(no subject)
Fandom: Fairly Oddparents
Canon or AU: AU
A/N: This started out with me just playing around with Wanda being trapped in the hotel until their anniversary. I’d been playing with this idea a lot in the past.
Then my interest petered out. lol So I’m posting it now, and I’ll return to my other stories soon.
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Nine months. It’d been nine months of hell, and she hadn’t heard from Timmy, Cosmo, or the rest of her family since her abduction. Fairy World had constructed a ward prohibiting egress, and Asmodeus and Ozymandias had sealed her fate by robbing her of speech. Today would’ve been her anniversary; Asmodeus, combined with Bitterroot, had dug that out of Crocker’s supposedly depleted fairy memory banks.
Asmodeus and his crew had discovered a backway into Fairy World, and he began sending spies and assassins. Ostensibly, that was why he hadn’t visited her yet today, but she knew he’d appear soon enough. He could hardly pass up the opportunity to remind her that she was his property and that Cosmo had never loved her.
Before her kidnapping and her marital problems, she never would’ve believed Asmodeus. She’d been certain Cosmo loved her.
Now, she had her doubts.
Ozymandias didn’t usually bother her when Asmodeus was away, but he’d taken liberties today. Wanda’s head lolled on the pillow. She should take a shower and wash off the blood and semen, but she lacked the motivation. There was no point. Eventually, Asmodeus would clean her up, heal her, and then brutalize her again.
It wasn’t like there was anyone she could contact for help. The geas confined her to the hotel, and the curse prohibited speech. She was a pariah in the Unseelie Court, and everyone she encountered hammered that home. She was filth, she was trash, and she deserved what she’d gotten.
It’d been nine months since anyone had said her real name. Wanda repeated it in her mind sometimes to remind herself that she used to be more than this. Lately, that hadn’t been enough. She couldn’t convince herself anymore that she used to be someone different, someone better.
Meanwhile, Asmodeus took her wand with him when he left because he knew she'd take that way out if she could weasel out of the curse and conjure something harmful. He knew her self-esteem and confidence had hit rock bottom, which he capitalized on, but he also feared its inevitable result should he become lax in observing her.
He wanted her to suffer. What better way to ensure that than to leave her constantly miserable? It wasn’t like there was anything she could do. It wasn’t like anyone wanted to help her.
Maybe Fairy World had struck her from their records. Maybe that was why they’d forsaken her. It was better to wash their hands clean of that mistake than to rectify it.
As for Cosmo and Timmy…she wanted to believe they cared more about her than this. For the first month and a half, she’d told herself that they’d figure out a way to reach her. They still loved her.
By the time the second month rolled around, she could no longer delude herself. No one was coming. Tootie wasn’t strong enough to break through that barrier alone, and if the most powerful fairies in the universe weren’t lending a hand, it’d be impossible.
It was bleakly amusing that, though she’d lost faith in her family, she retained some in Tootie. Timmy and Cosmo had treated Wanda like an afterthought for so long that, between their distance and Asmodeus’s brainwashing, it was easy to think they’d tossed her aside. Asmodeus’s brainwashing hadn’t touched Tootie yet, probably because Asmodeus knew she wasn’t the key to Wanda’s heart the way the other two were.
It hurt Wanda so much more when she considered her family dumping her than someone she’d only mentored. At least, that was how Asmodeus saw things. Wanda didn’t love Tootie, but she loved the others. That was where he twisted the knife.
Wanda stopped herself before groping for her wand across the soiled sheets. They were sodden and soaked in the same manner as she. Unlike her, they would be tossed and burned lest their bodily fluids be used for anything unseemly, such as dark magic. Wanda remained useful, unlike the sheets. She smiled bitterly.
“Useful” was a matter of interpretation. Asmodeus and Ozymandias had broken her.
It would’ve been her wedding anniversary today. She sighed, pressing her face against the pillow. She’d tried suffocating herself, but that didn’t work. Anything she could’ve done by herself, the geas prohibited. Asmodeus would never make it that easy.
She’d never escape. She’d be trapped until her mind fractured into pieces. Insanity sounded refreshing. She could retreat into a nonsensical world where no one ever hurt or betrayed her. While she’d never be safe, she’d be protected because her mind would be gone.
Closing her eyes, she imagined someone gently brushing their fingers against her cheek. It was an illusion, like everything else she created to cope. Unlike Cosmo, she was powerless without her wand, something Asmodeus had been quick to take advantage of.
Sighing, she tried and failed to create a comforting illusion of peace and safety. When that didn’t work, she prayed for a dreamless sleep.
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“Okay, guys, seriously?” Chloe said, shaking her head. “This is your plan?”
“Jorgen and that Council member gave us permission,” Timmy said. He folded his arms across his chest and glowered. “They even lent us their magic to make it possible. Besides, if you’ve got a better idea, let me hear it.”
“You’re basically announcing your presence to the entire hotel,” Chloe said, mirroring Timmy with her arms folded across her chest.
“And creating a diversion so everyone looks the other way,” Timmy said proudly, grinning. “Besides, explosions make everything better. Right, Cosmo?”
Chloe groaned. They’d been over this so many times, and yet, she kept raising objections. Cosmo didn’t know what the big deal was. Explosions were awesome. Besides, he was so anxious about Wanda that he couldn’t stop to think about what could go wrong.
It’d been nine months since he’d last seen her. He’d felt some of what she had endured, but not enough to achieve a complete picture. Just enough to drive him crazy for a couple of months and wind up being locked up in Fairy World’s insane asylum. Jorgen still doubted Cosmo had bounced back to normal (whatever passed for “normal” with Cosmo), but since the Council continued to dither, Jorgen had decided time had run out. They needed to work with what they had, not what he wanted.
Magdalene and Nathaniel were providing the distraction in case the explosions failed. Cosmo knew they were nervous, especially Magdalene, but that had faded into the back of his mind.
They stood outside the hotel’s entrance, and Cosmo closed his eyes. Wanda’s magic called to him; without Fairy World’s barrier between them, he experienced her emotions and physical sensations in real-time without a buffer. It was overwhelming. As far as he could tell, she’d been injured and beaten earlier, and her emotions were dull and terrifying.
((Wanda?)) he ventured. He didn’t know if she would respond. Surely she must’ve sensed his presence and knew they were here to rescue her.
((No. You’re not real.))
Cosmo blinked, startled. That was the last thing he’d expected. Unfortunately, he didn’t have time for a follow-up. The other two fairies had blown the security cameras, and the loaned captive magic demolished the magical barrier about the hotel. Heart in his throat, Cosmo floated into the hotel with the others surrounding him.
“Where is she?” Timmy asked. Cosmo pointed upward.
“The penthouse,” he said. He blinked. “She said I’m not real. I’m confused.”
“You’re normally confused,” Timmy pointed out, nonplussed. “I don’t see how this is any different.”
He paused. “Wait. What do you mean, she's saying you’re not real?”
“Stick to the plan, you guys,” Tootie hissed. She looked as nervous as Cosmo felt. Wringing her hands, she gestured for Magdalene, Nathaniel, and Chloe to separate to create another diversion. Meanwhile, Cosmo poofed them to the penthouse suite.
“There’s no way that isn’t locked,” Tootie said. She uncapped the thermos containing the most powerful magic Fairy World possessed, and the raw spells made short work of the door. It blew open, and, for a second, Cosmo was too stunned to take everything in.
The room reeked of sweat, sex, and blood. Though most of the sparkling blood was centered in the bed, splashes were elsewhere. Cosmo’s heart was in his throat. Gingerly, he floated closer to the wall to touch a blood spatter. It sent chills through him.
“Wanda?” Timmy said. Cosmo’s head turned. He hadn’t noticed his wife half-hidden beneath the soiled comforter and pillows. That might’ve been because she barely resembled the Wanda he knew and loved.
Downstairs, an explosion rocked the building. Wanda poked her head out of the sheets. Most of her curly hair was gone, and what remained had turned gray. Her ordinarily vibrant pink eyes were also gray, leeched of color, and she had a gash on her right cheek. She watched them warily like they were cats and she was a mouse. Cosmo’s throat tightened.
“Wanda?” Cosmo said, flying at her without thinking. He tackled her to the bed and hugged her tightly. When she didn’t return his effusive gesture, he pulled back, keeping her within arm’s length. He never wanted to release her again.
“What’s wrong?”
“You seriously asked her that after nine months of hell?” Tootie scoffed. “What isn’t wrong, you idiot?”
“But…she didn’t say anything,” Cosmo faltered. He peered her into her eyes, and she stared through him. Cupping her cheek, he brushed his lips against hers. No response unless he counted her breath quickening.
“Wanda, baby?” he said softly. She reached for his wand, and he handed it over. Sighing, she squeezed it and then collapsed against him. She’d healed and dressed herself, yet she seemed weaker. Cosmo supporting her was all that kept her upright.
“I know we’re worried about Wanda,” Tootie said, “but we need to get out of here. We did this behind the Council’s back, remember? Jorgen suspended the barrier temporarily, but it’ll pop back up in a few minutes. We can check her out later, okay?”
Despite Tootie’s attempt to calm them, her voice was high-pitched with concern. She approached Wanda, who averted her gaze. Cosmo gulped. Wanda was behaving like a whipped cur.
“All right, all right,” Timmy snapped. “I wish we were back in Fairy World! All of us, including Magdalene, Nathaniel, and Chloe!”
The hotel rocked with another explosion before they transported back to Fairy World. Wanda fainted in Cosmo’s arms. Her stomach was hard, which meant something, but he couldn’t put the pieces together. She was pale and emaciated. The healing hadn’t restored her hair or eye color. He didn’t know what was happening nor why the light magic had taken a toll on her. It shouldn’t have. That was her natural alignment.
“You guys didn’t demolish the hotel, did you?” Tootie asked anxiously. They were in Fairy World’s hospital, where they’d agreed to meet if Wanda was injured. The others felt certain that would happen, though Cosmo had wanted to believe otherwise. They floated or stood in the ER; Wanda was clammy, and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead.
“I’ll handle it from here,” Abraxas snapped, appearing out of nowhere. As usual, he looked like a sepia version of a fairy. It was a toss-up between whether he or Wanda were more bedraggled.
“Huh?” Cosmo said. He growled when Abraxas tried to use his wand to pull Wanda from Cosmo’s arms.
“You must let him take the curse off,” Magdalene reminded Cosmo gently.
“I’m not leaving her. Never again,” Cosmo vowed. “She doesn’t think I’m real!”
“That’s interesting…” Abraxas said, frowning. He wore a three-piece suit and a tie, also in shades of gray. “Did she say anything else?”
Cosmo shook his head. Abraxas sighed.
“All right,” he said. “You’re going to be stubborn. Jorgen warned me. You can accompany me--but don’t touch anything you shouldn’t, and don’t interrupt me while I’m working.”
“You might want to occupy them with something,” Chloe said, wincing. “Cosmo and Timmy have ADHD.”
“Of course,” Abraxas muttered, facepalming. “Because my life could never get any easier, could it?”
Cosmo ignored him. He studied Wanda closely and combed his fingers through her curls; he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Her telepathic words haunted him.
((I’m real. I’m real,)) he impressed upon her. It was questionable whether she’d heard him.
They followed Abraxas into a room that looked somewhat like the hospital rooms. There were no IVs or heart monitors. Instead, a magical monitor activated when Abraxas produced a spare wand and placed it in Wanda’s hand. The Bluetooth-like device connected immediately.
Cosmo gently laid Wanda onto the cot. Her eyes opened briefly, but she looked through him. Thirty seconds later, she closed her eyes and curled into the fetal position.
“You might have to stay anyway,” Abraxas admitted, grimacing. “She doesn’t feel safe. A half-conscious fairy with access to a wand and trauma could be disastrous.”
He shot Cosmo a pointed look. “Especially when he’s one of the most powerful fairies in the universe.”
Cosmo stared at him blankly.
“He means you, you idiot,” Timmy grumbled. “Did you forget you went to the nut house?”
“I did?” Cosmo said. Timmy and Tootie facepalmed.
He also forgot where Magdalene, Nathaniel, and Chloe were supposed to meet them beyond the ER. Maybe Abraxas didn’t want more people than he could handle. Cosmo, Timmy, and Tootie loved Wanda.
But did she love them back anymore?
Tears filled his eyes and spilled down his cheeks. It was their anniversary. Cosmo squeezed her left hand, and she gasped, tears sliding down her cheeks, too. When she opened her eyes, her gaze met his for the first time since her rescue.
She pulled her hand from his grip and then caressed his cheek. Cosmo held her hand there.
“I can speak again,” she said faintly. “I didn’t think I’d be able to…”
“Don’t get used to it,” Abraxas warned. “I have to put you under.”
Wanda snorted. “None of this is real, so it doesn’t matter. No wonder I can talk again if it’s fake.”
“What are you talking about?” Timmy protested.
Her smile was bittersweet. “My mind finally fractured. I’m free.”
Cosmo shuddered. “You’re not insane. This is real.”
“No,” she said softly. She pulled her hand away. “You gave up on me a long time ago. This is my last desperate attempt to survive the hotel. I’m glad. If I can’t die by my hand or an Unseelie ruffian, then this is how I want to go.”
“No!” Cosmo yelped.
“I would strongly advise against arguing,” Abraxas said, scowling. “She’s in a delicate state. I need to sedate her.”
“But--” Cosmo protested. Abraxas glowered, and Cosmo’s lower lip quivered. Nonetheless, against his better judgment (or whatever passed for it), Cosmo desisted. He didn’t want to. Wanda’s words haunted him.
“She’ll be okay,” Tootie said and touched his shoulder.
“You don’t know that!” Cosmo said.
“You don’t know that it won’t,” Tootie said. “Look on the bright side. She’s finally smiling.”
“Yeah, because she thinks she’s gone nuts,” Timmy scoffed. His godson looked away; the pain Cosmo felt was mirrored in Timmy’s face.
“Whatever,” Timmy snapped. “I’m going into the waiting room. I don’t need to hang around.”
“Suit yourself,” Abraxas said. “I have work to do.”
Tootie glanced at Cosmo, Timmy, and then Wanda. She was torn between Timmy and Wanda. After indecision, she kissed Wanda on the cheek and rushed after Timmy. Cosmo sighed.
“I’m not leaving you,” he promised Wanda. “Even if you think I already did.”
“Convincing her of that will be fun,” Abraxas said. “As will be extracting all of this dark magic. This is going to take a while.”
He waved his wand, and a TV floated in midair. It showed old cartoons and immediately caught Cosmo’s attention.
“Good,” Abraxas muttered. “Now, maybe I can work in peace.”
Not real…Wanda thinks I’m not real…that none of us are…
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Cosmo knew it was risky. He threatened Abraxas’s operation by interrupting Wanda’s dreams. Wanda needed to remain unconscious. However, Wanda had left Cosmo in too much anxiety to heed common sense. He needed to talk to her now.
He found her in a facsimile of the hotel suite. Wanda was covered in lacerations, gashes, whip, and burn marks, and she was missing most of her hair. What he couldn’t see beneath the sodden blanket pulled up to her neck troubled him.
Oddly, though her hair was gray, her eyes were their normal bright pink. Her gaze settled upon him when he crashed into the bed from the ceiling.
“You always knew how to make an entrance, hon,” she said gently.
“You’re okay!” Cosmo cried and latched onto her. She winced and pushed him away, but she lacked the upper body strength to fight him. Once she realized how weak she was, she deflated. Sighing, she flopped back onto the pillows and stared at the ceiling.
“What’s wrong?” he said.
“You’re not real,” she said flatly. “You want me to believe you are so you can trick me into letting you stay here long enough for Asmodeus to break in. You’re the distraction.”
“What?” Cosmo said. “I’m not following.”
Wanda rolled her eyes. “You’re my mind torturing me again. I’m exhausted. Take what you came for and leave me alone, sweetie. I’m done.”
“What are you talking about?” Cosmo said.
Wanda smiled sadly. “You’re here to use and abuse me, along with Asmodeus, and remind me that there’s no escape. Awake or asleep, there’s nothing else.”
She laughed humorlessly. “I thought I’d finally cracked. I’d rather be in that fake, brighter world than hell.”
“Uh, well…” Cosmo frowned, trying to figure out how to pacify her. “What about a fake, brighter world that just happens to look like your prison?”
Wanda cocked her head curiously. His heart raced, and he kissed her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he drew her closer. Wanda trembled, and she brushed her fingers against his neck. He shivered, wishing she’d deepen the kiss and make it more intimate. He sucked on her lower lip, and she gasped, breaking away.
“Cosmo?” she said, eyes widening.
“Yes?” he said, hope bubbling in his chest. A second later, it vanished when she shook her head and sighed.
“This is a new variation on an old classic,” she said. “My subconscious has a field day with Asmodeus’s brainwashing. You’re--”
She balled her fists. “You’re a trick.”
Cosmo pressed his wand into her hand. Their fingers touched, and she grabbed his tie. Their eyes met; he could tell she was desperate for affection and reassurance. She wanted, more than anything, to believe he was real. Tears glittered in her eyes as she healed herself and replaced the sheets and comforter.
“Would a trick do that?” he said.
“No…” she said. “At least, I hope not. But…”
“But you’re still not sure?” he protested. “I’m telling the truth!”
Wanda snorted. “You didn’t tell me anything, hon. You broke through the ceiling and landed on the bed.”
Cosmo scowled, at a loss. He wanted things to be back to normal between them. Wanda studied him as tears slid down her cheeks. He kissed the trails that the tears left, and her breath caught. Her hand slid along his chest, and she pressed it against his heart.
“I feel real, don’t I?”
She sighed. “I don’t know anymore. It’s been so long since I’ve seen a legitimately friendly face that it’s hard to judge.”
The suite door slammed open, prompting them to jump. Asmodeus and another man stood in the doorway. They leered at her, and she shrank back. Her hands trembled, and she glanced from them to Cosmo.
“You should go,” she whispered. The terror in her eyes sent fear shooting into him, too. He didn’t know who the second man was, but Wanda was just as afraid if not more, of him than she was of Asmodeus.
“Why?” he said, and she shook her head.
“How adorable,” Asmodeus crooned. He advanced, and Wanda winced. Her hands fisted into Cosmo’s shirt, and her right hand grazed the wand’s handle before Ozymandias swiped it. Cosmo wrapped his arms tightly around her; he knew these were phantoms, but she disagreed. Her horror overrode what little common sense he possessed.
Worse, her emotions brought with them images and sensations. Cosmo could feel the man, Ozymandias, ripping her apart from the inside. Wanda moaned; she shook so hard that her teeth chattered. He couldn’t remember the last time she’d had such unreasoning fear, even around Crocker or a competent fairy hunter.
Asmodeus fisted a hand in her hair and then yanked her head back to expose her throat. Cosmo trembled, searching for a way to stop this before it inevitably raced downhill. They’d only had one wand--his. Trying to retrieve it would mean leaving Wanda to their mercy for the minute it’d take to wrestle it out of Ozy’s grip, assuming Cosmo could manage it.
“You understand we can’t let you two reconcile, right?” Ozy said. “Of course, if your idiot wants to join in, then we have no problem.”
“Huh? ‘Join in?’” Cosmo repeated. Wanda blanched, shaking her head. The marks he’d healed returned, and he realized she was projecting how she saw herself. Battered, bruised, and miserable. Cosmo’s throat tightened.
He wasn’t supposed to wake her, according to Abraxas. He didn’t know how he could let her stay asleep if she thought she was going to be molested in her dreams. He intertwined their fingers.
The other man thrust his hips in Wanda’s direction and then stripped. Cosmo’s eyes widened. They were formidable, especially in genitalia, and even with her increased height, they would hurt her by sheer bulk. Wanda’s gaze searched Cosmo’s, but he didn’t know what she was looking for. Reassurance, perhaps.
As usual, he made an impulsive and foolhardy decision. He forced himself to wake and dragged her with him.
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Abraxas scowled when Cosmo awoke. To Cosmo’s dismay, Wanda remained fast asleep. She curled into a tight ball and whimpered, tears streaking her cheeks.
“Stop…please…” she gasped. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead.
“You had no luck trying to break her free of the nightmare,” Abraxas surmised. Cosmo nodded glumly.
“You weren’t supposed to let her wake up in the first place, you idiot,” Abraxas growled. Cosmo glared and balled his fists.
“How could I let her stay? She thinks she’s being tortured,” he protested.
“I know this isn’t ideal,” Abraxas said. Cosmo glared harder. “But it’s only temporary. I promise.”
“She thinks I abandoned her on our wedding anniversary!” he protested. “Now I can’t get back in!”
Abraxas sighed, pinching his nose bridge. “Am I going to have to sedate you, too?”
“You might if I can’t wake her up!”
“Oh, for the love of…” Abraxas facepalmed. He waved his wand. “Amateurs.”
Cosmo passed out, curled up next to Wanda.
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Wanda’s throat tightened as Ozy and Asmodeus circled her like sharks scenting blood in the water. Cosmo’s interruption had been a pleasant distraction, but she knew the truth. Cosmo wasn’t coming back for her. No one was. She pressed a hand to her mouth to conceal a whimper, and Ozy sneered, pushing her onto her back.
“Take it like a slut,” Ozy scoffed. He tossed the wand aside, and it vanished into thin air. While she knew the wand wouldn’t have helped, it had soothed her battered nerves briefly. Perhaps it was better not to hope than to have it briefly and then cruelly smashed.
“Leave her alone!” Cosmo snarled, reappearing in a cloud of green fairy dust. Wanda’s heart hammered against her ribs. He had his wand again, and he blasted Ozy’s back. Ozy snarled; though the wand blast had left a burn mark, it hadn’t done the total damage. Asmodeus was protecting his lover.
“This is unusual,” Asmodeus opined. “I didn’t think he’d come to play on your anniversary, whore, but maybe he wants to give you a special send-off.”
Wanda’s heart clenched. She grabbed Cosmo’s left arm to steady herself and implored him with her gaze. She was terrified that Asmodeus was right and that Cosmo’s presence here only cemented Asmodeus’s control.
“There can’t be any other reason why he’s here,” Asmodeus said, snorting. “Who would want sloppy seconds? She’s worthless otherwise.”
“That’s not true!” Cosmo snapped.
“It’s not?” Asmodeus said, raising his eyebrows. “Then why did you leave her for nine months? Or did you want us to break her for you?”
He grinned. “We’ve done an excellent job. You won’t have any more problems with this bitch.”
Wanda gasped, pressing her fist against her mouth. Cosmo gently pulled her hand away, and his gaze was earnest. She’d say he was real and genuinely frightened if she didn't know any better. He cradled her head in his hand, and she looked for signs that this wasn’t a fabrication.
“We’ve seen her memories,” Ozy said, standing up and joining his lover. “You’re not blameless, Cos-moron. We wouldn’t have had such fertile soil to plant those doubts if you hadn’t created them in the first place.
“You berated her and treated her like shit. She feared losing you before. We made it a reality.”
“You didn’t lose me!” Cosmo protested, gently pushing her face in his direction. “I swear, I didn’t mean any of it. You believe me, don’t you? I love you.”
Asmodeus snickered. “He doesn’t love you. You know that. He’s too much of a coward to admit how good he had it without you.”
Wanda shuddered, thinking of the magically altered scenes between her and Cosmo that Asmodeus had forced her to watch ad nauseum. Lowering her head in submission, she clenched her eyes shut. She couldn’t bear to witness this again. She couldn’t bear to be disappointed.
“Wanda,” Cosmo said softly but insistently. “Look at me. Please.”
“You’re not real,” she whispered. “You’re my mind giving me someone to talk to.”
“I am real,” he protested. “I’ll prove it.”
Asmodeus moved onto the bed and reached for her. Cosmo pushed her behind him and inserted himself between her and her attacker. Wanda blinked. Her heart was hammering so hard she felt like she was going to faint. Black spots appeared in her gaze. Cosmo had never done this before, not here.
“Stop hurting her!” Cosmo snapped. “You’re not real! You’re in her subconscious and attacking her!”
She pressed her hand against Cosmo’s back beneath his wings. She said with a faint, bitter smile, “You tell them, hon.”
“You have to wake up,” Cosmo said, facing her. “Abraxas said you shouldn’t, but I can’t leave you here. Not again. Don’t you trust me?”
“I…” she faltered. It was so hard to say “no” to him. Nonetheless, her trust in him had significantly eroded over the past nine months.
“I don’t know, Cosmo.”
“What do you mean, you don’t know? You trust me. You love me. I know you do!” Cosmo said pleadingly.
“Yes, I love you,” she said, feeling like it’d been wrenched out of her. “Trusting you is another story, hon.”
Ozymandias laughed. “You don’t need to trust him, bitch. He’s here for the same thing we are. Once he’s satisfied, he’ll be gone. You know your worth. Or lack thereof.”
“No, I’m not!” Cosmo snapped. He looked desperately at her. “You know I wouldn’t hurt you. Especially not like that. Please. Please.”
She shivered as Asmodeus filled her mind with images of Cosmo joining in with him and Ozymandias. Chills beset her, and she swallowed sobs. Cosmo’s eyes widened, seemingly alarmed. She wasn’t sure whether he’d seen the images or just her reaction to them.
“I love you,” Cosmo said. “You’ve gotta believe me.”
“Why?” Asmodeus sneered. “Why should she believe you? You left her here with us.”
Cosmo gripped her so tightly that her bones creaked. Their gazes met; tears filled his eyes. Wanda’s lower lip quivered, and she wrapped her arms around him. Her heart thundered in her ears.
“Prove it, then, hon,” Wanda said faintly. “Wake me up.”
“I can do that,” Cosmo said. “Somehow.”
She groaned, and tears slid down her cheeks. “Please.”
“I can do it,” Cosmo snapped, but she thought he might’ve been more irritated with himself than her. He squeezed his wand, but nothing happened. Wanda’s heart fell. She should know better. There was no escape.
“I can!” he snapped, spying the look on her face. “I promise. I won’t fail you again.”
“Once was quite enough,” Asmodeus said, snorting.
“Shut up!” Cosmo said. “I can do this. I know I can. You believe in me, don’t you?”
Wanda’s lips twitched toward a weak smile. “You’re here, aren’t you? You might be real. You seem to be. That might be the best you’ll get from me, sweetie, so take it with a grain of salt.”
She closed her eyes, and a warm glow surrounded them. Pain rocketed through her system, and she gasped.
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“I told you not to wake her!” Abraxas snapped and then sighed, pinching his nose bridge. Wanda blinked, discovering Cosmo was holding her as tightly awake as he had in her dream. She kissed him on the cheek and then the lips. Cosmo kissed her back while pressing himself against her.
With a small but genuine smile, she said, “Hey, hon.”
“Hey,” Cosmo said and grinned. “I’ve missed you. We’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too,” she reassured him, but her heart was heavy. It shouldn’t have taken Cosmo nine months to free her. The Council should’ve intervened, if nothing else.
She wanted to share in Cosmo’s exuberance that she had returned to Fairy World but felt hollow. It was hard to celebrate what he perceived as a victory when she saw it only as a brief stay of execution.
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Abraxas worked himself to exhaustion before pronouncing himself satisfied and passed out on the floor. Wanda grimaced, using her wand to elevate him onto a nearby cot and tuck him in. When she turned her head, she saw Cosmo staring intently at her.
“What?” she said. Cosmo hugged her.
“I missed you,” he whined. “Timmy and I missed you so much. Don’t ever go anywhere ever again.”
“It’s not like I had a choice,” she pointed out. She sighed, shoulders slumping. Last year, they’d almost been separated on their anniversary, but that felt like a minor inconvenience compared to this year. Tears slid down her cheeks.
“I know,” he murmured, kissing the trails her tears left. He sniffled; she ought to comfort him, but she felt hollow inside.
“You still love me, right?” he pressed. “You said you did.”
“I still love you, hon,” she confirmed. It’d almost be easier if she didn’t. Hell, it would’ve been easier if she could have perished in the hotel. However, she couldn’t risk telling Cosmo that. He’d fly off the handle. That reminded her.
“Where’s Timmy?”
“He, uh, got upset because you didn’t think he was real and stormed off,” Cosmo explained, looking sheepish. “Tootie went after him.”
She snorted. “Good. Tootie should.”
She sobered. “I’m glad to see everyone was fine in my absence.”
“That’s not true!” he protested. “I needed you! I still need you! Don’t go!”
“Where am I going to go?” she said dully. She no longer felt trapped, but the numbness might not be better. “I have nowhere to go.”
“That’s the spirit!” he said.
She groaned. “You missed my point entirely.”
“What point?”
“Never mind, Cosmo,” she said. She was too exhausted to explain. All she wanted to do was sleep forever and have no more dreams, nightmares, or otherwise.
Cosmo prodded her mental barrier; she’d almost forgotten it existed. Clenching her eyes shut, she figured maybe she could sleep here, up against him. For all of her doubts and concerns…he was her safe space. He was home.
Cosmo stroked her hair and wrapped one of her curls around his finger. She smiled faintly.
“Happy anniversary, hon,” she whispered. Her smile turned bittersweet. “At least it wasn’t our last.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he replied, alarmed.
She shook her head. That, too, required more energy to explain than she currently possessed. Instead, she relaxed against him and waited for exhaustion to sweep her under. It didn’t take long.