A/N: Again I'm sorry for the delay. No long note! Just read! Also the book Katie was reading to Winter? The Time Warp Trio Series.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Katie and her nameless mother.

Katie sat at her dining room table working through her math homework. She tapped the end of the purple glitter pencil on the paper as she worked out the computations in her head. Math, unlike reading came easy to the girl. She quickly scribbled her work on her paper before taking a sip of the glass of milk that sat next to her workbook. Katie heard the phone ring, but remained at the table working, leaving her mother to answer it.

"Hello? John?

Her ears instantly perked up at her father's name.

"Is that dad?"

Katie's mother pointed her out of the living room and up the stairs. She could tell from the stern expression on her face, that disobeying would not be in her best interest at the moment. The girl perched herself at the top of the steps out of her mother's line of sight.

"You can't keep calling like this. You'll confuse her."

She bit her lip as she listened.

"You aren't a part of her life anymore. –Well maybe you should have thought about that before you landed yourself in prison. She's barely settled as it is! The last thing she needs is you checking up on her. You brought trouble into our lives once already. We don't need you to do it again. If you really care about your daughter, you won't call us again."

Katie swallowed back the tears as her mother hung up the phone. She walked down the steps to the brightly lit kitchen. Her mother was over a pot of pasta on the stove.

"Why didn't you let me talk to dad?" Katie asked quietly.

Her mother sighed and turned away from the pot.

"Katherine, come sit."

Katie cringed as her mother used her actual name. She took a seat at the small table in the kitchen. Her eyes settled on the cerulean of her jeans.

"We've talked about this before Katie. Your father and his partners stole from other people. He knew the people he was involved with were dangerous and he put us in danger by working with them. He didn't care."

"But why can't I talk to him?" she begged.

Her mother sighed wearily.

"Katherine I know it's hard for you. But you have to understand that he isn't going to be a part of your life anymore. He has to deal with the ramifications of what he did. The sooner you understand that, the quicker you'll adjust."

Blonde strands of hair fell loosely in Katie's face as she shook her head. Tears streamed down her face.

"I don't want to adjust. I want dad back."

"You need to realize that's not going to happen," her mother responded tone growing more terse.

She bit her lip and stood up, leaving the kitchen.

"I'm going for a walk."

Katie ran outside, slamming the door behind her. The cold night air hit the tears streaming down her face. She made her way into the alley next to the apartment complex. Her body rested against the brick wall for support. Katie briefly wondered if things like the Time Warp Trio were possible. Perhaps one day she would find her own magic book, then she could erase the last three months of her life.

Katie shook her head. Her father was in jail, nothing would change that. She was stuck in this city, nothing would change that.

In a flash of anger she kicked the dumpster and screamed in anger.

Among the wind and the faint passing traffic, there was a clatter behind the dumpster. Katie slowly walked to the other side of the dumpster. Her face fell as she recognized the face. Cowering behind the dumpster, in a torn blue shirt, jeans and muddied shoes was the man she'd spent the last few days befriending. His eyes danced in fear as she walked closer.

"Remember me? I brought you food. And I read to you yesterday."

Still, the man pushed himself against the dumpster, away from Katie.

"I didn't mean to scare you! I'm sorry. I didn't know you were here."

Winter shook his head as he began rocking against the metal trash bin. He placed his hands over his ears.

Katie swallowed trying to stop more tears from falling. The wind picked up, whipping against her face. She sat down on the ground and pulled her jacket around her body.

"I'm not allowed to see my dad anymore," she mumbled. "He's in jail. He calls sometimes but my mom won't let me talk to him. Ever. Like today. She thinks it's bad for me, that I need to let him go. I got upset when she said that, came out here and kicked the dumpster. I really didn't mean to scare you."

Winter's hyperventilating slowed slightly, but his eyes made no contact with Katie. His mind tried to process her words, while trying to calm speeding thoughts swimming through his head. He watched as Katie stood slowly and backed away.

"I'm going to go now." He took note of the break in her voice and watched as she left, her arm coming up to wipe her face.

Hours later Winter sat in the same spot against the dumpster. He managed to steal a bagel from a late night food vendor which he slowly ate. He consumed the bagel and rested against the dumpster, allowing his eyes to flutter shut.

The peace did not last for long. A loud shrieking noise rattled against the brick walls of the alley. Winter was suddenly alert in an attack stance. His eyes darted throughout the dark alley looking for a moving form. When he saw no one, he looked to where the sound seemed to stem from. The shrieking was coming from the apartment building opposite the dumpster. Carefully he climbed the fire escape until he reached the window where the sounds of terror were based.

In a bed, wrapped in a lavender sheet was Katie. Her body thrashed about in the bed as she screamed. Winter knew all too well that she was having a nightmare. Her actions were no different than his own when he was plagued by nightly terrors. He felt something for the child, but he couldn't recognize it.

Gently, he tapped on the window, hopefully loud enough to rouse the girl from the terrors. After a few taps he watched her wake. Katie's eyes danced around the room as she sat up shaking. Before she could spot him, Winter made his way down the fire escape and back to his dumpster.

A/N: There you go. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It should have answered any questions that came up in the last chapter. I promise it's going to pick up after this just bear with me. Please read and review!