As soon as the two thieves had returned to the castle they had Monkey Fist's wound cleaned and properly dressed. They couldn't risk him flinching and getting caught, or the injury getting worse. So until he was fully healed he couldn't be the criminal Monkey Fist. For now he had to be Monty Fiske, dead man on holiday.

The mountainside air had become more brisk than usual this evening. Summer was at its end.

Monty changed into his lounging clothes, tied the belt to his smoking jacket and decided to pay a visit to the greenhouse.

Inside it was adorned with classical-style cement statues of people with their animal companions, loosely inspired by a selection of Greco-Roman gods. This included Athena with her owl perched on her forearm, Artemis gently petting a fawn's head, and Hades and Persephone greeted by a trio of excited hounds.

Monty turned on the light fixtures and it gave the statues a striking, haunting look. The kind that may have frightened him as a small child and given him the idea that one shouldn't turn their back on them, lest they'd be gobbled up.

As an adult they hardly frightened him anymore, as they seemed content and at peace. At least they weren't twisted in horror and agony as he once was.

However the reminder of his fate disturbed him once more and he flipped the switch that turned on the music. A little bit of Sondheim usually calmed his nerves, and the plants looked like they could use it, too.

The plants had fallen into slight neglect since his time away, however in his absence a couple of the monkeys had mimicked how their master took care of the greenery and did manage to keep several of them alive. Now the worst they sustained was some wilting.

"Losing My Mind" from Follies. A lovely, albeit melancholy tune to start the night with. But no sooner did the music start that his ears picked up some unexpected accompaniment.

He tilted his head. This wasn't the version with vocals. He looked around the greenhouse. He was so sure it had been empty.

Over on the far end of the atrium he spotted Maggie slouched forward on an ornate stone bench, a half-empty bottle of red wine in hand.

"I know you're back there, Monty," Maggie called out without turning around. She knew his size and his stride too well based on the echo that her singing had created.

Monty relented and decided to join her. He descended down the stone steps and took a seat next to her.

Maggie smiled as she limply tilted her head, looking like a puppet missing its string for the top of its head. "Enjoying the show? I should take you out for karaoke sometime… I do a mean Pat Benatar."

He glanced at her choice of drink. "I'm just glad to see you chose the Merlot."

Maggie gave him a funny look. "What? You really think I'd be so stupid as to bogart your Monkey King booze? After the trouble we went through getting it?"

"Mmm. Point taken."

She took another swig. She joked, but it couldn't mask the sadness in her eyes. He had never seen her so melancholy, much less inebriated to the point that he could smell the wine on her breath.

He wasn't sure if he really wanted to pry as to why she was do down. He was most unfamiliar with handling the emotions of others. But also, in her vulnerable state, he didn't want to open a Pandora's Box of anger and grief.

However if it had to do with the context of the song, a woman having great difficulty moving past an old flame even as she had made a new life for herself, he could venture a guess.

The music played on and Maggie swayed back and forth as she hummed along.

"I didn't think you were a Sondheim fan," Monty remarked.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I dabble." She leaned back as she explained, "When I lived with Amy she was really into show tunes. Had all kinds of records. Phantom was her fave, but she liked a few Sondheim shows. As long as they weren't Sweeney Todd."

Monty laughed. "There's another thing we wouldn't be able to agree on…"

"What's that?"

"Oh, Amy Hall and I…" Monty awkwardly cleared his throat. "… we… might have went out for coffee once."

"Oh, my God!" Maggie laughed. "So she did get to meet you! I mean, besides the monkey thing…" she specified as she pointed out his hairy hands. "That's so cute!"

Monty scowled. "Hardly. Apparently she couldn't take 'Let's keep things professional' for an answer."

"Oh… I'm…" Maggie shook her head. "…honestly not that surprised. She was always a little clingy…"

She took another swig as Monty dryly mentioned, "Try turning herself into a gorilla to try to impress me."

Maggie spat out her wine, laughing at the absurdity of it all and nearly falling sideways into Monty's lap. "Yeah, sounds like a fair and just reason not to return her calls."

She sat back up and rubbed at her forehead, choosing to be quiet for a moment.

Monty gazed out through the glass of the greenhouse. The autumn clouds had started shrouding the sky, but the stars were still visible for the time being.

Maggie leaned to the side and sleepily rested her head on Monty's shoulder, making him flinch at the touch.

"Took the kids with him, the bastard…" she grumbled.

Monty cautiously slipped the bottle out of Maggie's grip as if he was parting a cat from her favorite toy. She almost protested but he insisted, "You've had enough for tonight, Margaret."

"Eh, don't worry, Monty. I'm not that far gone." She tried to stand with her hand on his shoulder like it was a crutch, still struggling to maintain her balance. "I'm fine. I— Oop!" She nearly stumbled backwards but Monty caught her by the waist.

He helped her stand so that they faced each other and she stopped wobbling. She heavily rested her head on his chest and rubbed her face against his jacket like it was a silk pillow.

Monty raised an eyebrow. "Yes, you've certainly had enough."

She looked up at him, her head still resting on his jacket. "The bastard took the kids with him," she repeated. "That's what I keep telling myself… But it won't stop hurting…"

Monty draped her arm around his shoulders and escorted her back to the castle.

He wasn't going to walk her all the way up to the guest room, so for now the sofa in the parlor would have to suffice.

He laid her down, draping a spare wool blanket over her. Before he could leave, Maggie reached out for the Wufu pendant still dangling from his neck. He resisted at first.

"I'm not gonna take it, I'm not gonna take it," Maggie swore. "I jus' wanna look at it…"

Monty reluctantly had to trust her on that. She was far too tipsy to try to snatch it off his neck and run. Not without stumbling on her way out. He leaned in closer as she sat up so she could hold the jade pendant. She affectionately stroked the edge of one of the five bats' wings with her thumb.

"Looks jus' like my babies…"

With that she moaned as Monty gently lied her back down on her side, and pulled the blanket up over her shoulder.

Some time after Monty left the room, a hoodless Daisy curiously made her way into the parlor.

The little monkey nuzzled up to Maggie's chin and pulled the blanket up like a child getting into bed with their mother. A still barely-awake Maggie stroked the fur on the top of Daisy's head with her index finger. Just the way she used to with her baby bats.

Ten years ago…

"You went on an exhibition with Lord Monty Fiske?!" Amy repeated, her face absolutely beaming with excitement.

"It was just a work-study thing," Maggie sheepishly shrugged. "How was I to know he was going to be a big deal on the Knowing Channel?"

Margaret Hawthorne had been sharing an apartment with Amy Hall for about six months at this point. Both experts in their respective fields, they got to live close to the university and they both had a penchant for furry animals. They had bonded over critters they felt didn't get enough appreciation, such as bats and possums, and it wasn't long before the ladies realized they also had a taste for really bookish men.

"Tell me, was he just as cute then as he is now?" Amy prodded.

"Amy, please! I'm a married woman!" Maggie played coy, but then she gave a mischievous smirk. "You bet he was!"

Amy could barely contain her excited giggle.

"And twice as learned!"

Amy gasped.

"Apparently the Knowing Channel can only film so much of his vast bastion of knowledge!"

Amy bounced on the sofa as she squealed, "You are so lucky! You didn't happen to stay in touch with him, did you?"

"No, I didn't think to. I had my wedding plans to get started on…" She seemed so disappointed in saying that. However she smiled again and added, "But believe me, if I had known I'd have friend who liked him as much as I do, I would have. I think he'd really like you."

"Oh, Maggie! You're so sweet! So… Did you and Monty have any… 'late-night study sessions' together?" Amy nudged.

Maggie's shoulders hunched over with alarm. "No!"

"Maggie, I—"

"I SWEAR NOTHING HAPPENED!" Maggie cried as she edged back towards the end of the sofa like an animal cornered, instinctively bracing herself as if Amy was about to hit her.

"Maggie! Maggie! It's okay!" She rubbed at her friend's shoulder.

Maggie managed to calm herself down, horrified at the place she had briefly been brought back to.

"Oh, Maggie, I'm sorry," Amy apologized, genuinely concerned. "I didn't mean to…" And then she realized, "Oh, no. … Jeremy?"

Maggie took a few calming breaths. She was safe with Amy. "Yeah. Jeremy…"

"Oh, sweetie…" Amy draped her arm around Maggie's shoulders.

The poor girl was shaking. Amy was inviting Maggie to let her cry on her shoulder but she never did. Like she still felt the need to keep her guard up and put on a brave face for the world.

Amy reached around and retrieved one of many of her Cuddle Buddy plush toys that she practically decorated the apartment with. This one was Siamese Bat, basically a blue-eyed Siamese kitten with bat wings, and she set it in Maggie's lap. She figured she might need the extra friend for the night, and Maggie was very appreciative of the thought.

Maggie didn't wake up until about noon. The overcast daylight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, as Monty had kept them shut knowing full well that his guest would have a killer hangover the next day.

And he was right. Maggie's head throbbed as she sat up, alarming Daisy who was still cuddled up next to her. Daisy jumped down to the floor as Maggie massaged her temples.

She heard Monty make his way down the stairs and towards the kitchen. It felt like an eternity getting up as her whole body was heavy.

By the time she made it to the dining hall Monty had already prepared breakfast for the both of them. Plates of eggs, bacon and toast. He had also left a glass of water at Maggie's place at the table so that she may begin her process of rehydration.

The dining hall was built to seat over ten people on a single long, narrow wooden table. However since it was just the two of them they sat across from each other on one end.

Since staying at Castle Fiske it wasn't unusual for Monty to prepare breakfast so late in the day. Thieves operating in the shadows kept late hours. Frankly it always surprised Maggie that he even bothered to go through the trouble of preparing meals. Like he was trying to keep up appearances. Rarely, though, did they actually share meals together as they didn't keep the same eating hours. Normally, she'd just help herself to a snack whenever she got peckish, preferably fruit or something meaty.

This was one of the few times they were actually able to meet each other for breakfast.

The two of them ate in silence. Maggie didn't want to bring up the previous night as she was just embarrassed that he saw her like that, whereas Monty kept waiting for her to say something.

Fed up, he got out of his seat and pulled open the curtains, much to Maggie's discomfort. Even the gray, overcast sunlight burned her retinas and she shielded her face like a movie vampire.

"Care to explain last night?" Monty flatly questioned as he turned back to her.

Maggie groaned. "What about it? So I got a bit drunk. So what?"

"'A bit?' I'm just glad you didn't throw up."

"What's it to you if I decide to get plastered? You're not my mom!"

"No, but I'd rather not have my partners go the way of a Tennessee Williams lead. Not before our mission is complete, anyway." He returned to his seat across from her and folded his hands in front of him. "What happened?"

"Nothing! Jeez!" Maggie stubbornly leaned back in her chair.

"You kept saying something about him 'taking the kids with him'. Tell me what happened, Margaret."

Maggie sighed as she rubbed at her forehead. "The other night when I was fighting with my ex… How much of that did you catch?"

"Mostly all of it?" Monty guessed.

"Well, you heard the part where he hurt by babies?"

"More or less. Your bats, I presume."

Maggie nodded. "They were not trained for combat. I didn't want them for combat. Their bones are too brittle to to withstand a blow from a tennis racket and they don't want to hurt people. But folks are still scared of them, and I get it. I used to be, too, but… I wanted them to be safe."

Monty sighed. "But he wanted to exploit that common fear of bats for his own gain. Correct?"

Maggie didn't say anything, confirming his guess.

Tears welled up in her eyes. "I couldn't let him get away with it… I turned myself in as well, partly because I wanted to be there to watch the bastard's humiliation when the judge sentenced him. But… I had to let my babies go. It was the only way they could be safe.

"When I turned myself in I made a deal that they would be in the care of the best wildlife refuge in the area. I know I probably didn't have to go as far as I did. I could've snitched on Jeremy and skipped town with them… But…" She cupped her hands. "…when you're holding one of your babies…" Maggie could never forget that. The poor pup's bones shattered, his magnificent wings hanging limply from her hands. One of several she had rescued and raised from infancy, killed in a moment of panic by some unknowing bystander.

Monty concealed his face in his hands, hoping she wouldn't see his grimace as he tried to hold back his own tears. Once more the aftermath of that slash-and-burn incident in Brazil haunted him. That chaotic feeling of betrayal and loss, only erupting as anger.

Monty sighed. He lowered his hands from his face as he succeeded in holding back his tears once more.

He didn't say anything. He didn't have to. Maggie could see the melancholy look in his eyes that he knew of such loss and grief.

He left his half-finished breakfast on the table as he got up in silence. He went off to feed his monkey ninjas while Maggie went ahead and helped herself what was left of his side of bacon.

It sounded like Maggie got to have her revenge, defecting and humiliating her ex-husband. But Monty's had only begun, and they were but one treasure away.