After breakfast was over, dishes washed and put away, children out frolicking about the yard, Miss Peregrine, Miss Avocet and I grouped in the drawing room. I laid on the settee, head on a pillow, staring at the ceiling, cigarette hanging from my mouth. As ungodly as a position I was lying in, neither ymbryne seemed to mind that I was not being totally proper. Besides, Miss Peregrine was busy enjoying a pipe, and she didn't seem to pay a notice to Miss Avocet's disdain for smoking. It was no secret between the three of us that we all were exhausted.

Miss Avocet had taken it upon herself to formally brag about me to Miss Peregrine for a good half-an-hour. I may have been enjoying being talked up about, but I kept my opinions to myself and just continued smoking, as did Miss Peregrine.

"What of the Wights that were about?" Miss Peregrine asked me. "What of my brother?"

Miss Avocet practically choked on her tea. "Good heavens, Alma! It was Jack who did that to you!?"

"Unfortunately," replied Miss Peregrine gravely.

I cleared my throat. "I beg you, Miss Peregrine, please do not find any personal offense in this, but, your brother is a ghastly man. He is downright repulsive," I said.

Miss Peregrine puffed her pipe. "None taken, I can assure you, Miss Stonington."

Miss Avocet straightened her posture. She half-smiled in my direction. "Tell me, Miss Stonington, how did you do it?" she asked lowly. "How did you manage to escape Jack Bentham?"

"A little fire and kerosene never hurt anyone, if I do say so myself," I replied, dragging off my cigarette.

Miss Avocet lit up.

I sat idle as Miss Peregrine told the whole rendition of the night. About how she was taken, how I flew to her rescue and set the camp on fire. She was feeding Miss Avocet the information as if she were a hungry bird (pun intended.) As Miss Peregrine recited the tale, I lay silent, studying the patterns of smoke that escaped from my cigarette. It occurred to me that, have I been back home, if I had been receiving the same attention I was attracting from the ymbrynes, from my parents, I would have been oddly uncomfortable and probably would have hid in my room. My parents hardly ever bragged about me. I loved them, they were my family, but the depth of the love I was beginning to develop for Miss Peregrine, the children and the very existence of Peculiardom was becoming over-bearing and drowned out what small ping of affection I felt for my real family. And they way Miss Peregrine characterized me to Miss Avocet just deepened the love more. Here in the loop I felt safe, I felt loved, I felt accepted.

When the story-telling came to an end, Miss Avocet leaned back in her chair and reached for her tea. "It seems we have quite the brave young ymbryne among us, Alma," she said smoothly, raising a brow happily.

"I could not agree more," Miss Peregrine said.

I put out my cigarette in the ash try and took a proper sitting position on the settee.

"I am very interested in taking you under my wing," said Miss Avocet, "and initiating you into my academy for young ymbrynes. Tell me, child, what do you think?"

I straightened my posture and I sighed. "If I may be most truthful, Miss Avocet," I offered.

She nodded.

"I think it is most proper of me to return home," I began. From the corner of my eye I noticed Miss Peregrine stiffen. "For now, at least. I find it best that I finish my schooling in my world."

The room fell silent. Miss Peregrine continued to smoke, and Miss Avocet sipped her tea. Neither ymbryne said a word for a few moments.

It was true, although a big part of me wished to stay in the loop forever, a part of me knew that going home and completing my senior year would make my full-time transition into Peculiardom much easier on my family, and much easier on myself. I would have to come up with a scheme in which my parents would allow me to leave home for an extended period of time. I had all of senior year to come up with one; I had plenty of time.

Miss Avocet looked at me with an accepting look. Her blue eyes seemed to pierce into me, as if they were reading very inch of my very soul. I could feel a sense of calmness creep into me. "All right, my child, if that is what you wish," she said, very very calmly. "I would be willing to take you on next year."

I nodded. "I thank you, Miss Avocet."

I looked to Miss Peregrine.

She had her head down, her hands fiddling with her pipe in her lap, as a child would fiddle with a small toy. Her face was blank, but I could feel the tad bit of disappointment that was making its way over her. That was an act that I noticed began to appear after I had began to study ymbrynes with Miss Peregrine; I was able to feel the emotions of other ymbrynes. I could not feel the children's emotions, but Miss Avocet and Miss Peregrine were open books to me. I was sure that I was an open book to them, as well.

She didn't want me to leave, neither home or to Miss Avocet's academy.

Miss Avocet then broke the odd silence by stating that she must be readying to return to her own loop. She thanked Miss Peregrine for allowing her to stay and care for her while she was wounded. She then gathered her tea and strode from the room.

I sighed, "Miss Peregrine-"

"It's all right, Miss Stonington. Don't bother." She whisked hastily from her seat and made her way toward the door.

I shot up from the settee. "I'm sorry, Miss Peregrine," I apologized quickly.

She stopped in the doorway. She did not turn around nor did she look at me.

"They may love you," she whispered, loud enough for me to hear, "but they'll never understand."

And with that, she sulked from the room.