Rebecca froze in midair as Lucille levitated her outside of the bathroom. She wasn't really immobilized, but not having her feet on the floor unnerved her. The mother witch gently lowered her on the living room couch where neatly folded clothes lay, and said, "Get dressed. Breakfast is about to be ready." Rebecca looked up at her just before the woman turned around and swept a hand towards the gaping bathroom doorway. She heard her mutter a phrase, then the bathroom door materialized in a swirl of lights. Rebecca's eyes widened, but Lucille didn't look back. She just walked towards the kitchen and proceeded to prepare breakfast. 

Rebecca was left befuddled. She tried to explain to herself what happened, but without a concrete grasp on the things happening around her lately, she decided to get over it and dress herself. Lucille left her with a shirt, shorts that ended just an inch above the knees and undergarments. On the floor was a pair of fuzzy slippers. She slipped into them as her mind entertained more questions about what the hell was going on.

From what little she gathered, it was clear that she wasn't Lilian, not one bit. So why was she here now, in what seems to be Lilian's body and in Lilian's home? And where was the real Lilian? What happened to her? There was all these and more doing laps inside her head. She was so focused on these thoughts that she didn't notice the breakfast table was already set, and that Lucille was waiting for her, sitting on a plastic chair beside the table.

"Good morning." Lucille called out, startling Rebecca a bit. "Breakfast is ready." The woman continued. Rebecca stared at her and tried to read her expression. It was placid and a shudder ran down her back with the coldness of her stare. She found herself afraid of this woman, with what she did to the evil man last night, to the bathroom door just mere minutes ago. It was clear this woman was not to be crossed. 

"Come and join me." Lucille told her again. "You must be hungry." There was a hint of tenderness in her voice, but what really made Rebecca walk towards the table and sit opposite Lucille was the smell of bacon, eggs and toast. She could not remember the last time she ate, and she was starving.

"Before you eat, maybe try the orange juice first." Lucille said as Rebecca sat across from her. "That body probably isn't used to solids anymore so it would be better if you take in liquids first to test it out." Lucille poured her a glass of orange juice and she tentatively received it. She took tiny sips first, heeding the woman's advice, and when it felt like her insides weren't objecting, she gobbled the rest of the drink, tilting the glass' bottom high above her head.

"Ahhh..." She let out a sigh of satisfaction. She didn't feel the thirst until she finished it. "Can I have more?" She asked Lucille.

The woman poured her another glass in silence and Rebecca almost wondered if she thought it was rude to ask for seconds immediately. She drank in haste and when that was finished too, she put the empty glass on the table and said, "Maybe I shouldn't fill myself up right away." She looked over to Lucille and saw her watching closely, as if waiting for something from her.

Rebecca started feeling funny, her toes and fingers tingled in slightly electrifying sensations. Her hair felt fizzy, like they were standing on end with static. She heaved a deep breath and when she exhaled, her skin flickered, as if she was made of fluorescent tube running out of ballast. She looked up at Lucille for an explanation, but she only saw her staring, mouthing numbers in a countdown. "...four...three...two..."

"What's going on? What did you put in that juice!?" Rebecca stood up, knocking the table and sending the glass crashing to the floor. Lucille also stood up and held a defensive stance, palms facing outwards, ready to launch energy balls if needed be. 

"I laced it with a revealing potion." Lucille declared. "Now show me who you really are!"

Rebecca's body, or rather Lilian's, glowed brighter and soon she was beaming like a neon sign. She looked at her reflection in the window glass nearby and caught her breath with what she saw. An image of Rebecca, the girl she was in her vision, superimposed Lilian's body in a spectral. It was a projection of her true self.

"Heavens!" Lucille gasped, breaking Rebecca's fixation to her reflection. Just as quick as the projection presented itself, it was gone, leaving Rebecca even more confused. "What happened? Why did I change back?" She asked Lucille.

"No. I get to ask questions!" Lucille screamed. If she looked cold earlier, now she definitely looked hot. Hot with rage, that is. "Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?" Balls of energy started to blossom from her palms making Rebecca raise her hands in submission and take small steps backward.

"Whoa, wait a second. Let me explain-" Rebecca tried to reason.

"Did he send you here to torment me again? Or to kill me this time? To finally rid himself of his remaining humanity?" The energy balls in Lucille's palm was growing bigger at an alarming rate. "Answer me or I will kill you first!" Lucille had never killed anyone before, but if it was to protect herself from this impostor wearing her daughter's face, she wasn't  bothered by the prospect of murder.

"No! Wait! " Rebecca answered. "I'm not here to hurt you. I have no idea what's going on!" Tears of fright started to stream down her face.
When Lucille didn't seem to back down, Rebecca felt the real terror wash in on her. "Please don't kill me! Please!" She dropped to her knees, not minding the shards of glass cutting her skin open, and joined her hands together to beg for her life. "Please don't kill me." She pleaded.

In Lucille's mind, she told herself not to be fooled by this show of submission. This being was probably faking it so Lucille, playing mind games to gain her trust, and when her guards are finally down it would strike her. But the vision of Lilian, of her little girl, kneeling bloodied on her knees, begging for her life, tugged at Lucille's heart. She couldn't hurt her, even if she wanted to. Even if this being was actually here to kill her, the vision of Lilian rendered her powerless to do harm. She must've walked right into The Necromancer's trap. 

She breezed through her options, of the things she could do now; of the various other endings this confrontation could end. But ultimately, her maternal instincts dominated over. She gave up the fight, dropping her hands to her sides and willing the energy balls away. 

Rebecca saw her calm down and that's when she broke into a mess of tears and sobs. She sat on the floor, cutting even more skin on her legs but she didn't care. Everything didn't make sense to her and it was frustrating. 

"Prove to me that you're not evil." Lucille commanded. She still didn't trust this girl, but she figured if she was going to die because of this, then at least she wouldn't have to go through life without Lilian anymore. To be with her daughter in the afterlife would be the best consolation

"How?" Rebecca managed between the sobs. "I don't know how."

"Close your eyes." 

"What?"

"I said close your eyes." Lucille said, impatient.

"How do I know you won't hurl an energy ball at me?"

"How do I know you're not here to kill me?"  The mother witch retorted. "If you're not what you say you are, then one of us will surely be dead by sunrise. And I'll make damn sure that won't be me!"

Rebecca glared at Lucille. She didn't trust the woman completely, because she didn't know her at all. Except that she could throw energy balls and blow-up bathroom doors if she wanted to. Rebecca knew she had no other choice.

"Alright." She told Lucille. Her whole body shook in terror, but she followed what she was told and closed her eyes. As soon as her eyelids shut, Lucille blew another heap of a different variety of herbs from her palms down to the girl on the floor. The powdery stuff rained around her and sent soothing sensations to Rebecca's body. It was similar to the effect the man's voice had on Rebecca last night, but this time it was even better. There was something more in the magic. There was love.

It enveloped her ans gave her happy feelings. Even with the gaps in her memory, she felt like her whole life before her had been alright. She felt no worry, no fear of the future. She felt content.

"You can open your eyes now." Lucille said after a while, and Rebecca opened her eyes to see the woman sitting on the plastic chair again. "You're telling the truth. I believe you." 

Rebecca frowned in confusion and looked down to inspect the wounds on her knees. They weren't there. "You...you healed me."

"No, I didn't" Lucille said. Her tone now calmer and sober. "You did. The spell I cast on you wasn't a healing spell, it was a prayer to The Goddess. I prayed that if you really were innocent, The Goddess would bless you and heal your wounds."

Rebecca swept her palms on her knees and legs, trying to feel any trace of the glass shards buried in it a while ago. Her skin was once again smooth and firm, as if nothing happened. 

"You were telling the truth so She blessed you." Lucille heaved a heavy breath. 

The girl didn't turn out to be evil after all. But she wasn't Lilian, not really, and because of that, Lucille still felt defeated. Last night she thought Lilian was finally back, that her prayers have been answered. But it turned out to be a dream too good to be true. It broke her heart to admit it.

Rebecca slowly rose to her feet, unsure what to do next. "T-thank you." She managed to utter. She figured if anything, she was grateful the woman didn't blow her up with her powers.

Lucille looked up at the girl who looked like her daughter. How could she be so like Lilian when she isn't her? Why is she here? And unknown to both of them, a single question paralled in the women's minds: Where is the real Lilian?

She looked up at the girl and asked, breaking the deafening silence between them.

"Who are you?"

A/N

Because it's Friday the 13th I made sure to update this story! This day has always been special to me, so is the Lucky Number 13, so I hope with all my luck and my superstitious beliefs that you'll like this chapter. :)

Also, I want to warn you that this is the first chapter where I've went a different way than the finished draft I've been using as outline. There might be plot holes (I'm dreading it, already!) But I'm gonna work so hard to catch them in the bud and avoid them deliver a wonderful story to you!

Happy Friday the 13th!