The Song That Hearts Are Broken To.

Teddy teaches her that there's this magic that is more than spells, that there's another world out there, and together they show it who they are.

He writes the songs that hearts are broken to, she sits on the end of his bed and spews the words that fuel his angst, provides the kisses that still his whirring mind, and inspires the lyrics that get sprawled across notebooks. They both smile for the cameras, while on the inside they fall apart.

A twisted mess of chaotic confusion and conflicting feelings, Teddy's wracked with guilt but he's in a downward spiral that he just can't seem to escape. And wasn't he supposed to be the good guy? You know there's something wrong when you're not even the hero of your own story.

Dominique's not much better. She builds a home in her web of lies and they both go back to Victoire as loving boyfriend and adored sister and she smiles and hugs them both, asking about their band while casting the spells that cook their dinner. She's trusting and open-hearted, blinded by her desire for everything to be nice and sweet and as close to perfect as she can dare to dream.

They don't get away with it that easily. Guilt churns in Dom's gut and twists her moods until she's this snappy, irritable mess and no one even wants to be around her any more. Except, that is, for Teddy who can see the beauty in any ugliness and Victoire, who'll be there for her no matter what.

Dom's angry at him and he's angry at himself and they're pulled so tight that surely they'll snap and it'll end in a break that makes it all okay, but instead Dom ends up pushed up against the bathroom sink and Teddy's running his hands up her leg under her dress, and he's kissing her neck and she's thinking I don't care I don't care I don't care until it could almost be true, and melts into his touch like it's somewhere safe.

It's in between the main meal and dessert. Victoire's put out flowers and made apple crumble, Dom's favourite from the childhood they shared together. Now Dom doesn't think she could keep it down.

"Why do we keep ending up like this?" She looks up at Teddy like he has all the answers, but really he's probably even more fucked up than she is.

"Reckless... idiots..." He can't even form coherent sentences, how is he supposed to manage his life?

Whatever it is, they're addicted. Destination; self-destruction. It's a storm, tearing through their lives and ripping bits off to throw into oblivion. They're losing themselves in the process. It's all going into the songs that Victoire can't listen to without intensifying that dark feeling that ebbs at her optimistic heart and has her sobbing into her pillow on those horrible nights she spends all alone.

"I don't even like you." The words aren't true, but Dom says them all the same.

Teddy's eyes are honey coloured as he raises them, deceivingly sweet. He blinks, his mouth set in a stony line. "I don't either."

She just feels her words would have more weight if they're weren't both lying naked in her bed. "You don't like me?" She recoils at how vulnerable she sounds and pulls the covers up over her like that'll help.

"I don't like myself."

Dom looks anywhere but at him, she doesn't think she could stomach the sight of him. Self-pity isn't her style. "Who does?"

"Some people have less reasons to hate themselves than I do."

She pulls back the sheets, stands up from the bed. She crosses the room to the window, where moonlight glimmers on her pale skin. She's the graceful ghost that haunts his every waking hour. "You made all the choices to get here. You got yourself into this mess."

He sits up, his eyes boring holes in her back. She wants to wriggle and squirm, drive the feeling away away away.

"Well, I don't know how to get out." The words are acidic yet he says them so steadily.

It's so stupid now, how her hands shake at the thought of him thinking that, at the thought of him doing that. Her hands shake at the reality of him saying it. "Get out my house."

"Dom-"

"Leave." There's nothing in the way she speaks that leaves room for argument.

He won't go at first, but he does.

The next night they're on stage. It's another performance for them to bluff their way through, but they've both become expert actors. It's frightening how well the pull it off. But Dom feels every cheer, every note, every forced smile, tear away a part of her. Soon there'll be nothing left. She leaves the stage feeling only numb. There's none of the high she used to know.

Afterwards Dom find him in the moonlight, his all colours washed out. She sits beside him and he hands her the photo he was looking at. She sees them, young and innocent, with carefree smiles and clean pressed uniforms. "When did everything fall apart?"

But she knows. She broke first. She was trying to be too much to too many people, trying to live up to the expectations and losing herself in the process, and one day she just threw that all away and became the person she thought she was. Dom had always thought of Teddy as the one who'd swooped in at her most desperate hour and carried her away to safety. But she really just ended up pulling him down with her to the lowest lows. Only now whenever she tries to swim he stops her before the surface, holding her head underwater. She's drowning.

"I want to go back those days, when everything was easy."

You're weak, Dom thinks, but she completely agrees, and to be honest, it's been a long time since she felt strong herself. "Let's steal a timeturner."

He doesn't look at her like she's crazy. Instead there's a grin slowing creeping across his face. "Let's."

She returns the smile and takes his offered hand. They run down the street, hand in hand, shouting and whooping and pretending. They play this game of make believe, yet when they twist they really do disappear, the darkness swallowing them alive.

Moon shining, cars speeding, voices and sirens and life. The night goes on like they were never there. Maybe they weren't.