a dance and a misunderstanding

Wei wakes up sleeping against Claire's bed with Gobber lying in his lap snoring lightly and Claire having one arm dangling over the edge of the bed and wrapped around his chest when he hears steps approaching his girlfriend's room.

He quickly slides a complaining Gobber underneath Claire's bed.

"Oh, did I wake you?" Claire's father asks, peeking into the room, seeing his part time employee looking up at him sitting against the bed shirtless.

"Don't worry. What time is it anyways?" Wei asks.

"5 am." The man answers.

"Alright. I should probably go home and get a change of clothes before school then. It will be probably stressful as is with the dance tomorrow." Wei informs his girlfriend's father, slipping out from around the latina's arm and puts on his shirt, before collecting his bag, Gobber hurrying inside when Javier isn't looking.

The man then accompanies Wei to the front door.

"Listen Wei, I know you probably want to make a good impression, but if you need help you can talk to me and my wife." Javier says.

"Help?" Wei asks confused.

"Your scars. If you have abusive parents, you can tell us. We may be able to help." Javier says, patting the teen's shoulder.

"It's not like that. My parents aren't really in the picture, which is why I'm glad I have the job with you and the scars are from being careless." Wei tells Javier.

"If you say so." Javier accepts this, not sure if he should believe it.

"Thanks though. I never really had an adult I could trust." Wei says, shaking Javier's hand.

"Just make sure you treat my little girl right." Javier says, while opening the door.

"I will." Wei replies confidently and heads home.

|3 hours later - at school|

"What happened? You were gone when I woke up." Claire asks Wei, the two sitting across from each other at a table in the courtyard, eating their breakfast.

"Your father came to check on things and I headed home to get a change of clothes." Wei tells her.

"Alright, just wake me next time." She says pouting while poking around in her cereal with a spoon.

"I will." He promises, taking her hand and gives the back of it a kiss, making her grin slightly.

"I'm telling you Jimbo, the girl in the costume is the one." Toby says, sitting down next to Wei, Jim sitting down next to Claire.

"You don't even know what she looks or sounds like, let alone know her name." Jim tells his oldest friend, taking out his breakfast while Toby gets out a burrito.

"Hey Jim, looking forward to tomorrow night?" Mary asks her date, sitting down across from him with Darci sitting down in between her and Claire.

"Yes definitely." Jim says smiling nervously.

"What about you Darci? Anyone asked you yet?" Claire asks her friend.

"Asked, yes but no one I'm going with." Darci answers, everyone looking at Toby.

"Why don't you want to go with me though?" Toby asks disappointed.

"If you don't know then it doesn't matter." Darci only replies scoffing a bit.

"How about you two? Matching outfits planned?" Mary asks, looking at Claire with a playful smirk.

"Uhm not so far." Claire answers, being put on the spot.

"But knights and queens is such a good chance for couples costumes." Mary says, poking her friends arm.

"Is it?" Wei asks surprised.

"Of course, Tristan and Isolde, Romeo and Juliet, Robin Hood and Marian." Mary says.

"And exactly one of those is actually a knight." Claire counters smirking.

"Sorry for trying to put a romantic spin on things." Mary says, sticking out her tongue.

"Well what are your costumes?" Claire asks Mary.

"I'm going to be cleopatra and Jim wants to wear his Romeo armor, which is why you two are our only chance of a good couple's costume." Mary whines.

"We'll think about it." Claire says, folding quickly under Mary's pleading stare.

"We should go now, PE is starting any minute." Jim says, looking at his phone's clock and gets up from the table, the rest of the group following his lead.

"What do we have here? 6 latecomers who think it's cool to be tardy. Well if you think that's cool, then you can run 8 laps of piggyback pair up and go!" The coach tells them, the group having just missed the start of class.

"Alright Tobes get on." Jim sighs, lifting his heavyset best friend on his back and starts to run around the gym.

"I'll go first, let's switch every round." Darci tells Mary, the girl nodding in acceptance while climbing on Darci's back.

"I guess that leaves us huh?" Claire says, looking at Wei, who picks her up lifting her on his shoulders with ease.

"Is this good?" He asks peering up to her.

"I think on your back is better than on your shoulders." She tells him and they switch the position so she's hugging him from behind while he has his arms underneath her thighs and starts running around the gym at a for him medium pace, which equals for most present teens a full blown sprint.

"Aren't you overdoing it? Should we switch?" Claire asks, Wei being on the 6th lap while toby tries to carry an exhausted Jim for their fifth lap. Darci and Mary seem to be doing well with their methode of switching every lap.

"I haven't even come close to breaking a sweat Claire." Wei tells her, rubbing her thighs reassuringly, making the girl blush and lean her face into his back, happy that only the teacher is watching them closely while the other students are busy setting up a volleyball net.

After two more laps the couple finishes first and Wei sees Toby and Jim struggling in the middle of their sixth lap.

"Come on guys, let me help you." Wei says, setting down Claire from his back and receives a peck from the girl, who is glad she didn't have to try and carry the taller, muscle packed teen.

"And one and two." Wei says, lifting both guys onto one shoulder each and carries them around the gym for the last two laps, the teacher coming over to the group of four sweating teens and two barely noticeably sweating teens in the form of Claire and Wei.

"Good teamwork there Wei." The coach praises the former darkland resident.

"Thank you, Coach Lawrence." Wei says.

"Seriously Wei, what are you made of?" Mary asks jokingly punching his arm.

"What?" He asks confused.

"It's just an expression." Claire whispers to him, before heading to the group of students waiting for the Coach to divide them into teams.

After school Claire says goodbye to Darci and Mary before leaving with the three boys.

"So, is there anything troll related going on today?" Claire asks Jim.

"No. So far no sign of Angor Rot and no one's seen any sign of Strickler either. And without him I doubt we can break the binding spell on my mother." Jim says.

"OK. I'll take Wei shopping then." Claire says, already splitting off from the group and pulls her boyfriend along with her.

"So what are your thoughts on a couple's costume?" Claire asks him, walking down the street with him hand in hand.

"I don't get the importance, but I want you to enjoy your time there." Wei says.

"I don't know either. I don't really feel like going at all." She says sounding tired.

"Why not?" Wei asks surprised.

"It doesn't feel right, doing this while my brother is missing and Angor Rot can show up any second." Claire says.

"I will take care of both. Just give me a bit of time." He says squeezing her hand hopefully.

"I'm not blaming you, or Jim. I know you both are doing what you think is best. Afterall you are the only one who has a clue of how dangerous getting my brother will be." Claire replies, brushing over his cheek with a smile.

"It still sucks, if Jim would trust me I could be in and out with your brother with no problems." Wei says, pulling her into a hug while stopping on the bridge below which the trollmarket lies.

"We made a group decision. Blinky and the past trollhunters agree that it's too dangerous." Claire says softly, leaning on the railing with him, looking at the canal.

"Yeah, so about the dance. I'm guessing we're not going for that couple's costume stuff?" Wei asks.

"No, let's just be us, maybe wear something nice though if you have something." She says.

"I will do that." He says nodding.

"Alright. So is there anything you want to do right now?" She asks, wrapping her arm around his.

"Not really. I have something to discuss with the goblins and then I was gonna swing by tonight and camp out near your house in case Angor Rot shows his soulless face." Wei answers.

"OK. Fine with me. Just say hello when you get there alright?" She says, Wei nodding in reply.

"Thanks. And thank you for watching out for me and my family." Claire thanks him, kissing his cheek for a couple seconds before leaving, waving at the teen while heading down to trollmarket.

|the dance|

"Oh no. Come on I was practically begging you." Mary in her cleopatra costume says disappointed when Claire arrives at the late-night party at the school in black low heeled shoes, black tights, a short dark green skirt, a white button up shirt and her usual dark blue jacket.

"Sorry but we decided not to do it." Claire apologizes to Mary.

"Has anyone seen Wei yet?" Claire asks, looking around.

"Nah. Not yet." Toby says, Jim also shaking his head.

"And where is Darci?" Claire then asks confused why the usually punctual girl has also not shown up yet.

"Hello everyone." Wei greets the group arriving a minute later, wearing dark blue jeans, sneakers and a black poloshirt.

"Not bad." Claire says, fixing his slightly crooked collar while smiling up at him.

"Thanks. You look amazing Claire." Wei compliments her, rubbing over the back of her hands softly.

"Alright students. It's time to announce who this year's king and queen are." The school's Spanish teacher says, taking out an envelope and says, "this year's king is Steve Palchuk and the Queen is Darci Scott!" The teacher announces, the students applauding while a cheering Steve storms the stage.

"Seriously where is Darci?" Claire asks worried.

"Right here." Darci says, taking off her costume's head, Darci having become the new school mascot, who Toby has been crushing on like crazy, even having managed to sneak in a dance with her earlier.

"Whaaaa!" Toby stammers.

"But, you and I but, but you said you don't want to go with me to the dance." Toby says shocked.

"You asked every girl at school. I wanted you to ask only me." Darci tells him disappointed while heading to the stage in her mascot costume.

"Alright, give it up for your king and queen!" The teacher says while the music starts up again.

And the teens cheer loudly.

"Where are we going?" Claire asks when Wei pulls her aside when the crowd gets noisy.

"I have a surprise planned for tonight, just meet me right here later OK?" Wei says, looking at her lovingly and she nods her head blushing a bit.

"Good, now let's relax with our friends." He says, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and they head back to their group where Darci is quick to join her best friends and the three girls hug each other happily.

"Congratulations Darci." Claire says, her arms barely fitting around her mascot costume.

"Thanks." She says hugging her back.

"Claire what was that just about with your guy?" Mary asks curiously.

"I don't know. He said he has a surprise planned for later." Claire replies shrugging.

"Ohh, girly are you gonna you know... do it?" Mary asks suggestively.

"No!" Claire says shocked and pushes her friend lightly.

"Wonder what they're talking about." Toby says, eyes fixated on Darci.

"I don't know, but I actually need one of you guys' help." Wei tells him and Jim.

"What with?" Jim asks surprised.

"I need you to stand guard while I break into Strikler's office." Wei says, pulling both with him by their collars.

"What for?" Toby asks while trying to free himself which proves useless with Wei's fingers not budging an inch.

"I need something he must have hidden in his office." Wei tells them.

"Fine, we'll do it just be quick." Jim says, patting his arm and Wei nods in thanks before pushing in the doorknob on Strickler's door, opening it as he's pushing out the locking mechanism.

"I'd have used a lockpick but you can't argue with the results." Toby comments, he and Jim taking position in front of the headmaster's office.

"Now where is it? Not-Enrique better be right about this." Wei says, looking through Strickler's stuff before finding his secret hideout behind a bookcase which can roll to the sides, revealing a room behind his office where many troll items are kept. Wei finds what he was looking for fast and stuffs it into a small backpack, hanging it around his shoulders.

He then pushes the bookcases back in place and leaves the office, disappearing with Toby and Jim from the office quickly.

"What did you need to get from his office?" Jim asks him.

"A surprise for Claire." Wei answers.

"That's... uninformative." Jim retorts, before the three head back to the gym where Claire, Mary and Darci are all waiting.

"Oh hey, sorry we disappeared there for a moment, you see..." Jim stammers nervously, only for Mary to put a finger on his lips and pull him onto the dancefloor with her.

"Can I have this dance milady?" Toby asks Darci, bowing to her like she is royalty.

"Fine, come on." Darci says smiling and they join their friends on the dancefloor.

"Where were you?" Claire asks Wei, grabbing onto one of his wide and powerful arms, pulling him to the dancing teens as well.

"Strickler's office. I needed something from him." Wei says.

"What is it?" Claire asks, brushing over his small backpack, feeling some kind of stone circle.

"I'll show you later. For now I believe you wanted to show me how to dance." Wei says, tapping her nose softly.

"You're right." Claire replies smiling and leads him to the dancefloor away from the other teens however and teaches him how to dance a bit on the fly.

Half an hour later Wei and Claire are slow dancing, same as most of their classmates around them.

"I have to say this slow dancing I can understand. The stuff from before not really." Wei says, pulling her closer against him, Claire's cheek getting rosy as a result.

"You understand this huh?" Claire asks smirking while doing her best to hide her face in his shirt.

"I think so, holding the person you love close to you and just enjoying their presence." Wei says, twrling her around, with her arms now crossed in front of her, Wei dancing with her while standing behind her, holding her hands like in a hug.

"Guess you do get it." She chuckles softly, twirling back around and gives him a peck on his nose.

"And here we go a song requested by the king." The Spanish teacher announces, while a goofy song starts playing.

"Shall we go?" Wei asks Claire, holding out his arm for her and she wraps hers around his, leaving the school with him.

"So, what is this surprise you were telling me about?" Claire asks, walking down the schools' stairs with him while smiling to herself. Enjoying herself afterall despite her previously downed mood.

"Did you bring your shadow staff?" Wei asks.

"Of course." Claire says, opening her purse and shows him the item, before handing it to him when he holds out his hand for it.

The staff quickly expands and opens a portal he steps through while holding the shorter girl against his side.

The two come out in the middle of the woods around the town

"What are we doing here? Faulty portal?" She asks laughing lightly.

"No we're here or at least close by." Wei says.

"Ì don't understand. Nearby what and what is the thing in your backpack?" Claire asks curiously, trying to peek into it.

"Give me a few minutes. Can you cover your eyes for like a minute?" He asks, pulling his bag around to the side of his chest.

"Fine." She sighs playfully, giddy about what surprise awaits her.

Wei takes out the fetch and sticks his head through, looking around and recognizes the landscape, knowing where they have to.

"Alright, you can open them." Wei says, putting down the fetch while grabbing her hand and leading her up a nearby hill, Claire following while complaining.

"Come on, don't be mean. What is that thing? Looks like a troll item." Claire says.

"Close enough it's a Gumm-Gumm tool. It's called a fetch. They're used to swap babies for changelings." Wei explains, looking ahead on the walk up the grassy hill.

"You mean my brother went through this?" She asks distraught, taking the item.

"Yes. Now come on, we're almost there." Wei says.

"I don't think I want to go any further." She says unsettled and a bit worried that Jim might've been right and Wei was just playing with them and her feelings for him.

"Claire. Come on, you can trust me." Wei says, reaching out for her slowly but she backs away instinctively while clutching onto the fetch.

"Fine, just give me the fetch then. I'll go alone." Wei says, the two locking eyes with him looking at her saddened while she's just looking confused and scared.

"I... I'm sorry." She says quickly, setting down the fetch on the floor.

"Claire, why are you scared of me?" He asks sadly.

"You want to use the thing my brother got abducted with and really have the nerve to ask me that?" She says.

"You don't understand. I'm trying..." Wei tries to explain but she cuts him off saying, "you're trying to contact your father aren't you?" She accuses him distrustful.

"I thought you knew me better than that." He says hurt.

"I don't know. I don't know anything anymore." She cries and grabs her staff, using a portal to leave and she comes out in front of her house, breathing heavily with her heart racing.

"Calm down. Calm down. No one can know." Claire tells herself huffing tiredly on the sidewalk.

"No one can know what?" Toby asks innocently, he and Jim passing by her house coincidentally.

"Uhh." She stammers.

"Where is Wei?" Jim asks.

"The thing is..." she says in a shaky voice.

"What is it?" Toby asks annoyingly.

"I don't think we can trust him anymore." Claire says quietly.

"What happened?" Jim asks shocked, to hear her, who was defending the former darklands resident almost from day one say this.

"He has this weird portal to the darklands gumm gumms use to switch out the babies for changelings. Like my brother." She informs them.

"That's what he was stealing?" Jim asks.

"Yeah." Claire replies.

"What could he be using it for?" Toby asks, munching on a Taco.

"I don't know. But it's gumm-gumm so it can't be good." Claire tells them with a sigh.

"I can't believe he was just playing with us, with me." She stammers in shock.

"Are we sure we know that?" Toby asks, licking off his fingers after swallowing the remainder of the Taco.

"What else could he use it for other than contact his father or get more changelings." Claire says, crying.

"I don't know. I'm just saying, we didn't hear out the guy." Toby says shrugging his shoulder.

"We can't be certain he'd tell us the truth though." Jim says.

"I'm heading inside. If you see him make sure to be on your guard." Claire says sniffling and trying to put up a strong front before heading inside, rushing past her parents and locking herself in her room.

Later that night once her parents are asleep non-Enrique slips into her room through her window and sees her sniffling into a pillow.

"What's going on?" The changeling asks, hopping over to her and sits down on her nightstand.

"Wei is one of you." She says pushing the changeling over.

"You mean he was one of the babies, yeah." Non-Enrique says.

"No. I mean he's gumm-gumm he jas a fetch and I'm really not sure what he's gonna use it for." She says angrily.

"Fetch?" The small creature says wonderously, only for Claire to start tossing pillows at him and he quickly escapes, going looking for Wei, only finding a clue on where he is from a troll before he has to head back and play his role as a baby.

The next night Non-Enrique finds Wei on the same grass hill as before, his head sticking through a fetch while he has sticks with notes all around his spot.

"You dirtbag! Betraying my sister!" Non-Enrique shouts, jumping on the teen's back and shakes him angrily, Wei takes off the fetch and shrugs the little creature off his muscular body, still wearing the clothes from before.

"What do you want?" Wei asks angrily.

"I expect you to stop what your doing and apologize for playing around with Claire!" Non-Enrique shouts.

"I did nothing of the sort you whimp." Wei groans.

"What are you using the Fetch for then tough guy?" Non-Enrique questions him.

"To find your counterpart." He answers, holding out the portal and Non-Enrique takes it, looking through the portal and sees the Nursery of all the babies swapped for Changelings.

"You're looking for her brother? What for? Gunmar must've removed your command from before. The goblins won't give him to you, no matter how scared they are of you." Non-Enrique tells him.

"I know. I just want to know where he is for when we have a chance to enter darklands.

"As if I buy into this bull. I'm outta here." Non-Enrique says and starts hopping away leaving an annoyed Wei in the middle of the small hill.