Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Merton had honestly never seen anything cuter in his life, than a 12-year-old werewolf in an over-sized Letterman's jacket. Still, Merton didn't have time to stand around an 'aw' over him. He side-spun passed the witch and spread out his body as much as he could in front of Tommy, creating a barrier. Holding his palms up in surrender to the witch, Merton put on his best puppy eyes, pleading with her.

"Wait! Wait! We're sorry, just hold on - for a millisecond, please."

The witch, with long ratty hair that fell well passed her waist, was a terrifying sight at first, but now that Merton got a good look at her, he saw a youth in her that made him falter. It was never easy to think of going against someone who just hadn't come into their own yet. It would've been easy for Tommy to fall prey to the idea he was a monster, to become a terror.

Luckily for Tommy, he had a loving family, friends, and Merton who gave him varied reassurances and had tried to protect him without even really knowing who Tommy was. Without any of those things, who knew what Tommy would have become?

Merton wasn't entirely it was just youthfulness he saw in her. Something about her cried innocence as well.

Prudently, Merton kept his stance submissive, but his voice confident as he said, "You didn't hurt that little girl. Did you...?" Eyes squinted as he studied her.

She tried to dodge his gaze momentarily, looking at the ground beside her as her levitation stuttered. "No..." she said, voice grave, and as young as Merton had suspected her to be beneath the wrinkles, the wart on her right cheekbone.

Merton had figured as much. What Evil would simply de-age an attacker, rather than end them altogether given the chance? Bringing his hands slowly back to his side, Merton nodded. "Okay," he whispered. "Okay."

Behind him, he could hear Tommy sniffling, and gave a concerned glance over his shoulder to see the little boy on his knees, staring at his paw-like hands in disbelief, tears welled in his eyes. He had to quickly amend his idea of the cutest thing in the world...

"It'll be okay, Tommy," he whispered. The boy looked up at him, and without recognition, shook his head, no. Merton's heart felt enlarged for a moment as he realized Tommy wasn't just de-aged. He seemed to have the mind of his twelve-year-old self, too. Obviously, Merton told himself, rolling his eyes. Why else would he be reacting that way?

There was no doubt in his mind that if Tommy had any recollection of the last five years of his life, he'd have been trying to push Merton aside to get to the witch.

Sighing, Merton turned his attention back to the girl, and said, "I promise we won't try to hurt you. It was honestly a huge misunderstanding. We know now, that there's something else out there... But I need you to turn Tommy back. Please," Merton asked seriously. Not trying to push her in anyway, just asking.

Then, she looked back up at him, eyes changing to a fainter green than the cold, unthinkable blue they'd been when she was fighting for her life. "I am afraid that is not possible... Or else I surely would." She seemed apologetic, earnestly sorry that she couldn't help.

Nevertheless anger licked up at Merton and he barely withheld it as his voice, shaking, asked, "What do you mean you can't undo this? You cast the spell! Please!"

Taking in a breath that made her chest rise beneath her dirtied white night gown, she levitated once more, coming close to Merton. Her eyes seemed to burrow into his soul, and Merton found himself unable to blink against her stare. Then, she put a small hand over his heart, and blinked. Inhaling for the first time in what felt like an eternity, Merton looked down at her hand, scared, but mostly confused.

"What's your name?" he asked her on a whisper.

"Emily Binx," she said softly, eyes on Merton's lips.

Merton tried to push forward. He'd never really worked on his negotiation skills, but now was as good a time as any to try. "Isn't there anything, Emily, that you can do?" He kept his voice calm, as warm as possible despite the panic making his heart tick faster, the longer Tommy sat on the street behind him, small and vulnerable. Frightened.

One corner of her mouth quirked up in a sad smile as she looked into his eyes again. Leaning in, she pressed soft lips to his in a gentle kiss before pulling back. Merton looked at her with wide eyes, mouth hanging open in shock. Then Emily flexed her fingers where she still held her hand against his chest.

"Only you have the power to help him, now. Merton Dingle."

As Merton furrowed his brows, he noticed that Emily had a glow about her, brightening steadily, smoky in texture. Then she began to fade.

"Wait! Emily, you can't just leave!" his voice was high, strangled as she disappeared, and then finally, finally he felt the weight removed from over his heart. Gone in entirety.

Mouth open again, and eyes glistening, Merton let his hands fall limply to his side. What was he supposed to do?

Shaking, Merton closed his eyes and willed himself to gather repose. Tommy was terrified, and at the moment, only had Merton to look after him. He had to be the one who faced down the frenzy and keep its grips off his friend till things returned to normal.

Bringing regularity back into his breathes, Merton finally turned full-body toward Tommy and brought one knee to the ground before him.

"You don't know who I am, huh?" Merton asked, eyes soft, voice small and unintimidating, just wanting to establish what he'd have to do in order to bring comfort to the small, wolfed-out boy.

Frowning, Tommy shook his head again. His paws now laid back-to-top along his thighs. He seemed exhausted, and Merton was sure it was both physically, and emotionally. Merton tried to smile, something simple that wouldn't incriminate Merton as some sort of creepster extraordinaire, before he said, "My name's Merton. And you're Tommy."

Tommy clicked his tongue in agitation as his nostril rose, and he looked at Merton, finally less scared, as he said, "I know who I am." Which, at first, made Merton smile in appreciation. It only took a second for a whole new fear to settle into Tommy's eyes, however, and then he mumbled, "I think." His eyes were focused on the overgrowth of hair, the claws he had for nails, and Merton understood the sentiment perfectly.

"Don't worry about that for now," Merton told him, settling a hand on Tommy's knee cap.

Scooting his leg back from Merton's touch immediately, Tommy looked at him with scrutiny. "I still don't know who you are. Just because you said your name doesn't mean anything. For all I know your name could actually be Dave."

Tommy did always have more common sense than Merton. Smiling wryly, he was grateful that Tommy was aware of Stranger Danger, but it wasn't exactly a help at the moment. Considering he would actually be safer with Merton than probably anyone else.

Merton might be able to convince Tommy's mom that it was her little boy, that he wasn't some evil robot clone. But even Mrs. Dawkins going into Mother Bear mode might prove dangerous for Tommy. Mother's often turned to public authorities, and hospitals when their children were in trouble. Two things Merton knew, without doubt, would be very, very bad for Tommy.

"That's true, Tommy. But my name really is Merton, and even though you don't remember right now, I'm your friend. And I want to help you. Is that alright?" he asked, ducking his head even more.

Tommy mutter something incomprehensible, but sat up straighter. Looking at Merton dubiously, Tommy asked, "Well how are you going to help me?"

At that, Merton turned his head from Tommy's sight and bit his lip as he rolled his eyes. At first he thought that Young Tommy was just way too cautious and smart for his own good. But then he'd remembered how Tommy had reacted the first time Merton brought up Tommy's wolf traits. He'd shut Merton down fast, and made Merton feel like he was the crazy one. Not that Tommy was crazy... but his situation sort of had been.

Now Tommy sat there, five years younger than Merton, making Merton feel like a creep, and stupid at the same time.

Stiffening his jaw, and putting his lips out, Merton tried to think of a way around all the talking. He needed movement. If he could get Tommy back to the Lair, they'd both be safer, and surrounded by a lot more options. Namely: books and a computer with which to look things up. At this precise moment, Merton didn't have a clue what to do. But if he could get home, at least he could do some searching until an answer or two popped up somewhere.

"You don't know how to help me, do you?" Tommy asked, sounding more sullen than Merton had expected. Disappointed in the fact that Merton couldn't help, rather then scared Merton would try to do the opposite. Maybe Merton's pause had helped Tommy realize that at least Merton really wanted to. If he was a bad guy, he could've made something up right on the spot. The fact that he didn't might have indicated that Merton wanted to be honest. And honesty was the first step to being one of the good guys.

At least when one wasn't afraid of being imprisoned and experimented on while they could be out there, saving the world.

Merton sighed. "Sorry... Not yet. But I'm going to try," he said in his best adult voice.

Tommy sighed too, and then pushed himself up from the pavement. He held out a paw for Merton to take. Something which made Merton want to start a whole new wave of 'aw'ing, but resisted. He took the hand lightly, and stood, too. This was the first time he'd ever been taller than Tommy, Merton realized, smiling indulgently to himself for a moment, as Tommy pulled his hand away.

"What's wrong with me?" Tommy asked, screwing up his face. The question pulled Merton back to the more disheartening part of the situation, and he gave Tommy a half-smile.

"Why don't we get some place safe, first, and then I'll tell you all about it. Just take deep breaths, and think relaxing thoughts as we walk. Deal?"

Tommy nodded with a hint of apprehension, not entirely sure of Merton's intentions, but willing to do what he said in case it actually helped anything. Whatever was wrong with him, it certainly had made him uneasy, and he couldn't help but feel it weighing him down.

As the walked over to the sidewalk, side by side, Merton just alluded to his hand being on Tommy's shoulder. He didn't want to make Tommy any more suspicious of Merton than he already was.

By the time they reached the lair, Merton's soft humming, and Tommy's presumably peaceful thoughts had restored the boy to human form. Merton was more than happy to show Tommy to the mirror hanging on his closet door. Smiling wide he asked Tommy, "See, everything is getting better already!"

Tommy looked at his reflection, delight hidden behind serious eyes. Apparently he thought emotion would mean weakness, which would make him susceptible to any wicked deeds Merton had in mind. Merton smiled to himself at the thought, and then moved himself over to his computer where he could search 'witches, de-aging spell, cure'.

"You can take the jacket off if it's bothering you," Merton told him absent-mindedly. Tommy's other clothes appeared to have de-aged right alone with him. But the outerwear for some reason, did not. Including Tommy's shoes which had flip-flopped off his feet all the way home. "And your shoes," he added.

Staring at himself for a moment longer, Tommy frowned. "You want me to get undressed?"

Merton balked, face going white, eyes wide, "What? No! I was just saying you could get more comfortable! Jesus, Tommy, who do you think I am?"

"I don't know who you are. We've already been over this!" Tommy shouted back. Throwing his over-sized sleeves into the air dramatically.

Pursing his lips, Merton looked over at Tommy from his computer. "Well that's certainly not who I am. Just leave your giant coat and shoes on for all I care! Try not to over-heat." He knew where Tommy was coming from but... Jesus.

Sighing, Tommy rolled his eyes and then shrugged his shoulders back, letting his jacket fall to the floor, and stepped easily out of his shoes. "Who's are those anyway," he asked after a moment, trying to ease the tension in the room.

"Umm..." Merton said, looking over several article links and their descriptions for his best bets. "They're yours."

"They are not," Tommy said, as if Merton was stupid. Clearly they weren't. They were a thousand times too big, why would they be his?

Rolling his eyes, Merton said, "Wanna bet? Check the back of the jacket, dude. It's got your name on it."

Tommy kicked at the jacket half-heartedly until it flipped over to reveal his name sewn on in big, fabric letters. He turned around with a frown deeply set on his face. "I don't get it," he said, like it was a math problem he'd been trying to tackle for far too long, and he was just over it.

"Yeah," Merton breathed out, sharing his frustration, "Me either, Tommy. That's what I'm trying to figure out. Just sit down for a while so I can look some stuff up."

"But you said you'd tell me what was happening when we got here. And we're here now so..."

Merton's lips turned down as he pried his attention away from the computer screen. He had said that... Biting his lip, Merton stood up from his chair and leaned his hands against the desk. "I don't want to freak you out, Tommy. Are you sure you want to know right now, or wait until I have more answers?" He hoped, vainly, that Tommy would be patient. But he was just a twelve-year-old, and the look he gave Merton was adamant. "Fine," Merton exhaled. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

"You're gonna wanna sit down for this," Merton said, voice tight with reluctance. The truth was, he didn't want to make Tommy scared all over again, but he was sure Tommy wouldn't like what he was about to hear. He had a right to know what was going on, though. As Tommy sat, back against the end of Merton's bed, on the floor, he looked up at Merton, watching carefully as Merton rounded his desk, hands clasped together.

Brows furrowed, Merton decided to take the blunt route. Especially since there was no light, feathery route to telling someone that not only were they a werewolf, but that they were actually five years older than they thought, and they might be stuck that way forever. The only hope that glimmered in front of Merton was that Emily had said he could fix Tommy.

"Well, first thing's first, I suppose... You think you're twelve, right?" Merton recognized him from school, so long ago, but needed to make sure. Everyone's faces blended together after a while. Tommy looked at him like he was crazy.

"I am twelve."

"...Right. Okay. You're twelve. But, you're also seventeen. See, you're a senior in high school, with me, your best friend." Tommy snorted at the likelihood of that, but Merton brushed passed that with very little pink rising in his cheeks, much to his self-satisfaction. "And this past summer, you were bitten by... By a werewolf." Tommy's eyes widened suddenly, and Merton held out his hands as if facing a terrified, wild animal. "Now wait wait wait, before you get scared, hear me out. You're fine. You're completely healthy. Healthier than normal, actually. And you're good! You fight bad guys. You're kind of a ninja actually," Merton laughed, fondness beaming in his eyes as he thought of all the ass-kicking Tommy had done.

He was pleased to see Tommy a little excited as he asked, "Like Jackie Chan?!" Merton should have expected that...

"Cooler than Jackie Chan," Merton assured him. Tommy mouthed, 'No way.' Which made Merton chuckle. "Anyway, like I said, you're the good guy. And you don't have to worry about the wolf, because we're going to keep you safe, and calm, okay?"

Tommy nodded his head, mind obviously reeling with daydreams about his abilities. Feeling better now that Tommy was, Merton clapped his hands together. "Meanwhile, while I try to figure out how to get you back to your true age, are you hungry?"

On cue, Tommy's stomach growled loudly, and they both looked at it as if it understood English. Then Merton said, "Okay, well, I'll be back down. I think we have some chicken salad. I know it's not the most substantial chicken meal out there, but hopefully it'll cure your cravings."

With genuine surprise on his face, Tommy stared at Merton. Apparently thinking that Merton had read his mind. Merton didn't know whether to enjoy the look Tommy was giving him, or whether he should assure the little boy that Merton knew because he knew Tommy. For now, he didn't think it could hurt to get a little respect from Tommy, so he headed up the stairs without another word.

When Merton came back down the stairs, through the door to his bedroom, plate full of chicken salad sandwich, and water glass in hand, Tommy was slumped against his mattress asleep. Smiling softly to himself, he stashed the water and sandwich in the mini fridge beside his bed, and then quietly padded over to Tommy.

He debated, silently, for a few minutes, whether or not he could move Tommy to the bed without waking the poor little guy. He wasn't certain, but if Tommy slept the way he was for too long, he'd wake up with some serious neck pain. Exhaling to make his motions more focused, Merton bent down and slipped an arm beneath Tommy's folded knees, and slid his other arm behind Tommy's back before carefully lifting him.

Once he had Tommy's head on his pillows, he extracted himself slowly, and then reached for the throw at the end of his bed to cover Tommy up.

It wasn't the first time Tommy had ended up forcing Merton out of his own bed for the night, exhausted as he crashed from his adrenalin high after fighting a particularly rough battle. Part of Merton hoped that Tommy would feel a familiarity to the bed when he woke up. Like De Ja Vu. It might help him easier to handle in the coming days till Merton figured out the solution.

After tucking Tommy in, Merton crossed over to the phone at his desk and called Tommy's parents to let them know he'd decided to spend the night and had asked Merton to give them a call so he could focus on his homework since it was getting late. Mrs. Dawkins thanked Merton in that fluffy warm voice of hers, and Merton bowed his head. "I'll tell Tommy you said goodnight. Yeah, no problem, Mrs. Dawkins..."

Only Merton wouldn't tell Tommy. Not until Tommy woke up wondering when he'd get to go home, which he'd inevitably do. There was only so much adventure in a kid Tommy's age. Merton dreaded the moment he'd have to tell Tommy he couldn't go home. Not yet.

Not only that, but he'd have to figure out how to excuse Tommy's absence from home and from school until then. He had a lot of work in front of him. And tired as he was, Merton slumped back into his chair and began reading, bleary-eyed through all the information available online, sifting through mere myths, and what might be actual encounters of their same situation.

Chapter Text

Merton awoke on a snort, to someone tugging at his shirt sleeve. Eyes foggy with sleep, Merton blinked them slowly open to little Tommy standing at his side looking all but happy, tears in his eyes. "Merton," he whispered fervently. "Merton, wake up."

Shooting up in his seat, Merton tried to focus in on Tommy, gasping out, "What's wrong Tommy, are you okay?"

"No," Tommy said, voice wobbling, on the verge of tears.

Concern etching lines at the corners of Merton's eyes, he placed his hands steadily on Tommy's shoulders. "What's wrong?" he asked desperately.

Tommy shook his head, and sucked in his lip. "Mom's gonna be so pissed I didn't come home last night! I'll be grounded for the rest of my life! She probably called the cops! I'm gonna go to jail, Merton!"

Eyes softening with affection, Merton shook his head. "No, no, Tommy it's okay. I called your mom last night and told her you were staying over, working on homework, late. Don't worry... Tommy, I got your back." Tommy still looked like he might cry, but also like he wasn't sure Merton had actually called his mom. Merton glanced over to the phone quickly and pulled his hands back.

"Would it make you feel better if I called your mom without even asking you the number, and you got to hear her voice?"

Tommy nodded slowly, calming down at a similar pace.

"Alright," Merton breathed out, "Watch." He picked up the phone and dialed Tommy's number easily. He gave Tommy a reassuring smile as he waited for Mrs. Dawkins to pick up the phone. Once she was on the line, Merton changed his voice. "It's Merton, again. Sorry to bother you before work, Mrs. Dawkins, but Tommy's not feeling very well. He's got a fever, and he wanted know if you could call into the school for him? - Yeah, he's fine here. My mom's already making some chicken soup in the kitchen, and we've got some soda crackers. - Yes, I'm sure. He's gonna borrow some sweats to get comfortable in, and I'll get his homework at school. - Thanks Mrs. Dawkins," Merton said, with genuine relief. That was one problem solved. For now anyway. "You wanna tell him anything? Alright, but his throats really sore. He's motioning to me that he doesn't feel like talking. - Okay, here he is."

Merton handed Tommy the phone, who, grasped the phone, face looking confused until he heard his mother's voice. Merton could hear her cooing over him, telling him to feel better and that if he needed anything to call and she'd come pick him up. Merton smiled. He really loved Tommy's mom, and was grateful for the way Tommy's eyes immediately dried up, his chest puffing back up, no longer looking so frail.

Tommy handed him the phone back as Mrs. Dawkins said 'Goodbye.' "Thanks again, Mrs. Dawkins. Don't worry, I'll take care of him," Merton told her, before hanging up.

"All good?" Merton asked Tommy with hopeful eyes. Tommy nodded.

"Do I really not get to go to school, or home today?" He sounded disappointed, but not obliterated, at least.

Shaking his head with a sympathetic smile, Merton said, "Not right now. But I promise as soon as you get better, you can go home, and to school, all you want. Though trust me... seventeen-year-old you isn't all that into education. Of course," Merton said, tilting his head to the side as his eyebrows popped up, "You do have a lot of friends... So you like school alright. But really, you're not missing much."

"What am I gonna do all day?"

For a second, Merton was hit with another roadblock, and almost groaned out loud before the answer popped into his head. Raising a finger of genius, Merton stood, weakly, from his chair and hobbled his sleepy body over to the t.v. set. Opening the doors, Merton pulled out a controller for his Sega Dreamcast and waved Tommy over.

Tommy looked at it with his eyebrows knitted together. "What is that?"

"It's the new console!" Merton pronounced, excited. "And trust me, you need to work on your skills so you can stop cheating and actually win for once in your life." He handed Tommy the controller and showed him all the main controls, plus the stash of games messily stacked inside his t.v. stand.

"Before I leave for school, I'll get you some drinks and snacks from upstairs. Your sandwich is still in the fridge, if it's any good. You like oatmeal?" Tommy shrugged, but it was close enough to an actual answer. "Well, that'll be your breakfast."

Once Merton had gotten Tommy settled in for the day, he took his morning shower and grabbed his bag and the keys to the hearse. "Bye, Tommy, stay in here, okay? I locked the door from the inside. If there's an emergency - " Merton stopped himself. What if there was an emergency...? "If there's an emergency, you can unlock this door," he said, indicating his door that led to the outside world, rather than the stairs leading to the first floor of his house, "And get out that way. Just, don't go too far, and hide. I'm sure nothing will happen, but if it does, I'll find you."

It was obvious he'd made himself more nervous than even Tommy and found it difficult to actually step foot outside to leave. "Be good," he finished quietly as Tommy waved him off with a mouthful of oatmeal.

Tommy hadn't stayed home sick since he'd become friends with Merton. The werewolf had an amazing immune system that kept Tommy abnormally healthy. Tommy had even complained once or twice that he never got a break from school like other kids because of it.

That being the case, it was weird for Merton to be at school without him. He spent the whole day feeling very much alone. Until Tim and Travis came to his rescue, however... Much to Merton's dismay.

"Hey Dingledork!"

"Fellas," Merton nodded, scrunching up against his locker. It was after school, and the halls were clear for the most part. He'd just waited in the office for twenty minutes, for Tommy's teachers to get his homework packet together. He had been hoping it'd be a T'n'T free day. But that had been too much to ask. The temptation was too great for them without Tommy around. "How's it goin'?"

"You know, I was just asking myself that question, and Tim of course -" Travis said.

"- Of course," Tim answered.

"And I came to the conclusion that it ain't goin' so well. Wanna know why?"

Merton shook his head, but Tom slapped his palm to Merton's forehead and pushed his head into his locker so hard Merton could no longer move it. "Why? You say. Because it's been too long since we got to beat our favorite victim up."

"And we thought," Tim said, drawing his arm up, causing Merton to flinch, clench, release as Tim only put his other hand on Merton's shoulder, "That you were probably feeling abandoned."

"We don't want that," Travis chimed in, smile sickly-sweet on his face.

Merton laughed nervously. "How thoughtful of you, but I'm fine, really."

Wrong thing to say. T'n'T frowned at him. "That hurts our feelings," they said in unison before looking at each other and nodding. In a tangle of limbs, and with a high-pitched cry, Merton slumped down the locker. Two shiny, brand new black eyes rapidly forming.

"And now we feel better." They nodded at each other again as Merton tried to wish away the sting in his eyes, and a few hot tears trickled down his cheek from stunned pain.

"Happy to help," Merton muttered after them, scowling. "Shit," he whispered to himself. He waited a few minutes, resting on the floor, his back cold against the metal of the lockers as his shirt had risen when he fell.

Composed, but a little dizzy, Merton hauled himself up off the floor, and lugged his backpack onto his shoulders once more. "Jerks," he muttered, pulling his keys from the side pocket of his pack.

Driving home was more difficult than usual, both eyes swollen to make his line of vision the thinnest it'd been yet.

A grumbling mess, Merton shoved the key harshly into his door, and threw the door open as he stomped in. Slamming his backpack down, Merton pulled his keys out and then kicked the door shut, before even thinking about how violent it would seem to Young Tommy.

He grimaced as he finally caught sight of Tommy's stunned face, but walked stiffly over to his mini fridge without a word, and grabbed two ice packs from the tiny freezer compartment, glad he had kept them even after Tommy had become his ultimate defender. "Sorry," he mumbled Tommy's way, and then laid himself back on his bed, resting the ice packs against his eyes as he hissed.

"What happened?" Tommy said, voice airy with - excitement, concern, apprehension, fear, whatever... Merton couldn't keep track anymore.

Merton allowed his eyes to close, a nice rest from driving with swollen eyes. "T'n'T," he spit out shortly.

"T'n'T," Tommy repeated thoughtfully... "Tim and Travis?" he asked after a short minute.

"Hooooh-yeah," Merton laughed bitterly.

"Really?" Tommy exclaimed.

Merton sometimes forget that Tommy hadn't seen T'n'T as the bullies were until he'd befriended Merton. Tendons tightening in his throat as he swallowed roughly, Merton kicked his shoes off his feet, to the floor, choosing silence over drawn-out explanations that wouldn't mean a thing once Tommy was back to normal.

"But they're - you're bigger than them!"

Frustrated, and done, Merton said, "Not anymore, Tommy."

He could hear Tommy rise from the floor where he was watching the t.v. on mute (for some reason). He walked toward Merton and bent over his face, quiet until Merton opened his eyes. "Are you gonna be okay?" Tommy asked, eyes looking satisfyingly worried about Merton's condition.

Finding heart, Merton said, without the harshness this time, "Yeah, Tommy. I'll be fine. I just need a nap, okay? Think you can hang out a little while longer?" Tommy frowned, more out of concern, than out of being lonely, and nodded his head slowly.

"Sure. But tell me if you need anything," he added more urgently before he walked back to the t.v.

Merton exhaled happily. Surprisingly.

When Merton woke up, the ice packs were melted at the sides of his cheeks, and his arms were folded across his stomach. His eyes hurt even worse than they did when Tim and Travis hit him, and he found it difficult to open his eyes without wincing them closed again.

"You should really get a first aid kit, Merton," Tommy told him, matter-of-fact, staring at him from the side of the bed.

"What time is it?" Merton asked, finally forcing his eyes open.

"Eight," Tommy sighed. Obviously bored. But Merton sure there was more to it than that. He was probably worried another night had come, and he was still somewhere he wasn't supposed to be. At least in his mind.

Merton groaned, sitting up slowly.

"But Merton, I mean it. I couldn't find medicine anywhere. You should really take some Tylenol or something."

Merton tried to smile in appreciation, honestly he did, but any movement in his face worked his eyes into a frenzy of pain not easily calmed. "Thanks Tommy. I'll get some from the bathroom upstairs in a minute. ...Sorry I've been so MIA today."

Tommy shrugged, though he did look disappointed. He was probably bored out of his mind, and worried sick at the same time. One of the least fun combinations in existence. Merton reached out and patted at Tommy's shoulder, realizing for the first time that Tommy had taken what he'd said to heart and had pulled on a pair of Merton's smaller sweats, and an over-sized Black Sabbath tee.

It almost could have made him laugh, seeing Preppy Tommy in something... less than. "You look good in that shirt," he mumbled quietly, trying not to move his mouth too much, as he slid off the bed.

He didn't notice the small smile Tommy gave him before he said, "Your mom knocked on your door earlier, to tell you it was dinner time, but she gave up after a little while."

"Oh. Yeah. I bet you're hungry, huh?" Tommy looked down, and Merton's heart swelled a little at the thought of Tommy not wanting to be a burden. Jesus, trying to medicate Merton, making sure Merton rested as long as he liked, trying not to make Merton do extra work... All the while stuck in a terrifying situation, and mostly alone. Even at twelve, Tommy was amazing.

Merton smiled at him sadly, though. So far he'd been a terrible guardian, and he despite his research the night before, he didn't feel any closer to a solution.

"I'm really, really sorry Tommy. I promise not to leave you by yourself so long tomorrow. It's Saturday, so we don't have school to worry about. I'll be here all day, okay? Unless you want me to grab a bucket of chicken." He tried a faint smile, and Tommy allowed himself to look happy, nodding his head in agreement.

Stepping toward his bedroom door, Merton said, "I'll see what I can scrounge up for dinner." Before he went to grab some medicine and food for the both of them.

This time when he returned, Tommy was patiently waiting on a stool beside Merton's computer desk. Apparently ready to eat and watch Merton explore their options.

"I'm sorry about Tim and Travis..." Tommy caught Merton by surprised, and his highlighter halted over a sentence as he looked over to Tommy's apologetic eyes. "They can be real jerks sometimes. I keep trying to tell them they can't do that stuff to people but... ten seconds after they agree to be nice, they go and hurt someone else's feelings." He was shaking his head, then, frowning at all his memories of T'n'T being bullies.

Merton remembered, then, that T'n'T had been a year ahead of them, only, when Tommy and Merton were twelve. Three years behind their grade level. They got held back another level that year... In sixth grade they were all in the same class, and from then on, T'n'T moved up with them.

Merton had the dawning realization that it had probably been Tommy's doing. His friendship and guidance that allowed them to move forward from then on.

In high school, their senior year, enough people got fed up by them that rumors started going around that they just couldn't make it passed senior year in high school, and that they'd been at the high school for eight years already. Merton thought really hard about it, and came to the conclusion that Tommy took those rumors and ran with them. Went along with it so that people might wonder if they didn't just stay because it was better to be in high school; it was the time of their lives. That Tommy thought it would protect them more than people knowing the truth.

He'd never really gotten Tommy's relationship with them before, but it was starting to make sense now. Tommy felt responsible for them because he'd been their captain, their leader since he was just a kid. He wouldn't abandon them now, not ever. Not even if they made the same mistakes over and over again. He'd just try again, to help them be better people, and keep hope and faith in them, so that maybe one day... One day they'd realize they were worth more than the way they treated others.

Merton ticked his tongue to the side, then licked his lips as they turned up in amazement. He could even feel his eyes get a little wet behind his eyelids, and had to shake his head till the feeling became less overwhelming. He wanted to tell Tommy how incredible he thought he was... How, unbelievable, he was. But his throat was too tight, and he thought he might scare the poor kid if he bore his soul that way.

Instead he just set the highlighter down, and smiled at Tommy briefly. "Wanna play a game together?"

Tommy broke into a wide smile, and they played till Tommy's eyes were drooping. Merton even had the sneaking suspicion that after a whole day's practice, Tommy was letting Merton win.

Tommy climbed into the bed himself that night, but Merton wanted to tuck him in, so he did. And wished Tommy good dreams before making his new routine call to Tommy's mother. He knew she'd be worried more this time, that Tommy still wasn't coming home, but he'd try his very best to make it easier on her.

And then he'd spend the rest of the night doing his actual best to find the solution. Even if he had to stay up all night.

Chapter Text

Sixteen cups of coffee later, and Merton felt himself losing grip on reality. It had been pretty obvious from the start that when Emily kissed him, it had been some sort of power transference, or circuit completion that lent him the force, the energy to end the spell. That he just had to figure out how to use it.

He kept thinking that maybe he had to kiss Tommy to really complete the circuit but the loop that played like a broken record in his head was of him kissing seventeen-year-old Tommy. Again and again, and it didn't make any sense because seventeen-year-old Tommy didn't need to be fixed. Twelve-year-old Tommy did, and the thought of... No. Just no.

Merton was in a serious daze when Tommy snapped his fingers in front of Merton's face, causing Merton to blink harshly, pulling his face back in surprise. "Are you okay?" Tommy asked, looking seriously weirded out by the look on Merton's face?

"Huh?" Merton asked, wiping drool from his chin with the back of his hand. "No. I mean, yes, I'm fine. I've just been -" Merton yawned, then, uncontrollably, as it lifted his whole body into a stretch. "- Awake all night."

"No good news?" Tommy already knew. Merton hadn't gotten very far. Each witch had their own magical thumbprint. It was almost impossible to say what would remedy one spell, and worsen another.

Merton shook his head in response. He'd considered trying to summon Emily, but she'd been sweet... Despite the infuriating predicament she'd put Tommy in. Merton didn't think she left anything out that she didn't have to. It would be pointless, and he didn't want to disturb her into creating another disaster.

Tommy reached out tentatively, and gripped Merton's shoulder. "It's okay, Merton. I like it here," he said. It was sweet the way he thought that might actually comfort Merton. But as adorable as the kid was, he really, really missed his best friend. And though he cared just as much about Young Tommy, this one just wasn't his friend. Yet.

"I like you here, too Tommy, but... I know you miss your family. And they miss you, too. We need to make this right. It's taking way too long. I have to start experimenting, or we're never going to get anywhere. I just - can't figure out what's safe. I can't let you get hurt."

Tommy squeezed Merton's shoulder again, eyes alight. "Thanks, Merton."

"I haven't done anything yet," he said.

Shaking his head Tommy said, smiling warmly, "You've done everything, yet. Don't worry Merton, you'll figure it out."

Merton risked life and limb when he stole some of Becky's morning cereal for Tommy, but it was well worth it to see him digging in so happily. "You know," he said, milk threatening to drip from the corners of his mouth, harder to understand than when his wolf teeth took up too much room in his mouth, "Dean sometimes puts pigs-in-a-blanket in his cereal. It's totally disgusting." His eyes creased with laughter, and Merton smiled fondly.

If he thought that there was a twelve-year-old's family out there, missing him, he'd feel so much worse about everything. Thankfully Tommy had grown up a lot in the last five years and had established his independence from his family. He was sure they missed him, of course, but they also probably thought he was just out being a popular teenager.

"Have you ever tried it?" Merton asked, knowing that seventeen-year-old Tommy actually had. When Tommy shook his head, Merton said, "Maybe you should. You might like it?" Tommy thought about it for a long moment, and then shrugged.

"Maybe," he said, swallowing a huge bite just before. "I guess it looks kind of good."

Smiling proudly to himself, Merton began shuffling some of the notes around on his desk, half a banana shoved into his mouth. Now that actual food was hitting his stomach, he was starting to feel less delirious. The idea of a 'magical' kiss still floated around the edges of his mind, but if anything, it'd have to be a kiss to the cheek. Merton wasn't ready to embarrass himself with that suggestion yet, though, and it would probably have to involve one of the five incantations he'd discovered last night.

For the most part, the witches of the internet had submitted spells to de-age oneself. After an hour or so of finding useless spell after useless spell, he'd dutifully returned to the old tomes he kept around the lair.

At least, he had reminded himself, he hadn't exhausted his resources yet. He had only gotten halfway through Verse Betwixt, the biggest in his library.

Popping a few more Tylenol into his mouth, Merton sat down for the long haul. Fist propping up his lower cheek as he mumbled over words, Merton didn't notice the hours strolling by until Tommy cleared his throat from in front of the t.v., where he was definitely getting better at Merton's games.

Surprised to hear noise, Merton looked up to see Tommy twisted around to look at him. "I don't want to bother you," Tommy said with a shy smile, as his eyes looked down, "But do you think we could have lunch soon?"

'Lunch?' Merton mouthed to himself, confused until he looked at the clock on his computer screen. He shook his head at himself as he realized five hours had passed in barely a blink. "And I think you should take a nap," Tommy suggested more quietly.

Merton quirked his lips, and nodded. "You might be right. But I feel like I'm getting closer. In the mean time, what do you want for lunch?"

When Tommy told him he'd really like to get some fresh air, Merton could understand completely. Still, Tommy had to wheedle unblinkingly, in order to break through Merton's hesitance. He was too worried that Tommy would get recognized.

But then Tommy disappeared inside Merton's closet and came out with his jeans back on under one of Merton's shrunken indie band tees, with a black knit cap on that Merton didn't even remember owning. "Can you tell I'm me?" Tommy asked, holding his arms out.

"Well I can. But you have a point... I guess as long as Becky doesn't show up, I can say you're my cousin or something." Not that anyone would actually care what Merton was doing...

With a triumphant smile, Tommy pulled his arm back, elbow bent, in an excited, and approving hand motion. Merton shook his head, but smiled despite himself. "I have to go cover up these bruises though," Merton told him, rising shakily from his desk. "Then we can go out and, hopefully, not garner any unnecessary attention.

Tommy's smile faded some as he watched Merton struggle toward the door. "Merton?" Tommy asked, as Merton's hand settled on the door, and he paused. "I think you should take your nap before you pass out or something..."

Merton held up a singular finger, again, and turned around, telling Tommy, silently, that he was a genius. "In twenty minutes, wake me up and then we'll go." Tommy didn't look certain that would be enough time to get Merton's body back to a full-functioning level, but nodded quietly anyway, moving around to Merton's desk where he looked at the time.

Sitting down in Merton's chair, Tommy repeated, "Twenty minutes," as Merton fell backwards into bed.

"Thanks, Tommy," Merton said sleepily, and within seconds Tommy was alone again.

Twenty-five minutes later, just to be sure, Tommy pushed at Merton's arm until he woke up, blinking away the pull of sleep several times before he managed to sit up. He put some cover-up on his eyes, and downed a couple more pain relievers, and then, arm across shoulder, pulled Tommy out of the house and into the cool, crisp November air.

"I read some of your book," Tommy said, nonchalant, as they walked.

"The one on my desk?" he asked, surprised. Tommy usually didn't feel inclined to read much of anything. "Find anything helpful?"

As they made their way to the Hungry Bucket, Tommy ticked off a few things that had seemed like the might be relevant. They were scattered, however, and Merton would have to read the text over to really understand what Tommy was saying. Still, it gave Merton a bit of a lift. He felt supported.

He almost felt like his best friend was standing at his side, half a foot taller than him, and reassuring Merton that they only had a little ways to go before they had their answer.

At the Hungry Bucket, Merton's cautions proved to be mere paranoia when they didn't get a second look the entire time. Tommy happily stuffed a plate full of chicken down his throat while Merton stuck to macaroni salad and sweet tea.

Upon leaving, Tommy grabbed Merton's hand. A move that seemed casually childish at first, but then he noticed how Tommy's cheeks growing rosy before the cold even had a chance to nip at them. Merton furrowed his eyebrows, but said nothing. He was sure Tommy had just become nervous being outside the lair so long, under the circumstances, and felt safer holding hands.

"Thanks for lunch. Sorry I ate so much."

Merton chuckled. "You always eat that much. Don't worry about it..."

Tommy stopped walking then, calling Merton's attention. He looked back to see Tommy staring up at him with those eyes again. So serious, and judging. "You really are my best friend, aren't you?"

Merton blushed a little, and shrugged a shoulder. "I mean, yeah. At least... that's what you've told me. But..."

"'But' what?"

Turning in toward Tommy, Merton looked down at Tommy's too-big shoes, and said, "Well I don't know, Tommy. You have other friends you've had for a long time. I think you just say that because... You're a good person." He gave a half-hearted shrug again, and then rolled his eyes at himself.

He moved to turn back around, to continue their way back home, when Tommy squeezed his hand. Merton stopped, though he remained facing away from Tommy. It was a little humiliating telling a little kid that he felt like he was just being pitied. He swallowed harshly and missed Tommy even more. Even if it was just that Tommy felt sorry for him, he'd still always been there for Merton, and Tommy was Merton's best friend no matter what.

"I... I don't think that's right," Tommy said, voice gravelly at first. "I know I'm only twelve but... You're like, the coolest person I've ever met."

Merton laughed, incredulous. "Come on Tommy, you know that's not true... Let's just go home, okay?"

"It is true!" Tommy demanded, a sudden edge to his voice. Tommy tugged Merton back around by his hand, and looked Merton down. "Yeah, you're kind of weird and all... but it doesn't even matter. I mean, all that just makes you even cooler. I've never met anyone so different before. You just." Tommy seemed to stutter over his thoughts then, and looked away in frustration.

Merton gave him a half-smile, even though Tommy probably couldn't see. "I can't believe I'm saying this to you because you're -" His free arm moved in a horizontal line, motioning head, to foot, Tommy's twelve-year-old height, and then continued, "But... You're the coolest person I've ever met, too. And even though I'm sure you'll change your mind, growing up or -" He frowned.

This was really confusing; Tommy wasn't going to grow up. He was seventeen, he just didn't remember. And he wouldn't grow out of thinking Tommy was cool, because when Merton was Tommy's age, he'd ignored him, so he didn't know him well enough to grow out of it in the first place. "Anyway... Thanks."

Tommy sighed, and rolled his eyes. At what particular point, Merton didn't know. What he did know, was that he agreed with him whole-heartedly.

They walked the rest of the way home in silence, but Tommy didn't once try to disengage his hold on Merton's hand.

While Tommy slid back into Merton's closet to change back into some more comfortable clothing, Merton flipped the t.v. on to the news. It had been a while since he felt connected to the outside world. All this thoughts consumed by getting Tommy fixed, making sure he was safe, and how to keep others from getting suspicious. He saw Tommy's mom with a microphone in her hand, and her voice called Tommy immediately out from his hideout, shirt half over his head.

'With little more fortune than last weeks news cast, I am here to announce that there has been another attack on a young girl. Aged eight, Maribella Stanley was rushed to the hospital, inches from death. Pale, and cold, unable to open her eyes, the ambulance sped her to North West.

We are happy to report that Maribella's condition is steady, and that her future at the hospital may be short-lived. Still, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley have yet to identify any evidence left behind by her attacker. The town of Pleasantville is beginning to wonder if these heinous attacks will ever be put to a stop. Please, make sure your children are inside late at night.'

Tommy still hadn't pulled his shirt all the way on when Merton looked over at him.

"Is that. Is that what we were doing that night? Were we trying to save a little kid?"

Merton nodded his head, lips turned down. "But we got the wrong - thing, person. We don't know what it is yet, exactly. We thought it was a witch. Emily," he said, voice wistful around her name. Part of him wondered if they'd let an enemy go. If Merton had been fooled. He didn't know that he could've taken her out without Tommy's help.

But the thought of another girl, or boy, dying because he didn't even try - Merton turned toward his computer.

The sooner he fixed Tommy, the better. Until then, there was something evil on the loose, that he didn't know how to take down.

"I have to figure this out, Merton said seriously, giving Tommy an apologetic smile as he was about to leave him to his own devices and sink back into his books.

Dinner time passed, as Merton yelled at his mom that he wasn't hungry, and Tommy just nodded when Merton looked his way. He had snacks and drinks left over from the day before, and he didn't want to interrupt Merton's work. He wanted to make sure no other kids got hurt, too.

Chapter Text

It was midnight when Merton shouted out, "Oh yeah! I got it! Tommy, I got it!" Slipping back into a time when Tommy would pass out, homework on stomach, atop Merton's bed, waiting for Merton to tell him how to defeat the monster-of-the-week. Merton only flinched, cheeks growing red when Young Tommy sat up like a pole, and screamed, wolfing out at an incredible rate.

Eyes wide, Merton stood and frantically shushed Tommy, holding a finger to his lips. "Tommy it's just me. Sorry! I just - I found out how to make you better!"

Though his eyes burned from being awake so many hours, eyes focused intensely on the small font of his most useful witchcraft books, Merton couldn't help but feel excited, rather than tired. Tommy clamped a paw over his mouth as he realized what had happened.

Merton tripped over the leg of his chair when he tried to walk over to Tommy, to make sure he was okay. When Tommy let out a small snort of laughter from behind his paw, though, Merton knew he was gonna be just fine. A minute into Merton's explanations, Tommy's claws retracted, as did the hair, and his ears rounded off again. His eyes mellowed down from an intimidating yellow, back to Tommy's normal sea foam color.

"Alright, so let's do it!"

"You wanna do it now?" Merton asked, glancing out the small window of the basement door. It was pitch black and probably freezing out. Not to mention, Tommy was just a child, and a possible target for whatever the hell was attacking the kids of Pleasantville.

Tommy followed his gaze out the window, and bit the side of his lip. "Well, I know it looks kind of ... creepy out, but Merton, you said so yourself. We need to undo this." Merton looked Tommy over. Tommy probably still didn't even understand what had actually happened, but he had so much trust in Merton that he was willing to do whatever Merton said. Merton's heart clenched at the thought.

What if he'd gotten it wrong? What if he hadn't figured it out after all? Tommy could end up twelve forever, or, Gods forbid, dead if Merton really got the spell backwards. He'd had to piece several rituals into one age-restoring spell. Magic had never been an exact science, but it always had exact consequences...

'Hmm'ing in frustration deep in his throat, Merton's chest rumbled as he looked down at the floor, eyes wide and unfocused in thought.

He couldn't deny... It would be really, really good to have Tommy back to normal again.

Hands on his hips, Merton pivoted around and looked to his book shelves. Even from the distance he could see that he probably had enough of the right ingredients.

A spell like this would have been better in the spring when flowers were blooming everywhere, and the trees had their leaves. Merton supposed, however, that if he put some of his dehydrated rose buds into water for a while, they'd be close enough to a fresh bloom. And Tommy's head was fairly small still, so he could probably thread what little feathers he had of a Robin Red-Breast into a fitting necklace.

He'd already looked up information on the oldest tree in Pleasantville and knew that it was planted directly outside City Hall. It had been there since before settlers primed Pleasnatville for civilian life. The picture on the city's government web page made it look huge, knotted, twisted into the ground so deep that even if someone tried to cut it down, they could never pull out every one of its roots. It's bark was nearly black, it was such a dark brown, and it's lines were deep, woven, and telling of its age. It looked haunting. But it was the key to Tommy's salvation.

Merton still wasn't sure he was awake enough to drive, and if he wasn't awake enough for that... He wasn't sure he was enough to cast a lift-altering spell, either. When he looked back, Tommy was looking at him, pleading, and Merton's shoulders sagged. "You're sure?"

Tommy didn't say anything. Maybe he was as worried as Merton was, but more desperate. Merton took it as a 'yes' though, and began to prepare the props for the ritual.

Before leaving the house, Merton made Tommy change back into some bigger clothes, just in case the return of his older body left his clothing out. Merton was smaller, but they'd certainly fit Tommy better than a twelve-year-old's clothes. He handed Tommy a flashlight, and the feather necklace, as well as a little sandwich bag. Inside of it was a mixture of finely ground almonds, finely ground sunflower seeds, the oil of which helped the mixture stick together, and ground sage.

In another little bag, Merton held a previously dried Iris petal, now soaking in water inside of the bag. Merton also carried a bucket of water, where he'd put all of his dried buds, and had sealed foil over the top of it with duck tape for ease of travel. He'd written the steps of the ritual on his forearm, and the incantation on his hand, in ink. But also carried a piece of paper with both. In case either the ink wore off his skin (likely from stress sweating) or the paper was lost.

Just in case, Merton brought a can of salt - they were dealing with witches after all. And it was something he'd reminded himself of over and over as he did the research on Tommy's curse. If he'd just brought it with him the night they went to find the witch in the first place... But neither had been completely sure it was a witch's doing, and they'd found the wrong one, anyway.

There was no doubt in his mind now, though. It was an evil witch who'd been hurting the children, or trying to anyway.

He exchanged the salt for his car keys, in the large pocket of his trench coat, and made sure Tommy's Letterman jacket was buttoned up before they made their way into the dark, frigid night.

Stopping the hearse on the pavement several yards away from the tree, grass stretched out around it, Merton turned the motor off, hoping no one had heard the rumbling of his car in the night. It did have its hiccoughs now and then. Tommy climbed out of the seat and gathered what he could carry, while Merton did the same.

"Stay close," Merton whispered assertively, looking around them as the walked toward the gigantic tree in the middle of the small park. The air was full of static, calm and quiet, deafening. Like just before a storm. He told himself he was just being paranoid again, but ... He just couldn't get a grip on his nerves.

He knew the spell shouldn't be rushed. But his desire to return home made him break through the mental barrier he'd been building against the spell. Finally he felt sure that it would work. Confident. Because it had to. Emily told him he could do it... He just hoped she'd meant on the first try.

"Okay, Tommy," Merton said, setting his things down a few feet out from the tree, before he wrenched the duck tape from his bucket, and pulled the foil back, "Help me line these up into an even circle around the tree. Try to make it as centered as possible, got it?"

Tommy nodded quickly, silently. Merton reached out, and squeezed his shoulder in reassurance. He could tell that Tommy was suddenly intimidated by the night, too. Once the flower buds were in alignment, Merton had Tommy stand at the base of the north side of the tree, as he placed the feather necklace gently over his neck. Tommy just watched him with big eyes that shone in the moonlight, as Merton dipped a flower-wet thumb into the bag of his dried ingredients. He carefully, fully formed a circle on the middle of Tommy's forehead.

And finally, but not least, he removed the soaking Iris petal, and plastered it into the middle of the circle on Tommy's head. Holding it with his warm palm against Tommy's cooling skin until it no longer threatened to peel away.

Stepping out of the circle of buds, Merton began right before Tommy, and as the spell slipped from his lips, inch by inch, he walked a counter-clockwise circle a foot out from the flower circle. And then clockwise, after that before finally...

"I thought I didst sense a wandering child," a voice leered from behind them. Merton's shoulders hunched forward painfully tight as he increased the speed of whispering, Finalizing the spell under his breath before daring to look behind him. He gave one short look to Tommy, who stood still where he was, before Merton did so, and turned in time to see a woman's eyes widening comically just before the howl of a wolf shocked the air.

Attention torn between the two, Merton took a step backwards, toward Tommy, and away from the woman hovering in the air on a broom. She zoomed back, and up yelling, "Away, foul beast!" Big teeth gnashing at them as Tommy bounded into the air, swinging off a low-hanging limb of the tree, and propelled himself, claws out, toward the vulgar witch. He missed by mere inches, flashing her his teeth as he landed back on the ground below her.

"Ahhh," she said croakily, eyes glowering, with a hint of amusement behind them. "I can smell it on you now, yes... I see thou didst disturb our sister Emily," the witch said, red hair in kinks, pulled to the sides of her head, eyes like a looming cat.

Tommy and Merton didn't know who 'our' was, but didn't want to meet them. "She turned thy friend into an itty bitty baby boy, did she not?" Her eyes were on Merton, cold and devilish. Merton took slow steps forward passed a low-growling, full-sized werewolf, moving until he was standing in front of Tommy.

He felt Tommy nudging impatiently at his back as he whispered down, "Move Merton, I can take her." But his voice sounded on edge. His head probably still swimming from the magic.

"Emily had to," Merton said, sticking his neck out. He kept close enough to Tommy to feel when Tommy was attempting to maneuver around him. No way was he going to let Tommy get cursed again. And this witch? She didn't have any innocence to her at all. "Tommy would've destroyed her if she hadn't."

The older witch tossed her head back, cackling as she held tight to her broom with one hand.

"Thanks anyway, buddy," Tommy whispered, unease dripping into his voice as they both stared at her, eyes steadied on the witch.

Dropping her head back forward suddenly, with all the weight of a semi-decapitated head settling back on its neck, she growled at them, fire in her eyes. Merton reached behind him and clutched at Tommy's elbows, shoving him further behind Merton's body.

"Emily's power is naught compared to mine own. I created the little wretch. And, I may not have mine sisters to help me, but that is because I have out-lived them. Perhaps you have heard of me?" Her eyebrows raised in an alarming point as she leered at them, leaning forward on her broom. "My name? Winifred Sanderson. Ringing any bells?" Her heart-shaped lips belied her, but her eyes were clearly filled with all sorts of crazy.

"No," Merton sniffed haughtily. Though his heart beat even faster, hearing that she had made Emily a witch. If that were true... Then she was right. Tommy probably wouldn't be any match for her.

"Well," Winifred said, with a smack of her lips, shocked anger infiltrating her menacing stare. "I will have you know, I have killed more children in my time, than you shall ever see." She sat erect on her broom now, shoulders broadened, and nose in the air.

Merton almost laughed. "You're kinda sensitive, huh?"

"Merton," Tommy whispered desperately, "Are you trying to get yourself killed? Move so I can fight her already!"

"I have no clue what you mean, little brother..." It was terrifying the way she could move so easily from snooty diva to calculating, sadistic devil woman with barely any time to transition at all.

Tommy crowded further into Merton's space, and with barely audible humor, murmured, "Jeez, Merton... She kinda reminds me of you."

Jaw dropping, Merton whipped his head around with a glare. "Rude, Tommy!" Merton then turned the same harrowing glare on Winifred. "I'm not your 'little brother'. I only practice magic if it's to save a life. I don't take it lightly."

"Hmm," Winifred said, shrugging her shoulders back, eyes slitting as she looked down at them from her nose, as if losing interest in them altogether. "Your loss, young one. How, exactly, do you plan to defeat me, then, mm?"

It wasn't a good idea to quit the game. She obviously liked to play, and Merton knew that was the only reason Tommy and him were still alive. But they were losing whatever quality had initially drawn her to them.

Jaw tightening, Merton shook his head at her. "Even if I told you, you wouldn't be able to stop us. It's already too late..."

Winifred ticked her eyes up in irritation. "A werewolf and his plaything could never stand against me. Such a foolish boy. I shall play your game no more. Prepare to run, or prepare to die, mortals!"

At her threat, Merton's plan of distraction failed, Merton and Tommy glanced back each other, before letting one another go, preparing to run as she advised. "One," she began slowly, holding up a finger that had a nail nearly as long, curved up from it, "Run."

The only thing Merton knew he could do, was take a curse for Tommy, which would hopefully give Tommy enough time to run around behind Winifred, knock her off her broom, and bite through her neck. They didn't have any weapons... Nothing could protect them but chance.

If they ran, they'd be dead in an instant. Merton grabbed hold of Merton's arm again, steadying him. "Don't run," Merton told him softly. "Wait, you'll be able to attack her soon. Get ready to jump."

"Two." She ticked off another finger looking bored. She'd trap them, then give them each a vial of her precious potion. A werewolf's effects might be... well, quite pleasant. She had, originally, planned to take them, anyway. (Before the little mongrel grew in size, and tried to throw her off her broom.) It would be good to have the extra energy, as she planned on leaving tonight. Someone kept interrupting her. After the first child, of course. Petty, inbred, evil, little witch! "This is the end," she said, smiling wickedly as she flew nearer, ready to propel her spell their way.

Merton almost couldn't believe that in his panic, he'd forgotten about the salt again! As fast as he'd ever moved in his life, Merton grabbed the salt from his trench coat, and as he ripped the top open, she said, "Three," voice tick, syrupy, and downright creepy.

His heart was thumping out of his chest, but he began throwing the salt around him and Tommy anyway, creating a wobbly circle around them as he had to maneuver Tommy within the lines without letting him cross over recklessly like Tommy was often wont to do.

A shrill screech left the witch's body by the time Merton had focused on her again. He'd barely heard her casting over the pounding of his heart. Apparently he'd completed the circle before the spell had time to penetrate the salt, penetrate them.

And Winifred looked mad.

Merton dropped the empty salt can to the ground, and clutched his heart with the free hand. He huffed out a sarcastic apology, looking up at her god forsaken eyes. "My fault, my fault. Were you counting down to a spell? Cause I thought you were counting down so that we had time to protect ourselves... Gee, I wish you'd been more clear about that."

Tommy still wasn't quite himself, and remained in quiet awe as Merton held stead-fast to the front of his shirt, facing off with the villain on his own. He braced a hand on Merton's back, ready to catch Merton if he decided to have a heart attack and fall out of the ring of salt.

"Why you wretched little imps. You wait until I get my ha - ah."

Having gained some of his breath back, Merton's face slipped away to confusion as Winifred's angry speech came to an abrupt end. He watched as she brought her hands to her throat, and thrashed her head about. Wondering if it was some kind of trick. Until he heard her voice...

"Holy thy tongue, Winifred Sanderson. Hold thy tongue fast." Emily, with one hand stretched wide toward Winifred, appeared molecule by molecule from behind the other witch, levitating a few heads above her.

Eyes bugging out, Winifred turned to look back at Emily protruding from the skies, hand reaching out toward her, but as soon as she did, Emily's other hand stretched forth. Merton watched in amazement as the girl, still wrinkled with age, but younger than even him, moved her lips with twisted, verbose Latin, eyes squinted hard under concentration.

Winifred's arms seemed to shoot down to her sides, an invisible bind wrapping completely around her body until Winifred no longer had balance on her broom, and toppled to the hard ground, legs stitching up in time.

Emily held her incantation in her tongue, over and over again lashing wordy ropes about her enemy, tying tighter, tighter still, until Winifred's face began turning blue. And then her extremities, and then her lips. Until every ounce of air had poured out from her, even the air in her brain. Until she was dead.

Looking sadder than before, Emily lowered herself to the ground, back to Merton and Tommy as she knelt in front of Winifred. "Dear Winnie, what hath become of thee? Thy time in Hell shall be long and just..."

She reached a hand out, stretching till it lay flat upon Winifred's forehead, and whispered another incantation, till a spark of light, of heat jumped out from every pore of her hand, till Winifred's body was alight with fire. Stepping back swiftly, so as not to catch fire herself, Emily watched her burn. Quicker than should be possible, Winifred lay in ashes upon the street.

Another swift movement, a horizontal wave of Emily's hand, and a torrent of wind carried Winifred's ashes into the sky. Away. Forever.

Finally, mouth ajar, Merton let go of Tommy's wrinkled shirt, and stepped out from the salt circle. Emily turned toward him, a glow already forming around her. Merton forced himself to speak fast, afraid she'd disappear too quickly.

"Listen... Emily," Merton said, looking down at his entwining hands, "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. About Tommy being able to destroy you if you hadn't -"

"It is all right, dear Merton. For I know thou didst say such things to keep sister Winnie at bay." Merton tilted his head to the side as he nodded, daring a glance at Emily through his eyelashes. Her nose wrinkled in a smile as she saw it, and it was the first time Merton had seen her smile since she'd arrived.

Inhaling deeply, Merton lifted his head to look at her sadly. "You're going to go now, aren't you?"

The smile deflated somewhat, as Emily covered Merton's hand with her own. "I must; I have others to look after. Though," she said, hesitating, "Thine understanding would be a great blessing before I make way?"

Merton offered a sliver of a smile, though his cheeks heated even in the cold. Her warm hand on his seemed to spread warmth over the whole of his body, not just her words to his cheeks. "Of course," he said sincerely, smile breaking open as he looked away shyly.

Emily squeezed her hand over Merton's, and he felt a pull, as she dragged him forward shortly. She lifted his face with a gentle kiss to his lowered cheek, and pulled away once she felt his eyes on hers once more. As she pulled back, to the shock of both Merton, and Tommy (who stood still in the background, utterly lost), the wrinkles faded from her skin, and the wart reconfigured into a small, girlish beauty mark that almost seemed cruel.

She leaned forward again, and Merton turned into her, expecting a kiss to his opposite cheek. She faintly giggled, as she moved forward even more, and found his ear where she whispered, "Thy heart is true... Were I a mortal, I should stay with thee. Take care, dear Merton, and let not thy brain command thy soul."

Before Merton even had the chance to utter a syllable more, Emily was gone. Untamed, long, beautiful hair in his face one moment, gone the next. His heart dropped out the bottom of his stomach as he looked around, eyes sad, breath caught.

He wanted to shout after her, but when he felt Tommy (finally granted the ability to move) put a strong hand on his shoulder, he simply turned, burying his face into the buttons of Tommy's shirt. Eyes welled the the brim, but immediately comforted as he drew in a deep breath of his best friend, and shook for only a moment longer as Tommy wrapped his arms around Merton's back, and held him tight.

Chapter Text

"You really liked her, huh?"

Merton stiffened noticeably, fork pausing in its revolutions around the mashed potatoes on his lunch tray. Finally, Merton answered, "I actually... Don't know what came over me. But I'm fine Tommy, really?"

Tommy had been giving Merton these sad, heart-warmingly empathetic looks all day. In every class they shared, it was almost impossible for Merton to concentrate. Every time Tommy looked over at him he was reminded of everything he'd been overwhelmed with two nights ago, that he'd worked all Sunday to cleanse himself of. It was almost to the point of being completely infuriating.

Especially with how it bled into Merton's other classes, and Merton just spent his entire day slumped forward in his seat, trying not to feel like he'd lost someone more than a girl he'd known for all of three hours combined. If that. It wasn't as if his teachers didn't notice, either. He could feel their eyes burrowing through his forehead from time to time. But since he was usually a pretty good student, they didn't call on him at any abrupt moment to rudely break through his reverie. No... they just let him stew until his eyes grew dry from forgetting to blink.

Dropping his fork to his tray with a faint clank, Merton looked up from his mountain of possibly-radioactive peas, and drew a change of subject from out of his mouth. "How's your mom? She take it okay that you were gone a few days?"

Tommy frowned at that and shook his head, swallowing a piece of pulled pork. "You know how moms are... She said she was okay with it, but I have a feeling she's going to keep a closer eye on me from now on. I'm gonna have to be even more careful about sneaking out to fight some stupid, arrogant bad guy."

Merton pulled himself out of his self-pity long enough to swing a gentle fist at Tommy's arm. "Yeah, well, at least you're back. You really remember everything?" he asked in slight astonishment. Tommy had told him over the phone on Sunday, but at the time, it hadn't really sunk in. "I was sure when you came back, it'd have the same effect, and that you wouldn't remember anything."

Eyebrows shooting up, Tommy turned his lips up without really smiling. "Yeah, everything, clear as day. It's just... weird. You don't ever think you're gonna get to feel that young again, and then suddenly you have almost zero control over your emotions, which definitely makes your actions all screwy - I mean, I'm just lucky I didn't do something stupid."

Merton laughed a little at that, depression ebbing away for the moment. "Yeah... You wanna know what's funny? For a while there I thought I was going to have to kiss you because of some weird magic - something, because of Emily." He wasn't completely sure if Tommy would remember the first kiss Emily gave him, but he hoped he did, otherwise what Merton said would probably scare the crap out of h-.

"Yeah, heh," Tommy snorted softly, staring at his lunch roll, "I wished."

Merton froze, then, and so did Tommy, for what seemed like an eternity. And then Tommy was clearing his throat and shoving the roll into his face like he was trying to suffocate himself with it.

"What?" Merton asked. He knew his mouth was working in slow motion, that Tommy had already tried to brush passed what he'd said, and leave Merton in the dust. But his mouth asked anyway, not caring about Merton or Tommy.

"Nu-ffing," Tommy said, muffled over the roll pushing his cheeks out like a hamster, before he started choking on it. He coughed into his fist several times, face beat red, before he finally spit the slimy roll back onto his plate.

Eyebrows up too high on his forehead, head cocked down in a mixture of confusion and disbelief, Merton asked slowly, "You... okay...?"

Tommy nodded too quickly, burying his fork into a heaping pile of potatoes before he glanced at Merton so fast he had to question whether it actually happened.

"Tommy," Merton said, jaw moving, flexing of its own accord. But the sound stopped there. He didn't know what else to say.

So Tommy took all of the work out of it for him, and blushing, he wiggled his head from side to side as he pushed each word out with every ounce of force he could muster. "I... sort of - as a twelve-year-old - had ... kind of a... thing. For you. That's all."

"That's all?" Merton gawked. "Tommy, that's awesome!" Tommy looked up, eyes wide and face stunned at first, which quickly melted into a self-deprecating smile as he noticed how happy Merton looked. His cheekbones looked engorged with how hard he was smiling. "I mean, you were a kid, so I'm not saying... But - Really?" he asked excitedly.

Tommy smirked at himself, and nodded half-heartedly, and watched with amused eyes as Merton did a fist pump.

When Merton came back down to earth, the cockiness was written all over his face as he asked, "So... I really was the coolest person you'd ever met?"

Tommy huffed out a breath through his nose and rolled his eyes, but indulged Merton with the honest answer he was looking for. "Yes, Merton," he groaned in faux-frustration. And then he smiled to himself over the secret he was about to let out of the bag, watching Merton's face carefully from the corner of his eyes. He schooled his face into something more nonchalant, before saying, "You still are, you big dufus."

And even if Merton remained semi-oblivious to exactly what Tommy was insinuating, it just made him happy to give Merton a reason to preen. He shook his head, but smiled helplessly as Merton threw out an, "Oh yeah!" loud enough the whole cafeteria looked over at him.

"Alright, alright, calm down there, Dan O'Brien," he murmured. Quiet enough that Merton could ignore him with ease as Tommy looked on appreciatively. No one could say he didn't try.