Last chapter! They'll be an epilogue as well, posted tomorrow, along with some special announcements. But without any further ado, here's the reviews and the final glimpse of some faces!

Guest: Sorry to make you cry; does it make it better that I wanted to cry writing it?

Gre3nleaf: Goodbyes are ALWAYS hard, for the characters, the readers, and the author. It really DOESN'T feel real that this is the last chapter - when I finished the last few lines I sat there for almost five minutes in disbelief. But we WILL get through it - after all, there's something on the other side!

GoldGuardian2418: She's got family in both places now! But you're right, no matter how much Jack loves her, he knows he has to let her leave, and it's hard for Ivy to leave as well. Thank you so, so much for your dedication to reading and reviewing this story - your name has become a welcome and familiar view in my inbox.

Noro: Normalize crying over fanfiction! I know I certainly did.

Haley: Jack's coping mechanism is absolutely to push down the problem and pretend everything's fine… luckily (or unluckily), Ivy knows him better by now.

Guest: Thank you so much for reading - I'll certainly miss working on this!

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The space between worlds felt different than when she traveled with Jack. It was cold and overwhelming, millions of potential Gateways and paths tickling beneath her - well, she supposed she didn't have skin anymore, scattered as she was. She tried to look down but without a head, nothing moved. She could somehow see, through, which made this better than when she'd been - been dead. There were colors everywhere, shades she couldn't quite name or comprehend, and she felt different desires and timelines tugging at her, pulling her towards places that didn't quite feel right. She struggled to breathe, kicking without legs, as she bucked the stream of creation. She heard voices, whispers, soft murmurs all across the galaxy, in languages she didn't understand and places she couldn't name.

She held onto the faint image of home, blocking out the call of Halloween that screamed behind her, strands reaching out and attempting to tug her back. She grit her non-existent teeth and let the language of her inner thoughts run, loading the images of the humans she loved.

Then there was the sensation of home, pulling her forward. The memories were faint but the emotions weren't - summer days, the smell of cigarettes, the rickety nature of the S-Bahn, the color of the roofs. It wasn't large, but rather dozens, hundreds, millions of small things that slowly built a picture - one that looked like home. It was fuzzy at first, her mind and soul uncertain, but gradually it began to feel more like home, until her very molecules were pulled towards the space before her. So she gave in, breathing the fabric of the universe, and followed the millions of pathways, the feelings, the instincts leading her towards -

February 23

Stuttgart, Germany

6am

The cold air slapped her in the sweaty face, hitting her just as hard as the ground against her knees.

She doubled over and gasped, fighting for air to return to her lungs. The dirt was freezing, bits of frost cracking against her fingers as she dug her fingers into the Earth, trying to feel some steadiness against the whirling of her body as she went from formless being to solid reality. She looked up briefly and instantly screwed her eyes shut, wincing at the colors and shapes bleeding together. Sound wasn't much better- she might've heard birds, but there was the rustling of leaves and branches and things scurrying beneath the dirt and her heartbeat going thump thump thump thump -

And then there were the memories.

It took a second, but it seemed as soon as she recognized that the Gateway had worked, images began to flicker before her eyes. It was almost painful, feeling the weight of a life nearly erased getting poured back into place, a pound of sugar being dumped into a measuring cup. Ok wait no it was painful now, it was an immense pressure from the inside of her skull, names and dates and desires and people flying into place, a few stones trickling into an avalanche.

Anton

Mama

Dad

Grundschule

Sleeping on Ben's couch after Oktoberfest

November 16 birthday

Doing a flip jump for the first time, it was a cold windy day -

The taste of hay in her mouth at Fasching

Making flammkuchen and smearing yogurt on Anton's nose, when he did it she pretended to lose -

Losing her ID again and again and again

Again being bundled into a tiny plane, turbulence

Turbulent like her friendships, oooo-

Ooooooo I wanna dance with somebody….. I wanna feel the HEAT

HEAT heat the heat waves in June, and laying on the roof just to get some relief

Relief like moving up into Gymnasium, like her parents wanted -

Wanted wanted what did she want? Wanted to keep people close, at any cost -

Cost of Vodka at Kaufland is too high, c'mon -

C'mon, Kunze, we're going to the Brauhaus, bring -

Bringing Anton to Kindergarten in the morning, making the lanterns

Lanterns for Halloween -

Halloween.

After a long moment, her ears popped, and everything settled.

Ivy slowly unwound herself, feeling a new stiffness in her muscles and a persistent headache. She turned onto her back, cracking open her eyes and staring up at the dark blue sky visible through the bare branches, not even noticing the pressing darkness around her. She breathed out, watching in fascination as a white cloud escaped her lips. Her fingers were going numb, as was the tip of her nose, but as she wrapped her coat around herself a thrum of warmth spread through her, and she wondered ideally if Sally had somehow woven magic into the fabric.

The concept dinged something important in her mind, and Ivy frowned. She sat up, looking around the dark clearing. Something in her stomach tugged sharply to the right, and she followed the urge, pushing herself to her feet and stumbling forward, ducking branches and stepping over shrubbery. The smell of smoke hit her nose and she felt her face crinkle and eyes water. When she pulled her hand away from the tree bark, it was coated in dusty ash. She narrowed her eyes, a strange heat building behind them - not of tears, she didn't think, more - electric. The sharp smell of sea salt caused her heart rate to tick up, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. Shapes began to emerge in the dark, and she felt her breath catch at the lack of greenery beneath her feet, realization hitting her.

She was standing right over the spot where Cia - where he'd died.

A pressure built inside of her head and she frantically ran forward, seeing a familiar ring of trees. The wind through the trees wasn't familiar, it sounded like a whisper, low and lilting and soothing -

"No, no, NO," she mumbled aloud, something from inside stopping her cold. The ruined clearing was around her and the way to Halloween was before her - with Bezata waiting.

Her palms were sweating, her head was pounding as she blocked out - her thoughts, they had to be, there was no voice - the choice pressing in on her.

Wait, choice?

For a moment the pressure seemed to ease, the power of her own self-disgust over-powering the - the anxiety in her head. There was no choice. She'd said she was going to get Bezata out, and she would. End of story.

She squared her shoulders and blew out another white breath, narrowing her eyes on the goal. Strangely, as soon as she did, the pressure seemed to recede even more, the strange paralysis on her limbs melting away.

"I'm in control," she said aloud as she forced herself to walk, each movement sluggish, determinedly not looking at a hollowed-out tree she knew she'd burned. "Not you."

Step, crunch. Over where Jack had fallen. She pretended not to hear the hoarse laugh because there wasn't a laugh, it was just rustling -

"I won."

Step, slide. Ash was caking the bottom of her shoe, and the sea salt smell still hung in the air, singing her nose and lungs.

"I'm gonna help Bezata. I'm not gonna leave her."

Something cold pressed against her back and Ivy froze, holding her breath. She didn't dare turn around, instead clumsily casting out her new senses to see if something was there.

Nothing.

She flexed her red fingers and began walking again. The cold followed, but as she reached the edge of the clearing, her eyes never straying from the ring of trees, it slowly faded away, leaking down her neck and creeping beneath her shirt. She left the clearing, swallowing heavily, and tried to ignore how the cold didn't fade away entirely.

Before long, a sense of Déjà vu overwhelmed her when the dirt of the forest gave way to the bizarre spiral pattern she remembered from all those months ago. The trees were empty and the sky was dark, but the Halloween door looked the same, smiling menacingly, the knob on its nose sticking out invitingly.

"Yeah, don't look at me like that," she snarked, standing before the door and crossing her arms. "Don't do anything stupid this time, ok?"

The black painted eyes seemed to wink, and Ivy huffed out a laugh in spite of everything.

Loosening the rope around her chest, Ivy grabbed the knob and turned, blinking in surprise at the jolt of energy that traveled from the door to her palm, almost in recognition. She breathed in the smell of rotting pumpkins and dried ink, staring down into the darkness she dove into without a second thought.

Kneeling, she braced herself against the sides of the tree and leaned in, feeling the gust of cold wind suck her forward.

"Unless you want to send me up," Ivy remarked, "quit trying to pull me down!"

The Wind rustled through her hair again and didn't answer, but Ivy sensed the formless entity's amusement all the same. "Send Bezata up, will you?" She asked.

Another whistle of affirmation, and Ivy yelled down the hole. "Oi, Bezata! Get ready!"

She didn't hear anything at first, but after a minute or two, Ivy felt a grin creep across her face at a distance scream - faint at first, but steadily growing. She laughed and secured one end of the rope against a nearby tree, tossing the rest into the hole and watching as it disappeared into the black mist. Then she casually slouched against the side of the opening, running her nails against the grain of the wood.

"aaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Ivy propped her chin up on her fist, grinning down as the rope went taut. "Hey, Princess!"

"Kunze," Bezata growled with rare aggression as she dangled on the end of the rope like bait, "get me out of here."

Rolling her eyes, Ivy leaned down, braced her feet against the tree, and began to pull Bezata up. Her muscles burned and her heart pounded, but it was a welcome distraction from the ashy graveyard not too far off.

She heard a clunk within the tree and the weight eased somewhat, Bezata likely having found the bark and begun to use her feet. Ivy tied off the excess and leaned over the edge of the door once more, reaching her hand down to her former rival. Bezata locked eyes with her for a moment - both hands still fixed firmly to the rope, skateboard secured between her knees, eyes staring hesitantly from behind purple frames.

Ivy wanted to reassure the other, but she held it back. Her words hadn't ever done Bezata any good. Instead, she kept her hand and face open, letting the other make her choice.

After a moment, Bezata took one hand off the rope and clasped Ivy's forearm. Without hesitation Ivy secured Bezata in her grasp, planting her feet and heaving her up and out of the tree. Her glasses dug into Ivy's stomach as they fell backward, knees knocking together, and Ivy managed to untie the rope, watching as the white of it slipped soundlessly into the fog below before the Wind soared through the clearing and slammed the door shut, turning the knob, sealing the world of Halloween away.

Silence descended upon the clearing, the Holiday Trees staring down at the living pair - one human, one altered - wondering what would happen next.

Bezata groaned and rolled off Ivy, the skateboard falling clumsily to the side as she patted the ground frantically and pressed a hand to her mouth.

"If you're gonna be sick," Ivy said dryly as she stood up, "be sick the other way, will you?"

Bezata didn't bother sparing the energy to glare, instead flopping back on the ground and closing her eyes. "Everything is spinning."

Ivy hummed and thought about that, remembering the strength of the Wind's careful gusts when she'd flow through them. "Hey, it worked, didn't it?"

Bezata huffed. "You did not say that would be part of it."

"Gotta leave some surprises!"

Bezata opened her eyes to retort, then stopped, staring up into the sky. "Here's a surprise: the sun's coming up."

Ivy jolted to her feet, staring up at the midnight blue sky. It took a moment, but she saw what Bezata meant - there was a cold grey to the edge of the visible sky, an indication of early, early morning.

"That's- that's not possible," Ivy said with a frown. "It wasn't even midnight back in Halloween! The door was gonna close; what's going on?"

She heard Bezata shift behind her, and turned to see her carefully smoothing her hands through her hair. "You don't think -"

"Bezata, so help me, if you say 'it was a dream', I'll throw you back down there to find out."

Bezata pulled a sheepish face but fell silent.

"Look," Ivy said after a long moment, "I don't know how that happened, but I'm not going to question it. Let's -" her breath caught as the words left her mouth. "Let's go home, ok?" She scooped up her board and tucked it under her arm, feeling a wave of nostalgia and sadness at how it didn't seem to fit in quite the same way.

Bezata adjusted her glasses and nodded, standing up before Ivy and, after a moment, setting her shoulders back in an impression of confidence. Ivy rolled her eyes but patted Bezata on the shoulder, ignoring how the other flinched.

"Nice. Now c'mon."

Eager to avoid the clearing, Ivy led the other through the trees, feeling a tug in her chest as the ground beneath their feet transformed from a spiral to normal dirt once more. Bezata kept glancing over her shoulder, as though expecting the trees to disappear, but Ivy didn't look back - she wasn't sure she could trust herself to keep moving forward if she did.

"My head hurts," Bezata admitted after a few awkward moments of ducking tree branches. Her footfalls were clumsy and loud, her fleshy form managing to bump into everything in its path. Ivy, by instinct deep in her bones, navigated the forest floor effortlessly, the moss swallowing the noise of her movements. "Is that the memories?"

"Yeah," Ivy said softly, fingers fidgeting with the edge of her board. "It's sorting through everything that happened and stuff you forgot."

"Yours must be a lot worse, then."

Ivy's jaw clenched, and Bezata's self-preservation kicked in.

There was no sunlight yet to guide them, but Ivy's sight still seemed to work in the dark, so Bezata followed behind in the cold grey air. Ivy tried to ignore the sheer amount of potential Gateways that swirled around them, tugging at her consciousness with whispers and murmurs. Birdsong began, a frost forming on the tips of the grass, crunching beneath Bezata's feet. The air stung at their eyes and burned their lungs, and both girls stuffed their hands into their pockets, trying to rub feeling back into the cold digits.

They stepped over a log and an idea struck Ivy, a Halloween-tailored smile creeping onto her face. The path had opened before them, looking more like an actual trail than just trampled earth. Ivy came to a stop and set her skateboard down, putting one foot on it for the first time since she'd died. She looked over her shoulder at Bezata, one eyebrow quirking up.

"Want to get back a lot faster?"

Bezata squinted in the dark, as though unable to see anything besides the white flash of Ivy's teeth, her face screwed up in confusion before morphing quickly into one of horror, backing away even as the tree branches blocked her hasty exit. "No, auf keinen Fall!"

"It's not that bad." Ivy kept smiling. "Look, I just got back from dying, walking isn't what I'm best at right now."

"But you're strong enough to push us both?"

"Who said anything about me pushing?"

Bezata blinked, glancing around, before she swallowed harshly and stepped forward, hesitantly stepping onto the board. Ivy turned to face the front, feeling Bezata's tentative grasp on the sides of her coat, and planted both feet on the board before spreading her arms out. .

"Hey, Wind!" She called, trusting and open, hearing Bezata gasp and immediately secure herself. "Mind giving us a push?"

There was a moment of stillness in the air, the faint breeze wafting around them, but Ivy didn't falter. Then, in a rush, a strong gale hit Bezata's back, pushing her into Ivy and sending them both rocketing forward onto the rocky path. Bezata screamed, all uncertainty thrown out the window as she wrapped her arms around Ivy's waist, burying her face into the other's back. Ivy whooped with glee, laughing loudly in the morning air and adjusted her stance, guiding the board around corners and obstacles.

They sped up a hill with a speed Ivy could never dream of, the board leaving the ground when they reached the top. Ivy's teeth clacked together when they hit the earth once more, gravity increasing their speed as the Wind continued to rush them along, blocking out their voices with the howl of its own.

"I am glad you made it back safely, Miss Ivy," the Wind said as it tore tears from Ivy's closed eyes, freezing them on her cheeks. "I have only known part of your fate. Everything from now on is a surprise, and I cannot wait to see it."

"Me, too!" She shouted.

By the time they reached the Forest's edge, the sun was beginning to creep over the edge of the horizon, brilliant pinks and oranges streaking across the ashy sky. Both girls' ears were bright red, along with their faces, but Ivy couldn't keep the smile from her face even as her lips cracked when the familiar red roofs of Vaihingen were visible once more. The Wind died down, allowing them to gently coast along until they came to a complete stop. Bezata clung tighter for just a moment, then released Ivy, stumbling off the board and immediately leaning against a nearby lamppost to sit. "That. That was - "

"Imagine how it feels to fly in that," Ivy joked, surprised at the hoarseness of her voice. She stepped off and kicked up the board, tucking it under her arm once more. They both looked out at the street before them, a bus passing by and exhaling gas, the streetlights slowly flickering off. Life was gradually stirring, lights turning on in houses and the first of early-morning commuters beginning to bustle by. Hidden in the swallowing darkness of the Forest, nobody seemed to notice the two girls standing just at the lip of civilization and wilderness.

"What do we do now?" Bezata asked, breaking the tentative silence.

"What do you mean?"

Bezata made a strangled noise and gestured to herself. "We - we've been gone, we can't just - appear back in our houses!"

"You might be able to," Ivy shot back. "I'll - uh, ok, maybe I'll -"

"Oh, God," Bezata moaned. "What are we going to tell people?"

"Oh, that's - um, that's a good - "

"You haven't thought about it?"

"I couldn't remember enough details half the time!" Ivy shouted. "I didn't think I was gonna get back, I forgot I had family, I freaking died, so, yeah, having a story ready wasn't my first priority!"

Bezata opened her mouth, paused, then let out a frustrated whine, digging her hands into her hair before freezing, her eyes fixed across the street. "Well, you'd better think of something quick."

"What do you - " Ivy followed her gaze to a person across the street, speaking into a pay phone and staring straight at them, a look of rushed concern on her face. "Oh, shit."

"So, ideas?"

Ivy caught sight of a newspaper stand nearby, a dark strand of discomfort squirming within her as an idea popped into her mind. "There's no hope of telling them the truth." Her Mark twinged, and she immediately rectified her statement. "We can't."

"So we have to lie." Bezata clenched her hands, the red skin over her knuckles cracking. "I'm not good at that."

Ivy thought of the crystal ball, of the figure she'd seen swirling in the depths, of the name that wouldn't leave her ears or conscious. Her Mark grew warm and she extended her hand, seeing the faint trails of her aura and the power within them - dimmer in the human world, but no less effective.

"I think I can figure it out. But… I wanted to change. Not lie as much."

The women had hung up the phone as was now marching towards them, her eyes huge and mouth already moving.

"It doesn't seem like you have a choice right now," Bezata piped up helpfully. "You're not telling them what really happened, right?"

"Hell no."

"Then lie, Kunze," Bezata said simply, standing and brushing off her coat, a sheepish smile on her face for the woman. "Lie like Nixon."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Vaihingen Police Station

9:45 am

Officer Alleman was confused.

He paced up and down the small hallway, rubbing stubborn sleep from his eyes and looking over his notes. It took up four notebook pages, date and points and quotes trailing off into endless question marks. The American officer walked up, but not even the sight of torn cameo or shiny shoes could get him to laugh.

The American came to a stop, carrying an equally confused face and thick notebook.

"What are you thinking about this?" he asked, a stubborn Southern drawl clinging to his vowels.

Alleman huffed, flipping through his notes once more. "It doesn't make sense," he admitted. "That man they found dead last week - his neighbors did say he kept disappearing, but -"

"We did suspect she'd run off at the beginning," the American cut in. "Didn't think she'd run all the way to Cologne, but - "

"And the other one?" Alleman rubbed his face. "She's got to know something else, she's too quiet - "

"She said she didn't know anything about where that runaway was." There was the frantic flipping of pages, one thick finger trailing down the ink-stained pages. "Not sure why she decided to go on a little rescue mission, but I guess we should be glad she didn't get further."

"He didn't seem like the type to hold people hostage." Alleman stared longingly at the coffee machine, mentally cursing both girls. "I don't know. Every time she talks my head starts spinning."

"Yeah, it..." the American paused, biting his lip, then leaned in closer. Allerman did his best not to flinch. "I don't know why, but I believe her. I've got a good intuition for these kinds of things, you know - the kid may be a handful, but she's probably just an idiot who got mixed up in all this. You know how tense all this reunification talk and Turkish influx has been, eh?"

Alleman, whoes wife was Turkish, held his tongue.

"Look." The American scrubbed a hand through his hair, then stuffed his own notes into his pocket. "This whole thing has been a nightmare for us for months. At this point, I just need to wrap it up - they're alive, they're not traumatized, they're not even hurt. The way I see it, we're getting lucky here."

"One of them has a tattoo," Alleman pointed out.

"Yeah, but it's old - makes sense that she got it when she made it to the city. Kids these days."

"But don't you think -"

"What else can we do?" The American hissed quietly. "They're not under arrest; we can't keep two minors in here for running off. Let's let them go, tail them for a bit, some light surveillance -"

"What happens to Bezata Abendroth is out of your jurisdiction," Alleman cut in coldly. "If Kunze wasn't linked to your lot, you'd never have heard of this."

"She's an American citizen -"

"She's a German one too -"

Another officer walked between them, temporarily halting the argument. Both men nodded curtly, stepping back and taking the opportunity to breath.

"I'm also willing to let… let this go," Alleman said stiffly. "It does seem to be what's… best."

"Glad we can be in agreement." The American checked his watch and sighed, pulling a crumbled flyer from his pocket and staring at it. "Though don't you think she's... " he trailed off, glancing from the flyer to the window before him.

Ivy Kunze sat behind the table, arms crossed and testing how far she could lean back in her chair. The next room over, the other girl in ripped designer clothing had sat mutely, answering questions with confused stumbling. Alleman stepped forward and looked at the flyer, comparing it to the sight before them. Together, they looked from the long-haired awkward smiling teenager on the paper to the one with a scar on her forehead and hair messily chopped beneath her ears. She huffed, dragging one nail along her coat cuff, and then looked up, finding their eyes with unnerving accuracy, considering it was one-way glass.

"Teenage rebellion," the American huffed, his body jostling. "At least she admitted to it. Let's just… let the parents deal with it." He walked off, shaking off her gaze, or at least attempting - Alleman swallowed when her eyes tracked the American until he turned a corner, before returning to his own.

The strange smell of dirt and something that he couldn't identify but made him think of fall invaded his senses and he huffed out a sharp breath of his own and forced himself to turn his back, never noticing the faint tinge of red that clung to his shoulders.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Vaihingen Police Station

10:30 am

The door swung open and Ivy looked up expectantly. It was strange, she thought, to feel her heart jolt when a human face peered around the corner, rather than some strange monstrosity. They all looked different, from their skin tone to facial expression, and Ivy couldn't stop herself from staring at every human around her from the moment she'd been marched into the station, drinking in the sight of her own kind, even though the hand on her shoulder felt too fleshy.

"Alright, come on," the officer said, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "Your parents are here."

And didn't that wipe the smirk off her face.

She stood, noticed her hands shaking, and let out a cool breath, finding that center that Halloween had shown her. A strange calm washed over her and she nodded to the officer, walking through the door.

Bezata was already being smothered by a fur coat, long acrylic nails smoothing over her hair and fussing over the tears of her jacket. For an instant Ivy feared that the woman would turn on her, but she wasn't even spared a glance. And the next moment, Ivy didn't spare her one either.

The smell of lavender and cigarettes surrounded her along with her mother's arms, and Ivy was grateful that her face was blocked. The embrace was a perfect unfamiliarity, like a puzzle piece that had been smoothed over one too many times and no longer fit quite as well. She stiffened for a brief instant, unused to the overly-soft embrace, but then something deep within her psyche clicked open and she hugged back, hunching slightly to accommodate her mother's smaller frame. A kiss was pressed to the side of her temple and Selena Kunze pulled back, sharp black blazer showing off the tan of her skin, persistent despite the winter.

Ivy recognized the stormy look in her mother's dark brown eyes and gulped.

"Ivy Amelia Kunze," she said, with a tone colder than the Wind outside. Ivy flinched, years of self preservation stiffening her posture. "What the hell were you - "

"Easy, Selena," came another voice, and Ivy wasted no time in hugging her father in turn. He was solid and his uniform crinkled as he hugged her back. There was the rumble from deep in his chest as he continued, "there'll be plenty of times for explanations later."

Slowly but surely, the foreign feel of another human began to fade, and Ivy allowed herself to melt into the embrace of her parents. A dainty hand cupped her face, fingers smoothing over her cheeks, and the sound of the station began to blur. Ivy looked just over her mother's shoulder to Bezata, who met her gaze. An understanding passed between them, a quiet acknowledgement.

A large hand landed on her shoulder, her father's eyes soft and sad as he traced the edges of her hair. The blue had faded slightly, and Ivy swallowed at the look on his face.

"You could have told us you wanted a cut," he said, voice tight with forced humor.

Ivy huffed out a laugh, swallowing and slipping her hand into the calloused ones of her dad. "I'm sorry," she said, meeting both their gazes. "I know that's not enough, but - I'm sorry anyway."

Her parents exchanged glances, a slight furrow to their brows. "We'll talk about it," Selena said, though she kept looking at Ivy, as though unsure of what she saw. Ivy bit her lip and did a mental scan, making sure she'd put the lid on her aura once more, pulling the trails of her influence back within herself. She shuffled her skateboard once more, walking between her parents as they left the station.

The Wind blasted across her face, weaving its way around the trio, rustling her mother's long dark hair and the hem of her father's coat as though evaluating them.

"You fit here," came the raspy whisper, soft in her ears as she opened the back of the car door. Her Mark grew warm as she buckled herself in, smelling in the newly-familiar scents of leather and citrus.

The air in the car was thick, Selena's hands tight on the wheel and her father checking the mirror every few moments as though to make sure she hadn't vanished. Ivy drew her leg up, propping her chin against her knee.

"Feet down," Selena said automatically, then gave a strangled gasp. "I -"

Ivy put her feet down all the same, forcing her hands to remain flat on her thighs. "I didn't mean to stay away that long," she said. "I just wanted to meet with Johanas and the others in Cologne, but I got lost. Ended up in an entirely different town, lost my money, and I couldn't call you."

A heavy sigh from the front seat. "But why couldn't you ask somebody to call? Find the polizei? Go to -"

"Do you understand how worried we-"

Ivy let their voices wash over her as she closed her eyes. She didn't want to do this. She didn't want to lie. But she could faintly hear the pounding of her parent's hearts, could taste their anxiety on her tongue, and the sensation made her flinch. So she drew upon the slight warmth in her chest and on her arm, seeing the sparks of red and brown begin to flicker behind her eyes. Slowly, her aura grew, stretching towards her parents and coloring the tone of her voice.

"I didn't mean to stay away," Ivy said, willing her words to ring true. "I was scared, and…. I just wanted to get home. I know that's not enough, but I'm safe. Nothing bad happened to me."

She could sense the resistance, the hesitation in their minds, and she wearily pushed hard, the Mark beginning to burn. "I ran off, and I was stupid. But I'm ok. And I'm sorry."

The blood vessels in her temple began to throb but she kept herself steady, thinking of Jack's calming presence and what he might say. That's it, love! How terribly devious of you!

The thought made her smile.

Selena sighed and shook her head, unknowingly shaking off Ivy's influence. Her father cleared his throat, not quite meeting her eyes in the mirror. "Well, you're grounded until - until -"

"Until forever," Her mother cut in darkly. "We're not done with this. Serious consequences, young lady, do you understand?"

"Yes, mama," Ivy responded, grateful to pull her aura in and seal away the whispers of Halloween beneath her skin once more.

Ever the peacemaker, her father cleared his throat. "Anton'll be glad to see you," he said.

The name brought a new wave of memories, along with a knot in her throat. "I'll be glad to see him, too."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"AUNG!"

The grunt echoed from the upper story of her house, and Ivy was barely out of the car before the door was flung open and Anton bolted out. Ben came from behind him, messy brown hair stuffed under a red baseball cap, his face tight but then morphing into shock as he caught sight of Ivy.

But she didn't even notice - occupied only with the six year old barreling towards her. She knelt and opened her arms, the breath knocked out of her at the impact. He eagerly squirmed into her lap, small arms and sticky hands wrapping around her neck. She hugged him tight, letting him bury his face into her shoulder and holding in a wince as his bony knees dug into her side, and the dust from his Hausschue tracked over her pants.

"Hey, Little Leite," she whispered, kissing the side of his head. She smiled to her parents, who kept one eye on the pair but drifted over to Ben, who finally managed to close his jaw. "Told you I'd come back from the monsters, right?"

"Not after quite a few dramatics."

Ivy's arms locked around Anton for a split instance before relaxing, her aura flaring down once more. She hid the movements of her mouth in Anton's hairline, who wriggled around once more and waved his hand to the air behind her.

"Marvel, what the he- heck are you doing here?"

"Making sure you didn't find some new way to ki-" a sharp glare from Ivy - "keep getting lost." A haughty sniff. "Looks like you made it after all. Vlad owes me 10 bucks."

"He took bets on us?"

"On you."

Ivy forced herself to remain still, resisting the urge to spin around and smack Marvel where it hurt. Instead, she focused on her brother, scooping him up as she stood. He seemed a bit bigger than she remembered, a tad heavier as he snuggled deeper into her arms. It wasn't hard to hold him close, thinking of how she feared she'd never feel this again.

"Ok, Marvel," she hissed as her parents turned their backs. "You can report back that I didn't dissipate or whatever. Get out of here before they realize something's up."

"Ah, you always know how to flatter, kid. Whatever you say." A hand landed in her hair and ruffled it, and it was only due to her time in Halloween that Ivy didn't jump. The action reminded her of something and she spun to face the invisible man, shifting Anton to her hip. "And don't think I don't know about you stealing my hat. You give that shit back -mpf."

Anton's hand covered her mouth, eyes wide and serious. Ivy rolled her eyes as Marvel laughed, giving her brother a squeeze until he let it drop, his head shaking solemnly. "Yeah, yeah, you're right, Leite. No bad words." She dared a glance over her shoulder, then pressed a kiss to Anton's forehead. "Want to say 'bye' to the creepy naked guy?"

"Oh, come on," Marvel sniffed. "Don't be an ass, kid, you can't have forgotten he can't -"

"Bye - bye!"

Anton wiggled around, waving one sticky hand and grinning a gap-toothed smile. Ivy grinned smugly at the sound of the Invisible Man choking, giving her brother an extra hug.

"Nice job, hon." Then, to Marvel: "He can talk, he just doesn't always want to, and he doesn't like people forcing him, but he'll do it if he's comfortable. Right, Leite?"

Anton made a self-satisfied noise and went back to playing with Ivy's hair. There was a suspicious sniff and Ivy couldn't help the laugh that came from her. "Are you crying?"

"Shut up," Marvel hissed, his voice thick.

Ivy wanted to quip back, but her senses told her that her parents were within auditory range, so she turned her back on the Invisible Man and walked towards the house, Anton happily wrapping his arms around her neck, knowing that her parents and friend were waiting.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Halloween, The Creature's Library

Later that night

" - so that's that. The kids made it back, somehow, and there's not even going to be that much of an investigation. Turns out a mysterious murder victim is a little more compelling."

"That wasn't the intent," the Creature grumbled, almost embarrassed.

"Well, that's all ended well." Vlad was working on his next project, though none of the monsters seemed to be able to guess what it might be. It was a mess of orange wool, far too small to fit Vlad himself.

"Except for Jack, naturally."

"What do you mean?"

The Creature sighed, rubbing at his strong jawline. "He's been trying to find the entrance the girls used."

Vlad's needles stopped. "You think so?"

"I'm sure that's not how he's justifying it to himself," the Creature amended. "But his long walks are only getting longer, and now he's got an general idea of the area, and -"

"He's going to find it soon, won't he?"

The two older members turned to face Nicholas, who sat curled in a spare chair, his fur shedding all over the fabric. Beside him, a bright blue Gatorade bottle floated in the air, just below the brim of a red snapback.

"Hell yeah he is," Marvel said, with an air of resignation. "Buckle up, gentlemonsters. Something tells me this is going to be an interesting year."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ivy took the longest shower of her life.

The rattling of Jack's ancient plumbing had its charm, but it was nothing compared to the perfect heat (and cleanliness) of modern plumbing. Instead of a bar soap made by hand, Ivy scrubbed her scalp with proper shampoo and conditioner, rubbing at her skin until it was pink and raw. Her bruises and Mark tightened, and she was grateful that the majority of them were hidden beneath her clothing. Jack's burn solution had drastically reduced the appearance of her singed skin, but they were still sensitive with the fragility of healing. She even shaved, just because she could, but spent the majority of the time simply standing beneath the spray, watching the brackish water drain away and breathing in the steam, letting it soothe her lungs.

Eventually, reluctantly, she twisted the knob and stepped out, feeling a chill settle over her skin. The mirror was fogged up but she wiped the condensation away, staring at herself. Her (thankfully) brown eyes blinked back and she slowly breathed out, watching the relaxation of her lungs and miniscule twitches of her living body - the body she'd almost lost. Suddenly fearful of what she might see, Ivy ducked down to wash her face, then brushed her teeth until she felt her gums bleed. She felt drained and exposed in the best way possible.

She wrung her hair in the sink, then pulled on a sweatshirt for the first time in months. It was impossible soft, the fuzz offering warmth and coverage, the logo on the front flaking away. After a pair of pajama pants, fuzzy socks, and finally, finally, a proper hair tie, Ivy felt safe enough to carefully collect her Halloween clothing, safely wrapping them in her jacket before she opened the door.

In a chair nearby sat her mama, who jolted as Ivy stepped out. An almost guilty look flitted across her features and Ivy could see the same concerned exhaustion she hated seeing on Jack's face. For a moment they both stared at each other, her mama's gaze taking in her form as though to assure herself that Ivy was real. Ivy's stance went rigid and she tightened her grip on her Halloween clothing, watching her mama's eyes shift to it. But she didn't mention it, or move to take it, and Ivy felt a wash of gratitude.

"Papa's putting the flammkuchen into the oven," she said simply, standing and tucking a strand of her thin hair behind one ear. "Come down and help your brother roll all the dough, alright?"

She pressed a kiss to Ivy's head and deliberately walked away, going down the stairs until she disappeared altogether. Ivy stood on the threshold, dripping and dazed, before she shuffled towards her room, still in the perfect state of disaster that she left it in.

A heap of clothes sat at the foot of her bed, flannels and t-shirts turned inside out, the stray pair of jeans breaking up the pile. The shrine of water bottles and cups had been removed from her nightstand, but her books and caps had been left in place. Her postcards still decorated the wall, her chair still pulled out, the rug turned up. It smelled of old incense and dust, as though the room itself had been waiting for her to return. She sat on her bed, which creaked beneath her weight. It was infinitely softer than her Halloween cot, the blankets made of more than scratchy wool, the mattress able to support her, but it almost felt too soft. She leaned back against the window, eyes flickering around the room as the sun slowly set over the city, painting the roofs with orange. The window pane was cold against her back, and she couldn't help but stare as the light melted from her room, the shadows growing stronger each moment. One last red beam of sun hit a small mirror in the corner, causing a soft glow.

The Mark on her arm clenched.

Startled, Ivy pulled up the sleeve of her sweatshirt, but nothing had changed. She looked back at the mirror, at the shadows flickering behind it, at the red gleam it gave, and an idea struck her. She leapt off the bed, lifting the small, round glass off the wall and opening her closet. She clambered in, shoving aside clothes that smelled of disuse, sitting on top of her old platform shoes and pulling the door shut, instantly plunging the interior into total darkness.

It was cramped, no doubt - Ivy's knees were up to her ears, but she determinedly balanced the mirror atop a pair of unused heels and closed her eyes, concentrating, acting on a new instinct.

The air inside was stale and silent. She could hear the muffled sound of her family downstairs - cabinets slamming, Anton's happy grunts, the evening news flickering on, all separated by wood and space. It was achingly familiar and distant. She listened to her own heartbeat, soft but strong, and the little sounds of the house settling and the silence that surrounded it all. A flare of old impatience reared its head but Ivy fought it down, dialing up all her senses until her Mark began to itch. She kept breathing, looking at the shapes behind her eyes, searching, searching, until something in the air shifted.

"Well, it appears you are no savage," the mirror on Jack's wall droned and Ivy's eyes flew open. She could see the entryway, the familiar sight of Jack's long greatcoat hanging on a hook, the same pumpkin sun still high in the sky. "However, as the King is disposed, I shall have to ask you to leave a message."

"Look, can't you just yell through the Manor?" Ivy said, quickly lowering her volume as it bounced around the space. "I don't know how much time I have or if this'll work again."

"I acknowledge the problem this must be," the mirror droned sarcastically. "However, what does this have to do with me?"

"Listen here, you Fairytale reject -"

"Ivy!"

Jack's face appeared in her smudged glass, the argument no doubt summoning him, and Ivy grinned reflexively.

"Terrible idea to call! I waited by the Scrying Glass but realized I've no idea what your home looks like," Jack rambled on, looking almost sheepish. It was so much easier to read than the minute twitches in the muscles of her parents' faces, and she spared a moment to hope she could someday have both.

"I'll have you over sometime," she joked, hearing tuned towards any change from the kitchen. Seeing Jack released a tension she hadn't realized was there. She knew Halloween had been real, carried the proof in her skin, but it still helped to see the familiar bone of Jack's face, sitting in her closet. "Is everything ok there?"

Jack's face went impossibly soft. "We're horridly fine," he answered, and Ivy bit back a laugh. "Vlad said that Bezata was able to make it through your mysterious exit - " a flash of annoyance went over his face, though it quickly faded. " - and, of course, what a job you did with that Gateway, love!"

"Thanks," Ivy mumbled, her cheeks red. "We got back alright. Spent, like, 10 hours with the police, but -"

"Police?" Jack's brow furrowed and his hands came to rest on his hips. "The Creature assured me that they hid evidence of their -"

"Jack, it's not the Dark Ages, we couldn't just wander back into our homes and say we got kidnapped by Fairies or something."

Jack blanched. "Please don't get taken by the Fae if you can help it," he nearly begged. "I can't afford another encounter with them."

"I'll do my best." Jack didn't seem satisfied with that, his stitched mouth opening once more, but another voice cut them both off.

"Ivy?"

The human winced at the assault on her senses but hollered back a "Coming, Mama!" before quickly turning back to Jack, fearful that the disturbance would have destroyed the tentative connection. But his image remained, head tilted and eyes soft.

"I hope you settle in well," he said. "I won't lie, I miss you terribly already; the Manor's far too quiet. But - but I hope you can be," he hesitated, eyes narrowing in concentration as he finished with an uncertain, "...happy, there."

"I'll try." Ivy whispered. Then, because the air was too heavy, she added, "I miss you too, Bone Daddy."

Jack's face instantly twisted with disgust. "You're a menace," he grumbled, and Ivy didn't bother hiding her giggle. "Never mind, I take it all back. I hope you have a wonderful time in the loud Human World, just like that loud little human you are - "

"You're the best, Jack," she laughed, holding up her fist to the glass. The skeleton rolled his sockets in a world-weary fashion, but held his own fist up, gently resting it against the mirror. For a moment, the cold surface seemed to melt, space folding together until Ivy could pretend she really did feel the smooth comfort of Jack's fingers. "I'll try to visit once I get ungrounded, ok?"

Jack's smile was brief but genuine. "Then I'll look forward to it." Their fists fell, and Jack gave her a searching gaze. "Is there anything else bothering you?"

Damn, she forgot how much Jack knew about her now - more than anybody else in her life, she thought. She wrapped her arms around her legs, chin resting on her knees, and looked into Jack's sockets.

"Aside from the whole trying to figure out what to do next thing?"

Jack laughed, thankfully. "Yes. You did only wake up a day or two ago, remember."

It's hard to forget, she thought. She could feel the exhaustion in her body, the tired, gummy sensation in her eyes, but she felt a thrill of fear at the thought of getting into bed - though whether she was scared of not waking up again or what awaited her in her dreams, she wasn't sure.

Then there was the fear that crept up in her body, the reason she hadn't looked at her aura since she'd gained her new sight, the pressures and whispers in her mind that had only grown stronger since her stumbling through the forest graveyard.

But something made her swallow it back, her fists clenching. It was just her mind playing tricks on her, some sort of stress response. There was no need to worry Jack unnecessarily, not when she could still see the physical strain of the past two weeks on his face.

"Nah." She shrugged. "It's … weird, being alive again, but I think I'll get used to it. I, I mean - I have to, right?"

Jack's eyes narrowed, and Ivy held her breath, grateful that Jack didn't seem to hear it. For an awful moment, she wondered if she'd have to resort to the power that lay beneath her skin, but Jack seemed to accept the answer, which almost felt worse.

"Very well. Keep the Wind updated, will you?"

"I will. Take care of yourself, Jack - love you."

"I love you too."

Jack nodded at her, giving one final smile, before waving his hand and returning the glass to its original function. Instead of showing his open eyes, Ivy was met with the reflection of her own red-rimmed ones.

Far below her feet, in another world, the same skeleton sighed, rubbing his face with his hands, feeling that twinge of sadness he knew he'd have to grow used to. His skull had been cluttered all day, unable to wipe the image of Ivy vanishing into the Gateway or Bezata stalking through the Forest. Were it not for his own need to see Ivy through safely, he'd've found some way to follow the other girl, to see just how two humans had managed to slip into their world.

He entertained the thought of returning to his study, getting some work done, but quickly dismissed it. The silence of the Manor was pressing without the familiar sound of a heartbeat, and he felt achingly lonely once more.

The doorbell screamed, and Jack was pulled from his thoughts. Setting his shoulders back, he opened the door, faux smile fading into a real one at the sight of his visitor.

"Hello, Jack," Sally said, a mixture of nerves and assurance in her voice. Over her arm was a covered basket, but Jack could smell the alluring scent of dead fish over even the sweet aroma of Sally's natural scent. "I thought you might want some dinner and -" she faltered a moment, then pulled herself to her full height (still adorably short) and finished. "- and company, if - if you'd like it."

The gesture warmed his ribs, nearly causing his head to spin. He'd been quietly dreading facing the kitchen, where he knew remains of the soup the two humans had earlier still sat on the counter. "Thank you, Sally, truly. And I - I would appreciate it. I always appreciate your company."

That got the blush he dreamed about, the soft dark blue that colored her cheeks and made his stomach turn. "I didn't want to presume," Sally said softly, eyes flickering to the darkness behind the Pumpkin King. "But I know that I'm looking for the presence of a … a friend." There was that hesitancy again, as though the word were unfamiliar and underused.

Life was short, but death was long. It was full of pain and confusion and uncertainty, but sometimes - sometimes - there were moments of good, moments that made death worth the long trek towards the unknown. Sometimes a Town would surprise you with their loyalty. Sometimes a human gave a reminder of the price of a life. And sometimes, another monster was there, offering understanding and a soft smile.

So, despite the screaming in his mind, he stepped out onto the stoop, closing the door behind him, and offered his arm to Sally. Her eyes grew wide but she slipped her own arm through, overwhelmingly soft as it rested against his own.

"I'm no good to others or myself cooped up in the Manor," he admitted, leading her down the steps and gesturing to the Town before them. "It would do me good, I think, to be in the company of a dear friend."

Sally's eyes sparkled, and Jack wondered if it was too hopeful for him to see a promise there. "Then that's what I'll be, Jack." And together, they walked into the fading sunlight.

But Ivy didn't know that. She still sat, far away, within the suddenly suffocating darkness of her closet. She wiped her eyes and bust out, inhaling the strangely cold air, closing the doors behind her. In a flurry of motion, she opened the window and ignored the freeze, sticking her face out and letting the Wind lift her hair and burn her lungs.

"Look after him, will you, Wind?"

The formless being laughed, the sound softer in the Human World, but Ivy had never had to strain to hear her friend. "He asked me the same for you," the Wind whispered. "I'll keep that promise to you both."

Ivy nodded, a strange sense of peace washing over her. She smiled to the air before her and pulled her head back in, tugging the window down, which had fogged up from the warmth within. She took another moment to center herself, feeling the Halloween beneath her skin twitch and fade. She stood, brushed off her pants, and ran her hands through her hair, making sure she wouldn't be asked any more questions. She stared at her reflection, letting her sight change until she could see the aura floating off her body. There was no sign of the other her, no vines constricting her arms or breathing, and Ivy laughed in relief, grinning at herself.

Then, with a newfound determination and the magic of Halloween around her, Ivy bounded down the stairs to rejoin her family.

I'll try to save the sappy stuff for tomorrow, so for now I hope everyone has an amazing day and know you've made the past five and a half years incredible.

The epilogue will be posted tomorrow morning at 9am EST! Keep an eye out also for announcements on what the next steps for this Universe will be.

-Aria