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A veil of darkness continued to hang over their eyes, even as they entered their harbour. They were drenched completely and breathed sighs of relief as they reached Horizon, a place where the rain could not penetrate their skin, but drummed on the roof relentlessly. Peter Scarbrow removed his soaked jacket as he entered his dark office, drenched, with an equally drenched Erika Lavalier trailing behind him, a lost look conspicuous in her eyes. Peter Scarbrow flicked the light switch on, but it was to no avail. He cursed under his breath as he realized the power was likely out due to the storm. He removed a flashlight from his top drawer, and flicked open the blinds to his office window. The storm raged on behind the window, the lightning alighting the darkened room.

"Erika." Peter stated, commanding the attention of his defiant student.

Erika's eyes drifted to her headmaster. Peter noticed the change in her eyes, but did not comment on it.

Peter looked his newest admit straight in the eye, and she met his gaze blankly.

"Why do you insist on making my job so difficult?" he asked her.

When she did not respond, he continued on. "I have over 150 students that are my responsibility since the chaos of the storm. But what am I doing? Venturing in the storm to drag you back here."

"No one forced you to," she responded absently.

"Erika, you are my responsibility too. I just wish you would make it easier for the both of us, if you would just let me help you. Are there going to be any more incidents like this? How many more times am I going to have to drag you back here, huh?!"

Erika maintained Peter's gaze. "No more times," she replied impassively.

Peter's brow furrowed, bewildered at the unexpected response. "Can I have that in writing?" he cracked a smile. It quickly dissipated. "So why is that?"

Erika avoided his gaze and rolled her eyes.

Peter slumped into the chair behind his desk. A crackle of lightning sounded. "Why did you run?" he asked finally.

Erika shook her head. "I'm messed up, alright?!"

"Erika, you're going to have to face your demons sometime."

"Oh, I know that."

"So why did you run?" he looked at her squarely.

"So I could face my demons," she said simply.

"You want to tell me what they are?"

Erika gave him a look. "Why do you bother?! Why do you care so much about me and some other messed up kids? What do you care what becomes of me?!"

"I was once in your position, you know. I understand."

"Bull."

"No, Erika, I really do. If you'd seen me a few years ago, you would never have guessed that I would turn out to be the person I am now."

Erika rolled her eyes. "I hope you don't expect me to care."

"It was your question."

"I wanted a straight answer."

"You want to know why I care? Because there's not always someone who does in the lives of the kids here. I give teens second chances at a good life, get their lives back on track, because there's not always someone else. Because there was 'someone else' for me, and I want to return the favour for those who need it."

"How noble," Erika commented dryly.

"I take a lot of pride in what I do," Peter responded seriously.

Erika muttered under her breath, "Yeah, right, he understands."

"What was that?" Peter questioned.

"I said, you couldn't possibly understand."

"Try me."

"No," she responded, irritated.

"How can you know that I wouldn't understand if you don't tell me, huh?"

She refused to answer and stared absently at the wall.

"I can help you, Erika."

She shook her head defiantly. "Happy endings don't exist."

Peter looked at Erika suddenly. "Do you want to be here, Erika?"

"I don't know," she whispered absently. The answer caught Peter by surprise.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I'm confused, alright? I'm messed up. I don't know what I mean."

Peter nodded. He was beginning to make some progress, she was beginning to answer his questions, even though they were obscure answers that she gave. The room was suddenly alighted as the lights flickered on. "Erika, get to your dorm. Try to get some sleep. A senior, female student will be there in your dorm, awaiting your return, and will stay there to make sure you don't make another brake for it."

"Are you kidding me? I already told you I wouldn't run again. Isn't that good enough?" she said, incredulous.

"Not until you prove to me that you're trustworthy. Did you think there wouldn't be consequences for running?" Peter questioned.

Erika paused. "I didn't run that far. Doesn't that mean something?"

"You didn't come back," Peter stated, speaking as though her arguing was a lost cause, and he would not be swayed by her words.

"You do know that I could have gone into town and never looked back," Erika spoke so defiantly, Peter was momentarily taken aback.

"Get back to your dorm. Don't forget about the thousand word essay and copy of Horizon's rules, for tomorrow."

Erika turned to leave, but Peter continued. "And by the way, you're on Kitchens for the next two weeks with Kat, Ezra and Scott."

Erika turned and stared at him blankly. "Why do you insist on making my stay here so difficult?" she said, half-serious.

"Oh, and Erika? Classes start for you tomorrow."

"Wonderful," she replied. "I'm not mean-spirited, Erika. I just want to make sure that you understand that there are consequences for our actions."

"Yeah, whatever," she replied as she started towards the exit to his office. She paused, and quickly said, "thank you," not turning to face him. She walked through the doorway and shut the door behind her.

Peter was left pleased with her last words to him, but bewildered. Something had changed her in the span of the storm, he was sure of it. He didn't dwell long on Erika's consistently strange behaviour when he realized that he had to go find Sophie. He was still drenched, but felt safe in the harbour that he had helped maintain.

Peter ventured into the halls of the main lodge. They were empty. He glanced at his watch, to find that it was past midnight. It had been awhile before he had found Erika deep in the forest, so he figured that it was plausible. Everyone was likely asleep, including Sophie. Peter paused at the thought. No, he thought, Sophie wouldn't rest at the possibility that his life, as well as a student's, was in danger.

Sophie Becker emerged from the corner, looking thoroughly tired, but alert. Her piercing, crystal blue eyes caught a glimpse of Peter, still completely drenched. Nonetheless, she ran to him and leapt into his arms.

"Did you find Erika?" Sophie asked.

"Yeah."

"That's good."

"Sent her to the dorm."

"Think she'll make it this time?"

Peter smiled at Sophie. "Yeah," he answered.

"Oh yeah? What makes you think that?"

"Something's changed in her."

"Really?"

"She actually didn't get very far in her escape. I found her sitting against a big oak, looked like she was waiting for me."

Sophie looked at Peter skeptically. "I can imagine," she replied.

"No, serious, Soph. I bring her to my office, one of the first things she says is that she won't run again."

Sophie raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, I was surprised too."

"Hmm," was the only response Sophie offered.