Lenora awoke the next morning confused, briefly, and then happy once more. She was back with Sally, and Jack, and Zero. And Demise had told Marie and Donnie about where she was…

She was a bit sad that she didn't get to say goodbye to them properly. And she missed some of the things they'd let her use, given her, collected for her. The little garden. The green and trees.

But it hadn't been home. She was finally starting to understand what that word meant now.

"Lenora?"

Sally poked her head in, and Lenora sat up and smiled.

"Morning."

Sally grinned and came in and hugged her tightly. Lenora hugged back just as much.

Sally made them all breakfast, she was going to celebrate as she could, but Jack could only stay for a short time. He was going to let the Mayor know that Lenora had been found, as well as attend a last-minute meeting regarding the decorations over one of the Halls. There'd been a squabble the previous day that almost ended with severed limbs, and not the kind that could be re-attached.

So Lenora had a brief interaction with Jack, which she was fine with, and had a lovely breakfast of cinnamon spider buns. They talked a little, but mostly sat in comfortable quiet.

"I understand that you're probably tired, Lenora," Sally finally started, "But I was wondering if you'd like to go out at all?"

Lenora tried not to tense up at the idea, and actually succeeded a little.

"I mean, it won't have to be for long," Sally continued quickly. "I just need to go get some more fabric from the store. Not a lot, but Jack won't be back for hours, and I've got to finish this jacket before tomorrow." She knew she could do it, but she needed that extra bit of fabric. She was tempted to just forget the whole thing, but she'd come back to herself enough that she felt the need to contribute to Halloween. And she'd gotten plenty of work to do.

Lenora poked at her plate. "Um… Well… I… I don't know." She hadn't hardly noticed the monsters around her last night, she'd been too preoccupied thinking about Sally and getting back. And Demise had been with her. But, even in the daylight, she wasn't sure she was ready to see the other creatures of Halloween again…

"I can wait until Jack gets back," Sally reassured Lenora. It would be a harder crunch, but she wasn't about to push Lenora too much now that she was home. "I have other things I can work on."

"Oh?" Lenora asked, intrigued. "Like what?"

Sally wasn't used to actual interest from Lenora, verbally anyway. She perked up and described a few of the clothing pieces she was working on at the moment. Lenora actually seemed to mostly follow the conversation, too.

"… Can I help?" Lenora asked.

Sally grinned, absolutely delighted with the idea. "Of course! If you're alright with sewing needles?" She knew that medical needles were an issue, but she didn't think the sewing was…

Lenora shook her head. "It's fine. I even helped Marie with making this dress. And some other things."

Sally nodded, remembering a little of the recounting last night. "Right. How horrid. Let's get to it, then?" She didn't want to lose any interest Lenora had.

"Shouldn't we clean up breakfast first?" Lenora asked, gathering her plate.

Sally blinked, surprised again. Lenora had liked helping before, but it had been very quiet, subdued, if not frightened at times. The easy manner that had come over her was… strange. And good, in a way. But still strange. "Um… Yes, if you don't mind," Sally said, picking up her own plate.

They went to the back room and worked together on some of Sally's other projects. Sally was impressed by how much Lenora knew, or had learned, she wasn't sure which.

The time passed happily enough. Then Lenora noticed something hitting the window, repeatedly. Like little rocks. Curious, she went over to the window. Looking around, she didn't see any birds, or the trick-or-treaters. Or anyone from the school. She wondered if Lock, Shock, and Barrel had gotten into much trouble with Oogie Boogie after she disappeared… Or anyone else. She sighed, hoping not. They weren't the best friends, but… she didn't want things happening to them, either.

A little rock hit again, making her jump, and she looked to the source.

The boy from the tree in St. Patrick'stown. Dark hair and sparsely striped skin. What was his name? "Keln?"

He saw her, and waved frantically.

She frowned. She glanced back at Sally, who had just finished stitching up a fold of cloth.

"Want to help with this, Lenora?"

Lenora looked back outside, and he was still waving frantically.

"Um… Can I just— go outside for a minute?" Lenora asked.

Sally looked up, curious. "Hm?" She furrowed her brow a bit. "Why?"

"Um… Well," Lenora said, shifting in her stance. "I… I just got used to… being outside a lot. In St. Patrick'stown. And— I don't want to go anywhere or anything. Just… be outside."

"You could open the window if you want."

Lenora shook her head. "No, I mean… Just— out to the steps? On them. Just a bit. I'll be back."

Sally looked at her with a little worry, but nodded and set aside her cloth, standing.

"O-oh, you don't have to—"

"I can take some of this with me," Sally said, gathering a few items. "I can sit on the steps just as easily as you can. Besides, it looks nice enough out." And if it was too windy, they could come in earlier. Sally didn't want to leave Lenora alone, not for a minute, not when she had just come back.

"U-um… Alright…" Lenora glanced at the window, and waved back. Keln brightened, and she waved towards the front of the house. She hoped he could stay in the shadow of the house as well as he did in the trees.

As they came out Sally sighed in a pleasant manner and sat down about half-way down the steps. Lenora continued to the end.

"I'm just going to walk around a little," she assured Sally. There was a little bit of yard before the main gate, and it went around the house too. Sally watched her carefully, but nodded.

"Alright. Just don't go too far, alright?"

Lenora nodded. She tried to go around at first, but Sally kept shifting. She didn't want to worry her, so she just stayed in sight of Sally for a while. She glimpsed Keln once, but motioned for him to hide. He did so, beneath the stairs. Lenora wandered while Sally returned to her work, and Lenora did enjoy being outside again. Even with the wind a bit more chill than she had gotten used to, it was… nice. A change that she didn't mind.

Eventually, though, Lenora managed to slip behind and under the stairs. The boy was there waiting for her.

"Lenora!" His whisper was forced, but full of relief, and thankfully not loud enough for Sally to hear. He hugged her, briefly, and she stiffened for a second in surprise. Before she could return the hug, though, he let go and pulled back. "Sorry. I just—"

He looked awful. He looked paler than he should have, his stripes were more ashen than she remembered, and his expression looked more than tired. He was shaking a bit, too, the leaves on his clothes rustling on occasion.

"Keln," she whispered, worried. "Are you okay?"

"I— It's fine; I'm Kelahn." He smiled, briefly, faltering.

"Oh, I'm sorry—"

"Lenora, we've— we've got t' go," Kelahn said, looking around them.

"Lenora?" Sally called, looking around for her.

"Under the stairs," Lenora called back. "Just— in the shade." She popped back out into Sally's view. "I'm sorry. That okay?"

Sally relaxed. "Yes, dear. Sorry. Just— well, you know." She smiled and shrugged apologetically.

Lenora smiled. "Yeah. I'll be right out." She popped back under the stairs.

"What do you mean?" she asked quietly.

"Go," Kelahn said urgently. "From here. Back 'ome."

Lenora frowned, then remembered that he didn't actually… know about her.

"Kelahn… this is my home."

Now Kelahn frowned. "Wh—… What…?"

"We can go back inside if you like, Lenora," Sally called out.

"In a minute," Lenora called back, then returned to whispering. "I live here, Kelahn. Sally's my mom. She's real nice and great and she makes good food, and she sews—"

"Lenora, Marie does all those things fer ya, right?"

"Kelahn," Lenora protested, "Marie is wonderful. But she's not— Sally. She's not my mom."

Kelahn looked hurt by this. Even though he knew Lenora's mom wasn't in St. Patrick'stown.

But he was hurt. He'd traveled all this way, worried about Lenora being held captive by demons through being betrayed by Demise, fought through the crowded streets and buildings and somehow, finally, finally made it to the manor. He'd fallen asleep as soon as he'd gotten out of the crowds. And after waiting for the creatures in the manor to leave, creatures he was sure could be perfectly fine on their own, people even, though he had doubts about the skeleton, but were just there holding Lenora back from returning…

And she wanted to stay?

"L-Lenora," he tried to reason. "It's— This isn't— normal. 'Ts not— …right."

"What isn't?" Lenora protested, a bit offended.

"Th— This!" Kelahn gestured to the the manor, the city, the creatures. Everything.

Lenora put her hands on her hips. "Kelahn. It is normal. For here. They celebrate Halloween, and it's soon, and they try to scare people and it's scary but it's supposed to be, and they can be nice, you know."

"Lenora—" He looked pointedly at the manor above them, practically balancing on stilts, at an odd angle in places, seemingly barely holding together in others, though it was still stately and imposing.

"It's a house," Lenora enunciated, almost forgetting to whisper. "Sally lives here. And Jack, and Zero. And me."

"Lenora?" Sally called again. It sounded like she was talking with someone, though it sounded more like leaves than someone's voice…

"I'm sorry, Kelahn," Lenora whispered urgently, but with finality. The look on his face nearly made her take it back, it was so… defeated, but she held her tongue and stepped out of the shade. She did feel sorry, though, and her face showed it.

Sally had come down the stairs, and looked at Lenora with a frown. "What's wrong, dear?"

Lenora glanced at the stairs, but shook her head.

Sally glanced as well, and thought she saw something in the shadows. She squinted and tilted her head, looking closer.

There was someone in there.

Automatically, Sally put an arm around Lenora and pulled her back. "Who—"

"Sally, Mom," Lenora protested immediately.

Kelahn froze, trying to hide, but he was tired and it was a strange place and he wasn't even around trees. The steps were made of wood but it wasn't the same.

"It's n-nothing," Lenora tried to continue, pressing to get around Sally's arm and distract her. It wasn't working. "N-no one! Mom!"

Sally frowned a little, ignoring Lenora's protests as she saw the outline seemed to be of a child, or at least someone pretty young. "… Who are you?" she asked, more curious than worried, but still holding a protective arm in front of Lenora.

The woman could see him. Kelahn still tried to be invisible, but he knew it wouldn't work. Why was she covered in scars? Why was she the color of water faeries when there didn't seem to be any rivers around? What right did she have having a soft mothering voice when the place she lived was so crazy and strange?

"N-no one—" Lenora tried physically pushing Sally away.

Sally finally moved, moving Lenora around her too. "Lenora! What are you doing? Why are you—"

Lenora huffed at her, frustrated and worried. She frowned deeply.

Sally put a hand on her hips, but didn't budge. She loved Lenora, and was glad to have her back, and that frown hurt her heart. But the girl hadn't even been back a full day and already was talking to a strange creature in the shadows and trying to hide the fact! When before she'd run at the very thought of talking to shadows. Sally turned her attention back to the shadow figure. "Excuse me, but can you please answer me?"

Kelahn stepped back further, though ran into the stairs. He didn't like this. He never really liked interacting with adults, whether of the woods or not. But this was so far outside his comfort zone.

Lenora, of course, had no idea how much he hated this journey, but she could tell he was very uncomfortable. "His name's Kelahn, and don't— Please don't push him!"

Sally looked at her. "'Push' him…?"

"He's— he's from St. Patrick'stown, and he's in the trees, and he's— I don't know, but— He came here to try and bring me back," Lenora spouted in a rush, "And I don't want to!"

Sally stiffened. "Honey, no you won't—"

"And I won't!" Lenora continued. "And I know that, but he just came here for that, and— and he's okay but…" She wasn't sure where to go with it from there. She stood to the side of Sally and the stairs, not exactly between them, trying to figure out what she meant.

Sally relaxed a little, and looked at the figure in the shadows again. Her eyes had adjusted more, and she could see the kid, huddling into the stairs, still standing, but obviously scared. It reminded her of when Lenora first arrived in Halloweentown.

Her pity was stirred.

"Kelahn?" Sally tried to pronounce.

Kelahn didn't respond, just watched her.

Sally looked at Lenora. "You said he came here from St. Patrick'stown?"

Lenora nodded.

"Have you ever been here before?" Sally asked Kelahn.

Then it dawned on Lenora how scary things might be in Halloweentown. Even though Donnie had spun stories of scary things in the woods, and Kelahn lived in the woods… It was different.

"U-um," she said, "he's… he didn't know— about here." She glanced at Kelahn. Did he know, though? He had thought she was an angel… Living somewhere else. But he probably didn't know about Halloweentown.

Sally nodded. "Your skin is a lovely pale with stripes."

He stayed quiet.

"Do you want to come inside?" Sally asked, trying to sound inviting and friendly.

His head twitched in a shaking motion, once. It was hard to tell if it was voluntary or not.

Sally's brow furrowed in some worry. She glanced at Lenora, who was watching her with worry and anxiety. Obviously, this was going nowhere. Sally sighed.

"Lenora, would you go inside and get some of the leftover rolls?"

Lenora hesitated, then nodded. "U-um— okay." She glanced worriedly at Kelahn, but went and did as she was asked. She brought out the plate.

Sally took it and placed it between them all, and sat down. She took one, and offered another to Lenora, who took it and stood nearby, nibbling on it nervously.

"You can have one if you want, Kelahn," Sally said, leaving the plate where it was.

They sat there and ate awkwardly in quiet for a while. Eventually, Kelahn ventured to take one of the rolls… He had smelled them that morning and just because they weren't warm didn't mean they wouldn't taste good. Yet he was still surprised when it did, in fact, taste good. He hadn't expected to want to eat anything in this place, but it had been over a day since he'd last eaten…

And the next thing he knew he'd eaten at least three of them. Even Lenora seemed surprised at that.

"Oh," Sally said, then smiled kindly at him. "I'm glad you liked them. Or at least, I hope you did."

He gave a very small nod.

She smiled more. "I've got other things in the house when you're hungry again. You can come in if you'd like, but you seem to like it out here under the stairs."

Sally really didn't want to leave him alone out here, but… she wasn't sure what else to do. Lenora wasn't speaking up, he certainly wasn't giving her anything to work with… and she still had sewing things to work on. Not that she would put that above helping other creatures. But… there wasn't anything else she could do, that she could think of. She sighed, and stood up, carefully brushing off her dress.

Both children watched her warily, curiously.

"Lenora," Sally started, "let's head back inside?"

Lenora tensed a little, but didn't hold onto it, and got up with her, a bit more clumsily.

Sally wasn't about to let Lenora out of her sight, even with another child out who needed some help. "Kelahn, you're welcome to come in at any time," she said, then started towards the bottom of the stairs.

She paused, then picked up one of the rolls and placed it on the steps as she passed. Perhaps encouragement, despite being rather juvenile, would be helpful.

Lenora frowned as she followed Sally, Kelahn didn't need that much leading… did he? She glanced back.

He was still under the stairs.

They went inside.

Kelahn eventually poked his head around, after he heard the door open. It didn't shut, though. He spotted the roll on the steps and felt indignant about being bribed like a small child.

… But they were tasty.

He still didn't want to move from under the stairs.

Ten minutes later Lenora was with Sally when she heard munching on the biscuits Sally put out on their way in.

Sally did too, and glanced at Lenora. "What was his name again?"

"Kelahn," Lenora responded. "…From St. Patrick'stown."

Sally nodded and stood.

"Y-you aren't going to— to—" Lenora started, following closely.

"To what, Lenora?" Sally asked, looking back at her.

Lenora balked. She really wasn't sure what, but she was worried about Kelahn here. He was used to St. Patrick'stown, and the woods at that. Which may have held some scary creatures, but not just walking around like they did in Halloweentown. She was pretty sure, at least. And it wasn't nearly as dead-looking. She'd already worried about this, but she was worried again. "Um…"

Sally walked again, and carefully came around the corner. Kelahn was nibbling on a biscuit. He froze when he saw her, eyes wide, though not as much as they'd been under the stairs.

"Kelahn?" Sally asked, quiet but confident.

He stayed quiet.

Lenora moved out from behind Sally, worry on her face but trying to stay calm.

Kelahn's worry increased when he saw her face.

Sally glanced back at Lenora and tried to make a smooth calming motion. "It's alright. I was just wondering if you wanted something… else? To eat? I mean, bat biscuits are good and tasty… right? Do you like them?"

Kelahn hesitantly nodded.

"How about soup? Do you like soup?"

Kelahn waited, then nodded again. Lenora's mother wouldn't try to poison him… would she?

Sally smiled. "I'll go get it, then." She went to the kitchen, and Lenora lagged behind.

Lenora looked at Kelahn, and once Sally was preoccupied getting the soup, she whispered urgently at Kelahn.

"What are you doing?"

"I— I dunno," Kelahn whispered back, looking awkwardly and suspiciously around. "I jus… 'm ungry, alright?"

Lenora pursed her lips, but nodded. "I'm not leaving Sally," she reiterated.

Kelahn nodded, rubbing an arm.

Lenora watched him a moment longer, then accepted that he wouldn't try taking her away and nodded. She headed to the kitchen. "Sally makes good food," she said over her shoulder.

Kelahn couldn't do much but follow.

Some time later, Kelahn had finished some of Sally's serpentine soup, though he seemed to question it for a time at first. Lenora had settled down enough to not worry so much about being whisked away from Sally.

"How did you get here?" Sally eventually asked.

Kelahn pursed his lips and considered the question. And whether or not to answer it.

"It was the Doors, wasn't it?" Lenora interjected, leaning on the table and swinging her feet.

Kelahn bristled slightly at the mention, but nodded after a second. It had been one of the strangest experiences of his life.

Lenora nodded in understanding. "Yeah. It's… weird."

"Does anyone know that you're here?" Sally asked.

Kelahn looked down.

Sally pursed her lips. "Who might be… looking for you?"

"…Darach," Kelahn mumbled, though even Lenora was barely able to hear him.

"Who?" Sally asked.

"Darach," Lenora tried pronouncing, louder. "… His dad."

Sally nodded. "Does he know about the Doors?"

Kelahn continued looking down. He didn't know what all Darach knew about, now. Kelahn had asked about Lenora before, and Demise, but Darach had seemed fine with things. When Kelahn followed Demise, he was sure Darach knew about that section of the forest. And yet it'd never been mentioned before, not even in warning, or passing. So either Darach was trying to hide the Doors, or even he didn't know about them, which Kelahn found hard to believe.

But still; Kelahn wasn't sure which he wanted to believe more…

"Probably not," Lenora said, trying to read Kelahn's expressions. "I mean, we probably would have seen him by now, I think… Right?" Lenora glanced back at Sally.

Kelahn shrugged. He wondered if Darach would try the Doors looking for him. If he knew about the Doors. What a strange mess this was.

"Do you know how to get back?" Sally asked, undaunted.

Both Kelahn and Lenora looked at her in surprise.

When neither of them responded with anything else, Sally continued. "Do you know how to get back to the Doors? I mean, if… if you came here after Lenora… I imagine you didn't exactly tell your father where you were going."

Kelahn shook his head slowly.

"So do you know how to get back?"

Kelahn thought about the streets, the town, the creatures, the buildings. He shuddered, and shook his head. It was in the forest, the Doors. But where that even was… He had no idea.

Sally looked at Lenora, then at the time. "Hm… Lenora, do you know where you put your cloak?"

Lenora nodded, then went to go get it.

Kelahn watched Sally warily, confused.

"We can take you back to the Doors," Sally explained, looking over the coatrack for her own. "Do you want to borrow a coat?"

Kelahn quickly shook his head. Even if it was cold out, and the stones beneath his feet in town were worse, he would survive. Probably.

Sally nodded and grabbed an extra cloak anyway she could wear or share anyway. "Don't worry about it. We'll help you out." She looked at him for a moment. "And thank you for trying to look out for Lenora."

Kelahn looked at her.

"She— I mean, you weren't there the whole time, obviously, but… you cared enough to come after her when you weren't sure if she was alright. Thank you." Sally meant it.

Kelahn could tell and looked away, embarrassed. He nodded. "Mm-hm."

Sally smiled. She hoped he didn't get in too much trouble for trying to help Lenora…