A/N: I'm sorry about the lack of update over the last few days. I've just had surgery to repair a torn cartilage in my hip socket and was in hospital. But m now home recuperating and here is the next chapter:

Monday morning arrived and by now everyone knew that there had been an altercation with some first years on the balcony. They knew Carl had been involved as he was badly bruised. The whole academy was waiting for the fall out.

"Matilda Grace, Carl Gravely and Edwin Take, report to my office, the rest of you are dismissed." Principal Dockerty announced over breakfast that morning. He did not look happy. Everyone knew he took a dim view on fighting outside the classroom.

Tilly and Carl got up from their table and she saw Ed get up from the table he shared with his second year friends. They walked silently to the principal's office. Carl and Tilly exchanged a look of sheer horror. With the events of Saturday night they had completely forgotten about the air horn.

"Edwin first." Principal Dockerty demanded as he opened the door.

There was a very loud noise which made him and Ed jump.

Principal Dockerty looked at the guilty look on Tilly's face but said nothing about it. He closed the door, took the horn off the wall and bade Ed to sit down.

Outside Tilly was getting antsy. She knew that she was in trouble.

"He can't do anything. You were trying to help me."

"I was still fighting in the corridor." Tilly said in a small voice.

Ed emerged from the office a small time later and went to his class. He didn't look at Tilly and Carl as he passed them.

"Carl please." The Principal said.

This left Tilly on her own in the corridor. Unable to sit still she got to her feet and started pacing. Her phone started ringing. She looked at it and seeing her brother's face she ignored it.

Carl emerged from the Principals office and walked straight past Tilly without looking at her.

"Tilly, come in."

Tilly walked into the office and took a seat that was starting to become very familiar to her.

"Firstly, strike one. Get to three and I pay back in kind."

"The air horn?" Tilly asked hesitantly.

"Yes Tilly, the air horn. I knew it was you because no other student is stupid enough or capable enough to get in here. Secondly, I need to talk to you about Saturday night."

"I know."

"Tilly, I already know what happened from a biased report Dan filed. I just want to hear your side."

"We were in the bar, I was dancing with Ed. I saw Carl leave. He'd left his wallet in his room and was going to get it. I saw Mike and Brad follow him. They've hated us since the survival training because we did well and they didn't, then when our ranks were posted they started trying to, I don't know, embarrass us? They volunteered me for Karaoke on Friday. They didn't realise I have a pretty good singing voice. I followed them, Ed followed me. I heard them on the balcony and I saw them trying to throw Carl over it. Two of them came at me and I defended myself. Then Brad, Mike and some other guy I don't know came at me, so I defended myself again. I went to help Carl and that's when Ed turned up with Dan." Tilly said without taking much of a breath.

"Thankyou Tilly. I appreciate your honesty"

Tilly didn't take her eyes off the floor.

"I am not holding you in anyway responsible for this. You were defending yourself and Carl from being thrown over the balcony."

Tilly looked at him, not entirely sure she had heard him right.

"So what happens now?" Tilly asked.

"You will go to your class and carry on as normal."

"What will happen to Brad and Mike? I'm worried they won't stop coming after us until they've hurt us enough to knock us off the top."

"They will be warned that if they try anything again they will be expelled. You are now excused." The Principal told her.

"How come you believe me? I mean, How do you know that Dan's version of events isn't right?"

"You are a Ward, while you have the capability to lie and do it well, you wouldn't lie about something like this. That and I have CCTV evidence that backs up your statement, not theirs." The principal told her before walking to his door and opening it.

Tilly walked out of his office and made her way to Spanish class.

"Miss Grace. I hope this isn't going to be a regular occurance?" Marisa asked her as she sidled in and sat down next to Carl.

"No Marisa. I'm sorry, I was with the Principal."

"We are looking at Verb tenses. Can you please catch up and then complete any work you miss in your own time?" Marisa asked her.

She was surprised when Tilly handed her work in at the end of the class with everyone else, she was even more surprised when her work was perfect.

"What happened in Dockerty's office? Did you get in trouble?" Carl asked Tilly as they grabbed a sandwich for their lunch.

"No. He just wanted to hear my side of it."

"This brother you told me about. He's not Mafia is he?"

Tilly laughed.

"No. Why?"

"You seem to be untouchable."

Tilly gave him a winning smile.

"What about that air horn?" Carl asked, remembering the look on the principals face.

"Strike one, I get to three, he repays the favour."

"Really?"

"I know, I know. I'm untouchable!" Tilly said taking a bite out of her sandwich.

Carl shook his head. He didn't know how Tilly was getting away with so much, but he thought it had something to do with Toby, or even Ward.

They joked their way down to the obstacle course to find Toby waiting for them.

"Wassupp T?" Tilly asked him noticing the faint hit of bruising on his cheek.

"Just waiting for your classmates. I hear you two had an eventful weekend."

"Eventful? Us?" Carl asked trying to keep a straight face, while Tilly laughed.

"Did you get into much trouble?"

"None."

"Toby, what did you do to your cheek?" Carl asked him, noticing the bruise.

"Walked into a branch." Toby admitted, looking at Tilly who shrugged.

"Advanced Combat? You weren't lying when you said you'd beaten Toby up were you?" He asked her.

"I don't lie as often as people think I do." Tilly pointed out. She was inching closer and closer to the obstacle course.

"You want to go on it don't you?" Toby asked her.

Tilly nodded her head.

"Go on then. Carl, you spot her. Time to beat is two minutes three seconds." Toby said.

He wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to push her to her breaking point.