Nancy stared out the window and sighed. It felt like hours had passed and yet the downpour outside refused to let up. If anything it seemed to be getting worse.

Even so, the frustrated detective knew she was going to have to brace the rain at some point. After all, she had a case to solve. And, no matter the weather conditions, she was going to solve it. Even if it meant walking through a damp and eerie graveyard in the middle of the night without an umbrella or hood to stay dry.

Nancy took a deep breath and then, pulling her coat tighter around her body, she opened the library door and walked into the garden. She didn't get very far however, as Renee had a request for her the instant she stepped outside.

"Oh Nancy, would you be a dear and pick some mushrooms for me?" The kind, yet creepy, old caretaker asked.

"Mushrooms?" Nancy stepped inside the small awning where the old woman stood, "Well...sure, what kind?"

By now the young detective was so used to being asked to run someone else's errands, it was like second nature to her to just say yes. Especially since, no matter how many times she said it, saying no never seemed to work.

"Right now I need mushrooms," Renee answered, "I was hoping to have some picked for tonight, but from the looks of all this potting I have to do…."

"I can do that...but, in return, can I borrow that shovel over there?" Nancy asked, glancing at the tool hanging from the wall. She was sure it was the same one Bruno mentioned in his book.

"Why of course," Renee obliged, "That was Bruno's favorite shovel you know. Don't know why he kept it since he never used it though…But, that's beside the point. Right now I need five painted corks. You'll have more luck finding them around the cemetery or around boggy areas rather than here in the garden. There might be a few here nonetheless. They have a short fat stem and a large bell-shaped cap, and they're covered with red dots. I just need five, no more no less. When you're done, go ahead and take that shovel. Here's a bag to put them in."

Renee placed a small fabric pouch on the table next to her.

"That shouldn't be too hard," Nancy said, picking up the pouch.

"Thank you, dear."

Nancy explored all corners of the garden first – Renee was right, she could only find 2 mushrooms - before she headed off to find the rest.

She had found 2 more in no time at all, but it took a much longer time - searching through the muddy landscapes within the graveyard - before she found one in the bayou. She spotted the splotchy red mushroom almost immediately, sitting precariously on the tip of a mossy log and hanging over the dark swamp. Unfortunately, it was a little out of reach from the shoreline.

Nancy took a deep breath and then climbed on top of the log, determined to get that last mushroom. She inched carefully along the soggy wood and reached down. When she picked it up the log bobbed into the water in response. Suddenly, a low rumble rose up from under the water.

"Uh-oh, that doesn't sound good," Nancy said stiffening.

All the sudden a massive gator pulled its head out from under the bayou and snapped right at Nancy. She didn't get bit luckily, but the scare was enough to throw her off balance. The teenage detective, with little grace, then fell into the murky water with a disruptive splash.

The young detective tasted the marshy water as it filled her mouth, and resurfaced sputtering out the gunk. She had barely wiped her soaked hair from her eyes when she noticed something big, scaly, and green slowly floating towards her. She stared wide-eyed as the creature slowly approached before she began thrashing towards shore. She had just pulled both feet out of the water when the gator snapped at toes.

The alligator hissed, but then seemed to change its mind about having Nancy for dinner. Slowly, it turned around and floated back under the swamp.

Nancy sat on the shore for a few moments, her heart racing. She was covered in moss and grime and she could still taste it in her mouth. She had lost a shoe in the process, and her whole bag of mushrooms. Not to mention that she was soaked to the bone and freezing cold.

"Ugh, today is not my day," She muttered as she picked a strand of muck out of her hair.

"Nancy!? What on earth are you doing?!" A sudden voice exclaimed from behind her.

The young detective turned her head to see Henry Bolet standing at the entrance with a black umbrella and a bewildered look.

"Uhm…I was picking…mushrooms?"

Henry approached Nancy, baffled by her state of disarray, "What on earth happened?!"

"Well, I was picking mushrooms for Renee but when I went to grab one on that log a alligator came up and tried to bite me! It scared me so much that I tripped and fell in the water and then got chased out by the gator. I'm lucky I'm still standing," Nancy let out a breath of a laugh, "But, I lost my shoe and my clothes are now soaked," She added grimly.

Henry ran his hand through his hair and sighed, clearly exasperated, "Why is it that every time I find you you're always lying on the ground with some crazy story to tell? Please tell me this won't be a regular occurrence."

"Heh, I don't make any promises," Nancy replied sarcastically.

Henry offered his hand, "Here, I'll help you get back to the mansion and Renee can help you get cleaned up."

"Thanks," Nancy took his hand and let him pull her back onto her feet.

The two then followed the path back to the mansion. Nancy tried to make light of the situation, knowing by now Henry must've thought she was completely mental.

"So, this is surprising," She joked, "I never thought I'd see you stand up, let alone move so far from your computer."

Henry looked away, "Well, I just...needed to clear my head."

Nancy followed his gaze and realized he was staring in the direction of his family's crypt.

"Ohh, I see."

Poor Henry. He still hasn't really gotten over his parent's death has he?

Nancy pitied the guy, he had no close relatives, a terrible girlfriend, and is currently stuck sorting out his dead uncle's finances. She couldn't imagine what that was like.

"I'm just really…." He sighed, "Really in a tight spot right now. I had to get some fresh air."

"Because of Summer?" Nancy asked thoughtlessly.

The instant she said it she regretted it. She had a terrible habit of saying things before considering how they would affect the people she said them to. Fortunately, Henry didn't appear too bothered by it. Probably because she had already confronted him about how he was selling old stuff to pay for his girlfriend's 'needs'.

Henry scoffed, "Yeah, especially because of Summer…"

"Henry, why are you with her?" Nancy blurted out.

"I told you, she is the only girl who ever really liked me for me…if I lost her, well...She's all that's keeping me happy right now."

"You don't seem very happy," Nancy responded dubiously.

"Yeah, well, when I'm with her I feel happier...at least I think..I love her," He frowned, "Well, I mean, I'm...yeah I'm in love with her..."

"Are you sure about that?"

Henry stopped, he spun to face the prying detective, seemingly irked. He opened his mouth like he was about to make a retort, but seemed to lose his words. He closed his mouth and ran his hand through his hair again.

"You don't love her, do you?" Nancy said it more as a statement than a question.

He didn't answer, hiding whatever emotion he felt towards that comment.

"Henry, I know what an unhealthy relationship looks like," The detective continued, "You may think you're in love with her, but, it's probably just an infatuation. And.." Nancy hesitated before making her final statement, "...she probably doesn't love you either."

"What makes you so sure?!" He finally snapped.

"If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that love doesn't involve forcing someone to buy expensive items for you," Nancy kept her tone even.

"Yeah?" Henry stopped in his tracks and turned to face her, his expression harsh.

"Well, you don't know what it's like to only have one person who cares about you!" Henry answered bitterly, "You're life is probably perfect! A perfect home, a perfect family, a perfect boyfriend, probably plenty of friends who like you for you. Not a drop of rain has fallen on your life, and yet-" He gestured to the downpour around them- "It never stops raining on mine."

"My life isn't perfect. I lost my mom when I was younger," Nancy answered trying to sympathize with him.

But, Henry just scoffed, "You lost your mother? I lost BOTH my parents, and then I was left with uncle Bruno who couldn't care less about me, and look at what happened to him!"

He combed his hands through his hair again, this time aggresively scraping his nails through his scalp in frustration with a heavy huff of breath.

"When I met Summer it finally stopped raining in my life," He continued, "For once I felt like someone actually cared about me. I felt like I had someone to talk to. I had a reason to be happy. She was the only one who liked me just the way I am...or at least...I thought she did..."

His gaze dropped back to the walkway for a moment. He silently watched the water fill the tiny cracks in the stone pattern.

"Nancy..I...I know Summer doesn't really love me," He continued, finally looking the girl in the eye, "At least not anymore. Maybe she did at first, because it really did feel like at one point she truly cared about me - and I cared about her," A slight smile graced the man's lips, though it faded away as quickly as it had appeared, "However, nowadays, I am beginning to realize I don't love her like I used to...but, I just can't let go of her and I don't want her to leave me."

Nancy was cautious in her response this time, "It...it seems to me you are just living in the past. The girl you once loved doesn't exist anymore. You're waiting for her to come back, but she isn't going to. If you know she doesn't love you, and you don't love her, then what's the point in being with her besides keeping up a useless charade?"

"Plus, you aren't alone without her," She insisted, "I mean...I like you! Ned likes you! He was the one who sent me here after all. Despite your...cynicism, and morose nature, I think you're really a nice guy, Henry. I don't think you need a girl in your life to be happy, you just need a shoulder there to support you. And Summer is not a suitable support. You need a friend, a real one. Ned and I, we're here for you. Summer is just using you because of your money."

Nancy then looked straight into his eyes almost begging him, "Henry, you need to break up with her….you don't have to worry about being lonely, I'll be here if you need someone, and Ned is just a phone call away. Promise."

Henry was quiet for a long time.

Finally, he sighed and with a weak grin said, "Okay."

"Okay?" Nancy began to smile.

"Okay. Yes. Yes I will break up with summer...Thank you, Nancy. You know, I thought you were nothing but a nosy, wannabe detective when I first met you-"

"Hey!"

"But, you're a really nice person, a bit tactless for a detective, but kind nonetheless...and…I would be happy to call you a friend."

Nancy smiled, "Thanks."