The box containing the book is dropped on the desk that will be soon occupied by Lori Fitzgerald. Stevens gives a satisfied smile and ducks out of the dorm as girls and parents all move their things into the various rooms. He exits and heads in the direction of the library, pulling a computer chip out of his pocket. "One last thing."

He stops as he notices a familiar car come to a stop in front of the dorm and out climbs Lori Fitzgerald, scuffing her sneakers on the pavement. He can't help but give a nostalgic, sad smile as she talks with her parents.

"Have an adventure!" her dad decrees. Stevens watches her hug them, the car drive away past him, and then Lori square her shoulders and head into the building. With one last glance at her, he turns his attention back and ducks into the library.

XXX

The trio of Hannah Frost, Charlie Prescott, and Lori Fitzgerald all sit around the small table in the lounge. They are typing away on their computers for their English final. Occasionally, Hannah switches windows and flips through a few documents before going back.

Lori lets out a sigh. She is clearly very nervous and frazzled about the upcoming finals. Her hair is more of a mess than usual and just gives the look of someone under a lot of stress and lack of sleep. Both clearly see this and exchange a nervous glance.

Lori finishes a spell check and sighs. "Well, the good news is I probably won't fail this class. My essay is semi-coherent." Charlie takes the computer from her and starts reviewing it. "Thanks."

"This is what happens when your high school doesn't have finals," Hannah says, trying to lighten the mood. Lori clearly doesn't take it that way.

"Well, is it my fault that my family moved to Canada and that the school I enrolled in was hippy dippy?" They both just stare at her. "I thought so."

"Wait." Hannah clues in, "You're not from Canada?"

"You haven't figured this out yet. I was born in Michigan. My parents moved up there when I was starting high school. It's why I don't have an accent." She just shakes her head at the two of them.

"You're really stressed out, aren't you?" Charlie observes aloud. "It's going to be okay, Lori. You can do this. The book even seems to get that- it has been over a month."

"Yeah, and the last ones have been all about the two of us learning lessons," Hannah adds.

"Trust me, I know," Lori mutters in almost a grumpy tone.

"Like Snow White, Hercules, Tinkerbell, Mater, Louis, even the Bride," Charlie rattles off.

"I know," Lori says in a clipped tone. Charlie shrinks back.

"Settle down," Hannah chides her. "He's just stating the statistics. We obviously just need more help in our lives than you do."

"Lori gives a long sigh. "I just… maybe I could use the help this time. How does it pick?"

Charlie pats her on the back. "Hey, don't worry about it. We're here for you. And soon it'll be Christmas Break."

"Yeah, who knows what's going to happen with that. We have no clue what it's going to do. Should I bring it home or do I leave it here like I did for Thanksgiving? How do we know nothing's going to happen? What is some Disney character wreaks havoc for a month? We just don't know so much."

Hannah attempts to brighten the mood again. "Maybe it'll be a way of keeping us together over the holidays? We are a team after all."

This makes Lori give a small smile. "Yeah… we are." She immediately turns her attention back to her work, but what she has just said isn't lost on Charlie and Hannah.

"Lori, you're computer's dying," Charlie notes as he continues to edit.

"Shoot! I have to grab my power cord. I'll be right back." She runs in her room and grabs the cord from her desk. As she starts to exits she hears the filing cabinet begin to rattle. She takes a moment before walking back to the lounge, trying to look more collected.

"Everything alright?" Hannah asks as she plugs her computer in.

"Yeah. I just thought… I thought my phone was ringing. I really think I am starting to lose it." They both look at her with concern and then continue with their work. Lori does a beat later, obviously stressing.

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 12: Friend of Yours?

XXX

Lori is doing Chemistry problems while keeping an eye on Hannah as she highlight a textbook. She gets up after a few pages and enters the bathroom. The second she hears the door close, Lori springs off her bed and quickly throws the book and flashlight into her backpack- making sure to close and lock the cabinet back up. She knocks on the bathroom door.

"Hey, I'm going to meet with Charlie for some Chemistry questions I have. Don't wait up." She heads for the closet and starts to bundle up with her heavy coat, gloves, boot, and hat.

"Alright," Hannah answers. "Be careful. It's supposed to blizzard tonight or tomorrow."

Lori heads out the door and the dorm and heads straight past Charlie's dorm and into the preserve. She pulls out her flashlight and the book, starting her search.

"Sorry guys, but I need to make sure this one ends up being for me." She begins walking through the preserve, quietly checking every which way for any sign of a character. She checks the clearing and the now frozen pond to find nothing. She begins her way to the tree with the library ladder.

"Alright, where are you?" She suddenly hears movement and turns to shine the light up in the tree. She lowers it upon seeing nothing and grumbles- about to turn around.

Suddenly, something leaps out of the tree and onto her, sending her to the ground. Her back pack lands a few paces away from her. "Hey!" she shouts, shoving whatever it is off her face. She manages to grab her flashlight and shine it at a large raccoon that is pulling a box of cookies from her bag.

"Those are mine!" He promptly takes off. "Get back here!" She forces herself up and tries to chase him, quickly losing him in the darkness. She checks the time and touches her face, which is scratched and bleeding. "I didn't really like that kind anyway!" she shouts up through the trees. She goes back to gather her things in her backpack and heads out of the preserve, shivering from the cold.

XXX

Lori enters the room to find Hannah studying her Education books. She starts to put her things away, depositing the backpack beside her bed. "Get all your questions answered by the master?"

"It's so unfair," Lori says irritated. "It was my major first." Hannah laughs and glances up at her.

"Boy, it really must be cold out there. You're completely pink."

Lori shrugs. "It's the wind." She jumps up onto her bed and Hannah gets a good look at her.

"What happened to your face?!"

"I was walking back and got scratched by a raccoon… but more importantly he stole my cookies!"

"Wow, are you alright? I have some Neosporin in the cabinet." Lori gets up and starts for the bathroom.

"Thanks. I'm more mourning the loss of my cookies than anything else."

"Hey, I'll buy you some when I run to Target tomorrow. Can't have you enduring finals without cookies." Lori gives a false smile and exits the bedroom as Hannah returns to her work.

XXX

Hannah and Lori rush into English and take their seats by Charlie. "Sorry, Lori was running late." Charlie notes the bandage now over the scratches on Lori's face. She looks even more tired and disheveled with matted hair and sporting baggy jeans and slippers instead of her always present sneakers.

"What happened to your face?" He asks.

"She got attacked by a raccoon walking back from-"

Lori quickly cuts her off. "He took my cookies! But, Hannah's getting me some new ones so it's okay."

"So are you guys excited? Last English class!" Charlie smiles.

"For you two. I still have a bunch of teaching ones to go through."

"Hey, that's not our fault," Lori says defensive. "It's your calling, not ours." She goes to pull out her things but knocks over her backpack, sending everything spinning out all over the floor. "Shoot." The two bend down to help her. "Don't-"

"Why are you carrying the book and a flashlight with you?" Charlie asks as he holds them out to her.

"I'm just- I'm trying to be prepared in case something decides to happen. I want to be ready at a moment's notice," Lori spits out quickly.

"Lori, the last time you carried this around it went off during class. I'd hate for that to happen during a final and get you in trouble," Charlie says calmly.

"Of course! I didn't think of that!" she goes off manically, taking them and shoving them back into her backpack. "I will just put them back in the cabinet and hope for the best. Thank you." Hannah and Charlie exchange looks, both very worried. "Alright, let's get this over with. I have studying to do."

XXX

Lori slips on her winter gear and pokes her head into the bedroom. "I'm heading over to visit Charlie again. Tomorrow's the big day."

"Have fun. And don't stay too long, you need a good night's sleep and to spend some time just relaxing."

"I did. I watched Pocahontas. She's just as boring as I remember. I'm pretty sure I took a nice nap." She opens the door.

"Watch out for that raccoon again!" Hannah shouts after her.

"Trust me, I will!" Hannah hears the door close and after a moment of contemplating goes to her computer, looking through Disney documents again.

XXX

Lori creeps through the forest preserve leaving a trail of cookies from her new box to the tree with the ladder. It has started snowing as she finishes and ducks behind the tree. She hears the sounds of something walking, then eating, walking and then eating again getting closer.

"Now I've got you. You never could resist a meal." She hears him at the tree and launches out attempting to grab him. Meeko is too fast for her and scampers off, taking a second to laugh at her as she gets back on her feet. She takes off after him. "Get back here Meeko! I'm trying to help you!" He just keeps running and eventually she pauses, winded. She then looks around to see she has lost him again, not hearing him anywhere either.

"I'm going to find you if it's the last thing I do, you weasel! I will find you!" She throws the box of cookies on the ground and kicks it, clearly letting out her frustrations and coming close to completely losing it. She manages to rein it in though and starts her hike back.

XXX

Lori climbs into her bed that night as Hannah does the same, yawning. "Now try to get some actual sleep tonight. I heard you tossing and turning all last night." Lori doesn't answer. "Hey, you're going to be fine. You have studied so hard for this. It's going to be okay."

"Thanks," Lori mutters.

Hannah continues. "You need to stop stressing so much. You're really starting to worry Charlie and me."

"I'm sorry, but-"

"Did… did you just apologize?" Hannah asks in disbelief.

This instantly puts Lori on the defensive. "Why? Is that a big deal?"

"No, I just guess it is the time for miracles after all."

"Very funny."

"Get some sleep," Hannah orders, closing her eyes and drifting off. Lori just stares at the ceiling.

XXX

Hannah is working in the lounge with two extra cup of hot chocolate waiting. Charlie walks in and claims one. "Thanks."

"Is she still taking it?"

"Yeah. I finished first. I just hope after seeing what it's like she'll take a chill pill. She's been so on edge recently it's really starting to freak me out."

Hannah nods. "I know. She's so scattered she actually apologized to me yesterday for worrying us."

"Wow…" He thinks for a moment, taking a sip. "You know, maybe it's finally happened."

"What happened?" Hannah inquires, lost.

"Maybe she finally realized she wants to be our friend. She did call us a team the other day."

"I noticed that too." She thinks on it for a moment. "Maybe she has changed. We have spent half a year together. It was bound to happen sometime. We just might have melted the ice-queen."

"Honestly though, I can't wait for us to get back and go hunting Disney characters," Charlie admits.

"Me neither actually. This past month has been pretty nice though, just the three of us. It's like the book just knew we needed the time- had our best interests at heart."

Charlie nods in agreement. "It caused us to grow closer together. Even when the book isn't doing anything it's changing us." Hannah smiles and keeps scrolling only for her jaw to drop.

"Oh my God!"

"What? What is it?!" He asks, sitting next to her.

"I-I just found something that should really cheer Lori up." Charlie looks and his jaw drops as well.

"Zoom in! Zoom in!"

XXX

Lori is hiking through the snow while reviewing her Chemistry. Ben notices her and falls into step beside her. "How'd the first one go?" he asks.

"I think I did decent," she admits.

"Then that means you got an A when he curves it."

"I doubt it."

Come on, Lori. Charlie constantly spouts on about how smart you are. You have all of this in the bag."

"Why are you talking to me?" He comes to a stop.

"I just… I thought… here's my building. Good luck!" He quickly steps away and heads for the upperclassman building. Lori keeps walking and arrives at her dorm, heading up the stairs and into the lounge. Charlie and Hannah are waiting expectantly for her.

Charlie starts. "How'd it-"

"I found something!" Hannah interjects, unable to hold it in.

"What?"

"I've been going manually through the Disney website and I found something that should cheer you up." Lori walks over and sits between them. "I found this picture." She pulls up one of Walt Disney shaking hands with a man and Roy in the background.

Lori just looks lost, her brain already fried. "What-"

"So at first I thought- boring, normal picture. But then I noticed something in the back corner with Roy over there. So I did some fancy work and-"She clicks and pulls up a zoomed picture that shows Roy is clearly holding the Disney Encyclopedia. "Say, now doesn't that look familiar?" she asks ecstatic.

Lori stares a moment is disbelief. "That's the book. He's-he's holding the book!"

"Those notes were a ruse. They just made it seem like they cancelled the project for being a failure," Charlie explains.

"That's great. But that still leaves a lot of questions, like-"

Hannah interjects. "We know. But I would like to turn your attention to the third person in this picture. That is a famous German animator by the name of Klaus Schneider. Now this picture was taken around the time World War II broke out.

Lori catches on. "That's why it was in the forest in Germany! Klaus had it and did it to hide it from the Germans."

Charlie nods. "Our thoughts exactly. And it just so happens his granddaughter became an archaeologist. In fact, she was recently leading a top secret dig in a forest of Germany."

"So we know about the book, but how and why did I get it? It seems like something pretty ridiculous for them to just lose," Lori brings up.

"That's the part I'm still lost on," Hannah admits.

"But this- this is amazing. Beyond amazing actually." She rises and heads for the door. "Thank you both so much. Sincerely." She exits with a small smile.

Hannah turns to Charlie triumphant. "Do you see that? We made her smile."

"More than that. We made her day."

"I think she really has changed."

"I know. It's pretty great."

XXX

Lori pulls on her winter gear. She sticks her head in the bedroom, backpack in hand. "I'm going to Charlie's."

"Chemistry's over though."

"English question," she says quickly.

Hannah looks up at her. "Maybe I could help. It's really cold for you to-"

"I'd just really like to go hang out with him." Hannah smiles.

"Give me a second. I'll go with."

"Too late. I'm leaving!" she shouts as she takes off at a run out the door. Hannah just shakes her head and returns back to her work.

XXX

Lori comes across Meeko in the tree staring at her, almost daring her. "It ends today… "She runs to the tree and he takes off through the preserve. "Today is the day!" she shouts as she chases him through the trees, refusing to slow down this time.

XXX

Hannah opens the door after a knock to find Charlie. "Hey, can I talk to Lori real fast? I have a question for her." Hannah looks at him confused.

"Charlie, she went over to your room a couple hours ago."

He looks confused as well. "Well, she never made it over there then." They both look at one another concerned as it hits them.

"You don't think-"Hannah begins.

"The book-"Charlie adds.

"Something could have happened to her!"

"Let's go!" Charlie shouts. Hannah grabs her flashlight and coat and the two take off at a run down the hallway. "Do you have your phone so we can text her?"

"Yeah," Charlie agrees, pulling out his phone.

XXX

Lori is chasing Meeko out of the preserve and down a hill into a nearby drainage ditch just off campus. She stumbles and falls down the hill- giving a hiss as she hurts her leg. She is now coated in snow and absolutely raging.

"I am going to turn you into a hat when I get you!" She forces herself up and manages to corner him against the drain. "Now I've got you." She pulls the book from her backpack, pops it open, and starts flipping only for none of the poems to glow. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"Lori!" She whips her head to see Charlie and Hannah carefully running down the ditch to her.0 "Are you okay?" Charlie asks as they arrive.

Meeko seizes her distraction and jumps on her head. "Oh my God!" he says, scared. Meeko promptly takes off back into the preserve. Lori rises to her knees sighing and sees Hannah is regarding her coldly. "Did the book activate?" he asks.

"Yeah. Just did. I texted you guys," Lori says breathlessly.

"That wasn't an ordinary raccoon was it?" Hannah says, crossing her arms.

"No, it's Meeko… from Pocahontas. I would've thought you'd know that one Hannah. You're slipping off you're A game," she says in a light tone as she dusts the snow off herself.

Hannah tone becomes much more accusing. "Just like the raccoon that scratched your face two nights ago, huh? Charlie, has Hannah been visiting you the past couple nights." Charlie looks at her confused.

"Charlie-"Lori attempts.

"No. What's going on?" he asks, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"How long has he been here?" she asks, even colder.

"He just-"

"Lori."

Lori lets out a long sigh. "It happened when I went to get my power chord a few days ago," she admits.

"What? But… why didn't you tell us? What's wrong?" Charlie asks.

"I didn't want to bother you two with finals." Hannah turns away from her. "I thought I could handle this one on my own and you two could get a break and study."

"BS!" Hannah turns back to her, now furious. "I see right through you, Lori. Just admit it. You were jealous."

"No, it wasn't that," Lori tries desperately.

"You were jealous that they've been coming for us. You wanted to make sure this one was for you by being the only one who knew about it!"

"I-"

Charlie steps between the two of them, hands out. "Lori wouldn't do anything like that! Calm down, Hannah." Hannah pushes past him and stares Lori down.

"Lori, we are a team! We do this together!" Lori finally snaps and loses control of her temper, going on the offensive as she rises.

"Stop with the "we"! There is no "we"! There never was a "we"! I got the book! It's mine!" Both look taken aback at this outburst.

"And there it is," Hannah says, anger gone. "The truth comes out," she continues, almost defeated. "You know, we've taken time and effort out of our lives to help you with this. It has changed us and I thought… I thought maybe it was starting to change you too. You don't think we would've helped you and hoped this one was for you? Do you think we're in this so we can steal characters from you?"

Lori tries to take a calm approach. "Listen, I know I need your help sometimes, but others-"

"Sometimes? We're a team or we're not. We help or we don't. You don't get to have it both ways on your whim!"

"I-"

"You want to be alone! Fine! Come on, Charlie." She practically drags him up the hill. "You know, you've always been so convinced that we'd leave and abandon you. Well, look who abandoned who first." Lori just watches them go. Charlie manages to break away and walks back to her.

"It's always been the two of us since we went to that lake. Or at least I believed that. Funny how the person I pick to be my best friend is incapable of making them. I'm… I'm really disappointed in you." He follows after Hannah. Lori finally settles on the decision to fold her arms and give a satisfied, smug smile.

"Fine! Who needs you?! Good riddance!" she shouts after them. They're gone.

Lori takes a moment and seems to realize that she is alone. "No, wait! Come back! I'm sorry! I was jealous! I'm sorry!" She has completely lost all her composure and comes awfully close to just breaking down.

Meeko comes up to her and the poem starting to glow from the discarded book next to her. She regards him coldly and grabs it. "I ought to beat you with this!" She goes to hit him but stops herself, defeated. "No, this was all me. Hey, you probably warned me. I just wasn't listening. Let's get you home," she says sadly, looking at the poem. "Just around the riverbend, I send you once more Just around the riverbend, back to where you were before" There is the flash of light and all that is left is prints in the snow. "Now for some damage control," she says to herself calmly, reining everything back in. She rises, collects her things, and starts up the ditch.

XXX

Charlie opens his dorm door to see Lori. She gives a small cute wave. He just closes it again, stone-faced. "Come on. All couples have their first fight eventually. This could be ours," she says cutely.

"Just go away. I'm packing."

"Charlie…"

"I don't want to talk to you right now!" he shouts.

"But-"

"Listen, you go what you wanted. I'm off your back. We're not friends. It's no big deal."

"Just-"

"Please…" she hears his voice beg. "Just go away…" She steps away from the door with a sad frown. She taps the door frame.

"Okay. Okay, I'm going. Text me during break if you need anything, okay?" There is no answer and she just walks away, head down.

XXX

A saddened, completely thrown off Lori enters their dorm bedroom to find Hannah packing her things together. She takes a deep breath and begins. "Hannah… listen, I'm sorry about back there- all of it. You were completely right. I was just so scared that I lied and after that I just… I felt like I had to keep lying." Hannah is completely ignoring her, which adds irritation to her voice. "Hannah, you have to talk to me sometime. We still have half a year together."

Hannah silently pulls out tape and divides the room in half. "Now you're just being ridiculous!" She heads for the bathroom, but not before tapping her watch. Lori just hops onto her bed and flops down. "I guess that means time's up," she says to herself bitterly. "Fine, it's what I wanted anyway!" she shouts after her.

XXX

Lori finishes her last final and hands it in to her English professor, dressed and acting like her normal confident self, though sadder. She sees the other two have already left without her, not even talking or interacting with one another. She walks a few steps behind them as the three split up and head off in different directions.

XXX

Lori stands with a few boxes in front of her dorm and looks at her phone waiting for her dad to arrive. Ben pulls up with his car and gives her a smile. "Hey, be sure to have a great break."

She musters a smile. "Yeah, you too."

"I look forward to seeing you when we get back." She gives a nod and he drives off to pick Charlie up in front of his building. She watches them drive off.

"I think you might just be the only one."

XXX

Tune in next week to the Season 1 finale as everyone returns home from Christmas Break and must deal with what happened over a month prior. And just when it seems thing can't get any worse, something completely different comes from the book to threaten Lori.