In the basement of the Boonchuy home, Maddie was staring at Olivier as he continued to sleep.
She was a little worried when the Boonchuys (and, Sprig) returned,
and Olivier was unconscious in Anne's arms, unable to awaken.
But she was aware of how Olivier's magic can drain his own energy,
and so wasn't as worried as she might've been (though, she was still concerned.)
When Sprig explained what had happened at the Thai Go restaurant, she was a little mad at him.
But she let some of her anger go when it became apparent how regretful Sprig was.
(like Anne said: 'We all make mistakes'...and Maddie had made her fair share in the past, too.)
"hey." Maddie looked to see Anne approach. "Anything new?"
"no...he is still sleeping." said Maddie.
Anne nodded, forcing herself to smile. "he'll wake up...he just needs time to recover."
"How do you deal with this?" spoke Maddie. "...him going into these comas when he drains himself too much?"
Anne frowned as she sat down next to Maddie beside Olivier.
"It isn't easy..." began Anne. "I wish this didn't have to keep happening to him...But, I love him.
So I have to endure it, and be there for him whenever it does happen to him."
Maddie looked at Anne. "so...you've never thought of giving up?"
"no...NEVER." said Anne, confidently. "As hard as it is being his girlfriend,
I would sooner tear off my own arm than ever leave him...why do you ask that?"
"no reason...just thinking out loud." spoke Maddie. "but, it's good to know that Oliver
has someone like you who will always be there for him no matter what happens."
Anne smiled...she and Maddie then watched Olivier as he breathed softly.
"hey...what's that in your hand?"
Maddie looked at an smooth, oval shaped stone that she had.
"oh this?, it's something that I've been working on ever since I first met Oliver." began Maddie.
"He taught me how to create gemstones that can detect magic, and I made this for him."
Maddie then showed Anne the gemstone, which has was both Gold and Blue in color.
"See?, both halves are colored like his magic." explained Maddie.
"If he wears it, it will let him know how much magic that he has, and how much he is using."
Anne gazed at the stone with wide eyes. "Maddie, that...That is EXACTLY what Oliver needs!"
"I know..." continued Maddie. "It's taken me longer to finish than I intended to. but it's ready, now."
Maddie then gave the gemstone to Anne. "You should be the one to give it to him."
Anne took the gemstone...and looked at Maddie. "but...you made it."
"and, you can tell him that." said Maddie. "but it just feels right for you to give it to him."
Anne looked at the gold/blue gem...and then exhaled. "okay...I will."
Maddie smiled. "thanks...(*loud yawn*) I'm tired now."
"yeah, it is getting late." spoke Anne.
Maddie got up off the chair. "see you in the morning."
Maddie then walked away, and began to walk up the stairs.
Once she had left the basement, Anne remained and continued to watch Olivier.
Curious, she held the gemstone over Olivier and touched his chest with it.
The gemstone immediately began to glow, illuminating the darkened room.
Anne saw that while the blue half of the stone glowed fully,
the golden half glowed dimmer and some parts not even glowing at all.
(which told Anne that Olivier wasn't at full strength yet.)
Pulling the gemstone away, Anne continued to look upon her slumbering boyfriend.
She smiled contently...and then began to speak once more.
"I don't know if you can hear me. but in case you can...I want you to know something.
You...are a wonderful person, Oliver. and I always want to be by your side.
I know that because you are a Witch, you may outlive me by hundreds of years.
but, I don't care. I swear to stay with you until my very last breath.
And...if you have to return to your own world. Then, I will follow you there.
I already adjusted to life in another world, so it won't be that hard to live in another."
Anne then leaned closer, her face hovering over Olivier's.
"I love you...Oliver Clawthorne. and nothing and no one will tear us apart."
Anne then closed her eyes...and kissed Olivier as if re-enacting Sleeping Beauty.
...AND, just like Sleeping Beauty. Olivier slowly opened his eyes as Anne pulled away.
"ah-anne?...what is-"
"shhh...we're home now. you passed out after Ned's truck crashed." spoke Anne.
"oh...right. NOW I remember." muttered Olivier.
"don't be too angry with Sprig, Ollie." said Anne. "he is really sorry about what he did."
"I am still a little mad...but not that much." said Olivier.
"I know Sprig meant well, and didn't intend to cause harm."
Anne smiled. happy that among other good qualities, Olivier was understanding.
"what's that in your hand?" spoke Olivier.
"oh...This?, Maddie made it for you." explained Anne. "It's a gemstone that'll detect how much magic you are using."
Anne handed Olivier the gemstone. Once he took it, it glowed as it had before.
"huh...it's not that different from the gemstone that my mother has." spoke Olivier.
"She always talked about getting one for me, but they are expensive and even harder to synthesize."
"Maddie made this one almost as soon as she met you." said Anne.
"I'm impressed...though, not at all surprised." said Olivier.
"Maddie is very talented at magic, and she seems to get better everyday."
Olivier then attached the gemstone to his clothing like a brooch.
The gemstone continued to glow, showing Anne clearly how much magic he had regained.
"you should get more rest." said Anne.
"yeah...I probably should." said Olivier, laying back down.
"all thing considered, though. we DID have a good day, didn't we?"
"oh, yeah...It was the best work day ever. no contest." said Anne. "I almost can't wait to go back to work with you."
"yeah...but this time, Sprig should probably stay home."
Both Anne and Olivier shared a brief chuckle...but then Olivier started to frown.
"what's wrong?" asked Anne.
"oh...nothing. I was just dreaming about my mom earlier." said Olivier.
"or...I think it was a dream. It could be...OR, it could've just been a glimpse at another universe."
"what did you see in your dream?" asked Anne.
Olivier looked at Anne. "do you remember that battle in King Andrias throne room?"
Anne frowned as she recalled that memory (trying not to think of Marcy getting impaled by a flame sword.)
"I try not to...but, yeah." said Anne.
"well...my dream always starts there." continued Olivier.
"only...instead of all of us being sent back to your world, we were sent back to mine."
"I can understand why you would dream about that." said Anne.
"I can remember it so vividly..." continued Olivier, his eyes moist.
"I was back in Bonesborough...I saw Willow. and...we all went back to the Owl House."
Olivier smiled, despite the tear in his eye. "I saw mom again...and, I can still feel her embrace on me.
The scent of her hair, the sweet sound of her voice. I was home again...and I was happy."
Anne paused. she then drew out her phone, and browsed her picture gallery.
She then selected a photo that she took while in Amphibia (one of MANY that she had.)
It was of herself, and the Plantars...but in it was also a Hispanic girl around her age,
and an adult woman with a thick mane of silver hair with elven ears.
Anne smiled weakly...she then showed Olivier the picture.
Olivier took the phone, and gazed at the picture with bittersweet feelings.
It was already aware of how for a brief moment, his mother HAD succeeded in travelling to Amphibia.
For a moment, he and his mother were in the same world...but he missed his chance to see her again.
"I'm really sorry, Ollie." spoke Anne, sadly.
"you have nothing to be sorry about, Annie." said Olivier.
"I know...but I still am." continued Anne. "I mean...it just wasn't fair.
You could've seen her again, but only *I* got to. If only we had more time!"
"at least she knows that I am okay...and I am TRYING to return home."
Olivier then smiled at Anne. "and, that she also got top meet my Awesome Girlfriend."
Anne blushed. "she was pretty friendly...and, I have to admit: Eda sure did seem like a COOL mom."
Olivier nodded, still staring at the picture on the phone.
His attention was then focused on the girl with Eda, who he had never met before.
"What's this girl's name again?" asked Olivier.
Anne looked at where Olivier was pointing. "Luz, Luz Noceda. she's a human like me.
I wanted her to come to the Plantar's farm so we could have a sleepover...but that didn't work out."
Olivier looked at Anne. "you will...when we finally do get back to my world,
We'll all have that sleepover together. All three of us."
Anne smiled "yeah...we will."
"besides...I kinda want to meet this Luz, too." continued Olivier.
"If my mother is tutoring her in magic, then she MUST be something special."
"She reminded me of Marcy in many ways." said Anne, smiling.
Olivier then handed Anne back her phone. "guess I'll see you tomorrow, then."
"Actually...I talked with my parents, and they said I can sleep here tonight."
Olivier's eyes widened, in disbelief at what his girlfriend just said. "say, what now?"
"They had conditions...but, my folks really do trust you a lot." said Anne.
"So, if you need me. I'll be sleeping on the couch in your TV room."
Olivier looked to another part of the basement that was recently cleared out,
which resembled the living room above ground, only just a tad smaller.
(in fact, the Basement was now practically a 'second house' underneath the Boonchuy's home.)
"As much as I want to be closer to you..." continued Anne.
"I don't want to disappoint my parents, and lose the privileges that they have allowed."
"it's fine. you are close enough." said Olivier, smiling. "Just having you nearby nearby will help me relax."
Anne touched Olivier's face. "same here...(*kisses Olivier*) I love you."
Olivier cupped Anne's face, and kissed the girl back. His kiss was longer, deeper.
like he was pouring all the love that he had for Anne into this simple act of affection."
When he finally pulled away, Anne had a 'derpy' reaction on his face.
"I love you, too." said Olivier.
"...oh yeeeaah, man." muttered Anne ('hearts' in her eyes.)
Anne then cleared her head, and finally stood up. "I'll...j-just go, now."
Olivier watched as Anne walked away, and into another part of the basement.
He couldn't see her from his bed, but he didn't need to. He could feel her presence in the room.
He breathed out softly as he laid down, allowing himself to relax.
For once, he felt safe and secure. And with Anne literally in the next room,
he only needed to walk three steps to check on her if he had another Nightmare about her.
The vivid image of Anne's 'death' from his last dream DID try to creep back into his thoughts,
but he managed bury that gruesome image with his memory of that vision of his possible future with Anne.
The one where they were happily married...and had a beautiful daughter.
That vision was the one thing that gave him the most peace of mind every night.
In the other room, Anne settled on the bed-like long couch that already had blankets and a pillow set up.
She laid down so she could see the room where she came, which she knew was where Olivier was.
"Good night, Ollie!" called Anne. "Sweet Dreams!"
"Night, Annie!" called back, Olivier. "You, too!"
Anne smiled as she laid down and closed her eyes to sleep.
Despite all the things that went wrong (and, 'other' thing that still needed fixing)
she was happy with her life, and felt fortunate with what she still had and gained in the past five months.
She was finally back home with her parents...and, she still had the Plantars with her.
She also had a literally magical boyfriend who she knew would always be with her.
Her life was far from perfect...but it was pretty darn close.
And, Anne wouldn't trade any of it for anything.
[End of Part Twenty-Nine]