It was when they started to look at ads online to get a better idea of what was available in the city that Sabrina realized she needed to talk to Roz. Eventually her and Nick were going to need to inform everyone in the mortuary, and that was most likely going to happen as a network post because the idea of talking to all of them at once was daunting in a way it never had been before. There was no going back to how things had been before, tasks that had seemed so easy before now taking far longer for her to do. It wouldn’t always be that way, she knew that from past experience.
This update had been far more extensive than the last. Everyone but Ambrose might have died before but she’d fixed it all. There was no fixing the situation they were in now. Not when doing so would mean leaving Nick behind, something she wasn’t willing to do.
But she didn’t want Roz hearing about them moving out over the network or during some family meeting. She probably needed to tell Ambrose in person too. Allison and Dan too. But the thought of doing so had her wanting to curl up on Nick’s bed and breathe through the panic attack she could feel coming on.
So she’d focus on Roz for now. Little steps. Things she could control.
Sabrina headed to her friend’s room and knocked on it, waiting for an answer.
As it turned out, Sabrina and Nick weren’t the only ones who were doing some thinking about their current living situation. Roz had been considering how happy she was at the mortuary for the last several days. It had nothing to do with the people in it, she loved a few of them and was grateful to the others. But with everything that had happened, continuing to live here was starting to feel overwhelming. The only thing holding her back was that being here let her hold onto the one good thing she still had from home, her friends.
She didn’t have the right answer.
Roz was currently sitting at her desk, homework open in front of her, though she wasn’t accomplishing much. Phoebe was stretched out across the bed, asleep. Her tail twitched when the knock came at the door, but otherwise she did not move. “Lazy.” Roz said quietly to her familiar, before getting up and crossing the room to open the door.
“Brina. Hey.” Stepping back, she pulled open the door so she could come in. “Come in.”
This wasn’t a conversation that Sabrina really knew how to start, but if she could do it with anyone it would be Roz. The two of them had dealt with difficult conversations before and always came through it to the otherside. Though...that hadn’t exactly been true the last time considering she’d gone where none of them could follow. Or well, where she’d hoped none of them would follow her for centuries to come. But Sabrina didn’t want to think about that.
She spotted the homework over at the desk as she entered the bedroom, seeing pieces of her friend all over the room. Her friends hadn’t really come into her house all that often when she’d been growing up. It was a lot harder to hide the magic and weirdness of her life inside of the place, but it seemed to have worked out okay in Vallo.
Until it hadn’t anymore.
“Nick and I are thinking of moving out,” Sabrina started as she sat down on the bed, careful not to disturb Phoebe. “This place...there’s just too many memories here right now.”
Sometimes things just fell into place even when you weren't expecting them to. The universe found a way, or something. Roz froze for a second at her words, surprised. She had been debating her own future, and Sabrina had just wrapped up the one thing that was giving her second thoughts.
The timing of this would have almost been funny, if it was not for everything else that had happened. But it was not surprising to hear Sabrina say that. With what had happened to Sabrina Morningstar in her bedroom, and then just everything else. The need for a chance shouldn't be surprising to anyone.
She sat back down in the chair at her desk, this time facing the bed. “Really.” Though it didn’t sound like it was a question. “Where were you thinking of going? Back to Morningside?” Though she had kind of had the feeling Sabrina didn’t care much for that place either way.
Relief flooded through Sabrina at Roz’s seemingly easy acceptance of the idea. Leaving Roz behind was the one sticking point for both her and Nick, but they also didn’t think she’d be entirely comfortable living in a place with the two of them. “No, not there.”
As nice as those apartments were, they felt incredibly impersonal. Of course that could be fixed with decorations and moving furniture around, but there were so many people there. Going there from the mortuary felt like it’d be more of a step backward than heading forward like the two of them wanted to do.
“We’re thinking of looking for an apartment in the city,” Sabrina explained. “Two bedrooms. Nick wants it near a park and maybe some nice restaurants we can try out. I want a balcony so I can bring a little of the forest there with me.” Some place that could become theirs, that they could really put their own stamp on.
The both of them in an apartment, one with lots of character, that wasn’t hard to imagine. The forest on the balcony she was having a more difficult time imagining, but with magic she was sure it would be possible.
“I can see it.” she said with a small smile. Not see it, but imagine it. “It makes sense. You’re both going to university full time next year anyway.” and that was part of the whole deal with university for a lot of people. Moving away from home.
“Actually, I had wanted to talk to you about moving too.” she admitted, though now she felt a whole lot easier about the whole thing. “I think I’m going to move to the Sanctum.” Because of her own memories and this place, and what she felt whenever she was here. It wasn’t quite the same, but Roz could relate.
Sabrina could see it too. So many little ideas she’d already started jotting down in her mind, giving her something to focus on aside from everything else. “Yeah?”
That was also comforting to hear. It helped to know that Roz had somewhere she wanted to go and the Sanctum seemed like the place that would be most welcoming to her friend. Sabrina knew Dr. Strange cared for the other girl and would look out for her as best as he could.
“You already have a room there so it won’t even be that hard to do. Nick and I can help you move your things, if you want?”
“Have you found any apartments you’re considering? Anything interesting?” This city had so much to offer in terms of design and architecture, she could only imagine the possible apartments that might be on the market and available.
She had arrived with next to nothing in Vallo. None of the things had come through besides her instruments. But she had managed to collect a few things that were hers to make this room more of her own. There was plenty of room at the Sanctum for everything that she owned in her room there.
“That would be great.” Roz said with a smile. “Thank you. And once you guys find something you want, I’m definitely there to help you guys move too.”
“Thanks, Roz.” It was nice knowing the two of them still had one another’s backs. Even if this situation wasn’t exactly as dire as they had become used to.
“We’ve been looking at some ads online to get a feel for what’s available, but I think we’re going to actually start looking at some after his birthday. I think by then we’ll have let everyone know our plans.” Sabrina had just wanted Roz to know first. “It’s neat though? To like be looking for what we want together. Nothing enormous, but enough space for Shadow and Salem and Mal to spread out when they need to get away from one another.” Especially poor Mal, who was an ordinary cat.
Going from the mortuary to an apartment would definitely be a reduction in space. But they’d find something, and from what she knew it was also possible to use magic to create more space. They would find something. And Nick’s birthday wasn’t far off, so the in-person looking would be starting soon. At some point she’d find a place of her own too, but not just yet.
“Well, I’m looking forward to seeing what you two find, and how you make it your own. I think having your own space will be good for you.” It was a new adventure, to live on your own. Creating boundaries between all things Greendale would be good too. “Have you told anyone else yet?”
Sabrina thought so too. They needed out of the mortuary and all of its reminders to the life they’d never have, especially her. Being able to focus on heading forward to help. There was no getting rid of Pandemonium, but she didn’t mind what she was doing with the pieces of Hell in Vallo. Being able to release souls from it was helping her accept that piece of her and letting Maze live there and redecorate was helping to change it from what she’d known it as.
“No, we wanted you to know first before talking to anyone else.” She probably needed to speak to Dan too and then they could let the others know via the network. Though maybe she’d let Ambrose know ahead of time too.
She appreciated Sabrina telling her early on. Even if Roz hadn’t felt the need to move out of the mortuary herself, that probably would have changed with this news. “Thank you for letting me know. Even if I wasn’t looking at moving myself, I’d get it. You guys deserve to find some place that is going to make you happy.”
Considering this was their future now, and at least they had that. Whatever they needed, they should get. Especially Sabrina, she had sacrificed and fought harder than she ever should have had to.
Vallo was the only home her and Nick would get now, so Sabrina wanted to make sure they got to be happy in it. Unfortunately the mortuary wasn’t the place for that anymore. But that was okay. It wasn’t like they wouldn’t see everyone who’d lived in it for the last year or so anymore. Maybe they could hold Sunday dinners or something. She’d need to tell Nick they were going to need a dining area that could fit the whole family.
“I think so too.” Sabrina nodded over toward the homework that was sitting untouched. “I’ll let you get back to that though.”
Glancing over her shoulder, she had to hold back a sigh at the stack of work on her desk. Working to catch up with other witches her age was not easy, but she was going to do it, one way or another. The issue now was focusing, which was proving to be just as difficult these last few weeks.
“Yeah, better not leave that waiting longer than I already have.” She had taken some time away from school after the memory update, but that couldn’t continue. “Keep me posted on the apartment hunting though?”
“I will,” Sabrina promised, grateful she didn’t have school work to catch up on. She was graduating next week and all she’d needed to do was sit for her exams. The school had offered to let her do them later on if she’d wanted, but Sabrina had just wanted them over and done with.
“I’ll see you at dinner.” She headed out of the room, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders. One down, she just needed to tell Dan. And Ambrose.