Looking for a Story

I slowly open my eyes, my body stiff as a board. I smell smoke. I start to panic, then I realise that I'm lying next to a bonfire. I start to sit up. "Careful, My Lady. You took quite a fall earlier." I fell? I don't remember falling... I straighten to a sitting position and try to locate the voice. "Wait, what did you call me?" "My Lady, My Lady." His voice almost sounds like he's smirking. Then I see him - a man in armour, sitting on the other side of the fire. He gets up to walk toward me. "Maybe you hit your head harder than I thought you did... “My lady” is how a royal guard addresses the princess." He sits next to me and leans in to get a good look at me. I flush at his closeness. “Princess?" I move back. "I'm not a princess..." He raises an eyebrow, then sighs. "Oh bother… Yes, you are Princess Elfie, youngest daughter to the king of Citish Kingdom. I am taking you to wed the prince of the nearby Kingdom." I look around. "Then why are we alone? Don't royals travel with grand caravans?" "Well Princess, we were with said grand caravan." He pauses to look at me. "Until someone tried to flee, tripped herself on a tree root, and hit her head.” I decide it's better to play along. A blush creeps across my face, as I’m still aware of his closeness. "Oh, yes. I remember now." He sighs again. "Look, My Lady. I know you don't want to marry this man. But your father needs this peace treaty." I look away. "No one cares about what I want, Sir Jasper." How did I remember his name? "Ah, so your mind is returning, My Lady." He beams at me, then his smile falls. "Knights and Princesses don't get to choose much, do they?" I study him closely. "Did Jasper the Prodigy not want to go on this journey?" I tease, trying to lighten both our moods. "The journey? No, that's not the problem, Princess. It's the fact that I am to return... without you." He lowers his voice as if the trees might hear. I turn bright red; I can feel my face flush. "Pardon?" "Sorry, My Lady. I shouldn't have said anything…" He quickly moves away from me. "Wait!" I grab his hand. "Do you truly mean that?" "Of course, My Lady!" He takes my hand in his. "I hate to leave you behind.” "I never wanted to be Father’s bargaining chip." I watch the fire dance in his eyes. "Had I been a lord I would have fought for you hard," he says quickly. "I know, My Brave Knight, Sir Jasper the Prodigy." I reach up and touch his face. He catches my hand, so now he's holding them both. I blush. “What a story we could have had." He gives my hands a squeeze and lets them go, then quickly moves to his original spot across the fire from me. I stare at the fire for a while, thinking about all the wonderful times Sir Jasper and I had together. He had gone from stable boy to knight in training. He'd stopped a thief from stealing some of the royal treasury. He’d flown up the ranks. He'd been made a knight when we were teens. And then became one of the princess's bodyguards. He didn't get along with my sisters so he was always with me. I knew it was against the rules, but he was so close to my age that we became friends. Then...something more. That is, before this trip, this treaty. Father had been planning to offer my hand in marriage to the best tonight at the tournament. He simply wanted me wed. We had been sure Jasper would win; he trained all the time. That all changed when the letter came. A king demanding a treaty or else he would bring war to our Kingdom. So I was offered as a bride-to-be to a king’s spoiled son. I already know I will not be happy there. "Jasper?" I ask, my voice faint. He looks up at me but says nothing. "Run away with me?" "Elfie, don't ask such questions. We will bring war to our land if we do that. And if we are caught, I will hang." He's right, I know he is. But in my heart, I believe - maybe foolishly - that we can make it work. "So, we don't get caught." "Elfie... You know this isn't possible." He tosses a rock. "Our fate has been sealed." "No!" I stand. "I refuse to accept this fate! I love you and will not leave your side!" My face flushes. "What?" He speaks softly. "I won't leave your side," I say, too quickly. "No, before that..." He walks towards me, and I meet him halfway. "I love you." I whisper. "You knew I did, didn't you?" "I...I hoped you did. I knew you cared for me, and that you wanted to escape from royal life with me. But…" He takes my hands again. “I feared you only saw me as the safest escape route from your father's house." "Oh Jasper, you are so much more than an escape route." I want to say more, but I hear a ringing that drowns everything out. I squeeze my eyes shut and the noise stops. When I open my eyes again I'm staring at the pages of my book. And I can't help but be slightly disappointed.

Ally couldn't remember how long this living fire had walked next to her. Too long, that was for sure. Sometimes its heat was comforting and other times it was unbearable. No matter how much she ignored it, it always stayed close by. It shrunk and grew, but it never died. She had long grown tired of the fire and longed to be free of it. But she had no clue where to start. Out of desperation, she asked her mother, "How do I get rid of this fire?" Her mother's face softened. "It's not an easy feat. It will take a lot of work. You may not like it."' "Mom, I'll do anything!" Ally begged. "You must go to the woods." Ally stared at her mother. "The woods..." "Yes, the woods." Her mother said nothing more. The next morning, Ally headed to the woods. She wasn't all that sure what she was looking for, but the cracking of the fire forced her to keep moving. She walked for a while…until she found a clearing with two stone chairs. One was black, like it had been trapped in a fire. Her living fire sat on that chair. Ally stared at it. "What, you expect me to sit and TALK with you? No way!" Ally passed around the chairs, frustration beginning to build. "You've been a problem for as long as I can remember! You get me in trouble! You make things harder than they need to be!" Ally yelled, stomping about like she was a kid again. “I didn't ask for this, you know! I didn't need to be different! I would have been perfectly fine being like everyone else!" She turned to keep yelling at the living fire, only to see how much larger the flame had gotten. "Oh." She placed a hand on the empty store chair, its coolness calming her. "Are you my anger?" She'd never talked to the fire before; she had never thought it would be worth it. The fire shook its head. Ally tilted her head. "No? But you flared up…. Come to think of it, you always get bigger when I lose it." She slowly moved to sit in the chair. "And the flare-ups get me in trouble. And they happen when I'm mad..." The fire shook its head again. Ally's brow furrowed, and she stared hard at the fire. "I don't understand. Am I remembering wrong?" The fire nodded this time. "Oh, so you do know the word for ‘yes,’ or action I guess." Ally rested her head on her hands. She tried to think of times when she'd gotten mad and the fire hadn't gotten huge…. Then it hit her. "When I want to defend someone, or when it's something I care about. So what makes that different..." The wheels kept turning in her mind. When did the fire grow, and why did it never go out? "Wait..." Ally stared at the fire. "No..." Alley shook her head and curled in on herself. "I DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THIS YET!" Her voice became shrill, she cried, and the fire grew bigger. A hand rested on her shoulder. “I can handle it, you know..." The voice was kind, warm, and familiar. "King!" Ally jumped up, trying to make herself presentable and hide her fire. "Ally." His voice was so gentle, she felt like she could break if He spoke anymore. "No King, I'm fine, completely fine." She knew he could see through her lie. "Ally, you don't need to run forever; in fact, you can't.” Alley shook her head again. "Let me take it...'' He held out his hands. "I can handle it." She bit her lip. "I'm scared of what I'll find if I let go." She looked at the fire. “I may not always like it, but it's comforting." She looked between the two. She slowly turned back to the king, tears burning her eyes. "Why? Why am I different... I didn't need to be! You could have used me if I wasn't different! I might even be more helpful if other things didn't get in the way!" Her voice got louder, and her tears came faster. She felt the ache in her heart come back, an ache she'd been trying to avoid. She was ashamed she was mad at the King. She turned to look away from the King and noticed she wasn’t feeling the heat anymore. Her living fire wasn't on fire anymore; rather it was like a living ember. She gasped and looked back at the King; He was holding the fire in his hand. The living ember took a step closer to her. "Grief," It stated and pointed to itself. "Grief? You're my grief?" Grief nodded. Ally let her tears fall. She sat on the ground, resting her back against the chair. "I never liked being different. Kids are mean, grown-ups don't always understand, it's hard when everything is harder. Everyone says you have a rhythm and a reason." She looked at the King, who moved to sit close by. The fire had somehow vanished, and Grief sat with them too. "I never understood why I couldn't be like everyone else..." She'd run out of tears and she looked to Grief. “I'm sorry I avoided you." Then she took the King's hand. "I should have talked with you a long time ago.” "You were ready today." He smiled softly. "I know it hasn't been easy for you. I know telling you that I have plans for you isn't going to take the hurt away. But I didn't make you this way so you'd be useless. You are who you are because you have and will continue to do great things that I have planned for you." Ally looked at the King. "I really want to believe you, King; but today, I just don't have it in me."' "That's alright, I still believe in you. And I will use you in my kingdom." He squeezed her hand. "I do trust you, King." She looked over at Grief. "I'll let you go with the King. I know He can handle my feelings and anything else that I throw at Him…” Grief smiled and everyone stood up; then the King and Grief slipped into the woods. Alley walked home. She knew that if grief or anger or anything else became too much, she could let the King help her, even when it scared her. She didn't need to face her emotions alone.

"You look amazing." They spoke at the same time, then laughed. They let the transformations drop, hugged, and held each other as best as they could. Gone was the familiarity they were used to. The strength was different, and the fit was different. But it still felt good. "I told my parents everything." Pen looked up at him. Andrew felt like she might break if they spoke too loudly. "Me too. They somehow knew something had happened, but looking at you now I think I know what they mean." Andrew took her hand, and Pen shook her head. "I'm sorry, Pen." He kissed her head. "We both lost a baby, Andrew…we both lost our lives, we both have to live with the memories of what was…. And then, what do we do now?" Penny held him tighter, and he let her. "I know, Pen. I'm sorry their longing took everything away from us. I should have insisted we stay." He held his head in guilt. "Andrew! No! We both wanted to, we had no idea this would happen. But we have to choose what we do now." She walked towards the edge of the Art Gallery and sat against the edge of the wall. "They won't understand." Andrew knew it sounded mean, but how could they? They had lived a whole lifetime without them. "I know. I love you, Andrew. But I loved Trevor." She sighed. The weight of the world on her shoulders was a weight he desperately wanted to remove. "Do you think you could love him again?" Andrew joined her and placed his hand on hers. "I think I could." She paused, like she realised what she had said. "Not that you're easy to get over, Andrew! But..." She let out a frustrated sigh. "Pen, I understand. I was thinking the same thing about Sophie. I loved her once like she was my everything; she was the air I needed to breathe. The movement in my music. My world. The reason I fought for Arcadia was so she could be safe." He smiled at the memory. "And I would never let Trevor miss out on the chance to be loved by you." He smiled at her. "I could never do that to Sophie." Penny let that realisation hit her. "After all, we lived in paradise, and our dreams were ours for the taking. We had no worries." "You think we wouldn't have fallen in love otherwise?" Andrew had wondered that a time or two in the short time they'd been home. "No, my love for you is real, just like my love for Trevor is real. But we fell in love with no worries; we fell in love with them while fighting a freaking supervillain... Trevor was my rock, my sword. He was the inspiration for my work, the reason I fought through a creative block. He, ironically, helped me find my voice." They both chuckled. "So we learn to love them again?" Andrew looked at her. She sighed. "I think that's the only choice we have. I can't break them like that." "Me neither." Andrew pulled her close. "But I promise that if anything happens to Trever, I'll protect you." Leaning into him, she replied, "I’ll take care of you if something happens to Sophie, I promise." They stayed like that for a moment, letting the world rush by. Enjoying their last few moments together. With that settled, they talked about what came next. Neither of them wanted to go to college, so they came up with some ideas to present to Sophie and Trever. "So, we will talk to them on Sunday?" Andrew looked down at her. "Yeah, I think that would work. I don't want to tell them about Twin Crescent, they would feel so guilty..." Penny shuddered. Andrew had to look away for a moment. He'd loved watching her anxiety fade in Twin Crescent, and now that they were back to their younger selves, her anxiety seemed to have returned. "Then we won't, they will respect that. We will tell them it's just too hard to talk about." Now, what do we do about this? He chuckled. There is nothing we can do, I guess; we will just have to learn to control how often we use it. She shrugged. "With all of that settled, we should probably go home; we likely have a Mage and a Raven planning to come to see us." She giggled. "Yeah, you're not wrong." He stood and helped her up. He tapped his element twice, letting the comfort of his suit absorb him. He watched her tap her Element. Her new outfit truly looked amazing; Arcadia would love it, and Sophie would be getting all kinds of new commissions for cosplay. She turned to swing home. Andrew wanted to hold her again, but he knew he couldn’t; they didn’t belong together here. He would always love her, but their love was not for this world. As they broke apart for one last time, she whispered, "Goodbye, Andrew." She ran her thumb across his cheek and jumped away. He watched her go. Then he turned and headed home. Even with his new suit and the new upgrades Flicker had shared with him, he still couldn't move like the other heroes. He was just slower, but he leaped from building to building more easily than he remembered doing before. He landed on his family's apartment balcony. He was grateful his bedroom window was right next to it, so he could climb in and out of the window onto the balcony. "I was wondering when you'd get back." Sophie's soft voice filled his ears. "Had to make sure your home was okay?" "Something like that." He smiled softly. "Like the new suit?" he teased as Sophie looked him up and down. "It's amazing, Andrew." Her voice was full of awe. "You must have gone through some stuff to get a new upgrade. Gale was telling me we only get upgrades as we age or as we go through hard things." She chuckled. “I’m going to have new commissions for copies." Her hands roamed across the fabric as if she was trying to solve a mystery. He let his transformation drop and pulled her into a tight hug. It felt different, but not unfamiliar; his muscle memory kicked in and he kissed her like she was his everything. "I thought I'd never see you again." He kept her face a few inches from hers. "Will you tell me what happened to you?" Her voice was soft and full of understanding. "No, Sophie, it's too much. I just want to focus on you." They sat, hand in hand, against the railing of the balcony. They talked till Andrew yawned. "Oh! You're probably beat, eh? I shouldn't be sitting here keeping you up.” She reached for her necklace, and Andrew stopped her. "Andrew, what is it?" "I’m afraid to sleep…" That wasn’t quite it, but he hadn’t slept alone in years… He wasn’t sure he knew how. Her smile was soft. “I’ll sit with you till you fall asleep.” He nodded and they slipped in through his window. Andrew went into the bathroom to change. When he came back, she moved his desk chair next to the bed. He lay down and she stroked his hair for a moment. “How can I help you sleep, my fire boy?” She spoke softly. "Can you tell me how you and Ice Raven beat Jaded?" He closed his eyes and felt himself relax while she told him all about Ice Phoenix and Rose Mage. Andrew smiled to himself. I told you so. Andrew sighed. Yeah, he could learn to love this girl again, no question about it. Sophie was everything he remembered her being. *** Penny knew Andrew watched her leave. She let her tears fall, and it hurt. She was angry and sad. She knew they were making the right choice. But it hurt losing the life she had grown to love and having to figure this all out again. She knew Ice Raven would be waiting for her. She stopped just outside of his range of night vision and composed herself. Then she leaped into his view and landed on her roof. "Hi, Raven." She smiled and let him take her in. "My Flower! You look... Wow." He circled around her. "Beautiful." He took her hand and kissed it. She smiled. Always the charmer, she thought. He pulled her into a hug, and she noticed how much smaller she felt in Trevor's arms than in Andrew’s; he was taller and broader, but she fit well. Their transformations dropped. "I thought I would never see you again." She whispered into his chest. "Do you want to talk about it?" He scooped her up. "You looked pretty upset when you stepped through the portal." He sat them on the chair on her balcony. "No, I really don't. Trevor, please don't make me." She looked at him, pleading. "Never, My Flower. I love you and trust that if you don't want to relive it, then it isn't worth pushing." He hugged her again, lifted her chin up, and kissed her like he was trying to help her forget. She melted into the kiss. They spoke for a long while in soft tones, and Trevor helped calm her down. "Well, My Flower, you need your beauty sleep. I should go." He attempted to stand but she clung to him. "Penny?" his hand rested on the swell of her back. "Stay. Please?" Her voice was small. "Like till you fall asleep?" He spoke softly. She nodded and clung to his shirt. She couldn’t remember the last time she didn’t share a bed with someone, and without her baby she felt so alone. His smile softened. "Oh Penny, of course I'll stay for a bit." He helped her up and they walked down to her bedroom. He waited in her room while she changed in the bathroom. When she came back, Trevor han pulled out one of her extra pillows and was sitting by her bed. After she crawled into bed, he took her hand protectively and held it tightly. She looked at him, eyes feeling heavy. "Tell me a story?" "Oh! I'll tell you how we won against Jaded. Sophie becomes Rose Mage and I become Ice Phoenix..." He told her the story. I told you so. Andrew's voice teased her. Ya ya, shut up. She cuddled closer to the side of the bed where Trevor sat. Yeah, she could love Trevor again. He was the wonderful boy she remembered. He loved her and she could love him. *** The two couples soon graduated and the group stuck to the plan of staying in Arcadia. Penny and Andrew did not plan to go to college; rather they would keep up the business they had started in high school. They would also support Trevor and Sophie while they studied. The four of them had been unable to stop Metallic Owl, so they all moved into the same apartment building to be close to each other. The girls had an apartment near the roof while the boys were near the main floor. Trevor studied to be a teacher because, on top of his own writing, he wanted to encourage kids to create. His mother wasn't happy about it, but she seemed to think teaching would help him to lose this crazy becoming-a-writer idea. Sophie studied fashion and worked on her website on the side to keep building her own brand. Penny built up a collection of photos and took them to a local studio, where she got a space and then worked her own webpage for people to book her services. Andrew worked with a friend of theirs that had a jazz band, and he got a job playing in the theatre; maybe he could work his way up to composing, as well as teaching piano on the side. As heroes, they had gotten better at fighting. They learned how to use the unified Elements. That way, no matter what was happening, they could have all four power sets in any given battle. And shortly after Sophie and Trevor graduated college, it was time for the wedding bells to toll…

Life was just too much. Ginny couldn't handle it anymore. She needed to leave. And not on a holiday - like, leave and never come back. She looked around her apartment. She had no family left, only friends. And the only friend who might miss her was Alice. But if Ginny went through with this, she could always reach out to Alice in a few years. Ginny started to plan. She applied to change her name, got a new ID, and applied for a job in a similar but different field. She let her friends throw her a going away party and talked of planning a trip to a place she wasn't really going. Then she boarded a plane and never looked back. Once she landed, she sold her old phone, got a new phone and a new number, and deleted all her social media, emails, and anything she could think of. Ginny no longer existed and Crystal was born. She went to the store and bought a cheap electric razor and shaved her head. "Wow." She looked in the mirror. "I feel so free!" She looked at her new apartment. "New me, new life." She found being a tutor at the Learning Center to be much easier than her teaching job. Was the pay any better? No, not really, but she was happier and had more energy. She learned to surf and started working out. She even got a tattoo; she looked like a totally different person. She didn't know if anyone would recognize her anymore. Not only did she look different, she felt different. She entered a surfing contest, and she placed on the podium. They even wrote an article about her: "Newcomer to the Sports Places on the Podium.” Her students were proud of her. The community she built was proud of her. She was proud of her. She was happy, healthy and free. It had been two years since she left her old life behind and became Crystal. Maybe it’s time to send Alice an email, she was sitting in her favourite cafe. She’s done enough internet research on her old friend to know that she was still at the same school. So she could easily find it. She was lost in her thoughts and didn’t hear steps behind her. "Ginny?" Crystal froze. That voice... "Sorry, name’s Crystal." She didn't turn around; it couldn't be true. "Maybe to everyone here, but to me you’re Ginny - my best friend, a best friend who disappeared 2 years ago." Crystal turned around, and there standing before her was Alice. Crystal stood up and gave Alice a hug. "How?" "It wasn't easy, I'll tell you that much. You were ridiculously hard to find." Crystal motioned to the chair opposite hers, inviting Alice to sit. "Well, that was the point. You knew I wanted a fresh start." "I didn't think you meant this extreme." Alice looked her friend over. "You don't even look like you anymore." "But I'm happy... Happier than I've ever been. I work at a Learning Center, I tutor some amazing kids. I like the heat, I spend time on the water, I feel free." "Why did finding freedom mean leaving all of us? You could have stayed in touch with us... We could have…” "Alice, I needed to do something drastic. And no one would have let me do this. But I am happy about this. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you what I was doing, but I am not sorry I did it. I hope you can come to understand." Alice looked around. "I think I get it, I just missed my best friend." "I missed you too. Start over?" Crystal reached her hand out across the table. Alice took her hand. "Start over."

Twenty years…. How has it been that long? I look at that old faded photo of my smiling little girl. She'd been six the day she disappeared without a trace. We spent weeks searching for her. Nobody knew where she went. Her teacher had marked her as on the bus. She should have gotten on the bus. Becca was a smart kid. She always got on the right bus and I was waiting for her at the stop…. But when the bus stopped, Becca wasn't on her bus. She wasn't on any of the buses. Her teacher had told the police that she'd let the college intern handle bus drop-off that day, so she couldn't be positive that Becca got on the right bus. The intern couldn't recall what bus Becca got on. But she knew she'd seen Becca in the bus line. Every bus was searched, every bus driver was interviewed, and homes were checked; but still nothing. We sent flyers to every school in the country for 5 years with aged-up versions just to see if someone had seen her and if she'd been signed up for school. The town put together a reward for her return. And when they closed the case, we used the funds to create a scholarship for students looking to go into social work, law or policing, in hopes that someday someone would help bring our daughter home. The heartbreak broke my wife; it killed her. It has been ten years since she passed. I promised her I would never give up waiting for our daughter. They'd closed the case a few years ago. Everyone gave up, thinking we'd never see her again. But I never gave up; I stayed in the same house, believing my little girl would come back. She knew her way home. She would remember. Her favourite colour was green, she loved chocolate chip cookies, and she loved the smell of lilacs in the spring. She knew her address and home phone by heart. She was brave and kind. That was the little girl I lost all those years ago. We never touched her room. I went into dust every so often, but after the police took what they needed in hopes of finding her, my wife and I cleaned it and left it alone, so that when she came back it would be familiar. I set down the photo and look at the door to her room. Sometimes I fool myself into thinking she'll walk right out into the hallway. Sometimes I wonder what she looks like now - does she still look just like her mom? Does she still get freckles after being in the sun? Is her laugh still contagious? Does her smile light up a room? Is she safe? Is she happy? Did she get married? I shake my head. Enough of this foolishness. I needed to take a walk. I put on my hat and am heading for the front door when I hear a knock. *** Something never added up about the stories my mom told me when I was a child. She claimed I was adopted, but when I turned 18 there was no record of my adoption. She said it was because a family friend's daughter had gotten pregnant too young, so Mom stepped in and offered to take me in as her own since she couldn’t have kids. The way they handled it seemed slightly illegal but I could excuse that. But I have no photos of me as a baby. They start when I was six. And they all have me with a shaved head. She told me I was sick, but my records don't show my being sick…. I went to school to work in law enforcement and once I got into the detective work, I started looking into things. Things I should have left well enough alone. Cuz the more I dig, the less sure I become about who I am…. It started with me looking into a case, a case I remembered my mother following. A six-year-old named Becca went missing after school one day without a trace. I could never remember how that case ended. When I asked about it I found out why. It had been closed; there was no solution. I asked my boss if I could look into it during my off time. He said yes - as long as I left the family alone. The husband was the only one left and nobody wanted to get his hopes up for no reason. I looked at the photos of this little Becca; maybe it was wishful thinking, but Becca looked a lot like me. Or at least like childhood me. So I did the only logical thing I could think of. I did a DNA test with one of those online sites…. Surely if their daughter was missing the family would have their DNA in a system somewhere. I didn't need anyone's permission for that. I didn't even need to tell my mom what I was doing; we'd stopped speaking once I insisted on going to school to work in law enforcement. She had said she would stop speaking to me if I did. And I did and she kept her word. She gave me a place to stay while I was studying but once I got a job she stopped talking to me. I check in every once in a while. But otherwise, we have no contact. I had sent my little tube away, and now I’m waiting. While I wait, I look over all the info on the case. Is there a chance I was this little girl? I force myself to think back… back before my earliest memory… Nothing clear comes to me, but I remember falling asleep on a school bus and waking up in the car, then being dropped off on a farm and arguing with someone that they dropped me off at the wrong place. Then it fades. I can't remember anything before that. I remember that farm - I did school there for a while before I was sent to school. Was I mixing up memories? Or was that right? I just have to wait. A few weeks later my results come back. I have matches! I look to the spot for parentage and there it is - the name of the family involved in the case. This man could be my father! Then it hits me like a ton of bricks - if this man is, in fact, my father… Then everything I know about myself is in fact a lie… I have to meet him. I take a day off work and drive down to the town where the case was based. I visit the school; it feels vaguely familiar, so I drive to the address of the house. I can only hope he never left. I pull up to the house and everything feels familiar like it was from a dream. I watch the house for a moment, then take a deep breath and walk up to the front door and knock. A man opens the door. “Hello, you have good timing, I was about to leave. How may I help you?” I feel overwhelmed. “I…I am a detective. I was reviewing some closed unsolved cases, and I came across yours and, well… Here!” I hand him an envelope of photos from my childhood, next to the photos from the case file. The DNA test is also in there. He cautiously opens the envelope, and as he looks through it, tears fill his eyes. “Becca?” “I think so.” I cry too. “May I hug you?” I nod, and for the first time, I feel at home. I don’t know what will come next, but I know I will find my family.

They were going to go home. They waved goodbye to Twin Crescent and stepped through the portal. A white light engulfed them and they were back in Arcadia, standing on the rink where they had been taken from so many years ago. If Andrew remembered correctly, they had left Arcadia in the late evening, and it was now mid-morning. The first thing he heard was Penny's horrified scream. He looked over at her and saw why she was panicking - they were teenagers again. Her baby was gone…his baby was gone... Flame, we were... Wait, he could still hear her? He didn't have time to answer; they were wrapped in a group hug. He still was blinded by the white light and he could only hope that Pen could see better than he could. "Thank the Elements, it worked!" Trevor's voice filled his ears. "You're both okay!" Sophie's voice followed. Trevor and Sophie pulled them each close and kissed their partners. Both Andrew and Pen were too stunned to really react. The voice of the Element hit his ears. "Kids, give them some room. They did just come back from who-knows-where." Andrew reached for his wrist but his bracelet wasn’t there. But…he could hear the Element? How? Was it because he had been wearing it when he left? Penny's hand still rested on her stomach. "What? How?" Trevor took her hands in his. "Oh my flower, you would have been proud! Sophie and I used your Elements and saved the day, and after the repair didn't bring you two back, the Elements remembered something like this happening years ago and started from there, and it only took them a few tries before they got it. It worked kind of like willing you to back here, and we need you two to save Arcadia." "Can we have our Elements back?" Andrew was numb; he needed Flicker back and could see from looking at Pen that she felt the same. "Oh yes!" Sophie handed them back their jewellery. It was the first time they'd both looked down. Andrew was back in the clothes he'd turned into rags years ago. His old clothes didn't feel right. Would that fade in time? With his bracelet back on, it was like Flicker knew everything that had happened to him in the last "several hours." Andrew couldn’t explain why he felt that his element knew - it was just a feeling, which brought him peace. Flicker said nothing; they would talk later when they were alone. "Look, I'd love to hear more of this story later, but right now I want my mom. This whole thing has been a lot, can we go home?" Penny looked up at Trevor. Andrew fought the urge to go and hold her. He was Sophie's boyfriend again, not Pen's husband. "That's actually wise. We told your parents that Trevor had managed to get permission for a sleepover, so going home sounds like a good idea. And you two probably need some space, so let's get together on Sunday?" Sophie smiled and took Andrew's hand. "Let me walk you home?" He could only nod. Meet me on the roof of the Art Gallery tonight. Penny walked away with Trevor. *** Pen kissed Trevor’s cheek, walked into her house, and collapsed onto the floor crying. Her parents came running from the kitchen. “Penny, what's the matter!" Her mother held her close. "Did something happen at your sleepover, sweetheart?" her father placed a hand on her shoulder. She shook her head. All the old smells of home hit her; the love of her parents overwhelmed her. All the things she'd never thought she'd see again were in front of her once more. She looked up at them. "You'll never believe me." She curled into herself. She wanted Andrew; she wanted to mourn the loss of their child. Her parents shared a look, then looked at their daughter. "Tell you what, we'll call in some extra staff and join you upstairs, and end our shift a bit early and you can tell us everything upstairs." Her mom smiled at her. “See you there in thirty minutes?” Penny could only nod. She stood tall and shared a small smile with her parents, then headed up to their living room. She didn't sit; rather she wandered around the room and looked at everything. How could it be? She'd been gone for eight years. She tapped her Element. "Shrub?" It was almost odd to have her Element back and to talk to her. "Yes, Penny?" Shrub's voice felt warm and like coming home. "You know what happened to me, don't you?" Penny picked up a photo that she had taken “two weeks ago.” Her mother had wanted a print of it but that felt like years ago. Her skills were far better now…. "Oh, Penny…" Shrub seemed to want to say more, but Penny’s parents came into the room. The family sat together. Penny took a deep breath. "I've been gone for eight years. So was Andrew, we went to this place called Twin Crescent..." Pen told them the whole story, mostly. She left out the soul names part because that one barely made sense to her. She also left out the Elements bringing them back thing and said it must have been some fluke. "Mom?” She looked at her mom with tears in her eyes. “Andy and I…we…we were going to have a baby…" She cried again, falling into her mother's arms. "Oh, honey..." Her mother pulled her in close. "How soon?" "I was eight months." She felt her mom’s strength fill her. Her father's strong arms held them both. "I’m so sorry, my little girl…" She looked up at both her parents. "Why do you believe me? It sounds crazy." "You're our daughter, and we noticed you didn't act like yourself as soon as you walked in. Yes, you look like you, but you carry yourself like a much older woman - you carry yourself with more confidence than you did yesterday." Her mom smiled softly. "And when your mother was pregnant she always had her hand on her stomach just like that." Her dad pointed to her hand. Penny blushed and moved her hand away. "I'll have to break that habit quickly." "What are you two going to do?" Her mom took her hand and rubbed the back of it. "We don't know, we haven't told them yet, we are going to call tonight and sort it out. Because, how could we explain it? It’s hard for us to understand…” She paused. “Do you mind if I go to my room and rest? My head is spinning and I want to think through some stuff before Andrew and I phone." She stood, giving each of her parents a hug. "Of course, sweetheart. Your father and I were going to go out tonight, is that okay?" Her mom took her hand one more time. "Of course, Mama." Pen walked to her room and fell into her bed. She lay there for a moment, then tapped her earring to talk to Shrub. “Why did I lose my baby?" She let her tears fall. Shrub's voice sounded sad. "Sophie and Trevor willed back the you they knew, not the you who was there." "So the price for their longings was Andrew’s and my life, and now we have to hold on to the memories..." Pen cried softly. Shrub said nothing, letting her cry. The Elements were not the best at dealing with human emotions. In all their years, Penny had never known Shrub to have wise words for emotional moments, but it was nice to know she was there and they were doing this together. After a while, Shrub spoke and shared some news with her. "I have something to tell you, Penny." Penny sat up waiting to hear more. "Because you’re grown up - even if it's just in your mind - you and Andrew will have new superhero outfits. Would you like to see yours?" Penny jumped up. “Oh please!” She tapped her Element twice, and the warmth and safety of the Element magic filled her. Rose Thorn's costume no longer looked like she was wearing a dance leotard. She walked toward her mirror. "Whoa!" She was wearing a jumpsuit that reminded her of her hero costume in Twin Crescent. The main bodice of the jumpsuit was a halter top with a sweetheart neckline. The jumpsuit pant legs ended around her ankles and looked deceptively like a skirt. Her suit was no longer brown, but a dark green. Just like before, she had a rose belt at her waist, her vine lasso still at her hip. Her red roses were now yellow, her favourite. The vines that once wrapped around her body were gone; instead, on her dominant arm, she had something like a vine tattoo going from her wrist to her elbow. Her mask stayed the same and her hair was still in a bun with roses at the base. She felt not only pretty but also confident and ready for the fight. She took a breath and tapped her Element again, the weight of everything that had happened hitting her. Penny knew there would be time to celebrate the new costume later and learn about all the changes; but for now, she cried, mourning the loss of what she had had. Just as dusk started to settle over Arcadia, she and Andrew met at the top of the Art Gallery, out of sight of people. She stood and looked at Andrew. He hadn't seen her yet, so she took a second to take him in. Gone was his old Flint costume. He stood tall. His costume also looked more like his costume from Twin Crescent; he had on a black dress shirt, and when she looked closely she could see an iridescent thread that ran through the material. That thread went from yellow to orange to red. He wore charcoal pants that remind her of the many suits he’d gotten used to wearing working in the theatre; his costume was so much simpler now. He moved more comfortably., His firefighter-like visor was gone, replaced with a mask like hers. His shield still sat across his back and looked more like his modified garbage can lid. His sleeves were rolled up and she noticed that, like her, he had a flame tattoo on his dominant arm from his wrist to elbow. But more than the new costume, she saw what she imagined her parents saw in her - a confidence that didn't belong to a young adult, but rather to a man who had gone through some things. She loved Andrew, but she was a young adult again with a boyfriend who loved her and looked at her like she hung the moon. She knew she and Andrew would always be bonded, but what were they going to do now? They'd been given a chance to live out the ‘what if Trevor and Sophie never came to our school’ storyline; could they go back to their first loves? Like their love never existed? With these thoughts running through her head she decided it was time to let him know she was here. Hey Flame, you looking for me? He turned to see her and his face lit up. Oh, Petal...

“Daughter, it is high time you marry. I won't have my oldest daughter become a spinster," her father told her one day while she helped him clean. She laughed. "But Papa, if I left, who would help you?" "Silly girl, I can afford to hire help." He patted her head like she was a child. "It is my wish and it was your mother's wish to have you wed. You were so helpful in finding your little sisters’ husbands. Now it's your turn." He started to head toward the sitting room. "But Papa, I really don't want or need to get married." She hurried to follow her father. "Nonsense, child. You are just as amazing as your mother, you deserve a lovely marriage, and I found a man willing to ignore your age and take you as his wife." “Papa! I refuse!"' She stomped her foot - rather unladylike, but she didn't care. "Young lady, you don't get a say in the issue. You will meet this man whether you like this or not." Her father grabbed her arm and pushed her into the sitting room. As soon as she was across the threshold, the door was shut and locked behind her. She pounded on the door. "Father, this is ridiculous! You can't lock me in here and force me to marry a man!" A throat cleared behind her. She winced. "I see this is not a meeting of mutual interest?" She turned around. "No, it's not. My father didn't ask me if I wanted this." “Oh, well I can tell your father I retract my interest, Miss Grace." The man bowed his head to her. And headed to knock on the door. "You know my name?” Grace looked more closely at the man she didn't know. "Yes, I do. I know a lot about you." She raised an eyebrow. "Not for any ill-intent,” he explained. “It's just that you read stories to my niece at the library. She's quite taken with you." Grace looked at the man. Who does he look like... "You’re Daphne’s uncle?" She was both shocked and impressed. "She told me you were travelling across the sea?" "I was." The man sat down. Grace hesitantly sat across from him. "But once I got the letters about what happened to my sister and her husband…” "It was most unfortunate. I'm sorry you couldn't get here in time to say goodbye." Grace remembered the day Daphne came to story time with the news. “Yes, I wish I could have made it. But I was able to get here in time to arrange the funeral for them." "It was a lovely service." Grace interrupted. "Thank you. And thank you for sitting with Daphne during the service. It meant a lot to her." "Her mother was my friend," she paused. "A very good friend." "So Daphne has told me," the man smiled softly. "So tell me, sir, why have you come today?" Grace sat up straight. "Isn't that obvious? Also, it's Matthew." "But why, Matthew? You don't know me; we've hardly interacted since you returned to the area." "I will be frank with you, Miss Grace. Daphne is my ward. And she needs a mother, not a governess." Mathew leaned forward. “Ah, and you think because I'm almost a spinster I'll marry you?" Grace stood and walked toward the window. "You know, not every woman dreams of marriage. I'm perfectly happy by myself!" "So am I," Matthew spoke softly. Grace kept looking out the window. "What do you mean?" "I never wanted to marry. It's why I travelled. No one makes a big deal about a wedding when you’re never home. But now I have Daphne." Grace turned and Matthew was standing now. "No travelling with Daphne?" Grace giggled. "Nothing like I was doing." He chuckled. “Look Grace, I've seen you with the kids in the town. You care for them. You know their names, their favourite treats, and their favourite subject to study. You learn more about them than any other adults do." "I suppose I do. You've only been here for a month. How do you know all this?" "Daphne wouldn't stop talking about you. And the other night when I was tucking her in, she asked if I would marry you so you could come live with us." He rubbed the back of his neck. "She wants me to take her mom's place?" Grace felt her heart leap to her throat. "She wants you to fill the void. She trusts you. Feels safe with you." Matthew crossed the room to stand next to her. “Look Grace, I don't need an heir. I always planned on leaving everything I have to Daphne anyway. We don't need to fall in love, we just need to love and care for Daphne." Grace took his hand. "We can learn to care for each other. Even if it's not love. I shall marry you." Matthew hugged her. "Oh thank you, Grace. We must tell Daphne!” He knocked and her father opened the door. The two men quickly started talking about details. Grace gazed out the window, and a faint smile played on her lips. Maybe this new life would be something amazing.

Belle came in every day at 9 am sharp. She always found something to straighten up even though she was the one who closed the night before. "Good morning, old girl." Belle would pat the antique cash register. "Ready for another day?" she’d say with a giggle. Then she'd flick on the radio and turn on the open sign. Then she'd wait. Sometimes she'd pick up a book from the shelf and read, or she’d work on her own novel. She'd also do the bookkeeping and whatever else needed to be done. She took good care of me. Her book store. She'd been working at this store for a few years now. She bought it shortly after college, and her grandparents had helped her, as a grad gift. But in the last year, her bookstore had had to drop staff and was now only open for eight hours each day. Her accountant came to visit more often. "Belle?" The short stubby man came through the door. "At the till, Mr. Bannor," she called. "I've come to talk to you!” He sat at the stool near the till. “It's not good, is it?" Belle set her book down. "No Belle, it's really not. I don't need to tell you the store is losing money." He looked down. "I've cut back everywhere I can." Belle sighed. "I don't want to lose the shop." “I know. Have you considered adding a coffee bar or something to draw more people in?" the man offered. “I don't have the income to make changes to the building." She looked around. I felt for her. She'd been my favourite owner so far. "What about partnering with a coffee shop on the other side of town? Or one of the ice cream shops? Somebody might be willing to help." The man walked around, looking at all my honours. "Or, I could help you sell it and you could move on to something else. You could always move your store to an online-only store." “Wouldn't be the same." Belle explained, “If I have to close the store, I'll do a clearance sale or donate the books.” She sighed. "I'll reach out to those shops and see if that helps business. If it doesn't help, I'll close up shop and sell it." Belle ran her hand across the till. She walked Mr. Banner to the door. "I’m really sorry, Belle." "I knew a bookstore was risky." Once he left, Belle pressed her head into the wall. "Well, what are we gonna do?" I wished I had answers for her. Would ice cream or coffee be enough to save the shop? I didn't know. Over the next few weeks, she sent emails and made calls, but nothing came of it. Soon, it was three days between customers coming in. "Well, I think it's time to call it." Belle phoned up the realtor. They made plans and arrangements. Belle hosted a sale, and friends and family came to help her pack up the books. I will miss her. The store had been so peaceful with her in charge. Who knows who will move in next? The last box was packed and Belle stood in the centre of the room. “I hope the next owner treats you well." She took one last look around and walked to the counter. "I'll miss our time together." She left her key on the counter and slowly walked to the door. “Goodbye.” The door chimed as it shut behind her. I wish I could say goodbye. Instead, I silently watch her walk away from my door for the last time. I hope, wherever she goes next, that life treats her well too.

Andrew and Penny had been married for three years now. They had built a happy life, and they were still heroes in disguise. However, today Penny sat in the doctor's office, rereading the paper over and over again. "You're sure?" "The test doesn't lie, ma'am. Congratulations." The doctor gave her a smile and helped her fill out the paperwork. "I'm going to have a baby." She whispered it in excited disbelief. How am I going to tell Flame? She walked to the train station; the doctor she liked best worked in the mountain range, so Betty was going to pick her up when the train got to the farming district. As she walked, she rested a hand on her stomach. There was a life growing there. She was to be a mom. Suddenly her heart ached for her own mother. She would love to ask her questions. As Penny sat on the train, a few tears rolled down her cheeks. Hands still resting on her stomach, she remembered her notebook was in her bag. While she rode the train, she wrote Andrew a note. As the train pulled into the farming district, she pulled herself together; she didn’t want Betty to suspect anything. "Hello, dear! How was your appointment?" Betty helped her up into the carriage. "It was great, I am so glad you recommended him. He was very helpful." She smiled to herself, her hand wandering to her stomach again. "I'm glad! Are you and Andrew still coming to supper tonight?" Betty asked as they rode into the farm. "Um, no actually, something came up." Betty smiled softly and said nothing more. She pulled into the stable and Pen headed to her house. It would be a few hours yet until Andrew would be home, so she rewrote her note on nicer paper and put it and the papers from the doctor in an envelope. She set the table with a pretty tablecloth and set the envelope on the table, then started on a simple supper. Hey Petal, I just pulled into the farm, I just have to change then we can head over to the main house for supper. Sounds great Flame, I'm in the bedroom; there's a note for you on the table. Pen slipped into their room to change. Andrew walked into the house. "Pen, what's with the table set up? Aren't we having dinner with Jonathan and Betty?" When she didn't answer, he picked up the note; his name was written across the front in her lovely writing. He slowly opened it. My Dearest Andrew, In another world, we were in love with others, Then we were pulled into this and found love in each other's arms. Today we are one, husband and wife. I love you so much and am so proud of you. Our lives couldn't feel more complete. But maybe you wouldn't mind if we added one more person to our little family to make it even more complete? Andrew looked back at the envelope, saw the other papers and pulled them out... He dropped them. He turned to see Penny, his wife, the mother of his child standing there. "Pen..." He hugged her. "You’re going to be a dad, Andrew, and an amazing one at that." Her voice broke. "Oh Pen, I miss them too." He let his own tears fall. *** Love, we don't have to go to the ball tonight. Andrew paced back and forth waiting for his wife. Penny walked out of their bedroom in a dress that made his jaw drop. "Darling, the ball is in our honour as a thank you for all we’ve done for them. I have to go." She giggled at his expression. Andrew looked at his wife; she was gorgeous. She glowed, her belly rounded and hands always resting on her stomach. "Well, I can't argue that logic." He offered his arm. "Though why they waited so long to host it is beyond me.” “Well, we only told them a few months ago that it was us and they wanted to have a huge party, and these things take time to plan.” She giggled as she took his arm; man, he still loved that sound. They walked to the wagon that was going to take them to the community centre of the farming district. As they rode, many of the women asked how Penny was doing, if they had everything ready, did they need anything. Andrew and many of the men tried to hide their laughter. When there was a lull in the conversation, one of the little girls who had claimed a spot next to Pen tapped her on the arm. "Miss Penny?" Pen hummed. "When will your baby be able to play with the rest of us?" The adults all laughed. "Well little one, my baby is going to be small for a while, so it will be a long time. But you are learning to read, right?" The girl nodded proudly. "Well, you can come practice reading to my baby after they come, alright?" The girl shrugged as if that seemed to be good enough for her. The adults pointed out how great Pen was with kids and how she would make a great mom. Andrew agreed Pen would be the best mom. They’re right, you know. Pen looked at him and leaned her head on his shoulder. And you will be the best dad. Andrew smiled. The other adults pretended not to notice that they were talking without talking. Soon they arrived at the community centre and everyone headed inside. They met their friends from all over the island. People who hadn't seen Penny in a few months oohed and aahed over her look. Andrew had been taken to help fix the sound system. Love, when you're done with the music come save me! Andrew looked up from the soundboard and saw Pen cornered by several women offering no doubt unsolicited advice. "Boys, we need to hurry this up, my wife needs saving." Henry smirked at him; he looked over to Alice who was already heading Penny’s way. "My wife will see what she can do, but seeing as our daughter is with a sitter tonight, I can't see her getting out of here scot-free either." He smiled. "Man, what is it about women that makes them think other women want their advice?" Andrew laughed. "We’d better move, they might both need us." The men laughed. Within minutes they were done and off to save their wives. "Excuse us, ladies, but the tunes are going and we would like our loves to join us for a dance." The older ladies of the island found Andrew to be just charming, so he easily saved both Pen and Alice. Thank you. Pen took his hand and they headed to the dance floor. "Do you ever wonder what our moms would say?" "Oh they'd be awful for advice; we'd never hear the end of it." Andrew laughed. Pen knew he was teasing, but she couldn't help it - she looked down, trying to hide her longing. She felt Andrew's hand guide hers from proper dance form to behind his neck. Then his hand came to under her chin. "Look at me, Love." Pen sighed and slowly looked up at him. "I know it's hard, I miss them too. I would love to be sharing this moment with our parents. But look around you, our kid is going to have a family in another way. And we will teach them all about our families and our friends." He gave her a smile, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. "I know we can't go back but some days..." She couldn't finish her thought; instead, she hit the ground crying in pain. Her hand covered her ear. Andrew couldn’t offer her any help because his wrist started to burn; he pulled his hand close to his chest. Hoping the pain would ease, he could only assume Penny was feeling the same pain. Alice, Henry, Vikki, Jonathan and Betty came running to them. Suddenly there was a hole in the far wall of the hall. Everyone rushed to the other side, behind Penny and Andrew. The pain they were both feelings was seemingly forgotten. With tears running down her face, Penny took Andrew's hand. "It's Arcadia." Her voice was so soft yet so strong. Andrew almost didn't hear her. "What do we do?" He squeezed her hand tightly. "What do we want to do?" She looked around her. Their friends were looking at the world on the other side as if trying to understand what they were seeing. "That's your home, isn't it?" Jonathan’s voice broke the silence. "You two should go home, and raise your baby with your families," Betty spoke softly. What about Trevor and Sophie? She looked at him, filled with panic. What if they have waited for us? What if we don’t recognize each other anymore? What if the others are older? Or worse, younger? Andrew took a deep breath. She waited for him to say something, think something! We can only hope it's been at least eight years there. What about... Pen's hand went to her stomach. What if she goes back and she loses her baby? But this chance to go back may never happen again. They couldn’t wait. Alice knelt next to her. "You've been the best friend I could ask for, Penny, but I think you need to risk it. You have to believe your baby will be fine." Alice hugged her. "I'll miss you though." Penny and Andrew moved in a daze to share hugs with their friends, the people whom they had grown to love.

Ellie slipped through the back door. All the lights were off. Perfect! Mom and Dad must have gone to bed already. She made it to the kitchen with hardly any sound. She'd get a drink and then head to bed. No issues. She opened the fridge and… "You’re home late." Her mom's voice came from the dark dining room table. "Mom!" Ellie gasped. "Sit, I'll make tea." Her mom stood, lighting a candle as she did so. "Oh Mom, that's fine. I'm tired and should get some sleep. Got to be up for church in the morning." Ellie faked a yawn, hoping to win some sympathy points with her mom. "Sit," her mom said again, not leaving room for conversation. Ellie reluctantly sat. Her eyes flickered between the dancing flame and her mom in the kitchen. Moving around the dimly lit kitchen, her mom wasn't talking. The sound of the kettle and cabinet doors echoed in Ellie’s ears. Am I supposed to say something? Or is Mom waiting for me to start? Her mom turned around and set two cups of tea on the table. Ellie stared at her mom, who took a long, slow sip of her drink. Ellie took short sips, waiting for her mom to speak. Her mom set her mug down and took a slow breath. Oh boy, here it comes. "I'm only going to ask you this once." Her mom paused, wrapping both hands around her cup of tea. "Where were you really tonight?" Ellie opened her mouth, then looked at her mom paused, and took a long sip of her tea. Setting her drink down, she answered, "Me and a few friends went to a party at one of the cool kid's houses. We said we were going to work on a project when we were really going to the party." Ellie looked down. Her mom let out a heavy sigh. Ellie prepared for a lecture. "Was it worth it?" Was it worth it? Ellie looked at her mom. Is this the lecture? "What do you mean?" "Was it worth it? Lying to me and your dad? Sneaking around? Breaking the rules? Was the party worth it?" Her mom spoke slowly and her voice was short. Ellie could tell her mom was hurt and she was grateful her father was upstairs. Ellie looked at her mom, then down at her hands. "At first? Yeah... It was fun, you know, doing something crazy like that. It made me feel cool. We were playing truth or dare, and other fun games. But then…" Ellie picked up her cup of tea and tilted it back and forth. "Then someone brought out alcohol that they stole from their parents.” "Did you drink?" her mom cut her off. "No. I thought about it but I didn't. I called a friend who didn't go to give me a ride home." "So your friends are still at the party? Are they drinking?” Ellie only nodded. "Let's go." Her mom grabbed her keys. "Go?" Ellie slowly stood, confused. "Your friends - we’re getting them." Ellie could have died of embarrassment. But she knew her mom was right. Her friends would need a ride. By the time they got there, her friends were clearly not sober and they were getting in a car. Her mom parked and jumped into action. “Nope!" She took the keys from the driver. "In my car - let's go!” The girls whined but got in the car. Her mom made a quick call to the police, letting them know there was a party with drinking and maybe some unsafe drivers on the road. Then she dropped her friends off, handing the keys to the dad of the would-be driver, along with an address on where to find the car in the morning. As they drove home, her mom said, "Ellie, I'm proud of you. You left an uncomfortable position. But next time you want to try something like that, please talk to us about it. That way we can make a plan with you so that you can be safe and don't end up in those positions in the first place " Ellie fiddled with her hands. “I didn't think you'd let me go if I told you the truth." Her mother sighed. "Ellie, my dear girl, I will always be on your side, but I can't be if you don't tell me. I know secrets will exist, but I'd like you to try and keep them to a minimum in the future." Ellie said nothing at first. "Thank you, Mom. I am sorry, thank you for helping my friends." She paused. "I am in trouble?" "It's nearly one in the morning and you have to go to church in the morning…so for now that shall be punishment enough." Her mom gave her a smile. And Ellie simply laughed.