A/N - I KNOW I KNOW. Don't hate me!! It's been tooo long since I updated this, or anything really, my mind's been kinda mundane. Don't panic though. I hated the last chapter so badly that it completely screwed my Christine mojo. Have this to keep you going, anyway.

So we walked out of this godforsaken shed in the middle of nowhere, and it would definately be true to say I'd never been so confused in my life. And in my long, frustrated and more than slightly frantic search for Christian, I'd firmly categorised them into 3 sections.

The first and most obvious was worry...or was it pity? Christian had gone through something at the Moulin Rouge, and I had no doubt that it was crushing him slowly. Worry, becaue his future was clouded, and pity, because God only knew what he was going through, inside his head, but it couldn't have been a nice place to be.

The second was where I categorised all my petty things - curiosity, bordering on nosiness, at Christian's story. Hurt, I suppose - before he had gone away, we had been close, and now he kept pushing me a way. And...jealousy? Yes, even though I knew it was wrong, I envied Christian because - because he, unlike I, had lived, and it left childish little Abigail still stuck in her nursery skirts. Christian had grown up in so many ways.

Over all these, though, was the burning desire to help Christian, and thus, as we walked rather ungracefully across the muddy fields towards the road, my mind was working.

In the distance, I heard a carriage rumble and automatically stepped to the side to let it pass, absorbed by my thoughts.

Confusing my rhythm, however, it drew to a halt beside me. I looked up to see why, and saw-

"Christine!" I shouted, flinging open the carriage door and violently hugging my friend, "you're early!"

"And you," said Christine critically, "are damp. And muddy. And dressed as a boy."

I blushed, then relaxed as Christine laughed.

"No fear, Abby darling, dressing as a man just makes you look like a very pretty, effeminate young boy."

"I'll take that as a compliment!" I said, joking around, then gasping as I remembered Christian, who was looking...depressed again, staring at a bank of primroses.

"Christine," I said, jumping out of the carriage and pulling Christian in, "this is my brother Christian."

Christine automatically put out her hand, and I directed a look at Christian until he took it, muttering "Charmed."

I sighed.

Christine laughed to break the silence.

"I hope you'll take the carriage back with me, Abby!"

"Oh, y-" I said, starting to accept and then remembering the horses, which I had left tied to a gatepost, "no, I ought to lead the horses back. Let Christian ride with you, though, so you can get your story straight."

"An excellent point, dear Abigail," said Christine as I ushered Christian into the carriage, "we can rendevous chez vous when you return."

AHA you thought I forgot the horses, didn't you?

I hadn't.

Honestly.

Yeah, about Christine being early. I couldn't face ANOTHER chapter of just pussyfooting around, waiting for Christine to arrive, and her timeline was running a little bit too fast, anyway.

And I swear it wasn't this short last night!