As the sun sets over the horizon, Liz drives through the suburban neighborhood, the engine of her motorbike thundering across the road toward Jim's house until she cuts it off upon her arrival in front of the two-story home. Getting off her parked motorbike, she hears a soft gasp and rustling of leaves in the distance behind her. Tensing at the noise, she snaps her gaze over her shoulder in search of the source of the sound, but then a man's voice rang out from afar. "Zack, Carina, it's time for dinner!"
Liz relaxed slightly, thinking it must have been the neighborhood kids being curious and spying. Then, she returned her attention to Jim's house and walked to the front door, unaware of Claire's eyes watching from a distance.
Liz rang the doorbell, and instantly, the door opened. Jim greeted her with a slight grin. "Perfect timing. Come on in."
Entering inside, she showed off the pastry box with a smile. "Thanks, I brought some freshly baked goods from Mr. Benoit's French Bistro."
"Oh, you didn't have to bring anything. Dinner's on me, remember?"
"Well, we can't have dinner without some dessert."
"Touche." Jim said, staring at the box thoughtfully before asking sheepishly, "You don't happen to have Lune Croissanterie in there, do you?"
"Just for you," Liz chuckled. Then, upon realizing what she said, her cheeks flushed, and she immediately corrected herself. "A-and for Barbara to try out."
Before Jim could say more, Barbara called out from the dining room, "Liz! I'm so glad you could join us."
Greeting the girl with a warm smile, she set the table as Strickler sat on one of the chairs with a pleasant grin, though his gaze showed otherwise.
"Yes, how delightful. The more, the merrier."
***
While the two adults talk and laugh over glasses of wine, Jim glares at the Strickler in silent rage before shutting the kitchen shutters. Grabbing his phone, he holds the speaker's end to his mouth to whisper, "The teacher is in the hen house; mission is a go."
"Copy that, Trollhunter." Toby's voice echoed through the phone, and the call ended. Liz watched silently, her arms crossed over her chest as she leaned against the counter with a slight frown on her lips. "So, the plan is that while Toby and the rest are breaking into Strickler's office in search of clues on the bridge's whereabouts, all we need to do is keep the changeling distracted until it's all clear, right?"
"Yeah, exactly," Jim replied, swirling the pan as the steak was being swiveled around, sizzling as it cooked.
"Well, Barbara is doing just fine with that," Liz commented, making Jim turn to her in bewilderment. "Are you crazy?"
Liz perked an eyebrow at Jim. "Complete opposite. Look, I get that you're upset about Strickler being close to your mom, but confronting him out of spite would end in disaster and jeopardize the mission."
Jim frowned, shaking his head as he turned back to the steak, slipping it onto a plate. "But he's taking advantage of her to get to me. I will not stand by, watching that man – no, that creature take advantage and hurt my mom's feelings. No way, not when I have the power to make sure it never happens again."
Again? Suddenly, Liz recalls one of Jim's memories – one that seemed buried deep in his subconsciousness, only to be brought to light after their binding oath – which made her heart ache with sorrow. It was a memory of Jim as a young child peeking from behind a slightly open door to reveal his mother kneeling on the main bedroom floor with her back facing him as she wept, her woeful cries filling the room as his cheeks grew wet with tears. Jim made a silent promise at that moment – to never let his mother get hurt ever again.
The girl could not help but empathize with Jim, recalling the feelings of betrayal and despair that came with the memory of his father abandoning him and his mother. For Jim, history was bound to repeat itself, but this time with Strickler.
"I – understand you want to protect your mother from getting hurt, Jim, but you cannot let your feelings cloud your judgment. Acting out of anger – even with the best intentions – will only cause more harm than good."
Contemplating what she said, Jim takes a deep breath before exhaling with a sigh. "Is that why you were avoiding me earlier on? Because you cannot let your feelings cloud your judgment?"
Liz instantly tense, her eyes widening as she stared at him carefully, thinking of a response. "I-I don't know what you mean."
Jim did not meet her gaze but continued. "Ever since last night, I cannot help but feel you were avoiding me. Was it because of the oaths we took? If you think I shouldn't have done it because of what it entailed, then I want to assure you that I have no regrets, especially when it comes to saving you. You mean a lot to me...more than you realize because now —"
Jim turned his gaze to Liz, his blue eyes staring clearly into her turquoise depths. "Now, I know."
Captured by his unwavering gaze, Liz tried to comprehend his meaning. What does he know? Does he know who she really is? That she remembered her past, including him? That she knew who he was for a while now without telling him?
Swallowing nervously, Liz speaks up in question. "Know what exactly?"
For a moment, she was met with silence as he continued to stare down at her. Then, he opened his mouth to speak. "That you're – you're my —"
But alas, the kitchen door suddenly opens, and Barbara enters. Glancing at the two teenagers, she noticed a slight tension between them and coughs. "Everything alright?"
Like a spell breaking from its cast, Jim tore his gaze from Liz and offered a small grin to his mother.
"All good, mom. Dinner's ready."
***
On the dining table, Liz quietly cuts into her steak as she watches Jim pick at his food and glare at Strickler, who is unperturbed by it.
"Yes, absolutely. So I said to my co-worker, "I brought you a midnight snack." Too bad for him, he had indigestion for days. Well, that's the problem with eating Italian." Strickler joked, making Barbara laugh as she gently touched his shoulder. Jim listened to the story with loathing, focusing on the two adults who were laughing and enjoying the story. The two seemed close... too close. The laughs seemed to mock him as he watched his mom rest her chin on her folded hands, looking at Strickler with trust and adoration. She shouldn't be trusting him!
Suddenly, he felt a nudge on his foot, causing his attention to drift towards Liz, signaling him to stop glaring with a slight shake of her head. Then, a buzzing noise sounded as Barbara pulled out her vibrating phone. "Oh, I'm sorry. It's the hospital. I have to take this."
"Go, go. I'll try not to bore Jim and Liz to death." Strickler snorted as Barbara left the room while the two teenagers rolled their eyes.
"That might be your greatest achievement yet," Liz muttered. Strickler's face dropped into a scowl while Jim smirked in amusement. "That's a funny story you were just talking about. Who was it again you were forced to work with?"
Strickler raised his wine glass, swirling its content as he replied. "The superintendent's son. He's a bit bullish."
"Bullish." Huh. That's an interesting word. He sounds like a real monster." Jim played along smoothly, causing an evil smirk on Strickler's face. "Yes. I know."
"You know what?" Jim dropped his fork as his finger rubbed the smooth metal of the knife. Strickler quickly grabbed his knife, cutting it into his steak as he spoke. "I know you know."
Strickler ate the small piece of meat. Jim decided to do the same thing: cut the meat and eat it. Obviously, it meant a simple threat. "Hm. How much do you know?"
"You didn't know I knew, but now you know, I know." Strickler ate another piece.
"So I guess we both know." Jim tried to pop a pea into his mouth, but it dropped from his fork and rolled. While he tried to catch the escaping pea, he and Strickler kept eye contact until Strickler's eyes drifted to the pea that Jim finally managed to stab. That whole time, their grins never faltered as Liz watched with a roll of her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, we all know."
"Bular called you "Young Atlas" to force this very moment. He told me, if I can't get you to hand over the amulet, I should kill you." Strickler pointed out. Jim narrowed his eyes at the man, challenging him. "You would kill me in front of my mom?"
"Granted, your death might affect our relationship, but I will if I have to." The changeling replied without an ounce of doubt in his words.
"That's funny," Liz spoke with a threatening glare. "I was just thinking the same thing. Only the killing you part will make it all the easier for me since there's no relations between us."
"I'd like to see you try," Strickler dared, making Liz smirk, her eyes glinting with the promise. "Gladly."
Jim interrupted, his eyes narrowing at the changeling. "How about you tell us where the bridge is, and I'll let Liz leave your head attached to your body?"
Strickler leaned back in his chair, unbothered by their taunts. "It seems we each have something the other wants."
Barbara stepped in, stopping the threatening conversation. "Anyone wants something while I'm up?"
"I'd love a sharp knife for the steak." Strickler requested, followed by Jim pitching in. "Oh, me too. Sharper, the better."
"Nah, I'm good. I don't need a sharp knife. I can do without it." Liz grinned innocently.
"Sure." Barbara turned her back on them, and as soon as she did, their kind looks turned into vicious scowls at one another, tension filling the dining space.
***
Finally, after half an hour of casting silent glares, awkward small talk, and listening to terrible jokes from Strickler, their plates sat empty on the dining table. Liz released a sigh of relief, internally thankful that it was over.
"I'm stuffed. I can hardly move." Jim stated as Strickler complimented. "Jim, your cooking alone should warrant you an A."
Jim wanted to scowl at him, reach across the table, and knock the changeling out, but he gave a small smile, knowing that his mother was right next to him. Barbara stood, grabbing the plates. "I hope you saved some room for some hot apple pie."
Feeling a nudge on her foot, Liz turned to Jim, who gave her a look. With a soft sigh, Liz stood up from her seat. "Let me come with you, Barbara. I can help, plus I got some pastries that I brought from the cafe for you to try. It's in the kitchen."
"That's great!" Barbara beamed at Liz before glancing at the other two. "Give us a second. You boys talk amongst yourselves."
Once Liz and Barbara left the dining room, the girl felt the tension snap and heard chairs scraping just before the kitchen door closed behind her. And so the duel begins.
While the two males fought with knives in the dining room, Liz brought out a Lune Croissanterie and set it on a small plate, handing it to Barbara. "Lune Croissanterie is our newest item and one of our most popular on the menu at the cafe."
The redhead takes a bite of the buttery, flaky pastry. "It's good! Did you make these yourself?"
"I'm glad you like it," Liz smiled. "I wish I could take the credit, but unfortunately, I can't cook – or bake – to save my life."
This made Barbara burst into laughter. "You and me, both. If it weren't for Jim, I would be living on takeouts."
Lighthearted giggles fill the kitchen, in contrast to the brewing violence on the other side of the wall. The two began gathering the ingredients and baking utensils. As they followed the directions for baking an apple pie, Liz spoke up. "I'm happy to have spent time with you and Jim. I can see how close you both are. Must be nice that you and Jim have each other to depend on."
"Me too," Barbara said with a soft smile, but her lips drooped slightly as she stared into space. "But sometimes, I feel that I depend on Jim more than he does on me."
Liz raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
The woman sighed. "I admit I haven't been the most attentive mother as I should have been, and it doesn't help that I'm a full-time doctor, so I'm not always at home to take care of Jim, but somehow, he's the one looking after me. Not once have I heard Jim complain about it, but still, I feel guilty as a mother for not being around. But now that he is growing up and becoming independent, I hardly see him nowadays, and I'm worried that he will have no one to look after him."
"I see," Liz said, "It must have been hard for you, Barbara, juggling between working as a full-time healthcare worker and raising Jim. Though I must admit, you did a fine job raising Jim to who he is today. Jimmy is a cool guy and one of the best people I have ever met. He's smart, brave, hard-working, and, above all, the most caring, generous, and thoughtful person I know. And because of that, he loves and cares for you a lot, Barbara, so I wouldn't worry about him too much. Besides, he has friends he can count on, including me."
Staring at the girl with wide eyes, Barbara couldn't help but smile at her heartfelt words. She also picks up on Liz's nickname for her son, fondly recalling a time long ago when a little girl called Jim the same way as a young boy. And that little girl's nickname was Lizzie.
There's no doubt about it, Barbara thought with a warm smile. They're the same person.
After a little trial and error, followed by a heavy dash of whipped cream, Liz opens the kitchen door and shouts, "Alright, boys. Who is ready for pie?"
Instantly, a bursting flash of blue light blinded Liz for a second as Barbara, behind her, carried the apple pie to the dining room with a proud grin. "Voila!"
They spotted Jim holding Strickler in an awkward position, but to Liz, it looked like Jim was likely choke-holding the man. She notices the amulet rolling away as it rattles across the floor, stopping beneath a nearby end table.
"Um." Jim started as Strickler finished. "Where is that contact lens?"
Contact lens? Really? Is that the best he can come up with? Liz perked a brow, observing Jim and Strickler as they searched around, getting on their hands and knees. Barbara watched in confusion as Liz noticed Strickler reaching beneath the end table, her eyes squinting suspiciously. He's trying to steal the amulet.
"Ah, here it is," Strickler said, quickly standing up with his back to Liz and Barbara as he pretended to put a fake contact lens in his eye.
"I didn't know you wore contacts," Barbara said as Liz rolled her eyes. Yeah, picking up a contact lens from the floor and simply putting it back in your eye is perfectly normal.
"There's a lot you don't know about me." Strickler blinked, acting like he had just put it in.
Still on the floor, Jim searched around until he paused by the end table and reached beneath it, bringing out the amulet with a grin. Liz slightly relaxed, relieved that Strickler had not taken the amulet. However, unbeknownst to the teenagers, the fake had been planted.
Once they finished dessert (the pastries, not the apple pie), everyone gathered by the doorway.
"I insist. Take it home." Barbara said as Jim shoved a container of leftover apple pie to Strickler with a disdainful look. Strickler whimpered softly, reluctant to take it. "Oh. The recipe would have sufficed."
"No, we insist," Jim said, shoving it none too kindly in Strickler's hands. The man smiled sheepishly as Jim grinned with satisfaction.
"Goodnight, Barbara." Strickler took her hand and lightly kissed it before walking away, but he stopped and turned, gazing at the teenagers. "See you at school, Miss Walker. And you, Young Atlas. It should be interesting now that we've gotten to know each other so well."
"It will be a shame when I don't have you for a teacher anymore," Jim stated, gently grabbing his mother's arm. Strickler knocks on the wood before Barbara turns to Liz. "Do you need a ride back home? I can drop you off."
"Thank you for the offer, but I have a ride. Thanks again for having me."
"Of course, you're always welcome to stop by anytime," Barbara said with a kind smile before glancing between Liz and Jim. "I'll let you two say your goodbyes. Goodnight, Liz. Get home safely."
"Will do. Goodnight," Liz replied as Barbara walked away, leaving her and Jim a moment alone at the doorway. Not wanting to stand in awkwardness, Liz speaks up. "Well, that worked better than I expected. Hopefully, Toby, Blink, and R found something."
"Yeah." Jim simply replied, gazing at her softly. "About what I said earlier in the kitchen..."
"...I'm sorry," Liz apologized, making Jim pause mid-sentence as she continued. "For avoiding you earlier today in school. I was still adjusting to the effects of the Adamant Oath since our minds connected, and I was concerned that our new psychic ability would become a hindrance when we were in school, so I kept my distance ."
"Oh...I guess that makes sense," Jim said, rubbing the back of his neck. "But since we learned how to control it, I don't think we should have any problems with that."
"Right," Liz simply replied. Silence fell over them for a moment as the two struggled to find the right words to express their thoughts. The girl sighed, stepping backward through the open doorway, wishing to run away from this growing awkward tension. "It's getting late. I better get going before —"
"I know who you are," Jim stated, Liz stiffening at his words. "And I think you do too...Lizzie."
[End of Episode XI - Recipe for Disaster]
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