Didn't dream it this time (unfortunately – how awesome would that have been though?? Wish I could have sequel dreams!), but I did sort of want to come back to this so I created a new chapter from my mind-tank! Hope you like!
Disclaimer: The Mighty Boosh is not mine; I just like to play with the characters from time to time.
Vince shook his head, trying not to throw up. He had felt all scrambled last time, too.
"Naboo! It all went to plan then! Excellent."
"Good to see you, Den!" Naboo told the Head Shaman, grinning broadly. Vince looked around him, and saw they were in the Nabootique.
"Howard! We're back!" he felt dizzy with excitement, and threw his arms around the larger man's neck. To his surprise, his friend threw him off roughly.
"Why didn't you let me go?!" he said angrily.
"What?"
"In the portal, you didn't let go of my arm! You stopped me staying with my family!"
Vince was taken aback. "Howard, I…"
"I need to get back!" he looked around wildly. "Send me back, right now!"
"Howard, you can't. The portal's gone." Naboo said quietly.
"Then re-open it!"
Saboo spoke up. "It isn't that easy you know! God, if we could just open up a portal whenever we wanted, do you really think we'd have left you for 15 years?"
The Head Shaman nodded. "Saboo is right. It would take years to re-open the link between worlds."
"Then take years! I don't care how long it takes, do it! Take me back!"
"I am sorry, but we won't do that."
Howard's eyes narrowed alarmingly and he advanced on the shaman menacingly, until he was practically nose-to-nose. "I said do it! I swear to God, if I don't see my children again I am going to…" he left the sentence hanging, just staring into the face of the other man, eyes blazing and fist clenched.
Vince swallowed nervously, and looked over at Naboo. The other man was looking distinctly unsettled as well. They all knew how angry and murderous Dennis could get, even over something minor. How would he react to being threatened?
To Vince's intense surprise, however, the Head Shaman swallowed and looked away from Howard's gaze.
"Of course. Saboo, re-prepare the sacred fire."
Howard nodded approvingly, then turned away and headed for the flat.
"Howard!" Vince called, grabbing his arm. "Howard, I really am sorry."
Howard looked down at his friend, and saw tears in his eyes. Instantly, he felt mean. It wasn't Vince's fault really, all he did was try and stay with Howard. Could he really be angry at him for that? Howard sighed. "I know, Little Man. I'm just…the thought that I might never…" he broke off, unable to continue, tears welling up in his eyes.
"I know." Vince said, pulling him into a comforting hug. Although he knew he didn't.
8 years later
"Howard!"
Howard was jerked awake by someone leaping onto his bed and bouncing excitedly.
"What is it, Vince?" he muttered, still over half asleep.
"Bollo says they've done it! The portal should be ready in a few hours!"
That woke him up. "It's ready? I can go back? I can see my kids again?"
"Yeah! Naboo says we should get ready!"
Howard grinned at him. Then his mind processed what Vince had just said, and the grin slipped a bit. "Hold on. What do you mean, 'we'?"
"Well, I'm coming too!"
"No way. What if we can't get back here again?"
"It's different this time though, isn't it?! Naboo reckons we'll have 8 hours before the second portal opens for us to get home!"
"Right, but he did also reckon he'd get 6 hours warning last time."
"You can't stop me coming, Howard." Vince told him. "You're not the only one who left people behind, you know."
He sighed. Truth be told, he had almost forgotten that Vince had left Dee. The younger man had moped around for over a year before he reluctantly began dating again. Julian had found it even harder to get over the loss of Julia, and he still wasn't over losing his children.
He could still picture them, so small and sweet sleeping in their little cots…only, they'd be nearly 9 years old now! What will they be like? Howard wondered. He felt sick with anticipation, knowing it wouldn't be long until he could find out for himself.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"You two ready?" Naboo asked, looking at Howard and Vince. Both men nodded. Naboo hesitated. "Howard, you do realise she might not want to come back here, don't you?"
Howard nodded. "I know."
"Only…we've been gone 8 years. Julian Barratt, Noel Fielding and Michael Fielding will have all been declared legally dead. You know that, yeah?"
"I know Naboo. I just want to see them again, say goodbye properly. If they want to come with me; well, that's just an added bonus."
"Are you sure you don't want to come with us, Naboolio?" Vince asked.
The shaman nodded, somewhat sadly. "I'm sure. With me here, it adds more strength to the portal." He swallowed. "Say hi to mum and dad for me, wont you?"
"Yeah." Vince promised, smiling.
"Ok then!" Naboo said, as a large swirling portal erupted into existence. "Don't forget, you'll have 8 hours. Make sure you're together, or I'm not sure what might happen. The portal might not even open again. And I'm fairly certain that after 23 years of working on this; no-one's going to want to spend more time getting you two back home!"
Vince and Howard exchanged nervous glances. "Sure." Howard said, eventually.
"Good luck!"
And with that, Vince grasped Howard's hand and the two men stepped into the portal.
Then it vanished.
Ok, I know this is short, but there is gonna be another chapter, so that sort of makes up for it :) I did think very hard about making it 8 years til they could get back, coz part of me wanted it to have been not so long so poor Howard could get back to his kids quickly! But then i sort of figured if it took them 15 years last time, it would still take them ages so... yeah. I still have no idea how i'm going to end this fic, i'm not even half way through writing the next chapter...there will only be two chapters though :)
I am so behind on my updates atm it's unreal; I promise I'll have this one and a new chapter for 'Walking a Mile' up ASAP! :D