~BOOK 4/PART TWO~ Paranormal: The Battle's Only Just Begun (Multi-Bandom FanFic)

Rachael slowly pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at the "END CALL" message centered on the screen of her phone, the image fading away and revealing her background. She sighed and set her phone aside, putting her head in her hands and biting her lip in an attempt to hold back the tears building in her eyes.

She was torn between protecting herself or protecting the people she loved, or claimed she loved; between hiding out in North Carolina until the demon situation cleared itself up or getting involved to bring it to an end. It was killing her just sitting there in the comforts of her stepfather's home, knowing that her friends were in danger, both in New Orleans and in Texas.

"Who were talking to?"

The witch parted her fingers and looked up, seeing Link standing in the doorway of the bedroom he'd given her to stay in. He had his arms crossed over his chest and wore a disappointed expression on his face, as if to let her know that he already knew what she was going to say. She straightened her posture and dropped her hands into her lap, her cheeks turning a faint shade of red and wordlessly giving him the answer he didn't need to ask for.

"I didn't think you were that desperate," He commented, entering the room and sitting down beside her on the twin-sized bed.

"Link, I have to get home," She murmured, "My friends need me."

"And Halsey needs you," The wizard reminded her, poking her in the arm.

"Halsey doesn't need me as much as they do. She's safe here. As long as she stays here and doesn't step foot in New Orleans, she'll be safe. My friends - on the other hand - aren't, and I can't just sit here and do nothing."

"Rachael, I don't think going back to save Patrick and one silly town is worth losing your life or your daughter," Her stepfather replied, twiddling his thumbs in his lap and tilting his head down. "They aren't worth it."

"But what if it was Natalie and me out there? Would you just stay here and do nothing?"

"That's different. I see you guys as my own daughters."

The witch frowned. "That doesn't answer my question, Link."

"Of course I'd be there for you girls, you're my family."

"Well Patrick, Pete, Andy, Joe, and Kenya are mine."

"They're not-"

Rachael stood up, anger building up inside of her. "What? They're not my family? Just because they're not related to me by blood, Link, doesn't mean they're not my family. And you of all people should know that."

"They're murderers; they're evil!" Link shot back.

"And so am I!" Rachael exclaimed before he could say any more, "Link, I killed Patrick's entire clan! I killed people in my own coven! I'm just as much of a murderer as they are!"

"Rachael, you're different." Link wanted to justify her past, her purpose, and who she was. "You couldn't control the darkness inside of you. It was never your fault." He rose to his feet as well and grasped her upper arms tightly. "You're good, Rachael. They're not."

The witch's lip perked up into a sad smirk. "Who defines what's good and what's bad, Link? We can only be good for so long, but there is a darkness in all of us. I'm just as bad as Kenya, or Patrick and Pete, even Halsey. All of us have had our dark moments, but it doesn't mean that we aren't trying to climb to the light. I mean, what about you? You were just as bad as we were. You're the whole reason I've got this darkness inside of me!"

"It was a different time back then. You were just a child, and I was too young and too stupid to understand what I was doing."

"You're right, Link. It is a different time. I'm not the same child you raised. I'm a mother, and I'm part of a family who truly cares about me," Rachael explained while walking toward the door and shrugging her shoulders as she went on to say, "Yes, I lost my way, and I may have lost parts of my family temporarily, but all that matters is that I'm trying to make up for all of the mistakes I've made. So you have to let me go; let me save them, and let me prove that I can be the person you think I am."

"But you're going to get hurt!" He blurted out in an attempt to change her mind.

"I'm an adult now, Link." She stepped out into the dark hallway, inching farther and farther away from her worried stepdad. "I'm used to getting hurt."

"Rachael, please!" He rushed out after her, catching her before she could descend down the staircase to the first floor of the home.

"Just watch Halsey for me, okay?" She gave him a small grin and planted a kiss on his cheek. "I'll come and get her when this is all said and done, I promise."

"Rachael, please. I don't think-"

Before he could say anything else, the witch snapped her fingers and disappeared.