Angelic

Summary: Calista gets quite a surprise one evening when she is outside stargazing.

Disclaimer: I only own Angel. 😉

A/N: He's back! Enjoy him while you have him, because this may be the last time for a while that you'll see Angel. I'm not saying you'll never see him again. We just have a lot of ground to cover in other stories, and he's not going to be a part of them. But I'm not leaving him behind for good, so yes, you will see him again in the future. With that said, enjoy!

*Story*

The castle was buzzing with busy workers rushing back and forth, their normal work schedules mixed together with their Wassailia schedules. As everyone else was preparing for the festivities that the royal family intended to celebrate before the big trip to Avalor for the main event, there was one who wasn't necessarily caught up in that particular hustle and bustle.

Calista had managed to sneak past several guards at this point, validating her uncle's previous statements that these guys weren't exactly overly observant. However, tonight, she was rather grateful for that. The last thing she wanted was to initiate a conversation of any sort when all she really wanted to do was escape from the craziness of the castle and have some time to herself.

Once outside, she made a break for the bridge, ducking behind brushes, trees, and monuments along the way just in case. When she realized the coast was clear, she caught her breath for a few minutes before calmly walking to the center of the bridge. Using her wand, she created a blanket and set it on the ground before sitting down and sighing in relaxation.

Calista looked up, smiling at the dark sky and the twinkling stars. There was no moon tonight, so the stars got all her attention. To her, stars were breathtaking. They managed to tell a story without having to say a word…

"I never took you as the stargazing type."

The young girl gasped at the familiar voice and turned around, surprised to see a most welcome visitor there. She beamed. "Angel?" She jumped up and rushed forward, hugging him, giggling as he returned the hug. "What are you doing here?" she asked in awe as they both sat down on her blanket. "How did you even…?"

"There are many secrets I still have not told you," he answered mysteriously as he turned his eyes to the sky. "I felt rather bad for just leaving you so suddenly last time. And after all, I'd heard much of this 'Wassailia' spoken in and around other villages, so I was curious about the holiday." He shrugged. "I do not personally celebrate holidays myself, for I do not understand them. However, I like the idea of the 'togetherness' of this season, or at least that's what I understand it to be about from what I have heard."

Calista nodded. "It's a great time of year, Angel, and even though you may not celebrate Wassailia, there's nothing wrong with spending time with people you care about anyway." She gave him a gentle smile. "Which is why I'm happy you're here."

The boy blinked. "Me?"

"Yes, of course! You're my friend, after all."

He laughed. "Thank you, Calista. It is really nice to have someone to speak to after being silent for so long." He lay back on the blanket, gazing up at the stars. "So, are you familiar with the stories of the stars?"

Calista shook her head and lay back next to him, staring up into the speckled darkness. "I didn't realize stars had stories."

"Everything has a story, Calista. We need only look for it."

"Hmm…" She smiled at the meaningful analysis before glancing toward him. "Very well then. Tell me the story of the stars."

He grinned. "Sure you can handle it?"

She scoffed. "I'm a sorceress. I can handle anything.'

Angel laughed. "All right. Let's start with that star," he said, indicating a brightly-twinkling form in the distance.

For nearly an hour, the two friends lay on the blanket, chatting and stargazing. It was calming and informative at the same time. And luckily tonight, it wasn't too cold to the point they couldn't enjoy this interaction. However, it did come to a point where tiredness intervened, and Calista began yawning.

"You are tired," Angel observed as he sat up, brushing his hair over his shoulders. He smiled and pulled the girl into a sitting position. "You need rest."

"But I was having so much fun," she said sleepily, her eyes beginning to grow heavy. She looked toward her friend curiously. "So, am I actually going to see you again in the near future? And please don't get all mysterious on me."

He laughed. "Being tired makes you a little more commanding. I respect that." He shrugged with a smile. "I think we'll be seeing each other in the future. I'm not going to say goodbye to someone who always gets so excited to tell me hello."

Calista smiled shyly at the mentioning. "Forgive me if I was overly enthusiastic… I just become excited when I am able to see people I care about again. Ask my Uncle Ceddy." She giggled.

Angel stood and helped his friend to her feet. "Would you like me to walk you back to the castle?"

The young girl beamed before laughing uncertainly. "Actually, I'm not even supposed to be out here. I sort of managed to sneak out when the guards weren't looking…"

He grinned. "Mischievous, aren't you? I admire that." He smiled as she hugged him. "I'll simply bid you goodnight then. Sweet dreams, and I will see you soon enough."

"Now that's what I like to hear." She giggled and released him, turning to glance back at the castle. "I guess it is that time…" She looked back. "Good night, An…gel…" She blinked, realizing he was no longer there. Instead of feeling sad like last time, she just smiled. "I'll see you later, Angel." She hummed to herself as she began walking back toward the castle with her blanket draped over her arms.

Meanwhile, from a distance, Angel smiled as he began vanishing. "Yes, you will." With that, he disappeared completely.

The end