Disclaimer:Sorcerer's Apprentice in any of its many forms. Sorry. I certainly wish I did own Balthazar, though!


Mirror, mirror...

He gazed at his reflection for a long time. The familiar face that he'd seen for centuries. Yet there was something distinctly different about it now. He squinted his storm-blue eyes, really studying his face for the first time in ages. Trying to identify what had changed. Lines deepened around his mouth as his jaw tightened. Creased at the corners of his eyes as he squinted them. Perhaps age was catching up with him?

He sighed, turning away in frustration. No. At this rate, he'd never be that lucky. Honestly, Balthazar would embrace the sands slipping through his hourglass again, because it would mean that she was with him again.

No. Added years weren't the difference, unless he counted the hint of bitterness that had crept onto his countenance in all the time since Horvath's betrayal...

My best friend...

His expression grew distant, but before he could allow the memories to drown him once more as they had for centuries, he heard a sudden clatter on the steps behind him, and he turned abruptly, unwilling to allow his young apprentice to see him so out-of-sorts.

"Dave, I—"

"I know, I know," the twenty-something youth began, waving his hand dismissively. "I'm late. I need to study stuff. I need to electrocute myself a few more times with your plasma ball."

"Plasma bolt."

"Yeah. That. Magic zappy stuff. Go team." He weakly fist-pumped, his mind clearly occupied with other things, or more specifically with that girl he was practically stalking.

Balthazar sighed deeply, trying to remind himself that Dave was young and unfamiliar with the grave responsibility that was placed before him and the terrible danger that love put a sorcerer in. That this wasn't all about laser light shows, Tesla bolts, and getting a date. The old man opened his mouth to tell Dave as much, when something about Dave's expression caught Balthazar by surprise, and paused him a moment. Something he hadn't seen this clearly in so long that he'd almost forgotten its existence.

Hope.

The boy's eyes practically gleamed with it. Hope he'd get the girl. That he really was as important as Balthazar had led him to believe. That everything he had gone through in his short life had been worth it.

Hope gleamed in the boy's eyes more powerfully than the magic that glimmered off of the dragon ring's forest green gem.

The master sorcerer glanced back at the mirror one more time and finally recognized what was different about him. The hope that shone so strongly in Dave's eyes was reflected in Balthazar's as well. A hope that this boy had given back to him. They were so different, but in this one way, maybe they were more alike than Balthazar had thought.

The old man's lips twitched, and he allowed a small smile to flicker across his face, worrying the boy he was about to train. Balthazar put one hand on the lanky youth's shoulder. "Come on," he replied quietly. "Throw on your padding. Let's make some magic."


Author's Note: I'm not dead! * Throws confetti * Ahem... on that happy note... I don't know when I'll find time to really update any of the fics that people probably really want me working on again. I just wanted to drop everyone a line to say that I'm still around. I'm alive. I haven't abandoned the stories. Real life has been a bugger lately, but I'm hoping to try to get back into writing now that things are starting to settle down a bit.

For those of you who have been patiently waiting for some kind of an update (or who have dropped me a PM and gently prodded me), thanks for your patience.

I haven't written much in awhile, and this work is unbeta'd, so I hope it is up to par.

On that happy note... have a great day and a lovely Easter!

Sirius:)