The General and Soldier both sit in a van about a hundred yards away from the house Stevens visited. All sorts of equipment is whirring and buzzing as the monitors display the house from all sides, including his mom currently working in the garden out back. The General crosses his arms, bored, and looks at his subordinate.

"Are we positive this is where he came?" the Soldier nods.

"We talked to several neighbors. He was here."

"Are we sure he's coming back?"

"It was a round-trip ticket to Ohio. He made a mistake by coming back here and we caught it. Now we just have to wait for him to come back. Then we can find out who he's sold the book too."

"And when we do finally get him to talk we get our hands on that book," the General smiles. He takes a moment before asking something different. "How's our friend behind newly behind bars?"

"He apparently hasn't stopped cussing yet." This makes his smile wider.

"And did you take care of the archeologist?" The Soldier pats his holster.

"She won't be saying anything to anybody. It was discreet." The General leans back in his chair, contemplating.

"Can you imagine it, the power of Disney characters in our world? Just picture what we can create with that sort of magic."

"We could make a whole new world," the Soldier jokes.

"Yes, one of our design." The two smirk at one another, failing to notice Stevens' mom suddenly look and stare directly at the camera, frowning.

XXX

Charlie Prescott opens his eyes to dull noise. As things come into focus he sees he is sitting in the passenger side of a red car which has crashed into a railing. He takes a deep breath and tries to move towards the broken window, but sees he is pinned against the console. He tries to free himself, growing more and more desperate as time ticks by. Finally, he lets out a strangled cry.

XXX

Charlie awakens screaming in his bed, clutching the covers to his chest. He sits up and manages to calm himself- taking in his room. He glances at his clock and sees it is three forty-two in the morning. With a sigh he turns on his light and pulls out some Criminal Justice homework from his desk next to him. He grows bored of it quickly and switches to Chemistry- finishing it in a few minutes with a smile. He then lies back down, staring at the photo of his mother as he clicks the light off.

XXX

So follow me down

(Lori stands with the book)
Where to?
Outta this town

(Charlie examines his map)
With you
Girl, you're movin way

(Hannah is typing away at her computer)
Too slow

So follow me down
Which way?
Down, down, down
I'll show you around
Okay
There's a place we gotta go

(The Disney Encyclopedia begins to glow. Lori sighs)

Follow me, follow me

(Lori, Hannah, and Charlie are running through the preserve, freezing once on each of their faces)
Fa la la la la

Follow me, follow me

Fa la la la la

(Lori comes to a halt and both crash into her, sending them all to the ground)

Lori Disney? (Not Likely!)

Episode 10: Gonna' Blow My Horn

XXX

Charlie enters English class Monday morning yawning in exhaustion. He takes his spot next to Lori Fitzgerald. She takes his disheveled look. "It looks like somebody was up late last night," she comments to Hannah Frost next to her.

He slowly turns to her after pulling out his supplies. "Hmm… oh. It's just… I've been falling behind on my Criminal Justice stuff- between that and studying for the Chemistry test-"

"Say no more," Hannah sympathizes. "You my friend have a huge case of The Swamp Syndrome!"

"Swamp Syndrome?"

Hannah nods and begins dramatically. "I've heard legends. It's October- about half-way. You have a few weeks until Halloween- a few more until some relief in Thanksgiving. You're in the tunnel- light has vanished on both sides. You start slacking, putting things off until before the deadline. You used to be on top of things, but life-"

"Or a magical psycho book," Lori interjects.

"Or that is in your way. But just keep going. If anybody can do it- it's Charlie Prescott."

"Thanks." The three sit for a moment as he thinks. "Is it good if I like Chemistry more than what I want to devote my entire life to?"

"Maybe that's because it's Lori's major. You associate it with her. He's imprinted- like a baby duck." Lori looks at her.

"You've been watching Bones again." Just then the professor comes in. Lori quickly whispers to Hannah before class starts, "I can already hear my filing cabinet rattling."

XXX

Charlie is walking back to his dorm from class when Ben passes him. He immediately turns and comes up next to him. Charlie beats him to the punch as he opens his mouth. "I'm fine."

Ben sighs with concern. "Charlie, I can tell. What's your roommate say?"

Charlie becomes annoyed. "He dropped out a while ago, remember. I've been on my own. No one saw. No one heard. Your social standing in still intact." Ben grabs his shoulder.

"That's not what's important here." They both stand awkwardly. "What happened? I mean, it's been going so well."

"I don't know. I have to go study." Ben stares at him, desperate to say something. Finally he makes the conscious choice to let go of him and take a step back.

"Take it easy okay," he concedes.

"Yeah… sure…" He walks off as Ben stares after him.

XXX

That afternoon in their dorm Lori is sitting and staring at her filing cabinet from her desk as Hannah watches an episode of Bones on her computer at her desk. "Maybe it isn't going to happen?" Hannah says over her shoulder.

"Oh, it will. First, it wants to lure us into a false sense of security though."

"You act like that book is alive and has it out for you."

"Well, I know the second one is a definite." She finally turns to face Hannah and the rattling immediately begins. Her face falls. "Oh, I hate it so much." Hannah gives a chuckle and turns back to her computer as Lori fumbles with the filing cabinet. She pauses the episode to go on the internet and notices something.

"Hey, did you know Charlie's birthday's in two days?"

"No. How do you know that?" Lori says, struggling to fit the key in the shaking cabinet.

"It's on his Facebook page. He hasn't touched in like a month."

"Oh, I told him last month that I was never getting a Facebook page because they're pointless. I just choose to learn nothing about anybody- even the arbitrary."

Hannah rolls her eye. "And of course he listened to you. But is says right here. October 17th. I wonder why he didn't tell us."

"Maybe he's one of those people who don't want a big deal made out of it," Lori offers as the cabinet finally settles down and a burst of light erupts.

Hannah shakes her head. "But he's just that- a kid. When you're that young every birthday is super important. Maybe it has to do with why he's been acting weird."

"I thought that was "Swamp Syndrome"."

Hannah suddenly claps her hands together excited. "We should get him something! We can go shopping after class to-"

"No," she cuts off flatly.

"Lori-"

"I said no. That's a friend thing. I don't do friend things… ever."

"But it would make his life." Lori grabs the book and her flashlight.

"Don't care. Are you busy? Of course not- you don't have a boyfriend anymore. I'll text him."

Hannah clenches her jaw but decides to let it go, rising. "Let me grab my jacket."

"I'll handle the usual spots. You and Charlie start searching the preserve." Hannah gives her her coat as she texts. Hannah pulls on her own and grabs her flashlight from the shelf. "Let's move out and get this over with."

XXX

Hannah and Charlie casually walk through the preserve, it not being dark enough yet to use their flashlights. "How are you holding up?" he asks her. "You know… with the Tyler thing."

She gives him a reassuring smile. "It's fine. I'm fine. How goes the studying?"

"It's… can I be honest with you?"

"Of course you can."

He spits it out. "I think I don't want to be a lawyer anymore," he babbles, closing his eyes and bracing for it.

"That's fine," Hannah says casually. He looks at her.

"It is?"

"Charlie, you're thirteen. You are more than inclined to change your mind about what you want to spend the rest of your life doing. It's a huge decision. And you haven't had as much time as the rest of us to figure it out."

"When did you know you wanted to be a teacher?" he asks after a pause.

"When I met my high school English teacher," she begins with a nostalgic smile. "She changed my life… made me feel like I belonged and was special. And I thought 'I want to do that for someone'. "

"That's awesome. The thing is… my dad was really happy when I told him I wanted to be a lawyer."

"I'm sure he'd understand." He's silent. "So… I hear someone has a birthday coming up." His face lights up truly displaying how young he is.

"Yeah! I completely forgot! Holy cow! I'm going to be fourteen!"

"Wow, you really have been distracted." The two suddenly hear music wafting from by the pond. They look at one another. "Text Lori," Hannah orders as they both take off in that direction.

"She's already on her way." They come to the pond to find a large alligator floating on his back playing the trumpet. Charlie looks lost while Hannah can't hold in her excitement.

"Louis!" He sits and looks up at him at his name, takes them in, and then starts screaming as he back-pedals to the other side of the pond. "Oh shoot." She starts towards him, wading in the pond with her hands out. "Hey! Hey! It's okay! Look, we're not hunters!" Charlie joins her.

"We're here to help you. We're friends." He stops abruptly, suddenly calm.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" He swims back over to them, climbing onto shore as he pokes and examines them. "It's weird. Humans don't usually understand me. Usually they just-"

"Shoot at you?" He turns to see Lori has snuck up right behind him and starts screaming again. Hannah and Charlie both look at her as she joins them. Louis has jumped back into the water and is hiding under a lily-pad.

"Lori!" they both chastise her. She rolls her eyes.

"Oh, whatever." She turns to face Louis. "Hey! Get a grip! I'm with them." He starts to whimper and she just pinches the bridge of her nose. "Hannah, can I get a breakdown?"

"Louis, The Princess and the Frog, 2010. It was a moderate success, but nowhere near the big phenomenon Disney was hoping for."

"Well, that's because it was mediocre. Tangled was much better," Lori argues.

"No. Tangled was horribly mismarketed and had like one memorable song. This one-"

Charlie steps between them. "We're getting off topic and ignoring the alligator in the room." They all turn back to Louis, who has emerged from the lily-pad and is approaching them cautiously- eyes locked on Lori.

She gives him a fake smile. "Alright, Louis, what can me and my friends do for you?" At this he runs up to her, face lighting up.

"So if you can hear me… does that mean in this place I can play jazz with the big boys! If y'all talk to animals then you have to have animal musicians!"

"Unfortunately, even society today isn't that advanced," Hannah apologizes.

"And we really don't have big boys anymore," Lori adds. His face falls. "But I think we could send you home. There's a really good chance of getting a steady job there."

He gives a dark laugh. "Sure there is. I've tried that." He floats back out in the water playing mournfully.

Hannah turns and faces the others. "Well, we've got our hurdle. What's the plan of action?" Charlie gives a loud yawn.

"Call it a night. Give me some time to think on it," Lori decides. She turns back to Louis. "Hey! Listen, you can hang out here. But you have to keep quiet and avoid anyone else who comes through here. We'll come back tomorrow to figure things out."

"Take your time. I actually quite like it here." The three start out of the preserve, Hannah patting Charlie on the back.

"Come on buddy; let's get you back to your dorm."

"I'm not tired," he argues.

"Sure you aren't."

XXX

Charlie again shoots up in his bed screaming. He calms himself much quicker and after a moment grabs his computer. He types in 'princess and the frog online' on Google and starts clicking links. As it starts he pulls out his phone and calls someone for it to go to voicemail.

"Hi Ben. You must have your phone turned off like usual. I'm… I'm having nightmares again. I don't want to worry Mom and Dad though." He pauses, realizing what he's doing. "You know, it was pointless to call you. Just… ignore this message, okay?" He hangs up and sighs.

XXX

The next morning at the cafeteria, Charlie is grabbing his usual breakfast when he notices Ben spot him. He rolls his eyes as he comes up to him. "I specifically said to ignore it."

"Charlie, I only lived with you a few months before I came here and during breaks, but I know how bad this gets. You're lucky I don't call Mom and Dad to-"

This sets him off. "That's why I called you! I came for you to help me, not report me!"

Ben keeps his cool, stern tone. "Charlie, you're tired and making a scene."

"You know what?! I don't care if I'm making a scene!" Lori notices the situation from her table and quickly comes over.

"Everything okay?" she says to Charlie.

"Absolutely," Ben answers to her back. "I've got this."

"Have you? Have you?!" Charlie shouts.

"Charlie, calm down," Lori orders. He looks at her for a moment and nods.

"Sorry. I'm just a little tired. Let's just eat please." They walk away together, Lori glaring back at Ben. He has clearly taken notice of the situation and takes off out of the cafeteria.

XXX

Hannah opens the door to find Ben. She lets out a frustrated grumble."I need you to pass something along to Lori," he says quickly.

She gives him a look. "We seem to do this an awful lot, you and me. I'm not a carrier pigeon, you know."

"I'm well aware. The pigeon doesn't talk back when you tie the note to his leg." She crosses her arms.

"This had better be extra worth it. I'm losing patience faster than she does."

"It's about Charlie." This makes Hannah lighten up considerably.

"Oh, don't worry," she smiles. "We know about his birthday. I already have everything taken care of. It's going to be super special."

This turn catches Ben off guard. "Wait, his birthday's coming up?" He realizes his mistake a second too late as Hannah's face hardens and she slams the door. "Wait…look… I just completely forgot. It happens. Please…" Nothing. "Fine, just listen. Ever since he was little he's had these real bad nightmares. He used to wake up maybe three times a night just screaming bloody murder. He's been fine since he came here, but they're starting again. I can tell. Now he won't listen to me at all, but he will listen to Lori. I know he will. Just… have her talk to him. Help him out however she can. He doesn't deserve to go through this all again." He waits but again there's nothing. "I'm leaving now. Thanks for listening. Oh, and I'm sorry about that thing with Tyler. Nobody deserved that." He starts down the hall.

XXX

Charlie walks out to the pond where Louis is floating silently, bored. He takes a seat in the grass on the bank. "Hey." Louis turns to him and smiles.

"Hello there. Where are the others?"

"They have homework. We're technically supposed to come out here later. I just thought I'd come visit since I watched your movie last night."

"You watched my what now?"

"Do you know who Naveen and Tiana are yet?"

"Now I'm really lost."

"Don't worry about it. It's going to happen soon enough. I do have one question though. Why do you keep trying to be one of the big boys? Wouldn't it be a whole lot easier to just be a normal alligator?" he asks sincerely. Louis answers flatly.

"But that's not what I want to do."

"You might never get to do what you want to do," Charlie argues back.

"But isn't it worth it for that chance. My mama, she told me this thing about how if you wish on a star it comes true. So every night I look up at the evening star and just think about playing with Louis Armstrong. Even when I'm about to give up… every night."

"Is it worth it?" Charlie asks after a pause, lying on his back to look up at the sky.

"Yeah. It is."

"Can I hear your best song?" Louis smiles and pulls up his trumpet.

"This is the very first one I learned- it's called Dippermouth Blues." He starts playing as Charlie just lies there smiling.

XXX

Lori and Hannah are putting on their jackets as they exit the dorm. "Nightmares?" Lori asks.

"It explains why he's so tired," Hannah explains.

"Why does Ben want me to talk to him?"

"Because he will listen to you," Hannah states like it's obvious.

"No big deal." This sets Hannah off and she stops.

"Oh my God! You are infuriating. He thinks the absolute world of you- consider you to be his one friend. Why don't you grow up and take responsibility of that fact?! You obviously care about him. You can't have it both ways Lori. We're either your friends or we're not!"

"I let you guys hang around!" Lori argues.

Hannah agrees. "And I get that. It's a huge thing for you. You've obviously got issues so I'm giving you space. But I don't know how much longer it's going to be enough for both of us."

"And that's exactly why I do it. You're going to leave anyway." Hannah grabs the book from her. "What-"

"You are not going out there. I am going to talk to him and be his friend. Unless you want to do the same don't even bother coming. The clock's starting to wind down."

"You're just doing this because we're all you have left now." Hannah doesn't even give this an answer. She keeps walking towards the preserve as Lori watches her, thinking.

XXX

Charlie is peacefully asleep in the grass as Hannah approaches the pond. Louis smiles at her. "My playing must have bored him."

"No, it was exactly what he needed." She sits next to him and pulls her computer out of her bag. She looks at it for a moment and suddenly gasps. "We're in. Oh my God we're in."

"You're in what?" Louis asks as Charlie wakes up next to her.

"What-"Hannah is scrolling madly and he instantly lights up. "You got into Disney."

"I hacked Disney!" she shouts triumphant.

XXX

Lori is messing with something on her computer when Hannah bursts in. She quickly slams the monitor down. "I'm in!" Hannah practically dances. Lori's jaw drops.

"Really?!" Hannah nods and she climbs down next to her, putting her debit card back in her wallet. "What does it say? Do they have anything?"

"What were you ordering?"

"What does it say Hannah?!"

"I'm doing a sweep now," she answers. They rush to the lounge where Charlie is waiting with the book, crowding around Hannah on the couch. "And we have three results. First result, a WED employees notes over a couple weeks about bringing magic into the real world and starting some experiments."

"Any idea who it is?" Lori asks, unable to contain herself.

"It doesn't say. The second is a note from the same WED employee to Walt about how nothing was working and maybe he was wrong." This makes the mood darken.

"What?" Lori asks confused. "And the third one?"

"And the last is an official notice that the trials were unsuccessful and that area of research was officially shut down by Roy and Walt," she concludes sadly.

"Unsuccessful," Charlie questions as he holds the book. "But…"

Lori rises, face neutral. "So that's it. We've got nothing. Disney has just about as much clue when it comes to this book as we do."

Charlie frowns. "I'm sorry Lori. Want to go-"

"No. I think I'm going to go open a box of cookies and watch Doctor Who alone." She grabs the book from him and walks away.

"Let me know if you need me!" he shouts after her.

She cradles the book to her chest before getting a grip and shouting back, "Doubtful." His face falls as she exits. Hannah looks through the results again, desperate for anything.

"Do you think we'll ever figure it out?" he asks her.

She decides to answer honestly. "I don't think so."

XXX

The next morning Charlie heads out for the lake with Lori. They arrive to find Hannah and Louis on a picnic blanket with balloons and a cake.

"Happy Birthday! Make a wish!" she shouts. He takes a moment and blows out the candles.

"Just remember- wishes can come true," Louis reminds him. Charlie gives him a hug.

"Yeah. That's why this morning I officially changed my major. You are now looking at a Chemistry major with a Computer Sciences minor. And I'm not just following Lori; this is what I really want to do. I want to be a Chemistry Lab Tech- do experiments, discover things. I'm going to go after my dream."

"Good for you," Louis encourages.

Hannah nods in agreement. "I'm so proud of you." She hands him a bag from behind her. "This is for you from the both of-"

"From Hannah," Lori cuts her off.

Charlie is visibly choked up. "You didn't… I…"

"Just open it," Lori says. He gingerly takes the bag and pulls a chemistry set out. His entire face lights up.

"I figured it out," Hannah says with a smile. He just looks at her and goes to say something, but Lori cuts in.

"Alright, let's see if that was enough." She opens the book and the poem starts glowing. "Sure enough."

"Can't it at least wait until after the party?" Hannah nudges darkly.

"I can stay-"

"No you can't. You have to go try and be human. Now-"

Louis looks as if he's just gotten an idea. "Being human. Hey, I never thought of that! But how-"

"You've heard of Louis Armstrong, Mr. Sydney Bache But we all stood aside to listen to the song this gator play" There is a flash of light as Charlie waves madly.

"Bye Louis!" he shouts. "Thank you."

"Bye buddy!" He's gone.

Lori shuts the book with a smile. "Now… cake. So now you're a teenager buddy. How's it feel?"

Charlie looks uncomfortable. "I… I turned fourteen." Hannah just looks at Lori is pure disappointment as she helps herself to a slice of cake. Lori sees her and she gestures to her watch.

"Tick tock," she mouths.

XXX

Later that afternoon, Charlie is walking to the mail center while on the phone with his dad. "So yeah, I'm so glad you aren't upset," he says in relief.

"Now why would I be upset? You're the one who has to-"He arrives and opens the door to a chiming bell.

"One second Dad." He hands a package slip over and the woman hands him a square brown box. "Did you send me something?" he asks.

"Not that I'm aware of. I've got your present right here for when you come home and we have the big party." Curious, he sits on the nearby sidewalk and opens it. Pulling out the mailing slip he sees the sender is blank and there is a message that reads 'Happy Fourteenth Birthday Charlie'. He looks in to pull out a medium-sized Louis stuffed animal and breaks into a huge smile, cuddling it to him.

"So what was it?" his dad asks.

"Something from a friend. Inside joke."

XXX

That night Charlie falls asleep cuddling his Louis stuffed animal, about to have his first good dream in a very long while.

XXX

Tune in next time as a certain specter threatens Halloween festivities on campus and launches an eternal debate that of course Lori has a firm opinion on. Hannah also deals with the fall-out of events with Tyler and desperately tires to find more answers for a depressed Lori.