Hello. Due to my lack of updates recently here is I think the longest chapter of the story so far... I hope that's a good thing? Anyway not long left of this story... it's taken a long time to write and stuff so I'm sorry about that. But you only have to bare with a few more chapters :)

Thanks to all the people who have reviewed so far, you have kept this story going so thank you x


Vince liked Violet's house. It sort of made him think of his grandparents house… not that he remembered his grandparents he just imagined they would have lived in a house like Violet's and Phillip's. It smelt of lavender and soap. Vince hadn't ever lived in such a nice place. Leroy's house never seemed homely. Maybe due to the fact it badly needed decorating, Vince had offered several times to help paint, but neither Howard nor Leroy had trusted him with a paintbrush. Vince had been given the spare room. He hadn't slept in his bedroom since that dark night.

"This is your room Sweetheart." Violet unlocked the door to the spare room. Violet pushed the door open and the hinges squeaked. The walls were painted ocean blue and a bed was just to the left of the door with the same coloured duvet. The room wasn't very big but it was nice and cozy. Vince noticed the dolls house in the corner arranged carefully, he strode over to the toy and peered inside for a closer look.

"Wish I had a dolls house when I was young. One of my girl mates had one and we'd play with it for hours. She then got rid of it… turns out she was fed of me playing with the dolls house and wished we talked more. I was devastated. One of my highlights of the week." Vince turned around to look at Violet grinning. She looked sad.

"Is everything ok?" Vince stood up from his crouch and walked over to the old lady.

"Yes everything's fine dear…" Violet quickly rubbed her blue sparkling eyes.

"If you regret asking me to stay I really don't mind going home." Vince couldn't think of what he had done to Violet to make her upset.

"No it's lovely you are going to stay with us. Tears of happiness my love. Anyway I'll leave you to unpack your bags. Dinner's at 6."

"Thank you." Vince smiled.

Violet left the room and shut the door behind her. Vince scanned the room properly. It wouldn't be bad staying here. This room was nothing like his old room back at Leroy's. It would be fine. A CD collection and stereo sat in the far left corner of the room opposite the dolls house on the far right. He went over and started looking through the silver rack. A Rolling Stones and an Alice Cooper CD caught his eye. Whose room was he staying in? Whoever it was had great music taste. The CD player and rack was on top of a small set of draws. Vince loved the contrast of the dolls house and music taste. He was now very curious about this person so pulled open one of the draws. The top draw was full of drawings and notes. He decided he'd take a closer look later. Vince pulled his suitcase on top of the bed and opened it up.

Vince sat and had dinner with Violet and Phillip at exactly 6 O'clock. Vince sort of liked how organized everything was, he had never really had much of a routine.

"So Vince, we have some family visiting tomorrow. We'd quite like you to meet them." Phillip informed Vince. Phillip looked about the same age as Violet. Vince had been tempted to ask them for their ages but Phillip sort of worried him as he was very stern, so he thought better of it. Vince was confused as to why they wanted him to meet their family, after all Vince never really had much of a family and couldn't work out exactly why Violet's family would want to meet him.

"Yeah, that's fine."

"Good, I think they will like you."

"What if they don't?"

"Trust me, they will." Violet smiled.

By 10 O'clock Vince decided it was probably time to disappear upstairs and attempt to get some sleep.

Vince changed into his black pajamas and snuggled into the bed. He hadn't slept alone for months and the dark hadn't seemed this scary in such a long time. Vince tried to shut his eyes to block out the surroundings but it didn't work. He missed Howard. Already. He wished Howard was with him, he thought Howard would like it here.

Suddenly Vince's phone began vibrating on the bedside table next to him. Vince reached over to take the call.

"Howard!" Vince said with glee.

"You alright little man?"

"Mmm…"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing… I just… it's weird." Vince didn't really want to say what was on his mind so he thought those words would do.

"It's strange not having you at home." There was a slight pause. Vince suddenly felt incredibly emotional.

"I miss you." Vince said with a lump in his throat.

"Miss you too."

"Don't get me wrong, I do like it here."

"What's upset you?"

"Nothing… I just feel so lonely."

"I told you it was a bad idea." Howard started in his told-you-so voice. Howard just wanted Vince to come home.

"No, but it's not."

"Right. You've lost me now."

"I mean, I think this is for the best."

"Ok. Well that's up to you to decide ok. I trust Phillip and Violet are treating you well?"

"Yeah, they're lovely. I thought I'd upset Violet earlier. When she showed me to this room, I was telling her about a dolls house and then I turned round and she looked like she was about to cry."

"A dolls house?"

"Yeah that's what I thought… I don't remember saying anything mean."

"Never mind. What's your room like?"

"Blue. Has a doll house in the corner, a stereo… lots of CDs, wardrobe… just a normal room really. It feels as if someone used to live here, it's sort of haunting even if it is nice. Just everything seems so perfect and… well I thought you know… the room was a bit too modern to be one of their own kids. They are… a bit old."

"Vince!"

"I wasn't being rude, just describing the room."

"Maybe they had a lodger?" Howard suggested.

Vince thought for a moment, "Maybe."

"You feeling better now?"

"A bit yeah. I wish you were here though. I don't like sleeping in here on my own."

Howard felt worried about Vince being alone.

"Look maybe you should come home. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I'm sure I won't do anything stupid." Howard imagined Vince's expression, he'd role his eyes and smile a little.

"Promise me."

"Look Howard I'm going to be ok, it's just one night I'll be seeing you in a day or two anyway. I'll call you in the morning ok?" Vince tried to reassure Howard.

"Ok, but promise me if you want to come home, whatever the time then don't hesitate to ring me ok?"

"Ok."

"Night."

"Love you." Vince said.

"Love you too little man, pleasant dreams."

The line fell dead.

Vince felt a pang of sadness once he put his mobile back on the table. He had to get through this night alone. Once he'd done that everything would be fine.

11:32am read the clock to the side of Vince's bed.

Shit! Howard!

Vince knew Howard would be worried he hadn't called. He looked at his phone and he had three missed calls and one voice mail. Vince ignored the voice mail and decided to call Howard straight back.

"Vince!"

"Sorry, I over slept a bit." Vince's voice was slightly croaky from having just woken up.

"You got to sleep then?"

"Yup. Amazing really."

"I barely slept at all."

"Look I'm ok, go get some sleep you silly freak." Vince laughed.

"You're calling me the freak?"

"Yeah. Bye Howard, got to meet their family today."

"That should be nice."

"Nice but weird. Anyway I should be getting ready."

"Bye, have fun."

"Bye Howard."

Vince headed downstairs to the kitchen and found a box of Cookie Crisp.

Genius.

Vince used to eat these all the time until Howard cut them out from the shopping list. Vince made himself a bowl and got himself a glass of milk. He began dipping the mini cookies into the glass.

Violet walked into the kitchen and sat down at the wooden table opposite him.

"Morning." Vince looked up at her before continuing eating his cereal in his unusual way.

"Morning Vince, I bought a load of cereals incase you didn't like Alpen."

"Not too keen on Alpen… bit like rabbit food really… not that there's anything wrong with eating rabbit food." He said quickly not wanting to offend her. "Thanks for this." He smiled gratefully.

"You're so much like him." Violet watched Vince's funny way of eating the cereal.

"Like who?" Vince looked up at her confused.

"My Grandson."

"Is he coming today?"

"No. No, he's not." Violet sighed.

"Oh, that's a shame."

"Yes, it is. You would have got along so well, I'm sure."

"Maybe another time then."

Violet didn't reply but she tried to smile at Vince. Vince knew the smile was forced but thought best not to ask her.

Late afternoon arrived quickly. Vince was surprised how the time flew while helping Violet with the cooking. He mainly made the cake but a lot of mixture never got baked as Vince decided to eat the mixture before they'd filled the cake tin. He'd asked Violet once they had finished if he could save a slice for Howard and if he could drop by at Leroy's to give it to him.

The doorbell rang at around 5:30pm and Phillip made his way to greet their visitors. A man and woman in their mid 50's strolled into the living room and sat down on the grey sofa placed opposite the fireplace.

Vince stayed sat at the wooden kitchen for a while, planning his entrance.

Hey, I'm Vince

He wondered if he should shake their hands or just smile and wave.

"You coming into say hello?" asked Violet as she peered around the kitchen door.

Vince got up from the chair and followed Violet into the lounge.

"Hey I'm…"

"Oh my God!" The lady with very short blonde hair stood up from the sofa and quickly tightened her arms around Vince's neck in a hug.

Vince stood there in surprise. Not sure what to do.

"Um… Hi, I'm Vince." Vince tried to be polite and break the hug a little.

"Yes. Hello, I'm Emily." Emily finally let go of Vince but still held his arm.

"I'm Frank." Frank looked a gentle man with dark brown hair and with a few grey hairs, he wore a small pair of glasses and had a little bit of stubble. Frank held out his hand, which Vince shook.

Vince let go and sat on the other sofa facing the window. He shouldn't have bothered as Violet called them all to dinner.

"So Vince, do you have a job?" Emily asked him.

"No, not right now. I'm looking for one though… well soon I will anyway. I've had quite a lot of jobs… a shop keeper, I worked in a record shop for a little while and I was a zoo keeper. I loved being a zoo keeper. We used to sing to the animals… I could even talk to them, my nickname was Mowgli in Flares." Vince smiled. "Howard told me GCSE's weren't important so I left school and went there."

"Who is Howard?"

"Er… well he's… he's my boyfriend? Wow that was weird to say out loud. My boyfriend." Vince couldn't control the massive grin on his face. He hadn't announced that yet really to anybody.

"That's lovely, you must have known each other for a long time?"

"We have worked together for years. The things he's done for me…" Vince began to reminisce. About the Zoo, the shop, the flat, their attempts of being in a band and the other random good times.

"I'm glad you're happy." Said Frank.

"Thank you…" This confused Vince.

"Our son was like you."

"Oh… cool." Vince replied awkwardly. He assumed this was who Violet was talking to him about over breakfast.

"Jake used to dye his hair, paint his nails and had funny little ways." Emily smiled at the way Vince had positioned his food into a smiley face. Vince was suddenly aware of the atmosphere in the room and the over use of the past tense when referring to Jake.

"What happened?" Vince asked quietly, instantly regretting his question.

"In the end… he wasn't very happy. He…" Emily started,

"STOP!" Vince stood up from his chair. All eyes were on him. He already knew what was going to be said. He didn't want this family to have to explain again for the however many time how their son died. Howard found it difficult to describe to people and Vince had survived… so how must they feel.

"Sorry." Vince apologized. "And for your loss."

Vince didn't sit back down again, he headed up to his room.

Sitting down on the bed and looking around the room it made sense that the room belonged to Jake. Vince cursed his little logic. Of course he wouldn't have met Violet's grandson, the one just like him. He had died. Now Vince realized why Violet and Phillip had been so kind and let him stay. They weren't trying to change him into Jake. They wanted to help him and have closure.

There was a knock on the door.

"Vince. I'm sorry." Violet walked in and sat on the bed next to Vince.

"It's fine." Vince meant that. He knew what Violet, Phillip and the rest of their family had been through.

"You are so much like Jake, it just seems that… I'm not sure what it is."

"I'm not Jake though." Vince put his arm around Violet to comfort her. "But I know he was very lucky to have such a wonderful person like you in his life." Vince smiled. Violet tried to smile back.

"But I can't be. If I was then none of this would have happened. He'd still be alive." Violet let a tear fall and Vince wiped it away.

"I had a wonderful person looking after me through all the crap but in the end I felt like a burden and thought it would be better if I went, but I had nowhere to go… so I… well I wanted to stop causing trouble and upsetting people. Jake didn't want to hurt you, he just wanted to help you and do the best for everyone else. No matter how sad it is losing him remember he is happier now and did what he felt would be better for you all."

"He shouldn't have felt like a burden."

"It isn't anybody's fault he felt that way. It was a personal opinion."

"Vince you are an angel." Violet lent over to hug him a lot of pain was removed from Vince's words alone. The hug lasted a while and neither wanted to break it. Vince felt his own tears begin to fall. Maybe after admitting this he could finally put those dark days in the past and focus on the potential of having a wonderful future with Howard. Maybe he could really close the door on that part of his life and accept what he had now, which was Howard, Leroy, Phillip and Violet no matter how little time he had known them. It didn't matter, all that did was that he had made some friends he could go to and have a nice chat with them. Also possibly some lovely cake too.

Violet and Vince came back down from upstairs and decided to serve the cake. After the cake Frank and Emily left but it wasn't on a bad note. They had all apologized to each other before toasting to the future and Jake.

Vince decided to give Howard a call.

"Howard?"

"Vince, hello how are you?" Howard replied.

"Yeah, good. Been a weird afternoon. Anyway it's all good now." Vince truly meant that. He was ok. He felt very happy and sort of like some weight had been lifted off his shoulders from this afternoon alone.

"Well that's nice to hear. How was their family, were they ok?"

"Yeah, lovely people." Vince didn't feel the need to go on about Jake.

"Right well I was wondering if… well I was thinking tomorrow night if… we could go and eat out?" Howard stuttered nervously. Vince laughed a little at his friend and how strange but lovable he was.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" teased Vince playfully.

"Erm… well… you could call it that yes." Howard mumbled sounding embarrassed.

"Well only if you properly say it."

"Ok well erm… Vince would you like to go on a date with me? Tomorrow night? I'd love if you could make it, it would be really nice. But if you can't I understand I just…"

"Of course I will Howard." Vince replied happily interrupting Howard's waffling.

"Right, well then. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll pick you up at 5."

"Ok."

"Good well. Erm… I guess… well this is goodnight."

"Night."

"Goodnight."

Vince knew Howard was about to hang up.

"Look out the window."

"What? Why?"

Howard pulled open the curtain in the front room and peered outside.

"Special delivery for Howard Moon."

Vince was outside the house holding something with a massive grin on his face. Howard quickly hung up. He ran to the door as it swung open Vince handed him something, a slice of cake with a candle in.

"Happy Birthday!"

Howard quickly looked at his watch. 12:01am, it was his birthday.

"Vince!" Howard grinned and felt a rush of emotion, he wanted to cry with happiness.

"Blow the candle out."

Howard did so and Vince cheered loudly before kissing Howard quickly on the lips catching him off guard before running off and waving.

"I love you Howard Moon!" he shouted as he ran.

"I love you too Vince Noir!"