Author's Note: I am so sorry this has taken me so long to get out. But I had a really hard time getting this chapter from my head to the page. I already have the next chapter ready to go, it just needs some fine tuning so the next update will be quicker I promise. Thank you as always to all those who provide feedback. Your support is everything.

Disclaimer: I would be bragging that I owned the rights to anything, right? I certainly wouldn't be putting that information a section marked "Disclaimer" that's for sure. So contrary to what I tell myself may happen someday I own nothing in the LJS universe and only hope that this little part I am contributing here today does not make me target for legal action tomorrow.

No harm, no foul. Just an homage. And now on to the story!

Tom knew he should feel ashamed for the way he practically ran out of Jenny's house. He knew it full well; he just wasn't going to dwell on it. Actually, dwelling on it implied that there was a lot of thought involved. And there wasn't. The thought of shame merely skipped along the surface of Tom's mind. There were other thoughts…darker thoughts, deeper thoughts, that lay beneath the surface.

He thrust his hands into his pockets to keep them from clenching into fists and gave a great sigh. Plotting Julian's death down to the last minute detail wasn't going to solve anything. Especially seeing as he was already dead. So it was time to move his train of thought to a more productive set of tracks, as it were.

Fortunately Dee chose that moment to call out to him.

"Hey! Wait up!"

As she got close Dee noticed the scowl occupying Tom's features and she laughed.

"Nice look. Whose death were you plotting?"

Tom grinned in spite of himself.

"Am I that transparent?"

"You tell me…was it Julian's?"

Tom rolled his eyes.

"Apparently so."

He joined Dee in her laughter.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

Casting a quick sideways glance at Tom, she continued.

"I understand, you know. How you feel? At least a little."

Seeing Tom roll his eyes again caused Dee to elbow him. He sidestepped her next attempt.

"Okay. For the sake of my now-aching side," he paused to rub the spot for emphasis, "I will indulge you. What do you think you understand, exactly?"

"Being that I am a female I understand far more than you could ever hope to, little man. Let's just get that out of the way." Ignoring Tom's laughter she continued. "Now then, I imagine you are feeling like you want to kill Julian not only because of what he's done in the very near past, but because of what he's done to you specifically."

As she talked Tom found he was becoming less and less amused.

"And what he's done is changed you. Okay, maybe all he did was put into motion events that you went through and came out a changed man."

Tom stopped walking and turned to face Dee. She held up a hand to stop his retort.

"No. Don't say anything. I'm not done yet. I haven't told you something I understand that you maybe don't and should."

There was a sinking feeling in the pit of Tom's stomach but he wisely refrained from commenting.

"It wasn't just you. We all went through those events. Some of us had different encounters, sure, but one thing holds true for us all. We have all changed. And the sooner you realize that, the sooner we all come to terms with it, actually, the better off everyone will be." And with that she took off, breaking into an easy jog as she disappeared, leaving Tom alone with his thoughts.

Zach had been following behind Tom and Dee until they stopped walking. Then he took a purposeful detour that enabled him to pass by the pair unseen. It wasn't anything personal; it was just that unlike Tom, Zach felt like being alone with his thoughts.

His grandpa was alive. During The Games Zach had wondered if he was crazy, if it was a family trait. Specifically, if he was like his grandpa, whom everyone said was crazy. Now he had his chance to really talk to him, find out about the whole family. Maybe he would even get some closure on some of these issues he'd been carrying around with him.

He wondered if Summer's reunion with her folks had gone okay. He realized everyone else had been so shocked by his and Jenny's grandfather being alive again that they had all but forgotten about Summer. No one made mention of the fact that when the group found themselves on Jenny's lawn that they had been minus Summer. He found it strange that a thought about her had occurred to him of all people. Maybe he'd ask her tomorrow how things went.

But for now he had to get home. Home to his studio where there were some pictures waiting to be developed and some sketches were dying to get out of his head and onto some canvas.

Summer finished writing in her diary and placed it in the drawer in the nightstand next to her bed. She turned off the lamplight and settled down under the covers. She thought about all the strange and horrible things she had seen. She reached over and turned the light back on. She had just noticed the closet doors were still open. She could only imagine what horrible monsters could be waiting for her once the light was off.

She threw back the covers and went to the closet. She shut the doors, but not before she grabbed the teddy bear that lay on the shelf inside. Summer ran back to bed and hid under the covers. She may have emerged from The Games a little braver, but she wasn't taking any chances. Ever.

Fortunately sleep wasn't long in coming for any of them that night.

Julian appeared in Jenny's dreams and she felt like she was going to burst with all she wanted to tell him.

"Oh Julian! It's just too wonderful! I mean I never thought in a million years! My grandfather! I thought when I used Gebo that, "she teared up for a moment then cleared her throat and continued, "I thought he was dead. Wait a minute!" A new thought struck. "Does this mean Slug and P.C. are still alive?"

"Yes."

"Oh wow!"

It was like with that single word from him she ran out of steam. She plunked down on the ground and Julian came to sit by her. She turned to face him.

"Thank you." She shook her head and laughed a little. "That seems so inadequate, though, doesn't it? I mean how do you say thank you to someone who gave you back something so precious? How am I ever going to repay you? It's impossible."

Julian leaned his head back as if he were seriously contemplating what Jenny had said. She watched him for a moment, just drinking in the sight. She was so absorbed in watching him that she failed to notice that he had spoken to her.

"Well if that's how you really feel why don't you something to demonstrate your gratitude?"

It took Jenny a moment to get a mental hold on his words so her reply was delayed a few moments.

"Huh? Do something? Like what? Plant a tree or adopt a whale in your name?" She laughed at the images she was creating. "What could I do to tell you how much it means?"

She pulled her knees up to her chest and sighed, laying her head to rest on them.

"I don't want you to tell me."

That caught her attention. She turned to look at him to find his gaze already on hers.

"What do you mean?"

"I want you…to show me."