Even after Mr. Renfred had left, Mr. Ainsworth continued to hold me in his arms. I still had questions on my mind, but I thought now wasn't the time to ask them. I could feel the hold Mr. Ainsworth had on me tighten for a moment. It felt as though he was trying to hold me closer to him. It was…strange, but not unwelcome. No one had held me so close and near. I enjoyed being held in such a manner.

The tenderness of the moment was broken though when Mr. Ainsworth sighed and moved me away from his body to look down into my weed colored eyes. "That was a daring decision, Briar. Thank you."

Thank you? Why was he thanking me? "Thank…you?"

There was a somewhat depressed smile that came across his face as his head went back up and his gaze focused on walking him, and me, back to the living room. "It has been some time since I've had company in my home. I dislike the cold."

As he spoke, he set me carefully on the couch before taking his seat in the armchair next to it. His body took on a regale presence as he sat there, but my mind was still focused on what he had said. The cold. My face kept its calm demeanor as I stared into the fireplace in front of me. "It's not cold in here."

Mr. Ainsworth gave a soft, deep laugh. It was almost like a chuckle, as he shook his head. His unkempt and strange blonde hair swishing with the motion. "Not anymore, no."

I was confused by what he meant. He was really a very mysterious man. It almost made me start to doubt my decision to be here in this house, but it was better than staying at the College. They gave me no affection. They treated me with distance. Here…it was warm. Maybe that's what he meant. The coldness of being…lonely. "Were you lonely…?"

I felt a large hand rest atop my head, being careful of my horns. He patted my head, making my silvery threads of hair bounce with the action. I peered away from the fireplace to get a glance at Mr. Ainsworth. There was a happiness in his expression. He still looked detached, and his voice when he spoke was still distant, but he seemed brightened by something. "I suppose I was 'lonely.'"

I bit my lip, looking away from him out of embarrassment as he proceeded to pat my head. That was until there was a rapping sound at the door. His hand left my head, instead hovering over it. I could feel the warmth from it, part of me desiring to reach out and place his hand back on my head. I chanced a peek at him to see if he was watching me. He was fixated on the door. After a moment, his attention turned back to me. That calm, expressionless face focusing on me. "Briar, you should get cleaned up. Silky will show you to the bathroom."

As if by magic, Silky walked into the room and took my hand gingerly. She had a smile on her face, one that was rather inviting. I looked from her dark pink eyes to Mr. Ainsworth. "What…?"

I wanted to ask what he was going to be doing? Why he couldn't show me around the house? Where was he going to go? My questions went unasked. Perhaps I was too wishful in hoping that Mr. Ainsworth was going to be different from the professors at the College. He seemed nicer, but was that to get me out of the College's grasp? Was he using me? But he called me family…All of these things went unsaid as Mr. Ainsworth stood up and focused his hazel eyes down towards me. "I have some work to attend to. After you have had a bath, we will have lunch together and I will show you around the area."

Lunch…with me? I could feel the strange tugging of a smile coming over my face. It wasn't often that I had my meals with other people, so this was going to be a new experience. I was looking forward to it. However, I needed to trust that Mr. Ainsworth would keep his word. I nodded my head, hair bouncing as I did so. Mr. Ainsworth smiled at me and gave a curt nod before walking out of the living room to the door.

Silky, still holding onto my hand, lifted me from the couch and led me to a bathroom. She provided me with soft, plush towels, as she drew a bath for me. She remained silent the entire time she worked, which was interesting. It made me curious as to whether she was ignored growing up too…but she seemed so nice. I opened my mouth to ask her, but closed it again, thinking it rude to intrude. Especially considering that her and Mr. Ainsworth were taking care of me now. I didn't want to upset her or make her hate me. I didn't want the warmth of this place to go away.

As my mind continued to think about Silky's silence, she finished preparing the bath and walked over to me. She stood in front of me and smiled gently before reaching a hand out to undress me. I panicked. I'd never undressed in front of someone before. She'd see all the purple patches of strange skin. She would see my deformed and monstrous body. I didn't want her to see that. I wanted the warmth to stay. If she saw how I looked beyond my horns, she'd dislike me for sure. She'd fear me like everyone else did. I didn't want that.

I instinctively pulled away from Silky, fearful of allowing her to take off my clothes and see my strange, inhuman body. All she did was quirk her head to the side, wondering why I had taken such an action. That lasted for only a moment until she proceeded the attempt again. I again pulled away. Nervous and frightened of what would happen if she was successful in getting me undressed. I didn't want her hate. I didn't want to have to leave. "I…can do it."

Silky looked at me for a moment and smiled, nodding as she patted my head and walked past me. Her hand was again warm upon my head. For a moment, it made me feel secure. As though I was overreacting. But she left the room with the door clicking shut behind her, and I was alone with a warm, bubbly bath, some plush, cozy towels, and hygiene supplies. I began to undress myself. Once my clothes were off and put to the side, I set the towels near the bathtub and eased myself into the water. It was warm. Soothing. Just like this place.

Being here…I think it was a good choice. This was a warm, welcome, soothing home. I felt safe here. I felt as though as long as I was good and kept my deformed body hidden, these people would accept me. It was a new feeling I was unfamiliar with. I had never felt this way at the College. I supposed this was what being cared for not out of pity felt like. What does someone call that? I wondered if I should ask Mr. Ainsworth what the feeling was. When he wasn't busy. I didn't want to bother him while he was-

"Another Half-Baked?"

I jolted and panicked, attempting to sink further into the water as I looked around helplessly for where the voice came from. My eyes then fell on a Fae creature, an Ariel, floating outside the window to the bathroom. "What…?"

She pushed open the window and flew over to me. Positioning herself right in my face. "You look like the Robin, but different. You have the Half-Baked creature as a part of you. What are you? Who are you?"

Tension. I had never really been spoken to by any of the Neighbors. They tended to avoid me. This was the first time one had approached me before. "Why…?"

"Why what?" She crossed her arms, showing irritation. "Speak up!"

"Why are you-" I was cut off when I heard Mr. Ainsworth's voice call out for an Ariel.

She looked over at the window and muttered something under her breath. I couldn't hear much of it, but I did hear her say Half-Baked again. Was she still talking about…me? What did she mean by Half-Baked?

As she muttered to herself in irritation, she pointed a finger at me. "I'll be back! We need to get to know each other." With that she flew off. I sat there, awestruck that an Ariel…or any Neighbor for that matter, wanted to talk to me. I couldn't help myself leaning up a bit to watch her fly out the window and over to what I assumed was going to be Mr. Ainsworth.

But…what I saw wasn't Mr. Ainsworth. I saw a tall figure…wearing the same clothes as Mr. Ainsworth…but he had…a skull for a head, and horns come out of them. Horns…similar to mine. By his side was a dog, as black as night. I wasn't sure if the they were Neighbors or not. The Ariel flew over to them and hovered near the skull-headed creature's face before pointing to the window. She seemed to be saying something with exasperation. The creature looked up at the window, and a jolt shot through me as I tried to duck down and hide.

That's when I heard a voice. It was Mr. Ainsworth. I was scared to look out the window. What if I had seen something I shouldn't have? The voice persisted on calling me though. "Briar."

What was I supposed to do? I didn't want them to not want me…so did I oblige and look or disobey and stay hidden? I peeked out of the window. Beneath the window, I saw Mr. Ainsworth, with his expressionless hazel eyes, and his wild, strange blonde hair. "Where…?"

Mr. Ainsworth looked up at me with confusion as I looked from the spot where I saw the strange creature and the dog, back down to Mr. Ainsworth. He followed my gaze and then spoke. "Is something wrong Briar?"

"I thought I saw…a creature." I wasn't sure how to describe it. I had never seen or heard of a Neighbor such as that.

Mr. Ainsworth seemed unfazed by this though as he responded. "There are many Neighbors in this area. Be careful Briar. Close the window and finish your bath, I shall introduce you to some of them after lunch." It was with that that Mr. Ainsworth walked off around the house. I wasn't paying attention to him as he left though. My gaze was fixated at where that creature had once been.