Thin Ice (MPHfPC Fanfic)

Chapter Seven:

Note: This chapter also has some language (One word). Read at your own risk.

I escorted Jake to the Priest's Hole where he was going to say a quick goodbye to his dad, who, luckily, was normally so sleepy or drunk at this time (Jake had assured me), that he would think it was all a dream. But it would provide Jake closure. That was enough.

I went to my room and packed everything I thought was important, nothing more, nothing less. 

It was a small bag.

I left without a goodbye. I didn't need one. I had only known my Aunt for a week, and she wasn't the nicest person. She claimed that I wasn't really her niece, that instead I was a burden that fell on her lap that she'd have to put up with until I was sixteen in two years.

When I arrived at the loop, everyone was scurrying around, packing. Miss Avocet had arrived on time and she was recovering nicely. We had stuck around just long enough to be there when she came. But we didn't need her warning. She'd also decided to attempt to go and contact other ymbrynes for help, so she would be leaving us shortly.

Enoch had just looped me into carrying a bunch of jars full of pickled hearts into the main room when the doorbell rang. I went to get it, assuming it was Jake.

But the wight from the book had arrived, days early. And he had Jake in a choke hold and a gun pressed against his temple.

"Hello, August," Dr. Golan said with a smile. "Let us in, will you?"

By this time, everyone had sensed something had gone wrong, and when I had no choice but to let the wight in, they were all standing there.

All but Miss Peregrine and Miss Avocet (who was recovering a few rooms over).

"Where's your Ymbryne?" The wight demanded.

"Hidden. Or gone," Horace said. "You never know. I don't even know. So don't try to force it out, because I don't have the answer."

Oh, that over-dressed, dream-reading, nightmare-talker, sleep-walker, blue-eyed sly-schemer. He had planned ahead, for something just like this. Maybe he'd had a dream. I felt a strange and sudden urge to kiss him then and there, but I didn't. 

"Then you won't mind me shooting young Mr. Portman." Dr. Golan said with a grin. He started to apply pressure on the trigger of the gun and everyone in the room flinched or yelled "No!" or "Stop!" Dr. Golan just smirked.

"Tell me where she is." He said, glaring at us. "Now."

Then a peregrine falcon swooped down from the tall ceiling. Miss Peregrine clawed Dr. Golan's face until it bled, flying away with his gun. Jake elbowed him in the face and ran forward, leaving Dr. Golan stumbling around with red streaming down his cheeks from his scratches. I smiled.

 That had been quick.

"That's where she was, you bastard!" Emma yelled and everyone lunged at him. In seconds, we had him restrained with dozens of arms.

"Thank you, Horace," Miss Peregrine said, having turned back into her human form. Horace blushed a little when everyone enthusiastically applauded and I got caught in his crystal blue eyes. He caught me staring at him and blushed a bit more, but he didn't look away.

I could have stood there, staring into those majestic, beautiful eyes forever.