Wizards: Tales Of Arcadia

A Thousand Years

Angel found herself staring straight at a bright translucent blue younger version of herself. She couldn't remember the exact age but she knew it was at least in fifth or sixth grade at the time. A phantom door was in front of her and on her left. Angel's mother was holding the front one closed against someone banging on it. The door next to Angel was a closet and in it were her sisters.

Mini Angel was holding a flip phone that was already dialed to 911. All she had to do was hit call. She couldn't bear to remember the actual words said during that time. She only knew that her step-father was the one beating on the door simply because he lost his shoe and drunk.

Angel remembered how tense she was, how angry, how afraid for her sisters and mother's safety. How everything was a straw that broke him when he was that way. For God's sake, just because she wasn't a damn mind reader-

"You gonna cry?!" She heard from behind her. Immediately, she shut her eyes and held Douxie's necklace close to her chest. This wasn't real and that happened years ago. She didn't have to go through this alone, no one did.

No one...

"Douxie," she breathed and opened her eyes as she ran to him and immediately held him close. He was sniffling and his breathe broke with his sobs. But after he realized it was her, he fell into her embrace. They fell to the floor as he let out a few more sobs. "I'm here. You'll be ok."

It was quiet, nothing but the faint sounds of Angel's memories playing back to her. It was just more of the same as before- flipping her sister off of a table and all her mother thought to do was take them to Walmart in the middle of the night. A flashlight thrown at Angel's that got lodged in the drywall. A stupid non-apology for all his crap.

But she ignored it like she always did, because Douxie needed her more. He never mentioned his past much other than Merlin, even in passing and short little bursts like she did with her own past. But it was apparently bad enough to make his magic go haywire.

"T- thank you," he muttered as he buried his head in her neck, just breathing her in. Angel smiled softly as she leaned her head on his for a a moment.

"Of course. One, you've done the exact same thing for me." Douxie chuckled quietly. Angel gently pulled away from him and moved his face so he would look at her, leaving her hand on his cheek. "And two, I- I- I really care about you, Douxie. I would do anything to make you happy. Within reason," she added quickly.

"And what's within reason?" Douxie chuckled, and Angel glared at him playfully. Then she sighed with over exasperation, too much to be real.

"Well, I guess I could steal the world's biggest diamond for you, if you truly needed it to be happy." Her words were dripping with sarcasm and she was clearly struggling to keep a straight face. Douxie began laughing however which made Angel break. Archie came up to snuggle with Douxie as they pulled away. He nuzzled against Archie's forehead and sighed contentedly.

"Love, I only need you, and Archie and our friends to feel happy." He glanced at the memories around them, having calmed down to little memories that went away before they could take full form or even say anything.

They were happy ones it seemed; Angel playing with her sisters, at a sleepover, creating illusion bubbles for a class of little kids, hanging out with the trollhunters and the band, and a few nights that she had spent with Douxie.

"How did you even get into this situation, Doux?" Angel asked as he put Arch on his shoulder and stood, reaching out a hand to help Angel up. She took it and let herself be pulled up.

"I uh, didn't account for the spell following my train of thought all the way through, well-" he chuckled nervously, Archie nuzzling him for support. Angel refrained from noting that a memory spell would obviously affect the one who triggered it- that was a response Merlin likely would have given and Douxie didn't need that right now.