Luz POV
As we left the room we began making our way down the hallway back towards the waiting room we were stopped by doctor Venat.
"Ms Noceda I need to speak to you for a moment." He paused for a moment "privately."
I looked at Amity who had a very concerned look in her face and was beginning to breath rapidly. I held her hands and rubbed my thumb over her knuckles to calm her down "it's okay Ami" I said with sympathy "I'll be there in a moment" I brushed some loose hair behind her ear and smiled. She smiled back and reluctantly let go of my hands and slowly walked towards the others.
I turned to doctor Venat "what's up doc?" I asked jokingly.
He had a concerned look in his eyes "I did notice something else with Ms Blight other than her injuries." He began "I noticed she seemed to be a little malnourished, I don't think she's been eating properly and by the looks of it she hadn't eaten anything in the last few days."
Dread filled my stomach "why isn't Amity eating enough" I thought "is this something to do with her parents"
Dr Venat continued talking which interrupted my thoughts. "I'm aware that you are quite close with her, please try and keep an eye on her, take note of everything she eats over the next few days and if she hasn't eaten a substantial meal in the next week please contact me immediately."
"Will do" I respond immediately.
He gives me a caring smile before saying I can go back to the waiting room.
I make my way back to the others to see that Willow and Gus had also arrived.
"We heard what happened and decided to come on by to make sure everything is okay" Gus said with enthusiasm.
"Thanks guys" I respond "that's very caring of you."
I looked over to the side to see Amity surrounded by Ed and Em who seemed to be asking a lot of questions with concern evident in their voices and body movements.
Amity was shifting in her seat so I made my way to her quickly and placed my hand on Emira's shoulder "guys give her some space you're stressing her out."
The twins turned to me then back to amity with an apologetic expression "sorry mittens" Ed begins "we'll give you some space" Em finished before going over to Zoe and Eda.
I say down beside Amity and gave her a sympathetic smile "you okay?"
"Yeah" she answered quietly "thank you."
Her hands were shanking and clutching at her uniform. I placed my hands on hers and she began calming down. "I'm scared Luz" she admitted as I noticed tears staring to form in her eyes.
Seeing Amity, who so often seemed so strong and like she was always in control of herself and the situation, so vulnerable and scared broke my heart. The contrast between the arrogant, mean bully version of Amity I saw when I first met her compared to the girl sitting beside was like night and day. I wondered to myself if the bully she was had acted as a defensive mechanism to protect her from her parents and from the heartbreak of pushing away Willow. "I know Ami" I responded "but I'm here for you, you're not alone and you won't be again."
She rested her head in my shoulder and a blush emerged in my face "promise?" She asked so quietly I almost didn't hear.
I rested my head against hers "I promise."
Time skip
Amity POV
As we all sat in the owl house I refused to leave Luz's side for almost any reason. Whenever she went to another room I went with her I followed her around like a lost puppy. I don't know why but Luz made me feel safe, like nothing could go wrong when I was with her.
We spent a few hours in the owl house before I was approached by my siblings.
"Mittens we're gonna head home okay, stay safe" em said to me.
Panic filled my body "they're going back" I thought to myself "they can't, I won't let them"
"No" I said a little louder than I had intended.
The twins were taking aback, surprised at my sudden outburst. "No?" Ed asked questioningly
"You c-can't go back" I stuttered "it's not safe."
The pair gave me a sympathetic look "mittens we understand and believe us we loath mom and dad for what they've put you through." Em began "but" Ed continued "if we don't go back they will start asking questions and will come looking. But If we go back then we can cover for you with some bulls*t excuse and keep you safe for a little while."
I was still not comfortable with this plan. This concern was apparently evident from my expression as my siblings looked at me with care "mittens it'll only be temporary" em assured me "when Nick gets here we'll try and think of a better plan to get us all out of there okay."
I slowly nodded my head "just be careful" I say Ed gives a smile "when are we ever" he jokes before the two of them leave.
Luz looks at me and gives my hand a small squeeze "they'll be okay" she says.
"But what if they're not" I begin, fear in my voice "if they get hurt" Luz interrupts me "it won't be your fault."
I give a small nod as I see Zoe and willow approaching.
"Hey how are you holding up?" Zoe asks.
"Better" I admit "thank you."
"No prob" she winks at me. "Luz got time for a chat" she asks, turning her attention towards the human girl.
I look at her with concern, I really didn't want her to go but I knew she couldn't literally sit next to me forever.
She gave me a smile and squeezed my hand again "it's okay Ami. I'll be back soon okay."
I nodded as the two made their way upstairs.
Willow sat down next to me "on the topic of talks we need to have one" she says to me.
I knew she was right, I didn't really want to have this talk, I knew it was coming ever since the two of us had put aside our differences. I had seen that she wanted to have a talk about where the two of us stood now but I had been avoiding it out of cowardice. I had done some frankly awful things to my former friend and the idea of having to face them filled me with dread. "Must we" I said in a vain attempt at humour.
"We must" she said seriously.
I sighed heavily. I hoped Luz was having an easier conversation.
Luz POV
Zoe has led me into my room and had closed the door behind us. "Ooh how scandalous" I said jokingly.
She smirked back at me "yes now the two us have privacy to do whatever we want" she winks at me.
I blush slightly, I had really not expected her to flirt back. "I- uh- jeez wow I" I stuttered.
She burst out laughing "calm down im pulling your leg."
I let out a sigh of relief. "Not funny" I say smiling.
"Anyway I do actually have something I want to talk to you about." She says more seriously this time. "Do you like Amity" she asked. I was about to answer before she continued "and don't give me an answer like 'yeah she's a great friend bla bla bla' I mean do you actually like her as in romantic feelings and all that."
I paused for a moment to formulate my answer. "Yes" I admit "I always have"
"Then why-" she begins before i interrupt.
"I was scared" I say suddenly. "I don't belong in this realm, in a month and a bit I'm going back to the human world." I feel tears prick at my eyes at the thought of leaving this all behind. "if I didn't get to come back I thought it would be easier to say goodbye. But I spoke to Ed and he made me see how dumb that was and I was going to confess to her but after everything that's happened I haven't actually had a proper chance to yet."
I looked up at Zoe and she seemed compassionate but still hurt. "I get it" she said looking at the ground. "You like her don't you" I ask her.
She smiles softly "yes, but I won't get involved, she loves you and you love her, it might take you a little while before you get the opportunity to confess to her but I'm confident you will at some point. You make Amity happy and I want that more than anything else." A few tears rolled down her face "and even though I want it so much... I won't pursue a relationship with her."
I give her a sympathetic hug "you're a very selfless person" I say to her "you will find someone to love you in the way you deserve."
She looks at me with a soft smile "thank you" she says before kissing me on the cheek "just make sure you do actually confess to her before you leave okay."
"Will do"
Amity POV
I shifted a little In my seat "okay" I began "where should we start?"
Willow pauses for a moment "we can start with an apology."
I wince. I can't believe after all this I haven't even said I'm sorry yet. "Willow" I start before she stops me "I'm sorry Amity" I'm taken completely by surprise "W-what?" I asked confessed.
"I was so caught up in the fact that you stopped being my friend I never considered that you could've been suffering at home, I was your best friend I should've known something was going on."
I look at her still surprised before speaking up "it's not your fault for not knowing. Hell even Ed and Em didn't know, my parents are very good at covering their tracks" I said the last part with venom in my voice. "Willow I should've stood up to them, I should've not allowed them to make me stop being your friend I should've done something." I feel tears in my eyes.
"Amity we were kids" she says "there was nothing you could do, you were only trying to make sure I could get into hexside"
"But that doesn't mean I had to torment you for all those years, my parents didn't make me stand by as Boscha picked on you, they didn't make me bully you." I say through tears "I did those things Willow I'm a horrible person"
"Were" willow says bluntly.
"What?" I ask
"You were a bad person" she explains "past tense. You did do awful things that hurt me a lot"
I look down at the ground in shame.
"However" she continues "you're trying really hard to be better. Ever since you met Luz you've done so much to try and help and become a better person. The fact that you're willing to have this conversation proves that."
I smile softly. "Thank you Willow, but I'm still sorry for everything I have done to you over the years."
"I know" Willow says "and we can't just forget our past, but we can still try and move forward."
As the two of us finished our conversation we saw Zoe and Luz came back down the stairs looking at ease. Luz smiled at me and I blushed slightly.
"Welp" Zoe began stretching her arms "I should probably head home. Before my parents think I've joined a gang or something."
"We should probably start heading back to" Gus adds gesturing to Willow.
"Yeah get the heck outta my house ya leaches" eda joked. "Part from you Amity" she added quickly "you stay."
"Let us know as soon as Nick gets here" Zoe says to eda "we wanna see what his plan will be."
"Will do kid."
Edric POV
Me and Emira made the trip back to blight manor. We stopped when we got to the door and I turned to see Emira almost bursting with anger. "Em calm down or they'll know something is up" I say to her. I understood her rage, I wanted nothing more than to bust down this door and give our parents what they deserved for hurting mittens, but we had to stay cool for her sake.
"I know, but just thinking about what they did to her in this house, right under our noses" she clenched her fist.
I placed a hand on her shoulder "they'll get what's coming to them but we have to wait and go with the plan." Em took a deep breath and we opened the door.
We were greeted by our usual butler Clive.
"Ah master and Edric and Miss Emira so very good to see you again." He said with his usual cheery tone.
"Hello Clive" I responded "have you seen-"
"Ah there you two are" I was interrupted by the familiar sound of my mother. "Your father and I were getting worried." She said but I could tell there was a sinister undertone "she wants mittens" I thought to myself.
"Where is father?" Em asked.
"Just in the living room dear" she answered "now where have the two of you been?"
"Just getting some extra studying done in the library" I lied.
"And where is your sister?" Mother asked.
"Right next to me" I joked gesturing to Emira.
I saw a flicker of rage in my mothers eye to be quickly replaced with fake amusement.
"Very good" she fake laughed "let me be more specific, where is Amity?"
"She said she wanted to get more studying done and that she would be at Skara's overnight to study." Emira answered.
"Yea she said she wanted to study extra hard to make up for disappointing you recently so she didn't want to re enter this house until she was worthy of returning." The lie made me feel physically ill. I knew it would work as chucking Amity out of the house until they deemed her worthy of returning was something our parents have done in the past.
"Very well" my mother said "I will inform your father, go get changed, dinner will be ready soon."
Me and Emira rushed up the stairs to our rooms "you think she bought it" I asked Em.
"I hope so" she responded "cause I don't wanna think about what'll happen if she didn't."
Odalia POV
I walked into the hallway where Alador was waiting "did you hear their lies"
"Clear as crystal" he responded with venom in his voice.
"I know for a fact our disgusting daughter is not 'studying' considering she was apparently absent most of the day."
"Where do you think she is?" I asked my husband.
"I don't know but if she's with that degenerate human she will be severely punished."
"Well I have an idea to find her."
At that his eyebrows raised "go on"
"Lilith Clawthorne" I responded bluntly. "She is a member of the Emeperors coven after all, and considering our close relationship with the Emperor I'm sure we can get her assistance in this matter."
He gave a devilish grin, the same smirk I fell in love with "brilliant idea my love. That daughter of ours will be back under our grasp in no time at all."
Authors note:
This was a much longer chapter than normal but I really wanted to start getting the story set up and into more action sooner rather than later.
I do intend to keep the longer chapter style going but this will mean less frequent chapters. So let me know if you'd rather have less frequent but linger chapters or longer chapters less often.