Sleepyside Songs Chapter 1: Ten Thousand Angels, a trixie belden fanfic

The song is Mindy McCready's, not mine. The characters belong to Random House, not me.

Speaking of the devil
Look who just walked in
He knows just where to find me
Here we go again
I can tell he's gonna ask me to dance
But that's not as far as he wants to go
I need ten thousand angels to help me tell him no

Diana was back in Sleepyside, after six long years at college. Of course, she had seen everyone during her visits, everyone except him: Mart, the one-time love of her life, and the person she had missed the most. They had broken up after her freshman year of college, mutually deciding that a long-distance relationship was too much work, and not enough rewards. She had opted to go to California, and Mart had stayed in New York. Diana had stayed an extra two years, having changed her major to art history to become a museum curator and an expert on different types of art.

Honey and Trixie, her childhood friends and fellow Bob-Whites, had invited her to go to a new club in White Plains. All three young women were dancing, and having the time of their lives with their girls' night out.

Diana didn't know why, but when the door opened for about the fiftieth time since they'd arrived, she glanced over-- and then wished she hadn't. She inwardly groaned. Why did I have to look right then? She wondered.

Mart was coming through the door. Diana's heart felt like it stopped. Her face drained of color, and she was having trouble standing.

"Diana, are you okay?" Honey asked.

"I just need to sit down," Diana fibbed, still gazing towards the door.

Trixie noticed the direction of Diana's gaze. "Oh, I forgot he comes here every Friday night. Sorry, Di, but I thought you could handle seeing him. I would have warned you otherwise."

Diana straightened her shoulders. "It's been six years. I'm okay."

Honey smiled sympathetically. "Are you trying to convince us or yourself?"

Diana smiled ruefully. "Actually, I'm trying to convince all three of us."

"Well, try harder. He's walking this way," Trixie informed her friends.

Diana tossed a horrified look over her shoulder. She knew Trixie wasn't lying, but she had hoped that Trixie was, just this once. "What am I going to do?" she wailed.

Honey smiled. "Talk to him. Maybe you two could be friends at least."

"Hey, Trix, Honey. I had been wondering where you two were this evening." He turned to Diana. "Diana? Is that you?"

Diana smiled timidly. "What would you do if I said 'no'?"

Mart laughed as if Diana had told a joke. "I'd tell you that you're more beautiful than ever, and then I'd ask you to dance for old times' sake."

Diana looked at Mart in confusion. "I said, 'What if I wasn't Diana'?"

Mart laughed again. "That's what I'd say. I'd pretend it was you anyway."

Diana just shrugged. "Well, it was nice to see you again."

"Wait a minute," pleaded Mart, gently grabbing Diana's arm to keep her from following Honey and Trixie to a table. "Can't we dance once for old times' sake? Seriously, this time."

Lead me not into temptation
Heaven help me to be strong
I can fight all that I'm feeling
But I can't do it alone
Help me break this spell that I'm under
Guide my feet and hold me tight
I need ten thousand angels watching over me tonight

Diana struggled with emotions she'd been fighting every time she visited Sleepyside. She wanted to say no, but couldn't, once she had seen the pleading look in his eyes.She sighed, and then winced when she realized Mart had heard her, and his face had lost the hopeful expression.

"Diana, I'm not asking that we be the way we were back then. I'm just asking for a dance," he prodded.

"Mart, I don't know," Diana finally answered. "I just know that I can't go through all that again."

"Di, calm down. It's okay," he assured her. Her eyes were misty with unshed tears.

"I'm sorry." Mart was lookingvery hurt as he let go of Diana's arm.

"It's okay, Di," he repeated.

Diana sighed. "No, it's not. I'm not trying to be mean on purpose."

"I guess it's been too long for us to try to straighten everything out," Mart sighed.

"Mart, wait," Diana said, as Mart turned to walk away.

"What is it, Diana?" Mart had a hopeful look in his eyes, although his tone was carefully neutral.

"One dance, okay? For old times' sake," Diana gave into her feelings and Mart's puppy-dog expression. Mart gave her the biggest smile she'd ever seen.

It's time to face my weakness
Look him in the eye
Lord knows it won't be easy
But I've just gotta try
I can't let myself get lost in his arms
That's how I got my heart broke before
I need ten thousand angels to walk me out the door

Diana was nervous as Mart walked her to the dance floor. She inwardly winced when the band decided to play a slow song. It seemed that fate was against her. She mentally squared her shoulders as she tried to get her mixed emotions under control. All she could do was bury everything, something she was good at, so she did. She pretended Mart was a stranger who had just happened to ask her to dance. It worked until he started talking.

"Di, you don't have to look like you're on the way to the operating table. If you'd rather not dance with me, you don't have to," Mart told her.

Diana's face showed a fraction of her pain. "Mart, that's not it. I just don't feel very comfortable around you."

Mart sighed. "There was a time you did. I remember a time you were more comfortable with me than anyone else."

Diana blushed as she remembered the time she had told him that.

Mart smiled wistfully. "I wish we could go back there. I really hope we can at least become friends in the near future."

Diana smiled also. "I hope we can, too." Maybe even more someday, she thought to herself. She mentally slammed the door shut on the thought. If we couldn"t make it together then, why should we be able to make it now? She silently berated herself.

Mart watched the emotions churn all over Diana's face. "What are you thinking about, Di?" he asked softly, hoping she was thinking along the same lines that he was.

Diana shook her head to dispel the thoughts she was having, and flashed a radiant smile at him. "I'm fine. I was just thinking against my will."

Mart nodded, and then admitted, "I've done that a few times."

Diana smiled gratefully, very happy that he hadn't commented on what a stupid remark she had made.

I need ten thousand angels watching over me tonight
Ten thousand angels, watching over me tonight
Ten thousand angels, watching over me tonight
Watching over me tonight...

Mart laughed. "I've been happier tonight than I have since we broke up."

Diana stopped dead in her tracks.

"I have to go," she stammered. "Go where?" Mart asked. "The bathroom," she squeaked, and then she took off running, dodging other couples.

She looked back once, only to see Mart standing still in the middle of the dance floor, the most confused expression she had ever seen on his face.

When she got to the bathroom, she leaned against the sink. After a few minutes of struggling against the tears that threatened to fall, she lost the battle. Diana wasn't sure how long she sat on the bathroom floor, with her back against the wall, before Honey and Trixie came in.

Silently, Honey and Trixie held a conversation. Honey knelt and put her arms around Diana in a sympathetic hug, while Trixie got some paper towels and ran cold water over them. With Honey and Trixie's help, Diana managed to calm down and quit crying.

"I'm sorry," Diana apologized. "I had no idea that I would fall apart like this."

Honey shook her head. "No apologies needed. It's normal that emotions will sometimes sneak up on you and slap you in the face, especially when you think you have it under control."

Trixie looked questioningly at Honey, wondering why she sounded like she was speaking from experience. Then she shrugged, reminding herself that Diana needed her right now. "Di, what happened," Trixie asked softly. "What did my brother say to you?"

"Nothing, Trix," Diana assured her. "It was just a case of emotional overload, like Honey said. I thought I could deal with him, but I guess I still can't."

Diana shook off her friends' concern by asking if they could leave. Instead of spending the night at Honey's like they planned, since Brian was at work, Diana asked to go back to her parents' house. She needed time to think.