A/N: Shoutout to Trixie for suggesting the whol Watch It Burn x Make You Mine crossover! Not exactly a crossover, but an ironic and funny mention!

Matilda Hatter's POV

After finishing up her questions with Detective Jack Benson, Matilda found herself seated with most of her friends at the Student Lounge. Tilly lifted a cup of fruit punch as everyone cheered. For the first time since Claudia's death, Tilly felt as if she was lighter. She was finally starting to move on, realizing and coming to terms with her sister's death. Claudia's case would be solved eventually, and justice would be served.

"To Claudia! Finally, that old Milton Grimm can rot away in a jail cell!" Cadien exclaimed, tilting back his head to finish his drink. They were celebrating what major progress had been made. "Okay, time for games!"

"Oh God," Normandy groaned.

"If I was in a different universe, I think I would be a girl called Katrina. Or maybe Kitty, both work," Cadien said, lazing around the sofa. He glanced at Tilly, pondering. "You'd definitely be called Vesperina, it's a spunky name."

"Bianca would be called Melina, they both end with a," Tilly agreed.

"Adelaide would totally be a guy named Maxwell, they're just such fancy names. Oh, Ruby would be Scarlett, because of the red thing," Normandy said eagerly. Then she glanced around. "Speaking of which, where's Ruby and Bianca? And the Liddell cousins. And Hadie just went to try and find AJ. Plus, we haven't heard back from Adelaide yet..."

It just occurred to Tilly that it was the three of them in the Student Lounge. "Huh, weird," she said, lifting the cup to her lips. Fruit punch was Claudia's favourite drink. "I'll try to text them—" Suddenly, a scream interrupted Matilda's train of thought. Her heart pounded as Tilly froze. Claudia? Claudia, Claudia, Claudia—

She immediately scrambled to her feet, rushing towards the door. The scream sounded like it came from outside. Was it another death? Just as Matilda reached the foyer, she spotted Bea coming from the hall while Alex and Ruby were running down the stairs. "Good, you three aren't missing," Tilly gasped, relieved. "Oh God, did you hear that?"

Cadien and Normandy caught up with the group. "Adelaide, AJ, Hadie, and Bianca aren't back," Normandy blurted out, covering her mouth as soon as the words escaped her mouth. "Oh my Grimm."

It might be nothing, Tilly tried to convince herself, but she doubted that. She pushed open the door to the Courtyard, gusts of cold air slapping her in the face. Tilly could hardly breathe as she quickly bolted across the Courtyard, stumbling in the dark as she called out, "Adelaide! AJ! Hadie! Bianca! Are any of you guys out here? Are you okay?" She prayed that it wasn't them, and it might have sounded cruel that she wished it'd be anyone else, but Tilly couldn't afford to lose another friend.

"Tilly, come back!" Beatrice's voice was far behind Matilda.

Suddenly, Tilly staggered after almost tripping over something. Not something, but someone. Her voice caught in her throat as she looked down, shocked and horrified. "No, no," she whispered, swallowing hard. "Please, no."

She stared at the face of Hailee-Diane Dumpty.

Blood traced her battered face, it was fractured and bruised. Almost as if someone had violently hit her repeatedly until she dropped dead. Hadie's corpse was surrounded in a small pool of blood. God, her eyes were void of life, just like how Claudia's were when Tilly made it to the Forever Bridge too late.

Always too late.

୨ৎ──♤♡♢♧──୨ৎ

Ajax Eliot Ace's POV

AJ was at the hospital reception desk, drumming his fingers on the surface as the woman hung up. She was an old lady with wispy gray hair, but a lovely smile. "Hello, honey, what can I do for you?" she asked politely. Honey.

"Uhm, visitor for Cressida Lockes, please?"

The woman's smile strained. "Sorry, visitors are only reserved for family members and significant others. Boyfriend?" she guessed, which made AJ's cheeks redden. He didn't exactly think 'bittersweet rivals' would be a description.

"Yeah, sure." Just a tiny white lie wouldn't hurt.

"Room #23, right by the corner, you can't miss it," the woman replied, smiling. AJ thanked her, walking past several doctors and nurses. When he passed some rooms filled with injured patients, AJ's heart faltered. He never really did well in hospital, too much noises and panic.

Finally, he arrived at Room #23, hesitating before twisting the door knob. Once inside, he heard the soft beeps of machinery and steady breaths. And there she was—Cressida laid in bed, hooked up to all sorts of devices and an IV fluid bag was stuck into her forearm. Her blond hair was tied up, her eyes closed as if she was just taking a short nap.

The poison unfortunately put Miss Lockes into a coma, Bryony Pois had said. We have no idea where she'll wake up. It was strange; Cressida looked so peaceful unconscious, yet there was no telling if she'd live. AJ didn't mean 'live' as in survive, but actually chase life and the thrills it had. Would she be stuck in a coma all her life? AJ hoped not.

Almost awkwardly, he sat down on the visitor's chair next to the bed. AJ would admit it was sort of creepy that he just sat there, watching her, but he felt compelled to do something about Cressida's coma. Truth be told, they were both dicks to each other, and they always just had to push each other's buttons. They both sought academic validation so they were rivals. Yet, AJ would have never wanted this fate to play out for Cressida.

Perhaps it was some sort of guilt, AJ hadn't apologized for his actions back when she was conscious and healthy. They were complicated in that way, but he did grow to care for her presence, liked or not. Bittersweet, that was the perfect word to describe their rivalry and overall relationship.

"I'm sorry," AJ said, though he knew Cressida couldn't hear him. "For everything, you know. Yeah, I was an ass for commenting on your article when journalism is one of things you treasure the most." You're being a fool by talking to thin-air, but AJ didn't stop. "I know I wanted you gone so there'd be less academic competition—and I always wished I could prove you wrong somehow—but I didn't mean this way. I want you back in my life."

AJ sighed as he let those words sink into nothingness. He tapped his foot against the floor as he slumped in his chair. It felt like he was waiting for some ticking time bomb that never existed. Let's just check my messages, he thought. He had put his phone on Silent since he thought it'd be too noisy in a hospital. There was a new text from Matilda regarding Hailee-Diane. He opened up the message, reading it.

AJ's face went pale.

୨ৎ──♤♡♢♧──୨ৎ

Jace Kane's POV

"Thanks for bailing me out," Jace told Adelaide once they were out of the police station. He had been reluctant to leave Carmelo in jail, especially now that Grimm had been arrested, but there was nothing he could do. Just keep finding those clues, Carmelo said positively. "I appreciate it, Adelaide."

She said nothing as they grabbed a taxi. Jace hadn't really ever spent that much time with Adelaide, so it was a bit intimidating. They both got into the back of the car, Adelaide handing over some cash to the driver. "Ever After High, please," she added.

"No problem, ma'am." The taxi took off, driving in the dark evening of Book End.

"Did I miss much?" Jace asked.

"If you mean classes, then no. Most of them have been cancelled." Adelaide pressed her face against the cold car window, her sharp gaze flickering towards Jace. "What you and Carmelo did back in Wonderland—arsenic poisoning, really?—was pretty shitty of you two." Of course, Adelaide with the motherly lectures. "But Carmelo will be fine, he's tough like that. We'll find a way to convince the judge he's innocent."

"Thank you...?" Jace clasped his hands. "I just worry about him sometimes."

"Yeah, I'll agree that Carmelo isn't made for prison, he wouldn't survive a single day. But he's a decent guy, someone else will eventually see that and realize he isn't behind Honey's attempted murder." Adelaide brought back out her notebook, jotting down updates on Claudia's investigation. Jace would have let it go, but he suddenly remembered whose name was below Carmelo's in Cressida's suspect list.

Adelaide Hearts.

A/N: Sorry for all the recent short chapters, I promise things will pick up soon enough! Also, there's only 2 chapters & epilogue left until we're done with this apply fic! So sad and excited for this story to end <3