Author's Note: This is the first story I've published, and I'm going to try my hardest to complete it. It came to me because I haven't seen an Underland Chronicles Fanfic play out exactly the way I wanted. I guess that's why the site is here in the first place, right? Also, I don't have the skill required to adequately mimic the slightly tangled speech the Underlanders use, I'll try not to have them sound too much like Overlanders, but I can't make any promises. One more thing, I haven't read the series in a few years, fanfiction is more recent in my memory so if anyone is reading this story, and you notice a mistake I have made, please tell me.

Edit: The first two chapters are in first person but the perspective permanently switches to third person in chapter 3.

Disclaimer: I own nothing in relation to The Underland Chronicles.

After the entrance to the Underland was covered, I didn't know how to feel. I was hurt by the thought that I might not see Luxa again, I was still devastated by Ares' death, I was glad my family was safe, but most of all I confused, because New York felt safe but it didn't feel like home. I had a feeling I wouldn't ever be able to consider anywhere but the Underland home, but I couldn't do anything about that. Yet.

After we got back to the apartment, I knew what I had to do. I wouldn't be able to do it tonight, Mom would be watching me too closely, and she couldn't know, at least not yet. I hugged Grandma and spent a little time talking to her, then I went to the kitchen and made a bowl of cereal. When I was done eating and washed the bowl and spoon, I hung out in the living room with Liz and Dad for a while. We just sat there and watched TV, trying to enjoy some of the normalcy that had returned to our lives, well, they were, I was thinking. When it was late enough to go to sleep without making anyone suspicious, I went to my room and laid down on my bed planning, thinking of all the things I would need do to make sure I was ready to return. When I was satisfied I had most things covered, I spent about an hour softly clicking my tongue, just making sure that I didn't neglect a skill I was sure would be very important in my future, and also being careful not to wake Boots or Lizzie with the noise.

I forced myself to wake up early, glancing at the alarm clock in my room, I saw that it was 6:11. Quietly rolling out of bed, I grabbed a pen and the first piece of paper I saw, which happened to be a page that Boots tore out of one of her coloring books after apparently getting bored of scribbling across most of the page. Turning it over I quickly wrote the letter I had been waiting since yesterday to write, when I was done I folded it in thirds and then in half so it would fit in my pocket and wrote a name on the top flap, identifying who it was meant for. Then I put it in my back pocket and made some oatmeal, after I ate and was washing my dishes my mom came into the kitchen, looking surprised, then suspicious that I was awake so early.

"What are you doing up Gregor?"

"I went to bed a little early, and I've gotten used to sleeping in shifts so I don't really feel tired." It was only slightly a lie, I was used to operating on only a few hours of sleep, besides I'd gotten almost six hours. Obviously this was the wrong thing to say, however, because her eyes narrowed and she sounded upset when she responded.

"I don't want you to talk about your time down there Gregor, I want you to forget all about that place. They shouldn't have made you fight their enemies for them, you're only a child."

I knew she wouldn't understand that I was the only one who could stop The Bane, that if I didn't fight Regalia would have been lost. I couldn't let that happen I cared far too much about the people there, but she wouldn't believe me, she couldn't grasp the situation or my importance in the events that took place, so I kept my mouth shut. When she saw that I wasn't going to say anything she started coffee machine Mrs. Cormaci got her shortly after the plague incedent. I saw her silence as an opportunity to change the subject.

"Have you and Dad decided if we're going to Virginia?"

Her eyes widened slightly in shock at the new topic, but she quickly recovered. "Yes, we spoke last night about it. We are moving at the end of the month, we were going to tell everyone later today, since that only leaves a few weeks to pack. We decided that the sooner we get away from there, the better."

I nodded, I had expected as much, but it still made me sad. I walked past her to the front door, before I got there I called back to her over my shoulder, " I'm going to see Mrs. Cormaci, she's usually up by now, and I've missed her." she didn't say anything, probably because she was shocked I wasn't fighting her about the move. After I put my shoes on she was behind me, I knew what she was going to do and I didn't care, I wasn't lying.

"I'll walk you there." Her tone left no room for argument, but I didn't care if she walked me there.

"Okay, thanks."

When we got to Mrs. Cormaci's door, I knocked lightly three times, hoping she was awake. It was only a few seconds later that her door opened and her enthusiastic voice greeted us "Hi! It's so good to see the two of you. How are you?"

I answered before my mom could. "Hey Mrs. Cormaci, we're alright. I was wondering if I could hang out here and talk to you for a little while, you know, catch up."

She glanced at my mother, then looked back at me and smiling, said "Of course Gregor. Did you need him back by a certain time, Grace?" she looked back to my mother then, waiting for her response.

"Before noon, I suppose. We'll need him to start packing later today."

Mrs. Cormaci looked surprised for a second and then smiled sadly. "I figured you would decide to move, I'm assuming the end of the month?"

"Yes, we are extremely grateful for how much you've helped us, but I think moving to Virginia is what will be best for our family. We'll all miss you, and we will keep in touch."

That worked out perfectly for me, so I decided to speak. "That's actually one of the things I wanted to talk to Mrs. Cormaci about, I was going to ask if she would like to be pen pals with me." Switching my focus to the woman in question I spoke again. "What do you say? I'd rather write letters than talk on the phone, it feels more personal." I hoped she would say yes, otherwise I would have to try to convince her, and that would seem suspicious to my mother. Luckily, she either saw the desperation in my eyes, or actually like the idea, she agreed. I would explain the other parts after my mom left.

"Okay, when he's done here can you walk him back?" She asked Mrs. Cormaci.

"Certainly, Grace. Take care"

My mother smiled and walked away. After we went inside Mrs. Cormaci's place, I gave her a big hug. I sat on her couch and told her everything that happened in the Underland, when I told her about my feelings for Luxa, she smiled and said, "I was wondering when you'd figure that out." I continued with the details of the war. When I got to the final moments of the battle with The Bane, I couldn't stop my tears, or speak past the lump in my throat, she knew from my behavior that Ares had passed. She told me I didn't have to say it, which I was grateful for, after that I told her of the death of the Warrior and the birth of the Peacemaker, she laughed softly at the mention of Ripred, and said that she thought it was wonderful that someone so skilled in the art of war was now making peace. I ended it by telling her of mine and Luxa's goodbye, then I stood and handed her the letter. "This is the main reason I wanted to be pen pals. I was wondering if, aside from writing letters to me, you could act like a courier between me and the Underland. I'm going back, and I need them to know that, I also want to be able to keep in touch with them so I can stay informed about what's happening there. Don't worry, I'm not going back anytime soon, not for several years, but I belong there and I will return to them."

She smiled knowingly at me, "To them, or her?"

"...Her, but also them." I responded, feeling heat rush to my cheeks.

"Of course I'll do it for you, and I won't tell your parents about this. I'll take this down and wedge it behind the grate so that it isn't visible from the laundry room, but are you sure they'll check to see if you left anything?"

"I'm not sure, but I believe that someone will get curious and check sometime this week, or at least this month." I sincerely hoped that was true, otherwise the Underland I returned to might not be one that I was prepared for. We talked a little more then she made me a sandwich and walked me home. When I got inside I could tell that my parents had already told Lizzie and Grandma about the move, Lizzie looked at me hopefully, probably expecting me to argue about it. Instead I looked at my mom and told her that Mrs. Cormaci was wondering if anyone else wanted to write her letters to stay in touch. Lizzie looked dumbstruck that I sounded okay with the move, but after what I said clicked, she looked a little suspicious. I was pretty sure she knew I had an ulterior motive for writing letters, but she only said that she would like to write letters as well. My mom didn't seem to give it a second thought and said that it was fine, but that we had to start packing.

I knew I had to be patient, I might not hear anything from the Underland for weeks, but it helped that there was so much that needed to be done in the coming weeks. My aunt came up and took Grandma down to Virginia, she seemed to be doing well enough to be moved. As more time went on I became increasingly worried that nobody would check the grate, and they wouldn't know that I was going to be back. Lizzie seemed to pick up on my mood, and most likely, the reason for it.

It wasn't until our last week in New York that Mrs. Cormaci came to our place and asked if I could help her out with a few things, I knew immediately that she had something to give me. Lizzie volunteered to help as well, but Mrs. Cormaci said she needed my muscles. I knew for sure then, that Lizzie knew and she would be upset if I didn't let her in on it. "Well Mrs. Cormaci, you know what they say, 'Many hands make light work' besides Lizzie's pretty strong."

She stared at me for a brief moment then agreed. "Well, we'd better be on our way, come on you two."

"We'll be back later mom."

When we got to Mrs. Cormaci's place Lizzie thanked me for letting her come along. "Well I know you already figured it out anyways, sometimes I feel like you're too smart for your own good."

"I should have known she knew when you suggested she come along, I thought I was being too subtle. Well anyhow, last night I found this wedged into the grate." She then handed me a folded piece of parchment with my name written in smooth, flowing letters. When I opened it I saw elegant script that I was sure belonged to Vikus. "He has very nice penmanship especially considering he just had a stroke."

"Yeah, but was his left side that was affected and he's right handed."

Lizzie spoke up then, "Wait you wrote to Vikus? I thought you would have written to Luxa." she sounded more than a little surprised.

"I want her to be surprised when I go back, but I also need Vikus to take care of a few things for when I return." I read the letter, and when I saw that he approved of my plan and had even given me his blessing to go forth with it, I couldn't stop the huge smile that spread across my face. I had help, I had Vikus helping me, that was the best I could hope for. I handed the letter to Lizzie to read. When she was done she was also smiling, but I could also see the sorrow in her eyes. "I know it doesn't seem like a long time Liz, but it's as long as I can stay away. I belong there, I want to be there. Besides we can still visit each other, they like you, and I'll still need to get some sunlight." She nodded sadly, but then she smiled and hugged me tightly.

"I'm really happy you're so sure of yourself Gregor. I'll miss you when you're gone, but we still plenty of time together."

I asked Mrs. Cormaci for a pen and paper, so I could respond to the letter. When she returned with the items, I handed her the letter from Vikus to read while I wrote. After I finished, I asked her to keep the letter Vikus sent until after we moved so that she could mail it with his response my most recent letter, which I then handed her. I didn't want my mom to stumble across it, and after the move I could hide them somewhere in my new room.

That night I thought over one specific part of the letter Vikus sent, She suffers, Overlander, the love she holds for you causes her pain for the distance between you. I know not how long she will need to resume her duties to Regalia, but I believe when you return, the love will still be in her heart. I can see that you will always be in her heart Gregor, and I will make certain Regalia sees that as well.

Before I drifted into unconsciousness, I had one thought, Luxa, I'll return, I promise.