Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Among the depths of a vast and green Vermont forest, silence reigns. A light breeze rustles what remains on the ground, leftover from winter. The sun peeks through branches and newly grown leaves blanketing the sky. A rabbit skitters by in search of a flower on which to nibble. The ecosystem lives in harmony, welcoming the new and warmer season.

Within seconds, said forest’s peace is wildly disturbed. A flashing light outshines the sun; a strong gust of wind shakes the trees’ limbs and carries dirt and vegetation through the air. The rabbit flees the scene as quickly as possible.

(What’s the famous phrase? If a magical portal opens in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? 

Or something like that.)

From the gateway’s entrance, the pig-tailed head of a teenage girl appears, looking around expectantly. She peers down at a large, aged book in her hands then completely steps out. She closes the title with a snap, sending dust flying out in front of her. “This looks right to me. Not exactly sure why it spit us out here though.” She turns back and speaks into the portal. “C’mon, Sora, before it closes!” 

Another girl, similar in age, hesitantly follows. The doorway vanishes behind her, and she grips the lapels of her black and purple uniform jacket nervously. “Are you sure this is the best solution, Vega? I still think you should just tell your moms what happened. I’m sure they will get it.”

Vega kicks a nearby rock with her combat boot. “Mom might understand, but I don’t want to hear what Mother will have to say. She’s usually more of the push over, surprisingly, but grades are serious to her.”

“Such a typical Addams move,” Sora rolls her eyes teasingly, “Would rather attempt time travel instead of just talking to her parents.” 

The shorter teen clicks her tongue and extends a claw, pointing to the book in her hands. “Not attempt - succeed! Now, let’s go. I have a test to take!”

The pair trek through the woods, discussing mundane topics and assignments from their various courses. As they break through the treeline and walk toward the towering castle of Nevermore’s campus, Vega tucks the book beneath her arm more securely. “Okay, I should still be in the dorm at this point, so no issues with running into myself. What about you? Where are you?”

Sora huffs, mildly exasperated with even having a conversation as such. But then again, these sorts of occurrences are common when associated with an Addams. She’s grown used to it over the years of their friendship. “I am already in class. I offered to help tutor.”

“Perfect!” Vega’s fangs glimmer in the sun as she smiles mischievously. “You just find a spot to hide while I go to class real quick, then I’ll come get you when I’m done and we’ll head back here. Simple!”

“Yeah, simple,” Sora mutters and continues climbing up the stone steps. As they begin through the maze of corridors, she can’t help but feel as if something is off . Being a medium, she’s learned to become very in tune with her surroundings and how to read people - both dead and alive. She easily notices them being watched by multiple students.

The hallways are filled with students and faculty alike, moving about before classes begin for the day. Come to think of it, Sora hasn’t recognized any of the people they’ve passed since exiting the forest. And while they are clearly within Nevermore’s walls, the layout and decor is just different enough to catch her attention. 

“Hey, Vega?” the clairvoyant says slowly, wrapping her hand around the other girl’s bicep.  

The werewolf stops abruptly, not due to Sora’s apprehension however. Straight ahead, scurrying across the ground in the opposite direction, is a stitched, sentient hand. “Thing?!”

The appendage halts upon the calling of his name, twisting in search of its origin. 

Vega marches over and immediately bends down to pick up her fellow Addams. Thing pinches her in retaliation, not enjoying being handled in such a way. “Thing, what are you doing here? Why aren’t you at the manor; is something wrong?” She turns to Sora, “He wasn’t here a few days ago, right? Did I miss that?”

Thing signs back frantically.

“What do you mean? It’s me,” she answers, using the hand not holding Thing to push her pink bangs out of her eyes. 

The limb signs emphatically again.

As he and Vega go back and forth, Sora resumes her monitoring of their environment. “Vega, exactly how far back did we go?” 

“Just to Tuesday morning.”

The medium is skeptical. “Are you absolutely sure? Thing, what’s today’s date?”

The hand answers with a series of movements.

“Okay, March twenty-sixth, but of what year?” Sora interrogates further.

More signing from Thing. 

Vega exclaims, “2025?! That’s not possible…”

Sora grabs a hold of Vega’s elbow and drags her – and Thing – to a more secluded archway within the castle, earning them privacy to continue their conversation. “You brought us back twenty-five years, not twenty-five hours!” She brings her fingers to the bridge of her nose and squeezes, already feeling a migraine forming from the news.

“Well how was I supposed to know I was doing it wrong?!” the werewolf argues and wiggles the book still tucked in her armpit, “I did exactly what this said to do!”

“Clearly you didn’t, otherwise you’d be taking your Werewolf Repo exam in 2050 right now, not running into a family member from the past!” Sora disagrees hotly. 

Said family member signs from Vega’s palm once more, demanding an explanation.

Vega sighs, unsure where to begin. “Thing, my name is Vega Addams, and this is my best friend, Sora Toriyama. And as you can probably tell based on what we’ve been saying, we’re apparently from the future, which is how I know you but you don’t know me. I missed a pretty important test in one of my classes and decided to try out a spell I skimmed over once in this book, which kind of worked since we did go back in time… So I feel like I should get some credit – ”

Sora clears her throat and crosses her arms.

“Fine, fine, I made a mistake somewhere along the way and now we’re too far back,” Vega corrects. 

“Then there’s really no reason to stay here, right? Let’s head back to the forest and open the portal again so we can go home,” the taller girl suggests, already turning to walk back in the direction from which they just came.

Vega whimpers. “It’s not that easy, unfortunately. The spells for going back in time and going forward in time are wildly different, and since this first trip went so well…” She grimaces sheepishly and a fang catches on her lip.

Sora exhales in defeat. “So much for ‘simple’ you mentioned earlier.”

“I’m really sorry, Sora. I shouldn’t have dragged you into this."

The medium’s face softens, and she places a delicate hand on her friend’s back. “Let’s face it, I’m always going to be dragged into whatever ‘this’ is with you. Let’s just figure out what needs to be done so we can get out of here. I can already tell we’re not exactly welcomed.”

Thing scrambles from Vega’s hand to sit on her shoulder and points to the spellbook, requesting it to be opened. 

In the corner of the title page, he points out two symbols, one Vega recognizes and the other unfamiliar to her: the Addams Family crest and some sort of flower with a skull nestled in its middle. 

The appendage jumps from Vega’s shoulder and beckons the girls to follow. Quickly passing through the quad, he leads them down an empty hallway where a large statue of one Edgar Allen Poe stands. Vega and Sora exchange a look of doubt, as this monument is one they have seen on campus in their own time as future students. Thing snaps twice from his position at their feet, causing the statue to rotate; he makes his way toward a staircase that appears before the passageway is even completely open.

The girls share another glance before following. What have they got to lose at this point?

The stairwell is cool and dark, and Sora has to allow her eyes to adjust to the change in lighting before descending. A glow becomes visible the further they venture down, until they round the corner to see portraits hanging on the wall to the left and a large foyer on the right. 

Vega spins and tilts her head up to absorb the new space. “Where are we?”  

“Who the hell are you?” a powerful voice booms from the back, forcing Vega and Sora to turn on their heels in fear.

Three additional teenage girls appear from another area within the library, one sporting dark glasses on top of her head, and the others with amulets around their necks.

“Aunt Yoko? Aunt Divina?” Vega asks in bewilderment.

“Principal Barclay?! ” Sora adds with just as much disbelief.

Bianca furrows her eyebrows. “Principal? Okay, what the hell is going on here? Again – who are you? This library is meant to be off limits for non-society members.”

Thing takes the opportunity to tug on Vega’s uniform skirt, seeking a spot on her shoulder once more.

When the sirens and vampire spot the familiar friend, they somewhat relax. Divina questions, “Do you know them, Thing?”

He gives a thumbs up in confirmation before signing back.

“Does anyone know what he’s saying?” Bianca spats, annoyed they are not any closer to answering her questions.

Yoko pulls her glasses off her head and cleans them with the edge of her uniform vest. “Nope. Enid can understand him, but don’t ask me.”

“Enid,” Vega breathes, “Is she here?” 

“Well, no, she’s not, like, here here in this room with us. But she’s somewhere on campus. Maybe?” Yoko turns to Divina, “Is today the day she said she’s going to Jericho after class?”

The siren shrugs offhandedly. 

Bianca asks another question: “Why, do you know Enid? You still haven’t told us who you are.”

Vega eyes each of them wearily, attempting to take in the fact that she’s staring at the younger versions of important adults in her life. 

(Well, Aunt Yoko is immortal, so she still looks the same regardless of how much time has passed.)

Why did Thing bring them here?! She peers down at him on her shoulder and snarls slightly. The hand notices and gestures for her to ‘go on’ and give Bianca the information she wants.

But does she tell them the truth? And if so, how much should they know? They will all play a vital part in her life someday; shouldn’t she not interfere? But… she trusts Thing. He wouldn’t have brought her and Sora here if he didn’t think they could help, so she inhales shakily then spells out the situation.

When she concludes, Yoko, Divina, and Bianca simply stare back at her. As they process the details, Thing pokes Vega’s cheek and signs. The werewolf tags on, “Thing says he saw the Nightshades logo in the book and thought maybe you could help us figure out a way to get back? It might be a long shot, but we had to start somewhere.”

Finally, Bianca steps forward to come face-to-face with Vega, taking her in. “You said you’re an Addams, yes?”

“Yeah…”

Bianca waves the other two girls over to where she and Vega are standing. “Do you guys see what I am seeing?” She grabs Vega’s hand and holds it up, pushing on a pressure point to unsheath her claws. “A werewolf. And…” She looks up and down. “Maybe five-foot-one on a good day, without the boots. And from twenty-five years into the future; how old will we be then?”

“One-hundred and fifty-seven,” Yoko responds without hesitation.

The siren rolls her eyes. “Not you, granny. Div, how old will you and I be?”

Divina licks her lips as she does quick mental math. “Forty-three.”

“Exactly. Forty-three, old enough to have teenagers,” Bianca confirms. “So, any guesses as to who this tiny, gothic werewolf Addams might be?”

“Aunt Yoko,” the vampire repeats in realization. “Holy fucking shit.”

Chapter Text

Deep beneath the grounds of Nevermore Academy, a group of various young adult outcasts stare at one another in dubiousness. Thousands of questions swim in their heads, not sure which to ask first. After several moments of shocked silence, one of the sirens decides to summarize the shared information thus far. “Okay, so let me get this straight,” Divina chokes out, “You’re Wednesday and Enid’s daughter, and you came here from the year 2050 using a spell from this ancient book that you somehow managed to screw up. Yeah, that seems practical to me!” Sarcasm bleeds through her tone.

Yoko smirks. “Babe, you and B turn into fish; I drink blood for breakfast; and we literally helped defeat an undead pilgrim a couple of years ago. I’ve learned anything is possible at this point, including our own version of ‘Back to the Future’.”

The vampire throws her arm around Vega’s shoulders. “Alright, kid, spill it. What’s the world like twenty-five years from now? Am I finally out of this place, or are you classmates with Auntie Fang?”

“I – um,” the werewolf stutters, unsure how to answer.

Sora steps forward, finally gathering some courage to speak after idly watching Vega take the reins in explanation. “I – I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to tell you about it.”

All eyes turn their attention to the psychic. Vega’s convey appreciation while Yoko’s and Divina’s show confusion. Bianca’s look determined, and she agrees, “Sora’s right. If there’s one thing I know about time travel, it’s that you don’t want to change things in the past that might fuck up the future. The less we know in general, and especially about ourselves, the better. We probably already know too much just by interacting with you two.”

The queen bee stretches out her hand, gesturing at the book in Vega’s grasp. It is passed over and taken to one of the tables in the back of the library. Thing hops off Vega’s shoulder to call attention to the Nightshades logo in the corner. Bianca nods in understanding and turns pages to study the material within. Some time passes and she sighs, “I’m at a loss. I’m a siren, not a sorcerer or witch, so I have no context for any of this stuff. Sorry, guys.”

“If she doesn’t know, then we sure as hell won’t know,” Yoko bends her head between herself and her girlfriend.

Bianca gently runs her fingers over one of the spells. “Where did you get this? You act like you don’t know what the Nightshades are, so definitely not the library in the future.”

The Addams tugs on her pigtails in anxiety. “...I don’t know.”

Thing signs from his spot on the table near the spellbook and flips back to the beginning where the Addams Family crest lies.

“Okay, okay – I may have taken it from one of the shelves in Mother’s office,” Vega admits sheepishly.

Bianca presses, “Which parent is ‘Mother’?”

“You think Enid goes by ‘Mother’?” Yoko barks out with a laugh.

Divina’s eyebrows shoot up in concern. “So the book belongs to Wednesday ? Oh shit, we’re going to have to involve them, aren’t we?”

“Nothing is ever easy around here,” Bianca mutters, picking up the spellbook with Thing coming along for a ride.

Sora nods. “Amen to that.”

Vega begins to pace throughout the library. “Aunt Divina is right; Mother will definitely know how to get us home. But Princi – Bianca is also correct. We’ve been in this year for maybe a total of an hour and you three and Thing already know the truth. No one else can know who we are and where we are from, especially my moms.” She stops moving to include, “So we just need to figure out a way to get their help without them figuring out my true identity. How hard can it be, really?”

“Simple,” Sora says, and the two girls share a knowing smile. She suddenly turns to the other girls. “Wait, don’t you all have to get to class?”

Bianca retrieves her phone from the inside breast pocket of her blazer and holds up the screen. A photo of her and a teenage boy – who also looks vaguely familiar to Sora – is covered by the date and time: Wednesday, March 26, 2025; 4:13 PM.

Sora whips her head in Vega’s direction. “You managed to not only get us to the wrong year, but also the wrong day of the week and time of day! I thought all those people were going to class because you said we went back to Tuesday morning, but they were all done for the day.”

Claws shoot out in unease and hands fly into the air. “How many times do I have to say that I am sorry?!” 

Ever the level-headed one of the group, Bianca attempts to calm down the two friends. “Okay, everyone just take a second to dial it back. Accidents happen, though not usually this extreme, but we’ll figure it out. First thing is to make a plan on your background story, then how we’re going to convince Wednesday to look at this book and have a casual conversation about time travel.”

“Wednesday talks about weird shit nonchalantly all the time. This should be right up her alley,” Yoko provides. 

Bianca sighs. “Great, then let’s get started. No time like the present.”

The group ultimately decides to work out a rough draft of the plan and just hope for the best with the details along the way. This approach nerves Sora and Bianca, but Vega and Yoko are confident in their ability to ‘wing it’. Divina comments her indifference on the whole matter in general, still not entirely convinced she’s actually awake. 

After confirming Enid’s location through Find My, the girls make their way toward Ophelia Hall. Bianca warns Vega to blend in as much as possible; not to say or do anything that would hint at her status as an Addams. “Kooky recognizes kooky,” the siren states matter-of-factly.

Vega opens the main door to the dormitory building. “What about her visions?”

“Oh, yeah, good call. She still gets them every once in a while, so avoid getting too close,” Divina suggests.

The vampire snorts. “Shouldn’t be a problem. The only person she touches and lets touch her is Enid. Speaking of, we should definitely knock first. Wouldn’t want that to be your first encounter, if you know what I mean.”

A series of protests tumble from the other girls’ mouths, and Bianca hits Yoko over the back of the head with the spellbook in punishment.  They climb the remaining sets of stairs to the top floor and pause when reaching the door, exchanging glances to check for readiness. Divina knocks curtly and loudly, and the group hears a faint reply from the other side.

The door is opened to reveal Enid not yet changed out of her uniform, though shoes missing to show sock-clad feet. From the back, Vega inhales sharply at the sight of her mom, the very same in nearly every sense, just much younger with longer and more colorful hair. The presence of scars on the left side of her face confirms her identity. 

Vega receives a supportive squeeze to her arm by Sora. 

“Hi!” the blonde greets happily, but concern washes over her face when she sees such a large group at her door. “Oh, shit, did I forget about something again?” She turns around and marches toward the calendar hanging on the wall behind her laptop.

The group follows Enid inside the dorm room as she stands at her desk and inspects her schedule. Once again, Vega and Sora are overwhelmed with the state of their location within the past. Trying not to be suspicious, they both can’t help but stare at the suite’s color scheme as the other girls converse. 

Vega’s gaze is violently pulled back to her mom when she hears Yoko say, “Enid, we wanted to introduce you to a couple of people. This is Vera and Summer ,” she points to each girl respectively and continues, “They are shadow students, thinking about coming to Nevermore in the fall.”

“We’ve been assigned as their buddies so show them around and help them feel welcomed,” Divina tackles on the rest of the fake background story devised. “We thought you would be a great person for them to meet since you’re so involved on campus.”

Enid squeals excitedly. “Oh-em-gee, I’ve never heard of shadow students before. Must be a new initiative or something, but that is so cool! They gave you guys uniforms and everything!” 

Before Vega or Sora can comment, Enid pulls them into a crushing group hug. Bianca stifles her laughter behind her hand at Vega’s clear lack of comfort and Sora’s awkward back pat.

The hug ends, and the blonde talks a mile-a-minute. “Vera, I love your pink hair,” and she runs her fingers through the colored streaks in her own locks, “Samesies! But yeah, I’m Enid Sinclair, as they probably told you. Senior, werewolf, from the Bay Area.” She continues to ramble, giving information on various classes, teachers, and extracurriculars Nevermore has to offer. Her excitement not allowing Vega or Sora to get a word in themselves.

Sora nods along politely and is happy to stay silent, eyeing Vega nervously as she ventures over to the other side of the room. Vega can’t resist as she begins taking in the macabre items, recognizing most from home. A polished cello rests in its stand near the large and circular, stained-glass window she’s seen many times in pictures. The gramophone and vinyl collection are organized against one of the attic’s pillars. 

“That’s my roommate’s side. Wednesday,” Enid explains giddily from behind Vega’s explorations. “We obviously have very different tastes, but it works for us.” 

The young Addams reaches her mother’s working station. While Enid’s is littered with polaroids of memories, Wednesday’s has a single frame. The photo displays the blonde and brunette sitting on a bench in casual wear, shoulders pressed tightly together and fingers interlocked. Enid laughs heartily at something said by the person behind the camera, and Wednesday looks at the wolf adoringly with a slight uptick of her lips, her version of a smile.

Vega’s focus is quickly stolen by the machine gracing the middle of the desk. She hears Bianca ask about Wednesday's whereabouts in the background but is too preoccupied to listen for an answer. Wedged between the platen and paper table is a piece of stationary with the emblem WA at the top. Almost as if in a trance, she reaches out to brush her fingers along the keys of the typewriter. 

However, the hairs on the back of her neck raise before she can touch it, and she moves her hand over her left shoulder to swiftly seize the dagger before it’s lodged into her flesh. Vega turns, the knife still clutched in her grasp, to see a short girl wearing braids, a black uniform, and a sour expression standing in the open doorway.  

The Nightshades yell their disapproval, but Vega maintains eye contact with her mother, an impressed eyebrow quirking up to hide beneath the psychic’s bangs. Wednesday steps emphatically into the room. “Care to explain your need to tamper with my belongings?”

“Wends,” Enid intervenes, grabbing onto her shoulders to prevent further murder attempts. “This is Vera, and this is Summer. They are shadow students, so let’s not scare them off just yet , okay?”

Vega wanders back to the colorful side of the room and offers the dagger back to Wednesday with a sheepish grin, careful not to make direct contact and trigger a vision. The raven accepts it and slides it back into her boot easily, then taps her girlfriend’s painted nails as a sign that she no longer needs restraining. “Prospectives, you say? I do not quite see the logic behind such a program – ”

Bianca chimes in, changing the subject quickly. “So where have you been, Addams? Missed you at the extra fencing practice hours Coach Vlad set up for today.”

The goth walks to her bed and sighs as she removes her bag from her shoulders. “Not that it is any of your business, Barclay, but I have been in the library getting a head start on our Outcast History final project.”

“Why? What’s not due for, like, two months. At the end of the year,” Yoko questions.

“As you know, Dr. Pierce assigned partners on Monday. I was fortunate enough to be paired with the gorgon.”

Bianca smirked. “Ah, I see.”

“Oh, come on,” Enid argues jokingly, “Ajax isn’t that bad!”

Wednesday rejoins the group on the opposite side. “You of all people should know just how false that statement is, as you were the one who dated him.” 

Even Vega and Sora join in when the other girls laugh.

Enid rolls her eyes playfully. “He is sweet, and he is our friend, but yes – he is going to need all the help he can get on this project. Just be patient and do those self-control exercises we’ve been practicing!”

Wednesday scowls in response. “I must be going now. I only stopped by to drop off my academic supplies before meeting Eugene at the Hummers shed to – ”

Vega whisper-exclaims at the familiar name, interrupting her mother, and Divina steps on her toes as a consequence. 

The raven tilts her head to the side in slight confusion, catching the odd slip up. “This interaction has been thoroughly dissatisfying. If you’ll excuse me.” She leans over to plant a kiss on Enid’s cheek for departure. “Querida, I will see you at dinner.”

Then she is gone.

“I thought I said to not do anything weird!” Bianca scolds as they enter Yoko’s dorm a few floors down in Ophelia Hall.

Vega throws her hands up in irritation. “What was I supposed to do? Get stabbed? As much fun as that would be, it would not help our situation at all!” 

“Well, who else knows how to casually catch a knife that’s being thrown at them, other than an Addams?” the siren snaps back, tossing the spellbook onto the vampire’s bed and sitting down next to it. “You said it yourself: they can’t know. So we need to be more cautious. Wednesday is smart, too smart sometimes.” 

The werewolf rests her chin against Sora’s shoulder, who’s leaning against the back wall. “Trust me, I know,” she mutters.

Divina steps up and gives a small, encouraging smile. “Vega, you know Wednesday of the future, but we’re not dealing with her at the moment. We know Wednesday right now, so trust us , okay? We can do this. We just have to keep working together.”

“Alright, Aunt D,” Vega breathes gratefully.

The siren chuckles and makes her way over to sit with Yoko. “Still not used to that.”

Bianca stands with a new wave of confidence. “You two,” she points at the time travelers, “You’re on dorm arrest for the night. And tomorrow morning… We start phase two.”

Chapter Text

Despite Bianca’s determination the previous evening, none of the girls is particularly excited to begin what is being called ‘phase two’, especially after Vega’s not-so-spectacular first impression in her moms’ dorm room. 

If there’s one thing they all know about Wednesday Addams, it is that she does not trust others easily. The next step in their sketch of a plan is to lean into the “shadow students” cover more heavily. It is decided that Vega and Sora are going to have to be more involved in their overall friend group than expected; the goth is not likely to offer her time otherwise.

Vega is well aware that this tactic can also be beneficial for her mom, ever the social butterfly. Divina explains that though Enid has the ability to be friends with just about everyone she meets, she also shies from wearing her heart on her sleeve at times, given her upbringing. If they ultimately win the blonde over, Wednesday should not be too far behind. 

So, with another wary reminder from Bianca to give no reason for doubt, the teens enter the cafeteria. Sora notes that it is in desperate need of a new coat of paint, which it would receive by the time she and Vega attend. They make their way through the queue for food and follow the others to a table in the middle of the room. Wednesday and Enid are already seated with two boys, one wearing a beanie and the other with long, wavy hair. 

As they approach, Divina lets go of her tray with one hand to playfully push her brother’s head. She and Yoko fill the bench next to Wednesday and Enid as Bianca, Vega, and Sora file in by Kent and Ajax. The queen bee introduces the newcomers to the boys, who Vega vaguely remembers from her mom’s old photos and stories. She hears Kent’s name mentioned every once in a while when her aunts are visiting. 

The Nightshades dive into casual conversation, naturally welcoming the pair into their group. Within minutes, Sora finds herself chatting with ease. Vega, on the other hand, struggles to engage. While listening to the group go back and forth, she quickly glances across the table every so often. Without fail, her eyes meet her mother’s, who stares quizzically with a tilt of her head. 

“I don’t think I got to ask yesterday,” Enid says around a bite of her breakfast burrito, “I’m assuming you’re both outcasts. Why else would you be touring this school!”

Vega feels an elbow jab into her ribs, and she breaks eye contact with Wednesday. “Oh, uh, yeah, I’m a werewolf,” she answers distractedly.

The blonde brings a hand up to cover her food-filled mouth and makes a noise of giddiness. After getting enough of it down, she exclaims, “Finally! I’ve been the only wolf in the group for ages. Where’s your pack from?”

There’s a beat as Vega momentarily malfunctions. The group waits expectantly, and she scratches the scar on her eyebrow. “Oregon.”

“Aw, sweet, I’m from Oregon, too,” Ajax chirps from the end of the table on her right. “Portland?”

Vega can’t see behind the glasses, but she knows that Yoko is looking intensely at her, sending the message ‘no, say anything else’. The wolf racks her brain, wondering why her subconscious gave her Oregon in the first place. She suddenly remembers a Thanksgiving conversation from a couple of years ago where Nana Esther mentioned going up north for a West Coast pack leader meeting. She cooly responds, “No, Bend actually.”

The gorgon smiles and nods. “Bend is sick.”

“Welcome to the club of long-ass, cross-country travel. We’re pretty elite,” Enid quips, and Ajax chuckles.

Vega absentmindedly tears her piece of bacon into thin strips and tosses one into her mouth. “It’s not that bad by bullet train, but flying is definitely faster.” She notices a lack of response and shifts her focus from her breakfast to the confused expressions of the other teens. Sora’s head is down and her eyes are closed. 

“Bullet train?” Kent questions then turns to Yoko, “I thought those were only in Japan?”

“That is correct,” a voice confirms, but it’s not the vampire’s. Wednesday grabs everyone’s attention with her words, but she does not elaborate. She simply continues to study ‘Vera’. 

Enid regards the interaction with some uncertainty, seeing her girlfriend acting more odd than usual. And that’s saying something – she’s dating Wednesday Addams for crying out loud. The blonde reluctantly turns to Sora. “Summer, what about you?” 

Sora blinks and internally curses themselves for not thinking about the tiniest of details. She obviously can’t say Jericho, because then why wouldn’t she already be a Nevermore student? Luckily, she spots Divina attempting to get her attention discreetly, mouthing ‘Ohio’.

The medium takes the hint, trusting the siren to know that none of the others will have any reason to question or relate to the location on such a personal level. She looks back at Enid to answer, “Cincinnati.”

“Oh, Cincinnati is fun; I love the zoo and King’s Island! I’ve only been once when my family decided to road trip around the country one summer when I was a kid. The trip overall was pretty terrible – three weeks in the car with my parents and four rowdy brothers – but the places we stopped along the way made it worth it.” 

Enid’s comment allows the conversation to be redirected toward talk of others’ vacations and annoying family quirks, much to Sora’s relief. Soon the first warning bell chimes from a tower above, and students begin gathering their trash and belongings to exit the dining hall. Bianca informs their friends that they won’t be walking to class together because buddies and shadow students are required to check in each morning. She gestures to be followed. 

Vega and Sora are guided back to the Nightshades Library, where the siren once again is not pleased with their performance. “Okay, the whole ‘winging it’ idea is clearly not going to work for very long. It may fool the boys, and Enid is just too nice to say anything if she realizes that something is off, but Wednesday looks like she wants to crack open your skull and pick apart your brain every time you speak.”

“And she will; she’s really good at it,” Vega agrees, “One time, Uncle Fester brought us a – ”

The girls object immediately.

“New plan – you two are going to stay down here and come up with responses, stories, backgrounds, whatever, to every single possible scenario you can think of. Got it?”

Vega places her hands on her hips. “But what about going to class with you guys?” 

“Not anymore, not until you both can be more convincing. You can barely keep it together in front of other teenagers; adults are going to catch on so much faster. Besides, they’ll definitely know that no such thing as a ‘shadow student’ program exists, and Div and I aren’t going to use our siren song on anyone for the cause.”

Divina shakes her head and mutters, “That would be so many people.”

“A classroom is just too obvious. You blend in a lot more with larger groups of students in casual settings anyway, so work on being able to interact without being so weird. I know that’s a lot to ask of an Addams, but just try.” Bianca smirks. 

Yoko checks the time on her phone and announces, “We’ve gotta go or we’re going to be late to first period.”

Bianca turns to leave. “We’ll come get you for lunch in a few hours.” They disappear up the winding staircase.

Sora runs her fingers over the spines of the library’s seemingly infinite collection, searching for anything that might aid their predicament. Falling short, she joins Vega back in the main atrium, who’s lying on the stone floor and staring at the ceiling. Sora folds her legs under skirt to sit next to her friend; the wolf moves her arm in the air above her to form invisible constellations. 

“This is worse than jail,” the Addams huffs.

Sora rolls her eyes. “You’ve never been to jail.”

“Not yet.”

“Fair.”

“I think Sheriff Walker purposefully turns the other cheek. Like, I’ve given him plenty of opportunities to bring me in, but he just won’t. My grandparents have been making not-so-subtle comments about how our family mugshot wall is in need of a new picture.”

Sheriff Walker, Sora thinks. That’s who she recognized in the background photo of Bianca’s phone yesterday. Better to keep this bit of information to herself. Yoko and Divina already have the confirmation that their romance will last, but she does not want to be the one to tell Principal Barclay that her relationship will be only platonic in twenty-five years.

The psychic is pulled out of her own head when Vega sits up abruptly. “Let’s go.”

“Go? Go where?” Sora asks incredulously, “We’re supposed to stay here until lunch.”

“I don’t know, but I’m bored. Don’t you want to explore old Nevermore a little bit? We barely got to see it before we ran into Thing. C’mon, we’ll be back before they even know we’re gone!” Vega urges, grabbing Sora’s hand and pulling her to her feet.

Another eye roll. “You know, for someone who practically worships Principal Barclay in the future, you really want her to hate you here.”

Vega throws Sora’s hand down harshly. “I do not worship her. It’s called respect, thank you very much.”

“Okay, well then let’s respect her now and not leave like she said.”

“We could go to the fencing studio,” the shorter teen suggests, taking a tentative step back toward the door. “Won’t even touch anything… Just to look at it. What d’ya say?” She smiles widely, her fangs coming into view. 

Sora weighs the outcomes to herself for a moment before exhaling a sigh. Vega whoops in triumph and grabs her best friend’s wrist to tug her out of the library. 

It surprises the girls just how easy it is to sneak across campus to the fencing studio. Their timing is impeccable with classes being in session, so they arrive undetected. As they move to enter the training facility, the sound of sabres clanking against one another forces Sora to pull the door closed abruptly. Not expecting anyone to be practicing at such an early hour, Vega curiously pushes the door back open to create a large enough crack for them to peek. 

Two masked figures, both in white, battle along the strip skillfully. Sora and Vega catch the tail-end of the bout, because the fencers quickly finish and remove their headgear. The pair stiffen from their hiding spot behind the door as Bianca speaks unintelligibly to Wednesday across the room, using her sabre to slowly walk through the motions of a particular move. The goth nods as she takes the coaching from her teammate, then they step off the mat for a water break.

“Okay, we should go,” Sora whispers and tugs on the back of Vega’s blazer. 

Vega turns her head, one of her pigtails tickling Sora’s nose. “Are you kidding? This is so much better than just looking at an empty room!”

The recess is short-lived, and the psychic and siren are squaring up for another match. Sora does not get the chance to argue with Vega again, because she hears Bianca shout “En garde!” before she and Wednesday adopt a defensive position. 

“Prêtes? Allez!”

Sora has to admit, watching the two girls fence is a rather remarkable experience. She doesn't think she’s ever seen two young people as skilled as they are. Vega observes in just as much awe, “Whoa, she’s way better than I thought!”

“Yeah, your mother’s super talented.”

Vega scrunches her nose in confusion. “Huh, oh – no, I mean, yes, Mother is a great fencer. But I’m talking about Principal Barclay; just look at her form!”

Sora scoffs playfully, an implicit ‘I told you so’ seeping through her tone. They continue their spectating without another word, mesmerized by the adept moves made between the other outcasts. Bianca and Wednesday madly dodge and block their opponent’s strikes, while also earning their respective touches over several minutes.

When the siren wins her fifteenth touch, she exclaims, “Halt!” to end the bout. Vega impulsively whoops at Bianca’s victory, which forces Sora to grab her head and pull them back to be out of view. They are unfortunately too late, as both Wednesday and Bianca remove their masks and turn in their direction. “We heard you! No reason to pretend you don’t exist,” the queen bee calls out, her voice echoing throughout the spacious practice hall.

Vega and Sora reluctantly creep through the doorway and immediately see the angry glow in Bianca’s eyes. The wolf maneuvers herself behind Sora and to take advantage of the security their height difference provides. Her black-painted nails grip her friend’s slim shoulders and she guides them forward. 

“What are you two doing here?” Bianca demands as she tucks her mask more comfortably under her arm. 

“We just wanted to check out the fencing hall,” Sora explains truthfully, not wanting to give too much information with Wednesday present. “What about you? Shouldn’t you be in class?”

The raven smirks in amusement, impressed with Bianca receiving pushback from someone other than their friends. “Curious how your buddies do not own a copy of your class schedule. You might provide that feedback to the program for future students. As for your question,” she focuses on her fellow psychic, “This is our free period. We are exactly one month away from Nationals; therefore, we are attempting to practice at every free moment possible, within reason.”  

“Didn’t you miss the extra practice yesterday?” Vega asks as she peers over Sora’s shoulder.

Wednesday furrows her eyebrows. “As I just said, within reason. Academic studies do have to take precedence on occasion, especially when one has Ajax as a project partner.” Changing the subject, she lifts her sabre and runs her finger along the blade toward the point.  “Are either of you experienced in fencing, since it seems you made a special trip to this particular area of campus.”

Vega shakes her head yet beams with excitement. “I’m alright, but Summer here is a natural. You should see her!”

Sora rotates her head just enough to send a glare behind her. 

“Excellent,” Wednesday responds with satisfaction. In one fluid motion, she spins on her heel and snatches her mask from its place on the floor. “Let’s duel then.”

Bianca fumes, and the time travelers can’t tell if her anger is directed at them, Wednesday, or a combination of both. “Absolutely not – no way.”

“Barclay, how do you expect them to properly choose an extracurricular without the opportunity to fully immerse themselves?” the seer questions innocently, but Bianca knows better. Addams always has an ulterior motive and a trick up her sleeve.

She looks at Sora, her expression practically a threat. The medium knows she should reject the offer; this is the exact opposite of laying low like they were instructed. But something within her can’t help but feel honored at the invitation, and she convinces herself that not dueling with Wednesday might actually be more suspicious. Fuck it. Sora steps forward and smiles, “Got an extra uniform?”

Okay, so maybe this wasn’t the best idea. 

Sora knows she’s already at a disadvantage going up against Wednesday Addams, but having to wear the fencing suit over her Nevermore uniform is not going to help her chances. Everything is snug and bunched in ways it shouldn’t be, limiting her movement. The springtime sun shines through the large windows and naturally heats the room. She tugs on her collar to let some air in from her spot on the mat.

“I suggest three minutes or first to eight touches. Are these parameters agreeable to you?” Wednesday checks with a healthy amount of patience.

“Yes, good with me.” Sora wishes she had some water.

The goth nods once in approval and finds her space on the mat opposite her opponent. They salute one another, signaling their readiness to Bianca. Another “En garde!” is announced, and Sora makes the briefest eye contact with Vega as her mask slides over her head and she prepares herself. “Prêtes? Allez!” 

The bout begins with steady footwork back and forth, various lunges taken to attack. The first point is easily awarded to Wednesday, and they set back up to go again. It’s less than ten seconds before the raven’s sabre collides into Sora’s chest. Another minute or so passes and the score is five to zero.

Wednesday’s lack of restraint ignites a fire in Sora, and she pursues the remainder of the challenge with a new sense of confidence. Surprising everyone, Sora soon trails by only one point, having hit low and inside despite Wednesday’s form. 

When Bianca announces the end of the three minutes and the final score, she leers at her teammate. ‘Well, well, Addams, she gave you quite a run for your money there at the end, didn’t she?”

Although she won, Wednesday tears her mask away in frustration, sweaty bangs sticking to her forehead. She grunts in reluctant assent and works her gloves off her fingers. “Where did you say you’re transferring from again?”

Sora props her mask on her hip and blows upward to clear hair out of her face. “Ohio.”

Wednesday simply hums in contemplation. Without warning, she marches out of the studio toward the locker room. 

Vega waits for her mother to leave the room completely before she runs and wraps her arms around Sora’s waist in a hug. “I know you lost, but you did awesome! Mother has mentioned wanting to set up a match with you, but I didn’t think it would be like this.” She cackles.

The psychic places a free hand on her friend’s arm to reciprocate the embrace. “Why would she want to fence with me in the future?”

“I don’t know. I’ve learned to not ask questions when it comes to Mother. She’s going to do what she wants.”

A throat is cleared beside them, and the pair twist to find Bianca practically seething. “What part of ‘don’t leave the library’ did you not understand?”

The wolf releases Sora and tugs on her pigtails. “We did what you asked! Came up with lots of great details. Some of them we won’t really even be lying about because they’re generic enough to not make people think twice. Like Sora’s fencing!”

“Fencing is not common, Addams,” the siren argues, “It is to you because you’ve been raised by your mother, who also grew up with Nevermore fencing legends, A-K-A your grandparents. The average American high school is not going to offer this sport!” 

Vega’s fang catches her bottom lip. Sora works her way out of the loaner uniform and does her best to smooth out her dress shirt, vest, and skirt. She reknots her tie but hangs the blazer over her forearm, too hot to put it back on. 

A bell rings, forcing Bianca to grab the suit from Sora’s hand and follow Wednesday’s route to the locker room. “Just go back to the library, okay? Please?” she nearly begs as she walks backward, “We’ll meet up with Yoko and Divina after school and talk through our plan for the girls’ night.”

The door echoes throughout the large room when it slams shut, leaving Vega and Sora alone. They pause to take in the silence and gather their thoughts. As if on cue, their eyes widen in horror.

“Girls’ night?!” 

Chapter Text

Following the near-fencing fiasco, Vega and Sora diligently stay in the Nightshades library for the rest of the school day until they are escorted to Bianca and Divina’s dorm room. Dinner, thankfully, remains uneventful, with most of the friend group opting to take their food to-go for different reasons. It is during mealtime that the time-travelers finally learn the details of the girls’ night, a recurring event that takes place on the final Thursday of each month. Unavoidable, really; not without Enid complaining and asking a million questions. 

In Yoko’s and Bianca’s borrowed sweats and t-shirts, Vega and Sora once again find themselves in the attic suite of Ophelia Hall. Sora watches with great curiosity as Enid pours a dozen different packages of sweet and sour treats into a large bowl, shakes it to mix the contents, and then places it in the middle of her bed for everyone to access. Divina dives in and pops a gummy worm into her mouth. 

What surprises Vega most is the sight of her mother exiting the bathroom in her own comfort clothing. She grabs the wooden chair from her desk on the other side of the room and settles it next to the colorful bed, clearly planning on participating but not squeezing into such a tiny space with everyone else. Enid hands the goth a separate bag of candy, and Vega briefly sees ‘Warheads’ with a cartoon of a puckered-faced person before it’s torn open.

Thing climbs the legs and arms of Wednesday’s chair to perch himself on its back for a solid view of the night’s activities.

“Okay, music!” the blonde announces as she turns on a pink, cylinder speaker on her desk, “Summer, Vera, any requests as our guests of honor?”

Sora smartly plays it safe by answering, “No, I’m not picky. I’ll listen to whatever.”

“Oh, do either of you like Chappell Roan?” Enid asks as she types and scrolls through her music app.

Yoko rescues the pair so they do not have to respond. “Pup, you don’t know if they’re gay.”

Vega and Sora exchange a shocked glance but break it almost immediately. The medium swallows. When did it get so warm in the room?

“What?!” Enid yelps, “You don’t have to be gay to like Chappell Roan. She’s a talented artist!”

Bianca eats a ‘Nerds Cluster’ and nods in silent agreement, pointing at the wolf.

Divina snorts a laugh. “Yeah, but being gay does enhance the listening experience.”

“OKAY, true, whatever,” Enid concedes. “Vera, any suggestions?”

Vega turns her head back toward the group, unable to conceal her flushed cheeks. The smaller wolf licks a fang in concentration. Her music taste has become wildly dissimilar to her mom’s as they have both aged, but she attempts to recall some of the songs they would listen to in the car when she was younger. “Taylor…”

Enid beams at the recommendation’s start and unlocks her phone.

“ – Smith.”

Quiet settles throughout the room. Divina mutters, “So close,” under her breath so softly that only Vega hears with her heightened sense of hearing, being directly next to the siren. 

Enid’s shoulders sag in disappointment, but being a kind host, she says, “Sorry, Vera, I don’t think I know Taylor Smith. What type of music does she make?”

Wednesday quirks an eyebrow and adjusts the hard candy from one side of her mouth to the other. “Not that I am an expert in this subject matter, but I do believe she is referring to Taylor Swift, mi sol.” 

“Yes!” Vega exclaims, a flood of memories pouring in all at once, “Taylor Swift, especially the one with the black cover.”

“Reputation,” Divina supplies to hopefully move the conversation on to a new one once Enid gets the music playing.

Bianca suddenly drops the spell book into Wednesday’s lap with a thud. “Addams, you know Latin, right?”

“Yes,” the raven confirms and inspects the volume’s spine, “I’ve been intrigued as to what you’ve been carrying around these last couple of days.”

“I found it in the Nightshades library when I was looking for something on the magic behind Siren transformations for an assignment. I used Google Translate to help me read a few to see if anything was relevant, but not really.” The siren shrugs noncommittally, and Vega is suddenly much more embarrassed at her inability to create a backstory as she listens to Bianca do so with such ease. “There’s one I wanted you to check to see if my phone told me the truth. Page sixty-four.”

Wednesday opens the cover and diligently flips the pages. She points to the title written in inky calligraphy and looks up at the others through dark lashes. “Deinceps tempore.” 

“Google said it has something to do with time travel. Is that right?”

Enid perks up, a sour candy belt dangly from her lips, and moves to observe over her girlfriend’s shoulder. “Time travel?!”

When Divina and Yoko feign surprise at the news, Vega and Sora, too, lean forward in anticipation.

The physic bobs her curtly, bringing her eyes back to the parchment to scan its contents. “Deinceps tempore. The literal translation to English is ‘forward in time’. Exceedingly self-explanatory in name, though difficult in execution.”

“So, it is possible?” Bianca questions.

Wednesday continues reading silently for a moment and considers her response. “Yes. Again, it is an extremely fickle concept and should not be taken lightly. Grandmama is the only person I know to have performed such a spell successfully, and she has done so only a handful of times in her long lifespan.”

Vega internally adds her great-grandmother to those individuals she’d like to meet while in the past. She has seen photographs and heard countless stories of the old and humorous hag, particularly from her mom, as they were very close. But the elder Addams had long been laid to rest in the family cemetery before Vega was born.

“I say we give it a shot,” the vampire suggests with the hole of her blood bag straw stuck on a fang, imitating a one-tusked walrus. 

Playing the part of the level-headed girlfriend, Divina argues, “What could you possibly need to go into the future for?”

Yoko pulls the straw from her mouth with conviction. “C’mon, you guys act like you’ve never seen Back to the Future 2! We buy a sports almanac from, I don’t know, the year 2050, then we come back and place some bets. Boom! We’re rich.”

Enid giggles at her best friend’s absurdity.

“I can safely say that I have never seen said film. But no, time is not to be trifled with in such a way. It is why this spell is much more demanding to complete in comparison to others.” Wednesday closes the spell book and runs her hands over the cover slowly. “I am a seer, which means I see into the future, not go into it. I am still learning to control my visions and understand their underlying meanings. Therefore, I am not willing to attempt such a spell without researching it further.

“I hope my explanation has been thorough enough for your curiosity.” The finality of the raven’s tone quells the group’s interrogation, leaving Taylor Swift’s lyrics to fill the silence. She fixes Bianca with a stare as she offers the book back with outstretched arms, and the siren takes it back with a sigh. 

“Sure, Addams, whatever you say.” 

A beat. 

Then the bubbly blonde shrieks, 

“Who wants to play Uno?!"

Thing’s fingers scamper along the cold stone of Nevermore’s hallways quickly. He hops left then right before snapping twice to signal that the coast is clear. Moments later, Wednesday and Enid round the corner where the hand just came from. The three climb the stairs to the second floor and hide in another alcove. They hear laughter ring from below where they had just been and remain noiseless until the other students are out of sight. 

Thing disappears to check the final leg of their route, and Enid taps her fingers against the wall impatiently. “Wends, when you told me to meet you during your free period, this is not how I thought we would spend it.”

Wednesday cranes her neck toward the hallway’s opening to listen for Thing’s next signal. “And what were you expecting, querida?”

“Ya know, what we usually do when we skip class… Make out or something?” the wolf loosens her tie and mumbles, “Got me all excited, and for what?”

The goth tsks her tongue. “As much as I do enjoy that as well, there is something I need your assistance with today. Come, we’re being summoned.”

The teenagers lightly jog until Wednesday stops outside an office door labeled ‘Principal’. She pulls a lock-pick from the inside pocket of her blazer and hunches down to begin working.

“What now?! Why here?” Enid whimpers lowly as she frantically begins keeping watch. Assuming the lookout role has become second nature to her over the last several years. “Talk to me, Wednesday.”

But the brunette does not answer. Instead, she pulls the wolf into the large office and briskly closes the door, securing the lock back into place. Turning to face the blonde, she asks, “What if I told you I did bring you here for our usual free period activities?”

Enid’s pupils dilate rapidly and she sputters, “E-excuse me?! H-here?” But she immediately notices the hint of a smile playing on her girlfriend’s lips, so she smacks the palm of her hand against the raven’s shoulder. “Wednesday Friday Addams, oh-em-gee, do not do that to me. Now tell me the real reason we're here so we can leave!”

Wednesday spins and marches toward the large desk on the opposite end of the room. “I wish to know more about our visitors.”

“Okay, then just ask them?” Enid offers while walking across the room to catch up.

“What they have shared so far is wildly contradictory. I need more concrete information.” She rounds the ornate furniture to focus on a multi-drawer file cabinet in the back corner of the office. “I will start with the physical, individual records. You see what you can find on the computer.”

The blonde huffs and accepts her fate. This isn’t her first breaking-and-entering rodeo with a member of the Addams family, and it certainly won’t be her last. “What kind of ‘concrete information’ are we looking for? And wait,” she eyes the closed MacBook sitting atop the desk, “How am I even supposed to log in? I don’t know Weems’ password.”

Wednesday stops shuffling through folders long enough to pull a small, folded piece of paper out of the same breast pocket from which the lock-pick came. She presents it between her pointer and middle fingers casually. Enid plucks and opens it to read a mix of numbers, symbols, and letters, raising a questioning eyebrow. 

“Thing secured it for me,” the goth says without further explanation and begins her work on the files again.

Enid opens the laptop’s lid and carefully types each character of the password one at a time, muttering, “How does she remember this every time?” It’s certainly much more secure than her password, seventeenluver1013. But she gains access and immediately gets bombarded with notifications from several professional platforms. “Wends, what exactly am I looking for?”

“Research anything having to do with Summer’s and Vera’s names, or the so-called ‘shadow student program’ in general.” 

“What are their last names?” the wolf asks as she opens Weems’ file drive. 

The raven pauses with a thick file in her grasp and stares pointedly at her girlfriend. “Exactly.”

They work quickly and quietly for the next several minutes, every so often reporting to one another their dead ends. Enid’s phone buzzes next to her on the table, an incoming text from Thing via Wednesday’s contact warning them to wrap up. The seer adjusts the folders and closes the cabinets, and Enid clears her search histories and closes necessary windows. They leave the office as tidy and untouched-looking as when they arrived before sneaking out undetected. 

As they make their way back to the quad to meet the others when class breaks, Wednesday notices the furrow in Enid’s brow. “A penny for your thoughts, cara mia?”  

“I just… There was nothing about them. That just doesn’t seem possible. You know Weems; she keeps tabs on everyone and everything. It’s like they don’t even exist,” Enid voices her thoughts incredulously. 

Wednesday interlocks their fingers. “Yes. At first, I simply found their presence off-putting, but I believe we are dealing with something much more complicated. However, the lack of evidence is troublesome. We will have to keep investigating.”

The wolf takes a large step to block Wednesday’s path. “Or maybe we could just let this one go? Vera and Summer seem nice enough, and our friends are involved. Don’t you trust them?” 

“I do, but there are too many unknown variables – ”

Enid tugs on their joined hands. “Then what about my intuition? Even though I’m honestly confused as hell, I don’t think they mean any harm so I’m willing to let this one go. Don’t you trust me?”

The brunette averts her gaze, and she swallows in discomfort from being under scrutiny. Of course she trusts Enid. There’s no one else she would rely on with such ferocity. But Wednesday’s instinct is sitting in the pit of her stomach and telling her to keep digging. 

Just as Wednesday opens her mouth to reply, Enid pulls back, hurt evident in her expression. “Okay, I get it. I’ll, uh, see what else I can find out then. See you in class, love.”

And just like that, Wednesday is alone.