On Friday, Arthur invites Linus to observe Lucy’s private session. Though anxious and mid-report, Linus accepts, convincing himself it is necessary for his assessment. On the way, the children’s reactions range from teasing (Talia and Phee) to routine comfort (Theodore begging for a button, Chauncey practicing bellhop greetings), underscoring Linus’s growing familiarity with the house.

At Lucy’s door, staged darkness and flaring candles give way to daylight when Arthur cautions Lucy. Banter over forbidden “severed heads” and animal remains sets boundaries, and Lucy leads Linus into a surprisingly modest bedroom decorated with rock samples and vintage records. Lucy fixates on “the day the music died,” linking joyful songs and death, revealing morbid curiosity alongside ordinary tastes.

Lucy’s dependence flickers through bravado: he praises independence but doesn’t want Arthur far away, then clumsily backtracks. He mentions a bird skeleton “not his” and announces to Arthur that all is well. Lucy collapses on the rug, describing “spiders” in his brain—an image Arthur redirects into discussion rather than discipline.

The session turns philosophical. Arthur prompts Lucy on Kant’s Categorical Imperative; Lucy argues morality isn’t absolute and errors can coexist with goodness, especially for someone like him. A macabre joke about Apollo killing “Linus of Thrace” tests boundaries and humor, leading to Arthur’s point that feeling—however messy—is preferable to numbness.

Arthur ends early and sends Lucy to help Ms. Chapelwhite. In a candid debrief, Arthur admits he initially worried too, but centers hope, guidance, and protective sheltering from a prejudiced world. Pressed by Linus, Arthur reveals a former caseworker was promoted to Supervision and then Extremely Upper Management—implied to be Werner—suggesting hidden agendas. The chapter closes with unexpected ease between Arthur and Linus as they laugh and spar over Kant and Schopenhauer, signaling a warming rapport.