By gods you must hate me! I am so, so,so,so,so,so sorry for not updating sooner as promised… life just got jn the way as well as stupid teachers who I no longer feel any guilt for killing in "The Ring of Osiris"…

But enough of me, on with the tale… FYI I already wrote this chapter and then accidentally deleted it so… sorry if it's short. I'll have a longer one up later, promise.

Chapter 11

"Try this one," I suggested to my friends handing over the 5th locked box I'd found. Eddie's gaze wasn't a hopeful one, but he still took the old box from my hand and tried the key.

"Wow, I can't believe that actually worked," Eddie murmured under his breath. "I was starting to think this whole thing was just a joke."

"It might very well still be," Fabian answered honestly. "What's inside the box?"

Having not actually opened the unlocked artifact yet, it took Eddie a little while to undo the rusted hinges. Unfortunately, when he did, I saw a sharp drop in his face. What's wrong?" I prompted? "Is it empty?"

"Nope," Eddie answered popping his "p". "But it's not helpful either… Let's see there are some weird black cylinder things and a heavy metal thing with hieroglyphics on it. Oh and look, it even spins. How interesting…" The sarcasm in Eddie's voice was evident as he moved through the box trying to find something important. "Yeah I have no idea what any of these things are."

"My uncle is an antiques dealer," Fabian suggested studying the odd objects. "Maybe we bring these things to him and see if he knows what they are."

I was about to comment on how Sarah seemed to think this was a secret best kept between Eddie and me, when the blonde himself interrupted. "No way are we showing these to some antique dealers. We'll use google to figure out what they are… if they are anything."

Eddie was right, nothing Fabian's uncle could tell us would be better than google (if god existed it was in the form of a web browser.) "Sorry Fabian, but I think Eddie's right. Sarah doesn't even want you knowing; I think it's best if we keep this between ourselves.

"Look at us, the new Scooby gang," Eddie snidely commented. "Well if we're done here I have a party to attend and girls to impress."

"We should go before anyone notices us gone," Fabian realized looking at his watch. "We've been up here almost an hour."

"You guys go," I told them with a slight smile. "I'm just going to tidy up so Victor doesn't know we were up here."

"I could stay and help if you want," Fabian suggested immediately as if he feared me think him not a gentleman.

"Go," I told him with a smile. "I just need a minute alone." I was beginning to love this school… but at the same time, I missed the peace that came with being an only child with a busy guardian. I'd spent a large chuck of my childhood alone in my small house while Gran was at work or book club. Even as I got older and had the opportunity to spend time with friends I seldom did. Sometimes it seemed like no one knew me, and, until they understood, I saw no point in their company.

As they left, I made my way over to the beautiful stained glass window. Running my finger along the setting sun, I jumped when Eddie, who I'd thought would be the first to leave, spoke. "Do you believe in magic, Nina?"

"Jees you gave me the heart attack," I told him with a smile before realizing just how intense his gaze was. "Why would you ask?"

"It's just that locket. I don't understand it. I mean if it had some sort of mechanics that reacted when close to its key, that I could understand, but it only glows for us. Why us and not Fabian? Why the two of us that Sarah seemed to think trustworthy?"

"I don't think Sarah does think you trustworthy," I replied honestly despite avoiding his question. "I think she believes you feel obliged to protect me even though I am fine on my own, but I've seen the way she looks at you."

"How does she look at me?" Eddie, who obviously had noticed nothing, questioned imperatively.

I considered lying, or telling him to forget it, but I hated when people did that so I spoke with careful words. "When Sarah looks at me it's like she's seeing herself… but when she looks at you. When Sarah looks at you she dawns a look of unimaginable pain. It's almost like she thinks you'll be the one to save my life… or the one to destroy it."

You don't know how much it bugged me that no one in season 1 took the time to think about the magical locket that only worked for Nina.