What Comes Around

Summary: When Cordelia's ex-husband makes a return to Enchancia with an apparent goal of winning her back, those closest to her are apprehensive about his motives, especially after Cedric unearths a startling secret about him.

Disclaimer: I only own Caledon the Cunning (though by the time I finish, I may wish I didn't, lol). Nana and Tanya belong to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Okay! *cracks knuckles* I've actually been super excited to write this story. This is going to be a situation where tons of people are involved in some manner, and what happens here will feed into things that will happen in a secondary installment (which I'm calling 'Season 2' of the post-show stories right now). Just FYI, stories from Adventures in Magic to Baby Mine will be "Season 1" of the post-show stories. Stories beginning with Familiar will be part of "Season 2." And stories that are not fully fleshed out yet but that are in progress will be part of "Season 3." More on that later. Got a LOT of stuff coming up, so hold on tight. Meanwhile, hope you enjoy this story.

Chapter 1: Once Upon a Nightmare

"I can't believe we actually have to find a non-magical book for a change," Sofia laughed as she and Cedric were on their way to the library. "I don't remember the last time that happened."

"I do," the sorcerer quipped with a smirk. "Nine years ago. I had to find a very important book on 'potassium' because my beloved apprentice apparently had a 'deficiency.'" He shrugged as Sofia flushed darkly before playfully shoving him against the wall. He laughed as he moved back over toward her. "Don't hurt the poor, innocent sorcerer, Sofia. It was that mean old steward who fed me misinformation. How was I supposed to know it was a mood swing spell?"

"Um, you're a sorcerer…and that spell exists?" She rolled her eyes good humoredly as he smiled sheepishly. "Anyway, you said we're looking for a book on what sort of mountain again?"

He paused as they reached the door to the library, opening it and smiling as she walked through first. "Morea Mountain. I wanted us to do some research on it. I've heard rather intriguing claims about it and wanted to see if any of them happen to be true. I…" He couldn't continue their discussion because he was surprised to find both his sister and niece sitting at a table together, along with Angel next to Calista with a worried expression. He frowned. "What's going on?"

"Mum apparently received a letter," Calista told him, nervously pulling on some of her loose hair as Angel gently caressed her arm to calm her down. She locked eyes with Cedric. "From my…father."

Cedric's entire demeanor shifted as he looked toward his sister. "Just burn it, Cordy. You don't need that man back in your life."

Cordelia sighed heavily as she handed him the letter, letting both him and Sofia look over it. "I wish I could, Cedric, but he's apparently already on his way here to talk to me about 'something important.' This letter was dated three days ago, so he's likely very near by now."

"How does he even know you live here now?" her brother inquired, his eyes narrowing as she shrugged and folded her arms along the table. "Granted, we grew up here, but still…"

Sofia scanned the letter and noticed the name signed at the bottom. "His name is Caledon?"

"Sofia, don't utter such obscenities," Cedric remarked, crumpling up the letter and tossing it back onto the table. "A kind, honest, loyal, lovely princess such as yourself should never have such an evil name escape your lips."

She offered him a quizzical look before loosely wrapping her arms around his left arm and looking back at Cordelia. "There's something you two aren't saying… What's the story behind this guy anyway?"

The sorceress sighed, gesturing toward the empty chairs at the table. "You might as well hear the full story. Sit down and I'll tell you." She turned toward her daughter, who appeared intrigued by the notion. She'd never said much about her ex-husband before, except that he'd gotten himself involved in some rather negative things, and she'd taken it upon herself to get Calista away from the situation when she was still just a baby. "It started many years ago…"

*Over fifteen years ago*

Cordelia looked up from her rocking chair, a fussy baby Calista squirming in her lap, as the door to her modest cottage slammed. She flinched a bit as her husband, Caledon the Cunning, shuffled in with an unsteady gait. "Where have you been?" she asked as she gently patted her daughter's back. "You've been gone for quite a few days."

Caledon was around the same height as Cedric but a bit more muscular than his brother-in-law, his dark brown hair wavy and just above his collar. His outfit was well-pressed, which consisted of a short sorcerer's robe of a deep blue color fastened together by a belt, a softer blue-hued tunic beneath the robe, and dark slacks and boots. He had a neatly trimmed goatee along his tanned face, and practically soulless brown eyes. Given the disheveled nature of his clothing and hair, it was pretty clear to the sorceress that he'd been up to something.

"Who is she?" the normally effervescent and upbeat sorceress asked simply, gently rubbing the baby's back.

The ragged man whirled on his wife, slamming his hand next to her head against the back of the chair. He growled lowly as little Calista began crying. "I don't know what you think you're insinuating, Cordelia," he began, his accent lighter than hers, but his words far heavier, "but you're not about to accuse me of something of which you have no proof."

She glared at him challengingly. "Caledon, ever since we've married, you've disappeared for random periods of time, showing up whenever you please. You weren't even here for Calista's birth." She narrowed her eyes at him, causing him to frown in response. "It's common courtesy to be with your wife and your child, not to go off galivanting whenever you feel the urge to."

"For the record," he said, stroking one long finger down her jawline, "there is no other woman in my life. However, given the current state of my woman…" He reached up, yanking her illustrious ebony wig from her head, revealing the horrendous spikey green reality she always tried to hide. He smirked as she gasped in horror. "Could you blame me for wanting an upgrade?"

Cordelia grabbed the wig back from him and nestled it in its rightful place before returning to tending to her crying daughter. "There, there, Calista. It's all right."

"And does that child ever not cry?" He rolled his eyes as he backed away from them both.

"Of course she does. You're just never here to experience it." She stood up, gently bouncing the little one to calm her down.

He folded his arms. "I'll be going on a month-long trip starting tomorrow."

Cordelia gaped at him as he walked down the hallway leading to their bedroom. "You can't be serious! Caledon, I can't take this anymore! You leave me here for days on end, sometimes weeks, already—with a helpless infant who doesn't even know you and housework beyond management. I haven't even had a proper meal since the baby was born, and yet you just head off on some precious 'adventure' every time your odious whimsy tells you to."

The man stopped at the door to their room, turning and smirking at her as she patted the baby's back. "You don't seem to understand, Cordelia. My 'adventures' as you call them are opportunities… Possibly to help better our lives. And yet you'd deny me that? Deny our child that?"

She frowned. "Our child… Indeed. If you do this, Caledon, you will never see us again. I will see to it. I will take us some place far away—"

"Where? Back to live with your parents, like the snobbish imp you are? Back to Mummy and Daddy?" He chuckled as he saw her deflate. "You're not going anywhere. And you know it." With that, he walked inside and shut the door behind him, blocking his wife and child out.

Cordelia glared at the door before glancing back at the little girl in her arms, whose innocent brown eyes were glistening with tears but also filled with such hope. "Watch me."

*Present day*

"I found out later after I did leave that he'd gotten arrested a few times for illegal use of magic, not to mention robbery and battery against a few other sorcerers."

"Wow," Sofia remarked, frowning. "Not exactly father of the year material."

"He mentioned in the letter that he'd gotten his life together," Calista said softly, sighing as the others were now turned to her. "He apparently went through intensive therapy and is trying to be a better man. I wonder…if that's true."

"It shouldn't matter, Calista," Cedric insisted, his rigid posture softening as he felt Sofia's hand gently clasp his in a calming manner. "The fact is…he often abandoned you and your mother, and he belittled her and threatened her so badly that she chose to leave. That alone should tell you what sort of man he was."

"He was," the teen echoed. "Maybe… Maybe he's changed." Before he could retaliate, she smiled lightly. "You of all people know about that, Uncle Ceddy. Remember?"

He sighed, smiling softly as Sofia leaned against his arm. "I know. And I know that people can change, but…"

"Don't worry, Cedric," Cordelia interjected. "I've no interest in reconciliation with him or anything. I'll just politely tell him to bugger off and proceed with our lives as normal."

"That would probably be best, Cordy."

Angel reached out to Calista and took her hand, smiling as she looked at him. "I do not want to dissuade you from meeting your father, but please permit me one thing."

"What?"

"Allow me to be there with you. I do not want you to get hurt, even if he claims that he has changed. Also, what sort of boyfriend would I be if I did not support and protect my Chante?"

Calista blushed lightly before smiling and nodding. "Okay, Angel. I guess…we'll see what happens."

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Caledon the Cunning