Oliver was having his own visions. He'd grown used to them over the years. However it didn't make it much easier to try and discern what exactly they meant. To Oliver, his visions weren't always clear at first. They were usually fragments of pictures, like a puzzle that he was forced to put together.

Penelope is standing beside a grave. Whose? Oliver can't quite make out the name. Is it...possibly..his? He can't be sure. She looks...pensive, but not necessarily sad.

The image switches. Oliver hones his gift, focusing on the images as they flicker through his mind.

Bright orange flames are licking at the walls of Esper Hall. Penelope is screaming and sobbing, pleading with someone that Oliver can't quite see. Penelope is distraught, falling on the ground, tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

Oliver's body jerked suddenly, as he came out of the horrific visions. Sweat was glistening on his upper brow, his breathing hitched. He gulped in several lung fills of air. God, he hated coming back from those visions! That part always irritated him.

Oliver reached over, grabbing a bottle of water, unscrewing the lid and downing nearly half of it. He gasped as he settled back in his chair. He cleared his mind before standing. It was time to do his own summoning.

***
Penelope immediately recognized Laina as she walked down the street. Penelope waved to her and Laina's face lit up at the recognition of Penelope as well. She quickly pushed her way through the crowd and greeted her new friend.

"Hey! Fancy seeing you here," Penelope joked and Laina laughed.

"Ditto! You out shopping or just browsing?" Laina asked as she wandered over to a stall featuring some baked goods.

"Just browsing," Penelope repiled as she looked over the assortment of treats piled up on the stall shelf.

"Has your aunt recovered from my unexpected visit?" Penelope picked up a carton of ginger snaps and handed the man running the stall some money.

"I doubt it. But that's only because she's so dramatic." The man returned Penelope's change and the two girls wandered over to a group of people who were trying to get some dogs and cats adopted.

Laina smiled as a small black puppy jumped up, placing their paws on her leg. She leaned over, scratching the puppy's ears and they half closed their eyes, clearly pleased.

"Do you like animals?" Laina asked Penelope who was laughing at the puppy's reaction.

"Oh yes! But my mum is deathly allergic to anything with fur. So no pets for me."

"That's a shame." Laina gave the puppy one last pet before they moved on, searching out what other people were selling here.

"I remember begging my mum for a puppy for my eighth birthday. Naturally she vetoed that idea."

"Maybe if some day you get your own place, you could get a pet," Laina suggested.

"Only if my mum is dead and can't come visit," Penelope said, sounding mournful. Laina felt sorry for her new friend. Penelope obviously didn't have a very happy life.

"P.J., can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure." Penelope gave Laina a puzzled look.

"Is your life really terrible? I mean, you just don't seem too happy."

Penelope took a few minutes before replying. Laina liked how Penelope really seemed to think stuff over that someone had told her instead of just bulldozing ahead with an answer.

"I can't say my life is really terrible," Penelope replied slowly. "I'm not being abused. I have a roof over my head and plenty of food to eat. I'm not restrained in going anywhere. I have a warm bed to sleep in at night. I have those who care about me."

"Living is more than those things, P.J.," Laina insisted. "The most important thing is: are you happy with how things are going?"

The girls paused briefly as they caught sight of Jane, who looked somewhat frantic as she hurried towards them.
Penelope frowned at her mother.

"I lost sight of you," Jane said somewhat breathlessly.

"I told you I was going to go look at the stalls in the area over," Penelope said. Laina noticed how annoyed Penelope appeared.

"Right. Of course, darling." Jane gave Laina a tiny, forced smile before looping one of her arms through one of Penelope's and turning her body away from Laina.

"I do apologize," Jane continued, looking apologetic. "But we really must be returning home. My sister is expecting us for tea."

"I'll see you later, Laina," Penelope said as her mother practically dragged her down the street.

"'Bye!" Laina just managed to call as Penelope and her mother were swallowed up by the massive crowd. She stood there, getting a strange feeling that Penelope's mother didn't really care for her to mingle with Laina much.

***

"You interrupted my good time!" Penelope was putting some serious thought into what Laina had asked her.

"You can chat with your friend another day." Jane flashed her daughter a convincing smile as they reached Esper Hall and walked into the house. Penelope immediately saw a ghostly figure on the stairs but it disappeared quickly. Odd.

Was it Addie? Or her great grandmother? Penelope turned to ask her mother but discovered she'd slipped off already.

What was going on here? Why were her mother and aunt so vague whenever she asked them anything? Oliver was the only one who'd been forthcoming with her in regards to what happened here.

Penelope headed to the kitchen, setting the carton of ginger snaps on the table and caught sight of something shiny lying on the kitchen counter. She ventured forth and found herself studying a beautiful pearl necklace. She fingered it slowly.

"Don't touch those!" Lenora marched over, snatching up the necklace and stuffing it in her pocket, scowling at her niece.

"I wasn't going to steal it," Penelope shot back.

"No? I was beginning to think I was in the presence of a kleptomanaic!" Penelope frowned. What on earth was her bloody batty auntie ranting on about?

"What are you talking about? I haven't stolen anything of yours!"

Lenora pushed her body into Penelope's, pinning her against the kitchen counter, glaring ferociously.

"You're not only a thief but a liar as well!" Penelope placed her hands on her aunt's shoulders, giving her a mighty shove and causing her to stumble backwards.

"You're mad," Penelope snapped. "You don't know what you're saying." Penelope went to brush past her aunt, who grabbed her arm, holding her in a vise like grip. Penelope gasped in pain.

"I'll only warn you this once, you thieving little bitch," Lenora said through clenched teeth. "Stay the hell away from my shit! Or there will be dire consequences."

Jane walked into the kitchen and rushed over, grabbing Penelope and yanking her out of Lenora's iron grasp.

"Keep your hands off my daughter!" Jane seethed. "Or I'll make you sorry!"

"Your threats are meaningless and don't frighten me!" Lenora growled. Suddenly a dark figure blew in, swirling around the three, shrieking loudly. Both Lenora and Jane screeched in terror but Penelope was merely curious.

"Heed my warning! Do not stir up more trouble or you'll perish!" The figure dissolved before them, both Lenora and Jane cowering on the kitchen floor. Penelope watched them for a few seconds before exiting the kitchen. She was annoyed by her mum and auntie and although she knew she shouldn't be having such thoughts, wished they be punished for being such cowards.

***

"Aunt Quinn, I need to know the real reason why Mom left England and never wanted to come back."

Quinn knew this was coming. She knew Laina would want answers. She also knew her sister wouldn't appreciate her telling Laina about why she left.

"She was unhappy here," Quinn began. "She felt like she never belonged here."

Laina rolled her eyes. Like she hadn't heard that lame ass excuse a hundred times.

"I know there has to be more to the story," she said. "I think it has more to do with the fact that her parents expected too much from her and she just wanted to be free to make her own decisions."

"It may not be as prominent now," Quinn said. "But your mom was a free spirit and marched to the beat of her own drum. Our parents were very old fashioned and expected us to do just as we were told."

"Okay," Laina said, nodding. "I get that. That's still no excuse to just run away and act like your family doesn't exist."

"Your mum thought so," Quinn said. "She figured if she didn't acknowledge that family, she could erase the past and invent a new life. One that didn't include us."

"That must have been really hurtful." Laina recalled asking her mother about her life in England and how she was so easily dismissive and mysterious about it.

"It was. But we learned to cope." Quin reached out, hugging Laina. Laina wasn't big on public displays of affection but she'd allow it this time.

"I saw Penelope today, in town. I asked her if she was happy with her life."

"What did she say?" Quinn asked.

"She never got a chance to answer. Her mom showed up and spirited her off before she could." Laina fell silent, just thinking.

"You know I'm not a judgemental person, Aunt Quinn, but there's something really weird about Penelope's family."

"They're eccentrics, Laina," Quinn said with a chuckle. "I'm not terribly surprised."

"No." Laina shook her head. "It's more than that. I can sense something unnerving about them. Especially Penelope's aunt."

"Maybe she's a witch," Quinn teased but Laina didn't laugh. She simply regarded her aunt solemnly.

"I wouldn't be a bit surprised to learn that she was."

***
Penelope was antsy. She wanted to speak with Oliver. She knew he was probably somewhere within the depths of Esper Hall. She thought for a moment. Hadn't she seen Oliver use a secret entrance along one of the hallways?

She wandered down a few hallways, knocking on the walls, listening for hollow sounds and carefully examining them, checking for any doorways. As Penelope studied part of a wall, her fingers brushed against a small seam in the wall and she felt around and suddenly the wall swung open and Penelope's eyes went wide.

A real life secret passageway! How extraordinary! She realized how dangerous it could be and since she didn't know Oliver's exact location, she figured she'd best go grab a torch so she could see her way. Penelope quickly closed the wall panel back up and hurried off to her bedroom, grabbing the torch off her dresser and quickly returning.

A thrill ran through her as she stepped inside, flipping on the torch and shining it around. She didn't see anything too interesting. Mostly she saw thick cobwebs and dust. The cobwebs made Penelope shudder, as she hated spiders and hoped she wouldn't come across any.

Penelope swept the light side to side, her gaze trained on the floor, so she wouldn't fall or trip over something. If she injured herself, she'd have to think of something to tell her mum, which she'd rather not.

The ground was surprisingly clean, with the exception of dust and some dirt. Penelope wondered if Oliver had tidied up in here so he'd be less likely to injure his leg further. Penelope was curious as to how Oliver had injured his leg. Had it been a childhood accident or something that happened after he was grown? Penelope decided that once she knew Oliver a little better, she'd ask him.

A shadow darted across Penelope's path and she gasped, clutching the front of her shirt. The figure materialized in front of Penelope. It wasn't Addie this time. Although Penelope couldn't really make out their facial features. They were blurred, which only freaked her out more.

"Child, you must not be in here."

"I..I'm searching for Oliver. I must see him." The figure slowly dissolved and Penelope was relieved. She wasn't interested in having a weird conversation with a ghost.

"Is someone there?" Penelope heard footsteps coming and in a moment, Oliver stood before her, looking startled.

"Penelope!" He limped over to her and she automatically reached out, grasping ahold of Oliver's shirt sleeve.

"I hope I'm not intruding," Penelope said, grateful for Oliver's presence.

"Not in the least. Come. I'll show you where I reside." Penelope tucked her arm through Oliver's and they slowly made their way to Oliver's living area.

"It's not much." Oliver gave Penelope a apologetic glance.

"It's lovely," Penelope said, stepping back from Oliver. Oliver chuckled. Lovely wasn't the word he'd use to describe this place.

"Can I make you some tea?"

"Yes, please. Then we need to talk. It's why I've come."

"Of course." Oliver limped into the kitchen area and began collecting the items to make some tea. Penelope was looking around at everything in the small, crowded room.

"I don't suppose many people can say they actually live inside the walls of a house," she remarked and Oliver laughed.

"No, I don't suppose they could." He finished making the tea and brought Penelope her mug before grabbing his own and coming to settle down in his chair, across from Penelope.

"What's on your mind?"

"A..a figure paid us a visit earlier. It was warning us not to cause trouble." Penelope watched Oliver's face. She saw a flicker of amusement.

"I see."

"Also my mad aunt has gotten it into her head that I'm stealing from her."

"Ah." Oliver set his mug of tea aside and reached for three, small vials, leaning forward.

"I stole these from your aunt, Penelope. Perhaps you'd best be the one to replace them."

"I'm not sure I should. If Auntie Lenora catches me, she'll blame me for certain and probably throw me out before I can help you."

Oliver nodded, leaning back and setting the vials aside again. Penelope could sense his uneasiness. Something heavy was weighting on the poor man.

"You're troubled." Oliver nodded, lifting up his mug and taking a sip.

"I had some visions of my own. Of..you. There was a fire. You were upset about something. Also I saw you standing by a..grave."

Penelope sucked in her breath. Shit. Was Oliver going to..die? She wasn't sure she could bear that. Although she hadn't known him long, she was growing fond of him.

"You don't know who?" Oliver shook his head.

"I'm sorry." Penelope got up and went to kneel beside Oliver's legs, placing a hand on one of his knees. Oliver gently lay one of his hands over Penelope's.

"You're not going to die, Oliver. I'll do everything that I can to prevent that." Oliver smiled. He knew Penelope would keep her word.

"I know you will, Penelope." Penelope smiled, gently squeezing Oliver's hand.

"Oliver, can I ask you about Addie?"

"Certainly."

"How exactly did she die?"

"She'd caught pneumonia. Her lungs had never been strong. She was born premature and she was never strong, physically because of that. She was often ill as a child."

"That's terrible. So? My aunt didn't have anything to do with Addie's physical ailment?"

"No." Oliver paused. "But I have an idea she might have had something to do with the final end of her."