Two whole days had passed, and finally, Evie woke on the third morning to a dim, damp, but blessedly clear morning. She spent the morning nibbling on toast and sipping hot tea on her stoop, completely alone and humming softly as she watching the sun rise over the sea and burn away the last of the dawn's haze. Thin, wispy clouds smeared across the robin's egg blue sky and the air was heavy and humid from the past day's thunderstorms. But, thankfully, nothing dark loomed yet on the horizon forewarning another storm to come.

After heading back in, she rinsed off her tea things and looked around her house. Even the long awaited sunshine didn't really make the dreary interior look much brighter. Pots half-full overnight from the last of the storm still sat around her floor. Water spots stained large swatches of her ceiling. There was a general feeling and slight odor of damp and mildew.

Maybe being alone isn't as cracked up as I thought it would be, Evie thought wryly. She shoved her feet into her boots and yanked the ties with a return of purpose. Finn will be back soon enough. Better get the chores outta the way so we can get straight to that Bell.

Brushing down and milking her bigger livestock took more than half the time it used to, barely getting her blood pumping as she finished. She patted Hera's neck, pensive and content, as the large spotted cow chewed placidly. Maybe it was time to get another one of them?

Of course, after running around and trying to pacify high-strung chickens and ducks just minutes later had her re-thinking her ambitions. She huffed in amused annoyance, fists on her hips, as her birds clustered around her legs and squawked loudly. It took a bit of finagling to get out of the messy of feathers and teeny talons, but she got outside and gently helped her remaining crops to stand tall again, relieved at the small green tomatoes growing on every battered plant. A distant twinkle of a bell had her looking up and over to smile at the fast approaching ball of light. Finn popped into view, flickers of light bursting around him as he flung himself under her chin and nuzzled close.

"Heya, Tinkers. I hope you had a nice long rest with your Mother, because it's gonna be work, work, work from here on out," Evie warned with a chuckle, easily nuzzling back.

"I'm readier than ever!" he declared excitedly.

Just when her last (standing) tomato was watered, a shrill ringing came from inside the house. Frowning curiously, Evie hurried through her front door and barely managed not to douse herself with what was left in the watering can. (Though, it had splished a teeny amount onto her belly.) Finn stayed outside to play with the livestock, the sound of his twinkling bells faint in the air and under the low sounds of the livestock. As was just her luck, the phone stopped the minute she got through the door. Before she could do more than huff in annoyance, it began again.

She lurched across the room. "Hello? What– Who is it?" Evie blurted.

"Bromelet, get up here and pay for a decent damn roof!" Luke said in her ear, too loudly and laughing as he spoke.

Evie blinked in surprise. "Did you just–"

"Hurry up, brocake!"

The dial tone rang in her ear. Evie barked a short peal of laughter that ended sharply and dropped the phone to the cradle. "That dumbbutt," she muttered. Slowly, her hands lifted and she pressed them to her chest where her heart was beating fit to burst.

There was no Finn in here now to put on a front for, no worried Candace to prod at her hero complex, no Toby to gently say exactly what she needed to hear.

Just her, her pitiful excuse of a house, and the faint shadows of water damage on old wood. As well as all the voices in her head the past two days had unearthed.

How could she honestly stay?

How could she give up her goals? The dreams she'd once thought were so important?

What about her friends in the city? How could she ever face the people she left behind and hurt in her wake without something to show for it?

Could she… could she be truly proud of this place? This provincial nowhere village and little square of land? The house that would always be small and the dirt caked into the creases of her gloves?

Breath tore at her throat like jagged fingernails. Shame and guilt crept in, churned like poison behind her sternum, ate away at the very essence of her.

Is this it? Is it enough? she thought desperately, knees watery and hands numb. I'm better than this. No, that's not fair. They don't deserve this, no one deserves this. I'm better than that now! She screamed the words in her mind, furious at herself, hands reaching out to brace against the wall while her vision blurred. But am I really? Will it be enough for me?

You're going to keep looking for something better and keep on looking, and miss out on what'll actually make you happy. Why can't you ever be satisfied, Lupe?

The sound of bells.

Evie gasped, panted harshly, ignored the sweat streaming down her temples, and stared at the blurry outline of her boots. She was wearing her glasses, she could feel them slipping down her nose. Why was it so blurry?

The bell rang louder, accompanied by a voice tinny and high and cheerful. It grated on her brain, had her wincing and flinching.

"-vie! Evie! Can you hear me? Are you going to the bathroom, Evie?" Finn exclaimed, voice curious and concerned.

Evie closed her eyes and took a slow, deep breath. Which caught on the remainder of glass in her throat. Coughing, she ran her hands over her face and stumbled across the living area towards the door.

"Oh no! Are you getting sick, Evie?" Finn cried through the door.

Her hand fell on the doorknob and she hesitated, tried to breathe one more time, and felt a flash of triumph when her lungs filled without obstruction. Fixing a wide grin on her face, she threw open the door. Finn darted close and glanced anxiously over her flushed and sweaty face.

"I'm fine, Twinkletoes. Just choked a bit. Air went down wrong," Evie said. Not lying. I'm not lying. I'm fine and that's exactly what happened.

"Oh… well, breathe right, silly. Humans are weird," Finn giggled. "Who was it?"

"Who was what?" Evie asked in confusion.

"The phone. Who was calling?"

"Oh! Right, ha!" Evie barked a laugh and reached down for her rucksack. "Just Luke. C'mon, we gotta head to Fugue."

"Whyyyyy, Eviiie. I don't wanna cut more trees!" Finn whined.

Evie huffed and rolled her eyes, walking towards the covered plate on her counter and leaving the door wide open. "You can sit on your lazy butt up at the Spring, if you wanna, but there's a hippo to feed and a Bell to Ring today. I guess I could do it alone."

"No, no, no! I'm coming! Dara's finally going to wake up!" Finn shrieked in excitement, zooming around the tiny shack and then outside, cheering and hollering as he flew wildly around the little plot of land.

Evie followed him out and closed the door, a small, slightly more genuine smile on her face as she caught sight of him. The pizza was held carefully in her arms, the Green Bell settled against her back, and the sun was shining. Summer wasn't even half over and the Green Bell was mere hours from being Rung, if that.

The phone rang in the house and Evie's footsteps thudded over dirt to grass.

"Let's get going, Finn! We've got a hippo to send home."

"And Dara to wake up! Take that, you stupid storm," Finn said. A tiny ball of light arced around her shoulders, bobbing and weaving to keep up with her jogging gait.

There was always tomorrow to think about houses and upgrades.

Getting through Fugue was easy enough after all the times she'd been through it. It wasn't quite eleven o'clock by the time her boots sunk into peat, and humidity had her instantly soaked in sweat. Finn breathed out a sigh of relief, the gust ruffling the hair at the top of her head. Evie grimaced at the feel of sweat gathering under the wire of her bra, shoulders wriggling ineffectually, but the feel of warm sunlight on her skin was definitely better than the soggy dampness she'd been suffering through for the past two days.

"Do you think you can dig out that whistle while I unwrap the pizza?" Evie asked, looking up through her bangs.

"Yeah! I got it!" Finn agreed eagerly, diving into the pack seconds later.

She made her way to the water's edge and knelt on the first few planks of the bridge. The rucksack, and the Bell inside, dug into her back, and she knew she'd be layered in sweat by the time she got the Bell to Horn Ranch. Ignoring that (disgusting) prediction, she crumpled the baker's parchment and saran wrap she'd used to cart around the veggie pizza to shove in her cargo-shorts' pocket. Finn came to her side then, holding out the bright orange whistle.

"Humphrey's the last one. I hope he didn't leave since the Witch said he was here," Finn said anxiously.

"Why would he leave? Outside this little patch of sunlight, it's been a wild mess out there. If he doesn't show up, we'll go looking, but I'm pretty sure he would stay here. It matches Mr. Theodore's note, anyway," Evie reminded him as she plucked the whistle from his hands.

"Oh, yeah. You're right. I'll wish to Mother, just in case," Finn said stoutly. Evie chortled under her breath.

Phweeeeeeeee.

The whistle echoed in the clearing, bouncing against the line of trees and all around them. For a breathless moment, Evie shared Finn's concern. Then, a shadow grew under the water. The surface rippled and broke, and air puffed from wide nostrils while little ears flapped wildly. Humphrey the Hippopotamus stared at them impassively from the mossy stream.

Finn hurried forward to talk with Humphrey, his voice high and clear, and Evie held up the pizza. Nostrils huffed loudly again. Humphrey floated closer with Finn perched on his head.

"Good afternoon, Humphrey. It's nice to finally meet you," Evie said with a grin.

Humphrey hrrmphed back.

"He said you're okay, but the pizza's better. That's very rude, you know! Mr. Humphrey, you should say thank you!" Finn scolded. Evie laughed.

"It's fine. I'll just keep it for myself."

The ripples were much more agitated as Humphrey shook all over. He swam further into the shallow water, moss and algae sliding off his blubbery, purple hide.

He's a sassy little brat. I like him, Evie thought with a grin. The hippo set his wide chin on the bridge, only his stumpy legs still in the water, and his small, black eyes were beseeching and pleading. For a moment, he looked so ridiculously dog-like, Evie wanted to tease him. Instead, she did the smart thing and held out the pizza.

"You can have this, but… no more free pizza after this. Mr. Theodore wants you home, troublemaker," Evie told the hippo as seriously as possible. And trying not to laugh out loud at the fact she was scolding a hippo like a naughty child. Or dog.

"Evie, I can't say that!" Finn said, aghast. Evie's eyebrows rose and the fairy sighed. He translated quickly and Humphrey shuddered all over and smacked his big mouth open and closed a few times. Finn squeaked quietly, and Evie did her very best to look unimpressed while her breath caught in a fist in her throat.

The bridge heaved under her knees until, at last, the hippo settled down. Humphrey actually rolled his eyes like an irritated teenager.

"He says he'll go back. For Theodore, not because of the pizza," Finn told her with none too little relief.

Evie snorted, and then barked an outright laugh. "Sure, okay. Here ya go, Humphrey. We'll see you again soon for the Circus, yeah?" She pointed out while tossing the pizza deftly into Humphrey's waiting and wide open mouth.

He merely snorted loudly in response and dipped under the water.

"Trunks and Eunice were a lot nicer," Finn whispered, looking guilty as he said it.

"Yeah, but Humphrey's sassy. I liked him," Evie said with a chuckle.

"Evie?!"

She shrieked aloud, hands flying up to cover her mouth, and tottered back onto her heels from her kneeling position. Finn screeched just as loudly and thudded against her shoulder, which completely shot her precarious balance. Her ass hit the bridge just as she caught sight of a startled Renee and an unimpressed Witch Princess– Vivi. Renee hurried forward, setting down a large wicker basket as she did. Under her, the bridge wobbled and she swore she could hear water gurgling as the hippo passed underneath.

Renee's steady hands grasped her bicep to help pull her up to her feet. Evie wheezed slightly, hand swiftly cupping Finn's body to her chest before he tumbled to the ground.

"What are you doing here?" Evie demanded breathlessly.

"Having a picnic brunch with Ms. Vivi!" Renee said cheerfully, dusting off Evie's arms needlessly as she smiled.

"A picnic? That's nice?" Evie said, blinking rapidly.

"Ms. Vivi and I will be great friends, just you wait an' see. Ain't that right, Ms. Vivi?" Renee said, turning her brilliant smile on Vivi.

The so-called Princess blushed and propped her fists on her hips. "I don't suppose I have much of choice if you're just going to show up here every day."

Renee giggled and finally released Evie with a lingering glance of concern. "I'm so sorry I scared you, Evie. I was just so shocked to see you with… that was a hippopotamus, wasn't it?"

"Uh… yeah…" Evie glanced down at Finn. He shrugged and grimaced slightly.

"You remembered," Vivi said suddenly. Evie looked up at her quickly. A single silver eyebrow rose. "You remembered that I wanted someone to get rid of that damn thing."

"Right... he was scaring the turtle?"

"That's so sweet of you, Evie!" Renee exclaimed, clapping her hands together. She frowned just a bit in slow bemusement. "How'd you know the vegetable pizza would work?"

"Just lucky, I guess."

Renee stared at her, disbelieving.

"So about that brunch? I don't much care for the idea of warm mimosas," Vivi said loudly.

"Oh, yes, of course! But we should ask Evie's advice," Renee replied earnestly.

"My advice? About the… hippo? Or the mimosas?" she asked in bewilderment.

"No, about the electricity!"

Evie blinked, ever more nonplussed, while Vivi scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. Renee glanced between them, wringing her hands worriedly.

"Ms. Vivi's been having some… problems with some of her appliances…" Renee started cautiously. Vivi harrumped and stomped her foot.

"She means that all my things were made to work with magic and I can't use mine right anymore. She wants to get my house on the wire," the witch said with a scornful toss of her hair.

"I was thinking it should be wired for electricity," Renee whispered with a little wince. "Just for now! Just until her magic works like it should again. I'm sure it will! But you shouldn't suffer through uncooked salads or cereal every day until then."

Vivi huffed even louder and rolled her eyes upwards.

"Renee's right. You should be able to live in actual comfort," Evie said firmly. "We can help you any way we possibly can, but until then, you should do that."

Vivi sighed. "You're right, but I don't like the idea of strangers coming in and out my house."

"Phoebe… Phoebe's an engineer or something, right? Maybe if it's just Phoebe, it won't be so bad? If it's something she can do," Evie suggested hesitantly.

"That's exactly what I said," Renee said excitedly.

"I'll… meet her. If I don't like her, she'll have to go," Vivi said.

Renee and Evie exchanged a look, their mouths twitching.

"Deal," Renee said a moment later.

"I'll leave you guys to your brunch. I've got a couple more errands to run."

"Are you chopping down some more trees for your house renovations?" Renee asked eagerly.

"That's on the list," Evie said, eyes darting away as her ears burned. "Some things to buy at your ranch and Marimba, too."

Renee's eyes widened. "The ranch? If you… if you see Kathy, could you tell her I'm here?" Her cheeks flushed slightly as her hands twisted around the basket's handle and her body swayed side to side. "I don't want her t'think I've just up n' abandoned her if she comes by."

"She can come meet us, if she must. My privacy has already been interrupted today, one more miscreant won't matter that much," Vivi added with a toss of her silver hair and haughty lift of her chin.

"Really? Thank you so much, Ms. Vivi!" Renee exclaimed happily. Vivi huffed and crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

"I'll make sure to say something if she's there," Evie promised with a crooked grin. "See ya!" She waved and began to jog away, grinning outright seeing Renee's exuberant farewell waves and Vivi's much smaller waggle of fingers.

"She's not so mean as she pretends to be, is she?" Finn noted while making their way through the forest.

"No, she's really not. Who knows how long she was a frog, or just stuck in the middle of Fugue with no one to talk to," Evie said with a shrug. Finn hummed thoughtfully.

"That would make her really weird," Finn said with a very serious nod.

Evie almost had an aneurysm trying not snort or laugh out loud. For the long walk through Fugue, she let Finn do most the talking. Updating her on all the things his older siblings and him had done together the past few days; the songs Alana was teaching him, the jokes and pranks Collin played on them, and the books Ben had brought from Paolo's to pick up reading lessons (and begin first lessons with Finn). Although the hush and shade of the forest was deceptively cool, when she reached the exit, she was filmed with sweat all over. She grimaced and lifted her hand as the brightness of the unveiled sunlight seared into her eyes.

Summer was great. She loved summer vacations and beach trips and going out on the water, one summer she'd even tried surfing (and just fallen a lot). But this wasn't even that hot, the air was just warm and moist. She peered up into the afternoon sky, squinting towards the west. It was definitely darker that way, though it didn't look like it was raining. With a shrug, she followed after Finn dizzying lead towards the Windmill. It was still bright enough that his glow faded in and out of sight.

"Hidy, Evie!" Kathy called from behind. Evie halted and turned to see Kathy loping down the hill with glee all over her face. "Finally gonna let me show ya how t'ride t'day?" she asked with a level of enthusiasm that Evie did not share.

"Nah just here to buy things," Evie said, her eyes darting to where Finn was waiting just a few feet away, bobbing up and down impatiently. "Renee told me to tell you she's in Fugue, having a picnic with the Witch Princess.

"What?" Kathy gaped in bewilderment.

Evie grinned. Totes worth it. "Seriously, and you're invited. Dunno how much is left of the food, but maybe there'll be some of the mimosa left."

"Wait, but… what?" Kathy repeated. Evie burst into snickers behind her hand. "She's… havin' a picnic with the Witch Princess?"

"Yeah, we all met… kinda… the other day. Rey is taking it upon herself to make sure V-Witch Princess doesn't end up being a hermit again. You should go, see what you think of your town's royalty," Evie suggested with a teasing smirk. (Plus, Kathy being in Fugue kept her from noticing Evie going into the Windmill.)

"Yer sure… it's a'right?" Kathy asked, glancing towards the forest with a strange, complicated expression flittering across her face.

"Yup, you were invited if I ran into you. You better hurry, though."

Kathy gulped and patted at her clothes awkwardly. "I feel odd goin' empty-handed…"

"It's spur of the moment! Don't worry about it. Next time, I'll come, too," Evie urged. Kathy nodded absently, then grinned and nodded again more firmly.

"A'right. See ya 'round, Evie. I'll getcha on a horse yet," she called, jogging the shortways back up the hill.

"Yeah, maybe. What is it with Castanet and their hating on bikes?" Evie muttered, hurrying to where Finn was calling for her.

The Windmill was the same as it was before, though it cleaner and airier. The door had been left open and the smell of both chickens and lye was mostly faded away. Evie swung her bag around to her front and tugged it open while stomping up the steps. At the top, she slowed, one arm elbow deep in her rucksack, and her eyes catching on the empty Frame. Sunlight from outside fell in thin beams over wooden floors polished a smooth, dark gold with age. Finn darted into the small loft. His glitters and shines gilt the strange green carvings up and over the arch.

Anxiety fluttered its wings in her throat, but it was that excited kind. The kind that had her heart pounding and her skin flushing all over as a grin pulled at the corners of her lips. She stepped into the loft and under her hand, the Bell glowed. Emerald light burst from the opening of her rucksack and filled the whole room.

With a startled gasp (she really should've been used to this by now, then again, who "gets used to" magic?!), the Green Bell leapt into the air and wibble-wobbled its way to the Frame. As it danced through the air, a breeze sprang up all around them. It disappeared as suddenly as it came and the light ebbed. Evie blinked open her eyes and smiled seeing the green sprite sitting on the ground like a lost teddy, head bobbing on its shoulders, and mouth cracked open wide around a yawn.

"Huh? Is this a dream? … Finn?" the sprite named Dara asked with sluggish blinks.

"Yes! Dara! It's me!" Finn exclaimed happily, zipping around her with loud, jangling chimes. Dara smiled drowsily and watching him with lazy twists and turns of her head.

"Mm, nice to see you little brother. I'm sleepy. Is it time for a nap yet?" Dara yawned again, head falling forward.

"Wait, wait! Dara, no, you haven't met Evie!" Finn pushed and prodded Dara onto her feet while Evie watched them. Dara wasn't really protesting, but her eyes weren't quite opening either. She didn't even seem to notice Evie or fully take in Finn's words. Just smiled dopily and yawned.

Is this one Sleepy Dwarf? Or just straight up narcoleptic?! Evie thought to herself, both amused and baffled.

"Hm, wassat? What's an ee-vee?" Dara asked.

"That'll be me," Evie said, kneeling to get Dara's attention on her. Dara blinked slowly, and then gasped as her eyes opened wide.

"Oh! The Hero! Is it time already?! My brain's not working at all yet," the sprite replied.

"That's fine. I'm sure Ringing the Bell will wake you up a bit," she said with a wink.

"The Bell! You're right. I'm Dara, by the way, the Green Sprite of Wind."

"I'm Evelyn, but just call me Evie." She held out her hand. Dara stared at it, then slowly gave it a hearty slap for such a small body. Evie's eyebrows shot up.

"That's how Collin taught me. Did I do it right?" Dara asked brightly. She yawned a second later, fortunately missing Evie's twisted expression to keep from bursting into laughter.

"Dara, let's Ring the Bell already. You don't know just what we had to go through to get you back here," FInn said, crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head.

"Mm, y-yes, you're right. You must tell me all about it later, though," Dara said. She shook herself all over and spun around on her tiny foot. She gave one more, big yawn and looked up at her Bell. "Here I go… Melody of the Green Bell, sweet and soft like a lullaby, echo throughout the land like a gentle breeze to be heard by all who live here!"

Just as the great Bell swung itself and its melody burst from its metallic depths, Dara fell to her bum and yawned again.

The wind came back, each tolling of the melody building the push of air from a whisper of a breeze into a gust that filled every nook and cranny. It was cool and warm, sweet and refreshing, playful and strong. It whipped through Evie's hair and tousled her curls into a frenzy. Her clothes snapped against her skin while sweat dried almost instantly. Sighing in something like relief, Evie's chin lifted and her eyes closed as the scents of summer eradicated the last dregs of the spring cleaning odors and sticky humidity. For the fourth time, she could see in her mind's eye, the townsfolk running out of their homes, joyous faces rising to the sunlight and the breeze. In the forest, every tree shook with the sound of thunder, and in the swamp, while Kathy and Renee clasped hands and looked up, Vivi looked up, too. A seemingly out-of-place emotion dimmed her amber-orange eyes before Evie was swept back into the Windmill.

Creaking juttered through the air and, when Evie opened her eyes, the mill rotor blades ponderously passed by the window.

"Thank you, Evie," Dara said. Evie glanced down to see Dara's bright, happy smile. "I can finally return to Mother now. I'll see you again soon. Don't make Edge wait too long. They've got a bit of loneliness problem."

Green flashed again and Dara was gone. Finn and Evie looked at each other and grinned.

"We did it!" Evie exclaimed.

"We finally did it! You're amazing, Evie!"

"So are you, Finn," Evie said, giving into giggles at last when Finn zoomed around her head.

"You again!"

Evie and Finn shrieked simultaneously and spun around. Standing with one foot on the lower step and the other on the attic floor and with one hand lain over the railing, was that blond man again. The same one that appeared in the Watery Cave maybe a week ago.

"Gill? Gill, Hamilton's son, right?" Evie wheezed, hands over her racing heart.

"Yes, it's good to see you're up to speed now," Gill said with a tone Evie couldn't parse out as snarky or amused. He stopped and looked at the Bell, still glittering a faint green where it hung behind her. "Quite speedy. Would this be number four?"

Evie and Finn glanced at each other.

"W-what's that?" Evie stammered awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck.

"He's not talking about the Bell, is he?" Finn asked in a tinny squeak.

"You're the one Ringing the Bells, aren't you? I'm not quite as…" Gill broke off and squinted just over Evie shoulder. "Huh?"

"HUH!?" Finn shrieked, arms and legs flailing. Evie gaped, bewildered and speechless, as Gill took a step forward.

He stopped quickly and shook his head. "No… Sorry. I thought I saw something."

"Uh, yeah?" Evie looked over at the hyperventilating Finn and back to Gill. "Well, um, I better… just go…" She tried to sidle awkwardly past him as Finn clung to the back of her shoulder.

"Wait!" Gill reached out and grabbed Evie's wrist. Again, his eyes slid to Finn, before he met her gaze squarely. She flinched, but he didn't seem confrontational. Instead, his gaze was earnest and thankful.

"I know you're the one Ringing the Bells. I just wanted to say… thank you."

Evie stared at him, mouth falling open, and he stared back, intense and unwavering. After a moment, he seemed to notice his hand still on her and jerked it away as if burnt.

"My apologies. I must return to town now. I'll leave you to your secret mission," he said, smirking lightly and stepping away with an abbreviated bow.

The weird gesture had Evie finally breaking free and stumbling forward, hands waving frantically in front of her. "I'm not– I haven't–" she stammered uselessly.

Gill stared her down until her face felt hot enough to fry. "I'm not an imbecile," Gill told her calmly.

"I didn't mean that!" Evie protested hotly.

"You could've had me fooled. That was certainly your implication just now." He stepped towards her, and she stepped back, hands still high and Finn trembling behind her neck. "It's been eighty years. Eighty years this county has been slowly sinking into poverty and ruin. People come and then leave. Suddenly you, a college student with no farming experience whatsoever–"

"Actually, my cousins have sheep?" Evie squeaked awkwardly.

Gill raised an eyebrow and Evie shrunk under with a grimace. "You come here and stay. Now the Bells are Ringing for the first time in over eighty years. And twice you've been at the scene."

"You make me sound like a criminal," Evie grumbled. She forced her shoulders to straighten and she crossed her arms over her chest. "You were at the Bells both times, too. Maybe it's you." A smug smile curled her lips that died swiftly when Gill turned away, gaze dropping to the ground and a shadow passing over his fair features. "Um…"

"It's definitely not me."

"He seems sad, Evie," Finn whispered, creeping out from his hiding place.

Gill pressed the side of his loose fist over his mouth before turning to her once more. "I spent the past season and a half trying to figure out exactly how to save this place. So please, accept my thanks and stop pretending like you don't deserve it."

His bright blue eyes met her wide auburn ones. Her mouth opened and closed. Then, her arms dropped to her sides.

"You know, Mother never said it had to be secret. Why don't we just tell him he's right?" Finn piped up. Again, Gill's sharp gaze looked at him. The little fairy squeaked and cowered.

"I… I don't…think I deserve thanks, but…" Evie's voice trailed away as her hand reached up to pat Finn at her neck. Gill visibly double-took, eyes flickering from her hand to her face. "Yes, uh," she cleared her throat, "you're not seeing things. Well, you are, seeing a thing."

"Evie!" Finn exclaimed, sounding absolutely scandalized. "I didn't mean about me!"

"Huh?" Gill stared at her.

"The fairy. His name is Finn. If you're… If I have to admit I'm Ringing them, then you should meet Finn. A real fairy."

"B-But, Evie–!"

"Real?" Gill's pale face had become ghostly, his eyes painfully wide and pupils barely pinpricks. He stumbled back a step, his hand reaching out to grasp the railing. "R-real?" he rasped a second time.

"Gi- er, Mr. Gill?" Evie said, as she cautiously stepped forward and raised her hands.

"No. N-no, I told myself they weren't real. They were… I was just a child. Fairies don't exist." The entire time he babbled, his eyes never left the curve of Evie's neck where Finn sat quivering.

Evie halted. After a swift blink, she huffed incredulously and propped her fists on her hips. "Wait, you believe that some rando stranger from the city can ring a few bells and save a town. But fairies can't be real? Choose one or the other, Gill Goldstein."

"It's different," Gill argued.

"Really. So the Bells are like… what? Science?"

The two humans stared each other down. Evie was defiant, but Gill unsteady. Finn floated carefully upwards and sat in clear view on Evie's shoulder. Gill flinched even as awe spread over his expression. Finn's wings chimed and his warm, blushing face hid behind his hands. Finn quivered like a leaf on a branch in a storm, but stayed still. And in sight. It took a moment, but Gill licked his lips once, swiftly, and walked to them. Hesitantly, he raised an open palm.

With a glance up at Evie, who smiled encouragingly, Finn gulped audibly and buzzed across the short distance. He set himself on the proffered hand and bowed like his older siblings liked to do.

Gill's whole body tensed, arm shaking in an effort not to yank away. Gradually, oh-so-carefully, he lifted Finn higher as if to meet the sprite's anxious dark eyes, though his own blue gaze little a little unfocused.

"I… I'm sure I should be thanking you, too."

"Uh, y-yes? A little?" Finn mumbled, hands wringing and his body twisting back and forth in mid-air. Gill continued to stare, not seeming to hear Finn's reply.

"He found me last winter and brought me here," Evie explained, throwing him a fond smile. Finn's cheeks burned bright pink, but he did smile widely. "I wouldn't be here without him."

"I can't quite make out a voice or much more than a little will o' wisp of a light, but…" Gill began with a kind smile and a squint at Finn. "A very special thank you, Mr. Finn."

The sprite squealed and buried his face in his hands, and POP! A tiny dancing light flew back to Evie's breast pocket.

"So, the answer really was magic. I spent the past weeks on a wild goose chase, it appears." Gill swiped a hand over his forehead and sighed softly, ruefully.

"You weren't the only one?" Evie tried to reassure him, with a small wince. "Anissa did, too." Gill scoffed under his breath. "Seriously, though, what were you looking for if not for magic bells?"

"Stories and answers, I suppose," Gill said with a negligent wave of a hand. At Evie's deadpanned expression, he smirked. "There are a few towns and islands around that have a history… and traditions similar to ours. Yet, as small as they also are, they've managed to remain prosperous and self-sustaining."

He leaned against the railing and crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze moving towards the window that displayed a small square of the sky woolly with swiftly approaching grey clouds. Relief at the knowledge she gotten the Bell Rung before the sun was swallowed by yet another approaching storm had Evie sighing softly under her breath. Gill continuing to speak quickly regained her attention.

"I've spent this entire time visiting those places, researching their stories and beliefs, their way of living, everything I thought could possibly help us." His gaze flickered to the Green Bell.

"Did they have Bells?" Finn asked curiously, poking his head out of Evie's pocket.

Gill cocked his head to the side and frowned.

"Do they have something like these Bells or the sprites?" Evie asked. Gill's expression cleared.

"No, not quite that similar. That was part of the most important difference between us and them, honestly. They still had…" He broke off, pressed his lips together thinly; and then spoke again, "They still have a strong connection to their land, to the superstitious beliefs our town has tried to eschew. A few of them had… well, tales of a Harvest Goddess, and fairies, but no dead tree. No Bells."

Evie gnawed on her lip pensively. "Did… Did they have a legend like the one here? No Bells, yeah, but did they have some other similar structures or rituals? What about the Tree, do they have one of those? Also, do they have a written history, maybe a little more detailed than the one the Mayo– your dad lent me," Evie asked, her voice and questions gaining pitch and momentum as the words spouted from her. Like a tap that had finally been loosened.

Gill's eyebrows rose.

"Evie, now isn't the time! You should ask him about Edge," Finn scolded from her pocket.

"What makes you think he knows where to find Edge? Or even who that is?" Evie retorted while her cheeks burned sheepishly.

"You don't know unless you ask, and you're asking every question but that one!" Finn said. He flew up to face her eye-to-eye. Evie rubbed the back of her head and glanced away.

She couldn't believe Finn, a baby sprite, was reprimanding her. And, to top it off, he was in the right. Only the fact it was Finn kept her tongue in check– usually her words were extra salty when she was caught in the wrong.

"Shiny," she muttered sulkily. "I'll ask him about Edge, but I'm going to ask all those questions again later. You'll have to suffer through it eventually."

Before Finn could reply– which had an added benefit of giving her the last word by default– a muffled chuckle met their ears. Both of them jumped in place (or in mid-air), then cringed in delayed embarrassment. Looking up and over, Evie saw Gill half-turned away, fist pressed to his mouth and his shoulders shaking.

"D-Do you do… this often?" Gill asked, gesturing between her and Finn.

"Usually not in front of people," Evie mumbled with her head ducking low.

"I thought he couldn't hear me!" Finn protested in dismay.

Gill scowled slightly, but his look was more inward, his head tilting to the side again, as if trying to catch an elusive sound. "I hear bells very clearly. I can only hear words if I listen closely."

Finn gasped and zoomed around Evie. "He's hearing me, Evie! This is the second human to hear me and see me!"

"I hope that wasn't another question," Gill said with a grimace. "That sounded like a high-pitched bicycle bell."

"Oh, that's definitely what he sounds like. All the time," Evie agreed with a teasing little smirk. Gill's answering chuckle had Evie thinking they would make good friends.

"Hey!"

"He might be kinda small, but he's the cutest one of the bunch," Evie added, still light and teasing.

The indignation melted from Finn's face. He beamed brightly and darted back in close to snuggle under her chin.

"I love you, Evie!"

Her eyes grew wide and startled for a split second. As Gill politely turned away and cleared his throat loudly, Evie's face softened and her hand reached up to pat Finn's head.

"I love you, too, Twinkletoes," she whispered.

"We should probably depart the premises soon. This isn't exactly public property," Gill said.

"It kinda is," Evie argued, then shrugged. "But sure, we should get going. Wanna come to mine for tea or… juice? There's all those questions I still have to ask. I was gonna buy more seeds, but…"

"Hm those clouds do seem to be moving in quickly. Perhaps you should wait for the storm to blow over again? As for tea, it would be my pleasure," Gill agreed, smiling just a little. "I also have my own questions to ask."

"Can we have snacks, too?" Finn asked, hopefully.

"I don't have a lot to choose from– snacks, Finn asked," she said quickly at Gill's confused expression, "but we can figure out something."

"Yay!"

The walk to Clarinet district was… awkward. Starting with a heavy silence and interrupted with Gill's unexpected jumps and twitches whenever Finn's trilling was especially loud or close to him.

Until finally, somewhere along the Flute Fields Bridge, Evie blurted, "I met him in a coffee shop and thought he was a delusion brought on by finals' insomnia."

The confession had Gill laughing outright. A segue into complaining about exam seasons and joking about all the times Evie had slipped up in front of other people when responding to Finn followed. Bit by bit, the awkwardness disappeared. By the time Evie set down leftover herb cookies and raspberry jam on her dining table at home, Gill was opening the jar for Finn without prompting.

"Now about some written histories of those other towns…" Evie started after a happy, contented crunching of her first cookie.

"I have my own notes that you may review. While some of the others have had their own troubles, none have quite matched ours. There's something missing here," Gill said. He shifted enough in his seat to dig out a small notebook with a nice elastic band keeping it shut. He handed it over and picked up a cookie. Instead of eating it, he absently began to crumble it between his fingers. "Something happened 80 years ago, something that affected the Tree profoundly. It's…" He broke off and huffed as he shook crumbs from his fingertips.

"Yeah, I noticed… I kinda felt like maybe…" Evie swallowed as her nose wrinkled over a small scowl. The teapot whistled and all three of them half-turned towards it unconsciously. Gill got up quickly.

"Let me serve while you peruse that," Gill said with a wave of his hand towards the notebook.

"Thanks…" Evie muttered even as her eyes lowered. She unstrapped the book and flipped it open. Boiling water hissed and poured into mugs while Evie scanned Gill's meticulous and neat writings. Finn leaned over it, chomping away on his jam-covered cookies. There were several tracings of a hieroglyphic-looking script that looked almost identical to the writing on the Bell Frames and Garmon mine ruins. She turned one page this way and that, squinting in concentration. She barely noticed the tea mug being placed by her plate, or Gill returning to his seat.

All her focus centered on words that blurred in her vision. Then, began to clear.

Five on the mount

in fire and light…

fey king…

KNOCK KNOCK!

Evie rattled out of her head, notebook falling from nerveless hands as a piercing ache formed behind her right eye. "Jam on toast," she muttered, pressing a thumb to the corner of her eyebrow closest to her nose.

"Were you expecting company? I can go," Gill offered, setting down his tea cup.

Evie waved him off while getting to her feet. "No, not really. People come and go a lot, but you'll know whoever it is better than I do anyway," she replied with a crooked smile. Gill shrugged, his head tilting in acquiescence, and picked back up his mug.

She threw open the door a moment later, crooked smile becoming fixed and stiff seeing Luke on the doorstep. The evening sky behind him was heavy and grey from the returning storm already threatening and ominous on the horizon. Luke grinned, though something about the expression looked as off as hers felt.

"Hey, Evie, you– oh, whoa, is that Gill?" Luke exclaimed, interrupting himself in his shock.

"Ah, Carpenter. A pleasure, as always," Gill said drolly.

"You don't sound like it's a pleasure," Finn said with a squinty, puzzled look.

Gill inhaled sharply just as he brought his mug to his mouth. He quickly set it down and turned away, the back of his hand pressed to his mouth as he coughed and wheezed. For once, someone else was suffering from Finn's naive little quips that no one else could hear. It had Evie's mouth twitching as she let Luke in and shut the door.

"Dude, I'm not that great, you don' gotta get that excited," Luke said, smirking widely before lounging in the empty table chair.

"You're not funny, Luke," Gill retorted in a hoarse voice.

"Really terrible joke, Lu-Lu, I agree with Goldstein," Evie teased, perching on the table next to Luke. "I found him wandering around Horn Ranch just before lunch."

"Horn Ranch?" Luke sat up straight and leaned forward, his gold gaze gleaming. "Didja'll hear it? The Bell? Rey said another one Rang!"

Evie and Gill exchanged a look, their private smiles more in their gazes than on their mouths.

"Yeah, we definitely did. I'm surprised you guys didn't hear it up in Garmon. It was loud," Evie answered as she looked back at Luke quickly. Her heart was already thumping too hard, the combination of Luke talking about the Bell and Gill knowing ratcheting up her pulse.

"And beautiful. I'm glad I was here for it, however it may be happening," Gill agreed, sipping his tea with a great deal more composure than Evie.

"So… it ain't you, then?" Luke asked, eyebrows high.

Evie's hands froze on the table top where they were bracing her, and Gill's gaze dropped to the surface of his drink. His gaze was withdrawn, a melancholy amusement playing out over his mouth.

"No, I'm not worthy of being the hero the Goddess needs. Whoever it is, we owe them our thanks many times over," he said quietly.

Evie bit her lip and fought the urge to protest. Finn flew to Gill's hand and patted it gently.

"You're a good human, Gill. I'm sure if the Goddess could've chosen you, she would've," Finn soothed, his bells twinkling with a high, clear, sweet chime. The blond young man smiled gently at the tabletop where his hands rested.

"From what I gather, there's only one Bell left to Ring," Gill said.

"Yeah, man, you totally missed out this spring. They were ringin' left n' right!" Luke said, excitement pouring from him in waves.

Evie stiffened all over, her hands curling around the edge of the table. One more. Just one more Bell. And then, what, Lupe? Where are you gonna run to next? She scowled down at her filthy boots when her inner voice twisted into something that sounded very much not like herself.

"Yo, Evie, you never came by today. We were waitin' for ya to come up, me and Pops… Bo, too!" Luke said, abruptly breaking through her thoughts.

Her head jerked up with an automatic half-smile. "I… I actually didn't have enough lumber anyway." She tried not to groan– or squirm uncomfortably– at the beginning of a conversation she'd hoped they had avoided. She moved over to a chair and quickly wrapped her hands around the hot mug waiting for her to hide the trembling in her fingers.

"Broquette, we coulda gotten it started and while you finished up, yanno. We were kinda lookin' forward to havin' a real job again," Luke pointed out, mussing up her frizzy curls. Summer humidity and the storms were playing havoc with her hair, but she couldn't be bothered to shove Luke off.

"What in the world did you call her?" Gill asked incredulously. Finn just sighed loudly and shoved in another mouthful of jam-covered cookie.

"Inside joke," Evie said. He raised a brow and looked to Luke.

"If we tune into Ms. Elli's station, I'm sure we'll see that the storm is returning tomorrow. It's probably better you hadn't started building today."

"Yeah, but Evie didn't know that this mornin'. You coulda come up and said something. And you aren't in the Forest chopping trees down, so what–" Luke pointed out, hand gesticulating wildly.

"Maybe I had other stuff to do, Luke," Evie scoffed, feeling her heart jackrabbiting and her mouth twist downwards.

"What? Lettin' your house fall down 'round your ears?" Luke retorted. "Real smart, college girl."

Evie blushed an ugly red and scowled. "It's not my job to fix your family's failing business!"

A pin could've dropped and caused an ear-shattering echo in the silence that followed. The disappointment darkening his gold eyes to amber. The hurt that etched grooves around his eyes and mouth. This entire situation was too familiar. So familiar it made her sick, bile scratching at the back of her throat. A ruddy flush crawled up Luke's neck and ears before he managed to turn away. Like a mirror cracking and disrupting the reflection, his broken hold on her gaze had her looking away as well, eyes smarting.

"Evie, that wasn't very nice," Finn whispered in shocked dismay. Shame burned and clawed inside her chest.

"Surely… it's been a trying morning and some regretful words have been said," Gill started slowly, hands raising diplomatically. "Perhaps a moment to re-evaluate and calm down is necessary."

"Nah, never mind. She's right," Luke muttered with a mutinous grimace. He got to his feet so fast the chair legs scraped painfully loud along the floor.

"I didn't…" Evie tried. And failed.

He was already jerking around towards the door. It swung open a little too fast and closed a little too loudly. Those left inside flinched at the crack that rattled the door frame.

"Mother phooey," Evie hissed. She immediately took off after him, wincing when her own heedlessness slammed the door too hard behind her.

"Lu, wait!"

He stopped so suddenly dust and pebbles sprayed from under his shoes. "You don't get t'use that after being a dick, princess."

Evie recoiled, shoulders curling inward on reflex. Not at 'dick', no. At the slap of his voice, the fury and hurt that laced 'princess' like an insult rather than the faintly annoying nickname it should be. "Okay, so I deserve that– I shouldn't have said that."

"Yeah, duh," Luke said furiously. But his shoulders slumped and his hands fell empty and slack at his sides. "So why the hell did you say it? I know I'm a dumb hick, Ms. City Girl–"

"I didn't say that!"

"No, I guess not 'zactly like that. But as good as."

"I… that's not what I meant…"

"Just spit it out, Eves."

"I…"

Silence descended again and they stared at each other a second time. Her mouth moved with unspoken, unknown words and the few feet of dirt between their boots felt endless.

"I'm sorry," Evie finally choked out lamely.

Luke snorted loudly and rubbed his hand over his face. "Yeah, sure. I guess get back t'me when you feel like doin' my family a favor, yeah? I'll try not t'hold my breath."

"Luke…" She frowned tightly, her mouth pulling down as her nose and eyes stung. She watched him stomp towards the Fields, and probably on to Fugue, one hand shoved deep in his pocket and shiny copper axe on a shoulder. Watched until his tall, lanky form became muzzy and blurred.

She couldn't call him back and say that Gill's "only one Bell left" comment had filled her with dread. That his excited glee at her putting down more roots suffocated her. She still remembered Toby and Renee's faces after her thoughtless words a couple days ago– not that it mattered, since she'd always find new and interesting ways to hurt the people around her, obviously.

She just… she didn't like feeling cornered. Renee said not to worry about other's expectations, but everywhere she turned, there they were. Looming. Threatening. Expecting, damn it! How could she look in Luke's eyes and tell him his friendship was smothering? That her responsibilities were too heavy?

She was supposed to be a hero. She was also supposed to know what that gorramn meant by now. She was supposed to know how to at least feel about it! Being a hero, coming here, it was all so "important", right? Maybe the most important thing she could do her whole life.

And she was choking at the finish line. Like she always did.

Evie scrubbed her hands in her hair and groaned under her breath. "I've never related more to Peter Parker in my life."


A/N: Firstly, most importantly, crunchy cookies are the worst. Gross, Evie!

Secondly, sorry I was a bit late this time! It's mostly unbeta'd right now. My betas, including my in the nick of time at the last minute friend (I always ask her at the last minute cuz I'm the worst), were both pretty busy this time around. I might re-post this later this week beta'd, but it seemed good enough now? Anyway. Enjoy being pissed off at Evie, cuz I know I am. GET *clap* YOUR *clap* SHIT *clap* TOGETHER *clap*.

Lastly, the storm coming back was NOT supposed to foreshadow. But I guess it did?! LOL *sigh* There were some hints for a few plotlines hinted at, but I wonder if you've caught the biggest one yet? Hmmm, we'll see. :D

Next Update: 7/4/2018 at the earliest, I'm afraid. My friend is visiting me in China and she's coming all the way from USA. We're going travelling in Southeast Asia, so I will TRY to post at least a small timestamp chapter before I leave on the 16th, but no promises. Don't think it's over though! See you in July!