Damage Control

Chapter Five

Trying to outrun a dragon is not an easy task. Hope pushed Josie along as they ran, she figured if they got hit by fire, at least Hope could heal herself. She wasn't exactly sure where Josie was running to, Hope just let her lead, it was her head after all. Josie ran them into a doorway, not the one Hope was trying to get to though. Finding it was a deadend, Josie turned back around, her eyes going wide. "Look out!"

Hope spun on her heel, just in time to see the mouth of the dragon open. "Scutum!" Hope called as she threw up her hands, shield forming just in time to stop the fire from hitting her. "A little help." She called over her shoulder.

"Um about that." Hope turned enough to catch Josie's guilty eyes. "I kind of got rid of my power for the time being."

A rush of fire hit the shield hard, Hope almost dropped it. "You what?" She could not believe it. She opened her mouth to comment but shut it quick, Josie had been through enough in the last few weeks, she didn't need criticism right now. "Later," Hope finally said. A rush of fire hit the shield, causing Hope's feet to slide an inch. "Any ideas on how we are going to slay this thing?"

Josie was quiet for a moment. "How about this?" She thrusted her tiny sword in front of Hope.

Hope shrugged. "It will have to do." Josie tried to pass it over to Hope but she shook her head. "This is your time to shine Jo, I'll hold the shield." Josie looked confused. "It's your turn to save me, you showed up with the sword afterall." She flashed a smile in Josie's direction, she didn't miss the subtle blush on her face.

Josie gripped the sword tighter. "So... in the heart?"

Hope nodded, still holding her shield as the dragon attacked. "I'll cover you, get behind the wall." She directed with her eyes for Josie to hide beside the doorway. When the dragon stopped spewing fire for a second she dropped her shield. "Act fast." Before she could explain, Hope ran, dodging the boxes and debris as she did. "Hey ugly this way!" She yelled at the beast, glad when it turned its head and started to follow her, nostrils flaring.

Hope couldn't wait to see if Josie acted, it only took seconds before the dragon was on her heels. She started throwing fire over her shoulder at the dragon as she ran, most likely not the best idea considering they were in a room of wood but it was all she could come up with. Hope ran up the side of a stack of boxes, trying to get over them. She toppled off the top, only to find herself in a deadend, the dragon now blocking her path. She threw up another shield just as fire forced her against the wall. She had to think, there had to be a way out of here.

A flash of black showed up over the dragon's shoulder. Hope's heart skipped, knowing it was Josie, she just hoped she could get to the dragon's heart in time, she couldn't hold the shield for much longer. The dragon roared in rage, turning backwards, looking for something. As it turned, Hope saw Josie upon its back, sword sticking out of it. It turned again, spotting Josie this time, Hope quickly dropped her shield and threw a fireball at it, getting its attention again. Josie ripped her sword out and rolled off its back, hitting the ground and rolling under it as it turned back towards Hope. She dashed off, stepping away just in time for the dragon to hit the spot she was just standing, the boxes started burning. Hope kept running, she was trying to find Josie, trying to make sure she was okay. Her foot caught on a piece of debris and she fell to the floor, hands skidding along as she tried to stop herself. Pain shot through her ankle as she tried to stand, that isn't good. Hope turned, the dragon was upon her again, there was no time to shield herself but she threw her hands up anyway, spell dying on her lips as fire shot toward her. She rolled as fast as she could but she still felt it lick her calves.

The dragon roared in pain once again. Hope looked over her shoulder, the dragon's eyes were draining of life. Josie rolled out from under it, sword in her hands, a large heart attached to the end of it, dripping blood down the blade and onto Josie's hands. Josie ran over to Hope as the dragon crashed to the floor, blood leaking out around it.

Josie dropped to her knees beside Hope. "Are you okay?" She looked over at her concerned.

Her calves were burning and her ankle throbbed but she would heal. "I will be fine." Josie gave her a look like that answer wasn't going to do it. "Jo don't worry I'm fine." She pulled herself up, wincing as pain radiated through her, but she forced herself to sit. Hope looked over to the dead dragon, it's body started to dissolve into a black puddle on the floor. "Good job with the dragon."

Josie looked back at it for a moment. "I couldn't have done it without your help." She flashed Hope a smile. "Now let me look at your leg."

Hope raised an eyebrow but decided not to argue with her, she let Josie look at her leg, sucking in a breath when she touched the burned part. "So you took away your magic?" She couldn't help but ask.

Josie's dark eyes met hers for a moment before she continued to examine Hope's leg, which she could already feel mending. "I thought it would be safer for everyone if I put it away for now, until I learn to control it better."

Hope watched Josie as she examined her, both knowing there was nothing she could really do while Hope healed. "Well when you're ready I will help you practice." Josie looked up at her surprised. "I know what it feels like having a darkness in you that is consuming." Hope flinched at her memories of the Hallow. "It took me a long time to be able to do magic after that." Not to mention it was the reason she lost her father.

"I remember." Joise said in a small voice. Hope knew what she was thinking, Lizzie and Joise were the ones who syphoned the Hallow from her, only to put it into her father, but it wasn't their fault, her father made that choice, the twins were only doing what their parents asked them to. "I think your leg will be fine in a few more minutes."

Hope nodded. "Any idea how we are getting out of here?" She could feel her bones mending back into place.

Josie looked at the doorway Hope was trying to get to in the first place. "I guess we follow the yellow brick road."

Hope thought she was joking until she looked at the floor beyond the door, it was a yellow brick road. "I think you need some new movies to watch Jo, maybe some Zombies or something?" They both laughed. Josie got up first and held a hand out for Hope, helping her to her feet. "Any red slippers Dorthy?"

Josie actually looked at her feet, they were the same shoes she came in. "Perhaps on the other end?" She shrugged.

"Only one way to find out." She held out her hand to Josie, she took it and they started walking down the road.

The end of the road left them at an emerald wardrobe. "I swear to God if we end up in Narnia..." Hope started. Josie opened the wardrobe, two sets of Ruby slippers sat on the shelf. "Or ruby slippers." She finished.

Josie took them out and handed one pair to Hope. "Let's hope this is the end." She sounded exhausted.

Hope bent down and changed her shoes, Josie doing the same. "Okay let's get this over with." She grabbed both of Josie's hands. "I am not letting you go this time." She joked. "So how do we work these things? I never saw the end of this movie."

Josie looked offended. "Click the heels three times and say 'there is no place like home'." She instructed her. Hope wanted to roll her eyes but she did as Josie said, they spoke the words in unison as they clicked their heels.

The word around them dissolved into light. They were thrown into what felt like a void, mixing around in a blender, it was making Hope sick. Finally, everything settled. Hope could no longer feel Josie's hands in her's, she panicked and sat up. She hadn't realized she was laying down. "Easy Hope." A familiar voice said in her ear. Hope opened her eyes, and immediately threw up, thankfully in a bucket that was being held in front of her.

The sound of retching came from beside her as well. When Hope managed to look up without vomiting, she saw Josie in a chair next to her, face in a bucket. They were in Alaric's office, he was holding the bucket Josie was throwing up in. Lizzie and MG were sitting in the corner looking disgusted as they were getting sick. Then Hope realized who was holding her bucket. "Aunt Freya?" She asked, confused.

Her aunt rubbed her back gently. "Welcome home Hope."