Zelda was on make-up duty for the school's Halloween play. It was an original production about all of the classic monsters' kids. The kids all looked adorable, but it was a challenge to keep them from touching their faces once the make-up was finished.

Eden was playing the baby mummy, so she was wrapped from head to toe in strips of fabric with only her eyes and nose showing. As far as costumes went it had been an easy one, even though Zelda had spent many nights over the last few weeks cutting fabric strips and sewing them end to end.

As the show started, all of the little voices started to whisper, but what a kid considers a whisper is not really a whisper, and Zelda had to laugh as she sneaked through a side door to the large cafeteria turned auditorium and grabbed a chair along one of the walls, letting her eyes scan the crowd. There were too many people, and it was too dark for her to see if Zebadiah and Lucy had made it. All she could do was hope that they had.

Zelda was a proud mom as she watched Eden deliver her lines. Eden was so worried about being heard that she wasn't focused on the delivery, and it was delightful to watch her un-selfconscious delivery.

The show was a short one due to limited attention spans, and as soon as it was over, everyone in the room gave a standing ovation for the little players who, in turn, took it as their right and bowed their way off stage.

A moment later, the door next to her opened and the kids came streaming into the large room, looking for their parents who greeted them with hugs and kisses. The noise was unbelievably loud but cheerful. When Eden burst through the door she saw Zelda and wrapped herself around her legs looking up at her.

"Did you like it, Mommy?" she shouted, her big brown eyes wide as she awaited the verdict.

"I think you were the most perfect mummy that I've ever seen." She hugged the girl before swinging her up in a chair, so she was level with Zelda. "And, I must add that whoever is responsible for your most perfect costume is a genius!" She hugged the girl close, who then started to shout and jump up and down on the chair.

"Mommy, look!" Eden pulled away and pointed. "It's Uncle Zebadiah, Aunt Lucy, and Boone!" Eden jumped from foot to foot as they wound their way through the crowd, gaining more than a few looks from the people surrounding them.

Eden hugged Lucy first and then Zebadiah before launching herself into Boone's arms. It was apparent that he was the favored one, and Zelda couldn't blame the girl for her choice.

Boone looked handsome in a pair of slacks and a dress shirt, and he received Eden's greeting with just as much joy as Eden had given it. "You came!" she yelled with a squeal.

"I promised I would," Boone reminded her with a smile before he turned to look down at Zelda. His gaze was polite, lacking its usual friendliness.

It was unexpected and cut her to the quick, but she couldn't blame him, it was her fault for pulling away,

"You were the best mummy I've ever seen!" Boone told her with Lucy and Zebadiah agreeing wholeheartedly with his assessment. "What do you say we all go out for pizza to celebrate?"

Everyone agreed, and Zelda didn't have the heart to tell Eden no. It was all of Eden's favorite people in one place and she was glowing.

"Can I stay in my costume?" Eden asked, turning to Zelda.

"Sure," Zelda agreed, although she was picturing pizza sauce everywhere. "Just give me a minute to go backstage and grab my things," she said as she rubbed Eden's back.

"We'll wait here," Boone said without looking at her.

Zelda caught Lucy's eye as she turned, and she was looking curiously between them. "I'll go with you in case you need help," Lucy suggested It was a suggestion that shocked Zelda. Lucy had never made such an offer before. Zelda nodded without commend and led the way.

"What's changed between you and Boone?" Lucy asked once they had reached the quiet backstage, letting Zelda know the true reason she had offered to join her. "You two seemed to be getting along so well when you came to stay the weekend with us."

Zelda shrugged. "We're just in different places right now, and it's not the right time for a relationship."

"But, there was a relationship?" Lucy asked for clarification.

"No, not really," Zelda said. "We've always been friends." It was a lame response but what could she say? They had been in love with each other for years and only found it out recently. Then they had had a passionate night that left Zelda aching for more, but she was too scared to take more, even though he was offering, because of a mad stalker and a potential threat to Eden? It was too much to lay on poor Lucy, and if she wasn't willing to share it with Boone, why would she share it with Lucy?

"Zelda!" the teacher in charge greeted her. "Thank you so much for all of your hard work! We really appreciate it." She hugged Zelda and then wandered off on the high of a job well done.

Lucy didn't ask her any more questions as she took the few things Zelda handed to her. Zelda should make an effort to have a deeper relationship with Lucy, but it was hard. Lucy was very private and guarded, and so was Zelda in her own way.

They returned to the cafeteria and looked around for Zebadiah, Boone, and Eden. They had moved to the other side of the room and were talking to an older man. Zelda's heart stopped when she realized it was Charles Strauss. In fact, she had stopped altogether, frozen in place as she looked at her worst nightmare come true.

Charles was talking to Eden, but, thankfully, Boone was still holding her close.

Lucy noticed that Zelda had stopped and looked back at her. "Zelda?" she asked.

"It's fine. I thought I forgot something," Zelda said, forcing herself to move towards the little group. It took all Zelda had not to run towards them, grab Eden, and dart out the door to safety.

When she reached them she looked at Charles, who gave her a pleasant smile, but she read the threat in it.

"Zelda! It's great to see you again. I was telling Eden what a great job she did!" He turned to Lucy and held out his hand. "Charles," he introduced himself.

Lucy paused only for a moment before she took his hand, and as soon as she did, she gasped and went pale before she dropped it. "Sorry," she said, rubbing her hand on her jeans. "I have a bad cut."

Zelda missed Zebadiah's quick look of concern for his wife before he turned all of his attention back onto Charles.

"If you'll excuse us, we're about to have a family dinner," Zebadiah said, stepping between the man and everyone in the group. This time Zelda couldn't help but miss his reaction to Charles even though she was at a loss as to why. Maybe he could sense the evil in the man.

Boone followed his lead and stepped back with Eden, turning to face Zelda and Lucy.

Charles and Zebadiah spoke for a minute more before Charles left, and Zelda could breathe normally once more.

"Who is he?" Zebadiah asked as he placed his hand in the small of Lucy's back, and Zelda watched as Lucy shook her head. "I d-don't know, but he's not nice, all I heard was Zelda screaming." Lucy looked at Zelda, who felt her as if she had things crawling under her skin at Lucy's announcement.

"You didn't see anything else?" Zebadiah asked, looking down at his wife as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"What do you mean by 'see'?" Boone asked.

"Why was Mommy screaming?" Eden asked in a hushed whisper with wide eyes, and It brought them all back to the present.

"I-I see things sometimes, when I meet people or when I touch them." Lucy swallowed hard as she looked at her feet. "It wasn't a real scream Eden. More like yelling, and she was probably telling you to clean your room." Lucy smiled at Eden, but it didn't reach her eyes. However, it was enough to calm Eden down.

"You'll have to tell us more about this at dinner," Boone said as they started to walk towards the exit. "I am intrigued."

Zelda tuned out of the conversation around her as she thought about what Lucy had said. Lucy had heard her screaming, and the only thing Zelda could think of that would make her scream would be if she lost Eden.

Why had Charles been there? It was a brazen thing to do, which made Zelda's hope that he was bluffing take a nosedive.

"Can you really see the future?" Zelda asked Lucy in a whisper as they fell behind the men.

Lucy stopped and looked at Zelda with fear in her eyes, nodding. "But it can change. I can only see it while you are on your current course; decisions can affect it. Nothing is set in stone."

"What kind of scream?" Zelda asked, pale and shaking. If her brother believed in Lucy, then she should too.

"You were screaming, 'please, please, don't take my baby.'" Lucy's voice shook as she said it.

"But I can fix it?" Zelda said, her voice thick with panic.

"Yes, but I can't tell you how." Lucy's turned and walked away towards Zebadiah, who held out his hand for her.

When Zelda's eyes met Boone's, he didn't offer her his hand.