Special Thanks to sugar-fire45! Because without your support, I wouldn't be continuing this story ;)

Now, on with the show!

Alma sat quietly in Alice's car. She observed the brightly painted buildings as they sped by, seeing the little cafe and gift shops, houses, and large department stores surrounded by moats of black-top parking lots. Occasional breaks in the rows revealed the champagne-white beaches ,and the blue waves of the Gulf of Mexico.

Cars sped by their's, their drivers briefly visible as they past. People strolled along the sidewalks, some talking on cellphones while others chatted with friends, some walked their dogs while others jogged.

Alma pulled herself out of her peaceful observations and glanced at Alice. Her golden locks were turned to honey in the light of the sun. It graced over her skin, and highlighted her blue eyes, which sparkled as brightly as the ocean. For the second time in an hour, Alma found herself admiring Alice Hawthorn. Not for the last time.

Alice glanced at Alma and saw her her looking at her. Becoming suddenly self-aware, Alice blushed and fixed her eyes on the road ahead. "So... how far is your house?" she asked as they stopped at a traffic light.

Surprised, Alma replied, "Uh, only a few more houses... Yes, just here, thank you." Alice pulled up in front of a small, two-story house with colorful collection of flowers in the overflowing garden beds. Fiona's doing, of course. Alma stepped out of the vehicle, and got up onto the sidewalk, using one had to balance herself against the car.

"Do you want any help?" asked Alice, half opening her car door. Alma shook her head. "No, but thank you. I can manage from here." Alice shrugged and shut her door.

"You should stop by tomorrow so I can check you leg," Alice said through her open window.

"I will, what time should I come?" asked Alma. "Oh, I should say around noon-ish,"replied Alice nonchalantly. Alma nodded.

"Then I will see you at noon. Thank you and goodbye Dr. Hawthorn." Then she turned on her heel and limped into the house.

"Goodbye… Alma," whispered Alice. Then she started her car and drove away.

Alma immediately started rushing around the kitchen, collecting pots and pans so she could make dinner. Claire, Bronwyn, and the Twins would be home in half an hour. Millard, Horace, Hugh, Fiona, Enoch, Olive, Emma, and Jake wouldn't be home for another hour as Englewood Middle and High School ended an hour later than the Elementary school. So she would have exactly 2 and a half hours to prepare dinner.

-xXx-

As she had expected, Alma was met with a barrage of questions about her injured knee the moment her children came home. All were very worried but she assured them that she was all right and it was only a scratch. The younger children had relaxed and had begun playing in the backyard, but Enoch, Olive, Emma, and Jake, however, were not convinced. But after several minutes of intense discussion, they gave up trying to make Miss Peregrine sit down, and went upstairs to do their homework.

That night they had a delicious dinner of grilled chicken and salad. Miss Peregrine told them the story of falling on her knee and the charming Dr. Hawthorn.

"What are the chances of Miss Peregrine running into a Doctor," said Hugh, shaking his head, "I mean, it's extremely unlikely. What are the chances?"

"Well it's Miss peregrine, what are you expect?" murmured Enoch as he took a long drink of water. "Trust her to get into unlikely scenarios."

Miss Peregrine shot Enoch a warning look. Hugh, Millard, and Fiona stifled laughter.

"All right that's enough," Miss Peregrine said coolly.

They all picked up their plates and began to clear the table. Miss Peregrine stored the leftover food and set Enoch to wash the dishes - which he grumbled about.

After everything had been cleared away, Miss Peregrine went into the living room to read a book. A few of her children joined her, but most went to their rooms to finish school work.

At exactly 7:30, Miss Peregrine roused them to go and get ready for bed. Tired from the day's events, Miss Peregrine was more than glad for a hot shower and some rest. Even as she entered her own room she could hear her children arguing, mainly Emma and Hugh, over whose turn it was to use the bathroom. She smiled and closed her door.

She slipped out of her clothes and threw them in the hamper. She paused for a moment in front of the mirror, in her bathroom, to examine her reflection. Her eyes roamed over the pink scars that meshed over her pale skin. Reminders of what had been done to her. Of what her brother had done.

She stared into the keen, blue eyes that looked back at her through the mirror. It could've been a trick of the light, but Alma could have sworn they had an empty look to them now.

Sighing, Alma turned on the shower to let it warm up as she unwrapped her bandages. The wound wasn't very deep and it had started to scab nicely. She threw away the used wrappings and she stepped into the steaming water. The hot water streamed down her back and she could feel the tension drain out of her shoulders. She leaned her hand against the wall the shower to ease the pressure in her knee, letting her dark hair fall around her face. She watched with slight fascination as water streamed from the ends of her hair.

She was trying, as she had so often done, not to let herself sink into dark thoughts. She tried to think of something pleasant. She tried to think of the conversation she had had with Bronwyn earlier that day ,but it only served to remind her of what Jack had done to her children.

Giving up, she turned off the water and wrapped a towel around herself. She stepped out and wiped off the steamed up mirror. Despite her dark thoughts the shower had made her feel better. She brushed her teeth and combed out her hair. Then she pulled on some pajamas and turned off the bathroom light. She pulled on her bathrobe and went through her usual rounds of locking all the doors and windows, then saying good night to her children.

When she finally climbed under the covers, she was quick to fall asleep. But her dreams were shadowed by terrifying nightmares, and she tossed and turned throughout the entire night.

Hey Everyone! In this chapter, I decided to include a list of recommendations. If you liked this, you'll also like these (if you haven't already read them)...

- From small things come great things by evaernst

- You're always on my mind by ABitOfRomance

- An unexpected touch of love by Yuna McHill

-Ymbryne by sugar-fire45

- MPHFPC Oneshots by Marthmello