The White Witch *COMPLETE*

36- He's Fine

Aiden's panicking aura neared the front door and my head snapped up from my mashed potatoes. Douglas looked up at me from his phone, then over to the door. He closed his eyes and appeared to be listening.

I felt Aiden probably around the steps, then he paused right on the other side of the door.

Douglas and I shared a look. His half was trying and failing to hide a small smile, my half was heating up fast with a deep blush.

The door opened and we both looked over. Aiden's focus rose from the floor in front of him and froze when he saw us. His eyes went wide and straight to Douglas.

His panic jabbed in toward his body so suddenly I almost didn't catch the movement. His chest rose and fell harder and he looked about ready to puke.

"Aiden?" I asked and stood as Douglas leaned back in his chair, eyeing my brother curiously.

I hurried around the table and went to him. He reached for me with one hand and for his chest with the other. I held on to him, keeping him steady and letting him cling to me like he worried he might float away otherwise.

I looked back at Douglas, who was still sitting, but with his arms crossed now and looking almost worried. Almost.

Aiden's hand moved to my bare arm and my eyes zoned out.

Our mom died when I was nine. I was developing magic no one in our coven was prepared to deal with. It seemed like every day I could do something new. My aura had been out of control.

Aiden and I were playing in the back yard of our parent's house, the one Dad still lived in. I was showing him the pretty white sparks I could make if I tried reaaaallly hard and he didn't distract me. He thought they were just so cool, just like all of my magic.

Neither of us saw it coming, not that we could have done anything about it. Maybe I could have, but I was a little girl. I'll never know if I could have stopped the man who snatched us up and used us as leverage to get inside. With Mom.

I remember him saying, very specifically, 'Keep it up woman and I'll start in on the girl. Ya'all'll learn real fast how to be good little pets. Got me a good fifty years on you and two little ones that'll be able to make me more in a few years, I recon. Must be my lucky day.'

I'll never forget those words or that nasty sneer on his face as he said them. Or Mom screaming for Aiden to keep my eyes closed. He did too and made sure not to touch my skin if he could help it. I could feel it though.

I could feel his terror and Mom's everything. Even just the memory sent a cold shudder down my spine. And that predatory, reddening aura.

I didn't see, but Aiden did.

And then he saw Douglas and I.

"Oh no." I breathed and pulled him into a tight hug.

"I c-can't, Mel. I can't." He broke down right there.

I pressed my cheek hard against his hair as he cried into my neck. I rubbed his back and whispered comforting words, but it didn't help. Maybe he could have handled it before, but after Saul sending him back in his recovery he just couldn't. He saw Douglas attack me and now this.

I turned us a little and looked back at Douglas, who gave me a questioning look. All I could do was grimace. This wasn't something a hug and some reassuring would help.

Aiden had been getting better. He'd been clean and working on his magic. I even got him to a twenty second plank. Now he felt like he had in the weeks before I found him in the woods. And I suspected he hadn't cared if I found him, if he hadn't done it on purpose.