Forever Charmed

Break On Through To The Other Side

"I smell cookies," the Dean says as Laura bumps the attic door open with her hip.

"Yeah, well, I figured even demon hostages that don't need to eat can also use some sweets," Laura replies, balancing the three plates. She stands by the edge of the crystal cage and quickly picks up a crystal, putting the plate within the ring before replacing the crystal.

Will watches as Laura does the same with his cage.

"They're fresh out of the oven," Laura adds, settling in on the chair with her own plate.

The Dean warily takes a bite and chuckles. "I assume you didn't just come up here to feed us," she says, nodding for Will to eat a cookie.

"You're lucky I haven't let Mel come in here and get her revenge for you offing her coven and driving a wedge between her and her sometimes-girlfriend," Laura points out.

"Now, now, that wasn't all my fault," the Dean replies. "How was I supposed to know some other demon would hijack the Sandman mission and execute it poorly? A plan which I had put into effect before I'd known you'd be a willing participant in the ritual when the time comes, by the way."

Laura sighs. "Honestly? I just wanted to do something to ignore the dead ends we keep hitting while doing research."

"So, we're a distraction?" Will asks, snorting.

"Just eat your cookies," Laura grumbles.

Footsteps ascend the stairs and Carmilla walks into the attic, pausing. "I was wondering where you went," she comments, looking confusedly at her mother and Will. "Everything okay?"

"Yep!" Laura jumps from her chair with her answer too quickly, making Carmilla raise an eyebrow. "I just... we've been asking around the Underworld for days, and all we found is some unrelated weird slave trade for those mermaids and nymphs that went missing. No one could tell us who was behind what happened at Magic School. Nothing else."

Carmilla frowns and pulls Laura into a hug. "Listen, you deflated creampuff. We're gonna figure this out. I promise." She kisses Laura on the forehead. "You might just be tired from using your power to interrogate those demons?"

Laura shrugs but leans into Carmilla. "Maybe."

J.P. orbs into the attic before realizing where he's ended up. He gives Will a small wave, wincing a bit when Will simply rolls his eyes and turns away.

"Ahem. Well," he shifts uncomfortably, looking to Carmilla. "The Elders want us right away. Debriefing on this whole magic creatures mishap."

"Oh, boy. Can't wait to tell them all of the nothing we've come up with," Carmilla says dryly, making Laura giggle. She gives Laura a peck on the cheek and blows a sarcastic kiss to her mother before orbing out with J.P., swiping a cookie off Laura's plate

Laura lingers for a moment before sitting on the chair again.

"Strange."

Laura looks up at the Dean. "What's strange?"

"Do you know why I picked Carmilla as my source for sacrifices?" she asks, grabbing another cookie.

Laura shakes her head, taking a bite of her own.

"When she lost Ell, her willpower was gone as a whitelighter. She still wanted to do good, but it was like she'd lost the ability to do it. Not enough to make her evil and turn her into a darklighter, though. Just a hole, a void."

Laura frowns. "Oh."

"She felt as if she had failed in her role as a guardian angel, so when I presented her with another role, she was eager. That is why I picked her. She was so empty and easy to manipulate." She laughs wryly. "She fought me several times on the sacrifices over the years, but in the end she always did as she was told. And I became quite fond of her, my glittering girl." The Dean scoffs, fixing Laura with a glare. "Until you."