While a part of Lucy very much wanted to simply dissolve into the childish behavior she shared with Hedwig, a much bigger part was very aware that she was not nine years old anymore. She had responsibilities. She had a job.

There weren't any actual windows in this place her old friends called home, but Lucy knew she had to be back at the community center on Monday, and she had been hoping to make it to Claire's party on Saturday, though if her guesstimation of the passage of time was correct she had already missed it.

"Hedwig, do you know if the city bus runs by here? I have to get home."

"You are home, thilly." He said, not looking up from the package of hotdogs he was trying to open.

"No, Hedwig I live in an apartment on Jefferson Ave. I gotta go, I have a dog to feed, lesson plans to make, bills to pay. Responsibilities, etc."

Hedwig crinkled his nose at her. "Well Mr. Dennis and Ms. Patricia said that you're a part of the big plan now and you're gonna thtay with uth and help take care of Kevin like you used to. Etc." he threw her last word back at her with a particular 'so there' tone.

"What 'big plan'?" Lucy mimicked his look. "What are you talking about?" Adopting a fish-out-of-water expression, Hedwig suddenly the buttons on the microwave very interesting. "…..Hedwig?" Lucy probed, suddenly getting a very bad gut feeling.

"Mr. Dennis says I'm not thpothed to tell you."

"Why?"

"Cuz!" he exclaimed, clearly not wanting to say more.

"Hedwig, tell me what's going on." Lucy said in her 'teacher voice'

"No! I don't want you to leave!" he finally turned to look at her, eyes rimmed with tears.

Lucy heart broke a little and she struggled to keep her nerve. She loved Hedwig, but her instincts were telling her that something was wrong here. If she had to step on her friend's feelings to figure out what, so be it. "Hedwig, you're not going to lose me." She assured. "I already thought you and the others were gone once, I can't go through that again. But I'm not nine years old anymore. I need you to tell me what's going on."

"No…." he whimpered. "Don't make me….."

"Hedwig –"

Lucy was cut off by the shift in Kevin's body. A shudder and twitch move that she knew all too well; someone new had taken the light.

"You really shouldn't pressure the poor boy, you know." A light British accent spoke. "He only wants to have you with him like old times."

"….Trisha…."

"Hello again Lucy. My, look how you've grown."

The corner of Lucy's mouth twitched upwards despite herself. "Age becomes you as well."

Patricia scoffed, a soft smile on her lips. "Ever the sweetheart. I must say, I'm quite pleased we ran into you again. Especially now. It must be a sign."

"A sign of what, Trish? I don't understand."

"Oh, sweet Lucy Collins." The other woman stepped forward and took her hands in her own. "So pure, yet still so innocent. You'll understand in time."

"Patricia –"

"Shh shh." Patricia pressed a finger to her lips. "The situation is rather…delicate, you see." She pulled her in the direction of the hall. "Come, it will be easier to show you."

Baffled, Lucy let herself be pulled along. Patricia led her around a corner she hadn't turned before and stopped at one of the doors. This door looked like any other in this strange bunker of a home; steel, heavy, and worn-looking. The only difference was the heavy padlock sealing it shut. Her friend produced a set of keys from her pocket and released her hand to put one into the lock.

The door creaked open; Lucy peered around it and froze.

"M-Ms. Collins?" Marcia was the first to recover, blinking at their art teacher in confusion.

"M-Marica, Claire – Casey, what are you doing here?"

"You know them?" Patricia questioned curiously.

"T-They take my art class at the community center. Trish, I don't understand, what's going on?"

"Ms. Collins, please, you have to help us!" Claire begged, latching onto the older woman's arm. "This guy kidnapped us from my party – he's gonna kill us; he's crazy!"

"Now now." Patricia stepped between the two, forcing Claire's grip from Lucy with an anger that didn't match her tone. "Mustn't touch what we aren't worthy to."

"Patricia what are they talking about?" Lucy demanded, forcing her voice to keep steady.

"You needn't listen to them dear. They're inconsequential; simply here to serve as sacred food for his arrival."

Before Lucy could ask what that meant, Claire bolted for the door, which had been left open. The growl that came from her friend bordered on animalistic as she ran after the blonde, shutting the door behind her with a heavy thud. The 'click' as she did so confirmed that it had locked itself upon shutting, and it was this small noise that finally allowed Lucy's panic to get the better of her. She ran forward and threw herself against the steel, banging on it futilely.

"….Lucy?" a soft whisper of her name broke her from her state as she spun around. Casey had finally spoken. The poor girl looked terrified. Not that the other two hadn't, but it was deeper on Casey. Her little Casey, her favorite student whom Lucy saw more of herself in than was probably a good thing. She looked between her and Marica, who was also scared out of her mind. Marica had always been a little timid; really only following after Claire like a lost puppy. At that moment Lucy wished she had something helpful to say to the scared teenagers looking to her for guidance, but she found herself coming up short.

Think think think. She told herself. What would Oliva do?

Steeling herself and standing to her full height; which frankly wasn't all that much taller than them, she held her arms out. "Come're." the girls immediately ran towards the offered comfort. Lucy held them tightly, trying her very best to appear stronger than she felt. "I'll get us out of here somehow. I promise, just – just try and stay calm okay? This'll go a lot smoother if we keep our heads. I...I'll tell you when I hear something that makes sense..."