Alice was getting used to the spontaneous visits from both Boris and Pierce, so when there was a frantic knock at the Tower's door no one was particularly surprised to see that it was Pierce. She let him in, and took him to the small storage room that she always used when someone came by in need of a therapist. They sat down at the small table, and Pierce described everything that had happened from when he was carried from the amusement park to waking up this morning. He had trouble with the events from yesterday, thanks to his being nearly unconscious for most of the trip.

Alice listened carefully, and thought about the predicament her friends were in. She knew that Boris was in desperate need of some help, there was no way that Pierce would understand his affections on his own. Boris didn't want any outside help, he'd told her so. She had a choice, either risk Boris' anger and tell Pierce that he had a rather large crush on him or leave Pierce to his own devices. If she left him alone, he'd never figure it out. Alice looked at him. He looked as dazed and innocent as always, and that made the choice that much easier.

"Pierce," He looked up "Boris wasn't trying to eat you. " Pierce looked baffled.

"But what else would he be trying to do?"

Alice had to think about a response to that one, it was a tough question. She wanted to just say it, but Boris would be mad. Then again, Boris could get over himself. Someone had to talk to Pierce, and she seemed to be in the ideal position to do that.

"Well, he likes you. "

She had tried to word it as simply as she could, but it was obvious she'd confused him more.

"Likes me?" Pierce looked absolutely bewildered, and Alice tried again.

"Likes you, yes." she made sure to emphasize it correctly this time, but he still didn't get it. She tried explaining it as daintily as possible, and then tried practically pounding it through his head. Neither of these tactics worked, and she just couldn't get it him understand. It was the second most frustrated thing she'd ever done, the first being when Boris was searching for the right way to express his affections for the boy. She'd suggested gifts, and we all saw how that worked out.

She focused once again on the confused Pierce in front of her for a second or two before her attention was caught by a knock at the door. Julius knew that she was not to be disturbed when talking with someone, so it had to be something very important. She popped open the door to find Julius, to no one's disbelief.

"What is it?"

"Ace is coming over, once again, with almost no warning. I think he wants to make me dinner or some such nonsense." Julius did not look happy, or even tolerant of the situation. No one but Alice acknowledged it, but Ace seemed to have a bit of a fondness for Julius, much to Julius' dismay. She'd learned after a while that when Ace was doing anything that involved cooking, it meant alcohol would also be involved. Usually, it also meant that it would be in Alice's best interest if she were gone.

She nodded to Julius and shut the door. "Pierce, I'm sorry, but I've got some errands to run. I think it'd be best if you went home."

Alice sent him on his merry way, and decided that she might finally go borrow some books from the mansion.

Pierce found on his way home that he was very, very bothered by the conversation he'd just had. He wasn't sure what it was exactly, but something was bugging him. He thought about it the entire walk home, and couldn't even let it go after he'd been back for a while. Pierce was sitting at his table, Basil and the still-unnamed cat sitting in front of him. He mumbled to the fish for a while, before he just sat his head down on the table in pure confusion and frustration. He stayed like that, just mulling over the past week's events. Suddenly, his head popped off of the wood, and a look of absolute surprise crossed his face.

"THAT kind of like?" was all he said, before he started rambling to Basil and his new friend, the cat.

"But, but, but, "There was a pause as he reviewed the goings-on of the week again "Oh. THAT kind of like. "

He went on like that for a while, and Basil continued playing the voice of reason. His imaginary responses kept the one sided conversation going for a while, until Pierce finally grasped the meaning of the week.

"I guess it does kind of make sense…"

Pierce sat silently at the table for a short while, oddly calm. He looked up at Basil, and mumbled "Remind me to go talk to Boris tomorrow…" before he wandered over to the couch with the little cat, and spent some time trying to name it. He sat with the cat in his hands, suggesting names in the same trial and error style that led to Basil's name.

"Ferdinand?" No, that was really very sharp sounding, which didn't fit something so tiny and cute.

"Could you be Orville?" Of course that was another no. Orville was more a dog's name than a cat's, and that just wouldn't do.

"How about Ezekiel?" That was far too serious sounding, and not soft enough.

And then Pierce thought of the most absolutely perfect name for him. He held the cat up to his face, almost nose to nose, and declared "You're Archibald, aren't you?" it was a good name, and it certainly fit him.

Pierce realized that his final distraction, the cat's name, was now gone and he was left with nothing but Boris in his mind. He sat on his couch, with the little cat, and could think of nothing but what he would say to Boris tomorrow. He looked to Archibald, who seemed to have gained Basil's habit of responding to the question's that his owner needed most.

"What do I do?" was all he asked, and Archibald had a very simple (but fictional) suggestion for him.

"Well, you do what you feel is right, right?"

He looked at the inanimate cat, and nodded in agreement. It was very good advice, and Pierce thought that maybe it meant he should do the simplest thing he could find tomorrow. That was the best idea he could think of, and by the time he found it he was absolutely exhausted from all of the work he'd just done mentally.

Pierce curled up around Archibald, and almost slept, but just almost. Some things wouldn't change so easily, and his sleeping habits seemed to be one of them.

Author's Notes:

-This chapter was done in two parts, and I bet you guys want to kill me for that. I really, really wanted to do the Pierce waking up bit, but I dislike switching views in a piece unless something happens to the focus, like passing out. So, yeah. Two parts.

- I apologize to any of you who may be bothered by the Ace/Julius jokes. I see it in the manga, and really needed a reason for Alice to leave. Ace kind of shoved himself into this fic.

-Ah, Pierce. You're projecting onto the stuffed cat, honey.

-Alice was the cause of everything that's happened so far.

Serious Notes:

Well, my loves. This story is very near wrapping up. I hope you enjoy reading the ending as much as I'll enjoy writing it. Though we're not quite there yet, so I'll talk of this chapter instead.

This chapter is a bit bumpy, but not that bad in my opinion. Alice was pretty fun to write as again, and I'll miss getting to 'be' her. I know, after the whole ' I hate switching POV" thing, what do I do? I switch views. Why? I don't know. Maybe because I wanted Pierce to figure it out a little bit sooner? I think that might be it. I'm tired, and will be writing as much as I can when I can but right now I need to shower and sleep. I've got a long day of school ahead of me.

I love you all,

~Ali.