Hello there!

Sorry, this chapter is incredibly long, which is why it took me so long. I appreciate you all and your lovely comments. Hopefully, I'll have the next chapter up sooner than I did with this one. Also, I am putting this story on AO3 as well, so if you use that platform check this story out! Thank you!

Stay safe and healthy!

Chapter 8

"What have you and Miss Mould been doing every day after class?" Ethel asked, narrowing her eyes at Mildred as soon as she crossed the threshold of their shared dorm room, "I know it isn't about the family tree project or whatever you've been telling Maud and Enid!"

Mildred blinked, she was not expecting to be interrogated as she got back to her dorm room. She was very tempted to walk straight back out and right into Hecate's quarters but knowing Ethel's current mood she had a feeling that the girl would follow her no matter what.

She sighed heavily, "Why do you even want to know, Ethel?"

"It seems like you only ever get special treatment now that you've been adopted by Miss Hardbroom." Ethel huffed out, "It's hardly fair!"

"I'm not getting any special treatment!" Mildred fired back.

"Oh yeah? Then why are you lantern monitor this year?" Ethel questioned, crossing her arms from her desk chair. Oh, so that was it-she was jealous of her. Mildred wanted so bad to rub it in her face more, but she knew that would get them nowhere closer to friendship. She did tell her mum that she was trying her best to be civil with the girl.

"All the teachers decided that, Ethel." Mildred emphasized.

"Including your own adopted mother." Ethel sneered, "You're a cheat, Mildred Hubble."

"I'm not a cheat, Ethel." Mildred defended, as she sat down on her own chair and desk to get started on her project, "If you have that much of a problem about it, why not go to Miss Cackle?"

Ethel was about to retort something when their dorm room door burst open to Sybil Hallow entering, but to Mildred's surprise she was without Clarice and Beatrice. Mildred had a soft spot for the trio; they somehow made her think of her, Maud, and Enid all over again. From the looks of it Sybil seemed to be in a huge panic about something.

Her entrance seemed to peeve off Ethel more, "Did you ever hear of knocking, Sybil?"

"I'm sorry, Ethel-It's just-It's just-Well, Beatrice is terribly sick with something!" Sybil bit her lip nervously, "And she doesn't want anyone to know, but she's getting worse!"

"How is that my problem?" Ethel commented, as she threw herself onto her bed lazily.

"You have to help her! Someone has too!" Sybil searched for her sister's support, but finding none she turned to Mildred, "Mildred, could-could you help us?"

"Of course, Sybil, but I do think you need a teacher-" Mildred ever so gently said to the first year.

"Beatrice, would have my head if I got someone to help her-She-She said that she wouldn't be my friend if I went to a teacher." Sybil buzzed with worry, "I just couldn't do that-You see-You have to see-"

"Sybil, calm down." She grasped the young girl's shoulders, "I'll help you. I'm sure Miss Hardbroom has some kind of potion to help her that I could knick for you, but first I need to see Beatrice, to see what her symptoms are first."

Sybil looked on the verge of tears but nodded gratefully at the older girl. Sybil glared at her older sister by the doorway, "Thanks for all your help, Ethel." She turned out the dorm room for Mildred to follow her to wherever Beatrice's whereabouts where.

Sybil wasn't joking about how bad Beatrice was. Her bed was soaked with sweat, and her breath labored. The girl seemed to toss and turn with uncontrollable tremors throughout her body like she was struck by lightning. Mildred noticed that there were lilac-colored spots forming on her like they were going to bloom into something dreadful. Clarice was by her side holding the young girl's hand and keeping a cool rag on her forehead.

"She's getting worse!" Clarice panicked at them, "We have to do something!"

Mildred went to the girl's side, placing a hand on the girl's forehead like her mum used to do-Mildred's breath hitched a little. When was the last time that she thought of her real mum? How selfish-Now wasn't the time. Mildred hand shot back after one touch to Beatrice's forehead it was as hot as a lit stovetop. The thing Mildred wasn't sure about was whether it was a bad reaction to something Beatrice was allergic too or was it a virus of some kind. She wasn't for sure and she didn't have the slightest clue what type of potions or spells Beatrice needed.

"Beatrice, can you hear me?" Mildred asked crouching down to the girl's level, "Are you allergic to anything?"

Beatrice tiredly opened one of her eyes and coughed at Mildred, "C-Cats. I'm allergic to c-cats."

"You're allergic to cats and you have a cat?" Sybil pressed her like she was nuts.

"I don't think it's an allergic reaction though, Sybil." Clarice countered, "I think we know when her allergies are acting up-"

"Your Asthma-That was just a made-up story wasn't it, Beatrice?" Sybil realized, coming closer to the girl as Beatrice pitifully nodded, "Oh, Beatrice."

"You were afraid that if you were allergic to cats you couldn't stay here, weren't you?" Clarice gathered, "Oh Beatrice, you should have just told us!"

"M'sorry." She mumbled shamefully into her nightshirt.

"If it isn't an allergic reaction then what is happening to her?" Mildred pondered, "I need to know if we are going to find a way to make you better."

"I only remember getting this sick with Ethel when we were little." Sybil mentioned, "But surely, Beatrice, you've had witches mumps before, haven't you?"

"No." The girl rasped out, both Clarice and Sybil gave an alarmed look at each other.

"I take it, that's not a good thing?" Mildred sighed.

"Witches mumps are something that you get when you're little and then if you've had it before you won't get it again. They are terribly dreadful and more dreadful if you are older when you get them." Clarice explained, shifting her glasses back up to the bridge of her nose.

Mildred paled, she never had witches mumps before….Oh, bats. This wasn't good, she headed for the door. Sybil halted her, "Mildred, where are you going?"

"Sybil, we have to tell a teacher." Sybil looked like she and Beatrice were going to protest, "I don't know how to heal witches mumps and by the looks of things it's only going to get worse. I'm sorry, but I have to tell a teacher so they can help you, Beatrice. You can be mad at me later." Mildred left in a rush to find any teacher out and about to help her.

Mildred noticed on her way that there was a purple spot forming on her hand where she had touched Beatrice's forehead.

Hecate thought that the school year seemed to be running smoothly with a few minor incidents here and there. It was quite a surprise that things were going as good as they have been, but things had to hit a screeching halt when all the teachers were informed to come to Ada's office immediately. All the teachers were told to send all the girls back to their dorm rooms and go straight to their emergency meeting. Miss Hardbroom was put on edge wondering what Ada could possibly have to tell them. She was more thrown for a loop when she saw Mildred in the meeting as well. She was looking extremely too apologetic for Hecate's liking. Oh bats. What had the foolish girl done this time?

"Mildred? What are you doing here?" Hecate's eyes zoomed in on her daughter.

Mildred gave a weak smile, and told the rest of the room the news, "Beatrice has witches mumps."

Each teacher raised an eyebrow in surprise at that, while she explained her story of how she came to find out this new knowledge. Once she was finished telling her story, Ada spoke with a calm demeanor, "First, and foremost we need to find out who else has it in the school we will divide into teams to check each dormitory. Hecate, I hope that you will help in administering a remedy to help combat this. Beatrice has now been moved to the hospital wing where she and others will remain that have it. The main thing is to remain calm and help the girls that do have it."

"There shouldn't be too many." Miss Drill commented, "Most children have it before they come here."

Hecate strolled straight to her daughter to feel her forehead she tutted at Mildred, "Not every child, Miss Drill."

Miss Drill's eyes went to Mildred, "Oh, don't tell me-"

Mildred showed her arms which were now covered with lilac-colored spots to her mother. The group of teachers behind Hecate shared a collective gasp at the sight of Mildred. Which made Mildred want to shrink from all the looks she was getting. Was this really that terrible of a virus for witches? The way she was reading the room it felt like she was doomed, or perhaps that was towards Hecate. She wasn't for sure…

Mister Rowan-Webb sympathized, "Oh, tadpole."

"I don't feel bad…yet." Mildred added, trying to ease the room full of teachers.

"I will be back shortly, Miss Cackle." Hecate declared as she grasped Mildred's shoulder to transfer them both back to her quarter.

"Feel better, Mildred." Ada smiled at the girl, "You'll be tip-top shape in no time."

"Thank you, Miss Cackle." Mildred tiredly smiled, and waved goodbye to the other teachers as the pair transferred away.

"Of course, you of all people had to get it." Hecate announced as they were back in her quarters, "What were you thinking going into an infected room like that?"

"Sybil was almost in tears about it-"

"Sybil could have found a teacher-"

"I told you she didn't want anyone to know-"

"Yes, yes, I remember." Hecate huffed, "Why must you be so kindhearted?"

Mildred grinned sheepishly, "It's what you love about me."

Hecate frowned, pinching the bridge of her nose, "Go put on your pajamas, Mildred, and straight to bed."

"I'm not even feeling that bad yet!" Mildred grumbled at her mother.

"You are already running a fever, Millie." Hecate revealed, "It's only going to get worse. And with someone your age with witches mumps it attacks the body faster."

"That's what Clarice said." Mildred gulped, "Is it really bad?"

"You are going to feel pretty rotten this whole week." Hecate gently told her as she guided Mildred to her room.

"A week?" Mildred shouted, but her throat screamed back at her.

"Hush," Hecate shooed her into her bedroom, and went over to Mildred's dresser pulling out a pair of the young girl's pajamas, "I will tell you more about it as soon as I see that you've made your way to your bed."

"I can pick out my clothes myself, you know." Mildred pouted, as Hecate handed her the pair she had pulled out, "I'm not that little."

"Then do as I say." Hecate sharply said, and Mildred flinched a little at the tone. She knew her patience was wearing thin, but Mildred might not be the only one along with Beatrice to have it. She had to make sure that they had enough potions to administer it out to all the other girls. There was also a tightness in Hecate's heart where she felt guilty just to be leaving Mildred alone for a few hours. There was a lot for her to do but being hard-hearted would get her nowhere.

She sat beside Mildred tilting her chin up at her, she winced noticing that the purple bumps had started traveling up her neck, "I have to go back to Ada's office, but I'll be straight back here as soon as I'm done. I might even have one of the teachers come in and check on you-Don't argue with me-I know you can take care of yourself, but you have no clue what witches mumps are and it would put me at ease knowing someone was here with you."

Mildred slumped back in her bed defeated, "Alright."

"I'll be back soon." Hecate stood, but narrowed her eyes at Mildred, "Behave."

With a snap she was gone.

Mildred did as her mother asked her too, putting on the pajamas that had printed black cats and colorful potion bottles all over them, and after that she went straight to bed. She curled up in her comforter as she soon realized she was still cold. She went to grab a blanket that she kept at the foot of her bed to put over the top of her comforter. She tucked herself back in and hit her head on the pillow. It wasn't long till she found herself taking a long-overdue nap.

Mildred woke up in a couple of hours feeling terrible. Everything hurt. Her throat, her ears, and the light purple bumps on her skin were terribly itchy. In her head, she thought that Witches Mumps had to be similar to that of chickenpox, which Mildred never had either. Though, this was seeming to be worse than chickenpox. She went to scratch at a spot that was driving her insane, when a hand reached out to stop her.

"No, no, my dear, don't scratch at them." Mildred blinked herself awake to see that Miss Bats was in the chair beside her bed, "They'll ooze out if you scratch them."

"Ooze? Did you say ooze?" Mildred's voice cried out. She grabbed at her throat it was on fire! Miss Bat heard her record scratch of a voice and handed her a glass of water she gulped down as much as she could. It coated her throat for a moment of relief to ask, "Mum?"

"She's working on making you and the other girls' potions to feel better." Miss Bats took back the glass of water and put it back on the nightstand, "Go back to sleep, Mildred, I'm sure she'll be there when you wake up."

Mildred lowered herself back down to her pillow, "Other girls?"

"Oh, it's only a handful of first years that have it. They'll be right as rain soon. Miss Cackle seems to think that they caught all the cases at Cackle's, but only time will tell." Miss Bats shrugged, sitting down in her chair again she started humming.

Then the humming became singing. A lullaby. Miss Bats was chanting…She sang so beautifully…She wondered if she ever sang professionally…It was so…She closed her eyes…

"Mildred."

She shot up out of bed to turn to face her father…Hermes.

"What are you doing here?" Mildred screeched, or tried too. Her voice had gone silent. Nothing came out. She clawed at her throat. Something was wrong. She tried casting a spell, but it was like her magic was gone. She called for her mother, Pippa, anybody, but her voice fell silent. What had he done?

"I'm here to take you away. Miss Broomhead decided she wanted me as your rightful guardian." He announced, he looked smug smirking at her, "And good thing too. That horrible Hecate will no longer be in your life."

She closed her eyes. It was the fever…It was a dream…It was…

"Thank you for giving your magic to me, Mildred." Suddenly her father had transformed into Agatha Cackle, "Such a shame to see a witch of your talent go to waste, nonetheless thank you Mildred."

Mildred jumped out of her bed to run at her, but as soon as she caught up to her. She was gone. The ground crumbled under her feet, and she fell through. She landed on the forest floor before Hecate and Pippa's feet. Large oaks looming over her just as Pippa and Hecate were. She looked up, Pippa spat at her, "You did this!"

"What?" Mildred breathed, her voice it was back!

"You changed her." Pippa sneered.

Mildred looked to where Pippa pointed where Hecate sat hollow like the trees around them. Nothing was there. No sneer, no smirk, nor smile at her. Hecate was like a blank sheet of paper head to toe. Mildred could feel nothing on her but a cold chill traveled down her spine gazing upon Hecate's vacant stare. Mildred's heart race, "What happened?"

"You wanted to change her. You did this." Pippa pushed her away from Hecate, "You've done enough. Leave. Just go."

"Mama, I can fix it! I can-" Pippa pushed her with such force she fell through the forest floor.

She landed back in her bed. Not in her bed at Cackles's or Hecate's quarters, but in her mum's old flat.

"Mildred." A hand brushed her face with a wet rag, "Millie?"

Her mum. Her biological mum. Julie Hubble. Staring at her with her forehead creased with worry. Mildred threw her arms around her and sobbed, "Mum, oh, mum. You're here. You're alive." Her mum scooped her up into her lap even though Mildred was far too old for, but she didn't care. She had her mum back! She was here!

"Millie," She rubbed the girl's back, "You have to wake up."

"Mum, I am awake! You're here! You're here!" Mildred cheered, squeezing her mother so tight afraid she would disappear, "I missed you! How did you come back?"

"Oh, Millie." Her mother wrapped her tighter, "Please, please, wake up."

Hecate didn't expect that she would be gone as long as she did it seemed that they did not have enough of the potion that helped ease some of the symptoms of witches mumps. Before, they never really did have a need for it seeing as though not many ever got it, but now Hecate knew better. Once she was finished, she delivered the potions to each girl that had it, and then she found her way back to Mildred to give her one of them as well.

She transferred back with Mildred's potion in hand, where Miss Drill was holding Mildred down in her bed along with Miss Cackle. Mildred twitched and trembled in their grasped sobbing trying to escape their hold. Hecate rushed straight over to her daughter, "Mildred!"

"Mum, make it stop! Make her stop!" Mildred cried for her mother.

"What hurts?" Hecate examined her head to toes searching for the source of it all.

"It's Agatha! She's hurting me!" Mildred's eyes twisted at Ada angrily.

Hecate looked to Dimity and Ada, "What's going on?"

"She's been struggling with her fever, they've turned into fever dreams!" Miss Drill shouted over top of Mildred's screams.

"Give her the potion now, Hecate!" Ada demanded holding down the girl's legs as best as she could, "Hurry, before Dimity and I lose our grasps!"

"No, mum-Mum! Don't listen to her! She's lying!" Mildred screamed.

Hecate nodded, and caught Mildred's shaking head with her one hand and pried the girl's mouth open. She uncorked the potion with her teeth and poured it into her daughter's mouth. She choked a little, sputtering out some of the potion, but she swallowed as Hecate held her nose to get her to swallow it whole. The potion affected Mildred's twitching and trembling quickly, making her still for the moment. She still had a slight twitch that would happen every few seconds, but nothing as bad as before. Dimity and Ada let go of their tight grasp of the girl. Mildred kept crying, mumbling in her sleep.

"Can you hand me that wet rag?" She asked Dimity, and she nodded handing over the rag, "Thank you, Dimity. Thank you both for looking after her."

She let them watch as she wiped the corners of Mildred's mouth gently swiping away where the potion slipped out. Then she wiped the rest of Mildred's face of her own sweat and tears as she said in the softest voice she could muster, "There we go, Millie." From the back of her head she knew that Dimity's mouth was agape at how delicate she was with Mildred.

She growled a little at the two witches behind her, "You can both go now. I have it from here."

"I have no doubt that you do, Hecate." Ada commended her on a job well done, "Let's go see how the other girls are doing, Miss Drill."

"Right." Miss Drill nodded vacantly, still in shock by the sight of how sweet Miss Hardbroom could be, "Um, HB?"

Hecate shoulders deflated turning towards Dimity slowly, "What is it, Dimity?"

"It's good to see this side of you." Miss Drill commented, "At first, when I heard the news that you would be adopting Mildred-I well-I didn't think it was a good idea at the time, but now-"

"I'm not so much a bitch now, am I?" Hecate finished for her, staring at Miss Drill with an intense fierceness. She knew what they all called her, and she knew who came up with it. Words hurt, but Hecate never showed that she cared enough to change what others thought of her. They weren't worth the time in her day.

Miss Drill's face winced at the horrid name she called the woman behind her back, "I am sorry, Hecate."

"It's no matter now." Hecate waved it off as she always did, as she began to dote on Mildred like a worried hen with her chick.

"It is." Miss Drill affirmed, "I'll make it up to you, HB."

"How about calling me by my name?" Hecate offered, raising an eyebrow in the direction of Dimity.

Dimity flushed, "Right, Hecate." She nodded apologetically once more before leaving the room.

Feeling like she now had privacy with her daughter she tried to soothe her, "Mildred." She brushed her daughter's face with the wet rag, "Millie?"

Mildred slowly cracked her eyes open, but once fully open Mildred threw her arms around her and sobbed, "Mum, oh, mum. You're here. You're alive again!"

Oh, Millie. Hecate's heart cracked. Mildred thought she was Julie. Were her cries before about Julie as well? Or was she-It didn't matter. Mildred needed her now. She wrapped Mildred up into her lap crushing her into her hold. She was still having a fever dream, "Millie," She rubbed the girl's back, "You have to wake up."

"Mum, I am awake! You're here! You're here!" Mildred cheered, squeezing her mother so tight afraid she would disappear, "I missed you! How did you come back?"

"Oh, Millie." Her mother wrapped her tighter, "Please, please, wake up."

"Mum, mum, why are you crying?" Mildred asked, turning her face at Hecate, "You're back and I'm here! You shouldn't be sad."

Hecate said nothing in return.

Mildred woke to feel like she had been hit by a train twice over. Her body ached all over, but it seemed that the purple mumps that had formed on her body were smaller than before. That must be progress, Mildred thought, but she still felt crummy. Her sinuses were all congested, and her throat had a slight tingle of pain. Nonetheless, she knew she felt some better than she had been.

She wiped her eyes and yawned as she stretched before rising in her bed. Her bones and muscles burned as she did. She turned to look for anyone to be in the chair beside her to her surprise there was no one there this time. Huh. Funny. She expected Hecate, or even a teacher to be by her side, but when she glanced at the clock in her room, she realized that it was very early in the morning enough so that her mother was sleeping. How long had she been out for?

Her stomach grumbled. Ah. It seemed that it was long enough to miss dinner. Mildred threw off her covers and stood from her bed deciding to make herself a small snack. She tiptoed into the kitchen she was sure that Hecate needed her rest from the long day of potion brewing and to taking care of Mildred. She looked into the pantry like a tiny mouse scouring for food. Suddenly, the light in the kitchen turned on.

"Millie, what in the name of the Great Wizard are you doing up?" Hecate sighed as Mildred looked as though she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Mildred let out a tiny gasp seeing her mother. She had dark rings over her eyes, her hair was disheveled from its neat bun, and it seemed that she was still in her clothes from yesterday, "Come on, Millie, back to bed."

"I was just getting a snack, Mum." Mildred said.

Hecate stilled. Shamefully looking away from Mildred's eyes, "Millie, I thought we talked about this?"

Talked about what? Was what Mildred was going to say, but Pippa came down from the hallway sharing a similar appearance to Hecate.

"What's going on?" Pippa yawned, she saw Mildred, "Mildred, dear, not again."

"Pippa!" Mildred exclaimed happily, "When did you get here?"

Hecate's tired eyes widened, "Mildred?"

"What?" Mildred tilted her head, as Hecate timidly put out a hand to check her forehead, "What is it, mum?"

Hecate turned to Pippa, "Her fever is finally gone."

"Oh, thank the Great Wizard." Pippa praised, checking Mildred's forehead as Hecate did before but then she caressed her cheek, "It looks like her mumps are fading away now too, Hiccup."

Hecate nodded, taking her own hand to grab and examine Mildred's whole left arm, "This last batch of potions I added extra foxglove it seemed to do the trick."

"Will someone explain to me what you are talking about?" Mildred asked angrily she didn't like being talked about like she wasn't even there. She backed up from her two nurses, "How long have I been sleeping?"

Pippa and Hecate looked between each other on who would get to decide to talk to her first, "I'll make us all some cocoa and maybe some biscuits for you as well, Millie." Pippa broke the silence, waving her hand to magic out the supplies she needed.

"You haven't been sleeping exactly, Mildred." Hecate explained, "Witches Mumps are notorious for giving a person wild fever dreams."

"How long have I had fever dreams?" She asked, preparing for the worst.

"Two days." Hecate's tongue clicked out, "The potion that I've been giving out to all the girls is supposed to help the fever dreams and tremors that everyone gets with witches mumps, but it wasn't working for you. It was clear the potions needed to be a higher dosage, but I couldn't figure out which ingredient-I was so stupid I should have tried foxglove on the first try-"

"Hecate, you've beat yourself to death over this, please stop." Pippa pleaded desperately, as she stopped from pouring warm milk into three mugs, "The main thing is that Mildred is feeling much better."

"I am feeling a lot better." Mildred softly added, "Thank you."

Hecate didn't say anything more, but Mildred still had questions, "What were my fever dreams even about?"

Once again Pippa and Hecate shared a look with each other.

"You did it again!" Mildred pointed her finger at both of them.

"Did what?"

"You looked at each other when I asked about what my fever dreams were about." Mildred claimed as they shared a look once more in front of her, "See! You did it again!"

Hecate slouched back into a kitchen chair, which was so out of character for her that Mildred thought she was in another fever dream, "We can discuss this more in length later, Mildred." Pippa sat down a mug of cocoa in front of her and a plate of biscuits as well.

Pippa took to Hecate's side as they both took a sip of their own drink, "We do want to tell you, Mildred, but I'm afraid that we are both quite exhausted for the moment."

Mildred nodded, but she could feel the worry of them both about the subject of her fever dreams. What did she do? Or rather what did she say to them? It made Mildred feel uneasy about it all, but they seemed to be happy that she was back to normal…well, almost normal. She felt just as exhausted as they did.

They all finished their drinks and shared a few biscuits before Mildred was off to bed again.

"Mildred, slow down you're going to make yourself sick…again." Hecate reprimanded her again for the fourth time that morning.

Mildred was tucking into her breakfast, eating with such gusto forgetting her manners as she tore through the food on her plate. Hecate had mentioned that they had a hard time getting her to eat anything when she had her fever, so it wasn't a surprise when she went for a third time grabbing a piece of bacon. Things were as quiet as they were when they all were sipping on hot chocolate that same morning.

Mildred was almost afraid to ask about anything, but she knew they were expecting her too, "So what happened?"

Hecate set down her silverware bluntly saying, "You thought I was your mother."

"You are." Mildred dumbly said.

"No, Mildred, you thought I was your other mother." Hecate sadly said.

"Oh." Mildred dropped her silverware down.

"You need to still eat, Millie." Pippa piped up.

"Who did I think you were, Pippa?" Mildred countered; she couldn't eat now her stomach felt in knots.

Pippa dodged Mildred's eyes as she said, "You saw me as many things, Mildred, as you did with others as well."

"Who all was here?" Mildred gripped her braid with worry.

"Mildred, breathe." Hecate commanded, "No one blames you for what you said or saw when you had your fever."

Mildred felt a prick of a lie through her words Mildred's head snapped up to her mother's eyes, "You are lying."

"What?" Hecate blinked at her, "I'm not lying I don't blame you-"

"You're lying about something-I dunno what." Mildred said, "You can't lie to an empath."

Pippa interrupted, "Hecate and I, believe that you haven't processed things…"

"I've processed plenty of things!" Mildred defended.

"No, you haven't, Mildred." Hecate said coolly, "Your mother's passing is a prime example of something that you've kept to yourself."

Mildred twisted with hot embarrassment and guilt flooding her system, "I'm sorry that I thought you were her-"

"Mildred, I am not looking for any apology that you miss your mother. It is perfectly normal for anyone to miss who they've lost." Hecate hotly said.

"I know that!" Mildred jumped, "I just-It must have been hard for you-To hear me-To think that-"

"Ah. I see." Hecate nodded, "While it was an arduous trial to get through, I did have Pippa to help me, among others as well, but Mildred I want you not to feel guilty about anything that you said. It's completely understandable….I fear though that you are tiptoeing around things that bother you."

Pippa chimed in as well, "Mildred, during your dreams you were quite aware that you felt that Hecate and I might change our minds about you."

Panic clawed at Mildred's heart, "What do you mean?"

Hecate treaded carefully with her next words, "You are afraid we don't love you unconditionally."

Mildred recoiled at that, "I don't think that."

"Funny thing about empaths they can tell when we lie, but sometimes they are just as easy to read." Hecate rounded on her.

"I'm not lying!" Mildred tried convincing them, "Besides, it was a fever dream-A dream! Dreams aren't real."

"Millie, dear, most dreams are what our subconscious is worrying about the most." Pippa sensibly said, taking a sip of her tea.

"Everyone has worries!" Mildred brushed it off.

"Not everyone imagines me as their dead mother." Hecate countered.

"I said I was sorry-"

"I told you I don't want you to-"

"Apologize, I know, but why are you both making me feel bad about all this?" Mildred asked, slouching in her chair in defeat, "I don't even remember anything I said! Or what I saw!"

Pippa soothed her, "Millie, Hecate or I did not mean for it to sound that way."

"Mildred, look at me." Hecate demanded, Mildred slowly rolled her eyes up, "There are other things that you saw and said for the past two days that have left Pippa and I-rather speechless-or unsure what to do."

"What do you want me to do about it?" Mildred asked impatiently, "As I've said before I don't remember anything I did or said!"

"That's what brings Pippa and I to our next subject…" Hecate responded slowly, watching Mildred as if she was a cauldron ready to bubble over.

"We want you to go see a therapist again." Pippa finally made out.

"No." Mildred said defiantly, "Absolutely not. Not after what happened."

Pippa tried to reach for Mildred's hand to grab, but she swiftly avoided it, "Millie, Hecate and I would never let that happen to you again-"

"Then don't send me to one!" Mildred yelled, as she clenched her throat. Yikes. It felt like how nails on a chalkboard sounded.

"Mildred!" Hecate scolded, she waved her hands as a potion came flying through the air. She grabbed it, uncorked it, and put it to Mildred's mouth, "Drink." She did, glaring the whole time, as Hecate continued, "I can clearly see that you aren't happy about the prospect of this, but please don't yell I don't want you to lose your voice. You're still healing after witches mumps you have to be very careful."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Mildred said in a raspy voice, looking away from her guardian's eyes. She wanted nothing more to get right back into her bed and forget this all ever happened.

Hecate sighed, "Alright, I'll not mention it again, but the subject hasn't dropped. It's being put on hold till you get better."

"I don't care." Mildred tossed out harshly, "You wouldn't be saying this to me if I didn't get witches mumps."

"Mildred." Pippa sharply said, a tone Mildred had never heard before from her, "Let's put the discussion on a hold just as you wished."

Hecate even raised an eyebrow by Pippa's tone, but strictly turned to Mildred, "I want you straight back to bed after breakfast."

Mildred pouted a bit but nodded looking down at her plate not feeling any hunger anymore.