This chapter is dedicated to my close friend.

Croix grumpily followed Chariot around, wishing she had her magic so that she could skip all this walking.

Unfortunately, she could never get what she wanted now, could she?

So here she was, trying to survive the death trap that was stairs. The logical part of her was scolding her for neglecting her body, while the petty one was cursing whoever thought that stairs were a good idea.

Chariot turned to her, and chuckled at the woman. She placed her hand on the wall to keep herself steady, and so she could rest for a moment and catch her breath.

"You know, I can carry you to the tower." Chariot suggested, but the lilac haired witch glared at her. "I'm just suggesting."

"No thanks." Croix deadpanned, and the redhead just rolled her eyes in amusement, before shrugging and continuing to climb.

Did Croix regret the chance of getting carried and not having to sweat more than this? Yes.

Would her pride allow her to admit it? No.

And so, she decided to suffer just a little longer, because what would her life be without a huge amount of suffering that she inflicted on herself?

"We're almost there!" Chariot called from the distance, and Croix had a feeling that she was too far ahead.

Like she always was…

The witch eventually managed to escape death, and let out a long sigh of relief once her foot stepped into the room.

Chariot stared at the woman, sweating and gasping for air. She raised an eyebrow.

"Croix, it's just stairs."

Croix looked at her with the most hardened look the ex-performer has ever seen, and opened her mouth to say something, only to decide against it, and turn away.

"You weren't this dramatic when we were kids." The redhead muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" Chariot smiled, and closed the door behind them. She greeted Alcor, who flew towards her, then towards the older woman, eying her suspiciously. "Don't worry Alcor, she won't harm us."

"Don't give me that look." Croix raised an eyebrow at the bird. "I helped raise you." She said, and the redhead glanced at her.

"Until you decided you wanted neither of us around." She muttered, and Croix's eyes widened, before she frowned and looked down. Chariot glanced at her again, realizing that she heard her, so she cleared her throat and moved towards a bed near her desk. "I don't really have a bed, so I just used magic to turn my couch into one. I can't promise it would be comfortable, but it's all I have."

"Where will you sleep?" Croix raised an eyebrow.

"I convinced professor Finneran to get me a sleeping bag." The redhead said, before moving to make some tea.

The emerald eyed witch felt relief wash over her when she realized they wouldn't have to share a bed.

...That was a horrible thing to think, Meridies.

She cleared her throat.

"I can sleep in the bag. You shouldn't have to sleep on the floor for me." She said, as she looked around, making sure that her eyes wouldn't meet the other witch.

"I'm used to it, besides, you're still recovering."

"I insist."

"Well, you're my guest and I'm not letting you sleep uncomfortable." Chariot said, as she poured the tea for them both. "Or, we could share the bed, if that's what you want." She suggested, a wide grin on her face as she handed the older witch her tea. She noticed how her green eyes went wide, and somehow, Chariot giggled, feeling like they were kids again.

It was like they were best friends again.

Croix silently took the tea, deciding that any answer would lead to teasing that she wouldn't know how to deal with.

The two sat in silence, letting their situation sink in. Chariot's finger kept tapping against the cup, as she seemed deep in thoughts, or perhaps she was nostalgic due to their previous banter.

Croix tried to take a sip, but ended up burning her tongue, a habit that she has never grown out of.

She glanced between her cup, and Chariot, and was starting to become fed up. Usually she would keep herself busy with work, or plans, or anything… but now she was stuck with no magic or tools, and it was driving her insane. If she was going to stay like this for a while, she might as well try to keep her sanity, so she tried to start a conversation.

"You know, out of everything I imagined you would turn out as, a teacher never crossed my mind." She started, snapping the redhead out of her thoughts. She seemed surprised, and it took her a few seconds to say something.

"Really? Then what did you imagine?"

"I don't know, something like being wanted for putting so much magic property on fire?" Croix answered with a smirk, while her old friend pouted.

"That was one time!"

"Five times."

"Okay, so, that was five times, and only five times!" Chariot retorted, but the other witch was still unconvinced, so she just took a sip of her tea and continued to pout.

"I'm sorry." Croix suddenly said, this time not only startling the redhead but Alcor too, as the two just squinted at her, unsure if they heard her right. One thing they knew about the witch was that her pride was too much, so she would rather die than apologize. She avoided their gazes, knowing that her resolve would falter. "It's not that I didn't want you around anymore I just…" She trailed off, her eyes glancing at those red orbs for a moment before looking away.

"You just what?"

"I was just being an idiot." She admitted, feeling both relieved and upset by the confession.

She could have done this in so many different ways. She could have avoided causing all the damages, all the hurt and heartbreak, but she still went down that road.

It was because she was an idiot. There was no better way to word it.

Chariot stared at her for a moment, before smiling.

"It's good to have you back, Croix." She said, and the lilac haired witch was almost blinded by the sincerity of that smile.

"Just because I apologized, doesn't mean you have to forgive me." She sighed, knowing that there was no point in arguing with her. Her smile only grew into a grin. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

"But I'm your idiot, right?" Chariot asked, fondly, and the older woman almost choked on her drink.

Was she serious? Was she really talking to her as if nothing happened? As if those past ten years never happened?

"Just… drink your stupid tea…"

When the night fell, Croix made herself comfortable on the bed, or as comfortable as she could. It still felt like a couch more than a bed, but it was better than sleeping on the ground.

She glanced at Chariot, who was in her sleeping bag. She was sleeping peacefully, and Croix had to admit she was cute like that.

She smiled softly, before staring at the ceiling.

The other night she had a nightmare, one that was too real for her liking.

She saw the monster she created swallow the redhead as she pushed her out of the way, and this time, there was no shiny arc to save her.

She would yell and beg, but Chariot wouldn't come back

She was gone because of her, because of her stupid plans and grudge.

She regretted not letting the witch share the bed with her, because she knew that could help her avoid the nightmare.

However, she couldn't bring herself to share it, not with everything she has done. She couldn't stay too near to her.

She didn't even like the idea of sleeping in her tower.

Still, she found herself smiling whenever she looked down at the redhead. She kept remembering old times, simpler times with her, until sleep took over.

She didn't have any nightmares that night.