There was an awkward science that settled between the two men as they waited, neither one seeming to know what to talk about in this situation. Bert quietly sat on the settee as Robin sat himself near the fire. Staring into the dancing fames to keep himself from anxiously watching the stairway. The movements of the fire were hypnotizing, tumbling and rolling much like the jumbled thoughts in Robin's head.

After a few minutes, Holly was at Margos arm as they carefully descended the stairs with Cookie at their heels. 

"She got changed and then just sat in her chair in her room. I practically had to pull her up before she started coming with me." Margo said as they reached the ground floor where the men stood waiting.

Holly walked over to the settee in the living room and sat mechanically, her eyes staring peacefully at the fire with a small grin on her face. Sugar Cookie came over and sat on her lap. When the nanahound recieve any attention, she jumped up and licked Holly's face.

quickly, Holly stood up and moved to a different chair, throwing Cookie to the ground as the hound let out a defiant yelp.

"Last time she was controlled he commanded her to destroy a city, I wonder why this time he is making her sit and wait at home" Margo mused, rubbing her forehead. "Unless..."

Cookie again attempted to jump into Holly's lap, but this time laid down angrily with an annoyed sigh. Holly's face quickly changed for a second as if confused, looking as if she recognized the dog for a second before petting Cookie.

"Hmm... that's interesting".

Margo jogged into the kitchen to grab a pear and placed it in Hollys hand.

Holly blankly stared at it for a second before a small grin creeps onto her face. Slowly biting into it.

Margo slowly lowered herself so that her face was at Holly's eye level. "Holly, can you understand me?"

Holly's smile remained the same as she looked at Margo, a small gleam of recognition passed through her eyes before quickly disappearing, however she didn't respond to Margos question.

"But you do recognize me, right?"

Holly only blinked in response, looking back into the fire. The grin on her face slowly fading.

"Okay... So for some reason, Hank doesn't have complete control.... She can recognize things and do small things outside of his instructions... But I am not sure she is processing what is going on outside of what Hank has asked of her-"

Bert hummed in apprehension.

"Or maybe she just grins at anything that approaches her?"

Bert knelt down into Hollys eye sight, but her face didn't change, other than a brief moment where she had a slight squint of her eyes in confusion.

"Or maybe you are right Margo. Why do I feel a bit offended-"

"It is likely because he doesn't have her entire heart." Margo continued, ignoring him. "Which is good news. We might be able to break his hold easier than last time because of that."

"How did you break the hold last time?" Robin asked nervously.

Margo let out a nervous laugh.

"I had to almost kill her. When Hank saw she was defeated he broke the hold on her himself."

"So you didn't actually break the hold on her."

A sudden, heavy silence landed upon the room.

"I'm-I'm  just trying to be positive." Margo mumbled, scratching behind her ear and letting out a frustrated sigh. "This was exactly what I was worried about." she added through her clenched teeth, shaking her head as she stomped over to where Holly sat.

"You dumb bitch.  Please. Don't make me have to kill you."

She sniffed as she turned, making a portal in an instant and disappearing.

Bert looked down awkwardly as he shifted his feet.

"I'm - sorry-.I-" Robin started.

Bert started to shake his head and sat down on the settee as he scratched his head.

"Truthfully, I don't think you did anything. This is a greater plot than you, or even your brother-"

Suddenly Holly stood up from her seat and walked to the kitchen.

Bert and Robin exchange looks as they followed her

Holly had begun mechanically retrieving food from the pantry as if to start cooking.

"Wait, Holly, let me do that." Robin said, intervening gently grabbing her shoulders  and taking the knife out of her hand, and carefully leading her over to the kitchen table.

Robin turned on his head and quickly grabbed some soup he had premade from the ice box, thankful to have prepped something for a time like this.

"Do you want some too Bert?"

"No, I should probably head to find Margo soon. For all I know she is finding Hank to kill him as we speak."

"Really?" Robin said, hope rising in his chest. "Would that break the magic?"

"Probably not. Even with him dead, the magic would still remain."

"Oh."

It was all Robin could reply, as the weight of powerlessness fell back into his shoulders. He felt embarrassed for a moment that he had thought killing Hank would help.

"I bet you regret leaving London now, huh?" Bert said after a beat of silence as Robin laid out two bowls on the table.

"Would it be bad to say just a little?" Robin responded with a small laugh.

Bert snorted. "Maybe, but don't worry, I don't think Holly can hear you."

"But," Robin continued as he lit the stove, "knowing this would have happened regardless of if I was here or in London, makes that regret subside a bit."

"Why is that?"

"Because," Robin paused to think of the right words, "even though all of this happened, and I'll have to fight to get things back to how they were, It's for a life I want to fight for. I didn't have that in London. I don't think I would have had it if I never came here, and I don't think I would have it if I go back now, either."

"So you aren't going home then?" Bert said with a knowing smirk.

"Definitely not until I confront my brother and see whats going on." Robin said, stirring the boiling soup on the stove more aggressively than necessary. "Beat his ass if I have to, and try to get any information that might help."

"You don't have to do that."

Robin looked up from his pot at the stove, and over at Holly blankly looking out the window in front of her.

"I think I do."

Bert let out a small chuckle. 

"Well, Robin, I guess you really are a good man in the end. Holly has given her heart to many a horrid men, but this time she might have just hit the jackpot."

Robin smiled "Well, it's a rarity to find a pretty, ultra powerful, sorceresses who's on the run from the government and also makes jewelry on their small farm, over in London's society. You have to hold on to a girl like that when you find one.

Rob laughed and shook his head. "Exactly. Thats how I felt when I met Margo, and I haven't let go of her since. Smart men think alike."