Disclaimer: I dont own Inkheart or its characters, Cornelia Funke does. I own Joy, Basta Jr., and I do not own Michelangelo...he belonged to himself. I do not own the X Files.

Some say Italy is still the high point of art; beautiful scenery with histories shrouded with mystery behind them. The ocean provides a wonderous sight for all those who see it; houses new and old cause people to wonder, what's it like living here? Not all of Italy is as beautiful as the scenes most tourists see in small villages, large villages, and rural areas; if a tourist stumbled across Capricorn's village they would have nightmares for years afterward. Joy knew this as a fact, the morning sun hadn't risen, the grey of the early morning trying to awaken into a blue sky shrouded Capricorn's village. Joy tossed in turned in the bed beside Basta as nightmares plagued her dreams; her nightmares were always bad, but this had to be the worse of the bunch.

The dream had started out great, she was sitting in her bedroom in her parents' cottage; her mother, father, and Stephen were all there. Stephen was talking about how excited he was he'd be able to start driving soon; Joy's mother was cuddling with her father; and Joy was doing one of her favorite past times: drawing. Then, out of nowhere the front door swung open, fog creeping in; a shadowed figure started walking in. At first Joy thought she would be dreaming about the X-Files, but Basta's face soon came clearly out of the mist. Her family looked up at the man, her father grabbing his pistol, her mother and Stephen grabbing a baseball bat. Basta's smile was as it usually was - cruel, only he ignored her father that Capricorn so desperately wanted or needed for some reason; shoved past her mother and Stephen, and grabbed her arm so tight it started to bleed.

"NO! NO! LET GO! NO! NO!" Joy shrieked as Basta dragged her out of her chair and towards the front door, she glanced in the hall mirror to see what she had looked like the night Basta had taken her five long years ago. Then, her image started to meld, her skin was paler than it should have been, her eyes long and droopy, her dark brown eyes had long lost their sparkle, her stomach grew out a bit from her pregnancy. Her hair, once healthy, looked more like small dried twigs that was forced up into a bun.

"You're mine, Joy, you always will be, always, your family can't save you from that," Basta whispered in her ear before dragging her out of the house.

"The girl doesn't belong to you, Basta, leave her be!" Dustfinger's voice exclaimed, Joy looked around for the man.

"Ha! Dirty Fingers can't rescue you now, look where he is!" Basta snickered. Joy looked over to see Dustfinger's face in a tree. "Stumble-Tounge Darius did a good job there!"

"NO!" Joy shrieked, bolting up in bed, she snapped her eyes open and couldn't see much through the blur of tears. She wiped her eyes quickly and furiously, she looked around to find herself still in Basta's home.

"Musta been some nightmare," Basta exclaimed from beside her, Joy felt his arm wrap around her and hug her close. "I don't think I've ever heard you that scared or upset before. Ya know, I was just thinking about the first time I saw you..."

Joy gulped, what if she wasn't pretty enough now? Would he kill her and find someone prettier who looked more lively?

"Ah, you were a beauty then, just like you are now," he kissed her cheek, "a firey haired warrioress with a baseball bat...I'm glad you all moved in...you'll always be mine."

Joy did love Basta, but she also loved her family, she loved her family much more than her husband to tell the truth - though she would never tell him that. She blinked back a tear and figured herself lucky, she could be married to Cockerell and be forced to try to even out his limp, and Basta did seem to love her.

"I-"

"You?" Basta asked.

"I love you," Joy said softly.

"About time you said that," he smirked, before turning her around and trapping her in a large kiss, "love ya too." He replied, before getting up and getting dressed. Joy knew that the words from Basta probably weren't true since he still approached the maids and tried to hit on them.

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Seventeen year old Stephen Antoni parked on the hill above Capricorn's village, it was early in the morning, the sun was just starting to peak over the horizon causing shadows that made the village even eerier.

"You're Stephen?" Mo questioned, looking him up and down.

"I was twelve when they took my sister," the lanky teenager replied as he lifted the binoculars to his eyes. "how is she? Does she look better than she did three years ago?"

"I didn't know about then," Mo replied softly, "Dustfinger has said even though she is tired and stressed, she is still beautiful. Where's your mother?"

"In the hospital with a brain tumor," replied Stephen, almost bitterly, "I blame it on the black jackets."

"Those evil snakes are easy to blame, each one of them deserves to be shot without an honorable burial," Elinor exclaimed, as she looked down at the village. "Mo's daughter, my grand niece, Meggie is down there also."

"How old is she?" Stephen asked.

"Twelve," replied Mo.

"We need to come up with a plan if we want to get those two out of there," Stephen exclaimed, as he fingered the pendant around his neck. The pendant had been one of Joy's favorites, she wore it nearly every day; the pedant was a smooth and polished stone with an arrow carved into it standing for the constellation of Saggitarius - Joy's zodiac sign. "I'm comin' Joy," he said softly.

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"'eres yer breakfast, princess," Flatnose exclaimed that morning as he pinched Meggie's cheek. She jerked her face away and glared at him. "Ah, I wouldn't be givin' tha' look ta me...tha' fairy ye read out last night, she doesn' let out pixie dust, no matter how hard ye shake her, Basta even tried shakin' 'er around Joy ta see if tha' would help, it didn'."

Meggie looked away, she had read out that poor little creature into those monsters' hands. "Where is she?"

"Las' I 'eard Basta has 'er in a jar ta bring 'im good luck!" Flatnose laughed, before leaving the room.

"I shouldn't have ever read her out," Meggie said softly, staring down at her breakfast.

"Nonsense, Meggie, you didn't know what would happen," Fenoglio said softly, "besides, you forget something very important."

"What's that?"

"Basta doesn't live alone in that house..."

"Joy and Basta Junior!" Meggie exclaimed.

Fenoglio nodded, "Joy is a kind and loving person, I think she'll care for the fairy. But the fairy is not our largest concern right now, we have to figure out what Capricorn wants you to read and try to stop it. We have to find a way to try to stop him. I have an idea, but I don't know if it will work...I'll need Basta if I want it to work. I need paper and an ink pen..."

"What are you going to do?" Meggie asked.

"You'll see," Fenoglio replied with a small smile, "you'll see. You should eat your breakfast, the cook isn't a black jacket, so the food should be good."

"Fenoglio?"

"Yes, Meggie?"

"Do you think Mo's okay?" Meggie asked, glancing out the window.

"I think he is alright, remember what Joy said last night," Fenoglio replied, "I hope she's okay."

"She's always okay," Meggie muttered, "she cries sometimes but she's always okay."

"Adults like seeing children seeing their emotions when they're not alright, Meggie," Fenoglio explained, "on top of that Joy knows you're having many problems yourself. She doesn't want you focusing on her, she wants you and I to focus on us, and how to get us out of here."

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"Wait," Joy called as she ran after the maid that was leaving Capricorn's house later that morning.

"Yes?" The woman asked, turning, revealing a small blonde haired girl, "Mrs. Basta?"

"Did Meggie- I mean the little girl- eat her food?"

"Not much," replied the maid, showing Joy the tray, Fenoglio's bowl that had been filled with Oatmeal was empty, Meggie's was almost all the way full. Joy frowned, if Meggie didn't at least eat something she'd starve, perhaps Meggie thought starving herself to death would be a good way to get away from this village; it wasn't a good way, not at all.

"Thank you," replied Joy, she turned and made sure Basta wasn't around, then snuck into the kitchen.

"What ye be doin' in here, love?" Cooky asked as she stirred the menostroni soup she was making for lunch.

"Cooky, how is that soup coming? Can it be eaten yet?" Joy asked.

"Well, yes, but it won't taste as good - "

"That's ok, I just need a small bowl and a spoon," Joy replied.

"Is Basta starvin' ye, Ms. Joy?" Cooky asked, her dark brown eyes staring into Joy's.

"No, no, it's Meggie, she didn't touch her oatmeal - "

"Oh, no," Cooky exclaimed, backing away, "now Ms. Joy, I don' mind helpin' out, but nuh-uh, Capricorn says if the child don't eat breakfast she isn't given another breakfast, she holds out 'till lunch. I got into trouble last time i helped yeh."

"Cooky, I'm so sorry about that, I really am," Joy apologized, "but she needs to eat something. I think she's trying to starve herself; she doesn't understand that Capricorn will shove food down her throat and force her to swallow it. He won't care how much she struggles or fights,and Basta..." she paused, looking at Cooky, "Basta wouldn't mind shoving things down that poor child's throat. Please, Cooky, please," Joy begged.

"Alrigh', but I didn't know ye were in here, yer alone on this, Ms. Joy," Cooky replied, she turned around quickly as Joy grabbed a bowl and filled it with warm soup, she grabbed a napkin and spoon, then rushed out.

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"Capricorn," exclaimed Cockerell as he walked in, he bowed deeply to him, "the geologist is prepared to tell you what mines you discovered are important. I gave him your description, two of the mines you have described are gold mines, another one is a diamond mine."

"Good," replied Capricorn, smiling, "I'll no longer have to squeeze these folk around here so hard. I don't want more snoops like the two we had two years ago." He exclaimed, thinking about the Joneses' children.

"We've also received word that Isabella Antoni is in the hospital with a brain tumor, a sort of Cancer; according to the doctor who works for you the tumor is between the sinus and brain and can't be taken out. She'll die in less than a few months when the tumor gets larger."

"She will not be able to speak to the Shadow to make sure my commands are met, then," Capricorn frowned slightly, "that is alright, Joy too shares her mother and father's gift. She is valuable to have around," he paused, "tell me, how is Joy."

"She is stressed and looks rather unhappy," replied Cockerell, with a smile on his face.

"The child needs to learn there is beauty in darkness," Capricorn replied, "she needs to learn how to hate."

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"Mortimer, you want me to tell them that... you're dead?" Elinor asked staring at Mo in shock.

"Elinor, that's if you get caught; you know this isn't blood, it's dried Posion Berry, but they won't know that. If you tell them I'm dead they figure they have nothing to worry about. Stephen and I can sneak in, get Meggie, Joy, and Basta Junior, we'll burn the village, and then we'll get out."

"Burn the village, Mortimer? They'll catch you before you even lay a hand on a gas can! They'll kill you! You have to be Meggie's father, and that's a long life ahead of you, you can't just hand it to those...those..forked tounged...devils!" Elinor exclaimed, she looked to Stephen, "and you! What are you going to do? Say 'surfs up dude!' and knock them down with a skate board?"

"I'm not like that, Elinor," Stephen replied, his voice rigid with anger, his long blonde hair was tied back in a pony tail, a small beard grew on his chin. "I may look like I am like that - but I'm not. You're scared and worried, we are too, but we have to try. We've got to stop these people from whatever their planning...on top of that when they're done with their plan they may not need Meggie and Joy, and they may kill them! I'm damned well not gonna sit here while that happens. Besides, I have help lined up."

"You do?" Mo and Elinor asked at the same time.

"Yes, I do," replied Stephen, "three years ago two kids were here looking at the village; they're names are Indiana Jones and Casey Jones, sister and brother. I met them on my way here and they've offered to help; they know enough about this village by watching it for a few hours...they can help us." He paused, "don't forget, as soon as we get Meggie and Joy out they'll be helping us too, we have to count on that."

Elinor stared at Stephen for a long moment, "You...you two don't go off getting killed! I'm going to the authorities, right now!"

"Be careful, Elinor, and remember, don't trust too many people around here," Mo replied, "you never know who Capricorn has under his thumb."

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"Meggie," Joy said softly, "tonights going to be that reading ceremony...has Fenoglio started on it?"

"Yes," replied Meggie, "I read the Tin Soldier back into the book, he says his plan will work. It's a good thing Basta's really supersticious," she smiled, "he thinks the charms will work against Mortola."

"Hopefully they will," Joy smiled, she paused, "but we need to try to get Dustfinger out of the crypt."

"How?" Meggie asked.

"By tricking Basta down there," Joy replied, "he's terribly afraid of it down there, he believes a spirit of an old priest and a woman are down there wanting to kill him...though I would not be suprised. But, spirits still remain terrified of these black jackets, I know that for a fact. We can't let Basta know that though, this has to work out well."

"What are you both going to do?" Fenoglio asked, looking up from his writing.

"I went down to see Dustfinger early this morning," Joy replied, "I've told him to act like he has a strep throat, and I've given him a pen and paper. I've also communicated to a few others...I know..."

"Who?" Meggie asked, curiously.

"Have you ever heard the saying I see dead people?" Joy asked.

"Yes, a boy in my class would say that all the time," replied Meggie, "why?"

"Because with me, that saying is literal," replied Joy, Fenoglio stared at her unsure, Meggie just blinked. "Trust me on this, please, when we get down there all heck is going to break loose. But before it breaks lose we have to get Basta in that crypt. We have too."

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End of Chapter 12

A/N: Indiana and Casey Jones are in my short Inkheart Story, Take A Look Through My Eyes about a brother and sister who follow "cat man" back to Capricorn's village.