Hey Guys!

So, I am planning to get this story done in a few chapters (probably two after this). I know these chapters are pretty short, but I'm honestly running out of things to say. If anyone wants to pick this story up, please message me. I am very open to co-writing, or just letting you have free reign with the concepts I have created.

Thanks for staying with the story- read & review you lovely little bookworms! :)

Kisses,
Cass


-Shane-

I am so, so beyond screwed. Shane thought to himself as his Aunt Cynthia and two large bodyguards interrogated Cassie Blake upstairs. Shane looked to his right and found a pair of guarded, golden eyes looking at him with concern. He sighed and reached over to grasp Faye's hand.

"I think you have some explaining to do." said Adam from the entryway to Diana's living room. The whole coven had gathered at her house to be updated on the situation that was plaguing their relatively peaceful existences.

Shane nodded and moved to sit in the living room. He seated himself in a large, flowery arm chair and took a deep breath.

"Skip the parts we know. Faye filled us in on what you said before the magical police arrived." Chris Henderson said from a couch he was sharing with his brother.

Shane nodded. "Well, what specifically do you want to know?"

"For starters why the hell is Cassie alone upstairs with the Council?", Doug Henderson asked. The other members of the Circle mumbled in agreement and looked expectantly to Shane.

"Cassie is…of interest to the Council. She is a powerful witch, as you know. She is a strange mix of blood that we- the Council, I mean- thought we should watch more closely than the others." Shane sighed. "We monitor everything magical she does."

"Why? She is no threat to anyone but her enemies." Melanie said.

"People we know as our enemies, others know as friends." Shane sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"And you think Cassie would intentionally hurt someone who wasn't a direct threat to us?" asked Nick incredulously. At that, all members of the Circle erupted in protests. Even Sean, who had been deathly quiet, muttered something.

Adam stood up and everyone got quiet around him. "Look, Shane. You and your Council don't know anything about Cassie. You don't know anything about our Circle."

"I may not, and the Council may not. But we have rules, regulations and procedures to follow. Cassie Blake poses a threat to everything we stand for; we are not backing down on this." Shane said in a wary, but steadfast voice.

"Excuse me, I'm so sorry to interrupt your testosterone-fest, but I need to point something out here." Suzan's pause got everyone's attention. "Sure, Cassie's cocktail blood might need your attention, but why are you here? I get the whole scary parasite girl channeling magic, blahblahblah, but she's gone. I don't get why you're still here." The Circle looked stunned at Suzan's insight, but looked expectantly at Shane.

"…well, I honestly don't know the answer to that one. Maybe it's just a routine check-in?"

"Right. Since when has anything ever been normal with us?" piped in Laurel. The Circle members nodded.

-Faye-

After everyone was done interrogating Shane, Deb suggested they go about their lives until something came up. In silent agreement, everyone went to go do something and left Shane sitting in the living room. Faye had gone into the kitchen of Diana's house and begun to work on an infusion of herbs that would help Deb sleep better at night. She was in the middle of crushing a sprig of lavender when a large hand covered hers.

"Faye..", began Shane.

Faye turned away from him and slipped away to the garden to find some valerian root. Shane stood at the door and watched as she picked the leaves, flowers and finally cut a part of the root. Faye also stopped to grab a dried rose blossom that was hanging from the doorframe. She looked directly into Shane's eyes and turned away, but he caught her arm.

"Listen. Hate me all you want, Faye." His eyes flashed with hurt. "But your friends, your Circle? You are all in trouble. No one in the Council has ever taken this much interest in one witch. That is not a good sign for Cassie."

Faye's breath caught in her throat. "Why are you telling me this, Shane?"

Shane sighed in frustration, "Because, believe it or not, I like you guys. I care about you guys. I care about you." Faye looked up into his big brown eyes and felt all his hurt, frustration and longing. "I don't want anything to happen to you." He added softly.

Faye put down the ingredients she had been gathering for Deb and walked straight up to Shane. Her arms encircled his neck and she grabbed him in a tight hug. He rested his cheek on the top of her head, wound his arms around her waist and sighed. Faye listened to his heartbeat and inhaled his fresh scent. He smelled like sunshine and clean laundry. He smelled like comfort and love and family. Faye clung tighter to his tall frame. He was everything she had never had. They stood like that for what seemed forever, but they eventually parted in silence. Faye went back to preparing her herbal mix and Shane watched her hands work.

-Cassie-

Cassie was taken aback to see her friend Cynthia in New Salem.

"Ah, Cassie my dear! I haven't spoken to you in ages.", the petite woman cried.

Cassie's face lit up and she rushed to hug her. She was enveloped by two skinny arms and the scents of gardenias.

"Cynthia! I have missed you so much. Thank you for the advice on the parasite!" Cassie said, but was immediately confused. "Wait, why are you here?"

Cynthia sighed, and motioned for Cassie to take a seat, as she herself did so as well.

"My dear, I have much to tell you." Cynthia sighed. "As you know, you have…unique blood, even among witches." Cassie nodded, and Cynthia continued. "The Council, which I am sure Shane explained to you, has taken a particular interest in you."

"Why?" asked Cassie.

"Well, your blood, being half inclined to very dark magic, makes you very susceptible, to the dark side of magic." Cassie's brow furrowed. "This means that you are a high risk case. You can easily…hurt many people and that means that you are in direct opposition of everything this council stands for."

"But I would never hurt anyone." Cassie protested. "I mean, not without a good reason."

Cynthia nodded. "I am well aware Cassie. The Council just thought that we should…alert you to what your future faces."

"And what exactly is that?"

"Well, our eyes will be constantly on you. Your magic will always be vigilantly monitored. You will have yearly…check-ins…if you will. You will potentially have restrictions if you violate any of our rules for you. You will-"

"Your rules?" Cassie questioned Cynthia.

Cynthia raised an eyebrow. "Yes. Rules."

"Like…?" Cassie asked.

"Well, for starters, no raising the dead." She chuckled. "You may also not take on any more coven members. You may not kill anyone unless we see that the act is justified. You may not strip any one of their powers unless we back up your decision. You also may not have too much magic in your coven at one time. Pretty fair, I would think."

"It is for now." Cassie said.

"We are not here to restrict you, Cass. We just want to keep the peace." Cynthia said complacently.

Cassie sighed, but nodded. She looked out the little window that was behind the huge chair Cynthia now sat in. Cassie noticed the sky was darkening towards night.

"So, Cassie. Tell me about the young man my nephew tells me you are very sweet on." Cynthia said.

Cassie blushed, but began her story about Nick. She told Cynthia everything, because well, it was Cynthia. She was the Grandmother figure that Cassie had never really gotten to know.