Here we are at the end. I left it open for a reason. Maybe I'll come back to it soon. :)

A sudden movement woke her up and she took a moment to try and piece together what had happened. A few seconds went by and she realized Misty, who was still in the same position but considerably warmer, was coughing something fierce.

She sat up and rolled the coughing witch onto her back and then up as she positioned her body behind the frail one in front of her. Wicked fits shook them both and Cordelia, felt powerless and began to tear up. All she could do was rub Misty's porcelain back until the coughs subsided and it became strangely quiet in the cabin.

Cordelia scooted out from behind Misty and laid her back slowly until she rested parallel with the earth once more. She looked over her cautiously and searched for any open wounds or injuries that would need to be tended to. Especially since she was pretty sure she'd cracked one of ribs as she was revived her.

A small voice whispered and Cordelia nearly broke down at the sound of it. She laid back down and faced Misty, who still stared at the dark ceiling.

"I don' think I was quite finished bakin'. My insides kinda feel like doughy," Misty said barely above a whisper. The wheeze of her voice indicated that she had something in her lungs. Probably pneumonia from being out in the swamps for so long.

Cordelia knew what she wanted to convey but couldn't get the words out. Slowly, Misty turned towards her with a grimace and brought her arms up to clasp Cordelia's hands. For a moment they just looked at each other with such contentment.

"You...you're probably bloated from being in the water." The Supreme choked out, unable to stop the tears that cascaded down her face. She felt one tickle her nose and blew it away, embarrassed. "I have no idea how long you were down there."

Misty shrugged. "I think I been down there the whole time. Maybe it's not just the mud that's magic."

"The whole time?"

Misty took a deep breath and gently squeezed her hands, "I think I been down there since ya tossed me there an' said goodbye."

Cordelia cringed at the verbalization of her actions. It sounded as if she'd just thrown Misty's remains in the swamp - no better than the ingrates that had burned her at the stake. She opened her mouth to apologize but Misty held a finger to her lips. The feeling alone warmed Cordelia's belly a few degrees.

"No darlin', it's not like that. That's what ya were s'posed to do. The swamp helped me - it helped make me whole again. I don' remember much, but I do remember tryin' ta call out ta you. But, I couldn't get outta there so I asked the Bayou ta tell ya."

"It worked! One of my girls got the message and gave it to me. Oh gosh I can't believe you're really here!" the Supreme sniffed her tears away and set her head on Misty's shoulder.

"Your girls got the message? How many girls ya got?" the swamp witch sounded surprised.

"Oh, Misty Day! I have so many. The academy is flourishing! We are full to the brim!"

"Lotsa witches?" Misty asked in awe.

"You'll get to meet them, too!"

"I will? But you jus' said that you hit capacity?"

Cordelia giggled at the way the beauty in front of her drawled out the four-syllable word. "I am, for students. But, we have room for visitors...or teachers if they're interested."

Misty's smile fell at that. "Cordelia, I don't think I'm cut out for teachin'. I mean, I don't do so well with people ya know? Being that I been away from 'em for so long."

Cordelia replied by pulling the blankets up around them and brushing errant blonde hairs out of Misty's face.

"Well we don't have to decide anything yet. You're not strong enough to travel right now. I can tell you're exhausted. Go ahead, go back to sleep. I'm going to try and see if I can find something for us to eat."

"Alright. But can I ask sumthin'?"

Cordelia nodded as she relaxed into the pillows.

"Why are we naked cuddlin' with all the candles? Didn't ya see the fireplace over there? This is kinda romantic an all."

Cordelia snorted. Of course there was a fireplace. "We were both freezing and I wanted to warm up as soon as possible before nightfall." Perhaps she should extinguish the candles considering the full-body blush she likely sported felt pretty warm.

"Okay. I'm not sayin' I didn't like it or nothin'. I was just askin' because, ya know, bein' alone for so long made me act kinda funny 'round people who are close ta me."

Cordelia hummed at that and dug further into the blankets, very close to slumber. All of a sudden something poked at her consciousness.

"Wait. You liked it?"

A surge of Cicadas singing woke Cordelia once again. She felt the chill of the empty bed next to her and immediately threw off the blankets and began searching for Misty. When she saw that she wasn't in the cabin, Cordelia began to panic. Had this all been a fever dream?

She heard a familiar humming and walked outside to see the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen: Misty Day was fully nude, standing on the edge of the swamp bank completely illuminated in narrow beams of tinsel moonlight. She danced in place as she waved her arms around and Cordelia admitted that she was inexplicably, irrevocably, unabashedly, in love with Misty Day: the Swamp Witch revived and reanimated by the Bayous of New Orleans.

Before she could say anything she heard the faint voices of her pupils in the distance. They called for her and she called back to them. She turned to get Misty's attention but the ethereal witch was no longer there.

"Ya might wanna put this on, you don't want the girls gettin' an eyeful." Misty appeared beside her fully clothed and thrust the crumpled dress from the fire out at her.

With a wink and a thoughtful nod, Cordelia slipped the fabric over her head. The fabrics felt strage against her skin. The wind blew through the dress and Cordelia finally understood why Misty wore these all the time. They were pretty comfortable compared the formal uniform she'd gotten used to wearing over the years.

When she turned around she felt Misty's head shift closer to hers. When she whispered, Cordelia visibly shivered at the contact.

"I been wantin' to do this for ages but I ain't ever gathered the courage ta do it."

Before Cordelia could respond she felt Misty's lips envelop her own. Only hours ago had they also been connected but in a very different manner. It wasn't overly aggressive or too timid. It was a lot of things but in the current moment it was just plain ol' wonderful.

She pulled away and looked at Misty, still illuminated by the moon and simply could not form the words necessary for thanking her.

"Thanks for lovin' and carin' 'bout me jus' right." Misty's drawl was extra husky when quieted and if Cordelia had heard anything more erotic in her life than she could not remember it.

"There you are!" Queenie's voice startled the pair. They both turned to look at the 40 or so separate beams of light. "We thought you went crazy and walked into the swamp! You've been gone for hours, teach. What a great examp- Hey, is that Misty?"

A series of gasps resounded around them and soon everyone clambered over to them to get a peek.

"Yes, yes it is. I have a story, but I will tell you all from the safety of the campus. Please, I just wanna go home." She smiled at Misty, who looked pretty content and downright adorable for someone who was considered dead less than 12 hours ago.

They wandered over to the gaggle of girls and headed home. They started the drive, and somewhere along the way Queenie had called Zoe to let them know that they were on their way home with a surprise and to gather the girls in the hall. When Zoe casually asked if she was bringing home food, The whole bus erupted with laughter at the sheer hilarity of it. They had no idea. Cordelia looked over at Misty, who seemed to be off in her own little world.

Once they drove down the familiar street, Cordelia felt Misty's body tense next to her. She squeezed her hand and watched the swamp witch's eyes get wider at just how much Mrs. Robichaux's Academy had changed.

"Don't worry about the greenhouse, Misty. It's not where it used to be but it's in a great spot." the Supreme calmed her as they got off of the bus.

"Well where did ya put it? Plants don' really like bein' caged in so much"

Cordelia grabbed her hand and pointed them towards the house that had formerly belonged to the Ramsays. "See that house, with the tall windows and glass roof? That's it."

"The greenhouse is attached to there now?"

"Well, sort of. The whole main floor? That's the greenhouse. It's gigantic. I can't wait for you to see it!"

"Can I?" for the first time for what seemed like ages, Misty perked up and smiled one of her trademark grins. It send waves of euphoria down Cordelia's body. Was this true happiness?

"We can in just a minute. I want to introduce you to some of the girls first."

Misty nodded and headed off to the front door of the home with a purpose. Cordelia watched as all the pupils filed in first and she made sure the she was the last one in, behind Misty. When they came in, and the lights came on, Cordelia heard the catch in Misty's breath.

"All of you, them, those girls. They go here?" She asked quietly, her gaze sweeping right to left across the room.

"Remember when you said that you'd be great when you found your tribe?" Zoe asked, motioning to the girls that lined the stairs, floors, and rooms that spanned the home.

"Welcome home, Misty Day. Here is your new tribe. I, along with two hundred other witches, promise on my very soul that you will never, ever be alone again in your life. You hear me?" Cordelia offered, with a simple hand on her back.

"Oh my gosh, Miss Cordelia. There's so many. This is our tribe, our coven?"

"They sure are. And, they all want to meet the legendary Misty Day." Cordelia walked her into the crowd as girls started to grasp their hands and issue embraces.

"Why me though?"

"Because any witch that gets Cordelia Goode to wear a maxi dress and run barefoot through the swamp, must be more powerful than any supreme around." Zoe joked as the whole room erupted in laughter, the tension vanquished from everyone.

"I'd reckon," Misty chuckled.

She rings like a bell through the night and

Wouldn't you love to love her?

She rules her life like a bird in flight and

Who will be her lover?