Author Note: Hi, my dear readers,

Finally, I've finished this chapter. Sorry that it took me some time but I did try my best to write this. I'm so glad that on that day, I decided to post the first chapter of Do you still love me? here, in . Otherwise, I would have never met all of you and shared the great time with you all. Thank you so much my dear readers.

For Lia, thank you so much, dear. I'm so happy you love this fic. And yeah, Miss P would do a very great mother, I'm sure. I hope it would be like that as well, but every story has its ending. So does Do you still love me?. Don't worry, at least, there are still a few chapters left.

I'm so thankful for every comment I've received. Thank you again everyone.

Now, an announcement!

I've announced this in Long time no see already but since my dearest friend has beta-read this story as well, I think I should thank her here, too. Thank you so much my dear sister, Yuna McHill, for checking this chapter before it's published. Without her, there would be so many errors cuz, as I've told you so many times, English is not my first language. She is my savior and also, my English teacher, lol! You are amazing, my dear.

Okay, I'm gonna let you go and enjoy this chapter now. Don't forget to say something, please. I die to hear from you all.

Love,

Plengpoonyapa

Chapter XII

Alma Lefay Peregrine raises her hands up to her head, about to turn into her other form, a peregrine falcon. Despite being the fastest bird, the world seems to be a thousand times bigger when her Little Claire is alone out there. Her soul wrenches in a way that reminds her of how she felt when she found out that Victor had run away. The feelings when his lifeless body was in her arms return- the warmth of his blood, the coldness of his skin, his hollow eyes.

No. Claire will be safe. I'll find her in time. I won't fail again.

If she were only four or five years old Alma might believe that, but she has lived for so long and the world has taught her so many tough lessons which are enough to tear her fantasy into pieces. It's hard to believe that her Claire will be safe in this cruel world where dangers are lurking around e-very corner, not just in a form of a wight or a Hollow, but a human as well.

She feels the familiar force run through her veins, turning her skin into her dark blue and white feathers. But before her arms become her wings, a hand grabs her wrist, stopping her from what she is doing. Her feathers return to her pale skin in just the blink of an eye and that force within her veins disappears.

Miss Peregrine's falcon eyes turn to the owner of the hand that grabs her. As soon as Enoch's eyes meet hers, the boy knows she doesn't like what he does, but he won't give up so easily. She has promised them and she has to keep her word no matter what.

'What would happen if you passed out again?' He asks, knowing that it could happen. Transforming into a bird may seem to be a piece of cake for a well-trained ymbryne, but the boy knows it takes a lot of energy as well and it will also hurt his headmistress badly since she is injured right now.

'Miss P, you have to calm down and think more carefully. We need you and Claire needs you. Don't risk yourself, please.'

Miss Peregrine stares at her boy, her eyes soften a bit. She tries to calm down and takes a deep breath. What her boy said is right. She should think more carefully. Claire needs her now and the last thing she wants is to pass out again while her Claire is still out there.

'You go change your clothes and meet us in town, okay? We will search for her there.' Enoch squeezes his ymbryne's good hand. 'I'm sure she didn't venture out of the loop for she fears the world out there beyond anything.'

'I'll send my bees around the island. If they find her, I'll tell you.' Hugh leaves the room.

'Millard, send me up, will you?' Emma asks the invisible boy.

'No problem, Emma.'

'I'll help.' Bronwyn offers.

'Good. Let's go then.'

'I'll take the twins, Fiona, and Horace to town. You will go with Miss P, right?' Olive looks at Enoch, waiting for his answer, but before the boy replies, Miss P cuts in,

'You go with them, Enoch. I'll follow. And don't worry, I will not turn into a bird without your permission.'

Enoch looks into Miss P's eyes. She has never lied to them (except sometimes when she says she is fine while she isn't) but this is hard to believe. Can the Bird stay calm? Will she turn into a bird after he has left? This is all about trust and Enoch trusts his headmistress with all his heart, but when it comes to this, his feeling wavers a bit. But he knows at least she's listening to them. At least, she keeps her promise and hasn't turned into a bird so far. If she were as stubborn as she used to be, she would be in the sky now despite what they said. He trusts her and he won't stop trusting her now. She is his ymbryne and he has faith in her.

'Okay. Be careful then.'

She gives him a nod and runs to her bedroom.

Miss Peregrine has told them so many times that polite persons don't disturb their neighbours in the middle of the night, but since this is quite an emergency, almost every door on Cairnholm is knocked on by the children from the orphanage.

They go from door to door, asking whether the villagers have seen their youngest sister. The answers they have received are quite hopeless. No one has seen Claire. No one except,

'He has seen her!' Horace screams in excitement to call all of his friends.

Among all of the villagers here, the man who stands at the threshold of his house behind Horace is no one but the pub's landlord, the man who has suffered a lot because of them. Of course, he has no idea what they have done to him a few days ago since the loop is reset everyday, but the picture when his hair was on fire is still quite vivid in the children's mind.

'You have seen her, our sister?' Olive asks again to make sure that it's really their Claire.

'If your sister is a little girl with blonde hair who wears a pink coat, yes, I've seen her.' The pub's landlord answers although he looks fairly annoyed.

'When did you see her and where did she go?' Enoch asks. He tries to sound as polite as he can since he hit the man with a frying pan the last time he met him.

'For Christ's sake, how should I know, kids? I am what? Her father?'

The children's hope suddenly disappears. They are about to thank the man and continue their search, when the pub's landlord speaks up again,

'But she asked about the ferry though, before she left. About the ticket price and where to buy it, I think.'

'Oh damn it!' Millard who has just joined the search party has gone pale. 'If the Bird hears that, she'll definitely fly to the main land right away. We can't let her know.'

'Thank you very much, Mister Jones.' A very familiar voice comes from behind them.

All of the children don't need to turn to see at all whose voice it is. They have lived under her protection for an eternity and have heard her voice e-very day or, actually, almost every hour. There is only one person in the world who possesses such a beautiful, warm, yet dangerous voice like this.

'Miss Peregrine!' Bronwyn squeals and catches Millard who has tripped over his feet.

'Thank you for your time and I apologize that my children have woken you up. We will leave now.' Miss Peregrine's eyes move to her charges. 'A word please, children? At the pier.'

They all begin to walk again, this time towards the pier. Hugh has joined them and reports that his bees didn't see Claire before Horace tells him what happened here. The children barely say anything. They know she is behind them, watching them with her falcon eyes. Millard doesn't dare to look back. He tries to be as far away as possible from the Bird. He has ne-ver been this happy being invisible. Still, invisible or not, Miss P's eyes can always see him. His peculiarity is quite useless when it comes to Miss P.

It's 5 o'clock sharp in the morning when Miss Peregrine checks her pocket watch at the pier. The sky is dim grey and the thick fog surrounds the whole island. The sea is quite calm as if it's not the sea but a lake. Its bluish green color doesn't help soothe the children's mind as always, not after their sister must have just crossed it to the mainland alone yesterday.

It appears that Miss P doesn't say anything to them. She looks at her watch silently and puts it back in her dress before looking around. The children hold their breath and prepare to be... scolded perhaps, but she doesn't say a single word. This silence is frankly a lot more uncomfortable than being reprimanded. Miss Peregrine's eyes stop at the wooden board not far from her. She steps closer to read the very messy handwriting on it, and so do the children. The board says the next ferry is right at 6.30 which means...

'We have to wait for almost another hour and a half!' Emma speaks up, looking at her watch.

Miss Peregrine whips around and when Enoch's eyes meet hers, the boy cuts in before she can say anything.

'No!'

Yes, what does she expect? It's her Enoch. Among all of her charges, he is the only one who can, sometimes, see through her and know what she plans to do even before she has done or said anything.

'Enoch, it's important.' She tries to explain.

'No, I won't allow you to do so. It's too risky.' Enoch insists.

'There's nothing to lose. If I pass out, then you just pick me up and wait for the ferry.'

'But if you pass out like what? Above the sea? Need I remind you that a peregrine falcon can't swim!' Enoch raises his voice a bit to make sure his headmistress really understands what she's about to do.

'And can't float on it like a swan as well.' Millard mumbles.

'Miss P, you've promised.' Fiona holds her ymbryne's hand and the twins hug Miss Peregrine's legs.

The Bird kneels down to their level and gives the three of them a hug.

'I know I've promised all of you. That's why I'm asking you now to allow me to go.' She pulls away from the hug and looks up at the rest of her children. 'If I feel sick or tired, I won't be too hard on myself, dear. I will find some places to take a rest. Besides it takes me less than an hour to cross the sea to the mainland. It's going to be a very short flight.'

Enoch's eyes soften a bit. He is so worried about Claire but at the same time, risking Miss P's life is still not the right answer for this problem. Her explanation sounds fine but he just... he doesn't want to see her fall again.

'Please, Enoch. I'll be fine.'

Emma looks at the boy who remains silent. She trusts her mother. Miss P has promised them already to take care of herself and since the ymbryne has asked for their permission like this, the girl knows her beloved Miss P has changed. She kneels down and gives Miss Peregrine a hug.

'We will follow you as soon as we can.' She says and Miss P smiles gently.

'Thank you, Emma.'

Everyone turns to look at Enoch. The boy still remains silent. He doesn't want to let her go, of course. Suddenly, he just feels like he is a little boy who doesn't want to be separated from his mother. He has to remind himself that he's a grown-up now and so is his ymbryne. She is the wisest lady he has ever met and since now he can feel that she has changed, he should at least give her a chance, shouldn't he? To do as she wishes.

'Enoch?' Horace tugs Enoch's sleeve.

The dead-riser looks at everyone and then at Miss P. Finally, he heaves a sigh.

'If you feel tired, you must find some places to rest.'

Miss P gives him an assuring nod.

'And if your cut bleeds, you have to allow me to stitch it again as well.'

The Bird hesitates a bit but then she just nods.

'Then... be safe.'

Miss Peregrine smiles at her boy and steps towards him. She hasn't done this before but she thinks it's the right time and she just dies to do it right now. She gives her big boy a hug.

The children have never seen Enoch stand as still as if he were a statue before. The boy's face looks so stunned. It takes him a few minutes before he realizes what happens here and begins to raise his hands up to hug his headmistress back. Her warmth can calm his mind and can fill the hole in his heart, making him feel alive and loved again. Is this why none of us never consider ourselves an orphan? Because of her love?

'Thank you, my dear.' Miss P says to him, stepping backwards.

Enoch just nods, trying to hide how blushed he is.

And then the children's headmistress raises her hands up. She gives all of her charges a smile for the last time before coming back to concentrate on what she is about to do. She can feel that familiar force in her veins again. The softness of the feathers makes her feel lighter. And when she jumps, her human form is entirely gone, but no matter what, her green eyes remain the same, watching over her children with the unconditional love that only a mother can give to them. The good thing is that she doesn't pass out obviously, but the bad thing is that her cut hurts badly. She tries not to give a sound since that may worry her children. She can still fly, she knows, but she just prays in her heart that her wound will not need to be stitched again, that's all.

'See you soon, Miss Peregrine.'

Not the cliffhanger, right? I hope so. Please, say something, my dear readers! I can't wait to talk to you.