Hi there! Here begins the third instalment of the Angel Circuit!

Obviously, I don't own anything.

One

Carolyn bustled about the kitchen, looking more domestic than Douglas had ever seen her, in an apron with an egg slice wielded in her right hand and a plate in her left. Martin, sitting next to him at the counter, was still stifling the occasional giggle.

Breakfast at the Knapp-Shappeys' was a pleasantly noisy affair, as the two temporary residents had discovered over the last three days, with congenial chatter and clattering of plates and cutlery. 'Now, I know I don't have to tell Douglas this, but you are going to eat every single thing on your plate, Martin, and if you are still hungry, ask for more. I don't care how hyperactive your angelic metabolism is, you are still far too underweight for my liking.'

'Yes, Carolyn,' Martin replied meekly, after an unsmothered giggle had her shooting him a look that would have sent a tiger running.

Arthur attacked his stack of pancakes happily, chattering non-stop about how the clouds were finally gone, and it was a really nice day, and could they take Snoopadoop for a walk today, because Skip was looking pale and he needed to get some sun, like that cactus he'd had once and – and – and –

The pilots shook their heads and chuckled at Arthur's exuberance. Martin had been dead a week ago and was now sitting at the kitchen counter, and Arthur was just Arthur, like it was a day on standby.

Douglas just hoped he wasn't going to ask to play charades.

'Aah, sunshine!'

'Chipper today, aren't we, Douglas?'

'You're not the only one who's been stuck inside. If I don't do some exercise, my muscles will seize up,' grumbled the old pilot.

'Not that you exercise,' replied Martin, giving his friend a not-too-careful poke in the gut and dodging the swipe that followed it. 'Hey! You'll pay for that one, Captain!' Douglas retorted, but there was no venom in the statement, and he returned the others' grins with one of his own.

Something nudged at his leg, and he nearly tripped over Snoopadoop, who had decided that the human at the back was going too slowly. 'Alright, you silly ball of fur, I'm moving!'

Arthur smiled, practically skipping with happiness. 'She always does that. I think it's because she sees the world in slow motion.'

Martin raised an eyebrow. 'That was unusually introspective.'

'Eh?'

'Never mind,' the ginger-haired man replied, and Douglas snorted. 'Simple words around Arthur, Sir, even if you are a celestial being.'

The reply was a slight huff of laughter, and Martin walked ahead a little, enjoying the warm breeze. Douglas frowned. Something didn't look quite right. 'Martin – you are tall all of a sudden.'

'Not "all of a sudden", I've always been this tall,' the lanky man replied. 'A simple glam was all it was. Trying to look forgettable – it's a good defense against Denizens.'

He said "Denizens" with a capital "D", thought Arthur. Skip had a way of speaking like that. "Denizens" was an interesting word; he'd have to ask what it meant sometime. 'What's a Denizen, Skip?'

'Something very nasty, Arthur,' Martin called back, 'and I hope you never have to meet one.'

Arthur thought about this. How nasty did that mean?

His musing was interrupted as he walked into Martin, who had abruptly stopped and was staring at a flock of birds in the distance. 'Skip? Are you okay?'

Martin said nothing. Douglas didn't like the silence that he'd lapsed into, or the near-unreadable look of dejection on his face. 'Martin?'

'Hm?'

'Are you alright?'

'Oh… it's nothing… nothing…'

Alarmed by the sudden shift in Martin's temperament, Douglas pulled on Snoopadoop's leash and turned back. 'Think she's had enough of a walk. Time to get back, then. Come on.'

'But she doesn't-' began Arthur, before the First Officer's significant glance towards the blank-eyed Captain shut him up. 'Oh. I see.' He paused awkwardly, trying to think of what he could say. 'You know more about dogs than me anyway, Douglas.'

'Of course,' replied the older man, giving the steward an approving nod. 'Off we go.'

'Come on, Skip!'

'Hm?'

'We're going!'

'Oh… okay then…'

'He was completely fine this morning, you saw him. Now he's just - moping.'

'It's not like… before, is it?'

'No. Then it was more a terrified, high-strung mood. This is like he's suddenly become depressed.'

Carolyn frowned thoughtfully. 'There wasn't anything that could have caused it?'

'I don't think so, unless looking at the sky causes depression.'

The CEO looked like she was about to say something, when a movement from Martin, sitting at the nearby window, made her stop.

A pigeon had landed on the sill several minutes prior, and as it now flapped its wings to fly away, the Captain leaned his elbows on the sill and touched the glass with the tip of one finger. Blue-green eyes followed the bird's path until it was out of sight, before he buried his face in his folded arms and sighed heavily.

Carolyn turned to Douglas, and from the look in his eyes, she knew he'd worked it out as well. 'We can help him. I know we can. We've got to.'

'We'll need somewhere out of the way,' the First Officer reminded.

His boss smiled that determined smile that often had naysayers doing a double-take. 'Not to worry. I know just the place. We'll teach Martin to fly again if it's the last thing I do.'

MJN to the rescue! (heroic theme tune) It's great to be back in this universe and there is so much more to come!