House of Secrets

Disclaimer: We don't own House of Anubis. The only thing we own is Elsie. I know most of the words are the same but... if you have a problem with that it's yours to deal with.

Enjoy!

R & R !

Link for Elsie's outfit:

Out on the streets: Pajamas from Ep 2

Clothes after school: cgi / set?id= 70067207 (Take out spaces)

Super Quick Author's Note:

OMG! We are sooo sorry for all those people who've been readin gand have just gone ,"When is hte next chapter comin' up?"

Been far too busy sorting Social Services stuff out that we have had no time to right.

Cam back from a day and realised my sister Gabby has pretty much favourited every story she's read. Thousands of Favourites now. Absolute CHAOS!

But here it is.

Please read, review, enjoy.

Review and it'll help the plot foxes plot the next chapter quicker.

Plot foxes are kinda like Swiper from Dora, though instead of swipi, they plot ideas for us.

"Plot Foxes no plotting!"

ENJOY!

"Ow! Stop it Patricia that hurts!"

Patricia put down the pillow she was using to whack Alfie and spoke.

"I need the truth. Did you or did you not, sneak into the bathroom last night, while I was showering and write on the mirror?"

The last four words came with four whacks form the pillow. Jerome, who was sitting on his bed across the room, doing up his tie, smirked.

"No! No!"

"You swear?"

"Yes I swear. On Sprocket's life."

"Who?"

"Sprocket my dog. I swear on his life I didn't do it."

With a threatening look on her face, Patricia picked up the pillow.

"Patricia."

The voice made her look towards the boy sitting calmly on the other bed in the room, tying his tie.

"Maybe, you just need to accept the inevitable."

"What's that?"

Holding his hands up and donning an evil look, Jerome spoke.

"Something sinister happened to Joy and she's trying to contact you?"

Alfie, forgotten on his bed, burst out laughing, making ghost noises in between his fits of laughter.

With another whack to Alfie from the pillow, Patricia huffed and left the room, ignoring the sounds coming from Jerome as he taunted her.

Once the door closed, the two boys spoke.

"I did not know you have a dog."

"Nope. Allergic."

With that Jerome burst out laughing, imagining Elsie's face when he told her what had happened.

"It's not like you to go wandering Emily."

Elsie was confused. The lady had said her name was Sarah, not Emily.

The nurse, who finished shutting the door behind her, spoke.

"She's rather confused as you've probably realised. But she's not normally a sprinter."

Pulling Elsie's cardigan off Emily/Sarah's shoulders, she handed it back to Elsie.

"Here you are sweetheart."

Elise could only smile back. Nobody called her sweetheart. Families did that. And she had no family.

A picture on the wall caught Elsie's attention.

"Hang on a minute. That's my school. Anubis House. She said she used to live there."

A laugh from the nurse had Sarah looking affronted.

"I don't think so. Although with some of these old dear's you never know. Truth is, we know very little about Emily's background."

'Emily' held a withered finger up to her lips, as though to silence the nurse using her own mouth.

"Isn't that right, Emily?"

"There's no need to shout, I'm not deaf you know."

The response had Elsie giggling, earning a smile from Sarah, and a disapproving glare from the nurse. Her smile dissolved quickly after that.

Amber's blonde head popped round the door to her boyfriend's room.

"Hey, want to walk over to class together?"

"Sure. Oh… by the way I forgot to give you this yesterday."

While he spoke, Mick handed his half eaten banana to Amber and turned around to get something on the other side of the room, by his bed.

"A half-chewed banana."

Mick was glad he couldn't see the look on her face.

" No, this."

With a gasp, Amber accepted the light blue box, trading it for the banana which Mick continued to eat.

"Oh Mick I love it! What is it?"

The question was almost an afterthought as she hadn't opened it yet.

"I bought it while I was away."

"Oh Mick! It's so me. You know how I love things on my wrists!"

With a squeal she threw her arms around the blonde boy.

The two parted when a brunette head popped around the open doorway.

"Hey Mick I- sorry. Am I disturbing something?"

"Yes."

"No."

The conflicting answers had Amber sending Mick a sharp look.

"Okay. I was just wondering what time you wanted to work on that Biology assignment."

"I could help you with that if you like Mick."

Mick laughed, much to Mara's amusement and Amber's chagrin.

"Ha! You knock me out babe. Six o'clock?"

"Fine with me."

The next thing though to appear from her boyfriend's lips had Amber's blood boiling.

"We're just about to head over to class. Do you want to come with us Maraculaous?"

With Mick turning away to grab his bag, Amber could only mouth her question to Mara.

Maraculous?

A knock on the door had Mr. Sweet jumping from his chair.

"Come."

Stomping her way in, Patricia stood in front of the headmaster's desk.

"Yes Patricia?"

"I need to know what's happened to Joy."

"Nothing has happened to Joy. Her parents decided to remove her from the school that's all."

"When you came into our class yesterday, you said 'someone' is here to see you."

"Yes that's right."

"Why didn't you say your parents are here to see you?"

"What?"

"Unless it wasn't her parents."

Mr. Sweet chuckled at that.

"Now you're just being silly."

"Ad why did she leave her phone behind? And why hasn't she called me? And why haven't her parents-"

"Patricia. Calm down. I'm sure Joy will get in touch in her own time. And if she doesn't, perhaps it means she doesn't want to."

Ignoring the aching stab in her chest at those words, she asked just one more question.

"How did that Elsie girl get in so fast?"

The question was one Mr. Sweet was not expecting.

"Elsie Rhodes has had an application waiting in many boarding schools around the country for a many number of months. We just so happened to be the first school with an opening. And due to her situation, we decided it would be best to rush her enrolment."

Patricia's face was one of confusion.

"What do you mean situation? What does that even-"

"Ah! Would you look at the time? I have a staff meeting and you need to get ready for your next class."

"But sir -"

"Out."

And stomp out she did.

"Ok. Ground rules. You help Mick with one Biology assignment and then that's it. Ok?"

"Ok. It's not like I begged to tutor him."

"Mara? Amber?"

With a wave of her hand, Patricia signalled the two over from where they were walking to look at the school photo she was currently studying.

"Look at this."

"I know. Don't rub it in. Bad hair day."

Amber's quick response had Patricia sighing.

"Forget your hair Amber. Where's Joy?"

"Didn't she go home with her parents yesterday."

Without even looking to her left Patricia whacked Amber round the head, ignoring her 'ow' and indignant complaints about her now ruined hair.

"I meant here. In this photo?"

With a quick agreement with Patricia's question, Amber walked away leaving Patricia with a slightly smarter person to talk to.

"Wasn't she away that day? With tonsillitis or something."

"No. She was standing right here next to me when that was taken!"

"It was nearly 18 months ago Patricia. You can't be certain."

And with that Mara walked away. Leaving Patricia with her thoughts.

"I've been waiting so long keeping the secret."

The words coming out of Emily's mouth, confused Elsie. She was due back at school. She'd already missed class. But she had told the nurse she'd stay for tea.

"I'm sorry what?"

"Now it's your turn."

With surprisingly quick movements, Sarah was out of her chair passing something into Elsie's hands.

"Quick take this. But keep it well hidden. Or they'll take it away from you. They take everything away from you in the end."

Elsie looked down at the locket in her hands. It was shaped like a pointed oval with a red gem of some kind set in the middle. It looked like it was made of wood and metal.

"Sorry, but I can't take this it's -"

"But you must! It will keep you safe."

Elsie was slightly affronted at those words. She was perfectly capable of looking after herself.

"There's treasure hidden in that house. And only you have the power to find and protect it. But you must be careful. There's danger in that house. Evil. It's a bad house. A dark house."

"Evil. Of course. Don't know about the inhabitants, but the house isn't evil."

She paused again.

"Emily I can't -"

"Sarah! My name is Sarah and I know you!"

Elsie took the hands, which at some point had ended up in hers, and squeezed.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what it's like to miss the place you come from -"

"But you know me Elspeth."

Elspeth. Elspeth. How did she know that name. No-one used that name. Not anymore at least.

"How did you know my name? How?"

"You must beware. Beware the black bird. Do you hear me Elspeth? Beware the black bird!"

And with that Elsie ran.

It was second class now. And still no sign of Elsie. This was a thought that plagued Jerome's mind as he filed into his second classroom of the day. A class with Mr. Sweet. Joy. He and Alfie took their seats next to each other, towards the back of the room and though they joke like idiots as per usual, Jerome's eyes, couldn't help but sway towards the door every few seconds. Why the hell wasn't Elsie here? She had seemed fine this morning.

"Now class, today we will be starting a new topic of-Elsie Rhodes what on earth are you doing?!"

Following Mr. Sweets eye-line, the class swivelled to the back of the room, looking at their new student.

Elsie for the most part looked un-affected by the stares she was receiving. Just continued to climb her way through the classrooms back window with the grace of a monkey climbing a tree.

"Entering the classroom sir. Why, is there a problem?"

The class laughed at her entrance, though Jerome heard past the façade. She was spooked. Stressed. Puffed, as though she had run a long distance.

"One does not simply enter a classroom through a window Miss. Rhodes. And where have you been this morning? You weren't marked in class."

Elsie hesitated, her hand going to something round her neck.

"I was held back, sir."

'Where's your tie? And your blazer?"

It was true. She was wearing only her shirt, skirt and carrying her cardigan over her shoulder. The same thing she had been wearing when she had left the house this morning.

Alfie, squinted at Elsie over Jerome's shoulder, there was something on her cardigan.

"Correct school uniform is a necessity Miss. Rhodes. You will-"

"Elsie you're bleeding."

The statement from Alfie had Mr. Sweet silence and Jerome tense. Sudden feelings of protectiveness swept through him. Elsie was hurt.

"Am I?"

Holding up her right arm and searching it she saw nothing to show she was injured. Same with her legs. She lifted up her left arm and there was nothing - she saw the problem now.

Several scratches littered her arm from her shoulder to her wrist. Her shirt with several tears in it. But slowly she could see the white of her shirt turning crimson with her blood. No doubt from where she had run through the brambles to get to the school from the folk's home. She had needed to get out, and as usual survival took over, and adrenalin ran through. Probably the reason her hands were shaking slightly.

"Elsie. Quickly to the nurses with you. Who will take her?"

"I will."

Jerome stood going over to Elsie and gently putting a hand between her shoulder blades.

"C'mon Els. Let's get you cleaned up."

Sitting in the nurse's office, having had her arm disinfected (to which she didn't even flinch) and bandaged, Elsie was silent and staring.

"You going to tell me what happened?"

The tone of his voice was gentle, caring, and safe. It was the push she needed. And so she told him about her morning.

Tossing and turning was something Elise's unconscious body was sadly used to. Trapped in the hold of a nightmare was also familiar. Though the actual nightmare, was surprisingly new.

There' s evil in this house. Only you have the power. Beware the black bird. Beware the black. Beware the black bird. Caw-caw! Caw-caw!

Flutter against her face had Elsie waking up, seeing a figure looming over her. She stretched her hand down to her leg, reaching for something that wasn't there anymore.

"What the bloody HELL are you doing?!"

"Nothing. You woke me up. BEWARE THE BLACK BIRD!"

Patricia then walked back to her bed, standing at the end with a taunting look on her face.

"Awwww! Are you scared?! Gonna sleep with the light on?! Crying for your Mummy is that-"

Patricia teasing rant was cut to a stop as Elsie threw herself at the girl, tackling her to the ground.

"Shut up!"

Patricia trapped saw a way out. She used her hand and grabbed Elsie's sore injured right arm, making her cry out in pain, giving Patricia enough time to escape.

"Not so tough now are you new-"

SMACK!

The punch to the face had Patricia holding her jaw, and leaping on Elsie. Punching and clawing at her face.

The fight continued and now the whole house was waking up.

The door slammed open and the house crowded round, the door. The two girls fought on oblivious.

"What is going on in here?!"

Victor had now arrived, with Trudy at his heels.

"Stop this! Stop this at ONCE!"

They weren't stopping anytime soon.

Mick and Fabian, being closest to the doors rushed forward. Mick heading for Patricia and Fabian, for his new crush.

Mick pulled Patricia off of Elsie were she had just gained the higher ground. With two arms round her waist, Mick hauled Patricia to the other side of the room where she continued to yell and fight to get at Elsie.

Elsie herself wasn't much better. With no Patricia on top of her, she sprang up only to be caught by Fabian who begun whispering in her ear. This temporarily distracted Elsie from Patricia and her angered was diverted to her new target.

"Get off me you ARSEHOLE! Get your hands off of me! STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

Elsie fought tooth and nail and managed to turn in her captor's arms and shove him away from her. She tried to go for Patricia but a new pair of arms stopped her.

"Elsie stop this! Stop this now!"

The arms around her were strong, muscled and warm. The chest she was pulled against was familiar. Warm, strong, comforting. The voice in her ear and the breath on her neck made her shiver. Slowly her struggles stopped.

"Calm down. Calm down love."

And she did just that. Settling against Jerome's chest, breathing heavily, she looked at Patricia who seemed to have done the same.

"What was the meaning of this? Explain!"

The harsh male voice of Victor broke Elsie out of her revelry, bringing her back to reality and she begun to feel the sting of battle injuries.

"She started it!"

The childish proclamation had Elsie snorting.

"Real mature!"

The reprimand she received for her comment was a glare off of both Patricia and Victor and tightening of the arm around her waist. That wasn't so much of a punishment though. She gripped the arm tightly with both her hands, as Jerome whispered in her ear again, pressing a kiss to her temple.

She wasn't used to this. Feeling cared for, caring about anyone. Nobody cared for her. Nobody wanted her and she had the scars to prove it. This was un-real. She had known this boy for all of two days, and she was beginning to trust him. Care for him.

"Els, are you alright?"

She registers it in her mind. Els. That nickname she's been tagged with that she's slowly started to love. It's a new constant. Used by only one person and sometimes his friend. Jerome and Alfie. The only two people who have given a damn about her since she'd arrived only two days ago. Her fair sir and the alien boy. The person who had just called her by her nickname was neither.

SMACK!

The punch hit Fabian in the face and he fell not far from Elsie, who was quickly in Jerome's arms again with Alfie now by her side, a hand on her shoulder, laughing at Fabians' unfortunate fate.

"Listen to me Smarty Mc-Brain-Pants. You don't get to call me that. You like me. I get it. I really do. But I would never in a million years date you, so get over yourself, and get out of my face before I put another bruise on there got it?!"

Silence follows her outburst.

Elsie sighs. She didn't want it to be like this. Her only chance at boarding schools, escaping the system and she might have just blown it over nothing. She can't take it. She can't take the stares. Or the sympathy.

Elsie slowly unwinds Jerome's arms from around her waist and shrugs Alfie's hand off her shoulder. She slowly steps out the room, ignoring Victor's shouts, the concerned stares from her new housemates, the glare she's receiving from Fabian and the caring calls of her housemother. It all fades out as she backs away.

The residents of Anubis House are shocked. They barely hear Elsie's whisper before she runs.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Morning was slow coming, with everyone not having slept much. Patricia woke earliest, face bruised and scratched, from her fight with Elsie.

Following her was Fabian. He was a sour puss. After the very public rejection he'd received from Elsie, he had sulked off and spent the rest of the night reading, barely managing to read the pages in his anger.

The others awoke slowly and Alfie and Jerome woke up as normal. The fight had jarred them. It had jarred everyone, most of all Elsie, who was still missing. The whole house was up and they had seen neither head nor tail of her.

Across town a young girl bought her head up from where it had been resting on her knees. She was pleasantly surprised to find two blankets draped over herself. The people were so generous to the homeless. Stretching slowly she tugged her hoodie down from where it had started riding up on her waist. She looked down at it.

University of Illinois, '98

She'd never been to Illinois, but she'd stolen two hoodies. One for herself and one for her charge. Stolen it from the bags of some visiting tourists in London.

Her hand going to her neck, she felt her locket. And the gift she had received only the day before. Chain chilled her neck, causing her to shiver.

She begin walking, her feet taking her somewhere and she only realized where once she blinked and looked up.

Two days, and this was her home.

She smiled, wincing slightly at the tightness of her face and the small cracking noise she heard. Her face was still covered in blood. Dried now.

She sighed and walked up the path. Towards her new home. Home. Huh… she'd never had one of those before.

Breakfast was tension filled. No-one was speaking, and the air was tense. They were all waiting for someone to break the silence.

The doorbell rung. Trudy rushed from the kitchen to answer the door and she went out of sight and she answered the door.

"Oh my word!"

Nothing. No noise. Whoever was at the door must be receiving a hug from dear old Trudy.

"Look at the state of you! Don't you ever run off again!"

This had them all looking up. No one had run off. The only person who was missing was…

"Hey guys."

The voice was soft, but completely recognisable.

Elsie Rhodes stood in the dining room doorway. Looking cold, covered in bruises and blood, but looking happier than she'd ever been since they'd met her.

A squeal interrupted the silence and Elsie soon found herself with arms over-flowing with squealing blonde. Amber was at least glad she was back.

Mara followed her, giving her shoulder a squeeze. Mick waved, and Fabian resolutely stared anywhere but at her. Alfie was up next. He walked slowly towards her and stood to face her. He knocked lightly with a fist three times on the top of her head.

"You weren't abducted by aliens were you?"

Elsie couldn't help the giggles that flowed from her lips.

"100% human, Odd-ball. And no, you are NOT welcome to check."

Alfie squeezed her shoulder and backed away slowly, telling her with his hands that he had his eyes on her in case of suspicious alien activity.

Then her fair sir, he walked up and didn't bother with words. Elsie was suddenly glad the others had started talking at the breakfast table.

Surprisingly, Elsie made the first move. She threw herself at his chest, arms coming round him to squeeze him tight.

"I'm sorry."

Jerome for his part was surprisingly quiet.

"Please. Don't EVER do that again. Scared the flipping pants off of me that did."

She couldn't help but smile into his solid chest.

"Though your face could have done the trick just as easily."

With an indignant shriek, she pulled away from the hug and started pounding Jerome's arms and chest.

"Seriously though. I'm glad your back."

With a smirk, at her he turned back to the table to take his seat.

"Welcome home."

Elsie walked her way round the table to where Patricia sat glaring at her. She stopped in front of her.

"I have to admit, you got a good right hook Pixie."

Smiling smugly, Patricia soaked up the glory.

"Though you got nothing on me."

And with that last comment hanging in the air, wiping Patricia's smug smile off her lips, Elsie walked off towards Trudy who was beckoning her with the first-aid kit. Glancing back at the look on Patricia's face she laughed. Victory was oh so sweet.

After a few minuted the table cleared out until only Alfie, Jerome Patricia, Elsie and Fabian remained. Patricia sat at one end, while Elsie sat next to Jerome, the two opposite Alfie as he marvelled at the mess of butterfly bandages and gauze Elsie's face had become after a thorough clean out by Trudy.

The three were talking, laughing while Fabian glared from the end of the table. Patricia for her part was listening to their conversation, jealous against her will.

"Anyone seen Mara? She's got my hair straighteners."

Fabian offered Amber her answer.

"She's with Mick in our room."

"WHAT?!"

Jerome sniggered.

"Uh-oh. Green eyed monster alert."

Elsie and Alfie choked on their giggles earning them glares from Fabian and Amber.

Walking carefully, her voice matched her steps.

"I'm not jealous. Why would I be jealous? What is there to be jealous of?"

"She's helping him with homework."

Fabian butted into Amber's rambles.

"Yeah, I know all about that. And it's cool. I would help him… but I'm just so… busy."

Her last word was accompanied by a hair flick, which was mockingly copied by Elsie with her own golden blonde hair.

Looking to her right, Amber ignored the laughs coming from next to her and asked a question to the battered girl in the seat next to her.

"I see you haven't run off again this morning."

"What is this place. Big brother? No idea everyone knew exactly what I was doing at every time of the day."

Jerome said you'd gone for a walk, but you left your tie and blazer here and then you didn't show up for first class."

"Elsie decided to help an old lady across the road, literally. Then she decided that the more interesting way to enter a classroom late is to shimmy up the guttering like a spider monkey."

As Trudy plonked a bowl of food in front of said girl. Almost as an afterthought she reprimanded Elsie again.

"Look at the state of you. Your covered in dirt and you're not dressed for school. Off with you. Go get dressed."

"In a minute Trudy. I'm eating. 'm fairly certain the school isn't going to explode if I'm not arriving in the next three minutes. Besides, it wasn't my fault I was late yesterday. Some random old lady from the folk's home decided to interrupt my walk."

"I'm not very good with old people. They're all so… old, aren't they?"

The almost oblivious comment had everyone choking with laughter. Elsie almost choking on the mouthful she was currently swallowing.

"Still, you must be used to it. You have stayed with your grandparent's right, after your parents?"

"Um not exac-"

"What happened to your Mum and Dad?"

"Amber Queen of tact."

The comment from Jerome had Elsie thwacking his knee under the table. There was no need for it. Amber was just being… Amber.

"My parents abandoned me and…. My baby brother Danny just after I turned six. I never knew my grandparents."

"What happened to him? Your brother."

Elsie froze. What could she say. He died while they were living on the streets. She hadn't done her job well enough and he'd paid the price.

"I'd rather not talk about it, if that's alright."

"How come you got here so fats then? Sweetie said something about you being rushed here because of your 'situation'. What was he on about?"

The high-pitched voice of Patricia wasn't as harsh as normal. She must have vaguely figured out what had happened to Danny. Sighing, Elise answered the girl.

"After Danny, I was found and taken into the system. I got passed around to different foster homes. Jackie, my social worker, says if I can't find a solid place and stay there for more than a month with no incidents I'm either being adopted or put in a group home until I'm 18."

A scoff from the Goth Pixie turned her attention away from her own pathetic spiel.

"Problem Patricia?"

"Yeah I have a problem. You just barge in here all sad an 'Oh look at me. I have no parents and no life and no brother. Help me!' and replace Joy. And everyone seems to not care apart from me!"

By the end of her shout Patricia was on her feet. Elsie rose to join her, shouting her own story.

"You're right. I got Joy's place. Replaced her. But I'd rather have replaced someone and have one person hate me then be sent to a group home or back on the streets. Cause I lived out there. Alone. Trying to keep my 4 year-old brother safe. And I failed. He's dead now. And I can't bring him back. So don't you DARE Patricia. Don't you DARE for one second complain that you're best friends gone. Your life could be a whole lot worse. So suck it up and deal with it cause I am not dealing with your.. CRAP anymore!"

Elsie's chest was heaving and she knew the people still sitting at the table were staring at her. She couldn't take it. Couldn't take the looks of pity. Patricia was pale and Alfie and Jerome were feeling sorry for her. Trudy had a hand over her mouth, while Amber had tears running down her face. Elsie didn't care what Fabian thought of her.

And with her sad words ringing in their ears, Elsie walked away.

"Hi. What's wrong?"

Amber sighed and wiped her eyes before answering Mara.

"I'm fed up of you hanging out with Mick. That's what's wrong."

"Then talk to him about it. He's the one who keeps asking for help."

Amber sighed again. Really was it that hard for Mara to grasp the idea.

"With his homework. Yes I know. You were helping him all last night, and now I find out you've been studying again with him this morning. I know you fancy him Mara but-"

"I do not!"

"Why not? What's wrong with him?"

"Nothing's wrong with him-"

"But everyone fancies my boyfriend-"

"Exactly. YOUR boyfriend. So I'm not interested."

"So you would be if we weren't going out."

Mara looked affronted. Damn Amber and her ability for seeing… bloody everything!

"That's not what I said and you know it."

"You have no idea how hard it is being one half of an Alpha couple Mara."

Mara saw her way out.

"Your right. I don't. And I don't intend to find out."

"I have a lot of sympathy for Victoria Beckham."

Elsie sighed as she walked towards school, in full school uniform this time. She hadn't meant to blurt that out. Patricia just… got to her. She felt weak. Toughen up and you'll survive. A message drilled into her from a young age. Maybe she should start carrying her knife with her ag-

"Elsie!"

She spun on her feet at the shout.

"Elsie wait up!"

She watched the two boys run up to her. She started walking again and waited for them to fall into step beside her before she spoke.

"I'm sorry I blurted that out at breakfast. I was annoyed and tired. Don't really tend to sleep well on the streets. Though I did manage to score a couple of blankets."

"We're sorry about your brother."

Elsie looked down. This was precisely why she never told people about Danny.

"Don't worry about it. It was a long time ago. No need to think about it now."

They continued to walk in silence for a little while before Alfie broke the comfortable silence.

"Do you reckon we should enter class through the door or the window?"

Jerome saved her from answering, and she felt her heart lighten as she listened to the two of them.

"We're not all spider monkeys like Miss. Rhodes over here."

"That's because she's an alien."

"I am not!"

"She is not!"

"She is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is-"

"Shut it both of you!"

They both stopped to look at Elsie who was now walking backwards in front of them. Sighing she turned around waited for them to catch up to her and looped her arms through theirs.

"C'mon you goofballs. Or we'll never get to class through the door or the window."

Dringdringdringdring!

With a scuffle, the students all stood up from their chairs ready to leave the class.

"Your Biology Assignments please!"

Almost ready.

"And no excuses this time!"

Grinning, Mick handed his assignment into Mr. Sweet, who seemed surprise. He turned to Mara and crossed his fingers who returned the gesture with a silly smile on her face.

Fabian Rutter stared at Elsie from where he was sitting next to Patricia for once. Normally she sat by Alfie and Jerome but since they were sitting by Elsie, who's roughed up face was the talk of the hour apparently, Patricia had no one to sit next to. Perfect he thought to himself.

"Hey Patricia. I was wondering, I have an idea."

"An idea for what?"

"To get payback on one Miss. Elsie Rhodes."

"I'm listening."

"I brought you those Physics notes as promised."

"Thanks Mar you're a star!"

It was the end of the school day and the house was quiet. Mara, as promised, delivered notes to Mick, who was sitting in his room. Amber was elsewhere harassing Elsie about her hair.

Patting the space next to him, he offered Mara a seat. Mara sat down, tucking her skirt beneath her legs.

"If I work on my assignment tonight, will you go over with it me tomorrow like you did with the Biology?"

Mara hesitated.

"I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Sorry. Am I asking too much?"

Mara shook her head. Damn Amber for messing this up.

"No no. I like helping you it's just Amber's jealous of-"

"Of you and me? That's hilarious!"

"I know. But you know what she's like."

"I'll talk to her."

"No don't do that!"

Did this boy know nothing about his girlfriend.

"You'll just make it worse if you talk to her."

Mick at this point had gotten off the bed and onto his knees in front of Mara, taking her hands and shaking them back and forth between them.

"But I need you Mara. I need your help. Please please pleaaaa-"

"Alright aright. Just stop doing… that."

And then Mick proceeded to make one of the biggest mistakes he could make. In a show thanks to Mara, he proceeded to give her exactly the same bracelet he had given to his jealous, green-eyed girlfriend.

Amber was attacking Elsie, crawling all over her on the lounge room floor to get to her hair (much to the amusement of Jerome and Alfie) when Patricia and Fabian walked up to them.

Fabian spoke to Elsie from where she was sitting in-between Amber's legs, while Amber was sitting behind Elsie, legs either side of her , french-plaiting her hair.

"Elsie, I'm really sorry about what happened last night. I shouldn't have pushed you like that and I'm sorry for it."

Elsie lifted an eyebrow. They were up to something.

"Okay. Apology noted. Acceptance is pending." (Love that Line! Cookie for whoever figures out where it's from!)

Elsie's words caused sniggers to erupt form the people in the room, including Patricia. Fabian just frowned.

"Anyway. We just thought it was time to welcome you to the school properly. The traditional way."

This perked the interest of Jerome and Alfie. What on earth were they going on about? Patricia took over.

"Every new person who comes to the school has to undergo a sort of… initiation ceremony."

"Since when?"

"Since forever Alfie."

"But I don't-"

"It's alright Alfie."

Elsie sent him a smile and a wink which had him going back to relaxing on the sofa.

"Sounds brilliant. What do I have to do?"

"So Elsie's initiation ceremony will take place tomorrow night. At midnight. She-"

"The witching hour! MWHAAHAHAHA!"

"Alfie! Cut it out!"

Fabian sighed form his place next to Patricia. He just had to interrupt didn't he?

"Tell me Fabian," Elsie smiled as Jerome started talking. She was gonna laugh so she might as well start now. Looking at Alfie, it seemed he had the same idea. "Does it get boring always-always being the one who's like 'cut it out' or 'that's not right' or 'fun is bad'?"

Fabian forced a laugh.

"No."

"How you survive is beyond me."

Alfie fist-bumped Elsie across the table, while Fabian just glared. Yep, there was definitely a reason he was doing this.

Amber, sitting down in her seat spoke. She was worried you see. She had spent a long time on Elsie's hair and she didn't want it ruined.

"What does she have to do?"

Patricia smirked.

"She has to go up into the attic and bring something back to prove she's been."

Amber gaped. There was no way Elsie's hair would survive this.

"You're going up into the attic?"

Elsie shrugged her shoulders.

"Apparently so. Sounds fun. It's not like it's-"

"Totally haunted."

Elsie sighed. Really?

"Amber the attic isn't-"

"Haunted by the ghosts of students who went up there, never to return. OOOOOHHHOOOHH!"

"Alfie!"

Fabian stared at Elsie, who was shaking her head.

"Getting cold feet?"

"Of course not Smarty McBrainPants. I'm not one to back down from a challenge. We should do it tonight."

Patricia shook her head, tauntingly.

"Ah ah ah! We've got something else planned for you tonight. To get into the attic, you need a key."

Elsie nodded.

"So you want me to steal it?"

"From Victor."

Elsie sighed.

"Bring me liberty or bring me death."

It was time. Standing with her were Patricia, Fabian, Jerome and Alfie.

"See those keys on the desk next to Victor," Fabian explained. "Those are the master keys. Victor has them with him at all times. You'll never get."

Patricia whispered, wary of Victor just in his office mere metres from them.

"But there's a key box, just beside him. He keeps a spare set of every single key in there."

"What are you lot looking at?"

A loud shout, and footsteps were heard as Victor stepped out of his office, suddenly realising the large group of students by his office.

"We-"

"We were just-"

"Ah this floor."

Elsie looked down at Alfie, as she noticed that he was on the ground crouching by the steps. Oh this was going to end badly for him.

"It could-could use a-a polish."

Victor reached down grabbing Alfie by the arm.

"Yes. In that case, please feel free to polish it Alfie."

"No I-"

"Come with me!"

Once Victor was out of sight the Jerome, Fabian and Patricia turned back to Victor's office. Elsie was already through the door.

Rushing into the office, Elsie reached for the master keys- and stoped herself. No. She was tough. She didn't need keys. Reaching a hand into her messenger bag which she was carrying with her, she pulled out her knife. Flicking the blade up, she ran to the key box and jimmied the lock until it opened.

The by-standers by the stairs were amazed. She was actually doing it. And she had a knife.

Back in the office, Elsie reached into the key box, grabbing the key hanging under the space marked 'Attic'. Hurriedly, she closed the key box, shoving her knife into the lock to try and fix the mechanism that she had previously broken. A shout from Amber downstairs, alerted the kids to the fact that they didn't have much time. She managed to half fix the lock, keeping the cupboard closed. Hearing footsteps on the stairs, she hastily folded up her knife, very nearly cutting herself in the process and shoved it back into her bag. She looked at the stairs and found Victor at the top of them. She quickly made a choice and plonked herself down in the chair on the side of the desk closest to the door and didn't turn until she heard Victor's voice.

"Elsie Rhodes. What are you doing?"

Elsie tensed.

"This had better be good."

There it is. After god knows how long. Episode 3.

Hope you enjyed it. Comments, criticisisms, complaints please tell us by reviewing or PM'ing.

But please... don't be too mean. If you got nothing nice to say don't say nothing and all that jazz.

Wroking on some other stories as well.

One for Hawaii Five-o and one for Torchwood. Also Sherlock. Can't forget that one.

Review again.

Thanks.

Love,

Jessica-Jane and Elsie

:P :D o_O

3