Annablossom4703: Hey, Butterflies! I'm back for the sequel to Kur Unfurled. This is set four months after the closing events of Kur Unfurled, so it is now December in the story. I've missed you all so much, and I'm so happy to be back!

Zak: AB, what will this story be about?

AB: Zak, you know I can't tell you. Anyways, here's the disclaimer. Disclaimer: The Secret Saturdays belongs to Jay Stephens and Cartoon Network. Trigger Warning: Self harm and suicide mentioned a lot.

Chapter 1: A Long Time

(Lily's POV)

The sheets plaster themselves to my body. I never want to leave this bed, not for anything in the world. With it so dark outside due to it being December in Seward, Alaska, I feel my will to leave the bed diminishing each day. Besides, the only thing waiting for me outside the bed is a world of pain and suffering. After all, Dad died, Drew died, and Mom vanished, all outside of this bed. Why on earth would I want to leave a place of security in exchange for a world of hurt?

I move my arm into a more comfortable position; normally I wouldn't even be bothered it, but I can feel my arm going numb, and I need that arm for cutting. It's all my fault that everyone I have ever loved has died or has left forever, therefore I need to punished. I don't deserve to live, nor do I really want to live. I often find myself imagining the sweet effects of a bullet passing through my head or my chest, or I dream of taking a running leap off a building or the airship. I imagine that death is much like sleep, an endless sleep, but a sleep nonetheless. However, if anyone ever knew I feel this way, I would surely die. They have enough problems as is, and they don't need to be worried about me.

A heavy, moving object sits down on the bed next to me. It's Komodo, I know, since he is the only one in this house who really seems to understand what I am feeling. Sometimes I wonder how no one else bonded with him or bothered to be with him. He is understanding, and I feel bad that he chooses to spend his time with someone as pathetic as me. I sigh. Please, someone, just end this. I am so tired of this pain and this numbness. I wish it would all just go away. I wish I were back at Mom and Dad's house. I wish that all of this had never happened to me. Tears slip out of my eyes and kit the pillow with a low thud. Komodo snuggles closer to me. At least he understands what I feel.

"Lily, please get up. It's almost noon," Komodo growls lowly. I pull the covers up over my head. Komodo sighs and swats the covers off me with his tale. "Lilianna, get out of bed." It's unlike him to use my real name, so I know he's serious. I mutter my disobedience and stay lying on my stomach on the bed. Eventually, Komodo gives up and jumps off the bed. I bury my face in my pillow and breathe the hot air. I knew he wouldn't understand.

A rogue tear slips from my right eye and falls into the dent my face has made in the pillow. Another tear falls, and not long afterwards, I am crying silently. I hate this so much, and I want to get better, but this is really kicking my arse. If Argost saw me now, he'd lose his flipping mind from the rage. He'd call me pathetic, lazy, and pitiful. He'd tell me how worthless I am and that I need to get my act together or else. He'd tell me all the true things about me. Rage, I have discovered, often reveals what one truly believes, and Argost was the perfect example. I bury face further into the pillow, as if somehow it will hide me from the world. Argost had it right. I really am worthless.

"Lily, do you have a moment?" I know that sad and broken voice anywhere. It's Zak. I roll over onto my back and push myself up. Zak's face is tear stained and blotchy. His eyes are red and puffy. I move over on my bed to make room for him and pat the spot next to me. Zak climbs onto the spot and curls up. The sight is heartbreaking; I have only ever seen Zak cry a few times, but Drew's death has broken him. If this was Beeman's plan the whole time, he succeeded.

I wrap an arm around my brother and give him a comforting squeeze. Zak smiles weakly at me.

"Lily, I miss her so much. I know it's been four months, but it still stings. She was there through everything and understood my powers better than anyone else. She worked so hard to protect all of us, to cover our tracks when Beeman was chasing us, and I couldn't even do the same for her." Zak places his head on my shoulder. "And," his voice breaks, "I keep feeling like I'm wrong and that something's missing." I nod, telling Zak that I understand how he feels.

"Zak, you need to understand that Drew's not coming back."

"I know that, Lily, but I just feel like she's not really gone." Zak sighs and gets off the bed. "I'm sorry, Lily. This was a mistake." He walks over to the door. "Please get something to drink, Iris- I mean Lily. You'll get dehydrated if you don't." Zak leaves the room, and the darkness settles the room. It's a good thing Zak corrected himself; I hate being called Iris, not here, not with these people.

After a while, I get out of bed and get partially ready for the day. I barely glance at the mirror, but it's a long enough glance to show me I have lost a lot of weight. Never mind that, though; it doesn't matter. I wrap up in the bathroom and step out into the living room. I spy Zak, Doc, and the cryptids all sitting there, staring both at each other and off into space, in mournful silence. The sight reminds me of myself nine months ago. An almost tear starts to leave my eye, but I blink it away. I can't do this anymore! How easy it would be to jump from the cliff's edge and hit the water, how easy it would be to hang by a belt and be free from all this. With Drew dead, I have begun to see this world for what it is: a wicked place overflowing with greed and selfishness, and with only a rare few to save it. Even Mom left after we learned she was pregnant. She must have wanted her baby more than me. Maybe swinging by a noose is not a bad idea; it would save the world the trouble of trying to fix me.

I grab something to eat and head outside. I sit in the courtyard for a while, lost in thought. How many months pregnant is Mom? Whose child is it, Dad's or Dr. Beeman's? If it's Dad's, Mom is either near full term, or has past full term; Mom would have to have gotten pregnant before the War if it is Dad's child. Poor Mom; she has been through alot in her life, if I remember her story correctly. I can't imagine having to go through everything she has and yet becoming who she is. What I would give to be like her.

I turn my attention to the sea beyond the cliff housing the airship. I wonder what Ulraj is doing, if he ever thinks of us. The last time we saw him was the memorial service for Drew back in August. It was nothing extravagant, but it brought some closure nonetheless. That small amount of closure was ripped away when a week later, we moved into the new house. Drew would have been so happy to see it, though it lacked life. Now, four months later, it still lacks life. How might things be different if Drew hadn't died?

The sounds of a metal door closing and a car driving away snap my attention back into this world. A mail truck is driving away, so I approach the mailbox to collect its contents. In the mailbox are mostly bills, a couple junk envelopes, and two other envelopes; I pull them out and look at the recipient's name. It's mine, both of mine. Quickly and quietly, I grab the rest of the mail and take it inside. Then I grab the envelopes with my names on them and disappear into my room.

I study the envelopes carefully. One has a return address and the name Iris on it, but the other one is different. The other envelope has no return address and has Miss Iris Van Rook/ Lilianna Saturday on it. The second envelope baffles and bothers me, so I read the one with the return address on it first. It is from Munya; he is giving me an update on his life and his search for his original identity. So far, Dr. Derek Grey seems the most likely. Not much else is in the letter, and I decide I will write a reply later. Then I pick up the second envelope.

There is only a single sheet of paper in the envelope. I pull it out and unfold it, the anxiety growing. Who sent this? Why? How do they know my names? All these questions and more swirl around in my head like a violent storm. Everything goes still when I read the first line.

Dear Miss Iris Van Rook or Miss Lilianna Saturday, November 30

I wish to send my condolences to you and your family for the loss of your mother, Dr. Drew Saturday. She was a charming young woman with a generous heart. She will be much missed. I also wish to send my condolences to you for the loss of your other mother, Dr. Miranda Grey. She was such a strong young woman with deep sense of self sacrifice. I heard she was pregnant; what a shame she disappeared.

It is on that matter that I write you. Losing a mother, or in your case two mothers, is difficult for the child or children left behind, no matter their age. I understand the pain, and I may have a found a way to help you return one of your beloved mothers. Simply tell me as soon as possible, near the beginning of December, which mother you would like to return. To inform me, simply make this shape with either fire and water or earth and air.

Yours truly,

Anonymous

Underneath Anonymous's instructions is a small sketch of an object that resembles a triton. I feel like I've seen that shape before at WeirdWorld, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Then I reread the last sentence in the letter. What did Anonymous mean when xe said "either fire and water or earth and air"? I puzzle over the sentence, trying to figure out what it means. I come up with nothing.

Defeated, I leave my room and return to the living room to join the others in silence. They barely acknowledge my presence, with only Zon looking up to see who came in, but that is nothing new to me. Looking at the group makes me realize something I should probably have seen long ago. We are all flipping depressed. I vaguely remember Dr. Cooper telling me at my last appointment that she wanted me to check in with her most often because she wanted to watch for depression. That was back in August, and it is now December. Could depression have taken over all of us, not just me? By the looks of it, yes.

Zon shrieks, breaking my thoughts. I look up from my lap, which I did not realize I was even staring blankly at, and attempt to see what she sees. I see nothing, so I return to my thoughts, half my attention on the space around me. After much thought, I conclude that the only way to make sense of Anonymous's letter is to write out the given information. I leave the living room and return moments later with the letter, a pencil, and a notepad. I begin noting what I see in the letter.

Gears start turning in my mind as I go over the instructions. I need to do this is private, so I collect my materials and return to my dark bedroom. Flipping on the lights, I start my analysis. What feels like hours later, I throw the notepad away from me with a feeling of frustrating completion. It's a Divining Rod, used by Lemurians to locate nearly anything. If I recall correctly, Fisk is a Lemurian, but Anonymous doesn't seem interested in Fisk. No, xe wants me to create a Divining Rod in order to find whichever mother I choose. And I think I know how to convey my decision.

A few notes later, my hypothesis is solid. Fire and water both have "e" and "r" in them, like the name Drew. Earth and air both have "a" and "r" in them, like the name Miranda, and the word air, when rearranged, resembles the second, third, and fourth letters of Mom's name: ira. But how am I supposed to choose? I look at my closed door and picture the Saturdays sitting out there and Doyle off somewhere; then I replay memories in my mind with Mom and Dad when I was little. I glance down at my notes. Next I look intently out my window.

I have reached my decision.

Sorry I took so long to get this chapter out. I needed time to let my ideas recharge after finishing a different fanfiction. I hope this was an okay chapter to read, even if it was a little slow. I promise things will start picking up; I just needed this chapter to set the stage. Don't forget to follow, favorite, and review! I love you all!