AN: Sad chapter but strangely fun to write. I hope it's also fun to read, even though it's sad.

Peter was three years old now and more lonely than ever. Elise came to see him less and less frequently. The last time he'd seen her had been nearly four and a half months ago. That is, the last time he'd seen her because she'd visited him was four and a half months ago. The last time he'd actually caught sight of her was two days ago.

There was a dinner party being given down stairs and Peter had tip-toed passed the sleeping head-maid and into the sitting room where everyone talked before dinner. He cleverly crawled into the wardrobe pulled the door almost all the way shut (Almost, because even at three Peter knew better than to shut himself in a wardrobe). He thought the wood behind him felt very cold and thought. "Wouldn't it be funny if it turned into a snowy wood?" But of course that was pure silliness. Think of a wood inside a wardrobe.

Even if there is a magic wardrobe somewhere in the world-though likely there's not-I certainly wont be the one to find it. Peter thought to himself. Then he had no more time for thinking because his mother entered the room and he wanted to hear what she was saying.

"Yes, Anne, it's true." Elise said as she took a sip of wine from the crystal glass Jacob had handed her. (It had been at least a year since Peter had last seen his father, Jacob at this point. And with all honesty I cannot say he wasn't secretly very happy to see him there despite Jacob's obvious lack of interest in being a father). "We are moving to a new house next week."

"What's it like?" Anne asked.

"Nicer than this one." Elise said. "A bit smaller but newer and in a richer part of town."

"Will you sell this house, Elise?" Another woman asked.

"No." Elise shook her head. "Jacob and I talked it over and realized we don't need the money from the house. We have so much money cramming up the bank right now that the tellers complain they can't fit it all. We're going to close off the house until we decide what'll be done with it."

"What about giving it to Jacob's brother?" Anne suggested. "It was their father's house and he's awful fond of it."

"Mr. Burke left the house to Jacob not his brother." Elise said firmly. "and my sister seems to fancy that hideous shack she lives in so what good would it do?" (Auntie did not live in a shack it was a very nice house but was much smaller and less showy than Elise's and thus was not approved by rich snobs such as them.)

"I trust your new home has a good sized nursery?" One of Jacob's friends said.

"No." Elise told them. "It has no nursery at all."

"What will you do about the little brat then?" One lady asked. "Where will you put him?"

"Don't worry." Jacob said. "We've already decided what's to be done about little Parker."

"Peter." Elise corrected him.

"Whatever." Jacob took a sip of wine and looked indifferent to the fact that he still couldn't remember his own son's name.

Peter felt very excited at hearing this news. They weren't going to shut him up in the nursery anymore. At the new home he'd be part of the family at last. What was to be done about him surely meant that he'd be given a normal room that he could go in and out of as he pleased. And in a smaller house Elise would have less too watch over and more time for him. And maybe the head-maid wouldn't come. Peter didn't like her. He didn't mind Lessie, Eliza, and Adele so much because they rarely bossed him or insisted he do (Or stop doing) anything. But the head-maid was another matter. He wished she'd go away and Gwen would come back. Gwen had always been kind and thoughtful even when she scolded him. The only thing he worried about at this new place would be if he could still go to his spot in the park. Would it be too far away? Perhaps with mother around he wouldn't even miss it. Or need it.

During the next few days, boxes were packed left and right and Peter was kept in the nursery (As usual) and out of the hair of the movers. Then one day after everything had been packed up, Elise walked in the room.

"Mum!" Peter cried happily.

"Come darling," She took his hand and marched him out of the nursery. "We're going for a drive today."

Peter was fairly shaking with excitement. He'd never been on a drive before. He'd seen his parents go out in their shinny car often but they never took him with them. He was even more excited when he saw that Jacob was in the car too. Oh he was going to send more time with the family now! Wasn't this the very nicest thing that had ever happened to him in his whole life?

"Why are you shaking?" Elise asked her son. "You don't need to be scared. We're taking you to a very nice place."

The new house, that's where they're taking me, Thought Peter. It must be very nice if mother likes it so. She has good taste. I wonder, will I miss this house at all? I don't think I will.

"Well little Patrick," His father said in a proud voice as he started up the car. "Today is a very big day for you."

"Dear, his name is Peter." Elise corrected him again.

Why couldn't his father remember his name? Well, no matter. He'd have to remember once they all started doing things together as a family. And then he'd never be called Paul, Parker, or Patrick again.

"Anyway, little...er...child," Jacob started again. "I think you'll like where we're taking you. They'll be lots of other children for you to run and play with."

Why were there other children at the new house? He'd thought it would be just him and them. Oh well, it might be nice to have someone to play with. Father could be right.

I wonder how many other children will be at this new house. Peter thought. What if I don't like them? Will mum like them better than me? I do hope they wouldn't dislike me.

The car stopped in front of a large building with gray-bricks and iron siding and arches. Peter didn't think it was so great. This house wasn't pretty at all unlike the one they'd just left. But he didn't care. So long as it made mother and father happy and so long as they were all together, it was alright.

"Do make it quick, Elise." Jacob said. "We've a lot to do today."

Make what quick? Wondered Peter. What's going on?

Elise took him out of the back of the car and carried him into the building.

Say, Peter thought. This is the first time Mum's ever carried me anywhere. usually she makes me stay in the nursery or walk by her side if we're out doors.

Inside the house were long wooden hallways that reeked of overly-strong pine wood. Elise set him down now and took his hand leading him all the way into one of the side rooms where a man sat behind a desk.

What's he doing here? Peter wondered. Is he the new butler? Why does he sit behind a desk like that looking all tired? Maybe he's the cook?

"Mrs. Burke I presume?" The man asked with out looking up from his stack of papers.

"That's me." Elise said.

Now the man looked up. He walked over to Peter and bent down on his knee so they were eye to eye. "This must be Peter."

He knows my name. Peter thought excitedly. Mother must have told him. Mother does care. Things are going to be very different from now on.

"How old are you, Peter?" The man asked.

"Three." Peter told him.

"My name is Mr. Smelter." The man said shaking Peter's hand. "You're the youngest one here."

The other children, Peter remembered. I'm the youngest of all of them. Why is that?

"Oh aren't there any children his own age for him to play with?" Elise asked looking rather disappointed for a moment.

"We have two four year olds." Mr. Smelter told her. "Twins a boy and a girl. Most of the others are between seven and twelve."

"Well that's not too bad." Elise quickly got over her disappointment. "Peter, be a good boy and don't give Mr. Smelter or the other nice people here a hard time. Okay?"

"Yes mum." Peter said wondering why his mother looked like she was about to leave. She wasn't just going to leave him with Mr. Smelter was she?

Outside Jacob honked the car horn. "Let's get a move on!"

"Hold your horses!" Elise shouted out the window. Then she gave Peter a kiss on the forehead and left the room, went down the hallway, and out the door.

"Well then, Peter, are you ready to meet the others?" Mr. Smelter asked.

"Okay." Peter said agreeably. He might as well do something until mother realized that in her hurry she'd forgotten him. And father would have to turn the whole car around. Poor mother, Father was in such a hurry and he'd be mad when she remembered she'd forgotten him here.

A tall woman named Arabelle came into Mr. Smelter's office and took Peter's hand, leading him into another room.

This room was very different from Mr. Smelter's office. It had a long gray carpet on the floor instead of just wood. And there was a table with newspapers on it. All the newspapers were scribbled on with crayons. (Peter later found out this was because none of the children had coloring books so you used newspapers). There was also a row of chairs in from of a small wooden radio. There were a few toys and games most of which were missing a piece or two scattered around here and there. And about twenty stuffed animals that looked rather old and beaten up were stacked in one corner.

But what was more interesting than the room itself was the children in it. Two eleven year old boys and a twelve year old girl all sat in front of the radio listening to it. The two boys there looked exactly alike and had to be twins they had dark hair and eyes that matched the color of their hair. The girl looked just like them and was probably their older sister. None of those three noticed Peter and Arabelle enter the room. Of if they did, they didn't care.

The two four year twins a boy and a girl were sitting at the table coloring newspapers. The girl had long red hair that was down to her waist and green eyes, the boy had brown hair and green eyes. They noticed Arabelle.

"Arabelle!" Cried the girl twin happily. "Who is that?"

"He's new." Arabelle told them. "His name is Peter Burke."

"Hey, that's real close to my name!" The girl laughed. "I'm Petta Borke. It'll be like having a brother."

Her real brother frowned. "I'm you're brother."

"But you're not fun, Carl." Petta said. "I want a different brother."

"How old are you?" Carl asked.

"Three." Peter told them.

"Then we're older and you have to do whatever we say." Carl decided. "This will be fun after all. We wont be the babies anymore."

"Now, Carl." Arabelle gave him a stern look. "What did we say about bossing other children?"

"That it's bad?" Carl said.

"Right and no one will want to adopt you if you're bad will they?" Arabelle reminded him. "People want good little children, who are kind to those younger and newer than they are."

"People will want me." Petta decided. "I'm the nicest child here."

"No you're not!" Carl shouted.

"Carl's right." a six year old named Emily cut in. "I'm much nicer than you."

"Are not, Emily!" Petta argued.

"Are too Petta!" Emily argued back. "I shared my lunch with a stray cat."

"Well, I shared my dinner with a stray dog and a hurt bird." Petta said loudly. "and in going to befriend the new kid so that makes me the nicest one."

"I'm going to be his friend too." Emily said only because she didn't want to be out-done by Petta.

"Copy cat." She said.

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"Don't say mean things about my sister." Carl cut in. "She's better than you."

"Is not." Emily insisted.

Emily best friend Matthew challenged Carl to a fist fight which Arabelle had to put a stop to by sending them both to bed early.

Peter looked up at Arabelle. "When mum come back?" He asked. He didn't like the other children much.

"Oh your Mum's not coming back." The girl in front of the radio said moving a lock of dark hair away from her eyes.

"Madison!" Arabelle scolded. "He's three!"

"Still. he ought to know." Madison said coolly. She pointed to her brothers. "Our grandma dropped us off here when we were your age and we're still here. What does that tell you?"

Peter started to cry. Somehow he knew that they were telling the truth and the Elise was not coming back.

"Oh, well done, Madison!" One of her brothers barked. "You've made the little blighter cry!"

"Shut up Ronnie."

"No you shut up."

"Don't tell Madison to shut up." The other brother cut him.

"Stay out of this Ralph!"

Peter didn't hear them arguing. He could hear nothing over his own sobs.

AN: Aren't Jacob and Elise the worst? Well whatja think of the chapter? Let me know. Review.