"I have noticed," Barney mumbled as he followed the man - Dad - out into the hallway. He wasn't particularly sure why he said it, other than quite suddenly not wanting the man to be disappointed in him. He gave himself another little shake and turned back to Ghastly. "Do you want some help with those?"

"Please," Ghastly replied gratefully. "Thank you."

As Barney took three of the bears for himself, he watched Dad's retreating back with a furrowed brow. His 'boy.' He... didn't mean Gabe, did he? Helping out a friend, like Skull Pleasant? Barney gave this some thought as they approached the kids' ward, but the only real conclusion he could arrive at was I knew they couldn't really be living in that dilapidated house.

He kind of wanted to see them all again. There was a story here that he was missing, and he would have loved to hear it.

There were nine children in the permanent kids' ward. Barney had been here so often now that he could recognise each and every one of them, even if he didn't know them by name. Some of them were playing with board games, others drawing, three of them talking and laughing. Allie - his Allie - was lying on her bed, reading a book Barney had never seen before.

She looked up when they came in, and the smile that spread across her face tugged at Barney's heart. He smiled back, though. "Hey, sweetie. Staying out of trouble?"