I've not forgotten this story, just been a bit stuck on it! As with the When Disasters Meet as well, major writer's block on them both! D: The ideas are there, but the words are not!

"Tia?" Pip glanced around, feeling a tap on her arm. Looking down, she smiled. Okia managed a nervous grimace, not quite looking her in the eye. Pip touched the top of her head, leaning down a little to catch her eye.

"What's wrong, Okia?" She could not believe Okia was real and standing in front of her- a child of two of her best friends. She had not seen Isa or Nidas for winters, but she could easily see them in their brood. Straight away, in their appearances and height, right down to their mannerisms- Okia glaring at them with the same determination as her mother; Char bounding around aimlessly and tinkering with whatever he could get his hands on, just like his father. Abeth was not pleased when her table went up in flames.

Looking at Okia now, she could see the same worried crease at the corners of her eyes. "Hey," Pip smiled reassuringly, laying a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder, "we will get them back. Moon above, I alone need to have a few stern words with them." Okia nodded, only half-listening.

"What happened to Mama?" She asked quietly. "With that human?" Pip hesitated. Okia clenched her fists, steeling her resolve. "She never told us, but we knew it was bad. And… and she told us, she taught us how to defend ourselves. We… Bibi and I, we…" She trailed off, distracted by her sister's condition. Pip waited for her to collect her thoughts, mentally floundering- how was she supposed to answer this?

Okia cleared her throat, pressing her hands together. "We figured out that this human hurt Mama. Like… a lot. We… we saw how she was when the nightmares hit. And the scars. And… and obviously the whole thing with… with the Fae being scared of her. They told Bibi." She frowned. "Because of her girlfriend. But I want to know about this human." She met Pip's eyes. She was not going to backdown. "Papi said Mama talked to you, when she got back. He said you're the only one who knows as much as he does."

"I… I do." Pip said uncertainly, her grip tightening a fraction on Okia's shoulder. "I don't know-"

"If it's your place to tell me?" Okia finished for her, arching a disapproving eyebrow. "I get that one a lot." Pip straightened, glancing around at the others. Ni sat on the arm of the seat, watching W worriedly. W was tending to Bibi as best he could, but his frustrations were about to erupt in a tantrum- nothing he tried was doing any good. Erseus and Abeth were talking around the ashes of the dining table.

"I… will tell you some of it." Pip decided. Okia started- despite her stubbornness, she had doubted she would actually get a response. "Let's talk somewhere quieter."

"Stop it."

"Why?"

"Because you're annoying."

"Sa, he's your cousin!"

"He's annoying!" Sa protested. Char grinned, toppling over the arm of the chair. He landed on his feet and scarpered off. "Muuuuuuummmmmm, he's annoying!"

"He just has a lot of energy to burn off." Abeth said carefully, feeding Lum. Char wriggled around and through the legs of his cousins, Tob immediately matching his frantic restlessness with his own. The little boy squealed in delight, swung above Tob's head.

"Faster, faster!" He shrieked, kicking his feet excitedly.

"Yeah, here we go!" Tob cackled, racing off.

"Do not burn anything else!" Abeth called after them, sighing when her words went unheard. Lum hiccupped and giggled, mashed food dribbling down his chin. "Don't you encourage them." Abeth chided lightly, catching the food on his spoon.

Tob spun around with Char on his shoulders, jumping and lunging with jolting halts that made the little boy laugh and clap delightedly. Small hands patted his head excitedly.

"More, more!" Char demanded gleefully. Tob heard a dubious hum to his left and looked round. Char gasped, clapping again. "Tio Grumpy!"

"Excuse me?" Ni arched an eyebrow. Char snickered, rocking from side to side on Tob's shoulders.

"Mama said you Tio Grumpy. Oh! And you needs hugs too!" Char flung his hands out at Ni, grasping the air and staring at him expectantly. Ni frowned. "You very grumpy. Mama said do the hug. Or she will… um…" Char faltered, his mother's warning slipping from his mind. "Don't know." He eventually said. "Not nice though."

"She never is." Ni agreed.

"No!" Char protested. "Mama lovely! Hug now!" Ni sighed, but he knew his cousin. And he was suspecting her son was just as pestering and stubborn as she was.

Ignoring Tob's amazed grin, Ni lifted the boy from his shoulders, sitting him on his hip instead. Char beamed at him, throwing his arms around his neck and snuggling. Ni eyed the mellow orange flames in his hair warily, but could feel very little heat from them.

"Awww," Tob cooed, "you've met your match!"

"Mm-mm." Ni shook his head. "I met my match winters ago. Isa is the biggest pain I have ever had the displeasure to meet."

"Mama lovely!"

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, kid."

Tob didn't get to tease him more. Victorious laughter and whooping burst from the library. The door swung up and Lody was there, holding the Old Fae book aloft in triumph.

"I DID IT!" She sang, pirouetting in the air. "I DID IT, I DID IT, I DID IT! I KNOW HOW TO HELP BIBI!"