Our World (present):

The second that Veronica and I pulled up outside of the house, I put my car in park and hopped out. I rushed into the house.

"Mom!" I exclaimed as I ran towards my mother and the sheriff, who were talking in the foyer.

"Anything?" I asked them both, praying that there was any news of my little brother.

"Not yet, Cal." Sheriff Graham sighed, as my mom wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"He's just a kid." I muttered worriedly, my previously hopeful attitude having soured during the drive home.

"A smart kid, who I'm sure will pop up at any second." Veronica tried to reassure, having followed me inside.

"I'll call around and see if anyone has seen him." I offered, pulling my phone out of my back pocket.

"I'll call the softball and soccer teams and ask for them to help search the town." My best friend suggested, doing the same.

"That's a great idea, girls." Mom told us with a weak smile.

As I started dialing, I saw a familiar little boy and a unfamiliar blonde woman walking up the path.

"Oh my god! It's Henry!" I told the others, before racing out and engulfing him in a hug.

"Are you okay? You scared the hell out of me, Bubba!" I said giving my brother a once over. As I released him, mom ran out and hugged him.

"Henry! Where have you been?" She asked, backing away and looking him over just as I had done. "What happened?"

"I found my real mom!" Henry spat, before running off into the house.

We all stood shocked as the boy ran inside, before turning our attention to the blonde.

"I'll talk to him." I reassured my mother, before turning to the unknown woman. "Thank you for bringing him home safely."

I gave her a polite smile and followed after Henry. I knocked on his bedroom door before entering.

My brother was laying on his bed with his back facing me, pretending to be asleep.

"Come on, bud. Do I have to remind you who taught you that." I chuckled, sitting down on the end of his bed.

"I'm glad that you found your bio mom, I just wish you'd done it without scaring the life out of me and mom."

"She's not my mom." He grumbled, my heart breaking a little.

"Does that mean I'm not your sister?" I asked, slightly dreading the answer.

"That's different, you're not an evil witch. You're my best friend." He rolled over to face me, apparently ready for a debate.

"That we'll may be, but if you're right about the town, then how do you know that she hasn't changed for the better and just doesn't know how to make everyone remember? What if she herself forgot too?"

"But the book says—." He started, but I already had my counter argument.

"What if the book left some details out? History books do it all the time." I pointed out, with a raised brow.

"What if it didn't?"

"But what if it did?"

"You're impossible." My little brother laughed, making me grin.

"Then we know where you learned it from, you little goblin!" I joked, ruffling his hair.

"Stop it, Callie!" Henry laughed as he tried to fix his hair.

"I'm glad you're okay, kiddo." I told him earnestly, once the giggles calmed down.

"Goodnight, Callie."

"Night, Bubba." I chuckled, before getting up and leaving the room. I walked downstairs, intending to talk to Veronica and Henry's bio mom.

However, I only found my mom and Veronica chatting in the dining room, blondie nowhere in sight.

"Blondie gone already?" I asked, plopping down next to my best friend at the dining room table.

"Yep, she seemed like good people, though." Veronica said, earning a scoff from mom. We both looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"Sorry, girls." She sighed, taking another sip of what I assumed was whiskey. "I'm just stressed."

"And boozy." Veronica joked lightly, gesturing to the glass in my mother's hand.

"And hurt." I pointed out, giving mom a sympathetic look.

"Alright, you little therapists, off to bed. It's a school night." Mom deflected, before asking Veronica. "Are you staying the night? Do you want me to call your mother to let her know?"

"It's okay Mamma Mills, I already texted my mom and she's on her way." The Zhang girl declined politely.

"You know you're always welcome, Veronica."

"Thanks, and the same goes for you guys." Just as she says this a car honks from out front. "That's my mom! See you later, Callie." She said grabbing her backpack. "Bye, Mamma Mills."

We both bid her goodbye, before slumping tiredly in our chairs. The stress of the night having taken its toll on both of us.

"I'm off to bed." I stated, getting up from my chair and giving mom a hug goodnight. "Night, mom."

"Goodnight, sweetheart."