"And then he says, 'You people have too much money!" Greg wiped his eyes. "It's, it's probably a little funnier when you watch it."

Sadie shrugged. "No, no, it sounds... funny. An orphan boy forced to work as a butler for a rich family is... an interesting premise!"

"Huh, never thought of it like that." He took a bite of mashed potato. "Vidalia, thish ish the besht!"

"Yeah, thank you so much for cooking something extra for me!"

"Thanks, Mom."

"You're welcome. And hey, thanks to Greg for making the carrots!" Vidalia leaned back. "It's nice to see so many people over. I can't remember the last time we filled the whole table up; can you, Onion?"

Onion shook his head, ducking under the table.

"Hey, it's alright. You wanna sit on my lap?" She wrapped him in a hug. "Oof, you're getting big, aren'tcha?"

Greg looked over. "Is Onion okay?"

"Yeah, he's still a little sketched out after what happened."

"Aww, I don't blame you." Sadie made a face. "Getting caught up in that... thing, that Gem, that was the scariest day of my life. I almost didn't want to come today, you know?" She looked down, and fiddled with her fork. "Just wanted to stay inside."

Onion nodded vigourously.

"Yeesh, that sounds tough." Sour Cream looked over. "Glad you came, though."

Greg smiled. "Yeah, I'm glad you came too. In times like these... it's kind of nice to be with friends, isn't it?"

"Yeah... yeah, it is."

"You said it, Greg." Vidalia grinned back. "I'm glad both of you came for dinner. You're always welcome around my place."

"Thanks, Vidalia." Greg looked around at the empty plates and stood up. "You need any help with the dishes?"

"Wow, if you could, I'd really appreciate it." She squinted out the window at a pair of headlights. "Who's that pulling up outside?"

Sadie jumped up. "Oh, that must be my mom! Sorry guys, but I gotta go."

Sour Cream waved. "Seeya around, Doughnut Girl."

"Take care, kid!"

"Come back anytime!"

"Thanks! I'll, um, see you guys!" Sadie put on her coat, and started out the door. "Bye!"

She zipped up her coat as she started towards the car. Before she had even opened the door, her mother stuck her head out the window.

"Sadie! You have a good time with your little friends?"

"Yeah... I had a really nice time, actually." She looked back to the way. "Kinda wish I could stay longer. Do you wanna come inside-"

"No, we agreed to this time, and no later!" Barb's hands tightened on the steering wheel. "It's dangerous out here at night. But hey, we can get home, heat up some cocoa, maybe watch one of those TV shows you've been texting your friends about?"

"Huh?" Sadie frowned at her mother. "Wait, did you go through my phone?"

"Yes, but-"

"I can't believe you, Mom! That's my phone; it's private!"

"Yeah... yeah, you're right, Sadie." Barb sighed. "You know, I was just so worried, and I was thinking, maybe you got some message from the thing that took you, or... I don't know. I don't know what I was thinking, honey."

Sadie looked away. "I get that you're scared for me, Mom. I'm... really scared too. But it feels, I dunno, it feels like we've gone back to square one, y'know? After Beachapaloosa, we were doing really well, but-"

"But I've gone back to being an overbearing mother, huh?" Barb nodded. "I'm sorry, honey. I'll work on it, I promise." She hesitated. "You wanna, go back and 'hang' with your friends a little more?"

Through the window, Sadie saw Greg sitting on the couch, back facing them, with Vidalia's arm on his shoulders. He was hunched over, and his head was in his hands. Sour Cream was nowhere to be seen.

"No," Sadie grimaced. "I think they're busy."

"Ah jeez, poor Greg." Barb sighed, and put a hand on Sadie's shoulder. "Can't imagine what the guy must be going through, with his kid being taken an' all. I'll have to drop by his carwash sometime, give him my condolences."

"Yeah." Sadie turned back to her mother, and smiled. "I love you, Mom."

"Love you too, Sadie. More than anything in the world." She planted a kiss on her daughter's forehead, and the put her key in the ignition. "Now, let's get on home!"

They passed by the boardwalk on the way home, lit sparsely by the last few shops closing up for the night. Sadie thought of something funny.

"Hey Mom, why did you think I was texting that giant alien kidnapper?"

Barb grinned. "Well, maybe that was a bit irrational. But your mama wasn't thinking so straight when you first came home, and all Greg could tell me was that you'd been kidnapped by some big yellow thing. It just, uh, it struck me as a possibility, you know?"

"Haha, I guess... Do you- wait, nevermind."

"Something on your mind, Sadie?"

"Well, I've just been thinking, what was that thing that took us? It was like two people, but then they combined to make one big person. And where are they taking Lars and Steven?" Sadie shook her head. "I mean, I knew Steven had something going on, but this seems so much bigger. I just wish I knew a bit more about what it was, who these mystery people are that came and took us."

Barb said nothing.

"Hey, look, there's Steven's house!" Sadie pointed, then frowned. "The lights are still on."

"Maybe it's those three ladies Steven lives with."

"Yeah... the Gems." She frowned. "Hey, Mom, could you stop the car a second?"

"Uh, sure. Why?"

"I just want to ask them something." She opened the door. "You can come, if you-"

"If I want? I'm right behind you, Sadie!"

"Okay." Sadie stepped down, feeling her foot sink into the sand. "Let's, um, let's do this."

They trudged across the beach, the gentle waves washing in and out next to them. Rounding the cliffs, Barbara and Sadie climbed the steps to arrive at Steven's house.

It didn't look different at all, Sadie thought. It was hard to believe her friend wasn't living there anymore. He was in space, somewhere, with Lars.

"You alright, honey?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She composed herself and reached a hand up to the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

The gentle sound faded out quickly, leaving only silence. Sadie knocked again.

Knock, knock, knock.

Nobody answered.

"Maybe they're not home." Barbara scratched her head. "Eh, we can always come back later."

Sadie caught something at the edge of her vision; was that something, or someone, behind the counter? She raised her hand, just one last time.

Knock, knock, knock.

Dead silence. No movement. Sadie sighed.

"Yeah, forget about it. Let's go home."