"You guys know you don't have to come," Thomas said, almost absentmindedly, as we searched for the cliff.

"Well, we are already with you, right?" said Lafayette, looking around at the empty forest that was surrounding us. Perhaps he was searching for an enemy that wasn't there yet everywhere at once, a nameless evil that he could defeat but couldn't be conquered. "Plus, I want to see Earth. Who knows? It could be really nice!"

Thomas scoffed to himself, and I elbowed him in the arm. He sighed and continued, "It's not going to be exciting. I'm going to go somewhere, find what I'm looking for, and leave."

"And we're coming too," Washington added. "I would like to see one of the worlds we're fighting to protect."

Thomas rolled his eyes. The ten of us trailing after him, Thomas led us to the cliff and turned. "Okay, before we go in, we need to lay down some rules. One, do not talk to humans. Two, do not stop, stare, or touch anything if you don't know what it is. Three, you're going to have to change what you're wearing, but I can handle that. And four, I'm in charge."

Nobody seemed too happy with that last rule, but no arguments were set forwards. I took a deep breath and looked around the clearing. Memories swirled up inside of me like dust being disturbed, and even if they weren't the most pleasant, it still made me stop and think.

I couldn't shake the feeling that I was going to be going home, even if it wasn't my home.

I glanced up at Thomas, wondering if he felt the same, and my mouth fell open. I had gotten so used to the magenta overcoat that it felt wrong to see him in the leather jacket and jeans that he was now wearing.

"What?" he asked me, noticing my surprise.

In spite of myself, I grinned. "Sorry. It just... it brings back memories. That's all."

"You do look very strange," James said, staring at his jacket with contempt.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Why can't we talk to the humans?" asked Eliza, straightening the flannel shirt she was now wearing. "What if we have questions to ask them?"

"That right there is why you can't talk to the humans. You'll say something stupid or suspicious, and I don't need to deal with that. If you have a question, you ask me or Alexander."

"But what if I want t—"

"Are you all ready to go?" Thomas asked, clearly losing his patience. He sighed and relaxed his shoulders. "I'm sorry. Frustration. It's the... Tenebrie thing. I'm not mad at any of you. Any more questions?"

No matter how much of it he showed, how many times it was brought up, I saw how the others went silent and still at the mention of the word Tenebrie, and I couldn't believe that Thomas didn't see it too. But if he noticed, he didn't say anything, do anything, or give anything away.

When the silence that had met Thomas's question persisted, Thomas nodded to himself. "Alright. Well, come on." He turned and walked straight into the cliff, disappearing into the stone. Flushed with excitement to see my old home, I went through immediately after him.

It didn't take any longer than a second. I pitched forwards, only to land in Thomas's arms. "Hey," I said, grinning up at him.

"Welcome back."

I steadied myself as the freezing air pierced my lungs, and looked around. It was exactly like I left it, except the oranges and yellows of the leaves had fallen away, leaving nothing but empty branches. The ground was blanketed in a pure white snow.

"Wow," I murmured, glancing around. I looked over at Thomas, who was standing by the portal and waiting. "I can't wait to see our—apartment?"

He nodded.

"How—?"

"It's better that you don't find out the answer to that question."

"Thomas Jefferson. Are you doing something illegal?"

"The last I checked, there wasn't a law in New York about manipulating human's minds so you can have somewhere to live."

I opened my mouth to argue, but I didn't get the chance as Angelica stumbled through. She righted herself and glanced around, seemingly unimpressed. "This is New York? It looks just the same as where we left. Are you sure that—"

"Yeah, I'm sure. And just wait, okay? We haven't seen the fun stuff yet."

"There is no place better than New York City," I reassured her.

Thomas snorted. "Well, you haven't seen Paris. Or any other European city for that matter." He met my eye and smiled. "But I suppose New York is alright too."

"Can't wait. Super excited," commented Angelica, but she did seem a little more... relaxed... than usual.

Washington came through next, followed by Lafayette and Eliza and everyone else, and Peggy came through last.

"Well, Thomas, what do we do now?" asked Hercules as we found the walking trail and followed the way down to the park exit.

"Well, I have to go somewhere a little bit away from here."

"Where?" I asked, thinking something close like Maine or New Jersey.

"Saint Kitts and Nevis." He sighed, casting a look at me. How much did he know? "Particularly the latter."

I didn't stop walking, even though the mere mention of the name was enough for the disgusting, sinking feeling in my stomach to rise.

"What is this stuff?" James asked, picking up a handful of snow

"Snow. When the conditions get cold enough, the water vapor in the clouds freezes. Sometimes it makes snow, other times ice falls from the sky and it's horrible and it damages cars."

"That sounds terrible," James said, dropping the snow.

"Has it really been over a year?" I asked quietly, staring at the whiteness that covered the ground as I desperately tried to warm myself up. I walked close to Thomas, so close that our arms almost touched. "I don't think it's been three months."

Thomas shook his head and took hold of my hand. With his touch came a blast of warmth that I had grown so accustomed to.

Divinity, I'm going to miss this when it's gone.

The thought came out of nowhere, but it was so sudden that I almost stopped walking altogether. It was a hundred times more chilling than the cold air surrounding us, but the worst part was that truth echoed through the statement. I let go of Thomas's hand.

"Lex? What's wrong?" Thomas asked in a low voice.

"Lex?" I paused, looking up at him and pushing the horrible thought to the back of my mind.

"Sorry, Alex. I didn't mean—"

"No! It's cute! I like it, but only if you let me come up with a name for you."

"Deal. Anyway, you alright? Is it because of Nevis?"

I nodded, thankful for the excuse. "Yeah. I just never thought I'd be going back there. But I'll be fine, right?" He smiled down at me, and I took a deep breath. "I hate being cold."

"I know you do."

It wasn't long before we were outside the park and on the street, and this must have been what Thomas was dreading, especially as he went over the rules. I fell away from him and found Peggy standing by herself behind everyone else.

"Hey," I said, falling in time with her stride. "You look lonely."

"Do I now?" she asked, sarcasm biting viciously at the words falling from her mouth. "Well, I guess when you tell everybody you think you're close to that you're not who they think you are, and they inevitably leave you, that tends to happen."

I stared at the ground, unable to look up at her and meet her gaze. It was partially my fault, wasn't it? I didn't have to out her to everyone. "Even Eliza won't talk to you?"

"It's not that they won't talk to me. It's that I know they'd rather not." She sighed and fell silent. "I guess I just thought that the two people who claimed they would always be there to support me would stand by me through this. I'm still the same old Peggy, and I still love them, but whatever, right? I can go fuck myself." Her arms crossed, and she held herself tight. "I'm sorry. I really shouldn't—"

"No! It's fine. It's better to talk about these things than keep them locked away."

"I guess you may have a point."

"I'm sorry that I made you tell everyone."

"Honestly, I should have told them a long time ago, but part of me liked being Peggy, always overlooked but still loved."

"I guess you aren't really their sister then, are you?"

She shook her head, but cast me a smile I wasn't expecting. "I'm going to talk to Angelica."

"Go for it."

"Thanks, Alex." She nodded to me and called out to Angelica, who stopped and waited for her to catch up, and I walked by myself.

I didn't mind it. I needed time to think.

I watched Thomas as he explained the world around us to everyone asking questions and tried to keep them from killing themselves or embarrassing him. He looked happy, but how much of it was fabricated? A feeling only created for show?

The cold was pressing close, and the coat I was wearing didn't do anything to stop it. I couldn't feel my fingers.

I'd never been more relieved to see the familiar looming apartment building at the end of the street before in my life, and I grinned without meaning to as a wave of fresh memories came charging back. Nor had I ever been more relieved to feel the blast of warmth that greeted us as we entered the apartment building.

"Hey."

I looked over to see Eliza, who had fallen in step beside me.

"Hey, what's going on?"

She shrugged.

"What do you think about Earth so far?" I asked, trying my best to strike up a conversation, but the wind blowing out the match was too strong.

"It's loud. And busy. And very... colorful."

"Hah, yeah. That's just New York though. Well, I mean, there are other cities like it, but the entire world isn't this lively."

"Oh. Well, I like it."

"Are things going to be awkward between us now?" I asked, saying what we both were thinking.

Eliza sighed. "I really hope not. I wanted you back, but if you're happy, that's fine." The explanation, though simple, relieved a weight from my shoulders I didn't know I was carrying. "Speaking of which, why aren't you with him?"

"I don't know. He seemed busy and I didn't want to bother him," I said softly, dropping my voice. "I'm also afraid, I guess."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I don't want to get any closer to him because I know I'm just going to lose him and I guess I feel like there isn't really a point or anything."

Eliza rolled her eyes. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. We're helping Thomas, and we aren't going to let him Change. We're going to save him, okay? And the only thing you not talking to him will do is make you lose him faster. So don't be an idiot, and go talk to him."

I glanced over to where he was. "He's talking with the receptionist." Why was he talking with the receptionist? "I can't interrupt them." Oh God, I think he knows her. He was leaning against her desk, and whatever they were talking about was enough to make him laugh.

"You are the most hopeless person I've ever met." She shook her head. "Go. Talk. Stop being dumb."

"I'll talk to him later."

"Alexander."

"Look, I'll—Lafayette, don't touch that!—talk to him later. At least give me a chance to plan out what I need to say."

"When have you ever needed to plan out what you're going to say."

I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came to mind. "You got me there."

"Alright guys," Thomas said, and I straightened as he stopped next to me and took my hand. His voice dropped to a low, dry warning. "We should go upstairs before one of you breaks something." When I pulled away from him, he didn't seem to notice, but Eliza let out a lengthy sigh.

I never thought I'd ever miss this place, but the minute I stepped into the apartment, I couldn't stop the small swell of satisfaction and nostalgia that bubbled up through my chest.

Thomas went to one of the plants hanging from the bookshelf and ran his fingers over its leaf. "Thank Divinity. I was worried they'd die or something."

"This is where you lived?" Lafayette asked, stepping inside and looking around. "This is... small."

"What's that?" James said as he examined the kitchenette.

"That's the stove. Don't touch it."

"What does it do?"

"It helps cook food."

Washington joined Thomas at the bookshelf. "You have a lot of plants."

Thomas threw his hands up in the air. "Jesus Christ! I didn't realize it was judging hour!"

"What's Jesus Christ?"

Thomas looked like he was on the verge of committing mass murder.

"Alright," Angelica said as she stepped into the center of the room. "Now what do we do? We just hang out here? For how long?"

"I need to be in Nevis by tomorrow evening, but you all are welcome to stay here if you want and do whatever you want to do."

"What if we want to go with you?" asked Philip as he preceded to grin. "Guys that rhymed!"

"Okay, Pip. I get it. You're adorable. Happy?"

"Are you leaving us right now?" I asked, surprising even myself. I hadn't wanted to sound too desperate; in fact it might have been better if I hadn't spoken at all. But the softness in his eyes was worth it.

"I guess not. But I probably have some stuff I have to take care of so if you need me, I'll be in—"

"No. Watch a movie with us."

"A what?" asked James. "What kind of name is that?"

Thomas tilted his head, but fortunately, it didn't take much arguing for him to cave in. "I'll watch one movie with you, how's that?"

"Good enough for me."

"Well, what are we going to watch?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"Hercules." I turned to look at Hercules, who's mouth was open as if he was going to respond. "That's the name of your movie. We're going to watch it."

"Nobody's answered me. What's a movie?"

I plopped down on the couch, leaving only a little bit of space between me and the arm of it. "You'll find out."

Thomas warily sat down next to the right of me, but I didn't spare him a glance. He didn't say anything, and I didn't say anything as I started the movie.

"You're pathetic."

My head shot up at the voice, and I glanced over at the wall Eliza was leaning against, talking to Philip. The voice had been hers, undoubtedly, but did I imagine it?

"Wrap your arm around him, idiot."

She met my gaze and gestured with her head to Thomas. I shook my head.

"Don't miss out on this, Alex. He stayed with you even though he knew what was happening to him. Why do you think he refused to tell you?"

I swallowed and glanced over at Thomas, who was watching the beginning of the movie with his head propped on his hand. She had a point.

"And if you don't want to pursue a relationship with him anymore, you at least have to tell him why."

Wrap my arm around him? I thought, to which she nodded. Hey, do me a favor and never do this again.

"We'll see."

And her voice, as well as her presence, was gone. She crossed the room to sit down at the foot of the couch, once more nodding to Thomas.

I looked over at him, knowing that if I hesitated any longer, I wouldn't do it. It was such a simple gesture anyway. I could do it.

I wrapped my arm around him and pulled him closer to me. He relaxed and a satisfied smile tugged at his lips. His hand intertwined with mine, and I felt better just as long as I was holding him.