She sat on her bed, staring at the slightly discolored space where her family picture used to be. Even though this was no longer the Class VII dormitory, she had expected to feel at least some comfort from being in this room. So many good things had happened here. And yet…

Franz Reinford. Franz Lughman. Albrecht, the Black Demise.

Alisa had gone over those three names in her head countless times. They turned like a whirligig inside her mind, each one taking its turn at the front of her consciousness while the others lurked in the back, faded but not invisible.

I'm so selfish. I should be with Rean. This isn't about me. Father's identity doesn't change anything.

But it did. Even if she didn't want to admit it.

What had he said? That "Franz Reinford" was just a "fleeting version" of himself? What did that mean? And her mother, her grandfather, Sharon—what had they known? Which "version" had Sharon encountered on that day? Which "version" had her mother married?

And…did he—

A knock sounded at the door. Silence followed, and then there were two more knocks. "Um…Alisa? May I come in?"

Elliot. Sweet, gentle Elliot, probably come to beg her to see Rean. Come on, body. Move. But all she could do was say, "Come in."

He did, and immediately sat next to her. "I had a feeling I'd see you like this."

"Like what?" Alisa's gaze remained on the wall across from where she was sitting.

Elliot hesitated a bit before speaking. "…You look exhausted, Alisa."

"I…I'm all right." Dammit, it had to be Elliot. She could handle Jusis' tough love, Gaius' thoughtful maturity, and even Machias' awkwardness. But she didn't know how long she could keep up appearances against Elliot's simple kindness. "Weren't you with Rean?"

"Machias and Fie are with Rean." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I've been worried about you. I…I know there's a reason why you haven't spoken to Rean."

Her body tensed at his confession. "I'll go see him," she said. "Today. As soon as Machias and Fie are done, I'll take my turn. I know he needs me. Needs us." She closed her eyes. "But he's going to try and comfort me. I can't take that." Her voice trembled. "I'm so awful, Elliot. I don't have it nearly as bad as him, or Laura, or Jusis—" All of a sudden, she stood up. "I'd better get ready. I'll just keep the conversation going, talk about other things, and then—"

"Alisa, wait." Elliot stood up as well, and grabbed her shoulders, turning her to face him. "You can't see Rean. Not like this. It'll be too painful for both of you."

"Elliot?" The sight of Elliot's soft blue eyes brimming with tears threatened to make her own eyes spill over. "What do you mean?"

Tenderly, his left hand tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "You need to be honest, Alisa. You're hurting. I can see it—we can all see it. I can't imagine what you must be going through right now."

"What are you talking about?" Alisa forced herself to smile. "Father…is alive. All this time, I thought he was gone, but he's here. He's been here this whole time. I should be happy…I should…" She placed her hands over her mouth. "I'm…not happy. I'm not! Elliot-!"

He spread his arms, and she collapsed into them. "Let it out, Alisa," he murmured in her ear. "I'm here."

The words spilled from her mouth before she could stop them. "I…I was at peace with Father's death. I loved him. While he was alive, everything was…normal. Even after it wasn't, even after he died, I could look back on those times, and know that there was a time when it was just Mother, Father, and me, and we were happy." She began to sob, and his arms tightened around her. "Now I find…Now I find he's alive, and…anything but normal. Anything but that cheerful, laid-back, kind and loving father I thought I knew. He's a Gnome—the leader of the Gnomes, and one of the reasons this whole thing is happening.

"And Mother, Sharon, Grandfather…they all knew he was alive, and knew he was a Gnome, or at least suspected it. And they didn't tell me. They kept it a secret among themselves—let me go on thinking of him in the way I remembered him. Blissfully unaware—dumb little Alisa, too unreliable to know the truth—" She coughed. "I'm so sorry, Elliot, your shirt—"

"It's all right," he whispered. "Keep going."

"I…I…" How did he know she wasn't finished, that she needed to say more? "I saw him. I heard the things he was saying. I saw him—saw him press the, the remote control that made the Courageous explode. He killed Prince Olivert, Laura's father, Toval…My father murdered them! And he said that the man I knew him as—the man who loved Mother and me, who played with me and carried me on his shoulders and told me bedtime stories—was just a 'fleeting version' of himself. What does he mean? That he wasn't real? So did he not love Mother? Did he not love me? I feel…I feel like my entire life has been a lie! None of it was real!"

And she cried, long and hard, as Elliot rocked her back and forth, saying nothing. Somehow, he had just known. She could sense the sorrow he felt on her behalf, and the exhaustion from his own worry and grief. They were all a mess right now, yet he had thought of her, and come to share her burden.

Bless you, Elliot.

"I can't imagine what it's like to have all this going on," Elliot told her as they sat on the bed together, the fingers of his right hand intertwined with those of her left. "But there's nothing wrong with how you feel. Grief, hurt, betrayal, anger…I think I'd be feeling all those things if I were in your place, too."

She closed her eyes, savoring the feel of his hand in hers. "The only ones I can trust now are you and the rest of Class VII. I don't know what to believe anymore. I haven't even really had time to process what happened to Millium, let alone when Rean…" She opened her eyes again and looked at Elliot. "To be honest, Elliot…I'm scared. In a way I've never felt before. I know we have to keep fighting, whether Rean recovers or not. But…."

"It's okay, Alisa. It's okay to be afraid." He squeezed her hand. "We can stay here like this for a little while. How long has it been since you've slept?"

"I have no idea." Too long, she knew. "I dozed off one or twice after we got here. But I couldn't stop thinking. Which version of my father was real? Was he possessed by the real leader of the Gnomes? Or was he the real leader all along? Maybe he's working for some greater good that we don't know about." She rested her head against his shoulder, a memory of when she'd done the same with Rean coming unbidden to mind. "Why can't I just face the facts and move past them?"

"Because you're human, Alisa." He ran his thumb over the back of her hand. "You don't have to be strong or—or cool, or cheerful all the time. We'll all love you during the times when you're afraid, or unsure, or need to rest. Because that's how Class VII is. So how about I make you something to eat, and you can lie down for a while? Emma just got back from shopping."

He started to get up, but Alisa grabbed his arm. "Just one more thing. Will you kiss me, Elliot?"

Elliot smiled as he sat back down. "Of course. I guess it's been a while, huh?"

She loved his kisses, which were light and sweet, but with a hint of the passion that simmered beneath that gentleness. This one was no different; he kissed her as though satisfying her desires were the only thing worthy of his attention, as though just the two of them existed.

Afterward, she gave him another quick kiss on the cheek before lying down on her bed and finally getting some much-needed rest.

There were going to be difficult times ahead. But they were together—her, Elliot, Rean, and the rest of Class VII.

Most of them.