Lucy stood just outside the police station, shivering in the cold night. It was winter, so day changed to night quite rapidly. It was around five o clock in the evening as Lucy stood there, waiting and hoping that everything was alright.

She hoped most of all, that the Prof hadn't killed anyone while he was up there. But he wasn't that violent, surely? She knew him too well to know that he wouldn't pull a stunt like that, even when everyone else thought that he had killed Keelan at Forebodium all those years ago. She thought back to the case files and she squeezed her eyes shut tightly, as the image of the Prof, splayed out in a pool of his own blood on the top floor of the castle, flashed through her mind.

She bit her lip in a vain effort to hold back the tears; she really couldn't imagine life without him. He was her guide and friend, but he probably didn't know that to her, he meant so much more. Goosebumps erupted all over her skin, as she thought about the warmth of the Mystery Room and how she longed to see the Prof smiling at her once more.

"Do not trust Alfendi Layton!" rang Diane's voice in her head, "That man is…..he killed Papa."

"Nonsense." she thought to herself, "Do not trust Diane Makepeace, rather."

She heard a noise from behind the station and walked slowly to the corner to see the Prof and Layton walking out of the building together and stopping a few metres away from where she was. In fear of being seen, Lucy quickly slipped back inside, pelting full speed back to the Mystery Room. She slipped inside grabbing her keys and coat, preparing to leave, when an open file on the Prof's desk caught her attention.

She dropped her coat and keys back into the cabinet and walked over to the file that was open on the desk. She flicked through it and her heart immediately skipped a beat when her fingers landed on one page. It was the page of the picture that showed both the Prof and Makepeace almost drowning in pools of their own blood as the rain sheeted down that night.

Suddenly, Lucy felt a wave of sadness and pain wash over her as she collapsed into the Prof's desk chair. She began to sob, loudly, as she stared at the picture which was now blurry as she looked at it through tear-stained eyes. She traced the outline of the Prof on the picture with her index finger as she let out a loud sigh, collapsing onto the desk, a firm grasp still on the picture. A wave of exhaustion washed over her as she promptly fell fast asleep at the Prof's desk.


Meanwhile, Alfendi and his father were stood outside in the chill, their coats wrapped around their slender bodies as they talked.

"Lucy hasn't been back for a while," said Placid, thrusting his hands deep into the pockets of his lab coat. Several pieces of paper fell out, but he allowed them to float away in the breeze.

"You shouldn't be worried about her." sneered Potty, from the depths of Al's thoughts, "What are you doing, man?"

Alfendi shook his head and buried his face in his hands again. It had become a thing with him since he'd met Lucy. She'd brought out his meeker and humble side and made him more accepting of himself. It was one of the reasons that he felt so drawn and attached to her.

"Alfendi, are you quite alright?" asked Layton, looking at him, his facial expression concerned.

"I-I'm fine." Alfendi stammered, turning away from his father to hide the blush that was creeping over his cheeks.

"Alfendi?" said Layton again, this time smiling, "Are you in love with Lucy?"

"NO!" said Potty, swiveling around, his hair darkening, "What on EARTH gave you that idea?"

Potty looked clearly disgusted, but Layton saw right through him.

"Oh Alfendi." he said, "it's alright, you know? To be in love."

"I'm not in love with her." said Potty, trying and failing to sound truthful.

"Why don't you…." said Layton, "As the folk say today; ask her out?"

"I don't want to be her boyfriend." said Alfendi, rubbing his neck tentatively, "I mean look at me. What would make her want to date a guy like me? How could she possibly love a man like me?"

All of Alfendi's thoughts that had previously been circling the back of his mind, now came to light and his father saw him, as a confused man who was battling with his feelings over this girl.

"Then what do you want?" asked Layton, calmly, aiming to probe the truth out of his son.

"I want to be there next to her," said Alfendi, in a dazed state, "I want to hold her hand and smell her hair. I want to tell her about my day and listen to her multitudes of stories about her own."

Layton smiled. Oh what it was to be young and in love. He had felt the same way about Claire and his former wife, which brought back memories of the past.

"I love her crazy jokes," he continued, "I love the way she's so reckless and carefree. She so full of vibrant energy, yet she is so clumsy at the same time. "

"So tell her." said Layton, smiling at his son.

"It's not that easy." murmured Alfendi, placing his head in his hands yet again.

"Tell her what you just told me." said Layton, "It is the way forward, after all."

"But I don't want to be her stupid boyfriend." muttered Potty, resurfacing again.

Layton chuckled.

"Well then why don't you tell her about your feelings in a way that you know best?" he said, smiling at his son.

"What's that?" asked Alfendi, looking genuinely puzzled.

"With a puzzle." said Layton, patting him on the shoulder.

"Of course!" said Placid, a hushed whisper, "I'll devise a case for her to solve and it'll lead her to the fact that I'm madly in love with her!"

Layton smiled at his son.

"But she's such a puzzle." said Alfendi, "Sometimes, I don't even know if she would replicate my feelings or even feel the same way."

"Well you know what I always say?" said Layton, looking carefully at Alfendi, "Every-"

"Every puzzle has an answer." replied Alfendi, looking at his father and smiling, "You're right Dad. I have to tell her how I feel."

"Well I'm glad you're deciding to tell her." said Layton, "She really does love you, Alfendi."

"Wait, really?!" he replied, excited, "What has she said, has she-?"

Layton raised an eyebrow at his son, who shut his mouth immediately.

"I mean…." replied Potty, "I couldn't care less what she said."

Layton laughed.

"Just the way she talked about how you were." said Layton, recalling those moments in the café, "And just the amount of trouble she went through to get me here."

Alfendi grew silent for a few moments.

"It really does show me how much you mean to her." said Layton, taking his son by the shoulder, "Now go home, dear, it's freezing."


Alfendi headed back down the corridor to the Mystery Room. He quietly opened the door and peered round it, to see the sleeping figure of Lucy hunched over the desk, her head in her arms on the table. He shut the door and quietly tiptoed to her sleeping figure. She looked so peaceful and so beautiful, he thought. Her orange cap was sliding slowly off her head, but he quickly picked it up and placed it on the desk next to her. His hand lingered for a fleeting moment on her hair, but he pulled it away.

She stirred in her sleep and Alfendi saw that she had something tightly gripped in her hands. He pulled it gently away from her grasp and examined the picture. It was the picture that he had left on the desk, which was now stained with her tears. His own eyes welled up as he looked down at her sleeping figure. It was just then that he realised that he loved her more than anything else in the world and would vow to do anything for her.

He leaned over and took his lab coat off. He placed it around her shoulders and instantly, Lucy let out a happy sigh as she drew closer to the Prof. Obviously she didn't consciously know what was going on, but in that moment, Alfendi felt nothing but pure happiness. He gently rested his head against hers.

"Goodnight Lucy." he whispered, his lips brushing softly against her ear, "I love you."