We're right where we left off, with Rex showing up, having sneaked into the Human World to join the gang's expedition. Quite a problem when Randall has to prove he can be a good guardian for his nephew! It's also not easy when ghosts are tagging along the entire time. :) Also: Randall encounters an old ally, and finally has a heart-to-heart conversation with Becca.

This chapter has a fair bit of adventure in it, and is 13 pages of awesomeness. Super-hard work went into this, and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out, so read on and enjoy! :) Note: Tons of references to HW: An Adventure, but easy enough to follow along.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Acceptance

Now wasn't the time to scold; they had to run. Randall pulled Rex along through the snow for a while, but ended up scooping the kid under one arm. The sporting-goods store disappeared from view as they turned a corner into an alley. The sound of the shop owner's angry yelling echoed loudly into the cold night—no doubt the guy had just discovered the back door off its hinges. The dog's barking added to Randall's adrenaline rush; he knew that dogs had a good sense of smell. Hopefully the snow would cover up their scent as much as possible.

Up ahead, Bernard, Naomi and Becca were hurrying through the winding alleys. The group was going back the way they came, back to the beach where the darkness was more prevalent. Therefore it was a much safer place to be. Becca's stolen shotgun glinted whenever the streetlights caught it; Randall hoped she didn't plan on using the weapon here in town. Naomi was furthest ahead, and Bernard kept up surprisingly fast, considering his short legs—with one of them being a prosthetic. The snow kept on falling silently, helping to quiet their footsteps. As Randall followed, he swiped his tail back and forth behind him to erase their footprints. And bit by bit, the yelling and barking from the sporting-goods store faded away.

Buildings became scarcer as the group ran onto the beach. The three monsters up ahead kept going all the way to a cluster of rock formations; a spot where no prying eyes would spot them in the cold dark of winter. Randall squinted to see where his friends had gone, for he was still a fair ways behind. Carrying his nephew under one arm hampered his efforts to move faster.

Just as he ran onto the snow-dusted sand, Suzie blinked into sight. "Wha-?" She stuttered as Randall and Rex zoomed past. "Why's he out here? I thought you left him at the daycare!"

"I did." Randall snapped, not even stopping to acknowledge the ghost. She disappeared for now, but he sensed she would appear again soon with more questions.

The gang reunited behind the tall cluster of boulders. Iceland had little to no driftwood on its beaches; it was far too remote for that. The landscape was all stone, ice and snow at this time of the year. On the beach, the snowfall was less prominent and the only sound to be heard was the soft lap of ocean against the shore; that, and their own heavy breathing. Randall set his nephew down with a stern glare of disappointment. The boy had been quiet since fleeing the store; even now, he sheepishly gazed at the grown-ups one by one, with every hand folded behind his back while shifting from one foot, to another, to another…"Um…Hi?"

Becca was just as angry as Randall by this unforeseen exploit. Naomi could only stare wide-eyed in shock, and Bernard groaned with exasperation. He ran a hand through his colorful feather crest as he caught his breath. "Should have known you'd pull a stunt like this, Rex. What were you thinking?"

Naomi recovered from her surprise. "Rex, this is totally the most dangerous thing you've ever done! Don't you realize where you are?"

"Y—Yes…" Rex looked at Randall's glare, which plainly said 'explain yourself.' So he stammered away on the spot. "Well, I—I wanted to come, too! Uncle Randy, if I had just asked to come, you would've said no…"

"Damn right I would have said 'no.'"

"Language! Dad told me what all the no-no words are and that was one of them!" Rex tried to get on his uncle's good side, but it didn't really work. The entire group was very upset with him.

Becca pulled Randall close to whisper in his ear, "I've been holding back lots of colorful language for the last five minutes. Don't take this the wrong way, Randall, but as much as we all like Rex, the little troublemaker has just made this trip harder than it needs to be. What do we do?"

Randall understood the frustration, and said aloud to his nephew as calmly as possible, "Why in the world would you do this? You know better than to sneak out; wandering around the factory is one thing, but this is crossing the line. Don't you know how dangerous it can be out here for monsters?"

For a brief moment, Rex looked past him to make eye contact with Suzie. The girl had indeed reappeared nearby. Randall could practically sense her. Then he understood: Rex was very attached to the ghost and likely wanted to come along and pay respects, too. So that's why he did it…While the reasons were just, the way the kid had gone about it was far from ideal.

Bernard politely vented, "Young man, we are going to lose precious time because of this. Now, you're going right back to the workshop before we take a step further—"

"Hey! This is my responsibility, remember?" Randall interrupted. "This guardian trial thing just got a lot harder. My father will have my head on a platter…" He shook his head, debating what to do. "We'll have to take him with us. Fungus won't bring the door back online for hours, anyway, so there isn't much choice in the matter. And don't worry. There'll be a suitable punishment for my nephew when this trip is over," Here, Rex sulked as his uncle addressed the entire group. "And just so everyone's clear, my father is never to hear about this."

"Hey, it's not your fault, Genius." said Becca, while casting an irritated look at Rex.

The boy tried to cool their moods and alleviate his own guilt. "I promise not to get in the way! I'll stay close. I won't go invisible or anything!"

"How'd you even get this far in?" Naomi asked. "Were you right behind us the whole time?"

"Rex, are you alright? You're looking a bit, well, frosty." Bernard pointed out.

Indeed, Rex's orange scales were taking on an icy, blue-white frost pattern of their own accord. It was a mere side effect of being out in this cold weather. Randall's scales had also adopted the look, but far more subtly. The special heated jacket he wore helped keep it at bay; without it, every ounce of energy would be gone quickly. But Rex had no such protection. Since reptiles couldn't shiver, Rex could only stand there and watch with fascination as his scales changed without him even trying. Already a strange feeling of sluggishness was overtaking him.

Randall sighed and unzipped his jacket. "C'mere, this will help." He instructed Rex to climb onto his back, and the jacket was re-zipped over both of them. Rex's head stuck out so that it gave a funny look of a two-headed monster. But the warmth made him feel better right away. Randall said to the others, "Let's keep moving. We're on a deadline, aren't we?"

Bernard, Becca and Naomi all sighed at this unexpected event. But since nothing could be done, it only made sense to keep going on with their quest. So the group of monsters, now numbering five, headed off into the darkness.

More clouds went away and the snowfall lightened up so that a few stars could be seen. There was even a bit of moonlight to see by. With the weather turning, Becca secretly hoped the Northern Lights would be visible when they got to higher ground. At the moment, there were far too many rising cliffs in the way. It was impossible to get a full view of the sky from down here on the beach. Although they were out of town, there were still a few houses nearby. A single street ran along the shoreline, with two rows of houses lining it on either side. But none of the windows were lit. The entire world was indeed asleep, and therefore safe.

The group marched single file along the beach. In their experience, it was wise to stay quiet and keep a low profile until far away from human-packed areas. The cold air made their breaths visible and at first, the only sounds on the beach were the lapping ocean and their own footsteps. Until Rex began talking excitedly. Despite his guilt and regret at getting caught, the boy was so thrilled to be out here in the Human World wilderness that he couldn't help pointing out the scenery. He didn't fully understand why it was so vital to keep quiet right now, and the others kept on shushing him.

Randall calmly explained to his nephew, "If humans knew of the existence of a whole other dimension, life would become utter chaos on both sides. Collecting scream and laugh energy is the only exception."

"But the human kids see monsters all the time, don't they?" Rex questioned.

"And they never find out where they come from." Randall answered, speaking quietly. "The adults never believe the old 'monster in the closet' stories; calling us bad dreams or the work of overactive imaginations. But if they find out monsters are actually real, oh boy…I'd hate to imagine the outcome. So while we're out here, it's important to stay hidden. So no more talking, alright?"

"Speaking of which, we outta be doing some hiding right about now." Becca cut in. She pointed ahead at a distant orange-gold flicker of light. It was a small bonfire glowing prominently in the darkness. Around it were many silhouettes; a whole team of humans was on the beach, either a group of star-gazers or some rowdy party-goers.

Rex took his uncles strong advice and finally went silent. Under the safety of the heated jacket, he wrapped his arms a bit tighter around Randall's neck.

The group of people numbered about two dozen. A lot of them stayed close to the bonfire, pointing their phones and cameras skyward to capture the beautiful star-filled sky that was beginning to show itself. Maybe they were watching the skies to see if the Northern Lights would appear, too. But they were in the direct path of the monsters; the only way to reach the cliffs overlooking town was along this beach.

Bernard waved for everyone to go back towards the houses. The group of people was too far away to notice them, so this was the only chance to make a break for it. Using the few houses as cover to sneak past the bonfire party was the only thing to do. Randall squinted at the humans for a lingering moment. Something about them sparked a memory—all of them wore identical navy blue jackets with a symbol on the back. Some kind of logo that was vaguely familiar…he regained his focus and trailed after Bernard and the others.

He flinched when Sam suddenly blinked into view. His brother was shocked at the sight of Rex's head sticking out from the collar of the jacket and demanded an explanation. "Why is my son here?! You said you'd leave him at the factory!"

"I didn't bring him! He got past Fungus and followed us!" Randall hissed back in a whisper.

"I thought you said we had to be quiet." Rex reminded. Then he looked around with suspicion. "…Who are you talking to, Uncle Randy?"

Sam blinked away in fear before Randall could even respond to the question. Rex pulled on his uncle's fronds to prompt him to answer; Randall only resumed their pace and caught up with the others. When the tension of the moment wore off, Suzie appeared yet again right in front of him.

"Whoa! What's with all these surprise pop-ups?" Randall hissed under his breath. It was getting hard not to scold her and Sam for doing this, but with Bernard and the girls so close by, he didn't dare say a word.

Rex could see Suzie, at least, and waved in greeting, but she appeared too worried to say hello. She ran her scaly blue hands through her feelers. "Oh boy, Sam is raving mad—" she then held her tongue upon remembering Rex wasn't supposed to know that. But the boy heard those words and perked his little head up hopefully. Suzie continued. "Um—Randall, you guys might want to pick up the pace; someone's following you."

"Huh?" Randall whipped his head around. Squinting, he could see nothing amiss. The beach-goers were still in sight, though.

"You heard me! One of those guys is heading right this way. Plus, Bernard sticks out like a sore thumb." Suzie reminded. Indeed, Bernard's bright red skin had always been very noticeable, even in the dead of night. She craned her neck to stare back towards the bonfire party. "Maybe you guys should hide somewhere, or scream and panic in Naomi's case—"

"Really? What do we do?" Rex fully trusted the ghost and pulled on his uncle's fronds again.

"Stop that! C'mon, let's tell the others…" Randall ran to the front of the line and gestured for them to hurry after him. The group was so used to sneaking that they didn't even ask why as he led them to the nearest house. They took shelter in the shadows between a shed and the house itself. It was a far cry from the safety of an alley, but better than nothing.

Bernard was confused. "Randall, what's going—"

"We're being tracked. One of the bonfire-people must've seen something. Best to shake him off now."

"What?" Naomi's high-pitched voice rose another octave. She pulled her parka hood a bit tighter as she peered around the shed's corner. "How do you know?"

There wasn't time to explain, so Randall didn't bother. Suzie could always tell when trouble was coming. Even if her skill of premonition was a bit questionable, it was best not to ignore. He unzipped his jacket and slipped it and Rex off his back. The boy could sense trouble rising and listened to whatever his uncle had to say.

Randall glanced down the narrow street, formulating a plan. "See that house at the end? The one with the tree?" He pointed it out; a short sprint away was a house with a lighted Christmas tree in its front window, clearly visible. "Take Rex and I'll meet you there in a minute."

"If you're sure, then take care of it. And please be careful!" Bernard ordered with concern. To the girls, he ushered, "C'mon, let's move."

Randall disappeared into thin air. He often took the role of covert spy, and diverting people was no problem. But with his nephew here, the stakes were far higher. The group split up, with the unseen Randall going back the way they had come.

Bernard wrapped up Rex in the heated jacket and carried him off with Naomi following close behind as he led the way down the street. They would have to dart from shadow to shadow, of which there were very few. Now that the moon was out, sneaking around would be tricky, but the gang had done this hundreds of times. Becca kept a good grip on her shotgun, ready to use it should danger arise. Although unable to see Randall, she kept glancing back, hoping nothing else would impede the mission. She whispered in the hope he was close enough to hear, "Don't do anything stupid, Randall!"

The light dusting of snow made things difficult. Being invisible, his three-toed footprints kept appearing out of thin air, so he kept up the tail-swiping as he scurried along. He didn't fully believe Suzie's warning; she'd been wrong about her premonitions before. Sometimes events were never as dire as she expected them to be. But it was wiser not to take any chances.

Retracing the gang's path didn't take long. And it wasn't long until he spied another set of tracks that belonged to no monster. A pair of boots—much smaller in size then the boots Naomi was wearing—led straight up from the beach. Great. Of course we'd have someone tracking us now, of all times! Whoever it was had left a very fresh trail, too. Meaning they weren't far away...

Randall followed the tracks back up to the street. Even with so few houses on either side and limited hiding places, there was no sign of his friends. The gang's skill at staying hidden was definitely on the professional level. I only hope Rex isn't talking up a storm and ruining everything…Randall worried. I can't let Sam down with this guardianship.

The mysterious set of boots led from one house to another. He kept tracking them; the person seemed to be scurrying to and from all manner of covert places; up against the side of a building, or behind trashcans and other such things. The prints were slowly making their way down the street, closer and closer towards the last house with the Christmas tree in the window…Randall crawled on all eights to hurry. If the guy found a gang of monsters hiding over there, it wouldn't be good.

A bulky figure suddenly speed-walked under a streetlight, moving so fast that Randall almost missed him. The person went up against the wall of a house—there really wasn't much else to use as cover—and peeked out, gazing down the street as if he didn't want to be noticed. The coat he wore was navy and had the same logo as the others from the beach; some kind of shipping company with a picture of a boat. Whoever he was, he must be from the cargo ship that was currently docked in town. The man faced away from the invisible monster sneaking up on him. It was then that Randall noticed the extremely subtle brush-marks of Becca's tail in the snow. The detail was so indistinguishable that most people wouldn't have noticed their alien nature. But the tiny detail was surely what the stranger was following.

He'll find them for sure. Better take matters into my own hands…Randall dug up a few pebbles from under the snow and scrambled up the nearest streetlight. From this perch, he was at the perfect angle to create a distraction. He threw a pebble down the street, in the opposite direction, away from the Christmas tree house.

The first pebble missed its mark and hit the soft snow without a sound. But the second bounced off a metal trashcan. It worked; the sound was enough to draw the human's attention. He turned towards the noise, alarmed and confused. The hood of his bulky winter coat was up. So when the stranger turned around, Randall finally caught a glimpse of his face.

The lizard gasped in recognition. The distinct features on the human were undoubtedly the same as he remembered. It was him! The same human who had helped him and Suzie escape from the cargo ship last year! Randall's grip almost went slack with surprise. He squinted to be sure it was the same person; the man had the same stocky, heavyset build, and the same black hair—a lot of which was growing out of his face in a stubbly beard. Yep. It was the same guy, all right. The same Spaniard whose help had been crucially valued.

Seeing Mateo again wasn't all that implausible. Randall came down from the streetlight, sliding carefully to keep as silent as possible. Still, what were the odds of this happening? With this particular human being a cargo ship worker, perhaps this stop in Iceland was on his route. That was the only explanation.

The man reached the spot where the trash cans stood, and pulled down the hood of his coat to better see around him. Nothing seemed to be here…he frowned in further confusion and started moving towards the gap between the two nearest houses, intending to search for anyone suspicious. He walked right past the invisible monster leaning against the streetlight…

Randall threw caution to the wind and dropped the camouflage. "So it's you who's following us?"

The man spun around and jumped back. But he did not yell or cry out in fear. On the contrary, his immediate reaction was more one of mild surprise.

"What's taking so long?" Naomi peeked out from their hiding spot. The house with the Christmas tree had no windows on one side, so the four of them were waiting there anxiously. "Oh dear, oh dear…I hope he didn't get caught."

"No, that would never happen. He's far too careful for that." Bernard reassured. He kept a grip on Rex's hand; the boy was bundled up in the heated jacket—which was more like a robe on him.

Rex shared Naomi's fear. "Can't we go out and check?" He didn't try to pull away and sneak off, lest the grown-ups be angrier with him. But it sure was tempting. He couldn't help be worried about his uncle's delay.

The entire group kept a lookout. It wasn't like Randall to take so long in diverting a single human. It had been over ten minutes since he'd left, which was far too long. His skill at being sneaky was too perfect for such a long delay. They had a feeling something had gone wrong…

"Ugh. Let's not all sit around and wait! C'mon, guys. If he's in trouble, I'm not about to sit around to wait and be useless." Becca shouldered her shotgun.

Randall stepped away from the streetlight's illumination and into the house's shadow. He then remembered the man didn't speak English, and repeated the question in Spanish. "Eres el que nos sigue?"

"Er…Si. Lo siento por eso." The man nodded and shrugged an apology. "A few of my crewmates saw something from the beach—some big, lumbering red thing—and I volunteered to check it out. It looked like some kind of giant gorilla! The sight really freaked out a bunch of us."

The Spaniard was a young man in his twenties, dressed in a cargo-ship worker's uniform under the bulky jacket. He stared for several seconds at the lizard-monster, wide-eyed with lingering surprise. This wasn't how he expected the stargazing party with his shipmates to go. Coming across the monstrous ally he'd met last year was certainly unforeseen. "I did not expect to run into you again."

"That's the general idea." Randall reminded of monsters' tendencies to stay hidden. "You haven't become a monster-tracker since I saw you last, have you?"

Mateo shrugged again. "Well—sort of? Ever since that day, I've been trying to see if there are more of you out there, whenever I'm ashore and have time. But no such luck." The existence of an entire world full of monsters was still unknown to Mateo. In the days following Suzie's death, the man had proved his tracking skills by finding Randall's remote campsite out in the Icelandic highlands. But the lizard had been vague about his own backstory, allowing the man to believe that monsters lived all over the place, in hidden places out in the wilderness. Mateo went on, curious as to what had happened to the lizard since those days. "So how have you been, Randall? Last I saw you, you disappeared into the hustle and bustle of New York City. How did you get all the way back here? Were you stowed away on the ship?"

"No, I—" Randall saw a car driving down the road and camouflaged into the wooden boards of the house until it passed. The cold was beginning to drain his energy, making camouflaging a bit harder. Already the natural purple of his scales was taking on frosty patterns. He reappeared and finished the sentence. "No, we've been here a while already." He explained in a little white lie. "We're heading up to the cliffs. It's been almost a year, you know."

"Ah, I see…" Mateo nodded, understanding the reason. It was very close to the anniversary of the blue sea monster's death. Suzie, was her name. It was such a shame that the girl had died. "Wait, 'we?'—there are more of you here?" He whipped his head around, expecting more camouflaging monsters to pop in out of thin air.

"Relax, they're not going to jump out at you—well, that's not true. Naomi might. She always was a good scarer." He chuckled at Mateo's alarmed expression. "But seriously, I want to thank you again for your help last year. I wouldn't have gotten Suzie to safety, otherwise. I'd stay and chat, but I'm kind of in a hurry. The others won't wait around forever."

Mateo sighed, but understood. "Same here. My crewmates might come looking for me if I don't return…In that case, I'll just say good luck out there on your travels—"

The metallic sound of a cocking shotgun caught their attention.

Both turned to see the glint of the weapon catching the streetlight. Randall's face dropped. The rest of the gang was right across the street! Their silhouettes were only just visible, taking cover in the shadow of the opposite house. The lights reflected subtly off the gold speckles on Becca's dark green scales, so he knew it was her. She held the shotgun steady and aimed directly at Mateo…

Randall held up two hands to signal her to stand down. Ha also stepped in front of Mateo as a precaution. Becca's aim was very precise, but she wouldn't risk shooting him by accident. None of that, Becca. Can't go around shooting allies, now, can we? He sensed Mateo flinch backwards at the sight of the alien figures across the street, and reassured him, "Don't worry. None of us is brash enough to fire a gun here in town. At least I hope not…"

The next thirty seconds or so were tense…but the glinting shotgun was slowly lowered at Randall's wild hand gestures. The gang did not venture out from their spot, though. Becca remained steadfast and cautious as always. Naomi stood in a fighting stance beside her with all three of eyes glowing menacingly red in the darkness. Bernard's hulking gorilla-like frame in the back made the group all the more imposing. (Rex's tiny silhouette was there, too, but only in the form of an adult-sized jacket hovering in mid-air.)

The monsters may have been on the other side of the road, but the sight was enough to make Mateo very, very nervous. A sheen of sweat quickly formed on his brow. "Oh Dios mio…Friends of yours?" he asked Randall.

"Yeah, that's them. Probably coming to tell me to hurry up—they're harmless. Most of the time, anyway."

Mateo calmed down. Randall himself had shown the same defensiveness upon first meeting him. It wasn't a surprise that other monsters would do the same. "Wow…so there really are more of you out there…"

Randall quickly explained, "Don't take this the wrong way, Mateo, but introductions won't be happening. Their past human encounters haven't exactly gone smoothly..."

Becca shook her head in disbelief. "What the hell is he doing?"

"Oh, I hope this isn't the end for us!" Naomi whispered. She kept her red-lit eyes and fangs on full display. They didn't know what was going on; Randall and the stranger exchanged a few more words, with the man's fear ebbing away fast. Were they actually having a conversation?! Why? Naomi assumed the worst. "Oh, no, no, no, I don't want to be sent to a dissection lab! Totally the worst way to go…"

Bernard realized who this stranger might be. "Huh…how interesting."

"Interesting?! That's all you can say?" Becca remarked.

Rex became fascinated and tried to walk out from the shadows. But Bernard still had a grip on his hand and didn't allow him. "Humph…" he pouted. "Well, now we know Uncle Randy's human friend is real and he didn't make it up, right?"

The simple statement made the girls drop their defensive postures.

Randall and Mateo couldn't talk for much longer. Every minute counted in the monsters' quest. They chatted for a few minutes, just catching up, but Randall stayed vague about certain things—like the fact that he lived in another dimension entirely. In the way he spoke, he made it sound that the gang had been faring well out in the wilderness. The last several months had been full of hardships, but also many good things, too, and that they were all happy and doing well. As for Mateo, he had been sailing on cargo ships all year, exploring the land whenever coming ashore, and had taken to researching rumors of monster sightings. (Randall doubted many other monsters were banished, now that banishment was illegal.) But his human friend was a wilderness enthusiast, who seemed to enjoy being out in the world, anyway. So there was no harm done. Mateo had also learned a bit of French during his expeditions in Europe—Randall's stronger language apart from English—so they switched back and forth between the two languages as they talked.

The others still didn't come out of hiding. But at least Naomi's eyes no longer glowed in the dark. Randall could sense they were unsure to approach or not and took this as a cue to leave. "I should go. My friends are starting to get antsy and we have to get out of town, anyway."

"Alright." Mateo gazed over at the monster holding the shotgun—a dark green scaly creature with a long body and gold speckles. She seemed furiously protective, and none of the other monsters seemed very approachable, either. "Well, if you all have to leave, I suppose this is goodbye again. I'd ask to come, but my crew would surely come looking for me." Mateo held out a hand. "Good luck out there, Randall!"

"Gracias." Randall nodded curtly and shook the hand of his one ally of the Human World. "And also, thanks for keeping quiet about us. A little trust goes a long way."

And so they parted ways again. Randall melted away into thin air, leaving Mateo standing alone in the snow. The man looked around, and saw the purple lizard reappear across the street where the fearsome silhouettes were waiting. The group retreated further into the shadows, and seemed to vanish without a trace. Mateo chuckled at this little venture. Who would've thought a night of bonfires and stargazing with the crew would lead to reuniting with an old ally? "What a world…" he began walking back down the street in the direction of the beach.

He'd scarcely gone a few paces when a metallic 'clang' suddenly rang out. Mateo spun around in alarm.

It was no threat this time. Just the ring of metal on metal as the barrel of the shotgun was tapped against the streetlight; it made quite an echo. Mateo inhaled in surprise; it was one of Randall's friends standing under the streetlight in full view. She looked directly at him, having made the sound simply to grab his attention. Now that she was more visible, he saw that she was kind of a reptilian-sea monster hybrid, with fins on her head with long feeler-type things with fins on the ends.

Mateo wasn't sure what was going on. The creature simply looked at him with the oddest expression. Then he realized she was awfully similar to the girl who had died last year. Even with the different colored scales and extra fins, the two looked a lot alike. "So you're the sister…" Mateo observed.

The green monster gave a smile that could only be described as grateful and nodded towards him with a cautious wave. He returned the gesture. Even though Suzie had died, it was clear her sister was trying to say thank you for helping, nonetheless.

"De nada…" Mateo watched the female monster shoulder the shotgun and retreat back into the shadows to catch up with the rest of the group. A part of him wanted to follow, but a rational side won over. Randall trusted him to keep monsters' existence a secret. Betraying one's trust was an atrocious thing to do, and he vowed to keep the secret, always. But he would remember this day. Maybe he would even find them again, somehow. After all, not every human was lucky enough to make friends with real monsters.

Leaving the safety of town meant it was safe to talk aloud once more. Randall continued to lead the expedition towards the cliffs, all while answering questions about what had happened.

"So that was your friend? Still here on this island?" Bernard asked.

"Mateo's a sailor, and he stops in Iceland sometimes. Suzie wouldn't have even made it off the ship without his help."

"Huh. And I almost thought you made up that part." Naomi admitted.

"Hey, I'm doing my best to give up the lying habit, alright?" Randall snapped. "But no, that particular part was one hundred percent true. Let's only hope we don't meet any more people along the way…" He continued answering more questions as they walked through the snow. Becca was being strangely quiet. He suspected she was reflecting on the whole thing. At one point, she sent a subtle smile his way, glad that he had gotten her sister the extra help, even if that help was in the form of a human. Usually they were far too thirsty for knowledge and therefore untrustworthy. But if Randall trusted the one named Mateo, that was enough for her.

The landscape began sloping upward. Then it turned into a steep, rocky hillside that rose forebodingly towards the sky. It would take a bit of climbing to reach the top, and Randall instructed everyone to prepare. "OK, there'll be a lot of climbing from here on out, but it's not too bad. Stick to the snowy spots, and keep a good grip on the larger rocks. Once we reach the top, there's a field and a little pathway that takes us straight to the cave."

Seeing this cliff again brought up mixed emotions. Last time, he had been exhausted, alone, and downright terrified (though he would never admit that), not knowing what to do. Suzie had been unconscious with a broken skull, and so he had carried her all the way here to find a safe shelter. Iceland had no trees or anything else suitable, so a cliff-side cave had been the only option. Approaching the cliffs this time felt…well…different. His friends were here, and this expedition felt strangely peaceful, as if he was searching for final closure himself.

"Geez…" Bernard whistled at the tall rocky slope. "How on earth did you carry Suzie over this thing?"

"Wasn't easy. But extra hands are useful." Randall explained.

Rex was once again riding piggyback on his uncle, the heated jacket worn over both of them. The kid was a bit more talkative now and commentated on the landscape. He craned his neck to better see the top of the cliff looming before them. To a small monster, the sight was the equivalent of looking at a mountain. "Wow…it's so big! Did you really live out here, Uncle Randy?"

"Yep; just for a while. Then I hightailed out of here to the Icelandic highlands. There are only reindeer for company out in those parts."

It wasn't exactly a walk up a hill. This was more of a half-climb, and going up was difficult for Bernard. It wasn't the prosthetic leg that hindered him; it was his sheer size. A five-hundred pound frame tended to make climbing rather dangerous. Naomi and Randall were the nimblest of the group and climbed ahead to find the sturdiest footholds. Sometimes the snow hid a patch of ice, which didn't make things easier. Becca stayed close to Bernard and helped to haul him up whenever he got stuck. Although it was slow-going, progress was made and they remained on track.

Rex wasn't afraid of heights but kept his upper set of arms tight around Randall's neck this entire time. "I don't want you falling off a cliff. How would I explain that to your grandfather?" his uncle had said. So Rex watched as the town got smaller and smaller as the group climbed higher and higher. Eventually the distant docks could be seen; even the cargo ship at port was as small as a toy boat by now. Overhead, more starry skies had emerged as the clouds drifted away. It sure was different from the city. This place was even more alien then the countryside skies at Grandpa Zach's house. This really was another world entirely. Rex stayed quiet to let the grown-ups focus on climbing, and absorbed all these new sights with wonder.

When they made it over the top of the cliff, everyone was huffing and puffing. Naomi bent over and clutched her knees, breathing hard and gasping between words. "Oh man…that was awful…talk…about…a climb!" She immediately noticed the big sky and how tiny the town looked from up here. "Oh, wow…Worth it! Check out the view!"

"My, what a sky…" Bernard marveled at the heavens above. There were still a few clouds in the way, but they were drifting away slowly. Perhaps the Northern Lights would make an appearance soon.

The world suddenly seemed much bigger. The top of the steep rocky slope had transformed into a huge field that stretched off into the distance as far as the eye could see. More cliffs and hills formed the landscape—not a single tree in sight. The moonlight was dim, but reflected nicely on the smooth blanket of fresh snow, making it glow a misty blue. There were even signs of wildlife around. Some fresh tracks of an Arctic fox, for instance, created patterns that criss-crossed every which-way. Rex even spied a row of strange creatures on the far side of the field. It was nearly impossible to see them at this distance, but Randall recognized it as a herd of reindeer. Big, hardy animals that could be found in many places on the island.

The group stood in place for several minutes to take it all in, until Becca reminded of where they were headed. "How much farther to the cave?" she asked anxiously. The reality she was facing—going to her sister's place of death—suddenly hit hard.

"It's just down there, on the ocean-facing side." Randall led the way. "Just watch your step on the path down. Otherwise you'll have a long time to wave goodbye."

"Excellent motivation, Genius." Becca followed close behind, wary of the upcoming drop.

As the group crossed the patch of field, to another cliff that dropped down towards the sea, Randall paused in his tracks for a brief moment. For his brother had blinked into sight out of thin air. Sam was looking worried; he clasped his hands together to beg, "I just watched you climb up a cliff and even you stumbled a few times, Randall! So please be extra careful! If Rex falls, I swear I'll haunt you forever."

Randall resumed his pace and nodded discreetly, offering silent reassurance. (The kid in question was still oblivious to this particular ghost, and Sam vowed to keep it that way.)

Then Suzie joined in the sight-seeing. She was nearby, gazing down at the town's far-away streetlights to admire the view. "This is so cool! You know, Randall, this is my first time seeing this place. I was kinda passed out the last time we were here."

Again, Randall couldn't verbally respond. He sensed that Rex was able to see her, at least, by the way the boy inhaled sharply with surprise. But he wisely pretended not too and acted natural in front of the rest of the gang.

Randall wished the two ghosts weren't tagging along; what if he accidentally slipped up and spoke to one of them? He was in the middle of leading the journey that would give Becca final closure! He couldn't mess it up, especially this close to its completion. More than anything he wanted her to be happy again.

Sam and Suzie seemed to sense they were in the way. So they took heed and vanished from sight on his next blink. The group moved along steadily across the snowy field; for the ghosts to simply observe from here on out was enough. Sam crossed his arms, still very afraid for his son's well-being. All of the injuries from the bus accident still had a long way to go before they healed…Suzie tried to lighten the mood, as she always did. "Look! Is that a bit of green in the sky? I read that the most common colors of the Northern Lights are green and pink." When Sam barely responded, she tried again. "I think this trip is going well, don't you, Sam? We even got to see the human who was such a big help last year."

The pewter grey lizard pulled on his long fronds in thought. "…Should I be mad at my brother or my son?"

"Ah. You're still upset that Rex is out here." She finally understood. "Personally, I'd say Rex. After all, he's the one who sneaked through the closet door when Randall clearly had no intention of taking him here in the first place."

"Yeah…Rex has always had a mischievous streak—just like his uncle." Sam nodded with a sigh. With the trial guardianship in affect, he wondered how his brother would handle extreme parenting dilemmas such as this. That was basically the job title if Randall ever learned how to be a suitable guardian…

At first, it seemed Randall was taking the group straight over a sheer drop-off. But there was in fact a hidden pathway winding down the slope. It was so well-hidden that it seemed unlikely anyone from town would know about it. It was also a hard climb. Bernard ended up crab-walking feet-first—looking ridiculous, but staying safe—while Naomi kept a firm grip on every rock and crag within reach. Becca followed close behind Randall and Rex; every fiber in her being was getting more anxious by the minute. She hoped this effort to find acceptance would be worth it…

The sea below was black and looming, like a dark void that went on forever. The waves were not visible in the night, but the sound of them was soft and quiet. During daylight hours, the view from here was surely amazing. Amongst the stars, more faint ribbons of green had appeared. If it was the Borealis coming to life, it was sure to be much more impressive later. Naomi complained about all the climbing—she was getting cuts and scrapes like crazy! Not to mention a broken claw. But when she saw signs of the Northern Lights, she couldn't help but make a girlish squeal of excitement.

"Oops. Sorry!" She apologized when everyone jumped at her high-pitched squeal. Not the best thing to do when climbing down a sheer rock wall. "We'll go back up to see them after, won't we?"

"Of course." promised Becca. "Let's just get the important stuff out of the way, first."

The cave was about half-way down the rocky cliffside. The place was just as Randall remembered—nothing more than a cold, damp alcove in the rocks, hardly bigger than a small room. But it was safe here, and where Suzie's final hours had been. The cave had three rock walls and a roof, with dried up patches of seaweed and a few puddles of melted snow on the uneven floor. The entranceway was littered with empty shellfish shells, courtesy of gulls or puffins making their catches.

Randall hesitated at the entrance, just staring in for a moment. Rex, still hanging onto him on a piggy-back ride, stared at the place with fascination. "What are you waiting for, Uncle Randy? Isn't this the place?"

"Huh? Y—yeah, this is it." With some reluctance, he led his friends inside.

Naomi and Becca ducked under the rocky outcropping to get in. There wasn't enough space for Bernard to come in entirely, so he kneeled down in a comfortable spot by the entrance. For a few seconds, the group just stared and gazed at the humble surroundings. The air was warmer in here. Randall deemed it warm enough for Rex to be free from the heated jacket, and unzipped the thing to let his nephew walk about the cave.

Right away Rex found a slanted rock at the far end of the rocky room. It was the very rock that was used as a pillow for the injured Suzie—Randall recognized it immediately, but decided not to share that information. Even he had a hard time remembering that day.

Bernard took off his winter hat solemnly. "So…is this where it happened?"

"Yes. This is where she died." Randall tried to read everyone's expressions. The girls both sat down, simply looking around with many mixed feelings about being here. With much effort, he tried to bring up more positive notes—if there were any, that is. Don't screw this up, Randall! This is the most important trip to the Human World we've ever done! His conscience warned to choose the words wisely. "Finding this place was a stroke of luck, really…"

"Judging from that hike, no humans would ever come out here." Bernard helped, recognizing his worries.

"Exactly. Mateo helped us escape the cargo ship, and I took Suzie here to rest so I could go out and search for supplies. You all saw the hospital back in town, right? I went sneaking around in there all night to try and find something to help her, but broken skulls are complicated." His friends hung on to every word. Even Rex, who could tell this was a serious moment. "Mateo had offered to track down a doctor—someone else who could keep quiet about monsters—but there just wasn't enough time."

Naomi sighed and leaning forward to prop her head on her elbows. "No one said being banished was easy."

Rex had been hanging off a rock wall, pretending to be a gecko. But he climbed down to try and be a bit more respectful. He listened to the grown-ups, having never heard such details of Miss Suzie's death before. He saw her so often in the ghostly form, that it was easy to forget she had gone through some suffering. He sat right next to his uncle to feel a bit more at ease.

"You said she'd woken up for a while that night?" Becca asked Randall, wanting to hear the story again.

"The break put a lot of pressure on her brain, so she was a bit out-of-it. But she knew what was going on and fell asleep again later…" He retold of the night Suzie had died. The girl had indeed woken up for a time. That was a miracle of itself; humans likely wouldn't have survived for even that long with such a serious injury, but monsters were very robust in comparison. Randall was careful in keeping the story positive, with focus on Suzie's last conversation with him, how she fought till the very end to return to her sister, (for the group had been accidentally separated at the time,) and how she marveled at all the places in Europe she and Randall had travelled to on their journeys. Everyone stayed quiet as he spoke. The positive retelling had a good effect on them; Becca was even peaceful—which was very nice to see—and to her, this was the perfect eulogy her sister deserved. Suzie's remains had already been relocated back to Monstropolis to be laid beside their parents', but she was glad to have finally come to her actual final resting place. Even if it was only a little cave in the middle of nowhere.

When Randall finished, Bernard pulled out a few—slightly squished—flowers from his coat pocket and placed them on the cave floor. The others then all took turns saying some kind words, paying their respects to Suzie. Randall noticed Becca's voice crack at one point when she gave her own speech, and had a strong urge to go to her side and comfort her. But with other monsters watching, he hesitated. Even Rex added to the heart-felt spiels; saying how he wished he could've known Suzie and that she sounded like a fun monster to be friends with. (Randall was impressed how the articulate five-year-old managed to express his own thoughts while still keeping the ghostly secret a secret.)

While Naomi took her turn, Randall noticed two shapes just beyond the cave entrance. It was Sam and Suzie, still hanging around to watch and listen. The ghosts were directly in his line of sight; Rex didn't seem to see either of them, thank goodness. Clearly they intended to stick around till the very end.

"This is nice," Suzie commented to Sam. "I never thought I'd get to hear my own eulogies; the little funeral they gave me back in Monstropolis was far too rushed, I think."

Sam found that idea far too depressing. "That happened ages ago. You've been hanging around these guys for that long?" He turned back to the group inside the cave and motioned for Randall to say something to Becca, for the woman was clearly in need of support.

The younger Boggs brother took the hint. Of course; her own request to come here was the hardest on her. Rex moved over to Bernard and Naomi to hear more about the many adventures the group had experienced when Suzie was alive. Becca listened, too, a mixture of sad and happy at the same time. Randall wasn't sure what to say, but came over to sit beside her on the rocky floor, anyway.

"You doing OK?" he asked tentatively as Bernard told Rex all about Suzie's tendency to hoard old paperback books from human dumpsters.

"Hm? Oh, yes, I'll be alright." She then said more definitively, "Really, I'll be fine. This is just a lot to take in. Listen…thanks for bringing us out here. We didn't even hear about what happened until you returned that spring. So being here will bring some final closure to us all." She looked over at Bernard and Naomi with Rex. Their conversation was still ongoing about bookworm Suzie and that stupid jokebook she had found. It had quickly turned into her favorite way of annoying everyone. Becca herself smiled at the memories.

Suddenly and without warning, she sat up straight as a rail with alarm, startling Randall so much that his arm was pushed away. Her eyes were round as saucers, looking at the cave entrance. The others noticed, and cried out, "Becca?" "What's wrong?"

Suzie was still hiding from Rex, but the kid sensed what was amiss. He pretended to not know, and played along with Bernard and Naomi's concern. "Miss Becca, are you OK?"

Randall witnessed his brother vanish in the blink of an eye. But Suzie lingered for several seconds. She was peeking timidly around the corner, not in full view, but there nonetheless. She finally vanished at Randall's fierce glare of insistence that plainly ordered her to leave before Becca questioned her own sanity. All these surprise interactions were really getting out of hand. What am I going to do with those two?

Becca realized she'd drawn everyone's attention. "Uh—sorry, I—I thought I saw something out there…"

Bernard was closest to the cave entrance and looked out at the starry night sky. The Northern Lights had grown in the last hour. "The sky's really lighting up out there. Perhaps it's playing tricks on you."

"Y—Yeah. Maybe." Becca stammered, still spooked. "You know, the mood's getting awfully somber in here. Suzie wouldn't want all of us to be depressed; I've done enough of that for everyone here. So how about we head out?"

Rex jumped up in excitement. "Neato! Does that mean it's time to see the cool lights?"

"Oh no, you don't!" Randall grabbed his nephew's tail before the kid could run off any further. "You're not going anywhere out of my sight."

"Aw, can't I just climb a little bit ahead? I don't want to miss anything!" He gazed up at the sky as Randall picked him up.

"No. Now stay close to me, would you? If I lose you in the Human World, Sam would never forgive me. C'mon, up you get." He zipped the jacket over both of them once again while Rex rode on his back.

The group of monsters took one final look at the humble cave. It was bittersweet, both coming to this place and having to leave it so soon. Bernard had a few more flowers left over, and so they all took turns tossing them onto the cave's surface. It was a final gesture, saying goodbye to a monster they would all miss.

The field on the cliff's topside had changed. Instead of the snow glowing blue in the starlight, it reflected the bright green light from overhead. The sky was crystal clear now. Amongst the stars ran wide ribbons of mystical light, waving slowly as if by a barely-there wind. The display was much more impressive than when Randall saw them last year, when he was camping out in the highlands. On this night, with the clouds finally gone and a perfect background, the Aurora Borealis was at its peak. The entire sky glowed in shades of green and it was a beautiful sight to behold. Naomi had smuggled her camera along and was snapping photos like crazy so as to remember it. While she walked around to find the best spots, Bernard settled on some rocks to relax and simply admire it all. And also to keep watch on the group's stowaway, Rex.

The boy was having a grand time, chasing beams of light that danced on the snowy ground. (He periodically returned to his uncle to warm up via the heated jacket. It was the only way to have enough energy in this wintery landscape.) Randall was careful to make sure his nephew stayed far away from the rocky drop-offs. The field stretched far off into the horizon, so there was more than enough room for the kid to run around and have fun. There was some time before the group had to return to town. Randall, settled on another rock formation with Becca sitting nearby, craned his neck to gaze down over the cliff's edge at the beach far below. The bonfire was barely visible; just a tiny pinprick of gold, really. Mateo and the rest of the cargo ship crew were probably there, watching these same skies with the same awe.

Bernard pointed out some stars between the ribbons of green. "I doubt Zachariah would know any of these constellations."

Naomi was more interested in the Northern Lights' vivid color. "There's nothing like this back home…I wonder if it comes in any other colors? What do you think makes the sky do that, anyway?" She was disappointed when Bernard only shrugged. "Oh, come on, all-knowing one. You're supposed to know everything!"

Rex's head suddenly popped up out of the snow. "I know why it does that! Uncle Randy told me!" Here, everyone turned to Randall for a brief moment. He shrugged; sure, he had told his nephew about the Northern Lights of the Human World before, but never expected him to actually be here in Iceland to see them in real life. Rex went on, quite pleased at knowing something the grown-ups didn't. "It's to do with weird particles in the planet's atmosphere and ones from the sun's atmosphere! See, the particles from the sun are electrically charged, and when they collide with gaseous ones from the earth, that's when all the colors appear…"

Randall listened with great amusement as Rex explained all about the Lights to Bernard and Naomi. The way he went on with such enthusiasm was quite funny. While this was going on, he noticed Becca wasn't enjoying this time here on the field. She was fidgeting, her eyes darting around every which way as if waiting for something to jump out at them. He had a feeling why she was so distracted. Oh boy…I hope Suzie doesn't show up again. The cave entrance was possibly the worst timing…"You OK? You're awfully fidgety; you only get like that when you're nervous."

Becca ceased the behavior and sat up straighter in defiance. "Yes. I'm fine." She took a deep, relaxing breath. "Really, everything's great. It's finally come full circle…This was exactly what I needed, coming out here to the cave. Just like Sam said; going to the actual place can be a good thing to do…I think can finally accept that Suzie's gone. But still…I'm really going to miss her."

Out of the corner of his eye, Randall spotted Suzie. Again. She was jumping up and down for joy, clapping her hands and looking elated. No doubt she had just heard her sister's words. The girl did not leave any footprints in the snow, however. It seemed she was invisible to everyone except him, for although she was in plain sight, not even Rex gave her any recognition. Sam blinked into sight to usher her away, thank goodness. Randall gave his brother a grateful nod.

Before the two ghosts left, however, Sam motioned for him to say something to Becca. The woman clearly wanted to talk, either about Suzie or about other important things, and this was the prime opportunity. It was only until Randall agreed to try did Sam and Suzie blink out of sight to leave them alone.

This trip to pay respects had gone well, although not exactly smoothly, what with Rex and Mateo making appearances. Randall expected Becca to bring up the subject of her sister, but was surprised what the most random question came out of her mouth. "Hey, Randall, do you believe in ghosts?" she asked plainly.

A dozen thoughts went through his head in the space of a nanosecond. Should I tell the truth? She'll never believe me if I do. Or accuse me of insulting her sister's memory…and don't get me started on my own brother. He still looks like he crawled fresh out of the bus accident. After some internal deliberation, he cleverly thought up a half-truth. "Yes." He answered. At her quizzical stare, he explained, "I've seen a few things I can't really explain. So yes, I believe in ghosts."

"I don't." she said. "Never. Not in a thousand years will I believe such things! But lately…ugh, this is going to sound completely stupid…lately I've been seeing things that I know aren't really there. Can monsters imagine things during phases of depression? Seeing things and whatnot?"

"'Seeing things?' As in certain monsters who are—"

"No! No, no, no, what a horrible thought…I hate the very idea of it." Becca regretted bringing it up at all. "I believe that when a monster dies, they either go to Heaven, or to the other place. And I know with all my heart that my sister is in a much better place, now. She was too good for this world."

"Then there's nothing to worry over, anymore." Randall reassured. "True, any monster can imagine things that aren't there. And you have been under a lot of stress lately. Whatever you've been seeing, it was probably just your mind playing tricks on you."

Becca was relieved. Yes, that all made total sense. "Yeah…thank goodness. It'd be a shame to ruin this trip with my ramblings. Hearing it out loud, I know it's too crazy to be true." She immediately relaxed and took the time to admire the Northern Lights, finally having some peace.

Rex had finished his long-winded spiel about the Borealis and went back to playing in the snow to chase the flickering green reflections. Naomi had taken dozens of photos already and was showing them all to Bernard with pride. Everything was very quiet out here on the field; a break from all the bad things that had happened as of late. Randall was glad he'd agreed to lead this trip; perhaps Becca's acceptance would even help Suzie move on, too.

Another thought crept into his mind and he side-glanced at Becca. Hmm…the others won't hear. Maybe I could talk to her about a few things…or maybe not. This still doesn't seem like the right time…That brief conversation from a few days ago was still fresh in his mind, but today was more about focusing on Suzie, instead. Now didn't seem the proper moment to bring it up.

Oh, just drop a hint or something. His conscience urged. Maybe she'll want to talk about it, too. And if not, just keep your head low and stay on her good side.

Gee, thanks for the encouragement. Randall frowned at his own inner voice. Drop a hint…OK, let's see…He was no longer the manipulative, tricky monster he'd been before, but the old skills came in handy for moments like this. "I almost didn't agree to come out here. It was worth it." he then gestured up at the glowing green sky. "And now everyone can take a few minutes to sit and enjoy this view. The days since your birthday party have been pretty busy with all the planning just to get to this point."

Becca nodded, still watching the sky with a content smile. Then realized what he was hinting at by saying the phrase, 'birthday party.' "Oh, now I get it. Very clever, Genius, trying not to make me upset." Both remembered that moment at the party a few days ago. They had almost gotten around to it…topics such as relationships were almost foreign to her. But if their attraction toward the other was indeed mutual, it was surely worth discussing. She began confidently, "OK, then. Switching to a more positive subject sounds good. Now that Naomi is too distracted to interrupt again, I should have you know, Randall, that I've never bothered with things like relationships. I had to raise Suzie from the time I was eighteen, and with college and work at the same time, it didn't seem that important. What about you?"

"A few in college, but nothing serious." He admitted. "The first year, I was deemed 'too nerdy.'" Here, he cringed at his old image before continuing. "The second and third years were better—saw a few girls here, a few guys there—but nothing lasted beyond a second date. By the final year, I solely focused on school, and everything else took a back seat."

Becca chuckled at their dual lack of experience. "This is off to a roaring start."

"Hey, we agreed to talk about this, right?" He countered. "So no more sarcasm and let's talk."

"Right…" She nodded, becoming more serious. "Well, um…For me, I guess it started after that second suicide attempt. You talked me out of both of them, remember? At first I summed it up to being overly grateful, but since then I've told you things that I've never even told Naomi or Bernard; you're always the first monster I go to if I ever have something on my mind. And you actually listen to my ranting when I lose my temper."

"Thanks," Randall half-smiled at the compliment. "Not a lot of monsters can handle that, I think. Most would call it an attitude problem—which it is—but I like that about you. Having assertiveness is a good strength."

"'Attitude problem?'" Becca protested, but then shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so…you've changed so much that I actually trust you to tell the truth, now. So, when did it start for you? Didn't you say something about the observatory?"

"Well, when my father discovered that comet, he invited the entire gang up there to see it. That was a great vacation out of the city; when we named the comet Suzanne, and I saw how happy it made you, I suppose that's when it all started for me." Randall finally admitted after keeping it a secret for so long. "Face it, Becca, you may be all tough and no-nonsense, but there's a softer side to you, too. Don't think I haven't noticed…"

And so they finally got around to having this personal conversation; it went on for quite a while. What was spoken of was more confessional then anything, and went on as normally as two friends would talk, but with much more secrecy and honesty this time around. Neither was sure if anything more than friendship would work between them; such details would have to be discussed later.

Randall felt glad to get all these things off his chest. He counted Becca as his closest friend, and telling of the odd feelings that had been plaguing him for ages almost felt like a great weight being lifted. Nearby, Bernard and Naomi were playing in the snow with Rex, often stopping to look up at the dancing Northern Lights. But time was waning; the group couldn't linger here much longer. He pointed this out to Becca. "This has been a great heart-to-heart and everything, but it's almost time to head back."

She nodded, disappointed that they didn't have more time. "Yeah…Let's finish this conversation later, then. If we're both willing to listen to the other without gagging, that is. I'd rather keep this whole thing as natural as possible, without all that stupid lovey-dovey stuff. Seriously, that doesn't sound like either of us."

"Agreed." Randall chuckled, knowing they both had a tendency to bottle up their feelings and were far from romantic types. He then remembered there was an important task to take care of. "My nephew is still in deep trouble, though. I should probably deal with him, first."

"Well, don't procrastinate too much longer, Genius. I'm a hell of a lot more patient then you, but even I can't wait forever." She teased. "I get it, though. Family comes first."

With his scales adapting to the cold frosty pattern, Rex was in the middle of making a snow-creature. Naomi was helping to construct the thing. It kind of looked like a traditional snowgoon, but this one had multiple limbs sticking out from its body and a long tail, all made out of sculpted snow. "Hey, Uncle Randy, look how tall I made it!" Rex called over, proudly. "Miss Naomi helped. Kinda looks like you, doesn't it?"

Naomi observed their snow-creature from a few steps back. "I dunno, I still say we should've made a two-headed one…"

Randall applauded slowly. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Rex. You're still getting punished for sneaking out here."

Rex sulked, but didn't complain. Sure, maybe he had crossed the line…Buttering up his uncle was worth a shot, though.

Hope you enjoyed! Up next: Randall's trial guardianship gets put to another test when his father, Zachariah, finds out where Rex has been. And more of my Randall/OC pairing, of course. (Thanks for all the encouragement, dear readers! I wasn't sure how people would respond, but I'm totally making it work.) Btw, I don't speak Spanish, so here's Google Translate to the rescue:

Translations:

Eres el que nos sigue?—You're the one following us?

Lo siento por eso—Sorry about that.

Oh Dios mio—Oh my goodness

Gracias—Thank you

De nada—You're welcome

Guess what: Only 5 more chapters to go! (6, if you include the epilogue.) I'll have the next part out asap. Have a great day! :)