The sound of laughter echoed in through the front window above Ariel's head. Keeping low, she shifted to the other side of the bushes so she wasn't visible from the window.

It had been almost a week since the incident. Her bruises had started to yellow and the pain in her back had faded. Yesterday the Doc had done some more tests on her heart and sat her down to explain what he was learning.

"I'm sure you've probably figured much of this out yourself," he started. "Besides what we already knew, we now know that your emotions and bodily reactions are blunted."

"Blunted?"

"Yes, for example when you ran on the treadmill. You felt tired, but it wasn't excessive, am I correct?" She nodded and he continued. "After you touched your heart however, you collapsed. It was the same after your fall. Your body was processing the damage, but it was slow. Once you touched your heart it all caught up and your body started to process what had happened."

"So does that mean I need to touch my heart every now and then so my body can process stuff?"

He nodded. "I believe you would only have to do it if you put your body under any strenuous activity or you were injured."

"What about like mental stuff? Does it affect that too?"

He appeared thoughtful. "I'm not sure. It is possible. Have you noticed a change in your emotions when you are touching your heart?"

"No, not at all."

She had been lying. She had noticed a difference. The day Lucas and her had 'apologised' she had opened the chest, wanting to feel her pulse. Wanting the comfort. Instead, it had been painful. Guilt and sadness had overwhelmed her. It had been suffocating, the pressure in her chest becoming unbearable until she had to let her heart go.

She hadn't touched it since.

There was something wrong with her. Apart from the whole heart issue. Since coming to Sherwood she had cried more times than she had in her whole time at high school. She had never been one to get emotional. She learned to keep it bottled up and only let it out in short bursts if it became too much – usually in the form of anger.

This week it was as if a dam had broken inside of her. All the sadness, loneliness and regret that had been building up over the last few years was steadily trickling out. The walls were cracked and it didn't matter how hard she tried to patch them up, the cracks continued to get larger.

Her phone binged and she glanced at the screen – another message from Lainie. That was the third one in four days. Ariel had tried to avoid reading them at first, but with nothing else to do and no one to talk to, she found herself reading them anyway.

The first one had been simple. Why did you call me?

The second was one just as short. Fine. Ignore me as always.

Picking up her phone, she unlocked the screen and slowly clicked on the message. I rang your house and Paige said you were in England getting treatment. What the hell? Are you okay?

"Goddamit Paige!" She threw the phone away, hearing it land somewhere in the grass to her right. Curling into a ball, she rested her head on her knees. Why the hell would she tell Lainie that she was getting treatment? They had told everyone she was on holidays.

"Should have known she'd try to screw my life up more," she muttered.

"Who is screwing up your life?"

Her head shot up. Autumn stood beside her, Ariel's phone resting gently in her palm.

"No one," Ariel murmured. "Forget it."

Clearly intending not to forget it, Autumn took a seat beside her. She pulled her hood up, protecting her face from the breeze. Ariel thought about leaving. Even though she'd been trying to talk to Autumn for the last few days, now that she had her chance she found she was afraid. She started to rise and Autumn put a hand on her arm. There was no force in her gesture, but the message was clear – stay. So Ariel shifted forward slightly, trying to create wind block as she got comfortable once more.

Autumn handed her phone back. "Is Lainie your friend?"

"No." She took the phone. "I mean, we used to be friends, but not anymore."

Autumn paused. "Can I ask why?"

Ariel looked away. "I think you've probably seen plenty of evidence as to why we aren't friends anymore. I'm not exactly the nicest person to hang out with."

"I don't think so," Autumn replied.

"I know you don't," she sighed. "You and the Doc think I'm 'tired' or something." She saw Autumn start. "Yeah the Doc told me about your analysis of me. Shouldn't you be worrying about yourself rather than someone like me?"

"Worrying about myself is unproductive." She crossed her legs, leaning back on her hands. "What do you mean, someone like you?"

"How is worrying about me productive?"

"I never said it was. What did you mean, Ariel?"

Ariel's eyes rolled. "Come on Autumn, don't pretend to be stupid. You know as well I what everyone thinks of me."

"No, I don't," she said simply. "What do they think of you?"

"Okay fine, we'll play it your way. They think I'm a heartless bitch. Don't pretend to be surprised," Ariel snapped when Autumn's mouth opened in shock. "Lucas made it perfectly clear what you all think of me."

At the mention of Lucas, Autumn's eyes closed in understanding. Ariel thought it was strange and heard her murmur, "that explains his mood."

"What mood? How can he be in a mood?"

A leaf on Autumn's arm was slowly starting to curl inwards and Ariel tried her best not to look at it.

"He's been in a bad mood for the last few days," she explained quietly. "Emily and I thought it was because of the staircase incident, but I can see now that's not it." At Ariel's questioning glance she continued. "Two days ago he snapped at Kestral when she said something about you being heartless. Told her to never say something like that again before he stalked off. He said that to you, didn't he?" she finished. "And the guilt is eating at him."

That surprised Ariel. He didn't seem like the type to regret anything that came out of his mouth. She wanted to feel triumphant, and find him and rub it in his face, but she couldn't. She could still see his face after he had pushed her down the stairs, the horror in his voice at the thought that he might have killed her.

Oscar rounded the corner of the house, meowing as he sauntered towards them. Without ceremony, he flopped onto the grass in front of them and started rolling on his back. Autumn reached out to scratch him and Ariel pushed her hand away.

"What?"

"Nothing," she muttered. "Just don't rub his belly, it weirds me out."

She poked Oscar until he rolled onto his stomach, glaring at her and she resisted the urge to glare back. "Anyway, Lucas shouldn't feel guilty. He was right."

"Ariel, you know that's not true."

"How do you know it's not?" She countered.

Autumn fell silent and Ariel knew she'd won. It didn't make her happy though. It made her feel a hundred times worse.

"The flower."

Ariel frowned, confused. "What now?"

"The flower and apology note you left for Emily. A heartless person wouldn't do that."

"Oh, that." Ariel had left the note and rose by Emily's pillow the day before. She had snuck in when everyone was outside helping in the vegetable garden. She had been feeling guilty about snapping at Emily. That morning, she'd woken and both Emily and the flower were gone. She'd figured Emily had thrown it out. "I thought she threw it away."

"She brought it down to breakfast and showed Lucas and myself." Autumn placed a hand on Ariel's. "I know you think everyone has been avoiding you, Ariel but you're wrong. You are the one that's been avoiding us."

That made no sense. "Come again now?"

Autumn reached out and scratched Oscar behind the ears before she continued. "I know that right now you will find it hard to believe, but we aren't that petty. We understand you had your reasons for saying what you did that day. While we may not agree on what was said about that person, we aren't going to banish you."

"Michael seemed pretty keen on that idea," she replied harshly.

"Michael was only worried because of his condition. You may think Lucas is bad when his anger gets the better of him, but Michael is much worse. He loses complete control and I know he has no desire to do that. He wasn't just protecting himself, he was protecting all of us, including you."

Now Ariel was starting to feel even more like a jerk. "You're not making me feel any better," she grumbled.

Autumn smiled. "I wasn't trying to make you feel better exactly. I just wanted you to know the truth. You don't have to hide from us. We don't hate you."

"I doubt you can speak for everyone on that topic, she thought of Lucas and Kestral, but I get what you're saying."

"Good," she sounded relieved. "Then you'll come up to your room at an earlier time tonight? Emily's been trying to stay awake to talk to you but she always falls asleep before you come in."

"Fine," she sighed. "I'll go to bed at a respectable time – happy mum?"

Autumn grinned. Her fingers were gently brushing at the curled leaf on her arm and Ariel stopped her. "You shouldn't play with it."

"Are you my mother now, Ariel?" Autumn teased.

Ariel knew she was being light, but she could see the pain buried in her eyes. "I'm not being a mother. I'm being a... friend." The word felt strange on her tongue. "I don't know much about your curse but playing with the leaves, it doesn't feel right. You should leave them alone."

A strange look flashed across her features before Autumn sent her a reassuring smile. "I'll leave them alone. Happy, mum?"

Ariel laughed, moving her hand away. "Yeah, whatever."

Autumn stood up and Oscar followed suit, stretching languidly. "Do you want to come in and watch a movie?"

"No, I'll stay out here for a bit."

Thankfully Autumn didn't push her to reconsider but she did return to an earlier topic. "If you aren't friends with Lainie anymore, why is she messaging you?"

"I... I called her the other day. Don't know why, just did."

"I see," she nudged Ariel with her foot. "You should message her back."

"What? Are you deaf? I told you we aren't friends – "

"I heard you. But someone who wasn't your friend wouldn't be trying to still get in contact you after a mistaken phone call." She motioned to Ariel's phone. "Message her back."

She started to walk away and Ariel realized she had forgotten to ask her what she'd been trying to ask all week – "Why do you think I'm tired?"

She stopped and turned back. "Your eyes. You put on a brave face, but if you look closely, your eyes tell another story. Now message your friend back. Something tells me you won't feel so tired anymore if you do."

"My eyes," she muttered. She unlocked her phone and opened her camera. She stared at her eyes, brow furrowed. The hazel depths offered her nothing but annoyed curiosity. Huffing loudly she dropped the phone into her lap and rubbed her eyes.

That conversation had not gone liked she'd hoped. She'd spent more time answering Autumn's questions than asking her own. Next time she'd be more prepared.

I'm fine. Something insane happened and it's hard to explain. Sorry if Paige freaked you out.

Ariel stared at the text message, her finger hovering over the 'send' icon. She had moved from the front of the house, taking a walk back to the hidden bluebell field. The shade of the trees cast an array of light over the flowers and it gave her an odd sense of comfort to sit there. After writing and erasing for ten minutes, she'd finally settled on that message. No matter what she wrote, it sounded stupid and elusive. Lainie would probably be annoyed and go back to ignoring her.

It would be for the best. Lainie would go back to not caring, and everything would be just as it had been.

Yet she couldn't push the button. She knew if she did, Lainie wouldn't go back to not caring, she would force her way back in. Autumn had said they didn't hate her, but she still barely knew them and she didn't fully believe her. She knew Lainie. If Lainie knew the truth, she would freak out, need some proof to convince her but then she would accept it. Lainie was loyal and she would call her everyday like she used to when Ariel would be home with a flu or some stomach virus, telling her jokes and catching her up and what was happening at school. She wouldn't treat her like she was different and Ariel missed that.

She needed that, badly.

"Are you crying again?"

She jumped. She had been so focused on her phone she hadn't noticed Ben standing in front of her. She quickly locked the screen and dropped the phone in her lap. "I'm not. How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to sneak up on you." He grinned. "You're a bit of a ditz, aren't you?"

"No! I was just focused on something else. That doesn't make me a ditz."

"Yes it does."

"No it doesn't!"

He laughed, sitting in front of her. Her eyes narrowed. "Are you ditching class again?"

His eyes glanced away and she knew she'd guessed right. "I'm not –"

"Maths again?"

"Maybe," he muttered, before exploding. "I just don't get how Peyton does it! She says it's easy but if I can't do it then I know she's lying to me."

"What are you working on?"

"Stupid division stuff."

"Division does suck," she agreed and the corner of his mouth tugged up. "Do you want me to help you again?"

"I don't want to do it at all."

She grinned. "I don't think that's going to happen, mate. Go and get your stuff and I'll see if I can help."

"You aren't going to come back to the house?"

"No." She wasn't ready to face everyone yet. "I'd rather do it out here. That cool with you?"

"Yeah! Hang on, I'll be right back." He scrambled to his feet and took off through the trees. She was just grabbing her phone when she heard his voice through the trees. A softer voice answered him and she wondered if Peyton had found him. She felt a little smug knowing she could help Ben instead of her. She tapped the corner of her phone on the chest between her legs, wondering if she should turn it back on and send that text message.

Movement caught her eye and she saw the person who had intercepted Ben – Mrs Grimm. She smiled as she approached. "Ben tells me your holding class outside today."

"Sorry, Mrs. Grimm." She tried to explain. "He said he was having trouble with maths –"

"It's alright." She took a seat beside her. "As long as he's willing to learn, I don't mind where he learns it. He told me how you helped him with his maths last time. You must be pretty good if he's willing to let you teach him. Peyton has been struggling for months."

That's because she's a cow. "Some people just learn things differently." Ariel shrugged, keeping her bitter words to herself. "I remember struggling to learn some equations when I was his age because the teacher taught us using some strange method. My Grandpa taught me another way that was way easier and after that I had no problem with it."

"Hmm. If Ben finds your methods easier to understand I might have to get you to teach Peyton them so she can use them instead."

The thought of talking to Peyton made her mouth sour. Sure. She'd have to mentally prepare herself so she didn't go mental on her, but if it would help Ben, then she'd suffer through it.

"Mrs. Grimm, can I ask you a personal question?"

"If you stop calling me Mrs. Grimm then you may."

"Okay, Mrs - Harriet. I was just wondering; wouldn't Ben do better going to school with other kids? He seems like a smart kid and not the type to blab about what does on at Sherwood."

Harriet's face softened. "Ben is a smart boy, but even the smartest of us can slip up. It was my choice for him to be homeschooled, because I don't want him to get hurt."

"What do you mean?"

"To become a Grimm, means you estrange yourself from the real world." She explained. "I first met Brad when we were in college. I had a crush on him since I first saw him in my second year of agriculture science. Trying to get close to him was a challenge."

She smiled in remembrance. "I used to go to all the parties and social gatherings to find him, but he was never there. I may have become a little stalker-ish and finally discovered he spent a lot of his spare time in the library. So I started spending all my time there as well."

"Woah, you were a super creep."

She laughed. "I guess I was. It took some time, but eventually we started talking and we just clicked. I didn't realize what his family did until a year later when, during summer break, I decided to show up unannounced here. I nearly fainted when a man with three eyes answered the door."

"Did you freak out?"

"Of course! I would like to think anyone in that scenario would freak out. Brad took me aside to explain and I learned what it was they did. It all sounded so unbelievable, I remember calling him mad and I took off." She smiled. "Not my finest moment."

"So how did you end up together then?"

"I was driving home and I realized that I was being an idiot. I still found it insane, but I had seen the proof myself and Brad had never lied to me before. I was in shock, but I still trusted him. Still loved him. So I stayed the night in Bibury and drove back the next day. The gardens here were over run and uncared for, so I met with his father and offered my services as a gardener for the summer. I was sworn to secrecy about the patients being treated here and I started that day. Brad didn't realize I was working here until two days later when he saw me tending to the rose bushes from the front window."

Ariel grinned. "As interesting as it is to hear about how much of a super creep you used to be, Harriet, what does this have to do with Ben?"

"Oh!" She flushed. "I always somehow end up telling that story when I get asked about Ben. I guess I like telling it. Anyway, I'll fast forward to when we eventually got engaged. At this point my parents knew about Brad, but I hadn't told them what his family did. One day, not long after we announced our engagement, they decided to drop by and surprise us at Sherwood."

"Oh boy," Ariel breathed. "I bet that went down well."

Harriet's eyes filled with sadness. "It was a disaster. They could not cope with what they saw here. My older brother was with them and they were trying to drag me away, demanding I never see Brad again. They called the patients here freaks and monsters. I had never felt ashamed of my family until that day."

"So what happened?"

"I left with them, but Brad, his father and Amelia came to our home and spoke with me. Brad didn't want to give me up, but he didn't want to force me to choose between him and my family. Oddly enough, there was no choice for me. It was him. I loved my family, but it would always be him. Amelia offered to cast a spell, so my family would forget what they had seen that day. It would also make them forget about me."

"What like you never existed?"

"Not exactly. They would still remember that they have a daughter, but they would never have any inclination to see me. Amelia said that for the spell to last, I would never be able to see them again. If I did, the spell would break and it could damage their minds."

"You took the spell?"

She nodded. "It's been nearly twelve years since I last saw them. Ben has never met them. He asks about them sometimes, but he knows that he can't meet them."

"So you don't want Ben to go to school because you don't want something like that to happen to him?"

"Pretty much," Harriet finished. "I know it seems mad, but I can't put my son through something like that."

"It's not mad," Ariel said quietly. "I'm sure if I were in your shoes I would have done the same thing. Ben seems happy here anyway and if he was at a real school, he wouldn't be able to get out of maths as easily."

Harriet laughed. "He certainly wouldn't."

As if he had heard them, Ben burst back through the trees carrying two books with a pencil clamped tightly between his teeth.

"Oi, ave my shtuff," he gasped between the pencil. He spat it out onto the ground before continuing. "I had to sneak passed Peyton to get to it. Samson helped me by creating a distraction."

"I don't know if I like the idea of Samson helping you to avoid class." Harriet said sternly.

"He said it was fine!" Ben protested. "I told him Ariel was helping me and he said that was 'sensational'." He turned to Ariel. "Who even uses that word anymore? Old people words are weird."

"You got that right. Pull up some dirt and let's get started."

He dumped his books and put his hands on his hips. "I have to deliver a message before I start."

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow. "And what message would that be?"

"It's from Autumn. She said to say, 'you can't start studying until Ariel sends her message.'"

Smiling wryly, Ariel picked up her phone and went back to her unsent message. Taking a breath, she pressed send, and dropped it back into her lap. "There, it's sent. Now sit down and let's so some sensational division."

Hey guys! So currently I'm in New Orleans! Sorry for the late update. I'm not sure when I will get to update again. I won't be home until early November but hopefully I will be able to update again :D

Let me know how you liked the chapter!