Hello all and welcome back to the Bohemian Legacy, where it looks like we’re still technically ongeneration four’s chapters. How about that. Yes I know, I know. I’ll get Generation five out of theirteenage years some day.

Anyway, last time the Bohemians took a road trip, and had some Hijinx on their way to their ultimatedestination, Pleasantview. Where they talked to a ghost who not only helped them cure Phoenix butalso revealed the possible reason for Rhapsody’s visions of her friends disappearing. That they actuallywere disappearing due to a somewhat precarious status as children of other Legacy parents.

If this all sounds familiar, you probably read last update, which means you can now turn the page.

Imagine me and you, I do

I think about you day and night, it's only right

To think about the girl you love and hold her tight

So happy together

If I should call you up, invest a dime

And you say you belong to me and ease my mind

Imagine how the world could be, so very fine

So happy together

I can't see me lovin' nobody but you

For all my life

When you're with me, baby the skies'll be blue

For all my life

Me and you and you and me

No matter how they toss the dice, it has to be

The only one for me is you, and you for me

So happy togeth-Click

The end credits and their accompanying music faded quickly to black as Gibson King pressed a buttonthe remote control. And for a moment the couple sat together in a rare moment of comfortable silence.

It was shattered almost immediately.

“BOOYAH!” In an energetic blur of red hair and pleated skirts Sparrow King surged into the living room,and paused to strike the sort of exaggerated pose normally reserved for Neoclassical painting.

Her grandparents barely had the chance to exchange a rueful glance before she in front of them a widegrin on her face.

“Guess which of your progeny’s progeny is not only bringing home a full house of A+s for the thirdsemester in a row, and whose team won by a landslide in our basketball game and whose latest story isgoing to be on the front page of the student paper. I’ll give you a hint! She’s awesome, she’s redheaded,and she’s here today. Why yes, I do completely Rock!”

“Congratulations sweetheart!” Robin and Gibson took advantage as their granddaughter paused forbreath, to hug her.

It was then they noticed their youngest granddaughter who had obviously followed Sparrow in morequietly, and was currently attempting to become part of the wallpaper.

“And how was your day Kiwi.” Robin nodded encouragingly to the reticent blond child.

“Fine.” It came out barely above a whisper, and was followed by an attempted escape. But her sisternever gave her the chance.

“Ok, don’t listen to her, she’s just being modest” Sparrow flung an arm around her little sister’s shoulder“This morning her science teacher, decided to bump her up to advanced chemistry. And this onecompletely owned all the seniors by being the only one to have the entire periodic table memorized.Ladies and gentlemen my sister also bears the awesome gene!”

“We’re very proud of both of you” Robin hugged Kiwi, who had gone an impressive shade of pink at her sister’spraise.

“So I was thinking-” Sparrow began talking again, the result of a constitutionally inability to stay silent for morethan three seconds at a time that she had inherited from her father, “Maybe we could have a party tocelebrate good grades. Just family, don’t worry, it’ll be totally cool and mellow.”

Gibson and Robin inspected their granddaughter, who was wearing her best winning smile. “You’ve alreadyinvited everyone haven’t you?”

The doorbell dinged. Sparrow didn’t even bother to pretend to look abashed. “Yeah sort of.”

Gibson and Robin did their best to play the indignant grandparents to Sparrow, but they had to admit itwas a pleasure to have the house filled with the noises of a large family again. At first it was only theirgrandchildren milling around the living room. But by the time night fell even the more distracted of thesix King children, realized their own offsprings were missing (even if their twin had to point out it out tothem). And by the time they had all agreed to stay, “just for a little bit” it was well into the evening andthe house was full again, just as it once had been.

Naturally it was Finch who ended up on the back of the couch.

“Honey” Tammy tugged at her husband’s hand trying not to laugh “you’re going to fall and hurt yourself.” ButFinch’s only response was to squeeze her hand .

“Guys! Shut up!” Head turned towards him as he wavered a little holding his wife’s hand “A toast!”

“You don’t have a glass.” Wren pointed out shaking her head at her brother over her shoulder, but he didn’tseem to hear her.

“To mom and Dad. You guys are the best.” Whether or not they had a glass in hand, no one could disagree withthat sentiment.

Gibson linked his arm around Robin’s shoulder “We love you all very much.”

“And we always will.”

“We want you to remember that.”

Gibson looked at his wife with a smile “And I love you. Of course.”

“Of course.”

“Are you entirely sure, a party is a good idea Apollo? I mean our brother just died.”

“People like parties!” Apollo smiled guilessly back at his sister.

“And Gibson’s not going to be the only one to die.”

“So I figured we could either wallow”

“Or we could get together as a family and celebrate.”

“Well, it’s not the worst idea you’ve ever had.” Artemis conceded, feeling the sorrow of five consecutivedeaths ebb from her at her only remaining brother’s smile. Six. Six consecutive deaths she remindedherself, thinking of the elder sister that she tried so hard to forget. She would be gone by now no doubt.

And she knew that they were next.

“You know I didn’t even know you owned anything black.” Turner inspected Rhapsody’s clothing as theysat at the poker table “Although that does look familiar...wait. You’re not wearing Em’s clothes are you?”But Dee was staring fixedly ahead. Turner snapped his fingers in her face and she blinked as if comingout of a dream.

“What?”

“You’re not hearing a word I’m saying are you?”

“I’m just- Do you know that feeling...that feeling that you’re just on the edge of an idea, but it’s justfloating there, right outside of your grasp and you can’t quite get it?” Rhapsody shook her head “Emwould know. She knows what I’m thinking...or trying to think...before I do.”

“Why don’t you ask her?”

“I’ve been going to a lot of funerals lately. And no one she’s related to has died.”

“Funerals are family time.” Turner chuckled. “Guess you’ll have to catch that idea on your own.” Hetossed down a card on the table “You know even if I wasn’t cheating you would still be terrible at thisgame.”

Rhapsody grinned as her cousin raked her chips to his elbow.

“You really shouldn’t sneak up on people you know.”

“Such a cold welcome.” A gravelly voice sounded from behind Aria.

Aria glanced over her shoulder with the sort of cool disdain once reserved for men who came grovellingaround her high heels. A lesser woman might have flinched at the sight of the immaterial black figure inher living room, but she simply swept him with a cool appraising glance before demanding “What doyou want?”

“Aria Bohemian, I don’t believe we’ve ever met.”

“And I was intending to keep it that way. What do you want?”

“Your brother is dead.”

Aria did not even blink “I’d heard. What of it.?

“You were meant to die before him.”

“Yes, well, that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen any time soon.” Aria smirked gesturing at her stillyoung body.

“Aria Bohemian, your time came and went several days ago. And now you have a choice to make.”

“And what is that supposed to mean” Aria demanded as Death began to drift almost languidly around her.

“The time you were given to be upon this earth, to live, has run out, there are no more days left for you to useAria. People like you, who try to fight death, cheat me, you do not realize how close you bring the delicatebalance of the universe to destruction. You are living on borrowed time in a very literal sense, borrowed fromyour closest blood relation.”

Aria understood immediately “Requiem.”

Death gave a ponderous nod “For every day you live longer than you should, she lives a day less. Since youseem to intend to live forever, I will take her life now as payment for yours.”

Aria’s eyes narrowed to slits, though she remained perfectly still “I won’t let you do that.”

“An eye for an eye Aria Bohemian. Either you choose to die or she will. If you do not allow me to collect hertoday, she will die more slowly, perhaps. But she will not live to graduate university.”

“I have other family. By all means take the rest of my sister’s time for me. Nothing would give me morepleasure.”

“Your sister has little time left to her any way, her death wouldn’t serve you.”

“I’d still enjoy it.”

“No, the only life you have the power to give is her.s”

Aria’s head whipped around to follow Death’s bony finger just as the door opened and Requiem stepped inside.“Mother I-” she stopped short “What’s going on?”

Aria was silent for a long moment as her daughter stared at the scene before her in obvious confusion. “Go to yourroom Requiem.”

“But I.”

“Now.” Aria snapped. Her daughter swallowed before nodding and quickly retreating from the room.

A long silence followed the girl’s retreat. And then Aria moved very slowly very deliberately, leaningacross the couch towards the hooded figure, her hands curling around the back of the couch, “I don’tlike to be threatened. If you go anywhere near her, I will find a way to bring pain to you, regardless ofyou being nothing but a bag of bones.”

“Then you will die.”

Aria leaned towards death, a slow smile curling her lips “What if I could give you someone else, anotherlife for mine, before her time?”

“That would suit.” Death conceded “though trapped here as you are I doubt it is in your power to giveme another life.”

“Let me worry about that,” Aria arched her back lazily “How do you feel about Legacy Heiresses?”

“Watch out to your left- Your other left!” Abbey jammed a button just as the game emitted a smallexplosion sound. “Can you not tell your left from your right?”

“I thought you meant the screen’s left.” Orion retorted, “And at least I’m not the one who couldn’t evenhit a barn door with her sniper.” boom “Hey! What was that! I’m on your team!”

“Sorry, I guess I just can’t aim my sniper to save my life hmmm?”

“So, this is how you two clean up?” Orpheus Bohemian, like his adopted children, was still wearing hissuit from the wake.

Abbey smiled up at her father “You’ll find it’s surprisingly effective actually.”

“Video games are part of the process” Orion agreed.

“Kids...”

“Oh it’ll be ok Orpheus.” Apollo chucked his son gently on the shoulder as he passed, before slowlylowering his elderly body into the seat between his grandchildren. “What’re we playing?”

Apollo watched the pair blow things up for quite some time before announcing that he was going tomake some popcorn.

He nearly walked straight into the grim reaper as he stood “Oh hello” He smiled guilessly at the spectre.

“Apollo Bohemian, your time is up.”

Apollo blinked at the suitcase before simply nodding “Ok.” He turned to wave at his grandchildren andson who were suddenly less cheery, before picking it up.

“What about my sister?” Apollo, asked as he felt himself fading to the other side “I can’t leave withouther.”

“Do not worry, we have another stop to make today.”

“So I was thinking we should- what was that?” Artemis interrupted herself mid conversation as herhusband looked at her in bewilderment.

“What was what?”

“That. You mean you didn’t feel that?” Artemis shook her head, as if trying to clear her head ofcobwebs, “Something’s wrong.” An instant later the phone rang.

“Hello.” She heard Journey pick up in the kitchen, “Oh hi Abbey...What?”

And before he said another word Artemis knew. “My brother’s dead.”

The sound of air being sucked out of space came only a moment later. Dimly Artemis heard hergrandson’s voice falter on the telephone as he peered through to the living room.

“Artemis and Holden Bohemian” The spectre spoke as he materialized, “Your time is up.”

“No need to cry the reaper” Told Artemis as she watched her husband fade “You’re coming as well” Heplaced his hand on her arm.

The Generation three Heiress barely heard the pounding of feet as her grandchildren rushed into thekitchen, didn’t hear them begin to sob. The couple simply quietly took their suitcases and followed theshade to the other world.

As her grandmother faded, and what remained of the family wept copiously over their graves, Rhapsodyfelt the idea come to her. The niggling little thought that she been flitting teasingly around her mind,stubbornly eluding her, blazed clearly, as she reached out and snatched it from thin air.

She inhaled sharply.

She could save them.

“So as plans go,” Journey arched an eyebrow at his sister as she finished talking “this really isn’t themost genius one of all time is it.”

“You know what, when you come up with any ideas of your own you can mouth off. Until then shut upand let the girl talk.” Cayenne glared at her cousin through carefully concealed swollen red eyes fromcrying “You couldn’t even care less if we died.”

Turner smacked the pair hard in the back of the head “Both of you shut up. It’s as worth a try asanything else.”

Requiem’s gaze swept the group with interest. She had not seen much of any of them since they hadreturned from their adventure on the road, but she was very aware that something was wrong. The griefof the death of their grandparents seemed to have somehow brought to light the fact that they were invery real trouble of dying themselves.

It was a pack of irritable unhappy teenagers who met that day. And Requiem felt a stab of annoyanceand jealousy that was becoming less and less unusual, that she was once again an outsider looking onthe family ties that united her friends.

“Well it’s worth a shot” Phoenix spoke up, tiredly. “I mean we might as well try.”

“Even if it is more of a plan to make a plan than an actual plan.” Elise admitted. The brunette didn’t bother looking up from where she was fiddling with syringes.

Phoenix’s gaze flicked to his sister’s face and he sighed “I don’t need another shot.”

“Damn straight you do. You’re not spending a night in the cold in a graveyard without one, you could catch something.”

It had been only a few days after their return that Phoenix had fallen ill again, and Elise had leapt into action concocting the cure detailed by Mortimer Goth. It turned out the man’s ghost was no liar, Phoenix had been cured within a matter of hours, before his parents could even notice he was ill.

And fortunately for them it was Mortimer Goth who had spurred Dee’s idea.

“Look, with everyone dying lately, there’s a chance we might be able to talk to them again...one last time, if they come back as ghosts. But now that they’re on the other side maybe they know something, something that can help us stop you guys from being catapulted into death against your will.”

“It’s worth a try.” Elise admitted.

“Great” Dee beamed “We’ll meet tonight at the graveyard just before nightfall.”

“Requiem.” Em started before turning at the sound of her mother’s voice.

“Oh, mother- I didn’t- I’m just home to get some clothes. I’m going out tonight...”

“Come and have a seat darling, let’s talk.”

The oily quality of her mother’s tone was enough to surprise Requiem into obeying, let alone the fact that she called her “darling”.

“Is this about yesterday?” Em asked cautiously.

“Clever girl.” Requiem was extremely aware of her mother’s eyes on her. She was unused to prolonged attention from the woman who had given birth to her.

“Where’s Dad?” She asked suddenly

“Out.” Aria waved a hand airily.

A moment of silence passed as the two women stared at each other across the table before Aria finally spoke up “You don’t want to die do you Requiem?”

Em’s eyes darted to her mother’s face, but it was unreadable, her blue eyes fixed on her, boring straight through her “Of course not.”

“Good...then I can help you.”

“You see Requiem, yesterday Death was coming for you.” Em felt herself go cold all over, and suddenly her mother had her undivided attention. “It’s a long story,” Aria continued, trailing her fingers lazily across the table top as she sauntered forwards “but suffice to say, I am older than I look...and by all rights I should be dead. Instead you are to die in my place.”

Requiem felt her heart flip in her chest. “I- mother.” Tears welled up in her eyes “I don’t want to die.”

Unexpectedly Aria gathered her up in her arms and Em felt herself melt into her mother’s embrace. She hadn’t been held this close by the woman for as long as she could remember, she took a deep breath and inhaled her scent as her mother ran her hands comfortingly up and down her back “Shhh, it’s all right, I’m not going to let you.”

“But-” she pulled away “Someone must die. And the reaper has agreed to take the life of another. But he will only have one person instead of you.”

“Who?”

Aria allowed herself a triumphant smile that was quickly concealed “Why, the little legacy heiress of course.”

“Rhapsody.” Em pulled away as fast as if she had been stung “No. She’s- she’s my friend, I can’t let her die...someone else...anyone...a stranger...”

“You’d rather die yourself?” Aria’s gaze swept her daughter contemptuously.

“I-” She shook her head “Dee hasn’t done anything wrong, she’d do anything for me.”

“Mmm, perhaps, but you are not her, you’re not like her.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Really? a moment ago you suggested murdering a complete stranger, a man, a woman, a child, whomight have a whole family to grieve him, just so you could live. Do you think such a thought would everoccur to your precious friend. Besides if you really believe she would give up her life for you, you are farmore foolish than I give you credit for. There are thousands of stories of men and women dying for theirchildren, for their family, for the person they love. What person would do that for someone who is onlya friend.”

“And when she has a husband and children, where exactly are you going to fit into her life?”

Em turned her way, and her mother smirked “The thought had occurred to you hadn’t it? But, I, I amyour mother. You’re my family. And in the end I am the one who is still going to be here for you. Youknow that I love you in a way that a friend never can.”

Requiem felt her breath catch in her throat. “You love me.”

“Of course darling.” Aria used her sweetest voice as she reached out to brush a dark strand of hair fromher daughter’s face. “You’re my daughter.” She felt the girl shudder below her touch and smirkedinwardly. Seducing was Aria’s art, she had years of experience with men, and her daughter was barelydifferent. She wanted her love, just like all those men had, and dangling the promise of it in front of her,after depriving her for so long, like food to a starving child, guaranteed she could make her do anythingshe wanted.

She drew back and placed the gun on the table, and she saw uncertainty in the girl’s eyes “I- can’t.”

“Of course you can, you’re my daughter. It’s surprisingly easy. You just point and pull the trigger.”

“But-”

Aria pushed the gun into her daughter’s hand. “If you really believe she would die for you, then why notput it to the test. And if she wouldn’t, if it was all lies, if her friendship really is as shallow as allfriendships are, will you not hate her enough to see her die anyway.”

“I hope you brought a sweater!” Dee smiled as her friend met her outside her house in the last hourbefore nightfall. They fell into step beside each other as they headed towards the graveyard. “Sorry, it’sa bit of a walk. Dad’s idea to make a graveyard, he though the family should all be in one place. Journeywent ahead by the way, he took the bike, said walking was for losers. So it looks like you and I get to belosers together and not use gas and destroy the environment.”

Dee’s chattering took them out of sight of the Bohemian house as they cut across the sandy expanseout of the sight of the road. “You’re not saying much.”

Em stopped abruptly and Rhapsody turned to look at her friend “I imagine it’s probably worse to diethan to just...disappear from existence. Don’t you.”

“I don’t know...maybe it’s better to die and leave a trace that you were here than never have existed.Why?”

“I really don’t want to do either.”

In the time it took to blink Requiem had the gun pointing at Rhapsody’s chest. Dee did not gape, did notflinch, did not try to run, she just waited.

“If you don’t die...I will...or my mother, and- I-” Em could feel her hand shaking violently as she held thegun “and she’s...she’s going to be there, long after we’re no longer friends.”

“Why wouldn’t we be friends anymore.” Dee looked at the gun with an odd mix of puzzlement andsorrow.

“Don’t” Em half sobbed the word as she pressed the gun flat against Dee’s chest “We’re just friends,and you have everything, you have family, you have a life, you’re going to have children and get marriedand grow old, and forget about me. My family, my parents is all I have. I can’t lose my mother, I can’t.”

“I understand.” Rhapsody nodded “Family is...family. It’s about making what you can out of the cardsbirth deals you. Friendship is about choices, about recognizing something wonderful in someone elseand choosing it. And you’re making a choice.”

The worst part was, that Em knew she wasn’t bargaining, she knew she wasn’t trying to change hermind, she wasn’t trying to manipulate her into living. She was just saying what she felt.

And then Rhapsody looked up from the barrel of the gun straight into her eyes.

“Go ahead.” She placed one hand on the gun, pulling it towards her “Shoot me.”

“Where’s that sister of yours anyway?” Phoenix peered into the dark as he dropped another log onto their small fire .

“She probably got distracted by something shiny.” Journey shrugged.

But Turner was looking off in concern “Still...she should be here by now.”

“Ow!” Journey’s head turned to find his sister picking her way clumsily between two arches into the graveyard.

“There you are kid,” Turner made to rise as he saw her “I was just about to send the search party out for you. What took you so long.” He shot a quick glance behind her “Where’s Em?”

No one noticed the look that flitted across the heiress’s face “She couldn't make it.”

Aria’s gaze flicked disdainfully to the gun on the table, then back up to her daughter’s face “You didn’t do it.”

“No.”

“Hmmm, not as much my daughter as I had hoped then. Are you ready to die?”

“Stop it,” Requiem had never raised her voice to her mother before, to anyone, but suddenly all the anger and resentment she had tried to wall up inside herself came flooding out “stop trying to manipulate me.”

“I’m only stating a fact Requiem,” Aria sighed with maddening calm “it’s you or her, what kind of self loathing must you have to think she is worth more than you.”

“Or maybe you’re just brimming with Egotism if you think you’re worth more than me.”

“Because we both know there’s a third choice. You can die.”

“So what’s the plan” Journey asked as the group huddled around the fire “Just sit here and wait for the ghosts of our ancestors to rise up?”

“I guess.” Dee replied uncertainly, ignoring Cayenne muttering something that sounded like ‘emo brat’.

“After this you’re not allowed to come up with plans anymore.”

“Well, well, look who’s grown a spine. But we both know you won’t shoot me.”

“You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know that if you can’t shoot a friend you certainly won’t be able to kill your mother.”

“I couldn’t shoot a friend who was good to me. I can shoot my mother who’s never been anything but a cold hearted bitch since I was born.”

“What was that?” Dee’s head snapped around, as the other looked around in bewilderment.

“I didn’t hear anything.” Phoenix shook his head.

“It’s just the cemetery psyching you out.” Turner reassured his cousin.

“Sure...

“So what’s your plan, you shoot me, and then? Run off to your little friend. Do you really think she’ll want to see your face again after you pointed a gun at her. You threatened the life of a precious little legacy heiress, she’s probably telling everyone right now. What must they think of you...”

“Stop it.”

“What exactly do you imagine you’re you going to do? Go to them with my blood on your hands and beg forgiveness?”

“I’m...” Dee stared off in the direction of the imaginary noise “I’m going to go get my phone out of my tent...” she lied, quickly rising to her feet before anyone could question her.

Outside of the light of the campfire she looked around nervously “Hello?” She called into the blackness.

“I would never have thought you so naive Requiem, every relationship is about using. I used you. Andyou’re like me, you’re the user. What exactly do you think your little friend Rhapsody ever got out ofyour friendship? Or did you think I didn’t know you were befriending the enemy. I wanted you there, Iwanted you close to them so you could play my games for me. And you were doing such a good job untilyou showed your cowardice. And I know, and I know it always you leeching off her happiness. There isno love there. There is no such thing as love.”

Requiem tightened her grip on the gun “Dad...”

“You want to know something about your father Requiem. He tried to leave while I was pregnant withyou. He resents you every single day for keeping him here, when he could be elsewhere, living his life.”

“That’s not true!”

“I’m afraid it is Requiem. I am all you have.”

“I hate you.”

“Yes I know you do. We’re family.”

For the second time that day Requiem levelled her gun at someone and she saw contempt flash across her mother’s eyes. “If you were going to kill me you would have done it about ten minutes ago.”

And for the second time that day she ran.

She barely noticed brushing by her father as she bolted through the door, tears blurring her eyes. Rhysreached for her but his eye closed around air and he instead turned to face Aria, whose eyes wereburning with something he didn’t recognize.

“What did you do to her?”

“Hello?”

“There is something seriously wrong with you”

“Oh please, as if you didn’t know what I wasdoing. Besides, if you really cared why have youeven let her stay here.”

“Anyone there?”

“I don’t have to listen to this.”

“Do not walk away from me when I’m talking to you Aria Bohemian. I-”

“Aaaaa-”

Turner was on his feet in a second and running in the direction of Dee’s scream, the others close behind him.

But what they found there was...nothing.

“Where is she!”

Elise appeared a moment later flashlight in hand, sweeping the darkness with the beam. There was nothing there but graves.

“Dee!” Journey shouted, casting his gaze around in panic.

“Spread out” Turner ordered immediately “Look around.”

“She can’t be far! It’s nothing but desert, there’s no where for to hide. And she can’t just have vanished into thin air.”

Ten minutes later five worried looking teenagers assembled around their campfire.

“I hate to say this.” Cayenne worried at her lower lip “But I think we need Mom and Dad.”

“What do you mean, You lost Rhapsody?”

River ran his hand through his hair, making it stand on end more than it usually did as he inspected his son in bafflement “How could – how did this happen.” He softened his tone a little conscious of the fact that Journey was already looking thoroughly miserable.

“I don’t know. She wandered off, and then she screamed...or she started to scream and then it just cut out. And she was gone. Out of thin air!”

“What were you doing in the graveyard in the middle of the night anyway.”

“Long story” Journey provided unhelpfully.

Saffron chose that moment to reappear, holding her cell phone in her hand. “Well, where’s Dad?” Cayenne asked instantly.

Saffron shook her head “If I knew I would tell you. He was in here when I went to bed. It’s not like him to leave and not say anything. And I can’t get him on his phone.”

Just at that moment the phone in her hand rang. “It’s 2 in the morning who would be calling you now.”

At that instant River’s phone began to ring “Who would be calling the both of us.”

The siblings exchanged a glance before flipping open their phones.

“Wren? What’s wrong?”

“I’m not waking you am I?”

“No, we’re in the middle of a bit of a family crisis, what’s up.”

“Well actually...”

“...there’s a bit of a family crisis over here too.”

“Slow down Kess, tell me what’s wrong.”

“Norris is missing.”

“What do you mean Charles is missing?” Saffron frowned into the receiver, as she and River exchanged a look.

“Look...there may be a pattern developing here...We’re looking into it. I’ll keep you posted. Ok...I’ll call you as soon as I know anything, I promise.”

No sooner had they hung up than Snow and Timothy rushed in, wearing coats over their nightwear.

“Is everyone ok? What’s going on.”

“It’s 3 a.m do you know where your husband is? Cayenne quipped drily, her mother gave her a quelling look, and quickly briefed her little sister on the situation.

“Looks like Em might need to be added to our missing list.” Turner leaned in the doorway, worry etched across his features “I figured if anyone knew where Dee might be it would be her. She’s not picking up.”

“This reeks of our loving aunt.” Saffron muttered tossing her phone on the couch for lack of pocket in pyjamas.

Rive shook his head “That doesn’t make any sense...if it was just Dee missing I might have thought the same thing, but the others...She has no reason, and no means to spirit away 3 grown men.”

“I still think we should go have a little chat with her.”

“No, Saffron, even assuming she’s still alive I don’t think she has anything to do with this.”

“You don’t know that. My husband is missing River!”

“And my daughter is missing Saffron.” River met her gaze levelly “Promise me you won’t do anything.”

River watched his elder sister fighting her natural rebelliousness for a long moment, until she nodded, somewhat reluctantly.

“If you don’t need us, Tim and I are going to take Phoenix and Elise home.” Snow smoothed her rumpled dress anxiously.

“I’m going to go down to the station, and get some help.” Zoe put in.

“Ok, and I’ll head down to the graveyard and see what I can find. Saffy, do you mind keeping an eye on Journey for a while?”

“Not a problem you guys go ahead, I’ll make sure we don’t misplace anyone else tonight.”

The door had barely closed behind her siblings before Saffron was up the stairs, yanking off her pyjamas an pulling on clothes as quickly as her finger could do up buttons.

“Turner, you’re in charge while I’m gone” Saffron shot over her shoulder as she strode out the door, shoving a gun in her pocket as she went. “Stay here, and look after you sisters and cousin. Ok?”

She didn’t give him time to reply. The door rattled on her way out.

The House was quiet. Quiet enough that Saffron could hear herself breathing as she stood with her backpressed against the blackened brick of the house. She listened carefully, she couldn’t hear anything, thewindows were dark. By all appearances no one was home, carefully she pushed the door. It swungsoundlessly open. Unlocked.

She moved, slowly, careful that a misstep or a creaking floorboard wouldn’t betray her. But at firstglance the house looked just as empty as it had seemed from the outside. And yet, Saffron noted as sheglanced around at the embers still glowing in the fireplace, it had not been empty for long.

Saffron was stepping out of the dining room when the shadow moved in the doorway. Instantly shestepped back, and waited. Out of the corner of her eye she could see it moving across the floor. Slowly,carefully until it was nearly upon her.

Saffron moved quickly silently, and with one smooth silent motion she was out of her hiding place. Sheslammed her shoulder into the figure’s chest and pinned him against the wall.

“Turner?” Saffy stared down at her son, as he sagged against the wall.

“Hey Mom.” he coughed as he tried to regain his breath and smile winningly at his mother simultaneously.

“What’re you doing here.”

Turner grinned rakishly up a this mother as he straightened himself “I couldn’t let you have all the fun.”

“I thought I told you to stay home.”

“Yeah, and I thought uncle River told you not to do anything reckless. Clearly neither of us is great atdoing what we’re told. Family trait I guess.”

“What is this place anyway?” Turner peered around.

“It’s not safe. Now go home.”

“Not a chance. I’m leaving with you or not at all.”

Saffron gave her son the sort of assessing look she normally reserved for a particularly difficultgovernment facility security system. Her ultimate conclusion was that he was right. He was too muchlike her to do what he was told. “Fine.” She conceded finally “But you do what I say. No matter what?Understood.” Turner saluted his mother in acknowledgement and together they continued theirexploration of the house.

As stealthily as they could manage the pair explored one room after another. Everything they found,embers in the fireplace, dirty towels, rumpled bed sheets, screamed of recent inhabitation. And yet noone was to be found in the house.

Or almost no one.

The final room looked like all the others, but Saffron noticed something immediately. Tapping Turner on the shoulder she pointed to where light flooded from under the door.

He nodded silently, Saffron checked her gun on her hip and flung open the door.

And found herself staring into a pair of terrified eyes.

Her hand strayed to her gun almost automatically before recognition set in and it was all Saffron could do to keep from gaping.

Turner pushed past her “Requiem?”

Requiem flinched backwards but Turner was next to her in an instant. Kneeling.

“Thank god, you’re ok. What are you doing here.”

“I-I live here” Requiem took a shaky breath, “You mean you’re not here for me?”

“What? No, we’re looking for-”

“-your mother.” Saffron completed, her voice eerily even as her gaze swept Em, and the pieces allsuddenly fell into place. She shook her head, it should have been obvious from the beginning, as shelooked at her now she saw the resemblance, the dark hair, those heavily veiled eyes that on Ariaseemed to scream of malice, but which were at that moment bloodshot and confused as she looked atRequiem. The situation begged a thousand questions, but Saffron had one which was more pressingthat the others.

“Where is she?”

“I don’t know.” Requiem shook her head, “We- had a fight- I left....but I didn’t get very far... I had tocome back...and when I did...they were just gone, both of them. Mom and Dad. Mom’s never beengone...but they just left me.” Tears welled up in Requiem’s eyes and she wiped them away stubbornly.

Saffron sighed, and ran a hand through her dark hair “Well that complicates matters. That adds twomore people to our list of disappearances. I guess we have nothing left to do here. Come on, we’regoing home. You too Requiem.”

As Saffron spun on her heel, Turner helped a still shaky Requiem to her feet. She took a step towards thedoor but he stopped her, spinning her slowly to face him. Requiem felt fear well up in her chest. Whenshe had seen them burst through her door, she had been gripped with the certainty that they werethere for her. But as she forced herself to raise her eyes and look at Turner’s face, she did not see theknowledge of what she had done, or almost done, to Rhapsody, written there. There was only concern,not anger.

“I was worried about you kid.” Turner brushed a dark strand of hair from her face, in a way that sent astabbing reminder of her mother through Requiem. But she had one pressing question “Where’s Dee?”

Turner’s face changed suddenly “I forgot you didn’t know.”

“Dee’s missing”

And that is the end of Part one of this chapter. On a cliff hanger sorry. And especially sorry that I might leave you hanging for a little while since it’s unlikely I’ll get part 2 our before the New-Year. So until then, Happy Holidays, I hope you’re having a wonderful season and I will see you all in Part 2 sometime in the not too distant future I hope.