A/N: This is the revised version of of this chapter... (4/13/12)

I really missed Quillish...

Thanks so much for all of your support (and unlimited patience)! I hope this story continues to hold your interest!

Chapter 14: Reunion

Quillish Wammy sat alone in his living room, thumbing through one of his favorite old novels. An antique clock was ticking steadily away in the corner, but other than that, the room was still. Quillish turned the page, trying to get lost in his book, but found it to be more difficult than he had first envisioned. The clock's repetitive noise was starting to eat at his nerves.

Is this how it always was…? Quillish asked himself, closing his book and looking around.

The clock continued ticking… the sound was loud and dull… unavoidable yet empty.

Like the oppressive nature of his house.

Quillish sighed, picked himself up and left the room. Maybe he'd feel better if he took a walk outside. The stuffiness of the building was probably just getting to him, that was all.

Quillish made his way down the hallway, listening to his footsteps echo hollowly off the walls…it felt as though he were the only person left in the world.

Suddenly, he stopped walking and frowned to himself. Perhaps… perhaps he would visit the school that day. Just to check up on Laurent. He had promised him, after all… and these days he hadn't been doing much outside of reading, anyway. He had no plans and nothing truly important to do…

He gave himself a decisive nod. Yes. He would go. He needed it.

"Hey, did you hear? That robber was caught!"

"Remember that man who robbed all those people in town a little while ago? The police have him now."

"Hold on… they got him just now? I thought they had captured him ages ago…"

"What was his name again…? Oh, that's right… Benjamin Green…"

Almost a week after he had contacted the police, Laurent was surprised to hear such sorts of conversations as he walked down the hallways. For some reason, the students were more interested in the subject after the criminal had been caught than when the criminal was at large. Maybe it was because he seemed more human once he was in custody and therefore more real and worthy of conversation…? He had no idea.

…but he couldn't help but notice that the robber's name was Benjamin Green.

He was right.

His information counted.

Laurent couldn't help but smile to himself in knowing this. He had helped …solve a case. Granted, it wasn't a very complicated one, but he helped nonetheless. That alone was enough to make him feel very good about himself.

Maybe I could help solve another… Laurent thought, feeling slightly giddy.

It was then that he had turned down the hallway that housed the offices of the faculty. Doing so wasn't an uncommon occurrence. He went down this hallway many times throughout the day… it was almost unavoidable, since the hallway went down the exact center of the building. However, something made him stop as he passed by Roger Ruvie's office.

It wasn't uncommon to hear Dr. Ruvie's conversations with other people through the door, but this particular conversation seemed different.

There was something familiar in that muffled voice that was responding to Dr. Ruvie… something marvelously familiar.

Laurent's smile widened.

"…and here, you can see how its forelegs differ from most of the fleas we have seen before," Roger continued, pointing at a blown-up photograph of his latest discovery.

"Very interesting," Quillish responded with a smile.

He wasn't sure how long Roger was going to go on about the mysterious new flea, but Quillilsh supposed he had every right to do so. It wasn't every day that someone discovered a new insect, especially one that fascinated Roger so much.

…and he supposed that the fact that Roger had very few people to talk with about this interest made Quillish a prime candidate for an audience.

Still…

He hadn't come to the school with the intention of being lectured to about fleas.

Quillish got up and smiled benignly at his friend.

"Roger, it has been wonderful to visit with you again…" Laurent heard the voice say as it grew louder. The speaker was moving closer to the door, "…but I didn't come to just see you…" the door was pushed open, "I've also come to see—" the speaker jumped slightly as he caught sight of the boy standing in the hallway, "Laurent!"

"Hi," Laurent said with a smile.

Quillish's surprised expression immediately melted into a warm smile, "What a coincidence, I was just talking about you."

"I heard," Laurent responded.

Quillish laughed, "You've grown," he observed, looking over his adoptive son.

"It's only been a couple months…" Laurent said, still smiling, "I don't think I grew that much."

"I think you have," Quillish responded, ruffling Laurent's hair affectionately, "So, how has school being going? Are you getting good grades? Are the other children jealous?"

"I'm getting good grades, but everyone else is, too…" Laurent said, making a half-effort to fix his hair.

"Ah…" Quillish said, removing his hand from his adoptive son's head, "That means one of two things. Either everyone there is really smart, or the teachers make the classes really easy so everyone thinks they're smart," he leaned over to Laurent and said, "From the state of this school, I wouldn't doubt either."

Laurent smiled wider.

"So, Laurent, what else have you been doing besides classes?" Quillish asked, eyes shining.

Quillish knew he was being overenthusiastic, but he had every right to be. It had been months since he had seen his adoptive son last. After years of having the little boy in his life, it was a bit of a shock to revert right back to his previous lifestyle. His house seemed so empty without Laurent there. No one was asking him questions or giving little observations. No one was curled up in the library staring at one of his old books. No one was debating whether or not it was time to go to bed…

The more he lived without Laurent, the more Quillish realized just how miserable his life had been before he knew the boy existed.

"Well…" Laurent continued to smile, "I helped solve a crime."

Quillish blinked, that was a little unexpected, "You helped solve a crime…?" He repeated, looking rather confused, "Was it for a class?"

Laurent shook his head, "No, just on my own," Laurent responded, "Well, I had help in getting information, and I did need to borrow someone's phone…"

Quillish nodded, "Which crime was it?"

Laurent shifted slightly, "Well… did you hear about the attacks in town?" he asked.

Quillish looked up for a second, "I think I remember one news report…" he looked back down at his adoptive son, "Let me guess…" he said with a smile, "You helped solve that one?"

Laurent gave a nod.

Quillish grinned, "That's wonderful!"

"What are you yelling about?" Roger's voice suddenly asked from within the office. In a few moments, the man appeared behind Quillish, looking rather miffed, "Could you at least close the door before you start shouting? I'm very busy, you know… I can't have your conversations interrupting my work."

"Oh, sorry," Quillish said, turning to his friend but still smiling, "You didn't seem very busy when I was talking to you a few minutes ago, though."

Roger began to splutter, "I was being a gracious host!" he responded.

Quillish continued to smile, "Well, in any case, I apologize. I was just surprised to hear that Laurent helped solve a local crime," he said, motioning to his adoptive son.

That caused Roger to blink,"…what?" he asked, turning to the boy with a surprised expression on his face.

"Laurent had just told me that he helped put away… what was it…? A robber of sorts?" Quillish asked, looking at his adoptive son.

"Yes. Benjamin Green," Laurent responded.

Roger still looked rather lost, and he threaded his hand through his hair, "…what?" he repeated after a few seconds of silence, "He helped with the capture of Benjamin Green…? What…?" It quickly became apparent that he couldn't quite grasp what was going on.

"Oh, dear," Quillish said, turning to Laurent, "I do believe we broke him."

Roger shook his head, "Wait… the anonymous informant…the person they always talk about on the news… was this boy…?" Roger asked incredulously, pointing at Laurent and staring at Quillish.

"I think you'd better ask him yourself. Laurent knows more about it than I do," Quillish responded.

Roger turned to the boy and dropped his hand, "You… it was you…?"

Laurent shrugged, "I didn't think my information would make much difference…" he said truthfully, "…but yes, I think I did help out."

"You… you…? A little boy…?" Roger asked.

"Laurent is very smart for being a little boy," Quillish said with a nod, "I don't think you give children enough credit, Roger."

"It wasn't that big of a thing…" Laurent said.

Roger blinked, "Odd…" he mumbled, and then fell silent.

Quillish turned to Laurent and smiled, "So, was it exciting?"

"It was fun, but not very exciting…" Laurent responded, he smiled, "Well…it was a little exciting when I found out that it was my information that helped them get him, though…"

Quillish nodded, "Would you do it again?" he asked.

"Of course!" Laurent smiled. He looked down for a second, "Well, if it was a little more challenging... because once I got the hotel information it was pretty easy…"

Quillish looked at Roger with a smile, "It looks like we've got a super sleuth in the making, Roger," he said.

"Uh… yes… I suppose so…" Roger said with a nod.

"Come, Laurent, we should probably leave Roger to his work," Quillish said, "Let's go and find a better place to talk."

Laurent nodded, and the two of them made their way away from Roger's office.

Roger stared after them as they walked down the hall, turned a corner and vanished from sight. That little boy helped solve a crime…? I thought that sort of thing only happened in mystery novels for children… he thought. He cupped his chin in his hand. Maybe… maybe I don't give children enough credit…