and the bad news is...

who: oz, billy, maddie and mathias
where: oz's basement
when: late evening

Oz was kind of nervous about this. He'd gotten the call from Mathias about having some of the girl's stuff, and had started the set up. He was pretty sure that there were explanations that would be needed here, but he wasn't offering them up quite yet. Because really, the less he had to explain about knowing a really, really long dead witch? The better. He didn't really want to explain about the cage either, but maybe Mathias would just think he was a monster movie werewolf, and didn't really know the difference. Otherwise? He just had some crazy shit in his basement.

Either way, he didn't do a whole lot of overexplaining. About all he did was mention that Sophie didn't like magic, and that was why after she'd offered everyone drinks, she hadn't come downstairs. It was just prudent lack of explaining. Or something. Whatever. It was a sound theory about an hour ago, and he was sticking to it.

But yeah. Stuff! Stuff and other thingies. Which were now strewn across the basement floor in a vaguely organized way. He'd through some interesting interpretations gotten everything necessary, and set it up in the basement at his house. Oz had actually had it all set up for a while now, he was just waiting for the redheaded spirit to show up. Which meant he was pacing in a circle amongst lit candles, trails of incense smoke, bowls of water and rocks. The incense might have smelled good if he'd y'know. Not had heightened senses and it burned his nostrils instead. The spell wasn't supposed to take long. It should just burn a small hole in the map he had laid out, and he had a globe out there too--just in case. Not that he was happy about having put that in, but still. He glanced at both Billy and Mathias, trying not to look like he was nervous, and knowing full well he was spectacularly failing.

Billy was there because someone had to be an interpretor for the group - Maddie knew what needed to be done, but couldn't physically do it, so she followed him round and gave instructions and he either put things in places, or directed Oz where to put things while the guy - Mathias - stood to one side. Billy wasn't entirely sure about said guy, who'd just turned up and had been looming ever since - well, not looming, not to anyone else, but Billy didn't like people who walked into a room and acted immediately like they owned the place. It made him uncomfortable - though he didn't recognise the reason for that, which was because it meant that he didn't own the place - and Billy had never been very good at feeling inferior to anyone. Mathias made him feel like that.

The guy had kept out of the way though, quietly watching - and seemingly assuming that Billy was the witch who would be doing the spell, the way he'd been giving instructions. Billy was fine with that - it balanced the scales a little. Plus he had to smile at the glance that the guy had made towards the cage when he first entered the basement. Billy had it's twin in his own basement and had just got so used to it that he'd forgotten how strange that probably looked to a newcomer. "Okay," he said, standing back with a glance towards Maddie. "I think we're all set."

Oz, for his part, braced himself. Which was stupid, it was a location spell. It wasn't going to do anything. It was just a silly little tiny light show thing and that would be it. But that didn't stop him from tensing up a tiny bit anyhow.

Maddie walked past Billy. "You're just waiting for the look on Mr. HotShit's face, aren't you?" she asked rhetorically as she went by. She smirked at him briefly over her shoulder. "Be sure to look well, so you can describe it to me later." she added, before she sat down in the center of the circle the various components created. She'd be too focused in on the spell. Settling herself, she shut her eyes for a moment, drawing in a slow breath before she let it out, focusing. With everything set up for her, it wouldn't take long to perform the actual spell. So in theory, she didn't have to burn much of her energy. But she might have to interpret things, she didn't know.

Prepared, she opened her eyes back up again, and manifested, immediately starting in on the spell.

Billy had laughed a little at Maddie's comment and did just that - settling back against the far wall, his arms crossed against his chest in a mirror of the way Mathias was standing - and he watched the older man, waiting. Mathias, on the other hand, was just waiting - he'd been expecting the dark haired, lanky guy - Billy - to start on the spell, and had been a little confused when he'd walked away with a small laugh. He didn't show it, of course, but he felt sure that he was missing something, especially when Billy started to stare at him. It was because of this he was actually looking at the guy, not the circle when everything started to happen and he did a complete double-take when there was suddenly a redhead sitting in the middle of the circle chanting. He straightened from his relaxed position, blinking rapidly - to the accompaniment of a harsh laugh from Billy.

Maddie heard it, and smirked, though she didn't let it take her focus away from the spell. Not that the spell was terribly complicated, or took that much concentration. She murmured the incantation, the smoke from the incense starting to swirl in towards her, the candle flames leaning over, the water rippling in the bowls, and the rocks shifted. There was a flash of light, bright and red.

That? Was supposed to happen. What wasn't supposed to happen was the light shooting off--outside the circle, into the small bathroom under the basement steps, and a loud crash ensuing. That wasn't supposed to happen at all. It was just supposed to burn a hole in the map that had been laid out. Maddie was up and moving in a shot, noticing others moving as well, to see what the fuck had just happened.

Mathias was actually the first person on her heels, moving with inhuman speed across the room, reaching the bathroom before Maddie, or even Billy who had been the closest to it. He stood in the doorway and looked - the mirror in there was clearly broken, the glass cracked. "...the hell," he breathed, standing back so that the others could see.

Maddie peeked around the door, feeling both Billy and Oz crowding around her. "Oi, back up, wolf." she said, as he stepped on the back of her foot, not that she sounded annoyed. She was frowning at the mirror. Darkly. "...I don't like this." she said plainly, because it was reminding her of things she would rather forget had ever happened. If she could hook up voluntary amnesia, she would do it, if it would have her blocking out those months she wandered the Inbetween.

"Sorry, Maddie..." mumbled Oz, as he did hop back half a step--even if he didn't go far, and he tried to see around everyone. The mirror was broken? Why the hell did it do that? The fuck? "Um...I don't like it either? Can you explain?" he asked, not trying to demand an answer, more asking if she really could do that, or if she was clueless too.

Billy, for one, didn't like anything that Maddie didn't like - even if he didn't understand it. He stepped in behind his girlfriend, his arm slipping round her waist without a thought. After all, he had to take his moments of contact when he could get them and they were giving up their five minutes a day for this. Not that Billy wouldn't ever have argued against it. Especially not when the request had come with the news that the dreams had ended - the independent confirmation he'd needed since he'd gotten Syn's message. With that news, he'd have agreed to anything.

Maddie still didn't say anything, mouth that naturally looked pissed off giving even more of a grim turn as she frowned at the mirror. She automatically put her hand over his on her stomach, leaning ever so lightly back against him without thinking about it. "If it had failed, it wouldn't've lit up." she said. "It wouldn't've done anything. An I think it's safe t'say that Oz doesn't have'er stashed behind the bloody wall." she added, that natural anger of hers rising up because of her intense dislike of where her logic was bringing her.

Mathias eyed her, then looked at the mirror and back, noting absently the way she stood with the guy. There was a story there - that was obvious. A story more that 'what the fuck is she' as well. A randomly appearing woman who suddenly seemed to be Subject Authority in the room - but Mathias had seen some weird in his life and if it helped him find his brother's friend then whatever. "But it didn't do nothing," he said, stating the obvious in a tone that clearly expressed that he knew he was stating the obvious. "So - what does this tell you?" he asked.

"Tells me that it was trying to point to where she is, and that that was the nearest direction." Maddie said. "An I don't know about you lot, but I only know of one place that you get to through mirrors." She felt cold. A shiver went through her, and if it was possible, she appeared to pale a little bit. "Yer not going t'like where she is." she added, in what might have been an offhand sort of comment, but wasn't. She was having slight trouble saying it, because she had such a strong gut instinct to avoid anything that even remotely had to do with that place. However, Maddie was a Protector at the core of her being, and someone was in trouble. "I don't know how to get to the Inbetween naturally, though." she said, because she was also aware that time wasn't on her side.

There was a softly murmured 'Oh, fuck' from Oz behind everyone, and he took a few steps back, staring at both Billy and Maddie, knowing that this was Bad.

Billy's arm tightened around her, holding her close to him instinctively. He knew what that place was - that's where he'd lost her to, the one time that they'd tried to increase the time she could manifest to. They'd found a witch who could do it, but the consequence had been that she'd been banished to the inbetween for three times as long as he'd had her here. He'd thought she'd gone for good. The loss almost killed him. The decisions he'd made as a result had brought him even closer to death. The very thought of that place near enough brought him out in a cold sweat.

Mathias, on the other hand, had never heard of the place - but he could tell from the looks on the faces of the others in the room that they had. And that it was bad, very bad. "So, how do we get there unnaturally?" It seemed the obvious question - Mathias wasn't someone for whom 'it can't be done' was an option.

Maddie ticked her light green eyes up from the broken mirror to meet Mathias'. "You don't. You don't just hop there. It's the Inbetween. It's not even like the spirit world. It's a place between realms. It's endless corridors, with nothing around but windows. Windows that are mirrors here. And no one can see you , no one can hear you, and you can't get out. That's it. I was banished there before, for a few months." Her voice was tight, it was clear that the event was a lot harder on her than she was making it sound, but she wasn't exactly going to go into it. "If the people who're missing are there?" she shook her head. "I'm sorry. But I honestly don't know of any way to get there, let alone get them back." Her hand on Billy's tightened. "I don't have much time left, if you have anything else to ask, do it now."

"There must be a way," Mathias told her, not giving up on that. He wasn't going to lose Caleb's friend - and the people she'd been with - to any kind of realm. "There's always a way - just because you don't know what it is, doesn't mean it's not there."

Billy shot him a glare, but didn't move - he wasn't letting go of his girl, he couldn't - but he didn't like the way this guy was talking to her. If Maddie said there wasn't a way, there wasn't a way. End of story.

"Then look. But I'm telling you, it's not like other realms. Most you can find a gateway to, some way or another, but this one...it's not the same. It doesn't even have the same rules. I've been around for near a century and I haven't heard a single thing. Good luck, I hope you find it. I'm sorry I can't do more. If I think of anything I can, I'll get in touch with you." How she was going to do that, she didn't say. But she would. She was resourceful like that. She grit her teeth, eyes squeezing shut for a heartbeat as she squeezed Billy's hand once more, then started to pull away. "Billy--"

Billy didn't let her go - she could leave, she had to, but he wasn't letting her go - he'd freeze first. In fact, if anything, he held her tighter, just the mention of the inbetween setting him flailing internally as he buried his face into her hair. He knew, of course, that she'd still be there, but the mention of the place was like the boogey man to him - and he was still feeling the knock from the dream, though knowing they were no more was helping there. Really helping.

It was painful. It gave an aching stab to her heart that he didn't let go, because she knew why. As much as this was effecting her, it would very much be effecting him as well. After all, he hadn't exactly done well in the time she was gone. There were a lot of nights where she sat up watching him sleep, wondering how much longer he would have lasted if she'd been trapped forever. If she'd had to be there even one more month, if he'd have made it. She half turned in his grasp, to reach up and touch his face, trying to lean closer even as she tried to step back again. "Love," she said quietly. Time ran out though, before she was even fully turned towards him, and that had her taking a full step back away from him, into the bathroom closer to Mathias. When all she wanted to do was go back to Billy and make sure he was okay. Goddamn motherfucking five minute limit. It was never long enough.

And then she was gone and he felt the cold as she passed through his arms and he let out an involuntary gasp - not at the cold, though it was freezing and verging on painful - but at the loss, even though he knew it was coming. He didn't look at the others as he turned and stalked back across the room, leaning heavily on the bars of the cage, his head against the cold metal and he looked into the stark interior.

Mathias was less surprised when the woman disappeared - though still intrigued by the interaction between her and Billy. "Ghost?" he asked Oz softly as Billy walked off - see, he could have tact at times. He assumed that there was something between Billy and the girl, but what confused him was what she'd said - that she'd been around for getting on for nigh on a century. Whereas the guy looked to be in his early twenties. Then again, looks could be deceiving. He could be angelic - or demonic, though he didn't seem to have the personality. A few other options sprang to mind, things that aged differently to humans. Still it was a puzzle - and distracting from the real issue. How to find Leija.

Oz's eyes had followed his friend, feeling all sorts of pained for the both of them. Maddie too, who he knew was still around, and probably hurting just as much. "Yeah. Spirit." he said quietly in Math's direction with the unnoticed vague correction on terms, nodding a touch. "...long story. She was there though. Um...the place. For a few months, and..." And it nearly killed my best friend over there. It wasn't pretty. Clearly, it's still not. "I'll um...be around, if you have questions. And I'll try to help look things up. Make a few calls or something, see if i can find anything out." Not that he had any faith in the slightest that he'd find anything. He didn't even think people who knew about other realms knew about the Inbetween. What with it being in between and all, and not even it's own realm.

That sounded to Math very much like a 'please leave now, goodbye' and he took it as such. "Okay - I know a few people myself. I'll be in touch - if you find anything out, let me know. I'll do the same for you," he promised, before skirting round the other side of the room from Billy - who looked very much like he needed some space, and picking up his bag from where he'd left it. It was never very far away from him, after all.

"Thanks...and hey--" Oz said, feeling bad about the whole thing in general--now worse that he knew where the kids probably were. "Sorry it wasn't a better answer." he said, sincerity in his tone and eyes as he said it. If he'd had to pick, he would much rather have had the stupid spell hit some backwards country they'd have to spend a ton of money getting to and from--money he had. But hopping to dimensions that weren't? Not so easy. And of course it had to be the place that hit both Billy and Maddie hardest.

Math gave him a wry smile. "It wasn't 'they're dead'," he said, shouldering his bag. "That's good enough for me. It's a starting point - that's all I need," he said with the confidence of a guy who rarely, if ever, lost.

That could have been worded better with a spirit in the room. Oz thought to himself, wincing slightly. But he nodded. "I'll be in touch." he said again, then looked back at Billy. "Sophie'll show you out." he added, not really wanting to stray too far from Billy right then. He'd just...go clean up the mirror in the bathroom or something. Yeah. Anything that was not leaving him alone-alone. Even if he knew he wasn't alone, because Maddie would be there. Still. He was a creature of instinct, and his instinct said his friend was hurting, and that meant he didn't go far. That was it. End of story.

"Right - thanks," Mathias told him, heading up the stairs, leaving the two guys in the basement. And, he assumed, the ghost.

Billy listened to the footsteps retreating up the stairs, to Oz's declaration that he wasn't going anywhere, and he waited - until he was sure Mathias was gone, before he turned round and slid gently to the floor, bringing his knees up and hugging them to his chest. It took him a moment, but he looked up, resting his head against the bars.

Oz had drifted towards the bathroom, but hadn't quite left the basement proper yet. "...you okay?" he asked quietly.

Maddie was nearby. She was standing with one shoulder against the bars a few down from Billy, gazing down at him. She hadn't been paying attention to what Oz and Mathias had to say to each other, she was more concerned with her boy. He'd already been upset about oh, everything, lately, this wasn't the best thing for him to hear.

Billy's attention wasn't on Oz, in fact he was ignoring his friend. His attention was entirely and wholly on Maddie. "You're not to get involved," he told her, firmly. There was no room for argument in his tone. Maddie, he knew, was as stubborn as a mule, but generally she knew when she wasn't going to win - this was one of those times.

"You know I'll do what I can." Maddie said in return. It wasn't necessarily an argument. It wasn't. It was more just an affirmation of something he would very much already know. She also knew that the grand sum of what she could do was probably already done. She didn't know anything. She didn't know about any way there, and even if she did she didn't want to send anyone there without knowing a way back. Because that place was a fate worse than death. She knew that intimately.

Oz, for his part, did slink into the bathroom then, to start quietly cleaning up the broken glass. He kept his ears sharp though, just in case. He didn't really know what he'd do if there was an argument that broke out--maybe go upstairs to wait it out--but he was going to try to be close.

That wasn't good enough for Billy and the look on his face betrayed that as he hoisted himself to his feet. He took the couple of steps towards her. "Not in this - promise me," he told her. He couldn't do this - not now, probably not ever. He didn't want her involved. "Promise me."

Her eyes never left his, moving with him as he got closer. "You know me better than that." she said. Her voice was still soft. "I'll do what I can. I think I already did it, I don't think there's anything else I could do, and I wouldn't go back there." Not without a clear way back. He didn't need to know the last bit though. She knew he'd never forgive her. And really, she didn't know if she could even blame him on that.

He looked at her, meeting her eyes "I'm your protected, remember," he said, softly, pulling the card he didn't like to play. "Your first responsibility is to me. I lost you to that place once. If I lose you to it again - it'll kill me. You just remember that," he told her, his voice entirely serious. He hated doing that, but he couldn't lose her again, it was unthinkable. He hated the way she went through it all, believing that nothing could touch her, nothing could matter, because she was already dead. He didn't see it that way - he never would. Yet nothing he did seemed to be able to make her see that, though it didn't mean he'd ever stop trying - one of these days he'd make her see, make her appreciate what she, he, they stood to lose.

Her eyes narrowed at that, just the tiniest bit. Her mouth thinned, lips pressed together, and her entire form tensed up. "You don't have to remind me." she said, her own voice quiet, but there was a slight edge behind it. She meant about everything he'd said. She knew. She knew well. "You won't lose me." She also wasn't going to leave four kids to die. The adults she felt slightly less about--they'd at least had lives. But the others. None of them could have been even out of high school yet. She wondered if he forgot about how that was how old he'd been when she met him. If he saw the twitch in her, to make sure no one had to die as young as she had, if she could help it. She kept all of that to herself though, knowing right now, it wouldn't matter to him. She mattered to him. Above everything, and that included the lost children. Maddie couldn't fault him for that. Sometimes, she even wished she could alter her own mind, to think more like that. But it was that damn internal martyr that kicked in and she couldn't help it any more than she could help loving him, or being dead, or having green eyes. It was the same thing that had had her walking into her own death trap even when she knew it for what it was. She couldn't shut it off.

No, I think I do, Billy thought to himself. Because he knew her - and her damn martyr complex that would have her throwing herself away without a second thought. And sometimes he hoped that reminding her that it wasn't just her existence at stake would make her think twice. But that was probably wishful thinking and he backed off - because the next step of reminding was one that even he wouldn't take. He wasn't that much of a bastard. Instead he held her eyes for a moment, before shaking his head a little. "I love you," he whispered, then turned, walking off towards the bathroom to find Oz.