How It Should Have Been

Chapter 10: Triplets' Reunion

Begin!

Very important note: according to Duncan and Isadora, they lived at Prufrock for 3 semesters before the Baudelaires arrived; that's a year and a half, meaning their fire happened long before the Baudelaires'. I'm taking liberties with Quigley's survival story because a lot of the book information implies that he might be lying, since nearly everything he says contradicts his siblings' statement. Basically, book Quigley says he arrived at Dr. Montgomery's house right after the Baudelaires left to live with Aunt Josephine. This creates a massive plot hole that I am going to attempt to reason around for the sake of my story, and for not making Quigley look as untrustworthy as the book has always made him appear to me. Aside from that, it will remain the same.

Universe*

~Normal POV

Duncan and Isadora froze in stunned silence as the scout introduced himself. The Baudelaires watched from behind them with the same shocked feeling. The five of them had believed that Quigley Quagmire was dead, yet here he was standing right in front of them. There was no mistaking it. He looked exactly like the two triplets for the most part. There were some minor differences; Duncan usually did his best to keep his hair neat while Quigley's was a bit longer, shaggy and unkempt, and in a different style from his brother. Isadora had brown eyes while both her brothers had green eyes; aside from gender this was one of the few things that kept her looking distinctively different from the two boys. After the initial shock seemed to wear off, Duncan and Isadora removed their masks, dropping them carelessly on the ground. It was now Quigley's turn to freeze in disbelief.

"Duncan... Isadora...?"

Quigley spoke their names so softly they just barely heard him, his voice cracked slightly. Everything went quiet again for a moment before the journalist and the poet grabbed their brother in a tight hug; the triplets letting out tears of joy.

"We thought you were dead!"

"I made it out!"

"Oh, my god I can't believe you're here!"

"We're together again!"

"Oh, god, I missed you guys so much!"

The Baudelaires smiled at each other as they watched the scene. Though a very small part of them had hoped that the survivor would have been a member of their family; they didn't feel disappointed at all about being wrong. A set of triplets had been reunited, and the happiness on their faces dismissed any negative feeling they would have had otherwise. Even in the ashes of the destroyed V.F.D. Headquarters they had managed to find something that made them happy. As Isadora had said back at the hospital, it was still a person that was alive, and that was what mattered above all else.

"I can't believe I didn't recognize you guys," Quigley said wiping his eyes, "I kind of feel pretty stupid, don't I?"

"Probably, but it's nice to know that I'm still the better looking one," Duncan replied.

"We all look the same," Quigley laughed.

"Boys, please," Isadora said, grinning, "We all agreed that I'm the best looking one!"

The two Quagmire boys laughed, "You're right Izzie."

Quigley looked over at the Baudelaires, who had not yet removed their masks, "Uh, sorry who are your friends?"

Duncan and Isadora turned and beckoned them to come and introduce themselves.

Violet removed her mask first, "It's nice to finally meet you, Quigley. I'm Violet Baudelaire, and these are my siblings Klaus and Sunny."