okay, so tomorrow I have a teacher in service day, or buyback day as you would call it. so far, my weekend has been getting better and better. well, I didn't think that I'd be able to update, but you know, I have time to kill, I guess, though I really should start on my algebra thing, but hey? it's due Wednesday and I really don't care right now. it's the weekend, I have the right to relax, right? anyway, for those that love this one and those that don't love this fic so much, here's the update.

disclaimer: as always, none of this is mine except Gary and Lula. and for those who want Christian and Satine together, sorry, but I don't think that that's going to happen any time soon in this fic. sorry to say this, but I'm not a big fan of satine.

"When you return, please tell Evve I send my regards." She got up, wiping her hands on her pants. "And by the way, I want to ask a favor of you, but I want to tell it to both you and Christian. There's a rift being driven between me and Tine." The door clicked shut quietly behind her.

end of recap (a/n: I'll stop blabbing now, seriously, I will)

Satine and Christian returned from their walk, both looking very much refreshed. it was a crisp autumn day and they both looked like they had sprinted back from a mile away. Snow had fallen the night before, but only very lightly.

I guess I can't really call them lovers, now can I? Lula thought sadly. In the back room, she heard some squishing and started to giggle as the two came in.

"What's so funny Lu?" Satine said curiously, wondering why her best friend was bent over double, rolling on the ground laughing and her cousin yelling at her to keep quiet.

"Oh stow it Gary!!!! Tine goes through it at least twice a week!" Lula called to Gary.

There was a thump in the other room and a groan that was unmistakably Gary's. "I'm so honored that I, one of some high ranks and what not that I choose not to remember at the moment, should receive this treatment for the first time ever." Amusement laced sarcasm called back, slightly muffled because of the door. "Now stop laughing."

"No. Besides, you needed it too! I can't believe that you were starting to smell!" Lula screamed before going into another fit of laughter.

Christian shook his head and sat down on the couch. Satine just stood there, in the doorway on the doormat in front of the doorframe just staring. What had happened to the "oh so ever- calm composed- polite -attractive- rich- guy" that was her best friend's cousin?

"Well, Gary, this is a side of you I haven't seen before!" Satine said in a low, almost seductive voice near the door.

"What the he-" came Gary's voice and the door slammed open, smacking Satine right in her lovely face. It wasn't that hard but it was enough to send the ever so frail Sparkling Diamond tumbling into the rolling Lula.

"Oh, Satine! Are you alright?!" both Christian and Lula exclaimed at once.

"I'm alright! Really I'm fine. Thank you anyways." Satine said.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to stand directly in front of open doors?" Gary said sardonically. Lula hadn't put him in a good mood by waking him up and he couldn't get into any really dry clothes because he had left them all on the floor, where there was water.

"Uh, your grace, did you have a bit of an accident?" Lula said, keeping a straight face and cocking one graceful eyebrow up ever so slightly. She motioned towards his pants and Satine's peals of laughter could be heard throughout the building. Lula and Christian joined in, laughing whole- heartedly.

"I knew it. Evve knew it too. I should have stayed in London. I can't believe it. Why? What have I done?!" Gary cried out, exasperated, threw his arms wide in the air and marched back to the room he was staying in.

"Milord, I wouldn't want to go back in there if I were you!" Lula called out, pointing at the open door.

"Fine, so be it. I shall go with Christian, and we shall talk of more civilized matters." Gary said in a snooty British voice, just for play. "Come, come Christian, upsy daisies!"

Gary then proceeded to haul Christian up by his arm and drag him out of Lula's apartment to a nearby park.

"Oh dear, look at the time! I forgot about Harold! He wanted to talk to me today! He said that Christian had a new production in the making." Satine said, gasping as she looked at the clock.

"Well, then, off with you Tine! Go before you lose your job!" the last part was called out mockingly, in which Tine turned around glared, and hurried out to the club.

When Lula was sure that Satine had gone, she sprinted to the park where Gary and Christian were waiting. Well, not quite waiting by the looks of it, Lula thought, smiling as she came up and pounded Gary with a large and very accurate snowball.

Both men were covered in snow, having been in a snow fight. She called to them and they sat on a park bench.

"You're both wondering what's going on, though you Gary already have an idea. Christian, I'm not sure if you're at all aware of this, but Satine is, well, she's." Lula couldn't bring herself to tell Christian that the love of his life was liked another man. Gary read this in her eyes while Christian looked up at her face, wondering what was happening.

"Christian, what she can't say is that Satine, well, this is probably coming from the wrong person, but Satine is, not love I guess, but enamored, with me. My own sweet heart is at home in England, still recovering from her accident." Gary let his pain show on his face as Lula put her hand on each of their shoulders. Both of her small hands were covered by each of their own.

"What I want to talk to you about is about this whole mess." Lula said, quietly. "Gary, it isn't your fault, Christian, I'm so sorry, but just sitting here letting her do this to us, tear us all apart, can't continue. She's not who she was. Believe me Gary she isn't. She's different, more detached I suppose you might say. Am I not correct?"

"I can't believe this. How did it happen? How? Why?" Christian said painfully after a few moments of silence.

"I don't know. I truly don't know. I just want my friend back." Lula said shaking her head. Then something inside of her sparked and she looked directly at Gary. "You said that when you were walking her to her place, she kept falling and then took her 'medication' when we got in. She seemed instantly revived when she came back from the restroom." Gary said.

"Just Face the truth, guys. She's on something." Lula said.