Back inside the bar, Hyde and Lucy immediately saw what the problem was. The barmaid in training was in an argument with three young boys who looked much too young to be there and to Hyde’s dismay, one of them was Pinocchio. 

Him again? He groaned internally. 

“Alright, alright. What’s the problem here?” Lucy stepped in looking calm, but stern. 

“This ninny’s refusing us service!” Pinocchio pointed to the trainee. 

“No, you’re underage and don’t belong here!” she put her hands on her hips. 

“Hey, how do you we are? We can’t all look old for our ages.” Wicker snickered. 

Lucy stayed calm “Well, maybe ya’ll just look young for yer ages, but considerin’ that sellin’ alcohol is against the law, let me see yer IDs, gentlemen.” 

“Are you calling us liars?!” Pinocchio scoffed. 

“I ain’t callin’ ya nothin’. I’m takin’ a precaution which is my right as the boss around here and if ya’ll refuse to show me any ID, that’s grounds for me showin’ ya’ll the door.” she stood her ground. 

“Oh yeah? I’d like to see you try, tramp!” Pinocchio mocked her and even stuck his tongue out. 

“Show some ID or LEAVE! Or shall I interest you in the third option?” Hyde cracked his knuckles while growling. 

“Ed, there ain’t no need for that.” she turned back to the boys “There’s already a third option; I call the police here and they’re take ya’ll outta here, and back home. And they’re gonna tell yer parents why they did. I think ya’ll can imagine what happens after that.” 

The smiles of the trio faded and they all looked at each other. 

Pinocchio frowned “Well, this place is a dump anyway.” 

“And the waitresses are ugly!” Wicker added as they left, but Lucy was unfazed. 

She was about to say something when the sound of glass shattering was heard. They looked and saw that Pinocchio had thrown something at the window breaking it, but from the alarmed look on his face, he was shocked at what he had done. He and his two friends ran. 

“Oh, no you don’t!” Hyde growled as he ran after them. 

In spite of them having a head start, they could not outrun the troll who could run and bound at an impressive speed, and he caught up to the boy easily and lifted him by the vest. 

“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to do THAT!! It was a loaf of bread! I didn’t think it was THAT hard!” he had clearly lost all his courage. 

“Nevermind what you meant to do! You threw that and broke the window of The Old Shoe all because they refused to break the law for you! What were you doing there to begin with, huh?! Your father Prof. Polendina is such a brilliant and honorable man! How did you turn out so foolish and rotten, huh?!” Hyde scolded him while still holding him in midair. 

Pinocchio froze “How do YOU know who my father is?” 

“I... I’m friends with a fan. Anyway, you are NOT getting away with what you did! Tell me where you live!” Hyde commanded as the boy struggled and then saw Lucy outside “Pardon me, love, but I need to see to it that this little brat is held accountable.” 

Later, Prof. Polendina was preparing his speech when he heard his doorbell go off and he spoke into the speaker. 

“Hello?” 

“Hello, Prof. Polendina? I’ve brought your son Pinocchio home.” Hyde’s voice replied as the faint sound of Pinocchio grumbling could be heard. 

“My son?!” the portly man got up and went down his stairs before opening to door. 

“Mr. Hyde? You brought my son home? W-Was he in trouble?!” Gheppetto feared the worst. 

Hyde shook his head “No. He caused trouble. He went to the Old Shoe pub and lied about being old enough to be served. When he refused to show ID, he was asked to leave, but not before a broke a window as an act of spite.” 

“Pinocchio, is this true?” Gheppetto gasped. 

“It was an accident!” the boy protested. 

Gheppetto’s expression looked stern and his eyes disappointed “You told me you were studying at Wicker’s. Was he with you at the pub? Have you actually been doing nonsense like this EVERY night you said you were studying?” 

Pinocchio looked away. 

“Pinocchio, look at me.” the portly man commanded and the boy complied “This has gone too far. For everything you did tonight, you are going to work at The Old Shoe to pay for the window you broke.” 

“I can’t do that, Father. I’m not supposed to be there.” Pinocchio scoffed. 

“Not at night when it’s open, but during the day, you can stock up, clean and prepare it just fine.” Hyde explained. 

“I am not-” Pinocchio protested. 

“You WILL and I don’t want you around that Wicker ever again! And you will learn from this! No son of mine is going to be a bum!” Gheppetto frowned looking a bit angry. 

Pinocchio glared back “So I should be like YOU instead, father? A fool who refuses opportunity and the path to success in exchange for charity?” 

He runs inside leaving Gheppetto disheartened. 

“... I’m sorry for him. He’s not a bad boy. Not deep down. He’s just...” Gheppetto trailed off “Thank you for bringing him home and I promise, he will make amends. 

Gheppetto then closed the door, leaving Hyde feeling awkward, pity and stunned all at once before walking away. 

“Well, at least his daddy’s decent. Then again, Prof. Polendina has always been solid gold from what I heard.” Lucy crossed her arms while leaning on the wine barrel in the storeroom. 

“I felt bad for the old man. I hope this does indeed straighten that boy out. Anyway, I must go now, love. It’s time for-” Hyde felt his cape get tugged. 

“Ed, we still ain’t done talkin’. WHERE exactly do ya go when it’s nearly dawn? What are you hidin’? Where are ya from?” Lucy clutched his cape. 

“I can tell you that I am from London, love.” he replied nervously. 

“Can ya tell me anythin’ else? WILL ya ever tell me anythin’ else?” Lucy pressed, but Hyde’s only response was looking away “... Are ya MARRIED?!” 

“No! Of course not! What do you take me for?!” Hyde defensively swung around taking back his cape. 

“That’s the problem, Ed. I can’t even take yer word for it ‘cause I don’t know nothin’ about ya!” they stared at each other for a long time angrily, but then Lucy stepped back “And I don’t know how much more I can go on like this.” 

“Lucy, you don’t me-” his face when pale. 

“I do, Ed. I love ya. Lord knows I do, but... a long time ago ya told me ya wanted somethin’ real with me. How can we, when ya refuse to let down yer walls and let me really get to know ya in the real way, so that we can have a real future together?” she looked firm yet depressed. 

Hyde’s jaw dropped “Lucy, I... I have NEVER hid anything that mattered from you.” 

“When I don’t even know ya personally, ya are and... That not only hurts, it kills, Ed. It makes my head go in places I don’t want it to and makes me resent you when I don’t wanna. Either ya let me in completely or... I’m gonna have to walk away.” Lucy turned her back to him “When I left the streets behind me, I swore I’d never let a man toy with me ever again. Not even a man I loved.” 

“I... I...” he could not find the words, so he left feeling shattered. 

That morning in his library, Jekyll was getting ready to find another way to propose to Vice. 

“No, not this one either... Dammit, where is it?!” the good doctor grumbled while checking books. 

Louis tapped on one book with his beak noting the sound “Found it, awk!” he pulled it out revealing that it was really a box with an empty slot inside. 

“EUREKA!! Thank you, Louis.” he took the box and filled it with cotton before putting the ring inside of it. 

“Why are you going through so much trouble to propose to her in a fancy schmancy way, Jekyll? Just bloody ask the woman!” Hyde sat back with his reflection in the mirror grumpily. 

“Because I want it to be special and make Katherine feel special, Hyde. Wouldn’t you do the same for Lucy?” Jekyll discreetly put the book on the table where he prepared a place setting for two. 

Hyde looked away “... I don’t think that’s in the cards anymore...” 

“What do you mean?” Jekyll asked, but before Hyde could answer, the doorbell rang “Oh, that’s her. How do I look, Louis?” 

“Dashing!” Louis flapped his wings. 

Jekyll rushed to the door smiling wide “Darling, I’ve been look so forward to seeing you again!” 

To Jekyll’s shock though, it wasn’t Dr. Vice, it was Emma “You have, Henry? Oh, darling, I KNEW you felt the same way!” 

She hugged him tightly just as Katherine came over and was stunned to see the scene. 

“Emma! Let me go!” Jekyll struggled and fixed himself “I didn’t mean you! I meant Katherine! What are you doing here at all?!” 

“Henry, you can’t deny that-” Emma was interrupted by him raising her hand. 

“Stop. Just stop. Please. It doesn’t matter. Emma, you don’t belong here or anywhere near me. Not anymore and not just because I have a woman in my life.” the doctor glared at her. 

Emma looked back at Katherine in disgust and then at Jekyll “Henry, you can do better than her. I mean, even if she is THE Dr. Katherine Vice, look at her! Why would you settle for having THAT in your life when you once had, and could again have, me?” 

“What do her looks matter?!” Jekyll scoffed as Vice looked away while hiding her face with her hands “Katherine, you come in. Emma, you leave. Now” 

“Ah... Actually, Henry... I must decline our breakfast together. I... I have no appetite.” she left as her voice cracked. 

“Katherine! Wait! Now, look what you’ve done, Emma!” Jekyll stomped his foot fuming. 

“It’s for the best, Henry. I would be delighted to have breakfast with you.” Emma batted her eyelashes. 

“No! Absolutely not! I made myself loud and clear over and over again! I don’t want to reconcile! I don’t even want to be friends! In fact, I never want to see you again! Now, go! Please!” he pointed away. 

Emma was hurt but then frowned “You WILL come back to me. I know you, Henry. You’re too sweet to hate anyone. Besides, you KNOW what you could have.” 

She finally left, and Jekyll groaned as he got back inside looking at yet another failed proposal attempt. 

“Toast, good doctor?” Louis held out the slice attempting to cheer him up. 

That evening, Pinocchio came home from his first day of work. 

“You didn’t have to come with me, father. I’m not a baby.” Pinocchio grumbled in humiliation. 

“After all the lies you told and things you did, I don’t trust you alone at night especially not if you run into that Wicker boy again.” Gheppetto lectured “What’s the matter with you anyway? Acting out like this, Pinocchio?” 

Pinocchio would not answer. 

“Pinocchio, I want to understand you, but-” he was about to unlock the door, but it was already open and slightly ajar. 

Gheppetto gestured for Pinocchio to stay back as he walked in to see if the coast was clear. The house was dark though one could clearly see that the vases we smashed, puppets have been knocked over, and wardrobes and drawers have been rummaged through. Pinocchio peeked inside from the doorway as his father turned to him. 

“Father! Look out!” Pinocchio saw a big burly man behind him, but it was too late as he grabbed him in a headlock. 

“Pinocchio! RUN! RUUUUUUN!!” Gheppetto commanded while struggling, and Pinocchio dashed away. 

“Get the boy!” the burly man commanded the moustached man who gave chase to the boy. 

Pinocchio noticed the man chasing him “HEEEEEEELP!! SOMEBODY, HELP MEEEEEE!!” 

“Aw, shut up! No one can hear you!” the moustached man grumbled while gaining on him. 

“I heard him just fine!” Hyde dropped down between Pinocchio and the man bumped into him, then looked at him with terror before getting lifted off the ground by the collar “What’s the big idea chasing around that boy, huh?” 

“Mr. Hyde, he and another man broke into my home! My father’s still there with the other guy!” Pinocchio panicked. 

“Then let’s go! And YOU are coming with us!” Hyde rushed back to the house with Pinocchio leading the way and the moustached man over his shoulder. 

Back at the house, Gheppetto lay against the wall unconscious looking beaten up as the burly man who now sported a black eye continued rummaging through the house in frustration. 

“OI!” Hyde’s voice boomed from across the room before the threw the moustached man at the burly man “What’s the big idea breaking into the old man’s house and then breaking him?!” 

“Father! Father?! FATHER?!!” Pinocchio ran to him. 

“Don’t shake him, Pinocchio. Call the bobbies and a doctor.” he then turned to the men lifting them by their collars “Talk! NOW!! What are doing here?!” 

The moustached man was out cold. 

“Hmm. Alright, what about you?! You still awake?! What are you bloody doing here?!” he growled in the disoriented burly man’s face. 

“Plans... The plans...” he groaned in a dizzy tone. 

“Speak clearly!” Hyde growled. 

“The professor’s plans... his big thing... his... breakthrough... uhh....” his eyes closed. 

“You really need to be less aggressive in your interrogations, Hyde.” Jekyll’s reflection in the hallway mirror shook his head. 

“It seems these two cockroaches were after Prof. Polendina’s plans for his project which means you and I both know who sent these men, Jekyll.” Hyde gave him a knowing look. 

“The same individual who conveniently warned the professor about such an event.” the good doctor frowned.