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Chapter Text

Chapter 1 – Bonjour, Littleton

“There are some secrets too big to hold alone—especially in a town this small.”

[Littleton, Massachusetts – Late August, 4:57 PM]

The soft ding of the overhead light and the slow, descending pitch of the plane's engines signaled they were nearly there. Louis Dupain-Cheng Agreste adjusted his seatbelt and peered out the window at the patchy quilt of suburbs, lakes, and forests blanketing Massachusetts. It looked nothing like Paris. It looked… smaller. Simpler. And for now, that was exactly what he wanted.

He checked the zipper on his backpack, making sure his sketchbook, his mom’s handmade travel scarf, and a small tin of macarons he baked were all still there. His fingers brushed the edge of a letter from his dad—“Stay grounded. Be kind. No transforming. Love, Papa.” Louis sighed.

“Okay,” he whispered. “Fresh start. No drama. No distractions.” He didn’t realize how loud his thoughts were until the passenger next to him gave a look.

[Outside the Pocket Residence – 5:29 PM]

The Pocket house had the cozy charm of a place that had seen generations of invention and accidents. Wind chimes made of copper springs and colored beads hung from the porch. A few toy prototypes—mostly broken—sat on the windowsill. A bicycle missing its front wheel leaned against a tree.

Pamela Pocket adjusted the straps on her toolbelt as she stared into the open garage, which doubled as her “workshop.”
“Polly! He’ll be here any minute! Try not to terrify him!”

“Me?” Polly Pocket came skidding down the stairs wearing neon pink goggles on her forehead and a pair of socks that didn’t match. “Why does everyone assume I’m the problem?”

Peter Pocket, still in his grilling apron, raised an eyebrow.
“Because last time you greeted someone, you dropped a live prototype hover-pogo-stick at their feet.”

Polly huffed, grabbing her homemade cardboard sign that read “Bienvenue, Louis!” in glitter glue.
“Okay, fair. But this time, I’m going for charmingly chaotic, not life-threatening.”

Pierce, now home from college, strolled by eating chips.
“Weird flex, shortstack, but okay.”

[Boston Logan Airport – 5:43 PM]

Louis stepped outside into the warm evening air, dragging his suitcase behind him. He didn’t expect to be greeted by a girl with two bouncing ponytails, waving a glittery sign and grinning like she just won a game show.

“Louis Agreste? Hi! I’m Polly Pocket! Welcome to Littleton! This is my mom Pamela, my dad Peter, and that’s my brother Pierce, but don’t talk to him—he’s got a superiority complex.”

Louis blinked.
“...You’re really enthusiastic.”

“Thanks!” Polly said, as if it were the best compliment ever. “Come on, we’re making veggie burgers, and I made science cupcakes. Also, my two best friends are coming over later—Shani and Lila. They’re gonna lose it when they meet you.”

As Louis got in the car, Pierce muttered from the front seat, “Last chance to run, dude.”

[The Pocket Backyard – 7:13 PM]

The backyard glowed with soft string lights hanging between tree branches. The table was covered in mismatched snacks, a half-built model of the solar system, and one curious hedgehog sniffing the snacks (Blossom, apparently Pierce’s pet).

Lila Draper arrived first—vibrant, stylish, with just the right amount of fashionable edge.
“You must be Louis! Très charmant,” she said, offering him a fist bump.
“I like your energy,” Louis replied, already relaxing.

Shani Smith came next—quiet, analytical, with a tablet in one hand and an iced tea in the other. Her turquoise glasses were slightly crooked, but her smile was genuine.
“You’re from Paris?” she asked, sitting beside him. “Do you believe in ghosts?”

Louis blinked.
“Um… depends on the ghost?”

Polly plopped down beside him, beaming.
“Don’t worry, Shani believes in everything science hasn’t disproven yet. Which is, like, a lot.”

They talked for hours—about food, inventions, conspiracy theories, bad school lunches. The laughter came naturally. Louis hadn’t felt this… normal in a long time.

[Later, as the stars came out…]

The four kids lay on the grass, staring at the sky. Somewhere nearby, a sprinkler ticked on, and frogs chirped lazily.

Polly sat up, twirling something on her fingers. A silver heart-shaped locket, faintly glowing.
She hesitated, then looked at Louis.
“Can I tell you a secret?”

Louis tilted his head.
“I mean, sure. Unless it’s something like you being an alien princess.”

“Nope. Cooler,” Polly said with a mischievous grin. She leaned closer, voice dropping.
“This locket? It can shrink people. Me. You. Anyone. Four inches tall. Full adventure mode.”

Louis looked at her, half-believing, half-joking.
“That’s… wow. Either the best joke I’ve ever heard, or the start of the weirdest week of my life.”

Polly smirked, rising to her feet and dusting herself off.
“You’ll see tomorrow. You ready for tiny truth time?”

Louis sat back in the grass, grinning faintly to himself.
He didn’t know what was coming—not the shrinking, the dares, or the consequences.
But tonight, everything still felt light.

And that made it harder to realize how quickly things would change.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2 – Pocket Secrets

“Some secrets change everything—not just who you are, but who you trust.”

[Littleton, Massachusetts – The Next Morning, 10:02 AM]

The sun filtered through Polly’s bedroom window in warm stripes. Her alarm clock had gone off twice already—she ignored it both times. Not because she was tired, but because she was thinking.

About Louis.

About the locket.

About what it would mean to show someone else.

She twisted the locket between her fingers, seated cross-legged on her bedroom floor surrounded by blueprints, invention scraps, and a curious dog named Peaches. Her heart buzzed like a hummingbird. She’d never shown anyone outside the Posse before. But Louis… he felt different.

Downstairs, the blender roared. Pamela Pocket was probably making one of her beet smoothies again.

“Ugh. That smell could knock out a full-grown skunk.” Polly plugged her nose, scooped up Peaches, and sprang to her feet.

Time to do something unforgettable.

[Later – Littleton Town Park, 11:46 AM]

Louis sat at a picnic bench, sketching the outline of a tree while sipping lemonade. He glanced up as Polly bounded toward him wearing safety goggles and mismatched socks again.

“You ready for the coolest science fiction moment of your life?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Does this involve frogs? Shani mentioned frogs.”

“No frogs.” She leaned in, whispering, “It’s just us. Just you and me. Locket time.”

Louis blinked. “Wait… you were serious?”

She grinned and held it up—heart-shaped, shining slightly in the light.
“Watch.” She pressed it against her chest and said clearly: “Tiny Power!”

ZAP!

A bright pulse of golden-pink light surged from the locket—and Polly shrank instantly down to four inches tall, standing barefoot on the bench next to Louis’s sketchbook, arms folded smugly.

Louis jumped up, nearly knocking over his lemonade.
“Okay—holy crap! Okay! That’s not human! That’s not… what??”

Tiny Polly waved up at him. “Still me! I promise!”

Louis crouched down.
“Are you some kind of superhero? Like—did your mom build that thing? Is this alien tech? Do you have a license for this?”

“Chill!” Polly laughed. “It’s been in my family for generations. My grandma passed it to me. It’s called the Pocket Locket. And yes, it shrinks me. And yes, it’s awesome.”

“You’re four inches tall. That’s… scientifically impossible.”
“But emotionally epic,” she added with a wink.

She tapped the locket again and grew back to normal size in a flash of light. Louis stared at her, stunned but grinning.
“Okay. I’m sold. This is cooler than anything in Paris.”

Polly beamed. “Wanna try it?”

“Absolutely yes.”

[Fifteen Minutes Later – Inside the Garden World]

The world looked like something out of a fantasy novel. At four inches tall, grass became towering bamboo stalks, a frisbee was the size of a trampoline, and the breeze felt like a gust from a wind tunnel.

“This… is incredible.” Louis looked up in awe, dodging a curious ant.
“Welcome to Tiny World!” Polly said, skipping over a curled-up dandelion like a jungle explorer.
“We come here all the time—me, Shani, Lila. It’s our secret space. Nobody else knows.”

“You trust me this much?” Louis asked.

Polly paused. For a second, something shifted in her eyes—vulnerability under the confidence.

“I do,” she said finally. “I don’t know why yet. I just… do.”

They explored for nearly an hour—hopping across stones in the pond, ducking into acorn-cup shelters Polly had made months ago, and laughing as a beetle landed on Louis’s head. When they grew back to full size, the real world felt almost too big.

[That Evening – Shani’s House, 4:45 PM]

The front door opened with a hydraulic hiss!—Shani’s invention, naturally—and the trio met again: Polly, Louis, and now Shani and Lila.

Shani raised an eyebrow. “So… did you show him?”

Polly nodded.

Lila gasped dramatically. “Girl, what?! Already?! That’s like skipping six steps of friendship trust protocol!”

“I know,” Polly said. “But I trust him.”

Louis gave an awkward wave. “Hi. I’m still processing the fact that your town includes magic jewelry and talking hedgehogs.”

“The hedgehog doesn’t talk,” Shani said.

“Yet,” added Polly.

[Shani’s Backyard – Secret Shed, 5:12 PM]

“I built this myself,” Shani said, unlocking a hidden door in the side of a weathered shed. Inside was a narrow spiral staircase, leading downward into something Louis hadn’t expected.

A secret spa room. Complete with glowing lights, vents, and a bubbling hot tub.

“You built this?” Louis gawked. “This is like James Bond-level genius.”

“She modified it,” Lila corrected, climbing down after them. “It used to be a boring garden shack. Now it’s basically a luxury lair.”

Polly leaned against the edge of the hot tub, smirking.
“This is where we chill. Where secrets stay secrets. Where dares happen. Where stories get weird.”

Louis sat down slowly, the humidity of the space already warming his skin.

Something in the air shifted—trust. Curiosity. A faint spark of something else.

“This is more than a friendship,” he said aloud, without meaning to.

Polly met his eyes.
“Yeah. It is.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 3 – Steam & Dares

“Some choices don’t feel huge when you make them—but they echo forever.”

[Shani’s Backyard – The Hidden Spa Room – Three Days Later, 5:47 PM]

The air inside Shani’s hidden spa room was thick with warmth, soft lavender mist, and quiet rebellion. The bubbling water of the hot tub cast wavy reflections across the walls, where wires, LED strips, and duct-taped inventions hummed faintly in the background. It smelled like eucalyptus, citrus, and something vaguely illegal.

Lila tossed her jacket onto a nearby hook and dipped her toe into the water.
“Shani, I have no idea how you pulled this off, but I want you to build me one exactly like it in my bedroom.”

Shani smirked as she adjusted a dial. “My parents think this is just a greenhouse extension. They never come back here.”

Polly was already in the water, goggles on her forehead and hair tied into twin buns. She splashed Louis lightly.
“Come on, Frenchie! Don’t make me shrink you in as punishment for being a wimp.”

“I’m not a wimp,” Louis protested, setting his towel down. “I’m… cautious.”

“You’re eleven,” Lila pointed out. “Caution is for thirty-year-olds with bad knees.”

Louis sighed dramatically, rolled his eyes, and stepped in. The warmth hit him instantly—comforting, slightly dizzying, like being swallowed by a cloud.

“Okay,” he said, settling into the corner. “This? This is amazing. I take back every complaint I had about leaving Paris.”

[Steam Time – 6:15 PM]

They stayed in the water for nearly an hour, laughing, playing “Would You Rather,” and sharing dumb middle school gossip. Lila recounted a story about getting kicked out of a clothing store for re-organizing the displays by color gradient. Shani bragged about programming a waterproof karaoke bot. Polly talked about a failed popcorn cannon prototype that singed off part of Pierce’s eyebrows.

Louis, meanwhile, found himself slowly sinking—not just into the water, but into them. Their energy. Their world.

“Okay,” Lila said, eyes gleaming. “Time for truth or dare.”

“Yes!” Polly clapped her hands. **“Let’s go. No skipping dares. No backing out. Tiny Rules apply.”
(“Tiny Rules” being their way of saying no chickening out—because tiny girls, big spirit.)

“Fine,” Shani said, a small smirk tugging at her lips. **“But I’m not kissing anyone unless it’s on the cheek.”
Lila gave her a sly look. “We’ll see.”

The game began innocent enough. Dares to do handstands in the water. Truths about secret crushes (Lila liked a kid from swim team, Shani admitted she had a thing for fictional anime characters). They were giggling. Carefree.

Then it started getting bolder.

[6:42 PM – The Dare That Changed Everything]

“Polly,” Lila said, eyes narrowed in mock challenge. “I dare you… to kiss Shani.”

“What?!” Polly blinked. Shani choked on her coconut water.

“Just a peck!” Lila insisted, grinning. “You both have lips. Let’s not make it weird.”

Shani turned tomato-red, but after a moment of silence, Polly shrugged, leaned forward, and gave Shani a quick, feather-light kiss on the lips. The spa room exploded with squeals and splashes.

“Okay, okay!” Polly said, laughing. “Your turn, Lila. I dare you to kiss me.”

“With pleasure,” Lila said dramatically, before grabbing Polly’s face and planting one on her. Shani covered her eyes.

Louis stared, equal parts amazed and overwhelmed.
“You guys are way braver than my friends back home.”

“Your turn, Chef Louis,” Polly teased. “Truth or dare?”

He hesitated. “Dare.”

Polly’s eyes glinted.

“I dare you to skinny dip.”

Lila gasped in theatrical delight.
“Oooooh, it’s getting spicy.”

“You don’t have to,” Polly added quickly. “Only if you’re cool with it.”

Louis paused. He looked at them—three girls he trusted more than almost anyone in the world already. His cheeks burned, but something in him wanted to prove he belonged.

“Fine,” he said, standing. “You daredevils better not peek.”

“No promises,” Lila sang.

Soon, the others joined in. One by one, articles of clothing came off, tossed onto the edge of the spa in a chaotic pile. The air shimmered with heat and boldness.

They were 11. Old enough to feel the pull of emotions they didn’t fully understand. Young enough to believe they could outrun the consequences.

[7:08 PM – The Quiet Moment]

Later, when the others had drifted off to grab towels or snacks, Polly and Louis remained behind, floating side by side in the water. The steam curled around them like fog, muting the world.

“This was fun,” Louis said softly. “We don’t do stuff like this in Paris.”

Polly turned to him. Her eyes were softer now. More vulnerable.
“You’re not like anyone I’ve met before.”

“Neither are you.”

They floated closer. Their fingers touched under the water.

“Do you think… this will change anything?” Polly whispered.

Louis didn’t know how to answer. So he kissed her.

It wasn’t rushed or reckless. It was slow. Tender. Scary in its honesty.

Polly kissed him back.

Neither of them realized it then, but that single moment would ripple through their lives like a drop in a still lake.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4 – Lines Crossed

“One decision became a thousand lies. And one truth too heavy to carry alone.”

[Polly’s Room – One Week Later, 6:33 AM]

The room was too quiet.

Polly sat on the edge of her bed, hunched over a plastic stick in her trembling hands. Her alarm clock blinked, forgotten. Peaches, curled up in the corner, lifted his head once, then went back to sleep.

Her heart beat in her throat.

Positive.

Two pink lines stared back at her like they were laughing.

She dropped the test to the floor and gripped her knees.

“No. No. No. No, no, no.”
Her voice came out hollow.

This couldn’t be real.
She was twelve.
She had homework.
She still mixed up fractions.
She wasn’t supposed to be—
“I can’t be.”

She curled forward and tried not to throw up again.

[Shani’s Garage – Later That Day, 4:50 PM]

The clink of tools echoed through Shani’s garage. Polly stood in silence near the workbench, arms crossed, still in her hoodie and sunglasses—even though they were indoors.

Lila and Louis sat nearby, watching her nervously. Shani was the only one still pretending to fix something.

Polly finally spoke. Her voice was flat.

“I took a test this morning.”

No one asked what kind.

She reached into her backpack and pulled out the test. Shani stepped forward and gently took it from her, eyes widening.

“Oh…” Shani said.

Lila pressed both hands to her mouth.
“No way. No way.”

Louis looked like someone had unplugged him.

“I… It was that night,” Polly said quietly. “The dare. The hot tub. Us.”
Her voice cracked. “I didn’t think it could happen like that. I didn’t know.”

Louis stepped forward.
“Are you sure it’s not a false—”

“I took three,” Polly snapped. “They all said the same thing.”

Silence.

Lila was the first to speak again.

“Okay… okay, we can fix this. We can… come up with something.”

“Fix this?” Polly repeated, incredulous. “You can’t fix a baby, Lila.”
“I’m not building a robot. I’m pregnant.”

Shani sat down, head in hands.

“Okay,” Louis said slowly, trying to keep his voice even. “Then we tell your parents—”

“No.”
Polly’s voice turned sharp. Her eyes flashed with something close to panic.
“You saw what happened when I told them about sneaking out to the arcade last month. You think they’ll let me breathe after this?”

“They’ll help you.”

“They’ll ruin me.”

Louis stepped back. Lila stared at the test in Shani’s hands like it might explode.

Polly exhaled shakily and sat down next to them.
“We’re the only ones who know.”

Silence again.

And then—Lila raised her head slowly.

“Okay… What if…”
She looked between them. Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“What if we say… someone left the baby on your doorstep?”

Polly blinked.
“What?”

“Think about it! You’re Polly Pocket. Everyone knows you’re nice. You help people. You love animals. You find a baby on your porch with a note that says ‘Please take care of me.’ Who would doubt you?”

Shani frowned.
“That’s… a really bad idea.”

“It’s better than getting grounded until she’s forty,” Lila shot back.

Louis just stared, lost in a thousand thoughts.

Polly ran a hand through her hair.
“It’s dumb. It’s risky. It’s a huge lie.”

But even as she said it, something flickered in her eyes.

The gears were turning.

“If we do this,” she said slowly, “we do it together. No backing out. No panicking. No snitching.”

Louis nodded, pale.
“Whatever it takes. I’m in.”

Shani bit her lip, but eventually nodded too.
“I guess I’m already part of it.”

Lila grinned, sitting back with a dramatic sigh.
“Operation: Stork Drop. Let’s make it believable.”

Polly Pocket—genius, adventurer, trusted friend—closed her eyes.

And stepped into the lie.

[That Night – Polly’s Closet, 9:04 PM]

By flashlight, Polly adjusted the straps on her shrinking outfit. It wouldn’t be long before her body changed. She didn’t want her parents to notice anything. Not yet.

The locket glowed faintly in her palm. She pressed it to her chest.

“Tiny Power.”

Shrinking would help. Hide the bump. Slip under doors. Delay the truth.

But not forever.

She sat cross-legged beside her shoes, only four inches tall, and whispered:

“Please don’t let them find out.”

But in her heart… she knew they eventually would.

Chapter Text

Chapter 5 – Baby in the Steam Room

“We weren’t ready. But we were all she had.”

[Shani’s Hidden Spa Room – Nine Months Later, 3:18 AM]

The hot tub wasn’t bubbling.

For once, the vents weren’t hissing. The light strips had been dimmed to soft gold, casting everything in quiet urgency. A sleeping bag had been laid over the bench beside the tub. A portable heater hummed nearby. Water bottles, towels, and pillows surrounded the room like a makeshift fortress.

Polly Pocket lay on her side, soaked in sweat, clutching Lila’s hand so tightly her knuckles had gone white. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps—half sob, half growl.

“He’s coming,” she panted. “It hurts. I—I can’t—”

“You can,” Shani said, kneeling beside her with trembling hands. Her voice was firm but cracking. “You’re so close, Polly. Just breathe. One more push—”

“I am breathing!” Polly snapped.

“Polly, look at me,” Louis said gently from her other side. His face was pale, eyes wide, hair sticking to his forehead. “You’re doing it. You’re doing everything.”

She did look at him. For a second. And then screamed again.

The sound echoed off the walls.

Lila pressed a cool cloth to her forehead and whispered, “We’re right here. We’ve got you.”

[Hours Earlier – 9:52 PM]

They’d known it would be soon. Polly’s growing belly had become harder to hide, even with the locket’s help. Lately, she’d only been shrinking during school hours—growing back as soon as she got home. Her body ached. Her back hurt constantly. Her nerves were frayed.

But that night… it started.

First, the nausea. Then the cramps.

Then the contractions.

She didn’t want to wake her parents. So she texted the Posse:
It’s time. Shani’s room. Now.

No more planning. No more rehearsals. No more “what ifs.”
Just this. Just now.

[Shani’s Spa Room – Present – 3:37 AM]

“Push!” Shani cried.
“I am!” Polly sobbed, her voice nearly breaking.

Lila and Louis flanked her. Lila never let go of her hand. Louis never left her side.

And then—

A cry.

Soft at first. Wet. Weak.

Then louder.

“Oh my god,” Shani whispered, tears falling from her cheeks. “He’s here.”

Louis staggered back, stunned.
“It’s… it’s a baby. A real baby.”

Polly collapsed backward onto the pillow, exhausted, eyes wide with disbelief and tears.
Lila carefully wrapped the tiny, crying baby in a soft towel. Shani hovered nearby with scissors and shaky hands, cutting the cord with instructions from a video they downloaded weeks ago.

“He’s… perfect,” Polly whispered, staring at the tiny, squirming bundle now laid against her chest.
He was red and wrinkled, his hair a faint blonde fuzz. But when his eyes opened—

Bright blue.

Louis froze.
He knew those eyes. They were his.

[4:12 AM – Cleanup and Calm]

Lila moved into task mode, quietly gathering towels, wiping sweat, disinfecting surfaces.

Shani finally sat down. Her hands were shaking, her shoulders trembling from adrenaline.

Louis hadn’t spoken for ten minutes.

Polly was quiet too—she hadn’t cried since the baby was born. She just stared at him in awe, her arms curled protectively around his tiny body.

“He’s real,” she said softly.

Louis finally sat beside her, hesitant.
“Do you… have a name?”

She looked at the baby again, then up at Louis.
“Paxton.”
A pause.
“Paxton Miles Pocket.”

Louis swallowed, nodding.
“That’s a good name.”

Polly smiled faintly, blinking back tears.
“I just… I want him to be strong. Even if we weren’t.”

[Later That Morning – 6:04 AM]

The sun was beginning to rise. They hadn’t slept. None of them could.

Shani’s alarm clock buzzed upstairs, reminding her it was a school day.

“We’ll tell your parents today,” Louis said quietly, already knowing the answer.

Polly shook her head, rocking the now-sleeping Paxton in her arms.

“No. Not yet.”

“Polly…”

“I can’t, Louis. They’ll hate me. They’ll take him away. I’m not ready for the world to know.”

She looked up at him with eyes that were tired and afraid but still sharp.

“We go with the plan. The doorstep story. He’s a mystery baby. A miracle. I’m just his big sister. You all… you keep the secret.”

Lila, sitting nearby, nodded quietly.
“We’re in this. Together.”

Shani didn’t speak. She only nodded, hugging her knees.

Louis looked at Paxton—small, sleeping, innocent.

He thought about what it meant to protect him. To protect Polly.

And he nodded too.

Chapter Text

Chapter 6 – Cracks in the Routine

“Secrets don’t stay small. They grow. Just like the baby you swore no one would know about.”

[Pocket House – 11 Months Later, 7:12 AM]

The baby monitor clicked on.

A soft rustling. Then a loud wail.

Polly was already half-awake when the cry broke through. She rolled out of bed and padded down the hallway in mismatched socks, yawning as she opened the nursery door.

Technically, it was a guest room now.
Officially, it was “the baby room” for the mysterious infant left on their doorstep.
Unofficially, it was her son’s room.

Her Paxton.

She scooped him up with practiced ease and bounced gently on her heels.

“Shhh, I know, I know,” she murmured, pressing her cheek to his soft blonde curls. “Bad dream? Hungry? Upset that diapers still exist?”

Peaches barked softly from the hallway, sensing the familiar morning routine.

[Kitchen – 7:43 AM]

Peter Pocket poured coffee, bleary-eyed, still in his “World’s Okayest Dad” mug tee.
“You’re a champ for waking up so early to help with the baby again, Polly.”

Polly gave a strained smile.
“Of course. Gotta keep the mystery baby fed, right?”

Pamela leaned over from the other counter, flipping pancakes.
**“You’ve really stepped up. You treat him like he’s your little brother.”
A pause.
“Or your own kid.”

Polly froze.

Her mother didn’t mean anything by it—just a figure of speech. But Polly's heart skipped anyway.

“Well, someone’s gotta,” she joked quickly, bouncing Paxton on her hip. “He likes me best, anyway.”

Paxton giggled and flung a spoon to the floor.

[Littleton Middle School – Lunchtime, 12:19 PM]

Polly sat with her lunch untouched, zoning out as Lila chatted about a new jacket she thrifted and Shani reviewed grades for their group science project. Paxton’s photo peeked out from Polly’s phone case beside her tray.

Louis sat across the table, mostly quiet. He poked at his apple slices, his mind clearly elsewhere.

Polly glanced at him.

He looked different now—older. Tired, maybe. Like the guilt never left his shoulders.

“Louis,” she said softly. “You okay?”

He blinked out of his daze.
“Yeah. Just… long night. Homework.”

It was a lie. She knew it. But she didn’t press.

They hadn’t talked much in the past month. Not really. Not deeply. Not since Paxton started teething and Polly started crying alone in the shower.

[Shani’s Garage – After School, 4:12 PM]

The Posse had gathered, like they always used to. But now it felt quieter.

Paxton lay curled in a sleeping sling across Polly’s chest, thumb in his mouth. Shani sat at her workbench, trying to upgrade a music modulator. Lila scrolled aimlessly on her phone. Louis stared at the ceiling, lying flat on the ground.

No one spoke.

The silence used to be warm. Now it was just… strained.

Polly rocked side to side to soothe Paxton.

“We said we’d be okay,” she said suddenly, not looking at anyone.

Lila flinched. Shani paused her soldering.

“We are,” Louis said softly.

“Are we?”

The room fell still again.

[Pierce’s Room – That Night, 9:03 PM]

“Hey, squirt,” Pierce said, leaning in her doorway. “You coming to movie night?”

Polly shook her head.
“Too much homework.”

It wasn’t a lie. But it wasn’t the truth either.

“You’ve been skipping a lot lately.”

She shrugged.

Pierce leaned on the frame, arms crossed.
**“I don’t know what’s going on with you lately, but… I see it, y’know? You’re different.”
A pause.
“If something’s wrong, you can tell me.”

Polly blinked fast, swallowed hard.
“I’m just tired, Pierce.”

And that, at least, was the truth.

[Midnight – Polly’s Room – 12:12 AM]

She stared at the ceiling in the dark, Paxton asleep beside her, curled into her side like a kitten.

She hadn’t done her math homework. She hadn’t finished the science slides. She’d missed Lila’s texts. Louis hadn’t responded to hers.

Everything felt like too much.

She whispered into the dark:

“I can’t do this much longer.”

Paxton stirred in his sleep, clutching her shirt.

Polly shut her eyes and didn’t cry.

She didn’t have time to.

Chapter Text

Chapter 7 – Tiny Lies, Big Exposures

“Secrets are like vines. Once they’re cracked open, they grow wild—until they pull everything down.”

[Littleton Middle School – Wednesday, 10:16 AM]

Nic Wells always claimed to be a truth-seeker. A digital journalist. A "vlogger of the unexplained." But today, he wasn’t chasing ghosts. He was chasing something much bigger.

Gwen Grande stood beside him at the locker hallway, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
“You saw the photos, Nic. The journal.”

“I know what I saw,” he whispered back. “I just—if we do this, it’ll blow up everything.”

Gwen rolled her eyes. “She lied to the whole school. We’re not the villains here.”

But they both knew that wasn’t entirely true.

[Earlier That Week – 4:03 PM – Shani’s Garage]

It started with a mistake.

Gwen had followed Polly once before—just to spy. But this time, she did it smart. Waited until no one noticed her creeping around the side of Shani’s garage during a science club meeting. Waited until Shani left the door open for one second too long.

That’s when she saw the folder. Photos. Scribbled journal entries. Tiny blueprints.

And one snapshot of Polly, Louis, and a baby that looked far too familiar.

She stole three photos. Took a screenshot of a voice memo transcription. And ran.

[School Cafeteria – Present – 12:27 PM]

Lila slammed her lunch tray down.
“She’s watching us again.”

Polly didn’t look up.
“Don’t react. That’s what she wants.”

Shani leaned in, eyes narrowed.
“Why now? Why not months ago?”

Louis, sitting stiffly at the end of the table, already knew the answer.
“Because Nic’s still mad about what we did. He’s looking for revenge.”

Polly had reported Nic’s harassment of her earlier that semester—blackmail threats, rumors, and his collaboration with Gwen. He’d lost his vlog privileges. Detention for three months. Forced to shut down his website.

Now… he was coming back.

Hard.

[6:12 PM – Gwen’s Room – Upload Begins]

“Title it ‘Tiny Truths Revealed,’” Nic muttered, typing fast. “Hashtag ‘LittletonLies.’ Tag everyone.”

Gwen grinned as the video uploaded.
The footage was grainy, spliced together. No full confessions. But still:

• Polly sneaking into Shani’s garage at night.

• A blurred clip of Louis holding a baby.

• Photos from Polly’s journal pages mentioning “9 months,” “Paxton,” “secret birth.”

• Audio of Polly whispering, “Only we know the truth…”

It was enough.

Too much.

[Polly’s Phone – 6:46 PM – Notification Storm]

Ping.

Ping. Ping. Pingpingpingping—

Polly grabbed her phone and stared in confusion. Then horror.

Lila (Text): “Don’t check the link. Just meet us. Now.”

Shani (Voice memo): “We have a problem. A big one. Gwen posted something. It’s spreading.”

She clicked anyway.

And saw her face on screen.

[The Pocket Living Room – 7:15 PM]

Peter Pocket held Polly’s phone in stunned silence.
Pamela stared at the paused video on the TV screen.

Shani and Lila stood at opposite ends of the room. Louis sat on the couch, pale as the wall.

“What is this?” Pamela’s voice was low. Cold. She turned to Polly. “Tell me this is fake. Please.”

Polly’s throat closed up. Her fingers curled into fists. She tried to speak—but no sound came out.

Peter blinked, slow.
“Polly…”
His voice cracked.
“…Is Paxton… your son?”

The world stopped.

Peaches barked softly from the kitchen.

Nobody breathed.

Polly opened her mouth.

“Yes.”

[Explosion]

Pamela gasped.
Peter stepped back like he’d been punched.

“When?”
“How?”
“Who else knew?”

Everyone started shouting at once.

“You lied to us for nearly a year?”

“You let us believe a stranger dropped a baby on our porch—”

“—in our house? Our lives?”

“Where did he even come from?”

“We fed him! Took him to preschool!”

Polly sobbed, trembling. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do. I was scared. I still am.”

Pamela turned to Louis. “And you—is he yours?”

Louis didn’t deny it. He just nodded slowly.

“We didn’t plan it. It was a mistake. But he’s ours. I love him.”

Peter’s hands balled into fists.

Pamela’s face crumbled in disbelief.

And then—

Penelope Pocket stepped into the room from the hallway.

She said nothing.

She just held out her hand.

“Give me the locket, Polly.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 8 – Great Interception

“We thought running would give us time. But truth always runs faster.”

[Littleton Bus Terminal – 3:04 AM]

The air was damp, the kind of cold that crept through hoodie seams and settled in the spine. A faded sign buzzed under flickering fluorescent lights. The empty parking lot was quiet except for the slow hum of vending machines.

Louis paced near the entrance, glancing at the clock again.
“Where are they?”

Shani, backpack slung over one shoulder, adjusted her glasses with trembling fingers. “They’ll be here. Polly just had to grab the carrier.”

Lila sat with her arms crossed tightly, bouncing her leg.
“I still don’t think this is the right move.”

“It’s the only move,” Louis said quietly.
“If we stay, it gets worse. They’re furious. We’re grounded. They’re going to split us apart.”

“They should be furious,” Shani muttered.

Louis didn’t argue.

[Polly’s House – Fifteen Minutes Earlier]

Polly tiptoed into the nursery, her heart pounding. Paxton was already awake, cooing quietly in his crib. She scooped him up and kissed his soft cheek.

“We’re going on an adventure,” she whispered. “Just for a little while. Just until they stop yelling.”

The locket was gone. Penelope had taken it after the truth exploded in the living room like a bomb.

Her entire body still ached from the sound of her mother screaming.

She strapped Paxton into the tiny travel carrier. He blinked up at her, sleepy but calm.

Outside, Pamela and Peter were asleep. Or at least, pretending.

[Back to the Bus Terminal – 3:07 AM]

Polly jogged up to the group, breathing heavily, Paxton bundled against her chest.
“Sorry. Had to wait for the hallway motion light to stop flickering.”

Louis rushed to her side.
“You sure?”

Polly looked at him, then at Shani and Lila.
“No. But I’d rather be scared together than punished alone.”

They turned toward the platform. The bus rolled up slowly.

Doors hissed open.

“All aboard to Montreal,” the driver muttered, half-asleep.

They moved toward the steps.

“Polly Pocket!”

The voice was sharp. Familiar.

They froze.

A police car’s headlights flooded the terminal.

Then another.

Then a third.

[The Interception – 3:10 AM]

Pamela Pocket stepped out of the front car. Her face was pale. Her jaw set.

Peter followed behind her, silent.

From the second car emerged Penelope Pocket, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

And from the third—

Ladybug.

And Cat Noir.

But not just heroes.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste—no longer in disguise—stood side by side, expressions furious and heartbroken.

Louis stumbled back, eyes wide.

“Maman… Papa…”

Marinette stepped forward slowly, each word like a knife:
“You were going to run away. With a baby. At three in the morning.”

“We weren’t—”

“Don’t lie again, Louis,” Adrien said firmly. “Not now.”

Paxton whimpered in Polly’s arms, sensing the tension. She rocked him gently, tears welling in her eyes.

“I wasn’t trying to take him from you,” she said. “I just didn’t want to lose him.”

Penelope looked away. Pamela stepped forward.

“Polly, hand him to me.”

“No.”

“Polly.”

“He’s mine,” she screamed. “He’s mine.”

The sound that followed was heavier than any sound.

[Detransformation – 3:17 AM]

Louis stepped between Polly and his mother. He shook his head slowly.

“Don’t do this here. Please.”

But Marinette had had enough. She pulled the earrings from her ears and whispered:
“Spots off.”

A glow of pink surrounded her—then she stood there, plain, tired, a mother more than a superhero now.

Adrien followed.
“Claws in.”

He was just a man now, standing beside her, brokenhearted.

Louis looked away, shame flooding every inch of him.

“You’re disappointed in me.”

“You lied to us for nearly a year,” Marinette said quietly. “You let us believe you were just making friends—when you were becoming a father.”

“I didn’t know how to tell you.”

“You didn’t tell us because you knew what you did was wrong,” Adrien said.

Louis’s voice cracked.
“I was going to tell you eventually.”

“You were going to run away,” Marinette snapped. “That’s not telling us. That’s disappearing.”

[Final Blow – 3:23 AM]

Peter spoke next, his voice flat.

“Polly. You’re grounded. Indefinitely. The locket stays with your grandmother. You’re going to work after school to help cover what we’ve spent caring for Paxton. You’ll be supervised. Always.”

Pamela added, “You don’t get to keep lying and avoid responsibility.”

Penelope finally spoke.

“You don’t get the locket back until you prove you’re ready to carry something that powerful again.”

Polly’s breath hitched, but she didn’t argue. Her arms clutched Paxton tighter.

Then came Marinette’s words.

“Louis is not allowed to see Polly. Or Paxton. Until we say so.”

Polly gasped. Louis took a full step back.

“No. Please.”

**“You’ll earn it,” Adrien said quietly. “But not right now. Not after this.”

Louis stood there, stunned.

Polly turned away and quietly handed Paxton to Pamela, her face streaked with tears.

The night was quiet again.

But nothing would ever be the same.

Chapter Text

Chapter 9 – Consequences Unleashed

“Truth hurts. But punishment burns deeper when it hits the parts of you you thought were safe.”

[Pocket Residence – The Living Room – 8:06 AM]

The morning light felt wrong. Too soft. Too normal for what had just happened.

Polly sat on the living room couch in silence, her knees hugged to her chest. She hadn’t changed out of the hoodie she wore to the bus station. Her hair was tangled, and her eyes had stopped producing tears hours ago.

Across the room, her mother and father paced like two halves of a broken storm. Pamela was holding a legal pad, filled with plans and rules. Peter looked like he hadn’t slept.

“We are beyond disappointed,” Pamela said, her voice shaking. “You didn’t just lie. You built your entire life around that lie.”

“We trusted you,” Peter added, softer, but heavier. “You had every opportunity to come to us.”

Polly didn’t speak. She just stared at the empty stroller by the wall.

“You're grounded. Indefinitely,” Pamela continued. “Your phone privileges are revoked. You’ll be home every day after school. No exceptions.”

“You’re getting a job,” Peter said, holding out a flyer. “The local toy store is hiring for after-school help. You’ll work there and start paying back HALF of what we’ve spent on Paxton—diapers, wipes, formula, pediatric care. That’s over $10,000.”

Polly blinked.

“You’re not just grounded,” Pamela said. “You’re held accountable.”

“And the Pocket Locket stays with Grandma Penelope until further notice,” Peter added.

That hurt worse than anything.

Polly’s breath shook.

“Do I still get to see him?” she whispered.

Pamela paused.

“Yes,” she said at last. “But you’re not his ‘big sister’ anymore. No lies. You’re his mother. Start acting like it.”

[Agreste Residence – Paris – 3:42 PM Local Time]

Louis stood in his father’s office. The walls were lined with old Agreste fashion photos—campaigns Adrien had once posed in, designs by Marinette, their legacy visible in every corner.

But today, there was no glamour. No pride.

Just anger.

Adrien dropped a printed invoice on the desk.

“You owe the Pockets half the child care costs. $10,000. We’ve already paid it. You’ll work it off. Weekends, evenings. Agreste Fashion. No more excuses.”

Louis stared at the number, his stomach turning.

“You’ll still go to school. But not in Littleton,” Marinette said from behind him. **“You’re transferring back to Collège Françoise Dupont. You’re grounded. No unsupervised social media. No trips.”
A beat.
“And absolutely no contact with Polly.”

Louis’s head snapped up.
“Mom—”

“You lied to us, Louis.” Her voice cracked.
“You brought shame to this family. You hid a child from us.”

“I was going to tell you—”

“No,” Adrien interrupted. “You were going to run away. That’s not bravery. That’s being a coward.”

[Penelope’s Workshop – Later That Day]

Penelope Pocket cradled the locket in her hands. It felt heavier now. Dimmer.

“This locket was never meant to carry lies,” she said aloud, though no one was there.
She set it in its velvet case.
“Let’s see if Polly can grow without it.”

[Shani’s House – The Kitchen – 6:31 PM]

Shani’s mother slammed the drawer shut.

“A hidden hot tub? Sneaking out at night? Skinny dipping?”

“Mom—”

“You’re eleven, Shani!” her dad cut in. “We raised you better than this.”

They listed punishments:

• Her inventions—confiscated.

• Her tools—locked up.

• The hot tub—destroyed.

• Social privileges—revoked.

• Monitored every day.

And worst of all?

“We’re not sure we trust you anymore,” her mom whispered.

Shani stared at the floor and didn’t fight it. Because deep down?

She didn’t trust herself either.

[Lila’s House – 8:07 PM]

Lila Draper’s father sat silently at the dinner table. The clock ticked in the background.

“You covered up a pregnancy.”

His voice was flat.

“You helped lie to multiple families. You snuck out. You help hid a baby.”

Lila swallowed hard.
“I didn’t know what else to do.”

He set down his fork.
**“You will be punished. Harshly. No phone. No social time. No electronics. You’ll write apology letters to every adult involved.”
A pause.
“And you’re going to therapy. Period.”

Lila didn’t argue.

She just whispered, “Okay.”

[Polly’s Room – Midnight]

The window let in only moonlight.

Polly lay curled on her side, arms around Paxton, who snored softly beside her. No locket. No Louis. No freedom.

Just guilt. Work. School. Diapers. Silence.

She pressed her lips to her son’s hair.

“I’m still here,” she whispered.
“I’ll keep showing up. Even if no one else does.”

She didn’t cry this time.

She didn’t have the energy.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10 – Silence Between Us

“When you're not allowed to speak, the silence becomes a scream.”

[Agreste Residence – Paris, France – 7:52 AM]

Louis woke up to the sound of a piano scale drifting from the floor below.

It was Emma.

He stared at the ceiling, unmoving. His alarm had gone off twenty minutes ago. The room still smelled faintly of flour and black ink from the design sketches Marinette left on his desk, a silent reminder that life went on—even when yours had stopped.

There were no texts. No calls. No FaceTime.

No Polly.

Just silence.

His fingers twitched toward his sketchbook, but instead of a recipe or outfit design, he turned to a fresh page.

And began to write.

[Pocket Residence – Littleton, Massachusetts – 2:03 PM]

Polly had a science test tomorrow. Paxton had a rash from his new soap. Her shift at the toy store started in twenty-seven minutes, and she still hadn’t eaten lunch.

She rinsed the diaper cloth and wiped her face on the back of her hand. Her phone buzzed.

No. Not her phone.

A letter. In her locker.

Handwritten. Folded three times.

Polly,

I don’t know if you’ll read this. I don’t know if your parents will burn it or if you’ll throw it away.

But I can’t go a whole week pretending I don’t miss you. Or him. Or all of it. Even the mistakes.

I keep thinking of the steam room. The water. How quiet it was. And how, for a minute, we thought we could hold the whole world between us.

You still feel like home. Even now.

—Louis

She folded it, pressed it to her heart—and cried in the bathroom stall for ten minutes straight.

[A Week Later – Paris – Collège Françoise Dupont – 4:18 PM]

Louis’s part-time job at Agreste Fashion was monotonous. Sorting swatches. Measuring fabric. Organizing accessory bins. On weekends, he modeled silently for promo shots—his eyes always just a little too tired to fake sparkle.

He started writing more.

He filled his journal with letter after letter he wasn’t allowed to send.

“Dear Paxton…”
“Dear Polly…”
“Dear Me…”

He walked to the post office three times.

Never mailed anything.

[Littleton – Polly’s Room – 9:04 PM]

Polly recorded a voice memo.

Not to send. Just to say something.

“Hey… it’s me. Paxton took two steps today. Sort of. He lunged. I called it walking because I needed a win. My mom clapped. It felt fake. My dad tried to be proud but looked scared.”

A pause. Her breath caught.

“I wish you’d been there. Even if we can’t talk, even if it’s not real, I keep seeing you behind me in the mirror when I brush my hair. That’s not healthy, right?”

Click. Save. Archive.

[Shani’s House – Garage – 6:51 PM]

Shani hadn’t built anything in two weeks.

Her parents still watched her closely. Her tools were kept under lock and key.

Instead, she journaled.

Every entry began with “I don’t know who I am anymore.”

Her once-favorite bot sat lifeless on the shelf, wires exposed. She ignored it.

She hadn’t seen Polly in five days.

Hadn’t heard from Lila.

The Posse was splintered.

Everything felt gray.

[Lila’s Room – Midnight]

Lila stared at her apology letters.

One to Pamela. One to Peter. One to Penelope. One to Marinette and Adrien. One to Shani’s parents.

She hadn’t written Polly’s yet.

Because she didn’t know what to say to someone who was still living the consequence you helped create.

She wrote instead:

“I miss you. But I don’t know how to face you.”

She didn’t send that one either.

[A Month Later – Across Two Countries]

The silence didn’t break.

But it shifted.

Louis received a package from Emma. Inside was a tiny homemade book:
“100 Things I Miss About My Little Brother.”

At the back: a note.

“You’re still him. Just… heavier now. But I see you.”

Polly saved money for Paxton’s birthday party. Just a cupcake. Just the three of them.

Shani rebuilt her music modulator in secret.

Lila started attending therapy.

The silence didn’t go away. But it no longer felt like drowning.

It felt like winter.

Hard.

But not permanent.

Chapter Text

Chapter 11 – Journals & Voice Memos

“If we can't speak to each other, we'll whisper to the page.”

[POLLY POCKET’S JOURNAL – Entry #173 – 10:11 PM]

Dear Me,

You’re still standing.

You went to school, worked a five-hour shift, aced a quiz, and calmed down a toddler who decided rice cereal was poison.

You smiled at your mom. That’s more than yesterday.

You didn’t think about Louis during lunch.

(That’s a lie.)

You wanted to write him another letter. But you burned the last one.

Your locket is still gone. You touch your chest sometimes out of habit.

You miss being small.

You miss being loved without weight.

But you are still here. And tomorrow, you’ll be here again.

Love,
You

[LOUIS AGRESTE – UNSENT LETTER #19 – 3:37 PM]

Polly,

I keep seeing Paxton’s eyes in the mirror.

I thought I would forget the way he gripped my finger. But I don’t. I remember it every night.

They say I can’t see you until I “earn back their trust.”

I don’t know how to earn something back when I never had it in the first place.

You were the only person who believed I was more than my last name.

I miss the way you’d press your forehead against mine when you were tired. I miss Peaches barking at me. I miss the hot tub.

But mostly, I miss you not being afraid to love me out loud.

Love,
Louis

[SHANI’S AUDIO MEMO – 7:21 PM]

Recording…

“Okay. Note to self: You made a waterproof hoverboard, and yet you couldn’t prevent this entire collapse of everything.”

“You helped hide a baby, Shani. A whole baby.”

“I know we were trying to help. But… I keep wondering if I agreed because I didn’t want to lose Polly. Or Lila. Or Louis.”

“Was it friendship? Or fear?”

“I haven’t invented anything in weeks. My brain feels foggy. Like I’m not allowed to build joy while they’re still hurting.”

“I’m sorry, Polly. I just want you to forgive me. Even if I can’t forgive myself.”

[LILA’S UNSENT TEXT MESSAGE – 2:34 AM]

Hey. I know you probably don’t want to hear from me.

I panicked.
I thought if we covered it up well enough, it would go away.
But I was wrong.
You’re the one paying for it. Not me. Not Louis.
Just you.

I still remember the day we wrote the fake note. You told me you could handle it. You said “this will work.”

But you shouldn’t have had to handle any of it.

I was supposed to be your friend.

I’m sorry.

[message deleted]

[POLLY’S VOICE MEMO – PRIVATE – 11:58 PM]

“Today Paxton said ‘uh-oh’ and then knocked over his juice. So yeah, he’s officially mastered cause and effect.”

“I didn’t tell my mom because she was already crying over a broken printer.”

“I wanted to call Louis. I didn’t.”

“I wanted to run away again. I didn’t.”

“I’m tired of being strong. And quiet. And perfect. And responsible. I want to be twelve again. I want to forget.”

“…But I won’t.”

[LOUIS’S JOURNAL – SKETCH PAGE]

A detailed drawing:

• A steaming mug.

• A small hand wrapped around a finger.

• A pair of blue eyes.

• A crumpled locket.

• A clock, cracked down the middle.

Beneath it, one sentence:

“Time didn’t stop. But something inside me did.”

[GROUP CHAT – THE POSSE – 11:11 AM]
Unread

LILA:

“Hey. I know we’re all still in different places. But I miss you both.”

SHANI:

“I miss us. And I miss what we were before it all broke.”

POLLY:

(Typing…)
(Typing…)
(Typing…)
[Message unsent.]

Chapter Text

Chapter 12 – The Birthday Call

“Love doesn’t disappear. It waits—patient, bruised, but still breathing.”

[Pocket Residence – Saturday Morning – 7:52 AM]

Polly Pocket didn’t expect the morning to feel so… normal.

The sun was shining through the kitchen window. Paxton was bouncing in his high chair, smearing banana puree into his hair with the joy of a child who didn’t care about consequences.

Pamela stirred pancake batter. Peter sipped his coffee. There was no party. No balloons. No guests.

Just a cupcake on the counter. A single candle. And one very quiet promise:

"We’ll keep it simple.”

It was all Polly could handle anyway.

[Polly’s Room – 8:04 AM]

She carried Paxton upstairs, one arm under his legs, the other balancing a wrapped box: a handmade plush toy she sewed with her own fingers after work hours, its button eyes uneven.

On her bed sat a small envelope.

She hadn’t noticed it earlier.

Polly set Paxton down, opened the envelope, and froze.

Inside was a folded note. One line, written in her mother’s precise handwriting:

“There’s a video call waiting downstairs. Check the living room.”

Her breath caught.

[Pocket Living Room – 8:07 AM]

The laptop screen was already open. Zoom loaded. One active call.

“Agreste Family – Paris”

Polly’s hand trembled as she clicked “Join.”

The screen flashed.

And there he was.

Louis.

Older. Paler. Eyes glassy with unshed tears.

And behind him—Adrien and Marinette, seated stiffly. Emma peeked in from the doorway. They looked like they weren’t sure if they were here as parents or judges.

Louis leaned toward the screen.

“Happy Birthday, Paxton.”

[Across the Screen – Paris – 2:07 PM]

Louis tried to smile, but the lump in his throat made it hard to speak.
Paxton blinked at the screen, wide-eyed.

Polly sat beside him, holding him up. The baby squirmed, then babbled a single sound:

“Looo…”

The whole room went still.

Polly's breath hitched.

Louis laughed—choked, broken, but real.
“He remembers me.”

“Of course he does,” Polly said softly. “You’re his dad.”

Adrien swallowed hard. Marinette looked away. The camera shifted slightly.

[The Agreste Side – 2:09 PM]

Adrien cleared his throat.

“We… agreed to this call under supervision. But I want you both to know—this isn’t a second chance yet. It’s… a test. A conversation.”

“We’re not against forgiveness,” Marinette added. “We’re just waiting to see what you do with the silence.”

Louis nodded.
**“I’ve been writing him letters. Every week.”
A pause.
“Can I send them now?”

Polly nodded slowly.
“He won’t understand them yet. But I will.”

[The Pocket Side – 8:12 AM]

Paxton smacked the keyboard with one chubby hand, accidentally turning on a filter. Suddenly, Louis had a party hat and sparkles.

Polly snorted.

Louis grinned.

The tension broke—just a little.

Pamela stepped into view, nodding quietly to Polly. Peter offered a small wave to the camera.

“You’re welcome to keep talking,” Pamela said. “Five more minutes.”

Polly's hands trembled as she steadied Paxton on her lap.

“I missed you,” she whispered.

Louis blinked fast.
“I never stopped missing you.”

[Final Minute – 8:16 AM]

The screen timer ticked down.

5
4
3
2…

Polly leaned close to the mic.

“We’re not the same anymore.”

Louis nodded.
“But maybe we can be something… better.”

Click.

Call ended.

Silence returned.

But this time—it wasn’t empty.

[Later That Night – Polly’s Room – 10:41 PM]

Paxton was asleep, a bit of frosting still clinging to his cheek.

Polly reached into her drawer, pulled out the old voice recorder, and clicked “record.”

“You’re one today. You ate banana pancakes and threw a cupcake at Pierce. You said your dad’s name. And I let myself feel something I haven’t felt in months.”

A pause.

“Hope.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 13 – When Tiny Things Return

“Some powers are too heavy for those who haven’t learned to carry themselves first.”

[Penelope Pocket’s Workshop – Sunday – 4:04 PM]

The smell of solder and lavender oil filled the room.

The velvet box sat untouched in the center of the table. Its gold trim had dulled slightly over the past year, and the clasp squeaked when opened.

Penelope Pocket didn’t rush.

She sat in silence, studying the locket from across the table like it was alive. Dangerous. Sacred.

Because it was.

And she hadn’t decided yet if Polly was ready to have it back.

[Polly’s Room – That Morning – 9:31 AM]

The knock on her door was soft.

Polly opened it expecting her mom—but it was Penelope.

Her grandmother wore her sharpest blazer, her gray streaks pinned neatly back. No smile.

“We need to talk,” she said.
“Bring your shoes.”

Polly grabbed her boots and followed.

[Penelope’s Garden – 10:07 AM]

They walked in silence past the thyme and chamomile, the birdbath Paxton loved splashing in, and the ivy-covered bench Polly used to climb when she was small.

Finally, Penelope stopped beside a stone planter filled with mint.

“Do you know why I gave you the locket in the first place?”

Polly swallowed.
“Because I was the right size.”

Penelope gave her a hard look.

“No. Because you were the right heart. Not afraid of the truth. Not afraid to act when something was wrong. But somewhere along the way…”

She paused.

“…You started shrinking to escape. Not to explore.”

Polly looked at the ground.

“I’m not proud of what I did.”

“Good. You shouldn’t be.” Penelope turned to face her fully.
**“But pride is only one part. The other is whether you’ve changed.”
A pause.
“Have you, Polly?”

Polly’s voice cracked.

“Yes. I had to. I grew up. Too fast. But I did.”

[Back in the Workshop – 4:07 PM]

Polly entered the room and stopped cold.

The velvet box sat open.

The Pocket Locket glinted in the light. Familiar. Dangerous. Calling her.

Penelope stood behind the table, hands folded.

“Take it,” she said. “If you think you’re ready.”

Polly stepped forward. Her fingers hovered over it. Trembled.

Then stopped.

“Not yet.”

Penelope’s eyebrows lifted slightly.

“No?”

Polly stepped back.

**“If I pick it up now, I’ll use it the wrong way. To hide. To run. I still… I still want to do that, sometimes.”
A breath.
“I’ll wait until I want to grow with it. Not shrink behind it.”

Penelope’s face broke—just slightly.

Pride. Sadness. And something close to relief.

She closed the box again.

“Good girl.”

[Agreste Residence – Paris – Louis’s Room – 11:51 PM]

Louis stared at his old photos. One from the spa room. One of Paxton’s first bath. One of Polly asleep with a wrench still in her hand.

He traced the edge of a note from his mom.

“You’re not your mistake. You’re the way you carry it.”

Louis whispered into the quiet:

“I’m ready to carry it.”

[Pocket Residence – Polly’s Window – Midnight]

Polly sat on the roof, legs swinging, Peaches curled beside her.

She looked up at the stars and whispered:

“I want to grow. And I want to be tiny again. But mostly… I want to be enough.”

And somewhere inside the workshop—

The locket pulsed.

Just once.

As if it heard her.

Chapter Text

Chapter 14 – Together Again

“Some hearts don’t just heal. They rebuild.”

[Littleton Town Hall – 3:12 PM – A Month Later]

The community center conference room wasn’t romantic. Or magical. Or quiet.

It smelled like coffee, printer toner, and someone’s leftover lunch.

But today, it was neutral ground.

Pamela and Peter Pocket sat on one side of the room.

Marinette and Adrien Agreste on the other.

In the middle, a round table.

A single chair on either side.

Two name tags written in sharpie:

Polly.
Louis.

The agreement was simple:
One hour.
Supervised.
Honest.

No hugging.
No secrets.
No locket.

Polly arrived first.

She hadn’t worn anything special. A hoodie. Jeans. No makeup. Her hands fidgeted with the frayed cuff of her sleeve.

She hadn’t seen Louis in months.

She wasn’t sure she could look him in the eye.

Until the door opened.

And he walked in.

[3:14 PM – The First Look]

Louis looked… taller.

Or maybe it was the way time bends around guilt. His eyes were still tired, but clearer. Like he’d been staring at the same storm for months and had finally found shelter.

He stopped.

So did she.

Neither of them said anything for a long time.

Then:

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi.”

It was everything.
It was not enough.
It was all they could manage.

They sat.

[3:20 PM – The Conversation Begins]

“I kept every letter,” Polly said softly, not quite looking at him.
“Even the ones you didn’t send.”

Louis blinked.

“How?”

“Lila.”

A pause.

“I burned the first few,” Polly admitted. **“Then I stopped burning them.”
She smiled, barely.
“Because I realized I wanted to believe them.”

Louis nodded.
“I deserved the fire.”

“We both did.”

[3:29 PM – Paxton Comes Up]

“He asks for you now,” Polly said. **“He doesn’t say ‘Louis.’ He says, ‘Loos.’ Like a cartoon train whistle.”
She laughed. It caught in her throat.
**“I show him your letters. I tell him his dad’s working hard. That he loves him.”
A beat.
“I don’t say you’re gone.”

Louis stared at the table.

“Do you think he’ll forgive me?”

Polly looked him dead in the eye.

“He will if I do.”

[3:37 PM – The Question]

Marinette shifted in her seat. Pamela exchanged a look with Adrien. Then Peter spoke:

**“We need to know something.”
He turned to Polly.
“Do you want Louis back in your life?”

Silence.

Polly swallowed hard.

**“Yes. But not like before.”
She looked at Louis.
**“Not as my everything. Not as my excuse. Not as my escape.”
A long pause.
**“As my partner. In parenting. In truth.”
She wiped her eyes.
“If you can be that, then yes.”

[3:45 PM – Louis Responds]

**“I can’t promise I’ll always know what to do.”
His voice shook.
“But I won’t run again. And I won’t let him think he’s alone. Or that this—”
He gestured between them.
“—was a mistake.”

Marinette teared up silently. Adrien nodded once. Penelope, unseen in the back row, smiled behind a book.

[4:01 PM – Time’s Up]

A knock on the door.

The hour was over.

They stood.

No hug. No hand-holding.

But Polly reached out and gently tugged the string of Louis’s hoodie. The one he wore the first day he arrived in Littleton.

“Still hate this color,” she whispered.

He grinned.

“Still wore it for you.”

They walked to the door together.

Their parents didn’t stop them.

[Later That Night – Polly’s Room – 11:44 PM]

She opened her drawer.

The velvet box waited.

She didn’t touch it.

She didn’t need to.

Not yet.

Instead, she picked up a photo from the side table.
Paxton asleep in her arms. A note beside it: “Birthday – 1 Year.”

She added a new one to the frame.
Paxton holding a crumpled sketchbook page. On it, drawn in blue pencil, was a tiny steam room.

Signed:
“For Paxton – From Your Dad.”