only this and nothing more

18

"Thing gave me your note," Tyler says as Wednesday approaches him the next night. They stand just outside of a stone gazebo in the dark, "I was surprised you wanted to see me again after you ran out the other night. So, uh, is everything okay?"

"When you put your hand on my shoulder the other night, you opened my eyes, and suddenly it all made sense," she explains. He scoffs, "Xavier warned me about you, but I didn't listen."

"Ironic now, huh?"

"Ironic would've been framing Xavier for murder while the real Hyde helped me put him away," she retorts.

"Wait... you don't think---"

"I don't think," she cuts him off, "I know. Kinbott probably discovered your secret during one of your sessions. So she unlocked you. Why'd you kill her? I thought Hydes were typically loyal to their masters."

"Wednesday, seriously, this is nuts," he dismisses her claims.

"On Outreach Day, I told you I was visiting the old Meeting House," she continues, "Did Kinbott send you to spy on me? The night of the Rave'N, Eugene went out to see your cave in the woods. Eugene probably saw her torching it. Then she sent you to clean up her mess. I have to hand it to you, Tyler. Wounding yourself that night at the Gates mansion, that was a masterstroke of misdirection."

"Okay, stop," he cuts her off, "Do you know how insane you sound right now? I'm not a monster. A... And if you really thought I was, why would you risk bringing me out to the woods to confront me alone?"

"Who said I was alone?" she questions. The Nightshades, minus Xavier, step out from the gazebo.

"Okay, I don't know what kind of sick joke you're playing Wednesday, but I'm out of here," Tyler says.

"Actually..." Bianca steps in front of him, "You're coming with us."

She uses her siren song to compel him to willingly go with them. They take him to Xavier's art studio. He wakes up chained to a chair. He is surrounded by every painting and work of art Xavier created. Countless canvasses with the monster on them, as well as the new painting of the deceased Dr. Kinbott.

"Welcome back," Wednesday greets.

"Where the hell am I?" Tyler asks as he pulls at the chains.

"Somewhere no one can hear your screams," she answers.

"What's with the chains?"

"Don't ask stupid questions."

"Wednesday, this is crazy. I'm a normie," he claims.

"That's only half true," she counters. She picks up the picture of the Nevermore Fencing Squad, the one her mother is in. She points to a lady in the back of the picture, "Do you recognize her? Perhaps if I hadn't been so distracted by my own mother hogging this photo, I would've noticed yours sooner. Your father fell in love and married an outcast."

"Fine," he agrees, "my mom was an outcast. That doesn't make me a monster."

Wednesday grabs Tyler's mom's file with her medical records inside, "According to her personal medical records---"

"You stole her medical records?"

"Technically, Thing did," she answers, "He took them from your garage. Your father's quite the pack rat. Her postpartum depression triggered her condition."

"My mom had severe bipolar disorder."

"We both know that's a lie," Wednesday states, "she was a Hyde. And your father has been living his life in dread, never really quite sure whether or not she passed her condition on to you."