Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Quigley looked out across the water and sighed deeply. He wasn’t sure how long he had been stranded in the middle of the vast ocean but he saw several days pass overhead. After collecting the sugar bowl and closing the heavy laboratory entrance lid between himself and Violet Baudelaire, he peeked in the bowl and frowned at the sugar cubes it contained. He wasn't sure what he was expecting but he assumed it would be something else to warrant his top-secret instructions. Minutes later, the crows took the bowl from him and he waited for the arrival of the ride he was promised, but it never came.

When he was volunteered by VFD to fetch the sugar bowl from the underground laboratory, Kit Snicket sent him there with a bag containing a small ration of food and water intended for a short journey. Quigley decided to save this for later, which was lucky because he found that his return to the mainland was going to be delayed by several days. He ran out of food two days ago and he finished his last sip of water that previous morning. He tried especially hard to make his water last but when he woke up and found his throat feeling cracked and grainy from dryness, he was forced to finish it.

During moments like this when he was alone and trapped with his thoughts, he wished he never met Jacques Snicket at the house filled with empty reptile cages. He wished for ignorance regarding this organization and he wished to be back with his family. He absently drew his parents’ faces onto the cold metal underneath him with his pointer finger and took comfort in knowing his siblings were safe, according to the Baudelaires. His thoughts drifted to his new friends, whom he hoped were safe and happy. His time with the three siblings was too short and he hoped he could find them again.

He especially missed talking to Violet.

Even though the water and air surrounding him were cold and the sun above him was dim, he made a conscious effort to sleep on his stomach and protect his face from the sun rays. Today, however, while he thought about his missing family and friends, he dozed off lying on his back, feeling empty in heart and stomach.

When he woke up again, he felt much worse. His head ached, his left ear felt stuffy, and his stomach cramped furiously with hunger. He sat up and wondered if this would be the end of his life; his body left here on the burned remains of a secret laboratory never to be found. He hugged his torso tightly to conserve body heat and laid down on his side to stare out at the water. His cheek stung mildly when it touched the cold metal and he sighed in defeat, knowing it was burned from the sun. He wished he understood enough about inventions to create a device to filter the salt out of the ocean water he was surrounded by (and he hated the irony of dying of dehydration while surrounded by water). He knew Violet would have completed that within her first ten minutes of being stranded and made a net to catch fish as a bonus.

Sometimes he wondered if he loved her and this thought brought him grief and joy as he dozed off again.

When he awoke for the third time that day, he heard a strange noise above him. He believed it was the leftovers from his dreams and waited for it to dissipate as his brain brought him back to reality, but the sound only became louder. He squinted his eyes open into the sunset-pinkened sky and frowned. How curious was it to see a hot air balloon right now, he thought to himself, there isn’t even a festival nearby. He closed his eyes for a brief moment before it hit him. With strength he didn’t know he had, he stood up quickly and peered out into the sky at the floating object.

His siblings found him.

He started screaming and did not stop until a ladder was dropped down in front of his face.

~~~

“Looks like we’ve got company!” Hector called to Isadora and Duncan Quagmire after spotting a stranded person on the entrance of the Anwhistle Aquatics marine research center in the middle of the ocean. The two triplets never let themselves even imagine it could be their supposedly deceased brother. As they neared the mysterious stranger, they all prepared the baskets for another human to board. Isadora pulled the ladder out of its hiding place in a tin bucket and secured it to the side of the basket before throwing it over. Duncan figured the stranger may be thirsty if they were stranded for several hours or even days. He ignored Hector’s light chide as he raced to the basket serving as a kitchen to fetch water for the newcomer. Hector was always telling the two triplets to be careful and they always were.

Hector didn’t plan on becoming a parent. He offered to take the Baudelaire children with him when he left that horrible village but they never got the chance to join him. Instead, he took in two children that were, for reasons he didn’t understand, kept in a fountain in the middle of town. Their travels were awkward at first before he had the opportunity to really know the Quagmires. They were initially filled with grief due to their previous travels and they refused to talk about where they had been. Despite that, they quickly trusted him as he provided them warmth, delicious meals, and cold juice. They grew to love one another greatly.

Hector was very fond of the Quagmires and he often found himself coddling and raising them like his own father did for him. The children owned nothing but the clothes on their backs and they always helped him cook and clean. He wished he could offer them fresh clothing so they never had to look at their old school uniforms again but he didn’t even think to bring a change of clothes for himself, much less for the children.

Hector pulled out a hastily-rolled tube and amplified his voice to yell down and let the stranger know they were available to provide aid. The stranger waved back excitedly.

After releasing the ladder, Isadora turned to help Hector prepare the sheltered basket, providing as a bedroom, for the guest. She heard the stranger yelling up to them but she believed it was a string of appreciations. She would greet them properly when they boarded the mobile home.

She met Hector in the bedroom basket and gently suggested they have a plan in case this new visitor was someone with malicious intentions. She didn’t forget Count Olaf and his horrible schemes to steal her and her brother, and she knew he had associates that could hide out on the entrance of an underwater laboratory.

“I’ve already thought of that,” Hector whispered back and handed Isadora a spatula and a frying pan. “Hand one to your brother. As soon as they board, we will gently question them.”

“What do we do if they are evil?” Isadora asked worriedly while taking the objects from Hector. She knew he had a kind heart but based on her previous stops, she didn’t believe a guardian that could hide and protect her and her brother from the crazed captors even existed.

“We throw them into the ocean,” he patted her head and walked away into the ‘kitchen.’

Isadora wasn’t sure she liked this idea but she didn’t have time to think of a better solution. “We float in the sky without any fear; because there’s no way wretched Olaf will find us up here,” she whispered, calming herself with a couplet. She began to wish they didn’t pick up this stranger when she heard her brother call to her.

“What is it, Duncan? Is everything okay?” She called back and quickly returned to his side.

“Isa, look at this,” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. Isadora had to touch shoulders with her brother and lean in to hear him properly. He had a look of pure aghast painted on his face and he was pointing with his forefinger down to the stranger climbing the ladder.

Isadora gulped silently before peeking over the side of the basket, afraid of what she would see that stunned Duncan like that. Would it be Count Olaf? Or the hook-handed man that grabbed them in the library on their last day of school? Or their family’s very own financial consultant that helped auction them off, Esmé Squalor?

She frowned when she saw who was climbing the rope and grinning up at them. For just a moment, she thought it was ridiculous for Duncan to be in two places at once and she nearly told him to stop goofing around. That is when she understood she was looking at her missing brother and her breath caught in her throat.

“Quigley!” She startled as Duncan screamed his name at her side. He quickly grabbed Isadora’s arm and shook her excitedly. “Isa, look! Look who it is!”

“I don’t believe what I am seeing,” Isadora breathed as she watched her brother climbing the ladder leading to the hot air mobile home. Was she hallucinating from the oxygen changes in the higher altitude? Did Hector accidentally serve them molded food that was affecting her perception of reality? Maybe she never woke up and she was still dreaming in bed? If that was the case, she wanted to stay in this dream forever.

Isadora watched Duncan jumping up and down excitedly without taking his eyes off of Quigley. “Is this real?” She asked him softly as the frying pan slipped from her hand.

“Yes, Isa!” He finally looked at her but only for the briefest moment before turning back to Quigley and continuing to yell and bounce on his toes happily. “Here he comes! Hector, Hector, you won’t believe this! You found our brother!”

Quigley reached the basket and pulled himself into it, panting lightly and doubled over with his hands on his knees. For a couple seconds (that felt like several minutes to the children) Isadora and Duncan stood staring at Quigley and he stared back before they all began to cry. They lunged forward toward each other and wrapped their arms hurriedly around one another, falling to the basket ground on their knees. Isadora kissed the top of his head several times and Duncan cried into his brother’s neck. They both kept their arms wrapped tightly around Quigley, afraid that he would disappear if they let go.

“Is it really you?” Isadora gasped.

Quigley nodded and choked out between sobs, “Am I really here right now?”

“Yes,” Duncan held him impossibly tighter.

Several minutes later, they were able to settle down a bit and Quigley started laughing. “Isa, why are you holding a spatula?” She looked down and began laughing too, along with Duncan. She didn't remember dropping the frying pan, and she completely forgot about the spatula altogether.

"Quigley, I just can't believe you are really here!"

When she spoke his name aloud, Quigley cried again. His siblings held him in their arms and he cherished their soothing, calm voices. He last remembered hearing them screaming above him as he was trapped in the secret tunnels his mother led him to. He was looking forward to replacing that memory for a long time.

“I have missed you both so much,” Quigley sobbed again.

“We have missed you too,” Isadora rested her hand on his cheek and Duncan nodded enthusiastically. “Please tell us everything!”

“I will, I promise. Do you have any water? I ran out and I am so thirsty,” Quigley begged and that is when his siblings finally saw him.

His hair was longer than the last time they saw him, discernibly longer than Duncan’s current hair length. His eyes were heavy-lidded and he had dark purple bruising under them from exhaustion. His cheeks were colored pink and peeling due to exposure to the sun. He looked warm enough in a large coat and boots but he was shivering. His siblings scooted closer to him.

“Quigley Quagmire?” Hector noticed the slight lull in tears and saw his opportunity to introduce himself. All three triplets turned to him. “My name is Hector. We are very happy to have you here with us.”

Quigley grinned brightly and thanked him for his generosity while Duncan gasped with realization.

“Thank you so much,” Duncan cried aloud, standing up on shaky legs and running to Hector. He wrapped his arms around him tightly and said between sobs, “You found our brother, thank you so much! I owe you my life.”

“You don’t owe me anything,” Hector shook his head and chuckled. “We couldn’t leave this little one out there in the middle of the ocean.”

“You brought our brother back to us,” Isadora confirmed earnestly, looking at Hector but her arms were still wrapped around Quigley. She didn’t know if she would ever let go. “We owe you our lives.”

Duncan nodded and rejoined his siblings on the basket floor. Hector flushed with slight embarrassment and smiled fondly at the children. After a moment, he turned his attention back toward Quigley. “Did you ask for water?”

Quigley nodded violently and tried to stand up, which proved to be difficult because Isadora still hadn’t let go and he had sudden onset of a headache. He groaned and rubbed his temple but when he saw the look on Isadora and Duncan’s faces, he quickly reassured his siblings that this had been happening over the past few days. That did not settle anyone’s worry. Hector returned with a glass of water and started to instruct Quigley to drink slowly but he was too late. Quigley took three large gulps of water before choking and running to the side of the basket to vomit into the ocean.

Isadora and Duncan looked at Hector with panic-filled eyes but he didn’t look worried. Hector rubbed Quigley’s back while he dry-heaved and he made soothing shushing noises to him, whispering that it will be okay. The triplets remembered their father used to do the same thing when they caught a stomach bug and this fond memory calmed them all slightly. When Quigley was finished, he wiped his mouth on his coat sleeve and sat back down in the basket, with his back resting against the side.

New tears filled his eyes from choking on the water and he panted lightly, clutching at his cramping stomach. “I don’t understand why that happened. I’m so thirsty,” Quigley whined sadly. Duncan and Isadora sat next to him and reached out to pat his legs.

“I know you are. By the looks of you, it has been a while since you’ve had any water. Your body just needs patience right now. Go ahead and try again but only a sip.”

Quigley nodded and obliged him, taking just a sip. This time the water went down lightly and his stomach turned for only a second before the nausea dissipated on its own. He sighed in relief and took another sip. Then another. Throughout the next several minutes, he had to fight the intense urge to pour several tubs of water down his throat and finally quench that horrible thirst. Hector decided they should wait before trying to eat food and he gently recommended the Quagmires let their brother rest. “When is the last time you slept?” He asked while pulling blankets out of a covered bin meant to protect them from the rain. He spread them out on the floor of the sheltered 'bedroom' basket and turned to fetch a pillow.

Quigley shrugged and replied, “I slept some today.”

Hector nodded sadly. “Why don’t you go take a nap? I can have dinner ready when you wake up.” Quigley's stomach growled at that and they all chuckled.

Duncan and Isadora immediately offered to stay with Quigley and he agreed enthusiastically. He did not want to be alone ever again. Hector made the two triplets promise to let their brother sleep and they quickly nodded. Hector replaced the basket door of the room while Duncan and Isadora laid down next to Quigley in the dark basket. Dim light from the bright sky seeped in through the small cracks but this only added to the soothing effect while floating in the air.

“Can we trust him?” Quigley whispered to his siblings on either side of him. They both nodded and simply stated that he saved their lives. Quigley wondered what happened while they were taken but he was afraid to ask, fearing the reality would tear them away from him again. The Baudelaires didn’t provide him with a full history, just that his siblings were safe and escaped in a hot air mobile home.

“Quigley, where have you been all of this time?” Duncan asked. He rolled over from his back onto his belly and propped himself up in his elbows, looking at his brother’s outline in the darkness. “How did you survive?”

“Were mom and dad with you?” Isadora asked the question they were both thinking and secretly hoping.

Quigley shook his head, tears filling his eyes and threatening to spill over. “I was with mom right before the fire and she hid me in a secret tunnel under the house.”

“A tunnel?” Duncan gasped.

Quigley nodded in the dark and his voice dropped to barely a whisper. “She left me there and went to help you all. She said she would be right back. But then I heard screaming, I heard you both screaming. And she never came back.”

"That is horrible," Duncan mumbled.

"I tried to help but the door wouldn't open," his voice cracked at that. "I think something fell over it and I couldn't help."

“It is okay, Quigley. None of that was your fault and we are all so glad that you are safe and here with us now. Where have you been this whole time?” Isadora asked, rubbing Quigley’s arm.

“I was at an abandoned house for a while and then I traveled to the mountains. I met the Baudelaires and they said they knew you,” He knew it was wrong to leave out so many terrible details of his travels but he didn’t want to worry his siblings further.

“Our friends!” Isadora smiled brightly to herself.

“How are they? How is Klaus?” Duncan asked excitedly.

“They are good! We saved Sunny and escaped but then I was separated from them.”

“Saved Sunny?” Duncan gasped.

“What happened to Sunny?” Isadora pressed him further.

“Those horrible people took her. I met Violet and Klaus when they were going to rescue her.”

“Wow,” Duncan whispered and rolled onto his back again. “So what did you-?”

They heard a gentle shush from outside the basket and Hector told them all to rest. He threatened to make Duncan and Isadora leave the basket if they didn’t let Quigley sleep. They knew this was not sincere and he would never make them leave their brother’s side. The triplets giggled quietly, remembering the joys of sharing a bedroom in their old house. They used to stay up far too late into the night playing pirates and doing cartwheels until their mother came by to check on them.

Isadora and Duncan sandwiched Quigley tightly between them. They all fell asleep with Isadora’s face pressed into Quigley’s neck and Duncan’s arm draped protectively over his brother. They were together at last and finally at peace in their hearts.

~~~

Quigley woke up a few hours later feeling groggy and uncomfortable. He tried to ignore his discomfort and go back to sleep, but he needed to use the bathroom and he silently regretted drinking so much water earlier. He tried to sit up but a heavy weight laid on his chest and legs. His siblings both shifted in their sleep and Isadora’s head rested on his chest while Duncan’s legs were thrown over Quigley’s. He enjoyed the warmth and wanted to stay with his family but the need to urinate continued to plague him until he sighed in defeat. He groaned and carefully crawled out from under his siblings’ octopus-like grasp of him before opening the basket door and letting in a cold gust of air.

He stepped outside of the bedroom basket and squinted in the dimly-lit sky. He heard Hector humming quietly and followed the sound of the song, finding him reading a book in the corner of the basket he first climbed up into. They smiled at each other and Hector closed his book.

“How are you feeling?” Hector asked softly, figuring Isadora and Duncan must still be asleep since they weren’t glued to their brother’s hip at the moment.

"Good," he responded but Hector continued to look at him. Quigley shrugged and answered honestly, “I feel pretty exhausted.” Hector nodded in understanding. “Where do we go to the bathroom?” Quigley asked quietly, red coloring his cheeks in embarrassment.

Hector explained they use a bucket and then dump it into the ocean below. When Quigley wrinkled his noise at that, Hector laughed. “The fish do it, why can’t we?”

Quigley didn’t have a decent response to that and he really did need to pee so he nodded enthusiastically and went to find the bucket. If Violet was here, he thought to himself, she would be able to create a whole sewage system right here in the baskets. He was sure Klaus had probably read a book about 18th century sewage systems and would therefore have an opinion on it too. He missed his friends deeply and his heart ached.

After he finished, he heard Duncan and Isadora speaking to Hector in another basket.

“It’s okay,” he was explaining to the children in a firm voice. “He just got up to use the bathroom. He’s okay.”

At the sound of his siblings’ panicked responses, Quigley quickly returned to them and they both sighed in relief. Duncan explained that when he woke up, he was afraid he dreamed the whole day and Isadora nodded solemnly, confirming similar fears. Quigley's heart ached further and he promised to wake them next time.

Hector led the triplets into the ‘kitchen’ with the guarantee of food and this seemed to ease the tension. When they entered the kitchen basket, the smell of spices and soups wafted around them and Quigley’s mouth watered. His stomach cramped harshly again but he silently chastised it, not wanting to miss out on real food. Hector turned toward them and handed Quigley a small chunk of plain bread. Duncan and Isadora opened their mouths to ask why he was only allowed to eat that but they stopped when they saw Quigley quickly grab the bread with both hands while wearing a look of wide-eyed amazement and excitement.

“Slowly,” Hector instructed firmly. “If this goes well, I’ll get you some food that’ll really knock your socks off.”

Quigley nodded and worked hard to control himself as he felt the warm bread in his mouth. He couldn’t remember his last warm meal but he figured it must have been the dinner just before the fire at his home. Since then, he had lived off of canned peaches courtesy of the late Montgomery Montgomery and the package of cashews from Kit with few meals inbetween. His siblings watched him eagerly, holding their breath in anticipation. When he didn’t choke, they all relaxed and sighed in relief.

“This is so good,” Quigley murmured with his mouth full of bread. “I love this, thank you so much.”

This made everyone chuckle fondly. When he finished his chunk of bread and confirmed he was still hungry, Hector passed around three soup bowls to the triplets. “Sopa de pata,” he informed them. “My grandmother’s recipe.”

Quigley took a bite and immediately burst into tears. This concerned his siblings and Hector and they asked if his stomach was bothering him again but Quigley just shook his head and thanked Hector. “This is the best food I have ever had in my entire life.”

Hector blushed furiously and poured himself a bowl.

The four joked over dinner and life began to feel normal again for the Quagmires. Quigley softly made fun of his siblings for their school uniforms and they both groaned dramatically, promising to tell him about the horrors. They poked at his hair and said that if their parents were with them right now, they would make him get a haircut. He rolled his eyes, knowing they were right. Hector watched them without realizing that a genuine smile was plastered to his face and he was close to tears.

After they finished eating, Hector suggested they all go back to bed. He refused to let Duncan and Isadora help him clean up and instead told them to rest and enjoy their time with their brother. They planned on staying up and goofing off for even longer but as soon as their heads touched the soft pillows, they realized how emotionally and physically exhausted they were and fell asleep within the minute. Hector checked on the children half an hour later and found them sleeping soundly in a pile, breathing deeply. He smiled and draped a blanket over them before tiptoeing back out, careful not to wake them.

Duncan woke up first the following morning when he heard a strange noise outside. He sleepily left their bedroom basket and blinked into the soft morning light. Everything seemed normal for a moment and he wondered if he dreamed the abnormality when he suddenly heard a loud squawk above him. He gasped and looked up at the balloons keeping his home afloat. A large eagle was circling the balloons and clawing at them, creating a screeching noise. Duncan heard a faint call and looked over to see several eagles quickly approaching.

He ran back to his siblings and shook them both, “Wake up, something weird is happening.”

Isadora and Quigley sat up, rubbing the sleep from their eyes and mumbling groggy questions, but Duncan did not hear them. He ran back out to find Hector. “Hector! Hector, wake up. I think we are in danger!”

Before Hector could respond, there was a loud pop above them followed by a jolt in the mobile home. Duncan gasped fearfully and grabbed the edge of the basket while the home steadied itself again. The jolt startled everyone else to full consciousness and they met together.

“These birds are trying to take us down!” Isadora realized. “Why would they do that?”

Quigley suddenly remembered the terrifying eagles that came and stole the members of the Snow Scouts group he joined as his cover in the mountains. They carried the children away in a large tarp and he remembered hearing their screams echoing in the stale mountain air for several minutes. He felt a chill travel down his spine. The eagles approached the home and flew threateningly around the remaining balloons, circling their pray. Quigley gasped harshly and turned to his siblings, fear shining through his eyes. “Okay, I know who these birds are with and this is really bad. We need to deter them as fast as possible.”

Without questioning her decision, Isadora hastily pulled off her Prufrock Preparatory uniform shoe and launched it at the sky, hitting one eagle in the chest. The bird screeched in an undignified manner and flew away from the balloons.

“Uh oh, that may have been a bit rash...” Isadora whispered, watching her shoe fall down to the deep ocean below.

Her brothers paused for a moment before laughing brightly despite their perilous position. Isadora frowned in confusion but turned to see them both removing their shoes and throwing them up at the eagles. Quigley’s boots were heavier than the school-required shoes and when they made contact with a bird, it did not return.

“These dreadful birds,” Hector hissed, running toward the kitchen basket. “They certainly aren’t half as good as a crow if you ask me. These eagles are much poorer birds.” He whistled harshly and then tossed rolls of bread away from their home, successfully distracting two eagles. They swooped away and chased after the snacks. Before he could throw more food, there was another large pop from above. They all glanced up worriedly and saw the remains of a balloon withering down as the air escaped through the claw marks. The baskets swooped lower and all four passengers clutched the sides of the basket.

“If we take another hit, we will fall out of the sky,” Hector warned, looking nervously at the remaining balloons. “This is our last chance, children! Give them hell!”

Hector and the Quagmires scattered and grabbed various items around the mobile home to throw at the eagles. They all screamed loudly and thrashed their arms around between throws, trying to deter the eagles. Unfortunately, the large birds were trained well to ignore such attempts. Some of the birds were hit with a few objects but they worked together and managed to pop several balloons at once.

For a split second, the home was still suspended in air and Quigley looked at his siblings. He felt like a cartoon character that ran off a cliff and kept running until they realized they should fall. He closed his eyes tightly and held his breath as the feeling of falling filled his stomach.

“Those bastard birds! Hold on tight,” Hector screamed to the children as the four of them clutched the sides of the home. “Do not let go! Brace yourselves for impact!”

Quigley could hardly believe his turn of luck. If he had the opportunity to think about it, he would be angry that this happened right after he found his siblings. He would think about how this seemed to be a recurring pattern in his life. First, he was separated from his family, and then from Jacques Snicket, and then from the Baudelaires. If he had the chance, he would hug his siblings tightly and refuse to be separated from them again. But he did not have the opportunity to think about his situation and he did not have the chance to grab his siblings’ hands as they dropped out the sky. Instead, he screamed.

He knew they were nearing the ocean and he was consumed with overwhelming nausea from the fall and anticipation. He wondered if his siblings and Hector were also screaming as they plummeted down to the rough waves below.

The baskets tore apart immediately as they made impact with the water and the four passengers were thrown into the dark ocean.

Chapter Text

Quigley felt an immediate shock travel up his spine as the icy cold waves enveloped him. It was hardly springtime and the top of the ocean was not yet warmed by the sluggish winter sun. The chills running through his body seemed to paralyze his arms and legs and he felt like he was floating in the air, almost like he never left the hot air mobile home. He absently wondered if his siblings felt this way too.

He sunk deeper into the water and his head made contact with something hard and heavy, stunning him further. He couldn’t believe he was back in this freezing water, though he should have known this horrible ocean he spent so many days staring at would finally take him back. And here he was, seemingly unable to struggle out of the firm clutches of a terrifying fate of drowning.

His lungs already felt uncomfortable and he knew he would have to suck in a breath soon. This frightened him greatly. He finally kicked out a little in an exhausted attempt to propel himself to the surface but his limbs were too stiff to make real progress. He stopped moving again and something crashed into his right shoulder, resulting in a sharp pain that felt like he was being electrocuted. He screamed out under water and kicked harshly with newly found energy. His head broke the surface for a moment and he screamed loudly before sucking in a desperate breath. The waves dragged him back under and he swallowed a mouthful of the ocean.

At that moment, he felt something large and solid underneath him. He wrapped his legs and left arm around it as best as he could while wondering if it was actually moving or if that sensation was just his imagination. His right arm throbbed uncomfortably and he winced as it rested against the object under him.

He found himself fortunately being pushed up and toward air. His head finally broke the ocean surface and he coughed violently, vomiting salt water. After his stomach and lungs calmed, he took in several deep breaths and relished in the oxygen surrounding him before looking around for his siblings. He saw Isadora a few feet from him, also coughing into the ocean. She was straddling the large object just like he was and he realized they were sitting on what looked like a submarine. Hector was several feet from Isadora, holding onto the vessel’s frame with one hand and Duncan with the other. They were both still treading water in the rough ocean and Duncan was breathing deeply, examining the vessel they found with shaky hands and wide eyes.

Seeing his family alive brought Quigley an overwhelming sense of relief and he erupted into laughter. His outburst quickly shattered Isadora’s stunned expression and she turned toward him, suddenly flooded with her own happiness. She began laughing too and turned to wave at Duncan and Hector

“It’s a ship!” Duncan yelled to his siblings, coughing around his words and struggling to stay afloat as cold waves swept over his head. Hector wrapped an arm around his waist and hoisted him up onto the vessel.

At that moment, a large camera-like object arose from the metal vessel and a voice called to them over a speaker, “What’s the password?”

The children panted heavily as Hector pulled himself onto the vessel. They glanced at each other and shrugged with confusion.

“Please?” Duncan tried, sitting nearest to the camera and hugging himself tightly in an attempt to warm up.

When the lid didn’t open, Isadora huffed, “VFD?”

Still nothing.

“Sugar bowl?” Quigley tried, running a hand through his dripping hair and feeling the air bite through his scalp. He tried to raise his right arm but the electrifying pain returned and he grimaced.

There was another pause and the children began to believe they might die like this, frozen to death on top of a ship that wouldn’t open for them because they didn’t know the password. Duncan leaned forward and rested his cheek on the cold metal, closing his eyes.

“Please help us,” Quigley begged softly from behind him.

Just as he was accepting disappointment, a hatch opened and all four survivors gasped and cheered. Hector ushered the children in before climbing in himself and pulling the heavy lid closed above them. Quigley climbed down using his left arm, and Duncan hissed in pain as his right foot came down on each rung.

“Hello,” a familiar voice greeted as they reached the base of the submarine and all three triplets snapped their head forward, suddenly forgetting their dripping clothes and shivering arms as they saw the hook-handed man standing in front of them.

Duncan and Isadora yelped in fear and jumped back. Isadora grabbed Quigley and pulled him behind her protectively. He frowned suspiciously at the man, remembering him from the top of the mountain as part of the troupe that stole Sunny Baudelaire from her siblings.

Even Hector looked worried, recognizing the hook-handed man from the court rooms of the horrible village from which he escaped.

“You are a monster!” Isadora pointed an accusatory finger at the hook-handed man and Duncan pulled Quigley toward the ladder, ready to push him up so they could escape to freedom.

“Please wait!” They all turned to see a girl about their age with triangle glasses and dark hair. She was wearing a blue captain’s hat and a jumpsuit decorated with Herman Melville on the corner. “Please don’t leave. Are you the Quagmires?”

This worried the triplets and they glanced at each other hesitantly before responding. They didn’t appreciate being recognized right now with so many people wanting to capture them and apparently knock them out of the sky. Isadora finally nodded slowly and Fiona let out a sigh of relief.

“Oh, this is happy news! We received a distress signal from VFD and we were sent to find a ‘Q. Quagmire’ located on the Anwhistle Aquatics entrance. But on our way, we received further instructions to find all three of you Quagmires and a ‘Mr. H’ in a hot air mobile home that was under attack. I guess those horrible eagles did this, huh?”

Hector nodded solemnly before asking who he had the pleasure of speaking with.

“I’m Fiona Widdershins, captain of the Queequeg.” She held her head up proudly as she spoke.

“I am Hector."

“Why are you working with that nefarious villain?” Quigley whispered to her and nodded his head toward the hook-handed man.

“He is not a villain. In fact, he is my co-captain. You have to respect both of us if you want to be rescued,” she crossed her arms threateningly before the hook-handed man nudged her and shook his head disapprovingly.

“They are being distasteful,” she protested.

“How would mom feel about you talking to guests that way?” He whispered back with an expectant look.

“Mama isn’t here,” she grumbled and pouted her bottom lip out in a way that showed she was a child trying too hard to act like an adult in a situation that she wasn’t ready for. “And they are hardly guests. We came all of this way for them and this is how they are talking to you.”

“Their distrust is fair,” he admitted before addressing the Quagmires. “I am very sorry for everything that I have helped put you through.”

“Put us through?” Isadora hissed.

“You kidnapped us and put us in the bottom of a hollow elevator,” Duncan crossed his arms over his chest. “You stuffed us in a horrible fish statue-”

“And that ridiculous fountain,” Isadora added.

“And kept us there for several days. You are the reason we had to escape to the sky. You are the reason we were separated from our friends. You are the reason for so much disaster and grief in our lives. You are a miscreant and we do not trust you,” Duncan finished, his eyebrows drawn together and a frown plastered to his face.

Quigley thought of his mother and lowered his head sadly.

To everyone’s surprise, the hook-handed man nodded in agreement. “I admit, I have made a lot of mistakes. I am trying to fix what I can and I am very sorry to have hurt you,” he paused a moment before adding, “I promise, I am not a bad person.”

“Oh yes you are, monster,” Isadora growled.

“He’s not a monster,” Fiona snapped firmly. “He is my brother and his name is Fernald.”

“Those aren’t mutually exclusive,” Quigley muttered.

“You will address him as his name or Captain if you so choose. And you will show us respect if you want to stay here."

“We don’t want to stay here,” Duncan shook his head hurriedly. The three triplets turned to the ladder and Duncan motioned for Quigley to climb up.

“Wait!” Fernald called to them in a worried voice. “We came here to rescue you. Please allow us to take you back to land. We only want to help and I can even wait in a separate room the entire time you are here.”

Hector glanced at the children before sighing. “We do need your help.”

Isadora’s face showed deep betrayal and she turned to Hector but before she could open her mouth, he held up a hand. “We need to get that looked at,” he said, pointing at her forehead.

Confusion passed through each triplet, and Duncan and Quigley looked at their sister. A small cut on her forehead was still bleeding from the crash; a bright red streak of blood traced down her cheek, and her dark hair was pressed tangled against it. Isadora blushed deeply when she realized she was bleeding. Duncan gasped and covered his mouth while Quigley stared at her with his mouth hanging open. The two triplets wondered how they could have missed something like that but they both slowly looked down at themselves and realized they missed a lot while recovering from the sea.

Their clothes were torn in several places and they noticed matching scratches on their arms and legs. Quigley’s right shoulder screamed at him and threatened to swell. He still had difficulty hearing out of his left ear and the back of his head pounded. He vaguely remembered hitting something while struggling in the ocean. Duncan noticed scant blood pooling under his socked foot and thought of the pain climbing down the ladder.

The chaotic waves were unforgiving to the Quagmire triplets.

There was an uncomfortable silence that followed, finally broken by a new and booming voice, “Hey there, you kiddos! Where are your shoes?”

A smiling, bearded man stepped into the room with three girls following close behind. They no longer wore their Snow Scouts uniforms but Quigley quickly placed them from the group he joined in the mountains. He gave them a quick wave and they returned the gesture, recognizing him from the short moment before their scout leader Brucie offered him a fencing mask. They last saw one another on top of the mountain, and the room felt colder at the memory of the chaos that ensued.

They each remembered seeing the other on top of the mountain among the chaos and the room felt colder for the four of them. Fernald noticed and lowered his head in shame.

Duncan and Isadora did not know any of these people and they shuffled uncomfortably, looking at their soaked socks.

“Well, it’s okay! Many homes require people to remove their shoes at the door. Maybe this just means you are home!” The joyous man removed his own shoes. “Here, now you can feel more comfortable!”

“This is the rest of our crew. We have Brie, Margot, Follete, and Phil,” Fiona introduced each of the newcomers. The man, Phil, waved happily. “Phil is our cook.”

“And I’ve learned some fun new recipes that I didn’t have before our last group of guests!”

~~~

Fiona, Fernald, and Phil spent the next several minutes explaining why they needed to examine the guests for injuries, that being thrown around in the harsh waves with debris was dangerous and it was vital to be treated for such wounds. Admittedly, the Widdershins siblings did most of the work while Phil just told the guests how happy he was to have them there. The three scouts stepped away at the first declination, not wishing to be present for the oncoming argument.

The Quagmires tried to interrupt throughout their lecture, but Hector shot down their protests with a frown and head shake each time. Fiona started listing terrifying infections with long complicated names that occur when wounds are exposed to ocean water and the Quagmires apprehensively agreed after great consideration. The Widdershins guided them further in the submarine, but the triplets remained huddled together.

Hector volunteered to go first and show the children that the treatment was safe and not at all scary. He removed his soaked shirt and stepped out of his socks. He was very fortunate and escaped the water mostly unscathed, presenting only a few scratches on his arms and face for which he did not require stitches. At the mention of treatment, he waved them away to tend to the children, for whom he was very worried.

Hector motioned for Duncan to step forward to the center of the room and Fiona instructed he strip down to his underwear so they could check for injuries. He complained loudly and Fiona rolled her eyes with an exasperated groan.

“We don’t have time for this,” she snapped at him and pulled his school jacket off of his shoulders, yanking down until it was bunched at his elbows. Duncan yelled back, startled and jumping away, and his siblings joined in shouting at her.

Fernald shook his head and held an arm out before she could advance on Duncan again."Fiona, stop. You're scaring them; you need to be gentle."

"We aren't dogs," Isadora demanded, and frustrated tears filled her eyes.

"I know, you aren't dogs," Fernald confirmed easy. "But you are all scared. And my sister is acting impatient and defensive." He turned back to Fiona and whispered, "Think of what they have been through."

She paused and her gaze fell, understanding that being soaking wet and stripped of clothing in front of family, previous kidnappers, and strangers alike would be terrifying for anybody. She softened her demeanor and looked back at the triplets. "I am sorry. I want to help. Please let me."

Duncan shrugged off the jacket, discarding it onto the floor, and he nodded back at Fiona.

He huffed as she unbuttoned his shirt and removed it while he peeled out of his pants and socks. Everyone froze for a moment as they looked at him flushed with frustration and embarrassment, wearing only underwear and a frown. He almost asked what was going on but he looked down at himself and saw a large, purple bruise coloring the majority of his chest and belly. He hugged his torso tightly and shivered in the cold while his siblings had to turn away from the sight.

“That’s really bad, right?” Isadora whispered while Fiona felt his ribs for breaks and pressed on his belly to check for painful spots.

“Not too bad,” Fiona confirmed and the Quagmires and Hector shared a moment of relief. “Nothing is broken and these bruises will heal on their own.”

As they addressed his arms, he tried to shake his head and walk away like he saw Hector do, but he didn’t get very far. Despite Hector’s own refusal of care, he sternly instructed Duncan to hold still and allow them to disinfect and bandage his arms. Duncan huffed again and complained that it was unfair and hypocritical, but Hector assured him that he would understand when he was older and caring for 3 young children.

Duncan whined softly as the disinfectant burned his arms and when his siblings moved to intervene, Hector placed comforting hands on their shoulders and stopped them.

“Okay. Now let’s take a look at that foot.” Fernald sounded nervous. They all noticed Duncan holding the majority of his weight off of the foot tracking blood in the submarine. Fernald directed him to sit in a chair and Fiona lifted his foot up. Isadora covered her mouth and turned away again and Quigley took an involuntary step back, bumping into Hector. Fiona’s eyes widened and she pressed a wet cloth to the bottom of his foot. When she pulled it away, Duncan saw the sticky blood and his stomach rolled.

“Alright, this will all be okay. It’s just a cut and we are going to clean it and sew it up. Is that okay?” Fiona asked carefully, pressing another cloth to the bottom of his foot. Duncan winced.

“No, I think it will be fine without th-” Duncan tried to pull his leg back toward his chest and out of her grasp. Hector appeared next to him, placing a heavy hand on his shoulder and shaking his head. Duncan closed his eyes and took in a shaky breath. “Fine.”

“How bad does it hurt?” Fernald asked softly, pulling out the sewing kit and threading the needle with surprising ease for one with two hooks.

“It only hurt when I climbed down the ladder,” Duncan lied, not wanting to worry his siblings further. Isadora was still facing away from him and Quigley looked like he might be sick.

“Quagmire, this will be pretty rough,” Fiona warned sadly, her eyebrows drawn with grief. “The bottom of the foot is a sensitive spot and this is right at the arch...” Duncan gulped and looked at Hector, who still stood close by and offered a look of encouragement. “Ready?”

Duncan shrugged noncommittally, but quickly covered his mouth with his hands as she poured the disinfectant on his foot, muffling the scream he had lodged in his throat. The initial sting felt like fire. As it turned into a throbbing pain, he removed his hands and breathed heavily. Fernald gently took hold of Duncan’s ankle from his sister and held the threaded needle up to his foot, waiting for the sign to proceed. Duncan took in another deep breath and Fiona handed him a clean cloth to bite down on. He nodded slowly. The Widdershins and Hector held him firmly in place and Fernald carefully made the first stitch. Quigley wanted to interject and suggest someone else make the stitches, but he stopped after noticing Fernald really was doing an impressive job using two hooks.

The next several minutes were nearly unbearable for Quigley and Isadora as they listened to their brother cry out in pain. Hector held him to his chest and rubbed his back to provide comfort while he sobbed into his shoulder. Duncan unfortunately required several painful stitches. Ehen they finally finished and wrapped his foot in a clean bandage, his eyes were puffy from crying and he appeared exhausted. He graciously accepted a large, fluffy towel and blue jumpsuit from Phil. He slipped into the jumpsuit that matched those worn by the Queequeg crew and he wrapped the towel around his shoulders.

“You were so brave! Now you can come to the kitchen with me while I make dinner,” Phil exclaimed cheerfully. The Quagmires tried to protest but Fiona assured them it was fine and Hector patted his back and nodded. Duncan tried to stand up on shaky legs but Hector quickly stepped forward and bent down in front of him, instructing him to climb on his back. Duncan gladly accepted the opportunity to stay off of his sore, throbbing foot and Hector carried him piggy-back into the kitchen alongside Phil.

“Your turn, Q. Quagmire,” Fiona pointed at Quigley. He glanced nervously at his sister as they led him to the center of the room and she gave him an anxious smile. He stripped down to his underwear one-armed and with great difficulty and he dumped his heavy clothes next to Duncan’s.

“This is clearly dislocated,” Fiona murmured to herself, reaching out to his right shoulder. He took a step back in anticipation but bumped into the table. “I’m going to pop this back into place before it swells any more. This will hurt but only until it’s back in. Ready?”

Before Quigley could shake his head or shrug in response, Fiona stepped forward, placed her palm on his right shoulder, and pushed until they heard the pop of the humeral head sliding back into its socket. He let out a shocked yelp but sighed in relief as the throbbing pain finally ceased. He flexed his fingers and closed his eyes.

“Thank you,” he whispered with relief.

“Don’t thank us yet. That’s just the first problem.” Fiona guided him away from the table and back towards Fernald.

“This is some bump on the head,” Fernald murmured and Fiona carefully ran a thumb over the back of his scalp.

“What?” He turned his head to hear them with his better ear, before hissing in pain at the contact with his tender head.

“You are hurting him,” Isadora called out with intensity but Fiona ignored her.

Quigley tried to step away from the pair running their fingers and hooks through his hair but Fiona grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. “You Quagmires never stay in place,” she chastised gently before raising her fingers and snapping loudly in his left ear, the sound popped and echoed in the submarine. Isadora opened her mouth to object but stopped as Fiona asked a question.

“Can you hear this?”

He frowned and listened while she snapped again. After a small pause, he shrugged and answered, “Sort of.”

“Sort of?” Fiona repeated and snapped in his right ear. He flinched away from the noise, right as Hector returned to the room.

“Yes, I can hear that!”

She smiled apologetically and snapped again next to his left ear. He drew his eyebrows together and brought his own hand up to his ear to snap. It was very faint.

He pondered this for a moment before deciding apathetically. “I was walking in the snowy mountains for a long time before I could find a lift. After that, I was stranded on the ocean, then I was in the sky, and then I was actually in the ocean.”

Fiona and Fernald glanced at each other. “I suppose it could be temporary due to overexposure to cold,” Fiona muttered. “If it doesn’t resolve in a day, it might be permanent so we should check that again.”

Quigley had light bruising on his back and a cut on his lower left leg. He hissed as they poured the disinfectant on his arms and leg and wrapped it with clean bandages. After muttering a small thanks, he stepped away and rubbed at the back of his head. Hector handed him a warm towel and matching jumpsuit, and congratulated him on being so brave. Fernald requested he stay awake for a few hours in case he had a concussion accompanying the bump on his head. Quigley realized then how exhausted he was and he hated that theoretical concussion for keeping him from sleep. Hector directed him to the kitchen to wait with Duncan and Phil. Quigley glanced nervously at Isadora, not wanting to leave her alone, before he was ushered out before he could speak.

“Alright, you.” Fiona picked up a clean, wet cloth and motioned Isadora forward. She sat down in the chair and Fiona dabbed incredibly gently at her forehead. “This is also a nasty-looking cut. We might have to sew it, is that okay?”

Before Isadora could refuse, Hector answered from the doorframe, “Yes. Do what you have to do.”

Isadora wanted to complain but stopped when she saw Fiona remove the red-stained cloth. After listening to Duncan being sutured, she became very anxious and nausea flooded her stomach and head. Fiona held her hand to soothe her for a moment.

“It’s really okay. My brother and I are very good at this. You will barely have a scar!” Fiona smiled kindly. Isadora wanted to say she didn’t care about a scar but she was immediately silenced by the first aid sewing kit making a reappearance.

“It’ll probably just heal on its own, right?” Isadora asked, her voice higher with fear and she stood up to take a hesitant step back. “It’s just a cut, those heal by themselves.”

“No, Iz,” Hector said calmly, using the nickname that only he had for her. She watched him nervously and looked like a trapped animal ready to bolt out of the room. “It’ll be quick. And you are a brave girl. You are going to do this and it will be okay.”

“Plus you were just in very cold water so the pain won’t be as bad because your pain receptors will act poorly and-” Fiona nudged Fernald and shook her head at him, wordlessly asking why he thought this was an appropriate time for a science lesson. He quieted and turned back toward Isadora, who was still staring wide-eyed at the sewing kit. She considered asking if her brothers could come back and hold her hands but she was afraid it would sound childish and these strangers would laugh at her.

Fiona reached out to her and gently guided her back to the chair. “It’ll just take a few minutes,” she whispered and pressed the cloth to Isadora’s forehead as Fernald threaded the needle.

Isadora cried hard when her cut was disinfected and during the first few stitches. Hector hugged her closely, rubbing her back and whispering soft encouragements. After her nerves subsided, she continued to cry softly but she was able to hear her hosts speaking to her and offering stories as a distraction. When they finished sewing the cut, Fiona nodded proudly and stood back up while Fernald disposed of the needle and soiled thread.

“Alright, now let’s check the rest of you,” Fiona instructed and Isadora flushed with embarrassment. She didn’t think it was odd for her brothers to stand in their underwear but she felt silly to do it. Fernald and Hector left the room to provide her with privacy and they joined everyone else in the kitchen.

“So, you knew the Baudelaires?” Fiona asked while Isadora removed her skirt and stepped out of her stockings.

Isadora nodded and pulled her shirt over her head. “Yes, we went to school together.”

“That’s really precious,” Fiona smiled while examining a large bruise and slowly-bleeding cut on her leg. She pulled out fresh bandages and got to work cleaning the wounds. “I found the Baudelaires out here in the ocean when I was all alone. I was accidentally mean to Violet and I really wish I wasn’t. I was just afraid and confused, and that made me hateful. I didn’t have either of my parents or my brother at the time. It was just me and I had no information about VFD. I felt really alone.”

Isadora didn’t know if it was appropriate but she reached forward and hugged Fiona. She knew she was fortunate to have Duncan with her throughout her recent journey, even if it was a horrible journey. She couldn’t imagine not having him with her. She often thought about how Quigley was alone for so long and this broke her heart.

Fiona smiled at her and thanked her for her kindness.

“I’m sorry I yelled at your brother,” Isadora whispered, only wanting Fiona to hear that.

Fiona replied with fondness in her voice, “Please do not be. You must be traumatized; I can’t begin to imagine. I’m so sorry I yelled at you and your siblings. I really am happy to have you here.”

“It’s okay. I would yell too if someone spoke poorly about my brothers.”

After a moment of comfortable silence, Fiona spoke again. “Klaus Baudelaire sure was cute though,” she giggled. “Those adorable glasses. I kissed him but I think he may have had his mind on someone else.”

“Probably my brother,” Isadora giggled quietly and Fiona burst into amused laughter. Isadora never had the privilege of enjoying girl talk while growing up with two brothers as her closest friends, but she was really starting to enjoy it now with Fiona. She didn’t understand why she had butterflies in her stomach while listening to the girl speak to her but she figured that must just be part of it.

“Which brother?” Fiona asked, pulling out another clean roll of bandages for Isadora's right arm. Their faces were close and Isadora felt her breath catch in her throat.

“Duncan,” she whispered and even though Fiona never received proper introductions, she assumed he was the first one she treated as opposed to ‘Q. Quagmire.’ Isadora added, “He was at school with me and I think they fell in love.”

This confirmed Fiona’s hypothesis as Duncan wore a school uniform.

“Oh, I love that! Klaus was such a doll and you three triplets are obviously so cute too. It makes perfect sense.”

Isadora blushed heavily and then she realized what was happening. She liked Fiona. Like-liked.

“Thank you for saving us,” she breathed and Fiona winked playfully. The butterflies danced in Isadora’s stomach.

“We are happy to do it. And you would do the same, I’m sure.” Fiona stood up straight to fetch a fluffy towel and a jumpsuit for Isadora. “There you go, lovely.”

Isadora’s blush only deepened as Fiona wrapped the towel around her shoulders. She slipped into the jumpsuit with Melville’s portrait decorating the top corner.

“Thank you,” Isadora said again, hoping Fiona could see her earnest appreciation reflected through her eyes. Fiona did and now her cheeks were painted red with flush.

“Let’s go join the others for dinner.” Fiona held Isadora’s hand and led her into the kitchen.

Chapter Text

Fiona and Isadora stepped into the kitchen and were both genuinely surprised to see everyone seemingly calm together. Fernald and Hector sat across from each other, talking about the logistics of the hot air mobile home and peeling potatoes. Quigley sat very close to Hector, his shoulder pressed against Hector’s side, and closely studied old ocean maps and blueprints of the submarine provided to him by Fernald. Duncan sat on the kitchen counter by the stove and grated cheese into a bowl resting on his lap. Phil stood next to him, stirring ingredients in a large pot on the stove and chatting excitedly to Duncan. Duncan was smiling at him and absently kicking his feet in front of him. Isadora wondered for a moment if she stepped into the wrong room or even the wrong universe. Everybody seemed so happy, and she noticed this observation included herself.

When they heard the girls enter the room, Quigley and Duncan turned toward them and happily shouted in unison, “Isa!”

Quigley stood up from the table and ran over to her, as if they were separated for weeks instead of minutes. This thought tugged at her heart though because this really was the case just the day before. Duncan considered jumping off the counter, but the idea of landing on his foot made his stomach turn uncomfortably and he groaned with frustration. Quigley, always in tune with his siblings, heard and took Isadora’s hand, pulling her over to the kitchen counter by their brother. Duncan set the cheese bowl and grater aside and held his bandaged foot up to Isadora’s face. “Who do you think will have the bigger scar?” He asked, grinning. Isadora rolled her eyes and laughed, pushing his leg away from her face.

“Definitely you! Your foot looked very bad, Dunny!” Quigley laughed and Duncan shoved him playfully. They all giggled at that and Isadora hugged them both fondly. “I’m serious, though. It was really disgusting,” Quigley muttered to Duncan, who peeked around his sister’s face to stick his tongue out at Quigley. He returned the expression but secretly felt relieved that his brother never had to see his own foot that way.

The three Snow Scouts were standing near a corner of the room, quiet and frequently shifting their gazes toward Quigley, who also felt pangs of unease in his chest. He softly excused himself from his siblings and gulped silently before slowly approaching the scouts. When he stood just a foot away from the girls, they all stared at one another uncomfortably. “It’s good to see you again,” Quigley finally whispered and after a short pause, the girls all lunged forward and hugged him. He was surprised but quickly hugged them back.

“We are so glad you are safe,” Margot cried. “We had no idea what happened to you after we were taken away from that mountain.”

“Yeah, especially because we saw those two new scouts again,” Brie nodded. Quigley assumed she was referring to Violet and Klaus. He didn’t bother telling them that neither himself nor the Baudelaires were actually scouts during their time together. It hardly seemed important now.

“And Carmelita,” Follete added with frustration. “She helped enslave us on their stupid ship.”

“But we never heard about you again!” Brie cried out.

“We were worried that something terrible happened to you,” Follete whispered.

“I got away from those horrible people from the top of the mountain, but I was separated from the new scouts,” he informed them quickly as they all let go of each other. “How are you here? What happened?”

“Those eagles brought us to a beach and those dreadful people were there waiting for us,” Brie shivered. “They rented a strange-looking submarine and ordered us on it.”

“The submarine was shaped like a monster!” Margot provided.

“And we had to wait there for more bad people to show up. They were also on top of the mountain with us, but I don’t know their names. Carmelita was with them,” Brie continued. Quigley quickly pieced together that she was talking about Olaf and Esmé. “We had to row their ship for a long time, it was horribly exhausting. And Carmelita danced and sang the entire time.”

Quigley nodded sadly, unable to imagine the horror. Isadora and Duncan quietly groaned, accidentally eavesdropping on the conversation. They remembered their interactions with Carmelita well and they hated to revisit those memories.

“Then the bad people caught the two new scouts from our troop as well as a random baby. And we met Phil!” Follete smiled at Phil and he waved happily to their small group.

“But then we were attacked by a real monster and we all abandoned ship!” Margot chirped.

“Well, sort of. We abandoned post but stayed on the ship. Eventually we returned to land again but Fiona and Fernald stayed on the ship with us and we left after that horrible man and woman and Carmelita got off.”

“Where is everyone else?” Quigley whispered, wary to hear the answer.

“Oh they are safe! Apparently all of our families were murdered horrifically while we were taken. But the other scouts had extended family to live with,” Brie shrugged.

“Not us though,” Margot whispered sadly.

“We are all alone,” Follete lowered her head.

“Well not anymore of course,” Brie clarified hurriedly. “Fiona was nice enough to offer us a permanent position as part of her crew.”

“Which we gladly accepted. And we found Fiona’s real ship, the Queequeg, which I guess was borrowed by the two new scouts. We returned the monster submarine, got the full refund for returning it safely, and bought some food and supplies! Fiona received a distress call and here we all are!”

Quigley smiled fondly at his fellow scouts. Even though he was undercover at the time, most of them were kind and showed him camaraderie during his stay in the mountain. “I am so glad that you are safe,” he said earnestly. “Do you know what happened to the Baudelaires-oh, the two new scouts, I mean?”

“They must have made it back to that same beach,” Brie shrugged thoughtfully. “That’s where we found the Queequeg and made the submarine switch. We didn’t find them on board either.”

He expected this answer but it still hurt him to hear it. He wanted to see his friends again and he wanted to know they were safe. His chest throbbed and he nodded sadly. The scouts saw his dismay and hugged him again. “We know you three were friends,” Follete murmured as she patted his back. “We saw you three sneaking away together that night in the mountains. I am sure you will see them again.” He was unable to express how much he hoped that was true.

At that moment, Phil announced dinner was ready and whatever anxiety was left over from everyone’s initial introductions dissipated entirely with the rise in excitement for food. Isadora helped Duncan off of the counter and the entire crew and guests sat together around the large kitchen table. Sitting with new friends for dinner particularly seemed to make Fernald happy and he wrapped his arms around his sister, giving her a hug. She groaned dramatically but didn’t push him away and the Quagmires understood.

Phil began to dish out large bowls of hot cheesy potato soup and Fiona stood to address the triplets kindly. “Alright, Mateys. I realize I never asked you Quagmires for your names. Would you like to introduce yourselves?”

The Quagmires nodded and provided their names shyly in the sudden spotlight. Fiona smiled at each of them as they spoke to her. Isadora felt another flip in her stomach at that and tried to ignore it.

Phil placed a bowl in front of Quigley and he leaned forward to smell his soup deeply as his mouth watered. Everyone complimented Phil intently and Quigley started crying after his first bite. The Widdershins, Phil, and the Scouts shared a worried glance but Quigley quickly explained this was accidentally happening because he loved the meal and he had eaten canned peaches for so long. Phil didn’t understand what he meant by this but he accepted his praise and smiled proudly.

The triplets were all very hungry and each ate two bowls of soup before there was a lull in dinner conversation. When everyone finished and put down their spoons, Phil stood up from the table and stated, “And now, I have a special surprise for everyone!” He walked to the fridge and opened it. When he returned to the table, he held a large cake decorated with pink frosting. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get to eat the last cake that was made in this kitchen. To be honest, nobody did. So happy belated birthday to our dear old friend, Violet Baudelaire...” the triplets perked up at the mention of their friend and they sat forward, “-and a very special welcome to our new crew members.” He placed the cake on the center of the table.

For a moment, Quigley childishly believed Violet would jump out from under the table and say “boo.” She would smile and tell them she was hiding there the entire time until the perfect opportunity arose. When this didn’t happen, he sighed and his siblings slumped back down as well. They all wished she was here with them now enjoying this belated celebratory cake. They wished for Klaus and Sunny too.

Fiona nodded slowly and parroted Phil, “Aye. Happy belated birthday to Violet Baudelaire.”

“And welcome to our new crew,” Fernald added.

The triplets glanced at each other and then Hector. They hadn’t discussed the possibility of staying here and truly joining the Queequeg. As far as they knew, they were still heading back to land. But then what?

There was nothing waiting for them on land. Nothing and nobody. They had no idea where the Baudelaires or the evil kidnappers were, if any of them were even still alive. They pondered what their lives could be like in the water. They could see the world and be surrounded by their new friends constantly. They could search for Baudelaires together. It did not seem terrible to any of them. Hector smiled back at them encouragingly and a promise that they could discuss it later. As of right now, they had a very important matter to attend to: cake!

Phil sliced the cake and passed plates around the table. Quigley grinned at his slice with excitement. He could not remember his last bite of cake and he finished his piece before his siblings even picked up their fork. Duncan and Isadora exchanged a look of astonishment and tried to hold in their giggles. Quigley regretted finishing his slice so fast after seeing there were no leftovers, and his loving siblings noticed.

Duncan stretched and patted his belly dramatically “Wow!” He exclaimed, a tad too loud. “I am so full and I can’t eat anything else.”

Isadora joined him immediately, “Gosh, me too, Duncan! I ate so much soup. I can’t eat one more bite of this cake.”

Fiona almost asked why they sounded like aliens pretending to be human and Phil spoke up to offer putting their food in the refrigerator for later but they both stopped when Duncan quickly interrupted and asked, “Quigley, want some more cake?”

“Yeah, mine too?” Isadora asked.

Quigley’s eyes lit up and he nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, I can eat them. Are you sure?”

“Absolutely,” Isadora smiled and pushed her plate toward her brother. Duncan repeated her actions. Quigley somehow managed to eat the two additional pieces while other crew members were still working on their first, watching him in awe.

After he was finished eating, he breathed. “I’m so full,” he whispered, miserably.

“Wow, I’m so glad you liked the food,” Phil smiled at Quigley, who thanked him profusely. Phil blushed.

After dessert, the crew members set to work cleaning. Isadora helped Fiona and the scouts clear the table and Quigley stood by Hector at the sink to dry the dishes he washed. Duncan and Fernald packaged the left-over soup and put away the clean dishes. Phil tried to help but everyone agreed that he did enough for them. He blushed again.

~~~

After cleaning up, the children found themselves relaxing in the submarine’s library. They couldn’t see that it was evening but they felt their exhaustion pulling at their eyelids and limbs. Quigley sat on the floor and leaned his back against a large container in the corner of the room. He was still instructed to remain conscious in the case of a possible concussion and he tried to do this by reading mycology books. This subject didn’t particularly interest him and he’d much rather examine some more maps, but this library had very limited options. He occasionally raised his hand to snap slowly in his left ear and he was very pleased to find improvement.

Duncan sat next to him on the floor, heavily leaning on his brother’s shoulder. He had an open book in his lap, but he was no longer reading it. Instead, his eyes were fluttering heavily and he was losing the battle of trying to staying awake. Quigley considered poking him a few times but knew that was unfair to keep his brother awake just because he couldn’t sleep yet himself.

Fiona and Isadora were on the other side of the room, concealed behind a long table. They both rested on their stomachs and propped themselves up on their elbows, facing each other on the floor. They spoke in hushed voices about their lives before VFD interfered. Isadora told her about her interest in couplets and her favorite poets. Fiona told her that she wanted to become a mycologist and find a new species.

“If you find a new species, what will you name it?” Isadora asked, curiously.

“I don’t know,” Fiona laughed and flipped over to her back to absently draw her fingers in the air above her.

“You can choose anything in the whole world! What will you pick?”

Fiona pondered this question. “What do you recommend I name the next mycological discovery?”

“Maybe something entirely made up? Like ‘Jorgetes,’” She responded with a snicker.

“What is that word?” Fiona laughed and Isadora shrugged in response. “Maybe something that is not a made-up word? You know, most species’ names come from their Latin groups.”

“What about something silly though? I personally like misnomers. What about something like Marmalade Mushroom?” Isadora giggled.

“Marmalade?” Fiona covered her mouth to stiffen her laughs.

“Or George Mushroom!” Isadora suggested.

“George the Mushroom!” Fiona gasped.

“Or something entirely random…” Isadora tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Oh Fiona, I have the perfect name. Are you ready for this?” Fiona rolled onto her stomach and looked at Isadora with excitement and anticipation. “Coat Rack Mushroom!”

The girls burst into loud laughter, unable to contain their fit. The sudden noise stirred Duncan from his doze and he sat up quickly, looking around. When he realized they weren’t in danger, he yawned and stretched his arms up in the air. He turned to his brother and slurred sleepily, “Quig, I wanna go to bed now.” Quigley nodded sympathetically in response and Duncan leaned back on him, closing his eyes. He mumbled something else but Quigley did not understand this and when he asked for clarification, Duncan snored softly.

“You are so funny,” Fiona grinned at Isadora.

“Are you sure you don’t want to name it Coat Rack Mushroom? I won’t even demand much for the copyright, only 30%.” She laughed and Fiona chuckled, laying on her back once more.

“You know what? I will name the mushroom I discover after you,” Fiona smiled and Isadora blushed quickly. “And it will be the most beautiful mushroom in the entire universe.”

Isadora giggled again involuntarily and tucked her hair behind her ear nervously. Fiona saw but didn’t comment, just looked back at the submarine’s ceiling and smirking to herself.

Hector entered the room then and smiled at the children. “Alright my little ones, it’s bedtime,” he addressed the triplets. “You’ve been cleared for sleep, Quigley.”

Quigley smiled in relief at that, thinking of how incredible sleeping in sounded. Hector approached the two boys, bending over and carefully scooping sleeping Duncan up from his place next to Quigley.

“We set up blankets and pillows for you three in the bunk room,” Hector informed them as he walked toward the exit of the room, with Quigley right on his heels. Isadora quickly stood up, not wanting to be too far from her brothers.

She paused to reach down and help Fiona up. “Will you come with us?” Isadora asked her.

Fiona grinned, “Of course.” She clutched Isadora’s hand and allowed herself to be pulled up. They followed Hector together and neither noticed that they were still holding hands until they entered the bunk room.

“I call top bunk,” Fiona smirked as they entered a small, cozy room with several bunk beds lining the walls. She hopped up onto a top bunk and settled down.

Hector carefully tucked Duncan into the bunk below her and gently brushed his hair away from his eyes and forehead. Quigley rubbed his own eyes fiercely, stifling a yawn, and slid into a bottom bunk next to Duncan’s, muttering sleepy nonsense to himself. Hector heard but didn’t bother asking what he was saying. He pulled extra blankets out from under the beds and spread them out over Duncan and Quigley. Isadora climbed onto the bunk over Quigley and found that her pillow was next to Fiona’s.

Hector made sure everyone was covered with blankets and offered to find more for them. When they denied for a third time, he wished them good night and left, closing the door behind him.

“I promise I will give you triplets a tour in the morning. And before that, we can have an amazing breakfast. We can have pancakes and whipped cream too. With strawberries.” Fiona smiled in the darkened room.

“Yes, please,” Quigley whispered from below Isadora and the two girls burst into laughter, not realizing he was still conscious enough to respond. He didn’t hear their laughter though because he closed his eyes and immediately joined his brother in sleep.

The three scouts entered the room then and all climbed into their own bunks in the room. They wished the triplets and their captain a good night and the room fell silent.

After several minutes, Isadora rolled onto her belly and faced the top of Fiona’s head. “I’ll write a whole book of couplets for you,” Isadora whispered suddenly, surprising herself.

“Oh yeah?” Fiona asked softly, thankful for the dark room hiding her blushed cheeks. “Please tell me one.”

Isadora was quiet for a long time. Fiona thought she fell asleep but then she heard a soft voice. “Your eyes are bright like the sun and the sea. And here with you is where I always wish to be.”

Fiona froze for a moment, holding her breath without noticing. When she realized she was taking too long to respond, she deflected to her joking attitude and asked, “Do they always have to rhyme?”

“Blasphemy!” Isadora gasped dramatically and flopped back down on the mattress, secretly thankful for the light mood.

“I really love it,” Fiona rolled onto her belly and became face to face with Isadora. They both smiled shyly at one another. “Thank you for that. You know, you really can.”

“I really can what?” Isadora asked.

“Stay here with us. Your whole family can stay here. You don’t even have to be part of the crew if you don’t want to, you can just live here with us forever,” Fiona whispered.

“Thank you,” Isadora smiled. “That truly means the world to me. To all of us, actually.”

Fiona nodded her head and they sat in silence comfortably for a minute.

“You said you kissed Klaus Baudelaire?” Isadora whispered. Fiona nodded. “How was it?”

“Are you asking because you want to kiss Klaus Baudelaire?” She asked.

Isadora shook her head, feeling sudden bravery in her chest. “No. I want to kiss you.” The bravery quickly diminished and Isadora stopped, her eyes wide. She could not believe she just said that out loud to Fiona and she anxiously awaited a response.

“Aye, then,” Fiona grinned. “Right now?” Isadora nodded and Fiona leaned forward, connecting their lips between their beds. The kiss was short and sweet and when they pulled away, Isadora giggled involuntarily. She hid her face in her pillow and mumbled, “Thank you, that was very nice.” But of course, this sounded garbled to Fiona.

Fiona chuckled though and rolled onto her back again. “Goodnight, Isadora.”

“Goodnight, Fiona.” Isadora fell asleep flushed and smiling.

~~~

A few hours later, Duncan woke up at the sound of a large crash outside the ship and the feeling of surprise as he was thrown from his bunk with a yelp.

They were unable to eat pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries in the morning. And the triplets never received that tour.

Chapter Text

Duncan groaned in frustration from the submarine floor. In his fogged and rest-deprived mind, he wondered if he would ever have the opportunity to sleep through the night again or if he was destined to be tired forever now. His consciousness began to clear and he tried to stand up on wobbly legs and a sore foot. He looked around the room and noticed everyone else was still asleep in their bunks. After becoming vertical again, there was another large crash and he lost his balance, falling once more to the cold floor under him. He heard the other children in the room rise and ask soft questions, still groggy from their interrupted sleep. They all silenced quickly as a loud overhead alarm sounded and a red blinking light illuminated the room around them. The children glanced at each other with worry painted on their faces. Quigley quickly stepped out of his bed and helped his brother up from the floor, looking at him for a possible explanation but Duncan could only shrug and shake his head. They both pressed their hands to their ears to block out some of the harsh noise and they huddled together as the red light passed over their faces, heightening their fear. The Snow Scouts jumped from their bunks and looked to their captain for their first assignments.

“Aye!” Fiona shouted suddenly, remembering her position of charge and quickly getting to her feet. “Everyone to the control room!” She ordered and as the scouts ran out, she turned to Isadora and offered a hand to help her jump down from her bunk. Isadora was too panicked by the alarm to feel embarrassed that her brothers witnessed this gesture and they were too disoriented to notice.

Isadora landed on her feet and looked around the room with wide eyes, wondering what the danger could possibly be. “What is happening?” She yelled over the loud alarms.

“I don’t know, but we need to go meet with the rest of the crew!” Fiona called back and ran out of the room, still holding Isadora’s hand and pulling her along. Isadora threw a terror-stricken glance back over her shoulder, worried that her brothers would be lost behind forever, but she breathed again when she saw them running directly behind her.

“We are here, Isa!” Duncan yelled with reassurance; his hands were still pressed over his ears.

The alarm somehow became louder outside of the bunk room and the triplets felt the noise pounding in their teeth and temples. Duncan felt stabbing pain shoot from his right foot to his knee each time he took a step on it and his stomach ached with sudden nausea. He removed a hand from his ear and grabbed Quigley’s arm to mentally steady himself and find the energy to keep moving. The ship continued to shudder as they ran.

“We are almost there!” Quigley assured him loudly. He was glad he studied the blueprints before dinner because he now had a comfortable understanding of the ship’s layout.

Isadora heard her brother yell and turned around, making sure there was not a new problem. She reached out her free hand, which Quigley grabbed without hesitation. The four linked children turned a few corners and then ran into the control room where they found the scouts, Phil, Fernald, and Hector.

“Hector!” Isadora and Duncan shouted with relief and ran over to meet him, pulling Quigley with them. The three children wrapped their arms around him tightly and began to cry.

“It’s them, isn’t it?” Isadora finally asked Hector, with red eyes and tears running down her cheeks.

“It has to be. It has to be those horrible people. They came back for us,” Duncan cried and hid his face in Hector’s side.

“Who?” Quigley asked, stepping back and looking anxiously between his siblings and Hector. Hector watched the triplets with patience, but worry was hidden in his eyes.

“It’s Olaf!” Isadora cried out and let go of Hector, taking a step back and putting her hands on her face with rising panic. “He found us again and he will take us.”

“He’s going to put us in another fish!” Duncan screamed. His shaky legs and pounding foot caught up with him and his legs gave out from under him. Hector’s arm was still around Duncan’s shoulder and he quickly reached down to pick him up before he hit the floor. Being at eye level now, Duncan wrapped his arms firmly around Hector’s neck and pressed his cheek against the side of Hector’s head. Quigley saw the harsh terror in his siblings’ faces and he began to pant out short breaths.

“No, no. Absolutely not. You aren’t going back in a fish,” Hector confirmed steadily as he rubbed Duncan’s back. He turned to Isadora and added firmly, “Or a fountain.” His voice was calm and the triplets wanted to believe him but their heads still swam with great panic. Quigley kept hearing about this horrible fish and fountain and though he didn’t fully understand what happened to his siblings, he saw their reactions and found himself matching them in intensity.

“It isn’t Olaf,” a soft voice said from behind Isadora and she felt a hand close around her wrist. She nearly screamed fearfully but was greatly relieved when she turned to see Fiona looking intently in her eyes. “It is not Olaf.” She said again and Isadora nodded.

Fiona looked at Duncan and he slowly nodded too, his cheek rubbing against Hector’s hair, but he didn’t release his tight grip around Hector’s neck.

“Come and take a look at the screen,” Fiona gently pulled Isadora toward the table in the middle of the room and Hector herded Quigley there as well. They all peered at the screen and saw a large question mark circling their submarine. “We have seen this before but it usually swims by and leaves us alone.”

“Is it an animal?” Duncan asked softly and Fiona nodded.

There was another loud crash as the mysterious animal made contact with the submarine, accompanied by a jolt that threatened to throw everyone to the floor. The crew members and guests stumbled but regained their balance and grasped the table in front of them.

“Why is it doing that?” Quigley asked, looking toward the small round window on the side of the submarine but he did not see anything.

“It probably thinks we are food,” Fernald answered before running out of the room. The triplets watched him leave and then turned back to Fiona for an explanation.

“He’s going to shut off the alarm. The sound and light are attracting the animal to us. After he does that, we all need to stay very quiet and maybe it will realize it made a mistake and leave us alone,” Fiona whispered.

“What if it doesn’t leave us alone?” Isadora asked the question to which they were all dreading the answer. Fiona lowered her head and pondered this.

“In that case,” she finally stated, “we will have to climb back up to the surface and prepare to escape a flooded submarine.”

The triplets gasped and turned toward Hector, as though because he was their adult, he could miraculously fix this entire problem and send them back to bed with a glass of milk. He looked at their pleading faces and didn’t have the heart to tell them that he was out of his element here. He was prepared to live in the sky but not in the water. He drew them into another hug and provided encouragements, which were greatly appreciated.

There was another loud sound and jolt as the animal made contact with the side again. This time, Fernald called hurriedly to Fiona and she ran out of the room. She returned in a few minutes and looked terrified. “There is a leak in the submarine. We have to go up to the surface before it is too late. Those who hesitate-” she was cut off by another large noise and the submarine jarred to the side, sending everyone onto the ground. Hector carefully caught himself on the floor with his arm to avoid crushing Duncan.

“Crew,” Fiona ordered, standing up from her knees. “Be prepared for harsh waves above. Find the life jackets and safety boats. Be quick!” And she disappeared again.

The triplets and Hector looked at each other, all sitting on the floor with Duncan still wrapped around Hector. “You heard your captain, kids. Let’s make this one count tenfold,” Hector nodded firmly and helped them all up.

Duncan stayed on his own feet this time (though he leaned heavily on the one opposite his bandaged cut) and he nodded firmly. “Let’s get ready.” The triplets scattered and helped the scouts prepare the supplies to safely abandon ship.

Quigley and Follete found a storage room with water slowly leaking in through a small crack in the side. They exchanged a terrified glance. “We need to go up before the pressure causes this ship to collapse,” she murmured and Quigley nodded worriedly. They dug through boxes until they found what they needed: life jackets. “Grab them all!”

Duncan joined Brie in the kitchen where she loaded duffle bags with cans of food and bottles of water. “We need everything that will stay edible even if soaked in water,” she informed him. “No breads. Grab those fruit!” Duncan obeyed and they filled the bags.

Isadora followed Margot past the room they initially arrived in and into a cupboard. Margot showed her the safety boats lining the walls. “When we are able to, we just pull these strings and they inflate. Perfect for an escape!” Isadora nodded and helped her carry the collapsed boats.

~~~

The triplets met back up just in time for another large jolt. This one was followed by a short scream and distant cursing.

“That can’t be good,” Duncan whispered to his siblings and Hector entered the room, quickly walking toward them.

“Quagmires, listen to me very carefully. We are almost at the surface and you are going to jump right out. This ship is trying everything it can to fill up with water so we can’t be in it when it finally decides to sink.” They nodded in understanding. “Good. I know it is scary but when we are in the ocean again, try to remain calm. We have boats right?” Isadora confirmed they did. “After you get in the water, find whatever is closest to you and get in. Even if I’m not there. Okay?”

This startled the triplets. “Why wouldn’t you be there?” Quigley gasped.

Hector placed a hand on his shoulder and patted it, smiling with encouragement. “That is just a worst-case scenario. I’m staying right here with you.”

Another large crash and the Widdershins burst in the room. “We are going now!” Fiona screamed and everyone ran toward the entrance while struggling into their life jackets. They reached the ladder and Hector helped each of the triplets fasten their life vests before sending them up. They didn’t notice the dried blood on the ladder that Duncan tracked in the following day. They didn’t notice the guests’ abandoned clothes still sitting in a pile on the floor.

And they didn’t notice Phil was missing until Fernald reached the ladder.

“I have to find Phil!” He called quickly and ran back. Fiona gasped at this and started climbing down the ladder to join her brother. Hector and her crew tried to stop her and the triplets cried out her name. But she was gone.

There was another crash and the submarine started to fill with water.

“GO NOW!” Hector screamed to the scouts who were leading the escape. They pushed together against the layer of water that still remained over them and finally lifted the lid. Everyone was relieved to see they reached the surface, but the waves were much harsher now than they were the day before. Freezing water lapped up the submarine and poured into the entrance, soaking everyone still clinging to the ladder. They climbed out and jumped into the ocean surrounding them just as the submarine tore apart at the sides. The triplets were once again thrown into the dark waves, rather ineptly.

~~~

Quigley came up again and breathed in deeply. He saw a large box floating by him and quickly grabbed it, halfway climbing on top until just his legs remained in the water. He looked out among the crashing waves and he imagined a shark swimming by and biting his legs off. He was unable to see anyone else due to the tall waves and he let out a small cry for his siblings, but he did not receive a response. He pictured their bodies floating in the cold water and his steadily-growing panic attack finally arrived. He began screaming loudly.

Isadora’s head broke the surface and she gasped for air. She noticed a small bedside table floating near her and she began to swim toward it when she heard her brother’s screams. She squinted into the bright sun’s wavering reflections on the water until she spotted Quigley several feet from her. She took in a deep breath and dunked back underwater, swimming towards him. She was very thankful for her early swim lessons and she shivered to think of what would happen now if she and her siblings were unable to swim. She finally reached Quigley and clutched the side of his box. She frowned with worry when she wiped the saltwater from her eyes and saw her brother.

He was still screaming and didn’t act as though he knew she was there at all. His knuckles were white from his tight grasp on the box. His eyes were glazed over and his face was wet. She wasn’t sure if this was ocean water or tears streaming down his face but she figured it was likely both.

“Quigley?” Isadora heard Duncan call over the loud water.

“Over here!” Isadora waved one arm vigorously above her head. Duncan swam to them and joined them clutching the box. “Duncan, he needs our help.” Isadora gasped and they both looked at Quigley, still screaming.

Duncan wrapped an arm around his shoulder and squeezed. “We are here, it’s okay,” he whispered but Quigley did not react to them at all.

“Isa, I don’t und-” Duncan began, turning to his sister, but he was cut off as a large wave enveloped them. They resurfaced a moment later, coughing and still clutching to the box. Quigley stopped screaming and was looking around with lost eyes. “Well I guess that worked!” Duncan yelled to Isadora.

“Hey, can you hear me?” Isadora asked him softly, leaning close to his ear. He nodded but continued to cry. “It will be okay, I promise.” He shook his head, slowly at first but it became vigorous and panicked.

“No,” Quigley wept, his voice wavering and hoarse. “No, no, no. We are all going to die!”

“Isa!” Duncan whined pathetically to his sister, afraid of what he was hearing.

“Where is Hector?” Isadora asked him hurriedly, but he shook his head, unsure. “Where are the lifeboats?” Duncan looked around with her, bobbing up and down with the waves.

They both shouted Hector’s name several times until their voices cracked and the need to quench their thirst tickled their throats.

“Isa, do you think Hector is-” Duncan began softly before he was interrupted by something that brought an unfathomable amount of joy to their hearts.

“Quagmires!” They heard Hector call over the crashing waves. “Isadora! Quigley! Duncan!”

“HERE!” They shrieked in unison and slapped their fists onto the box to create as much noise as possible. Quigley remained silent with wide eyes but his siblings believed this behavior was at least improvement from his previous screaming.

Hector spotted the triplets and swam toward them with one arm, his other arm wrapped firmly around a blown-up lifeboat. He reached them and exhaled deeply, crying hard.

“Thank god,” he muttered to himself repeatedly and pulled the boat over to float parallel to Isadora. He held the boat as firm as he could in the moving water and assisted her in climbing in.

“Get Duncan first!” She pleaded after she got into the boat. “Quigley needs help and we can both pull him in from here.” Hector nodded and pushed the boat around to Duncan, who climbed aboard.

“Come on, little one, it’s your turn now,” Hector instructed to Quigley, who looked at him with wide owl eyes and did not move. Hector wrapped an arm around his waist, pried him away from the box, and lifted him into the boat with the two triplets’ assistance in pulling his arms. Hector then climbed aboard himself and everyone panted with exhaustion and relief for several seconds before lunging forward into a large hug with Quigley smooshed in the middle.

“Oh god, I thought I lost you three,” Hector sobbed, alarming the two triplets and they pulled away to look at him. They had not seen Hector upset like this before and they didn’t know how to help him. They were so accustomed to Hector comforting them during their crying fits after waking up from a nightmare in the hot air mobile home and while mourning over their lost brother and even while receiving their stitches the previous day. Hector gasped in between hard cries and this made Duncan and Isadora join him in tears.

Even Quigley, feeling entirely dissociated from reality around him, frowned and leaned back to look at Hector with nervous eyes.

“We didn’t know where you were,” Duncan’s voice was pitiful and sticky with tears. “We couldn’t see you, and I thought-”

“We tried to call out to you,” Isadora ran her arm across her face, wiping away her tears. “And we were afraid that you-” she was unable to finish as another sob racked her entire body.

“Shhh,” Hector whispered and pulled the children back into a hug, pressing kisses to the tops of their heads. “I’m right here. We are safe.” They cried harder.

Several minutes later, they all felt calmer and Isadora asked Hector if he saw the Queequeg crew. Hector confirmed he heard them yelling while he was calling out for the triplets.

“Really?” Duncan asked, hope glinting in his eyes. “You think they are alive?”

“Yes,” Hector answered honestly. “I think they were pulled in a different direction though.”

Isadora stood up in the boat and screamed for Fiona. She received no response and fresh tears filled her eyes. She was happy to have her family here with her, but she wished for her new friends too. She hoped they were safe.

“Look,” Duncan whispered, pointing out into the water. They turned to see a duffle bag floating next to them and Duncan explained it contained food that he helped pack. Hector exited the boat to retrieve the supplies, careful not to tip the Quagmires into the water with him. This is an action that terrified Duncan and Isadora and they tried to discourage him from leaving them. The two triplets watched in anticipation until he quickly returned to them.

“Okay,” Hector panted, feeling his growing exhaustion catch him. “We will be okay now.” He turned to Quigley and smiled sadly. “How are you doing?”

Quigley shrugged and whispered, “I’m okay.” Hector didn’t believe him but the triplet did not offer any further information so he decided to take what he was given with a nod.

“You were screaming in the water,” Duncan whispered to him. “And then you stopped moving.”

“Do you remember that?” Isadora asked cautiously. Quigley only shrugged again so Hector suggested they leave him alone for now and within a few minutes, Quigley fell asleep.

Hector, Isadora, and Duncan shuffled through the duffle bag and Hector was pleased to find a soaked blanket. He wrung out what water he could and draped it across the boat to create a shaded area for one lying flat in the boat. The blanket covered Quigley and protected his sleeping face from the sun. The two conscious Quagmires loved Hector more for this.

For the next several hours, the two triplets took turns sleeping next to Quigley and staying awake with Hector. The sea calmed by this point and they were floating in a way that would have been relaxing if they weren’t stranded with no signs of land or rescue in sight.

Duncan asked Hector where he thought they would end up when they finally came across land. He talked about the possibility of catching fish and what would happen when they ran out of water. Hector listened patiently and assured him that they would be fine when Duncan’s voice broke with the threat of new tears.

Isadora spoke to Hector about the Queequeg crew. She hoped they were alive and she wondered aloud if they would ever see them again. She admitted she would miss Fiona more than words could describe and Hector nodded, understanding. She voiced concerns that the Queequeg crew would not survive but Hector admitted that the Widdershins were far better suited for life on the water than their own lifeboat and therefore, they will be just fine.

They both told him privately that they were worried for their brother. Hector was too, but he did not say this out loud.

To their surprise and relief, Quigley woke up and seemed to be feeling much better. He gave everyone on board a long hug and cried about how happy he was that they were safe and together. He told them about his nightmares of everyone drowning and he wasn’t sure if they were his imagination during his panic attack or images that plagued him during his dreams but he shivered fearfully.

“There were huge sharks with so many pointy teeth,” he whispered in a shaky voice and everyone hugged him tighter and kissed his head.

For dinner, they opened the duffle bag and Duncan pulled out the first can: peaches. Quigley groaned and crawled back under the blanket, claiming he was no longer hungry. His siblings chuckled sadly but pulled him back out by his legs and talked him into eating a can of tomato soup.

Hector and the Quagmires made the best of their dreadful situation and they spoke happily while laughing through the evening.

~~~

The Quagmires woke up the next morning to see large purple bags under Hector’s eyes. It took them nearly a full hour to convince him to sleep while they watched for danger. He made them each swear to wake him immediately if they noticed something out of the ordinary or if they saw something that could be land or another boat. Or if they just wanted to talk to him some more. This touched their hearts and they agreed to his terms. He slept for several hours and woke up in the evening during dinner. They all shared a can of beans, two apples, and a bottle of water.

~~~

The following morning, Quigley woke up covered in a layer of sweat and panting. He unbuttoned the top portion of his jumpsuit and pulled it off of his shoulders and chest, tying the sleeves around his waist. When this didn’t provide him with relief, he moved to take his jumpsuit off completely. Hector saw this and immediately refused to allow it, asking Quigley if he had any idea what temperature it was outside. Regardless of the bright sun, the air was still very cold and the biting wind was a nearly-constant nuisance. Quigley only shrugged and scooted away from Hector and his siblings.

“It’s too hot,” he whined and ran a hand through his sweaty scalp.

“Quig, it is not hot,” Duncan whispered to him.

Hector reached forward and placed his hand on Quigley’s forehead before the child could duck away again. Quigley groaned in defeat when he felt someone else’s skin touching his sticky forehead and Hector cursed softly to himself, inhaling deeply.

“You have got quite a fever. Put your top back on properly and lay back down. I want you to try to rest and hopefully this will break on its own...” Quigley tried to argue with Hector but the man shook his head. “Right now.”

It wasn’t often that Hector spoke to the Quagmires with that level of firmness but he was exhausted and worried and feeling a bit ill himself. Quigley frowned but obeyed him and laid back down under the blanket while buttoning his jumpsuit back up. Isadora asked Hector if Quigley would be okay after her brother fell asleep again and Hector nodded, promising that he would be just fine.

Quigley muttered loudly in his sleep but did not fully wake up until late that evening, over 12 hours later. Hector felt his forehead and was relieved to find he was still feverish but with some improvement. He ate an orange and then slept until noon the following day when he was drawn back to consciousness by the sound of his brother yelling.

“We have to find land right now!” Duncan was shouting, mostly into the ocean. “I need to get off of this horrendous boat!” Isadora shushed him but he continued his protest. Hector listened patiently and Quigley rolled back over, covering his ears and falling back asleep.

They did not find land that day.

Quigley’s fever finally broke the following morning. This resolution brought peace to all four passengers. He had sudden energy and appreciated his breakfast of half a banana.

The triplets were always thirsty but they refused to ask for more water than what Hector gave them during meals. Their supply bag was steadily running out and they talked softly about the possibility of dying that evening. They usually tried to stay away from this sort of sorrowful conversation but the triplets were afraid and Hector was too tired to change the subject.

Duncan wondered what it would feel like to die and Isadora wondered where they would go. Quigley asked what would happen to their bodies and then quietly mentioned they could possibly see their parents. Hector sighed and turned away from them to sleep.

~~~

When Hector woke up, he blinked into the bright world around him and wondered what time it was. He saw a child resting next to him but couldn’t see who it was yet because his eyes were still blurred with sleep. He rubbed his eyes slowly and then heard something that made his heart stop.

“Hector!” Isadora screamed to him. “Hector, I think I see land!”

He quickly crawled out from under the blanketed shelter and followed Isadora’s pointer finger. At first, he saw nothing but water reflecting the bright sun into his eyes but he squinted harder into the distance. And he saw land.

“Iz!” He shrieked and scooped her into a hug. “You did it! You found land!”

She laughed and yelled loudly into the sea. They heard sleepy noises and turned to see the remaining triplets crawling out from under the blanket, also rubbing sleep from their eyes.

“Boys, look!” Hector cried with happiness in his voice that seemed to disappear several days ago. “Your sister saved us!”

They all celebrated enthusiastically for a moment before hurriedly emptying the remaining food from the duffle bag into the boat. Hector folded the bag tightly to use as an oar and while he brought them closer to land, they ate a breakfast composed of their remaining can of peaches. Quigley was so excited that he didn’t even notice what they were eating, and Hector made sure everyone had at least a couple bites.

“What will we do first?” Duncan asked eagerly, practically vibrating in his seat.

“Run,” Quigley whispered. Everyone understood this, thinking about the terrible ache in their legs.

“Lay flat in the sand,” Isadora smiled.

“Find out where we are,” Hector answered honestly. They nodded in agreement at that.

When Hector became tired, Isadora took a turn using the home-made oar and steering them to land. This was followed by Quigley taking a turn. And then Duncan.

“It’s getting a little rocky here,” Isadora muttered right before a loud pop echoed on the water. They looked down to see a hole in the bottom of the boat, slowly leaking water.

“We are just a few yards away from the shore, we can walk the rest of it,” Hector jumped out and helped Quigley and Isadora out of the boat.

The triplets and Hector tried to stand in the water but quickly noticed their shaky legs refused to support them. They fell into the water on their knees and giggled when Isadora and Quigley found the cold water reached their chin. Duncan was still trying to slide out of the boat and he cried out, “My legs won’t work!”

Hector chuckled and stood up slowly, turning his back to Duncan and motioning him to climb on. Duncan wrapped his arms around Hector’s neck and was lifted out of the boat.

Hector, Isadora, and Quigley walked carefully in the water, watching out for the crabs scurrying between their legs, which made Quigley cry out fearfully. Isadora held his hand and they continued shuffling their feet in the sand. Hector carried Duncan on his back the whole way and he pulled the water-filled boat alongside him because no decent person leaves waste in the ocean when it can be avoided. When they reached the beach shore, they cheered happily and Hector helped Duncan stand up on his shaky legs.

“We did it,” Isadora cried out, tears suddenly springing to her eyes and running down her cheeks. “We made it back!” Duncan hugged her tightly and they jumped up and down with excitement.

Quigley screamed loudly into the air around them before taking off on a slow jog, which is all he could manage on his current sea-ruined legs, but he enjoyed it.

Hector laughed joyfully as he watched the children. He took in a deep breath and allowed himself to feel hope that he didn’t realize he rid himself of over the previous days. He turned to see a large sign informing them they landed on a ‘Briny Beach.’

“That sign says this is Briny Beach. Do you know where this is?” He asked the children as they settled down.

Duncan and Isadora shook their heads, but Quigley thought about it for a minute. “I think I’ve seen it on a map before,” he muttered and pondered further. “Oh yes! We are right outside the city. Hector, where do we go now?”

Hector frowned. “I honestly don’t know. I can’t take you all back to my old home. I would be thrown in jail for using a machine and you three would be adopted by the town and forced to do their chores.” Quigley shot a worried look to his siblings but they nodded sadly, already having heard the horror stories from Hector during their time in the mobile home.

“Perhaps we should walk to town and look for a hotel,” Duncan suggested.

“We don’t have any money,” Isadora shook her head.

“And what if those bad people are there?” Quigley asked with a shiver. “There’s no way we could escape them now.”

“It was just a suggestion,” Duncan huffed quietly and crossed his arms.

“And a great one,” Hector draped an arm around his shoulder. “We need to be very careful about this, Quagmires.”

They all thought about it and when Isadora almost suggested they stay on the beach for a few days, someone else spoke up. It was a voice that dragged Duncan and Isadora back to their previous life in memory, their life before Hector and Quigley’s return. Before Fiona, Phil, and the Snow Scouts. Before Fernald was more to them than a kidnapper. This was a voice that made them both excited and worried at the same time.

“Isadora and Duncan Quagmire?” They turned to see Olivia Caliban walking toward them on the beach.

Chapter Text

“Ms. Caliban?” Duncan asked with his eyebrows raised so high, they hid beneath his wet hair. He could hardly believe his eyes and Isadora’s mouth fell open in surprise. If they were honest with themselves, they half expected to see Olaf and his troupe here at the beach waiting for them. They wouldn’t be surprised if they saw Esmé either. Isadora even had slight hope deep in her chest that the Queequeg crew would have arrived at this same shore just prior to them. The two triplets certainly did not expect to see the kind librarian from their horrible days at boarding school.

Seeing her briefly reminded Duncan and Isadora of the Baudelaires and their blossoming friendship that was halted too soon by perilous circumstances and a great distance.

Then they remembered being kidnapped from the library that final and dreadful night. They were haunted by the vivid memory of being grabbed and dragged out of the room by Fernald, who was just the hook-handed man to the children at the time, followed by being thrown into the trunk of a smelly old car for several hours. Their legs became stiff and they panted with panic while they waited in that trunk and they wondered what would happen to them when Olaf returned. Duncan imagined their missing brother chastising them for allowing a kidnapper to stand between them and the exit. Isadora imagined their dead parents shaking their heads with disappointment as they laid there helpless. They both believed they failed their new friends and they cried together throughout the night, receiving severe threats from the troupe who demanded they stay quiet.

They hadn’t realized they were kept in that trunk all night until the lid was thrown open and they were yanked out into the morning sun. The car was moved to a far side of the boarding school campus where nobody would notice it and investigate. The two triplets tried to scream toward the school building, but they were violently forced into the back seat already packed with Olaf’s helpers. An older woman drove the vehicle to the front of the school and the Quagmires were made to wait with the troupe. Minutes later, they heard a muffled yell and looked out of the rear windshield to see Olaf running toward them, panicked and escaping a failed attempt to steal the Baudelaires. Despite their predicament, the two triplets grinned at this. Isadora and Duncan then saw Violet and Klaus running toward them, running to save them. They perked up with hope, but Olaf was too fast and the moving car made the rescue impossible.

They screamed to their friends, trying to warn them about VFD, the sugar bowl, and the secret codes. Their voices became hoarse and their throats itched with thirst after a night of crying. Isadora managed to duck under the troupes’ grabbing hands and lean out the window. She yelled into the clean air before a shiny, sharp hook reached right in front of her face, knocking her spy glass from her hand and pulling her back inside the stuffed car.

This memory sent a shiver down their spines and worked to extinguish their joy. The two triplets hadn’t allowed themselves to think of their previous journey for several days and now that the memory returned like an avalanche, they felt they were being buried alive by their trauma. They also realized they were suffering through a moral dilemma because they did not understand how the same person could do that to them and then be so kind on the submarine. Fernald sutured their wounds, helped make a delicious meal, and toasted to their welcome. The contrast made their skin crawl, and they never had the chance to truly work through that.

Olivia, however, smiled brightly and tears filled her wide eyes. She ran toward the two triplets and her sudden movement brought both Quagmires back to the reality that they were miraculously here with a friend. Grins stretched across their faces and they ran toward her with arms open wide. Olivia reached them and dropped to her knees in the sand, her bag discarded behind her, forgotten in the moment. She embraced the children in a strong hug and cried.

“I was beginning to think I would never find you. I thought you were lost forever,” she whispered, clutching them tightly.

“Find us?” Isadora asked as they pulled away from the hug. “Were you looking for us?”

“Of course. I am so sorry for everything that happened to you two. It is unfair that you have had to go through any of this,” Olivia lowered her head, feeling the guilt of failure weighing down on her. She sought out the two triplets as soon as they were taken from the school and she loathed herself for not being able to find and save them much sooner. Duncan and Isadora saw this sadness in Olivia and began to cry themselves before hugging her again.

“Where have you sweet children been all of this time?” Olivia asked when they pulled apart a second time and she rested a hand on both of their cheeks. They leaned into the comforting touch.

“That’s sort of a long story...” Duncan murmured with a shrug.

“And not a good one at all. We will tell you everything, but right now I think we should hide somewhere in case those horrible people try to come back.” Isadora informed her with newly-found urgency in her voice as she realized how exposed they were on the shore.

“Oh, you didn’t hear about the fire?” Olivia asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.

“What fire?” Duncan furrowed his eyebrows. From the research and personal experience they held, they believed that any fire was more than likely preceded by Olaf and his troupe.

“That large hotel downtown-I think the name was Denouement-it burned down with several people trapped inside. The town newspaper claimed child actors set the fire so naturally, I performed my own research and found that the court held a trial for Olaf just prior to the fire.” She smiled fondly as she informed the children of the next piece of information. “The Baudelaires were there at the hotel.”

Duncan and Isadora perked up at the name and Quigley gasped from several feet away, carefully listening to this stranger’s words.

“Did they get out safely?” Duncan asked hurriedly.

“Where are they?” Isadora looked around the beach, as though they would magically appear next to her.

“I don’t know,” Olivia admitted with a sad grimace. “I believe they did make it out of the building safely. I found several reports of a boat parachuting off of the hotel roof. Some people even claimed seeing four people inside.”

“Four?” Isadora pondered. “Maybe it was the Baudelaires and they found someone to join their journey!”

“That seems likely enough,” Duncan replied optimistically. He refused to entertain the possibility that their friends were trapped in that burning building.

~~~

Several feet away, Quigley continued to frown and he took a slow step closer to Hector. “Who is she?” He asked under his breath. Hector had never met this woman and he shrugged in response. “This doesn’t feel right. Why was she here on the beach? What if we can’t trust her?”

“Your siblings certainly seem to trust her. And we trust their judgement, don’t we?”

Quigley shrugged hesitantly at that and crossed him arms. “What if they are being overly naïve and she is working with the bad people?”

“Duncan and Isadora don’t seem like overly naïve people to me,” Hector responded easily but continued to watch the reunion before him with careful eyes.

“They are kids, they are naïve,” Quigley huffed and Hector laughed out loud at that before he was able to stop himself.

“Now, remind me again but aren’t you three exactly the same age?” He asked, still chuckling around his words.

Quigley did not find this funny though. He shrugged again and muttered, “I have been overly naive before.” He thought back to readily trusting Jacques Snicket only because he was the first adult he saw after his own mother left his life permanently. As far as Quigley could tell at the time, Jacques was a good man; but thinking back on how quickly he took to him after their meeting made Quigley frown deeply. He regretted joining this noble-seeming organization and going on the ‘sugar bowl-retrieval mission,’ even if it did bring him back to his siblings.

Since rejoining Isadora and Duncan, they found themselves suffering through multiple perilous situations. In Quigley’s young mind, he wanted to find somewhere safe to place the blame for their troubles. He wanted to blame Jacques, the Queequeg crew, and even this stranger for their misfortunes, though he deeply knew they were not to blame. When he allowed himself to think about it, he believed that he alone was the reason for their grief. He thought the destruction and situational turmoil was due of him and that he was a jinx. His siblings were safe in the air with Hector before he showed up and brought terrifying danger along with him.

This deep guilt was nearly suffocating, and he felt his throat become tighter with the threat of tears. He watched his siblings hug Olivia Caliban and he rolled his eyes, angry with himself and feeling lonely.

“Plus, we don’t have any other options.” Hector was speaking in a low voice while Quigley was lost in his thoughts, but he didn’t bother asking Hector to repeat himself. Quigley watched his family closely.

~~~

“Regardless of the hotel fire, we really should move to somewhere safe. At least until we know all of the dangerous people are gone,” Isadora murmured to her brother, who nodded firmly.

Duncan addressed Olivia and said, “Ms. Caliban, it really has been wonderful to see you again but we need to find a place to stay that is away from this beach.”

Olivia frowned. “Nonsense. You have already found a place to stay. You and your friends can come home with me until we get this sorted. Who do you have here with you?” She smiled and looked up past the two triplets, nodding politely to Hector, who returned the gesture with a smile, and then she turned to Quigley. She opened her mouth to introduce herself but stopped when she took in a better glance at the boy. She quickly looked back at Duncan and Isadora, comparing their appearances and figuring something out in her mind. Being under such an intense gaze brought a flush to Quigley’s face and he looked away.

This hardly mattered though because even from this distance she could see stark similarities, especially between the two boys. Her mouth fell open and she had an abundance of questions for them.

“Ms. Caliban, this is Hector, our good friend,” Isadora pointed to the group’s adult and he waved. “He has saved our lives several times.”

“And this is Quigley,” Duncan announced with pure excitement. “We found our brother!”

Olivia turned to the two triplets and began to cry again. “You did, didn’t you? That is truly amazing.” They agreed and gave her anther hug. “It’s so wonderful to meet you, Quigley,” Olivia told the third triplet as she stood to her feet again. Soft sand clung to the bottom of her skirt and she brushed it off carelessly. “Your siblings have told me so much about you.”

Quigley only provided a half smile in response until Hector gently nudged him forward, making him stumble for a moment and his blush deepened. He regained his balance and manners and walked toward his siblings and Olivia slowly. “Hello,” he said softly and extended a hand. Her smiled grew and she shook his hand with unmatched gentleness.

“Well,” Olivia said, wiping tears from her eyes. “You all are more than welcome to join me in my home.”

The triplets looked to Hector for confirmation and he smiled brightly and said, “That is a very generous offer. We would love to join you, if we wouldn’t be an imposition.”

“Absolutely not! I would be honored to have you four over. It is a far stretch from here, but we can take the trolley if you’d rather.”

The Quagmires and Hector all declined that suggestion because they preferred to avoid as much person-to-person contact as possible until they knew they were safe.

As they started walking along the beach, Olivia introduced herself properly. “I am Olivia Caliban. I was a school librarian for a short time-”

“‘Was?’” The question fell out of Duncan’s mouth before he could stop it. Olivia was not bothered by the interruption and he continued. “You don’t mean that they fired you?”

“Oh no, they did not fire me. I quit after discovering that crazed Olaf stole you two away and the Baudelaires were whisked away by that useless banker,” Olivia clarified, rolling her eyes and becoming frustrated just thinking of her conversation with Arthur Poe in his office. “And I have been looking for you two and the Baudelaires ever since.”

“Thank you,” Isadora said with a small smile. She didn’t realize someone was trying to help them, even if from afar. The thought gave her comfort.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t bring any snacks for you triplets and your friend, Hector. I was just out on a walk and I truly didn’t think I would find you here on the shore. As soon as we reach home, I’ll get you some food and water.” Everyone thanked her in response. “You should know in advance, this shore will soon become very rocky and difficult to walk on. My brother and I used to play here as children and we always went home with double the scratches, sometimes even triple. We can carry on here or risk moving to the street?”

“Rocks,” Quigley answered quickly and everyone nodded in agreement.

“If it comes to a swinging, swing all, say I,” Olivia smirked and led the way.

Quigley recognized the quote from ‘Treasure Island’ and raised his eyebrows. His dad used to read it to him when he was sick and unable to fall asleep at night. He quoted back, “We must go on, because we can’t turn back.”

Olivia turned and smiled brightly to him. “Looks like I have a fellow Stevenson fan in my midst. Thank goodness for that, you can never have too many good companions. And what better way is there to become companions than over a good book?” Quigley smiled back involuntarily but he quickly frowned again as a blush colored his cheeks. He didn’t like the idea of getting chummy with this stranger. Not yet anyway, even if she did know ‘Treasure Island’ quotes by heart.

They reached the division between the sandy shore and the rocky shore and the Quagmires requested a short rest, overcome with exhaustion. Olivia was the only one wearing shoes and the triplets whined softly as the sensitive bottoms of their feet pressed down against the sharp rocks. Isadora’s toe got caught between two rocks and she tripped, falling down and scraping both knees and palms with a small yelp. Hector lifted her onto his back while she wiped quiet tears from her eyes and picked gravel out of the lines in her hands.

Duncan was walking on his toes to avoid stepping down on his healing arch and as a result, he stumbled several times. Quigley noticed this and wrapped his arm under Duncan’s armpits to assist him in walking, something Duncan appreciated greatly.

They quickly found that Olivia was correct, the walk to her home was several miles. She and Hector watched the children carefully and took breaks when necessary, even if the Quagmires didn’t voice it. When Isadora felt better, she switched places with Duncan who was panting and wincing in pain after he was no longer able to walk on his toes.

“Almost there,” Olivia informed the children finally and the Quagmires looked up to see a small cottage in the distance. It was a simple one-story home and located at the end of a street with few additional houses in sight. “We can go in through the back door and nobody will see.”

~~~

They reached the cottage and Olivia ushered everyone inside as a heavy breeze picked up around them. They walked into a small living room with a couch, armchair, and at least 20 sealed boxes stacked throughout.

“Did you just move?” Duncan asked curiously, peeking into the next room-the kitchen. There were several boxes on the counters and table in there as well.

“I’m getting ready to move. I am going to a house a few miles down the road. It is closer to the sea and with no neighbors. It is a change that I am really looking forward to,” Olivia answered. “Now, come on into the kitchen. Do you all want water and a sandwich?”

Hector and the Quagmires thought about their last meal consisting of canned peaches split four ways and they all nodded enthusiastically.

“We would love that,” Hector answered and Olivia fetched a pitcher of water and four glasses. She guided her guests to the table and invited them to sit while she moved boxes to the floor to make room. She returned to the table moments later with food and they thanked her profusely while quickly consuming their water and sandwiches. Olivia watched them sadly and wondered how long it had been since their last filling meal.

“Some of the plates and glasses are already packed away but I can still serve tea, if you’d like some?” Olivia asked and Hector agreed, thanking her again. They felt brighter in spirit after sharing a meal, but the feeling did not last long.

“I can’t wait to hear how you found each other,” Olivia smiled and looked between Quigley and his siblings. “And there is an extra bedroom here and even more room in the new place, you all can stay here as long as you want.”

“Hector can stay here too, right?” Isadora asked. Olivia nodded and looked to Hector.

“Actually,” Hector began timidly and Isadora turned to him with a look of panic decorating her face. Duncan had a similar expression.

“Hector?” Duncan whispered softly. Quigley looked quickly between his siblings and Hector, afraid to hear more of this conversation.

Hector took in a deep breath before answering, “I have to go look for the Queequeg crew. They may need assistance and I can help them.”

“Oh, that’s actually a really good idea,” Isadora exhaled in relief and smiled, surprising Hector. “We will come too.”

He sighed and grimaced.

“Yeah, we can borrow another boat and go out to find them,” Duncan grinned. “I bet we will find them in no time at all. Quigley is an expert map reader, isn’t that right?” He elbowed his brother, but Quigley was still frowning, knowing something that his siblings didn’t yet. He had been left behind by an adult not that long ago, and just before Jacques Snicket turned away from him for the last time to go look for the kidnapped Quagmires, the man had a similar expression to the one Hector was wearing now. Duncan continued, “He can look at an ocean map and find exactly where they will end up! We just need to find an ocean map...”

“Great! Duncan, you go find an ocean map and I’ll pack a bag. Wait, do we even own a bag anymore? We need to go back to the beach and find the one that we accidentally left there. We can all gather some supplies and be ready in just a few minutes and-” Isadora started to stand up from the table, but she was interrupted.

“Absolutely not. You all deserve a home right now,” Hector explained and Isadora’s face fell. Her pained expression haunted him and he had to look away.

“You don’t want us anymore?” Isadora whispered.

“It’s not that, I think you-” Hector began quickly.

“But weren’t we good helpers?” Duncan’s lip quivered and he looked at Hector with sad, lost eyes.

Hector sighed softly. He expected this to be a painful conversation but he felt ill-prepared to look at the intense grief on such small faces. He noticed Quigley was looking down at his lap and frowning deeply. Olivia watched quietly.

“The best helpers I could ever hope for,” Hector smiled encouragingly and stood up from the table to hug them tightly and kiss the top of their heads. “I’ll come back to you, I promise. And I will bring our new friends with me.”

“There’s no point in going. They are already dead,” Quigley stated in a voice so firm and finalized that his siblings gasped.

“You shouldn’t say that. They are probably fine,” Duncan tried to match his brother’s confidence but his voice wavered significantly. He had no idea if his friends were safe.

“They are definitely fine,” Isadora corrected him in a whisper, but her eyes betrayed her words as they filled with terror at the thought of Fiona in danger.

“No, they aren’t. They all died in that ocean and you know it. Going out there is a waste of time,” Quigley scowled and Hector stepped toward him.

“Come with me. Right now,” Hector ordered, leaving no room for arguments. Quigley stood up from the table and they walked out of the room, leaving the sound of Olivia comforting the two crying Quagmires behind them.

Hector guided Quigley back outside to the back porch for privacy. The wind picked up even more since they were last outside and the sun was just below the horizon, casting long shadows across the earth. Hector leaned against the railing and looked at Quigley, who was standing away from him with his arms crossed defensively over his chest.

“What was that about?” Hector asked cautiously. When he didn’t respond, Hector continued, “Are you angry with me?”

“I wish you wouldn’t just dump us here,” Quigley huffed and turned away from him.

"You can wish that. But it's no excuse to be cruel to your siblings."

Quigley's shoulder raised up to his ears at the chastising.

“Why are you so apprehensive about having a home?” Hector stood up straight and faced Quigley’s back. He was not equipped in handling frustrated children and based on his previous reactions to confrontation in his village, he was not great at that either.

“It’s not a home if you aren’t here,” Quigley muttered, still facing away. He knew he was acting childish and ridiculous and that Hector was actually doing a very noble thing by volunteering to go out and search for the Queequeg crew. But he felt angry and scared and he did not like the idea of losing Hector to another situation that he believed to be a jinx-like circumstance caused by just himself.

“That isn’t very fair of you. She is offering you and your siblings a safe home. Don’t you want that?” Hector asked in a soft voice.

“I want you.” This touched Hector’s heart deeply and he had to concentrate hard on holding back tears, knowing this was not an appropriate time for him to cry. He wanted to appear confident and share that feeling with the Quagmires. Quigley turned toward him, sniffling and with fresh tears running freely down his own face. “I don't even know her. Please don’t leave us,” he whispered.

“I need to go help them,” Hector said firmly.

“Then can we please go with you?”

A tear rolled down Hector’s cheek as he shook his head and answered, “No.”

Quigley lowered his head to sob into his hands. Hector stepped forward and enveloped him in a hug that did not ease any of his pain.

~~~

Hector hugged the Quagmire triplets for a long time, making promise after promise that he would come back to them.

“Please be safe,” Isadora begged him, her voice scratchy while crying harshly.

“I will, I promise. Hey, aren’t we the miracle group?” Hector asked, trying to smile to the children even though he was crying too.

“The what?” Duncan asked between sobs.

“The miracle group. Think of all that we’ve survived. We left my town to live in the sky, we found your brother, we survived the sea not once, but twice. We are the miracle group,” Hector smiled.

“All of us?” Isadora asked, running an arm across her eyes. She knew she was stalling but she wanted this conversation to continue forever.

“All of us,” he whispered firmly and hugged the three of them once again before standing up straight. Olivia packed him a bag of supplies and provided him with money to rent a submarine. She offered him a bed until morning but he wanted to start looking as soon as possible. They offered to walk him to the docks but he insisted they stay safe inside.

He stood in the doorway and looked back at his children, smiling brightly with wet eyes. “I’ll be back. I love you.”

Then he disappeared into the night.

~~~

The Quagmires sat quietly in the living room while Olivia prepared the guest bedroom for them. Duncan sat close to Isadora on the couch and he was drawing aimlessly on the arm rest with his finger, occasionally tracing the square pattern of the fabric. Isadora rested her head on Duncan’s shoulder and watched the clock hands move on the wall across from her. She sniffed occasionally but her cheeks were dry now. She didn’t believe she had any water left in her to continue crying. They both felt a horrible emptiness in their hearts and a headache from the tears.

Quigley sat in the armchair, separated and isolated from his family. He felt bad immediately after making his comment about Hector’s journey being pointless. And now, several minutes after the door ward locked behind the man's departure, Quigley nearly hated himself for it. He upset his siblings and he wanted them to know he only said that because he was afraid for Hector to leave them. He fidgeted with his hands in his lap and shook his legs.

When the silence became too much, Quigley whispered to his siblings, “I’m really sorry.” They both turned to look at him and waited for him to continue. He stared down at his knees as he did so, “I am sure they are all alive and safe somewhere. And I do believe Hector will find them and come back to us. I’m really sorry I said all of that bad stuff earlier. I was just mad and I don’t really know why.”

“We know why you said it,” Duncan said kindly. “We don’t like being left behind here either. It feels unfair. But you were kind of mean.”

“Hateful is more like it,” Isadora added. She couldn’t find it in her to actually be mad at her brother, but she did feel hurt.

Quigley lowered his head further and closed his eyes. “I’m really, really sorry,” he whispered as fresh tears threatened to escape behind his itching eyes.

“It’s okay,” Duncan looked at Isadora, who nodded. “We aren’t mad at you.”

“I promise, we are not mad at you,” Isadora confirmed. Seeing her brother’s shameful face stabbed further at her aching heart. After a few silent minutes passed, Isadora suddenly snickered and stated, “It was sort of shocking; you aren’t usually the family pessimist.” Quigley raised his head, the hint of a grin pressed at the corner of his mouth.

“Yeah, that’s usually Isadora,” Duncan giggled and she reached over to flick his ear, making him laugh even louder.

“I am not!” Isadora protested. “Quigley, I’m not a pessimist, am I?” He only shrugged and began to laugh himself. “You two are the worst brothers in the entire world,” she announced dramatically, throwing her arms up.

Quigley quickly stood up from his armchair and dived onto his siblings. They all three shrieked with laughter at this.

The noise startled Olivia and she ran out of the bedroom to make sure everybody was safe. When she saw they were playing happily, she smiled to herself and stepped away before they noticed her and stopped. She never had children in the house with her and the sound of laughter carrying through the halls made her chest feel lighter.

Chapter Text

The triplets wrestled playfully for a few minutes and ended up lying on the floor in a pile together, sweaty and panting softly. This was something they were seldom able to do in their old life and they all heard the echoes of their parents ordering them to stop ‘rough-housing’ on the furniture in the depths of their memories. One time when they were very young, Quigley had curiosity strike him during one of these exact moments and he asked his father what ‘rough-housing’ even meant and why it included the word ‘house’ since that was the very building within which the act was forbidden. He received an answer when his father lifted him up into the air and held him against his chest to tickle him relentlessly, and all three triplets shrieking with laughter. Their mother threw her husband a stern look for encouraging the dramatics, but they all saw her turn away in an attempt to hide a snicker of her own. None of the triplets mentioned this memory out loud to one another but they all felt their chests swell due to it.

Instead, they dreamed absently about what they would do and where they would go when Hector came back to them. Isadora was excited to have more of his cooking; she said it is the best food she has ever had the privilege of tasting.

“It literally made Quigley cry,” Duncan snickered playfully and Quigley pinched his arm, resulting in a squirmy yelp.

Duncan wished to play cards with Hector again. “He taught us how to play poker,” Duncan informed Quigley who nodded with understanding. “It was fun and I think I was getting better at it.”

“You weren’t,” Isadora teased and Duncan groaned with fake offense, making several gestures as though he was stabbed in the chest. She laughed and softly patted his face with her palm until he joined in laughter with her.

Quigley voiced his dream of seeing the whole world with his siblings and Hector. Isadora nodded quickly and threw her arm over his stomach excitedly.

“We should go to Turkey,” she suggested in awe with bright, round eyes reflecting her joy toward the world she wished to see.

“Yes, we have to go to Turkey!” Duncan cheered.

Quigley looked between his siblings with an eyebrow raised in confusion. “Yeah, I guess so but why Turkey?”

“And then maybe Brazil...” Isadora whispered, looking at the ceiling.

“But why Turkey?” Quigley asked again, dragging his hand across the bottom of the couch absently to feel the textured squares under his fingertips.

“Because it’s called Turkey,” Duncan explained, and he and Isadora giggled together. Quigley wondered if this was an inside joke or if they were just being silly. When they didn’t provide any further explanation, he settled on the last theory and giggled too. He had missed them so much.

“All right, you three triplets,” Olivia called out as she entered the living room, emphasizing the word ‘three.’ She saw them peering at her from their pile on the floor and she smiled, “your bedroom is all made up for you. Do you want to shower? Unfortunately, I only have my own clothing here but I laid out some sweaters and pants for you to change into after you are all cleaned up.”

Isadora and Duncan nodded eagerly but Quigley quickly became anxious at the thought of letting his guard down to take a shower. His mind swam with the terrifying possible situations that could arise while a locked bathroom door stood firmly between him and his siblings. What if those horrible eagles came back and stole them just like he watched the scouts be taken away? The thought of pounding helplessly on a solid door while he listened to his siblings scream on the other side reminded him of the night of the fire and he winced as though someone hit him. He moved to deny her offer but Duncan and Isadora were already standing up. He chewed on his lip, glanced at the front door with worry, and reluctantly stood up to follow them down the hall.

They walked into the spare bedroom together and saw a clean bed made with cozy sheets, blankets, and several pillows. The triplets stared at it for a moment, wanting nothing more than to dive under the covers and sleep for several days. Or to at least jump on the bed as though they were still seven years old. A few boxes were stacked in the corner of the room but that was the only clue that this home was only temporary.

“I’m sorry I only have one bed in here,” Olivia apologized from behind them. “Some of you are welcome to sleep in my bedroom too and I can take the couch. That way, everyone will have plenty of space.”

“We’d rather just stay in the same room,” Isadora spoke up quickly and blushed at her outburst. Her blush dissipated and it was replaced with a relieved smile when she saw her brothers nod in agreement. “But thank you very much. This is absolutely perfect.”

Olivia smiled, fully expecting this answer. She felt her mother would roll over in her grave and frown if Olivia didn’t at least offer her guests the extra space.

They stepped toward the bed and saw the sweaters that Olivia had mentioned folded neatly in a row. One was light pink with blue cuffed sleeves. The next was showed thick alternating stripes of green, orange, and yellow. And the last was lavender with white trims. The pairs of shorts were laid out next to the sweaters, all black in color and differing only slightly in length. Duncan grabbed the striped sweater because he loved green and Isadora wrapped her hands around the purple one because that was her favorite color. Quigley still didn’t like the idea of getting too comfortable here and he momentarily considered requesting to stay in his Queequeg jumpsuit out of defiant spite. The idea of putting on clean clothing, however, intrigued him greatly and his eyes drifted back to the comfy sweater. He wasn’t exactly sure how long he had been in that lifeboat, but he was sure he and his siblings carried every minute of it with them on their clothing. He picked up the pink sweater.

“Those sweaters are large so they should be comfy for sleeping. One of you can go ahead to the shower. The shampoo and soap are already in there and I placed warm towels on the sink,” Olivia informed them and before she could finish her statement, Duncan and Isadora raced to the bathroom. Olivia offered Quigley a supportive smile and he provided a half grimace in return.

Isadora reached the doorknob first and she stuck her tongue out playfully to her brother, who rolled his eyes. “Hurry up then, Isa,” He whined without bite. “Don’t use all of the hot water.”

“So bossy,” she muttered and closed the door.

Quigley rejoined his brother in the hallway as the shower faucet turn on. Duncan knew Quigley felt wary about their current living situation and he guided him to the living room couch where they sat in a comfortable silence for a moment until Duncan asked, “How is your shoulder? And your ear?”

Quigley smiled genuinely at his brother, appreciating the concern. “They are fine. This lifts easily and it only aches sometimes,” he raised his arm and rotated it to showcase his great progress. “And my hearing is back to normal again. It was probably just because I was too cold for a long time.”

“And too sick...” Duncan mumbled, watching the clock across from them. “You had us worried several times.”

“I didn’t mean to,” Quigley drew his eyebrows together and involuntarily stuck out his lower lip in a slight pout. “I’m really okay now, I promise.”

“It’s just with the shoulder and your ear... and then the fever on the boat...” Duncan trailed off, unsure how to continue. He thought of his brother screaming in the ocean before the wave pulled them under only to be followed by a blank, unthinking stare. Quigley glanced at him sheepishly. “And what happened before that...”

Quigley lowered his head as a flush spread across his cheeks. “I’m really sorry. I-”

“Oh, no!” Duncan clarified hurriedly and waved his hands in panic. “No, please don’t be sorry. None of that was your fault, I just uh-you know, if you ever need, or want, to talk about anything...” he shrugged and sighed to himself, wondering how he managed to make this conversation so uncomfortable for the both of them. “You just seemed very upset and then far away, sort of like you weren’t in your body.”

“That’s honestly how it felt,” Quigley frowned thoughtfully before dismissing it and smiling at his brother. “Creepy, right? Like my body was just a shell?”

Duncan snickered, “A shell? Like you’re a beetle or something?” Quigley giggled into his hand and closed his eyes with a nod. “Was it like a-uhm-a panic attack?”

He didn't know why he felt so afraid to ask-as though the answer would make the event he witnessed more real.

Quigley shrugged. “I don’t know. But maybe. I was definitely panicking.”

“I sort of had moments like that when I was with Isa in-” he stopped with sudden consternation blanketing his eyes. He and his sister tried not to disclose details of their recent stops and Duncan did not want to talk about the way his harsh panting became wheezing after they were shoved in the fish statue and tossed around carelessly. He didn’t want to admit that he tried to violently claw his way out while his sister screamed and begged him to stop thrashing his arms and legs because he was inadvertently hitting her. He didn’t hear her shouts until his own troubled wave passed over him and he cried onto her shoulder for hours afterward, apologizing repeatedly for the bruises he knew were forming while she comforted him.

“Dunny, what happened to you-?” Quigley started in a quiet voice but Duncan quickly interrupted, as though he didn’t hear his brother now.

“Regardless, I’m sorry you had to go through that. I’m glad you feel better now.”

Quigley understood it was not an ideal time to ask Duncan to reveal his traumatic story. “How is your foot? And your uhm... entire stomach?” Quigley motioned to Duncan’s chest and belly. He and Isadora both had a difficult time seeing their brother even now without thinking of the large purple bruise that colored his body. Quigley tried to smile with encouragement but he felt a wave of nausea sweep over his stomach at just the thought of Duncan’s injured skin.

“It’s way better, look!” Duncan smirked and got to work unbuttoning the top portion of his jumpsuit before Quigley was able to stop him. Quigley sucked in a deep inhale and held his breath in preparation, but he was pleasantly relieved to see that his brother was telling the truth. The bruising was mostly a deep yellow now and much smaller in width. “And my foot hurts but it’s okay. I was worried about being in the ocean with it but I guess they wrapped it well enough.” He raised his foot in the air and grabbed it with his hands, pulling it next to his face to get a better look at the sutured area.

Quigley looked at the raised, pink skin and noted with a smile, “It’s not even red. We got lucky.”

“Lucky because we met people who were really good at this.”

“How’s Isa’s head?” Quigley gasped suddenly. “I know we’ve looked at her every day but with everything else going on, I don’t even know what her forehead looks like right now?”

“It looks alright to me,” Duncan smiled and patted his brother’s back. “I know what you mean, though. It feels like we were on that submarine months ago... maybe even years.”

“Or lifetimes...” Quigley murmured.

“It was only a few days ago, you know that?” Quigley nodded in response and Duncan continued, “I think these stitches need to come out. Isa’s probably do too,” he studied the bottom of his foot again and then returned it to the ground. “I guess I should ask Ms. Caliban to help us with that...”

“No, that’s not necessary,” Quigley said quickly with a firm shake of his head. He didn’t like the idea of anybody touching his siblings right now, especially not while wielding a tool that can cut thread. He childishly pictured a large butcher knife moving menacingly towards Isadora’s face and Duncan’s foot. “I can do it for you.”

Duncan fixed him with a nervous grimace. “Uhm, Quig, I don’t know about that. Have you ever taken out stitches before?”

“Well, no but-”

“Then I think we should just ask Ms. Caliban. I’m sure she won't mind.” Quigley didn’t respond so Duncan scooted a little closer to his brother. “I know you are anxious,” Duncan’s voice dropped to a whisper even though they were alone in the room. Olivia has allowed them privacy they didn’t need to ask for by excusing herself to pack boxes in her room before Isadora even turned on the shower. Quigley startled at the sudden change in conversation and harsh taste of honestly tossed his way. “But I promise, Ms. Caliban is a very good person. She is nice and smart and funny. And she was the only person to show us kindness at that ridiculous school before the Baudelaires arrived. She is honestly good.”

Quigley watched him with wide eyes and waited for his brother to continue.

“We will be okay here with her,” Duncan kicked his feet out in front of him. “That being said, if you want to leave, we will.” Quigley frowned with wary surprise. “I think it’s important that we all feel safe in our home, right? And if you don’t feel safe here, then we should leave. We can all run away tonight if you want.”

Quigley looked down at his lap and shifted closer to his brother. “Uhm...” he stuttered and chewed on his lower lip, thinking.

“You don’t have to decide anything right now, of course. Just think about it and let us know. And don’t worry about what Isadora will say. I know for a fact that her first priority is for all of us to feel safe. If you want to leave, we will go away from here together.”

“Thanks,” Quigley murmured because he didn’t know what else to say. “I’ll think about it.” Duncan smiled and wrapped his arms around his brother.

They sat quietly after that and listened to their sister singing faintly in the shower. Neither of them could recognize the song but they tapped their feet and waved their arms in the air anyway until they both fell into a fit of giggles.

When she emerged again, the smell of soap followed her out of the bathroom. Her cheeks were pink from the hot water and her wet hair was pulled up with a clip. The baggy sweater fell nearly to her knees, hiding the black shorts underneath. The sleeves were long enough to cover her hands and she looked very comfortably and happy.

She approached her brothers, grinning widely. “That was perfect!” She squealed and sat down on the armchair, sinking into the cushions and tilting her head back.

Duncan looked to Quigley and nodded encouragingly but Quigley did not feel ready yet, so he shook his head. While Duncan showered, Isadora asked Quigley if he thought they would ever see the Baudelaires again. His heart ached as he thought about how much he missed his friends. He wondered if Violet ever thought of him.

“I really hope so,” he breathed.

“Tell me more about saving Sunny?” Isadora pleaded softly and so he did. He purposefully omitted the parts were Esmé pulled a knife on him and his friends and the moment where they believed Sunny had been murdered after they finally reached the top. He even left out the part where the eagles stole the troop. That part filled him with unmatched terror and he didn’t wish to force that shuddering feeling on his siblings.

When he finished, he looked at his sister. Her eyes were closed but he knew she was not asleep, only listening and seeing the pictures he drew for her behind her eyelids. “Isa?” She opened her eyes and looked at Quigley. “What song were you singing in the shower?”

She frowned and rolled her eyes up to the ceiling, thinking hard for the answer. She was unable to find the song title in the recesses of her mind and she couldn’t even hum it again at the moment. “I can’t remember. Isn’t that a silly thing? It was just in my head moments ago...”

“I miss music,” Quigley whispered with honesty. His sister did too.

Duncan showered without singing but he looked equally giddy when he stepped out of the bathroom and walked over to his siblings. He was clad in his over-sized sweater and he held his arms up to avoid the sleeves rolling over his hands. The two triplets couldn’t remember their last hot shower, but they knew it was before they were sent to Prufrock Preparatory School. As their vice principal told them, the showers were only accessible to those staying in the dorm rooms and neither the small wooden shack nor the broom closet were considered a dorm room. They were forced to wash up at the bathroom sink and neither felt clean.

They both looked at Quigley expectantly. “Go shower, you smell horrible,” Isadora informed him as she reached across and poked his arm. He flushed with embarrassment at that so Isadora quickly added, “I only say that because I also smelled horrible.”

“Me too,” Duncan nodded. “This soap smells very good though, you’ll like it!” Duncan held his arm to Quigley’s nose, who rolled his eyes and chuckled, but inhaled anyway to please his brother. When he didn’t move, Duncan stood up from the couch and pulled Quigley up by his arms, guiding him to the bathroom. “We will be just right out here. We won’t move, I promise.” As if to confirm this statement, Isadora waved to her anxious brother from her spot on the chair.

Quigley frowned at both of them and began to complain, “This doesn’t seem-” but Duncan smiled and gently closed the bathroom door between them.

Quigley huffed, staring at the door for just a moment before he turned around and hesitantly examined his new environment. The shower was small and concealed by a floral-pattern cover, though he caught a glimpse of soap and shampoo bottles lining the shelf. A towel was placed on the sink waiting for him. He laid his clean sweater and shorts over the towel and slowly lifted his eyes to look at his reflection in the mirror. His own sorrowful expression startled him, and he quickly looked away with a soft gasp. He turned the shower knob but did not step in. Instead, he knelt, fully dressed, and pressed his cheek to the cold tile floor to peek under the door. He didn’t see any footsteps pass under the door, but he knew his siblings would wait for him on the couch just like they promised. He sat back up and pressed his ear to the door, refraining from leaning on it and giving away his position with a rattle of the lock.

He heard soft chatter and exhaled in relief. He felt ridiculous for this, but he was unable to ignore his imagination plaguing him with the idea that someone would break in and steal his siblings from his life once again like that dreadful fire did. He sat like that for a few more minutes, his ear pressed to the door and the cold water running fruitlessly down the shower drain next to him. After counting to fifty (to avoid suspicion), he stood up and turned off the faucet, shucking off his jumpsuit in favor of the borrowed clothes. He reached out for the doorknob but stopped and quietly huffed at his own oversight. Of course his siblings would spot his dry hair and immediately know he was too afraid to step into the shower. He ducked his head under the sink faucet and flipped on the water switch, wincing as the cold water grazed his scalp and left a trail of raised goosebumps spreading to his arms and legs. After he felt his appearance was adequate, he wrapped his towel around his shoulders and stepped out into the living room to rejoin his smiling siblings.

As he got closer, they eyed him suspiciously but welcomed him back to the living room.

The triplets shared their favorite memories of living at home for the several minutes that followed. Isadora recalled the large purple-cushioned library chair. When she was very young, she would absently pick at a loose thread in the arm while her mind wandered into whatever book she consumed herself with that day. Her mother gently asked her to stop pulling on it and eventually had to cut the thread before she split a hole in the arm. Duncan giddily retold stories about the three of them climbing trees in their backyard. They remembered playing as monkeys in the tree branches and throwing their arms around before Duncan and Quigley both managed to fall and their parents stopped allowing them to climb until they were a little older. Isadora reminded them how frustrated she was to lose her climbing privileges because her brothers were clumsy, but she had long-since forgiven them. Quigley remembered when their father decided he wanted his study walls to reflect the blue sea rather than the faded yellow that had dampened the mood of the room. Their parents clad the triplets in matching overalls, and they all grabbed paint brushes to assist in this grown-up task. This naturally ended in a paint splatter fight and bright laughter to match the new walls.

When the children stopped laughing and found a lull in their reminiscence, Duncan looked to see his brother smiling comfortably and he decided to take a chance. “Want to try again?” He asked softly. Quigley paled in response, knowing exactly what his brother was referring to. His joy quickly left his body in place of fresh panic.

“What do you mean?” He asked, feigning ignorance in hopes to buy himself even a few extra seconds.

“Do you want to try again to shower?” Duncan clarified. Before Quigley could open his mouth to deny any accusations, Duncan sucked in a breath between his teeth and continued, “We heard the water hitting the wall the entire time.”

“You still smell bad,” Isadora muttered.

“We saw your shadow under the door.”

Quigley groaned and a blush colored his cheeks. He decided honesty was the best route at this point and he turned to his siblings. “I’m scared,” he whispered.

They met his gaze with soft, understanding eyes. “We know,” Duncan reached forward and pulled Quigley into a hug. “But it will be okay. When you are ready to try again, I can sit in the bathroom with you while you shower.”

Quigley nearly brushed that suggestion away, but he thought about it more and softly replied, “Yes, please.”

Quigley was ready to try again ten minutes later. He asked for another pair of shorts and a sweater, and Olivia obliged without question. This one was blue with little silver stars littered across it. Duncan snatched a newspaper from the kitchen counter and they stepped inside the bathroom.

“Don’t lock it,” Quigley pleaded quickly and Duncan nodded. “In case Isa needs to come in...” he added softly.

Duncan hopped up onto the sink and situated himself against the wall with his newspaper in hand.

Quigley watched him and then turned back to the shower curtain with wariness. “What if someone bad does come here?”

“Then you will come out of the shower and help us fight,” Duncan responded without looking up at his brother.

“I’ll be naked?” Quigley nearly shrieked. “And I will probably have soap in my hair.”

“Quigley, if someone bad really does break in and try to take us away, I think there will be worse things to worry about than you being naked,” Duncan chuckled.

Quigley frowned but knew his brother was correct. He glanced at himself in the mirror again and was relieved to find he was able to look at his own face for more than the briefest moment this time. He still looked worried but more complete now with his brother nearby.

He inhaled deeply and turned to the shower, turning the knob. Duncan offered him privacy and turned his head toward the wall while Quigley stepped out of his clothing and into the shower.

The sound of the heavy water spewing from the faucet and landing in the tub made Quigley’s stomach turn with nausea. It reminded him of the lapping ocean waves that sucked him under and pelted items at him without hesitation, leaving him screaming in pain and misery.

He closed his eyes and allowed himself to embrace the hot stream washing over his face, bouncing off his shoulder, and rolling down his legs. His mind flashed to the harsh waves knocking him around and threatening to enter his lungs. He started to lose his balance on shaking legs and he hastily opened his eyes to sturdy himself with reality that surrounded him.

“Duncan?” He whined in a voice that he knew sounded pathetic, but he didn’t care. He wanted to be reassured and he wanted to be grounded to the small bathroom that he was in rather than being lost in the vast deep ocean.

“Yes?”

“Talk to me?” He begged softly, timid.

Without missing a beat, Duncan began reviewing the newspaper he brought in with him. “This story says: ‘Beets are the Next Best Treats.’ But I don’t know if that’s true. Are beets even good? I can’t remember.”

Quigley wasn’t sure if he ever tasted a beet but he liked the rhyming title anyway and with the aid of his brother's commentary, Quigley's mind no longer swept him back to those violent crashing waves. His trepidation subsided and he found the shower did not feel anything like the ocean. He even began to enjoy it and relished in the comfort forming deep in his chest.

Duncan continued to read the newspaper and critique the lousy writing. “They got paid to do this! I could write better than this even if I were sleep-deprived. No wait, I could even write better than this while comatose.”

Quigley chuckled and scrubbed his scalp with shampoo. Duncan was right, Quigley did like way the soap smelled.

After he finished, he stepped out from behind the shower curtain and Duncan turned to smile at him. “You are clean!” He announced with enthusiasm.

Quigley stood on the bathmat with his towel wrapped around his waist. His ribs poked out and he wondered if they all looked that starved.

“I really do need a haircut.” He stepped in front of the mirror and combed his wet hair back away from his face.

“I don’t know, I sort of like it. It makes you look tough,” Duncan smirked.

“I wonder if she would like it...” Quigley whispered aloud to himself, thinking of Violet Baudelaire.

“Who?”

“Uhm... Momma,” he lied quickly as a flush betrayed him and spread across his cheeks and chest.

“I think she would like to see you no matter what,” Duncan murmured, turning the newspaper page and skimming through a ridiculously fabricated article about possible dangers of eating goat cheese seconds before eating almonds. Quigley felt tears tickle the corners of his eyes and he squeezed them shut, not wanting to cry again. His throat still ached from sobbing to Hector on the porch.

“Thanks for sitting in here with me,” Quigley placed a hand on his own chest, over his heart, and looked at Duncan.

Duncan was prepared to make a silly remark to lighten the mood but when he saw the sincerity on his brother’s face, he smiled softly and promised, “Any time.”

~~~

Quigley stepped out of the bathroom with Duncan on his heels. Isadora smiled pleasantly to her brothers and turned back to a book she picked out of an open box. She wasn’t sure what she was reading as she was mostly musing about her recent travels, but she appreciated the blank canvas created in her mind when she skimmed the words.

Olivia Caliban heard the two boys return to the living room and she joined them, offering a late snack before bedtime.

“Now, as I said before,” Olivia started as she handed a bowl of sliced avocado and tomato to each triplet. They all grinned at their food and began to eat before Olivia was able to offer them toasted bread as a companion. She laid the plate of bread in the middle of the table and let the children pick at it if they pleased. “I would love for you three to stay with me.” Quigley froze and glanced at his siblings, who chewed slowly and watched Olivia. “And that offer continues to stand. I want you three to be safe and happy, and I would never wish to force you somewhere that you didn’t want to be. I know we do not know each other,” she said to Quigley, who chewed slower at the attention. “And we only had the pleasure of knowing each other for a short time,” she stated to the other two triplets. “And that can be very scary. I would never ask you to do something you did not feel comfortable with and if you would like to live with someone else, I will help you get to them. I want you to be honest with me and tell me what would make you feel the most safe.”

The triplets halted completely and glanced at one another. Quigley knew their delayed responses were due to them waiting on him to answer but he didn’t know what to say.

Olivia noticed Quigley was on the receiving end of the questioning glances and she quickly spoke up again, “It’s okay if you don’t have an answer right now. I just want to know how you are all feeling at the moment.”

Duncan and Isadora didn’t want to betray Quigley by providing an answer he didn’t agree with so they remained silent and stared down into their bowls.

“Uhm... I am feeling anxious,” Quigley finally whispered with his head down, and Olivia exhaled quietly in relief to have someone answer her.

She nodded and replied with a small smile, “Me too.”

This startled Quigley for a moment because he didn’t believe adults could become anxious. His parents and Jacques Snicket kept that part well-hidden from him and Hector seemed confident enough to Quigley as he tried to keep the Quagmires at peace.

“We don’t really have anyone else,” Quigley continued again, his voice became even quieter. Olivia had to lean in and strain to hear his words.

“I would love to have you here,” Olivia said again in a calm voice. “If you would allow me to provide you with a home, I promise I will do everything I can to keep you three safe and healthy and happy.”

Isadora and Duncan looked to Quigley again, who turned red in the spotlight. He picked numbly at a silver star on his sleeve, staring at that spot while his mind raced. He finally nodded and replied politely, “That would be very nice, thank you.” His siblings watched him for a sign of hesitation and when they did not see any, they turned back to Olivia and grinned.

“It is a very generous offer,” Duncan nodded and Isadora agreed whole-heartedly.

“We would be honored to live with you,” she confirmed.

Olivia beamed and anxiety lifted from her chest. “In that case, as I’ve also mentioned earlier, we will be moving to a new house over the next few days. It’s my brother’s old house but he and his wife signed a contract requiring them to travel for work for the next couple of years, so he has invited me to stay there. It is spacious and further from the city, two things I think we can all agree on as necessary changes. And with that settled, I would like to know what happened to you three over the past several days. In particular, what happened here?” Olivia asked as worry knitted her eyebrows together and she pointed to Isadora’s forehead.

Isadora lit up at the attention and excitedly told Olivia about falling out of the sky in Hector’s mobile home and then escaping a sinking submarine. Duncan interjected quick sentences when he believed Isadora left out vital information (“the Queequeg crew knew the Baudelaires too!” and “that horrible alarm was nearly deafening” and “Quigley kept talking about sharks...” Quigley flushed with embarrassment at the last insertion).

Olivia listened with awe reflected on her face. When Isadora finished, Olivia’s eyes were full of grief. “I’m so sorry you three had to suffer so much.” Isadora placed a hand over Olivia’s and smiled with encouragement.

“We are together now and we have you,” Duncan said softly, and tears spilled over Olivia’s cheeks.

She hastily brushed them aside and thanked the triplets for sharing that story. She carefully asked what happened before they all met together on Hector’s aircraft. The triplets shuffled uncomfortably and looked down at their laps.

“Maybe we can talk about that another time, I’m sort of tired...” Quigley mumbled a slight lie and picked at his thumb nail under the table.

“I’m anticipating it,” Olivia nodded and stood up to gather the empty bowls.

“Ms. Caliban?” Duncan asked, standing up from his chair.

“You can all call me Olivia,” she smiled gently. “And yes?”

“Do you know anything about removing stitches?”

Quigley appeared betrayed, trying to catch Duncan's eye.

Olivia furrowed her eyebrows in thought. “I’ve never performed that myself, but I’d say it should be easy enough with a small pair of sewing scissors.”

Quigley gasped anxiously. Using a pair of sewing scissors was probably the safest method, but it didn't ease his mind.

“Can you please help us with that?” Isadora asked, fumbling with the thick threads in her forehead. “I have these and Duncan has some in the bottom of his foot.”

Olivia agreed and the two triplets followed her to the bathroom. Quigley groaned to himself and followed them, just in time to see Olivia fetched her sewing kit from under the sink. The procedure was completely painless and both triplets smiled with relief to see their pink scars were no longer criss-crossed with frustrating thread. They thanked her profusely and hugged her with appreciation, pleasantly surprised that the stitches coming out were way less painful than they felt going in. Quigley's breath came out in an agitated huff though.

Olivia guided the children to their bedroom and they crawled into the large, comfortable bed. They laid close together with their shoulders touching one another. Like in the hot air mobile home, Quigley was in the middle of his siblings. She wished the triplets a good night and turned out the light, shutting the door behind her.

“Quigley, are you sure you want to stay?” Duncan asked immediately in a hushed voice.

“Tell us the truth. We can go if you don’t want to be here,” Isadora added firmly.

Quigley bit his lip for a moment before he confirmed, “I do want to stay. We have nowhere else to go and you both seem to trust her. And I trust you,” he stated, carefully mimicking Hector’s own words and claiming them as his own in his heart.

This seemed to help his siblings relax and they wished one another a good night, giving into the thick exhaustion that weighed heavy on their eyelids for the past several hours. They largely looked forward to a restful night.

Quigley did not enjoy a peaceful night because shortly after he slipped into sleep, he found himself surrounded by a terrifying, fabricated world located in his subconscious. Olivia stood before him and removed her face to show she was secretly the woman he saw from the top of the mountain, the one with hair but no beard. She cackled loudly and pointed at him before turning around where he saw her partner in crime on the other side of her head, the man with a beard but no hair. He shivered under their menacing gaze and when he turned around, his siblings were missing and he crumbled. Next, he found himself running through a dense forest, huffing for breath and sweating with panic as he searched for his siblings. He ignored the branches smacking his face and the thorns pushing into his feet with every leap. He felt as though his eyes were wide enough to pop out of his head and he squeezed them shut to avoid that horrific possibility. Without the aid of his eyes, he immediately felt himself run into a tree, knocking the breath from his lungs. He heard Violet scream his name and when he opened his eyes again, he was standing in the snow by a towering mountain, watching helplessly while his friends disappeared on a toboggan sled over a cliff. He turned away from the terrifying scene and found he was in the air, in a basket. Hector and his siblings were finally there with him but they all had their back turned to him. He almost screamed out and begged to see their faces, but a loud pop drew Quigley’s attention up to the eagles surrounding their home and suddenly, he was falling.

Quigley startled from his nightmare, panting and sweating. He placed a hand on his chest and felt the soft star sweater, easing him back to reality. Soft breathing on either side of him proved to be his triplets fast asleep with easy, calm expressions on their faces. He already kicked the blanket away in his fitful rest, stealing the covers from Isadora and piling them on Duncan.

He slipped out of bed on shaking limbs, careful not to wake his siblings and he tiptoed to the bedroom door. Nobody will take them away, he thought to himself firmly and he stepped outside of the room into the dark hallway. Nobody.

Chapter Text

Olivia awoke to a slight rustling sound outside of her room and she quickly jumped out of bed. The ticking clock by her dresser showed 03:17 am and she frowned heavily. Did someone break in? she feared. Are they trying to take the children?

Olivia grabbed the baseball bat by her bed and quietly placed her hand on the doorknob, twisting it slowly. When she heard the knob click, she pulled the door open forcefully and raised the bat above her head. There was nobody standing in front of her door. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously and tip-toed down the hallway, poking her head around the corner.

She was surprised to spot a child sitting cross-legged on the floor with their back pressed against the closed door of the second bedroom. Olivia sighed in relief and exhaustion, and lowered the bat silently to the floor before stepping toward the child. In the soft moonlight, she could see that it is was Quigley staring blankly at the wall across from him with sleepy, glazed-over eyes. When he heard her approach, he quickly snapped to attention, stood up, and faced her. She noticed the way his eyes widened in fear and his fists clenched in preparation for defense, but she didn’t comment on this, thinking of how she initially grabbed a baseball bat in preparation for a fight herself. They had all been through a lot.

“It’s just me,” Olivia whispered, aware of Duncan and Isadora sleeping behind the closed door. She held out a hand to Quigley and waited patiently. He frowned at her for what felt like several seconds before slowly raising his own hand and placing it in hers.

She led him through the house in darkness. When he saw the bat lying on the floor illuminated by the moonlight streaming in through the window, his breath hitched in his tightening throat and he pulled away from her loose grip anxiously. His fear was heightened in the dark and he couldn’t explain why he felt more wary of the librarian now, but Olivia understood anyway. She smiled and softly informed him that she heard a noise and was worried someone broke in.

He accepted this reasoning and allowed her to lead him down the hallway and into the dark kitchen. She turned on a small lamp and they sat across from one another at the kitchen table in silence. After a pause, Olivia raised her eyebrows and stood up, remembering that she was still the host even in the middle of the night. “I can make us something to drink if you’d like. I have tea or juice or hot cider-”

“No thank you,” Quigley almost shouted and stood up too quickly. His feet stumbled around his chair legs and he planted his hands on the firm table for support. A memory of a mug of hot cider flooded his mind; he saw his mother join him in the kitchen, where he was sitting at the table far too late into the night because he was unable to sleep. He remembered the way she smiled at him and placed her own hand over his, asking him what was keeping him from dreaming with his siblings. They whispered softly around their mugs until they smelled the smoke that destroyed his life.

This was the very last moment he saw his mother and when he was alone with his thoughts, he was able to convince himself that his own restless mind keeping them both awake that fateful night was the reason his family was eradicated in a fire. He tried to focus now on his hands resting over the wooden table and feel the soles of his feet against the floor underneath him. His anxious mind effortlessly moved to deceive him into believing he was back in the tunnels, alone and with his bare feet pressed against the cold tiles.

Olivia waited patiently and watched him with careful eyes until Quigley slowly lowered himself back down in his chair. His eyes were wider now with his pupils blown in panic, and his breath came out a little quicker than before she mentioned the drinks. He had worked himself up into this state and he hated that.

“I guess we should probably talk to one another, right?” Olivia sat back down across from Quigley, resting her hands on the table in front of her. She had read somewhere that this act  was a sign showing she had no malicious intentions hiding in her heart.

“What do you want to talk about?” He asked with a feigned half-hearted shrug, though his voice was a little higher in pitch than he felt comfortable with. His heart was pounding in his chest and he cleared his throat, looking down at his hands.

“Why are you awake so late?”

“I am not tired.” His answer was quick and sharp, seemingly well-rehearsed.

“Why are you awake and sitting on the floor outside of your bedroom in the middle of the night?” she tried more specifically.

Quigley chewed on his lower lip, refusing to make eye contact and shrugging without providing further explanation. They sat in silence for another moment and Olivia opened her mouth to ask another question, but Quigley hastily spit out, “Are you VFD?”

The room became silent again and in the midst of the heavy air, his cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassment at his own question and he looked back down at his lap.

Olivia pondered the question directed toward her and understood he wanted more details before he could open up. She didn’t mind at all to provide the information she had. “Not anymore. I suppose I was for a short time. I met a man named Jacques Snicket,” Quigley’s head snapped up at the mention of a familiar name and he finally looked into her eyes while she told her story. “And he recruited me. We worked together to try and rescue your siblings after they were kidnapped from the school.”

Quigley didn’t notice at the moment but with his suddenly overwhelming emotions, he began to cry. He asked Duncan what happened, though his siblings agreed to save him from the grief of knowing everything they suffered through. Hearing the word ‘kidnapped’ used regarding his siblings cemented the past and guaranteed misery in the attainment of information. Olivia noticed his tears but believed it was best to not address it yet, especially not while she held his attention.

“We failed, of course. Twice. And that second time, Jacques paid an unforgiving price,” she paused and inhaled deeply before continuing. “Quigley, he was murdered by the same abhorrent people that stole your siblings.” He nodded solemnly, remembering seeing Snicket’s picture in the Daily Punctilio. The newspaper called the deceased man “Count Olaf” but despite the fake eyebrow and ridiculously-styled hair, Quigley knew the true identity of the man staring out at him unmoving with empty eyes through the black and white photograph. This news was confirmed by Violet Baudelaire.

“I was very fond of him and his gallant intentions,” Olivia continued. “And after he was gone, I had a difficult time going back to the organization. So, I didn’t. I planned on helping who I could and in whatever way I could, and in doing that, I searched for your brother and sister without the complicated aid of VFD.”

“Why?” Quigley’s voice was sticky from his crying, but he didn’t notice.

“Why did I look for your siblings or why did I do it without VFD?” He didn’t respond so she decided to answer both. “I loved spending time with your siblings during our brief stay together at that disgusting school. They are loving and good-hearted people and true living definitions of the word ‘benevolence.’ These aren’t traits I saw often while working there but your siblings are filled to the brim with it. They missed you with a great severity that you could see reflecting back at you when you looked in their eyes. They suffered through countless troublesome scenarios courtesy of that horrible vice principal and those terrible school children, which was unfair within itself. But their hearts were still pure. When they were suddenly kidnapped, the world I thought I knew seemed to deteriorate around me. I must have been so naïve to believe the world would be safe for two innocent, good children. Well, safe enough anyway.”

Quigley's gaze fell in shame and he muttered softly, “I’ve been naïve too.”

Olivia nodded, “I’m sure you have your stories.” Quigley lowered his head again. “Jacques and I tried so hard to save them at the Squalor place and again in that backwards village. But I just kept failing.” She looked down at her hands again and took in a shaky breath. “I kept failing and those children needed me. After seeing them again today, I feel I have the opportunity to help and finally make it up to those children, to Jacques, and to you. It is imperative to me that I see you offered a home, security, and love, three things that I am happy to provide. I do love your siblings and I am so happy to have you here too. You mean a great deal to them and I can see they are beyond themselves with joy to have you back in their lives. Sometimes I feel like I am looking at different children when I see that blissful glisten in their eyes. With you at their side, they are complete once more.”

Quigley was sobbing at this point, hiding his face in his hands and filled with anguish and embarrassment. Olivia got up from the table and stepped into the bathroom quietly. She returned to him with tissue paper and rubbed his back softly while his shoulders shook and he cried into the paper.

When he calmed again, he sniffed and wiped his eyes with the soft sleeves of his star sweater. Olivia left his side once more and Quigley heard the faucet running softly at the bathroom sink. She returned to him and gently pressed a cold, wet wash cloth to his face. The dampness cooled his hot cheeks and brought relief to his stinging eyes. This kindness reminded him of his mother and the sorrowful memory sent him into another crying fit. His chest heaved with despair and his breaths were drawn between wet teeth with gasping inhales.

“Thank you,” he croaked heavily after he caught his breath, and he pressed the wash cloth roughly into his swollen face and he saw small spots on the inside of his eyelids. Olivia continued to rub his back until he brought the cloth away from his face and nodded to her, signifying he was ready for them to continue their conversation. Olivia took her seat across from him again and replaced her hands on the table in front of her.

“I began searching for your siblings without VFD aid because I no longer want to be a part of that organization. I believe they perform good deeds necessary for this world, but I cannot be included any longer. Not without Jacques,” she whispered the last part, as tears threatened to fill her own eyes. She willed them away and continued, “I hope you understand why I want to step away from them.”

Quigley nodded and was silent for a long time before mumbling, “I want out too.” Olivia nodded, understanding his reasoning without needing to ask, but he provided an explanation anyway. “I don’t want to be in that anymore and I don’t want Isadora or Duncan to be a part of it either.”

“Quigley, why were you sitting outside your door tonight?” She tried softly and to her surprise, he answered.

“I have to protect them,” Quigley whispered with urgency, leaning forward. “If I don’t, they could get taken away again. And I might never see them this time.”

His small face was full of such worry that Olivia felt had no place finding itself on a child’s expression. And at that, Olivia began to cry. This would have startled Quigley, but he hardly noticed because he started crying again too. They made eye contact while tears streamed freely down their faces and Olivia opened her arms to him as an offer for comfort. He quickly got up and ran around to table and into her arms, which she wrapped warmly around him. She hugged him sincerely and they cried together, enveloped by their mirrored grief and guilt.

When Olivia’s crying ceased, she whispered to him, “That's my job now. I will never let anything bad happen to your siblings, ever again. I will do absolutely everything in my power to keep you three safe. I promise.” He believed her and nodded, hugging her tightly.

“What is wrong?” Olivia and Quigley startled at the sound of a new voice and they pulled apart, turning to see Isadora and Duncan hiding in the shadows of the dark hallway. They had matching pouts and wide eyes with the threat of tears spilling over their own cheeks.

“Nothing is wrong,” Olivia smiled and hastily wiped at her face. “Why are you two up?”

“We woke up and couldn’t find you again,” Duncan whispered to Quigley, his small voice laced with fear. Quigley’s lip quivered and his eyes betrayed his shame. He promised his siblings in Hector’s mobile home that he would wake them when he got up without them, but he did not stay true to his word tonight. He ran over to his siblings and wrapped them both in a hug.

“We thought you were gone all over again,” Isadora admitted, holding him tightly. Olivia turned away and allowed the triplets to have privacy.

When everyone calmed again, Olivia invited them all to sit with her at the table. Isadora and Duncan both agreed to cups of hot cider and they intently watched Olivia heat up the drinks over the stove. Neither of them could remember the last time they tasted hot cider; Hector only carried cold water and juices for them in their home in the sky.

Quigley uncomfortably declined again and tried to ignore his siblings looking at him with agog and genuine curiosity. He rolled his eyes playfully when they poked him and asked how he could bare to turn down such a delicious treat, especially one that their parents used to offer them.The spiced smell was sweet and enticing. Duncan carefully held his mug up to Quigley’s mouth and he took a small, wary sip despite himself. Duncan became slightly overzealous and tipped the mug up too quickly, resulting in cider splashing on Quigley’s upper lip and threatening to enter his nose. The triplets giggled at this and grinned with content.

With the aid of Duncan and Isadora, the mood shifted dramatically and everyone felt lighter in spirit. They spoke to one another about subjects that had a tendency to be easy on the living mind, including picnicking by the ocean and the themes of their favorite books.

When the clock struck 05:00 am, Olivia smiled kindly at the children sitting around her at the dinner table. Duncan had an arm wrapped around Quigley’s waist and his head was leaning against his shoulder. His eyes were closed, and he was breathing heavily in his deep sleep. Olivia saw him occasionally twitch and his eyes flickering beneath his eyelids and she knew his dreaming must have been important. Quigley and Isadora were still giggling and sharing stories excitedly, but they kept their voices hushed. When Olivia saw the energy between the two conscious triplets steadily decreasing, she knew this was a perfect opportunity to get them all to bed.

She stood up and carried the empty mugs to the kitchen sink, intending on washing them out in the morning.

“Alright, Quagmires,” they looked at her sleepily and she smiled fondly at their drowsy expressions. “I believe it’s bedtime. We can all sleep in tomorrow morning and wake up for a late brunch, okay?”

Isadora nodded and scooted her chair back from the table. Quigley looked at Duncan with apprehension. “I can stay here so he doesn’t wake up,” he offered softly to Olivia.

She shook her head gently, “That is an incredibly kind offer but there’s no need for that. I can carry him.” She waited for Quigley to nod his permission to her, which he did after several seconds of chewing thoughtfully on his bottom lip. She scooped Duncan up and the three of them shared an amused smirk when Duncan murmured something unintelligible in his sleep.

Isadora led the way to their bedroom followed by Olivia carrying Duncan and Quigley walking closely behind them. When they entered the room, Olivia laid Duncan down on the bed and gently replaced the covers over him. She watched the two triplets climb into bed around their brother and crawl under the blankets once more.

Olivia grimaced apologetically and addressed the two Quagmires that could still hear her. “I’m so sorry that there is so little room for you all. Are you sure you don’t want to sleep in my room or even on the couch?”

They both shook their heads but thanked her for the offer.

“I promise we will make this new home ours. I want you to be comfortable,” she whispered.

“We are,” Isadora agreed.

They all wished each other a good night despite the small light threatening to rise from the horizon and spill into the bedroom through the window. Olivia closed the door silently behind her and waited a moment in front of the door before determining that Quigley must have fallen asleep and would not return to his restless post outside of his room.

She returned to her own room and caught herself smiling, thinking of the new life that she would build with these children. She fell asleep feeling peaceful.

~~~

The sun finally stirred the three children awake at 10:00 am and they all groaned in unison. The acapella of their groggy objections echoed throughout the room but did very little to assist in guiding them closer to true consciousness.

Duncan cracked his tired eyes open and blinked into the brightly-lit room. He looked up at the ceiling and finally murmured to his sister, who he felt shifting positions next to him, “Isa, you haven’t told me a couplet in a very long time.”

Isadora was quiet for a long moment and Duncan almost surrendered to the tranquil silence, giving up on conversation, when she finally spoke up, “Oh, I guess it has been a while. When was the last?”

“Before Quigley.”

At the sound of his name, Quigley groaned softly and tried to sit up next to Duncan’s other side, but he quickly gave up and cuddled against his brother’s side, burying his face into his pillow to avoid the brightness seeping in through his eyelids.

“No, it wasn’t that long ago. Didn’t I just make one up while we-” she stopped and remembered her most recent couplet was made after Quigley returned to their lives, but this one was private and just for Fiona. She blushed at the thought. “Okay, I’ll make one. Any requests?”

“Make it about sleep?” Quigley asked in a voice that sounded drained and scratchy with exhaustion.

Isadora smirked despite having to put forth the tedious effort to design a couplet on such short notice and after interrupted sleep. This used to be her favorite game; her brothers would spit out a random word and she had twenty seconds to come up with a rhyming couplet. She was most impressed with the one she made was after Duncan suggested ‘watermelon’ (which she rhymed with the phrase ‘excel in’).

“Though I admit you two brothers are the very best; I wish you’d be quiet and just let me rest,” She snickered. Quigley laughed into his pillow and snaked his arms under it to cradle his head.

“That doesn’t count,” Duncan muttered.

“We are back on land and out of the sea; I wish this horrible world would just let us be,” Isadora provided and Quigley groaned, nodding his head in agreement.

“Sad,” Duncan critiqued. “One more?”

“The sun shines through our window, warm and bright; our new home together truly seems to be right,” she smiled at this one, personally loving to make couplets regarding the sun.

Duncan was quiet for a few minutes and Isadora considered asking why the peanut gallery suddenly stopped their nonsense, but he finally murmured in a soft, earnest voice, “I love it.”

The children fell asleep once more.

Chapter Text

The children woke again a few hours later, just after the noon hour sounded on the living room clock, and they heard the light click of the front door latch closing. The triplets slowly rubbed their eyes and cracked their eyelids open into the relentless sunshine, groaning through throats that felt thick with thirst.

“I just want to sleep forever,” Isadora murmured but she sat up and pushed the blankets away from her body. Her brothers agreed with a small hum.

They crawled out of bed and stretched their stiff limbs, reaching with their fingertips toward the ceiling and raising up on their tiptoes to the symphony of sleepy grunting.

The triplets considered giving in to their desire for more sleep and crawling back under the thick covers, but this plan was interrupted when the smell of salted food suddenly seeped under the cracks of their bedroom door and filled their nostrils. They perked up drastically and left their comfortable bedroom in favor of shuffling their bare feet into the kitchen where they saw Olivia grinning at them. She was breathing heavily and carrying a large bag that held the savory contents that influenced the triplets’ stomachs to speak to one another with low, rumbling growls. Olivia appeared to have been awake for several hours as she was clad in a sleeveless button-up shirt tucked into faded jeans. Her hair was pulled up loosely around her face, which glistened lightly with sweat, and she wiped a forearm across her forehead after laying the bag on the table.

“Good morning, you three,” she smiled brightly and placed her hands on her hips. “I am so glad to see you are awake now. I hope you are hungry, I brought back Chinese food.”

“Have you been out all morning?” Isadora asked, approaching Olivia slowly, and glancing at the bag involuntarily as her stomach twisted with hunger.

“I sure have,” Olivia answered and waved the sleepy children forward to sit at the table. “I brought several boxes to the new house and I have made great progress in the living room.” She smiled and turned to fetch cups from the cupboard. “Do you three like Chinese food? If not, I can pop back out and grab something else for us.”

“We love Chinese food,” Duncan answered for his family and they settled down around the large bag.

“That is very good to hear, because I also love Chinese food,” Olivia placed glasses of water in front of each Quagmire before pulling out several small containers from the brown paper bag, decorated with red markings. She cracked open each take-out container and placed them in front of the children along with a pair of chopsticks for each. “How did you all sleep?”

“Good.”

Olivia noticed the triplets staring at the food before them with a distant, hungry look in their eyes, but she was pleased anyway to hear the honesty in Isadora’s answer.

“Very good actually, but it wasn’t long enough,” Duncan confirmed, also watching his food and waiting for the signal to dig in.

Olivia chuckled at this. “You three are more than welcome to go back to sleep after you eat lunch.”

“That is tempting,” Quigley answered, finally looking up at Olivia. “But we can help you move boxes. You shouldn’t have to do that alone.” His siblings agreed and Olivia’s face softened impossibly further.

“Eat up,” she announced, and everyone lifted the chopsticks into their lunch. This meal was considerably quiet as the children concentrated solely on bringing the food to their mouths and swallowing forcefully. Their twisting hunger surprised them since they last ate the previous evening, and they had each gone longer than that without food. However, they did not stop eating to ponder it. Olivia understood their hunger and wondered how long it would take for the desperation for food to dissipate and they could finally enjoy a meal again.

As they neared the end of their containers, Olivia spoke up. “I looked for more clothing for you three at the new house, but I was unable to find anything. My brother must have packed that up already. I laid out a few other options of mine on the living room couch for you all to sort through. Also, I washed your jumpsuits that you arrived in, in case you would feel more comfortable in those.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” Isadora stated, a blush coloring her cheeks.

“Right, we should have done that,” Duncan confirmed with worry knitting his eyebrows together. “We don’t want to be a nuisance to you.” Quigley agreed with a hurried nod.

“But it was no problem at all. You are not a nuisance and I wanted to help,” Olivia confirmed firmly. “You are welcome to wear those or some of my clothes or a mix of the lot. I promise we will go shopping soon.” She stood and collected the empty containers, setting them aside for recycling. She excused herself to continue packing boxes in her room and the triplets walked into the nearly-bare living room, toward the couch.

Quigley settled on wearing a colorful striped T-shirt tucked into his Queequeg overalls with the jumpsuit sleeves tied around his waist. Duncan buttoned his own jumpsuit up over his shoulders and selected a blue sweater to wear over it. Isadora winced at the jumpsuit that reminded her of nearly drowning and she refused it in favor of selecting a golden sweater and large black sweatpants that required her to roll up the bottoms. The triplets turned from one another to change where they stood in the living room and when they faced each other once again, they all giggled.

“Don’t we look fine?” Isadora announced sarcastically.

“We do sort of look like we are failing magnificently in a magazine fashion show,” Quigley murmured, looking down at himself.

“How Paris of us,” Duncan rolled his eyes with a smile. They didn’t know what this meant but they all remembered their mother saying it and it used to make their father laugh, so it made them laugh too.

The triplets stepped carefully to Olivia’s bedroom and knocked on the open door before offering to help pack. She reminded them they could rest throughout the day but when they insisted on helping, she suggested they pack plates and kitchen utensils. Over the next couple of hours, the Quagmires working together to wrap and pack mugs and plates in newspaper (that Duncan skimmed and critiqued quickly), before moving on to packing pots and pans. By late afternoon, they found themselves lounging in the living room, exhausted and catching their breath. Duncan and Isadora sprawled out on the couch and Quigley rested on the floor, surrounded by pillows.

“So, Isa,” Duncan began casually, breaking the silence and glancing at Isadora, who raised up on an elbow curiously. “Are you in love with Fiona?”

Quigley gasped and quickly sat up, looking at his sister with wide eyes and searching her face for a hint of confirmation.

“Duncan!” She cried out with her mouth hanging open. He only shrugged in response and waited for an answer with the hint of a smirk touching the corner of his mouth. “Well... Are you in love with Klaus?”

Quigley slapped a hand over his mouth and spun his head around to look at his brother. “Baudelaire?” He asked, slightly muffled beneath his palm.

“Shut up!” Duncan shoved Isadora but she only giggled and chastised him for starting it.

“Wait, are you both dating people?” Quigley practically yelled, throwing his hands in the air. “I had no idea! You gotta tell me these things!” He picked up two pillows lying on the floor next to him and launched them at his siblings. They laughed and ducked away from his throw.

“Not dating, you goof,” Isadora rolled her eyes. “I only knew Fiona for one single day before we had to abandon ship.”

“Love at first sight,” Duncan announced swimmingly as though he were narrating a fairy tale. Quigley threw both hands over his mouth at that and turned to look back at his sister for additional information.

“No, stop,” she whined and covered her heavily-blushed face with the pillow she now held courtesy of Quigley's throw.

“But you liked her,” Duncan countered, wearing a full smirk. Isadora didn’t disagree.

“And you?” Quigley quickly turned to his brother once more, with eyebrows raised and an accusatory finger pointed at him impatiently.

“Also no!” Duncan threw the pillow back at Quigley, making soft contact with his face.

“But you liked him,” Isadora mimicked in a voice that sounded nothing like her brother, but it sent the three of them into a giggle fit.

“You two are unbelievable!” Quigley announced dramatically once he was able to speak again.

“Well, Quig, who are you in love with, since you are so interested in our lives,” Isadora crossed her arms but she was still chuckling around her words.

“Isa, don’t be silly. He hasn’t even been around anybody since the day.” ‘The day’ referred to the Quagmire home fire but Duncan didn’t wish to say that in so many words and his siblings didn’t wish to hear it. “Who would he have even met?”

“A fish?” Isadora snickered.

“A bird?” Duncan covered his mouth with a hand.

“Violet Baudelaire,” Quigley answered easily with a half-smile and a blush tinting his cheeks. His siblings stared at him for a moment, frozen in shock at his blatant honesty, before they began laughing again. Quigley frowned at that. “What? What is it now?”

Instead of answering, Duncan and Isadora stood up and joined hands with one another before dancing around Quigley, who stared at them with his mouth agape from his seat on the floor. He asked what was going on but they ignored him in favor of chanting, “Quigley’s in love, Quigley’s in love!”

Quigley asked if they rehearsed this song and dance at some point, but they just laughed and plopped down next to him on the floor. They spent the next several minutes making kissy faces in attempt to embarrass one another. It eventually ended with all three triplets lying on their backs and giggling giddily.

The room was quiet again and they watched the ceiling for minutes, all stuck in their private thoughts.

“It is sort of unfair, though, isn’t it?” Isadora finally whispered, breaking the silence. The air around them suddenly felt heavy and full of thick dread they were forced to inhale anyway. Her brothers knew what she meant but they asked her for clarification anyway. “We all feel this special way about people we will never be able to see again.”

Duncan frowned and rolled onto his belly so he could face her. Quigley felt a stab of guilt in his chest and his face flushed, knowing he made a similar statement the day before, fueled by hurt and anger.

“But we will see them again,” Duncan stated firmly.

“We will,” Quigley agreed with a sharp nod.

Isadora shrugged, obviously unconvinced but not in the mood to argue with her brothers.

A familiar and melancholic mood surrounded them and stuck in their throats until Olivia entered the room and announced she would take more boxes to the new house.

“Are you three interested in accompanying me to see our new place?” She asked carefully, avoiding using the word ‘home.’ That particular word seemed unfair and forward in light of their absent parents and Hector’s departure.

They were ecstatic at the opportunity to distract themselves from the loneliness they felt even in each other’s presence. The Quagmires gathered boxes and loaded them into a car that Olivia rented for the move. When they fit as much as they could in the trunk and half of the back seat, Isadora climbed into the front passenger seat and turned to watch her brothers scramble into the back. Olivia made sure they were buckled before driving the stretch to the new house. The triplets watched the ocean waves pass through the windows and they wondered who could be in those waters. Hector, the Widdershins and crew, the Baudelaires? The ocean seemed to have taken everything from them and they wondered if they could ever enjoy it again. They suffered torment by both flame and water, and they wondered what was next.

“Here!” Olivia’s warm voice pulled them from the shivering chills in their memory and they looked at the house before them, reaching two stories high and wrapped by a porch with several bay windows. The triplets’ eyes widened in awe as they stepped out of the vehicle.

“It’s so beautiful,” Isadora murmured.

“This house is so big,” Duncan gasped. “Are your parents rich too?”

“Rich?” Olivia laughed and opened the trunk to distribute the boxes. “Oh, absolutely not. My parents were poor immigrants from Romania. Not a dime to their name at any point in their lives. They were in frequent trouble with the bank, and they died poor as church mice.” She was shocked by her own brutal honestly and she lowered her gaze to study the heavy box in her arms with great intensity. “My brother and his wife saved for years to buy this house.”

“Oh,” Duncan whispered. “Well, they had you in their lives, so I bet they felt rich every day.”

The innocence in this statement stopped Olivia in her tracks and tears sprung to her eyes. She murmured a gentle thanks and quickly led the children into the house, willing the stinging in her eyes away.

“Can we explore?” Quigley practically begged, looking around excitedly.

“Please do. Go pick out your rooms,” Olivia encouraged them, and they took off, still carrying their boxes and Olivia laughed.

While the triplets ran around the house, Olivia pulled Duncan aside and hugged him extra tight, whispering a sincere appreciation in his ear for his kindness. Duncan blushed at this and nodded his head in understanding before bouncing off to rejoin his siblings in the far bedroom.

With the boxes unpacked from the car, Olivia walked around the living room she hadn’t allowed herself to examine during her previous rushing. Her brother left behind a few boxes for her enjoyment. When the racing footsteps died down, she invited the triplets to look through the mystery boxes with her. She was picking at the tape securing one box absently when she spotted a record player in the corner.

“It looks like they left their music,” she noted, bending over slightly to find the accompanying records piled carefully in a box. “And there’s still one loaded, let’s have a listen,” Olivia winked at the children and fiddled with the record player until it came to life. Crackled music rose from the speaker and filled the room with Louise Johnson’s “On the Wall.”

Olivia turned and moved to search through another stack of her brother’s boxes. It only took a few of Johnson’s scandalous lyrics to draw the children’s attention and they frowned toward the speakers curiously.

“Ms. Caliban, what does this song mean?” Quigley asked and the triplets all turned to find Olivia blushing furiously and moving to turn off the record, too flustered to remind him of her request that they call her by her first name.

“Uhm, it doesn’t mean anything,” she lied with difficulty, stumbling over her words and boxes alike to reach the record player. She stopped the song and removed it from the place mat. “Let’s see what else they have,” she announced in a loud, quick voice hoping to distract her audience.

The record she happened to pick up next was Lucille Bogan’s “Shave ‘Em Dry” and her eyes widened with horrified recognition. She groaned and her face became even darker, something that further intrigued the triplets.

“What’s wrong?” Isadora asked cautiously, standing up and trying to peak at the record that caused Olivia such discomfort.

“Nothing is wrong,” Olivia lied again and cleared her throat loudly, recalling the raunchy lyrics in horror. Her brother purchased this record as a prank and played it for their unknowing parents. Olivia thought her mother was going to choke on the dinner they sat around as soon as Bogen began to sing. She heard the echoes of her brother cackling swim throughout the room.

“What’s that one that you have there?” Quigley approached his sister and pointed to the record in Olivia’s hands.

“You won’t know this one, this song is older,” Olivia answered in a voice higher in pitch than she intended, and she quickly tossed the record aside, angling her body to block it from their view. “Besides, it’s not as clear coming out of the speaker as these are, so let’s just forget about that one.”

Quigley and Isadora grinned at each other with childish amusement at the clearly-inappropriate song Olivia was hiding from them. Duncan became bored and returned to sifting through the box he sat in front of.

Refusing to further entertain the curious children with this matter, Olivia picked up another record and within a short moment, Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood” filled the room with the blaring orchestra.

Duncan dropped the magazine he held, and an interested smile stretched across his face. He stood up and bounced on his toes, facing the record player and announcing, “I like this one.”

“Me too.” Relief flooded Olivia’s face and her shoulders dropped. “Swing dance is really fun! Can you do that?” They shook their heads, only recalling learning ballroom dance waltzes from their parents. More truthfully, from their mother. Their father flailed around disgracefully in comparison.

“Want to learn?” Olivia reached her hand out to Quigley, who grinned and quickly stepped forward, placing his hand in hers. The mirroring of this moment to the one just last night when his hand was held in Olivia’s in the dark hallway was not lost on him. He wondered how it was possible to feel so comfortable and safe now, just one day later.

She clasped his hands and slowly showed him the way to twist his feet and kick up, coordinating with the music. “Now shake your hands like this,” she waved her fingers in front of her face like she were playing a vertical piano. Quigley found this move particularly funny and he had to pause and giggle into his hands before he was ready to continue.

“Can you teach me too?” Isadora stood up from her cross-legged perch on a sturdy box, barely keeping her excitement contained as the song came to an end.

“Yes, come on over!” Olivia smiled through flushed cheeks and guided Isadora to the center of the room. She changed the song to “Bei Mir Bist Du Shein” by The Andrew Sisters. Olivia grasped Isadora’s hands in her own and carefully spun her out, which made Isadora squeal with excitement. It was the most joyful sound Olivia had ever heard and she signaled Isadora to stay put, grasping her hands at arms length.

“Now this,” Olivia raised her toes, torquing the ball of her foot back and forth, and Isadora giggled. She mimicked the movement and Duncan and Quigley quickly joined them in repeating the movement. Olivia spun Isadora back in and caught her in her arms. As they continued swinging, Quigley tried to keep up but eventually gave into just jumping up and down in a circle to the beat. Duncan mirrored him until the song ended with a soft click.

“Ohhh, now for this one,” Olivia smirked and placed another record on the plate with a flick. ‘JD’s Boogie Woogie’ by Jimmy Dorsey crackled through the speakers and the triplets waited patiently for the song to come alive.

As it did, the four stood in a circle facing one another and danced wildly. Olivia performed a perfectly executed Charleston dance and the triplets tried their best but mostly skipped in place and spun around with their arms high in the air. They felt light and free, a feeling they had all long since forgotten until now.

Olivia and the Quagmires danced through three more songs before they ended up lying on the carpet sweating and panting. The room was quiet other than the light hum of spinning produced by the waiting record player, drifting them into a comfortable lull.

“That was very fun,” Duncan whispered.

“I feel my heart beating so fast,” Quigley mimicked the swift pattern on the carpet underneath him with his fingertips.

“I haven’t danced in years,” Olivia whispered with a small, humorless chuckle.

Isadora rolled onto her belly to look at Olivia. “When was the last time you danced?”

Olivia pondered this question before answering, “I was still in high school. They had a silly dance in the gymnasium decorated with streamers.”

“High school,” Quigley murmured, wondering. He had almost forgotten about school entirely. He couldn’t recall how long he had been away from it. His siblings, on the other hand, remembered school very well and they wrinkled their noses with displeasure. Olivia nodded sympathetically.

“Was it fun?” Isadora asked. “The dance, I mean?”

“Absolutely not,” Olivia chuckled, recalling the awkward evening.

“Was this fun?” Duncan asked in a soft voice.

“The most fun I’ve ever had,” Olivia smiled at him and ran a hand through his hair. “When was the last time you danced?”

The triplets paused. “We were at home,” Quigley remembered quietly. “And our parents were there. We all danced in the living room one night after dinner.”

“Dad was so bad at it,” Isadora exclaimed, seeing the same memory Quigley told behind her own eyelids.

“He’s always bad at it. Mom was so good at it though,” Duncan confirmed with a nod.

“We were dancing because our parents said we had to celebrate...” Quigley’s voice trailed away and his eyebrows furrowed.

“What were you celebrating?” Olivia asked cautiously.

“I can’t remember...” Quigley sat up and looked at his siblings for an answer, but they couldn't recall the cause for dancing that evening was lost in time. Quigley felt uncomfortable forgetting a memory of his parents and he had a sudden ache in his chest.

“It must have been wonderful though,” Olivia murmured with softness blanketing the timid air that arose with forgotten memories.

The melancholic mood melted again and they took a break to order dinner. Olivia picked up the pizza on their way back to the old house, deeming their efforts enough for the day.

“Maybe we can dance again when we live there,” Duncan suggested as they entered through the front door. He volunteered to carry the pizza in, the garlic and cheesy smell leaving their mouths watering.

“I agree completely. We can move in tomorrow, if you three are ready.” Olivia guided them to the kitchen where they washed their hands and gathered at the table for dinner. The meal was full of conversation, and Quigley and Isadora even found it in their mischievous selves to bring up the mystery record again. Olivia just scrunched her nose at them with a grin and wagged her finger at them.

Wishes for sweet dreams were spoken that evening to the tune of left over giggling from dinner.

~~~

The triplets climbed into the bed with a contented sigh, too exhausted to change into clean clothing. When the silence surrounded them, their anxious thoughts returned despite the clear lack of invitation.

“Guess what?” Duncan suddenly started in the quiet room.

“What?” Quigley murmured, fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

“When we were locked in the trunk, we didn’t even try screaming for help or hitting the lid to escape the car. We just cried.”

Quigley froze in place, his heart stuttered and he felt as though someone kicked his stomach to expel his breath. “Trunk? What trunk?”

Isadora watched Duncan with careful, scrutinizing eyes, wondering how far he would allow this conversation to go.

“Olaf’s,” Duncan answered.

“What are you talking about, Duncan? When were you in a trunk?” Quigley sat up and turned to his brother, suddenly feeling freezing. Duncan met his gaze.

“Before the elevator.”

“You were in an elevator?” Quigley snapped his head forcefully back and forth between his siblings, his expression a mix of shock, worry, and anger. Isadora avoided Quigley’s eyes and remained silent.

“Yes, we were locked in a cage at the bottom of an elevator shaft.”

Quigley groaned uncomfortably and squirmed. His skin crawled and he wanted nothing more than to scratch and be rid of this conversation. He felt that was a selfish thought. Though he appreciated his brother for telling him about their destinations, the truth made him want to cry out.

“We just sat in there like they told us to,” Duncan continued in a small whisper.

Quigley dropped his head and looked down at his hands resting in his lap. The triplets were silent for several minutes and the room filled with worry. Quigley felt the pressing need to extinguish this feeling that caught in their throats.

“Did I ever tell you how I became separated from the Baudelaires?” Quigley asked suddenly.

“No,” Duncan answered.

“I got knocked off of our toboggan by a tree branch.”

Now Isadora and Duncan froze with shock at the news they received. They remained still until Isadora snorted out a laugh and slapped her hand over her mouth. At the sound, Duncan bit his lower lip and tried unsuccessfully to hold in a snicker of his own.

“They ducked down but I didn’t see it in time. And then it knocked me clean off.”

Now Duncan placed a hand over his mouth in an attempt at hiding a grin.

“I’m serious, too.”

They all three burst into laughter and Quigley flopped back down on his back, closer to his brother than he was before so their arms were pressed together. Isadora moved to Quigley’s other side and they closed their eyes, welcoming sleep.

~~~

Quigley was plagued by the new information he obtained, and this followed him into his subconscious.

Quigley startled awake from another nightmare and sat up with a small cry. The final images from his dream seared in his mind and he gasped harshly. He was grabbed and thrown into a small trunk that continuously closed in on him, crushing him. He tried to bang on the lid and kick, but just like the small, hidden door leading back to his house from the secret tunnel on the night of the fire, it would not open.

He laid back down and clutched at his heaving chest. He fruitlessly looked up toward the ceiling that he couldn’t see in the pitch dark, but he knew it was there and he knew it was giving him plenty of room to breathe. He considered getting up to see if Olivia was awake and available to talk, but the memory of his promise seared in his mind, hot and warning.

He promised his siblings he would wake them this time though he hated to do it.

“Isa?” He whispered, breaking the heavy silence of the room, and he tapped her shoulder. “Isadora, please wake up.”

He received a grunt in response and continued, “Isadora, please wake up. I’m scared.” His voice wavered in pitch and he focused hard on bringing the volume down again. “I’m afraid of the bad people and the car.” His voice finally cracked under pressure and warm tears rolled down his cheeks. The hair on the back of his neck prickled and his mind raced with terrifying ideas that someone was standing in the corner of their room. He glanced nervously toward the window and was relieved to find the space empty.

Isadora heard thick grief in her brother’s voice and she sat up, seeking out with wide eyes to find his gray outline in the dark room.

“What’s wrong?” She asked softly, stifling a yawn.

“I’m afraid,” he whispered again and scooted closer to her as she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a hug.

“It’s going to be okay,” she murmured in a comforting voice. “Let’s sit by the window.”

He agreed and they crawled out of bed together, shuffling their feet carefully in the dark room and moving toward the window. Isadora pulled the curtains aside, allowing moonlight to flood the room. The dark corners were illuminated and Quigley sighed in relief. Their brother slept under the covers, breathing deeply.

“We are safe here,” Isadora reminded Quigley in a hushed voice as they knelt down to the floor. He frowned but nodded his head. “I have been thinking... Since this is our last night here in this house, maybe tomorrow we should all sit together-all four of us- and share everything that happened.”

Quigley paled in the moonlight and he chewed on his lower lip. “Everything?”

“Yes. That way, we can leave it all behind.”

“I don’t think we can leave this behind,” he shook his head and grimaced.

“We can try.” Isadora stated with firmness.

Quigley pondered this for a moment and looked outside, dragging his eyes up to the moon. The familiar silence blanketed the room again as they leaned against the windowsill on their elbows, propping their heads in their hands.

“I wish I were there,” Isadora whispered, more to herself than her brother.

“Where?”

“The moon.”

“That’s not possible,” the triplets startled at the soft sound of Duncan’s voice and they snapped their heads toward him. He was still lying under the covers in bed, but his eyes peeked out at them over the large blanket. His face was brightened in the moonlight and his hair was plastered to his forehead.

“Not yet, but it could be,” Isadora’s statement had confidence that her brothers wished for. “Someone will invent a way.”

“Maybe,” Duncan murmured in a voice heavy with sleep. “I bet Violet could.”

Quigley’s heartbeat quickened and he smiled to himself at the thought. After a moment, he chuckled and asked, “How would you get to the moon, if you could pick anything?”

“Staircase,” Isadora smirked.

“Train,” Duncan provided.

“Hot air balloon,” Quigley giggled. “That was a very interesting set up that Hector created; I wish I got to see more of it.”

“It was very interesting,” Duncan agreed, rolling onto his back.

After a long pause, Quigley sighed and looked at his sister. “I like your idea. Tomorrow, we will all talk about it.”

“Talk about what?” Duncan whispered.

“Everything,” Isadora informed him and suddenly, Duncan didn’t feel tired anymore. He sucked in a nervous breath and felt his siblings climb back into bed next to him.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Olivia walked into the kitchen and startled to see the triplets waiting for her around the table. “Good morning, sweet Quagmires. I wasn’t expecting to see you three this early…” she started but her voice trailed off as she took in the sight of their eyes heavy with a strange combination of exhaustion and consternation. She considered making coffee like she always did at this hour, but she decided that should wait until after the impending conversation contributing to the somber atmosphere. She took a seat and folded her hands on the table in front of her, waiting and watching the Quagmires with careful eyes. 

“Uhm...” Isadora began hesitantly, in a small voice. She glanced at her brothers, but their blatantly troubled expressions provided her no relief. She turned back to Olivia and found herself involuntarily relaxing, if only slightly, under the loving and patient gaze. “My brothers and I discussed this last night and we believe it would be best if we all shared what happened to us with one another, and also with you. Then we can leave it all here, in a metaphorical sense, in this house. We can sort of move away from it.” She grimaced as her pitch ended and her voice faded slightly. She feared her idea sounded childish in the daylight.

Olivia pondered this and shifted her eyes to the two boys, neither of whom were looking up at her. Duncan was picking at his nails with a studious look and Quigley stared blankly at the table as he traced shapes on the wood with his forefinger.

“Isadora, I think that is an excellent idea,” Olivia finally smiled back at Isadora. “This is a very mature decision, I’m very proud of you.” Isadora beamed. “I will prepare us tea, because every difficult conversation is made easier with tea.”

“It is?” Isadora asked curiously, standing up to follow Olivia to the stove. 

“It is,” Olivia confirmed. Minutes later, the tea kettle whistled sharply and hot tea was poured before the four place mats.

“Would you like me to begin?” Olivia offered and the triplets nodded, each taking a sip of their tea. “From the beginning... I suppose my beginning occurred after you two were taken from the school. That is when I became involved in your story and when the writing of my own current life began...” She told of her trip to the bank to speak to the helpless Arthur Poe, followed by meeting Jacquelyn Scieszka and Jacques Snicket, and being recruited for VFD. The mention made Quigley shift nervously in his seat. Olivia smiled sympathetically, a gesture he did not see, but she continued. She explained in great detail what VFD meant, though Isadora and Duncan remembered most of it from the book they found in the school library.

“I remember one evening, Jacques Snicket informed me he had a very special surprise for you two. I did not know what he meant at the time but I suppose he was talking about you, Quigley.” He flushed slightly at the attention. “We received information that you two were being held in the Squalor penthouse but we couldn’t find you...”

Duncan had an itching temptation to interrupt her and provide her with the knowledge that they were in the elevator, but he kept his lips pressed together and waited for his turn. She went on to explain they acquired information that the two triplets were then auctioned off to Olaf and she followed Olaf’s car until they reached a seemingly non-progressive town.

“It was not enough. Those villains infiltrated the court room and Jacques was unlawfully arrested. They succeeded at every turn that we failed. Jacques asked me to leave, and though I wish more than anything that I could change this, I left. I discovered he was murdered in that town. I wanted to believe it was faked for the sake of secrecy, but I was only lying to myself. They released his picture in the paper.” Quigley grimaced at that, recalling holding his own copy of the newspaper clipping. “I received contact from VFD, but I declined further involvement with the organization. Since then, I have been searching around town for the five of you children-you two triplets and the Baudelaires,” she nodded at Duncan and Isadora. “And then I miraculously found you on the beach.”

“Thank you for trying to help us for so long. We had no idea,” Duncan whispered and offered Olivia an honest smile. “Really, thank you.”

“I’m sorry I failed to succeed sooner.”

Quigley had to look away from the sorrow shining through Olivia’s eyes. Isadora shook her head and stood up from her seat to hug Olivia while confirming her thoughts and that of her siblings, “You are doing everything we need. Thank you.”

Duncan and Isadora shared their collective part next.

——— 

Isadora and Duncan jolted to consciousness at the sound of their father throwing their bedroom door ajar, bursting into the room, and screaming at them to get up. They stammered with confusion and fear, and in the midst of their foggy minds, they wondered why they were in such trouble. The children tried to wrack their brains to come up with a probable cause for the shouting. They didn’t break anything. They didn’t take anything. They didn’t-

They were taking too long. Their father reached Isadora’s bed in two long strides and threw her blankets aside. He hastily wrapped an arm around her and lifted her to him, pressing her harshly against his chest. He quickly turned around and Isadora saw the open-mouthed panic plastered on Duncan’s face. Their father reached out to him, wrapping a hand tightly around his small upper arm and pulling him out of the bed. Duncan grunted in pain at the yank and stumbled to his feet.

“Daddy, what’s going on?” Isadora’s question came out as a frightened pant, and she didn’t register the fact that she called him by a title all three triplets grew out of several years prior.

“We are leaving right now,” their father commanded in a shaking voice. The two triplets considered protesting and pulling away from him, but they saw he was crying fearfully and shaking, something they had never seen from either of their parents. They could recall their father shedding soft tears a few months prior following a particularly moving piano recital, but that tear was nothing like the shattered nerves they saw in him now, and that terrified them. He started toward the door.

“Dad, stop, you’re forgetting about Qui-” Duncan's words faltered when he looked over his shoulder. His throat tightened as he registered the empty bed. “Where is Quigley?” Duncan demanded.

Their father did not answer the pressing question, but instead carried Isadora and dragged Duncan by his upper arm through the open bedroom door and into the hallway where thick smoke hugged the walls.

“Dad, let go,” Isadora whined, fear poking at her throat and her eyes itched with the stinging threat of tears.

“Is that fire?” Duncan asked in stupor and tried to walk toward the far end of the hallway, where smoke leaked heavily through the cracks around a door leading to another room. He yelped when he was yanked in the opposite direction, toward the stairway leading to the main floor and foyer. “Dad, where are Quigley and Momma?” He asked, his voice raising in pitch.

Their father forced them down the stairs as the smoke crawled nearer.

“Stop! We have to find Quigley and Mom!” Duncan demanded, but their father did not hear him. 

“Let me go, I can walk!” Isadora shrieked, pushing vigorously at her father’s chest and shoulders and kicking out with her feet. This movement only led him to instinctually tighten his grip on both children.

“Ow!” Duncan cried out and tried to pull his arm away from his father’s clutch. “Dad, you’re hurting me!”

They stilled and silenced at the sound of a loud crash echoing from the hall at the top of the stairs, and a new pummel of smoke filled the air. This seemingly snapped their father out of his norepinephrine-driven trance, and he looked at the small, terrified faces before him.

“Oh god, I am so sorry, I’m sorry,” he stated quickly but sincerely, loosening his tight hold on both of his children. He allowed Isadora to slide down his side until her own bare feet touched the carpeted floor. He dragged his hand down Duncan’s arm until it rested gently in Duncan’s hand. Isadora raised her hand to her father’s free one but both children continued to watch him cautiously. “I’m sorry, my babies,” his voice cracked and carefully pulled them toward him. “The house is burning so fast, and I have to get you out of here right now.”

“Daddy, what about Quigley and Momma?” Isadora asked with intended firmness, but her voice broke at the end as it transitioned into a harsh cough.

“I will find them. Cover your mouth and nose with your shirt,” their father instructed and the two triplets raised the top of their pajama shirts over their faces. Their father led them down the remaining steps, but the thick smoke clutched their backs and threatened their throats.

On the ground floor, a large bookcase had fallen over and blocked the front door. Their father groaned and pulled them toward the back door. They passed the kitchen and skidded to a stop, attention drawn by the bright lights that are usually off during the night, and they looked inside for their missing family members. Heavy shelves had fallen onto the floor, but they did not see anybody. They heard a deafening crash and a burst of flames arose from the main entry of the house, growing richer in color as it climbed up to the ceiling. Isadora and Duncan screamed and their father quickly bent down to wrap an arm around each of their waists, lifting them to his side and running.

They did not try to pull away from him this time.

The three Quagmires were hacking wet, sticky phlegm as they neared the back door and their father returned them to their feet, but his hands lingered on their pajamas. “Listen to me now," he began. "You two run straight outside, do you understand me? Run outside and then go all of the way across the street to Daniel’s house. Remember him? Call for help and stay with him.”

“Why aren’t you coming too?” Isadora sobbed, her voice becoming shaking screeches as they heard another frightening crash coming from the neighboring room. Duncan was trembling next to her, staring at their father with terror.

“I’m going to go find Quig and Mommy, okay?” He leaned in and kissed them both on the forehead, drawing them into a short hug. “I love you both so much. Go now, I’ll meet you over there. Go now!”

They stood watching each other for a final moment before they parted and the triplets ran outside of the house. They ran like their father instructed, and they watched in horror from the lit porch of the neighbor’s house as their home collapsed with a shattering crack. Their screams lodged uncomfortably in their throats, along with the pounding threat of coughing that persisted even outside of the burning house. Their soot-covered hands reached toward each other and they grasped one another, knuckles turned white. And then deafening silence surrounded them both. 

They felt rough hands on their shoulders and startled faces they hardly recognized appeared before them, Daniel Jones and his wife Matilda. Their mouths moved slowly but no sound was produced.

Large vehicles appeared with bright blinking lights, red hues stinging their retinas. But there was no accompanying noise.

Tall figures in heavy coats poured out of the fire trucks, waving to each other hurriedly. The triplets did not hear the shouts.

Their world was silent.

They were guided inside the open door behind them as the coated figures approached the collapsed shell of their home, and they were gently pushed down onto a sofa in the Jones's living room. They stared blankly at the paramedic who shined a light in their eyes and wrapped a blanket around their shoulders. Her mouth moved with invisible words but the triplets provided her nothing. The paramedic shifted a nervous gaze toward the officer, who lips also parted without sound. Duncan watched them with his head tilted slightly and Isadora stared at the floor. They didn’t hear the questions.

Everything was silent.

Sound returned to their ears an hour later as they lay awake screaming out cries of grief until their throats became raw and aching. And despite their hoarse voices and resulting fits of coughing, they continued to scream. Their limbs shook and their eyes burned but it did not matter to them. They leaned heavily into the shoulders of their neighbors, who held them tightly and shed warm tears of their own. The sound of endless shrieking echoed through the halls and filled the once-quiet house. The Jones's children (who smelled the smoke and saw the flame outside their window) hid under their blankets as the sound of mourning seeped into their bedroom in heavy waves that threatened to take their parents too.

The two triplets were brought to the kitchen table the following morning but they both felt far too cold. They trembled closely together with squinted eyes and raised goosebumps decorating their arms and legs. The bright sunlight and sound of the plates were too harsh and they begged Daniel to let them go back to sleep. He shared a troubled look with his wife but nodded, agreeing to allow them a few hours before their required meeting with their parents' financial consultant.

“Now normally, I am the city’s sixth most important financial advisor, which I am sure you already knew, and I have very little time for extra work load. But right now, I am in charge of orphan affairs,” the woman sneered at them. “Specifically, your orphan affairs.”

With great effort, Duncan and Isadora were showered and dressed in the Jones children’s clothing before they were brought to a tall office building they had never seen before. The Jones adults stood behind their chairs in companionship, but this did very little to comfort the triplets caught in the icy stare before them.

Esmé Squalor was waiting for something but the triplets did not know what it was, and so they said nothing. Isadora watched her with her head tilted slightly and Duncan stared at the floor. They wished for nothing more than to fall sleep and remove themselves from the conscious world in which they were without the rest of their family.

“Orphans!” The woman snapped at them, drawing their muffled and now-apprehensive attention. “I am doing you both a favor and you are being extremely rude, you should show some gratitude. Say thank you.”

Daniel and Matilda frowned at one another but did not speak up.

“Thank you,” Duncan mumbled.

“Thanks,” Isadora whispered.

Esmé looked pleased with herself, and she casually waved a hand at them. “Oh, it’s the least I could do."

Isadora and Duncan fidgeted through the rest of the meeting, pulling at the threads of the chairs and bouncing their legs until Esmé chastised them again. Then they wove their fingers together and drifted off in their separate thoughts, remembering different days but similar in that they were vivid with their family’s laughter. Daniel and Matilda shook Esmé hand and they guided the triplets out of the office and back to the car. Once seated and buckled, Daniel turned in his seat to face them.

“Did you understand?” His voice was soft.

Duncan shook his head and Isadora ignored the question in favor of looking out the car window at a blue bird.

“She said you cannot stay with us. They are sending you to live with your aunt.”

That captured Isadora’s attention. She frowned at Daniel and stated, “We have no aunt.”

“According to your parents’ will, you do. Do you know what a will is?”

Isadora ignored that question too and she shook her head firmly. “Daddy said we have to stay with you.”

A strangled noise slipped past Duncan’s lips and he leaned his head against the window as he cried.

“I’m sorry,” Matilda whispered, watching them through the rear-view mirror. She appeared just as devastated as the triplets felt and Daniel reached out for her hand. “She said we can’t keep you with us.”

Matilda went on to explain that they would always be available for check-ins and if the triplets ever needed to find them, they could call or just come over to their house. But the triplets didn’t hear this. They watched the town pass by their windows.

Traveling to their mysterious aunt's house was a blur. They didn’t remember being offered or denying clothes from Matilda. They didn’t remember eating the crackers that Daniel pushed on them for several minutes. They didn’t remember the awkward goodbye hugs from the Jones children or the sorrowful ones from the Jones adults.

They walked into the new house with steps that seemed wrong. Isadora felt she was drifting away from her body and Duncan felt he was trapped in his forever.

Their new guardian was kind and understanding. She was quiet at first, initially deciding to allow the triplets the silence they longed for so their grief could fester. Her house was small with only one bedroom for the three people, but the triplets did not care. She encouraged them to choke down their dinner, carefully refusing them the option to skip the meal. Their faces were pinched with discomfort as the soup ran down their sore throats. After dinner, they gathered around the TV and watched Disney’s Snow White. Duncan was sandwiched between his sister and their guardian, the latter carded her hand through his hair until he leaned against her shoulder and fell asleep with salt tracks racing down his cheeks. Isadora watched this with longing and when she heard Duncan’s heavy breathing, she slowly stood up on tip-toes and walked to her guardian's other side. The woman smiled broadly and rubbed slow comforting circles against Isadora’s back until she wrapped her arms around her guardian and cried softly throughout the remainder of the movie.

The following days were not good, but they were better. They relished brighter in the constant care and attention their guardian provided, ruffling hair during breakfast and holding their hands at the market. One evening, she heard Isadora crying in the bathroom and when she had permission to enter, she sat across from the girl on the cold floor, cupped her face with warms hands, and rubbed her thumbs in slow comfortable circles against her cheeks until Isadora stopped crying and leaned heavily into the contact.

They eventually managed to eat meals without coaxing, shower and brush their teeth without persistent persuasion, and they even rediscovered their favorite hobbies. Duncan read through the newspapers and silently critiqued them while Isadora skimmed through a book of haikus, not her favorite form of poetry but the only kind available in the small home library. She asked for paper so she could write some of her own couplets again and their guardian happily gave them both a small common place notebook.

“Who is that?” Duncan murmured over his mashed potatoes one evening, pointing with his fork at a frame over the stove. Their guardian’s smile faltered.

“That is my wife.”

“Where is she?” He asked, watching her closely.

“She has passed away.”

The triplets froze and felt ice gather in their hearts.

“You have lost someone too?”

“Yes,” she admitted sadly. “The love of my life.”

“It’s horrible,” Duncan muttered, and let go of his fork. They didn't hear the cling of metal against the plate. “It feels like I’m floating but in a bad way.”

“It feels like I’m in space and I can’t breath,” Isadora stated, equally quiet.

“There is a heavy moment just after you smash your toe on a chair leg, but before the first sharp pain kicks in. Where you feel sick anticipation and horrible dread. It feels like that but never ending,” their guardian admitted. The triplets nodded.

“I’m very sorry for your loss. I hope you weren’t alone,” Isadora whispered. She could not imagine being alone right now.

“I’m very sorry for your loss too. And I’m not alone, I have you two.” This brought an honest smile to their faces. The first smiles since the fire, they realized. “Now let’s finish eating and watch a movie.”

Their favorite time was spent in the evenings when they sat close together on the couch. The triplets always found themselves on opposite sides of their guardian, who rubbed their back or massaged their scalps throughout the movies. Sometimes they simply leaned into her side, tucked safely under a comforting arm. They pressed close to her until they fell asleep, and they always woke up the following morning in the cozy bed with their guardian close. They felt warm and content, a stark and necessary contrast to the previous feeling of freezing isolation that tormented their hearts.

Everything seemed to be okay.

Until suddenly, there was a sharp knock on the door one evening, just before their allotted time to cuddle on the couch. The triplets frowned at the interruption but remained politely silent as the front door was opened to the stranger.

“Ahh yes! Hello there, lovely miss!” A booming voice in a strange accent announced dramatically. The triplets’ frowns deepened. “My associate and I are here to fix your refrigerator.”

“It is sort of late for that, isn’t it?” Isadora spoke up before she could stop herself. Her assertive comment surprised her brother and guardian but they both smiled with enjoyment when they heard it.

The repair man directed a malicious gaze to her and snapped. “Little girl. We come when we are called.” 

“You weren’t called. And she is right, it is awfully late for this sort of house call. Do not call her 'little girl' and do not return. Our refrigerator is fine,” their guardian stated stiffly. Isadora noticed a scowl before the door was slammed shut and locked in front of the man’s face. “Sorry, angels,” she ruffled Duncan’s hair and wrapped an arm around Isadora’s shoulder. “What an odd visitor. Movie time?” They nodded enthusiastically and soon fell asleep to the sound of Frankenstein and the remaining image of the repair man’s scowl fresh in their memory. They did not see their guardian frown to herself and glance nervously at the window.

The following morning, Isadora rubbed her finger across the spines of books in the library while Duncan highlighted passages in the newspaper, making notes of mistakes and phrases he appreciated. They heard their guardian humming softly in the kitchen; she was preparing pancakes.

“Look at this safe,” Isadora whispered to Duncan as she reached a large silver door in the shelves. She pulled on the handle but was met with a heavy click. It was locked and they lost interest, continuing to walk around the library with the feel of the books under their fingers.

Isadora asked their guardian about the safe that evening while they were washing and drying dishes, and the woman smiled. “I’ll show you what is inside right now.” They discarded their chores and she led them to the library, unlocking the safe and presenting the contents: three books and several loose sheets of paper. "I put these in here after my beloved passed." She encouraged the triplets to look through it while she finished the dishes. Duncan thumbed through the words with a small hum.

Isadora spotted the green spine with gold lettering and pulled out ‘The Incomplete History of Secret Organizations.’ “Dun, look at this one, it sounds like a mystery novel.” She dropped the book down on the table in front of her brother. They flipped through the pages and glanced at a few pictures before they were called to the living room for a movie. They all fell asleep to King Kong. Their guardian’s arms draped around both children and her head lolled to the side, resting on Isadora’s, whose own head (mirroring Duncan’s) leaned against their guardian’s shoulder. No one saw the lurking shadow or the eyes peeking in through the window.

The next day seemed promising. The triplets woke up wrapped in warm arms and the sun rays shone warmly through the window, creating bright colors on the carpet. They ate omelets for breakfast and listened to Duncan’s take on the morning newspaper. They ate a sandwich for lunch and Isadora read aloud her newest couplet, to which everyone applauded. The triplets found themselves spending several hours in the peaceful quietness of the library. Isadora was nose-deep in a book about the history of toboggan-use and Duncan pulled a book about inventive ways of travel from the bookshelf when they heard a loud knock followed by an unsettling, familiar voice. They quickly jumped up and rushed to the doorway to listen.

“Ma’am, I really must insist that you let me in. It is a very urgent matter,” the familiar thick accent spoke. Isadora and Duncan immediately recognized he was the same person that asked about the refrigerator.

“I really must insist you leave now. As I have already stated, my house is not in need of repairs,” their guardian responded calmly but strictly.

“But isn’t your bathroom flooding?” The other voice said, a woman with an equally thick accent and booming voice. Before their guardian could respond, she continued with a sneer, "We received reliable information that it is. You should check right now and we will come with you."

Duncan curiously stepped out of the library and walked toward the bathroom, before their guardian could respond. He opened the door and heard the heavy gushing of water, the sink was overflowing.

“Ahhh, sounds like a burst pipe to me!” The woman hissed and tried to enter the house.

“No!” Duncan called back to them loudly from the bathroom. He stepped forward and found a thick cloth was shoved in the drain. A heavy band held the two knobs together, both rotated on, so he could not turn them off again. He searched through the cabinets for a pair of scissors until he found them, with which he snipped the band, turned off the knobs, and reached into the over-spilling basin to tug on the cloth until it popped out. “The sink was just left on. I fixed it!”

He returned from the bathroom with a wet shirt and innocent toothy grin. The pair nearly snarled at him before their guardian closed the door. 

“Why do they keep coming back?” Isadora asked.

"That sink was clogged on purpose. Did they come in the house and do that?" Duncan asked softly. "I am afraid of these persistent strangers."

Their guardian pondered this and hummed. “They must be bored.” She led them back to the library before they could protest. “Now, I’m thinking Italian food for dinner tonight, how does that sound?” They grinned back at her and nodded in agreement.

They ordered out when evening fell upon the earth, and she was summoned to the door at the sound of the bell minutes later. 

“Special delivery,” a man announced in a dead-pan voice, holding the bag of pasta in front of his face. Their guardian smiled and took the food, placing a tip in the man’s outstretched hand. As she closed the door, Isadora caught sight of the man’s scowl and she gasped, recognizing it immediately. 

“It’s that repair man from earlier,” she whispered to her brother and guardian. Duncan nodded solemnly, noticing the same thing. 

Their guardian waved that idea aside as though it were unfathomably preposterous. “Of course it isn’t. Those individuals earlier were repair people and there were two of them. This was only one and they were a delivery person," she said simply with a shrug. The triplets frowned at one another, wildly unconvinced.

Duncan raced to the window and peeked out between the blinds. His eyes raked across the lawn until he saw the man leaned by his car, smirking at the house-- at Duncan. The man cocked his head to the side and Duncan gasped, jumping back from the window, allowing the blinds to snap shut once more. “Isa, he’s out there,” he whispered and Isadora approached the window. She pushed aside the blinds but did not see anybody. “Isa, I don’t understand...” he murmured when he joined her and saw the empty street.

Isadora shook her head. “We should not trust that man or that food.” She leaned back from the window and raised her volume to call to their guardian. “I don’t think we should eat that food.” They raced into the kitchen and froze at the sight of their guardian chewing on pasta, swallowing, and placing more noodles speared on fork prongs into her mouth.

She chuckled into her hand. “Why not? It’s delicious, please come a try some.”

Isadora and Duncan sat down at the table in silence. The world seemed to slow before them. They watched their guardian eat her pasta and skim her eyes across a magazine article, unknowing of their tormenting anxiety. She giggled occasionally and showed the triplets parts that she knew would interest them, but they only stared at her and wondered what would happen next.

“You aren’t hungry?” She asked suddenly with worry stitched on her face. “Are you two feeling bad again?”

They shook their heads slowly. “‘M not hungry,” Duncan murmured, voice barely above a whisper.

“Me either,” Isadora mouthed, but no sound came out.

That evening felt no different compared to the rest, save the thick cloud of anxiety courtesy of the two triplets. It wafted through the air like a scent they couldn’t get rid of. They cuddled close to their guardian and watched The Wizard of Oz. When nothing abnormal happened, Isadora and Duncan shared a look of relief. They wanted to believe they worried for nothing. The lion sang his song while they drifted off to sleep.

Isadora woke up first the following morning, slowly and recognizing immediately that her surroundings were anomalous. She felt cold and she hadn’t woken up cold since she arrived to this house. She pushed herself up with a groan and frowned when she saw the legs of the sturdy coffee table in front of her face. She scrubbed at her eyes and peered up to find the top of her brother's head. She finally recognized the anomaly surrounding this morning and wondered when she fell onto the floor. Their guardian always stayed with them until they woke up, and they always woke up in bed, not in the living room, and especially not on the floor.

She placed a gentle hand on her brother’s shoulder and whispered in a shaking voice, “Duncan, wake up.” He stirred and mumbled incoherently. Isadora shook him again and he began to sit up while she looked around the room slowly. The sun was just peeking over the horizon but the night’s residue was still casting shadows across the living room. The television buzzed quietly next to them.

“Where is she?” Duncan asked softly and rose to his feet. Long strides carried him on silent tip-toes toward the bedroom door, though he felt a knot form in his stomach. The door was closed, something that they never did. He threw an uneasy glance toward his sister and turned the knob, pushing the door open with a loud creak. He saw an unusually-shaped pile on the bed, hidden under the covers. It was as though the person’s legs and arms were splayed and contorted uncomfortably. He caught sight of their guardian's hair attached to blue skin and bile rose quickly from his stomach.

He yanked the door closed with a thundering clasp of the knob and dropped to his knees, heaving. Isadora covered her mouth with two hands, terrified to know what he saw in that room to cause such a reaction. Curiosity forced her question anyway.

“Duncan, what’s wrong?”

He shook his head.

“Duncan, is she in there?”

He threw up again.

She moved toward the door, stepping around her brother, and raised her hand to the knob. Before Duncan could object, she opened the door and stepped into the room. She didn’t remember her legs giving out, but when a sudden knock on the door drew her out of her thoughts, she found herself on her knees by the bed.

"Open up," a voice taunted from outside the front door, carrying easily through the quiet house.

Duncan was by her side in a second, pulling her up by her arm. “We have to leave now,” he whispered harshly. She felt his warm breath on her face and smelled the sticky acidity. Another knock. “Isadora, it’s them. They’ve come back.”

She nodded quickly, understanding he meant the people dressed for reparations and food delivery-poison delivery, she knew. Their guardian was poisoned just as they feared she would be. She avoided looking at the body again, kept her head turned away from the bed.

The knocking quickened in pace and became emphatic, mirroring their heartbeats in anxious tempo. “Quagmires, we know you are in there. Open up now!” The voice screamed with vehement hostility, giving the triplets goose bumps. They ran to the bedroom window facing behind the house and they threw it open. Duncan quickly glanced around and when he was convinced no one would see, he crawled out. As his bare feet touched the grass underneath him, they heard the front door shutter open with a heavy crash. He grabbed Isadora’s arms and pulled her out of the house with a forceful yank, resulting in both children falling to the grass right as a hand snatched the air where Isadora just previously stood. The triplets looked up at the sinister face before them and felt thankful for the brick wall between them.

The man hissed and yelled for his assistant, informing her that the "brats jumped out the window."

Duncan grasped his sister’s hand and they sprung to their feet, sprinting away from the house they previously felt so safe in. They heard threatening shouts behind them but they continued to run as neighbors stepped out of their houses, squinting and frowning with interrupted slumber in the early morning sun. The triplets did not stop running until a loud horn startled them from their trance. They screamed in unison and found themselves in the road, facing the hood of a car.

“Duncan? Isadora?” Daniel Jones asked in disbelief. He quickly climbed out of front seat and ran to kneel before them as Duncan caught a glimpse of the mysterious assistant ducking behind a bush. “What are you doing? What is wrong?” He asked, noticing their bare feet and wide eyes. He drove them back to his house and listened to the chaotic recollection, only after they begged him not to bring them back to that house. He spoke to the police officers in his driveway while the triplets stood on the porch and stared at the crumbled remains of their house laid out before them once again.

Without discussing it aloud, they crossed the street and stood in between the two blackened posts that previously served to hold the front door. They walked around the charred left-overs and listened to the faint crunching underneath their feet. Isadora found something shining under the remains of the library globe and bent down for at to the sound of Daniel hurriedly calling them back. She pocketed the mysterious object and joined Duncan in crossing the street.

The officer patted their heads from an awkward distance and left without asking them any questions about their dead guardian or the home invaders, something that did not go unnoticed to the triplets.

They found themselves sitting across from Esmé once again that afternoon. She huffed with annoyance and mentioned passive-aggressively that she was supposed to be enjoying a very 'in' dinner with her husband right at that moment. She glanced at the papers in front of her and wrinkled her nose in disgust.

“Well, this isn't in at all. Have fun at boarding school,” was all she said before shoving the folders at Daniel and guiding them to the door.

Esmé agreed enthusiastically when Daniel offered to drive the children to the school, and they sat silently in the back seat, hands grasped together on the seat between them. Upon arrival at the school, the triplets sighed with defeat at the sound of lifeless chanting from the bleachers and the sight of pom-poms waved depressingly in the air. Daniel turned to them and offered a sad smile. “Please be safe. And call us if you need anything.”

Isadora almost snapped back at the hateful vice principal when he mimicked her in a exaggerated high-pitched voice. Duncan almost screamed when they heard they couldn’t live in a dorm room because their guardian was found to be dead and therefore couldn't sign the release forms. They both rolled their eyes at the sight of the orphan shack, not surprised at this point but still discouraged. The triplets huddled together in a corner that night, crying softly at their grief and the small pinches on their toes from the crabs. They felt so cold once more and they feared they would never feel warm again.

Thankfully, they found some warmth the following day when they met the school librarian. The woman smiled at them and complimented their kindness and intelligence, though they barely knew each other. She told them she could see their goodness shining through their eyes, a compliment that brought a small flush to both of the triplets. They told her about their brother, their parents, and their guardian. She hugged them tightly and wished she could do more.

The next few days were spent in pointless classes, a cold cafeteria, and a tiresome auditorium where the harsh sound of untuned strings stabbed their ears. They found enjoyment sitting by the librarian and they found themselves whispering jokes to one another and snickering behind hands as to not get caught. None of them wanted to owe the horrible vice principal anything.

They were moved out of their small wooden shack (“orphan shack,” the irritating curly-haired girl screamed at them constantly) one day and into a broom closet. It was warmer but still made them shiver through the night. Meeting their new friends brought joy to their lives, a joy that turned to love and protection. Without fully understanding the risks involved, they offered to help their friends on one particular evening, something that led to their kidnapping and forced placement in a car trunk. The small, locked trunk was also cold.

After hours had passed, they were tucked in the back seat of a packed car driving away from their school. Isadora choked down a frustrated scream that threatened her throat as she looked at her own half of the spy glass resting in her lap. She hoped the Baudelaires picked up their half left on the road. Duncan leaned his head against the window and cried softly. The villainous troupe chastised them relentlessly, arguing that they were too loud and they took up too much space and they had more family riches than they needed.

“Selfish children,” the large bald man’s voice rumbled dangerously.

“That’s the problem with the upper class and one percent. They have more money than they could ever realistically spend in so many generations, but they hoard it anyway instead of using it to better the world around them,” someone muttered in a dead-pan voice.

“That's why we always say-“ an older woman started.

“-eat the rich,” her sister finished.

“How do you two taste?” The large man turned to them again and growled. The triplets bit back a terrified whine and returned their gazes to the window.

“Boss, they are probably going to need a toilet break soon... and breakfast. We had them in the car all night,” the man with two hooks whispered to the one called Olaf. Olaf frowned and shook his head. They didn’t stop for food or a toilet break.

They were finally dragged out of the car on stumbling feet long after their stomachs first began to grumble hungrily. Duncan looked at Olaf with wide eyes and stated honestly, “We don’t even want those sapphires. You can have them all. Please bring us back to that school.” Olaf sneered.

“He’s telling the truth,” Isadora cried out as a strong hand wrapped around her upper arm. She turned to see the large bald man frowning deeply. “Please, we are still mourning our family. We don’t care about any rocks or money. You can have it all. We want to go back to the school.”

The troupe looked at Olaf with raised eyebrows. “No.” He snapped and jerked his head, signaling the troupe to pull the triplets into the building. They were forced through a locked door and down dark stairs until they faced a cage.

Duncan gasped and tried to pull away from the hooks clasped to the back of his school jacket. Isadora clawed and kicked at the man holding her.

“Orphans, please. We don’t want to do this the hard way,” Olaf’s voice dripped condescension as the triplets were thrown roughly into the cage. The door was snapped shut with a lock just before they wrapped shaking hands around the bars and their begs echoed loudly around them.

The adults left and they waited alone, shivering in the cold tunnel. They didn’t know how many hours or days passed but their stomachs twisted angrily with hunger and their throats itched with thirst. They thought of their father, mother, and brother. They remembered their smiles and imagined them sitting in the cage with them, cuddled closely for warmth.

When the Baudelaires suddenly appeared kneeling before them, Duncan’s eyes widened with distrust. “Isa,” he murmured. “We have a problem now. I think I’ve lost my mind.”

Isadora laughed loudly at that, watching the new faces with matched apprehension. “Me too.”

He looked at his sister, who was sitting against the back of the cage like he was, and told her about the imprisoned journalist who hallucinated her family rescuing her for years. “We’ve become her.” Isadora sighed in response.

The Baudelaires shared a private, terrified look, and returned their gazes to the haunted, dirty faces before them. They leaned closer.

“Duncan, we are not a hallucination,” Klaus whispered, reaching his hand through the bars and resting it on Duncan’s face. “We are really here.” Duncan’s eyes became impossibly wider with understanding and he covered Klaus’s hand with his own.

He threw himself forward onto his knees and wrapped his arms around Klaus through the bars, body shaking but unable to produce tears in his dehydrated state. Sunny reached up and held his hand that rested on Klaus’s back. Isadora jumped forward too and grasped at Violet, unable to believe they were actually facing their friends.

“You found us,” Duncan breathed in Klaus’s ear, and he held him tighter.

“We promised we would,” Violet stated firmly, and the Baudelaires switched places. She leaned forward to clutch Duncan and Klaus hugged Isadora. Sunny reached through the bars and wrapped her arms around Isadora’s leg through the bars.

The Quagmires warned their friends about the auction and their throats tightened uncomfortably when they were forced to watch them leave, but the Baudelaires had to gather materials to open the cage and rescue them. The plan made sense, though the sight of their friends brought an urgency. They needed to get out of there now before Olaf and his troupe came back.

They did not return.

Instead, the next faces they saw were those belonging to the troupe. They threw the cage door open and pulled the children out roughly. The two triplets swayed when they stood and a pounding headache pressed angrily against their temples. When Olaf turned away from them, the hook-handed man gave them both a wet washcloth and they hastily scrubbed at their faces and hands. Duncan looked at it hungrily and wondered if he could squeeze any water from it. Without thought, he raised the damp, dirty rag to his mouth and moved to suck on it before one of the older women stopped him. She handed both triplets a bottle of water and stood firmly between them and Olaf while they quickly drank the water.

“Boss, they need to use the bathroom before we put them in that fish,” the hook-handed man spoke to Olaf and the children froze, wondering what that could possibly mean.

Olaf rolled his eyes. “They should have gone in the cage if it was such an emergency.”

“Boss,” he pressed.

“We won’t want to deal with that later,” one of the older women stated.

The triplets wondered whose side they were on, but they looked back at the cage they were trapped in and it became apparent once more. To his clear frustration, Olaf agreed and the kids were hastily guided to the penthouse lobby restroom, where they were thrown in and the door was closed for them. There was a silent warning for them to stay away from the bathroom lock, and they heard it loud and clear.

They immediately rushed to the sink, flipped the knob, and cupped the cold water in their hands before bringing it to their mouths. They drank water until they felt full and nausea plagued their stomachs. They provided each other with as much privacy as possible until they both huddled over the sink again, washing their faces and armpits. They grimaced as they pumped hand soap into their mouths and rubbed it along their teeth and tongues with a forefinger. The taste was disgusting but not unfamiliar to Duncan. He recalled a particularly strict babysitter hearing him whispering funny French words to his brother, and after she assumed they were curses, she dragged him to the bathroom and washed his mouth out with soap. She ignored his cries that he wasn't cursing, and he stopped learning French for a full three months following that incident. Duncan would give anything to be back there at that moment, where he at least had a home and living parents.

They jumped at the sound of an admonitory knock, and hurriedly drank more water before the door was thrown open with Olaf leaned against the door frame, informing them their time was up.

They discovered what the hook-handed man meant when they found themselves facing the tall statue of a red fish.

“That’s a fish,” Duncan stated aloud though his voice inclined at the end in question.

“A herring,” Olaf smirked. “Get in.”

Duncan stepped back fearfully, but before the triplets could protest, argue, or run, rough hands wrapped around their shoulders and forced them into the tight space. Duncan and Isadora found themselves facing one another, closer than they had ever been to anyone before. Before the statue snapped shut, someone tossed in a few packs of crackers, and then darkness surrounded them. Though their feet never lifted from the bottom of the statue, their stomachs ached with the feeling of falling through air as they were lifting.

“Oh my god...” Duncan murmured. “We are going to die in here.”

“No, they don’t want us dead. Think of that, Duncan. They don’t want us dead,” Isadora responded firmly. Her body pressed firmer against Duncan’s as the troupe replaced the fish to the ground, lying it horizontally. “We need to come up with a plan. The Baudelaires are near and we have to help them find us.” She felt Duncan shaking his head against her.

"I can't move."

She tried to shift but the statue was too small, and all she did was elbow her brother. "I'm sorry. Duncan, w e haven't slept in a long time. Let’s sleep now, okay?”

They did, and when they woke up once more, their hopes and their bodies were still shrouded in darkness. The fish was moved upright again and they felt the gravity pull on their feet naturally. The outside world was silenced through the metal, and Isadora concentrated on listening to her brother’s heavy breathing-a harsh wheezing from Duncan's throat.

“Duncan, you sound a little scary. It’s okay, we will be okay,” Isadora stated slowly.

“We are going to die just like our family,” he cried out. “They will never let us out of here...”

“That’s not true, they w-"

“We have to get out of here!” Duncan shrieked, and raked his fingernails along the inside of the statue, creating a noise that Isadora felt crawl beneath her skin. His body jerked to the side, as far as it would go and he kicked his legs in the incredibly small distance allotted to him.

Isadora hissed a pained breath as he kicked her shin and his fist grazed her shoulder. “Duncan. Stop.” He didn’t. “Duncan, please stop, you are hurting me.” He didn’t hear her, and he continued to throw his limbs and scratch vigorously at the statue and Isadora. “STOP!” She screamed but he still didn’t hear her. Isadora cried and begged, waiting for several minutes to pass until Duncan’s limbs became tired and his efforts ceased.

Through the dark, she knew his eyes cleared when he softly gasped and whispered, “Isa, are you okay?” He heard her soft sniff and he began to sob, stuttering his way through numerous apologies. They cried together and Isadora reminded him that everything would be okay. The Baudelaires were looking for them.

Their limbs ached severely with stiffness by the time the statue was opened, and they were surprised to find themselves in a saloon. They sucked in deep breaths of clean air and collapsed on their hands and knees, relishing in the space they now had access to.

“Not yet, orphans. Now you are going in there...” they dragged their eyes up to follow Olaf’s finger. He was pointing out of the saloon to a tall bird statue standing in the middle of a town they had never seen before. Duncan whined pathetically and Isadora lowered her forehead to rest on the dusty floor.

“Go ahead to the court room,” one of the older women encouraged, wearing an evil smirk. “We will take it from here.”

Olaf pursed his lips in consideration and nodded curtly, turning on his heal and leaving with a blonde woman following shortly behind. The triplets frowned after her until they remembered sitting across form her in an office, a day that felt like years ago. They dropped from their knees onto their sides, and continued to gasp in deep breaths.

“Take a moment, then get back up. We need to get you two in that statue before he comes back,” the woman stated plainly.

Isadora growled at her, “This is a horrible thing that you are doing to us. Your favors and niceties are just an act and they do not fool us."

“Do you want this moment or not?” Her sister asked with equal reservation. The triplets paused before murmuring a ‘yes’ and ‘thank you’ to their captors.

They stretched their limbs, sprawled out on the dirty floor and groaning loudly for a few minutes before they received a taut warning. They pushed up from the ground and stood on legs that wobbled dangerously underneath them. Though the triplets could normally outrun these older women, their current condition left them nearly helpless and they knew they would be caught immediately if they tried.

“Please, can’t you just let us go? You can say that it’s our fault--that we ran away from you,” Duncan pleaded in a soft voice. His round eyes watered and the women had to look away from him. They pulled the triplets, noticeably gentle, by their arms out of the building and toward the middle of the town, resembling a scene in a western flick.

Though the streets were empty, they hoped people lived in the town. Isadora considered screaming to draw someone’s attention. As though reading her mind, one of the women instructed, “Don’t even think about yelling. If you yell, Olaf will come back out and trust me when I say that you don’t want that.” Isadora flushed and the triplets both gulped anxiously.

Isadora carefully stepped into the statue and winced at her brother, who was desperately trying to pull away from the woman holding his arm. Her sister gripped his other arm tightly. “Please, please don’t do this. We can stay in that saloon, we don’t have to go in this statue. And we won’t run or yell, I swear,” Duncan begged, a hint of wheezing returning to his throat as his exhales came out in quick pants. He dug his heels in the dirt.

A look of pity crossed the women’s faces before it was quickly replaced with agitation. Isadora reached out to her brother while the women pulled him closer to the statue.

“Duncan, come on...” Isadora whispered, afraid what would happen if he continued to struggle against them.

“Please, don’t.” A last-ditch effort as large tears fell down his cheeks with a shaking sniff. "Please don't lock us in here."

“Listen to your sister. Get in there now...” the other woman said slowly with a sad grimace, helping push him until he was forced to step up next to Isadora. His last cry was cut off by the heavy sound of metal latching, and once again, darkness befell the triplets.

“They seemed hesitant. I think they almost let us go,” Isadora noted.

“'Almost' didn’t get us out of this,” Duncan covered his face with his hands, rubbing at his eyes and groaning. “I hate small spaces. I never want to be in a place this small ever again. Now what?”

“We will think of something.”

They did think of something. Duncan suggested sending a code using the crows that landed on the statue, announcing themselves with loud squawks. Isadora was excited to announce she still had her common place notebook and pencil in her pocket. She wrote coded couplets and Duncan tied them to the birds' feet, and they hoped for a success.

It took longer than they wanted, and they nearly gave up on the whole idea, but soon the statue opened and they found themselves looking at the Baudelaires, relief flooding their chests once more.

——— 
 

As Isadora and Duncan finished their retelling of travels, ending when they arrived on the shores of Briny Beach and seeing Olivia Caliban, Quigley was bouncing his leg uncomfortably. He wanted to prevaricate and talk about their new move instead. In their racing excitement the previous day, the children never picked out their rooms. They didn’t even find the time to discuss if they would continue to share a room. Quigley wanted to bring this up and distract from the grief that weighed heavy on him as his mind raced with the horrors his siblings shared.

But they were all looking at him expectantly. Olivia, less so, as she was taking a slow drink from her tea.

Quigley huffed and shifted anxiously. “Okay, my turn...”

——— 

Quigley frowned up at the ceiling above him, his arms crossed over his chest and his lower lip stuck out in a pout. His heard his siblings breathing deeply in sleep next to him and this selfishly annoyed him. He longed for sleep but his mind was full and loud tonight, and he wanted them awake with him.

Instead of lying there in the dark fruitlessly for a moment longer, he pushed his covers away and snuck out of the room on tip-toes. He enjoyed walking around the dark house and even found it calming. He prided himself on knowing the outline of the house blindfolded, which was a game the triplets found extremely funny. However, their mother did not find it as amusing as they did and she banished the activity alongside a firm reminder of the many staircases the house contained. But she was too late. He already memorized the outline-specifically the places to step to avoid creaking.

He moved quietly on the balls of his feet to the main library, where he sat in the large purple-cushioned chair. He glanced at the globe on the small table next to him and spun the blue crystal, watching the countries fly by with eyes wide in awe. The world was so big and he wanted it. Quigley closed his eyes and stopped the globe with a pointer finger, then opened his eyes to see the location of his imaginary destination. The middle of the vast ocean, by the looks of it. He frowned curiously; he was hoping for land.

He picked up a book on the table next to him and flipped through until he found the page he left off that evening before dinner, reading over the words until his eyelids became heavy. At the sound of distant footsteps, he startled and quickly slid out of the chair. He childishly feared that getting caught out of bed in the middle of the night by a parent would result in a lecture and a boring weekend after being grounded. He solidified a fabricated claim in his mind that he was sleep-walking and accidentally left his room. He knew that would work if he bumped into his father and he had hope that maybe his mother would take pity on him if he flashed her the innocent look he stole from Duncan. He tip-toed toward the door with anticipation gnawing at his stomach, twisting into knots. With the steadily-approaching creaks poking his nerves, he found he didn’t enjoy the dark so much anymore. Just as he neared the handle and reached out with his hand to grasp it, the library swung open and his eyes widened in terror at the fiery anger in his mother’s eyes.

Only a second passed before her threatening glare dissipated and was replaced with a loving, gentle smile that extinguished Quigley’s fear immediately.

“Hey, baby. What are you doing up?” She whispered and bent down to kiss his temple.

He smiled at this and shrugged at her. “I couldn’t sleep.” Honesty was so much easier. His mother wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a warm hug that he relished in.

“How does some hot cider sound?” She asked with a wink. He nodded in excitement and she took his hand, leading him to the kitchen. “It has proven itself to be a perfect remedy for the late-night restlessness. Did you know that? There are case studies about it and everything.”

“Momma, why are you awake so late?” Quigley asked cautiously, recalling the burning intensity he saw in her eyes just a moment ago. She looked... furious.

“I was actually having great difficulty falling asleep too, just like you,” she tilted her head toward him and poked his nose with a finger on the hand opposite the one holding her son’s hand. This made him giggle and his mother continued. “I heard you down here but I was afraid we had an intruder.”

His eyebrows drew together warily at that. “Why would we have an intruder?”

“We wouldn’t have one, love. I just got nervous so I figured I should check.” Quigley pondered this as they entered the kitchen. “Take a seat,” his mother guided him toward a chair and placed a kettle on the stove to heat up the cider.

“I'm sorry I made you nervous. Sometimes it’s so hard to sleep,” Quigley complained and rested his cheek in the palm of his hand, propped up on an elbow. He felt his late night conversation with his mother was bound to be very grown-up and he even sighed dramatically like he saw people do in the sorrowful movies when their life was a crippling mess. This made his mother laugh brightly.

She served them both a mug and they spoke to one another about the stresses keeping them awake. His mother's gaze was somewhere far away, but just before he could ask, she waved his questioning look away and ruffled his hair. Whatever plagued her was lost on him.

While Quigley was explaining a particularly stressful evening the week before, his mother suddenly frowned and held her hand up to her son, motioning for him to pause his story.

“What is it?” He whispered slowly and then he smelled it too. The smoke.

She turned and looked at the stove but her frowned deepened when she saw she had, in fact, turned it off.

“Is something burning?” Quigley asked, immediately feeling foolish for the question. "Mom?"

She stood from her chair and walked over to the door leading into the hallway, where she saw smoke pooling at the ceiling. She gasped and turned back toward her son. She ran just past him and dropped to her knees on the tile where she pulled aside a small rug and yanked at a heavy doorway from the floor. Quigley’s jaw dropped and he raised his eyebrows in shock; he had no idea the floor could do that.

Smoke was already leaking into the kitchen and Quigley mother hurriedly pulled him from his chair and led him to the small door. “Climb in now. I need to go find everybody else.”

“I can help you,” Quigley tried to suggest, petrified of the idea of dropping down into this mysterious dark hole without his mother.

She shook her head and guided him to the darkness.

“Mom, wait!” Quigley tried to declare forcefully as he stepped on the first ladder rung, but his voice wavered nervously. “It’ll be faster if you get dad and I get Isa and Dun, it makes sense to do that. Then we can go outside and we don’t have to go in this hole.”

“No. You stay here and I’ll go get everybody,” she stated again, one hand resting on the top of his head and the other pushing down on his shoulder until he was forced to step down to the next rung. "If you hear anyone else, I want you to run and hide."

“Momma, please don’t make me-"

A door swung open on the floor above them and she sighed in relief. Someone was awake.

“I’ll be right back. I love you.” On her hands and knees she leaned forward, gripping his chin and pressing a kiss to his forehead. It felt like a farewell, and despite her encouragements, that terrified him.

“Mom?” His beg was soft and whining. She pushed him down further and he stepped down two rungs, staring up with wide eyes.

“I’ll be back,” she nodded firmly. “Now stay hidden.”

He climbed down another rung before the door was slammed closed above him. He dropped to the bottom and saw it wasn’t a hole at all, but a tunnel instead. He looked around with wide eyes and his panting breaths echoed off the metals walls surrounding him.

A loud crash sounded from above him and he gasped, quickly climbing the ladder again and pushing on the heavy door in an attempt to return to his family. The door did not budge as the large kitchen cabinet fell over it. He heard his siblings screaming, sending him into a further fury. He screamed back and pounded away with shaking fists against the solid door without relief. He cried out when a sharp pain shot from his wrist up to his elbow and he accepted his efforts were meaningless.

He was alone.

He climbed down again, slowly this time, until his bare toes touched the cold bottom of the tunnel, and he sat down leaning against the tunnels edge and listening. A crash shook his body and he cried. Minutes passed before he found the courage to walk. He walked for hours before finding a sign that peeked his attention. He received a book about cold-blooded creatures last Christmas and though he didn’t really have an interest in this subject, he did recall the name of the renowned herpetologist who wrote the book. He remembered this because Dr. Montgomery Montgomery had a very unusual name.

Quigley read the sign labeled ‘Montgomery’ pointing up toward a similar trap door and he climbed the ladder and opened the hatch, allowing the chilly night air to sweep around him.

He carefully peeked out around him, wary of who could be watching. He gasped frightfully when he found himself surrounded by tall hedges that shone deep green in the dull moon light, and he nearly shrieked when he saw a silver statue of a woman striking a forever pose next to him. He recovered and huffed to himself while he climbed out of the tunnel and into a maze. This reminded him of something a cheap scientist would force a rat into performing and the thought made him growl in frustration. After several minutes of running around aimlessly and meeting countless dead ends, he finally screamed out in disbelief. The sound stopped short in the stale air around him, and he fell to his knees and cried until he shook with the cold air.

“I’m better than this,” he hissed aloud with relentless purpose. “I can solve this stupid maze.” He closed his eyes and took three deep breaths, counting out four long seconds for each inhale and exhale until his clouded anger subsided. He opened his eyes once more and tried again.

He thought carefully about where he already looked and which directions led him nowhere, mapping the maze out in his mind. With a clear mind, he succeeded in completing the maze in a few minutes. When he reached the end, he froze as he looked up at the large, dark house before him. For reasons he could not place, the house looked like a ghost. He approached the structure and climbed through a window that was left ajar in the side sunroom. He hoped Dr. Montgomery would not have him arrested for trespassing, but he needed a place to hide

He stood in the middle of a room that looked similar to a research department lined with empty cages. The moon seeped in through the windows and cast long, menacing shadows across the cages and over his shivering body. He no longer liked the way houses looked in the dark.

“Dr. Montgomery?” He called out and jumped at the sound of his own voice, bouncing off the bare walls of the empty room. He flushed immediately and hoped no one saw that. After stepping through an intricate-looking door, he found himself in the main entryway. “Dr. Montgomery?” He tried again but received no response. He found a discarded can of peaches with a fork already resting inside it and discovered with a growl of his stomach that he was very hungry after his travels. With very little thought as to whom it could belong, he picked it up and began to munch on the peaches as he explored the house. Starting with the room he initially entered through, he shuffled around on shaking legs, wondering what lived in these cages and where those animals currently resided.

A frightening screeching sound startled him and he felt his heart stutter harshly in his chest as he gasped and ducked down underneath a table. The sound eventually faded but he refused to move. Instead, a large book tucked strategically under the table caught his attention and he pulled it out, flipping through the pages curiously. The words blurred together and he frowned in confusion until a tear drop fall from his cheek to the pages below.

At that, he began to fully cry. Being born with two other people within minutes of one another never left him the opportunity to experience loneliness, and now he felt it would suffocate him. He missed his parents and he missed his siblings. And he wished more than anything that he could have ran past his mother and helped his family escape the burning house.

He blamed himself for their demise.

He cried until his throat burned and his body ached from being wracked. He heard the terrifying screeching a number of times before the sun finally shone through the windows, and though he no longer developed quick palpitations at the sound, he hid under the table until morning. 

With salt tracks on his cheeks and a cracked voice, he called once more,“Dr. Montgomery?” But yet again, he was met with silence. With the aid of the sunshine lessening the tension, he explored the remainder of the house, noticing but disregarding the discarded police tape and suitcases. He was pleased to locate documents and books with the herpetologists identification, clarifying that he was in the house belonging to Montgomery Montgomery.

He peeked in the empty bedrooms upstairs and considered sleeping on the comfortable beds. He denied himself the pleasure because he wanted to be prepared for Dr. Montgomery's return. Leaving the sight of blankets and pillows, he moved back to the carpeted stairs and sat down, deciding to read the new book while he waited. As the hours passed, he dozed off occasionally and woke with a start at each hour when the screeching restarted, which he discovered to be an irritating clock. His stomach rumbled angrily by the start of the evening and he pushed himself from the stairs to walk into the kitchen, where he found and ate more canned peaches. He was alone that night again and slept on the staircase, waiting for Dr. Montgomery and sobbing quietly for his family.

He had nightmares about the fire and tossed throughout the night in an uncomfortable cold sweat.

He awoke the next morning with a start when the front door opened and pleasant whistling filled the silent house. Quigley stumbled to his feet, staring at the face of a man with a thin mustache and detective-like demeanor.

The man spotted Quigley and froze, his whistling breath lodged in his throat for several moments as he stared at the child standing before him.

“And who might you be?” The man asked cautiously, though he appeared to suspect the answer, surprised and waiting.

“My name is Bernard,” Quigley lied quickly, crossing his arms defiantly. He remembered the photo of the joyful, grinning Dr. Montgomery in the back of the herpetology book he owned and the framed articles on the wall, and this was not the same person.

“Bernart? Like the famous troubadour from the twelfth century?”

“No, Bernard,” he corrected the man, emphasizing the ‘d’ with a click of his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Like the cartographer that invented the butterfly map from the twentieth century.”

“Ahh,” The man’s grin stretched from ear to ear like his question had been answered. Quickly shuffled, displeased. “Well, Bernard..." he also emphasized the 'd.' "How did you get in here?”

“You aren’t Dr. Montgomery,” Quigley stated instead and took a wary step back up the staircase. “Why are you here?”

“I am not Dr. Montgomery,” The man confirmed easily. “Was he expecting you?”

Quigley narrowed his eyes and set his jaw with a small click.

“Unfortunately, Dr. Montgomery won’t be returning to this house. Bernard, I’m sure you are missing your brother and sister right now. Do you know where they are?”

Quigley's heart stuttered in his chest and a warm tear rolled easily own his cheek.

“I can help you find them. Do you think you can help me understand a few things first?”

“There’s nothing to find,” Quigley whispered and the man frowned sadly at the child. "They died."

“No, Quigley.” The boy flinched when he heard his real name spoken aloud by the stranger. “Both of your siblings are alive and they are now living with someone who I personally deem to be very trustworthy.”

Quigley’s lip quivered and the room spun around him. “What?” He asked in a soft voice, afraid to put his faith in a possibility that seemed so unlikely. He distinctly heard them screaming from above him, a sound that he didn't believe was possible to forget. Plus he definitely didn't know this man-he could be lying. But Quigley wanted this to be true so bad.

The man motioned Quigley to follow him into the kitchen, which he did after a short pause.

“Now, what do we have here...” the man murmured to himself, as he opened a cabinet in search for some food. He only found canned peaches and chuckled to himself, plucking two cans out and rummaging through the drawers for spoons.

“Who are you?” The boy asked in a low, timid voice. “Why are you here? And how do you know me?”

“My name is Jacques Snicket. I knew your parents very well,” the man answered. He opened a can and passed it to Quigley along with a spoon.

“I don’t know you,” Quigley noted in a matter-of-fact tone and Jacques smirked.

“You do now.”

“You knew my name, though. How?”

“As I mentioned, I knew your parents very well.”

“Knew?” Quigley breathed and another tear rolled down his cheek. Jacques lowered his gaze and leaned over the counter between them.

“I’m very sorry for your loss, Quigley Quagmire. Your parents were truly two of the best people that I’ve had the pleasure of knowing.”

Quigley rubbed vigorously at his eyelids with the palm of his hands until splotches appeared at his eyelids. He wanted to disappear. He feared his family died in the fire, but it pain him greatly to have his parents' death confirms. He slowly pushed the can of peaches away, no longer hungry.

“Why isn’t Dr. Montgomery coming back?” Quigley murmured into his hand, trying and failing to hide the unmistakable hitch in his throat. “Is he on vacation?”

“I’m afraid not. Dr. Montgomery was murdered.”

Quigley felt stones drop in his stomach and his eyes widened.

“Is that why you are here? Are you going to solve his murder?”

“I already know who did it."

"Who?"

Jacques shook his head.

“Fine. Then why are you here?” Quigley pressed, crossing his arms.

“You should eat your peaches,” Jacques waved nonchalantly toward the forgotten can. “You must be very hungry.”

Quigley frowned and shook his head. “I am not hungry. I want to know why you are here.”

“I’ll tell you, but only after you eat,” Jacques crossed his arms with a raised eyebrow, meeting Quigley's own defiance. Quigley huffed with frustration, grabbed the can, and hastily shoved peaches into his mouth, gnashing his teeth together angrily. Jacques watched with amusement. When Quigley finished, he shoved the empty can across the counter toward Jacques.

The man chuckled lightly and nodded. “Okay, fair enough. I am looking for a family of three children.” Quigley frowned. “They lived here with Dr. Montgomery for a very short time. There are very dangerous people looking for them and I’m trying to find them first.”

“Are you a detective?” Quigley asked cautiously.

Jacques chuckled. “No, Quigley Quagmire. I am not a detective.” He turned from the counter and walked out of the kitchen. Quigley’s jaw nearly dropped at the abrupt end of the conversation. He quickly slid from his stool and followed the man into the parlor.

“Why are you here then, won’t the police look for those people?”

“Of course they won’t,” Jacques answered without turning back. “And I’m here because I volunteered.”

Quigley crossed his arms again but continued to follow the man up the stairs. “This is unfair. Are you being equivocal on purpose?”

Jacques stopped and turned to him, startling Quigley and causing him to take a cautionary step back. “I don’t mean to be evasive, Quigley. I just don’t know what all I should tell you. This should have been a conversation between you and your parents." He stopped for a deep breath. "However, you are right, my answers are ambiguous. I always said I wouldn’t be like my brother, and yet here I am...” he paused and Quigley tilted his head at him, waiting. “I am part of a secret organization called the Volunteer Fire Department.”

Quigley’s nose scrunched in response. “That is not so secret.”

“Not anymore, I just told you about us,” Jacques winked.

Quigley rolled his eyes but despite himself, a small smile cracked the corners of his mouth. This man reminded him of his father with his relentless teasing. “No, I mean that everybody has heard of that group,” Quigley explained.

“I certainly wouldn’t think so. I only spill my secrets to my friends, and I don’t have that many friends.”

“I can’t imagine why,” Quigley shot back with a full smirk if his own and Jacques bellowed a laugh.

“Oh Quigley Quagmire, you are quick. I do wish I could have met you sooner.” Quigley appeared bashful at that but his grin remained. He liked this man and he walked closer toward him on the stairs. “Our volunteer fire department does respond to fires, as I am sure you have heard of, but this particular group also answers other calls and responds to other problems.”

“Did you respond to my house?” The mood became somber once more.

“We were too late for your house, I’m afraid.”

Quigley nodded, expecting such. “Me too..." He thought of the door that he waited to push on until after he heard a heavy crash above it. "You said you know where my siblings are. Will you tell me?”

Jacques grimaced. “Perhaps it’s best if you stay here, and stay hidden. There are very dangerous people roaming the grounds of this world.”

"That is why I need to go help them."

“Not yet,” Jacques stated firmly and shook his head. 

Quigley did not like this answer and he looked down at his toes.

"If you can help me, I can help them quicker though. Would you like to help me?"

"You want me to be a volunteer?" Quigley raised his head once more, tilting it to the side curiously. He found it interesting to join a sort-of secret organization, especially if it would bring him back to his siblings that were supposedly alive.

Jacques smiled and nodded. "You can decide tomorrow." He turned and continued up the steps. Quigley's own legs carried him heavily with exhaustion behind the man. Before he could request further answers, Jacques tapped a suitcase waiting in the hallway with the toe of his boot. "I believe these were for the other children. You can probably fit in some of it. You should go to sleep. Pick any room."

“Can we talk more in the morning?” Quigley begged softly.

“Yes, I absolutely promise it. Goodnight, Quigley Quagmire, and sweet dreams.” Jacques disappeared in a bedroom with a light click of the door latch closing. In his privacy, Quigley frowned and dragged the mysterious suitcase into the second bedroom, where he closed the door. Quigley shivered coldly and bit his lip, suddenly overwhelmed with the idea of dangerous people lurking about, making it unsafe for him to find his siblings. He remembered his mother's angry face as she was expecting an intruder.

He looked at the bed hungrily as he slept through the night before, and he only drifted off in a deeply uncomfortable slumber while waiting on the stairs for the man who would never return. He opened the suitcase and rummaged through the clean clothing. When he spotted a brown explorer's jumpsuit, he couldn't help but smirk to himself. Dr. Montgomery had style by the looks of it. He swiftly peeled out of his pajama pants and slipped into the jumpsuit. The clean clothing supplied comfort and he slipped underneath the sheets. The moment his head touched the pillow, sleep took him.

His eyes fluttered open the following morning to bright sunbeams blinding him through the bedroom window. He groaned softly and hid his face in the pillow underneath him. A strange rumbling came from below him, it sounded like an odd instrument from a dramatic movie scene, slow and deliberate in its tone. He hushed his brother and begged for a few more minutes of sleep. The tone shifted slightly in pitch and he sighed with content, allowing the soft notes to drift him back to sleep, when suddenly the realization dawned on him. His brother was not present in the room and he was listening to multiple voices speaking downstairs.

Quigley’s eyes snapped open and he jumped out of bed, chest stuttering in fear. The deep, stabbing feeling of betrayal filled his stomach and throat. Snicket warned him about dangerous people searching for him, and did he bring those people here in the house after encouraging him to go to sleep the night before? Quigley silently chastised himself for being so obtuse, and he opened the bedroom door to find the voices were coming from the kitchen downstairs. Quigley stepped slowly toward the staircase, holding his breath in anticipation. When his toes made contact on the soft carpet of the stairs, he moved hastily and silently.

“I have no idea what to do, sis, that is why I called you-” He heard Jacques mutter from the kitchen but he focused intently at his escape. He planned to run back into the maze and find the tunnel again. He had the layout memorized and as soon as he entered the maze, he was ready to make the first left, then right, then two more left turns, then...

He reached the main floor and bolted to the front door, reaching out with a straining hand, feeling the pulling in his fingers. And just before he felt the cold metal knob under his hand--

“You sure are a quick little guy.” Quigley jumped at the sound of Jacques’ voice and he froze in place, right next to the door. A defeated sigh slipped from his lips. He was so close. “Where are you going?”

Quigley backed away from the door, ashamed. He opened his mouth to lie, perhaps say he was getting some fresh air, but before a senseless array of words could be spoken, a new voice spoke.

“Oh, hello there.” This voice was soft and gentle, and Quigley peered behind Jacques and spotted a woman with brown hair and a pregnant stomach. She was smiling at him.

“This is my sister, Kit,” Jacques introduced the woman who grinned and stepped forward, extending a hand to Quigley. His eyes flicked to Jacques first and then back to Kit again. He could appreciate they resembled one another.

He shook her hand politely and introduced himself. Her eyes widened with surprise at his name. “Wow. There really was a survivor of the fire...”

Quigley flinched.

"Who said there was a survivor? Could my parents also be alive?" Quickly leaned forward in anticipation at the thought, but his hopes dissolved as the Snickets grimaced at him. He turned back to Jacques and grimaced sheepishly. "I am really sorry," he whispered. Without needing clarification, Jacques knew what he was apologizing for and he shook his head, holding up a hand. 

"You don't need to apologize for anything. I should have given you a warning before bringing someone here."

Though he tried hard not to, Quigley really liked this man.

Jacques led them both to the kitchen where they ate canned peaches (Jacques promised a grocery run soon) and discussed what their next steps would be. Kit explained VFD further and who these mysterious, bad people were. They told Quigley about their current mission, which was to locate the Baudelaire siblings and bring them to safety.

He didn’t recognize that name but he listened patiently until the moment arose to ask if he could go back to his siblings. "Can't you say you found me and send me to stay with them?" The Snickets shared a private glance.

“We actually think it’s best if you stay here,” Kit answered slowly. Quigley drew his eyebrows together and frowned.

“But-" he started to protest but Jacques held up a hand to stop him.

“And we think it would be safest for your siblings to be here too,” he quickly clarified and Quigley visibly relaxed, nodding sharply in agreement. “You are still offering to volunteer, huh?”

“Yes, I am," Quigley stated firmly. "I can find my siblings and I can help you save the Baudelaires.” 

"You are very noble," Kit encouraged with a small smile. Her gaze seemed far away but Quigley did not think it appropriate to ask.

"Can I?" Quigley asked again when the room became silent.

Jacques and Kit glanced at one another, sharing a look that Quigley was unable to decider. He waited quietly but his eyes quickly bounced from one adult to the other, as though he were watching a ping-pong match.

“It is a very big commitment, and quite dangerous. Are you sure?” Jacques asked slowly. Kit tilted her head at him, waiting for an answer.

Quigley didn't hesitate. “Yes. I want to find my siblings.”

Quigley spent most of his time alone in the empty reptile home over the next several days. He studied the large book he found under the table, as Jacques requested he do, and learned more about the organization. After sharing he was conversant in cartography, Quigley assisted Jacques in creating a map of the town as his first official mission for VFD, something for which Jacques celebrated loudly. He allowed Quigley to take a sip of his champagne, and he scrunched his nose at the harsh taste.  After that, he continued to work on the maps, perfecting them until they were up to standards, and he marked the places that the mysterious Baudelaires had been. When the map met his standards, Quigley asked Jacques for his next assignment.

Jacques smiled proudly at the map, offering enthusiastic compliments until a proud blush colored Quigley's cheeks. He wasted no time asking for his next assignment and Jacques encouraged him to study up, something Quigley was readily obedient to agree to.

Jacques’ presence was inconsistent. The man was busy and distracted. When he left for hours at a time, Quigley stayed in his room or in the room with the empty cages. He ate peaches and read the large, green book. Most prominent though, he thought of his family. Sometimes he pretended they were out at the store and he was waiting patiently at home for their return. His breath always hitched in his throat when he heard the door open after convincing himself that his family was safe and alive. Despite the disappointment, he bounded to meet the man at the door and help him carry in large books and maps while eagerly asking about his day. 

During the waking hours when Jacques was at the house, Quigley was practically glued to his hip, something that provided comfort for both of them. In the evenings, Jacques parted for bed after promising to be there in the morning. He always was.

Distracted with his own duties, Jacques often forgot to bring food back to the house, something Quigley didn’t mention in favor of asking for an update on the case. He had peaches and that was seemingly enough, though he did notice changes in his body. He felt sluggish, even after sleeping throughout the night, and he became easily winded climbing up and down the stairs throughout the day. These were hardly an inconvenience to Quigley though, because he needed to find his family.

Kit hasn’t returned since Quigley's third day at the house, and he missed the nice atmosphere she brought with her. He often asked Jacques about her, but his answer was always the same. Kit was busy working.

“Anything new?” Quigley asked slowly, his voice thick with exhaustion that particular evening.

"Are you sleeping okay?" Jacques asked, resting a palm on Quickly's forehead, who leaned into the touch.

"I am sleeping fine. The bed is comfortable."

Quigley didn't mention he often cried in the night after they part from one another for the evenings. He was in mourning over the deaths of his parents and the separation from his siblings.

"You know... if you ever want to talk about anything..." He began lamely and Quigley raised an eyebrow at that.

"Like what?" Quigley hope Jacques couldn't hear him at night, though the possibility seemed unlikely. He always buried his face in the pillow when the grief became larger than his body could handle, but that could only muffle so much.

"Your family," Jacques clarified.

Quigley narrowed his eyes and snapped, "Yes, of course I want to talk about them. That is why I asked you if there was an-"

"No, Quigley."

He stiffened at that.

"I mean your parents. I understand this tragedy must be taking a toll on you." He did not have an answer to that, and he waited for Jacques to continue. "You know, I lost my brother too, and I will never completely recover from that."

“You lost your brother?”

“I did. I think of him often, and I do not think that will ever change.”

"So, I will always feel this suffocating devastation, is what you are telling me?"

"No," Jacques shook his head. "I am telling you that you are always welcome to talk to me about this."

Quigley chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment before sighing. “Thank you. It is… difficult to focus sometimes. Some mornings, I wake up and I forget for a few seconds, and those seconds are really nice... but then it hits me again. That part is really hard, it makes me feel like I am sick. And I think the anticipation for that scares me at night…”

“I am so sorry you are so alone here,” Jacques repeated, lowering his gaze. “I promise, there will soon be changes.”

“Soon?”

“Yes,” Jacques grinned as the boy’s face lit up ecstatically. “I located the Baudelaires and your siblings. They are at a boarding school, and I have been requested to go pick up a VFD member from that very school.”

Quigley frowned for multiple reasons. “Boarding school? What happened to that woman they were staying with? When did they go to the school? Why do you have to pick up the VFD member, and why can't you also pick up my siblings when you go?”

“I don’t have all of the answers, but we will certainly have more by the time I come back here tonight,” Jacques promised. “I needed to pick up a few things and then I’ll be going.”

Quigley deflated. "They didn't tell you any information?"

Jacques sighed and ruffled his hair. "That is just how it works. What I know is that someone needs me. And I will be there for them."

“Can I come too?” Quigley asked with building excitement, but this was replaced with disappointment as Jacques shook his head.

“No, I need you here. Stay safe, read that book, and wait for me.”

“I’ve already read it five times,” Quigley huffed and crossed his arms. He felt the stabbing pain of abandonment-he knew it too well as Jacques left him often.

“Five?” Jacques laughed, though he sounded distracted and he shuffled his papers together. “That doesn’t sound possible.”

Quigley raised a challenging eyebrow. “I’ve been here long enough, and that book isn’t very big. Ask me anything."

“Number of chapters?”

“Eighty-three.”

“Page numbers?”

“Two-thousand five-hundred twenty-two.” 

“Author?”

“Funny enough, that doesn’t exist. There isn’t a name listed.”

“Correct,” Jacques smirked. “How old are you again?”

“That's not related to the book. Thirteen,” Quigley cocked his head to the side.

“You are a very clever boy, you know that?”

“I want to help you,” he pressed. disregarding the compliment. “Can’t I come and just see them? I promise I’ll stay in the car; no one will notice me. I only want to see them.”

He sighed and grimaced. “No, kid. You will actually be staying right here.”

Quigley felt the blow of rejection to his chest, and he tilted his head at the man once more, eyes wide in begging. Jacques turned away from him with a furrowed brow.

“I must pack now,” he stated firmly and started up the stairs. Despite the disappointment, Quigley followed and chatted to Jacques from his perch on the man’s bed while Jacques flipped through books and stuffed his necessities in a bag. Jacques checked his packed bag twice, stalling. He finally smiled at Quigley and reached out to ruffle his hair.

“Be safe. Stay here. I will be back.” 

But Jacques did not return.

Quigley paced around the house in frustration the next morning when he saw the newspaper article, claiming his siblings were kidnapped from the boarding school. He felt so helpless and he wanted to scream. His brow furrowed as he finally sat down and contemplated what to do—an act that only took a few seconds. With determination, he packed a bag and left the empty house for good. He left a note for Jacques and hoped the man would understand his departure.

He took a trolley, using money found in Dr. Montgomery's house, and settled in for a long journey. A s he approached the final stop, he noticed a discarded newspaper on the seat next to him. Reading newspapers was more his brother’s thing, but the unmistakable face of Jacques Snicket drew his attention. The man was disguised in the picture and the article called him a different name, but Quigley did not doubt it was Jacques. He was reported to be dead, and he suddenly felt ill.

When the trolley reached the cold mountains, he suppressed the turmoil in his mind and stomach and pulled the rope above his head, clambering off the cart. Cold air whipped around him and he was thankful once more for the suitcase of clothes Dr. Montgomery had left. He luckily spotted a group of scouts near the base of the mountain and joined them based on the promises of adult supervision and spring queen spirit. Both were a lie.

Too soon after, he was separated from his new friends, the Baudelaires, and he found himself abandoned in the snow once again. He hugged his aching torso tightly as he walked through the slick snow, eyes peeled for the wretched snow gnats in light of his missing fencing mask. He couldn't return to the destroyed remains of the headquarters-it was too likely Olaf and his troupe would find him there. The wind bit his ears and chilled his teeth, and he finally cried out for help.

"Quigley Quagmire?" The voice startled him, and he spun around to see Kit Snicket and a man he had never met stepping out of a cave in the mountain. Kit smiled in relief and gathered him in a warm hug before guiding him into the cave along with the man (who he discovered was named Arthur Poe) to hide from a swarm of snow gnats. He asked why she was in the mountains at all, and she confirmed she was here with the sugar bowl, but it was lost again after she was forced to dive into the freezing waters. 

Quigley grimaced in sympathy, "I know how you feel. I met the Baudelaires, but I lost them too. I will help you find the sugar bowl."

Kit nodded approvingly. "It is absolutely wonderful that you met them. I believe given the opportunity, your families would be close friends. And I appreciate the help. We need it."

"I think we already are. They know my brother and sister. They say they escaped in the air with someone they knew, and they promise he is safe. It seems they ran into very similar problems that my siblings did. They even met your brother, they said that he-" Quigley stopped short and stared at her with wide, round eyes. In the dramatics that occurred on top of the mountain, he nearly forgot that Jacques Snicket, a man nearly acting as his guardian, had been murdered.

Kit lowered her gaze, and grief washed over them. 

Quigley watched her solemnly. “Ms. Snicket, I’m... I’m so sorry... I-“

She turned away from him, hiding the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

“I should have been with him... I-" Quigley stopped as his voice cracked. He had no excuse. He was told to stay at the house, but he should have been there with Jacques. "I am so sorry." He carried the weight of this horrible act on his shoulders, just as he carried the death of his mother and father.

He didn't notice the warm tears until Kit wiped them away with a shaking thumb. "This is not your fault," she stated firmly, gathering him in another hug. He did not believe her.

Kit pulled Quigley alongside her without providing him with a choice of his own to stay in the mountains. He settled into the back seat of Kit's taxi and laid down across the empty space, closing his eyes and falling into a troubled but deep slumber as the dramatics of the day finally caught up to him.

They returned to town, to Poe's office, and she gently woke him. She directed him inside with her and he sat on the desk patiently, looking around at the bare bank room and kicking his feet absently.

She finished a call and hung up the phone with a loud click. "Quigley, you have been so helpful to us so far. I can bring you-"

He shook his head quickly. "I do not want to go back to that house alone. Please let me help you. I can't get to my siblings yet if they are in the sky, and I have nowhere else to go.”

Kit considered this.

"Quigley, My brother, he..." she took in a deep breath and paused. "Quigley, my brother had several complications throughout his life, mostly due to this organization. He was very happy when he found you and I think you helped provide him with purpose." Fresh tears sprung to his eyes, and he set his jaw to avoid crying out in agony. "Thank you so much for providing him with that. I am so glad he wasn’t alone, and I think you are exactly what he needed."

Quigley didn't know how to express his wishes that he could have done more, so he said nothing, as Kit explained to him that the famous sugar bowl was located in an abandoned marine biology laboratory in the middle of the ocean. He thought back to his last night in his home when his finger landed perfectly in the middle of the ocean on the globe.

How interesting.

——— 
 

Quigley reached the end of his story, finally sharing the moment he reached Briny Beach and met Olivia for the first time. The room was silent save the soft sniffles of left-over crying. Nobody moved for several minutes until finally, Olivia stood from her chair, motioning them to gather in for a hug. The hug was warmth for Isadora and Duncan, and it was understanding for Quigley.

That afternoon, the family moved away from that house and they spent the remainder of the evening unpacking boxes in a new place. This new home already held an air of happiness as the memory of dancing surrounded them, an appreciated feeling that sparked warmth in their chests.

The triplets decided to share a bedroom for now.

Chapter Text

The next several weeks were spent in a comfortable busyness that engrossed its amendable victims and provided direction for Olivia and the three Quagmires. Many days were spent unpacking boxes and decorating their new living areas with small embroidered items from Olivia's late father and landscape paintings created by her late mother. Isadora adored the vibrancy of the colors, and she wished to practice painting. Olivia found the idea of the children carrying on the traditions that were so influential during her own childhood to be remarkable, and a satisfaction nestled deep inside. She agreed at once to collect the necessary supplies for the triplets. As they hung up the final painting, Duncan peeked into a particularly large box left by Olivia's brother, and he was pleased to find stacks of old paperbacks, magazines, and comic books. The triplets seldom read comics while living at home with their parents, instead reading books that pertained to their personal interests. Given the chance to flip through them though, they quickly found enjoyment in looking at the pictures and imagining the movements that coincide with each little box. Olivia told them they resembled her brother, huddled under a blanket with a flashlight and reading far past his bedtime.

But the collection of books only provided transient entertainment as the children quickly read them, and they quickly became plagued by itching cabin fever felt crawling under their skin and left them tapping their toes against the rug with longing. They wished to play outside in the fresh air and spring sunshine to rid their muscles of the annoying mimicry of incarceration. Initially after the move, Olivia requested they only venture out onto the back porch to avoid being spotted. Everyone was still wary and afraid.

As the days carried on without trouble arising, they came to believe that trust that Olaf’s troupe was not coming to take them, and that inhibiting fear they knew so well finally dissipated from their chests. They were permitted to play in the sand by the water. The neighboring houses were a long walk away, barely seen over the hill-crested horizons, and they could play loudly unabashed. One morning, Isadora raised her arms high in the air and claimed from the rock on which she was perched that she was the superhero in their game, just like she saw the drawn man do in the comics they had memorized at this point. Duncan piped up next, faster than his brother, and placed his dibs on the role of her side-kick. He took his stance on the rock and they grinned cheekily at Quigley before Isadora quickly announced he was the villain and they pounced after him in a sprint that resulted in the sounds of a giddy shriek and bare feet on soft sand.

The triplets didn’t approach the sea water during their time spent outside, which was a vow the children agreed on without vocalization, but they fell in love with playing on the beach. The fine sand felt like cushions under their feet, warmed by the sun in areas and creating a great contrast to the cold spots created in the shade. They took turns performing cartwheels and building intricate landscapes in the earth for one another. The sand clung to their shorts when they sat down and regardless how many times they brushed it away, they managed to bring it into the house with them.

They remembered the clean state in which their old house always remained. The immaculate and pristine environment was kept that way by parents who wanted to live in it as such and also by their children who were taught to pick up something after it was used. After they first felt the sand dragged into the house on the wooden floors, they feared Olivia would become frustrated that her own home was no longer clean. The triplets did not wish to be kicked out of this house so soon after entering it and so they cleaned the floors quickly, sweeping the sand outside. Regardless how hard they worked, there was also some left, seemingly appearing out of thin air to cover the floors and counter. This anxiety of disappointing Olivia over the sand only lasted until they witnessed Olivia dragging nearly a whole bucketful of sand into the house on her skirt and sandals, and she simply laughed about it. Isadora suggested they keep their shoes outside and rinse off with water on the porch before coming in but Olivia smiled in response and provided wisdom from one who has lived in such an area before.

"We live on the beach now, love. Sand will always find itself in the house no matter how hard we try to keep it out."

The endearment brought a pink blush to Isadora's cheeks as she smiled back with loving brightness. Olivia was correct, sand was found everywhere-from the bathroom sink to the sheets in which they slept. It was never-ending. But it was also their living space now and they absolutely loved it.

Though Olivia never said it out loud, the financials for the sudden family of an ex-school employee and three children would be a problem. The Quagmires never accompanied their parents to the grocery store and had no real understanding of the priced found there, but when Olivia returned to the house with two bags filled with food and a worried expression printed across her features, Duncan had an idea.

It took the Quagmires a few days of near-begging to convince Olivia to let them work and assist in the household income. They were especially persistent because their favorite interests were presented in the job titles that Duncan found in the “Help Wanted” section of the newspaper delivered to their front door each morning. Olivia could hardly fathom the idea of a child thinking they had to earn their place in the house, but the triplets wished for a distraction for the rainy days. Since they weren’t in school this semester and with the most sincere promise that they would immediately inform Olivia if the work became too much of a burden, she agreed and applied for the jobs.

Within a week, Olivia Caliban was working four different jobs on paper. As a newspaper editor, she brought home the newspaper’s rough draft columns for Duncan to skim through and make corrections. Miraculously enough, the town readers began to receive somewhat reliable information as he corrected the blatant lies and tweaked the impossible statements, doing as much as he could considering he was no detective out in the field collecting his own research. Due to the willful laziness of the adult journalists, nobody noticed the changes he made and his first articles were printed. As a cartographer, Olivia brought home piles of historic maps for Quigley to sift through in order to make a completed giant map for the local clerk's office. He traced his fingers across the map lines to mark his own paths in his journey and he rectified the inconsistencies that were made throughout the decades of conflicting town map-making. He enjoyed using personal experience as a reference and soon the world around him was reflected before him on paper. As a poet, Olivia provided Isadora with pen and paper, and she submitted Isadora’s works to the local magazines and papers for paid publication. She wrote couplets about the weather, holidays, and current events. She also wrote couplets about love and family, which were adored by the mother-baby magazines that always paid extra for the exclusiveness. Olivia spoke with Isadora in depth regarding which name she wanted to use to sign her works for the public eye, and Isadora settled on “Izzie Q.” She believed it would be different enough that their enemies could not find her and her brothers if they were still searching, while still being able to own the words as hers. Isadora didn’t say it out loud but she also hoped that in picking this name, Hector could find them again.

The front of the refrigerator was hastily covered with the children's accomplishments-articles, completed maps, and poems. Every success was celebrated in the house with music and dancing because Olivia desperately wanted the Quagmires to feel pride in their impressive work. Olivia herself worked at the public library. The pay was decent and the work was quiet but steady, and she was relieved. She helped children find the fantasy books for which they searched, and she helped adults find their favorite mystery novels. Though the job was convenient, she felt intense longing throughout her shifts for her new home and the soothing company of the triplets by her side.

Their evenings were comfortable and warm, bundled in blankets and sitting in front of a delicious meal after long hours of running or working. Hot tea was sipped and orchestral music was enjoyed by all before sleep beckoned them gently. The Quagmires continued to share a bedroom, and they agreed to discuss the possibility of splitting up whenever they also found the courage to sort their educational future. But Olivia never suggested the children retire to separate bedrooms and she did not seem to deem the anxieties over school to be necessary yet, not with so many months still barricading their steps into August.

One noted night, Isadora found herself sitting upright in bed, shaking and watching flashes of lightning brighten the sky outside the bedroom window. She was furthest from the window, but that extra distance hardly seemed to ease her fears. Hot tea was supposed to help people feel relaxed when they were scared, and she tip-toed out of the bedroom and down the stairs. They all knew about the heavy storm, feeling the still dread in the sky throughout the previous few days. In preparation for the lightning, Olivia left her bedroom door wide open for the children to reach her if needed.

Tonight, to the sound of bare feet pattering lightly across the wood flooring, carrying the weight of a wakeful child to the stairs and down to the kitchen below Olivia's room, she woke up. She pushed her blankets aside and stepped into her awaiting slippers before joining her company in the kitchen. Isadora was surprised at the sound in the night, and froze with wide eyes and a hand tucked inside the tin of tea bags. Quigley was the one with difficult sleeping most nights because of his nightmares, but tonight Isadora stood shaking in the moonlight of the window, watching Olivia and waiting.

"Are we having tea?" Olivia whispered, approaching Isadora, who nodded slowly. "That sounds perfect. I was just wishing for some myself. May I please make both of us a cup?" A small smile spread across Isadora's face and she handed the tin over to Olivia.

"I am afraid of thunderstorms," Olivia admitted softly. Isadora looked at her in surprise. She knew adults could be afraid, theoretically, but she never knew they could be afraid of storms just like she was. Her brothers never teased her and called her a baby, but it was a harsh insult that she thought about herself. "I always have been." Olivia drew her eyes toward the triplet and they shared a moment of understanding.

They drank hot tea together at the kitchen table, steam covering Olivia's glasses and Isadora giggling between her fingers. When they drained their cups and Isadora's eyelids slid shut, Olivia suggested they retire to the upstairs floor once more. Isadora flicked her eyes toward the window, still brightening with electricity, and Olivia quickly clarified, "You are welcome to stay with me, if you'd like." Olivia never wished to overstep her role as caretaker and she hoped Isadora would not assume she was trying to act as the girl's mother. But Isadora's eyes widened and she eagerly nodded her head.

Olivia reached out to Isadora, taking her hand gently and guiding her back up the stairs. Olivia's room was lovely, Isadora thought, it was very grown up and nicely decorated. Isadora enjoyed the lavender floral wallpaper and the dark bed sheets beneath her. The dresser stood to the side, in front of Olivia's bedroom window, keeping them safe from the storm and adding to the tranquility. Isadora sunk into the covers and her eyes slipped closed as Olivia hummed softly for her.

They did not discuss it the next day, but a few nights later, Quigley appeared at Olivia's door with red eyes and hitches in his breath. She reached out a hand and gently encouraged him to come in. He did not explain the nightmare that plagued him, but he felt calm, eyes glazed over toward the wallpaper until his eyes slipped shut and allowed him to dream in peace. And the following week, Duncan found his way into Olivia's room too, brows furrowed and arms tucked tightly to his abdomen. They were always welcome to their parents' room at their old house, and it was an unspoken agreement that they could come in at any time and for any reason.

A month into their new life on the beach, Olivia finally convinced the triplets to accompany her to the store and pick out clothes for themselves. They tried to insist that they didn’t need anything, that they were fine. But seeing them continuing to wear Olivia's clothes, their Queequeg jumpsuits, and the few items that were left over from her brother weighed on her, and she refused to accept their answer. 

“I want you to pick out the clothes that you like,” Olivia explained to the triplets in the car while she drove them to the mall.

But money was tight and the Quagmires felt guilty to be so many in number for the first time in their lives. Quigley sat in the passenger seat and grimaced at Olivia, a refusal pressing at his chest, but she had already told them it was non-negotiable at this point. The weather was getting warmer each day and they would burn in the large clothing if they wanted to continue playing outside. The trip was tedious for all four of them. For reasons they did not understand enough to vocalize, the guilt led to the triplets feeling cranky. They dragged their feet and complained that they did not want to try on anything except what was fished from the clearance bin. Even then, Olivia felt like asking them to pick out a t-shirt was equivalent to pulling teeth, and they all hated the dentist.

“I know this is stressful,” she spoke to them over an ice cream cone that, after nearly five minutes of encouragement, Duncan finally admitted sounded good. “But you three need clothes.”

Isadora glanced down at her ice cream, a small pout touching her lower lip. “But everything costs so much money...”

“They aren’t that much, love. Especially when you consider how many times they will be worn.”

“But...” Quigley started, his shoulders slumped low. He trailed off and after a short moment, it became apparent he was not going to finish, and so Olivia continued.

“You all worked so hard these past weeks. Our money is also yours and it is okay to use it.” And so they purchased clothing that the children liked, even though each item came from a clearance bin. But Olivia considered this to be a success, and she couldn't help but to smile seeing the triplets run outside in clothing that actually fit them.

Three months after their move the Quagmires accompanied Olivia to the grocery store in preparation for dinner. Duncan edited an interesting recipe for bouillabaisse that initially called for mint as a garnish, but the clever Quagmire believed parsley was right in its place. After sharing the idea with Olivia and his siblings, they agreed to try it that same evening.

“I think we should go to the produce first,” Isadora stated, holding the grocery basket and leading her family to the appropriate isle. They were comfortable with the store layout now after so many visits, and they memorized the isles. “That way, we can look for-"

“Isadora?” The voice caused the triplets to jump in shock. They weren’t expecting to be recognized in public and a quick burst of fear filled their chests as goosebumps decorated their arms and legs.

They haven’t so much as heard a whisper from Olaf’s troupe since their arrival on land, unfortunately including their new friend, Fernald. They were smart in public though, just in case someone did come for them. With great practice, they learned to stay close to Olivia and one another, and locate all of the exits. These precautions kept them safe. Hearing Isadora’s name called out now was bloodcurdling and a horrible imaginative kidnapping crossed the triplets’ minds. Isadora snapped her attention to Olivia, her lips forming a question of what they should do, but the voice continued.

“Duncan? Quigley?” And when the shock dissolved, the recognition reached them. Hector was standing several yards away from them, holding a loaf of bread and smiling hugely, tears springing to his eyes. After the briefest second of silence, Isadora and Duncan shrieked with joy and sprinted to Hector, opening their arms wide. Hector caught them and lowered to his knees to hug them tightly. “Oh I thought I heard your voice but I was afraid I just imagined it,” Hector murmured softly, his relief sounded loud in their ears.

Quigley wanted to feel excited but he became overwhelmed with shame and embarrassment at the memory of their last meeting. He stayed near Olivia, subtly stepping behind her in an attempt to stay hidden from the man he feared disliked him after he was so rude to him for leaving. But Hector did not allow an awkward moment to pass. He smiled so brightly, one that not only reached his eyes but shined through them, blinding the other customers with the awaited ending of his grief, and he beckoned Quigley over with the hand wrapped around Isadora’s shoulders. Quigley only paused for a moment then before running to Hector, just as his siblings had, and letting them all envelop him in their warm hug.

They remained like this for what felt like fleeting seconds and stretching lifetimes all at once, relishing in the relief and love that poured through them in the middle of a grocery store, uncaring of the customers' eyes that bore down on them in reprimand for distracting their routine shopping.

"Oh, look at you three," he said again, finally pulling away to study the crying faces before him. Letting go seemed like a herculean task and so he kept his arms around the triplets. "I can hardly believe I am seeing you again." He cupped Isadora's cheek in his hand and pressed his forehead against Duncan's. "This is unreal." He lifted his hand from Duncan's shoulder and ruffled Quigley's hair.

"We were so worried for you," Isadora admitted with a step back, wiping her forearm across her eyes and peeking out at Hector. "We missed you so much, Hector. It is wonderful to see you here now."

"You too, Izzie," Hector beamed at her. Duncan followed his sister's lead in pulling away from the hug to wipe away the tears that ran in jagged lines down his face, but Quigley remained tucked into the warm promise of Hector's arms. “Quigley,” he whispered in the boy’s ear. “You look so happy now. Are you happy?”

He nodded shyly. “Yes, I am happy now. Hector, I’m really s-"

“No. I’m sorry. I never wanted to leave you three, and I never wanted to make you feel like you were unimportant to me. I don’t mean to interrupt you but I cannot bare to hear you apologize for one of my biggest regrets.”

Quigley pulled back. “But you didn’t make us feel unimportant. I know you wanted us to stay safe.”

“And I’m so relieved that you are safe. It makes it all so worth it, because you are so incredibly important to me.” Quigley leaned in again and Hector held the boy's head to his chest. He only knew this one for a few days before their untimely separation, but he already held this child in his heart just as much as his siblings. Now he whispered softly, “I know you didn’t want to stay with Olivia in the beginning, but I am so proud of you for giving her a chance and staying safe with your siblings. So proud, Quigley.”

Quigley’s breath caught in his throat with a small choke. From his place still wrapped in Hector’s arms, he dragged his forearm across his eyes and hid his face in Hector's shirt.

He audibly sniffed and Hector hugged him tighter. “Quigley, I did not mean to make you cry. I hope I didn’t offend you when I-"

But Quigley was shaking his head and Hector’s apology was cut off with a soft and croaky, "Thank you for saying that, it-uhm, it feels...” he ran his arm across his eyes again and a small cry spilled from his throat. “Thank you for saying that.”

“I meant it, you are so brave. Your parents would be so proud of you too.”

Quigley crumbled and sobbed into Hector’s shirt, cries rippling through his body and muffling his hiccups in the material. Hector rubbed a hand across his back and offered low murmurs of comfort. Though crying privately was no longer an option, Hector did his best to provide the triplet with cover from the prying eyes of judgmental strangers.

When her brother's weeping subsided, becoming occasional sniffs, Isadora leaned close to Hector and asked in a small voice, smaller than her usual, "Hector, did you... uhm, did you find them?"

Hector didn’t have to ask to whom she was referring. And after a breath, Quigley peeled away just enough to look up at Hector and Duncan stepped forward in anticipation.

“And here I was thinking you forgot about me,” a voice called from behind Hector and the Quagmires snapped their heads up and around to see Fiona Widdershins grinning back cheekily. She wore her Queequeg jumpsuit, torn at both sleeves and leaving her tanned arms exposed to the bright grocery store light. Her hair was pulled back as it had been when they first met, leaving the fly-away strands to frame her face.

“Fiona!” Isadora squealed before she could help it and bounced toward the cause of such excitement, wrapping her arms around Fiona's neck with thinly-veiled adoration. The force sent Fiona back, but she quickly regained her footing, steady on land regardless of her months spent on the water. She hugged Isadora tightly and breathed happily into her hair.

“I was afraid you forgot all about me,” Isadora whispered truthfully and then she stepped away away from the hug with a small smile, looking deeply into Fiona's dark eyes and still convincing herself that this beautiful face before her was really there.

“Forget about you? That’s impossible,” Fiona stated with such firm belief that Isadora blushed and glanced down at her feet. “Why, you are the only one who has ever given me a proper idea for mycological nomenclature to use when I make my first discovery. Coatrack,” She winked and a giddy giggle ripped from Isadora's throat. “You are a genius.”

“Why were you hiding?” Duncan asked with a laugh, stepping closer to the two girls.

“I had to give you a private moment with your dad,” Fiona snickered, dodging the playful shove from Duncan as he arrived at her side.

Hector quickly sputtered, face reddened severely and he turned to each of the triplets, hoping to dispel any anger or offense that could arise at the presumption someone had of Hector taking their father’s place. But they only grinned at him.

""You all clean up nice, when you aren't being swallowed up and spit out against by the ocean." Fiona slung an arm around Duncan and cocked her head teasingly at Quigley, who  still hadn’t moved from Hector’s embrace. Fiona knew about the pain of a family being separated though, and she knew the unimaginable joy after reuniting once again, and she provided him with a soft, understanding smile.

“We have missed you deeply,” Isadora admitted with longing touching her voice.

“So deeply,” Duncan agreed with a nod and Fiona wrapped her arms around him fully, embracing him in a hug.

“Aye, and we have missed our crew.” At the confused look planted on Duncan’s face, she laughed. “Land or sea, you’re always part of the Widdershins crew. Despite your insubordination.”

Duncan’s nose crinkled and he narrowed his eyes. “We weren’t insubordinate. And also, you stink.” His statement was childish but honest, Fiona and Hector were sent to the store to pick up necessities for ones who have finally arrived on land after months away. Those necessities included food, water, and soap.

“And there it is again! Insubordinate!” Fiona laughed, ruffling Duncan’s hair and then pulling away. “That is no way to address your captain. We haven’t been provided with the luxury of a hot shower like you obviously have.” She turned toward Isadora and added hastily, “I won’t always stink, I swear.”

But Isadora only laughed.

"Fiona, where is everyone else?" Quigley asked, notably not seeing anybody with hooks for hands nor hearing shining optimism.

"Everyone else is completely fine. My brother, Phil, and the scouts are all safe and at home now. They opted to clean while Hector and I volunteered to come here, which is incredibly fortunate."

Isadora nodded in agreement with Fiona's final statement.

“Your home?” Duncan asked, mouth shaped as a small circle of surprise. "You have a home?"

“Of course we have a home. You don’t think we lived on the water for our whole lives, right?" After a short pause of the triplets staring at her expectantly, she rolled her eyes. "Okay, I have lived on the water for most of my life. But my brother has not. He was living on land just like you were."

Duncan pondered aloud. "I didn't know he had a house. We always saw him traveling." 

Eager to change the subject away from her brother's time with the troupe, Fiona asked with an eyebrow raised and a hint of a playful chuckle on her breath, “So, Quagmires, no hard feelings about the whole stripping-you-to-your-underwear-in-the-middle-of-a-submarine thing, right?”

Duncan shrugged half-heartedly, and retorted with a sly smirk. “I guess not. We can blame it on your apparent horrible case of sea madness!”

"Sea madness?" Fiona laughed at that big and bright, and Isadora’s heart swelled giddy in response. "I do hope you are joking, Quagmire. I can list a few more nasty diseases who like to live in injured bodies that were just dipped in the ocean like a human sundae." The threat was innocuous but Duncan still shook his head with vigor.

“No, thank you. I think I remember enough from your first lecture."

“'Lecture,'” Fiona repeated with an eye roll. “Brat.”

Duncan snickered but his smile resolved a moment later, filled with sudden seriousness. “Truly though, thank you for saving us. And I am very glad you are safe.”

“I am very glad you are safe too, Quagmire. You and your lovely siblings.” She flashed a grin to Isadora, whose cheeks filled with heat in response. “It was a pleasure to help you.”

And at that, with great enthusiasm, Isadora remembered that Olivia was standing near them, albeit to the side in order to provide the family with an adequate reunion. “Fiona, you have to meet Olivia!” Isadora wrapped an excited hand around Fiona’s wrist and guided her to the librarian. As they passed Quigley and Hector, now speaking in an excited whisper to one another, both promising to update the other on everything that happened in their absence, Fiona quickly reached out with her free hand and pinched Quigley’s cheek. He scrunched his nose in response and batted the hand away, and she was immediately pulled away from him.

“Olivia, this is our friend that Hector sought out, look, he found them all!” Isadora could not contain her thrill, and Olivia met it with eyes crinkled in adoration. “Olivia, this is Fiona. Fiona, this is Olivia, our m-“

And then she stopped, unsure where to go and not allowing herself to think of what she almost said. The tense silence that threatened the introduction was forced away when Olivia extended a hand and finished Isadora’s statement. “I have had the absolutely pleasure of living with the Quagmires over the past few months.”

Duncan frowned to himself, wondering what this meant for the group. Would they move back out now? That must be what Olivia planned when they were found on the beach and left at her house, he thought to himself. But Duncan didn’t think he wanted to leave Olivia. He loved her and he loved his new house on the beach where they dragged sand into the kitchen and climbed on the rocks. But Hector was back and he wanted to stay with him. If Hector wanted to return to the sky, would he and his siblings join him?

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too,” Fiona shook Olivia’s hand and she glanced at Isadora. Fiona missed her own mother and so she knew exactly where the aborted sentence nearly landed.

Hector guided the two boys over to the others and smiled kindly at Olivia. He stood with his arms around Quigley and Duncan, both triplets leaning into the touch with a care-free grin. “It’s wonderful to see you again."

“And you as well, I’m relieved to see your journey was successful, as well as safe.”

Hector nodded and gave the boys a small shake. “I can never thank you enough, Ms. Caliban, for providing them with a home. It was very difficult to stay away for as long as I was required.”

"Very difficult," Fiona agreed.

“But you’re back now,” Duncan stated with a sharp nod.

“That is all that matters,” Isadora finished, and smiled at Fiona.

Olivia mentioned they were planning on eating an experimental meal that evening, one that Duncan found in the paper, and they were both encouraged to join. Fiona softly mentioned she had to return to her brother and crew but Olivia insisted they come as well.

"Hector, you will come over, right?" Quigley asked, head raised up to meet the man's gaze above him.

"Yes, Fiona, please say you will come too," Isadora whispered, eyes wide and expectant. 

And how could anyone say no? Olivia provided them with her new address and Hector chuckled quietly. “It sure is lucky we spotted you all here,” Hector ruffled Quigley’s hair again. “Otherwise, I fear I never would have found you.”

They felt too reluctant to part from one another in the store, and so they finished their shopping together, and Olivia drove Fiona and Hector to Fernald's house. The four children sat squished and giggling in the backseat while Hector and Olivia conversed joyously in the front. They arrived and the Quagmire children bounded through the front door behind Fiona, eager to reacquaint themselves with the rest of the Queequeg crew. Phil's enthusiastic bellows rang out to them immediately upon entry, and they ran to him, wrapping their arms around him with relief. The three scout members joined seconds later, throwing themselves into the group hug, crying out with joy. Fernald hung back respectfully and offered a greeting smile to the Quagmires when they shyly met his eyes.

"It is wonderful to see you here on land," Fernald stated and held his arms out motioning to the structure around them. "Please, we want you to feel welcome here. Have a look around and make yourselves at home."

The house was just big enough for their ship crew family. Fiona confirmed there was room for her and her brother, the scouts, Phil, and Hector. Duncan felt his stomach turn again with the worry for the future. If Hector decided to stay here in this house, there would not be room for the Quagmires. He glanced at his siblings and knew they were thinking the same thing. The melancholic mood did not last for long because Fiona promised they could make room for more if the Quagmires ever wished to visit. They adored the idea of a fun sleepover.

"Quagmires," Hector called from the house entryway and they raced to meet him. Isadora landed before him first, followed by Duncan and then Quigley. He smiled largely at the triplets, noting their apparent joy in reuniting with their friends. "You three are going to your home now with Olivia to prepare dinner while we all clean up. We will meet you there shortly after. Sound good?"

Your home. They all heard it and there was no way to deny the heavy fears that washed over them, that Hector and the Quagmires no longer shared a home. Their eyes lowered with sadness, and Hector quickly added, "I promise, we are just washing up and then we will be right over. It will be a relief for all of us to enjoy a meal after we use some soap."

But of course, that was not their concern.

The triplets followed Olivia back to the car, and remained silent throughout the drive. "I have loved meeting your friends," Olivia told them, glancing in the rear view mirror at Quigley and Isadora, but their gazes remained lowered. Duncan sat in the passenger seat, staring blankly out the window.

After the silence became too uncomfortable, Duncan whispered aloud, "It is so nice to see Hector again."

"I missed him so much," Isadora breathed, feeling the tugging at her chest. But she did not want to cry. There is no need to cry, she told herself. Hector will be coming over for dinner tonight. They are not missing again.

"He will be at the house very soon, I promise." And alongside her promise, Olivia realized that she was also sad. Sad because she truly doesn't know where she stands in the lives of the Quagmires. They do not belong to her, they belonged with Hector and his family. With his sudden return, she did not know if this meant the children would leave her house to live with Hector. She was always aware of the high possibility that their living arrangements weren't permanent, but she wanted them to live with her.

She wanted to be their parent.

She did not want to take the vacant place of their deceased parents, of course. She was an orphan herself, and she knew nobody could fill the role that was previously held by a loving parent. But she also knew additional roles could be added in one's life. She wished to occupy one of those places, a new place that wasn't their mom or their dad that they lived with before, but instead, a parent now. The triplets were smart and funny and they kept her on her toes with their silly antics. They danced with her and wished to learn her parents' hobbies. They cooked and laughed and offered to clean the sandy messes they created. They were perfect and she loved them.

These parental feelings only increased throughout the past months as they met incredible milestones together; moving, learning to dance, shopping for clothes, and even staying in her bed when they were afraid and found themselves in need of a parent. She glanced again in the rearview mirror and saw how sad the triplets appeared. She feared they were worried about their home with Hector being intervened by 'Olivia the placeholder,' an unfair title that she dedicated to herself. And so she remained silent too and felt the sadness swell in her chest.

The quiet car ride ended as Olivia pulled into her driveway. They walked into the house with the same heavy silence weighing on them all, carrying the groceries and hanging their eyes to the ground underneath them. As Olivia washed up in the kitchen, the Quagmires migrated slowly into the living room, where they huddled together on the couch for a meeting.

“I don’t feel well,” Isadora murmured with honesty. She clutched at her stomach and frowned deeply. She never believed she would feel like this after finally getting to see Fiona again, and with the excitement of knowing she will see her again very soon. But she could not help the ache in her stomach.

“I don’t either,” Duncan whispered. “I don't know what we will do now that Hector is back. I haven't thought about this yet.”

“I don’t want to leave Olivia, but I also want to live with Hector again,” Quigley answered, mirroring the general consensus of his siblings.

“Maybe they will let us stay with both of them in turns,” Isadora shrugged, but that solution hardly seemed likely in her own mind. She had no idea whether or not Hector would even stay here in this town. He may want to return to the sky for good and if that happened, there was no way they could alternate as frequently as they wanted to. Even if Hector did stay here in town and in Fernald’s house, it was already so crowded. They welcomed the three Quagmires for slumber-party visitation, but that was temporary.

“It makes me feel ill,” Duncan admitted, holding his face in his hands.

“Quagmires,” Olivia addressed them softly from the doorframe, and the three faces snapped up to her, surprised because they did not hear her enter the room. “I do not mean to intrude, but where is the recipe for dinner? I can go ahead and start on the meal so it will be ready when everybody arrives.”

Duncan’s cheeks reddened and he shoved his hand in his pants pockets to fetch the recipe that was forgotten in there. He pulled out the newspaper clipping, wrinkled and torn slightly at the edges. The paper used to be so crisp and flat while it resided as part of the newspaper. But now, after the grocery store trip, it seemed so disheveled. Of course, Duncan understood the paper became crinkled the very second he tore it from the newspaper, but he couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the fragmentation, recognizing the feeling in his own mind.

Olivia disappeared once more into the kitchen with the recipe, and Duncan turned back to his siblings. “I think we need to talk to Hector about all of this before we make any decision.” And his siblings agreed.

They joined Olivia in the kitchen and assisted her in chopping vegetables and measuring broth. The silence felt thick and so Olivia placed a record on the spinner to cover the melancholy with orchestral cadences that drifted through the kitchen with calming melody. And when Fiona knocked on the front door, chatter filled the house once more. Though the Quagmires were noticeably more quiet, the rest of the company were able to keep conversations alive with Olivia.

“This food smells delicious!” Fiona exclaimed, bringing the basket of rolls to the table. 

Hector agreed with excitement. “It does, doesn’t it? I may need to grab a copy of this recipe. I really do miss whipping up a meal."

At the memory of Hector's cooking, the Quagmires grew even more mournful. They longed for the simplicity provided when they lived in the sky, as ridiculous as that felt. That moment in their lives were preceded and followed by terror and destruction, but it was their home at the time.

“You three sure seem quiet,” Phil noted forwardly, and everyone’s eyes shot over to the triplets. In response, they sunk down in their seats and dropped their own gazes to their hardly-touched food.

Fiona recognized the suffocating silence and carefully looked at the adults present in the room. Olivia’s eyebrows were furrowed and Hector was frowning, but neither spoke in fear of worsening the unknown problem. Fiona quickly moved to distract everyone, saying, “I cannot wait to see all of the fun stuff to do in this town. Will you three show me around some time? Maybe later this week after we get everything settled down at home.”

Duncan just shrugged and muttered, “We haven’t seen much of anything.” Olivia closed her eyes, believing this disappointment to be due to her requesting they stay near the house unless she was available to accompany them.

Hector was quick to speak up though, "Duncan, I am sure you have had fun. What did you all do these past few months for play?" The boy shrugged though, stirring his food with a spoon.

“We can show you the sand dunes,” Isadora replied with a small smile and Fiona felt she could breathe once more.

“I would love that,” she whispered back. The dinner continued with similar small talk and carefully-planned phrases.

Fernald and Phil assisted in the clean up while Fiona and the scouts spoke with Olivia. Hector sat next to the Quagmires in the kitchen, rubbing Quigley's back and wrapping an arm around Isadora. He provided them with occasional encouragements and promises of how much he missed them, but the children remained quiet in return. The turmoil in their chest and stomach twisted and ached, causing them a great deal of grief. As the hour grew late, he moved from the triplets and guided the rest of the visitors to the front door. “Why don’t you all head on back home? I am going to stay back and catch up with Isadora, Duncan, and Quigley,” Hector suggested with a smile.

“How will you get home?” a snow scout asked softly.

“I will find a way, it is going to be okay,” he answered back just as gently. Over the past few months, the members of the Queequeg crew had become their own tight-knit family of sorts. They wished for each other’s safety since the first moment they laid eyes on one another, and this increased tenfold when they found Hector return for them in the dangerous sea. Hector closed the door behind them and turned back to the three children watching him curiously. “I think the five of us should discuss a few things, what do you think about that?” He asked the Quagmires and nodded toward the living room. They followed his instructions wordlessly and piled onto the couch, watching Hector sit on the rocking chair next to them and Olivia sit on a kitchen stool next to him. Olivia gave the children an encouraging smile, but it did not cover the anxiety in her own eyes.

“What is going on?” Hector asked, facing the triplets and wearing a small frown in worry, but the Quagmires only looked at one another. “Please talk to us. We want to help, but we need you to talk to us.”

“It is hard to say…” Quigley whispered, and scooted further back into the couch. The vocal response was a relief for both of the adults though, and they took advantage of this opportunity.

“That is okay. Why don’t you say aloud the part that you are able?” Olivia prodded kindly.

“We are happy that you are back, Hector,” Isadora said hurriedly, as though worried that he would think even for a second differently. “We really are.”

Hector smiled softly, “I know you are, Iz.”

“But…” and then her voice trailed away and she lowered her gaze again, staring sadly at her lap.

“What is wrong?” Olivia asked again.

“We don’t want to leave you,” Duncan finally blurted out, looking at Olivia with glossy eyes and pouted lips.

Olivia’s eyebrows shot up but Hector spoke up first, “Duncan, nobody will make you leave Olivia. You have created a home here, and that would be ruthlessly unfair to expect you to leave now.”

“Hector is right. You are always welcome to stay here for as long as you would like,” Olivia agreed in clarification, and could not help but feel a hint of relief in her chest.

“But we want you too,” Quigley murmured, glancing at Hector before returning his gaze to his feet. "We don't know what to do."

“We can make this work,” Hector stated. “You three do not have to choose who is your guardian, who will protect and lo-” but he did not know if he was allowed to say this to the triplets. Was he allowed to state that he loved them as though they were his own children? Similar to Olivia, he did not want to overstep his role. He was thrown into guardianship on accident, first with the Baudelaires because the people of his town were selfish and hateful, and then again with the Quagmires when their friends brought them to his mobile home. This left several questions in his mind that had no answers. Was he considered a parent to the Quagmires? Was he allowed to think of them as his own? Where did he stand in their lives? He did not know what he could say without offending them and without hurting them deeply. 

But they were all three looking at him now. He even felt Olivia watching him, waiting to see if he would speak out loud the same thing that she had to have felt after staying with those bright faces for so long. He met the eyes of the Quagmires and knew they deserved to hear the truth. They deserved to hear how they improved his life and how much he missed them in his own absence. “You never have to choose who will protect and love you. I love you three so much, and I am so relieved to be able to see your precious faces once more.”

A strangled sound emerged from Duncan's throat, the sound of a choked off cry, and fresh tears sprung to Quigley's eyes. These were words they craved from both Hector and Olivia, because they felt the same way in return.

“But we want to be with both of you. We love you both, too,” Isadora whispered, cheeks colored lightly at her own admittance.

“You can stay with both of us. We could rotate weeks-though that may be difficult for them to not have a stable home-” Hector thought out loud, looking up at the ceiling as though he would find the answer sketched out up there.

“But aren't you expecting to return to the sky?” Quigley asked, breath hitched.

“I have thought a lot about this, children, and though I did enjoy my life in the sky, that was in thanks to you,” he smiled at the triplets. Isadora and Duncan looked to him and returned his smiles, thinking of how their own lives in the sky were nicer too with Hector there to provide comfort and warmth. And love. “But I am ready to live on land now. I want to stay here and be available to you.”

“But Fernald’s house is already so busy and-” Isadora started but Duncan cut her off.

“And what about our jobs, and-”

“But also with school, when that starts-” Quigley began, and the mere mention of school brought a noticeable shiver to his siblings' spines.

Olivia and Hector waited patiently as the children spoke over one another, trying to voice their worries aloud while stuck in their own spinning thoughts. When the voices died down, Olivia spoke next, clear and firm.

“Hector, would you like to live here?”

The children snapped their heads over to Hector, eyebrows raised and mouths hung ajar. They did not realize this was an option, that Hector could live there in this large house with plenty of space. Hector stammered for a moment, blinking at Olivia in honest surprise. He hadn’t expected that was an option either, but it made such sense to Olivia. She found herself living in more than enough space, and she wished more than anything to keep this family together.

"Hector, we can all live together," Isadora whispered.

"Please say you will stay here," Duncan begged.

"Please," Quigley parroted in a nearly-silent plea.

Hector inhaled long and slow through his nose, eyebrows drawn in consideration and lips pursed with evidence he was chewing on the inside of his cheek. Time stopped for the triplets, and it even slowed heavily for Olivia. The four felt as though they were awaiting their fate and drowning in anticipation over something they had no control of. They were the passengers on someone else's ride and the extreme weight of pleading for mercy nested deep in their chests. They watched carefully for the subtle rise and fall of Hector's shoulders, the only indication he was still alive and breathing, and really truly there with them.

If someone told the triplets they waited years for that answer, sitting on the couch in a room with the windows open and a breeze coming in that they could no longer feel on their bare arms, they would believe it. The agony of the drawn-out silence was nearly too much for them to handle. Isadora thought she would be sick and Duncan wished to run from the room. Quigley leaned forward without meaning to. They needed that answer.

"Okay," Hector whispered, raising his eyes to meet those misty orbs staring back at him, swallowed in trepidation and anticipation. "I would love to stay here."

And with those words so blessed to the children's ears, the five of them felt breath enter their chests once more.

Chapter Text

The morning after Hector’s highly anticipated return, he found himself sitting at the kitchen table and staring intently at the newspaper spread out before him. He was sandwiched tightly between Isadora and Quigley, both of whom were leaning heavily over his shoulders and forcing him to hunch down as they stared at the columns. Duncan sat on the table next to his brother, peering with interest over the top part of the paper and remaining silent in his concentration.

“Pick something you are good at,” Isadora insisted, fighting back a yawn. The blankets on the living room couch were tempting, but she ignored them with a ferocity required to turn down sleep. The rich smell of coffee wafted through the room, but it was the culprit of a drink only found in Hector's mug.

Hector hummed and stifled a yawn of his own. He woke up early that morning on the living room couch and a sudden wave of need for productivity washed over him. He had no current belongings, as they all resided at the bottom of the ocean, but that did not deter his excitement to stay with the Quagmires and Olivia for his first evening on land. The Quagmires bunked out in the living room with him, wishing to stay awake late into the night listening to Hector share his stories about the dreadful months at sea, how he was caught in storms and fell victim to harsh currents before finding the Queequeg crew. But the dramatics were not enough when gravity fought to tug at their eyelids. As the front room's clock chimed twice, the battle was lost, and they fell asleep on the carpet. Hector was exceptionally happy to sleep on the couch cushions, having nearly forgotten the feel of a comfortable bed, and it was not long before he was dreaming too. 

After waking up and feeling the vociferous demand for accomplishment in his chest, he carefully stepped around the snoozing triplets scattered across the floor, bundled in fluffy, warm blankets. The sight of them nearly made him chuckle in delight; he still had a difficult time believing he had his children back in his life. The despair of leaving them behind had troubled him relentlessly and left him suffering with anxiety and regret. He thanked the heavens again for this miracle. Quigley's arm was thrown haphazardly over Isadora's shoulder, who was lying face down in her pillow and unconsciously kicking her feet out in retaliation. Duncan's slack-jawed expression allowed the escape of soft snores to fill the air. Hector felt whole. Despite his efforts to stay quiet and allow the children extra hours of rest, the press of his toes against the floor stirred them, and they followed him into the kitchen. 

Hector felt so inclined to work immediately after waking because it is a practice he had always been forced to perform. The Village of Fowl Devotees (Foul, his mind provided a hiss. They fined your mother for wearing white and they stole the Baudelaires from your home in the sky) had an inordinate number of rules dragging him to complete tedious chores far before the sun rose above the horizon. Even in his mobile home, he was awake early and preparing for a day of peaceful tranquility, a luxury earned before the eagles arrived. Years of hard work became decades, and by the current time, he found comfort and meaning in that diligent schedule, as well as the inability to sleep in.

He needed a job.

“I don’t even know what that is,” Hector murmured with furrowed brows. He grew up trembling and silenced by the horrible Council of Elders, never asked in school what he wanted to do when he grew up because the town simply did not care what people wanted. Most of his adult life was spent creating an illegally-owned motor-run mobile home with occasional handy-man work for every citizen in the town. Opposite to the handy-man title, he performed the work on his mobile home not for compensation, but for thriving survival and sanity instead. Given this, he hardly had the need nor opportunity to discover a desired career path until now. With the numerous available options staring back at him from the open newspaper, he was overwhelmed.

"The world is your oyster," Duncan provided with a smile and Isadora had an idea.

“You can cook very well. We should open a restaurant and serve the food you made for us in the sky,” Isadora began with encouragement. “You can teach us when to add spices and how to cut those onions just like you did. We can call it... 'Sky Gourmet!'”

"But it'd be on the ground," Quigley noted with a frown.

“You can also build stuff,” Duncan exclaimed, kicking his legs absently with eyes raised toward the ceiling. “You can be an engineer and work on cars and airplanes, building parts and making broken things work again.”

“I believe opening a restaurant requires a large sum of money, Iz. I have zero savings from my time in the village so unfortunately, I cannot do that quite yet. But that is a truly wonderful name, and I know I would certainly eat at such a place. I promise I’ll teach you all of those things and more anyway. And Duncan, I am not really an inventor,” Hector shook his head with a sigh. Path-finding was exhausting and discouraging, he quickly found. "I do appreciate your suggestions though."

“Didn’t you build your mobile home? That thing flew.” Quigley asked, head cocked and eyebrow arched as an invite for the man to even attempt arguing against his point. Quigley already knew Hector built his home, a fascinating invention floating in the air that was a raging success until the eagles' sabotage. Though judging the success of the invention based on the eagles was hardly fair. Quigley knew there was no possible way Hector, nor his siblings, could have foreseen the foul-play.

"Until the fowl-play," Quigley murmured.

“I had help from Violet Baudelaire with the mobile home,” the man remembered, thinking back to Violet assisting him in fixing the engine in exchange for waiting to leave until after she and her siblings found a way to help Jacques Snicket, a plan ruined before they even had a chance to lift it from the ground, both literally and metaphorically. Hector often thinks back to his final days in the village, how his knees buckled and his speech halted in petrification under the harsh eye of the council when the Baudelaire children required his help the most. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny taught him bravery by example, and he never received the opportunity to thank them for their strength. "The only reason it flew was because Violet made it happen."

Quigley’s heart ached lightly at the mention, and he rested a cheek in his palm propped up on the table before firmly stating, “Violet Baudelaire is an excellent inventor and so are you, Hector.” 

His affirmations gave Hector pause. “You really think so? It could be... fun. After my village council banned all machines and I took them in, under the blanket of secrecy of course, I realized how much I enjoyed keeping them around, pulling them apart and then putting them back together again. It’s an exciting type of purpose and I couldn't make myself get rid of any of them.” The triplets grinned and nodded. They saw his excitement and recognized the feeling radiating from him as similar to their own when they were able to perform their beloved hobbies. “It is something I believe I would like even in a professional setting.” Working from home and free from a watchful eye of a frustratingly useless coordinator, the Quagmires had no idea what a professional setting included, but they cheered for him regardless.

“So, we want to look for something in this section,” Duncan confirmed, pointing at the bottom right corner of the paper to a column labeled ‘manual workings.’ He hummed softly and skimmed his fingernail across the crisp page, briskly reading through the titles.

“How do you know this layout so well?” Hector asked with a slightly teasing tone and a smirk decorating his face. He watched Duncan as he lifted the mug to his lips.

“I designed it,” Duncan answered easily with a crooked grin, and Hector nearly sputtered on the coffee. 

“Oh look, Hector. Here is an ad for a mechanic at the hardware shop downtown. It is near Olivia's library! Should you apply?” Isadora asked, pointing to a small box requesting assistance. Hector read the ad and hummed. As though summoned by the notion of Hector weighing this important decision (and the actual noise from the kitchen conversation that forced her awake), Olivia appeared in the room with a confident stride set toward the pot of coffee. 

“Hector, you did just get back here on land. You don’t have to jump right into working yet. Why don’t you relax for a few weeks, take some time to rest and recover?” Olivia suggested, scratching her fingertips through Duncan’s hair and gently squeezing the shoulders of his siblings in greeting as she passed them. The Quagmires all grinned sleepily in response. 

“That is a generous offer, but I would feel better to be working.” Hector smiled at Olivia and the triplets caught a hint of deja vu, thinking of the effort required to convince Olivia to let them work. “And I may enjoy the opportunity to work as a mechanic. Quagmires, I thank you all sincerely for your assistance in finding the perfect job for me, I am forever in your debt.” The triplets laughed at his playfully dramatic announcement, and Olivia smiled.

Olivia departed for work and Fiona and the snow scouts accompanied the Quagmires and Hector to the store. The newcomers wished for new clothing, seeing as their Queequeg jumpsuits were in dire need of replacement. Fernald and Phil stayed home to clean and perform reparations to transform his home into a suitable setting. Several window frames had been chipped by the passing weather and some of the appliances still creaked when forced to work. Based on reflex alone, Hector offered to stay with them, but the triplets reminded him that he was the one that really needed new clothing seeing as though he had an interview scheduled for that afternoon at the hardware store. After breakfast, he spoke to the manager on the landline phone and beamed with excitement as the voice boomed with eagerness through the speaker. They needed an employee as soon as possible, and Hector needed employment.

"Ahh, yes. What would I do without the help of you three?" Hector asked with a grin, and they all walked together toward the shop.

"Show up to your interview in that," Quigley snickered, nodding toward Hector’s slightly cleaner but still disheveled Queequeg jumpsuit. Hector reached out and ruffled the boy's hair in playful retaliation with a quirked lip of his own. He could not deny that he was excited to rid himself of this jumpsuit that he had worn for over three months now.

Fiona wrapped her arms lazily around Isadora's and Quigley’s shoulders from her spot between them. "I have to be honest; I have never been forced to consider my own style. Even before I embarked on the quest to find my stepfather, this jumpsuit,” she waved in the direction of her own torn clothing, “is all I have worn for a long time. I do not know what I like anymore."

"We can look around and figure it out," Isadora suggested with the corner of her mouth raised in an attempt to hide an excited. Fiona saw it anyway in her eyes, and she adored that. "That is what Olivia told us to do when my brothers and I had difficulty figuring this out in the beginning. But I like this," she motioned down to her floral-printed shorts and purple t-shirt, “and we can find what you like too.” 

"You do look very stylish!" Fiona agreed, looking her up and down, applauding her clothes.

"So stylish," Duncan mocked with a sneaky smirk. "If we can find that in Hector's size, it would be perfect for the interview!" Fiona reached out and shoved him as Quigley doubled over in laughter, grasping at his knees.

"Oh boy..." Hector chuckled, though he could not help but admit he was thrilled to see this childish behavior. When Isadora and Duncan were reunited with their brother in the sky, they hardly had the time to develop from crying and relieved adoration to their typical sibling teasing. They certainly did not have time for it after spending one day in a submarine and then several in a small boat lost at sea, and he missed it after leaving the triplets with Olivia. It was exciting for him now as he could see their happy personalities. Hector remembered then that Duncan had mentioned something about having a job, and he brought this up out loud. He was astonished when the Quagmires told him they were working jobs from home now.

"You have jobs? Like adult jobs?" One of the scouts asked with her jaw hung open in surprise. The Quagmires found this funny, seeing as their 'adult jobs' consisted of performing their favorite hobbies huddled around the kitchen table or sprawled on the floor by Olivia's bed while she read quietly. It never really felt like a mind0numbing, soul-crushing job.

The remainder of the walk to the shopping center felt wonderful in the breezy air with dear company, and when the teasing chatter ceased, Isadora asked the question she and her brothers all wondered: “Fiona, what happened to your submarine?” to which Fiona sighed melancholically.

“I fear my beloved Queequeg is far beyond the realm of plausible reparations. After the ship tore apart due to the Great Unknown playing with the water pressure, an event I am sure you remember in complete, horrific detail, groups of angry salmon carried the different parts away, and most of them were never seen again. I even saw one particularly frustrated fish taking off with the steering wheel. Though when we finally arrived on the shore of Briny Beach- perhaps you know the very one?- I did see a dinner plate that looked awfully familiar. Though I could never be sure."

“That is terrible,” Duncan murmured with a frown. He had a difficult time believing a fish could be so angry. Though after his own kidnapping where he was stuffed in a red herring statue, he tried to keep a safe distance from the animal. Passing the seafood counter at the grocery store and spotting a fish in the shallow shore by the house always resulted in a frustrated huff as Duncan turned his back to both the swimmer and the memory. The remainder of the walk to the store was dedicated to Fiona sharing the story of their three months at sea. The Quagmires already knew some details from Hector’s dramatic retelling the night before, but they still held their breath in anticipation as Fiona captured the thrilling anxiety that plagued them in the waters.

“When Hector arrived in a rented submarine of his own, he appeared as our very own deus ex machina,” Fiona smiled brightly at the man that saved her crew in their near-crippling desperation. She knew the image of him arriving with a vessel stocked with food and drinkable water will live in her mind and heart forever, even though they encountered dangers immediately following the rescue. Hector waved this notion aside as though it were a fly, but the children noted the pink in his cheeks that was not there moments before.

“God from the machine,” Quigley whispered in translation. His siblings glanced at one another, thinking back to the arrival of the mysterious people on a motorcycle just moments after the Baudelaire siblings saved them from the crow statue. The arrival of Jacqueline and Larry the waiter, the names provided to the two triplets by Klaus and Violet, allowed them the opportunity to flee from the angry village mob and Count Olaf's troupe, all of the way to Hector's flying home. 

After a brief pause for consideration, Duncan spoke up. “Hector, I believe you were the deus ex machina for my siblings and I as well, when you rescued us from that village in your self-sustaining hot air mobile home, and then when you rescued Quigley from the laboratory entrance.” Hector's cheeks darkened further. Despite having done so for twelve people in his recent past, the idea of him being able to save anyone still baffled him. To be on the receiving end of such a compliment as deus ex machina drove him to a sputtering mess as Duncan continued. “Fiona, you and your crew were also our deus ex machina when you saved us from the ocean in your submarine.”

“Sure. Excellent job we did,” Fiona murmured with sarcasm. “I kept you four safe for less than one day.”

“That terrifying animal was not your fault,” Quigley demanded. “You still saved us when we needed you, arriving just as our deus.” She smiled and squeezed his shoulder with the arm still wrapped around him.

They came to a stop in front of the large clothing store. Hector held the door open for the children and as they walked through the threshold, the blonde-haired cashier greeted them with a wide smile showing brightly whitened teeth. “Very fine day to you special crew of happy shoppers!”

The phrase sounded innocent enough, the optimism nearly sweetened enough to match Phil’s, but it still brought fiery ice over the hearts of the triplets. They turned toward her slowly but noticed she was greeting the next family that entered the store behind them, already seemingly forgetting about the Quagmires entirely. “Coincidence?” Isadora asked softly. Her brothers were both standing tensely, thinking about the specific order of the words delivered to them in a way that could have been a complete accident. Or it could have represented a hint toward the secret organization in which they were trying to avoid in favor of living a peaceful life. 

Duncan bit his bottom lip. Quigley shrugged and breathed back, “Perhaps. But perhaps not. We haven’t heard anything related to VFD since we began living with Olivia, but that does not give reason to rule it out as a warning now.”

“What are you talking about, Quigley?” Hector murmured, wrapping a protective arm around the triplet and pulling him into a half hug that looked like any parent standing next to their child. But when Quigley looked up, he saw Hector was worried. “Did that cashier say something that upset you?” Quigley shook his head but quickly led the large group toward the clothing isles in the back of the store. He allowed their silence but kept a careful watch on the seven children under his care while they searched through the clearance bins

Despite the poor start to the shopping trip, they were productive in deciding that the hardware store would appreciate their interviewee showing up in clothing best fitting the job, which was convenient for Hector who found he liked these clothing the most. He settled on overalls and a button-up shirt, similar to those he had lived in all his life. Hector could not contain his smile as he stepped out of the dressing room looking and feeling more like himself than he had in several months. Himself, he corrected in his mind, but with a family and confidence that was previously stripped from him in the village. 

Fiona and the scouts also found clothing that they found exciting, pulling shorts and t-shirts out from the bin.

"This shopping adventure has been quite successful, niños," Hector announced with pride, raking his eyes across the piles of clothing that they held. He pulled the crinkled bills from his pocket, money provided to him by Olivia and Fernald, the later was the only member of the Queequeg household that had savings from his time working in the marine laboratory with his stepfather and the few successful performances in which he acted. Phil only received earnings in gum during his several years working at the lumber mill, rather than financial compensation or affordable health insurance. The snow scouts came from wealthy families, but that money was not available to them until they came of age. Hector needed this job.

They approached the check out counter and the Quagmires were disappointed to see that the blonde-haired woman still stood behind the counter. After a brief glance toward one another and a secret decision was made, Isadora stated, "Hector, this line is very long and it is pointless for all of us to be forced to wait in it." Hector looked up to see only two people waiting in front of the cash register. He leveled a raised eyebrow at Isadora and waited. "Why don't you all wait outside and I can stand in line and pay for the clothing with my brothers?" She knew her suggestion made no sense and grimaced. The line was already shortening by the second as the first customer thanked the woman behind the counter and left. Despite this, she met Hector's frown with a new confident smile. With heavy apprehension, and because he understood that the Quagmires were concerned about something, Hector agreed and gave Quigley the money, who shoved it in his pocket without taking his eyes from the cashier. Hector gave Isadora one last look, hoping to signify that he was there for her if she would prefer he stay by her side, but when she remained silent, he guided the other four children outside into the sun. Notably, he remained in view of the triplets through the window and watched carefully as they took their place in line behind the lone paying customer.

As the final barrier between the Quagmires and the odd cashier left, Quigley stepped up to the counter and wore a feigned smile that matched hers in both wideness and toothy-ness. His siblings would have found it funny if they were not worried about the woman standing before them. “Very fine day, ma’am,” he stated slowly, repeating her own words from earlier and then watching intently for a possible change in demeanor.

But the woman smiled back brightly and reached out for the clothes he handed her, greeting the triplets in response. "Isn't it? Can I help you children with anything else?”

The Quagmires shared another uncomfortable glance, but continued with their investigation. "If we were looking for a hotel with vegetarian formal dining, do you know where we could go?” Duncan asked, reporting his code aloud with slow purpose, but the woman did not respond. 

Isadora tried next, asking with assiduous emphasis, “We were considering high-impact sea creature watching. Do you know anything about the town rentals for vessels of ferocious diving?”

The woman simply punched her pointer finger into the buttons of the cash register with the same wolfish smile that the Quagmires saw upon entering the store. “You seem to be having difficulty with that vexatious financial device,” Quigley noted, peering across the counter at the frozen register.

“I am afraid I do not know much about any of that. I am new to the city and I haven’t had the chance to explore yet. I was forced to get this new job after my last place of work burned down, I say 'work' though I was just a volunteer at the time. And just before I was about to see the first ever performed craniotomy… It is a shame." The register rang out with a sharp 'cling' that caused Duncan to jump with surprise. "Can you imagine, what kind of a crazed person would burn down a hospital? I guess those child actor murderers really would do anything for a moment of newspaper fame.” Quigley subtly peeked over at his siblings, recognizing the reference to their friends even through the disguise of ugly lies that were spread on paper. “Anyway, here is your total for the clothing.”

Quigley murmured his appreciation. With a sharp nod to his siblings, they left the store and returned to Hector's side by the front window. The triplets were greeted with worried glances as the crew continued to glance inside at the mysterious cashier, but the Quagmires encouraged them to forget their concern. "We were just a little worried, is all. We thought she might be with VFD, but she isn't," Quigley provided. "She did know the Baudelaires though, well... she knew of them. She still thinks they are murderers."

"And child actors," Duncan added softly.

"I don't know which is worse," Fiona sighed. And with that, they began to walk back to Fernald's.

The Quagmires stayed at Fernald's while Hector walked to the hardware store for his interview. He reminded the triplets to be good, which they always were, but it was something a parent would say. And he is one. The triplets sat on the floor in Fernald's living area with Fiona while they flipped through old magazines, chatting quietly. Isadora turned to Fernald and asked, Have you heard from anyone related to VFD or your old acting troupe?"

Fernald was surprised at the question but answered in earnest, "The last I heard from Olaf was just before Fiona and I left in the submarine a few months ago. And the last I heard from VFD was shortly after, when they called in a request to rescue you from the ocean. I saw articles of my old troupe following the successful opening of their new play, but I have not received word since." Isadora hummed in response, looking back down to the magazine. "Is something wrong?" he asked softly, eyebrows drawn tightly. Fernald wondered what would happen if Olaf showed up at his front door, expecting him to hand over the triplets for their sapphires and the snow scouts for their fortunes. He would probably even demand atonement from Fernald and his younger sister for abandoning the Carmelita. But he knew he would not allow the further torment of any child, not even by Count Olaf, particularly not the ones in his care.

His care, he realized and nearly choked on the water he had brought to his lips. He was not sure how he found himself in this position, taking care of so many children. It made sense to live with his younger sister; Fiona was an intelligent and successful captain on her own, but a child never deserved that weighing responsibility. Fernald often thought back to grabbing the two triplets from the preparatory school library and shoving them in a car trunk, haunted by the decisions of his past. He wondered how he had come so far with them, watching them lay on the floor and giggle with his younger sister, even feeling comfortable enough to ask him for information that worried them.

"No, I think the cashier at the store was just a bit strange," Duncan admitted, seeming anxious. Fernald wished for Hector's swift return, or better yet, Olivia's. He felt ill-equipped in comforting a scared child, especially one with a frightening past. Phil seemed just as lost, seeing as he was laughing gleefully with the snow scouts, completely unbeknownst to their conversation.

After the room became quiet for a heartbeats' moment, Fernald announced, "Fiona, we need to discuss our next step."

"Our next step is figuring out dinner," his sister answered with a crooked grin. "Duncan and I were thinking about Thai food."

"I mean, we need to discuss our next step regarding whether we stay here or go back out into the sea in a new submarine." 

The triplets froze. They looked to Fiona and saw equal amount of confusion and concern. Quigley opened his mouth to protest the possibility of their departure, but the words vanished on his tongue as he turned back to Fernald's stone-serious face. The uncomfortable silence stretched until Fiona asked with a startled chuckle, "Fern, what are you talking about? We are staying right here; we have all been fixing the house and everything for us to stay right here. Why would we go back out?"

"That is why we need to discuss this. We can go back out into the ocean and this house can either be given to the rest of our crew-"

"My crew," Fiona snapped in a tight whisper, crossing her arms defensively over her chest.

"Your crew," her brother corrected easily. "Or it can be sold if they'd rather live somewhere else." Fiona's eyes snapped to Phil and the snow scouts, also sharing looks of surprise at the current argument. "Our stepfather is still missing. Don't you want to finish our search for him?" Fiona was startled into silence at that, and her throat felt as though it were closing. Despite the sudden guilt and embarrassment pooling in her stomach, she never forgot her mission at sea was to find her stepfather before they received a rescue plea from VFD. But after general survival became her priority, the thought of continuing the search had admittedly been pushed to the back of her mind. It became clear she was not going to speak and Fernald continued in a voice clearly, though perhaps unintentionally, mirroring that of Captain Widdershins himself, "Fiona, I know this is a difficult decision. But you know what stepdad used to say. He always said: he-"

"Or she," Fiona grumbled beneath her breath, a frustrated huff escaping the lips of one who has corrected her stepfather on this irritatingly small-minded grammatical error fruitlessly for years.

"-who hesitates is lost."

"Obviously I know what stepdad always said," Fiona retorted, standing up from her seated position on the floor. "I was the one traveling with him all of those years, not you."

"That was hardly my fault-" Fernald started with a shake of his head before his sister spoke over him.

"And since your memory is seemingly so fresh on the matter, I am sure you can also remember what I always said to him in return." The Quagmires, snow scouts, and Phil watched the argument as though it were a deeply uncomfortable tennis tournament, heads bobbing back and forth to each of the Widdershins.

"Yes, I remember your preference for a more cautious personal philosophy."

"Exactly-"

"Though I do not believe that applies here," Fernald shrugged.

Fiona looked harassed at that. "Of course my philosophy applies here. It applies to everything I do, and I want to stay on land now." The finality of the statement rang throughout the room, and she held her brother's gaze in intensity and bravery.

Fernald nodded slowly and asked in a soft voice, "Are you finished looking for our stepfather?" His sister swallowed and her gaze dropped down to her brother's chest, suddenly unable to look him in the eye. "I need you to tell me right now if you are."

Fiona struggled with this. Her mind spun with guilt at the idea of not finding her family and longing for a stable life on land. Her face scrunched and tears filled her eyes when suddenly, she turned around and fled from the house. Fernald sighed, shaking his head. He turned toward Phil, apologizing in a low voice for the disastrous conversation interrupting their peaceful day. Isadora watched the door swinging on its hinges for a mere moment before hopping up and running after Fiona.

The sky was just changing, hinting at a shift from midday to evening with pink hues and shadows cast across the lawns of the neighboring houses Isadora ran past. She was panting heavily when she finally caught up with Fiona, finding her stopped in front of a small bakery. Fiona sat on the curb with her knees drawn up to her chest and her chin propped against them. She stared at the passing cars and people with a glaze of tears shimmering over her eyes. Isadora sat beside her and waited, allowing the silence to swell around them until she was ready to speak.

Finally, and following several minutes, Fiona whispered in a cracked voice, "I do not want to go." The declaration was so soft that Isadora nearly missed it. She turned to face Fiona, who still watched the street with feigned interest. "I have been in the water for so long now. I... I think I am finished now." She turned to face Isadora. "Maybe not forever, of course. I do enjoy the water and I would love to go back out some day, maybe for a few hours at a time, but I no longer wish to spend days at sea. But it feels wrong, you know? I have been searching for my stepdad for so long... but I do not want that right now. I want to run on the sand, and go to school, and-" she paused, a hiccup in her proclamation. Isadora raised her eyebrows in silent question, respectfully waiting. "And... and I would like to be with you. My friend."

Isadora blushed and couldn't stop the corner of her mouth from lifting in a small smile. Fiona responded with a flush of her own.

"I do not want you to leave either. I think your brother will understand, and I think he wants you to be happy."

"What if he says no?" Fiona asked quietly, voice shaking with anticipation.

"There is only one way to find out. t seems like years ago, but the Baudelaires said something my brother and I heard from the bottom of an elevator shaft before we were taken away again. Their voices traveled down to us. They said: 'If we wait until we're ready, we'll be waiting the rest of our lives.' The situations have some key differences. They were traveling down an empty elevator using a basket and a giant handkerchief, and you are going to speak to your brother about ending a very important endeavor and changing your address... but I believe there are similarities too, specifically the anxiety part. I heard your brother mention your personal philosophy, one about cautious preparations. I admire that, but I believe you will feel better if you speak to him about this now."

Fiona nodded slowly. "You are right... as usual, Quagmire," she added with a small wink despite her blurry eyes. "I have a question though. How did you know about the basked and handkerchief if you and Duncan were taken away?"

"They told Quigley about it when they met in the mountains. Sounds dangerous, huh?"

It did.

"Okay, I believe I am ready to go back home," Fiona decided, and Isadora helped her up with an encouraging smile. The return to Fernald's house was deliberately slow as Fiona practiced exactly what she wanted to say, and Isadora listened patiently. As the house entered her view, Fiona's anxieties tripled. Isadora felt the tension build next to her and she slipped her hand in Fiona's, giving it an encouraging squeeze.

Fiona walked into the kitchen and stood before the table at which Fernald sat, waiting. He breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed at his eyes, opening his mouth to speak but Fiona began first. "Fernald, I have considered this greatly. And I…” she looked down, doubt and guilt clouding her features once more, and Isadora winced in sympathy. “I want to stay here on land. I need a break from searching. I understand if you want to carry on the search though, and I respect your decision to leave. I will miss you greatly, of course, and I promise I will take care of the house-”

“Fiona, I am choosing to stay with you," her brother interrupted firmly and Fiona raised her eyes to look at him with surprise. "If you want to stay on land, then that is exactly where we will be.” She saw Fernald smile and froze for merely a second before running toward him with her arms widened for a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and held her as she exhaled deeply.  

At Hector's return that evening, they found reason to celebrate the Widdershins' finalized stay and Hector's new job. "I insist you all come over this weekend, and I will cook my grandmother's sopa de pata," Hector proclaimed and a laugh slipped past his lips as the triplets cheered in excitement.

"It's been way too long!" Quigley exclaimed, and Hector's cheeks reddened.

"How was your day?" Olivia asked with a loving smile upon their arrival to their own home. They sat by her on the couch and rambled aloud, chirping over one another explaining how Hector got the job for which he applied, Fiona and her family would indeed be staying on land where they belong, and they would celebrate that weekend with Hector's grandmother's famous dish that made quite the impression on Quigley in particular. Olivia watched them in adoration and listened intently, the feeling of their joy radiating to her own heart.

Spring bled slowly into summer and Olivia insisted the triplets work fewer hours, allowing them more time to spend with their friends. Without the burden of school or a sea-wide distance barrier between them, Fiona and Isadora spent every day together, playing in the sand or lounging on the couch depending on the weather and their wishes at the time. Most days, Isadora's brothers joined them, and the snow scouts often did as well. Days were filled with the laughter of children and the laziness of sitting together in the living room, Isadora holding a pen and paper to scratch out her poems for the newspaper, and Fiona flipping through the pages of the newest mycology book she found in the public library. 

It was a late evening in July when the record scratched softly next to the two girls, and the sun was slowly disappearing under the horizon, casting long streaks of pink and gold across the sky. Isadora looked up from her notepad and watched Fiona bite her thumbnail in concentration. A smile slowly decorated her face and she whispered, "Hey, Fiona?" The girl hummed in answer. "What did it feel like when Hector found you?"

Fiona pondered this, closing her book and resting it on the couch's arm rest nearest to her. "Unreal," she admitted after a hesitant moment. "It was similar to seeing someone ethereal. Then it became incredibly frightening, not seeing you and your bothers. I thought... well anyway, I was surprised to see you were separated from Hector." Isadora was saddened by this and leaned closer to Fiona as she continued. "Hector explained that you three wanted to come, but he made you stay here. I am happy he made that decision. The waves were treacherous and you were safe." 

"We are both safe," Isadora confirmed with a smile, and she intertwined her fingers through Fiona's. She stood up from the couch and pulled the other with her. Fiona watched her curiously. "Olivia taught us how to dance our first time at this house. I think she wanted us to feel happy and safe... and it worked. Would you like to dance with me?"

Fiona's mouth fell open in surprise and she stumbled over her words and feet before she was able to accept the offer. Isadora smiled cheekily at that and Bach's cello suite spun, soothing music filling the living room. "This is Bach?" Fiona asked with soft words, willing her voice not to crack. They had all memorized the records by now. Isadora nodded and lifted their clasped hands up and out. Her hand hovered over Fiona's waist until she was given permission with an eager nod. "Now what?" Fiona breathed, and Isadora guided Fiona's other hand up to her own shoulder until they were linked for a slow dance. Isadora counted softly and guided Fiona around the living room, beginning at half time compared to the music until Fiona's feet no longer skid with uncertainty under her.

They did not notice Hector peek his head in and raise his eyebrows in surprise, and they did not hear Isadora's brothers snicker behind their hands from the stairwell before pouncing back up the stairs. But Fiona did catch a glimpse of Olivia smiling proudly from the frame leading to the kitchen. The girl blushed furiously and Olivia quickly waved a hand in a silent apology and promise for further privacy as she turned and stepped back into the kitchen.

"You are very good at this already," Isadora praised honestly, entirely unbeknownst to their audience. "It took me much longer to move like you are." Fiona just continued to blush and thanked Isadora for her compliment. They moved fluidly together, surrounded by honey light from the setting sun. When the song ended, Fiona felt disappointment tug at her chest and she wished for the moment to continue. But Isadora did not back away from Fiona. Even as the record clicked softly in a plea for another track, the pair continued to dance to the sound of crickets chirping and waves crashing on the other side of the open window.

Because it so plainly made the children happy, the five household residents found themselves dancing to the record player multiple times each week, which was delightful to the triplets when they had the opportunity to show Hector how to dance. Whether they were celebrating a work achievement or simply enjoying their new life, they found themselves jumping around happily in the living room as the blues rang out around them. Other evenings, when they wished for different activities, Hector played poker with Olivia and the Quagmires, betting household chores instead of imaginary money. Despite the frequent practice, Duncan often found himself washing the dishes after dinner (and nobody mentioned it when Hector helped him anyway).

It came as a complete surprise when Olivia showed up at Fernald's door without the triplets on a particularly warm midsummer day. After she was invited in the house and offered a comfortable seat in the living room, she informed the group of family and friends that the Quagmire birthday was quickly approaching as they neared late summer. "I doubt they are expecting anything, but this is their first birthday without... Well, without their parents. I think they would love if we were all there to surprise them."

Fiona leaned up at that from her seat on the couch. "Their birthday..." She murmured quietly before jumping up to her feet with wide eyes. "I have to get them something! What do I get her?"

Fernald startled to find his sister was looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to provide an answer. His eyebrows shot up and his mouth gaped but no answer came. Olivia chuckled softly and spoke up again. "Fiona, darling, you do not have to get them anything. But if you want to give Isadora a present, I believe she would find something from the heart to be the greatest gift of all."

Fiona blushed furiously at that and sat back down, mind racing in anticipation.

***

The triplets awoke to the smell of chocolate chip pancakes seeping through the cracks of the door. They slowly peeled their eyes open and rubbed the sleep away, grumbling softly to one another as their dreams slipped away. The air in the room felt stale that particular morning, as though it held a bad taste that harassed their tongues in the early morning. It felt thick in their throats and punctured their skin to embed itself in their chest. The suffocating aura surrounding them was mourning, and they were drowning in it.

"I miss momma," Quigley whispered in the quiet room. "And dad." His siblings did not need to vocalize their agreement, because Quigley already knew. They feared the day would be especially difficult to trudge through because their family traditions for the triple birthday were seemingly forever lost.

"I cannot believe we are fourteen, and we do not have our parents with us." Isadora turned over onto her stomach to bury her face in the pillowcase before murmuring, "We are too young to not have them anymore."

"We should tell Olivia and Hector that we are sick, so we can stay in bed," Duncan suggested, glancing at the door. "I do not want to get up."

"You want us to lie?" Quigley asked grumpily, accusatory.

"It isn’t a lie," Isadora corrected, clutching at her middle. "I do feel very sick."

Despite their illness, the triplets decided to deliver the bad news as a trio. The smell of breakfast burst stronger in the upstairs hallway as they opened the door to their bedroom. Isadora poked her head into Olivia's room and Quigley peeked in Hector's, now decorated as the man's own with the exciting addition of a bed, but they were both found to be bare. With great resignation and small sighs, they scuffed their feet along the wooden stairs and dragged themselves into the kitchen, where they found Hector and Olivia smiling warmly at them over cups of steaming coffee and a large plate of pancakes. The pair greeted the triplets gently, waiting for the children to dictate just how they needed to spend the day. In answer to their silent question, Duncan, who was already squinting in the bright light streaming through the window, began to cry. The warm greeting forced his waiting tears to fall down his cheeks, and he lowered his head in shame and embarrassment as he choked on sobs. Quigley slung an arm over Duncan’s shoulder and pulled him close as Isadora rubbed the heels of her hands into her closed eyes.

"I am afraid," she muttered between pitiful sniffs and hiccups, avoiding eye contact with Hector and Olivia, "that we are all sick. I think we need to go back to bed for the day."

Before they could turn to climb the stairs to their bedroom, the triplets found themselves surrounded by their guardians. Olivia knelt next to Isadora and Hector lowered himself between the two boys, and they engulfed the triplets from both sides, holding them tightly in their arms and whispering soft encouragements. With trembling legs and shaking shoulders, the Quagmires found themselves sitting on the floor, huddled in a pile of tangled limbs and crying faces several minutes before the sounds of the house became subdued sniffling instead.

Olivia then held Isadora’s head in her hands and asked softly, “Can Hector and I do anything to help you get through the day?” Isadora just closed her eyes as new, warm tears streamed down her face. “We are here to help you three. We can do anything you want, whether that be celebrate the day or stay in the house and rot our brains watching movies.” Despite himself, Duncan snorted at that, and Olivia continued with a small smile. “We can take a drive along the coast or have a picnic in the park. And it can be the five of us, or we can invite the rest of our friends.” Olivia gave Isadora a small squeeze and added softly, “I know Fiona would love to see you.” And to her surprise and relief, a small smile spread on Isadora's lips. “I am very sorry you three are suffering today. As I have read, ‘Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them,’" Olivia whispered into Isadora's hair, hugging her tightly.

"'The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us,’" Isadora finished the Voltaire quote, and Olivia rubbed her back in smooth circles. "But it is difficult not to dwell when one is mourning, even if it is harmful. So that power is great, and sometimes it is greater than I can handle."

"I know, love. Healing is one of the most difficult tasks to befall humans." Olivia paused for a breath and held Isadora's hand in her own. "Did you know that I can read palms?"

Isadora wrinkled her nose in confusion. "Like a fortune teller?"

"Like a librarian," Olivia offered, running a finger across the inside of Isadora's shaking hand. "And from your palm, I can see that you will never be left alone. Hector and I are here with you now, and we love you dearly. You and your brothers are together and safe in our home. I only hope to further surround you with people who care so deeply for you, and if you would like that for your special day, it will happen." Isadora looked down at her hand as Olivia let go, as though she could see those trusting words sprawled out across her skin.

“Today is hard for us,” Quigley admitted softly, his forehead pressed against Hector’s shoulder. “Today is the first birthday without… without them.” Olivia nodded in understanding but remained silent. But listening to Olivia’s declaration that they are not alone and they have the option to safely be surrounded by his friends and family, he pondered the idea of staying out of bed for the day. Even though the triplets were without their mother and father, and even though they were now another year older, he still had people with him. No longer was he alone and sitting in a deceased scientist’s home, no longer was he waiting for rescue on the abandoned laboratory entrance. He had family by his side. “Maybe we can see our friends today, like you suggested.”

Olivia reached across Isadora and ran her fingers through his hair. “I think that is an excellent idea. Happy birthday, beautiful Quagmires.”

"Feliz cumpleaños, mis hijos," Hector whispered and wrapped his arms around the three children. Though the pancakes had cooled by this point, the family of five sat around the kitchen table and ate with comfortable chatter filling the warm room.

The day continued with tranquility. They ate lunch on the beach, and the cool sheets they used as a blanket were fruitless in effort as they stood up to find sand stubbornly clinging to them. They walked in the most shallow parts of the ocean to collect shells and occasionally splash water at one another. And finally, as the sun grew hotter in the sky, they wished to go inside. The Quagmires hadn't realized Hector’s disappearance in light of their playing, and when they entered the house through the back porch door, they were surprised to find Hector and the entire Queequeg crew waiting for them with smiles.

“Happy birthday!” They shouted in attempted unison and began to sing loudly and wildly off-key. It was a rhythm that began with an overly-eager snow scout and ended with Phil’s dramatic and personalized rendition of the song. And it brought tears to prickle at the eyes of the triplets as they hugged each visitor with appreciations passing their lips. To their complete surprise, Olivia suggested they open their birthday presents before dinner.

"Presents?" Quigley asked, eyebrows high. "We have presents?"

Olivia gave Isadora her mother’s pearl necklace, a shining piece of jewelry in a small box wrapped carefully in tissue paper. Isadora held her breath as Olivia clasped the necklace around her neck, and she reached a shaking hand up to touch the chilled treasure. She gave Quigley her father’s old watch, it was large and heavy on his slim wrist when he tried it on, but it was golden and freshly polished. He held the watch up to his ear and grinned when he heard the faithful ticking of gears in the back. She gave Duncan her parent’s vintage coin collection. His mouth dropped in surprise and delight when he opened the box to see the glistening coins looking back up at him. He took them out slowly, turning them in his hands and memorizing the countries from which they came. The personal gifts felt so sincere, the triplets were stunned at receiving items that seemed to be meant for Olivia’s own children. When they asked her in privacy if she was sure she wanted them to have these presents instead of a child of her own, delivered still in murmured voices, Olivia hugged them tightly and answered, “You three are my children.” This proclamation brought relief and an overwhelming feeling of love to the Quagmires.

Hector gave all three triplets a common place notebook. He was looking over the side of the mobile home when Esmé Squalor shot a harpoon gun through their old notebook and he hadn't forgotten the look of utter disappointment that Isadora and Duncan both wore. Some of that was due to their hard work and research being ruined before their friends could learn the secrets of VFD, but it was also in great due to their personal notebooks being ruined in front of them. Though they squealed with excitement over being able to record notes again, Hector stated: “I am so sorry I couldn’t do more yet. They are still on back-pay at the store, and this is all I could afford for now. But in addition to this, I would like to cook you all whatever meals you want. For this entire week, you can each take turns and I will make anything you ask for.”

“French toast?” Duncan asked with a crooked grin. 

“Done. You just tell me the fruit you want on top of it,” Hector smiled, ruffling the kid’s hair.

“These are perfect, Hector, thank you very, very much,” the triplets thanked him with overlapping words and hugs.

The Queequeg crew’s household was also strapped for spending money, and they decided to purchase three books for the triplets as a group: a collection of poems by Mirza Ghalib for Isadora, a biography on the journalist Ida Tarbell for Duncan, and a biography on cartographer George Philip for Quigley. The triplets adored these books and found themselves unable to wait for their company to depart before they flipped through the pages of their respective books. Remembering their manners though, they jumped around each other and hugged all six members of the Queequeg crew, thanking them sincerely.

Dinner that evening was loud; the seven children all yelled over one another with bright elation. Hector and Olivia prepared a dinner of enchiladas and elote with tres leches cake for their celebratory dessert,. The meal was delicious as expected. Fernald and Phil volunteered to clear the dishes (though technically based on the previous weekend's poker game, that was Duncan's job) and Olivia approached the triplets with a grin. She gathered them in another hug and told them, "I know you could not be with your family for your birthday, but I hope you were still able to enjoy your special day.

"But we are," Duncan spoke softly, lowering his head with heavy lashes. Despite his attempt to hide the tears from his voice, Olivia heard. "You are our family. Everyone here is part of our family."

Olivia gently hooked her finger under his chin and lifted his face. "Thank you for saying that. We all love you very much." As the weeks pressed on since they first found her at Briny Beach, professing their love for one another had become much easier, nearly habit like it was when their mother and father were living. It was said before bed and before departure for work. It was said when the triplets were sad and when Olivia felt heartbroken. It was said often these days and it was always meant.

"This is all so perfect. We can never thank you enough for putting this together for us, but we will try. Thank you so very much," Isadora smiled and wrapped her arms around Olivia. Her brothers followed.

When they returned to the kitchen, Fiona appeared nervous. Her cheeks were stained pink and she approached the doorway in which the triplets stood.

"Isadora, I would like a chance to speak to you privately," Fiona whispered in her ear. Isadora allowed Fiona to pull her up the stairs and into the triplet's room. She scuffed her toes along the floor and bit her lip. "There is actually something else that I have for you."

"Something else? You already gave me a present." Though she was surprised, Isadora was unable to hide her excitement at the promise of another gift.

"Oh that?" Fiona waved her arm away with a chuckle and guided Isadora to the edge of the bed, where the later sat down. Fiona then backed away and stood in the center of the room, holding a piece of paper in front of her face and hiding all but her forehead from Isadora. "I have more. Now remember, I am no poet like you are, but I wrote this for you..." She took a slow, deep breath before continuing.

"Your eyelashes are the moon in the sky,

Believe me now for I would never lie.

Your smile is the soothing touch of satin,

And your lips make me cry out in Latin.

They say April rain brings a May flower,

But we know better now given our many'a hour,

That you are the brightest petal on this planet.

No one dares disagree else I would ban it.

We adore you like the sun up above,

And this feeling we hold for you is love.

This is my long-winded way to say,

I wish you a lovely happy birthday."

Fiona's cheeks were warm and she slowly peeked up above the paper when the end of her poem was met with initial silence. She saw Isadora's eyes shining with unshed tears and a wide open-mouthed smile decorated her face. After another beat of complete silence, Isadora whispered, "I love it so much. You wrote that for me and I absolutely love it so much." Her words brought visible relief to Fiona as she lowered the paper.

Fiona stepped timidly toward Isadora and repeated, "Happy birthday, Isadora."

"That is the most beautiful gift I have ever received-the most beautiful gift anyone could ever possibly receive. Thank you so much." Isadora ran a stunned hand through her own hair and stood up to levelly face Fiona. "You have made this the perfect birthday, and I had no idea that was even possible this year. Fiona, I have adored every moment we have spent together, and I wanted to ask you something." She paused for a deep breath and her eyes bounced from Fiona's curious face to the ceiling and then back. She repeated this nervous action twice more before finally clearing her throat and asking, "Fiona, I really like you and I was wondering, would you like to be my girlfriend?"

Now Fiona's jaw dropped with surprise and a startled chuckle fell from her lips. She stepped forward and nodded quickly, "Yes, I-yes, that sounds perfect. Yes."

With a squeal of excitement that would have embarrassed her if she were not giddy with joy, Isadora closed the space between them and wrapped her arms around Fiona. After they pulled apart from the hug, Isadora asked curiously, "Who is the 'we' in the poem?"

Fiona smiled fondly. "It is everyone who has the privilege to be around you." Isadora covered her face and giggled at that.

"Fiona, can I kiss you?" Isadora asked after she dragged her hands down her face, and Fiona smiled widely. She leaned forward and their lips were pressed together.

Chapter Text

After their birthday guests departed from Olivia’s house, Isadora was left alone to face her family while wearing the widest grin any of them had ever seen on her. She reported that she was now officially dating Fiona and the house was filled with sounds of joy. Her entire family celebrated as Olivia hugged her tightly and Hector cheered for her with arms raised toward the sky. Duncan and Quigley laughed with glee and teased her for her new love. Isadora couldn’t help the tears that flowed down her face while they adored the news, but she didn’t feel ashamed while trying to hide them. And life was perfect.

August finally arrived, as felt in the cooling breeze outside and seen on the changing trees, and Olivia offered to homeschool the children. At first, Quigley seemed disappointed to miss out on attending school again, but that dissipated when his siblings relayed more horror tales of their own days at Prufrock Preparatory School. As the two Quagmires put it, it was the "worse school ever."

“They did what to you?” Quigley asked with a gasp when Duncan finished his story about the pinching crabs in the wooden orphan shack, accented with mimicking claws with his hands. The Quagmire triplets sat at the kitchen table eating cereal when the subject of education was brought up. School was a topic that frequently found its way to the kitchen table these days due to the quickly-approaching deadline. Hector was already at work and Olivia was in her bedroom getting ready for work, so the Quagmires discussed their boarding school alone that morning.

“Quig, we’ve already told you about our time at school,” Isadora stated matter-of-fact as she took a sip of orange juice. Duncan nodded in agreement, obviously just as unenthusiastic about reliving those frustrating days, even if that very school did lead them to meeting Olivia and the Baudelaires.

“Please tell me again,” Quigley begged with a small pout. It had been many months now since he last heard the specific stories, and he wished to hear them again just to be shocked and appalled once more before they made their final decision. He knew his parents would never allow such a terrible place to have them if they were living. The complete lack of a competent principal alone would seal the deal of that decline. But Quigley found their stories to be just as thrilling as they were dreadful. “Just once more. And then we can make a decision about homeschooling. I promise.” He held up a pinky finger for emphasis, though his siblings remained entirely unimpressed.

“We already made our decision,” Duncan nodded to Isadora, who lifted her chin in defiance. Quigley just frowned and waited anyway, knowing they would fold. “Quigley, you don’t really want to hear about it again, do you?” But his brother nodded hurriedly, and just as he had expected, his siblings catered to that request. Not ten minutes later, his mouth had fallen ajar with horror.

“They tied your hands behind your back?”

“Yes, while we ate lunch! It was horrible. And we couldn’t spill any food on our clothes because we didn’t have access to the laundry room.” Isadora shuttered at the memory, recalling scrubbing at small marks on her school blazer throughout the night. The last thing they wanted was the teacher publicly chastising them, and Carmelita already criticized them relentlessly. They didn't want her insults about their appearance to hold any truth.

“And if you were late for lunch, they took away your cups?” Quigley asked with a hand pressed over his mouth to muffle the words. The nonsensical punishments never ceased to stun him.

“Yes, and they poured water all over the tray instead,” Duncan clarified before adding in a quiet voice, “I could have sworn we told you about this.”

“You definitely did not tell me about that one. Sounds completely sadistic.” Quigley answered with a shake of his head, and his siblings whole-heartedly agreed. Quickly sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, humming in contemplation. “Okay fine,” he decided with a finalized nod. “Homeschooling it is. Public school sounds disgusting anyway.”

“It is disgusting, Quig. But enough of that. It upsets Olivia when we talk about this." The conversation of school used to come up often in the household because that was how Olivia initially met the two Quagmires, and they all left that building with horrible trauma and the topic always tasted sour. "Plus this way, we get to hang out with Olivia way more and keep our jobs,” Isadora chirped with a smile. Between everyone working and trying to enjoy the last few weeks of summer sun before Fall fell upon them, they found fewer moments in the day to spend with their guardian. As was perfect for their plans of homeschooling, Olivia was off during the day and worked evening shifts at the library, nearly the opposite of Hector’s schedule that required he work in the morning and afternoon; but he was free in the evenings for dinner. As it so happens, Hector being available for dinner has led to the Quagmires learning new recipes and creating their own interesting meals.

Olivia was thrilled to purchase the appropriate curriculum and teach the Quagmires herself. While working at the preparatory school, she was only permitted to work as the librarian for a handful of minutes per day before she was forced to serve lunches instead of her dream to teach and learn with books. Teaching children as brilliant and eager to learn as the Quagmires was very exciting.

Spending time with the triplets was an added benefit.

It was decided that Fiona and the snow scouts would join them in homeschooling after Fiona expressed anxiety over returning to public school for the first time in several years (residing in a submarine didn’t allow her the opportunity to attend any in-person classes, though she continued her studies even after her step-father’s untimely disappearance; if asked, she couldn’t deny the ratio of information learned leaned heavily toward the study of fungi). They were all relieved to avoid the dangers of the school system.

When school finally began, Olivia requested the Quagmires limit their own work to the weekends. School could feel overwhelming without the added responsibility of a job, but the triplets still liked the work and they begged to continue. And as agreed upon, they worked only on the weekends. Fiona and the scouts gathered in Olivia’s living room for school each week day, bringing their notebooks and pencils and feeling eager to learn.

As the trees changed color from a mossy green to vivid reds and oranges, a light breeze accompanied the oncoming season, and the Quagmires were once again wearing Olivia’s larger sweaters for warmth. They completed their homework-though Duncan noted dutifully that all of their schoolwork was homework since that’s where they did it-by a roaring fireplace, and Olivia made them hot chocolate.

Isadora and Fiona found free time together when they finished their schoolwork and sat on the back patio to watch the waves crash into the shore. They talked about the things they love with the soothing sound of the beach playing its chords in the background. Fiona admitted how lucky she felt, despite the difficulties following her throughout her time on this planet, because all of her life-the good and the very bad-led her directly to meeting Isadora. Isadora admitted that she often thought of a lot of things changing, particularly the death of her parents and the suffering that befell her brothers and the Baudelaires, but the thing she would never change was the opportunity to meet Fiona and then find her again against all odds. They held hands and watched as the afternoon sky turned to evening and lit up with bright pinks and oranges for the setting of the cooled sun.

Thanksgiving passed with warmth and food; a day celebrated together at Olivia’s house that was filled with loud laughter. And after their incredible meal, the Quagmires assisted Olivia in procuring a pine tree to decorate with strung cranberries and small twinkling lights for the upcoming holiday.

December came with a brush of cold air and a steady breeze that wormed its way deep into their bones. One particularly frigid day, the Quagmires were sitting at the kitchen table assisting Hector in preparing their dinner. Isadora peeled the potatoes, Duncan chopped the carrots, and Quigley diced an onion while Hector sang in Spanish and seasoned chunks of chicken for the soup. Isadora asked him to tell them about his Christmas celebrations growing up.

He hummed for a moment before answering, “Well, for the entirety of my life, up until just last year, I was stuck in a town that doesn’t believe in using machines, or basic science for that matter. So my Christmases were never very interesting in that sense, save the actual day of. My parents and I sang Spanish Christmas carols and we danced on the back porch.” He chuckled softly with the memory. “My mother and father told me they used to watch the fireworks on Christmas though, before they moved to the VFD village.”

“Fireworks?” Duncan asked in awe, scooting closer to him with excitement. “I thought they only did those in July.”

“Not in Mexico. They celebrated Christmas by lighting the sky with green, red, and blue. I never got to experience it myself, but they said from the sixteenth all of the way up until Christmas Eve, they would perform Posada together. And while I was growing up, we did our own version. We lit candles in the night and made paper lanterns for the porch.”

“Paper lanterns?” Isadora sat up with interest. “Those sound nice, can we do that?”

Hector smiled widely, cheeks pink and giddy with eyes wide in delightful surprise. “You want to make paper lanterns with me?” The very idea that he could carry on his own family traditions with his new family brought him unfathomable joy. “I would love that. I’ll get some supplies this weekend and we will be all ready on the sixteenth.”

The Quagmires informed Olivia of the exciting news that evening after she returned home from work, and she rejoiced alongside them. When asked about her own Christmases growing up, she admitted that her parents were more relaxed about their own celebrations compared to typical tradition. "Normal Romanian Christmases," she told them, "required that families decorate Christmas trees on the eve only, but my mother always loved the way the lights looked in the window at night. So we decorated on the first of October for her sake. And after December hit, we listened to carols on the record player up until the big day. Even several days after Christmas, we kept our tree up and shining brightly for my mother. I think the darker skies weighed heavy on her mind, and so this helped."

"I love our tree," Isadora murmured, watching the twinkling lights with a look of appreciation. "I think your mama would have loved it too."

Olivia wrapped an arm around his shoulder and whispered into her hair, "I think you are right."

When the sixteenth finally arrived, the Quagmires sat at the kitchen table and watched with wide eyes as Hector demonstrated how to fold the paper. Olivia poured hot chocolate and they all made paper lanterns. The first several were crooked and flimsy, but Hector praised every single one. And when he strung them up around the living room, kitchen, and porch, the house began to feel more and more like a celebration itself.

The following week, Fiona came to visit with her brother, Phil, and the snow scouts. They loved the paper lanterns and wished to learn how to make them too. This led to the entire household sitting and standing around the kitchen table as Hector showed them step by step how to create the lantern. Fiona sat by Isadora, who smiled and held her hand under the table. Fernald had made a crack about how Fiona's lanterns would look better if she used two hands, but Fiona shot back that Fernald was doing fine enough with no hands, and the room was filled with laughter.

"How did you all celebrate the holidays?" Quigley asked them, pressing the paper down in front of him to create a green lantern.

Fernald wrapped an arm around Fiona’s shoulders and smiled widely, pulling her close to him. “Next week we will be celebrating Bara Din in honor of Jinnah-the founder of Pakistan. It is all about love, joy, and sharing.”

Fiona nodded eagerly. "Our mother always emphasized celebrating this holiday, and we will finally have the opportunity to continue that this year. You all are welcome to come; we will have so much food! Pitha rice cakes and payesh. It is delicious!" Hector loved the opportunity to expand his culinary expertise and he agreed before anyone else could even speak. “You all will love it so much. When we were really little, or I guess I was little and Fernald was about our age, we used to wait up all night waiting for Christmas Baba to show up-and my mom would walk around the house and ring a bell just to excite us,” Fiona shared cheerfully, and Fernald subtly wiped a tear from his eye. “But then, she would wake us up for vigil mass the next morning, and the whole house would smell like cakes. We begged her to take some to eat during mass and she always let us. It was amazing!”

"That sounds beautiful," Isadora smiled lightly, feeling misty-eyed herself. And Fiona agreed.

Phil and the snow scouts shared their own personal celebratory memories. And the house was merry despite the frigid weather.

On Christmas Eve, the Quagmires sat in the dark living room and watched the twinkling lights climbing up the Christmas tree with Olivia and Hector. The lights bounced off the purple skin of the cranberries, shimmering darkly along the branches. It was magical.

"You all asked us about our Christmases growing up," Olivia murmured softly, running a hand through Duncan's hair who was nearly asleep at this point. "But we want to hear about yours now. Please tell us about your Christmases."

Quigley smiled widely, eyes still glued to the lights. "They were so much fun. Our mom would always wake us up for hot chocolate the night before Christmas Eve, even after we already brushed our teeth. We all sat together in the living room and watched A Christmas Carol until the sun came up. And even though we did it every single year, Dad would tell us that he found a surprise waiting for us under the tree-he said an elf brought it even though we were old enough to know better. And every year, we found matching pajamas for all of us-even Mom and Dad. And every year, we put them on and spent the entire day making pies and cookies."

"Dad always made the best snickerdoodle cookies," Duncan informed them in a soft whisper. "Mom complained they had too much sugar, but I thought they were perfect."

"They were perfect," Isadora agreed. "And Mom always made the best chocolate and cherry pie. I didn't even know I liked cherries until she made those pies. The house smelled incredible when they started baking, it spread all of the way up to the attic and everything."

"And they started letting us help a few years ago, but somehow we still got flour all over our aprons. Dad said that was part of baking though, and I think he purposefully got extra flour on his own shirt right after that, just to support his point," Quigley continued.

"It was definitely on purpose," Isadora snickered.

"We would all carry a pie or a plate of cookies and then walk around the town and give them to the neighbors. They all said there was a tradition to return the favor with sweets of their own so we walked back with food that seemed like twice what we had initially brought."

"Miss Caroline made the best brownies," Duncan noted.

"I believe it, love," Olivia continued to card her fingers through his hair, until his eyelids fluttered closed.

"But after that, after we got back home again, that is when we really saw who our parents were. We sorted through clothes for stuff we didn't wear, and we searched the pantry for canned foods and unopened boxes. Dad looked through the garage for unused batteries and Mom would collect blankets from around the house. And then when we had bags and bags full of stuff, they would take us to the local shelters. And we watched as they gave these poor families so much stuff that we didn't even remember that we had. And the families cried," Quigley's voice became tight at the last syllable. "The parents cried when they held up the new sweaters to their children's chests, already shoving new socks on their feet and hats over their ears. Their children cried when they saw the tears on their parents' faces. They all cried. And then, my parents would cry. And for so long, I didn't understand why they were crying. It was Christmas and they got presents. It isn't like we cried when we opened our gifts." He swallowed hard now, feeling the tug of tears at his throat. "But I get it now. I understand why they cried when they received that small shred of hope for a better tomorrow, even in the form of a sweater for their child. Because last year at Christmas, I was all alone, either in the mountains or Doctor Montgomery's house, I didn't even know the date. But wherever I was, I didn't think I would ever have an opportunity like this again-where I could be with my family on Christmas. And so those tears in the shelters were for new hope. And I feel that now," He turned from the tree to face his family now, tear streaks shining on his face and reflecting the blinking lights. His chest felt heavy, and his mouth was dry. He was met with glistening eyes around the room.

Olivia was quiet for a beat until she whispered back in a voice tinted with tears of her own, "We are so happy to have you here." And Quigley stood up from his place by the tree before walking over to Olivia and wrapping his arms around her neck. He relished in the feeling of warmth as she hugged him back.

"Christmas was really wonderful too," Isadora spoke up in a soft voice. "We woke up really early on that day too, at first for Santa and then later on, it was for our parents. Dad would make hot chocolate for breakfast with cinnamon, and we ate apple pancakes. And then we would sing and play the entire day-with them, too! They were always so happy on Christmas. We all were." Isadora faced Hector and Olivia, and provided them with a sad smile. "I know that is nothing exciting or different than what most families around here do. But it was incredible."

Hector motioned her toward him and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, holding her close. Duncan slept soundly on the far side of Olivia, leaning heavily on her shoulder.

Christmas Eve came and went with five presents tucked safely under the tree. When they opened the gifts after dinner, the Quagmires were excited to see the matching pajamas, the same green and yellow pattern as the ones in the presents marked for Olivia and Hector, who smiled to each other with triumph when they saw how excited the triplets were. And when Christmas finally arrived, the Quagmires jumped out of their room and descended the stairs clad in their matching pajamas.

“Merry Christmas!” Olivia called with excitement from the kitchen, and the Quagmires bounced forward to wrap their arms around her middle.

“Feliz Navidad!” Hector offered in turn from his place by the stove, and the triplets hugged him next. They both wore matching pajamas too. And with a big sniff, the triplets discovered why their guardians were in the kitchen so early on a Christmas morning.

"Apple pancakes!" Isadora cheered with excitement.

"And hot chocolate," Quigley added, mouth watering as he stared at the stove. They sat down around the table and the adults served breakfast.

They had each just finished their first pancake when Olivia sat down at the table with them. She twisted her fingers anxiously and her eyebrows were furrowed. The Quagmires stopped eating, and looked to her waiting for the reason why she was feeling so worried.

"Isadora, Duncan, and Quigley," she began, and the triplets chewed at their lips. It wasn't often that their names were each spoken like this, individual rather than clumped together as 'Quagmires' or 'triplets.' But Olivia spoke their names in turn, aloud, and they froze in response. "I have thought a lot about this, and I would like the opportunity to finally talk to the three of you. Now, of course this does not mean I am trying to replace anyone or carry a title that I do not deserve. I hope each of you remember that and know it because I would never dream of making any of you feel uncomfortable." She stopped and took a long, deep breath, feeling the refresher in her lungs and steadying her heartbeat and hands alike. "I would very much love to... to adopt you." The Quagmires were stunned silent. "Of course, if you are interested in this, you wouldn't have to change your last name if you don't want to. Names are identity, and no one is allowed to strip you of that. You can keep Quagmire, or we could all hyphenate our last names. Or you also don't have to say yes to this at all." And with another deep breath, she finally paused, and looked out at the young faces before her-the faces of the triplets whom she loved dearly. She felt Hector watching them with anticipation of his own.

And after the silence seemed to stretch to a distance challenging that of the mileage from the earth to the moon, Isadora whispered in a slightly squeaky voice with surprise and shock, "You... you want to adopt us?"

A smile broke across Olivia's face, and she nodded quickly. "Yes, I would love to adopt all three of you. If you would allow that."

And for their answer, the triplets jumped up from their seats and ran to Olivia, crashing into her body with a large hug that expelled the breath from her lungs. She reached out and around the children to draw them in impossibly closer, and she began to cry. They cried with her, too hard to accept her offer with words, though that's exactly what they did.

The actual Christmas celebration passed by in a blur for the adults, finding the hours too short and the sun too flaky. For the children, the day seemed to go on forever, opening presents to see Olivia and Hector made crocheted, warm blankets for the entire family. The triplets worked together to buy Hector a new deck of cards with crows printed across the front, and for Olivia they bought a newly printed copy of For Whom the Bell Tolls, by Ernest Hemingway. This cover was golden with blue and red flowers sprawled across the cover.

They exchanged gifts with Fiona and her family as well. Fiona wrote another poem for Isadora, apologizing sincerely as something free was all she could afford, but Isadora loved it with all of her heart. And in return, Isadora had practiced cross-stitch like Oliva taught her, and she threaded a mushroom on soft fabric for Fiona-titling it as Coatrack Mushroom, a gift that brought a laugh to Fiona's lips and tears to her eyes.

And when New Years Eve finally arrived, they all sat on the chilled beach, bundled tightly in sweaters and blankets, and they watched the fireworks shoot up from the city in celebration for the new year. And it was a new year, the Quagmires knew. A new year for more happy memories with their new family.

By the start of springtime, school had begun again and everyone got back into their normal routine of homework, learning, and working on the weekends.

“Children,” Olivia called for attention on one particularly warm spring evening. She sat in the living room on the couch with Isadora and Hector, while Quigley and Duncan laid across the carpeted floor. “I can hardly imagine that you have been here for an entire year with us and brightening our lives," she smiled and nodded toward Hector. "These last several months have been absolutely magnificent. I couldn’t imagine my life now without the three of you, and you too, Hector.” Hector smiled. “Thank you all for each day that you have given to me and for every smile and laugh that I am graced enough to experience. You all mean so much to me, and I love you dearly.”

They didn't know what brought this on until they found she was holding a photograph of her mother and father-one they had seen before.

Isadora hugged her first, since she was the closest, but before they could even blink, the boys had hopped up and joined in. The triplets felt so honestly happy and comfortable in their new lives and they enjoyed celebrating that with Olivia and Hector. They were all relishing in the feeling of being hugged and held, a feeling only interrupted when Olivia asked with a wide grin, "And what should we eat tonight?"

“Pizza!” Duncan announced with his arms raised in celebratory triumph. everyone agreed quickly, and the order for two supreme pizzas was placed.

They were congregated in the living room before dinner was called because Isadora had suggested they watch a movie, voted to be Captain’s Courageous. And just as the beginning credits rolled, there was a firm knock at the door. Exclaiming that the delivery was quicker than expected, Quigley volunteered to answer the door. He accepted a few bills from Olivia and walked over to the front door.

“Make sure you tell them the rest of that money is a tip,” Olivia called to him with a smile.

“Yes, ma’am,” Quigley called back behind his shoulder and wrapped a hand around the doorknob. He felt in moments like this that life really was good again, that he really was allowed to feel happy. He mourned for his parents and he missed Jacques Snicket. The loss felt too big most of the time, but being surrounded by his siblings, Olivia, and Hector always helped him feel like he could breathe again. And participating in movie nights with takeout was always exciting.

He opened the door and found himself looking into the eyes of Violet Baudelaire.

Chapter Text

Three days prior...

“Vi, is this really a good idea?” Klaus asked with a slight groan. He leaned back in the small rowboat and tightened the jacket around Beatrice’s small shoulders as the frustrating wood of the edge dug into his back. The rays of sunlight licked at their cheeks and arms, brushing against their tanned skin and borrowed clothing. The weather was surprisingly warm around them, providing slight relief despite entering the treacherous ocean once more so shortly after winter ended and spring began.

"Of course it is," Violet stated, her voice firm with feigned confidence that none of them really possessed. Her tone didn't fool anyone and Sunny even shot her sister a knowing look as she settled into the boat herself.

Klaus countered, "But we don't have your steering mechanism anymore. Or my tidal charts."

"Or my food," Sunny reported sadly.

Violet sat back and looked across the boat at her siblings, frowning. "I can make another steering invention to get us home from the supplies the female Finnish pirates lent us. They taught us how to use the stars to find our way home, so we don't need the tidal charts anymore-it is okay that they were lost to the sea. Sunny, they were also generous enough to give us food. You can make another black bean and mango salad for us with the ingredients they gave us, right?" Her siblings only grimaced in apprehension. "I know this is stressful, and I know this is scary. But the four of us are safe and we are still together. There aren't any storms on the horizon and we are finally going home."

"What home?" Klaus murmured, gaze dropping. "We should have stayed with the pirates, at least we would have had a home with them."

Violet sighed as the boat fell silent. They all felt frustrated since their initial departure from the island, attitudes only worsening once they left the promised safety of the pirates. But Violet knew it was time to return to the mainland. She understood Kit's wish for her child to be raised surrounded by the bustling life of the city and other humans-rather than just three siblings and sheep on the comfortable island. And though they had each fallen into the blissful routine of island-life, she made the decision to bring her siblings back to reality, no matter what harm they may meet on the way. Life on the sea was also tempting, but she couldn't fool herself into thinking it was appropriate for what Kit asked of them. Violet hoped her parents would be proud of her for the decisions she made, and she clung to that shred of confidence as she took a deep breath.

"We were lucky to find the pirates, and we were very fortunate that they even agreed to help us after our boat was shattered in the storm. We cannot waste that generosity," Violet finally declared. "So we will use the tools they gave us, and we will bring Beatrice to the mainland for all of us to make a home. Maybe next year, we can sail out and find the pirates for a visit-they gave us their travel maps for the next few years." And though it had been over a year since she saw his face, Violet thought of Quigley and his knack for map-reading.

"It's a good thing they were so impressed with your Devil's Tongue knot," Klaus whispered with a hint of a smile, and Violet relaxed at the sudden positive turn in conversation. Her siblings were exhausted and the tension was tiptoeing on everyone's nerves. "We were safe due to your cleverness, Violet. That is the reason they trusted us."

"They trusted us because we are good people who needed help-their help," Violet corrected. "They read people like they do the sky, and they read us for who we are."

"And no newspaper," Sunny quipped with a sneaky smile.

"And there is no newspaper delivered in the ocean, that's true, Sunny," Violet agreed with a nod. She often wondered what their parents would think if they had to see the photos of their three children in the newspaper-accused of being children actor murderers. They would know better of course, because their parents always knew better, but she still wondered what that conversation would be like.

"Actors? Can you believe it, Bertrand? They called our babies child actors?" Violet could nearly hear her mother asking with faux shock, lounging over the couch and hiding her smile with the newspaper. "The absolute nerve of it all?"

And then Violet could see the shadow of her father pursing his lips to keep from laughing himself, sitting in the armchair and shaking his finger innocuously at his children. "Didn't we teach you better? Next thing you know, Beatrice, they will become optometrists. Or even worse... optimists!"

Violet missed her parents so much, and the vanishing thoughts left a heavy hole in her chest.

They watched in silence as the large pirate ship disappeared from the horizon with a longing sadness occupying each Baudelaire heart. The decision to decline the Finnish pirates' offer to join them permanently in their quest had been very difficult, but creating a stable life for Beatrice II was what they had agreed to. Violet closed her eyes in exhaustion as Sunny began to examine the food they were gifted. Klaus was telling Beatrice stories, and Violet had plenty of time to create a steering device later. So she closed her eyes and allowed her thoughts to drift away to the day they were fortunate enough to meet the female Finnish pirates.

***

It had been a full week since they celebrated Beatrice's first birthday and decided it was time to leave the safe, isolated island. The prospect of staying on the warm land that became their home was tempting, but resuming their real lives unfortunately did not include remaining in isolation. They all needed to be around people again, no matter how much trouble people had caused them. Most important, they needed to see for themselves the aftermath taking place after Olaf's troupe and the horrible pair from the mountain stuck their metaphorical fingers into the pie that was their lives. So they moved on from the island in the morning with plenty of supplies and courage. They felt the hot sun on their faces and the sadness for their loss of comfort in their hearts. But they each had a sense of excitement for their oncoming adventure.

That excitement didn't last very long.

Shortly after the island disappeared from their sights, dangerous, daunting waves picked up and the small boat was rocked dangerously from side to side. The Baudelaires groaned in frustration.

"Seriously?" Klaus snapped to nobody in particular. He was angry at the horrible sea and their hateful fate, if a fate could even be hateful. "Again with this?"

Before Violet had the opportunity to respond, an incredibly large wave crashed into the side of the boat and Sunny Baudelaire was thrown into the sea with a short screech. Klaus quickly dove in after her, not bothering to shuck off the heavy coat that he believed to have belonged to his father during his time on the island. Violet watched from above, holding the baby Beatrice close to her chest as her throat tightened with the threat of a scream herself. She held that breath and felt her heart pounding away at her rib cage until Klaus resurfaced, hugging a soaking Sunny tightly against his body. Relief flooded Violet quickly and she let out a shout of joy as Beatrice followed suit with arms raised high.

"Whoops," Sunny murmured, grinning up at her older sister as a rocking wave threatened to wash over her head again. "Fell."

"Sun, we have to be more careful," Klaus gasped around the salt water and he lifted his sister up until she clung onto the edge of the small boat named after their mother. Violet reached out with her free arm and assisted Sunny in climbing aboard. She then gripped the boat in an attempt to steady it as Klaus pulled himself up. "The waves are getting worse," he warned, collapsing as he looked out over the sea's heightening horizon and shivered. Violet reached across the boat and wrapped Sunny in a warm blanket.

"We've survived worse," Violet remarked and the three siblings thought back to their dangerous journey across Lake Lachrymose to Curdled Cave during the severe Hurricane Herman. She looked out at her brother and sister with pride as she was reminded of their bravery since the passing of their parents. She never would have imagined the problems they were forced to face in the past two years of their lives, but she was thankful for their company along the way.

Klaus chuckled and shucked his wet jacket from his shoulders before unbuttoning the top of his shirt. "I'm not too keen on repeating that though. Will our lives ever be normal again?"

"Normal?" Sunny asked, pondering what 'normal' even meant anymore as she pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders. She had known so little of a normal life, already being so young when their worlds changed on that beach.

"Maybe not normal," Klaus relented. Violet draped another warm blanket around his shoulders and he hugged it tightly around him. "But how about just safe? Can't we hope for that at the very least?"

"Absolutely," Violet smiled. "Hope is a very good thing to have. I know we were safe on the island, but we will make it our own again on the mainland."

"Do you think we will see Justice Strauss?" Klaus asked absently in a soft voice, though he already knew Violet's answer. The Baudelaires had pondered whether or not Justice Strauss survived the hotel fire countless times since their initial arrival on the island.

And just like always, Violet answered now, "I don't know, but I hope so. We can hope for Justice Strauss and safety." With the thought of safety and progress in mind, Violet pulled up her hair with a small ribbon she kept from the island. Her family watched her with interest as she began to assemble the pieces of gear and metal she brought to create a means of steering. The waves were still heavy, but no longer threatening, and Sunny thought it best to make dinner before the sky became too dark. She opened the can of black beans and Klaus handed her a mango. Beatrice slapped her palms against the side of the wood and babbled a rhythmic song she had made up, bringing a smile to the faces of Violet and Klaus alongside the memory of Sunny doing nearly the same thing not that long ago.

Klaus stretched out beside Beatrice and closed his eyes. The boat had succumbed to a peaceful quiet, lulled by the sound of waves, when Sunny spoke out.

"Shiver me timbers!" Sunny shouted, and Klaus's eye snapped wide with alert. He sat up quickly and looked out into the ocean. To his complete surprise, he found a large ship on the horizon, moving quickly and right toward them.

"I wonder who this could be," Violet whispered. The last time someone in a boat came to her and her siblings while they were sailing on their own, it turned out to be Captain Sham and his crew. Which, of course, was Count Olaf and his troupe wearing their latest disguises. She knew he was dead now. She even helped bury his body. But that didn't settle the nausea flooding her stomach at the memory of Aunt Josephine being case from their boat by Olaf's murderous hands.

The ship approached rapidly, growing larger by the second and sending rattling waves toward their smaller boat. Time slowed greatly, and before the four could comprehend what was happening, their small boat was boarded and they were being dragged up by strong arms. The Baudelaires yelled and struggled as they were carried into the ship, and Beatrice cried loudly. Violet turned around at the last moment to see a large wave split the wood of their boat and swallow up the pieces, and though she didn't know what these strangers would do, she was relieved they were no longer on the little boat.

They stood in the middle of the ship, huddled together and under the watchful eyes of the Finnish pirate crew. The cold wood was wet under their feet from a recent rain that hadn't dried yet and the wind sunk through their clothing. The Baudelaires remembered that rain, as they had been forced to huddle under blankets to avoid it. Violet kept a hand on Sunny's shoulder to remind them both that they were still together despite their frightening situation. Klaus held Beatrice close to his chest, turned away from the pirates.

"Introduce yourselves," the first pirate demanded as she stepped forward and raised an eyebrow. She wore large, poofy pirate pants and a dark, slim-fitted shirt. Long gold jewelry dangled from her neck and ears, and to the Baudelaire's surprise, her nose. "Who are you?"

"I am Violet Baudelaire," Violet stated in a strong voice that stretched across the quiet ship. "These are my siblings: Klaus, Sunny, and Beatrice."

"You four are too young," another woman cooed, smiling widely, and she appeared to be kind. "What are you doing out in these waters alone? Didn't you see the storm? It was coming right for your boat, and you weren't taking any precautions."

"Storm? The waters were finally calm," Violet shook her head in disbelief.

"That's always the first sign," the first pirate stated plainly , crossing her arms over her chest. "Your boat is in ruins. If we got to you even a second later, you four would have joined it at the bottom of the ocean."

"Ruins?" Klaus asked in a soft, surprised voice.

"Look for yourself," she offered, waving a hand toward the side of the boat. Violet stayed still with a careful eye on their hosts as her siblings moved toward the edge and peeked over the side. "You, Ms. Violet Baudelaire," the pirate gazed back at Violet, firmly and chastising. "Why are you out here in the ocean?"

But before Violet could tell their story that led her and her siblings to that very ship, a large crack sounded. Everyone looked up and stared in horrified awe as the ratlines snapped and the large shroud to which they were clung began to tilt. Another creaking sound rang out and the pirates scattered, bustling forward in attempt to rectify the problem. They were surprised when Violet arrived at the base of the shroud first. She leapt through the air and climbed up the scratching material to the ripped area several feet off the ground. The ship dipped to the side with a heave, and Violet looked down to find her siblings as she clung viciously to the ropes. To her relief, the kind-appearing pirate had pulled all three of her siblings away from the edge of the ship and she was herding them toward the inside of the ship.

"No, Violet!" She heard Klaus cry out, distressed over the idea of leaving his sister out in the storm while he was forced inside. But she couldn't think of that yet.

She sucked in a deep breath and tied her hair up in the ribbon from around her wrist. The ship shook forcefully, threatening to knock her off the ship and into the sea, but Violet tugged the frayed ends of the rope together and tied them with expert precision. As soon as the ropes were joined once more, tight and taught, the sails filled with air and the ship righted itself. Everyone sighed a breath of relief. Violet climbed down the ratlines slowly, tightening a few more knots that threatened to split at any moment, until she carefully toed her way down to stand on the wet wood once more. She turned and found the pirates watching her, stunned.

"You." The first pirate spoke slowly with wide eyes and something akin to a proud expression. "You just performed a perfect Devil's Tongue knot."

"The work is gorgeous," another pirate murmured, peering with interest at the repaired ratline. "You are a bit of an expert."

"Very impressive." The first agreed. "I wasn't aware you four were Finnish pirates. Baudelaires, we would like to welcome you onto our ship. I am the captain, Anneli, and you may address me as such. Please come inside, and we will prepare you all with a change of clothes-even the baby."

Beatrice cooed.

Violet looked at her siblings and grimaced. Owning the compliment was tempting, but their lies and deciet had caused enough trouble at the Heimlich Hospital, even if they came with good intentions. So before accepting the help, Violet clarified, "We are not pirates. My siblings and I were living on an isolated island for a year, just the four of us with sheep and the occasional visit from a noble friend, the Incredibly Deadly Viper." The pirates gasped in fear at the name, looking around at each other as though they expected the snake to arrive just then. Violet added, "The name is a misnomer. The snake is perfectly friendly and harmless. But we are trying to travel back to the mainland to provide a normal lifestyle for the little one here, Beatrice. She was left with us with the instructions to care for her, and that is what we plan to do. The waves were rough, but I was unaware of the severity. You saved our lives, and we thank you for that."

"You are not pirates?" Anneli asked with bugging eyes. "But, that knot you performed? It was created by our family, centuries ago. And yours was impeccable."

Violet blushed softly under the compliment. "Thank you. It served us well over the past several months. It was the influence behind a knot I created myself-the Sumac Knot. Perhaps if you are interested, I could show you. "

Anneli smiled and nodded, "We would love that. Okay, children who are not Finnish pirates, please come inside. We still welcome you to dine with us and become dry. The winds are picking up, and the rain will start again soon. I believe our ratlines are in tip-top shape now, and that is thanks to you, Miss Violet Beaudelaire."

The siblings found themselves sitting in a darkened dining room with the smell of wood, tobacco, and wine surrounding them. Small flames flickered with heat to the side of them, and they felt that familiar relaxation from the island seep back in. They were provided fresh, clean clothes, and none of the Baudelaires could hide their excitement at the opportunity to dress as pirates for the journey. They were clad in poofing pants with clinging shirts and tall boots. None of them had their ears or noses pierced, and even though the activity was offered, they decided to stick with only accepting the golden necklaces. Violet taught the pirates the knot she created, something that they adorned heavily, while Klaus fed Beatrice, and Sunny took a nap by the fire. They heard the whipping wind and pounding rain from above them, but in the warmth and company, the storm didn't touch them.

"You four are brave to travel so far," Anneli commented, leaning back in her chair with a length of rope over her lap. Several attempts at the Sumac littered the floor around them, and she fumbled one between her fingers now as she gazed at Violet. "You are too young to be in such a position. Are you going home?"

Violet blinked in surprise. "I don't know. Honestly, I'm not sure we have a home yet."

Anneli nodded, seemingly expecting to hear this answer. "But you are traveling to the mainland anyway?" Violet nodded. "You four need a home. You are welcome to join our crew and become famous Finnish pirates. You and your siblings. You clearly have the bravery required for the position, and we could thrive with your addition to the ship."

Violet was flustered. Her eyes were wide and she sat up tall in her seat. She couldn't believe the pirates were asking that she and her siblings join their ship. She was reminded of Fiona Widdershins and her invitation to join the submarine crew, and her heart grew heavy. The thought of Fiona alone in the ocean and searching for her family caused an ache in her chest as she glanced over at her own.

"Before Beatrice's mother died," she whispered softly, and Anneli moved forward to hear her over the familial noise. "She asked that we never allow her baby to be alone. And we never plan on that. But I believe we should bring her to the mainland to live as normal as she can. At least for a while." Violet fell silent for a moment before sighing, "We want to give her something we haven't had in a long time. Stability."

Anneli nodded in understanding, which was more than Violet could ever hope for. She spoke to her siblings in private later, and they agreed with her plan to continue on to the mainland despite their invitation to live with the pirates.

"Kit would have wanted her living a normal life," Violet spoke aloud to convince herself. "She deserves a brick house with Christmas and Halloween. With pancakes and carpet. With music. Grass and trees outside her window. She deserves land."

They lived with the famous Finnish pirates for one full week until they decided they were ready to leave. Anneli promised the weather was decent, and she packed them the food for their long journey while each pirate hugged them firmly and whispered their goodbyes.

"We wish you well, Baudelaires." Anneli placed a comforting hand on Violet's cheek. "We hope to see you again. This is the map tracking our future endeavors. Read it well and keep it secret," she added with a wink as she handed the folded paper to Klaus. "And please come find us again."

The pirates provided them with a boat and fresh supplies as well as comfortable, warm clothing. The farewells were heart-felt and the Baudelaires ached severely when they watched the large ship move away without them, sailing toward the horizon.

***

“But maybe we should have stayed with the pirates," Klaus grumbled softly to himself. "They were so nice.”

Sunny nodded and held up the eye patch she had been gifted. The present was so exciting, she didn't even care that Captain Sham wore a similar garb in his disguise.

"They were very nice," Violet agreed. "But it was time for us to move on. We left that island to provide Beatrice with a semi-stable life, remember? And that isn’t really appropriate on a pirate ship."

“But a year contract to see the world sounded like a better idea...” Klaus shrugged sadly, hugging Beatrice close.

Violet couldn't disagree with that. But she tried to keep their spirits high as their travels continued once more. And after three long days in the sea on their own, with the aid of Violet's steering mechanism and with the treats of Sunny's design, they landed on the gritty shores of Briny Beach.

"This place," Violet whispered in mourning, bending down to pick up the familiar circular stone that had been dropped so long ago. A smudge of white chalk still decorated the top, despite the rain that fell so often. She couldn't believe the stone was still there after all of this time, but she noted with a grimace that she was also still here on Briny Beach, after all of this time. Violet closed her eyes and sighed. "I will admit, I was hoping to never see this place again."

"Our lives changed forever on this beach," Klaus noted sadly, looking down at the sand thoughtfully. Sunny nodded and held his hand. No matter how many months would pass them by, they knew they would always carry around the sadness of losing their parents at such an early age. But as they had before, they took a deep breath and left the beach.

The circular stone remained in the sand.

"I'm glad the sun is still out a little," Klaus admitted. "We can probably find a newspaper and maybe even borrow a phone book from a shop. If Justice Strauss is still living in the same house, she must want to see us again." He didn't mention she would only want to see them if she were still living, but his siblings understood that was part of the sorrowful statement anyway.

Klaus found an abandoned newspaper lying on a bench in the small beach town, and he opened it was vigor. He silently flipped through the pages while Violet helped Sunny and Beatrice adjust their salt-crusted pirate outfits. She hoped they would look somewhat presentable when they saw Justice Strauss.

"Violet, look!" Klaus gasped, jumping up from the bench and bounding toward his sisters with more energy than any of them had witnessed in many moons. He tilted the paper and showed her an article about the city library hours being extended and the addition of a book club to encourage engagement within the reading community.

"That is wonderful, Klaus," She admitted, "But hardly noteworthy. We can join the book club after we find a place to stay."

"Violet," Klaus stressed. "Look at the picture." And when Violet did, she gasped. Sunny stood up on her tiptoes to look at the photo, and when she saw the print she also gasped. "We know this woman from that horrible boarding school, remember?"

Violet's eyes were wide with surprise as she nodded. “Yes! What was her name again? Ms. Caliban?" Klaus nodded excitedly, and Violet skimmed through the article. "This states she lives right here in the town.” Sunny slipped away from the trio and shuffled away silently toward a nearby phone booth. “Should we visit her?”

“How would we find her?" Klaus grumbled. "The town is huge and I don’t think we should go around talking to many people. You remember when father told us that people always remember the bad news and forget the good? Our pictures were on the front page for some very bad news.”

“For a crime we didn’t commit," Violet corrected. "Ms. Caliban might believe us if we explain what really happened. She seemed both reasonable and noble, and she was well-read. That is always a positive characteristic.”

And just then, Sunny returned to their huddle and held up a large phone book for her siblings to see. She flipped through the thin, crinkling pages until she found the last name, Caliban, and she pointed at the only name present.

The address is scratched across the paper.

“What if she doesn’t remember us?” Klaus whispered anxiously.

“We only met her once, at school. And that was so long ago. Realistically, we should prepare for her not remembering us,” Violet replied honestly. “But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. Maybe she will know what really happened to Justice Strauss in the fire." Klaus and Sunny shared a glance. "I know it is scary, but we should go and find her. Everyone in?"

Her siblings nodded and Beatrice clapped twice. They walked into the nearest rest stop station and plucked a city map from the shelf containing brochures, pamphlets, and maps. At a quick glance, Sunny found their destination-a house just outside of the town by the water and far away from other houses. With deep breaths and fingers crossed tight for good luck, the Baudelaires made their way through the town, keeping their faces shielded and their gazes lowered to avoid any suspicious sightings. By the time the sun had set, they found themselves on the porch of the house, facing the front door. They heard the sounds of television and laughing inside, and a pang of uncomfortable guilt settled into the pit of Violet's stomach as she felt she was intruding on a family.

"Violet, what are you waiting for?" Klaus whispered.

She looked back at her siblings; Klaus was wide-eyed and anxious and Sunny appeared exhausted. Beatrice looked just as scared as the rest of them felt as she was resting her head on Klaus's shoulder. Violet knew they all deserved a home. They needed a home. She just wasn't sure where to find it.

But she raised her fist and knocked on the door, listening to the dull sounds of scurrying from the inside as someone was walking across the hard floors to answer her. The knob began to turn, and Violet released her held breath. When the door opened, she found herself looking into the eyes of Quigley Quagmire.

Chapter Text

Violet’s eyes widened and Quigley's jaw dropped in surprise. In a sharp second their surroundings vanished, leaving only the resonating vibrations of a short gasp falling from Quigley’s lips.

The pair had only experienced such a drastic slowing of time a handful of times in their short lives-Violet after learning about the death of her parents and the survival of Sunny on top of Mount Fraught, and Quigley when he discovered his siblings were still alive, though kidnapped, and again when he sat next to Violet on the icy ledge to share a private moment. But time stopped around them once more, the passage of events rendered meaningless with the sound of their friends and family reduced to a mere buzz in the back of their minds.

They were each witnessing a miracle in the other’s survival and presence.

“Quagmire,” Sunny noted helpfully, pointing at the boy before them and waving politely. Her toothy grin was bright in the darkening sky, and her gaze was knowing as it crawled from her sister to Quigley, and back again. Neither returned her look yet, and she didn't mind. Sunny would always carry a special place for this particular Quagmire in her heart, as he was a part of her rescue team in the frigid snow before they had even met. And despite her young age, the interesting connection between the triplet and her sister was not lost on Sunny. For these reasons, she did not poke fun at Violet’s sudden speechlessness. That same courtesy did not apply to Klaus, whom they heard snicker behind his fist.

"Quigley," Violet breathed after finally finding her voice, a sound so unbelievably light to Quigley. The exact melody was one he had nearly forgotten in their year apart, and though he had wished greatly for this reunion, it had nearly become a wistful daydream rather than a realistic possibility. Violet blinked when her senses returned in a startling flood of sensation. Sunny was gripping her hand, and Violet could feel Klaus crowded close behind her while Beatrice whined impatiently. The wind was chilling and she still needed dinner. Violet appreciated the warmth and support her siblings provided, though she wished for this particular reunion to take place privately. “I can’t believe it. I didn’t think I would ever see you again, not-”

“Not after the lab,” Quigley finished, agreeing with a near-frantic, shaky nod and eyes peeled wide. If he were honest with himself, he would admit that it was a wonder he could speak at all. His mouth was dry and his tongue felt heavy with his own surprise, and he thanked the stars above them that his words came out even remotely comprehensible. Quigley felt a heat at his palms and he rocked forward on his tip-toes. “I can’t believe you are here.”

“I can’t believe you are here,” Violet insisted with growing excitement. The glow of the entry way encompassing Quigley was warm and welcoming-successfully adding to the overwhelming joy she felt. “We were searching for Ms. Olivia Caliban, and we discovered this address.”

“That’s perfect, you found us! This is our address,” he explained fervently, stepping forward out the front door. His world was still spinning breathlessly and he clasped his hands together behind his own back in hopes of grounding himself for the conversation.

"Your address? Ms. Caliban is also here then, and you live with her?"

“Yes. It is a long story, not really intended for a doorstep greeting." That won him a giggle, and Quigley's grin widened tenfold. "I really can’t believe you are standing in front of me.” And as though he just noticed his great excitement was incredibly obvious in front of an audience, his cheeks darkened and he chuckled softly. His eyes slipped downcast and he pushed a wavering hand back through his hair as he greeted Violet’s siblings. “Hello, Klaus and Sunny. It’s very nice to see the both of you again too-"

He scanned over the visitors until he paused and stopped, blinking at the baby huddled securely in Klaus’s arms. Beatrice II waved her arms with an exaggerated eagerness for freedom, and what was initially a friendly (and somewhat bashful) smile on Quigley's features morphed into concern with a slight frown. Regret and brief sorrow passed Violet's eyes as she followed Quigley's stuttered gaze. She understood Beatrice's presence must be confusing and she wished for the opportunity to explain their situation before anyone could draw their own conclusions. Violet stepped closer with intentions of introducing their newest companion, but as her lips parted a different voice sounded.

"Quigley?" The librarian called in a clear voice from far inside the house, and the memory of school burst with a confusing concoction of joy and suffering in the Baudelaires' chests. Her voice was accompanied by quick-approaching footsteps that the children suddenly felt far too ill-prepared to face. Violet had to shake away the pressing urge to turn and flee-to show her back to the painful memories of boarding school, to run away from the terror she felt now as she remembered watching Count Olaf take her friends from her. The squeal of tires against rocky pavement accompanying her stuttered breath was a sound she hadn't thought about for months now, but it was back and brought with it a renewed trepidation.

Despite the sour memory, the woman sounded happy now, with just a hint of worry that one could only hear if they listened very closely, a worry reserved specifically for a parent speaking to their child. Olivia Caliban represented many things in the lives of the Baudelaires-a friend, a mentor, a kind listener. But she also represented a piece of time for them-a time where they were mimicked and mocked by a vicious vice principal of a boarding school that forced them to live in a crab-infested shack and employed Count Olaf despite their warnings. A time where where Violet and her siblings were presented with the precious hope of friendship, and the resulting, lingering pain of losing them so soon after. Though she was excited to see the woman now, Violet was also afraid those horrors would accompany and sully the reunion.

But the memory was only that, Violet reminded herself with a deep breath and an aborted step back. The memories could not touch them now.

Quigley's eyes widened and his brows lifted in acknowledgement to being called, though he was still caught in place watching the baby before him, and he remained silent until Olivia reached the door frame. “Honey, what is-?” Olivia’s voice flurried away as she stepped up behind Quigley and her eyes landed on the Baudelaires on her porch.

Though Violet, amidst the sea of unexpected surprise, completely forgot the speech she had prepared for this very reunion, the sight of the librarian partially settled an ache of anxiety in her chest, and she couldn't help herself from smiling brightly. She knew Ms. Caliban. Their time together was cut short by the nightmare through which they were forced to live, but Violet believed Olivia was a safe and reliable person.

“Baudelaires,” Olivia whispered, and her hand settled gently at her own chest, mirroring the surprise in her voice.

Violet and Klaus snapped their heads toward one another, sharing a look of near-palpable relief and subtle wariness that the librarian did, in fact, remember them, a feeling the pair would describe to one another as absolute amazement. They didn't know how long the woman had worked at the terrible school, but they could imagine years of children passed by before her. She remembered the Baudelaires after only spending a few days getting to know them, which was a relief as they were granted the fortunate opportunity to skip the re-introductions entirely. Klaus's eyes flicked wide and he jerked his head toward Olivia in impatient encouragement for his sister to begin their pitch-a proclamation that was mostly a plea for information and a roof for the evening. Beatrice squirmed more intently as the silence pressed on too long.

But Violet's tongue felt heavy and she could only watch as Sunny waved, smiling brightly at the woman before them.

“I-" Olivia started, and failed with a stutter. Her small chuckle startled the group out of their quiet surprise, and suddenly Olivia was laughing freely, a sound of relief that grew in volume. “I’m so sorry. I am very happy to see you three again, and I seem to have lost my words. Please forgive me."

“You are happy to see us?” Klaus shuffled his feet as he asked, unsure and shifting the baby to hold her closer.

“I am elated, Klaus Baudelaire. Now please, please come inside, all of you.”

She ushered her guests through the front door before offering a glance into the soft evening around them. When she didn’t spot any lingering eyes, she trusted they were safe and locked the front door, finally able to keep the rest of the world away from the children she had sought out. Olivia had felt secure in their new home for several weeks now, even believing her time hiding the Quagmire triplets was over. But alongside the excitement over the return of the Baudelaires came the renewed wariness of a nefarious visitor.

The inviting warmth of the home hit the children as they stepped through the threshold, eyes wide as they took in the decorated hallway. It had been over a year since they had stepped into a real structured home-long before the run-in with pirates and their time spent on the island. The soft glow of the warm hallway paint accompanied the smell of a burning sugar cookie candle in welcoming the siblings. Colorful flowers and books decorated the walk into the kitchen, where Olivia encouraged them to sit around the table.

“How did you find us?” Olivia asked quietly moving toward the kettle and filling it with water. The trickle of liquid against metal and the flick of the stove starting filled the room as Olivia fished clean mugs out of the cupboard and opened the tin of loose tea. Sweet lavender wafted around them and Quigley pulled the jar of honey from the cabinet for the table before slipping quietly into a wooden chair next to Violet. Klaus, sitting on Violet's opposite side, situated Beatrice on his lap. Sunny sat beside him.

“The newspaper. We saw that you work in the city, and we searched the local phone book.” Violet glanced at Quigley while she answered, noting that he was still frowning timidly and watching the baby with suspicion. “But we really weren’t expecting to find both of you here together.”

"You really remember us?" Klaus asked next.

"Of course I remember you three."

"Forgive me for asking, but my sisters and I are a little surprised to hear this," Klaus admitted. "How do you remember us?"

A complicated expression passed Olivia's features-one of confusion first and followed by melancholy. Leaving the water to heat, she sat across from Klaus and interlaced her fingers on the cold, smooth surface, smiling as she answered. "Klaus, I remember you and your family because I have been looking for you since the Quagmires were stolen from the boarding school and you three were whisked away to live in a penthouse downtown. I wanted to help you. After I read about your disappearances in the newspaper, a dear friend and I sought you out."

"A friend?" Violet asked in interest. "Who?"

"The newspaper..." Klaus murmured nervously. "Do you often read the newspaper?"

Olivia opened her mouth to answer the questions, but she paused at the whistle of steam interrupting the conversation. Her mouth snapped closed and she hopped up to attend to the high-pitched squeal of the kettle.The two eldest Baudelaires both deflated as their pressing questions were put on hold until after the tea was served.

“Is it just the two of you?" Klaus asked instead, turning to Quigley. Olivia poured sweet-smelling tea into the large mugs and distributed them around the table while Sunny reached for a small bowl housing several small cubes of sugar for her tea. "Did you find your siblings?"

Violet could hear the hopeful note in her brother's tone, and she held her breath with him in wait of news about their missing friends. The pause in conversation seemed to drag by slowly for miles; the anticipation for good news sitting just out of reach for the Baudelaires. Their parents had warned them about optimists, and they would never forget that, but the Baudelaires tried to keep somewhat positive (and realistic) metaphorical heads on their shoulders. Due to the events taking place over the past year and a half, they had adopted a difficult time expecting and hoping for good information. They expected Quigley to bow his head. They waited for Olivia to close her eyes and turn away.

But Quigley grinned.

"Yes," he answered with a sharp nod. "I did."

"Are they here now?"

“They are,” Olivia spoke with a gentle smile. “I’ll go get them.”

Klaus practically buzzed with excitement in his seat as Olivia stepped out of the room, leaving the children sitting around the table.

"Maybe she never saw the newspaper," Violet whispered to Klaus. "Maybe that is why Ms. Caliban is still happy to see us."

"What newspaper?" Quigley asked.

"Librarian," Sunny interjected with a shrug, pointing out that the woman is extremely well-read, and she wouldn't be expected to miss that sort of news.

"You mean the one about you three? We don't believe that stuff about you," Quigley stated firmly, scooting forward and leaning over the table. "I saw the story before we met in the mountains. Even before knowing you, I didn't believe the story. It is far-fetched and ludicrous, and Olivia doesn't believe that story either."

Violet and Klaus shared a glance. They wished for the miracle of finding a stable home, but since meeting the sweet, good-intended neighbor of Count Olaf, and finding they could never live with Justice Strauss, the tug of hope was something the Baudelaires tried to ignore in favor of tasting sour disappointment once again.

"We know it's not true."

They sat for a beat of silence, looking down at their cooling tea, until Beatrice cooed impatiently.

"Why do you have a..." Quigley started, voice faltering only a few words into his question that rang around the room. The remaining word, two lowly syllables, sat lodged in his throat, leaving an uncomfortable taste in his mouth. It was a taste that sat in everyone's mouth, as the stew in question was thick and uncomfortable.

"A baby..." he finished in a whisper.

A discarded memory fluttered forward, slow at first before barreling through the fog Quigley used to hide from his time away from his siblings-a time when he thought they were deceased alongside his loving parents that he missed so much. But the memory was back now, and Quigley was reminded very strongly of someone in his past. He had always hoped Kit Snicket failed to retrieve him from the laboratory entrance so long ago because she was busy locating the Baudelaires.

And it appeared that she had found them.

He sat up straighter and peered back around the Baudelaires, toward the hallways leading to the front, as though he missed a fifth person coming through the doorway. As though she could have been standing there the whole time.

"Where is she?" Quigley asked.

A lump he hadn't known appeared in his throat grew as he watched Violet and Klaus exchange another uncomfortable look.

"Her mother is Kit Snicket," Violet explained softly. "She was a remarkable and kind-hearted woman."

Quigley felt his chest heave before he could stop it. He couldn't find the air he needed to fill his lungs and clear his mind. He was terrified this could be the case when he was stranded at the laboratory waiting on a ride that she promised him. When she never showed up, he believed that must have meant something happened to her, but he always hoped she was still alive. Quigley couldn't conjure up another reason his friends could have her baby without her presence if she was still safe. He lowered his head. "Very kind-hearted indeed."

"Did you know her?"

"Yes," Quigley answered, eyes crawling back up and meeting Violet's through his bangs. "But only for a short time."

A sympathetic grimaced flashed across Violet's face before she leaned forward, mouth open to speak. She hoped to bring him some semblance of peace during his time or mourning.

Violet wanted to explain the confusing situation. But as she moved closer, leaning over the table and intertwining her fingers in her lap, they were interrupted by a sound that was anything but a nuisance.

"Violet! Klaus! Sunny!" Isadora's ecstatic voice flooded the kitchen and they turned to find her in the doorway. "Duncan, come and look!"

The soft pattering of running footsteps was shortly preceded by Duncan's wide-mouthed expression, large eyes and words captured from his throat as he stared in awe at their guests. Klaus couldn't stop himself from jumping up out of his seat in excitement.

"Isadora!" Sunny yelped happily. "Duncan!"

"Oh!" Isadora cried, and she danced into the room to wrap her arms around her long-lost friends. "I can't believe you are here right now. How did you get here? Where have you been?"

"That is sort of a long story," Violet laughed brightly.

"Klaus," Duncan whispered, and Quigley snuck a glance to find his brother's face very pink as he slowly walked up to the table. Klaus wasted no time though, stepping forward and wrapping his free arm around Duncan's neck in a sweet embrace, holding Beatrice on his opposite hip.

"We are so relieved to find you all safe," Violet admitted, voice cracking at the end as she looked out at her own siblings.

"And together," Sunny finished, knowing. Sunny was a very perceptive, young girl in general, and she knew her siblings like she knew her own heart. It was miraculous; they were together. The Quagmire triplets. The Baudelaire siblings. Together with Olivia.

"Baudelaires!" The excited shout drew everyone's attention and they turned to find Hector slide into the room on socked feet, crowding around the children and hugging them tightly with Isadora and Duncan still squished in the middle.

"Hector," Klaus answered, startled as he was hardly finished hugging Duncan before being yanked into another with a man he was certainly not expecting to see again. "You looks so..."

"Happy," Violet finished, honestly. The man did look happy. And he was loud with emotion now. He seemed so different compared to the timid man they had met in the village, so confident and comfortable in his surroundings.

"I am happy," he reported with a smile, pulling back to look beaming at the Baudelaires. "We are all so happy to have you three back with us." Hector stumbled over the number, sparing a quick glance at the newest party member. Hector couldn't help but wonder who the Baudelaires had managed to pick up in their travels. "Violet, whose baby is this?" he asked softly, rubbing his thumb gently on the baby's forehead. Beatrice cooed happily at him, reaching up and wrapped two chubby hands around his wrist.

"She is the daughter of Kit Snicket and Dewey Denouement. We promised Kit we would look after her."

"Snicket?" Olivia asked as she stepped through the threshold, chest falling at the name. Violet nodded.

"Where are they now?" Isadora asked softly, already knowing the answer as she brushed her fingers across Beatrice's little arm.

"They are both dead." Though Klaus's answer didn't come as a surprise to anyone in the room, silence fell anyway. "This is Beatrice the second."

"Beatrice?" Duncan asked.

"The second?" Quigley spoke up.

"Named after our late mother," Violet clarified, and Sunny held her hand. "Ms. Caliban, we are very appreciative of you allowing us to come into your home. It is late, and we never meant to intrude on you like this-"

"Please call me Olivia. And you four are more than welcome here. Please drink your tea and we can all rest. I imagine you are exhausted."

And they were exhausted. Despite their excitement over the reunion with their long-lost friends, Klaus's eyes were glazing over and Sunny's head was heavy on her shoulders. Violet muffled a yawn at the mention of sleep, and she turned back to her warm tea.

"Where have you three been all of this time?" Isadora asked. After finishing their tea, the four Baudelaires followed the Quagmire triplets into the living area to sit on the comfortable couch and warm rug, facing one another in a circle to catch up before their beds beckoned the triplets away. Beatrice was asleep, curled in a tight ball on the couch cushion sandwiched between Sunny and Quigley. Polite pleasantries quickly became melancholic admissions of missing one another, which then morphed into excited catching up. The Quagmires couldn't wait to hear about the Baudelaires' journey back to them, and Olivia allowed them the opportunity to stay up as long as they wanted that evening.

“A deserted island.”

“But it wasn't deserted when we found it. It turned out to be a deserted island shortly after we arrived,” Klaus added. “Very shortly after.”

“And then we were on a ship.”

“A pirate ship,” Sunny interjected.

“That sounds incredible,” Quigley noted.

“It sounds ferocious,” Duncan gasped.

“It was both,” Klaus noted with a flush as Duncan leaned toward him with every spoken syllable.

“We want to hear everything.”

And the Baudelaires told them everything, from the moment they were taken away from the school, to the short time they spent with Quigley, and then every stop after that frigid mountain. Their friends listened intently, eyes wide and mouths agape at the horrors with which they were faced. The conversation was dwindling as the clock struck a later hour, and Klaus yawned so deeply his jaw popped.

"Please forgive us," Violet chuckled, rubbing at her drooping eyelids. "My siblings and I are exhausted. We've had quite the journey here."

"We understand that completely," Isadora assured them. The triplets set up the living room for their guests, running around the house to find every spare pillow and blanket that resided there. They set up a fairly impressive blanket fort for their friends before they parted with a final wish for a goodnight.

***

The air around the triplets was silent in their room that night, save the soft crashing waves outside their window and the light creak of shuffling movement outside their room.

"I cannot sleep," Duncan finally admitted with a light huff.

"Me either."

Quigley sighed-admission that he was also kept from rest.

"Our hearts are no longer destined to roam, now that our friends are finally home," Isadora sang the couplet. Her brothers agreed easily. They were happy to have their friends back. "Our house is made of laughter and cheer, because the Baudelaire siblings are really here."

"Baudelaire siblings... and the Snicket baby," Quigley corrected.

"They seem one in the same, don't you think?" Duncan countered, sitting up in bed now at the change in conversation.

"Are you blaming yourself, Quigley?" his sister asked. "For Kit Snicket."

He was quiet for a long time, the silence stretching so far that his siblings both wondered if he had fallen asleep in that time. When he spoke, his voice was soft and his tone was lost.

"I am trying not to."

"Good," Isadora grasped his hand. "Because it isn't your fault. We know what happened to her now, and that wasn't your fault at all."

Quigley nodded slowly in the dark, trying to convince himself of the same thing.

***

Sunny was fluffing her pillow with a fist when her brother broke the soft silence of the night.

"It's hard to believe, isn't it?" Klaus murmured, and his sisters didn't have to turn to know he was smiling peacefully. They heard it in his voice. Violet's stomach dropped at the excited tone as he continued. "After all of this time. We finally found it..."

A home, Klaus didn’t say. But Violet heard it anyway.

“-a place to stay,” he finished. “A real place to stay. And not with a villainous guardian. Not an unreliable hospital or a terrible town. Not the island. Finally an opportunity for Sunny to grow up the right way. We can be safe here and live with amazing people." He chuckled absently. "I still can't believe how happy Hector is. It's like he is a completely different person now." He wondered if that could happen to them too.

“We aren’t out of the woods yet," Violet warned, hating that she had to counter his bliss. "It’s miraculous we found Ms. Caliban. And I am relieved to see her safe with the Quagmires triplets and Hector. But she has a family with them now. We cannot stay here and intervene. It wouldn’t be fair.”

Klaus was quiet for a beat, and Violet grimaced when he sat up and faced her.

“You want to leave? Violet, it was your idea to come here in the first place.” He pointed an accusatory finger, and Violet saw it shaking. "Why did you make us come here then?"

“That was before I saw-" She faltered, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes before continuing. "It was before we saw that she has a family. We cannot impose.”

Sunny lowered her head sadly, understanding his sister's reasons.

"Needing a home shouldn't be an imposition."

"It isn't. We will find a place, I promise-"

"You can't keep selling us fake promises, Vi. They start to lose their meaning," Klaus shot back. His words stung even in his ears and he stopped himself, taking a deep breath. “I'm sorry. Maybe you are right. But we don't have anyone else. Where do we go instead?”

Violet tugged him close for a hug. “I don’t know yet. But we four are together. And we will find a home.”

“You four aren’t going anywhere.” Olivia's firm voice startled them, and they spun around to find her standing in the doorway of the living room, clad in a nightgown and an unmovable declaration. “You can stay right here with us.”

“We can handle ourselves. We’ve been living on our own for the past year.”

“I believe it. I believe you three are capable of absolutely remarkable things.” She crouched by the siblings, placing a hand on Violet and Klaus’s cheeks. She had spent so much time and energy searching for the Beaudelaires, and she was still reeling that they found her instead. “And I know you are teaching this young baby to be just as strong as you are. But that doesn’t mean you should have been forced to do any of that-not in general and certainly not alone.”

“I’m sure you can understand,” Violet whispered, “that we are wary of accepting your help. We’ve had less than pleasant luck in the past.”

A small smirk decorated the corner of Olivia's mouth and she winked. “I’d be a little concerned if you weren’t wary. You are careful and wise-two traits that have kept you alive. But let me do the hard part now. It’s time for you-all four of you-to finally enjoy being children.”

Violet blinked, stunned. It had been over a year now since she considered herself a child-that decency was stripped from her the second Count Olaf attempted to marry her for their parents fortune. Klaus swallowed nervously-the feeling of childhood taken from him after he was imprisoned with accusations of murder, spending his birthday in a jail cell. Sunny took their hands in her own. She struggled with her own young childhood after Count Olaf's troupe kidnapped her alone and brought her to the mountains under the assumption that her siblings were lost forever. The opportunity to embrace their childhoods sounded exciting and unreal. They wanted it for Beatrice the second. And they wanted that for themselves.

“We would like that very much,” Violet answered, her voice a mere whisper and her brother agreed. “Very much indeed."

Chapter Text

“As I live and breathe!” Fiona stood in Olivia’s kitchen entryway, smiling widely with her hands planted on her hips. “Golly, I gotta clean my glasses more often because there is no way the Baudelaires are sitting in front of me right now!”

“Ahoy!” Sunny exclaimed, excited and waving. She sat at the kitchen table beside her siblings while they enjoyed lunch with the Quagmire triplets. Olivia was working and Hector sat in the living room, taking care of Beatrice. 

Sleeping in that morning, even on the living room couches, felt divine after days at sea and a whole year on a deserted island. They didn’t want to get out of bed and ended up sleeping until lunch time when the triplets finally dragged them to the kitchen for sandwiches.

“Fiona!” Klaus sputtered on his orange juice, and he put down the glass with shaking hands. “I can’t believe you are here-what, what are you doing here?”

“I’m here to visit you, obviously!”

He blushed at that, chuckling and looking back down at his sandwich. He couldn’t believe that silly, boy-ish nervousness still struck him when he spoke to Fiona. Though he really liked Duncan, something that made him even more nervous, he couldn’t help the fluttering sensation in his stomach while talking to her. Knowing that his siblings saw that too embarrassed him further and he pointedly ignored his sisters’ giggles.

“How have you been all of this time? Did you find your stepfather?” Violet asked, and Klaus was happy to have the attention fall somewhere else.

“Brother?” Sunny added.

“I am doing well, enjoying life on dry land for a little while. I live with my brother; he’s at home. I’m sure he will be so happy to see you all. As for my stepfather…” she paused and sighed, looking away and crossing her arms sadly. “I have not found him. I needed a break from searching.”

“We understand, Fiona,” Klaus promised, and she smiled back at him.

“Enough of that, though. I cannot wait to hear your story!” Fiona sat down beside Isadora, sharing the stool with her despite the tight squeeze. She leaned over the table, propping her chin up with her elbows. “Tell me everything about where you have been since we last saw one another.”

“I still can’t believe you all met each other,” Duncan shook his head.

“It’s a small world. And they weren’t nearly as troublesome as the three of you,” Fiona teased and the Quagmire boys shouted back in defense. Isadora only laughed and leaned impossibly closer.

They spoke for hours until Olivia came home from her shift and Hector left the house for his. The Baudelaires were interested in seeing more of the town and they wanted to get out and stretch their legs, still sore from their time in the boat. Fiona had to leave to get back home anyway, and Violet asked Hector if she and her siblings could join him at his job. He tried to hide his enthusiasm as he agreed, but it was apparent anyway.

“You know there is something I have been wanting to talk to you all about.” Hector stammered over his words, rubbing at the back of his neck and chuckling uncomfortably. He was leaning over a large slab of plywood. He already showed the siblings his current project-building a fancy treehouse for a rich family living on the north side of town. He sat back on his heels and wiped his hands on a rag. The Baudelaires were helping too: Violet measured and cut wood for the door, Klaus painted the roof, and Sunny measured floorboards, marking the lengths with a sharp pencil. They stopped their work and turned to him. “I wanted to thank you for your bravery and courage. You three have taught me so much, and it should have been the other way around. I can never express how much you have changed my life, and how much I was able to do for others because of what you’ve taught me.”

He took Violet’s hand, smiling at the Baudelaires. “Thank you all.”

“You’re welcome,” Violet smiled, placing her other hand over his.

“But we should really be thanking you,” Klaus interjected. “You kept our friends safe, and we needed that reassurance to move on by ourselves. I think we would have stayed in that terrible town with Count Olaf and Esmé, distracted and captured, if we didn’t see you leaving with Duncan and Isadora.”

“Safe,” Hector repeated, shaking his head. “I don’t know about that. I cannot begin to explain to you three the trouble we have come across.”

“You kept them safe. Our friends are here and alive,” Violet assured him. “We still cannot believe everyone is here. It feels like a dream.”

“Finally one that isn’t a nightmare,” Klaus added, and Sunny agreed.

“Thank you, Hector, for all of your help. We are lucky to have been placed in your care.”

Hector fell silent at Violet’s appreciation. It had been fortunate that he was the one chosen to care for the children when they were placed under the guidance of the town-it was simply a decision by the Council of Elders to punish the handyman for his disliked family and additionally rid themselves of any responsibility whatsoever for the children. Something so horrible and insulting quickly came to be the best thing to ever happen to him-the hasty decision of the Elders in turn brought so many loving people into his life.

“I suppose I should thank the Council. Perhaps I’ll write to them,” he chuckled softly. “Baudelaires, I think we have worked enough for the day, right? I can finish the rest tomorrow. Let’s have some dinner.”

***

The following day was sunny, and the Quagmires were outside enjoying the warm weather on the beach. The Baudelaires turned down the invite, deciding to stay indoors instead. They didn’t have fond memories of playing at the beach, thinking only of the bad news delivered there, and the idea of going now seemed sour. The siblings sat in the living room, quietly listening to the music playing from the record player and watching from the window.

“I want to go to Justice Strauss’s house,” Klaus stated firmly. “We owe it to her, to see if she is there.”

His sisters agreed.

“Do you want me to take you?” Olivia suggested, bouncing Beatrice on her hip and eliciting soft coos from the baby. The Baudelaires were quiet, like she remembered they were in school, and Olivia never wanted to push them too hard to share their thoughts. But she also wanted to help. “I am not working today.”

“No, I think we will go alone. Thank you though.”

Olivia felt a brief stab of sadness at the rejection. The Quagmires needed and wanted so much from her-they wanted her company, encouragement, attention, and time. And even now after so many months they still wanted that from her. But the Baudelaires were forced to do so much on their own-even before being stranded on the deserted island. They were constantly let down by the adults supposedly caring for them and they were forced into situations demanding them to rely only on themselves. Though Olivia knew it was silly to take this to heart, the rejection still stung. But she was the adult, and she smiled with encouragement for the Baudelaires.

“If you all change your mind, just let me know.”

The walk to their very first accommodation after their parents’ loss was long. They didn’t remember how far the trip would be without taking the trolley, but it seemed like the safest decision considering where they were going. With the sun beating down and loud, bustling pedestrians surrounding them, the journey felt even longer. 

“It seems… smaller.”

Klaus’s observation was stated as they stopped in front of the old, gloomy house. Count Olaf’s house. It was decrepit now, being abandoned for over a year. Windows were shattered and glass littered the dead grass surrounding the house.

“It isn’t smaller,” Violet noted. “We are just bigger. Let’s look around. This place can’t hurt us anymore. Count Olaf can’t hurt us anymore.”

The gate was in pieces and acted as no obstacle for the Baudelaires to enter the yard. They moved slowly, still expecting a trap, to the back of the house where stacked firewood lay split and abandoned in the dirt. The old familiar bird cage lay bent on the ground now, the same one that Sunny was stuffed in. Now she was too big to fit through the tiny door. The back door rested on its hinges, threatening to crumble and fall open before them, releasing the rotten smell of damp mildew leaking out of the house. Empty bottles and broken appliances were scattered across the small yard. They looked up, blinking against the sun at the small attic window, into the room where they huddled together on the small bed so long ago. 

“Disgusting,” Sunny noted.

They took one last look, thinking about the last two years as they studied the image of the deformed house barely standing before them. They thought of the people they met and the people they left. The places they saw. They visited more corners of the world than they would have seen otherwise if they were never thrust into the mess in the first place. They were forced to be brave to save each other and themselves. And they survived to be there then, standing safely in front of one of their worst memories.

“Let’s go. We are done here,” Violet steered her siblings away, offering one last glance. If she tried hard enough she could almost hear his hissing voice seeping out of the house, but it wasn’t real.

“Good riddance,” Klaus hissed.

They crossed the familiar street leading to Justice Strauss’s house, and an immediate pang of hurt crossed their hearts. In comparison to Count Olaf’s place, this house looked like a royal palace. The gate was standing, the grass was green, and the windows were intact. But everything else was wrong.

A stack of unreal mail sat piling up and barricading the front door There were signs of splintered paint chipping at the shutters. The bright red flowers planted in the hanging baskets by the windows were gone now-only dirt remained in the tilted containers. The lights were off inside and there was no sound from inside. But just in case, they rang the doorbell and waited, holding their breaths. 

Nothing.

“Let’s look around at the back,” Violet encouraged.

They walked around the side of the house to the library door in the backyard. Klaus reached the separate building first, and he turned the cold knob. To his absolute surprise and delight, the door opened and they stepped inside. Klaus tried the light, but it didn’t turn on. There was no electricity. Violet opened the blinds and bright sunshine filled the room.

The siblings took a deep, relenting breath before walking around the room. They looked at the book spines lining the shelves, occasionally picking up a book and flipping through the pages. Klaus picked up the book left on the large, comfortable reading chair. There was a light film of dust, and he wiped it away with a hand.

“Hamlet,” Klaus reads the title out loud. “Of course. It’s about loss and grief. Sound familiar?”

He laid down the book once more.

“It’s also about family,” Violet noted and Sunny took his hand.

Klaus nodded, wiping his eyes and turning away from his sisters. “I don’t think she is here.”

“I think you are right. It doesn’t look like anyone has been here for months.”

“The fire?” Sunny asked.

“I don’t know if this means Justice Strauss died in the hotel fire. Maybe she escaped the hotel but couldn’t face coming back here again after everything that happened. Maybe she moved far away. But what I do know is that we should get back to the others. I’m sure they are getting worried.” Violet picked up another book, turning it over in her hands. It was one her mother read to her: Anna Karenina. She sighed. “It doesn’t feel right to leave this library here to rot, if she doesn’t come back here.”

“She said we can come over anytime we want. Maybe that offer extends to now, even in her absence. We can take care of her library, just in case she ever comes back for it. It will be ready for her,” Klaus suggested, peeking at the book in Violet’s hands.

“I like that idea. We can take care of the books and they will be ready for her, if she returns.”

***

The Quagmire triplets were sitting on the front porch waiting for the Baudelaires to return from their trip into town. They were surprised to find their friends gone after coming back inside from playing at the beach. Olivia explained they wanted to go alone, but that didn’t help.

“They are looking for a friend that was in the hotel fire?” Duncan asked, eyebrows furrowed. “They shouldn’t be alone for that. What if they don’t find their friend?”

“They will be so disappointed,” Quigley agreed, frowning.

“It’s too late for that now,” Isadora relented. “They wanted to go alone. Now we need to be here ready for them when they come back. It is likely they’ll have bad news.”

Her brothers nodded in understanding. Before Duncan had the opportunity to work at the newspaper and change some of the obvious inaccuracies, the paper did attempt to cover the Hotel Denouement fire. It was uncomfortable to read as the writer was someone inside the hotel actively writing the story, and that showed in the misspellings and curses as she was forced to dodge flames and debris. Despite the confusing read, it did appear that many people were sadly unable to escape the horrible incident.

“You are right, Iz. We just have to wait for them. And I'll be ready to comfort him when he gets here.” Duncan noticed his mistake right after his siblings did, and Quigley jabbed a teasing elbow into his side. Isadora made “oooh” sounds at him. Duncan shoved them both and ran into the living room.

As he collapsed on the sofa, he heard Olivia and Hector whispering in the kitchen. He knows it is considered rude to listen in on conversations that do not involve oneself, but he was a reporter with integrity.. and a curious child. So he decided to listen in anyway.

“What does all of this mean?”

“It means we need more space. Should we move again and find a place with more space?”

“I hate moving them so much, I think the triplets finally feel like this is their home.”

“It is their home. We are their home. But I want them to have their own rooms if they want. I want them to have privacy and a space that is each of theirs. And I want the Baudelaires to have that same option.”

“I do too.”

When the conversation died down to silent pondering, Duncan tiptoed back outside to update his siblings. “They are talking about moving.”

“Moving?” Isadora sat up quickly. “Why would we need to move?”

“We need more space,” Quigley pointed out. “There’s four more people in the house now. And one is a baby.”

Isadora tucked in on herself, wrapping her arms around her knees and frowning. “I don’t want to move. I love this house.”

The Quagmires decided it was best to distract themselves from this new information with a long walk. The weather was beautiful and they rested enough under the shaded porch. The triplets spoke aloud that they were glad the Baudelaires got to enjoy the good weather while going to visit a friend, and they wondered who their friend was.

“Do you think they used to be a guardian? Isadora and I were placed with a guardian before we were sent to school,” Duncan wondered.

“Or maybe someone they met along the way?” Isadora suggested.

“No way,” Quigley exclaimed, laughing loudly and pointing across the street from where he abruptly stopped walking. “Do you all see this?”

***

Isadora threw the front door open and jumped inside, running to the kitchen and yelling, “Hector, look!” Her brothers hastily caught up with her, crowding around her in the kitchen doorway out of breath. “We were outside walking and you know the big house a few blocks away? The one with the blue roof and the red mailbox? It’s for sale! They even have flyers!” She smacked one down on the table and Beatrice gawked at the page, reaching for it. “We talked to the owners and they told us they are leaving to pursue a life in the cold, snowy mountains.”

“They’re absolutely insane,” Quigley hissed.

“They just like the cold,” Isadora corrected. “So they don’t want their beach house anymore. And apparently no one is interested in moving in this town right now, probably because of the local newspaper scaring them all off for years, so they are selling for super cheap. They said they are desperate to get out of this heat and move within a week. We got their number!”

“I-oh, thank you!” Hector tilted his head. “Uhm, why did you three do this?”

“I kind of overheard you two talking about how there isn’t much space,” Duncan admitted, shyly. “Because I was listening in. I am sorry for eavesdropping.”

Olivia and Hector exchanged a glance.

“It seems perfect that there’s an open house right down the street.” Isadora motioned at the paper once more. “We are practically neighbors!”

“You weren’t supposed to hear that,” Olivia stated softly, and Duncan shuffled his feet shamefully. “That isn’t something you three are supposed to worry about. I am sorry you heard that, and I am sorry if it upset you.”

“We are sorry,” Hector corrected. “Thank you for finding this. I will look into it. Now go enjoy this beautiful weather. We will take care of the rest.”

They quietly turned away, and walked back toward the front door, just barely hearing the conversation they were walking away from.

“Sneaky little ones, aren’t they?” Hector chuckled.

“Yes, and curious ones. A lethal combination for us,” Olivia chuckled softly.

They waited for their friends outside, reading books and writing poems. The time seemed to slow completely to a halt until they finally saw the Baudelaires walking up the large hill to their driveway.

“There they are!” Quigley shouted and the triplets ran to meet them halfway.

The walk back to the house was lighthearted, and they all spent some time strolling along the shore, feeling the cold ocean on their feet and skipping stones in the waves, before it was time for dinner. The sky was pink and orange from the setting sun, the hues were as warm as the day had been, and a light breeze picked up.

They were all sitting in the kitchen for dinner when Olivia asked how their day was.

“We saw Count Olaf’s house,” Klaus admitted and the house was silent. The sound of scratching utensils against plates and glass cups laid on tables ceased.

“What? Why did you go there?” Olivia breathed. “I thought you said you were going to visit a friend. You three didn’t have to go there alone-”

“We know,” Violet interjected quickly. “We wanted to see if Justice Strauss was at her home, and it is just across the street from Count Olaf’s. We didn’t plan on going to his house, and we didn’t go inside. No one was there. No one saw us.”

“No one,” Sunny repeated, sadly.

“We were safe. We just wanted to… be sure, I suppose,” Violet explained. “It’s silly, but it didn’t take too much imagination to think of someone sitting in those old ruins-to imagine him there in that house. Yelling and hurting us…” Her words slowly dissolved and she was left staring through blurry, tearful eyes at her uneaten dinner. The emotions of the day had finally caught up to her-stress over Count Olaf’s house, disappointment over not finding Justice Strauss, and the grief of their lives over the past couple of years.

“Violet, I-” Olivia stammered, tears springing to her eyes. The triplets looked at her with wide eyes, staying quiet and waiting for her to speak. She cleared her throat and began again, firmly this time. “Violet, you and your siblings are safe here. You three don’t have to be alone when you revisit those memories. We can go with you next time, Hector or myself. Please believe us that you are no longer alone, you are no longer forced to take this burden of memories on all by yourselves.”

The Baudelaires appreciated her statement, but it was going to be a hard habit to break away from not accepting help from adults in their lives. They have begged for help from their previous guardians and witnessed too many people falling short when they were needed the most. And though it seemed easier to simply take care of everything themselves, relying on each other instead of anyone else, the Baudelaires all promised to believe Olivia.

“We had a scare at the store in town not too long ago,” Quigley admitted softly. “It never leaves you, does it?”

“What?” Violet asked.

“The trauma. It’s always there no matter how happy your life is on the outside. It is always here living inside of us-it never goes away. It never lets us breathe for more than a day.”

Violet and Klaus were silent-grimacing with bowed heads because Quigley was right, they were living with the hauntings of their past. The ghosts of memories never spared them. They wished to leave the horrible memories and scars behind on the island, taking advantage of this new life they could live. But the memories joined them at sea and boarded the sandy shores of Briny Beach alongside them. And they came to Olivia’s house right alongside the Baudelaires.

“In Memoriam,” Sunny suggested, and her siblings looked at her, surprised.

“I didn’t think of that…” Violet admitted. “But I think that is a wonderful idea, Sunny. Thank you.”

Violet explained Sunny’s notion to have a funeral for the people they have lost. No one was allotted much time to grieve any of their losses without feeling the burning sting of another one, and they wanted a place where they could calmly think of their lost ones and wish them goodbye. Olivia and Hector agreed to this idea and the triplets wanted to participate as well. That evening they created a small rock structure on the beach with stones that they each chose stacked together by a small sand dune near the house. They stood around the cairn and had a ceremony in the dusk.

“Perhaps you can say something,” Olivia suggested.

The air was quiet for a long moment, the only sound was the crashing waves and the cool breeze tickling the grass.

“This is for our parents,” Violet whispered first, and her siblings and the Quagmire triplets joined in softly, one at a time.

Duncan spoke next, paying tribute to the Quagmire parents and his first guardian after they passed.

“Aunt Josephine. Uncle Monty.”

“Jacques Snicket.”

Olivia bowed her head.

“Kit Snicket.”

“Dewey Denouement.”

“Justice Strauss.” They weren’t giving up on the woman who showed them so much kindness amidst Count Olaf’s abuse. But if she were no longer out there, and if she did perish in the hotel fire, Sunny wanted her to be remembered at this cairn.

“That’s already so many people. And it isn’t even all of them,” Isadora noted, mournfully and wiping her tearful eyes. “There’s too many people.”

Her brothers wrapped their arms around her as she cried, shoulders shaking and breath shuddering.

“Perhaps that’s enough for tonight,” Olivia suggested. “Let’s go inside for tea.”

They moved inside the house, quietly comforting Isadora and one another as the sorrowful fog settled in their hearts. This memorial was supposed to help, and it would eventually. But the memories and grief all at once were painful.

Violet stayed out by the cairn, alone. There was another name that hadn’t been spoken yet, and she lowered down onto her knees, leaning in close. “Count Olaf. You’ve made our lives miserable. You stole and stole… and stole from us.” Her voice cracked and tears filled her eyes. “And I can never forgive you. We have suffered through so much turmoil. So much turbulence. You were our first guardian after our parents-after our parents died . My mother and father. And you were nothing but evil to us. We needed help and we only had you. You used us, abused us. You hit my brother. You kidnapped my sister. You tried to marry me. All for greed and because you hated our parents. Until the very end you ruined everything.”

Her breath was shaking with anguish and tears poured from her eyes. “So many people we have paid tribute to here are dead because of you. Those people led good, decent lives. Some, even wonderful lives. How can one person hold that much power over so many around them? It doesn’t seem fair.” She choked on a sob and covered her face. “It isn’t fair.”

She shook her head, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “I am glad you are gone, but that will never fix anything you did while you were here. We deserved more than you.”

She stood up, uncaring about the sand that dusted her knees. She could not remember the last time she cried that hard, the last time she could cry this much. She was surprised when a small, warm hand slipped into hers and she found Sunny standing next to her, offering comfort. Violet hugged her sister and they cried together.

The Baudelaires slept fretfully that night, spread out across the living room. Violet tried to fall asleep but each time she started to doze off, one of her siblings would whisper out into the dark room. Klaus noted he was shivering even though it wasn’t cold, and he hoped they weren’t all getting sick. Violet explained it was the grief. Sunny wondered if Beatrice was asleep, as she spent nights in Olivia’s room or Hector’s to allow the Baudelaires uninterrupted sleep. Violet explained that if she wasn’t, they would probably hear her up and moving around. Their dreams were uneasy that night, with pictures of the decrepit house and Count Olaf’s twisted grin. They dreamed of Justice Strauss and her library. And morning came too soon.

They had another free day with warm weather and while everyone was resting inside after swimming in the ocean, Violet found herself sitting on the shore by Quigley. She dug her toes in the wet sand and Quigley laid down on his back beside her. The sun was beating down on them, but it felt nice compared to the icy waves.

“It feels wrong being here,” Violet admitted softly, not taking her eyes off the horizon. “It feels selfish to accept something that seems so nice.”

Quigley sat up, turning in the sand to face her. “Why do you feel like it is selfish to be here?”

Violet rested her chin on her knee, eyelids falling shut and sighing softly. Quigley couldn’t stop looking at her. The shining sun reflected royally off her hair and her long eyelashes fluttered against the bright light. He remembered so much about her during the year of their absence. He remembered her delightful voice, her courageous spirit, and the warmth of her hand from the mountain. He remembered her beauty and their precious kiss. He remembered so much.

And yet seeing her again now was like seeing her for the very first time. He believed she was perfect.

“My siblings and I, we haven’t had much success before, with places we tried to make our home,” she chuckled humorlessly. “It’s like this bad luck follows us to every home. It stalks us and takes from us.” She smiled at Quigley. “I’m sure that sounds kind of silly, doesn’t it? Luck doesn’t even exist.”

“It doesn't sound silly at all. I used to think that too-I still think it sometimes, if I’m being honest. I think I’m a curse on the people around me, and that something bad is going to happen any day here.”

Violet grimaced and took his hand. She stared down at their intertwined fingers, memorizing the shape of their clasped hands. There was sand under his nails and his skin was tan from the long hours in the sun. She thinks she could hold his hand forever and be perfectly happy. “We can’t live this way. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow or the next day, or next week. But I know I want my siblings to be happy. And I would like that too.”

“I want that too,” Quigley assured her, scooting closer. “I want that and I think we deserve that. Don’t you?” She nodded, smiling. “By the way, Vi. I think luck does exist. I think it brought me to you, on the mountain. And back again here.”

Violet leaned forward and kissed him. Maybe she believed in luck too.

***

“When are you going to visit the Baudelaires?” Fiona demanded, arms crossed and glasses pushed up on her nose. She asked her brother this same question every day, several times a day, since she saw them at Olivia’s house. When he first discovered that the Baudelaires were not only safe and alive, but also in the same town as he was, he felt relieved. Then with the flood of memories that came next, he felt sadness and guilt. He wanted to see them again, to apologize once more for participating in the most unfortunate events to happen in their lives. He wanted to see Sunny again, the young girl that reminded him so greatly of his own little sister in the absence of Fiona.

But he couldn’t make himself do that yet.

“Fiona, we’ve talked about this. I will visit them when I’m ready-”

“Ahoy!” A booming voice seemed to shake the house and they froze as a large man with an even larger beard entered the kitchen. “Door was unlocked, I hope it’s okay that I came in.”

“Stepfather?” Fiona spoke first, jaw dropped. Fernald’s eyes were wide in surprise.

Captain Widdershins stood before them wearing typical fishing attire. Fish hooks of various sizes aligned his brown vest, and he wore a large floppy hat over his white hair, leaving the tip of his nose sunburned. “My, haven’t the both of you changed?”

Fiona jumped down from her seat on the counter and she ran to him, squealing excitedly as she was engulfed in his arms. He then turned to Fernald. They both grunted at one another.

“Maybe things haven’t changed that much, huh?” Captain Widdershins noted. “Well, where is she?”

Fernald and Fiona exchanged a confused glance.

“The Queequeg, of course!” Captain Widdershins exclaimed as though it were so obvious. “My dearest prize! Where is my ship?”

“Oh,” Fiona shuffled on her feet uncomfortably, folding her hands and looking away. “Stepfather, I am so sorry. The Queequeg was destroyed under my captaincy. ”

“What?”

“It was the Great Unknown,” she explained. “The ship was destroyed.”

“I see…” he pondered this before settling a heavy hand on her head. “I’m glad you made it out, my dear.”

“Thank you. Where have you been all of this time? I searched for you for so long, I-”

“Oh that is a very long story,” he interrupted with another loud laugh. “One that needs to be told over a hot meal. I came here as soon as I could, you know? I am starved, I haven't eaten all day! And you know what I always say-he who hesitates is lost!”

“Or she,” Fiona sighed. She hadn’t missed that. “Good to have you back, Stepfather.”

Fernald served his family soup for lunch, pouring his bowl last before joining them at the table. Phil and the snow scouts were out for the week, traveling north to visit his family, and they had the house to themselves.

“What have you been doing in my absence?” Captain Widdershins asked. “Since you are no longer at sea, I can only wonder.” He chortled a laugh, reaching forward for the bottle of wine Fernald brought out. He took a swig and didn’t seem to notice Fiona’s shameful expression. She was still enjoying her time on land but there was always an itching feeling that demanded she go back out into the sea. “Have you traveled more or furthered your studies?”

“Well, in a way, yes,” she suddenly grinned and hopped out of her seat. “I’ll be right back!” And she ran up the stairs with haste and pounding feet against the wood.

Fernald and Captain Widdershins remained silent in her absence. Even before their argument over Fernald’s career choice they had a difficult relationship. He was new in Fernald’s life from a young age, and neither knew how to address the other until it was too late. They each thought about their last argument often; they thought about what they wished they had said and what they wanted the other to have said instead. But it was too late to change the past, as Fernald was becoming increasingly aware of each day Fiona pushed him to greet the Baudelaire siblings.

The silence stretched until Fiona returned, already grinning widely and holding a familiar notebook in her arms. Fernald knew what this was and smiled because he knew how excited this hobby made her. He was the one that bought her the notebook after all of her belongings were destroyed in the sea. He knew without asking that she missed her books and research. Now she can record her own findings.

“I’ve been working on my mycology studies and I think I’m really close to discovering-”

Captain Widdershins sighed. “I was hoping you would have grown out of this little phase by now.”

Fiona froze and her face dropped.

“Stepfather, please,” Fernald interrupted sharply, leaning forward and frowning greatly. “I think you will find her research fascinating. Go ahead, Fiona.”

“No, thanks," Fiona murmured softly and she turned back around, walking back upstairs to her room, silently this time.

***

“My stepfather is back,” Fiona said simply. She sat on Olivia’s back porch with Isadora, laying down on the porch swing with her head on Isadora’s lap.

“What?” Isadora exclaimed. “When did this happen? How did this happen? He found you?”

She smiled softly. “Yes, he found my brother and me.”

“Wow!” Isadora peered down with a scrutinizing gaze. “You don’t seem very happy about it.”

“He’s just a handful, like the rest of us are. And I honestly didn’t consider having to tell him… about you.”

“Oh.” Isadora’s cheeks were pink. She never really thought about how it would feel to introduce Fiona to her own parents if they were alive. But the thought of that gift only left her melancholy. She would have loved to introduce Fiona to both of her parents. “You don’t have to tell him about us, if you don’t want to.”

“I do want to. Maybe you can meet him today?”

“I’d like that.”

“I’m nervous,” she laughed, covering her face. “I don’t know why but I’m nervous. He and I don’t have this kind of relationship. We don’t talk about this kind of stuff.” She sighed. “I wish my mom was here.”

Isadora took her hand. “We can do this together.”

She practiced it out loud their entire walk back to the house, holding Isadora’s hand and swinging their arms together. They reached Fernald’s house faster than Fiona would have preferred but she took a deep breath, kissed Isadora’s cheek, and then walked inside.

Isadora peeked into the living room at the large man sitting in the recliner. He was reading a book and she leaned in closer to see it was The Old Man and the Sea. She remembered the portrait of him on the Queequeg before the ship was destroyed, and other than the change from the blue captain suit to the fishing gear he currently wore, he looked exactly like she expected.

He looked up and smiled. “Fiona, dear. Welcome back. Who is this?”

“Stepfather this is my…” She faltered and looked back at Isadora, who squeezed her hand with reassurance and smiled brightly. And nothing else seemed to matter in that moment except how much Fiona absolutely adored her. “This is Isadora, my girlfriend.”

Captain Widdershins peered at her. “Girlfriend, huh? I wondered what would take you away from the ocean.” He chuckled then, closing his book. “I understand. I felt the same way about your mother.” He stood up and approached the pair, extending a large hand. “Isadora, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

She shook his hand and promised, “The pleasure is mine.”

***

Fernald stood alone in the house with Captain Widdershins. Fiona walked Isadora back to Olivia’s house and he took that opportunity to speak to his stepfather about a very important matter.

“You know something? My sister is so strong. I saw what she was doing in your absence, and she was amazing. I know your ship was destroyed but that was only because something tremendous came along. Before that, she acted as a great captain. She was out there on her own for longer than any kid should have to be, and she was doing that for you. She was out there looking for you, and she was there alone because you left her. The least you could do is listen to her talk about her research.”

He groaned. “I simply don’t understand it.”

“You don’t have to understand it. Just listen to her. Nod your head, smile. Look at her drawings. Anything. Maybe you’ll even learn something. She’s a smart girl.”

The Captain chuckled and nodded. “I know she is. She’s a good kid. Hell, you both are. When you aren’t fighting me about everything.”

Fernald rolled his eyes. “I do not fight you about everything.”

“You’re doing it right now,” Captain Widdershins interjected and Fernald pursed his lips in frustration. “It’s okay, Fern. You are both like your mother. She was a fierce woman, set in her ways with a tendency to be argumentative. And she passed that along to you.” He sighed and looked down. “And to be perfectly honest, that is difficult sometimes. I miss her so much. I don’t want to fight with you anymore, kid. I miss you both. I’ll talk to your sister. I promise.”

He nodded, satisfied. And with the freeing release of tension that came after a good conversation, he realized it was far past time to visit the Baudelaires.

***

Fiona opened the front door with the lingering tingle of Isadora’s lips against her own still on her mind. She was overjoyed that the meeting between her girlfriend and stepfather was a huge success that she gushed about it all the way back to Olivia’s house. She couldn’t believe she was ever anxious about it, and Isadora was so encouraging about the matter.

“Ahoy,” Captain Widdershins stopped her right inside the house and she saluted him in greeting with a singing, ‘ahoy!’ “I wanted to-uh, to talk to you, Fi.” Captain Widdershins sounded nervous, and Fiona waited. “I spoke to your brother earlier and it got me thinking. About your mushroom fascination.”

“Mycology studies-” she corrected, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, about the mushrooms. And well, honey, I don’t get it. But I am proud of you.”

She smiled broadly, pushing her glasses up on her nose. “Thank you, stepfather.”

“Do you want to tell me about your studies?”

“I would love that.”

Fernald listened from the second floor as Fiona explained her research in painstakingly minute details. Their stepfather tried to follow along, but the man was an expert at sea and not on land, and Fernald couldn’t help but chuckle. Fiona was a dramatic teacher, and every little piece of information was on display between the seven books she had laid out in front of the Captain alongside her own notebook in her hands.

***

Bright and early the following morning, Fernald accompanied Fiona during her visit at Olivia’s house to apologize to the Baudelaires. Though he was sick with nerves and anticipation, Fiona was very encouraging and let him practice what he wanted to say. She slipped upstairs to see Isadora, greeting the Baudelaires with a quick wave, and then it was just the four of them in the living room. The Baudelaires were all very surprised to see him. Klaus flinched and stepped back, and Violet tensed up, watching him and waiting. Sunny, however, jumped up from her chair and ran to greet him with arms wide open. After playing cards with the hook-handed man when she was tied up in the birdcage, and after she discovered he could understand her young babble, she viewed him as sort of an older brother. Though he was aligned with Count Olaf at the time, she did enjoy seeing him, and she was happy to see him now.

“It looks like you are neither a baby or a toddler now,” he noted, gruffly, and Sunny giggled.

“Girl,” she corrected, and he smiled.

“That’s right. You are a little girl.” He turned to the other two and tried to smile, though it appeared more like a grimace. “It’s good to see you both here, safe and no longer escaping in a submarine.”

Violet nodded slowly. “It’s good to see you too… also no longer stuck on the Carmelita with those monsters.”

“And thank you for parking my sister’s ship on the beach. We used it to rescue those other brats.” Fernald jerked his head up at the mention of the Quagmires.

“They aren’t-!” Klaus shouted, defensively.

“It’s okay, Klaus,” Fiona interrupted from the top of the stairs. She descended slowly with the Quagmires following behind her. “My brother doesn’t mean it like that.”

“I know I have made everything difficult for you,” Fernald explained to the Baudelaires. “And I am sorry. I am so sorry.”

Violet closes her eyes tightly, thinking. Her siblings were quietly waiting for her to speak, and after a deep breath she did, “You have helped us before. Our sister would be dead if it weren’t for your help on the ship. Sunny trusts you.” She smiled at her sister. “And I trust Sunny.”

“Chef’s salad,” Sunny reminded her siblings, and though it couldn’t happen over night, Violet and Klaus would move toward forgiveness to the hook-handed man.

***

“Are you excited to move?” Duncan asked, and Isadora pouted beside him.

“Dear, this was your idea,” Hector reminded her with a chuckle. “You three found this place for me.”

“Right, but now that it’s real… it sort of sucks,” Quigley hissed.

Olivia and Hector talked it over for a few days and decided it was in the children's best interest to have more room. They were all six (and seven when Beatrice was old enough) welcome to freely go back and forth as much as they wanted, and they reminded the teenagers of that frequently. Everyone could have their own room and the two adults would take turns caring for Beatrice depending on who was at work. The Quagmire triplets were already set up at Olivia’s and the Baudelaires would go with Hector.

“You can see my house from here,” Hector reminded them. “And I’m making you keys tomorrow at work-this new place is going to be your home too as much as you want it to be.”

An additional house would be exciting as it meant everyone could have more space, and Hector reminded the Quagmires that every time they huffed and groaned about the move.

“This doesn’t change anything,” he reminded the triplets. “I promise.”

The Baudelaires and Quagmires joined him walking to the new house carrying tubs of paint, brushes, and a tool box. As Hector suspected, there was work that needed to be done. 

“This is nice,” Violet noted, tying her hair up and opening the kitchen cabinets. “It could use some fixing up. And I can start on that.” She pulled out the tool box and started tightening screws before even finishing the house tour. Hector was so proud.

“I can’t believe a place is finally ours. You know, I’ve missed having a bookshelf," Klaus admitted with a crooked grin. “Think you can build one?”

“Rack!” Sunny requested.

Violet smiled. “I’ll build anything you want. A bookshelf. A rack for your ingredients.” 

Hector smiled brightly. “Well, kiddos, what do you think? Does it look like it’ll do the trick?”

“It’ll be perfect!”

***

“Think you’ll miss your old roomies?” Fiona asked, sitting on Isadora’s new bed in her new room. She kicked her feet and looked around at the bright room aligned with fun posters and Isadora’s personal trinkets resting on the dresser.

“Yes and no,” she admitted, smiling. “They are still right across the hall so I can still see them any time I want. But I can also have privacy now. And that is exciting.”

“Very exciting.” Fiona leaned forward, and Isadora bent down to kiss her.

***

“What do you think you’ll do next?” Duncan asked, laying down on the floor of Klaus’s new room. They didn’t have furniture yet, so he just had a sleeping bag and a half-built bookshelf so far. Duncan didn’t say it out loud but he thought it was adorable that Klaus was concerned about having a bookshelf before even mentioning a bed at all.

Klaus looked at him curiously, glasses crooked and eyebrows raised, surprised out of his deep concentration over sanding and wiping down the shelves. “Huh?”

Duncan muffled an embarrassing giggle with a hand pressed over his mouth, and he tried again. “I mean after we graduate. Do you want to go to university?”

Klaus considered this. “When I was younger, I always thought I would do that. I thought as soon as I graduated I would pursue further education. But now that it’s coming up soon… I just don’t know. I can’t leave Sunny and Beatrice. I cannot imagine being without my sisters.”

“You wouldn’t really be without them though. You can always visit.”

Klaus shrugged, agreeing. “What are your plans?”

“I think I want to go to school-a university, where the professors are different than our teachers were at Prufrock Prep. And maybe I’ll study journalism. Or maybe even something completely random, like ornithology.” He shrugged, tracing his fingers on the floor. “I think it would be so cool to go to college somewhere away from this town. To see the world in a safe way and make Olivia and Hector proud of me.”

“They are already proud of you,” Klaus wiped his hands on his pants and scooted over to sit next to Duncan. “And if you want to go to university far away, I think you should. Maybe I can even come with you.”

The last part was a whisper, but Duncan gasped anyway. “You would come with me?”

Klaus chuckled and wrung his hands out in his lap, stuttering, “Y-yeah, I mean. Yes, I think it would be fascinating.”

Duncan wrapped his arms around Klaus, who was beet red from the attention.

***

The years were long and full of laughter. They learned so much from Olivia and Hector both. They celebrated holidays and birthdays together. They traveled to neighboring cities together. And they healed together. Everyone still felt the weight of their past when they woke up in the mornings. They still felt the pain of their losses. The Baudelaires still checked on Justice Strauss’s house and they cared for the books. The place provided a refuge of sorts when they needed to be alone. And when they needed to cry, they visited the cairn at the beach.

Violet turned eighteen years old first, and she dipped into her part of the family fortune to help Hector build and maintain his very own hardware store. After several long days filled with discussion over the name he should use, he finally settled with Hector’s Hardware (“It’s simple!” Isadora told him. “Plus alliteration is catchy and memorable!”). The store was a hit for customers, though most people who visited the store didn’t know what they needed. This wasn’t a problem as Violet worked alongside him, hair tied up with a ribbon and smiling with encouragement when people needed her help.

The Quagmires turned eighteen next, all at once, and when they had access to their parents’ sapphires, they helped Olivia open her own school house. They spent so much time learning from her in their own wonderful house, and Olivia had accidentally let it slip that she would miss teaching once the triplets were finished with school. And now, as they told her, she can teach children from all over the city. The children deserved a strong education, and Olivia was exactly the woman to provide them with that. As suggested by the Quagmires, she named the school Seaside Academy.

When Klaus turned eighteen, he found himself sitting alone in his room, the ringing of celebration still filled the air, but his closed door kept his friends out of the room. When the door creaked open, he peered up and was surprised to find Sunny walk in, wearing a floral dress and a knowing smile.

“Happy birthday,” she whispered. “You left the party.”

“I needed a break.”

“I know.” She paused, and the room was quiet. “Duncan is leaving in a couple weeks.”

Klaus blushed. “He is.”

“Are you going with him to university? I know you already got accepted.” Her gaze was piercing, and she frowned when he shook his head. “And why not? You think we won’t be fine here without you?”

Klaus huffed. “I never said that-”

“I know what you’re thinking,” she crossed her arms. “And you’re wrong. We will be okay here. You will be okay too.”

“How did you become so brave?” He chuckled and wiped at his eyes. He didn’t remember tearing up. Sunny took his hand.

His door opened again and Violet entered quietly.

“What’s this?” she asked. “Are we talking Klaus into leaving already? I thought that was happening tomorrow.”

“He needs it now.” Sunny stuck her tongue out at him.

Violet sat beside Klaus and wrapped her arms around him. His sisters knew he wanted to leave for university, and they knew why he was wary.

“You already know how to pack light. You’re used to moving around a lot. How many times have we moved now?" She tapped her chin and Klaus rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "So I know those aren’t the problem. Then what’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to leave you all.”

“You can’t get rid of us that easy,” Violet teased, pinching his cheek. He batted her hand away. “We will always be with you in any way you need us. We are a phone call away. Or a little drive. I’ll always have a way to get to you if you need. But listen to me, you want to do this. You can do this. It’s scary now but you are going to love it.”

He crossed his arms. “Why do I have to leave first? Shouldn’t that be your responsibility? You're older.”

She laughed. “I’m not leaving yet. I’m going to keep working here. But who knows, maybe next year if you inspire me enough.” She sobered. “I’m so proud of you both. Klaus, you are so brave and smart. Mom and Dad would be speechless if they could see you now. You have grown so much.” She stood up and grabbed his chin. “Now remember, Hector and Olivia are definitely going to cry when they say goodbye to you. Make sure you tell them you’ll be back to visit during your fall break. That's what they will need to hear. Understand?” 

He did. Their guardians were already so emotional because the Baudelaires and triplets were growing up so fast. Isadora would leave in a month to join Fiona on her mycological hunt for a few weeks, and Duncan will leave for school soon. For now, Quigley worked with Olivia and Violet worked with Hector, but they started discussing going to school soon too.

Violet smiled at her brother. “I can’t wait to hear all about your next adventure.”