The Witch And The Other One

Part 3

         "Never do that again," Marcus said to her firmly.

         Christine looked around her sleepily and found herself back in the bed next to Naomi's still slumbering form. Robin stood over her, watching her with grave concerns, while Marcus sat beside her on the bed, one hand on her forehead. "What...what happened?" Christine asked.

         "A selfless act of bravery, I think, but Robin thinks it was a pretty lame stunt," Marcus grinned at her.

         "It most certainly was," Robin added curtly. "I've no idea what you've been up to, but you'd better thank your lucky stars that I walked in to find you dying instead of Daina, or else you'd be smothered to death with love and worry." As if to prove what she meant, she sat down and grabbed Christine up in a bear hug.

         "I see what you mean," gasped Christine. Robin let her go, then said,

         "I believe you owe us an explanation."

         "Naomi was having this terrible looking dream and I was trying to find out what it was about," Christine explained.

         "Christine, dear, I know Naomi's having difficulty and I was also worried, but that was why I called Marcus to assist me." Robin said gently. "Never attempt to solve a problem by yourself."

         "But I..." Christine stopped. After all, her reasons for checking on Naomi had originally been to make sure she herself wasn't killing Naomi with her void. Certainly that was bound to cause her a little more trouble. "Okay," Christine said. "I'm sorry."

         "Good," Robin said. "Now, as long as you've gone ahead and come back safe, what did you find out? Anything?"

         "Nothing," came a cold voice. Naomi, once again fully awake and alert, looked at Christine with a steady glare. "There's nothing to find out about me unless I say so." Christine looked down in silence.

         Robin, not sure whom to side with, turned to Marcus. "Marcus, why don't you take Christine to bed now. It's late."

         Marcus gave Naomi a hateful look, his old dislike of her rising, but a curt nod from Robin made him return his attentions to Christine. He reached out to her and she slowly allowed herself to be gathered up in his arms. "You need your rest, sprite," he said reassuringly, carrying her out. Her eyes met Naomi's once again before she left and this time, it was Naomi who looked away.

         Immediately, Robin turned back to Naomi. "I'll not have you intimidating that little girl, Naomi, no matter how ill you are."

         "I am not ill and anyone who goes digging around in my personal thoughts deserves to get scared by what they see."

         "You are ill and she was trying to help you!" Robin snapped.

         "Like heck she was!" Naomi snapped back. "She was trying to kill me and I had to help her!"

         "I cannot believe your gall!" Robin cried, jumping up from the bed and whirling around.

         "Believe what you want," said Naomi calmly. "It's the truth. She's tried to kill me before."

         "You provoked her and she is only a child!" Robin retorted.

         "Amazing that one so young could harbor so much hatred," Naomi said, with a wry smile. Robin stared at her, flustered as she continued with a chuckle. "You don't know who to believe, do you? Do you believe the kid whose capabilities you've seen or do you believe me, the fairy whose one true love you stole?"

         Robin almost jumped in surprise. The conversation had taken a quick turn into Robin and Naomi's past, something the two of them normally avoided talking about at all costs. "Daniel was nothing to me, you know that," Robin said quietly.

         "But he was something to me!" said Naomi, the smile disappearing from her face. "You knew that and you still did nothing!"

         "What could I do?" she gasped. "He loved me and I had nothing to do with that. The fact that he never loved you was no one's fault but your own."

         For a moment, all life seemed to leave Naomi's face. She looked away for a moment and Robin felt the briefest twinge of regret for having said something so harsh. That twinge left her as Naomi turned back, the smirk returned to her face, as impertinent as before. "Well," she said, "Pyr knows it doesn't matter now. I could never be queen of Pyrope, anyway and Sadie probably will." She was speaking of Daniel's present position as fairy king and his strange new love interest, the ghost of a woman he'd never met. "You, of course, were too much of a human lover to rule Pyrope," she added, trying to jab once again at Robin.

         "This conversation is over," Robin said decisively. "I wanted to help you, but you and your vengeance are beyond help. As Daina said, I will get you fixed up and out of here." She turned on her heel and left Naomi sitting on the bed defiantly, not sure if she'd won or not.

        

 

         Christine could not sleep that night. The thought of Naomi and her problems would not leave her head. In those few moments that their lights had melded, bits and pieces of Naomi's immediate thoughts had entered Christine conscious and wouldn't leave her.

         Especially Fallon. Fallon was Naomi's sister, the one who'd taught Christine at least a third of the magic she knew now. Fallon had flashed through her mind a lot and Chris had to know why. That and an unfamiliar man's face. He was very thin and pale and had a sneer on his face as if he knew something. Something else circled around, something that Christine couldn't put her finger on, but knew the strange man was responsible for.

         At last, Christine could stand it no longer. She slipped out of her bed, out of the room and into the hallway. Naomi's room was on the other side of hers, so she had no trouble avoiding Daina's room, which was at the end of the hall. She crept quietly into Naomi's room and sat down with her back against the bed without speaking. Again, she let herself slide into Naomi's dreams.

         This time, the pain was not there, although the emptiness was. The same colors came and began to form their wall. Suddenly, they stopped.

         OH, IT'S YOU AGAIN. WHAT AM I, SOME SORT OF MENTAL PLAYGROUND FOR YOU?

         I wanted to talk to you, Christine said without sound. About Fallon and that man.

         This time, no hand reached out for Christine. The walls simply adjusted themselves to include her. "Just because you help me survive a little mishap doesn't mean you get to dig into my personal business, kid," said Naomi, standing in much the same way she had before.

         "You didn't have to let me in," Christine replied.

         "Don't tell me what I do and don't have to do," Naomi snapped, turning from her. She didn't speak for a moment, then she finally said, "You answer two of my questions and I'll think about telling you what you want to know without killing you first. Fair enough?"

         "No," Christine replied honestly.

         "Then don't let my aura hit you in the butt on your way out."

         "Okay, okay, fair enough. What're your questions?" Christine sighed.

         "I want to know what you see in Robin and I want to know why you stay here."

         "Okay," Chris shrugged. "I stay here because Daina's my sister and I love her. I love Robin, too."

         "No, no, no, neither one of them are really related to you and we both know that," Naomi said irritably. "You were just some half-breed fairy my friend Igi found and took in. What really keeps you here?"

         Christine frowned angrily "Like I said, I love them," she repeated, as if this were common enough knowledge. "Robin is like my aunt and Daina is like my sister. They're the only family I have and I'd do anything for them."

          "You're telling me," said Naomi sarcastically. Then she added flatly, "Look, humans and fairies don't mix well."

         "You know that's not true," Christine said.

         "Yes, it is. Anytime humans and fairies mix, somebody gets hurt," Naomi said. "Take you, for instance. Obviously, one of your parents was fairy, or you wouldn't have the powers you have, but one was human, too. And what happened? Some kind of trouble, or you'd still be with them."

         "That's a mean thing to say!"

         "I speak from experience, kid. Even Robin knows fairies and humans don't mix well. I bet her and Target argue at least twice a day over stuff," Naomi said.

         "They don't, and that's not what matters, anyway," Christine said adamantly. "People argue all the time, Daina says, but when they really care about each other, they make up." Naomi rolled her eyes. "My turn," Christine added.

         "You didn't answer my question about Robin," Naomi said. "Do you know half the stuff she's done? She's overthrown and taken over kingdoms, she's killed people, she's..."

         "She tried to kill Daina and me long before you did and with a lot better skill." Christine said, folding her arms staunchly. Naomi raised a surprised eyebrow at her as she continued. "But I don't care. People change and Robin's changed a lot."

         "For the worse, I think. She's lost her objectivity and when you do that, you're useless," Naomi said. She sat down in front of Christine and sighed. "Fine, what's your question?"

         "But I had two..." Christine began.

         "Do you really want to try my patience?" Naomi snapped. "Pick one and ask."

         "What happened to Fallon?"

         Naomi blinked and stood up. "I'm not answering that. Get out."

         "What?"

         "Get out!" Naomi demanded. Christine stood up in anger.

         "You see!" she flared. "That's why fairies and humans don't mix. Some fairies can't be trusted and humans stick to their word. Fairies think everything's supposed to be their way, no matter who they hurt to get it that way! Well, your way stinks and so do you! I don't care what happens to you or your dumb old sister!"

         With that, Christine stormed out of Naomi's dreams into reality again. She was about to leave the room in her same huff when she heard a voice behind her.

         "My sister is not dumb."

         Christine paused without looking back. "Well, your sister's sister is dumb."

         "I'm her only sister," said Naomi.

         "Exactly," said Christine, turning to look at Naomi.

         There was a long heavy silence, followed by Naomi's low chuckle. "I guess I deserved that." she said.

         "Yeah," said Christine warily.

         "You know what resolve is?" Naomi asked.

         "I think so."

         "I think mine is wearing down," said Naomi, tiredly. "Either that or you're just getting on my nerves." The two sat in silence for a moment, Christine standing at the door and Naomi lying on the bed. Finally, with almost a imperceptible nod toward the bed, Naomi gestured for Chris to come sit back down.

         Christine paused, then returned to the bedside, climbed up on it and waited. "Fallon, huh?" Naomi asked at last. Christine nodded and Naomi said, "She left. I sent her away."

         "Where?"

         "Someplace where no one can find her," came the reply. "Too many people try to use her."

         "Will you ever see her again?" Christine asked.

         "Probably not. I don't possess a real talent for teleporting." Naomi replied. "Besides, I told her not to tell me where she was going so I'd never be able to...to use that knowledge."

         "Don't you want to see her again?"

         "I do, but...I just...I just can't have her around with the stuff I do," Naomi replied. Christine looked at her and almost gasped aloud. For a moment, she thought she saw actual remorse on Naomi's face. It had only been brief, but it was enough to make Christine believe in the possibility of change in anyone...

         The door burst open and Daina came in, her face worried. "Christine!" she said. "I didn't see you in your room. I was worried about you."

         "Naomi and I were just talking," Christine said.

         "Well, I'm sure Naomi needs her rest now, sweetie," said Daina, looking from Christine to Naomi. "Go on back to bed, okay?"

         "Okay," said Chris reluctantly, slipping off the bed. Daina bent down to get a kiss good night and Christine pecked her on the cheek on the way out. The door closed behind Christine as she left and she could vaguely hear Daina's angry voice. Christine walked to her room completely baffled. If Daina really was angry, why was it with Naomi instead of her?

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