Solstice: Oh, hey Emi.
Emi: Hi, Solstice! You're up late, aren't you?
Solstice: I thought, since Wendy isn't home from dinner yet, I'd just poke my head in and see if the girls are sleeping okay. What with this wind and the snow and all.Emi: Oh, how's that going? I mean, it's really great that you're helping Wendy out with them and all. They're kinda... different. But she was just telling me you've been a big help.
Solstice: Well, no one else would. Did you know Tegen has refused to teach them at all? The other children won't play with them, and I'm sure it's coming straight from their parents.Emi: Yeah, I heard that.
Emi: But... well, people are saying they're going to replace us. That Wendy loves them more than us... a lot of the dolls are really concerned, Solstice.
Solstice: That's just plain silly. They can't replace us in Wendy's HEART. Nothing could. I can't believe anyone living in the Treehouse could even think that.
Emi: A lot of us are second hand dolls, Solstice. It isn't hard for us to think that we might be tossed aside again, replaced by something more interesting. People are afraid. It doesn't have to be rational to be scary.
Solstice: No, I guess it doesn't... and irrational fear leads to irrational actions. I worry about the girls, sometimes.small voice (whispering): Miss Wendy? Is that you?
Solstice: Oh! Agatha! Excuse me, Emi.
Agatha: Hi, Miss Solstice. Is Miss Wendy home?
Solstice: No, honey. She's not home yet. You're up awfully late.Agatha: I had a... a bad dream and I can't sleep.
Agatha: I really need to (sniffle) talk to Miss Wendy... I'm scared.Solstice: Oh, honey! It's okay... here...
Emi: Uh, I'm going to go. Good luck. Talk to you tomorrow, okay?Solstice: Okay, night night, Emi.
Solstice: Okay, now tell me about this bad dream. It's okay, sweetie. Whatever it was, it was just a dream.
Agatha: I'm not sure it was... I mean everyone hates us... and maybe if Miss Wendy knew, she would hate us too.Solstice: Knew what, baby? There's nothing that would make her hate you.
Agatha: Kaya and Pippa said.... they said that me and Dakota, that we believe in the wrong God to live here, and that Miss Wendy would hate us if she found out that we believed in that God and his Son, so better not tell. But that they might tell unless we gave them stuff, and then I went to bed, and I dreamed that they told Miss Wendy and she made us go away. (sniffle)
Solstice: Oh, Agatha. Pippa and Kaya... those girls. They're wrong, Agatha. Miss Wendy wouldn't hate you or make you go away or anything.
Solstice: You're right, that that isn't HER God, but that doesn't mean he can't be yours and that we'll all love you just the same. We'll tell her tomorrow and see what we can do to make things easier for you and Dakota. And you don't have to keep anything secret, EVER. Okay? And let ME deal with Kaya and Pippa. All right?Agatha: Okay, Miss Solstice. (smile) Thank you.
Solstice: Okay, now let's get you back to bed. It's late, but I'll tell you a story first. Sound okay?Agatha: Okay!
Agatha: Will it be a story with a Princess in it?Solstice: Of course! What good bedtime story doesn't have a Princess in it?