PunchlinePress

This chapter is presented as an alternate ending option for readers who didn't care for the first ending - as both are written by me, feel free to interpret whichever you prefer as the canon ending. <3

Caitlyn was only vaguely aware of the sensations of touch coming back from her body as her mind slowly drifted towards consciousness. She’d been lost in the dark for what felt like eons, and the dim light that had woken her was cruel and unbearable by contrast. 

Voices - three distinct ones, she figured - were speaking around her excitedly, though she couldn’t make out the words through the feeling of her head being packed with cotton.

Her body was reporting a cool, comfortable softness surrounding her.

‘A bed. I’m laying in a bed.’

She tried to open her eyes, finding that each lid seemed to weigh a ton. Through a herculean display of strength, she forced them open. The world around her was a blur. She rubbed at her eyes instinctively without even realizing that she’d moved her arms. 

“Cailyn?” a familiar voice asked.

She turned her head and saw her brother sitting at her bedside.

“Aiden…” she rasped, her voice dry and creaky from disuse. “What happened?” 

Aiden lifted a bottle of water to her lips and slowly tipped it to allow her to drink. 

She greedily gulped down a few mouthfuls of water before Aiden pulled it away slowly.

“Not too fast, you’ll get sick,” he said. “How do you feel?” 

“Like shit,” Cailyn groaned, sitting up in bed. Her body ached, and felt simultaneously too big and too small, somehow. 

“Take it easy… your body just unraveled this morning.”

“Un…raveled? So I was in a Knot Thing?”

“Yeah. For six months, actually. We used it as a vessel while Nate repaired the worst of the damage to your soul. You’re about as good-as-new as someone possessed by a murder demon can be.”

She looked down at herself for the first time since waking, and realized why everything felt so off. She was younger - much younger. She’d guess maybe fourteen or fifteen. 

“Why am I a teenager again?” she asked, looking at Aiden.

“Well… the process of rebuilding your soul drained a lot of energy from the Knot Thing - so it wasn’t able to bring you back up to your proper age. Nate said he’d let you use another Knot Thing once you’re fully recovered, if you want to. But he’s also willing to let you stay this way if you’d rather do that.”

Cailyn groaned and looked back down at herself, considering the options. “What happens if I choose to stay like this?”

“Well, you’d probably come to stay with Ashe, Caylie and I. Probably have to enroll you in classes with Caylie too to avoid legal issues with the mundane crowd. Not too hard to falsify some school records though.

“And if I go back to my normal age?” she asked warily. 

“Then you go back to your normal age and do whatever you want, I guess.”

The idea of going back to her normal life was appealing - though getting a do-over on her high school years wouldn’t be terrible. Maybe she’d actually take her classes seriously and go to college or something.

As she considered that possibility, another thought lanced through her with fear. A sensation she hadn’t felt in quite a while. “What about the legal stuff? I… I killed people, and did other really terrible shit, Aiden!” Her tone climbed as remorse mixed with panic. 

“Hey, hey, it’ll be okay,” Aiden said, placing his hands on her shoulders. “Nate, Ashe and I all testified on your behalf. We had plenty of evidence that everything you did was under the influence of Boucher, or the demon he saddled you with when you picked up the Ripper’s Knife. You’ve been cleared of all charges.”

“So I’m… I’m not getting arrested for anything?” she asked, fighting back tears.

“No, you’re not getting arrested - no matter if you choose to stay this way or go back to normal.”

She threw her arms tightly around Aiden and hugged him, hard. “I was so scared just then, Aiden…”

“I get it, Cailyn. Nate said your emotions might still be a little all over the place until you re-acclimate to having a full range again. That’s why I’m here. I know I was doing a really crappy job as your brother… but I’m here now to do better.”

Cailyn bawled into his shoulder, gripping feebly at the material of his t-shirt. “You and Ashe left me all alone when I was hurting, and I couldn’t stop, Aiden… I wanted to stop but I couldn’t…” 

“I know,” Aiden soothed, rubbing her back gently. “I’m sorry that I let you down. That we all let you down.”

Cailyn cried wordlessly into her brother’s embrace until she had no more tears to give, holding onto him as if she were afraid he might leave her to struggle alone again. 

Ashe knocked quickly at the unfamiliar door, and nervously smoothed the nonexistent wrinkles in her skater skirt. Nate had requested her presence at this address tonight, and had mentioned it had something to do with Cailyn. She hadn’t seen Cailyn in just over six months, and in that time Ashe’d had to put her life back together, change all her legal documentation, navigate a romantic relationship with Aiden in light of all that had happened, come out to her family, and attempt to come to terms with the numerous ways she’d let down one of her best friends.

The idea of how she’d make it up to her had dominated most of her thoughts for the past months, but especially the past week since finding out she’d be released from Nate’s care, cleared to return home.

The bag full of ingredients to make Cailyn’s favorite meal was only the first step of what she assumed would be many.

“Good evening, Ashelynn,” Nate said as he opened the door. 

It was still strange to see a child of such a young age wearing a full business suit and acting like a man forty plus years his senior. 

“Hi, Nate,” she mumbled meakly. “I brought some stuff for Cay.” 

“Which one?” he asked with a smile.

“Er, Cailyn. Is Caylie here too?”

“She is. Come in, come in.” Nate stepped back and opened the door wide for her. 

“Thanks.” She stepped over the threshold and into the foyer, surprised by how barren it was, featuring only a coat rack standing in a lonely corner. 

Nate closed the door behind her and took a few quick steps to get back ahead of her as he ushered her towards the dining room. “This way, this way. The others are already waiting.”

Ashe nervously followed him through the house, finding it all just as sparsely decorated as the foyer. The only room with more to its name was the dining room, where a simple table had been set for five diners, and a short stack of pizza boxes sat in the middle of the table.

Nate took his spot at the head of the table, with Aiden sitting at the opposite end from him. Cailyn and Caylie had taken seats opposite each other, leaving only one chair left - either beside Cailyn, or Caylie. 

Ashe lingered in the doorway, looking at Cailyn. Sitting there, she seemed so normal - so happy, and if it weren’t for her looking closer to Caylie’s age than her brother Aiden’s, Ashe wouldn’t have even realized anything wasn’t quite right.

“Hey, Ashe,” Cailyn said, nodding at her.

“Yo,” chimed in Caylie as she watched something on her phone.

“Hey babe,” Aiden stood and moved around the table to give her a quick kiss. 

“H-Hey everyone,” she raised a hand in an anxious, half-hearted wave.

“You look like you saw a ghost,” Cailyn snarked, grinning. 

“I… Look, Cailyn, I–” Ashe began.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re sorry. I get it. We can talk about it later, but we’ve been waiting for you so we can eat, so sit your big ass down and let’s have some pizza!” She grabbed the chair beside her and pulled it out a bit to indicate that she should sit there.

After the briefest moment of assuming it might be a trap, she cautiously moved over and took the offered seat. 

“Now that we’re all here,” Nate began, clearing his throat in a gesture that lacked any commanding effect whatsoever given his youthful voice. “In the wake of everything that has happened, I believe I owe you all a formal apology. I have been remiss in caring for your safety. Centuries of peace had left me complacent, and even the early warnings signs seemed insignificant. Would that I had taken the threat more seriously. I am sorry, Cailyn, for everything it has cost you, and to you Caylie, for what you have suffered as a result, and lastly to you, Ashelynn and Aiden, for failing you as well by placing you in harms’ way.”

“Hey, look, shit happens,” Cailyn shrugged. “I’d honestly rather move on and get started with this whole second chance thing.”

Caylie nodded her agreement. “Same.”

“We’ll be okay, Nate. Thank you, though.” Aiden said.

“If anyone should apologize it should be me. I got so caught up in what was going on with me and Aiden that I ignored you, Cay… and even after we got you back, I didn’t see the problems you were facing, and I let you go just as much as the others did… I’m sorry, I’m really–”

Cailyn reached over and placed a hand over Ashe’s mouth. “Shh. I forgive you. Now shut up and let’s eat.”

Ashe blinked back tears, and nodded against Cailyn’s hand.

Cailyn smiled and lowered her hand. 

“Before we dig in,” Nate said, eliciting more groans from Cailyn and Caylie, “I have one more matter of business.”

“What nowwww~?” Cailyn whined.

“I’ve come to realize how out of touch I have become with the regular world. My time secluded away in the Underground has done me a disservice in connecting with the average person.”

“You can say that again,” Caylie muttered under her breath, earning a chuckle from Cailyn.

“Yes, very funny you two,” Nate rolled his eyes. “As I was saying. Since our young Cailyn and Caylie are returning to their high school years - or beginning them for the first time, technically, in Caylie’s case - I have chosen to also begin engaging with proper schooling again.”

Everyone at the table went silent, staring at Nathaniel.

“What?” Aiden finally asked.

“I intend to reconnect with society from a foundational level. Through experience in the education system, I hope to forge a new bond to a new generation of young magical folk, and become acquainted with the methods in which modern mages are educated.”

More silence.

“You realize you’re, like, a middle school kid, right?” Caylie asked.

“That I do, Caylie. Junior High is when a proper magical education begins - with the fundamental basics. I find that to be the best place to start. Don’t you?”

“You’re kidding, right?” Cailyn asked, pulling a box of pizza closer to dish up a slice. Apparently she’d gotten sick of waiting.

“I am not. In fact, I already set up a convenient alias and the proper records while I was busy creating them for you, Cailyn. I’ll be attending school as a regular child, just like you and Caylie.” He smiled. 

“So that’s why you needed this house. School district address and plausible backstory?” Aiden asked.

“Something like that. I had hoped we might all share this space. Something else I realized I’ve been rather detached from is a proper family atmosphere.”

Everyone at the table exchanged glances before looking back at Nathaniel.

“So you want us to be your family?” Ashe asked.

“In a manner of speaking,” Nate nodded. “As far as the paperwork is concerned, Cailyn, Caylie, Aiden, and I are siblings. Aiden is taking care of us because our parents moved away for work. This house is well appointed. You’ll find three smaller bedrooms upstairs for each of us, and a master bedroom for you two.” He pointed at Aiden and Ashe.

“So wait, you really want us to all move in together and be a family?” Cailyn asked around a mouthful of pizza.

“I do indeed. What do you all say?”

“I think… you’re all weird, and I’m hungry,” Caylie said, grabbing a slice of pizza too.

“I think we’re going to need to go furniture shopping if we’re gonna make this work, assuming the rest of the house is as empty as everything but this room,” Aiden said.

“Yes, well… I had a hard time going furniture shopping in my current form. I had to settle for ordering some things online,” Nate admitted, his cheeks coloring with a blush. “Apparently stores won’t sell things to children.”

Ashe couldn’t help but smile at the mental picture of a child going into IKEA to buy furniture alone.

“So who’s going to run the Underground while you’re attending classes every day?” Aiden asked.

“You are,” Nathaniel said simply. “You and Ashe. Temporarily of course. Just until I’m ready to take over again.” 

Ashe and Aiden exchanged an incredulous look.

“Are you serious?” Ashe asked.

“I am indeed. Your magical abilities have grown quite a bit, Ashelynn, and I trust you and Aiden to manage the Underground’s affairs. It will be a good test of your ability to manage responsibility, relationship, and family ties. Something you could both use some practice at.”

Aiden looked at Nathaniel, then back at Ashe, then around the table at Cailyn and Caylie. “Yeah, okay. Guess we’re going to be one big happily magical pawn shop family.”

“Excellent!” Nathaniel smiled broadly, grabbing a slice of pizza for himself. “I look forward to this arrangement very much.”

“You’re definitely going to need to learn how to talk like a kid before you start school,” Caylie teased.

“Yeah, you talk like an old man, Nate,” Cailyn agreed.

“I… will endeavor to impr–... err, I’ll do better?”

Everyone shared a laugh at his feeble attempt, and dug into the first dinner they’d be sharing as a family in their new home.

After a long, rocky road, things were finally improving.