Authors Note: Usually I make it a rule not to work ahead for the simple fact I hate to be wrong. Also I don't like to paint myself into a corner. This is my best logical guess as to what might happen in anticipation for season three.

&*&*&*&

Toby stood in front of the hotel with his arm around Kevin while Van saw Michelle off. It looked like they survived the big battle of the witches and warlock. Toby was baffled by the fact that Van ended up with the coveted power. The way her spells tended to go awry he wasn't so sure it was a good idea. Though it was better for Van to have the power than the witches or, God forbid, Ambrosius. Speak of the devil and the devil shall come.

Ambrosius sauntered up the path out of nowhere.

"All hail the conquering heroes."

Kevin had a look of horror on his face.

Toby stepped forward. "What do you want, you son of a bitch?"

With an air of arrogance he said, "The young lady claimed her solstice prize and now I've come for mine."

He held out his hand commanding Kevin to come to him. A searing pain shot through Kevin's head that doubled him over. Toby's arms were instantly around him. As quick as the pain came over him, it was gone. The air was ripe with mystical tension. Suddenly Kevin found himself being drawn away from Toby. Kevin latched onto Toby's hand, fear in his eyes.

"No, I won't."

"Aspirants don't give the orders." Ambrosius clenched his fist and there was a power surge. "We have a deal."

They gripped each others hand tightly and tried to hold on but it was fruitless. The magick Ambrosius used to separate them was too strong.

"Toby."

Kevin's hand slipped out of Toby's, he was drawn away till he found himself standing submissively next to Ambrosius.

"Van, do something," Toby pleaded desperately.

Ambrosius held up his hand freezing them both in place. It was as if a shield prevented them from moving.

"She can't; Kevin chose this willingly. Come, Kevin. Let's. Go. Home."

In a blinding flash of light they were both gone. Toby's heart all but stopped. He screamed out his rage, pain and frustration.

"Kevin! Kevin!"

Toby turned to Van. "We have to do something. We have to get Kevin back. He'll take him to that beach house, right?" His voice was strained with fear and urgency.

Van tugged gently on his arm. "I know you want to get Kevin back, so do I, but it's not that simple," she said quietly.

"Use your magick." The utter desperation in Toby's eyes nearly brought her to her knees.

"Toby, you said it yourself. I don't know what I'm doing. I could accidentally hurt Kevin. Ambrosius had a point. Kevin willingly agreed to be his aspirant; that's not going to be an easy bond to break."

Van pulled Toby into her arms and held him. He was her best friend and it hurt to see him like this. She really believed that Toby and Kevin were meant to be together.

"I just want him back and I want him safe."

She grasped his arms. "We'll get Kevin back; it might take a little time though. On the bright side Ambrosius doesn't want to kill Kevin. He won't hurt him."

"No, he just wants to fuck him," Toby said darkly. His features twisted in disgust.

"The repel spell Grace and I did should have that covered. He can't use magick to get Kevin to sleep with him. He's going to have to do it the old fashioned way. Kevin loves you, he really does."

"Why did he do it, Van? Why would he agree to serve Ambrosius?"

Van bit her lip in thought. "The only way he'd ever agree is if you were in danger. Ambrosius must have threatened you."

"Of course I wouldn't remember it if he did," Toby all but growled.

"I'll look in the book of Tresum, see if there's anything we can use. I'm not sure if asking Grace or Diana for help is a good idea. They only serve themselves; we can't trust that they'd help us."

Van held Toby's hand as she led him through the hotel and up the stairs to his room. "Why don't you go lie down for a while, just chill, while I see what I can find."

She kissed his cheek and he half-heartedly smiled. He went into his room and quietly shut the door. She sighed and headed for her room.

Toby crawled into bed and hugged Kevin's pillow to his chest. Only then did he allow himself to cry. His body was racked with violent sobs. He could smell Kevin on the pillow and that made him ache for his missing lover. Toby would do anything to be able to hold Kevin in his arms again. Exhausted from the stress of the day he fell asleep.

&*&*&*&

Van grabbed the heavy ornate book from under her bed. She sat down on her bed and got comfortable. She opened the book at random and started carefully flipping through the parchment pages. On a whim she called out to the children.

"Stephen, Betty, are you here?"

The two ghost children that had recently taken to haunting the hotel seemed to be fixated on Toby. They had protected Toby from Ambrosius before. Maybe they could help now.

"Toby could really use your help. You like Toby's Kevin, don't you? Ambrosius took him away and Toby misses him very much. If you can help us, please show yourself."

Van waited and looked around the room; it had been worth a shot. She went back to looking through the book. There had to be a spell or ritual that could be done.

&*&*&*&

Toby's eyes fluttered open; he was looking into warm, brown, familiar eyes.

"Kevin, is it really you? How did you get away from Ambrosius?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm here now."

Kevin kissed away the questions on Toby's lips. Their kiss was hungry, passionate and filled with a desperation that came from being apart. Toby cradled Kevin's face in his hands and ran his hand through his hair. He couldn't stop smiling at Kevin.

&*&*&*&

Kevin stood in the middle of the beach house with his arms crossed, glaring at Ambrosius. It didn't bother Ambrosius in the slightest as he lounged on the low bed in the large loft like room.

"I will never belong to you. My heart belongs to Toby and no spell will ever change that."

Ambrosius rolled his eyes. "I really don't know what you see in that scruffy boyfriend of yours. What does he have that I don't?" Kevin remained silent. "I could offer you anything you desire."

"I don't want anything you have to offer."

"Oh really, I'm sure you'll change your mind."

"Ya know, you're pathetic. The only way you could get me was through Toby."

"Well it worked, didn't it?" He replied smugly. Ambrosius flicked the air with his hand. "Sit down."

Kevin had no choice but to obey and sit next to him on the bed.

"You might as well get comfortable. You're going to be here for a very long time."

"Toby will find a way to stop you. We're linked."

"I'm positively trembling," Ambrosius said in a bored voice. "How about a game of chess?" With a wave of his hand a board appeared between them all set up.

Kevin held his gaze for a long moment before picking up a piece and moving it. "I'm not going to fuck you," Kevin said firmly.

'Drats,' Ambrosius thought to himself. He knew Kevin was stubborn but it didn't matter. He could wait. He'd wait for an eternity if he had to. Though, after being trapped in the basement for over a hundred and fifty years, patience was not his strong suit. Kevin would be his, maybe he could trick him with a glamour spell. Ambrosius smiled slyly and moved his own chess piece. This would be interesting.

&*&*&*&

Toby reluctantly left the dream world he had been in. His dream had been so real. It had been nice for a little while to forget that Kevin had been taken from him. Now reality crashed down around him. He got up and wandered down the hall to Van's room, wiping the sleep haze from his eyes. Maybe she had found something. Toby knocked lightly on her door then let himself in.

"Hey," she called from the bed.

"Hey, did you find anything?"

Toby stretched out along the foot of Van's bed. He propped his head up with his hand. Van sat crosslegged on the bed with the old book cradled on her thighs.

"Well," she said drawing out the word. "I thought I found something but I don't think it's going to work."

"Why not?" Toby asked curiously.

"I thought I could do a spell to banish Ambrosius from this island. The more I thought about it, I don't think it's gonna work. Remember when I accidentally tossed him out into the ocean? He came right back. This place is like a magnet for him." Van let out a frustrated growl. "I never thought to ask Kevin if he could read the book. All this time it was Kevin, not you."

Toby frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Ambrosius wanted Kevin for more than just a fuck. Kevin's his aspirant, just like I'm Grace's. You have to have magical power within you. Kevin never mentioned anything about magick?"

Toby couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You think Kevin can do magick?"

Van arched a brow at his skepticism. "I don't know but I bet if I showed him this book he could read it."

Toby glanced at a page. Even upside down it still looked like hieroglyphics to him. Toby smoothed out a wrinkle in the bedspread. "Kevin mentioned having a few dreams… and they came true. But that proves nothing. A few dreams doesn't make him, what… a warlock?"

"He obviously has untapped power in him."

Toby didn't know how he felt about that. Suddenly he had visions of his best friend and lover doing spells, which would most assuredly go awry because they didn't know what the hell they were doing. First they had to get Kevin back. That was the most important thing above all.

"Can't you just turn Ambrosius into a fucking frog?"

She looked at him somewhat exasperated. "You would pick one of the most complicated spells."

"I've got it. Cast a spell to turn him straight." Toby had a wicked glint to his eyes.

Van laughed. "You are so evil. Well, that would make Grace very happy I'm sure. That would teach Ambrosius but there isn't a spell. You can't alter someone's sexuality even through magick. It just wouldn't work."

Toby pleaded with his eyes for her to find something, anything, that would work."

She nodded her head and smiled sadly. "I'll keep looking; I'll find something. I know I will."

Toby got up from the bed. "I think I'll go for a walk. I need some air."

&*&*&*&

Toby walked down to the beach. The tropical breeze ruffled his hair. He walked along the beach alone wishing Kevin was there by his side. He looked out over the ocean and had to blink back the misty tears that were in his eyes.

"Kevin, I love you so much. I'll fight for you, always. I have to believe you'll come back to me."

Toby hoped his words of love and hope would reach his partner, to lend him strength to fight against what ever Ambrosius had planned. Toby kicked off his sandals and sat down on the sandy beach. Toby let his feet dig into the warm sand. He watched the sun as it dipped down and kissed the ocean. Bit by bit it sank into the depths of the ocean. Toby hugged his knees to his chest; the lapping water didn't do anything to calm him.

&*&*&*&

When Toby got back to the hotel he could tell something had changed. Van rushed to meet him with a huge smile. She was clutching the book to her chest.

"I think I've found something that just might work. If it works it'll solve all our problems. It's kinda complicated and I may need help, but I have to try." She smiled quite satisfied with herself. "Toby I've found… the spell."

P.S Aren't cliff hangers a bitch? For now that's all

2/17/07

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