FTRS Shots and Other Stuff

An Intermission

Summary: Set between Charmed and Tricked. I've always wanted to write about Kayla and Jocelyn's friendship ever since Kayla vouched for her in Charmed and how they're sort of roommates at Tricked ever since the four were released. 

***

With the rest of her friends deemed as 'reformed', Kayla almost felt lonely. She didn't have a family to return to. FTRS was generous to let her stay. No–Jocelyn was. The witch was a permanent resident of the school, housed within the doors of her older sister Harlow. Kayla had found it awkward to adjust residing in the same quarters as the former Evil Queen, even when Jocelyn called her harmless.

"Most of the time," she deadpanned.

Eh, guess she'll just have to work with it. Kayla was at least glad Jocelyn was there to keep her company. They had gotten off to a rocky start until Harlow had disappeared after harboring Alva on the day of the FTRS Ball. The younger witch was primarily antagonistic towards Gilly, especially with the accusations she was evil. Which she was, but not really. Not to that extent. Evil, yes, at pranking others at school. But no, not that kind of evil that she'd take over the entirety of Enchantasia.

...Maybe Jocelyn was actually capable of doing that.

Either way, she was not evil at all. She had only been lonely, just like Kayla. No one knew the full details regarding Jocelyn's family, only that she was related to Harlow so it wasn't a surprise that she would contact her sister again to prove her innocence and to stop Alva once and for all.

 She was the only one Jocelyn had. 

Then Gilly had a short period of ignoring the rest of the team, leading Jocelyn to step forward and help with their plans. Kayla in particular had gotten closer with Jocelyn, the two girls comforting Maxine when Gilly wasn't there. Eventually, after a lot of arguments and some sense knocked into Gilly, and the group managed to work together and defeat Alva at Royal Manor. With confirmation from Headmistress Flora, Maxine, Jax, Ollie, and Gilly were granted to return home as fully-reformed students. With no place to go, Kayla stayed at FTRS. The school wasn't bad, pray tell. It wasn't in any shape or form boring at all, needless to say. She and Jocelyn continued on with their classes, even when Rumplestiltskin entered the school.

Stiltskin. He was Kayla's problem. If it weren't for him, Kayla would've been with her family. Under the guise of his baking club, several students at FTRS had slowly been brainwashed into liking the guy. It was terrible. Even worse was when Headmistress Flora had been demoted to give him emergency powers. The two girls didn't like him at all. Now their former headmistress was their Magical Fairy Pet teacher. Not Kayla, Jocelyn was in the class. The Jocelyn who wore black as her only colours, turned people into animals, zapped them with dark magic, and hated cutesy stuff. 

So imagine the look of surprise in Kayla's face the moment Jocelyn entered with a grim face, a faint charred patch on the hem of her star skirt, the faint smell of smoke, and a small black kitten snuggled in her arms.

"Not a word about this," Jocelyn threatened. Kayla wound her mouth tight to keep herself from laughing.

***

Kayla loved Miss Matched. So what if she coughed up fireballs? She was sooo cute, and Kayla loved cute things. When she wasn't burning the place, Miss Matched loved to sleep. She often curled up at a corner and dozed, the sound of her purr silent enough not to harm a leaf. She trotted along Jocelyn like a mini familiar. Taking care of Miss Matched wasn't easy, but Kayla loved doting on her.

"Who's your favorite?" Kayla cooed, holding a stick with a feather tied at the end. Miss Matched batted the feather with her paws. Kayla squealed with delight.

"Hey! That's my pet!" Jocelyn barked. Her arms were full of sacks of cat food. Miss Matched had an appetite. "Stop trying to mark her as your own!"

"Oh, crumb cake!" Kayla waved her hand in dismissal. "I'm just letting her know who's her favorite person after you." She bent down and whispered to Miss Matched. "Jocelyn says she hates you, but I think she rather likes you, little cutie. She's just being witchy."

"I can hear you, Kayla!"

***

"Who's my favorite kitty! Uhuh, that's right, it's you!" Kayla rubbed her cheek against Miss Matched, giggling at the high-pitched mews from the cat.

"Goblins," Jocelyn massaged her forehead. Miss Matched's owner's scowl deepened and she impatiently ignored the squeals and shrieks of Kayla playing with her cat. She could handle her noise; Kayla was easy to tune out. But every single time Miss Matched jumped out of bed, the meddling fairy would come flying by. It was a pain. 

"Alright!" Jocelyn barked making Kayla squeak and let her wings fizzle out. "How's it with Stiltskin?"

Kayla went silent as she lowered Miss Matched. She stroke her fur, hearing the cat purr in satisfaction, hoping it would ease her heart.

"Banned," she said bitterly. "He banned me from their circle. He doesn't trust me no more I trust him." The fairy raised her head, mouth pressed in a thin line. "What should we do?"

Jocelyn released a breath. "I don't know." She didn't hide her uncertainty. With Kayla, it seemed much easier to speak the truth. They both had been on bad circumstances that Jocelyn knew she could trust her. Her dislike of the crew was still there, but finding camaraderie with a former bad apple (though she'll never stop being one for sure) was a relief. Maybe someday she'd grow to trust them more.

Kayla stifled a laugh. 

"What?" Jocelyn scowled at her.

"It's nothing, it's nothing," she said, focusing her attention back to Miss Matched again.

***

"Where's Maxine?" Jocelyn stepped out of the purple smoke. She had just heard of ogress' arrival from her sister. Kayla's face was pinched in despair.

"I should've... I should've warned her," her voice cracked. Her eyes were red from crying, and she forced herself not to shed more tears. Maxine hadn't known the changes that had gone through the school. She had never seen Stiltskin get angry at the students, not since she tried her best to avoid him.

"Detention isn't bad," Jocelyn murmured. Madame Cleo still had the authority to do so.

"But what if it changes soon? He already has enough numbers in his Squad, or whatever they're called." Suddenly Kayla lurched forward and her eyes widened in alarm. "Joc! What if they come back?"

Seeing Maxine again had been nice, but none of them knew the changes around school. It was already hard for Jocelyn and Kayla to continue going to classes as if nothing was wrong. Their friends had already been reformed, when was enough going to be enough?

"Tell Cobbler," Jocelyn said instantly. "If we warn her or leave her something, she'll get the idea." She didn't say Gilly's name with spite; the first time Kayla had heard. No, she said her name with conviction, like she knew it was up to her to decide what happened next. Because no one other than Kayla knew what Jocelyn really felt, the walls she built around people, the perceptiveness to what was happening, her intuition she insisted was bad, when it was actually loyal to the ones she cared about.

Jocelyn didn't see it yet, but Kayla did. It was going to take time, but she knew her friends would be glad to feel it someday.

***

The glass slipper shone in Jocelyn's pale hands. Almond shaped dark eyes bored holes into the item. A lot of thoughts running through her head, and Kayla couldn't guess any of them.

Kayla had seen the DPS usher Gilly's sister into the office. 

"You think we'll see her?" 

Jocelyn rolled her eyes. "It's Cobbler, you can't stop her from showing up."

And in spite of the severity of the situation, Kayla felt hopeful.

***