For the second time in less than a month, the witches were headed back out to California. Zoe had already finished her packing the night before, and being the procrastinator she was, Angel was hurriedly finishing the morning of their flight. She rushed into the bathroom, grabbing her toiletries and placing them in the appropriate bag. She came back into her room and jumped slightly when she noticed Mallory standing in the doorway. Said girl smiled sheepishly and giggled.
Angel wagged a finger at her, "Ya gotta stop scarin' me."
Mallory shrugged, stepping further into the room, "Wouldn't be so hard if you weren't so jumpy."
Angel didn't reply, she just went to her open suitcase in her bag and tossed her toiletries in. As Mallory stepped up to her side, she noticed the blonde's hands shaking slightly.
She gently grabbed her hands, rubbing her knuckles in a soothing manner, "Hey, what's wrong?"
"Uhh..." Angel's mouth grew dry. After her talk with Cordelia, Angel had to admit that she maybe had a small crush on the brunette before her. She nervously glanced at her plane ticket.
"Scared of flying?" Mallory guessed.
"Yeah..." Angel said breathlessly. She licked her lips in nervousness. She felt bad about lying to her crush but she couldn't explain to the girl what was truly making her nervous- Langdon. What harm could a little white lie like that do anyways? The close proximity of the two did nothing in helping to calm her nerves.
Mallory's gaze flickered to her lips and back up to her eyes, which for once weren't shielded by her shades. God, I want to kiss her so bad.
Due to their physical contact, Angel heard her thoughts. Her eyes widened and they too flickered to Mallory's lips. She glanced over to the empty doorway and bit her lip. Taking her chances and throwing her inhibitions away, she leaned in slowly and connected their lips.
The brunette's eyes widened momentarily before she melted into the kiss. She removed her hands and gently cupped Angel's cheek, her other hand moving to her neck. Angel wrapped her arms around Mallory's shoulders and let her take the lead. She couldn't believe she did that, and initiated her first kiss. They pulled away after a few moments, breathlessly giggling together.
"Could you like, read my thoughts or something?" Mallory asked jokingly.
The blonde swallowed harshly and took a step back, unwrapping her arms. She shamefully looked down at her feet, her blush bright, "Um, it's called physical telepathy."
The other witch's eyes widened, "Wait, really? I was only joking!"
Angel sat down on her bed, sighing heavily. She glanced up at Mallory, who surprisingly hadn't run out on her, "I know, but you weren't wrong."
"Physical telepathy? So you could like, hear my thoughts every time you touched me?" She asked, her nerves skyrocketing. Does that mean she always knew she had a crush on the blonde?
Angel shook her head, "The person's thoughts have to be loud enough in order for me to hear them. If they're thinking really hard about somethin', only then can I hear it. That and of course, I need to have skin-to-skin contact."
"How long have you been able to do that?" She asked, sitting on the bed.
The witch shrugged, "About three years now."
"Oh."
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. It's not normally somethin' I reveal about myself 'cause I honestly hate it." She looked over at Mallory, her eyes apologetic.
She nodded in understanding, "Why do you hate it?" She asked curiously.
"Because it's a serious invasion of privacy. Our thoughts are the one thing others aren't supposed to be able to access and I can." She shook her head, "It's awful."
Mallory smiled, nudging the girl, "Didn't seem so awful to me." She teased, referring to the kiss they shared.
Angel blushed and chuckled, "That was actually my first kiss. I don't know what came over me, I just... did it."
"Oh, do you regret it?" The brunette asked nervously.
She quickly shook her head and looked into Mallory's dark brown eyes, "No, it was... nice." She bit her lip, her blush crawling down her neck.
It was Mallory's turn to chuckle. She pulled the blonde's bottom lip from between her teeth and softly brushed her thumb along it, "So, what does this mean for us?" She questioned.
Angel shrugged, "I'm not sure. If you couldn't tell, I've never been in a relationship before. I don't think I've ever even had a crush, to be honest."
"Well, I've never been in a relationship before either." Mallory revealed.
"How about we just let it come naturally? We may be a part of the supernatural but our relationship can be the one normal thing about us." Angel suggested.
"'Relationship', huh?" The girl teased.
"You know what I mean." She replied, rolling her eyes playfully. Mallory nodded in response.
"Naturally it is." She said, taking a hold of Angel's hand tentatively. The revelation of the girl's ability worried her a little but she decided not to let it alter her feelings for the girl. She would ask more about it, and her other abilities later.
Zoe suddenly appeared in the doorway, she took in the scene before her. The girls' close proximity, the intertwined hands, the dopey smiles on their faces, but most importantly, Angel's half-packed suitcase.
"You aren't done packing? We leave in 20 minutes!" She frantically informed her friend.
Angel's eyes widened and she stood from her bed, dropping Mallory's hand, "Oh, shit!" She exclaimed. She hurried to continue her task she unintentionally put on pause.
The brunette stood from the bed and walked towards Zoe. She gave her an apologetic smile, "Sorry, that was my fault."
The witch waved in dismissal and grabbed her own bag from beside her bed and carried it out of the room. Mallory followed but stopped in the doorway, she turned to face the hysterical girl as she hastily threw her belongings in the medium sized suitcase. She paused once more as she heard Mallory clear her throat, turning her head over her shoulder to look at her.
"I guess I'll see you when you get back, girlfriend." She smirked and kicked herself off the open door, leaving the shell-shocked girl behind.
She unfroze and shook her head. She continued on, placing her final articles of clothing in before zipping it closed. She was in the process of lowering her sunglasses from her forehead before she froze once more, "Wait, girlfriend?" She smiled, surprised to find that the term felt natural to her.
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Once again, the girl's found themselves in California, standing before the entrance of Hawthorne's. Alongside them all was Madison Montgomery.
"Does this mean she's a part of the Council now?" Angel asked, jabbing her thumb in the blonde's direction.
"Yep." Madison replied, sending a smug smile to the girl. However, she made no sarcastic remark to the girl which was surprising to everyone.
Angel sighed heavily and reluctantly nodded, "Okay, then."
They entered the school, riding the elevator down silently. Angel stuck to Cordelia's side, having felt closer to the Supreme after their heart-to-heart. They made their way to the library to find all the men standing around waiting for them. Angel looked around the room, noting that John Henry Moore was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he too knew something was wrong with Langdon and decided not to join in. The Cajun made a conscious effort to stay as far away from the boy as possible. It still disturbed Angel how his aura was able to bleed through her shades, that and everything about him made the hairs on her neck stand tall.
They wasted no time in starting the test, the arrogant warlocks being eager to upstage the women in magical ability for the first time in their history. The boy quickly blasted through the test, showing his proficiency in all the wonders. He was able to successfully perform them all and didn't even appear to have a sliver of his energy drained after completing Vitalum Vitalis.
"And so we arrive to the final test, Descensum." Cordelia spoke, standing before the boy, "But today, I'm not only asking you to perform this wonder. Today, I'm asking you to conquer it. I'd like you to retrieve my dear friend, Misty Day, who lost her own battle with this task."
Angel's eyes widened in shock, her head spinning to look at the Supreme. Is that even possible?, she questioned. Was she really going to get a chance to see her beloved older sister again?
"That's impossible!" Behold protested, "Those who don't return from Decsensum are gone forever, property of the Underworld."
"No other Supreme has been made to do this, ever. This is not only unfair, it's suicide." Baldwin argued, irked by the woman's request.
"Enough!" Ariel shouted, silencing the men, "Cordelia. I need a word." The two departed from the library and headed to his office to have a private conversation.
When they left, Angel pulled Zoe aside, "Do you know what Cordelia's doin'?"
She shook her head, "No, but I'm sure she knows exactly what she's doing." She wearily glanced over at Langdon.
Zoe dropped her voice to a whisper and leaned towards Angel's ear, "I would just trust her on this. If he really can do this, it means you'd be able to see your sister again."
"I know that, but..." Angel sighed, "that would just add to the creep factor of this guy. Doin' somethin' that's never been done before. If he really has that kinda power, I..." she trailed off.
Zoe shrugged, unsure of what to say.
Angel took a deep breath in and relented, "Okay." She stepped away, ending the hushed conversation between the two. She was unnerved to find the boy staring directly at her, as if he heard everything the two said to one another. Suddenly, he turned and walked out of the room.
Within moments, he returned, Cordelia and Ariel following behind him. He laid down on the floor and spread his arms on his side. Everyone stepped in closely, forming a tight circle around his form. He began the incantation for Descensum and quickly, he made his way down into hell.
They all took their places around the room, waiting for the boy's fateful return, carefully watching his still form on the floor.
Angel looked over at the Supreme, "Do you really think he'll return with her?" She whispered.
She looked over at the young Day girl, "I really hope so." She replied, her previous words ringing through her head 'Just because she's gone doesn't mean your feelings for her are.'
They didn't wait for much longer before Langdon's eyes sprang open and he rose from the floor, gasping for air. They all approached, except for Angel. He was back so where was Misty? Her heart fell in her chest, she should've known not to get her hopes up.
"Well, that's that." Madison sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. She briefly glanced over at Angel's crestfallen expression, "C'est la vie."
"This was not a fair test." Ariel said angrily.
"What happened? Where's Misty?" Cordelia asked desperately.
"Isn't it obvious, dear?" Myrtle said, "She's right where she's been for the last-" She stopped short as they all noticed something materializing on the floor beside the boy.
Angel stood from her place and rushed forward as Misty's body finished forming. She collapsed to her knees, breathing heavily, "Misty? Misty?" She asked tearfully, cupping her older sister's cheeks. Cordelia kneeled behind the girl, placing her hand on her back for balance.
"My dearest Misty." She whispered, tears falling from her eyes.
Slowly, Misty's eyes fluttered open, her gaze focusing on the two blondes hovering over her. Angel gave a tearful and disbelieving laugh, helping her sit up before wrapping her up in her arms and sobbing. Misty's eyes were wide as she hugged her sister back.
"Am I...?" She trailed off, looking into Cordelia's shining eyes. She looked over at the other witches standing around, her eyes taking in Zoe and Queenie's slightly older appearance.
"Yes, you're back. You're safe." Cordelia whispered, brushing her hand against Misty's exposed cheek softly. Angel had yet to let go of her older sister, her sobs having quieted down some, but the tears continued, unrelenting.
"Back from perdition." Myrtle said in disbelief.
Finally, Angel leaned back, looking into her sister's eyes. Misty got a good look at her little sister, who wasn't so little anymore. She couldn't believe how Angel had matured. She was no longer this scrawny girl who was pale as a ghost. Her skin earned a slight tan, her body filling out in all the right places. Her cheeks no longer held any baby fat and her hair was healthier than ever. The one thing that didn't change, her eyes. Still a bright and vibrant blue like the sky on a sunny day.
"Lil' Bird?" She whispered in shock. She cupped her sister's cheek as her sister nodded and gave another tearful chuckle.
She grabbed Misty's hand, "Oh how I've missed you, Mitsy." She said, using her own nickname in return.
"Can you stand?" She asked. Misty nodded, and her sister helped her up. The older sister noticed how Angel had grown taller, almost reaching eye level with her. Before allowing her to greet the others, she removed the black, flower covered shawl from her shoulders.
"I believe this belongs to ya." Angel smiled, wrapping it tightly around her sister, giving her shoulder an affectionate squeeze.
She stepped back, Misty immediately going to Cordelia first and wrapping her in a breath-stealing hug. They stepped away and Cordelia played with a strand of kinky blonde hair, giving the woman a fond smile. She returned it full force before looking at the other witches. They all hugged and greeted the long-lost Day sister, happy to have her back with them. As she hugged Queenie, she noticed the boy who saved her sitting in a chair across the room. Her eyes doubled in size and she stumbled back, fearful.
"Cordelia." Myrtle spoke, looking at the Supreme as a dribble of blood fell from her nose.
"Oh, my god." The woman whispered. The Day sister's approached either side of her, concerned.
"What's happening?" Queenie questioned.
The sister's caught the Supreme as she stumbled back, losing her strength. They held her up by her arms, glancing at one another.
"What always happens when a new Supreme rises." Ariel informed.
"The old one fades away." Behold elaborated.
"We demand what's ours." Ariel said, stepping forward.
Angel glared from beside Cordelia, "You are a pathetic, pompous ass." She shouted.
Misty looked at her sister in shock, she really had grown up.
"I did everything you asked. I descended into Hell and I did what you couldn't. I brought her back. I passed the Seven Wonders. Unless you want to add another one?" Michael asked.
"No. No." The Supreme shook her head, "There can be no doubt. You are the next Supreme." She suddenly collapsed to the floor, Misty and Angel unable to hold her weight as she lost consciousness. The two simultaneously looked up at Michael to see he had a smug and satisfied grin on his face. He seemed to take pleasure in weakening the Supreme and constantly making her pass out.
They lifted Cordelia up from the floor and carried her to the nearby couch. Myrtle and Angel remained with the woman as Misty ran off to the nearby kitchen to prepare some hot tea for when the blonde woke up. Everyone else took their leave in the meantime, departing to do their own thing. Angel had no concerns about what the girls were doing, but she couldn't help but be a little nervous about the men leaving her sight.
Cordelia regained consciousness after a few minutes, confusedly glancing at her surroundings. The two witches quickly worked to make her comfortable before resuming their original places- Myrtle on a nearby chair and Angel on the floor near the Supreme.
"Where's the girls?" She asked, looking at Myrtle.
"They've all gone to go grab some food from the kitchen." She replied.
"And Misty?"
"She's gettin' ya somethin' to drink." Angel smiled up at the woman.
Cordelia hummed, "I'm surprised you didn't go with her." She said, brushing her fingers through Angel's soft hair.
She shrugged, "She's got the others with her. Ya needed me more."
At that moment Misty entered the room, a small cup of tea in hand. Myrtle glanced back and rose from her seat, approaching the couch. "Delia, sit up if you can." She requested softly.
Cordelia brought herself up in a sitting position as Misty sat on the edge of the couch, holding the drink in front of her.
"It's not Louisiana mud, but... it'll have to do." She shrugged.
Cordelia glanced at the contents, "What is it?" She asked playfully.
"Lipton's." They all chuckled softly, Angel glancing up and looking at her sister with eyes full of love. She helped support the cup in Cordelia's grasp as she took a small sip.
She stopped, staring up at the Cajun in front of her, "I've known you for such a short time, and I've missed you forever." She said, her voice becoming thick with emotion.
Misty sighed and glanced down at her little sister. She brushed her hand down her head, cupping her sister's cheek softly as she spoke, "You should've left me where I was." She told the other woman while looking sadly at Angel.
"What? Why?" Angel asked, sitting taller and turning her body towards Misty.
"That man you sent to fetch me..." She started, glancing back and forth between the two, "He gives me the heebie-jeebies. There's somethin' wrong with him." Angel nodded her head furiously in agreement, finally someone who understood what she was feeling.
"Angel said something similar." Cordelia said, glancing down at the girl who was staring at Misty.
"What do you mean?" Myrtle asked.
She began explaining to the women her hell. How she was constantly forced to dissect a live frog, the teacher forcing the scalpel in her hand to cut open it's belly, killing the creature. She told them about how Michael had done the same to the teacher. Suddenly, all the students in the room froze, their eyes turning white and their heads falling back- mouths open wide.
"I couldn't understand what they were sayin', but he... listened while they talked their gibberish all around the classroom. I'm not educated, but I'm no fool. Evil was speakin' to him." She implored.
"Maybe he had to negotiate your release from Hell?" Cordelia guessed, skeptical of her own words.
Misty hesitantly nodded, "Maybe. You would know better than me, Miss Cordelia. But I've sensed evil ever since I was a child. I could smell the sweet rot of a decaying soul, but I've never smelled anythin' quite like him." She shook her head and closed her eyes, attempting to find the right words, "I don't know how to describe it. To me... he wore the perfume of death."
"I've been tellin' ya'll this from the beginning!" Angel said, standing from her place on the floor, "Nothin' about Michael is normal! Misty's experience just confirms it for us. She had first hand experience, seein' the evil this boy is capable of. He was able to converse with agents of Hell for Christ's sake!"
"Delia, what have we done? We just anointed that boy the next Supreme." Myrtle said from her seat.
"He will never be the Supreme." Cordelia denied.
"Then why did ya give him the test?" Angel asked angrily.
"Because I needed to know how strong he was." She replied, looking Angel in the eyes, "I knew there was something... dangerous about him, something dark. I wanted to keep him close, so we would be ready." Angel's shoulders dropped. So she did know this whole time, she did listen to the blonde's warning about him. "Something is coming, I can feel it. Whatever it is, Michael Langdon has already given us an advantage. He's brought all my girl's back to me for the fight ahead." She smiled at the Day sisters.
Misty shook her head sadly, "I can't fight. I've lost my footing, Miss Cordelia. I was in Hell for so long, I don't know... I don't know where I am anymore." She tearfully confessed. Angel approached and wrapped her sister in her arms.
"I mean, look, my Lil' Bird isn't so little anymore." She said, looking up at Angel. She gave a sad smile to her sister.
"I will always be your Lil' Bird. Even when we're both old and grey, and our wings won't let us fly anymore." Angel said emotionally. She brushed her sister's kinky blonde hair away from her face and the two tearfully chuckled together.
"You've done enough, Misty." Cordelia said. The Cajun shook her head, "Yes, you have. You brought us more proof. Now you need to heal." The Supreme smiled at Misty, reaching forward and softly grabbing her hand.
Cordelia carefully set her teacup on her lap and reached her free hand out to Angel. She had a certain gleam to her dark eyes that left the girl slightly confused but regardless she took her hand in hers and smiled. Suddenly, Cordelia's voice rang through her mind,
'I think we should surprise Misty with something really special.'
Angel's lips thinned in confusion but she nodded in agreement. Cordelia released her hand after giving it an affectionate squeeze, that way she couldn't hear what she was planning. She just needed the younger Day sister's permission.
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(A/N: Hope you guys don't mind the long chapter! Leave comments, let me know if you like them, or if you prefer shorter chapters. Thank you to all who had voted so far, I feel the love ❤ I hope you all have a great day!)