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On the way upstairs, Quentin keeps playing with Yamato's hair, its so short and fluffy. When he opesn the door, he gives Yamato a much longer kiss.

Quentin was sick of how often some people are chosen to be the pawns in someone else's scheme. Riordan made sense in an awful way, so much of being Daoine Sidhe was about holding power and getting power. But Samson had used Raj, his own son as a pawn and his hatred of Toby never seemed to stop until he did. And Bridget because all she knew were the stories of Fae using children as pawns hid Chelsea from Sir Etienne. At least they were going to have some kind of happy ending and Toby wasn't trying to kill herself every day, but he was so tired.

His bruises were almost healed but he wouldn't forget the way Riordan had looked at him, what use she could make of him and when she didn't like his answers. How she made her guards beat him and Chelsea up because they didn't do what they were supposed to. But she wouldn't get her own hands dirty, not like Toby or Tybalt who were always going in as deep as they could to help. He had to learn to be a leader like them.

Maybe he'd see what they had the kitchen, or neaten it since the house still needed cleaning after Samson broke in. He went down the stairs, stretching as he went.

Quentin kept looking over at Toby as they drove to the park, she'd shared so much with Chelsea's mother. The way Bridget had stared them down was scary, he'd known how awful they were for humans, but hadn't met a human who knew it too. Katie was proof of that but he'd never been threatened with a frying pan before or had Toby look at him as if he grew up on her. She didn't know how he was lying to her too about who he was. Lies were what defined them and created every kind of mess.

The Luidaeg would know how to fix this. What path to set Toby on where she wouldn't end up killed with someone else's missing daughter as an excuse.

He hated dawn and leaning against a tree in a park wasn't the nicest way to spend it. At least there was a chance to get donuts after.

Then the Afanc was on the car with too many teeth and so big, nothing should be able to sleep comfortably on Toby's car. Quentin had rarely seen the Duke looking as happy as he did when he spotted the Afanc crushing their car. It was a new kind of weird. He was giving it scritches and looking like he'd just been given a present. Etienne kind of looked like he'd been stuffed, more than usual as he seemed to realize that Chelsea with her teleporting must have something to do with the Afanc appearing.

“Where is she?”

“It’s not that late.”

Quentin glared at Raj, “This is Toby who walks into trouble without knowing it. I don’t like it. She’s going to get herself killed.”

“Sit down, I hate when you pace like that,” Raj had a petulant note in his voice as Quentin dropped down onto the couch beside him.

“Fine, not pacing but she should have been back. I should have gone with her and she hasn’t texted or anything.”

“We’re talking about Toby, don’t be an idiot.”

“She uses phones sometimes.”

Raj poked Quentin in the stomach and stretched out more on the couch, “Wait another hour and then I’ll tell my uncle. He’s going to be worried.”

“I’m worried,” He said and absently scratched behind Raj’s ear.

“I know, she’s being stupid but she won’t die out there.” Somehow Raj heard the question in his voice and the worry, it must be a cat thing since Cagney, Lacey and Spike were all near the couch with concerned looks.

May walked in from the kitchen as if she’s heard him mentioning dying when there was a knock at the door, “She should have her key. I’ll let her in.”

There was a brief scent of May’s magic as she put up her disguise and in a few moments she walked back with Sir Etienne behind her. Quentin straightened from where he was sitting and Raj shifted over, “Sir Etienne, what are you doing here?”

Etienne looked around the messy living room and Quentin noticed that he looked tired, “I need to speak to Sir October. Where is she?”

May came from behind Etienne and put a hand on Quentin’s shoulder, “She’s out but she should be back soon. You can wait.”

“You’ll probably find the dining room more comfortable,” Quentin got up to show Etienne in, getting him a drink and then coming back out before giving Raj a shooing motion.

Raj sighed before saying, “I’ll go tell him. Stay here, she’ll get worse if you’re gone.”

“I wouldn’t know where to find her. She should tell me. I’m her squire.”

“I’m not listening to this now,” Raj said with a very cat sigh and then disappeared into the shadow roads.

May ruffled his hair, “Watch some more television, I’ll take care of our guest and she’ll be back soon.”

The door to the room has a castle on it and Quentin sighs at it before opening the door. Inside its fairly simple with a nice TV, comfortable couch, "This looks nice."

His ears are rather still pink from the note with Bar.

The house is kind of feeling close with Toby having some bad days so when Quentin gets a door, he goes through and searches for Yamato. He knows there's a free concert at the end of a fair with lots of food trucks happening and that should be fun.

When he got dressed he tried to look nicer, so he's wearing a button down shirt, his hair's wet and he's fiddling with his cuffs as he waits at the counter.

Quentin had done as Beauford said, he's laid out everything he'd needed for the mac and cheese, he didn't know they had this many pots. Cagney and Lacey appeared as soon as the cheese came out and Quentin leaned down, "Any extra or what's on the floor is yours, but I need everything else for the dish. Also I'll save some leftovers but not on the counters until its in the ovens."

Spike watched from the doorway as the cats meowed before settling themselves next to him, they would keep from doing anything too stupid. If anything decided to be set on fire or Quentin cut himself, they would meow, probably.

Directions, he has them set out and starts to get the pieces going; bechamel sauce, grate the cheese, pasta water, breadcrumbs.

Quentin's found a hockey game, some US college teams on the Milliways TV and he's sprawled out on the couch with a selection of burritos from Bar.

At the moment, he's eating the seafood one and occasionally yelling at the TV, sometimes in French.

The door opens onto a park in the fading light of early evening, they're stepping out from a gazebo type area. Across from the park, beautiful painted houses stand, one in particular looks more lovely in the fading light than the others.

A mix of people walk around them, programmers home from a long day at work, the coffee shops and restaurants are active and there's the sound of music and the taste of sea salt in the air, "Here we are."

Quentin doesn't know where all these boxes came from, Toby didn't have this much space in her apartment and calls out to May, "These top two are yours, where should they go?"

"Maman," He's saying when suddenly he's not in Mission Park but elsewhere. Carefully he hangs up and puts the phone away, he doesn't want April annoyed at him if his phone gets hurt. The forest he's walked into feels almost like the Summerlands and he realizes he's on a path. All the colors are that too bright of the Summerlands but the feel isn't the same, this isn't good.

"What is your quest?!" A voice from a shrub, maybe shouts and he stops, pulling himself into court mode. "I simply wish to traverse this territory." "There are words on you. Who wears words?"

The voice seems closer and Quentin looks down at his shirt which says 'Ahh..I see the screw up fairy has visited us again.' "I do, they're meant to be funny. May I see your face?"

"I don't know yet. Are you a screw-up fairy?" At the screw up, he can hear the voice considering the words.

"Sometimes. What are you?"

"Bored, you should be shinier," He tastes magic on the air, but its not familiar and he feels like he walked through a sprinkler. When he looks down, he's suddenly all over the bronze of his hair. He sighs and spots an opening in the trees where he ends up outside Milliways. Maybe someone inside can help him figure out how to get rid of whatever this enchantment is.

"Raj, move," Quentin is stretched out on the couch with Raj on his shoulder, kneading his scar from ALH as Cagney and Lacey watch from his legs and Spike sleeps on his stomach.

Raj's answer is to barely move and purr as Quentin sighs and leans back as the Iron Chef announces, "Coffee!"

When Etienne dropped him off at Toby's apartment one morning, May greeted him with, "You're having breakfast with the Luidaeg tomorrow. It'll do you good, now go sleep and no, she hasn't come out yet."

He started to say something then smiled before hugging May and giving Cagney, Lacey and Spike pets, "Can I help with dinner?"

May beamed at him and he went to bed full and hopeful, the Luidaeg would know what Toby needed.

****

Quentin leaned against a pole as he watched the food trucks lighting up the little square and tried to figure out the best dishes to order. Whenever there were a lot of food trucks, there were always a few meals that were plain better. He had his eye on one called Proper Tucker and another that was simple My Old Cupcake Home.

He thought he knew about honor, that if you were honorable you didn't torture, you did the right thing. But as Toby kept showing him, it was never that simple. The goblins had a hand of bones from Rayseline, Bucer had told Rayseline where to find Toby's daughter and to Rayseline and Dugan, Dean, Peter, Gillian were only pawns in their plans. To save Gillian, Toby had to make her mortal and lose her forever because that was the only right choice just as sending Katie back was the right one. Right didn't mean honorable or easy, it meant the best option out of too many hard choices.

The Queen, who he had expected something more of, not much as he'd taken Toby from her dungeon of iron but more. To be a ruler connected you to the land, the hand of bones was proof of that, every ruler was bound to their land. Toby understood that as she saw that she could do better for Goldengreen by giving it to Dean Lorden and Marcia who would watch over everyone there. A Queen shouldn't want war not when there's a way to prevent it, but when she had heard the truth, her anger was at being thwarted. Lies were needed to bring about truth and even when everything was done, it was never enough. Connor was dead, Toby hadn't come out of her room since they confronted the Queen and there had been so much blood. His injuries had healed and now it was his job to be in the apartment as often as he could for when Toby needed him.

Formality had a comfort to it, he hadn't realized how useful it was until the Undersea delegation arrived. Also it gave him something to do after that horrible car ride with May and finding out that Toby had contacted the Night Haunts again.

There was a way to deal with everything though hauling the chair from storage was a pain, but it worked. He could see that even Toby was reassured by knowing that in her position as Countess, there were certain steps to take. Raj understood that too and it was nice to know he was on Toby's other side, they along with Marcia and May would show that Toby had all the honor due a Countess.

Not that those were enough when the Duke of Saltmist talked about how he had been sent his son's finger. His breakfast almost came up, but he had to stand straight though a noise escaped. Raj chose that point to ask embarrassing questions of the Duke, but then there wasn't a reason for him to know that when Daoine Sidhe lived long in the Undersea, their magic could be diluted. At least Toby didn't ask him to help her, he would have to learn more of blood magic but this wasn't a time when he wanted to practice. Helping with refreshments was much simpler and something he knew how to do instead of thinking what she would feel from that finger cut from a living boy.

When they came back, Toby had the scary look on her face, the one that meant she was getting closer to a plan and a way to save the boys. He always felt better when she was determined and thinking, it might there wouldn't be more waiting. The Roane with her prophecies was disturbing but she did mention that the Luidaeg would soon be involved, which was even better. The Luidaeg knew how to point Toby in the right direction and keep her safe.

The armory of Shadowed Hills is huge, he shouldn't be surprised as Duke Torquil is a hero, but its still a lot. As he's one of the older fosters in Shadowed Hills, he makes sure to get the larger weapons and armor when he can. Around him everyone seems quieter, the Duke doesn't want this war, he doesn't want to give arms to the Queen, but they have to. A ruler should protect their people not push them into something dangerous. That's why there are Heroes to take on problems and keep them from becoming wars. She's the kind of person that a liege is meant to always be there to protect and the Duke tries but now it will be his turn to do more for her.

While he was helping a younger page get down a piece of troll armor, Etienne appeared and said, "Quentin, the Duke wishes to see you."

"Yes, sir," He said as the armor was freed and the other page grabbed it. Once he was certain he was fine then he went to find the Duke and Duchess, bowing to them both.

The Duke seemed tired as he said, "Countess Daye is investigating the disappearance of the Lorden sons and is here, but she is going to need your assistance. We have enough hands to assist with the armory. I trust you to squire her properly."

"I will, your Grace and I am honored by your trust," He stood as tall as he could before the Duke smiled and nodded.

"Then I hope to see you both soon with good news. Her car should be outside," With that, the Duke dismissed him.

Quentin bowed and took every short cut he knew to to get to the parking lot and got comfortable on Toby's car. As he was sitting, one of the rose goblins came to say hi and ended up being settled on his lap while he watched the path Toby normally used.

Being Toby, she came out of a different way and he grinned at the chance to present himself as her squire. Referring to her as Sir throughout was a genius move that worked wonders, she even asked for Tybalt's help in the midst of arguing with him, true progress. Then Tybalt went off on the Shadow Roads, which meant the radio was his to deal with on the way to her apartment with May and Raj hanging out with Cagney and Lacey. She should have told May that he was her squire or Connor, yes, its new and other things are going on, but being a squire is important.

Connor showed up and kissed Toby when she opened the door, which was a lot to see at once. He did bring possibly good news about meeting with Duchess of Saltmist which meant going out, but with Connor driving. His driving wasn't that bad compared to May but not great, they all got to the bus stop and meeting in one piece, that was the important part.

He woke up to an afternoon sun and worked to get his bearings, he was sitting in the bleachers of Pleasant Hill High School where he used to sit with Katie. His hands went to his ears which were pointed and he started to curse when Katie, the human girl he'd loved was there. Her eyes were older since the Luidaeg made her forget Blind Michael and all of him. She was dressed for school in dark jeans and a purple sweater that brought out the dark colors in her eyes.

Her gaze was tight on him and he had to hide, she couldn't see him. When she spoke her voice was soft and she stopped a few feet away from him and stared, "Hey, don't run away. This is a dream sort of thing. Its because we're officially dead to each other or something."

"What? But you shouldn't see me, its dangerous," He hadn't moved though, not with her looking at him as if she could solve him. It was why he'd liked her, she was beautiful, clever and she wanted to know how everything worked. When they'd studied, she would rest her head on his shoulder and tell him about physics and how it made sense of the world.

"Is that actual bronze in your hair? Your eyes are bluer than I remembered, but I don't remember much. I don't think I'll even remember this, she did that to help me. I don't know if I like that. You're meant to remember the bad and face it," She frowned as she spoke and he could see her trying to puzzle it out.

"Yes, the Luidaeg did that, if she hadn't then you might have lost yourself trying to make sense of what happened. She's not always nice but she's fair."

"But I had already been lost and broken in a place that shouldn't have been. Why would it have been so awful if I understood?"

"Because you wouldn't have understood, not really. Do you remember how annoyed you were when we were studying Shakespeare and how it was all iambic pentameter?"

"Okay, yeah, I mean it sounded nice and all but everything was in it and it didn't have to be. It would have worked just as well if there was some variation."

"This is like that. A lot of it makes sense to me because I'm used to thinking in iambic pentameter, but you're not and you would keep trying to find a way to translate it."

Katie was quiet before she walked closer to him, reaching out to touch the point of his ear, "This is the real you?"

"Yes, it is. I'm sorry," The words felt small but he couldn't think what else to say.

She looked him over once more then tugged gently at his ear, "Thank you for saving me and I probably wouldn't like what I would have understood."

Then she turned and walked down the track and Quentin woke up to the setting sun shining in his eyes from the partly opened curtain of his rooms in Milliways.

It had been a long night with a tiring session with Etienne then going to Goldengreen to check in with Toby and see how she's doing.

After that, no one was free to give him a ride back so he decided to take a bus back to Toby's apartment. He should be able to make it before dawn without a problem and later he could tell Toby, she would like that he'd taken the bus.

The bus driver hadn't blinked at the leaves he'd made seem like coins and it was quiet until they broke down a few blocks from Toby's place and he could feel dawn pressing down.

He quickly got out and made his way into the park, but the trees changed and then dawn hit and he held onto a tree and tried to remember how to breath.

When Quentin walks back into the living room dissolving his human disguise, no time has passed and Raj frowns at him, "Where did you find those donuts?"

"What? Oh, we forgot them from an earlier run, are we still on the same channel?"

"You were barely gone, sit down, bring those over and stop looking weird."

Quentin blinked then shook his head and flopped beside Raj and offered the donuts. Raj grabbed one and ended up doing the studied sprawl he did that left Quentin putting his legs up on the table as the horror movie marathon went on.

The current one involved a poor man trapped in his house and Quentin almost threw up his donut, "That's wrong. Zombie babies shouldn't exist and blood isn't that color."

"Shut up and watch," Raj said as he tossed a pillow at Quentin who ended up hiding in it at some points. He'd survived ALH but this was wrong and Toby was never, ever seeing this movie, she had enough issues to do with kids and blood.

By the time it was over, even Raj had a look of disgust on his face, "I don't care who that director is, that was terrible and blood isn't like that."

"Don't talk about blood. We're putting on something else," He said and picked up the remote and they ended up on an acoustic session of a band he liked. By the time Toby was finished with her sword session with Duke Torquill, they were asleep, but they'd left her two donuts.