*Hecate*

"Ready?" I asked Quin.

He gave a nod. "You sure you're okay? You look...sick."

"I'm perfectly fine. Now come on, let get going."

I took hold of his hand and turned both of us invisible while dropping the disguise I had on him. I let out a small sigh of relief when the little leftovers of magic came back to me.

"Lead the way."

---

He took me to a more secluded part of the town. I was glad we went slowly. My body was getting heavy from using all this magic while injured.

See, when I use magic, it has to actually come out of me. Kinda like sweat, to put it weirdly. It keeps poking at the healing burn. Jacin's doing his best to heal it as quickly as he can, but he gets tired fast as far as magic's involved.

"We're here," Quintin said, snapping my attention up to the small single story house. "It's not much, but it's-"

"I like it. It's homey."

I couldn't see him, but I knew he had a little half smirk on his lips.

"How're we getting in?" I asked him. "Got a key?"

"Used to. Got rid of it though. I never thought I'd have to come back here."

"Don't say have to. It's a privilege to get to see your parents again." I waited for some curious question to come my way, but there was no reply. "I'll get us in."

I tugged his hand until we were standing in front of the large window. My free hand gently touched it. I focused my magic on the glass until it became less solid and more liquid.

"Come on," I said, tugging him forward. "Just step through."

I took a step in, through the cool liquid glass until I was in the welcoming front room of the house.

"How'd you do that?" He asked

"I changed it's form. Solid, liquid, gas, plasma. I turned it to a liquid."

I looked around the front room. No, living room. There was a couch, a coffee table, and a tv. The tv was on, playing Steven Universe.

"Really?" I asked.

"Don't judge. The three of us used to watch it together."

"I'm not judging. This show's freakin awesome."

There was a crashing in the other room. The hand Quin was holding pulled me forward through the little hallway.

The next room turned out to be the kitchen and dining room. It was a quaint modern gray and white with bits of black. Though, with the sun shining through the back window that lead to the porch, it looked upbeat. There was even a vase of birds of paradise or whatever the plural of that was in the middle of the table.

I turned to see an older woman crouched down, picking up shattered pieces of glass.

"Mom," Quin said, letting go of my hand suddenly and shattering the illusion between both of us.

I raised my hands, ready to defend.

The woman jumped, looking in our direction and revealing just how much like Quin and Xavier she really looked.

"Quintin!" She yelled, running over to him.

My magic was ready when she landed in his arms in a big hug. Her hands went to his cheeks as she looked up at him, examining him.

Her eyes, so dark that they looked black, flew over every part of her son, checking him for anything that might've resembled an injury.

"I'm so glad you're okay." Her eyes now landed on me, making me jump. "You." She stopped closer to me, landing her cool ring-less hands on both of my cheeks. "You're the queen, huh?"

"Uh, ye-yes Ma'am."

She pulled my face in different directions before letting me go. She looked into my eyes for a second before letting go and smiling at me.

"How pretty." Her hands pulled back and rested at her sides. "Thank you, very much for taking care of my son."

I blinked. I've met strange people, I was a strange person, and she was now on the list.

"Mom," Quin said, pulling the black and gray haired lady's attention towards him, "what exactly did they tell you?"

She placed her hands on her hips. "Some bullshit about how you were wrong to try to save your brother. About how you broke her out of prison and that was wrong. A load of bull. Oh, where at any manners. Sit, sit. I'll get you something to drink."

Quin tugged me in the direction of the table and sat me down.

"Is water okay?" Mrs. Zeeli asked.

"Uh, sure. Thank you."

She came back, sitting across from Quin, smiling from ear to ear when she set the cup down in front of me.

"So, tell me what's been happening, dear."

Quin returned her smile. "A lot, actually. We've pretty much stayed in New York, but we've travelled a lot. But, I wanted to talk to you about...Xavier."

Her hands went across the table, resting in his. "You can tell me anything. You know that."

I sipped at my water while he talked.

"After we broke out Hecate, one of her friends told us where Xavier was being kept. It was...a labor camp. Hecate got us in. We staged a prison break. Everything was going good until Hecate yelled bomb. Eiy something barriers all made by her for everyone, Black Hands, magicians, and non magicians alike. She zused all her magic, s' proly the eazest way to put it. We we're drivin way. The gshuts er ryere."

"What?" I asked, looking at Quin.

When he looked back at me, his eyes grew worried. "Zu ogay?"

"What?"

"Sweeart?" Quin's mom asked, drawing my attention to her. "Gu lug-"

Everything went black and cold.

---

When I woke up, I was unusually warm. And restrained. My arms were tightly tied to my body.

I panicked, jumped and pushing ant tugging and trying to get away.

"It's okay?" Quin said, finally speaking English.

I stopped and waited for my senses to come back to me. When they did, I found myself laying down on a bed, Quin's arm resting on my waist and his other under my head.

"What'cha doin'?" I asked.

"I'm keeping you warm. Your skin was freezing."

"I'm sweating."

"Your sick."

"So remind me why you're holding me?"

"I got worried about you. Wanted to be here when you woke up."

I pushed his arm away, trying to sit myself up. I looked like I was in some teenage boys room. There were band posters on the wall. A desk and laptop on the far side of the room. There was even a bookshelf filled with books, some of the Black Hand training guides from what I could pick out.

"My old room," Quin said, reading my mind, apparently. "You should lay down. You're sick."

"How long was I out for?" I asked, turning so that my feet were dangling off the edge of the bed.

He shrugged. "About half an hour. Not too long. You're lucky I have some medical training. Mom was having a heart attack out there."

He shifted so he was sitting next to me. His hand was resting gently on my back, rubbing up and down. I didn't argue while I tried to get rid of my nausea.

"Where is your-" There was a click. "Never mind."

"Ooh, you're up," she said, closing the door behind her. "Good. I was worried sick. Here, some fever medicine and soup. It been cold out lately, so you have to be careful."

I greatly accepted both, popping the two pills in my mouth before going at the soup. Thinking about it, I haven't eaten in two days. That's a long time for me. Actually that's a long time for anyone which makes it an even longer time for me.

"Quin," Mrs. Zeeli's said, "why don't you let the poor girl rest. Go make yourself something to eat."

Quin didn't argue, but gave me a final tap on the shoulder before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

"He really likes you," she said, smiling at me.

I nearly spit out my mouth full of soup. "You know, you're nothing like him."

"I've been told. He's been always been more serious and straightforward. Like his father."

"Really? Do you mind if I ask where his father's at?"

"You can ask anything, dear. And dead, if I'm lucky."

Again, trying not to spit out my soup here. I really need to time this more carefully. "I hope you don't think of your son like that."

"No, never. Quin, no matter how serious and grouchy he can be, knows what the right decision is. His father, not so much. He was a Black Hand, fighting magicians and all that. He was also one of the biggest assholes I've ever met. Of course, I didn't find that out until after we got married. Don't ask how, he was just awful to be around. What about you? Have any parents? Oh, sorry. That was uncalled for, I shouldn't have asked."

"It's fine. I had a mom. She was the best person I ever met, even if she was given a bad hand at birth. She would've given everything for me. Actually, she did."

"Yeah, most of us mom's are pretty awesome like that. Well, I hear Michael's Mom's pretty scary."

"Michael?"

"Hatchet. That's what he calls himself, right?"

I nodded. Michael, huh? Such a cinnamon roll of a name. How cute.

"I guess not every mom can't be perfect, huh? But, you know what they say, 'If every pork chop were perfect-'"

"-we wouldn't have hot dogs!"

The lady laughed, patting her hand on my left shoulder. I flinched back, gasping in a breath when the pain hit me.

"Oh lordy, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. It's just a burn I got exploring. I have a friend who's working on it."

She smiled. "Did Quin make more friends?"

I nodded. "A few. Me included."

"I was kinda hoping you two were more than friends. You'd make such a cute couple. Especially since both of you like each other."

"Wait a second, I don't-"

"Don't question a mom's instinct, sweetheart."

"I'm a dangerous person, Ms. Zeeli."

"It's Eliese. And don't you think that's going to stop that stubborn son of mine. Now come on. Steven Universe is still playing. Let's go watch for a while."

---

Ms. Zeeli treated me to stories about little Mr. Grumpy Pants every commercial. She was a really nice and good person, actually. I was a little skeptical when she sat me down and gave me something to drink, but when she didn't do anything when I was unconscious I knew she was good.

"Eliese," I said, getting her attention, "do you think you're in any danger staying here?"

"Oh definitely. Everyday at noon, those trigger happy Black Hands who're hunting you guys down come by to make sure you're not here."

"Mom, I didn't know you hated Black Hands so much."

"I didn't until they hurt my sons and you were saved by a magician. Now I hate them and love magic. I guess that put me in even more danger."

"Hey, Hecate," Quin said, looking up at me. "Do you think there's any way you could get her to New York and keep her safe there?"

"Yeah, that was what I was thinking. I'll call Niquie and have her send a few magicians over to get her. I mean, if that's okay with you?"

She smiled, bobbing her head. "Sounds like fun. I'll start packing some things up tomorrow."

"You're so much easier to deal with than Quin," I half said, half laughed.

She nodded. "I've been told."

"We should get going," Quin said, serious as always. "The others are probably worried sick." He bent down to give his mom a hug. "I'll see you in New York. Hecate," he offered his hand, "let get going."