After being tossed like ragdolls in the backseat, the Baudelaires stepped out of the car, feeling quite nauseous. 

     "And you're sure you don't want me to come with you?" Victor asked suspiciously, "Esme Squalor's homes can be quite treacherous."

     "And you know that how?" Klaus asked.

     "Why, L's work, of course! You three are very well known for both your misfortune and your skills throughout my- er, our people."

     "We're positive that we don't want you to come with us," Isadora stated confidently, "If we need something, we'll shout. I don't trust those knives of yours."

     "Ah, you're still the little ray of sunshine you used to be, Isa," Victor smirked.

     Klaus was about to ask about the knives part of Isadora's statement, but dropped it when everyone walked away without another word. 

     The climb up to the stilted house took almost no time at all, or so it seemed. The wind was very strong this particular night, and also quite noisy, shrieking in Klaus's ears. It reminded him of the unpleasant time he spent in the open during hurricane Herman at his Aunt Josephine's home.

     Simply put: The house was gigantic. It seemed to be story after story after story until it seemed to disappear into the darkness of the night. There also seemed to two or so stories below the landing.

     Eleanora silently tried to open the front door, but to no avail: It was locked. Klaus turned to face Grace.

     "Do you have a key?"

     "Better," Grace grinned maliciously, pulling something out of her pocket, "I have lockpicks. They may have gone Out a month ago, but I snuck a set before Esme tossed them." She immediately picked out a specific one before jamming it into the keyhole and wiggling it around till the door creaked open. Grace flicked the light switch on and sighed,

     "Home sour home! Let's get Caliban and get out of here! This place has always given me the creeps. I'll be right back. Violet, you should remember the location of the stairs, and it's the second room to the right of the stairs," Grace said, rushing up the other set of stairs, before shouting over her shoulder, "I have to find the keys to the room..."

     Violet seemed somewhat hesitant to climb down the stairs. In the end, Klaus went first, running his hand against the wall, searching for the switch so they could actually see something. He managed to find one, but not before hearing a crash from the stairs.

     "Duncan! Watch where you're going, would you? I almost ended up as flat as a pancake!" Isadora scolded.

     Klaus flicked the switch, only to get a few grunts and a, "Too bright! Too bright!" from Isadora and Quigley. 

     Eventually everyone was crowded around the door, Friday at the front. The young girl was practically floating on air she was so excited. 

     Grace soon came running down the stairs.

     "Bad news: No keys. Esme must have them or something... Good news: I have a backup plan."

     "And that plan is...?" Fiona asked. She still seemed kind of suspicious of Grace.

     "This!" Grace pushed her way to the front, took a deep breath, and kicked the door wide open. "Lockpicks went out, kicking doors down for dramatic effect went in. You wouldn't believe the amount of calls I've had to make in order to get new doors every time someone kicks their bedroom door open," She rolled her eyes.

     The room seemed to be a lot more protected than the room Violet had been in. In the room was a wooden chair that was chained to the floor. A man sat in it. The man had his wrists bound to the chair armrests, while his legs to the rungs of the chair. There was a gag in his mouth and tape, and his eyes were blindfolded. He looked as if he had lost a large amount of weight in a short amount of time. He seemed to be stirring.

     "Yo! Thursday!" Grace said in his ear, "You've got visitors!"

     Thursday started muttering something incomprehensible. Grace took off the tape, pulled out the gag. (She tossed both into the corner, looking disgusted.) The Baudelaires and their friends could now hear what he was saying.

     "Don't be Regan or Esme or Colette. Please!" He was mumbling.

     "It's not, Thursday! You'll be surprised at how wrong you are..." Grace said lightly. She untied the blindfold. Thursday seemed momentarily blinded by the light before blinking a few times and seeing everyone in the doorway. 

      "D-dad?" Friday asked softly, eyes brimming with tears.

      "Friday?" Thursday's question was more of a statement than a question, "You're here. How did you..."

     "Thanks to the help of the Baudelaires, I got off the island and here," Friday said as tears ran down her cheeks. Grace managed to hack off the bindings on both of Thursday's wrists and  break the chains. He stood up, rolling his neck and rubbing his wrists before Friday rushed up to hug him. Both Calibans cried openly.

     Violet's heart hurt knowing that she would never have the same. Both of her parents were dead. It was almost the same story as Friday's- both parents lost, one supposedly found, and then thinking they found one, except in Friday's case she actually found hers. The Baudelaire's hadn't and they never, ever, would. 

      Quigley wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a side hug. 

     Then there was a sharp bang! from upstairs. 

     "Damnit, Colette!" Regan swore, "Be quiet, will you? Let's just get Caliban and get out of here!"

     Everyone froze. Grace was the first to snap out of it as several noises were heard as the twin villains and probably someone else. They were cornered.

     Grace whispered, "On three, run!"

     "One!" Violet whispered.

     "Two!" Klaus whispered.

     "Three!" Sunny shouted, and everyone ran for the stairs, seeing Ernest, Regan, and Colette on them, all who seemed to be surprised. 

      All three Baudelaires and Beatrice managed to make it through, and immediately ran out the door, beginning to climb down the ladder. Their view was blocked when either Quigley or Duncan began climbing down as well.

      They ran down the street, searching for Victor. Somehow, they managed to find their backs against a wall, with Isadora, Duncan, Fiona, Grace, Thursday, Friday, and the other islanders beside them. Esmé  had at some point joined in the chase, as she was directly next to Regan as they were at the opening of the shallow alleyway. 

      "Ha! The Baudelaires helpless! A Snicket stuck! The Quagmires cornered!" Regan leered at the group while teasing them, "Well, almost all Quagmires," Regan smiled. 

     Ernest had his back turned as he dragged someone into the alleyway, as Colette did the same. Both figures seemed to be putting up quite the fight.

     "Ghreauy!" Beatrice shrieked, which most likely meant "Leave us alone! We're just children!"

     "Oh, shut up you stupid Snicket! I don't know about you, but the rest of you haven't been children for a long time! That's right..." Regan grinned maliciously, "I understand the baby talk..."

     "How?" Sunny asked.

     "Same way you did, you buck-toothed brat. Mother dearest..."

     "Your Esméness?" Ernest piped up, "What do you want done with him ?"

      "Prop him against the wall. As for the old woman, bring her over," Esmé ordered. Ernest propped no one other than Quigley, sporting several new bruises and cuts. The other figure seemed to be almost unconscious, and Violet instantly recognized her: Eleanora. 

     "Tell us where the sugar bowl is or she dies," Esmé snarled as Regan brandished a knife.

      "We don't know!" Klaus cried.

     "Well, that's a shame, isn't it?"Esmé said, pouting. "Say bye-bye to Eleanora, orphans and traitors."

     "Let her go," A voice said calmly. No one could identify where the voice was coming from. Then, a person stepped into the alleyway. "Let her go," she repeated. Violet was fairly sure it was a girl.

     Esmé turned around to see the girl, who had on a hooded jacket, face covered up.Esmé stumbled into the left wall of the alleyway. She gasped out,

     "No! N-not you! H-how? N-n-no!"

     "Yes, me! Now scram! Shoo, go on now!" The girl pulled out two katanas.

     The villains didn't need any more encouragement as they fled the scene. Violet heard the revving of an engine, and a limo pulled up yet again. And the passenger side door rolled down yet again. 

      Fiona and Isadora had immediately rushed over to Eleanora's side, checking for scratches and other injuries. But they all looked up when the girl turned on her heel to walk away. She looked back, only to have her hood fall off. She had sharp features, a ponytail, and bright blue eyes. That was all they saw before the hood was flipped back over her face as she ran into the night.

      "Get in before those guys come back!" Victor called. The group immediately rushed to the car, Victor coming around from his side to greet them this time. He shook hands with Thursday.

     "Hey, Caliban! Good to see you back. I take it you're riding shotgun, since your license was suspended?"

     "You know me so well..." Thursday smiled devilishly before sliding into the seat. Everyone hesitantly got into the car, Violet and Duncan helping a very hurt Quigley into the car, followed by Omeros and Klaus, who managed to get Eleanora into the car as well.

     "How are you not the least bit freaked  out by all of this?" Klaus asked the two men in front.

     "All part of the job, kid," Victor said gruffly.

     "This is small potatoes compared to some of the stuff we've seen throughout our careers," Thursday slightly explained.

     "Besides, it's all dark and disturbing. And dark and disturbing is what I do," Victor winked into the rearview mirror before pressing his foot against the gas pedal.

      And they raced off once more. 

--

      The following morning, the Baudelaires, Quagmires, Fiona, and Eleanora had gathered into the first room they had ever been in at Eleanora's house. Victor had dropped them all off, helping everyone and staying, even after Isadora kept dropping less and less subtle hints to get out until she threatened to take his knives. He took his siblings and hustled out of the house after that. 

     Quigley was still severely hurt but managed quite fine due to the fact he had been dragged for fifteen minutes. The same could be said of Eleanora, or at least physically. She still seemed a bit jittery- a bit meaning 'A whole lot, though she could hide it'.

     Just as Eleanora was about to speak, the phone rang, and she went to go answer it. Violet could hear faintly, "Yes, L? W- when? And you're sure? Her too? A-alright... see you then..." 

     Eleanora walked back in, before swallowing and saying, "The boss- wants to see you later today... But for now, rest up and catch up. I'll be in my room if you need me." She walked away.

      Violet turned to face the Quigley, who was next to her on the sofa. "What's up with Isadora and Victor?" 

      "It's a long story. So, how to begin... in the good old days when we were in school together and nobody thought I was dead, the three of us were two years ahead of our normal grade, or, in Victor's grade at school. He had no way of knowing this, of course, but Isadora was fourteen and he was sixteen. Victor developed a crush, and well, he tried to ask her out. So, he did what any sane person would do, and carved, 'Isadora, will you go out with me?' on the side of the school with his knives..."

      "Really?" Violet asked, starting to laugh.

      "Well, she got a little... mad... because of all the stares she was getting in the hallways, so she did what any other sane person would do, and hit him directly on the back of the head with a copy of an unabridged german dictionary that she had lent out from the library simply because it was the largest book there and she wanted to hit him with it. Then she said, and I quote "There are a billion other things I would rather do / than ever go out on a date with you" before hitting him on the back with the book and dropping it on his foot. She then stomped off," Quigley said with a small smile as he recounted all of it. 

      "Wow..." Violet said, full out laughing at this point. Isadora glared at Quigley from across the room.

      "You told her? Really, Quigley? I thought we were closer siblings than that!" Isadora said, sticking out her tongue. She regretted it a moment later as Duncan grabbed it and pulled it. Isadora shoved him away before rushing off, saying,

      "Augh! Duncan touched my tongue! I've got Duncan germs! Get me a toothbrush and toothpaste!  Get some hot water! Get some iodine! Duncan touched my tongue!"

     Quigley rolled his eyes. "Duncan, why on earth would you do that?"

     "To get the old Isadora back! You know, the one that doesn't shoot snappy comebacks at every 'Hi, how are you?' and doesn't mumble sarcastic things and profanity where only I can hear!"

     "She's been mumbling what?" 

      "You know, curse words-"

      "Not the definition of profanity! Not that kind of what!" Quigley snapped. 

     "Quigley-" Violet said forewarnedly, only to be cut off. 

     "Shut up!" Duncan and Quigley both yelled at Violet, who gave them an are-you-kidding-me look.

     "Hey! Don't talk to my sister that way!" Klaus shouted, standing up. Sunny and Beatrice too stood and glared at Duncan and Quigley.

     "You little-"

     "Enough!" Fiona shouted, as she too stood up. "I don't know what you three's deal is, but you need to work it out! Violet, go get Isadora. Duncan, Quigley, out in the backyard. I want all three of you to work this out, because I'm quite frankly sick of it and it hasn't been ten minutes!"

     "Thank you, Fiona," Sunny said appreciatively as Violet quickly and quietly walked off to get Isadora.

     "We've got to go!" Eleanora shouted, her voice booming.

     "So much for working this out..." Klaus said with bared teeth, "That's too bad... I wanted to see if you'd actually dare to punch me..."

     Quigley's scowl was replaced by an emotionless face as he and Duncan walked out the door, Isadora scurrying out from the hall to stand between her older brothers. They, like everyone else, didn't say a single word.

     Yes, this is the almost end... I need to put up the epilogue. And then I can start on a book that's in between the book with the children and the epilogue.

     It kind of has to happen, if you think about it... Violet literally has just been thrown back into her group of friends, and has no idea about the Klaus-Isadora-Fiona thing, and then we also have the new plot point with the Krawaluskis... and then the fight with the Quagmires... and now I'm just digging a deeper hole for myself, aren't I? 

     I was thinking of instead of doing it from the Baudelaire's point of view, I could do it from the Quagmire's point of view. Thoughts?