When Joyce heard about the new rabbit, she knew she had to go and see her. When everyone was in bed, she tiptoed to Larry's cage and found another wooden cage adjacent to the lounge.

"Hello, Joyce! Larry chirped, slapping the cages with his furry paws. "Do me a favour and get me out of this cage."

"Hang on!" Joyce crawled down on her hands and knees and then set him free.

Larry jumped out of his hut. "Thanks for that, can you let my girlfriend out a well?"

"I'm not your girlfriend," Coco snapped. "We've only just met."

Joyce opened Coco's cage too as she observed her surroundings and hopped by Joyce's shoes.

"So you're Coco? Aren't you a lovely rabbit!"

"Yes," Larry said. "She is indeed."

"You're going to have to do more than that to impress me." Coco turned away from Larry.

"So Joyce..." Larry ran on the red leather sofa by the window, transforming into a wolf in the process. "Have you made any new friends lately?"

"I've been reunited with some school friends."

"That's nice." Larry appeared to be more content compared to how he was the last time she spoke to him. One would think that Larry had lost half his age. "Who are these friends?"

"Dorothy Milkman, Victoria Knight and Rodger Bentley."

"I know them," Larry said. "That's Rodger was a pain when he first moved in. He was always trying to cut my tail off."

Coco sighed. "You're too soft, Larry. You need to use your wolf form more often."

"Are you a werewolf too?" Joyce asked Coco.

Coco nodded and her fluffiness melted away to reveal a silver vixen. "We can't turn into humans," she explained, "because our families had a vegan diet and cross-bred, it altered our genes."

Joyce sat down. "I'm confused."

"I'm not," Larry bounced all over the lounge as the TV rumbled around the stand. "I finally know why I am the way I am. I don't feel alone because I've always got you two."

"And the fairies."

"The fairies never speak to me that much," Larry sighed. He plunked himself against the fireplace.

"I don't think you're missing out," Coco said. "Some of those fairies are pretty nasty. But they are a lot of fairies from other countries flocking to Britain at the moment."

"Most of the fairies I've met are lovely." Joyce couldn't grasp the concept of fairies being evil. She knew that Fore was annoying, but she wouldn't consider the idiot evil.

"They're so annoying," Coco growled. "The way they trample on everything as if they own the place. The way they steal food and give this cheeky smile before they go."

"It's only a minority," Larry insisted. He rushed towards his crush. "Most of them are quite friendly."

"You've just said that they hardly talk to you."

"I know, but I believe in what Joyce is saying. I mean, I was sceptical at first."

"Hello!" Along came Emily buzzing straight towards Joyce.

"Get away from me! Coco snarled, leaping over to flick Emily's leg with her nails.

Emily screamed and crashed into Joyce's glasses, causing them both to jump. Emily glared at Coco. "There was no need for that!"

Joyce nodded. "That wasn't very nice: I think you need to go back in your cage."

"Give her a chance to apologise before locking her up."

They all had their eyes on Coco who tensed up and crawled behind the sofa with a muffled howl. She took a few deep breaths before walking over to Emily. She bowed. "I'm sorry: I thought you were about to attack."

Emily rubbed her leg. "I'll let you off...for now."

"Jolly good." Joyce clapped her hands. "I was hoping to see you, Emily."

"They're all coming here," Emily panted.

"Who?"

"The fairies seeking refuge."

"Coco just told us."

"You see Joyce," Emily explained. "When a place becomes too polluted, the fairies can no longer live there. They'll come to another place where the air pollution isn't that bad."

"Why a nursing home of all places?" Larry questioned.

"Fairies often move into quite places and anywhere with a rural feel to it – like these sort of places. Though some of them like to steal from unsuspecting humans or move things around."

"They keep stealing my food," Coco roared. "They need to stop it."

"My friend, Victoria said she had a dream about fairies," Joyce announced. "About five of them and four of them fell in love with an Arabian prince."

Emily gasped. "You're friend's dream is more than just a coincidence. She's just dreamt of the formation of our kingdom."

"Tell us more," Larry said, rolling over to Coco.

"In the beginning," Emily announced like a narrator in a stage play. "There was a big fairy emperor, with a heart-shaped beard and a moustache shaped like wings. Ironically, his head was bold. The emperor was Henry Khan and he had five daughters; Misty Cascade, May Balance, Dawn Relic, Iris Legend and Serena Rainbow."

"How come all their surnames are different?" Larry asked.

"Different mothers," Emily replied. "Their mothers were his favourite mistresses. It's believed that he fathered many more illegitimate children, but he only considered the daughters from his top five mistresses to be his true heirs."

"What about his wife?" Joyce asked.

"Henry Khan never married. He died sometime in the eleventh century. Everybody wondered who would be the new supreme ruler, so they held an election. While all five daughters made their campaigns, a beautiful prince caught their attention. He was a traveller on a white horse wearing diamonds and white satin."

"Just like how Victoria described him..."

"Four of the sisters became infatuated by him., and one was repulsed...Iris Legend considered him arrogant. She saw him as a threat to their existence, as she believed exposing fairies to the human society would be harmful. Humans were not the only thing that fairies feared. Iris promised that if she was elected, that she would protect her minions from harm. As her sisters were distracted, Iris Legend won the majority. Now, after being elected as the fairy empress, she created a spell."

"A spell? What sort of spell?"

"She was one of the most powerful fairies of her time. With the spell, she created a charm that would protect fairies from harm against all creatures. The spell worked. A dragon's claw, for example, cannot harm us. The dark no longer scares us, but it left a terrible side-effect."

"A side-effect?" Larry said. "I thought that magic was supposed to cure everything."

Emily shook her head. "It rarely does. The charm left fairies weak to poisons and metal. Some areas of the world have a very high pollution problem. It's become so bad that fairies can no longer live there. So they're coming over here for their new home."

"Can't they just reverse the spell?" Coco asked.

"There was a referendum on that 25 years ago: the majority of the public voted for not."

"Fore, our fairy king, is the leader of the Rainbow Party. There will be a general election taking place soon and he thinks he has a good shot at being the fairy emperor."

Larry widened his eyes and dropped his jaw on the carpet. "Blimey, I had no idea fairies were so into politics."

"That's why they're all crooks," Coco announced.

"Can you explain the political parties a bit more? Joyce requested. She was enthralled with the story and how much it matched her friend's dream.

"The five political parties are named after the surnames of their founders. The leaders of the parties are known as the fairy kings or queens. The left-wing parties are Cascade and Rainbow. The centre wing party is the Balance Party. The right-wing parties are the Relic and Legend parties."

"WHAT'S ALL THIS NOISE?"

Larry and Coco returned to their rabbit forms and Emily dived inside a vase. Joyce was startled, but she knew who was shouting.

Dorothy wandered around the corridors wearing a head cap and flimsy nightie with more holes than a slice of swiss cheese.

"Dorothy," Joyce cried out. "You missed the fairy."

Dorothy leant closer. "The dairy?"

"No, the fairy."

"What's hairy."

Joyce wasn't sure if Dorothy was actually deaf, hard of hearing or if it was only selective hearing. There would be times when her hearing would be spot on and other times where she couldn't hear at all or things got lost in translation like Chinese whispers.

"People screaming again," Dorothy said. "She keeps crying help me, help me, but I can't do anything about it."

Joyce tried to listen. She did her best to focus, but all she could hear were raindrops on the roof. "I can't hear anything. I'll have to have a look for myself. What room are you in?"

"13! I think it's someone next door."

"I'm 18," Joyce responded. "And I haven't heard a thing." She then began to wonder if it was because her room was near the end of the corridor, whilst hers was at the front?

"I'll show you!"

Joyce followed Dorothy down the dusty corridors to room 12 and she opened the door. There was a tiny woman in a big cot. It had to be one of the biggest cots that Joyce had ever seen. Joyce took a few steps further and realised that she knew the lady in the bed.

"Victoria!"

"Oh I'm glad you've come: I'm starving!"

"Why are you in a cot like a baby?" Dorothy asked.

Victoria shrugged. "I don't know."

"I wanted to get some sheep," Dorothy added.

Joyce raised her eyebrow. "Don't you mean sleep?"

"Both really," Dorothy admitted. "So I can count to sheep to help me sleep, but there's so much shouting."

"CAN SOMEBODY GET ME SOME FOOD?" Victoria bellowed. She was so loud, Joyce could feel her eardrums vibrate. Her head shook.

"You've got some biscuits by your books," Dorothy yelled. "Would you like one?"

"Something," Victoria croaked, grabbing onto her stomach. "Anything..."

Dorothy passed the biscuit jar over to Victoria. The jar curled into Victoria's lap. When the lid was removed and tossed into the corner of the bed, there was horror in her pierced eyes - there was only one biscuit left.

"That's not going to cure your hunger," Joyce said. "I'll see if they've got anything to eat in the dining room."

"Sounds good to me," Dorothy said. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"Stay where you are," Joyce advised as she scurried off to the dining room. A horrid pain made Joyce weep as she bent down to pick up a plate of wrapped up sandwiches. She slammed the fridge door and then ran back to Victoria's room. Dorothy clapped her hands at the sight of the sandwiches.

"We've got ourselves a feast here," Dorothy said, eying up the sandwiches.

Joyce placed the sandwiches on Victoria's wonky bedside table and removed the plastic wrapper. "Tuck in," Joyce said, pinching an egg sandwich for herself.

Victoria's hands crawled all over the plate. "Is there any cheese?"

"I'll have these ones," Dorothy said, picking out all the ones in brown bread.

There was a knock on the door. Before anybody could say anything, Rodger helped himself into Victoria's room as if it were his own. Victoria glared at him and threw crusty bread remains at Rodger's face.

"What are you doing here?" Victoria snarled.

"I did knock," Rodger said in self-defence.

"I didn't say you could come in."

"I bet the staff didn't let you have those sandwiches either."

"I haven't seen the staff tonight," Joyce confessed, resisting the urge to sneak back into her room.

"That's cause they're all outside having a fag."

"Having a shag?" Dorothy asked with widened eyes. Crumbs falling out of her mouth. "What has the world come to. But I guess, if they like it and they do it in public without shame, then they must be brave indeed."

"They're out smoking," Victoria snapped. "So what brings you here, Rodger?"

"I wanted to show you what I made."

"What have you made?" Victoria groaned. "I hope it's not too sappy."

He took out a handmade card from out of his pocket. The card was decorated with sparkling roses and rabbits with glittery fur. In glistening gold writing was Victoria's name engraved on the side.

"That's lovely," Joyce said. It was clear that Rodger still had strong feelings for Victoria.

"How nice," Victoria said, lacking enthusiasm.

"Any rude bits in them like the ones in Blackpool?"

The three ladies had a look at the poem as Victoria read it out.

To Vicky Andrews:

Now known as Victoria Knight

Who's hazel and has blue eyes

That always shine my night

A bright student

Dedicated mother

Like the silver lining

Floating in the river

Gracious as an eagle

Cunning as a fox

Wise as a raven

Sturdy as the rocks

It's been half a century

And since you're now single

I was wondering

If we could have a mingle

Happy birthday to my first love

You'll always be a pure dove.

Lots of love

Rodger Bentley.

"I didn't know you were a poet too," Joyce exclaimed, taking in all the rhymes of the words.

"I am a man of many talents."

"Well, it's clear you've put a lot of effort into this," Victoria admitted. She dumped the card down next to the empty plate on her table. "But my birthday is in February."

"We are in February."

"Is it?"

"Yes!"

"How's your plan getting along?" Joyce asked.

"Pretty good," Rodger admitted. "I now know all the codes. Now is there anything that you three would like to see?"

"I'd like to go to my husband's grave," Victoria requested.

"I want to see the sea again," Victoria said with a smile.

"I want to go to my daughter's house."

"I thought you would want to go to Cleo's house?"

"I want to see Maxine about something," Joyce announced. "I need to talk to her. I need to know what happened to my grandson. All I know is that my son-in-law was Indian and he resembled him a lot."

"I think we can do that!" Rodger said. He looked over at Victoria. "Where is your husband buried?"

"Layton Cemetery just on the outskirts of Budddingham."

"Blackpool is only a twenty minutes drive," Rodger said. "So we'll go to the cemetery first, then the sea and then Joyce's daughter's house. Sounds good."

All three nodded.

"The fairies can help us! " Joyce cried out in glee. "I'm sure they would help us. They seem to like me."

"Joyce this is serious," Rodger raised his voice as he spoke. "I can't have this fairy nonsense ruin the plan."

"They can pretend to be us when we're away," Joyce suggested. She thought her idea was a genius plan. "And then there's the shed. They took me to Blackpool with the shed."

"There's no such thing as fairies!" Rodger roared.

"Look!" Dorothy squealed. "There's one on the roof!"

"That's a light bulb," Rodger insisted. "The fuse is going out, that's why it's flashing."

"Emily," Joyce cried out. "Is that you up there?" Joyce tiptoed towards the light with her hands out ready to catch her.

"Who's Emily?"

"My fairy friend."

"Oh," Rodger said again. "I see."

"Joyce," Emily whispered. "I told you that I can't be seen!"

"They're my friends," Joyce assured her. "Come on out. They won't harm you." Joyce felt a tickle in her hand as Emily showed herself.

"Oh isn't she beautiful?" Dorothy exclaimed. "I thought I saw you."

"Oh my goodness," Victoria gasped.

Rodger was less than impressed. "It's either a very well maid toy made in a Japanese basement or we're all on the same drugs."

"No!" Emily squealed, bursting into tears. "I'm not supposed to be seen. I could be in big trouble."

"Why is she crying?" Dorothy asked Joyce.

"Look in the mirror," Rodger replied in her place. "You'll see why."

"Don't be so nasty!" Victoria hissed. "You're no spring chicken either."

"I've already been told off for being friends with you. If I'm friends with any more humans, they're going to kill me."

"Who's going to tell you off?" Joyce asked.

"KING FORE!"

"Who's King Fore?"

"The fairy king," Joyce said.

"The hairy wing?"

"She needs better hearing aids," Rodger whispered.

"Why would I want wet earrings and a spade for?" Dorothy asked. "This is too much for me to handle."

With a clock of Emily's fingers, a storm of snowflakes swirled towards Dorothy. When the storm crashed on her nose, it split in two and flew inside each ear.

"I said you need better hearing aids!"

"No need to shout," Dorothy said. "I can you hear you fine."

"You shouldn't have any hearing problems now," Emily said with a smile on her face.

"Any chance you can get me to walk again?" Victoria asked. "We can all do with an escape."

"But you can walk," Emily said. "I've you walk all over the place."

"Not anymore," Victoria insisted.

There was howling outside. Dorothy covered her ears. "What a horrible noise."

Joyce and Rodger left the room to see what was going on as Dorothy climbed over the rails, and hopped into Victoria's bed.

"I love you!" They heard Dorothy say.

The howling was coming from room one: right opposite Dorothy's room.

"Shall we open the door?" Joyce asked. "The carers might be doing something."

"They'll be in the lounge," Rodger said. "Their next round is at three."

They opened the door and saw pitch darkness. Joyce flicked on the light.The curtains were shut and contained stuffed air. In the bed was a man.

"This is Hisashi Iwao," Rodger told Joyce. "I think he's from China, He doesn't understand a word you're saying." He waved at Hisashi and said, "Ni hao."

Hisashi wrinkled his face and dropped his mouth. "Ie! Ie," he yelled. "Chuugokugo ga hanemasen." Hisashi pointed at himself. "Boku wa nihongojin desu."

"I wish I could help him," Joyce said. "But I don't what he's saying."

"Konbanwa!" Hisashi cried out. "Hajimemashite."

"Back to bed please!" Shaun, the night nurse demanded. "You're waking everyone up. When Joyce and Rodger made a slow walk back to their rooms, Shaun said goodnight to Hisashi before slamming the door.