Barry slept in Regina's bed that night, dreading the moment when the power finally went out. The indentation left by Regina's body was still noticable on her side of the mattress even one month later, although the sheets were long cold.
She struggled not to cry.
**
At the crack of dawn, Barry heard a knock on the front door.
Yawning, the ex hunky college football star turned stunningly beautiful black woman dragged her curvaceous body out of bed to open it. Her hair was a mess and she was in her underwear, but Barry didn't care what anyone thought about her anymore. She unlocked the door.
It was Savannah.
"Oh great. It's *you*" Barry said.
"It's me!" Savannah said with a perky smile, seeming more like a friendly neighbor than a scary femme fatale. She was dressed up in a casual orange tank top which struggled to contain her mammoth breasts, and a pair of white pants that struggled to contain her hips. Overall, she looked really cute.
Savannah was also holding a briefcase in her right hand. Barry pointed at it.
"What is that, my eviction notice? Come to hand it to me personally?"
"No" Savannah said. "It's the deed to the house, your new house."
Without being invited in, Savannah stepped inside into Regina's former living room.
"Don't monsters like you have to be invited inside?" Barry asked, somewhat stunned by the curve ball she has just been thrown.
"Barry, I'm not a vampire."
"You're pale enough to be a vampire. Haven't you heard of tanning lotion?"
"I prefer my skin this fair, actually."
"Pfft. OK. Whatever floats your boat, but you need some more time in the sun if you ask me. What do you mean the deed to my new house?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. Congratulations, you're a homeowner!" Savannah retorted, setting her briefcase on the coffee table and opening the latches. She pulled out some paperwork and a clipboard.
"Just sign here, and this lovely house is all yours, all in your name. The mortgage is already paid off."
Barry paused.
"Uh, what?"
"It's the least I could do given everything that's happened to you. It's not easy having everything you ever loved torn away" Savannah said with sympathy in her voice. Barry had learned not to trust a fucking thing this woman said, but on the surface, it at least *sounded* sincere.
"Uh, thanks."
"I really am sorry for your loss. Not to make everything about me, but it's my loss too. I cared a lot about Regina" Savannah said.
"Weren't you just using her so she could teach you sorcery? That's what Regina always said about you" Barry asked, rolling her eyes.
"At first, yes, but I honestly really liked her. She felt like someone I could bond with in a way I can't with most people. What can I say, I believe in magic!"
"Well this is all fine and dandy, except what use is a house where I can't afford to pay for gas and electricity? I don't suppose you'll be helping me pay that, or getting some proof of my identity. I can't get a job anywhere, unless it's like picking fruit on a farm or something with migrant workers."
"Actually, way ahead of you on that sweetie, that's another reason why I'm here."
Savannah reached into her briefcase and handed Barry some more documents.
"Welcome to the United States, Ms Clarke. You'll see that you have everything you need right here."
Among the many other things she held in her hand, Barry noticed a very official looking birth certificate, documentation for medical insurance, dental insurance, driver's insurance, a driver's license (Somehow with a photo and all her information included), a fictitious employment history, school records, social security card, etc.
"But...how?" Barry asked, triple checking everything just to make sure it wasn't a prank or a forgery.
"It helps to have a friend in high places."
"This is...this is all real?"
"Yes, it's all real. I pulled some strings, explained your uh... unique legal status in this country and this dimension, and everything went right as rain. All of your bills have been paid for the next two years. That should be more than enough time for you to get on your feet."
"But that's...that's not how bills work."
"It works that way when I'm in charge" Savannah winked. "Just remember to pay your taxes, that's the only part about this that is going to suck for you. Oh, by the way, I just need your cooperation on one tiny thing."
"Uh, what?"
"I'm the Sorceress Supreme now, so I'm going to need to take all of the occult relics Regina collected over the years."
Barry moaned.
"Oh Goddess, *you're* the new Sorceress Supreme? I'm dreading it already."
"I don't see why, Regina and Aziza did a terrible job protecting us if you ask me."
"I mean, they did have an entire universe of monsters and weirdness that they had to deal with. They did their best."
"Still no excuse, they were amateurs. Things are going to run a lot more smoothly now with me in the driver's seat. No more Fimbulwinters. No more demons randomly changing people into giant insects. No more unstable mass murderers from other dimensions. No more crazy witch battles."
"That's not fair. They..."
Savannah didn't wait for Barry's approval. The woman muttered some words, and suddenly everything she needed appeared in the living room.
One by one, Savannah stuffed the numerous, often heavy and burdensome magical objects into her briefcase, which clearly was no ordinary briefcase.
"Oh shit" Barry said. "It's like Felix the Cat and his bag of tricks."
"Or The Luggage from the Discworld series" Savannah said as she casually inserted Excalibur into its manifold depths.
"I never read those."
"I thought you were supposed to be a giant nerd. That's what Regina said about you."
Barry shrugged.
"Guess I'll add them to the list of audiobooks I need to listen to."
When Savannah finished packing, which took several minutes, she closed the latches and picked up the briefcase as if it weighed nothing.
"Well, nice knowing you, Barry. Be seeing you around. Remember to pay your taxes. Only thing scarier than the Sorceress Supreme is the IRS.".
Barry watched with mixed feelings as Savannah's giant posterior swayed out the door.