Enoch stared at the girl, fighting a losing battle with the blush that flamed his face. The flesh of Penelope's neck where his fingers touched erupted in goosebumps that had nothing to do with sensing illness. Suddenly, he righted her on her feet and drew away from her like he'd been struck by lightning. "Sure you didn't hit your head? Then again you were daft enough to frolic around dangerous land, so maybe you're not all there to begin with," he said as sarcastically as he could, face still aflame.

Penelope giggled, "Thank you for saving me, Enoch. I'm Penelope."

"I know who you are, Daffy, but how do you know me," he spat.

"Daffy," she repeated absentmindedly, "is that another nickname? I seem to be acquiring those rather quickly. What's it mean?"

"I uh I don't know...because your daft...it just kind of came out...," he breathed out in frustration and straightened up, "lets go, follow me."

He turned this way and that, too flustered to remember where he was. Before she could ask, he finally chose a direction and started walking.

"Abe told me about you all," Penelope said breaking the silence, "and since I can see you, you're not in a top hat, and there are no bees about you then you must be Enoch. How's that for daft?"

He turned back and saw her smiling smugly at him. Grumbling and mumbling is all he could come out with as they continued on their way. They had made a wrong turn somewhere, but he would be damned if he was going to admit it. All of a sudden riotous laughter peeled through the air.

"Hey lover boy," a disembodied voice shouted, "the loop's back the other way."

"Millard," Penelope exclaimed happily, "it's nice to kind of meet you. Wherever you are...aren't you cold being naked out here in this weather?"

"She asks the real questions," Millard snickered.

Enoch walked over to where the voice was coming from and asked through gritted teeth, "How long have you been -"

"Watching," Millard said with a laugh, "oh I saw the whole thing, beautiful."

"Watch your mouth," Enoch whispered angrily.

"What your girlfriend the only one allowed to call you beautiful? That's too adorable," Millard teased.

"She's not my girlfriend," he defended.

"I could be though," Penelope offered seriously.

Enoch turned in embarrassed horror to find that she was standing directly behind him.

"Before you ask, yes I heard the whole thing, I have been right within earshot you know," Penelope deadpanned, "so let us continue on to the loop before it's pitch black."

"Penelope, I like you," Millard said with a voice full of mirth, "Penelope O'Connor has a nice ring to it."

"O'Connor," she asked.

"Why, your future last name, right Enoch," Millard teased.

"The only reason I haven't knocked your teeth in is because I can't see you. Keep it up, and I'll just start swinging," Enoch promised.

"Touchy, touchy...and in front of your girl too! Don't want her to find out all your sullen and violent tendencies before the wedding now do ya," Millard egged on.

WHOMP!

Enoch landed a punch right in Millard's mouth. Blood poured from the newly formed split in Millard's lip and he cried out in surprise and pain.

"If you got hurt just grab onto my hands," Penelope said as she put her hands out palm up.

He did as she asked and felt the cut instantly fuse and shut. "Wow, what an amazing peculiarity," Millard said in awe, "Enoch - she heals people, and just at the touch of her hand too."

Ignoring the exchange Enoch ushered them into the cave to enter the loop. As they exited the cave they were greeted by a nervous Bronwyn.

"It's about time! Miss Peregrine is almost ready to rest the loop, what did you do get lost," Bronwyn cried out.

"Funny story," Millard started.

"Shut it, unless you want me to knock your block again," Enoch spat.

Bronwyn looked at Enoch confused and then shrugged her shoulders and turned to Penelope. "Bronwyn, nice to meet you, how fast can you run?"

"Not very," she admitted.

"Hop on," she said turning her back to her, "Millard, Enoch catch us if you can!"

With Penelope on Bronwyn's back they took off like a shot. Penelope roared in surprised laughter, and the two boys tried their best to keep up. They got to the house just in the nick of time. Once the loop was reset, they all filed inside and into the living room.

"Hello, Penelope. I am Miss Peregrine, what's happened here," she said grabbing Penelope's face in her hands, "is this why you all were so late? Did you fall in the bog?"

Millard gasped, "That's where Enoch punched me, how come it's -"

"Whenever I heal someone, the ailment or injury shows up on me - just not as bad," she paused and touched her lip, "you really swung at him hard, Enoch."

"Why do you sound more impressed than angry," Bronwyn asked.

"Cause she's in love with him," Millard called out as he ran out of the room and away from Enoch.

"That was fast," a boy with a bee net over his head commented, "I'm - "

"Hugh," Penelope smiled, "and Your Emma, Claire, the twins, Olive, Fiona, and Horace. Abe told me about you all."

Emma's face fell, and immediately Penelope wished her peculiarity could heal emotional injury. Her revelry was broken when Horace approached her. He circled around her looking her up and down. "Not bad style, but mismatched stockings are a bit kooky don't you think," Horace said snootily.

"Hey, who cares about her stockings," Enoch shouted.

Everyone turned to stare at him. He looked down and muttered, "I missed dinner for this, I'm going to my room."

"Miss Peregrine," Penelope asked as she stared after Enoch's retreating from, "would it be okay if I used the kitchen."

"Absolutely, we can speak about rules and such all the while," she said warmly while showing her towards the kitchen.

Penelope gathered the ingredients she needed and clapped for joy. "I know it's technically the same day, but outside of the loop it's Friday; and Friday's mean dessert. I'm so happy you have the ingredients for my favorite!"

She happily flirted around the kitchen as Miss Peregrine explained everyone's daily chores and how she would fit in. "Don't worry, you only heal at will - that will not be a daily chore for you. Abe told me what life was like for you, and it's my job to see that you are healthy and happy," Miss Peregrine assured her.

"I know that I'll be happy here," she said wistfully as she began to make the icing for her cake.

The younger peculiars stood in the doorway looking longingly at the leftover cake batter. Penelope laughed and looked and Miss Peregrine for permission. When she nodded Penelope called to them, "Please help yourselves to the batter. Let me know if you think the cake will turn out!"

The kids cheered and pushed and shoved their way into the kitchen. They scraped the batter bowl clean and hummed happily as they did so. "What kind of cake is it," Claire asked as she brought a napkin to the back of her head.

"It's a yellow cake with a chocolate peanut butter icing, it's my favorite. Once the icing is put on, you place the cake in the fridge and let it harden up," she explained.

After she iced the cake and placed it in the fridge, Emma volunteered to help her do dishes and help her get settled in her room. Miss Peregrine thanked her and went to put the children in bed with promises of cake in the morning.

"So," Emma began once they were alone, "Abe is the one that brought you to us."

"Yes," Penelope responded, "he spoke a lot about you."

Emma winced and Penelope continued, "I know it doesn't make the heartbreak any easier."

"He told you," she said shortly.

"I more or less guessed," Penelope admitted, "partly because of my peculiarity and partly because I'm a hopeless romantic."

"And hopelessly in love with Enoch," Emma teased lightly in hopes to change the painful subject of Abe.

Penelope blushed and admitted, "It's strange. I've been reading Shakespeare for years, and the idea of love at first sight has always fascinated me. Never in a million years would I have thought I'd experience it."

"Was it all you read about," Emma asked curiously.

"Better," she sighed dreamily, "I looked into his eyes and something clicked in place."

"Well, don't get your hopes up too high," Emma sighed, "Enoch is a bit..."

"I love a challenge, life would be boring without them wouldn't it," Penelope suggested.

"I suppose so," Emma said smiling as she dried and put away the last dish.

"Can you show me his room on the way to mine," she asked innocently.

"Umm," Emma said at a loss of how to respond.

"Not for any reason other than to bring him a slice of cake to thank him for bringing me here," Penelope assured with a laugh, "I'm not that kind of girl."

"Sorry," Emma apologized sincerely, "yea I can show you no problem."

After Emma showed her Enoch's room and then her own, Penelope bid her goodnight and crept back downstairs. She cut Enoch a big slice of cake and headed back up the stairs. She knocked on his door lightly, and she heard a string of obscenities that made her blush. He swung open the door and whisper shouted, "What?!"

Penelope blushed at the sight of him. His eyes were shut, his hair was mussed, and his shirt was off. "I..uh...um...what I mean is that I," she stuttered trying to find her words.

The moment he heard her voice his eyes flew open and he closed the door to cover his bare chest. "Daffy, it's late. I was sleeping. What is it?"

Penelope stared into her eyes struggling to remember why she was here and what her name was. "Why do you have cake," he asked curiously.

"Right," she exclaimed remembering herself, "cake for you I make a piece for everyone."

"Huh?!"

Penelope sighed and mentally kicked herself, "I made a cake for everyone. I sliced the first piece for you."

"Why," he asked suspiciously.

"To thank you," she said simply.

"For what," he said impatiently.

"For coming to meet me, saving me from bashing my head in, and bringing me here," she rattled off.

"That's not a big -"

"Will you just take the cake," she said shoving the plate at him.

He let go of the door to grab the plate before it crashed to the ground and woke everyone up. "You didn't have to do this you know, wake me up in the dead of night. A simple thank you would be sufficient," he said stubbornly.

"Well it's Friday," she started.

"What's Friday have to do with it, that doesn't make any -" he asked and was cut off by a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"There," she said quietly, "a simple thank you. Good night Enoch."

He slammed the door wordlessly. She walked back to her room smiling and touching her lips, proud of her bold move. Meanwhile, Enoch leaned against his closed door, touching his cheek, wondering why his heart was hammering inside his chest.