10 years later...

A woman of her late twenties sighed irritably while twisting the filter handle of the cappuccino machine behind the coffee counter. Pushing a loose strand of hair from her messy bun behind her ear, she pushed harder in an attempt to get it to twist. When it finally gave way in a 'clunk', she'd nearly shuttered in thinking she broke the machine. Looking at her work though, she nodded approvingly.

Only to see she twisted it the wrong way.

She huffed loudly from behind the coffee counter as she wiped her clammy hands on her apron. Turning to look at the rest of the cafe as waiters and customers went about their business as if it were another happy day. She sighed in envy just as her phone buzzed in her back pocket.

The woman pulled out her phone to read a text.

We've got the truck outback.

She nervously looked around her, before texting back.

You're here during the day!? You'll get me fired!

Hey, we had a deal, babe.

The woman looked up, tapping her forefinger against her phone anxiously. She looked down at another buzzing.

You made a deal for delivery.

At night, when it's safe.

Sweets, if you don't take this truck now, you can forget about payment. You can forget about everything.

Her nails dug into her phone, and suppressing a grunt though she was evidently fearful, she texted in agreement.

Okay, just let me finish my shift.

Whatever.

She sighed audibly loud, just as the door to the backroom behind the counter came swinging open. A man wearing a similar apron and a visor looked at her irritably.

"Emily, would you please stop lagging around?"

The woman slipped her phone into her back pocket. "Sorry, Nick."

Her manager shook his head before gesturing beyond the coffee house to the outside. "That guy asked for you to clear his coffee."

Emily looked from where Nick pointed to beyond the glass panel of the shop. A young man sat alone at one of the outside tables, reading a newspaper silently. Emily looked back at her manager.

"Why? I didn't serve him."

Nick shook his head. "Please, do what I say?" He disappeared once again into the back. Emily just downcasted her eyes as she left behind the counter to snake her way through the crowded shop.

Making way to the glass door, she opened it with the audible bell and looked to the man who sat alone at an outside table in the midst of the downtown area, reading the paper silently.

Thin looking fellow. Slightly broad shoulders, but slim. Not necessarily unhealthy, but the kid couldn't be too far into his twenties yet by the mere look of him. His brown hair had fallen over his slim, peachy colored face. But even from afar, the striking blue his eyes beheld could still be spotted behind that curtain of chestnut locks.

Emily approached. "Done with your coffee?"

He looked up from the paper, a small smile etching across his lips.

"Yeah, I think so." He said. "Can I get the bill?"

"No problem." She said, preparing to turn away.

"Uh, but before you do."

Emily looked at him again.

His eyes flicked gently to her name tag and back. "Emily?"

She looked down momentarily and shrugged. "That's me." The man nodded, although he didn't say anything in addition. Emily bit her lip awkwardly. "Was there something wrong with your coffee?"

"No way, not at all." He waved off in a sprightly manner, folding his paper and placing it onto the table. "You've worked here for a long time?"

Emily blinked. "A few short years." She said. He nodded as he brushed his hair out of his way to better reveal his face as he smiled. Emily alone was taken by the suddenness of his delighted grin. It was a bright, wide-tooth smile that you didn't always see on the basis. His teeth were perhaps the remnants of what used to be an overbite, as Emily once had the same when she was younger. But it was charming, and even, quite beautiful how wide his grin was. Emily couldn't help but smile back.

"Sorry, do we know each other?" She asked as he hadn't said anything else.

"No, we don't." He assured. "At least, you don't know me."

Emily stared at the man with growing worry. Momentarily looking around as to make sure there weren't any nearby occupants before she talked in a low voice to him. "Listen, if you're with the boys, they know I can't make delivery during the day. It's too risky. I'm already doing everything I can."

He gently shook his head. "I'm not with their group." He paused as he desired to look at her eyes directly, speaking in a calm and even voice. "I'm here to help."

Emily's brow creased. "Are you a cop?"

"Not exactly." He said as he shifted in his seat. "This only concerns you though. I understand help hasn't been easy, but, to get by this you might just need to take the risk of leaving it all. I understand this town is all you've ever known, but Karter and Jaxon aren't going to let you off the hook any time soon. Not any less than your parents did."

She blinked worriedly, clutching her hands close to her gut. "How do you know all that..?"

"I just do." He said. "Emily, you have to get out of here."

The waitress held his gaze for a moment before she succumbed to complete irritation. "Listen, that's great and all. But, doesn't help my case. If I had a dime for every time that someone-"

"Hey," he said calmly. "I said I was here to help."

"How then?" Emily said stubbornly.

In saying this, the man's eyes carefully flicked to his hands he held underneath the table and back.

"Have you considered going back to school?"

Emily turned to look at him in shock, again. Lost as to how the kind stranger still knew so much about her. "I mean, yes. But, it's money."

"There are scholarships."

"Yeah but," she shook her head. "I couldn't get by with my family history. I'll be shunned."

The man then lifted his hand from underneath the table, holding a paper out to her. "You sure?"

Her eyes looked from him to the envelope. Hesitantly, she took it from him while still eyeing the man's calm stare. Clutching it in her hands, Emily carefully opened the flaps with a rip, digging her hand inside before pulling out the paper and tossing the envelope onto the table. Emily unfolded the paper, and the man watched as her eyes grew twice their size.

Emily looked back at him, stunned. "University of-"

"If you're still interested in economy."

"Yes!" She suddenly shouted in euphoria. "I-I mean, I didn't think I'd hear back from them. Are you from the admissions office?"

"You could say that."

Emily clutched the envelop, vigor crossing over her face in a moment of actual hope. Before it quickly died out and she frowned in worry. "I can't go anywhere as long as those guys are on my tail..."

"Don't worry about them." He said. "They won't bother you, again."

"No, you don't understand-"

"Emily, they won't," he said once more. The young man pointed to the admission letter. "Go, and I promise they won't. The deals, the deliveries, the bad payment, you're never gonna hear from any of it again. Soon you'll forget about all of this."

The guy carefully motioned his hand in front of him as he repeated once more; "Forget about all of this."

A twinkling light clouded Emily's eyes, before clearing. She shook her head with a small wince and then smiled broadly.

"Sorry sir, here I am going on about my scholarship. Just a good day to be happy, you know?" Emily said, completely oblivious. "Were you done with your coffee?"

He smiled warmly. "Just about." Fishing a hand into his pocket, he pulled out some cash and placed it on the table. Lifting from his seat, he nodded. "Keep the change."

"Oh, thank you." She continued with a beam, peering down to collect the money. Just as she did, she looked back up and her face dropped. The man had completely disappeared. Looking around her in confusion, she looked back down at her letter. Grinning joyfully before slipping back into the coffee house with the empty mug and change.

Along the alley that led to the back of the building, the man walked.

Tim looked behind him to make sure it remained clear at the end of the alleyway that led into the open street, before looking forward again. His eyes narrowed forward as a light array of cloud-like smoke began to conjure from his feet and travel up the remainder of his body until he was engulfed completely.

The smoke cleared, and suddenly the man was twice as small. Looking no taller than a human child as he continued to stride forward wearing a fuchsia leather jacket with a star-like crest patched on the shoulder of his left sleeve as a symbol of honor. Underneath the jacket was black clothes and combat boots. As well a golden crown polished to perfection, floating delicately atop his head.

Joined to his back, were two small and delicate wings that lifted him gently.

Reaching the end of the alleyway, a truck remained as promised. It's back was open as two men sat on the edge in waiting. When Jaxon saw the tiny creature approaching, he huffed.

"Hey, kid. This isn't the playground."

But in seeing the adult-defined features of his face as he approached, as well as his floating, the man shot up.

"Wait, what the-?"

The half-fairy waved an arm and suddenly the human took flight across the way from the truck, to come landing across the ground in a blackout.

Karter jumped up. "Hey, holy-!"

Tim again waved an arm, and Karter jolted from a wind-like sensation, before falling backward against in the truck platform in a faint. The tiny creature stood still in watching for any more movement, and in seeing none, continued forward.

Approaching Jaxon, who laid the closest, the creature raised a hand to the man's face. A bright light illuminating gently from Tim's palm that shone another light to gently bloom from the temples of the man's face. Wiping the memory of both Tim, and Emily, from his mind completely.

In doing so a second time to Karter as well, Tim then looked to the loaded truck. Thinking into consideration, he waved a hand and a cloud erupted around the entire thing. Replacing every stocked substance with mountains of the most playful thing to come to mind, bags of cotton candy.

Timothy snickered to himself. He lifted his right wrist to uncover a star-shaped watch from under his sleeve, pressing an activation key.

"Wanda?" Tim spoke into it.

"Hey sport, how'd it go?"

"Just about wrapped up, here." The young half-fairy said, looking around at his handiwork. "The fellas won't remember a thing, neither will she."

"Good to hear." His godmother spoke from the other end.

"You did make sure to contact Tinsel about it, right?"

"I'm planning to, but," Wanda paused, "Sport, you know contacting their old godparent isn't a requirement."

Timothy nodded. "I know." He said. "She'd want to know, though. I know you guys would if it were me."

"Of course.." She said in understanding. "You'll be back, after?"

"Yeah, I shouldn't be too long at my mom's," Timothy said. "I have something old to pick up, and she also said there's news she has."

"I hear wedding bells." Wanda sang playfully, poking at Mrs. Turner's relationship with her boyfriend.

Tim chuckled. "We'll see."

"Make sure she got my flowers, too." Wanda said.

"Will do."

There was a small pause. "We're proud of you, Timmy."

"Thanks." He arched a brow "Also, Tim." The boy preferred.

She snorted. "Not in our book, fancy pants. And you know it."

Timmy shook his head, "I'm hanging up now."

"What's definite is definite, sport!" Wanda continued to tease.

"Okay, Wanda." Her godson humored with a smile.

"Tim or Timmy, just be glad we haven't gotten to Timothy!"

"Okay, bye!" Timmy laughed as he hung up.

Continuing to chuckle to himself, he disappeared in a poof.

Reappearing in a new area, he turned around to face his place of arrival. Timmy looked upon the familiar suburban house with a sense of pride. Hovering in the middle of the paved walkway, the white panels and scarlet roofing didn't look any different since his last visit. Never had it looked any different since childhood.

Timmy made his way up the walkway. Arriving at the familiar lavender door, he knocked.

"It's open!" A familiar voice rang from the other side.

He smiled to himself at the call from his mother and twisted the knob.

Entering, his mother sat at the coffee table of the living room, wearing a woolen white cardigan with her hair pulled back into a loose tail. She was occupied in cutting a delicate ribbon to loop around a vase that held an assortment of beautifully colorful flowers. Check on Wanda's delivery.

"Hey, mom." He said.

"How's my little man?"

His eyes lidded in defense. "Well, that part was unnecessary."

Tracy chuckled as she lifted from her seat. "You know I'm kidding." She said as she approached her son as he floated up to give her a much-needed hug. Pulling back, Timmy ventured towards the coffee table.

"Wanda will be glad to know you got them." He said in referencing the flowers.

"Oh, they're lovely." Mrs. Turner said as she tied the ribbon around the vase. Lifting it, she ventured to the dining room as her son followed. "I feel like she may be dropping hints about something though."

"Yeah, she's not very subtle." Timmy chuckled as they walked through the archway and his mother placed the flowers in the middle of the dining room table. "..but, is that what your news is?"

"No, sweetie." She said. "Not to disappoint."

"By the way, did you find dad's old cassette player?"

"Yes, I left it in your old room." His mother said. "Can I ask why you're so interested in that old thing?"

Her son paused in consideration and then shrugged. "Just for a small project I'm doing, no big deal."

Tracy shook her head. "Well, the flowers are wonderful." She said. "Tell you the truth, I think Max would be the one for Wanda to talk to if she's so invested in dropping hints."

Timmy grinned at his mother's teasing.

Ironic how the man she had chosen to be with happened to be the middle child of Jo's three children. Max, divorced from his first wife after being separated from her for so long. While much saner than his mother, he had small similar tendencies of seeing the magic in the world as well. In a way not quite like the maniac Mr. Crocker, who was still chasing those beliefs. Max was no skeptic, although like any human, didn't quite believe the exact existence of fairies until Tracy came into his life. His belief, of course, granted by Jorgen so that he may have some relationship with Timmy and not be lied to about Tracy having a half-breed son. She was lucky to happen to find him.

At least, that's what Timmy told his mother.

The wish had been full-proofed, and forever untouched by anyone. When Timmy was ten, he did not simply request that Cosmo and Wanda craft any man for his mother. No, it needed to be real. It needed to be the real thing. It needed to be love.

And as Da Rules stated, a godchild cannot wish to interfere or create true love.

But there was nothing said about not finding it.

Which is why it was untouchable. Because Tim neither made nor wanted to destroy this love. He wished for his mother to find it. Though that was something that could have easily been done without magic, as it's life in general, the Timmy ten years ago nor the Timmy of now was in no agreement to allow his mother to be alone.

"Mom," her son said. "I'll love dad forever. But, for you to have found Max is what I'm most grateful for."

She turned from the vase, looking to her not-so-young boy anymore and beamed gently. Ten years in the making, the action had somehow never been discussed. But, she simply knew. There was no reason to discuss it, still, she felt as if her son just needed her honesty.

"Timmy," she said. "I know what you did."

"What did I do?"

"Meeting Max was no coincidence, sweetheart." Mrs. Turner said. "And I know you know that."

Timmy too, was not surprised by his mother's knowledge. "I do."

Tracy smiled in mutuality, letting go of the vase's ribbon and approaching her son. She grasped his shoulders gently. "How'd I get so lucky to have someone like you looking out for me? Even when there are so many others that need your help more?"

He flicked his brow. "Always room for everyone."

She smiled.

"So, if you're not marrying Max," Timmy said. "What's the news?"

Tracy drew back in uncertainty. "Timmy, I'm.." she gave a crooked smile. "I'm selling the house."

Her son's face came alive in shock. "What?"

She frowned in expecting his reaction. "We're moving upstate."

Timmy blinked. Moving upstate had been something his mother discussed casually before, but he didn't figure she would with Max until retirement.

"Oh." He simply said. "..since when?"

"We only just decided, the house isn't on the market yet." Tracy said. "Timmy, I'm sorry this is so sudden."

Her son reasoned with fairness. "Mom, I haven't lived here in a decade. It's okay."

Tracy's brow creased. "Really?"

The young half-fairy beamed. "Really." He assured.

"It won't be for a while." She said. "This house will definitely need a spring cleaning though. There might be some things in your room you'd wanna keep or at least give to Poof."

"He'll lose his mind." Timmy snickered. "I'm actually...gonna go check it out for a sec."

Tracy nodded gently. "Okay, sweetie."

Timmy turned to leave the dining room and quickly made way to the foyer where he started his way up the stairs. Floating above every step that hit him with a different level of nostalgia. He'd swear he was ten-years-old again being sent to his room on account of a threat made from a familiar babysitter. Even a decade after, it amazed him how the mere familiarity hit an uncomfortable nerve within Timmy.

Reaching the second floor, he floated down the hallway to the furthest end to meet the open door of his old bedroom. That door had remained wide open ever since.

Timmy stepped into the doorframe.

His eyes blinked at the familiar interior and its emptiness. In his move years ago, the majority of his stuff was brought along with him. But, essentials such as the bed, dresser, desk, they all remained in the exact same spot as Timmy ventured in.

The bedroom was still less than it was when he left ten years ago though, even in his visits. All the familiar knacks of comic books, action figures had dissipated as Timmy collected all his belongings, but soon enough were those handed down to Poof who would've gladly taken any knack that belonged to Timmy. The borderline was that even for a room that had always provided sanctuary, it still felt distant from what it once was.

Timmy looked towards his nightstand, pausing on that note.

The goldfish bowl still remained there in all the years. Though emptied, and of course rid of the castle that Cosmo and Wanda moved around as a temporary home, it was still there. Never had it been put to any use, never filled with real goldfish, yet Mrs. Turner kept it. And Timmy was thankful she did.

The half-fairy made way to his bed and lifted the old cassette recorder his mom had promised to find, taken a seat as he held it.

He understood how these walls once made him feel kept from the rest of the world. Reminding him almost on the daily what a single twenty-four hours would bring him from the start of the day up until he returned to this bed only to endure it all over. He smiled at how those hardships seemed so small to him now.

Yet at the same time, these walls shielded him from everything painful. Offering him sanctuary in ways that Timmy couldn't say it always had, even now at an older age. There was memory in this room, that filled him with high and low emotions pummeling in his chest at the mere look of it. Reminders of the happy moments that would happen in counter to the bad things, the comfort received when he was at his worst, the echos of laughter from old memories that still seemed to bounce off these walls.

Looking at the midsection of air above his bed, he'd swear he'd seen Cosmo and Wanda reappear all over again to lighten his heavy heart on a day when he thought he could no longer take it. To have Cosmo make him laugh until he was no longer in control of his own body, to feel clarity when Wanda spoke words of enlightenment that made things seem much clearer to him. To have both of them make him smile when he needed it, or hold him tight when the tears of a once ten-year-old boy couldn't withstand the attackers in his life. All that had been before life now, but now with those same fairies forevermore. Grown-up under their eyes and remaining a part of a world they shared. As they were always meant to be.

Timmy stared at the fishbowl.

He gently smiled.

They once wanted a house outside the crowded section of the towns of Fairy World, and that is how they kept it.

A charming, yet beautifully lit home on a lone patch of the clouds in the rural pink-cloud suburbs. Two-story, fit for their family. Wanda hovered in the middle of her open white marble kitchen, sorting through a stack of mail. The kitchen separated by an island that mended into a wall right next to the entryway hallway. Following along the light pink walls lead to an open space where the living room was, the right wall embedded with the broad wooden staircase to the second floor. And then archway from the living area to their dining room, which shone brightly from the glass patio doors aligning those walls that led to their rural back area of the house. A plane of pink clouds that looked into the bright lights of the universe from Fairy World.

As Wanda continued her assortment through the mail, leaning a hip against the marble island, the front door opened.

"Wanda!" Her husband's voice revived the silence of the empty house. Wanda smiled as he came around and met her in the kitchen.

"What?" She laughed, putting down the mail.

Cosmo held his arms open in shellshock. "You weren't in your office, waiting for me."

His wife shook her head. "Cosmo, we've been over this, I don't teach at the academy on Fridays."

Cosmo lowered his arms in remembrance, knowing that Wanda's schedule was less routinely as a professor at the Fairy Academy. Cosmo, himself, only worked a few days the week as well, but in a different department of the academy. There was only so much time he had to see Wanda.

"Right."

"How long did you wait?"

"I didn't!" He said, pulling out a bunch of brass keys. "I used the extra keys."

Wanda arched a brow. "I never gave you.." her eyes widened. "Cosmo, do those belong to maintenance?"

At her tone, Cosmo fearfully hid them behind his back. "Maybe.."

His wife merely smiled gently, as Cosmo came to sit at a barstool at the middle island of their kitchen. "How was today?" Wanda asked.

Cosmo shrugged. "There's some tests for a new method for godparents disguising as pets." His eyes lit up and he snapped his fingers. "Oh! Heavier shackles, that's what I wanted to tell Blaze, before! The bubbly drink was too 'floaty' for parrot-disguised godparents. Where's a pen? I need to write this down."

Wanda smiled half-heartedly. While she couldn't get enough of Cosmo being passionate about what he does, the requirements for his job always made her a little wary for his safety. After all, being an experimental advisor for different appliances, charms, and general faggigly gland uses was no easier a job than her being a professor, let alone dangerous. And the experiments that went on in his department of the academy did bewilder Wanda quite a lot. She was teaching old methods, Cosmo was as a testee and researcher for new, all out of sorts ones.

"Just promise me you won't use the garburator as a workshop, again." Wanda said.

The front door opened again, and the married couple looked as another member of the household wandered into the kitchen to meet them. With his backpack slung over his shoulder, a ten-year-old fairy boy entered, sporting a purple long-sleeve with black stripes as well as black pants and purple high-tops. Atop his head, there was a familiar worn-out pink cap that was also topped with his respected fairy crown. Underneath the hat, a shag of lavender curls just as wild as his mother's. And two bright lavender eyes that looked up from under them.

"Hi Poof, how was school?" Wanda asked.

The boy made way for the fridge, opening it. "Pretty good," he said from behind as he pulled out a soda can and shoved the fridge closed. His mother eyed the crown that was layered on top of the old pink cap, smiling in amusement.

"Poof, sweetie, is the hat and crown a new look you're trying to flaunt?" Wanda couldn't help but ask.

"You said I should wear my crown." Poof held a hand to his head smugly. "And I am."

"With the hat?"

"Yeah," her son grinned as he floated past his father at the counter. Cosmo ruffled a hand against his son's hair and Poof continued to the stairwell.

"Where're you going?" Wanda asked as she pulled out a stack of plates from a high cabinet.

"To get my game!" Poof called.

"I sure hope you'll be helping with the table!" His mother continued to call, though there was obvious reprimand in her voice.

"Yup!" Her son said once last time.

Wanda shook her head and laid the plates onto the counter, looking at her husband across the way who only smiled with satisfaction at her. She laid her elbows to the counter in mirroring her husband, as Cosmo took her fingers gently into his hand.

"How can he be so unlike Timmy yet like him?" Wanda asked.

Cosmo only beamed at his wife. "Beats me."

There were a lot of extinguished worries when it came to their ten-year-old. Having been concerned when he was born that he would grow up with no fairies his age, Poof's birth definitely took that toll on the rest of Fairy World. Jorgen's door had almost been torn to bits by the high demands that fairies are given the freedom once again to have their own children since Cosmo and Wanda could. Whether fairies were immortal or not, the choice of having a family never had a time limit. Now, Poof was the firstborn of a whole new generation of other fairies. Giving less for his parents to worry about since the past.

"He really is a bit of all of us," Wanda said before looking at her husband. "What would you call that?"

He grinned broadly. "Poof."

She raised a brow. "Okay, smartie."

Cosmo only looked at her with loving eyes and raised her fingers to his lips. Kissing them softly.

Wanda happily intertwined her fingers with her husband's. "I'm actually pretty excited to visit the Elf Lands with Timmy tomorrow."

"Me too." Cosmo agreed. He clutched her hand tightly. "I miss not always seeing you."

Her eyes turned a soft pink. "I know, I miss you too." She said, rubbing her thumb along her husband's hand. "But, I'm no less than happy to see you after any of my lectures, you know that."

"Oh yeah," Cosmo nodded adamantly. "I can't wait to see you after work. I'm just glad the hard part of it passed, and that we have lunches in your office and other stuff between, too."

Wanda shrugged playfully as she began to lean in. "I guess all the time separated makes it more fun.."

Cosmo bit his lip in excitement and drew forward as well to capture her lips against his.

A cloud erupted as Poof reappeared downstairs with his game console in hand. "Oh gosh, again?" He said in disgust of his parents' kissing. They pulled away to look at him with smiles as he proceeded to the living room couch.

Another faint eruption came from beyond the front door, and it soon opened. Timmy entered, clutching the cassette recorder close to his side as he closed the door with a sigh of relief.

Wanda looked at him from the kitchen. "Hey sport, how'd it go?"

"She took the offer," Timmy said. "As long as those guys don't remember who she is, she's safe from them."

"Well, that's good." Wanda said. "But, I was referring to a potential announcement...?"

Timmy leaned against the counter with a small smile. "Sorry to disappoint Wanda, but mom's not having a wedding any time soon."

"Darn." Wanda said. "Then what'd she say?"

Timmy licked his lips. "Oh, nothing important."

Both his godparents didn't look convinced in the slightest. Timmy couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"What'd she say?" Wanda asked, again.

Their eldest son shrugged gently. "She's selling the house."

Cosmo jerked up in surprise. "What?"

"I mean, not for a while." Timmy assured. "Its gonna need some work, and probably clearing out of some stuff...but, yeah."

Wanda gave a crooked frown. "You okay?"

He nodded. "A little shocked, but, I'm good."

"Okay," Wanda agreed, turning to the rest of the kitchen. "I hope you still have enough hosting energy, though. Jorgen and Nana Boom Boom are still coming over for dinner. Where's the rotisserie? Cosmo, could you check the garage?"

Cosmo disappeared, and Poof looked up from behind the couch.

"Nana Boom Boom?" he asked with a hint of fear. "Every time she comes over she tells me my eyes look like purple sweet potato or something."

Timmy grinned at his little brother. "Crown and the hat, Poof?" He couldn't help but note.

"Hey," Poof warned against Timmy, adjusting what was once his older brother's cap on his head. The hovering crown above it shaking from Poof's adjustment. "I'm not the only one that does it. Everyone at school does."

"I can see I'm starting to fall out of trend." Timmy joked as he turned to Wanda.

She snickered. "You're the one who let him have that old cap."

"Hey, what can I say? I'm outgrown."

"Cool it mister hot-shot, you're still our boy." Wanda berated playfully.

"I'm legally an adult." Timmy teased in return.

His godmother smirked. "Give it another six thousand years or so, then I'll believe you."

"You got engaged at twenty-three!" Timmy laughed.

"Hey! We waited at least a little while to get married. Besides, you still sneak Poof your old comic books when he should be doing homework!" Wanda grinned. Timmy froze in a moment of panic, and Poof matched his look in looking up from the couch.

"Yes, don't think I don't notice." Wanda smiled as she turned on the kitchen faucet

"I told you!" Poof blamed.

"Sh!" Timmy berated through gritted teeth.

Cosmo reappeared. "Found it," he held the rotisserie and brought it to set on the counter next to where Wanda washed her hands. He turned back around to take a seat at the island, again. "Poof, what's with the supernatural history book on your bed? Couldn't fall asleep, or something?"

Poof shot up off the couch in shock, a grin engulfing his entire face. "History of the Unknown? It's here!?"

The boy was once again gone in a cloud of lavender.

Wanda looked to Timmy. "You're doing?"

Timmy shrugged playfully. "Lucky that Poof doesn't ask for much." Still holding the old cassette player to his side, Timmy looked down at the device. "I'll come help set up in a sec, I just need to do something outside real quick."

"You sure you're okay, honey?" Wanda asked.

"Yeah, I'm," Timmy looked at her welcoming eyes and smiled. "I'm great actually."

The half-fairy's bug-like pinions carried him past where Cosmo sat. His godfather momentarily stopped his older son with a hand warmly clamping his shoulder.

"Proud of you." Cosmo didn't hesitate to tell him.

Timmy smiled and clutched his parent's arm in return, before continuing to make way to the back doors at the other end of the house where Cosmo watched him off.

With their godson gone, Wanda came to meet Cosmo again now that they were alone.

"I'd still like to take you up on that offer." Wanda winked.

Cosmo held her hands, though his eyes were distant.

"What?" His wife sensed.

Her husband avoided her eyes. "I didn't think.." he searched for words. "You know, having him even after so long, him growing up is still...still..."

Wanda reached a hand from Cosmo's grip to touch his face. "I know. But, every time spent with him. God, it's worth it." She stroked his cheek gently. "I feel like we'll blink and Poof will be the same soon."

Cosmo shook his head. "How long has it been..?"

Wanda smiled. "Ten years, baby."

Her husband clutched her hand against his face. "Already?"

Wanda breathed a delicate laugh. "Even after the thousands we've been through, I believe so."

Cosmo looked up, finally locking eyes with his wife. Falling deeply into their pink as he risked never leaving her gaze again by the mere look of her face. His thumb caressed her hand held against his cheek, and he just sighed in bliss.

Wanda looked on worriedly. "Cosmo," she ventured. "Does this have something less to do with our boys and more with us?"

She'd not once never been able to read him, and Cosmo didn't hesitate to tell her the truth. "I dunno why I'm thinking of it now, but, I just don't want to make the same mistake again, Wanda."

They had been together for so long, yet, Wanda knew it was the most emotional moments that never ceased from Cosmo's mind. Ten years ago, well, they were just about that.

"A little bump in the road," Wanda said. "We had a rough patch, but we promised for better or worse and we did exactly that. Why are you thinking of this all of a sudden?"

"I haven't always kept it since we fixed things.."

"Really?" Wanda questioned. "I disagree. 'Nag' and such will still come up, but it's how it use to be a long time ago before things were bad, remember? When it was actually funny and didn't hurt?"

"What if it doesn't become funny, again?" Cosmo worried.

Wanda tilted her head. "We won't let it. I know we won't. Sweetheart, why so-"

Cosmo took hold of her face in his hands suddenly and brought her forward for a strong kiss. His lips ceasing her and she stiffened momentarily before melting at her husband's charm. Whatever he was worried about, Wanda knew it wasn't as broad as he was making it out to be, but she couldn't deny his worry as his lips gently parted from hers.

"I think," Wanda whispered. "Now that Timmy's really getting a hand with his new role, you're worried the change might bring about old habits."

Cosmo stared worriedly. "I guess."

"Cosmo," Wanda's eyes softened. "I love you."

His heart fluttered.

"And whatever doubt you have, I've seen before. You worry how change will affect everything, and I've seen it with our godchildren, with Timmy, with Poof, with us...but, you're handling it amazingly, puddin'."

Cosmo's gaze became loving. He took her hands back into his own. "Then I'm glad you're always there to remind me." She smiled at him, and he caressed her hands. "I love you, too."

Outside the patio doors, Timmy floated along the pink patch of clouds in their quiet backyard.

Nearing to the edge as he came down from the air to sit comfortably and place the cassette recorder in front of him. untangling the wired microphone that was attached to it as his fingers began to gently graze the buttons of the old technology. His fingers brushed over a signature of ownership on the corner, Todd Turner.

Taking in a small breath, he pressed record and looked towards the frontal sky of Fairy World that mended into the outer universe.

"Hi," Timmy's voice was barely audible. He cleared his throat in a loss as to where to begin. "I visited my old home, today. I already planned to sit down and make this, but, I hadn't known that mom was gonna sell the house."

"It's alright, though. I could understand why a big house is a lot with less living in it now. But, looking at my old room really made me think about how simple life was back then. For both me and my godparents. I really didn't know what to expect out of life so soon, and neither did they. But heck did it sure make a difference we all really needed."

"Y'know, not to say that Cosmo and Wanda asked for any of this. But, I'm sure no one asks for most things in life. Sorry...I know this is coming off as a lot of babbling. But, I just need to put this somewhere before I'm distracted with another one of the million things I have to do. But, you know, my godparents definitely wouldn't have expected change after millenniums of godparenting. That goes for how they make a living now, as well. They accompany me regularly on trips, especially to Elf Lands and other ally worlds for peace parties and social agreements between races. And when I go down to earth for godchild missions, they're my contact for regular reports. But there was still a matter of finding independence in their own thing. And, heh, I guess paying the bills and putting food on the table."

"Wanda hadn't really known what she wanted to do for a while. But, turning towards the Fairy Academy had been the right choice. Especially with everything she's ever taught me, Poof, and Cosmo daily. Not to mention being so quick when it comes to picking up things on her own, it only seemed perfect that she turned towards becoming a professor. For a while she even mentored with Jem, that's a funny story. But hey, now she's got her own office with her own name on it. Talk about moving up the latter, right?"

"Cosmo definitely took a little longer. I think he thought less of himself when it came to looking at something else to do other than godparenting. It amazes me how even after everything astonishing he's ever done, he still doubts himself. But, he eventually found interest in other stuff. Uh...stuff he's skilled in per se. Interest is kind of a low bar for Cosmo since just about everything fits under that. But, he found out he had an interest in experimentation at the academy. Kind of perfect, huh? Cosmo has never hesitated to be the guinea pig for anything, and his answers are so honest given for good research. Which is why it just fits him so well. Still, I really don't think any of us could have been prouder for him going after that. Well, maybe Wanda the most."

"I think the hardest part for Cosmo and Wanda was that their careers, aside from associating me and my missions, no longer mended into their marriage. Even if they both work at the academy, they don't see each other constantly. When godparenting it was, you know, all day every day. So, that was definitely the hardest part for them. But hey, it doesn't make them feel anything less. If anything, I think it's made them better. That's really what I admire the most."

"Poof is doing good, too. Now that there's a whole new generation of fairies growing up, I think he's found his element in being a normal kid. Which is all I want for him. Cosmo and Wanda had really been worried about him growing up without any kids his age, but as soon as other fairies began to have kids of their own, as the rule for no more babies was disapprovingly protested out, it became less and less of a worry. Now, we're just about looking at a newly added population of kids. Poof though, god, I wish I was as brave as he was at his age. He has his doubts and downfalls obviously, which I remember all too well, but he looks at life with a confidence I never had. Knowing that he will take on the worst and best for the indefinite of time, all while being the most chill little dude I've ever met. I looked at life with such a fright when I found out I was immortal at his age. Then again, that's kind of a norm when you're born a fairy. Been only half, I guess it was a bigger deal for me."

"But, I don't feel afraid of living anymore. Unlike regular humans my age, I'm early in my element. I know where I belong. Which if I was mortal, might seem scary, and if anything, forced. But, forced…isn't something that applies here. The life embedded on me wasn't forced…because…because.."

Timmy held the mic a quarter inch from his lips, the copper wire brushing his skin lightly as he gripped the tool in ponderation. The young man's eyes attached to the earth's glow against the dark sky bellow. The black of the galaxy was tinted gently from the pink sky of Fairy World above it, that mended gently into the dark universe bellow where the earth was centralized. The split of the two skies defined the magical border blind to the human eye, but clear-cut to the half-breed perched on the edge. The glow of the earth danced in Timmy's eyes and filled him, finally, with clarification.

"Because my position as a godchild came before anything. When I was ten…I…I just couldn't put into words how badly I wanted to close my eyes and reopen them somewhere else. You could imagine that Cosmo and Wanda's power was only used for my benefit, like any godkid. It didn't matter if that was their job to make me happy, I just became so dependant on their magic that I couldn't not use it for myself. It was only when I realized who I am that I began to understand why I've always felt so dependant on magic. Even in the next ten thousand years, when my days in Dimmsdale will be a novelty, I won't forget how much that kid just wanted to belong so desperately. The magic I hold can only live within me, because, I hold that belief and outlook that our different worlds exist as components for each other, not enemies. Most fairies don't believe that a place like Anti-Fairy World could ever agree to peace. I'm still convincing Cosmo and Wanda. Without any of this, I wouldn't want this kind of life if it hadn't belonged to me to begin with. I've always had the freedom to choose, but, I could never turn away knowing there are forgotten godchildren out there who need my help. Knowing that there is as well darkness to fight off. Maybe if I had been human I wouldn't want it. Even after everything ten years ago…I still wonder why it was my essence and embodiment that this magic was attracted to, or more so, belongs to me. I think I've concluded that, because I hadn't been born yet when it…well, practically made me, it's nothing skillful that I have that made me what I am. Terra told me a few years back that my soul, in the most simple terms, was distinctive from other humans. Enough in which it could be sensed when my mother carried me. My wish, my desperation to belong, that all came after. If I had been born the way my parents would have expected me to be…I still would have been different. I still would have had the same problems I always had. I still would have been granted Cosmo and Wanda, although, my life would be entirely something else by now. I can't even imagine what my life would be like if I didn't know any of this existed. If I wasn't who I am."

"It may sound egocentric to say that I'm unique. But at the same time, you could get that it was difficult to find out that I was different from the others. Even now, living here, I differ from the locals in basic features. But despite it, magical properties of different kinds can get away more easily here than on earth, where magic has to remain a fantasy. At least for a long time. I'm only unique by being the embodiment of two completely different species. Other than that, the person I am is just…well, exactly what Cosmo and Wanda wanted me to know I was. A person who was defined by lessons through growth, not through magic."

"The thing with life is that we're always going to be questioning the 'what if' scenario. My life…just goes to the far extremity of that. In all of humanity and fairy life, magic has never been used the same way it was to create me. So, you'll definitely have to forgive me if I question the events of my life every here and there. Or wonder how I've come to be the granter of my biggest wish to belong to the clouds this whole time."

"But life and wishes are part of the same genre. Wanda had been right when she told me years ago that your destiny is in your heart, it's not the same as any given future, it's made up of what you aspire to be. And I'm lucky to have obtained it, unlike all those godchildren who died after living a life that did not get a happy ending. I know it sounds ridiculous, but is there any questioning what's ridiculous at this point?"

Timmy paused with the recorder still in hand, carefully turning his gaze towards the back patio of the household. Wanda carefully arranged the place settings around the table, adjusting them to her perfectionist's liking. Though it could have easily been done with a flick of her wand, by the smile on her face, Wanda couldn't be more satisfied with her work. Poof sat at one of the end chairs, swinging a foot onto the table as he read his new book absentmindedly. Infuriated, Wanda flicked his foot off and said something incoherent in scolding as Poof got up from the chair to float to another end. His father passed him and gave him a little nudge in pride, noticed by Wanda as she shoved Cosmo in scolding as well. But, not before Cosmo seized the hand that had pushed him away and pulled Wanda from her work and to him in a kiss, keeping her for himself. Poof rolled his eyes with an evident groan of disgust, and his parents pulled away grinning like idiots at their son. They kissed again.

Timmy smiled.

"I don't know what it is that gives me faith in universal peace becoming an actual reality." He continued. "I don't know if it's fairies' good nature. Or humans and their accomplishments in development as the only race without magic."

"I don't know if it's the love that Cosmo and Wanda share. Anyone would be beyond lucky to find love as remotely close to that pair I'm proud to consider my own parents. In nearly ten thousand years those two hadn't left each other's sides despite everything they had ever been through. I can't even imagine to ever accomplish everything they've ever done in my own life. The love that they have reminds me that they are the literal definition of soulmates, and thanks to that, I have this life. They learned what love was when they found each other at a young age, and since then, I think they've learned that if they can be together, then geez, anything is possible. Thanks to their love, they have a love for me as well. And Poof. I feel home with them. No matter if we live in the clouds, or in a bedroom, or a fishbowl. They're my home."

"I don't know if it's Poof, either. I look at him and admire how he's smarter than I ever was when I was his age. Yet at the same time, he looks at me with an admiration I've never received from anyone. And even with the downfalls that I've had, he just continues to look past it and insists that I am the best brother. I disagree because he's the best little bro, but I can't look past the influence I have on him. Tell you the truth, I didn't really give up that hat. Poof had been after that old thing since he came into this world. And if it gives him a reason to have pride and feel like he could strive in his new generation of fairies, then that hat belongs to him now. It doesn't matter what he'll end up doing when he's older, he's gonna flourish."

"Neither do I know if it was my father's sacrifice. The proof that he had more love for me than I ever gave credit for, and that his last chosen action ever in his life was to save me, after thinking that he didn't want anything to do with me. I feel shameful of myself to ever think my father was not the kind of man someone should be. I use to dread the idea of becoming like him. But, his bravery goes to prove that he was a better man than I ever gave him credit for. I had been so wrong. And at that time, even angry. Angry that I hadn't seen it, but mostly angry with the fact that I hadn't stopped it. Stopped the anti-fairies. They've rarely come to face me since then. I've only had to clean up a portion of their work on earth every here and there, but I rarely see the ones who accidentally caused the death of my father. Because I know they feel guilty for what they've done. I still remember the look on their faces. And even if Cosmo and Wanda would disagree, and mom, I've learned to forgive both Anti-Cosmo and Anti-Wanda. Not because it's at all fair that I lost my father. But because even if it was the worst low they ever hit, even if an accident, it was the first time I could tell they had sympathy for me. And for that, I forgive them. Because they're proof that no matter what kind of dark nature their race enforces, they can change...there will be change..."

"..I don't know if it's my mother."

Timmy paused.

"She never gave up on me. Even today with Max, a life with someone she deserves, she still hasn't given up on me and never will. She'd always known since that night of her car crash that there was something different about me. But her goal was never to change me, it was to find out what it was and make sure it meant the best for me. I can't thank her enough for loving me unconditionally. I would not be who I am without my godparents, but I would not be who I am without her either. Even if fairies are a novelty to humans, when she found out about what I am, she didn't hesitate to face it head-on. To stand with Cosmo and Wanda. Even if that was a rocky road in the beginning. Mom, if you're listening...I love you. Your constant fear of something happening to me came true. It came true because here I am. But, you didn't hesitate. Not once.."

"There are so many other things that make me wonder. Like Jorgen. That big jarhead and his adamancy constantly keeping us in line. Meeting him as a kid, it was easy to assume he was just a hothead, but I have a lot to thank him for as well. Cupid, Juandissimo, and all those other fairies I've befriended, I value the odd but best relationships I have with them. It truly makes me feel like I have acceptance from everyone here. Chester and AJ, who I know were the ones I had to leave without telling the truth, but the fact that they still contact me without knowing what I am gives me hope that maybe one day I could share this all with them. And the council..."

Timmy again stopped with the recorder still in hand, stifling a small chuckle.

"The council...well, I think they believed in me the most. They never had any doubt that I couldn't do anything. So...I don't know what it is that gives me hope in making this universe what it should be, which is heaven itself. But, the belief that all these people ever had in me is enough to get me there. Truth be told, I don't think it's a matter of finding where you belong. I think it's a matter of knowing where your happiness lies. And even if I left earth as a kid, I just knew that my heart belonged somewhere else. Maybe I didn't know about who I actually was for the first part of my life, but my heart did. It always longed to be in the clouds. And when Cosmo and Wanda came into my life, my mind soon became aware of the emptiness in my core. Driven by the fact that Fairy World exists as a part of me, and that's what made me long after it once I knew it existed. Faith and future draw a fine line, but there's still a difference. Maybe I had been so unsure about uprooting my life to Fairy World when I was ten because I thought that it would be letting others choose for me. Or, disappointing those I love by leaving them. But, I just knew what my faith was once it was offered. If you're listening and you really don't know what your life is meant for, when it comes, you just will."

Timmy looked proudly amongst the bright earth bellow him. With a steady beating heart, he turned his gaze once more to his household behind him. Wanda knocked at the glass of the patio door, motioning for Timmy to come inside with a smile.

The young man nodded, grazing his fingers over the buttons of the cassette. "You really will."

He clicked stop.

PLEASE READ:

Oh my god, ahhh!

Soooooo, I always have a lot to say so PLEASE bear with me.

Aside from a few things, I'm still glad about how this story turned out. I did write another FOP series before this, called 'Fightin' Flightless.' If you happened to read it, thank you so much. However, I personally prefer this to be my bigger story. Just because I put more thought and time into it. And as per always, I like to address a few things revolving around the characters in the story.

I'm gonna address the OBVIOUS. I know that Mr. and Mrs. Turner were SUPER out of character for this entire thing. I know I didn't really follow a lot of Mr. Turner's 'idiot nature.' Most of all though, I made Mrs. Turner seem like she was putting in more of an effort for Timmy's sake than she actually would, but here's the tea;

I always thought Mrs. Turner had a bigger concern for Timmy compared to her husband. Yes, she was often part of the jokes about Timmy 'weighing down their social life,' but it was more Mr. Turner. I feel like Mrs. Turner more so went along with it, and I just thought that would make for such a good underline for her character of being someone who's definitely been through something and often listens to voices around her rather than making one of her own. And by having her witness magic before Timmy was born and definitely knowing it did something to him, I thought it would be a great tear-down for her. (Jorgen was also a little OOC, but he's pretty hard to write.)

I may have stretched Mr. Turner's meanness a little bit, but I needed to build for Timmy's troubles that set the scene when he began to realize he was magical, and I think his dad made a good shoo-in for that as the sort of reprimanding father type.

As for Cosmo and Wanda, as they are my absolute favorite, I didn't hesitate to absolutely milk the crap out of how much they love Timmy. I know that FOP and many stories have a good moral about how Timmy growing up, even if they love him, is a part of godparenting life. But, I just wanted to take it in another direction. And of course, make a subplot in this story with Cosmo and Wanda revolving around their love in general. And I tried to input the 'rough patch of Cosmo's insults' that is often done because I don't think I've actually heavily focused on that in any of my FOP stories that are mostly about them. (If I have a one-shot idea, you know for sure I'll make it.)

Wanda has always been easy to write, and I love writing for her. Cosmo I enjoy too, but he's so much harder to write, as I know it gets tricky when it comes to his serious emotions when he's not joking around. I personally feel like Cosmo's sadness or anger comes in outbursts. But when with Wanda, he kind of has more clarity, if that makes sense.

I know I'm referring to the characters in the mid-seasons of the show. As I still portrayed Poof as a genuine baby, but that's definitely a preference I just have. As for Poof, I think I did what I could with baby characteristics. I tried to give him more character in this last chapter where he's Timmy's age.

I know Anti-Cosmo was a little crazy with his obsessiveness, as well that I only included Foop once. I just couldn't find a way to fit him in entirely because when Foop evil plots I feel like the joke is that he's never taken seriously. Anti-Wanda wasn't entirely present either, but again, did what I could.

As for Timmy, even if he is an easy character to write, I still tried to give him layers as much as I could. Being the literal protag, he's always been someone who has a tough exterior, but soft inside with so much emotional complexity. I really, really tried to make him a success. Especially when the whole 'half-fairy, half-human,' is a weird concept to begin with and to make into an emotional plot.

BUT, I did it!

If you read this entire thing, I truly hope you enjoyed it. It means so much for you to have read, and the reviews mean everything. I love the positivity being left here, that's all I like to be spread! Not looking for critique, this is just fun :)

But seriously, thank you a ton for reading. If I have any more FOP ideas I'll definitely be posting. Or any other series I enjoy for that matter.

Thank you!

~McSgwizzle