Begin!

Very important note: according to Duncan and Isadora, they lived at Prufrock for 3 semesters before the Baudelaires arrived; that's a year and a half, meaning their fire happened long before the Baudelaires'. I'm taking liberties with Quigley's survival story because a lot of the book information implies that he might be lying, since nearly everything he says contradicts his siblings' statement. Basically, book Quigley says he arrived at Dr. Montgomery's house right after the Baudelaires left to live with Aunt Josephine. This creates a massive plot hole that I am going to attempt to reason around for the sake of my story, and for not making Quigley look as untrustworthy as the book has always made him appear to me. Aside from that, it will remain the same.

~Normal POV

Duncan and Isadora froze in stunned silence as the scout introduced himself. The Baudelaires watched from behind them with the same shocked feeling. The five of them had believed that Quigley Quagmire was dead, yet here he was standing right in front of them. There was no mistaking it. He looked exactly like the two triplets for the most part. There were some minor differences; Duncan usually did his best to keep his hair neat while Quigley's was a bit longer, messy and unkempt, and in a different style from his brother. Isadora had brown eyes while both her brothers had green eyes; aside from gender this was one of the few things that kept her looking distinctively different from the two boys. After the initial shock seemed to wear off, Duncan and Isadora removed their masks, dropping them carelessly on the ground. It was now Quigley's turn to freeze in disbelief.

"Duncan... Isadora...?"

Quigley spoke their names so softly they just barely heard him, his voice cracked slightly. Everything went quiet again for a moment before the journalist and the poet grabbed their brother in a tight hug; the triplets letting out tears of joy.

"We thought you were dead!"

"I made it out!"

"Oh, my god I can't believe you're here!"

"We're together again!"

"Oh, god, I missed you guys so much!"

The Baudelaires smiled at each other as they watched the scene. Though a very small part of them had hoped that the survivor would have been a member of their family; they didn't feel disappointed at all about being wrong. A set of triplets had been reunited, and the happiness on their faces dismissed any negative feeling they would have had otherwise. Even in the ashes of the destroyed V.F.D. Headquarters they had managed to find something that made them happy. As Isadora had said back at the hospital, it was still a person that was alive, and that was what mattered above all else.

"I can't believe I didn't recognize you guys," Quigley said wiping his eyes, "I kind of feel pretty stupid, don't I?"

"Probably, but it's nice to know that I'm still the better looking one," Duncan replied.

"We all look the same you jerk," Quigley laughed.

"Boys, please," Isadora said, grinning, "We all agreed that I'm the best looking one!"

The two Quagmire boys laughed, "You're right Izzie."

Quigley looked over at the Baudelaires, who had not yet removed their masks, "Uh, sorry who are your friends?"

Duncan and Isadora turned and beckoned them to come and introduce themselves.

Violet removed her mask first, "It's nice to finally meet you, Quigley. I'm Violet Baudelaire, and these are my siblings Klaus and Sunny. I'm Duncan's girlfriend."

Quigley leaned down to shake Sunny's hand after she took off her mask, "Charmed," Sunny said.

"We've heard a lot about you," Klaus said, adjusting his glasses after removing his mask.

"Wait, you're Duncan's girlfriend," The cartographer asked staring at Violet for a few moments before turning to his brother, "What's wrong with her?"

Duncan glared, "What's that supposed to mean? There's nothing wrong with Violet."

"Oh, I'm just saying that a girl as gorgeous as her must have something wrong with her if she chose you over a real man like me," Quigley smirked, "I'm good with ladies, and I must say you are quite a beautiful one indeed."

Violet stared at him before responding slowly, "Um, that's flattering, I think, but Duncan and I are happy together. I'm not sure why that bothers you, but it's not changing anytime soon."

Duncan wrapped his arm around her waist, "Sheesh, he comes back from the dead and the first thing he does is hit on my girlfriend. You really haven't changed, Quigley."

Quigley rolled his eyes, "Alright, I'm not judging. But listen, gorgeous, if you decide you'd rather be with a real man I'm always available."

Isadora smacked the back of his head, "Quigley knock it off, Violet is my best friend and you know how I feel about you talking to my friends like that."

Violet whispered to Duncan, "I see what you meant, he is an ass."

Duncan nodded, "Tell me about it."

"Ow!"

Duncan and Violet looked up to see Klaus now lying on the ground, holding his leg after Quigley had apparently kicked him in the shin.

"What the hell do you think you're doing putting your hands on my sister," Quigley asked, glaring down at the researcher.

"Quigley, it's ok! Klaus is my boyfriend!"

Duncan held back a snort of laughter as Violet helped her brother stand up.

"You allowed this," Quigley asked turning to Duncan, "I thought we agreed that we wouldn't let this happen without our permission."

"Dude, you were dead! What was I supposed to say?"

Isadora rolled her eyes as she hugged Klaus, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Klaus laughed lightly, "Though if that's how he's going to react to me just holding your hand then maybe we should hold off on the PDA for a while."

Isadora kissed him on the cheek, which earned a disgusted look from Quigley, "Get used to it, big brother."

"Quigley, Klaus is a good guy and he's treated Izzie with nothing but respect since the day they met," Duncan explained, "He promised me he'd keep her safe, and as his best friend I know he'll keep that promise."

Quigley eyed Klaus suspiciously before responding, "Alright, but I'm watching you."

"Mission," Sunny spoke up alerting them back to their situation.

"Right, Kit Snicket gave us instructions to get to the sea within the next 3 days. We were supposed to meet a volunteer who would provide us with a boat to sail down the Stricken Stream," Violet said, pulling out their map once more.

"Let me see that," Quigley took the map and studied it closely, "The only way you'd be able to sail a boat is on the day of False Spring. According to this we would make it if we went down the left path. Why did she tell you to go to the sea?"

"We're supposed to board a submarine there called the Queequeg," Duncan answered, reading his notes, "Captain Widdershins is taking us to Briny Beach where Kit will be waiting for us with the next phase of our plan."

Quigley smiled at the sight of the dark green notebook, "I never thought I'd see that notebook again."

Duncan grinned, "Yeah well I nearly had a heart attack when we saw you pull yours out before you told us who you were. All I could think was, 'who's this asshole that has my dead brother's commonplace book?'"

Quigley laughed, "Yeah I imagine it was pretty shocking. Anyway, if you guys will have me I would love to join you on your mission."

"Of course, why would you think we wouldn't want you? You're our brother, and we're not leaving these mountains without you," Isadora said, "But before anything else, Quigley, we need to know: how did you survive?"

Quigley smiled, "Sit down and I'll tell you."

They all sat down, took some of their food out of their backpacks, and the six of them ate while listening intently as Quigley told his story.

I was sitting in the library that night studying a map of Finite Forest. You guys were asleep already in our room. Suddenly, I heard glass breaking and smelled smoke. Mom ran inside and told me there was a fire. I didn't know what happened to you guys. Mom grabbed me and moved the rug that sat in front of her desk to reveal a trap door. She shoved me inside it and said, "Wait here until I come back with your brother and sister."

So, I obeyed. I could hear the house collapsing around me as I sat there and waited. But mom never came back... When I heard the fire finally die down I tried to open the door but something heavy must have fallen on it because it wouldn't budge no matter how hard I pushed. I started crying because I didn't know if the rest of you made it out. After a while I realized that I wasn't in a panic room, I was in a secret tunnel. So, I started walking. The tunnel connected to a lot of different directions; there were even some signs to point the way. I had my notebook with me, so I started drawing a map of the tunnels to occupy my mind.

When I reached the end of one path I met a man named Jacques Snicket. He was apparently using the tunnels too on his way to the ruins of our mansion to investigate the fire. He told me you went to attend Prufrock and I damn near burst with happiness at the fact that you were alive. I begged him to take me to you, but he refused. He said it was too dangerous for me to be seen since the papers all said I was dead. I explained that our trap door was blocked and he wouldn't be able to get out that way, to which he thanked me for, but said he had other ways to get there. He commanded me to come with him, saying he would protect me, so I did.

You guys were at Prufrock for a year and a half while I was traveling around with Jacques. He would always tell me to hide whenever we went somewhere. Some months ago he took me back through the tunnels and sent me to stay alone in this old herpetologist's house. At least that's what it looked like, there were empty cages everywhere and most of the library books were about snakes, so I could only assume. But it looked like nobody lived there anymore.

"That's was our Uncle Monty's house," Klaus said, "He was murdered by Count Olaf."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Jacques told me about Count Olaf and he also told me about a fire that happened a little over 2 weeks prior to us arriving at the house. The victims were the Baudelaires, but you guys were at the beach so you were spared."

Jacques then told me that he had a lot of investigating to do. He said to just stay in the house unless something dangerous happens. And for a while he would come and go, sometimes disappearing for days at a time. I had plenty of food, and I slept on the staircase at night to watch the door for intruders. He gave me a spyglass and told me a little about V.F.D. and how both our families were involved in it. He said he was working closely with his two siblings on the Baudelaire case, because it could finally bring Count Olaf to justice. He told me a little about you guys and your adventures. Then Jacques left to do some interviewing in a place called Paltryville, but he never came back. I waited weeks for him... you guys said you met Kit Snicket. She was his sister; does she know what happened to him?

"He we murdered just days ago in the Village of Fowl Devotees down in the Hinterlands, Count Olaf framed us for it, but we know it was him. That's why we were given those masks, to protect our identities while the world thinks we're killers," Violet explained, solemnly.

"Oh... I... He was my friend."

Jacques said that there was a schism in the organization years ago but I don't know what that means. And I don't even know what V.F.D. stands for.

"Volunteer Fire Department," Isadora answered, "Duncan and I read it in The Incomplete History of Secret Organizations. They dedicate themselves to putting out fires, literally and figuratively. Their motto is, 'The world is quiet here.'"

"A schism means a division between groups of people due to different ideas or beliefs. I guess one side decided it would be better to start fires," Klaus said.

Well, after a while I heard a loud crash from inside the glass room in the back of the house. Someone had thrown a lit torch inside. I grabbed whatever supplies I could carry in my bag that Jacques left for me and used the trap door under the library to escape as the house burned down. I didn't know what else to do except start walking, hoping I would find my way to Prufrock or at least to another member of V.F.D. According to the newspapers, Count Olaf had kidnapped you two, and you Baudelaires were sent to Dark Avenue. I found the tunnel that led me to Paltryville and found myself in an old optometrist's office. From there I decided going through the forest was a better choice and that's where I ran into the Snow Scouts. I disguised myself with a mask, never told anyone my name, not that they even asked, and just traveled with them until we got here a few days ago.

I understand that staying with them wasn't the most useful thing for my quest, but at least I was able to survive; even if there were multiple times where I wanted to just off myself from having to listen to Carmelita Spats all the time.

"I'd rather eat a bowl of vampire bats, than spend an hour with Carmelita Spats."

Quigley laughed, "Damn I missed your poetry, Izzie. I assume you guys met her at Prufrock then. She said she went there."

"We did," Duncan said, "Though we wouldn't have met the Baudelaires if we hadn't told Carmelita to stop bullying them. Best decision we ever made."

"If we hadn't met the Baudelaires we would never have found you again," Isadora said smiling.

"What do now," Sunny asked.

"Well, Kit said they hid the boat for safety. We don't know for sure, but if Kit said that Olivia set this up for us, then that means the boat is still in its hiding place despite the fire. Which looks relatively recent based on observation. We just need to find it," Violet answered.

Quigley looked up at the frozen waterfall, "If I had to guess, it might be at the top of Mount Fraught. If you were told to get to the water on the day of False Spring, then the Stricken Stream source is where it's most likely been put. But there's something else I need your help with."

He took out his notebook once more and flipped through, "There's something called Verbal Fridge Dialogue. It's used by volunteers to send secret messages through items in a refrigerator. Perhaps there's something left in this library to help us figure it out."

Quigley handed a blue notebook to Klaus, "I always carry a spare, you could make good use out of a commonplace book."

"Thank you," Klaus replied standing up, "It'll be perfect for my research notes. I'll look through the library and see what I can find. Sunny, grab everything you see in that refrigerator and bring it to me."

"Roger," Sunny replied walking over to the fridge.

"I'll go with you, Klaus," Isadora said following him.

Violet began tying her hair back, "While you guys are working on that I'll see about making some kind of invention to get us up Mount Fraught."

"Quigley, we should probably go with Klaus and Isadora since our notes can probably help them more," Duncan said holding up his notebook.

"You sure Violet won't need any help?"

Duncan grinned at his girlfriend as she began examining the remains, "Nah, she's a great inventor she doesn't need any help."

As Duncan pulled Quigley away with him, he didn't notice Violet had heard his compliment. She smiled to herself as a blush crossed her cheeks before grabbing several things off the ground and setting to work.

~End of Chapter