A/N: Hello everyone! After a half-year long absence, I've finally written another Charlie Bone fic. It centres on the events between 'Hidden King' and 'Wilderness Wolf', in particular how Amy and the others deal with Lyell's return and how Lyell recovers from his hypnosis-induced amnesia. It could be considered a companion fic to 'Breaking the Rules'. I do hope it's not too confusing or out of canon in any way. I always love feedback so reviews would be lovely.

A Return to Normalcy

Amy Bone knew that she should be happy. She had her husband back, after ten long years of separation, a husband she loved without question. Her son had his father back. Her family was whole again, just as she had always prayed it would be. Never again would she sit in her room alone, clutching her wedding ring and wishing that Lyell were still alive, that there was a chance that she could leave her miserable life in number nine Filbert Street with in-laws who hated and resented her. Never again would she be alone or afraid or helplessly at the mercy of the Yewbeams.

The moment Lyell had returned all that had diminished completely. Grandma Bone had moved to live with her horrible sisters in Darkly Wynd, much to the relief of number nine's remaining inhabitants, making the house a brighter place and Amy a free woman. She had always been terrified of Lyell's mother and now that she was gone she felt that she could finally be herself and not a timid 'shrinking violet'. All this should have made her happy, but it didn't.

Nothing felt right. She couldn't face her own husband without feeling the guilt surge through her. How many times had she considered moving on and remarrying? How many times had she went on a date and wondered if this or that man could make her as happy as Lyell had made her? The only thing that had stopped her was the reality that the Yewbeams would never let her have Charlie, and the promise she had made long ago in her heart to remember Lyell.

There had been a fair number of dates with men she had met at the green grocer's (many due to Maisie's encouragement), though most had never gone beyond a first date. She had never even taken off her wedding ring until she met Hart Noble, or Count Harken as she now knew him to be. A powerful enchanter, he had bewitched Amy into forgetting Lyell, something she had thought impossible. He had bewitched her into falling in love with him, so much that she had accepted his proposal of marriage without a second thought.

It still made Amy feel sick to the stomach to remember it. How could she have been so taken in? Granted, the man was an enchanter, but it had been her choice to enter Kingdom's, and that choice had almost led to Lyell's death and her own journey into some far-flung distant past. She couldn't forgive herself for that. It almost shattered her to think that she had almost killed her husband and doubly orphaned her son.

She recalled with a shudder the moment when she had come to herself and realised what she had done. She had seen the emerald ring blazing on her finger and felt a horror beyond reckoning. She remembered what she'd felt as she flung the hideous thing out of the window of the penthouse. Relief, certainly. But also a sense of finality, as if a part of her life was ended at last. Then she had left the store, confused and in denial, knowing that she would never be able to tell anyone about what had just occurred. Even if they believed her, she would never have the courage to tell them.

oOoOo

Amy returned to the house to find Maisie unfrozen in the bathtub, covered with leaves and seeming just as confused as herself. Immediately she helped Maisie out of the tub and into the kitchen, where Maisie at once began to prepare a feast. 'Why not?' Maisie retorted when Amy questioned her reasoning. 'I feel like a celebration. Besides, Paton and Charlie will be hungry when they get back from wherever they are.'

'Hmmm, yes,' Amy agreed, still doubtful. She stood in the doorway of the kitchen and watched as Maisie determinately banged pots and pans and mixed together ingredients for a rather impressive looking jam sponge cake. In the end Amy left Maisie to her cooking and made herself a cup of tea, sitting at the table to wait for her son and Paton. Eventually Maisie joined her, having decided to wait until Charlie and Paton returned to continue her cooking.

And this was how Paton and Charlie found them when they walked through the door: chatting together over a nice cup of tea. Amy could see the joy and relief in their faces as they drank in the very normal, familiar scene. As she rose to embrace Charlie, she felt a well of relief that Charlie was home safe and hugged him tightly, whispering, 'Where have you been? I was so worried!' It really didn't matter where Charlie had been, of course, but the mother inside of her compelled her to say the words. The truth was that she wasn't sure she wanted to know where her son had been—she was afraid of the answer she might receive. What mattered most was that both Charlie and Paton were safe at home with their family.

During the feast that followed, Amy felt a deep peace and contentment which resonated inside of her. Her family was together and safe, Maisie was unfrozen and beaming at the enthusiastic compliments thrown at her about her delicious cake. Whatever had happened with Hart Noble (and Amy still wasn't sure exactly what had occurred), it was over now and the time had come for celebration. Grandma Bone was sulking in her room, and without her brooding presence Amy, Charlie, Paton and Maisie had a joyful, relaxed meal together. As she gazed at her family Amy felt that everything was right with her world, for the moment at least.

Near the end of the meal, Paton turned to Amy and she saw in his eyes hope and a hidden triumph. He took hold of her hand, as if to prepare her for a surprise and Amy wondered what he wanted to tell her. Nothing could ruin her peace of mind now, she thought. Until Paton spoke and Amy thought her heart would stop from the shock and tantalizing hope that filled her up. Lyell, alive? She felt tears sting her eyes and blinked them away before anyone noticed. It was what she had prayed for all these years (in vain, she always thought), and yet she almost couldn't believe it. It was like a dream, a beautiful dream which she could wake from at any moment. She had mourned Lyell, had believed him to be dead. How could he be alive?

Paton, with Charlie chiming in, related to her an almost unbelievable story. Of how Lyell was hypnotized by Manfred Bloor on the morning of the day of his 'death', and had been made to crash his car into the quarry while driving to his mother's house outside of the city. How he had been saved at the last moment from death, and had been imprisoned in Bloor's Academy as a piano teacher with no recollection of who he truly was. Amy looked away so that Paton and Charlie could not see the turmoil in her eyes. She recalled that day as if it were yesterday. She had known something was wrong with Lyell, and she had done nothing. She could have possibly stopped him from going out into the night and crashing his car into that quarry, if she had only reached out to others for help, in particular Paton. From what she had come to know of the man since they had been living under the same roof all these years, Paton was a good person as well as very well-read and wise. He would have known what to do, maybe even have prevented Lyell from making that fateful choice. But it was ten years too late now.

Her heart in her mouth, she said, 'Will he wake up? What shall we do?'

Paton told her.

And so it was that at ten minutes past eleven Amy and Charlie put on their boots and coats and left the house, Charlie holding the Red King's tears and Amy with her wedding rings sitting heavily around her fingers again. Snow was beginning to fall ever faster, and Amy and Charlie hurried along the streets to Bloor's Academy, desperate to reach it before the roads became close to impassable. Amy couldn't help but laugh at Charlie's clumsy attempts to catch a snowflake one-handed before it melted into the ground and felt her heart lift at the joy on her son's face. This was what they had both been longing for and nothing could dampen their spirits now.

oOoOo

They had expected the doors to the Academy to be locked, but they were instead wide open. As they walked across the courtyard without any trouble at all they saw red and gold leaves swirling on the cobblestones and in the building, the same sort of leaves Amy had seen covering Maisie. She couldn't help but glance at the tower from which she had once felt an unseen presence staring down at her. She shivered. What if it had been Lyell, trying to remember who he really was?

She had been too timid and afraid, then, and it had seemed natural to flee the courtyard quickly without giving much thought to who had been gazing at her. But if it were Lyell… Amy's stomach clenched. She knew that if she could return to that moment in time with the knowledge she had now she would march back into the Academy and demand to see him. She wouldn't let him go as she had on that day.

She tore her gaze away; she couldn't think about that now. It was over and she couldn't change what had happened. But she could change their future.

It was then that Amy heard the music. Sorrowful and joyful at once, it rippled in her heart as she listened and filled her with emotions she could not name. Lyell's music had always done that to her. Before his disappearance, she had taken joy in surprising him during his shift in the cathedral and listening in ecstasy to the reverberating notes. Time had not changed that, it seemed.

She could not stop staring at the stained-glass windows of the chapel, now softly glowing with light. Silently Charlie took her hand and led her around and into the chapel entrance.

She stood numbly for a moment, clinging to Charlie's hand, just listening to the music as she had done so often before. Then she was moving, running down the aisle of the chapel, a desperate need inside of her to be with her husband, to make sure this wasn't all just a dream. 'Lyell!' The shout burst out of her, reverberating around the tiny chapel as she ran. 'Lyell!' Please let him recognise me. Please let him wake up, Amy prayed with all her might.

She stumbled to a halt before the organ, Charlie walking to stand beside her. Lyell turned to stare at them, and Amy's heart ached to see nothing but bewilderment in his eyes where there used to be love and tenderness. 'Do I know you?' he asked, frowning.

Amy felt the tears pool in her eyes. Nothing could have prepared her for this. How could it be that Lyell, who once spoke to her words of tenderness, who had stolen her heart with his vivacity and his achingly beautiful music, was this confused, broken man? For she could see it in his eyes, the emptiness, the confusion, the brokenness. It was like a kick in the gut, the reality of what they had done to her husband.

She said nothing as Charlie held out the bottle for Lyell to take. Paton had said that the tears would bring Lyell home, and Amy could only pray that it worked.

'For me?' Lyell frowned at the bottle. 'What should I do with it?'

Charlie opened his mouth, but before he could speak, a cloaked figure stepped out from behind the organ, a shout of triumph on his lips. Amy had never seen him before, but recognised him from Charlie's description and the coal-black eyes that gleamed under the hood of the cloak. Manfred Bloor. The boy who, at just nine years of age, had put Lyell under and made him into this shadow of a man. He knocked the bottle out of Charlie's outstretched hand, a nasty smile on his scarred face.

'There!' Manfred kicked the broken bottle across the floor. 'That's put an end to your little game, Charlie Bone!'

For the first time Amy felt true despair. Their only chance of awakening Lyell was gone. What on earth could they do now?

Manfred was still smiling, and she wanted to claw at his face and disfigure it even more than it was already. He had done this to Lyell, and had now ruined their only chance of being a family again.

The smile died away into a look of horror, and both Amy and Charlie followed his gaze to the red and gold leaves that had been drifting in the chapel. They were leaves no longer—they had revealed their true form, that of three leopards. The Red King's leopards. They started towards Manfred, the intent clear in their eyes.

Manfred let out a terrified whimper, and ran. The leopards followed him with thunderous roars, out of the chapel, and moments later Amy heard a single, high-pitched scream. Then silence.

Amy shuddered. Had the leopards killed Manfred Bloor? Although she did feel horror at what those leopards had done, she had a sense of satisfaction as well. Finally, Manfred Bloor had got what he deserved.

Lyell stood up and shook his head, as though he couldn't quite understand what he had seen.

She bit her lip to stop the tears from falling, and stared at her bewildered, unknowing husband, wishing that he could truly see her. It pained her more than she had thought to see the blankness in his eyes when he looked at her, as if she were a stranger.

'Lyell,' she said, and she could hear the brokenness in her own voice. 'Oh, Lyell, will you never wake up?'

He smiled faintly, and it shattered Amy's heart even more, to be so close and yet so far away. This wasn't the Lyell she had known and loved so long ago, and now she wasn't sure that Lyell would ever come back. How could life be so cruel, to allow them this chance and snatch it away at the last moment? Amy bowed her head, and tried to forestall the grief of losing him all over again.

Lyell took no notice of her; his eye had caught sight of the now jagged bottle, and for whatever reason –instinct, perhaps—he bent to pick it up.

Amy didn't look up. It was too painful, to look at him and see him like this.

His fingers clamped around the jagged edge, and Amy still didn't look up.

And then Amy heard him cry out, and her head shot up at last. The blood welled crimson on Lyell's finger as he lifted it to his mouth. He must have cut it on the bottle, Amy thought dimly.

The strangest expression crossed his face. He stared at Amy, then at Charlie.

Amy's heart pounded; she felt herself sway. Please let it be real, she begged silently. Let it be happening. An avalanche of hope tumbled down upon her, filling her hollow heart. Maybe they still had a chance, after all.

For a moment, Amy could hardly breathe. Lyell looked at them both and she could see that his eyes were no longer clouded, no longer dazed. Her heart in her mouth, she waited.

'Charlie?' Lyell said, and his eyes blazed with startled recognition. 'And Amy.'

With a sob, Amy flung herself at him. His arms closed around her, strong and comforting, and she buried her face in his chest, murmuring his name over and over again. Lyell. She could feel silent sobs wrack her body; feel the dampness on Lyell's cheeks mingle with her own. She heard Lyell whispering her name as if he could hardly believe she was there in his arms, his voice cracking with emotion.

They clung to each other as if they would never let go. She could feel him in her arms, rigid with shock, and see the dazed recognition in his eyes, and felt blessed.

It was over at last.

oOoOo

Charlie's heart was too full for him to speak, so he hugged his father tightly and looked up at him.

'Charlie,' his father said huskily. 'You've grown up so much.'

'I'm twelve now,' Charlie managed to say.

'Twelve,' Lyell echoed. He shook his head slowly, as if he could hardly believe it.

Beside him, Amy smiled, her eyes bright with tears. Charlie had never seen his mother so happy before—she was positively glowing as she held onto her husband's hand. It was as if she were a completely different woman to the quiet, timid, sorrowful mother he had always known. She looked at her family, finally complete after ten long years, and said, 'Let's go home.'

Charlie couldn't agree more.

oOoOo

Uncle Paton met them at the door of number nine Filbert Street. Lyell, Amy and Charlie could see his tall silhouette standing at the entrance of the house. He held up a hand to them, welcoming them home, a huge grin splitting his face. Charlie waved at him, jumping up and down, barely able to contain the joy he was feeling. Letting go of his mother's hand, he ran the final meters to his uncle.

'Uncle Paton, we did it!' Charlie cried. 'We did it! We're home. All of us.'

Paton stared at him for a moment, and then laughed, low and triumphant, as if he could hardly believe it. He looked at Amy and Lyell walking hand in hand towards them, and shook his head, and Charlie could see that there were tears in his eyes.

'Lyell,' Paton said, and the two men embraced.

As they entered the house, Charlie noticed for the first time that something was different.

'Where's Grandma Bone?' he asked.

Paton turned to look back at him, and there was a look of immense satisfaction on his face. 'She's gone, Charlie,' he said.

'What?' Charlie gaped at him. It couldn't be true. Could it?

'She left soon after you and Amy. Just like that, bags and all. She's not coming back.' Paton chuckled.

Charlie let out such a whoop of delight that both his parents looked at him in amazement. He wanted to leap and whirl around the room and yell out his joy to the world. Grandma Bone was gone! It was a dream come true.

'Maisie's preparing a feast,' Paton added, grinning at Charlie. 'I daresay it'll be all the more enjoyable now, with Grizelda gone.' He rubbed his hands together in unsuppressed glee. 'Now we can really celebrate!'

'Yes!'

As they all sat munching chocolate cake and biscuits Charlie couldn't help but notice how much like a true family meal it was, with idle conversation and no arguments at all. Lyell and Amy couldn't stop holding hands, Paton was engaging them both in energetic conversation and Maisie sat beaming at the joy on her daughter's face. Charlie was content to sit and quietly eat his cake and watch them all, wondering how they could have gotten so lucky. Just a day before, his mother had been bewitched, his father hypnotized, and Maisie frozen. Now they were all sitting at the table tucking into a feast together as a family.

Charlie would never forget what a near thing it had been, how the enchanter Harken had nearly dragged his mother into the past and killed his father. However, it was not in his nature to brood over the past and at that moment all he could feel was an ecstatic joy that his family was whole again at last.

It was at the end of the meal that Charlie remembered his promise. Seeing the looks on his parents' faces, Charlie, Paton and Maisie had quickly exited the room to give them some private time alone. Charlie just managed to catch up with Paton's long legs as they started up the stairs. 'Uncle P! We need to call the others and tell them what happened. We promised!'

Paton paused, turning to look down at Charlie, and smiled. 'My dear boy, I believe you are right. But will they be awake at this ungodly hour?'

'I think so,' Charlie said. 'If I know them, they'll wait all night.'

Paton chuckled at that, and started up the stairs again, taking the steps in twos and threes. Charlie hurried to follow him, eager to tell his friends the good news.

oOoOo

Lyell and Amy were left alone in the kitchen, gazing at each other, unsure of what to say. It had been the first time they had been alone together in ten years, and Amy could feel the awkwardness between them. She ventured for something to say, but found nothing.

For a long moment they sat in silence. Then Lyell spoke. 'Charlie's grown up so much. I can hardly believe it.'

'I know,' Amy said. 'He turned twelve a couple weeks ago. We threw a party for him.' She looked away then, her emotions overcoming her.

Lyell said nothing.

'He's endowed,' Amy added. 'With picture-travelling.'

'I know,' Lyell said. 'Like Amoret.' Seeing Amy's look of surprise, he smiled. 'I wasn't completely oblivious. I did hear things.'

Amy fought to hide a smile. 'He's very much like you, you know, always getting into scrapes and trying to help others. Sometimes I'd look at him and…' She felt her smile falter as she remembered. She swallowed back the sudden lump in her throat, and continued. 'And he'd remind me of you.'

This time it was Lyell who looked away.

'He's a good boy,' she continued. 'He's careless and cheerful and a bit head-strong, and so optimistic. He never believed you were dead like the rest of us did. He's been running around the city with his friends, solving mysteries.'

A myriad of emotions crossed Lyell's face, and Amy watched as he shook his head as if he almost couldn't believe what he was hearing.

'I don't know what I would have done, without Maisie to help look after him. He was a handful, when he was really little. Your mother of course never bothered to give any help beyond shelter and money and Paton never came out of his room except at night, until recently. They both paid for this house, your mother and Paton, and let us move in. They moved in with us, of course. Your mother said it was out of the goodness of their hearts, but I knew they wanted Charlie. They thought he might be endowed, and they were right.'

'Knowing my mother, she wouldn't have bothered otherwise,' Lyell said grimly. 'She has a heart of stone.'

Amy hesitated. How much did he remember from before? He had recognised Amy and Charlie, and plainly recalled his mother, but what of his other memories? She bit her lip. 'How much do you remember, from before?' she asked timidly. She had to know.

He took a deep breath. 'Not much,' he said. 'I remember you and Charlie, and my mother, my aunts and Paton. I remember what happened at the cathedral, just before I was put under. I remember some of what happened afterwards. But that's all.' The shuttered look in his eyes stilled Amy to silence, and she nodded. She saw the shadows in his eyes, the hidden scars that only time could heal. She didn't know what he had experienced, when he was 'asleep', but she had seen him in the chapel. She had seen what he had become.

Amy's heart ached. She longed to take him in her arms, but was afraid. He had grown older, changed, just as she had. He was no longer the young, laughing man at the piano who had first attracted her, nor was she any longer the young, sweet and innocent woman who had first met him at the green grocer's years earlier. Time had made them strangers to one another, and they could only try to move on as best as they could and salvage what they had.

Lyell stared at her and she knew he was thinking the exact same thing. 'Amy…'

'I know,' she whispered. Tears sprang into her eyes, blurring her vision. What could she say? How could she admit the immense wave of guilt she felt when she looked at him? For parts of her own memory had returned, and she recalled what she had almost done. She had been ready and willing to marry Hart Noble and had forgotten Lyell. She had even taken off her rings! It ate her up inside, how taken in she'd been by Hart's charm and that she had forgotten every promise she had ever made to herself. 'Everything has changed. We've changed. I…I just can't think about any of it tonight.' Her breath hitched.

'I know,' Lyell said. 'Neither can I.' Slowly, tentatively, he drew her into his arms, cradling her gently. 'We have time, though.'

Time. She needed time. They both did, to find each other again. She loved Lyell, she knew she did, but she needed time to really know him again and understand exactly who had returned to her. Lyell needed to heal, to regain his sense of self and his memories of before. Yes, she thought, she could wait.

'It's late,' Lyell said softly. 'We should go up.'

She looked up and saw that he was right. It was three-o'clock; almost an hour after the others had departed for their beds. 'Yes,' she agreed. Quietly they stood, hand-in-hand, and mounted the stairs to her bedroom, the things unsaid pressing between them like a heavy blanket.