Separate Entities//Miss Peregrine AU

Chapter Nine

The next morning, Jacob and I sat in comfortable, happy silence as we ate our breakfast. After everything that had happened the previous day, why wouldn't we be happy? We had discovered the very people we came to see in the first place were still alive and thriving. Not even when we stepped out into the pouring rain did our mood sour, as we knew we'd soon be greeted by the bright, sunny sky of the loop.

As we walked through the forest, our hoods up and our hands shoved in our pockets, Jacob began speaking. "So, I got a call last night," he said, seeming uncertain with his words, as if he wasn't sure he wanted to tell me this.

"From who?" I asked, looking up at him as I prompted him to elaborate on his vague remark. As I did so, I nearly tripped over a stray root jutting out from the ground, so I focused back on the ground to avoid any further incidences.

"Dr. Golan. He told me that he's worried about me." Jacob scoffed after answering, a small, disbelieving smile on his face.

"Okay, so, what did you say?" I press, hoping to god that he didn't actually say anything about the kids being alive – not that I thought he was dumb enough to do that.

Jake thought for a second – planning out his explanation, no doubt – before replying. "What he wanted to hear." I laughed at that – we both did – before he continued. "No, I just explained what we've been doing. Then I lied about being over the whole 'grandpa' thing. I mean, sure I still get nightmares sometimes, but what do you expect with PTSD? I'm totally over it."

"Really? 'Cause it sounds like you're trying to convince yourself of that more than anyone else," I pointed out.

"Whatever, Kallie. Anyway, it was a kind of choppy conversation, anyway. He was picking up his sister at an airport, so he kept on getting talked over by the crowd. He wishes you well, also." I nodded, being respectful of the fact that he didn't want to talk about his grandpa more than he had to. Then, something dawned on me.

"Wait, you had, like, two meetings with him before we left. Did you tell him about my ghost thing?"

Jacob shook his head, a small smile on his lips. "No, I just told him you were my cousin."

"Oh, like what we told Kev?" I countered, laughing a little. Jake laughed a bit, too.

"Yeah, I guess."

By that time, we'd reached the cairn after nearly getting lost twice along the way, and I was more than relieved to pull my hood off my head and welcome the bright, sunny, September morning. The relief faded slightly when I noticed an annoyed-looking Emma there, already waiting for us. "Well, it two you two long enough. Everyone's been waiting for ages!"

"Really?" Jacob asked, stepping closer to the feisty blonde. I, however, stayed back, still a little nervous about being around her, seeing as just yesterday she had both captured and threatened to kill me.

"Well, of course," Emma replied before taking Jake's hand and heading off, leaving me to follow behind them. What had happened between them last night? I pushed the unvoiced question from my head and instead began fantasizing about what today would hold with the children. I had just about lost sight of them when we burst through the trees, emerging into the large yard of the house. As we entered the backyard, we were greeted with a pleasant surprise.

The children were all busy, setting up for what appeared to be a concert. Already there was a small wooden stage set up and various kids were getting dressed up in exaggerated costumes that one would expect from a bunch of dancers and businessmen rather than children. Then again, they weren't really children, were they?

Those who weren't getting in costume or setting something else up were playing music, more than likely to accompany whatever show was coming up. It was a three part group, consisting of a positively ancient looking contraption resembling a cello that Horace seemed more than comfortable with, an equally old looking trombone, and an accordion.