Episode 1: In which Tabitha is reminded she also has a son...

Tabitha awoke with a start and immediately knew something was wrong. “Where the devil am I?” But she realized that she had apparently just dozed off on her own sofa. Still, something was wrong. Then she saw him. Alistair Crane seemed to be asleep in the chair next to her. “Oh my devil, what fresh hell is this?!!”

“Quiet, you might wake the old goat up. But then again I doubt it. What with that sleeping spell I put on him.”

“You?!”

“It’s me, your son Adam. Are you happy to see me Mom?”

“What are you doing here?!”

“I just thought it was well past time for a Lennox Family Reunion. I’ve been watching you, you know, watching all of Harmony for that matter. That and when Kay and Miguel were in the other dimensions they found me. ”

“Other dimensions? I don’t..”

“What’s the last thing you do remember, Mother?”

Tabby sat up and blinked. Everything was so fuzzy, but it soon began to dawn on her.

“The church. That twit Essme convinced me to sacrifice my powers! And for what? A bunch of pesky mortals who would sooner see me burnt at the stake?”

“Yes but you made the choice all by yourself and you did it for Endora.”

“Oh my devil, Endora, where is she? We have to get her out of Harmony!”

“Calm down Mother, you see, we’re not exactly where you think we are, or I should say when you think we are?”

“What?”

"Let me start from the beginning: When Kay and Miguel found me, I was already well aware of the plight Harmony was in, you see in the dimension they found me; the town of Harmony is a fictional place. It exists only as the setting of a soap opera called Passions. For the last nine years I’ve been watching this show, knowing full well that in another dimension Harmony actually existed. Unfortunately Passions has been cancelled now, twice actually, so I realized, the only way I was going to be able to see you and Endora would be to travel to the dimension where Harmony really exists.”

“Just what did you mean when you said we’re not when I think we are?”

“Well specifically, we’re in the last week of December 2006, so you see now why you don’t have to worry about Endora. She’s upstairs in her room asleep. We have months and months to avert the disaster The Book of Disasters predicted. I thought about bringing us back another month so Endora could celebrate Thanksgiving; I know how much she loves that particular holiday. ”

“Yes well it’s just as well that you didn’t. You know how she tends to go overboard on that day but I still don’t understand how or why you brought us here.”

“Part of it has to do with Essme and part of it has to do with Grumpy over there getting his beauty sleep on your couch. You see, Big Al is going on a little vacation; A more or less permanent one.”

“Oh my, well if I remember correctly, the Boys are still camped out in the Basement at this point. We could just push him down the stairs.”

“No, I have a better idea, and I don’t want to involve the Darkside in any of this.”

“And why do you want to get rid of the old gasbag? Not that I’m complaining mind you.”

“At this point everyone still believes Alistair is dead; His train attacked by that missile.”

“Yes, and in a few months he will be for real: Shot at the hands of that brat Vicky.”

“But not before he goads Vincent into becoming a vicious serial killer. Without his influence, Vincent stands a chance of getting the treatment he needs. And then there’s what he did, or would have done to Luis and Pretty.”

“OK I’ll bite, where are you planning to send him?”

“Again the question is not where but when: England 1483”

“1483? Why does that year sound so familiar? Ah, yes the year Richard III usurped the throne from those two bratty nephews of his. What memories that brings back. Did I ever tell you I was Edward VI’s mistress?”

“Yes, mother and I don’t want to hear about it again.”[i]

“Well, in that case, since you’ve assured me that Endora is not in any immediate danger, I think I’m going to turn in for the evening.”

“Don’t you want to know how Essme figures in all this?”

“Whatever you have to tell me about that ditzy mortal can certainly wait till the morning.”

“Oh, by the way, I’ve been looking forward to sampling a real Martimmy. Do you think you could do the honors?”

Without thinking, Tabitha waved her hand and a shaker of Martimmies appeared on the table. “Oh my devil, what just happened?”

“That’s right; in this timeline you still have your powers.”

“You mean I have my full powers?”

“Yes, as far as I know.”

“Well, this calls for a celebration; you may as well finish your story, while I join you in a little refreshment. This batch looks particularly delicious if I do say so myself.”

“You remember the three wishes you promised Essme, if she would help you find Endora?”

“The inane little thing must have had me confused with a djinn or maybe a leprechaun.”

“The point is you promised to grant them to her and that created a mystical bond between you and Essme; sort of like activating a credit card. Now since you only fulfilled one of her wishes and neither of you really came to terms on the last wish, I was able to use the power of that last wish combined with my own natural powers to turn back time. But I had to have Essme’s permission to use the wish which means that she still remembers you’re a witch and part of the deal was that she gets to stay here in your house.”

“How could you strike a deal like that without talking to me first?”

“Because, you wouldn’t have agreed to it.”

“You bloody well better believe I wouldn’t have.

“Mother, You and Endora; the whole town was in danger. I had to do something.”

“The town could rot for all I care. But what’s done is done. Where is Essme? I need to have a little chat with her.”

“I’m afraid you’ll have to wait till she gets back from making sure Vicky doesn’t kill her sister and brother in law. I gave her an elixir that will make sure they believe her when she tells them they have a serial killer for a daughter.”

“Well like I said; I’ve had just about enough for one night. I shall see you in the morning.

“Good Night Mother.”

As Tabby ascended the stairs, Adam turned his attention back to the slumbering misanthrope on the sofa.

“Have a nice life Mr. Crane. As a side affect of my sleeping spell you won’t remember your existence here in Harmony. In fact, you won’t remember much of anything. I’m sure you’ll adjust to your new time period though. You’ll have to.” Adam smiled thinking about the hard times that lay ahead for his drowsing “friend”. He waved his arms and Alistair was on his way back to 1483.

“Good riddance to bad rubbish I always say.”

Adam whirled from the sofa and looked toward the foyer, The Demon Elf stood under the archway of the living room rubbing his hand together.

End of Episode 1





[i] If you would like to learn more about Tabby and Alistair’s adventures in England visit: http://camelotontheavon.tripod.com/camelotontheavon/home.htm