Disclaimer: I do not own MPHFPC

A/N: Well Hello there. Welcome to 'Another World'. This fiction will be loosely based on the movie verse, but will be pretty AU as well. I do hope you all enjoy! Thank you for dropping by.

"Faster" the word echoed in Alma's mind as she soared through the dark skies. She was injured but she wouldn't dare stop. She feared for her children who were sound asleep in their home. Her body shivered at the thought but she pressed harder.

In the distance she could see the puff of smoke from the chimney of her home. To her relief the highest window was slightly a jar and the light was on. Enoch was awake! She squawked, hoping her oldest charge would hear her. She twisted sharply to avoid the arrow coming from below and ended up crashing awkwardly on the glass pane on the roof. The wind was knocked out of her as she commanded forth her human form.

She slid off the glass and was thankful that it didn't break under her weight. But she faltered when she felt a wound just under her collarbone. She could feel two sets of hands on her arms helping to balance her.

"We heard you Miss Peregrine," Olive said quickly. The red head had felt a chill grip her spine when she heard the familiar cry of her beloved Ymbryne. Something was deeply wrong and to see her fall from falcon form to human was frightening. Miss Peregrine was never ungraceful when it came to changing forms.

"Wake the children," Alma rasped. Her throat was dry and she was still winded from her flight and landing. "Have them put on their coats and shoes and meet downstairs" She ignored the stinging in her chest and beckoned the teenagers inside. Enoch frowned but remained silent and rushed down the hallway after Olive towards the bedrooms.

Alma stumbled to her bedroom, pulled on her boots, grabbed her coat and crossbow. Her heart was racing as she strapped the weapon to her body and grabbed the extra bolts. She exited her bedroom and raced down the stairs. Several sets of frightened eyes turned in her direction.

"We must leave," Alma leaned to fix the collar of Hugh's coat. "We have exactly ten minutes. Bronwyn dear, I require your assistance in opening the secret door."

Bronwyn pushed aside the couch and shoved aside the rug. She pulled the latch to the large door to reveal a stairwell. She looked back expectantly to Miss Peregrine for further instructions.

"Quietly and quickly proceed down the stairwell. Enoch, you will go first." Alma nudged Claire forward. "I will follow behind you all. Do not stop until you reach the end"

Enoch grabbed the hanging Lantern, to which Olive quickly lit and descended to the lower level of the house. The rest of the children followed obediently without question. Bronwyn waited patiently, knowing that she would have to close the door. In a matter of moments, she stepped down with Miss Peregrine and pulled the door closed and placed the heavy barricade across it and sprinted to catch up with the others.

Alma swiped at the sweat on her forehead, noting that her hand shook slightly. The throbbing in her chest had intensified in the short while of being inside the house as well. But instead of focusing on her discomfort, she calculated the time of their escape. She knew that in exactly seven minutes they would arrive to the second door that led outside. The short trek would allow them a head start. At least she hoped.

Even with her heightened senses, she couldn't hear anything other than the soft humming of bees inside of Hugh, Emma's rhythmic footfalls and the precise ticking of her pocket watch.

Tick…tick…tick…tick…tick…tick.

The normally comforting sound was more like a ticking bomb. The fear that churned in her belly made her feel like retching but she could not slow down. She hadn't felt fear like this since Victor ran away.

"Are we almost there?" Claire's tiny voice whispered.

"Shh…" Enoch glanced over his shoulder.

Alma hated not being able to explain the situation to her children, but in all honesty, she didn't know it fully herself. Everything was happening so quickly.

'The children had just turned in for the night. Alma had closed herself in her bedroom, kicked her off heels and sank into the cushions of her loveseat. It had been a particularly long day. The children had been restless. She supposed it be because they experienced the brutal winter for the first time in almost eighty years. They weren't used to having shorter days and longer nights

Alma sat up suddenly and glanced to the window. Normally she opted to fly during the day, but the night was clear and the moon was out. She itched to feel the wind against her feathers as she soared through the dark skies as she viewed the quiet town from far above. It had been months since she last assumed bird form.

She pushed to her feet and opened the window. The brisk winter air caressed her skin and called to her senses. She stepped backward a few paces and stretched out her arms. She closed her eyes and summoned the bird from within. Feathers sprouted along her arms and down her sides as her nose began to elongate. She felt her senses sharpen to that of a falcon. In a matter of moments, she was fully transformed and sitting on the ledge of the open window. She blinked a few times as she took in the world below. She wouldn't be out long. Just that of an hour before returning.

And she was off.

Alma soared through the sky, carefree. If it wasn't for her lack of speech she would have laughed out loud. Instead, she cawed and flew faster. After a while, she perched for a bit of rest in a tree. She noticed that it was unnaturally quiet. She scanned the area, feeling her instincts tell her that something was off. She couldn't see anything but she knew that someone was there.

Then she heard it. The first of many howls.

She instantly took to the air for escape. But not before a dart pierced her flesh. She slowed but kept flying.'

Bronwyn pushed open the second door, which took a bit of effort since it was covered with much dirt. Alma quickly followed her children up the stairs to the stand on the very edge of their property. She carefully took in their surroundings but saw that they were alone for the time being.

Enoch made eye contact with his mistress and nodded as he understood where they needed to go to. Silently he led them to an empty alley behind an old warehouse. Old packaging littered the area and broken glass was everywhere. It wasn't the most exciting place for entering and exiting the loop but it served its purpose.

Alma paused in front of the doors. She touched the door and grabbed her pocket watch. She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing. What she was about to do was out of the ordinary. Something that she hadn't done since she was a youth.

"Children, I need you to close your eyes," she whispered softly. She turned her back and closed her own eyes. The power within her core began to uncoil as she summoned it forth. Not to transform but to use it in a different manner. It left her achy, and awfully aware of the sensations in her body. The prickling of sweat against her temples, constriction in her throat, and the cold weight of her pocket watch in her palm.

"Stop" Alma whispered to no one. She opened her eyes to find that everything around her was frozen in place. Her body trembled, but she steadied her hand. She willed time to fast forward instead of backward. She gritted her teeth, as a wave of nausea rolled over her. The urge to retch was stronger than before. But she resisted and focused on the ticking of her pocket watch.

Tick…Tick…Tick…Tick

Alma gasped for air as she leaned forward with her hands on her knees. She blinked back tears and straightened. She pushed open the door of the warehouse and gestured for her children to enter. They were hesitant at first but with gentle encouragement, they all stepped inside.