Author's note: Okay, this is a Bartimaeus/Kitty fanfiction. So if you don't like it don't read it. Or flame it. I like flames. You say I can't write, does anybody else notice that flamers have the worst grammar and spelling? But I actually like criticism better than a good review, so a good flame that tells me that my writing style sucks, not my ship, is actually amazing and helpful. So yeah, flame me.

Also, this does not have a Beta, so if anybody wants to beta it than I'd love them forever and ever and ever. I apologize that it moves a little quickly with an extremely thin writing style. I don't write with a plot often, just drabbles. This story is actually pretty much just me begging for a beta.

I also apologize for the excessive Author's Note. XD

Bartimaeus

Almost immediately (or so it seemed, I wouldn't know, my essence hadn't quite healed from my last journey, so I'm assuming it was rather soon) after returning to the Other Place I felt the tug on my essence, the destructive pull of magic, dragging me back to earth. I didn't even fight it, and I couldn't help but remember what happened last time I was summoned, the pain, the cruelty, and I missed it, as sick as that was.

You'd think that after all I'd been through, all HE had put me through, that I'd be glad to be rid of him. Well I'm not. I hate myself for it, but I'm not. The great Bartimaeus, who spoke with Solomon, built the walls of Prague and advised Ptolemy, was grieving for a low, worthless magician. Not even a good one.

Oh, who am I kidding? Not me, not you. Then fine, he was a good man. A little more time in the Other Place might have washed away my grief, but some nosy government agent, or a recruiting magician for the war, was already yanking me from my place of rest.

I barely had time to think of a shape, so I turned into the first thing that came into my mind. The girl in the other pentacle saw my guise, sank to the ground and let out a long, hopeless sob.

Kitty (earlier)

It had been three months since Nathaniel had died.

God, just thinking it hurt. Attending this ceremony was even worse.

In the honour of the man who saved society the government had decided to put up a statue to preserve the memory of John Mandrake. Just seeing the horrific monument made her nauseous, it was not of the Nathaniel that she had grown to like in his last few hours of life. The statue was of John Mandrake in his frivolous and ridiculously tight suit, one hand on his hips, the other clasping Gladstone's staff. On his face was the familiar arrogant smirk, his eyes glazed and coppery showed none of the ambitious passion that had captured London in awe and fascination.

Miss Piper walked up to Kitty. "Beautiful isn't it?" she asked. Her eyes still held the childish admiration that she nurtured for the former minister. "Just how John would have wanted to be remembered."

"Yes, Mr. Mandrake would have loved this statue." But Nathaniel would've hated it. She added silently.

"We're having a small celebration in his honour, why don't you join us?"

"I'd love to, but I'm exhausted," Kitty said. "I think that I'm just going to go home and sleep."

"Suit yourself. I guess I'll see you later." Miss Piper said as she walked away.

Kitty found herself in an old, moldy library. She looked around and noticed that it was the exact same library that Bartimaeus had kept her captive in. She felt a slight sting in her gut at the thought of the deceased demon, but she quickly shoved it aside. In the middle sat a dark haired boy, a very familiar dark haired boy.

"Nathaniel!" Kitty breathed.

"Kitty." The smile on his face seemed to stretch endlessly. "How are you?"

"Fine." She lied. "But… I thought that you were dead." She examined him, he didn't seem dead. In fact, he seemed much more alive than she had ever seen him. His haircut had changed to the one he wore as a boy, long and lank, and he looked older. It wasn't his features, but his eyes, his eyes seemed to hold a millennia of knowledge. It almost frightened Kitty, and it struck a chord in her memory, the familiarity was not of Nathaniel.

He frowned. "I'm not dead I survived. I barely got out in time. He saved me."

"Nathaniel, what are you talking about?" Kitty asked. Who saved him? Bartimaeus? Another sharp pain, this one seemed to strike her heart. She ignored it once again, not time to worry about him, the other victim of the catastrophe was right in front of her. She should deal with him now.

But he didn't answer her. He just walked over and took her small hand in his and pulled her close to him. He pressed his lips to her softly, carefully, in an almost timid manner. He kissed her as if he wasn't sure how she would respond.

And that's when Kitty woke up. She rubbed her eyes and sighed. These dreams had been going on, always the exact same. She felt it much mean something.

Every time he told her that he was alive. And she couldn't help but believe it. Kitty felt that dreams were the subconscious truth; they told you what reason can't.

Nathaniel was alive. How? She had no idea. But he had to be. She didn't even want to explore the other half of the dream. Was she in love with Nathaniel? She didn't think so. Maybe it was metaphorical…

Anyway, that was beside the point. She had to find if, no, not if, how Nathaniel was alive. In the morning she had to go examine the wreck of the building.

Kitty managed to strategically avoid the fact that if anything was there it would have been destroyed by now, they had demolished the site completely since then. She flipped over to go back to sleep, and dream of a certain dark haired magician.

Kitty's search of the former glass structure was officially fruitless. She had the papers that were given to her by Miss Piper, stating that nothing suspicious had been found there.

Miss Piper, or Julie, had done all of the research of Nathaniel's death.

"I'm organizing a play on him, he did love the theatre." She explained.

Kitty rolled her eyes. It was amazing how these people knew nothing about Nathaniel. "Okay, well, if you need my help…"

"Actually I do, do you know the name of the demon that John dismissed to unlock the staff."

"Pardon?" Kitty asked, confused.

"To unleash the full powers of the staff Nathaniel would most likely have dismissed a demon; do you know the name of the demon it could have been?"

"Bartimaeus…" Kitty mumbled. "Bartimaeus." She said a little louder. He was alive. Nathaniel dismissed him in time and he was alive! She didn't know why the thought filled her with so much joy. She could barely believe that Nathaniel dismissed him, it didn't seem like something he would do.

Julie looked at her oddly. "Okay, well, thank you." She said.

Kitty had to get home, she had to summon Bartimaeus. Kitty felt more energy than she had in the past three months. She felt like she had that fateful night, the Amulet of Samarkand around her neck and the scent of success hounding her, teasing her, and bounding at her. And success had come, but at a price.

She sighed and bound out of the room, leaving a confused Miss Piper. She had to get to the bottom of this.