Her head had felt heavier as she laid on a folded up hoodie. Her body was stiff, like she hadn't moved in days. Ivey was in the greenhouse..but she wasn't alone.

Chester was steps away reading another paperback novels, a black footie hat on with sunglasses on the brim of the hat.

He seemed very immersed with the novel at the moment, he didn't notice Ivey sitting up to run her sore back.

They were in the real world now, and it seemed pretty grim compared to the realms she visited. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling it was all a sweet dream. She had no white tattoos on her skin and Chester had no wings. She thought maybe she should go get her head checked in, she was going mad.

"Hey your awake" Chester set his book down and slid off the bench to join her on the ground.

He pushed her falling braids out her face, to check for what assumed bumps or scrapes. He was gentle as he held the side of her face, but she could feel his fingers on her ears and feel his warm breath on her cheeks. She hoped he would be done soon.

Her heart couldn't take it.

"You look alright. Gave me a scare when ya fell" be spoke but his accent was off, it came off more country then before. He had a horrible cockney accent suddenly, which was weird..this a Shire state.

"Didn't mean to give you a scare, how did I fall through? I was hiding behind a plant with a" she stopped talking, she realized how off it would sound if she told him she was hiding with an apple.

The last time she had seen Chester he was dressed richly and had beautiful white wings. He had held her hand and talked to her like she was the only one whom mattered. This Chester was kind but held back, like he couldn't be himself.

The last time she spoke to this Chester he was cool and a bit rude. One day he was telling her his heart felt the same, the next day he says she's not his type. Leaving her confused and hurt.

They were almost polar opposites it seemed.

Chester handed her an green apple with a huge bite mark, "found this in your hand, I don't condone stealing little burglar".

Ivey felt her face flush, she stared in shock at the GREEN apple that had her bite on it, but how on earth could it green? It was pink on the day she took it.

"Your lucky it was just fruit you took and that I found you and not my mum" he was serious as he spoke to her. She knew she had messed up but things weren't adding up.

"It was pink" she had said absentmind and confused.

"Bitter apple, bitter lies" Chester mumbles

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, your hearing things, perhaps you should go lay down" he stood up but his face was worried.

"My parents are on holiday, you can spend the night. I'll take you home tomorrow morning. Ring your folks when we're inside" he helps her up.

Ivey was sure she had heard something, he spoke about the bitter apple and lies. This was the second time he spoke like he knew something but pretended he said nothing. He was either lying or her head was just as gone as she feared..but that didn't explain the small bottle in her sweats.

Did she always have it?

    Inside Chester let her lay on his sofa with her feet up, he had set orange juice and headache medicine on the coffee table next to her. He said he didn't have much but he would make her dinner, if he messed it up takeaway was an opinion.

Chester seemed confused on what to do at first, walking around the kitchen, looking in cabinets mumbling to himself. Checking his mobile every so often. It's was almost comedic.

Her suspicions began to grow, what human boy didn't know how to at least cook at his age. He'd be going to university soon, he was going to starve.

"Maybe we should order out" He mumbled loudly

"Not my house" Ivey rolled her eyes.

"Don't be a brat or I'll chuck you out in the rain" He said but he wasn't mad.

Usually when he father said things like that he meant it, like last year when he actually did kick Ivey out.

It was raining like it was today, Ivey had defended her mother from her father's ill tounge. Not being the type of man to allow a woman to stand up to him, he gave Ivey a hard slap. Ivey's glasses broke. 

Her father laughed drunkenly as she crawled in her mother's lap. Her mother cradling her head as she tried to comfort her teenage daughter.

Suddenly her father ripped Ivey from her mother's arms and threw her to the floor like a rag doll. He pinned her to floor with his boot, crushing her arm. 

Her mother charged at him but he knocked her off, adding more pressure to Ivey's arm.

"Stupid " he spat wickedly.

Her mother hit him with a broom, distracting him so Ivey could get away but not before he could push Ivey towards the screen door. Yelling at her, telling her to be gone like the trash she was.

Ivey couldn't leave her mother alone but she knew she'd be no help. When the door was slammed in her face, she pounded on the door.

She heard a big thud and knew it was her mother falling at the hands of her husband.

As Ivey watched the door, crying for her mother. She saw some one watching her. The person held a strong resemblance to someone she knew today...

"Dear heavens" Ivey jumped off the couch.

Chester was eating what looked like Indian cuisine, when she JUST burlted out the first thing that popped in her head.

"You said you just found me but I saw you in a old memory, you were watching me the day my dad put me out, didn't you. "

Chester dropped the plastic fork, his eyes wide.

"If you were there and I'm your bloody princess, why didn't you save me or my mother from him. Why did you let me stand in the rain. Why did you just disappear when I looked in your direction?"

"Who are you really?"

♦

Chester looked like he had been slapped. He could believe what was going on. She was seriously questioning him, he didn't fully understand what was happening.

"I'm your neighbor, I moved here almost two weeks ago" he stuttered

"I don't believe you. You always seem to find me and you talk to yourself about things only I or someone who is from the place I went"

"I don't know what your talking about"

"STOP LYING! JUST TELL ME THE TRUTH!" Ivey yelled.

It was the only way to show him she was being serious, she wasn't going mad. She had proof, in her pocket she had the bottle that Petal gave her. She would show him if he continued to lie to her.

"I'm not-" He began to lie, Ivey pulled out the bottle. Chester ran from the kitchen and smacked it from her hand.

"Who gave you that?" He gripped her hand tight. "Who gave you that potion?"

He was scaring Ivey, why was he acting like this toward her? He broke the gift Petal and her brother had given her back in the Fay den.

"Geroff me!" She slurred angrily trying to snatch her hand away.

He let her go but he stated at her "Were you going to drink it? In front of me?"

"No I just wanted to show you I had something from that world but already showed me the truth"

"I guess I did but you have no idea what that was. You accepted a gift from roaming Flora"

"You said neither was bad"

"Yes but those Flora are the worst, they bring bad luck"

"They were kind to me, you cannot say that"

Chester sighed angrily, "You defend people you known for a day but not believe the person whom lived there his whole life. Fan-Bloody-Tastic"

He sat down and buried his hands in his hair. He watched the carpet dissolve where the bottle had cracked. The blue liquid was destroying the cheap rub he and this foster family bought to blend in.

Wouldn't it looked strange if a family just moved into a house but had no furniture?

"If they are so kind then why is the blue potion burning a hole in my carpet?" He asked muffled.

Ivey walked over to where he sat. She seemed surprised,and thought of an excuse to what it was.
Chester grew tired of Ivey and decided to go upstairs for the rest of the night. He told her she was welcomed to eat the rest of the take away and to sleep in the spare bedroom. He needed space from the girl he was destined to. In his mind that wasn't a good sign.

♠

Ivey sat all alone in the living, regretting her lack of belief in him, but how was she supposed to know he was telling the truth? She barely knew the people of Flora, why would they give her poison, she never did them any harm?

She wished she could listen to her logical side and just apologize for accusing him of lying. He probably did it to protect her and she made him mad.

"I'm sorry"

In the cover of darkness the matriarch of the Cooper family burned her red rose. Ivey ohhed excitedly as the flower burned brightly.

"I wanna do one now mummy" the chubby cheeked 4 year old shouted happily.

Her mother put a silent finger to her red lips. Ivey fidgety from bored, tried her best to be a silent as her mum.

"Mummy" Ivey whined "I'm cold"

"Just once more. The circle cannot be broken, please stay still"

She lit one more rose and began to dance around the flower flame and Ivey.

She masking her daughter's Fay blood. She knew someone from the Fay realm was looking for them. That's why they chose the country side, and never the city. They couldn't do rituals out in the city.

She'd never let the Fauna claim her precious daughter.

Ivey found herself in the arms of Chester, he held her as she came to.

"Your memories are coming back, this must of been a intense one" Chester spoke in her ear.

"My mom looked happy"

"Your mother has always been a happy woman. She had no reason to fear us." 

"It was the Flora all along" Ivey whispered knowingly.

Chester never told her that but she was correct, maybe she was regaining sealed memories.

"How did you know that?" He asked

"My heart told me" was all she said.

They sat close together in the darkness, Chester finally began to remove the doubt he had felt about her. He began to hope everything would be okay.

"Would you like to return to the Fay realm with me? I don't wish to go alone anymore. I only came here to find you and here you are. My quest is over"

"Can I finish school first? I want to graduate and watch over my mum"

Chester sighed "Your mother is fay, she has always taken care if herself. One day your mom will explain herself"

He didn't understand, if that was true why did her father knock her around? Ivey began to tear up, as usual her tears were for her mother.

Chester couldn't make her stop crying, so he held her closer "After graduation" he kissed the top of her head and sighed.

"I'll stay by your side princess"