James smiled and greeted his friends as he escorted Emily into the bar. Skeletons in various forms of decay crowd around tables and a piano, all drinking having a good time, a few are the "happy drunk" stage. James takes Emily to a side table away from the center of all of the chaos. A few of the crowd around them look on, pints in hand.

"Would you like anything?" James asked, but Emily shook her head no.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you die?" Emily asked.

"My younger brother shot me so he could inherit the family fortune." James said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Emily rushed to say.

"Don't be. He saved me from a horribly boring life. My parents were very controlling and I was miserable." James said then smiled. "I know it sounds weird, but the day I died I truly came alive I think."

"That sounds nice." Emily said. "But why did you stay above?"

"I never found love before I died and I regretted in deeply." James explained.

"I'm so sorry, I know how you feel." Emily said with a sad smile as they were overtaken by a comfortable silence.

"So may I ask how you died?" James asked breaking the silence. Emily sighed sadly and for a moment he thought she wouldn't go on.

"I was engaged once, but my parents didn't approve. In my foolishness I agreed to meet the man I thought I loved under an old oak tree. He killed me for my dowry and I was trapped there for a long time waiting for someone to release me." Emily said.

"How did you get out?" James asked.

Emily hesitated, but decided that she would rather him hear it from her than from the local gossip. As she told him it became easier to talk about, he seemed to understand what she went through. He took hold of her hand half way through the story encouraging her on until she was done.

"What was his name? The man who…" James trailed off.

"Lord Barkis Bittern." Emily spat out.

As soon as she said his name James's hand tightened over hers and his whole being became tense. His eye and socket went wide as he stared at Emily.

"James are you okay?" Emily asked in concern. James shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"Emily I'm so sorry, I'm so so sorry." James said as he took her hands in both of his.

"James, why are you apologizing? What's wrong?" Emily asked feeling a little scared.

"Maybe I should have fully introduced myself." James said not meeting her eyes. "My name is James Bittern. Barkis was my brother, the one who shot me, the one who killed you. I'm so sorry."

"Please don't apologize." Emily said. "You had no more control over what happened to me that you did what happened to yourself."

"If I may ask what happened to my brother?" James asked.

"He was taken to where the less honorable of out kind go. We are not allowed to see him." Emily said as James nodded.

"Good, I'm glad he is where he can cause no more trouble." James said.

"Hey Emily, how's about a song?" Bonejangles asked as he walked up to their table.

"I'd love to." Emily said with a smile.

"How about you, James? Been a while since we heard your violin." The skeleton said.

"If the lady does not object." James said as he held out his hand to Emily.

"Not at all." Emily replied with a smile as he escorted her to the stage and picked up a violin for himself.

"What would you like to sing, Emily?" James asked as he tuned.

"Memory." Emily said with a smile.

James started the introduction and soon Emily began to sing.

Daylight
See the dew on the sunflower
And a rose that is fading
Roses wither away
Like the sunflower
I yearn to turn my face to the dawn
I am waiting for the day . . .

Midnight
Not a sound from the pavement
Has the moon lost her memory?
She is smiling alone
In the lamplight
The withered leaves collect at my feet
And the wind begins to moan

James watched as Emily sang and danced across the stage. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen and if his heart was still beating he was sure it would have been beating a little faster.
Memory
All alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days
I was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again

Every streetlamp
Seems to beat a fatalistic warning
Someone mutters
And the streetlamp gutters
And soon it will be morning

Daylight
I must wait for the sunrise
I must think of a new life
And I mustn't give in
When the dawn comes
Tonight will be a memory too
And a new day will begin

Emily watched as James played. His fingers skillfully dancing across the strings as he coaxed the beautiful melody forth. It flowed freely across the room makinf Emily swell with happiness.

Burnt out ends of smoky days
The stale cold smell of morning
The streetlamp dies, another night is over
Another day is dawning

Touch me
It's so easy to leave me
All alone with the memory
Of my days in the sun
If you touch me
You'll understand what happiness is

Look
A new day has begun

Some where along in the song Emily and James's eyes met, both of them smiling at each other as they approached each other and held their hands together.

"How about a walk?" James asked.

"I'd love to." Emily said as James tucked her hand into the crook of his arm.