Chapter 2

The Beginning of the Start

Emma and Jake sat next to eachother on the moth eaten couch in the drawing room, as Olive came in, dragging a grumbling Enoch behind her. He had a chicken leg I his hand and was trying to salvage the last of meat off the bone.

It was then they noticed that Miss Peregrine walked in, holding a old scrapbook.

"Miss Peregrine, what's goi-" Emma started, but stopped when she saw the dark look on Miss Peregrine's face.

"Quiet Emma. Now, I suppose you are very confused at my outburst during supper, but this is highly important. As you are aware, now that the loop is closed, you will all be ageing normally. But there is still a threat. Before you knew better then to imagine weddings, children and such, as they would never be forever. The child would simply remain in you, the same size and never change. That however, DOES NOT CHANGE!" Miss Peregrine said, slamming the scrapbook on the coffee table with such force that it caused a dust cloud to form, making them all cough.

"In this book, is every known case of a Peculiar child, and not one, has parents who BOTH have a Peculiarity! No, we wouldn't know how to deal with this. A hundred years ago, Peculiars were hunted, and so they started their own civilisation, they called themselves Gypsies, palm readers, etc.. But with so many fakes, they would simply have children with none Peculiars. But the few who didn't, they didn't live to tell the tale! It was horrible, death left and right, peculiars, acting like monsters. The, thing, was eating them from the inside out!"

"But never! What is the point in being mortal if we can't have a family!" Olive said, her face turning red, and flames flickering in her eyes.

"Please Olive, sit down, you can get married, and have homes, but no, it is too risky. And adoption, that would be awful. The child couldn't protect themselves, the wrights could easily find them. No, it's best if peculiar's just get married to non-peculiars. Then the child will be normal, or peculiar." Miss Peregrine said, shaking her head, walking away.

"Isn't there any way!" Emma whispered. Miss Peregrine shook her head and limped out to her room.

Emma's eyes filled with tears, and she collapsed on the sofa, sobbing into Jake's shoulder.

Olive stormed out and Enoch followed looking slightly awkward.

"Why are you crying Emma, it's Ok. Please don't cry." Jake said stroking her hair, anxiously as if she was a bomb ready to go off.

"It's just, I've waited 83 years for this. I always thought I'd have a family, in the loop I dreamed about it. A little girl, or maybe a boy, with a husband, and cottage. But now, it's all gone!" Emma said, with big tears rolling down her pale cheeks.

"Emma.."

"I'm sorry for being angry earlier, I just got a bit angry." Emma said placing her forehead on his neck.

"We're only 17, I mean we have time. We'll sort this out, if you really want kids." Jake said.

"Don't you want kids?" Emma said looking up in confusion.

"Yeah, sure, but I am still young. Maybe in a few years." Jake said. "Come on now, dry your tears. And since we're alone, what did you want to talk about earlier, on the deck?"

"I just, I wanted to talk about us, our future, now that we have no loop, I'm sure Miss Peregrine will be on the lookout for a new house. And I thought we could, maybe, you know, talk about what happens next. I thought you might leave again, and wanted to assure myself." At this Jake hugged her close, and whispered in her ear, "I will never leave you again. I won't make that mistake again."

The next day at breakfast, Olive was shooting daggers at Miss Peregrine, and Emma had tears streaking her face.

"So what will we be doing today?" Jake said to try and break the uncomfortable silence in the room.

"Well we will dock at Marylough town in Scotland at," Miss Peregrine pulled out a watch. "Exactly 11:53. Now that is only a few hours away, so after breakfast, I would like you to all go and find suitcases lying around, and anything you wish to take with you as we will be selling the boat to a museum for lost artifacts. I have it all sorted out, and then we will go to the safe house in Erichly. Then we shall find a new home, in a new loop, safe from harm." She stood up and everyone sat, gloomy and beaten.

They had had such wonderful adventures, that the idea of leaving the ship was awful.

"Don't look so down children. Come now Claire, Bronwyn, I will help you pack your things." She walked out and Claire and Bronwyn jumped off from their seats and followed.

"Come on, let's go and pack." Emma said, leading them off, down the corridor to their rooms.

As Jake stepped into his room, Emma came in as he was packing.

"Hi."

"Hi." They said, both looking awkward.

"I just remembered you never gave me my gift?"

"Huh?"

"On the deck?" Emma said teasing.

"Oh, I must have forgot," He said before pulling her in for a kiss.

After they broke apart Emma whispered, "Best present ever."