go grab some blankets. Do you want to go to the library tomorrow?”

“I suppose we should,” Two said with distaste. The idea of actively searching out ways to take Tori away from her was painful.

“It’s for the best, Two...”

Sarah smiled, took his arm, stood as well. “Don’t push it, dear. She said yes.”

Two laughed, then got to her feet and embraced each of them in turn. “Thank you guys. You don’t know how much it means to me that you don’t think I’m insane.”

Sarah shrugged. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have my doubts, Two, but you don’t seem insane. Tori doesn’t seem insane. Developmentally challenged, but not insane. Bare minimum, the people you’re talking about existed. That I’m sure of. The vampire thing... I may never believe it completely without seeing it with my own eyes, but I’m trying. We’re both trying.”

Two smiled at her. “That’s more than I expected. Thank you. Now go to bed, before we get going again.”

Sarah and Rhes headed for the stairs. Two began unfolding the couch.

* * *

It was late morning when Two awoke, Jake curled at her feet on the fold-out bed, sunlight streaming in through the vertical blinds that covered the brownstone’s window. After a moment of disorientation, she remembered were she was, and lay back for a moment, thankful for good friends. Then she stretched, got to her feet, padded into the kitchen. The house was quiet, no one up yet.

Two made coffee.

In the middle of her second cup, Tori wandered downstairs. Two said good morning, got the girl a glass of orange juice, and the two of them sat in silence, happy just to be alive and in each other’s company.

“Did you tell Rhes and Sarah about the bad stuff?” Tori asked after a time, and Two looked at her, surprised. Tori’s mental capacity and ability to speak were improving by leaps and bounds.

“Yes. I didn’t want to... but I had to.”

“Were they angry?”

“No.”

“Okay.”

“Tori?”

“Yes?”

“What was your big sister’s name?”

Tori looked troubled. “I don’t know.”

“I think you do. It’s okay to tell me, Tori.”

“I don’t wanna.”

Two raised her eyebrows at this. “Why don’t you want to tell me?”

Tori was suddenly on the verge of tears. The glass of juice trembled in her hands. “You’ll make me go away!”

“Tori. Sweetheart, I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to do. Okay? Neither are Rhes and Sarah.”

“Promise?”

“I promise, Tori. Cross my heart.”

Tori was silent for a long time. At last she sighed, and the sound broke Two’s heart. It was an adult sound, full of wisdom and worry and understanding. “Her name is Mona. She’s not my sister.”

Two nodded. “She’s your mom, right?”

A pause. “Yeah.”

“Don’t you want to see her again?”

Tori sipped at her juice, refusing to meet Two’s eye. “Dunno.”

Two let it pass. She didn’t want to scare Tori with talk of taking her home to her parents. Now, though, her suspicions confirmed, Two knew there was little choice. She had a name to go on, and she owed it to Mona to at least find out where the woman lived and whether she was still alive and searching for her daughter.

Sarah was the next one down the stairs. “Ah. Coffee. You’re a life-saver, Two.”

Two laughed. “I try my best.”

Rhes followed soon after. Molly was last, and when she saw Two sitting on the couch, she came down the stairs at a run, calling her name. Two had just time to set down her mug before Molly embraced her, laughing.

“Hey! Molly. Hi! Nice to see you, too. How are you feeling? Are you okay?”

Molly smiled, cast a shy look at Rhes and Sarah, and nodded. “Yes, I’m okay. I’m great, really. I was mad at you, and Rhes and Sarah, at first... but it’s all right. I started going to this program thing last week, just to talk to other people like me. It’s... well, it’s not fun, but it’s really helping. They’re all really nice.”

“That’s awesome Molly. Terrific. I’m so glad you’re okay. I was worried.”

“We were worried about you, too! Where were you?”

Two smiled. “Sorry. That’s a long, weird story, and you don’t get to hear it right now.”

Molly began to protest, but Two only shook her head. “No, Molly. It doesn’t matter, okay?”

A pause, and then Molly relented. “Okay, Two. If you say so. Are you staying here with us?”

“Only for last night. This is my friend Tori. She and I have an apartment in SoHo.”

“Oh. All right. Will you be around, though?”

“Don’t