Sorry I've been away for so long. My life has been messy lately, but things are pretty much sorted out now, I guess. Anyways, thank you to all of you who have reviewed for me on anything I've put up here.

Felicity and I stroll the cool, white corridors of Bethlem Royal Hospital, following the directions given by a smiling nurse to Tom's office.

"Are you certain it was Ann?" Felicity asks, for what seems the hundredth time.

"Yes, I'm absolutely positive," I answer waspishly. Felicity ignores my tone and presses forward at a faster pace.

"Don't catch attention," I chide, grabbing her by the arm. "We can't have Tom knowing we're here."

"Well, if we don't walk any faster, we shall miss Ann entirely," she counters.

Her concern is the same one that has been nagging at me all morning. I say nothing, but pick up speed.

- - -

Tom's office is in a narrow, poorly lit corridor. His door hangs slightly ajar, so we steal up silently. Felicity grips my arm excitedly, her fingers digging into in my flesh. Her breath comes shallow in my ear, making my heart beat faster. In a moment, we could be reunited with Ann – the prodigal member of the Order, one who hasn't been seen in over a year.

But when we reach his office door, there is no sound. We glance at each other, and Felicity moves forward to peer in. I hold my breath as she cranes her neck, trying to peer through the narrow opening without disturbing the door. When she looks back at me, she shakes her head. I let out a sigh of disappointment as she leads me down the corridor.

"I only saw your brother," she whispers, disappointment evident in her face. "He was at a desk, writing. No visitors."

My shoulders sag wearily, but I am unwilling to admit defeat. "Perhaps he will meet her elsewhere? A restaurant, maybe?"

"And then what, Gemma?" Felicity demands impatiently. The disappointment has soured her mood. "Shall we hail a cab and order the driver to follow your brother's carriage? Surely he won't find it odd that he's being followed." Sarcasm lends a hard edge to her words.

"I don't know!" I hiss. "I just want to find Ann!"

"Do you think I don't? At least I don't fabricate illicit romances in order to –"

A door swings open at the other end of the hall, and we both stop, staring breathlessly. Steady, even footsteps of a woman's gait echo lightly through the hall. With wide-eyed astonishment, we stagger into motion, disappearing around the nearest corner. We listen as the footsteps continue, stopping in the middle of the hall. There is a tap at a door.

Then nothing.

I peer cautiously around the corner, and see no one. But Tom's door is now closed. Felicity is already marching back to Tom's office, her stride determined. I rush to catch her before she does something foolish, like bursting into the office.

"Wait!" I hiss, catching her around the waist. "We can't just fling the door open. If it's not Ann…"

"Which it's likely not," Felicity snipes. I ignore her comment.

"We'll wait at the other end of the hall – she has to leave that way. If it's Ann, we'll catch her on the way out. And it saves both Ann and Tom embarrassment."

"I don't particularly care about their embarrassment."

"I do," I answer firmly, walking towards the end of the hall. It's a bluff I don't think I will win. Felicity is stubborn and proud. Likely, I will turn around and beg her to comply.

But she surprises me by appearing at my side. Thankful for such a small fortune, I don't dare say anything to make her change her mind. When we reach the end of the hall, we settle in the niche by the doors.

- - -

After what seems like hours, the sound of a door opening startles us both into consciousness. A murmur of voices floats softly down the hall, and I feel myself reddening at the possibilities of what they could be saying. Finally, the door closes again, and the same steady footsteps make their way towards us. We leap to our feet, sorting our skirts, and preparing ourselves for whoever might come round the bend.

Felicity cannot wait. She leaps from our niche like a tiger from a cage. What she sees drains her color. I follow her heedlessly, prepared to face Circe or worse… but what I see, is Ann.

"Ann Bradshaw!" Felicity declares, sounding as if she's spotted a ghost. Her supreme shock assures me that she never believed a word I told her. She'd only come along for a lark. Torn between irritation with Fee and the shock of seeing Ann again, I can only stare wordlessly.

Ann has done well since leaving Spence. Her ruddy complexion has evened, and her once plump waist has noticeably narrowed. Though her features will never be that of a china doll, her eyes have gained a charming sparkle, her cheeks a charming flush, and her hair has been styled attractively. Her perpetual cold has faded as well, judging by the lack of handkerchief in hand, and the fact that her nose is not sporting that raw, shiny look.

"Gemma? Felicity?" Ann is even more staggered than Fee. After a pause, she croaks, "What are you doing here?"

Felicity regains her voice, demanding waspishly, "I rather think the question is, what are you doing here, Ann, dear?"

"I-I-I'm v-vis-visiting family." It seems the time away from Spence has not managed to cure her stammer, though. Regardless of that, her lie is as transparent as glass.

"You have no family," Felicity snaps coldly. Her bluntness has Ann flinching. I jump in, if only to keep Felicity from attacking her.

"Where have you been?" I ask, trying to keep the wounded tone from my voice. "Why have you not written us? Why… why have you abandoned us?"

"No," Ann says softly, "I… I was saving you."

"How is that?" I ask over Felicity's snort of derision.

"I have been given many gifts," Ann says cryptically.

"You think we would begrudge you good fortune?" I ask incredulously.

"No." Ann sighs. "But these gifts have come at a cost."

A sliver of fear begins to prickle at my spine.

"Oh come off it," Felicity sneers. "You ran away because you're a little coward!"

"In order to receive, you must sacrifice," Ann says placidly, as if she has not even heard Felicity.

I feel a shiver run down my spine, and I have the nagging suspicion that these are not Ann's words coming out of her mouth. Unaware, I take a step back, watching Ann fearfully.

"Just because last Christmas was a complete disaster –" Felicity continues, sounding vaguely guilty beneath her irritation.

"So I have had to make sacrifices, in order to earn these gifts." Ann smiles softly, looking like an angel in the dim light of the hall.

"I'm sorry I ruined it for you!" Felicity says quickly, not meeting Ann's eyes. "I'm sorry I made you lie and ruined your Christmas and damaged your reputation!"

Ann waves a hand at Felicity, as if wiping away her sins. "Your little games have not ruined me," she says darkly. "I have ruined myself with lies and secrets."

Felicity looks up, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "What?"

"Look at me!" she snarls, her chocolate eyes feverishly bright. "I've sold my soul for a tiny waist and a man who cannot love me without lies!"

"Tom," I whisper fearfully. A cold shiver runs through my body, and I realize why Ann makes me nervous. The magic of the realms clings to her, drips from her, saturates her. "Ann!" I gasp. "What have you done?"

Hope my comeback was worth it. Please review.