Alastor's POV

We all sat and stared at the pile of clothing that was swallowing the figure of a small toddler.

Where Aria had been laying...there was now a toddler.

A human toddler.

With each passing second the silence grew thicker and thicker. Then Angel finally spoke again.

"Alastor what th' fuck! What'd you do t' her?!" He yelled worriedly. I blinked, shaking my head, a worried grin plastered on my face.

The small girl...who I'm assuming is Aria...shifted around in the mess of clothing that no longer fit her. She crawled out through the head hole in the oversized t-shirt and sat down, looking around at us.

"Alastor!" Angel hissed, and I snapped at him, growling as my eyes flickered, I faced him.

"Shut your mouth and let me think!" I nearly yelled, and he did so immediately. I rubbed my temples, and growled again.

What the fuck?! I thought it was supposed to restore memory, not turn her into a baby!

My shadow was next to me, frantically skimming through the pages before he looked at me with a deep frown and shrugged. I snatched the book.

"ou tèlman initil!" I hissed at him and he put his ears back, cowering away from me. (You're so useless!)

I sighed heavily and flipped through the pages, going over each word. I was falling into a pit of complete worry.

Is she just stuck like this?! No, she can't be...

How did I fuck a spell up so badly!

Suddenly the princess's hand came into view, and she gently stopped my frantic page flipping. She took the book from my hands, and my eyes went to the small child once more.

She was just chewing on the shirt she crawled out of, naked as a jaybird.

Charlie started slowly reading out loud.

"In occurrences where one finds themselves at a loss of memory, this spell may be used to restore it," she started and I listened.

Yes, we read that part.

"In logistics, this spell returns the target to a point in their life before the loss occurred,"

I thought for a moment. Then it clicked in my head that the spell was being sneaky.

Immediately, I felt stupid.

I just got played...by one of my own fucking tricks.

Specifics, it's all about specifics!

My hand slapped over my face and I drug it down with a heavy sigh.

"Well, Charlie, is she just stuck like this now?" I said warily, glancing at the princess. She kept reading the spell, not answering me.

From the corner of my eye I watched Angel crawl towards Aria, and she faced him. I watched him tentatively as he picked her up and held her.

His face split into a smile and he put her into his lap and bounced her gently.

"Aha!" Charlie exclaimed suddenly, making me and Angel jump.

We turned our eyes towards her, "it says here that if only a drop of blood was used, the spell is only good for 24 hours!" She exclaimed excitedly.

This eased my nerves immediately and I let out a sigh of relief. Just then there was a tiny whimper, and Charlie froze before we both looked towards Angel.

"Well, nice fuckin goin Char, ya scared the baby," Angel said, one set of arms on his hips as the other set held a whimpering, teary-eyed Aria in his lap.

Charlie shut the book, crawling over to where they were seated. I stayed put, watching the scene. I'm not good with small children...

"Oh, no no, shhh," she cooed softly at Aria, who in return looked up at her. She stopped crying for a moment, and Charlie smiled at her.

Then Aria burst into loud wails, and Charlie's smile turned nervous.

I watched curiously, both of them trying to calm her. She just kept crying, and suddenly Angel looked at me.

"Let smiles try!" He suggested, and Charlie nodded as if it were a good idea. I held my hands up.

"Oh, no, no no...I'm not...I'm not good with children," I explained, and Angel lowered his eyelids.

"Smiles this is your fault, now get the fuck over here." He said bluntly, and at that I huffed.

Slowly I made my way over to the small circle, and Angel faced the wailing baby towards me.

Her eyes were shut tightly, big tears running down her face. I couldn't help but smile softly at the pitiful sight.

I tsk'd quietly and reached up, wiping some of the tears from her face with my knuckle.

"Hush, now, cher...none of that nonsense," I said softly, and surprisingly her wailing quieted. She whimpered, blinking a few times before her big eyes opened up.

Her wispy lashes were wet with tears, sticking together.

"I think she likes your voice, Al," Charlie chuckled. I blinked and tilted my head.

"Do you like my voice, peu d'amour?" I asked her, still using a soft tone. Aria stared at me a moment longer before her little pout turned into a big smile.

This showed off the tiny teeth lining her gums, and her eyes squinted as she giggled and held her arms out towards me.

Angel held her towards me, and hesitantly I took her from him. I had to be extra careful with my claws, and I held her in front of me.

My ears lowered, and we just stared at each other.

"Uh, Al...what are you doing?" Charlie asked me, amused. I glanced at her.

"Charlie, dear, I don't know," I admitted simply, and she burst out laughing. Then she made a motion as if she were putting something over her shoulder.

"Hold her up on your shoulder...make sure to support her bottom so she feels safe. You're just going to have to watch over her for the next 24 hours until she changes back," Charlie said with a smile and a shrug.

My shadow slithered around me while I had her dangling, and slipped a diaper onto her body. After he did that, I did as Charlie instructed me.

Aria immediately wrapped her little arms around my neck and settled into my shoulder. I sighed and looked at Angel and Charlie.

"Thank you both for your help...I'll be up in my room until the 24 hours is up, I wouldn't want her wondering off into hell," I said simply, and they both nodded before I snapped my fingers and appeared in my room.

With a heavy sigh, I walked over to a chair near my small nook. Her room is right next to mine—per request from myself—so whenever the time gets close I'll just pop over there and leave her.

She should wake up and feel as if nothing happened at all.

I sat down in the cushioned rocking chair, allowing my smile to fall as I looked out the window. I ran the pads of my fingers gently up and down the skin on baby Aria's back.

At least I get to hold her for a little bit...

Her breathing was even, and I think she fell asleep. It's comforting that she recognized my voice...I feel the spell did restore her love for me.

But it...gave me the incorrect Aria.

Oh well.

There are other spells...other ways. I won't be trying anything so reckless anymore, however...if I manage to find anything else, I'll be sure that it is in fact a proper working spell.

No more allowing my own desires to cloud my judgment.

Someone could have gotten hurt.

My eyes shifted over to Aria, glad that she's ok...she's stuck as a toddler for 24 hours, but she's ok.

I felt intrigued, then. I've never been so close to a human toddler before...well, not one that I was fully in charge of, that is.

The only other child I've ever been responsible for was...little Rose.

And I failed...

I shook my head and sighed. Just then, Aria's small fist clenched around my coat and she yawned. A small coo left her mouth and she began to stir.

I gently pulled her from my shoulder and sat her in my lap. Pushing my feet into the ground, I started a gentle rocking rhythm.

She looked up at me, her tired eyes slowly widening. Then a little smile spread across her face.

I took a moment to observe her. The small tufts of brown hair on her head looked feathery, and her eyelashes still gave her eyes a soft frame.

Her eyes looked much too large for her face, but that's just because she hasn't grown into them yet.

They were that same caramel color...

Light freckles dusted her tiny button nose, and I smiled softly.

"Hi, cher..." I said quietly, and in response she babbled. I chuckled at that, and then she crawled forward and up onto my chest.

"What are you up to?" I asked her curiously, and then she shoved her fingers into my mouth and my eyes shot open.

"Teef," she said simply, a curious look on her face.

Your teeth are cool...I was curious...

My shock melted away, and I gently grabbed her little hand so she didn't hurt herself on my teeth.

"So, you're curious about my teeth?" I repeated the same words I said to her all those months ago. She giggled and the soft noise made my heart clench.

I remember thinking when she first did this, it was a cutely childish action. I suppose this solidified my point that she was giving in to childish curiosity.

My smile widened as I showed her my teeth, but I kept her hands firmly between my own. I've learned from experience she's not very smart when it comes to things that will hurt her.

In return, she smiled back at me, trying to mimic my own. I chuckled at that, and nodded.

"Yes, dear, I see. Very scary," I said, amused.

My smile faded, then, staring down at her.

"I miss you..." I uttered weakly, but she just tilted her head and blinked. She tried to speak, but only small incoherent sounds came out.

I chuckled and shook my head, looking out towards the window as I rocked us back and forth leisurely.

"I'll just assume you said you miss me, too," I mused. She tugged at my suit and I looked back down at her.

She was looking at me very intently, like she had something she needed.

"Aa," she finally said, and the seriousness in which she said the noise nearly made me laugh.

"Aa," I repeated the noise back to her.

Then I leaned down and gave her a small kiss on the forehead.

"You should probably go back to sleep...the sooner tomorrow comes, the sooner we get you back to normal," I sighed, brushing my fingers over the very soft hair on top of her head.

She just stared up at me and then sneezed.

I nodded, "I'm glad you agree...come on, let's get you to bed," I said, putting her back up on my shoulder and standing from the chair.

Her fist gathered my coat into a death grip and she hugged me as I walked her to the bed. I chuckled and shook my head.

"I would have never guessed you were such a sweet baby, peu d'amour," I said simply, and she blew a raspberry into my neck in response.

I rolled my eyes, a small smile on my face.

I laid her small body onto the comforter and she stared up at me curiously. Then I brushed my fingers across her cheek, blowing air through my nose in a tired sigh.

"I love you..." I said quietly, and at that she blinked. I stood up and turned to head back to my chair...maybe read. I won't be sleeping tonight...wouldn't want her to fall, or—

"I love you."

I froze.

The soft sound of her barely developed voice saying those words...no doubt mimicking me...made a lump form in my throat.

I had to take a deep breath and remind myself that's what babies do...they mimic...but still...

"I love you, too..."