The, was that a landing?, was over relatively quickly, and the Doctor stepped back from her abruptly.
And she wasn't surprised to find she was disappointed. This dream wasn't going the way she expected it to.
She followed the Doctor outside of the box, well, she was pulled by the doctor outside of the box.
She gasped at the sight as the other couple came out.
It was beautiful! It was history! She'd always been half in love with history, and this was... amazing.
Even if it was just a dream.
She looked around in awe, barely noticing as the Doctor entwined her fingers with his.
"Venice! La Venicia! La Serenissima!" he exclaimed raising the hand that wasn't holding hers.
"impossible city! Preposterous city!" he said happily.
"founded by refugees running from Attila the Hun" Bryce interjected quietly, not sure anyone heard her, but a quick look at the Doctor's proud/pleased expression. He had.
"it was just a collection of little wooden huts in the middle of a marsh, but it became..." he continued.
"one of the most powerful cities in the world" Bryce supplied still looking around, she had let go of the doctor's hand, and was looking around.
"constantly being invaded, constantly being flooded, constantly, just..."
"beautiful!" Bryce shouted, beaming as she skipped back to them.
Putting her arm through the Doctor's, she looked up at him and he beamed at her.
"you gotta love Venice. So many people did, Byron, Napoleon, Casanova.." the Doctor explained.
Bryce looked at woman as she walked past, suddenly feeling very self conscious in her 'revealing' dress.
A sudden gasp brought Bryce's attention back to the Doctor as he looked at his watch, "that reminds me. 1580. That's alright. Casanova doesn't get born for another 145 years. Don't want to run into him. I owe him a chicken, and you owe him a date" he said looking at Bryce.
She had been looking around, but she jumped at her name, eyes furrowed, "I owe Casanova a date?" she asked the same time Amy asked why he owed him a chicken.
"Long story, we had a bet" the Doctor said as he continued forward.
Bryce had released his arm and looked at the back of his head confused. What the hell was he talking about?
Apparently, Rory was just as confused because Amy just rolled her eyes and followed the doctor.
Bryce and Rory exchanged confused looks as they followed.
They were soon stopped by a man.
"whoa, whoa, whoa, papers if you please" the portly man said.
The Doctor looked at his companions, and reached into his jacket pulling out a piece of paper clad in a leather wallet.
"proof of residency, current bill of medical inspection" the man continued.
"there you go, fella" the Doctor said handing it to him as he handed it over. "all to your satisfaction, I think you'll find"
The man looked it over, eyes widening as he looked at the other three.
"I am so sorry, your holiness" he said bowing to the doctor, "I didn't realize"
"no worries, you were just doing your job" the Doctor grinned at the three, and winked at Bryce.
Bryce's eyes furrowed, as she snatched the paper from the man's hand. She was so confused, and she hated it!
She looked at the paper, and her eyes widened.
The Doctor was the pope, Amy was a viscountess, and Rory was her eunuch. She giggled, biting her lip to try and stop it. Then her eyes widened and she gasped. She was the Princess of France.
She looked over at the Doctor to see him smiling.
Cheeky, bastard.
"I'm sorry, what exactly IS your job?" she questioned the man.
"checking for aliens, your highness, visitors from foreign lands." at this Amy and Rory immediately shifted, she rolled her eyes, they were being obvious. God, she could dream up some stupid people, couldn't she? "what might bring the plague with them"
"oh that's nice. See where you bring me? the plague!" Amy groaned aggravated, hitting the Doctor's arm.
Bryce looked at the doctor to see he was thinking the same thing she was.
"don't worry, viscountess" the man said, as Amy sighed in relief, "we're under quarantine here. No one goes in, no one comes out, and all because of the grace and wisdom of our patron Rosanna Calvierri" he motioned to the symbol on the book he carried.
Okay, maybe HER subconscious was the stupid one.
"hold on a minute, if this is 1580, the plague has already died out. Years ago" she said hands on her hips as she looked between the doctor and the man.
The Doctor nodded at her, as the man pointed outwards.
"Not out there, your highness. No, Signora Calvierri has seen it with her own eyes. Streets are piled high with bodies, she said."
"yes, well your Signora Calvierri is a ly-" she was cut off by a hand over her mouth.
"did she now" the Doctor said over Bryce's muffled words.
The man looked at them funnily. Certainly it wasn't proper for even the pope to touch a princess in this manner.
Rory took the opportunity to take the weird piece of paper from Bryce's hand, as the Doctor led her away from the man who was becoming suspicious.
"um, according to this I'm your eunuch!" Rory said confused.
"um, yea, I'll.. I'll explain later" Amy said moving to follow the doctor and Bryce.
Once out of ear shot, the doctor removed his hand, and Bryce's eyes were blazing with indignation.
"What in the name of hell is going on?!" she practically shouted, causing the Doctor and the others to look around and trying to shush her.
"no!" she stomped her foot in frustration, a move the Doctor would have found adorable in any other situation.
"Bryce, darling" the Doctor spoke, hands up in a placating gesture, "I know it's a lot to take in, but what's wrong?"
"don't Bryce, darling, me! you shushed me, you don't shush me, Doctor! this is my dream, and I will not be shushed by YOU, bow tie boy!" she stomped her foot again, and shot a mean glare at Amy and Rory who were snickering.
"okay, let's just calm down. Breathe" he said mimicking the action, putting his hands on her arms.
She did the same, closing her eyes as she exhaled.
"now what's the real problem?" he asked still concerned she still thought this was a dream.
"this is my dream, so it's all my thoughts, my feelings, right? right" she continued not letting him answer, "I'm not stupid, I'm actually very smart. History is a.. a.. hobby of mine. I love it. Passionately, so why am I.. my subconscious getting everything wrong? well, not everything. The scenery is correct. My.. MY knowledge is correct. But this...Signora Calvierri? she doesn't exist. I KNOW the plague is gone. Why would I dream about history correctly, but get things like THAT wrong? This is an episode of Doctor Who!" she was rambling. "I mean.. I think I was a bit drunk when I watched this episode, but I remember a little bit... okay, I don't remember anything except vampires. was it vampires? I.. maybe?" she asked looking to him for confirmation. He was struggling to keep up with her rambling.
"Brycen Caine. This is not a dream" he said quietly, but urgently.
"yes it is!" she said wrenching out of his grip and throwing her hands up in frustration, "what is wrong with me?"
The other three exchanged looks.
"dreams are supposed to be.. happy, fun! My God you and I should be having sex by this point! Not having this conversation!" she said exasperatedly, noting how his cheeks flushed, and the other two snickered.
"yes, well.. that's not... that's... anyway! Bryce, this isn't a dream, and we have... things.. to do" he said snatching her hand and walking away.
Amy and Rory followed, amused at what was taking place.
Bryce was always so funny and blunt, typical American, good to know she'd always been this way.
"if this is a dream, like you say it is. Then just.. go with the flow. Just live it out, and you'll wake up all nice and cozy in your bed. IF it's a dream" he emphasized. He remembered a conversation they'd had in the past, when he asked her about her first jump. She said that she thought she was in a whiskey induced dream, up until she felt pain. That was the eye opening experience. He didn't want her hurt, but he knew that it would happen, despite not wanting it to.
She eyed him warily, and then nodded, as if it had been her idea the whole time, "right. exactly. so.. let's go explore!" she said beaming at him, she grabbed his hand and skipped happily toward a fence over looking an area where a school of young girls in white were walking.
Bryce knew this was a dream, it had to be a dream, her subconscious must just be messing with her because of the drinks she'd had at the party. Yea, that was it.
"oh it's beautiful!" she said happily, looking around, leaning over the balcony.
Amy giggled happily as well, and grabbed Bryce's other hand as they looked out.
The beautiful moment was spoiled by an older man running towards the group of young women, looking for someone named Isabella.
She turned toward the doctor with a frown, as he looked concerned as well and tightened his grip on her hand.
Then she saw one of the girls hiss at the man, and he fell to the ground.
She didn't even have to look at the Doctor as they both took off running toward the scene leaving Amy and Rory behind.
This was an exciting dream, now!
The Doctor hopped on some stairs. They'd let go of hands, and had run separately, seemingly knowing what the other would do.
Bryce leaned against the wall, arms crossed at her chest.
"who were those girls?" the Doctor asked, and the black man turned around, startled, eying both the Doctor and Bryce warily.
"I thought everyone knew about the Calvierri school" the man said warily.
"that damn name again" Bryce muttered, maybe she had met someone named Calvierri at the party?
"our first day here.. Parents do all sorts of things to get their children into good schools. They move house, they change religion."
"they pay thousands in tuition" Bryce muttered, thinking of her own schooling.
The Doctor shot her a grin, then turned serious as he turned to the man, "So why are you trying to get her out?" he said lowly, moving slightly as a man passed behind them.
"something happens in there. Something magical, something evil" the man replied.
"oh! I know!" she said happily, raising her hand like in class, the man looked at her concerned, as the Doctor put a hand over her mouth.
"my own daughter didn't recognize me" the man said as he eyed Bryce before looking back at the Doctor, "and the girl who pushed me away, her face, like an animal."
Bryce narrowed her gaze, and turned to what would become her go to action. She licked his hand.
Causing him to jump in shock, snatching his hand away, wiping it on his jacket as she glared at him.
"stop doing that, bow tie boy!" she said hands on her hips.
"I think it's time we met this, Signora Calvierri" he said ignoring her, as he put an arm around the concerned man.
She followed behind them, pouting, until he reached behind him and took her hand.
The man, who Bryce learned was named Guido, caused a distraction as the Doctor and Bryce snuck to the side. tiptoeing quietly across the narrow ledge
He pulled a strange device out of his pocket and aimed it behind his back, but Bryce brightened, and whispered, "that's a sonic screwdriver! I know what that is!" she said happily.
He beamed over his shoulder at her apparent happiness at remembering something correctly.
"right you are, love" he said as he opened the gate, and entered watching as she came in behind him.
They walked down some stairs, quickly, the doctor hopped down a few, but she just rolled her eyes and walked normally.
They came to corridor where there was a mirror.
"hello, handsome" he said with a smug grin as he straightened his bow tie.
She stifled a giggle, as she turned him to the side, and fixed it herself, "you are quiet handsome" she said looking up at him through her eyelashes.
He swallowed thickly, wanting to lower his head and kiss her, but knew that she wasn't that far along yet.
Instead his hand came up to play with her loose braid, tucking a curl behind her ear.
"and you are beautiful" he said just as quietly.
He turned toward the mirror to look at the two of them together, just as she turned toward the corridor where the group of young girls was standing looking at them.
She tugged on his sleeve "Doctor.. Doctor!" she hissed, as they heard,
"who are you" the creepy girls said in unison
He turned around, saw them, and turned back to the mirror, just to turn back to them.
They didn't have a reflection.
Aha! This was the episode she thought it was! she thought happily, now being able to place her dream.
"how are you doing that? I am loving it!" he said more excited than she thought he should be.
"you're like Houdini, only five scary girls. only he was shorter, will be shorter, I'm rambling" he trailed off.
"yes, yes you are" Bryce muttered, looking at the girls.
"I'll ask you again, signor, who are you?" the girls said in unison.
Bryce glared at them at being left out.
But that was the price of history, women were always excluded.
"why don't you check this out" he said as he helped up another of those little wallets showing it to them, they just stared blankly.
"that's a library card!" Bryce hissed out after she snatched it out of his hand and looked at it. she correctly remembered that Rory had taken that paper saying who they were.
"of course, it's with... he's" he indicated a large nose with his hand, causing Bryce to face palm.. again.
"I need a spare" he muttered as he took it back from her, and tucked it in his pocket.
"do you have yours?" he asked looking down at her.
"my what? where would I put it, anyway?" she asked hands on her hips.
He considered that question, probably harder than he should, as a smirk quirked his lips, she hit his chest, "stop it!"
He turned serious again, "pale, creepy girls who don't like sunlight" he said to himself considering, "and can't be seen in.." he turned toward the mirror and back, as he let out a little laugh.
"aha, Brycie, you were right!" he said more happy than he should be.
"of course I am" she said rolling her eyes.
"but why shut down the city.. unless.." he was interrupted by the girls speaking in unison again.
"leave now, signor, or we shall call for the steward. If your lucky" they said with a creepy menacing smile.
Bryce clutched the doctor's hand, it didn't seem like he was understanding that they weren't kidding.
"we should run" she said staring at the girls, she knew she didn't have to be worried, she'd wake up even if they got her, but this dream was amazing, she didn't really want it to end just yet.
Then the girls hissed, showing their creepy vampire teeth, and the Doctor and Bryce took off.
"tell me the whole plan!" the doctor stopped to say to the girls.
"one day that will work" he said turning back, pulling Bryce.
"it'll never work, Doctor" she said rolling her eyes.
"listen I'd love to stay, this whole thing... I'm thrilled!" the girls were closing in now.
"oh this is Christmas!" he exclaimed happily, and Bryce couldn't stop the giggles, as he pulled her out into the open air.
As they ran out, they ran into Amy and Rory.
"Doctor! Bryce!" she said happily, catching the both of them.
"We just met a vampire!"
"we just saw some vampires!"
Bryce and Amy said at the same time, clutching each other and jumping around giddily, like two school girls.
The Doctor watched them amused while Rory watched bemused as he told the Doctor they saw vampires, and he said they had as well.
"okay, so first we need to get back in there somehow" the Docor said slapping Rory on both cheeks in a playful way as he thought aloud.
"what?" Rory exclaimed as Amy asked, "back in where"
"come and meet our new friend" the Doctor said with a smile as he grabbed Bryce's hand again, by now she was used to it, so she just skipped happily along beside him.
This dream was exciting!
They were in Guido's house around a table as Guido placed down a map of the castle.
"as you saw, there is no clear way in. House Calvierri is like a fortress. But there's a tunnel underneath it" Guido explained, "with a ladder and shaft that leads up into the house"
Bryce and Amy stood on either side of the Doctor.
Rory was sitting on some barrels.
Bryce hated being excluded, and this was her dream, so she was going to learn all she could.
"I tried to get in once myself, but I hit a trapdoor" he explained.
"you need someone on the inside" Bryce and Amy said at the same time, looking at each other, they both nodded, they knew what the other was thinking.
"no" the Doctor said immediately.
"you don't even know what we were going to say" Bryce protested.
"that we pretend you're an applicant for the school to get you inside" he said looking between both girls, "and tonight one of you comes down to open the trap door to let us in"
He finished looking at Bryce.
She pouted, "lucky guess"
"not a guess, I know you, Bryce, a lot better than you think" he added quietly to himself.
"are you insane?" Rory asked, exasperated at his wife and friend.
"we don't have another option" Amy rolled her eyes.
"besides it's just a dream, if I get hurt, I'll wake up" Bryce said in a duh voice.
The other three exchanged looks, and Guido looked concerned for the friendly, kind girl.
"he said no!" Rory just said, ignoring Bryce's words, "listen to him"
"there is another option" Guido said pointing at Rory, who pointed at himself confused.
"I work at the arsenal, we build warships for the navy" Guido continued as the Doctor walked to Rory, inspecting the barrels.
"gunpowder" the Doctor said, not happy.
"most people just nick stationary from work" the Doctor said quietly, bemused.
"no, no, no. NO explosions, no boom. This is my dream, and I say violence is NOT the answer" Bryce said in an authoritarian tone.
Rory nearly scrambled away from the barrels.
The Doctor gave her a soft smile, that's his girl.
"what do you suggest then? we wait for them to turn her into an animal?" Guido said angrily.
"look, we'll be there three, four hours tops. Or I could go alone, Rory, Amy can stay here" Bryce rolled her eyes.
Rory and Amy both protested for different reasons. Rory didn't want his friend hurt or his fiance, and Amy didn't want to be left behind.
"no, no, no, it can't keep happening like this. this is how they go" the Doctor protested, not liking the plan.
He sat down, running a hand over his face.
Bryce felt a little bad for him, and came to stand beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder which he took in his own, and brushed a soft gentle kiss to the back, then palm, then wrist.
Her knees nearly buckled at the electricity.
Amy just looked.. waiting.. she knew the Doctor would give in to the plan. He always gave in to Bryce.
"but we have to help Isabella" Bryce said softly.
"fine, we'll go together. Say you're my daughter" he said to Amy, "you can stay here with Guido and Rory" he said to Bryce.
The three immediately protested.
"like hell! I'm going in, bow tie boy!" she exclaimed.
"what? don't listen to him!" Rory exclaimed.
"your daughter? You look about nine!" Amy exclaimed.
"brother then" the doctor conceded, ignoring Bryce.
"too weird. Fiance" Amy said pursing her lips.
"what?" Bryce asked a little confused.
"uh, I'm not having him running around telling people he's your fiance!" Rory protested at the same time.
The Doctor's grip on her wrist tightened as he ran a thumb across her fingers.
He didn't want her to go in but knew she'd never stop until she did.
"no, no. you're right." Amy said.
"thank you" Rory said appeased.
"I mean, they've already seen the Doctor, You should do it" Amy said facing Rory.
"me?" Rory asked.
"yea, You can be my brother" Amy said happily ruffling his hair.
"whoa, wait a minute. Are we all forgetting the part where I'm going in too?" Bryce protested loudly, sitting beside the Doctor as he put an arm around her shoulders.
"why is him being your brother weird, but with me it's okay?" Rory asked confused.
"That is a little too Game of Thrones for me, Amy. I mean... you ARE engaged to him" Bryce said watching the drama unfold.
She didn't know why she was so uncomfortable with Amy being obviously attracted to the Doctor.
Why did she care, what was her subconscious trying to tell her in this dream.
"actually.. I thought YOU were HER fiance" Guido said confused pointing at Bryce and the Doctor.
The Doctor didn't protest, but a little smile came on his face, as Bryce turned indignant.
"uh, negative Batman. I'm not engaged, I'm not even seeing anyone. Perfectly single over here" she said eyes furrowed.
"me thinks the lady doth protest too much" the Doctor said grinning at her.
She glared and elbowed him, not liking the way Amy frowned at that.
"uh, this whole thing is Mental! they're vampires for God's sake!" Rory shouted loudly.
"we hope" the Doctor said quietly.
"so if they're not vampires..." Amy started.
"which is what I tried to tell you, like hours ago" Bryce said slumping back into the Doctor's arm.
Speaking of hours, this dream was lasting forever.
Oh no, what if she drank herself into a coma?
nah, she only had like four margaritas.
she shrugged off her internal battle.
"it makes you wonder what's so bad it doesn't mind us thinking its vampires" the Doctor said eying Bryce.
She shrugged sheepishly, "I don't really remember.. I just know it's aliens"
The Doctor gave her a warm smile.
After finding appropriate clothing for the three. And Bryce giggling a full five minutes at the sight of Guido in Rory's bachelor party shirt.
The three set off for Signora Calvierri's.
Bryce was dressed in an outfit similar to Amy's.
"oh my gosh. I look like a cow" she muttered as she looked down at her figure.
"you look lovely, a lovely little peasant girl" the Doctor said earning him a fierce glare.
"come on, big brother, twin sister. Let's go!" she said with a smile as she hooked arms with the two.
"You know we're the same age, right?" Rory said looking at his friend.
"are we? I'm 22" she said looking at them both.
"so are we" Amy said with a grin.
"so basically, our parents are dead from getting the plague" rory said.
Bryce barely suppressed rolling her eyes, he was a shitty actor, and she didn't like the way that man, the son, was looking at her.
"I'm a gondola... driver. So money's a bit tight" Rory continued, unconvincingly, "so having my sisters go to your school for special people would be brilliant"
The son had walked down now, and was circling the three. Paying extra attention to Bryce, and she didn't like it.
She was also itching to stomp on Rory's foot.
"have we met?" he asked looking at Amy.
"I've just got one of those faces" Rory said nervously.
"I wasn't talking to you" the man snapped.
"she's got the same face! which is because she's my sister!" Rory exclaimed nervously.
"Carlo! explain yourself, why have you brought me this imbecile?" Signora Calvierri asked unamused.
And it took all of Bryce's willpower to not snap at her.
"signora, they have references from his majesty, king of Sweden" the man, Carlo said.
"what? let me see" the woman asked in disbelief.
Rory stepped forward quickly to hand it over, and the woman looked at it.
Her son took the opportunity to look at Bryce and Amy more closely.
"now I see what got my steward so excited" Signora said with a sly look, and Bryce knew in that instant that she knew they were lying.
Something went wrong with the paper.
"what say you, Francesco, do you like them?" she asked her son.
"Oh I do mother, I do" He said leaning in close to Bryce.
Bryce couldn't stop wrinkling her nose, ugh, that smell.
"then we accept them, say goodbye to your sisters" the woman said as Rory was led away.
"tell uncle... Doctor.. we'll see you both pretty soon, okay?" Amy called out.
"Bye, brother!" Bryce just called and waved, "we'll be fine!"
She didn't notice Francesco's vampire teeth from behind her, but she saw Rory's frightened gaze.
The girls were led to their room, with the other girls, and Bryce hoped that they didn't recognize her.
Two of them crowded around them.
"personal space, ladies!" Bryce glared at them pushing them aside as they walked on.
"this is so creepy" she whispered to Amy as they were led to a bedroom.
"very" Amy responded.
"there are clothes on the beds, get changed and wait here" Carlo said as he turned and left.
Bryce and Amy exchanged looks as they looked around.
"blimey, this is private education, then?" Amy joked.
Bryce grinned at her, and then noticed Isabella and elbowed Amy.
"Hi, I'm Brycen."
"hello, Amy" the girls introduced themselves.
"what's your name?" Bryce asked.
"Isabella" the girl replied confirming their suspicions.
"soon, we're going to get you out of here" Amy said sitting on the bed beside her.
"but we need you to tell us what's going on" Bryce continued, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder, "what is this place? what are they doing?"
Isabella told them they came at night and took her to a room, but she never knew what happened, and always woke in her bed.
"fuck, that's creepy" Bryce muttered, causing both girls to look at her in shock.
"oh, shit, I mean shoot. Women don't curse here do they?" she asked sheepishly, as both girls shook their head, one confused, one amused.
"well, I suppose we better get dressed. These night dresses are awfully pretty" she said picking hers up from the bed.
"I'll go and open the door, you stay here and cover for me" Bryce said the girls had settled for the night.
"what? no, I'll go and you stay here"
"No, absolutely not. It's my dream. I'll go" she said stubbornly, "and if you try and stop me, I'll push you down the stairs"
Amy gave her a disbelieving look, "okay, but be careful, Bryce"
Bryce nodded and bit her lip before pulling the girl into a hug.
"I really like you, and I wish this wasn't a dream" she said quickly before running off.
Amy shook her head at her friend, but had a smile on her lips.
Bryce made her way down fairly quickly with a small candle.
and she got the door unlocked, but that was when she was caught.
Meanwhile...
"and you kissed her back?" Rory asked in disbelief.
"no. Absolutely not. Amy's not Brycen" he said the last bit solemnly, "she kissed me because I was there. It would have been you, it should have been you"
"get off of me! let me go! stop manhandling me, you, you, baboon!" she struggled against the surprisingly firm grip from the older man.
"control yourself, child!" the man snapped at her.
"get your hands off of me!" she heard from somewhere to her left. Amy had been drug here as well.
"psychic paper, did you really think that would work on me?" she noticed she was in a small room with the girls and Calvierri.
"psychic paper? what the hell are you talking about?" Bryce asked yanking her arm from the man's grip.
Amy shook her head, looking panicked.
"where are you from? did you fall through the chasm?" Calvierri asked as the two men holding them brought them closer.
"what chasm? I'm dreaming! This is my dream!" Bryce shouted, why wasn't she waking up?
"mother this is pointless, let's just start the process" Francesco said coming towards Bryce.
"hold your tongue Francesco! I need to know what these girls are doing in the world of savages with psychic paper. Who are you with?"
Bryce looked towards Amy.
A chair was brought in. A menacing chair.
"I scarcely believe your idiot brother sent you" Calvierri continued, "what are you doing in my school?"
"Okay, I'll tell you. We're from Ofsted!" Amy said trying to provide a cover.
That just caused laughter.
"which one, Francesco. I"ll let you choose" Calvierri said to her son.
"this one mother, this one has fire" Francesco said grabbing her and forcing her into the chair where she was strapped down despite her struggling.
She had tears in her eyes as she looked at Amy.
"Oh, make sport of it will you? tease me as if I were a dog?" Calvierri continued.
Bryce opened her mouth to speak, but found there were no words.
Amy looked at her pityingly. Frightened for her friend, but also knowing that Bryce still didn't believe this was real.
And then, Calvierri was coming at her, her teeth in the form of a vampire's as someone held her head.
"Doctor!" she screamed, as Calvierri bit into her neck.
It hurt, it hurt so horribly, and that was when she knew, she knew this wasn't a dream. This was real. She was in another world, somehow, everything... everything was real.
Her eyelid's fluttered, and soon, the world went dark.
A/N: Once again, please leave me your questions/comments/concerns!