This chapter's a little long, but I wanted to set up everything needed for the story line. Feel like I rewrote this a dozen times over to get it right. Hopefully you all like it. Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Silent Agreements

Lisa slowly opened her eyes and was instantly met with blinding pain as the bright ceiling lights shined down upon her. She tried turning away only to feel an intense pain along shooting down her neck, causing her to flinch and lean into a cold ice pack that had been propped underneath. "Ow..."

"Oh good, you're awake." Said the elderly woman as she removed the ice pack and helped Lisa up into a sitting position. Lisa gazed around, taking a moment to realize where she was, as the last thing she remembered was being carried to the nurse's office.

Lisa rubbed her head groggily. "What happened…did I pass out?"

"Yes dear. Shortly after you came into the office, I gave you some aspirin to help ease the pain and you sort of drifted off. You came in with quite a bump on your noggin. It seems to have gone down a bit but I'll still need to examine you to make sure there's no further injury."

Lisa closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to shake off the dull throbbing. "What time is it…is class still going on?"

"No talking during the exam." The nurse then forced her eyes open and jammed a scope at them, checking her retinas and overall vision. "Hmm, no signs of a concussion…tracking of movement seems okay…eyeball's a little bloodshot but that could be due to dryness or lack of sleep…."

As Lisa waited for the nurse to finish her exam, she glanced up at the clock on the wall and gasped. "Oh no, is that the correct time!? Was I really out that long?"

"Why yes deary. You've been out for a little over two hours now. Sorry to say you missed your last class as well as lunch-"

"Why didn't anyone wake me? Did someone take notes? I need to get going right away!" Lisa asked as she went into panic mode.

"Now take it easy there missy. You're still very woozy and need to lay down-"

"Forget taking it easy, my next class begins in ten minutes! I need to get out of here!" Lisa went to get up but the nurse forced her back down.

"You're not going anywhere unless it's back to sleep or straight to your dorm. You've had a nasty fall plus a head injury and you need your rest."

"But it's the first day of classes!" Lisa protested. "I've already missed one, I need to-"

Suddenly there was a tapping at the door. "Knock, knock! May I come in?"

Lisa stopped struggling and watched as Prof. Sullivan strolled into the nurse's office. Suddenly she remembered why she was there in the first place and what she almost said out loud back in class. Realizing he must've figured out who she was, Lisa glanced fearfully up at the man she knew to be Sideshow Bob, expecting him to have an angry or mischievous look in his eye as he planned her demise. His expression however remained calm and serene as he smiled down at her, like she was any other student. It kind of took Lisa off guard and made her wonder if he recognized her after all.

"Forgive my intrusion. I just wanted to see how the patient is doing."

"It's no intrusion at all Robert." The nurse said kindly to him. "I was just telling Miss Thompson here that she needs to take it easy before she knocks herself out again."

"But-but I need to get to class!" Lisa exclaimed.

"You need to stop worrying yourself or you'll do further damage to your cranium!" the nurse threatened, pointing her scope at her.

"Excuse me Abby but may I?" Prof. Sullivan asked politely, to which the nurse nodded. "Lisa I understand you're desperate to go to class and make a good first impression, but you must also follow Nurse Gale's advice if you're to avoid any further potential harm."

"But, I... My homework! My notes-"

"Now, now, don't work yourself into hysterics. Your friend Janey is waiting in my office with her copy of today's notes and has agreed to escort you to your remaining classes. And to further put your mind at ease, I will personally write you a tardy notice and an excused note for any further classes you may miss tonight. It is my opinion though that you should take the rest of the day easy for your own good. Does that sound agreeable to you Nurse Gale?"

"That seems very reasonable." She nodded in agreement.

"Well Lisa?" Bob then extended a hand to her. "Shall we go meet with your friend then?"

Lisa looked up at Bob in silent suspicion, trying to ignore her throbbing head. She could tell he was being way too accommodating, like he was trying to put her at ease before luring her into a trap. It left her conflicted on whether to accept his help or not but given how incredibly woozy and unbalanced she was feeling, chances were if she tried attending class on her own, she'd end up back in the nurse's office with a concussion before the bell rang. Seeing the clock ticking away, Lisa realized she had no choice and grabbed Bob's hand, allowing him to help her to her feet.

"There's a good girl. Don't worry Abby, I'll be sure to get her around safely." Prof. Sullivan assured the nurse, holding onto Lisa's arm with one hand while grabbing her bag with the other, along with a bottle of aspirin from the nurse.

"I don't doubt it. Just remember Lisa to keep a cold compress on your head, take aspirin for the pain and keep your head down to prevent dizziness. Feel better and take care now. You too Robert!" Nurse Gale said as the two made their way out of the office.

Lisa walked tensely through the halls of the school as she was led by Prof. Sullivan to his office. Thankfully the walk helped her to clear her head a bit, though she continued to experience a few dizzy spells that almost caused her to walk straight into various objects. Prof. Sullivan meanwhile walked in silence besides her, avoiding eye contact but was quick to react whenever she was about to collide with something. Many times she felt his hand grip her arm he steered her away from open doors, drinking fountains and narrowly prevented her from falling into an open mop bucket. While she was thankful for his guidance, she was also disturbed by his close constant presence. It felt less like he was looking out for her and more like he was trying to prevent her from escaping.

When they finally made it to his office, Lisa was both confused and alarmed when she saw it was empty. "Where's Janey?"

"I told her to get some lunch in the cafeteria while we waited for you to recover." Prof. Sullivan explained. "She should be back soon enough. Please come inside while you wait."

Lisa hesitated, suddenly felt anxious about going into Prof. Sullivan's office alone. She couldn't help but notice the out-of-place tinted glass window on the door, which was thick and clouded and would obscure anyone's vision from the outside. She also noticed a sword shaped letter opener sticking out of wooden mantelpiece on his desk next to a small cannon trinket by his computer that was shaped suspiciously like a gun.

"Can't we just meet her in the cafeteria instead? I'm rather eager to get to class-"

"Please Lisa, come inside." Prof. Sullivan repeated. "I want to have a private word with you first."

Realizing he would give her no choice, Lisa reluctantly went inside Prof. Sullivan's office and watched nervously as he closed the door behind her, locking it.

"Sit down." He said gesturing to the plush chair across from his desk.

Lisa obeyed and sat on chair, nervously wringing her hands as he sat down across from her. Prof. Sullivan removed his glasses and bowler hat, revealing his large afro-like main of red hair. While he had to have been in his mid-forties by this point, he still looked like the same Sideshow Bob she knew when she was eight. The only signs of his aging were some streaks of grey hair in his dreads and the slight increase in laugh lines around his eyes. He was also slimmer and had some noticeable dark circles under his eyes, making him look overworked and tired. Yet still, he remained as dignified as ever as he placed his hat on top of a small mini-hat stand on his desk and carefully folding his glasses back into its case.

"Let's not beat around the bush..." Bob said, put his hands together in a contemplative manner. "We both know why we are here right now…Ms. Simpson."

"So you do recognize me." Lisa said, sitting up straighter.

"Of course I do." Bob stated. "How could I not recognize the girl who is responsible for sending me to prison no less than five times…six had you managed to completely blow my cover earlier today."

Lisa then looked down, suddenly feeling embarrassed and foolish for doubting his intelligence. "I'm sorry for causing such a scene in class. I didn't mean to call out your old name, it was more from force of habit. I was just so surprised to see you here."

"Yes I know. You made that abundantly clear." Bob stated a note of displeasure in his voice. "Luckily none of the students made the connection or inquired further, otherwise I probably wouldn't be talking to you here right now."

"But how is it you're here to begin with?" Lisa asked suddenly curious. "Last time we saw each other, you threw yourself off the Springfield Dam. And nobody's seen or heard from you since."

"I'll admit, the story of my survival and subsequent travels is one of thrilling and captivating splendor, but that's not what we're here to discuss." Bob said in a serious tone, resting his hands on his desk while Lisa watched him nervously. "I'll be frank Lisa. You're the last person I neither expected nor wanted to see at this school, with the exception of your brother of course, and it is far from a welcome surprise. No doubt the feeling is mutual on your end."

"More then you know..." Lisa replied uneasily.

"Indeed. As such, your presence here now makes you one of the only people on campus with knowledge of my felonious past." Bob said. "And that, for me, creates a bit of a problem."

"Wait, who's are the other people that know?" Lisa asked.

"That's not important right now. What is important though, is what you and I plan to do now that you've stumbled into my hidden neck of the woods."

Bob then noticed Lisa's anxious gaze linger toward his right hand, which happened to be close to his dagger shaped letter opener. Calmly, he withdrew his hands off the desk and folded them in his lap.

"Before we begin, let me start off by saying that I did not bring you here with the intent to harm you, nor am I plotting some evil scheme in order to 'force your silence,' as I'm sure was your immediate train of thought. I realize my past actions will make this hard for you to believe, but I have legitimately moved on from my former life of crime and beyond the desire for murder and revenge."

Lisa snorted. "Where have I heard that before…"

"My only scheme this time was to bring you here and try to…persuade you, not to reveal what you know about my past crimes. As you can see, I've made a new life and a new name for myself here in this school and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to keep things quiet and peaceful. That includes bargaining and/or buying your silence if need be."

"Buying?" Lisa asked.

"But let it be known," Bob added hastily. "If its money we're talking, we'd have to set up a payment plan over at least several months. I'm a little strapped for cash and can only do a small amount per week-"

"Bob please, I don't want your money." Lisa added quickly. "And bargaining for my silence isn't necessary either. I know you've been in hiding these last ten years and you want it to stay that way. That's all perfectly fine with me. As long as you make no threats against me or my family, I see no reason to tell anyone about your past. I just want to get through these next two semesters in peace with as few attempts on my life as possible. Trust me when I say, I will keep your secret safe."

She smiled sincerely, hoping he'd return it. For a moment it seemed like he would, but instead he resumed a serious expression.

"I certainly wish I could believe that Lisa." Bob sighed. "I really do."

"Wait, you're saying you DON'T believe me?" Lisa asked, taken aback. "But I'm the well-behaved one in the Simpson clan!"

"I wouldn't say I 'don't' believe you…more like I 'can't' believe you." Bob said, looking off to the side at his computer before back at her. "Especially when you consider what happened the last time I entrusted you with such a delicate secret."

Lisa looked away in shame, remember all the trouble she caused in Italy years back. "Okay fine, so I've blurted a few things out by accident when I was younger. I was inebriated then and have since learned from that experience. I swear I haven't touched any alcoholic beverages in almost ten years now…six if we're counting Krusty-Brand Kosher Wine…"

"True. And yet, my mere presence in class today was enough for you to loudly and openly declare my stage name in front of all your fellow students. And that was without the assistance of alcohol." Bob sneered. "Forgive me Lisa, but given all that we've been through, I can't exactly view you as a beacon of silence now can I? How will I be certain this won't happen again during out next lesson? Or even after you step outside this office?"

"Because this time, I know about the situation and won't be taken off guard upon seeing you here." Lisa explained. "Besides, there's no real reason for me to tell people. You don't seem to be hurting anyone. Plus revealing what I know wouldn't be of any benefit to me."

"Indeed it wouldn't. In fact, I'm guessing it wouldn't be beneficial at all if certain little secrets were to get out in some way or form…eh 'Ms. Thompson'?" Bob asked her.

Lisa stiffened at the tone in which he used her fake name and eyed him suspiciously. "What are you implying exactly?"

"Why I've implied nothing." Bob said feigning innocents. "Though I must say, I am rather curious to know why you chose to use that particular last name. A little obvious don't you think? Isn't that the same one you and your family used while in witness protection? Seems to me the only reason you'd go by that pseudonym was if you were…hiding from someone."

Lisa could feel her pulse racing and her head starting to spin. Taking a deep breathe, she tried to remain calm under Bob's passive threats. "Look, I know what you're getting at. But you must know that our situations are different. I had to change my name. It's the only way I'll be able to attend classes here and have a shot of going to my dream school. If word got out on who I really am, I'd be kicked out of this state faster than my dad at an all-you-can-eat buffet, and then all my plans for the future would be ruined. I can't just be another washed up Springfield U alumni! This is my chance at a better life!"

"I see. Different you say?" An indignant look appeared on Bob's face as he sat upright. "Well Lisa, it might surprise you to know that I too had to change my name in order to teach at this school. And I spent five years building up a reputation for that name in the vain hopes that it would also lead me towards having a better life...something that would most definitely be ruined should my unfortunate background be revealed. So you see Lisa, our situations aren't different at all. We both have a lot to gain and even more to lose with the secrets we keep."

Lisa glared at him, feeling as if he were patronizing her by explaining himself. "Look Bob, I'm willing to stay silent about your past, but you're making it a tad difficult for me to believe you have no evil ulterior motive when you're holding my own secret over my head."

"Professor Sullivan, if you please. I am your teacher after all." Bob corrected her as he got out of his seat and stood before Lisa. "And there is no 'evil ulterior motive' with the agreement plan I have in store for us. As long as the terms are being followed, nothing bad should happen to either party."

"What kind of terms exactly?" Lisa asked skeptically.

"Think of this as a sort of 'quid pro quo' type of agreement." Bob explained. "The basic gist being this: You keep quiet about my true identity and in turn I won't say anything about yours. No authorities will be involved, we carry on as usual in a normal student-teacher relationship and then once you've graduated from here, we move on with our lives and never darken the other's doorstep again."

"That sounds simple and reasonable enough." Lisa thought to herself before asking. "So what's the catch?"

"Oh nothing too big or incriminating…except for perhaps this."

Bob then walked back over to his desk towards his computer. Lisa's pulse rate jumped for a moment as Bob's hand lingered near the gun-shaped cannon but then calmed when she saw him grab the computer mouse instead. Quickly he clicked a few things and pulled something out of his hard drive, holding it up for her to see.

"This USB flash drive that I hold in my hand contains our entire conversation, which I have been recording."

Lisa stopped breathing for a moment at she looked at the drive, realizing now why Bob had wanted to get her alone. "You recorded our- why would you do that!?"

"Think of it as collateral, pertaining to our mutual agreement." Bob said, clasping the drive in his hand. "You see Lisa, I'm not as foolish as I once was. I know better than to hinge my entire career on the word of a Simpson. So I came up with this plan as a means of protecting myself and guaranteeing your silence. The big 'catch' you speak of is this: Should you do anything to violate the terms of our agreement, including talking to your schoolmates, invading my privacy or threatening my personal safety, this flash drive will be mailed straight to the local authorities by way of the sheriff's department."

Lisa looked at Bob in horror. "But that's stupid! We both admitted to having double lives during that conversation. You'd be exposing yourself as well as me!"

"Perhaps. But then again, thanks to the wonders of modern computer technology, I could easily just edit out the bits of me admitting my guilt and simply leave in yours. And once they drag up that unfortunate alligator incident with your father, they won't believe or care what you have to say against me."

"Wait…how did you know about that?" Lisa asked.

"I googled the words 'Homer Simpson' and literally thousands of news article popped up within seconds. I had to add the words 'Florida' and 'Driving' just to narrow it down a bit and the gator incident was among the first hundred to show up. Trust me, it didn't take much time or effort to find the sheriff's report and deduce why you and your family are banned from this state."

A worried look crossed Lisa's face as she eyed the flash drive with desperation, knowing that if anyone heard its contents, her college career would be over. She watched as Bob put the device in his pocket and began walking calmly around her chair.

"Luckily, I am a fair and reasonable man. I realize that, whether we like it or not, you and I will still have to deal with each other during classes for the next two semesters. And given how you are part of the work study program, you will need my unbiased approval to get into Stanford. I give you my word as an educator that you shall receive it…provided that you remember to behave yourself and hold that loose tongue of yours. Hopefully in time, we can learn to trust each other like mature adults."

Lisa glared up at Bob as he circled around her like a shark hunting its prey, his derogatory statements and pompous flaunting of his authority starting to wear on her temper.

"And…if you do indeed hold up your end of the bargain by the time you leave school, I shall return the flash drive personally to you as a sign of good faith." Bob continued. "Till then, it shall remain in my possession and mine alone. Let it be known though, that I do intend to keep a very close eye on it as well as you…in case there's any funny business…"

"Enough!" Tired of being talked down to, Lisa stood up angrily with her fists clenched tight. "I'm sick of you judging me based on my past actions! For god's sake, I was just a naïve little girl then! Why are you even treating me this way to begin with? I've never wished any ill will on you nor have I ever been intentionally malicious towards you! And yet you're treating me like I'm some sort of…like I'm a-"

"A criminal?" Bob asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lisa went to respond but found herself speechless.

"Because that is exactly how you would treat me in this situation, had our roles been reversed." Bob said, stopping in front of her. "Don't pretend to think otherwise. I can tell from the way you look at me that you still view me as the homicidal maniac who would gut you with a knife the first chance he got. Perception can be such a hard thing to change sometimes Lisa. Even now, as I look upon you sitting here in my office, I still see you as the little girl who, along with her dastardly devil of a brother, completely ruined my life, stranding me in a life of crime and seclusion, whose negative influences and repercussions I'm still feeling years later!"

Lisa could sense Bob's anger starting to flare up but she didn't care. She was tired of his threats and stood her ground.

"Yeah well I got news for you BOB. I'm not that frightened little girl you thought you could scare into hiding anymore, and I will not let my old fear of you run my life! You say we need to learn to trust each other, but how is that even possible when all I've ever heard you speak are carefully crafted lies?"

Bob glared at her, his fingers flexing restlessly as if he were itching to punch or strangle something. Noticing his reflexes, Lisa stayed a small distance away but stood her ground.

"For instance, how do I know this whole agreement of yours isn't just another one of your tricks?" Lisa continued. "How do I know you won't just mail the flash drive on a random day to spite me?And how do I know you won't try to kill me the first chance you get? If anything, I should be the one in charge of holding that flash drive, as I've proven myself way more trustworthy then the likes of you!"

Bob clenched the device in his hand, his irritation and anger no longer hidden.

"How dare you accuse me of such lowly, dishonest deception! You have the gall to make me out as the villain all while acting as the innocent party? After everything you and your family of blithering uncouth buffoons have cost me, I'm to consider you trustworthy? Ha, please! You don't fool me one bit Lisa Simpson. I know you want to turn me in, just like you've done many times before. All you need is motive and opportunity. I may have been a criminal but at least I have admitted and owed up to the horrible things I've done. So let me make these words perfectly clear to you: Until you prove to me that you can truly be trusted, this flash drive shall remain in my possession, and I will not hesitate to mail it should you make any attempt to destroy what I've tried rebuilding for myself. Let it be known that this time, if I go down, be damn sure I will take you with me!"

Lisa recoiled slightly as Bob stared down at her, her child-like fear returning as she spotted that familiar murderous glint in his eyes. For the first time in years, she saw the old Sideshow Bob fighting to re-emerge and her instincts were telling her to run. However she remained rooted to spot, even though her thoughts were now growing fuzzy.

"Yeah well I…you…"

As she started to sway uneasily from side to side, Bob's look of anger was promptly replaced with concern. "Lisa?"

With a groan, Lisa lost her balanced and started to fall backwards. Bob reacted quickly and managed to catch her before she hit the floor. He eased her onto the ground and propped her into a sitting position. Lisa shook her head, trying to regain her focus but found that it was starting to throb again. "Medicine…please…"

Bob looked around and spotted Lisa's bag on the chair. Rummaging through the pockets, he found the aspirin the nurse gave her along with an unopened bottle of water. Bob handed them both to Lisa, who quickly chugged down the pills and began hoisting herself back up.

"Will you be alright? Do you want me to escort you back to the nurse?" Bob asked.

"I'll be fine. Just need to wait a few minutes till the room stops spinning." Lisa replied groggily as she sat back on the chair with her head between her legs.

Bob remained kneeling by her chair, waiting patiently in case she keeled over again. Seeing her sitting there, trying to be strong despite her condition, surprisingly made him feel a little guilty. He had taken advantaged of Lisa in her vulnerable state in order to make his terms known and had let things become so heated it almost caused her further harm. Something he had promised not to do.

"Look I'm…sorry for letting my personal feelings get out of hand. It was unfair of me to judge you solely by the actions from your youth. I of all people should know what that's like…"

"It's okay Bob-, I mean Professor." Lisa said wearily, her head hanging low. "I don't blame you for not trusting me. I did ruin your life in Italy after all, and any chance you had at a happy existence. Even I wouldn't trust me after that."

Bob wasn't sure how to respond, as it was partially true, and just stayed silent as Lisa slowly went back to her chair, her hands in her lap as she continued not to look at him.

"However, if you give me this chance to make things right, I'm willing to follow the terms of your agreement and will continue keeping your secret safe. I owe you that much."

Hearing her words, Bob calmed down and took a deep breath. "That sounds splendid Lisa. So…we have reached an agreement then?"

"There is one thing though." Lisa then looked up at him, he eyes slightly misty from the pain in her head. "I insist that you get rid of that flash drive. Having a physical piece of evidence like that lingering around will only increase our chances of getting found out, and I know I'd sleep much better knowing it didn't exist."

Bob paused for a moment to consider her request but shook his head and stood up straight, towering over her once more. "I'm sorry Lisa, but I can't do that. Believe it or not, having something like this flash drive on hand would indeed help me to sleep better. I'm still not ready to trust you quite yet and having something like this gives me a small peace of mind."

Bob then walked back to his desk, took the flash drive out of his pocket, put it in the top drawer and locked it with his key. "I assure you that it will be safe with me. As stated in my terms, you will get the flash drive back when I deem the time right. But for now, you'll just have to live with the knowledge of its existence and trust me to protect it."

Lisa looked at the locked drawer, as if considering her options, but seemed too worn out to argue. "Very well then. But there is another condition I'd like to add instead."

"Which would be?" Bob asked.

"I'm aware that things will be uneasy between us for a while, so I kindly ask that no matter what future tiffs we may have, you leave all animosity and ill-bred emotions out of my school work. I am still your student after all and as such, I want to be graded fairly and accurately based on my work and performance and not because of our past discrepancies." Lisa said, remembering her encounter with Prof. Cantwell.

"Well that goes without saying. But if it eases your mind, then yes, I do promise to grade and treat you like any other student in my class. Provided you show me the same respect and courtesy you do your other teachers." Bob said, placing his hand over his heart.

Lisa took a deep breath and stood up, holding up her hand out towards Bob. "Deal."

Bob looked her over for a moment then grasped her hand. "Deal."

The two shook hands, holding on a second longer than necessary. Once they broke apart, Bob walked to the door and opened it for her. "You're free to go now. Your friend should still be in the cafeteria just down the hall if you want to meet with her. If you need me to, I can escort you there."

"I'll be okay." Lisa said, grabbing her bag. "I just hope my next professor isn't as harsh when it comes to tardiness as my first one was…"

"Speaking of which," Bob then turned and grabbed two pieces of paper off his desk, which he wrote two short notes on. "As promised, here's a late note for your next class and an excused note for classes you may want to skip tonight. If I were you, I would consider taking it easy after all that's happened today."

"Thank you." Lisa took the notes and walked out of the office. She then paused and turned to see Bob about to shut the door behind her.

"You're wrong by the way."

Bob paused as he noticed Lisa looking at him. "Beg pardon?"

"You were wrong about me wanting to turn you in. If that were the case, I would've told the police how you escaped all those years ago. But I didn't because…I considered you a friend… as I thought you considered me. I wanted to see you get away safely and start a new happier life. Part of me still hopes that you do…"

She paused for a moment, gave him a sad sincere look, and started heading down the hall towards the cafeteria. Bob watched as she walked away, thinking over what she just said, and then quickly locked the door behind him. He let out an exhausted sigh and collapsed into his chair, thinking back over their conversation. Perhaps he had been too harsh on Lisa during their encounter. After all, she really wasn't anything like Bart, who would've jumped at any chance to make Bob's life miserable. However, he rationalized that it was the most effective way to get his point across and guarantee that she wouldn't talk. Hopefully with time, they'd grow to at least be on civil if not friendly terms once more. One thing was certain though, if the spiky haired demon in his dreams didn't keep him awake that night, then re-imagining the frightened look on Lisa's face would.

Chapter 4 to be coming soon! Stay tuned!