The message on the newspaper's site had said 'healing spell'. Which Lea could do. Easy-peasy totally fine. She sat up in her bed - it was only 7am, and since it was still summer vacation. One more day, but still technically summertime, Dustin was asleep. Dustin was asleep, her father was asleep, and her mother was already at work. Which meant that if she was going to act, she had to do so now. She swung her legs over the side of her bed and yawned. Stood up and quickly pulled on a pair of leggings and a purple t-shirt, and a Barnard sweatshirt that one of her aunts had sent her. She quickly slipped her feet into ballet flats and tiptoed down the stairs, grabbing her bike from the garage before setting off for the zoo. Once she'd arrived at the gates (locked, thanks to the decree her father had helped to put in place) she gave a tug against them before huffing. She had to help the town, didn't these stupid gates get that?! Lea pushed against them again, making a space just barely big enough to squeeze through. Once she was through, she sighed and pulled out her phone. Opening up a new text to Noah, she typed it out quickly. 'Had an idea. At Zoo. All's good.' He was probably asleep anyhow.

Feeling his phone buzz within the confines of his sports bag Noah sighed slightly keys jingling in his hand. It was the first day back to morning practices for the football team and while he’d survived the switch, Noah couldn’t help but feel like he’d be run over by a bus or something. A large 250 pound bus wearing pads, that didn’t care that his stupid shoulder had a 5 inch gash in it. Or at least that’s whay Eliza had said when she looked at it. It felt like 10 sometimes though. Getting to his car though Noah dug out his phone not really wanting to answer but needing to know who was texting him at the butcrack of dawn I eman he hardly knew why he was up this early let alone why any one else would be. Looking down at the text id though Noah stopped, Lea. Why the heck would she be texting him at this hour? And from the very dangerous and now closed Zoo of all places. Hitting the call button Noah opened the door to his car, stepping right back into the big brother mode he’d left behind all those years ago. “Hey, Why are you at the Zoo?” He asked when she picked up.

Lea jumped when her phone rang, but quickly picked it up. "Because I've got to help." She squeaked out. "This town is my home and maybe, if I can do something to help make sure it doesn't all go to hell, it will give us a break for a moment. No more disappearing animals, no more mobile snowmen." She sighed, running a hand loosely through her hair. "Sorry if I woke you up, but I figured it was basic politeness to text you, y'know." Lea pressed her phone against her ear and against a shoulder, quickly digging a pebble out of her shoe. "That's all, don't you worry about it!"

Sighing at her initial response Noah tossed his gym bag across the center console “First I would just like to say that helping doesn’t mean you have to go rushing head first into a burning building, or in this case a raging portal with demon problems.” Noah pointed out as he slid into the truck “And second what do you mean by help?” It was a legitimate and serious question, because he had no idea how she could even help at this point. I mean to Noah it just seemed like there were more portals popping up every day in the news and more and more stories of these monster things walking around before having to be dispatched with. Violently. Something he didn’t exactly think tiny little Lea should be out doing. Closing the door to his truck though Noah just placed his hands on his truck steering wheel, begging the lords above for more strength, or like some coffee. Yea coffee would be nice right about now. “Also I wasn’t asleep. But now I am actually worried. So you should spill before I just drive over to the Zoo myself and see what you’re up to.”

"I am aware of that." Lea said, sighing. "But sometimes you've gotta do things." She bit down on her lip at his question - there was no way she was going to out of the blue tell a still-near-stranger what she was, what she could do. "Oh, you know - borrowed some legendary weapon, that should do it." She new it sounded fake, but it wasn't like telling the truth would make Noah believe her, and then she'd have outed herself, so double-bad. "I'm fine! You're welcome to continue on your day, I just wanted to call you to," she sighed, "because you told me to, though that might've been a mistake." Lea ducked as a tiny flying - cow?! - whizzed past her. She had to make sure the animals were safe, that her family was safe, that this near-freaking-stranger was safe. "You don't have to come!" She squeaked, ducking again, "I promise, I'm sorry for calling you and worrying you! It was all a bad dream, I'm in my bed at home and my brother'd freak out if you came over."

Resisting the urge to just bang his head against the steering wheel in frustration Noah just shouldered his phone, grabbing his seatbelt and pulling it over his body “Hope you know that was not convincing in the slightest” He breathed out once he was buckled in knowing that he was not going back home. Because there was no legendary weapon he knew that, and she knew that. What he didn’t know however was why she was trying to keep him at arm’s length. “Lea, I don’t want to just continue on my day I want to make sure you’re ok” he said seriously into the phone as he put the keys into the column. And that was when he heard it the little squeak in her voice telling him his hunch was right. “And Judging by the sound you just made you’re not.” Noah muttered to himself before he revved his engine. He didn’t usually drive while on the phone but he was making an exception for her “Also don’t try to lie to me, It’s too fucking early for that kid.” He gritted out easing the old 67 chevy out onto the main road. Not waiting for an answer though he updated her on his position “So I’m just pulling out onto Ranch road now I should be at the Zoo in 10 minutes. Get somewhere safe and just talk to me ok. Tell me a story. Like about your brother. Tell me about him.”

"It is too convincing." Lea muttered. He didn't need to get hurt. Nobody needed to, she could solve all of this and make sure that her best friends, her family, and even people like AJ and Blanche who she'd grown fonder of than she was wholly able to admit didn't get hurt. Noah might have been almost a foot taller and almost twice her weight, but that didn't mean that he needed to endanger himself right now. "I am okay!" She squeaked again, "and I'm not lying! My brother would be mad if you showed up in my room. I've got experience with that, but that's not the point right now. I'm listening to Taylor Swift and I am fine." She began walking towards where the goats had been, taking in a deep breath. "What about my brother? He's a dork and annoying. Like all older brothers." He was going to be a Senior, starting tomorrow. "Why do you wanna know about him, anyhow?" A small snake slithered by her, before it grew legs and began walking. "What the hell?" Lea squeaked again. "So, why are you up so early anyhow?"

“Lea cut the crap, you literally texted me that you were at the Zoo five minutes ago” Noah huffed into the phone grateful for once that it was so early, and the roads were clear. He might even make it to the Zoo in like 6 minutes if he caught all the right lights.“Plus I’m all hopped up on adrenaline here so I’m going to the zoo to fight some portal monsters whether you want me too or not” He said into the phone hoping that that might get her to change her tune. Listening to her keep lying to him though Noah rolled his eyes. “I know taylor swift and nothing in the background sounds like taylor Swift, so you’re going to have to find a better lie than that one” He continued biting his lip slightly as he hit a red light. Ugh. Well there went some of his speed. “And I don’t really need to know about him, I just want you to keep talking so I know you’re ok and that seemed like a safe subject” He shrugged in his car aware that she couldn’t see it. Tensing as she squeaked into the phone Noah willed himself to calm down. just a few more minutes and you’ll be there and she wont like die or anything and all will be ok. Ok noah he thought to himself before answering her latest question with a grumbling “Football practice.”

"I - fine." She sighed, fiddling with the edge of her sweatshirt. "Fighting the monsters isn't even the most important, they're all freaking weird right now, but haven't done anything." The word yet hung empty in the air, implied well enough but not stated. "It's her new song. It sounds funny through the phone. Fine, it's not Taylor Swift." Lea sighed again as she began half-jogging toward where the portal was. "Football's cool, I guess. I do field hockey, which you know, obviously." She tapped her free hand against her thigh. She'd manage this, it'd all be fine. The biggest healing she'd ever have done, and would likely ever do, but she could handle this. She skidded to a stop just about twenty feet away from where the portal was, the air and wind from it whipping her hair around.

“Yet” Noah retorted flying over the west bridge over the Whye river. Because he wasn’t going to let a word like that hang in the air for too long. “And that’s what I thought, plus her new song sounds like that I’m too sexy for my shirt song, or so I’m told” He shrugged out cheeks going slightly pink. There was nothing wrong with liking Taylor Swift ok. But fighting off the slight embarrassment Noah was glad the Lea kept talking to him, even though he could hear that she was doing anything but laying low and staying still. “Yea its my last year too so it’s going to be a little sad” He replied finally pulling into the parking lot of the Ashkent Creek zoo and aquarium. Shutting off the engine faster than humanly possible, Noah opened the door and leapt out already hearing the sound of the portal through the phone. “I’m here, and I’m hanging up. Don’t do anything rash till I get there” Noah said before he hung up the phone praying she really wouldn’t do anything stupid in the 2 minutes it would take his mutant werewolf body to vault over the fences and get to the goat enclosure. Closing the door to his truck Noah picked up the bat he had stashed in the back of his truck before he made a beeline to the park entrance, his tired legs aching.

"I don't know that song. It's probably too old for me anyhow. I only turned fifteen this year." Lea nodded, bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet, trying to push away any lingering anxiety that kept swirling around her brain. "Cool, it's my brother's last year of high school." She paused, rolling her eyes. "I'm fine. But bye, I guess. See you soon." She shoved her phone into her purse (one of the mini ones from Vera Bradley), before stepping a little bit closer to the portal, giving a small flick of her fingers. She couldn't touch it, but she'd just have to use all her will and might to get it to close - and it would work, she'd make sure of it.

Getting to the entrance Noah tossed his bat over the fencing noting where it landed so he could grab it later. And now it was time for the fun part, getting over a fence he wasn’t supposed to get over. Yay. Feeling his muscle protest at the work they were doing Noah gritted his teeth and just manhandled his way over the gate and back down onto the concrete on the other side. Looking back though Noah did have to smile at himself. Yea take that you fucking gate, you’re no match for a werewolf on a mission are ya? He thought to himself before picking up his bat and running to join the other girl. “Hey! You better not be starting the party without me” He yelled her way brandishing his bat as he sprinted down the path and skidded to a halt next to the goat enclosure.

Lea was not going to back down. There was no way, no how, that she was going to give this portal-thing that she didn't even fully understand the upper hand. At the sound of Noah's voice she whipped her head around, hair hitting her back and her shoulder. "What, the party doesn't start until you walk in, or something? I've not done anything yet, but like I said - you don't need to do anything!" She huffed, ducking as another tiny flying cow zoomed by. In fact, you being around while I do what I am going to do might be worse for all of us.Lea sighed and took another few steps toward the portal. "This shouldn't take too long, but you might wanna close your eyes." She chewed on her lower lip, "or, I dunno, make sure no imaginary creatures have made their way out of this."

“No it does not!” He replied vaulting over the goat enclosure fence with relative ease, adrenaline now coursing through him. Looking at her as she suggested he close his eyes though Noah raised an eyebrow “Why would I want to do that?” He asked. “I mean I doubt you want me to play demon pinata blind” He asked waving his bat around a little again. He’d thought about adding nails to, like Negan from the Walking dead. But he figured that might be taking it a little too far, so he just settled for good old trusty wood. Standing there next to her though Noah put on his game face on eye darting from Lea to the portal “Lets do this.”

"No, I don't, but," you also can't see what I'm about to do, "you know, if this thing closes the way it might, and if it makes a big flash of light, I don't want you getting blinded or whatever." Lea brushed a strand of hair from her face and gave a sharp nod, taking another few steps towards the portal, reaching out one of her hands to try and sense whatever energy she had to have felt on Sunday. She waved her fingers softly, trying to send out a feeling of closure, of healing. Far more than any baby birds in her backyard, or even compared to AJ's injury. She sucked in a deep breath of air and reached up her other hand, not bothering to look to see what Noah was doing. This would require incredible attention. Black holes - or whatever this was - didn't have anatomy, but it was a tear in the universe (Dustin would understand this more, and maybe Lea really did need to take a physics course at some point), which meant it could be healed just the same. Had to be.

“Trust me I’ll survive,” Noah grunted out eyes zoning in on a large centipede like creature that was flying out of the portal thing. Stepping forward Noah took a swing careful not to disturb Lea and well whatever she was starting to work on. His mission after all was to keep her safe and that was exactly what he was going to do. Watching the portal again Noah sung his bat round as an alligator like creature popped his head out. Banishing it back into the rainbow hole of doom. Or whatever it actually was.

"You'd better." Lea muttered, not daring to take her eyes off of the portal in front of her. Focusing all of her energies towards it. On fixing it - even though she couldn't magic her friends into leaving AJ alone, and she couldn't fix Dustin's chronic asthma, and she couldn't fix the fact that her parents kept fighting when they thought that nobody could hear. She smiled a bit when she noticed that it started to close, just slightly. Every bit of progress in this had to count, and Lea briefly shrugged her purse off her shoulder and let it fall onto the ground. Balance in her own body would have to be key.

Watching her work for a few seconds Noah just smiled. She was actually closing the portal, wow, she must be a witch. How cute. But what wasn’t cute was the large black hand that came out of the portal again bracing against the edges, like it didn’t want it to close. “Watch out” Noah yelled as the other black hand reached out as if to swipe at the girl. Good lord The portal was fighting back. But luckily for them Lea had brought back up. Or rather Noah had forcibly made himself her back up… but you know semantics. Diving in front of her Noah took aim at the hand again smashing one of the long fingers into the ground before it could reach Lea. “Keep up the good work ok” Noah encouraged with a smile, before lifting his bat and attacking the hand again.

"Shit!" Lea said, ducking briefly as the hand swiped out at her. "Yeah, I'm working on it." She took in a shaky breath, letting her gaze break briefly from the portal to where Noah lay. There was no way he knew what exactly she was doing - no way that she was going to so obviously go against her mother's wishes. In that brief moment of faltering Lea let go on her concentration and the creature seemed to push right up against the edges of the portal. "Oh, no you do not!" She glared, taking a few steps more toward the portal, trying to regain the strength she'd had before. She just needed to manage this, manage this and all would be well and fine. Even though she could already feel her brain growing slightly foggier.

Still whacking away Noah felt the bead of sweat drop down his forehead and his arm start to throb with a dull ache. He’d almost forgotten about the scratch these might claws had given him if not but two days ago, but he definitely couldn’t forget about it now. Pulling himself back into a standing position Noah trained his eye on the other hand trying to keep the portal open. Yea that was the hand he needed to get but how? Hearing Lea start to get into it though Noah couldn’t help but, well want to help. “You tell ‘em Lea!” he yelled hoping to keep this energy up, or rather his energy up. Especially not he was starting to feel this morning's practice already weighing heavy on his bones. Glancing back up at the hand though Noah prepared himself for a small running leap swinging the bat against the creatures knuckles as hard as he could.

She wasn't going to let anyone in this town die. She wasn't going to screw this up, even though she didn't have as much experience as whomever had posted that notice would have likely expected. But the edges of the portal started to ripple again and started to pull shut, still slowly, but with progress. Lea bit her lip softly and focused everything she had toward it. This was more than baby animals in their backyards, even more than the head-splitting headaches she'd on occasion done her best to partially take from Jenna and Katie. She concentrated on imagining the zoo just as it had been, on making it so that people could come and visit. Because she didn't hate Ashkent, even though it was incredibly odd at times - there was no reason that if she could do something she shouldn't. Besides, this was nothing more than a giant wound, which meant she could handle it no problem. Her head was feeling a bit heavy, and she did notice her fingertips shaking just slightly, but she kept concentrating on making sure that it closed, pulling her fingers towards one another (without interlocking them, but moving them close-by), keeping her body tense but calm, all in one. Trying to not be anxious about the fact that she was full-on willingly admitting to somebody who was still technically a basic stranger that she could do magic. With a final movement of her hands, even clapping them together at last, she pulled the portal together. "Noah?" She called out, her voice barely above a whisper, "I think it's -" Her head was swimming, and she felt her whole body grow weaker and go slack as she began to collapse toward the ground, eyes shut.