Okay 4get grammar n spelling I'm doing tons of essays n stuff so that's all fallen out of the window lol...: D
Also thanks loads 2 xXxBooshLoverxXx, chugirl 2526, and SisiDraig 4 continuing to read and review the rubbish I spew out...lol...: D Thanxs xxx
I don't own this or Topshop: D
'Howard, Howard can you hear me?'
'I think he's waking up, look!' It was her voice, he could hear her through the heavy blanket of darkness which enveloped him.
'I don't think he is.' Naboo's reply sounded hollow.
'No, no he is look...he is...he has to...' And then there was the sound of crying. She burst into tears, but it wasn't just her, was Naboo crying as well?
Was he dying?
Lost in the darkness he desperately tried to think, how had he ended up wherever he had ended up? What was the last thing he could remember? He didn't know he couldn't remember it.
'Please Howard, please wake up.' She begged, and he tried he really tried but his body stubbornly refused to obey his commands.
Come back to me, Howard...
Vince. Was that Vince he was sure it was him, he was sure he could hear his voice. If Vince was there it meant that everything would be okay, eventually. He knew Vince would protect him, he knew Vince would save him.
'Vince.'
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Her eyes slowly fluttered open, her head was spinning.
'I'm Old Gregg.' A strange voice informed, the way it had done back at the hotel before there'd been that light. That light, which had been so bright and so...
'I'm Old Gregg.' The voice repeated cut off by the sound of a splash.
Slowly she began to regain her senses, she glanced around realising that she wasn't in the hotel any more. Instead she found herself laying on the rough slippery floor of what looked like a sea cave, she was handcuffed.
'Hello!' She called out her teeth chattering as she spoke, she was freezing.
A figure appeared in front of her, forcing a surprised scream from her lips. The creature recoiled in terror, as her scream echoed around the cave system.
'I'm sorry,' She apologised quickly, seeing that it was just as afraid of her as she was of it.
'...I didn't mean to scare you.' Somewhere from deep down inside of her she started to recall that one day of training she'd had at the Zoo.
'What, what was your name again?' She questioned forcing a thin smile across her face as she stared at the thing crouching in front of her.
'I'm Old Gregg.'
Inexplicable she found herself giggling, she couldn't stop herself the hysteria bubbled up.
'Don't, don't laugh.' Old Gregg warned. She chewed on the chapped skin of her bottom lip nodding in response.
'I'm sorry it's just that's kind of a weird name, I mean you don't even look that old.' Old Gregg blushed his green cheeks flushing a light shade of scarlet, a faint smile creeping into the corners of his mouth.
'Old Gregg moisturises.' Old Gregg responded mater-of-factly. 'Old Gregg is making himself look nice for Howard, when he comes.' The scaly sea creature sprung back up onto his feet, patting the ends of his sea weed hair.
'I made a crumble for Howard. I've got all nice things for him. He wont run away this time, I'll make him happy.' Loneliness seemed to emanate from Old Gregg, she knew what that was like to have nothing and noone. That's why she felt sorry for him she couldn't help herself even though he'd kidnapped her, she pitied him.
'I did a water colour for him, look.' She was snapped back into reality a badly drawn picture thrust in her face, she squinted.
'It's good.' She enthused.
'Don't, don't look at it!' Frowning his mood suddenly changed, as he tore the painted page away from her eyes.
'Hate you.' Old Gregg mumbled under his breath shooting her a dark look, her pity evaporated.
'You stole Howard away! Old Gregg saw you, you took Howard away!'
'When! No, that wasn't me...that was,' Her voice died in her throat.
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He woke up. It had felt like he had woken up, even through he'd still be surrounded by thick choking darkness.
'He was asking for Vince, Naboo you have to do something.' Her voice was back, she was still fighting for him defending him.
'It's against the Shaman code.' Saboo's voice drifted into his ears, he found the nasal quality even more annoying especially now that he was trapped.
'The Shaman code...I don't give a fuck about your Shaman code! You don't even give a fuck about your precious Shaman code you're always bending the rules, both of you!'
'Mabel.'
'Get off me! Don't touch me!' She cried sounding horse, he could tell she was on the brink of crying.
'Please, please Naboo I know you know where Vince is...please...' She faltered tripping over her words as she broke down, sobbing.
'...Howard needs him. If Vince was here I know he'd wake up.'
'I can't.' Naboo exhaled, his voice so faint that he almost couldn't hear him.
'Saboo?' There was no response.
'Get out!'
'Mabel.'
'Get out both of you! Just leave us alone!'
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'Old Gregg was waiting for Howard, was going to give Howard the night of his life I saw you.' Old Gregg's green scaly face fell as he recanted the tale slumping down on a nearby rock, his form crumpling. She opened her mouth to speak, but before any words had the chance to escape her chattering lips the whole cave seemed to shake; the stones trembling underneath her.
'What the hell was that?' She questioned when the shaking finally subsided.
'This cave is old. If Howard doesn't marry me, then we'll all die here together.'
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Something touched him, a hand he thought. It reached through the darkness, sending rippling shock waves of electric through his body. He felt like he was on fire, everything seemed to spark and tingle.
'Go away, Saboo.' And then the touch was gone.
Everything suddenly began to fade, he was terrified. The bleeping of the machines, the sound of her crying it all slipped away. He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry out but he was trapped deep inside himself.
And then his vision had cleared and he'd seen him, he could see Vince. The nothingness was gone replaced by the familiar surroundings of the flat, their flat he realised how much he missed it.
'This is genius!' Vince dashed across the floor swinging his case behind him.
'Look Howard it's got a fireplace, and it's pink!' He saw himself, his outline hovering sheepishly on the stairs. It was a strange thing seeing yourself the way other people saw you, he looked like an idiot. Vince was dancing around, the flat seemed bigger the only furniture was the sofa and the bar shaped like a boat, which was squashed in the corner. He remembered now the event that is unfolding in front of him, it was the first time they'd seen the flat. Vince had fallen in love with it on first inspection, he on the other hand had seen it for what it was, a dump. But now with hindsight he could see he'd been wrong, the flat wasn't a dump it had been the best place in the whole world, they'd been so happy there it was like heaven.
'Oi Howard look at this! It's a boat that's a bar!'
'No Vince, that's a bar in the shape of a boat. That thing would never float, look half of it is missing.' God he was annoying, so superior. He could see now why Vince had changed, because he had changed they both had. And he could see where the seeds of that change had begun to take root, it was him.
'Yea, but it's still genius!' Vince chuckled back defending his first reaction.
'Bollo, stick that in the loft with the Christmas tree.' Naboo appeared, handing Bollo what had looked at the time to be a miniature toy submarine.
'Alright Naboo, how long you had this place then and why ain't you told us about it before?'
Naboo answered and they both laughed, but he wasn't listening he couldn't stop looking at them BOTH of them. He'd forgotten how happy they'd been, it all felt like a dream something that he'd only wished had happened.
He reached out brushing his hand across the side of Vince's soft pale cheek, he felt him Vince felt real so real. He closed his eyes swallowing hard letting the sensation coarse through him, he only ever felt alive when he was with Vince. When he opened his eyes again Vince was staring at him. He staggered backwards taken by surprise, he glanced at Naboo and his former self they were both frozen mid sentence.
'Vince.' He breathed, the air catching in his throat as his best friend moved towards him.
'Sssuh, Howard.' Vince soothed, there heads were inches apart he could feel Vince's warm breath on his face.
He thought Vince was going to kiss him but at the last moment the younger man leaned forward his mouth hot against his ear.
'Wake up you jazzy spanner.'
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'Mabel.' The tea she cradled in her hands was so hot it burned through the plastic cup scorching her fingers. It was times like this when she wished she hadn't stopped smoking, she would have killed for a cigarette she was wearing two nicotine patches. Her head was aching, she'd been crying so much her face was scarlet and blotchy. It was all her fault, if Howard died it would be because of her, because...
'Mabel.' Her whole body tensed with the sound of his voice, she held her breath waiting; she wasn't sure what she was waiting for.
'Mabel.'
'Go away.' Her voice cracked, she didn't want it to she tried to fight the emotion that built up inside her.
'I'm sorry, look listen to me I'm worried about you.' Saboo ignored her, he always ignored her that annoyed her he thought because he had so much life experience so many centuries under his belt that he knew better than her; that he could tell her what to do. It had never annoyed her before, but it really pissed her off now.
'Oh, just piss off will you!' She scowled, shooting him dark looks from underneath her blunt cut fringe. Stubbornly Saboo didn't move or speak he just stood there staring at her, trying to get to her trying to grind her down. They all tried to grind her down.
'I fucking hate you!' She snapped, they both knew she didn't really mean it.
'I know.' A sly smiled slipped over his features sensing his victory. He grabbed her catching her by her dagger like elbows pulling her forward.
'You're a tosser, a toss-bagging waste of space.' She didn't even bother to struggle, the gap closing between them.
'Yeah I am.' His smile grew wider.
'And you're ugly, really fucking hideous you make me feel physically sick.' She was running out of insults, there was nothing left to do but let him kiss her. She lost herself in Saboo's kisses, the worry slowly seemed to slip out of her it was nice not to worry.
'That was crap.' She whispered softly when they finally parted, her arms tangled around his waist.
'Some people aren't any good at kissing, but don't worry I can teach with practice you'll get better.'
'You shit!' She snarled, nuzzling her forehead against the side of his rough cheek.
'I've done something...'
'Poor Mabel!' Bollo appeared, at the sight of the ape she jumped suddenly out of Saboo's arms. Bollo grunted in the Shaman's direction.
'Harold waking up!'
'Howard!' She dropped the tea cup she'd been clingy onto the contents spilling, she ran as fast as she could followed by Bollo and Saboo. She dashed into the hospital room starting Naboo and Jack who were both seated by the bed.
'Howard, oh Howard!' She gushed flinging herself over her brother, her hands clutching tightly to his chest.
'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry.' She repeated over and over again, almost crushing what life remained in him back out again.
'Mabel, I don't think Howard can breath.' Jack informed. She shrank back realising him suddenly, taking up the space on the chair Naboo had been seated on, the tiny Shaman ducking out of the room with Saboo.
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'Have you ever been to Tijuana?' Her voice rang out, mixing with the sound of his own heavy breathing.
'Well, there are only so many poker games you can be won in. What I'm trying to say, is that maybe it's time you just you know gave up on Howard.' He rolled his eyes there were a lot of things about his sister that he just didn't need or want to know. The conversational tone in her voice was at serious odds with the action taking place around them.
'Me and Howard are going to be married. I got a wedding dress.' Old Gregg interrupted. It was ironic the whole situation, all he'd ever wanted was someone to love him and there he was pushing someone who did love him away. It didn't really matter that the love Old Gregg felt for him was deranged and twisted, he still felt something for him.
But it wasn't love that he longed for, he realised that as he inched closer to the pair his ears ringing his breath stuck fast in his chest. In wasn't love, it was Vince he still longed for Vince to love him with every fibre of his being. The need, the need for his best friend still coursed through him like blood. It felt as vital as blood.
He remembered his kiss with Jack, it had been nice it had been more than nice to have his affection reciprocated; but he wonder if it was enough. He'd known Jack for months, they got on he made him laugh, Jack was attractive and he really did fancy him; but was it enough?
She saw him first, she tried to keep the surprise from her eyes but she failed. Seeing the change in her expression Old Gregg turned, greeting him with a wide smile.
'Howard.'
Confronted by the psychotic sea monster his mind suddenly went blank, he forgot the plan Tony Harrison had worked out for the rescue. He just stood there, blinking.
'Howard.' From the corner of his eye he caught sight of a shape, it darted out from behind him passing Old Gregg without him noticing suddenly stopping next to her; the shape was that of a bat. And then he remembered it all came back to him in a flash. He was there to distract Old Gregg, while Saboo in the form of a bat flew in and dealt with his sister.
'It's been along time, Gregg.' He frowned, stumbling over his words.
'I made you a crumble Howard.' He was only half listening focusing on the action taking place behind him. Saboo was now back to his original, or at least what he guessed was his original human form; busily trying to untangle her from the handcuffs that dangled around her skinny wrists.
'That's ah, that's very...nice.' He stalled from time. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, rolling down over his features. His mind ran back to Vince they way it always did, he knew his friend would have handled this a lot better; he certainly wouldn't have been as afraid as he was.
'Owww! Watch it!' The sound of her painful cry suddenly rocketed him back into reality.
A loose 'Oh' escaped her lips.
Old Gregg had turned he was looking at her, looking at their rubbish rescue attempt. He struggled he didn't know what to do, the whole of time suddenly stopped frozen in the moment.
And then it came to him, like a sudden bolt of lightening hitting him from out of the blue.
He held his breath reaching out grabbing Old Gregg by the scaly slippery repulsive skin of his upper arm, taking the sea monster by surprise he pulled him into a kiss his eyes tightly shut. So this is the third person he has ever kissed, will ever kiss. It's sloppy and sickly, it makes him feel sick the mixture of stale fish and Bailey's, which clings to the Merman's warm breath. He blocks it out searching inside himself for a place where he can hide, where he can block out what is happening to his body. When he finds it it's no surprise that Vince is already there occupying the space waiting for him. It isn't hard for him to imagine it's Vince he is kissing, not some stinking half fish hermaphrodite.
And then the earth beneath his feet began to move, and not in the good way. He pulled out of the kiss.
'Howard, shift your arse!' She shrieked as the Shaman Saboo swept her up into his arms.
The walls of the cave began to violently vibrate sending shards of rock crashing down from the ceiling. He ducked covering his head with his arm trying to shield himself from the falling debris. He was just about to follow her and Saboo when Old Gregg grabbed him, holding him fast.
'No Howard.' He struggled attempting to snatch his arm away, but the scaly man-fish kept him in place.
'Not until you say you'll marry me. You have to make an honest woman out of Old Gregg now.'
He didn't think he couldn't think the blood suddenly rushed to his head, the fear of eminent death looming over him.
'Noooo! I will never marry you! I don't love you, I can't stand you! I wish, I wish I'd never met you! I hate you, I hate what you've done to me! I wish you were dead, because I can't stand the thought of you being alive...without me!' He didn't even really know what he was saying or even who he was saying it to, as he roughly reclaimed his arm darting out of the way as the ceiling above them began to give way and crumble.
'Howard!' He heard her voice spinning around to run, something suddenly caught him stopping him. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Old Gregg hunched on the floor sobbing while his world collapsed around him. It was him he knew exactly what that felt like. He couldn't leave him, he couldn't let Old Gregg die alone the last words ringing in his ears words of hatred.
'Come with me now!' He gasped, weaving through the rubble holding his hand out to the sea monster. He didn't wait for an answer he snatched Old Gregg up by the collar of his jacket, dragging him along as he ran as fast as he could the whole cave collapsing behind their heels.
His heart is pounding in his chest as he ran clinging to the fabric of Old Gregg's shoulder pad, he can see the mouth of the cave and the waiting submarine. He can see her, Naboo and even Bollo waving there hands shouting for him to hurry up. At the last second he throws Old Gregg in front of him pushing him onto the platform of the sub. And then just as he takes a ragged harsh breath, just as he things he save, everything goes suddenly dark.
The mouth of the sea cave collapsed on top of him, leaving him lifeless buried under mountains of rubble.
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From when he opened his eyes, to when they took the tube out of his throat it seemed to take ages for him to recover. It was a month at least until he was sitting up in bed, the first of his casts being prized off. He'd broken almost every bone in his body minus his nose and his jaw, his head had cracked open like a nut; apparently. He couldn't remember anything about the event, the Doctors had told him he was lucky not to have any lasting or serious brain damage. Naboo had made a joke about them needing his brain, or something like that his ears seemed to be ringing most of the time. They all visited him Naboo, Bollo, Lester flew to France especially escorted by Bob Fossil, even people he didn't know like Tony Harrison and Kirk from the board of Shaman dropped by. Part of him had hoped, but it had never happened he looked for him everyday but he never came. She was his constant support she never left his side, she clung to him. There parents, strangers he hadn't seen for years since they moved back to Leeds made a brief appearance making sure that they avoided her. She'd sat in the corner wordless and pensive, and for their part they'd ignored her. When they left he hoped he'd never see them again. They had never needed them, when they had each other she'd told him. But deep down he'd always known he'd needed more, much more.
Being stuck in his hospital bed had given him hours and hours of time to think, think as well as he could at least. He tried not to waste the time he wrote some more songs, he read a couple of the books he'd always promised himself he would read but never had, he even made a brief attempt at writing another novel. But what he'd really wanted to do was go home, that had surprised him; he wanted to be back in the flat to work in the shop he longed for the familiar.
When he told them that he wanted to go home Naboo and Bollo both agreed, leaving the next day so they could kick the tenants Naboo had been subletting to, out of the flat. The next thing he'd tackled had been her, before his accident it had been obvious she was keeping something from him and as the months had passed it had visibly become more apparent. It was the elephant in the room, they never acknowledged.
'So are you going to move back into the flat, or are you going to live with Saboo?' He'd asked, the day before he was due to discharged.
'Probably going to move in with, Saboo.' She'd admitted with a giggle, it had been ages since he'd seen her smile.
'So, have you thought of any names yet?' He'd casually questioned pointing at her stomach, not that it had need much pointing at.
'Oh um yeah, I was thinking of Biba Muffin,'
'What?'
'For a girl. And maybe Harlow Moonblood for a boy. Saboo's into this whole floral thing though, he's pretty girly deep down.'
'No, Mabel you can't call a baby Muffin.' His whole body twinged the pain running through him as he'd sat up.
'Why not? Frank Zappa's got a daughter called Diva Muffin.' She informed him casually, as she'd picked away at the edges of her chipped nail varnish.
'Yeah well that's different. You can't seriously tell me that you're going to stand in the middle of a school playground and shout come here Biba Muffin you forgot your lunch box, it's ridiculous is what it is Sir.' She'd grinned as he'd lectured her.
'Sir?' She'd raised her eyebrow.
'And Biba isn't that a clothing brand, I mean it would be like calling your baby Topshop Brownie; it's free advertising!'
In the end it was all academic Biba Muffin or Topshop Brownie whatever she would have been called, in the end turned out to be a boy. Who had the dubious honour of being called Kitten Howard Moon.
