Disclaimer: Does not own WITCH

AN: Straight into the next one. I see no point in waiting between MMM and this little fic. Chapter 1 is Taranee and her boyfriend from work. This will surprise you, as I'm not sure if Taranee and he every meet in the original comic. He is only around for awhile and centred around Will but disappears when Matt comes back into the picture. The chapter title is a little clue but only if your good.

Love is a Hearts Child: Interlude – Girls and Boys

Chapter 1 – Swimming in a Lake of Fire

It was new years eve, it was cold, snowing once again but Taranee was warm. Glad that her powers had the benefit of keeping her that way she brunted the weather of Heatherfield like it was nothing, only wearing her coat so not to get weird looks. She was going to meet up with the girls. Since the party they had been pretty busy and this was going to be the first day they had all managed to get out at the same time to hang out.

As normal there meeting spot before heading out was going to be the bookshop. When she arrived she headed inside and saw two people she didn't expect to see together. "Cedric, Neil what are you two doing here?" She asked shocked. "Taranee?" Neil asked also shocked to see the girl. "I'm just offering Neil here a job. His CV and yours ended up at the Library I work at. Your friends are downstairs, you'll notice things are a little different down there." Cedric said before turning back to Neil.

"Hey Neil after your done, can you stay I need to talk to you." Taranee said before heading downstairs. Downstairs was difference, it looked as it did during the original Ludmoore incident. The portal was gone and book littered the room. "What's going on?" Taranee asked the people in the room. Which was the other guardians and Orube. "Cedric happened, it seems he got the Oracle to agree to giving back his bookshop. He plans to open it back up." Cornelia said sounding annoyed.

"What about you know what?" Taranee asked. "Another floor down, behind that bookcase." Orube said pointing at one of the bookcase in the room. "That explain my boyfriend being upstairs." Taranee said. "I thought that was Neil I passed on the way in." Irma said like it had just dawned on her. "Why is he here then?" Will asked. "You know me and Neil lost our job because the library was being close. Well are boss sent copies of our CV to the other Library, including the one Cedric works at." Taranee said sound slightly pissed off at the memory of finding out she lost her job.

"I doubt he will take a job here." Will said. "Why do you thing that?" Hay Lin asked confused. "Because Neil only took that job because he couldn't find a better one." Will said turning to look at Taranee. "Neil found another job month ago but turned it down because he liked being able to work with me all day." Taranee explained. "Wait so he didn't change job because it gave him a excuse to work with you?" Orube asked with a cocked eyebrow. "Can we stick around awhile, I want to speak to Neil once Cedric done." Taranee said. "Sure thing." Irma said.

-

The gang chatted aimlessly for a few minutes and Neil eventually appeared at the top of stairs. "Hey Taranee, me and the guy here are done. You wanted to talk." He called down the stairs. Taranee quickly headed up stairs and pulled Neil to a nearby corner. "So? Did you accept?" Taranee asked quickly. "Not yet. I'm going to think about it." Neil said. "So what are you doing here anyway?" He asked surprise to have Taranee show up here. "Oh Cedric a friend he's been letting us use downstairs to hang out while he sorts reopening the store." Taranee said coming with the not so far fetched lie on the spot.

"So what you doing now?" Neil asked. "Just going to be hanging out with the girls. I'll come over to your this evening to celebrate you getting a job." Taranee said smiling. "But..." Neil started but was cut off. "I'll be over to celebrate you getting a job!." She said a little sharper, before kissing his cheek and pushing him to the door.

-

Taranee did as she said she would. After spending most of the day with the other, seeing a new movie and having some ice cream. Which lead to much hilarities on Orube's part. She went over to Neil's, ringing the door bell Neil opened the door. "Hey." She said quickly stepping inside. "How was your day?" He asked taking her coat and hanging up. "It was good, we haven't had a girls day out in ages" Taranee replied hugging him quickly.

"I called back Cedric." Neil said heading to the front room, and sitting down, pressing the off button on the nearby TV remote in order to turn off the background noise. "Really what'd you say?" She asked leaning over the back of the couch. "I gave him a ultimatum." He said pulling Taranee down into a quick kiss. "What ultimatum?" She asked after the kiss. "That he hire you too." Neil said with a smile.

"Really? What he say?" Taranee asked perking up. "He said he hadn't asked because he didn't think you would want to work with him, but that the jobs are ours if you agree." Neil explained. "That's great. I'll take it, working in a bookshop has to be better then a library!" Taranee exclaimed kissing Neil again. Quickly rushing around the couch and pulling him to his feet. Taranee dragged him to the door. "Let go celebrate. I'll see Cedric tomorrow to accept." Taranee said putting her coat back on and tossing Neil his own coat.

Leaving Neil house the pair made their way down the side of the road, heading toward Heatherfield Central. "Taranee, it still new years eve. There is nothing to do." Neil said knowing that apart from watching the town hall count down there wasn't much to do. "I bet you ten pounds that I can find us something great to do tonight." Taranee said as they walked. "I won't bet, but lead away." Neil said putting his arm over her shoulders. "It's a long walk but it will be worth it." She said and they continued to walk.

-

The walk was long indeed, and she wished that she could just teleport the two of them to where they were going but that would spoil then night with having to explain about her being a guardian. That could be done another time. Nearing the end of the walk, Taranee made Neil cover his eyes and lead him the rest the way by the hand.

Not far from shell cove is where they had ended up. Nearby the large stream the ran through part of Heatherfield. Pulling Neil to sit near the water edge, she told him to open his eyes. Neil smile a he looked over the water and to the light of Heatherfield. "It's beautiful, but a little unexpected." He admitted and hugged her close to him.

"Just wait for it." She said looking at her watch. A minute or so past before the first of many fireworks exploded into the sky and light the sky above Heatherfield. "Happy new year." She said pulling him over for a passionate kiss. During the kiss a idea came to her because of the fireworks in the background. Waving her hand a new light shot into the sky. Breaking the kiss she pointing at the light she knew she had made. "WATCH." She shouted, as the light exploded sparkles of fire hanging in the air.

It took them a moment to settle in the air, a large heart made of fire, and in the centre a small bit of writing. 'T+N 4EVER' It said and Neil turned and looked at Taranee in awe. "Amazing,I would have lost that bet." He said pushing her back and kissing her passionately, not even thinking about when Taranee would have had the chance to organize the firework, or pay for it either. To him it was perfect."