again after you were born.”

“Want. Mama,” they demanded.

Cosmo held up his wand without a word. Timmy yelped, uncertain where his godfather was dragging them to. He groaned when he recognized it.

“They’re not going to let you in,” he said.

Cosmo growled, blasting at the door. The door absorbed the magic and cast it aside. Tears streaked Cosmo’s cheeks, which prompted Timmy to facepalm. Great. Three sobbing fairies. Just what Timmy had always wanted.

“I wish you’d all shut up!” Timmy snapped. He was at his wit's end and didn’t have much left before he hit empty. It was still dark outside in Fairy World, though that didn’t narrow down the time. The stars above Fairy World were different than on Earth; normally, Timmy would’ve used his training as a Squirrely Scout to orient himself. That didn’t work here.

Cosmo raised his wand, and the trio silenced. The twins gave Timmy withering looks. They were despondent; they just couldn’t cry about it. Timmy realized that was the first wish he’d had granted since he’d been kidnapped by Asmodeus and his crew.

“That’s right! I can make wishes again!” Timmy cried, whooping. “I wish we were inside the house!”

The barrier repelled a direct attack, but wishes were another story. They appeared in a small hospital room, where Wanda was sedated and lying on a stretcher. Snarling, the fence pivoted to face them.

“What are you four doing here?” he demanded. “This is highly delicate work.”

“Mama!” The twins cried and flew to her side. “Mama, wake up!”

“Yep, they definitely know their mother,” Timmy said, grimacing. The twins shook their rattles at Wanda, but she remained comatose. Timmy’s stomach churned. He hated seeing her like that. The last six months had been awful since he’d only seen her once in person when she’d brutalized Lorenzo for hurting him. Otherwise, he could only see Wanda through those stupid TV screens. Lorenzo loved watching Wanda suffer, so he’d force Timmy to watch, too. He found it hilarious when Wanda was repeatedly raped, and Lorenzo wouldn’t even let Timmy close his eyes or deafen his ears to her cries.

Tears trickled down Timmy’s cheeks.

“I wish everything could go back to normal,” he muttered. Cosmo’s wand went limp when he tried to grant the wish, and Timmy’s lips twitched.

“I knew that wouldn’t work, but I had to try,” Timmy said.

“All right, fine, you can stay,” the fence grumbled. “Don’t get in my way. My name is Abraxas, and…”

He conjured up two beds for Timmy and Cosmo and two bassinets for the twins.

“Go back to sleep while I work,” Abraxas ordered.

“Mama…” the twins whimpered, clinging to her dress. They wouldn’t spend the night in the bassinet if Wanda was nearby. Poof had been determined and stubborn like that too. Poof. Timmy hadn’t seen him in six months either.

Cosmo latched onto Timmy as he attempted to sit on the twin-sized bed while encumbered by his godfather. However, he didn’t tell Cosmo to leave or release him. Instead, he hugged him back. His heart ached with how badly he’d missed him. Unbidden, heavy sobs erupted, and he pressed his face into Cosmo’s neck.

Without warning, they were shifted into a guest bedroom. Timmy guessed they were making too much noise for Abraxas. He wasn’t offended. He was too busy crying. The nightmare might be over. He might never have to endure Lorenzo again, and he might have his godparents back. Not everything would be as it was, but at least he’d be safe.

Cosmo cried along with him. The two clung to each other; he wasn’t sure why Cosmo was crying, but it didn’t matter. He was so insanely relieved that he couldn’t stop weeping. It was full-on ugly crying, with runny noses, and Timmy could barely breathe.

He sobbed until his mouth was dry, and his head ached. It took a while for the two of them to calm down. Once they had, Cosmo squeezed his wand to dry them off. Neither spoke; Timmy’s heart was heavy thinking about what he’d endured. He could still feel Lorenzo attacking him. Whimpering, he tried to calm down by listening to Cosmo’s heartbeat. It fluttered faster than a human’s, closer to a hummingbird. Timmy didn’t know if that was normal or Cosmo was panicking. Either was possible.

“I missed you and Wanda…” Cosmo said.

“I did, too,” Timmy moaned. “I missed you guys so much. Not even for the wishing. I just missed seeing you. That was torture.”

“I…” he let out a hoarse, dry sob. “Lorenzo hurt me so badly. Then I had to watch Wanda being brutalized, sometimes while…”

He couldn’t speak. He hoped Cosmo didn’t ask a follow-up question. Wanda wouldn’t have. She would’ve understood what Timmy was implying. Cosmo, unfortunately, didn’t.

“While what?” Cosmo said.

Timmy groaned and whispered, “While he was raping me, he’d make me watch her getting hurt too…”

Though he had no more tears left, he felt like crying. Cosmo’s grip, which was already tight, grasped him closer. Cosmo was hurting him by holding him like this, but Timmy didn’t care. This was a good kind of pain compared to what he’d endured. Cosmo loved him.

Cosmo didn’t know what to say, which was fine. Timmy didn’t want to discuss Lorenzo’s abuse, now or ever.

The exhaustion returned, threatening to pull him under. Judging by Cosmo’s soft snores, his godfather had already succumbed. Timmy closed his eyes.

“I love you,” he said. “I missed you so much. Don’t ever make me go back there.”

He’d like to believe that, despite Cosmo’s current state, his godfather heard and understood him. Fairy dust rained down, and Timmy opened his heavy eyelids. Poof was above them.

Though still drained, Timmy was determined to stay awake. “Poof?”

“Timmy!” Poof cried. “Dada!”

Cosmo mumbled something about churros and cheese and released Timmy to cuddle against him with Timmy as the big spoon. Timmy rolled his eyes.

Poof flew into Timmy’s arms, and he squeezed his godbrother. Poof looked at him with concern. Chances were, he had no idea what was happening with his family while he’d been trapped in Fairy World. Not soon after Asmodeus seized control over the fairies in Dimmsdale, Fairy World had enacted a no-fly zone that prevented anyone from exiting and returning to Earth. (Or vice versa.)

Timmy yawned. Despite his excitement at seeing Poof, he couldn’t stay awake any longer. When he closed his eyes again, he passed out between Cosmo and Poof.

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Wanda awoke with a strange pain in her chest that lessened as her surroundings grew clearer. A male fairy with grey hair leaned over her, and she shrieked, scrambling backward. The geas wasn’t compelling her; she reached for her wand, but it wasn’t nearby. Panic-stricken, she took better stock of her location. The male fairy leaned back, and there were two warm bodies cuddled up against her chest. Wanda was at a loss.

“Who are you?” Wanda demanded. “Where am I? How did I get here?”

Dark suspicion fell upon her. “Where’s Asmodeus?”

The gray-haired fairy sat back in a chair that levitated above the floor. “I’m glad to see you’re awake.”

“Who are you?” she demanded. “Where is my wand?”

Terror gripped her throat, making it harder and harder to breathe. Glancing down, she saw two small fairy babies nestled against her chest. They lacked crowns and wings; their hair was either pink and black or purple and black. Wanda shuddered uncontrollably. If Asmodeus had brought her here, as well as the twins, then he had something nefarious in mind. Her skin crawled.

Wanda scrambled backward again and fell off a hospital bed. She hadn’t expected to float since she had lost that ability months ago. The babies, however, floated above her with concerned looks on their little elfin faces. She screamed, and, to her horror, the male fairy immobilized her with his wand. Her fear mounted. He was going to hurt her and the twins to teach her some sort of stupid lesson. She didn’t know what she’d done wrong, but it didn’t matter. Asmodeus punished her for imagined infractions.

“Mama!”

Asmodeus was punishing her in front of the twins to teach them a lesson too. Those couldn’t be her children, could they? She hadn’t had a good look at them after their birth before an Unseelie fairy minion had whisked them away.

They’d called her “Mama,” but they could be mistaking her for someone else. Poof had known his mother right away. Then again, Unseelie fairies reproduced more often than Seelie fairies did. They could still be someone else’s children, and they were clinging to her for a sense of familiarity.

The man sighed. “I’m sorry. I went about this the wrong way. It’s been a while since I’ve had company. My services aren’t often requested in Fairy World.”

Wanda stared blankly. “Fairy World? Is that where we are? But we can’t be.”

“What’s the last thing you remember?” he said gently.

Wanda glowered. If he belonged to the Unseelie Court, he might use the information against her. She would’ve folded her arms across her chest if she could move.

“You haven’t told me who you are nor where we are and what I’m doing here with two infants,” she retorted.

The male fairy massaged his temples. Waving his wand, he placed her back on the hospital bed, removed her paralysis, and tossed her a wand. She eyed him warily. Just because he’d armed her didn’t mean the danger was over. After everything that had happened, she no longer trusted easily.

“My name is Abraxas,” the male fairy said. “I work as a fence, as your father, Big Daddy, may have told you. We are indeed in Fairy World; Big Daddy brought you here.”

Wanda’s lips trembled. She drew herself into a tight ball.

“The babies that are attached to you are your daughters, Lily and Matilda. Big Daddy and I tried to pry them off, but they poofed back to your side. They’re rather protective over you.”

Wanda swallowed past a lump in her throat. “Where is Asmodeus?”

“I don’t know,” Abraxas said. “I’ve been working on you with my doctor colleague, for hours, without checking the news or leaving the room.

“Now,” he said emphatically, “what is the last thing you remember?”

Wanda frowned. She supposed she had no choice but to trust him if her father did. There was an odd poke in her mind, and she jumped, startled. Abraxas watched her strangely.

“What happened?” he said.

Asmodeus had deduced a way to block Cosmo’s transmissions. It required drugging her, and because she was under the curse, she had no choice but to submit to him in all ways. She’d been under the geas so long and without telepathy that she didn’t know how to handle it. None of this felt real.

((Wanda?))

She fell off the hospital bed again. Abraxas facepalmed, restoring her to it and raising the bars so she wouldn’t topple over next time.

((Cos--Cosmo?)) she said, flabbergasted.

((Who else would it be?))

“I’m really in Fairy World, aren’t I?” Wanda said faintly, having a hard time believing it.

“I told you that you are,” Abraxas said. “Your husband and godson are too. I had to place them in a guest room because they couldn’t stop crying.”

“Cosmo and Timmy are here?” she gasped.

“So is your son, Poof,” he said, nodding.

Wanda bolted upright. “Poof’s here too?”

“That’s what I said,” Abraxas said, rolling his eyes. “I’ve removed the geas and some dark magic swirling around your body. Unfortunately, I’ll need another day to remove it all. You’ve been thoroughly doused in black magic. Your body went into shock with the curse being unable to work as dark magic flooded your system. You probably don’t remember that.”

She shook her head. “The last thing I remember was blasting Lorenzo off Timmy and then crawling toward him to hold him.”

She glanced down. “My arm’s been healed.”

“That was the least we could do,” Abraxas said. Wanda stared; even the tally marks were gone. Her skin was smooth and unmarred.

“Mama!” the babies cried, not wanting to be ignored. They danced around her head. “Mama, Mama, Mama!”

Abraxas hid a smile. “I believe they want your attention. I’ll tell Cosmo, Timmy, and Poof that you’re all right, and--”

He groaned. “Or they could poof in without asking.”

The aforementioned trio arrived while Abraxas facepalmed.

“Wanda!” Timmy and Cosmo cried, rushing toward her. They faltered at seeing the twins, one of whom growled. Wanda blinked, confused.

“I warned you that they’re protective,” Abraxas said. “It’s hard to understand what’s going on in their minds, but they seem to resent your separation.”

Wanda nodded and licked dry lips. She directed her comment to the twins. “It’s okay, sweetie. They’re family.”

Huffing, the twins moved aside so Timmy and Cosmo could hug her. Poof squealed.

“Mama!” he said, waving his stubby arms. Wanda gave Poof a wan smile.

“Mama?” the twins said, wearing identical frowns. Though they probably couldn’t say it, the look on their faces spoke quite plainly.

“Who are you?”

Wanda’s throat tightened. While she was glad that Poof was alive and well, she didn’t know how to explain the twins to him. Poof’s eyes narrowed.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

“Mama,” the twins said, again speaking in unison. They glowered at Poof. “Our Mama.”

“Uh-oh,” Timmy said in an undertone. “This could get ugly.”

“My Mama,” Poof corrected. The twins rounded on him with fire in their eyes. Wanda remembered that Unseelie fairies could perform magic without wands. Poof had been able to do that too. Her heart pounded. She might need to intervene.

“Poof, this is Lily and Matilda,” she said in a thready voice. “They’re your…half-siblings.”

Poof stared at her blankly. “I don’t understand. I know that the Unseelie Court declared war on Earth and that no one could leave Fairy World.”

He folded his arms across his chest. “How can you be their mother if Dada isn’t their father?”

She groaned, feeling a headache forming. She had no idea how to explain the intricacies of the situation to Poof without revealing things he was too young to understand. However, she’d better come up with something because this situation was untenable.

No one else was jumping in to explain because, as usual, she was stuck handling the difficult parts.

“The Unseelie King wanted heirs for his Court,” Abraxas said, and Wanda’s shoulders sagged in relief. “He used your mother to obtain them.”

“...how?” Poof said, looking confused.

“Uh, the same way you were born,” Timmy hurriedly said. “Magic.”

Wanda smiled bitterly. “That’s one way to put it, sport.”

It worked as a general answer. Poof didn’t need to know more than that until he was older if she ever felt comfortable telling him. Hopefully, no one else would spell it out for him before she had a chance to explain.

“Asmodeus kidnapped your mother and used magic for the twins,” Abraxas said. “This isn’t your mother’s fault, and it doesn’t mean she loves you any less.”

Wanda clapped her hands together. “Thank you.”

Abraxas smiled. “I have experience dealing with small children.”

The twins eyed Poof warily. One of them floated forward. Like Timmy, Wanda didn’t know which twin was which. It wasn’t like she’d had the chance to name or see them before losing them.

“Hi,” the girl said. She had pink and black hair, along with pink eyes. Although her face was angular, like Asmodeus, and she had elfin ears, her features otherwise resembled Wanda’s.

“Lily,” the girl said; Cosmo, Timmy, and Wanda exhaled, relieved. That was one mystery solved. The other girl was named Matilda, then.

“Poof,” Poof said. Lily offered him her hand, and they shook.

“That’s weird, but okay,” Timmy said.

Matilda looked reserved. She hung back and closer to Wanda. Wanda wanted to be happy she was reunited with her children, but looking at the twins was acutely painful. Being forced to carry them and then losing them shortly after birth only made her feel sick. She’d been used as an incubator as well as a sex puppet. That was her only worth, according to Asmodeus.

Lowering her gaze, she stared at the thin white sheet covering her. Gray fairy dust fell, indicating that Abraxas had left. She didn’t care either way, but being surrounded by her family and feeling like an outsider was awkward.

The awkwardness spread; no one spoke. It didn’t help that they hadn’t seen each other in half a year or that she knew Timmy and Cosmo had witnessed those broadcasts. Shame darkened her cheeks. She hugged herself and gripped her wand tightly.

“Are you okay?” Cosmo said quietly. The old her would’ve lashed out. Instead, her shoulders shrank inward, and she shook her head. It was odd for the geas to be absent; she felt someone should be compelling her every movement. Only when she was alone did she have free will. She knew she ought to feel safe because she trusted Cosmo and Timmy.

“They healed your arm,” Timmy said.

She shrugged. She was still wearing that stupid black dress with the slit up the side that Asmodeus had forced her into this morning. He’d taken the opportunity to add another mark in the bargain; she shivered. She and Timmy had been treated to the same wake-up call.

“They even healed the bruises on your thighs,” Timmy added. Wanda glanced down at her dress. It didn’t matter that the imprints were gone. She could still feel the assault and shivered.

Cosmo flew toward her and hugged her. The twins and Poof had moved aside to let him through, which surprised her. She offered Cosmo a weak smile.

“Hey, hon,” she said weakly. “It’s been a while.”

He didn’t speak. He crushed her against his chest, and, for the first time in forever, she was starting to feel like she could be safe. They turned their heads simultaneously, and their lips met. Cosmo kissed her passionately, and she opened her mouth when he pressed his tongue against her lips. Her heart hammered between her ribs.

Their Bond, the magic link between them that shared emotions, memories, and physical sensations, clamored for reaffirmation. Now was not the time nor the place. Besides, despite the magic pushing at the two of them, she was terrified of intimacy right now.

“Ahem! Children here!” Timmy called, and they broke off. Wanda smiled. Cosmo moved aside but kept his arm around her waist.

“I love you too, sweetie,” she told him. She rested her head against his arm.

“I wish I knew what was going on with the Council,” Timmy said. Cosmo and Wanda held up their wands, and a small TV floated in mid-air, showing the Council deep in discussion. Asmodeus, to her shock, wasn’t in Abracatraz anymore. Instead, he was within the Council chambers and heavily sedated. His eyes were open, but they were dull and glazed over. He was also bound and gagged, which brought her dark amusement.

“We’re in agreement, then,” one of the councilors said. She recognized him from his earlier trip to the hotel. Timmy scrambled onto the bed on her right side, and her smile broadened as she hugged him while still holding her wand in her right hand.

Poof and the twins landed on the bed with the twins in her lap. She was surrounded by her family, but her heart continued to hammer with anxiety. The Council had waited so damn long to intervene. She drew a shaky breath. She didn’t know what had befallen Tootie and her fairies, either.

“The magical cordon around Fairy World remains. No one will be permitted to leave or enter Fairy World until we’ve dealt with the mess on Earth.”

“What about Wanda Cosma and the hybrid children?” another voice said. Wanda felt everyone’s gaze upon her and shivered.

“They will be tested to determine how much dark magic they possess,” the head councilor said. He tossed back his hood to reveal a ruggedly handsome male fairy with cropped red hair and a small beard. His blue eyes stared directly at them, which made her realize granting Timmy’s wish hadn’t been a fluke. The Council wanted them to overhear this.

“They’re rather attached to their mother,” the councilor who’d brought everyone to Fairy World said dryly. “I’ve never heard of any calamitous events occurring in Dimmsdale beyond what Asmodeus did. If they were capable of great feats of dark magic, then we would’ve noticed by now.”

“I suppose,” the other councilor said, looking far from convinced. “It wouldn’t hurt to test them.”

“No!” the twins wailed. “No! Mama!”

A familiar voice cleared its throat, and Jorgen stood behind the head councilor. “If I may interject?”

“Go ahead,” the head fairy said. “You’ve been right about everything so far. One might say you understated the case.”

“The twins will not take well to being removed from Wanda again,” Jorgen said. “They have been pining for her ever since they could communicate. The magic that created them linked them tightly to her. Perhaps they shall grow out of it, in time, but for now, it is inadvisable to separate them.”

The twins turned appealing big eyes upon their mother, who forced a smile. She wished she could hand them off to someone else, but she feared Jorgen was right. Separating them would probably be disastrous. They were older than Poof had been when they’d played “Pass the Baby” with the anti-fairies, pixies, and Jorgen. They weren’t as ignorant of the world as Poof had been.

“For now, they’ll remain in Fairy World,” the head councilor announced. The picture faded; Wanda presumed that was all they would be privileged to hear.

“You’ll have to clear out for the second round,” Abraxas announced, returning with a giant energy drink. Wanda raised her eyebrows. That couldn’t be good for him, between the sugar and the caffeine. Abraxas wasn’t her godson, so she couldn’t lecture him like she wanted to.

“Where are we supposed to go?” Timmy protested.

“There are restaurants in town,” Abraxas said. “And other amusements. I’ll summon you back when I’m ready. In the meanwhile…”

“In the meanwhile?” Timmy prompted.

“I can’t dismiss the twins because they’ll return, regardless, but you two…” Abraxas waved his wand, and they vanished from the room. Wanda was relieved they’d gone, though she wouldn’t have admitted it aloud.

“I’m going to have to put you under again, okay?” Abraxas said.

“Do I have a choice?” she asked with a grim smile.

“Not really, no,” Abraxas admitted.

“Then you might as well start,” she said, closing her eyes. The twins whimpered, their little fingers clutching at her dress. She smiled, stroking their hair, and tried to ignore the way her stomach churned when she touched them.

They couldn’t know that their mother found them disturbing. She wouldn’t hurt their feelings. Besides, maybe they’d grow on her. Like mold.