School starts up again. Darren and Bella are both skipping straight into twelfth grade. (Bella looked into just starting college early, but while she does technically have the sort of resume that can lead to that kind of thing, she can't exactly write an essay about how she saved the life of another person and this caused her to have Moral Character, let alone about how she started a small business - so skipping one grade it is.)
They apply to colleges. They both get into University of Washington and get sufficient scholarships to accommodate both going there.
Summer ensues again.
One afternoon, Bella is over at Darren's, and has fallen asleep - in purring fullform - across his lap on the couch.
"... Savannah. Your shadow's weird."
She's not even in midform, but her shadow is of a peryton in fullform.
"... Huh."
"That could be inconvenient for stealth, but I guess most people don't study each other's shadows... and it could be awkward among critters too, I suppose."
"Well, maybe people won't notice and if they notice they won't know what it means, I guess. Let's get the lights back on and see if there's plumbing in here so we can get less - bloody."
"Yes. Please tell me they're in plastic bags so I don't have to touch them with my hands."
Bella takes a sandwich. She eats it in about a minute and a half and then starts on a second one a bit more slowly. She leans on Darren while she eats, shivering.
"Are you all right?" he asks, gently, when her second sandwich is taken care of.
"I - don't know. It's kind of a stupid question, anyway, you're obviously - not. What can I do to help?"
He hugs her. "Let me know if there's anything else I can do. I'll even pull another daring rescue again, if you need me to."
"Any chance of a third one of these?" asks Bella when she has finished her second sandwich.
A third sandwich is produced, and Bella-ward it goes.
"We do!" agrees Darren with a yelp. Cell phone, cell phone -
Then he dials Charlie's number and offers the phone to Bella. "You first."
"Thanks -" And when Charlie has picked up. "Dad - it's me - I'm in one piece - Darren and Savannah saved the day, we're going to fly home soon."