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[thestoriesarereal]

Hello! You're reached Lucy, I'm not here right now--obviously--but leave a message! Bye!

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[jolting]

[he wraps his arms around her, squeezing her as close as he can]

I know, sweetheart. I'm so sorry you keep losing people. I will do everything in my power to keep this family together. I can promise you that much.

[thestoriesarereal]

[ The hug is greatly needed, with Lucy burying her face in the crook of his neck. A few tears start to fall. She’ll miss Jefferson so much. ]

Okay...

[ The word is murmured against his neck, unwilling to let him go. ]

...do you think he’s with his daughter now?

[jolting]

Nobody’s seen him since the first curse broke, but I’m sure he found a way for him and Grace to go home to the Enchanted Forest.

[thestoriesarereal]

I hope so...I know he missed her a lot.

[ Jefferson...she hopes he’s okay. She really wanted to spend more time with him. But, she has to be brave, she has to be strong...]

Do you have to go in again tonight?

[jolting]

No. I'm staying in for the night.

[thestoriesarereal]

Okay.

[ That’s good. She wouldn’t want him to go, not so soon. Not when she feels like he could easily disappear. It feels like the curse all over again, taking people that she loves away from her.

Eventually, she relaxes her hold to where she’s not clinging tightly to him but still in his embrace. ]

[jolting]

[he hoists her up into his arms so he can carry her around. That way, she can keep clinging onto him as much as she wants]

What do you want to do tonight? Lady's choice.

[thestoriesarereal]

[ Lucy rests her head on his shoulder, staring down as he picked her up. ]

I’m not hungry. [ The news made her appetite go away. ]

[jolting]

That's all right, but I'd like you to try to eat something before you go to bed anyway. Even if it's just a bit of bread.

In the meantime, do you want to work on a puzzle or play a game? Or we can sit and watch something on television.

[thestoriesarereal]

I can try. [ But her appetite isn’t there. She may nibble on a piece of toast, but she won’t want to eat anything. She is sorely tempted to try and call Jefferson, just to see if he’s really gone. Maybe he was somewhere else, or hiding or....

No, he was gone, Victor wouldn’t lie to her. ]

I don’t feel like doing anything, Papa.

[jolting]

[he frowns at this, but again doesn't push her. If she doesn't want to be occupied, he won't force it. Victor carries her over to one of the book shelves and picks out something, carrying her back to a chair]

I'll just sit and hold you while I read, then.

[thestoriesarereal]

Okay.

[ The word is murmured softly. Whatever book Victor picks out, she doesn’t comment on it. It’s not until he’s sitting down and reading a few pages that she looks over to see what he’s reading and reads a few lines before shifting into a more comfortable position while holding him.]

....did you check his apartment? Did he leave anything behind?

[jolting]

[Victor purposefully picked out a book that Lucy can read, if she so chooses]

Yeah, mostly clothes. Though there could be other things if you want to go over and check.

[thestoriesarereal]

Could we put his things in a box? In case....he comes back?

[jolting]

Sure. I bet I have some empty boxes we can use.

[thestoriesarereal]

Yeah...just in case he comes back. He might....same with Emma.

[ Still hoping. ]

[jolting]

Exactly. Just let me know when you want to do that and we'll go over there together.

[thestoriesarereal]

Just you and me?

[jolting]

Unless you want someone else to come along.

[thestoriesarereal]

No...I wanted to make sure it was just the two of us.

[jolting]

Mhm, that was what I was thinking. I doubt he'd want anyone else going through his stuff, anyway.

[thestoriesarereal]

We wouldn't be going through his things, only picking them up and putting them in boxes.

[Spoken a bit sternly about that, because...it's the truth to an eight year old. They wouldn't be going through Jefferson's things, only making sure they had his things in case he ever came back.]

[jolting]

We should bring packing material. I bet he has a tea set.

[thestoriesarereal]

[The mention of a tea set is enough to make Lucy start to tear up again.]

He does...I think he might have used it...when he threw me a tea party.

[jolting]

Then we'll have to make sure to keep it safe for him. [he combs through her hair, trying to soothe her]