10K!!! Love you guys so much! ENJOY!
*****
Camila walks down the street, on her way to work for the remainder of the day. Twelve years since her daughter disappeared. Twelve years there's been a hole in her heart, holding out the tiniest bit of hope, her baby Luz is still out there. Twelve years, coming up on thirteen.
After Luz disappeared, the first three years were the worst, but after Camila got the push she needed, she got back up on her feet and started living again. It was hard, but Camila's mother Jeanne never gave up on her. She held her daughter's hand every step of the way.
After Luz's seventh year of missing, Camila made the decision to move out of her mother's house and get her own place. Now the old house she had with Luz and James was sold to another couple, but that didn't matter. Camila didn't want to move back there anyway. She also got her old job back at the hospital as a nurse.
With her new start, Camila slowly got back into dating. At first, it was difficult, but she got the hang of it again pretty quickly. She ended up dating her friend Jacob, who was incredibly kind and a doctor at the hospital she worked at. They dated for about three years, then got married. Camila was now happy once again after the tragic period of her life. After a year of being married, Camila and Jacob had a baby boy named Hugo. Finally, Camila had a family again, and she could smile with purpose.
As hard as it is to hear, Luz became a distant memory. The human mother gave up hope and held a funeral for her lost child after five years of her disappearance. She visits her empty grave once a year on her birthday, but that's it.
It was Hugo's second birthday today and Camila was baking a cake while Jacob plays with his son. She hum's a song, very out of tune, while she cracks the egg's into the bowl of ingredients. "Jacob? Can you help me turn on the oven timer? Es demasiado confuso para mi."
Jacob walks into the kitchen laughing "Darling. I'm trying here. I really am. But I don't understand what you just said to me. Something about confusing?" He walks behind Camila and hugs her from behind, kissing her head with a big smile.
"Close! I said it's too confusing for me. Can you do it for me?" Camila smiles at her husband's embrace and leans into his kisses.
Jacob turn's his wife around and kisses her passionately. He pulls away "HarÃa cualquier cosa por ti." He smiles, proud of himself.
Camila laughs out loud "How long did that take you to perfect?"
Jacob rolls his eyes and laughs along with his wife "I practice that line in the mirror every morning before work." He winks at her and sets the oven to bake the cake properly. The two are laughing, enjoying each other's company when Hugo starts to cry. Jacob sighs with a smile still on his face "I got him. You relax a bit."
Camila thanks him and he exits the room to attend to their child. She takes a deep breath, thanking the heavens she got this second chance. While Camila is enjoying the moment, her phone starts to ring. "Hm. Unknown number. Wonder who this could be." She picks up her phone and answers the call "Hello?"
~~
Eda and Lilith walk through the portal with scarves wrapped around their heads to cover their pointy ears. When Eda walks off into the woods, Lilith takes each step with hesitation "Edalyn!" Eda turns and looks at her sister like she's late and needs to get going "What are we doing here! I don't think this a good idea, whatever it is you are planning."
Eda turns back around and continues on her path, determined "Lilly, there's no time to explain. We have to get going."
Lilith runs to catch up with her sister and grabs her arm, forcing her to stop and face her once again "Edalyn! Tell me why we are here or I'm dragging us both back through the portal."
"HA! You couldn't even if you tried!" Lilith just looks Eda in the eyes, signaling for her to start talking. Eda sighs and rips her arm out of her sister's grasp "Fine. I'm going to find the human's mother."
"WHAT!" Lilith yells and scares Eda a bit with the tone of her voice "And do what exactly? Go up to the human's mother and say 'Hey we're from a different realm. Oh, by the way, your long-lost daughter is the ruler of that realm. Wanna see her?'"
Eda shrugs and crosses her arms "No!" The wild witch pauses and throws her arms in the air "Fine! Maybe! I just know Luz needs to meet her."
Lilith grabs the bridge of her nose and collects her temper, not wanting to set her sister off in any way "Sister. Luz has the flier with her mother's number on it. Correct?" Eda nods, agreeing "If Luz wants to meet her mother, she'll do it on her own terms."
Eda listens to Lilith but continues on "But she's just a kid! She deserves a loving parent! And what about the human's mother? Doesn't she deserve to know how amazing her kid turned out to be?"
Lilith places her hands on Eda's shoulders "Yes. But when Luz is ready. It's not your place."
"Like hell, it isn't! That kid is being controlled constantly by everyone around her. She deserves a win!" Eda is not yelling, pushing her sister's hands off of her.
"And what happens when her mother meets her?" Eda stops yelling and listens to Lilith's logic "Don't you think her mother would want her to come back to the human realm and live with her? Luz can't exactly just get up and leave the Boiling Isles you know!" Eda scoffs knowing her sister has a point "Let's go back and talk to Luz about it!"
Eda snaps "Fine!! Just... Let me at least contact her and tell her Luz is alive. She at least deserves that."
Lilith shakes her head in disapproval "Edalyn no! That will only make her wonder who you are and where Luz is. Just leave it. Please!"
"Fine. Just... I'm already here, I might as well do a human junk run." Lilith nods in relief and heads back to the portal to return to her home realm. Eda watches her sister disappear completely and smirks deviously "Right after I call a certain human."
Eda runs to the house Luz and she stopped by the day they went shopping. She eagerly knocked on the door until someone opened to door. "Hello?"
Eda, not wasting another second "YOU GOT ANY OF THOSE MISSING KID FLIERS? I THINK I JUST SAW HER!!"
The man at the door scoffs "I doubt it but sure." He closes the door for a moment, only to return with a piece of paper with Luz's picture on it with a number on it. "Here you go."
Eda snatches the paper and runs off. She gathers human change she's gathered up and runs to one of their communication booths they have stationed around. She places the silver pieces in the slots and dials the number on the bottom of the flier.
Eda's heart began to beat through her chest. Suddenly the moment became real, and her palms got sweaty at the anticipation. She hesitantly presses the final number, for the communication device to start ringing. Now, Lilith's voice rings in her head, telling her to hang up.
*RING*
*RING*
*RING*
*RING*
*RING*
*RING*
"Hello?"
"Hi! Is this the..." Eda suddenly had a lump in her throat. Lilith was right she shouldn't be doing this. But she had to. For Luz! "Is this Mrs. Noceda?"
A gasp appeared on the other line "Yes. May I ask who is calling?"
Eda is torn. Lilith was one hundred percent right. What is she doing? This is going to break this poor human apart. "Um..." Eda sighs in defeat "Nevermind. Sorry for bothering you." Eda hangs the device back up and cringes at herself. "I'm sorry Luz. I couldn't do it." Eda walks out of the booth defeated, kicking herself for the stupid idea. Eda just wanted to go home, so she grabbed an actual trash can, and dragged it into the woods, to the portal back to the Boiling Isles.
Eda reaches out for the door but stops herself. She waits and waits for the door to open on its own, but it remains closed. Eda says out loud to herself "I'm really going to regret this later!"
Eda drops the garbage and runs back to the human booth of communication and dials the same number as before. It rings again, signaling the call is going through.
*RING*
*RING*
*RING*
*RING*
*RING*
*RING*
"Hello?"
Eda takes a deep breath "Listen, I'm a stranger and you don't know me. But I know your daughter Luz." Silence filled the other line. Eda grew worried "Hello? Mrs. Noceda?"
"Excuse me?" That's all the human could say.
"I can take you to her but we have to leave now!" Eda is spatting out words, not thinking straight.
Silence overtakes the other side of the call. A moment passed, then two, then three.
Camila was in shock. After all these years, someone claims they know where Luz is. After all this time, she can maybe see her daughter again. "Luz?" That's all she could say. Just the name she gave her daughter fourteen years ago.
Eda realizes the shock she might be in "Mrs. Noceda. If you don't believe me that's fine, but if you really believe me, meet me by your old house in an hour. If you don't show, I'll never call again." Eda hangs up the phone and hits herself in the head. "Oh boy. What did I just do?"
Camila slowly puts her phone down on the table. She was previously getting ready to sing happy birthday to her son but now is flooded with all kinds of emotions. Jacob walks into the kitchen with Hugo in his arms when he notices his wife is pale. "Camila? What's wrong?"
She just looks at Jacob, and back down at her phone that lies silently on the table "I-" Camila struggles to find the words "I think someone called to tell me they know where- where Luz is." The mother sits still, not knowing how to react. Is this a blessing? Could this be a prank? A million different scenarios went through the widow's mind.
Jacob looks at her wide-eyed. "Well?"
"Well, what?" Camila is processing everything, not meeting Jacob's stares.
"Are you going to check it out? It's been twelve years!" He holds his son, swaying him back and forth, waiting for his wife to react. Camila remained silent and just shrugged. Jacob places his son onto the chair and kneels down in front of his love and meets her gaze "I think you should go check it out. It's a shot in the dark, but if there's the slightest chance you can see her, I think you should take it."
Camila just nods her head and gets up. The woman is in a state of shock and disbelief. All these years, and there's a possibility she gets to see her baby girl again. She gets to see a glimpse of James again. She grabs her phone and car keys and heads for the door. She stops and glances back at her husband and he just gives her a reassuring nod. Camila lets out a small smile and heads for her old home.
Eda shuffles on the sidewalk, fidgeting with her mane. The witch has been waiting for forty-five minutes and is slowly losing hope Luz's biological mother will even show up. Before Eda lost all hope, a car pulls up, and a human female exits the transportation vehicle.
Eda's eyes open wide at the resemblance. "Mrs. Noceda?" Camila just nods, her eyes darting around, looking for her long-lost daughter. Eda notices "Luz's not here. She's back where she grew up."
A tear falls from Camila's eye. This is the first news she's heard of her baby girl in years. "Ca- can I see her?"
Eda sighs and know's what she's about to say is going to make her look insane "Mrs. Noceda it's better if I just take you to her. But what you're about to go through is a lot. You're not going crazy."
Another tear escapes the human's eye "I don't care. Just bring me to her. Please." Eda nods and motions Camila to follow her. They begin their walk into the woods. Camila is curious and nervous "How did you find her?"
Eda sighs while walking across the fallen sticks and leaves in the forest "I only met her not long ago. But I only recently came across a flier and put the two and two together. Now, here we are." Eda and Camila come across the abandoned cabin and the witch just prepares for the human's reaction "Now, what you're about to see. It might- It's going to be hard to believe."
Camila looks extremely nervous now but just nods and follows the stranger to the cabin. "You're not going to murder me or anything, right?"
"Na! That's not really my thing. Just don't freak out." Eda slowly opens the door, revealing a bright light.
Eda takes a deep breath and looks at the dumbfounded human. The witch shakes her head, knowing this is a bad idea, and pulls Camila through the portal where her daughter has grown up. The two walk through and end up in the Owl House with Lilith and King conversing on the couch.
Lilith gets up as the door opens and starts to talk "Oh my Titan, Edalyn you will not believe the story King-" The witch stops talking when she notices a human that resembles Luz standing next to her sister. "Edalyn. Who's your new friend." Lilith forcing a smile, not wanting the actual answer.
Eda gives her sister a crooked smile and pulls Camila forward, making the portal fold up and disappear. "Lilly! I brought a guest! Luz's mom, meet Lilly. Lilly, Luz's mom"
Camila waves, extremely confused about what just happened. "Hola! What the heck just happened?"
Lilith smiles trying not to snap "Hello. May I just grab my sister for a moment?" The witch grabs Eda by the arm and drags her to the other side of the living room gritting her teeth "ARE YOU INSANE!!" Lilith says in a whisper "Edalyn! Out of all the dumb ideas, THIS!" She motions to Camila who is looking around the room. "THIS is you're worst!"
Eda crosses her arms and rolls her eyes "Luz deserves to meet her mother. I don't care if she's ready or not!"
Camila walks over to king and pets him "Hi cutie. What's your name?"
King stands up and swats her hand away "I am the King of demons! I am not a cutie! I don't care if you are Luz's mother!"
Camila screams and falls back "WH- YOU CAN TALK? WHERE AM I? I'M DEAD! AM I IN THE BAD PLACE?"
Lilith and Eda snap their attention to the screaming human and run to her aid. Lilith helps her up and tries to reassure her "You're not dead. Just in another realm. My sister had no right bringing you here. I'll take you home and erase your memory."
"WHAT! NO! I don't care where I am, whether it's in another realm or where ever this place is, I want to find my daughter!" Camila stands and look's at the Clawthorne sisters with pleading eyes "Please! I know she's here. That little cat thing said her name and I see that you recognize the name, so please!"
Eda looks at her with sympathetic eyes. She turns to her aggravated sister "Lilly. She deserves to meet her daughter."
"She's going to kill us!" Lilith sighs and rubs the back of her neck, terrified of how Luz will react. "Fine. But not yet. Let her mother adjust to the Boiling Isles, and we'll get Luz tomorrow. Deal?"
Eda smiles and nods. Camila heard and runs up to the witches and gives them the biggest hug "THANK YOU! Let me just tell my family I won't be home."
"Your what?" Eda says as her heart drops from her chest.
~~
Luz sits on her throne silently, listening to the constant pumping of the bile sac behind her, synchronizing with her own heartbeat, and thinking of the previous night with Amity. Luz is currently in a good mood when a faint voice appears"Luzzzz. I have upsetting news for you." Luz rolls her eyes and sits up straight on her throne, closing her eyes to meditate so she can talk with the Titan.
"What do you want?" Luz says through her gritted teeth.
The Titan stands in his cage and grabs the bars with his coarse hands and sticks his head in between the bars "So as you know, I have a connection with the island, considering it's my fallen body."
"Yes." Luz rubs her temples in annoyance "You never fail to mention it! Now get to the point. I have a meeting soon."
The Titan smiles "Well, I feel all the magic. Including strange portals that happen to pop up here and there. Portals like Eda's door to the human realm."
Luz looks up slightly "Yeah so? Eda's whole business is selling human junk!"
"Mmmm" The Titan hums in agreement "Very true. But since when was it her job to bring other humans to the Boiling Isles?"
With the last words leaving the Titan's mouth, all the blood rushes away from the human's face. "What..?"
"Yup. Your wild witch went to the human realm and picked herself up a human that kind of resembles you." The Titan removes his grip from the bars and sits down. "I believe I heard the name Camila pop up? Name ring any bells?"
Luz's eyes shot open, revealing bright red, scaring all the guards present in the throne room. She gets up and yells, shaking the whole castle as the bile sac above her throne pounds in anger "KIKIMORA!"
Kiki runs into the throne room, scared of the human's eyes "Y- yes my l- liege?"
Luz's eyes glow more, illuminating the petite creature in front of her "GET THE CLAWTHORNE SISTER'S HERE! NOW!"
"W- where would they even b- be?" Kiki is shaking, consumed with fear.
"THEY'RE AT THE OWL HOUSE! NOW GO! I DON'T WANT YOU WASTEING ANOTHER MOMENT!" Luz balls both her fists, creating a red aroma around her hands. The bile sac, pounding, shaking the whole castle.
The Titan sits back and watches Luz fill with rage, waiting for her to finally snap.