Chapter 1

"There I was completely wasting, out of work and down

all inside it's so frustrating as I drift from town to town"

Howard rolled onto his back, waving a tired hand in an attempt to bat away in the noise.

"Feel as though nobody cares if I live or die

so I might as well begin to put some action in my life"

Rolling back over, he buried his face in a pillow. Why? Of all the things he could possibly sing, why that?

"Breaking the law, breaking the law

Breaking the law, breaking the law"

Resigning himself to the fact that he wasn't going to get any more sleep unless he at least tried to convince Vince to go to sleep, Howard dragged himself out of bed with a groan. Pulling on a dressing gown he half walked, half stumbled out of the bedroom, following the sound of Vince's voice.

"Breaking the law, breaking the law

Breaking the law, breaking the law"

"Vince…" Howard began, his voice holding only the barest traces of an exasperated sigh. Vince span round, startled.

"Howard! What are you doing out of bed? I thought that you said everyone needed at least eight hours of sleep every night or spiders would come down from Mars and steal their hair?" Vince looked puzzled, his face drawn together and his lips pouting slightly.

"Yeah, little man, but you woke me up. Why are you singing Breaking The Law at half past three in the morning?"

"I thought it would be soothing."

"What?" Howard shook his head. "Never mind."

"Well what would you sing?"

"I don't know… something calm. Something that wasn't by Judas Priest, I'm sure."

"Go on then." Vince said, his arms folded across his chest. "Sing something 'calm'."

Howard shook his head. "Vince, you know I can't sing."

"Can't or won't?"

"Can't, you prat."

"Go on, give it a go. If you do, I'll never again sing Breaking The Law in the middle of the night."

"You promise?" Howard asked, looking him up and down.

Vince gave a firm nod. "Promise. Scout's honour."

"Alright then." Clearing his throat, he began to sing, trying to ignore the self-conscious feeling that was slowly spreading throughout his body.

"I'd like to be under the sea

In an octopus's garden in the shade

He'd let us in, knows where we've been

In his octopus's garden in the shade" Howard trailed off, coughing uncomfortably.

Vince grinned. "That's by The Beatles, isn't it? Aren't they the ones that wrote that song about the submarine? How did it go, again?"

"We all live in a yellow submarine."

"Yellow submarine, yellow submarine."

"That's the bit everyone knows, anyway."

"I remember that. You used to have it on a tape when we were at school."

"I can't believe you remember that." Howard laughed, pulling Vince into a hug.

Leaning back, Vince smiled softly. "Of course I remember it." They stood like that before Howard straightened up.

"Come on. You should be asleep. So should I, come to think of it."

Just before they reach the doorway, Vince looked back.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"Yeah, she is. She's going to be just like you when she grows up, you know."

"What, all glitter and hairspray?"

"Completely!" Howard laughed quietly. Sharing a smile, they ambled back to bed, falling down against each other. "But in all seriousness, Breaking The Law is not an acceptable lullaby for a nine month old baby."

"She liked it!"

"She's was probably asleep before you started."

"Shut up." Vince said, pushing him playfully.

"Go to sleep." Howard said, reaching across to turn off the bedside lamp.

"Howard?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Howard smiled into the darkness, pressing a kiss to Vince's hair. "I love you too, little man."