Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Once upon a time. That was how all the best stories her Grandmama used to tell her started. It felt odd in the moment and Wednesday blamed the drugs and the stress of the last several hours for how little control she had over her mind. A wary eye went to the iv bag on the pole next to her hospital bed. By the time Enid and the Nightshades had drug her here to the school clinic she hadn’t had any energy to fight the medical staff over it.

Once upon a time though there had been a dark raven of a girl. She had made so many mistakes. Pride and overconfidence counted among her many failings. But for whatever reason a ray of sunshine and rainbows, wrapped in a wolfen cloak had saved the raven in her darkest hour. Deep down she didn’t feel she had deserved it. In fact she was pretty sure that any sane person would have left her to face the consequences of her folly.

But the wolf hadn’t. Enid had saved her. And together they saved Nevermore. It took the both of them working together, along with the Nightshades and the sheriff and still more people she couldn’t quite focus on right now. The significance of that was not lost on her, though it was dreadfully hard right now to focus on the particular details.

Why were her memories playing out to her in the form of a fairy tale. And why did she hear her Grandmama’s voice narrating it? Wednesday blamed the medication. What was it they had given her? An apparently strong morphine drip she thought. Along with fluids to help with the blood loss and probably something to prevent infection. Her body had been rather abused last night and she was still trying to get all the memories to focus in some sort of order.

That was why, she supposed, that her memories were coming back to her in the form of a story book adventure. And just maybe why she kept falling back into a memory, or maybe an hallucination, of Enid holding her close after the hug she couldn’t refuse the other girl. Hadn’t wanted to refuse if she was being honest with herself. But in her half delirious state a mental image kept recurring of the hug continuing, of being safe and warm within Enid’s arms. Sometimes it seemed to be more, a kiss perhaps. And no matter how the wisp of thought evolved she couldn’t shake the realization that she didn’t hate it. No, not at all.

The more Wednesday’s mind began to clear the more she tried to rationalize it all. She was self-aware enough to understand her own need for self-control. Even if she couldn’t always control the world around her the way she would like she had a need to keep herself under the strictest of discipline. The world was hard and harsh. All the more so if you couldn’t even control your own self. To be otherwise would be just begging to become a victim and she had no intention of that.

Still, last night had been humbling. While not used to the notion of self-recrimination or facing her own limitations Wednesday realized she had been manipulated and victimized. She had made bad decisions. She had believed her own press clippings as they say and, in her pride, had almost gotten not only herself killed but people she cared about. Yes, even that realization came crashing in to shake her sense of self. Despite all the walls she had built over the years she cared about some of these people, or at the very least respected them.

Her eyes went then to the other side of the room. It was a bit cramped, but she almost remembered both she and Enid refusing to be separated and they had wheeled two beds into this room. Enid dozed quietly under the effect of her own iv medication. It was all a bit fuzzy still, but she half recalled them giving her a stronger dose due to her werewolf metabolism and the fact she was so fidgety that she kept pulling the needle out of her arm. Yes, it had been better to sedate her more fully than they had Wednesday for her own good.

Gazing at the other girls face she got her first clear look at the scars she now bore. Wednesday’s heart fluttered a bit with a feeling she couldn’t identify. The scars made her look dangerous and intimidating to the young goth. How Enid would regard them she wasn’t sure, but she thought they made the girl look all the more special, dare she say lovely? No, she didn’t have the courage for that yet even though her heart thought it.

As she sat there for however long gazing at Enid Wednesday eventually became aware that they weren’t alone. A nurse had entered while she was distracted and was looking at her with a kind expression. She glanced towards the woman curiously, a bit embarrassed to have been too distracted to have noticed her before.

“It’s alright sweetie, don’t cry,” the woman said, which confused the goth for a moment. Moving her free hand up to wipe her eyes she realized then that her face was wet with tears. A curse on her treacherous body and the morphine. She couldn’t allow such weakness in front of strangers.

“Your friends going to be fine. It looks worse than it is. As a werewolf she will heal up just fine.”

Wednesday still didn’t trust her voice so merely nodded. The nurse looked up at the clock on the wall and then back to Wednesday before speaking.

“Dr. Kane wanted to know when you woke up to come speak with you. Do you want a few minutes to get yourself together and clear your mind. They gave you a pretty strong dose of the morphine.”

Again she nodded. She needed answers and the Dr. could provide at least some of them. With a few moments she could order her thoughts enough not to be completely pathetic. Or at least she hoped so. The nurse nodded, set a cup of ice water by her bed and said something about the Dr. coming by after her rounds in about half an hour. Good. That should be plenty of time.

Now, left alone with her thoughts again she looked straight up at the ceiling. She didn’t trust herself to look at Enid anymore right now. Apparently her feelings were still too raw and the drugs had weakened her inhibitions. Best not to tempt fate. And she had so many other things she needed to focus on in addition to her poor, sweet wolf.

There was the fact that she was still technically expelled and would need to leave soon. That thought filled her with dread. The idea of being separated from Enid made her feel things that she didn’t want to face right now. Then there was the matter of the guilt. Again, it was an unfamiliar feeling but it was raging full force in her heart.

Weems was dead and that was on her. She had led her to Thornhill and gotten her killed before she herself had been captured. Then poor Eugene, no doubt returned to the hospital by now. He had really stepped up to help her and save the school. There was more to that young man than she had ever expected and sadly he was paying the price for being her friend.

How badly hurt had Bianca and Tanaka and Xavier been? Her memory wasn’t giving her clear answers but that was on her as well. If she had confided in Weems earlier could they have stopped all of this without anyone being killed or crippled in the fallout? She couldn’t say for sure but it seemed likely right this minute. What had she done? Was her pride so overwhelming that it put everyone she had just started to care for in the hospital or the morgue. The answer was obviously yes, and she couldn’t stop the tears that continued to flow. How many more people were going to go down because of her? How toxic was she?

Wiping her eyes again she frowns and focuses on the ceiling all the more furiously. No doubt she will pay some price for all of her mistakes. Hopefully though she could make sure only she had to suffer. That was only just. For now though she had to get herself together before the doctor arrived. Her life might be a hot mess right now but she could at least look like she had some control over herself.

Chapter Text

As such things usually go half an hour in a medical setting turned into a little longer than that. Wednesday waited, glad for the time to compose herself. She needed that time and could easily see where the Dr. might be needed elsewhere. No doubt there were more than a few people injured that she hadn’t seen. And no doubt they were having to deal with Principal Weems body. That one still stung a bit if she was being honest with herself.
Right this moment being honest with her own self and self-aware enough to view things objectively were her top priority. Yes, she had screwed up a lot and things didn’t need to get as bad as they had. But, at the moment, she had been doing the best she could with the information she had. Yes, that included some very bad choices and she did realize that certain character flaws had contributed to it all. Dwelling on it now, including all the guilt she was trying to overcome, wasn’t going to make anything better.
What she needed to do was examine all the information she had now that the distraction of the morphine was starting to abate. True, a lot of introspection and time was going to be needed to prevent another night like she had just suffered. And she understood that she was emotionally stunted. That wasn’t going to change any time soon. Logic always worked better for her anyway so she would try to lean on that while she sorted out what to do about these troublesome feelings.
The plot to bring Crackstone back and destroy the school was too big for her to have dealt with alone. Her lack of trust kept her from asking for help or sharing the worst of her visions with the principal. The two of them together could have prepared better and things would have gone a lot more smoothly. That couldn’t be changed now though. And since she had been expelled they were probably going to escort her off the premises once the doctor released her.
Wednesday sighed a bit to herself as she pondered that little tidbit. Some part of her, more emotional than logical, chaffed at the idea. Enid and Eugene would need her support. Maybe some of the others but those two most definitely. Perhaps she could secure a place to stay in Jericho for awhile to be on hand for them. And no doubt the Sherriff would have many questions for her to answer. This time, with a bit of hindsight to inform her decisions, she felt like she could give him some of the answers he needed. The man had shot his own son after all to save Enid. She could at least show him that much courtesy.
And then there was Enid of course. For all of her color and loud music and annoying habits Wednesday knew she would miss her if she had to leave. Part of her wanted to shut down such a pitiful sentiment. For whatever reason though she refused to do so. The blonde werewolf had saved her life and stood by her side when others, with more sense she might add, would have left her for dead.
She chanced a glance to the other hospital bed to see Enid twitching a bit in her sleep. No doubt the other girl would wake up within the next hour or so. Given her sensitive nature though Wednesday had no idea how she would feel. Would she be happy and proud to have finally wolfed out? Or would she instead be so horrified by it all that might spiral down into a panic attack. There was just no telling what to expect.
She paused in her thoughts at hearing footsteps drawing closer. It felt like a little over an hour since she had spoken to the nurse. Wednesday felt a little fortunate that she had the extra time to compose herself. With her armor of indifference back in place she should be able to have this conversation without making a fool of herself.
The curtain was pulled open a bit as a woman peeked in at her. She appeared to be in her twenties perhaps and was on the smallish side. In fact she didn’t look any taller than Wednesday herself when she wore her thick soled boots. Her hair was cut in a sort of pixie style and was a pale blonde. If the name tag didn’t clearly say Dr. Kane she would have taken her for a nurse or an orderly of some sort.

“Miss Addams, I’m glad to see you awake. It looks like the morphine has mostly worn off. Are you in a state of mind where we can have a little chat?”
Wednesday merely nods and watches, waiting for the doctor to continue.
“Alright then, I have some things to go over regarding your own condition but we really need to discuss your friend as well before she wakes up. I’m pretty sure you’re not aware of some complications that might be coming.”
She frowns at the later part of that. Complications regarding Enid? Was she hurt worse than the nurse had indicated?
“What kind of complications?”
The doctor gave her a look that Wednesday read as meaning there was to be a long discussion ahead of them.
“Shall we talk about your friend first then?”
“Please do. My own condition is reasonably acceptable. I’ve healed up from worse trauma.”
That was in part a lie. True, due to growing up as an Addams in their own sort of world view she had been injured quite often. But she had never been hurt quite this badly and with a heavy helping of emotional trauma for good measure. Dr. Kane didn’t need to know that though.
“Very well. I understand that Miss Sinclair was able to change last night, under a blood moon I might add, and come to your rescue. I’m not sure how much lore you have read about werewolves but that would normally be all but impossible for us. Especially for the first change. “
“You’re a werewolf too?”
It wasn’t necessarily the most important part of the statement but it did strike her as odd. She didn’t seem to be the stereotypical wolf. Of course, if she had finished medical school she must be smarter than the typical knuckle draggers like Enid’s brothers. So, apparently, she was an exception to the stereotype. Just like Enid was.
“I am. My husband is Professor Kane who teaches some of the Lycan classes and the physical education program. When I finished my residency I was hired here on his recommendation since the school needed a doctor particularly trained in outcast medical issues.”
So, she looked younger than she actually was Wednesday supposed. She had once read up on the educational requirements for such a degree. Dr. Kane must be at least in her early thirties to have graduated from such a program. And she knew of Professor Kane. She didn’t have any of his classes but Enid clearly was fond of him and had commented on what a good teacher he was.
“Enid has spoken fondly about your husband. Apparently he is quite a gifted teacher.”
The doctor nods, clearly pleased that her husband was seen with such regard.
“I’m glad he and Enid have a bond like that. She is going to need all the support she can get and it will help if she has people she is comfortable with to offer support.”
“Doctor, I’m confused. She has finally wolfed out so wont that help? She has been waiting for years to be able to. And maybe her demon of a mother will finally stop putting so much pressure on her.”
The doctor nods to that, seemingly pleased that Wednesday knows that much.
“You are right on the money about her mother. I’m going to share some information with you regarding that. Normally I would maintain patient confidentiality but you might be best suited to helping Enid going forward. First things first though. I need to know about your relationship with Enid. I wouldn’t normally ask but it’s important.”
Wednesday can’t help but bristle at that a little bit. It seemed like a rather nosey sort of thing to ask about but by the same token the doctor seemed to think that it was very important. For Enid’s sake she would play along for now and hope that the other woman was going somewhere with this. She nods along.
“Our relationship…well, we are roommates. And friends I guess. I have…. some trouble with relationships. They say I’m not very emotional.”
Ok, that was a little harder to admit than she would have liked. Why was it so hard to admit she was fond of the girl? Surely not anything more than friends though. So far in her life Wednesday had only managed to have two friends before coming to Nevermore. It was a good thing she supposed to have made a couple more. Expecting anything more than that from her would probably be a major stretch. The doctor studied her carefully then before continuing.
“Well, you will work out how you feel in time I suppose. There is no right or wrong answer to that question. I do have to make you aware of something though. If you were who Enid changed for to protect then she clearly feels more for you than friendship. She might not know it yet and she might not have acknowledged it yet but there are some deeper feelings going on.
Typically for someone who first changes on the blood moon there has to be some strong emotional connection. Most can’t even manage it for self-preservation. Usually it is for a family member or a lover. That is further complicated by the fact that her first change occurred at such an advanced age. Most young wolves change for the first time by age twelve or thirteen, right around the beginning of puberty. It is my personal belief that she was under some very severe emotional pressure from her mother that kept her from changing before now.”
“So, her mother, in trying to bully her into changing and constantly belittling her was actually the cause she hadn’t changed yet?”
The doctor nods quietly as Wednesday continues.
“And here I thought I couldn’t hate the woman more.”
“You’re not wrong Miss Addams. But the important thing to keep in mind is that Enid likely cares for you a great deal. I don’t know how you feel about that but I do ask that if you don’t reciprocate whatever she feels then please be gentle with her. Her body and psyche are going to be going through a lot of changes soon. She will be entering her second puberty now that she has finally wolfed out. That will be more stress on her body and emotions. With her wolf side now fully active she might start to become more confident when she feels safe but will still have low self esteem due to being emotionally bullied for so long.
In short, she is going to be a mess till she can sort out all of her emotions and adjust to her new physique.”
Wednesday mulls that over for a moment. Enid might have romantic feelings for her? The next thing running through her mind is that the blonde could do better. She deserved someone who was less of an emotional cripple than she was. Deep down she knows she will likely cause the girl pain but somehow the notion that Enid might care so deeply is rather flattering. She likes it on some level though it scares the hell out of her on other levels.
“I will do whatever I can for her,” she admits, wanting more time to think this over. “I promise you that. Anything I can do I will.”
“Good. I will trust you to try to help her through this. Her family is a mess but she has you and her friends. My husband will take some extra time with her to help as best he can and I’ll always be here to offer advice for either of you. I only wish we hadn’t lost Dr. Kinbott. According to her records Enid was seeing her and it seemed to really be helping.”
Wednesday looked away again, guilt gnawing on her soul. She now missed Kinbott as well. In fact she might even willingly go to therapy with the way things were now. But she was dead, killed by the monster she couldn’t find and kill in time. While she pondered this Dr. Kane continued.
“And one last thing in that regard. Enid probably doesn’t even know this yet but the staff here at Nevermore recently began the paperwork to bring Enid’s parents to task for how she has been treated. Not through the normie courts of course but through the outcast equivalent. We contacted both the San Francisco pack elders and the head of the greater Sinclair clan. They have both offered to intervene in this case once we made them aware of how much damage Esther Sinclair has really done. We have been assured that she will at least temporarily lose custody of all the children and have to undergo a review of the family structure to be allowed back into their lives.”
Wednesday perked up at that.
“So, Enid will be safe from her? At least for a while?”
“Yes. And I trust the pack and family elders to make good on their promise. Werewolf families are allowed a great deal of latitude in their homes, but Mrs. Sinclair at least has gone too far. I don’t know the details yet, but I’ll be calling them back if their efforts aren’t enough to get the job done. That girl deserves a better life than her parents have given her and her brothers need to be taught better than to taunt their sister. So far it’s been entirely the opposite of what a good, supportive werewolf family life should be like.”
“Thank you doctor,” Wednesday says with actual gratitude in her voice. Finally, she thinks, someone with some authority and a conscience had intervened on Enid’s behalf. It had been entirely too late in coming but at least Enid would get some help going forward. She only hoped it would be enough. Her wolf deserved all the help and support she could get, especially if her world was about to be upended as was being suggested.
The next half hour or so was spent on medical questions where Wednesday was asked how she felt, what hurt and other, similar queries. Her heart wasn’t in it. Deep down she was too worried for Enid to put much thought into the answers. As such the answers were more direct and honest than Wednesday could normally manage.
Then, after some convincing, Wednesday was ushered out to the waiting room. The doctor needed to talk to Enid in private once she was starting to awaken a little. Plus, they needed to tend her wounds and assess her mental state in more privacy than could be had with the other girl hovering. Grumbling about it as she left the goth, still wearing a groggy expression, stepped through the door and stopped in her tracks.
The waiting room was mostly empty other than the receptionist on call and what appeared to be Yoko off in the far corner. The vampire was scrunched over as if hiding something in her lap. Upon second look that something turned out to be Thing but she couldn’t quite make out what she was doing to him.
“Am I interrupting something?”
Somehow she expected that the explanation was going to be more then she could really deal with right now.

Chapter Text

Yoko glanced up at the sound of Wednesday’s voice. Thing too perked up immediately and turned to regard her. For her part the young goth still studied the pair of them suspiciously. Her mental acuity was still not what she might have hoped for and her emotions were still raw. There was too much going on in her mind right now to really focus on any of it. While she tried to gather her thoughts Yoko offered her Thing with one hand and a small spray bottle with the other. The bottle had the logo for a local outdoorsman shop often frequented by hunters.

“Your little friend was frantic to get back to you but Dr. Kane kept catching his scent and kicking him out. “

Wednesday nodded, that much at least making a little sense.

“And you just happen to carry scent masking perfume on you?”

Yoko chuckled lightly, without much mirth. Her expression was hard to read but she gave the impression that there was a long story behind why that was the case.

“Let’s just say that it seemed prudent to always have some nearby. When I found him getting ready for another attempt to get back there I told him about it and he went back to my dorm to fetch it while I kept watch here.”

Wednesday sighs a bit upon realizing that they did have a plan of sorts. Or at least the best they could do on short notice. Fortunately she had been released before they needed to make another attempt to breach security.

“Thank you then for trying to help him,” she said. While she often had disagreements with the vampire she could not fault the girl’s protective nature towards Enid. Especially with how much care her wolf had needed early on here at Nevermore. She couldn’t express her gratitude in words right now but thought her meaning was clear enough.

“Don’t mention it. We were worried that there was a lot they weren’t telling us so were getting kind of desperate to get to the bottom of it. Speaking of which, and I intend no disrespect here, but you look like hell. Why did they turn you out so soon?”

How could she answer that? Wednesday KNEW she looked like hell. But she couldn’t admit that a large portion of that was emotional upset that the clinic couldn’t fix. Her concern for Enid was flaring up again too, which made her all the more nervous. Instead she opted for the simplest answer she could muster.

“They couldn’t do much else for me. I will need to rest, eat and supposedly take a handful of medicine to fully recover.”

The bottles of pills rattled in her pocket. Pain killers and antibiotics that should help her heal. If she would bother to take them. She and her family didn’t typically need either to the same degree as many folks did.

“We are going to hold you to that then,” Yoko observed. “Enid will have both our heads if she finds out you aren’t taking care of yourself.”
The goth fixed her with a stubborn glare but relented after a moment. She didn’t have it in her to fight about this. At least not right this minute. As she pondered that Yoko had continued.
“Everyone was here you know. All the Nightshades, or at least the ones who weren’t also patients back there somewhere. Hell, your parents even made it here not more than an hour after you went back.”
The goth could not hold her shock at that last bit.
“My parents were here? How? And where are they now?”
To her left Thing was signing furiously. She just hadn’t had the focus to listen to Yoko and watch what he was doing. The severed hand seemed frustrated by that but calmed down enough to continue his message after she turned towards him.
“Your parents got the call last night that you had been hurt. But they also got a call from Principal Weems. She needed help so they went to her side when the staff wouldn’t let them go to see you.”
“It’s true,” Yoko added. There was a big crowd of us out here waiting for you and Enid when your parents arrived. Since they had you and Enid in the same room the doctor wouldn’t let anyone else go back. I guess they also had kind of a full house back there. Anyway, they said that Weems needed them as well and they could at least help her till they would be allowed in to see you. And as the hours wore on, I shooed the others away to go sleep. I don’t need anywhere near as much as most of you do.”
Holding up her cell phone the vampire continued.
“Your dad gave me his cell number to text him when something happened.”

“My father has a cell phone?”
She actually chuckled a bit before replying.
“Yes Addams, your father has a cell phone. Most people have entered the 21st century by now. That said though shall I go ahead and text him or are you going to the office?”

For a moment she was struck with indecisiveness. She made her decision pretty quickly though.
“I’m not leaving Enid. When she wakes up I want to be close by. She is going to need me.”

Yoko nods and taps a few buttons on her phone, presumably texting her father.

“Yeah, about that, seems our pup has stronger feelings for you than I thought. I knew she had a crush but to wolf out like that…on a blood moon of all things. It’s more serious than I thought.”

“Did everyone know about this except for me?” she asks, feeling a bit off balance by all the sudden twists and turns events were taking. Everyone knew that Enid had feelings for her? And about the blood moon effects? Not to mention that her parents were there to see Weems who had died at her feet earlier in the night. It was becoming a bit much to process.
“Most of our friend group knew Enid was falling for you. Even Ajax started to figure it out. It’s why they stopped dating a few days ago. They both knew that her heart really wasn’t in it. And as for the blood moon side of things I’ve been doing my best to take care of that girl for the last couple of years now. I’ve read everything I could find about werewolves and come across that little tidbit a few months back. Never dreamed though that it would become as important as it has now.”

Wednesday couldn’t help but hang her head a bit. Had she actually been so oblivious to her roommates’ feelings that she could miss so many clues? Was she so totally blinded by her mystery that she missed so much going on around her? Apparently so. She had lived with blinders on it would seem, lost in her own little world. How much pain had that caused the people she was now realizing she cared about? It would seem her night of difficult learning experiences wasn’t quite done yet.

“Thank you,” she finally said, voice still low and eyes averted. “Thank you for taking care of her and protecting her. I wish that I had been observant enough to be there for her as well. Whatever her feelings are for me they are clearly misplaced. I wont cause her anything but more pain.”

It was silent for a long moment. Yoko and Thing glanced at each other for a moment before they both turned their attention back to Wednesday. The vampire’s expression was concerned but she didn’t seem to be judging Wednesday, who for her part seemed to think she was quite deserving to be judged harshly.

“We can’t change the past Addams. But it sounds to me like you want to be there for her. I’ll teach you everything I learned and what I picked up from Enid along the way. Heavens know that she could use more than one mama bear.”
The goth gave her a curious look, clearly not understanding the reference. Yoko was only too glad to explain this as well.
“Mama bear is like a figure of speech. It usually means a strong and supportive female family member or close friend who looks after someone. I know you want to help her. And I think you may reciprocate her feelings even more than you’re aware of. It’s kind of scary, isn’t it?”
She can only nod in reply. Part of her wants to deny it. To say the vampire is spreading gossip or even to threaten her into silence. But she can’t. Why can’t she? Is there some truth to what she is saying? If so, that is an even more frightening thought than the notion of fighting both a Hyde and an undead wizard. When had her life spiraled so far out of her control?
“Don’t be scared of it Wednesday. Embrace it. At your own speed if you must but please try. That girl deserves all the happiness in the world and believe it or not you do too.”
That last bit stung. Wednesday did NOT believe she deserved much of anything. Her life recently was full of obsession, manipulation and leading others into danger. Yes, it had all worked out. More or less anyway. But she felt it was more to do with the help of people who had stood beside her than any qualities she possessed. That was both humbling and painful to her.

“It’s harder than you might think,” she finally admitted. “I seem to hurt people just by passing through their lives. I only want to hurt the people who deserve it though. Not Enid. Never Enid.”
“Are you listening to yourself Addams,” the vampire replied with a half-smile. “You can express your wish for what is best for Enid. That doesn’t sound like the sort of heartless monster you’re trying to paint yourself as. Not to mention the fact that you threw yourself into danger time after time to save a school that you often claimed to hate.
And if I’m reading things right you seem guilty for some of the mess that has come to pass in the wake of all that, which kind of shows you care. Also, in large part thanks to you, the rest of us got a little history lesson about what the Nightshades were supposed to stand for. It felt good to be honest, to be able to meet that obligation for a change instead of just planning parties to drink all night. Seems to me that you’ve helped more than a few people and wound up being quite special to a few of us. Isn’t that something to be proud of?”

She shrugged, not entirely convinced. Maybe she was just wallowing in self-pity. Perhaps she did have something to offer the world besides snark and the occasional stabbing. For the time being though she couldn’t see her way clear to claim any of that credit. Maybe in time but not tonight. Sensing the goth’s reticence Yoko then seemed to want to lighten the moment. Wednesday was in fact quite grateful for that.
“Alright then, I’ll let you mull that over at your own pace. It’s somewhere around six in the morning now and you’ve had a very long night. If you’re willing to wait for Enid the least I can do is entertain you with some stories about baby Enid. At least the ones I’ve been privy to. Esther never liked me either, but I’ve picked up a few over the years.”

Despite herself Wednesday smiled. It was a small one, clearly tentative and a bit uncertain, but it was there. Seemingly satisfied with this, the vampire continued, telling a story about how she first met Enid. She had plenty of stories to share and hopefully this would keep Wednesday from spiraling till the werewolf herself could come out to join them.

Chapter Text

“So, you had her in your sights? A clear shot and you didn’t pull the trigger?”
Wednesday didn’t give away any of what she thought on the matter. Discussing homicide was far preferable to going down the rabbit hole and exploring feelings. Either hers or Enid’s. That of course was coming soon but the longer she could put it off the better.
“That’s right,” Yoko agreed, without looking the least bit guilty. They were discussing the murder of another person but neither girl seemed too worried about it. In fact, it was clear that both of them seemed to be in favor of shuffling Esther off this mortal coil.

“Her father was with her as well that day and I realized, just in that second, that if I shot Esther then I would have to kill him as well. While I think he is just as complicit in how she has been treated, even if he just allows it to happen instead of doing it himself, Enid will never see it that way. That pup is a real daddy’s girl. I wasn’t prepared to put her through that.”

The goth nodded, deep in thought. She had a point Wednesday supposed. She had gathered as much herself and similar opinions of Murray Sinclair’s level of guilt in all of this. It occurred to her that her roommate could survive if something awful happened to her mother. Losing both however, or even just her father, would break the girl.

She sighed to herself. All the more pity she supposed. The vampire had gone through a great deal of effort to get the spray that should have blocked her scent, getting a good sniper rifle onto school grounds and then preparing a hunting stand that she could fire from without being seen from the road. She could almost picture the leech in full camo gear and lying in wait. Only to have unfortunate facts cause an entirely well planned murder to fall apart at her feet. Later she would have to ask about the rifle and where she had managed to get that at. For now though there were a lot of other points that demanded attention first.

“I probably would have done the same,” she admitted. “Perhaps something a little more subtle, far away from the school would be better. Something that could be covered more easily with a little plausible deniability. Something that looked like an accident.”

Yoko sighed, shaking her head before replying.

“Then it would probably be over one of the breaks and Enid herself might get drawn in as well. I’ll be honest, I’m willing to kill to give that girl a better life. She has been through way too much for my liking. But whatever we do she is going to suffer more because of it. And if she found out…I don’t know about you but I’m not willing to make her hate me over it even if she would be better off in the long run.”

That notion gave Wednesday pause. Killing someone who so justly deserved it didn’t phase her. Not one bit. She had after all taken a life before and hadn’t felt particularly guilty about it. Of course after what that person had done they were lucky she had just killed them. But the notion of seeing pain in Enid’s eyes? Pain that she had caused and knowing it would drive the girl away forever? No, she couldn’t face that. Fortunately, now, they had a better option.

“I’m going to share something with you Tanaka, since your as invested as I am in trying to protect Enid. Dr. Kane has reported Esther to the Sinclair family elders and the heads of the San Francisco packs. Enid probably doesn’t know yet but her parents have lost custody. At least for the time being.”

The girl lifted her glasses a bit and stared at her companion with a puzzled expression.

“When did this happen? Enid was just saying yesterday how little she wanted to be home with her family. I can’t blame her there of course but she obviously doesn’t know about any of that. Where is she supposed to go over the break then? Hell, I’m pretty sure we aren’t even going to have classes for awhile after what happened last night. The school is a mess and needs repairs, not to mention everyone probably having nightmares for the next several days. It’s not everyday you have undead bigots and their freakish descendants trying to kill us all.”

“It has happened in the last few days as I understand it. The doctor didn’t have many details to share but I got the impression one of her more distant kind was coming to take them somewhere safe. I imagine the details got a bit confused with the school being attacked last night.”

She didn’t particularly care what happened with Enid’s brothers. Wednesday needed to be sure the girl herself could be somewhere safe so she could deal with the mess her family life was to become. Damnation but the way to her safety would require even more upset for her. It wasn’t fair! No matter what they did Enid was going to suffer in the short term.

There wasn’t a way forward that she could see that didn’t involve the girl suffering more while all the legal and pack issues were sorted out. One quick glance towards the vampire showed she didn’t have any ideas either. They would just need to be there for Enid, however possible, and for whatever she needed. Wednesday wasn’t exactly equipped to comfort anyone. This was all entirely out of her depth. As she pondered this Yoko cleared her throat and seemed to look a bit hesitant to speak up.

“What is it Tanaka? If you’ve more bad omens then you might as well share those as well. We can’t really help Enid unless we get it all out on the table.”
“Your right of course,” she said, pausing to swear in her native Japanese. Wednesday didn’t speak it herself but could easily understand the intent behind the mumbled words of the other girl. “So we might as well address the gorilla in the room before she gets out here. That girl managed to change last night to protect you. That is…something special you know.”

Hearing that again was enough for her to break out into a cold sweat all over again. Did everyone know that bit of lore? Was she the only one out of the loop here?

“The doctor mentioned it,” she admitted. “But I don’t know what to make of it. What do you know about such things? Or blood moon wolves for that matter?”

She knew that Yoko had known Enid far longer than she had. And she had learned in the past that had involved a lot of study regarding the furs as well as first hand knowledge of how the blonde might respond to any given situation. Her knowledge should be invaluable but at the same time Wednesday was half afraid to hear it.

“It means she is way more into you than I had thought,” the vampire admitted in a low tone. Her expression was sympathetic and she spoke gently, as if worried about frightening the goth away. “And I’ve known she has had a crush on you for a while now, but she wasn’t even fully aware of it herself. I guess she is having trouble coming to terms with the notion that she might be gay. Which she totally is by the way, just so we are clear. Growing up in that house though taught her that the family wouldn’t approve. One more thing we can chalk up to Esther’s overbearing parenting style.”

When Wednesday didn’t say anything for a moment she continued.

“As for blood moon wolves, they are exceptionally rare but they do exist. They tend to be stronger than other furs, or at least have the potential to be. Some can even transform outside the full moon. But it is all tied to emotions. When their feelings are all tied up in knots they can become more unstable than the regular garden variety werewolf. This is a very, very bad time for the family drama to blow up like this. She is going to need more support than ever to get through the next few weeks, not to mention beyond.”

For a long moment Yoko studied her and Wednesday realized that she had hardly breathed or blinked since the discussion had started. She felt like a deer caught in the headligts of an oncoming car. She was very uncomfortable in the moment but the situation called for her to step up and take some sort of ownership here. This wasn’t a problem that would go away if ignored. And she couldn’t face the idea of leaving Enid out to hang here. The feeling that she needed to protect and care for her roommate was becoming something of an obsession to her.

“I didn’t know that she…felt like that for me? Why though? I’m not a good person. Not the kind like she would deserve. She needs someone who will protect and support her. Not someone who will always bring her pain.”

“That is one way to look at it,” Yoko said calmly. “But for all the panic I see on your face and the obvious worry that you’re not good for her I have yet to hear a word about not sharing her affections. Do you care about Enid in that way? Do you return her feelings?”

She couldn’t look at the vampire now. The first words to cross her mind was to say it was a ridiculous notion. That she didn’t have it in her to love anyone in that sort of way. Why would her mouth not form the words though? By all the spirits up high and down low, why couldn’t she deny any of it. As she struggled with this Yoko took note and seemed to smile just a bit.

“It’s a lot to take in I know. But Wednesday…I think you really care for her too. Can’t you just give it a chance? See where it goes? Maybe that little girl and you…maybe you’re each just what the other needs?”

Before either could reply further the door from the back opened. They both stood immediately seeing Enid step through. She looked a bit disoriented and had obviously been crying again. No doubt the doctor had told her some of what was going on. Both girls started towards her, pausing just a second to notice the other moving as well. Then, figuring two hugs were better then one they both pulled the blonde closer and formed a group hug, both offering up all the support they could muster.

Enid whimpered, but only for a minute, before pulling the both of them as close to her as she could. Wednesday was the weakest corner of this little triangle though. She couldn’t match either the wolf or the vampire in terms of strength and while they all had their arms around each other she was quite literally being crushed between them. She made a small sound of distress, which was all she could really draw in enough breath for.

“Oh hell pup, we need to let your china doll come up for air.”

Despite her obvious distress Enid managed a weak chuckle and smile.

“Sorry Willa, I don’t know my own strength sometimes,” she said, stepping back a bit to give the goth some room. She studied Wednesday for a long moment before a sad frown crossed her features again. All was quiet for a few seconds before Enid then sat in one of the seats and regarded the other two girls.

“My mom is going to be so mad,” she said finally. “The doctor told me what my uncle Jim and the pack elders from San Francisco are doing.”

With that her voice trailed off as if she couldn’t quite make sense of it all. She took out her phone and waved it at the other two girls. It was another long second before she could use her words. In that time Yoko and Wednesday shared a glance. It was clear that Enid was still somewhat drugged and a bit disoriented. Probably both from shock and her injuries. From the paperwork that the goth took from her hand it was much the same directions as Wednesday had been given. Go back to their room and rest.

“She called while we were out cold Willa. Her voice mail sounded so scared and lost. She was afraid she had lost me to the Hyde. But now I don’t know what is going to happen. Her and Dad and uncle Jim will be here by tomorrow night. All the parents got a message about what had happened. I don’t know what’s going to happen now.”

“You will be kept safe no matter what your mother has to say pup,” Yoko added in an encouraging tone. “Won’t either one of us let them hurt you anymore. But for now you need to go back to your room and rest. I can go get you both food if you promise to go lay down right now.”

That did sound incredibly nice to Wednesday. She too desperately needed some rest and time to think. Not to mention the growing rumble from her stomach. Just then though she remembered what was waiting for her in Weems’ office.

“Hell. My parents…they are in Weem’s office. I need to check with them. Why they came so quickly…how Weems is still alive after I saw her die. But…I don’t want to leave you alone.”
She laid a hand on Enid’s feeling somewhat better at the contact. When had she been so tactile? She barely even touched her own family yet here she was not only offering touch but feeling relief from it. The blonde looked confused and moderately distressed from the notion of being left alone.

“Ok…not a problem. We got this,” Yoko said, taking control of the situation as the only one who seemed to be awake enough to deal with it. “We go to the office and Enid and I will sit on the benches down the hall while you deal with the family unit. That way we can go the long way around the quad and being as early as it is we should miss the rest of the students. Then once your done with the family I’ll walk both you sleepyheads back to your room and get you some food before I go get some rest. We can do that, yeah?”

Enid just sort of nodded. She didn’t want either girl to leave her just yet but it seemed to be the best compromise. For her part Wednesday couldn’t find a flaw with the plan. Other than the fact that she wasn’t really in a mood to deal with her family or a supposedly dead principle. There was nothing for it though.

“Alright. Lets do that then,” she agreed, offering Enid a hand up. With that they were on their way towards the office with no idea what might be awaiting them. Wednesday had no doubt though that it would be unpleasant. Everything else had for the last several hours. No doubt the universe would take the opportunity to dump on them some more before she could get any rest.

Chapter Text

It still wasn’t quite seven in the morning yet and there were very few people out and about. With Yoko steering the way they managed to avoid most of them and the ones they couldn’t didn’t seem to have any interest in getting in their way. They made good time towards the long hall that led to the principals office. Even from the far end of the hallway they could see Lurch standing guard in front of the door.
Yoko steered Enid onto a long stool and sat down beside her. She gave Wednesday a nod of support and turned her attention back to the werewolf. The goth sighed a bit and paused to look at Enid. How weak, she thought, not wanting to leave the girl here. She would be perfectly safe with Yoko. Nothing else was going to befall her with the vampire on guard. It couldn’t hurt though to be extra careful.

“Thing, wait with her. Don’t let anything happen.”

She knew, deep down, that she wanted Thing to wait with Enid for her own peace of mind. At her core she wanted to know her wolf was safe and had friends close at hand. When had she become such a worrier? When had she given a damn for someone who wasn’t a part of her own family? Oh, it had happened before but not often. And this felt different somehow.

So, she shoved that all down deep inside. Nope, not going to analyze any of that right now. She had things to do. With her mind firmly focused on that she turned and began to walk towards Lurch. She wanted this over so could get some well-deserved rest. And if, in resting, she could keep Enid extra close all the better.

It only took a few moments to reach the door. Wednesday paused to regard Lurch and offered a nod as she reached for the handle. He merely shook his head and groaned. She stopped, raising and eyebrow and studied him further.

“Really? Father said no one? Very well. Let him know I’m here.”

She huffed a bit but didn’t press the point. Surely her father had his reasons. And Lurch had never denied her anything without good reason. She stepped back for a moment as he cracked the door and groaned again, loud enough for the occupants of the room to hear him. All was quiet for a few moments while Lurch resumed his post. A few seconds after the door opened briefly, long enough for a rather tired looking Gomez Addams to slip out into the hall.

The door was only open for a brief second but it was long enough for Wednesday’s keen vision to make out certain details. Her father clearly hadn’t slept in quite some time and looked almost as exhausted as she herself felt. The most troubling detail though was that on the couch on the opposite side of the room to the door she had caught sight of her mother and Weems seemingly asleep in each other’s arms on the couch. It appeared that her mother had been comforting the taller woman and they had fallen asleep in that position.

“I will never be able to unsee that,” she said with a slightly raised eyebrow before turning to regard her father.

“All will be explained in due time my little storm cloud,” Gomez said in a tired tone. Despite his fatigue he was clearly pleased to see his daughter. Spotting another bench nearby he gestured towards it and moved to sit down.

“Wont you join me? There are some things I need to tell you and I’m sure you have quite the story of adventure to share? Did you really fight a Hyde tonight? And save the entire school? I have always expected great things of you Wednesday but that is impressive, even by your standards.”
“It was a group effort,” she said without a lot of emotion to her voice. That much wasn’t abnormal, but her tone was flat even for her. “And Enid fought the Hyde. I was wounded and dead on my feet but she saved me and fought the beast so I could go end Crackstone. Again, with help from the Nightshades.”

“Enid? Your roommate? Fought a Hyde? I didn’t know she had it in her.”

He glances down the hall, seeing the other two girls. Enid seemed to be leaning on Yoko who was holding up her phone to show something to the blonde. Thing sat with them and flashed a thumbs up towards Gomez when he glanced their way.

“She has depths I hadn’t expected. And she has borne more than one her age should have ever had to. Enid is…rather remarkable.”

This elicited a slight arch to his eyebrow as Gomez continued to regard the girls. A small smile crossed his face and Wednesday realized she might have given away a bit more than she had intended. It was time to engage in a bit of face-saving distraction.

“Why did you and mother come so quickly? You must have left even before the attack on the school for you to have arrived at the clinic before coming here. What happened?”

Gomez sat quietly for a moment, weighing his words. It was pretty clear the night had been pretty much a blur for him as well. After a second or two he shrugged and began his story.

“Your mother had a vision. She saw us arriving in time to save Larissa’s life from a bad case of nightshade poison. In the vision she also saw you and your friend recovering in the clinic and the current Nightshades standing watch over you.

So, we left in a hurry with all the antidote we could grab. Pugsley remained at home with your Grandmama and we hurried here as quickly as Lurch could drive. Upon our arrival we were met by the police and school staff who gave us some of the story about what had happened. Stopping first at the clinic we confirmed that you were recovering but they wouldn’t let us go to you because you were sharing a room with your young friend. Since we couldn’t help you, we made haste to save Larissa.

We found her in her office near to death. Your mother administered the antidote and has been caring for her since. Her condition is still a bit guarded, but she should survive. They had some time to talk but I fear will need some more once they have both rested.”

“That makes no sense father. She was injected with enough to kill several men. Her heart stopped then and there. I saw her die.”

“That is where you are wrong my little spider. She has always been a very strong, talented woman. At a young age she studied ways to control her own body and her power, much as you have. It would seem she was able to manipulate her own body to the point that she blocked off the blood vessels the poison had infested long enough to try and purge some of it from her body. But she was hurt badly. Even her control was barely enough.
After a brief period of meditation-controlled catatonia, she used her remaining strength to return to the office and call the first person she could think of that would have the knowledge and means to help her.”

“She had no friends or allies closer? No one she could trust when her life was in danger?”

“No.”

His voice carried a tone of sadness she hadn’t heard from her father before. Wednesday realized in that moment how tied up Weems had been in her work. There was nothing and no one beyond that. No one but an old roommate she had barely spoken to in years. An old friend she apparently still felt more for than any of them had suspected. While she dwelt on that a moment Gomez continued.

“This is going to take some sorting out as I’m sure you can see. And we have some things to discuss with you as well. No doubt the term is going to end early. There is no way that classes can continue under these circumstances. For now, we plan to stay in Jericho for a few days anyway. Once things are sorted out, we’ll be taking you home.”

Things were moving a bit quickly for Wednesday. She was still mostly exhausted, physically and emotionally. Not to mention hungry, worried about Enid and now feeling sympathy for Weems of all people. Then there was one other matter that she remembered suddenly.

“I was being expelled before everything totally went to hell father. I’m not sure they want me to remain on campus. But…I don’t want to leave Enid. She has…family problems that need tended to.”

Again, she knew her father would read all the right facts into that admission. It wasn’t like she wanted to make her feelings known yet or even knew what they were to be honest. But it was the best she could do under the circumstances.

“Do not worry about a thing my dear. Larissa mentioned something about that to your mother while they talked. I wont belabor the point since you clearly need rest and to tend to your…roommate.”

She flinched a little as he made all the right connections, but Gomez continued.

“You don’t have to worry about anything but resting for now. Go. Sleep. I will reach out to you in a few hours after everyone has rested. We can arrange dinner and compare notes then. Alright?”

She nodded and stood. He seemed to have things in hand she thought. Her father always had things in hand she realized, when she could abide to release some control over herself to let him take care of her. Right now she needed him too and didn’t feel any shame in allowing it.
Looking back as she walked away he gave her an encouraging smile. No doubt she would regret speaking so openly later. No doubt she would feel embarrassed by her weakness and carelessness. Right this moment though she only cared for rest, food and her wolf.

“They will come by for us later in the evening,” he said to Enid and Yoko. “I want to go back to our room now.”

And nothing in the world had better get in their way.

Chapter Text

The walk back to their room had been blessedly quiet. Enid was still clearly agitated but she kept her silence on it for the moment. Wednesday wasn’t sure whether to be pleased with that or concerned. It would seem that Tanaka wasn’t sure either. It didn’t escape her notice though that all three of them spared cautious glance towards each other on the trip. There was a lot going on there in the background. A lot that was going to need unpacking for them all once they had some time to get some sleep.

Once in their dorm room Tanaka invoked a bit of magic that she called ‘door dash’, or something equally inane. It would seem that the user of this bit of technological sleight of hand could apply money and a bit of knowledge to make food appear. After a short wait, still in relative silence, a driver called to say he was waiting downstairs. Tanaka went down to meet them and returned momentarily with all manner of breakfast foods. It seemed to be a lot of food for just the two of them but then she remembered they were feeding a growing werewolf. One who had a very bad night and hadn’t eaten in about twelve hours or so.

Enid did become a little more animated when presented with a large pile of bacon. She gave the other two girls a shy little smile before turning her attention more fully towards the food. Tanaka chose that moment to glance Wednesday’s way again and offer a tentative smile. The both of them appeared pleased that the blonde could put aside whatever inner turmoil she felt to eat and rest. It was a good sign.

Wednesday only ate a small helping. Just enough to get by she supposed. She was never one to consume large meals and her stomach still felt a bit off after everything. Enid, however, had her appetite back and managed to keep them from having to worry about any leftovers. Once the food was gone Enid just sort of laid her head on the pillow and sighed heavily. This was followed almost immediately by soft snores.

“Poor pup,” Tanaka sighed upon seeing this. Enid’s legs still dangled off the bed and she was still fully clothed. At least in the garments they had procured for her in the clinic. Her original clothes were pretty much a lost cause after her transformation the previous night.

“If she runs true to form, she’ll sleep for eight hours or so and then wake up a bit fitfully. This is a lot of upset and stress she is handling right now though. My previous experiences at crisis control might not hold true this time around.”

“I’ll be here for her,” Wednesday replied, a bit surprised by how quickly she had spoken up. None the less she felt the truth in her words. The vampire caught that as well and merely smiled a bit.
“Good. She will like that. You two rest and then talk. I’ll stay scarce unless either of you need anything so you can sort stuff out. Then, in a couple of days I’ve some things to discuss with you. Nothing related to any of this though. At least not directly. It can wait for a bit.”

This normally would have piqued the goth’s attention but for now the other girl was right. If it didn’t have a direct bearing on Enid or getting her through her current crisis it could wait. They lifted Enid’s legs up on to the bed, removed her shoes and covered her with one of her rainbow splattered comforters. Tanaka let herself out with a parting glance at the two of them and then it was silent.

How long Wednesday stood and regarded the sleeping girl she didn’t know. Every time she looked, she noticed some new detail. It was all kind of freaking her out a bit if she was being honest with herself. Emotions had always been problematic for her. Most especially her own. And right this moment there were a lot of them rumbling around inside her head.

With a sigh she turned to her own bed. Kicking off her own shoes she settled in, still glancing at the other girl periodically. It still took a little time to herd in her wandering thoughts and settle into a comfortable zone. Once she did though sleep came for her with a vengeance. Seemingly in an instant she was out, and it was a deep, dark sleep that would provide just the sort of rest her mind and body required.

How long later she didn’t know but Wednesday’s eyes eventually twitch open. She was still in the same position as she had fallen asleep in, on her side and facing Enid’s bed. There had been dreams she thought but the memory of them eluded her. Something about smiles, rainbows and a blonde wolf. She felt warm and happy in the afterglow, which in and of itself was rather strange, but the memory of them receded quickly into her subconscious.

After a couple of seconds trying to reorient herself, she realized that Enid wasn’t where she was supposed to be. In fact, the other girls’ bed was vacant. Except for Thing. Now that she was awake enough to take it all in she recognized that he was signing and trying to get her attention. After only a few seconds she realized he was pointing to the floor beside her bed.

That felt odd in the moment but she rolled over a bit to look and found Enid curled almost into a fetal position and sleeping on the floor beside her bed. Thing was now quickly forgotten for the moment while she studied the sleeping girl. A lot of things went through Wednesday’s mind. The wolf looked very uncomfortable sleeping like that. She could only assume she had woken up, felt the need for comfort but had been too embarrassed to wake her. Or too scared, perhaps because the goth realized how prickly her personality could be.
Could it be that her wolf was afraid of her sometimes? Could it be that her own treatment of Enid was as emotionally abusive as Esther’s treatment of the girl? She hoped not. The very thought sent a feeling of despair through her soul. It was just then, as if sensing she was being watched, that Enid’s eyes began to flutter open. She looked up at the dark-haired girl, a look of confusion first and then a contented smile graced her features.

“Hi.” She said by way of greeting. Where there had been despair only moments ago Wednesday felt relief now and a warmth spread through her, making everything feel a little brighter. If she hadn’t realized it before this one particular moment was enough to make her realize how much Enid had worked herself into her heart. What magic she had used to perform this miracle she didn’t know. Whatever it was though she wasn’t willing to question it.

“Why are you sleeping on the floor?”

“It would have been rude to just crawl in with you. And I didn’t want anything else to sneak in and grab you.”

Wednesday didn’t know if that was the justification Enid had used to explain it to herself or a real sentiment to protect her. It could be both of course. That would make sense. All she knew right this moment was that it was about the most touching thing she had ever experienced.

“Here,” she said, offering a hand to the girl on the floor. “You look terribly uncomfortable lying there. If you’re going to keep guard you should be closer.”

Enid agreed readily, standing from the floor and settling in beside Wednesday. She smiled brightly and lay there beside the raven, facing the smaller girl. Still though she seemed to shy away just a bit, trying not to get too close or clingy. After all they had been through, she still tried to keep the goth’s limits in mind.

In her own mind Wednesday was panicking a bit in the moment. She had made the offer from the heart, and it took her head another moment to catch up with where that would leave her. They were now in very close proximity, and she still loathed touch and intimacy of any form. Still, seeing how much the simple gesture had pleased the wolf and seemed to ease her troubles, she couldn’t begrudge it. In fact, after a moment to settle in, she found that she didn’t hate it as much as she would have expected.

“How did you do it Enid?”

“Do what?”

“I am self-aware enough to know how difficult I can be,” she said after a moment’s hesitation. “I’m distant and selfish. You’ve offered me friendship and I led you into danger and rebuffed you at every turn. I’m…. kind of toxic. But for some reason you forgive me and managed to reach something a little more tolerable inside my dark heart. I’m not sure how you did it, or why you would bother. “

She paused a long moment, trying to get all the words out. This wasn’t easy for Wednesday. Not by any stretch of the imagination.

“You look at me like I’m something to be cherished and I don’t feel like I deserve that. You are pure and good and decent. All the things that I am not. Don’t you realize that I will probably manage to hurt you again somehow?”

To her surprise Enid continued to look at her with open adoration. Wednesday found herself melting a bit under her gaze. She didn’t know how her blonde wolf managed it, but it had to be like some sort of superpower.

“Willa, some of what you say is true. You are dark and brooding and can be a lot sometimes. But I’m a lot all the time. I’m needy and clingy. Everything stresses me out. I need a babysitter most of the time. But that doesn’t make either of us any less deserving of simple human dignity and affection. I don’t know how it happened exactly. It just did. And I guess, after thinking about it some, that what Yoko tried to tell me was right. I guess that I really am gay, and the idea freaks me out a bit. But what I’m feeling for you is real, even if you can never reciprocate it.”

There was a lot there to unpack from Wednesday’s perspective.

“Why would being gay freak you out?” she asks with a confused expression. “You are what you are so embrace it. Be proud of yourself Enid, always.”

“I guess your family is ok with gay pack members,” Enid replied, a sad little smile crossing her features. “That is a little harder in some werewolf packs. My mother’s family is particularly harsh about that. And sometimes society at large can cause grief over it. I was raised to be a quiet little she wolf, seen but not heard most of the time. As I grew up I would be expected to marry young, produce a large litter of pups and prepare my male pups to be strong little wolves for the pack. Kind of ironic my mother would preach that while being such an overbearing bitch sometimes.”

Despite herself Wednesday smiled at the final words. There was something that pleased her dark, angry side to hear Enid call her mother a bitch, even if it carried less venom to the werewolves then to humans. The rest of it though made her frown again immediately thereafter. She could hear all the hurt and pain from years of being emotionally bullied by the Sinclair matriarch.

“There is nothing to be ashamed of Enid. Love is love, as long as everyone consents it shouldn’t’ t matter what anyone else thinks. Yes, that is how my family thinks and we practice it too. I can’t tell you how many extended relatives I’ve got that are in same sex relationships. Not to mention the few that are in other alternative sorts of family units. We value everyone’s differences and celebrate them. “

Enid’s eyes light up a bit at the declaration but if fades pretty quickly. She is still troubled and finding trouble putting all of her thoughts and feelings into words. Finally, after a long sigh, she continues.

“I’m glad it can be like that for some people,” she says, fixing Wednesday with a sad little smile. “But I’m not sure I could ever be so lucky. I mean…I tried to like guys. Tried to be normal, whatever that is. It didn’t work out with Ajax of course. I thought that maybe since he was sweet and harmless and really easy on the eyes that maybe I could fall for him in time. He isn’t a wolf of course but it would be better from the family perspective than admitting I liked girls. That of course didn’t work out so well.”
She pauses, a look of shame and regret on her face before continuing.

“I know you are right. I should celebrate what I am. Even if I’m not certain what it all means just yet. But I still struggle with the years of conditioning to think that being gay is wrong. I think my mom has always suspected. Not all of those camps she sent me to were to help find my wolf. A couple were the outcast equivalent of conversion therapy. Go to ‘pray the gay’ away as they say and have little events to encourage us to pair bond with someone of an ‘appropriate’ gender. She said better safe than sorry you know, like it was the same thing as getting vaccinated to prevent a disease. Obviously, it never took.”

Wednesday wasn’t sure what to say to any of that. She had no idea of course any of that had happened, though Tankaka probably knew. She would have to compare notes with the leech later. For now, she had more important things to tend to.
“Your mother was wrong,” she said simply. “And she can’t hurt you anymore. I want you to understand Enid, I will do everything in my power to make sure you can live your life free, however you want to. And Tanaka is on board as well. We can help you.”

Anything to bring that smile back, she thought. Anything to make her wolf happy. Wednesday was only vaguely aware in the moment though of the scope of that sentiment. Much to her surprise though as she thought this Enid’s lip began to quiver a bit and the other girl tentatively put a hand to her cheek.

“You don’t understand Willa,” she said, tears near the surface. “You’re smarter than anybody I know. You have to know what last night means. I changed for you. The wolf is my primal self, mostly instincts and emotions, and it came out when you were threatened. I feel…so much and I can’t put it all into words.
It’s all well and good to be proud of myself and accept what I am. But right now, I’m all tied up in knots inside. Deep down I care for you more than you can know. And since you have no room in your life for relationships and emotions, I’ll still wind up alone. I don’t know what to do.”

And then the tears came. Wednesday’s heart seemed to shatter a bit when they did. She could tell how much effort it had taken for Enid to confess all of this and how raw she must be feeling emotionally. To be honest she felt much the same way. Without even thinking she moved closer and pulled the wolf into a tight embrace. Enid stiffened a moment in surprise and then totally melted into the embrace.
“Shhhh…it’s alright Enid. Let it out. I’m not sure what I feel right now. At least not entirely. There is something there and it scares me, but you put it there. I don’t know how, but you have worked your way into my poor, dark heart. Honestly, I tried to keep you out so you wouldn’t be hurt or make me feel too much. But here we are. And I’m not leaving you out to hang with all this.”

Enid pulled away a few inches to look at Wednesday. Her eyes were still full of tears and her overall expression still looked rather defeated but there was a glimmer of something in her eyes.

“You feel something too? But…I thought you didn’t want any sort of romance in your life. And I thought for sure you were straight. Am I missing something here? Please Willa, help me to understand.”

Normally she would have rather gnawed off her own arm before discussing her own emotions. But this was for Enid, and she discovered rapidly that the girl seemed to be an exception to all of the rules. Screwing up her courage she tried her best to answer.

“I’ve known for awhile now that I was gay. Maybe I should have realized it earlier, but it became impossible to ignore it around the age of thirteen. Like yourself I experimented a bit to see if I found any attraction in boys, but it ended badly. Once I kissed a boy at summer camp, but we were only eleven and were both clueless about what we really wanted. Then of course Tyler, but to be honest I was merely curious and was manipulating him anyway. I’m not a nice person you know.”

She was still half-heartedly attempting to warn Enid away from her. Wednesday wanting to protect the girl from her own worse nature. But it didn’t seem to have any effect so she continued.
“Anyway, I met a girl in junior high and thought she was the one. Obviously, that didn’t turn out to be the case and I handled it all very badly. We reconciled as friends, and then relatives, but I thought at the time that I just couldn’t be trusted with emotions. It was part of the reason I tried to exorcise them from my life.

So yes, I tried to eschew all emotions, and that has turned into another larger problem, but that part doesn’t matter now. I just know that you make me feel things. They scare me Enid, but I can’t deny them. And I can’t deny you. I don’t know what to do though. How we go forward. I just want to find out, hopefully without hurting you along the way.”

The Wednesday from yesterday would have been mortified to hear the words. True, she had realized that she felt something but would have written it off as a budding friendship, much like with Eugene. Still though, in retrospect, the signs were there if she would have had the emotional objectivity to see them.
“Do you mean it Willa? Nothing would make me happier but I’m afraid too. Afraid that I’ll be too much and push your boundaries too far. You need structure in your life and a sense of control. I’m like a storm of color and noise and hugs. I’m scared it will drive you away and make you hate me.”

“I could never hate you Enid. You’ve taken root in my soul and I need to accept that. I think we both need to figure things out together. If you’re willing. We just need to explore things slowly figure it all out.”

“So, would be dating? And trying to help each other along the way?”

The blonde’s expression was so hopeful that Wednesday couldn’t help but smile in return.

“Exactly. Fair warning, I’ll still probably be kind of prickly as they say. But I never want to hurt you. We are probably both going to trip over ourselves a lot, but I want to try. You are more than worth the effort.”
Then, much to her surprise Enid leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on her lips. Wednesday was stunned for a moment but found that she rather liked it. She quickly took note of Enid’s shocked expression. The girl was impulsive at the best of times and no doubt that was just a spur of the moment thing.

“Before you ask…that was acceptable,” Wednesday managed to say after a moment. “Just maybe warn me next time…till I get used to it.”

Enid laughed a bit and her whole face seemed to glow with relief and happiness.

“Ok, fair warning then Willa. I’m going to kiss you again so let me know when you need to come up for air.”

And she did, much to their mutual pleasure.

Chapter Text

A little later, how long exactly she wasn’t sure, but Wednesday did indeed come up for air. They had kissed for a while, cuddled for a bit, and then kissed some more. Her heart was full of conflicting feelings. She could not deny that Enid had lit a fire in her heart. A part of her felt that she had found a missing piece of her soul that she had lacked before. At the same time though panic felt like it was only a few seconds away.
What if, she supposed, her reaction had been motivated by gratitude that Enid had saved her life? What if she was deluding herself again and thinking that this was some sort of love and that it could last? And then of course the biggest question, what if she still, despite her best efforts, only brought Enid more pain?
Her heart felt full, but she was still full of fear. She still had misgivings. All the darkness she knew was hidden away deep inside her could cause her to do or say something awful at any moment. Wednesday didn’t think she could live with the guilt if she made that brilliant smile go away. In the moment she knew that she would do anything in the world to make this girl happy. How could she have any confidence though that she could actually do it?
Holding Enid in her arms made her feel so much more than she ever had before, and as much as it scared her, she was totally intoxicated with the feeling. Her mind was confused though, and she wasn’t sure what to do next. Run screaming into the night or start channeling her father and serenade the girl who had stolen her heart?
Though not well versed in intimacy or the mating games her age group seemed to wallow in she did know enough to realize that a little kissing and cuddling was not really a life altering event by most people’s standards. But it was for her. By all the spirits great and small, it felt world changing to her.
That of course rocked her world as Enid was often heard to say. She didn’t intellectually know how to file all of these feelings and sensations. What was she to do with all of this? In short, her overly analytical, hard-wired personality was rather short circuited trying to figure it all out. The world itself felt rather unreal at the moment. What she had learned from Dr. Kinbott seemed to indicate that she was disassociating. She needed to find her focus as it were. While she pondered that Enid at last spoke up.
“Wow. I had no idea you were such a great kisser,” the blonde said in a dreamy tone. The girl sounded ready to swoon ant that made Wednesday smile. She just couldn’t find the words to form a reply yet.
The wolf turned to regard her, curious about her silence. She studied Wednesday for a bit with a confused expression. For part the goth merely snuggled in closer, holding tight to Enid as if she were her lifeline. A pleased expression crossed the taller girl’s face as she pulled her in more closely.
“That’s alright, you don’t have to say anything. And I think that I can guess what you’re thinking.”
Enid’s expression shifted a bit and her smile faded, but only for a second. Wednesday whimpered a bit, worried maybe she had offended or hurt the girl. After a second, she continued with her thought.
“Your emotions are all tied up in knots. Mine are too. I mean…I can’t really speak for you but that was a lot. You … you really meant it. You really do have feelings for me, and I love that. I want to keep you and treasure you forever and never let you go.”
Wednesday nodded a bit, still not sure if she could speak but trying to encourage the blonde to continue.
“But it’s all so new to you. To me too. I mean, I did date Ajax, but we never went beyond this. And this with you was so much more. Look, I’m only sixteen and you know that I’m a mess emotionally. This feels like the start of something really big. And if I kissed you so silly that your rattled up enough to lose your voice for a bit that just confirms it for me.”
She sat up leaned over the smaller girl, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.
“I have half a mind to kiss you even more but…I know not to push you too far too fast. I want to keep you, and I’ll keep it slow. But it’s going to take a lot of discipline on my part. And you’ll need to help keep me honest. Don’t let me push you, please? Don’t let me screw this up?”
Despite her current mental state Wednesday was overcome with affection and respect for the girl in front of her. She had read the room as they say and understood the situation and the raven’s emotional state. Despite her own need for love and validation she was so very concerned with Wednesday’s own well-being. If she hadn’t been before this would have been enough to make her totally fall for the girl. And she wasn’t done yet.

“Now then, I think you need some rest, and maybe some cuddles to keep you warm. I’m going to share something with you that might help.”
With a bounce to her step Enid went into her closet, rummaged for a few moments and then returned with a large blanket. Fortunately, it was a dark shade so it wouldn’t trigger any allergies but when it was spread over her Wednesday was struck with how heavy it was and how it seemed to hold her in a secure cocoon that felt safe and warm. Looking up to Enid with a curious glance the girl smiled back to her and explained.
“It’s a weighted blanket. Dad got it for me. It’s supposed to help if you’re anxious or over stimulated. And I think you’ve had all the stimulation you can handle for a little while.”
Enid lay back down beside her, wrapping an arm over her and the blanket and whispered in her ear.
“If you ever feel like it’s too much, we can take out the blanket and set under it till you think you can handle the world again. I don’t ever want to be too much for you Willa. I want to make things better; not make you hate the world more and want to pull away.”
Wednesday’s eyes widened a bit and she nodded. The blanket was…nice. She felt warm and safe. The world was held at bay for a bit, except the part that was now the most important part to her.
“Thank you,” she managed to say and lay back with Enid till the world seemed to calm down a bit for her. Soon enough, they slipped into a gentle slumber. All was well and neither of them wanted to be anywhere else.

Still later, how long exactly Wednesday did not know, there was a buzzing coming from her desk. Eyes fluttering open, the goth realized it was her crystal ball. Snapping awake she pulled herself from the blanket and Enid’s embrace. She was still a little unsteady on her feet but made her way to desk, uncovered the crystal ball and activated it. Behind her the blonde made a confused noise as she too awoke. Glancing back to her Wednesday gave the girl a reassuring smile before turning to regard the image of her mother coming into focus.

“Hello darling, I hope that I didn’t interrupt anything.”
Morticia looked oddly pleased with herself. Wednesday wondered why briefly before catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror above the desk. She looked disheveled, hair halfway undone from her braids and a smear of Enid’s lipstick on her face. Palling a bit at the realization she tried to play it off and hoped that her mother wouldn’t make a big deal of it.
“No mother. We were resting. How was your day?”
Two could play at the game if her mother wanted to tease. Morticia was kind enough though to let it be and not rise to the bait. She continued on without batting an eye, though she did look just a wee bit insufferable.
“My day was…interesting,” she allowed. “I would like to share some of it with you. Over dinner perhaps? We have much to catch up on and I would like to see with my own eyes that my little viper is healthy and recovering from your adventures. Can we pick you and Enid up? Say in an hour’s time?”
Wednesday would be content to stay in all night and just be with Enid. But the wolf would need food soon. And if nothing else if they declined her mother would know how emotionally entangled she was right now. Better to agree she supposed. Less trauma in the long term she supposed.
“Very well. We’ll meet you out front in an hour.”
Morticia smiled and nodded her head as the connection ended. Enid was sitting up and rubbing her sleepy eyes as she regarded the goth. She hadn’t managed to hear it all in her half-awake state.
“Was that your mom? What’s going on?”
“It seems we are going out to dinner.”

Chapter Text

For a moment Enid wore a confused expression to the announcement. She looked at Wednesday, head tilted slightly to one side in an expression that reminded her so much of a curious puppy. Despite the furious blush on her face at having her mother ‘catch them in the act’ so to speak she couldn’t help but smile a little at it. Just as quickly though Enid’s expression changed from curious to horrified.
“Willa….your face? Oh my God…your mother saw you with lipstick all over your face.”
Her voice rose several octaves as Enid began to panic.
“I’m so sorry. I just outed you to your mom by accident…”
And just like that the blonde began to hyperventilate. Wednesday was confused by the quick change but adapted quickly, moving to Enid’s side, pulling her close in a tight embrace and whispered to her.
“She knew Enid. She already knew,” she whispered softly. Most people wouldn’t be able to hear but her wolf’s sharp ears no doubt could make it out.
“I meant what I said before. I can’t deny you and the hold you have on me. A more dignified revelation would have been preferable but it’s alright. I’m not angry. And neither is she.”
There was a long pause as the girl listened. Her breathing gradually moderated and while still not calm by a long margin she stopped charging head long into panic. The seer sensing the opening continued.
“She is a psychic as well. No doubt she knew just when to call to get just that reaction.”
While that part might be a bit of a stretch it wouldn’t have surprised Wednesday one bit. Her mother had always liked to meddle and stick her nose into things. Maybe in this case, if true, it wasn’t such a bad thing. It would certainly save them a few steps in establishing their new relationship with her family.
“Really?” the wolf asked, still rather incredulous.
“Really! But we have to get ready now. They will be coming to pick us up shortly.”
This revelation caused a smaller panic in the blonde, but one far less profound.
“We are going to eat? With your parents? O.M.G. What do I need to wear? They always look so fancy. Do I even have anything fancy here?”
By then she had run to her closet and was throwing clothes out into an unruly pile to find something she thought would be suitable to be seen with her new girlfriends’ parents in.
“No Enid. It’s fine. Really. They can’t be expecting us in evening gowns and heels. Not on such short notice. I’m wearing jeans. You will be fine.”
Her words have the desired effect. The wolf pauses a moment, regards the clothes on the floor and then Wednesday and then takes a long, calming breath.
“Ok then. Casual. I can do casual. But a shower. I need a shower first.”
With that she began to gather her things and went running towards the shower at full speed. Wednesday barely had time to register this before the girl was out of sight. Now it was her turn to pause for a long moment in her wake and catch her own breath. Wednesday happened to catch sight of Thing then who had likely been napping somewhere before all the commotion and was regarding her curiously.
“What have I let myself in for?” she asked of the disembodied hand. For his part he merely vibrated for a second, which she knew was a sign of mirth before giving her a thumbs up gesture. Not particularly helpful, she supposed, but he had been trying to encourage her to open up more to Enid. She would allow him to win in this. For the time being anyway.
Things were a little calmer after. Enid completed a quick shower, giving Wednesday the time to do the same. With a little patient prodding she was convinced not to worry too much about her make-up and hair. She had just fought a Hyde not more than twenty-four hours before. It was only reasonable that they wouldn’t be up to any sort of run way standards of artificial feminine beauty. Hell, Enid seemed almost calm for a while. While she knew that could be an illusion and could crumble at a moment’s notice the goth girl enjoyed it as long as she could.

Soon they were waiting near the front door that led out to the traffic circle in front of the school. The entry way had some cracked glass and singe marks from the fire as well as some blood stain from a nameless victim out on the walk way. Both girls tried to ignore all that as they saw the hearse come up and then around to the door.
“Anything I should know?” Enid asked nervously.
“Just be yourself. I can’t stress this enough. They will love you. Don’t doubt that for a second.”
She did. She seemed to doubt that a lot. Wednesday was sure though that her parents would dispel any lingering fears on that account pretty quickly. Soon, the hearse had parked, and Lurch exited the car. He opened the rear doors so Gomez and Morticia could exit. Given the temperature she had supposed they would just go get into the car but apparently her parents wanted to see for themselves some of the damage.
Sure enough they both cast a critical eye on the state of the school and shared a knowing glance with each other. They kept their smiles in place though, seemingly for the sake of the girls. Wednesday knew better though. She knew them well enough to know they were both angry to see what had befallen their beloved alma mater.
Soon though they put that aside and turned to regard the girls. Her mother’s face bore an expression of perfect calm with only a hint of being immensely pleased to have seen her daughter in such a compromised position. For his part Gomez soon put the sorry state of the school behind him and picked up his usual excitable good humor.
“Mother. Father.” Wednesday greeted in her normal semi formal manner. “You have already met my roommate Enid. She and I are dating now so please try not to embarrass us.”
Enid almost choked on the spot. Wednesday had said she wasn’t going to leave her hanging or try to hide her, but she wasn’t expecting such a bold pronouncement. Her eyes bulged a bit in panic but before she could say anything Gomez had swept her up into a bear hug and gave her the biggest smile.
“Ah, so you are the one?” he said in a loud, happy voice. “Not only do you save my little storm cloud but you have worked your way into her tightly held heart.”
“Darling please,” Morticia interjected. “You’re scaring the poor girl. Remember, they still might be wounded. Give her a little space to breathe.”
Reluctantly Gomez set her back on her feet but continued to smile.
“Right you are my love. I’m sorry if I’ve overstepped. But we are very happy to meet you. And thank you so much for what you’ve done. I can’t bear to think of having almost lost our daughter. We can never thank you enough.”
Enid still hadn’t found her voice but merely smiled and nodded as Wednesday gave her a side eye that seemed to say ‘I told you so.’
“If we are through with the overly enthusiastic greetings, I believe you mentioned dinner?” Wednesday finally ventured. “We haven’t eaten much since the fight.”
“Of course…of course,” Gomez continued. “Such a battle from what I’ve heard. And both of you are so brave. You simply must tell us about it.”

Lurch held the car door open for them as they all piled into the back. Wednesday and Enid sat on the seats facing the front while Morticia and Gomez sat opposite them facing the girls. After a moment’s quiet till Lurch had gotten back into the driver’s seat and pulled the privacy partition closed Morticia finally spoke up.
“We can wait if you prefer for the stories of your adventures,” she ventured. “We already got some of the details from Larissa. Such a shame that the schools board of governors have turned a death ear to her requests for better school security in the past. I can assure you that is going to be rectified soon.”
Both girls glanced at each other as that settled between them. It had a rather ominous note to it, they seemed to think. Before they could dwell on it too much Morticia continued.
“I don’t want either of you to worry about that right now though. It will be dealt with over the summer. In case you were worried about your expulsion though Wednesday don’t be. Larissa has had a change of heart considering your efforts to save the school.”
The brunette merely nodded, not letting on how relived she really was by that news. When had she become so concerned with what the school authorities, or any authority really, thought of her. Oh yes, she remembered, glancing towards Enid. Like so much else, that was a new development.
“Thank you, mother,” she said in a tentative tone. “I’m glad you were able to render assistance to the principle in her time of need.”
It was said in an unusually polite tone. She wasn’t sure yet what to do about that particular bit of knowledge or what to make of it. Being sensitive to it instead of sarcastic seemed to be the best tactic. Morticia nodded, seeming to flush just a bit. No one who didn’t know her well would have noticed but Wednesday did. In the spirit of diplomacy she opted to keep it to herself for the time being. Enid really was becoming quite the influence on her. For now though no more was said of it. Instead, Gomez spoke up.
“That too is nothing to be concerned with for now. Tonight, I want to focus on the two of you. I am sorry we couldn’t see you in the clinic. They seemed to have their hands full without our input. I’m glad to see you were both in such good hands.
Both girls nodded with Enid looking a bit shyly towards Wednesday. Clearly, she wasn’t sure how to take her parents yet and was still finding her way. She could sympathize. The Addams family could take some…getting used to.
“Thank you father. There are no hard feelings in that regard. We have both rested and recovered quite well.”
A quick glance towards her mother to make sure she didn’t have anything insufferable to add and she continued.
“I will confess though that we are both rather hungry. It was a most taxing time for the both of us.”
His face lit up and Gomez smiled broadly.
“Never fear then ladies. Jericho doesn’t have much in the way of fine dining, but Lurch knew of an all you could eat establishment at the edge of town that is popular with the local truck drivers. All the better to feed a growing werewolf I think.”
He gave them both his most excited smile before continuing.
“I do reserve the right later though to take you both to something a bit finer. To properly celebrate your new relationship.”
“We are dating father, not engaged,” Wednesday said a trifle defensively. “Please don’t try to scare her away already.”
Enid held on to her arm tightly while she spoke. A twinkle in the werewolf’s eye caught her attention. She seemed pleased by the response, and it warmed the goth’s cold, dead heart just a bit to see it.
“Never fear my little raven,” her mother picked up without missing a beat. “We shall be very respectful of your privacy.”
Wednesday relaxed a bit, but only slightly. She could of course hold her own against her parents over excited hopes to see her involved. She did want though to spare Enid the stress. Her new girlfriend had a lot of healing to do, and it wouldn’t help to have her family putting too much pressure on her.
“Thank you, mother,” she said simply. Morticia it seemed had more to say.
“By the way, we almost have all the arrangements finalized for Parker’s ceremony over the break. Perhaps Enid would like to join us? The whole family will be there. In fact, I also invited Larissa to attend. We will have some more matters to attend to while the school is being renovated.”
“We will…discuss it,” she said a tad uncertainly, glancing protectively towards her wolf. Could Enid handle the whole family at once? What would it mean to have their principal attending family events? How did she herself feel about any of this? Since the hearse was pulling into the parking lot of a gaudy looking eatery she probably wasn’t going to have much time just now to go looking for the answers.

“So? Who is ready to eat?” Gomez asked as they parked.

Chapter Text

Given that it was near dinner time for most people the diner was quite heavily occupied. That realization alone was quite the irritant to Wednesday. She, and her mother to a lesser degree, did not much care for crowds. Or at least for crowds that she was unfamiliar with. She made exceptions for large gatherings of extended family but even then she only had the patience to cope for so long before withdrawing.

Enid and her father however seemed to thrive in such situations though. The both of them being outgoing extroverts and seemed to warm to the crowd and noise almost instantly. It was a wonder to the goth how her sunshine wolf could shift gears so quickly in mood and reactions depending on her surroundings, but she was pleased to see her smiling now. She and Gomez seemed to warm to each other immediately upon entering the establishment and it wasn’t lost on Wednesday to see her father speak quietly to Enid and for the wolf’s smile brighten even more. To be honest, it was quite the relief.

“You ladies find us a table. Enid and I will fetch your first course,” Gomez announced before gently steering Enid towards the long tables of food under the heat lamps. The two of them almost skipped away and left Morticia and Wednesday to their own quest. At least the food smelled good the younger of the two thought. She hadn’t known what to expect of truck stop fare but the large crowd her for it and the smell rather spoke for itself.

“Ah, I suppose we are to be spoiled a little,” Morticia said with a hint of amusement in her tone. A hostess was cleaning a nearby table and motioned towards them after she wiped it off. “And this kind young lady has prepared our seats. It looks like our seating has been arranged as well.”

Taking the offered seats mother and daughter sat and watched for their partners. Wednesday seemed to have some lingering misgivings and it would seem her mother read the situation properly. This didn’t surprise the younger of the pair a bit. Morticia had always been maddeningly perceptive towards her daughters’ moods.

“You were going to see Enid seated first and serve her, weren’t you darling?”

Wednesday blinked a bit and turned towards her mother. Sometimes she did perceive way more than expected.

“How did you know?”

“You have subtle tells, much like your father. He and Enid seem to be much alike in many things. I suppose in his own way he is trying to help her by presenting himself as an example of how to care for her mate. Please don’t think unkindly of him for it. He loves you very much and seems very fond of Enid as well. I’m sure you and Enid will find your own balance with such things as your relationship matures.”

Wednesday paused for a second and nods. True, she had wanted to take care of Enid tonight and protect her wolf from any upset. For her part though Enid looked thrilled to plotting with Gomez in this environment as they both piled plates high with enough food to feed a small army. Maybe Enid thrived when she could be of service to others. What an odd trait she supposed but just because it was mostly a foreign concept to herself didn’t mean it would be for others. It would be something to think on though when she had some private time to do so.

So, for the moment anyway, mother and daughter watched their partners first gather and then approach with heaping plates of food. Enid sat hers before her with a triumphant smile. The goth regarded the plate for a moment, eyes widening ever so slightly, before her gaze returned to Enid who was watching her expectantly.

“You remembered all the things I usually eat at the school’s cafeteria,” she said with a hint of surprise. “I didn’t realize you had noticed.”
“Of course I did silly,” came the reply. “You can be picky sometimes, so it wasn’t hard to notice your favorites. Anyway, you get started. I’m going back to load me up a plate.”
And with another bright smile Enid turned on her heels to do just that. Wednesday glanced at the food again, which was easily enough to feed three people and then again towards the wolf’s retreating form. By now Gomez was on his way back as well, having dropped off Morticia’s food, and the both of them were laughing among themselves as they started at the end of one of the long tables. It would seem Morticia had taken notice of the younger pairs brief exchange.

“She never fails to surprise you, eh?”
“She does not,” Wednesday admitted with a curious expression. “Even when she is all but crushed under her own upset and family issues, she never stops trying to help others. It is very…confusing.”

Morticia delicately dabbed her lips with a napkin as a twinkle came to her eyes.
“Perhaps so,” Morticia allowed, “but perhaps what help she can give to others, and what care she can shower you in, is therapeutic for her. Your father and I will be in town for a few days still. A final decision hasn’t been made but I rather expect that classes will be closed for an extended period to get some work done on the school and let the student body recover. You both will have a nice, long break to rest and figure some things out.”

Wednesday glances at her mother, brow quirking ever so slightly. From her earlier words and then this she gets the impression that her parents have been doing more than just saving the principal. Honestly, it sounds like they are plotting together as well and making preparations for the future. One in which her parents will be taking a much more involved role in the running of Nevermore in some way.

Morticia nodded a bit, as if to acknowledge Wednesday’s suspicions. They knew each other very well and both had their own tells as her mother had put it. There was a lot there to unpack but she would be patient. Enid was on her way back with a plate somehow even more heavily loaded than the one she had been brought. She and Gomez were still laughing about something she couldn’t even guess about just yet. It made her smile a bit to see her wolf seemingly at such ease.

Another of Enid’s comfort behaviors was eating. A growing werewolf always had a healthy appetite, especially just before and after a shift. Truth be told she wasn’t sure how the girl wasn’t the size of a house with the amount of food she could put away. But it always helped her mood to eat and share her meals with others. Wednesday knew that could be a wolf behavior and, since she had wanted to offer comfort for her girlfriend this seemed to be doing wonders towards that goal.

For well over two hours they ate, got more food, and just talked about little to nothing at all. For the most part Wednesday merely observed but it wasn’t a bad time if she was honest. She recognized her parents’ efforts to know Enid better and to make her feel comfortable and involved. The wolf was eating it up as they say and having the time of her life. She had often wondered how Enid might have done with a family that actually supported and included her. Judging by appearances now it would seem she would have been a much happier young woman if her own family could have treated her with even half the consideration the Addams family did.

Eventually though, sometime after Enid’s fourth plate, everyone had eaten their fill. Both she and Enid were showing some signs of fatigue. It had been a hard couple of days for the of them. Even if they were both feeling somewhat better now, and with full bellies as well, they were both very much behind on their rest. It would be a few days still till either were back to their normal selves. And at the back of her mind Wednesday remained aware that the Sinclair’s would be on campus tomorrow evening sometime. That was probably going to be a special slice of hell for them to deal with. A good night’s sleep in advance would help them both prepare.
“I think it’s about time to call it a night,” Morticia said with a gentle smile as she regarded Enid who by now sitting very close to Wednesday and had her head resting on the smaller girl’s shoulder. “Poor Enid looks like she is ready to call it a night.”

“M’alrigh,” the blonde replied in a tired tone, smiling towards the others. Then, as if a thought suddenly struck her the girls eyes widened and she sat up. “Oh! Should we get Lurch something? He’s been sitting out there all this time by himself.”

“He doesn’t eat often,” Gomez offers. “And even then, only in private. Don’t fear for him. Pugsley tells me he keeps a hidden stash in the car for when the urge strikes.”

Enid blinks a couple of times, considering the implications of that it seems before nodding. Wednesday’s heart seems to swell a little at the concern her girlfriends shows towards the big man. She barely knew him at all, or her parents till tonight for that matter. But still, despite her own problems, was worried for his wellbeing. The blonde was kind without a doubt and that fact seemed to give her a warm, happy feeling inside. Normally she might not have spared it a thought, or thought such kindness a weakness that unscrupulous people would take advantage of. Coming from Enid though it brought her some measure of joy. Truly, the girl was changing her and Wednesday still wasn’t entirely sure what to make of it.

It didn’t take them long to get themselves sorted out and return to the car. Everyone was pleasantly full and seemed to have well enjoyed the pleasant company. Wednesday couldn’t help but notice her mother’s pleased smile then as Lurch drove them back towards the school. Morticia sighed and cleared her throat and, once she had everyone’s attention, spoke.

“I have something to tell you now that we are away from the noise.”

She rested her hand gently upon her stomach as she spoke, eyes full of excitement as she continued.

“Wednesday, our little family is about to get a little bigger. I am going to have another baby.”

The younger Addams blinked a couple of times as she regarded her mother, and then her father who had the largest grin on his face. Enid gave a happy squeal as she congratulated both her parents, but it took Wednesday a few moments to sort out her thoughts enough to speak. It had been fourteen years since Pugsley had been born. She had supposed that meant her parents were done having children. Apparently, she had been mistaken. While she didn’t like change, especially to her family dynamics that had taken a long time to sort themselves out into their current form, the younger goth wasn’t sure what to make of this development.

“I didn’t think you wanted more children,” she says simply, still wrapping her mind around the idea. “Didn’t you learn your lesson after two?”

It wasn’t said unkindly though. And that in and of itself surprised the girl a bit. She could imagine a time when she would have resented another younger sibling. To be truthful she had resented Pugsley when he was born but it had passed soon enough. Maybe she was just mature enough now to take the news in better stride. Hell, as ‘involved’ as her parents were in physical affections she should be surprised not to have a dozen younger Addams’ roaming around the house.

“We did learn our lesson as you say,” Morticia replied with a chuckle. “We learned that we loved both you and your brother dearly and had more than enough love to give for another child.”

“It was an accident, wasn’t it?” she asked, her tone now more bemused than anything. “Will I at least get a sister this time?”

“Grandmama hasn’t said yet. Perhaps. I’m only a month along now. She should know soon. We can find out over your long break. Together, as a family.”
Wednesday nodded, Enid continued to gush in her congratulations and Gomez sat quietly and continued to smile. It all felt strangely…nice. Normally Wednesday would find such a setting a bit off putting. Tonight, it just felt kind of right. She was evolving in some way she realized. Enid’s influence on her, maturity catching up with her a bit perhaps, and the support of her own family…it had all conspired to make her a different person than she had been before. That was all going to take some thought on her part.

By then they were back to the school. With a promise to speak again tomorrow night the Addams parents took their leave as Wednesday and Enid began their trip up the stairs to their own dorm room. Enid had her arm around her shoulders and was gently guiding her on. Chancing a glance towards the taller girl she took notice of the gentle smile and the caring expression she wore. Dwelling on it for a second, she realized just how tired and over stimulated she was feeling. Not in a bad way it seemed but enough that she needed some quiet to recharge and decompress.
“Enid?”
“Yes Willa?”

“Can we both sleep under the blanket tonight?” she asked.

Enid paused for a moment, still smiling, and leaned in to plant a gentle kiss on her temple.

“Of course we can. On your bed too if you prefer.”

Wednesday nodded and let Enid continue to lead her up the stairs. She also wanted to kiss her girlfriend but for now they both needed sleep more than affection. Tomorrow was another day after all. She was gradually coming to accept that Enid wasn’t magically going to be gone by morning and that none of this was a dream. For tonight she just wanted to hold her close under the weighted blanket. They would sort the rest of it out with the coming dawn.

Chapter Text

It had all the makings of a budding addiction Wednesday mused. This weighted blanket that Enid had shared with her felt so safe and secure to cuddle up under. There must be some magic to its creation she thought to make her feel so at peace. Or maybe it wasn’t the blanket itself. Maybe it was the proximity to the wolf in question that was the truly magical ingredient.
The girl in question snored softly in her arms as she regarded her. Her face seemed so peaceful in her sleep. There was no sign of distress or worry to be seen. It pained her a bit to know that today would be a difficult day for the poor girl. She had obviously drawn the short lot karmically speaking being born into that family. Through no fault of her own Enid had been mistreated and marginalized where she should have been cherished and loved. It was hardly fair to be sure, but the truly puzzling thing about it all was how Enid herself had remained so positive and loving through the whole ordeal.
Most people would have become bitter or angry. Her wolf still tried to find the best in her family. She tried to find the better angels among the very people who had tried to smother her own. It was a marvel to the goth how she had survived this long. But now, that she had found her, Wednesday had no intentions of letting her suffer another moment longer than absolutely necessary.
With the new wave of self-realization, she had endured lately the dark-haired girl couldn’t help but be aware of additional facts, including her own short comings. Pondering those brought her no pleasure but was a necessary exercise. While emotionally deficient and socially inept she had a lot of catching up to be in a position to properly help Enid. And she was GOING to help Enid. That part was beyond any doubt in her mind. The girl deserved a guardian angel, even if it was a dark and avenging one.
The curse had its talons deep inside of her she knew. What she had felt, or thought she had felt, for Parker those few years ago, was nothing more than a prelude she realized. She had been a child, reaching for love in an innocent, childlike way. And even with all that in mind she had made a total mess of it. But she had learned, slowly but surely. Her mistakes then could serve as warnings for now. Just so long as she was careful and tried to learn from any new mistakes. While she had little faith in herself Wednesday did trust in Enid to help her through this. It was going to take a lot of effort she knew but she was nothing if not determined!
That she loved Enid Wednesday no longer doubted. Her ability to show it though was going to take some work. A cold fear gripped her heart as she considered this. The blonde was not emotionally crippled as her dark-haired paramour was. Could she be enough for the sunshine wolf? Could she make her happy or would she wind up an anchor around her heart when someone else might make her happier? How would she even know?
It was becoming clear to the girl that for as much as she had complained about her own family and the things they made her feel, she really had it pretty good. Her parents might be stifling in their affections and nauseating in their love for each other, but she and her brother were treated very well. They always got all the attention they needed and never wanted for anything. Hell, if anything they gave her more attention than she was comfortable with most of the time.
They had never been treated like props for her parent’s ambitions as it seemed Bianca was. Never once had they been treated as if they were in the way and cast to the side like Xavier’s father seemed to do. And most tellingly, neither she nor Pugsley had ever had to wonder why their parent’s seemed to hate them as Esther Sinclair was so famous for. Her own self respect and esteem hadn’t had to take that kind of beating. In fact, she might have swung way too far to the other way but that was another matter to consider at a later time.
In short, she had lived a sheltered life of love, acceptance and wealth. Not many children, especially outcast children, could say the same. She wanted that for Enid though. Wednesday had never really wanted for anything and she needed to understand that and what it all meant. She had friends now, and she had Enid’s love too. Both of those things were worth fighting for.
How long she had lain there letting her mind wander Wednesday didn’t know. After a little more reflection though she did notice the wolf’s eyes start to flutter. She leaned in closer and nuzzled the other girl’s cheek. It felt good she realized to wake up cuddling with Enid. Only a few short days ago such a thought would have appalled her. Now, she couldn’t imagine it any other way.
“Good morning Enid,” she said in a low tone. “Did you sleep well?”
“I did,” Enid murmured, eyes only half open. Her expression was dreamy and content. It was clear that she was waking but had no intention of getting up soon. It was just too damned comfortable right where she was.
“I hope we don’t have to get up anytime soon.”
Wednesday turned her head a little to get a look at the clock. It read a little after nine in the morning but with no classes today she could see no compelling reason for either of them to leave their cozy little nest.
“I see no reason we need to be up and about yet wolf. We can remain here as long as you wish. “
Enid made a contented little noise and cuddled closer. Now that the goth thought about it she was curious about a few things, for example when they could expect the Sinclair clan to bring all sorts of complications into their lives. And what exactly was going to happen with the school. Should they be packing now? Normally they would be getting ready to have a long Thanksgiving holiday weekend but with things as they were what was to happen now?
Then she was prompted by another memory. Tanaka had said something about an assembly that would have been this morning. Was that going on now? No doubt there would be information there that they would need. She wasn’t about to get Enid up and dressed for that right this minute though. The girl had been through way too much for Wednesday to even consider adding to her stress level. At times like this she almost wished she had her own phone. Then she could text the leech and ask for herself what was going on. She had something better than a phone though for such things. She quite literally had a ‘Thing’ to take care of such needs.
“Thing? Are you awake? Where are you?”
The appendage in question peeked out from under her desk.
“Enid, may Thing use your phone? I want to find out from Tanaka what happened at the assembly this morning.”
“Yeah. Tell him it’s on the desk. He knows the pass code.”
Then, after another moment she continued:
“Ask him please to check my messages and see when Uncle Jim and my parents will get here.”
The absurdity of it all occurred to Wednesday as the instructions were relayed. Thing could hear her just as easily as she herself could. None the less she passed on the instructions and watched with a curious expression as Thing gave her a thumbs up and began tapping away on the device. While she watched Enid burrowed even further under the blankets and closer to Wednesday’s side.”
“I don’t want to go home Willa,” she said in a sad tone. “I want to stay with you. Maybe you could come visit? Or I could visit you? I don’t want to be all the way on the other side of the country from you.”
Wednesday’s heart broke at the words. Their new relationship was so tentative at the moment. At least it felt that way to her. She didn’t want to seem obsessive but she had no desire to have her sunshine werewolf be so far away, especially during such a fragile time in her life. This ‘Uncle Jim’ would have to be better than Esther. This would all be to Enid’s benefit in the long run. But did they need to be so far away from each other so soon?
“I don’t want for you to go either,” she admitted. “But surely we can work something out? I don’t want you facing all of this without me being there to comfort you.”
It was silent for a moment, other than Thing still typing away. At least till another thought crossed her mind.
“Tell me about this uncle. Can he be trusted?”
“Yeah, he is good people,” Enid said from where she had buried herself into the bedding.
“I always liked him, but he and mom never got along. He invited us to visit him in Seattle all the time, but she always said no.”
Another long pause as she gathered her sleepy thoughts.
“He is dad’s oldest brother and is in charge of the Sinclair clan. Wolf culture has family packs, like little family units, then area packs like San Francisco Pack which is an alliance of local family packs. Then there are the large clans and their leaders that make up a council of elders. He is on the North American Council. I guess that makes him kind of a big deal but neither of my parents would ever talk about him much.”
That sounded all the more curious to Wednesday. She couldn’t see Esther as not trying to take advantage of such a relationship. Maybe she had and Jim had put her in her place? That would explain a lot. And was Murray and his brother on bad terms? Another mystery for another time she supposed. As she pondered that Thing began to signal that he had news. She glanced towards him and began to relay the various messages to Enid.
“He says that Yoko is at the assembly now. Classes have been cancelled till after the Christmas Holiday break is over to give them a chance to repair the school. Everyone’s parents have been alerted to pick us all up or make arrangements before the weekend is over. She says she will stop by and get us food and give us the rest of the news when she gets here.”

Since this should be Thursday now they would all have to be out by Sunday night. A few days more to go, at least for some of them. She frowned again as Thing continued.
“He also says you have a text from Jim that he will be here this evening with your parents. It is his plan to take you and your brothers back with him to Seatle. He will share all the news with you when you meet in person. Further, he proposes to meet with you early tomorrow so you can say goodbye to your parents before they report to the council and discuss rehabilitation.”
The more she says the more Enid seems to whimper and sink deeper into the covers. This elicits a confusing reaction from Wednesday who wraps the wolf up protectively in her arms and murmurs soft, comforting words. She isn’t even fully aware of what she is saying. Only that she is desperate to offer some comfort. It seems to help though as Enid does react to her and seems to avoid spiraling into a panic.
“I want to just run-away Willa. Just you and me together. They can sort out the Sinclair family and rehabilitation or whatever they hell they want to do. I’m afraid that if they separate us, I might never see you again.”
“You won’t be rid of me that easily Enid,” she says in a comforting tone. “If we have to, we can run away. My parents already said you could come visit…and I…I would welcome your presence too. School is going to be out till the first week of January. I don’t want you to be that far away.”
It comes out sounding more needy than she had expected. Just a few days ago she would have scoffed at such a sentiment. But that was before EVERYTHING had happened. Now she understood why she wanted to keep her sunshine wolf close. With her words though Enid had perked up a bit and was regarding her curiously.
“Promise? I mean…we do have to see him. I’ll give my uncle the benefit of the doubt. Kind of have to I guess since he is my guardian now. But he should be able to see that we shouldn’t be apart right now. You’ll help me convince him wont you? But please don’t stab him or anything. I bet he is really trying to help. We just have to convince him.”
How simple she made it sound. Wednesday didn’t share her optimism. She was, in fact, quite fancying the idea of making a run for it and hiding at the manor till they both turned eighteen. It wasn’t the smartest of plans, but it certainly felt good in the moment.
“We will do what we have to keep you by my side,” she promised. “And give your uncle the benefit of the doubt for the moment. If nothing else maybe my parents can reason with him if he won’t hear us. We will figure it out. Even if I have to kidnap you to make it happen.”
That mental image seemed to please the blonde. She said not another word but instead cuddled up as close as she could to the goth and made a content little noise. They sat there for a little while, content in each other’s presence. Eventually though a knock at the door drew their attention. With a bit of a mumble Wednesday crawled out of their nest and made her way to the door. To no one’s surprise Yoko stood on the other side with another large food run for the girls.
“Not interrupting anything am I?” she asked in a bemused tone. “You lovebirds still hiding from the rest of us?”
Wednesday didn’t feel like dignifying that with a response but at the sound of the vampire’s voice Enid seemed to come to life. She bolted straight up out of the bed and bounded over to them, immediately pulling her friend into a tight bear hug.
“Yoko! You brought us food? Thank you so much!”
The goth and the vampire pass a curious look between them and then both shrug. ‘Sleepy Enid’ and ‘Stressed Enid’ could often morph into ‘Flakey Enid’ at the drop of a hat. Neither would begrudge her the confusion in her current situation. Instead, they all busied them selves sorting out food and plates as they found places to sit around the room. Yoko apparently intended to eat with them as she pulled a blood bag out of a pocket and began to sip as she regarded them.
“So, not much else happened at the assembly after the news I already gave you. We get a long break so yay for that…but so many folks will be spending it having nightmares that I’m not sure it is that much of a kindness. Weems did take a few minutes to fill in the blanks and let everyone know that you Ms. Addams killed the ghost who caused it all. And she also had honorable mention for the rest of us who pitched in. She even put in a good word for you pup.”
Enid seemed to pale a bit, not used to praise it would seem. Yoko didn’t seem phased though and playfully ruffled her hair.
“Don’t be like that. She said you were a hero. Not that everyone didn’t already know all that stuff. Rumors travel faster than announcements anyway. I don’t think anyone else is going to be trying to bully you anymore since you took down a Hyde. Those things are pure nightmare fuel you know.”
Enid still didn’t look convinced, but it seemed best to let the topic drop for now.
“How was Weems?” Wednesday asked, still curious how the hell the woman had managed to survive at all.
“Like she had been through hell to be honest. She sat through the whole thing which kind of seemed odd but what can you expect? Though to be honest she and I and your mom of all people had a little chat last night.”
“My mother?” Wednesday replied, her tone clearly shocked. She knew her parents were now sticking their noses a bit deeper into Nevermore business. She hadn’t expected them to be quite so up front about it though.
“The same. We had a talk about the Nightshades. It seems your mom was the queen bee when she attended. They both said that the current crop of members really lived up to the old Nightshade ideal when it all hit the fan. They thanked us which surprised the hell out of me. And they…made a proposition.”
That got both Wednesday and Enid’s full attention.
“They say that we should continue to be ready if we are needed. I’m not sure but they seemed to have something in particular in mind. And to be honest, it felt good to actually do something more meaningful than planning our next drunken weekend party. I kind of want to see where this is going and am sure the others will too.”
Seeing the other two girls giving her a curious expression the vampire was quite content to continue.
“Wednesday, we did some good work the other night. As usual the grown ups don’t seem willing to share much of what they know with us. You and Enid both, and Eugene as well, all of us together helped to save the school and all the kids who go here. I want to invite all three of you to join in the fun. If there is something else ugly coming down the way towards us, I couldn’t think of anyone else I would rather have fighting at my side.”
This was an unexpected development. Wednesday didn’t picture herself as the heroic type. Hell, she was repulsed by most of the people in this institution. But when it had come down to it, she wasn’t willing to turn away and leave them to their fate. And it was clear that Enid was quickly warming to the idea. She knew the girl had expressed an interest in the group, most likely drawn by the allure of the parties they threw. But Enid was a real hero in her book. If nothing else she deserved the chance to join in the heroics if she wished.
But would there be more heroics? Odds were that if her mother and Weems both thought so, which seemed to be the case, that it was better than an average chance. There were always people out there who hated outcasts and tried to hit them where it would hurt the most through their children. What weren’t they being told by their elders? And more important, if there was something coming to do them harm could she sit by and not involve herself? Especially if Enid would likely be in harm’s way?
“I’m in. If Enid is,” she agreed with only a hint of reluctance. Enid gave her a happy grin, confirming her own interest. Yoko’s reaction was a bit more puzzling though. It seemed she hadn’t doubted for a second. What did the vampire know about all of this?
“I had hoped you both might agree. We can talk more about it later, after we are all well fed, rested and recovered. Weems says she wants to talk to you later by the way.”
The last part was directed towards Wednesday who didn’t miss the way that Yoko seemed to subtly hint there was more to be said later, possibly when they were alone.
“She says she found some of our former teacher’s personal items that she would like for you to take a look at later. She seems intent on working with us to be ready for whatever they are expecting to happen next.”
Damn, now she was hooked. Wednesday wasn’t sure if Weems and her mother had planned it this way or not. No doubt they would both realize she would be curious. Especially since this all seemed to indicate that Crackstone’s last descendent would still prove to be a threat of some sort. Was she being manipulated? Or were they actually willing to treat them as something close to equals?
“Weems wants the three of us to meet her and someone from the sheriff’s office tomorrow for lunch. Shall I tell her you’re both free?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Wednesday agreed, her mind already latching on this new mystery. Enid grinned broadly and Yoko joined in as well. What any of this meant going forward was still to be determined. Whatever the case though the break, and the rest of the school year to follow, was definitely looking to be quite interesting.

Chapter Text

The three of them chatted for awhile and Wednesday could tell it helped Enid to unwind some. The girl was still fretting to herself, but it wasn’t nearly so bad as it could have been. It seemed that the vampire had a calming effect on her wolf. For this she was grateful. Tanaka could be an annoyance to be sure, but she was glad that she had been there as a strong supporter for the blonde. Despite herself she began to feel some sense of kinship with the leech. Yet another new emotional wrinkle she was going to need to study as time permitted.

“I’m going to do it!” Enid suddenly announced in a loud voice, making both of her companions pause in their thoughts and turn to regard her with guarded expressions.
“Do what pup?” Yoko replied, casting a wary eye towards Wednesday. They had discussed before how Enid could be impetuous. The goth also remembered her talk with Dr. Kane about how the girls’ moods might be affected by all the new stimuli and pressures she was under. New found confidence, while it might very welcome, might not be rooted in reality just yet.

“I’m going to text him. Uncle Jim I mean. Sure, they are probably driving here now but I don’t want to wait till tomorrow to talk to him. I don’t want…don’t want to wait to sort out where I’m staying over the break. If we can’t make him see reason I want to know now so we can make a run for it.”

Enid seemed pleased with the decision she had reached. Both of her dark-haired companions however looked dubious.

“Make a run for it? Pup, what are you talking about?”

“Her uncle, now her guardian,” Wednesday interjected. “He wants to take Enid home to Seatle for the extended break. We want her to stay with me though. I…we…don’t want to be separated. It would be for Enid’s peace of mind you know.”

It was like a light bulb came on over Yoko’s head. The vampire smiled and nodded towards Wednesday. She seemed to see right away what Wednesday meant, even if she couldn’t come out and say it.

“Yes, for Enid’s peace of mind. Of course. Look, I support you both in that. Just be careful how you approach it. Try to be at least a diplomatic, yeah? And if diplomacy doesn’t work I’ll help you two love birds skip town. That won’t be a problem.”

While they were trying to talk to her Enid was typing quickly on her phone, a look of intense concentration on her face. It didn’t take long for either girl to realize she had tuned them both out in her rush to get this settled once and for all. Both shrugged, hoping for the best. While it was good to see the blonde with such focus and determination it was clear they weren’t sure of the wisdom of her current course.
They could tell by the beep, then the typed reply followed by another beep that she had already connected with her uncle and was deep in conversation with him. Trying to gauge Jim Sinclair’s replies by her expression though was futile. All they could get right now was that the wolf was concentrating furiously on her replies to him. After maybe ten minutes, as they waited with bated breath, Enid sighed and set the phone aside.

“He said maybe. I mean…that’s not a no. He wants to talk about it face to face though. If Weems won’t lock him out he will come here to Ophelia Hall after he gets my parents settled into a nearby hotel. Probably about tenish tonight? We can talk to him then, right?”

Wednesday nodded mutely as Enid continued.

“He wants to hear it from your parents that I can stay with you. And for me to call him over the break…and I have to go shopping. I guess puberty starts over again and I’ll need new clothes soon. I have to look up my bank routing number he says so he can put money into my account. There will be places to buy clothes where you live, right?”

Yoko cracked a big grin, not only at Enid’s antics but at Wednesday’s expression. While the blonde was almost hyperventilating in her excitement the goth seemed stunned and at a loss for words. It was more than Yoko could pass up on.

“Congratulations Addams,” she said with a big grin. “You’ve adopted a werewolf. And yeah pup, I’m sure you can buy new clothes somewhere in Jersey.”

She rose then, seeming to know Enid wasn’t going to hear her until she calmed down. Turning to address Wednesday as she edged towards the door.

“Let me know how this goes, ok? And if either of you need anything let me know. I need to talk to you later but it’s not urgent. Next time Hurricane Enid takes a nap or a shower come see me.”
With that she let herself out leaving the two girls alone again. Wednesday watched for awhile as her wolf rifled through her papers, writing down banking information and heaven only knew what else. At least she was happy she mused, and motivated. Despite herself she let out a sigh of relief too. The goth had been worried more than she cared to admit but the crisis seemed to have been averted. Now she just needed to wait till her girlfriend settled enough to talk to in a civilized manner.

After perhaps fifteen minutes of frantic activity Enid seemed to loose steam. Whatever preparations she had been busy with seemed to be done and she came to settle quietly by Wednesday’s side. She leaned close to her girl, laying her head on the offered shoulder and sighed heavily. Suddenly she seemed tired, and her bright blue eyes began to flutter a bit.

“Your parent’s will say it’s ok wont they? Jim seemed really easy to deal with, unlike some parents I could name. I mean…he seemed concerned but like he really just wanted to make sure I would be safe and taken care of.”

Her gaze was so hopeful that even if it weren’t the truth Wednesday would have lied to make her feel better. The honest truth though was her own parents would certainly agree. They seemed to adore Enid on their earlier visit. And they were more than overjoyed to see their daughter opening up to other people. Especially in a romantic way. Great Gods below, she hoped she wasn’t turning into her parents. She couldn’t help the shudder that accompanied that thought. But if that was what it took to keep the sunshine in her wolf she would do it.

“They adore you Enid,” she said simply. “They already said they wanted you to come to the manor and we have plenty of room. Indeed, you will love wolfing out and romping in our forest. You and I will have a grand time. Never fear.”

The girl seemed to doze into contentment then. Wednesday felt her almost purr as she settled in. She chuckled a bit in amusement at that.

“I didn’t know werewolves could purr.”

“Might just be me,” she said in a sleepy tone. “I’m special like that.”

“Si mi Reina. Lo eres.”

Her eyes widened a bit as Enid regarded her.

“Your queen? Am I your queen Willa?”

Wednesday paused then, eyes widening and her cheeks flushing a bit.

“You are,” she said, voice thick with emotion. “I didn’t know you spoke Spanish.”

“California kid,” she said, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Don’ t worry though. Your secret is safe with me.”

With that she settled in and seemed ready to drift off to sleep again.

“Your sleepy? We have only been up for a short time.”

“Can’t help it,” Enid mumbled. “Stress makes me sleepy.”

Wednesday could sympathize with that. Hell, the poor wolf had been through at least a days worth of stress already and it wasn’t even lunch time. Giving her a quick hug she gently disentangled herself from the warm embrace.

“Very well. You sleep then. I’ll make a few calls and then go talk with Tanaka. I should have everything sorted out by the time you wake up. Here, let me fetch your blanket. If you awake and I’m not here I won’t have gone far. I’ll have Thing remain here if I leave. You won’t be alone.”

“M’kay,” came the sleepy reply. It seemed to be all the blonde was able to give before sleep claimed her. Wednesday brought over some blankets, pillow and the least objectionable of the large stuffed toys and made an impromptu nest for her wolf. Once satisfied that her wolf was comfortable, she rose and walked to the desk.

Settling in for calls she really didn’t want to make the goth finally sighed, eyes darting towards Enid who looked so comfortable and content. She didn’t really want to talk to people right now. Even though she loved the wolf and wanted to get everything sorted out for her there was still the fact that she was antisocial in the extreme. A few calls, while not much in the grand scheme of things, were necessary in the moment. With a sigh she retrieved the cell phone and held it out towards Thing.

“Open it again please. I need to call the principal’s office.”

Thing obliged and then added some extra commentary.

“Yes, I believe your right. It will be necessary for me to obtain one of my own soon. I would like to put it off as long as possible though.”

She glanced towards the sleeping girl as a thought occurred.

“Maybe Enid would like to help me find one that suits my needs. Once the necessary arrangements are made, and she is able to stay awake for an afternoon, I’ll bring up the subject.”

Thing gave her a thumbs up gesture and skittered back a bit to the edge of the desk, giving Wednesday a bit of space. She looked up the phone number from the student information pack they had and began to dial. She could have just walked to the office and spoken to her in person but the thought she might find her mother there in another compromising position was a risk she would rather not make. It rang three times before Weems herself answered.

“This is principal Weems. May I help you?”

The voice sounded tired but otherwise quite definitely alive.

“This is Wednesday Addam,” she said, keeping her voice low so as not to wake Enid. “I have a question for you if you can spare me a moment.”

Part of her wanted to be her normal snarky self. Even if she could have managed that it didn’t feel right to be so forward just yet. If what the leech said was true the principal was willing to work with them going forward. She didn’t want to jeopardize that. Plus, she couldn’t help a certain amount of sympathy for the woman’s condition. Coming back from the dead wasn’t easy. She could afford to be the bigger person for the moment and try to keep the peace. And this call as short as humanly possible.

“Certainly Ms. Addams. What did you need? And by the way, I hope Ms. Tanaka has delivered my message?”

“She has. Enid and I will be at the meeting in your office tomorrow. For tonight though I have a dilemma. Enid’s uncle Jim wants to see us this evening to discuss her new family arrangements. Would it be possible for him to meet us in our dorm to insure their privacy? He wouldn’t be arriving till shortly after ten tonight.”

“Of course, that would be fine. James Sinclair is good man and quite respectable. He is on the school’s board of governors after all. Ask him to let me know when he arrives, and I’ll make sure to have someone from the staff to accompany him to your dorm room and escort him back out when they are done. We still have to follow the rules which I’m sure he will appreciate.”

Enid’s uncle was on the board? That was news to Wednesday. She wondered if the blonde was aware of that or not. Probably not if she had to guess. One more thing to ponder later when she had more time.

“I will let him know then,” she said simply. “And I thank you for your consideration.”

“Ms. Addams? Before you go, I just wanted to apologize for what you witnessed. It was unbecoming for a student to have to witness me in that state. I would normally try to avoid such a thing. But you helped to save my school and for that I will always be grateful. I hope it wasn’t too traumatic for you.”

It had been traumatic to see her principal and her mother locked in such an embrace. But that wasn’t Weems’ fault she realized. Nor had her condition been the principals fault given she had nearly died.

“It’s alright Principal. I understand. It was…an extraordinary night in a lot of ways. Until tomorrow then, I will leave you to your rest. I hope you recover soon.”

Ending the conversation she couldn’t suppress her misgivings. Wednesday despised change. She felt that whatever was going on between her mother and Weems might lead to some unwelcome changes, but she wasn’t sure just what yet. That would have to wait though. Next, she needed to call her mother and just hope she wasn’t with Weems at the moment. She wanted some time for all the noise in her head to calm down a bit before they got into any of that.

Pulling the crystal ball closer she passed her hand across the surface to activate it and thought on her mother to get the device know who to call. The surface grew cloudy and took a moment to form an image. Her mother was lying in bed and obviously had been sleeping. Morticia glanced at the ball while trying to regain her focus. She sat up, stretched and pulled on a robe before regarding her daughter fully.

“I’m sorry darling. Your newest sibling has been sapping my strength a bit more than expected. Between the fatigue and the cravings I’ve had a rough couple of days.”

That and reconnected with her old lover Wednesday mused, but politely didn’t say anything.

“I’m sorry to hear that mother. I hope the child hasn’t been too taxing on your system. What is this one making you crave though? You once said I forced you to heat hot peppers with every meal and Pugsley seemed to need hotdogs and sauerkraut.”

Morticia chuckled a bit before replying.

“Your memory is spot on as always my little raven. Our newest little gremlin seems to favor meat, the rarer the better. I’m not sure anything can be read into that, but I pondered briefly if I might be carrying a young werewolf. There have been more than a few in the Addams line you know.”

Wednesday glanced towards Enid and then back to her mother.

“I am aware. It would be quite special if that is the case. But I called for a reason mother. Just a simple question and then you can return to your rest.”

“Very well dear. What do you need?”

“Enid’s uncle has indicated that it would be alright if she comes to stay with us over the upcoming break. He wants to hear from either you or father that this would have your blessing. Might I assume you will agree? And that one of you will be available tonight after ten for me to call so you could tell him so?"

Morticia’s face seemed to light up a bit. Normally Wednesday wouldn’t see so much of an emotional reaction from her mother. Clearly, her pregnancy was affecting her normal reactions. She didn’t usually give quite so much away.

“Darling, that would be delightful. Of course she can stay. And both Parker and Joel have been hanging about at the manor. She can meet the both of them and the rest of the family. If am not awake your father will be here and by the crystal ball. He and Jim are actually rather good friends. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind taking the call.”

So, Jim Sinclair and Gomez Addams were good friends? Why hadn’t she known that? Of course, her father knew many people, both due to business and extended family matters. That bit of information would probably go a long way to secure Enid’s being able to stay the entire break with her.

“Thank you, mother. We will be calling later then. I’ll try not to trouble you till then.”

Morticia smiled and waved her hand to break the contact. She could always seem to tell when her daughter was done with any given interaction. They had after all a long time to find their own balance between them.

Now though things were changing. Enid was part of her life now and the dynamics of their family was changing. She would need to talk to her mother in more detail about it all later though. She did not look forward to that. Fortunately though her mother’s pregnancy gave them a perfect excuse to put that aside for another day.

For a long moment she regarded the crystal ball. One more call to go. Then she could go find out what Tanaka had wanted to discuss in private. Then, fates willing, she could tend to Enid. No doubt she would wake up in the next hour or so and be famished. Perhaps they would leave the room for awhile and go to eat with the rest of the students. Her wolf would probably enjoy that. Waving her hand across the ball she concentrated on Parker. This was answered very quickly. It would seem her cousin had been near the crystal ball in her room, possibly anticipating a call from Wednesday.

True enough when the image formed it was of Parker’s room at the family manor. She had let her hair grow out some and the tips were a deep, dark black. It actually worked very well with her natural red. And as usual she was wearing her normal goth fashion statements.

“I was wondering when you would call cuz,” the girl said with a smile. “Is it all true? All the things I’m hearing about your adventures over the last few days?”

“That depends on what you’ve heard cousin. There are a lot of unreliable narratives being passed around.”
She couldn’t help but smile a bit at the other girl. They had become fast friends in junior high, and then there was that disastrous mistake when she had misread her signals and thought there was a chance there could be more between them. Wednesday had felt angry and embarrassed but fortunately they had been able to patch things up. Their friendship had recovered and even blossomed into a deeper bond.

And now? Now they were closer still since Fester had outright adopted Parker as his own daughter. After all the unpleasantness with Margaux and how she had all but abandoned her own flesh and blood the Addams’ had taken her in and made her part of their family. Everything had just felt better between them since they had matured a bit into this new familial bond. And soon, on the coming of the new year, she would become more deeply linked to the family when she underwent the bonding ceremony. It was something they both looked forward to but was not the reason for this particular call.

“A little bald bird, my papa that is, said you had saved the school, killed a ghost AND a Hyde and then found a girlfriend while you were at it? Is any of that true? Come on…I need the deets here.”

Wednesday nodded along with Parker before replying. "That is more or less the gist of it,” she said after a short pause. “My parents must have spoken to Fester since they came here. It’s been a difficult few days, but we are getting a chance to rest now. I would introduce you to Enid, but she is napping right now. She will be coming home with me though. The two of you have a lot in common. I think you will get along well."

“Enid? Like Enid Sinclair at Nevermore. O. M. G! I’ve been following her blog to study up on that fancy school of yours. I hope to be coming to join you for the next school year!”

Wednesday had known about the blog of course but had no idea it was really being read beyond the students at the school.

“You know of her then?” she asked, just a hint of trepidation in her voice. “I hope she hasn’t said anything untoward. I fear that such topics might give the normies ideas about causing us further trouble. I didn’t realize it was an open website that anyone could stumble into.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not. You can only access it from the Outer Limits and that has some strict protocols, and it would be VERY hard for some normie to access. Especially after some recent innovations we’ve added.”

The goth knew she was in over her head here. Any talk of computers and websites usually tied her head up in knots trying to understand it. But both Parker and Enid were well versed in the ways of the internet. Hell, even Pugsley was. It was probably him that had convinced their father to get a cell phone of his own for business.

“I hope you realize I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said in an uncertain tone. “But you say after innovations ‘we’ added? I assume you have some control over all of this information.”

“I do,” Parker replied, though now a bit hesitantly. It was clear she hadn’t meant to let that bit slip. That didn’t deter her from carrying on though.

“But look, me and Pugs can give you all the details when you get home, ok? I wanted to kind of show it off to you anyway. And I’m sure your girl will get a kick out of it. By the way, she posted her picture with a couple of her posts. She is adorable! And I love the highlights in her hair. Can’t wait to meet her.”

Parker studied Wednesday for a moment before continuing.

“So, tell me true. Are you two serious. I mean, if she is coming home with you I have to assume it is. I hope it is. You deserve someone special cuz. I really, really hope it works out for you.”

For a moment she wasn’t able to respond. Wednesday felt she could talk to Parker about anything. The girl had been her closest confidant, other than perhaps Thing, for a long while now.

“She is very special,” she finally said, blushing just a bit. “She makes me feel things I never have before. I just…just don’t want to screw it up. You know how I can be sometimes.”

The red head gave her a smile and replied.

“It will be fine. And if you get into a jam we will have a girl talk and help you sort it out. I know this is all new for you. Don’t let love scare you. You deserve this. Do your best and we’ll sort it out as you go, ok? You’ve got this.”

“Not very encouraging since you don’t have a significant other,” she replied, with just a hint of a pout on her face.

“Not a fair comparison cuz,” Parker said with a full-on pout of her own. “I don’t get to see many eligible boys either out at the A frame or here at the manor. And besides, I don’t think I would fit in with the normies anymore anyway. Yet another reason I want to get to Nevermore.”

“How do you feel about moody artistic boys?”

“You mean Xavier? Is he still hitting on you?”

“Yes. I wish he wouldn’t though. For more obvious reasons now. He is tolerable as a friend…of sorts. Maybe I will throw you in his path and hope for the best.”

There was a moment of silence and a twinkle in Parkers eye.

“I would find that acceptable,” she said in her best imitation of Wednesday’s monotone. “If I get in you can introduce me to all the single boys you want. I’ve not been on a real date in…. well, like forever.”

“Very well,” the goth replied, just a hint of amusement in her eyes. After a moment though her expression became a tad more serious.

“I am not good about expressing myself Parker. But I have missed you. We will have a little more than a five-week break. It will be good to catch up with you again. Don’t tell him but I even miss Pugsley. A little bit anyway.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell him,” she said with a kind smile. “But I miss you too. And can’t wait to meet Enid and catch up on everything. I better go though. It’s time for my next tutoring session with Miss Clair. You take care of yourself and that werewolf of yours. We’ll talk when you get home.”

They said their goodbyes quickly and Wednesday couldn’t help but frown a bit. It was nice to talk to Parker, and it seemed the girl had been up to a LOT since they had spoken last. Things were coming together now though. She and her wolf would be going home soon now. Then she could introduce her to the family and all the important people in her life.

For now though there was still some work to do. Her calls now made she had some down time before Enid should wake up. No time like the present to go see what the leech had wanted to tell her. Double checking to make sure the girl was still sleeping soundly she turned to regard Thing.

“If she awakens before I get back let her know I’ve gone over to Tanaka’s room.”

Thing offered a thumbs up and went to settle into the blankets by Enid’s side. Now, assured that everything was firmly in hand, the tiny goth nodded to herself and as quietly as she could left the room. It was all coming together now. She hated change to be sure, but some changes were for the best. And this particular one she was very much in favor of.

“I will be back soon mi Reina,” she whispered quietly and left Enid and Thing to their rest.

Chapter Text

This was a first she supposed. Normally by now Wednesday’s social battery would be pretty much depleted. She had after all been civil with a few people today and had been making her calls as was required of her. Normally she would be irritable to the point of potential violence by now. So many other things were changing with the addition of a certain blonde werewolf to her life. Maybe her social skills and tolerance were growing as well.

That didn’t mean she enjoyed it exactly. But some people were becoming a bit more tolerable. Most specifically she realized she was growing more tolerant of one particular leech. Enid had once said she and Tanaka were a lot alike in some ways. Wednesday supposed that was true. But her newfound acceptance of the vampire had more to do with how much support she had given to the blonde of the years. Her wolf hadn’t had to be alone in her misery and had a strong advocate to look out for her. That was something she would always feel indebted to the girl for.

And yes, maybe there was a possible bond of sorts there. Maybe, if there had never been an Enid, and that notion made her heart tense up in distress, but just maybe they would have been friends of a sort. This then must be what it felt like to open up to other people. To become less of a hermit and more of a mature, well-rounded person. Overall, she couldn’t recommend it, but becoming more tolerant of Enid’s friends would surely please her. And sometimes, though she would be loathe to admit it, the goth did feel a wee bit lonely here. Without her family being on hand who would always understand her, the Nightshades were proving to be a fair substitute. Even if some of them were as annoying as hell…

Whatever the case she soon found herself in front of Tanaka’s door. She sighed once and raised her hand to knock. She didn’t get far enough along to actually pound on the door though.

“Come on in Addams. It’s open.”

She sighed again. Curse these other outcasts and their outlandish senses. Opening the door, she stepped in and turned to face the leech in question.

“You were able to catch my scent and identify me that easily?”

Yoko grinned a bit and stepped away from the desk she had been writing at. From her vantage point Wednesday could see the Japanese characters on the page. She couldn’t read it but did recognize that the vampire had amazing penmanship. It looked rather like fine calligraphy. Her attention though was brought back to her hostess as she responded.

“Actually, I heard you coming down the hall first. You have a very distinctive gait and without a lot of other kids milling in the hall to dilute the sound it was easy to pick your steps up. But yes, when you got close enough to the door I could smell your blood. You still have some wounds that haven’t closed all the way so that was a dead giveaway as well.”

The goth pondered those words for a moment before replying.

“So, the mindless throngs of our classmates do serve a purpose. Good to know I suppose. I had no idea you could do that but it’s nice to know.”

A light chuckle came from the vampire as she replied.

“Oh, it goes way deeper than that. Especially for the furs. My senses are sharp but theirs can be crazy sharp. It was a big thing back in her freshman year when she was around a lot of other girls on their periods or who got a bit…uhm…. excited. Naturally her mother never bothered to teach her about such things so I got to pick up the slack.”

The psychic paled a bit, realizing the implications.

“You…can smell when another girl is aroused?”

“Yup. I usually can. Enid can for sure. So, I’m supposing you didn’t realize that before.”

She could only shake her head to indicate she had not known that and then try to control her blush.

“Enid hadn’t mentioned it.”

Yoko smiled even wider.

“She didn’t want to embarrass you I guess. I wouldn’t worry about it though. Wolves are more in tune to their emotions and a lot of that is driven by their heightened senses. It’s just part of what they are. If you want to drive her wild though just find a scent that gets her attention and make good use of it. She’ll follow you around like a puppy. As if she didn’t already.”

To say she was uncomfortable about this new information would be an understatement. Wednesday wondered then if maybe that was why Enid hadn’t given up on her earlier. Maybe she could sense the small bits of arousal she had thought were so well hidden in the weeks leading up to that dark night. She must have known that the psychic, and her hidden urges, were slowly warming up to her. Before she could dwell on that for very long though her hostess had continued.

“Enough about that though. I did say that I wanted to talk to you and now that you’re here I don’t want to get sidetracked with your love life. Though I genuinely applaud you for it. It’s high time someone put that poor girl first and cared for her in return. Anyway, I hope it’s not too personal, but I have some questions about visions.”

Wednesday gave her an odd look but nodded, trying to urge her on to say more.

“Most specifically, the kind of visions you and your mother share, does what you see always come true?”

“It has been my experience that they do,” she says simply, “Though I am still very new to them and have a lot to learn regarding their interpretation. My mother is much stronger in it than I am yet and has had years to practice. I can say that generally they will come to pass but we only get a brief picture of a moment in time. As only a snapshot in time it might not make much sense till you get to that point in time and understand the surrounding events in context. Why do you ask?”

It was Yoko’s turn to grow quiet for a moment. She bit her lip, apparently weighing the pros and cons of what to say. Finally, she sighed again and continued.

“I don’t want to worry you, but your mother was acting odd when I met her and Weems. She didn’t seem well and started talking about some of her visions. Some of what she said freaked me out. Looking back on some of the things they said to each other I got the impression your mother was really stressed about something and had been trying to trigger more visions to figure it out. And it seemed like Weems was trying to get her to calm down and not push herself so hard.”

That could all be very bad Wednesday thought to herself. It didn’t sound like her mother but like any Addams she could be as single minded and stubborn as anyone. What could have her in a state like that though?

“That is…odd. Even by my family’s standards. She is pregnant though so she might not be thinking clearly. Whatever she saw should still come true. Just maybe not in a way we would expect. What did she say though that ‘freaked’ you out as you say?”

“She said they would find my dad and he was going to be alright.”

“But that would be good news though, right? She tends to see positive events where the visions I get see the darker ones.”

“You don’t get it though Addams. My father isn’t missing. He is perfectly fine. I talked to him on the phone this morning. So, it seems he is going to be captured by somebody and then rescued. If I’m reading the context clues from your mom and Weems, they seem to think something big is coming. Like we were going to war or something.”

The implications of this could be staggering. Wednesday felt the need to sit. She took a couple of steps and settled into a chair. Was her mother so worried that she was forcing visions and trying to get more information? What had she seen that worried her so. And how could she convince her to stop? In her current state that sort of behavior could lead to all sorts of health problem for her and the baby.

And was that what had her father so concerned? At first, she had supposed maybe he didn’t approve of her sudden closeness with her former lover. Maybe this was something deeper and he was trying to get her to get better at self-care. She would have to speak to her again, face to face, to get the full story. But not just yet. She was going to sleep the last time they had spoken. Better for now to let her take her rest. As she pondered Yoko had continued.

“I’ve seen that kind of war before,” she said, voice sad and sounding very far away. Whatever memory she was bringing to mind was clearly not a good one.

“Back in Japan. The hunters had gotten organized again and tried to kill my family. It was the first time I ever killed anyone…the first time I had ever drained a human being. It wasn’t a good time, and I was really messed up on the inside for a long time. It’s kind of how I wound up here. I don’t want to see our families drawn into that again. And I don’t want my friends or any of the kids here to have to see it.”

That kind of put it all into perspective. The troubles she and Enid faced were certainly notable, but a large hunter incursion into their lives. Yeah, that upped the ante by a great deal.

“I’ll talk to mother,” Wednesday said in a quiet tone. She too was obviously worried about this turn of events. And now she understood why Tanaka had expressed her request to speak as she had. She had news of a possible catastrophe but one that wasn’t exactly imminent judging by the prophecy regarding her father. Important but not urgent as she had said.

“That will take a little time though. I will keep you advised and let you know when I find something.”

Yoko nodded in understanding and turned to face out the window. Whatever she was feeling the goth was willing to leave her to it in peace. It seemed that they both needed some time to clear their heads. Letting herself out of the room she walked a short way till she got to a window in the corridor and stopped to peer outside. She needed a few minutes to regain her own self-control. If Enid was as perceptive as she was being led to believe the last thing she wanted was to give her sunny wolf another reason to worry.

Chapter Text

Nevermore was really quite peaceful and scenic when it wasn’t full of grubby teenagers and their never-ending drama. The fact that Wednesday now understood that she too was one of them and had her own drama didn’t sit very well with the moody young woman. She was trying to be honest enough with herself to understand that in the hopes it was only a short phase she would leave behind her. Hopefully soon.

Even that simple hope though was a bitter pill to swallow. Would leaving the drama and the teen angst behind mean she would have to leave Enid behind? The very notion made her guts clench up, and not in a good way. Yes, she was well and truly smitten. Whatever trick of fate had conspired to make her fall in love had done its job quite well. And she didn’t even mind that part. Wednesday was at peace with that concept. She and Enid were together now, and for all time she hoped. All she wanted though was for the drama to pass and all the uncertainty that came with it.

She wanted to protect her wolf who had lived with pain and degradation for all of her short life up to this point. Why did she need to be subjected to all of this just when things were looking up for her? The sunshine wolf now had at least two strong advocates in her corner, with more to come once she got to know the rest of the psychic’s family. True, it was going to be a bit dicey getting through the Sinclair drama, but she had confidence they could weather that together. Especially with the promise of a safer life just around the corner.

It was a very bad bit of timing though that there seemed to be group of hunters in their future trying to kill them. Even worse was the news of some Addams family drama in the making with her parents, Weems and whomever else was about to be drawn in. It was a huge mess in the making and while a part of her wanted to get down to business finding and ending her enemies it was a lot more complicated now. Enid had to be her priority. And she was actually terrified at what the added stress to come might do to her sunshine wolf.

Should she try to keep all of this quiet? Or at least as quiet as she could? Give her girlfriend some time to adapt before letting her find out? No, that would never work. Enid was going to have to be with her tomorrow for lunch with Weems, the Sherrif, Tanaka and possible her own parents? With the way things were going the chances of Morticia and Gomez being there were pretty high. As best she understood the threats on their horizon were to be a topic of conversation. There would be no way to hide that.

So, with a growing feeling of unease Wednesday realized she would have to level with the blonde. Try to prepare her. Enid wasn’t weak by any stretch of the imagination. She had great strength, physically and emotionally. It had just been taxed to near the breaking point. Maybe the best way the goth could defend her beloved was by preparing her. It felt wrong and cruel to a degree, and not the kind of cruel she was used to being. But it was necessary. Why then did she feel like it was a walk to the gallows she was taking on the way back to their shared dorm room?

Pausing at the door she took a moment to compose herself. Be honest with Enid, give her some notion of what was going on, at least to the extent that Wednesday understood it, and try to soothe any anxieties that might arise from it. Piece of cake, right? Why then did she feel like a parent about to tell their child that there was no Santa Clause? She could hear Enid’s voice inside though not clearly enough to understand what was being said. Her voice sounded upbeat. Hopefully she wasn’t going to be upset too much.

Schooling her expression the goth opened the door and stepped inside. Enid was sitting on her colorful bed with thing sitting before her. They were deep into one of their manicure sessions and both turned to regard her. Enid had a big smile on her face.

“Hi there,” she chirped, smiling at the dark-haired girl. “Thing tells me you were busy with some calls while I was napping. Everything go well?”

“For the most part. Weems will have someone escort your uncle up here tonight when he arrives so we can speak with him in private. And as I predicted my parents are on board with you coming to stay with us. Give it a couple of weeks and I’m sure they will be trying to adopt you. I even had a chance to call my cousin for a little chat and went to speak with Yoko for a while.”

For some reason that statement seemed to bring an even happier smile to her wolf’s face. Wednesday gave her a confused look, trying to figure out what in all that made the blonde so happy. True to normal, Enid quickly told her.

“I see what you did there. You called her Yoko instead of Tanaka or leech or something even less flattering. Are the two of you bonding? Making friends? That would be soooo cool!”

For a moment Wednesday was flustered, thrown off her game as it were by the realization that she was now starting to think of the vampire in a more kindly light. She couldn’t help but shudder a bit at the realization. She had never had many friends. In fact, outside her family, she could only think of two before she had come to Nevermore. And now she had at least half a dozen in total. When did that happen?

“She is…a bit more acceptable to me now,” she finally admitted. “We have some things in common, not the least is the desire we both hold to protect you. I am grateful that she was here for you before I attended this school.”

Thing, whose nails were now dry, gave them both a jaunty wave and scuttled off under the bed. He seemed to sense Wednesday’s heavy mood and wanted to give the girls a little privacy. Besides, he had learned over the years not to hang around if Wednesday was expressing her feelings. That to his experience never ended well.

She watched him go with a slight frown. While appreciating the gesture it only hastened the moment in which she would have to share her concerns with Enid. She didn’t want to break the mood. Normally giving someone else troubling news would be something of a thrill to her. Not with Enid though. Before she could speak though the wolf seemed to ‘read the room’ as she often said and spoke up.

“All of that sounds like good news Willa. But you said that things went well with your calls for the most part. I’ve learned you always mean what you say so what was the least part to that? Some bit of news that you’re not sharing?”

Damnation but the girl was more perceptive than she had anticipated. Could she smell the concern on her? The way she could smell…other things? The notion of that derailed her thought processes for a moment. Wednesday frowned and came to sit beside Enid, resigning herself to the fact that it was time to face the music.

“There is something going on. I’m not entirely sure what and I’ve been trying to make sense of what I’ve been able to gather thus far. It doesn’t seem to be an imminent problem, but something is definitely in the wings as they say.”

She found that she couldn’t meet Enid’s eyes just yet. The blonde remained quiet and reached out to take her hand. Feeling the pressure of a light squeeze from Enid she glanced up. The girl was watching her, patiently, as if urging her to continue.

“My mother has had visions it would seem, and everyone is taking them quite seriously. I don’t know all the details yet, but it seems the adults think they are warnings of a dangerous group of hunters looking to make trouble in the future. We should find out more tomorrow but whatever it is going on is enough to have Weems, my father and Yoko worried sick. I didn’t want…didn’t want to burden you with this. Not when things were looking up. Not just when I was going to take you home and try to keep you safe.”

Wednesday noticed her own tone of voice and was surprised by how vulnerable and sad she sounded. It was a bit of a surprise to her, but she couldn’t afford to get distracted by that now. Enid brought that sort of thing out in her she supposed. Surprisingly she didn’t mind all that much.

“It’s alright Willa. Don’t worry. I guess this is a new mystery for you then. Maybe a new monster that needs to be taken down. But this time I’m in it with you all the way. And don’t dare try to stop me? Your everything to me now Wednesday Addams. We are going to do this as a team. You understand that? I may be a basket case sometimes, but I’ve got your back. And no Hydes or outcast hunters or nosey parents better try to get in our way!”

Her tone was positively fierce, and it ignited something in the smaller girl. It was hard to describe how protective Enid could stir such passion in her cold heart. Pulling the blonde’s hand to her lips Wednesday kissed her knuckles and then regarded her, unable to speak yet. Enid was not similarly afflicted though.

“You like it when I’m possessive and strong,” she said with certainty. “Truth be told I like it too. I wonder if that would be what I was like always if not for…mother.”

“I do like it Enid. You light a fire in me. My first impulse is always to protect you, but it still moves me when I realize how strong and protective you are. I am…weak before you mi Reina. Like I have never been before. And yes, I don’t know what is coming but you will be by my side. For however long you’re willing to be.

I must admit though, it still scares me. My first thoughts in any situation aren’t usually what you would consider as good or even productive. The Addams are fractious lot. Freud, in treating one of us back in the day, claimed that being an Addams was probably a mental disorder in its own right. It boggles my mind that someone so kind as you would deign to be with…something like me. I don’t want to ruin it, but I fear I’ll say or do something dumb and ruin it all. I don’t want to lose you.”

Again with the desperate tone. And again she can’t be bothered to feel sorry for it. Not with Enid. Maybe she was maturing a bit. She could accept her feelings, even if she couldn’t act on them all yet. She could even accept the consequences of those feelings and how they changed her on some fundamental level. The one thing she couldn’t accept was the fear that she might drive the girl away from her. She had to prevent that outcome at all costs.
“It’s alright Willa,” she said, her reply gentle and full of emotion. “I’ve seen you on your good days, your bad days and even your terrible ones. I see how hard you’re trying and it just makes me love you all the more. If something does go wrong, we just have to work it out. I have my dark moments too, and my hopeless ones. That all just goes to make us who we are. If you can forgive my neediness then I can forgive you if things go sideways. At least as long as your committed to making this work.”

With that she wrapped the seer in a tight bear hug, trying to give comfort when all along Wednesday had been intending to be the comforting figure to her. It felt nice, and it felt comfortable as if they had always been this way. It felt like home in a way. The goth didn’t know how to deal with this new feeling other than to accept it and hope that it continues.

“You’ve done so much for me already Willa. You comfort me when I’m down, you accept my colors and my ADHD. Hell, you haven’t even killed a stuffed animal lately. That must have taken a lot of self-control on your part.”

“It did,” she agreed with a half-smile and a light chuckle. “And your ADHD…I’m not sure if that was an actual diagnosis you’ve been given but I can’t hold that against you. Another quote from Freud, autism doesn’t just run in the Addams family, it fairly gallops. Mostly as something called Aspergers Syndrome I think. We just don’t think like other people.”

“I was diagnosed by Dr. Kinbott. Damn but I’m going to miss her. Did she say you had Autism of some sort? I guess I can see that. But it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Hell, we are in a school full of monsters and magic. We can’t really be defined by normie standards of good mental health.”

Wednesday paled a little at the mention of the good doctor. She still felt guilty for what had happened to her. She hoped the lady rested in peace wherever her soul had gone.

“She did diagnose me as such. Very high functioning autistic were her exact words. With some troubling psychological complications but at least with my family I fit right in. And you will fit right in with my family. Never fear about that.”

“Oh! I almost forgot!” Enid exclaimed, a memory suddenly popping up in her head. “Dr. Kane called while you were gone. That was why I woke up from my nap. We talked a bit about this second puberty now that I’ve changed. It looks like I’m due for a growth spurt soon which must be why my uncle said I’ll need new clothes. Apparently in late bloomers it can come and go pretty quick. Like sometime in the next month or two quick.
And she said the school had hired a new councilor who specialized in outcasts. He is an outcast himself after all. And I think he is related to you. I bet he must be really, really good if he is anywhere near as smart as you are.”

The smaller girl’s eyes widened noticeably.

“Related to me? I don’t know whether to be encouraged or terrified. What was his name?”

Enid jumped up quickly and ran to the desk. There she shuffled papers for a moment till she found one, right on the top where she had left it, and read the notes she had taken not more than half an hour before.

“Let’s see here, his name is Dr. Simon Addams Psychiatrist and PHD. That’s a long title. He must be pretty good. She said he is psychic too. I guess that helps in his line of work. Do you know him?”

Wednesday paused, searching her memory. Yes, that name did ring a bell. It had been several years since they had seen each other last at a family party. A day of the dead celebration when she was about ten years old if memory served. He was adopted into the family she had thought, one of the strays her father had taken in and helped to get established in a new life, safe from normie abuse. He had gone on to marry Rebecca Frump, another of her distant cousins.

“I do. It’s been a few years since I last saw him at a family gathering. At the time he had just married a cousin on my mothers’ side, one of the Rhine River Sirens from the German branch of the family. At the time he was in his last year of medical school I think and was soon to start on his residency somewhere in Europe.”

“Your cousin married another of your cousins?” Enid remarked, sounding a bit dubious about that.

“They weren’t blood related Enid. My family may be many things but incestuous is not one of them. Simon was adopted into the family. If I recall the story correctly, he was a young psychic of unknown family origin who was being kept in a Catholic orphanage somewhere. When his powers started to manifest they naturally thought he needed an excorcism.”

Wednesday shakes her head bitterly at the thought before continuing.
“At any rate my father got wind of it, intervened and managed to get him placed in the home of an outcast family he trusted. When he turned sixteen he underwent the Bonding ceremony and legally changed his name to Addams. My parents probably would have just adopted him outright, but it was around then that I was born. I was quite premature and had a lot of medical problems, so I guess they didn’t want to add to the family stress by bringing a teen into the house.”

Enid absorbed all of this with rapt attention, nodding along to Wednesday’s story.

“I didn’t know you were a preemie baby,” she said after a pause. “Guess that explains why you are so petite. Which I seriously adore by the way. It sounds like your dad really came through for Simon though. Do you think he will be a good counselor here though? I hope so. Without Dr. Kinbott I kind of need one…”

“He should be adequate,” she replied in the usual dead pan voice. “I will talk to him over the break. In fact, I think he is going to be at Parker’s ceremony with his wife. Maybe…”

And here she trailed off, the thought that if she felt she could trust Simon after their talk that she might see him as well not quite ready to be admitted openly. It occurred to her that she was still mandated by the courts to attend therapy. Maybe Weems and her parents had conspired to find a doctor that she wouldn’t find so objectionable. She wouldn’t put it past them.

Normally she would sooner gargle with glass shards than attend therapy in any form. Her recent bouts of reflection and internal honesty though helped her to realize she probably did need it. If not for her own benefit, then to be a better partner to Enid and to maybe treat her family and friends better. She didn’t want to lose anyone from that group of people. If therapy was what it took to be just a little less toxic then she would suck it up and do it. Though not without some heel dragging and cursing no doubt.

“Oh, right. The ceremony. I was reading up on that. Sounds wild. Leave it to your family to find a way to make adoptions and weddings even more magical.”

Wednesday paused, taking note of Enid’s smile as the words slowly rearranged themselves in her head. What was she talking about? To her knowledge there weren’t any books of her family lore in the library here or even in the Nightshades private library. True, such books did exist, but they were rare. How did Enid happen to find one?

“You read about it? Where?”

“On one of the sites attached to the Outer Limits of course. The one with family history and legends of your family. I kind of…did some research on it when I first started to fall for you. Hope that doesn’t sound like stalker behavior or anything.”

She blushed a bit as she said it, which Wednesday found particularly endearing, but it still left an even bigger question. From what Enid said it sounded like she had found the information online? On a site anyone with a pc and an internet connection could find? That sounded like a huge security breech if just anyone could wander in and read about it.

“The Outer Limits? Like the 1960’s black and white series?”

“No. Not like that. It’s like a web ring. Wait, you probably don’t know what that means. Let’s say instead it’s like a web site that has a lot of sub sites connected to it. Each of those is dedicated to different things concerning the outcast community. Like chat rooms for outcasts who want to talk to each other, information on some of the more influential families and groups plus a much more secure system than was previously used.

I heard that sometimes hunters or normies would wander on to the old websites we used for stuff and it caused a lot of problems. This new system is more secure and I hear it even has magical wards and crazy stuff like that. There is a lot of good information on there. It takes time for authentication to certify you for admittance, but I’ve used it a lot. I think you’ll like it too if we can get you to go online.”

Wednesday was stunned. She of course only understood about half of what Enid had said but that wasn’t the thing that was really concerning her. Could this all be some elaborate ploy by hunters to get outcasts to open up and chat casually where they could be taking notes? Or was it really some sort of helpful tool for her own community? She would have to do some checking to find out before she would trust it.

“I don’t know what to say about all that,” she finally admitted it. “I don’t trust it but will keep an open mind. My brother Pugsley knows a lot more about the online community than I ever will. He probably knows about this and can say for sure if it’s safe or a trap of some kind. Sometimes I envy him for that. But never enough that I ever wanted to try and follow in his footsteps. Not that I could anyway.”

“What? You’re the smartest person I know Willa. If you want to learn how to use computers and the internet I bet you can be great at it.”

Wednesday huffed a bit and shook her head.

“I think that I have a psychological aversion to them. Maybe I should have been born in the Middle Ages. But Pugsley has an unfair advantage. His gift sets him apart and gives him a big step up in the technological sense. We discovered that his psychic gift is a kind of techno kinesis. He can talk with and use his intuition to get computers and other devices to cooperate more easily. It really is a marvel to watch him work when he sets his mind to it. He will be capable of great things when and if he can get past his own self-doubts.”

Enid merely nods, clearly understanding what that must be like. Then, another thought strikes her.

“Is it true what I read? That all of your family can master witchcraft in addition to whatever your outsider gifts might be?”

She sighs. Is there no limit to what of her family lore is being released to the masses? That really has to be moved to the top of the pile of things she needs to figure out. At least second from the top anyway. Enid has to occupy the top spot and for the moment it is better to just answer her questions. She is comfortable with Enid knowing these things. Especially if she is going to come live with them for a while.

“That is…mostly true,” she admits. We all have a higher chance to learn and use witchcraft. At least most do. My grandmama refuses to teach me yet. I have…some deficiencies.

Anyway, we all have more potential than most. All outcasts’ lines were born from true magic, but most let the ability atrophy rather than embrace it. My family early on tried to breed for it and encourage the trait. Now, even those of us who can’t directly wield magic have at least latent talents that can compliment our psychic gifts in wondrous ways. Using Pugsley as an example again, his magical talent seems to be for techno magic which compliments his psychic gifts. I’ve seen him hack into highly secured systems in a matter of minutes without being detected. It is truly a marvel. He and my father are examples of what can be done if your innate magic aligns well with your particular gifts.”

“You are not deficient,” Enid exclaims. “I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise.”

The goth can’t hold the proud smile at her words or the warm chuckle it draws from her.

“Don’t fight Grandmama. I don’t want to lose you. She is an old, cunning witch with great power. And no matter how much I resent it I can’t argue with her conclusions. Magic is more than knowledge and willpower to use it. I have both in abundance. It’s also about instinct and understanding of yourself and your own emotions. Since I haven’t even managed to allow myself to feel emotions most of the time, I am highly deficient in that regard. She says I would be more likely to blow myself up than to master my innate magic for now. Maybe that is changing though. You have changed me that much Enid. Maybe, when I can feel more freely, maybe then I can learn to control my magic.”

“What is your innate gift then? What kind of witch would you be?”

“Oddly enough I have an aptitude for healing magic. Who would have guessed? All Addams’ are more durable than either normies or most other outcasts. Another trait we have bred for, and I am thankful for it. I likely wouldn’t have survived the night with Crackstone and the Hyde without that extra constitution and maybe a little subconscious healing of my own. When Goody healed me from the worst of my wounds I think she just tapped into my own power to do the job. Whatever the case I’m glad it worked.”

Enid stared at her with wide eyes. She too had wondered how Wednesday had survived the torture and beatings she had endured. It all made a little more sense now.

“Wow. That is wild. So, can all of you beating like that? “

“Maybe not all. It varies from person to person. Uncle Fester and Pugsley seem to be the high end of it. Those two trade shots with a low bore cannon to their bellies. They seldom even get a bruise though they have been knocked through the walls several times. I could never survive that. “

Then, on second thought she added more.

“Since you have read up about our bonding ceremony I will point out that even adoptees and folks who marry into the family who undergo the ceremony share in those benefits. It in part strengthens their own connection to whatever magical potential they might have and can give you gifts if you don’t have them or heighten the ones you already do. If you wish, I’m sure you will find out in due time.”

Wednesday blushed at that as Enid’s eyes widened further.

“That only happens at adoptions and marriages though, right? Are you adopting me? Or maybe marrying me?”

She can’t it seems hide the hopeful tone in her voice.

“Maybe both…in due time. I’m not good at expressing myself Enid. But I wouldn’t start our courtship as I have without the intent to one day carry through. Just…please give me time to open up more. It’s hard for me but the feelings are there. Even if they scare the hell out of me.”

The blonde nods, a bit choked up now but clearly in a good sort of way. She pulls Wednesday in close for another hug and just holds her there, rocking gently back and forth.

“It is part of why I’m so angry that all of this nonsense with hunters in our future and family drama from both sides is interrupting our time. We don’t need the mess your mother brings with her or whatever in the hells it is my parents are doing intruding on our time. We should be allowed this time to get more comfortable and open up more.”

Enid just nods and Wednesday is oddly pleased with that. To have struck her love speechless feels like something of an accomplishment. She wants to revel in it for a moment. Then another thought strikes. Maybe this has all been rather heavy for the both of them. Perhaps a diversion would be for the best now. And she has just the thing in mind.

“This has all been very serious hasn’t it,” she says with a light sigh. “I don’t want to make things too heavy for you. After all, we are getting ready to escape back to Jersey for some good down time that we both need. I can put off the heavy stuff and finding answers till at least the evening when we need to talk to your uncle. Would you like to get some lunch and go shopping with me?”

“Really?” Enid asks in a small voice. “You really want to go shopping?”

The dark-haired girl smiled a bit and gave Enid a squeeze as they continued their embrace.

“What I really want is to just stay here and ravage you. But neither of us are really ready for that. Doesn’t stop me from wanting it though. As a close second though I think it’s time I joined the 21st century as you say. It is high time I get a phone of my own and I can’t think of anyone better to help me find the right one and then to teach me how to use it.”

Enid giggled, which sounded like a heaven Wednesday knew she would never deserve. But her girl was happy in that moment. Her wolf was happy and that was all she really wanted.

“Ok. We can do that. But lunch first?”

“Of course, Cara Mia. Anything you wish.”

And deep down Wednesday knew she meant it. Anything her wolf wanted or needed she would move heaven and earth to provide. This must be what her father felt like regarding her mother. Somehow it wasn’t nearly as horrible as she had led herself to believe.

Chapter Text

She had to admit, even if just to herself, but this had been a pretty good day. Wednesday of course realized that the her of only a few days ago would not have thought so. No, as she had been a little while before would have hated a shopping trip with anyone. And the lunch they had before that with the Nightshades who still remained on the campus. That would have just been torture, and not in a good way.

The difference in the whole equation of course was Enid. The blonde had changed her on a fundamental level. She still wasn’t terribly social, and probably never would be. But now her tolerance was quite a bit higher for such things. Even now, hours later, she could still see the smile on her wolf’s face when the goth had said it was alright to let their friends know they were dating and would be spending the break together. And it had been a pleasant surprise, within reason, to find that all of their friends (and yes, she did admit that some of them were also her friends now) had been so supportive of them.

Barring one of course. Xavier said all the polite things but didn’t seem too happy about it. And when Wednesday said they were going into town to shop for her a cell phone of her own he seemed to grow rather dour at the very thought of it. He had excused himself almost immediately and wandered off. She realized of course that he was jealous but couldn’t bother herself too much to care. Wednesday Addams had never led him on or did anything to give him hope that there could be more between them.

It wasn’t as if she wasn’t fond of him on some level. He was talented and good looking, at least to those that were attracted to men. And she could certainly respect his artistic talents and his psychic abilities. Hell, she could even admire some of his stalkerish tendencies. At least so long as they weren’t directed towards her or anyone she cared about. She would give him time then, to see if he could come to terms with her not wanting him. As long as he could do that she would introduce him to Parker if she still wished. Who knows, maybe they would each be just what the other needed.

After their lunch she and Enid had caught the shuttle on into town. The smaller girl tried to follow along with what Enid said about which phone was better than another device that all looked basically the same to her. The blonde certainly knew what she was talking about and they picked one, got her plan sorted out and were quickly on their way. Wednesday wouldn’t take no for an answer when she steered Enid to some other shops she knew the girl was fond of. She did relent about buying much in the way of clothes as it was true that they didn’t know what sizes she would need in just a few short weeks. But by all the spirits she was determined to buy her beloved something. When she said that an Addams never skimped during their courtships Enid seemed to lose some of her embarrassment when her little goth wanted to spend money on her.

Eventually they made it back to their room with a small haul of loose lounge clothes that Enid could relax or sleep in. In addition to that they had the phone, all the supplies for it and some candles that they had both taken a liking to. Wednesday said they would be suitable for a proper séance. The wolf didn’t even bat an eye at that statement. It looked like they were indeed both becoming more comfortable between themselves and each other’s odd little idiosyncrasies.

For awhile they set up her phone and customized it to Wedensday’s liking. Enid found for her a suitably gothic home screen design and loaded all of the contacts she might want into it. And despite herself the little goth was kind of getting into the whole process. She couldn’t help but admire the wolf’s knowledge of such things. As it went on she learned more things that the phone could do such as internet research, music, even navigating if you were somewhere that you weren’t familiar with. In short, she didn’t totally hate it.

“Ok, that is most of the Nightshades added as contacts, along with your father, Pugsley and Parker. Did you want me to add Xavier as well?

Wednesday pondered that for a moment and then nodded.

“I am feeling charitable. Maybe now that he knows I am taken, and protected by a fierce werewolf, he will get past this silly crush of his.”

“You still going to introduce him to Parker?”

“If he learns to behave then yes. Of course if he ever hurts her we might want to include the contact for his next of kin so they can make suitable funeral arrangements.”

Enid smiled but it was a sad sort of thing. She actually seemed to feel a bit sorry for him.

“That would be his father, but to be honest his father is not a good dude. I know bad parents when I see them. He treats his own son like an intruder in this big fancy life he has made for himself on the road doing shows. Most of the time the poor guy is left to his own devices. He said something about his dad getting him an apartment in New York to give him somewhere to stay out of the way. I guess that might have been what my mom would have done with me if she had that kind of cash.”

Wednesday is silent for a moment. She had suspected much the same of the father and son dynamics. It made her feel that little pang of guilt again, that she had so much love at home only to have resented it. How many of her circle of friends would have killed to live the life she had.

“I know. And I am not without sympathy. If you ever give me permission to end your mother maybe we could make a clean sweep and disappear his father, and maybe Bianca’s mother as well. I was very fortunate with my parents, no matter how they might vex me at times. “

Enid is quiet for a moment, weighing her vengeful girlfriends’ words. It’s dark stuff she knows but she does seem to appreciate the sentiment. It is clear that no one has ever cared enough about her to offer to commit murder. Wednesday would though, and in a heartbeat, unleash bloody revenge on anyone who hurt her or anyone she cared about. That was some serious dedication, at least from an Addams.

“Well, I hope he does get his head out of his ass and leaves you alone. There are a lot of girls that would love to be with him. If he doesn’t stop obsessing over you though I might have to put him down myself.”

The goth looked towards Enid, smiling a bit at the implied threat there. Her girlfriend just threatened a boy who used to stalk her. And she could tell she wasn’t really joking about it. Enid could be moved to end anyone who caused Wednesday distress. It was enough to make her swoon a little.

They were distracted then as Wednesday’s new phone got a few notifications in rapid succession. One was a text from Parker saying that her application to the Outer Limits sites would be done by morning. Further she said she would call them on the crystal ball tomorrow evening with more news. Then another from Gomez welcoming his little ‘spider’ to the 21st century. And still more texts from various school acquaintances wishing her well and inviting Wednesday to various chat groups.

It was clear by now that Wednesday was about at the end of her social capital for the day. Enid read her reactions well and turned the device off for a bit before glancing at the clock briefly. That done she scooted closer to her girl and put her arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a one armed hug.

“That is probably enough of that for today. I can show you the rest of the things it can do tomorrow. Your just about done with people and we don’t have long before my uncle gets her. I think you need some distraction.

Her voice had gotten a bit husky as she talked and Enid had leaned in to nuzzle her ear, biting gently on the lobe with just a hint of fang. Wednesday shuddered once, her eyes rolling up a bit at the pleasure this gave her. She turned slightly to regard the wolf.

“What kind of distraction do you have in mind?”

Enid merely smiled. It would have looked a bit predatory to anyone else but to Wednesday it was the sexiest thing she had seen in ages. Instead of saying another word she pulled the smaller girl onto her lap and began to nibble on her neck. A strong hand covered both of the goths to hold her still. Not that she tried to move. The little psychic seemed frozen in place, merely arching her neck enough to give her wolf easier access to it.

The little love bites and nips seemed to drive her entirely to distraction. Wednesday moaned softly and began to squirm a bit on Enid’s lap. What little self-control she had in the face of her wolf’s advances melted away as they continued like this for some time. With what waning thought she could muster she both yearned for and was nervous about what might come next. What she hadn’t expected was the ring of Enid’s phone from across the room.

“Damn, his timing sucks,” the blonde huffed as she spoke. Gently setting Wednesday to sit on the bed she stepped across the room and answered the phone, leaving the goth swooning in her wake.

“Hello? Coach Vlad? Oh…. yeah, ok. Bring him up please. I understand. Thank you.”

She glanced over and caught Wednesday’s eye, an expression of disappointment on her face.

“I’m sorry. They will be up in a minute. We can continue after…if you want.”

She nodded mutely, only beginning to regain her balance in the absence of the embrace. She didn’t know what had gotten into Enid all of a sudden there but she was definitely in favor of it. Wednesday was just beginning to think clearly when there was a knock at the door. Enid sighed and went to open it. She overheard a few exchanged words between Coach Vlad and Enid, something about him waiting just down the stairs to give them some privacy. Then she glanced up and realized that it was time to return to earth now as it were. Jim Sinclair was standing at the door regarding them both with a slightly bemused smile.

Wednesday realized immediately what he was smiling at. The werewolf’s nose easily picked up on the pheromones in the room. If the earth could have opened up there and then and swallowed her whole she would have been all in favor of it.

“Uncle Jim, I want to introduce you to my roommate Wednesday Addams. Wednesday, this is Jim Sinclair, the leader of Clan Sinclair.”

She stood and accepted the handshake that the large man offered her. He had the Sinclair look about him she thought in that he looked like Enid’s father and her brothers. The major difference was he carried himself with more pride and confidence than any of them did. He had an easy sort of dignity and charisma to him. Not the hang dog expression of his brother or the uncertain adolescent vibe of his nephews. This was a man to be respected, even feared in the wrong circumstances. In short, she would not have wanted to cross him if it could be avoided. Wednesday didn’t fear much but some people she respects enough not to cross except in dire cases.

“It’s an honor sir,” she said, giving the man his due. If nothing else he was a friend of her father’s and being gracious was surely the easiest way to earn his goodwill. Goodwill they would need so Enid could stay with her without any fuss from her family.

“Just call me Jim,” he said with a disarming lack of formality. “I’m sorry to have interrupted anything. We can keep this short as it is late and I’m sure you don’t want me looming around.

Turning towards Enid he continued.

“So, your wolf came out to save her from a Hyde? That speaks highly to your level of commitment. You wish to claim her as your mate?”

“Yes uncle Jim. It wasn’t only my wolf though. I had begun to…to develop feelings earlier for her. It took us all being face to face with death before I realized what it all meant though. In that moment I realized that I was in love.”

Her voice was filled with emotion. It was easy to tell how deep her feelings ran and how much she really felt. She had neither heard anyone sound more sincere and it melted Wednesday’s already compromised heart and composure. In the moment she didn’t even mind the image of herself she saw in the mirror as she looked back and forth between her love and Jim.

Hair all in disheveled, deep blush on her usually pale face and clothes somewhat rumpled. Their guest could no doubt smell their arousal just as half the student body on campus could she thought to herself. All told she had been truly busted as some of their peers would say. In the moment she was embarrassed but, for the moment anyway, was more easily drawn to the sincerity in her wolf’s voice.

“And you Wednesday? Do you feel the same way?”

His voice was gentle. Jim seemed honest in his question and was obviously being gentle. It seemed he didn’t want to embarrass either of them further and actually cared what they thought and needed. It was a welcome change to how Enid’s own parents seemed to react most of the time.

“Yes sir, I do,” she said, still falling back on the formal form of address. She wasn’t often forced off balance as she felt at the moment. In her momentary distraction it just came normal to her.

“It is my intent to properly court Enid as soon as we can put all this behind us for a while. She deserves the very best I can give.”

The answer seems to please him.

“Very well. As long as your parents are agreeable then I see no reason why she can’t join you over the break. At least if she still wishes to.”

Enid nodded shyly and he continued.

“I will trust that she is safe in Gomez’s house. And I further believe you are both sincere and honest in your emotions. I wish you both the best in this but if I’m needed, for anything, I’m only a phone call away. You both know that, right?”

Both girls nodded and Jim smiled.

“Then we only need to speak to your parents Wednesday, and I have a few questions about other matters. Then I can leave you both be for the night.”

“Uncle Jim…before we call Mr. and Mrs. Addams can I ask you something?”

“Of course pup, anything.”

“Why…why would my mother do the things she did? I always wondered. On some level I felt she loved me, but she was always so bitter and angry. Why couldn’t she just love me? And why did my dad let her do that?”

Her voice started uncertain and quiet. It raised quickly as she got to the end of her statement and was almost shrill in her emotional state. This seemed to be something she had been sitting on and stressing over for a long time. If Wednesday had to guess she hadn’t even planned to ask such things. It just needed to be let out before she exploded in the moment.

She moved to her wolf’s side, initiating a hug to keep Enid grounded and show support. While she hovered protectively, trying to offer support Jim seemed to look away for a moment and frown. He was clearly uncomfortable with the whole thing but knew his niece deserved answers.

“I can’t answer that for certain Enid. I’m sorry about that. Ever since your parents were introduced I was worried about that woman. If you want though I can tell you what I suspect, and maybe give you some insights into your father. Would that help?”

She nods and he sighs a bit. After a moments pause he unbuttons his left shirt sleeve and exposed his forearm. On it is a tattoo of a wolf’s head super imposed over a full moon. It was rather exquisite work. Enid gasps a bit at the sight of it.

“Do either of you recognize this?” he asks.

“Dad has one just like it,” Enid replies sadly. “He would never talk about it though.”

For her part Wednesday didn’t have a clue what it signified so she merely shook her head.

“It signifies that I am an active member of Fenris. An organization dedicating to protecting werewolf kind from human hunters that sometimes rise up to threaten us. There aren’t as many organized bands of werewolf hunters anymore. We’ve seen to that. But enough still exist to be dangerous in less populated regions. The most dangerous ones are usually paramilitary organizations, well-funded and often extremely well organized. The really dangerous ones know just enough about our kind to be really, really dangerous. Do you understand?”

Wednesday’s blood ran cold. This all reminded her way too much of the other things she had been learning earlier. Her mother’s visions, the updates to the websites outcasts used to communicate amongst themselves being upgraded with heightened security, and not least Yoko’s own concerns. It did really sound like a war in the making.

“This is the reason for the Outer Limits web site, isn’t it?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

“Yes. Your father took the initiative on that. There are many kinds of outcasts you know. All of the larger groups have organizations similar to Fenris that try to police their own and protect themselves from such hunters, or even mobs of normies with pitch forks and torches to use the old trope. Recently some of these hunter bands have been joining forces. Someone is trying to organize them under a single banner. We have to be prepared so a lot of us are trying to do the same for outcasts.”

He paused then, gathering his thoughts before continuing.

“I don’t want to scare either of you, but your old enough now to know some of the truth. Things could get ugly in the coming years. We will do everything we can for all the outcasts possible. A large part of that is trying to protect schools such as Nevermore where our children are. If the hunters know they try to hit us where it will hurt the worst. Which is why Nevermore is seen as a high-risk target.

There are two packs of werewolves, a vampire coven and a witch’s circle who all keep tabs on the place from a distance. If you two and your friends hadn’t been able to stop Crackstone it would have been a major loss of life, but those hidden protectors would have counter attacked by morning. I doubt he would have been strong enough to stop all of them and the threat would have been ended. The risk is too high now though to leave any of that to chance.

We are trying to give Principal Weems the support she needs to put better wards and security in place. In addition, we want to move our wardens closer to the school so they can react faster. Some of the soon to be former members of the Board of Governors are going to need to be replaced to make that happen though. As one of the only semi well known school for outcasts out there keeping Nevermore secure has become a top priority.”

As far as I know any threat for violent confrontation is at least months away. The enemy is still trying to consolidate their control over the smaller bands. We don’t know who that is but some seers, like your mother for instance Wednesday, have been a great help in finding details for us to predict when, where and from whom the danger may come. In the meantime, we know some areas are secure for our kind for the time being. Some of them you will be familiar with, such as the Addams estate, my own base in Seattle and Mr. Tanaka’s grounds in Japan. If you ever feel in danger those are the best places for you two to go for now.”

There was a long silence after that. It put a lot of things into perspective for the goth, even if it did confirm some of her worst worries. For Enid however she looked even more pale and unsettled than usual.

“That is all…terrifying Uncle Jim,” she said after a moment’s hesitation. “I’m glad you told us but what does that have to do with my mother?”

He frowns a bit, as it seems he still feels uncertain about sharing this much.

“It was mostly so you could understand better what I’m about to tell you about your parents. That and I felt you deserved to know. You lot did good work against Crackstone but I’m sorry it came to that. You students should never have had to be in that sort of danger. We will do everything we can to prevent that from happening again. But if it comes to it I know your both capable, and you’ll need to know all you can to protect yourselves. Please though, don’t share this information just yet until told to. You can imagine the kind of panic we might have otherwise. Do you understand?”

They both nodded so he continued.

“As I said Fenris has been around for ages, mostly to protect werewolves but more recently to support any outcasts in need. We have to stick together in the face of this. A long time ago, before either of you were born, Murray, our other brother Robert and I were part of a pack that tried to rescue a small village of werewolves we had discovered a hunter group was targeting.

The hunters were very well equipped, armed with high tech weapons and some silver weapons. It was a hard fight. We lost Robert that day. Nearly lost your father to his wounds as well. But we won. At least some of the people had been saved. Your father was the one that found the children though. The ones we didn’t get to in time.”

Jim is quiet for a second, clearly still hurting over the memories. He wiped an eye without any shame for the depth of his feelings. Then he continued in a shaky voice.

“Enid, honey, he was never the same after that day. The look on his face when he found their little bodies…saw how the hunters had killed them in such cruel ways…I’ll never forget that look. And losing Robert hurt him so badly. I feared for a long time that he would just end his own life. But unlike some of the normie governments werewolves look after our veterans. We did everything we could to help him. And after awhile it seemed to help.

Eventually I became the clan elder. It became my direct responsibility to look after my brother, and he had begun to recover a little bit. He held a job to earn a living, but we never put him out in the field again. Around that time we got a message from a midwestern clan. They were a conservative bunch. Still held to the old customs with arranged marriages and really old practices that most modern packs think of as small minded now. They wanted to marry a daughter, Esther as it turns out, to a member of the Sinclair pack.

It was a naked political ploy. We all knew it. They were a small clan, desperate to be taken seriously amongst all the packs and clans. I should have said no. But when they met and got to know each other I saw Murray smile for the first time in a long while. They actually seemed to hit it off. I had only allowed them to meet to be polite about it, but she really did something for him. There was real love there. I couldn’t say no. We didn’t get much from the arrangement. It was all very one-sided. But I was willing to allow it to make my brother happy again.

For a long while it seemed to work. I never liked her and she did try to work her agenda into our clans dealings. When her ideas were good I used them. When they weren’t I didn’t and she became more and more surly about it as time went on. Then you kids started being born. She left off on most of her political agitation and turned her attention to motherhood. Both she and your dad stopped intruding into politics at that point but he still seemed happy. I was willing to allow the status quo at that point. She wasn’t causing trouble, just being distant. As you know most family packs are left in peace as long as they pull their weight and don’t cause problems. I thought everything was fine. I really did.”

Another pause, another look of regret on Jim’s face. He obviously is feeling guilty about how things turned out and the girls wait for him to continue. There seems he has a lot more to say.

“I was wrong. When we heard from Dr. Kane and Nevermore’s social worker I learned how she had been raising you kids. Our children are meant to be protected, taught right from wrong and encouraged to treat each other with dignity and respect. Yes, that is a more liberal approach than some of the old hardline clans would be comfortable with but it is really the best way. All outcasts are in danger in these modern days. When hunters can have automatic rifles with silver rounds we can’t afford in fighting amongst ourselves. Esther apparently hadn’t really accepted that when she joined the clan.

I know she got it from her mother. Girls were meant to grow up and raise sons to fight for their pack. Boys were supposed to be strong warriors and hold the opinion that we wolves were superior to other outcasts and especially to normal folk. And mother moon forbid any cub would grow up and form a same sex relationship or marry outside their species. How those ultra conservative clans have survived this long is beyond me.

Once I was made aware of the damage you had suffered, and in light of your new relationship, I knew that we had to act quickly. As head of the clan I’ve suspended her rights as your guardian. She will have to earn the right to see you again, or your brothers for that matter. She has hurt them too in ways they might be unaware of. It will take time to re-educate them with the proper social values to be productive members of our society. Fortunately, Carl and Lloyd, your oldest brothers, weren’t as badly affected. She didn’t get to be quite as bad till Bobby, Doug and David were born. Then you came along. I think by then the bitterness had worn her down and she was determined to make her only she cub into her own image.”

Enid began to sniffle a little. Wednesday held her more tightly. This was hard information for the poor girl to take in.

“Anyway, long story short,” he continued, “Your parents have to face the council and will also need to undergo some therapy under watch by the clan. After all my other meetings tomorrow I will be driving them in to their meeting and making sure they are set up for their first session. You wont be able to hear from them for awhile as this all takes place at a secured location in Canada where the North American council of elders meets. I don’t know if you want to see them before break or not. I’ll give you the option of deciding that. But after tomorrow they will have to remain out of contact for a time. And until you hear otherwise from me neither of them are to contact you directly. They need my clearance first and even then it would only be supervised visits. Do you understand? If either of them contact you for any reason please inform me. Ok?”

Enid nods, trying to dry her eyes.

“Alright then. If you’re willing to see them off I can meet you around nine in the morning to say your good byes. I’m sorry it came to this though. Sorry you had to suffer so much, but I’m going to do everything I can to make sure no one else hurts you.”

They could both tell how sincere he was. Jim had that way about him of being forthright in anything he said he did. It was easy to trust him. Both girls seemed sure he had Enid’s best interests at heart.

“I want to see my dad,” Enid eventually said. “Not too sure about mom yet but I want to see my dad.”

“Alright. I can make that happen. Your sendoff will be separate from your brothers though. They are angry and hurting over this too. I don’t think it would be healthy for any of you to interact yet. With time I hope that can change. I’m really sorry it all turned out like this though. You all deserved so much better. I will do everything in my power to fix what of it I can though. I want you to have a good, long and safe life. A life lived your way. Ok?”

She nods and melts a little deeper into Wednesday’s embrace. She feels odd in never having been the comforting sort but wanting to be there for her wolf. For what it’s worth Enid does seem to appreciate it so she must be doing something right.

“Wednesday, if you could,” he says gesturing to the crystal ball. “If you could get one of your parents on the line I’ll just check in with them and leave you both to your rest.”

She nods, regretfully stepping away from Enid. While the blonde sits on the bed and stares off into space under the weight of the emotions she is feeling the goth activates the magical ball. In a matter of seconds Gomez’s face appears in the glass.

“Father, Mr. Sinclair would like to speak with you for a moment.”

“Of course, my darling,” he replies, and then glances behind her towards Jim.

“Good to see you again old friend. I wish it was under better circumstances. If this is about Enid coming to stay with us over the break then the answer is yes. We will look after her as if she was one of our own. In fact, I already consider her part of the family.”

“That is all I needed to hear Gomez. I trust her care to you then for the time being. Hopefully Morticia is feeling better. But I will see you both tomorrow at the meeting. Hopefully it all goes to plan.”

Then, after a seconds pause Jim continues.

“The girls had questions. I answered them as best I could. We can discuss that when we meet. I hope you don’t mind but they kind of needed to know.”

Gomez frowns a bit but nods.

“That is acceptable. I trust in your judgement. And I can guess just how much my little scorpion might have figured out on her own. Wednesday, trust me when I say that I’ll tell you both more once we are all back at the manor. It’s not that I have any doubts in your or want to keep secrets. I think you can appreciate how difficult things are just now.”

“I understand father, and I do have many questions. But they can wait. Will I see you tomorrow when we meet with the Principal and the Sherriff?”

“Yes, your mother and I will also be there,” he says in a tired voice. The recent events have been taking a toll on him.
“Very well then. I will break contact now. We will see you tomorrow.”

With that done and out of the way Jim seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

“Alright ladies. You need your rest and I sure as hell do. Enid, I’ll call you in the morning when it’s time. We can meet somewhere with a little privacy. You can pick the spot and I’ll get them there. Now, if you have the bank information I needed I’ll deposit some more money by Monday. You will need new clothes and money for your living expenses. Even if the Addams are willing to support you I won’t have my niece feeling like a pauper. “

Enid nodded without a lot of enthusiasm. She was still clearly reeling. Giving her uncle the paperwork he needed she turned then towards the bed.

“Thank you for everything Uncle Jim. I need some alone time now with Wednesday please.”

He nodded in understanding. Looking from Wednesday to Enid and then back to Wednesday he made ready to leave.

“Look after her please,” he said in a quiet voice that was very nearly a whisper. Then without wasting any more time he went to the door and called out to the Coach waiting on the landing below. Closing the door behind himself it was soon locked by Wednesday who then turned to sit on the bed beside Enid. She waited a moment or two for the men to be gone as she had no desire for either the vampire or the werewolf with their enhanced sessions to overhear them.

“You manipulated him, didn’t you? And me. That was on purpose to get me aroused at the right time so he could smell how close we have become.”

Enid nodded as a few fresh tears flowed from her eyes.

“I did. And I’m sorry for doing that to you. But werewolves are very emotional creatures and rely on our sense of smell to determine how others feel as well. I didn’t want to take a chance that he wouldn’t believe we were as close as we are till he could see and smell it for himself. I didn’t mean to hurt or embarrass you though.”

It was quiet for a little bit. Enid sniffled, looking towards Wednesday for a reaction. Now she seemed to be determining how mad her love was at her for the manipulation.

“Don’t fret mi Reina,” she finally said. “I’m still a little embarrassed about how much our peers can see of my emotions. It never occurred to me that both the vampires and the werewolves could perceive it. But I don’t want to hide what I feel for you. So, I suppose that is acceptable, if a bit unnerving.

So no, I’m not mad. Just let me get over the momentary embarrassment and I will probably be very proud of you. It was in a good cause and I’m not hypocritical enough to hold it against you when I had manipulated you before in my investigation. And it wasn’t nearly a reason as good as this.”

Enid was still pale but accepted Wednesday’s answer. After a few moments she seemed to relax, at least a little.

“I’m glad you’re not mad. I’ll try not to ever do that again. It was just scary to think that they would take me away from your side. We will have a hard day tomorrow with seeing my parents and then meeting with the principal. But after that we can go be by ourselves for a while, yes?”

“Yes. My family’s home is large. We can deal with them as much or as little as you desire. But please remember, they will all adore you. You might want to let them spoil you just a bit. I think you need some loving family members in your life, and they will be thrilled to be that for you.”

“Ok, I’ll try. Your parents were fun to be with and I want to meet the rest of them. Just for tonight though…. could we cuddle and rest? My heart is still racing from…. from just everything.”

“Of course we can. Do you want the special blanket or no?

“Just you please, till we are ready to sleep. I just want to keep you close. You make me feel safe.”

Come to think of it, Wednesday realized that resting in Enid’s arms made her feel safe as well. It seemed that it was just what the both of them needed right now and the goth complied immediately.

“It sounds like a good plan to me Enid,” she said, laying down and pulling the other girl into a tight embrace. And so they settled in like that till sleep took them. Tomorrow will be another rough day by all accounts. They both needed this little bit of comfort and security for what was to come. Then Wednesday could get around to courting her wolf properly in surroundings she was familiar with. Honestly, she couldn’t wait for that to happen.

Chapter Text

It was with some surprise that Wednesday blinked her eyes open in the morning. If she had ever slept so deeply, she couldn’t really recall it. Cuddled up with her wolf, supplying mutual emotional support to each other had somehow been way more restful than sleeping on her own. And what a difference that was to her of how many ever weeks ago. Then she would have been mortified at the notion of having someone else so close while she was vulnerable. Now it seemed that she not only could tolerate it but actually craved the comfort of it.

In that moment she realized that Enid was no longer in the bed with her. Glancing around she saw her gathering her things to shower. Noticing that she was now awake the blonde girl paused, looking at her with an endearing smile. It looked good on her Wednesday decided, once again pledging to herself to do whatever was needed to keep that smile in her life.

“Oh Willa, your so cute when you wake up in the morning,” Enid said in a low tone. Her voice sounded so sweet to the goth right now. Still, she couldn’t really abide the word ‘cute’ in reference to her. That just sounded unnatural.

“M’not cute,” she said without much bite to the reply. Ok, maybe she could accept cute. Sometimes. In private. The wolf smiled even more and nodded in understanding.

“How about gorgeous then. You are absolutely gorgeous. Give me a few minutes and I can think of some more adjectives to describe how hot I find you.”

She blushed a bit at the praise, not used to be spoken to with such reverence and appreciation. While not used to it Wednesday found she liked it. Liked it a lot in fact. Something about the way Enid admired her, in how much she clearly wanted her, was nothing short of magical to the brunette.

“You…make me blush Enid,” she finally managed to stammer out. “I’m finding that…I kind of like it.”

By Wednesday’s standards that was quite the confession. The blonde smiled, came to sit on the bedside and took her hand to hold. Her expression was hard to read but she was clearly pleased.

“Then look forward to blushing a lot in the coming weeks,” she said simply. “I want to spoil you just as much as you seem to want to spoil me. We’ve lost a lot of ‘us’ time in all this craziness around the school. If things are going to turn into a total dumpster fire like my uncle thinks we need to take our time and make it count.”

Wednesday sighed a bit at the memory of last night’s conversation. Yes, it sure sounded like things might be difficult in the coming weeks. Enid was right though in that they needed to claim some time just for themselves amid all the nonsense. For once in her life maybe she could set aside her old ways and not try to rush off and solve all the problems herself. These days she had something far more important to hold on to than her own independence and ego.

“Your right Cara Mia. I want to concentrate on you. That and spending time with the family so they can spoil you as well. Please, give them the chance. And if you require anything for your comfort or to feel more secure than just say so.”

Her heart felt a bit more weightless at Enid’s smile. The girl seemed so touched by even a little consideration. She had been starved of it for so long it would seem, and now she was with Wednesday who had the intention of making up all those past indignities and making happy memories to cover up all the painful ones.

“That sounds…so perfect,” Enid said in a whisper, wiping away what the goth assumed was a happy tear. It had to be a happy one, right? Her wolf was still smiling as she wiped it away.

“For the moment though I have to go take a shower and shave my legs. That is a problem that wolf girls have after they change. We need a lot more ladyscaping. Around the full moon we can be mistaken for a yeti if we aren’t careful.”

Much to her surprise Wednesday found herself giggling slightly at the mental image. Since when did she giggle? Hopefully that would only be in private moments between them. Whatever the case she couldn’t find it inside her to be embarrassed right now.

“I’m glad that I’ve never had to do that,” she says in a bemused tone. “My mother says it might be because I was a preemie, but no body hair has ever grown in. I always thought that might be the reason I obsess over my braids so much. My own little vanity that I maintain.”

She realizes then that Enid has gone quiet and is regarding her with a curious expression. All is quiet for a heartbeat or two and she begins to wonder if she has said something wrong. Glancing towards her wolf the smaller girl is about to speak before Enid seems to return to herself.

“No body hair? At all?”

“No. Not a bit. Is that a problem?”

“No…not a bit…” Enid says, an odd smile coming to her face. Whatever is going through her mind the blonde seems to be struggling to put in a box and get past it for the moment. After another moment of the goofy smile she finally stands up and schools her expression to a more serious one.

“But yeah…shower now. And then I’ll get out of the way so you can clean up. We are meeting my family at 9:00 down by the lake. I think most of the scales are gone now so it should be nice and private.”

Glancing at the clock Wednesday took note that it would give them about an hour and a half to both get ready and go to join the Sinclairs. She dreaded this meeting knowing how upset Enid could become. And then she remembered the lunch meeting with her own family, the sheriff and the principal. No doubt that was going to turn into a mess as well.

She wasn’t sure in the moment if she was offering comfort or seeking it. Maybe both. Wednesday reached out to take Enid’s hand for a moment before she could get to the bathroom. In that brief contact she felt a shock run through her and all of her muscles locked up. Damnation…. not another vision. Not today that was likely to be filled with so much stress. Sadly though she had little to say on the matter.

Wednesday found herself standing near to the canoe rack by the lakeside. It was clearly cold outside as evidenced by the frost on the ground. In the distance she could see Enid hugging her father tightly. She was clearly upset but wasn’t fearful. Oddly enough Murray Sinclair was supporting himself on a cane. How peculiar she thought.

Somewhere between where she stood and where Enid and her father talked stood Jim Sinclair. He didn’t look comfortable at all. Periodically he would glance towards the father and daughter, but his attention was more focused on Wednesday and someone behind her. Knowing who she would see the goth turned her head to see Esther Sinclair regarding her with eyes filled with emotions she couldn’t quite place. On some level Wednesday felt she had fallen behind in the conversation. The werewolf matron was staring at her and had just said something which had made the psychic’s mind lock up in shock.

“What did you say?” she asked, looking at Esther, with maybe a hint of panic or shock clear in her voice. Why couldn’t she remember what had been said to her? Was it so shocking that she hadn’t been able to focus fully? Dimly she was aware of someone, probably Jim, approaching from behind her. Then her vision cleared and the vision faded.

Wednesday came back to herself, still laying on the bed. Enid was still there, holding her hand and watching her with a concerned expression. Once the blonde seemed satisfied that the goth was fully aware she finally spoke.

“I’m sorry. Did I trigger that?”

Shaking her head the brunette took a moment to focus herself.

“Not the way you mean. It seems that your mother was the subject of this vision.”

“Damn it!” Enid exclaimed, clearly angry. “I knew we couldn’t trust her not to try and screw this up even worse for me. What is she going to do? Should I call Uncle Jim now and cancel the whole thing?”

Now there was a tempting thought. But just as quickly Wednesday dismissed it.

“No. We should still go through with the meeting. It seems she and I will have harsh words but that isn’t important. I don’t want you to miss the chance to speak with your father. He seemed to be injured in some way so it will be important to figure out what that is about.”

“Injured how?”

“He was using a cane. I couldn’t see anything more than that.”

Enid frowned but nodded in understanding. If her father was hurt Wednesday was sure that her Queen would want to find out the details. And it did feel from her vision as if Esther hadn’t done anything violent. Just something profoundly annoying.

“That…doesn’t sound too bad…I guess.”

“It didn’t seem to be too bad. But you will hate yourself later if we don’t go and you can’t find out what has happened. Don’t worry. I can take whatever verbal barbs your mother wants to throw my way. You go ahead, take your shower. I’m going to make a call and pick my clothes. It will be fine.”

Enid nods, frowning a bit to herself. She does stand though, as if to go to the shower and pauses to reach for Wednesday. Her hand moves to reach for hers but hesitates. The goth frowns, not wanting her love to feel insecure about touching her. She reaches her own hand out, grasping Enid’s in a firm grip as she gives her a reassuring smile. They hold the pose for a few moments till the blonde feels reassured enough to get on with her shower.

Wednesday watches her leave and only when Enid is gone does she frown to herself. While relatively sure Esther isn’t going to do anything too stupid, she would be failing in her duties to look after Enid if she didn’t take some added precautions. Rising from the bed she goes to the desk and takes her new phone from the charger. Selecting a contact she dials and waits.

“Good morning Yoko,” she says in a clipped tone. “Something has come up. Can you be free around 9:00?”
• * * * * * *
Later, as the appointed hour approached, the two girls made their way towards the lake. The scene was just as Wednesday had seen it in her vision. Frost covered everything and some mist was rising off the lake. All things considered it would normally have been quite the tranquil scene. To the goth anyway. Enid was clearly on edge though.

The cause of her discomfort came into view ahead. Three figures waited by the lake. As they approached they could make them out more clearly. Murray was indeed using a cane to walk and looked haggard and maybe a bit overwhelmed. Esther looked angry but also remorseful after a fashion. She had obviously been crying, not that Wednesday gave a damn. Whatever she was feeling she had brought on herself. And for Jim’s part, he just looked exhausted with the whole thing. It would seem that the sooner he could put this whole thing behind him the better.

When they got maybe ten or twelve paces away Jim Sinclair motioned for them to stop. He moved closer to the girls and regarded them with a solemn tone.

“Enid, is it still your intent to speak with your father?”

She nodded, sniffled a bit and looked towards her parents. Wednesday took note of the parent’s expressions while this exchange played out. Murray looked relieved and perhaps a little proud of his daughter. A curious combination she supposed. Esthers face betrayed hurt and resignation. It looked as though she was having trouble maintaining her dignity in that moment. This secretly pleased the goth, but she wouldn’t say so just yet.

“Very well. You two can stay here and talk. We will move away to give you some privacy. Since this is a supervised visit, I must keep you all in sight till we are done. He turned then, gesturing for Esther and Wednesday to move further along the lake bank till they were maybe a hundred feet away with himself remaining roughly in the middle to keep both parties in his line of sight.

This was just the scene from her vision. Jim is in the middle, Enid and Murray hugging each other, Jim looking back and forth and then Esther standing behind her. Her eyes fanned the area, looking for something specific. Before she could find it though she heard the older woman clear her throat behind her.

“Wednesday. I need to ask you something.”

She frowned, knowing she was about to hear whatever had been asked just outside of her earlier vision. No doubt it was something that was going to upset her. Otherwise she wouldn’t have felt as she did in the brief glimpse got of this particular future.

“Who says I have anything to say to you?”

A moment passed but Esther rose to the bait.

“You don’t have to. And there is of course no love lost between us. I’ve never liked you and am sure the feeling is mutual. But I have to ask anyway. For Enid’s sake.”

That was the one thing she had to take notice of. True, she hated Esther Sinclair. Had offered to kill her several times now and meant it in all sincerity. The woman had both neglected and abused the girl she had come to love. But, if there was even the slightest chance that Enid’s interest would be served by this conversation, she couldn’t let herself avoid it.

“Very well,” she replied, tone somewhat hesitant.

“I’ve not been a good mother…and I can admit that now. I did try though. It was how I was raised…I wanted the best for her…”

“That is your failing,” Wednesday snapped. “Not a question relating to Enid’s needs. Ask your question or shut the hell up.”

Another brief pause. She heard Esther sigh and maybe a tell-tale sniffle in the woman’s voice. Secretly the goth was pleased with the reaction. She wanted the woman to suffer. But maybe the time wasn’t now to force the issue. She wanted to get through this and back to safety so she could soothe her wolf’s troubled mind. Finally, the older woman found her balance and continued.

“Do you really love her Wednesday? I mean really love her? I know she loves you, and though I tried to steer her away from it she won’t be deterred. Please…I failed to take care of her as I should have. Will you love and care for her? Please.”

And then she felt the same shock as before in her vision. Wednesday could only answer by asking what she had said, just as she had seen before. She had expected a threat of some sort perhaps. Maybe an accusation of turning Enid against her family. Esther’s seemingly heartfelt need to know her daughter would be cared for took her by surprise. Both because her own feelings were still so raw and because she hadn’t thought that Esther had it in her.

Dimly aware of footsteps approaching from behind her Wednesday regained her senses for a moment and turned to regard Jim. His expression was angry and he seemed ready to tell Esther off for being so bold. She held up her hand for him to stop.

“It’s alright,” she said, her tone almost sounding haunted. “I’ll answer her.”

He paused then, glared at Esther for a long moment, and then stepped back to where he had stood before. It was clear that he was keeping a much closer watch on her and Esther now than Murray and Enid.

“I do,” she said then, turning back to Esther. “I’ve found that nothing in the world means more to me than Enid. As such, I will protect her…always. I will love her and try to give her all the comfort you failed to deliver. She will be as safe with me and my family as is humanly possible. Is that the answer you were looking for?”

“Your family? They will condone your relationship?”

“They will applaud it. The Addams family supports love, no matter the form it takes. We will welcome Enid with open arms and love her for herself. She won’t have to work and worry herself half to death just for a scrap of approval.”

Her tone had turned downright toxic by the end of that and Esther flinched just a bit from it. The older woman regarded her for a long moment, a whole host of emotions playing across her face. In the end though she got control of her expression a bit and replied.

“Thank you Wednesday,” she said simply. “Despite everything I want for her to be happy. I failed in that. Though I don’t approve of your…relationship…I hope you do make her happy. “

It seemed there was more she wanted to say but then Esther turned away. Wednesday could hear soft sobbing but still had no sympathy for the woman. She could however appreciate the sentiment she had expressed. That much had sounded sincere.

She sighs to herself then, turning back towards Jim, and by extension towards Murray and Enid as well. The wolf in the middle shoots her a questioning glance but she merely shrugs. Her feelings are so very raw in the moment. Wednesday wants this meeting to be over. Maybe she needs just as much comfort as her wolf now.

A few moments later Enid and Murray broke their embrace as the girl regarded her father with sad expression. Then, a moment later, they began to walk back to where Jim waited. Then the three of them approached Wednesday and Esther.

“Alright then,” Jim said. “I’ll need a moment to speak with the girls. Esther …Murray…go wait for me at the car please.”

The couple exchanged a glance with each other and then with Jim before nodding and turning to walk away. Enid sniffled a bit but didn’t say anything. Her eyes were clearly following her father as he limped away, but she was studiously ignoring her mother. Wednesday found herself rather proud of her for that. Once they were far enough away that werewolf ears shouldn’t be able to overhear he sighed heavily before speaking.

“I’m sorry for all the upset. To both of you. I need to drive them to meet their ride into Canada before getting back to some meetings tonight. Is there anything I can do? For either of you?”

Both girls shook their heads. Neither looked particularly comfortable in the moment. Jim nodded then, not looking really happy about anything that had transpired either.

“If you think of anything later Enid has my cell and my home phone. Don’t hesitate to call. Even if it’s just to chat. Especially to chat. Your Aunt Vicky would love to talk to you whenever you have some time Enid. As would I.”

Then, turning his attention to Wednesday, he continued.

“As far as I’m concerned, your part of the family too Wednesday. You and Enid are a couple and by werewolf custom that makes you part of the clan. Just as I understand that Enid is now considered part of your family. We would like to get to know you better when you’re up to it.”

Wednesday found that odd but it felt strangely nice. She had never thought to feel something ‘nice’ when referring to the Sinclairs. It would seem that Esther was just an outlier. Maybe the rest of the clan was alright. Time would tell on that. As she thought this Jim was pulling an envelope from his pocket and handing it to Enid.

“I wanted you to have some money on hand since I wasn’t sure when you would be leaving. Text me please and let me know when you arrive at the Addams manor. And I wont forget to deposit some money in your account by Monday. I can’t stress this enough. You’re going to need more clothes soon. Don’t be shy about buying them. And if you need more give me a call. I’m not going to let you do without so make sure you get what you need.”

With that he hugged Enid and whispered some encouraging words to her. Turning then to Wednesday he offered a hug but when she stepped away he merely smiled, offering a handshake instead. She accepted that and managed a small smile by way of reply.

“You two take care of yourselves. I’ll be in touch soon.”

And with that he too turned and walked off into the mist. Finding themselves alone they turned to look into each other’s eyes. Enid had been crying softly to herself but the tears seemed to have calmed now. For her part Wednesday looked a little shell shocked. It was a lot of emotions to process and she was still worried for the blonde. They stayed that way in silence for a long while till finally Enid spoke.

“He said he loves me. And that he was so sorry that he hadn’t done more over the years. I believed him. Do you think that was wrong of me? I’m so mad at my mother…. but I still believe in my dad. Am I just being stupid?”

“No. You’re not stupid. You are just being yourself. Loving and forgiving. Sometimes too much so for your own good. I don’t know what to make of your dad. It may just be that he is a shell-shocked veteran as your uncle said. It might be PTSD or maybe just some personal weakness of his. I don’t think he meant you harm. But he should have still done better.”

Enid nods and sighs.

“He wouldn’t say much about his injury. Just something about it being an old hurt that was bothering him more now in his middle-aged years. I don’t know what to make of that. But for now, I am not going to question it. Let them handle it till he is willing to say more. For now…I need to be here for you. We still have to deal with your family in a couple of hours. And you already look totally done with dealing with people.”

“You can skip that meeting if you like. I know you have been through a lot this morning already.”

“Nope. Can’t do that. You were here for me when I needed you. I’m not going to flake out and leave you to face that on your own. Especially since I’ll need to make a statement for the sheriff.”

Wednesday swore to herself softly remembering that last detail. She wanted to spare the blonde the rest of the day’s upsets. But it did reassure her to know Enid would be at her side.”

“Alright then. Would you like to go eat and then rest for a while? I think we have earned it by now.”

Enid nods, glancing at the envelope in her hand as they started to walk. She regards the content in an absent-minded sort of way and then stops in her tracks with a stunned expression on her face. Noting the curious, somewhat alarmed expression on Wednesday’s face she finally speaks.

“Willa…. there is $5,000.00 dollars in there. I’ve never had that much money in my hand at one time.”

Despite herself the goth chuckles a bit.

“Get used to it. I already threatened to spoil you when we get the chance. What use is money if not to make your loved ones happy and secure. At least that is what my father always says. I plan to spend a lot on you, so you better get used to it.”

Now it’s Enid’s turn to laugh.

“I guess my uncle is richer or just more generous than my mother. Not sure which. But you don’t need to spend a lot of money on me. I just want you. We can sort the rest out in time.”

Wednesday pouts slightly but doesn’t comment on that just now.

“I might just have to content myself with being overprotective of you in the meantime. I hope you wont object to that. Look over that way. Wave to Yoko.”

Enid looked in the direction her girlfriend pointed towards. There, at the edge of her vision she could barely make out Yoko’s tiny form waving back to them. It didn’t take a lot of deductive power to realize the vampire had staked out a spot to sit where the wind wouldn’t carry her scent to any of the furs who had been gathered here.

“You had her keeping watch? In case anything serious happened? But she is so far away. How could she do anything from…. way over…”

Her voice trailed off as a light seemed to come on in the blonde’s head.

“You bought her a sniper rifle?”

“No, she already had one of her own.”

Enid sighs, seemingly trying to wrap her mind around this development.

“You know what?” she finally says. “I’m ok with that. Probably shouldn’t be but my best friend was out there to snipe my parents if things went sideways, and my girlfriend put her up to it. That doesn’t feel all that weird anymore.”

“You’re catching on mi Reina,” Wednesday says, a happy if somewhat twisted smile on her face. “I’m glad we didn’t need her help, but I didn’t want to leave anything to chance. Come, lets thank her and get you to your breakfast.”

Enid took her hand and they started walking towards Yoko. It seemed that some of the distress was melting away from Enid and that pleased the goth girl. It would go a long way to getting them both in a good headspace for their next little meeting. And hopefully after that making their way home. They both seriously needed the down time by now.

Chapter Text

It was something of a risk she supposed, going to the quad to get something to eat. Enid was hungry though and had a rough morning. There were three things she usually sought when in distress. One being Wednesday herself who was already on hand. The other two were food and the company of friends, notably Yoko. She could put her own personal preference for solitude aside if it gave her wolf more comfort. Tonight, after the meeting in the principal’s office she was going to stand. No doubt by then she would need to hide under the magical blanket and cuddle. By then she was sure to be in distress herself and would want that simple comfort with her wolf close by.

Approaching the quad, they saw Yoko and Ajax chatting off in a corner. Wednesday bristled a bit upon seeing the Gorgon. It was the first time she had seen him since he and Enid had split. Was he still carrying a torch for her? How could he not she supposed. Was he jealous? She reasoned that she would be. In fact, she was right this moment. Apparently, Enid noticed her shift in emotion and took her hand, leaning over to whisper in her ear.

“It’s cool Willa. He and I are done. Don’t worry. He won’t make a fuss. And if he did, I would cut him for you. Deep breath please…”

The words were calming, and she took the deep breath that had been requested of her. Squeezing Enid’s hand, she let the other hand relax the grip she had on her knife on the other side. Deep, calming breath. Ok, she could do this. She trusted her wolf even if she didn’t trust Ajax. They could get through a simple meal without bloodshed.

By then Yoko and Ajax had taken note of their approach and started waving. Enid picked up the pace, pulling them more quickly to the table the others were waiting at. When they reached them and said their hellos Yoko regarded them and took a sip of her blood pouch before speaking.

“Slow pokes. Some of us were hungry and didn’t take the scenic route back.”

It was true that Wednesday and Enid hadn’t exactly hurried as Yoko had. A slower pace had felt better, giving them a bit of time to process the events of the morning meeting with the Sinclairs. Apparently the vampire had been eager to get to her breakfast. Chalk that one up to vampiric speed.

“Some of us aren’t gluttons,” the goth replied though there wasn’t any bite to it.

“Speak for yourself,” Enid said with a giggle. I could eat a whole cow right now.”

And there was the third comfort item she craved.

“Sit then,” Wednesday replied with some amusement. “You catch up with your friends. I’ll go get us some plates. Though it might take two trips for a whole cow.”

The other two looked rather surprised that Wednesday would offer to serve her girlfriend like that. Surprised but strangely pleased nonetheless. And she couldn’t miss the smiles on their face when she had made a joke as well. That was just something the wolf brought out in her. She didn’t know yet whether to be pleased or alarmed by the changes in her character but wasn’t going to stop and analyze that right this minute.

She made her way to the line to fetch their food and then filled two plates. One laden with meat, bacon in particular, and then another with more modest portions. Wednesday’s stomach was a bit knotted up, probably from all the emotions she had felt so far this morning and that she knew were still to come. She would need something on her stomach to get through the day though.

Returning to the table though she was surprised to see that Yoko had gone, leaving Enid and Ajax alone. She paused in place for a moment, not sure what to make of that. As she fussed internally over this new development she heard Yoko clear her throat just behind her.

“Don’t fret,” the vampire said. “They are just friends now. Ajax took the breakup well. He had already figured out our girl was into you and wasn’t into guys. Ajax may be a bit slow on the uptake sometimes, but he understood and is happy for you both.”

She turned to regard the other girl, taking notice that she carried drinks for both Enid and herself, as well as another couple of blood pouches.

“I knew you couldn’t carry all that and your drinks. Besides, snipping is thirsty work. Figured I better top of my blood supply.”

The last was said with a playful wink as they continued on to the table. Enid was regaling Ajax with a story about her uncle. The boy was of course eating it up as they say. Wednesday felt a pang of envy and was feeling a bit inadequate in the moment as she watched it. Ajax was able to be so emotionally open with Enid. She herself couldn’t manage that feat and felt guilty over it. Then, as if sensing her unease Enid stood, took the plates from her to lay on the table and gave her a nice long hug. The goth just melted into it as the wolf whispered in her ear.

“He isn’t a threat Willa. Just a friend. I chose you…remember that.”

And she did. She managed to nod in understanding as Enid sat again and pulled her down to sit right beside her. Her face flushed for a moment as she caught the smiles from the other two. But they didn’t seem to be mocking her. They looked actually happy for them. She wasn’t the best at reading the emotions of others, but she would accept that interpretation for now and hope for the best.

“So, Wednesday, I need to tell you something,” Ajax said then, his tone a little nervous but entirely non-threatening. She still had a reputation after all.

“I had a long talk with Xavier last night before he had to catch his flight out. He was still bummed out because of his crush on you. It seems he was going to gift you with a phone so he could try to get in touch over the break. “

So, that was why he was acting so odd. She knew of his crush but hadn’t anticipated the sort of gift he might have been planning. Frowning a bit she looked towards Ajax.

“After your talk has he decided to relent on this crush of his? It should be obvious now that I’m not into him in that way?”

“Yeah, I think so. He’s not a bad guy but he is stupidly hardheaded. Now that he realizes your into girls, and have a girlfriend, he is starting to see the truth. He admitted that he was kind of a jerk for holding on so long. I told him that no should still mean the same thing no matter what your orientation is.”

She nodded, surprised by the emotional depths that Ajax seemed to be able to manage.

“He has real feelings for you, but he will get over it.”
Ajax glanced at Enid out of the side of his eye with a wistful expression. It would seem he still had feelings for the girl but was mature enough, much to Wednesday’s surprise, to move on.

“And one other thing you should know. He didn’t say it out loud, but I got the feeling his dad was trying to egg him on. You know, find a rich outcast girl from a prominent outcast family. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if that is part of why he was so stubborn. Xavier would never admit it, but he really works hard to earn his dad’s love. Stuffy old bastard has his head all twisted up in knots.”

She had wondered if that might be the case. Wednesday had no respect for the elder Thorpe, who used his gifts for such blatant commercialism and kept his own flesh and blood so distant. Why her father was friends with him was a mystery to her. But having it all out in the open did put a lot of things into perspective.

“So, long story short, he said he would be at your families New Years party. His dad was invited and would be bringing him along. He mentioned that he would try to apologize to you , either in person then or via text before.”

“Oh!” Yoko said then, in an excited tone. “Dad got an invitation to and asked if I wanted to go with him. Would you mind if I do?”

Wednesday knew there would be a lot of people at the party. In fact, she had seen Xavier at a few of their family gatherings with his father. It was to be Parkers big day as the birthday girl so to speak. Or at least it was the date of her rebirth. She hadn’t really thought too much about the guest list but had no objections to either Yoko or Xavier’s presence.

“Ajax, would you like to come as well? I can call mother to send you a proper invitation.”

It had been a spur of the moment thing to make the offer. No doubt Enid would appreciate it if her former boyfriend and now just friend was given the opportunity. Besides, she was going to need to work and play well with all the Nightshades. Might as well start there.

“Oh, no, sorry but I can’t,” he said, clearly appreciating the offer. “My family always spends the New Year in Greece visiting family. I do appreciate the offer though.”

Enid smiled at that, which made Wednesday feel as if she had done the right thing. Maybe she was starting to get the hang of this socializing thing. At least a little bit. It was going to take time to master of course but she was putting in the effort.

They continued chatting then, just visiting with each other and telling stories. The goth was more reticent than the others, but it was kind of nice to be included even if she didn’t offer much to the conversation. Her wolf, however, had lots to say and it was nice to give her the outlet. This hadn’t been a bad idea after all.

“Oops,” Yoko finally said. “Look at the time. We need to be in the principal’s office in fifteen minutes.”

Enid groaned a bit and Wednesday frowned to herself. This was the other meeting she had no desire to be a part of. There was no avoiding it though. Just a last hurdle and then they could figure out when they were going home and put all this stress behind them. For a little while anyway.

The three bid Ajax farewell and he mentioned going to meet his parents so they could catch their flight. As they walked Wednesday in particular had a heavy feeling in her gut about all of this. She had a feeling she was going to need to confront her mother about her recent behavior. Understanding the reckless behavior she was exhibiting, most because she too was prone to it, the younger Addams would need to make an appeal for her to back off a bit for her own good.

In short order they made it to the office door, with Lurch still standing guard. Glancing up at the big man first Wednesday saw his nod and then the accompanying loud groan before he stepped aside. Taking that as their cue she opened the door and entered.

Everyone was here that she had been expecting. Principal Weems sat at her desk, still looking half dead from her ordeal. Gomez and Morticia sat on the couch opposite the door, Deputy Santiago was sitting in the chair in front of the desk. A few more chairs had been brought forward for the girls so they could all converse comfortably. Weems raised an eyebrow at their entrance and then gestured to the open seats.

“Please, make yourselves comfortable. Officer Santiago needs to ask you some questions and then, once she is done, we have some other school matters to discuss.”

Now there was an understatement Wednesday mused. She could almost feel the tension between Weems and her parents. Morticia and Weems kept glancing back and forth towards each other and Gomez glanced back and forth between the two of them. While his expression was unreadable it seemed to her that Morticia and Weems had a lot left unsaid between the two of them.

“Very well,” Wednesday said, taking her seat. “But I thought the Sheriff was going to be here.”

“Sheriff Galpin has gone on extended leave,” Santiago said with a sad expression. “I’ll be taking your statements about what happened the other night. Mind you this will all be in strict confidence. We don’t want to fuel any anti-outcast paranoia so everything we say will be under seal in the department. And, if you don’t mind, sheriff Galpin wanted me to deliver a message to Miss Addams and Miss Sinclair.”

The girls glance at each other and then turn to Santiago with a nod.

“Miss Addams, he wants to apologize to you that he didn’t take your concerns seriously before. I must say, in his defense, that it wasn’t from any ill will to you or the other outcasts. He had no idea of how your powers work or the depths of the threat. He also apologizes for the actions of his son. If he could he would do it all over again and help stop Tyler before things got to that point.

And for you Miss Sinclair, he wanted me to tell you he is so very sorry for the hurt you endured at his son’s hands. He wishes he could have gotten there sooner before you got hurt. I would like to add that shooting his son was probably the hardest thing he has ever done. Sheriff Galpin always tried to follow the law to the best of his abilities. That his own flesh and blood would commit such crimes is a heavy burden for him to bear.”

Enid nods in understanding but doesn’t say anything. Wednesday, however, could say a lot of things but just this once restrains herself. Maybe it is Enid’s influence over her. Or maybe it’s just her growing tolerance for other people. Either way she can actually see things a bit more from the sheriff’s point of view. In the moment he wouldn’t have had much reason to believe her.

“Could you tell him that I would like to stop by and see him sometime?” she asked. “Or perhaps call him. Whatever he would be comfortable with.”

Internally she kicked herself a bit for the response. It certainly seemed to surprise everyone else in the room judging by their expressions. But if Wednesday was serious about becoming more sociable and getting more in touch with her emotions it seemed the right thing to do. Galpin, in some ways, was just as much of a victim as they were in all of this. She didn’t like the idea of him bearing that much of a burden on his own.

“I’ll let him know,” Santiago said with a bit of a smile. “I’m sure he would like that. To be honest he has withdrawn a lot after all of this. I’m not sure he has even left his house since everything happened.

That said though I also need to share some news with all of you. And this is strictly off the record. It won’t be recorded or written about anywhere, but you all have a right to know this much. We received notification at the office that both Tyler and Laurel Gates were to be transferred to federal custody.

That was expected, especially in Tyler’s case. Officials came and took Tyler away to a secure facility where dangerous outcasts are held. They call it a hospital, but I think it’s just a deep, dark hole that they hide dangerous people in that they can’t control. We know for certain that was where he was taken so odds are he will never be seen again.

As for Gates however, we know she was transferred to the federal court system but then her trail turns cold. Someone in a high place managed to find a judge who would give her bail, and she was promptly released. A trial is set but the date is a couple of years in the future. In the meantime she off the grid and that bothers me. My guess is someone had a use for her, and that someone are enemies to your people.”

The news hung heavily in the air for a moment as everyone considered the implications. Finally, Gomez spoke up.

“Officer, I know that it isn’t standard procedure, but could you see your way clear to send us the original order for Laurel Gate’s transfer? Along with any documentation of her custody?”

She weighs this for a moment before replying.

“I will assume that the originals will be needed for whatever you’re planning. Give me a day or two to make copies that we can keep in our files and I’ll send you whatever I have.”

Gomez nods, writes his New Jersey address on a piece of paper and offers that to Santiago.

“Yes, we do have the means to find more information and it would need to be the originals for us to work with. In the interest of keeping good relations with local law enforcement I’ll make sure to keep you in the loop. At least for all the things that you would need to know. I don’t want to sound overly secretive but there are just some things we can’t share. But anything you need to keep the community safe will be made available.”

She nods, accepting the paper.

“I’ll take care of it. One thing that Sheriff Galpin made me understand before he went on leave was that we would need to work more closely with the school to keep both outsiders and the local population safe. I’ll trust in your judgement till you give me reason not to.”

That was another point for Galpin in Wednesday’s book. Better communication back and forth would have certainly made things run more smoothly during the previous crisis. Of course she hadn’t helped much in that regard. It would seem Galpin and Santiago were able to recognize that and she should be adult enough to do the same.

With all of that settled they moved on to the students’ statements. Enid, Wednesday and Yoko in turn answered questions, offered observations and gave Santiago all the information they had for the local police department. It was really just a formality. Those records would never see the light of day. How could the local force admit to the public that an undead pilgrim bigot had come back from the dead and tried to murder a school full of people? Or that the sheriff’s son was really an outcast who had murdered several more people. No, this was all going to be buried and a story concocted that the normies could accept. It was just better that way.

With that concluded, Santiago thanked them, said some courteous goodbyes and excused herself. All was silent for a few moments as they all pondered the situation. Then, a particularly tired looking Principal Weems spoke up.

“Well on to other things,” she said, regarding the students in the room. “I assume you all have discussed the Nightshades and my offer.”

“I mentioned it to them all,” Yoko offered. “Wednesday, Enid and Eugene have agreed to join and the current members are all on board. I’m not sure what you have in mind for us to do but we are all willing to do our part.”

Weems nodded, glancing between all the girls to study their reactions. After a moment to choose the right words she continued.

“The thing we do NOT want you to do is put yourselves in danger. This is big girls, really big. No matter what there will be danger, but I mean to shield you from it as much as I can.”

She cast a hard glance towards Wednesday but continues.

Over the long break there will be some rebuilding and remodeling of the entire campus. Some witch allies will be improving our wards and other defenses while some upgrades to standard security are put in place. As such there will be some allies moving in to help support our own security. Witches, psychics, werewolves and vampires to be precise. They will all have operatives in the town of Jericho. As I fear the staff might be watched more closely than individual students it is my intent to use the Nightshades as go betweens to communicate with these individuals. I’ll give you the details once they are all in place.

Also, you have all shown great courage and ingenuity. I’ll need for you to be my ears and ears both on campus and in town. If something strange happens I want to hear about it. You are all particularly well placed to find things out that we might miss otherwise.”

All three girls nod in understanding and Wednesday hears the hidden admonishment in Weem’s voice. She had been working as a lone agent for the most part earlier in the year. The stakes were being raised though and whatever to come was going to be many degrees more serious. The adults wanted to turn her towards the task at hand without any reckless behavior she had shown in the past. While resenting it on some levels she could see the need for it.

“If everyone is amenable to that I will tell you what we have discovered so far. Thanks to a few visions Morticia has shared there will be a war of sorts coming to threaten the outcasts at large. She has seen our victory and some other details, but we are still woefully behind the eight ball in knowing how we get to that point. Gomez, would you like to fill them in on the rest of it?”

He nods, standing to pace as he talks.

“From the details of my wife’s visions I’ve deduced it to be likely that the victory she saw was some months away. The best I can guess it’s well over a year before it comes to that point. She recognized the scene from her visions as a cave system we found several years ago in upstate New York. The hill around there are riddled with caves and old mine shafts from a late 19th century mining firm. In our earlier visit I had commented that it would make a perfect secret lair and apparently that is about to be the case.

I’ve had people watching the area and no one has built anything yet but there have been some offers to the government to buy the land. You might be thinking why not swoop in now to buy it up or make it unusable to our enemies. Simply put, I worry that if we do things to deviate from the vision, like preventing them from securing the place, then they might change the possible future by operating elsewhere and then we might not be able to stop them in time.”

That made perfect sense. At least to Wednesday. The vagaries of future visions were not exactly dependable information for such a situation. They needed to let it develop to the point that the vision would be satisfied and allow them the victory. It wasn’t an exact science, but it was at least a good start towards a working plan.

“We will be monitoring the situation, seeing to the school’s safety and forming a more detailed plan as things develop. The next vision however is rather more uncomfortable. My wife saw a lab where a scientist was working on a biological weapon. Apparently, it was just the moment he realized we had found a way to neutralize their weapon. It seemed to take place in a subterranean lab, most likely in the case mentioned before. Doing some digging I believe I know the source material for their weapons program.”

At that he turned to look at Wednesday with a troubled expression. When he did her blood ran cold and she understood what was going through his mind. In a sudden epiphany she knew what was going on.

“My old research?” she said in a haunted tone. “But it wasn’t complete! And it didn’t really work. It was just…my magic…unconscious magic propping up failed science. How could that be weaponized?”

“It wasn’t complete, but it was still brilliant Wednesday,” he said in a sad tone. “When you added Dr. Strange’s work to your own, tinkered on it a bit and submitted it all as a thesis it has the capacity to be modified in a way to kill outcasts. You did manage to mutate your uncle into a giant squid monster after all. If someone uses that they could potentially fashion a biological weapon that would be very effective on any kind of outcasts.

I took the liberty of having the university site where your thesis was recorded checked. Pugsley had found that it had been copied and downloaded a few times since it was posted. There was more interest in it recently though. The site was hacked and all of it and the schools other genetic science data was copied then deleted. We are looking but haven’t been able to identify who had done so yet.”

It was all silent for a long moment as everyone turned to look at her. How was this possible she wondered. This would all be her fault if they managed to do what her father was suggesting.

“But…I never meant it to be used like that. It’s my fault…”

“NO!” Gomez replied in an angry tone.

“This is not your vault. Your research was innocent, if perhaps misguided. It is not your fault if someone else turns your work and uses it against us. But you need to understand, we need to keep you safe. No one else alive knows that research like you do. If we are going to undo what they are trying to accomplish, as your mother saw, we are going to need you around to work on that.

I don’t want you to think we are only keeping you away from the front lines only because of our love for you. If I am to proceed with everything logically then I have to recognize that you are a valuable asset for our side. You are very competent, and I won’t argue otherwise. But for now, we need you alive and safe to ensure our final victory.”

Wednesday curls in on herself for a bit, overwhelmed with both grief and shame. Her father is right. Deep down she would rather take the battle to the hunters. She wants to slit the throats of these people in person. But that would run contrary to what was turning out to be the war planning. Planning that her father obviously had a high place in.

As she spirals Enid reaches out and takes her hand. That simple touch grounds her a bit. It gives her the strength to continue this conversation no matter how messed up the whole situation really is.

“That is why we need to keep you and the Nightshades safe Miss Addams,” Weems interjects. “Nobody doubts your skills. But we have other roles we need for you to fill. Working within the Nightshades to watch for trouble and coordinate with our allies in town is important. It is even more important to have your expertise available to counter any toxins the hunters will concoct. Perhaps even more importantly your visions may prove very helpful. We have put our hands on some of Laurel Gates personal effects that were left on school grounds. Could we trouble you to look them over when you get the chance. I hope you might have a vision that will give us more information on where she is now and what she is doing.”

She nods then, understanding the need. Her eyes travel the room, taking in everyone else’s expressions. Her father looks hopeful while Weems looks both tired and sad to be laying all of this on her. Enid as always looks supportive and Yoko seems confused. It is her mother’s expression that is the most telling. Morticia’s face seems haunted, fearful and tired beyond all endurance. Weighing all of this quickly in the moment, Wednesday reaches a decision.

“Mother, I want you to enter into a binding witches pact with me.”

That seems to confuse them all except for the Addams’ in the room. Her mother’s face is shocked, and her father seems to already understand what she intends. Of course he would.

“But…Wednesday, why would you want to do that? And you’re not a trained witch. What are you trying to accomplish.”

“I’ve introduced to the basic mysteries by grandmama and have studied as much as I can on my own. Maybe I’m not a full witch but I have the blood, and you can do the incantation on your own. I just have to agree and abide by the terms…. just the same as you will.”

“And what are your terms?”

She takes a deep breath in an effort to center herself. It isn’t particularly effective but she has to press on.

“You’re killing yourself mother by pushing yourself too hard. I understand you wanting to know more and help with all of this. Your intentions are the very best but if you kill yourself in the process, you’ll be killing your baby as well and losing you would destroy father’s focus in this critical time. And…if I am honest…I don’t want to lose you either.”

Morticia’s face softened a bit and a blush rose up on her face. Now, when he had her mother’s full attention Wednesday needed to seal the deal.

“I will vow to stay in the background, only doing the work either father or principal Weems would approve of. Though I will reserve the right to act if it is necessary to prevent imminent loss of life. If possible though I will get father or the principal’s permission first. I will use the power of my own visions to discover what I can but will try not to overdo it or put myself at risk. And, if I should fail in keeping my word I would sicken till I atone for my transgressions.”

“And what must I do?”

“Rest mostly. Take on a support role at best and spare your energy for your family and letting my little sibling grow in safety. You will interfere only as father allows since we both know keeping you safe will always be his top priority. And if you should fail in your oath you will struck mute until you can atone for your transgression. In both of our cases it would be father who decides on the atonement either of us must complete.”

She couldn’t after all stipulate that her mother would be struck ill since that was what this was intended to prevent. In the pause Morticia seemed conflicted but Gomez spoke up immediately.

“Listen to her Tish. I would be so lost if you were hurt trying to help us in this. We can’t lose you. And if I did, I’m not sure I could continue in this endeavor.”

Having said this, he came to kneel by her side and took one of her hands in his. Then, surprisingly Weems also rose and knelt on her other side taking her other hand.

“Please Tish, do it for your family. I don’t understand anything about witchcraft but I can see the toll this all taking on you. Your children need their mother, and Gomez needs you even more.”

Then, she says something in a tone so quiet that Wednesday can’t make out. It seems clear though that both Enid and Yoko did judging by their surprised expressions. For her part Wednesday was feeling shaky and terribly, terribly vulnerable. This had been way too many emotions and surprises for today and she was wanting it all to be done and over with. Catching her mother’s gaze she waited for a reply.

“I will agree to your terms,” she replied, voice tired and haunted. She looked back and forth between Weems and Gomez before she returned her gaze to her daughter. “Shall we do this now, before witnesses, or later with more privacy?”

“Now please. Before I lose the courage to press the point. Today has been very trying and I want it to be over soon so I can go rest.”

Morticia nodded, hesitating only for a moment before both Gomez and Weems helped her to stand. Sparing only a moment to grip Enid’s hand and squeeze it briefly, Wednesday turned back to her mother and went to stand in front of her. Joining their hands the elder witch began to chant in old Latin as Wednesday repeated the words back to her. The air began to stir in the room and a wind began to rise blowing loose papers about.

As they chanted both women’s eyes rolled up into their heads and a distant rumble of thunder was heard before all became still again. The wind died down and both of them became unsteady on their feet. Enid quickly grabbed Wednesday and helped her into a chair just the same as Gomez did for his wife. A few brief words were exchanged between Gomez and Weems before the two witches could recover. Once they both seemed in control of themselves again she found her father kneeling to face her where she sat.

“Thank you for that my little storm cloud. I’ll see to it that your mother is safe and in her bed resting. We have bought a house on the outskirts of town to stay in while we are in town. Would you like to join us there.”

Wednesday pondered that for a moment before shaking her head.

“I want to go home. This has all been a lot. And I want to get Enid settled there at the manor as soon as possible. Can we borrow Lurch to drive us?”

“I have a better option for you than that,” he replies with a twinkle in his eye. “Meet me here again tomorrow? Early afternoon perhaps? I’ll show you what I mean and you two will be there at home soon thereafter. We will join you in a few days time.”

She nods to this, imagining that they have set up gates between here and home that the Addams family used to visit their family or to other preset locations. It was the logical answer that made sense. At least they wouldn’t have to suffer through a long drive.

“Very well father. Enid, can we retire to our room now? This has all been…a bit much for me.”

“Of course Willa. Let’s go.”

Taking Enid’s hand she followed the wolf out of the room. Yoko left as well as Weems and her parents all took to the couch to talk quietly among themselves. Once they were in the hall Yoko spoke up.

“ You two go rest. I’ll stop by later and bring food and snacks. You don’t have to leave for the rest of the night if you don’t want to.”

“Thank you, Yoko,” Wednesday manages to say, a feeling of relief flooding her. “I probably don’t have to say it…but you didn’t hear anything. Ok?”

“I was totally struck deaf you little terror,” the vampire replied with an amused smile. “Didn’t hear a thing. Now, off you two go. I was only a spectator to everything that happened today and I’m exhausted with it. Get some rest and I’ll text you when the food is on the way.”

At that she turned and walked away, giving them some privacy. Now just the two of them they began the walk back to Ophelia Hall and their dorm room. After a few moments though Wednesday glanced towards Enid and posed a question.

“Were you able to overhear what Weems said to my mother. She was whispering and I couldn’t make it out.”

“Yeah, I heard it,” the blonde admitted. “She said she couldn’t stand the thought of losing your mother either. And her tone sounded…. almost desperate I guess. It seemed really odd.”

“It is very odd,” the goth said in a quiet tone. “But not unexpected. There is history there. I’ll tell you about it. But for now, I just want to go to our room, lay under the magic blanket and hold you. Can we do that?”

“Absolutely.”

Walking along, holding hands together, they proceeded to do that very thing.

Chapter Text

Neither girl had spoken as they walked back to their room in silence. If anyone had said anything to them Wednesday had not noticed. She felt anchored by Enid’s hand in her as if it was only thing holding her to this world. In fact, she was only dimly aware of when they had made it back to their dorm. For a long moment she had just stared off into space, not blinking and scarcely aware of her surroundings.

Enid spoke to her. She could remember that but not quite focus on the words. Her hand slipped free then and she walked a few steps, moaned softly in a tone that Lurch would have been proud of and then pulled the weighted blanket out of the closet. Laying herself flat on the floor then she pulled it over herself. All was quiet then, at least to her. Enid spoke again she thought but the words were just a blur she couldn’t comprehend.

A short time later the blanket was pulled back enough for Enid to crawl under and join her. The feeling of arms wrapping her up and pulling her into a tight, protective hug managed to register in her fugue state. Wednesday relaxed into the embrace, making a shaky sort of moan and then finally trying to rouse herself enough to respond. No, it was going to take a while she thought. This was new but the feeling of being held grounded her enough that she would be able to gather her thoughts shortly.

She believed it was called dissociation. One of the many terms bandied about from various court-imposed therapists and guidance counselors. The world didn’t feel real anymore and it was a reaction to the stress she had experienced in the last few hours. Fortunately, she was being held and grounded to this world. Little by little she could focus a little better and recalled how to use her words.

“Enid?”

“I’m here Willa. I’ve got you.”

There was a moment as she let that sink in. It was all still a bit frayed at the edges, as if her thoughts were sinking down into quicksand. She needed to talk though. Needed to get some things off of her chest.

“I need to confess some things,” she said tentatively. “I hope you wont think less of me.”

“Shhh,” Enid replied in a whisper. “You can tell me whatever you need to. I won’t think less of you. I want to help. Whatever you need.”

The goth felt hot tears running down her cheeks and tried to blink them away. It hurt a bit, on the inside, to hear how needy her own voice had sounded. How vulnerable it was. How did she come to this point? A little shudder wracked her body as she held on more tightly to the wolf.

“I’m a fraud Enid. Everyone thinks I’m so strong…because I had to be. I had to make everyone believe it…even if I didn’t always. By all the spirits, I was lying more to myself than to anyone else.”

“You’re not a fraud to me Willa. When I was in need you were there. When the school was in danger you were there. It’s alright to be scared and overwhelmed sometimes. There is no shame in that.”

“It is a shame to me,” she replied, voice breaking a bit with her words. “I built up my own image, worked hard to craft it. And in the end, I was just a silly little girl who thought too highly of herself.”

Enid held her close, offering every bit of comfort she could master. For the moment though she remained silent, giving Wednesday the room to unburden herself of all the dark emotions swimming around inside her heart.

“I always worked hard to better myself. Learning meditation techniques to gain more control of my body and emotions, always honing my skills to be able to fight back against anyone no matter how out of my league they might be. As if I could defeat anything…do anything…just by force of will and stubbornness. Now I may have doomed us all. What have I done?”

A small moment of silence followed before Enid could work out a reply.

“I really don’t know,” she said. “Most of what your dad said confused the hell out of me. I mean, he sounds like he knows what he is talking about, but your mother also said you will be able to make it right. Whatever your research was you will be able to solve the problem these hunters will cause us. That doesn’t sound bad, does it?”

“A problem I had a hand in making,” the smaller girl said, cuddling even closer to Enid’s side. She barely managed to hold back a sob as she thought of everything that could go wrong.
“You thought up something. Whatever it is. It’s not your fault if someone else turns it into something awful. Save the blame for the ones who want to use it to kills us. I know it hurts now but we can get through this. I know it.”

Wednesday can’t hold back the sob now. It’s terribly embarrassing but she just lets it loose now, crying freely and burying her face in Enid’s neck. It takes a few moments to gather herself enough to continue.

“You are too kind to me mi Reina. I don’t deserve you.”

“Yes, you do. You deserve so much, Willa. More than you let yourself realize. Sure, you’ve been hiding a lot of things, maybe too defensive sometimes. But no one can get through life all on their own. Let me help you. Please.”

The tears stopped, at least for the moment, as she focused enough to continue.

“I will never forgive myself if something happens to you. Especially if my own work is turned against us. I’m…not good with feelings. But I do try now. I’m trying so hard. It’s just a lot to deal with. And I need for you to understand. “

“Alright. Tell me whatever you need to. I promise I won’t turn away from you. I still love you Willa.”

That last statement gave her a little more confidence. Wednesday needs to share some things with her Queen. She needed to explain some of her folly. Maybe Enid would understand and still stand by her side in whatever was to come. Please, sweet spirits, let that be true.

“When I was younger science, most specifically genetics, was an obsession of mine. I thought that I was so smart that I was able to read and understand medical school lessons. In my pride I thought that I could perfect the science, make modifications to people and force evolve them in a way I found more tasteful.”

“How old were you? I mean really, we are only sixteen, still children in the eyes of many. Most people even at our age would have trouble making sense of college level genetics research.”

“All of this happened just before I turned twelve. At that point I had been studying and experimenting for nearly a year. Damn, I was so proud. How sad is that? I had found a way to make short term mutations to people. As father said, I turned my uncle into a giant squid monster who saved us all at Dr. Cyrus’ Strange’s lab. Off of that rather dubious success I rewrote all of my notes to include some of the poor deluded doctor’s discovery and submitted it as a thesis to some prestigious universities.”

“You were doing a college level thesis? At twelve years old? “

“I did. And without any sense of irony at all. By then I had managed to take some college classes online. I barely knew how to turn Pugsley’s computer on but managed to do well enough to get some college credits and then submit the thesis. The reception wasn’t what I had hoped it would be.

The real professors tried to be kind, but they told me in no uncertain terms that they couldn’t reproduce my results. Oh, but they were very nice about it of course. Encouraging even, offering to teach me more if I would come to college later.

But the science I was so proud of wasn’t really science at all. I didn’t realize till later that part of my success had been innate magic that I didn’t have any control over. That and the fact that my formulas would work on outcasts since we are part and parcel of the magic in the world. I guess that is what those hunters are trying to do. Use the formulas to kills us in some way.”

“Willa, it’s amazing that you wrote something good enough to impress college professor. And did that as a twelve-year-old? You’re a genius. Maybe you just need time and more work to make it as a scientist. If that is what you want. It’s unrealistic to think at that age, or even your current age, that you could be perfect at everything you set your mind to.”

Wednesday shudders again, gripping tightly to Enid’s shirt as they cuddle.

“I have always been an overachiever,” she said simply. “I don’t know what I want to do once I get out of Nevermore and then college. Honestly, I thought I could do it all as long as I kept my focus. But recent events, along with these new revelations, prove that isn’t the case. I’m too fallible. I don’t even know which way is up anymore.”

Enid stroked her hair, trying to comfort Wednesday enough to continue. It still sounded like she had a lot on her mind. Sure enough, after a few moments she spoke up again.

“What is that saying you use? A hot mess? That is what I am now. But there is more. Other failures I need to live down. Or to make right if I can. Do you remember Joel, the friend from Camp Chippewa?”

“Yes, and something about him, you and Pugsley burning down a summer camp? If you took videos of that by the way I would love to see them.”

“I think Fester found the security footage when he took over the campgrounds. We can ask if he still has them. But yes, as for Joel, he had a crush on me, and I entertained it for a while. At that point I wasn’t very certain about my sexuality, and we were just kids as you say. He was a sickly young man though. Born asthmatic and with a weak immune system. For a while we were as thick as thieves. But when his condition started to deteriorate, I made what is probably my most glaring mistake.”

Another long sigh escaped her. It was uncomfortable to Wednesday to relive this, but she wanted Enid to know.

“He had a rare genetic disorder. The normie doctors couldn’t help him. I was so very convinced that I could though. If only I had been less cocky than I might have turned to my mother or tried harder to reach grandmama. Both of them are very skilled witches. But no, I thought I could make a formula that would heal him. And it didn’t work.

Joel died because of my pride. The treatment I brewed didn’t work. In fact, it only made his symptoms worse. My friend died not more than a week later.”

“Wait, didn’t your mother say Joel was at your house with Parker and the rest of the family?”

“He is,” she replied, still struggling to get it all out. “He is a ghost now, but a friendly, harmless one. Even though I deserved scorn for failing to help him and not calling on others who would have been able to, he has never blamed me. I still struggle with that.”

“You didn’t deserve scorn Willa. You did what you thought was best. I don’t know, maybe your mother or grandmother could have helped. Maybe not. You weren’t even a teenager yet. I know that I did a lot of dumb things at that point in life. Hell, I still do, but you said you had some success with your potions on Fester. Any reasonable person would take some confidence in that and try to help a friend in need.”

“I…appreciate your words. Joel has always said more or less the same thing. He doesn’t hold it against me. Not like I do. And he says being a ghost isn’t bad. But he has stayed with my family and I for a long time now. Our life style seems closer to his sensibilities now since he has passed. In fact he says that he hopes to be reborn an Addams someday.”

“I can see the attraction,” Enid replied, showing a smile that Wednesday couldn’t see while they were under the blanket. “To be honest I would rather be an Addams right about now instead of being a Sinclair.”

“I will see to it, if you still wish it. One day, you can take my name. Or if things don’t work with us, I’m pretty sure my parents would just adopt you. They love you as if you were their own.”

“Nothing is going to go wrong between us,” Enid said in a comforting tone. “Werewolves mate for life and as far as I’m concerned your my mate. I’ll fight as hard as I have to keep our relationship healthy.”

“Mi Reina, I am the unhealthy one. Woe and carnage follow in my wake like some unholy demon. If anything goes wrong, it will be my fault. I…I want to make it work though. To not sabotage the only thing that has brought me joy in recent months. I am totally smitten with you. Please, help me to not screw it all up.”

“We can help each other. Like I said, we are still kids. Teen aged girls with wonky hormones and a LOT of crazy going on in our lives. We both will need to look out for each other.”

Enid said it so easily, as if it were a simple thing. Maybe it was, for her. Wednesday was always more guarded. That and her pride got in the way much too often for her to be as free as she might like with her affections. But she was willing to fight for Enid. Even if the foe she needed to vanquish for their relationship to flourish was herself.

“When you hold me Enid I can’t think clearly. I thrill to the feelings you bring out in me but I am nervous at the same time. I’m excited but a little scared all at once over what you might do next. I crave it, yet also hide from it. You deserve a girl who can be more open to your needs.”

“What I deserve is my hot, gothic girlfriend who would stab anyone who threatened me and is going to help us end these hunters. I’m not going to settle for anything less.”

Wednesday doesn’t know how to answer that. Enid’s love warmed her heart and soothed her guilty mind. She clung tight to the other girl, not sure what to say next. After a long pause she reaches up and pulls the blanket away from their faces.

“You have more faith in me than I have in myself,” she said in a quiet whisper. “But I do adore how you say it. I will try to be more open to you. Emotionally and otherwise. You need to understand though that I am yours. Totally. I don’t think there is anything you could ask of me that I wouldn’t die trying to give you. That is exhilarating…and terrifying. While I never expected to fall in love, I can’t deny that I have. You are everything to me mi Reina. Do you understand.”

“Yes, I do,” the blonde replied, still smiling as she reached out and cupped the smaller girl’s cheek with her hand. “And I want you to know that I will help you however I can. And give you your space when you need it. Tell me if I’m too much or pushing you too far. I want to take this slow and let you build up a tolerance to…well, to everything. Let me be part of your life like you are already part of mine.”

With that they just held each other for a while. Wednesday wasn’t spiraling anymore but she was still clearly very raw emotionally. Enid just continued to hold her and whisper soothing words in her ear. Gradually the goth came to a somewhat better place emotionally.

“We will need to pack tonight I suppose,” Wednesday finally says after another hour had passed. Yoko will be by with food later. After we eat we can pack. Then tomorrow I’m taking you home to meet the rest of the family. We both need some down time and to recover from all of this.”

Enid just nodded in agreement. She wanted to be there now, since Wednesday would obviously be more comfortable on her home turf. Tomorrow wasn’t so far away though. Especially with all of the crap they had to put up with today. A little down time, and a lot of cuddle time, was just the thing they both needed.

Chapter Text

It had been a long and deep sleep. Wednesday wasn’t sure if she could remember ever having slept so hard. Perhaps their talk last night had so drained her emotional batteries that she needed to recharge…well, everything. She had been physically and psychologically drained to the point she had slept like the dead.

Now, with what she assumed to be the morning, as she gradually became conscious, her memory tried to play back for her how the evening had gone. After her little breakdown Enid had held her, speaking in soothing tones and trying to encourage her. That had given her the strength needed to let it all out, tears and confessions. At some points Wednesday hadn’t even been sure what she was saying. She had just needed to spill her heart out to Enid.

In retrospect she thought that she had repeated herself several times, reliving her various failures. No matter how disjointed it was she got it all out about Joel and how guilty she felt for his death. And then her family of course and how guilty she felt about pulling away from them. Her emotional self defense mechanism was to hide behind walls of snark and violence. She had become so distant that she had failed to appreciate them for all she had been given over the years.

How odd she realized that, for all their reputation as being dangerously unhinged that, her family had been the best adjusted of the other outcast clans she knew of. They had treated her very well, even if she hadn’t understood it at the time. Her family was real, and she was loved. That needed to be appreciated going forward. She owed them that much and owed it to herself as well. Maybe that was the best place to start her healing.

Other memories surfaced such as Yoko’s arrival with food. She only stayed briefly and was very understanding of Wednesday’s emotional limits in the moment. In fact, she was very kind and oddly compassionate, saying little, promising to do anything needed by either of them and just being a good listener during her short visit. Another person being kind to her despite the goth’s often prickly personality.

After Yoko had gone they packed. Wednesday was feeling somewhat better by then but by that point was beginning to wind down. Truth be told Enid had packed most of their things. Not everything had to be packed. This would still be their dorm room upon return so they could leave things that were only used here, such as some of their decorations, uniforms, toiletries and the like. As Wednesday had said they would have new things waiting for them at the manor and she had promised her wolf some shopping trips. They only took the things they would need over the break.

All of that had replayed before her minds eye as sleep gradually released it’s hold. She blinked a couple of times and realized she was warm under the magic blanket by herself. Changing her position a bit she stretched her stiff limbs to get some blood flowing to them. Wondering where Enid had gotten to, she pulled the blanket down enough to peer at the outside world. At that point she realized she was on her own bed and that the wolf hadn’t gone far.

The wolf in question was already showered and dressed. She sat at the desk, a handful of brochures scattered around her. She had been studying one of them it seemed till Wednesday had begun to stir. Now, seeing that she was awake, Enid stood and came to sit on the bed beside her. The blonde’s smile seemed to light up the room and Wednesday could only return the smile for the moment while she shook the last of the sleep off.

“Good morning Willa,” she whispered, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek briefly before regarding her with that brilliant smile. It made the little brunette swoon even more than she usually did.

“How are you feeling this morning?”

Wednesday offered a tentative smile back before stretching once more and reaching out to take the other girl’s hand.

“Better. Mostly. I guess it’s true what one of my therapists said. Sometimes you have to have a little breakdown to make some progress. Letting it all out they had said. I never believed it before, but it seems they were on to something.”

Enid nodded, still smiling.

“Yeah, it’s true. And here you wonder why I break down so often. Seriously though, never be ashamed to let it all out. I will be there for you, just the same as you have been for me.”

She nods once, not entirely comfortable with having to lose control if she wants to maintain it long term. It seemed like a very illogical way to maintain a healthy emotional balance. Why would any higher power make its creations have to suffer just to be sane? It didn’t make much sense to her but just now she didn’t want to question it. Too hard to fathom so put it aside for now and stick to safer waters.

“What was all that you’re doing there?” she asked, pointing to the brochures on the desk.

“Oh? All of that? I had a bunch of literature on outcast friendly colleges and universities. For the most part I hadn’t looked too closely at it. Mom always said as a girl I wouldn’t need any more education after Nevermore. By that point she assumed I’d find a nice wolf boy who would take care of me as I got busy being mother to a small pack of pups. Knowing how much she would fight me on it if I wanted to go to college I never let myself think too much about it.”

Wednesday couldn’t help but notice the twinkle in Enid’s eyes as she talked. She seemed livelier now. More open and willing to think about her future with no guardrails on it.

“And now?”

“And now I realized that maybe I can? Maybe I can get the loans for school or Uncle Jim would help. Somehow, if I really want it and work hard, I can do what I want for a change. It’s…hard to describe the feeling.”

“It’s called hope mi Reina,” Wednesday replied, a small smile, dimples and all coming to her face. “You don’t have that…that mother of yours to dictate your life and choices. Now you have hope for the future and what you want to make of it.”

For a second there was silence between them before the goth spoke again.

“And let me reassure you. If you want to go to college you will. Any college or university you might choose. All you need to do is take care of your grades here for the rest of our incarceration at Nevermore. Any school you can qualify for we can take care of the rest. So I guess we better be ready to tutor you for next semester’s history classes. Your last grade wasn’t encouraging.”

Enid scoffed playfully.

“I tried…I really did. If you’re willing to tutor me, I’ll get an A for sure. But what do you mean by ‘we can take care of the rest’?”

“I’ve told you before. My parents have already adopted you in all but name. Father has already said to both Pugsley and I that any school we could pass the admission requirements for he would see to it that we got into. As long as we work to maintain our grades he will pay our way. And before you object, please don’t argue with him. It is how he shows his love…doing things for the people he cares about. And that includes you now.”

The blonde frets a bit, but to Wednesday’s delight that same hopeful little smile is still there.

“That is a lot of money though,” she objects. “I know your dad is rich and has a lot of connections but a full ride at any school worth the name would turn into thousands and thousands of dollars. Would he really be willing for all that? I couldn’t just take advantage of his good nature like that.”

“You can and you will. He would be insulted otherwise. And to be totally honest, he would likely never notice the expense. When I was younger, I went through his business papers in the study a few times. I’ve never seen bank accounts, and I do mean plural, with so many zeros in the balance.

He has some set up in domestic and foreign banks that provide high interest, and they are just sitting there, letting the balances build up. And don’t get me started on the properties and business assets he has. When I say that my family is wealthy it wasn’t hyperbole. My father started with a good-sized fortune inherited from his father and turned it into a business empire with a larger balance than the worth of some countries.”

“He is that good with money?” Enid asked, still smiling but clearly curious. “I thought your dad was a lawyer, not a businessman.”

“My father is both,” she replied, clearly showing some pride in her father’s abilities. “His psychic gifts help with that. He has the power to spot patterns and calculate probabilities based on even small bits of information. It’s a wonder really. He keeps very close tabs on the markets, business trends and any news that comes out that would affect such things. That, and his own latent magical talents that can affect probabilities makes for a very nice pairing. What looks like most to be dumb luck is really finely tuned calculations aided by a bit of magically generated luck.”

Enid blinked once, then twice as she took all that in.

“Your dad is a mentat?” she asked. “A mentat with the luck of a leprechaun?”

“What is a mentat?”

It was Wednesday’s turn to look confused.

“Oh, that is something from a science fiction series by Frank Herbert. I think you would like it. In his books a mentat was a person trained to be a human computer of sorts. If you gave them some information they could usually calculate amazing things from it and helped the noble houses plan their wars and finances. I guess that is why your dad is taking such a prominent role in all this war talk.”

The little goth nodded, thinking that was as apt a comparison as any.

“I suppose that is true. To be honest I know that I have never appreciated him as much as I should have. Father’s gifts run from his emotions as much as his intellect. If he had more focus he would be even more wealthy. But he truly only fights to enhance his wealth to spend it on his family. And as I have learned lately to support outcast causes and people in need. Those gifts are being recognized among prominent outcasts in the coalition he helped form. I have no doubt he will take a prominent role in winning this war.”

“Wow,” Enid finally said. “It sounds like your dad is doing everything he can for us all, just like my dad and uncle did with Fenris. All that makes me feel a little safer if you know what I mean. It sounds like we are in good hands.”

For a moment she is silent then, clearly thinking hard about something.

“If your right and he is willing to help I think that I know what I want to do after we are done at Nevermore. I’m thinking that I would want to be a teacher one day. Maybe for young outcast children. Preschool and elementary education programs are kind of light out there for our peers and I always liked working with younger children.”

Wednesday smiled. That sounded so perfectly like Enid. And now, with the freedom to plan for any future she would want, she would immediately think of something that would involve helping others.

“If that is really what you want then you will receive all the help you need to make it happen,” she promised. “And I guess at this point I really should start thinking more about what I would want to do. I know that I want to go to college but can’t narrow down what I want to major in. Sometimes I think that I want to be a professional musician in an orchestra. Other times I think maybe criminology or science would suit me better. Then still others literature seems like a better option.”

“You know,” Enid replied, that infectious smile still giving Wednesday a thrill. “I am so envious of you being so good at so many things. You could be anything you want. Or even a professional student, getting every degree under the sun. Your so bright that you could be anything or even everything.”

Wednesday chuckles and shakes her head.

“No, I really couldn’t. My focus is too broad to have settled on any one thing. Sure, I write a lot and consider myself good at it but to be honest I have never managed to get anything published other than short stories to various anthologies and magazines. The publishing houses say there is something lacking in the novels I’ve tried to submit. I am coming to understand now that my characters lack emotional depth over longer works. Maybe now though…maybe now if I come out of my shell enough I can get some of those published after some rewrites. I do know one thing though.”

“What’s that?”

“That even if I don’t know yet what I want to major in I will want to go to whatever school you do. It would be…an unhappy time to be away from you while you study.”

She blushed a bit at the admission, which made Enid smile all the more.

“Together til the end then,” she said softly, taking her girlfriends hand in her own and entwining their pinkie fingers. “Pinkie promises then. We go to school together. Together till the end, yeah?”

“Absolutely yeah,” Wednesday agreed before pulling Enid into a close embrace. “But I need to go take a shower now. My father texted me last night before I went to sleep. He said someone would be knocking on our door to help us carry our things to the admin building. I’m thinking he will send Lurch to help us and that they have set up a direct gateway to the manor in the basement of the admin hall.”

“Your family can do that?”

“Oh yes. My mother is a very competent witch and Grandmama even more so. Most of my distant family has gates that can take them to our home and a few other central locations in an instant. I think they are adding Nevermore to the hub centers. No doubt they will try to keep that quiet though.”

“Why?”

“Such gates require a certain amount of magical energy to operate. It’s only a small amount if it’s on standby but it’s a bit more of a drain if a person or small group is transported. Since I know my father and how he likes to overdo things my guess is that they are putting up a hub here not only for ease of travel for ourselves but also as a back door in case the school needs to be evacuated. With an operating hub the whole of the student body could be evacuated but the cost in magical energy would be very high.

I’m not sure how many crystals they would need to store that much power, or to route if from ley lines, but I do suspect they will want to keep the usage low. If everyone knew about it then there would be too many requests for it’s use which would be a hassle, cause hurt feelings if they are refused and there would be a huge drain on the power. Better all around to keep it quiet for limited use and then to be an ace in the hole in case of a real emergency.”

Enid’s head tilted into the endearing expression Wednesday associated with her thinking hard about something.

“I thought your grandmama had refused to teach you anything about magic yet? You seem to know a lot about how it all works.”

“I do have some basic understanding,” Wednesday admitted. “She does let a few things slip and I’ve read a lot on my own. Not enough to master any of the concepts but enough to understand some general things. Sometimes it feels like it’s just at the tip of my fingers…but most of the time I only get random flashes of power. It’s frustrating but I do understand now why she is holding me back. I would just blow myself up by accident if I tried to do real magic while my emotions are still tied up in knots. Magic is as much instinct and emotional balance as it is will power and knowledge. I suppose I am…coming to terms with having to wait.”

Enid smiled at her, seeming to approve of the understanding that her girlfriend had achieved.

“Good then. No blowing yourself up by accident. Or at all really. Now go take your shower so we can pack up our dirty clothes. I’m going to fold up the blanket so we can take it with us. By the time you get out it should be time for Lurch to get here.

Wednesday stole one more quick hug and then an even quicker kiss. She felt good today oddly enough. After the heavy feelings of last night she had assumed to feel rather hung over today. After the emotional release of last night and then the lighthearted conversation of this morning she was feeling almost lighthearted even. The world just seemed a bit more relaxed to be in. Hopefully this feeling could last for a while.

Her shower was a little longer than normal today. She enjoyed the feeling of the cold water as it seemed to ease any remaining discontent in body and mind. In fact, she felt downright relaxed and at peace by the time she was dried off and getting dressed. By the time she had her braids fixed and was turning to leave the bathroom she heard the knock on their door. Hurrying to rejoin Enid and whom she assumed to be Lurch she was surprised by two voices speaking in unison.

“O. M. G. I love your hair!”

This gave her pause for just a second. Curiously Wednesday opened the door and looked out into their shared room. Enid and Parker were regarding each other through the open door, each reaching out to touch the other’s hair. Enid had recently dyed hers again so she had her blonde waves reaching to shoulder length with the pink and blue tips. Parker had restyled hers lately and her red curls had long black tips. Both seemed amazed at each other’s style and lost in admiring each other for the moment.

Behind Parker she could see Pugsley, who seemed to have grown some since she last saw him, and behind him stood the ever-patient Lurch. Her brother was regarding the girls curiously and then caught her eye. Glancing towards Enid and Parker he couldn’t help but chuckle and stepped around them to move closer to his sister.

“Looks like we have two of them now,” he said with a bemused shrug. “I can see why your attracted to her.”

“Shut up,” she replied though with no real venom.

The two girls chatted over each other for a moment or two before becoming self-conscious with everyone else watching them. Trying to hide an amused smile, Wednesday finally spoke up.

“Enid, you’ve me Lurch and seem to have introduced yourself to Parker. This is my brother Pugsley. Everyone, this is Enid. Before you say anything, we are dating. Don’t embarrass me if you value your lives.”

She had to tack the threat at the end. It was after all on brand for her. There was no way she wanted anyone to think she had grown soft. Parker was the first to speak up.

“Hi cuz! Hi Enid. Your going to need to go with me to the next spa day. I know little miss grump doesn’t like it but you I’m sure would appreciate it.”

The werewolf heartily agreed and went back to chattering excitedly with Parker and then Pugsley. Her wolf’s natural extroverted nature coming out in full force. Wednesday was happy about it though. Enid was feeling more secure now with her mother ostracized from her life, even if only temporarily. She had hope again and could be herself. It was a welcome change and well worth embracing.

They organized themselves quickly, under the goth’s direction, and all picked up what of the load they could manage. Between them they managed it all, locked the room behind them and fell into line behind Lurch who was carrying the lions share of the load. He led them towards the admin building with Parker and Enid chatting behind him and Wednesday bringing up the rear with Puglsey.

“Are you still having trouble with those bullies?” she asked, glancing at her brother. If she was going to need to punish someone she wanted to find out now. That way she could plan her revenge early and take care of it sooner rather than later. She seriously wanted to allocate as much time as she could to pampering her wolf and helping the both of them relax and heal.

“No,” he said simply. “There is kind of a long story to it, but I was expelled again and getting home schooled again. I don’t think we have to worry about them bothering anyone else.”

He spoke with more confidence than she could ever remember hearing from Pugsley. Her eyebrow quirked up and a feeling of something akin to pride settled into Wednesday. Had her brother grown some as well? Much as she had in her own way?

“I’ll tell you all about it soon. Mother said to get you two home and let you settle for a while. I guess you need to rest after saving the school and killing a Hyde. We can exchange stories when you’re ready.”

Whatever the change that had come over Pugsley she rather welcomed it. He sounded a bit more mature, even if he still looked like a goofy, overweight kid. It was a change they could explore later though. No more than a few seconds into the admin building, as they turned towards the stairs that led to the basement, they heard someone clear their throat behind them. Turning they saw Principal Weems. She was leaning on a cane and still looked rather unwell. She also had an odd expression that resembled a rather tired smile that puzzled the goth a bit.

“I’m sorry to delay your homecoming a bit but Miss Addams and I need to speak for a moment in private.”

She frowned when called out but Weems didn’t seem angry or out of sorts. Nodding to the others she laid her burden down and then followed the older woman to the office. The others, taking it as a cue for a break sat down their loads as well and took seats on the benches that lined the hall.

A moment later they were in the office itself and Weems settled heavily into her chair. Knowing the drill, Wednesday sat in the chair on the other side of the desk to regard the shape changer. Gathering her thoughts for a moment, the principal finally spoke up.

“I’m sorry to delay your homecoming. Heaven knows you have earned some rest after…. well…everything. But I wanted a moment to thank you for yesterday. I appreciate what you did for your mother. We were so worried that she was going to come to harm from her search for answers.”

Weem’s expression wasn’t as schooled as it normally would be. It was clear that her emotions and her lingering near death experience was taking its toll on her carefully schooled dignity. Wednesday could rather sympathize with her position.

“I am glad it worked to be honest. But I am curious. If she saw our victory why is she so scared? And she tends to only see good events. I’m not understanding how one of her visions could cause such anxiety.”

The principal frowned, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. After a moment of weighing how to reply she finally spoke again.

“Because there was more to the vision, as I’m sure you’ve guessed. Since I know she will never tell you, and since it might be important for you to know, I’ll share the rest with you. At least so long as you don’t tell her that I did so.”

Wednesday nods her understanding. It seems that the older woman was serious about taking her more seriously and working better together.

“She did see our ultimate victory. But as she was seeing what apparently were outcast prisoners pouring out of the cave towards freedom, several among them students it seems, she was aware that she didn’t know where you or your father where. She became terrified that the two of you were lost to the hunters or were tapped somewhere in the caves. Our final victory wouldn’t matter much to her if the two of you were lost.”

Suddenly then it all made so much sense to her.

“So, she kept forcing visions to try and find us? Or at least hints as to how we could be saved?”

“Exactly. And in so doing she saw so many conflicting moments in time. They gave tantalizing hints about how we could win but she didn’t find any certainty that either of you would survive. By that point she was getting in her own way and couldn’t even remember all of what she had seen. Your father and I had tried to get her to leave the interpretations for him and to let herself rest. It was your intervention yesterday that finally convinced her to let it go. At least for the time being.”

They were both silent for a moment. Wednesday was willing to accept that either she, her father or both could meet their end in this future her mother had seen. But she also had great faith in their abilities. She was willing to take the chance and do what needed to be done, just as her father surely would. But, with the recent changes that had come to her own life, she was a bit more concerned than she normally would have been. She had to be careful, for Enid’s sake, so she had been willing to stand back a little in all of this. Both for her beloved and her mother’s sakes.

Finally though she processed all of that enough to continue.

“I understand,” she finally said. “Thank you for telling me. I wont mention any of this to mother. But I would like to ask you something. A personal question actually.”

Weems frowned but without any malice to it. She looked rather sad and worn down at this point. In fact, she seemed to have expected something like this.

“Might as well. My professional dignity is in taters at the moment after my recent…displays. What do you want to know?”

“You’re still in love with my mother, aren’t you?”

Her expression didn’t change that much as Weems nodded her head in reply.

“I was that obvious?”

“She was more obvious than you to be honest. I think she still loves you as well. And father? You dated him as well?”

“We were living dangerously,” the older woman admitted after a long second. “Tish and I were roommates…and very close. Had your father never come along I would have proposed to her before we both left here for college. But he did come along, and he was so brash and charming neither of us could help but develop feelings for him. It was exhilarating and fun. Sometimes we would all go out together…or stay in together. Or sometimes only two us at any one time. It was like a whirlwind of emotions.”

Wednesday blushed a little but this once didn’t try to hide it. She had expected as much from what she had gathered so far. It was not as embarrassing as she had supposed to have it all confirmed but it still took a bit of time to process.

“I hope you don’t think any the less of any of us for that Wednesday. But I’m supposing just now you can understand the feeling of young love and being lost in the experience.”

She nods, urging Weems to continue.

“And of course you know how it ended up. One day your father proposed to your mother. At that moment, just before we graduated, they became wrapped up totally in one another. I couldn’t blame them…but I really did. It hurt to lose them both so suddenly. We were all so young. Mistakes were made and we all wound up hurting each other. I became angry and bitter in my loneliness. My life focused on my education and work thereafter. Which brings us to here and now.”

“You still love father as well,” she replied, less of a question than a statement of fact. “And I can tell he has feelings for you as well. Have you three talked about it?”

“What is there to talk about? He loves your mother, and I am happy that they have both found each other. Had it gone differently I might have made the same choices Tish did. I might have wound up as your mother…”

Weems trails off there for a moment, struggling to get her emotions back under control. Wednesday remembers another conversation with her mother not so long ago where she mentioned that the principal had once had a dream to build a family of her own before work took over her life. It all made a lot more sense now.

“There is everything to talk about,” the goth insists. “They feel guilty that they hurt you and both have feelings for you. Shouldn’t the three of you sort it all out? I’m not the most emotionally balanced person out there, but all of the therapy you people have forced on me has taught me that much.”

Weems can’t help but smile a bit at the outburst.

“Oh, Miss Addams…that is very kind of you to say. But I think our chance has passed. I couldn’t get between your parents. You and Pugsley, and now Enid since she is joining you, deserve a stable home life. I can’t disrupt that.”

She pauses there, before continuing after a moment.

“I am grateful to them for the help they are providing to save the school. We had a bit of…a purge last night. There were a few on the board of governors who were holding back both educational reforms and upgrades to the security for the school. Your father and a few other trusted allies managed to secure the retirement of the governors who were causing the issues. Your father has taken the place of one of them and we filled the other seats with people we could trust to meet the students’ needs first. You will see a lot of changes when you return from break.”

“Was there any blood shed to secure these retirements?”

“I couldn’t really say anything officially,” Weems replied, “But unofficially you would have been proud.”

The tone between them felt a bit more relaxed now as they seemed to come to an understanding of sorts between them. Wednesday found herself both respecting the principal more and perhaps regarding the older woman with a bit more warmth. It felt odd in that moment, but she knew she would come to embrace it more in time. As she pondered that Weems continued.

“I did want to ask you something else. For the first few weeks of break I will need to remain on site to supervise some of the work. Your parents have invited me though to stay at your home for the last two weeks of the break. As a friend and because I have no where else to stay really. Would that be a problem for you? I don’t want to intrude?”

Her eyes widen slightly but she does not find the idea intolerable. In fact, it gives her a few ideas…if she can’t get the adults to see sense on their own. Maybe she was at heart a bit of a match maker as her mother fancied herself to be. She wouldn’t have even considered trying to sort out her parent’s emotional attachments before…but now it seemed like something that needed doing. She would sort out the details later though.

“I would not object. You are more than welcome in our home. I’m sure Pugsley would agree. Hell, he would probably be totally oblivious to it if I’m honest.”

Weems smiled, regarding Wednesday with a grateful expression.

“Thank you. I don’t know what to say. It will be nice to catch up with them both when we aren’t under the gun so to speak.”

“I know what you can say,” the brunette said in a quiet tone. “If you will be staying in our home you should be less formal. Please, when we aren’t in a school setting just call me by my name. And after some rest you can get your professional dignity sorted out enough to be on top of your game by the time we all return. “

The principal was caught off guard by that but agreed after a moment.

“Agreed, if you call me Larissa. It will be nice to let my hair down for a while. For now, though I think it’s time to let you be on your way. Please, get some rest and take care of yourself. You have certainly earned it.”

There were some short pleasantries which Wednesday found she didn’t totally hate. Maybe she was evolving a bit. Growing up as it were. It wasn’t an unwelcome change. Not like she had expected it to be. She was young, in love and, war or no war, had hope for the future with her wolf at her side. And her family close at hand. Maybe she was learning to accept the feeling of hope in her own dark heart as well.

Once back in the hall she found the others. Lurch stood patiently to the side and Pugsley was watching on in fascination as Enid and Parker chatted loudly about blogs and web browsers. It was over Wednesday’s head but they seemed to enjoy it and that made her smile a bit.

“Alright you lot, time to be on our way again.”

“Is everything alright?” Enid asked. Weems didn’t look very well. Is she going to be alright?”

“She will be fine. More than fine I think. Enid, I’m going to need your help with a surprise for her. We can talk about that in a day or so. I just want to get home and give you the tour. By the way Parker, did you pick up all those things I asked you to get?”

“Of course cuz. Just like you asked. Everything is all ready.”

The two girls exchanged glances and then smiles. Wednesday had smiled more in the last few days than she had for the first sixteen years of her life. It felt a bit more natural by now. It kind of felt good in fact.

“Alright then. Let’s be on our way.”

Soon, they found themselves in the basement behind a heavily locked security door. She didn’t even question that Pugsley had the keys to the room. Much as she expected there was a hub of gates set up. Her brother moved to activate the one that led to their own home and motioned for them all to enter.

“Prepare to be amazed mi Reina,” she whispered to Enid as she led her through. “I have so many surprises in store for you.”

And she did. She just hoped her wolf girlfriend would like them as much as she had enjoyed planning for them. It was time to start pampering and courting in earnest.

Chapter Text

Most people’s first experience going through a magical gate was the same. A brief moment of disorientation and dizziness akin to perhaps a sudden spin or turn on a rollercoaster. Then equilibrium was restored and you were where you were meant to be. There might also be a bit of jet lag if you traveled a very long way into another time zone. That wouldn’t be an issue here since they had remained in the eastern time zone but Wednesday knew Enid might be disoriented for a moment. So, she had taken hold of the wolf’s hand and led her through, alert in case she suffered any distress.

Her worries seemed to be unfounded though. Enid held tightly to her hand but didn’t seem to suffer any ill effect from the trip. With that done they were no longer in a basement in Vermont but were now in an even deeper basement deep beneath the Addams family home in New Jersey. The wolf blinked a couple of times and took in her new surroundings. She looked over then to see Wednesday studying her carefully.

“That was kind of wild,” he said with a grin. “Like a carnival ride or something. A bit strange but not bad.”

The goth breathed a sigh of relief to hear it. She wasn’t sure how the trip might affect someone with such heightened senses. Of course she had werewolf relatives as well as other even stranger kin. None had ever complained about this means of travel before. But none of them had ever been Enid. Just another sign of how seriously overprotective she was of the girl.

“So, no ill effects? No dizziness?”

“No, nothing like that,” the blonde replied, smiling at her girlfriend. “I’m fine. Honest.”

Wednesday looked at her for a moment longer, briefly distracted by those brilliant blue eyes. Only after a few moments did she notice that everyone else was staring at her.

“Some people get dizzy,” she said in a defensive tone. “I just wanted to be sure.”

Before anyone else could say anything, or before the brunette could get around to threatening any of them, there was the sound of someone clearing their throat off to the side. Everyone turned at that and saw an elderly looking woman, stooped and seeming fragile as she stared at them with unconcealed glee.

“No teasing you lot,” Grandmama said, pointing at Parker and Pugsley. “Keep it to yourselves for now and take their stuff on up to their room.”

She waved them off as they moved to do as they were bidden. Lurch added the girls’ load to what he already carried with a groan. Once they were out of sight Grandmama turned to regard them with an expectant expression.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your charming companion Wednesday.”

In response the younger Addams nodded and complied.

“Grandmama, this is Enid, my roommate from Nevermore. Enid, this is Grandmama. Father’s mother and the most talented witch I spoke to you about.”

The older witch rolled her eyes and grinned.

“Roommate? Aye, that’s one way to put it.”

As both girls flushed a bit she stepped closer up into Wednesday’s personal space, holding out her hand to her.

“I see there have been some changes in your life mi nieta. Let me see your hand.”

Wednesday only hesitated for a second before doing as she was told. The older woman held her hand and her eyes closed for a long moment. Finally, the witch let go of her hand and stepped back a bit to smile.

“So, it’s true. You do feel something. Several things in fact, besides anger and bitterness. There might be hope for you yet.”

Her tone was light and playful but commanded undivided attention from the younger girls. Seeing as how she quite clearly held their attention she continued.

“In fact, I think we can start and see how it goes. If you still wish to that is?”

Wednesday looked hopeful for a moment, but didn’t want to assume anything.

“Start what Grandmama?”

“Some basic magical training silly girl,” she said with a sly smile. “Mind you it will take time, and you still have a lot of bad emotional karma to work off. But let’s say two to three hours a week to start. We can see how you do with that and go from there.”

The goth was beside herself and couldn’t help the smile that blossomed on her face. She had waited so long for this but knew it wouldn’t feel real until she was actually in the midst of it. No matter what she would take the opportunity and make the most of it she could.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself though my dear. You know this sort of thing takes years to master. We still have to keep your emotional limitations in mind and tailor you’re training to what you can handle for the moment. But I still mean what I said before. You have the potential to be great. Let it come to you at whatever rate we can manage. I’ll do everything I can for you.”

Wednesday nodded in understanding, the feeling of hope returning to her as the older woman shifted her attention to Enid.

“Your turn now wolf. Take my hand. Don’t worry…I don’t bite.”

Enid didn’t seem so sure about that, but she did as she was told. The old woman took her hand and concentrated for another long moment. Then another. She seemed to be searching for something that the wolf couldn’t quite understand. Soon though her hand was released, and the old woman began to cackle to herself in glee.

“A blood moon wolf! My Wednesday, you do have good taste.”

Enid blushed for a moment, as did Wednesday but Grandmama continued on with her observations.

“Things have been hard for you dear. I can see how mistreated you have been. How under appreciated. That is a shame…but your past doesn’t need to taint your future. Let my little devil spawn look after you and all will be well. Your are most welcome in our house and are part of this family now. Do you understand?”

She nodded as Grandmama continued to study her. The old woman’s expression was kind and warm though and it seemed Enid took her words at face value. She and Wednesday exchanged a glance the older woman stepped back a few paces.

“We have a lot to talk about…but it can wait,” the witch said. “I need to go on through to this fancy school of yours and talk some sense into your mother. That, and contribute some to the wards they are needing put up. We don’t want anymore Hydes or undead threatening the peace while you two are supposed to be studying.

I was hoping to wait till a mature, responsible adult would be home to keep an eye on you lot. Unfortunately, all I could find was Fester. And he won’t even be here till morning. Though I suppose Ms. Claire will do in a pinch.”

With that she turned towards the gate, only to pause before going through it.

“Oh, and your aunt Ophelia will be here later tonight. You might want to ask her to stay the night and come over to Nevermore in the morning. I think the time difference is about six hours give or take. She can be on hand in case you kids set the place on fire or something till your uncle gets here.”

With that the old woman turned, stepped into the gate and disappeared in a flash of rainbow light. It was eerily silent after that. Wednesday was still feeling a bit giddy at finally be allowed to learn a bit with her grandmother. But that wouldn’t start for a few days she supposed. Now she was free to get back to her original priority for the day. Pampering and caring for her wolf properly.

There was still some doubt in her mind about whether or not she was good enough for Enid. Her wolf was so open and affectionate while she was…not. Could she be enough for Enid? Could she make her happy? As happy as she deserved? And could Wednesday herself survive the emotional growth to make that happen? She certainly hoped so…and she was by no means one to back down from a challenge. She would woo Enid properly or die trying!

“So, did you guys often set the house on fire?” she heard Enid ask.

“Only the once. And the house is self-aware enough to not be damaged much even if we did. The only real harm it suffered in recent years was some torch and pitchfork wielding normies who were roused to action by Parker’s mother. But that has all been fixed now.”

Wednesday seemed to consider it a matter of little importance so Enid followed in her example. The wolf stood in place for a few moments, turning to regard the large room they found themselves in. It looked like a cross between a natural cave formation combined with some sort of evil genius lair. There were the gateways themselves that looked like open doors mounted onto the floors with odd crystal growths surrounding them. In the distance she could make out the odd torture implement, antique and some stranger items she couldn’t quite identify. It all seemed on track to be what one would expect in the Addam’s family’s basement.

“Before we go upstairs I need to introduce you to a couple of things first.”

The tiny goth shut her eyes for a moment and began to mutter in the same language she and Morticia had used in casting their pact. All she could really understand of it was her own name in all the alien sounding words. When she finished the room they were in began to shudder a bit, like to the rhythm of a distant earthquake.

“Why is the house shaking Willa?”

“It just does that when meeting someone new,” the smaller girl said as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “I introduced you to the house, or rather the spirit inhabiting it. House will now consider you a member of the family so you should be safe from the pranks it likes to play on visitors.”

Enid just nodded with a sort of shell-shocked expression.

“So, the house is what? Haunted? Possessed? Able to pick on people it doesn’t like?”

“Yes,” she replied, a hint of mischief on her face. “But it wont dare disrespect you. And if it does you just tell me.”

“Okay then….”

Wednesday could see that Enid seemed a bit dubious. She had high hopes though that she would come to feel at home here pretty quickly. It was just best to get some of the introductions out of the way so she wouldn’t have to worry about anything scaring the wolf too much.

“Next, I want for you to meet Kitty Kat. She is mother’s pet, but some people seem scared of her. I’ve no notion why that is…”

She began to call out then and waited a few moments before smiling at one of the doorways at the edge of the light source.

“There you are you silly kitty. Come on over and say hello to Enid.”

The wolf tensed up noticeably beside her.

“Wednesday!” she said in an alarmed voice. “That is a full-grown lion.”

“Yes, she is. Isn’t she just lovely? Father rescued her from a roadside attraction. They had treated her most horribly and mother just fell in love with her. She has been with us ever since. I remember you saying that you liked cats, but they didn’t seem to care much for you as a werewolf. Don’t worry though. She won’t hurt you, not after I introduce her to you.”

Enid made a bit of a whimpering sound as the lion paced up to them, giving Enid a bit of a sideways look. Since Wednesday was calling her she padded up to them and began to nuzzle up against the smaller girl and purr.

“Kitty, this is Enid. She is a friend, do you understand? Why don’t you say hello?”

The lion turned and regarded Enid for a moment, head tilted a bit to the side as it studied her. Then it sniffed her once or twice before leaning heavily into her. Enid fell to the ground and the lion laid down on her, still purring.

“Oh! She likes you,” Wednesday said, clearly happy with this result.

Enid didn’t look quite as pleased but tried to make the best of it. After thinking about it for a moment or two she tentatively stroked the mane. The great cat only purred louder and rolled around on the werewolf with a little more vigor.

“Wait? She likes me? I thought only male lions had manes. And since when do lions purr?”

It took a bit to get the words out with a full-grown lion laying on her.

“Oh, well, that might be true of normal lions. After anything lives with us long enough they pick up some of the family vibe. Just go with it. She is part of the family now, just like you are.”

Wednesday noted that Enid seemed a bit disturbed by all this. It was to be expected she supposed. Folks from outside the family sometimes had difficulty adapting to the strangeness that an Addams just felt was part of normal, everyday life. She would stay close to help Enid make the transition.

“Up Kitty Kat. Let her breathe. We will come back and play with you later.”

She helped Enid up with an apologetic expression.

“I know it can be something of a shock mi Reina,” she said in a subdued tone. Sometimes I forget how peculiar we can seem, even to other outsiders. I don’t want for you to feel frightened or uneasy. This is how I was raised though and I wanted to share it with you so you can understand us better. Let me know if anything overwhelms you too much.”

Enid faced her for a moment, chewing on her lip a little.

“No, I will figure it out. I’m a big brave werewolf, right? And I do want to know what makes you tick. Hell, you would probably find a Sinclair family outing kind of strange so this can’t be much different. Just show me what I need to know about and we’ll run with it.”

Wednesday could tell Enid was a bit confused and uncertain about it all. To her credit though she was willing to continue. The goth was a bit nervous but wanted to get all the small stuff out of the way so they could get settled and rest a bit.

“Alright then, if you’re sure. I don’t want to stress you out too much. We have time for you to acclimatize yourself to our way of life. Shall we go up to our room now and get settled in? Lurch won’t have dinner ready for a few hours yet.”

Enid nodded, taking Wednesday’s hand and even managing a small smile after a few moments to work her way up for it.

“It’s alright Willa. I should have known you would come from a big, spooky haunted mansion full of torture devices and giant cats. As long as you’re with me I won’t be afraid. You’re probably the scariest thing here after all.”

She grinned at that. Enid was figuring it out.

“You are kind to say so Enid. I do try to live up to my reputation. To be honest though Grandmama is probably the scariest thing here. When she puts her mind to it.”

Gripping tightly to Enid’s hand she began to lead them towards the stairs. Enid’s eyes dart this way and that, taking all the sights in as they reach the stairs and begin their way up.

“Speaking of ghosts and hauntings, I thought your friend Joel was going to meet us?”

“I had thought so too. No doubt he is around somewhere though. Sometimes ghosts don’t keep the same time as the living do. I can ask Pugsley later where he is if he doesn’t show up on his own.”

It took them quite a bit of time to walk up the stairs, which seemed to be endless. They passed several landings with different doors on them. Enid’s eyes widened at various things as they passed, till finally they opened a door and found themselves on the ground floor. Wednesday began to gesture around as they closed the door behind them.

“I will give you the grand tour tonight or tomorrow. Whenever you feel ready. This is the entranceway to the main floor. Those double doors lead outside and this staircase beside us leads to the upper floors. This is the way to our room.”

“Our room? Enid replied in a curious tone. “Your parents don’t mind us sharing a room?”

“No. Why would they? We have slept in the same room for months now. And they are by no means prudish. They probably think we have been having sex for some time now.”

She paused as the wolf began to choke a bit. Wednesday patted her on the back, trying to help her clear her airways. She had clearly embarrassed the girl.

“I’m sorry if that was rather blunt,” she said in a subdued tone. “And I am still sorry that I haven’t been able to satisfy you physically as you deserve.”

These words didn’t seem to help Enid to breathe any easier though. In fact, her coughing continued for another moment or two as Wednesday looked on with a worried expression. Finally, though the wolf got herself under control and turned to wrap Wednesday in a big bear hug.

“NO! Don’t you dare be sorry!” the blonde said in a fierce tone. “I want to give you the time you need. Honestly, I kind of need it too. Neither of us have been in a good emotional place for a long time. Being too anxious to have sex would just make our relationship harder and I don’t want that. Do you know what I do want?”

The smaller girl shook her head a bit timidly.

“I want us to grow together and, when we are both ready, make love in a way that will rock the heavens. I love you so much Willa…so much that I want to take our time and do it right. Sure, I think about being physical a lot. And I’m not always that disciplined because werewolves are creatures of passion and instinct. Just not necessarily good sense.

So, I want you to help keep me on the straight and narrow here. Tell me if I am too much. And when you feel ready and can ask me for it, then I plan to ravish you in such a way that you will know how loved you are. Do you understand?”

Wednesday had grown a bit more pale as Enid had spoke. She too felt the need for that kind of love but was still nervous. She just wasn’t ready, no matter how much she wanted to be. The blonde then leaned in closer, almost whispering in her ear.

“And when your ready, I plan to kiss every single inch of that hot, petite little body of yours. I know you don’t always believe it, but you are totally gorgeous. From those dark eyes that can into my soul all the way down to your pretty little feet…and that totally hot little butt of yours. You make me swoon all the time. Don’t ever doubt that.”

Wednesday didn’t doubt. But that was only because she had sort of short circuited part way through her loves statement. It took a moment or two for her to get her brain back into gear. Even then she was a little rattled.

“Do I have…a nice butt?” she asked, a bit incredulous and having a bit of trouble with the words. Was she supposed to praise some part of Enid’s anatomy now? Is that what a good girlfriend would do? How was she to pick which one? Before she could go too far down that rabbit hole Enid had chuckled a bit and swooped her up into a bridal carry.

“Trust me Willa. You have a fantastic butt. Now then, stop me at the right floor and give me directions.”

With that the werewolf starting taking the steps two at a time, all but running up the stairs. Wednesday wanted to take control again, demand that Enid put her down and let her walk like a civilized person. But she just couldn’t form the words. Instead she just pointed the way to go and led her to a long hallway with several doors in it. The door opened as they approached and Enid stepped in and began to study the room.

It was kind of dark and everything looked more than a little dangerous to the wolf. But it also looked stately, kind of high class even if a bit morbid. She rather liked the vibe. Dark and macabre but still cultured and sophisticated. Just like Wednesday. Suddenly though her eyes were drawn into a corner where a whole stack of stuffed animals seemed to be waiting for them.

She walked closer, still carrying Wednesday as she examined them. They were darker in hue than the ones that had left at school. A few of them were black but some others were grey or other dark colors. One or two at the top of the pile were as garish as her others but it seemed to be a more Addams themed group of stuffed creatures. Especially the stuffed bat at the base of the pile. It had a cartoonish face but she thought it was absolutely adorable.

“You…. got all these for me?”

“I did though Parker picked some of them out. I sent her a list and she did my shopping for me since we were stuck at school. I figured if we were going to be living together I would suggest a less…. colorful display till you could get back to your own. Do you like them?”

Wednesday held her breath for a moment since Enid seemed stunned to silence. She was afraid that her wolf wouldn’t like the display. Maybe she thought it presumptuous of her to meddle in her overly colorful displays. In fact, she was about to volunteer to run back to Nevermore and retrieve the others when Enid finally found her voice.

“I love them,” she said in a choked voice. “I love them…and I love you. So very much. They are beautiful Willa. Just like you.”

And then she was embraced in a smothering hug and the blonde began to cry happy tears while holding her tight. She could finally recognize the difference between happy tears and the sad or angry variety. Maybe she was getting better at recognizing all of her wolf’s tells. For the moment though she just savored the moment. The rest of Enid’s surprises could wait a little while. For now, this moment was enough of a win, and she didn’t want to press her luck just yet.

Chapter Text

After getting to meet all the new stuffed animals Enid had settled in a bit, as she put it, to soak up the vibe. Wednesday had been pleased at first that her wolf seemed to accept everything at face value, but as the moments wore on she could tell there was a lot going on just below the surface. The longer it went on the more concerned the psychic got. Enid could be mercurial at the best of times. With all the stress on her though how would she adapt to what most would consider the pure crazy of the Addams family?

The blonde sat on the edge of the bed and regarded Wednesday for a few moments. She looked a bit confused judging by her expression, but the goth had learned to read at least some of her moods. She was getting just a hint of concern from the girl now, and maybe even a bit of fear. That just was not going to do.

“Mi Reina? What troubles you?”

Enid gave her a hesitant smile and held out a hand, beckoning her closer. The goth obliges and when she is close enough Enid reaches out for her and then pulls the smaller girl onto her lap. The close proximity does nothing to soothe her worries though. Enid is clearly thinking very hard about…something. It feels like a small eternity but is really only a few moments before the blonde speaks.

“Wednesday? I think we need to talk about something.”

Alarm bells start ringing in her head. She had a conversation once with Fester, way back when she had been maybe nine or ten years old. He had said that when a woman says she wants to talk to you that it was usually bad news, and you probably should start packing your bags. Or at least alerting your next of kin. Wednesday wasn’t sure if that would apply since she and Enid were both women. But maybe he was on to something.

“Of course. Anything for you,” she said, just a hint of concern bleeding out into her voice no matter how hard she tried to mask it. The whole point of being here was for them to be together somewhere safe. She knew Enid had been through a lot. All she wanted was to soothe her and keep her safe. Had she failed in some way?”

Enid cuddled her in closer, nuzzling her nose up to Wednesday’s ear as she seemed to carefully consider her next words.

“It’s nothing all that bad,” she said, apparently trying to ease the suddenly somber mood. “I was just thinking about some things you said. Since I tend to over think everything and worry too much I just wanted to understand things now before I spiraled out of control. And please understand, I do trust you. I don’t think you would do anything to harm me. I see the worry in your eyes but I’m not upset. Not really. Just maybe…a bit scared.”

Wednesday’s eyes widened a bit at that.

“What has dared to frighten you?” she asks, leaning back to study Enid’s face. “Tell me so that I can vanquish it for you.”

The girl chuckled at that, which was a relief to Wednesday. She waited though as her wolf slowly smiled and then continued to speak in a quiet tone, as if trying to keep anyone from overhearing them.

“You said things change here. Like how Kitty Kat changed when you brought her home. And how Parker and Joel had changed being around you. Is that like…some sort of magical effect because your all so close to your own magic? Am I changing? And what kind of change would it be? I’ve already got a lot of changes going on in my life. I just want to know what to expect.”

With those few words Wednesday sighed a bit in understanding. Of course she would be concerned the goth realized. Whatever was on this Outer Limits site might only be partial truths about her family. There were also a lot of rumors about the Addam’s family that spread through outcast communities like hot gossip. To be honest they started a lot of it themselves to keep people guessing. But it wouldn’t do for her wolf to worry so.

“It’s not as bad as you might think,” Wednesday replied in a tentative tone. “True, animals might be changed, and simple objects were also subjected to the whims of the random magic we sometimes manifest. But it isn’t like…an explosive change. For people it’s more like the sort of change you see when you suddenly can understand another’s point of few for the first time. The more you learn the more you understand and the more you understand the more you accept…if that makes sense. It’s more like coming to an understanding than to being changed against your will.”

It was silent for a moment while Enid seemed to ponder that. She looked deeply into Wednesday’s eyes and then hugged her again. Not knowing what else to do the goth hugged her back, still not quite understanding what was happening. Enid, in this case, decided to elaborate.

“I’m just coming to terms with all the changes,” she admits, sounding a bit concerned over it. “Between my family and now being able to wolf out…it’s a lot to process. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to be here with you. It just…I guess I just needed to be reassured.”

“Do you think…that you would be more comfortable somewhere else? I never meant to overwhelm you.”

“NO!” she replied, seemingly a bit more loudly than planned. Wednesday flinched a bit as Enid yelled in her ear and pulled her closer. “I don’t want to leave. I want to be here, with you. Just let me…I don’t know…get used to the vibe a bit.”

Wednesday wrapped her arms around Enid, holding her close.

“I can go with you, if your uncomfortable here. We can go wherever you want. Just let me stay with you.”

All was silent for a moment as Enid took a deep calming breath. When she spoke again her words still sounded a bit uncertain, but she was still talking and seemed less panicky for the moment. Somehow, maybe, Wednesday had said the right thing.

“I want to stay here. And I still love you. No matter how stabby or dark you might be. It’s part of you and I want to understand it all. Can we just, maybe, talk for a bit? I do have some questions.”

“Ask me anything. I will answer as best I can.”

With some relief the brunette realized that Enid seemed to calm down a bit. To tell the truth she was a bit worried about what she might ask but steeled herself to be entirely honest. Her Queen deserved that much.

“Well, I’ve heard a lot of rumors. Some online and some from other kids at Nevermore. And I think most of them are just jealous. Anyway, some one told me once that your family communes with demons and evil spirits. Is that true?”

This one confused the goth a bit. Sure, she had heard such rumors and generally laughed at them. This was no laughing matter though.

“Not in the way they are trying to make you think I believe. The witches among us talk with many spirits that some might consider demonic. We might be drawn to the more morbid things in the world, but we are not serving some diabolic agenda. And it is a point of honor among us to not victimize the weak and helpless. I would only truly harm someone who is a threat to my family and people I care about. You know don’t you, that I would rain unholy vengeance on anyone who harms you?”

Enid chuckles a bit. It has kind of a tired sound to it, but Enid seems to relax a bit.

“I know. And I appreciate that more than you know. Remember, I did just kind of accept the idea that you and Yoko set up a sniper to shoot my mom if she got out of line. Maybe I’m already changing.

“Maybe. And maybe I’m a bad influence on you. But that was a last resort. Unless your mother attacked you Yoko wouldn’t have fired. We both only want to protect you.”

“I know,” Enid said, though her voice still sounded strained. Thinking about it for a moment Wednesday sighed to herself.

“Did you really want to ask if I had killed someone before? Are you worried about my penchant for violence?”

The blonde shifted a bit and adjusted her tight grip on the smaller girl.

“I already know that you killed someone. If Crackstone counts. And I suppose you might have before. You certainly threaten it enough. But I’m thinking that is mostly a warning. Maybe something to keep stupid people away?”

Wednesday cuddled a bit closer, her nose buried in Enid’s neck.

“That is true. Like I said, I threaten people…like a lot. But it is a point of pride among us. A bit of minor harm would be something you would probably consider a warning or a show of dominance. Serious harm or death is only for those who have wronged us or threatened those we care about. We aren’t mass murderers. Just very protective about what is ours.”

“Wednesday, you took an arrow for Xavier, even though you were angry with him. You put yourself in danger to protect a school you didn’t like and kids you say annoy the hell out of you. I’m not scared of you…but I have learned to be duly cautious. Hell, your family has shown me more kindness than my so-called relatives ever did. Till recently anyway. Uncle Jim has been very kind.

I think though…what is really bothering me is that with my wolf waking up I’ve felt some urges. I wanted to slap my mother down and a few times I’ve felt like that I could lose control maybe. That it would be nice to really tear into someone. Does that make me a bad person?”

“No. It makes you a werewolf. You’re a predator at heart and you’ve been badly hurt by people who should have known better. There is some instinctive violence inside of you, but if your able to worry about it then you’re not lost to it. Even as a wolf Enid you are a loving soul at heart. I’m so lucky to know you…and I think your changing me some as well. I did hold back after all and didn’t stab your mother through the heart with the silver dagger I had hidden on me at the time.”

It didn’t seem to be a humorous statement. In fact, it was rather heartfelt. So, with that in mind Wednesday was confused when Enid laughed at that. She sat back a little to study her face.

“Why is that funny?”

“Because I could smell the dagger on you when we were out there. And it gave me a bit more confidence that you could protect yourself if she did something dumb. Part of me wished she would and that you would have to end her.”

She didn’t know how to reply to that, so she remained silent. It seemed Enid had more to say anyway.

“It passed pretty quickly. But we could all smell it. I think maybe it made mother check herself a bit. Since all the wolves could smell it and didn’t say anything she must have known no one would have intervened if you had.”

Wednesday had to ponder that for a moment. She hadn’t realized at the time that werewolves could smell silver. She should have though. Another thing to think about at another time. How could she hide the smell of silver if she ever really needed to?

“You don’t think your father would have tried to stop me?”

“No. Nor could he have. We were too far away if that had happened and he couldn’t have stopped you in time. Especially with him having to use the cane. I might be wrong but that was how I read it.”

Now that was a lot to think about. Wednesday wasn’t sure what to make of it and it seemed Enid just accepted it. She regretted it though, after a fashion. What if Enid had taken that a sign of disrespect towards her family or against werewolves in general? She would have to be more careful in the future. Not just to avoid getting caught but to be more considerate of the other girl’s feelings. She really had changed.

“Does it worry you? That I might kill someone? It seems I will have to again one day if there are really hunters coming to pick a fight.”

“Again?” Enid replies with a gentle smile. “Willa, I already know you have killed someone. I just don’t know the details. But I do trust you and I feel safe with you. It’s kind of…I don’t know, comforting knowing that you are willing to do whatever is necessary to keep me safe. If you would stand up to protect people you don’t like I feel safe in saying you would move heaven and earth to save me or your family.”

“I would,” she agreed readily. “But how did you know? Would it make you feel better to know the details? I will tell you anything you wish to know.”

There was a momentary bit of desperation there. Wednesday was feeling insecure in the moment. She had always known she was dark and often violent. And she still feared it would drive Enid away. Part of her wanted to air those darkest parts of herself, to try and be forgiven of them so she wouldn’t fear it so much in the future.’

By way of reply Enid tightened her grip a bit and kissed her cheek.

“I won’t ask but I will listen if you want to tell me. Sometimes confession is good for the soul as they say. And I did just admit to wanting to rip my mother’s heart out.”

Enid sighed at that and seemed to feel some guilt in the confession.

“I will tell you. But please, don’t feel guilty about wishing harm to your mother. It’s a perfectly normal reaction after everything you have been through. But yes, I do want to confess. I don’t want there to be anything between us. I…need for you to understand.”

Enid nods a bit uncertainly but offers her some encouragement.

“If you like, tell me whatever you need to. I suppose you were protecting someone when this happened.”

“Yes. It was Parker,” she says a little uncertainly. How low had she fallen really? Wednesday felt such a need for her approval, so desperate to not have any secrets, that she was confessing any possible sins without any thought of dignity whatsoever. If she wasn’t so in love with the girl she would have fallen prone to weep on the spot for how little control she seemed to have left.

“We had gone into town to do some shopping. Back then, when she first came to live with us, she was much more shy and retiring. When separated from her mother and realizing that she wasn’t going to be judged so harshly or used as a prop for someone else’s power plays she really came into her own. But that aside, we were near the mall and on our way to meet Lurch.

As we walked a van skidded to a halt at an intersection and a man jumped out to grab Parker. He pulled her into the van, and I jumped on him. He was a big guy and managed to pull us both into the vehicle with him.”

Enid’s eyes grew larger as she pictured the scene.

“Oh no. Wednesday? How old were you both when this happened?”

“Twelve,” she said in a quiet tone, still looking away from Enid.

“Obviously he wasn’t the driver. The guy who did the grabbing tried to restrain the both of us but failed. Parker was biting and kicking him, which gave me a moment to draw one of my hidden knives. I left it buried in his neck.”

It was silent for a moment as Wednesday studied Enid’s face.

“I didn’t regret it. Not in the least. But I did kill him. Parker was disoriented by what had happened for a moment so I pulled another knife and rushed to hold it to the driver’s throat. He was more of a coward than his now dead friend. I told him to drive us to the manor.”

“You didn’t want to turn him over to the police?”

“No. The local sheriff at the time was very much anti outcast. He had given my family grief earlier and had let it be known that he was just looking for something he could use to prosecute us. I wasn’t going to give him the opportunity.

My first impulse was to just kill the driver as well, but Parker said she wanted to question him first. I was willing to oblige so we brought him here. I used some…enhanced interrogation techniques to make him talk. It seemed that this wasn’t the first time they had grabbed young girls off the streets. He admitted to at least six other such attacks.”

Enid had gone considerably more pale by this point.

“Willa, did you think I would be upset that you defended yourself? You saved Parker’s life.”

“I didn’t feel anything Enid. I killed as a matter of reflex when someone I cared for was in danger. Then…well, after we knew the full extent of their crimes Parker stabbed him. Later I counted at least thirty stab wounds on the body. It might have been excessive but she was scared and angry. I didn’t try to stop her. In fact, I later commended her on it. When you’re an outcast, especially an Addams, you often have to be willing to seek justice on your own.”

The blonde nods, still a bit pale.

“And then, since you were here at your home, your father taught you how to hide the bodies?”

“Yes and no. I had been taught at an earlier age how to hide bodies. Father said it was part of a well-rounded education for our family. He and Fester did help though and it was most informative for Parker. We all told her we were proud of her for what she did but that might have been a bit much. I’m not sure what she felt about it. She has never mentioned it again.”

At this point Wednesday looked away, shaking a little. Enid did note that her bottom lip quivered a bit as she did so. When finally she spoke it was in a quiet little voice that reeked of fear.

“I never knew fear like this Enid,” she admitted. “You are so good and decent…to everyone. Whether they deserve it or not. And I do not. My first instinct is violence. I hold grudges for way too long and am prickly and dangerous to be around. I keep wondering…how long till you realize you could find someone as kind and brilliant as you are. I just…”

And here her voice failed her. What prompted this fear a part of her wondered. Why did her confidence always fail her where Enid was involved? She had never been this uncertain about anything in her life. As she spiraled she felt the other girls’ strong arms wrap her up and pull her close.

“Shhh…. don’t even say that Willa. I fell for you a long time ago and I’m not changing my mind. We are different, I know that. But there are reasons we are both like we are. And I think we work pretty well together. Please don’t be afraid with me. Just…let me be there for you. I hope that I can reassure you enough that you wont ever need to be afraid to be yourself with me.”

She couldn’t reply to that. Wednesday was surprised then when the tears started. For both of them. Enid was crying softly and holding her, rocking a bit in a comforting motion. Wednesday too felt her own tears well up. She tried to hold them back but failed. For several minutes they both cried in each other’s arms. Much to her surprise it seemed to comfort them both.

“I probably would have just curled up and gone catatonic if such a thing had ever happened to me,” Enid finally admitted. “Maybe we were fated to find each other. You give me courage to stand up for myself. And maybe I give you some perspective to avoid a massacre.”

The blonde glanced down at her and smiled.

“Whatever it is it works. Now, before we both start crying again, could I ask something else? Something a lot less serious, I promise.”

Wednesday nodded, wiping her eyes again and regarding Enid with such a loving expression that her heart melted a little.

“When you introduced me to the house earlier…ever since then I have felt something kind of odd. Does that always happen?”

“What kind of odd? You have to narrow that down a bit around here.”

The wolf chuckled a bit at that. It was a weak little laugh, but it was there. And it gave Wednesday the chance to gather her thoughts a bit. To feel just a little bit less insecure and vulnerable.

“Ok smarty. It’s only been a little while ago, but I feel more aware of things here. My wolf senses might have something to do with it, but I thought that I could sense the arrival of someone else a little while ago. And even though I can’t hear it clearly, I feel like there is someone down in the kitchen doing…something. It isn’t clear but I can swear it feels right.”

The goth girls’ eyes widened a bit at what Enid said. Then her face broke out into a bit of a smile. Just enough of one to show a bit of a dimple.

“So soon? That is a good sign mi Reina. House has accepted you then, and on some level your becoming attuned to how things happen here. Our wards are telling you, just as they told the rest of us, that my aunt Ophelia had arrived. She, Lurch and Ms. Claire are downstairs. It’s Lurch you sense in the kitchen preparing lunch. I had no idea you would be that attuned so quickly. It’s a good omen.”

Enid smiled a bit at that.

“It is? That’s good then. I want to be more attuned. To you and your family…and the house. Whatever all of that entails.”

“Good. I don’t want to confess anything more for a little while please.”

“That’s fine,” the blonde replied with a chuckle. “It has all been kind of heavy for a bit. Maybe I could paint your nails? It settles me down some and maybe we can both settle our nerves for a bit.”

Despite her misgivings for such a puerile past time she could not deny her wolf that. Wednesday had insisted that her nails at least be painted black. She didn’t even object when Enid unlaced her boots and pulled them off to pain her toenails. Not that anyone had ever offered to paint them for her but she accepted it all with good graces. And much to her surprise it did seem to settle her nerves.

There was something about the way that Enid handled her feet. So gentle and tender, almost like she was performing some sort of sacred ceremony instead of just a peculiar bonding moment that some girls shared. In fact Enid seemed oddly enchanted with her feet.

“Enid?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you have a foot fetish of some kind? Not that it would be a bad thing, but you seem to be devoting a lot of interest to them.”

The girl chuckled and glanced up at Wednesday.

“I was going to ask you the same thing. Don’t you notice how much your squirming while I paint your nails? I’ve never really thought about it though…so maybe?”

Then much to Wednesday’s surprise she leaned forward and planted a tender kiss along the top of Wednesdays foot. Then she noticed the squirming that Enid had mentioned.

“So, do you like that?” the blonde asked, leaning over again to kiss the other foot?”

“I…. don’t know what you’re talking about,” Wednesday tried to reply, not quite sounding nonchalant about it.”

“Ok. I’ll take your word for it. But we will be revisiting this later.”

Enid’s expression looked happy but also a bit predatory as she discovered something else that got a rise out of her girlfriend. Wednesday shuddered a bit and nodded. The wolf was going to torment her but she was rather looking forward to it.

“Someone is coming up the stairs by the way,” Enid added. I think they are coming to your door. It must be disconcerting to have everyone in the family know where everyone else is all the time.”

“Not really. With a little effort you can learn to mask your own presence if you really want to. For now though prepare to meet my aunt Ophelia.”

With that someone knocked on the door and Wednesday called out for them to enter. Enid realized she was still cradling Wednesday’s foot in her hand and quickly released it as the older woman opened the door. Yeah, that didn’t look guilty at all…

Glancing up they both regarded Ophelia as she watched them with a smile but was kind enough to not say anything about the somewhat intimate moment she had just interrupted.

“Hello girls. I just wanted to let you know that lunch will be a little late. My flight just got in a bit ago and I have to finish my part of the meal.”

Wednesday sat up, looking only briefly embarrassed about the sudden diversion.

“That is fine. Thank you for letting us know. And by the way, Aunt Ophelia, this is Enid, my roommate from school. She and I are dating now.”

Ophelia smiles and in doing so looks even more like her twin than normal. True, she and Morticia had different hair color and while Morticia was dark and brooding to a degree her sister seemed to be the more upbeat and light hearted of the pair. It was an odd contrast, but Ophelia seemed genuinely happy to meet Enid.

“It’s a pleasure Enid. I’m very glad to meet you. If no one has told you I’m Morticia’s twin sister.”

“It’s nice to meet you too Ma’am,” the wolf replied.

“I don’t know if anyone has told either of you yet but I’ll be teaching at Nevermore after the renovations. Morticia told me they had a need for someone to teach the botany class and suggested I give it a try since she is a bit indisposed by her pregnancy.”

“Oh?” Wednesday said in some surprise. “Mother arranged for that?”

“She did. But we can discuss that later. I have to go get to the kitchen before Lurch over seasons the Roti de boeuf. I’ll call when it’s done.”

She gave them a little wave and excused herself. Wednesday watched her aunt’s departure with interest. That seemed to confirm a suspicion she had regarding her mother’s intentions, but for the moment opted not to say anything. Instead she turned to regard Enid when the other girl spoke.

“What is Rot de boeuf ?”

She didn’t quite get the French pronunciation right but it didn’t really matter.

“It is a French pot roast with vegetables. Your in for a treat then as Aunt Ophelia is an excellent cook.”

“She looks so much like your mother.”

“Indeed. They are twins. And what she said just confirmed a theory for me. I had imagined my mother was going to try and play matchmaker again. She has always tried to set up her sister with various eligible men or women. I bet she is hoping that Ophelia and Weems will hit it off.”

“Do you think they will?”

“No. I really don’t think they will. But stranger things have happened. Ophelia has been happy enough playing the field and seems to enjoy her freedom to date as she pleases. But for now, I don’t feel like worrying about what is going on between our principal and my parents. Can we just…put that aside for now?”

“Of course Willa. We can talk about that later. Especially about how you asked me to help you set up a surprise for Weems. What would you suggest we do though until lunch is ready? If you don’t object, I do have a few ideas.”

Her suggestive smile was hint enough about what those ideas might be. Wednesday gladly agreed and curled up to give her wolf a long, slow kiss. They should have an hour or two more to themselves. Both girls seemed more than happy to spend it just wrapped up in each other’s arms.

Chapter Text

As it turned out they had almost an hour and a half to themselves, and they had spent almost half of that exploring each other’s limits in regards to intimacy. After everything they had been through both girls felt themselves to be more mature than the average sixteen-year-old. And why shouldn't they? How many teen aged girls had fought a Hyde or battled the undead? How many of their peers faced death, dark magic and were now possibly under the gun to survive another wave of ethnic cleansing?

Wednesday realized though that the number was higher than she would have guessed just by taking into account their own peers at Nevermore. She had a higher tolerance for such things than most people but even she grew weary of it. All she wanted right now was to love, and be loved, by the girl in her arms. If they could be left in peace to do that then she was sure the rest would work itself out in the end. That however was not to be.

By the time both of them had realized they had reached the highest level of intimacy they could handle right now they were down to their underwear and so flushed they could have glowed in the dark. Wednesday had a few more hickies and adored each and every one of them. Fortunately, Enid had a good sense of where Wednesday's limits were currently and didn't try to push her past them. They had discussed that before of course and had agreed to look out for each other. Enid in particular had a tendency to try and push past her own limits to please her girl. They were wisely going slow to make sure they were both ready when the time finally came. And it was getting closer and closer all the time.

They had time after their exertions to shower, dress in clean clothes and cuddle on the bed to await the call to lunch. They talked about everything and nothing at all as they so often did. As it turns out, Enid was an excellent listener and sometimes caught on to more than the brunette would have guessed. Yes, she had some trouble concentrating sometimes but the girl was far from stupid and could often ask very inciteful questions. Such as now.

“So, you think that your parents are both still in love with Weems? And that she still loves the both of them? Doesn’t that feel a bit…strange? To know that much about your parents’ sexual habits? Not to mention our principals?”

“It does,” she agreed. “But in all honesty my parents have never had much sense of shame in regard to their sex lives. A few times Pugsley or I would have to remind them that they were in public to keep them from embarrassing themselves. Or us.”

The original question had regarded the favor Wednesday had mentioned before regarding Weems. She had told Enid all she knew on the matter and was wondering if they should try to help them sort it all out. The blonde was dubious but willing to at least hear her out.

“Do you think they might resent it if we tried to help them? Or maybe pull further apart if they get embarrassed? “

“Weems might. My parents are unfamiliar with shame, so I don’t see a problem there.”

“Willa, you’ve always complained about their displays. What is it that is motivating you now? If they get together with Weems wont they just be twice as bad then?”

She hadn’t really thought too hard about why, but it was a good question. Taking a deep breath Wednesday considered it? Wednesday was still trying hard to understand herself and be brutally honest in regard to any insights she found. This was no different.

“Since we have become closer I have yearned for your touch to a degree I had never thought possible. Understanding that better now I think that I understand them a little better. It isn’t so much a lack of self-control or not having a sense of decency. They just really love each other that much. With my new insights I now want to try and help them. It would be unbecoming, selfish even, to let them blunder around on their own. Especially since they have been so good to me.”

Wednesday’s voice was a bit low, almost whispering the words. With her recent self-observations she had come to realize how good her own family life was compared to so many of their peers. Especially Enid. She didn’t want to be part of the reason why her parents might not find this extra level of comfort with someone they already had strong feelings for.

“I will admit, it sounds strange. Maybe I should just concentrate on our love. But it feels proper to try and steer them in the right direction. Or am I just being arrogant and thinking that what I feel is right isn't just me being manipulative?”

Enid was silent for a moment till she could gather her thoughts.

“Maybe. But you’re doing it for the right reasons. I would just worry that if you try to be too clever and trick them it might not work the way you want it too. You know your parents way better than I do though. If anyone can make it happen it would be you.”

She appreciated the honesty. Weems had admitted she still loved the both of them. And her mother had let her feelings slip in the last few days due to all the stress she was under. Her father was the wild card here. What did he really feel?

“You are wise mi Reina,” she said after a moment. “No manipulation then. I will just try to understand what they feel and try to get them to act upon it. Honestly and up front. No beating around the bush with any of them.”

Enid smiled then, giving Wednesday a kiss on the cheek.

“I’m not that wise. Remember, I’m basically a child in a grown-up body. Well, more or less. That is why you have to babysit me sometimes. I will try to help as best I can. Just let me know how I can help you.

The goth nodded and kissed the girl back. Just a short, quick kiss though. If she tried for affection right now, they would likely miss lunch. And on that thought Wednesday sat up quickly, like she was listening to a distant voice.

“I’ll have to think about that and maybe then we can discuss how to move forward. It will have to wait till father is home so that I can talk to him. For now though I think Lunch is ready. Are you hungry?”

“Always. And your aunt is a good cook?”

“She is very competent in the kitchen. That is another way I’ve been spoiled. Lurch, Grandmama and both of my parent’s very good in the kitchen. Of them all I think Aunt Ophelia might be the best. We have never gone hungry.

Enid smiled at that, indicating that she could stand to be spoiled that way as well.

“I’m ready then. Do you want to wear something to cover your neck? I got a bit carried away again.”

Wednesday pondered this, standing to go look in the mirror. After a few moments of regarding her appearance she just smiled. She had no problem with letting the family see.

“I will not try to hide our love. The family will understand. We might just get teased a little, but I won’t let that dissuade me.”

Reaching out for Enid’s hand she guided the blonde out of the room and towards the stairs. Her wolf was happy…and hungry no doubt. It was only a short walk down the stairs and towards the dining room. When they arrived, they saw Parker and Pugsley setting the table. Lurch as carrying a serving tray with two large roasts on it. Just behind him was Ophelia carrying another tray of vegetables. They all looked towards the girls and smiled.

“I thought we might have to send out a search party,” Ophelia said with a slight giggle. “Go ahead and sit down everyone. We don’t want it to get cold.”

Wednesday leaned in to whisper to Enid, reminding her of what an Addams family meal was like. Everyone just helped themselves from the serving dishes as they were passed around the table. While doing so she saw the look in the wolf’s eyes when she took notice of all the meat in front of her. She never thought she would be jealous of a slab of meat, but the look Enid was giving the food was almost scandalous. The goth couldn’t hold back a grin.”

“I will make sure to provide you with all the meat I can if it makes you smile that much.”

Blushing a bit, Enid gave her a side arm hug and turned to take a seat at the table. It was well known that growing werewolves had an appetite. Remembering that she was coming up on a growth spurt her hunger was going to be that much more ravenous. Whatever Enid wanted to eat she was sure she could make it happen.

As was expected Enid took a double portion of meat. That was probably why Ophelia made two of them. With the food now on the table everyone began to eat and chat among themselves. That too was part of their mealtime customs. Wednesday never thought about it much before but seeing how much her love was enjoying something so simple as a family meal really touched her. The sooner they could get Enid fully comfortable in their family the better it would be.

Her wolf was carrying on a spirted conversation with Parker. They seemed to hit it off immediately. Pugsley was just watching them and smiling while Ophelia did much the same. Sometimes she knew the family would spend all evening chatting among themselves. She had no doubt Enid would appreciate that as well. Especially since everyone was on their best behavior and including her in everything. No doubt Enid would be willing to talk to them all night if it came down to that.

“Pugsley,” she said. “Join me on the front porch for a moment. We will be back shortly to help clean up.”

Her brother nodded and stood to join her. Wednesday cast a glance at Enid just as she was beginning to tell them all about what the change into a giant wolf felt like. That would keep her busy for a while. Once they were outside, she turned to regard her brother and begin to notice some subtle shifts in the boy.

While he still looked overweight and under coordinated but she could perceive some real muscle mass under the flab. And he was at least three inches taller than her now and still growing. The thought occurred to her that he would be a very large man one day.

“Pugsley, I have some questions for you.”

The boy nodded, regarding her with a serious expression.

“Sure, what do you want to know?”

“I take it the bully situation has been remedied?”

He let out a laugh at that and had a huge grin on his face.

“And then some. Nobody said anything to me at school for a few days after you were sent to Nevermore. After that some of them started to circle around me again. It took some time I guess before they got brave enough to try again. They tried to bully me again but one of them finally said the wrong thing.”

“What did they say?”

With that he got an uncomfortable expression but answered the question.

“Dalton said that my ‘freak’ sister wouldn’t be around anymore to protect me. I couldn’t let him talk about you like that! Especially once I realized that they were as afraid of you as I had always been of them.”

Her eyebrow arched slightly, not quite expecting her little brother to be defending her honor like that. As she pondered that Pugsley continued.

“So, I hit him. A lot to be honest. I’ve never been that mad before. I hit Dalton so many times that I knocked his teeth out and blinded him in one eye. And when I started beating him up his friends ran. And after I was done with him they expelled me…again. That was when mother said I would be homeschooled for awhile till I was able to come to Nevermore.”

“I didn’t realize you wanted to join me there.”

“It more than wanting to be with you. Sure, I want to be where you are. But I need to meet more kids my own age. Kids that won’t think I am a freak or be afraid of me. And to be honest I want to meet some girls. You found Enid. Maybe I’ll find someone too.”

Wednesday managed to smile at that. She was duly proud of Pugsley for finding his courage. With that out of the way she was certain he could grow up to one day be quite the formidable Addams.

“Was I holding you back Pugsley? Fighting too many of your battles for you? I never understood why you took that from them. They could have run over you with a truck and not done any damage. Why let a bunch of normie jocks make your life miserable?”

He paused for a moment, as if trying to find the right words.

“I don’t think you held me back. I’ve just always looked up to you. I liked it when you stood up for me. When Dalton insulted you, it was just the last straw. Maybe you going to Nevermore just let me put it all into perspective.”

Which in Wednesday mind sounded like confirmation that she had held him back. Just a little maybe but it was true all the same. She wouldn’t let herself be too upset about her own error though. Pugsley had found his own way, and she was very proud of that.

“I think you did it exactly right then,” she mused. “And between us we have managed to remove a few body parts from Dalton. Can I assume his family tried to bring charges?”

“Yeah, they did. And father lawyered up and broke them in court. It was all on the security cameras that they had pushed me first. I was just the one to punch last. After that happened his family packed up and left town. I may have overdone it with the flowers though.”

“Flowers?”

“Yeah, the day after I nearly beat him to death, I sent a funeral wreath of all dark roses with a sign that read I’ll catch up with you later.”

Wednesday grinned so hard at that she almost strained a muscle in her face.

“Not very subtle,” she said as she smiled. “But very effective it seems. “I’m proud of you Pugsley.”

The boy was now grinning as well.

“That means a lot sis. Father said he was proud too. That was all I ever wanted. Until I heard more about your school. I know that I’m still a big, goofy kid but I want to know more people like us. And maybe find a cute girl of my own who can take over the job of torturing me. I do miss that part. “

She gets a wistful expression as he talks, remembering how angry she was at first to be left at Nevermore. In the end though it had been a good thing. She found Enid, made a few friends and managed to destroy an old enemy of the family. Not bad for not even being there for a full semester.

“The school has it’s moments,” she said, “And if that is what you want I’m sure you will find someone there to fall for just as I did. But know this; if she doesn’t mistreat you just right I’ll end her. Whoever she might wind up being.”

He smiled, fully understanding what his sister meant.

“I suppose I shouldn’t torture you so much then.”

She knew deep down that most Addams’ thought of mild torture as a form of fore play. Now that her brother seemed to be awakening not only to his full potential but also as a sexual being, receiving abuse from his own sister might be counterproductive. Pugsley was still quite simple in many ways. She didn’t want to cause him any confusion.

“Maybe a little,” he said with a grin. “I do hope you can throw me from the tower again before you go back. It isn’t quite the same to jump off on my own. Either way though, that five story drop is a hell of a thrill.”

“We can do that. Hasn’t Parker been giving you a bit of abuse while I was gone?”

“Yeah, a little. She doesn’t do it as well as you do though.”

And that simple statement confirmed for her that Pugsley didn’t seem too taken with Parker. She had feared that Pugsley might develop a crush on her. It seemed that they both still considered each other as siblings of a sort rather than a possible dating option. That could have become…complicated.

“While I have your attention, I wanted to ask you about something else. You are involved in this Outer Limits web site, aren’t you? “

He grinned again.

“Absolutely. Parker had found some of the old outsider boards still on the internet and showed them to me. I thought that they were a huge risk for any outsider that tried to use them. Bringing it to father’s attention I asked him, and then Grandmama to help me make them better.”

“Parker always did have a knack for the online world and social media.”

Pugsley nodded once before continuing.

“She still has it. I made a better server and tweaked some of the online security and she redesigned some boards to be safer. There were a bunch of us working together. Grandmama added some magic to make it even better. Now any non-outsider that tries to view one of the sites, if they ever manage to find it that is, only sees gibberish on the screen. I enjoyed doing it a lot. Do you want to see the main servers? It’s in one of the unused rooms in the catacombs under the house.”

“Another time. You can show them to me later though I probably won’t understand all of how it works. It seems like now that will all be an asset to our kind rather than a possible security risk.”

“That was what I intended. Father said he had some uses for it as well but wouldn’t say what he had in mind.”

The goth nods, assuming that their father would probably use it as a secure method of communication between all the outsiders preparing to deal with the hunters. Pugsley probably didn’t know much about the threat to come. If that was the case she didn’t want to burden her brother with it yet.

“It sounds like you did a good job. For now though let’s go rejoin the others. Enid will eat all the desert if we aren’t there to stop her.”

Pugsley laughed a bit and held the door open for his sister. She thanked him, which was something she might not have ever done before. The boy seemed quite proud and satisfied with himself at the moment and she just couldn’t ruin that for him. He had done an incredible thing. Even with her lack of computer knowledge she understood how significant it was. Let him have his victory.

A couple of minutes later they were back in the dining room with the family. Enid was regaling them all with the story of Crackstone’s attack how everything had played out. She had never thought to see her wolf smiling as she recalled that night. The blonde seemed stronger now and more confident than she ever had before. It was amazing how just a little time with her family had improved the girl’s mood and sense of self-worth. It was a beautiful thing to behold.

While they were outside Ms. Claire had come to join the family. She sat close to Parker as always but had always eaten away from the table by herself. As a vampire she didn’t want to gross anyone else out to see her sipping on a container of blood. One day they would be able to convince her that nobody minds it. As Parker’s live-in nanny and tutor everyone just considered her part of the family.

While Fester was away, which wasn’t quite as often as it used to be, she stayed at the house the family had built over the remains of Camp Chippewa. That was typically where Parker stayed but she came to the manor house often and Ms. Claire came with her when she did. It wouldn’t do to skimp on her lessons after all.

“Wednesday! It’s so good to you again,” Ms. Claire said in her soft French accent. “It has been entirely too long.”

She smiled at the vampire, which might have been unsettling to some. They were getting more used to seeing it now though. It was a good development as far as the family was concerned. She had a long way to go still but was becoming a bit more sociable as time went on.

“It has been too long,” she agreed. “But I’ve used the time productively.”

She put an arm around Enid’s shoulder and everyone else smiled to see it.

“So you have,” Ms. Claire said. “Your dear Enid has been telling us the stories of your adventures over the last few weeks. You have exceeded expectations.”

And then, turning towards Parker she continued.

“And as for you young lady we have a French test for tonight. Once we get lunch cleaned up, we can go up to your room and get straight to it.”

Parker groaned, Wednesday laughed and everyone else just seemed amused. Ophelia smiled warmly at them all before speaking up again.

“Don’t worry about the cleanup. Lurch is staying long enough for that and I’ll help him. Tomorrow morning, after Fester gets here, I’ll need to head over to Nevermore and meet the principal. So, any request for dinner tonight?”

Several opinions were expressed but steak tartare was the final decision. Ophelia sent them all on their way so she could prepare for a trip to the store to get the rest of the ingredients. Everyone stretched them, released to continue their day. Except for Parker of course who was taken for her tutoring session. Wednesday took Enid’s hand and led her outside. A walk in the woods on the property seemed like just the thing to do after a large meal.

“I like your aunt,” Enid said as they walked. “And the rest of them as well. Pugsley seems like a good kid, and I adore Parker. She seems like a lot of fun. But who is Ms. Claire? Is she part of the family?”

“For all practical purposes she is. She was hired to look after Parker and see to it that she got an education whenever Fester wasn’t around. He has started staying home now though since he has a child. It just takes awhile for the rolling stone to settle a bit. And speaking of the matchmaking we were discussing earlier she simply adores Fester. He just hasn’t figured it out yet.”

Enid rolled her eyes.

“She is very pretty. Why is he taking so long to notice if she is really into him?

It’s true. Ms. Claire is very pretty. She appears to be in her early twenties but for a vampire the apparent age can be a lie. She had long blonde hair, a slim figure and carried herself with dignity. And Fester was…. well, Fester.

“You’ve heard the saying once bitten twice shy? In this case Fester is like three times bitten, if not more. He had a few bad relationship issues, most recently Margaux and Debbie. He is too afraid of failing again.”

“Oh. That is a pity. Fester is your bald uncle I met before. The one who tried to electrocute me?”

“That’s him. And he didn’t really try. He just likes surprising people with his electric abilities. If he had tried to really shock you to death you would be dead and I would be hunting him down.”

Enid nods and frowns.

“So, he is having trouble believing that a totally hot woman with a French accent is into him? Love makes fools of us all I guess. You going to try and help him to understand that, just like with your parents and Weems?”

“If at all possible.”

“Alright. Count me in then. For right now though I am into spending time with you and walking in the woods.”

It is Wednesday’s turn to nod, still smiling a bit.

“Sounds perfect to me. By the way, did you call your uncle to let him know we had arrived safely?”

“While you were in the shower. I called him, face timed Yoko and shared some texts with our other friends. Everyone is as caught up as they need to be.”

“Good. So, I don’t have to share you with anyone till dinner time?”

“Exactly,” Enid said with the brightest smile Wednesday had ever seen. “So come on, let’s go explore this forest of yours!”

Enid picked up the pace, half dragging Wednesday as she did so. When she realized the goth couldn’t keep up she swooped her up into a bridal carry and started running through the forest. The smaller girl yelped in surprise but didn’t have it in her to object. She would let the blonde have her way and just enjoyed the ride.

Chapter Text

Wednesday was disoriented and confused. She couldn’t remember falling asleep. It seemed as if she was being carried in Enid’s arms for quite some time as she had guided them through the forest for a while. Looking back on it as she slowly regained consciousness, they had exited the forest proper to see some of the sites nearer to the house. At about that time her memory fails her.

Why was she so sleepy today? It wasn’t from any physical fatigue, though it was possibly a reaction to the emotions bubbling up inside of her where they never had before. That and just feeling relieved at having got Enid away from the school and seeing how much she enjoyed it. No doubt then that she was still a bit emotionally and mentally overwhelmed and coming to terms with it.

Now that she was almost awake she became aware of how warm and safe she felt. Wednesday came to realize she was still being held and the werewolf’s body heat was keeping the November chill at bay. In fact, she noticed the arms still wrapped around her as she realized her head rested on Enid’s bosom. It was warm there and so terribly comfortable. That and quite arousing as she thought about where she was. Blinking a couple of times, she glanced up to see that the wolf was awake and sitting on a stone bench. They must be in the graveyard.

“Hello sleepy head,” the blonde said in an affectionate tone. “Are you awake now? That nap attack must have come on very suddenly. You stopped talking in mid-sentence.”

“Almost awake,” the goth admitted. “I guess that I feel safe and comfortable in your arms.”

She smiled again, knowing that only a few weeks ago she would have resisted letting Enid carry her like that. Not to mention admitting that she liked it. Then, suddenly, she laughed. Enid looked at her with an odd expression.

“What’s so funny?”

“A childhood memory. I was very young at the time but when mother was pregnant with Pugsley Father tried to carry her everywhere. He was so worried about her exerting herself that either he or Lurch carried her anywhere she needed to go. For a while anyway, till she convinced him she wasn’t made of glass. I can only imagine what is going on with them now.”

Sure enough Enid did find that quite funny and joined in on the laughter for a moment. Then her face turned thoughtful as she regarded Wednesday.

“I shouldn’t laugh at him. If you were pregnant I know I would do the same.”

“I know you would,” the goth replied, swooning a bit on the inside but trying not to show it. “As I would for you. If I could anyway. I’m not sure I would have the muscles to pull that off as easily as you could.”

Enid smiled with a wistful expression.

“I think I might still carry you if I was the one pregnant. Though I guess we won’t have to worry about that. If we both want kids we would have to adopt.”

“Why?”

The blonde blinked a couple of times at the question before replying.

“Because we are both girls and can’t get each other pregnant?”

She phrased it like a question because Wednesday seemed serious about it. Of course her girlfriend often surprised her. Normally it took a male to be involved in some way.

“Enid, we could have a child of our own. How many ever we would want. Don’t forget all the witches we are on good relations with. Especially grandmama.

“You mean witchcraft could allow us to have children of our own? And it’s not dangerous or harmful to the baby.”

“It’s perfectly fine. Several of my relatives were conceived in such a way and are perfectly fine for the experience. Our children would be born quite normal. For an Addams anyway.”

Enid seemed to be thinking about that quite hard so Wednesday continued.

“It might surprise you but I’ve always wanted children one day. Even though I have a deathly fear of ever becoming pregnant. I’m not sure why but that thought scares me. Do you want children one day mi Reina?”

“I do,” the blonde replied, flushing just a bit. “I’ve always wanted kids. Just not the way my mother wanted. I don’t have any interest in being a stay-at-home mom though. She wanted to raise a home maker who had a whole litter of pups to raise.”

Wednesday nodded along as she spoke.

“My love, we can make it happen however it suits us both. Don’t forget, magic can let us both be the mother to our children without having to involve any man. One of us would have to carry it but once we are ready it will be a simple matter. And to be honest neither of us would ever need a job if we don’t want one. Money is like another superpower. We will never want for anything financially.”

The wolf’s expression seemed to indicate that she was a bit overwhelmed by all of this. Wednesday thought it best to hold her tongue then to let her sort through all of that unless she had a question. Instead, the goth glanced around from her position on Enid’s lap. When she did look the girl realized that they were indeed in the cemetery and sitting on the bench near great Aunt Calpurnia’s grave. This was quite surprising to be honest. She couldn’t picture Enid choosing to be here on her own.

“She called me over,” Enid said, as she noticed Wednesday’s confusion. “Your great aunt I mean. She called me over after we left the forest.”

“You saw a ghost and weren’t afraid?”

“I was afraid at first,” she admitted, “but then I remembered you saying nothing here would hurt me. And then I remembered you mentioning how fond you were of Calpurnia. So I followed her and we had a bit of a chat.”

Wednesday smiled, once again pleased with how well Enid was fitting in here.

“See, I told you it was safe here. It seems even our ghosts are fond of you. My great aunt called you over? That is a bit odd for her. What did she want to talk about?”

“She says she wanted to meet the girl that had won your heart,” Enid said with a bit of a smile on her face. “She was very nice too and was glad you were opening up more. Then we just talked about getting to know each other. Oh! And she asked if we wanted to call Joel back here. She said your mother took him to Vermont with her.”

“Joel is in Vermont?”

This was perplexing news to Wednesday. Most ghosts needed a tether of some sort to manifest. As far as she knew the only ones he had were to his boyhood home and the Addams manor. My mother of course was quite skilled in Necromancy. Perhaps she knew of a way to give him another tether or was just maintaining his existence with her own magic. But why? She would have to ask her about that later.

“That was what Calpurnia said. She didn’t say anything more about it but I got the impression she wasn’t too sure about it either.”

“She probably doesn’t know more. Ghosts are different than humans and are sometimes confused about what is happening in this world. The perceptions are way different and they usually have a short attention span about anything that doesn’t directly involve them.”

Enid nods along thoughtfully at this before replying.

“Well, I figure we can ask your mother directly once she comes home. We wouldn’t want to get in the way if she has Joel doing something important. I imagine she will be home soon, right?”

“That is right. It is the weekend before the Thanksgiving holiday. I would expect mother at least to be home within a day or so. They never taught Pugsley or I how to cook and my parents probably won’t trust Fester to not poison us all with his cooking. Then again, Ms. Claire always cooks Parker’s food. I doubt we will starve. Especially since you know how to use the magic grub hub app. “

The blonde chuckles a bit.

“Yeah, grub hub to the rescue. Though I imagine Pugsley and Parker have it as well. Your mother might want to just come home though to rest. And your dad will be buys with whatever plans they are making.”

“Indeed. I’ve heard that pregnant woman prefers to be at home in a familiar environment. I certainly hope the baby she is carrying will be a girl though. My parents agreed before they ever had kids that he would name any sons and she would name any daughters. I fear for what he might name a second son. The name Pugsley is bad enough.”

“Ouch. Yeah, I can imagine. At least Pugsley will fit in at Nevermore. That probably didn’t fly very well among normie school kids.”

Wednesday could only agree on that account. She was glad to be a girl and the relatively normal name she had been given. If she and Enid ever did have children she wanted to give them a name that would fit in with both worlds to avoid any problems like that.

“When we have kids, and I think that is what we both want mi Reina, we will have to be more kind with their names than my parents have been.”

Enid smiles and nods. As she thought her wolf was more than reasonable and it looked as if they were of one mind about this. Now that the notion was in their heads Wednesday thought they were both dwelling on it.

“What time is it?” the goth finally managed to ask.

“I’m not wearing my watch but judging by the sun it’s about 4:30 or so. With it being late November we probably only have another hour of sunlight.”

“I slept for two hours?”

“Yup. And I didn’t want to wake you. If Calpurnia hadn’t called me over I was intending to stop by anyway so you could wake up here. It seemed like a very Addams thing to want to do.”

The brunette smiled and nodded.

“It’s a very pleasant place to awaken,” she admitted. “I’ve done it many times. Especially after a good game or ‘Raise the Dead’.”

“Yeah, Calpurnia said you would dig them up from time to time. I won’t lie, that sounds kind of spooky. But she says the old family ghosts enjoy it too so I will keep an open mind. Different strokes for different folks as they say.”

“You are adapting very well Enid. You can mostly hear when house tries to tell us things and the ghosts like you. And that goes double for the currently living family. You’re truly becoming an Addams before I can even marry you properly. Which reminds me, I do have a question. Would you prefer that I court you according to my families traditions or would you rather be courted in the ways that the wolves use? I want to spoil you but seemed appropriate to ask your preference.”

The wolf flushed a bit but had a ready answer.

“Funny thing about that,” she said after a moment’s thought. “I kind of wanted to court you as well. How about if you court me in your family’s way and I’ll court you in the ways I’m familiar with. And if either of us is confused about the suitable reaction to anything we do then we talk it out. How does that sound?”

“It sounds lovely. I can agree to that. The first step in an Addams courtship would be to procure for you a suitable weapon. It occurred to me that you’re a suitable weapon in your own right, but I can find something that should be appropriate if you’re willing to accept it.”

“I would gladly accept it,” Enid agreed gladly. “And the first way that a wolf would show their love and commitment would be bring you a dead animal that they have hunted and killed on their own. May I bring you one in the coming days? It would have to be something large enough for a real meal that we would share.”

“I would be agreeable to that,” Wednesday replied. “You can hunt whatever you like in the forest here. We can provide a crossbow or whatever weapon you would choose to hunt with.”

“I won’t need the weapon,” Enid said, letting the claws on her left hand extend so that Wednesday could see them. “I’ve been practicing more and it almost feels like I could make a full change if I tried hard enough.”

The smaller girl swooned a bit at the sight of her claws. Then Enid gently stroked her face with the claws. Just enough to make a slight mark but not so much as to draw blood.

“Mi Reina…your claws…they are so…sexy.”

Enid smiled and leaned in to kiss her beloved ever so gently. They enjoyed the moment for a while but were aware that their time alone was short. By now dinner would be ready in probably an hour and they would need to at least freshen up before going to eat. Wednesday reluctantly got out of Enid’s lap to walk on her own.

“I want to see your claws more later but for now we should return to the house to get ready. Never fear though. We have a few weeks to kill, and I have so much more to show you.”

The blonde smiled and stood up herself to take Wednesday’s hand.

“I look forward to it all. But yeah, lets head back inside. My belly is already getting excited for the steak your aunt is fixing for us.”

This time Wednesday led the way. They didn’t walk towards the front door though. She led them instead to a large tree that was near the house.

“I have someone for you to meet Enid,” she said, moving to the tree.

“Ichabod, I would like for you to meet Enid. She is with me and we are dating. Do you understand?”

Surprisingly, to Enid anyway, the tree seemed to nod, which was kind of odd but seemed to be on par with everything else she had seen here.

“Very good Ichabod. Could you give us a lift to my room please?”

This time Enid was even surprised. The tree lifted them both up with its limbs and very gently moved them towards the third-floor bedroom window. Another branch snaked over to open said window before gently depositing them both into the room.”

“Thank you Ichabod,” Wednesday said before moving to close the window. Then turning to Enid she continued.

“And that is why we always keep this window unlocked. “I forgot to do that once and he broke the glass trying to get it open. Ichabod has always been a dear and has helped me escape unseen many a time.”

“I can see where it would be easy to get out if you needed to. Was Ichabod a normal tree that your family enchanted or some species normie scientists just don’t know about?”

“Both I think,” she answered. I know he started off as a small sapling that father managed to retrieve from his ancestral home in Spain when they had been forced to flee. No doubt mother has ‘improved’ him some along the way. Otherwise he would still be very small since he is only about twenty to thirty years old. Now he is strong and almost five stories tall…and obviously quite intelligent.”

Enid nodded, still glancing at the tree through the window. Then her gaze turned towards Wednesday.

“I think he liked me too. Just a feeling I got. All of your family are so kind and loving. Thank you for bringing me here. It already feels like home, and I hadn’t expected it to.”

“I wanted you to feel at home and comfortable. At the risk of sounding overly romantic I would have been very upset to not be with you over the break. So, I am glad you like it here. And there is so much still to show you. “

“I look forward to it Willa. For now though I’m going to take a quick shower. Care to join me?”

Enid winked playfully at her as she said the last part. Wednesday could feel her brain start to short out a bit in addition to all the other reactions her body was feeling at the invitation.

“I want to. But if I do we probably won’t be out of the shower till tomorrow. Can I take a rain check on that?”

“We sure can,” the blonde said with a chuckle. “I will keep it short so you can rinse off as well.”

With a quick wave Enid excused herself into the bathroom. Once she was out of sight Wednesday sat down on the bed and huffed a bit to herself before she noticed Thing on the dresser across the room regarding her.

“I think I might have said yes if dinner wasn’t so close. All my walls are tumbling down and I find myself trying to push them the rest of the way over. Is this what love is supposed to be like?”

Thing signed an affirmative answer and the goth sighed.

“Well, at least I am on track. Even if I have no idea what I’m doing.”

Thing gave her a thumbs up sign and then jumped off the dresser and scurried over to join her. She bent down to pick him up and settled on the bed to rest with him till Enid was done. Realizing she had almost no control over this current situation Wednesday huffed a little bit and looked towards the ceiling. She was falling hard and liked it. There was nothing for her to do but adapt and enjoy the ride. She found herself rather liking the concept and not the least bit ashamed of it. Her darker and less informed earlier self could just deal with it.

Chapter Text

The next few days passed easily enough. It turned out to be a good thing for the both of them to escape from Nevermore for a while. It came as a surprise to Wednesday that she would welcome their return to school when the time came but it was much better for them, in the moment, to spend some time away. Their poor frazzled nerves required that much. And for her wolf the attention she was receiving from the Addams family was a much-needed balm for her psyche.

There was no guessing here about how to fit in or win approval. All the Addams kin reached out and included her in everything. As far as they were concerned, she was an Addams and it didn’t seem as if anyone thought otherwise. With the new support network in place Enid was thriving. She seemed so happy here and that reassured Wednesday to no end.

The damage that Fester had done to the kitchen was mostly minor. Much to everyone’s surprise he didn’t manage to poison anyone and Ms. Claire was on hand to help him with the cooking. Truth be told it wasn’t half bad. His presence had always made Wednesday smile and of course Parker was overjoyed to have her Papa back home. Enid even warmed up to him in short order.

With their food supply thus ensured Wednesday had taken her wolf out to explore several times. She gave the blonde a proper tour of the graveyard and then of the catacombs beneath the house. The goth had lived here her entire life and not seen everything. The manor was truly vast when you considered all the basement levels and the maze of tunnels down there. In fact, she rather believed that some of them moved sometimes, or new rooms would occasionally wander by and become part of the scenery.

Enid seemed to enjoy her time here and with renewed confidence had gone off to explore a bit on her own. At her girlfriends insistence Wednesday had been playing her cello more and taking her writing time again. It had been a tough job in convincing her not to hover so much but it did help both their moods to have some private time and to do a few things apart. At least she knew everyone here would look out for the blonde wolf with the same fervor as she would.

It made Wednesday smile to see Enid with the rest of the family. She and Parker had become fast friends and sometimes Pugsley would be drawn into whatever mischief they were up to. And true to his own nature Fester stepped up to pay special attention to all of the kids. In fact, he and Pugsley were restoring the remains of the old catapult that Margaux had used to try and destroy the house. She wasn’t sure yet what they planned to do with it, but Enid was enthralled by it all.

That had been over the weekend and into the early part of the week. It was now Tuesday and Grandmama, her mother and Lurch had returned late Monday. They were tired from their work at Nevermore but had planned for Wednesday to meet with the eldest Addams for a lesson this very afternoon. Her mother had asked for Enid’s help in the greenhouse for the same time and she had gladly accepted. With that they now had a schedule in place and they both seemed to be looking forward to it.

Having a schedule, even a loose one, always suited Wednesday. She liked having everything organized and in order. It suited her rather regimented world view. Enid on the other hand was far more spontaneous and a free spirit. They complimented each other Wednesday mused. Moved them both a little closer to the middle of those extremes. It was good for them both she realized.

Now, at about ten in the morning she had finally gotten up from bed and was regarding the still sleeping form of her wolf. They had been up very late the night before in the family library. And that after they spent a few hours in the music room. As it turned out Enid was a fair hand on the piano and had joined Wednesday on the cello and Morticia on the violin. It had been a nice time for them all.

She had finally awakened but didn’t have the heart to wake Enid just yet. The girl looked so content and she didn’t have it in her to force her out of bed just yet or to leave her presence. Instead, Wednesday put on her robe and sat down at the desk to regard all the brochures for the various colleges her wolf had collected. It was high time for her to think more about her own future and what direction she wanted to take with her own life. With Enid now at her side she too had more hope regarding the future they would build together.

For several moments she read the brochures, making some notes to discuss later with Enid. It came as a bit of surprise then when the crystal ball to her left began to call for her attention. The goth frowned, not knowing who that might be. Her first thought was that it could be her father. Glancing back to the wolf she saw that the girl was still asleep and had pulled all the covers in and wrapped herself up like a wolf burrito. The call shouldn’t wake her. Activating the crystal she was surprised to not see her father but instead Xavier Thorpe.

“Good morning Wednesday,” he said with a bemused expression. “Did I wake you?”

“No,” she said in a curious tone. He was of course a psychic and could use a crystal ball just as well as she could. It just never occurred to her that he would. “Enid and I were up late studying in the library. She is sleeping in, and I was just reading till she woke up.”

Xavier nodded in understanding even as Wednesday regarded him with curiosity. She had been expecting him to get in touch at some point over the break. What she didn’t know yet was if he had put that damned crush aside. She could deal with him as an acquaintance, or even a friend she supposed. But that was all predicated on him not continuing to try and force her into a relationship with him. As she pondered that he continued.

“It seems like the two of you are doing well. I’m glad to see that. Truly I am. But some things have come up and between that and my apology tour this seemed like the most secure way to get in touch with you.”

Now that piqued her interest. Xavier had visions as well that came to him in dreams. In fact, he had some visions of the Hyde earlier in the year that had included some valuable clues to that particular mess. And it seemed he had the good sense to be mindful of the possibility that someone could listen in on a cell phone call. The odds of normie hunters being able to listen to a crystal ball conversation were all but nonexistent.

“You saw something then?”

“I did. Do you recognize this guy?”

He turned the ball so that she could see a picture he had sketched. It was a middle-aged man in a lab coat. He stood in what appeared to be an underground lab. His expression seemed agitated but other than that she didn’t get much from it. She did commit the face to her memory though.

“He is not familiar to me. What happened in the vision?”

“I saw him talking to someone that I couldn’t see. I heard him call this other person Reverand. They called him doctor Simms. The doctor was saying that if they could catch you it would help with the research being done on their weapon. The only other thing they said that I could make out was that they would need to make their move when you were away from Nevermore and the Addams manor. Other than that there weren’t any other context clues to guess when this conversation took place.”

Wednesday was quiet for a moment deep in thought.

“Have you been told yet about the caves in upstate New York?”

“Not in any detail yet but Yoko did say something about it. You did know that she was our liaison with Weems, right?”

“Yes, I had come to understand as much. At any rate, if the underground lab you saw Dr. Simms in is mostly complete then that will place it at least a year in the future I would think. Construction hasn’t even been started yet. If that is the case, we have some time to find more clues.”

Xavier wore a thoughtful expression as he pondered this.

“Do you suppose that if I gave you the sketch I made that you might get a vision from that? You might be able to see more.”

“It is possible. Could you put that in the mail please? The vibes from it might go cold if we wait till the Ceremony at the first of the year.”

“I’ll put in the overnight mail. You should have it by morning.”

“Thank you, Xavier. That should be very helpful.”

And she meant it. If possible, she would be able to get something from the picture he made. If nothing else, they might be able to research Dr. Simms with a face and a name to work with. Every little clue could lead them to bigger ones. It gave her more confidence that they could actually get through this to the victory her mother had seen.

“I hope it will. Any more dream visions I get I’ll let you know about as soon as I can. There was the other matter though. The apology tour I mentioned. I really am sorry about everything. I was a jerk to you and to everyone else really if I’m being honest. I hurt and annoyed a lot of people. You and Bianca more so than the most.”

“You understand now that we can never be a couple?”

“I do. I really do understand that now. It just felt like such a perfect scene in my head. No matter how much I wanted you though it would never be right. You would never love me in the same way. And to be honest I guess it isn’t even love. Just an obsession on my part. Damn but I am going to miss Kinbott.”

Wednesday gulped a little at the mention of the dearly departed doctor.

“You saw her too?”

“Yeah. She was just helping me come to terms with my personal obsessions and how bad my relationship with my dad is. It was really helping. Then that entire crap storm just before the break. It all kind of put things into a better perspective for me.”

She didn’t have an immediate answer for that. Wednesday was still struggling over the guilt for Kinbott’s death. She didn’t kill the doctor herself, but she still felt the guilt for not knowing Tyler was the Hyde early enough to stop him. It was only in retrospect that she understood that the woman had helped her as well.

“There will be a new doctor there when the break is over,” she said tentatively. “One who is trained in helping outcasts. I hope he is up for all the business he is about to get.”

“Dr. Addams,” Xavier said with a nod. “A relative of yours I’m assuming.”

She nodded in reply.

“Yes, but one I haven’t seen for at least six years. I’ve heard good things about him. If Kinbott helped us then I’m sure he can pick up where she left off.”

To his credit Xavier didn’t ask about her own counseling sessions.

“Well, I hope you can forgive me and that we can be friends. And if I’m ever a jerk again please tell me before the stabbing starts.”

She can’t help but smile a little at that. Wednesday rather likes this version of Xavier. As a friend who isn’t trying so hard to seduce her. She could get used to having another friend.

“I do forgive you. In fact, I have someone that I want to introduce you too later.”

“Oh really? Sounds mysterious. I like that. And my luck is running well so far. My apology to Bianca went well. In fact, she has come to visit for a while. We are trying to sort out some of my old baggage.”

“Are the two of you reconciling?” she asked before taking the time to stop and think about it. She might have just volunteered to introduce Parker a bit prematurely. If he and Bianca got back together it might make it a moot point.

“I don’t know yet. We both have a lot of issues to work through. I guess it’s good we both finally realize that.”

Just then Wednesday became aware of Enid starting to squirm around in the small mountain of covers she had built around herself.

“I think it is,” she replied, turning her attention back to Xavier. “I need to go though. Sounds like Enid is about to wake up. She will need her breakfast or there will no living with her.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle about that and smiled in return.

“Go take care of her then. I’ll get that sketch in the mail momentarily. You should have it in your mail tomorrow. We can talk later.”

With that he gave her a jaunty little salute and broke the connection. Just in time it would seem. From the middle of the large pile of bed clothes she heard Enid’s voice.

“Willa? Was that Xavier?”

“Yes, it was,” she affirmed. “He called on the crystal ball with a clue and an apology. All things considered he was rather well behaved.”

Slowly the wolf began to untangle herself from the blankets and finally peeked out.

“That’s good news then I suppose,” she said in a sleepy voice. “So, no more drama from him?”

“At least not more of the old drama. His apology seemed heartfelt, and I had mentioned introducing him to Parker. But now it seems that he and Bianca might be reconciling. I didn’t know she was staying with him over the break.”

“She is? Well, I’m glad she does have somewhere to stay. She didn’t want to go to her mom’s place because then she would be forced to help with the cult she is putting together. I really worry for her sometimes.”

Wednesday knew there was a cult that her mother was using to siphon money away from gullible people. All a rather shoddy undertaking to her mind. It hadn’t occurred to her, at least on a conscious level, that Bianca was effectively homeless when Nevermore wasn’t in session.

“I didn’t realize things were that bad for her.”

Enid nods and stretches.

“Yoko had offered to front her the money to rent an apartment or something for a few weeks. She wouldn’t take it. Too proud I guess. Said she had something worked out. I just didn’t know that something would be Xavier.”

Wednesday mulled that over for a moment. She remembered that Bianca had started their rivalry initially because she felt threatened and jealous about Xavier showing her so much attention after they had recently broken up. If they did reconcile she might be upset again if she thought Wednesday was trying to set him up with Parker.

“I didn’t mention that it was Parker that I wanted to introduce him to or that she found him attractive. She always had a soft spot for the moody artistic type. It suited her own artistic flair. I’ll just have to be careful about how I do it.”

“Look at you being the matchmaker,” Enid replied with a smile. “And now having to navigate the teen drama. Just relax and introduce them. It doesn’t have to imply romance if they get back together. Xavier and Parker share a lot of interests. You could just introduce them as friends and classmates. Then any drama is on them if they instigate it.”

“That is true I suppose. I just don’t want to offend Bianca now that our rivalry has become a bit less unhealthy. Maybe I should send her an invitation to the ceremony as well?”

“That would be a nice thing to do. She would appreciate it and if they are dating again by that point you could introduce both of them to Parker. That would look a lot less like you were trying to set them up.”

To Wednesday’s mind that seemed like a brilliant idea. She quickly took some notes but gradually became aware of Enid’s silence and the way the blonde was regarding her. Glancing back in her direction she noticed the silent question in her eyes.

“Oh. You wanted me to tell you what the clue was he called about?”

Enid nodded and smiled.

“Well yeah. Normally you would have led with that and not worried so much about the drama. Is it something you think would upset me?”

“I know it will upset you,” she said with a frown. “But it was very vague. He had a dream vision of a scientist discussing plans to kidnap me. Xavier will send me the sketch he made of the man so we can try to identify him in the physical world. The best we can tell the scientist was discussing this with someone he called Reverand and their conversation took place maybe a year in our future. It should be plenty of time to prepare.”

Enid returned the frown and stepped closer.

“Your right. That is upsetting but I guess it’s better to be forewarned. You will keep me in the loop about whatever you find out, right? Even if you know it will upset me?”

“I will. It will probably be several months though before we gather enough information on these people to make proper plans for ourselves. You do understand this, yes? I’m not trying to keep things from you. We just don’t know much of anything really.”

“We do know one thing in particular now though. If this scientist is calling his leader ‘reverend’ it is probably a religious group that is organizing all of this. Kind of like the old Spanish Inquisition. They are probably motivated by misguided religious prejudice against us. That can be a powerful motivator for people. I’ve read that religious fanatics can be one of the worst kinds.”

That was all very true Wednesday supposes. It had occurred to her that this might be the case. But with all the other things on her mind she hadn’t pondered it much.

“Your probably right. We will have to keep that in mind with all the other clues as we discover them. Would you like to set up a mystery board with me later? Maybe by documenting all the evidence we have so far and should get soon we can build out a better picture of what we are facing. First things first though. We slept through breakfast. A growing werewolf needs to eat. If we start getting ready now we can get our lunch on time and then continue with our day. You did promise to help my mother later.”

“Yup. While you are getting poked, prodded and educated by Grandmama.”

“That is probably a pretty good description of how it will go. Why don’t you go ahead and take your shower first then? I want to call father and let him know what we have learned.”

Enid readily agreed, after getting her first hug and kiss of the morning. And then one more just for good measure. Wednesday smiled at her exuberance to start the day. Or maybe it was just to get to her lunch. Whatever the case, her wolf seemed happy and that took a lot of the stress off her own mind. Now, with a firm goal in mind, she turned back to the crystal ball and concentrated on her father. It only took a few moments to make the connection.

“Ah, my little storm cloud! I trust things are going well on your end?”

“Things are tolerable father. After a call from Xavier this morning I have some new clues to share with you.”

“Good. I trust he gave you what information he had on a safe channel. Or at least didn’t leak out anything he shouldn’t have on an unsecured one? I doubt we are being watched yet, but it could come at any time.”

“He used the crystal ball. That is probably as secure a channel as we can have. Though perhaps you can set up the Outer Limits sites as a safe way to share information.”

“That is our intent. Pugsley should be able to make it so soon enough. So tell me, what did young Mr. Thorpe have to say?”

So, she told him, not omitting a single detail. She even shared with him Enid’s observations about the religious aspect of their enemy and her own estimates of the time scales involved.

“I think you and Enid are both correct in your assumptions,” he said after some thought. “It’s an important bit of information but isn’t an immediate danger. I assume you intend to see if you can trigger a vision when you have his sketch in hand?”

“That is my intent father. Also, I’m going to ask Pugsley to see if he can find more information about this Dr. Simms. Odds are he will have a degree in genetics. Between that, having a picture and a name he might be able to get a positive id on this man. That might allow us to confirm who some of his associates are.”

“All very sound reasoning. Promise me though that you will wait till you are with your mother or your grandmother before you try. I don’t anticipate it would be any worse than a normal vision for you, but we don’t want to take any chances.”

“Very well,” She agreed, though reluctantly. “Will you be home soon?”

“Probably tomorrow,” her father agreed. “I’m just finishing up some arrangements and having a long talk with Larissa. Your mother wanted us to air out some of the old laundry between us on our own.”

“She did? I hope things are going well?”

Gomez actually seemed a bit embarrassed to be discussing this with his daughter. Or else maybe just admitting it all to himself she supposed. She couldn’t read much else from his expression, but he seemed to be resistant to expressing any more just yet.

“All is well my little spider. But it will take time. For now you just take care to rest and take care of that precious little wolf of yours. We can talk more when I am home.”

And with that he broke the connection. Her father was seldom brusque or anxious to end a conversation. In fact, it was usually like pulling teeth to get off a call with him. No doubt there was something to be assumed from that, but she didn’t have enough clues yet to make sense of it.

She didn’t want to read too much into anything just now. Wednesday wasn’t particularly well equipped to understand emotional issues for other people anyway. She would need to wait till she had enough time and more information to sort it out. Besides, Enid was now out of the shower and wearing a towel while she picked clothes for the day. The sight of her love in such a state of undress was consuming all of her brain power.

“That is a good look on you mi Reina,” she said with a grin.

“Glad you like it,” she replied with a cheeky grin. “How are things with your dad?”

“He should be home tomorrow. It seems there are some last-minute arrangements he is making. And he said he needed to have a talk with Weems. Something about mother wanting them to work out some things between them.”

“Ohhhhh! Nice,” Enid replied, nearly losing the grip on her towel as she pulled some clothes from a drawer. “Maybe the three of them will sort it all out for themselves.”

She didn’t have a ready reply to that. The precarious state of the towel and an otherwise naked Enid distracted her about as much as anyone would suspect. Wednesday actually swore to herself that the wolf had managed to secure it in time.

“I’m going to go shower now,” she said, pulling her gaze away reluctantly. “Then we will go eat.”

With that she turned to go, not quite catching the amused look on Enid’s face.

Chapter Text

By the time Wednesday got out of the shower and finished her hair she was disappointed to find Enid fully dressed. Sighing a bit under her breath she did take comfort in the fact that as time went on she was waking up with fewer clothes than she went to bed with. The thought made her blush a bit but also heightened her sense of arousal. Damn but Enid was going to be the death of her. It would be one hell of a way to die though.

“Having second thoughts on joining me for that shower?” the blonde asked, trying to look innocent as she watched Wednesday blush.

“No. It’s more like fifth or sixth thoughts. Seeing you like that might be the death of me. But it is a fate I would gladly suffer. I don’t think you understand how enticing I find you to be.”

“Same,” Enid replied. “You do the same to me. Sometimes I can’t wait to get my hands on you. It feels…good. I am trying to be good, but you are just so damn sexy. Especially when you whisper my name when we are getting intimate. Your so hot. It must be a superpower of some kind.”

Glancing up at her from across the room she walked closer and pulled her into a tight hug, which led to a kiss. And then to a whisper in her ear.

“Enid…I do want you. And I think we will both be ready soon. Honestly, I can’t wait much longer. Let’s discuss it tonight…while we cuddle in bed.”

It was Enid’s turn to blush, but she nodded along to the goth’s suggestion. Would tonight be the night? Neither girl seemed to be sure yet. Whether it was or not though they were both excited to find out. Now though it was time for lunch and, since they had slept through breakfast, they both needed something to eat. Enid especially couldn’t think clearly when she was hungry.

Wednesday let the way down the stairs and towards the dining room. They could smell something delicious coming from the kitchen and followed their noses to the source. Morticia was putting the finishing touches on what proved to be a large and authentic Spanish meal.

“I’m glad you both made it to lunch,” Morticia said with a bemused smile. “Set the table please. Lurch and I will bring the food in momentarily.”

Doing as they were bid the table was set and ready to go in a matter of minutes. As they were finishing this small chore Parker and Pugsley came down to join them. With them pitching in at the last minute everything was completed in record time, and not a moment too soon. Morticia and Lurch came in with heavily loaded trays and laid them out before everyone took their seats. Glancing around the room for a moment Parker spoke up.

“Is Papa not joining us?”

“No dear,” Morticia replied. “He went into town on some errands but should be back in time for supper. Ms. Clair went with him to help. That should keep him from dawdling too much.”

Or to remind him not to get arrested Wednesday thought to herself. She dearly loved her uncle but there were times he could be entirely too impulsive. And past experience being any indication he was prone to being manipulated. Just too kind hearted for his own good she supposed. That was why his association with Ms. Clair was so widely supported by the family. She had a good head on her shoulders and a good heart. Everyone hoped they would make it official one day so she could help keep him out of trouble.

At any rate, Parker accepted the news with only a slight pout before filling up a plate when it came to her turn. Everyone at the table seemed more intent on the meal than anything else. Normally it was when Gomez was home that they had Spanish cuisine. He was a particularly good cook when it came to recipes from his homeland. He just needed to be reminded periodically that not everyone had the same capacity he had when it came to being able to survive spicey food.

“This smells wonderful,” Enid said, smiling and testing the aroma. “Wednesday didn’t say you cooked so well.”

Morticia smiled as she had taken her seat.

“Thank you, Enid,” she said and regarded the girl. “Better dig in though or Pugsley will eat it all.”

Pugsley did chuckle a bit at that as he heaped more food onto his plate. A Spanish lunch was usually a very heavy meal. There was shrimp on rice in a sauce that was to die for. Then there was some soup, a couple of meat courses and tomato bread. Enid didn’t know where to start but took Morticia’s advice and loaded up her plate.

Once everyone had their plates the conversations started. Everyone talking to, and some cases over, each other. Wednesday took note of how her wolf seemed to fit in so well with the family dynamic. It was especially gratifying to see how well she got along with the family and how quickly she seemed to be adapting. It was almost as if she was meant to be here. The meal didn’t last very long and as everyone wrapped up and started to clean up after themselves Morticia stood and cleared her throat.

“Wednesday, you should go see Grandmama now. It is not wise to keep her waiting. The rest of you can help me clean up and then Enid and I can go to tend the plants.”

Glancing towards Enid the goth saw that she was getting into the spirit of things. While she knew her mother could be nosy and would probably ask a lot of questions of the blonde, she knew that that she was in no danger. They could both relax their guard while here.

“Very well Mother,” she said with a nod. “I will come look for you Enid once Grandmama is done tutoring me.

Giving the other girl a quick hug Wednesday turned and made her way to the older woman’s workshop in the basement. While she had been there many times before this visit felt more important than ever before. She didn’t know what to expect but was sure it would be very informative. Knocking on the door she heard the call to enter and stepped inside.

It seemed to be even larger than before. The room seemed impossibly large. If one where to measure it and knew about the other rooms surrounding it, then it was obvious that this part of the manor was much larger on the inside than it should be.

There were several large bookshelves filled with tomes, both new and old. A cauldron sat on a flame in another corner surrounded by various concoctions and alchemical supplies. A few worktables were scattered around the space and then there were a couple of chairs sitting in front of a cozy fire. Many where the times she had just come to visit her grandmother and ask all the questions she could think of. If her grandmama didn’t know the answer to a question, she could surely find a way to get those answers. Eudora Addams was wise, powerful and always ready to educate her grandchildren.

“Sit by the fire love,” she said, shuffling over in the same direction. “I need for you to tell me everything that happened on the night you killed Crackstone. Especially the part about Goody healing you.”

Wednesday’s eyebrow arched a bit in curiosity, but she did as bidden. She told the full story, everything she could remember and some of her observations that she still didn’t understand. Grandmama took it all in, seemingly in deep thought about it all. Finally, after Wednesday reached the end of the story, the older woman spoke up.

“And you haven’t seen Goody since? That isn’t going to do.”

She put her glasses on and regarded Wednesday for several long moments.

“All of this was just before you finally were able to admit you were falling for your precious wolf? And your emotions have been more open since then?”

“I…yes. I suppose you could say that. At the time I had supposed that trauma and Enid finally being able to get past my previous defenses was what caused my emotions to manifest so strongly. Is that important?”

“It is,” the old witch acknowledged. “I’m going to show you something but don’t freak out as the kids say.”

She handed the goth a very ornate hand mirror. For a moment she hesitated, feeling the magic in the mirror. Taking a calming breath, not sure if she will like what she sees, Wednesday glanced into the mirror only to see Goody’s face looking back at her.

Wednesday almost dropped the mirror. What sort of magic is this? Feeling a tremble in her hands she offered the mirror back to her Grandmama. Once the older witch retrieved it she continued on with her thoughts.

“Goody could only heal you with your own magic. She was never known as a great healer. In fact, by the end of her life, she could only really deal with darker emotions. Rage, a lust for revenge and hate. Her spirit has recovered some, but it still wouldn’t have been within her power to heal you on her own.”

“What doe all of that mean then?”

“It means that Goody’s spirit is trapped within you. She said you wouldn’t be able to see her ever again because she no doubt feared that in the aftermath of healing you she would either become trapped within you or would be banished beyond this plane till she recovered. It seems she was right.”

“That…can’t be good. For either of us. So, you think this trapping of her spirit within mine is what caused my emotional control to be compromised? Are my feelings even real? Or just a magical accident?”

Her tone sounded almost panicked as she spoke. The very notion made her question everything now. It frightened her as much to think that her emotions might be false almost as much as it had when she first realized they were coming to the fore.

The older woman caressed her check for a moment before pulling back and lightly slapping her across the same cheek.

“Focus love, and remember what I said. Your feelings are your own. They would have come to the fore given time. It was the fact that you were starting to feel things for people that was wearing down your wall. Everything you feel is real. All Goody could have given you was dark emotion and the things you are feeling now are far from dark. Goody just helped the doors open a little more quickly, and that is a good thing.”

She paused for a moment to make sure the goth was listening instead of spiraling into a panic.

“To access your potential to heal caused her to be trapped in your head. Even if she is removed your will and feelings will be the same. You might fall back on your old habits if you’re not careful, but your feelings won’t change.”

“How long will she be there? Is she conscious in that state?”

“Till she heals I suppose. That might take years though. And she isn’t conscious so to speak. She can’t read your mind or see what you see. But she is now available again. You are already quite skilled in the arts of meditation. From such a state you should be able to reach her mind by looking within yourself for her. It isn’t perfect but at least you still have a guide, even if you have to use an alternative method of reaching her.”

Wednesday ponders that for a moment before replying.

“It feels strange to have her inside me like that. Is it going to hurt either of us while she is there?”

“No. But be advised, the more you contact her the longer it will take for her to heal and be able to return to her after life. Explain it to her when you reach out. She may know ways to speed up the process. But she sacrificed herself to help you. Honor that sacrifice and continue to learn from her. Between the two of us we can give you one hell of an education. I told you that there were the seeds of greatness inside of you. You just need to put the effort in and you can be one hell of a witch…and a great Addams as well.”

This calmed Wednesday some when her grandmother had explained it. She still wasn’t sure what to make of it, but her grandmother wouldn’t lie. Not about something this important. She would trust in this and make the best of it.

“Now, I promised you a lesson, didn’t I? Take this and read it later. For the rest of today we will review so that I can get some idea about what you have already learned on your own.”

She noticed that the book was a grimoire of beginning spells for a junior witch. It was something of a primer that had to be studied to understand more complicated lessons. It would mostly be a refresher for her on an intellectual level, but it would be very helpful in understanding how to manipulate real power as she became more proficient.

For the next few hours they talked about what the younger Addams had already learned and how to best apply those lessons. Eventually their session came to an end and Grandmama dismissed her for the day. It was a lot to take in but Wednesday was overjoyed with the opportunity. It was going to be a long process, but she was going to apply herself and become just a good as the older witch thought she could be.
With this thought in mind, she left the basement and went to find Enid.

(sometime earlier, as told from Enid’s perspective.)

Morticia was in a chatty mood as they approached the greenhouse, and Enid was more than willing to chat with her. It felt good to her. The wolf had wanted to make friends with all of her girlfriends’ family. They had all been so easy to talk to and, if the truth be told, it made her feel seen and appreciated in a way she never had before.

With her own family she was either treated like a baby or totally ignored. There wasn’t a whole lot of ground between either extreme. Being here though was like being in a whole different world. She was already starting to adore them all and they, at the very least, were kind and supportive to her. The blonde wolf could get used to this.

“So, I notice you seem to be bonding with House more quickly than most. It took Parker a few weeks to reach the same point you are at now.”

She blushed a bit at the praise, not being at all accustomed to receiving any.

“Oh, well…maybe because I am already an outcast? Parker was a normie when she first came to stay here wasn’t she?”

“Yes, she was. But even without being an outcast she fit in pretty quickly. Maybe being an outcast is as much an attitude as any power. I have high hopes the ceremony will awaken psychic abilities in her. She would be so happy, and it will help her to fit in at Nevermore. I trust you and Wednesday will help her and Pugsley to settle in at school when they join you there after the summer.”

“Of course. Wednesday is already promising to introduce her to some of our friends. I think they will enjoy it there.”

Morticia paused for a moment as she opened the door to the greenhouse.

“Does my daughter have many friends there? She doesn’t tell us much. I realize of course that is what teenagers do. It’s part of coming of age to distance oneself from their parents. I just worry for her.”

“She has friends,” Enid says gently. “They started as my friends, but I introduced her to people and some of them have grown on her over time. She actually refers to some of them as friends now instead of just growling when they get too close.”

Morticia smiles a bit at that as she opens the door and enters.

“Good. You might not notice this but Ravens are often emotionally aloof and can have a hard time with socializing. I’m glad she has people that care about her there at school. Especially you Enid. I was worried she might never find love or friendship. It’s good to see her opening up to others.”

The blonde paused for a second before replying. Wednesday had warned the girl that her mother might pry. But she also knew that Morticia was worrying about her daughter. She wanted to give her enough to soothe her worries but not so much that Wednesday would be mad about it.

“She is getting there. Honestly, I thought she hated me for the longest time. But it started getting easier for her over time. I guess that after a couple of near-death experiences she felt more like opening up.”

“Maybe. Or maybe you were just able to make that connection with her that made the others feel only natural. She does adore you as I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

Enid blushed a bit, especially when she saw Morticia’s expression. For a second she thought maybe she had said too much but the older woman pivoted quickly to the task at hand. Upon entering they were face to face with many, many plants. Most of these were obviously exotic varieties and she remembered seeing some of them in their classes at Nevermore. There were even some that were clearly mobile and, quite probably carnivorous.

“Wow. These are amazing. I recognize some from our classes but the rest of them I have no earthly idea what they might be. Do you suppose we will learn about the rest when school starts back up?”

“No doubt you will. Ophelia is a very skilled teacher and has a passion for the subject. I would expect you to learn about all of these and many more besides.”

She turned to point at a particular specimen.

“This for example is Atropa Belladona, or Deadly Nightshade. That is what Larissa was poisoned with. No doubt Laurel Gates understood her plants. The dosage would have killed perhaps twenty normie men. “

The older woman paused, lost in thought for a moment, before remembering her company.

“That was taken care of though. Thank goodness. So, since we are here, would you like to help me feed Cleopatra? Then we can prune the roses.”

“Yes. Just tell me what to do!”

Enid was clearly excited. She was honestly thrilled just to be included in a family activity. Looking on she watched as Morticia took a large bowl of chopped meat from a small refrigerator and handed it to her.

“Here, hold this and watch what I do,” Morticia said as she took a chunk out and held it towards the plant. “And don’t bite or you won’t get anymore.” One of the vines moved closer as if it was smelling the meat. Then a larger stalk moved their way and wrapped around the meat before depositing it into a large, fanged mouth on the stalk.

“Whoa…. that is so cool.”

And it was, even if internally Enid was losing her mind a little over the giant fanged plant. By all appearances it could seemingly grab up human prey. At least small humans. It was frightening but held her attention. She couldn’t help but marvel at it as Morticia stood aside and let her try it on her own. It took a few tries to get it right since Cleopatra didn’t know her yet. Soon enough she had coaxed the plant into seeing her as a feeder instead of as food.

It took awhile to get through the whole bowl but soon Cleopatra seemed full and settled down again.

“Does she sleep after she eats?”

“Something akin to sleep. She rests and digests just as a person might. I think she will be due for a growth spurt soon. Then I can take some cuttings to give to friends. I think Ophelia wants one to grow in the school greenhouse. She will probably make a lesson of it to teach your peers how to handle carnivorous plants.”

Enid couldn’t help but notice how pleased that thought seemed to make Morticia. She set the bowl aside and led the wolf over to another section where the roses grew. She demonstrated how to prune the head off of the roses and leave all the thorns intact.

“What do you do with the head of the rose? Throw it away?”

“Oh no, we save that. I usually sweep them up once I’m done and use them for ingredients later in my potions. Or use some of them for potpourri. They do smell nice I suppose but it is even better when mixed with other bits of plants. I can show you how to make it if you like.”

“Yes please,” she replied, feeling a bit overwhelmed, but in a good way. It felt good to be noticed and included. Right this moment she didn’t care how much others thought the Addams family was weird. She loved them all. Her wolf family had never, ever showed her this much consideration before and was seriously loving it.

“By the way, what does your family usually do on Thanksgiving? I was meaning to ask Wednesday what to expect over the holidays.”

“Oh, well, Thanksgiving isn’t something we make a huge deal of. We kind of stick with the original intent behind any given holiday instead of the consumer driven frenzy that seems to permeate modern celebrations. This Thursday we have a feast and spend the day pondering on what we are grateful for. It is a day for thoughtful introspection, being at ease with your family and good food.”

Then, after a moment’s thought she elaborated.

“I want for you to understand Enid, you are a part of this family. We count you as one of us. You are more than welcome to celebrate with us. In fact, I’m given to understand that you enjoy venison. It is our intent to include more wild game in our feast this year. We want for you to feel at home.”

The blonde felt tears begin to trickle at the corners of her eyes.

“You are doing all of that? For me?”

Morticia stepped over and wrapped Enid in her arms.

“We did. And we will. Your one of us now dear wolf. Now and always…for as long as you’re willing. You saved my daughter and helped defend the school. We can never thank you enough for that. And Wednesday loves you so. I can see it. You are now, as far as I’m concerned, an Addams. It’s funny you know. I had always wanted another daughter. Then we took in Parker, and she is a niece I suppose after Fester adopted her, but I still look at her as a daughter of mine. And now we include you.”

Enid held tightly to Morticia, lost in the feeling of a tight hug and the obvious maternal sentiments. It was all she had ever wanted from her own mom. She cried happy tears for several moments before Morticia spoke again.

“No need to cry dear. You belong here with us. We love you very much. Welcome to the family.”

The wolf nodded, still returning the hug till a thought occurred to her.

“Maybe your new baby will be a girl.”

Morticia paused for a moment and chuckled a bit to herself.

“No. Grandmama was able to tell while we stayed in Jericho for the last few days. This one will be a son. Gomez is beside himself with joy.”

“Oh. Wednesday said he gets to name the boys and you name the girls.”

“That’s right. He hasn’t decided yet what the name will be. Maybe he will have decided by the time he gets home tomorrow.”

Enid smiled and chuckled a bit as they both got themselves back together. Wiping away the tears they both had shed in their private moment Morticia smiled in return. Wiping a stray tear from her new daughter’s face she spoke up after a moment.

“Now then, let us finish with the watering and we can go take a walk by the lake. Would you like that?”

“Yes please. Thank you, Mrs. Addams.”

“Just Morticia please. We don’t really stand on formalities. Not among the ones we love.”

Love. Now that was a new thing for Enid. At least in a family setting. She did love her biologic family but that had never been enough. Now she was a part of a new family, and it was everything she had ever wished for from her old family. She loved Wednesday and her family. It felt good to have that in her life.

“Ok Morticia,” she said tentatively, testing the name to see how it would feel. “Maybe your husband will go easy on your new son?”

She chuckled again.

“Not likely. But hope springs eternal.”

She didn’t say anything to that. As Wednesday had said she was feeling more hopeful these days but didn’t have much hope for baby Addams. At least not in regards to whatever his name would be. It didn’t matter though. Not in the long run. Baby Addams would be born into a loving home that she was now proud to be a part of.

They finished the watering in short order and began their walk. Another thought occurred to Enid as they went on their way. A mischievous smile came to her before she framed her question.

“I told Wednesday that I wanted to court her in the way we wolves do. Can you tell me what sort of wild game she likes? “

Morticia’s smile was as bright as the sun as she answered.

“Now that interesting. Let me tell you all about it.”

And with that they continued their walk. Enid was overjoyed with her new maternal role model and it was clear that Morticia was even more pleased. This was just the start of what could be a beautiful relationship.

Chapter Text

Climbing the stairs up from the basements Wednesday took a moment to feel the impressions that House was giving her. What she had told Enid was true. By doing so anyone who was attuned could sense where everyone else might be at any given time. It was also true that people who were also attuned could choose not to be as visible if they sought some privacy. That had for years now been her own default state.

All it really required was a desire for solitude. Or to be in one of the locations where it wasn’t allowed to peer into. In those locations, such as Grandmama’s lair, her father’s office or the individual bedrooms, one could have a bit of privacy. They were not after all voyeurs. At least not for the most part.

At the moment that wasn’t an issue. It seemed that most of the family was near the lake. She could sense Fester, Pugsley, Enid and Parker. Closer at hand she could feel the presence of her mother sitting on one of the patios overlooking the yard between the house and the lake. If Ms. Claire was at home she couldn’t sense her yet. Perhaps in her own room preparing lessons she supposed.

From where she stood her mother was between her and the others. Wednesday paused for a short moment, torn over which way to go. She wanted her wolf of course but she did have some unfinished business with her mother. That and some lingering guilt for how she had treated her parents over the years. It was a necessary side effect of releasing the choke hold she had held over her emotions after so long.

Not liking the feeling of lingering guilt she opted to face it head on instead of hiding from it. And since it was a couple of days before a holiday devoted to admitting how grateful you were for the blessings in your life it felt to be the right time. There was no arguing with the symbolism in this case. Exiting the house she approached her mother who relaxed on a comfortable chair looking down towards the lake.

Morticia was bundled up against the weather and reclining comfortably. It wasn’t particularly cold but the wind could carry a bit of a bite to it. As Wednesday got closer she realized that there was another blanket folded on one of the empty seats next to her mother. Despite herself she rolled her eyes a bit. She had been expected then it seems. That happened more often than she liked when living with a seer.

“I see that you were waiting for me.”

“You see correctly my little specter,” Morticia agreed. “Don’t worry though. I have nothing malicious in mind. But I do come bearing gifts if you’re willing to oblige me.”

Her mother graced her with a smile and indicated the empty chair. The younger Addams shrugged and sat as indicated, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders. Her eyes were drawn to the lake where it appeared that Fester and Pugsley were working on their catapult. Parker and Enid were sitting to the side and watching them. It was hard to make out details from this distance but by all appearances it was a calm, peaceful family moment. Of course, in this family, that could turn to absolute pandemonium at a moment’s notice.

“What are they doing?” she ventured to ask.

“Your brother and Fester have an experiment in mind involving that old catapult,” she said with a sigh. “They have been wondering of late how much abuse they can take without actually bruising. I think they intend to launch themselves into a solid tree or the house and compare the results.”

Wednesday sighed to herself and shook her head.

“So, you’re watching over them in case someone needs a limb reattached or a tree limb removed from their forehead?”

“You know me too well darling. I suppose there is some value in knowing how much they can endure but it still troubles me to know they have to hit a limit someday. A mother worries after all.”

To Wednesday’s ears there was more to the sentence. Such as a mother worries when her children hold them off at a distance and are emotionally unreachable. Or perhaps fear that their spawn had almost been lost to them after an undead pilgrim attacked the school.

“I am sorry mother.”

“Sorry? My dear, whatever for?”

That was the problem with these heart-to-heart talks. She would have to not only explore her emotions and acknowledge them but also share them. It was pure torture. But in this case it was past overdue.

“I was wrong mother. I was so afraid of being hurt more and of losing my independence that I choose to cut myself off from my own feelings. Even worse, from my own family.”

She paused there, frowning to herself. Morticia took note of her discomfort.

“No one blames you darling. No two people are the same and everyone grows up differently. As long as you were safe we were willing to let you be whatever you needed to be. It is our way after all to celebrate each other’s differences.”

True to form, Morticia tried to make her feel better. Wednesday recognized that much. She had cut herself off from them, didn’t fully appreciate her family or anything they had done for her. Now, understanding how horrible some families were to their own children, she couldn’t help but realize how good she had had it all these years.

“I have come to realize how awful some families are Enid’s in particular is a wretched example. Coming to realize how difficult her life had been helped me to see how good I had it. And that opened my eyes. I think…that the origins of my feelings for her were in part learning to empathize with her situation. You and father provided Pugsley and I with everything we needed to thrive.”

Wednesday lost her train of thought with the admission. There were more eloquent ways to express her feelings. She was just too overwhelmed in the feelings themselves to communicate it properly. While she struggled with what to say Morticia reached out and took her hand, squeezing it tenderly.

“Darling, we knew you struggled at times. We also knew you needed your space. It was a torment not always knowing how to help you. But we had faith. Faith that you would one day find your way through the difficult maze that is growing up in this world. We watched and waited, trying to always be ready for whatever you might need. No matter what, we wanted to be close enough to help without pushing you away.”

Wednesday returned the squeeze, her lip trembling a bit.

“You have done as well as could be expected, given how difficult I made it on you. I just want to say that I appreciate it. Maybe I still can’t fully express it, but I do love you both very much. And I hope to do as well as you have when and if I am blessed with children as well. We can be quite the handful, can’t we?”

Morticia chuckled a bit in reply.

“All children are a handful, but I wouldn’t have traded either of you for anything. Any parent can be judged on how happy their children grow to be. When you and Enid are so blessed, I think you will do a magnificent job.”

“Is that just a theory or have you seen something?”

Her mother flinched a bit and shrugged.

“Do you really want to know? Let’s say a little of both. My visions have been somewhat…disjointed of late. I tried too hard and lost clarity. At least your father has said that the danger we face is some time off. With the preparations we are making there shouldn’t be any real danger for several months yet. That said I would almost prefer an immediate enemy that we could strike out at instead of this endless waiting.”

“Agreed. Maybe it is selfish of me, but I just want some time with my wolf and my family. But with all of this hovering over us I can’t seem to fully relax. And poor Enid…she deserves so much more. She worries too and I regret not being able to devote myself to her more fully.”

Morticia shifted her seat a bit to be sitting facing her daughter.

“I understand completely. Enid is a dear girl. We spent a bit of time getting to know each other while tending the plants and walking by the lake before they all drifted down to work on the catapult. I think that being here helps her mental state a lot. And she does love you so. You two make such a lovely couple.”

The younger Addams sighed a bit and smiled.

“I hope to save her from all the troubles she has suffered. She deserves so much more than the abuse that was showered on her. We have pledged to court each other in our own ways. I’m forging the weapon for her now and intend to present it over the weekend. Apparently, she is going to kill something to prove that she is a good provider. The werewolf ways of romance seem refreshingly direct.”

Her mother laughed a bit at that, regarding her daughter with a bemused smile.

“She asked me which sort of wild game you preferred. I hope you don’t object but I offered her what guidance I could and answered all of her questions honestly. Whatever she winds up providing I think you will be pleased.”

“I’m sure I will be. It still boggles my mind that she would return my feelings. She is so good and kind while I am…not. I don’t feel that I deserve her but so long as she is willing to tolerate me I will give her my all.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself darling. She sees you as you truly are and loves you for it. The two of you will be so wonderful together and support each other so well. Speaking of which, I have a present for you. And then some answers if you are ready. I have so much to tell you. But first things first.”

The young goth regarded her mother curiously as Morticia picked up a small pouch that rested on the table beside them. Opening it she offered a small vial that Wednesday took with a curious expression.

“You might not be aware but even little love nips from a werewolf can accumulate over time. I know it would not be her intention but to avoid an accidental case of lycanthropy I’ve devised a small antidote for you. Just take one dose of this every month. I’ve brewed plenty.”

Wednesday remembered the marks on her neck. While she wore them as a mark of pride, as evidence of their love, it was still mildly embarrassing to have them commented on. Still, she accepted the gift in the spirit it had been intended. While becoming a werewolf held some attraction to her it was not something to be hoped for. Most who were infected died and even for those who didn’t it could interfere with her psychic abilities and her budding magical talents. Better to be prepared.

She found herself touched by the thoughtfulness of the gift. As always her mother was looking out for her. Protecting her in ways both big and small, all the while anticipating potential problems Wednesday herself hadn’t foreseen. How could she ever repay such care? She would have to ponder that in more detail. And all the while remind herself not to hide from or diminish such courtesy. She still had a lot to learn it would seem.

“Thank you mother,” she said with a small smile. “I’ll take it with dinner tonight. As for answers, did you have something specific in mind?”

Best to ask first she supposed. Wednesday had many questions for her mother. It was best to know first though if she had something specific to confess before she started with her inquiries. There was so much to be said between them that she didn’t want to miss any of it.

“I did. By now I would suppose you would want to know what was going on with Joel.”

This indeed piqued her interest. She had wondered about his absence, supposing her parents anticipated some use for him in their war plans. He was a loyal friend but not particularly powerful as ghosts went. He would gladly attempt whatever they might ask of him though.

“I have wondered and supposed you planned for him to aid somehow in the coming unpleasantries. To my knowledge though he only had two tethers, one to his boyhood home and then the other to our home. He wouldn’t be able to manifest anywhere else would he?”

“He did have a tether to his parent’s home but that one was fading over time. His parents weren’t able to deal with his death or adapt to the fact that he was a ghost. He stopped manifesting to them and let the link fade. The poor dears just weren’t able to cope with it all. But he never had a connection, till recently anyway, to our house. His connection was to you darling.”

Wednesday did not have a ready answer to that. They had been close to be sure but she had underestimated his personal attachment to her. Once again, she found herself humbled to how much she was truly loved by the important people in her life.

“I hadn’t realized…” she said in a pained tone. “He cared for me more than I understood. Mores the pity I couldn’t return his affections.”

Morticia smiled gently and reached for her hand again. A gentle squeeze helped to ground her daughter and ease her disquiet.

“He understands darling. And he will adore Enid just as much as the rest of us do. When you left for Nevermore he found that he couldn’t follow you. The simple wards at the school were enough to block him. I quickly realized his presence was fading so helped him form a new link to the house so he wouldn’t be forced out of this world. Then, recently, he showed another talent I hadn’t expected he possessed.”

She paused for a moment, seeming to gather her thoughts before continuing.

“As you know I saw Larissa was in need of help in a vision. The same vision showed me something had befallen you but that you were recovering. We left immediately to go to the school. As it turns out your battle with Crackstone occurred while we were in route. Joel was able to sense your distress but couldn’t come to your side so he informed Grandmama who called your father’s cell phone.”

Sudden realization struck Wednesday as the story played out.

“He will be able to know if I am in danger and can call for help if I am unable to?”

“Indeed. He described the scene in the tomb and was able to see Enid attack the Hyde and then you and your friends defeat Crackstone. It took a while for us to make sense of the details and compare notes, but your father latched on to the idea of having another way to keep watch in case something goes wrong while you’re at school. Joel was able to keep Grandmama advised about where you were and your condition as it developed.

While we were there, I helped him forge two additional tethers. One to the school and one to our new house in Jericho. Larissa has agreed to let him visit so the new wards will be designed to accommodate him. If something happens to you he can alert us that much faster. If, spirits forbid, you are taken captive, he will be able to lead us to you. As he gets to know your friends he might be able to help them as well. If nothing else being able to go places you can’t and not be seen should help us keep a more watchful eye on things.”

Wednesday found herself at a loss for words. This news took a few moments to sort out. Not only did Joel care more for her than she thought but her parents had been hard at work to help ensure her safety and their missions success. It was a bit overwhelming in the moment.

“It will be nice to have him there with me,” she finally admitted. “The rest…I don’t know what to make of it yet. You have certainly been busy.”

“Wednesday, my dear little monster…I know you’re a young woman now and probably don’t want your parents watching you so closely. But there is no mountain we wouldn’t move to keep you safe. We know you will be a part of all of this no matter what we do. One day in the coming months our enemies will strike at the school and we need to be ready no matter what form that attack takes. Your father believes that attack will be a feint to draw our attention away from where the larger threat lies. Sadly, we can’t neglect either front.”

The younger goth thought about that for a moment. There were a lot of emotions bubbling just under her normal icy exterior. True, it was a bit unsettling to have her parents keeping such a watchful eye on her. All of her pride aside though after the most recent events at school it wasn’t a bad idea. It wasn’t because they doubted her abilities per se but there was so much on the line that any bit of advantage they could find would be important to the overall war efforts.

Then there was the matter of a vision regarding efforts to kidnap her to get more information regarding the weapon they were building. Not to mention the fact that it was all based on her research. It was the right thing to keep her safe and draw as much of the enemy’s attention as they could. She, as well as all the faculty and students at Nevermore, were being used as a decoy. It wasn’t ideal but they knew for certain the hunters would attack in some way. They just needed to prepare as best they could and make the most of the opportunity.

“Because if we try to finish them early to prevent the future you saw we will only slow it’s coming to pass. We still know too little about them and can’t be sure to end the threat totally unless we allow it to come to play out. It’s dangerous and more than a little vexing but if we play the long game we can claim the victory you saw and end all of this once and for all.”

It was more of a statement than a question. Wednesday just had to remind herself of the logic of it every once in a while. Out of necessity she had to play a lesser role in this than she had with the Crackstone matter. That had seemed almost world ending from her point of view, but this was closer to being an extinction level event for her people than the undead pilgrim ever could have been. She, her friends and the whole school in fact were a small theatre in what would prove to be a larger war.

That bothered her to a degree. At her core she wanted to lead the fight to the enemy and be the one to twist the knife in the heart of whomever was behind this. It was humbling to realize that she wasn’t the answer here. Her elders carried the heavier burden here. For once she didn’t envy them for the responsibility of it.

“Exactly,” Morticia replied. “And your father hopes you will be able to gather more information about who is behind all of this. I don’t like your having to be the bait for a trap, but it is likely they will inadvertently give up some clues in preparing for an attack on Nevermore. Anything you discover might become very important as all of this plays out.”

Wednesday sighed a bit to herself. One of the more annoying curses upon her family was the urge they all seemed to have to protect other outsiders. And to help police their own as well. There had been other times when it came to pass that the Addams family put their own safety on the line to handle a threat to them all. Or to end a threat from other outsiders which would bring the full weight of the normie world down upon them all. It was tedious but needed doing.

“Remind me to dig up and slap whichever of our ancestors had caused us to be cursed like this.”

Morticia couldn’t help but laugh a little at that.

“If we can ever figure out which one it was. Our family does have the most interesting of curses. At least it is never boring.”

There was always that of course. Their family tree was long and snaked about in all sorts of directions. Whichever ancestor was at fault would likely remain a mystery forever. That didn’t mean she wasn’t going to look and hope for the best.

While Wednesday pondered that though she was distracted by some movement down by the lake. The catapult had been activated and she saw the device in motion. At the same time she saw her uncle being launched into the air and heard his yells of excitement. He flew clean over their heads at a high altitude. From where she sat Morticia couldn’t see it but heard enough to make all the right assumptions.

“They launched Fester, didn’t they?”

“Yes. He has enough altitude to clear the house. At that angle he might make it almost all the way to the highway.”

“Well, shall we go see where he landed? He might require some first aid this time.”

The younger Addams stood, offering a hand to help her mother up. They both gathered their blankets around their shoulders and turned to go. As they marched off in the right direction they were passed by Enid, Parker and Pugsley who were all running excitedly to catch up to Fester. They were all laughing and clearly enjoying themselves.

“Did you see that Willa?” Enid yelled as they rushed past. “That was totally crazy!”

And with that they were gone, all intent on reaching the crater they supposed Fester was going to make upon landing. Wednesday shook her head in both amusement and amazement. While she doubted that her uncle would be badly hurt it was still rather surprising that her wolf so willingly accepted that as well.

“And you worried whether she would fit in or not.”

Glancing at her mother and seeing the obvious amusement in her expression Wednesday couldn’t hide her own small smile.

“Perhaps I didn’t give her enough credit,” she finally said, still smiling. “As you said, it’s never dull.”

Sure enough, when they all arrived Fester had recovered enough to stand up under his own power. He had indeed created a smallish crater and had taken out a few trees in his passing. Somehow he managed to swallow a small tree branch on the way down and was choking it back up when the rest had arrived.

Wednesday marveled at them all as Pugsley congratulated Fester on a fine landing and the girls were laughing and asking how it had felt to fly. Glancing at her mother she noted a relieved smile before she nodded to her daughter and turned to walk back to the house. They would revisit the conversation later. Morticia seemed tired and Wednesday was feeling drawn back to her wolf. Luckily, they should have time over the break to discuss everything they would need to.

“If you lot are done trying to destroy the forest perhaps we should head home. Dinner will be soon and Fester looks like he was drug through a pig wallow. You may have to finally put that coat out of its misery.”

They all laughed, which was fine, as they turned back towards the house. Despite herself Wednesday was actually enjoying all the excitement. They would be facing intrigue and danger soon but for now it just felt good to be spending some quality family time. And no one did family time quite like the Addams family did.

Chapter Text

Things calmed down considerably once Fester was able to walk away from the crater he had made in the forest. They had all gone their separate ways to get ready for dinner and then the family spent about an hour eating and gossiping among themselves. Enid had spent a little time with Wednesday after that and noticed how anxious her gothic paramour was about the book she had received from Grandmama. It was clear to her that her girlfriend was more than ready to start studying.

She couldn’t begrudge her that. Wednesday had been waiting for years on this opportunity and hadn’t released the book since she had received it. The blonde was reminded of a toddler carrying around their favorite blanket with the way she clutched the book to her chest and her eyes often darted towards it. She of course was wise enough not to mention that comparison aloud.

As they walked back up towards their shared room Enid stole glances towards her tiny terror and smiled to herself. The smaller girl was reviewing her to do list aloud as the wolf nodded along. She would need to ask later how she intended to find Goody within herself. And she still had questions about Joel, who had been mentioned a few times over dinner. Wednesday had promised to explain it all later. That was good enough for now.

“I can see you have some studying to do,” she ventured with a bright smile. “I can go bug Parker for awhile so you can have the room to yourself for a bit. Just as long as you promise not to blow yourself up doing any magic.”

Wednesday gave her a shy, uncertain glance that made Enid’s heart melt more than it already did.

“You…wouldn’t mind? It’s your room as well.”

“I know Willa. You have made that clear. But you’ve earned this. You study and I’ll come to bed later. Knowing you as I do, I half expect to come back and find that you’ve studied till you fell asleep clutching your book.”

The brunette blushed a bit and nodded. It was so very cute! But again, she didn’t make that observation aloud.

“Very well. I appreciate it. And I appreciate you. If you need anything…anything at all, come get me. And since you are being so considerate maybe we could take the first shopping trip I promised tomorrow before Thanksgiving.”

“That would be nice. Parker had suggested we all go shopping on Black Friday for better bargains but neither of us thought you would really be into that.”

“I have heard of this Black Friday. What is it exactly?”

Enid chuckled and tried to think of the best way to describe it.

“Well, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. It is like the busiest shopping day of the year, and they put out all sorts of sales and bargains to draw people in to get the Christmas shopping season going. So yeah, it’s like a big, gross exercise in cutthroat capitalism that turns out to be like a full contact gladiator event where shoppers try to outdo each other to get to all the good stuff first. It’s not unheard of for people to wind up bruised, battered or visiting the emergency room. It can get kind of intense.”

She was pleasantly surprised to see Wednesday smile a bit at the way she described it.

“You wouldn’t kid about that would you?”

The blonde can’t help but laugh.

“Nope. That is usually how it plays out. My mother took me with her one year and I saw more than a couple of black eyes and bruised faces in the crowd. Depending on the stores you’re in it can get kind of crazy.”

Wednesday seemed to ponder this for a bit.

“We could do both perhaps. Go shopping after lunch tomorrow to get you some new clothes while things will be more sedate and then go back out on Friday to see if we can get some of these bargains. If we do that though I would like to stop at the biggest store we can find that sells hunting equipment. My camping gear is getting kind of worn and I could use new knives.”

“Absolutely! And if the crowds and noise get too overwhelming we can stop. Whenever you like.”

The smaller girl nodded and smiled to herself.

“Very well. I’m invested in the idea now. You and Parker will need to explain the rules to me as I would like to avoid any legal troubles over the holidays. Might I assume weapons would be frowned upon.”

“Yeah, it’s not like the purge or anything. But I’m sure you can cause all sorts of mayhem with subtle kicks, elbows and punches in the press of the crowd.”

That said Wednesday pulled her close and placed a long, lingering kiss on her lips. Enid swooned a bit and blushed as her girlfriend stepped back. She was surprised that the invitation was actually accepted. She wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth as the old phrase went. With that Wednesday had given her a slight wave, a shy smile and then disappeared into their room. It took the blonde a moment or two to regain her balance before she went a little further up the hall and knocked on Parkers door.

“Come in,” she heard before stepping inside.

Parkers room was familiar to her by this point. They had been hanging out for awhile lately and getting to know each other. In fact, they were becoming fast friends.

“Uh-oh…. Someone is blushing and has smudged lipstick. Plus the dopey smile. Couldn’t you two make it to your room in time?”

The other girl’s eyes danced with mirth as she smiled at Enid’s embarrassment.

“Yes and no,” she admitted. “I told her I would be scarce for awhile to let her study that magic book. She hasn’t let go of it since this afternoon. But guess what.”

“What?”

“I explained to her what Black Friday could be like and now she is all keen to go. She seems to want to turn it into some sort of roller derby event. Have I created a monster?”

“Nah. Nature beat you to that,” she replied with a laugh. “Only you could convince her to go, even with the prospect of violence on the horizon. Good job.”

Enid flopped down on the floor near to the spot where Parker had obviously been laying down to read a magazine. They had already been spending some time together and getting to know each other. She was feeling comfortable enough now to ask some of the questions that had been burning in her mind.

“Parker? I was wondering if I could ask you some questions. If you don’t mind. From what Willa has told me we are a lot more alike than I had suspected. If it’s too personal just tell me to hush…but I really want to understand some things better. The Addams family is kind of…different. I adore them all but since we seem to come from similar circumstances maybe you can help me wrap my head around all this.”

The redhead nodded in understanding. It seemed as if she had been waiting for just this moment. It would seem she was more than willing to help Enid with this.

“What took you so long? Wednesday has told me some things about you. Nothing private but enough to let me know you had some troubles at home. That in a nutshell is kind of how I came to be a part of this big happy family.”

She couldn’t help but look away for a moment and sigh. It was all a little raw, still Enid knew she had to let it out. Had to, metaphorically speaking, lance the boil to drain it. One thing she had learned in her short time here was that there was no judgement. She could be herself, even if it was still a bit of a struggle. Gathering her courage, she brought her eyes back up to Parkers and only saw patience and understanding there.

“Yeah, family troubles. My mother is a manipulative bitch and was raising my brothers and I to hold opinions that ran contrary to things werewolf families are supposed to be about. And then, when I was late to change the first time, she treated me like I was a freak and put me through hell. And my dad just let it happen. As it turns out he is a war veteran with longstanding PTSD that I never knew about.

When our clan elder, my uncle, found out about how bad it was he kind of arrested them and they have to get counseling and lost custody of us. Plus a lot of shit I’m not even sure about. When my uncle found out that Wednesday and I were…together…he let me come here to stay with her instead of going to Seatle. It’s a lot to take in…”

She was beginning to unravel a bit as she spoke, but Parker just smiled and took her hand to encourage her. Enid took a deep breath, wiped some tears away before she continued.

“I thought there was something wrong with me. That if I wasn’t broken my mother would love me and my dad would come out of it and we could all be normal. But now I’m here and I finally start to feel normal instead of being treated like a gay late blooming disappointment.

You and your family accepted me and I’m still a hot mess. As happy as I am to be here, I still don’t know what to do with myself sometimes. I never thought anyone would love me like Wednesday does. It’s…a lot and now I’m messing it up again.”

Enid was surprised then when Parker shifted closer and pulled her into a tight hug. Without even realizing it she had begun to spiral and fortunately her new friend was able to pull her out of the worst of it. She hugged Parker back and sobbed softly on her shoulder. It took a few minutes then to understand what the other girl was telling her.

“Shhh…It’s okay. Let it all out. We aren’t going to turn our backs on you. Your family now and if it’s one thing the Addams family knows about its family. You came here with some trauma. Hell, most of us have it one way or another. But we support and love each other. No matter what. You hear me? Your safe here.”

Despite herself Enid couldn’t answer yet. She felt ashamed to be breaking down again. It wasn’t her plan. All she had wanted was to turn to Parker for some reassurance. Maybe a bit of clarity. Here she was again though, a useless, weeping mess.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, with Parker trying to reassure her and Enid slowly returning to her senses. Eventually the blonde found her voice.

“I’m sorry,” she said, wiping her eyes again. Looking over she saw Parker regarding her with a sad little smile.

“Don’t be sorry. Be glad you got it out. Believe it or not that is the best thing for when your emotions are all in a knot.”

Then, after a long moment she continued.

“Would it help if I tell you the story of how I wound up here? Maybe it will help you see you aren’t alone in this. They took me in, and they are taking you in. We both belong here.”

Enid sniffled a bit and nodded. With that subtle prompt Parker began her story. And it was not a short one. She described meeting Wednesday and how they became fast friends. At the time she had thought the Addams family was kind of weird and more than a bit scary. But she trusted Wednesday and before long they wound up in junior high together.

No details were spared. She went on at length about their adventures in school, how Wednesday had vanquished her bullies and how they were both at that point trying to rebel against what they both thought their mothers wanted them to be.

The blonde found herself entranced by the tale she was hearing. It resonated with her to a shocking degree. In a way Wednesday had saved the both of them. She had given them not only support but taught them to love themselves for what they were, not what their mothers had tried to make them be.

And naturally the story had its darker moments. Parker explained what a piece of work her own mother was, how she had tried to drive the Addams family away and destroy their home. At least till Parker, with Wednesday’s help, managed to show the vengeful crowd Margaux had whipped up how badly they had been manipulated. Even after all of that the Addams family forgave her and didn’t seek revenge.

But, of course, Margaux didn’t take the hint. She had dated Fester for a while, no doubt plotting to steal his money at some point. And then how, when she was stymied in that she had fled with all the money and valuables she could lay her hands on.

Parker’s voice dipped a bit, with many emotions at once heard in her tone. She went on to describe how Fester and Gomez had hunted her down, but not to recover the money. What had really angered them was her abandonment of her daughter. Fester insisted on gaining custody of Parker and raising her as part of his own family where she could be safe and happy. Hell, both her mother and father had argued about who ‘had’ to have custody of her when they had divorced. In effect they had both by now abandoned her. Fester promised her she would never be abandoned again and had kept to his word.

Now, some years later, she was an Addams by law since he had adopted her. Gomez had secured whatever paperwork was needed and Fester was officially her father. At this point she had no idea if either of her biological parents were even alive. And didn’t feel at all guilty for not caring about it. Soon, after her ritual, she would also be an Addams by biology as it would imprint some of their genetic traits on her. She would be an heir to the family legacy of magic and mystery…and couldn’t be happier.

Her story continued to resonate with Enid’s own. She had feared the changes that she felt occurring inside her heart and mind. Wednesday had reassured her, and she believed in her paramour, but when her past life had been little other than hurt and disappointment she was having trouble keeping her faith. After all, every previous change in her life had led to heartache. How could she be sure this one wouldn’t as well?

“So, everything I’m feeling is normal? At least relatively speaking?”

“Very little here is normal honey,” Parker said with a sad little smile. “But I look at it like this: the normie world failed me. My family did too, just a bit more painfully. After all, I should have been able to trust in my family, right? But no. We were both discarded and broken by those who should have had our backs.

Well, none of them did, not for either of us. You can decide for yourself if they can ever be redeemed in your eyes. I’ve made my choice. The normie world sucks for the most part. I’ve given up on the lies of government, religions and cultural stereotypes on what I should be. The Addams family is at least honest in what we are, and we take care of ourselves…and each other. It’s more of a family than I ever had before.”

Parker recovered a bit from having dredged up the old trauma. She seemed fully vested now in helping Enid to come to the same realizations that she had. The wolf had only known her for a few days now and she had been more of a help to her than anyone in San Francisco ever had. That fact was not lost on Enid. Nor was the realization of how welcoming and kind the rest of the family was being. Logically speaking she was hard-pressed not to see things in the same light.
Of course it was still a little odd. She marveled at how natural it was starting to feel to think and act like the Addams’. Bit by bit she was becoming part of their world. It still felt a bit scary after their talk but nowhere near as bad as before. It all just felt a bit more manageable now and she was grateful for that.

By this point the both of them were emotionally exhausted but still in the mood to talk. Parker told her more about the family and her time among them. How Fester had built a new home for her atop the ruins of Camp Chippewa in Wisconsin and recruited Ms. Claire to take care of her when he was away…which was becoming less and less uncommon as time went on. He was obviously trying really hard to be the kind of father she needed, and Parker obviously appreciated it and adored him in return.

For her part Enid shared some stories about her days at Nevermore and meeting Wednesday there. She shared every detail of the mess with the Hyde, Crackstone and Laurel Gates, going into great detail about her first change. Talking about it all was becoming easier she noticed. Parker had been right. Letting it all out eased the trauma some. Or at the very least put it into a better perspective. Some of it all became easier to manage as time went on.

Somewhere around midnight they both paused as they felt an odd sensation from the house. Someone had just arrived it would seem, and they were both attuned well enough to feel it. Parker looked off into space for a moment with a confused expression.

“Uncle Gomez is home. There is someone with him though. I can’t quite make out who it is.”

Enid scented the air for a moment, but it wasn’t her acute nose that made the identification.

“I think that is…principal Weems with him.”

Her tone was tired but also excited at the same time.

“Wait, wasn’t he working with her on business for the school? And other…more personal matters?”

Enid felt a sense of relief to recognize that Parker was also aware of what seemed to be going on with her aunt, uncle and the principal. Wednesday had said something about speaking with Parker about it. Which meant it wasn’t a secret so she could speak of it openly.

“Yeah, personal matters. I think they would make a lovely throuple, don’t you?”

“Can’t say for sure. I don’t know anything about her other than what you’ve told me in your blog.”

“Oh…well, I can share some deets if you want.”

Of course Parker wanted her to. They were both mentally and emotionally exhausted though. Enid gave it a worthy try but soon the both of them gave in and just fell asleep where they lay. It was comfortable in a way to be so at ease here with Wednesday and Parker and all the rest of the family. She was embracing the strangeness, and it felt right. Despite falling asleep on the hard floor Enid surrendered to the best sleep she had had in weeks.

Chapter Text

The basement of the Addams family manor was dark and dusty. If rumors were to be believed it was a place of mystery, dark magic and unspeakable dangers. Some said they even kept dungeon cells complete with the suffering victims of anyone who had wronged them, or even just common folk who had gotten on their nerves.

Larissa didn’t believe all of that. She had spent a lot of time with Gomez during her years in high school as a student. He was certainly odd and had his quirks. He could also be violent when the situation called for it. Effectively and of quite brutally violent. It wasn’t his first impulse though and one had to push him very hard to resort to such measures. Even Wednesday, who seemed to have the shortest temper of the whole family, generally gave a warning before causing real harm to anyone.

No, she had never believed that the Addams family was a danger to anyone who didn’t go out of their way to antagonize them. She wasn’t scared of Gomez or any of them. True, they could be dangerous, and she did respect them all. Larissa had just never let other people’s rumors dictate her feelings about any of them.

For all that though Gomez did worry her on another level. Damn him anyway. For all his morbid, and sometimes clownish ways, he was also the most charming man she had ever met. Like his entire family Gomez was proudly himself, not conforming to anyone else’s opinions of what he should be. He was loyal to a fault but sometimes so single-minded and obsessive that he accidentally left hurt in his wake. As he had with her.

She had known that for a long, long time. Why was she so surprised when it happened? The three of them had become so close, until they weren’t anymore. Till they moved on from high school without her? And knowing that it was possible why had she let it hurt her so badly?

In that moment Larissa could more easily empathize with Wednesday in her trauma over the years. What would that poor girl have been like if not for the hurts she had received from normies who pushed their luck by tormenting a child? She had no sympathy for those who had crossed her and paid the price. Because she too had let herself become just as hardened when she had been hurt.

As they passed through the gate and into the New Jersey manor the lights came on in the room. Gomez was leading her by the hand. His smile could have lit the room up all on its own. She couldn’t hold back a smile of her own despite the bad case of nerves that was taking hold. This was madness. She knew he was single-minded, often obsessive in the extreme. Why had she agreed to this? Morticia was going to kill them both. She was certain of it.

“Welcome to my home Rissa,” he said after giving her eyes a moment to adjust to the light. “I trust you weathered the gate with no distress. It can be disorienting the first time you pass through one.”

As her eyes cleared, she took note not only of his wide smile but also their surroundings. It was a large room with many doorways such as the one they just passed through. There were also chairs scattered around a room almost the size of a football field. And there, among the chairs was also some vintage looking pieces of medieval torture equipment.

Her eyes fell upon what was obviously a well-maintained rack with the gears recently oiled. A mental image crossed her mind of Morticia punishing her on that rack for what she had done. And she would deserve it. With that thought in mind she was also shocked to find herself a bit aroused at the possibility.

“Damn it Gomez,” she said in a quiet tone. “Your contagious.”

His brow furrowed in confusion, so he glanced towards where she was looking and then laughed. Despite herself she loved the sound of it and blushed when he came to the proper conclusion. Crazy, charming, dangerous little man. She still couldn’t help but love him.

“I see you have noticed the rack. We have several you know. This one is mostly for guests if they need to unwind. Pugsley has been doing some maintenance work on it.”

“Your wife is going to end me on your toys Gomez,” she said in a pained tone. “And I can’t blame her when she does. We’ve…betrayed her. She will never forgive me.”

Despite her normally stoic demeanor and strict self-control the tall woman can’t stop the tears that began to run down her face. In her imagination Morticia was going to kill them both. He had seduced her to be sure but, in her fearfulness, Larissa thought she should have resisted more. She knew how he could be. She should have been the adult in the room and resisted harder. Why couldn’t she have resisted?

“No, she will not,” he said, his tone calming and full of affection. “She understood my intentions when I stayed late. In fact, she wanted for us to talk and work out our differences.”

“Differences? Gomez…you choose Morticia. You love her more than anything in the world. I know that. And I should have accepted it better than I did. If you hadn’t needed help with Wednesday you both would have gone on with your lives and not given me a second thought.”

Gomez gazed at the floor, clearly stung by what she had said. His expression showed his remorse and seemed a pretty good indicator, to her anyway, that what she said was the truth. But his next words took the wind out of her sails.

“There is some truth in what you say, but it isn’t the entire story. As you know, I am single-minded impetuous. When I found my courage to propose I did and didn’t stop to think about anything other than what I felt in the moment. We barely stayed long enough to get our diplomas before we left to go back to Europe. That was my fault. I will admit to it.

But you are wrong on other points. We both thought of you. Often. The love I had felt for you never ended. And if anything, Tish’s affections for you grew ever fonder. I was ashamed of having kept her away from you. In the early days I so desperately feared you would take her from me, so I stood in the way. It was my fault she didn’t reach out to you. My fault we left so suddenly. I was insanely jealous and that was wrong of me.”

Uncertainty gripped Larissa’s heart. She could easily picture it as having been like that. Right this moment she didn’t know what to feel.

“When you both came to my office with Wednesday you looked so angry with me Gomez. I didn’t know what to think. It seemed like after all that time I was just a tool you needed to help your daughter.”

The tears still flowed, and she clenched her eyes shut at the memory.

“I was angry,” he said simply. “But not with you. I was ashamed to come to you begging favors after I realized what a fool I had been. It was me, Rissa. I was the problem. You and Tish could have been so much happier if I hadn’t been a selfish fool. Can you ever forgive me?”

It was silent for a long moment while she tried to dry her eyes. Turning to regard him when she could focus again Larissa noted his earnest, loving expression. Sighing heavily, she finally replied.

“I’ve already forgiven you Gomez. But this is insane. What could I be to you now? Or to Morticia? You already have a family. A beautiful wife, two kids with another on the way and a good life here. The sort of life I always wanted. A family of my own…”

She can’t complete the sentence before he pulls her into a tight embrace. Despite her misgivings she can’t help but surrender to him, longing for his support and understanding in this moment. She was afraid but in his arms it seemed to fade.

“Listen to me Rissa. I have more to say. When Tish had her vision, she became desperate to save you, as was I. We both felt that there was too much left unsaid between us. She too felt shame to have been apart from you all of those years. As I said though, that was all my fault, and with the thought of losing you forever looming as a possibility we were desperate to not let you die without at least trying to earn your forgiveness.

I understand now that my jealousy and desire to keep her has hurt both of you. She too understood that and managed to forgive me for being an idiot. She swore not to leave me for you but wanted to know if there was still anything between you and I. It was her that wanted me to spend time with you, to see if anything remained of our old romance. She has expressed an openness to us all sharing our lives. So long as you and I could both love her and each other.”

Larissa found herself stunned into silence. All of that was twisting and churning around in her mind and she couldn’t quite get a handle on her thoughts. What was he suggesting? An occasional threesome? Hidden affairs on the side? She wanted more but was still desperate not to lose the hope that they could be serious and make her a real part of their lives.

“I wouldn’t make good part time lover Gomez,” she said in a shaky voice, leaning in to kiss him on the top of the head. Despite the rolling chaos in her head and heart she found herself, as always, amused at the height difference between them. She stood a few inches taller than Morticia and a few inches more over Gomez. Oddly enough she had always found that charming and adored him all the more for it.

“Who said anything about part time?” he replied in a serious tone. “If you would have us anyway. I want the chance to love you…give you the children you have craved. We could all build a life together. We don’t want you as a cheap thrill on the side. And we sure as hell don’t want to hurt you anymore.”

Her mouth went dry and her heart skipped a beat. Several in fact. Larissa didn’t know what to say and was still trying to wrestle her thoughts into some sort of logical order. Then she heard what sounded like someone walking towards them out of the darkness. Despite Gomez’s reassurances she still feared that Morticia would shoot them both when she discovered what had happened. Stepping away from him she looked towards the approaching footsteps.

“Mother?” Gomez said, glancing towards Grandmama as she came out of the shadows. “I didn’t know you were down here. Did we disturb you?”

His tone was somewhere between curious and surprised. Not nervous as Larissa had expected for a married man to be found with another woman by his mother. She tried to school her features and greet the witch as well but could only manage a polite nod. This was rather mortifying to be honest, and only a step short of having been caught in the act by Morticia herself.

“I get having to teach Fester about romance,” Grandmama said with a chuckle. “By now I thought that you would know better.”

“How so mother?” he replied, seeming to not understand her meaning.

“This is a classy, accomplished lady,” the old woman continued. “And you’re screwing it up. Don’t you think that you both should go and see Morticia? She has been waiting anxiously for both of you. But first things first. Step away for a minute so I can speak with her.”

They both stared at her in surprise for a moment before Gomez obliged and stepped a few paces away. Larissa’s eyes grew large as Grandmama stepped into her space and regarded her with twinkling eyes and a wide smile. All the rumors of the elder Addams being a powerful witch with an unpredictable temperament played on loop in her minds eye while the older woman spoke.

“My sons…I do love them so, but they can both be rather dense sometimes. May I translate for you?”

She nodded, not sure of what was to come. The old witch was giving off friendly vibes though, so she wasn’t as afraid as she had been. That seemed like a step in the right direction.

“He does love you. You and Morticia both. If you can love them both I see that you can be very happy with us, and you would be most welcome. Wednesday of course might be a little prickly but now that she is tasting love for the first time, she will be a lot more understanding than you might suspect. If you can be strong, they can fulfil your dreams. Can you be strong enough to find your happiness in this circus we call a family?”

“Even if Morticia agrees…there would be so many obstacles. I…I’m not sure I could continue to work at Nevermore if two of my stepchildren and a niece are attending? And with all the danger coming with the hunters? Wouldn’t it be selfish of me to add more drama to the mix?”

She hated how desperate and unsure her voice sounded. Grandmama was kind though and didn’t tease her for it. She was surprisingly supportive and had a calming influence.

“That was why I questioned if you were strong enough? Don’t think that as you grow closer to them that you would be alone. All of us will be at your side to help you through whatever problems there might be. My son is a lawyer you know, and on the board of governors for your school. Have faith that he will find a way through the mundane problems. If not him then another of the family or our allies. If you truly love them then we will find a way.”

Larissa wipes her eyes again, looking back and forth between Gomez and Grandmama.

“I…think we should go see Morticia now,” she finally said, daring to hope. “And thank you Grandmama. For the extra bit of courage.”

The old woman cackled in delight.

“I knew that I liked you,” she said with a big smile. “Have no fear. And welcome to the family. We should talk later.”

Stepping away the old woman turned back to Gomez and tossed him a large diamond ring she had hidden in her hand.

“I’m sure you recognize the ring. It is one of the engagement rings your dear departed father gave me. I swear, Ignacio gave me one a month, if not more, between the day he proposed and our wedding day. Don’t ask how many wedding rings I wound up with.”

She paused there, a fond memory playing in her mind’s eye it would seem. For a moment the old witch was lost in memories before she spoke again.

“My point is, you and Morticia should make an honest woman of her. You don’t think you can properly court a classy woman with just a wink and a promise do you? Do it right Gomez or don’t do it at all.”

With that she turned and winked once at Larissa before walking away and leaving them to their own devices. Gomez watched her go with a fond expression. Larissa still wasn’t entirely sure what to make of the whole encounter, but she couldn’t help but feel a little better about the whole situation.

“Well then,” he finally said. “I do believe that my wife, perhaps our wife if your willing, is waiting for us. Shall we be on our way?”

He offered his arm and she only hesitated for a moment before taking it.

“Yes, lets. But if she is angry, I’m sacrificing you to make my escape.”

Gomez gave her that dazzling smile again before leading them out of the room. Larissa wasn’t sure what was about to happen, but she kept Grandmama’s words in mind. No matter what was to come she wasn’t going to be afraid. She had made it this far and nothing would make her back down now.

Chapter Text

She awakened before dawn. That was hardly unusual. Wednesday had always been an early riser. Something felt off this morning though and it took her a few moments to put her finger on the reason for it. She had indeed fallen asleep on top of the covers while still clutching her book. Just as Enid had suspected. But where was Enid?

She sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. A quick glance around the room proved that the wolf was not there. It was probably something innocent and not a sign that she had scared her girlfriend away. She had her nagging doubts though. Wednesday had no delusions that she was a good person or a joy to be around. Maybe she had ruined it all in some way.

Taking a deep breath, she got off the bed and reluctantly laid the book aside. Taking a moment to concentrate she tried to find the girl in the house. That too felt odd. She could sense Enid was in the house somewhere but no certainty of where she might be. That and another presence which she couldn’t in the moment place. For that to be true they must be in one of the bedrooms or deliberately trying to hide. This needed looked into.

Stepping out of her own room she walked towards Parker’s. The last thing Enid had said was about going to talk to her cousin. Not wanting to wake anyone she stopped at the door and tried the handle. It wasn’t locked so she opened it slightly to peek inside. She first saw Parker asleep on one of her bean bags. Cracking the door a bit more she saw Enid, who was also asleep on the other bean bag some feet away. There was a large collection of gossip and fashion magazines scattered around the floor around them.

Wednesday took a long calming breath to calm herself. Ok then, it was all very innocent. They had been gossiping and fell asleep. Enid hadn’t snuck off in the middle of the night. Panic attack averted she supposed, though she did chide herself a bit for having been so worried in the first place. She would have to work on her trust issues and fear of abandonment. That being solved she pulled the door shut and left them to sleep. Now that she was up anyway, she would go to the kitchen and find something to tide her over till breakfast.

It would be at least another hour till Lurch came in to start breakfast. A light snack would sustain her till then. Whomever the other presence was she could determine later. The house didn’t react in a way that would lead her to believe it was an intruder. So long as it wasn’t a threat she could see no urgency to track them down.

Mixing up a bowl of oatmeal she seasoned it with some extra brown sugar and just a hint of cyanide. That should give her the kick she needed to start the day. If things were to go to plan, she would be shopping at the mall in a few hours. She would need extra energy and self-control so she wouldn’t maim any of the other shoppers. It would be worth it though. Enid needed to be out and about sometimes. She was too sociable of a person to stay cooped up in the mansion for too long at a time. She and Parker both needed to get out for a while. She, as a good cousin and girlfriend, would deal with the crowds for their sake.

For a long while she sat there peacefully, not really thinking of anything. Her mind was still a bit clouded from waking up early and the memory of her magic study from last night. She had made progress, and it felt good. The tome included a lot of training exercises to sense and channel small amounts of power. Magic could be like a muscle in that way. One needed to strengthen their magic bit by bit through repetitive exercises.

As she pondered this she was barely paying attention to her surroundings. At least till she heard someone in the next room walking her way. Glancing up she was surprised to see principal Weems enter the room wearing only a night gown and a robe. For a moment they both stared at each other in surprise till Larissa found her voice.

“Oh! Excuse me, Miss Addams. I didn’t realize anyone else was up.”

Well, that was another mystery solved Wednesday thought. Weems was obviously the other presence she had felt and must have been in one of the bedrooms till just a few moments ago. This explained that much at least.

“It’s alright,” the young goth replied. “I wasn’t expecting you for a few weeks though. Did father talk you into coming to stay early?”

The older woman blushed a bit.

“You could say that. He is quite…persuasive.”

Despite herself, Wednesday smiled a bit. Not an outright grin but a small smile. Most folks wouldn’t have even recognized it as such. She was quietly pleased though by this development.

“You and he did talk then? And he brought you over so the both of you could speak with mother and sort yourselves out?”
“How did you know?”

“I do fancy myself as something of a detective you might recall. You look quite pleased with whatever has happened, and it doesn’t look like you have gotten much sleep. And if I’m not mistaken that is mother’s robe that you’re wearing.”

Weems blushed even more furiously but didn’t deny anything Wednesday had said. Taking that as an admission of sorts she motioned for their guest to sit before speaking again.

“I did say the three of you needed to talk and that you all had feelings still for each other. Believe it or not I am happy for you all. The three of you deserve whatever happiness you can find in each other.”

“It’s all still a bit tenuous still,” Larissa admitted. “I guess you could say we are still figuring everything out. But when Gomez and Morticia both asked me to stay I just couldn’t say no.”

She fretted for a moment, regarding Wednesday with a bit of apprehension.

“Are you still sure that it won’t upset you if I’m here long term? I know that you hate change and that there are a lot of reasons for that. Causing you or any of the family distress is the last thing I would want.”

“I’m sure,” she replied with a slight frown. “There might be occasions when I seem irritable or difficult, but it isn’t your fault. If I pull away or retreat to my room, it isn’t because of you. I only have so much social band width at a time. Enid has helped me to manage it and is helping a lot. She even convinced me to go shopping for clothes today. I’m going to try and get through a day at the mall without choking the life out of someone.”

Larissa smiled at that.

“The two of you are still doing well then? I’m glad to hear that. We may have butted heads before, but I have seen a lot of personal growth from you since you started at Nevermore.”

While Wednesday found compliments from most people to be rather empty and puerile it felt a bit different when they came from people she respected. Larissa was really a part of the family now, just as Enid was becoming and Parker had before her. Compliments from family were to be treasured as far as she was concerned.

“We are doing well. And I’m trying to do better still. Enid deserves the best I can give so I work to become a better girlfriend. But you have already forgotten something.”

Larissa looked confused before replying.

“How so?”

“You called me Miss Addams when you entered the kitchen,” she said with a half smirk. “Remember, when we are here or not officially in public at school you should call me Wednesday. And I will call you Larissa. We are family now. Don’t ever forget that.”

“Right you are…Wednesday. It will take some time to get used to though. Please pardon me if it takes a few tries to get it right. And since we are having this nice chat, could you tell me if your parents are playing a joke on me? When I excused myself to get some tea they asked me to brew a pot of strong coffee and pour it down one of the toilets. Why would they ask me to do that?”

Wednesday actually grins at the question and chuckles a bit to herself.

“It’s for the house,” she says. “It can be a bear in the mornings till it’s had coffee.”

“Seriously?”

“Totally. Did they introduce you the house yet?”

“Your father did when we first arrived. He said I would be more sensitive to the things it tries to tell in a little time. I didn’t know whether to take him seriously or not.”

“He told you the truth,” she affirmed, standing to start the pot of coffee. “Get your tea and I’ll show you.”

It took a few minutes for the tea to be done and the coffee to finish brewing. They were quiet for a bit while all of that was completed. Then, coffee pot in hand she walked towards the half bath that was just off the kitchen. Motioning for Larissa to come closer she lifted the toilet seat and poured the steaming liquid into the toilet. Flushing it they both felt a brief rumble running through the house and the sound of a distant sigh.

“There. It should behave itself till tomorrow. We must give it extra if we have a lot of company, like for Parker’s ceremony or other major holidays. It gives us so much it’s only fair to return the favor. The house shelters us and helps us keep track of one another and things happening on the premises. Who are we to begrudge it some early morning caffeine?”

“Amazing,” was all Larissa could manage to say. But she smiled when she said it. She was catching on quickly the small goth thought. Before long she would be a proper Addams. Despite the fact that she didn’t usually thrive when things were changing around her Wednesday was genuinely pleased by her progress.

Larissa soon bade her farewell and returned upstairs. Wednesday stayed in the kitchen for a little longer, kept company by her thoughts and plans. Since she was up so early it would be a good time to get her shower and morning routine in order. With that in mind she too went upstairs and starting getting ready.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A couple of hours later the rest of the house began to awaken. Enid had finally woken up from sleeping on Parker’s bean bag and returned to their room. Trying to stifle a yawn she turned to look at Wednesday and smiled.

“Look at you being all up and ready to go,” she said in a happy tone. “I fell asleep while talking with Parker. She was helping me to understand…well…a lot of things really. It’s not that I don’t trust you or anything. You were born to all this though. She has experience of what it’s like to join the family from the outside. Her experiences put a lot of stuff into perspective for me.”

“I’m glad mi Reina. Your situation was remarkably similar in a lot of ways. She was a normie though so I’m guessing her learning curve was a bit steeper. With luck she won’t be a normie much longer. She is an Addams in spirit if not in blood. The ceremony will change that for the better. I hope it opens her magical and psychic potential. She will thrive at Nevermore, just as I have. Only difference is she will be more open to making friends than I ever was.”

“You’ve done pretty well for yourself though Willa,” she said with a smile. “You’ve saved the school, got the girl and have made a few friends. We can’t discount any of that.”

“No, I suppose we can’t” Wednesday agreed, stepping a little closer to her girlfriend. Leaning in she whispered to the taller girl.

“And after all the shopping I’m going to put so many hickeys on your neck. No way in hell you’re sleeping anywhere but with me tonight.”

Enid was struck speechless for a moment which Wednesday found very endearing.

“Your on,” she finally said before another thought struck her.

“And some questions too. When we can work them in. Parker told me some things about curses the family has? She says they aren’t a big deal and that you can explain them better than she can. I’m down with whatever I must do to keep you in my life and in love with me. Being clear on what I’m getting into seems prudent though.”

“Very wise my love,” she agreed. “As Parker said they are a mixed bag. Once you are of a mindset to understand us, they won’t seem like a big deal. At least I hope they won’t. Shall I detail them now before you shower? We have about an hour before breakfast will be ready.”

The werewolf paused for a moment, considering the timing of it all.

“Let’s discuss it now. Then I can take a quick shower and be ready for our shopping trip.”

“Very well. It will all sound a bit like a fairy tale though. The Addams family has existed for a very, very long time. We aren’t certain how all of them started so have had to guess at some of the reasoning for them and where they came from.”

Enid nodded in understanding which prompted Wednesday to sit on the bed and motion for her girlfriend to join her.

“Probably the oldest of the lot is a curse that causes us to be rather disturbing to the normies and even to some other outcasts. I’m not convinced that it is an actual curse rather than just our being different and celebrating our individuality. As you know we are an old clan. Some say the first outcast was an Addams. Still others say the first Addams was Cain, son of Adam and Eve who was cursed for killing his brother. I don’t know the truth of that one way or another, but the fact remains that by most we are considered odd and only some few normies ever find peace when around us. The ones who can accept us though will never find a more loyal family or friend.”

“I felt drawn to you when I first met you,” Enid admits. “Maybe as you say some people just can’t handle your family. Your dramatic and odd without a doubt. But I find it a lovable kind of odd.”

“You are rare in that ,” Wednesday replied with a half-smile. “You and Parker both. And I am very grateful that both of you could come to accept us.”

It was quiet for a moment as Wednesday gathered her thoughts.

“I’m not sure if it is a blessing or a curse but no Addams can kill another. We can hurt each other, or accidentally harm a relative to be sure, but no matter what we can’t strike each other down in anger. I’m not sure how that came to be the case, but it is certainly true. And it is a blessing most of the time. Otherwise, Pugsley and I would both be dead considering some of the games we played while growing up.”

Enid paled a bit as she considered that.

“That extends to Parker and I as well? Even before either of us undergoes the bonding ceremony?”

“It does,” Wednesday agreed. “You are part of the family in spirit and that seems to be enough. That is part of the reason I told you that nothing here would harm you. Even if they tried the family can only cause minor damage. Nothing that would cause any long-term harm. Honestly, I don’t see that as much of a curse, but it is an odd effect that I should make you aware of.”

It seemed that Enid wasn’t sure what to make of that so Wednesday decided to press on. If there were any questions later they could circle back as needed.

“Now one that I do feel is worth of being called a curse is our obligation to protect. How or why this happened I’m not sure. Some of my ancestors could be mean spirited or downright vindictive. Old legends say that the Addams family was guilty of many atrocities so it could be that some angry deity or witch put this curse on us. Basically we feel a need to defend other outcasts in need. It is probably part of why I fought so hard to stop Crackstone. Not only was he an old family enemy but he meant harm to innocent kids. Even though I have little use for any of them I still felt compelled to save them. And no doubt it is why my father has done so much for disadvantaged outcast.”

“Or maybe you just care more than you like to admit?” Enid observed. “I know you can be a bit prickly sometimes, but I think you care more for people than you’ve ever let yourself realize. Sure, there might be some magical compulsion but is it so hard to believe that you and your dad are just caring, kind people?”

It was silent for a long moment as the small psychic pondered this. On the surface the suggestion was ludicrous. She was no hero. Maybe her father was, but Wednesday didn’t believe for a moment that she could be. Enid seemed so earnest though, so sure in believing that Wednesday could be a good, caring person behind all the snark. Could she be seeing something in her that was actually worth a damn? Some hidden virtues that she had buried over the years. There was doubt there, but she couldn’t discount her girlfriend’s opinions.

“I doubt it, but maybe. You see the best in me and I’m not sure that I deserve that optimism. But maybe, someday. I have been changing for the better since you came into my life so maybe there is some hope that I would one day be worthy of being called heroic.”

She felt a bit uncomfortable about it but for Enid’s sake she would try. The blonde’s opinion was very important to her. She would strive to be worth her high opinion, curse or no curse.

“Finally, there is one more, and I think it was meant as a blessing of sorts. Something cast on our blood line by one of our own. When one of us finds love we can be very…obsessive about it. Our love becomes the center of our world. You see how my parents behave towards each other. No one can love like an Addams loves.

And before you ask, it does not make us love anyone in particular. We must find love first and then the curse asserts itself. I am as putty in your hands mi Reina. We love deeper than most and are overly dramatic on the best of days. I think it was originally meant to keep us from dying young without issue. A way to keep the family line going.”

Wednesday grew silent and let Enid process all of this. It took a few moments for the wolf to find her words.

“So, your curse doesn’t make you love me? You already did and it just makes the affection that much stronger.”

“It’s more than affection Enid. I love you with every ounce of my being. I would die for you. Kill for you, and more importantly live for you. My life before was little more than a charade. I was an angry young girl who probably would have died soon by getting in way over my head with something I should never have messed with.”

She moved to kneel by Enid’s feet and lay her head upon her lap.

“No Addams does anything halfway. You said werewolves were creatures of passion. That is also true of my family. Once I fell in love with you it changed me on the inside. I think the changes are for the better. You have made me feel again. You and a lot of other events conspired to draw me out so I could live again. I’m so grateful for that, and to have you in my life. I just hope you can deal with all the weirdness that is my birthright. I…couldn’t face living without you now that I’ve found love. Please…”

Before she can continue Enid puts a finger to her lips, shushing her for a moment so she could speak.

“It’s strange but I have already come to terms with it. I don’t know what caused your love but I’m grateful for it. We both need each other. I’m not going anywhere.”

She reached out her hand, helping Wednesday up to sit by her on the bed. Then she turned, took the smaller girl into her arms and gave her a mighty, bone-bending hug. Wednesday didn’t complain. It hurt, of course, for a moment, but she found all the reassurance she needed in that simple act.

“I’ve got you Wednesday Addams. I’m not going anywhere so you better get used to me being around. Now, are you still up to going shopping? I don’t want to stress you or take you out of your comfort zone before you’re ready. While I do now realize you would agree to most anything I ask, which is mutual, but part of loving you is not pressing you to go where you can’t handle things.”

She gazed into Enid’s eyes, seeing nothing but love and patience looking back at her.

“I want to go,” she affirmed. “In fact, I think that I need to. It will be a bonding experience for us. For all three of us in fact. Let us say it will help me to evolve into a more social creature. That is a good thing, yes?”

“It is so long as it doesn’t overwhelm you. Ok then, yeah, operation help Wednesday learn to not go all homicidal in crowds is a go. So, I guess I better go shower now. And then we can do breakfast.”

Standing then Enid took note of the magical tome on the nightstand. Smiling a bit to herself she picked the book up and handed it to Wednesday.

“Here, study your magic while I get ready. When your ready I want to see what kind of great witch you can really be.”

Accepting the book Wednesday returned the smile. Enid had scared her to be sure. She had been so afraid that when she told Enid about the last curse she would believe that Wednesday only cared for her due to some magical compulsion. That wasn’t true at all. It had started as love and as far as she was concerned it would always be love. She didn’t want to leave any room for doubt.

Bless Enid though for accepting that. For believing in her. Most wouldn’t have and she knew that much to be true. Her wolf was special and beyond compare. Wednesday would spare no effort in trying to live up to whatever Enid saw in her. For now though she would study as had been requested of her. One day she would make her love proud. One step at a time.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Breakfast was a bit odd, even by their high standards. Everyone who was at home was present at the table which felt kind of nice. Gomez sat at the head of the table flanked by Morticia and Larissa. There were lots of congratulations from around the table for the new throuple. This too seemed nice and Wednesday found herself internally very pleased with the development. She didn’t let that show on her face though. She did have a reputation to maintain after all.

And then the other announcement. When father announced that they would be having a son there were still more congratulations. When he announced that the baby’s name would be Pubert there was something of a stunned silence. If Gomez noticed he didn’t indicate it so things just kind of moved on from there. Fester recognized the name as being some great uncle or another from a Dutch branch of their family. For the moment no one else remarked on it. Just as they had accepted Pugsley as a name they would adapt to having a Pubert around the house.

There was some discussion about their work preparing for the hunters. Since the drawing from Xavier should arrive in the mail later today it was decided that Wednesday would see if she could get a vision from it later that evening. After she was done, they would give the drawing to Pugsley to see if he could find the man online. This long waiting game they played was irritating to Wednesday but she couldn’t argue with her Father’s reasoning. To kill this movement, they would have to wait so they could destroy the whole thing at once.

Much to the girl’s collective relief Gomez said Lurch would be available to drive them today. Friday was a no go though as he would be driving their father to business meetings all day in various parts of the state. That would complicate matters a bit for them.

“We do have other cars though,” Gomez said. “Do any of you have a license yet?”

“I still don’t,” Wednesday replied. “The state deemed me to be a road rage incident waiting to happen so wouldn’t even allow me a learner’s permit. That is just as well I suppose given my other issues.”

“Issues?” Enid asked, a confused expression on her face. “I can drive though if need be. In California you can get your driver’s license at sixteen. If you don’t mind me driving any of your cars I can do it.”
Parker grinned and clapped her hands in excitement.

“Yes! A girl’s day out! This will be awesome!”

Of course, there was always Fester or Miss Claire who might have been free to drive them. Not to mention their mother or Larissa. It was better though, in her opinion, to let Enid do it. She seemed to be into the idea and she couldn’t begrudge her wolf’s desire to help them out in any way she could. Especially after her last ride with Fester driving. He had driven the car as if he had stolen it, which turned out to be the case. No, they were safer in Enid’s hands.

With that settled they finished breakfast and cleaned up after themselves. Gomez said Lurch would be ready in about half an hour so they should get ready. With that the girls all went back upstairs to finish getting ready. It was a colder day than anticipated so Morticia advised them to dress properly for the weather. While changing clothes Enid turned towards Wednesday. It was clear that something was on her mind.

“I’m curious,” she said with a confused expression. “I get that the state might not want you to drive. In fact, they would probably be happy to wall the whole estate off and lock us in forever away from other people. But what other issues did you mean? Is it anything I should know about?”

She can’t help but smile a bit as she replies. Enid could be like a dog on a bone when something struck her as curious. And she was perceptive enough to pick up on subtle things most of the time. Whatever questions she had Wednesday was always willing to explain as best she could.

“Since I could slip into a vision at any moment it would be unsafe for me to drive. Much like an epileptic going into a seizure. That alone disqualifies me from having a legal license. Plus, my stature works against me. If I can sit and reach the pedals then I can’t really see over the steering wheel. As such I will always need a get-away driver for whatever mischief we get into.”

Enid grinned a bit at the answer before pressing on with another question.

“If you can’t drive, why do you have cars? Just because? I could see that.”

“It has only become clear in the last several months that I shouldn’t drive. Mind you, I probably could in an emergency, but it is highly inadvisable. My father got me a small, fast sports car for my fourteenth birthday. Then he and Fester rebuilt an older model Cadillac with an enormous amount of trunk space. Large enough to hold a couple of bodies if need be. Or in the case of Friday a large haul of clothes from Black Friday shopping.”

“Do you often need to haul dead bodies around?”

“Not recently no. But mother has always said a girl should be prepared for anything.”

Enid chuckled at the reply but had no further questions. Wednesday made a mental note to show her the cars later. There was a large garage on the grounds where those of the family who were into working on cars did so and it also housed all the vehicles. Off the top of her head, she remembered nine cars including the hearse but that was obviously subject to change at any given moment.

Soon all three of the girls were downstairs, all bundled up against the chill and waiting for Lurch. Once the hearse pulled up in front of the door, they all hurried out to get into the car. As was his custom, Lurch had already gotten the heater running and it was nice and warm inside. Taking a moment to close the privacy partition he then started driving towards the mall.

“Isn’t the snow pretty Willa?” Enid asked, her nose pressed up against the window as she spoke. “I’ve always dreamed of running as a wolf through the snow. And that is just when I intend to do tonight.”

Her excitement was palpable and Wednesday could imagine her tail wagging if she was actually in wolf form now.

“You said you had been practicing. Do you think that you can change now without the full moon?”

“I think so,” was the reply. It was said with some confidence, and it made the seer’s heart beat a little faster in reaction. Her girlfriend was just full of surprises. She had to admit, a confident Enid was very much like an aphrodisiac to Wednesday. Her promise of hickey’s tonight might be just that much more intense than previously thought.

She pondered on that for a long while as Enid and Parker shifted the conversation towards what they wanted to buy today, various items of celebrity gossip and whatever thought popped into their head in the moment. They were really very much alike, and Wednesday was quite pleased that they got along so well.

Soon they pulled into the parking garage and the three of them left the car. Lurch would remain behind while they did whatever but was available to come help them if needed. Enid and Parker were clearly excited and she found herself sharing it to a lesser degree. Perhaps they were contagious. Or perhaps it was just due to her emotions finally opening up a bit. Either way, she would try to enjoy it as much as she could.

As it turned out she didn’t hate it. There was scarcely a store in the entire mall that they didn’t at least peek into. With all their divergent interests there were a lot of things they thought were worth a look. It felt to the goth that it was like a military mission. Search and destroy, or rather search and buy in their case. It made the whole thing a bit more tolerable to her own skewed sensibilities to think of it like that.

In consideration for her own limitations her girlfriend and cousin were willing to take multiple rest breaks and they went to the food court a number of times, which was only moderately crowded. Apparently, the weather and the looming holiday kept some people at home. Thanks to all the spirits for this small bit of good fortune.

As their mission progressed Enid bought a lot of clothes in different styles and sizes. No one was sure what size she would be between now and the end of their extended break. Sources varied in their estimates about how much of a growth spurt could be expected and when it might occur. Dr. Kane believed it would be sudden given her current age and how late she had wolfed out, but still couldn’t give them an exact amount to expect.

Fortunately, Enid loved to shop for clothes and had a large bank roll to work with this time. Her uncle had deposited still more money into her account and even if that wasn’t enough Wednesday had made it clear she would cover any shortfall. Her wolf would have something to wear no matter what size she may grow to. Given the option to shop till she dropped as the old saying goes Enid took to it with vigor.

She bought complete outfits, various shirts and skirts along with underwear in a variety of sizes. The thing that really stymied them was shoes. It was hard to get a good fit with shoes in the best of times. It was all but impossible to guess what her shoe size would be after a sudden magical growth spurt. In the end they opted for some loose sandals that could be adjusted. They could always revisit the stores after they had a better idea of what size she would need.

Wednesday too bought some clothes in her usual colors, though no where near as many as Enid or Parker did. Since she hadn’t really grown any in the last year or so she still had more than she would ever wear at home. They did, however, tempt her into buying a couple pairs of shoes with a bit thicker sole than the ones she already had. Given her natural height every little bit helped.

While she didn’t buy many clothes she did find some other items to her liking. She wound up with almost a full bag of candles and a few books for her collection. While the entire process was tiring for her, she had to admit she didn’t hate it.

Parker had wound up with some clothes but spent a small fortune on camera equipment and supplies to fuel her hobby. Her artistic side manifested in her photography and the amazing things she could do with graphics online. She had a gift, and the family encouraged her in this. Several of the pictures on the walls at home were crafted from photos she had taken around the house and on the grounds. She had insisted on getting some pictures of Enid alone and then a few of Wednesday and Enid together.

While she normally hated to have her picture taken the goth had agreed seeing how happy it made Enid. Ah, but the things she would do to see that smile. A little time modeling and trying to smile would be entirely worth it.

By now they had more bags than they could reasonably carry on their own. It was rather late in the day at that point so Wednesday had summoned Lurch to help them carry it all. They would be back by Friday after all, and Enid had promised her there would be a large selection by then as they restocked for Black Friday. Secretly the smaller girl was looking forward to that. Not that she would admit it of course.

The drive back was uneventful. Wednesday just sat comfortably and watched the snow the whole way. It was dark by now and it kept coming down. There was already about four inches on the ground and the forecast called for another inch or two by morning. Enid and Parker took note of her silence but understood. It had taken a lot of effort to get through a day surrounded by that many people. They too remained mostly silent on the rest of the drive. Wednesday truly appreciated that kindness.

Their family greeted them in their usually over enthusiastic way. Wednesday didn’t mind though. She felt good, like she had accomplished something today. She was a good girlfriend and cousin and indulged the other girls because she cared about them a great deal. The more she did so the more her own antisocial walls might come down. She would never be the life of the party or some sort of social butterfly, but she would try. For their sake and because it was just the right thing to do.

Gomez too had greeted them upon their return. He informed his daughter that the letter from Xavier had arrived. After a brief discussion they decided to see if she could get an impression from it after dinner. With that in mind the girls all went upstairs to put their purchases away and prepare for dinner. Larissa and Morticia had worked together to make something for them and promised they would enjoy it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dinner was everything that they had been promised. Wednesday already knew her mother was a good cook. It seemed that Larissa was as well. Tonight’s dinner had been Italian themed. There was lasagna and spaghetti along with generous helpings of bread, cheese, stuffed pasta and fish. It was all wonderful and Wednesday even took second helpings for a change. She lost track of how many helpings Enid took but there was plenty and she was pleased to see her wolf so well satisfied.

After it was done they all helped with the clean up and settled into the living room to relax for a moment. Soon though it was time and to be honest Wednesday was kind of anxious to see if she could get a vision from Xavier’s drawing. Now was as good a time as any.

“Well father, shall we do this? I’m kind of curios to see what we can discover.”

“Very well. If you don’t mind though we would all kind of like to stay by your side as you do so. If you need to we can provide a bit more privacy, but everyone wants to be on hand in case of complication, or just to provide moral support. I appreciate that you’re willing to try but I still worry for you.”

She contemplated that for a moment. Normally she would prefer privacy but realized with things being as they are that her father would insist on there at least being a witness. Looking around the room she took in the faces of her family. All of the immediate kin were in the room with her and wearing anxious expressions. With their concern so evident she couldn’t begrudge them the request.
“We can do it here father,” she said after a long moment. “I would like to stretch out on the couch and lay my head in Enid’s lap. She helps to keep me centered.”

Their expressions, especially Enid’s, changed to guarded smiles of acknowledgement. Enid’s face just showed her love and how special she felt to be that added bit of support for her girlfriend. Wednesday smiled at her in return, knowing she had made the right choice there.

“That is all perfectly fine,” Gomez replied with a smile. “Parker, I want for you to record all of this on your phone so we can play it back later. I don’t want to take any chances that we might miss something that was said.”

Once everyone was settled into their spots, he handed the envelope to his daughter and stepped back a bit. It hadn’t been opened yet. Gomez hadn’t wanted to get any other psychic impressions on it before Wednesday had a chance to discover whatever she could. She opened the envelope and pulled out the picture within. The vision struck her almost immediately.

Taking a moment to clear her head Wednesday noted that she was in the same underground lab that Xavier had seen. The only person she could see was Dr. Simms, who was working on his computer with several pages of notes surrounding him. Judging by the notes she could see the man was clearly brilliant in his field. She recognized some of her own work on a page he had made notes on.

Studying the notes more closely she gasped aloud reading the formula. It was incomplete, still in the research phase, but it was clear that he was working on a method to turn her formulas into a bioweapon to be delivered to its victims in aerosol form. They intended to introduce this weapon into the atmosphere and infect outcasts everywhere. It was intended to kill them all. All outcasts, everywhere, were at risk.

Before she could read any more notes her connection to the vision began to fade. She was waking sooner than she might normally as the vision was fueled by a secondhand observation first made by Xavier. It wasn’t a firm connection to the doctor himself, but it gave her a little bit none the less. With a start she sat up suddenly and took a deep breath to reorient herself.

Looking around the room and seeing her family she finally found her voice.

“They are turning my thesis into a biological weapon that will only harm outcasts. Dr. Simms was working to refine the formula and then plans to deliver it in aerosol form. It will be distributed into the atmosphere to eventually affect us all. They plan to kill us all.”

There was silence again for a long moment. Most of them merely looked stunned. Except for Gomez of course. He was clearly thinking hard and quickly reached a conclusion.

“He was in the lab in the caves, yes? Can you estimate how long it will take him to complete his work? Your vision probably takes place a year or more in our future if the lab is operational. “

“I can estimate maybe a matter of weeks from that point. It’s hard to be certain. Dr. Simms appeared to be quite gifted judging by what of his notes I could see. We will need more information to be sure.”

“If you could get your hands on something of the doctors could you get a bit more information?”

This was Pugsley speaking up, which surprised Wednesday a bit. Her brother really did seem to be coming into his own. He still looked like a goofy kid and acted like one most of the time. But the few months they were apart and the stress of the threat they faced seemed to give him new confidence. Despite the danger she was pleased with the change.

“Maybe. I can’t be sure but there is a chance. My visions aren’t exactly predictable in what they will show or when they will manifest.”

Pugsley paused in thought for a moment.

“With that picture and a name to go on I should be able to figure out who the guy is and where he might be now. If the lab won’t be there for a year or more he might still be a public figure and not off hiding somewhere. If I can find him, we could try to get a personal item of some sort. That might help.”

She handed him the picture with a half-smile.

“Then it looks like you have a job to do brother.”

Pugsley took the picture and grinned a bit.

“I’ll find him for you. Then we can figure out where to go from there.”

With that he walked off towards his computer mainframe hidden deep in the basements. Wednesday neither understood nor really cared how he did it. She just knew her brother could be as intense as a blood hound when on the search for information. Whatever it was he did it was usually quite effective.

While they had discussed this Parker had forwarded a copy of the audio file she had made to Gomez so he could replay it at his leisure. All told it wasn’t exactly new information, but it did confirm her own suspicions about the nature of the weapon. Every little hint helped though. With this much time to work with and the fact that their enemy couldn’t even suspect that they knew this much already the outcome was hardly in doubt.

They just had to be careful and stay to the plan. Her mother’s own visions had shown them that there might still be casualties. They had to mitigate that as much as possible and make sure to end the leadership of this group and destroy any remaining copies of the work that would lead to the weapon itself. Hunters would always exist in some form. At least so long as normies continued to hate outcasts. They just couldn’t let a large, organized and well-funded group continue to exist.

“Well done my little storm cloud,” her father finally said. “Everyone should go and rest now. It went far better than it could have but we have a long way to go still. If anyone has any thoughts or observations later let me know. For now, rest and enjoy your family. Each and every one of you is the reason we fight this battle.”

The small crowd of Addams’ murmured in agreement. They all seemed to fuss over Wednesday for a bit, making sure she was alright. It was uncomfortable for her and felt especially odd coming from Larissa. But she knew they all cared, in their own way, and took some comfort in that. When Enid offered her arm to take her upstairs she gladly accepted.

“Your sure your alright?”

“I am mi Reina. As visions go it was relatively mild. I don’t think though that I will be meditating to reach Goody or working on much magic tonight. My mind feels a bit fuzzy right now.”

“Will you be alright on your own for a little bit? I have…an errand to take care of on the grounds. It can wait a bit though if you need me.”

She glanced towards Enid and could see she was torn. The girl always wanted to support and protect her, and she was deeply appreciative of that. But she had also mentioned hunting and running as a wolf in the snow. Her curiosity was piqued when she recalled that providing meat for her love was the first step in a werewolf courtship. Even if she wasn’t in any shape to be alone, she would lie to give Enid the freedom to run free tonight.

“I will be fine. Maybe I will read for awhile since I got new books today. Try not to tire yourself out too much though. I still intend to honor my promise for hickeys tonight.”

Enid’s smile was radiant, almost blinding in its intensity.

“I won’t be out too late. Don’t want to miss my time alone with you after all. See you soon!”

She paused just a moment to gather up a change of clothes and a large blanket that she put near the window. Wednesday watched her curiously but didn’t say anything. With this done Enid ran to the door and then down the steps. Soon the only thing left was the echo of her laughter in Wednesday’s ears. She couldn’t hide her own smile.

Changing to a pair of pajamas and picking one of her new books Wednesday settled on the bed to read. She could still sense Enid on the grounds of course. With a blooming sense of pride she realized that Enid had managed to change to her wolf form. As she ran her presence gradually faded. The goth immediately realized that Enid was stalking something and trying to remain unseen, which also kept the house from telling anyone where she was. Wednesday settled in to wait.

A few hours later, how long she wasn’t exactly sure, she heard the window rattling. Ichabod was opening the window from the outside. Standing up then she was rather surprised when the tree’s limbs lifted Enid, in her wolf form, into the window. Her wolf held three dead turkeys in her mouth. Wednesday barely noticed the blood and mud being strown in their wake.

Enid fairly strutted into the room and dropped the dead birds at Wednesday’s feet. She settled in to lick her face and preen for a bit. She was obviously quite proud of herself.

“Mi precioso lobita,” she said, her voice tinged with awe. “Are these for me? Did mother tell you I was fond of wild turkey meat?”

The wolf seemed to nod, her tail wagging furiously.

“You have done so well. Shall we clean these for tomorrow? You and I can share them alone after the feast. Thank you so much.”

The praise was clearly welcomed by the wolf. The fact that there was going to be a huge feast tomorrow not particularly registering for her in this form. All that seemed to matter to her was that she had hunted and provided food for her intended. With that simple act she had initiated the first step of a typical werewolf courtship.

“Can you change back for me mia Reina. You will need hands to help me prepare them for cooking.”

Enid pranced around happily and licked Wednesday’s face once more. Then she turned and wormed her way under the blanket she had set out earlier. Her form diminished and changed back to more human proportions. She squirmed for several seconds, clearly trying to dress herself and stay hidden under the blanket. In a few moments she managed to finish and crawled back out into sight to find her goth girlfriend still smiling in approval.

“Willa…that was so awesome. I didn’t realize there was that much wild game on your estate.”

“There is generally whatever we would need here somewhere. But you proved yourself as a hunter and provided for me. Does that mean we are engaged now?”

She seemed to sound rather hopeful with the question.

“As far as wolves are concerned yes,” she replied happily. I don’t have a ring for you or anything yet, but we will do it right in due time. And I can’t wait to see what sort of weapon you’re making. You’re doing that all on your own?”

“As much as I can. The custom is only that I provide one for you, as not everyone would have the skills to make something appropriate. I think you will be pleased though. It should be done over the weekend.”

They both grinned at each other for a long moment. It seemed that nothing could break their moment. Until something did of course. Enid’s eyes widened in horror seeing the mess she had made.

“Willa…I got blood and mud and feathers all over your room? This is a big mess. I’m so sorry…let me clean this up.”

The brunette put a hand on her arm to calm the girl and gave her a reassuring smile.

“Do you think this is the first time blood and feathers have graced my room? Not to mention mud. I can never fault you for that. Especially since it happened in your bringing me an offering. Enid, I’m so impressed with you right now. How did you know that Ichabod would answer your request while in wolf form?”

“I wasn’t sure but suspected he might,” she said, glancing around again and then to Wednesday. Her girlfriend didn’t seem angry by the mess, so she too calmed a bit. “You said there were all sorts of outcasts in your extended family so I just guessed he could speak wolf.”

It made perfect sense. At least from an Addams point of view.

“Don’t fret about the mess. Let me show you.”

She turned her gaze up and seemed to speak directly to the house.

“Could you take care of this for me? I’ll give you an extra pot in the morning and perhaps some of those cheese Danishes that you like.”

The house rumbled a bit, which seemed to startle Enid. To her credit though she just smiled after thinking about it for a moment. She was truly becoming more attuned to the way things worked here everyday.

“Now, with that settled, help me with these. There is a spare kitchen in the basement. We can clean these there and set them up to cook overnight. We can save these for our own consumption later. That is part of the custom yes? For us to share the meal?”

“It most certainly is. There were five originally, but I had to bribe kitty cat with a couple of them. She was starting to make a fuss. Oh! And one more thing. I got a bit over excited in the hunt. There is a buck hanging in the skinning shed you have outside. I could field dress him with only my claws. We can skin and quarter it after it hangs in the cold overnight.”

“I bet kitty cat was pleased. We can take care of the deer tomorrow after the feast. These three need to be cleaned and in the stove a little sooner than that. Have you ever cleaned and prepared a turkey?”

“Nope.”

“Then it will be a learning experience. Come on. The sooner we get them in the stove the sooner we can get into the shower and work on those hickeys I promised.”

“In the shower? Together.”

“It would be a bit harder if we weren’t together,” she replied with a smile, taking note how Enid’s brain seemed to short circuit a bit at the thought. “We might not be able to go all the way. Not yet anyway. But I want to go as far as we both can together. Turkey’s first though.”

With that she darted out of the room with Enid close on her heels. They both laughed as she led them on a merry chase. Neither of them could recall a happier holiday than this one was turning out to be. It felt good and Wednesday for one had no intention of letting anything darken their time together.

Chapter Text

It was early morning on Thanksgiving Day. No matter where one went in the manor one could smell the food cooking in the various kitchens scattered around the place. Even here, deep below the house, in what the Adamms’ considered one of their ‘play’ rooms. The family didn’t celebrate as many families did, and totally eschewed many common holidays. For this particular one though they liked to come together and spend time with one another. That and eat of course.

Fester knelt at the side of a worktable sporting a large vice. Miss Claire would give the vice a turn when he would indicate he was ready. Normally he would enjoy the migraine building behind his eyes. Today though he wanted to be on top of his game so couldn’t spend time to enjoy the pain.

Several feet away Parker lay upon the bed of nails and sighed a bit. Fester glanced in her direction with a smile. Or at least as much as he could with his head constrained.

“It’s nice and restful, isn’t it my little shutter bug?”

Parker merely smiled and sighed again. Before she had met Wednesday all those years ago the thought of torture equipment like this would have terrified her. Back then she hadn’t felt free to be herself. She had to pretend to be outgoing, colorful and the perfect little prop for her mother’s ambitions. Those days were long past.

Nowadays she was free to dress as she pleased and just be herself. In the intervening years she had found she preferred some of Wednesday’s gothic mannerisms. A sort of gothic punk look was her preferred way to present herself now. Fester was so proud of her. No one had encouraged her to be one way or another. She had just gravitated to what she was comfortable with.

Today that included dark jeans, a worn denim jacket that had seen better days and a tee shirt with an Escher themed image. She rounded out the look with a leather spiked collar and moccasins for comfort. His little girl was growing up so fast he mused. Neither of them had looked back once since he had adopted her. She finally found her voice as she lay there and enjoyed the bed.

“It is,” she said in a dreamy sort of tone. “I could probably fall asleep right here. But then I remember the feast coming up. I will wait till my belly is full and take a nap down here later.”

Fester chuckled a bit. That had always been his go to after the feast. Usually, he and Gomez would watch some football after their meal. Neither were really certain of the rules, nor the teams involved. It was just a nice time to watch some pseudo gladiatorial combat and just spend time with his brother. Family was precious after all.

“Would you like a bed of nails all your own for Christmas?”

“Mmmmm…that would be delightful.”

Glancing up he caught Miss Claire’s eyes and she gave the vice another crank.

“I think that we can arrange for that,” he said. “For now though, since you’re in such a rested mood I need to ask you a question.”

His daughter glanced his way and nodded. Fester took that as the signal to continue.

“Do you really like it out at the A frame?”

Parker frowned a bit, considering her reply.

“I do like it, but not all the time. It’s the home you built for me, so I’ll always love it. Sometimes it’s just…lonely.”

“A young woman needs more time with her peers,” Miss Claire volunteered. “The A frame is a lovely home, but young Parker needs to spend more time with other kids her own age.”

“I understand,” Fester said after a moment. “What would you both say if we were to spend more time here? Maybe move in full time. At least till you get to go to Nevermore?”

Both Parker and Ms. Claire gave him a curious look.

“Papa? I thought you had to stay somewhere quiet and out of the way to stay ahead of the law?”

“That’s right. Or at least it was,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ve broken a lot of laws. At least till here recently. Do you remember though the trip I came back from a couple of weeks ago? After I had been away for more than a month.”

They both nodded.

“I wasn’t just wandering and committing random crimes as I usually do. Instead, I was committing some crimes on behalf of the American government. It is time that I spend more time at home. And Uncle Sam will be willing to allow that now.”

Fumbling around for a moment in his pockets he pulled out a letter and handed it up to the vampire. Miss Claire unfolded it.

“A full pardon?” she said, her tone curious. “Fester? You earned a pardon by working for the government?”

He tried to nod but his head was still restrained.

“My brother helped me to get it done. Him being a lawyer and all. And they were so easy to convince. I had always been a pest but not a national security risk. Not much of one anyway. But when I offered to bring in a few foreign hackers that were giving them fits…well, they were more than willing to make a deal then.”

Fester giggled a bit, and it seemed he would clap his hands in glee like a maniacal toddler if he wasn’t still in a compromised position. He would have to look into getting a more mobile vice for times like this. For now though his daughter had more questions.

“So, you’re not being hunted anymore? We won’t have to keep our eyes out for the FBI?”

“Not for awhile anyway. I will never be a saint…but I can be good for a while. Or maybe just tone down my wandering ways while you’re still in school. Blame your Grandmama for my wander lust.”

His mother had often regaled him with tales of her wandering Europe as part of a Romani troupe. It must have been a grand adventure. He had taken after her in that regard and had a wander lust that was hard to tame. Maybe Fester was becoming more mature. As he aged the idea of staying close to home started to feel a lot more natural.

“You really mean it Papa?” Parker asked, jumping up from the pointy bed on which she had been reclining. “We can stay here? Till I go to Nevermore anyway? Thank you!”

She had bolted to his side and hugged him as hard as she could. From his position all he could manage was a clumsy side arm hug, but his daughter accepted it and kissed the top of his bald head.

“Thank you Papa! I’ve got to go tell Wednesday and Enid! This is going to be GREAT!”

Parker was still talking aloud as she left the room in a flash. Fester listened happily as her voice trailed off in the distance. He was distracted though as Miss Claire hugged him as well. Looking up with a curious expression he saw she too was gracing him with a dazzling smile.

“You have made her very happy,” she said. “Do you still feel like you’re not a good father?”

There was silence for a moment as he pondered that. After a long moment he managed to reply.

“I should have done it before,” he said with a sigh. “My little pumpkin deserves the world and all that is good and special in it. I am still a child myself at times and make a mess of things. This time I think I did the right thing.”

“You did. You very much did.”

Fester fidgets a bit as the vampire squeezes him again and then goes back to turning the vice. This time a large pop was heard in the room and Fester sighed in relief. The migraine had broken, and he felt much better for it. Miss Claire began to take the pressure off and released the vice from his head. Before he could say anything else, or come to terms with the sudden affection, she continued.

“Parker adores you Fester. She is very happy being with you. More time together makes her happy. Bear in mind though, she is a teenaged girl. She needs plenty of time with her age mates as well. And, though this might upset you, she will need to spend more time with boys her own age. If she isn’t already thinking about it she will be soon.”

“Boys? You mean like…dating?” he asked in a horrified tone.

“Of course, Fester. Wednesday came home with a girlfriend of her own. I would be surprised if Parker isn’t wondering if she will meet her beloved at Nevermore too.”

He sputters a bit, trying to find the words. His mind and vocal cords both fail him though. It takes a few tries but finally manages to sputter something out.

“But…she is so young.”

Miss Claire smiles, bending over to kiss the top of his head. He blushes while she chuckles a bit.

“Everyone looks for love in their own way,” she says in a soft tone. “She isn’t too young to know what she wants. And you did say that the Addams tend to find their forever person young in life. I think it’s lovely how much she has embraced your families’ ways.”

“Noooo…” he whines. “Love…is not that easy. I know what boys her age are like. I was one. Or am one…whatever.”

He knows that he is making excuses. Fester chokes up when it comes to love. Another thing he has failed at in life. Standing now shakes his head to clear it before looking into the vampires bright red eyes.

“Boys will hurt her. She is too young. What if she gets hurt?”

“Like you did?”
Her question cuts him to the heart. Fester thinks for a moment that his headache will return. She has always had a way to cut through all the bull shit.

“I…don’t want her to be hurt. She’s still just a little girl.”

“Fester… she is a young woman. One who will be an adult before you know it. I know you love Parker, and we both appreciate everything you’re doing for her. You saved her when no one else was there to do it. Just like you saved me.”

It had been several years ago when he had found her, a newly created vampire who had been assaulted, turned into an outcast and then abandoned. Not long after Fester had found the guilty party and dealt with him. She had been one of the strays the family had taken in and made a place for. Later still she had come to work for him as a tutor and mother figure once he adopted his daughter.

“I just did what anyone should have,” he said, not really comfortable with being praised so.

“No. Everyone wouldn’t have done it. You did. She loves you for it. And I…well, I am more than grateful as well.”

Much to his surprise she hugged him again. She turned to go while he stood there struggling internally. Fester knew he wasn’t a bright man. Especially about feelings. He still struggled with those.

He watched her retreating form for a moment, knowing he should say something. But what though? What could he say that wouldn’t make this all fall down like a house of cards?”

“Claire?”

She paused, glancing over her shoulder with a curious expression.

“Yes?”

“It would mean a lot…to Parker…to us all really, if you could join us for the feast. And I don’t mean just to come and sit with us. Eat with us. No one will care about your blood bags. We just want you there with us. There are other vampires in the family. It’s nothing we haven’t seen before.”

“Do you want me to be there Fester?”

His voice fails him. All he can do is nod and give her an odd sort of grin. To most people he would look a bit deranged. The people closest to him though know that, while he is deranged, he is still a very loving, loyal man who would do anything for the people he cared about.

“I’ll be there. Save a spot for me?”

He continues to nod. She smiles once and then turns to continue upstairs. Fester stays there for a moment, still trying to wrap his mind around the whole conversation. He wrings his hands nervously and begins to pace. Seeing Thing nearby he pauses long enough to study the disembodied hand.

“Have I just screwed up everything?” he asks. “Does she really…want me? Why? I’m not what any woman would ever consider as a catch. Not after Margaux and Debbie and Dementia. I’m cursed when it comes to romance.”

Laying himself on the bed of nails Fester continues to mutter and fret to himself. Thing joined him on the bed and then skittered up to Fester’s chest so he could be seen before he began to sign. It was a short and simple message, something he had heard in a song that he paraphrased a bit.

“Let it be…and find out.”

Chapter Text

Thanksgiving Day proceeded as planned. Wednesday seldom had any hand in the preparations. This year was a bit different. She had at least helped Enid with the meat she had brought. Not only had they cleaned the turkeys but had a couple of the birds cooking downstairs. Neither of them was particularly skilled in the culinary arts but between them, and an old cookbook, they thought that it would turn out alright. At least, she hoped so.

She smiled to herself, remembering how Enid had smiled when she asked if she could taxidermy one of them as a trophy. It made her wolf feel good about herself. It made her smile and gave her an obvious feeling of accomplishment. If she never did anything right again in their relationship she would always feel proud of that one special moment.

Now she lay on the couch, her head in Enid’s lap and her feet on Parker’s. It all felt…very nice. She wasn’t used to feeling nice but enjoyed it nonetheless. With Enid in her life, she was learning and feeling many things. It was an adventure and despite her deadpan expression she was enjoying it immensely.

“Careful with her feet,” the wolf said with a bemused expression. “They are very sensitive.”

Wednesday blushed even as the wolf bent over to kiss her. Before the mane of blonde hair covered her eyes she also saw Parker’s confused expression. Fortunately, her cousin wisely chose not to comment on it. Instead, she surveyed the rest of the crowd and relayed what she saw to the two lovestruck teens on the couch with her.

“Everyone is too stuffed to move,” she said with a chuckle. “And I think Grandmama has been into the spiced rum again. I haven’t seen her this chatty in a long while.”

Grandmama, Morticia, Miss Claire, and Larissa sat at the dining room table talking amongst themselves. True to her cousin’s observations the older Addams was telling them a rousing story about some adventure from her youth. Ophelia, who had joined them after the festivities started, was helping Lurch in the kitchen to prepare dessert, chimed in periodically. They all seemed to be having a grand old time.

At the other end of the sitting room Gomez, Fester and Pugsley were watching football. They laughed every few minutes about something they saw on the screen. All three of them were smoking cigars and were totally absorbed in the game. That didn’t mean they understood it, but they enjoyed it all the same. She glanced towards them, a slight smile on her face. It felt a lot better than any other recent holiday she had attended. The difference this time was that she was willing to participate. Her musings were interrupted though by a question.

“Willa? Normally I can’t stand to be in a room with anyone smoking. But even with my super powered wolf nose I can’t really smell the smoke. Is that some magic from the house? Or just something else that I’ve learned to cope with?”

“Most of the things that irritate the nose in normal tobacco are added at the manufacturing facility. The place where they add the ammonia, extra nicotine and tar. The natives smoked for centuries without ill effect. Tobacco to make smokers die earlier and addict them in the meantime is another blessing brought to us by corporate greed.

Father gets his cigars from a family friend in Cuba. No extra poisons there. Plus, the house does help. I don’t understand the magic behind it but Grandmama swears its true.”

She glanced towards the old witch, whose group was now joined by Ophelia and marveled at how much they seemed to be enjoying each other. Wednesday sighed, wishing that she could have opened to them sooner. She had to wait until the blonde rainbow she was assigned to room with opened her eyes to the possibility.

“Enid? Maybe we should go check on the turkeys.”

The blonde blinked a couple of times and seemed to be mentally counting in her head how much longer they should be in the oven. Before she could arrive at an answer Wednesday grabbed her hand and led her out of the room. Not before everyone took notice of their sudden departure.

“We will be back in a few minutes.”

“Better make it at least fifteen or you’re going to get teased all the more.”

Never had she wanted to strangle her cousin so badly. No matter. They would settle later. They always did. It was how the family operated after all.

Enid offered no complaint as the goth led her downstairs. Instead of going immediately to the small kitchen they had used earlier she stopped in a small library-like room. Wednesday took out her phone and studied it for a moment before turning to regard her girlfriend.

“You remember we discussed calling Sherrif Galpin? I happened to think of him while watching the guys in front of the football game. He doesn’t have anyone anymore, does he? His son is in a penitentiary for monsters, his wife dead and now he doesn’t even have his job.”

Her voice trailed off with a sad tone. She and Galpin had sparred a few times before but with so much else opening up in her psyche Wednesday found the capacity to empathize with people she had once thought to be enemies. Not so long ago she would sooner lash out at people like the Sherrif or Principal Weems. Now she was welcoming one into the family and found herself worried for the other.

She sat on a couch and motioned for Enid to join her. The wolf followed and graced her with a tender smile. The brunette couldn’t help but return it, even if her face flushed a bit in embarrassment. Just because she was allowing herself to feel more didn’t mean it was easy sometimes.

“Look at you Wednesday,” the wolf said in a tender tone. “You’re not mad at him anymore?”

“Only a little. We got into each other’s way a lot during my investigation. Despite that though he was willing to shoot his own son to save you. A curse upon this sudden empathy you’ve inflicted on me. I can now see things from his perspective, and I didn’t exactly help in the situations where we argued.”

Her voice grew more somber the more she spoke. She regarded Enid for a moment and sighed. This really was harder than she liked to admit. Wednesday realized she wasn’t really equipped to handle strong emotions gracefully.

“I keep thinking about him being alone on the holiday. He did the right thing, ultimately, and it seems to have cost him everything. Do you remember how worried Santiago was? I want to call him…but don’t want to be teased for it. Or worse still, that smile my parents get when they are proud of me for opening up to other people. Let’s call him now. Away from prying eyes.”

Enid nods in understanding, taking out her own phone and offering it to Wednesday.

“When Santiago gave us his number I added it to my contacts. It’s a great idea to call and check on him. I think you should be the one to call though.”

“Why?”

“Because you need to. You need to know that you can. And to realize that it’s ok. No matter what anyone else says. If you’re embarrassed in front of your family that’s fine. We can do it down here all by ourselves. And then torment Parker later for thinking we just snuck off to make out.”

The blonde’s eyes seemed to glow with emotion. Wednesday in particular noticed the implied threat to get back at her cousin and couldn’t help but smile. Yes, they were a bad influence on the wolf…and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Accepting the phone, she regarded it for a long moment.

“You are right mi Reina. I do need to do this. Stay with me though so I don’t chicken out. I’ve no idea what he might say or think but I need to at least try and do this. You helped me to feel again but it isn’t always comfortable.”

With Enid watching with an encouraging expression Wednesday dialed. It rang once, then twice before she heard a familiar voice answer. He sounded tired and confused. From the lack of any background noise, she supposed he was alone. That only made her sadder on his behalf.

“Hello?”

“Sherrif Galpin? This is Wednesday Addams. Do you have a moment to talk to us?”

It was silent for a moment, but the man replied.

“Addams? Now this is a surprise. To what do I owe the honor?”

His voice held just a hint of sarcasm. Just a bit of a guarded tone. While not ideal she could understand why.

“Enid and I…we were thinking about you. We both had wanted to call you, and this seemed the perfect time. I wanted to say I was…sorry…for things.”

That didn’t feel quite right. Not that she didn’t feel sorry. Guilt after all had been a constant companion ever since the attack on the school. She just didn’t seem to be expressing it very well. How sad, her styling herself as an author, and she can’t find the words make herself understood.

“You were annoying as hell Addams,” he said after a short lull. “But you were right. I was old and stubborn. But you were right.”

His words didn’t please her as she had expected. She had tried so hard to be respected, to be right, and now that he admitted it she was left with a hollow feeling in her gut. Once being right would have filled her with pride. Now it just felt like a raw nerve.

“Sherrif, I’ve discovered that being right isn’t always the important part. I left a lot of hurt in my wake and I should have known better.”

The older man sighed a bit and was silent for a long moment before Galpin replied.

“You don’t need to be sorry Addams. I could have handled things a lot better. After all, I was supposed to be the grown-up in all of that. Not to offend you but your what? Sixteen? When I was sixteen I did all sorts of crazy things that I regret. Welcome to growing up.

I’m not holding a grudge. You just made me realize that maybe I’m getting too old for all of this. My judgement was impaired, and I should have done better. To think of all the harm my boy caused…If I could only have understood sooner.”

His voice was clearly remorseful. He sounded like a tired old man. Which maybe he was. But not for the reasons he seemed to feel in the moment.

“There wasn’t anything you could have done. Maybe you overlooked some clues but you’re only human. He is your son, and it must be hard to realize what he was capable of. Were it not for Laurel Gates none of that would have happened. While the Hyde would always be within him, waiting for some trauma to bring him out, she turned him into a weapon for her sick games. You were one of her victims, just the same as we were.”

He is silent again. Wednesday thinks she hears a quiet sniffle that he tries to hide. She does the courtesy of pretending not to notice it.

“That is very kind of you to say,” he finally replies. “I wish you could have met the real him. My boy…he could have been so much more. Before that witch changed him. I’m sorry if calling her a witch is considered a slur in a case like this but it’s how I feel. You didn’t deserve what he did to you. Or what he did to the Sinclair girl. Neither of you nor anyone at Nevermore deserved any of that.”

“Enid is here with me,” she said in a subdued tone. “She wanted to speak with you as well. Before I put her on the phone though, I do have a question for you.”

“What’s that?”

“Are you coming back to work soon?”

“Why would I? I failed Addams. I let my pride and prejudices get in the way. I arrested your father and was wrong about it. I missed all the signs of Tyler’s involvement. Maybe it’s time I moved on and let someone not so blinded take up the job.”

“No Sherrif. We will need you. It’s…important. You’re the right man for the job in this case. I can’t explain it over the phone though. Could we come to visit you? Maybe next week? I can go into more detail then.”

He sighs again. It seems to echo over the line. Wednesday can almost hear the empty house around him. She gets to go back upstairs to her family. He must sit in an empty house, hiding himself away from painful memories and feelings of failure. Something inside her can no longer abide that. Not in his case.

“I…yes, I suppose. Do you have the address? I’m always home these days.”

“I do. We will call the evening before to let you know when. But we will be there. I promise. Now please speak with Enid. She has something to say to you.”

She handed off the phone like it was radioactive. Wednesday wasn’t comfortable with so many emotions at one time. Neither her own nor his. Especially when part of his hurt was her fault.

Enid seemed to understand. She accepted the phone and began to talk even as she spared the goth a look she took to mean how proud she was of her girlfriend. At least that was how she interpreted it. For the moment though she needed a bit of space and a few moments to process it all.

The rest of the conversation was a bit of a blur to her. Wednesday had moved across the room and tuned them out. After a bit, how long she didn’t know, she felt Enid’s presence hovering behind her.

“Do you need a minute?”

She glanced over her shoulder and saw her wolf regarding her. Enid’s expression was concerned but welcoming and she spread her arms to see if Wednesday would accept a hug. How could she say no to that? Without a hint of hesitation she stepped into the welcoming arms and felt the warmth of the smile even if she couldn’t see it snuggled up so tightly in her Queens embrace.

“I’m proud of you Willa. That meant so much to him. I think you made a real difference.”

All she could do was nod. It took the smaller girl a few minutes to find her voice. Too many emotions all together had exhausted her for a moment, but she was quick to recover.

“I’m glad it helped him. It helped me too…I think. Emotions are hard.”

Enid chuckled and gave her a squeeze. Not quite hard enough to break bones but surely enough to bruise. She loved those. Painful though they were at times it wasn’t more than she could bear. It made her feel warm and loved, which certainly was Enid’s intent.

“I think we should go back upstairs and see the others,” Wednesday finally said. “I have some more things to say. Then I want you to help me catch Parker. We have some business to attend to with her.”

Enid hesitated for a second but nodded. Wednesday led them first to where the turkeys were cooking so they could honestly say they did check on them. Then up the stairs to where the family were waiting. As expected everyone glanced their way but no one said anything other than to greet them. Wednesday walked over to where her father was sitting and stood between him and the television.

“Father, I have a question.”

“Of course, my little spider. What is it?”

“Do you suppose it would be helpful to have Sherrif Galpin back in charge of the normie law enforcement in Jericho? I have it on good authority that he is now more sympathetic to our cause and outcasts in general. While Deputy Santiago is competent I think he will be more knowledgeable and easier to work with.”

Gomez studied his daughter for a long moment and nodded.

“I think that might be for the best. Would you be comfortable working with him?”

From the corner of her eye she could see the others all regarding the exchange now. The room grew quiet, and she took note of a satisfied look from Larissa and a polite nod of her head. It seemed that both were of the same mind here.

“I would,” she said without hesitation. And I believe Larissa agrees. They had at least a cordial relationship before. Better the known than an unknown quantity in a case like this.”

He glanced towards Larissa and she nodded her agreement.

“Well then, if you can convince him to take up the post then I do believe it might make things easier. May I suppose you will speak to him on the matter?”

“You may, and I have. He will take some convincing though. Could we use the gate to the house you bought in Jericho next week? I would like to spend a day in town and speak to him in more detail.”

“Of course, my little storm cloud. You should call first though and speak to Simon. He is currently staying there while the renovations are taking place on the house he bought in town. They will be moving into their new home by Christmas time.”

Wednesday nods. That would be a good way to kill two birds with one stone. She needed to speak to her cousin as well. And she was sure Enid would like to meet him before they started therapy again in the coming term. No doubt all their acquaintances…friends…. would want to hear her assessment of whether he could help them or not.

“I will call him on the crystal ball tomorrow to sort out the best time. Thank you father.”

Looking around the room now she realized everyone was still watching them. She couldn’t resist the half smile that came to her face. She continued then in a more playful tone.

“Alright then father. Enid, it’s time. Please grab Parker for me.”

Enid complied with a giggle, scooping the other girl up and throwing her over her shoulder. Parker was surprised but laughed in amusement to be man handled like this. She protested but mostly in play.

“If you all will excuse us again I feel the need to waterboard my cousin for a bit. Don’t wait on us.”

The rest of the family laughed heartily at the announcement and Parker feigned indignation but only offered a token struggle. As they left the room Wednesday saw the knowing looks from several of her relatives, mostly her mother, and didn’t deign to acknowledge them. Of course, her mother knew that there was more to the story than just her preference to work with Galpin. Fortunately, she opted not to say anything about it but there was no mistaking a mother’s pride in whatever personal growth her daughter had made. She would have to thank her later for the consideration.

Chapter Text

The rest of the day was uneventful for the most part. The girls took turns waterboarding each other, though for Enid’s sake they kept it light. The blonde had taken her turn as well, even though both Wednesday and Parker both told her it was alright if she wasn’t into it. They were at least aware that a little mild torture was an acquired taste.

Enid, however, had insisted on experiencing it, at least for a little while. She didn’t seem to enjoy either being tortured or being the torturer. At least not much. Wednesday did note her willingness to try. Her wolf was adamant in experiencing the ‘authentic’ Addams family traditions. While not exactly sure why she had insisted it only made the small brunette admire her that much more.

Later in the evening Wednesday and Enid shared their second large turkey meal. Even the wolf seemed full to the point of bursting after all the turkey she had consumed. Admittedly, the turkeys they cooked, and all the sides, weren’t up to the quality of the meal they had enjoyed earlier. Despite that though it was the most special of the two dinners they had consumed. It was just for them, and it was meat that Enid had hunted for her. It was part of their courtship and Wednesday wouldn’t have traded it away for anything.

That night they had slept deeply, experiencing a sort of food induced coma. Given that they would need to get started early for their Black Friday adventure the alarm clock was set to an unholy hour. Wednesday somehow managed to awaken and start getting ready even earlier than that. The weather outside had turned a bit fouler with a snowstorm blowing in earlier in the night. To her mind that would be ideal weather for this time of year.

“Wake up mi Reina,” she said gently, giving Enid a little shake before the alarm could wake her. “We don’t want to miss our gladiatorial games.”

Enid blinked a couple of times and regarded her with a sleepy expression.

“What time is it?”

“Four in the morning.”

The blonde roused herself and sat up. The mall they were intending to hit opened at five for the day’s festivities. Despite the hour she was excited. It would probably never happen again that Wednesday would want to go shopping with her twice in the same week. She was all in for taking the win here and shopping till the tiny goth couldn’t stand it anymore. It ought to be one hell of an adventure and, in due time, a memory to be cherished.

“I’m up!” the wolf exclaimed, jumping out of bed and over to the clothes she had set out the night before. They had both taken showers just before they went to bed so they could be ready that much faster. Enid even went light on the make up so she could be ready even sooner.

“Good. I will go to the kitchen and find us a little something for breakfast. Just no more turkey for a while.”

“Thanks Willa. You’re the best!”

With a bemused smile Wednesday left the room. She listened at Parker’s door for a moment and heard her cousin also preparing herself. Good then. She wouldn’t be requiring a wake-up call. With that she made her way downstairs. The house was quiet. She would go ahead and brew two pots of coffee so she could pour one down the toilet earlier than usual. Maybe she should brew three. They had some thermoses so taking some with them might be a good call.

She sensed something amiss as she made her way downstairs. Someone was sitting in the darkened dining room when she arrived. Flipping the light on she observed Pugsley’s smiling face.

“Thinking to ambush me brother?” she asked.

“No. Just practicing my stealth. That and I wanted to speak with you before you leave for the day.”

That was odd she thought, but around here seemed relatively normal. Her brow shot up a bit as he pointed to pile of papers set out on the table in front of him.

“That was everything I was able to dig up on Dr. Simms. He is still teaching in the university system but is currently in hot water over his work to ‘cure’ outcasts. He is outspoken in his belief that we need to be either cured of our abilities or sterilized to keep us from breeding more like us. He is a real piece of work.”

She regarded the pile of papers with an intrigued expression.

“Sounds like he would be just the sort that would be recruited to work on such a weapon,” she mused. “I’ll read it once we get back. Nice work Pugsley. Thank you.”

He seemed to be preening a bit. Praise and gratitude from his sister was rare indeed. She would allow him the win. He had earned it.

“So, before I go to bed I was wanting to ask you to pick me up something while you’re raiding the mall.”

“What would that be?”

He handed her a list of his sizes on a small slip of paper.

“Mother usually wants to buy all my clothes. That is why I’m still wearing shorts like a little kid. Can you pick me up some real pants and some shirts to match? I don’t want to dress like a child forever.”

Despite herself Wednesday smiled.

“I think that can be arranged. But if mother is upset by that I’m throwing you under the bus.”

Pugsley laughed as she stood up.

“No doubt you will,” he said, making his way out of the room. “It will be worth it though. No one is going to take me seriously if I’m dressed like a giant toddler. And if she buys me another set of pajamas with the feet in them I’ll throw myself off the tower…again.”

She watched him leave and felt a bit of pride well up inside her heart. So, Pugsley was growing up a bit. It was about time. Her father’s words came back to her mind unbidden. They were all different and would all grow up in their own way. So maybe now was his time to assert a bit of independence. She would help him where she could in this quest.
Soon she heard Parker and Enid coming down the stairs. They greeted her brother in passing and stopped to chat with him for a moment. Remembering her promise to start breakfast she hurried on to the kitchen and got busy with that. They had a full contact shopping session coming up and she didn’t want to miss it.

A little later, once everyone was fed and caffeinated they bundled up against the cold and went out to the car. Lurch had been thoughtful enough to bring it around to the front door last night. Wednesday took the stack of papers that Pugsley had supplied with her so she could give it a bit of study during any quiet moments she might have during the day.

“Wow! The weather dude was right,” Parker exclaimed as they made it out to the car. “It is really coming down. Have you ever driven in the snow Enid?”

“Oh yeah. My oldest brother let me drive his pickup a few times when we would go to Yosemite. I can manage.”

Wednesday recalled that her wolf’s older brothers weren’t so badly corrupted as her younger ones. They got away from their mother before she had truly spiraled out of control. That had happened, as she understood it, around the time Enid was in late elementary or early junior high and still hadn’t wolfed out. She should ask about them later when they have some free time.

Enid had been quite happy after talking to her uncle over the holiday. She still needed and desired some connection to her blood family. It would make her a better girlfriend and mate to help satisfy that need. Maybe, spirits forbid, ask her mother how to best go about that. It would be a consideration for later though. Her wolf was happy right now and seemed to be enjoying her role as chauffeur for their little adventure.

True to her word Enid drove fine in the snow. Her wolf was a woman of many talents. They made good time to the mall and though fighting for a parking space was a bit of a challenge it was soon accomplished. Her old Cadillac was a beast of a car and Enid was willing to wield in an intimidating manner. Most of the other shoppers weren’t willing to get in it’s way. Wednesday almost swooned seeing how aggressively Enid was willing to drive.

With that accomplished the girls made their way into the mall. It was now five in the morning and, true to what Enid and Parker had told her, there was a massive crowd there. Normally she would have balked at that but today she was kind of hyped for it. Hopefully it would be as thrilling an expedition as she had been led to believe.
Descending first on the sporting goods store the girls formed a plan of sort. Wednesday had mapped it out for them. Enid took the point and used her formidable strength to push through the crowd as needed. Parker was the tallest of them and was by her side to find the best path to what they wanted to buy. Being the smallest and fastest Wednesday followed in their wake and could snatch and grab whatever items had caught their fancy.

It worked very well. In fact, the tiny goth was starting to really get into it. It reminded her of a story about one of her olden ancestors who had been a mighty Viking warrior who used to pillage the English coasts. No doubt he would be proud of their performance.

Store after store it was the same. To paraphrase Caesar they came, they saw, and they conquered. Or at least bought up whatever they had set their sights on. Whatever the case she enjoyed it a great deal. More than she would have expected in fact. Apparently her wolf was a bad influence on her, but Wednesday wasn’t complaining.

To be sure, the crowds did take a toll on her patience. Wednesday did feel the need to either retreat to the car for a time or to adjourn to the food court. It was a little less overwhelming there. When she needed a break the other two would also join her and help her decompress a little. It made for a good chance to either deposit their loot into the giant trunk of the Cadillac or grab a quick snack.

As the day wore on they wound up finding everything on their lists as well as the clothes Pugsley had asked for. They then turned their focus to just finding interesting things that piqued their fancy, or Christmas presents for friends and relatives. The Addams family didn’t normally get into the whole overly commercialized aspects of Christmas, but they did exchange gifts. Usually though they gave each other hand crafted items, favors or just fun stories. It was more about the experience than the value of the item.

One exception to that was fun, quirky items. It could be anything, even just an odd knick knack. If it was a little peculiar and would hold some sentimental value it was fair game. With Wednesday’s eye for the weird they managed to find a lot of stuff of that nature. All told it was a very productive day. They wound up filling not only the trunk of the car but most of the back seat as well. Realizing that they couldn’t fit anything more in the car without leaving someone behind they finally called it a day.

“So Willa, was that everything we promised it would be?”

The car groaned under the extra weight as Enid navigated their way out of the parking lot.

“It was,” the goth admitted. “And I played by the rules as you stated them. No weapons, no armor and no severe injuries. Though there are some shoppers that will have some deep tissue bruises.”

Wednesday had been highly effective with quick jabs or elbows into the ribs of folks that had gotten too close or had gotten on her nerves. And in the press of the crowd no one seemed to notice that Enid was way stronger than she should have been in pushing people out of her way. Also, it turned out that Parker had been a good student of all the self-defense lessons her cousin had given her. It only took a quick poke into a pressure point to disable an overzealous shopper who was trying to fight them over a stuffed animal.

“You did very well,” Enid replied as she drove. “In fact, I think we all did well. Though there is a chance we might not be allowed back in that mall.”

“Not to worry about that,” Parker replied with a chuckle. “I texted Pugsley while you two were talking to mall security. Not only were the surveillance images erased but he got us a 20% discount on our next purchase. I didn’t know he could hack so fast and laugh so hard at the same time.”

Despite herself, Wednesday grinned. She had kind of been hoping to sneak back in and steal the tape…or whatever they recorded the images on, but this probably worked better in the long run.

“We should reward him for that,” Enid observed, swerving a bit to avoid a reckless driver in the snow. “Maybe pick him up a snack of some sort? No, that might spoil before we get out of this traffic. Any ideas?”

“I have an idea,” Parker piped up quickly. “Go to the second light and turn left.”

It took a while to do so. Traffic was bumper to bumper, and the sun was going down as night fell earlier this time of year. Once they made the left Parker gave additional instructions and they soon found themselves in an industrial zone.

“Alright. Kill the lights and keep the getaway car running.”

With that Parker hopped out into the snow and disappeared into the night.

“What is she doing?”

“I’m guessing a bit of burglary,” Wednesday said by way of reply.

Enid shook her head in mock indignation.

“So, I’m the getaway driver in a felony?”

“I doubt it’s a felony. Most likely a misdemeanor. How do you feel about that?”

She was honestly curious. This was all new to Enid, but the brunette had noticed her gradually warming up to the families’ ways. While she didn’t want to corrupt her Queen beyond anything she would feel comfortable with it had been impressive how far she was willing to go.

“Hmmm…is anyone going to be hurt in this misdemeanor? Or rather anyone who doesn’t have it coming?”

“Doubtful. Parker has grown to stand up for herself and willing to break a few laws along the way, but she isn’t mean spirited to anyone who hasn’t wronged her.”

There was a moment of silence as the wolf pondered this. After a long moment she shrugged.

“Well, at least your dad is a lawyer if we get into trouble. I’ve got to admit, I’m curious to see what she has in mind.”

Wednesday smiled.

“I doubt she will be caught. We have taught her too well for that to happen easily.”

“Will you train me later?”

The tiny goth’s heart seemed to do a back flip in her chest.

“You want to learn to do illegal things?”

“I want to learn to do necessary things. Skills like lock picking and avoiding security could come in handy. Especially if things go sideways like your dad believes. Having skills like that could help me to keep you and the family safe. Sure, I’m a big powerful wolf who can change even without the full moon but sometimes it might not be enough.”

Wednesday wiped a tear from her eye. She was so proud. Enid continued to impress her.

“Of course, Cara Mia. I will teach you anything that I can. And if I can’t teach you something anyone in the family would be glad to help you.”

Enid reached out and took her hand then, raising it to her lips and kissing it gently. The smaller girl smiled in delight. Before the moment could progress though they were startled by Parker’s return. She had jumped into the back seat bearing a large metal sign that indicated a forklift crossing that had been just outside one of the factories.

“Geeze, can’t you two lovebirds keep your minds on the job? Not great look out skills there cuz.”

She was smiling as she said it, clearly amused by their antics. Then even more so as both Wednesday and Enid stuck their tongues out at her. Then they all three laughed as Enid got the lights back on and started to drive back to the estate.

They chatted happily amongst themselves during the drive. All agreed that Pugsley would love the sign as he hadn’t stolen this one yet for his collection. Soon they were pulling on to the grounds and saw the hearse parked in front of the house. Clearly Lurch and Gomez had just recently returned. Parking the Caddy beside the hearse they all tumbled out and began to load their loot up to take it inside. As if by magic Lurch appeared by their side.

“Oh, hello Lurch,” Wednesday said, seeming not surprised how such a big man could be so stealthy. “Please give us a hand to get all of this up to Parker’s room.”

He merely groaned, as he was wont to do, and then picked up everything else that the girls couldn’t manage on their own. In very short order they had everything unloaded and decided to come back and sort through it all later. It was very near to dinner after all.

Leaving everything behind for now save for Pugsley’s sign they made their way down to the dining room. Sure enough everyone else was waiting for them. Whatever was cooking smelled delicious and Enid in particular was already watering at the mouth.

“Here Pugs, this is for you,” Parker said, holding out the sign. “We picked that up on the way home. For hacking above and beyond the call of duty.”

He was clearly pleased and then was obliged to explain to the rest of the family what had happened. For as scatterbrained as he was sometimes the boy was a pretty fair storyteller. The rest of the family listened with rapt attention.

“So, the security cam didn’t catch anything but Wednesday jamming her knuckles into some soccer mom’s spleen. Still, better safe than sorry so I spliced a few seconds of Ren and Stimpy into their feed and erased the evidence. No harm and no foul.”

Fester clapped in glee and the rest of their family was happy to see them all working and playing so well together.

“You enjoyed your first experience with Black Friday my little night terror? It can be a grand time.”

“Yes father, it was fine sport. We were a little disorganized since I wasn’t sure what to expect. Next year I’m sure we will do much better.”

She didn’t quite catch the amused look Enid and Parker shared so carried on.

“For now though I’m tired and hungry. Who knew how tiring shopping could be?”

The family then settled in to eat. Both Larissa and Miss Claire seemed to be finding their footing as they were integrated into the easy familiarity of a meal with the Addams family. Wednesday was secretly pleased that they both were fitting in so well. Normally she wouldn’t be so concerned about anyone else being comfortable…but they were family now. It surprised her how well she was accepting that, but it felt right and she was not one to doubt her instincts.

Before they left the table Gomez mentioned that Wednesday should speak to him before she went to talk to Galpin. After all, the information they could give him must be strictly managed. They would also wait till after the weekend to see if she could get any visions from either the transfer orders from the police or the personal items previously belonging to Laurel Gates. He wanted to make the holidays as normal, at least by their standards, as possible. The girls deserved that much consideration.

Soon they found themselves back upstairs. It was agreed that they would sort out their purchases the next day. As was mentioned before, it had been a tiring day. Tiring but good, and productive as well. Wednesday and Enid found themselves in their own room in short order. The wolf paused in front of the window for a moment, staring out into the night as the snow continued to pour down.

“Isn’t it pretty?” she said in a quiet voice.

“It is lovely mi Reina,” the smaller girl agreed, wrapping her arms around her love from behind. “And it was a lovely day as well. I never thought I would enjoy shopping so much.”

“You really got into it,” the blonde agreed with a smile. “How lucky can I get? Two days of shopping with my girlfriend in the same week. Even more if you count shopping for cell phones.”

She paused briefly before continuing.

“So, fair is fair. You have obliged me and went shopping. What would you like to do tomorrow?”

To be honest, the seer hadn’t thought that far ahead. All the shopping hadn’t been too hard she could admit to herself. It had made her wolf happy, and she too had enjoyed it more than expected. It took only a moments thought though for her to sort out an answer to the question.

“We should stay home tomorrow. Play in the snow perhaps or just hang out as you would say? Spend time with the family perhaps. No plans, just do whatever strikes us in the moment.”

Enid wore a thoughtful expression as an idea occurred to her.

“It was a lot of fun the other day to play music together. Might as well get some use out of those piano lessons I had.”

“I’m sure we can convince some of the others to join us as well. We have enough people to make a full band if we want.”

With that said they both turned to face the window for a moment, marveling at the pristine snow covering everything in sight. It was pleasant and calm, after a rather hectic day. Wednesday had her wolf close by, her family was at home, safe and happy. And for a change she too felt at peace. All felt right with the world, and she just wanted to enjoy it with the people she cared about. As Enid once told her, there wasn’t anything wrong with that.

Chapter Text

Oh, the difference a few days can make. Gomez was as good as his word and asked nothing of the girls till they had some time to themselves. They played in the snow as planned and spent time with the family, just existing in a warm cocoon of love and acceptance. Of course, everything they did always had an odd little twist to it. That was just life with the Addams Family. Whatever they did they always assailed it with a peculiar sense of mania and the heavy sense for the drama that was their hallmark.

Wednesday knew that her wolf was just as dramatic and manic as her family. She just managed to do it with a sunny temperament and a bright smile. Now she realized it was a silly concern to worry that she wouldn’t fit in. At her core Enid was just as odd as the rest of them and was opening up to that fact.

Not only did she fit right into the brunette’s heart but was rapidly feeling at home here with the family that had taken her in. Enid Addams had a nice ring to it Wednesday thought. Someday they will make that come true. Here, lying in bed with her furnace of a werewolf cuddled up close, she pondered what their wedding might be like. Only a few short weeks ago she would have run screaming from such notions. Now she was taking notes so as to not forget a single detail.

Glancing at the alarm clock she saw that it was only 4:30 in the morning. They had been in bed early after an impromptu jam session in the music room the evening before. It seemed that everyone had a good time, and they had learned that Larissa was also musically inclined. Of course, Morticia had known she was, and the rest of the family was delighted to learn of it. They had even performed the Over the Rainbow song the shape shifter and Morticia had won the talent show with so many years ago.

Still, though she was fully awake now, Wednesday was uncertain what had woken her up. She didn’t feel anything out of place or any sense of alarm. Opening her mind to the sensation the house spirit was sharing with her she finally realized that someone new had arrived in the middle of the night. And that new arrival was hovering just outside the door.

Arising from the bed she slipped on a robe, took note that Enid was still sleeping soundly and walked to the door. Opening it then and regarding Joel with a warm smile she put her finger to her lips. Ghost or not she would punish him if he woke Enid up. But not maliciously. He was family now after all.

“Shall we take a walk?” she asked.

“Sure. You walk and I’ll float. It works out the same either way.”

She led them downstairs to the library. Joel had always been fond of their library. It was as good a place to talk as any.

“Your late,” she said with a sideways glance when they settled in. She took seat on one of the reclining chairs and he, as he often did, sat hovering a few feet above the desk on the same side of the room. “Did something come up in Jericho?”

“Yeah, but nothing I couldn’t handle. It seems that recent versions of the Séance Club didn’t have the same mojo as your mom. They had missed noticing a couple of poltergeists that got stuck up in the wards that were being erected at the school. They had been there for quite some time and didn’t feel like leaving. I got roped into being an intermediary with them to help with their relocation. Then they wound up going to haunt Jericho. It was a bit of a mess for a little while.”

“The witches working on the school couldn’t just force them out?”

“They could have but one of them said it was a delicate time in their work, and they didn’t want to pause what they were doing. It was a big group effort that I didn’t really understand. Grandmama said it would be a good job for me. It just took a bit longer than I would have liked.”

She nodded in understanding and changed the subject. Joel didn’t seem any the worse for it and it seemed as if he was pleased with the end results. It was kind of nice to see him so invested in the work for the school.

“I see. Well, if I need to know anything about it I’m sure Grandmama will tell me. It sounds as if you did a good job. You might have heard that things have been kind of different here.”

“I’ve heard,” he says with a grin. “Grandmama and your mom have stayed in touch with me. You came home with a girlfriend and then coaxed Miss Clair to the dinner table. Hell, you even adopted the school principal into the family. Not bad for only being off in Vermont for less than a semester.”

Despite herself Wednesday blushed for a second.

“She is more than a girlfriend.”

He smiles gently, with a twinkle in his eye. Joel had always been a kind and sensitive soul. Now that he was a ghost, without all the health issues he had suffered before, he was downright mischievous. She still mourned his passing. Like Enid he had been adapting well to her family before he had died. He would have made a fine Addams if he had survived. If he hadn’t fallen in love with a gay girl that is.

“I know she is. I’ve never seen you so happy before. It’s a good look for you.”

She considered a snarky reply, just to stay in character. But seeing the grin he had given her with the compliment she didn’t have the heart to go through with it. They had some history together and Wednesday had worried he might be offended by Enid. Jealous perhaps that they hadn’t worked out as a couple. They never could have however. Back then she hadn’t even admitted to herself that she was gay. At least not on a conscious level.

That did not seem to be the case though. He was not a malicious or jealous spirit. She believed he was genuinely happy for her. That amazed her a bit on some level. Much like she was surprised that he didn’t have it in him to blame her for his death. It wasn’t fair of course that he, with his kind heart and forgiving nature, had to die young. He was just coming into himself and opening to the possibilities of life when it was stripped from him. It seemed the old saying was true. The good died young while assholes lived forever.

“I can hear the gears spinning in your head Wednesday,” he continued with a smile. “Whatever you’re worrying about please don’t. I’m fine and glad to have a new purpose. And you and Enid are more than fine and have a promising future in front of you. Please, don’t jinx it by fretting over things you can’t change.”

“I could have been better,” she said with a hint of regret. “I could have been kinder to you. You could have been such a fine Addams. And you were one hell of a friend.”

“So were you. We were just kids you know. I would have been content as a quirky cousin or something. I was obsessed with you and thinking with the wrong parts of my anatomy for a while. Despite it all though you taught me one hell of an important lesson. You were yourself, always. Even in a family that celebrated the differences in each other you stood out. I was gaining the courage to be what I really felt I was on the inside. Not everyone gets the chance to truly be themselves before they die.”

It was silent between them for a moment. Wednesday, as usual, had trouble giving herself that much credit. Enid and Joel had both always thought so highly of her. She felt blessed to have them both in her life. For now, she would try to accept that and live up to their opinions of her. Maybe that was the first step to being the better person she was trying to become.

“Grandmama has said you have been talking a lot to the family ghosts before everything happened.”

“Oh yeah. Being a ghost isn’t so bad, but it got me to thinking. What comes next, you know? I was raised to be religious, but it didn’t really take. Notions of heaven and hell always seemed a bit simplistic to me. I was more taken with the old Hebrew traditions of reincarnation and purification of the soul over many lifetimes. Then I hit upon the notion of wanting to be reincarnated one day as an Addams.”

They had discussed this before she had gone to Nevermore. In fact, she and Joel had often talked about deep spiritual and philosophical subjects. It was one of the things they bonded over since they had first met. He had never mentioned this particular notion before, but she should have guessed as much.

“You always saw nobility and a certain grace of spirit in the family,” she said in a thoughtful tone. “Most people see us and take notice of how we are different and won’t conform to their own standards of what we should be.”

“Most people are wrong,” he replied simply. “It is a great failing of being human. Too few people can accept others as they are. If all we can see is how we want people to be we can never really know them. Or ourselves and the world around us. I grew to understand that as we came to know each other.”

“I was not really living up to that high ideal for a long time,” she admitted. “I let pain and bitterness harden my heart and poison my soul. You always seemed to believe in me though. It just took a long while for me to believe as well. And still longer to act on it. In fact, I still struggle with it.”

“There was another reason I was late,” he said a bit tentatively. “While I was in Vermont I met your cousin Simon. Who would believe that ghosts could get counseling? He listened to me in a way that the living seldom do. I feel better about things after talking to him.

Circling back to what you said, I spent a lot of time with the family ghosts while you were at Nevermore and I couldn’t follow. It freaked me out at first. They seemed to like me though and they all had good advice. With them I felt like part of the family. It was funny, they all seemed to hint that there was something I hadn’t realized yet. Like there was a destiny for me that I hadn’t quite caught on to yet. I’m still trying to sort it out and they were being coy about it. The only thing I could think of was that I could be reborn somehow as an Addams once this current state of existence is over.”

If he had lived she knew her parents would have been willing to adopt him into the family. He could have undergone the ritual just as Parker would soon. It was clear he was an Addams in spirit if not in blood. If only…but his time had been cut short through no fault of his own.

“You are an Addams,” she said in a sincere tone. “In all the ways that really matter. I’m just so sorry you didn’t get the chance to realize that when you were still living.”

He replied with a bemused laugh and then smiled at her.

“Alive or dead…it doesn’t always really matter so much. Most people don’t quite seem to understand that. Something remains when you leave behind all the messy biological parts. The soul survives and evolves. Somehow this family remains, and the souls hang out a lot longer than normal to stay near their heirs. It seems like a special spiritual fate to me…and I’m glad to be a part of it in whatever capacity.”

She was ready to reply. It had always been their own special thing to talk about such deep subjects and bounce ideas off each other. In fact, they had spent many days doing just that. She was suddenly distracted though by the feeling that Enid was approaching. Joel too seemed to pick up on that fact.

“Do you suppose she will be scared of me?” he asked.

“I don’t think so. She spent quite some time speaking to great Aunt Calpurnia one day. I think she will be alright.”

Just that moment the door to the library creaked open and a sleepy Enid wandered in.

“Willa? Are you alright? I woke up and wondered why you were awake.”

She paused then, seeing Wednesday and Joel sitting together. For a moment she had a confused expression on her face. Joel was clearly translucent and glowed in the dark. There was no mistaking him from a normal human boy. Normal by Addams family standards anyway.

“Oh. Sorry. Didn’t mean to disturb you,” she said, the confused expression being replaced by a friendly smile. Are you one of the family ghosts?”

Just as predicted she was not frightened. Once again the blonde exceeded expectations and just accepted the idea that her girlfriend was talking to a ghost in the middle of the night. Nothing strange here.

“Enid, this is Joel, my friend that I mentioned before. Joel, this is Enid, my beloved. She is a werewolf and my roommate from Nevermore.”

He smiled at them both and hovered closer to Enid and gave her a slight bow and a dazzling smile.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Enid. I would offer to shake your hand, but you know…It’s hard to touch things in this state. I want to thank you for being there when Wednesday needed you. I’ve heard stories of how brave and beautiful you are. Welcome to the family.”

Smiling broadly Enid tried to ghost hug him, much as Morticia did with Wednesday when she tried to show affection without touch.

“It’s nice to meet you Joel. Willa has said a lot of nice things about you. And you’re just as charming as she said.”

Turning to Wednesday she continued.

“I see why you like him. He could charm the birds out of the trees, couldn’t he?”

They all laughed for a moment. Another sound distracted them briefly as Lurch passed the doorway on his way towards the kitchen. He merely regarded them and groaned slightly before continuing. It was then that they realized that the sunrise was coming and it would be time for breakfast before too much longer.

“The time got away from us,” Wednesday said in a thoughtful tone. “We have a lot to do today.”

That much was true. She and Enid would be heading through the gate to Vermont later in the morning. They had plans to visit Simon and Rebecca, then spend some time in Jericho before calling on the Sherrif. If possible they would also visit Eugene since Pugsley had a gift to send for him.

Joel was still grinning at the compliment from the blonde and then watched Lurch’s retreating form.

“It’s amazing the confidence being dead can give you. I was never as cheeky when I was drawing breath. For now though I’m a bit tired and it sounds like you two have a busy day. Go on and get ready for breakfast. I’ll go nap for awhile in the tomb and we can catch up later.”

With a wave and a smile Joel regarded them both and faded from sight.

“Ghosts get tired?”

Wednesday gave Enid a sad little smile and nodded.

“Whereas the living function off of the energy we get from eating ghosts are fueled by a form of spiritual magic. I’m not certain of all the mechanics of it but they sometimes need to replenish this source of energy so they will become dormant for a while till they can recharge. Joel was never a powerful spirit but seems to have grown somewhat recently. Going back and forth between locations and being as busy as he has must have depleted his resources. It won’t take him very long to replenish himself though.”

The blonde considers this for a moment and nods.

“So, we will be seeing him more here and then at Nevermore?”

“That’s right. Don’t worry though. He is very aware of privacy issues and won’t be spying on us. He will try to not make you feel uncomfortable.”

“I wasn’t worried about that. He seems to be a friendly ghost. We will figure it out as we go. I’m just glad we will have another set of eyes watching over us and keeping us out of trouble. One can never have too much back up.”

Wednesday regards her and smiles, relieved that her wolf understands. She loves Enid but Joel is very important to her as well. It is ideal if the two of them could get along.

“So, he has a tomb here? You buried him in the family graveyard?”

“No, his physical form is buried in a family plot with his blood relatives. By the time he had passed and become a ghost he was already considered part of the family. He had left me his complete set of serial killer collectable cards and I had those sealed in a small tomb here in his honor. That is usually where he retreats to when he is tired.”

The goth had expected Enid to question that. Why was he more comfortable here than among his own relatives or even why there was such a thing as serial killer collectables? To her surprise the other girl just accepted both of those things as a given. Instead, her mind was focused on something else.

“You know, it might be my imagination but sometimes when Lurch grunts and groans I think that I hear real words. Did he just say ‘good morning’ as he went by? Am I hallucinating or just starting to understand his secret language?”

“The later mi Reina. Just another of the adaptations you’re making as you become one of us. He doesn’t say a lot, but he does speak. Most people just can’t understand him.”

Enid nods happily at the confirmation and reaches out for Wednesday’s hand.

“Good. Then I’m not crazy. At least not much. Come on. We should go clean up and get ready. We have a big day of being sociable and visiting people to get ready for.”

As she was drug away towards the stairs it was the goth’s turn to groan a bit. She was not ready for this, but it needed to be done. Best to get on with it she supposed and released herself to Enid’s ‘gentle’ guidance.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

All other things aside Wednesday hoped they could get some things done today. The last few days hadn’t been very productive through no fault of her own. Trying to find a vision from the transfer orders officer Santiago had sent proved mostly fruitless. All she could see was Laurel Gates in the custody of what appeared to be federal agents. She was then driven to an upscale hotel somewhere in New York city and released. All she could gather from that was that she was awaiting her new benefactor.

The woman’s personal effects had been even less useful. All she got was a memory of Gates ‘entertaining’ a man in her in her apartment. If she could figure out who the man was he might provide some leads but as of yet she had no earthly idea who he might be. Another mystery to solve she supposed.

The information Pugsley had provided was proving to be far more useful. Her father had taken over that aspect of the investigation as she had predicted. There was a lot of information there to sift through and no doubt there were already people watching Dr. Simms and trying to dig up more details. They would have to await further details on that front.
Her brother had also made new phones for them all. Pugsley had presented she and Enid both with new phones. All they had to do was remove the sim chips from their old ones and insert them into the new ones. This put their phones onto a separate network that was part of the Outer Limits system so their calls and web searches couldn’t be monitored by normal technology. It was an added level of security that would make their investigations even more secure. The family’s phones were now protected, and he was preparing new phones for all the Nightshades and other particular individuals. In fact, they had a phone to deliver to Eugene since they were in town today.

First things first though. After stepping through the gate, she and Enid found themselves in the basement of a house they didn’t recognize. It was the one her parents had purchased on the outskirts of Jericho. Waiting for them there was her cousin Rebecca who was quite clearly several months pregnant. Other than that, she was much as Wednesday had remembered her being. She was quite beautiful, as Sirens tended to be, with long curly auburn hair, bright violet eyes and a complexion that reminded one of porcelain. When she spoke her German accent was still quite strong.

“Welcome to Jericho,” she said with a smile. “I understand you haven’t seen the house yet?”

“Thank you cousin. No, we haven’t seen it yet. Thank you for taking the time to meet us. I hope we aren’t interrupting anything.”

“Not at all. I am at loose ends for a few days till they finish the house we bought in town. Simon, however, has been kept busy. He goes on into this office at Nevermore every day to familiarize himself with the files for his new patient’s. He should be back shortly though for lunch. Wont you stay and join us?”

A brief memory came unbidden to the goth’s mind. They were building an inside pool in their new home. That was the reason for the delay, but it should be completed in a matter of days. It was highly recommended that baby Sirens be born in the water. Most normie hospitals wouldn’t know that or be equipped to accommodate such a need.

“Thank you Rebecca. We would like that. I need to speak to Simon anyway. First though I would like you to meet Enid. She is my girlfriend and still becoming acquainted with the family.”

The Siren stepped closer, offering her hand to Enid. As they shook hands the blonde’s eyes lit up as she took notice of what appeared to be full-sleeve tattoos that had been hidden before under her long flowing sleeves. It was amazing how much could be hidden within maternity clothing.

“I love your tattoos,” she said with a grin. “Do they have some special meaning?”

“They do! But they aren’t tattoos. Watch.”

Rebecca pulled up a sleeve to reveal her left arm. They could see that her arm up to well past the elbow was covered with twisting animal images that seemed to shift and move of their own volition. There were insects, fish, birds and even a few lizards in the mix. The way they moved made it hard to make them all out on a casual observation. She tapped one with her finger and a brilliantly bright butterfly took flight, circled around the room a few times before coming to settle back on her arm.

Enid was naturally enchanted by it. Her eyes lit up and she smiled and clapped her hands in glee. She was, as Wednesday knew, easily amused. Still, she loved to watch as she was introduced to new and wondrous things. The blondes joy filled her heart and gave her a warm feeling as well.

“They are magical drawings that I made as my pregnancy progressed. They can perform some simple tasks for me or carry messages. A few can be used for self defense as well. My condition makes the use of full witchcraft more tiring than usual, so I wanted to have some options available in case of emergency.”

The more excited Rebecca got the thicker her accent became. She and Enid had to take a few moments to work through whatever she said as neither was fluent in German. Soon enough she reined in her excitement and motioned for them to follow her.

“Follow me please. I didn’t mean to just keep you standing in the basement. Let’s go upstairs to sit. I’ve got something for you anyway.”

They followed where she led, finding themselves soon in the living room. It was simply decorated, and the furnishings must have been whatever they could find at the local furniture store in a hurry. It was all functional but not particularly inspired. No doubt if they planned to use this place long her mother would see to redecorating with all due haste.

Rebecca saw them to the couch and then turned towards a desk on the other side of the room. She returned to them momentarily and offered Wednesday some papers and three key rings. The brunette accepted them and then gave her cousin a curious look. After sinking heavily into a recliner beside the couch the mother to be answered the unspoken question.

“Two of the rings hold all the keys for this house. One for the front door, back door and garage as well as a beeper to open the gate outside. Your father said to give one to each of you since you will be living in town once school starts. You might need somewhere to stay if things get too hot at school. The other ring is the keys for a car he bought for your use when you’re back in Jericho.

The papers are the registration card, title and insurance information you will need for the car. I’m not familiar with how all of that is done here in the states. Simon and your father both looked over it all and said it was all you should need to be legal here.”

“Your father bought us a car to use?” Enid asked happily. “That will make it a lot easier to get around town for us. I guess we will have to leave it parked here though. Nevermore doesn’t have on site student parking.”

“It does sound like something he would do,” Wednesday replied in a fond tone. And bless him for that. She for one was growing tired of having to depend on public transit or uber to get around. Jericho wasn’t a big city, but it was widely spread out. The downtown section nearest to Nevermore held the bulk of the shopping areas but the city limits were widely spread though sparsely inhabited.

It occurred to her that this house must be in the upscale area north of town where people with money built larger homes. From the context clues she had gathered so far this would be a six- or seven-bedroom home with a large, walled yard and suitable amenities to suit their needs. Not that they would spend much time here in all likelihood. It was required for students to live on campus. Having the option though would be nice.

“Your new house will be nearby then?” Wednesday asked, assuming that to be the case. “And Aunt Ophelia would be living here as well?”

“It is. Our house is about three blocks to the west of here. Ophelia has indicated she will be staying here at least part time. It will depend on how things are going at school I suppose. She has a room on the third floor. The two of you can pick whichever room you prefer of course.”

Enid, naturally, was excited to hear all of this. She was easily amused though. Wednesday’s mind was otherwise occupied as she pondered all of this and any hidden implications there were to be found. As she was thinking about any hidden meaning she might be missing her hand closed on her new keys for the house when her eyes rolled up into her head as a vision took her.

Shaking her head she looked around and found herself still in the house. She and Enid were in hiding and watched as her Aunt Ophelia was talking quietly with a man she suddenly recognized. It was the same man she had seen Laurel Gates with! And her aunt was clearly flirting with him.

As she watched Ophelia whispered something in his ear which the man clearly found as arousing. As his guard was lowered though she saw her poke him in the neck with one of her long fingernails. When she did so his eyes became glassy, and he slumped to the ground.

“Alright girls,” she said simply, watching him with clear contempt in her eyes. “Help me move him and we can get the interrogation under way.”

With that the vision ended. Wednesday came back to her senses and found herself lying on the couch with Enid kneeling beside her and Rebecca, still seated nearby, watching with some concern.

“It’s her psychic gift,” the blonde was saying to her cousin. “Sometimes a vision will just hit her out of the blue.”

While Enid was explaining they became aware of the front door opening. Her cousin Simon had just entered, carrying a large bundle of files in his arms. For a long moment everyone paused to regard one another before he finally spoke.

“Am I interrupting something?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“So that is how I found myself unconscious on your couch,” Wednesday said. Simon sat behind his desk in the second-floor office space and regarded her with some concern. She sat in the chair in front of the desk and was a bit more pale than normal. True, she had wanted to talk to him alone, but for it to happen like this was a bit embarrassing.

Rebecca had offered to give Enid the grand tour so they could talk in private for a little while. She had to promise her Queen to share all the details of the vision upon her return to get her cooperation in this. She had scared her with the sudden vision and would have to make special effort to pamper the wolf later in compensation. For now, it seemed very important to make sure they could trust Simon. She wasn’t just going to trust her loves emotional and psychiatric care to just anyone!

“Well, it seems no harm was done,” he finally said. “This is normal for you then?”

“More than I would like.”

He was much as she remembered him. Simon was a tall man of African ancestry with handsome features, broad shoulders and he clearly took care of both his appearance and physical conditioning. For anyone who was attracted to men he was quite pleasing to look upon. The most striking thing about him though was his eyes. They were intense and expressive, seeming to catch everything. He could convey much with a simple glance.

“Perhaps so,” he replied, studying her as he spoke. “It will take time to become adept with your abilities. Your psychic powers only recently began to manifest, yes?”

“Within the last year. And I’ve lost my mentor in the attack on the school. Grandmama has given me an alternative way to find her but so far I haven’t mastered it. For the moment I’m trying to sort it out on my own. I believe Enid would refer to it as ‘winging it.’ “

“I’m afraid I can’t help much with that. My own gifts are significantly different, and I’ve never shown much aptitude for witchcraft. I will help you as much as I can though, in whatever capacity you might need. That isn’t really the reason you wanted to speak to me though. What is it that you need?”

She hesitates for a moment, trying to weigh his sincerity and intent. This wasn’t easy for her, and she felt as though he saw way too much when he looked her way. She needed some answers though and there was only one way to get them.

“You will be the new counselor for Nevermore. I find myself in need…of help. Several of my fellow students do as well. And Enid. I’m not a trusting soul but you are family. So, simply put, I need to know that I can trust you with her care.”

It of course sounded terribly pretentious. She of course realized that but there was no help for it. Wednesday needed to know. For Enid’s sake as well as for her friends. And herself. That seemed to be the gist of it. She had only started to warm to Kinbott after the woman was gone. She needed to know it could be different with Simon.

“I see,” he replied, his expression subdued. “You want to be sure I can get the job done. Think about that for a moment. What do you think I could say that would earn your trust?”

“I…don’t know.”

That much she had to admit. She needed to know but talk was cheap. On paper his credentials were impressive, but she hadn’t actually spoken to him for years. Rebecca she had seen a few times since they had been married but she lived in Europe so hadn’t been around often either. Not enough for her to form much of a rapport with either of them unfortunately.

“I could make promises. Try to reassure you with words and promises. Perhaps an appeal to family unity. But you have been betrayed by people you were becoming close to. Mere words won’t do the job, will they?”

Her eyes widened a bit. How did he know any of that? Who had told him? Apparently her reaction gave away her thoughts.

“No one told me Wednesday. At least not in the way you mean. I have inherited Dr. Kinbott’s files and I pay attention to the news that has been spread about Nevermore. To do my job I have to learn as much about prospective patient’s ss I can. Not to spy on you but to be ready to help you to my utmost.”

That calmed her but only a little.

“Does a lot of that news around Nevermore involve me?”

“More than you would like. You did after all make quite the splash and everyone took notice of how you saved the school. I was able to infer a lot from just the recounting of your exploits.”

Again, she grew a little calmer. It wasn’t ideal but at least no one had deliberately betrayed her confidence. Her cousin was just so perceptive and intelligent that he had been able to piece together some of the details. Truly, she could respect that.

“It’s not been easy for me,” she admits. “In fact, things are an unholy mess right now. Are you aware of the current situation?”

“Both your father and Principal Weems have kept me in the loop. You and your mother have had visions hinting to a group of hunters preparing to attack in the future. They both deemed it wise for me to be aware if I am going to be counseling you and your compatriots in the Nightshades. The lot of you are going to play some part in the coming troubles and will need additional support. I want to go on record and say that I’m sorry for that. You shouldn’t be burdened with such things but there seems to be no help for it.”

She nods curtly and tries her best to relax. His manner is soothing but she remains somewhat on edge. Despite her worst instincts she feels some trust growing but remains wary.

“There is no help for it,” she says in a small voice. It hurts her pride not to be at the center in planning and executing this war. It is the right thing though. Wednesday now realizes she has an overly inflated sense of her own abilities. She is good at what she does but is nowhere near mature enough to take on all of this by herself.

“I’ve left a trail of pain behind me because I wasn’t as capable as I thought. Somehow I still have new friends and Enid’s love after all my mistakes. Dr. Kinbott is dead, and Enid was almost killed as well. Not to mention Weems, Xavier and Eugene. I am…adrift cousin. I am no longer sure of what to do. It feels…disconcerting.”

She had said more than she intended. Did his psychic gift cause people to trust him so readily?

“If you would permit me to I do want to help you Wednesday. You and all your fellow students and everyone else at Nevermore. None of this is fair to you. At your age your top concern should be exploring your own feelings and taking care of the people closest to you. You should be experiencing all that life has to offer and preparing for your future. Not being on guard against magic hating bigots intent on murder.”

She nods, not sure what to say. Deep down, she does want a more peaceful life for both her and Enid. A curse upon all these new feelings. She even wants the same for her new friends and her extended family. There is nothing to be done about it though, so she rages internally against the injustice of it.

“There is nothing to be gained by letting myself be upset about it,” she says, just a hint of venom in her voice. “What can you do that Kinbott couldn’t? I didn’t trust her till it was too late. I might be beyond the point where I can be helped.”

“That isn’t true Wednesday. You’re still breathing so you aren’t past the point of being helped. And I do have one advantage that your previous counselor didn’t. I have great respect for the dear departed doctor. She did the best she could with what she had to work with. But I am an Addams and know that none of us will ever be what the mundane folks would believe to be healthy from a psychological point of view. I will have unique insights to you all and what will be required to help you.”

“Mundane folks? You mean normies?”

“I find the term pejorative,” he said with a shrug. “We are all human, more or less. Outcasts are just a different strain of humanity. We can’t really expect their understanding and acceptance if we belittle them casually. There has been plenty of bad karma generated on both sides of the divide. They in some cases have good reason to fear us. We are just more vulnerable to them though because they outnumber us by such a wide margin.”

In a logical sense she could believe that. Spirits knew that the Addams family had committed many atrocities over the years, though not so much in recent centuries. On an emotional level though that was hard to reconcile. In her short life she had only known fear and disrespect from most normies. That would be a tall hurdle to clear to be terribly respecting of their plight. That wasn’t the important thing now though.

“I see. For the moment I will have to disagree. Not because you’re wrong but because I don’t feel that way yet. In fact, I’m just beginning to feel thanks to Enid and Goody.”

“Who is Goody?”

“My spirit guide. She had to magically access my latent witchcraft to heal me when I had been tortured near to death. Doing so trapped her deep within my psyche and caused my feelings to come to the surface. I had repressed them for so long…then suddenly they opened back up like a failing dam. Then there was Enid…”

“The curse?”

She could only nod. Simon regarded her for a moment and then nodded. Damn, he seemed to know too much for her own good. She felt helpless after a fashion. How did he see so clearly what she had been afraid to admit thus far?

“How do you feel about that? I imagine the rush of emotions is disconcerting. Still, it seems you are managing it well. Most people would be all but catatonic with that many emotions bubbling to the surface.”

“Sometimes I wish I was catatonic,” she admits. “But Enid needs me. And I need her so very much.”

She looks away, wiping at a treacherous tear that snuck out past her defenses. He pushed a box of tissues on his desk closer to her side. Wednesday resolutely refused to even acknowledge it.

“She gives you strength, even as she proves your weakness to all these new feelings. Believe it or not, that is a sign of growth. If I had to guess you always thought of emotions and attachments as a weakness. It is difficult to suddenly become so wrapped up in them. It will be hard to adapt to them, but it is only natural, even for us. “

“What is your gift? Do you have a psychic power that is making me open up to you?”

She could feel it happening. It wasn’t exactly trust but she did feel like she could share more with him than she had with anyone else. It felt safe after a fashion. He made her feel heard and understood in some way. Naturally that bothered her on some level.

“Nothing of the sort. I am an empath which admittedly is a good skill to have in my line of work. While working with patients I try to use it sparingly. Knowing what you feel is all well and good but most of my job is helping you to identify and act upon your feelings in a constructive manner. Whatever you feel the need to share is based more upon your own needs than any supernatural power on my part.”

She was dubious of course. But then, why did this feel so right? It felt as if there was a flood of emotions hiding behind her eyes and they needed to go…somewhere. In the end she finally decided he was just that good at what he did. Maybe she could trust him after all.

“I will tell the others that it’s safe to talk to you,” she finally admitted. “And if possible I would like to see you as well. I just need…to talk to someone. Can you help me manage all of this.”

“I will do my best. For you and Enid and all your friends. Truth be told you’re still under a court mandated order for therapy. The powers that be will ask if you’re complying with the order. That said though I want to promise you something.

As long as you make the effort to get better I will be very understanding of outside issues. We are preparing for a war of sorts. And as an outcast of the Addams line your needs are not something the mundane laws and bureaucracy would be able to understand. As long as you’re honest with me and keep me in the loop I will cover for you where I can. We can work out the details as we go. Is that acceptable to you?”

“That…will be sufficient,” she says, wrangling another stray tear beck into line. Trust him or not she was still uncomfortable with displays of emotion. Except for Enid. She could share openly with her without too much difficulty.”

“Very well then,” he says with a slight smile. “Would you like to begin therapy early then? I understand that you and Enid will be home till January. May I visit the two once or twice between now and then? If you think it would be helpful?”

“I believe that would be a good idea. And thank you. I don’t know how you did it, but it seems I can talk to you. It should be beneficial.”

“Then we shall plan on it. For now, I think you need to decompress a bit. Shall we go find my wife and your werewolf? No doubt they have talked each other’s ears off by now. We can have lunch before you head off on the rest of your errands.”

That sounded like a delightful idea. She had jumped her emotional hurdles for the day. No doubt their conversation with the Sherriff might prove rather emotional but she was feeling more confident about it now. And more hopeful as well. With Enid by her side and her family in her corner Wednesday was feeling better about her own future and knew her Queen would get the care she needed.

One day at a time, she knew they could do this.

Chapter Text

As predicted, Enid and Rebecca had indeed got to talking and lost track of everything else around them. The werewolf was a social butterfly without peer and her cousin didn’t know many people here in Vermont just yet and was anxious to make new friends. With her husband and cousin Ophelia working full-time she had a lot of time to spare so it was nice for her to have someone to talk to for a while. Judging by Simon’s expression he was just as pleased as Wednesday herself was to find them getting along so well.

They joined them for lunch and found Simon and Rebecca to be very courteous hosts. They all got to know each other a bit better or, in Wednesday’s case, to reacquaint themselves. In doing so they learned a bit more about what had drawn them here from Germany where they had previously made their home. Rebecca was well renowned in artistic circles and had been hired by none other than Vincent Thorpe to come to America and tutor his son.

It seems that the elder Thorpe found the art program at Nevermore to be lacking and wanted to help his son’s studies. Now if only he could occasionally be emotionally present for Xavier it would be ideal. Wednesday was pleased though that he had made this much effort. Rebecca had been hired, on Vincent’s dime, to assist with the art program and tutor his son on the side at a very generous salary. When Simon, who was keen to return to America, heard of the offer he began a job search of his own. It was just dumb luck that it had happened around the time of the board reorganization at Nevermore and Weems had wanted to improve the school’s medical staff.

That happy coincidence gave them Dr. Kane and now Simon, who would both go a long way to improving the physical and emotional health of the student body. Wednesday didn’t normally believe in coincidence she was willing to accept this one without question. The vagaries of random chance had to work out in their favor occasionally. She was willing to accept it and just be happy with the outcome.

After lunch they said their goodbyes and took their leave. At least for the moment. They would have to return later to use the gate so they could return to New Jersey anyway so they would be back later in the day. Making their way out to the car the girls took note that it was a large Jeep brand SUV. As the family preferred it had a lot of trunk room for bodies or contraband. Enid fell in love with it immediately.

“O. M. G. Willa! Your dad bought us a car just to get around Jericho in.”

She grinned at her girlfriend, then at the car and back again.

“That is so nice of him. Come on! I want to drive you around town.”

Wednesday merely smiled and got into the passenger side. It was clear that her father had intended for Enid to drive. She would never have been able to see over the steering wheel of this brute on her own, even if she refrained from driving due to the possible dangers of slipping into a vision at any time. She would have to thank her father later if Enid didn’t beat her to it. For a moment her wolf’s excitement reminded her that she had at first seen the gift as just a minor point of interest. She felt no gratitude, at first, for it.

Enid reminded her again of how jaded she was and how little she had always appreciated all the small tokens of love and kindness from her parents. Once again she reminded herself to try and mend her ways and do so in the future. They deserved better from her. A lot of people did. Just another reminder that she needed to do better.

She watched as Enid buckled herself in, started the car and then put her phone in an odd little holder on the dash. Before she could ask about it the wolf rushed to explain.

“Newer models have a holder for your cell phone so you can use it to navigate with.”

Noticing that Wednesday still didn’t seem to understand she opened her phone, typed in Eugenes’ address and hit another button. As she watched in amazement a mechanical voice then gave them directions on how to get there. Smiling broadly Enid backed the car out and followed the instructions from the phone.

“See! Our phones can do a lot more than just make calls, google stuff and play music. With all the stuff that Pugsley added it can probably walk our dogs and wax the cars too!”

The goth wasn’t sure about all that but was willing to let her wolf think so if it pleased her. She wasn’t much more comfortable with the tech involved than she had been before. Still, she was coming to respect the power behind it a little more every day.

It wasn’t a long drive. In fact, it only took about fifteen minutes. Parking in front of the house the girls locked the car and went to knock on the door. Eugene answered almost immediately. They were both pleased to see him, especially considering he looked a lot better now than he had before. His wounds were mostly healed, he looked healthy and happy and in good cheer. It almost seemed that nothing awful had happened to end their previous semester.

Something awful had happened though. People had died. The school was almost destroyed. There had been more than enough trauma to go around for everyone. Eugene hadn’t ignored or forgotten about that fact. It seemed though that he had come to terms with it. To Wednesday’s trained eye he had grown from the events he had witnessed. He looked a little more mature and she remembered how her brother had also seemed to be growing into his new responsibilities. She was struck more than ever by how much one reminded her of the other.

“It is good to see you again Eugene,” she said with a half-smile while he held the door open for them.

“Good to see you both too,” he replied with a grin. “Come on in. I made something for us to snack on.”

They followed him into the house and into the living room.

“My moms had to go out for a while, so we don’t have to worry about keeping any secrets. Weems and Yoko really stressed that we had to not let anything slip.”

Wednesday nodded while Enid made a gesture of locking her lips shut and nodded.

“Wait here a second and I’ll bring you a snack and some sodas.”

He scurried off to do that as the girls regarded each other.

“I guess he is missing everyone,” the blonde said in a whisper. “He seems very happy to have us here.”

The brunette frowned for a moment, remembering Eugene’s previous crush on Enid. On second thought though he seemed to have moved on from that. He wasn’t a threat to their relationship. Just a friend who felt alone after their shared peril when everyone else had left Jericho for the break. Taking a deep breath she calmed herself as the boy returned bearing a platter of cookies and assorted soft drinks.

“It’s my first time trying to bake,” he said with some excitement. Of course, the secret ingredient is honey.”

He chuckled a bit and joined them on the couch. Each of them took some cookies and chose a drink. Upon first tasting the cookies, it was pretty clear that for a first effort he was reasonably adept at cookie making.

“These are really good Eugene,” Wednesday admitted. “Are you sure your mothers didn’t help?”

“Nope. It was all me. Though I might try to shirk the chore of cleaning up after it. We better save them a few so I have a better chance to get away with it.”

She nodded with approval. He was attempting a bit of misdirection to fool his mothers and get out of a chore. She could respect that. He was indeed growing up.

“I can respect that. Good luck with your venture into delinquency.”

She offered him the new phone and continued.

“As of yet we don’t have any news to share. I’ve had some visions but nothing too revealing yet. Xavier also has had one but I’m not sure what to make of it yet. My father is trying to organize it all and put together a briefing for us. This is the new phone Pugsley promised. Just put your current sim card into this one and it should be a lot more secure.”

He nodded and accepted the phone, deftly switching the sim card out. She notes how adept he was at it. Apparently all the Nightshades, except for herself, were well versed in such things. She still views electronics with suspicion and must depend on Enid, Thing or Pugsley to help her along. Maybe she should seek some training in such things.

“Pugs had said in chat that there wasn’t a lot that he had found yet. Something about finding some background information for you to research and still analyzing visions. Don’t worry, he didn’t go into any detail, but with the new phone I’m hoping to ask more questions. Your father still thinks we have some time to go before it all comes to a head?”

“Yes. He estimates a year, more or less, but we have to be industrious in the meantime to gather all the intel we can and be prepared. It grates on me though. We know of some figures we could take out now to prevent the problem. At least in the short term. If we do though we might invalidate my mother’s vision and change things enough that we would miss the opportunity to defeat them ultimately. We must wait, no matter how much I hate it.”

It made logical sense. Hold back for now, learn all they could and then they could destroy the leadership and nullify the danger their still to be developed biologically weapon posed. She was glad for her father to be making the decisions in this case. No doubt she would just take off without a well-developed plan and give the hunters a second chance to destroy them all.

They brainstormed for a bit, discussing various theories, suspicions, and ideas. The girls filled him in on the details of some of the visions, including the one Wednesday had earlier in the day. In his turn Eugene filled them in on the most recent events around town, including all the new activity around Nevermore itself. There were a LOT of workers milling around for jobs at the school. All of the assorted work crews had been a boon for the town and the local hotels, restaurants and other businesses were reaping the benefit.

Then, just to unwind a bit they just chatted about their friends and all of the things their extended circle were up to. It was nice to have some leisure to unwind for a bit. Despite herself, Wednesday had to admit she was missing the various people in her circle. She huffed a bit at the thought of it. A little socialization would ease her nerves, but she still wasn’t quite willing to admit it out loud.

They stayed to visit for half an hour or so. They had promised to visit the Sherrif at around three in the afternoon and that time was quickly approaching. Saying their goodbyes they both promised to talk to Eugene again soon. Either call him or just chat via text. It would be easier to manage now with the newer phones or over their laptops in a private chat room on the Outer Limits. Pugsley had managed to make that a secure medium for them as well.

After they took their leave Enid sat her phone on the dash again and pulled up Galpin’s address for the magical direction app to show them the way. Much like their trip to Eugene’s it wasn’t that far away. Perhaps another fifteen-minute drive while Wednesday pondered what both Larissa and her father said she could say to the man. Just enough to secure his cooperation and nothing more. They trusted her to thread the needle on that. Everyone seemed to agree though that it would be better for him to oversee law enforcement for the upcoming unpleasantries.

Parking in front of his house Enid regarded the place with an uncertain expression. She seemed to sense something amiss. The goth had learned some time ago to trust her Queen’s instincts. Even to her less than stellar emotional understanding the place just seemed sad and empty. All the curtains were closed and since the snow hadn’t fully melted yet they could see the walk hadn’t been shoveled and it didn’t appear that anyone had come or gone for quite some time.

“I’m not psychic but it looks like he hasn’t even left the house in several days.”

Wednesday nodded and took note of the concerned look on her love’s face. She still felt guilty about the things that had happened. The least she could do was to try and help the man pull out of his depression, even if she wasn’t exactly well versed in how to do so. With a sigh they both exited the car and went to knock on the front door. It took a few moments, but the man eventually came to answer it.

“Addams...Sinclair. Glad you could make it. I wasn’t sure if you would or not.”

“You doubted us?” she said, regarding the man curiously.

“I didn’t know what to think,” he admitted with a shrug. “I’ve just been kind of…down lately.”

Enid glanced at her, not quite knowing what to say. She was clearly waiting for Wednesday to take the lead here. And with good reason. The blonde understood that she had a lot to get off her chest here.

“I know,” she finally said in a low voice. “And I am sorry for how everything worked out. I understand now that I made things a lot more difficult than they needed to be. We can discuss that over a late lunch if you’re willing. My treat.”

He studied her for a long moment, as if weighing the offer.
“Alright. I you want to spring for lunch I won’t argue. Give me a few minutes though to take a quick shower. I haven’t been out of the house for a few days.”

The girls both nodded and he ushered them on into the house before excusing himself to go upstairs.

“This looks bad,” Enid whispered to her as they heard the shower start upstairs. “He looks so tired and defeated. How do we help him?”

That was her wolf, through and through. She wanted to help the man like she would help anyone. It was even more complicated since he had saved her life. That was going to be a tall order though. Even the dog lying on a blanket near the front door looked like he had given up.

“We try to be there for him,” Wednesday said with a frown. “And we try to give him new purpose.” Truth be told she wasn’t entirely certain of how to do it. She would, as Enid often said, be winging it.

After about twenty minutes he rejoined them. A shower and changing into clean clothes didn’t seem to help his demeanor much but he did seem a bit more engaged with his company. He appeared to be curious about why they were here but having nothing better to do was willing to hear them out. It was a start.

“When my parents picked us up for the break we went to an all you can eat truck stop not far from here,” Wednesday said as they began the drive. “I’m not sure if you know this but werewolves require a lot of food. It might not be grand cuisine but it will do in a pinch.”

“I know the place,” he said, smiling a bit. “I used to go there often but haven’t for a while now.”

“Then it is decided. And in exchange I want you to promise me something.”

“You mean to go back to work?”

“That. And to take that poor dog for a walk. He seems to miss you terribly. The version of you that he has known for years now and not the wounded man you have become.”

Galpin frowns a bit but nods.

“Right. More dog walks and get Elvis out of the house more often,” he said with a sigh. “Just this moment I can’t promise anything about the job though. They might not want me back. I really dropped the ball on that last investigation.”

“Not as badly as you think,” the goth countered. “Let’s be honest for a moment. You didn’t know much about outcasts and weren’t aware of what Gates had done to your son. Through no fault of your own you were ignorant on many fronts, and I didn’t make things any easier on you. Despite the position you found yourself in you still came to save Enid and protect us from him. That must have taken a lot of emotional fortitude.”

For a moment he looks away and sighs. Wednesday opts to continue since she finds herself on a roll.

“I have learned a lot since that all happened Now I understand that I handled everything poorly. I got so caught up in my own investigation and trying to be right that I failed to see all the harm I caused. Please, forgive me for that. I would like to start over with you and do the right things going forward. Will you help me?”

That drew a curious expression from both Galpin and Enid. The sheriff recovered more quickly than the blonde and replied.

“Miss Addams, you don’t need to apologize to me. Hell, I should be begging both of you to forgive me. I almost got Sinclair killed by not realizing what Tyler was sooner. And it never occurred to me that you and the other outcasts had good reason not to trust me or anyone in authority outside your own ranks. I’ve been doing some reading since then. Your people have suffered a lot of abuse over the years from those without your special gifts. It’s no wonder you would be suspicious and resentful.”

“That is all true,” she admitted, “but it isn’t your fault. You are only human and have admitted to your mistakes. You’re trying to be a better man which is more than I can say for most. Please, let’s both try to continue the process. We need you, Sheriff. All of us do. And Elvis does too. Something…unfortunate is coming.”

He looked at her curiously, wordlessly urging her to continue so she obliges.

“We are still vulnerable to armed hunters who want to end us and Nevermore. There are a lot of moving parts here and I can’t go into all the details. Mostly because we don’t have them all yet. Both the outcasts and the normal citizens of Jericho are going to be caught in the cross hairs.”

He sits back into the seat and sighs a bit. Wednesday can tell she has his attention and he is thinking about it.

“What can you tell me then? Is this the cause of all that construction going on at the school?”

“In part. Crackstone did extensive damage to the school and Principal Weems is trying to not only repair it but to improve overall security for whatever comes next. My mother and I though have had visions of this group that will come for us. It’s going to be bad. We have some time to prepare. Maybe a year or more. All we can do for now is to keep gathering information and try to be prepared.”

“Magical visions then? Are these visions generally right?”

She simply nods. He is thoughtful for a moment, as if trying to decide whether to trust her or not. After a few moments he continues.

“You want someone sympathetic in office as sheriff? For us to work together to protect the citizens of Jericho and the students at Nevermore? Is that what you’re looking for?”

“Yes, that and to try and balance the scales. I’ve left a lot of grief in my wake. It is my time to atone in some small part for my part in messing things up in the first place.”

“Addams, you’re still a kid. An odd kid with some crazy powers and a bad attitude sometimes but still a kid. Shouldn’t you be leaving this in the hands of your parents and the school staff?”

“They are involved, and I’ve sworn to follow their lead. They wanted to make sure I wouldn’t go off on my own and make things worse.”

He smiled at that and gave an amused huff.

“Yeah, I can see where they might worry about that. Why didn’t you bring this up with Santiago then? She is a good officer.”

“She doesn’t have your experience, and we have evidence that you were at least cordial with Weems and could be discrete. That will be essential.

“Your really afraid, aren’t you? You hide it well but your really worried about what is happening.”

Wednesday frown and stiffens for a moment but finally nods.

“I am. But if you tell anyone I will end you.”

He gives her a genuine smile and takes note of how the goth keeps looking at Enid and how the wolf in return glances back at her.

“A request to help delivered with a murder threat. That seems on point. For what it’s worth though I believe you. We can talk more over lunch though. It looks like we are here.”

Enid parks the car, and they all exit to head inside. Like their recent visit here they can smell the food long before they get inside. Enid is of course watering at the mouth already and Galpin isn’t doing much better. Clearly he hadn’t been taking any better care of himself than he was of Elvis. Once they found a table they all went to get as much food as they could handle and continued their conversation.

Galpin had more questions, and the girls answered him as best they could. He didn’t seem very surprised that they played coy with some of their answers. It seemed he did understand the need for secrecy here and how they might not be terribly comfortable having to deal with the law like this. Wednesday promised him that they would share what they could and include him in the decision making as much as possible.

All told it seemed to be a very productive conversation. She wasn’t certain yet, but he seemed to be on board and voiced a willingness to help. Finally, after a few plates each, they called it quits. He and Wednesday waited by the front door as Enid went to bring the car around.

“So, how long have you and Sinclair been together?”

She looked at him with a hint of surprise in her eyes.

“Are we that obvious?”

“Yeah. You are. But it’s fine. I’m happy for you both. Are those scars ever going to fade?”

He was clearly feeling guilty about what his son had done to her.

“No. But I consider them beautiful. They are proof she is brave and strong.”

Galpin nodes and smiles again.

“That sounds like something you would say. I’ll talk to the mayor about returning to work in a few days. He is out of town till the end of the week. “

She nods thoughtfully. This had gone well she supposed. His heart might not be fully into the job yet, but he seemed anxious to help for the sake of both the outcasts and the normies. And maybe they had managed to coax him out of his depression. At least a little bit.

They dropped him off at his house with a reminder to take Elvis out for a while. Enid went to make friends with the dog for a moment while Wednesday and Galpin said their goodbyes. In just a few moments they gathered themselves up to leave.

“Willa, do you think we helped him any?”

“I think so. As you know I’m not very skilled in comforting others, but I think we appealed to his sense of duty well enough to get the process underway. We will need to continue in our efforts. It will take time for him to be more himself.”

As Enid pulled out of the driveway they saw the front door open again as Galpin led out a very happy Elvis on his leash. They both smiled a bit and settled in for the drive back to her parents’ house in town. From there it would only be a short jump through the gate to be back in Jersey.

“I think you did a very good thing today Willa,” Enid said with a soft smile.

Wednesday merely smiled and settled back into the seat. She wasn’t as certain as her wolf was, but she too thought it had gone well. At least by her standards. Maybe, with a bit of help, she could get the hang of this business of being sociable. For now, she would settle to get home and spend the rest of the evening with her family and her Queen. Anything more pressing could wait for tomorrow.

Chapter Text

“Quickly Mi Reina! We must hurry.”

Enid followed along behind Wednesday, confusion written plain on her face. While she didn’t seem to understand what the rush was she was willing to accommodate the seer’s urging. It was about half an hour before the full moon would rise and she would change into her wolf form. This moon shouldn’t be too hard on her since she had been able to change here on the Addam’s estate a couple of times now without the moon or any difficulty.

The brunette was beyond excited, and she couldn’t be bothered to hide it. For once she did not care a bit about who saw her and what they might think of the fact. Soon she led them into a large clearing, some distance from the house and deep enough into the woods that no one inside would be able to see them.

“My love, I have something for you,” she said in a breathless tone “It has taken awhile, and I apologize for that. As Grandmama said, quality takes time.”

Enid settled down to sit on a tree stump near to where the tiny goth had settled in, sitting on the dead tree that had originally fell from the stump the blonde had chosen.

“Oh! This must be about the weapon you were making for me. Is it magical and Grandmama helped with it?”

“It is!” Wednesday replied, her pride and excitement writ large on her face as she pulled a small box out of the overstuffed backpack she had brought with her. She then knelt in the snow at Enid’s feet and presented the box with a flourish. Opening the box, she pulled out a pair of fingerless gloves. They were of a pearly white color and seemed to shimmer a bit in the light of the setting sun. Before Enid could reply she continued.

“I know they don’t look like much but that is by design. Put them on please.”

The blonde obliged, a curious expression on her face. As far as weapons went they didn’t look like much. Enid had determined some time ago that appearances could be deceiving. Especially with the Addams family.

“Oh…they sort of tingle. Is that part of the magic?”

“After a fashion. They are now bonding themselves to you and activating for the first time. Now, concentrate on them. Think about wanting to use them. The magic should do the rest.”

Enid did so. Much to her surprise, and Wednesday’s delight, the gloves shimmered for a second and then transformed into some very elaborate-looking brass knuckles. Well, not exactly brass. For a second they looked silver, but it was quickly obvious that it was just a trick of the light. She regarded them for a moment in awe.

“There is no need to fear. It’s a titanium alloy, not silver. And if you look closely there are moonstones mounted along the knuckles. Are they not lovely?”

Enid nodded, still clearly in awe of what she was seeing.

“Moonstones are a protective talisman and will serve you well. They also hold the moon’s power, just like you do. They will prove very formidable given your enhanced strength. Shall we give them a try?”

The wolf stood then, a wicked gleam in her eye.

“Willa…I think you have outdone yourself. I don’t know any witchcraft but can feel the power in them. If I were to punch something with them it should do a LOT of damage.”

“That is correct mi Reina. But there is more to the enchantment. Now that they are bonded to you they will return in case they are lost with but a thought. And likewise, you can will them back into their glove form. They can go anywhere with you without rousing suspicion. Even better they will shift when you do and remain unseen in your wolf form.”

Enid gazed on Wednesday with deep gratitude and a measure of shock.

“These must have been really, really hard to put together. It feels like there is a lot of magic in there.”

“There is and she let me help in so much as I was able. I designed them and procured the materials. Polishing the moonstones enough to be used was all done by hand. I thought they could serve as a suitable option when you didn’t want to assume your wolf form. And it might be useful to beat someone into a pulp instead of clawing them to death. Do you like them?”

“I love them,” she replied in a low tone, studying the gloves and grinning like a maniac. “I’m going to punch something and test them out.”

Standing then Enid caught sight of a large rock about the size of a compact car. It hadn’t been there before so Wednesday must have asked Lurch to move it here in the last day or so. Drawing her fist back Enid punched the rock just as hard as she could. It shattered into small bits of gravel. With her strength and the magic in the gloves she had managed to pulverize a boulder as if it had been nothing.

The blonde stared at the gravel in awe. To Wednesday’s eyes she was the most beautiful, sublime creature in all the world. Her Queen was beautiful and powerful. Not to mention dangerous beyond all reason. She too found herself in awe, though for entirely different reasons.

“My love…you are…magnificent.”

Enid glanced Wednesday’s way and stepped closer, almost faster than the eye could follow. She plucked her paramour from her sitting position, pulling her close and staring deeply into her eyes.

“Again. Tell me again!”

The words came out in a low growl. Wednesday swooned, her feet several inches above the ground.

“My Queen…you are the most magnificent being I have ever beheld. I…”

“What Wednesday? Tell me!”

Enid looked positively feral in the moment. It was not lost on the brunette that within moments she would be even more feral. The thought filled her heart full to bursting.

“I love you…I need you so much…please…”

The blonde grinned, sniffing the air deeply.

“I smell your need my little demon. Your mine, and I’m going to take you and then mark you once this night is done.”

A shiver ran through both girls. Wednesday looked up at her queen and merely nodded. For someone so gifted with words she found none that would serve her in this moment. Enid grinned, her form already beginning to shift. No sooner had she lowered Wednesday to the ground than her bones began to snap and her flesh tear as the wolf fought to be free of its human shape.

She had never had the chance to watch the change in person. If she thought Enid was beautiful before it was nothing to how she saw her now. The wolf shook its head and turned to regard her briefly before throwing her head back and howling. She towered over Wednesday even while sitting on her haunches. For a moment the tiny goth was lost in the vision of her wolf, too enamored to say or do anything.

After a moment Enid huffed and stared at her meaningfully. Wednesday was at a loss for a moment, not understanding what she could want. Then a small bit of memory filtered up into her conscious mind. A wolf couple would howl at the moon together once they had progressed well into their courtship. Her queen was calling her to join in on the howl. There was no way she would pass up on the opportunity.

Fortunately, a bit of howling wasn’t that uncommon in her family. Fester had taught her the basics before she was even in her teens. Throwing her head back she joined in, putting all her love, desire and respect into the howl for her beloved and the moon. Seconds later they could hear similar howls coming from the house, and then after another moment from other wolves far out beyond the borders of the Addams’ lands. It was as if the whole family and the neighboring wild wolves were saluting them and showing their respects. It was a magical moment that neither would ever forget.

A few hours later they lay together in their bed. The night had passed and it was now just before sunrise. Neither had slept until recently when Enid had finally drifted off. The change had required a lot of energy of her, as had making love once she had returned to her human form. Wednesday cuddled close to her in the bed, still marveling over everything that had transpired. Her queen had been so dominating and in control. She had submitted to her immediately and fallen into her arms gladly.

The clothes she had been wearing lay scattered across the room, somewhat less intact than they had been before. Enid’s claws had shredded most of the garments she didn’t have the patience to remove in a civilized manner. The brunette didn’t care a bit for them. She had more. And it had been the strongest aphrodisiac she could imagine seeing Enid taking control and laying claim to her.

She sighed a bit and smiled. There had been no more fear or reluctance from either of them. Just two girls in love after a perfect night in the forest. It was more than she had ever hoped it could be. Now, she was just fulfilled and even more crazy in love than she had been before.

Her fingertips grazed the bite mark on her neck. The mating bite Enid had called it. A sign to anyone who knew the ways of werewolves that Wednesday was hers. It should scar nicely she mused. Unfortunately, her teeth wouldn’t be up to doing the same for her wolf. They would have to work out a way to do so once they were both awake and well rested. For now, she was content. The details could be worked out when the time was right.

For the time being they could sleep. She cuddled up as close as she could and wrapped herself like a koala around Enid’s form. There was no more comfortable place in the world for her.

Chapter Text

It was later the same morning when her eyes opened again. Wednesday had the feeling she was being watched. Her eyes fluttered for a second, trying to come back to her senses. When she managed to keep them open she was greeted to the sight of Enid staring back at her. There was something troubling in the blonde’s eyes even though she was smiling broadly.

“HI!” Enid said, her voice just a tiny bit shrill and forced.

Wednesday blinked a few times and reached out her hand to stroke the other’s cheek. Yes, Enid was worried about something. She still had a glow about her after their activities the night before, but something was still off. The goth thought she seemed scared of something. She needed to get to the bottom of that immediately. Nothing could be allowed to trouble her queen after the big step they had taken before.

“What is it mi Reina? What troubles you so?”

Enid tried to deny it. Her mouth opened as if to protest but all she got out was a silent whimper. When she looked away for a tiny second it gave her gothic paramour the chance to sort out what must be on her mind. It seemed that Wednesday did have some small ability to read the emotions of others. At least so long as that person was Enid. The rest of the world still was a mystery to her, but she had some sense of what bothered the blonde.

“You’re hearing your mother’s voice again, aren’t you? Tell me please what makes you worry so? How can I help?”

“Do you regret last night?” Enid finally managed to say. “Did I do it right? Are you…happy?”

The brunette’s heart melted all over again as the truth became clear. A curse upon her for not expecting this sort of reaction. Esther, a curse upon her as well, had spent so much time tearing down her daughter’s self-esteem. Nothing Enid had ever done was met with a positive reaction. The poor girl was practically starved for approval. No wonder that every major life event would trigger the fear that she had gone too far or hadn’t been good enough.

“Mi Reina, I will never regret last night.”

Sitting up a bit in the bed she took the wolf’s hand in hers and stared deep into her eyes.

“Your mother lied to you. You are so very worthy of love and affection. You need never again have to be as she tried to force you to be. Your safe here, and I am very happy with everything that we did.”

Enid’s tears began to flow but it was more of a subdued reaction than Wednesday had expected. She was trying to prevent the other girl from spiraling into the toxic minefield of emotions that Esther had planted in her soul. It seems that maybe she had been able this time to prevent a worse breakdown.

“To answer your other questions more fully, you did everything just right. Even our mistakes are part of our own, personal learning curve. We learn, we adapt and then we work together to perfect the bond between us. That is how love works…to my limited understanding anyway.”

She hugged Enid close and leaned her head against the blonde’s shoulder.

“I have no complaints and no regrets. My head is full of ideas though to try for the next time. Would you like to hear them?”

That brought a bit of the smile back to Enid’s face. She wrapped her arms tightly around her lover and took a few moments to compose herself before replying. The relief in her demeanor was clear.

“So, I get a next time? I was so afraid that I’d disappointed you. That maybe I did it wrong or too fast…whatever. I’m just glad you’re still here.”

“I will always be here. Till the end of time and beyond. You’ve seen the family ghosts. Even death can’t keep an Addams away.”

The blonde hesitated for a second, probably considering what Wednesday would be like as a ghost. She couldn’t help but chuckle for a second at whatever thought had crossed her mind. Finally, she found her words and replied.

“No being a ghost for you. Not for a long, long while. I prefer you as you are. Ghost hugs wouldn’t be this warm. And let’s hold off on the ideas for next time. If you told me now we probably would never make it out of bed today.”

Now it was the goth’s turn to smile.

“I understand and thank you for your consideration. My body needs a bit of time to recover. You…made me unwind so hard it’s a wonder I can even sit up on my own. It was the most exquisite form of torture and I hope you feel the same way. Of course I want to do it again. Quite often in fact. But your right, we must get up at some point and unless I’m mistaken we already missed lunch.”

Enid sighed a bit, but it was a much more relaxed sound now. The depressive spiral seems to have been averted. Wednesday naturally would be on the lookout in case Enid faltered but she seemed better now at helping the wolf through the episodes. It might take years, but she would give her wolf all the help she could to get past all the nonsense Esther had heaped upon her.

“I suppose we can get up and go scavenge for something to eat,” she said as her belly growled a bit. “Do I remember right that you had some things to do today?”

“I need to talk to father today,” she said, pleasant memories of last night receding in her memory as she turned her focus to more immediate concerns. “Part of my quest to be a better daughter. Then, if you don’t object, I want to take some more time writing today. I’ve been thinking more about what we discussed before leaving Nevermore for our break. When you asked what I would want to major in.”

“Oh! You’ve figured out what you want to study?”

“Yes. If we get through all this nonsense with the hunters I want to study literature and be a writer. Mind you, I’ll hide behind a pen name and be a very private writer. No broadcast interviews or anything of the sort. I don’t want to inflict that on either of us. But yes, I want to write books and get some more of my short stories published. And now, thanks to you, I think that I can give my characters a bit more emotional depth. That was what all the publishers said I should do to make my stories better.”

Enid’s bright smile returned, and she gave Wednesday another bone bending hug.

“That is great Willa. I know you will be great at it. And I can give you all the time you need…if you promise to meet me back in this bed tonight!”

Here she paused, gathering her thoughts.

“Parker wanted me to write an intro to Nevermore for the Outer Limits and to keep my blog going so she can set up a link to it for new students. And she also asked me to wolf out and drag Pugsley around like a chew toy and bury him in the back yard.”

The brunette’s expression showed considerable curiosity about that last bit.

“Has Pugsley irritated her? Or just for ‘funsies’ as you say?”

“I don’t know. She probably just wants to film it. And you did say he is all but indestructible and that I can’t really hurt him. So…why not I guess?”

“Why not indeed? You have fun with your day, and I’ll see you here tonight. I promise.”

Enid accepted the promise, with a few kisses collected first to bind the contract. Both girls took their time showering and getting ready for the day. After a few more kisses and some hugs thrown in for good measure they both went their separate ways. The wolf, no doubt on her way to the kitchen, waved to her as she skipped down the stairs. Wednesday turned to make her way to Gomez’s office. She knocked and was almost immediately answered.

“Come in my little storm cloud. How are you today?”

He was as disturbingly chipper as he was most days. There was an odd look in his eye today though. At least odd by their normal interactions. He knew something and she had a suspicion of what that might be.

“You’re abnormally happy this morning father. Has something happened?”

“You know very well that it has dear,” he said with a broad grin. “A word to the wise though. If you ask the house nicely it will dampen sounds leaving your bedroom even more than it normally does. Your mother and I have asked for it so often that it just does so on its own now without any prompting.”

She blushed furiously for a moment but quickly recovered.

“I…had no idea. Thank you for the suggestion.”

She had always wondered about that. They very seldom heard anything from their parents, at least while they were in their room. When they grew amorous in any other room, which happened more than she liked to think about, all bets were off. This would just have to be one she would chalk up as a learning experience. Fortunately, her father was in no mood to embarrass her. It was just a little warning to be aware of next time.

“You had some matters you wished to discuss though?” he prompted.

“Yes father. I have some questions. And I wanted to thank you again. For everything. It’s only recently that I have realized how much you and mother have done for us. The car in Jericho is just the latest example of the care you’ve taken of your family. I can finally admit how grateful I am, and I hope you know how much I love the both of you.”

She was shaken by the end of the sentence. It was all true but still hard to say. Some old habits died hard it would seem. Gomez merely smiled, offering a hug which she accepted, if only briefly. Even if some of her defenses had fallen there were still a few barriers remaining. Whatever the case, her father was willing to accept whatever she could share.

After a moment she stepped back and sat in the chair in front of his desk. Gomez regarded her fondly as he took his own seat. There seemed to be a lot he wanted to say but he could read his daughter well enough not to push things. She was only now starting to open up more. There was no need to jinx it. Instead, he offered her a shot of whiskey, which she accepted. Pulling a lit cigar out of his pocket he continued.

“So, you have questions for me?”

Throwing the whiskey back Wednesday sighed just a bit. It wasn’t exactly proper, by normie standards anyway, to offer a sixteen-year-old whiskey but the moment seemed to call for it. Besides, for someone who frequently mixed cyanide in her tea it wasn’t that big a deal.

“Yes, some questions and concerns. I don’t mean to pry but if something does happen to you, hunters or otherwise, do you think mother would be up to running the families’ finances? I’ve only just come to realize how much you do that no one ever sees. Everything from running your charities to making sure the bills are paid here. I’ve no idea what goes into all that.”

Her guts clenched up at the thought of anything happening to her father. It seemed a possibility though, given her mother’s visions. No matter how painful it was to think about though it seemed to be the responsible thing to find out now. Neither of her parents would live forever, though an Addams could live a good, long time.

“I don’t think your prying,” he replied, a gentle tone to his voice and a somber expression on his face. “I just see it as a sign that you’re growing up and taking more responsibility. Perhaps I should have thought earlier to teach you and your brother more about finances and business. Neither of you seemed to show much interest in it though.”

He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts before continuing.

“Your mother is a remarkable woman but no, she wouldn’t have the experience to manage everything the same way I have. With Larissa by her side, they would be fine, but it would be a full-time occupation for the both of them working together. I wouldn’t wish that on them. Or on my children to be honest. I happen to enjoy the business of business…but I’m aware it’s horrible drudgery to most people.”

“What would be the solution?”

“I have set in place a small army of accountants and lawyers that manage parts of our family fortune that I have set up as a separate corporate interests across the world. Many of them work autonomously and only need occasional oversight. Others, that I enjoy meddling in the most, I have set up under my direct oversight and they require a bit more time on my part. Our trust devoted to supporting Nevermore is an example of that.

Your mother has files on all of them, along with notes on how each is working and who is managing what for us. That file includes everything you will need to know about the people who work for us, and in the cases where it is relevant enough dirt to end each of them if they prove untrustworthy. Fortunately, it seldom comes to that. I try to hire family where it is possible to give our wayward relatives a chance to earn a living of their own. Sometimes it is hard for an Addams to find a job, even if they are trying to play nice around the normies.

Naturally, I will make this information available to you and Pugsley as well. You will all have to work together if something happens, but I think you all can get it sorted pretty quickly if you stick to the system I’ve devised. Then no one will have to make a full-time job of running our affairs.”

She nods as he speaks. It all makes sense, on paper anyway. And of course, she knew her father must have set something up. She just wasn’t sure it would make as much sense to her or the rest of the family without his steady influence to keep them on the right path.

“I fear we won’t be up to the challenge father. But we will try. Just promise that you will stay with us long enough till we can learn the skills we will need.”

“I can’t promise that darling, but I will try. You know I want to stay around to see my grandchildren someday. And I hear it’s all the rage to hang around long enough to embarrass your children as you grow old.”

“You have been sufficiently embarrassing already,” she replied, a slight smile gracing her features. “But I understand. I just…have come to realize how much you do. So many people depend on you and all the good you have been willing to do with the family fortune. It’s humbling in a way, especially when I came to realize how badly some outcast children have had it. I want to make sure that if you and I are lost that it can all continue.”

“Nothing is ever guaranteed my little reaper. But I am making it as bullet proof as I can. There are enough trust funds and secret bank accounts hidden in the international money markets to make sure all our immediate family will never want for anything. The same for the most important of the trust funds supporting different charities to benefit outcasts. I have faith that in the fullness of time you, or any of my descendants really, can manage to do as well as I have.”

“What if the international markets collapse or the governments of the world fall?”

“Then we have our wits and our powers. An Addams will survive and prosper. We would still be in a better position than most. Let the end of the world come. We will become a new power in whatever world evolves from the ashes. And if the end of the world takes us all, I plan to roast marshmallows over the flames of its corpse. That is our way.”

It was a bit of a morbid thought, but it resonated with Wednesday. She had hoped for certainty and to take some responsibility for the family if it came to that. There was no certainty in this world though. Gomez had prepared as best as he could for whatever might come. She took some comfort in that. Her future was secure, in so much as possible. Same for her sunshine wolf and the rest of the family. Even for many of her peers in the extended outcast community. She couldn’t really ask for more than that.

“Does that put your mind more at ease?”

She paused for a moment before answering.

“It does. I just…knew that I need to pull my own weight more. And that I should take some of the burden off you if possible. Does that make sense?”

“It does,” he said with a fond expression. “And believe it or not I’ve heard the same sentiment from your mother, Pugsley and even Fester. Everyone wants to come to my aid, and I do appreciate it. Perhaps I should delegate a bit more but now doesn’t seem to be the time for it. I will need to make sure and survive long enough for you and the others to grow older and stronger after we have dealt with these hunters. Does that sound like a plan to you?”

She understood his sentiment. Her father was by nature a very secretive man when it came to family business. He couldn’t focus on that and everything that needed done before this mess would be completed. It was a no-win proposition for him. Still, he was trying to reassure her and shield his children from having to shoulder those same duties.

“Yes, you must be sure to survive,” she said with a frown. “But I understand what you mean. Just…let me help if I can. Let us all help if we are able. You shouldn’t shoulder all of this by yourself. Don’t make me negotiate a witch’s pact with you.”

Gomez laughed aloud; his mirth plainly clear.

“That was so inspired my little raven. You are clearly your mother’s daughter. Thank you for that. Your mother still chafes at the restrictions but is doing so much better now. And I’m so proud of you for sticking to your word. We need you exactly where you are. If possible I want to save one of them for you to end. It seems only fitting since they have sinned directly against you by stealing your work.”

She nods to that. It is testing her patience not to be more useful in the moment but can see she is better suited in a back ground role for now. Nevermore will need her, and even if that was not the main theatre in the war it is important to protect nonetheless.

“If I may, there is another matter I wanted to mention.”

Gomez nods, urging her to continue.

“I’ve come to a decision about my future. Enid and I are making plans for college. I want to major in literature and pursue a career in writing. Due to recent events, I’ve discovered some emotional depths that might serve me in that. I will be rewriting my earlier rough drafts of Viper’s adventures with the intent of resubmitting them to the publishers. Will you be able to handle the legal issues of that? Or perhaps someone in your employ who could handle that on our behalf?”

“It is already handled my dear. And to be honest the publisher has expressed an interest in your rewrite of Viper’s tales. Not to mention that your lates batch of short stories have done well. Here, this is the latest bank statement from the account I set up to deposit your earnings in.”

Accepting the page Wednesday scanned it quickly. Arriving at the total amounts at the bottom of the final column her eyes widen a bit at the number shown.

“My stories have really earned this much?”

“They have. You are on your way to earning a small fortune of your own. Between royalties, payments and interest on the account you have earned a nice little sum. And if you’re willing, we have received a request to buy the rights to one of your stories for a movie. I can show you the offer if you like and then we can discuss the fine points later in the week. They aren’t expecting an answer till after the first of the year.”

“Yes, I would like that…” she said, her voice sounding far away. While it is true that Wednesday loves being wealthy and has been content for years now to have her father handle all the details she is now coming to want to do more on her own. Probably just a symptom of growing up and being under too much stress. The notion of building her own small fortune to support herself and Enid was very attractive in that moment.

“Splendid. I’ll find the paperwork and bring it to you this evening. Think it over for a bit and get back to me before the break is over. I’ll see to it that the rest of the details are sorted out.”

She was secretly pleased to see her father’s pride in what she had done. It was clear he was just as thrilled, if not more so, than she was. Before either could say anything more about it they were surprised by a noise coming from the stairway down the hall. It sounded like a giant beast rampaging through the halls, dragging a sack of bricks down the stairs. Before either could respond they heard laughter and then another crash out the front door.

Rushing to the window they saw Enid in her wolf form dragging Pugsley by his leg out the front door. The boy was cackling in delight and Parker was following them and filing all the action. Upon seeing this Gomez chuckled to himself.

“Your wolf, she is fitting in so well,” he said in a quiet tone.

“Yes, she is. They were intending to bury Pugsley in the backyard. Shall we go watch?”

“Absolutely.”

They hurried along behind as quickly as they were able. Everyone else in the house took note of the commotion and came to watch as well. It turned into quite a family bonding moment and everyone, Pugsley included, had a grand old time.

Wednesday stayed with her family for a while before returning to work on her novel. The morning, well, early afternoon anyway, had a bit of a rocky start. She was able to allay Enid’s fears though and as her father had said she was fitting in very well. She had no doubt that her Queen would be enjoying the family time well into the night when they would have their own private time. It was a good feeling.

Settling in at her typewriter the goth allowed herself to smile. She felt more reassured now and like she had really accomplished something. Of course, gathering courage enough to love Enid fully was one step in their growth as a couple. A few thousand more steps to go she supposed, but it was progress, and she was proud of it.

“Now then Viper, let’s get your sorted out,” she said, loading paper into the old typewriter and getting to work.

Chapter Text

Despite the frustration, Wednesday remained calm. She had slipped into the meditative trance easily enough and turned her focus inwards. In this fashion she could passively observe the inner workings of her own psyche without any of the clutter and deep emotions of her conscious mind getting in the way of her observations. Still, she found nothing out of the ordinary.

Grandmama had said this should work but so far, after many attempts, she hadn’t been able to feel any trace of Goody. Her intuition told her she should be close but if Goody was here she was doing one hell of a job of hiding herself. Could that be deliberate? Or were her skills just not up to the task of finding her former guide?

She relaxed herself further, drifting deeper into her own mind. All she could perceive was a hot spot of sorts that felt like a large clump of conflicting emotions all tied into knots. She had at first believed that maybe this was her deep subconscious mind where all of her ‘emotional constipation’ as Grandmama had termed it dwelt.

The more she regarded it though the more she came to reassess her previous impression. It felt like her own thoughts and fears but was now oddly different. In fact, it seemed to pull away from her, as if trying to hide from her vision. It felt…frightened. It also felt as if whatever this was she was experiencing was too much for her to reach at this time. Everyone in her life that she gave a damn about had been trying to teach her a measure of caution in her life. This felt like just the right time to finally listen to them.

It took several moments for her to rise from her trance. She was laying on their bed, arms crossed across her chest, and slowly blinked her eyes. Wednesday was alone in the bedroom. Her Queen had excused herself earlier in the day to work on Christmas presents. She was apparently crocheting them all something judging by the vast amounts of yarn they had plundered on Black Friday.
Taking a few moments to refocus her thoughts helped the goth to remember that she would be seeing Grandmama later in the day anyway. There was no need to go running to her side now. She could bring all of this up then. Most everyone else was busy with their own pursuits for the morning she thought. It seemed the perfect time to stretch her legs a bit and perhaps find a snack in the kitchen. Meditating always made her hungry anyway.

Nothing seemed amiss as she walked down to the kitchen. Sure, there was a distant explosion somewhere outside. That was just a fact of life around here. She did seem to recall that Pugsley was restoring an old canon that he got ahold of. Something about using it in their New Years festivities. Whatever the case, nothing in her immediate vicinity was exploding or on fire so it didn’t need to concern her.

Arriving in the kitchen she found her mother and Larissa already sitting there and having a conversation. Internally she bristled a bit but quickly squelched the feeling. On a subconscious level she did resent it, though just a tiny bit. For all practical purposes her principal was now part of the family. Not on paper of course, and not according to the law for what that was worth. But paper and law never mattered much to her family.

On a more reasonable level Wednesday was happy for them but wouldn’t let it slip. She did have a reputation to maintain after all. They both smiled and greeted her, and she found it oddly pleasant on still another level. Emotions were still hard and difficult to understand but she was trying.

“Good morning,” she finally managed to say. “Are you two plotting something so early in the day?”

They did look like they were conspiring about something. That, in and of itself, was hardly unusual. They had been as thick as thieves when they were her age. Despite the long interval and the hard feelings due to that they seemed to be falling back into their old habits. All three of them were in fact. It was an interesting observation but not one she spent much time thinking about. That way lay madness as some old scholars had observed.

“In fact, we are,” Morticia observed with a twinkle in her eye. “Your father has commissioned a jeweler to visit us after the holidays. We will commission a new set of rings for the three of us and have a proper ceremony during the coming year.”

Wednesday blinked for a moment, processing that bit of information.

“So, you’re going to make it official soon?”

“By the families standards yes,” the older Addams continued. “Bigamy is still outlawed in this country, so it won’t be legal by their standards. But who cares about that? It will be legal in the eyes of the outcast community.”

“We were wondering though,” Larissa commented, “if you would be willing to be of the ceremony when the time comes. You are a large part of how we came to be together again. I just…wanted to include the whole family. If you’re willing.”

On the surface it sounded overly sentimental to Wednesday. Larissa was anxious to integrate herself into the family and cement her newfound position. Normally the brunette would scoff at such a thing. But then she pondered it for a moment. It was only natural, wasn’t it? All things considered her new soon to be stepmother only wanted to belong and be acknowledged. Was that really asking so much?

“I would be willing,” she said after a pause. Inside she felt a slight wave of panic due to the changes in her life and part of her wanted to go lay under the magic blanket till after it was all said and done. But no, she was an Addams, and this was family they were talking about. She wouldn’t be a coward about this. She had already welcomed Larissa into the family in her own way and accepted that. The ceremony would just be confirmation of that. There was no need to fear it.

“Can Enid be involved too?”

“Of course, darling,” Morticia replied. “We wouldn’t dream of excluding her. Which reminds me, with the jeweler coming to visit would you like to meet him as well? Perhaps design a ring for your wolf?”

Now there was an idea she supposed. They both wanted to marry one day of course. But they were so young still. It would hardly be proper to marry or start a family while they were still in high school. No matter how much they might want to.

“Let me get back to you on that. I want to but maybe it isn’t the right time to give Enid a ring yet. We should probably at least graduate first.”

“Of course, dear. I’ll hold on to his number for you for whenever you’re ready.”

Wednesday excused herself then. She didn’t want to be drawn into wedding planning right now or think too much about how she wanted to grab Enid up and run away to start living together as wife and wife immediately. They needed time and her Queen’s emotional well-being was still being secured. She needed to be patient. Grabbing a piece of fruit on her way out Wednesday slipped out the back door and retreated to the family cemetery to think in private.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the early afternoon she had an appointment with Grandmama. Currently she was having two or three tutoring sessions, each lasting an hour or so per week. It was still very basic stuff as far as witchcraft went. She understood some of the higher concepts but couldn’t really put them into practice till she got the early exercises mastered. It frustrated her a bit to be honest. Most young witches wouldn’t know nearly as much as she did but by the same token they would have been way ahead of her in stretching their magical muscles and building up the right mental connections to put her knowledge into practice.

She was wise enough to understand though that due to her situation it was the best way to go about things. Wednesday had learned things all out of order due to her insatiable need to learn and study. It was regrettable but she didn’t want to blow herself up by accident. That was a very real concern for self-taught witches. No, she would take the time to learn at her Grandmama’s feet. It would be far safer for everyone that way.

After the lesson she felt a bit better and more carefree. That often happened since, as her grandmother put it, opening the magical channels freed up a bit of the negativity that burdened her so often. It was almost like a drug and was also a reason for the slow pace. Too many young witches grew addicted to the feeling and didn’t take the care they needed to. She wouldn’t let herself fall into that sort of trap. After they finished for the day it felt like the right time to share what she had observed earlier.

“Grandmama, I wanted to share something with you regarding Goody. I still can’t touch her but found something…interesting earlier today.”

“And what was that?”

So, she described the sensations and what she had felt looking upon the tangled knot. Speaking it aloud made it seem more real to her. It occurred to her then that maybe that knot of pain wasn’t hers alone.

“I see,” the old witch muttered aloud. “And what is your impression of it all now?”

“That wasn’t just my emotional difficulties, was it? Some of it is Goody? We are entangled so much on such a deep level that I’m having trouble sorting out where she ends and I begin.”

Grandmama smiled and then led Wednesday to a chair. As they settled in the old witch added some clarification.

“I think your right my dear. Sometimes the best teaching is in knowing the right questions to ask. You had the answer already but just needed time to reach the correct conclusion.”

“You knew?”

“I suspected. It was taking too long for you to find her so I knew she must be buried down deep inside you. So deep she is having trouble finding her way back out. It will just take more time is all. What she did is so rare that we are still figuring out the implications.”

“How does this affect me though? Will it harm either of us? Or will she be stuck there forever? I feel…like I can’t trust myself or my magic.”

She couldn’t find any more words for what she was feeling. It wasn’t often that Wednesday felt fear, but this sensation had its claws in her and she couldn’t shake it. What did all of this mean?

“No love, it’s not like that. Remember, I examined you carefully. She has no control of you, your magic or your psychic powers. At most she would be a small voice deep in your subconscious mind. You don’t have to listen to her anymore than you do any other bad idea that might be rattling around in there.

At the time I placed a protective enchantment on you both. To keep your mind clear and to offer her a lifeline of sorts. When she is strong enough to sense it she can pull the line and draw your attention. For the time being you both need to rest and recover emotionally.”

This drew Wednesday’s attention immediately.

“I didn’t know you cast such a spell. I don’t remember it.”

“You wouldn’t have noticed dear. I am just that good.”

The old woman cackled for a moment at her own joke before continuing.

“Never fear my dear nieta. I will always look out for you. For the whole family. Through this life and beyond. And never forget, Goody is family. She can’t hurt you deliberately and even by accident it would be a difficult feat to perform. No, she is just a passenger for the time being. Once both of you are both more fit emotionally you will sense her. It might be unpleasant emotionally, but it won’t be as bad as you fear.”

Wednesday nodded with a somber expression. It made sense to hear her Grandmama explain it, and she did trust the old woman with her life and then some. Perhaps she just needed the encouragement of hearing it out loud. One thing still confused her though.

“I understand my own emotional turmoil, but what is it Goody needs to recover from? She seemed rather dark but otherwise stable emotionally. What am I missing here?”

The old woman paused and frowned before replying.

“She had come to terms with only hate and revenge in her life. As I understand it, she started a family and had children of her own but more from duty than any love. But, as I tried to warn you before, you don’t just banish emotions like that. She still felt but she had suppressed everything that made life worth living.

That is all coming home to roost for her now. In unlocking your power and emotions she has also unlocked her own I suspect. Now her spirit must reconcile itself to the life she lived in the darkness. Imagine what it must be to think back on your children, that you can now recognize the love you felt for them but was never able to show. Or the husband that she never let herself love freely. Not to mention your own inner turmoil that is close enough for her to sense as well.”

It sounded to Wednesday like the worst imaginable torture.

“Will she recover?”

“I hope so. And it is a heavy burden, but you must be there when she does. She will need you. And you will need her as well. I’m sorry but this will be a challenge for you. If you succeed though she can rest in peace, and you can clear another emotional hurdle.

It will be part of your growth, and help you unlock your inner power more completely. That considered, do you still want to master witchcraft? Sure, it’s great power and knowledge, but often it comes with a lot of painful growth to become great.”

All was silent for a moment until Wednesday finally nods. She is not one to back down from anything. This is no different.

“That’s my girl,” Grandmama says proudly. “And while we are on the subject there is someone I want for you to meet later today. He is to be your new magic studies teacher at that fancy school of yours and should be here a little after seven tonight.”

“They are adding a witchcraft training curriculum to Nevermore?”

Now that was an interesting development.

“Aye, they are. It was something that your lady principal had been wanting to do for ages but the powers that be wouldn’t give her the resources to get it done. Now, with the changes to the board the entire administration is behind the effort.”

The mention of Larissa recalled her earlier encounter. While on a conscious level she supported the newfound relationship between the woman and her parents she still felt a small level of irritation deep down. Her mind was still coming to terms with it all. The old witch noticed her hesitation and spoke up.

“You have trouble processing her new position in the family?”

“I…yes. I suppose I do.”

Her voice was small and sounded rather pitiful to her own ears.

“That is only natural girl. You’re of an age where your emotions would normally be running riot. When you consider everything else going on, from hunters to young love and now changes in the family…why it’s only fitting you would be out of sorts. Tell me though, emotions aside, what do you think of her? Tell me honestly.”

“She is brave and ruthless,” she said as the first things that came to her mind. “She would do anything to protect her school and all the students in it. I’ve seen her cover up a murder, lie and manipulate others in pursuit of that goal. Honestly, I rather respect all of that.”

“What else dear?”

“She challenged me, and I challenged her right back. I thought that I hated her for that, and when I believed her to be dead I felt guilty and mourned her in my own way. It was an awful feeling.”

“And now?”

“I see how much she loves mother and father. And they love her just as much in return. I think she cares for the rest of us as well. All the family in fact. I really believe she has something akin to maternal feelings for Pugsley and I.”

The old woman smiled in delight.

“And what does all that tell you?”

There was a brief hesitation as Wednesday processes that.

“That she belongs here. That she is family. And that I’m warming up to her.”

“Exactly. It’s only natural to feel a bit threatened or out of sorts when the family dynamic changes like this. But I think she will make a wonderful Addams.”

Wednesday nods before replying.

“Your right of course,” she admits. “I must give her a chance to find her way in the family. But I also must figure out how I really feel towards her as well. Why is this business of growing up so hard?”

“It’s much like witchcraft. A lot of messy feelings are required. Unfortunately, your road is harder than most, but you have so much potential that it the harder road is required to earn and master it all.”

She nods in understanding but rages a little internally over the injustice of it. Still, she won’t back down. If given the choice she would generally choose the harder road anyway just to prove she could do it. She had always been a bit perverse in that way.

“This new teacher? You know him?”

“Oh yes. I trained him in fact though it has been some years ago. He is very gifted in both witchcraft and teaching young minds. Mind you, he can be difficult to get along with at times.”

“How so?”

The old ladies’ eyes twinkled a bit as she explained.

“Imagine someone who is extremely gifted and knows it. They don’t suffer fools gladly nor do they shield the ignorant from their own folly if they can still learn from it. Rather noble in their own way but not a warm and cuddly soul. Does that give you an idea?”

Wednesday’s eyes opened wide for a moment and she stifled the first comment that almost came out of her mouth. Her Grandmama had such a delighted expression that she couldn’t let it go though. The implications of what she was saying were quite clear.

“You think he and I are too much alike?”

“Exactly.”

“If he is so good at what he does how was Larissa able to hire him? Wouldn’t he have been off in solitude somewhere studying or tutoring apprentices on his own?”

“Oh, he has been. Probably since World War 2 or so. But he does love a challenge and Nevermore fits the bill. Also, he has a soft spot for your aunt Ophelia. I happened to mention to him that she would be working there as well.”

“So, you manipulated him?”

“I did.”

After a moment they both chuckled about that. Upon further reflection though the younger Addams became more somber. A sudden thought had hit her that gave pause to the joviality.

“He will know about the mess with Goody then. That is…rather embarrassing. I don’t like my failures to be a matter of public record.”

“He knows, and he will need to know. Wednesday, I need you to be honest with him and trust in his knowledge. That is the only way he will be able to help you. I’m too old and set in my ways to go be your teacher there. But I do trust him to protect you and help you through this. Do you understand? If I can’t be there in person I wanted there to be someone with the skill to help if this, or anything else for that matter, goes sideways.”

She blinks a couple of times, processing all of this. Her family was still working hard to help her and make sure she had all the resources she would need. On the one hand she was embarrassed to need it but on the other very grateful that it was being done on her behalf. In the moment she didn’t feel insulted that they were helping her like this. Maybe that was some of the growth her grandmother had mentioned.

“I will try,” she said hesitantly. “He wants to meet me then? To assess my potential?”

“Yours and Enid’s as well. Perhaps Pugsley and Parker if he has the time but it isn’t as big a rush for them. In only a few weeks you will be returning to school, and he will have a whole student body to sort out to see who has the potential for training. All students will be required to take at least a semester of magical studies to graduate.”

She nods, thinking of the implications of that. All outsiders had at least a little potential to use magic. In fact, all their powers were powered by magic to some degree. She had often wondered how a school could properly prepare them if it didn’t offer the chance to learn something that was so intrinsic to their own nature.

Then, a notion occurs to her and Wednesday goes a little pale at the thought of it.

“Grandmama, you always said all outcasts had the potential for magic, yes?”

“That’s right.”

“And that the first outcasts came to be by learning to harness their inner magic and grew from that, eventually evolving into the various brands of outcasts we have today?”

“Yup.”

“So, is learning to harness one’s inner magic enough to become an outcast? Can a normie actually be an outcast from learning enough magic?”

“Aye, that is how it worked in the olden days. The lines are kind of blurry between normies and outcasts when you dig down far enough. They are just the ones who refuse to recognize how magical the world really is and fight to deny it. Opening up to that possibility changes one on a fundamental level.”

“Laurel Gates learned a little magic. Enough to use Goody’s book of secrets to bring her ancestor back into this world. I had a vision of her seducing a man in Jericho. One that later, in another vision, I saw Aunt Ophelia helping us to subdue. He seemed important. I think now that maybe he is a witch as well and that he traded knowledge for sex and gave her the knowledge she needed to do what she did.”

Grandmama paused, stroking her chin thoughtfully.

“Trust you intuition Wednesday. If that is what it’s telling you then it could very well be that way.”

She paused for a moment, pacing and still regarding Wednesday.

“And if that is the case then, as you probably suspect, Laurel Gates is actually an outcast of sorts now. She might not be aware of it yet, and it’s even less likely that her patrons understand that fact. She should, in theory, be able to see through all the wards Pugsley and I have put on this Outer Limits contraption of his.”

Wednesday’s eyes opened wider in alarm. Their plans were dependent on having secure lines of communication. This new fact would jeopardize all of that.

“What do we do?”

Grandmama pondered that for a bit before replying.

“We still have that box of her things don’t we? If so I should be able to construct a ward on the system to exclude her specifically. It will take a little time. With luck she doesn’t have access to the Outer Limits yet so might not have noticed that it is vulnerable to her. The same problem will apply though if they have another outcast on hand who is somehow compromised. We will have to be even more careful than we are now though. I will let your father know immediately.”

“Should I come with you?”

“No dear, you’ve done enough for today. And done it quite well I might add. You need some rest. Go find your wolf and tend to her, or just take a nap. Unwind a bit. It will do you good.”

With that Grandmama turned and left the room in some haste. Wednesday could only watch after her and continue to worry. It seemed to be going so well she thought. They had all the advantages. Still do she supposed, though it was now a bit more complicated.

Sighing to herself she made her way back to the room she shared with Enid and settled on the bed. She wouldn’t disturb her Queen with this till she heard from her father. No doubt he would have to consult with Pugsley and Grandmama both to understand the implication for this magical computer network of theirs. His understanding was greater than hers but still limited. Then he would know what to do.

For now, she knew what she needed to do. A nap sounded like just the thing. She would need to be at her best to meet with their new teacher later tonight. To accomplish that she would need to clear her mind and rest for a bit. It still grated on her nerves, but she was not the person best suited to solving this particular problem. It was hard but she would let it go and stand aside to let those more suited handle it.

Not a cheery thought but with that she drifted off into some well-deserved rest.

Chapter Text

Her nap was fitful, but it had settled her nerves a bit. She got perhaps an hour of sleep. It could have been longer but seemed to have done the trick well enough. Stretching her limbs and blinking the sleep from her eyes Wednesday took a moment to reorient herself. Grandmama had been right after all. She was more emotionally fatigued than physically. Between emotional upset and concern over the hunters she had allowed herself to over think everything. It seemed to be a bad habit of hers.

One of her first thoughts upon waking up was to wonder where everyone else was and what they were up to. She relaxed her mind again, allowing herself to sift through the information that the house spirit would share with her. Her first impression was of several people in her father’s office. That room was always hard to scry in this way. This probably meant that Gomez, Pugsley and Grandmama were discussing the possible security breach.

Then her mind drifted to Morticia, Larissa and Miss Claire who were in the greenhouse. A bit odd perhaps but not unheard of. She could not sense Fester, Parker or Joel anywhere on the grounds. Again, not unheard of. They all had their own agendas and might be anywhere laying low or just away from the house. Finally, she found Thing asleep in the library. Where was Enid though?

The magic of the house didn’t give her any information about her Queen. Was Enid still hiding away to work on her crochet? As she pondered this a quiet rustle was heard from their walk-in closet. It was very faint, as if someone were trying to be stealthy. Intrigued Wednesday stood and walked towards the door in question. She didn’t sense anything amiss or dangerous, but it needed to be checked anyway.

Opening the door cautiously she peeked inside and immediately noted that the light was off. Then she heard a sigh coming from the floor. Glancing down she saw Enid with an odd expression sitting on what looked like a nest of all her clothes piled up on the floor. Wednesday’s mouth opened as if to speak but couldn’t really find words to fit the situation. Instead she lowered herself to the ground to sit beside the girl.

After a few moments of silence Enid turned to face her. She didn’t look distressed so much as confused and maybe a bit tired. Her smile faltered for a moment but then settled on her face. She too seemed to be at a loss for words. She merely put her arm around Wednesday and pulled her close. After a few more moments of silence the brunette finally found her voice.

“Enid, why are we sitting on the floor?”

“I needed to change clothes and got frustrated.”

“Go on.”

“They didn’t fit anymore. What I am wearing got too tight and I was rifling through everything in a hurry and didn’t want you to see me like that. But then I got confused and couldn’t remember where we put the new ones we bought but that didn’t fit yet.”

The brunette paused for a moment, regarding her love.

“I asked Lurch to store them in the attic so they wouldn’t overflow the closet. I take it you had a growth spurt?”

Enid just nodded. Wednesday looked at her in the bit of light that was coming in through the half-opened door. The wolf did look a little different, but she couldn’t see anything amiss. Her bosom seemed a bit fuller, which seemed to draw her attention more than she wanted to admit in the moment. Her features seemed just a bit more mature perhaps. In this sitting position it was hard to tell the full extent of any changes she had undergone.

“I think we need to leave the closet my Queen, no pun intended. I can send Lurch for your clothes, and then sort out what fits and what doesn’t. This isn’t a bad thing.”

“I know,” Enid replied with an odd expression. “It just feels strange. While I was finishing the crochet my bones started to ache suddenly. It was kind of like transforming but not quite. I don’t know how to describe it.”

“Dr. Kane did say it could come on you suddenly like that.”

Enid nods and studies Wednesday’s face for a reaction. The brunette isn’t sure what her Queen might be looking for. She seemed uncertain and curious. Then the idea hit her. Enid was probably insecure about how she looked now. She had changed suddenly and without much warning it would seem. At least the seer knew how to address that sort of issue.

“Enid, my love, please understand. You’re still lovely and fierce. You’re still the same girl I feel in love with. This won’t change that in the least.”

The blonde’s expression wavered for a moment. It looked like there was a lot running through her mind in the moment, but it seemed Wednesday had been right about what she was feeling. Maybe she was getting the hang of this.

“I…love you too,” she finally replied. “So, I guess we need to rip the bandage off and let you see the new me.”

She let Wednesday help her up off the floor and lead her out into the better light. Then she just stood there for several seconds, her eyes shifted towards the floor. It felt to the goth that her girlfriend was probably the most reluctant model in all of history. She studied her for a long moment to take in the extent of the changes.

Enid had grown a little. She had picked up perhaps two inches in height and her bodily proportions had filled in as necessary. Her curves were a little more pronounced and her features a bit more mature. Perhaps the most noticeable thing, after her cleavage, was the tone of her muscles. Wearing the too tight shirt that now exposed her belly a bit Wednesday could see more distinct abs. It was, all told, quite mesmerizing to her.

“Mi querida Loba, Qué hermosa eres.”

The reaction from Enid was immediate. She smiled wide, though with a shy expression on her face. Her eyes went immediately to Wednesday’s.

“You really mean it? This is…ok?”

“My Queen, you are more than ok. I have always thought you were lovely. If anything, you are even more so now. I don’t know what else to say. Your beautiful.”

They both blushed but kept eye contact.

“I don’t look like one of those over muscled lady body builders do I? I still want to be a girly girl.”

“You are very much all girl Enid, trust me on that.”

She couldn’t help letting her gaze dip for just a moment before she remembered herself and returned to Enid’s eyes. The blonde took note and smiled all the more. Her eyes had an almost predatory look as she spoke.

“You like? I think I went up maybe half a cup size. Give or take.”

“I do,” was all the reply Wednesday could make. She was blushing furiously then and that seemed to delight Enid.

“Good. I’m glad. Maybe you can…check it all out tonight. I hear we have company tonight so we should be good till then. It’s a date?”

She could only nod and blush that much more. For the next few hours then they busied themselves with sorting out her clothes, finding what fit her new frame and what didn’t. She had grown about two inches in height and gone up about the half cup size that they had suspected. Enid, now reassured, had a certain glow about her. For the moment at least she seemed strong and confident with an enhanced libido. All of this pleased the little goth beyond measure.

Afterwards she gave Enid a bit of time alone to call Dr. Kane and discuss the changes. That didn’t take long at all, and Enid felt even more reassured after. It was only a few more days till Christmas and then about two weeks later they would be returning to Nevermore. Unless anything went wrong, or she was feeling out of sorts, there wasn’t much need for an appointment before then.

Dr. Kane told her that this might be the extent of it, and she would be surprised if she grew anymore right away. Since it had come and gone so quickly in one burst she would probably continue to grow at a normal rate hereafter. If at all. Most of the Sinclair family were of modest height so Enid might not get any taller than she was now.

Afterwards Enid had wanted to rest for a bit and Wednesday obliged her. They lay on the bed, cuddling and talking for a bit. After a short while of talking about just random subjects Enid hit upon a thought.

“Willa? I’ve gotten a bit confused by the courting rituals. Our situation is kind of different than that of other couples. We’ve kind of done things out of order.”

As it turned out, Wednesday felt much the same herself.

“Your right. Normally I would give you a mighty weapon, which I have. But then I would have slain a dangerous enemy in your honor. Afterwards I would petition your parents for the right to court you, and we would then go on a dangerous quest together. We didn’t know it at the time, but it seems like we already did all of that.”

“Exactly!” Enid exclaimed. “I would have killed an enemy for you. Check that. Then challenged one of your parents to an honor duel to prove I was worthy. We haven’t done that yet. Afterwards we would live in the home of one or the other of our parents to prove we could cohabitate together. And here we are.”

It seemed that the courting practices of the Addams clan and those of werewolves matched up very well.

“We were courting before we even knew it,” Wednesday said with a hint of awe in her tone. “Or at least before I figured out.”

Enid made that contented purring noise again and cuddled even closer.
“For the duel, it can be anything that both parties agree on. I just need to convince your father that I’m brave and honorable so I can be trusted with his daughter. You think your dad would go for that?

“Enid, he would be overjoyed,” Wednesday said with a dreamy tone to her voice. “He won’t go easy on you, but he would be thrilled to be a part of it. You know what a romantic soul he is.”

Before either of them could say another word there came a knock on the door. Wednesday glanced up in surprise and they could then both sense Gomez was on the other side of the door. This made Enid chuckle a bit.

“Speak his name and he will appear…” she said in the best spooky voice she could manage.

Both girls broke out in laughter at the joke. It took Wednesday a moment to recover before calling in into the room. Neither thought to hide the fact that they had been cuddling, but they did sit up as he entered.

“Am I interrupting anything?” Gomez asked with a bemused smile.

“No father. We were just talking about things. I assume you spoke with Grandmama and Pugsley?”

Her father’s eyes focused on Enid for a moment. Clearly he had noticed the change in her. He merely smiled and nodded in her direction before turning his attention back to his daughter.

“I did. And to Parker as well since she is so well acquainted with that contraption of theirs. Your warning was well timed, but they all assure me that with a few minor tweaks they can maintain the security of the system. We will need to figure out the best way to use it going forward but it will remain secure for private chat groups and the like.”

It was clear that he didn’t understand the computer terms or how it all worked. Pugsley did though and even if she wasn’t certain why he was so sure she would take his word for it. Naturally she would ask him for more details later, but she could let it be for now. Enid’s looked towards her with a confused expression, not understanding what they were talking about.

“After my lesson with Grandmama today I came to realize that Laurel Gates was actually an outcast now. She would be able to view the Outer Limits the same as any of us. I was worried about the security breach that would lead to.”

“No way! How could she be an outcast?”

Gomez chuckled at the irony of it all.

“In her hate she learned magic to strike out at us. She couldn’t have used Goody’s book or the spell to release Crackstone without opening herself up to her innate magic. As such, she became what she hates the most. I do love some karmic justice when I see it.”

Enid’s eyes grew wide.

“Learning magic makes a normie an outcast? That is …unexpected. So, if they set off their plague bombs she will die as well?”

Both Gomez and Wednesday grinned wide in affirmation. The wolf did as well as it sunk in. They all seemed to agree that this was a lovely bit of poetic justice. Before Gomez could excuse himself though and leave the girls to their own devices Enid remembered what they had just been discussing.

“Oh! Gomez…I need to ask you for a favor. We need your help to finish our courtship.”

He was clearly delighted by this.

“Anything dear girl. What do you and my little storm cloud need?”

She hesitated for a moment as Wednesday looked on.

“For a werewolf courtship it is customary to challenge one of the parents of my betrothed to a duel. I need to prove that I’m strong and brave enough to be trusted with your daughter. Can we do that?”

As expected he was overjoyed with the prospect.

“I already know your strong and brave. You have already earned my trust, but I will gladly duel with you. What are the terms.”

“Anything we both agree to. Not to the death of course, but anything short of that would satisfy the conditions. In the old tales there was once a guy that challenged his future father-in-law to a chess match. And another where they almost cut each other to pieces with daggers. Just whatever we both think is best.”

Gomez considered this for a moment.

“I suggest a fencing duel then,” he said with clear joy in his eyes. “That way I have some chance to prevail. Standard rules to fifteen points. Do you accept the terms?”

“I do!” she agreed readily. “It doesn’t matter who wins as long as we both try our best and you accept me as her suitor.”

She grinned and clapped her hands in joy. Wednesday couldn’t help but swoon a bit and was particularly impressed that her father seemed to remember that she had once told him about Enid’s fencing skills. She was a talented amateur, but her Lycan powers made her quite formidable.

“Then a duel it shall be!” he triumphantly exclaimed. “Be sure to get some practice in beforehand. Wednesday is particularly gifted and can coach you accordingly for a few days. I would like to do this on Christmas evening if you are agreeable. If can be a family event to remember!”

Enid nodded in agreement, clearly pleased with how her request had turned out. He turned to go, loudly announcing that he was off to prepare. Wednesday, trying to hide her smile, regarded Enid fondly.

“I told you so. He is glad to do it and will probably write a sonnet about it to add to the family lore afterwards.”

“This is going to be so AWESOME!” He is really, really good too, right? Even with my powers I might not beat him, but it should prove I’m strong enough to court you.”

“You don’t have to prove anything to any of us my Queen. Everyone knows you’re a fit mate for me. Hell, I always thought you were too good for me to be honest. I’m not worthy of you cara mia, but I will always try to be.

Enid hushed her with a quick kiss and a bone bending hug.

“Don’t ever talk like that Willa. Not around me. I won’t have it. Do it again and I’ll put you over my knee.”

They both flushed a bit as it was said. Enid couldn’t believe she had just said that, and Wednesday’s eyes grew wide and she blushed again. The smile, however, didn’t falter.

“You do know how to promise a girl a good time…”

Sometime later the girls found their way downstairs. Enid was starving after her growth spurt, and they hadn’t wanted to go too far down that avenue of thought till later in the evening. Food was always the best way to distract Enid and Wednesday hadn’t eaten much today either. With all the other distractions of the day it was nearly dinner time, so they came on down to wait for it.

Lurch grunted at them when they investigated the kitchen. This time they both understood when he said it would be about half an hour till it was ready. The smell of roasting meat and vegetables was thick in the air and only heightened their hunger. Making their way into the library then to wait they found Parker and Joel already there.

They both glanced up and waved to the girls with a smile. Parker was a little quicker to perceive the changes than Joel was. She grinned, stood up and regarding Enid closely.

“You grew some Wolfie. It looks good on you!”

Enid blushed and smiled.

“Thank you. It hurt a bit, but I think it’s done now. I’m almost as tall as you are.”

Parker pulled both girls into a quick hug, despite Wednesday’s mild protests.

“My mom was stupid tall. Dad is too. I might hit six foot tall by the time I’m done. But you? You’re a buff girl athlete if I ever saw one. And challenging Uncle Gomez to a duel! That is so awesome. I’m going to film it and post it for all the friends and family.”

“You’ve heard about that already?”

Parker turned her attention back to Wednesday and replied.

“Everyone in the house heard about it. He’s told anybody that would listen and requested that I film it for posterity. I’ve never seen him that excited.”

The four of them settled in to chat and pass the time. Dinner was scheduled early tonight so the family could entertain their guest when he arrived. They talked about everything that crossed their minds and exchanged news. Parker mentioned that Fester and Miss Claire had gone to Wisconsin to bring back their things they would need to live her full time for the next several months and would be back before Christmas. Joel shared the latest gossip from the family ghosts and the rest of the family gradually filtered in over the next half hour.

Eventually Lurch called them all in and they all filtered into the dining room and took their seats. Joel, as was his custom sat hovering above the table cross legged. While he couldn’t eat human food anymore he did enjoy the smell and liked to be part of the conversations. Gomez, flanked by Morticia and Larissa was obviously pleased to have so much of his family close by and clearly enjoying themselves. As the food was served and everyone settled into eating and conversation Enid whispered in Wednesday’s ear.

“He looks just like some old-world nobleman holding court. I’ve never noticed that before.”

“That is because he is,” she replied in the same tone. “Father inherited my grandfather’s titles from Spain after he and mother were forced to come to America immediately after their wedding. There was an attack by normies with pitchforks and torches. It’s a long story and was a very sad, traumatic time for the family. I’ll tell you one day if you like.”

“He is like a real nobleman, with like a title and castles and all that sort of stuff?”

Enid’s eyes were wide and she looked delighted with the news. Wednesday couldn’t help but grin herself to see her reaction. No doubt her wolf would find all of that incredibly romantic.

“You’re looking at the Count of Almanzor, Grandee of the Spanish Empire. There is a castle on the mountain of the same name in the old Castilian region of Spain that has been in the family since medieval times. If you would like to visit it one day I’m sure we could. He is just…sensitive to how everything happened though. I will tell you all about it if you like. Just, another day though. My head is spinning from everything else today.”

It would have been more honest to say she was a bit on edge to meet Grandmama’s former student later this evening. She wasn’t sure what to expect from the man. That and Enid was proving so very distracting today. Wednesday cursed herself for her lack of self-control in that regard. She shouldn’t be so…enthralled by Enid’s enhanced assets but she just couldn’t help it.

Dinner went on for a while till everyone ate their fill and exhausted their topics of conversation for the moment. It all felt rather nice and so very natural. This was what family was all about Wednesday realized. Something she had been depriving herself of for way too long. It had taken Enid to drag her back into the fold so to speak. Yet another thing she owed to her sunshine wolf and would never be able to repay. The girl seemingly had brought her back to life and she was so very grateful for it.

“Willa, I guess we have about an hour till this guy gets here. Should we dress up for him? I should probably take a shower. My body is still itchy after the growth spurt.”

“Grandmama didn’t say. I think he is a rather formal fellow, but this is our house after all. Business casual should be sufficient, and I could use a shower as well.”

They excused themselves and went upstairs to prepare. Wednesday took note that now with Enid being taller she would need more clothes. They had only picked out a few things that were in her new size and a small mountain of things that she had outgrown. They would get a few things anyway and wait a week or two to be sure she wouldn’t get taller still. Her wolf loved a good shopping trip anyway so she catalogued that though so they could make arrangements later.

While Wednesday showered Enid had called her uncle to tell him the news. By the time the goth had returned she was just finishing up the call. Enid didn’t seem upset or sad by anything that was discussed so that came as a relief to Wednesday. Apparently she did want to discuss it though.

“The family is fine,” she said, but I don’t think the twins will be coming back to Nevermore.”

“Why?”

“They never wanted to be there in the first place. Mom had insisted though. They just wanted to get through any sort of high school, even just a GED, and then go to technical training to be mechanics. They are good at fixing and tinkering on cars.”

That sounded about right to Wednesday. Neither of the twins seemed terribly bright but were technically inclined according to what she had heard. How like Esther to try to usurp their modest ambitions and try to twist them to her own desires.

“What about your older brother? Bobby was it? Will he be returning? He only has one more semester to graduate.”

“Yeah,” she said with a shrug. “He is really smart and good in school. Wants to be a doctor someday. Maybe separated from mom and the twins he won’t be such a pain in the ass.”

The brunette pondered this for a moment. If memory served he had been the least objectionable of the brothers. Maybe he would be acceptable without their bad influence on him. Whatever the case she would make sure he was on his best behavior. Her wolf needed some blood family close to hand who would treat her right. If he needed an attitude adjustment she would see to it.

“Well then my Queen, if need be I’ll see to it that he doesn’t trouble you.”

It was clear Enid had zero doubt as to what Wednesday meant by that. Nor did she seem to object to her obvious intent. That was a relief. The blonde had her doubts about her brothers but none in Wednesday or her ability to handle things. Before they could get any further than that though there was a knock on the door. This time it is far closer to floor level. It opened to reveal Thing signing to them.

“He is calling us downstairs,” she said simply. “It seems that our guest has arrived.”

Enid nodded, now fully prepared. Taking the blondes hand Wednesday led them down the stairs. The family was in the sitting room, deep in conversation. Alexander Reid was a small man, barely over five feet and six inches in height with a slight build. He had auburn hair, neatly trimmed with a bit of grey at the temples and a well-trimmed beard. His eyes were intense and bright green in color. Wednesday immediately noticed the aura of power and confidence around the man.

She continued to observe from the edge of the group. He seemed to know her parents quite well and was very deferential to Grandmama. When he caught sight of the two new arrivals he acknowledged them with just a hint of a smile and a polite nod till introductions were made by Larissa.

“Enid, Wednesday…allow me to introduce Professor Reid. He will be teaching magical arts in the coming semester.”

He offered them each a polite handshake.

“It is a pleasure to meet you both,” he said in a sincere tone. “I’ve heard a lot about both of you.”

No doubt he had Wednesday supposed. Grandmama nodded to her, and she had no doubt the old woman had already shared all the details he would need. She was still uncertain how to feel about that but would give it a fair chance.

Glancing around it seemed that Enid, Pugsley and Parker were all thinking much the same. After the introductions she glanced at each of them in turn and nodded. There was no danger here but certainly a challenge. He was here to evaluate them all after a fashion.
The adults talked a bit longer as the four young adults stayed to the edge of the gathering and listened attentively. He was going to speak in private with each of them in turn. After a few moments Professor Reid turned to them and spoke up.

“I will take a few moments to speak with each of you in the kitchen. It’s nothing to be concerned about. I’ll just ask a few questions, study your auras and get a sense for your potential to use magic. This is for the purpose of crafting an individual program to match your needs. If you have high potential I want to be able to make sure we teach to your strengths.”

They all glanced towards each other, then to Grandmama and then towards Wednesday. She was clearly the ‘leader’ of their little group it seemed. She stepped forward and regarded the Professor.

“That seems reasonable,” she said. “I would like to go first.”

He nods and turns toward the kitchen and she follows. They both take a seat and regard each other for a moment. She is less than comfortable under his studious gaze but then he speaks before she feels moved to do so.

“Lady Eudora speaks very highly of you, and I can see why. It is clear that you have a great deal of potential. There will be some difficulties for you, but I think we can overcome them if we work together.”

“Grandmama speaks highly of you as well,” she replied, brow arched a bit to hear how he speaks of her grandmother. “The two of you seem close. That is the only reason I will consent to you knowing so many of my secrets and surviving.”

Her delivery was deadpan as usual and if he was offended by what she said he didn’t let it show.

“So I understand. And to be totally honest with you, your secrets are safe with me. It is an interesting position you find yourself in. Everything from your personal trials to the coming troubles with the hunters. It is not an envious position to be sure, but I know you can prevail. I’ll do everything within my power to help.”

“You know of that?”

“I do. Would I be in any position to help you if I didn’t? Principal Weems wants me to help you liaison with the local witch’s coven and to help advise the Nightshades as needed.”

Wednesday nods. That makes sense she supposes. If he was everything he is advertised to be he should prove himself to be an important ally.

“I see. You will have to forgive my suspicion though. As you say, I have certain challenges. Trust does not come easily to me. I will defend those close to me however it seems necessary. If you are truly on our side you should have nothing to fear.”

To her surprise he actually smiles a bit and nods.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. We shall accomplish great things together Miss Addams. All of us will. I can see the potential in you as clear as day. We might have a hard road ahead of us, but I have every confidence that you will be up to the task.”

She ponders this before giving him a polite nod and standing.

“I look forward to our lessons then. Are we done here?”

“Except for one thing. The man in your visions who was with Laurel Gates. Was he a slender fellow with light brown hair, a goatee and a pretentious manner? Standing perhaps six feet tall if he wore thick soles?”

“That sounds about right. He was dressed something like a university professor who was slumming. Do you know him.”

“I know of him. We have met but only briefly. His name is Leonard Clay. He considers himself an expert in all things magical. I will admit, he has some talent but is shoddy at best as a teacher. I’m stunned he taught her anything, but it does seem to be the case. She probably has considerable innate talent and a formidable will to learn anything from him.”

She pauses at this, uncertain what to say next. Picking up on this Professor Reid continues.

“Once we are all back to Nevermore we can discuss bringing him in for questioning. I understand you had another vision regarding that. Between us all he will not pose a threat and then we can deal with him accordingly.”

“Your no doubt aware how I tend to deal with troublesome people.”

“I am. And if it is warranted I will support you in whatever we need to do. Now, if you would be so kind please send in your mate. I have never spoken to a blood moon wolf before and it should be most enlightening. Never fear though. I intend to support her just as much as I will you.”

For whatever reason she doesn’t doubt him. Maybe Grandmama was right about the man. Time will tell but she will try to keep an open mind. Returning to the others she nods to Enid who goes to take her turn.

“Enid could hear everything that was said,” Pugsley said in a low tone. “He seems like kind of an ass to me.”

“He is. Just like I can be. Grandmama said to trust him and I’m trying. We should give him a chance but compare notes when we can.”

He and Parker ponder this for a moment and then nod in agreement. They sit there for several moments till Enid returns and then Pugsley takes his turn. The blonde waits for a moment and whispers to the others.

“He says I’m a remarkable wolf and that he can teach me many things but that I don’t have much potential for magic. It seems there are a lot of powers inherent to my condition that would serve me well but keep me from picking up much in the way of a witch’s skills.”

“Isn’t that what Grandmama already said?” Parker asks.

Enid nods, apparently still trying to make up her mind about Professor Reid. It only takes a few moments till Pugsley returns and Parker goes to the kitchen.

“He seems to think I have a lot of potential, but that techno magic can be a difficult field to master. Also, he thinks I need to mature some before any serious study would help me.”

“Not unexpected,” Wednesday replied. “Didn’t Grandmama once say good teachers didn’t take any students on till at least the age of sixteen or seventeen? That we needed time to mature before we could really control any powers we would learn.”

Pugsley nods, pondering that.

“Honestly, I never thought I could learn magic. Some potions maybe, a cantrip or two perhaps. I had no idea there was even such a thing as techno magic. I thought it was just my techno kinesis doing all the work.”

“Don’t doubt yourself brother. You’re an Addams. The potential to be great is in your blood.”

Just then Parker returned and frowned a bit.

“I don’t think I have any potential yet. He said that we would check again after the ceremony. Whatever potential I have would probably change after that once I’m a proper Addams.”

That was probably true but Wednesday bristled a bit none the less.

“You’re a proper Addams now,” she insisted.

“Thanks cuz,” she replied with a smile. “I like to think so. But he is probably right. The ceremony will change everything for me. I’ll be different, hopefully better. Then I hope to fit in properly at that fancy school of yours.”

They all knew that Parker wanted desperately to go to Nevermore and study with Wednesday, Enid and all their friends. She yearned for it in a way she had never wanted anything before. Whatever it took they all wanted to make sure she would have the chance.

“Don’t worry Parker,” Pugsley said, giving her a side arm hug. “You will. Both of us will be there together after the summer break. Larissa already promised.”

She had. They had all heard it. And now that the Addams family had such an outsized influence on school policy Wednesday had no doubt it would happen.

“It’s true Parker. We will all be there together. You can meet everyone and I’m sure you’ll fit in at least as well as I do.”

Wednesday felt a warm flush at how her cousin smiled at the sentiment. She then took Enid’s hand and continued.

“Enid will help too, and you know how good she is with social stuff. We will all be there together and I’ll introduce you to everyone. In fact, some of our friends will be here for your ceremony on the 1st. Yoko will be here along with Bianca and Xavier. I think you’ll like them.”

It seemed like the adults were done with them for the time being. The teens were kind of tired or at the very least done with all of it. Morticia stopped by to check on them all for a moment and let them know that they could get on with their night if they liked. The rest of them were just going to socialize for a while and talk about the old times. That was all they needed to hear.

“I thought they were going to keep us hanging all night,” her brother said in a relieved tone. “I’m going to go work on my canon for a while. The rest of you want to help?”

“Nope,” Parker replied, popping the P. “I downloaded the last season of ‘Better Call Saul’ this morning and I’m going to go binge.”

She gave them a little wave and retreated to her room. This left Wednesday and Enid sitting together and the wolf had a mischievous expression on her face.

“It’s just us Willa. Unless you had other plans I believe you had some exploring to do.”

The brunette blinked a couple of times as the memory returned to her. Before she could say anything Enid had scooped her up into a bridal carry and walked towards the stairs.

“And not to worry. I already asked the house to keep our room nice and quiet.”

Wednesday could only sigh and gripped tight to hold on to Enid.

“You spoil me my Queen,” she said in a breathless one.

“Always. Now, hold on tight.”

She took the stairs three or four at a time, giggling as she went. No one saw them for the rest of the night.

Chapter Text

The night before felt like a dream to Wednesday. A very exciting dream to be sure and one she blushed to look back upon. Enid had invited her to explore her new body and enhanced charms. Who was she to say no? She understood that Enid needed to understand that her mate still desired her physically. The seer made sure that afterwards she would have no doubts at all.

Even now, hours later, she still felt the after glow of their love. Now Wednesday realized that in addition to all the other changes her Queen had brought to her life that her own sexual needs were fully awakened. Knowing what she knew now she could almost understand her own parents’ displays or the not-so-subtle mating rituals her peers partook in back at Nevermore. Almost. Surely she wasn’t quite as unsubtle as the lot of them were. At least she hoped she wasn’t.

Cuddling closer to Enid to hug her like a koala the brunette had time to unpack some of the vast array of emotional baggage she still carried. It was hard on her to admit that she wasn’t so different at her core than some of the other students. She was of course more sophisticated and smarter than most of them. Sure, she was arrogant, violent and on occasion close minded. But now she recognized it. The universe might be conspiring to humble her, but she was trying to adapt. It was a kind of growth she supposed. Not pleasant but certainly more realistic than her earlier inflated sense of self-worth.

Opening up to others, both family and otherwise, was a challenge. She had found a lot of benefits in doing so though. Not the least of which now slept soundly by her side. Wednesday regarded Enid fondly, knowing that she had provided the comfort her Queen had required and pleasing her in every way she could. The blonde slept soundly, with a smile on her face. Learning to be a better person had brought Enid into her life. She would fight tooth and claw to keep her there. Even if it meant going to counseling or humbling herself further.

The thought of humbling herself shook the goth a bit. Everything of late had been humbling. She now understood that her previous expectations of herself and those around her had been unrealistic, but it was a hard habit to break. Something she would need to bring up with Simon once they got back to Nevermore. Yes, she was now invested in counseling, much to her own chagrin. How the mighty have fallen.

This line of thought was mercifully derailed though when Enid began to stir. At first it was just some mumbling in her sleep. Then, over the next few minutes her eyes began to flutter open. Those loving, expressive eyes that Wednesday could not get enough of. Another moment and they focused on Wednesday as she was pulled closer in a bone-bending morning hug.

“Hi.” She said in a sleepy voice. “Sleep well?”

“Oh yes,” Wednesday replied with a blush. “Very well. And you?”

Enid merely smiled and kissed the goth on her forehead. For a few moments they existed in silence, comfortable in each other’s company. Wednesday began to count down in her head and then chuckled a bit aloud as Enid’s belly began to rumble.

“It took almost five minutes for your hunger to appear after waking up. That might be a new record.”

“Hush you,” the blonde replied with a giggle of her own. “I’m a grown werewolf here. We have to eat a lot.”

“You attack your food with all the passion at your disposal. Just as you with every other aspect of life. It is a marvel to watch. And even more amazing to participate in.”

She hugged the girl fondly, remembering the previous night.

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” Enid replied, hugging her back. “I want to wake up like this every morning. And it will be Christmas day after tomorrow! I am so excited. This is going to be awesome!”

She could change topics on a dime the smaller girl thought with a smile. Enid was easily distracted, sometimes even in the middle of a sentence. She didn’t mind though. It was just one of the many things she loved about her.
“It will be. There will be a feast on Christmas day, and we will put up the decorations the night before. Plus, you get to duel with father. It will be a grand day, and I mean to help you enjoy every moment of it.”

For another few moments they cuddled and were lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Enid stretched, gave her mate a sweet kiss on her cheek and roused herself from the bed. It seemed obvious she didn’t want to, but nature called.

“As much as I would like to just cuddle you all day long I’m all sweaty and probably smell like wet dog. I’ll shower first and then you can take your turn. After that we can go forage in the kitchen till breakfast time.”

Before Wednesday could reply both of their phones dinged on the other side of the room. They were both plugged in to charge and apparently had both received a message simultaneously. She glared at the twin devices, but Enid giggled a bit at her reaction.

“They don’t bite Willa. Why don’t you see what that is all about and I’ll shower real quick. Cya in a bit.”

Wednesday sighed and threw a robe on as she crossed the room. Normally she liked the cold but after sleeping beside a blast furnace for the night she was feeling a bit chilled. Another change in her life that she was willingly accepting. Snatching up her own phone she grumbled at it a bit and frowned.

There were some emails but none of them were particularly interesting save for one from Eugene with a recipe for cookies he wanted to share. It seems that baking was becoming something of a hobby for him. Then she took notice of a text, addressed to herself and Enid. Noticing it was from Ajax she bristled a bit but calmed herself. The gorgon and Enid had parted on good terms. He wasn’t an ‘enemy’ per se, but she still felt the slight stirrings of jealousy that still lingered from when they were together. Tamping that thought down she opened the message.

[i]”Sorry if I woke you up. Still struggling a bit with the time difference. I went to Delphi yesterday and got interesting news. Need to pass it on ASAP but remembered you said it should be a safe line. Any ideas on how we can get that done?”[/i]

She groaned a bit internally. Leave it to a stoned gorgon to struggle with simple math and time zones. Fortunately, he was smart enough to remember that they were getting into the habit of secured communications. A trip to Delphi though? She did know that the Oracle was still in place, but they kept their operations out of the sight of normies. If memory served they still charged outrageous fees but had a reputation for accuracy. If you could figure out what the hell they were alluding to.

As far as seers went they were still the gold standard though. Rumor had it that they saw more clearly than most and had over the centuries bred for the ability, much like the Addams’ had to embrace their own magical skills. If by some miracle Ajax had secured information from them it would certainly be important.

She pondered on this for several moments till she heard Enid return. Glancing up she saw her mate, wearing a towel and walking towards the closet. The blonde regarded her with curiosity for a moment before speaking.

“You have that look you get when you see a new mystery. Bad news on the phone?”

“No, on the contrary. It might be very important news. Ajax might not be able to figure out a time zone, but he seems to have gone to Delphi for a prediction and got some information. He thinks it is important, so we need to figure out a way for him to deliver it securely.”

“A pity then that he doesn’t have a secured phone yet,” Enid said from within the closet as she dressed. “That would make it a lot easier.”

“Indeed,” the goth agreed. “It is strange though. Everything I know of the Oracle says that they charge an outrageous fee for their services. Typically, only the wealthiest of outcasts can afford them. My own family never had any interest in doing so though. We usually have at least a few seers in the extended family at any one time and like to keep most things in house as they say.”

“Your partly right. They do charge but it doesn’t have to be in money. Ajax talked about them before. They ask for something precious to the petitioner, but it doesn’t have to be money. It might be services, information or even just an old family heirloom. As long as it means a lot to whomever is asking the question they will consider it.”

“He seems to know a lot about them,” Wednesday observed. “I know he is of Greek ancestry but how did he come by such knowledge?”

“It’s more than ancestry,” the blonde replied. “He lived in Greece till he was about ten years old and then his mother moved back to America. She was born as an American gorgon and married a Greek gorgon. His dad worked for the Oracles in some sort of way till he passed away.”

That made a lot more sense to Wednesday. Maybe they cut Ajax some slack because they knew the family. Or maybe they saw that this whole mess could affect all outcasts and wanted to help. Either way it was worth investigating.

“We can ask him the details when I secure a safe channel for him. And I think that I know just how to do it. To be honest I had no idea he had contacts like that in Greek culture. It strikes me as odd but I wont question it if he can come through for us.”

Enid peeked out of the closet, now about halfway dressed.

“He and I didn’t work out, but he is still a good guy. And he is deeper than most people give him credit for. Really spiritual if you can believe it. He might not be book smart, but he has a lot of insights that really blew my mind from time to time. In fact, he figured out that I was gay before I could even admit it to myself.”

Wednesday fidgets for a moment as she ponders this. It was true. She had never been impressed by the gorgon but a part of that had been jealousy. He had Enid and she didn’t. Thinking back on it she discounted most everything he said due to that and what she considered a crippling dependency on the drugs her partook in. Enid seemed to sense what she was thinking and continued.

“The weed is a coping mechanism for most gorgons,” she said with a shrug. “They are rather defensive around normies and other outcasts. The drug helps to calm their snakes and lets them function a bit better around the rest of us. They have a crazy high resistance to it though. It takes a lot to give them the desired effects. Without it they can get very aggressive if pressed. Their culture in the old days was very militant and they were part of what influenced the Spartan culture.”

“So that is why he was going on about his mother teaching him not to engage?”

“Right. Young gorgons are taught from an early age to try and resist their aggressive tendencies. Just as vampires taught themselves not to eat people. Same with werewolves. They are just trying to adapt to a modern world. Sometimes that just takes mild drugs and heavy doses of alcohol. Most of them, as they get older and more mature, need it less and less.”

“I didn’t realize he had shared so much with you about their culture,” Wednesday said in a thoughtful tone. “Maybe there is more to him than I was willing to believe.”

Enid smiled a bit at seeing her mate reason this out.

“He did. We shared a lot, like he showed me his little shrine to Apollo, and we talked a lot about gorgon and werewolf culture. But in the end…he couldn’t be what I needed for him to be. I had so much aggression and hurt in my heart and he recoiled from that. Looking back on it I can’t blame him. It was how he was raised. But he is a good friend Willa, and I hope he finds whatever he needs in a mate. Just like I did.”

Wednesday nods along, her mind accepting what Enid shares. There is still a twinge of jealousy there but how can it hold up against her Queen’s sincerity? The answer is it can’t. She feels some sort of tolerance building in her soul for the boy, just as she had for Eugene, Yoko, Bianca and Xavier. They were all becoming friends to her and she still had some trouble with that on various levels. But it was there, and it would grow. She was just coming to accept it.

“I think I understand,” she admitted. “Please text him and say that I will find a way for him for him to send a secure message. Find out where Ajax is going to be for the next few days while I shower. Then I will contact cousin Lumpy. He can facilitate a discussion with Ajax using a crystal ball.”

“Thanks Willa. I’ll let him know.”

The wolf kisses her then, making her mind reboot a little bit. How can she say no to Enid? Especially when she gets such rewards. In a bit of a daze then she goes to shower and get her bearings. It seems she has a lot to do today.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Less than an hour later they had both cleaned up and hung around for breakfast, which was closer than they had thought. Enid had passed the message on for Ajax to stand by till Wednesday had taken care of some details. After eating they returned to their room so she could call Lumpy on the crystal ball. The goth made notes as they talked, though not many words were exchanged. She could see the confusion on Enid’s face and after waving farewell to her cousin she turned to face her mate.

“You’re confused because we didn’t speak verbally?”

Enid nods, expecting the brunette to elaborate.

“Crystal balls are primarily intended to be used by either psychics or witches. When one of the participants is a telepath words aren’t always necessary. Since Lumpy possesses that gift we seldom need to speak at all.”

“They named him Lumpy?”

“Yes. It had something to do with his appearance upon birth. Father said he kind of resembled a baked potato. He is still an Addams though and was his father’s son, so he inherited control of their family circus when Cousin Cobb passed away a little over a year ago. Such a pity he had a hard time of it in adolescence, but he has grown into the role and helps us keep an eye on things in Europe.”

“What kind of trouble did he have?”

“As happens sometimes with psychics it wasn’t so much a matter of learning to use his power as how to not be overwhelmed by it. For the longest time he couldn’t control what he heard from the minds of others. It made him seem…odd to normies and outcasts alike. When coupled with his unusual appearance he had a hard time fitting in anywhere. But guess who helped him gain the control he needed.”

Enid pondered that for a moment till the answer occurred to her.

“Your cousin Simon? He was practicing in Europe for a long time, wasn’t he?”
“That’s right. I only found out about that recently when father mentioned it in conversation. He was trying to make me feel better about seeing him for my…issues. All the more reason I suppose to trust him. If he could make Lumpy’s life easier I’m sure he could help me. Help all of us in fact.”

The wolf seemed to mull that over and didn’t ask for any elaboration. After a moment to collect her thoughts she did have a few other questions.

“So, how is it that Lumpy can help Ajax then?”

“The circus winters just outside of Napoli in southern Italy. As such things go it is rather close to Greece, and he has a lot of resources available to take a quick flight over and help Ajax out. Specifically, by letting him use his crystal ball, which will be the fastest and most secure way to talk. Then we will see what the Oracles had to say.”

She paused for a moment, regarding the notes she had taken before continuing.

“Tell Ajax that he will receive a call from Lumpy about noon Athens’s time. They can arrange a private place to meet and call us at about seven in the morning our time. A bit early perhaps for us but we do have some holiday activities for tomorrow and I don’t want to intrude on any of those. No doubt Ajax may also have plans for later in the day so hopefully this will work for everyone.”

Enid grinned, pulled out her phone and started typing as she continued the conversation.

“Gotcha. Just let me text him with the news and make sure all of that works on his end. I know this is all super dangerous and we might all die or something, but it is really exciting with all this top-secret James Bond sort of intrigue. You do know who James Bond is, right?”

“I am aware,” she replied with a bemused expression. “He is the fantasy creation geared towards young men’s wet dreams of adventure and romance. It’s a bit testosterone heavy for my tastes but I’ve heard of the series.”

“I’ve meant to ask, is Viper of the same genre? Though more geared towards female audiences?”

“Not…exactly no. I intended for Viper to be deeper than the Bond fantasies. But she always fell rather flat with the publishing companies. They said I had good ideas and wonderful writing. She just lacked emotional depth. With you in my life I’m finding that I now have the emotional range to do her justice and am rewriting the first novel. It is coming along nicely, and I should be able to resubmit it before our next semester is done.”

Enid practically wiggled with excitement.

“Oh em Gee! Really? That will be fantastic. I’m so proud of you. I’ll try to remember to give you all the space I can to finish it then.”

Wednesday couldn’t help the flush of pride that came with Enid’s praise. It reminded her of something else she had meant to discuss with the blonde. Now was as good a time as any.

“There was…something else,” she said, a slight hesitation to her voice. “My father is managing the tedious details of my literary work. Talking to publishers, arranging rights, all that sort of thing. He is also set up an account for me that he deposits any royalties, payments and the like into. A few days ago he showed me how much was in there.”

She glances towards Enid who smiles and wordlessly urges her to continue.

“There was just over a quarter of a million in the account. It’s an interest-bearing account of some sort. I don’t understand the details but he tells me that my short stories are doing well and someone wants to make a movie out of one of them. That could be very lucrative.”

“That’s amazing Willa. Most writers must starve until their work gains an audience. You’re not even eighteen yet and seem to have an audience to make older writers envious. I told you before, you’re really, really good at it. And you’re going to get even better. I just know it.”

Again she blushes. Enid’s praise means the world to her. Damn, but she is so weak for this girl. And it was a joy to admit that much to herself. My but how her world had changed.

“Thank you for your praise mi Reina. It means everything to me. I want nothing more than to contribute to our wellbeing and to earn money myself, beyond whatever we might inherit in due time. It’s…important to me. I guess that I’m wanting to prove that I can be self sufficient if we ever needed to be.”

The blonde stepped closer, gently hugging her mate.

“I understand. I want to do the same. Though a teacher’s salary wont stack up against what you’re earning or what you might inherit, I want to do my part as well. If we ever need to I’m sure we could survive on our own.

She regarded Enid then as they hugged. Her Queen understood. It was like a coming-of-age ritual. They both were trying to assert their independence and grow up. While it still felt a little weird it also felt very, very right.

“Your services in helping young outcast minds to flourish will help the world beyond whatever economic aid you render to our future home. That will be more than enough. I want you to be happy and feel secure. Anything beyond that is just icing on the cake as they say.”

They remained in the hug for longer than usual, just soaking up each other’s presence. It was nice and they both seemed to want it to last. After a while, though duty called. They had planned to run into town to get Enid some new clothes. And in the evening Pugsley had wanted to show them his mainframe in the basement. That would be the perfect time to ask him about the questions she had.

“If your ready we should probably go to town. Your new clothes aren’t going to purchase and deliver themselves.”

Enid might be easily distracted but any talk of shopping usually could hold her attention.

“Yeah, your right. We can take your car if that is ok. That way we don’t have to trouble Lurch.”

“Good idea. He will be busy most of the day hauling out decorations and cutting down a tree for us.”

Another thing she had learned about Enid, the girl enjoyed driving. That was a good thing since Wednesday would never be able to do that herself. Stupid visions made her give up on any plans to do so for herself. Especially since she probably wouldn’t grow much taller and would always have trouble seeing over the steering wheel of most any car.

Soon they were on their way. Enid had a big smile as she drove, and Wednesday could only smile to see her wolf so happy. It was amazing what a few weeks with a stable family who cherished her could do. Not that the Addams family was stable per se. They were all in fact a bit insane by most people’s definition. But they did know how to love and accept each other as they were. That was what her wolf had needed, and they were all very happy to see that she got it.

This particular shopping trip was a little more relaxed than the last one. The crowds weren’t as thick as Black Friday had been. Sure, there were a lot of people doing last minute Christmas shopping, but it was far more manageable. After a few hours they had purchased another large pile of clothes in Enid’s new size, and she picked out a few pairs of shoes to go with them.

They even, at Enid’s insistence, picked out a few things for Wednesday. She was pleased to note that her Queen had a keen eye for things the goth would be willing to wear. Fashion it would seem was another of Enid’s many talents.

Three hours later, and a couple of retreats to the food court when the overstimulation got bad, they were ready to go. Stuffing the trunk with all the bags they had and then going through a drive through on the way back they drove in companionable silence. It seemed like no time at all till they were home again.

Parking the car and carrying their loot up to their room they took note of the rather large tree that Lurch had set up in the front near the base of the stairs. It was a beast of a pine tree and would take them most of the evening tomorrow to decorate but truth be told they were both looking forward to it. That was a new sentiment for Wednesday. The family didn’t always go all out for Christmas but this time they would and it felt extra special. Wednesday was opening up enough now to fully participate and they wanted Enid to feel more at home. Besides, they would usually take any excuse they could for a celebration.

Unpacking everything once in their room Wednesday’s eye caught sight of a piece of paper that had been slipped under her door. Picking it up she read it quickly and put it into her pocket. Then she turned to regard Enid.
“Pugsley wants to introduce him to someone down at the main frame. He asks that we go with him after dinner so he can explain some things.”

“Alright. We should have all of this put away in a few minutes and dinner is only a half hour away. We can eat, deal with Pugs and then you can get some writing time if you want. Parker had asked me to expand on the dummies guide to Nevermore that we started. I can work on that while you write.”

“That sounds perfect. I’ve some inspiration on how I want to update the next chapter.”

As predicted it did only take a few minutes to put their new clothes away. With that done they made their way to the dining room just in time to help set the table and socialize a bit with the family. Dinner tonight was much as it had been every other day. Rather boisterous and full of good food, good conversation and very therapeutic for Enid.

Mostly everyone was excited for Christmas Eve tomorrow. They would await Fester and Ms. Claires return to start decorating but everyone had an idea on how they wanted it all to look. Wednesday remained at the edge of the conversation, not adding much but pleased to see Enid enjoying it so much.

Soon the chatter wound down and everyone helped with the cleanup before going their separate ways. Pugsley and Parker were waiting as his sister and Enid exited the kitchen. The goth noticed immediately that something seemed to be on their minds.

“Is something amiss brother? I thought you would be in better spirits to be showing off your mainframe…or whatever it’s called.”

“I am,” he allowed, “but there is some more to it. It’s best if I show you though.”

With that he turned to head down towards the catacombs with the three girls behind him. Wednesday glance at Parker who merely shrugged. Apparently she wasn’t sure what Pugsley was talking about either. They would all have to find out together she supposed.

It took the better part of twenty minutes to get to the right level and then a few twists and turns to find the right room. Sure enough, once she saw it Wednesday was blown away by the enormity of the thing. The room itself was larger than a football field, seemingly cut out of a cave that had modified to fit all this hardware inside.

While she couldn’t identify a lot of what she was looking at she did take note of several free-standing computer devices all linked together by more cables than she had ever seen in one place. It reminded her a bit of a documentary she saw once about the industrial-scale computers used in big businesses.

In and amidst all the high tech she could also see the magical side of this mainframe as her brother called it. There were large crystals embedded into the floor to store magical energy as any normie battery might hold electricity. And then there were runes carved into the floor at odd intervals along with protection wards inscribed on the cases of the large computer towers. It felt like an unholy union of science and magic. She couldn’t be prouder of her brother for making this. Especially since it seemed to work so well.

“This is…impressive brother. You’ve outdone yourself. I don’t know much about the technical aspect but the magic that binds and protects it all seems sound. Your device has a powerful aura to it.”

She was capable of seeing that much at least. While neither of them were full witches yet but she could still see the power of this device and sense the powerful magic that flowed through it.

“I assume Grandmama helped with some of the warding?”

“She did,” he said, still sounding oddly subdued. “And we continue to tinker and improve on it while we go. I’m fully confident that the Outer limits will do what we need it to so we can have safe channels to communicate.”

“Even with Laurel Gates or any other compromised outcast they might have on hand?”

Yes. Even with that. Sure, any outcast can see the general boards, but we try to keep that scrubbed so nothing secret can be revealed. We will be using the built-in phone programing for the cell phones I’m updating and some private message boards so we can talk freely without being overheard.

For those access is only given on a need-to-know basis, such as the family or the Nightshades. The only way on to those parts of the site without getting clearance from me or Parker would be hack the system, and they would have to be a lot better than me to get that done without setting off all sorts of alarms and fail safes.”

She nods, not entirely certain about any of that but she did trust her brother in such matters. While not totally bullet proof it was certainly their best option. It should get the job done as safely as possible. While she mused on that Pugsley had continued.

“It can always stand to be improved upon though. With that in mind I’ve added another level of security. Chuck, I would like to introduce you to Enid, Wednesday and Parker. You’ve spoken with Parker before via chat. You might remember her as Sister Syn, content moderator.”

A large monitor appeared on a giant screen above one of the workstations. A young man’s face took form and smiled as he regarded them all. He looked to be Pugsley’s age, give or take but all they could see of him was a disembodied head that was obviously a graphic computer image of some sort.

“Hello girls, he said with a smile. “Nice to meet you all. I just wish it could have been under better circumstances.”

Parker looked stunned for a moment and Enid seemed to be in much the same state.

“Hello Chuck,” Wednesday said since the others seemed to be struck speechless for the moment. “Are these bad circumstances? Everything seems to be mostly fine as far as I know. For the moment anyway.”

“She doesn’t know what happened yet Chuck,” her brother said after a moment. And I hadn’t told Parker what had happened to you yet. Do you want to explain or shall I?”

“I’ll tell them the readers digest condensed version. They you can fill in anything that I miss.”
The odd graphic image studied them for a moment before continuing.

“I’m a friend of Pugsley’s. He and I played a lot of online games together. Sometimes Sister Syn would join us and it was all big fun and everything but it all came to an end a few days back. I was killed while putting together some code for Pugs to use on the Outer Limits when a guy I didn’t know snuck into my house and shot me in the back.”

Parker gasped audibly, apparently not having heard the news before. Enid moved to comfort her and Pugsley merely frowned as Wednesday carried the conversation.

“I’m sorry that happened to you Chuck. Was it hunters that murdered you.”

“No. Or at least I don’t think so. It seems this guy killed me for being gay. Not that it matters a lot anymore. Afterwards I remember appearing as a ghost in my old bedroom, and somehow I could still access the network in that state. I told him what had happened, and he started right away to investigating my murder.”

She frowned at that. Murdered for being gay meant the hunters probably weren’t involved but that was even worse in her opinion. Somehow she could understand someone killing outcasts better than killing over sexual preference. It didn’t really matter in the end though. Dead was still dead and both reasons to kill were equally egregious.

“It’s only been a couple of days, but I did some quick research by hacking into security cameras in the area and then follow up on any leads I noticed. I’m pretty sure I’ve found the killer. Dealing with him is the only thing remaining in that regard.”

She turned to her brother as he spoke, her brow lightly arched.

“Do you want me to end him?” she asked of both Pugsley and Chuck.

“No,” Pugsley replied. “Chuck is my friend, and I take this very seriously. We discussed this and we both agree it would be far more fitting to have this guy be arrested and have to spend time in death row waiting to pay for his crimes. Death releases him too quickly. But if we need to do it ourselves I’ll handle that part.”
He picked up a thick file with notes and pictures which he handed to Wednesday.

“What I would like for you to do is review the evidence I found. If you think it will be enough to urge the local attorney general to press charges I will make sure it gets into his hands. Otherwise I’ll tend to it myself after the holidays.”

She accepts the file with a subdued expression. Her brother was ready to commit murder to avenge his friend. That was a new and welcome change in her opinion. If someone had killed one of her friends she would do much the same. Better yet, choosing to try and prosecute instead of murder told of a desire to maximize the punishment. Another choice she could strongly identify with.

“I would be glad to Pugsley. It would be the least I could do. Can I assume that Chuck will be the ghost in the machine for awhile to help secure the Outer Limits?”

“Yes, I will,” the spirit answered from the computer. I’m not sure how but your grandmother helped me to move my spirit into the system here. From this angle I can see more clearly if anyone is hacking their way in where they shouldn’t be. It’s a piece of cake when your part of the programming.”

“I see,” she finally replied. “Thank you for your help in this. It really means a lot.”

Chuck laughs a bit and continues.

“Think nothing of it. It gives me and Pugsley a chance to finish some of the games we were playing. A year or two of service to protect outcasts and a chance to finish some of my games is enough to keep me around for a while. Then I can move on to whatever comes next.”

She nods mutely, feeling terribly bad for the dilemma the ghost now finds itself in. More to the point she now worries about Pugsley and how he might be taking all of this. Glancing towards Parker she sees her crying softly as Enid comforts her. Her brother still seems more somber and brooding more than she can ever recall. Before she could comment on that though he spoke up.

“Chuck, I’ll be back later. I need to talk to the girls for a bit. You want to pick up where we left off the day before yesterday? We can probably clear that level in a couple of hours.”
“Sure thing. I’m not going anywhere.”

With that he motioned for everyone to follow him, and all three girls complied. Returning to the catacombs main hall Parker finally found her voice.

“Why didn’t you tell me he had died?”

“It’s only been a couple of days,” he says with a shrug. “And I was more focused on making sure he had been killed and then gathering evidence. I’m going to miss him, but we get to spend at least a little longer together before he moves on. “

Pugsley’s voice was tight, and he seemed to be working hard to keep a neutral face up for them. Wednesday didn’t want to press him to hard on anything he didn’t feel up to discussing yet. There would be time enough for that later. For now, she would just be supportive of him and Parker both.

“I will review your evidence and let you know in the morning. If we need to intervene personally my services are open to you. Just say the word.”

“Thanks sis,” he says in a tired tone. “If no one minds though I need to be alone for a bit.”

With that he turns and walks away slowly down yet another corridor. Likewise, Parker also excuses herself at the first chance and returns to her room alone. All Wednesday can do is watch and mourn in her own way. She never knew Chuck existed till a few moments ago but she still felt bad for his passing and was moved that he was willing to put his final rest aside to help protect other outcasts. To her reckoning that was true community service if she had ever seen it.

Enid took her hand then and began to guide her towards their shared room. She seemed to recognize Wednesday’s mood and was stepping up to keep her grounded in the moment. Glancing up she saw the wolf wipe a tear away.

“That was so incredibly sad,” she said in a soft tone. “Do you think maybe he and Pugsley were more than friends?”

“I don’t think so. My brother likes women a lot. I’m pretty sure he is straight. But like all Addams he feels very deeply. The death of a friend can still move us to murderous rage. I’m very proud though that he didn’t go off and act immediately on it. He took the time to think it all through. I’m going to read his file tonight and see if it is enough to convince a grand jury to bring forward charges. If not…well, then we will go from there.”

Enid squeezed her hand a little and continued in silence. It was not an ideal situation, but it was all part of life when you were an Addams. Sometimes they had to seek their own justice if the normie authorities failed to live up to their obligations regarding outcasts and other marginalized groups. Enid it seemed understood too, making the goth equally proud of her. There weren’t many people who could so easily accept this reality of their life. The wolf was already more of an Addams than either of them had yet realized.

Chapter Text

They awoke early in anticipation of Ajax’s call. In fact, they had both showered, dressed and had an early breakfast before the time drew near. Wednesday often rose this early, though of late she had been sleeping in since Enid was not a morning person. Sleeping in with her so she could watch the wolf awaken for the day was a guilty pleasure she liked to indulge in.

Now, they found themselves with some time to spare and waiting by the crystal ball in their room. Enid seemed fidgety this morning and the goth wondered at that. Nothing seemed to be bothering her judging by the expression on her face. Still, that could always be a false reading on her own part. Best to ask and be sure rather than to let a potential problem grow larger.

“Mi Reina? Does something trouble you?”

Enid regarded her for a moment, her expression going through several different emotions in sequence. Finally, she sighed a bit, turning uncertain eyes towards Wednesday.

“Everything just seems more real today, you know? I mean things are still great and we get to celebrate Christmas and make a party of it. It just kind of feels a little more dire today with us being all spy like and getting ready for hunters. Sometimes I wonder what I would ever do without you or any of our friends really. “

She sighs again and continues.

“Don’t get me wrong. I want to do my part and whatever I can for the cause. It just feels strange. Then I feel guilty because sometimes I just want to ignore it all and concentrate on the holidays and us. It just gets all tangled up in my head. Does that make sense?”

It was silent for a moment as Wednesday regarded her. The brunette could tell it was emotions getting the better of her wolf. That was not her specialty though. Enid needed comfort and that was far from being her specialty.

“It does. I’ll be honest though and say I can’t fully understand everything you feel but I do try. By all appearances we will ultimately be victorious. How we get to that point though is anyone’s guess. All I can be certain of is that I love you and care for our…friends. I have faith we will make it through this.

That said it is only natural you would have some misgivings. As father said we are still very young. All of this shouldn’t be on us to handle. Even if we are far from the front so to speak it still affects us, and the danger is quite real.”

Wednesday stands then and moves to sit in Enid’s lap on the bed.

“We are here together in this moment. Things will only get harder as we go on though. I understand that and want to reassure you every step of the way. No matter what, no one will ask more of you than you can give. If they do they will answer to me.”

The blonde chuckled a bit. It was not quite the reassurance she had hoped for, but it was honest, and so very Wednesday like in delivery. Thinking about it maybe it was what she had needed to hear rather than what she might have wanted to hear.

“Only you could be so reassuring while preparing me to go to war,” she said with a fond smile. “I’ll be ok. Sometimes it’s just a bit much. I have to let it out or it will just tear me up on the inside. Remind me to put that on my list to talk to Simon about once we have an appointment.”

“I’ll be sure to remind you. And I will make my own list for when I see him. I want to learn to be a better mate so I can comfort you better mi Reina. You are stronger than you know but I think you need to hear it more.”

Before Enid could reply to that the crystal ball began to call for their attention. Wednesday glanced towards her love and kissed her on the cheek to reassure her. Then she walked back to the desk and waved her hand over the ball to accept the call.

Lumpy’s face came into view and he smiled at both of them before nodding towards Wednesday. Once again they conversed in silence for a moment before Ajax appeared. He glanced back and forth between the two of them with a tense expression.

“So, I just talk into the ball, yes?”

“That’s right,” Wednesday said aloud. “Sort of like your face time phone apps. Just this time it’s magical and more secure. Let me say though, before I forget, when you get back to Nevermore we will have a secure phone waiting for you. After that you can just use your phone to pass any messages along to any of us.”

Ajax nods, seeming a bit leery of the whole thing. Wednesday briefly wondered if he was having similar misgivings as Enid did regarding all of this. This surprised her to wonder about such a thing. Sure, it would be prudent to worry about amateurs being involved in such an effort against a dangerous opponent. But they both had more than proved their worth before. No, this was different. Now she was wondering how all of this might affect them personally on an emotional level. That certainly was new.

There was little time to ponder that now though. She made a mental note to ask Enid about it later. The more she thought about it the more she realized that the Nightshades at least seemed to be taking their cues from Yoko and herself. Wasn’t Bianca the queen bee for the group though?

It was very confusing, and she didn’t know what to think about it. But, if they were going to look to her for any sort of guidance she would need to learn how to deliver said guidance in a form they could best use it. Whatever the case she needed to keep her mind on this call first. The rest could wait for a bit. Ajax appeared to set his misgivings aside and began to tell his story.

“So, yeah, since I was here anyway I decided to go to Delphi and ask for advice. Not that I don’t trust you and your mom or anything. I am just more familiar with them.”

“Your father used to work for the Oracle, didn’t he?”

His eyes darted quickly to Enid, seeming to know only she could have told Wednesday that.

“That’s right. For the time I lived in Greece as a boy our home was in Delphi proper. The attendants at the holy site still remember me and some of them I’ve corresponded with for years. They helped me to arrange an appointment to ask my questions. To be honest, I’ve never been so nervous to do anything in my life, but the cause seemed to be worth any effort I had to make.”

She nods in understanding. His demeanor screams in confirmation that he is totally an amateur when it comes to intrigue and the threats they now face. But by the same token she can sense his sincerity. Ajax is not one to prevaricate. He saw both a need and an opportunity. With his contacts he could secure more information for the cause. All things considered he acted very appropriately. She couldn’t fault that but did wonder what it might have cost him.

“Did they charge you too much for what you got?” she asks tentatively.

“It…wasn’t a charge exactly,” he says with an uncertain expression. It seemed clear that he wasn’t too keen on sharing personal information but was trying to put everything on the table here.

“They asked me what I offered in exchange for help. I offered them my father’s old golden lyre that he had been given for many years of good service, and they accepted. It’s more a matter of showing that you value what they offer and give them something you treasure rather than the monetary value involved.”

“You saw it as a religious offering then? Wont you miss an heirloom of your father?”

“I already do, but I know he would be proud of me. We are in need, and I want to pull my own weight. Not like I could play it very well anyway.”

Wednesday noted Enid’s expression but kept it to herself for the moment. Apparently she thought he played very well judging by the look on her face. No matter, she would ask her about it after.

“I’m sorry if it seems that I am prying,” she said, trying to read the room between her own Queen and Ajax. “My questions do have a purpose, and I was curious.”

She glances towards Enid and sighs a bit. Wednesday understands what she needs to do in the moment but it is still difficult for her. If she is going to serve as any sort of leader here she had to also look after her people. It was the proper thing to do.

“I must also apologize to you,” she said in a small voice. Her words were sincere, but they didn’t come easily. “Enid has helped me to realize that there is more to you than I originally believed. I appreciate what you’ve done for us here. Please go ahead and tell me what the Oracle said.”

It was probably the most stilted but yet sincere apology that any of them had ever heard. It did have the desired effect though as Ajax visibly relaxed. Out of the corner of her eye Wednesday saw Enid beaming at her and that was worth all the humiliation in the world. Besides, she supposed the gorgon had earned that much anyway.

“Wow…ok, thanks for that Wednesday. Yeah, sure let me translate it for you from the Greek here.”

He opened a bit of paper and began to read.

“The Daughter is the key. Her priestly father seeks a cure but turns to revenge for the sin of the Nightfolk. He plots from the Athens of America to end the people of myth with stolen knowledge. If the defenders understand in time and save the daughter they can end the threat before even more are lost.”

That said he paused to look at Wednesday again.

“It doesn’t really roll off the tongue in English but that is the gist of it. Nightfolk by the way is an old figure of speech in olden Greece to mean vampires. I have to admit though, the rest of it is a bit fuzzy to me. The Oracle though said you would understand more of what it means.”

Her brow arched a bit at the Oracle stating she would understand the meaning. It made it all feel a bit more real to her. It might take a bit to figure out the full meaning here, but she was at least more confident now that this would prove helpful.

“We have a bit more information now that we weren’t able to share with all the Nightshades since all of our channels aren’t secure yet. Though I suppose if Enid could teach me to use a laptop a bit better I could post it on a group chat on the Outer Limits site. Pugsley says it should be safe for the time being.

Long story short, these hunters are planning to use a thesis I wrote as the basis for a biological weapon that will kill outcasts. We are working on finding them using other clues we have found to know as much as we can till it is time to end them and their weapon.”

Ajax sighs a bit before continuing.

“Right. We know some things but can’t go in guns blazing till the right time? I get that but will appreciate knowing the details when we can all talk together. Do you have any idea yet about the Athens of America or this daughter they speak of?”

“I know part of it,” Enid chimed in, studying her phone as she spoke. “I googled the term. It was something the city founders called Boston when they built the city. They wanted it to be a center for learning and the arts just like the old Greek city.”

Wednesday’s eyes widened a bit at that confirmation.

“Boston…that was where Ms. Claire was attacked and changed into a vampire. There was a rogue running loose in the city causing all sorts of problems. After he rescued Ms. Claire Fester…dealt with the rogue. I wonder if this might mean another young woman that he gave the gift of Vampirism to against her will?”

“That would fit,” Enid added. “And Pugsley did say that Dr. Simms had written papers about his research to ‘cure’ outcasts of our abilities…whether we wanted him to or not.”

They all three exchanged glances, looking back and fort from one to the other. Finally, Ajax spoke up.

“So, by itself this doesn’t answer our questions, but it looks like it will give some new things to research to learn the rest. Right?”

They are both looking towards her again and Wednesday feels their eyes on her. She is not one to shy away from being in charge of anything, but in the moment she is feeling a lot of extra pressure to get things right. It feels weird to be honest since she is so used to operating alone or with only her family for support. This added bit of responsibility to others is unnerving.

“That is exactly right Ajax. Everything we have so far seems to indicate that whatever they are planning is still several months from being a threat, so we have some time to research everything we need to. I’ll let my father know the details and he will see that it is done. This new information might be just what we need to identify the people in charge. Thank you for letting us know.”

He smiles and nods before replying.

“Good to know. Just let me know if you need anything else while I am here. If not I’ll be back to school with the rest of you and we can talk more then.”

He waves to them both then and steps aside to let Lumpy take the ball for a moment. After a moment of silent discussion between them Wednesday ends the call. Turning then to Enid she sighs heavily before stepping over to take her wolf in her arms.

“I think that will give Pugsley more than enough to go on. Or maybe Fester. Whoever father delegates it to. If this was the same vampire at fault they might be able to uncover a respected member of the cities clergy who lost a daughter around the time Ms. Claire was changed. And if we can confirm both them and Dr. Simms and how they fit together we will be much closer to being able to follow their preparations.”

Enid nods but still has a bit of a pout on her face. This time Wednesday is able to quickly guess what the problem might be. Her wolf had been highly anticipating the Christmas festivities. Now she must wonder if this new lead will put a damper on their holiday.

“Fear not mi Reina,” she says giving the taller girl a hug. “It will not interfere with our holiday. There is plenty of time for us to get all the research done. It doesn’t need to be done immediately. I’m sure father will defer any action on this matter for a few days at least.”

The blonde frowned and chewed on her lip for a moment before replying.

“But this is important Willa. Wont he want to move on it right away? I don’t want to make you hold back here for my sake. People’s lives are on the line.”

“Yes, they are. And waiting till the day after Christmas to start won’t change the outcome one way or another. We will decorate after dinner and open presents tomorrow just as planned. It will be a wondrous day for us both. And I’ll stab anyone that gets in the way of that.”

The wolf smiles a bit. Not a full-on grin but it’s at least proof that her anxiety isn’t running out of control. A step in the right direction anyway.

“I feel like I’m being a big baby,” she admits. “There is a lot of crazy stuff going on and people might be killed. But here I am worrying about a party and some decorations.”

“That doesn’t make you a baby Enid. Just human. You need a merry Christmas as they say. So do I and the rest of the family as well. And by all the spirits we are going to have one. We won’t solve any mysteries or save the world without also taking care of ourselves along the way. Isn’t that what you told me before?”

She nods once and smiles again. A little better than the last one but still not at her full radiance. Wednesday will continue to encourage her. It is all going to be alright.

“So, I will make a deal with you. First I need to make father aware of this. I’ll tell him what we learned and let him decide what to do next. Just like I’m supposed to. Then, I’ll need your help for a bit afterwards.”

“Help with what?”

“I feel that I should get a little something for our friends. Some presents for the holiday. I know they won’t be delivered till after, but I think that I owe them a little something anyway. They have put up with me this long after all.”

This time Enid smiled as brightly as the goth had hoped to see. She even chuckled a bit and gave her a hug back.

“The stores will be unavailable for the next couple of days, but we can still order things off of that Amazon thing can’t we?”

“Yup, sure can. But shipping will take a while. If you order something today though then domestic shipping should arrive by the time school starts. Maybe sooner if you pay more for it.”

Wednesday nods in understanding.

“I can pay whatever the vultures require. They seem to be looking to me for answers. I’m…not sure how I feel about that. But if they are willing to put any faith in me then they deserve some small token in return. Besides, it would be the…nice thing to do wouldn’t it?”

“Sure would be. And I’m proud of you by the way. I think Ajax was afraid you would stab him at the first opportunity. It really meant a lot to him to be thanked and praised. Any positive vibes from you really touches people.”

“I’m glad for that,” the brunette replied, a bit of a smirk on her face. “It still doesn’t come easy to me so I will need your help. Especially to pick something suitable. I only know of one thing to get so far.”

“What’s that?”

“A lyre for Ajax. You said he played? And reasonably well?”

“He sure does. Here, let me show you.”

She pulls her phone out again, searching through her saved files before she picked one and set it to play.

“He was the first person to serenade me. You do it better of course but he really likes to play and I thought it was sweet.”

The music begins to filter out of the device and Wednesday listened carefully. The music was rather proficient technically speaking. He might do with some more lessons, but it was better than she expected. Not to mention that he had a reasonably good singing voice. Even if was in Greek and she couldn’t understand the words.

“I assume that was a love song of some sort?”

Enid paled a little. She nods in the affirmative but worries that her gothic girlfriend might be angry about someone else serenading her. Even if it had been months ago, long before they started dating. Much to her apparent relief though Wednesday merely smiles a bit.

“Well, at least he was trying to worship you as you deserve. I’m not mad or jealous about that. But, just so you know, I’m going to serenade you to within an inch of your life later tonight.”

“I can’t wait,” Enid replied in a husky whisper before giving Wednesday a hug she would remember.

“Very good then. Please make a list of the Nightshades and what you think they might like. I’ll speak with father and be back before you know it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It hadn’t taken a seer to predict Gomez’s reaction to the prophecy from Delphi. Much as Wednesday had suspected he wasn’t only willing to wait a few days to move on it but was rather insistent on the matter. He had shared the news with her that Pugsley had found more information on Dr. Simms but had also taken the liberty of making copies of some of the man’s work that had been published. In fact, he had even found a few of the not so good doctor’s personal effects that people working for the family had liberated.
A few days after the holiday he would have Fester and Pugsley look into this new information to see what they could discover. It was important of course but there was no cause to rush. Especially with the holiday and the families’ desire to give both Enid and Larissa a proper Addams family experience. Nothing would be changed as far as the investigation went to wait just a bit longer.

True to her word Wednesday had returned to her quickly and they engaged in a bit of online shopping. They picked each of their friends something nice and arranged for delivery. Their gifts now sorted out Enid had urged her tiny terror to put in a little writing time. It seemed the best way she could think of to let Wednesday decompress after a busy, and emotional, morning. If she was going to be serenaded later tonight, and Gods how she looked forward to that, she wasn’t about to let her girlfriend go without a little self-care along the way.

In order to give Wednesday the time she would need Enid wandered her way to the library. She had noticed lately that she could now read some of the books there, even if they were written in another language or an obscure dialect. More magic from the house or the family she supposed but wasn’t going to worry over it much. It was just another fact of life here and she kind of wanted to see what was in some of those books she hadn’t been able to read before.

Upon entering the room she found Parker there and reading a book she hadn’t noticed before. The cover reminded her of some of the old Grimm’s fairytales she had seen in an old bookstore. How very on brand for the Addams’ library she thought with a smile.

“Hi!” Enid said with a smile. “Whatcha reading?”

“Hi yourself,” she replied with a grin of her own. “I’m studying a bit to be ready for the bonding ceremony. This is the tale of Johann Addams, the guy who invented the whole thing way, way back a long time ago.”

She held the book up so Enid could see the cover properly. It was beautifully illustrated she noticed and as predicted, when she looked at the letters they seemed to rearrange themselves in her mind’s eye. It had initially looked to be some sort of German dialect but translated itself to English for her benefit. One more blessing the house provided for them. She was so intent on watching the letters rearrange themselves that it took her a moment to notice one particular detail.

“Wait. That says Johann Addams, the pied piper of Hamelin. He was THE pied piper from the fairy tales?”

“Sure was. A lot of people from old fairy tales were really part of the family. Or maybe it’s better to say our ancestors tended to be noteworthy or creepy enough that people told stories about them, and it just stuck eventually. A lot of details were lost as it was told again and again over the centuries.”

As she said this Parker moved over a bit on the couch she was sitting on and motioned for Enid to join her. Once the blonde had sat down she began to paraphrase the tale for her.

“Johann wasn’t the first Addams, but he was very nearly the last. At that point he was the only one of the family remaining alive, the rest either in hiding and out of the picture or killed ignorant normies with pitchforks. It was not a safe time to be associated with the family.

Anyway, the only other relative he knew of was a distant cousin from Transylvania. She was a witch, many years his elder and well past the age she would have any children of her own. Despite their best efforts they couldn’t find any more of the family, no matter where they looked. The story says Johann couldn’t have fathered children on his own, but the reason is different from tale to tale. We can just leave that bit to the imagination.”

Opening the book Parker showed Enid a particularly cunning bit of illustration showing the piper leading the rats out of Hamelin. Considering that the events took place in 1284, and this volume was commissioned less than thirty years later it was especially impressive. As the blonde admired the craftmanship the red head continued.

“Johann supported himself as a wandering minstrel. He had a wander lust a mile wide and was quite gifted apparently. Not to mention something of a witch who had a gift for brewing potions. One day he found himself in Hamelin, which was a town in lower Saxony. They were having one hell of a rat problem which complicated their efforts to stop the never-ending waves of plague they kept experiencing. As the story says, he offered to get rid of the rats and the mayor offered him a large sum of money if he could get the job done.

The rest is history as they say. He got rid of the rats, the mayor tried to get out of paying him and so he came back one day, played the magical pipes and led the children out of Hamelin, never to be seen again. That is where family history fills in the blanks for the fairy tale.

What had started as a bit of revenge for being stiffed on his payment turned into an opportunity to save his family name. With the help of his cousin the witch he devised a formula to share the powers and benefits of the family with willing recipients. He cared for the children, all one hundred and thirty of them, and they came to love him in return. Conditions weren’t great to be a child in the late thirteenth century and he not only promised them a better life but power enough to secure their own safety. None of them declined his offer it is said.

So, in a grand ritual, far from prying eyes, each of the children were given the potion and they all marveled at how different they felt after. Most were reborn as psychics though some became other sorts of outcasts. There was a vampire or two and at least one siren and werewolf. Whatever the breakdown they were all outcasts now, some with the ability to learn magic. Each took on the Addams name and, after some time learning from Johann, they each in turn went in search of a home of their own to carry on the family line.

After that they spread everywhere. First throughout what is now Germany and then southwards into central Europe. Within a hundred years they had been, to quote the bible, fruitful and multiplied. This was how the family grew from almost nothing to a giant, blob like family tree that seemed to be everywhere. They took allies over the years as females of the line helped to establish other family lines like the Itts, the Frumps and the Droop lineages, plus many more besides.”

Parker paused then, to catch her breath, with Enid still hanging on every word.

“So, Johann never had any children of his own but managed to adopt a hundred and thirty kids? And the potion made them genetically a part of his family? Just as if he had been their father?”

“Pretty much. The primary ingredient of the potion was a sample of blood from both a male and female Addams. It does alter whoever takes it genetically, so they have to be kind of careful of who those donors are. For example, Papa and Wednesday both wanted to be the donors in my case. When your time comes though they will need to reach a bit further afield. Wednesday can’t be a donor for you because you would then be too close of a match genetically speaking to ever have kids. The same with Uncle Gomez and Aunt Morticia. They would need to use distant cousins so you two wouldn’t be too closely related.”

Enid marveled at the news. A lot of effort and research had to go into any match within the family. There was a lot of symbolism there, not to mention a lot of possible genetic complications they had to be aware of. Wednesday had commented on the fact that incest was a big no-no in the family. This would explain the reasoning behind that taboo. The family seemed unstable enough at times to take any chances of inbreeding by accident.

“I didn’t know any of that,” Enid admits. “Are you worried about the ceremony? Maybe scared at how it will turn out? I would probably be scared half to death.”

“When they first offered it I was kind of worried. Grandmama and Papa talked me through it though. No one has ever died from it, though some didn’t get as good a result as they might have hoped. Most recipients become newly made psychics if they aren’t already outcasts of some sort, and almost all develop at least a little bit of potential magic.”

Parker paused here, taking a moment to calm herself and weigh her next words carefully.

“The normie world and my blood family failed me in a lot of ways. The family cared for me and let me find myself, which my own kind never really did. I’m done with that world. They offered me a better life and a chance to really belong somewhere. Whether I get any fancy powers or not I want to cement my place here. But some sort of psychic gift would be totes great and make it easier for me to go to Nevermore.”

Enid smiled and put her hand over Parkers, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“You are going to fit in very well at Nevermore. Powers or not. Anyone that argues with that and I’ll bury them in the quad.”

“Wednesday said much the same thing,” the girl replied with a grin. “But she said she would sink them in the lake. Either way works I guess. But thanks for the support. Some days I just need to hear it, if that makes any sense.”

Enid notes how Parker sounds a bit like how she herself feels. Sometimes a girl just needs to hear that someone is in her corner. Wednesday too, though she tries to deny it. Everyone she supposes just needs a little reassurance from time to time.

“It makes perfect sense. Willa tries to reassure me every chance she gets. Life has been…a lot lately. I don’t know what I would have done without her.”

They shared that much at least. Wednesday, and the rest of the family as well, had rescued them when they had both been at their lowest point. Where did one go when the world and their families had failed them? The answer was the same for both of them. This family was their lifeline, and neither was looking back.

They drifted on to other topics then, talking about everything from Enid’s practice for the duel to celebrity gossip and even family stories the blonde hadn’t had a chance to hear yet. Parker told her tall tales about distant cousins and Enid shared some things about Nevermore. Both proved an eager audience to the other and they continued for quite some time in their own little world of gossip and camaraderie.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The time for dinner had come and gone. The meal itself had been magnificent and, judging by Enid’s expression, there had been more food than she had ever before seen in one place. Wednesday could only smile upon seeing it. Her wolf was happy and she in turn was happy about that. The degree to which her Queen was bonding with Parker and the rest of the family was a joy to behold. And if Enid had been impressed with this spread she could only imagine how the wolf would react tomorrow. That promised to be a meal like no other.

For the goth’s taste it was a little more crowded than she would like. Aunt Ophelia came to join them as well as Simon and Rebecca. Much to her surprise Professor Kane and his wife the doctor came also, at least long enough for dinner. As she learned later her mother had specifically invited them to use the gate from their house in Jericho to attend for the night.

Enid was reassured to see Doctor Kane after her growth spurt and the chance to talk to other werewolves seemed to please her as well. That was all to the good she supposed, but that many people she hadn’t been expecting was a bit of a strain on her limited social energy. The brunette, upon seeing how much her mate was enjoying herself, kept to herself mostly at the edge of the group. She would bear this for Enid’s sake.

As the festivities continued she took note of Simon looking her way. He seemed to understand her struggle and nodded in support from across the room. Despite the tension she was under Wednesday noticed the implied support and appreciated it. She wouldn’t have expected it to be so easy, but her mood calmed ever so slightly. He understood and in his own quiet way praising her for the effort. Damn but he was good. Maybe the counseling wouldn’t be as bad as she had feared.

The feasting went on for some time. For the most part Wednesday stayed on the edge of the crowd. Understanding her needs the family let her be, or at least didn’t question it when she had to retreat periodically. That was what she appreciated most about them. She didn’t have to make excuses or explain herself too much. Family was where they understood you and didn’t pressure you to give more than you were able.

With that in mind she rationed her social bandwidth as Enid called it. She really wanted to join her wolf in the decorating. It would be easier then, after some of the guests had left and with the need for small talk mostly over. It was also helpful to have something to keep them busy. Having something to do helped in cases like this. It distracted her from any misgivings about being around too many people at once.

As they turned their attentions to the decorating Enid quickly became the star of the show. The seer had never seen her this excited before. It was easy enough to just follow in her wake and not bear too much attention placed on herself. She actually found herself having some fun with it.

Parker was still the taller of the three girls and stood on a ladder to put up some of the decorations towards the top of the tree. It was a truly gigantic specimen, and they needed to break out all of the old decorations to cover it and the rest of the house. This year they were going all out and wanted to make a show of it, especially for the wolf now in their midst.

Most of the adults sat and watched as the younger generation tended to the tree. Her parents and Larissa all cuddled together on one couch with Fester and Ms. Claire on another. He looked uncertain and she looked like the cat that had eaten the canary. Maybe he was finally starting to catch on she supposed. Ophelia ‘supervised’ from the floor as she called it. Opening every box as they came to it and telling the teens where each was supposed to go.

“Here,” Wednesday said, passing a skull to Enid. “Please toss this up to Parker. It goes on top of the tree.”

The girl took the skull, gave it a curious look and tossed it up as asked.

“That was a real skull, wasn’t it? Like that was someone’s head before they were done using it?”

“Yes. That is all we have left of Uncle Knick Knack now. The rest of his bones have gone to powder. Per his request we will be retiring it after this year and will put it back in his tomb. He never wanted to leave the house but is now anxious to rest for a while in his own crypt. Apparently we are too noisy for him.”

The blonde paused at that, glancing at Wednesday with an expression that said she had more questions on the matter. After a moment’s thought though she merely shrugged.

“You know what? No further questions. That seems right on brand.”

With that she smiled and went back to passing decorations up to Parker. The little goth smiled a bit to herself. Enid was really starting to get it, and she couldn’t be prouder. While she seemed to have no more questions regarding the skull another on a different topic seemed to sprout up.

“Will the ghosts be joining us? Or is that only on Halloween?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see them hanging around. Whenever we celebrate anything it seems to get their attention. Calpurnia at least might show herself as she likes Christmas time. And Grandfather Addams usually visits Grandmama on Christmas. Not unlike Ajax though he can’t really figure out time zones. He usually shows up in the middle of the night here when Christmas morning comes Spain where he is buried. Oh, and Joel will be here of course to share the day with us. He just made himself scarce tonight. A bit shy around new people you understand.”

For her part Enid did seem to understand. For the next couple of hours she and Parker undertook a quest to put Christmas decorations everywhere they could in the house. Everyone got at least one decoration in their bedrooms. Then all the main floor rooms where guests might see them also got a little something as well. It all looked rather festive, if in a morbid sort of way. That didn’t seem to bother her sunshine wolf though. In fact, Enid seemed to really adore a little decoration they put up in the kitchen which depicted a manic looking Santa with a bloody butcher knife.

“He looks both festive and frightening,” she was heard to say to anyone who would listen. “Seems just the thing we would want here.”

Both she and Parker were full of boundless energy and enthusiasm. Wednesday and Pugsley followed in their wake, assisting where needed and free to talk among themselves.

“I was right,” her brother said in a low tone while the other two girls were distracted. “We have two of them now. Will probably never be a dull moment again.”

She couldn’t help but be amused by that.

“As if there ever was. By the way brother, I read over your files about Chuck.”

“And?”

“It’s solid. To be admissible in court though the local law enforcement will have to get search warrants to admit it to evidence, but you put enough clues in there to give them probably cause. I can’t see any the attorney general ignoring it unless they are totally incompetent or on the take.”

Pugsley smiled then. Not the smile she was used to. Not the goofy grin of a giant toddler, but rather a very vindictive thing she found herself rather impressed with. It was the look of a man pleased with the situation he found himself in and waiting to enjoy the sight of his enemies coming to a grisly end. It was the look of an Addams.

“Thank you,” he finally said. “I’ll get it out the day after Christmas. I am going to send it to the Attorney General, local police department and a firebrand news reporter I noticed in the local paper. That should saturate the market enough to keep anyone in the chain from trying to bury it.”

“Are you going to let Chuck know?”

“When it’s done. When this scumbag is going to trial. I don’t want to jinx it by assuming anything too early. And after the trial I hope he gets a nice long time to reflect on things while on death row.”

She remembered then that Chuck had lived in Dallas. If it was one thing that Texas politicians was fond of it was the death penalty. If his friend’s killer got a fair trial she had no doubt it would come to pass just as Pugsley predicted.

“Alright then. Keep me advised please how it proceeds.”

He nodded in understanding. It seemed as though he were going to say more but they were both distracted by high pitched giggles and excited voices. Looking up they saw Parker and Enid run past them trailing black and red tinsel in their wake. Dutifully the two of them changed course to follow. They would be able to assist if they needed it, or to help them up if they tumbled down the stairs again.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hours later Wednesday and Enid were back in their room. With a sly expression Enid led her to the bed and pointed. There, hanging from the canopy above the bed hung the largest mistletoe display the goth had ever seen. She marvels for a second smiling and pulling Enid into a side arm hug.

“Do you really think you will need mistletoe to get a kiss?”

“Nope. But a girl can’t take any chances. It will be nice to wake up to I think. A reminder, as if we need one.”

The brunette can’t help but laugh along with her Queen.

“I will bear that in mind then,” she said, her voice getting a little husky as she spoke. It had been a bit stressful to deal with so many people, but it hadn’t been as bad as she had feared. Enid seemed to help with that. Seeing the wolf so happy relieved some of the pressure on her. Wednesday wasn’t sure how she did that but it was true.

“And if memory serves, I promised you a serenade tonight. Are you ready?”

“I was born ready, but first things first. You deserve a lot of credit for dealing with all the noise and everything tonight. Tomorrow will be more of the same, but I appreciate you putting up with it all for my sake. Tonight was very special for me, and I want to thank you for that. You helped make it all possible.”

Enid’s expression was so happy and so sincere. As she was hugged Wednesday felt the full weight of her lover’s gratitude and affection. It moved her so deeply that she couldn’t reply with words. She just hugged back with all her might and felt warm inside from the realization of it. Her next feeling though was of her ribs bending a bit under the force of Enid’s powerful arms. Not for the first time she made a small sound of distress when it became too tight for her to breathe. Realizing her mistake the blonde gasped and stepped back a bit.

“Oh God,” she said, concern clear in her eyes. “I’m sorry. Sometimes I forget my strength. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine Enid. You know I adore your hugs. It thrills me with how powerful you are. It never hurts to add a little mortal danger to our affections.”

Enid’s expression quickly became a bit predatory as the concern was put aside for a sudden shift towards lust.

“You like a little pain with your love Willa?” she said, taking the smaller girl up into a less aggressive hug. “Are you going to be a good little pain slut for me?”

With that her brain totally shut off. All Wednesday could do was moan a bit with need. How did her Queen keep doing this? She went from panic to being a dominatrix from one second to the next. She found it all rather…exhilarating.

“I did say before that a little torture was considered foreplay in my family,” she replied in a swoon, holding tight to Enid in order to not fall to her knees at the girls’ feet.

“To hear you talk like that…it does things to me. It makes me so weak for you…please…”

“Please what Willa?”

“Please love me…please just…take me.”

Enid grinned again, looking both aroused and a bit like a shark about to take a bite out of its prey. Wednesday was now her prey, and she couldn’t be happier with the situation.

“I will my darling little terror,” she cooed, adjusting her hold on the brunette. “You promised me a serenade though. Play for me Wednesday and I’ll reward you…”

She let the tail end of the sentence trail off, leaving what exactly she had in mind open to interpretation. Wednesday had never grabbed her bow and positioned her cello faster in her life. She played like her life depended on it, which only built on the anticipation they both felt in the most delightful way. The music didn’t last long though. They were both too anxious to make it that long. And then, true to her promise, Enid took her up and made good on the implied pleasures she had alluded to. It was the perfect send off before they both managed to be taken by sleep. The perfect way to prepare for Christmas day.

Chapter Text

Wednesday’s eyes flutter open around 5:30 in the morning on Christmas day. Before Nevermore she had been just as prone to sleep in as the rest of the family. There was some truth to the legend that the Addam’s family was nocturnal. Amongst outcasts that was far from unusual, but they still had to live in a normiecentric world. As she had gotten older and incarcerated in the public school system she had to become a bit more of a morning person. Now it was almost second nature to her.

Usually only her father was willingly up at this hour, and that only because he had to do business when the normies had business hours. Attuning her senses to what the house could share she didn’t perceive him out and about yet, but there was a presence in the kitchen. A couple of presences to be more precise. One was Lurch, which was only fitting. He had a lot of cooking to get done for the feast today. Lunch and Dinner were both intended to be one long meal lasting through the day. She smiled knowing that Enid would approve of that.

The other presence took her a moment to identify until she could confirm it was Larissa. After a moment thinking about it that didn’t really surprise her so much. She had been a school principal for many years, riding herd over a large and barely controlled student body. With that many different species trapped together it was a miracle anyone could manage it. And yet she did, and with quite the flair Wednesday had to admit.

At a sleepy murmur from Enid the brunette turned to regard her. She blinked a couple of times before giving her lover a sleepy smile. Wednesday smiled indulgently and cuddled up by her side.

“What time do you all usually get up on Christmas?”

“No particular time. As the mood strikes us but never very early. It is a very casual affair. Get up whenever you like. You won’t miss anything.”

Enid smiles, mumbles something and drifts off again. Her Queen was tired and needed her sleep. She had been quite inspiring the night before and the goth’s body still thrilled at the memory of it. In fact, she herself had slept so deeply precisely because of how well Enid had tired her out. Now though she felt the stirring of wakefulness and decided to get up for a while. She could do with some morning coffee and stretching her stiff muscles.

After a quick moment of study she determined that Enid was not likely to wake up soon. Rising as quietly as she could Wednesday found her robe and slippers before slipping out of the room. She wasn’t quite honest enough with herself to admit how excited she was for the day. She had something special in mind, a grand gesture for her wolf, and she would remain all giddy inside till she could bring it to fruition. Might as well get her coffee and be up and about instead of fretting privately in bed.

By the time she made it downstairs Lurch had left the kitchen and gone to tend the other ovens elsewhere in the house. Larissa was still there, sipping her tea with a thoughtful expression. They exchanged polite nods as Wednesday prepared her own coffee and sat at the table to join her. The older woman appeared to be thinking deeply about something. Too deeply it seemed for this early in the morning.

“I hope your not worrying about work this early in the morning. You are allowed at least a day to celebrate and relax aren’t you?”

Her tone sounded almost playful. Wednesday herself marveled at that, somewhat surprised at how far they had come in accepting one another on a personal level instead of just the more formal one reserved for school. It was a good omen she supposed but also a bit disconcerting.

“One would think,” Larissa replied with a similar tone, smiling slightly. “Things are changing at the school so fast. Even without hunters this is going to be a new age for Nevermore. I never thought I would see the day that we would be fully funded and more able to provide some security for you students and some better academic offerings. It’s all a bit to take in.”

The brunette let that notion settle for a moment. For all these years Larissa had given her all to Nevermore. It meant everything to her. It had in fact been her whole world. Even with things looking up now it still consumed so much of her attention. True, the hunters would be a problem, and they knew an attack of some sort on the school would be likely, but they were doing everything possible to prepare for it. No one could deny Larissa’s dedication and effort. No one anyway but Larissa herself.

“You’ve done everything that you could for the school and the students. Now you get to share your burdens and not face it all on your own anymore. Is there anything else we can do to ease your mind?”

The older woman was both surprised and genuinely touched by the offer judging by her expression. They looked at each other for a long moment, studying each other quietly. After a few seconds Larissa was able to find her voice.

“I don’t know,” she said honestly. “Your family has done so much already. Gomez really lit a fire under the board and even fought to remake it in his own image. Now we are all pulling together and getting ready for whatever is to come. It’s all like a miracle of some sort.”

“But something still troubles you?”

Larissa nodded before continuing.

“My life…has always been a bit of a mess,” she said in a low tone. It seemed to embarrass her a bit to be speaking so openly about personal matters. Once she started though it was hard to hold back any longer.

“They didn’t really forget me after all,” she said wistfully. “They…your parents that is, love me and it’s hard to accept that fully on some level. I keep expecting the other shoe to drop. Maybe they would change their minds? Or maybe the board will come apart at the seams or the hunters will strike early or with more force than we expect? At heart I’m too pessimistic to believe that my dreams would all come true, and I could do right by you all.”

Her admission surprises Wednesday a bit. It reminds her of a lot of talks she has had with Enid and somewhat of her own internal pessimism. The words resonate a bit too close for comfort.

“I’m very young still but I think that I understand,” she said after a moment’s thought. “I also am too pessimistic for my own good, as Enid often reminds me. After so many times of the world seeming to have it in for you it seems only prudent to be wary if things seem to be going well. But I can assure you, my parents won’t be changing their minds. I know them too well to ever believe that.

I can’t speak for the board as I know little about them, but we should trust in father’s judgment. He will move heaven and earth, not just for your sake but for the school and all the kids in it. Don’t ever discount how much he still cares about Nevermore.”

Larissa studies her for a long moment. Wednesday could still see some doubt in her eyes. Or maybe just fear of trusting and then losing it all over again. Normally the goth wouldn’t be so good at offering reassurance but in the moment she realizes that she has been getting a lot of practice lately with Enid. This thought doesn’t shake her as much as it might once have.

“You make…a compelling argument Wednesday,” she finally replies. “How do I just relax and go with the flow as some of the kids say? I want to believe…I want to hope and have faith. I just don’t know how anymore.”

Despite the gravity of the topic and the heartfelt questions Wednesday finds herself laughing silently.

“I wish that I knew,” she admits. “I’ve been learning it on the fly from Enid and our…friends. It’s hard for me as well. But I want to believe and now I know I’ll fight to hold on to that hope. The world can be better for us, pessimists or not. For a long time, I didn’t let myself believe…but my family and Enid keep proving themselves over and over. They put up with all my issues and still tried to do more for me. I can no longer deny that it has had an effect. I feel freer but still scared I will ruin it somehow.”

She hadn’t meant to add that last part. It just sort of…came out. Wednesday still hated not being fully in control over her own emotions but bit by bit they were all coming out, slowly but surely. For a moment she was a bit shaken by the admission but before she could dwell on it too long Larissa spoke again.

“I feel the same. Deep down I expect disaster, because it’s all I’ve ever gotten out of life. And if it ends in disaster it will be my fault. Somehow, I failed to realize that you felt the same in your own way.”

It’s a bitter bit of honesty they share between themselves. A realization of shared vulnerability that they had in parallel. Perhaps it came from different sources and experiences, but the result was the same. They both always had the capacity to sabotage their own happiness and desperately wanted to break free of the cycle.

“Maybe…we are more alike than I had thought,” Wednesday had to admit. “Everyone always said I was so much like my mother…but it seems I take after you as well.”

Again, she isn’t sure where the admission came from. It was true though. For a long while she had respected the woman. They had proved quite adept at being a foil for each other. Maybe they could also work even better by being on the same side. Maybe they could even be good for each other in some way.

“I suppose we are,” the taller woman observes, a hint of wonder in her voice. “No offence, but I never thought to learn so much about feelings and acceptance from a young woman your age. Maybe it’s time I stop thinking of you so much as a student and give you some more credit.”

Wednesday finds she can’t really reply to that, looking away to not only hide her own expression but to come to terms with all the feelings threatening to overtake her. A reply seems proper though, so she tries her best.

“Maybe. Just remember…I’m still groping here, trying to find my way. Perhaps we can help each other? If you’re willing anyway.”

“I’m very willing Wednesday. It might be forward of me, but I already feel like part of the family. You and Pugsley…well, you’re like the children I never had. It would be nice to…be more open. And if I can ever help you in any way…please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“You know I will hesitate,” she said with a shrug. “It’s just what I am. But I try to be better and do better. I’ve been so distant to all my family. Especially mother. She deserved so much more than I ever gave.”

It was silent for a moment, the statement hanging heavy in the air. Wednesday kept her eyes cast downward but could feel Larissa regarding her. After a moment the older lady spoke.

“Wednesday, may I speak frankly?”

She could only nod in reply.

“Morticia has felt for a long time that you resent her because everyone always commented on how much you resembled her. That it seemed like you were expected to be like her in every way and that no one saw you for yourself, just as a sort of clone compared to her. Is that how you feel?”

“It was…the impression I got of how others felt, yes.”

“Some might feel that way. On a superficial level at least. I’ve never felt that way about you, and neither does she.”

The young witch chanced a glance towards Larissa, studying her face for any hint of prevarication or subterfuge. Finding none she sighed to herself. After a little time she was able to reply.

“I’m starting to understand now that it might not have been what people intended,” she admitted in a quiet tone. “But from my earliest memories people were comparing me to her. I looked just like her or acted just like her. Eventually I became aware enough to want to be noticed for me…not how much I was like anyone else. Mother is a very attractive woman, and I could do far worse than to resemble her. But the sting of the words, what I thought they implied, stuck with me.

I…tried to make myself as different from her as I could. The braids were an expression of that you know. And now that people have started to see me as a distinct person, I’ve adopted such a toxic persona that it seems to drive people away. Honestly, until recently that was perfectly fine. I didn’t care what others thought of me. In fact, I would rather they feared me and kept their distance. That seems to be changing now though…and I’m not sure how to adapt.”

Larissa studied her with a tender expression. Wednesday couldn’t hold her gaze any longer and let her eyes stray to the floor again. At least she didn’t just retreat from the conversation with an angry retort as she might once have. After a moment though she was startled as the other woman stood, moved to beside her own chair and knelt at her side.

Wednesday’s eyes widened for a moment as she was wrapped up in a tight hug. For a moment she stiffened up, not knowing what to say or do. The hug persisted though, and Larissa spoke in a gentle, soothing tone. At first she couldn’t understand the words but gradually they began to filter through.

“It’s alright Wednesday. Your you…not a clone and not just a copy of your mother. We all see you and know you as your own person. And that is just fine.”

She reels a moment in the hug before tentatively hugging back. In the moment she feels a kind of shock in the realization of it. Much to her own surprise she doesn’t reject the gesture and flee from it. Even her near constant anger doesn’t flare up. All she feels is a kind of relief and maybe a bit of vindication. No one had ever commented on that before and tried so hard to make her feel like her own person.

The tears though, they are close at hand. She struggles to hold them back, but they still feel close to the surface. And right at this moment? She can’t tell what she feels exactly. Only that it seems to be a release of sorts.

“Mother never said that before…” she begins, not sure what she needs to say really.

“Morticia didn’t know what to say,” Larissa replied in a quiet tone. “By the time she understood what the issue might be she didn’t know how to make it better without hurting you more. And then other issues you had felt more pressing. It’s not that she didn’t care. Just that she didn’t know. Sometimes when we are too close to an issue we can’t see it clearly for what it is.”

Wednesday nods in understanding, slipping out of the hug and standing. She doesn’t pull away quickly but does need to get away from the situation to think it through. Her Queen will help her make sense of it.

“Thank you,” she says in a tentative voice, sniffling only a little. “I must…think on what you said. But I do appreciate it. Can we talk more later? Once I’ve had a chance to think.”

“Of course, dear. Whenever you’re ready. And please, don’t judge your mother too harshly. She only wants the best for you and tries to help. Like I said, sometimes the closer we are to a person, the more we love them, it’s harder to see the truth for what it is. She loves you so much and just couldn’t get past all the emotions to see what you needed clearly.”

It’s all a blur to Wednesday. She nods, and on some level understands. Turning then she walked towards the stairs and then made her way back to the room she shares with Enid. It all passes in a sort of haze to her. Still fighting against the tears, she struggles to not let them out till she closes the door behind her. Then she begins to sob quietly. While not sure why exactly all of that has moved her profoundly and she doesn’t have a better way in the moment to cope with it.

“Willa? You’re crying. What’s wrong?”

Oh no. She had supposed that Enid would still be sleeping. What was she going to do now? The thought only makes her sob harder.

The wolf jumped out of bed and took the smaller girl in her arms.

“Who did this? Give me a name. I’ll make them regret whatever it is they did.”

Despite herself Wednesday chuckled as she cried. Obviously this confused Enid, but she couldn’t help it. Her Queen’s words were almost verbatim of what she had said to her so many times before. It was incredibly comforting to hear Enid offer the same support.

“No revenge is needed mi Reina. Larissa and I talked…and she hugged me. I’m not sure how to process it is all. She was…very kind to me. She saw what mother and I were unable to find the words for. She saw me…as myself and not just a copy of mother. I am still shaken by it.”

“So, she did a good thing? I don’t need to gut her?”

This time she did laugh aloud as the tears slowed.

“No, it was certainly a good thing. I just need to let it settle for a bit. It was very unexpected though.”

Enid picked her up then, carrying her to bed. She settled in with Wednesday on her lap and wrapped her arms around her protectively. She seemed both fierce and tender in her desire to protect the goth and Wednesday settled into the feeling with surprising ease.

“I just need some time mi Reina. It will be fine. I’ll need to talk to her later. Both her and mother. But I think that I understand some things better now. I’m sorry that I don’t have enough emotional strength and reacted poorly. It was not my intent to wake your or cause distress.”

Enid shushed her in a tender tone.

“It’s alright. I think that I understand. We can stay up here forever if you need to. Till you’re ready to face it. Whatever it might be.”

“Not forever Enid. That would only weaken me further. So many people are rising to my defense and helping me cope with my emotions. I won’t dare hide from you all for too long. Just hold me for awhile and I’ll explain it all. We have a busy day, but I’ll pace myself. It will be fine.”

And so, they settled in for a while. Wednesday told her story and her Queen listened attentively. Neither of them really wanted to stay here forever but she did need some time to process. Luckily it was still very early, at least by their families’ standards. They would take their time and face the day together. Just a little later in the day. They had plenty of time.

Chapter Text

(3:00 AM, Christmas Day)

Eudora Addams regarded her reflection with some amusement. She did not usually entertain any hint of vanity. Not that there had been a need to really. Her family had, for a long time now, been blessed with striking good looks. True, she had let herself go for the last twenty years or so. At her age and with her husband dead she had no use for being beautiful. Leaving that to her daughter and granddaughters seemed like the better idea.

Her current appearance, which was adopted to play her part of the crone in the family coven, was more useful to her these days. Let Wednesday, Parker and Enid play the maids and Morticia the motherly matron. Maybe Claire and Larissa as well, if her sons could get their shit together. Ah, those boys. Knowing so much and understanding so little.

Today though it was different. She had not been born an Addams, but she had fallen just as hard and dramatically for her man as any of the Addams clan had ever fallen for their intended. It had driven her to settle down from her centuries of wandering and start a family for him. Even death itself couldn’t hold them apart. With some rather cunning magic and a few sacrifices on her part they had arranged for him to return to her every Christmas morning in the flesh. For a little while anyway, till such time as she would join him in the afterlife.

Observing her reflection as it ran and changed like molten wax the old witch took on her true form. Not the somewhat addled ancient visage she wore day to day but something closer to her true, inner self. The grey hair was replaced with auburn curls while cataract covered eyes became a seductive emerald green once again. Sagging face and body were replaced with a clear skin and a buxom figure that most woman would kill for. Not bad at all for a four-hundred-year-old witch she thought with a bemused chuckle.

Over her shoulder, just behind her in the mirror, she saw the mist begin to form. It looked like a fog coming in, but it was filled with glowing black and red specks that gathered into the form of her beloved. It only took a moment for Ignacio Addams to be reborn in the flesh, and if even less time for her to fall into his arms.

“My love,” she whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek. “It has been too long.”

He held her tight, making soft, soothing noises to calm his wife who, as usually happened, had to spend a few moments calming herself upon his return.

“I’m here my wife. For what time we are allowed. I’m not going anywhere.”

Wiping her tears and smiling at him she sighed deeply. It was only for a little while of course but she always made the most of what time they had. First things first, all the important news of the family she shared, which this particular visit included the news of the hunters and Wednesday’s new love. She reminded him of Parker’s upcoming ceremony and that Fester still couldn’t figure out that he was in love with Claire and of Larissa’s arrival to join them. She also mentioned baby Pubert and how he would be born late in the coming year.

While in the flesh his memory of the rest of the year he spent as a ghost was always a little skewed. And when he was a ghost his understanding of the mortal world was likewise little more than a dream. She made him understand though, at least the important parts he needed to know.

“Sounds ominous,” he said with the usual, fiery gleam in his eyes. “And exciting as well. They will win, won’t they? Defeat the enemies and survive to fight another day?”

“Yes my love. Without any doubt. This is just a bump in the road. Another chapter in the families’ legend that will endure till death takes us all.”
“And they still need you to keep them safe?”

“Sadly, they do,” she admitted with a sad expression. “But it won’t be as long as it has been. A few more years perhaps, till they learn enough. Then I can leave this flesh behind and join you on the other side…till the end of time.”

He nods then, hugging her tight. Fire dances about the room as he holds her, but he banishes it with a thought. Ignacio hadn’t rained fire down on anyone since his death. He rather misses it but now is not the time.

“You have done so well Eudora. I am proud of you. And I am so sorry that I left you to finish our work alone. Can you ever forgive me?”

“I’m sure you can think of someway to…take my mind off of it.”

He smiled then, pulling her closer. They only had a short time to share together but both were intent to make the most of it. She briefly mused that he so loved the family that he tried to protect them all from beyond the grave. That kind of love could be smothering, robbing the living of their own agency, but she did understand the sentiment. For now, she would love him and soothe his spirit before tending to the living. At least till she could leave this worrying world of the flesh behind her once and for all.

A few hours later Grandmama lay alone in her bed, refusing to look at the now empty spot beside her. With a heavy sigh she let her body morph back into her chosen form. The rest of the family still needed her. Wednesday in particular had some challenging days ahead and still needed to be trained. Yes, she would be around for a few more years anyway. She would do her part and then stand aside for the living to make their own way. Such was the way of things.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(6:00 AM Christmas Day)

The manor had more than the one kitchen. It had several in fact, some being full kitchens and others merely being a smaller room for food storage with an oven. Lurch was only one being though and had to make a schedule of sorts on the holidays to cook as many courses and dishes as he could, going from room to room, stirring and emptying one pot to set another on to boil.

Today he had drafted Thing in to assist. He couldn’t after all be in more than one place at a time, no matter how hard he tried. On days like this his memories of being in this house played back for him. Or at least they tried to. Much like Thing his recollections weren’t complete. Neither had full memory of where they had come from nor how they had become part of the family.

Stirring a large stew pot, he recalled that the house had once been an asylum of sorts before it had been closed by the state many years before Gomez and Morticia found themselves here. While he didn’t understand what had brought them he could sometimes remember bits and pieces of the years before. He had been part of the asylum. Patient…staff…haunting spirit? The specifics were hard to pin down.

Thing paused in dicing some carrots to glance the big man’s way. He signed a question, asking if everything was alright. Lurch nodded, grunting once in the affirmative before emptying the pot into a larger one and then starting on the next. Those memories were just out of reach for him as they always were. The two of them shared in that. Uncertain memories and origins that might as well have been multiple choice instead of some set history didn’t trouble either of them very much.

Moving on to the main kitchen upstairs Lurch pondered his life here, since the Addams family had first arrived. He could remember everything since then just fine. The children being born, the family growing and his old home becoming ever more lively as time went on. It suited him well he decided. His life as a servant seemed fitting, and they were good to him in the ways that mattered. They took care of him, as he did for them in return. It was a good system for them all he had long ago decided.

He would not fit in anywhere else so well as he did here. It didn’t matter if he was some sort of spiritual creature, an undead of some sort or even a construct that was built long ago. In the here and now he was Lurch, family butler, loyal friend and all-around handy man. They never asked more of him than he could give and had gone above and beyond the call of duty for him. What more could he ask for?

It was much the same for Thing so far as he knew. They both loved the family, especially the children. One day he hoped the family would be even larger. He did enjoy taking care of them so what could be better than having more of them to care for? And holidays like this always served to bring the point home for him.

He had his work, his family and a little room in the basement still covered in the padded wall coverings he enjoyed so much. If there was more to life Lurch couldn’t comprehend it. Nor did he want to. He already had everything he could wish for right here. Life, or at least the close approximation he enjoyed, was good. As the feast would be…once he and Thing finished it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(8:00 AM Christmas Day)

Deep in the underground chambers was turning out to be Pugsley’s domain these days. While there seemed to always be space for something new when they needed it he had consumed a large bit of it to house the equipment needed for the Outer Limits and other projects he was working on. It also housed his own personal computers for research and, more importantly, gaming.

He had to admit, he had a sick game system set up. Most any system you could think of, and some that didn’t even have names yet, all had their place here. It might be hybrid hardware, to put the term mildly, but he was pretty proud of it. This morning found he, Joel and Chuck all engaged in a rousing session of World of Warcraft.

The boy was smug in his ability to hang with the two ghosts who always logged in via a spiritual adapter he had designed. They had no need for controllers so they could play without using physical devices. That allowed them to move without thought, using their intent and reflexes alone to control their characters. Somehow the Addams boy always got the better of them but for this game they could all be on the same side…and the rest of the online world didn’t stand a chance.

“I appreciate you guys coming to play with me for a while,” Chuck said, maneuvering his wizard into a better position and blasting a fire spell against a particularly slow enemy. “I’ve only been haunting for a little while now and Christmas isn’t easy.”

“It’s alright Chuck,” Pugsley replied. “You’re doing us a solid by helping keep the system safe so it’s the least I can do. By the way, I have a present for you but haven’t gotten it running yet. It should be ready by the afternoon.”

There was a moment of silence for a bit before Chuck replied.

“That is really nice of you. I’ve not been able to get you guys anything yet. I guess I could shop online but it feels kind of…weird.”

“You don’t need to get me anything,” Joel replied to the both of them. “I get to haunt a lot of different places so being a spook hasn’t hit me too hard yet. It’s got to be harder though, only being attached to the world as a computer program.”

“It’s not too bad,” Chuck said. “I can cruise the internet at super speed now. Hell, I’m reading on a site full of fan fiction while we play. It’s weird being able to think about different things at the same time.”

Pugsley chuckled, dodging one attack even as his battleaxe wielding dwarf crushed another opponent on the way by.

“Well, I wrote a program to let the both of you taste the feast today. Or taste anything really. I wanted the both of you to be able to share meals with us if you like.”

“That is kind of kick ass,” Chuck said, marveling at the sensation of the belly he no longer had rumbling a bit. “I didn’t even know I was hungry till you said that.”

“Joel will float above the table sometimes and smell everything. I bet this will be even better. I’ll set up a monitor on the table. You will both be able to smell what is on the menu and then pick a smell to sample the taste of it. It was an odd bit of programming to go with the hardware I built but it should work like a charm.”

Both of the ghosts hummed in agreement, taking a moment to finish a boss fight before going back to the conversation.

“I can’t wait to try it,” they both said simultaneously.

Pugsley chuckled as he helped them with the looting.
“I was trying to build a decent CGI generator so you both could be at dinner together but was having trouble with the magical aspects of it. Everyone else has been too busy to help me with it yet.”

“No worries. I’m not going anywhere,” Chuck said, “Other than I’m going upside this orc’s head with a power attack.”

Said orc exploded in a spray of very well rendered monster guts.

“Nice shot!” Joel chimed in.

Pugsley grinned as he listened to their smack talk. Joel and Chuck were getting along well. Being the older, and thus more experienced ghost, Joel had offered to spend time with Chuck today to help him with his first Christmas on the other side. They would both do whatever they could to help the other boy adapt to his new reality.

Pugsley understood, on some level anyway, that both of his friends would move on at some point. Chuck would almost certainly be the first to go once this business with the hunters and the punishment of his killer was completed. Joel too would move on but had a while to go before he surrendered any connection to the mortal world. He would miss them both when they left.

Today wasn’t the right time to dwell on either of those events though. For now, they were still with him, and both also were with them till the end till the hunters was achieved. He would try to make this holiday, and any they could remain behind for, as nice as possible.

Right now, they enjoyed each other’s company and all the mayhem they were able to generate online. This was their little world, for the time being anyway. They would make the most of it and put off any worries till tomorrow. It was the least he could do for them both.

“So, you two ready for another boss fight? “

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(9:00 AM Christmas Morning)
The three of them were in a comfortable puppy pile in the middle of their enormous bed. Larissa was in the middle, cuddled between Gomez on her left and Morticia on her right. They were all pleasantly exhausted and taking a well-earned breather. No one said anything for the longest time, till Gomez finally spoke up.

“It seems we have eased the worried expression from your face,” he said in a playful tone.

“You’ve eased me into a coma,” Larissa replied in a dreamy tone. Morticia smirked a bit, letting her fingers trail up the other woman’s belly in a teasing fashion.

“And we will again soon,” she cooed, all but whispering in the shape shifter’s ear.

“Soon,” she agreed. “But we have to be up soon for the kids don’t we? They really let you sleep in this late on Christmas?”

“The kids aren’t exactly babies anymore,” Gomez said, “They don’t wait for Santa anymore and jump up at first light to get presents. For us it is a relaxed day. In a little while we will clean up, get dressed and join them downstairs.”

“I hope Wednesday is feeling better by then. I thought she was going to break down when we were talking in the kitchen. Maybe I came on a bit too strong?”

“Nothing of the sort,” Morticia interjected. “Our little raven still has issues to resolve. If I had to guess she appreciated the gesture. Mind you, it might take her a bit of time to not feel so vulnerable, but I can guarantee Enid will do as well calming her as we have with making you feel more relaxed.”

As if to accentuate the point the Addams family matron let her fingertips play across Larissa’s nipples for a moment, just enough to make her squirm.

“And you are relaxed, aren’t you my lovely Sequoia?”

“Yes, my beautiful lumberjack. I am…undone by your touch. This is the best Christmas I’ve had in a long while…and we haven’t even made it out of bed yet.”

Gomez laughed at their words and antics for a moment before speaking up himself.

“And there will be more holidays to enjoy together. Your part of the family now darling. We intend to take care of you forever to remind you of this fact.”

Her form shifted quickly, from her own shape to a perfect mirror copy of Gomez.

“And I am so happy to be here,” she admitted, changing form again to be a copy of Morticia instead. “In whatever form the two of you wish next. My powers come in quite handy in such situations. Shape shifters can be either gender or neither at all. And fully functional in whatever form strikes our fancy.”

“Your own face please, at least for now,” Morticia replied in a dreamy whisper. “There will be plenty of time to play with other forms later. For now, I want to enjoy you, in whatever your true form is. That is more than enough for us.”

Obliging her lover’s preference Larissa let her shape settle into her normal appearance.

“How could I deny such a heartfelt request,” she said, pulling the other two as close as she could.

“Maybe we get up in an hour or so? They might not be babies anymore, but your kids deserve for us to spend some time with them today.”

“Our kids,” Gomez corrected. “You’ve shown a knack for mothering Wednesday, which I am sure she will appreciate in due time. But yes, soon we will arise. But for now, I have some other ideas.

Once more his hands began to explore her body, caressing both Larissa and Morticia. They all relaxed into the love they each offered. There would be time to get up and start the day soon. For now, they just wanted to take a little more time charting each other’s charms.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(10:00 AM Christmas Day)

“This is trickier than it looks,” Fester complained, holding the wrench and regarding the nut and bolt he had just attached to the frame of Parker’s new bed of nails. Off to the side Parker and Ms. Claire both watched him with thinly veiled amusement.

“I have confidence in you Papa,” the girl said with a smirk. “You did build an electric chair out of scratch last week. This should be a piece of cake.

Fester grinned at the memory. Having heard that Enid had taken a liking to the one in the downstairs playroom he had built her one of her own. Judging by the occasional flickering of the lights in the rest of the house he could only assume that the girls had been enjoying themselves for quite a while now.

“Oh yes, that was a fun bit of craft work. The electrical bits come more easily to me.”

For a moment he cast a critical eye over the halfway assembled bed in the middle of Parker’s bedroom. Should they have attached the leg first? And where was the crossbar meant to secure the middle bit of the mattress made of nails? It kind of reminded him of the weekend he got stuck in an Ikea store and had to hide from a police search.

“These directions don’t make any sense,” he finally said in a huff.

Glancing over his shoulder Parker looked at the assembly instructions, frowned and then turned the page. It was written in six different languages and he had it turned to the one in Chinese. Turning the page, she found the ones in Spanish.

“Try that Papa,” she said with a chuckle. “Your Chinese is probably rusty. In another page or two they are also written in English if you prefer.”

She and Claire exchanged another bemused glance as he studied the page again.

“I was just going by the illustrations. Real men don’t need to read instructions.”

He was laughing as he said it, not really meaning a word of it. Fester had always been good about going along with the joke, even if he was the butt of it. In fact, he often was and that suited him just fine. To be honest he was just happy to be spending time with Claire and Parker and if playing the clown made them both laugh he would consider it a win.

“Anyway, I should be done in another fifteen minutes or so. Would you ladies like to join me for a snack afterwards? Lurch has been cooking up a storm all morning and my belly has been rumbling for a while.”

“I would be honored,” Ms. Claire said, affecting a posh accent and mannerisms for the moment. “How could I say no to such a gallant gentleman?”

Parker rolled her eyes and laughed at the both of them.

“Yeah, I’m in. But if you two get embarrassing I will be out so fast…”

Honestly? Even a casual observer could see she had been encouraging their light flirting for awhile now. Fester could be as oblivious as anyone when he put his mind to it, but he was always very attentive to his daughter’s moods. She was trying to set them up as the kids these days said. While still a bit tentative about the whole thing he was starting to open up to the idea a bit more.

Claire, and that was what he was calling her in his own internal monologues and rambles, dropping Ms. Some time ago, was classy, pretty and way too smart for some old lump like him. Why would she have any interest? But it seems she did. This confused him but maybe, just maybe, it could work this time. Before the headache he always got when he thought too much began to reappear Parker had continued and distracted him from that line of reasoning.

“Did everyone get Lurch and Thing their Christmas cards?”

They both nodded in the affirmative to the younger girl’s question. Thus, reassured she continued on.

“I didn’t realize that they saved them, like forever.”

Fester nods, tightening another bolt into place.

“Oh yes, Lurch especially. He keeps a box in his padded bedroom. Every trinket and card he has ever received. Especially from you kids. When she was three Wednesday gave him a dead bug because she thought he might like it. He still has it too. Thing does as well, though where he hides his stash is anyone’s guess.”

“How did you find that out?” Ms. Claire asks.

“Lurch showed me once,” he said, securing the next bolt. “I scored some top-secret recipe for homemade booze and tried it out. Brewed it up in the basement and shared it with Lurch and Thing. That stuff might as well have been diesel fuel. It kicked like a mule and made us pee fire for the rest of the week. By the end of it Lurch was showing off his stash of trinkets and Thing admitted he had one just like it. It was a pretty good night…. what I remember of it anyway.”

Ms. Claire and Parker glanced at each other behind his back and shrugged a bit. It sounded pretty well on brand for something they all would have done, though the question of how Thing ate or drank anything was kind of a mystery. They both seemed to file it with the mysteries of the family that just weren’t meant to be thought about too hard. Amazing how many things just naturally fell into that category.

“There! I think that should do the trick!” he announced with a flourish. “Give it a try kiddo.”

He was grinning broadly. So much so that his face hurt a bit. Fester was always happy to do something for his little girl. She might not be so little anymore, but she would always be his baby. How Margaux could just abandon her like that made his blood boil. At least Parker never had to worry about her anymore. Nobody did in fact, but that wasn’t something he would bring up on Christmas day.

Laying on the nails and wiggling a bit to get comfortable Parker hummed in appreciation.

“Perfect Papa. It feels great. Thank you!”

She had leapt up on the final syllable, enveloping him in a tight hug.

“Your welcome sweetie. You go on ahead and scout for breakfast. We’ll pick up the bits and bobs left and join you in a minute.”

Parker rushed to do as she was asked as Claire joined him to clean up the mess.

“You made her very happy Fester. I hope you know that.”

He blushed a bit at her words. Rather than reply immediately he busied himself by stuffing the trash into the can he had brought up for it. That done, and still obviously sporting a beet-red complexion, he sort of hummed for a moment, clearly wanting to say something.

Finally, with words still failing him he just held his hand out to her. Claire regarded him for a moment and then blushed in turn. With a suddenly shy expression she took his hand and whispered something to him in French. Fester nods gently and squeezes her hand. Without another word they follow in Parker’s wake. It is time to join the rest of the family.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(11:30 AM Christmas Day)

Wednesday had been upset when she had made it back to the room. It took a while for Enid to get the entire story out of her, but everything settled down a bit once she realized that it wasn’t necessary to eviscerate anyone. Larissa Weems had indeed been kind and showed uncommon tenderness to her little gothic mate. In fact, she probably owed the woman some thanks as well. But that could wait. For now, Wednesday needed her and there was no way she would leave her side.

After a bit she coaxed the brunette into laying down on the bed and covered her with her own magic blanket. She had gotten Wednesday one of her own all in black with the image of a silver raven on it. Willa had thanked her of course, in her normally calm, understated way. Enid could see below the surface of her words though and tell how much she loved it. That had made it all worthwhile. It still felt a bit odd to her, how much the two of them depended on and supported each other. The wolf was, even by her own reckoning, something of a basket case emotionally. It was immensely gratifying to her to be able to give back some portion of what she thought Wednesday had done for her.

After a while her mate had drifted off to sleep. In her repose the blonde saw her face relax more than was usual. The brief emotional upset seemed to have been a release of sorts. She now relaxed more deeply and seemed to have a weight lifted from her mind. It should be a good thing in the long run. Little steps then. They both took little steps to get better in their own way.

To pass the time while Wednesday rested Enid texted their friends, wishing everyone a merry Christmas and just gossiping away as she was prone to do. Once she was sure the smaller girl would be sleeping for a while she took the chance to call her uncle whom she had promised to get in touch with today. Jim Sinclair was full of family news and spoke with her for a good long while about all the things she had missed out on. Sometimes she felt a bit guilty, skipping out on most of the family drama and leaving him to deal with it. At least, for the moment anyway, the family was relatively peaceful. It was amazing how much less tense things were without her mother’s influence.

It left her feeling a bit guilty to realize that, but it was the truth. On the one level she still carried all that uncertainty inside of her. But on another she realized that wasn’t her fault. Finally, some adults with a bit of authority and a sense of justice had intervened on her behalf. All of this, her new lease on life with the Addams family included, was the direct result of that. She would always owe Dr. Kane and Principal Weems for taking the next steps that brough all of this to pass.

Though she wasn’t going to dwell on it today she did hope her parents, mother especially, would get the help they needed to move past this. Enid knew she was going to need therapy for her issues. It felt as though they should have to be in treatment just as long. Sure, it might be a bit petty. On some level she wanted to punish them. But she also hoped that one day, far off in the future as that might be, she might be able to find some closure with them and talk through all of this. That could only happen though if they were all on some more stable ground emotionally speaking.

This was not going to weigh her down. Not today of all days. After her conversation with Jim, she practiced some of those meditation exercises that Wednesday had taught her. While they were a lot less effective on a hyperactive werewolf than they might be for others it still got the job done. She was able to focus on the positive and let go of the negative emotions enough to try and enjoy the day. It was ‘sufficient’ as Wednesday would say to let her rest a bit and then arise with the brunette after her nap was done.

They both woke up hungry and the smells of the feast were by now making their way upstairs. Enid had been sampling the scents for a while with her sensitive nose. By the time Wednesday could smell it as well they knew it was about time to make their way downstairs. They caught each other’s glance, a measuring look to make sure each of them was ready to deal with other people. Neither saw any trepidation in the other so Enid took the smaller girls hands and smiled.

“As long as your sure about this,” she whispered and Wednesday nodded.

“Then let’s go see if they left us anything to eat. We can totally bug out though if it gets to be too much.”

“I’m sure there will be plenty to eat,” the psychic said in a bemused tone. “Lurch cooked enough to feed a small army. We will have leftovers for days.”

The blonde noticed as Wednesday looked longingly at the new electric chair they had in their room. Taking note of that she couldn’t help but grin. Her mate was a bad influence on her…just one of the many things to love. Never, in her wildest dreams, did she ever expect to enjoy the implements of torture. But here they were, sharing a little pain along with all the comfort they brought to each other. Who knew how intimate that could be? And who knew she would ever be brave enough to enjoy sharing it?

“Yes, we can use the chair tonight if you like. I think I might be able to handle the nest higher voltage. For a little while anyway. If I can comb the frizz out of your hair after we are done that is.”

It was like a little ritual for them. Each would take a turn or two in the chair, cuddle and comb out each other’s hair afterwards and then sleep. Why did they both sleep so well after a bit of casual near electrocution? No idea, but that was just another of the things it seemed best to not question. Enid was getting better at just accepting things without thinking too hard about it.

Soon they had made their way downstairs hand in hand. By this point, a little before noon, they had some houseguests. Ophelia had returned after having gone to her own house in Europe overnight and cousin Itt, his wife Margaret and little What had arrived before the girls had come downstairs. Joel made an appearance every once in a while but spent most of his day socializing with Chuck downstairs so he wouldn’t be too lonely. Other than that, it was all the usual suspects who lived here full time in attendance. Enid was struck immediately by how Addams’ family Christmas day was different than any in her experience.

For one it was a lot more casual than she might have expected. Everyone was content to chat casually in small groups and to break away from the crowd in twos or threes for private moments. Enid came to discover that was how most of the gift giving took place. There didn’t seem to be any pressure to show what you had given or what you had received. No one was comparing any of it or judging who was the most generous. It was very private, usually only between the gift giver and the recipient.

And the feast was an all-day sort of affair. There wasn’t a time when everyone was called in to all sit together and eat all at once. The tables were loaded with more food than she had ever seen in one place before. Everyone was welcome to come fill up a plate and then wander all over the house with it if they wished.

It occurred to Enid that maybe their holiday had evolved to be like this to help accommodate Wednesday’s needs. She had always had a limited amount of energy every day to be sociable. In this environment it was easier for her to retreat for a while if need be and so no one at any point had to be put on the spot. It was different than the heavily choreographed gatherings her mother had run in the past. To be honest, this sort of get together was far more preferable.

After a bit she felt sure that Wednesday was feeling well enough to fly solo. Her smaller shadow had drifted off to speak with some of the family and was currently in a deep conversation with Pugsley and Ophelia. For her part Enid had found herself gravitating to young What who it turned out was about preschool age. An exact age is kind of hard to determine with an Itt but she got along quite well with the boy due to her own affinity for children. One thing she noticed immediately was that she could easily understand not only the boy but his father as well. So much for the secret language of the Itts she mused. Another slight adaptation she had undergone as she became more a part of this family.

Enid worked the crowd, mingling with everyone in turn and distributing the presents she had made. Everyone got a small doll she had crocheted for each of them. They all received a small, stylized doll in their likeness, and these were greeted with both amusement and appreciation. Grandmama in particular was pleased to receive hers. The older woman offered to teach Enid how to make proper Voodoo dolls in this style if she would like. Before they had each gone off to visit with others it had been decided that they would get together later in the week and discuss the process.

Enid herself received several presents, each of which she treasured. Gomez had given her a medallion with the Addams family coat of arms on it. She also got several new plushies, including an adorable stuffed octopus in purple from Wednesday and one she couldn’t really identify from Pugsley. He said it was some monster or another from a game he played. Whatever it was it looked cool and had a cartoonish monster face that she adored.

In this way a few hours had passed in comfortable camaraderie. She kept careful watch on Wednesday, finding her side at regular intervals. Despite the way the day had opened for her the goth seemed to be doing very well. The relaxed atmosphere combined with being among her family and having Enid close to hand seemed to be a winning combination.

Sometime after the sun had set Gomez began to spread the word that they should all make their way to the room that had been set aside for their duel. Parker had gone ahead to set up some equipment since it would be her job to film this for posterity. Seeing it all come to fruition Enid was surprised that she didn’t feel nervous. On some level she understood by instinct alone that she was part of this charming, morbid bit of chaos. These were her people too and no one would come to harm. In fact, all of this was an expression of love. Not just her love for Wednesday but how they all loved one another. A bit strange perhaps, but very on brand.

Wednesday took Enid aside, studying her expression carefully. Before she could say anything the raven kissed her on the cheek and hugged her, there in front of everyone! Enid preened, soaking up the public affection like a sponge.

“Are you nervous mi Reina?”

“No, I’m fine,” she replied, realizing it was true. “We’ve trained for this and I should be able to put up a decent fight.”

Behind the calm words was also the realization that come what may she had already won. Even if Gomez won the duel she had already been affirmed as Wednesday’s mate. This was just a celebration after a fashion. A declaration of their intentions and a bit of theatre to confirm what they were to each other. Hell, by Lycan law they were already effectively ‘married.’ And it worked well with her new extended families love of the dramatic.

“You will do better than a decent fight my love. Father is good but your gifts give you advantages. He fights better when it is to the death. Then he doesn’t have to follow any rules and is quite deadly. In a friendly duel, with all the rules in place, his natural instincts are hampered. Your skills don’t match his yet, but your enhanced speed, strength and endurance can tilt the odds in your favor. Fight defensively to tire him at first, then pick your moments to strike.”

The blonde was struck by Wednesday’s expression and the passion behind her words. Her girlfriend was getting into this. Like really, really getting into it. The psychic was aroused to see her wolf duel for her. This shook Enid a bit, but not in a bad way. She could compartmentalize this, use it as motivation and not let it distract her. Or so she hoped anyway.

The next few moments were a bit of a blur for her. Wednesday’s words and scent were a magnificent motivating force. Gomez gave a little speech, clearly enjoying the moment. Both took a moment to suit up and Wednesday once again hugged her tight and gave her lover a long, sensuous kiss there in front of everyone. A bit of a cheer went up but Enid was lost in the moment and it was all a bit of white noise to her. Released from the goth’s embrace she stepped into the middle of the floor to meet Gomez with her face still aflush.

“To a good clean duel mi lobita,” he said, shaking her hand with a huge smile. Afterwards they bowed to each other and stepped into their ready positions till the signal was given to begin. Much as Wednesday had predicted he was very, very skilled in the sport. An aggressive attack gave Gomez an early score, but Enid quickly found her flow and began to beat back each following offensive. It took a bit, but she then found a point where her future father-in-law overextended himself to land a point of her own.

Enid leaned on her enhanced speed early on, making it easier for her to defend and then counterattack. Gomez evened the odds with feints and counterattacks of his own to score some points of opportunity. In this way they matched each other point for point for quite some time. It was hard to tell how long. Enid would need to watch the tape later to see how much time had passed. She was in a zone now and spared attention only to Gomez lest he score on her if she was distracted.

She was surprised that he didn’t seem to be tired. He was only human, after a fashion anyway. He shouldn’t have the stamina to hold out this long without beginning to slow. Every Addams had to potential to be stronger, faster and hardier than any normie though. She just must not have pressed him hard enough yet. With that in mind she redoubled her attack, shifting from defensive to a more aggressive stance. It cost her a point at first, but he couldn’t match her speed she then scored two points for the one he had earned.

After that she switched back and forth between offensive and defensive leaning approaches but tried to pour on the speed to make him work harder for it. Gomez was obliged to switch up his approach a bit, going more on the defensive. An overly aggressive style here would just let Enid continue to rack up the points on him.

That seemed to work, at least in the short term. For what seemed like a long time then they continued to exchange blows with neither able to exploit a weakness in the other. The cheers from the onlookers were still white noise to her ears but Enid felt she was gaining ground. Gomez became a bit slower in his attacks and his defense didn’t seem quite as crisp as before. Was he finally tiring out? Dear moon Goddess, she hoped so.

There was an immediate desire on her part to press the attack now. They were within a point or two of each other and very near the point of reaching the score that would end the duel. She had just lost track of the exact number in her concentration on each and every movement. Deep down she remembered Wednesday’s words about how clever her father was. No, she wasn’t going to be tricked into giving him an opening.

A careful feint on her part, a slight hint that she was going to move more aggressively, and Gomez took the bait instead. Enid could hear his heart pounding and how labored his breathing had become. He was on his last legs and probably needed to make a move now while he still could. Almost too quickly for the eye to follow she dodged, parried and then launched a counterattack to press the point. She managed to strike him center of mass before he could recover.

A bell rang, signaling that she had won. Enid paused a moment, not quite believing it as the cheers began again. She was dimly aware when Gomez swooped her up into a bear hug and began singing her praises in Spanish. This only lasted for a moment before Wednesday pushed her father aside to claim her wolf. Her entire world shrunk then to only focus on the little goth girl that had claimed her and was showering the wolf in praise and endearments. Enid didn’t resist at all when Wednesday led her from the room and back upstairs.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Wednesday led them upstairs without further incident. No matter how she tried she couldn’t wipe the smile from her face. Enid had fought for her. Enid had beaten her father in a duel to prove her courage and strength. The sunshine wolf had succeeded beyond her wildest expectations and now stood triumphant…if a bit dazed. The blonde still hadn’t spoken. Nor had she made a move to remove her fencing equipment. The foil still trailed behind her, held loosely in her hand.

Once they were safely back in their shared room, away from prying eyes, the brunette tried to take stock of the situation. Everyone else was partying and celebrating, and with good reason. It had been a fantastic display by them both, but her love had come out victorious. She couldn’t be happier. This struck as a bit odd in the moment. Wednesday was a liberated, modern-day woman. She didn’t need anyone to fight her battles typically. Why was she swooning so hard because Enid had fought for the honor of courting her?

It had been a duel for the ages. She hadn’t clocked it exactly but knew it went on for the better part of an hour. The extended family would be talking about it for years to come. Her wolf was well and truly part of the family now. This all filled her with a thrill that she was having a hard time sorting through. Instead of thinking about it too deeply she decided to tend to her lover’s needs.

Slowly she helped Enid out of her dueling attire. The blonde was grinning broadly and regarding her with a happy but dazed expression. Wednesday found herself praising the wolf and still whispering endearments in all the languages she knew. Once stripped bare Enid followed with only a little coaxing towards the shower. She disrobed as well and helped the taller girl into the spray to wash away the sweat from her exertions. Gradually Enid returned to her senses as Wednesday took care of her.

“I won,” she finally said in a curious voice, looking towards Wednesday for confirmation.

“You certainly did. Father is probably still going on about how well you did. You impressed a lot of people tonight. Even more once Parker sends everyone a copy of the video.”

“Did I impress you?”
“Very much so.”

She was embarrassed at how breathless her voice sounded. As Enid began to regain her senses the thought crossed Wednesday’s mind that she must be able to smell just how impressed she was. Strong, powerful and capable Enid was the best aphrodisiac that she could imagine.

“Good. Thank you for getting me up here so we could be alone. I kind of flaked there a bit after it was all done.”

“I don’t know what that means,” Wednesday said with a shrug. “But you needed me, so I was there. After that…I desperately wanted to get you alone somewhere.”

Enid regarded her, a wistful smile on her face.

“Once we are clean I want to use the chair again. A little shock should clear my mind. Then, well…I mean to undress you and make love till we can’t see straight. Any problem with that?”

Wednesday could only shake her head and blush a bit as they stood there bare in each other’s presence under the water. It would be as her wolf wanted. There was no need for them to rejoin the others tonight.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Downstairs the rest of the family continued their celebrations. The duel, quite naturally, was still top of mind. Everyone was full of praise for Enid and joy for what Wednesday had found in the colorful wolf. They all concurred that they had made a lovely couple.

Gradually things began to wind down with the adrenaline beginning to fade for them all. Conversations began to wind down a little and they all relaxed. Before everyone began to drift off or make their farewells the lights dimmed for a moment. Morticia glanced towards the stairs and smiled serenely. Noting her expression the rest of them began to smile as well. It was the perfect note to end their holiday on.
Even in the storied history of the Addams family this would be recalled as a Christmas no one could ever forget.

Chapter Text

St Ailbhe Medical Center, a large medical/magical hospital complex serving the Lycan community in northern Saskatchewan Canada. Esther Sinclair sits with her unconscious husband during an infusion treatment. This gives her way too much chance to think and to reflect.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Her mate was dying. Esther could feel it in her bones. She felt it with all the certainty in the world. The doctors wouldn’t come out and say it, but the truth seemed plain if you read between the lines. While they said they would do everything they could, both medicinally and magically, nothing had worked so far. If nothing had worked for the past twenty plus years why should she have any faith anything would now?

Maybe if she had urged him to seek help sooner he wouldn’t be languishing now. But no, she had accepted his dismissal of her concerns. She believed it when he said the symptoms were nothing to worry about. That he just needed some pain medicine for an old war wound. It wasn’t till recently that she realized that on some level he felt the need to be punished for what he saw as his own failures. Just one more thing for her to feel guilty about. One more failure stacked on top of the already large pile.

She had known about the drugs of course. Murray took quite a few of them after all. He had told her he needed them for the pain. Now she understood he just needed them…to keep the nightmares at bay and so he wouldn’t just melt down from all the stress in his life. Stress she had a hand in creating. It was another bit of guilt to weigh down her already flagging spirit.

He twitched a bit in his sleep, half mumbling a word or two which drew her attention. The last few weeks had been hell for him. The treatments for the bone damage he had suffered and the residual silver poisoning were both painful and draining, but due to his longtime use of opioids there were only certain medicines they could give him to fight the side effects. And the weeks of him suffering by going cold turkey off the opioids? Esther wouldn’t have wished that on her worst enemy.

She glanced at his face, noticing the sickly, pained expression that he wore. Murray was asleep still due to both exhaustion and the medical cocktail they were giving him through the IV. She would come to sit with him when it was allowed to hold his hand through the withdrawal pains and the nausea that came from his treatments. When they didn’t allow it she had to return to her own room in the psychiatric wing of the facility. That was the hardest time to bear.

Esther told herself that she came and sat at his side for Murray’s sake. She was lying to herself. Deep down she knew that it was for herself just as much as for her mate. She needed him. Needed to know that he didn’t hate her for everything that had happened. That she still had something and someone left in the taters of her life. Of course she realized how pathetic that was. Her guilt was clear and there was no blinding herself to it anymore.

Every bit of this was her fault. She hadn’t tried harder to get help for Murray. By her own actions she had been alienating their children. Her fingerprints were all over the stress and uncertainty that had taken over their lives for the last several years. She had told herself she was fixing everyone else’s problems when in truth she was causing it all because she hadn’t been strong enough to see the problems in her own soul and find help for them.

A noise at the door alerted her to the nurse’s presence. Glancing up at the younger woman she knew it was time for the doctors to come and tend to Murray. It was time for her to return to her own room and the appointment with Doctor Martin. Giving Murray’s hand a squeeze she then kissed him on the forehead before stepping away. He looked so fragile laying there. Was this treatment helping any? Or just speeding up the process of killing him? She didn’t know…and that fact was killing her on the inside.

The psychiatric ward where she was incarcerated was rather far away from the ward where Murray was housed. His issues were primarily medical and those induced by drug abuse. He was getting counselling for his own issues but she was the one in heavy need of psychiatric treatment. She was the one who had destroyed her own family and now found herself involuntarily committed to treatment. Treatment that she had thus far been resisting.

Soon enough she was back to the same four walls she had already spent weeks staring at. Today was Christmas, wasn’t it? Hard to tell given her current mental state and the nature of her of her confinement. Were the kids alright? Were they happier without her in their life? She was sure Enid was happier. She had to be didn’t she?

Her blood still boiled a bit to think back upon it. Deep down she was repulsed by Wednesday Addams and everything she stood for. But the girl had stepped up for Enid while she herself had always been a hinderance to her daughter’s happiness. Esther still couldn’t bring herself to be comfortable with homosexuality, so she was struggling with their relationship. The same could be said for interracial unions. Carl, her oldest boy, had married a native girl from a Canadian Lycan family and she had reacted…poorly. Now he hadn’t spoken to her for over a year.

She had been sad of course about both of those issues, and several others besides. It was only recently though that she began to question how she had acted and wonder if she had been as right as she had thought herself to be. And even if that answer was yes did it matter anymore? If being right only led her to more misery was it even something she wanted? Being right at the expense of her family wasn’t looking like such a good decision anymore.

Esther was so deep into her thoughts that it took a few moments before she took notice of the knock on her door. Glancing around the room her eyes fell on the clock beside the door. Three in the afternoon? That must be Dr. Martin. Time for therapy she supposed.

“Come in.”

Dr. Martin steps in, glances around the room and then settles his gaze on Esther. Crossing the room he sits down in the chair opposite her. It is silent for a moment till he speaks up.

“Esther, I see that you have had a difficult day. Is there anything you would like to discuss?”

These sessions had been much the same since the beginning. He noticed way too much from just casual observation and whatever was in her medical records. Then he would try to engage her in conversation. She understood, on some level, that there wasn’t much he could do if she didn’t talk to him about what was really eating at her. Up till now though she hadn’t had the will to do so. Hadn’t had the courage if she was being honest.

“No,” she said simply. “I really don’t want to talk. But I’m going to have to, aren’t I?”

He simply nods, his attention never wavering.

“If you want to be better then yes, you’re going to need to talk about it. I can’t help you until you are willing to be helped.”

She sighed and wiped at her eyes. Esther had been here for weeks now, doing everything she could to resist this. The longer it went on though the harder it would get. Still, she wasn’t sure it was going to do any good no matter what she said.

“I understand that. Really I do. But what good will it do? I’ve driven my kids away. My mate is dying. I thought that I was doing the right thing…looking out for them all. How could I have been so wrong?”

“I can’t answer that for you. At least not yet. But together we can find out. I do know though that without at least trying to change and understand what is going on in your own head you will never know for sure. I can’t promise it will save your relationship with your family. But if you’re in a better place emotionally you can at least try to make things right.”

She wanted to believe that. Wanted the chance to have a do over. Or at least the ability to tell everyone how sorry she was for everything she had done.

“It’s…hard. I still think that they are wrong. That their choices will cause them pain in the long run. Why can’t they understand that?”

“Do you believe that their lack of understanding is really what holds you back?” he asks, watching Esther closely. This is the most engaged she has been in the weeks since her arrival. She stops at the question, looks away from the doctor and sighs heavily.

“I don’t know. I always thought it was. Am I wrong?”

“That is another question I can’t answer. My job though is to help you find the answers you’re looking for. Maybe, if you can see yourself and others in a new light then maybe it can all make a bit more sense for you.”

She buried her face in her hands and screamed. This was infuriating. Beyond understanding really. The doctor made it sound so easy, but she knew it wouldn’t be. A lot of soul searching and pain followed by what? A chance that things will be better. Her family was falling apart and she needed answers now.

“It feels hopeless. Give me one good reason why I should go through that kind of hell if things might not change at all.”

“I can give you several,” the doctor replied in an even tone. “All six of your children will be at the top of the list. Then we can round it out with your mate and any friends you might have. If you don’t try and don’t change then I can guarantee things won’t be any better for you. But if you do make the effort then you might have a chance to reconcile with your kids and be a better mate. On the one hand is the harder road. You might fail but the rewards for success would be very high. On the other hand, doing nothing will guarantee that your current problems continue to grow worse till you find yourself alone for the rest of your life.”

To be honest, being alone sounded good in that moment. If she was alone she wouldn’t feel the same guilt in her failures. Wouldn’t Murray and the kids be better off without her in the picture? Maybe they could still find happiness of some sort without her dragging them down.

The more she thought about it though the less appealing it sounded. He hadn’t spoken to her for over a year but Carl and his wife were expecting their first cub. If she took the easy way out she would never see her first grandbaby. Enid would never know how loved she really was. Dear mother moon…she couldn’t abandon them. No matter how much it hurt she needed to try.

“I…want to get better. Really I do. I just don’t know how. What happens if I can’t do it? What happens if it still isn’t enough?”

“There are no miracle cures. As you continue in treatment I’ll be with you every step of the way. If you commit yourself to this then some of your questions will answer themselves as we go. Again, working to get well will be hard and there will be some big roadblocks along the way. Not trying though will probably leave you in a worse position than you are now. Can you at least try Esther? For them.”

For them? She had always told herself that everything she did was for them. For the kids…for Murray. Had it been though? Was all she did just for her own ego? Whatever the case she wasn’t going to find answers by shying away from the hard work of fixing herself.

“Help me. Please…”

And with that request, issued from a place of fear and self-loathing, Esther finally began to take responsibility for all her own failings. It would be a long journey with an uncertain destination ahead of her. But she could no longer deal without at least trying to get her family back. Finally giving voice to her needs was just the first step.

Chapter Text

It seemed that the family had been busy. By the time Wednesday and Enid had roused themselves and got on with their day she already had a message from Pugsley on her phone. She rolled her eyes upon seeing his message. When using these confounded devices, he displayed the same disregard for the English language that all her peers at Nevermore did.

Still, she was impressed with how quickly he seemed to have found something. The prophecy from Delphi was indeed bearing fruit and opening new avenues to research their enemies. Pugsley had always been gifted when it came to online research and the occasional bit of lab work she had asked him to perform. These days he was getting better and better at it. On one level she was proud of him for the things he managed to do. On the other hand, she had mixed feelings about her little brother growing up.

When she had gone to Nevermore he still seemed like a child, and a particularly unruly one at that. Now, only a few weeks later, he seemed more like a man. How had Pugsley grown up so quickly? Admittedly, a lot of things changed in a very short period. Deep down she hated change but was trying to keep an open mind. Many of the changes had been in herself, with Enid serving as the catalyst. Maybe she was just now catching up with changes that were already occurring with everyone else, but she hadn’t been emotionally open enough to realize them. Now that was an interesting thought.

The threat from the hunters was new as well. Maybe that was the catalyst for the changes the others were going through. Nothing helped people to grow and better themselves as much as being pressured. With a common external threat maybe they, and she herself, were becoming better versions of themselves to meet the challenge. She didn’t have long to dwell on it though.

She had arrived at his computer workstation in the catacombs and didn’t have any more time for reflection. Nor the desire to engage in them she supposed. Everything seemed to be changing for the better so why question it now? She would let it be, for the time being anyway. The details could be sorted out later if need be. Or she could just accept the changes and not drive herself crazy trying to analyze it all to death.

“Come on in sis,” he called out to her, taking notice that she had entered the room. “I’ve got some stuff for you.”

Stepping closer to his terminal she took notice of the stack of papers off to the side and all the computer components whirring along. She could sense the magic in the device but beyond that had no idea what most of this stuff was. That could all be left to Pugsley to make it do whatever it was supposed to.

“I saw your message. Have you already found something?”

“Yup!” he exclaimed, pushing a few buttons on the keyboard. An image came up immediately. The picture appeared to be of a young girl, perhaps thirteen or fourteen years old. Judging by her clothing, expression and jewelry she seemed rather prim, proper and of a high socioeconomic group. She had long, straight brown hair and rather striking blue eyes. Her smile was bright and there was a certain twinkle in her eye. Sometimes pictures didn’t really convey as much information as people read into them, but the goth was thinking this one might.

“Allow me to introduce Cyndi Combes. She was reported dead after an alleged attack in Boston a few years back. Ironically that occurred about two weeks after Ms. Claire was turned into a vampire and not more than three block away.”

Another few clicks and her picture was replaced by a police sketch of the man that authorities considered a person of interest in her death.

“This is the guy the cops were looking for. That picture strongly resembles the vampire Fester destroyed when he was avenging Ms. Claire’s attack. A strong indicator that they were both attacked by the same dude.”

This picture too was quickly replaced by the image of a man who bore a striking familial resemblance to Cyndi.

“And this is Cyndi’s father. Reverend Alex Combes. He leads a megachurch based out of Boston. His followers are dedicated to anti-immigrant policies and purging the world of evil…which usually translates into anti-minority and anti-outcast sentiments. He has made quite the large fortune under the umbrella of his church and then even more money from some quite shady dealings hidden away behind multiple levels of deception.

The ‘good’ Reverend is a real piece of work and has a lot of contacts both openly and under the table. More than a few highly placed politicians and business leaders are attached to this church. Combes has a boatload of influence and apparently knows how to use it.”

“Let me guess then,” Wednesday said in a thoughtful tone. “You found evidence that the state considers Cyndi dead but no record of a funeral. She just disappeared after being declared dead.”

“Took you only one guess, eh?” he replied with a grin. “Well, you are correct. The papers announced that she had died, the local police pinned it on a migrant who has also since disappeared. I did find her obituary in the local paper, but it said she would have a small, private funeral. There was never any record of it though with any nearby funeral homes and no grave site that I can find.”

Pugsley turned off the screen and turned to face his sister.

“And it gets better. Remember Dr. Simms? He recently left his university job and is now an employee of a foundation owned by shell companies that answer to Reverend Combes and his church. He is leading a research effort to ‘help cure’ outcasts and give us the chance to be good, God-fearing little wage slaves like everyone else.”

She can’t help but shudder a bit at the notion. It might be possible to take away some outcast abilities, but large-scale cures should, hopefully, not be possible. More likely they were using that stated aim as a cover to their true goal. Murdering them all with the biological weapon they were building.

“That all tracks,” Wednesday offered in a thoughtful tone. “Combes’s daughter was transformed by a rogue vampire, the same one who attacked Ms. Claire. Fester killed the vampire but didn’t know Cyndi was out there and was also in need of rescue. I suspect her father either destroyed her or is keeping her out of sight in some way. His search for revenge, or maybe a cure for her, is what started all of this.”

“That is how I see it,” her brother replied. “I showed all this to Fester and Father a little while ago. Fester will be heading to Boston after lunch to try and find some personal items of Cyndi or her father to see if you can get any visions from them. And we got the stuff from Dr. Simms as well. Sometime in the next day or so I guess father will want you to check them out.”

“In the next day or so?” she asked, curious as to why they would wait that long.

“Yeah. Father has to go to Miami this afternoon on business. He won’t be back for at least forty-eight hours. I’m guessing he will want you to take a look at Simm’s stuff on the same night as you look at whatever Fester finds. Just like we did the last time with Laurel Gates’s stuff and what the sheriff sent us.”

She nods, taking it all in stride. A few days wouldn’t make much of a difference at this point. And father was only being cautious in wanting all the support they could get when asking Wednesday to use her psychic gifts. She appreciated how protective he was even though it chaffed a bit. She didn’t like feeling sheltered so to speak but it was coming from a good place. Now, after some of the emotional growth she had experienced, she could accept it with good graces.

They already knew quite a bit about the enemy. And there was the promise of new information coming in almost daily. Wednesday still wanted to go end Simms and Combes now. It would be nice to get out from under all of this, but that would leave too much chance of it all coming back to bite them in the end.

The outcasts would need to kill them all in one grand strike so they would be sure of getting everyone. If they missed a few of the crucial members of the church or the chance to raid the lab then there was too high of a chance that some other bigoted leader rising to fill the void and continue Combes’ work. That was an unnecessary risk. Sadly, patience was what was called for now.
“I suppose that will do then,” she observed with a frown. “I had hoped to be able to do something sooner but can live with the delay.”

Pugsley nodded, frowning a bit as he did so.

“Before you go I need to ask you something,” he said with just a hint of hesitation. “Did you say something to father about what would happen if he died? He has seemed a bit fixated on that lately. Wanted to talk to me about it this morning before he had to go get ready for his flight.”

She paused for a moment, remembering the discussion she had with her father not long ago.

“I asked him if Mother would be able to handle his affairs and keep his charities supporting the extended family and outcasts in need. Only recently I realized how deep and complicated his dealings really were. He has done so much…not just for us but for the entire community. “

Her brother studied her for a moment and sighed.

“That tracks. He said something to the effect that he wanted to make everything as fool proof as possible if something happened. So we could all work together to keep the family safe and continue to help the extended community. It really means a lot to him.”

He paused for a moment, clearly trying to find the right words.

“I always assumed that as the oldest you would inherit everything. And I’m fine with that. If push comes to shove I could always support myself with computer crime. But we are getting older now. Hell, your almost all grown up. Honestly, I don’t want to think about a world where father isn’t in it. But it’s all part of growing up, isn’t it?”

She nods slowly, curious to hear her brother’s thoughts on the matter. She didn’t particularly want to inherit everything. She didn’t have the head for business her father did and could never do as good a job as he had.

“It is part of growing up,” she said in a sad tone. “I’m worried for him. Especially after mother’s vision where she couldn’t find him when things with the hunters was coming to an end.”

Pugsley seemingly had similar concerns.

“I don’t want anything to happen to him. And I don’t want him to have to worry about making sure his affairs are in order. Is there anything we can do to make it easier for him? It might make him feel better if we try to take on some of his responsibilities. I just don’t know how to do it.”

For all the growth and maturity Pugsley had shown of late this was the perfect reminder that he was still just a boy. Hells, Pugsley was only fourteen years old. He shouldn’t have to shoulder so much worry and responsibility. Why couldn’t circumstances just let him be a kid for a little longer?

“I asked him what we could do,” she offered. “It will take him time to decide what, if anything, we can do to lighten his load. He seems to think that he needs to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.”

“Yeah,” he replied in a quiet tone. “That must be where you get it from.”

He glanced at her with an odd expression and then shrugged.

“If you can think of any way that I can help let me know. I’ll try to be more mature and less of a burden for him to worry about.”

This conversation had taken a weird turn.

“You’re not a burden to him. You’re an Addams. A young one to be sure but still an Addams. Just…try to be understanding of what he is going through. For now, that is probably all either of us can do.”

Her brother frowned, apparently deep in thought.

“I suppose,” he finally said. “But you’re the smart one sis. If you think of anything specific let me know. I…want to do my part but don’t know how.”

With that he stood up from his chair, gave his sister a polite nod before turning to go.

“I need to walk and think.”

And with that he was gone. Wednesday felt rather inadequate in the moment. She didn’t know what kind of encouragement her brother needed or what would help their father during this difficult time. To be truthful, she wasn’t even sure what she needed to feel comfortable with all of this. She wasn’t the only one feeling adrift and unsure of what to do next. As her peers would often say, this sucked. She wanted to help her family but didn’t really know how to help herself.

After a few moments of hesitation she gathered up the pile of papers her brother had left behind. Skimming the first few pages she realized it was a written record of the research he had done. No doubt Pugsley, understanding her unfamiliarity with the digital world, had made a written record for her to study. She would need to thank him later but had no intention of interrupting him now. He needed time to think, just as she did.

Making her way out of the catacombs she made her way back upstairs to their shared bedroom. Enid had said something earlier about going for a run so she probably wouldn’t be back for a few hours. Laying the papers on her desk she looked around and confirmed that Enid had definitely left their shared space for the time being. Being alone and with heavy thoughts on her mind she was tempted to fetch her new magic blanket and sit under it for a while.

She almost immediately declined to follow through on that idea. There was time later to sit and decompress. She didn’t want to become too dependent on the blanket and hiding under it when things were stressful. For now, she would study the data that her brother had found for her. Maybe that would clear her head. Thankfully they still had a couple more weeks, give or take, before needing to return to Nevermore. There was still time to rest.

When Enid returned she would ask for help with setting up the laptop Enid’s uncle had sent her as a Christmas gift. Then, with a little tutoring in how it works, she could document what they knew currently and stuff they still suspected. She had promised to keep the Nightshades up to date with what intelligence they had already secured and there was no time like the present. Or at least the near future when her Queen returned.

With an objective in mind she took out some paper and then started to take notes. Having something to keep her busy and focused was what she needed right now. Anything to keep her from worrying about things she couldn’t control and problems that she couldn’t fix in the moment. How her father managed she would never understand, but it seemed vitally important to try. Maybe this was all part of her growing up. This too sucked, but she was determined to rise to the challenge.

Chapter Text

As it turned out, Wednesday didn’t need the blanket after all. Sorting though clues and little tidbits about Combes that Pugsley had learned helped to focus her mind just as well. Then Enid had returned and they cuddled for a bit, which was certainly nice. These two things had helped put everything into a bit of perspective for her. It was comforting to think that even if things were becoming uncomfortably complicated she had multiple ways to deal with it.

Of course, cuddling with a werewolf that was all sweaty after a run required that they shower shortly after. That too was nice as they shared the shower and it helped to relax them both a great deal. Most of the afternoon passed just enjoying each other’s company till Wednesday decided it was time to get to work.

Enid had shared that she had a couple of zoom calls today that she wanted Wednesday to sit in on, so it seemed expedient to type up the evidence for the Nightshades while she did so. If nothing else she was going to need moral support while she navigated the technology maze that was a chat room. Stabbing her new laptop would probably be top of mind but as it was a gift, and a useful one at that, having Enid on hand to hold off her violent tendencies seemed like a good idea.

Their first call was with Divina and Yoko. The vampire had traveled to the States early to visit her girlfriend, and they were both on the line with Enid and Wednesday. The seer was fuming a bit to herself while fighting with the laptop.

“Remind me again. Why do I need a screen name on this infernal contraption? It doesn’t prompt me for one when I access it on my phone.”

“That is because the way your phone is set up it displays your phone number which is translated on our side by however you are set up in our contact list. Your laptop doesn’t do that. You must register under an alias. Or in your case more like a pen name.”

Enid’s words diffused her temper, at least a little bit. She had helped to set up both the phone and the laptop so Wednesday trusted her understanding of it. It didn’t totally settle her nerves on the matter though. To her it seemed needlessly complicated. If only their little band were all psychics and had crystal balls.

“Do these pen names have to be silly?”

She was looking at the ones others had used and judging by ‘Wolf girl’, ‘Sea princess’ and ‘Blood doll’ it seemed a reasonable assumption.

“Not really,” Yoko offered. “But sometimes it turns out that way. Everyone tries to find something descriptive of themselves but is unique to the site your using. If someone else is already using it then it will make you pick a different one.”

The goth sighs a bit and pinches the bridge of her nose.

“Fine. I am unfamiliar with this ritual. Anyone have any suggestions?

She knew what she was opening herself up to with the question. Several options were lobbed her way. Most notably from the vampire.

“How about Darth Smol? I bet that one isn’t taken. Or maybe Stabby Patch Girl?”

“What in the world is a Darth Smol?”

Fortunately, Enid provided that answer.

“Remember that I told you about Star Wars and the Jedi? The Sith are like the evil version of them, and they get their power from hate and rage. Darth is a title they use amongst themselves.”

“And Smol? Is that meant as an insult to my height?”

“Just a…mildly teasing reference,” the siren offered, sensing that Wednesday’s mood was worsening as it went on.

Sighing again she entered it, and the name was accepted.

“I will allow…for now. Till I think of something better. If any of you make me regret it there will be hell to pay. Do you all understand?”

Her words seemed to really please Enid, who immediately hugged her and squealed loudly. Over the call she was also rewarded with two stunned smiles from the other girls. It seems that her acceptance of this bizarre bonding ritual, or whatever it was, is seen as sign of acceptance of the group perhaps. What it was in fact was her unwillingness to let this drag out for too long. She would take the win though.

“Very well. I will type up everything I have on the board while the three of you chat. Remember, nothing sensitive is to be said on the phone. Your phones are not yet secured the same way as the chat room is. Within the hour you should see all the data and suspicions we have gathered to this point. Feel free to add whatever you think of that seems relevant.”

With that she began to type, letting Enid and her friends discuss whatever they liked. She was aware that both Yoko and Divina had expressed thanks for what she had sent to them, which she replied to as appropriate. Then they turned their attentions to other, less interesting topics. This suited Wednesday just fine as she could halfway listen and still concentrate on her work. As predicted they were talking mostly about gossip, fashion and make-up for the most part.

By the time she was done typing the other three girls had exhausted their gossip for the evening and Wednesday had written several chapters worth of evidence for them to review. She was mildly intrigued to see later what everyone else would think of it. With the possible exception of Ajax none of them were stupid and he surprised her sometimes with his insights. It was always possible they would see something she and her family had missed. It was always good to have more than one set of eyes on any bit of evidence as multiple readers had chances to provide potentially enlightening alternative viewpoints.

To her surprise after she had said her goodbyes Enid had studied her for a long moment and then came to sit beside her. Wrapping her in a tight hug the blonde had thanked her, which left her confused. Hugs were always nice from her wolf and her internal furnace. The thanks though through her off a bit so she regarded her mate with a confused expression. Enid smiled and squeezed her again before replying.

“Thank you for not getting mad. I know Yoko was being silly when she suggested screen names for you. She really didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just how she shows affection.”

“Affection?”

While she understood on an intellectual level the social one was something of a mystery still. Wednesday knew that she and Yoko respected each other, and they had made some progress towards being friends. The notion that the vampire would have some emotional attachment beyond that still struck her as odd.

“Yes,” the blonde replied with a chuckle. “She is actually fond of you. Scared on some level I suppose but all of our friends are fond of you. Or maybe equal parts fond and afraid. However you want to look at it. “

“I…suppose I’m fond of her as well. On some level.”

Enid smiled and hugged her again, letting a companionable silence settle between them. After a few moments she sighed and continued.

“Will you be able to set with me for the next call?”

“If you wish. Who is this one with? You never told me.”

The wolf fidgeted for a moment before giving a hesitant answer.

“My brother. Carl. He texted me yesterday and asked to have a zoom call this evening.”

Wednesday’s brow arched a bit as she glanced towards Enid who continued with her explanation.

“He is…uhm…like seven years older than me, give or take. Carl and Lloyd both got out of the house before Mom got really, really hard to deal with. Still, she had an effect on both of them too because neither really was in touch with the family after they escaped. A year or so ago he must have done something to really piss her off. She said we didn’t have a brother Carl anymore and never mentioned him after. We all kind of lost contract.”

“I didn’t know. Of course I’ll join you on the call. What do you suppose he did to anger your mother?”

Enid shrugged but tried to answer.

“Not sure. She would totally lose her mind if he was mentioned by any of us. I’m not sure if Dad even knows what happened.”

“When is the call?”

She checked the clock on the wall before replying.

“At five o’clock. It’s almost that now. My chat with Yoko and Divina ran long.”

Wednesday nodded and hugged her, offering what reassurance she could. She was curious now about what the mystery might be. It seemed clear to her that Carl had maybe found the nerve to reach out once Esther was out of the picture. No doubt he was in contact with Jim then to know that much.

That said though this offered them a promising opportunity. Enid was welcomed into the Addams family and that had done wonders for her self-esteem. Werewolves were passionate beings though, maintaining stronger connections with their birth family far longer than most types of outcasts or even normies. Her home life, thanks to Esther, had been horrible and had scarred her psyche very badly. If some semblance of normalcy could be established with any of her close kin it could go a long way to helping her to heal.

But the same token though, any further upset could have horrible effects on her mental state. Wednesday was torn now considering the upcoming call. Was it a chance worth taking? No doubt there would be more upset in her future either way. She couldn’t deny her wolf the chance but was terrified of what the outcome might be.

“Enid…I am concerned. I don’t want for you to be hurt again.”

“I know Willa…I know. While this could make things worse I want to trust Carl to have had some reason for all of this. On his side anyway. If I can just make things right with some of my family maybe that will help me going forward to making things easier with the rest. Does that make sense?”

“It does my Queen. You deserve all the happiness in the world. I’m here with you. But if he disappoints you my vengeance will be fierce and bloody.”

“I know,” she replied with a sad little smile. Just then her phone began to ring and they saw the invitation to face time with Carl LaCroix.

“LaCroix?” Enid said aloud. “What the hell?”

The odd name didn’t prevent her from accepting the call though. Wednesday cuddled in close beside her as the face of a man appeared on the screen.

“Eeine? Is that you? I have the right number don’t I?”

“Yeah Carl, it’s me,” she replied in a timid voice. “

He smiled, though a bit uncertainly.

“I got your new phone number from Uncle Jim. Sorry that I didn’t call sooner but…well, he said things have changed a lot and that maybe it would be a better time to reach out now.”

“Yeah, things got really bad with Mom, especially after I wolfed out…and came out.”

Enid was trembling as she spoke. Wednesday cuddled closer to her in support. Carl, who she noted looked a lot like Murray and the other Sinclair men took notice of the gesture and smiled.

“Then this charming young lady must be Wednesday? Your mate?”

Wednesday glared but Enid smiled a bit.

“Yes, she is. My very loving and protective mate.”

“I’m glad for you. Both of you to be honest. Uncle Jim told me a little while back, but I wanted to reach out to both of you. Congratulations.”

The wolf and her raven glanced at each other for a moment and then back to Carl. Both of their expressions relaxed just a bit, more so for Enid than for Wednesday to be honest but his words did take some of their anxiety away. He seemed sincere so they were giving him more of the benefit of the doubt for the moment.

“To be honest, I always thought you would turn out to be gay. Nothing wrong with that of course. I don’t know how Mom could be so dead set against such a thing after living in San Francisco for all those years.”

The blonde giggled a bit, wiping at a tear before continuing.

“I don’t understand a lot of things about her. Or Dad for that matter. They hurt us all so badly. How could they do that to us? And what happened to you? I haven’t heard from you since I was in sixth grade!”

“I know Eenie…and I’m sorry. When I got married she said such awful things to me and to Jasmine. I just couldn’t deal with it anymore. Told her what I thought of her, married anyway and took on my wife’s name. Even joined her pack here in Quebec.”

“I don’t remember Jasmine. Is that the girl you dated in Canada? Why did Mom hate her?”

“Because she is a native and not white,” he said simply. “Mom insisted I find a ‘nice proper girl’, by which she meant white and from a prestigious clan and pack. I wasn’t about to keep taking her shit after the way she talked about Jasmine. I guess she told you all that I was dead or out of the pack or whatever?”

Enid merely nodded.

“Well, it wasn’t the truth. I never wanted to be cut off from the rest of you. Just her. And if she could apologize and be civil to my wife I might even have forgiven her one day. But now things seem to have come to a head there? I heard from Uncle Jim how bad it got.”

“Yeah. It got really bad,” the blonde admitted. “Both the clan and the pack suspended her and have her in counseling now. Not that it will probably do any good. Both her and dad are in some sort of facility in Canada.”

“I know,” he replied in a sad tone. “It’s for the best. For you anyway. It will take them months at least to get that sorted. By that time you’ll be eighteen and she won’t have any leverage over you. But I may be able to shed some light on something you probably don’t know about.”

Again, Wednesday and Enid regarded each other curiously before turning their focus back on Carl.

“Shed light on what?” the raven questioned.

“I doubt you know this, but I think Mom had a hand in how Dad turned out the way he is now. I think she has been drugging him.”

“What?”

“I was still at home then and signed for a parcel that came one day. It was just addressed to Sinclair so I opened it. The damn thing was full of pills. I asked her and she got really uptight, saying it was medicine for Dad and saying not to mention it to anyone.

I kept my eyes open after that and noticed we would get a similar package every other month or so. After a while she started hiding them, maybe having them delivered to another address where we wouldn’t see them. By then I was out of Nevermore though and left home.

Anyway, I asked Dad which doctor was prescribing them, and he got kind of evasive. I found one of the pills in his study though and asked a pharmacist what it was. You want to guess what they said?”

Wednesday didn’t miss a beat in answering.

“Oxycodone. Or some similarly powerful opiod?”

“Exactly. We knew he had been having trouble with his hips on and off since before they married, and that it was getting worse with age. If it was from a legit source though I thought he would own up to it, or she would say as much when I asked. But no, she was very secretive, and he seemed embarrassed. I think she was helping him to self-medicate…and upping the dose if he stood up to her over how she treated all of us.”

Enid seemed to be in shock so Wednesday picked up their end of the conversation.

“You didn’t mention this to anyone else in the pack? Or to your uncle?”

“No,” he admitted. “I was still only eighteen and didn’t think anyone would believe me. That and I still didn’t want to admit to myself how awful that really was of her to do. Dad trusted her…he wouldn’t question it. And then if he even did the addiction would hold him in check. I can only imagine how much she had him on towards the end there. I did tell Uncle Jim a little bit ago and he was going to talk to their doctors. Haven’t heard back from him since though.”

“So, Mom was drugging him? And counting on us all to not compare notes since she had us all bullied and under her thumb at one point or another?”

Carl nodded.

“That is what I think, yes. Look, Eenie, I’m not proud of not coming out with it sooner. If I had thought anyone would believe me, or that I could compare notes with the rest of you without putting you in danger I would have. I’m sorry about that and hope you can forgive me. Now it’s all a mess and I feel responsible for more than a little of it.”

“No.” Wednesday interjected. “It’s not your fault. You would have done better to speak out sooner, but I understand. Your mother depended on shame and fear to keep all of the kids in line and on love and the addiction to keep your father in line. Quite the nice little set up she arranged, even if it was evil through and through.”

Enid cuddled in closer to her and was sobbing softly on Wednesday’s shoulder. She chanced giving her a gentle hug before continuing.

“Your sister will need some time to consider all of this, and I will have more questions. Can we talk again tomorrow perhaps?”

For a moment Carl is quiet, a contemplative expression on his face.

“Ok, sure. I get that. And if you two want I can introduce Jasmine then too. She is nursing the baby now or would have been here from the beginning.”

“Yes. We would like that. Same time then. We’ll speak tomorrow.”

She hung up Enid’s phone for her. The wolf was crying quietly to herself so the goth set the phone aside and sat closer to her, pulling her mate close so she could cry on her shoulder. This particular instance of tears didn’t last long though. After maybe five minutes Enid wiped her face and sat back to regard Wednesday.

“Do you believe him?”

“It is not me he needed to convince mi Reina. But yes, it does seem to make sense knowing what we do now. I wouldn’t put it past your mother. And I have never been able to help the feeling that your father hated what she put you all through, but something held him back from intervening openly on your behalf. His own feelings for Esther and the dependence of an addict would explain it all rather nicely.”

The blonde frowned and stood then, moving to look out the window. It was a cloudy December evening outside. Snow was threatening again but it wouldn’t arrive for another hour or so anyway. Enid was pensive and seemed to be concentrating on a point far in the distance.

“I don’t think anyone will ever forgive that. No matter how much therapy she might need or what she thought her justification was. To abuse her mate like that…no, people would think he was weak for allowing it to go that far…but no one would ever forgive her abusing his trust or our love like that.”

The brunette stood to join her, staring out the window at her side.

“I’ll be stronger tomorrow Willa. Now that I know some more of what’s going on. I don’t think anything could surprise me now about how she has acted. I want to talk to Carl more, meet his mate, see their baby. Thank you for getting me away from it all in the moment though. I really needed you there.”

“When you need me I always want to be there my love. You’re growing so strong now out from under her shadow. Someday this will just be a bad memory. We will forge so many new ones in the meantime to ease the hurt she has left you with.”

Enid stood a bit straighter and put an arm across the seer’s shoulders. Even with her growth spurt she was still only about four inches taller than Wednesday was. To the psychic’s mind though she stood tall and powerful. A veritable force of nature. The wolf that had stolen her heart.

“We’ll get through it. We’ll be stronger with every hurdle cleared. One day I’ll be able to think about my mother and not become a blubbering mess. In the meantime, I need to take a walk for a little while. Think alone about some things. Meet me downstairs for dinner later?”

“Of course. And if you need anything before then just call out for me. I’ll come running.”

Enid nodded, giving her a sad little smile and then turning to leave the room. Wednesday remained in place for several moments, reflecting on the fact that this was the second time today someone she loved had to walk away alone to think on the injustices of life. And this time she still didn’t know what she could do differently to make it better.

She gave Enid perhaps fifteen minutes of a head start before she too left the room. It was her turn to walk and think for a bit. She hoped it was the right thing to do by giving both Enid and Pugsley their space to come to terms with things. It didn’t make it easier to do but it felt proper given the circumstances. With a heavy sigh she set course towards the graveyard. This evening the dead and the calm they radiated seemed to be the best balm for her tired spirit.

Chapter Text

The rest of the evening had been somber but not totally unpleasant. Wednesday noted that both Enid and Pugsley seemed quiet but in an even mood for the rest of the evening, though neither really spoke much. Whatever their solo thoughts had involved they seemed to have dealt with them, at least on a surface level. Neither volunteered anything regarding what they were thinking but she tried to let them know in a subtle way she was there for them if they wanted to talk about it.

Later, alone in their room, Enid just wanted to fall asleep cuddling with one of their shows running on her laptop. For a long while the brunette studied her wolf’s sleeping features. She seemed calm and at peace but wasn’t smiling in her dreams. This bothered Wednesday more than she really wanted to think about. All of this family stress was stealing her Queen’s smile and she would do anything to bring it back.

Only in this case there was little she could do. Someone would pay for that. While not sure who or how but someone would need to suffer. Even if it was only herself as she fought to bring the light back into her lovers’ life. It took longer than normal for her to slip into the comfort of sleep herself but when she did it was dark, deep and dreamless, lacking in any comfort beyond the simple physical need.

Morning came as it must, and she found herself waking later than she might normally. Enid too was beginning to stir and Wednesday pulled her close, wrapping her arms protectively around the blonde. As Enid’s eyes fluttered open she greeted her with a kiss to her temple and waited for her to fully awaken. The wolf greeted her with a sleepy little smile and relaxed in her arms.

“Is a nice way to wake up,” she mumbled, nuzzling the goth’s neck as she gradually came to full consciousness. “You’re like my morning angel.”

“No one thinks I’m an angel but you mi Reina. For you though I’ll try to be.”

Enid hugged her tightly, maybe a bit too tightly but Wednesday wasn’t about to complain. The blonde was almost fully awake now and regarding her thoughtfully.

“You’re close enough for me,” she said, reaching out to cup the shorter girl’s cheek tenderly. “And that is what really matters. Thanks for being there with me and then giving me my space. I feel better today. I think I’ll be able to face whatever else Carl has to say without being a basket case about it.”

The goth nodded but still held on tight.

“I understand cara mia. But I will remain close by your side. I am very sorry that all of this is befalling your family. If I can do anything to help in all of this please tell me.”

“You don’t understand Willa. You already have,” she said with a wistful expression. “Just love me. That is all I need. The rest just builds on that.”

Wednesday felt an odd feeling at her words. A warmth she was unfamiliar with but growing to crave more and more every day. It was true what they said. Love for another did really make you a better person. Her loving Enid, and being loved in return, were the best things to have ever happened in her life. It was both the Addams curse and a very odd bit of human nature. She was very fortunate to have found such joy so early in life.

True, both werewolves and psychics tended to find their mates early in life. And an Addams psychic, much like a werewolf, generally mated for life. Some part of her suddenly hoped that Murray Sinclair could still find some happiness after everything Esther had put him through but that wasn’t nearly as important as the wolf in her arms. Truly, her own life would effectively be over should she ever lose Enid.

“Be that as it may mi Reina, but I want to do more. You may have noticed that my family is fond of grand gestures. Especially when it comes to the loves of our life.”

“Judging by the size of the ring your parent’s put on Larissa’s finger I don’t doubt that for a second,” the wolf replied with an amused smile. “But I’m a simple girl and don’t need fancy rings or big cars. Couldn’t really wear the ring anyway because…well, you know, werewolf reasons. Changing to a giant wolf kind of limits what I can wear without destroying it by accident. All I really need is you.”

She knew the blonde was being truthful. The beautiful and loving girl in her arms had very modest wants out of life. Wednesday would of course give her those as best she could, and so much more. Wednesday had never thought much one way or the other about being wealthy, but she was incredibly grateful for it now. Enid might not want much, but she deserved everything. Her own personal wealth would go a long way towards that end.

“That might be all you need, but I will give you more. And you will let me…because it is how I show affection. Well… one of the ways.”

Enid giggled but didn’t deny it.

“Ok…maybe some spoiling can be allowed. But please, don’t go buy me an island or anything like that. I will appreciate anything you want to buy for me, but it isn’t really necessary. Just…be there for me. Love me. No one has ever really done that till I came to Nevermore. And what Yoko and Ajax did for me was great and all…but none of it holds a candlelight to what you do.”

Wednesday blushed a little bit and settled in beside Enid. After a moment or two of silence she finally spoke.

“I must confess, I did order us rings. From the same man who designed Larissa’s. We are too young to marry by most people’s standards. Or to be properly engaged, but I wanted to give you something. So, I designed a couple of promise rings to show our intentions. I had completely forgotten that you shouldn’t be wearing any rings or necklaces when you change…”

“I…can still wear it…sometimes,” Enid said after a moment. “Thank you for doing that though. I do want to wear your ring. And by werewolf standards anyway we are already married. Maybe grandmama can come up with a spell of some sort so it would shift with me? Or maybe bring it back to me if it falls off during my shifts?”

“I’m sure she can,” Wednesday replied with a thoughtful expression. “She has been asked to do stranger things. In fact, she seems to like the challenge of being asked to do something out of the ordinary.”

Enid grinned happily as Wednesday continued.

“So, I will hold off on the island. But only because you asked so nicely.”

“Good. So, what do you have planned for today? Carl is going to call around five again. He texted later last night to make sure I was alright. Things should be a little easier today and without any surprises.”

“I have no plans currently,” Wednesday replied after a moment. “And I hope you’re right. It would be nice to have an uneventful day.”

“Yeah, uneventful…or at least uneventful by your standards, would be nice. It was supposed to snow some more. Maybe go for a walk outside for a while and then just laze around the house till it’s time for our call. At least we have the luxury. Poor Parker just got loaded up with study guides.”

Wednesday nodded along with her words. Yes, she and Enid still had some down time, but Parker needed to get extra classwork in before going to Nevermore after the summer. She would be coming in as a junior and still lacked some skills she would need not to fail out. With that in mind Larissa had worked with both Morticia and Ms. Claire to put together some lesson plans to bring her up to speed.

“Parker is showing a lot of discipline to concentrate on studies now with her ceremony so close at hand. Perhaps the lessons are a blessing in disguise so she won’t get as nervous for the New Year’s festivities. She has of course been to many Addams family gatherings but never as the main event.”

Enid frowned a bit and regarded her mate with a curious expression.

“I didn’t think she was far behind in anything. We get a lot of outcasts that came from mostly normie homes in Nevermore. They seem to do fine.”

“Granted, but they came in as freshman, just as Pugsley will. Parker has all the credits that a kid her age would get in normie high school, but it doesn’t always transfer well. Larissa is being very cautious and wants to make sure she has the best chance of succeeding. She probably only needs a little review and to brush up on a few things. Best to plan for needing a lot of help, just in case.”

“Is she a good student? I never thought to ask before. Do you suppose we could help her any?”

“She can be,” the brunette replied with a bemused smile. “But she does tend to slack off some if she can get away with it. For example, she has only picked up one new language when she came to stay with us. Normally an Addams would strive to pick up at least two or three new ones before graduating high school.

As for helping though I do plan to tutor her some over the coming summer break. There might be some subjects you can help her with as well. For the time being they are mostly testing her to determine where she stands subject wise. They gave her some study guides for those tests and will move forward from there depending on her results.”

“Ok. So, we will wait and see what her tests look like I guess. She seems smart and after living here for a few years should know more than most kids about general outcast lore.”

The psychic nods in agreement. Parker should do well once she studied up enough to be ready. And there was little doubt that she would thrive at Nevermore. Her cousin was outgoing and extremely social, just like Enid now that she thought about it. She just needed to put in a little extra work to be ready for it.

“We won’t let her fail,” the goth said with no room for doubt in her voice. “Whatever help she might need we will provide. For now, let’s concentrate on today. Shall we get ready, have some breakfast and take that walk? A little exercise would be good for us.”

Enid agreed readily and, after a few shared kisses and sweet cuddles, got up to go take her shower. With a few minutes to kill before taking her turn in the bathroom Wednesday decided to check the Nightshades conference room. As she expected there were many replies from the others to what she had posted the day before. To her relief everyone was taking this seriously and several of them had posted questions and comments that were helpful.

The most notable of them all was what Eugene had posted. Since he lived in Jericho year-round he had been establishing contact with some of the outcast guardians who were converging on the town and its nearby environments. Part of the Nightshades official duties was going to be acting as runners to facilitate information exchange and reports between the school and all the folks being put in place to help defend it.
With the groundwork that Eugene had been laying down it would be a simple matter to introduce the rest of the group to them once everyone was back at school. That would then make it all the less suspicious when kids from the school would ‘just happen’ to run into those folks in town. All the better to allay any suspicions from the hunters that they were on to them.

Once Enid was out of the shower she pointed out the new posts and then took her own turn. Everyone took this seriously and worked well together. It gave the brunette some bit of relief to know that things were coming together and according to plan. She could stop worrying about that for today and concentrate on her wolf instead.

Once Wednesday was showered and dressed they made their way downstairs and to breakfast. Everyone was there, except for Gomez, who was still in Miami. The conversation was a bit more subdued than normal with most everyone being lost in their own thoughts. Once everything was cleaned and put away they all started drifting off to tend to their own agendas.

The girls took their walk and were outside for a couple of hours before the cold compelled them to return to the house. It had snowed a few more inches, and it was a little more than a foot deep on the grounds. Everything looked new and wondrous covered in snow. Especially the cemetery to which they gravitated towards for a while. Even the ghosts seemed sleepy today. It seemed to Wednesday that everyone seemed inclined to relax today.

She wasn’t about to question it. The goth knew they all needed it. If nothing else to recharge their batteries before the extended family descended on them to celebrate the new year. That was usually quite enjoyable, but Wednesday could only take it in short bits at a time. She would often retreat to her own room for short breaks. Everyone understood though. That was a big part of what family was to her; the people who understood you even if you had weird social phobias and idiosyncrasies.

With all that in mind, the day passed at a calm and rather lazy pace. They joined the rest of the family lunch when the time came but otherwise remained off to themselves. They read for a while and then talked about nothing in particular. All of it was just an excuse to relax in each other’s company and they both seemed to enjoy it.

As the time passed though Enid noted as the five o’clock hour approached. She wasn’t nervous per se but seemed very focused on the time. Wednesday couldn’t quite fathom her mood or what she was thinking, which made her a bit nervous on Enid’s behalf. It was with some relief then when the phone finally rang and was answered.

“Hello ladies. Just me again,” Carl said by way of greeting. “Calling back as agreed. I hope your both well today.”

He too sounded a bit on edge. If Wednesday had to guess she would suppose he was worried that he had upset Enid too much. The consideration he was showing to his sister raised him several rungs in the goth’s respect.

“Thanks for calling back,” Enid replied. “Sorry but it was a lot to take in yesterday. I just needed some time.”

“No need to apologize sis. It was a lot to lay on you. I just thought you needed to know before Uncle Jim comes to the party on New Year’s Eve. No doubt he will update you about things then and I didn’t want it to come as too much of a surprise.”

“I understand. It’s alright. Better that I know now and not get surprised with it when surrounded by a horde of people.”

After a few moments of reassuring each other the siblings got around to small talk. Wednesday was quite content to remain a silent observer for a time as they caught up on old times. It was very therapeutic for Enid to reacquaint herself with her brother she reasoned. As they continued both of them thought to try to include her more, which was alright as well. They were both very considerate, something she hadn’t seen before from most of the clan. She rather liked this brother and would certainly support her mate in staying close with him.

“I do believe that I hear Jasmine coming down the stairs now with the baby. You two ready to meet them?”

Enid squealed in the affirmative and Wednesday couldn’t help but smile a bit. There was the smile she had been missing for the last couple of days. When she was excited and happy her Queen had a smile that could light up the night skies better than any moon or stars did. She could just sit and lap up her mate’s excess joy forever.

When Jasmine sat down in front of the camera Enid had squealed again to see the baby and her new sister-in-law. To be fair, Jasmine was a very attractive woman and her native features hi-lighted her beauty with an exotic flair. The real star of the show though was the baby. If his mother was exotically attractive he was gorgeous with a pleasing blend of both parents’ best features.

“Ladies allow me to introduce my lovely wife, Jasmine LaCroix and our baby James Sinclair LaCroix. As of today, he is exactly one week old.”

“Only a week?” Wednesday replied, the shock apparent in her tone. “He looks more like three or four months instead of only a week.”

“He was a big baby at birth,” Jasmine said, “Weighed in at 10 pounds and nine ounces.”

Her expression seemed to indicate that it had been a difficult delivery.

“Oh yeah,” Enid interjected. “We’ve always had big babies in our family. I was almost that big when I was born.”

This prompted Wednesday to regard her with a wary eye for a moment.

“That settles it. You’re definitely going to be the one to carry our babies.”

And everyone laughed. That confused the brunette for a moment. It took her a moment to realize that they were all laughing with her and not at her. The realization brought a slight smile to her face. She really did mean the statement about Enid carrying their children. Wednesday was still terrified of the notion of being pregnant or having to give birth. On the other hand though it felt good to give the others a smile. It felt like she had succeeded in being social…and it felt good.

The conversation went on for a while and Wednesday found herself enjoying it more than she had expected to. Both Carl and Jasmine seemed to be kind, decent people. And the baby held her attention more than had been expected as well. Enid was beside herself with happiness and that of course was the best reward of all.

After a little more than an hour they had agreed to meet up sometime in the coming semester. Carl and his wife had plans to drive down to New York city for a vacation. It would be easy enough for them to stop in Jericho overnight so she and Enid could meet the baby in person. Much to her surprise she found herself looking forward to it.

A short while later, after Morticia had called them down for dinner, they had to end the call. With plans to call again after they got back to school they finally hung up and left their shared room. Enid wore a contented smile and that brought a rather unusual feeling of joy to Wednesday.

“I noticed you staring at the baby a lot,” the blonde observed. “Do babies make you feel all warm, tingly and maternal like they do for me?”

“They never have before,” she admitted. “But I can’t deny that I felt something. He is a lovely child.”

“Just like ours will be,” Enid added. “Wait and see. We will make beautiful babies together.”

With that they had entered the dining room and joined the rest of the family. Again, everyone was in attendance other than Gomez, who was due back tomorrow. This meal was livelier than lunch had been, and everyone seemed to notice how carefree and involved Wednesday seemed to be. It was nice. For everyone it seemed. And it was the nice finale for a good day the goth thought. Enid was bringing her out of her shell more and more all the time and she was helpless, as well as unwilling, to resist it.

Chapter Text

“So, we agree in principle?” Gomez asked, regarding the lady seated behind the desk. Lydia Alexiou was not only a prominent lawyer amongst outcasts but also a member of the Nevermore board of directors. She and Gomez worked together on various legal and philanthropic projects to help the larger outcast community.

“We do,” she agreed, adjusting her hat to keep her snakes from poking out. “There have been times in the past where a teacher or principal at Nevermore would have a relative enrolled as a student. Likewise, there have been a couple of times when a principal at the school was in a romantic relationship with one of the directors. Neither is against the charter so long as some basic precautions are in place to prevent a conflict of interest.”

“That was how I read it,” Gomez replied, feeling a sense of relief. “Larissa is worried though and wants to make sure we have everything set up correctly. I doubt if any of the other directors or the department of education would complain, but with everything being how it is we can’t take chances.”

“The hunters,” Lydia said in a thoughtful tone. “Yes, they do complicate things some. And, not to be offensive, but the Addams’ family reputation may make folks nervous. When your family becomes overtly involved in things people can worry…become suspicious. We have to head that off in advance.”

Gomez frowns, conceding the point about the family reputation.

“Be that as it may, the people most likely to complain about my involvement in this matter are primarily the ones who let the problems at Nevermore go unaddressed. If they had done their jobs properly and funded the school appropriately they wouldn’t have been in such a vulnerable position when Crackstone attacked.”

“Agreed. But most of those have been dealt with. The removed directors won’t be in any position to argue the point. The new board members are on board with our war plans regarding the hunters and most of the parents and alumni will just be thrilled that the school is reopening with better security. I see no problems in that regard.”

Gomez sighed a bit and tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair. The agreement in principle was all well and good. There were still some details to work out.

“Well then, shall we call New Jersey so that we can include Larissa in the final details? I would not presume to speak for her regarding the fine points.”

Lydia nodded in agreement, so he took out the crystal ball he had in the case at his side. Setting it up on the desk he initiated the call. Moments later an image formed of Morticia and Larissa in the office they had set up for her to work on school matters.

“My loves, we have compared notes and have both reached the conclusion that we can legally continue as planned. As expected though some concessions are needed for appearances sake and to forestall any possible charges of conflicting interests.”

Morticia smiled and made a little wave towards Lydia. Larissa sat still and regarded them both through the ball. Before she could say anything she was interrupted by Lydia’s greeting.

“It’s good to see you Larissa. Congratulations are in order.”

The gorgon wore a bright smile. She and Larissa Weems had worked together for a long time and had been friends for even longer. In fact, she was in the same graduating class as the rest of them. All four of them had known each other for years and were on friendly terms.

“Thank you Lydia,” she replied, blushing furiously. “It was all very unexpected but…is welcome none the less. I’m going to be very happy here but can’t in good conscience step away from my role at the school with hunters darkening our door.”

“No, you most certainly cannot. And, if I might be so bold, I can’t think of anyone who I would trust more at the helm of the school while all of this plays out. Gomez and I talked it all through to prevent any legal complaint or conflict of interest. With a few changes and precautions, we can cover all of our bases here.”

Larissa and Morticia looked at each other for a moment and then both focused on Lydia again. Gomez merely smiled in support, letting the other lawyer take the lead. He was rather confident that all the terms would be agreeable.

“Alright then,” the shapeshifter said, seeming to steel herself for what ever was going to be required of her. “What do we need to do?”

“Not a lot really. The first thing, and probably the most important, is that you will need another staff member to step up as vice principle. I’m a bit surprised you didn’t already have one. But a vice principle who would oversee discipline primarily would eliminate the possibility that you might be letting students you would be related to off easy.”

“We didn’t have one because the previous board wouldn’t approve the salary to either hire from outside or promote someone already on staff. They were starving us for funding, so I had to take on both roles myself.”

Her words carried just a hint of venom that her friends understood easily enough. As far as they were concerned there was a special place in hell for people who pinched pennies and put children’s lives at risk. In fact, some of them were already on their way there. Not that it was important to the matter at hand.

“Well, that isn’t an issue anymore,” Gomez exclaimed. “There is plenty of funding now, and if more is needed we will make it happen. Do you have someone in mind?”

Larissa’s expression was thoughtful for a moment.

“Yes, I do. Professor Kane has all the qualifications for the job and is already one of the few on staff who know the full score regarding the hunters. He will be good at the job, will be understanding where we need to be in case any mistakes are made to implicate the Nightshades and already has the respect of the student body.”

Lydia made some notes, nodding her head in agreement.

“That seems to be the perfect solution. Speaking of the staff, how many are actually aware of what is going on?”

“Professor Kane, his wife the doctor, Coach Vlad and Ophelia Frump. Gomez thought it important to keep most of them in the dark to prevent any accidental slips. We can’t afford the hunters getting wind of the fact that we are on to them. All most of them know is that we think Laurel Gates got away and is plotting revenge.”

“I doubt any of the staff would deliberately try to stymie our efforts but that many people knowing everything would almost guarantee that information would leak to spies for the other side. I’ve already seen reports that there are agents in Jericho keeping watch on the school.”

They all glanced towards Gomez as he imparted this information. Just another reminder of how close they had to play all this to the vest. And yet another reminder of the role the Nightshades play in being runners to the various groups moving in to offer support when the school was attacked.

“What else will I need to do?” Larissa asked.

“The rest of it is more what Gomez needs to do,” Lydia continued. “To diffuse any thought that the Addams family is trying to take over the school he will need to step aside as the chairman of the new board. We need someone who isn’t a relative, by blood or marriage, to the family. I would have suggested that Jim Sinclair be nominated but with his niece and Wednesday being involved that option is out.”

They were all quiet for a moment, pondering who would be the best fit.

“Mr. Tanaka would be excellent in the role and has a vested interest in the school due to his daughter. No one could accuse him of being under the Addams’ family sway.”

They all glanced towards Morticia as she said this. Gomez frowned but didn’t say anything right away. Finally, when no one else spoke up he shared what was on his mind.

“Normally that would be a fine idea. However, there is the matter of your vision my darling. Somehow, sometime soon, he will go missing. You saw he would be found safely but we won’t know how long will pass between when he goes missing and when he will return.”

Another moment of silence passed as they all pondered the point. Finally, Larissa spoke up again.

“How about you Lydia? You are well liked amongst the board members, and we can work well together. Gomez would only be stepping down from the head spot, not off the board itself. He can still rally all the rest of the board around your candidacy.”

Lydia sighed a bit and looked away for a moment.

“That would be a lot more work for me, but I could do it. If I do so though we will need someone else to take over as general counsel for the schools’ legal issues. We had agreed before that the directorate needed to be doing more than just funding things. We need to work together to keep the students safe and for the school to thrive.”

She was quiet for a moment as the rest of them looked at each other. Finally, after a long moment the gorgon continued.

“Gomez, you are still licensed in Vermont aren’t you? If you could take over the legal position and remain in charge of our unified reaction to the hunters that would free me up to manage the board of directors. I know your businesses require a lot of management, but could you make the time here? For a couple of years anyway? Once this band of hunters is dealt with we should be able to assume a more leisurely way of dealing with things.”

He is reminded again of his recent conversations with Wednesday and the rest of the family. This was important and needed to be done but he was still hesitant to cede too much control over the families’ fortune to inexperienced hands. He glances through the ball towards his two lovers. They look back at him, leaving the decision in his hands.

Another sigh then. Wednesday had been right in what she said before. He needed to delegate more and that was another worry he needed to add to the others.

“I will do it, if you think it best,” he said finally. “I’ve a large family and will delegate out some of my other responsibilities. I suppose it is time the kids and some of the extended family got their hands dirty helping in the business.”

The rest of the conversation was relatively uneventful. The other steps to forestall any claims of favoritism or conflicts of interest were simple things. Mostly matters of bureaucracy and paperwork. All of those items were agreed to and implemented immediately.

Gomez found his attention drawn back to Larissa and Morticia. He could see the concern in their eyes, but both knew he would be determined in this course of action. All in all, it might be for the best. If he was truly lost to the hunters before this was finished then it was best for his children at least to get hands-on learning about what made the family tick and what kept food on the table.

Soon, he closed the call out with the two loves of his life. All that remained was some paperwork to transfer to him the responsibility of general counsel for Nevermore. That concluded he would return home to a different set of worries. His family could handle this he thought. And he would help them to be ready should the worst come to pass. He just wasn’t looking forward to it.

He wanted to shield them all from all of this. No one could do that though. They were committed now, and in the cross hairs just as surely as he was. Still though, he would protect and shelter them as best he could. That was both his duty to bear and a profound honor…and Gomez had never been one to let anything sway him from what needed to be done.

Chapter Text

The morning had been productive. Indeed, she had been getting a good deal of writing done recently. In fact, she should have Vipers first novel retooled and ready to send back to the publishers before the new semester they were about to enter was finished. To be honest, Wednesday was quite pleased with her progress.

Once she had felt that her first effort had been flawless. Now, with 20 20 hindsight she could understand where she had fallen short. Enid, and recent experiences, had given her greater emotional depth. Where she had been deliberately suppressing her emotions previously she now embraced them a little more readily. It gave her characters a lot more depth and made them that much more believable.

That simple special ingredient was making her first book more well-rounded. Technical proficiency would now be paired with deeper characters and she felt the finished product would be a far better work. And if the progression held and her own emotions were more fully developed and better regulated as time went on? Well, then her following efforts would only be that much better.

For now, it was time for a break. Enid had left the room over two hours ago with the announcement that she intended to run off some energy outside. The brunette thought back on it fondly. Her Queen had looked so excited and told her she would be out on the grounds or in the woods for a few hours, suggesting it would be good writing time for her. As it turned out she had been quite right.

Standing and stretching after sitting for so long felt glorious. Wednesday even allowed herself a bit of a smile. It felt good to move around for a bit but just as she was pondering what to do next her phone began to ring on the desk. She frowned at it for a moment, not expecting a call. Her frown returned at the intrusion…till she saw the caller id. She was willing to accept a call from Eugene.

“Hello Eugene,” she said in her normal dead pan delivery.

“Hi Wednesday,” the boy replied. “I hope this isn’t a bad time.”

“Only if you have bad news.”

She heard him laugh on the other end and was willing to smile a bit. She was quite fond of her fellow hummer. He was a true friend and even in a world where she was finding that she had more and more friends all the time he would always hold a special place.

“No, no bad news from me. But I do have some updates for you if you have some time. I’ve posted some information to the chat board you might want to look at later but something personal came up that I thought you should hear directly from me.”

Now that was curious she thought. What could Eugene have been up to that would turn into the need for a private talk? Had someone hurt him? Was he in some sort of trouble? She wouldn’t allow anyone to harm her adopted younger brother.

“Has someone wronged you Eugene? Do I need to end someone?”

He was silent for a moment, apparently not sure how she made that transition.

“Uhmm…no, not like you mean. It’s just that someone asked me for your contact information and I wanted to discuss that with you first before I told them anything. Plus, while I have you on the phone I wanted to let you know about some of our contacts and tell you about the Sherriff.”

Wednesday sighed a bit at such an information dump. Eugene’s voice was going a mile a minute as he imparted that information, and she had the feeling the explanation was going to take a while.

“Well then, perhaps we should start with who wanted to get in touch with me. But a close second is how you have more information on our contacts. I assume you mean the ones the Nightshades are supposed to be acting as runners for. Please don’t tell me you haven’t been going on your own to get in touch with them. This isn’t a game Eugene. It can be a dangerous undertaking. None of us should be going alone.”

He was quiet for a moment and she realized then that he had indeed being going out on his own. While she knew he was a resident of Jericho and his being in town and his being out and about wouldn’t raise any suspicion it was always good to have back up. She was going to need to emphasis that simple fact going forward.

“I…yeah, I did go out and talk to some of them. But I live here…that shouldn’t make anyone suspicious. And you said we probably weren’t being watched too closely yet.”

“I also said this was dangerous. You’re probably right and the danger is low now but that won’t be true for very much longer. Promise me that you won’t be doing that anymore Eugene. I don’t want to have to visit you in the hospital again. Or in to have to identify your body in the morgue.”

“Alright,” he said in a quiet tone, sounding rather subdued. “I promise. It just seemed like a good idea since I’m already here. That and…it seemed like the way you would have done it.”

Damn. Now that hurt a bit. She couldn’t help but agree that yes, she likely would have done the same thing. But she was of course being revealed to have been a bad role model.

“I understand Eugene, and your right. I would have done something like that. But remember, I’m not the best role model in the world. I’m trying to be better so I don’t put the rest of you in unnecessary danger anymore. We will all be back at school within two weeks. Unless it’s an emergency please don’t go see them anymore till one of the rest of us can go with you.”

It seemed her admission had the desired effect. When Eugene replied he didn’t have the same defeated sound in his voice. Who could have guessed that a little mature, emotional honesty could have as good an effect as a well-designed fabrication? Either way though, he now seemed to better realize the gravity of the situation.

“Ok Wednesday, I get it. That will all take some getting used to. We can all discuss that then when we get back on campus. I’m not scheduled to see any of them till after school starts anyway, but I did meet with both werewolf packs, some vampires and a coven of witches that are now in or around Jericho. I gave them the number to the security phone you gave me in case they see something important. Not to worry though. I cautioned them not to say anything secret on the line. Just to message me so we could set up a meeting.”

That sounded rather thorough and well thought out she had to admit. Maybe Eugene was more of a natural at this than she had at first thought.

“That all sounds good,” she said in a thoughtful tone, trying to hide any obvious signs of approval in her voice. “Did you come up with a convincing cover story in case anyone asks about why you would know these people to allay suspicion.”

“Yup. Sure did. The most important one, thus far anyway, is a pack of werewolves who have set up in a lumber yard just outside of town. One of my moms has an interest in home improvement projects so the story is that I’ve been learning alongside her and ordering the lumber we needed for her work. And to be honest, I’ve struck up a friendship with a couple of them. Anyway, they are from a group called Fenris and said Jim Sinclair gave them this assignment and fronted them the money to buy the shop.”

It seems that Eugene did have some gifts at this sort of work. She would have to praise him for it later. After she let the previous admonishment to be more careful settle into his mind for a while. And Enid’s uncle was as good as his word it would seem. He was moving some heavy hitters in to help protect both Jericho and Nevermore. Then a bit of inspiration hit her.

“Would it be one of those werewolves who asked you how to contact me?”

“Sure was. A guy named Lloyd. Early twenties maybe. Looked a lot like Enid’s brothers so I’m guessing that he is a relative of some sort to her. He asked if I knew the two of you and seemed a bit, I don’t know, nervous about asking me about the two of you. Then he asked if I could put him in touch with you. Said he was worried because he had met a Fester Addams some time ago and wanted to get to know you.”

She sighed deeply as the puzzle pieces clicked into place. Enid’s older brother Lloyd had apparently followed his uncle and father’s example and joined Fenris. Maybe that was why he stayed away from the family, or maybe just from Esther. Or maybe she was angry about his career choice just as she had disapproved of Carl’s marriage.

If he had met Fester sometime in the past maybe he was worried that all the family was just like him? She had to admit that was a reasonable concern. As much as she adored Fester he was a…what was the word? An acquired taste perhaps. He seemed to have an extra dose of whatever it was in their family that made others uncomfortable.

“Alright, I probably do need to talk to him,” she admitted warily. “But please, don’t share that with anyone. It might be bad family news that I would rather hear first rather than subject Enid too. I would like to hear him out first just in case. She doesn’t need any more upset right now.”

“Is she alright? Can I do anything to help?”

“She is doing better. Not as nervous, more self-assured and I believe she is happier without so much Esther in her life. Don’t worry. After I have had a chance to talk to Lloyd I’ll tell her whatever happens. I just…want a chance to prepare her in case it is bad news.”

“That makes sense. And with that in mind I’ll give him your number and ask him to text you instead of call so the two of you can set up a time for your conversation so you can take the call at a time when she would be busy.”

Again, that was a very good, and quite devious, little detail to pick up on. Eugene did good instincts. Even if he was a bit too trusting and not taking enough precautions.

“That is very clever of you Eugene. Thank you.”

“You’re quite welcome,” he said, voice sounding a bit more confident now. “That just leaves the bit about the sheriff and then I can tie this up and let you get on with your day.”

“Oh, yes, I had almost forgotten. Have you spoken to him lately? Or is it still acting sheriff Santiago?”

“Eh, a bit of both at the moment. I ran into him on the street doing some shopping downtown. He asked me to let you know he would be going back to work officially at the first of the year. And he wanted me to thank you on his behalf, He didn’t say what for. Just that you would know.”

That was good news. Wednesday realized she was smiling as she heard the news. She would need to add Galpin to the list of people she was growing more accepting of. He wasn’t a bad man. He had just been…inconvenient. Looking back on it now she realized he had done more to help her than had been obvious in the moment.

“Did he look well? Last time I saw him he didn’t seem to be his old self.”

“He looked fine,” Eugene replied. Just like always but I never talked to him a lot. “But he seemed well enough. Now that you remind me he did also mention that he had been hunting and asked if either you or Enid liked squirrel meat. Something about having a good trip and having some frozen meat to share.”

Despite herself she chuckles a bit. That seemed to surprise Eugene a bit. She wondered then if he had ever seen her smile or laugh. Probably not, she had to admit. Well, he probably would soon enough.

“I don’t know if she likes squirrel or not, but I do know my grandmama has an excellent gravy recipe to go with the meat. Also, one for squirrel stew. Thank you for the news. I’ll probably call him in a day or so.”

With the business part of their conversation out of the way they just chatted for a little longer. Eugene mentioned that he was still practicing his baking and expanding out to other forms of cooking. Judging by his cookies they had earlier he was quite good at it for an amateur. She promised to forward some of Grandmama’s recipes, at least the tamer ones, for him to try. It was just…nice. And despite all the intrigue from earlier it was quite an enjoyable conversation all around.

Once they had said their goodbyes Wednesday realized a little more than half an hour had passed. When was the last time she had spoken with anyone other than Enid for so long? Especially over the telephone! Enid and her family had dragged her, kicking and screaming at some points, to becoming a more social person. Just when it had happened she could say for sure but in reflective moments like this she could admit to herself that she was happy for the change.

She did take a few moments to reorient herself and decompress. As much as she was starting to enjoy interacting with some people it still took a toll on her. This time it wasn’t so bad. She enjoyed talking to Eugene. Still though, she felt the need to recharge her batteries, so she read for perhaps another half hour before trying to leave the room again. She never knew when someone, most likely in her family, would get on her nerves and test her patience again. Or if she saw someone and put her own foot in her mouth. Both of those were always a possibility now that she was opening up more.

Making her way down to the second floor and into the main part of the house she heard laughter and her mother’s voice coming from the office they had set up for Larissa. Where her father had an office a few doors down for business this one was for her to work on school-related projects. Curious, she changed her course to see what they were up to.

Peering through the open door she saw both Larissa and her mother, or was it simply her two mothers’ now? That she supposed was still to be determined. Anyway, they were both looking out the window and on to the grounds below, chuckling to themselves and chatting quietly.

“Are you two conspiring again?” she asked, just a hint of gentle teasing in her voice.

“No,” Morticia said with a smile. “We are watching your wolf at play. Come dear, look for yourself.”

Now curious she crossed the room to join them. It was sunny out today and the weather had warmed up a bit and was near to nearly the freezing point. Outside Enid in wolf form was happily romping and wrestling with kitty kat. They would wrestle and play growl for a few moments at a time and then break apart to happily chase one another at high speed. Despite her normally stoic presentation she found herself smiling quite openly.

“She has the zoomies.”

Both Morticia and Larissa looked at her and grinned. Morticia was the one to reply.

“Why yes, I think your right.”

Wednesday caught herself but then shrugged. True, such statements were unlike her, and perhaps demeaning to both her and Enid…but when she was with family, well, maybe then she could let it be. Perhaps she could just let herself feel and speak freely without having to censor herself quite so much. And with that in mind she didn’t feel the need to say something snarky and put her emotional walls back up so quickly.

“This morning she said she was feeling overly energetic and was going to romp outside for a while. She wanted to give me some more writing time to try and finish updating my first novel. I didn’t realize till just now how much energy she really had.”

Glancing up she saw a bemused expression on the faces of the older two women, but it didn’t upset her as it might normally. No, she was becoming far more tolerant of such things. Especially given how much fun Enid seemed to be having. That fact alone soothed a lot of her inner insecurities. For a moment she was lost in the wonder of what she was witnessing till she heard Larissa speak.

“Well, I must say it is a joy to see her so happy. When she first came to Nevermore she was such a frightened, uncertain little thing. It was clear then that she was having trouble at home. Back then the board wouldn’t back me if I had tried to call her parents to account for it. Hell, we didn’t even have a school counselor, much less an accredited doctor to press a claim of child abuse. Thank heavens that has changed.”

She glances at Larissa and wonders briefly how infuriating that must have been. To feel responsible for all those kids and then kept from acting on their behalf. Wednesday knew the effort her new, soon to be stepmother had put in to helping her. And even that had to be subtle and behind the scenes. The Nevermore board had failed them all. But her father had saved the day. For most everyone it would seem.

“Father has helped that to come to pass. I’m glad you have more freedom now to do the right thing.”

“Gomez has given us all the help in the world. Before he and Morticia saved me we had to roll pennies to be able to hire Dr. Kane. She was willing to accept a ridiculously low salary, which was all I could offer at the time, since her husband already worked there. And if I am entirely honest, I think Professor Kane understood how much we needed his wife’s help.

He knew about Enid’s issues and tried to support her as best he could. I wouldn’t put it past them to have conspired to have her on staff so we could have her professional testimony to force some action. Their contacts in the werewolf community helped a lot as well. At least for Enid.”

Wednesday nods. She had wondered how all of that came about. She hadn’t suspected how many people were pulling for Enid besides Yoko and the Nightshades. It was good to know though.

“I hope you were able to give her a better salary afterwards.”

“Oh yes Wednesday, she is well compensated now. In fact, at Gomez’s insistence, we have given several raises to deserving staff members. The improvement in morale has been quite notable. Except for your aunt Ophelia oddly enough. She insists on teaching for free. I’ve tried to get her to accept the money, but she just refuses.”

“My sister has always loved to teach, and she came out very well in our inheritance. If pressed she probably would have paid you for the opportunity. Ophelia has always had simple tastes and needs anyway. She is quite content…and probably doesn’t want to deal with the American tax system if you were to pay her.”

Now that was interesting. Wednesday had always noticed that her aunt lived a very simple life. She had a nice house in Europe of course, surrounded by forests and her beloved gardens. It had never occurred to her before to wonder after her finances. If she ever needed money no doubt the family would help so it hadn’t seemed to be a matter for concern.

As she pondered this she noticed when Larissa stepped away from the window and began to rummage in her desk. Moments later she held out an envelope to Wednesday. The older woman’s expression indicated that this would be a pleasant surprise.

“I have learned that Gomez has purchased a car for you and Enid to use while in Vermont. Over the last few weeks we have paved a plot and set it aside as parking for students who can drive and the means to do so. I took the liberty of giving all the Nightshades assigned spots near to each other.”

She accepted the envelope offered with a surprised expression. If memory served there were plenty of areas on Nevermore’s sprawling campus that would have served such a purpose. No doubt this was never done before due to the administrations limited financial resources.

“Thank you. Enid will be thrilled, and it would make things more convenient. I didn’t realize that many of the Nightshades had cars though. No one ever mentioned them and generally took the shuttle into town.”

“Off the top of my head Yoko, Bianca and Xavier have their own cars and a valid license. Several other students had asked over the years so once we had the ability I wanted to make it possible. Bear in mind though, students are still limited as to when they can leave campus. If it happens to be on business for the Nightshades though allowances will be made. I will be asking the lot of you to do a fair bit of traveling around Jericho so I thought it might make things easier. We can work out the details as we go.”

She nods in understanding. It makes a lot of sense really. And yes, it would be better to work out the details later, at least until they could all be in the same room to discuss it. That would be another example of something being important but not urgent. Best to let it be till the right time.

For a moment she was distracted upon noticing her mother’s smile. Wednesday had learned a lot of Morticia’s tells over the years and all the flags were out that she was about to be insufferable again. Turning to regard her she awaited whatever it might be with some trepidation.

“You had something to add mother?”

“I do,” Morticia said in a smooth tone. “Enid was asking me about baby pictures of you and Pugsley. I was going to oblige her but thought I should discuss it with you first. Would you object if I were to share the pictures and video we have? I don’t want to embarrass you.”

“I thought embarrassing their children was some sort of parental impulse,” she replied in a dry tone. “But no, if it is for Enid I would not object.”

“Good. She and I will be looking them over tomorrow. I heard from a little wolf that you both got to meet her baby nephew over a video call of some sort. She mentioned how much you were both taken with the child.”

Her mouth went a bit dry, realizing the bit about embarrassing their children was indeed a part of a parental mindset. Or maybe her mother was just thrilled to see her show an interest in babies. She had mentioned a few times that she would want to be a grandmother one day. Until recently no one ever thought Wednesday would take a partner, much less want children. She would allow her mother the win just this once.

“He is a beautiful baby,” she said, with some color in her cheeks. Wednesday realized that her voice still had a wistful quality when she spoke of baby James. “I was only admiring him as would be appropriate. Enid is quite taken with him and wants to see him in person as soon as possible.”

“Ah, Enid wants to then? When will that happen do you suppose?”

Yes, her mother was truly insufferable when she got her fangs into a topic. Well, there was little use in trying to hide her own reaction now. That didn’t mean though that she had to admit to anything of course. The goth was still surprised by her own reaction to the baby and coming to terms with it.

“Early in the coming semester. Carl and his wife will be driving to New York City for an outing and will pass through Jericho. I believe they intend to stay in town for a day or so to catch up with Enid so she will have her chance then.”

“Good. I expect pictures though. If the child was beautiful enough to affect you he must be quite the charmer. That said though I do have something more to discuss. Sadly, we have to mix business with our pleasure.”

“Has something happened?” Wednesday asked with some concern.

“Nothing so dire darling. Your father wants us all to gather tomorrow afternoon for a family meeting. The recent business with the board of directors and steps we will need to take to prevent conflicts of interest will require some additional duties for him. He wants to discuss ways that the rest of us can help take on some of his responsibilities.”

The topic concerned Wednesday a great deal. She still had misgivings concerning it all. More than the notion that something might happen to her father. Her stress over change played a role as well, not to mention an odd fear she was developing. On some level she found herself worrying that she wouldn’t be up to whatever her father might need of her. That one had come as a surprise, but she would have to bite the bullet as they say.

“So, he has ways that we can help?”

“He does,” Morticia replied, her expression now not quite so open as it was before. “And one of the things that will change requires that you meet soon with the Spanish Embassy.”

There was silence for a long moment as the young brunette absorbed that bit of information.

“Regarding his Spanish titles and holdings?”

“Yes. Spanish succession law would normally dictate that his oldest child be the official heir anyway. He intends to officially name you as heir to his holdings and business dealings in Spain. That will require some ceremonial duties of you that can mostly be dealt with by correspondence. You will be speaking for him in many matters, but you will need to be briefed by the ambassador first and they will explain what is required.”

Unspoken in all of this was the implication that if her father did fall in battle she would be the new holder of all his holdings in Spain, so they needed to prepare her. Just in case. And no matter how unsettling it all would be to her. Larissa and Morticia shared a glance with one another and then both turned their eyes back to her.

“We know it is a lot to think about Wednesday,” the shape shifter said, “but we will help as much as we can. I know you still have your studies, social obligations and the war to think about. It would be a lot for an adult, and much more daunting to a young woman with so many other things to worry about.”

“And Enid,” Wednesday said in a quiet tone. “I must keep Enid’s needs in mind as well. But I won’t shirk my duties. If this helps ease father’s mind I will do it, to the best of my abilities.”

“That is all anyone can ask of you darling,” Morticia added, clearly quite proud of her daughter. “For now, though, that was a lot to put on your shoulders. Perhaps it is time to go catch Enid. Dinner time is in a couple of hours and I’m sure she will want to clean up and rest before then. Kitty kat can probably use the rest as well and I imagine you would do well to spend some quiet time with your mate.”

She nods, appreciating the suggestion. Wednesday does want some quiet time with her Queen. Deep down she has no fear of embarrassing herself in front of the Spanish government. As her mother said, it is mostly ceremonial duties, but she will need to acquit herself as befitted an Addams in such a setting. No, her worry for her father was still foremost in her mind. Taking on some of his noble responsibilities felt like admitting he was going to die and that just felt wrong.

Enid could help her make sense of all the feelings though. And maybe a call to Simon tonight would be in order. They already had a couple of what he called telehealth sessions since she had seen him in Jericho. They were helping more than she wanted to admit.

For now, she made her way out of the room and then out of the house itself. Wednesday didn’t need to be an expert tracker, even though she was, to follow the path her wolf and lion had made. Setting her path to follow them she was alone with her thoughts and found that she would rather share them this time. With a heavy sigh she set off and regretted ever having wanted to grow up and be more independent.

Chapter Text

Gomez waited patiently for the coffee to work its magic. The sun had yet to make it over the horizon to begin the day officially and he had already been up for an hour or more. Sipping his coffee in the darkened kitchen he thought back on all the recent changes that had conspired to bring him to this point. It was all a matter of checks and balances when you got down to it.

For example, he had to rebalance his own life to accommodate the rising threat of the hunters and the changing needs of his family. The possible, even probable, outcome of their final confrontation would leave him as a potential sacrifice to stop the threat they represented. That, however, did not worry him so much. If he were to lose his life to save all outcasts everywhere then it would be a price well worth paying. What a way for an Addams to die!

No, the part that truly troubled him was all the arrangements that needed to be made to provide for his family for when he was gone. Whenever that turned out to be it was the responsible thing to see to the needs of his family. All of these years he had focused so much on taking on as much of the load as he could. He only wanted to keep them safe from worry and the responsibilities of running such a wide array of business entities and the shadow web of charities he had established anonymously.

Now though he had to accept his own limits and delegate some of the load so he could focus on other equally pressing matters. He had to face the unfortunate fact that the freedom he had given them to pursue their own lives in a cocoon of safety might have left them unprepared to care for themselves if he was no longer in the picture. That would need to be rectified gradually so they could all be a little bit better prepared for what would eventually be an inevitability.

One day he would die. Whether by hunters, old age or some other threat it was an unavoidable fact. And for what it was worth, an Addams had a tenuous grip on life anyway. Their own nature often driving them to find strange and unusual ways to force themselves off the mortal coil. He did not fear death per se. The grim reaper was much like an old family friend to be welcomed when one’s time was up.

No, his family never really feared death for themselves. Funerals were for the survivors after all. He would regret it if he had to leave this world behind before his work was done. But the aftereffects of such a death were something he could manage. He just had to find the right balance. The right level of delegation to keep his family both safe and capable enough to take life by the horns and make it surrender to their wills.

Finishing the last of the coffee in his cup he was pondering another before returning to his legal briefs and lawyer’s letters. His attention was diverted though by a familiar presence creeping quietly through the darkened house. When they reached the doorway to the kitchen he glanced up at them with a smile.

“Boo,” was all he said.

“I knew you were there,” Enid replied, a hint of bemusement in her voice. “You can’t hide from my nose.”

“Oh, but there are ways,” he said playfully. “There are concoctions to hide one’s scent or give additional stealth. I will admit though that you have amazing senses, and anyone would have to work hard to trick you.”

On a whim he gestured toward the other chairs at the table.

“Would you care to join me for a bit? I was taking a coffee break before heading back to work. Was just looking for an excuse to extend it a bit.”

Even in the dark she could see his gesture well enough.

“Sure. Just let me get some tea first. Grandmama gave me a special brew to help with…uhm…cramps and lady problems.”

He nodded in understanding, rising to fetch more coffee and then returning to his seat. In some ways Enid was the most recent addition to the family. Rissa had just returned but it wasn’t quite the same as the wolf’s arrival. The shapeshifter was, in his opinion, finding her way back to them instead of meeting them for the first time.

Once the blonde werewolf had joined him at the table he regarded her with a thoughtful expression. She is not what he would have ever pictured as the sort of person that his daughter would fall for. But she had and now he couldn’t picture her with anyone else. Enid fit in so well and had been fully accepted into the family. It felt as though he had gained another child, and he already loved her fiercely.

“Enid, would you mind if I asked you something?”

“No. Go ahead. I’ll answer if I can.”

She was a bit guarded but still open to most questions. Gomez realized she wouldn’t say anything private about her relationship with Wednesday. But that wasn’t exactly what he had in mind to ask about.

“I understand if you wont or can’t answer, but I am worried for Wednesday. Is she…doing alright? These are strange days we find ourselves in and I worry if the stress is getting the better of her.”

She was quiet for a long moment, probably weighing what she should and shouldn’t say.
“I wont lie and say she is fine,” she said, still hesitating a bit. “I think she has already told you her thoughts about recent developments and her guilt about being so distant for so long. Mostly she is worried for you and irritated that we can go and end the hunters more quickly.”

Gomez had memories of baby Wednesday and how precious she had been.

“When she was just a tiny little thing, exploring the house or stalking wild bugs in the yard she would come to show me every treasure she found and tell me it’s story. That ended of course, as it always does when a young woman matures. I still miss those times though.”

He regards the memories fondly before continuing.

“I fear that I haven’t prepared them well enough and that they will struggle without me to manage the tedious details. Personally, I have always thrived on such details so it seemed only reasonable that I would tend to it all. Now though, I’m not so sure that I did the right thing.

Gomez was aware that Enid was studying him closely. Even in full light though he would have been hard pressed to identify what she was thinking by her expression alone. Before the silence could become too tortured she finally spoke up.

“You have done better by your kids than my family ever did,” she said in a neutral tone. “Wednesday has often spoken of how Addams’ thrive in pressure. How good it is to have challenges and battles to win. How it makes you all stronger. I think they will be fine. Honestly I do.”

And he honestly believed her. Enid was right of course. They would survive. Even if by some bad twist of fate the fortune he had assembled was lost. The family would always survive and, if any of the financial fail safes he had built into his system held true, they would prosper. Even in a worst-case scenario everyone in the family had the skills or magic to thrive. He found it comforting after a fashion.

“I feel guilty for not being able to spare them the drudgery and the worry,” he admitted after a moment. “If I do die to end the hunter’s threat I would consider it a fair exchange. I would still feel as if I should have done more to secure their futures though.”

He also couldn’t ignore a mental image that played through his mind of the latest vision Morticia had shared with him. It had been a random one that had just occurred instead of something she had gone seeking so there was no problem there. But she had seen Enid and Wednesday on their wedding day. The werewolf wore a gown of shimmering silver cloth while Wednesday sported one of the darkest black. They had both been lovely and, more importantly, alive.

She thought it took place after the business with the hunters had been concluded so it would seem they would survive and find happiness in each other. There was still no evidence of his presence in those happy times, but Gomez could live with that. He dared not share that yet though. They knew his daughter too well. She would fixate even more on his possible fate rather than on her own safety. No, best if they keep this under wraps for a little longer. As this played through in his mind’s eye the blonde had replied.

“That’s because you’re a good dad,” Enid said, a hint of envy in her voice. “And for what it’s worth, on some level every little girl adores their daddy. Willa is just having trouble not worrying about you and focusing more on the present. It’s part of growing up I’m afraid. Nothing to be done for it.”

“You will look out for her wont you?” Gomez asks. “If I’m not there to do so. Or even if I am. Spirits know that girl needs as many of us as possible to keep her out of trouble.”

He said it with fondness and Enid smiled in return. She and Wednesday would always look out for each other. Gomez realized that much without even asking it of her. It just needed to be said he thought.

“I always will,” Enid replied. “We both need each other to keep us out of trouble. Or at least out of trouble we can’t manage.”

With that she stood, her tea now finished. She moved to Gomez’s side and bent over to hug him fiercely. After only a second’s hesitation he returned the hug. Enid was family now. He had faith in her to be the north star his little night terror would steer towards to keep her on course.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself Gomez,” she whispered. “We still hope you will be with us for our wedding and your grandchildren when they arrive. And you still need to meet little Pubert. Stay safe as you can please, for all of us. And if you can’t, well, we will be sad, but we will survive. Just…please don’t make us prove it anytime soon.”

With that she turned and left the room. He thought he detected a little sniffle in her voice. She was stressed by the whole conversation and that was on him. Still, he felt some reassurance in it all. They were strong. The family lineage would continue. And even in his worst-case forecasts they would still be secure for the foreseeable future. Maybe he didn’t have so much to worry about after all.

After a moment he stood and cleaned his cup before putting it back in the cupboard. Enid was a rather wise young woman he thought. He felt more secure knowing she would be there to be by his daughter’s side. Thus relieved, and with a new sense of purpose he returned to his office. A small mountain of paperwork was waiting for him, but he didn’t mind.

All a matter of checks and balances he mused. Checking everything now would help ensure that it would all balance out in the end. The hunters were already too compromised to end all of them. They could still do a lot of damage, but he was confident that the outcasts would come out on top in the end. Everyone’s efforts now would steer them to that future. His own part in the future was yet to be written it would seem but that was alright. It should be a glorious journey to be sung of for generations. What man wouldn’t want that as a legacy?

Chapter Text

Now this was unexpected. Wednesday stood on the front porch of the mansion waving towards Enid and Parker as they headed into town for their spa day. Doing so she was more than a little puzzled to find herself wishing she could go. Of course, she always wanted to be with her Queen but a day at the spa had never been anything she had an interest in.

She would puzzle over this psychological anomaly another time. The main reason she had stayed behind today was to take care of some odds and ends that were better done in solitude. Like Enid’s brother for example. He was due to call in the next half hour and she wanted to be alone to take the call.

Another change she had noticed in her psychological landscape was that the effort to keep things from the wolf was becoming harder all the time. Enid had always been problematically observant, but this wasn’t an issue with her keen senses. No, the seer was just finding that she no longer had much interest in keeping things from her. It troubled her too much on some level. Even when it felt necessary as it did now.

Lloyd had reached out to her, troubled apparently by the Addams’ family reputation. He wanted to protect his sister and sought some reassurance that she was in good hands. Wednesday could respect that. But with all the confusion and hurt in Enid’s earlier home life she wanted to be careful. If things with Lloyd went too poorly it could hurt Enid’s feelings and make things that much worse for her. No, it was best if she took this call alone and then, hopefully, have some good news to share with her beloved upon her return.

The late December wind carried a bit of a bite to it and Wednesday retreated into the house after the others were out of sight. Making her way up to the room she shared with Enid she sat up her phone for the incoming face time call. Lloyd did not keep her waiting for long. Accepting the call she and Lloyd studied each other for a few moments before either spoke.

Wednesday of course was keenly observant of everything around her, especially when she felt unsure of something. She was able to notice several things about Lloyd immediately. He was a big fellow and bore a strong resemblance to his father and uncle. Indeed, all the Sinclairs save for Enid had a clear resemblance to one another, especially around the eyes.

She could see the lumber yard behind him and a bit of snow was still falling in Vermont. None the less, he still had no jacket on, and his sleeves rolled up as if he had just been working. He was eyeing her curiously but didn’t seem hostile. The most important thing she noticed was his forearm and the tattoo there. It would seem that he had followed his father and uncles’ example and joined Fenris.

“Thank you for taking my call Wednesday,” he said in a guarded tone. “It might sound strange since I haven’t been in contact with Enid for a while, but I still want to know that she is safe and happy.”

Surprising herself she answered with equal courtesy.

“I understand,” she said simply, eyes drifting to his tattoo for a moment before focusing on his face again. “Enid deserves all the happiness in the world still loves her family after everything. I hope she can still reconnect with her brothers.”

She purposefully doesn’t mention her parents. That will be a bigger hurdle to clear. For now though she was only concentrating on one brother at a time.

“And I am pleased to see you reaching out on her behalf. Not to mention following in your families’ footsteps to protect all the furs. Especially in times like this.”

His eyes too darted towards the sign of Fenris he wore. Lloyd then nodded in understanding. Something unsaid seemed to pass between them.

“Yes, but we can discuss that part when I see you in person. I try to never discuss business on the phone. Family business though, like checking up on my sister is another matter. How is she Wednesday?”

The goth found herself pleased that Lloyd had the good sense not to discuss Fenris or the hunters on an open line. He was smarter than she had expected. Or maybe she had just judged all the family by the few examples she had seen the most of like the twins, Esther or Murray. Going by their example she had only expected negative things from Carl and Lloyd but was so far pleasantly surprised.

“She is doing well and enjoying her stay. Right this moment she is in town for a spa day with my cousin. Enid has quickly become part of the family and everyone here adores her.”

His expression softened somewhat as she spoke. It seemed he wanted to believe her and hoped that it was all true. There seemed to still be some concerns though.

“I probably should get a few things out of the way,” he said, expression showing how little comfort he felt in the conversation. “I’m not concerned that Enid is gay. If you ever had to listen to our mother you would probably think we were all homophobes but that isn’t the case. If you’re her mate and you make her happy then I’m good with it all.”

“Why have you avoided her for so long?”

She wanted the answer to that before she would give him too much slack in the matter. As far as Wednesday was concerned Carl got a pass for being so absent in Enid’s life. He was protecting his new wife and child from Esther. Before she trusted Lloyd too much she needed to know his reasons for doing the same. He frowned and shook his head before tapping his forearm.

“It was this,” he said, a slight growl of frustration in his voice. “As soon as I was old enough I expressed interest and went through the trials. Not to sound arrogant or anything but I was always stronger and faster than most of the family. I wanted to use my natural gifts to keep others safe. Our mother didn’t see it that way.”

He obviously felt deeply about this because Lloyd continued unprompted.

“It hadn’t been her plan for me. She thought I was turning on the family by not accepting the role she had chosen for me. I refused, we argued and after that I felt it best to stay scarce for the sake of the younger kids. Things were getting very tense around then and if felt like staying close to them would expose everyone to her temper needlessly.”

That much was believable. Jim Sinclair had said all the children had been affected, and often hurt deeply, by Esther’s bad parenting and Murray’s weakness. And now it seemed that the problems had run more deeply than she had at first expected. By all accounts Esther was in need of more counseling than even she was…and Wednesday was now self-aware enough to understand that.

The realization didn’t make her feel any sympathy towards the Sinclair matriarch. But she was developing some for her children and perhaps Murray. By the sound of things Lloyd’s actions weren’t exactly praiseworthy in retrospect but they were understandable in light of what she now knew.

“We can’t change the past,” she said simply. “And your parents are hopefully getting the help they need. I’m more interested in Enid’s future. Are you willing to be a part of her life now? She needs all the love and support she can get.”

“More than willing. I feel guilty for escaping to get on with my own life. When I left I assumed everyone would break off contact with her as soon as they could. Now I realize she got even meaner after Carl and I left. I should have realized that we were just making things that much harder for everyone else in their turn.”

Wednesday glared at him, but only for a moment. He seemed sincere and she was usually a pretty good judge of that sort of thing. It must be another of the changes that her Queen had made her feel. She didn’t have it in her to hold too much of a grudge against her brother’s…if they were willing to become part of the solution.

“Your right, she did. And Enid being the youngest was hurt most of all. But she feels safer now and is really blossoming under the realization that she could now have more choice in how to live her own life. But she still needs as many of her brother’s as she can in her life. She needs that sense of family as a bridge between her past and the life she wants to build.”

He is thoughtful for a moment and nods.

“I want that too. You are her mate so I will trust in her judgement of you and your family. Meeting Fester didn’t exactly fill me with confidence though.”

She sighs and shakes her head a bit, not quite able to fully hide the smile that comes to her face unbidden. Her uncle usually brings that reaction from her. Still, she could see how someone would be cautious of the family after meeting him.

“All families have that uncle or aunt. I won’t lie and say we are saints. We are far from it in fact. But we are honest in what we are and what we stand for. I don’t think you will find an outcast family out there that would seem sane beside the normies. But we all love Enid and have taken her in. I would die to defend her, and my family feels the same way.”

“You’re going to marry her one day then?”

“I will and she has expressed her acceptance of that. In fact, she tells me that by werewolf custom we are already effectively married. We just don’t have the piece of paper that makes it legal in the normie world.”

Lloyd smiles then, clearly pleased.

“I’m glad for that then, and yes, I look forward to catching up with her sometime soon if you’re agreeable to it. Maybe after you get back to school? The two of you could come check in with us the next time and we could spend some time together.”

Wednesday readily agreed. She even obliged the young man by answering some questions about her queen. He had missed the last few years of his sister’s life and wanted to learn more. Soon though their time was at an end. He had to get back to work and she was running late for her writing time. They said their goodbyes and she turned the phone around, now glad to be off the infernal device. While doing so she noticed thing crawling out from under the desk she had been sitting at. He immediately started signing to her.

“Yes, I believe him,” she replied. “I think he is sincere and will tell Enid immediately upon her return.”

Her expression clouded a bit with uncertainty though as he continued his questions.

“I’m not sure. Her only other brother that will be attending Nevermore should be back at school a few days before we return. Seniors are allowed to return to the dorms a bit earlier than the rest of us. I will need to get in touch with him immediately when we get back. But my Queen will be happier to have at least two of her brothers back in her life.”

Thing too seemed satisfied with that. Wednesday was being a good mate he said, caring for her wolf and looking out for her. She didn’t think she had done all that well, at least not yet. But she would keep trying. No matter how many pieces Enid’s dignity and happiness had been broken into she would try to glue it all back together and give the girl all the happiness she deserved. Then she would feel like a good mate and not before.

Chapter Text

This was not going according to plan. Once Enid and Parker returned from the spa Wednesday had taken her Queen aside to let her know how the call went. Judging by Enid’s expression her news was not as pleasing as she hoped it would be. Had she erred in some way? The tiny seer was confused by this new expression the wolf wore. If she had to guess it was somewhere between disappointment and resignation. She didn’t have the emotional experience to understand what the blonde was thinking but luckily didn’t have to wait long for some clarification.

“Willa…I think we need to talk.”

Oh no. Fester’s advice that when a woman wants to talk you’re usually in trouble came unbidden to her again. The thought that she might have disappointed or angered Enid settled over her like a very heavy wet blanket. Not trusting her voice in the moment Wednesday just nodded and waited for Enid to continue.

“Don’t get me wrong, I do love it when you are all protective and take care of me. It’s just…something has been on my mind for awhile and I was talking with Simon about it earlier in the week.”

She glanced at Wednesday and paused. Enid was still fretting and stood to pace while she talked.

“I’ve always needed to be looked after. Comforted when things got to be too much to deal with. Maybe I’ve depended on you and Yoko to fight too many of my battles for me.”

“Mi Reina…there is no shame in accepting help when you need it. You have been through a lot…I just…. want to help.”

Her voice sounded nervous and uncertain. Wednesday hated that about herself. When it came to Enid she could become entirely tongue tied when trying to express herself.

“I know Willa…and I love that you do. Don’t get me wrong. I’m still going to need you to help me a lot. But I also have to try and stand up for myself a bit more. Especially with the Sinclairs.”

“Cara mia? Are you upset that I talked to Lloyd on your behalf? I just…didn’t want him to hurt you any more than the rest of the family had before.”

The seer was now fretting a bit herself. As she waited for Enid to reply she too started to spiral a bit into uncertainty. The last thing she would ever want to do was to take the wolf’s agency away from her. She already felt like she had been holding Pugsley back over the bullies. She had fought too many of his battles for him it had seemed.

Enid took note of Wednesday’s distress and crossed the room to gather her up into a hug. That simple act seemed to calm them both a bit. After a moment she found her words again.

“No. I’m not upset at you. Not at all. In fact, I’m kind of glad you talked to him. I haven’t spoken to him in over four years so I wouldn’t even know where to start. But I have to be more proactive on my own too. Simon helped me to understand that I’m giving off signals like I’m helpless and in need of saving. I won’t get stronger in my own skin till I prove to myself that I’m adult enough to handle some of my own drama.”

She pulled back just enough to study the brunette’s face.

“If I had to guess you’ve probably already made plans to go talk to Robbie when we get back to school?”

Wednesday actually paled a bit at the question.

“Well…not so much plans per se…but I do…or did…plan to speak with him. Should I butt out of it?”

She was willing to let Enid confront her last remaining brother who attended Nevermore if she wished to do so. While she would worry and fret till it was done was top of her mind though. But if that was what Enid needed she would stay out of the way.

“No. I don’t want you to stay out of it. See, that is why it is hard for me. I really like it when you’re strong and in charge. Like…really, really like it. But I need to do some things myself. Tell you what though. You talk to Robbie if you like. I think you need to do it for your own mental health as well since he will still be at school. The twins are all mine though. I’m going to deal with them.”

“Deal with them how my Queen?”

“I’m just going to talk to them. Nothing more. If they want nothing to do with me then it’s on them. I’m not going to put a lot of effort into relatives who don’t want to be family to me. And then, if I make baby steps and get more confidence it will be time one day to sort my parents out.”

Wednesday nodded, thankful that she hadn’t overstepped. On the one hand she was proud of Enid for wanting to stand up for herself more. She would wholeheartedly support that. Still, she would always want to deal with anyone who hurt her wolf. Apparently she would need to find a balance between the two extremes.

“I will always worry Enid. They have treated you so horribly before that I can’t help it. But you are already so strong to have survived as well as you have. Please don’t discount that. If you want to be more proactive and take more of this on to yourself then just let me know how I can help you. It’s still odd for me sometimes to feel so strongly about someone that I want to support them as I do with you.”

Wednesday felt a bit more confident now that she wasn’t so worried about having failed. While she was hardly an astute judge of emotional states she was getting the feeling that Enid wasn’t terribly certain either but was trying to be stronger and more mature. A worthy goal if she had ever heard one. At least her words seemed to have the desired effect.

“Thank you,” the blonde finally said, accompanied by another hug. And it was just the sort of hug Wednesday always liked. The kind that bent her bones a bit and maybe bruised. The kind Enid gave when she was feeling particularly strongly about whatever they were discussing.

“I’m still kind of figuring it all out and it’s very much a work in progress. I want to be able to not spiral into a panic attack so easily and be able to look after you and all our friends a little better. It’s like, totally nuts that I’m a big scary werewolf and can’t even stand up to my own mommy issues.”

“Your mother issues are a lot worse than most I have seen. And with good reason. Your supposed mother is a particularly vile piece of work.”

Enid frowned for a moment, obviously considering that. It was rather telling, at least to Wednesday’s mind, that she didn’t deny it or offer up any defense for her mother. That kind of psychological abuse could take years to sort out.

“I want to understand the reasons she did all of that. You know, I still don’t think she was actively trying to hurt us. I think she just believed so hard that she knew what was best for everyone that she was willing to hurt us just to make us see her ‘truth’. Kind of like…she was protecting us from ourselves in a sick sort of way.”

The seer looked up into the blue eyes she adored so and was lost for a second, trying to find the right words. A rather profound thought had just sprung to mind and she wanted to express it but wasn’t sure how. Eventually she just came out and said it.

“You mean…she thought she was protecting you and went way too far? Like if Yoko and I kept trying to fight all your battles for you we would go beyond the point of helping and start micromanaging you like she did?”

Enid nods, a single tear coming to her eye.

“Neither of you ever treated me like she did. But if I don’t fight some battles myself it seemed like it could turn into that one day. Simon helped me realize that I feared that deep down. That I would always be acting like a baby and would eventually resent everyone. But the fault was on me because I didn’t try to be a grown up sooner. Does that make sense?”

“It does. At least to a degree. I’m still not adept enough with emotions to understand everything I feel, much less what everyone else might. But if you want help I will do what I can. Just, please guide me so I understand.”

Wednesday paused for a moment before continuing.

“I was thinking earlier that I have not been as able lately to keep things from you. As you might recall, the person I was before didn’t share very much. But the person I’m becoming, she wants to do better. We can help each other to try and be the people we want to be.”

This almost immediately led to another of the hugs that she enjoyed so.

“Yes! Totally. I want us to share everything…well, everything reasonable, and grow together. I’ll wait and see how your talk with Robbie goes and I’ll call the twins before we go back to school. Then, eventually, you and I will go talk to my parents together. For now, we still have some vacation time left. I don’t want to think of anything too heavy for a bit.”

The goth sighed, returning the hug. She hated to be a downer, but she had to remind her love of something.

“Don’t forget, we are going to try and get some impressions from whatever Fester found of the Reverend and his daughter. Father has that scheduled for this evening.”

Enid’s expression became thoughtful and she nodded.

“Ok. That is fine I guess. Hopefully it won’t be too intense or difficult for you. What can I do to help you unwind till then?”

As it turned out Wednesday had some ideas. She communicated her thoughts with a kiss and Enid understood her meaning immediately. It was a good idea apparently and kept them occupied and basking in the after glow till it was time to gather with the family.

Some few hours later, now well rested, showered and presentable they joined the rest of the family for dinner. They were both in as good a mindset as they could be given the plans for the evening. Dinner passed with less conversation than normal since everyone had their mind on the visions Wednesday was going to try and coax from whatever Fester had found.

Once the food was eaten and the dishes sorted out the whole family adjourned to the same sitting room that they had used the first time. Wednesday reclined on the couch, her head laying in Enid’s lap as the family gathered round. There wasn’t much need to discuss the proceedings since this same set up had worked so well before. Parker set up to record and Gomez sat nearby and watched over his daughter protectively.

“Wednesday, please don’t try to force anything. If there is nothing useful there to be felt let it be. We will continue to search for things you might be able to get an impression from so this isn’t our last chance. Do you understand?”

She huffed a bit internally, naturally flinching from her father’s overprotective streak. It was the way of teenagers after all and like most others she had thought herself bullet proof…or at least Hyde proof, in her previous adventures. Now, a bit wiser, she declined to argue the matter. There was help for her here if things got too bad and she was more than willing to accept it now.

“I understand father. Let’s get this over with.”

“Very well. Thanks to my brother’s diligent larceny we have personal effects from Cyndi, the Reverend and Dr. Simms. I would rather you not try all three in one night. Pick one of the three to start with and then we will see if you feel well enough to try a second one. Whatever we don’t get to tonight we can try to take care of tomorrow.”

Fester stood nearby with three different small boxes. That was clever of Fester she thought. Keeping each item separated from the others and in boxes so as not to pick up any foreign impressions. That should give her the best chance to learn any secrets the objects in question might be able to give her.

“Let’s start with whatever you have for Cyndi,” she said after a moment’s consideration. “She is the victim in this little family tragedy and the prophecy from Delphi seemed to indicate she would be key to ending this menace once and for all.”

Fester stepped forward, offing the box to his niece.

“The Reverend’s home has some crazy security. It took me longer than normal to bypass. He must have a lot there to hide. Cyndi’s room though…it’s set up like a shrine. Kind of like he expects her to come back to it someday.”
His expression seemed rather sad she noted. Fester was always the sentimental one. The way he said that and then glanced at Parker told her a lot. She supposed he was thinking of how he would react if something happened to his own daughter. Opening the box she saw a teddy bear within.

“That was sitting on her pillow. The old boy is a bit threadbare, so I guess it was a favorite of hers to cuddle with.”

Now Wednesday couldn’t help but think of Enid and her vast collection of stuffed creatures. This wasn’t the best start to things she realized. Cyndi was already putting them in the mind of other people near and dear to them all. They were forming an attachment to her and her plight. While hardly the objectivity she could hope for it did spur her on to try and figure out what had befallen the girl.

Her eyes rolled up in her head immediately upon touching the bear. She found herself in what appeared to be a command center. Not the one Xavier had seen before, in the old mines of upstate New York. This was a slightly more modest room but still very high tech. Apparently they had a couple of bases to operate from.

Surveying the scene she found Reverend Combes seated in front of a computer screen, chair turned sideways to observe something off to his right. Turning that way she saw Cyndi locked into some sort of heavily fortified chamber. The little room she was confined in measured maybe six by six and was bare save for a small cot.

There was thick ballistic glass she could peer through and a small speaker attached so that she could communicate with anyone else in the room. Off to the side it looked like the only way to physically reach her was through some sort of complicated metal portal that looked like an air lock. Wednesday guessed they could leave food for her there…or victims perhaps given her current vampiric condition.

Unsurprisingly Cyndi herself was weeping inside. The brunette found herself in immediate sympathy for the girl’s plight. She been accosted and forced into being a vampire which no doubt had been traumatic. And now she found herself imprisoned by her own father in conditions that even to her jaded view of such things seemed intolerable. Given her own recently awakened emotional state it was all a bit much to take.

“Daddy? Please let me out. I won’t hurt anyone…I promise.”

Her eyes were wide and filled with tears as she stared through the glass at her father. He too had tears in his eyes as he regarded her. For a long moment he was silent, seeming to have to fight to find his voice.

“You won’t be able to help it,” he said in a pained tone. “They turned you into a monster, just like the ones I’ve been fighting against. Satan surely knows how to test me, but he wont win! We will cure you Cyndi and find a way to end these freaks. I’ve found a doctor for you. He’ll find a way, I promise.”

It was silent for a bit as both continued to cry to themselves. Wednesday was struck by how the elder Combes seemed more concerned with his own quest than he was by his own daughter’s suffering. It was the impression she got anyway but was willing to trust it. Reverend Combes wasn’t a sympathetic figure by any stretch of the imagination.

“Remember Cyndi, we already tried. The man we put in there with you didn’t last five seconds. You couldn’t resist the blood lust. But I’ll keep you safe till we can cure you. And fed as well. We have plenty of unbelievers and captured outcasts to fulfil that role.”

Both Wednesday and Cyndi’s brows arched up in horror at that. A memory came unbidden to the goth of stories she had heard about how psychologically damaging it could be for modern day vampires to feed directly from humans. Something about the emotional shock of feeling the victim’s life force drain away into them and the impressions left over from it. In retrospect, maybe that had been what Yoko was referring to about how messed up she was after draining an assassin that had been sent after her father.

“I tried daddy…I really tried. But I get so hungry. Please, don’t let me kill anyone else. I don’t want to hurt anyone…”

She broke down into uncontrollable sobs then and her father stood, regarding her for a long moment through the glass.

“That means then that you aren’t lost to the darkness yet. I will do what I need so you can survive. Your life means far more to me than the ones we sacrifice to keep you alive. Stay strong Cyndi.”

With that he turned to leave and locked the door behind him. Cyndi continued to weep and mutter to herself as if gripped in delirium. The normally stoic Addams wept with her and in a flash she found herself awake again on the couch, still sniffling to herself. Sitting up quickly she looked wildly around the room at her concerned family.

“She…is being kept a prisoner by her father. I think the vision was in the past, not long after she was turned. He has her held in a high-tech containment room of some sort and is feeding her victims so she can survive. She was begging him not to let her hurt anyone else, but he wouldn’t listen.”

Everyone else glanced among each other with concerned expressions. She could almost hear the shared thought amongst them of how horrible it must have been to make her react as she was. Before the memory could fade she rushed to get the rest of it out.

“He said he was feeding her ‘unbelievers’ and captured outcasts. And he believes she was thus afflicted by Satan to punish him for his quest in ridding the world of us. His war means more to him than the life of his daughter.

Then he mentioned a doctor to help cure her. I assume that is Dr. Simms. But vampirism has no cure. No one has ever survived trying to be healed of it.”

“That poor girl,” Larissa finally said after a moment’s silence. “It’s hard on any young vampire to drain a living person. The psychological effects can be devastating. She should be at Nevermore, learning how to live with her new condition. Not locked in a cage and being forced to murder others just to survive.”

Wednesday glanced towards her and nodded.

“I want to get her there. Someday. Delphi did say she held at least part of the key to ending her father’s threat. Do you suppose after years of this sort of treatment she can be helped though?”

“Maybe. We can’t count on it though. But maybe with enough help from Simon and her peers she could be reintegrated into society without being a danger to herself and others.”

Larissa’s honest assessment didn’t fill Wednesday with much optimism. She would accept it for now though. She could ask Yoko’s opinion soon. After what had happened to her earlier in life she might be the best placed to help Cyndi…if they could get her out of her father’s clutches.

She felt Enid’s arms wrap around her protectively. Looking up into those lovely blue eyes she tried to speak but immediately lost her voice as she felt another vision take her. Falling back onto the couch again her vision scrambled and reoriented itself.

Instead of the family manor she found herself in a hospital of some sort. Immediately concerned she looked around the room and saw Enid on a hospital bed being prepped for surgery. Her father was there too, also being prepped. He was drugged and frantic, saying he didn’t want for Enid to go under the knife for his sake. Enid looked towards him with a sad expression.

“It won’t hurt me dad. The doctors say I’ll be back to myself within a day or two between werewolf healing and being a blood moon wolf besides. But it might save you so I’m doing it…and you can’t stop me.”

Looking around frantically she found a chart open nearby and looked at it. Enid was being prepped to be the donor for an allogeneic bone marrow transplant. No doubt the intent was to prep the donated marrow and treat Murray with it as quickly as possible. This calmed her a bit since she knew enough about medicine to realize this was a very low risk procedure, at least on Enid’s end.

She wondered briefly as to what they were treating Murray for, but the surgical staff seemed both confident and competent. This must be at the facility where the elder Sinclairs were sent for psychological and medical treatment…a hospital run by werewolves to treat their own kind.

Glancing back towards Enid she was struck by how determined and calm her wolf was while they finished sedating her father. Then it was her turn and as they gave her the anesthesia she overheard her mumbling.

“I know your watching Willa. This is the scene you told me about. Don’t worry, it’s fine.”

She blinked suddenly and laughed to herself. Leave it to her Queen to remember this scene and that Wednesday would be with her in the vision. It relieved a bit of her own anxiety as her vision cleared and found herself lying on the couch with her head still in Enid’s lap.

“You were so brave car amia,” she said in a dreamy tone. “And so in control. Your quest to be more self-sufficient will bear fruit.”

Everyone paused and looked at each other in confusion. Enid was looking down at her with a worried expression. She started to reach out to Wednesday but pulled back at the last moment as if afraid to initiate contact.

“Did I cause that?”

“Yes, but don’t be concerned. Unlike most of my visions that one was…almost pleasant. It was probably only because of your father’s distress and my shock at seeing you in the hospital that made the scene dark enough to register for my abilities.”

“What did you see my little storm cloud?”

Sitting up she glanced from her love and then at her father.

“Enid was at the facility where her parents are being treated. She was being prepped for surgery to donate bone marrow cells for Murray’s treatment. He objected, not wanting her to go under the knife but she was adamant that it would help him, and she would only be off her feet for a day or two.”

Then, focusing on Enid again she continued.

“You greeted me in the vision as they put you under. I suppose you’ll remember this scene when it comes to pass and think to offer me reassurance in the moment. You seemed so sure of yourself, and I know that bone marrow harvesting isn’t even very hard on normies so no doubt you would recover quickly.”

“And that will help my dad get better? Whatever this surgery they want to do it will help him recover?”

“That was the impression I got. I didn’t get a reference for the time it happens though. Maybe you should contact your uncle and see if he can give us more information on Murray’s condition.”

Enid nods, a look of intense concentration on her face.

“I will but that can wait till tomorrow. You look kind of worn out by both visions. Can we call it a night now? I don’t want to see you have to go through another.”

“I was thinking much the same,” Gomez chimed in. “The news about Cyndi gives us a lot to think about and I think the two of you need to decompress a bit. You’ve done enough for tonight.”

She could only agree with that. The vision with Cyndi was a bit of a gut punch emotionally speaking. Wednesday seldom felt as invested emotionally as she had over the poor girl’s captivity. Experiencing that and then the unexpected vision Enid had triggered was leaving her to feel rather drained.

“Yes please, I would like to rest for awhile before trying that again. Maybe we can do the others tomorrow?”

Gomez, and the others as well, agreed to that. Fester though had a bit more to say.

“I’ll keep these under lock and key for the time being then. Well see later then if his underwear holds any impressions for you to find.”

It was all silent for a very long moment as everyone took that in.

“You brought me his underwear?”

Fester chuckled in delight.

“Yes, I did. It was easy to get to and with luck he was wearing the same pair when plotting something awful to do to us. Not to worry though, it was freshly washed just before I stole them.”

Everyone looked a little uncomfortable with the idea, especially Wednesday, but she had to agree it would probably carry some sort of impression. If so she could handle the idea, though she had no desire to handle any man’s undergarments. That would be a chore for tomorrow.

“Going forward let’s try to avoid having to use anyone’s underwear to trigger visions,” she said, looking particularly towards Fester. “But you are right. I’ll probably see something. Hopefully it will be something useful.”

Everyone else started to get up and go their separate ways. Gomez mentioned that he would have to be on calls due to the legal cases he was handling for the school most of the morning and that he would find a time at some point in the day where they could all gather.

Time was beginning to crunch a bit for them since there were still some preparations pending for the new year’s family gathering and Parker’s ceremony. Then they should have a few quiet days before returning to school in the second week of January. She would trust her father to use that time wisely and tell her where she needed to be.

“I’ll take the bear,” Enid said in a quiet tone. “We need to keep it safe for Cyndi when we bring her home. Wherever that home might wind up being.”

Gathering up the bear in one hand the blonde reached out to take Wednesday’s hand with the other. The small seer regarded her briefly and nodded, letting herself be led upstairs. Cyndi’s plight had struck her harder than she would have guessed, and she was grateful that her love understood that and was taking care of her. That was, she supposed, what good mates did. They took care of each other so neither of them had to be the adult in the room all the time. Soon they were back in their room and Enid put the bear on the desk near the typewriter.

“I will find a more permanent place to keep it soon,” Enid promised. “For now though you seem kind of out of it. Let’s take care of your first and then we can sort out the rest tomorrow.”

“Thank you mi Reina,” the seer said by way of response. “Seeing her in that state reminded me of something Yoko said once. She said it was traumatic for a vampire to drain a living human. In the old days, before bagged blood, they were all a little unstable when compared to their modern descendants.”

Enid regarded her with a curious expression.

“We can ask her about that in a few days when she comes to the party,” the blonde said. “It’s got to be an awful experience for the poor girl. She was just a little younger than Pugsley when she was turned and abandoned. To go straight from that to be imprisoned and tortured by her own father…that kind of puts my problems into perspective. Do you think we can save her?”

“I’m not sure but I’m sure as hell going to try.”

Wednesday’s voice showed just how adamant she was to do just that. As an Addams she had a deep-seated need to look out for other outcasts in distress. This was just the most jarring example she had ever seen of one of their own needing saved from the ignorance of the normie world.

“We both will Willa. It breaks my heart to know she is suffering like this. She should be in a safe home and allowed to grow up. Not locked up like a monster and forced to kill others just to survive.”

“Then we agree. Sadly, we can’t do much about it for the moment. Let us follow father’s advice. That was too many emotions for me to deal with in the moment. Maybe cuddles and a movie?”

Actually, requesting to cuddle was a rather new development for Wednesday. She felt no shame in it whatsoever. It was also a timely thing since her Queen expressed a desire earlier to carry more of their shared burdens. She would relax in the wolf’s care till she got a better grip on all the emotions that were bubbling up from inside her psyche.

Enid fetched pajamas for the both of them and made a little nest for them on the bed with pillows and stuffed animals. While Wednesday changed she set up the laptop on the bedside table. Then, once it was her turn she went to change as well. Moments later they both lay cuddled together as a documentary about medieval life in Europe was loading.

Bless her wolf. She had remembered Wednesday mentioning she wanted to watch this one later when they had been searching for movies a few days ago. Enid took such good care of her, just like she tried to do in return. The day, especially the last part of it, had been difficult. For now though she was content to be wrapped up in strong arms that made her feel so secure. Everything else could wait just a little longer.

Chapter Text

As far as places to hide went this wasn’t a bad one at all. Laurel didn’t know much about her mysterious benefactor yet, but he had at least been generous when it came to setting her up to wait in comfort. That, and an implied promise that she would be able to get revenge on the cursed Addams and her little friends was enough for her to keep an open mind.

It was now just after Christmas and the last few weeks had been a blur of activity and disappointment. She still couldn’t fathom how her ancestor had failed or how that damned school was still standing. While she understood the mechanics of it the how was a bit more difficult to come to terms with. Wednesday should NOT have survived long enough to even fight Joseph Crackstone. And the little werewolf shouldn’t have been able to find the strength to turn and take down her Hyde.

To her mind the vampires and the sirens should have avoided the fire. Not organized themselves enough to evacuate the place and fight the fire till it was contained. Why hadn’t they fled to be picked off in the woods by Tyler and Joseph? And probably the biggest question, how the hell was Larissa Weems even still alive? She had injected her with enough nightshade to kill a dozen men, but the bitch was apparently still amongst the living and getting the school ready for the next semester.

She huffed to herself a bit and tried to clear her mind. She had only been distracted for a moment by the intrusive thoughts over her own failure. Under most circumstances it wouldn’t have mattered much but when she was studying or using magic she couldn’t afford that sort of distraction. She refocused on the disembodied voice when it spoke again.

“If I were more than a humble spirit guide that kind of distraction could get you killed,” it said, a hint of mockery to the voice.

Frowning she turned her eyes to the sphere of light hovering above the table she was sitting at. The voice was right of course. It had generally been right ever since she had been communicating with it. Once again she counted herself lucky that she had found Goody’s book of shadows in the first place. Not to mention all the bits and pieces of magic and study tools she had dug up since then. And sweet Leonard, what a blessing he turned out to be. Who would have believed she could have accidentally stumbled over a man who could use true magic and was at the same time be easily manipulated? His tutelage had helped her make the first breakthroughs and sped up her plans a great deal.

“Duly noted,” she replied to the voice, corralling her wandering thoughts back to focus on the matter at hand. “Anyway, tonight I summoned you for a reason. I have some concerns about my new benefactor. What can you tell me about Reverand Combes?”

“Oh? Now you have concerns? A supposed man of the cloth who has the money and resources to get you out of federal custody and host you with such courtesy here, in the lap of luxury. Every instinct you have should have been screaming from the beginning about how strange all of this is. But better late than never I suppose.”

Laurel frowned a bit. How had she come by a snarky spirit guide? But the spell detailing how to summon it had been tucked in among the books and papers she had ‘liberated’ from Leonard’s possession before all hell broke loose. In a way she did feel a little guilty for stringing him along and then stealing from him. Not so much though that she had hesitated in doing it.

“I wasn’t exactly in a position to question his motives while it was happening. My choices were to either rot in prison till I could focus my magic enough to escape or accept the Reverand’s offer. Now that I have the liberty to think on it a bit more I want to be prepared for whatever he has in mind.”

Yes, she had truly been screwed immediately after arrest. At that point she hadn’t known her magic well enough to use much of it without the books being in her hands to read from. Fortunately, Combes had the foresight to secure all her possessions he could lay hands on and sent them here to exile with her. It had only been a few weeks now, but she could feel her power and confidence growing. She could do some magic on the fly as they say and was confident she would grow even stronger with only a little time to practice.

“Very well then. At least you are beginning to ask the right questions. I can tell you some things now. Will need to rest for awhile and do some checking to get more detailed answers though.”

“Alright. Tell me what you can now.”

“If anything, the Reverand hates the outcasts even more than you do. His schemes are grander than yours ever were though. He doesn’t want to burn down a school and hunt children in the woods. No, he is devising a strategy geared towards killing all outcasts everywhere…all at once.”

Her shock was obvious in her expression.

“How? How would that even be possible?”

The spirit guide laughed at the question before replying.

“That is the most delicious part. He has vast resources and an intricate web of connections. Using this he has built a deadly force dedicated to the extinction of all outcasts. Many smaller bands of hunters have signed on to the cause and await his word to start a bloodbath. The most important thing though is some stolen knowledge his newest minion was able to provide.

It would seem that the new doctor in his employ discovered research papers that could be used to build a weapon that would only kill outcasts. Think of it as a sort of chemical warfare. Once it is complete it can be released into the atmosphere and will poison any outcasts that come into contact with it…no matter what sort of creature they might be. If it is released and no cure is found they will all die in a matter of time. But it gets even better.”

“How so?”

“The original research was created by none other than Wednesday Addams. I believe you are familiar with her.”

Her eyes widened a bit, and Laurel’s nails scratched into the wood on the table. In fact, she had tensed so tightly as to be painful. Taking a deep breath, she managed to reply in a level voice.

“How? How could a sixteen-year-old girl have the knowledge to create such a thing? I mean…she would have needed to at least be a doctor to have that kind of know how wouldn’t she? I’ll admit, she is a creature of remarkable talent but that seems a bit farfetched.”

Again, the spirit laughed, which she was finding to be particularly grating.

“How she did it is not relevant in the moment. Young Wednesday is a girl of many talents. She stuck upon the germ of an idea and worked hard at it for a time. Then she managed to find the research of a skilled geneticist to incorporate into her own theories. It worked, to some degree, giving her the power to alter other outcasts. Still, it was raw and unrefined. Now the Reverand has another skilled genetic scientist who is able to complete the research and build the weapon using real science and not accidental magical effects.”

“I’m not sure what any of that means,” she admitted. Any science beyond botany and chemistry were rather foreign to her. She did know enough though to realize that what the spirit proposed was feasible if enough resources were directed to getting the job done.

“You don’t have to understand the science of it,” the spirit continued. “Within the year they will have a fully functional weapon and be ready to use it. They are already working on testing the formula on captured outcasts.”

She was silent for a long moment. While still seething over Wednesday Laurel had to admit it would be a nice karmic touch if her research had helped create a weapon that would kill all of her own kind. Whatever it cost she would have to be there to watch as that little monster finally fell.

“If Reverand Combes already has all of that going for him why does he need me? He has obviously spent a lot of resources bringing me here to Boston and hiding me. What kind of pay back is he looking for here?”

“My power fades. I will know more soon but I can answer that final bit now. He needs your knowledge of Nevermore and Jericho. While his plans are on a grander scale he does also plan to burn Nevermore to the ground in the process. Play your cards right and you could be the weapon wielded to destroy Nevermore once and for all.”

The sphere of light noticeably dimmed for a moment and the voice began to fade.

“Be warned though, hide your magic around him and his servants. They wont understand it and will look upon you with suspicion if they believe you can wield true magic. I will return soon…”

And with that she was alone again. With the fading of her spirit guide the candles she had set in a circle around the table began to sputter and go out. As the last one flickered she stood and walked to the light switch and flicked it.

She tended to her ritual tools, purifying and storing them till they were needed again. The spirit had given her a lot to think about. She would need to keep this part of her hidden from the Reverand. It shouldn’t be a problem though unless he searched through her belongings. Even then she should be able to just say she had taken it all as trophies and to be studied after stealing it all from some outcast witch.

She had little doubt that she could lie convincingly and convince him that she was fully on board and wasn’t using magic to further their goals. If his goals were really as stated she could in fact be happily on board for it all. She would just need to be careful. Only tell the man what he wanted to hear and share no more beyond that.

With everything cleaned, sorted and out of sight Laurel finally took a deep breath to center herself. Things were getting out of hand and beyond her control, but she trusted what the spirit said. Her chance for revenge wasn’t lost. She could still be responsible for killing off the outcasts at Nevermore and that was a goal well worth following.

A brief fantasy played out in her mind’s eye. Wednesday going down in defeat, begging for her life. Murdering Weems…again but with more certainty. And then putting a silver bullet through Enid’s head for what she had done to Tyler. Oh yes, all of that and so much more beside.

Now warmed by the fires of hate and revenge in her soul Laurel went to prepare for bed. It was late and the Reverand was to be visiting with the new year. She had to mentally prepare for that and to try and scry for more answers after she and her spirit had rested. It promised to be a most interesting year to come.

Chapter Text

It had been a busy day. For Wednesday it had started early with a lesson under Grandmama’s tutelage. She felt that her studies in magic were going well. The elder witch doled out knowledge sparingly, but she was giving her more and more all the time. While being the impatient sort about many things in life Wednesday understood that magic couldn’t be rushed, and each individual would learn at a different rate.

She was unlearning some bad mental hygiene attitudes that had hindered her before and trying to let herself explore more feelings than the dark and twisted ones she had previously clung to. It was difficult sometimes, but she could feel the progress she was making. Between Grandmama and Professor Reid at school she would continue to be tutored by experts. She could even admit now that the threat of the hunters aside she had the potential for a bright future with Enid by her side.

The psychic spared a glance towards the front seat where Enid was driving their get away car. Parker sat in the passenger seat beside her giving directions. It was Wednesday’s job to keep watch for anyone who might be pursuing them. Her cousin caught her staring at Enid instead and smirked at her.

“You have one job cuz,” Parker said with a chuckle.

“And it has been successful,” she replied, a slight blush coming to her face. “Nothing has been behind us for nearly half an hour, and even that appeared to be just random traffic. There was no sign of the gang giving chase. Or more correctly what was left of them. And the police never got close enough get a good visual of the car.”

“Whose car is this anyway?” Enid thought to ask as she navigated the back roads in the country dark you could only get on old tertiary roads that generally had no streetlights and sometimes only a single lane.

“It belongs to one of the gang bangers,” Parker said with a shrug. “I stole it from him earlier in the day because they would recognize it as his and wouldn’t raise any alarm as we got closer. He was the one still in police custody so it seemed a good solution to our problem.”

Deep down in her dark heart Wednesday swooned just a bit to have Enid participating so willingly in their mission. Maybe she had the makings of a criminal mastermind buried down deep inside. Or maybe she had just been able to get behind the mission of mercy they had set out on.

Local gang bangers had discovered a young psychic living on ‘their turf’ in Burlington. They had taken to harassing the poor kid once they figured out what he was. He too was a seer of sorts who had a knack for predicting the winners of races and sporting events. A very handy gift to use for his personal survival and to make some money on the side. The gang saw him winning a lot from their bookies and unfortunately made all the right assumptions.

Word had made it to Gomez of his plight and a plan was formed to put an end to the gang’s dominance in the area. Normally this was something that Fester would have handled, either directly or through his own web of contacts. Wednesday had asked instead to take it on. She had been hungry for some action and, truth be told, Parker needed the distraction with her ceremony only a couple of days away.

Sitting there in the back seat she let her mind wander for a bit. It had been an eventful day to be sure. Her father had been convinced to let her try and get impressions from the rest of the stuff Fester had found as long as Grandmama could stand watch over her rather than the entire family. Everyone was so busy with the party coming up, preparations to return to school and working on war preparations. It was only logical to streamline the process a bit so they could get more done in the time they had.

So, after her lesson in the morning she had gone to fetch Enid because she knew the wolf would never forgive her if she wasn’t given the chance to stand guard. As she had thought, Enid certainly wanted to be there, but was a bit fussy about having been woken up so early. And in the end it hadn’t even been necessary. The items from the ‘good’ doctor only gave her a vision of him writing a thesis paper on his theories about ‘curing’ outcasts. While interesting it didn’t give her much beyond understanding how he thought and how smart he really was. If his goals weren’t so abhorrent he would be a worthy mind she would have been glad to study with.

As for the Reverand’s underwear she unfortunately got exactly what she thought she would see. The man himself in a compromising position with a woman. He didn’t seem to be the most important part of the vision though. The woman seemed to be the focal point of what she saw. She was pretty enough Wednesday supposed but she had a cold demeanor and was rather buff, almost to the point of being manly in some regards. Judging by her muscle tone and attitude she was military of some sort, through and through.

The most important part of it all though was her unwavering love of the man she was with. The seer got the impression that she was particularly dangerous and devoted to their cause. She had overheard the Reverand call her Joan, though she said nothing in the encounter. No doubt she was going to be important in how this all developed.

All of this she filed away for later. She had passed the information on and hoped Pugsley and Fester would know, or could find, more information on her. Then and there she had promised her uncle that if he ever brought her another strange man’s underwear there would be consequences. He promised not to but couldn’t help but chuckle a bit at the memory of his breaking and entering. Truly, the man was incorrigible.

Later in the day she and Enid had met the ambassador from Spain for their meeting. That had seemed to perk her wolf up and make her smile. Wednesday couldn’t help but smile at the memory. Enid had been thrilled once she fully understood her girlfriend’s newfound status as heir to Alcanzor and what it meant for their future. Her face had lit up with glee when she realized that effectively made both herself and Wednesday part of the nobility of Spain with certain privileges and perks.

For example Enid too now had dual citizenship with the US and Spain, including a new passport from the Spanish government. As Wednesday had supposed her wolf found it all to be wonderfully romantic and it was an impression she wanted to reinforce. Enid deserved all the joy and happiness in the world. If becoming nobility and standing to inherit the large fortune that went with it made her happy then they could start living there full time if she wanted.

With that in mind Wednesday included her in all the discussions and made sure she was put on the associated bank accounts and property deeds that went with all the families’ Spanish possessions. By the time they had reviewed all the properties and accounts the blonde’s eyes were spinning. Even Wednesday was a bit overwhelmed. She had no idea her father had inherited so much from his father before him. While not as large as the main Addam’s family accounts that Gomez had created in America it still seemed to her to be more than they could ever spend and, if managed correctly, would support the family she and Enid were going to start for many generations.

That was all a matter for another time now. They had concluded their meeting, and the ambassador had informed her that Gomez had given her freedom to speak in his name within the Spanish government and all properties associated with their titles. It involved more than she had supposed but not so much that she would need to devote her full time to it. Unless she wanted to of course. As with most things her father was involved in he had things set up to run on their own. It just still required some human touches periodically that required a member of the family to tend to. She would now undertake that to give her father more time for other things.

Her mind was drawn back to the present as Parker had navigated their way along the back roads back to the Addam’s family home. Enid slammed on the brakes though as they pulled into the driveway and saw a blue police light flashing in the front yard. Looking up she saw the wolf pale a bit and look to her and Parker.

“How? How did they find us so fast?”

“I don’t think they did mi Reina. A police car in the driveway is not an uncommon sight here. It’s very suspicious though to stop like that with police watching. Pull on up and park as if we are totally innocent. Then allow Parker and I to do all the talking.”

The blonde hesitated a second and nodded. She was nervous and it showed. Maybe she wasn’t quite ready for prime time as they say when it came to criminal misconduct. She would just need more practice and it would come in time.

“OH! Wait…this isn’t a problem. That’s Joey’s car.”

“Who is Joey?” Enid asked, sounding slightly relieved but still kind of nervous.

“A friend of the family,” the goth answered from the back seat. He and his partner Kyle are outcasts and part of the New Jersey state police out of Newark. They help the family and outcasts in general while we give them useful information to help in their work. It’s a pretty good system we have worked out.”

Pulling up closer they saw an unmarked, late model car with the light still blinking inside. A man who appeared to be in his late thirties was leaning on the hood and smiled at them when they all exited the car.

“Hello girls. Out for a late-night drive?”

Enid paused a bit and seemed to realize he was being friendly and not accusing them of anything. Wednesday walked up behind her and put an arm around her waist to calm the wolf. That brief contact seemed to have the desired effect.

“Hello Joey. We had…some things to take care of. I would like to introduce you to Enid, my mate. She is a werewolf and now a part of the family.”

The wolf in question seemed stunned for a moment before mumbling an uncertain greeting to the man.

“Nice to meet you Enid,” he said with a chuckle. As it turns out you are the reason we are here.”

That freaked Wednesday out a little and Enid just kind of gapped like a fish out of water. What would they want with her Queen? This needed to be sorted out immediately. Before she could get defensive about it Joey seemed to note their reactions and held up his hands to show he was no threat.

“Nothing bad, I promise. Some normies claim to have seen a giant wolf monster running around in the tree line on the south end of the property. Remember, there is a rural route on the next hill over that can see down into that valley if the weather conditions are right. Fester cleared it up for us and we can say now that we checked it out and it’s nothing to worry about.”

All three of the girls relaxed a bit, especially Enid.

“I am so sorry for that,” she said. “I didn’t think anyone could see me out there and wanted to run as a wolf. It feels…so liberating. Don’t worry, I wont run down there anymore.”

“No girl, you run wherever you want on the property. It’s your home after all. I’m just jealous you could do it without the full moon. Blood moon wolf, right?”

“You’re a wolf too?”

Joey smiled back at Enid and nodded.

“Yeah. I’m a wolf and Kyle is psychic. With our gifts we can find evidence others would miss but sometimes we have trouble getting it admitted in court if all we have is our powers to go on. Gomez has helped us to find ways to leverage what we find into something more solid we can go to court with. It’s helped us put a lot of bad guys in jail or the grave where they belong.”

“Speaking of bad guys,” Parker said with a hint of pride in her voice. “You shouldn’t have much more trouble with that gang we talked about from Burlington. We kind of closed them down for black mailing a young psychic into fixing sports bets for them.”

Joey couldn’t help but grin.

“So that was all the chatter we were hearing on the radio. Were there any survivors?”

“All of them survived,” Wednesday said with a glare. “We aren’t monsters you know. Most of them have merely been humiliated, or in some cases crippled, to encourage them to give up their life of crime. I did kill one however.”

She couldn’t help but glance at Enid, not sure yet if the wolf was disturbed by what she had done.

“And there were no witnesses to speak of,” she continued. “Parker and I kept to the shadows, disabled the lights and beat them down for sport. I think they call it tough love to make them see the error of their ways. They only saw Enid in her werewolf form to scare the living hell out of them. One of them was brave enough to pull an automatic weapon on her. He was the only casualty.”

She was relieved then when Enid reached out to take her hand. Wednesday sighed a bit and gripped her hand that much tighter. The wolf’s face only showed love and acceptance and no horror as she had feared.

“And I’m guessing you three took care of any security cameras that might have been in the area? And isn’t that the car that was stolen from the Burlington impound lot? It belongs to the one already in custody, right?”

“It did belong to him,” Parker corrected. “We are keeping it after I had to go to all the effort to steal it. Call it a fine for his life of crime.”

“No skin off my nose,” Joey replied. “Just make sure you get it recorded under a new title number if you plan to use it. I’m sure you know how to get that done without any trouble. That and maybe plant some trees on that ridgeline so curious tourists don’t keep peeking into the south fields.”

The girls gladly agreed to both things and the conversation devolved for a bit to discuss their technique in scaring a small street gang straight and how they had saved another young outcast who was being relocated to somewhere safer even as they spoke. Enid seemed to be rather amazed that they spoke so openly to a state police detective about the days crimes. As the conversation continued it became clear that this was standard procedure around here. The Addams family had a network of important people in strategic places to help with their work to keep outcasts safe. Joey and his partner were just trusted parts of that intricate machine. Enid seemed to relax as it went on.

A little later another man, dressed in a similarly old suit as Joey was left the house with a large folder in his hand. He regarded the girls with a friendly expression and joined Joey by the car. There he handed Joey the folder.

“Fester had some information for us. We can follow up on these leads to find probable cause in normie court to get search warrants issued. If all goes well it will be enough to close down that carjacking ring in Morristown.”

“Nice!” Joey exclaimed as he leafed through the file quickly. “We should still have enough time tonight to go visit our informant in Morristown and get started on all this.”

With that and a mission in mind the two detectives said their goodbyes. After Wednesday had taken the time to introduce Enid that is. Both detectives were very friendly and welcomed Enid to the family and to New Jersey. A short conversation later and they pulled away with a wave in parting. Enid watched them go with a curious expression.

“Does something trouble you my Queen?”

“Hmm? No, I was just thinking how nice they were. I never thought that talking to police officers about a felony I committed would go that well.”

Parker chuckled as she took the car keys and moved to the driver’s side of the car she stole.

“Get used to it. The family has connections and alliances you probably don’t even expect yet. Hell, I don’t even know half the people that work with Uncle Gomez to keep us safe. It just feels nice every so often to get my hands dirty protecting our own folks. Kind of gives you a thrill, doesn’t it?”

Enid could only nod as she watched Parker drive away to store the car out of sight. Reaching for Wednesday she pulled the smaller girl into a hug.

“She is kinda right. It was thrilling. Especially since it was in a good cause. Those gangsters aren’t going to be giving anyone trouble for a while and that poor psychic is being moved somewhere safer. He just wanted to live his life in peace. Sure, it wasn’t quite legal, but he really didn’t deserve to be blackmailed like that for it.”

“He won’t need to resort to crime to support himself anymore,” the goth said, sighing a bit that Enid had accepted both the mission and the outcome of what they had done. It was quite a relief to be honest. “We have made arrangements for a job that would provide a mostly legal use for his powers in another state. As a stock analyst he can use his predictions to make himself and others rich in the markets. A far better life than hustling bookies.”

Enid hummed a bit and unless Wednesday was misreading it she seemed to purr a bit too. The feeling of it made the brunette swoon, even though she tried to hide it. Her blonde paramour picked up on it right away.

“Do you suppose we have kept Parker distracted enough for one day?”

“I think so. She will be kept busy enough tomorrow with fittings for her robes and we have to prepare for the Mamushka she and I will dance in celebration. Then it will be time for the party and you get to meet the extended family. I don’t think she will have any time to get anxious about any of it.”

“Good,” Enid said, her voice sounding a bit huskier and obviously purring in delight now. “What would you say to a late-night snack. Then we can retire to our room so I can make a snack of you.”

Her eyes widened a bit at Enid’s proposition. Her wolf was not only ok with what had happened tonight but seemed aroused by it. Or maybe just relieved that they had gotten away with their crimes. Either way she wasn’t going to question it.

“That sounds divine…and maybe even a little depraved. I’m proud of you my Queen…and more than willing to be your snack. Lurch should have saved plenty of leftovers for us. Then I can also reward you properly.”

With that they entered the house with the intent of a little food and then a lot of privacy. If committing crimes was a turn on for the blonde Wednesday would be more than glad to accommodate her. There was always work to do to protect their fellow outcasts. Finding more folks that needed to be taught a lesson to leave their people alone was never difficult.

This time at least they both remembered to ask the house to muffle the sounds from their room.

Chapter Text

The sun had barely been up for more than half an hour when Enid had jumped out of bed and began her day. Wednesday was torn between being amused at her girlfriend’s excitement and annoyed with her hyperactivity. In the end she settled on amusement. The blonde was beyond thrilled to meet more of the family and to enjoy the circus like atmosphere that came with any large gathering of the family.

This was not to mention the fact that she would get to see Yoko in the flesh once the festivities got going. Face time was all well and good but sometimes you just needed to be close enough to touch those you cared about. All told their long break at the Addams family manor had done the wolf a world of good. Wednesday found herself wishing it could be longer but in just a few short days they would be back at Nevermore. At least the school should be a lot more tolerable this year than it had felt at the beginning of the last semester.

Now she would be returning with Enid at her side, a few more friends and a better relationship with the principle. Between all that and her new mind set she had a better chance of surviving the coming semester. It was only fair to be optimistic with all of that in mind.

The party itself wouldn’t officially start till around 6:00 pm but people would begin arriving any time now. Some of the eldest family and friends came early so they could rest up a bit before things started. Likewise, some of those with young children usually came before things got too crowded to let the kids get settled in before the large crowds arrived. And by the same token some expectant mothers would arrive early so they could be settled in and not have to overly exert themselves by arriving with the main crowd of guests.

“Simon and Rebecca will be arriving early,” she said casually to Enid as the blonde was fussing with her make up. “It is considered a very good omen to give birth at a family event. Their baby is due any day now, but I don’t think he is quite ready to make an appearance yet.”

Enid hummed a bit as she listened and concentrated on her task.

“What time did you sign us up to volunteer with the kids?”

The goth smirked a bit, secretly amused that Enid had wanted them to volunteer to help out with the little ones. It was an old family tradition to let the kids participate in the festivities but still have a place to retreat to if it all became too much for them. The family organized a sort of day care for them so they could be looked after while their parents mingled. It would be the first time that Wednesday would be taking a shift, but she found herself oddly looking forward to it.

“We will be with the children from 3:00 this afternoon till 6:00. I asked for an early shift so you shouldn’t miss any of the party. For all practical purposes it has already started, and we don’t really stand on much in the way of formality. Today is about enjoying time with our extended clan, celebrating life and of course honoring Parker. It was very fitting I think that she chose the new year as the date of her rebirth.”

That much was certainly true. Some relatives had already arrived in fact. Ophelia came by late yesterday and volunteered to help with the preparations. With her had come some of the extended Frump family, along with their relatives amongst the Droop and Itt clans. Enid had been excited since the first of them had shown up. She was in full on excited puppy mode and Wednesday found it totally endearing.

“And Lumpy is bringing the whole circus through the gates to perform?”

Again, Wednesday smiled at her Queen. Enid had latched on to the idea of the circus performing for the party and hadn’t let go. She might be looking forward to that more than anything on the itinerary.

“Yes my Queen,” she replied with a smile. “Or at least enough of the circus to put on a show for us. They will be arriving around 8:00 tonight. With the time difference between here and Naples they celebrate the new year there first and then step through to also be with us before the last of the old year ticks away.”

The blonde was literally bouncing in place but finally managed to get her make up and hair situated to her liking. Turning to regard Wednesday more directly she continued with her questions.

“And just so I understand, the party will be big enough to fill most of the house and the grounds? How many people are going to be here?”

“Between extended family, friends and the odd ghost we should have at least three to four hundred people,” she replied. “It is as I said cara mia, you are a large part of the draw tonight. Everyone wants to meet you. Tonight’s gathering was already going to be larger than normal since we all turn out for a bonding ceremony. Your addition to the family has only made people that much more excited to join in.”

To the brunette’s delight Enid blushed a bit at that but was still terribly excited just the same. The girl was almost vibrating in place. As Wednesday had suspected she was easily winning over the extended family and was already well loved amongst the ones she had met. Her Queen was being welcomed beyond her wildest expectations.

“That is…a lot of people,” Enid observed with a thoughtful expression. “How do you keep track of so many relatives?”

“We don’t really. I mean, we do but it’s not an exact science. There is an old saying that if you have too many relatives to remember then it’s just an added blessing to meet them all over again and remember why you care so much for them.”

“Are there any of them you don’t like? Should I be wary around any of them or try to avoid someone? If you tell me who I can try and remember who I shouldn’t be talking to.”

“No, my love, there is no one you should avoid. Make up your own mind about who you should and shouldn’t spend time with this evening. That is the beauty of such a large family. Someone I don’t get along with might be well suited to be a new friend for you and no one would resent that.”

Wednesday of course realized that not all families thought like that. The Addams family did though. It wasn’t the case now but even if she was feuding with some distant relative, for whatever reason, she wouldn’t be offended by Enid making a friend of them. The family stuck together in most things and closed ranks to protect one another. It had been a necessary survival behavior for a family that was often disliked even by other outcasts.

Enid seemed pleased with the answer and stood then, walking across the room to sit on the bed beside her gothic paramour.

“That all fits,” she said in a bemused tone. “And you will need to retreat here periodically through the night when the people become a bit too much.”

“I will,” she agreed. “Everyone knows I don’t have much tolerance for large crowds, though I think I am doing better with that. You are having a good influence on me, and this is family, so I have more patience for them. I will hide out here for brief periods and then return to the festivities. You however should feel free to let your inner social butterfly run amok.”

The blonde laughed and it was music to her ears. She knew though that when she retreated Enid would know of it soon thereafter and come to check on her. Wednesday would welcome her and then they would both return together. While the wolf would indeed run amok she wouldn’t be long separated from her mate.

“Uncle Jim said he and Aunt Vicky would be arriving late. Maybe around 10:00 tonight. They are driving all the way here from Seattle. That is one hell of a road trip.”

Wednesday’s eyes widened a bit at the very notion. That must take a very long time. Being trapped in a car that long had no appeal for her, but she did understand that some people just loved to drive. It seemed to be the case for Enid anyway so maybe she had inherited that honestly from her family. Before she could reply though the blonde had continued. She tended to be chatty when overly stimulated…which appeared would be the case till at least tomorrow sometime.

“Yoko and her father should be here a little after 6:00. Bianca and Xavier said they would be getting be getting here a little after that. We have our family and friends to socialize with and more people to meet. I’m kind of excited for all that, you know.”

Wednesday did know and she smiled accordingly. If Enid was so happy with family gatherings she would have to see to it that she got to experience them more frequently. Not to mention encouraging her for tonight’s festivities.

“Little What was asking about you,” the goth said, sitting up in bed to wrap Enid in a tight hug. “He was very taken with you after his last visit.”

“He is a good little dude,” she observed with a smile. “He will be in the kids are most of the night I imagine since he is only four years old. Very mature for his age though.”

Enid paused suddenly and Wednesday glanced towards her. They had both simultaneously felt that someone had passed through the gates in the basement to the manor. Several somebones in fact.

“That is like…ten people?” the blonde observed. “But I can’t tell who they are.”

“I’m not certain either,” Wednesday admitted after a moment to try and place the new visitors. “But they are family, or at least close enough friends to count. Shall we go greet them?”

Enid answered in the affirmative and helped Wednesday up and out of bed. She had showered just before bed and only needed to throw on some clothes. No doubt she would need to shower again and change clothes a few times as things progressed. Working with the children later in the day would probably warrant a change in wardrobe after the fact. That was just an occupational hazard when dealing with the smallest, least restrained of the Addams clan.

With that done they left the room, hand in hand, to go see who had just shown up and mingle a bit with the folks already there. Even at this early hour it was a small crowd in the making and would grow much, much larger by the time the party got underway. And for a change Wednesday herself was excitedly looking forward to it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Much to Wednesday’s surprise the baby seemed quite taken with her. Enid was dealing with a small group of toddlers, including little What, and they were hanging on her every word as she told them a rousing story about running through the woods at night as a mighty wolf. She did seem awfully good at this business of childcare. It was clear that she adored them that made the goth swoon in the strangest way.

The baby in her arms made an odd sound, as if trying to draw her attention. Returning her attention fully to him she couldn’t hide her confusion. He wasn’t any older than six months but seemed oddly well focused and aware for his age. Unlike most people though he didn’t show any fear or unease in her presence.

“I wonder what it is you see in me Dominic,” she said idly. “Many adults run screaming from me, but you don’t show any fear. I thought babies were fearful of creepy people they didn’t know.”

She heard a light chuckling behind her and both she and Dominic glanced up to see Morticia watching them. For a moment Wednesday blushed, embarrassed to be caught in the act of tenderly holding the child. This was new behavior coming from her and no doubt her mother would comment on it…which she did.

“He senses that you’re not a threat to him. Babies can be very perceptive that way. And never forget, he is an Addams. Blood knows blood.”

The goth sighs quietly to herself. Her mother had caught her in the act so to speak. She couldn’t deny that she had been charmed by babies ever since she and Enid had admitted their love for each other. Just another change brought on by her sunshine wolf. There was little point in denying it now. Who would have guessed she would have a maternal side?

“He seems oddly self-aware for his age,” she observed. “It was my understanding that he was biologically programed to merely eat, sleep and poop till at least elementary school age. With the odd bit of crying or destroying things thrown in for good measure.”

Again, her mother chuckled a bit and looked terribly insufferable to catch her in such a tender emotive state. Still, Enid had been enough of an influence on her that Wednesday wouldn’t shy away from the moment. She had developed a soft spot for babies and small children. It was hardly noteworthy…or at least that was her story and she would stick with it.

“Well, he is an Addams and a psychic besides. I’ve heard from his parents that he shows all the signs of being particularly bright. You might be holding a budding genius in your arms.”

That all tracked she supposed. Psychics did tend to show earlier development than most children, even if their power didn’t fully manifest till years later. And an Addams could be…most anything really. Whatever the case young Dominic wasn’t terribly concerned about their observations. In fact, he seemed quite content to drift off towards sleep. His steady gaze eventually fluttered shut and he began to snore softly.

“You see? He trusts you enough to fall asleep in your arms. I think you might have a way with children.”

That translated to Wednesday as her mother expressing a wish for grandchildren one day. She sighed a bit, having expected to hear such a sentiment eventually. Glancing over at Enid who was leading her little pack of misfits in a game and couldn’t help but smile a bit.

“Someday mother, just not soon I hope. Enid is the truly maternal one and we have discussed having children one day but neither of us has the desire to be teen mothers. We plan to get through high school and college first.”

Morticia’s eyes twinkled happily. Her pregnancy was beginning to show and she already had a glow about her. She was clearly overjoyed that Wednesday would share such information, which was an obvious indication of how their own relationship was evolving.

“You will both be fine mothers, but your right. College first. Your father and I had the same general idea but grew a bit careless. You were born during my graduating year of college. I wouldn’t change a thing though. You and your brother have brought us both too much joy to regret anything.”

“You don’t regret the late-night screaming fits or the mess? Or how we almost destroyed the house multiple times? Not even the time Pugsley almost destroyed a national park? Though, to be fair that was a marvelous display of his skill with explosives.”

She could still remember the smell of sulfur in the air and the explosions over the Grand Canyon. He had managed to change the geography of the place with some cunningly deployed explosions. She thought it rather added to the character of the place…though the park staff had a different opinion on the matter.

“No, I wouldn’t change any of that. Nor coming to bail you out after you bit the Henderson’s dog. They still think you gave it rabies you know. I couldn’t bring myself to change any of it because it made us all what we are today. We learned and grew, even in difficult times. And it has made you the deadly, loving little flytrap you have become.”

Morticia stepped close and leaned down to plant a feather light kiss on her daughter’s temple before turning to leave. In this instance Wednesday allowed the display. Pregnant women could be emotional, and it was a holiday. She wasn’t quite ready to admit she was mellowing out, even though she knew it to be true.

“Well Dominic,” she said, regarding the sleeping infant in her arms. “I’ll thank you not to share any of what you’ve overhead. I do after all have a reputation to uphold.”

He merely snored and seemed content. She found this to be pleasing on some level. Maybe this maternal instinct was a good change. Again, that would be her story and she was sticking with it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As predicted she needed a shower and change of clothes after three hours with the children. Both she and Enid needed a few moments to clean up and decompress. The wolf had paint in her hair and the goth had changed one too many diapers to feel clean. Still, they both enjoyed it oddly enough, much to Wednesday’s surprise.

It was a simple matter to get themselves ready and quietly cuddle for a bit. The guests weren’t going anywhere, and they could take their time. Once Wednesday had a chance to recharge they left the sanctuary of their room and went downstairs.

They found the party in full swing. Her parents and Larissa had their hands full greeting guests and mingling with the family. Wednesday couldn’t help but notice how at home their principal seemed in the role of co-hostess. This gave her an odd feeling of pride, much as seeing how well Enid was adapting did. It wasn’t the same of course but similar. Though she wouldn’t have expected it at first, she too had been fully accepted into the extended family dynamics. It felt as natural now as having the wolf by her side.

New, but still odd, family dynamics aside it was a good feeling to observe both fit in so well. She glanced towards Enid and realized the blonde was still very excited and probably a little over stimulated. Who could blame her? She had spent sixteen years starving for affection and validation from her own family. Wednesday would be a very poor mate if she didn’t encourage the girl to enjoy it to the utmost now.

“Go ahead and mingle mi Reina,” she said in a stage whisper, giving Enid’s hand a squeeze. “Most of them are dying to meet you and I must tend to some business with our friends and family. Might I suggest you introduce yourself to Great Aunt Lucretia? She too is a wolf, and I think you would have a lot in common.”

The blonde was clearly tempted but held back still.

“Are you sure? What if you need me? I don’t like the idea of abandoning you here.”

“I will be fine,” she reassured. “You need the time to soak up all the good vibes we can generate. If anything you would know before I would if there is danger…which there won’t be. Go. Enjoy yourself. I’ll find you before long.”

She hesitated for only a moment, pulling the tiny goth into a tight hug and a quick kiss, before running off like an excited puppy. Wednesday was taken aback by the display but only for a moment. Not normally one for public displays of affection she couldn’t begrudge it in this case. Especially after she saw some of her nearby family smile at her or give her thumbs up. Not only was Enid being fully accepted but their relationship was as well. It felt oddly nice.

Recovering from the brief display though she reminded herself that there was work to be done. Scanning the crowd, she looked for the other Nightshades in attendance. To say it was work she had on her mind might be over stating it, but she did feel a need to talk to them.

Her gaze fell briefly on the elder Thorpe and frowned. The man was engaged in conversation with her father and they both looked rather somber before Gomez led them both out of the room to speak in private. How very curious. She would have to snoop a little later to figure out what that was all about.

It was then that she noticed Xavier and Bianca also watching the same exchange. Without a second thought she strode off in their direction. They in turn noticed her as she approached. Xavier at first had a concerned expression watching the scene between their fathers. For her part Bianca seemed rather pleased with whatever was going on.

“Welcome to our home,” the goth said. “Are you enjoying the party so far?”

She of course would play the role of polite hostess. They were guests after all, and friends she supposed. That would take some getting used to but she kind of liked it.

“Yeah, this is great,” he replied, recovering his composure. Xavier had been here several times in the past, before either of them had gone to Nevermore. “It’s going to take awhile to get used to Weems being part of your family but it’s kind of cool. Does that give you a get out of jail free card for the next time you get in trouble?”

She noted that he wasn’t being sarcastic so much as he was trying to lighten his own mood. Wednesday found this side of Xavier much more tolerable than the version that had been pseudo stalking her since junior high. She felt more at ease with him now and thought he could make a good friend.

“Probably not,” the goth admitted, “but at least we are all on the same side now. We can discuss the details of our mission once back on school grounds. Even among the family I am loathe to discuss details in such a large crowd. That said I did want to welcome you both here and see to your needs. You have found the food and drink haven’t you?”

Bianca laughed and replied for them.

“Sure did. Xavier knew his way around, had a few words with your butler and then led us straight to the banquet. I’ve never seen that much food in one place before. Fair warning, Yoko is in the back playing bartender. I don’t think she is carding anyone though.”

The siren took another sip of what was obviously an alcoholic beverage and smiled.

“There was an irritated old lady threatening to shoo her away though. Your grandmother I assume?”

“Probably, though there are a few little old ladies in residence tonight. Could be any of them really. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Besides, I was hoping to speak with Bianca for a moment. If Xavier doesn’t mind that is.”

He shrugged and even managed a light chuckle.

“No, you two go off and do whatever. I’m going to hang out here for a bit and wait for dad. “

The two girls stepped aside for a bit and Wednesday gestured for Bianca to follow which she did. A moment or two later they found themselves outside. The night was reasonably mild and with all the people milling about it felt warmer than it actually was. Apparently the siren noticed that her smaller companion seemed nervous about something.

“So, Addams, what’s going on? You never get nervous that I’ve seen. Even with an evil zombie pilgrim trying to kill us all. What’s up?”

Wednesday paused a moment, trying to gather her thoughts, before replying.

“I do get nervous, though not often. It is counterproductive. But I’ve been growing a bit emotionally I guess. Ever since I could admit what I felt for Enid. Friendship is new to me and I worry about saying or doing the wrong thing.”

That admission hurt a bit if she was honest. Of all their accomplices at Nevermore Bianca was the only one she would have ever considered as a romantic partner besides Enid, so she had a special place in her heart built up from mutual respect and some level of attraction. She found herself wanting to make a friend of her but wasn’t entirely sure how. They would be a most formidable team if joined together in a common cause.

“That is rather…endearing Addams. Or may I call you Wednesday? Either way I can assure you that you haven’t done anything wrong yet. At least as far as I know. “

“Yes, I believe we should be on a first name basis. I have come to respect you and hope we can be friends. We are going to be working together a lot in the coming semester.”

Bianca nodded, still not sure where the goth was going with all this yet. Wednesday took that as a cue to continue.

“I have some questions, if you won’t find them disrespectful.”

“Hmmm. No way to be sure till I hear what they are. But I get the notion that you aren’t trying to be offensive. So go ahead and ask away. I’ll answer you as best I can.”

And that had been the easy part the young witch mused to herself. Why was all of this socializing so hard? And how did people manage to survive having more than one or two close friends? It seemed like a horrible amount of work to be that open and forthcoming. The results of being open to more friendships though did seem to come with benefits so she gritted her teeth and continued.

“I’m sorry but this is all new for me,” she finally said. “Now that I have friends I want to do right by them. Enid helped me to see what I was missing when I closed myself off so much. Would you help and pointe out when I’m screwing something up? My natural instincts don’t always lend themselves to forming healthy relationships.”

Instead of looking at her with derision or pity Bianca actually smiled before replying.

“I’ll help you where I can, provided you promise not to stab me if I do. But I get the feeling that wasn’t exactly the question you were referring to earlier.”

She sighed at that. Bianca was very observant as always. Sometimes Wednesday hated her for that but other times, like now, it was something of a blessing.

“No, it wasn’t. I have some questions about the Nightshades and Xavier. If you will oblige me that is.”

She was leading them towards the lake. In the distance they could see a small crowd there already with a few other sirens playing in the water while other guests sat by the waterside. Wednesday began to steer them towards the far end of the water where they would have more privacy.

“I don’t mind. Go ahead and ask whatever you need to.”

“Are you and Xavier dating again.”

The siren’s brow arched a bit at the question but she didn’t seem offended.

“Not the way you probably mean. Xavier and I have made up but it’s still a process. We go out casually sometimes. After a long talk we both decided that neither of us was ready for a serious relationship yet. But damn if that boy isn’t good in bed.”

Wednesday almost tripped over her own feet at how casually that was said. Biance grinned at the reaction and continued.

“Don’t be shocked. Chastity isn’t considered much of a virtue in the siren world. In the wild, so to speak, we are very open sexually and often gather in groups we call pods made up of close family, friends and lovers. It is in our nature to be sensual and open with our affections.”

She should have realized that in advance. Other than werewolf lore though Wednesday was not entirely sure how types of outcasts operated. It was a dreadful oversight in her education to date.

“I didn’t know,” she admitted. My cousin asked for an introduction to him. She is taken with the tortured artist vibe and says he is very easy on the eyes. Not being into men myself I don’t really see it but to each their own.”

“Your cousin? The one with long red hair and black tips? She will be coming to Nevermore after the summer, wont she?”

“That is her, yes. You have already met her then?”

“We did. She greeted us soon after we arrived. I thought she was a little nerdy and over eager but seemed nice enough. Neither Xavier nor I are in a committed relationship. We seem to make better friends and occasional lovers than long-term romantic partners.”

“Ah, so she won’t need an introduction after all. That is something to check off my list. I just didn’t want to step on your toes. That would be…rude.”

By now they were by the lake but far enough away from other people to not be overheard. Seeing some of the other sirens in the water not too far away Bianca seemed intent to join in the fun.

“Would you mind if I take a dip? I’ll stay close to the shore so we can continue to talk.”

The goth nodded in reply, indicating that her friend was free to avail herself of the water. She paused in surprise when Bianca began to disrobe, folding her clothes up on the shore. Yes, she had indeed forgotten that sirens didn’t exactly share in most people’s sense of modesty. Once completely naked she stepped into the water far enough to slip into her mermaid form. Her tail replaced her legs and the scales became visible. She looked both wild and exotically sensual.

“Sorry if I embarrassed you,” she said with a chuckle. “I’m not trying to flirt with you or anything. It’s just that we like to be naked and in the water. Please be gentle when you tell Enid. I don’t want to become werewolf chow.”

“She wont object,” the smaller girl said, finally able to turn and regard Bianca fully. “I’m just not used to the ways of other outcasts. It’s a learning experience.”

Bianca took that in stride, laying on her back and floating on the surface.

“So it is with all of us. I had never met a real werewolf or vampire before coming to Nevermore. Then I started researching all the flavors of outcasts I could. We are all a strange but oddly compelling group. It’s kind of a marvel really that Weems keeps us all from turning on each other.”

“She is a remarkable woman,” Wednesday agreed. “And I don’t say that just because she is family now. We weren’t on the same page before, but I learned she is well worth respecting and loves the school more than anything. Well, more than almost anything. I never expected her and my parents to have such history but here we are.”

Biance merely hummed in agreement, idly moving her arms back and forth in the water to maintain her position.

“There are other questions though? Besides your parents sacking up with our principal. I’m not sure about all the attraction between them but they all seem happy.”

“They are,” Wednesday admitted. Insufferably so. But you are right. I have one more question and then can leave you to play in the water as nature intended.”

She sat down on the bank and regarded the mermaid.

“If memory served you were always queen bee of the Nightshades but now it seems Yoko is. How did that happen? Was their any…bad blood I should know about.”

“No, nothing like that,” Bianca replied, her voice sounding distant. “Weems talked to Yoko and I first. When I learned what was really going on, what we were really preparing for, I stepped aside to let her take the reins. She has been through crap like this before and I haven’t. The Nightshades as a whole are still very independent. Yoko just seemed like the best choice to be the first voice in our preparation against the hunters.”

“That was very mature of you,” she said, with just a hint of admiration in her tone. Bianca was just full of surprises. “I hope that none of us have to experience what Yoko has had to go through in the past. But I fear we will.”

“You’re worried about Enid, aren’t you? She is such a loving, happy soul now that she is out from under her parents. You don’t want for her to bear the burden of danger and becoming bitter from the experience.”

“That is correct,” Wednesday admitted. “I wish I had the power to take her somewhere safe and far away from all of this. But she is determined to do what she can for the cause. I am afraid for her. For all of us really. I now have a girl who loves me and friends I am beginning to cherish. It is quite vexing to have to deal with all of this.”

They were both silent for a long moment before Bianca spoke up again.

“All we can do is try the hardest we can to be prepared. I have faith in Yoko and in you. We will win in the end. And, if for whatever reason I don’t make it, please make sure to kill a few of them to avenge me.”

The siren knew just what to say. Her friend understood her, at least more than most. She was glad they had this little chat. It helped to set her mind a little more at ease. They continued to talk for a little longer till Wednesday took her leave. Bianca wanted to dive and submerge herself fully, but it would be impolite to do while the goth was still there. Making her farewells she began the trek back to the house.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Just as Bianca had said she found Yoko near the buffet mixing drinks for their guests. Whatever disagreement she had with Grandmama earlier seemed to be sorted out now as the two were chatting as if they had been long lost friends. The vampire took notice of her approach and smiled.

“There you are,” the other girl said with a grin. “I thought you had gone awol at your own party.”

“No, just pacing myself. Socializing is still hard for me, but everyone here is either friends or family. Have you seen Enid yet?”

“Yeah, she breezed through here a little while ago and got a drink before going back to mingle. I don’t think I have ever seen that pup so happy or excited. You’re doing an awfully good job of making her happy.”

“I try my best,” Wednesday said, blushing a bit at the compliment. “Released from her bondage to her parents she is really starting to heal. It will take time to undo the damage they did but I am optimistic.”

Yoko grinned and handed a drink to another party goer before turning her attention fully to Wednesday.

“I’m going to take a break for a bit. Want to chat? Or maybe a drink first. You look like you could use it.”

“Wine please,” she said, thinking that a good drink would be just the thing she needed now. “And yes, I would like to speak with you alone for a bit.”

Yoko prepared drinks for them both and then followed Wednesday. This time she led them towards a quiet corner of the cemetery. The vampire settled on a stool and patiently regarded the psychic.

“So, what’s on your mind?”

“Just a question or two and me trying to be a better friend. That part doesn’t come naturally to me, but I am trying. It will be good for us all to be back at campus.”

The vampire nodded and the goth thanked her lucky stars that neither Yoko nor Bianca was put off by her clumsy attempts to become better friends. It gave her some confidence that she could manage to pull this off. It would be nice to acknowledge her friends and show appreciation for the benefits such friendships brought to her.

“Whatever you need to do Wednesday. We have your back. At least as long as you don’t start stabbing us. What do you want to ask?”

Taking a seat beside her Wednesday took a moment to collect her thoughts.

“It’s not terribly important in the grand scheme of things but something didn’t add up to me. I didn’t realize till recently how effective you can be. Earlier I had thought you must be incompetent in letting someone poison you with garlic so easily. It doesn’t make sense. Couldn’t you smell it with your enhanced senses.”

For a moment Yoko looked uncomfortable and glanced around at their surroundings.

“Enid isn’t close enough to overhear is she?”

Wednesday also looked around and didn’t see any sign of her Queen.

“No, I believe she is still mingling inside.”

The vampire nodded and continued in a subdued voice.

“Please never tell her I said this but that was all an excuse. I was impressed by Bianca’s pure moxie in trying to poison me. It wasn’t that much garlic, so I decided to ride with it and use it as an excuse not to participate in the Poe Cup.”

“Why?”

“I had been in every cup for the last thirty years or more. Vampires age slowly, especially the ones born as vampires. I’m almost a hundred and eight years old but still have the maturity level of the average sixteen-year-old. It’s kind of annoying if you want the truth. Sure, immortality sounds great, but I’ve been a teenager for decades now and probably have another ten or twelve years before I’m considered an adult.”

“So, you faked a poisoning to give you an excuse?”

It kind of made sense given this new information.

“Yeah, I did. Enid wanted me there but mentally I was done with the whole thing. Besides, she was starting to want someone else to be there even more than she wanted me. While I was playing up how bad the garlic was I began hoping she could talk you into taking my place. Thank you for that. It made her very happy.”

Wednesday hadn’t considered at the time that it was all merely a ploy. Yoko had played her part to perfection to get out of the Cup and push her and Enid closer together. All things considered she respected that.
“I’m glad that I did it as well. You have probably noticed how competitive I can be. Despite appearances I did enjoy it. And then the rest is history as they say. There is no foul as far as I’m concerned but you’re right. Enid probably doesn’t need to know all that. You have stuck by her in all the important ways, so it has worked out well.”

Before she could reply to any of that Yoko paused and seemed to focus on something far away. Glancing back towards Wednesday she shared a mischievous glance with the smaller girl.

“I can hear our favorite wolf coming this way. There is someone with her. Your cousin I think. Guess it’s time we both got back to the party?”

Sure enough, just a few seconds later Enid and Parker joined them in the graveyard. They were both clearly excited and seemed to have been drinking a bit too much. None the less they seemed to be having a grand time.

“We wondered where the both of you wandered off to,” Parker said with a grin. “It’s almost time for Lumpy to bring the circus through the gate. Come see it with us.”

Wednesday glanced from her cousin’s hopeful face to Enid’s and then back again. She really couldn’t resist that look from either of them. It looks as if their discussion might be cut short.

“Of course,” the goth replied, glancing then towards Yoko. “How can we deny such an invitation?”

“Can’t do it,” she replied with a bemused grin. “Anything for you pup.”

Standing up the vampire gave Enid a side arm hug and began to walk with them back towards the house.

“Have you seen Xavier tonight?” Parker asked with a smile. “Someone talked him into getting rid of that silly man bun he used to wear. A shorter cut looks good on him.”

Yoko and Wednesday exchanged an amused glance and started towards the house. The goth was coming to realize she had more in common with Yoko than she had at first supposed. It felt good to be making a friend of her. She fell in with the others and followed along.

There was still a lot of party to be had, and then Parker’s ceremony just after midnight. For the moment though things seemed calm. Wednesday surrendered herself to the moment and then to her wolf’s embrace as Enid took her hand. Where she wanted to lead the goth would follow.

Chapter Text

This was it. Her big day. Parker’s insides felt all twisted up and despite everyone trying to help her along and keep her distracted the feelings just kept flaring up. She wasn’t nervous per se about the party today or the ceremony scheduled for just after midnight. No, she wasn’t scared but she desperately wanted it to be done and over with. It seemed like her whole life was on hold till after and she couldn’t be sure about anything till she knew, and could adapt to, the changes that were about to take place.

She was an Addams and would always be whether she underwent the ceremony or not. While she hoped to develop psychic abilities and magical powers they weren’t technically necessary. In a way she was already an outcast by choice if not by blood. Still, the blood called to her. In a way she was starting a new life and leaving all ties to the normie world behind. That part couldn’t come soon enough to suit her.

Her blood relatives had made it quite plain that she didn’t mean all that much to them. Her parents had argued during their divorce about who ‘had to’ have custody and raise her. That had hurt, even if she hadn’t expressed it at the time. Then she discovered the Addams family. They had taken her in immediately after Margaux’s attempt to run them out of town and destroy their house. Wednesday and Fester in particular had made her feel welcome and quickly showed her what a real family should be like.

True, they all were strange as hell, but as she got used to it she discovered that she too qualified for the same description. Now, after a few short years, she had found her own inner freak. Not that anyone had tried to guide her in that direction. It just felt right now that she finally had the choice. That had made all the difference in the world.

All of her insecurities were trying to be heard at once now. It was only natural she supposed. It was a big step, but she was more than willing to take it and looking forward to seeing how her new life would take shape. She just had to get through the day without choking anyone or throwing herself off the tower like Pugsley did when he was out of sorts. She had tried that once and discovered she wasn’t nearly as indestructible as her Papa or her younger cousin. Still, it had been one hell of a rush, and she was able to laugh about it after Grandmama had used magic to fix her busted hip and leg bones.

She sighed and turned her attention to the full-length mirror in her room. With a sigh and a frustrated expression she regarded her reflection. Letting the robe fall open she frowned at the image the mirror gave her. Everyone kept telling her she was gorgeous, but she just couldn’t see it. Many sixteen-year-old girls felt the same about themselves she supposed. Most of them though didn’t have the anger of an Addams or the overly dramatic nature that was now her birthright.

Beneath the robe she only wore some lacy black underwear that she liked. It didn’t do much to cover the fact that she was very skinny and too tall for her own liking. She had curves but they didn’t seem to be enough to suit her. In her mind’s eye she felt like a skinny boy cross dressing as a girl. Not that it would matter to the family. They would accept her whatever she turned out to be. But it upset her. In a rare show of temper she punched the mirror then and the glass shattered into a million pieces on floor.

“Feel better nieta?”

Parker almost jumped out of her skin at the voice. She immediately recognized Grandmama’s voice, but she hadn’t expected her so early. Or to just materialize in her room like that. Closing her robe and turning slowly she regarded the older woman with a confused expression.

“I kind of do,” she replied with a shrug. Everything seems…out of sorts today. How did you get in though? I didn’t hear you at the door.”

“Because I didn’t use the door love,” the old lady replied with a twinkle in her eye. “I felt your unease from down in the basement and am just projecting myself from there.”

As if to prove her point she reached towards Parker and her hand passed clearly through her.

“Oh,” she said, feeling a bit embarrassed to have attracted the old woman’s attention in such a way. “I’m sorry for being a pest. My mind is just all over the place today. And now I’m wondering why puberty seems to have stopped and left me just like any other teen girl waiting for the breast fairy to deliver me a better figure.”

The old woman cackled a bit and for whatever reason it calmed Parker’s nerves just a bit.

“Oh dear, my darling girl. Your figure is just fine. And puberty isn’t quite done with you yet. I think you will be just fine.”

With that said she waved her hand over the glass on the floor. Parker watched as all the pieces rose into the air, hovered for a moment and then reassembled themselves into a fully repaired mirror.

“Can you teach me how to do that?”

“Soon,” the old woman said with a grin. “You might even be able to learn some simple magic now. But odds are your magical gifts will be more plain to see once we are done tonight. Taking on our blood wouldn’t be required as even normies can sometimes learn magic. A lot of doors will open for you when your potential is unlocked.”

Parker sat heavily in a nearby chair as her grandmother continued.

“I know your reasons for wanting the ceremony and to make the transition, and they are good ones. What you’re feeling now though is insecurity in yourself and a fair dose of teen angst. It happens to the best of us at your age I’m afraid.”

“It feels like a lot more than just that,” she replied in a very tired tone. “After Wednesday brought Enid home I’ve felt a little out of sorts. Don’t get me wrong. I adore Enid and Wednesday both. But they are just naturally gorgeous. I feel plain beside them. And more than a bit guilty for it. They are beautiful and in love while I haven’t even had a date in three years.”

Grandmama nodded in understanding.

“You want to go meet boys at this fancy school almost as much as you want to put your normie life behind you forever. You just need to be patient. And as far as meeting people goes, it is hard for us sometimes. Most normies and even some outcasts shy away from our family. It isn’t any reflection on you or your charms.”

She sighed and regarded her grandmother thoughtfully.

“I’ve been patient, and that is only making me even more lonely. It occurred to me this morning that they will both be going back to school in a week. What am I to do with myself while they are gone? Sure, Pugsley is in the same boat as they say, but he seems to be handling it better than I am.”

The old woman huffed for a moment and regarded her with a sympathetic expression.

“Maybe you should start to visit Jericho some during this new term. We have a house there now and I know Gomez and Morticia will be staying there at least part time. I don’t think anyone would object. Then you could see those two little monsters when they aren’t in class. And maybe meet some more of their friends and classmates. Would probably do you some good.”

It sounded like a grand idea to Parker.

“I’ll have to talk to Papa about that,” she said hopefully. “And Miss Claire too. Maybe they could do my lessons there? Or maybe Aunt Larissa would let me take some part time classes off the books to get me ready faster.”

“Anything is possible love,” she said after some consideration. “I don’t see anything wrong with you becoming a bit more available to the social life being in Jericho would offer you. For now though I’ll take my leave to finish my preparations. Sometimes a girl just needs to talk to her mother when she is feeling down.”

Parker was prepared to offer a reply before she heard a knock at the door. In that brief moment she was distracted Grandmama had vanished. She couldn’t help but chuckle to herself before crossing the room to unlock the door and let her vampiric tutor into the room.

“Come in. I’m sorry. Was a bit distracted.”

“Hmmm, so I heard. The house helped for me to catch on to your agitated state.”

Claire’s gaze went from Parker’s eyes, down to her knuckles which were clearly scraped and oozing just a bit of blood and then back up to her eyes.

“Your hurt?”

“No. You should see the other guy. To be honest I got mad at the mirror. It was being too honest in how it reflected me.”

Claire’s eyes focused on her bruised hand and then to the mirror. It looked intact but appearances could often be deceiving here. The mirror though wasn’t the important thing here.

“Do you feel better for putting it in its place?”

“Yeah. Kinda. Grandmama says I have a bad case of puberty and Addams temper.”

“Ah, I see,” the vampire replied after a moment. “It is a difficult time in a young woman’s life. And being anxious for your ceremony just makes it a little harder to navigate.”

Claire moved to sit in one of the chairs and Parker took the other. For a long moment they were silent but at a glance from her tutor the girl sighed. There seemed to be a lot she needed to say but was having trouble putting her jumbled thoughts into words. She understood that Claire was giving her enough space think and she was very grateful for that.

“Before she disappeared back to the basement Grandmama said it was time to talk to my mother. Then you knocked on the door. Very appropriate to be honest. You have been the mother I needed for a long while. I just…wanted to let you know that I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. In my private thoughts I’ve thought of you as my new Mama for a long while now.”

If she was capable of it Claire would be blushing by now. Her expression though showed how touched she was by Parker’s words. The surprise soon was replaced with a gentle smile that seemed to suit the vampire.

“I am honored you think that way,” Claire said. “And I couldn’t imagine a better daughter to have. You are growing up to be a very special young woman. I hope you understand that.”

She in fact had trouble seeing that but she wouldn’t contradict her mama now that she had expressed the sentiment. Found family, a special kind of trope to her way of thinking, was very real. Without her new family Parker wasn’t sure where she would be now. The Addams’ family gave her a place and all the love she could ever want. Much the same as they had done for Claire.

“Someday we will be having the same talk just before your bonding ceremony,” the girl said, a twinkle of mischief in her eye. “When ever papa finally figures things out. I say the three of us will make an oddly fun family unit. And then, someday maybe the two of you will have biological children. If you do I want you to know that I’m behind the idea all the way. You both deserve all the good things in life.”

This time Claire almost blushed. It was clear she was a little flustered by the comment, but Claire seemed to be in favor of marrying Fester and having children one day. It didn’t take a genius to see that she was really into Fester. He had been opening up a bit more with the both of them lately. There was still a chance!

“I would like that,” Claire said in a subdued tone. “Fester is a good man, whether he believes it or not. Whatever happens though I still love both of you very much. For now though we still have to settle your nerves and get you ready for the party.”

And so they started preparations. With Claire’s help she picked an outfit and her makeup. All the while they talked about anything and everything that popped into their heads. It was strangely comforting. Parker hadn’t realized how much she had needed that talk. It was better than chatting with Wednesday and Enid. They too were very dear to her but being the same age as herself she realized they couldn’t really help with any talks about puberty. She had needed the mother figure in her life who had been there and weathered all of the challenges she was still facing.

Claire had been filling that role for a while now, but it seemed better this time around. Maybe it just took some of the tension away that they both had spoken openly about their relationship. It felt nice and did a lot to ease the nerves and insecurities that were picking exactly the wrong time to manifest.

They wound up talking well into the afternoon. Parker now felt much more at ease. The rest should click into place as the party got into full swing. She now felt well enough to let herself fly solo and enjoy the party. It wouldn’t be proper for an Addams to miss a party where they were the guests of honor.

So, a little later, dressed to kill she made her way out to where the others were beginning to mingle. On a whim she had decided to wear the same blood red nuns habit she had used for her admin photo on the Outer Limits site. This time though she let her face show and added some jewelry to round out the look. The pentagram necklace made of black onyx really went well with the red of her outfit and her flowing locks of red and black.

She had also opted for some makeup in this case, painting on some black eyeshadow and lipstick. Regarding her mirror again she couldn’t help but think this all looked pretty good on her. Maybe Grandmama and Claire were right. Maybe puberty wasn’t done with her yet. Maybe she would be attractive in due time. It was enough of a mood boost to let her stride out to face the party without fear.

The next few hours were something of a blur as she went from room to room and greeted everyone. They all seemed to be having a good time and, by the family standards, her outfit didn’t seem at all out of place. One cousin was sporting a look that reminded her of an Egyptian theme. Being a vampire he might have actually been around since Egypt was in its glory. Still another wore only a loincloth and sandals. In short they were all unique and whatever one felt like wearing was more than suitable for the family.

Passing by the area set aside for the day care she waved to Wednesday and Enid. It felt a little odd to see her cousin so absorbed with the little children and babies. She was changing for the better due to Enid’s influence. It was nice to see.

Time continued to pass. Parker had made a small plate of snacks and was still doing the rounds, eating as she went. Soon she paused, feeling static in the air. Smiling she turned to address her father.

“Papa, you really need to remember to tone down the static if you want to sneak up on anyone.”

“But I wasn’t sneaking,” he said with a chuckle. “Not among the family anyway. And I’ve only shocked a couple of people so far today.”

Parker couldn’t help but smile at his antics but then something clicked in her mind.

“Wait, aren’t you usually setting up the fireworks for tonight? I know that takes a lot of time but it will be time to set them off in just a few hours.”

“Oh, no…I’m leaving that in Pugsley’s hands for tonight.”

This confused her and she commented on it.

“But Papa, you love the fireworks and blowing stuff up.”

“I do but…I love my little girl more. You might need me tonight, especially around the time of the ceremony. I wanted to let you know that I’m here if you need me.”

And then she hugged him. It was a very spontaneous thing and only resulted in a minor shock. She had felt far worse shocks in the past and was building quite the tolerance for it.

“I love you Papa. So very much. You take such good care of me.”

“I always will,” he promised. “You know by now that not even death can stop us.”

They stayed side by side for a long while, just chatting. Then Enid became aware of Xavier from across the room. He looked to be miserable. Almost as soon, Fester became aware of her shift in focus. For a few moments he seemed uncertain but finally spoke up.

“You should go to him,” he said after a moment. “I think he needs someone to talk to.”

“What’s wrong with him? He doesn’t seem to be in a party mood.”

“Oh, well…Gomez is having a talk with his father. Trying to remind him again that he has a son that he should be more available to. It usually works for a while. I don’t know him well, but your uncle and he go way back. He is normally a good guy but way too tied up in fame and his shows to be a proper father.”

Anyway, you should go talk to him. I think he needs a friend right now and I don’t want to stand in the way of your mingling. Go ahead, it’s alright.”

Parker could almost hear her Mama’s advice in Fester’s words. She had overheard them talking before when they didn’t know she was nearby. She could tell that Fester had misgivings about her meeting more young men. But he was urging her to do just that now. Unlike the elder Thorpe her father was willing to put his own concerns aside just because it was what she needed.

“You will be standing with me for the ceremony, right?”

“Of course, baby girl. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Now go on. Mingle and have some fun. You’re the reason most of the family is here for anyway.”

She nodded, deeply grateful for what Fester was doing. She had wanted to talk to Xavier for a while now, but she had never imagined it would be like this. While Wednesday had said she would introduce them they had already met at another party a year or so back. It had been a short interaction then, but she couldn’t help but see how lonely and miserable he seemed.

At Fester’s gentle encouragement she walked towards him. At her approach he took notice and put on his best fake smile. Yes, it was pretty obvious that he was miserable.

“Hello,” she said in a tentative voice. “I’m sorry if this is a bad time but I wanted to meet you, and it looked like you needed a friend right now. If you want though I could come see you another time.”

Damn. She was saying the right things, for the most part, but her nerves were acting up again. Handsome guys tended to bring that out in her. To her relief his smile seemed a bit more authentic now.

“It’s alright. I could use some company. It’s all kind of embarrassing but it happens sometimes.”

“What happens? Your dad and uncle Gomez slip away for these chats often?”

“A bit too often for my tastes,” he admits. “They have been friends for a long time but my dad is a bit…detached I guess. Mr. Addams has to remind him every so often that he has family obligations that he isn’t meeting.”

Xavier shrugs and Parker can see now how embarrassing it must be. No doubt a lot of the family in attendance would be aware of this dynamic. How much that must hurt she could only imagine. It was less than ideal for one’s father to need reminders to look after their own child. While she pondered that he continued.

“Your Wednesday’s cousin then? The belle of the ball as they say?”

He was trying to deflect her attention away from the spectacle going on in the office. She would oblige him then. It was unfair for him to have to suffer like this because his father was less than attentive.

“That is me. Parker Addams at your service. I’ll be coming to Nevermore after the coming summer. Wednesday has offered to introduce me to everyone when I get there but why wait? “

“Why indeed,” he said with a chuckle. “I remembered your face but couldn’t remember your name. I’ve seen you at a few parties, but we never got to really chat before.”

“And you were always mooning over my cousin,” she says with an amused expression.

His own laugh was more genuine than the earlier smile. Mission accomplished for taking his mind off of things. She had done her good deed for the day it seems.

“I was that obvious? Well, I’m no longer trying to get her attention as anything other than a friend. She was never into me and now I know why. It was a bad idea for me to try and court a gay girl.”

It was said in a self-depreciating tone. He had apparently come to terms with everything in that regard. Parker was glad to hear that.

“It was normal I suppose. She is gorgeous and has a compelling personality. I’m just her plain sidekick most of the time.”

Xavier glanced at her with a confused expression.

“You’re not plain Parker, and as for compelling personalities I think you should give yourself more credit. I’ve read a lot of your work on the Outer limits. You have a special kind of magnetism. I feel like I already know you a little bit even though we never spoke before today.”

Was that flirting? Parker wasn’t sure but it felt like he was flirting with her. She blushed for a moment before replying.

“Yeah…I can communicate really well on the internet. Sometimes face to face is a little harder. Not sure why that is.”

“I get what your saying,” he replied. “Sometimes I feel like that as well. Maybe it’s something for our generation where smart phones are everywhere. It feels safer I guess, not to put yourself in the limelight or become a social outcast because of saying something dumb in person. Heaven knows I’ve said something dumb often enough.”

His smile now seemed to be genuine. Her intent had been to distract Xavier for a little while and make him feel better about this whole thing going on with his father. Now here he was, being all nice and complimentary towards her. Yet it seemed to draw him out of his shell more. All around it was a win she supposed.

They settled in and talked for a while about everything that came to mind. His trying to build up her own self-esteem was really, really sweet. She tried to return the favor, asking to see some of his current artistic endeavors if he had any on his phone. And boy did he. She grinned a bit at his obvious pride as they looked at some of his paintings and sketches he had stored on the phone.

There was no doubt that he was good at it, and she expressed her appreciation for what he had shared with her. In fact, he invited her to see his art shack at Nevermore whenever she got the chance. They seemed to be hitting it off and this just made Parker a little bit nervous. As chatty and outgoing as she was with the extended family she still got a bit tongue tied when talking to guys who were her own age. She would need to seek the advice of her Mama or maybe Enid. The werewolf seemed able to talk to anyone and seldom showed frazzled nerves to anyone…unless it was about her own family issues anyway.

All good things must end though. Before long they saw the door to Gomez’s office open and out stepped the elder Thorpe and Addams. They paused there to talk for another moment before shaking hands and going their separate ways.

“Oh. Looks like they are done,” Parker says watching the two adults carefully before turning her attention back to Xavier. “I suppose you should go see him for a bit and I should probably go check in with Wednesday in a moment. We will be dancing the Mamushka later tonight.”

“Yeah, I suppose your right,” Xavier said, a hint of sadness returning to his voice. He didn’t exactly seem thrilled to see his father just now but that seemed on brand to Parker. How much embarrassment did one guy need to go through before they just resented the hell out of their parent?

“Let me know how it goes?” she said, standing from the chair as the elder Thorpe approached. “You know the address and phone number. Just…get in touch sometime, ok?”

He smiled and nodded. Xavier seemed like he wanted to continue to chat as well but familial duty called.

“I will,” he promised. “Soon. Now go do your dance and knock em dead.”

His smile seemed genuine now as he turned to go meet his father halfway. Parker’s heart fluttered a bit. Talking to guys her own age often caused that reaction. She really, really needed to get out more. No time to worry about that now though. She still had a busy night ahead of her.

The next couple of hours went by very quickly. Almost immediately after she and Xavier had parted ways she had found her cousin and Enid who had come to look for her. They had some time to catch up and compare notes. Parker found out then that they had noticed her talking to Xavier earlier. Enid had asked how it went and Wednesday seemed a bit on edge about the whole matter. No doubt still thinking about how he had previously stalked her. They talked about it for a while and Parker explained it all very truthfully. Enid seemed very upbeat at the news and even her dour cousin seemed relieved. In fact, their gossiping seemed to revitalize them all for a bit. Just in time for their dance.

The crowd was lively, or as Enid put it almost feral. Everyone was having a good time and, given the over-the-top way the Addams’ did anything, it was about as wild as anyone could imagine. And then there was the Mamushka.

It was full of frantic energy and had everyone on their feet and clapping along. In fact, some of the family had begun to dance as well, off to the side though to give the girls all the room they needed. The Mamushka was very popular and celebrated brotherly love, or sisterly love in this case. Both Wednesday and Parker danced with wild abandon. It was glorious to see. Enid clapped and cheered them on from the sidelines, especially when Parker had caught the dagger in her teeth, swallowing it most of the way down.

As they took their bows Parker had noticed that Xavier, Bianca and Yoko had pushed their way to the front of the crowd. After the applause was over the Nightshades in attendance pulled Enid, Parker and Wednesday into their little huddle. It was a bit overwhelming with everyone being so exuberant in the moment. Still, their impromptu gossip circle was a welcome relief no matter how overwhelming it felt.

Parker only had a little bit of time though. Before she left to go find Grandmama she managed to secure everyone’s phone number that she didn’t have yet. Everyone promised to call her soon or at least chat online. Parker was already part of their little group because she was vital to the war effort through the Outer Limits. As it turned out, everyone had wanted to get to know her and Pugsley better. And she of course was eating up the attention having spent way too much time being isolated from her agemates.

Very reluctantly she had bid the others farewell. It was almost time for her ceremony and she needed to go find Grandmama. That quest didn’t take long. The old woman was looking for her as well. Soon they found themselves in her basement lair and settling in to talk.

“Ah love, you seem to be the life of the party,” the old woman observed with a proud expression. “I’m so glad to see you coming into your own. I understand the reasons that Fester had to try and keep you safe and isolated. But it was very unfair to you. You deserve to shine and bask in the affections of people your own age.”

“I didn’t like it much,” she admitted. “But Papa couldn’t stay put for long back then. The law got too close if he stayed in one place for too long. He had his reasons and he loves me more than anyone ever had before. I’m so happy though that he got all that sorted out and doesn’t have to be on the run anymore.”

Grandmama nodded and chuckled a bit. Her eldest son had taken awhile to mature and settle down. These days he was almost respectable. At least by Addams’ standards.

“That boy got his wanderlust from me I’m afraid. Wandered all over Europe I did, usually traveling with the Romani. And now he is learning the same lesson I finally did that having a home full of people who loved you was every bit as fulfilling as seeing what was over the next hill.”

“You’ve never told me any stories about those times,” the younger Addams said with a grin. “Did you get into a lot of trouble back then? And just how long ago was all that?”

“I’ll tell you more if you pass the next history quiz that your Mama has for you. I was there for some of the events you’re learning about now. Knowing that stuff will put what I can tell you into better perspective.”

They both laughed and then talked. Mostly going over how everything was supposed to go for her ceremony. The spell that went along with the ceremony was rather long and would be spoken in Enochian since Grandmama was very old fashioned about that sort of thing. Her nerves were still acting up a bit but Parker reminded herself that this was what she wanted. The family already loved and respected her even though she didn’t carry a single drop of Addams’ blood. She was greedy though and wanted the unbreakable bond that came with the bonding. Parker wanted to seal the deal as they say.

So, with the last-minute instructions given Grandmama had shooed her off to dress in her ceremonial robes. Claire waited for her outside the changing room. It was hard to say which of them was the most excited by it all. They didn’t say much, but Parker could tell how proud her Mama was. They walked together then to the door she was to be admitted through.

Claire paused there, listening for her cue. Then she reached out and gave Parker a hug, restraining her vampiric strength just enough to not crush the girl. Then with a proud smile she opened the door and they walked forward.

It all looked like a wedding of sorts. Claire was walking her down the aisle after a fashion towards where Grandmama, her Papa and Wednesday waited. The initial part of the ceremony and warding the area from any unwanted spirits had been completed. Now it was Parker’s turn.

Everyone spoke in Enochian, the witch’s tongue as the old woman called it. This was the most recent language Parker had picked up after Spanish and the rest of the participants were already fluent in it.

“Who of the blood speaks for this child?” Grandmama asked.

“I do,” Fester replied, a look of intense pride on his face. “As her father I present her to join us in the blood and forever as part of our family.”

“Who else then speaks for this girl?”

“I do,” Wednesday said, also looking rather pleased. “She has been like a sister to me and I gladly offer of my essence as well to finalize her joining us in the family.”

“And you Parker, do you accept the invitation? Sometimes our lives are filled with woe and danger. We face any threats together and always support our family. Do you willingly take on this obligation and join with us forever as an Addams? Will you share our joys, our pains and most importantly our love?”

“I do,” Parker said immediately, proud that her voice didn’t crack too much. “I love you all, very much. I will stand with you in times of peril and celebrate with you when life allows. I’m ready to join you fully and forever more.”

There were voices murmuring in approval and a few cheers from the crowd. Grandmama silenced them with a glance and resumed the ceremony.

“Then drink from the chalice of blood young Addams. We welcome you with open arms. Now and forever more you are one of us. Welcome to the fold.”

Parker took the chalice that was offered to her and then knelt in front of her grandmother. She understood that the primary ingredient was blood, Wednesday’s and Fester’s to be precise, along with some other curious things tucked in. Odds are it would be fatal to most people, but when one was destined to be part of the family the blood knew to be kind to them. Holding it up Parker’s voice rang out plain and clear so the crowd could hear.

“Of my own free will and desire I accept the blood of the family. I pledge myself to keep the faith, keep our secrets as necessary and spill my own blood for any of you as it might be required. I love you all. Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc!"

With that she drank from the chalice, draining it all in one long gulp. While Parker knew that this was very carefully choreographed the execution of it was amazing. As she began to drink the clock ticked off the last seconds of the new year and the fireworks began. This was it! She was starting the new year with a new rebirth. Nothing would ever be as it was before. Well, nothing but the love of her family. She was just now more tightly bonded to them.

As for everything that followed the ceremony she had been coached a bit as to what she should expect. This spell had been cast hundreds of times since Johan had created it, and each outcome was different from every other one. Sometimes physical changes took place as their DNA was slightly altered. Then there were the psychological changes, but as Parker had been living as one of them for years now she didn’t expect much to change there.

Often, especially if they had started as normies, outcast powers would quickly show themselves. Whatever the outcome of that, and there was no way to be sure till after it was done, she was determined to face it head on. That was how an Addams did things.

The most important warning though was when Grandmama had winked at her and said it would be the most powerful buzz she could imagine. Many people brought into the family spent a long time trying to recreate the feeling with mood altering drugs, liquor or any sort of thrill to be honest. With that in mind it didn’t surprise her in the least when her perceptions started to change during the cheers and the spectacle of the fireworks.

Everything seemed to have a halo of rainbow colors around it, most particularly the fireworks. She was frozen in wonder as she watched in a daze. When trying to speak all she could manage was a small giggling sound. Gradually she became aware of her Papa gathering her up in his arms. While she could hear everything that was said, and probably a few things that weren’t, she relaxed into her father’s embrace.

“Thank you all for coming tonight,” Fester said, gazing down at her with pride. “I’m going to tuck my daughter in for the night.”

A cheer went up at the announcement and Parker tried to focus on Fester’s face. She couldn’t quite manage it but did find a few words she could remember and pronounce.
While not sure it would come out as intended she tried her best.

“Love you Papa.”

Chapter Text

It had been a long day. The night, in its own way, had felt even longer. At least judged by the amount of cuddling, kissing and love making that was involved. As much as Wednesday enjoyed her extended family she had her limits. She pushed those limits pretty hard yesterday. After the ceremony she felt a need to be alone with her wolf.

As it turned out, Enid was so keyed up from the whole day spent among all the new people she was still vibrating in place till well after midnight. Wednesday just gave her a way to channel all that energy into something constructive. Sort of a simultaneous need to be close to each other with all the perks one might imagine.

In each other’s arms they exhausted one another and slept like the dead. Wednesday mumbled sleepily, curled around Enid’s hip much like a koala bear. The blonde had shifted position and seemed to be sitting up in bed with her back to the headboard. The smaller of the pair just hadn’t caught up yet to whatever had drawn the werewolf’s attention.

“Why are you awake?” she said, voice thick with sleep. She hadn’t even opened her eyes yet and still remained entirely under the covers.

“Willa, it’s almost noon,” Enid replied with a chuckle. “Anyway, I woke up a little bit ago and was trying to figure out this show. You’ve got to see this.”

Show? What show? Enid was prone to watching videos and movies on her phone or laptop but that didn’t sound right. Wednesday hadn’t heard any sounds that indicated something was playing on her various media devices. Raising her head slowly she peeked out from under the covers only to immediately pause. Doing so had put her on direct eye level with her wolf’s bare bosom. Apparently they hadn’t bothered to dress before sleep had taken them.

“Your right. The show is…quite enjoyable.”

The blonde swatted her playfully and gathered the smaller girl up in her arms. There was only minimal protest as the goth girl was pulled into a sitting position at her side. It was like Enid was positioning her for a better view of whatever she had been looking at before.

“I meant the half dressed men in your room.”

That took a minute or two to compute. Sure enough there was a man wearing only jockey shorts at the other end of the room. He was toiling away silently at an unknown task but all they could see was the man himself. He made no noise though it was clear from the way his lips moved that he was saying something.

On impulse Wednesday had drawn a rather large knife from it’s hidden spot behind the nightstand on her side of the bed. She sat up further, alert and ready as she assessed the possible threat. Before she could rise further though Enid had gently restrained her.

“He isn’t really here,” she said quietly. “I was kind of stunned to see him…or rather the ones that came before. There isn’t a scent and no noise. It’s more like a projection of some sort.”

Wednesday glanced from the man towards Enid and then back again. She didn’t feel any hint of a threat coming from the projection. No sense of danger, no threatening moves or implied violence. Just a half-naked guy hanging around in a bedroom belonging to teen aged girls. Nothing weird there…

“About fifteen minutes ago your Uncle Fester was yelling for Grandmama. That was what woke me. Then while I was trying to focus I began to see these images. Look! It’s changed again.”

Sure enough the guy in jockey shorts was gone now, replaced by another man in swim trunks. His skin glistened in the light as if he was still in the water. In fact, he was making swimming motions which looked oddly out of place given that he was just kind of hovering in midair.

“This one looks familiar,” Wednesday said aloud, studying the figure.

“He should. That is Keanu Reeves. Or at least a younger version of him. We watched one of his movies a couple of days back.”

Wednesday pondered this quietly for a long moment before turning her attention back to Enid.

“Fester sounded distressed?”

“Yes. But only for a moment. Grandmama got there very quickly and they went into Parker’s room. It’s been quiet ever since.”

Thinking back on it the goth realized that Enid had probably only heard it all due to her heightened sense and had been awake enough to notice when the ‘show’ had started. For a moment she wondered if her cousin was causing some sort of dream projection. The family hadn’t had a dream walker in generations. It was a rare physic talent that allowed the user to view other people’s dreams and project some aspects of their own. This could be something like that.

“I think we are seeing flashes from Parker’s dreams,” she said in an excited tone. “Far be it from me to ever ask you to get out of bed but would you care to join me in investigating?”

Wednesday hopped out of bed and began gathering her clothes up. Enid quickly followed and, after some searching, they both managed to get dressed enough to be presentable. With that accomplished they peeked out the door and saw the one to Parker’s room was still ajar. Stepping into the room they saw Fester fretting quietly but now sitting in one of the empty chairs as Ms. Claire tried to comfort him. Grandmama stood over Parker’s bed and examined her granddaughter who still, somehow, managed to sleep through all the commotion in her room.

“Stop your fussing Fester,” the old woman said with a chuckle. “Parker is fine. It is just her new psychic powers manifesting for the first time. She weathered the ceremony quite well I see.”

Fester didn’t look convinced.

“She was kissing some man,” he said in a miserable tone. “And he didn’t have a single stitch of clothing on! My heart almost stopped at the sight of it.”

The old witch cackled at that, clearly amused. It was the cackle that finally woke Parker who opened her eyes blearily and looked at them all for a long moment.

“Why is everyone in my bedroom?”

“Your parents were watching over you love,” Grandmama said. “Someone had to stay close in case of any complications. I’m afraid your new psychic powers almost made your father die of shock.”

The witch was clearly amused by all of this.

“Papa? Are you alright?”

Parker was clearly concerned but still not quite in her right mind. Everything felt muffled and strange to her it seemed. It was clear to the others that she was having trouble focusing.

“I’m fine my little shutterbug,” he said after a moment to calm himself.”

Parker looked at him with a confused expression and then tried to speak to Grandmama again. The operative word was try as no fully formed words came out. The old lady smiled and patted her on the shoulder before turning to usher everyone else out of the room.

“Let her sleep some more,” Eudora said simply. “She doesn’t need watched anymore and needs some quiet to rest some up for a little longer.”

She ushered Fester and Claire specifically out into the hall and pointed towards the stairs.

“Go back to your own room. Rest a little while. She should be up in a couple of hours and then we can all discuss this like grownups.”

They begrudgingly complied but not till Grandmama promised to stay close just in case. As she watched them go she sighed a bit and gave a bemused shake of her head. Then her gaze turned to Wednesday and Enid.

“I would suggest you two clean up and go on downstairs. Parker doesn’t have any control yet so whoever is up here for the next hour or so are going to get random snips of her sex dreams. Poor Fester wasn’t quite ready for that yet.”

Enid giggled at that and turned quickly to dart back into their room. Wednesday followed her retreat briefly then turned back to her grandmother.

“Is she a dream walker then?”

“No, nothing that exotic. But she has developed the ability to project psychic illusions. I won’t be able to figure out how powerful she is at it though till she is awake and can answer some questions. It is still a rare gift though and I think it will suit her.”

The goth made a disappointed expression and sighed.

“A pity, but yes, that should suit her as you say. So, are we going to get flashes of her sex dreams for the foreseeable future? I’m not sure we could survive that for long.”

“Probably not. I can give her a charm to keep it under wraps while she sleeps. Then it will only take a few weeks of training for her to gain some control over it. She will be fine…and so will you if you hurry off after your mate and then both make yourselves scarce.”

Grandmama shooed her off then before settling in to stand guard over her newest granddaughter.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Miss Claire had, somehow, convinced Fester to relax a little. In fact, she got him to fall asleep and settled him in for a nice long nap. In his concern he hadn’t slept the night before and then Parker’s not so subtle demonstration of her new abilities had nearly shocked him back into an early grave. She had then come down long enough to grab a few blood bags and was returning upstairs to stand watch over him till Parker was awake enough for visitors. This was where Wednesday and Enid intercepted her, and she gave them a tired smile and stopped to chat for a moment.

“The momentary shock aside I think that what he saw good for Fester,” she with a bemused expression. “I’ve been trying to convince him for awhile that Parker isn’t a baby anymore and he needs to let her stretch her wings and socialize. To his credit he did encourage her to mingle with the young men at the party last night.”

That was true enough. Both the girls had noticed and commented on it in private.

“Most fathers have trouble accepting their daughters as sexual creatures,” Enid observed, though her expression was a bit more troubled owing to her family issues. “My dad would always get a bit twitchy if I mentioned having a crush or wanting to date.”

“Not mine,” Wednesday replied with her usual dead pan delivery. “By the time I turned thirteen he kept hinting around and trying to figure out if I had any sexual interest in anyone or anything. He was overjoyed when I made friends of Parker and Joel. I don’t think he was kidding when he said I needed to go to Nevermore to find my true love.”

“And you did!” Enid and Claire both replied simultaneously and then chuckled at the jinx. Wednesday merely rolled her eyes at their antics and they bid Miss Claire farewell. She wanted to get back to Fester before he could wake up on his own. Watching her form retreat up the stairs Enid offered an observation.

“She really makes a good mother figure. For both Parker and Fester to be honest. I’m a little jealous to be honest.”

The goth gave her a side glance and nodded. She took her girlfriend’s hand and guided her towards the library. She didn’t want for Enid to focus too much on family at the moment as she still wanted to avoid letting the blonde spiral over her own issues. Enid had been doing so much better in recent weeks and she wanted to prolong the healing as long as she could.

“She is, and she will continue to look out for both of them. Have you noticed how much closer she and Fester have gotten lately? From what I’ve gathered they are sharing a room now.”

The wolf’s eyes twinkled a bit as Wednesday had hoped. Enid had an inner matchmaker that her mate was trying to gently encourage. It made her happy to focus on the love lives of others and trying to ponder who would make a good match for whom.

“That was what I thought Grandmama had said,” she observed. “And I think it’s great. Fester is…kind of different but he is a nice guy deep down. At least as long as you don’t threaten his family. I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of him, but it is so cute how he dotes over Parker. She, and I for that matter, are both so lucky that the Addams family takes in strays.”

Wednesday didn’t like it when Enid thought of herself as a stray. It had been true, after a fashion she supposed, but her Queen seemed so much happier now and more confident as well. Staying here for the long break had done wonders for her. And for Wednesday herself she had to admit.

“Speaking of strays, I thought we could spend some time chatting with the family,” Wednesday offered. “At least the ones who haven’t left yet. Cousin Cormac is staying for a couple of days to help plan the wedding for my parent’s and Larissa.”

“Oh! He is the Irish werewolf right? The monk who was telling me stories about brewing holy whiskey?”

“Yes, that is him,” the brunette replied with an amused expression. “He holds to an old, more laid-back model of the Christian faith from before the Romans got their hands on it. One that is more accepting of outcasts, people of color and the LGBTQ community.”

“I liked him,” Enid said with a grin. “He asked me if he could officiate whenever we decide to marry.”

Wednesday did not miss the hopeful tone her mate said that in or the quick glance the blonde had given to her promise ring, which matched the one on Wednesday’s finger. There was nothing like giving one hope in the future to help heal old hurts and trauma.

“That sounds like a grand idea,” the goth said, eyes twinkling. “He officiated the wedding for Margaret and Cousin Itt a few years back. They held it on Halloween in a graveyard. Best party I’ve ever been to.”

She didn’t even need to continue before Enid had grabbed her hand and drug her on through the door to talk to Cormac.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Some time had passed, and they spent it spirited conversation with Cousin Cormac. He had been all too willing to officiate their ceremony whenever they decided to have it. The man was very easy to talk to. Sure, he was a little odd like everyone else in the family, but he had a warm, approachable personality and really cared about people. He seemed to draw folks in and make friends with them almost immediately.

He delighted in telling them stories of his adventures, tales of his faith and just some old-fashioned Irish folklore. In fact, they lost track of the time and before long it seemed that two hours had passed. Cormac was in the middle of another rousing tale about the birth of Taliesin, the famous Irish bard, when Grandmama stepped into the room. Enid saw her first and tugged on Wednesday’s sleeve to get her attention.

“Are you boring the girls with your old drunken ramblings again?” the old woman said with clear fondness in her voice. Cormac’s eyes widened with delight and he stood and hugged Grandmama with equal affection.

“Grandmama, you crazy old witch!” he exclaimed in a happy tone. “I didn’t get to see you at the party. Want to join us for a drink and some stories?”

“I’ll be glad to, but it will just be you and I. The girls need to take care of something for me.”

With that she gave the both of them a glance and gestured them closer as if to share a secret.

“Parker is awake and I think it would be nice if the two of you go see her for a bit.”

“Is something wrong?” Wednesday asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

“Nothing like that. But you three are thick as thieves. I think it would do her well to chat with both of you before facing her parents again. It’s not every day you accidentally show your father your hidden sexual fantasies at such a tender young age.”

The old woman laughed and shook her head before she continued.

“Even as tame as her dreams were it was enough to make Fester’s heart skip a few beats. She could use someone to vent to and make her feel more grounded I think. Besides, I know you two were probably worried as anyone else for her welfare.”

That much was true. Grandmama always had a way of cutting through bull and getting straight to the point. The girls stood and bid Cormac farewell before taking their leave. Looking back as they exited the room they caught of quick peek of the old witch pulling a bottle out of some hidden pocket which the two laughed over and prepared to share.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sure enough, Parker was delighted to see them. She had just got out of the shower but was still dressed in loose pajamas. It only took them an instant to realize she was about two inches taller than she had been before. Apparently she would need an emergency shopping trip to get new clothes to fit.

“I can’t believe I was sharing my dreams with…well, everyone,” Parker exclaimed. By now they had been talking for a little while and she seemed to be mostly over the embarrassment phase. “Better that one though than the one the night before.”

Despite herself this piqued Wednesday’s curiosity.

“Dare I ask what that one involved?”

“I was walking Leonardo DeCaprio on the beach with a leash and chain. He was a good boy so when we got back to the beach house I rewarded him accordingly.”

She wasn’t the least bit embarrassed to share that but then again the girls did share a lot. It was much easier to with peers as opposed to parents. This talk was seeming to have the desired effect, at least in regard to helping to ground Parker.

“That…probably wouldn’t have gone over so well,” Enid said with a laugh. “It’s got to be lonely though. Not having a posse of other girls or eligible dating partners around to socialize with. Hos did you manage for so long?”

“It was…it is,” the newly reborn Addams said with a frown. The frown quickly morphed into a mischievous smile though. “But it’s getting better. I have already chatted with a few people from the party over chat this morning. Yoko is hilarious by the way. And Grandmama suggested that I spend the occasional weekend in Jericho to keep in touch with folks. It’s looking up and soon I’ll be at school with both of you and everyone else. I can wait a little longer and things are coming together.”

Indeed, it seems she was adapting well. Wednesday questioned how she had texted while on such a high from the ceremony the night before, which still hadn’t fully passed by the way. Showing off some of the texts it was clear that she had still been a little zoned out while she did so. To their credit though it seemed as if Yoko, Bianca and Xavier had been gentle and understanding with her, taking it all in stride. Hell, she had even been texting with some of their distant cousins through the early morning hours. Or at least the ones with cell phones.

“So, now I have psychic powers,” she observed. “Some sort of illusion ability. Grandmama will help me learn how to use it. Not to mention the physical changes. If I measured right I’m somewhere around five foot ten and a half now. And here I was complaining to Mama yesterday that I was too tall and too underdeveloped.”

She glanced down with a frown at her still modest bosom and sighed. Wednesday and Enid shared a glance and shrugged. It seemed Parker hadn’t even noticed yet that her eyes had changed color and were now a bright emerald green. That went particularly well with her red hair.

“Don’t knock the whole tall, willowy figure vibe. A lot of women, like Morticia, make it look good.”

Parker glanced towards Enid as she said this. She didn’t look convinced, but it at least got her to thinking. Pouncing on the opportunity Wednesday suggested a shopping trip for the next day and looking at styles that would suitably show off her cousin’s new proportions. After all, if it wasn’t something she could change any time soon maybe the better course would be to embrace it and dress to enhance the vibe.

From there the conversation meandered all over the place as it often did. They planned their shopping trip, talked about everything that crossed their minds and just generally gossiped. It did wonders for Parker’s mood, made Enid happy and Wednesday found she didn’t hate the concept as much as she might have one upon a time.

Once upon a time? Her memory drifted back briefly to her troubled thoughts while she had been confined to the infirmary in Nevermore immediately after the Crackstone debacle. Her troubled and confused thoughts had played out as a fairy tale of sorts narrated in Grandmama’s voice. Comparing her life before, the changes of that night and then everything that had passed since she was struck with how much better life felt now than it had been before.

She still couldn’t quite believe in happily ever after but being surrounded now by the love and camaraderie she had denied herself before it felt much more possible. The rest of the afternoon, at least till Fester woke up, was taken up by their gossip session and some creative manicures as provided by Enid. It felt nice and Wednesday breathed a sigh of relief to have reached this point. Was she as focused and deadly as she had once been. Probably not. But was she happier for it? Most definitely yes.

Chapter Text

The next day dawned much like all the others before it. A lot happened on the first of the year and it would be time to return to Nevermore soon. Enid had mixed feelings about that. Everything would be very different to be sure and, at least on the surface, it appeared to be good changes. As much as she missed her friends though she was going to miss her new family terribly once they were back in Vermont.

Family. Now there was a difficult subject. Her blood family was still a bit unsettled, but she no longer felt the need to hide away or run when the topic was brought up. That had to be progress, right? In fact, she had managed to call the twins while Wednesday and Parker were involved with other things for the morning. It hadn’t gone as well as hoped but wasn’t a total flop either.

Afterwards she had wandered aimlessly, thinking about things and trying to sort it all out. She wasn’t an upset mess about it though. Not like she would have been a few weeks earlier. Enid felt more mature now and more comfortable among the Addams family. She finally had that sense of acceptance her blood family had never given her. Would her courage and maturity still hold once they were out of the house? The wolf was not sure but there wasn’t much to be done for it.

Going back to school full time and working with the Nightshades more directly would feel like the war was that much closer. The normally happy go lucky Gomez was taking it very seriously. She didn’t need for Wednesday to explain his current demeanor. They were all in terrible danger and were needed to help in the war effort. They were all just high school kids though, with all the problems and drama that normally came with their age group.

Gomez was clearly trying to spare them all the danger he could, but the fact remained. Letting kids remain in harms way was tearing him up inside. But he couldn’t coddle them or spare them this. All outcasts were in danger and if they failed the number of deaths would be well beyond her ability to count. Enid was determined to do her part, no matter what it might entail. The worry though was sitting heavy within her. Even a short trip into Jericho could have deadly consequences.
It was at this point, after she had been wandering aimlessly with her thoughts, that she realized where she was. Her feet had led her straight to Grandmama’s work room in the basement. Enid could hear the old woman puttering about inside since the door was ajar. While wrestling with the idea of whether to go in and say hello or just keep walking the decision was made for her.

“Don’t leave and old lady waiting love,” she heard from within. “I know your there and I have snacks for you. Come on in, sit by the fire and we’ll have a little chat.”

She couldn’t help but chuckle a bit but did as she was bidden.

“I was just wandering with my thoughts and finally noticed where I was.”

“I know love. Your thoughts were particularly noisy, and I could sense your distress.”

Enid didn’t have a ready answer for that but took the seat Grandmama indicted to her. The old woman had laid out a picnic basket on the table between the chairs and was brewing some tea for them both. Curiously peeking into the basket saw an assortment of meat snacks, cheese, fruits and a large baguette of good bread. As was the norm when presented such things the blonde’s mouth began to water. This prompted a laugh from the old witch.

“Go ahead dear, have some food. The tea is ready too.”

Grandmama brought the tea pot and a couple of cups to the table and took her seat opposite the wolf.

“I know that Wednesday and Parker were busy this morning doing other things. When I felt your distress it seemed only proper that I step up and make sure you were ok. I figured that you would need someone to listen till you could reconnect with your…what is the word you all use these days? Posse?”

“That is as good a word as any,” Enid replied with a chuckle. “How did you know I was distressed though? Are you a psychic as well as being a great witch?”

Eudora laughed openly at that.

“No dear, I was born as another sort of outcast but had a lot of potential for magic. Hell, I had been wandering around for some four hundred years before I found my true love. Gave me a fair bit of time to learn a lot of magic before finally settling down.”

Enid’s eyes widened a bit at the statement. She knew Grandmama was old but would never have guessed exactly how old. Anything she would have thought to ask upon hearing such news seemed rude to say aloud. Eudora seemed to sense her uncertainty though and continued with a big smile on her face.

“A shape shifter dear, just like your lovely lady principal. I was born to a tribe of wandering Romani back in the day. As such things go it was about as good a situation as any young outcast could hope for at the time. The Romani people value outcasts and even took in orphans from the various tribes of magical folk. It’s amazing what people can accomplish when they are willing to see the worth in their fellow man instead of hating them for an accident of birth.”

“That does sound nice,” the wolf replied, still a bit stunned by the witches’ age and that she was so willing to speak of it. “Why do they hate us though? Was it just prejudice or were they jealous of our powers? I’ve always wondered where that started.”

The old lady huffed a bit and frowned but only for a moment. It seems as if her good humor will be difficult to shake today.

“It was a lot of things I suppose. Fear of something different was probably the first stage of it. Then, very early on, the nobility and the church decided that any power they couldn’t control or manipulate was the devils’ work and had to be destroyed to defend their own positions of authority. Then it all picked up steam as time went on. Like an avalanche rolling downhill.”

Enid frowned and then sighed to herself.

“I just want to live my life in peace. That is too much to ask for it seems. Even winning this new war won’t settle things. Some other normie ‘hero’ would rise up to threaten us all eventually.”

“Aye, they will. This isn’t a new war though. It’s just a continuation of the same struggle that has been going on for centuries. The biggest difference though is how quickly technology has advanced. Now, they can hurt us all at one time instead of just tormenting one outcast or small community at a time. Naturally, by the same token, they can all kill each other more easily now. It is shaping up to be a very bloody time for us all.”

The wolf looked away for a moment, gathering her thoughts before replying.

“So…what is the answer? It sounds like you’re saying that the world is in very bad hands and that the normies in charge will always be at our throats and at each other’s. Is there no way for us to be safe?”

Eudora gave her a gentle smile and reached out to pat Enid on the knee.

“Vigilance love. We have to keep our eyes open and be ready for anything. It is the way of our family to protect those who can’t protect themselves. In fact, we often thrive on the struggle.”

“Oh! Wednesday said something about that. Like a curse on the family to make us protect other outcasts.”

Grandmama’s face scrunched up in amusement and she laughed.

“Is that what the girl said? Tell me, what else did she say on the matter?”

So, Enid told her the reader’s digest condensed version of the conversation. The more she talked the more the old witch chuckled. It wasn’t exactly the reaction the blonde had been expecting.

“Is that not right? I don’t think Wednesday would lie about such things.”

“No, she didn’t lie. In fact, I doubt she could lie to you even if she wanted to. But bear in mind her personality. This was the same young woman who asked me for a vaccination of some sort before she went to Nevermore so she wouldn’t catch all the feelings the place might bring to her. Morticia and Gomez can’t stop talking about how romantic the school is and how they found their love there. Wednesday had believed it was a curse on the school or perhaps some poison in the water.

All that to say, she wasn’t ready to go and was already in a dark place emotionally. None of her coping skills for emotional distress were particularly healthy. I can only imagine what she must have been like to be around just then. But it worked out in the end. Thanks to the love she found in you, and forming attachments to other students, her cold, dead heart started to warm a bit. Then the accident with Goody made many of her walls crumble and set her emotions free. It’s going to be a wild ride while she adapts to that.”

Enid had a worried expression when she heard all of that.

“You think she is going to have trouble coping with all her new feelings? How can I help her?”

“Oh, she will have trouble adapting. What young woman at that age doesn’t? To help her you just have to be yourself and there for her. Some of it will scare her and other times she will need to retreat with her thoughts to sort it all out. Be supportive and give her the chance to take it all in. She is a bright girl. One of the smartest I’ve ever met. We all just have to give her time and space to mature.”

The wolf pondered that for a moment. She would always try her best to help her mate along. And their friends were committed to the idea as well. At least the Nightshades were. Thanks to Enid they all understood that Wednesday was sometimes in a very dark place emotionally. Thankfully they all seemed to take it to heart and took the effort to offer support where they could. Before she could comment on that though Grandmama had continued.

“As to what you said about protecting outcasts that isn’t quite the way of it. From what I’ve gathered the earliest of the Addams clan had reached too far to strengthen the magic in their blood. They had it in mind, I believe, to create an army of outcasts to conquer the world and make it safe. Breeding for stronger descendants and finding ways to hone their natural abilities through training eventually drew the attention of some higher power.

Rather than being offended by their overreach this power, whomever it might have been, presented the family with a choice. Either they could protect the magic in the world or they could be destroyed on the spot for their sins. Obviously they agreed to defend the magic and so the pact was formed. You see dear, its not so simple as helping outcasts. It’s about keeping the spark of magic alive. We outcasts are just the most obvious of the bits of magic floating around in the world and as such we draw a lot of attention from those who would do us harm.”

“Oh,” Was all Enid could say at first. It was a lot to consider all at once, but it did make a sort of sense. After another moment or two though she found her words.

“Is that what makes everyone seem so driven and overly dramatic?”

Eudora laughed in delight.

“Perhaps. I’ve always thought that those disorders were a sign of being more in tune with the magic than most. As such we are changed by it in subtle ways. More willing to embrace the odd and the macabre. Or maybe we are all just a special kind of crazy. Either way, you’ve accepted it and are even living it now. You’re a fine addition to the family and we are all glad you’re here.”

She smiled a bit at the compliment but did veer the conversation over to less weighty matters. The thought stuck with her though while they talked. It seemed that old legends still carried a lot of weight with the family. That and Grandmama seemed to favor the notion that everything, even the past, was subjective and nuanced beyond all possible understanding. She would leave the matter of what it all meant to the old witch. Enid just didn’t have the head for ferreting out the truth of it all.

After about an hour though their conversation ran out of steam. Grandmama informed her that it was time for her shows to come on and that Wednesday was back in their room now. Enid glanced towards the ancient looking television in the corner with a curious expression. It wasn’t hooked to any cables that she could see. In fact, it didn’t even seem to be plugged in. How could anyone watch something on that? Then again, maybe this was just one of those things that wasn’t worth the effort. If an old witch wanted to watch her soap operas, or whatever she watched, then no doubt she would find a way.

Thanking Grandmama for her time Enid helped clean up the scraps and bid the old lady farewell. Of course, she had to promise and come visit again soon before leaving. That would be easy enough to do as the wolf always enjoyed their conversations. As odd as she might be Grandmama always taught her something interesting. Afterwards everything else always seemed to make a little more sense.

She made some haste up the stairs and to their shared room. As promised Wednesday was inside, standing at an open window and staring out at the clouds. The weather was threatening to bring snow again in the next few hours and her mate seemed fascinated with it. In fact, she looked oddly excited about something. Stepping up behind Wednesday she gently wrapped her arms around the Raven and kissed the back of her neck.

The brunette shivered a bit at the touch and eased back to lean into Enid’s touch. Turning to face her mate directly Enid noted that her eyed did indeed have an expression of excitement, and not the type they usually had when they embraced. This was something new.

“I’ve had a breakthrough,” the young witch said, clearly delighted to be sharing the news.” I can sense the flow of magic more easily now. The storm clouds outside are full of it. And I see your aura now without having to struggle to find it. That will make my coming lessons so much easier.”

While not entirely sure what all that meant Enid was proud of her. Whatever it all meant sounded like quite the achievement. Plus, seeing the excitement on her lovers normally stoic face was a rare treat.

“I’m happy for you Willa,” she said with a pleased tone. “Did that all happen while you were doing your meditations this morning?”

“It did. Grandmama had said once I could make out the ebb and flow of power for myself that it would be the next big step in my education. Then I could start some more advanced exercises. I can’t wait to tell her that I’m ready for the next step.”

“Somehow, I think she knows already. I was just speaking with her and she said you were back in our room. She seems to always know what is going on with everyone.”

Wednesday was silent for a moment, pondering that it seemed. The news didn’t seem to shake her oddly good mood. Her smile was in full effect and anyone who didn’t know her well would be somewhat unnerved by it.

“I suppose that is true. If that is the case she can wait till after dinner then. It’s time for her shows anyway.”

“What does she watch?” Enid asked. “It didn’t even look like her television was plugged in much less had cable access.”

“I don’t know how she does it,” Wednesday admitted. “She just makes it work and then binges on normie television. Somehow she watches soap operas for an hour or two each day. She can pull up an entire series and goes back to the beginning episodes and watches from there. Right now, I believe it is something called ‘General Hospital’ which she is convinced is a comedy series.”

The wolf couldn’t help but laugh. Of course ‘General Hospital’ was a comedy. Why not? Totally on brand.

“So, just like everyone else in the family she obsesses over something and can be really dramatic about it?”

Now it was Wednesday’s turn to laugh. If Enid hadn’t already been in love with the girl and totally charmed by her she would fall again for her now. Her mate’s smile, with her sweet dimples showing, was almost more than she could bear.

“I would say that is accurate mi Reina.”

Then, just a second later, Wednesday regarded her a bit more seriously.

“Did something happen today? I see concern in your eyes and your aura flickered a bit. Is there someone I need to torture on your behalf?”

“Oh! No, nothing quite like that,” the wolf said in a startled voice. This was a new development. If Wednesday could so easily read her now, either from her aura or some other magical sense, then she would need to learn how not to be surprised by it.

“I called the twins this morning while you were meditating and Parker was studying with Grandmama. It was just…irritating.”

“They said something to upset you. Please, let me punish them on your behalf.”

Enid stepped away, but only for a moment. She stopped by the bedside and sat down on it, motioning Wednesday to join her. Once they were resituated the blonde continued.

“It was an odd conversation. They weren’t antagonistic and I could still sense that they cared but it felt off. All of the pack dynamics have been flipped with my parents out of the picture and the twins are dumb boys who still think with the wrong parts of their anatomies. It’s going to take time for us all to accept each other based on how things will be going forward.”

After a moment Wednesday nodded and regarded Enid carefully.

“Are they still blatant homophobes?”

“Yeah, but I think it is mostly something they learned instead of something they feel deep down. Mom preached against same sex relationships, and they just parroted it. It seems like they are confused to know someone who is gay. It’s easier to hate when the target is something far away that you don’t know. As long as it’s some nameless others then it’s easier to demonize them. When it’s someone you care for, even if only a little, it makes you stop and really think about it.”

“And you want to give them the time to think about it?”

“Yeah. If they come around then great. If not, well, I’m not going to lose any sleep over it. If I’ve learned anything from you it is that not everyone is going to love me and I’m not responsible for their ignorance. If they can’t love me as I am then they can go on with their miserable lives and leave me out of it.”

Wednesday smiled at that and reached up to cup Enid’s cheek, looking deeply into her eyes.

“I’m so proud of you mi Reina. Do you know how ravishing you are right now? So fierce…so strong and mature. Whatever shall I do?”

Her body language, scent and the tone of her voice told Enid exactly what she wanted to do. The wolf merely smiled and pulled her closer. She noted to herself that happy Wednesday seemed to be expressed as aroused Wednesday. That was something she could gladly support. Pulling her then into a kiss they forgot about the world outside and concentrated totally, and gladly, on each other for the remainder of the day.

Chapter Text

Wednesday regarded the empty trunks and luggage with a thoughtful expression. The idea that they could come and go from Nevermore was a new wrinkle in her plans, and as much as she despised most changes this one promised to be more of a help than a hindrance. They could pack less with the knowledge that anything they needed from home could be fetched via the gates without much fuss. Not to mention the fact that they would be going into Jericho more often than before. They could just buy anything they needed much more readily.

She glanced then towards Enid, who was studying something on her phone with rapt attention. Then, periodically, she would type something with a frantic sort of energy. Wednesday didn’t know who she was chatting with but it seemed deep and held her mate’s attention. It was rare for the blonde to be so still so naturally she was intrigued.

Glancing towards the empty luggage again she merely shrugged. They still had a couple of days before they would be leaving so nothing needed to be packed right this minute. Moving to Enid’s side then she sat on the bed near the other girl and watched her with an expression of curiosity. Enid glanced up at her after another short burst of typing. Whatever she was discussing, and whomever she was doing it with, it must not have been anything too terrible. She wore her normal happy smile and beamed up at her mate.

“Speak of the devil,” she said with an amused grin. “Yoko was just asking if she could face time with the both of us.”

Wednesday raised an eyebrow in curiosity. What could Yoko want with her? The vampire and Enid often talked together but the psychic was seldom included. It wasn’t to exclude her though as much as the fact that Yoko and her wolf had so much history together and would often reminisce about things she didn’t know anything about.

“I suppose that would be acceptable,” the goth replied. She was confused but hid it well. Even more, she realized she had missed talking to the vampire as well. Confound these new connections and emotions. Having friends felt good on some levels but still it grated her on others. It was going to take more time still before she was fluent in all these feelings and obligations.

“Ok, let me set this up then.”

Enid took her phone and leaned it up on the nightstand so they both could see it. The call came through almost immediately and Enid answered on their behalf. Yoko’s face appeared on the tiny screen as her Queen cuddled up by her side so they could both be seen.

“Hello ladies,” Yoko said with an excited wave. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything, but I wanted to ask both of you some questions.”

Knowing that the vampire and Enid had already discussed whatever was going on Wednesday merely nodded in acknowledgement, trying to urge the other girl to continue.

“So, as you know your both in the Nightshades now. I was wondering if you would be willing to go through the induction ceremony that we have used since the group was founded. I know Wednesday will probably consider it all very silly but I kind of wanted to do it. You know, to help hasten the group bonding with the both of you in these trying times. That and I can never turn down a good party.”

Oh. So that was it. Normally Wednesday would flee from the notion of a party or the performance of old rites that were silly by most anyone’s standards. Yoko did make a good point though. It probably would be a good idea to all bond together a little bit more. The silliness of the ceremony but everyone else would probably enjoy it. It would be good for group morale she supposed.

“I will allow it,” she said tentatively. “And I think Enid is into the idea judging by her grin. When do you want to do this?”

“The first night when we are all back at school. Since the next day will have classes we should start near to sundown so we can party a little and not be too worn out to go to school the next day.”

She glanced at Enid, who wore her excitement openly, and then back to Yoko.

“Alright. That should be fine. Perhaps we can have some food as well? We can all eat, do your little ceremony and then party for a bit as you put it. “

Yoko grinned and nodded.

“Already planned for. We are going to get some pizza and soft drinks to share before I start mixing up the good stuff.”

The ‘good stuff’ in question was whatever heavily alcoholic concoction she would be mixing up for everyone.

“There is one other thing though. Do you think Parker and Pugsley can stay for the ceremony and the pizza? It’s not something we normally do but it seems to be the consensus that everyone wants the both of them to join once they are officially students here. They have already done a LOT for the cause and we kind of want to honor them as well for all their good work on the Outer Limits.”

“That should be alright. I know that my parents will be staying in town for a few nights after we move back in. They bought a house in town so I assume that is where they will be till they go home. Parker and Pugsley will love to be included I’m sure.”

“Those two are more than welcome. In fact, both have been in touch with some of us over the phone now that more of us have the safe ones. Pugsley and Eugene have made fast friends of each other, and Parker is quite the chatterbox. She’s been talking with me, Bianca and Xavier near nonstop. Hell, I think Bianca is looking at her like a younger sister and taking her under her wing.”

That sounded like her. Her poor cousin was starved for socialization and was finding the Nightshades to be a willing audience to her antics. Wednesday was happy that she now had that outlet.

“I’ll mention it to them but am pretty sure both will be on board.”

“Thanks Wednesday,” the vampire said, mischief already starting to light up her eye. “I will take care of the details. Just let me know when you two will be arriving and I’ll take care of the rest.”

For a bit they discussed their plans and made the arrangements they could for the moment. Afterwards Yoko had to leave the call, citing the time difference between New Jersey and Japan. Afterwards, after the phone had been hung up Enid pulled her into a hug and gave Wednesday a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Thanks for agreeing to all that,” she said in a happy tone. “I know your probably just agreeing because I wanted you to but I really, really do appreciate it.”

“It’s quite alright mi Reina. Yoko is right. Their little ceremony is part of the Nightshade tradition and doing it will help settle the nerves of everyone a bit. There will be a lot of turmoil as things come to a head with the hunters. The least I can do, for both you and our friends, is to play along.”

It was silent for a moment as they sat, cuddled up close together. Enid looked very pleased and had relaxed, at least a little. A few moments later though she seemed to tense just a bit, which concerned the goth.

“Is something wrong Enid?”

“Not wrong…” she said, trying to gather her thoughts. “Just…a worry I had. Everything will still be the same right? Between us I mean. We are still going to be together and looking out for each other? I was just worried…that you might not love me as much when there were more people around. This isn’t just a quick romance, right? Things will change at school, but we will still be the same?”

“Yes,” she said, knowing that her lover just needed some encouragement during those trying times to come. All of it together was a lot to take in. Enid’s mental health had been much better over the long break and she had formed strong attachments to the rest of the family. She feared that if they weren’t here every day that maybe Wednesday would pull away or she would lose the connections she had made with the family.

“It will all remain the same cara mia. I still love you and plan to build us both a long and happy life together. And come what may my family will always adore you. Your one of us now. In fact, with that in mind, I have something for you.”

Wednesday turned to the nightstand drawer and pulled out a black card.

“This is for you. It’s a credit card, like the one’s Pugsley and I have. Father wanted to give it to you, but I insisted that I be the one to do so. You will never want for anything that money can provide. I know you were nervous about spending my father’s money, but rest assured you are like another daughter to him. They all love you. Just in a slightly…. different way than I do. You never have to be alone again.

Endi started to tear up a bit and hugged the petite goth. It was true that she was hesitant to spend any of the family’s money. Doing so made her feel like a gold digger of some sort. But that wasn’t an issue it would seem. It was just one of the love languages the Addam’s family used. They all wanted her to feel secure and cared for. And now, after some time to come to terms with things, she was willing to let them.

“Thank you,” she said, still hiding her face in Wednesday’s neck. “You already added me to your accounts from Spain and my uncle is being far more generous with me than my parents ever were. It’s kind of…humbling to realize how much people are willing to do for me. And how loved I seem to be now.”

She started to weep softly but Wednesday could now tell the difference, most of the time, between happy and sad tears.

“You are very loved mi Reina. And an Addams can love more deeply than anyone else. Money is just a thing we use to make our loved ones feel more secure and safe. And I’m personally learning new ways to show you just how much you mean to me. Shall I demonstrate some of them?”

Enid’s eyes widened a bit and she smiled again, nodding in reply to Wednesday’s question. Snuggling into the smaller girl she had some idea of how deeply the psychic really did love her. Now, given permission, Wednesday pulled her into a fierce kiss and proceeded to demonstrate.

Needless to say, no packing was done that evening.

Chapter Text

“They will be here anytime now,” Laurel said, an edge to her voice as she thought of the upcoming visit. “And it’s about damn time. They have left me in the dark far too long.”

The small ball of light hovered in the living room, seeming to pay only limited attention to her rant. She did note though that it glowed a pale rose color, which she now recognized as it’s ‘thoughtful’ expression. It, because she had never been given a proper name for her spirit guide, had taken the news in stride earlier in the day.

“It hasn’t hurt you a bit to wait,” it finally said. “In fact, it gave you a few weeks of solitude to study your magic. Have you finished the last book I provided?”

“Yes,” she said simply, casting a glare towards the magical light. “Though I don’t understand the significance of it. All it had was instructions on meditation and visualization. I’m not sure how either will help me much.”

The room was silent for a moment and it almost sounded as if the light sighed before replying.

“That is because you don’t understand the power you’ve been given. Meditation techniques are like exercise for your mind. To do magic properly you need to connect with your innermost self and properly orient it to cause the changes you seek to make into reality. It is the same for visualization. If you don’t fully visualize what you want to happen magic has a way of…making it up on the fly.”

“So, if I don’t visualize it fully it might do something I wasn’t expecting?”

“Indeed. If the power and the will is there it will try to make it true, but unfocused magic can come back to bite you. Or at the very least put a spin on what you wished for that has unforeseen consequences. Seldom does that go well for the practitioner.”

She was about to question further but saw the headlights of a car parking in front of her safe house.

“Looks like they are here. You need to make yourself scarce. Can you hide unseen and listen in?”

“Of course. Just remember what I told you. Don’t let them suspect your real power. They won’t understand it and will turn on you.”

Before she could reply the light suddenly faded away. Beyond the door she could hear footsteps and low voices. Once they knocked she gave it about thirty seconds before moving the rest of the way to the door and answering.

Opening the door, she saw a rather handsome man who appeared to be in his late forties perhaps and a woman of similar age. He had the unmistakable aura of someone in command and the glint of a great intellect shining in his eyes. She on the other hand had the look of a stone-cold killer and merely glared at her as he took the lead.

“Ms. Gates,” he said with a polite nod. “I’m sorry that it took awhile for us to meet with you. The great work we are engaged in has kept me terribly busy of late.”

They both stepped inside and regarded her for a moment before he continued.

“I assume you have many questions and there is a lot we need to discuss. Come, let us sit for a bit.”

With that he strode into the house and took a seat on the couch as if he owned the place. Which she supposed was proper. He did in fact own the place and was merely letting her use it for now as a haven. She wasn’t used to such treatment though and chaffed a bit internally. She gave no sign of it for the time being. For now, she had to be the good little accomplice. At least till she could take his measure and see if he had any chance of really raining death down on the outcasts as he claimed.

“Of course, reverend. I am curious as you say. But, if what you claimed is true, then I am anxious to provide what help I can to your plan.”

That was a good reply she thought. Showing her willingness to work for the cause was probably the only way into this man’s good graces. And she would need his aid in getting her own ultimate revenge.

“That is why we are here,” the woman replied in a tone so cold it could have frozen lesser mortals. There would be no winning this one over. It was also telling that the Reverand hadn’t bothered to make any introductions yet. They were keeping her at a distance deliberately. There was still a lot of distrust there.

“So there can be no doubt then,” he continued after a short but very heavy silence, “our goal is the destruction of all outcasts everywhere on the planet. My people are in the process of testing a new biological weapon that will make that happen. Previous variants of it weren’t always fatal but thus far this strain is. It works on any and all types of outcasts, giving them a most painful end within a few moments time.”

She had gleaned as much from earlier conversations. It was interesting to hear that the testing was still underway and that their weapon was so effective. In fact, she had one particular outcast she would love to see tested with it. For now she would bide her time. It seemed that the man had more to say.

“This will all take time though. My medical staff are trying to confirm that it will not pose a threat to normal humanity or the world’s biosphere. I don’t want to save humankind from those monsters only to see it fall due to unintended consequences of the weapon used to do it.”

“That is only prudent,” she observed, mostly to show that she was following the conversation. “It sounds though like you have this all organized to your liking. Since you spent a lot of effort freeing me from custody and then my upkeep here I’m assuming that there is something important you want from me.”

The woman frowned but the man smiled, and it was a dark and predatory thing. Despite herself Laurel shuddered a bit. For a man of God this Reverend seemed oddly pleased to be talking about the genocide he was trying to unleash.

“There is,” he agreed, still wearing that diabolical smile. “We can’t confirm anything yet but suspect the Addams family is heavily involved in trying to stymie our efforts. Gomez Addams in particular has been making waves in financial and legal matters. In fact, he has been named as counsel for Nevermore and he seems to be heavily financing the improvements to security at the school.

Further, spies in the area have noticed that he has purchased a home in Jericho and that some of their extended clan are now employees there. Some would see this as only a father’s desire to protect his daughter since Wednesday came so close to death there last semester. Being this open about it though isn’t like him. He is usually very subtle and works from the shadows.

With that in mind I’ve had people digging and they have found other evidence of the outcasts mobilizing. All of their old message boards have gone dark and the outcasts seem to be using a new system to talk among themselves. Something called the Outer Limits that has proven impossible to date for us to infiltrate. That is too much of a coincidence for my liking that they would begin taking such proactive measures as our plans are beginning to bear fruit.

Also, there are many outcasts who have been public figures who have gone to ground. They know something is coming. I’m not sure how they do but I feel it for certain. We need to maintain secrecy and work harder still to finalize our weapon and the delivery system. That is where you come in.”

She raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Laurel too had noticed the old websites had gone down to be replaced with this Outer Limits. For almost a day she had been able to access it. Before she could learn too much though she too had been blacklisted and couldn’t return to it. Some sort of black magic obviously. For the moment she would keep all of this to herself though.

“I’m given to understand that you know far more about the outcasts than anyone else we can get to. You’ve studied them and fit in well enough to work around them and not blow your cover till the last moment. Very impressive to be honest. And, if I’m told correctly, your knowledge of the Addams family themselves is second to none.”

“That is true,” she said tentatively. “I spent years in research and studied the family for my revenge. Some of their blood was required to break the magical seal my ancestor was locked behind so I learned everything I could about them. My revenge was many years in the making and I still have some contacts among the outcast community who aren’t aware of my true identity.”

The Reverend and his companion exchanged glances at the revelation before turning their attention back to her. Both looked uncomfortable, especially the woman, but it seemed he was willing to let his suspicions go for the moment. Provided of course she could be useful to their cause.

“That is, in part, what I had been led to believe,” he continued. “And I will be very clear on this one point. Your ancestor was powerful but a fool for turning to dark magic in the end. He became what he hated the most. I don’t approve of sorcery or witchcraft. Those are the devil’s tools. If you can provide me with the information I need and avoid making his mistakes then I can help you with your goal of destroying the Addams family and Nevermore. It is in fact part of our battle plan, and I will expand that to include you.

For the moment I will need you to stay undercover here. Any long outings must be cleared first and, if you find an interesting lead make us aware of it. I will provide whatever resources you might need to aid in your research. We will sort the details out later as you are integrated into my organization. I want the information you know and your expertise in these matters. Together we will end this blight.”

It was issued as a statement, not a question nor as a point for negotiation. He was insisting on her compliance. There was little to say except to agree. She would need his help and he would need what she knew and what she might come to find out to help against their common enemies.

“I will need a better computer system,” she said simply. “And the best internet connection that is available in the area. Oh, and a direct line to an IT specialist just in case. I was able to get a good education in the use of computers and information technology but the hardware itself is still a mystery to me.”

He nodded and gestured for her to continue.

“I can begin researching again immediately and keeping an ear open to my contacts and try to ferret out more information for you. For the time being I would appreciate it if you didn’t make them disappear in the middle of the night. In their ignorance they might still provide helpful intelligence.”

“It will be taken care of. I will still need names and contact information for them, but we can discuss all the details at a later time. Should something happen I will need to be able to go get them if necessary. Do you suppose it would be possible that we could make use of one of them at gun point if necessary to discover what they are doing on this Outer Limits site?”

“Not only possible but likely. Though I think we would get better results from my subtle methods then forcing them at gun point. There are a few who believe I am one of them and are willing to share information with me so long as I keep my cover. There is one in particular that should be very useful. “

“How so?”

It was her turn to smile in a predatory fashion. Soloman Addams was a kind and generous soul whom she had corresponded with for years. A cousin of some sort to the main line of the family, he lived the life of a shy recluse on the outskirts of Chicago. She had maintained good relations with him for many years. It was all a ruse of course as evidenced by the fact she was so calmly selling him out now.

“There is an old man who lives near Chicago. A cousin to the main branch of the Addams family. He is gullible and likes to gossip with people who earn his trust as I have done. I’ve been able to get intel from him for years as he loves to talk about his family. That well of information would dry up pretty quickly if he knew who I really was but for now he still happily chats with me online and we have spoken face to face as well. I will begin by getting in touch with him again and see what I can learn.”

“Isn’t it dangerous to meet one of them face to face?” the Reverand asked. “Most of them are psychics. Couldn’t they see in your mind what your motives really are?”

“In his case no. We had spoken online for a few months before I went to his home, ostensibly to buy one of the crystal balls he crafts. In our earlier conversations he revealed that his own particular gift was telekinesis so he wouldn’t be able to read my mind or motives. It was a calculated risk, but I took it. Since then he has been a very valuable asset for me.”

“Which leads to another question,” the woman with the Reverand said, tone still cold and suspicious. “At Nevermore you were surrounded by outcasts with all sorts of mental abilities. How did you maintain your cover there without anyone becoming suspicious. A stray thought in front of the wrong outcast could have been the end of you.”

Laurel allowed herself to glare at the blonde for a moment before answering.

“I have my ways. And no, none of them involved magic. It was a combination of self-control, willpower and totally immersing myself in the role I was playing. Yes, it could have come apart at any time, but I suspect the both of you can understand what it takes to find away to get the job done under the gun.”

She had to fully become Marilyn Thornhill, much in the way that method actors became the roles they portrayed. As long as she kept to character and offered no cause for suspicion hardly anyone looked twice at her. Having fooled Wednesday for so long was actually one of the proudest achievements of her life.

It didn’t hurt of course that after she had secured her job at the school that she had access to student records. That made it much easier to avoid the students who had actual telepathy or other talents that might pierce her deception. And of course, with most of the outcasts being teens it was usually a simple matter to distract them from thinking too much about her or why she was there.

Both of her guests nodded in acknowledgement, though the blonde did so with some misgivings. This then was part of what convinced them that she could help in this matter. She had already fooled an entire school full of supernatural creatures that she was on their side. Laurel would need to tread carefully but had already proven she was capable of ferreting out information about the outcasts without getting caught by them.

“Very well,” the man finally said. “I believe we can work together to our mutual benefit. It will take time to integrate you into our group. Please proceed with gathering any information you can about the outcasts from your sources. We will be in touch soon to go over anything useful that you find. Expect the delivery of and installation of your new computer sometime tomorrow. A technician will install it upon delivery and give you information on how to reach them for service.”

With that he stood, with the cold blonde woman joining him. They said their farewells and excused themselves quietly. With them gone Laurel allowed herself to take a deep breath and calm her nerves. Then, just as she suspected, her spirit guide allowed itself to become visible again in the center of the room.

“And what did you learn?” it asked.

“That they don’t trust me, which was a given, but they do respect me for what I was able to manage before. Between that respect and the potential that I have to gather information that they cannot it should be enough to stay in their good graces. By the same token I don’t trust them either but if there is a chance he can deliver on what he promises I can live with that. Provided the outcasts die in droves.”

The spirits light shifted to a darker blue which she had learned to associate with it being amused.

“That is right. And they are integrating you slowly to keep you on the rope for longer. They are feeding more to you slowly to make sure that even if you screw up in spectacular fashion it wouldn’t impact the rest of their organization too badly.”

She nods in understanding. That was how she was reading it as well. Obviously the coming months were going to be just as difficult as her time at Nevermore had been. The chance to end all the freaks at once was a worthwhile reward though for the effort she would put in.

With all that in mind and now out of the eye of her handlers she relaxed a bit. A nice hot bath followed by light reading before bed would be just the thing she needed. First things first though. She went to sit at the computer she was currently working from and began to compose a message for Soloman. She would need to come up with a story to explain why she had been absent for the last few months but that wouldn’t be too difficult. It was time to get the old man to gossiping again.

Chapter Text

Most everyone was still in bed. The sun wasn’t even due to rise for another hour or so. Wednesday had always been an early riser, at least in the days before Enid. Now she likes to sleep in more and share the mornings with her sunshine wolf. Today though she was up with her father and engaging in a little sleight of hand to fool the normies who were preparing to murder them all.

“Do you really suppose they will be watching that closely?”

“Probably not my little spider,” Gomez replied. “But every little bit helps. I don’t want them to learn too early about our gates. Any spies they have watching Jericho, the school or our new house might notice if a lot of people seem to show up with no sign of our driving into town.

Your mother, Larissa and I will drive into town and then park at the new house. No one will know that you, Enid, Parker and Pugsley aren’t in the car with us thanks to the privacy wall around the house. Once we are ready you can all come through the gate to meet us there. “

She had to admit that he did have a point. Anything to keep them guessing as long as possible about how much magic they were directing towards this effort. If, for example, the school had to be evacuated suddenly there was no point in tipping off that they had that capability. Even if it was unlikely for them to understand what all the magic meant or what it was being used for.

Then she remembered Laurel Gates. How much had she learned while off the grid? Would she know about magical gateways? It was possible and if she could make the connection it was information the family didn’t want for Reverend Combes’ people to have.

“I suppose it’s also good to get everyone in the habit of trying to be secretive,” she replied, still a bit irritated that they had to be so careful. “I will try to reinforce that notion to all the Nightshades when we meet tonight.”

“That’s the spirit my little raven. Any secrets we can maintain now will give us that much more of an extra advantage when the time comes to end this once and for all.”

He was glancing at the door as he spoke. Seeing that neither of his wives had come outside to join them yet they apparently had a few moments yet. Lurch had the car warming up as Wednesday and Gomez stood nearby. With the time to spare he seemed to decide they had a few moments to touch upon another subject.

“How many short stories do you still have that haven’t been published yet? Last I heard I thought you had a dozen or more.”

“It’s closer to twenty now. Why do you ask?”

Gomez grinned at the reply and then chuckled a bit.

“Because our lawyers and the publishing house have an offer for you. They want to put together a book of just your short stories. They are offering a pretty penny if you can get them perhaps twenty-five stories before the end of summer. You did say didn’t you that the rework of Viper’s first novel would be ready by the end of the semester?”

She paused at that, not quite sure she had heard correctly.

“They want to put together my stories for a book? I…yes, I can do that. And finish Viper’s book by the end of semester. Unless of course the hunters get more active between now and then.”

She was clearly pleased with the notion and was still getting used to the idea that her work was doing so well. Before she could say anything else her father held out an envelope for her.

“For your records. Their payment cleared and has been deposited into your account. Five million dollars for the movie rights should make a nice little nest egg for you and Enid.”

She accepted the bank statement, studying it carefully.

“Yes…it shall. Thank you father. I really appreciate your support in this. On my own I’m not sure I could have made this come true.”

“You could have my little spider. And this is just the beginning. Your writing will take you far. Ah, but look, my ladies have come to join us.”

He and Wednesday turned to look at the front door that Morticia and Larissa had just exited. To say they were joining them was an overstatement though. Neither looked awake enough to join in on anything. They both mumbled a greeting of sorts and got into the car. Clearly they had it in mind to nap at least for part of the trip to Vermont.

“Ah, well, that is my cue to get us on the road. Remember, I’ll call the house phone once we are there and settled. Then you can all come through with your luggage.”

With that he joined them in the car. Wednesday took a few steps back and then watched as Lurch pulled out into the pre-morning mist. For a moment she studied the bank statement again, a little smile gracing her face. She would share this with Enid just as soon as the wolf woke for the day. In the meantime, she had it in mind to join her under the covers for a while longer. Then they could get this day started.
• * * * * * * * * * * * *

When next she opened her eyes Wednesday realized she was alone in bed. She frowned to herself and pulled the covers back far enough to peek out and see where Enid had gotten to. As it turned out the wolf had gone to take a shower judging by the sounds coming from the bathroom. Glancing towards the clock on the night stand she saw that it was now a little after nine in the morning.

Her first instinct was to go and join her. She pondered that for a moment but then thought better of it. They would have plenty of time since they wouldn’t be going through the gate till the afternoon, but she was still sore from the night before. As much as she adored being in love with a werewolf who happened to be insatiable her body wasn’t quite as durable as Enid’s was. She had to pace herself more…or pay with extra bruises and exhaustion. But oh, what bliss as her father would say.

A few moments later the water was shut off and she could hear Enid singing softly to herself. Judging by the sound of her voice the wolf was no longer feeling as badly stressed as she had been about leaving the welcoming confines of the Addams family home. Wednesday hoped her good mood would hold. Nevermore would have some unwelcome memories for them both, not to mention some new challenges.

Her wolf was a powerful young woman, both physically and spiritually, but her previous family life had beaten her down so badly that she was only now really starting to recover. Returning to Nevermore was little more than an unwelcome distraction to her way of thinking. If they didn’t need the rest of their high school credits to start college she would be tempted to forego it altogether. That and of course her duty to help defeat the hunters. If they failed in this war there wouldn’t be a safe place for them anywhere.

Moments later she was distracted from that dark line of thinking by her Queen’s return. Enid smiled brightly to see she had woken up. Anticipating a day of work the wolf wore sweatpants and a loose tee shirt. They wouldn’t need their uniforms today and she could put on clothes better suited to socializing once their dorm room was back in order.

“Good morning roomie!” the blonde exclaimed happily, wrapping the smaller girl in one of her best bone crunching hugs. Wednesday smiled and melted into her embrace. For a brief moment she was grateful for the light healing potions and the medicine to resist lycanthropy that her mother had the foresight to prepare for her. All of which was a rather inspired ploy by the elder seer to make sure Wednesday would visit more often as she ran out of medicine.

“You’re in a good mood,” the raven observed with a hint of a smile. “I’m glad. A smile suits you better than a frown. Things will be the same for us even if we have to return. I still love you and our family does as well. You have nothing to fear.”

“Nothing to fear but hunters,” Enid replied, her smile faltering for only a second. “But I was thinking last night when I finished my homework that they too are a hurdle we can overcome. Will overcome according to your mom. We just need to protect each other and our friends as we get the job done.”

The goth knew for a fact that Enid wasn’t much of an actress and could rarely fool her in anything. What she said was usually the truth as she understood it. For her to speak so plainly meant that she really believed what she was saying.

“That is right,” she agreed, marveling at her wolf’s words. To her way of thinking Enid was facing the fight before them as an Addams would. Bravely and with the intensity to get the job done. “We will look after each other and all our allies. Not to mention any possible victims we can save. I have faith in us and the rest of the outcasts. The hunters will be defeated, and we shall continue our lives…hopefully in peace.”

That last part might be overkill though. Did Wednesday even want peace? That sounded kind of boring without any challenge to overcome. So total peace might not be possible, but she would at least prefer to contend with threats that weren’t so much of an extinction level event.

“You say you finished your homework though? Show me.”

Probably best to shift for awhile to less fraught topics. Enid’s ‘homework’ had been a final test of sorts to practice her lockpicking that Wednesday had been teaching her. The blonde grinned and pulled a bag up from beside the bed. One by one she pulled out various locks, now opened, that had been numbered from one to twenty.

The opened locks she placed in a small pile on the bed. After the nineteenth she blushed a bit in embarrassment to pull out number twenty. It was a monster of a lock made of heavy steel and clearly intended to be very secure. It hadn’t been picked so much as shredded. To the naked eye it looked as if it had been bitten almost in half.

“I got a bit frustrated with this one. Does shredding it with werewolf fangs count for my final grade?”

The brunette marveled at the ruined metal and couldn’t help but grin.

“I will give you half credit for it. But even nineteen out of twenty is a passing grade. And you did get it open. In the field it would probably have set off alarms, but you would have gotten to whatever it was trying to lock you out of. I’m impressed.”

The blonde preened a bit at the praise. They both knew there would be other follow-up training and the learning of new skills that would be valuable to them in the months to come. Both of them it seemed were looking forward to that.

“I pass!” the wolf announced in a happy squeal. “Let’s go celebrate with breakfast!”

It had been a few hours since she had eaten. Werewolves were well known for their healthy appetites and Enid was no exception. In fact, she ate so much it was a wonder she wasn’t the shape of a beach ball. But no, she still maintained quite the fine figure and physique that Wednesday adored.

“Very well. I can’t in good faith allow you to starve on my watch.”

Wednesday took her hand and led the way downstairs. Enid was chatting a mile a minute and was clearly excited to return to school and see her friends. The goth listened, feeling her spirits lighten a bit to have her Queen in such a good mood. She responded, where appropriate, but left the bulk of the conversation to her paramour. Soon they made their way to the kitchen where Pugsley was already busy consuming oatmeal from a mixing bowl using the largest spoon he could find. Even Enid seemed impressed to see this.

“Damn dude!” she exclaimed. “How many boxes of oatmeal does that hold?”

“A box and a half of those little pouches it comes in,” the boy shrugged. “Today is going to be a busy day.”

That much was true. They would be returning to the school towards the end of the allotted period to do so. Seniors will have been on campus for a couple of days now and almost all the other students arrived yesterday with a few stragglers, such as themselves, arriving today. It would be busy, overcrowded and an immense pain in her backside the brunette thought with a frown.

She made her own breakfast out of what little oatmeal Pugsley had left behind while Enid warmed up some prepared food that Lurch had thoughtfully left for them in the refrigerator. Parker arrived not long after and while the other three happily chatted among themselves Wednesday was allowed to peacefully sit back and observe. She was not so outgoing as the rest of her family, but she still adored them all. It warmed her heart a bit to see them all at peace and happily enjoying each other’s company.

They were in no hurry today. In fact, they spent some time just lounging around the house and enjoying various diversions. With Wednesday to organize them they already had all the luggage waiting by the gates downstairs, including some items left for them on a list to bring along for the new house in Jericho. All they were waiting on now was word from Gomez to come through.

That call came at about 2:00 in the afternoon. They all bid farewell to Grandmama who had come to see them off. She would be remaining behind to baby sit the house and grounds till Pugsley and Parker returned. Fester and Ms. Claire would visit them in Jericho soon they had promised but were off on some mysterious errand for the day. For a change Wednesday wouldn’t pry. She had enough on her mind after all, and she would assume all the adults had their reasons. Concentrating on her wolf and their return was consuming all her attention for the moment.

By the time they had made it to the basement Lurch had passed through the gates and carried the first load through and was returning for the second. He had done most of the work by time they joined him. The four of them then picked up what they could and helped him carry the last load through.

In their earlier visit a few weeks before neither Wednesday nor Enid had seen the basement. It was clearly still under construction. Gomez had said they were adding another two bedrooms to go with the laundry room, storage area and the gate. That should make eight bedrooms in total. More than enough for their purposes.

Gomez descended the stairs as they brought the last of the luggage through. His contagious good humor still evident as he puffed his cigar. Clearly he wasn’t tired out from the earlier trip or whatever chores his wives had put on him since their arrival.

“Ah, glad to see you all in such good humor!” he said with a grin. “And now it’s time to put the lot of you to work!”

The four teens glanced at each other and shrugged. They had been expecting this after all. The remainder of the new furniture had arrived the day before and Morticia, Ophelia and Larissa were overseeing the decorating. With Lurch’s return and four more pair of hands they should be done quickly enough.

Bedrooms were chosen and set up quickly enough. The throuple obviously would occupy the master bedroom whereas Enid and Wednesday had already chosen one of their own. Ophelia would be maintaining a room here but for the most part would be living on campus. That left Pugsley and Parker to choose one each. The last of the upstairs bedrooms would be left open for guests while Lurch was building one for himself along with another guest room in the basement.

Furniture more to their liking had been procured and most of the old décor had been hauled off to be donated to the less fortunate. The final product was true to the family vibe and looked like a proper haunted house by the time they were done. By the time 4:00 rolled around they had finished and stood to survey their work.

“That should do nicely. I’ll still have to search and find us a proper haunt to give the house a certain ambience. Not counting Joel of course. He is more family than any simple poltergeist could ever be. He is waiting for you girls at the school by the way.”

Wednesday regarded her mother with a hint of skepticism for a moment. In her experience a spirit of some sort would probably wander by on its own without her having to summon it. But by now she was showing a little in her pregnancy and was clearly hormonal beyond her normal flights of fancy. She wouldn’t comment on it. They could sort that all out later.

Everyone had split up for a bit to look the place over in more detail. Wednesday had noted that Larissa had drifted off on her own a little before. This puzzled her briefly, and, since Enid appeared to have gone outside to climb a tree with Pugsley she might as well check in on their newest Addams to be. She had been getting an odd vibe from Larissa for a few days now and if nothing else it seemed prudent to check in on her.

It only took a few moments to find her. When troubled she found that the shape shifter tended to find large windows and gaze into the distance. Remembering the large window in her father’s new home office on the third floor she walked in that direction. Sure enough she found the woman, staring into the yard. Even from behind Wednesday could see the tension in her back and shoulders. Something clearly troubled her.

“Whatever troubles you I don’t think the answers are in the yard.”

It was the normal deadpan delivery. To those who didn’t understand the Addams family it might have sounded pretentious or been considered a tone of mockery. From Wednesday it might even have sounded contemptuous. As she suspected though Larissa Weems understood all of them enough by now to hear the curiosity and concern that were intended. It was a subtle thing, often missed casual observers.

The tall blonde turned her head slightly to regard Wednesday. She wore a grim little smile, apparently trying to not let on what she really thought. Their understanding of each other worked both ways though as the goth continued.

“I’m not as adept at reading people as Simon is, but clearly you are troubled. As you pointed out before, we are all in this together.”

Larissa sighed to herself, her expression halfway between amused and irritated. Wednesday it would seem hit far too close to home for her to hide how troubled she really was. It only took another second or two before she replied.

“I hope your as good at reading our enemies as you are at telling when all the rest of us are out of sorts.”

Wednesday remained silent, watching her closely. The brunette nodded at her to continue. After a moment the older woman obliged her.

“I was only thinking about the special place in hell they are going to find for me after all of this. To give us an advantage in the war I’m allowing children to be put in danger. Even with the best-case scenario there will be more casualties than we can count. Your visions have confirmed that they are kidnapping outcasts all over the country…or beyond, for their experiments and to sacrifice to that poor vampire girl.”

Her voice trailed off after that. Wednesday had imagined she would be having trouble accepting all of this. It was an unenviable situation for a teacher to be in. She had to put her charges in harms way to save more of them than any other strategy would allow. It ran against all her instincts, but she was accepting what she had to do and just trying to live with the consequences.

“Knowing what you know now do you see a better way? Anything we can do differently? I realize you want to keep us safe, and it is appreciated. Especially since I have more to live for now than when we first met.”

At that Enid’s happy squeal could be heard out in the yard which made them both smile just a bit. No matter how dire the situation the sunshine wolf had that way about her to help brighten the lives of others. Her joy could lighten the load for a lot of people.

“No, the logic is sound. If we don’t press on and convince the hunters that they still have the advantage they will pull back out of sight, and we won’t have any clue when they might strike again. If I tried to keep all my charges safe in the moment we might not get a clear warning when they are ready to attack.”

And of course, unsaid in all of that, their enemies were designing a weapon that could kill all outcasts without the hunters having to find any of them directly. All it would take would be the press of a button to release their poison into the atmosphere and the entire world would become deadly to their kind.

“So, presented with those facts would you make the same choices you have already made? Or is there a way to keep everyone safe and still fool the enemy?”

“I would make the same choices, and I would still hate myself for them. I know, in my head, that it is the right thing to do. We must destroy all records of this weapon so no one else can recreate it. And to do that we need to lure the hunters in so that we can eliminate their leadership. They are the ones who have created the threat, but we are the ones left losing loved ones and those we are sworn to protect. It’s foolish of me to beat myself up over it, but I will. You probably think that is stupid of me…but I can’t seem to help it.”

“I don’t think you’re stupid,” Wednesday said in a soft tone. “I think you are smart enough and dedicated enough to see what needed doing and did it…no matter how much it costs you personally. It is…a very Addams way of looking at things. We didn’t start this, but we do have to end it to save as many of our people as we can.”

Larissa looked at her with a thoughtful expression. There was a deep sadness in her expression, but she did manage to press on.

“It’s very like how you feel I suppose. For this weapon to be made from one of your earlier triumphs. If it’s not my fault that kids are in danger, particularly you and the other Nightshades, then it can’t be your fault if some evil people are misusing your ideas to cause harm.”

The brunette frowned for a moment seeing just how right she had been in her earlier assessment. Larissa was truly an Addams in spirit to be sacrificing so much to keep as many as she could safe. But she also saw to the heart of Wednesday’s own conflicted emotions.

“I suppose you are right,” she allowed. “That doesn’t mean I have to like it though. Let us both then try to trade in guilt for anger and use that to strike back at our enemies. They deserve to suffer for all of this. Even Enid’s influence in my life won’t keep me from seeking revenge. And the most damning thing of all…I’m not sure she would try to stop me. Their guilt is that much more damning that they have moved the most beautiful soul that I know to want them dead.”

It was silent for a moment as Larissa seemed to weigh these words. Then she stood up a little straighter and the self-doubt and dark thoughts seemed to retreat for a bit. It wasn’t all gone of course. Not for either of them. But they both also seemed to understand that they would need to look out for each other as they had an uncanny insight into each other’s pain in this case.

“Well then…I appreciate you’re coming to check on me. We probably should go join the others before they do too much damage. Please promise me something though.”

“What?”

“Look after them please. The Nightshades. I’m not sure what that will look like or what help they will need. Even if I tried I know that I could never keep you or the rest of them from becoming involved if the hunters started anything involving the school. Let’s give them the tools then to contribute and the guidance to stay safe as possible.”

She only hesitated for a second before replying.

“I will. They…well, we I suppose, are all very troubled teens. Even though they all irritated me in that first semester I came to understand them better as time went on. It was harder to be angry with them as I started to see with better clarity the problems they faced at home. Despite their troubles they were brave and stood with me against Crackstone. They deserve all the consideration I can give them now since they will be risking themselves for the good of us all.”

“I know that is hard for you to admit,” Larissa said with a half-smile. “I suppose Enid helped you to come to that realization.”

“If it wasn’t for her I would be dead and Crackstone would have been holding court in your office before all the watchers in and around Jericho could have acted. We all owe her for that. But yes, she helped me to realize a lot of things and I’m a better person for it. All the darkness is still there of course. She has just shed her light upon it. Stabbing my problems wont always be me first instinct anymore.”

They were both silent then as they continued to walk. Soon they had joined the others in the yard. It was the usual joyous chaos with Enid and Parker involved as one might expect. They were both egging Pugsley on as he climbed a particularly high tree and then, once he was about three stories up, he did an ungainly belly flop on to the ground below. As expected the impact shook him up a bit but caused no lasting damage…unless once counted his worried mother looking on.

A moment later the new arrivals stifled their mirth as Ophelia marched over to Pugsley and twisted his arm back up behind his back in a painful hold. After a brief lecture about upsetting his mother the now chagrined boy was sent to apologize. Parker and Enid, to their credit, shut up immediately but it didn’t really change the general atmosphere that much. Everyone had a lot of pent-up energy and tension. They were just cutting up a bit to let it all out. By the Addams family standards, they were in fact almost well behaved.

The rest of the time passed in a similar manner. The kids were a bit less rowdy for awhile and then it was time to pack the car up. Lurch had already delivered the heavier luggage to their dorm room. It was only a matter of them carrying over the lighter bits and getting their room organized as they liked. Parker and Pugsley were going with them so they could visit the campus and meet with the Nightshades later in the evening. Lurch would drive by to pick them up a little later and leave Enid and Wednesday to begin serving their sentence of another semester at Nevermore.

The families’ goodbyes and parting were relatively brief and drama free. Between the crystal balls, proximity of the family and the fact that some of the family would be staying at the school full time it was hardly a long parting ahead of them. Instead of “I’ll see you in a few weeks” it was more like “I’ll see you in a few days…if I don’t call you on the phone or crystal ball tomorrow.”

Larissa and Ophelia they would likely see every day, at least in passing. Gomez would be on campus at least once or twice a week and Morticia would be living in Jericho where both of her lovers would spend all the time they could with her. No doubt she too would visit the campus often. And then of course Pugsley and Parker they would speak with often if not see every few days. It wasn’t like they would be far from their family at all.

The drive to Nevermore was a short one and, with their new parking pass they would be able to keep the car close as well. Gathering their things up the four teens made their way to Ophelia Hall after locking the car up. Wednesday noted that her brother and cousin were wide eyed and curious about everything they passed. Enid on the other hand was all smiles as she called out to various friends or just random people she sort of knew. The wolf was back in her natural and more sociable habitat. And this time without the stigma of being a late bloomer. This time she was able to strut a bit since no one could doubt her power.

Soon they found themselves climbing the many stairs it took to reach their dorm. Enid, carrying the lion’s share of the load was the first to the door and quickly opened it with her key. There the wolf stopped, staring into the room and making a muffled noise. It wasn’t quite a scream, but it was clearly a sound of distress and that caused the others to look inside expecting a sudden threat.

What they saw was Joel, hanging from a makeshift noose hanging from the ceiling rafters. His head was hanging to the side at an ugly angle and the implications were obvious. The others, upon seeing this, stopped dead in their tracks and stared as well. It was Pugsley who was the first to respond to this. He was holding back what sounded like a laugh trying to escape his control. Enid glanced at him with a horrified expression before glancing back to Joel and then to Wednesday and Parker who were controlling their mirth just a bit better than Pugsley was. It took a moment for the realization to dawn on her.

“Oh, very funny Joel. That is not a cool prank at all. Get down here so I can yell at you face to face!

By now Joel had hovered his way out of the noose and made a show of cracking his neck back into place. As ordered he floated down to meet them in the middle of the room. His own amusement was obvious.

“Ok…ok. I’m sorry,” he said, trying to not laugh aloud. “I was just trying out some of the haunting tips the family ghosts had taught me. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Enid huffed a bit and just stepped through him to begin putting her things away.

“I just can’t…not right this minute. Make yourself useful and I’ll yell at you later.”

The rest of the rooms’ occupants wisely said nothing, but their expressions were plain. They thought it was funny but wouldn’t tempt fate by commenting on it till the wolf calmed down a bit. Soon enough the tensions eased, and even Enid could see the humor in it all. She would still give the ghost a hard time about it though. For a little while anyway.

They all participated in putting the girl’s things away. At least up to a point. As they were finishing up the three girls glanced up to find themselves alone. Looking around there was no sign of the boys anywhere. They also noticed that Thing had joined them somewhere along the way and he was waving at them from the balcony. Parker stepped over to the window and let him in.

“I thought you were staying with Aunt Morticia for a while.”

He then signed to them a short explanation that after she thought about it for awhile the Addams matriarch had sent him along to help the girls and keep an eye on them. She after all had Lurch with her and Thing could go back and forth as needed, or as whim dictated. He could probably do more good here than he could at the house.

“That does sound like something she would do,” Wednesday said with a shrug. “Since you are here now did you see where Joel and Pugsley wandered off to?”

Unspoken was her concern that her brother being left unattended, or even under the less than watchful eye of Joel, could cause quite a bit of mayhem on his own. That would be another complication that she just didn’t need right now. Once prompted the disembodied hand began to explain that he had seen them wander off about the time the girls were putting their underwear away. They seemed to pale a bit when they all started talking about their favorite brands and the qualities of each that made them popular. This time it was Enid who couldn’t contain her mirth.

“So, they got embarrassed over panties and bras? And Pugsley says he wants to find a girlfriend? He is going to have to man up a bit first before that will be happening.”

“Let’s be fair here,” Parker added, not able to hide her amusement either. “The little dude is only fourteen and has led a sheltered life. Give him some time. I’m sure there is a charming lady killer in their somewhere. It’s just going to take some time for him to sort it all out.”

Thing then added that he thought they were going out to the quad to find something to eat so they should be easy enough to find.

“Yes, when in doubt he usually goes to wherever the food is,” Wednesday observed. “I’ve an errand to tend to. Can you two go find the boys and keep an eye on them? I will catch up shortly. We should have another hour or two before we need to meet with Yoko.”

“Yoko just texted me,” Enid added, glancing towards Wednesday. It seemed obvious that she understood what errand Wednesday intended but she said nothing about it for the time being. "She and Bianca have eyes on them and are going over to talk with the boys and keep them out of trouble. A lot of people are giving Joel odd looks so we probably need to go before he starts more rumors we will have to deal with.”

Parker agreed and joined Enid as they left the room, both of them glancing back at Wednesday for a moment. She nodded back in affirmation that she would be rejoining them shortly. Once they were gone she turned to acknowledge Thing again.

“Would you care to join me in setting a werewolf back on the straight and narrow?”

He gladly agreed and the two set off immediately. Part of her hoped Enid’s brother Bobbie would prove difficult. It would be ideal if he wasn’t but part of her still wanted someone to punish for how her mate had been mistreated. There was only one way to find out though so let the hunt begin!

Chapter Text

The walk to the boy’s dorm was undertaken with all due speed and more than a little stealth. Wednesday wanted to be done with this, one way or another, so she could get back to her wolf. Things had changed while they were on break. There was no longer any sign of Enid being ignored or belittled. She had beat the unholy hell out of a Hyde and word had gotten around. The student body looked her way with a LOT more respect now. In fact, some of the furs looked nervously towards her, seeming to wonder what her ascension would mean in terms of the school’s pack dynamics.

On the surface that seemed like a good change but Wednesday understood how mercurial her mate’s mood and comfort levels could change. They had already discussed their misgivings about returning to Nevermore and how much Enid had wanted to stay in the comfort of the Addams family manor. This was another change they were going to have to evaluate and deal with as they went.

And the changes weren’t confined to just how people looked at Enid. Now people were taking more notice of Wednesday as well. Several had waved or tried to start conversations with her on the walk over. Being noticed by the student body was never anything she sought. In fact, she would prefer to be ignored for the most part. Or for people to be too afraid to annoy her. Hopefully this development would be short lived…but somehow she doubted it.

Once she had snuck into the dorm, and then subsequently into Bobby’s room, she allowed herself a moment to try and clear her mind. At least it was quiet here since the young man in question was away. She had done some checking around previously and discovered that he didn’t have a roommate. A little earlier she had caught sight of him in the cafeteria line. With luck he would be returning soon and she wouldn’t have to wait very long. She wanted to get back to Enid quickly and they had a prior appointment this evening. For now though all she could do was wait in the darkened room for him to return.

So, for the next half an hour she sat quietly and waited. The next half an hour became a bit more tedious though. She drummed her fingers on the desk as her patience began to wane. Just as her thoughts started to drift towards homicide she finally heard footsteps approaching outside. Then, they just stopped. It was as if he had caught her scent and was uncertain of her intent. She had done nothing after all to hide her scent, like she would have if her intention had been to just put him out of their misery. She wanted him to know she was waiting inside for him. A bit of anticipation on the part of someone she wanted to intimidate could do wonders for their state of mind after all.

He waited for perhaps a minute before she could hear a heavy sigh and then the key in the lock. The door was opened cautiously, and she could see Bobby glance around. He took notice immediately to where she sat at his desk facing the door. Then another glance so he could confirm they were alone. Then he finally shut the door behind himself and stepped fully into the room.

“Hello Wednesday,” he said in a neutral tone. “If I had known that I would have company I would have straightened the room up a bit more.

It was clear that he was still in the process of unpacking. Opened boxes and a suitcase lay scattered around the living space. She did not care a bit about that.

“It’s not a social call and I don’t care about the state of your room. I’m here to talk about Enid and how you have treated her over the years.”

He nodded, as if expecting that. Stepping closer he moved to sit on the edge of the bed and faced her so they could discuss things like civilized people. His expression was guarded but he didn’t seem frightened. More like he was resigned to this conversation and had been expecting it. Maybe he hadn’t expected her to break in and be waiting as if in ambush, but a girl had to keep people guessing. She didn’t come specifically to murder him, but that didn’t mean she was going to tell him that.

“Alright. You have my attention,” he said, voice sounding reasonably relaxed. She could tell he was rather brave and smarter than she would have expected from one of the Sinclair brothers. To say she had come in with low expectations would have been an understatement.

“Very well,” she allowed, still eyeing him with thinly hidden disdain. “We will skip the pleasantries. All of you have treated my mate abysmally. You have a lot to answer for, but she still loves all of you…which I can’t fathom but she does. With that in mind I need to know what your intentions are towards your sister. I will not stand for her being abused any longer.”

He nodded with a thoughtful expression, even as his eyes darted to her hand that rested near the silver blade hidden in her jacket. Much like with her own scent she had not taken any effort to hide its scent either. She wanted him to know she could kill him if the notion took her. Fortunately, he continued before she had to prompt him again.

“You’re right. Eenie got the short end of the stick for a long time. Especially with mom. I’m ashamed to have been a part of that. She deserved far better than she ever got, and I’m glad she has you looking out for her now.”

“Why didn’t you stand up for her? If you are so ashamed why didn’t you do something before now?”

“And what would you have had me do? Fight our mother? I couldn’t have beat her or make her stop. In my mind we were all just hanging on till we could graduate and escape like our older brothers did. Except for the twins that is. They are mama’s boys and more than a little vicious. I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t just get off on being mean to her and having an excuse to treat her like shit.”

“I hear you were the golden child. The one who was academically accomplished and lived up to all of Esther’s expectations. You got to be treated as a son ought to be and not bullied like your sister. Why shouldn’t I think you were as much a part of it all as the twins were?”

“I was the golden child, yes,” he agreed. “But all I wanted was to get away before she figured it out. I didn’t want to be the special one. All I wanted was to be able to stop pretending and living so many lies.”

The goth looked at him curiously. There was something there he wasn’t saying yet. Her gut instinct was to believe him in the moment. She had to be sure though.

“So many lies? What kind of lies?”

He frowned, apparently not having wanted her to make that connection.

“If my mother knew I wouldn’t be her favorite. Not that I would have minded that so much. But I didn’t want to die or be pushed away from the family. I still love her and the twins, though I don’t like them very much. But Enid and Dad? I was worried about them too. It was only recently that I found out from Uncle Jim about how she has been drugging him for years. Things might have been different if I knew…but there isn’t anything I can do for that now.”

Now Wednesday was a smart young woman. The more he talked the more a suspicion started to form in her mind. Apparently the Sinclair family was more dysfunctional than she had ever believed.

“Who said anything about dying or disowned? She wouldn’t do that to her favored son…unless…”

“Unless I was gay just like Enid,” he said in a quiet voice.

She looked deep into his eyes, which to his credit he didn’t shy away from. In that moment she realized how scared her wolf had been to face up to her own sexuality. It had been beaten into them from a very young age that to love someone of the same gender was a crime punishable by death or forcible removal from the family. By Sinclair standards he had it pretty well, but with that secret and his own fear hanging over his head it had to have been a miserable childhood.

Wednesday pinched the bridge of her nose and muttered to herself in Spanish. At least till she remembered that Enid had known the language. Maybe her brother did as well and she didn’t want to give away anymore than she had to. So, she bit off any mention of how horrible Esther was and how poorly she had served her children. Besides, he already knew that she supposed.

“So, you had your secrets to hide, and no one ever talked about what was wrong in the family. Esther punished dissent and made it clear what would happen to anyone who crossed her or didn’t live up to expectations. And you all grew up fearful and, in some cases, willing to turn on each other just to avoid being singled out for anything? Is that about the size of it?”

“Yeah, it was a lot like that. In retrospect I can see better now how it got to that point. I will never understand her motivations but with Dad drugged, we kids scared of our own shadows and then all of us being cut off from the extended family…well, it was just a recipe for things to get worse. It has taken me awhile to understand how toxic and abusive it all is. Or was rather.

Enid was the youngest so all the shit that rolled downhill wound up on her. To be honest I always thought she was just outgoing and eccentric. To now understand that she is gay puts everything in perspective. I am glad though that you two found each other. And I hope she can find the joy she was denied in her childhood. But…there was more.”

Her eyes narrowed into dangerous slits as she stared daggers through him.

“What more could there be? You’re telling me that her mother abused my mate…abused all of her kids not to mention her own mate. How much worse could it be?”

Again, and to his continued credit, Bobby held her gaze and didn’t back down. Despite herself she was respecting this Sinclair more than she had expected. Maybe it was true that Esther was the only bad apple once you drilled down to the core of the dysfunction.

“She tried to steal Enid’s inheritance,” he said, a look of shame on his face. “Our grandmother, dad’s mom, has twelve grandchildren and only three of them girls. In her will she set aside a nest egg for each of them. Our mother took it upon herself to decide that Enid wouldn’t need the money. In her mind Eenie would either never be a full wolf or would have a mate to support her. I guess that was another reason she kept us as far away from the Sinclair clan as possible so the subject would never come up.”

Wednesday pondered this revelation for a moment. To be honest, it really didn’t surprise her all that much. And, since she probably couldn’t be any angrier at Esther than she already was, it didn’t provoke much of a reaction. Maybe it was because she was born to wealth or perhaps because they had both recently came into more money than expected due to her position in the Spanish nobility and her income from writing. This revelation just didn’t rise to the level of making her any more homicidal than she already was.

Bobby’s confusion, however, was clear. It seemed as if he had expected her to fly off the handle and had been bracing for an angry backlash. After a long moment he finally spoke up.

“You are taking that better than I expected,” he said in an uncertain tone. “I was sure you would be on your way to murder her at the news. And maybe knifing me on your way out the door.”

She glanced at him and sighed.

“I’m not going to kill you. My reputation might say otherwise but I can’t see anything you’ve done yet that would merit it. Contrary to public opinion I only murder those who deserve it.”

He didn’t have a ready answer for that. Bobby was oddly quiet though and his expression drew the goth’s attention. There was something unsaid there, and she suddenly put the context clues together.

“You were hoping I would though? Were you contemplating suicide? And thought of using me as the instrument?”

The wolf looked away for a moment to gather himself. He couldn’t quite find the courage to face her before he continued.

“As you said, I did a lot of harm to my sister even if it was never my intent. Sure, I suffered in my own way, but she had it worse and I’m not ready to forgive myself for that. If I can’t forgive myself how could she? Or how could you? Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad she has her own angel of vengeance now. I hope you two will be very happy. But I’m having trouble seeing a way forward for me here.”

She had often read that closeted homosexuals, especially ones still in their teen years, could become depressed to the point of self-harm. Children that were the victims of emotional abuse often felt the same way. It was something of a blessing she supposed that Enid was in denial for so long that she hadn’t had to face that to the same degree. That and she was so naturally positive and loving despite everything else that she had weathered it all a bit better than her brother had.

With all that in mind she supposed it made some sense that Bobby might secretly hope she would end him so he wouldn’t have to face the consequences of the past. He was carrying a heavy burden of guilt and uncertainty and a part of him just wanted the pain to end. She wasn’t a naturally caring, nurturing soul. That was usually Enid’s job. She couldn’t just let this pass though. As much as she hated Esther her distaste for the rest of the Sinclair family was gradually evaporating.

“Look at me Bobby.”

He glanced up again. It was remarkable how much his eyes reminded her of Enid’s once he obliged her. She could see there was a lot going on behind them too. He was clearly overthinking everything and was his own worst critic in the moment.

“It will be up to Enid to forgive you. Knowing her as I do you shouldn’t have any trouble if you are honest and sincerely try to be the family she deserves. My wolf wants her family back in her life if they can accept her as she is. Deep down, I think she hopes even Esther can be rehabilitated so the two of you reconnecting should be much easier than you think.

Otherwise, there are some conditions. I want you to make an appointment with Dr. Addams, a cousin of mine who is now on staff. If you return to Enid’s life and then end your own she will be devastated. My family is full of witches. I would have your soul pulled back to the mortal realm and take the job of punishing you very, very seriously.

Beyond that, just be her brother and try to get your own life back in order. Esther isn’t going to hurt any of you anymore. If she does I will end her. No questions asked and no regrets on my part. Now then, I want for you to come with me.”

“Where are we going?”

His voice was heavy with emotion. Wednesday wasn’t exactly equipped to understand which ones, but she did recognize that they were there. Guiding him toward Simon seemed the best idea in that regard.

“Enid is outside now sitting with her friends. You and she need to talk. Come on.”

She stood and went to the door. He too stood, though with a bit of hesitation, and followed. As they walked her mind was still filtering through the things she had heard and trying to sift the important bits she would need to pay more attention to.

“You say Esther stole her money? How much was it and what did she use it for?”

“That is the part I’m most ashamed of,” he said after a moment. “She decided that as the golden child it should go towards my education to pay for med school. It was put into an account under my name that I couldn’t access till I turned eighteen…which happens in a little over a month. With the interest the account has earned it is just a little bit shy of three hundred thousand dollars.”

Okay, then it was all still there then. Esther might have stolen it, but Enid’s inheritance was still intact and waiting for her. There was no need to stress over that then.

“Will you still be able to afford medical school without it?”

At that he almost smiled.

“Yeah. I lied to mom and told her that I didn’t want to date or take a mate till I finished medical school and started my career. She was impressed with my maturity, not realizing it was all a lie to keep her from questioning why I wasn’t chasing the girls like all my brothers were. I devoted all that extra time and energy to my schoolwork and networking. Between my grades and some good connections I’ve earned a free ride to study Lycan Medicine at the same facility my parents are being treated at. They have a medical school attached to the facility.”

Wednesday didn’t consider herself a charitable soul but even she would have drawn the line at jeopardizing Bobby’s future career because of Esther’s machinations. She had come here to see how much of a villain he had been in this cursed family drama, only to find he was yet another victim. All the more reason to hack their mother into tiny bits if she ever got the opportunity.

Now that she thought about it maybe everything he said earlier wasn’t so much to goad her into killing him. Maybe he was hoping she would take care of Esther for him. And for Enid as well. Now there was something to think about. But later…on another day. She already had way too much to think about in the moment.

It took very little time for them to make it to the quad. At the usual table she saw Enid sitting with Pugsley, Eugene and Yoko. She bid Bobby to wait a short distance away while she went to fetch her mate. Giving everyone a polite nod when they greeted her she motioned for Enid to follow her to a short distance away. The wolf obliged, glancing towards her brother first then back to Wednesday.

“You two talked? I don’t see anyone bleeding, which I really appreciate by the way.”

“We did. And now you two need to talk. Tell him to tell you what he told me. I think you will be pleased…but fair warning. Some of it is unpleasant and troubling. Like yourself though he seems to be more a victim here than anything. “

The wolf looked towards her mate, then to her brother again.”

“Ok. I can do this…just…I think I’m going to need to cuddle afterwards.”

“Of course, mi Reina. Before or after our business with the Nightshades?”

“Hopefully before. We’ll figure that part out.”

She hugged the goth, which was gladly returned, and then marched over to speak with her brother. Wednesday watched her go with a concerned expression. When they turned to go find somewhere more private she sighed to herself and returned to the table with the others and sat beside her brother.

“Is everything alright? Who was that?”

She glanced Pugsley’s way and paused for a moment to find her voice. This had been too much emotion for one day, with more to come no doubt. Something she needed to get used to she supposed.

“That was Enid’s brother. They have a lot to talk about. But after speaking to him I’ve come to realize something. Our family doesn’t have nearly as many problems as I thought.”

The boy just laughed and nudged her playfully.

“I could have told you that.”

Chapter Text

This is not what she had expected. Wednesday sat on the bed in her dorm room with her hair down and Enid happily running a brush through it from behind. The blonde was humming quietly and gently playing with her hair. She was calm and not at all upset after she had spent some time talking to her brother. The goth had expected some tears perhaps, or maybe a lament that her family was in such turmoil. That, to her mind, would be a suitable and justified response given their history.

She supposed that this was preferable to her wolf being upset. Enid had been making good progress after her weeks at the Addams family manor. Even with that being the case she still felt there was something wrong here. Was she missing some hidden hint that her mate wasn’t as happy as she seemed? This worried her greatly, and apparently the blonde had noticed.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

Wednesday tensed for a moment. What if in her concern she accidentally brought Enid’s mood down? Relationships were hard for someone of her suppressed emotional bandwidth. She had promised to be honest though, to the best of her ability, and her Queen had noticed her worries. Nothing for it now but to admit what was on her mind.

“You seem happy cara mia. Of course that makes me happy as well, but I am concerned. I had expected you to be upset, at least for a little while. Did I misread the situation?”

It was silent for a long bit and Wednesday felt her anxiety mount. Had she misunderstood the moment? Perhaps her lack of experience with emotional intricacies were working against her here. Before she could spiral very far though Enid had gone back to brushing her hair and replied.

“That is a valid concern, given my history,” she said in a thoughtful tone. “But I like to think that maybe I’ve grown a bit. Or at least healed a bit.”

She continued to brush in silence for a moment. Wednesday could picture the expression Enid got so often when she was thinking about something and walking herself through it. That only lasted a brief time before she continued again.

“The time we spent together with your family has done wonders for me. And though I was a bit concerned about leaving our happy little nest it is good as well to get back to school and see our friends. Even with…everything we might have to deal with.”

She sounded sad for just a moment with that last little bit, but Enid’s mood seemed to pick back up immediately.

“But you know what? We have a lot to be hopeful about. Your mom said we would win, and I can have some confidence in that. And I do believe what Bobby said. His keeping my inheritance hidden away till he could return it was a very convincing thing. If he had never mentioned it I probably would have never known. Or at least I wouldn’t have for a long while.

Yeah, I believe him, though I would never have guessed he was gay. It explains so much now that I think about it. I guess not only is my mom the root cause of all the grief my family has gone through, but she is the only real bad apple in the bunch. The twins are kind of jerks, but they aren’t instigators like she is…or was. However that turns out.”

Now that she was talking it seemed like Enid had a lot to say. Wednesday maintained her silence for the moment, letting the blonde get it all out of her system. And the more Enid talked the more it settled the goth’s nerves as well.

“We were all weak. I understand that now. But the boys and I, we were all just kids that were born into that mess. We all made mistakes but who wouldn’t have in that situation? And dad, I’m still not really sure what happened to him, but I do know if she hadn’t enabled his worst instincts I don’t think he would have spiraled to where he is now. I still want him to get better and have a life that I can share with him. At least to some extent. As for her…I know it’s foolish to still have any soft feelings towards her…but I do. Probably always will. But I’ll never trust her again no matter how much therapy she gets or what her reasons were.”

“I understand mi Reina,” Wednesday offered when her mate had paused next. “I only want you to be happy and safe. You need your family to be in your life, at least to some extent. I would never deny you that, but I do beg you not to depend on them too much. They have all picked up some bad habits and coping mechanisms. It might not be intentional, but they all still have the capacity to cause you pain if we aren’t careful.”

She felt her wolf’s strong arms wrap around her from behind and hug her fiercely. Wednesday loved the feel of her hugs, especially the delightful jolt of pain as her flesh is bruised and her bones protest against the pressure. If she was as frail as most people would think given her small size and gender Enid’s love would have killed her by now. But what a way to go…

“The only people I trust fully are you and your family,” Enid half whispered in her ear. “And even then I try to stay mindful of who you are on the inside. You tend to lash out when upset, and Pugsley can be clueless to a fault, but I never doubt your love. It’s a very comforting thing to be honest.”

Wednesday changed her position a bit so she could curl up in her mate’s embrace and lean into Enid. Placing her ear over the other girl’s heart she sighed a bit in contentment as the blonde continued.

It would seem that Enid was being very mature about all of this. Mature and very realistic. Everyone, no matter how much love they had in their hearts, could still hurt you. It might be an accident, or it might be poor coping techniques on their part, but anyone could disappoint. She would always strive not to, but things happen. Especially given the stress they were under.

“I will try to never disappoint you mi Reina. But I know that I will. As you say, I’m too ready to anger, but never towards you. And as you know I’m the poster child for poor coping skills. For your sake though, I will always try.”

To her surprise Enid chuckled a bit before speaking again.

“I know you will mi sombra. And I love you for it. And please understand, I can forgive mistakes. Don’t worry that you have to be perfect for me. I’m far from perfect myself. We just have to try and be better for each other. And of course, for the babies I hope we have one day.”

Wednesday’s heart skipped a beat when Enid referred to her as ‘her shadow’ in Spanish. Now she got how her wolf felt when being called by a pet name in foreign languages. It was…oddly exhilarating.

And it was even more of a delight when she had mentioned wanting children one day. She too wanted that but hoped it would be after college at least. Since they were both female and needed magical help to conceive that shouldn’t be much of an issue though.

“I too want us to start a family when it’s time. If you’re willing to carry them that is. With my frame I might not be able to carry a baby to term. Especially if it is a giant newborn as seems to run in your family.”

Enid couldn’t seem to help it as she laughed and held Wednesday close.

“Deal. Believe it or not the notion of being pregnant has never bothered me. Family means everything you know. Especially the one we will build between us. Now, how about I braid your hair back up and we go and grab a bite before it gets too late. I know Yoko said there would be pizza but I’m hungry now.”

A growing werewolf needed lot of food Wednesday knew. She smiled a bit to herself and nodded her approval as Enid started on the braids. They could go get a snack and take care of a few things and still be on time for the Nightshades ceremony tonight.

“That sounds like a good plan. I still can’t believe you all let Parker wander off unattended though. You know what she is like.”

“She isn’t fragile or in need of protection,” Enid countered. I know you want to protect her and are worried what she might get into…but to be honest I’m more worried for everyone else out there than her. Especially any single guys she might be stalking while we aren’t watching.”

“That is what I meant. Joel had been invisible at the table when you went to talk to Bobby. He doesn’t want to be seen very much so he can spy more effectively. Anyway, he went to look for her while the rest of us waited. I don’t want to have to explain to my new stepmother why she was stalking attractive men like a sexual shark of some kind.”

The mental image of that, and how prophetic it might be, was enough to make them both laugh aloud.

“Yeah, I think your cousin is going to fit right in here at Nevermore. She might give Bianca a run for her money on the dating front. Do you suppose she will find her true love here too? It does seem to be an Addams tradition.”

She didn’t have an answer to that. Deep down Wednesday hoped she would but only time would tell. The only reply she could give was an uncertain shrug.

“Maybe if your uncle Fester had attended he wouldn’t have had such bad luck with women.”

“Fester made a terrible impression on the staff when he was brought here as a boy for a visit. He is, I think, three years older than father and was nearing graduation from the home school equivalent to junior high. Grandmama and Abuelo Addams thought it would be good for their children to attend a boarding school abroad to broaden their horizons.

When they brought him here and left him unattended Fester cleaned out the cafeteria in a single go and they then found him electrocuting pigeons at the fountain. Fortunately, father and my aunt were much better behaved on their visits.”

“Wait. You have an aunt? Other than Ophelia you mean? I don’t recall hearing about her before.”

Wednesday’s expression was sad for a moment before she replied.

“She has been gone for a long while now. Since before I was born. She too graduated from Nevermore but was lost to us soon after. It was a…very difficult time for the family. I can explain it to you a bit later. Just another day. We have too much going on tonight and I will only have so much energy to be social with.”

The blonde studied her for a moment, and Wednesday could see she was reading all the right meanings from the things she merely alluded to. Stepping closer she hugged her again but this time more gently. Then, with a quick kiss to her temple she stepped back and started rummaging around on the floor for her shoes.

“Sure, that will be fine,” the wolf agreed. “We should keep it light tonight. We get some food, find Parker and then figure out what that was Pugsley was working on in the quad. It looked like part of someone’s engine block he had up on the table.”

“Oh, that?” Wednesday replied, having already gotten ready to go. “I don’t know where they got it, but Eugene said it was something from a car. I’m not sure what it was to be honest, but it kept Ajax, Eugene and Pugsley entertained for a while. And quiet. It was wonderfully quiet while they tinkered on it.”

They continued their chat as they left the room and locked it behind themselves. Thing had been left to keep an eye on Pugsley so he should still be in the quad waiting for them. By now the last of the parents should be getting ready to leave. They had some time to reconnect with their family and peers, have a bite to eat and then attend a short address by Weems. The usual welcome to Nevermore sort of thing. Afterwards Ophelia had a little gathering for all the girls in the hall that bore her name and which she was now the dorm mother for.

Yet another way Wednesday supposed that her parents were looking out for her. In case of emergency they now had a powerful witch close at hand to help along with all the other family and friends that were congregating at the school. The Addams family was well placed to react quickly to any threat to Nevermore or their girls.

Just a couple of months ago she would have found such an arrangement stifling. In fact, she would be plotting a way to get away from it all to prove she didn’t need to be watched so closely. Now, with Enid by her side she understood it all for what it was. Her family was offering reinforcements and support in what could become a hostile situation when the hunters came to call. It wasn’t all to hold her down. It was to give the support they might need. And by the same token she was giving the same support in return not only to her family but to all the people associated with Nevermore.

It was how a family should be. Each helping the other in pursuit of a larger goal. Rather than feel held back she felt a bit more secure with-it all-in place. Just another change in her perceptions. And yet more proof that she is maturing some from the angry young woman she had been.

Reconnecting with the others proved to be even easier than they had suspected. The machine that Pugsley had been working on had been part of someone’s car. In fact, it had been hers! Her brother claimed to have heard a small noise from the engine on the drive over and had taken it upon himself to fix it. Even under the threat of death he swore it would be fine now, and he had put it all back together. Enid was even more irritated than she was about it but only grumbled a bit. Pugsley might get buried in the back yard again if they had damaged the car.

Parker had also returned in their absence and was in a deep conversation with Bianca. It seemed her scouting operation had been a success. She had met a lot of new people in under an hour and collected three phone numbers from guys that had flirted with her. No harm done there it seemed.

Joel and Thing were there as well though both were remaining out of sight. Thing was well known on campus but was still rather shy in large crowds. Both promised though to remain close in case they were needed for anything.

Shortly thereafter Weems began her welcome speech. She had set up a podium and sound system in the quad so everyone could enjoy their dinner while they listened. Both the Nightshades and the Addams family members in the crowd were already aware of the information she was sharing. More to the point, they were aware of what wasn’t being shared.

Nevermore had been improved upon after the Crackstone incident. Security was now greatly improved and the school had undergone an upgrade in both staff, infrastructure and course offerings. Last semester the student body had numbered approximately two hundred students. This semester it was closer to two hundred and fifty. By the next school year they planned to allow in about three hundred students.

On the surface then it seemed to be good news all around. Things left unsaid though were a bit of a burden to be borne by a select few. Hunters would be coming for them within a matter of months and a biological weapon capable of destroying all outcasts was being developed. Even if they shared all of this though it would only cause panic and interfere with the efforts to end the threat.

Wednesday knew that Larissa was grappling with the fact that she had to leave the students and their families ignorant of what was really happening. At some point the school would become a target for hunters and she couldn’t warn any of them. All she, or any of them really could do was to be ready to try and mitigate the damage as best they could. Anything else was likely to make the job of ending the threat for good all that much more difficult.

The assembly was mercifully short. Having fed Enid and suffered the presence of so many peers was a bit draining to the goth’s psyche. At least the gathering Ophelia had planned would be quite a bit smaller. Ophelia Hall only held about fifty young women and several had been excused because their new dorm mom had met with them individually earlier in the day. By that logic Wednesday and Enid could be excused as well since they already knew the ropes so to speak.

Her wolf had insisted they should be there though, to prevent any appearance of favoritism. Wednesday had agreed, though a bit reluctantly. It would be a long semester she supposed, and there would be times soon that would require them to miss various functions. It wouldn’t be a good idea to let any hint of favoritism to be shown now before things really started.

Still, it had been a short meeting, and all the girls were excused within half an hour. This left them about forty minutes to get to the Nightshades library. Curfew wouldn’t kick in for about another hour so they didn’t have to sneak around yet but would need to employ a measure of stealth to get back to their room afterwards.

Now that she was more fluent in her magic Wednesday found that she was able to perceive other magical effects much more clearly. As they approached the Poe statue she could feel the magic of it that operated the entrance to the Nightshades library. Now she realized that it also carried just a bit of illusionary magic that kept people nearby from noticing when it was activated.

She had always wondered how the place stayed as secure as it did with so many students around. Not only did it have magical protection from being noticed but it also resisted entry unless the person in question was on an approved list of sorts. One would have to be very magically proficient to sneak or force their way in. So, in retrospect, she now realized that all the times she had made her way in before was because it had been allowed, most likely by Yoko, or maybe Xavier. Whatever the case it gave her a bit more respect for the current members of the group that she would be joining officially tonight.

She snapped twice to activate the statue after double checking to make sure the crowd had grown thin and that they wouldn’t be noticed. With Enid at her side and with Thing, Parker and Pugsley following along they made their way into the library to find that most of the group were already waiting for them. Noticing their arrival Yoko put down the book she had been studying and made her way over to their side.

“Glad you all could join us,” she said with a grin. “Now we only need Kent and Ajax to get here with the food. I already brought the drinks if anyone is thirsty.”

On some tables set up to the side they could see a large stock of ice, soda, bottled water and of course booze. There was a lot of open space still available to put the pizza and other snacks that were on their way. It seemed like way more food and drink than they would need for one evening.

“You have been busy I see,” Wednesday observed. “If you have ordered as much food as you have drinks it will be way more than we need though.”

“True, but I would rather have too much than too little. Besides, I’ve seen Enid and your brother eat so it was best to prepare for them to go full locust swarm on us. Plus, I plan to send everyone home with some leftovers so we shouldn’t be wasting any.”

While she was speaking with the vampire Bianca had taken it upon herself to make the introductions for everyone who hadn’t met Joel, Parker or Pugsley. Then the whole group of them began socializing till the food arrived. True to form her wolf was excited and in full social butterfly mode while Parker and Pugsley were enjoying the hospitality. It all seemed very…nice. Despite herself the goth also enjoyed herself for a bit, taking some comfort in having made more friends and letting her walls down enough to bond with the group. She still had misgivings about their silly induction ceremony though.

“So, how silly is this ceremony you have planned?”

“To you? A girl who probably grew up watching live autopsies and war crimes? It’s going to be very silly and you’re going to hate it. Enid, however, will have a blast and your mother already asked me if we used the same ceremony she used to oversee back in the day. She seemed so happy when I said we did.”

“So that is why she wanted me to call her when we get back to the dorm room. “

Wednesday felt her hackles rise a little but knew there was no point in resisting. She would suffer this nonsense for Enid and to make her overly hormonal mother happy. That, and to bond with her peers. All of this was going to be stressful and dangerous for the Nightshades. The least she could do was play their little secret society games. And, of course, give them some hell through the coming school year. A girl had to take her revenge where she could after all. While she pondered that Yoko had motioned her closer and the goth leaned in a bit.

“I just wanted to let you know, the real work comes in a few days. Since the others and I have been here for a couple of days already they have been asking all sorts of questions. Like if we can help them with some self-defense training how much danger will their relatives be in over all of this. Eugene is worried for his mothers and Xavier, quite correctly, pointed out that if they do get into trouble that not all of them are capable of defending themselves as well as you and I can.”

She paused for a moment, giving Wednesday a chance to think about that before continuing.

“I know Weems wants us to try and keep them from getting into trouble and I want to try to do that as much as possible. But they have a point. Enid, as one of the very few werewolves in the world who can change without the moon is a force of nature in her own right and you are the poster child for a Disney ninja princess. As a vampire with a few decades under my belt I can take out several grown men without a sweat. Maybe even combat trained special forces hunters. Most of them don’t have that luxury and are worried what will happen when the fireworks start.

I convinced them to wait a few days to let you get settled before we get too deep into that, but you need to know what’s coming. We may be Weems’ eyes and ears around the school and in Jericho…but that will come with a lot of danger at some point. We have to try and prepare them for that as best we can.”

The brunette pinched the bridge of her nose. She felt a headache coming on. While she was all for training their friends to be at their best there was also the matter of keeping them alive. If they became confident and competent in defending themselves they might also be more prone to sticking their necks out and becoming reckless. And as for how much danger their family and other friends might be in, well, she just didn’t have a good answer for that. Nor was she exactly diplomatic enough to be able to articulate that in a manner that they could handle.

“Alright, we will have to thread that needle then and teach them what we can and try to beat into their heads that they should prioritize keeping themselves alive above anything else. Weems is already convinced she is going to hell soon for letting kids stay in the line of fire. Not only us but the whole student body. If the school year is cancelled it would let the Reverend and his followers know that we were on to them and our ultimate victory would be in jeopardy.”

Wednesday’s mind was already going into overdrive trying to assess what everyone knew how to do and how to help them all became the best they could be in the time available to them.

“Parker and Pugsley won’t be a problem. They are both skilled in self defense and have several offensive talents as well. The rest are a mixed bag, and I don’t know them all well enough to know what they will need to learn.”

“Let’s meet tomorrow after class. Just you and me. We can make some notes and then talk to them all individually. I imagine Bianca’s skill in fencing could translate pretty well into sword or knife fighting. It’s a good base to start from, for her at least. We’ll get through it…but we will have some stormy sailing for a while I’m afraid.”

The two of them regarded each other and nodded simultaneously. The group looked to both of them as leaders. Now they had to prove that the trust they had placed in them was well founded. School hadn’t even started quite yet and already the problems were beginning. For now, neither of them said anything. Instead, they turned to the rest of the group, all smiles, or in Wednesday’s case the closest she could come to a smile.

For tonight they would have their fun or at least go through the motions. Tomorrow the work would start in earnest. Was it going to be enough? Would they be good enough to get all their friends through this unscathed? They both doubted it, but they had to try. Both Enid and Divina noted the somber expressions and tensions in both of their respective girlfriends. They too exchanged a glance and came to an unspoken understanding that they would support their respective lady loves and not ask too many questions tonight. It was to be a long and dangerous semester and they both understood how much harder still it might become.

Chapter Text

“So, combat training? I’m not comfortable with that you know.”

Larissa Weems looked a little haggard as she said this. Wednesday and Yoko had anticipated this reaction, and both maintained solid poker faces as their principal expressed her displeasure. Neither was a stranger to being called into the office. Now though it wasn’t due to any infraction on their part. This time around they were working with the principal, even though they knew the road would be bumpy at times.

“We understand that,” Yoko said by way of reply. “But we also understand that the possibility exists the Nightshades will run into trouble while we prepare for the hunters. They will need to be at least a bit better trained to meet whatever challenges they encounter.”

“It’s true,” Wednesday added. “Though I would say it is more than a possibility that they will be in danger. Odds are we will all be in deadly peril no matter what else might occur. Hell, with last semester to go by the odds appear to confirm that just being an outcast is enough to put a bullseye on our backs.”

“What does this training involve?”

The vampire and the psychic spare each other a glance before Yoko answers the question.

“Basic martial arts training to start with so they can defend themselves to a degree. Also, a bit of weapons training using knives and swords such as are already on campus. Every day though we stress that they can’t be the ones to start a fight unless it is necessary to save a life. We don’t want them to be making trouble. Just able to survive it when it finds us.”

Larissa’s expression relaxes a bit. Deep down they could see she had already expected something like this to occur. It was her deep concern for the safety of her students that had prompted her to speak up. At least this year they were able to talk about it like civilized folk and work together towards the best possible outcome.

“You’re not smuggling in military grade weapons for them are you? That could become complicated very quickly. And give them a false sense of security. Your visions have indicated that the enemy has an abundance of normie weapons and are well trained in their use. We could very well wind up being attacked by the equivalent of military special forces.”

“No. Nothing of the sort. The training we are setting up focuses more on using their natural powers and subterfuge to get the job done. None of us are meant to combatants but I think we all realize it will come to that at some point.”

The goth glanced at Yoko as she was saying this. She was already aware that the vampire had some heavy firepower she could lay her hands on. They didn’t want to give Weems a heart attack though by mentioning it. If things went well she would never have to use it. But the option was there just in case.

“Alright then. Just try to keep it quiet. I don’t want other students to take notice and start asking questions. You are both aware of what teenagers can be like.”

It was ironic that she said this to two teenagers. Or at least effectively teenagers. Yoko was considerably older but still a teen at heart given the long, drawn-out maturation process of a young vampire. By the same token Wednesday was very mature for her age. Most of the time anyway. They were though the best options to keep the Nightshades in line and focused on their mission.

“We will keep that in mind,” Wednesday said then. “And also try to keep anyone from letting their grades slip too far. We have a mission but can’t let up on our studies either.”

This seemed to satisfy Weems, at least for the moment. She nodded in understanding, hoping apparently that this wouldn’t snowball into a major mess they would have to deal with. They all knew that what the kids were doing was important and, now that they knew of the hunters, all the other Nightshades would wind up in the middle of it somehow. That was just how it was. They were all very exceptional in their own ways and much too headstrong not to help in whatever way they could.

“Very well. Is there anything yet to report? Or any concerns that you have? I did promise to work with you, but I need to be kept in the loop.”

Both girls were very happy to work with the principal instead of being at odds with the school authority. After a moment’s hesitation Yoko answered her.

“Some of them have expressed concern for their families as this all plays out. Especially Eugene since his mothers live here in town. We told them that we didn’t have much of an answer for that yet but would express their concerns to you. Now that we know Laurel Gates is alive and working with the enemy she likely told them all about the Nightshades and our families wherever they might be. We stood up to her before and no doubt she remembers.”

“Bianca and Xavier went into Jericho the day before yesterday and made contact with a coven of vampires that has set up shop on the outskirts of town,” Wednesday adds. “Nothing to report from them other than the vampires stand ready in case they are needed and are keeping on eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Today the twins are going into town to scout. A lot of new businesses have opened since last semester, and many houses were purchased by folks new to the region. We thought it prudent to take note of them and document what they could for our records.”

Weems nods along, making a few notes on the way.

“They understand to be subtle and take no unnecessary risks? Much of that new activity might be due to sudden arrival of workers that were needed to refurbish Nevermore. That and the fact that the population of Jericho has been growing of late. It might all be innocent.”

“They understand,” Yoko agreed. “This is just a mission to look around document what is new. We can sort out the details and see what we have after they report in.”

Another note on her records and Weems nods along, seemingly satisfied. Both girls know she is still trying to protect them as much as she can. With that in mind they wait patiently till she responds to them.

“I guess that is everything then for the time being. Let me know if anything changes. Now, if you will oblige me for a bit Miss Tanaka I need to speak with Miss Addams privately.”

The girl’s glance at each other for a moment and then nod.

“Not a problem. I’ll wait for you outside Wednesday.”

With that the vampire stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind her.

“It’s nothing terrible Wednesday. Just something I thought you should know about. Sherrif Galpin was by yesterday. He had to return one of our students who had gotten herself into trouble in Jericho. Your Aunt Ophelia and he had…an incident.”

“What sort of incident?”

That was a terribly vague thing to say but the way Larissa said it indicated that it must be serious. Of course, with her extended family that could mean anything. The Frumps had enough Addams blood in them to really go off the rails sometimes. Not to mention they were an old, odd family of witches who might be capable of anything.

“I had summoned her to come pick up her student as the girl was from Ophelia Hall. She met the sheriff, and they were cordial…till she suddenly used some sort of Judo move and flipped him hard on to the floor. I was absolutely mortified.”

Wednesday almost laughs but holds it in. All she allowed before responding was a half-smile. She knew exactly what that meant.

“She does that sometimes when she finds someone attractive. She must have been at least a little impressed with him. I hope he wasn’t too upset about it.”

“He was at first, but it seemed to pass quickly. Both she and I apologized profusely but it does worry me. She apologized to me as well after he left but now I must wonder if she might not do the same to a student or the staff. That said I wanted to touch base with you or your mother to try and figure it all out.”

“And you saw me before you did mother,” Wednesday confirmed aloud. “I would think she won’t do that randomly. Certainly not to a student. As I said, it is kind of her way of flirting and she forgets sometimes that most people don’t enjoy being flipped so much as our family might. At any rate, I’ll mention it to mother and see if she can’t speak to her twin about it.”

“So, she was flirting?” Larissa said after a moment. By now she wasn’t very surprised by anything her new family might do. She had embraced the weirdness enough to just go with the flow on most things. “I wouldn’t have pictured him as her type.”

Wednesday shrugged but remembers previous incidences of the same behavior in the past. Her aunt had not been very lucky on the dating front and while she couldn’t see why she would be into the sheriff that much it seemed to be true. The discussion though reminded her of something she needed to mention.

“He texted me early this morning and asked if I could stop by his office to discuss some things over the weekend. That now promises to be a much more interesting conversation.”

Larissa sighed a bit but decided to let it go. Let Wednesday and Morticia sort that part out she seemed to be thinking. And that was a good thing the girl thought. It was just an odd one off and not an indicator of future behavior.

“Well, good luck with that. Hopefully it won’t sour him too much on working with us. Ophelia is a very good teacher from what I’ve seen, and the girls of her dorm seem to like her a lot. I would hate to lose her at this point.”

“You won’t lose her. At least not due to this. We’ll talk to her and, as you say, she is very good at what she does. She might be a little eccentric, but she seems to love being here and teaching again.”

“A little eccentric?”

Larissa chuckles a bit and shakes her head.

“All outsiders are eccentric. Our family out does everyone when it comes to being odd. As long as she isn’t dangerous we will work around it.”

The goth didn’t see fit to point out how very dangerous Ophelia, or any of them really, could be. By now Larissa was no doubt aware of that. It seemed that she just needed some confirmation that Ophelia wouldn’t jeopardize their work here at school.

They then said their goodbyes and Wednesday left to rejoin Yoko. There were still some things to discuss, and they both had a free period now to speak in private. It didn’t take long to find her waiting on a bench just a short distance down the hallway. Yoko glanced up then stood to join Wednesday as they walked towards the quad.

“Family issues?”

“Always, but at least it wasn’t such a bad thing. My aunt seems to have been flirting with the Sheriff, and it freaked both him and Weems out. Sadly, she usually shows her interest by using judo on whomever has attracted her attention.”

The vampire tries to hide her laugh but mostly fails.

“Really? So, Lisa was telling me the truth? I would never guess that was how she flirts. Or that she would flirt with him. I guess he is ok to look at if you’re into men and prefer the active outdoorsy type.”

The brunette nods, still trying to hide her own amusement.

“Is Lisa the one that he had to bring back to school last night?”

“Yeah, she was out way after curfew and snuck into town. He caught her on the way back and brought her to Weems. She is looking at whole lot of detention right now.”

“So, just a kid being a kid? Nothing to do with our mission?”

“Nope. Not a thing.”

“Good. We don’t need any more distractions. And, sadly to say, we have a big one that is going to be a pain in the ass.”

They had paused in the quad and regarded the students milling around. One little clique stood out from the others. By now Wednesday was well acquainted with this little patch of crazy.

“My fan club,” she continued in a tired tone. “I never expected anything like this to happen after last semester. But in a world where there was a collection of trading cards based on serial killers I should have known that such a thing was possible. They could very well be a security breach waiting to happen.”

“That Agnes kid is a special brand of crazy,” Yoko agreed. “She is freakishly smart and obsessive to a fault. I wouldn’t put much past her.”

“Agreed. And she has already mastered her power to an alarming degree. She has already been following me around way too much and not even Enid’s nose can detect her most of the time. She might figure out what is going on if this continues.”

Yoko sighs heavily, as does Wednesday. Meanwhile the fan girl in question takes note of them watching and waves with a manic grin. When she does all the other girls in her clique do likewise. Fortunately, the bell sounds to call those without this free period back to class. They watch silently while the younger girls all bid each other farewell and go to their respective ways.

“She has copied my hair style and fashion sense. If she dyes her hair black I might very well blind myself so that I won’t have to see it.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way but she reminds me a bit of the way you used to be. She might be a lot more cheerful and certainly younger, but she has the serial killer vibe down and is way too competent to just be a normal kid. Any relation to your family?”

“I…don’t know,” Wednesday admits. It bothers her a bit that Yoko has made that connection. She herself had been trying to ignore it but they couldn’t afford to take Agnes lightly.

“She is certainly driven and obsessive enough to be a member of our extended clan. But we must be careful so that she doesn’t learn too much. For her own safety. And Enid…I think she might kill her if she is caught spying on us again.”

“Well, I was planning to break into the records room just to stay in practice tonight. I can check her file to see if I can find anything interesting. All this new security is like a gauntlet thrown down. Have to see if it’s as good as advertised.”

“I would appreciate that. Tonight I will be giving a lesson on basic lock picking for the others. Enid has already gotten very proficient at that. It will be a good skill to have, just in case.”

They continued to talk shop for a little while, comparing notes and discussing further excursions into town. The discussion was short and to the point and kept vague enough so that if they were overheard it wouldn’t sound too incriminating…for the most part. Then they too went their separate ways.

Now on her own Wednesday walked for awhile to clear her head. She did not like the idea of a fan club devoted to her. The added attention was not at all welcomed, not to mention the problems of having to keep children from digging up their secrets. As she walked the goth noticed Thing squirming in her backpack. Letting him out he promptly crawled up to her shoulder and began tapping out a question.

“I don’t know,” she replied in an unhappy tone. “She might well be a distant cousin or something. It’s obvious that she has the right vibe. Was I ever that crazy though? That girl needs help.”

Again, Thing taps out a question and Wednesday sighs.

“Just a different kind of crazy then? Charming. And not at all comforting to be on this side of someone else’s obsession. She will not be deterred and I’m unwilling to dispose of her out of hand since she might be family. I guess this is what everyone else was feeling when they were trying to protect me from my own worst instincts?”

He replied in the affirmative which earned another sigh from the brunette.

“Poetic justice is a bitch,” she observed before walking on in silence.

Chapter Text

It was Friday morning and things were still a bit tense for Wednesday in particular and the Nightshades in general. The lock picking class the night before had gone well. Oddly enough the twins seemed to have some aptitude for it and some previous experience besides. Kent in particular seemed to have done this sort of thing before, and Divina was only a step or two behind. There was more to these two sirens than she had expected.

Enid had gone to shower and Wednesday was left alone to brood for a bit. Their class schedules were light for today, mostly because of some last-minute complications to get students registered for some of the new class offerings that weren’t available to them last semester when their tentative schedules had been established. She only had one class to go to later in the morning whereas Enid had two and a couple of extra curricular meetings.

Wednesday’s gaze drifted towards the bag she had waiting on the bed. Enid needed some good news and hopefully what she had prepared would serve to help bring her smile back. They had not been intimate since they had left the manor and the stress of that was starting to grate on the nerves of both girls. Enid had been too nervous since at any given moment a grinning, bug-eyed girl might suddenly materialize in the room with them. So, she had taken steps to keep that from happening in the future.

As she waited patiently her phone started to ring with an invitation to face time. There were only a handful of people in the world where she would welcome such an opportunity. Then there were another few where it would be an obligation she couldn’t avoid. Seeing Yoko’s name on the invitation she had to wonder which category the vampire would fit in. A little bit of both she decided with a shrug as she accepted the call. After the obligatory pleasantries Yoko got immediately to the point.

“So, I had an interesting time in the records room last night. Thought you should know about it ASAP. Before you ask, I’m sitting where I shouldn’t be overheard and have eyes on our resident snoop, so she isn’t spying on either of us. We can talk freely so long as it’s clear on your end.”

“Enid is the only other person here and she is in the shower.”

Out of the corner of her eye she caught Thing scolding her in sign language from nearby.

“And Thing. He is offended that I didn’t mention him.”

Yoko chuckled at that and continued.

“So, no security problems. Cool. First things first, someone has nicked the hard copy file for Agnes in the school records room. Not only that, but they took her roommates, yours, Enid’s and the files for the rest of the Nightshades. My guess is Agnes wanted to read up on all of us and keep anyone from reading up on her.”

“It might be. Or it might be spies of the enemy looking for information.”

“I doubt it, because they made a rookie mistake. A real professional would have recorded the information and left the files. Or at least done something about the digital copies of all that information that are on the hard drive…and stored on thumb drives in the locked cabinet beside the work terminal. That sounds more like the mistake of a thirteen-year-old who isn’t well trained on computers yet.”

Despite herself Wednesday smiled.

“Yes, that does make sense. Did you find anything interesting? And was the security as good as advertised?”

“The security was good. I had to work for awhile to get the lock to cooperate and the patrols and security cameras made it take twice as long as it normally would. You or I would have to work for it. Most decent corporate spies would have trouble with it if they weren’t familiar with the layout of the place. I’m not sure if the wards they had put up would keep most normies out or not. One rookie mistake on our part though as it seems no one has changed the passwords on the computer system. If someone can get to that terminal it still uses the same passwords they have since I started school here in the 1980’s.”

“That isn’t good. We should alert the principal to that. And maybe ask Pugsley what we should do about computer security. That way we can still have a back door if we need to access it in a hurry.”

“Already ahead of you on that. This afternoon I was going to go see Weems and confess my sins as it were. It is part of our mandate to keep an eye out for security risks, and this qualifies. She can’t expect us to be saints if we are supposed to stick our noses in everywhere.”

“How many times does this make that you have broken into their records?”

“In the past forty years? At least five or six times a year that they know about. I suspect she knows by now that sometimes I just do it to stay in practice, so it really isn’t a point of contention anymore.”

Once again Wednesday marvels. Yoko is a woman of many talents. Most vampires pick up a lot of skills in their long lives. She seems to have concentrated on the important ones that would aid them in this new undertaking. Where she had picked up many similar skills with the obsession of an Addams on a mission Yoko had done the same by virtue of having way too much time on her hands. She couldn’t dwell on this for long though as the vampire in question was anxious to pass on what she had learned.

“Anyway, I got some good info on our little spy child if you’re ready for it.”

“Yes, please continue,” Wednesday replied, pulling over a pad of paper and a pen to make notes with.

“Well, as I suspected she was double promoted past her age group in normie school. Partly because of an IQ of 150 plus and because the normie education system just couldn’t contain her. She was apparently bored to tears with the curriculum and her antics were more than the school wanted to deal with. There were notes about a psychiatric assessment that she wouldn’t cooperate with, but the doctor did note family issues and the inability to fit in with normal people as reasons for her behavior.”

“Hmmm. And I would guess probably issues because her maturity level didn’t match the other students in the higher grades she passed on to?”

“Yup. The doctor mentioned that too. So, what we have here is an emotionally stunted young outcast who is driven enough to master her powers early and who has never really been intellectually challenged till now. I may not be a doctor, but I think it’s safe to say she heard of your exploits and saw some kinship with you. That would explain the hero worship and desire to prove herself to you. She would probably get a lot of good out of a few appointments with Dr. Addams.”

“I think your right. She, and all of us for that matter, need to lean on him more.”

“You’re preaching to the choir sister. My first appointment is next week by the way. So you don’t think that I’m shirking on that front. I’m not too proud to admit that I need help…and my father will withhold my allowance and privileges if I don’t keep up my counseling.”

For a moment Wednesday is reminded of the story Yoko had told about the people she had drained while her immediate family were under the gun of hunters. It had messed with her mind badly. She didn’t know the details but reading on her own had indicated that such things could badly damage a young vampire’s mental stability. That triggered another memory of the Reverend’s daughter being forced to ‘dispose’ of prisoner’s and failed experiments while being half starved most of the time. Fortunately, before she could go further down that rabbit hole Yoko drew her back into the conversation at hand.

“Our emotional wellbeing, such as it is, aside there is more I want to get to before our spy baby is no longer distracted. The records showed that her current home address is the same as her roommate Josephine. It appears that her father is a private investigator in New York state and that his job keeps him away from home a lot. She lives with Josephines family most of the time and he provides the money to support her.”

“So, she doesn’t see her father on a daily basis? And it sounds like the mother isn’t around?”

“Right on both counts. From what I could gather he is also a vanisher and that would really give him a leg up in his line of work. There was also a note that if anyone claiming to be her mother, who goes by the name of Lucretia DeMille, was to contact the school she was not to be given any information or allowed to see Agnes. Apparently there was some very bad blood during the divorce. The doctor in the psych report noted a lot of resentment in that regard which Agnes just wouldn’t discuss with him.”

Wednesday sighs a bit. None of that confirmed one way or another if Agnes might not be part of the extended Addams family. The effect she had, on normies and outcasts, sure seemed to indicate it was possible. The various psychiatric problems were also a good hint as to the possibility of such a connection. Not to mention the obsession and skills she demonstrated.

“I still fear she might be kin to me, and that might complicate our lives immensely. Once she gets the idea in her head that we are up to something she will latch on to that and not let it go till she figures out what is going on. Her antics will be a distraction we wont need. And once she does start to get some idea about what is afoot she will put herself into danger more so than usual to interfere.”

“Addams blood or not I’m sure she is already going down that rabbit hole. She seems to understand that your part of the Nightshades, though I’m not sure she understands yet what we are or what we are doing. Her taking our files is a big hint to that. At least I hope it was her and not someone working for Laurel Gates.”

“My money is on her. Laurel had more than enough time while on staff to study the Nightshades. In fact, unless I miss my guess, she had already expected the group to interfere with her schemes. Any new snooping she is doing is probably looking into sources outside the school to get more information on us all.”

That quieted Yoko down for a moment. A long silence passed between the girls as they both pondered that thought. Finally though Yoko roused herself and continued.

“Well, that is a cheery thought. And it also looks like she is now on the move. Sergei kept them all occupied for a bit, but her little posse is breaking up now to head to first period classes. That should keep her busy for a little while. For the most part she seems diligent about her studies so I would wager she will stay in class and not skip.”

Wednesday silently nodded towards the heavens to any higher power that was willing to take her thanks for small miracles. That should give her time to talk with Enid without having to worry about an over eager child intruding on their time.

“Sergei is one of your vampire friends? The senior with the strong accent and the classical good looks?”

Yoko chuckled a bit before replying.

“Oh yes. All that plus he has started to develop his charm powers early. Usually a vampire doesn’t get those till they have a couple hundred years under their belt so he is about fifty years early. Anyway, I thought he would be perfect to distract a lot of young girls and it worked like a charm. That is another thing we just learned about her then. The girl is straight. I know even gay girls swoon a bit for Sergei but Agnes and her whole group of friends were totally starstruck. It was a beautiful thing to see.”

“Shall we meet later in the library to discuss this with the others?” Wednesday asked. “I also wanted to ask some questions about the wards on the library.”

There was an odd silence for a second in which Yoko was silent. The seer could sense the tension in the vampire’s mood immediately. There was something that was remaining unsaid here. Eventually though the other girl replied.

“Yeah, about those I will need to tell you something, but it can wait till we are face to face. I also copied some information from all the digital files I thought you would like to see. I can pass that along to you then as well. Say around eight tonight? I’ll text the others and see if they can make it as well.”

By this time the water had stopped running and Enid had come out of the bathroom wearing a towel. She gave the brunette a smile as she went to the closet to find clothes. There was also a guarded expression on her face as well, almost as if she expected Agnes to pop out of nowhere to torment her again.

“That sounds fine. I’ll let Enid know and see you there.”

The blonde’s brow arched for a second in curiosity as she adjusted her towel and turned towards the goth. She barely waited till Yoko had hung up to address Wednesday.

“Where are we going?”

“Nightshades library at 8:00. Yoko has found some information about Agnes and for the moment that is the only place she can’t sneak into. Also, there is apparently something up regarding the wards. She hesitated when I spoke of it and I’m not sure why.”

Mention of Agnes brought a sterner expression from her queen. Enid was at her wits end with the girl. Her antics had her on edge. Though normally not a violent person she had threatened more than once to messily end her life. While she wouldn’t go that far, probably, Wednesday knew it would get ugly before much longer and she wanted to head that off at the pass as they say. If Enid ever did hurt the girl she would feel guilty afterwards and, as annoying as she was, Agnes was still just a child. One she was feeling an unfortunate kinship with.

“Wards and magic really aren’t Yoko’s thing. I don’t think she knows the first thing about them.”

“No. Vampires usually don’t develop any ability for witchcraft till they are at least a few hundred years old. But they almost all develop a wide array of powers as they age. Charm, limited transformation and greater physical powers can develop if they survive long enough. Much like werewolves their physical gifts often preclude learning much in the way of magic.”

“Look at you,” Enid said with a bemused chuckle. “You’ve been studying up on vampires, haven’t you?”

“On all outcast types I’ve encountered thus far,” the goth admitted. “With the way things are it can’t hurt to know what each of our accomplices might be able to do.”

“Accomplices? Would it hurt to say friends? I know they mean more to you than just accomplices.”

Enid’s smile put the sun to shame. Something inside Wednesday wanted to deny the accusation that the Nightshades were her friends. Somehow though she just didn’t have the heart to do so.

“Allow me my self-delusions then,” she said with only a small pout. “And don’t tease or I won’t share my good news with you.”

Enid giggled but relented. Removing her towel to get dressed Wednesday was immediately distracted but tried to press on. She was reminded again that with Agnes sneaking around so much they haven’t felt secure enough to be intimate for a few days now. Things had changed so much between them that even those few days felt like an eternity.

“I…uhm…think that I have found a way to keep her from sneaking into our room.”

The blonde paused in the middle of putting her bra on and gave Wednesday a hopeful look.

“I have been studying my magical tome diligently and even asked Grandmama for help. We have worked out a warding spell that I should be able to perform on my own that would keep Agnes out unless we invite her in. It is my intent to cast it tonight, after we meet with the others. I only need one more ingredient to make it work and I’m sending Thing out for it while she is in class.”

“That…would be wonderful,” Enid agreed, her smile brightening a bit. “I might resent her sneaking up on us all the time, but it wouldn’t be so bad if we had a safe spot to be…in private. I know she is just a kid, but she makes me so mad sometimes. True, I’ve threatened a lot but I don’t really want to hurt her. Not much anyway.”

“Only a fool…or a child, would tempt fate by continuously testing the temper of a werewolf. Even one so sunny and kind as yourself. The instincts for violence are inherent in your nature, but you control them very well. You might recall, I often tested your temper early on…when I didn’t know better and thought I was bullet proof.”

She sounded more vulnerable than she liked towards the end of that sentence. Her queen stepped over to hug her gently as she said it. This was more distracting than usual since Enid only wore her underwear but Wednesday tried to maintain her focus.

“I know Willa. You feel some sort of kinship with her. I’m not the only one to notice the similarities. But you were always way more mature than she is. She presses way more buttons with people than she needs to.”

“That is because she was allowed to skip grades so that her classes could hold her attention. My mother refused to let me take that easy route. And I always had a more serious demeanor. She is immature, even for being thirteen. But emotionally speaking she is unprepared for high school coming in at her age. Most students start Nevermore at about fifteen years of age.”

They both knew that those few short years meant a lot to a young person coming to terms with their growing maturity. They still had a lot to figure out usually, even at fifteen or sixteen. Their bodies were yearning for more than their psyche could handle normally in terms of all of life’s temptations. Many didn’t even know themselves as much as they should have till their twenties if not later. It was almost as if Agnes had been set up to fail through no fault of her own.

“And I still think we might be related. Her attitudes and the effect she has on others just screams Addams family. And that isn’t even to mention her obsessive, overly dramatic nature. I could almost see her as Fester’s daughter if I didn’t know better.”

It looked as if Enid wanted to ask how she knew that wouldn’t be possible. There were some clear similarities in how they both liked to shock people and get into things they shouldn’t. For the moment though she set that aside.

“If she is related to you do you suppose she already knows that? Maybe that is part of what has fueled her obsession? It seems you are the role model she has latched on to and is trying to be like.”

“That possibility has occurred to me,” the brunette admits. “And I will need to investigate that. Once we secure our privacy tonight anyway. But that isn’t the only surprise I have for you.”

Enid had gone back to dressing and glanced towards her mate, silently urging her to continue.

“Mother has surprised me with another gift beyond the medicine to keep me from contracting lycanthropy.”

From the bag she removes a small potion bottle. The contents are dark but somehow shimmer with a flickering silver radiance. It is as if someone has bottled the night of the full moon and saved it for later use. Enid’s eyes are drawn to it, and she seems to feel a pull from the magic inside.

“She says this will allow me to turn into a werewolf as well, for one night on the full moon. We can run together in the woods and hunt. Then I can return your mating bite in the way nature intended. It should be just as permanent as the one you marked me with.”

The small goth’s eyes glowed with an unusual warmth and reverence as she regarded her queen.

“When I was little I dreamed that I would mature into a mighty werewolf. Genetics had other plans for me though. That was part of why I experimented so much with the science when I was younger. Making my family behave in a more civilized fashion was one reason, but deep down I hoped to finally become the wolf I saw myself as in my mind’s eye. Much like Agnes, I wasn’t mature enough to understand how misguided that all was.”

“Is it dangerous for you to do that? I want your bite…more than anything. But I don’t want to put you in any danger.”

“She says I might be ill for awhile the day after. And that while in wolf form my instincts might get the better of me. I’ll need you to keep me in check so I don’t do any harm to anyone. But it is probably only a one shot. It isn’t something I would ever be able to engage in often. This might be the only time I can ever do it.”

“Are you sure you want to? I can survive without the bite if that is what it takes to keep you safe and healthy.”

“I want it so much mi Reina. I want to run with you, even if it is only the once. I want to see and smell the world as you do so at least I’ll always know what it was like. It means a lot to me. If you are agreeable maybe the next full moon? We can use the gates to do it at the manor so we know that the students will be safe even if I lose control.”

Enid can only nod in agreement, a few happy tears streaming down her cheeks as her smile lights up the room. That smile that Wednesday secretly lives for means she has pleased her mate and made her happy. It is the one of the only things in the world that can make her smile freely as well. That smile melts away all the anxiety and tension, at least for a short time.

“Yeah Willa, let’s do it.”

Wednesday continues to smile and then she calls for Thing. The sentient hand makes his way out from under the bed and looks at them both curiously. At least so much as he can without a face or eyes.

“I have a mission for you and then I’m going to take my wolf to breakfast. You know where Agnes and Josephine’s dorm is down on the second floor?”

He does his version of a nod and starts to vibrate a bit in anticipation. It has been a while since he was given a mission, and he always looks forward to a bit of excitement. At least now he doesn’t have to find some other way to amuse himself.

“Good. While they are in class I need you to sneak in and find something of Agnes’ for my spell. Hair would be perfect if you could find some on a brush. A small personal item would do in a pinch though. Be mindful of traps though. She could well be on guard for people to be sneaking up on her like she does to everyone else.”

Thing salutes and happily makes his way into the air duct. Both girls watch him for a moment, smiling to themselves.

“I just hope he gets the right hair,” Enid observed.

“It shouldn’t be hard to figure out whose is whose. Agnes’ natural color seems to be bright red. It would be hard to mistake that for Josephine’s darker hair. I have faith in Thing.”

“I do too…but I still can’t figure out how he sees without eyes or hears without ears.”

“Just another family mystery,” Wednesday says without putting much thought into it. “Another fun fact that it’s probably best not to dwell on too much. That way lies madness after all.”

Now fully dressed Enid pulls her into a one-armed side hug.

“Yeah, but it’s a good kind of madness. One I’ve fully embraced. Now, you said something about feeding me. Let’s get to that…and I’ll share some of the good gossip with you that doesn’t involve Agnes or hunters. We can just…you know…enjoy ourselves for awhile till we have to go to class.”

Wednesday was more than willing. She let her loving mate lead her out of the room and couldn’t contain her own smile for a change. For now, the world just felt more right than usual. She wanted to just luxuriate in that sensation for a while till things required more from her. There was no sense letting their situation drive her crazy. Not when she had such a divine creature as Enid who loved her just as much as she was loved in return. They would concentrate on that for a time and let the world tend to itself.

Chapter Text

With some time to kill Wednesday had opted to go for awhile to the study hall set up by Professor Reid for his student to engage in private practice with their magic. Much like her own Grandmama he was a big believer in building up one’s ‘magical muscles’. It was a sound principle she now realized. Routine practice with simple exercises built up a sort of ease of use, much like constant repetition built up muscle memory to speed response times and sharpen one’s reflexes when wielding magical power.

A large classroom had been partitioned off into six ten by ten cubes that had their own doors for a measure of privacy. There were wards and charms in place to contain any accidental damage and to prevent any teenaged hijinks in the little cubicles. She had found them to be both peaceful and perfect for her needs. As well meaning as Enid and their friends were she still struggled to perform even simple exercises in their presence. Her intent was to practice as much as she could in private till she had a need to perform magic in front of others…like she planned to do tonight.

The simple ward to keep Agnes out of their room was not a complicated spell as such things go. In this case though there were a lot of moving parts. She had to limit the area to be warded so it would only cover their room and the balcony. It had to also be non-lethal. They only wanted to dissuade her from spying on them, not kill her by accident. And finally, it had to fit within the overall protective magics already in place on the building and covering the rest of the school. If it didn’t her little spell would be erased by the overall magical enhancements the school had received.

She practiced the warding spell a few times without the full intent behind it that would activate the magic. To her ears the Enochian verbal component seemed flawless, as did the performance of the material parts of the magic. It should work. In fact, it had to work. Her queen needed to feel safe and secure in her own dorm room. Otherwise, she might have to choke Agnes, family or not.

Then she ran through some simple exercises involving the manipulation of some small amount of magical energy. She would generate a spark of power that manifested as a glowing orb that she could move around the room. She would make it larger or smaller as she went, moving the orb through a small maze of obstacles set up for this exercise. Then she practiced some free form movements to improve upon her abilities to ‘wing it’ as her wolf would say.

Everything went according to her expectations, and she was feeling pretty good about her progress. She could generate more power now and maintain it for longer. She also knew a few simple spells and rotes not to mention several sigils of power and warding rituals. While not an accomplished witch yet she understood now that she could be one day. So, feeling rather satisfied with herself the seer tidied up the area and left the cubicle. With her typical smirk.

She hadn’t gone more than ten feet down the hall till she realized she wasn’t alone. Professor Reid had also installed a coffee pot in the area and was currently using it. Glancing up he gave Wednesday a half smile before speaking.

“Were your exercises satisfactory?”

“Yes. Very much so. I’m gaining more confidence in my abilities. Enough so that I intend to try a simple spell tonight to keep my dorm room more secure.”

Truth be told she just wanted to brag a bit. Both her mother and grandmother felt she could do this and that filled her with a bit more confidence. Since they both held so much faith in Professor Reid she too couldn’t help but respect him. There was even a small desire to impress the man. Enid had really changed her on a fundamental level and, though she wasn’t sure how to feel about it, she was more honest now with her own emotions. At least to herself anyway.

“Why would your dorm require additional warding? Do you suspect a problem with the defenses on Ophelia Hall or the school?”

“No, not exactly. But we have a certain…pest who disturbs our privacy a great deal. I want to keep her out of our room. Otherwise, I fear Enid might wind up tossing her out the window.”

The older man smiles and nods.

“Ah, yes. Miss Demille has that effect on people,” he said, guessing the name of the pest in only one try. Apparently her reputation preceded her.

“She is spying on a lot of people then?” Wednesday asked, not quite sure of the number of incidents that the younger girl might have caused.

“Oh yes, she is quite the budding spy and, if stories are to be believed, probably something of a voyeur besides. Normally it wouldn’t be much of a problem to catch her in the act and punish her. Sadly though she is quite the prodigy and I’ve never met a vanisher who was so young and had such a high level of control over her powers.”

“Surely there is something that can be done. After all, the school did a pretty good job of stymieing my investigation last year.”

He actually chuckled a bit at that.

“Principal Weems took your antics very seriously and only wanted to protect you. She couldn’t have known the full severity of the problems you faced till it was almost too late. Now, working together, I’m sure you will accomplish great things. That said though Agnes is being punished but it will take a while I’m sure to get through to her. She is very stubborn like that.”

Deep down the goth knew that the school had to, for legal reasons, use a graduating scale of punishments, getting a bit more severe with each infraction. It hadn’t worked particularly well on her of course, and whatever Agnes was doing she wasn’t leaving a trail of dead bodies behind her. Then of course, being an outcast school with all manner of strange magical powers from the students they sometimes had to get creative in their punishments. What a vampire would consider a punishment might not even faze a gorgon for example. As she pondered this the professor was speaking again.

“I would like to know more about this proposed warding you wish to cast. Please describe the ritual as you plan to perform it.”

Cursing inwardly Wednesday complied. Technically casting anything of the sort on school grounds would require the staff to sign off on it. She would get some leeway as being part of the school’s defenses herself, but it was only natural he would be curious…and vested in keeping her from having any accidents. Or accidentally killing Agnes. Maybe she should have just kept her mouth shut.

What was done was done however. So she obliged him and described the ritual in detail, including reciting the Enochian text she had written for it. He nodded along with her, occasionally asking a quick question, till she had completed the telling.

“It should work,” he finally said. “You have the power and the knowledge to do this as long as your careful. It is terribly important to follow the spell as you have outlined it and not get distracted in the casting. I will stop by your room the next morning to see your handiwork. As it is the spell will only last a few weeks before it fades. I can make it a bit more permanent if you wish it.”

She pondered that for a bit and then nodded.

“Very well, we will be there. But we have to leave by noon to meet with the sheriff. Something about him needing statements from us.”

“That should do. I’ll plan to be there around 10:00 am. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to prepare for my next counseling session. There are other students with a high degree of potential that need some special tutoring. You were blessed by being born into a family for whom magic was natural and accepted. Not everyone had the same luck.”

Wednesday excused herself then and left the room. She planned to meet Enid for an early snack in the cafeteria before going to her literature class a little later. It was a slow day for them both, but her wolf still had her math class and then the werewolf version of physical education. Then she also had her dance club meeting and the yearbook meeting. She had drastically cut back on her extra curriculars this year and only stuck with the ones she enjoyed the most.

As she left the building she was surprised by and surprised in turn a rather sheepish-looking Ajax. He was acting a bit more furtive than usual, and this struck her as reason for concern. Again, another example of her having changed on a fundamental level. Once she would have enjoyed his discomfort or perhaps be the one to cause it. Now she actually felt something for her fellow Nightshades. Cataloging all of that was still a work in progress though.

“Hello Ajax. Is everything alright? “

The gorgon looked away for a moment before meeting her eyes. Yes, he was clearly embarrassed about something, but she had no clue what that might be. It took him a moment to reply but she was feeling generous so gave him a moment to gather his thoughts.

“I have to…uhh…turn in a late assignment. I still struggle sometimes with classes. The rest of you are so smart and I’m…kinda not.”

There was something there he wasn’t sharing but Wednesday got the impression that it wasn’t anything too serious. Ajax had always struggled to keep his grades up. That and the fact that his entire species needed to self-medicate in order fit into modern society made teaching gorgons a bit of a challenge.

“Alright, remember though, if you’re struggling too much the rest of us can help. We help each other, both in the main mission and to keep our grades up enough not to fail out.”

He nodded his understanding.

“I appreciate that,” he said, still looking rather embarrassed. “But I have to run now. If you and the others are down for it I’ll probably need some help in English class. Trying to diagram a sentence almost gave me a nosebleed.”

With that he turned and hurried into the building. She watched him go and frowned slightly to herself. This particular building housed not only the magic classes but also the alchemy, art and English classes. No doubt he was on his way to turn in something to the English teacher. She made a mental note to talk to him later and find out how much help he would need. Of all their little group she was probably the most knowledgeable about the subject so tutoring him would probably fall to her. Not great news but if required she would try to do her best by him.

Putting those thoughts aside she moved on to meet up with her wolf.

• * * * * * * * * * * *

Their snack had been a nice break for the both of them. Enid was still getting used to being back in school and conforming to a set schedule. For her part Wednesday had a lot going on in her head and just needed her mate’s presence for comfort. Still another change she supposed, that needing of comfort. She spent a lot of her life trying to deny that need, along with every other emotional response. Now, mostly freed from her self-imposed limitations, she found that she could just accept that she too was a creature of emotions. It all still scared her sometimes, but she was determined to press on with the intent of being a better mate, daughter and friend to the people she cared about.

“You’re thinking very hard again Willa. Is something wrong?”

Her wolf was very perceptive.

“Just thinking about things. We have a lot going on in our lives right now and I’m still having trouble with adapting well enough to have emotions. It is going to take me some time I suppose.”

“Is your social battery about drained for the day?”

She pondered that question for a bit before replying.

“No. I’ll be fine for tonight’s meeting. I just needed a little time with you to calm all the crazy in my head for a while.”

The wolf smiled and scooched closer to her on the bench.

“Good. I’m glad that I can help. Is this something new or is it old business you are still unpacking?”

“You sound like Cousin Simon,” she observed. “But it is mostly just all the uncertainty with…everything. That and I surprised myself today by agreeing to help Ajax with his English class. I told him we would help because he was fretting about late homework. Then I realized that I really meant it. It wasn’t an empty platitude. I actually cared whether he would flunk out or not. That realization kind of freaked me out a bit.”

Enid smiled and took Wednesday’s hand in her own, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“I think that I understand. You are feeling more than you ever allowed yourself to believe you could. That must be a bit disconcerting. It’s like a personality reboot. I just want you to know though that I’m proud of how well you’re doing. You are trying so, so hard and I appreciate your effort. And proud, I’m so proud of you for not just killing us all and storming off into the night.”

“Early on last semester I might have considered doing that. Not anymore. I’m glad you could break through my walls and set me free. Really, I wouldn’t know how to function anymore without you. You have helped me redefine my entire life.”

Wednesday then realized that she and Enid were hugging now, or rather Enid was holding her close and she was all but curled up in the werewolf’s lap. Once that would have embarrassed her or resulted in violence. Right this moment though she just took comfort in it. If anyone tried to tease either of them over it she would gladly remove all their internal organs with a dull knife.

“Professor Reid will be coming up to our room tomorrow around 10:00. He wants to check my wards and make them a little more permanent. We should then still have time to get ready and into Jericho to meet with the sheriff.”

“Ok. Maybe he will even give you extra credit for doing a good job.”

“I doubt it. So far my grade in his class is 100%. We only have one quiz grade so far to go by though. It wouldn’t hurt to bank a few points just in case. We will have to see how generous he is feeling.”
She already knew Enid was going to make the request of him on Wednesday’s behalf. That felt good to have her mate going to bat for her. Her wolf was always looking out for her.

“Oh, I have to run now,” the blonde exclaimed. Dance club meeting starts in ten minutes…and I want to enjoy the knowledge that Agnes will be there and totally unaware of what you plan to do.”

“She is in dance?”

“Yup. And as hard as it is to admit she is really, really good. It might be petty but I want to enjoy her coming frustration. Just a little anyway.”

The brunette smiled sweetly before replying.

“You do realize don’t you how hot you are when plotting against people?”

Enid merely smiled and tried to adopt an innocent expression. Then after a quick kiss and hug she was off, leaving Wednesday to watch as she departed. Glancing around then she noticed a few students who had been watching them. Giving them her most chilling glare had them all turning their faces away. Some even grew pale and left in a hurry. Good. She still had it in her to terrify the masses. That much at least hadn’t changed.

• * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Later that evening Wednesday arrived early at the Nightshades library. Enid would be arriving soon but had gotten distracted by a call from her uncle. As it turned out that was just as well. So far only Yoko and Divinia had arrived yet.

“The others will be late?”, she said in a curious tone.

“Maybe. You are half an hour early though,” the siren replied from her perch on Yoko’s lap. The vampire smiled at her and kind of shrugged before speaking.

“Xavier might be late. He had an appointment to keep with your cousin the siren. She is tutoring him on art or some such thing.”

The seer frowned a bit but didn’t say anything more on the topic. She had been raised to be punctual to a fault. That usually meant coming to events a bit early to avoid being late. Of course this meeting had been scheduled on the fly without much warning. It was only natural that there might be some scheduling conflicts.

“Well, fine then. Since you are here can you tell me what you were alluding to when we discussed the wards earlier?”

Yoko frowned for a moment and sighed heavily. She even hid her face for a few seconds in her girlfriend’s hair. After a moment she turned her gaze towards Wednesday and frowned again.

“Look, I hope you’re not upset by it or anything, but I had a little chat with your mom during the party for Parker. She came to get a drink and asked me some questions about the modern-day Nightshades. She mentioned there were wards she had cast back when she was the queen bee here. Anyway, she asked me to keep it all a secret till you noticed them on your own.”

Now it was Wednesday’s turn to sigh. Of course. Her mother had set up the wards. Why would she ever think otherwise? And that no doubt also explained why they didn’t work on her when she had snuck in on her own. Since Morticia was also a seer she probably knew that her children would one day attend Nevermore and become a part of the group she once led.

“Did she say anything else that she didn’t swear you to secrecy about?”

“She just hinted that there were mysteries and surprises yet to be found in the library. She wasn’t specific and said it was important that we find those for ourselves. I have no idea what the secrecy is all about but assumed it had something to do with you being a witch in training.”

The goth’s eyebrow twitched just a bit. Her mother was meddling, though that was hardly a surprise. She also knew that a lot of the mysteries of magic could only be shared when one was perceptive enough to notice them on their own. Deep down she understood all of that, but it still irritated her. But, fine, there wasn’t much to be done for it now.

“Did you find any secrets down here since then?”

“Nope. Not a thing. Whatever she is referring to probably takes magical talent to spot. If so that is all going to be on you. I don’t think any of us tested of having much in the way of magical talent. If anyone did my money would have been on Xavier but Professor Reid only graded him with a moderate level of aptitude.”

Wednesday pinched the bridge of her nose for a moment as she pondered all of this.

“You are probably right about it being a test for me. Grandmama said a large part of the learning process involved evaluating what the student could perceive on their own and then helping them to understand what they had discovered. It’s just exhausting sometimes to remember that the whole world is like a test that I never know when it will be graded.”

“Sounds harsh,” Dvina said, glancing towards Wednesday. “I would like to learn magic someday, but it seems I don’t have much aptitude at all.”

“You could still learn how to mix some potions and do some simple magic. All outcasts can if they are trained to it. I think Professor Reid will be teaching as much of that as he can in the mandatory introduction to magic classes.”

This piqued the young siren’s curiosity and the two of them discussed the introduction to magic class while Yoko looked on. Divina had been something of a mystery to Wednesday for some time now. On the surface she seemed rather bland and uninteresting. She said little till she warmed up to someone. In recent weeks though, reading her posts on the group chats and during the Nightshades initiation she had opened up more. She was smarter than she appeared and not at all the innocent, shy child Wednesday had supposed.

No, she had a devious streak a mile long and had a natural flair for the undercover nature of their new quest. And she was a huge fan of true crime dramas and mystery novels. All of this Wednesday could identify with and approve of. As they chatted some of the others began to filter in.

Eugene and Xavier arrived next, conversing quietly between themselves as they made their way down the stairs. They remained off to the side for a bit, clearly deeply engrossed in some topic. Not long after Enid came in and promptly made her way to Wednesday’s side. All of the side conversations ceased as she swept into the room, all smiles and greetings for her friends and mate. Her bubbly personality quickly captivated the room.

Not long after Ajax, Bianca and Kent came in as a little group which meant that the gang was all here. For a short while they all mingled and complained about school. The usual things that teens might discuss. Her previous self would have found that aspect of the group tedious and unproductive. Now, well, she still thought it a bit tedious and unproductive, but she also recognized it as a necessity. It was something that people did to calm their nerves and blow off a little steam. Just something that people with healthy emotions had to do occasionally.

It was Yoko then who called the meeting to order. The goth marveled a bit as the vampire spoke. She had a flair for leadership and kept their little group of misfits focused. While she had never noticed it before Yoko could project a sense of calm authority that had been overlooked before. Was it a vampiric power? Or was she really a good leader at heart? Wednesday was leaning towards the latter.

They briefly discussed everything they had done over the week related to their mission. Eugene and Xavier had both signed up for martial arts training through the school and seemed to be taking to it well. Some of the others had made it into town on scouting expeditions or to check in with allies. Everything seemed to be going well in that regard.

Then the conversation turned towards Agnes. Wednesday described the ward she was going to cast over their dorm room and how she and Enid seemed to be her main targets. She also touched on the need to be extra careful about what they said outside this library because she was probably following the rest of them as well as time permitted.

There was a bit of muttering at that as a few of them already had run ins with her. She had appeared suddenly in his art shed while he was working to compliment his art and ask if he would paint a picture with her as the model. He had humored her, saying he would but would need to finish his current piece first.

They all understood the gravity of the situation though. If she overheard something she shouldn’t it could blow the secrecy of their mission. And there was no telling what she might do with the knowledge. There were only a few people in the entire outcast world who knew the full scope of what they would be facing. To have it otherwise might incite panic among the outcasts and would certainly tip off the hunters that their plans had been exposed. They didn’t want either of these things to happen.

“So Xavier,” Enid said then in a tentative voice. “Do you suppose our little spy demon has a crush on you? It kind of sounds that way.”

He blushed furiously but replied.

“I kind of got that impression. But come on…she is just a kid.”

“Kid or not we have to use whatever advantage we can get,” Wednesday then added. “I’m not saying you should string her along or make out with her. But maybe try to be a friend to her? I’m going to try to do the same after I ward our room. She is already fixated on me after all. Maybe it will be easier for us to moderate her behavior if we are closer to her.”

There was a bit of mumbling amongst the group then, but it all seemed to be genuinely affirmative. Xavier agreed then as well but didn’t seem terribly happy about it. Happy or not he was willing to try.

“I will swallow my pride and ask for some help on ways we might be able to keep track of her. Maybe my mother could provide some bit of magic that might alert us if she approaches unseen. It doesn’t seem as if any technological measures are effective or enhanced senses. There has to be something though. We can’t allow ourselves to be foiled by an overly curious thirteen-year-old.”

“Think about this though,” Kent chimed in. “As annoying as she is Agnes is kind of what we are trying to defend here. It’s about all the outcasts, not just the ones we like. We need to try and keep the world safe for kids like that to grow and prosper, free and unafraid. Sure, some of them are annoying as hell but they still deserve the right to life as much as any normie.”

His statement brought a brief pause to the group. It was a deep sentiment and it kind of stuck with them all in that moment. Wednesday in particular had always thought of Kent as being rather dull and shallow. It would seem there were depths of thought and awareness to him she hadn’t guessed before. Much like his twin who had impressed her as well. These Nightshades were full of surprises now that she let herself realize it.

“Well said Kent. Let us all keep that in mind,” Yoko added. “That leaves only one more thing that I can think of. Wednesday, would you do us the honor of discussing the wards for a moment? I don’t know enough to do the topic justice, and we should all know what we can about them.”

Yoko had warned her earlier that she would be put on the spot, so she had come prepared.

“There are some very clever protective spells on the library itself and on the Poe statue above. They prevent people from noticing when we use the entrance to get in so long as there isn’t a crowd milling about it. They also prevent scrying into the area and keep out people who haven’t been let in by a current member. I don’t know how they work because my studies haven’t advanced that far yet. But I gather the current magic was cast by my mother when she was a member and that her spells were a refinement of even older magic that was already on the place.”

There were looks of surprise from most of them and murmurs of never having noticed them before. All save for one quiet voice.

“So that’s what that is!”

All eyes turned towards Ajax.

“You’ve noticed the wards before?” Yoko asked in a surprised voice.

“Yeah. The place kind of glows, you know. I thought everyone could see it.”

Wednesday realized her mouth was hanging open in surprise, much like the rest of the group.

“You can see the aura of the magic?” she finally said.

Ajax nodded, adopting again the same embarrassed expression she had seen him wear earlier in the day.

“Most things here at Nevermore have some kind of glow to them. Especially the people. I just always thought everybody could see it. Only found out recently that it wasn’t the case.”

He reached into his pocket and took out a folded bit of paper. Unfolding and smoothing it out he handed this over to Wednesday. Glancing at it she realized it was an evaluation from Professor Reid saying that Xavier had excellent potential for magic. Not quite as high as her own but impressive none the less. As she studied this and passed it around the gorgon continued.

“Professor Reid wants for me to take some special classes. In the past that has always meant like bone head math or some sort of remedial thing. He says this is a good thing though so I’m trying to take him at his word.”

“Bro, you have magic powers?” Kent said, asking the question that was on all their minds.

“I…guess so. He said I should talk to other kids who already have magic so that I can understand it better. Just don’t know where to start.”

It made a lot more sense now. Wednesday looked at Xavier with a curious expression as the pieces fell into place in her mind. She had always thought of him as being clueless and a bit useless to be honest. Sure, he had a good, kind heart but he had always seemed a bit slow and lost in his own little world. Now that she understood that it was as much of a product of seeing things others couldn’t in addition to his self-medication it all made so much sense.

“So, I’m assuming it’s not English you need tutoring in?” she asked.

“No. Diagraming sentences still gives me headaches, but I think I’ll pass it.”

“Alright. Starting Monday lets you and I set up a schedule. Two or three hours a week we will meet to discuss magic. I’m not sure what he thinks that I can teach you, but I’ll discuss it with him tomorrow. How does that sound?”

Ajax smiled a bit and couldn’t meet her eye but said a quick thank you in a low tone.

With that decided, and a bit of shock still lingering, Yoko closed the meeting, reminding everyone to check the chat room for the assignments to go into Jericho for the week. With that the group began to break up and go their separate ways. Xavier lingered for a moment and came up beside Wednesday.

“Can I ask you a question real quick?”

She nodded, still somewhat at a loss for words over Ajax’s big reveal.

“Would you object if I were to ask Parker out sometime? “

This was an easier topic than finding out that Ajax was a budding witch. Having learned from her cousin that she and Xavier were texting quite often she had suspected that a first date couldn’t be too far off. At least in this she had predicted the probability correctly.

“I would not object. With the caveat that if you hurt her I will end you. But you probably already know that.”

Xavier smiled a bit and nodded before replying.

“Yeah, I kind of figured that. She seems like a sweet girl and is a lot of fun. I want to get to know her better.”

“Sweet? Don’t let her fool you. She is more like a budding dominatrix and an Addams through and through. Just a bit of warning there.”

She was surprised then to see his smile widen a bit before he caught himself and made his expression more neutral.

“Really? Oh…I mean sure, I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks!”

And with that he hurried off. She watched after him, rather puzzled till she saw Bianca chuckling off to the side. She gave Wednesday a bit of a smirk and a thumbs up gesture before she too took her leave. This all left the goth girl terribly confused as she waited for Enid, who was saying her goodbyes to Yoko. She would have to ponder these new developments later after things were more settled. For tonight she still had a lot to do. Too much to concentrate on her companions’ idiosyncrasies.

• * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A little later she and Enid were back in their dorm and Wednesday was preparing her warding spell. The wolf sat on the bed with rapt attention while she worked. Thing had procured a small clump of reddish hair that would work for her purposes. She was still a bit nervous trying to work her magic in front of a witness, even if that witness was her mate. Wednesday Addams had a reputation to maintain after all of being competent and cool under pressure. She didn’t want to ruin that now.

The practice from earlier in the day helped a lot. As well as the words of encouragement from Professor Reid. The whole thing took only about twenty minutes to complete and then they both felt a bit of a chill wash over them as the magic took effect. It felt fine to Wednesday. She could feel that the magic was working but the proof would come tomorrow when the more experienced witch came to evaluate her efforts.

“Oh. That kind of tingled,” Enid said in delight. “Does that mean it’s working?”

“I believe so mi Reina. We will see what Professor Reid says tomorrow but I think that will do it. Agnes shouldn’t be able to enter our space unless we invite her in. And even then if she returns on her own it would still repel her. I think that we are safe now.”

Enid stood and walked towards her, an odd grin on her face.

“Really? No more bug-eyed kids sneaking up on me and saying boo? Or appearing in the bathroom when I’m on the toilet. Or mixing up my clothes when I’m not here and stealing my shirts?”

“She stole your shirt?”

“I think so. Maybe I just mislaid it. Till I know for sure I’m going to blame her.”

Wednesday couldn’t help but laugh a bit.

“We should be safe from all of that. No spy kid…totally alone…just you and I.”

Enid stepped closer, taking her mate into her arms. Kissing her gently the wolf then nipped at her ear a bit, making the psychic purr a bit with desire.

“Go get the light and I’ll turn the bed down.”

Wednesday nodded, realizing Enid was just as aroused as she was. Her mate was a loving, insatiable creature. It had only been about a week without intimacy, but it had felt like forever. Once she flipped the switch for the lights and turned back Enid all but pounced on her, pulling her into a passionate kiss. Unfortunately, they only got about thirty seconds before they were interrupted.

It sounded a bit like the noise a giant bug zapper would make. A loud crackling from the balcony and a flash of light drew their attention immediately. More importantly they also heard a shrill yelp and then the sound of an impact three stories below their window. Now alarmed they rushed out on to the balcony to look below.

Down on the ground they saw a dazed-looking Agnes, still smoking a bit as if she had been struck by lightning. She was cackling maniacally and didn’t seem too badly injured but clearly wasn’t in what passed for her right mind. On instinct Enid jumped over the railing and landed by her side to check on the girl.

Wednesday called after her but the deed was done. Unlike her wolf she couldn’t make that jump without injury. Cursing quietly, she ran as fast as she could out of the room and down three flights of stairs to catch up with them.

By the time she had arrived things had gone from bad to worse. Enid was tending to Agnes with a concerned expression and a couple of the security personnel who had heard the commotion were on the scene. Wonderful. No way of keeping this a secret now.

“Willa! Her brains seem more scrambled than usual. I can’t tell how hurt she is.”

Before she could examine the girl herself though the security guards spoke up.

“We’ve called ahead to the infirmary. Dr Kane is coming with nurses a stretcher. I want you two to go on and meet us there so we can get statements for the principal.”

From bad to worse. There was no way this could get worse, right? Wednesday was soon proven wrong again. Feeling the vibration in her pocket she checked her phone to see a text from her mother.

“Darling, are you alright? School security just called and said someone had fallen from your balcony. Larissa and I are on our way and will meet you at the infirmary.”

Ok, so this was even worse. She sighed heavily as Enid approached. Dr. Kane and some nurses showed up with a stretcher. They were doing a quick exam of Agnes to check for broken bones before they tried to move her. It only took a moment or two and the medical staff were on their way with her back to the infirmary. As this was happening the guards motioned for the roommates to follow along as they walked in the tail end of the group.

Enid was clearly fretting; afraid they had hurt the girl by accident. Wednesday showed her the text she had just received and then she got even more pale. Wonderful. Now her mate was going to lose her mind till they got some word on the extent of Agnes’ injuries, Weems and her mother were on their way and the security was proving to be far more effective than she had expected.

Wednesday wanted to think that this was the worst things could get. She had already been burned a couple of times tonight thinking that. She tried to tap that thought down as far as she could so it wouldn’t jinx them anymore. Taking Enid’s hand as they walked she tried to soothe the wolf.

“We can’t be blamed that she tried to sneak into our room through the balcony. The wards may have pushed her away but she was still trespassing.”

Enid gave her hand a squeeze but still trembled a bit in concern. This is not how Wednesday had hoped the night would go. And the most surprising thing of all was catching Agnes’ approving smile as she caught Wednesday’s eye. She seemed even more adoring and obsessed than usual. Not the effect she had been going for at all.

“This is going to be a long night,” was the only thing she could say now.

Chapter Text

Being here brought up many uncomfortable memories for Wednesday. She was not so well acquainted with the infirmary as Enid was. Whereas the wolf had managed to suffer several minor injuries over the years the goth had not. As such her primary recollection of being here was immediately after the fight with Crackstone and the storm of emotions which followed. In her shock and drug-induced haze, full of pain and with her emotions suddenly breached by Goody’s healing she had suffered a miserable time filled with worry and guilt.

Guilt was not something she had been well acquainted with. It simply had not been part of her life. Believing herself to be nearly infallible and all but bullet proof she never let herself doubt her own decisions. If someone else suffered she saw it as an unavoidable consequence of what needed to be done. Not because she had made a mistake.

Now she had a better perspective of herself and the effect she had on others. It was true that Agnes was intruding again. Breaking and entering in fact if she was being honest. But she had never wanted to hurt the girl. She was a child. A very strange one to be sure but a child none the less. And probably family besides. The guilt she felt now was no where near as deep as the guilt she felt for almost getting Enid killed and the school destroyed…but it was uncomfortable none the less.

Her face betrayed her unsteady emotional state. Another change she supposed. Normally her self-control would be sufficient to hide such things. Now, not so much. Wednesday felt Enid take her hand and glance at her with a concerned expression. She had been trying to console the wolf up the point where they had arrived in the infirmary and been told to wait out front. Since then, it had been herself that was spiraling and her mate took notice.

The blonde gave her hand a gentle squeeze and a kind smile. Just enough to ground her a bit. Squeezing her eyes shut for a moment the seer tried to center herself a bit and speak.

“This is where the guilt settles,” she said in a low tone. “The night you were hurt fighting Tyler I had a horrible attack of guilt for my part in all the damage done to you and the school. I nearly drowned in it. This isn’t much better.”

Enid’s eyes widened for a moment as the understanding hit her. She pulled Wednesday in for a hug, trying to comfort her. Wednesday allowed it, needed it in fact, and was comforted for just a moment. That is till the hug was released and Enid whispered that Weems and her mother were here.

The brunette tensed for a moment and sighed. That was certainly quick. A brief pause while she tried to get her expression under control and she turned to face them. She saw that her mother was clearly relieved, not having known who had fallen from the call she received. Weems looked ready to lecture someone, but her expression changed quickly when she saw the emotional state of the girls in the waiting room. The older women glanced at each other for a moment and then stepped closer and knelt down beside them.

“What happened?” she asked in as gentle a tone as she could manage in the moment.

“Agnes fell,” the wolf replied, much to Wednesday’s surprise and relief. “Willa had put a ward on the room to keep her from sneaking in anymore. After she had cleared it with Professor Reid by the way. It surprised Agnes I guess and since she decided to sneak in through the balcony window she lost her balance and slipped.”

Morticia still seemed relieved that it wasn’t one of the two girls in front of her that had fallen but still concerned. Weems squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and gathered her thoughts. After a bit she continued.

“Is there any word on how bad she is hurt?”

At that Wednesday finally found her voice, relieved that it didn’t sound as shaky as she felt.

“Dr Kane did a quick examination on the scene to see if there were broken bones before moving her. Agnes was awake but seemed to be confused, and in an oddly good humor. The doctor determined she was safe to be moved by stretcher and the security guards who had arrived told us to follow and wait here for your arrival. We haven’t heard anything since.”

“Alright. You two wait here with your mother please,” Weems finally said. “I will see if I can find out more. Your aunt texted me on the way over and said she was sitting with Agnes’s roommate till we had more news. Apparently she was breaking up an argument on the other end of Ophelia Hall when it happened so she couldn’t be the first on the scene.”

With that she stood, put on her most serious face and went to speak with the receptionist in a low tone so as not to be overheard. When she had moved Morticia took her place and knelt by the girls, though with a bit more difficulty than the principal had owing to her pregnancy. Wednesday was touched by the effort and appreciated the thought. Both women were as tall as she was sitting when they knelt. At the moment she wouldn’t have liked either looming over her like that.

“I’m so relieved that the two of you are safe,” she said quietly. “I’m told Agnes is something of a stalker at heart, but I had no idea she had been this bothersome. I don’t blame you at all for putting up wards.”

“You know about Agnes?” the goth replied, suddenly curious about that fact.

“I hear things,” Morticia replied, rising with a bit of help from Enid. She moved to sit beside Wednesday and put an arm around her shoulder. The younger Addams allowed this, actually taking some comfort from the gesture. So much for her illusion of strength tonight.

“The important thing though is that your both safe and can’t be blamed for this. Larissa will understand and if Agnes isn’t injured badly the police won’t become involved.”

By now they noted that the receptionist had sent Weems on towards the back so hopefully they would have answers soon. With a moment to ponder what had been said and all the things already on her mind questions began to bubble up in Wednesday’s mind. Now seemed as good a time as any to ask them.

“I don’t think Larissa is the sort to gossip about students to anyone except maybe their family. You knew about Agnes so maybe my suspicions are correct. How is she related to us?”

Morticia blinked once or twice, taking a moment to process that her daughter had arrived at that conclusion.

“It would be best if you ask Agnes that yourself when they call you back to see her. I had a vision on our way here in my concern. It was why it took us so long as Larissa took a few moments to care for me. It will give you better insights into how she came to be this way.”

Wednesday sighed heavily and Enid puts a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“It made so much sense,” she finally says. “The obsessive overly dramatic nature, the high level of skill she has developed so young, almost as if her own inner magic was channeling through her outcast gifts to make her harder to detect. Not to mention the unsettling effect she has on other people. I naturally supposed she was probably a cousin of some sort.”

“You feel responsible that she was hurt,” Morticia observed. “It’s not your fault. She needed a wake-up call to learn a few lessons. And it puts you both in an excellent position to help her adapt. If you’re willing.”

The younger girls glanced at each other, the question writ large on their expressions. They both then nod in unison.

“She has also been following the other Nightshades around as well,” Enid offered after a moment. “We were afraid she would overhear something she shouldn’t about…well, you know. If she found out any of that and started sticking her nose into it things could spiral out of control pretty quickly.”

“I suspect this event is like a fortuitous bridge to try and regulate her behavior and what she discovers. Play your cards right and you can manage her better. Just remember, she will always be adjacent to these events. Her father is already working with Gomez on a related matter. Eventually she will learn more before it is all said and done. How you come to terms with that will decide how matters progress.”

“It seems like knowing the future is sometimes a huge pain in the ass,” Enid finally observes. Mother and daughter both smile slightly and nod.

“I haven’t had a vision in a while,” the younger of the two observes. “I feel it is due. And that it will be another bad one. I’m growing more paranoid as all of this progresses.”

Then, after a moment’s thought she continues.

“It’s after 11:00 and odds are we will be here for some time yet. I’m going to text the sheriff and ask if we can meet later in the day. We still have to be awake for Dr. Reid to inspect the ward, but I imagine we will still need time to prepare to go into town.”

She begins to text as Enid and her mother talk amongst themselves. Texting this late might be a social faux pas but she knows the man keeps late hours. He might even still be awake. She types a quick message that they are in the infirmary awaiting news about a schoolmate who had fallen off their balcony. She is mildly surprised to get an answer back very quickly.

“That isn’t a problem. Do what you need to. I have to come to the school later in the day to take Weems and your aunt some papers. Maybe meet after somewhere private on school grounds? I have some things that I need to discuss with you and hopefully you will have news for me.”

She texted back a simple yes and a request that he text her when he is available. Putting her phone away she regards her mother and mate.

“The sheriff will be at the school tomorrow on business with Weems and Aunt Ophelia. Probably in the afternoon. He will text us once he is done and we will speak somewhere on school grounds. He has things to discuss he says and hopes I have news. He probably wants to know more about what is coming since we were so vague when asking him to return to work.”

Morticia nods and replies.

“He always seemed to be an overly zealous man in matters of the law, but honest and honorable none the less. Gomez is leaving it to your discretion how much he can and should know. We trust in your judgement.”

“I don’t always trust in my judgement anymore but will bear that in mind. Today has not been a huge boost in my confidence. But…we learn and we adapt. Not much else we can do.”

They all nod solemnly for a moment till Enid feels the need to break the tension.

“I’m surprised he didn’t want us at the same meeting to have additional chaperones when he sees Ophelia.”

That did the trick.

Wednesday smiled and Morticia began to laugh. That led to some questions about whether the man was offended or not and what he was like now that he was older. Morticia seemed to want to know more about the man her sister seemed to show an odd interest in. They continued the conversation in a much lighter tone for a while. At least till a relieved looking Larissa finally came out to join them again and sat on the other side of Enid.

“She is going to recover just fine. Dr. Kane says the shock of the ward made her go limp, so her fall was fairly minor. She is still badly bruised and possibly concussed. Hard to tell on that front due to her…normal personality. She always seems a bit unhinged by most standards.”

Weems shakes her head for a moment in exasperation before continuing.

“Anyway, she wants to see you Wednesday, if Dr. Kane will allow it. They are taking her for a few more X-rays first and another examination. She said she would come see us within the hour to discuss it all.”

Everyone nods, relief visible on all their faces. Weems continues to study Wednesday for another moment before continuing.

“I don’t suppose Dr. Reid understood that you had a third-floor room. You might want to ask him to add something to make the fall less fatal in case she tries the same stunt again.”

It is silent for a moment till the gothic girl finds the words to reply.

“I will. And if she will listen to me I’m going to try and befriend her enough to talk sense to her. No one needs me as a role model, but maybe I can guide her somewhat and maybe get her to talk to Simon. She needs it even more than the Nightshades from what I can see.”

Weems nods, clearly pleased with that. And it is at that moment that Morticia speaks up.

“Rissa, remember what I told you earlier, about the older families with a closer tie to their magical heritage. If raised apart from others of a similar affliction they often show signs of emotional and psychological stress and have more trouble adapting to the world. Much like any outcast children raised by normies do. While the Addams family is usually the best example of that others can be similarly afflicted. If my family tries to include the poor girl more she might have an easier time adapting to life at Nevermore. The girls have expressed a willingness to try and help her.”

The principal looks towards Wednesday and Enid who both nod. Wednesday though has more to add.

“She has shown too much interest in both what I do but also what the other Nightshades do as well. If she hasn’t already then the chances of her discovering something she shouldn’t continue to grow. Especially since her father is already part of father’s entourage dealing with things in the background. I’m not sure how to moderate the risk.”

“Especially given her skill set, overall intelligence and stubborn nature. If I just expel her not only will it be bad for her emotional health but will probably encourage her to keep snooping in other less direct ways. And probably exposing herself to more danger than she can handle.”

The tall blonde sighs, examining this from all the angles and not seeing any easy answers.

“Do you suppose befriending her and trying to redirect her efforts would give us more time to think of a more long-term solution? One that doesn’t involve her being accidentally killed in following her curiosity?”

Wednesday nods in the affirmative.

“Alright. Do what you can then and keep me advised. I always knew you kids would be the death of me. Or maybe the cause I needed an early retirement in a padded room.”

It was said more in jest than anything, but they all understood.

“If you find a nice one see if they offer a family plan,” Morticia added. “Or our house used to be a discredited asylum. Maybe we can put some of the padded wallpaper up in other rooms. Lurch certainly enjoys his.”

This seemed to relieve some of the tension as they all settled in to wait for a while. An hour often meant something different in a medical setting than it did in the mundane world. ‘Within the hour’ here could turn into considerably longer depending on how things went in the back. They might be in for a long wait. Before very long though they were distracted by a very concerned looking Xavier who arrived with Thing sitting on his shoulder.

“Oh! Thank goodness. You all seem to be in good shape. Is everything alright?”

They all stared at him for a moment till Enid found her voice.

“We’re fine. It was Agnes that fell. How did you find out about it?”

“The rumor mill. You two should check the non-Nightshade chat groups more often. People heard her hit the ground and were peeking out their windows to see what happened. Not to mention the flash of light from your balcony. The stories are getting more and more far fetched as time goes on.

Your Dorm mom has drafted Bianca and Yoko to try to settle the rumors but since we didn’t know what happened it’s hard to give anyone the truth. They are just doing damage control, and I was delegated to come see what had happened.”

“Why didn’t you just text one of us?” Wednesday asked.

“We didn’t know who had fallen. If it was one of you two the other probably wouldn’t have been in a good mental state to reply. It seemed the easiest way to be sure.”

Weems swore a bit under her breath in some language they couldn’t identify and Morticia looked oddly amused.

“We should go help my sister diffuse the situation Rissa, she said gently laying a hand on the principal’s hand. The girls should have things in hand and can send us a message if anything comes up.”

The older women stood then when Larissa agreed. Turning towards Xavier Weems left some final instructions.

“Text the other Nightshades and explain to them please. It was Agnes that fell but she will recover. See if that helps them calm the rumor mongers. You might want to stay here though till they send you all away. Wednesday will need to go back and see Agnes in a bit and I don’t really want any of you to be alone after all the excitement tonight.”

Everyone seemed to be in agreement, so Xavier too settled in to wait as he texted Yoko and Bianca as requested and then the other Nightshades. As he did so he continued with his explanations.

“I found Thing on the way over. He said you had gotten a call on the crystal ball from your father just after you two left. You will have to ask him about that. I found him on the way over and gave him a lift.”

“My father called? Why? What did you tell him?”

She knew that a worried Gomez could be like a force of nature and would move heaven and earth to get to her side if she needed him. No doubt he would do the same if it was Enid who was hurt. Now she worried he would be arriving at any moment to complicate things.

Thing offered a calming gesture before explaining.

“He just had a sense that something was going on. Since I knew it wasn’t either of you who fell I just told him the two of you were indisposed and would kill me if I interrupted. He assumed you were just making love and gushed for awhile about how happy he was for you both.”

The girls looked at each other for a moment, blushing at the memory of how close to the truth that might have been barring Agnes’ interruption.

“Good thinking. Thank you Thing.”

He took the equivalent of a little bow and crawled over to sit on Wednesday’s shoulder. With another near disaster averted they settled in to wait. Xavier was able to break the mood a bit and keep them occupied in light conversation well enough to keep them from worrying over much till Dr. Kane came out to join them. Oddly enough it was nearly an hour to the minute since they had been told she would. How oddly prompt for a medical setting.

“Did the Principal have to go?”

“Yes, the rumor mill was running on overdrive, so she went to diffuse the situation the brunette replied.”

“Alright then, I’ll just email her the final report. Your friend is going to be alright. We need to keep her for twenty-four hours to make sure there aren’t any complications from hitting her head. No broken bones but a lot of bruising. She will be sore for quite a while and won’t be able to tolerate strenuous exercise for a week or more. That girl’s bones must be made out of rubber.”

The relief in the group was palpable. No one wanted her to be hurt and were relieved she would recover. Still, they knew that the problems presented by Agnes were only beginning. They were all going to have to meet again and try to find some better solutions on how to guide her going forward.

“Miss Addams, she wants to speak with you. As I don’t think she will settle till she gets the chance I’ve decided to oblige her. Please keep it reasonably short and don’t stress her out too much. I understand you have a history.”

“If by history you mean she has misplaced hero worship of me than yes. We were discussing how to try and redirect her to more healthy relationships. I’m going to try and be a mentor to her instead of a hero.”

“You will be a hero…if you can convince her to refrain from such risky behavior. Come on then. I’ll take you to her room.”

She followed the doctor then, relieved to not have to remain in a state of uncertainty out in the waiting room. Looking back, she noticed Xavier trying to distract Enid and keep her amused while she was gone. She would have to thank him for that later.

A little further down the hall she noticed that Agnes was housed in the same room she and Enid had shared that night. A brief shudder passed through her then, but she soldiered on. There was a task at hand now that required her full attention.

“Miss Demille, I’ve brought Miss Addams as you requested. Please remain calm and don’t overexert yourself. Half an hour and nothing more. You will need your rest.”

Agnes nodded in agreement and fixed Wednesday with a dazzling smile. Her eyes were wide with excitement, and she was almost bouncing with exuberance. Still, she looked so frail lying there all bruised up. Wednesday was struck with how young and fragile she seemed.

“That was witchcraft, wasn’t it? You used magic! I didn’t know you could do that yet!”

Wednesday fixed her with a sad little smile and pulled up the seat beside the bed.

“Your happy that you got shocked and barred from the room?”

“Well, no per se…but you always impress me so much. And…well…I was touched that you and Enid appeared so quickly after I fell. It felt like…you really cared what happened.”

Her tone held such surprise that it cut the Addams to her very heart. Was the girl so starved for human contact that she could be so touched by basic human empathy? Perhaps so.

“Agnes,” she said, reaching out to take the girls hand which also seemed to surprise her. “We never wanted for you to be hurt. We were just desperate for some privacy. Can you understand that?”

She simply nodded, eyes still wide as Wednesday continued.

“Please remember, Enid and I are mates as well as friends. We need time just to ourselves sometimes. We don’t hate you, but we need that basic level of consideration. That was why I put the ward up.”

Agnes nods again, seeming to absorb the attention like a sponge as the goth continued.

“In fact, I think you need some mentoring. Not a hero or a role model. Just…a friend to give you some guidance. Would you accept that instead of showering me in devotion? Instead of trying so hard to be just like me?”

“But…your so great. So impressive. Who wouldn’t want to be like you? No one ignores you or crosses. Not more than once anyway.”

Her tone was so heartfelt that it continued to rend Wednesday’s now tender heart. At least tender by comparison to how it was. It was at least more tender to the people she gave a damn about.

“I’m not a fit role model Agnes. And I’m certainly not a hero. I’ve made some awful mistakes. Still do sometimes. I don’t want another copy of me running around. But I would like a friend. I would like to know the real Agnes. Not the girl who thinks she has to be like me to be respected.”

By her expression she still wasn’t getting it so Wednesday pressed on.

“Trying to be someone you think is strong really just leads to weakness. If it isn’t who you naturally are then you are only playing a role and not building up your own strength and independence. I will respect you a lot more when you’re just Agnes and trying to better yourself. Not being a carbon copy of someone else. Can you understand that?”

“I…I don’t know.”

She sounded so uncertain, but the goth let her continue.

“I spent so long studying you to try and become you. I thought you would like that. You are so intimidating and strong. I thought I would be the same if I could copy you.”

“If you studied me that much did you also notice the people I’m related to and associate with? What about Enid or my…friends? Or my family?”

She still stumbled over the idea of friends but that was what they were. She wanted to include Agnes in that number before the girl got herself killed.

“I did. Your family is all so wonderfully strange and I love them. Well, maybe not Pugsley. He looks like he would smell funny.”

The brunette actually smiled at that before continuing.

“Honestly, he does. But most boys that age do. Hygiene isn’t too high on their priorities yet. But puberty generally changes that. Once they realize how repulsed girls are by it. But what does that observation tell you about them? Don’t you see? They are all unique because they remain true to themselves however strange that is or frightening to the masses. They don’t try to change just to be accepted.

Sometimes we do change when given reason. When I realized how badly I was hurting people I started to change and didn’t regret it a bit. I opened my heart to Enid and found it made me happy. That is a worthwhile reason to make a change. But just trying to be someone else to feel stronger? That is just a cop out. You can do so much better.”

“Really? And…you might like me if I was just…me? I always thought no one would see me if I didn’t try harder. No one would care. I would just be strange little Agnes that everyone could ignore. When I was me I scared people and made them mad. I know Mama and Papa Wilkes love me…but sometimes it seems that I upset them so much when I just try to be me. It seems Jo Jo is the only one who understands. Her and my daddy. But he has to work so much to pay for me to be here…and for fines when I get in trouble. I just…never seem to fit anywhere.”

Wednesday could hear the pain in her voice and how her voice kept catching. They were reaching down into the core of the issue now she felt. She tried to channel Simon a bit, to understand where this was all coming from. It seemed clear though she had some childhood trauma there that would need unpacking. She was going to need a lot of help going forward. Fortunately, she had some ideas where to get it.

“I know where you would fit in. Remember the misfits that are my extended family? We are more accepting than the normies by far. Even more than most outcast families. We can be your mentors. We can offer a place to fit in and confide your troubles. Not to take you from your father or the Wilkes, but to give you an occasional outlet. A place to be as weird as you need to be.

We can help you Agnes. Your new dorm mom is my aunt, and she is as strange as anyone you are likely to meet. Talk to her about it. Be yourself and let us in. Enid and I have both agreed to look after you if you let us. My mother is on hand, and you won’t find a stranger, more loving and maternal soul in the world. And just wait till you meet my father.”

“You want me to meet your cousin Simon too, don’t you? Weems said I would need to start going to counseling again.”

She sounded very guarded regarding the notion. Wednesday had to navigate this carefully.

“I do, and you should talk to him. Remember, he is also an Addams and won’t judge. He has helped me a lot once I was convinced to accept it. He can do the same for you. But even then we are all still willing to be your friends and family. So long as you’re trying to be yourself. And please remember, Weems is now family as well. Not quite as strange yet but she is getting there. And she really does care, no matter how gruff and serious she seems.”

“Will you help me? If I do try? Can you come to my first session or two if I go?”

“If that is what you need of course I will. We don’t make this offer lightly, so we will attempt whatever you need. We just require the effort on your part. Isn’t it worth the effort? You will make more friends, find more family, and then people won’t need to lock you out of their lives so much.”

Agnes nodded hesitantly, her eyes still watering. She looked even more fragile than she had at first but Wednesday knew she was making progress here.

“They will send me away soon so you can rest. Please don’t sneak out because I know you’re thinking about. Rest. Let Doctor Kane help you. The sooner you are healed up the sooner you can start fighting for your own life back. And, if you do that much I will find you Monday of next week to talk more. I’m serious about that. We can find the real you under all the play acting and make that Agnes happy again.”

“Ok,” the girl replied, eyes downcast. Wednesday could still notice though a hopeful note in her expression. She had done it. At least the opening phases of it. She had been honest, bared her heart to Agnes and reached her. She felt raw for the doing of it and a little shaken, but so very relieved that it seemed to be working.

“Now before they send me away, don’t worry about anything. Weems and my mother will take care of letting both your families know. My aunt is already sitting with your roommate so she will be fine. “

“The Wilkes…and Daddy…they will be so mad again. I’ve screwed up again, haven’t I?”

“What you did was make a mistake. My family will explain everything to your family so they can understand. Honestly, I think they will be more relieved that you are willing to accept help and try to be better. That should counter any upset that they might feel. In the end, they will be proud of you.”

Agnes isn’t quite convinced but nods again. She is at least willing to try. The older takes note of the time and braces herself for one last point to be made.

“Now, one last thing and I hope the question doesn’t upset you. I don’t ask to anger or scare you but there is something I need to know to help you better. How are we related?”

The younger girl’s eyes widen even more if that is possible.

“You know?”

“I suspect. And further I suspect we are related closely enough that my family might be the best suited to truly understand and help you. You might be very lucky and wind up with three families instead of just the one most people get.”

The red head sighs and closes her eyes tight before replying. This is obviously a very sore subject for her, but she tries to explain herself.

“I want you to understand, I don’t have a real mother. Haven’t since I was four. But the person who was my…let’s say egg donor…was born as a Frump. Her mother was an Addams though. I’m not sure of all the relations because it hurts daddy too much and I never wanted to upset him more. So, I guess we are cousins maybe? Distant ones anyway.”

Wednesday offers as warm a smile as she can, which seems to be enough for the girl. Agnes relaxes visibly. She apparently feared the offers of friendship, family and help might not count if she revealed her secrets. The goth girl does everything in her power to convince her that isn’t the case she will be accepted and cared for still, no matter what.

“We take family seriously Agnes. Relatives far more distant than cousins are welcomed, accepted and celebrated. You will have a large, extended family who can’t wait to meet you, no matter how strange you might think yourself to be. And if the Addams family is exhibit A in how odd and disconcerting outcasts can be to normies the Frumps would be exhibit 1A. Our families have mingled blood so often we even have joint family reunions. You’re going to love it.”

With that last sentiment expressed the doctor appeared at the curtain again signaling that their time was done. The goth gave her hand one final, encouraging squeeze which seemed to calm Agnes a great deal. Making their farewells Dr. Kane guided Wednesday back out front.

“She seems calmer. Whatever you said seems to have helped.”

“Please have someone text me in the morning to let me know she stayed. Upon talking we have found a family bond since it turns out we are cousins. May I visit before she is discharged? It might help.”

Dr. Kane nodded again as if that family relationship might explain a lot.

I will assess her condition on my rounds in the morning and let you know. Maybe hold off on visiting till Sunday? I am going to give her something to help her sleep so resting a lot tomorrow will be beneficial. Maybe I should increase her dosage if she is related to you?”

Is that standard practice?” the brunette asked with a hint of amusement. “And you mean to keep her till Sunday?”

“There are entire chapters about the care of old, highly magical families in outcast medical literature. It’s not just the Addams but they are the best example in America. Usual practice is almost a double dose of anything we would give to typical outcasts. You had double the dose of morphine to calm you when you were here.

And yes, I hope to keep her till Sunday. She is unusually hard to assess for concussion given her normal personality. If we can make her rest till Sunday evening with minimal exertion and she doesn’t go entirely off the rails or escape I’ll consider her safe to release.”

“Alright doctor. Thank you.”

And with that she was back out front with her wolf and her artist friend. Wednesday gives them both a shaky smile and beckons that they should follow her as they head for the door.

“Please listen as I’m in no shape to repeat myself. I had to bare my heart and soul to reach Agnes. But I think she will be more open to guidance and treatment now. It was very draining on me though. Can we go back to our room and just rest till morning? And can you Xavier fill in the Nightshades till tomorrow. She is recovering nicely but needs to rest till at least Sunday. She will be alright and hopefully not prying so much into our affairs…but will need lots of support going forward.”

To their credit both her friend and her mate understood. Xavier split off with a wave to the girls as they headed back towards Ophelia Hall. As they walked Enid texted Weems to pass on the message and let her and Morticia know they were going back to their room to rest. Enid took over, guiding her quietly back to the room which was exactly as they had left it. She gave Wednesday some pajamas, tucked her into bed and then went to change herself. Setting the alarm so they would awaken maybe half an hour before Professor Reid was due to arrive she crawled into bed beside her mate and held her close. It wasn’t exactly the end to the night either hoped for but given the circumstances it was exactly what they needed.

Chapter Text

Enid slept deeply and soundly. Wednesday on the other hand didn’t fare so well. She slept rather fitfully, and her dreams were odd by even her own standards. Worries, concerns and even the occasional regret kept bubbling up from her subconscious to make themselves heard. Now that her emotions were allowed to exist again they seemed to demand free range to make her more miserable.

She clung to Enid through the night, seeking both the warmth and the reassurance her wolf always provided. Simon had once explained that these sorts of emotions served a purpose other than to punish her. If she heeded their warnings she would have a leg up in dealing with the situations that caused them. For example, if she helped to care for Agnes now then she wouldn’t have to worry so much about her in the future. And maybe avoid making her fall from a third story balcony.

When the alarm finally sounded Enid was up in a hurry and went to shower. Professor Reid would be here soon, and she wanted to be ready to deal with him and then go for breakfast after he left. The brunette only pouted a little bit when left alone on the bed. She hadn’t gotten as much sleep as she had wanted but it should be enough to function. There was a lingering sense of imminent disaster that she couldn’t shake that was dragging her down as well. While it hadn’t been a direct vision she did believe enough in her psychic gifts to understand that there could well be something to this. It was always best to be prepared, just in case.

Soon her turn in the shower came and she tried to wash away the doubts that still plagued her. Just in case she prepared some extra knives and did some stretches to try and keep her body prepared. She hadn’t needed to resort to violence for a while now and wanted to stay sharp, just in case whatever this feeling foretold involved an enemy she could just stab into submission. Most of her problems of late didn’t have such simple solutions, which was a damn pity.

The knock on the door came not more than five minutes after she had finished braiding her hair. Enid hurried to open it and greeted Professor Reid before letting him in. He gave both girls a warm smile and then looked about the room. Not at its contents per se but at the magical energies that were now woven into the space.

“Well done Miss Addams,” he finally said, his tone sounding both proud and very pleased by her magical craftsmanship. “I understand however that we need to add a little something to cushion the fall from the balcony. My apologies for that. I would have suggested that in advance if I had realized your room was on the third floor.”

“It hadn’t even crossed my mind,” she admitted. “As often as I’ve entered through the balcony I should have assumed Agnes might do so as well.”

“We live and learn Miss Addams. In this case your young stalker should recover soon and will hopefully have had a change of heart regarding breaking and entering. Give me just a moment to fix that and then I will be out of your way.”

Wednesday was fascinated to watch him work. The man stayed perfectly still, eyes closed and with a look of concentration on his face. To those unfamiliar with magic it appeared he was doing nothing, but she could see the magical energies form around him and these then intertwined with her own magic, subtly changing it as he worked. Not only could she see it, but she felt it as well as the magic changed and was enhanced. It took her a moment to decipher what he had done but she quickly realized that it was simply a spell that softened the fall for anyone who fell off the balcony. Also, it added energy to her own casting. Easily enough to last for at least a year.

“There, all done,” he finally said after a couple of moments. “If you have any further trouble let me know but I think that should do it. We can discuss later what you might have seen or felt as I altered your ward. In fact, we can incorporate that discussion in your next private lesson. For now though I need to hurry to a staff meeting. Good day ladies.”

Enid held the door for him and the goth could hear her comment that maybe she deserved extra credit for how well she had done. This brought a smile to her face. Her Queen…always looking out for her. With support like that she felt a bit more at ease. Whatever they faced Enid always had her back. It was a warm and secure feeling that she allowed herself to revel in for a moment.

“He said he would consider it,” the blonde said then, clearly pleased with herself for remembering.

“That’s fine. Thank you for mentioning it.”

Her grade was still perfect to date in his class. She didn’t really need the credit. But the thought counted for a lot.

“Well, with that done let’s go eat,” she said then, reaching for the taller girl’s hand. “You have earned a feast for going through all the excitement yesterday and then being so thoughtful this morning. All I can provide though is the cafeteria for now. Maybe this weekend if things don’t go sideways again we can go to that buffet you like so well.”

For such a simple establishment Enid loved to eat there. She took all you can eat to be something of a challenge to be mastered. It was even starting to grow on Wednesday as well. It might not be a high bar but it was easily much better than cafeteria fare.

Hand in hand they made their way to the cafeteria. Wednesday still tried to limit the public displays of affection but found herself surrendering to it more and more these days. And not because her Queen pressed her for them. She was finding that she was generally the instigator in these cases. The hand holding had been her idea and when she found herself stressed she would seek the proximity with Enid for reassurance. This led to instances like the other day where she had found herself sitting on the wolf’s lap in public.

In short she was intoxicated with her mate and craved her as they matured in their relationship. Was this her starting to channel her father’s personality? Or maybe her mother’s calm acceptance and reciprocation? No, she wasn’t exactly like either. More likely she was morphing into something new and unique. How very Addams like she mused.

When they arrived Xavier and Kent were at their usual table waiting on them. Both waved as the girls got in line for food. Wednesday noticed Enid studying her carefully till the blonde finally spoke.

“We don’t have to sit with them if you don’t want to,” she offered. “We can go sit by ourselves if you aren’t up to dealing with other people.”

She considered it for a moment but quickly dismissed the notion.

“It’s alright. We can socialize a bit. No harm in it and Xavier looks like he has something to say. He is far more agreeable now that he isn’t constantly flirting with me.”

Enid’s smile and nod of agreement were enough to brighten the goth’s day all on their own. She loved to socialize but had offered to put her own preferences aside for her mate’s sake. That in and of itself meant the world to Wednesday. Besides, maybe some exposure therapy would help her to be more comfortable in social settings. At least the other Nightshades were for the most part less objectionable than the student body at large.

It only took a few moments to pick out their food. It was bland for the most part but filling and reasonably nutritious. Larissa had put more of the much larger operating budget for the school into the cafeteria, so it was better than it had been. And thanks to all the spirits great and small she had splurged some on the coffee. Not quite as good as what she had at home or could get at the Weathervane but much, much better than it had been last semester.

The boys were still waiting at the table when they got there. Kent was watching their approach with some interest while Xavier was muttering to himself and sketching furiously. Glancing his way Wednesday was surprised to see him sketching Dr. Simms, the brainchild behind the hunter’s biological weapon program. Before she could comment on that Kent had started talking but his words seemed directed towards Enid.

“So, uhmmm…Enid. I was wanting to know if I could ask a favor of you?”

The wolf merely nodded and smiled, urging the siren to continue.

“I was wondering if you could maybe introduce me to your brother. Since he came out last week guys have been lined up trying to get his attention. I didn’t want to get lost in the crowd.”

Bobbie had posted his little announcement on one of the school’s message boards. Short, sweet and to the point. He no longer wanted to hide what he was and had taken Wednesdays strongly worded advice to seek out Dr. Addam’s for an appointment. In the last week he had seemed more comfortable in his own skin and, as Kent observed, was now the subject of attention from several young men, though there were also a group of disappointed girls in his wake.

“I will,” Enid agreed. “Though fair warning. He is two years older than you and will be leaving for medical school after this semester. Once you’re both older two years won’t seem like a lot but at our age it’s a lot bigger of a gap.”

Kent smiled and nodded.

“I understand. I might not have much of a chance with him but was thinking maybe he could use a friend at a time like this. Someone who has been through it before, you know. Sirens are a lot more understanding of each other’s sexuality but in a setting like this, with a lot of different species to deal with, it is probably a lot for him to deal with. How has your family taken it?”

The blonde paled a bit for a moment and paused. This caught Wednesday’s attention immediately. Before she could offer any comfort though Enid found her voice and replied.

“Our parents probably know but aren’t in a place where they can get in touch with us about it. The twins have been silent, but they are still a bit homophobic. All our older brothers and Uncle Jim and Aunt Vicky are very supportive though.”

With that the two of them drifted off into a bit of casual conversation regarding family support and how important that is young people coming out in this day and age. Wednesday only halfway paid attention, still a bit confused how any family could turn on each other over something like sexuality when the person in question had no control over such feelings. Kent seemed mindful of Enid’s feelings and her own family dynamics, so she was grateful for that and let them continue on their own. Besides, Xavier had finished his sketch and turned it towards Wednesday.

“You remember this scumbag I assume?”

She nodded with a frown and the boy continued.

“I was sleeping very fitfully last night and kept seeing images of his face in my dreams. It wasn’t a very well-formed premonition. More of a sense of unease. Like he was way too close for comfort.”

“I slept very fitfully as well but without a clear understanding of what was causing it. The last few days I’ve felt something like a full-fledged vision building up and worrying that it will be particularly intense. My first thought was that it was from stress with everything going on and Agnes falling out the window. Now though, with your confirmation, I get the feeling we are about to get some really rough news.”

They both studied each other for a moment, seeming to measure the depth of each other’s disquiet. Then they both nodded simultaneously. Without more information though there wasn’t much either could do about it.

“Cheery thought to start the day on I suppose,” he finally said. “Do you suppose we should mention it to the others?”

“Not yet. Enid and I are going to meet with the sheriff later today. That might shed some light on it. If not we can reassess afterwards. It wouldn’t be very productive to say we are worried without something concrete to offer. Everyone is already wound up a bit too tight as it is.”

He sighed for a moment, looking away for a second. Xavier clearly wished he had more to go on but it wasn’t to be. At least not for the moment. After another second or two he seemed to resign himself to this and tried to steer the conversation to something lighter.

“Parker asked me to tell you hello by the way. We talked for a while on the crystal ball last night till your uncle came into view and shooed me away.”

Despite herself Wednesday smiled a bit. It was a small thing but easily noticed by those who knew her.

“He is very protective of his little girl. Don’t take it personally. If you two start dating he will always be in the wings somewhere worrying about it. Just understand, if you ever hurt her in a way she doesn’t like it won’t go well for you. She is very able to take care of herself, but Fester would go on the warpath.”

“Understood,” he said with a half-smile of his own. “Though I get the feeling he ought to worry more about her hurting someone else. I see what you meant about her being a dominatrix in training.”

Wednesday studied him curiously for a moment before replying.

“Is it my imagination or do you seem to be not so secretly pleased with that?”
Xavier blushed furiously, glancing towards Enid and Kent to make sure they were still distracted.

“We aren’t all as well schooled as you in keeping our thoughts well hidden. I do find that kind of exciting.”

Then, in a lower tone he continued.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the kink. A little pain, a little bondage and maybe some light discipline on the side…it kind of draws me in. And to be totally honest since you’ve seen through me it was kind of what drew me to you. Sure, my dad did encourage it. He said find a girl from a good family and between you you’ll be set for life.

You did seem like the kind of girl who might enjoy being a bit of a dominatrix and are very pretty. That just wasn’t to be though. I’m sorry I was such a pest about it.”

She nods then, deep in thought before speaking again.

“That isn’t behind your interest in Parker though is it? A girl from a rich family?”

“No,” he agreed readily. “I finally figured out that my dad aside I didn’t need a rich girl. Even before my inheritance I have more money than I know what to do with. And dad is filthy, filthy rich leaving me as his only heir. He grew up poor, you know. Been driven ever since to chase the dollar signs so he would never have to do without again. He can’t seem to stop even now that he has amassed enough money to keep his descendants set for many generations.

I really like Parker. She is funny and pretty and seems to really like me back. No ulterior motives…except that I like tall girls with an artistic flair.”

“You like tall girls and obsessed over me?”

He actually laughed at that, but not unkindly.

“Yeah, seems odd, doesn’t it. But we kind of grew up in proximity. Dad was taking me to parties at your house since we were both about six and we were occasionally playmates at different family functions. But even back then I noticed you and since your mother was so tall I thought you might take after her eventually.”

He shrugs a bit at the thought and then continues.

“Anyway, I was letting my dad influence too many of my choices instead of thinking too much about what I really wanted. Dr. Addams and a little more maturity on my part are helping me to do that. I’m glad he is here now. Didn’t realize before how badly I really needed him.”

Xavier’s manner is candid and open. Wednesday could admit now that they were friends, and he had a place with her family no matter how their relationship might mature. The artist got them on a level few other people ever did. If he and Parker’s feelings for each other were genuine then she could only wish the best for both of them.

“I’m glad to know you are finding yourself. That seems to be the hardest part for everyone. I’ve been trying to understand myself better over the last few months. It is a process though. It’s going to be a long time I’m comfortable in my own skin.”

She glanced towards Enid, still involved in her talk with Kent and smiled before she turned her attention back to Xavier.

“She has set me free you know. I’m not shutting myself off from the world nearly so much and I have her to thank for it. Sometimes its more than I can handle but sometimes, like now, it feels good to make the connections and talk with friends who get me.”

Xavier smiles and nods, seeming to understand what she is getting at. The both of them, and probably the bulk of the Nightshades as well, were still discovering themselves. All part of growing up she supposed.

“I’m glad for that. The two of you make one hell of a couple,” he added as an afterthought as the other two at the table seemed to finish their discussion. Without missing a beat then Enid drew all four of them into a light conversation about nothing in particular. For a while they all chatted and tried to put aside the dread for a little bit at least. It seemed to work well for the most part and even Wednesday was glad for the chance to just relax her mind for a bit.

Soon though her social batteries were depleted to the point that she wanted to go back to their room. Everyone said their goodbyes and the boys drifted off to do whatever they had planned for the day. The girls walked back to Ophelia Hall, hand in hand again and settled in to wait for a while. The Sheriff would text them soon and they both wanted to rest before that.

This time nothing disturbed them. No earth-shattering emergencies and no annoyance from anyone. It was quiet and oddly peaceful. Wednesday played her cello for awhile to calm her nerves and Enid busied herself with a new knitting project. It kept them both busy and focused till they left for lunch.

This time they ate alone without any of the others disturbing them. Though she was becoming more open to being part of the student body and their own loose cluster of friends the goth just needed alone time more often than not. Enid stayed close because they had a shared appointment soon. She was always good at understanding what her shadow really seemed to need. If not for the appointment to see Galpin she would have left the psychic to her own devices for a bit to let her recharge.

As they were finishing lunch a text came through on Wednesday’s phone. It was, as expected, from the sheriff and he wanted to know where the best place to meet would be. The brunette studied the message for a moment before regarding her mate.

“To my embarrassment I hadn’t thought yet about the best place to talk to him. Do you have any suggestions?”

“Yeah, if Coach Vlad doesn’t mind the fencing hall should be empty till this evening when there will be students having some supervised practice.”

She thinks about this for a moment and then nods.

“Very practical. I won’t bother with requesting though. I overheard that he will be in meetings all day today. Later, after we are done I’ll let him know we had been there.”

With that she texted back and got a quick confirmation. He was on his way there from the administration building now. The girls got up then, disposing of what remained of lunch, and hurried on to meet him there.

As they walked Wednesday’s feeling of impending doom returned. She didn’t know what it was, but something was definitely wrong. Perhaps it involved Galpin in some way. Or perhaps because Dr. Simms was up to some more mischief. Well, either way nothing to do but continue.

Soon they were at the fencing hall and met the sheriff on the way. Wednesday did her magic with the lock, which seemed to bother the older man a bit, but he didn’t question it. They stepped inside and turned the lights and found chairs to sit in and discuss things in a semi civilized manner. Sheriff Galpin was then the first to speak.