The night was a bright and clear one. The moon shone with an incredible light and the stars glimmered happily at it's side. With a soft tenderness the silver globe let it's cool beams reach out and caress the sleeping angels and working people of Malinia City. Beneath the pale light, at the steps of a dark exquiste church stood a pair of young girls in the middle of an argument.

"This is all your fault!" Lanna whispered fiercely to her friend Phebe, who in turn glared at her.

"I'm sorry okay?"

"No, not okay. Phebe, the Faerie Lord is mad at us. What are we going to do? He wants to see us tomorrow night."

Phebe thought for a second nibbling on a thin lower lip.

"Maybe Alexis could help us?"

Lanna's eyes lit up.

"Yes of course. But do you think she's still up? It's pretty late."

Lanna looked up at the cloudy night sky. It was a dusty gray made silver by the moon's generous light, she smiled at the sudden feeling of serenity that swept through her.

"Of course she's still up." Phebe said interrupting her somewhat poetic thoughts.

"She's a creature of the night. That girl hardly ever sleeps."

Lanna nodded in agreement. Finding Alexis asleep at night was very rare. Just as seeing her without bags under her eyes was very rare.

"Should I call her?"

Phebe nodded and sat with a faint thump on the steps of the lovely church behind them. While she dialed Alexis' number Lanna studied her friend. She was short and blue eyed with jagged multi colored hair that stopped just below her ears. tonight she wore black lace stockings, a jean skirt and an orange sweater over a black tank top. Lanna smiled slightly. Ever since the moment they'd met Phebe never ceased to delight her with her beautifully abstract fashion sense.

"Hello?" Alexis said anwsering the phone.

"Oh! Hey, whats up?"

"Nothing." she said in her slightly accented English.

"Is something the matter?" Her tone that of someone expecting the worse.

Lanna was slightly startled.

"What makes you think some thing's the matter?"

She could practically feel Alexis smiling.

"You're nervous. I can feel your heart beating faster."

Lanna put a hand to her chest and felt herself blush a little.

"Yes, I suppose it is."

"Are you in trouble?"

Lanna bit her lip and tried not to sound too pathetic.

"Sort of." she replied

Alexis sighed.

"Where are you?"

"The church near Catswalk."

Lanna could hear rustling in the background.

"I'll be there in 10 minutes and if someone weird talks to you scream until your throat gets sore."

Lanna giggled and blushed with shame.

"Alright then, see you soon."

"Bye."

Alexis wasn't especially annoyed at having to go out at 2' o clock in the morning in the middle of winter. If anything it gave her something to do. So when she hung up with Lanna she put on her baggiest pair of sweats (which were pretty baggy) and her large black hoodie and walked to her car. It was small red Honda a little beat up but perfectly fine to get from place to place. She started the engine and backed out of the drive way. A few minutes later she pulled up in front of the church. Alexis smiled when she saw Lanna's nervous expression melt into a happy one. The two girls got into the car shivering slightly. Lanna grinned at Alexis, her cheeks pinker then usual from the cold. Thick dark curls framed her round face and her brown eyes shone. Swiftly she placed a kiss on Alexis' cheek and leaned back against the car seat.

"What did you guys do this time?"

Lanna visibly winced.

"Home, I'll tell you when we get home." she said

Phebe sat on Alexis' couch and yawned. Through gold lashes she watched Lanna and Alexis in the kitchen. As soon as they'd arrived Alexis "casually" stated that she hadn't eaten all day. Which resulted in Lanna insisting to cook her a good meal. And so Lanna was now bustling around the kitchen.

"Do you have any actual food here?" she asked with a smile.

"I have eggs and bacon." Alexis replied

Lanna grinned.

"Breakfast at 2 in the morning? Only you Alexis."

Still smiling she began to slice the thick bacon strips before her into small chunks and put them in the frying pan. In a few minutes there was a plate of steaming food on the kitchen counter and Alexis' eyes were shining.

"Phebe," Lanna called as Alexis sat down and promptly began to stuff her face.

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you hungry? Come get some before this little piggy eats it all."

"Yes mom" Phebe droned

"You're funny." Lanna replied dryly

"I know right."

Alexis chuckled in between bites and Phebe watched Lanna cast her a loving look. Vaguely she wondered if Lanna ever cast her any loving looks when she wasn't looking. One thing she'd noticed about Lanna that startled her at first is that she truly loved all her friends. Even her. Lanna loved her. It was a comforting thought.

"Alexis save some for Phebe."

Alexis stopped with her spoon halfway to her mouth and spooned some food onto Phebe's plate.

"Sorry." she mumbled

"Eh, whatever." Phebe replied indifferently.

"So," Alexis said wiping her mouth with her napkin.

"You going to tell me what you did?"

Phebe looked up at Lanna who glared at her.

"Should I tell her or should you?"

Phebe bit her lip and looked up at her with large blue eyes.

"You?"

Lanna sighed.

"Fine. But we're sitting on the couch my butt is too fat to sit on those itty bitty chairs."

"You're not fat." Phebe said and was rewarded with an irritated look.

"I beg to differ." Lanna responded gesturing to her generous mid section. Phebe sighed and walked back to the couch. When they were settled Alexis gestured for her to begin.

"Um... okay. Well you know that park you took us to a while ago? With all the intertwining paths?"

She nodded slowly.

"Well Phebe and I went there earlier tonight. And you know that path you told us not to go on?"

She nodded again this time her eyes glittering slightly with annoyance.

"Well we got curious and we went onitanywayandPhebeaccidentlytookastonefromthere. We're sorry! We didn't know it was Faerie territory! And now the Faerie Lord wants to see us."

Alexis sighed, thoroughly annoyed.

"When does he want to see you?" she asked attempting to control her temper.

"Tomorrow night." Lanna replied

"I told you not to go on that path for a reason you know. It's their territory and they're very protective of what theirs, as they should be."

Alexis stood up. She wasn't especially tall, in fact she was rather she radiated authority and she glared at them with beautiful dark eyes. Phebe looked over at Lanna she looked close to tears.

"I'm sorry Alexis we should have listened." Lanna said shame faced.

Alexis looked like she was counting to ten in her head.

"It's fine." she said finally,"Let's go."

Phebe and Lanna blinked.

"Go where?" they both asked at once.

"This witch's shop down town."

"What for?" Phebe asked.

"Protection of course. You never enter the Kingdom of Faerie without protection."

"But can't you protect us?" Lanna asked hopefully.

Alexis smiled.

" I can and I will but the Fair Folk are a powerful people. A powerful very bi polar people,"

Lanna smiled nervously.

"Yes I have heard that." she mumbled

"So are we going?" Phebe asked.

Alexis and Lanna both nodded.

"Yeah."