Disclaimer: (crosses fingers) Of course they're mine….Okay, that was a lie.

Hey, I am sooo sorry it took me so long to update, but you will not believe how incredibly busy I have been. Luckily it's spring break now, so how many updates this week will make it up to you guys for the long wait? Let me know, and I'll try to be accommodating.

Raven: I love penguins. (Did you notice how many movies there are with penguins in them this year? Crazy.)

Embry: Yeah. Caleb is definitely falling in the mother category. Someone has to watch out for the kid…

Anon: Have fun in France. I was in Paris for a weekend a few months ago and I loved it. Of course, I don't speak French so it was a little confusing.

Ghost: Hey, I love all reviews. Even useless ones.

Wings and Claws: I'm sorry about the long update. And I know what it's like to be sitting there at the computer wanting the chapter to be freaking uploaded already, so again, apologies and thanks for reviewing.

Animefreak: Hey, sorry about that long wait…..yeah (makes 'oops' face)

Angel: Glad you're enjoying the story! Thanks for reviewing!

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"So," said Pogue, "we've got the necromancer down, and only Chase left. All in all, pretty good work, even if Caleb did manage to get himself skewered."

Reid laughed and then threw up a hand to block the pillow Caleb sent at him.

"Did we ever figure out where the necromancer came from?" asked Tyler.

Reid looked over at Pogue who had collected the file on the Chase Collins case. Pogue shifted through the papers they had compiled, but shook his head.

"The only one who could get that looked into would be the Keeper and he still isn't convinced that it was a necromancer, after all, no evidence was left."

"That's because it burned," said Reid, letting himself flop onto the floor. The Danvers' really did have nice carpeting in their den.

"They have just your word on it," said Pogue.

"And the dead bodies without hearts," said Reid.

"Which is inconclusive," said Pogue. "Besides, there hasn't been a necromancer in America for over a hundred years and the Keeper is positive that the Council has tabs on all of the buried wizards who could be raised."

"Idiots," said Reid.

"Can't they get a Judge in?" asked Tyler. "Judges can't be lied to, and that way the Keeper would know that we're telling the truth."

"No," said Caleb, from where he was reclining in his favorite armchair. "Judges are guarded pretty well, as they are invaluable, and there are only seven at any given time. They wouldn't put a Judge in danger by shipping him all the way over here and putting his cover at risk."

"Idiots," said Reid again.

"So, the Keeper doesn't believe us," said Tyler. "Just like when we tried to tell them about Chase."

"Well, if you think about," said Caleb, "it was rather fantastical. The supposedly dead fifth Ipswich coming back into town to get my powers and we have to battle our past to save our futures, I mean, it sounds like a movie."

"A bad one," said Pogue.

"And there is the fact that supposedly we took on this necromancer and completely destroyed it with a MacGyvered fire bomb."

"Richard Dean Anderson rocks," said Reid.

"It just sounds implausible," said Caleb.

"They need to watch more action movies."

"And, I mean, Reid's not even Ascended yet, so that adds to the element of unlikelihood."

"Why are you helping them?" asked Reid. "Shouldn't you be on our side? You were there. Hell, you were the one in the friggin' hospital."

"I'm just saying it's understandable," said Caleb.

"I heard my mom say that our Keeper is just a really by the book kind of guy," said Tyler.

"I'll shove that book up his ass," said Reid darkly.

"Anyway," said Pogue, "I think Chase left. There was a man matching his description that left town in a hurry. He got a speeding ticket and tried to run from the police. I found the report on the police website."

"Good, get him far away," said Reid.

Tyler shook his head. "Why would he make a big deal about leaving though? I thought he didn't want us to know what he was up to."

"It's a good point," said Caleb. "Maybe he's trying to make it look like he's gone."

"A false retreat to get us off guard," said Pogue.

Reid groaned. "Why can't he just go away?"

"Because his goal in life is to make you miserable," said Caleb.

"I knew it," said Reid. "The bastard."

Caleb laughed, and then winced slightly as the motion pulled on his stitches. Reid frowned at the older boy, knowing that he wasn't fully recovered yet, and probably wouldn't be for a few more days. He was glad Chase was gone, if even for just a little while.

Pogue and Tyler left soon after, knowing that Caleb needed rest. Reid walked them to the door, but only because Caleb couldn't do it himself. He wasn't expecting Pogue to pull him outside to whisper in his ear.

"Listen, Sarah's going to come home early, to surprise Caleb for their anniversary. She'll be home next week, so you're in charge of getting Caleb to Nicky's. Got that?"

"Yeah," said Reid, nodding. "Got it."

"At seven. Sharp. On Friday."

"Got it," said Reid.

"And keep your mouth shut about this, okay?"

"I'm not going to tell him," said Reid, rolling his eyes.

"And don't let it slip, either."

"I'm not going to say anything," said Reid.

"Swear?"

"For fuck's sake, I'm not going to tell him!"

"You better not," Pogue warned.

Reid made a face at him as he drove away and then went back inside.

Caleb was starting his homework, homework that Reid had brought home with him as Caleb had missed a few days of school and it looked like he wouldn't be going in Tuesday (tomorrow) either. The homework had been Caleb's idea and he had threatened Reid with not letting him in the house if he didn't have Caleb's work with him.

"Reid, you were in physics yesterday, right?" Caleb asked, frowning at his textbook.

"I think so," said Reid, sitting across from him.

"You think so?" asked Caleb, looking up and raising his eyebrows.

"I might have slept through it," said Reid. "Oh, wait, that was Calculus, never mind. Yeah, I was there for it."

Caleb regarded him warily. "I don't suppose you have any notes, do you? The book tends to complicate the theorems."

"Uh, no," said Reid.

Caleb sighed and shook his head.

"Sorry?" said Reid, making the apology a question, wondering if Caleb was upset.

"It's fine. I'll just have to ask Mark for them when I go back."

"Mark would have them," said Reid. "He probably even has copies of those notes, you know, a set to study at home, a set to study at school, a set to study at the library…," he trailed off when Caleb gave him a look, even though he was trying not to smile.

"How do you function without notes, Reid?" Caleb asked. "It's not like you read the book at home."

"I'm also not concerned with a straight A average."

"Yeah, but you're passing, right?"

"Barely," said Reid.

"So you've got a sixty-five?" asked Caleb.

"Sixty-eight," said Reid.

"Oh, sixty-eight. Impressive."

"Shove it, Danvers."

Caleb laughed and then sobered. "But seriously, you never take notes, you never do your homework. What do you get on your tests?"

"Seventy-five to eighties, maybe."

"Eighty with the curve," said Caleb. "Not bad. What is that then? Low to mid seventies?"

"Actually that's high eighties, low nineties," said Reid. "The eighty is without the curve."

Caleb stared at him. "What?"

Reid shrugged. "How the hell do you think I'm actually passing the class?"

"Reid, I get mid-eighties without the curve."

"You're at the top of the class."

Caleb ignored him. "And I study my butt off for those eighty-fours, and you're saying you can get an eighty without studying and without doing your homework?"

"Well, I get detention a lot, and Simmons is usually the detention teacher, and kids usually stay after for help, so I get the lesson twice."

"And that just what? Makes you able to get an eighty?"

"Ummm, yeah?"

Caleb narrowed his eyes. "Have you done your homework for tomorrow yet?"

"Yes."

"Liar."

Reid sighed, wishing he could, for once, get away with a falsehood.

"Go get it now," said Caleb.

"What?" asked Reid.

"Get your book and do your homework," said Caleb.

Reid thought of a few things to say to that, several of them profanities, and a few were descriptions of exactly what Caleb could do with his book, but the one that came out was "Why?"

"What?" asked Caleb.

"Why?" Reid reiterated.

"Because if you can get an eighty on Simmons tests without studying, then you could be passing his class with a B or maybe even an A. Then you can pull your GPA up so you can apply to colleges with the rest of us."

"I've already applied to colleges," said Reid.

"With your grades?" asked Caleb.

"My SATs weren't that bad."

Caleb snorted. "Go get your book Reid."

"I'm only getting my book because you're injured," Reid informed him.

"So you've gone soft then, is that it?"

"Not at all. No doubt if I refused further, you would try to force me do my homework, but you would only succeed in hurting yourself even more. Then your mother would be mad at me, and you would continue whining for another week."

"I have not whined," Caleb objected.

Reid only raised an eyebrow, and then left to dig about his room for his book. He found it under the bed. When he came back down, Caleb had put out a spiral-ringed notebook for him along with several pencils.

Reid slumped into the chair and glared. He then picked up a pencil and actually did his homework.

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Again, how many updates would you like this week? That's my apology for the long wait.