TW: Some light joking around about taking medication for mental health purposes

The next several weeknights contained both Garte and Derek studying vigorously, harder than they had ever.

They aggressively studied potions, spells, and relics. They spoke extensively about the curses that were passed down through generations, and why the world thought them to be false. When Garte stumbled upon realm theory, the trajectory of their entire plan changed.

"If we just cut them off, they'll continue to hurt those who are vulnerable," Garte expressed. "And, who's to say they won't blackmail us with our children?"

Garte had a page on his computer open to a specific portal that could be created with the blood of the cursed and other spells. His mind went to much darker and more meticulous plans than Derek's did. Garte wanted to rid the world of Zack, Elizabeth, and Michael in their entirety. Derek, however, just wanted to silence them.

"You're suggesting something drastic." Derek replied. "Something that cannot be reversed."

"We don't have to, but it seems to me it's our most viable option."

Derek sank back into his chair. He wasn't against the idea, not necessarily. After Garte's pressing, he agreed to at least study what could be done to open a portal to another dimension. What quantum physicists named theory, Derek and other magic users knew was truth. So, he was willing to look into it.

Normally they would work and read together in their offices, but Zianna offered to host Rachel while her husband and his best friend studied. Having no idea what they were working on, she figured Rachel was in the same boat. They may not have been close, but having felt emotionally neglected, she could use the company.

Though they were studying, they were still best friends. As such, they would often get off track and start joking around.

"Oh my Irene, go take your meds, I'm sick of you," Derek said quickly while laughing.

Garte, for the first time in a long time, was laughing along with Derek heartily. His medication was wearing off, as it was getting late into the evening. He knew Derek was only playing around, so he laughed.

"I'm going to make Zianna put chocolate in the next dessert she makes," Garte chuckled across from Derek.

"Oh, such a big threat, I'll just have her put Vyvanse into it as well." Derek retorted sarcastically.

Zianna and Rachel were standing across from each other on the kitchen island, halfway listening to their conversation. Each enjoying a glass of wine, they both shook their heads. Though, occasionally, they would hear the two of them and laugh.

"Irene, it's like they're in college again." Rachel noted, watching her husband actually enjoy himself.

"Tell me about it." Zianna laughed, pouring herself a bit more wine. "I haven't heard Garte laugh like that in months."

Rachel smiled softly. Zianna wasn't entirely in the dark about the situation, but having three boys under five, she was lasered in on caring for them. Rachel, however, had a bit less on her plate, and was able to tell that there was something extremely sinister and conspiratorial when it came to Michael.

Perhaps it was the way Derek would disappear for hours without so much of a hint as to where he was, or the gleam in both Michael and Elizabeth's eyes, but something about the whole thing terrified Rachel. She just couldn't put her finger on what exactly it was.

"Is your husband doing alright?" Rachel asked.

Zianna pressed her lips in a line and leaned against the counter. Stealing a glance at Garte and Derek, she looked back into her glass of red wine and sighed. She sensed this question was not only coming from Rachel, but from Derek.

"He's... not in the worst of it yet. And hopefully, he doesn't get there." Zianna said, knowing that Rachel had known Garte's story extensively.

Rachel hummed in acknowledgement, not exactly sure of what to say. But, she looked up at Zianna, and could see the worry in her eyes.

"Do you maybe think that there's something neither of them are telling us?" Rachel asked quietly, so her husband and the man he called his brother would not hear.

Zianna's eyes grew wide briefly in shock. She had been thinking the same thing, but hadn't actually spoken the words aloud like Rachel just had. Garte's dismissiveness was nothing new, but his excuses were too quick, and too thought out. Finally, she nodded.

"Yes, actually," Zianna stated. "Yes, I do."

While their wives were left up to their own devices to figure out what exactly was going on behind their backs, Garte and Derek were getting continuously side tracked. Their efforts to focus on what they had been doing for days on end were in vain.

"G, what the hell have you been reading?" Derek asked, pointing to a book on Garte's desk.

"Oh, and I'm the one who needs the meds?" Garte joked back, picking up the book. "I don't even take Vyvanse, by the way."

"Talk, talk, talk, that's all you do." Derek joked. "No, seriously, I'm curious."

Garte slid Derek the book from across the desk. Upon picking it up, Derek read the title: Lord Garte of O'Khasis. He was taken aback by the fact that his best friend's name was on the cover. Moreover, he was a little surprised to see how much the portrait on the cover looked like the man sitting across from him.

"My mother-in-law got it for me. I guess because I like to read and because it has my name on it." Garte said, absentmindedly clicking through pages as he explained to Derek after seeing the confusion out of the corner of his eye.

"Have you read it?" Derek asked.

Garte nodded. "He was like... the most okay dude ever. He was a great ruler until he got violently ill with whatever they couldn't diagnose at the time. After that, I guess he went a bit off the rails. All of his children reportedly died. Oh, also - nobody knows what happened to him."

"What do you mean?" Derek asked.

"I mean that the guy got kidnapped by Tu'la and was never stated to be seen again by official records."

"Officially?"

"Apparently he was reported to have been rescued and taken care of with his entire family by his side. I guess they forgave him." Garte paused. "Some crazy theory in there states that he was a half transformed Shadow Knight, and got some batshit abilities to do stuff."

Derek put the book down on his friend's desk. He could see that Garte truly was interested, but was trying to pass it off like he wasn't in order to not keep talking about the subject until he couldn't anymore. He kept staring at the official portrait of the Lord, who stared back with an all too familiar melancholy.

"Do you think you guys are... related or something?" Derek asked, only halfway joking.

Garte laughed. "Why, because we look alike? Dude, that's a painting from something like a thousand years ago. Let's keep studying. We've got a portal to open."

Derek nodded, though he was interested in reading up on that himself. Garte was not a skeptic, not a religious man, and not often one to believe in anything that science couldn't prove. Derek, however, had seen and known this magic and reincarnation could occur. But, that was a conversation for another, happier time.

"Yeah. Yeah we do." He stated.

Meanwhile, unaware that any of the conspiring was happening with Garte and Derek, Zack stood fighting with Sylvanna in the kitchen.

They had tried to work it out for their daughter's sake. Really, Sylvanna was putting in the effort, and Zack was continuing to work with Michael. While the first couple weeks lasted and were seeming to get better, everything between them was sliding again.

He stood looking at Sylvanna's heartbroken and angry expression. Unlike Michael, he couldn't stand looking in the faces of those who had been so hurt. But, he also couldn't seem to stop hurting those he loved, either.

"I want you out of here." Sylvanna whispered under her breath.

"What? You can't be serious." Zack retorted.

"I am."

"What about our daughter?!"

"She has been fine without you here, and she will continue to be fine!" Sylvanna exclaimed through gritted teeth.

Zack could only stare at her. Finally, he drew in a breath, and walked away to go pack a bag.

Where he was going, he wasn't sure. How long he was going to be gone was up to fate. He knew what happened between him and Sylvanna was unfixable. But, how he loved his little girl.

Sylvanna had locked herself in the bathroom when Zack came back out. Just as he was about to leave, he heard little footsteps on the stairs.

"Daddy?" Aphmau's tiny, timid voice asked. "Where are you going?"

Zack stopped dead in his tracks. He swallowed and blinked, unsure of what to say to an almost four year old who had overheard her parents fighting just moments ago. He decided to smile softly and put down his bag, lifting her up off the stairs.

"Just out, baby girl. I'll see you soon, okay?" He said gently, trying not to worry her.

"You're not leaving forever?" Aphmau asked innocently.

Zack could feel his heart slowly shattering, but put on a brave face for his daughter. As he was carrying her back up to bed, he spoke to her.

"Not in a million years, baby girl."

He tucked her back into bed, brushing her hair away from her face. She looked so much like her mother, it was uncanny. He sighed, making sure to stay by her bed until she fell asleep. When her eyes fluttered open, he would softly smile at her, continuing to stroke her hair and talk to her softly.

When he could finally tell that she was asleep by her breaths becoming steady, he stood up and kissed her on the forehead. Pulling the blanket up and brushing her hair back one last time, he got up to leave.

"I love you, my sweet girl." He whispered before he walked out.

As he left where he once called home, he could only stare at the door for a few moments. Once in his car, he simply drove to the office where he was spending most of his time anyway. As he drove and navigated the dimly lit streets, he was drowned in his own thoughts.

Perhaps they were in vain, but Zack's prayers were filled with the hope to see and hold his daughter again sometime soon.