"What the hell?!" Cassidy yelled out as he got up from his seat, "The government ignores us for nearly 10 years and now this? They can't do that, Charles!"

"Apparently, they can if we're US citizens" Charles sighed.

Alex chimed in, "So they can just send us a packet of mail telling us to pack up and get ready for war?"

Jacqueline shook her head, "The humans already hate us enough, now they want our students to bunk with them? They will be fighting with each other rather than the enemy"

"They're already running out of humans to draft and now they want our own" Rebecca sighed.

"We have to turn ourselves over or else we'll be known as fugitives of the law and they'll shut us down permanently" Hank informed everyone.

Jane straightened up, "What's going to happen to the school?"

"We will have to preserve" Charles said in a low voice, "Go on for as long as we can in this school until it's financially impossible. Hopefully, it won't come down to that and everyone will be back in no time. Hank and I physically can't due to my paralyzation and his health issues on file. I am trusting that the two of you will help look after the children"

"Us?" Alex asked as he gestured to both Cassidy and himself.

Rebecca stood up from her spot and walked over to the window as she gazed out to everyone. They had faculty meetings once a month so this didn't seem to worry the children running, playing sports, and sitting out and enjoying the sun. Charles had said that he was going to announce this to everyone at dinner tonight. This made her heart sink as she had told one of her students that they were safe within these walls. Now it felt like a big fat lie on her part as she could now imagine what their faces would look like from hearing the news that more than half of their students were going to Vietnam soon.

She turned back around and faced the rest of the staff who were talking amongst each other about what to do. A lump rose in her throat as just two months ago, she had called this place her home. Now she was watching it being destroyed over some silly war and she couldn't do anything to stop it. Rebecca folded her arms over her chest and blinked back the tears to stop herself from crying in front of everyone.

Charles glanced to both Jacqueline and Rebecca, "You both are women and won't be called up unless you willingly draft yourselves. The choice is yours once the school isn't able to become operable. I advise that the both of you go back home to enjoy this time with your own family"

"No… I'm staying here" Rebecca said from her corner.

The words had come out before she could even think about them and actually surprised herself. She always loved going back home on vacation but this time, it meant that if she was going back home, she didn't know when she was coming back. She glanced to Charles who stared at her, knowing she loved home more than anything before Rebecca walked across the room and left the office to go to her garden to think.

"It's been a year, Rebecca" Hank said from behind her.

"I know" Rebecca pulled out some vegatables and placed it in the basket.

"You should be with your family, not us. I can take care of him, you know that" Hank urged.

Rebecca glanced up, "Yeah, I can see that. With Charles taking the serum when he even feels like his telepathy is coming back"

"Have you tried stopping him lately?" Hank countered.

Rebecca sighed as she leaned back onto her heels and looked up to him, "Everyone else could've but us. I'm sorry, Hank, that was uncalled for"

"It's alright, I've been in the same position as you" Hank sat down on the stone bench next to her, "Falling for someone who doesn't realize you have feelings for them"

Rebecca glanced back down to her flowers, "How did you know?"

Hank scoffed, "It's not that hard to see when a homebody refuses to go home. Just not clear enough for Charles"

"He's got other things on his mind" Rebecca mused, "Problem is, it's only his mind that's corrupting him right now"

Hank sighed, "I just wish there was other things we could do for him"

"We can't" Rebecca sighed.

Hank shifted in his seat, "On second thought, I actually like having you around"

"And why is that?" Rebecca asked, "Because I'm the only person here that's not high or drunk all the time?"

Even though it was a serious manner, Hank let out a chuckle as Rebecca got up and picked up a basket as Hank picked up two. Together, the two former teachers walked out of her garden and across the empty field. She still found it difficult to notice how quiet the mansion was without the students wandering about. Rebecca glanced up to Charles' window and wasn't surprised to see the curtains were still drawn closed. She wished that some days he would come out and enjoy the sun and company of the other two living inside of the house but lately, he only came down to eat or get more drinks.

Hank walked into the kitchen first, "At least you cook better food than I do"

"Without me, my garden would rot, you would eat TV food dinners, and gotten seriously unhealthy" Rebecca chimed in, "So who put you up to begging me to come home if you just gave up so easily"

Hank didn't even act surprised as he leaned on the counter, "Your dad. He just said that you're going to miss your brothers birthday soon and would like to see you with the family for a while"

"Then you should've told him that I lost my job position and not my calendar if he thinks he can use my brother's birthday which is in April to get me to come home" Rebecca chuckled.

"Is that why you don't answer the phone?" Hank asked.

Rebecca sighed, "I have to hear that conversation every time, the only normal one is my little brother"

Hank huffed, "Don't be surprised if they start using him to convince you to come back home"

Rebecca heard shuffling feet before she looked up and a second later, Charles walked into the kitchen as he rubbed his hands over his face. He grunted at the afternoon light and turned away as he walked closer to Hank and Rebecca. She turned and took a glance over to her friend who shared the same concern on his face as Charles leaned too hard onto the island. Charles plopped himself onto the chair in front of them as he groaned and rubbed his eyes some more before squinting up at the pair.

Rebecca walked over to the counter along the wall and picked up a plate that she made as she walked over and set it in front of Charles. He then gave a lazy smile as he picked up the fork and gazed down to the new breakfast. She had made Breakfast Chorizo Egg Polenta Pancakes, knowing he would need that after he woke up.

She gave a sideways glance to Hank who seemed almost amused with himself as he waited alongside with her. Charles broke into his food and took a mouthful before he could test it out.

A second later, his face changed as he coughed but forced himself to swallow down the food he just ate.

Rebecca straightened herself up as she continued to take stock of her food and store them properly. Charles glanced over to her and wondered if she realized there was something different with his food. He looked up to Hank who seemed to be mesmerized with an onion he had just picked up. He glanced back down to his meal in front of him as he wondered what he did to deserve this. He picked at the food before he looked up to Rebecca walking back to her pile.

He opened his mouth to tell her about his food but before he could say anything, Chase walked in and jumped up onto the counter. Rebecca turned to him as if he had called to her before she started to have a one-sided conversation with the feline. She then scoffed and pet his head for a couple of seconds before she took out food for the cat. He watched as Chase devoured his own food before Rebecca turned back and noticed that Charles had only took one bite.

"The food is cold!" Charles blurted out.

"It would've been warm if you were here in the morning" Rebecca told him.

Charles' eyebrows furrowed before he glanced over to the clock as it read 1:40 in the afternoon.

Charles groaned as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Oh, bloody hell"

"You usually make an effort to come down for breakfast" Rebecca told him.

"I know" Charles sighed, "I was just up really late last night, I'm sorry"

Rebecca shook her head, "Don't apologize, just eat the food"

Charles grimaced again, "You can't be serious"

"Are you calling my food disgusting?" Rebecca challenged, "Even if it's cold?"

Charles hesitated before he answered as he gave a cautious look down to his plate before glancing up to Rebecca. She leaned back onto her heels and nodded down to the plate. He glanced off cautiously over to the microwave oven before looking back to Rebecca. She glared at him for even looking in that direction, he knew fully well that she hated heating up food, especially when this was meant to be a lesson for him. Charles cleared his throat and leaned into the table as he picked up his fork again.

Hank smiled, "Think about it for next time. You missed a great meal when she made it nice and hot"

"Oh, shut up, Hank" Charles said with his mouthful of cold food.

"Next time I will give you what Chase eats" Rebecca said as she nodded over to the cat.

"At least he's enjoying it" Charles was about to take another bite when his plate disappeared from beneath him, "Oh come on, I was actually eating that"

Rebecca continued to walk over to the trash, "And because of your comment, you will either wait until dinner or make yourself lunch"

"Bloody hell" Charles groaned as Rebecca and Hank shared a smirk as Charles laid his head on the cool steel table.