"I'd better go after her." Pippi said, and started on her way.

Donna looked around through tear-filled eyes at the others. Shawn and Miranda were holding each other, while Tracy stood to one side, crying and shaking.

Donna had to do *something*... she ran after Pippi. "P-please...please...let me help..." she managed to get out, once she'd caught up to her. "I...I've seen C-Capri upset...but n-never like this..."

Pippi slowed down and let Donna catch up. "Yes, that makes two of us. She never would've okayed this kind of grisly death even though Nathan was one of the most vile people who would deserve it if anyone did. Oh, this could be bad. I appreciate the help."

Pippi and Donna walked a long way, and Pippi began to wonder if they had gone in the wrong direction, and was contemplating some of the other pathways along the way.

Donna noticed Pippi's worried look and shook her head. "No, she's this way. I can tell..." she gulped.

Pippi's head jerked upward, "I'm sorry what's that?"

"That's her." Donna replied, her magic sense confirmed by the sound of wailing. "Listen. It's coming from up ahead."

Pippi stood still and listened along with Donna. Then, she heard it too, a woman's rasping voice screaming. As they continued on, the cries grew louder and could be heard dying away into sobs. "Yes, this is the right way." Pippi said half to herself.

Donna and Pippi hurried on now they were sure of the way, and eventually they reached the distraught faerie.

Capri was a mess. She was lying on the ground, crying her heart out, clothes torn and she was now tearing at her hair.

Pippi approached, knelt down and picked Capri up and held her in her arms like a baby.

Capri began struggling and looking wildly about when she felt herself getting moved. "'ere, what the--"

"Capri, shhhhhh, you've just witnessed something horrible. And before that you've worked yourself into the ground to bring Nathan and Christine to justice, now let someone look after you a while."

"I'd'a killed 'im m'self if--I'd known it was gonna be like this!" Capri choked out, still trying but not succeeding to quit sobbing. The wails were now replaced by chokes and sharp intakes of breath.

Donna moved to kneel beside Capri, opposite Pippi. She didn't know what else to do. Her own emotions were in turmoil and with what she was sensing from Capri...all she could do was join Pippi in holding Capri and crying along with her.

Pippi sat and did her best to comfort both girls."It's finally over now, and Donna, you and Ameh won't ever have to worry about Christine and Nathan again. Capri, I know you didn't order Nathan's death to be so...savage, but you did bring him to trial andhelped a lot of people those two victimized for so long. When your task was done, Christine and Nathan became Crow and Sophie's responsibility, not yours."

"I tried...ta...make 'er listen an'..jus' kill 'im...I thought it was only gonna be a...couple o' whacks an' 'e'd be a goner."

"I know," Pippi said sympathetically.

"An'...I didn' even want anybody seein it when I still thought it'd be humane...But now..."

"Oh Capri."

Capri looked at Donna then and said, "You an' Ameh, an' Shawn an' NT, an' even Tracy've already been exposed ta way more ugly stuff in yer lives than 10 ol' folks put together, without this addin to it."

Donna shook her head. "I...w-wanted to *know* he was gone. I d-didn't think it'd be l-like this."

Pippi put a hand on Capri's head and Capri did not resist this time as Pippi gently moved her head against her shoulder. As she gently swayed from side to side and ran a hand through Capri's hair, Pippi explained to Donna that Capri had lost a step-dad, and her mother when she was 10, so knowing how Tracy and Ameh had lost theirs, and seeing Miranda here must've hit especially hard.

Capri turned her head away again, "An' Miranda...Oh God!" she wailed, "That poor kid!"

Donna nodded, not really sure what to say to that. "I...I n-never knew mine, either," she whispered, "but...but I know. I'm the one who l-looked into T-tracy's memories, I know what she felt. But M-miranda..." her voice broke and she fought to get the tears under control. "I...I d-don't know...why she c-came..." But she did know how much everyone hurt, this much pain this close only added to her own.

"Tha's why she shouldn'a been there." Capri choked.

"Perhaps she managed to touch someone who transported. Anyway you're right, what a terrible mess."

For some time, they all sat and cried and comforted until Capri finally regained her composure and could manage to keep it. She squeezed Pippi's and Donna's hands. "Thanks guys, I needed that." she sighed as she straightened up and got to her feet. "Sorry ya had ta see me lose it though."

"Well, you're certainly entitled.." Pippi replied.

Capri magicked her clothes back to the untorn state and said, "Now I guess it's time ta go back an' figure out what ta do 'bout Tracy. I know she's done things she shouldn't but she sure don't deserve killin an' I think she's already been punished enough."

"I'd agree there." Pippi said.

Donna nodded, and the three of them set off back to where Tracy, Shawn, Miranda and Ameh were.

When they arrived, they saw Shawn holding Miranda, who was still crying. Tracy was on her knees a few feet away, and she sat woodenly, as if simply waiting for the axe to fall. "just get it over with" she murmured as she saw the others returning.

"Capri?" Shawn asked, looking at them over Miranda's shoulder.

"I 'ad no idea it was gonna go like that." Capri said.

Ameh had been standing quietly, looking pale as a ghost. Her face was also streeked with tears and she couldn't quite manage to stop shaking. "Neither did I. Course if the shoe was on the other foot you know Tompkins would've loved watching us get...Still, what a nightmare."

"Ameh, Miranda," Pippi said, "Let's go back home." and Pippi put her arms around Miranda who only cried. "Ameh, can you get back alright?"

Ameh nodded and disappeared. Pippi transported Miranda to the main hall where Rebekah, Shirlee, and Kendra were waiting. "I'll bring Donna next, and then we can all leave this place once we've got everything."

Pippi reappeared in the place to get Donna, but Donna said she would make it back to the main hall alright. Shawn nodded, saying he needed to return to Shirlee as well.

"Ameh is back with Ariel and NT now, and I've just gotten Miranda back to Rebekah. So it's back home for me too. I'll see Tracy back to 'er place too, if I can get 'er away from that..." Capri pointed toward the bloody mess on the ground.

"Will you be alright?" Pippi asked.

"I think so. Shouldn' be long anyway."

* * * * *

The small group appeared in Ariel's living room. Shirlee rushed to Shawn and they hugged, crying. Then Shawn said he was taking his mother home and they'd call later on, and they left.

Ariel took Miranda in her arms and hugged her tightly, trying to comfort her without success.

Kendra and Donna were also hugging and crying. "What *happened*??" wailed Kendra.

"I...he's gone. He's really gone only...only it wasn't like I thought it'd be and..." Donna couldn't continue, she burst into more tears.

Kendra held her and looked helplessly over Donna's shoulder at the others, her eyes pleading for some answers.

"It was awful." Ameh said.

"What? Nathan's death?" Ariel asked, she knew Pippi had been worried about Ameh, and Kendra about Donna, but she remembered Capri saying the execution was supposed to go quickly. But the lot of them seemed very upset and sickly looking, and NT had been very fretful and had only just quieted down before Pippi had gone for Ameh. And where was Capri?

"It was just horrible," Ameh said again, "The...werewolf, I think that's what she was, tore Nathan apart, alive. It was like a nightmare."

Ariel paled, "I thought Capri said it would be quick and relatively painless." She continued to hold Miranda and rocking her from side to side, letting her cry into her neck. Looking to Ameh, she said, "Please tell me she didn't see that."

"Afraid so," Ameh replied dismally.

"Oh, no." Ariel trembled and kept Miranda close in her protective arms.

Miranda couldn't speak, she just shook and cried.

"And what about Capri? This had to upset her too," Sarah said in concern, "Where is she? Will she be alright?"

"She was just as shocked as the rest of us." Ameh replied.

"We left her and Tracy alone but I'll have to go and get her too if she doesn't return soon." Pippi put in. "She's really taken it hard."

"So it was NT's magic warning of someone in agony then." Ariel's eyes went wide. "She was registering Nathan, no wonder she wouldn't say who it was."

"NT picked up on--oh dear." Pippi rolled her eyes, "It's a wonder this place is still standing."

"She got too sick to do any damage," Ariel replied, "I gave her something to settle her stomach and ease her discomfort as much as I dare to give her."

Donna burst into even stronger sobs. Kendra continued to hold her and talk softly, but then--though Kendra was too focused on Donna to notice--several small knicknacks on the table next to the sofa began to rise into the air even as Donna's sobs rose in volume.

Ameh resettled them again, and Pippi put a firm but gentle hand on Donna's cheek. "Shhhhh, NT'll be alright, she's got Ariel and us to make sure of that."