(no subject)

[soulfulsin]

Fandom: Fairly Oddparents
Canon or AU: AU
Fic: Briny Depths
A/N: “All my favorite songs are slow and sad. All my favorite people make me mad, so mad…everything that feels so good is bad, bad, bad. All my favorite songs are slow and sad. I don’t know what’s wrong with me…”

I felt compelled to post the last chapter early because I sensed that I wouldn’t be able to produce anything for a while afterward.

I was right. My last post was on May 3rd. Mom died the next day. I wasn’t in the mood to write for several days afterward.

I’m still not sure what mood I’m in. I feel like a teenager with mood swings.

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Cosmo always fell asleep before her, which left her time to ruminate. She sat in bed with her arms around her knees. Her body was still tingling from Cosmo’s attention, and she smiled fondly at the green-haired fairy beside her. Cosmo mumbled in his sleep and shifted closer to her.

“I love you, too, hon,” she said. Reaching for her wand, she squeezed it to dress and transport herself to Fairy World Hospital. From there, she went into the NICU. Technically, it was after visiting hours, but she doubted anyone would gainsay her. It didn’t take her long to locate Leander; he was the only baby fairy there.

Leander was in an incubator that monitored his body temperature, heart rate, oxygen rate, and other health stats. He was behind a pane of glass, which was a relief. She didn’t think she could take it if he were out in the open.

Unlike the twins, he didn’t have a full head of hair. Instead, he had black curl wisps with hints of pink. To her consternation, he resembled Asmodeus more than her. Her heart was in her throat. Cosmo claimed Leander as their son, but she didn’t understand why. At least the twins resembled her more than their father. Looking at Leander made her wonder what kind of monster he might become.

She sighed, her shoulders slumping. A small, rotten part of her wished Leander hadn’t survived. It was a terrible thought, which made her glad no one was nearby. A nurse watched through the window, but she didn’t poof to Wanda’s side.

The twins were about half Poof’s size; Leander was half again as small. The infant was tiny. No wonder Asmodeus hadn’t noticed she was pregnant. He never would’ve laced the knife with rat poison if he’d known. Then again, he also never would’ve let her out of his sight. She wasn’t sure whether that was a blessing or a curse.

Leander opened his eyes to stare at her. She gasped and pressed a hand to her mouth. Cosmo’s verdant green eyes looked back. That shouldn’t be possible.

“It’s the Bond, we suspect,” the nurse said, startling Wanda by poofing beside her. Wanda had her wand raised in a defensive position before she realized she’d done it. Feeling sheepish, she lowered it, though she didn’t dismiss it. She would never be caught off guard again. Thinking of how defenseless she’d been in the hotel made her shiver.

“His eye color,” the nurse added. She had long, straight black hair with purple streaks so dark they almost blended in. Giant triangle earrings swung from her ears, and her ears were tipped like an elf. She looked young, but then again, no one was younger than Cosmo-at least, until Poof came around.

“How would the Bond affect Lea--his eye color?” she caught herself. Just because Cosmo had named the child didn’t mean the name would stick. She wished for a second that she could put the child up for adoption. Then, she chastised herself. It wasn’t like there was a plethora of baby fairies that no one would know where this one came from.

“Yes, Cosmo named him,” the nurse said, smiling. "Cosmo’s already quite fond of his second-born son.”

“But he’s not our son,” she protested. “He’s Asmodeus’s get. The eye color makes no sense. Cosmo had nothing to do with his conception. I should know. I was there.”

She gritted her teeth and pushed away the flashbacks. She felt like she’d been in a major world war; shellshock, they used to call it. PTSD, more than likely, in her case.

“Your magic is intertwined,” the nurse said. “It can’t be separated out that easily.”

“Yes, it can,” Wanda snapped. “I couldn’t sense Cosmo for months. Our magic was separated. There is no logical reason for this child to have Cosmo’s eye color. None. Not unless Cosmo modified it himself.”

She cast a suspicious glance upon the nurse. “He didn’t, did he?”

“Not that I’m aware of,” the nurse replied. Her name tag read “Bellamy.” “Then again, it’s also possible the infant changed his eye color to match Cosmo’s. The baby might think Cosmo is his father.”

“He isn’t,” Wanda said from between clenched teeth. She balled her fists, and her wand pressed into her palm. “Other than the green eyes, he looks more like Asmodeus than me.”

Her stomach threatened to rebel; it clenched painfully. The thought of handling a miniature Asmodeus was nauseating. The child could be capable of so much evil, especially if looks weren’t the only department in which he took after his father. Wanda wanted to wrench her gaze away, but it was like looking away from a car wreck. She knew it did her no good.

Asmodeus would, beyond a doubt, come for her and this child once he knew about him. It’d be better for both of them if the infant were dead.

Horrified at her thoughts, Wanda retreated. It wasn’t just that she’d thought it; she’d caught herself raising her wand. She’d never hurt a child in her life, and she would never. Cold chills enveloped her; without a word, she fled the room.

Cosmo was so blase about this. He wanted to believe the child was theirs because it pleased him; Cosmo might also be overlooking the obvious similarities because he didn’t care. Or because he was too stupid to know what they portended.

For heaven’s sake, it’s a baby. You know better, she berated herself.

When she poofed into the living room, she discovered Timmy staring blankly at the TV. Magdalene must've sent him and the twins back. Wanda pointed her wand at the screen, and it shut off.

“Time for bed, sport,” she said tightly. “You should already be asleep.”

“I can’t sleep,” Timmy said, turning toward her on the couch. “Cosmo and I tried to figure out what happened to my parents, and we can’t. I don’t know what happened to them. I’m worried…”

He swallowed past a lump in his throat. “I’m worried that they forgot about me.”

“Oh, hon…” she said and embraced him on the couch. It was easier to forget her troubles when she had someone else’s mess to distract her. It was also easier when Cosmo was asleep and unable to pick up on her thought processes. The sheer horror of him discovering what she wanted to do with that infant would’ve caused a lot of damage, of that she had no doubt.

“They may be selfish and neglectful, but they could never forget about you,” she soothed. “They love you, just like we do.”

“Sometimes, I think you love me more than they do,” he mumbled.

“What do you mean, sweetie?” she said. Timmy shifted in her arms to meet her gaze.

“You know what I mean. You guys are always there for me, and they’re never there. I mean, you weren’t there for me when you were trapped in the hotel…” he flushed, realizing his faux pas too late.

“I know what you meant,” she said, smiling gently. “Don’t worry about it.”

“You’ve been acting weird, too,” he protested. “I just want us all to be happy again.”

She snorted, glancing aside at the photos on the wall. Her stomach clenched again, reminding her that eating dinner had been a mistake. Her body wasn’t used to eating on a regular schedule anymore. It was a good thing she wasn’t a human and couldn't perish from malnourishment.

“I’ll work on it,” she lied. “It’s after nine p.m., Timmy. It’s time for you to go to bed.”

“I can’t sleep,” he said. “I wish I knew what my parents were doing.”

She raised her wand. A small screen appeared in midair; she waited for the static to resolve into images, but it never did. Confused, she shook her wand, but nothing changed. Staticky snow filled the screen and crackled.

“The same thing happened to Cosmo earlier,” Timmy said glumly. “I hope they’re not dead.”

A chill passed through her. “I hope they’re not with the Unseelie Court.”

“What?” Timmy said, baffled. “Why would my parents be with the Unseelie Court? They don’t know the first thing about fairies, especially about you guys.”

Wanda smiled humorlessly. “No, but you do, sport. How better to attract your attention and extract my location than to use your parents as bait?”

“No way,” Timmy scoffed. “It’s too far-fetched. There has to be another reason why you two aren’t getting an image on your wands.”

She was frozen from within. “No. I’m right. I know I am. Asmodeus might not know about his third child yet, but he knows you and Cosmo brought me to Fairy World. He can’t access Fairy World without a Seelie wand to bring him here, but once he can…”

“But no one can get in or out with the barrier in place,” Timmy said, shaking his head. “So it’d be awfully stupid to kidnap my parents and think he could get away with it…”

He faltered as she paled.

“What? What is it?”

“Timmy,” she said and felt wretched thinking of it, but a different sort of perturbed than she’d been thinking about the infant. “He doesn’t expect to get away with it. He’s punishing you for rescuing me. If your parents aren’t bait, then they’re…”

“They’re what?” Timmy pressed. He pushed away from her and folded his arms across his chest defiantly.

Wanda knew that Timmy’s mother would hold no interest for Asmodeus, not the way Wanda did. Asmodeus loathed humans and, in particular, detested Timmy Turner, especially now that he’d taken Wanda out of his grasp. Asmodeus would be looking for a way to harm Timmy and possibly force him to capitulate and return Wanda.

An eye for an eye.

She gulped. “I don’t think we should be discussing this before bedtime. Come along, sport.”

“I wish you’d tell,” Timmy snapped, and she growled, exasperated.

“I hate when you do that!” she snapped. “Did it ever occur to you that I’m protecting you? I know just how depraved Asmodeus and his cronies are. Humans are a different sort of plaything than fairy godmothers.”

“So…what?” he said.

Wanda felt sick to her stomach, and she had to swallow back her dinner threatening to resurface.

“Wanda…” Timmy said in a warning tone. “I’ll wake up the twins and Cosmo if you don’t grant my wish.”

She was tempted to lash out at him for his stubbornness and stupidity, but his distraught expression pulled her up short. Her lower lip quivered.

“Oh, hon…” she said softly. “Sweetie, they’re…”

“They’re what?” he said. “I’m not going to bed until you give me some answers.”

“Sacrifices,” she said miserably. “They’re meant to draw you back to Earth, possibly with Cosmo, definitely with me. Asmodeus will probably try to make a deal with you--my life for theirs. Either way, if you accept it or not, he’ll renege.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Unless we can find a way to convince Fairy World that this is a matter of magical security--”

“It is!” Timmy interrupted.

She smiled bitterly. “Hon, I was a matter of magical security. They didn’t care then. Why should they care now? The Council thinks you two were in the wrong for rescuing me.

“Why do you think they’d change their position for a couple of adult humans?”

“No!” he snapped. “You’re wrong! You’re lying!”

“Why would I lie to you?” she said softly. “I know Asmodeus’s moods too well. He’s trying to draw you into his web, and it’s working.

“Besides, we both know I’m a terrible liar. I couldn’t lie to save my life.”

Except by omission, which she’d gotten disturbingly good at.

“I wouldn’t trade you to that s.o.b.!” Timmy objected.

“Not even if it meant saving your parents’ lives?” she said sharply. “I’m immortal, remember. They’re not.”

He huffed, balling his fists, and jumped up from the couch. His gaze raked her from head to toe, and she flinched. It scared her that a small part of Timmy might consider the trade before it was proposed, that he might want to swap her for his birth parents, even knowing what awaited her. Their gazes met. Tears slid down his cheeks.

“No,” he said. “They’re not immortal, not like you. Once he’s done playing with them, he’ll let them go, right? Once he knows he has your attention?”

“No, he won’t,” she said sadly. “Timmy, please don’t make me spell it out.”

“Tell me what he’ll do to them if he even has them,” Timmy demanded through a clenched jaw.

Hot tears rolled down her cheeks; she could taste the salt on her lips.

“He’ll kill them,” she whispered. “For sheer amusement. If he can convince you to hand me over, all the better. But either way, unless we can figure out a way around this, their lives are forfeit.”

“Are you seriously telling me that I have to choose between you and my parents, and however I choose, we’ll all lose?” Timmy said, starting out strong and finishing weak. His voice had faded into a whisper by the time he was done speaking.

“He’ll keep them alive as long as he knows you’re looking at the bait,” she said miserably. “He wants to reel you in.”

Her throat was tight. “Heads or tails, we both lose.”

“I don’t want to play his stupid game!” Timmy snapped, stomping his foot. “What if we traded the baby instead?”

“The twins and that…that other child won’t be enough,” she said, catching herself before referring to the premature fairy as a “thing.” “You know he wants me, sweetie. I’m the war prize. The giant stuffed animal at the carnival. The games are rigged in the stand’s favor.”

He sniffled; he was one step away from ugly crying. Her stomach churned.

“The only way to save them is to do nothing, isn’t it?” he said. “Act like nothing’s wrong.”

She nodded. “At least, until the Council gets its shit together. Whenever that is.”

“You cursed,” he breathed.

A sour smile slipped past her lips. “The Council wouldn’t trade me for your parents, either. But they would like my problem to disappear.”

Timmy growled. “This is all hypothetical, anyway. We don’t know if that’s the real reason we can’t find my parents.”

She sighed. “It’s Asmodeus’s most logical next move. Capture anyone you care about and torture them until you step forward.”

“Wait a minute!” he said, raising his hand like a police officer directing traffic. “You didn’t say anything about torture.”

Her smile was bleak. “I thought that was implied, hon. Asmodeus detests humans. To him, they’re worthless vermin infesting the earth and destroying everything in their path. That’s partly why he hates Seelie fairies having human godchildren. He thinks we’re lowering ourselves to ‘serve human children.’”

“But you’re not! It’s your choice!” he said. The color drained from his face, too. “Asmodeus would go after my friends, wouldn’t he? Anyone he thought might catch my attention just so he can possess you again and hurt you. Maybe even…”

He shuddered.

“Short of death, he’s done almost everything he can to me,” she said. “I’ve survived, not necessarily emotionally and mentally intact, but I’m still here. For now.”

She balled her fists. “What are the lives of a handful of humans compared to having his plaything back? His…his fairy…”

Her throat closed, and she shook her head. She couldn’t finish her sentence, though she thought Timmy knew what she intended to say.

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you again,” he said fiercely. He unfolded his arms and opened them to her. “I love you.”

“Ah, but do you love me more than your friends and family?” she said bitterly. “Do you love me enough to sacrifice everyone else to keep me safe?”

Timmy stepped back; there was genuine fear in his eyes. He watched her in horror.

“You…you said he’d renege on his promises anyway.”

“I did, didn’t I? Asmodeus always wins,” she said and hugged herself. “He’s the casino, and the house always wins, no matter what you play.”

“Stop talking like that!” he snapped, stomping his foot. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I told you I love you, and I meant it. We’ll talk to the Council tomorrow and make them get their heads out of their asses and help before it’s too late.”

“Good luck with that,” she said humorlessly. She could almost feel the geas tightening around her chest; it felt like the walls were closing in.

“I won’t let you return to that monster.”

She gazed at the pink carpeting, which she turned black with a swish of her wand. She could make Timmy sleepy enough to toddle off to bed and end the discussion, but it would be disingenuous and damage his trust in her.

“I’d like to believe that, hon,” she said softly. “More than anything, I never want to see that hotel again unless it’s on fire and the entire Unseelie Court burns with it.”

“But?” he pressed. “You really think, if push comes to shove, that I’d abandon you? That I’d let you suffer? I learned my lesson from last time. Cosmo and I both did. We’re not letting Asmodeus touch you ever again.”

She wanted to tell him that it didn’t matter; Asmodeus was always present, physically or in her memories. However, the conversation was hopeless without adding more fuel to the fire.

“Not even weighed against all the humans you care about?” she said. “What’s one life compared to that?”

“I…” Timmy growled, frustrated, and swung his fists around. “This is ridiculous. You’ll see. Asmodeus probably doesn’t even have my parents. They’re probably, like, doing something that you won’t let me see. That’s it. They’re doing something private.”

She didn’t have the heart to lie to him, so she said nothing.

“I’m not choosing between you!” Timmy said defiantly. “You’re my fairy godmother, and I love you. And they’re my birth parents, and I love them. You can’t make me choose.”

Wanda folded her arms across her chest and raised her eyebrows. Despite Timmy’s sternness, she feared she knew who he’d choose in that contest. It wouldn’t be her.

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There might be a way to ascertain what had happened to Timmy’s parents. Her magic couldn’t penetrate the hotel’s security; that might only be via a wish, though. She might be able to use alternate methods to check in on Timmy’s parents and friends. She bit her lip; the last thing she wanted was to be right.

Cosmo was fast asleep, which was a relief because she still couldn’t block him out. She’d convinced Timmy to go to bed, but she had her doubts about whether he was sleeping or brooding in the dark. At present, she sat in the nursery. The twins were asleep again after a change and feeding.

Abraxas had removed the geas, but the hotel’s magical barrier was keyed into her magic specifically. It was meant to bar Seelie fairies from entering. Ironically, that was its drawback--Cosmo’s magic could nullify hers.

Timmy’s wish hadn’t broken through the barrier because it had drawn upon her shared power with Cosmo. Cosmo’s half of the magic wasn’t tainted like hers. In order to channel the key for the barrier’s lock, she needed to reach for her magical corruption and push it through. That meant she had to touch the dark places within her, the ones that Asmodeus had created and then intensified. Not just the depression and self-loathing but the hatred and awful impulses, like what she’d had toward Leander. The desire to hurt someone and mean it. She shuddered.

This was dangerous. She’d never tried it before. There were probably consequences for hacking into the barrier, and the Council was already displeased with Cosmo and Timmy. She’d be adding fuel to the fire.

What she ought to do would be to tell the Council, except she no longer trusted them to act in her best interest. She was on her own.

Shuddering, she recited Timmy’s mantra (“What could possibly go wrong?”) and squeezed her wand. She very much did not want to think about the hotel and how she’d been trapped inside. She was only performing this spell for Timmy’s sake. They had to know what they were up against, and she had to know whether he’d sacrifice her for a chance to save his friends and family.

Unfortunately, there was a very real possibility she’d attract the wrong kind of attention. Asmodeus might be monitoring for such a circumstance, and he might pounce on it. Wanda told herself Asmodeus already knew she was in Fairy World and outside of his reach.

Or, she was until she opened a connection between Earth and Fairy World. She wasn’t sure whether he could utilize the connecting spell to jump into Fairy World and attack. That was another reason why this venture was risky. She left herself vulnerable to attack.

Her hand shook on the wand as she created a small window into the hotel on Earth. Bile rose in her throat, and she swallowed hard. The window had landed upon her old suite, and her blood still sparkled on the comforter. Pressing her left hand to her mouth, she tried to jump to another location without dwelling on what her last day in the suite had been like.

“Seelie slut…”

No. She was better than this. She was stronger and could handle herself. In the back of her mind, she sensed Cosmo stirring and willed him back to sleep.

Figuring that Asmodeus would imprison Timmy’s parents and possibly his friends in the worst accommodations, she sought out the basement. She’d been there before on an evening best left forgotten. The basement was unfinished, with rough cement walls and a baseboard but no floor installed. It was cold year-round, and that baseboard soaked up blood disturbingly quickly.

There was a central meeting area in the basement, as well as small rooms a step up from bare dirt floors and medieval masonry. Since she hadn’t spent time elsewhere in the basement, she only had a vague idea of what the rest of it looked like. It didn’t take her long to locate Timmy’s parents; the rest of the basement reeked of dark magic. They were a blank spot.

Her breath was shaky. She hadn’t wanted to be right, for Timmy’s sake, if no one else’s.

Asmodeus hadn’t exactly rolled out the welcome wagon, either. He’d given them threadbare blankets to sleep with and no beds or pillows. There was a slop bucket in the corner that sufficed as a chamber pot and a small opening in the door to insert and take away meals.

She’d avoided looking at the Turners until she realized she’d already swept the room and skipped over them. They were center stage; their clothes were torn and bloody. Timmy’s dad had bruises everywhere she could see and probably in places she couldn’t, as well. He was holding his left arm, which was at an angle.

Through a hole in his dress shirt, Wanda spotted a long, inflamed, possibly infected laceration. This was Asmodeus’s “charity.”

Mrs. Turner had fared worse. Though Wanda knew that Unseelie fairies considered human females to be beneath them, that didn’t mean they hadn’t abused her in other ways. Half of Timmy’s mother’s face was burned, and Wanda trembled uncontrollably. She hugged herself and rocked back and forth in the chair beside the twins’ bassinets.

Mrs. Turner was huddled in a corner of the room; just because the Unseelie fairies wouldn’t “condescend to rape her” didn’t mean they hadn’t pawed at her. Wanda banished the image and shifted to see whether Timmy’s friends were also at the hotel.

She was vaguely aware that tears were streaming down her face, and she struggled to breathe. She could feel a panic attack coming on. Worse, for a split second, she feared Cosmo had awoken.

If Timmy hadn’t fallen asleep by now, he might be seeking her out to continue the discussion she’d hastily curtailed. She crossed her fingers that wasn’t the case.

The Unseelie fairies had shoved all of Timmy’s friends into a small room. Chester, AJ, Sanjay, and Elmer barely had enough room to move around; they were packed in like sardines. Wanda abruptly remembered Lorenzo, and her throat tightened painfully. Lorenzo’s prime choice was absent, but Lorenzo would probably settle for one of Timmy’s friends in a pinch.

Her teeth chattered, and she swallowed back a painful sob. She wouldn’t blame Timmy for tossing her to the wolves if it meant his friends and family would survive Asmodeus’s mistreatment. They didn’t deserve to suffer in her stead.

She tried to banish the image, but, unlike with Timmy’s parents, it didn’t disappear. Startled, she whirled around to discover Timmy and Cosmo gaping. Cosmo’s wand lit up; she hadn’t heard them enter. Normally, she was aware of when Cosmo was nearby. Moreover, she knew one of them must’ve said something, but she hadn’t heard them.

Wanda needed to calm down quickly, so she used her wand and cast a soothing spell on herself. The image shifted back to Timmy’s parents, and she felt sick.

“You were right,” Timmy said softly.

“I didn’t want you to find out this way, hon,” she said. “That’s why I was using a different trick than I did for your last wish. I thought I could--”

“Protect me?” Timmy scoffed. He folded his arms across his chest. Wanda glared at Cosmo; Timmy didn’t need to see his parents’ distress. When Timmy’s father went to comfort his mother, she flinched at the sudden touch. Wanda conjured a plastic bag as her gorge rose.

((Get rid of it!)) she snapped at Cosmo. ((He doesn’t need to see his parents like that.))

She hadn’t looked at Timmy’s friends more than cursory, so she didn’t know if Lorenzo had attacked any of them yet, but it might only be a matter of time. While she pitied and worried about the humans in Timmy’s life, she wasn’t ready to return to the hotel and throw herself away.

The image disappeared, and she heaved a relieved sigh. The twins stirred, and she cursed inwardly. They responded to her moods; she’d noticed they were highly attuned to her mental state. They had to realize how disturbed she was, not to mention frantic with worry.

Cosmo widened the rocking chair Wanda was floating above so that he and Timmy could join her.

“Do you seriously think I’d throw you to the wolves to save my friends and family?” Timmy said. “Especially considering what you said about Asmodeus reneging on his promises?”

“I know, but, sport, there’s a difference between hearing it and seeing it,” she said. “At the time, I was hoping it was just a bad prediction, not the truth.”

Cosmo pulled her into his arms. He’d become a lot more affectionate lately; she wasn’t complaining.

“I’m not trading you for them,” Timmy said fiercely.

“Timmy, he could kill them,” she said softly. “Is it worth the risk?”

“He could kill them anyway, on a whim,” Timmy said. Despite his tone, he’d blanched. Deciding which life he preferred, his human life or his fairies, had to be tearing him apart. Thankfully, Asmodeus hadn’t made any overtures yet, but it was only a matter of time. Cosmo had banished the image, but she hadn’t closed the link to Earth.

Asmodeus had to be aware by now of her snooping. She braced herself as the picture reappeared, this time with Asmodeus sneering. Cosmo’s grip tightened.

“I knew you’d figure it out eventually,” Asmodeus said with quiet menace. “You knew I couldn’t just let you go. You’re my property, bitch.”

“Not anymore, she isn’t!” Cosmo snapped.

“And she never was!” Timmy added. Asmodeus was standing in her old hotel suite, which made chills run down her spine. She closed her eyes, but she could still see the room in her mind. The memories wouldn’t fade.

She could feel Asmodeus’s gaze pinning her to the seat.

“I’ll give you a week,” Asmodeus said. "I can afford to be generous. If you hand over your fairy godmother, I’ll be lenient. I’ll even call off the daily torture sessions that your parents and friends are undergoing if you agree to hand her over.”

“I’m not letting you touch her again,” Timmy snapped. Nonetheless, when she opened her eyes, he was chalk white. His blue eyes landed on her before sliding away. Cosmo glanced between Wanda and Timmy.

“No?” Asmodeus said. He growled abruptly. “You healed her!”

“You almost killed me,” Wanda snapped, though it frightened her to challenge him.

“I wouldn’t have let you die,” Asmodeus said, waving the issue aside. Cosmo was half glaring at Asmodeus and half hiding behind her. She suppressed a sigh. Of course.

“Did you know that Unseelie fairies consider humans inferior in every sense of the word?” Asmodeus added. “Not everyone shares that opinion, of course. Lorenzo has his pick of your friends.”

Timmy glanced at her again. She shook her head slightly.

Please don’t throw me to the wolves, hon. You know he’s full of shit.

“I can’t unwish anything he did to them, can I?” Timmy said glumly, and she shook her head.

“Interference with the Unseelie Court,” she reminded him gently. Timmy leaned forward and grabbed her hand to squeeze. Taken aback, she gawked at him.

“You’re not getting your hands on my fairy godmother, so you can forget about it,” Timmy snapped.

“I figured you’d say something misguided like that,” Asmodeus scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Pretending to be gallant when we both know that she’s worthless now.”

Timmy’s lips trembled, and fear shone in his eyes. Fear for whom she didn’t know.

“I’ll check back in with you at the end of the week,” Asmodeus said. He glared at Cosmo; possibly, he was incensed that Cosmo and Timmy had rescued her.

Asmodeus sneered. “Unless your Council has the balls to confront me, we know how this is going to end. And once I get your godmother back, I’ll make sure she never leaves again. At least, not sane.”

Wanda’s stomach dropped.

“Maybe minus a few appendages,” Asmodeus added. “You don’t need to be able to see to service us, after all.”

Wanda tried not to vomit in front of him. He’d find it entertaining. The taste of bile flooded her mouth, along with the recollection of blood and semen. Oh gods, she was definitely going to be sick.

“Leave her alone!” Timmy snapped. He squeezed Wanda’s hand affectionately.

“You’ll change your tune,” Asmodeus predicted. He scoffed. “What’s one fairy godmother in the grand scheme of things? As I said, she’s worthless now anyway. You might as well cut your losses.”

Cosmo growled, startling her. She glanced back at her husband.

“You’re not getting her,” Cosmo retorted. “She’s safe in Fairy World, where she belongs.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Asmodeus said, rolling his eyes. He made a rude gesture at Wanda, and then the image faded to black. Wanda, grabbing the plastic bag, vomited until she dry-heaved. Cosmo rubbed her back.

“Are you going to be okay?” Timmy asked once she’d conjured a breath mint to clear the taste out of her mouth.

Wanda shook her head. Tears streaked her cheeks.

“Good for a fuck and a suck. And that’s about it,” Asmodeus scoffed in her mind. Cosmo snarled, overhearing her thoughts.

“I’m suddenly exhausted, hon,” she said. “It’s almost eleven o’clock. We should all be in bed.”

Timmy flung himself at her. She caught him and hugged him tightly.

“I meant it,” Timmy said. "I’m not letting him touch you again. Tomorrow, we’re going to storm the Council until they do what we want.”

Wanda’s smile was bitter. “I still think we’re more or less on our own, but I appreciate the sentiment, sweetie.”

“You’re my fairy godmother, and I love you,” Timmy said. His eyes flashed. “I’ll be damned if I let Asmodeus hurt you again.”

“We’re all damned! Whee!” Cosmo said. ((You’re kinda broody over there.))

((Am I?)) she said. ((I hadn’t noticed.))

((You know that I’m not going to let you get hurt either, right?)) Cosmo said. Slowly, she nodded. Now, she had to believe it.

-------------------------------

Honestly, she would’ve been shocked if any of them had been able to sleep after that. By unspoken consensus, they returned to the NICU to look at Leander. Wanda still wanted to know how the infant had changed his eye color, not to mention why Cosmo was so attached to him. Timmy wanted a distraction; he kept fidgeting with his phone, but none of his friends would answer theirs. Wanda could’ve told him that, but he was stubborn and, yet again, wasn’t listening. She didn’t pester him about it--he was desperate, not ignoring her to spite her.

They sat in the waiting room; technically, they weren’t supposed to be here after hours. Then again, no one came to bother them at midnight. Timmy was bent over his cell phone, checking social media posts to determine when his friends had gone missing and if they’d been able to share anything before having their belongings confiscated. Cosmo was spacing out beside her, and Wanda was trying to put her most recent confrontation with Asmodeus out of her mind to no avail.

Her stomach knotted, knowing that so many people were suffering because Asmodeus was trying to push Timmy around, all to “reclaim her.” It was designed to make her feel guilty and trick her into sacrificing herself to save the others. Timmy and Cosmo were adamant about that not happening, though she wondered if sleep deprivation combined with the Council’s likely refusal to help would change their minds.

Shaking her head, she poofed into the incubator room and stared at the small infant cradled within. She wished he didn’t look so much like Asmodeus. Closing her eyes, she felt tears slide down her cheeks. Cosmo had visited the child more than she had, but he also felt an attachment that she didn’t. If anything, she felt obligation but no real affection, which was another guilt-inducing thought.

Maybe Nathaniel had a point about her being a martyr.

Summer pink fairy dust rained down beside her, and Wanda whipped out her wand unthinkingly. Recognizing her mother didn’t help to soothe her rattled nerves. Cosmo was dozing, but that might change, too. He’d take it amiss if she cast a sleeping spell on him. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that.

“Mother?” Wanda said, resisting the temptation to rub her left arm. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see my new grandson,” her mother said. Wanda folded her arms across her chest.

“Have you even seen Poof?” Wanda said. “He is a product of love and affection.”

Sabrina scoffed. “Poof is unnatural. Your godson wished him into being.”

Since Asmodeus and his cronies had peddled the same line, Wanda’s hackles rose. Her pink eyes flashed warningly. “There is nothing wrong with Poof.”

“If you say so,” her mother said, shrugging. “I would have preferred a more natural child.”

As she spoke, Sabrina inclined her head toward the incubator. The baby was awake and staring at them with those disturbingly bright green eyes. He shifted on his blanket, and his wings were a faint but luminous green. The twins didn’t have wings. Wanda’s throat was tight, and she clenched her jaw.

She could’ve sworn that the child hadn’t had wings yesterday.

“There’s nothing natural about Leander,” Wanda snapped and then groaned, facepalming. “Cosmo’s name is catching.”

Sabrina scoffed, rolling her eyes. Wanda glared and then glanced back at Leander.

An almost invisible crown floated above his head. His ear shape softened, becoming more like hers. Tears burned in Wanda’s eyes, and she swallowed back hysterical sobs. Instead, she pressed a hand against her mouth.

“Your sister used to do that, too,” Sabrina said. “She would shapeshift into whatever she thought would make us happy.”

Startled, Wanda glanced back at her mother.

“I was the one who convinced her to turn it into a career as an actress,” Sabrina said proudly. In a quieter tone, she added, “He’s trying to endear himself to you, honey. He saw Cosmo, and Cosmo’s been spending a lot of time around here, so he adopted Cosmo’s attributes. Now he’s taking yours.”

Wanda didn’t know what to say. The sob escaped anyway, and she poofed closer to the incubator. Leander put his little palms against the glass.

“He wants you to like him,” Sabrina said, accompanying her daughter. “I’ve been talking to Abraxas about you since he’s the only one in Fairy World who knows anything about both Courts.”

Wanda whirled to face her. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, and she used her wand to self-soothe. “Why?”

“For one thing, I’m worried,” Sabrina said. She frowned. “I know we don’t talk very often, and I haven’t taken as much of an interest in your life as I have in your sister’s.”

Wanda snorted. That was putting it lightly.

“For another, I know that, before Poof, you and Cosmo desperately wanted a child,” Sabrina continued. In a softer tone, she said, “I know you have Poof now. But this is different. Not only is this child not born from a wish, but he’s desperate for you.”

Wanda folded her arms across her chest. “Just because Poof was born from a wish doesn’t make him illegitimate.”

Sabrina rolled her eyes. “I heard about the debacle after he was born. That’s not what I’m talking about. Abraxas said the way Leander and his sisters formed a magical trauma bond between child and mother due to the magic involved and the severe stress you were under with them.

“Poof doesn’t have a trauma bond.  Leander, Lily, and Matilda do.

“They need you, Wanda.”

Wanda’s throat tightened, and Sabrina squeezed her shoulder.

“You love children,” Sabrina said. "You want to feel needed, too. That’s why you became a fairy godmother: to help miserable children. Why not your own?”

This was different. She hadn’t signed up for three children begat from rape. Leander studied her carefully as if gauging her reaction. She wanted to look for ulterior motives, but, as Timmy had said earlier, it was hard to ascribe ulterior motives to infants. Leander genuinely wanted her approval, and she shivered. Wrenching her gaze away, she rubbed her left arm self-consciously. She didn’t feel up to the task.

“I know this isn’t what you wanted. I know your feelings about him are more complicated than your feelings about Poof.”

Sabrina’s gaze sharpened. “But if this child lands in Asmodeus’s hands, he will be raised evil. You have the power to prevent that; you and heaven help us, Cosmo. Would you really walk away?”

Wanda wanted to be defiant and say, “Yes.” But she couldn’t. Leander was so small; he was helpless and vulnerable. She didn’t know how badly the rat poison had affected him, either. Cosmo might know--she hadn’t asked how much Cosmo knew about Leander. Or even why he’d named him that.

Wanda’s shoulders sank. “I don’t know.”

Sabrina smiled. “That’s fair. It’s a lot to ask. By the way, why is your godson up after midnight?”

“Oh,” Wanda said. What little goodwill she’d felt before died. “Asmodeus captured his friends and family. He wants Timmy to hand me over in exchange for his hostages.”

Sabrina’s grip on Wanda’s shoulder was painfully tight, and her mother’s eyes burned.

“Tell me Timmy isn’t in charge of this decision,” Sabrina snapped.

“Timmy wants to go to the Council,” Wanda said. She scoffed. “He thinks he’ll have more luck now than before.”

“Oh, he will,” Sabrina said. Her glare could’ve burned holes into the wall. “Because your father and I may not share much anymore, but we share spies. And rumor mills. If the Council moves the wrong way tomorrow, all of Fairy World will know. I’m not letting them screw you over again.”

Wanda’s lips twitched, but she couldn’t smile. Instead, she inclined her head.

“Go to sleep,” Sabrina said sternly. “Get your godson to bed too. Impertinent little brat.”

Wanda snorted. Big Daddy wasn’t always fond of Timmy, either.

“Go,” Sabrina said gently. “I’ll hold down the fort.”

Wanda nodded, raising her wand and bringing herself, Timmy, and Cosmo back to the house. Cosmo was half-awake, and she shook her head. She would explain later.

Timmy had fallen asleep with the phone in his hand. Smiling fondly, she sent him to his room, tucked him in, and kissed him on the forehead.

Her mother had given her a lot of food for thought. Wanda was calmer than she’d been; perhaps, despite those thoughts swirling in her mind, she might be able to grab a couple hours of sleep before the twins woke her.

------------------------------------------

When she awoke at nine a.m., she realized that either the infants had slept through the night or, more likely, that Cosmo and Timmy had let her sleep in. Miraculously, she had no nightmares last night. She wasn’t sure if she’d awoken refreshed or just not tired. It’d been so long since she’d had a good night’s sleep that she didn’t know the difference.

Poofing into the kitchen, she found it empty. Timmy, Cosmo, and the twins were in the living room. Timmy was playing the latest Crash Nebula video game, and Cosmo was floating upside down while reading a Crimson Chin comic book. Judging by Timmy’s frequent pseudo-curses, he wasn’t faring well on his game. Growling, Timmy flung the controller aside in disgust.

“I can’t focus,” he complained.

“You are under a lot of stress, hon,” Wanda said, drifting down to the floor beside him. “It’s understandable that you wouldn’t be at your best.”

“Mama!” Lily and Matilda chorused. They rushed to her side and hugged her. In them, she sensed the same desperate need Leander had evinced. Tears pricked her eyes, and she hugged them back. Maybe her mother was right. Maybe Leander needed her, too. That reminded her. She needed to talk about Leander with Cosmo, but she wasn’t sure whether she wanted to hold the conversation in front of their children.

“Hi, babies,” Wanda said and kissed both of them on the crowns of their heads. They giggled and patted her cheeks; one floated on either side of her.

“Yeah, but…this is a game. It’s not like it’s one of Crocker’s pop quizzes,” Timmy complained.

“I know, hon,” she said sympathetically. “But it still requires focus. Don’t get too upset with yourself.”

Timmy arched his eyebrows. “What about you? You’re rubbing your left arm.”

She sighed. “It’s a holdover from the hotel. I keep thinking I can feel the marks beneath my fingertips. Why do you think I like those sleeve gloves so much?”

She held up her hand. “I know the marks are gone. But I remember them.”

“I wish you could stop doing that,” he muttered. She wished he’d stop manipulating her magically, but it was a relief to stop irritating her arm.

“We need to go to the Council,” he said. She conjured a giant chocolate croissant and suppressed a moan. That croissant had no business tasting as good as it did.

Her appetite was returning. That had to be a good sign-at least, she’d take it as one. The twins eyed her croissant hungrily, and she glared. She didn’t intend to share her chocolate. Instead, she conjured small croissants for them to chew on.

“I wish I knew how my parents were doing,” Timmy grumbled. With misgivings, she reached out with the same dark magic she had yesterday. It was easier today, which disturbed her. She didn’t want to succumb to anything the Unseelie Court had to offer.

Timmy’s mom was curled into a ball in the corner of the room and crying. Wanda’s throat tightened sympathetically. Timmy’s father was missing, which was probably part of the reason Timmy’s mom was so upset. Wanda could imagine what the Court might be doing to amuse themselves with him.

Timmy glanced at Wanda. “Where’s my dad?”

She considered arguing against showing him, but he was stubborn. Waving her wand again, she showed Timmy something that could only be described as a torture dungeon. She’d never seen it before, but then again, the Unseelie fairies hadn’t dragged her to the basement. They hurt her in plush settings; heaven forbid they become uncomfortable while attacking her.

Timmy’s father was strapped to a table, which was all she saw before she clenched her eyes shut. There was silence, and when she opened her eyes, Cosmo had banished the image. She drew a shaky breath. Timmy was pale, and he latched onto his godparents.

“I could’ve told you that was a bad idea, sweetie, but since you never listen…” she frowned, shaking her head.

“Is that what they did to you?” Timmy said.

“It was more…” she faltered, uneasy sharing details of her torment with her eleven-year-old godson. Her torment had been predominantly sexual. “Why don’t we go talk to the Council? Maybe you should take a minute, though.”

Timmy gasped, and he burst into tears, harsh sobs that brought Cosmo and her close to tears. This was the other half of why Asmodeus was pulling this stunt. He knew that if Timmy didn’t cave, seeing her godson utterly miserable might convince her. They were a sobbing mess, with the twins joining in, though Wanda doubted they knew why they were crying.

“I wish my parents were healed,” Timmy gasped. Cosmo and Wanda held up their wands; they didn’t immediately go limp, and she glanced at her arm in surprise. Hmm.

A small smile curved her lips, and she nudged Timmy.

“What?” he said.

“We healed your parents,” she said.

“Yeah, so?” he said. “They’re still gonna get hurt.”

“You’re not getting it,” she said. “We healed your parents--the Unseelie fairies aren’t using magic against them. And possibly not against your friends, either. We can’t counter Unseelie magic.”

“But you can fix what they did without magic,” Timmy said, slowly cottoning on. “So, if I wished my parents couldn’t get hurt unless it was by magic, then they’d be protected, right?”

She nodded; Cosmo smiled back.

“I wish all of Asmodeus’s captives couldn’t be hurt physically or any other way by the Unseelie Court!”

She and Cosmo raised their wands again.

“That should cover them for anything save dark magic,” she said. “It’ll buy us some time until we spur the Council into action.”

Timmy nodded. His tears had abated, and while he was still unsettled, he seemed calmer. “I love you guys.”

“We love you too, sport,” she said, stroking his cheek. “One way or another, we’re forcing the Council to declare war. Their inaction against helping me, at the very least, should be considered a war crime.”