"Excellent, don't you agree?, the deep cleaning of the cafe is almost complete"

As Hal looks proudly about himself, he massages his writs, "the chairs and tables have been inspected and cleaned, the walls have been wiped, the back room has had, to be quite honest, a well overdue disinfecting wash...everywhere and all the cupboards are now finally cleaned and organised. Ah and the toilets..." Hal sighs " without a doubt that was extremely tough, nevertheless..."

"Hal, it is alrite, you don't 'ave to clean the whole world..."

Tom looks from the counter. "I'm transformin' tonite an'all I smell is bleach.. is giving me a 'eadache. You're not worried are ya? 'bout tonite?"

"Not worried, these last two weeks I have stuck to my routine and I feel in control." He beams at Tom.

"Yeah but this is the first nite I am not sleepin' in the house since, well,er.. since you fell off the wagon.."

"I know, I know,,..humm. Now," he points to the back of the kitchen and smiles gleefully, " how about cleaning those bins inside out?"

"Suit yourself. I know what you're doin'!"

"And what is that?" asks Hal tersely, walking towards the kitchen, fixing his apron and latex gloves, " You are, well, yor like... trying to get all tired an' that so" Tom carries on, stammering, waving his hands, pointing around,"... like doing all this...so you can't, you won't be able to.. to move, to.. summat. to..tonite,you, er..will be less.., I, I know, I've dun it meself and.. the thing is..do can't hide foreva... an'maybe..changing err .summat ." Tom glances at Hal clenching and unclenching his fists, still in the middle of the cafe.

He seems to be really beaten."Ah!"He mutters something,his eyes closed

"Wha'?"

"I said" Hal says a bit louder fixing his eyes on Tom" the ligatures are not as tight as they used to be"

"So?" Tom shrugs his shoulders and ignores Hal's glaring stare.

"so..." Hal waits,his eyes still fixed on Tom, his fingers tapping the red marks on his left wrist.

Tom pointedly ignores Hal's question and eyes, and clears his throat.

Irked, Hal starts to the kitchen once again, "Hal?" Tom finally looks up, his mind seemingly made up, Hal sighs annoyed, "I..." he stands up squaring his shoulders, clears his throat again " I know you are worried, like meself. But I put it to ya if.." he checks a card hidden underneath the counter, "if we are meant to challenge ourselves and.."

"I CAN'T CHALLENGE MYSELF YOU MORONIC DOG! THAT IS WHY YOU TIE ME UP TO A CHAIR MOST NIGHTS" He raises his arms and shows the marks "WHAT DO YOU THINK WE WERE DOING? PLAYING COPS AND F** ROBBERS?" panting, trembling he gets nearer the counter" DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA THE EFFORT IT TAKES NOT TO GOUGE MY EYES OUT SO I DON'T HAVE TO SEE YOUR DAMN STUPID FACES EVERY..."

Tom blinks fast, his eyebrows furrowed, his body overcome by rage. He jumps on top of Hal, pinning him against the nearest table. "LETS 'AVE IT THEN MATE!"

The bell of the cafe door goes. "Well, this must be a neew record for ye boys" Alex chimed " Two and a half hours without touching each other, and they say ye don't have self-control"

Alex walks to the table where they are, dangerously angry but too shocked to move. She sits down and arches her brows.

Hal shoves Tom from him "we have a disagreement... about the cleaning..rota"

Tom still on edge growls something about bins "or summat".

"Oh, lovers' squabble. An' they say Romance is dead" Alex starts flicking the newspaper she has taken from the next table

"They? They who?" Hal sits dejected in front of Alex, while Tom, hands in pockets, leans on the table where the newspaper was, his mouth a thin line.

"Tsk, Hal, theeyy" and sways her hand in a circle in front of her.

"I ain't seeing anybody, Al"

"Oh come on, ye too?..They" and she signs inverted commas " it's common knowledge"

"It is not so common, I for instance was unaware" Hal responds sarcastically

"me neither.."

"That is because ye two are not common"

I haven't been common in a long time" Hal sniggers.

"s'pose we're special eh?"

"More special needs" Alex laughs hysterically banging her hand on the table.

Hal and Tom look at her blankly and then at each other. "What are you tryin' to say?" " Yes, Alex, what are you saying? Is this one of your 'misjudging the mood' moments?" "So close to me time of the month it ain't a good idea to PISS ME OFF, you know?" he looks with a mix of annoyance and exasperation at Hal, who is staring angrily at Alex.

"Jeesus, guys, YE don't get any jokes, do ye." They start protesting and arguing between themselves " Fellas! Get a grip! God! it's like living with two girls, really. One en PMS and ae drama queen..."

"WHAT!" Both of them lurch from their seats at the same time "WHAT! I can't bloody believe you Alex? AFTER ALL THAT'S HAPPENED!" " YES, MISS I-cant-cross-over-because-of-UNSPECIFIED- UNRESOLVED- ISSUES" Hal leans over her but Tom pushes him back "YEAH, YOU still hangin around, your body been found eh! WHEN are ya goin' eh?" ".. and not to mention, Ghosts and THEIR HUMONGOUS EGO " Alex gawks at them in turns while they keep screaming at her.

"Wow! Ye really know hoo to make somebody feel uncomfortable! Anyhoo, I haven't come back to hear ye screaming yer heads off at me."

"So tell us, what can we do for you, milady?, fall over, pull faces, a pantomime, would that entertain you, make you laugh? a joke A-JOKE. lets see: what is a vampire's, no, MY favourite drink? A bloody Mary... And favourite fruit? A neck-tarine! " Behind Hal, Tom suddenly starts laughing, softly. "What does a vampire fears the most? Tooth decay!" Tom guffaws and Hal turns around. "Sorry mate, that was funny. know any with werewolves?"

Alex waves her hand, "Hey, it is me again, yer friendly ghost. Tom, I came back to take Hal home? haff ye talked to him?..." Tom's face goes all red.

"Err, yeah it's almost time..." he shut his eyes" Err.. So all am sayin' is, I am worried mate and you are worried. can't hide it, But..hang on I 'ave the rest by the counta"

Hal shakes his head grinning. "That Alison is not a good influence" "Hum wha'?" "Nothing,carry on" "Ok, where was it? Yeah, But I put it to you, if we are meant to challenge ourselves" he looks up nervously" We should text each boundary.." Hal whispers 'no'.

"No?" Tom's nostrils flare,his free hand tugging at his apron's loose string

"It is not text, you mean test" Hals says calmly

"Ok, ok, we should test each boundary with pre-coctions, "Hal shakes his head again " no?" "precautions" corrects Hal

"ok pre-cautions Like like..to "

"bound me less tightly" "yeah or.. to leave you home with Alex tonight?" confidently he concludes" Cos we will not know if progress is made without texts, tests. Do y'agree" He folds his speech and expectantly raise his eyes to meet Hal's.

"So, I am not to get locked up in the cage in that empty warehouse we found ? as we said?" Tom gives Hal a guilty look

"Oh, I see. Alright I am for the motion of testing limits, first my patience,spending one night alone with Alex."

"Hey, the living canae see me but I am not invisible to ye" "Sorry Alex, that was rude. My apologies. We will spend a wonderful time, me fighting my condition, you watching my every move, a dream come true,..." "Watch it or I will tie ye to that chair of yers and feed ye haggis an' whiskey until ye puke" "Great" "Fine" "I -can-not- wait" "didn't wait to drink my blood" "Oh right" "Don't ye roll yer eyes at me" "the magic is already happening.."

Tom comes back from the kitchen with his rucksack "Ok I'm off, humm by the way I need to ask ya Alex: what the hell is PMS anyway?"

Alex gawks at them again " You guys are NOT for real"