Page 13 of Witch's Promise

"Of course," Gabe said, the words coming out more fiercely than he'd intended. "That's what we do here. We help people like you, Grant. You're not alone anymore."

The look of sheer gratitude on Grant's face made something twist in Gabe's gut. How many other people were out there, struggling alone with newly manifested abilities? How many had nowhere to turn, no one to help them understand what was happening?

Before Gabe could spiral further down that rabbit hole of responsibility, a voice behind them made them both jump.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you two."

Gabe whirled around to see Lucas striding towards them, a grin on his face and his SHD in hand. Despite the stress of the situation, Gabe felt some of the tension leave his body at the sight of his best friend.

"Lucas, you sneaky bastard," Gabe laughed, pulling him into a quick hug. "How do you always manage to sneak up on me?"

Lucas wiggled his eyebrows. "Trade secret, my friend. Can't reveal all my mysteries."

Gabe rolled his eyes, then turned to make introductions. "Lucas, this is Grant Hall. Grant, meet Lucas, our resident tech genius and all-around pain in my ass."

"Charmed, I'm sure," Lucas said, extending a hand to Grant. "Don't believe a word this guy says about me. I'm an absolute delight."

Grant shook Lucas's hand, looking a bit overwhelmed by the other man's exuberant energy. "Uh, nice to meet you."

Gabe quickly filled Lucas in on Grant's situation, watching as his friend's expression shifted from curiosity to determination.

"Say no more," Lucas said, his fingers already flying over his SHD. "I'm on it. We'll get you set up with a room, some clothes, whatever you need. Speaking of which," he looked up at Grant,"is there anything you need from your old place? We can send someone to grab it for you."

Grant hesitated, his hand moving to his neck as if reaching for something that wasn't there. "There's... there's a necklace. It was my biological mother's. I never met her, but it's all I have left of her. That's really the only thing I care about."

Lucas nodded, his usual joking demeanor softening. "Consider it done. We'll make sure you get it back, safe and sound."

As they made their way to the sleeping quarters, Gabe couldn't help but marvel at how quickly Lucas had taken charge of the situation. It was moments like these that reminded him why they made such a good team.

When they reached the room assigned to Grant, Gabe watched as the young man's eyes widened in disbelief. The space was simple but comfortable – a far cry from the cramped, rundown apartments Gabe had lived in during his early days with the Shadowguards.

"This is for me?" Grant asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lucas clapped him on the shoulder. "All yours, buddy. Make yourself at home."

As Grant tentatively explored the room, touching the soft bedding and peering into the attached bathroom with its gleaming fixtures, Gabe felt a knot in his chest loosen slightly. They'd done good here. Maybe they couldn't fix all of Grant's problems, but they'd given him a safe place to land, a chance to figure out this new chapter of his life.

Once they'd gotten Grant settled and Lucas had promised to personally oversee the retrieval of his mother's necklace, the two friends stepped out into the hallway.

Gabe let out a long breath, leaning against the wall. "Fuck, what a day. And it's not even noon yet."

Lucas chuckled. "Welcome to the glamorous life of a Shadowguard. Speaking of which," he raised an eyebrow at Gabe, "heard you're finally taking some time off. It's about damn time."

Gabe blinked, caught off guard. "How the hell did you know about that? I just decided like an hour ago."

Lucas waved his SHD. "Alex already sent out the memo. 'Gabe Reed on leave for family emergency. Do not contact unless world is literally ending.' Direct quote."

"Jesus," Gabe muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Nothing stays secret around here, does it?"

"Nope," Lucas said cheerfully. "So, spill. What's this family emergency? Everything okay?"

Gabe sighed, the weight of his dual life settling back onto his shoulders. "It's my dad's birthday. They're throwing him a surprise party back in Salem."

Understanding dawned in Lucas's eyes. "Ah. And let me guess, you're worried the world might implode if you step away for five minutes?" Lucas finished for him, his tone gentle despite the teasing words.

Gabe managed a wry smile. "Am I that predictable?"

"Only to those of us who know you," Lucas said, bumping Gabe's shoulder with his own. "Look, man. I get it. This job, what we do here is important. But so is family. And if you don't take care of yourself, you won't be any good to anyone. Take the time off. Go see your folks. We've got things covered here."

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