Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Silence was a rare thing in Calvin’s apartment, what with Blue’s bumbling and chipper attitude and Blossom’s china clinking and tea kettle whistling. Cal loved their company, but he lived here for a reason. He does better on his own, where he has time to think without being bombarded by all the IFs at Memory Lane.

Today, though, was one of those rare quiet days. Cal was sorting through the photos on his desk of potential matches for the other IFs, attempting to find kids that were the right fit for his friends. Friends may be a strong word, reluctant acquaintances probably fits better.

Sadly, his train of thought was interrupted when Blossom burst through the door. Cal nearly hit the ceiling from the loud bang of the door slamming into the wall. “Blossom, what-?”

“Elizabeth is here with Margaret!” The IF exclaims, her cartoon eyes wide and a smile pulling at her lips.

“What?” Cal’s voice was barely audible as he tried to process her words.

Blossom gave a knowing look. “Your kid, Bea, is back.” She paused, allowing time for the information to sink in.

Calvin was speechless. His head was spinning. Bea? Back in New York City? The last time she was here, she still remembered him, still needed him. Her mom was sick. A wave of protectiveness washed over him as his thoughts trailed to what could possibly bring her back. Is someone else in her life sick or hurt? Is she sick or hurt?

No. He quickly pushed that thought down. Whatever Bea is doing here, it’s not Cal’s problem anymore. She’s not his kid anymore. She forgot about Cal, and no matter how much his heart wanted to see her again, he still held a small amount of anger towards her.

Cal knew logically that he couldn’t blame her, a child, for growing up and moving on from imaginary friends, but it still hurt. He missed her so much, but it has been years since she was that little girl he would do magic tricks for.

Steeling himself from all the emotions bouncing around in his chest, Cal turned back to his photos and papers. “And?” He asked Blossom without looking at her.

“And?” There was disappointment in Blossom’s voice. Cal nearly flinched. He hated when he made her upset with him. “It’s your kid. Don’t you want to go see her? She’s grown so much from Margaret’s pictures.”

Margaret is Bea’s grandmother and when she was a kid she brought Blossom to life with her imagination. Blossom loved her and visited her everyday even though Margaret couldn’t see her anymore. It was a luxury very few retired IFs had. Cal couldn’t say he didn’t envy her even a little.

“Okay.” Calvin tapped his pen on the desk, attempting to get out some of his nervous energy. “I don’t think it’s wise I see her. You know my feelings about this.”

“I do,” Blossom said. “But I think it would be good for you! Seeing her again, even if she can’t see you, might resolve some of that hurt.”

“I don’t want to, okay!?” Slamming his pen onto his desk, Cal finally looked at Blossom again. She was startled by his sudden outburst, and, honestly, so was he. “I’m sorry,” he sighed. “It’s just-”

“I understand.”

Cal looked her in the eye. “I’m sorry.”

Blossom nodded, her antenna bobbing lightly with the movement. “It’s okay. I shouldn’t have pushed.” She went to leave out the door she had yet to close, but stopped. “I’ll keep an eye on her for you.”

She left, closing the door behind her, her wings flowing like a cape as she moved.

Calvin continued to stare at the door for a while after Blossom had gone, breathing hard. His thoughts continued to race, but nothing really stuck. Bea was back.

His kid was back.

Chapter Text

It was late the same day when Blossom returned, frantic. Calvin hadn’t moved from his desk all day, his piles of files bigger, but just as neat. He turned as Blossom opened and closed the door of his apartment, her chest heaving. She started babbling at him, her expression one Cal had never seen before. 

“Okay, okay,” he said as he stood, his hand gestures placating. “Slow down and use real words.”

Blossom took a breath, but didn’t visibly calm. “I think she followed me here.”

“What do you mean she followed you?” Was she talking about Bea? “When?”

“Just now.” 

“What do you mean now?!” Cal kept his voice low even though his tone betrayed his stress.

“Right now. Now, now. Because I think she… I think she saw me.”

Cal now understood why Blossom was acting the way she was. Bea saw her!? Would she be able to see him too? His mind was racing again, he had to get back on track.

“What do you mean?” he asked again, but now he was hopeful. He could reunite with his kid!

“Right in the eyes,” Blossom says. She was pacing and Cal could tell a lot was going on in her head as well. “And then run, run, run. And then stairs, stairs, stairs. But then she’s there and she’s coming. And she’s bigger, and she’s faster. And I think she-”

Calvin shushed her, much to Blossom’s chagrin, and stared at the door. If Bea followed Blossom, she could be on the other side. Holding up a finger, Cal moved towards the door and checked through the keyhole. 

There she was, her brown eye staring right back at him. There was a gasp from Bea as she backed away, Cal doing the same on his side. He locked eyes with Blossom’s cartoonishly huge ones.

What should I do?! Cal mouthed

“Hello?” Bea’s voice was honey with a sore throat, sweet and soothing. Yet Cal couldn’t think straight. Blossom was giving that look that said, I believe in you , but he didn’t trust himself to make good choices right now.

Calvin was torn between opening the door and giving her the biggest hug of her life, or pretending no one was home. He held his hand up, asking Blossom to let him handle this. 

“Please go away,” he said through the door. Now Blossom was giving the disappointed look again. Cal squeezed his eyes shut until he was seeing stars on the back of his eyelids. 

“I, um - I was just trying to say hi to your little girl.” His eyes shot open and flickered between the still closed door and Blossom.

She thinks we’re human , Blossom mouthed, her brows slightly furrowed and her hands clasped in front of her chest. Cal shrugged and looked back at the door. 

“No little girl here. Please go away, please,” he said a little too quickly. He could hear the apprehension in his own voice. What should we do? He expressed again.

Blossom shook her head, pulling on her tutu and glancing at the door. 

“Okay,” The word was nearly inaudible through the wood separating them. There was a pause before Bea continued, “I just moved in downstairs… and I don’t really have anybody to talk to.” 

Cal felt his heart squeeze. He didn’t want her to be alone, but didn’t know if he could handle seeing her right now. His stomach turned and his breathing was shallow. What should I do?

The old landlady down the hall saved him from having to make up his mind. Her door creaked as it opened. “Who- Who is that?”

“I’m sorry, I was just-” Bea was scared. She used to think the landlady was an evil witch out to stop all their fun. 

“Oh, it’s you,” said the landlady. “You’d better get back downstairs, it's too late to be up here!”

Calvin and Blossom stood silently as Bea ran down the staircase. They waited until the witch had gone back into her own apartment before they said a single word. 

“I hope she’s okay,” Cal uttered, looking wistfully at the door. He was still vacillating between care and hurt. The confusion felt too much, so he ignored it. 

Looking back towards Blossom, Cal found a very disappointed butterfly giving him one of the worst looks(™) he’s ever received. He flinched. 

“Cal,” she started, “Try to forgive her. If not for yourself then for Bea. If she’s seeing us after having already forgotten, then she needs you. I think her dad is sick.”

Calvin’s shoulders slumped and worry hit him like a tidal wave. She’s already lost her mother, and now her dad is sick too. He remembers how much Bea had attached herself to her dad after it all, she didn’t deserve to lose him. “Crap,” he sighed. “I need some time.”

Blossom nodded. “I’m going back to Memory Lane, do you want to come? You could speak with Sunny.”

Cal stalked past Blossom and into the kitchen. “I’ll be fine. I just need to think and stuff my face with junk food.” He pulled the packet of Oreos out of a cupboard and ripped it open. Blossom made a face as he shoved a double stuffed into his mouth.

He was going to eat his feelings and she hated it.