Two In Blue

Nearing Caleb's house, the river was much calmer. As soon as they got quite close but still far enough so people wouldn't see them, Ailrees, Nikla, and Caleb came out of the water, and the fairy chanted a spell to get them dry. To the boys the words she spoke sounded like gibberish, it was elvish, though.

The mood of the three was great, lively, and overall in good spirits. Adrenaline still running through their veins, it would be a moment before they'd tone down.

The fairy especially.

Smiling from ear to ear, she was beyond thrilled with all the mana she could draw and the power she could now conjure. Ailrees felt as if she had a whole new world out there to experience and re-experience!

A whole new world of possibilities just at her fingertips.

- Quite the smile you got. – Caleb complimented the same devious smile she had right before pulling him into that whirlwind of emotions.

Imprinted on his mind,

the damned smile that wrecked him.

- Huh? –

Ailrees blushed turning her eyes to him.

The biker boy's face showed a glimpse of malice the dainty fairy hadn't seen before.

He gawked at her like one that gazes at its prey. A chill ran down her spine but didn't instill fear. It was something else...

- Thanks, Mate! It's bright, ain't it? – oblivious as usual, Nikla took the compliment, proudly.

- Yeah. It's easy on the eyes... - playing along, Caleb replied to his friend, but smoothly gave the fairy a half smile while doing so.

In a blink of an eye, the lovely pink hue on her face turned red and immediately she averted her gaze, flustered.

- Frolic like a lamb. – he chuckled and let Nick gain some distance from them

– ... you're a doe, though. – sly, he whispered to her and grinned.

"What is that even supposed to mean?!" she asked herself,

weirded out by how it somehow made her feel lighter than a cottontail and want to frolic more,

while at the same time,

she wanted to dig a hole in the ground and hide in it. Never to come out!

************************************

- Shite...! - Caleb cursed – for real?! –

Having just parked in front of his house, the young man saw two individuals making their way toward his front door.

In blue, 'twas Donna, and James.

- Good morning, officers!

To what do I owe the pleasure? – Caleb shouted from far across the street even before the two had a chance to ring his doorbell.

- Morning, Mr. Wyatt. – Donna greeted him - No reason to get defensive. You haven't done anything wrong, right? - she attempted to say in good sport, however, it came out somewhat wrong. Or at least it sure reached Caleb's ears in a way more implying tone than it was intended to.

- No, Ma'am. I haven't. – he answered - Don't much appreciate the visit, though. –

he added so bluntly dry that his words could crack - The neighbors talk, you know. 'Tis not like they're fans of mine already... - he groaned.

The biker boy then opened the door and invited the coppers in once his friends had already passed through.

James' and Donna's eyes low-key popped out when they recognized the cute girl among them.

Boy, were they surprised to see Ailrees with him.

Caleb didn't lie. He hadn't done anything wrong this time, so yes, the officers' inquiry was about that morning in the woods.

But to see the Jane Doe up and about, and all friendly with the low life that supposedly had never seen her before, was awfully suspicious... come on, guys!

Once inside, James and Donna extended their hands to greet the fairy, saying their names, but she didn't reply. She looked at them confused and glanced at Caleb and Nick, her eyes asking, "What do I do?"

For the moment there, they had forgotten she was clueless about the world of humans.

Caleb leaned on her shoulder and whispered to her to shake their hands and introduce herself, then stood right next to her, so close that his crossed arms, rubbed on her.

- I was under the impression that you didn't know each other. – James commented, suggesting the young man had lied when they first questioned him that morning in the forest.

- We didn't. Funny how people enter our lives, isn't it? – he replied, dry. He didn't like how quick people were to assume things and point fingers, especially the police. "What are they implying, anyways? He'd beaten her? He'd kidnapped her? Was that it?" he pondered. "He looks rough, so he must be a monster?"

- Strangers DO BE becoming friends here faster than usual... - Nikla commented while distracted from searching for Valery's spare keys in the kitchen's junk drawers – Anyhow, what's this about, my good man? ...and, good woman - he asked in a calm voice. There wasn't a single force-fearing cell in his body. They can't spit venom if you strap their snouts... ain't that so?

- Routine. Just checking up if anything else came to light, before dismissing the case, Mr. Kurt. – Donna told - We tried doing this by phone but couldn't reach Mr. Wyatt. -

- Oh yeah! Our phones fried. Kind of a lake diving casualty... - Nick mentioned.

- Do you mind if we ask a few questions? – Donna inquired.

- Not at all, officers. Ask away. – Nick promptly cooperated

– There ain't no case here, though. Dad said since she's alive and not pressing charges nor fillings complaints, there is no case to be pursued... - the punk added lightly.

Quite unexpected to see Nick, of all people, being cohesive, isn't it?

Well, he had his moments. Especially when it came to the law...

I suppose I didn't tell you that his parents were lawyers, his dad actually being the DA, and the punk grew up helping Caleb out of trouble, now did I? huh, it must have slipped my mind *smiling awkwardly*

Sorry about that, heehee

- That...

that is right, Mr. Kurt. - James reluctantly confirmed - But doesn't the circumstance strike you, at least, as odd? –

- Odd to say the least, officers!

She'll have you believing in fairies and monsters before she says anything that makes sense. –

Nick told straight off.

When the truth sounds this weird, why bother lying? haha

- I see. – Donna responded, thinking the troublemaker had said it mockingly – Might I ask what the three of you were doing in the forest? –

- Talking to animals and watching plants grow... - in a monotone, Nikla told.

Then, suddenly, Caleb noticed something different in Ailrees...

Her ears...

her ears had changed? They were pointy!

- CAMPING! -

Caleb shouted over Nick's nonsense, well, over his nonsensical truth.

- He meant we were camping. – the young man uttered, trying to stand where he'd harden the officers' sight of the fairy and her goddamn elf-like ears!

- Guess one could say that... And it's the four of us. Sis is still there though. We'll be going back out before sundown, so, don't worry, ma'am. – Nick said, still in a monotone.

"Where those damn keys at?", the punk muttered to himself.

- Why would the young woman want to go back to the site where she likely suffered some kind of trauma? - Donna poked.

- Maybe it will spark her memory? Who knows? – Caleb brushed it off, guiding the officers to the door. They already had overstayed their welcome for all he cared.

- Well, if it does, do tell us. –

- Will do, ma'am. - he replied.

The coppers left with more questions than they came, but nothing substantial nor incriminating, luckily for the merry group.

I don't think they would have jurisdiction to arrest the monsters in the closet, anyways... Could you imagine if they had?

'The Boogieman, sentenced to 70 lifetimes.'

'Jails still to figure out how to contain convicted ghosts.'

Shortly after the inquiring guests had left, Nikla gave up on his search.

- It's okay if I take the bike? – the boy asked Caleb - It's hopeless to find sister dearest's keys in this mess. -

- Sure, man. – Caleb okayed and threw him the key.

Before leaving, Nick commented in a playful tone closing the door behind him:

- Cute ears.

Only missing them wings now... -