Author's Note: Thanks so much for all the responses! I'm so excited for a full week of all new episodes, it'll definitely be interesting to see what happens next. Anyway, here's the next chapter-I tried to make it a little longer for some of you. Hope you like it!

Patricia lifted her head up towards the window, studying the scene in Victor's office. "Okay, he's still in there; we're going to have to create some sort of distraction."

Nina glanced around the hallway, her eyes landing on a medium-sized vase, "I think I've got an idea." Reluctantly, she handed Patricia the attic key, "I'm trusting you; don't make me regret it."

Patricia nodded, watching as Nina crept forward towards the vase. She snatched if off the table and hurried over to the banister, checking to make sure no one was around, before hurling it straight towards the floor.

Victor charged out of his office after hearing the boisterous crash, "What was that?"

"I'm sorry," Nina grinned sheepishly, maintaining a look of innocence. "I didn't see the vase, and I just totally tripped. I'm such a klutz."

"Well then, we'll be taking a trip to the cleaning room," Victor ordered. "The next time I look at that floor, it better sparkle like those love-sick vampires you girls are always blabbering. Oh, and try not to break any more things, or else I will make you pay for it."

Once Victor and Nina were out of sight, Patricia ducked into the empty office, making sure to keep her eye on the door as she expertly placed the key back onto the shelf. She was just about to get the heck out of there, when she noticed a laptop laying open on Victor's desk. Completely unguarded.

Patricia scanned the hall quickly before leaning down to read the screen. It was Joy's e-mail. Word for word! "I knew it," she muttered fiercely.

"I mean it young lady; thirty minutes and that floor had better be spotless."

Hurriedly, Patricia placed Victor's key ring back on his desk and tore out of the room just in time to meet him at the top of the stairs.

"Don't you have homework to do?" Victor questioned crassly when he spotted her loitering near his door.

"Yes, but-"

"Then get to it!" He sneered

Sparkle, shine, all in thirty minutes time. Nina laughed to herself as she scrubbed the floor, humming Victor's earlier commands. Hopefully, Patricia kept true to her word and got the key back in its slot, or else Nina had just placed herself on Victor's watch list for nothing. (Not to mention, having to clean off the four year-old dust that was caked on the floor). She grimaced as she dunked the soapy rag back in the bucket off water, about to ring it out when someone grabbed her shoulder.

"Ahh!"

"Nina, it just me," Fabian hushed with an amused smirk.

Nina gasped and hit him with the dry rag she'd laid over her shoulder. "Don't do that! You scared the bejeebers out of me."

Fabian grinned, "I can tell, sorry." He looked down at the spilt bucket of water and abandoned wet rag, "What I can't tell, however, is what in the world you're doing."

Nina laughed and looked at the cleaning supplies, alarmed to find water gliding onto the floor, "Oh! Victor is going to be furious," she muttered, attempting to soak up the drenched floor. "I, um, kind of knocked a vase over the banister, and now I have to clean the floor until it shines. His words, not mine."

"How did you knock a vase over?" He questioned, peering up at the rail, "I don't even remember a vase being there." Fabian shook his head, "Never mind. I came to tell you that your grandmother is on the line."

"Really?" Nina dropped the rag she was using, and rushed over to the phone excitedly. She grabbed the phone swiftly and turned to Fabian, "Could you give me a minute?"

Fabian blushed, embarrassed that he hadn't thought to leave already, "Oh, of course. Just come find me when you're ready; I'll help you finish cleaning up."

Nina nodded and smiled halfheartedly, eager for her new friend to leave. When Fabian finally did retreat into the living room, Nina cleared her throat and lifted the phone to her ear, "Gram?"

"Nina!" She could practically hear the smile on her grandma's face. "How are you doing? I haven't heard from you in so long!"

"Grandma, it's only been a couple of days," Nina laughed. "But, yeah, I miss you too. Everything's going great; I've made tons of more friends."

"Oh sweetie, that's great." Her grandma frowned, "What's on your mind-you seem distracted."

"It's nothing," Nina paused, trying to decide whether or not to confess about everything. "Did you send my scholarship forms in on time?"

"Of course," her grandma replied undoubtedly. "Why; are they giving you trouble?"

"No, everything's fine," she explained hastily, "I'm just wondering why the money transfer took so long."

"Oh, you know how those things work," he grandma dismissed airily. "Mail gets mishandled all the time-especially when it has to cross an entire ocean."

"You're right," Nina agreed quickly, regretting ever mentioning it. "I'm just over-thinking things; you know how I am."

Her grandmother laughed, "I certainly do. Alright, I guess I should let you get back to your friends. I miss you, but I'm glad you're having a good time."

Nina smiled, trying to not cry again, "I miss you too, Gram. I'll talk to you soon. Love you."

..

Fabian frowned from his hiding spot in the hallway. Why did Nina want to know about her scholarship money? It wasn't like she didn't have bigger problems to worry about. Silently, he watched her bid her grandmother good-bye and fall into the armchair by the phone. He was just about to go out and comfort her, when a cool voice cut through the room.

"We're not homesick already, are we Nina?"

Nina looked up as Jerome sauntered into the room. She hurriedly wiped the tears off her face and attempted a smile, "Of course not; why, disappointed?"

Jerome guffawed, repeating her words mockingly, "Of course not." He leaned towards her and winked, "After all, we're just getting to know each other."

Nina giggled at his flirtatious comment, but Fabian could tell how uncomfortable it had made her. "You mean, we don't know each other enough already?"

He smirked at her and headed into the kitchen, "Trust me sweetheart; everyone has secrets."