We decided to write a story where we fall in the Underland. It sounded fun. YAY! In our version, Ares is alive because he is too cool to die. It takes place after the fifth book, so everyone is the same age they were.

Disclaimer: We do not own The Underland Chronicles.

Chapter 1:

Gregor stared down at the scars covering his body. He was only twelve. He shouldn't have to do deal with this, but he does. A tiny hand reached up and grabbed his wrist.

"Gregor! Daddy make pancakes!" His 3-year-old sister Boots cried happily.

He followed her to the kitchen table where he was greeted with a stack of pancakes. Ms. Cormaci filled up his plate and sat where his Grandma should be sitting. She had passed away shortly after he came back from the Underland a month ago. He looked up at his Dad. At least he was better. The fevers were almost gone. He can't go back to work yet, but it was still better than before. His eight-year-old sister Lizzie was shivering. It was the middle of winter, and they had gotten lucky with a snow day the day before Christmas break. Ms. Cormaci wrapped another coat around Lizzie's shaking shoulders. Boots was already a sticky mess.

"More pancake!" Boots said.

Gregor plopped two more pancakes on Boots's plate. They were doing a lot better in terms of money. Selling things from the museum was really a good idea. He scarfed down his food and asked to be excused from the table. He went out the door and to the laundry room. Finally, after waiting for a woman to finish folding her clothes, he ran to the dryer and looked at the grate. He saw the tightly folded scroll, hidden between the vent and the wall. He grabbed it and ran back to his apartment. The second he was in his room he opened the letter.

Gregor-

I find myself without much to talk about. Ares's wounds are healing more each day. I am thinking Howard and Nike will end up as bonds, as they are almost inseparable. Hazard lost a tooth last night and the tooth flier came to visit while he slept, which was most exciting. I am well, although I most often find myself wondering when your next visit will be. How is life in the overland? I bet there is much snow. Someday you must take me up there to see what snow looks like. I mastered a new move in training today and maybe I can teach it to you. How is your family? Tell our young codebreaker Lizzie that Ripred says hello and he received the batch of brownies she sent down. Write back when you get the time, I wish to hear from you.

Love, Luxa.

He read it over and over, savoring every word. They had been speaking by letter since he left. He was just about to write his response when Lizzie called for him. He reluctantly left his room to see Boots swinging a sled above her head.

"We go sedding Gregor?"

"Okay Pincess, we can go sledding."

He pulled on some boots and a slightly small winter coat. He lead his sisters out the door and they made their way to Central Park.

It was a cold winter day. Of course, Lizzie began shivering immediately, whereas Boots ran straight for a hill. Gregor asked Lizzie if she was okay and she nodded. They got to an impatient Boots at the top of the hill. Every time they got to the bottom, boots would yell, "Again! Again Gregor!" They stayed out there for a couple of hours, but when Gregor started getting cold, he realized that they had been out there long enough. They started home despite Boots's protests. They made it home to find Mrs. Cormaci ladling soup into large bowls. His mouth was watering and he eagerly sat down. After lunch, Gregor went down to the basement to not only do the laundry, but to respond to Luxa's scroll. He spent a while thinking, but he finally decided on this:

Dear Luxa,

I've been thinking about visiting you and Ares. You're right, there's tons of snow on the ground. Not much is new in the overland, although Boots can finally say my name. I can't wait to see all of you down there, it's been really lonely. I haven't been able to have as much fun in the overland because of all of the scars. Tell Ripred that Lizzie says hi.

Love, Gregor.

He turned to put his letter in the grate but something caught his eye. Wedged in the grate was another scroll. He opened it, curious as to who it was from. It read:

Gregor the Overlander and family,

You are cordially invited to the ceremony of bonding between Howard and Nike. Please meet Aurora at noon tomorrow.

Signed, Queen Luxa

He was so excited he almost forgot the laundry. He grabbed it and ran back upstairs.

"Dad! Dad! We got invited to Howard and Nike's bonding ceremony tomorrow!"

His dad read the letter and went to talk to his mother. After about ten minutes they came into the living room. His Mom's face was plastered with a frown as she said,

"We will go down there for the ceremony and nothing else! And only because I owe that boy for helping me when I got that plague! Don't think I'm happy about this!"

"Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

He raced into the room his sisters shared and told them the news. Lizzie shrieked with joy at the idea of seeing Ripred again while Boots chanted "Me see Temp! Me see Temp!" That night, as Gregor brushed his teeth he couldn't help but get very excited.

I'm finally going back down. he thought.

So that's our first chapter! Ripred wants you to click the little review button down there. If we get a lot of reviews we'll put up the next chapter really fast. Thanks for reading!