To Anonymous Person Lucky 13- She is nothing but persistent :P

To 8Ball3- Popaisa? O.o

It was gone midnight when Jessica and Lizzie decided to head back home. They had spent hours roaming the streets, looking for tree-possessed frogs. Storm continued to search from the skies, checking in every so often, becoming more and more irate each time she saw Louisa was still not with them.

Jessica understood her frustration, her concern. They had wanted one night gathering sweets and gorging them in front of spooky films until they fell asleep. Not a night of genuine terror, roaming the cold, emptying streets on what was becoming a hopeless mission. Lizzie had cried twice, despairing that she could have done more. Jessica had to reassure her, promising her that there was only so much they could do as mortals, that Lizzie should give herself credit for trying, but she was also holding back her own guilt- she could have done more too. She had had Popadom on the floor, she had had him under the force of her bat. Maybe if she had hit him that little bit harder, maybe if she had kept him distracted, kept him in place… maybe none of this would have happened.

Stop it, she mentally chided herself, it was you with a gold bat versus a tree spirit with dark, shadow powers. You did what you could.

But did you?

Shut up.

They got a surprise outside their front door. Barry was sitting on the floor, his back to the wall. The boys were huddled around him, all of them asleep in a pile. Mikey was hugging Dylan and snoring lightly into his shoulder. Connor was asleep on his father's shoulder, Barry stroking his hair. Liam stood over them, arms folded, expression grim. He startled as the women approached and hurried towards them. It was an odd sight, seeing them all still in their Halloween costumes but with none of the earlier festivities.

"What's going on?" He worried, keeping his voice low. He looked down, brow furrowing. "Where's Lou?" Jessica's eyes burned and she looked away, fumbling for her keys. Liam touched her arm. "I'm… the boys were frantic, we had to come here." Jessica managed a nod, opening the door with trembling hands.

Between them, they carried the boys inside, settling them on the sofa. Lizzie retrieved blankets and covered them up, busying herself tucking them in. Barry bustled about in the kitchen, making tea for them all. Liam sat with Jessica at the table, his arm around her shoulders. "Talk to me, Jess. What can we do?" Jessica stared at him through a blur of tears. Nothing, she thought, unable to bring the word up, absolutely nothing.

They couldn't explain what had happened. For starters, the pair would think they were crazy. Secondly, they were mortals that couldn't see through the Mist. Popadom could break dance naked in front of them, but they probably wouldn't even see him.

"Here." Barry's smile was kind as he set a gently steaming tea before her. Lizzie was a step behind him, nursing her own in both her hands, concentrating on the liquid as though everything would implode if she didn't. She and Barry sat opposite them. "Should we ring the police?" Jessica and Lizzie exchanged looks.

They were saved from answering by Mikey waking up.

"Lou?" He called, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. His movement jostled Dylan, who awoke with a start, squinting around blearily. He mumbled something incoherently, complaining wordlessly when Mikey shook his shoulder, then Connor's.

"Whozzat?" Connor slurred, his hair sticking up in tufts.

"Lou's gone." Mikey whispered, patting his friends' faces in turn. They eventually, groggily, sat up. Dylan pulled the blankets around him, frowning at them all, eyes still closed. Connor slumped to lean on Mikey's shoulder. "Lou's gone." Mikey repeated.

"Gone?" Dylan croaked, opening an eye to see his friend nod.

"Boys." Liam called. "Do you know anything?" The trio glanced at each other, a silent conversation flipping between them. Jessica watched them worriedly, picking at her lip. Lizzie sipped her tea, eyes sparkling with tears.

"No." Connor said, not looking at either of his fathers. Liam arched an eyebrow.

"Connor…" The boy hunched his shoulders, pulling his end of the blanket over his head. Liam opened his mouth to press, but Jessica stopped him with a hand on his arm.

Mikey slid down from the sofa, padding over to Jessica. He pulled on her sleeve, nodding in the direction of the kitchen, his princess wig askew. He did this a few times before her foggy brain cottoned on that he wanted to talk to her away from the other parents. She took her tea with her, hearing the other two boys following them. Lizzie stayed where she was, staring miserably into her tea.

Jessica clicked the door shut quietly. Dylan had dragged the blanket with him, like a cape or a veil. Connor yawned. Mikey tugged on her hand.

"I saw her." He said, poking himself in the forehead. "In my dream."

"Mm." Dylan swayed, Connor grabbing his arm to keep him upright. "I saw her too."

"Me too."

"You… all had a dream about Lou?" Jessica looked from one to the other, placing her tea on the counter. They nodded. "What-? Where is she? Is she OK?"

"She's somewhere shiny. It's all white and gold." Mikey waggled his fingers.

"I saw that too." Connor nodded.

"Why were her eyes all black?" Dylan frowned. Jessica gave them a quick rundown. For about three seconds, they were stunned, but then they were over it, putting their heads together and comparing notes on their dreams in quiet whispers.

"Did you see Harvey? Uh, Mr. Becks?" She hastily corrected. They shook their heads at each other first, then at her. Jessica bit her thumbnail, eyes drifting to the number that was still on the fridge. "What was this white and gold place?"

"I don't know." Mikey admitted. "Big though."

"Lots of big chairs." Connor added.

"Biiiiig chairs." Dylan agreed.

Jessica looked from one to the other, a headache pulsing in her temple. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to take a deep breath. OK, so what were big chairs? Armchairs? Couches? Bean bags? She grimaced, all ridiculous ideas.

Shiny. White and gold. Big.

"Olympus." She said, eyes pinging open. "The throne room of Olympus." She had never been to the throne room of Olympus, but she could feel it in her gut- that was it! That's where Louisa was!

Her elation died. "Mount Olympus is over the Empire State Building." She remembered miserably. The boys stared at her like she had finally lost the plot, which she probably had so she couldn't really blame them.

"Isn't the Empire State Building in New York?"

"Yep."

"And we're in San Francisco."

"Yep."

"That's far."

"Yep." Jessica nodded. Mikey pouted, facing the other two. Jessica sighed, holding her hands out to them, ready to usher them back into the other room. She couldn't rely on a bunch of nine-year-olds to figure this out. Yeah, OK, they were having joint dreams of where Louisa was, but it wasn't like they could get to New York any faster than she could.

"It's not right." Connor said, ducking around her hand to stay firmly in the kitchen. They all froze and stared at him. "It's not right." He insisted. "I know we saw her there, but I don't think she's there. Not yet, anyway."

"What makes you say that?" Dylan asked. Connor shrugged, biting his lip. "So… where is she then?" Connor shrugged again and Dylan sighed. "That doesn't help."

"Ah!" Jessica cut in before they could start bickering, clamping a hand each over their mouths. "If you fight, I will throw you out the window. I don't care if your dads are in the next room, I will throw you out." She glowered at them expectantly, watching the fight drain out of them. They both nodded, conceding, and she moved her hands away. "Thank you."

There was a loud BANG beyond the kitchen door, followed by Barry screaming and Lizzie yelling and Liam desperately calling for calm while sounding very, very uncalm. Jessica rushed to throw open the door, the boys trailing behind her like a gaggle of funny-dressed ducklings.

Barry was standing on his chair, still screaming and throwing felt tips pens across the room, the packet clutched in one hand and quickly emptying. Lizzie was yelling at his target, waving her arms to try and shoo Storm back into Louisa's room. And Liam was tugging on his husband's shirt, get down, get down, stop throwing things and get down!

"Is that-?" Mikey began, awe trickling into his tone. Storm whinnied and bucked, Lizzie scrambling away from her hooves. A pen hit her in the back of the head and she whirled round.

"Hey!" She protested.

"Out the way!" Barry demanded, grabbing for another pen and finding his ammunition had mysteriously disappeared. He launched the case, but it was only cardboard and it didn't go very far, flopping down on the other side of the table.

"Get down!" Liam hissed, grabbing Barry's arm and yanking. Barry yelped, toppling and almost squashing his husband. Storm snorted at them, pawing the ground, feathers fluffing up defensively. Jessica ran in, placing herself between the pegasus and the other parents.

"No!" She ordered, holding up her finger to Storm. "No!" With her other hand, she held a finger up to Barry and Liam. They were clinging to each other, staring at the chaos unfolding in sheer horror. "Connor, why don't you take them into the kitchen? Get them some water?"

"OK."

"But what is that?" Barry pointed a shaking finger at Storm, his voice still worryingly high. He squinted, confusion falling onto his features. "What is that?" He mumbled. Liam looked just as confused, rubbing at his head. Neither of them complained when Connor took them both by the hand and gently guided them into the kitchen. Dylan went after them, Mikey following but staying outside and closing the door. He tottered back to Jessica's side, wringing his hands.

"Mikey, this is Storm. Storm, this is Mikey."

"Lou's pegasus?" He whispered. Jessica nodded and his little face brightened excitedly, clapping. Storm huffed, biting at Lizzie, who ducked at the last second and narrowly avoided having her hair ripped off. Mikey's smile faded a little. "She doesn't look very happy."

"She's not." Jessica agreed, marching over. "Storm!" She called, holding her hands out. The pegasus turned to her, snorting and shaking her head. She snuffled Jessica's outstretched palms and then nudged her in the chest. "What's wrong? Did you find her?" The mare nodded, pawing the ground. "Where is she? Is she OK?" Storm's ear flicked and she headbutted Jessica again. There was a look in her eyes- a sad, pained glimmer, her ears flattening. She shook her head again, as if trying to shift something annoying off of her. "Can you take me to her?"

"And me!" Mikey popped up next to her, bouncing. "I want to help!" Jessica hesitated, exchanging looks with Lizzie.

"Mikey, it's…"

"Dangerous. Scary. No place for a little kid."

"I'm not little!"

"You are very little." Lizzie countered. "I'm saying that in the nicest way possible. We were there, we couldn't do a lot." Her bottom lip trembled and she squashed her hands together, determined not to start crying again.

"No!" Mikey protested, stomping his foot, knocking his princess wig sideways a little more. "She is my friend and I want to help!" Jessica opened her mouth to try and talk him out of it, seeing him on the verge of tears.

She stopped, however, when that weird gut feeling came back. Like the one that confirmed the dream was of Mount Olympus, twisting in her stomach.

"OK." She found herself saying. "You can come." Lizzie gaped at her and she held her hands up. "I know, I know, but I just… he needs to come with me."

"What, is his princess costume going to stop the dark magic shadow tree man from attacking him?"

"I don't know. I just know that I need him." Storm headbutted again, snorting impatiently. "Mikey, you can borrow Lou's coat. Let's go."