Greetings, avid readers! Before we get started, here are a few shout- outs to my loyal reviewers:

To Night Music: Mina is a tough girl, but she can't get better overnight! And don't worry, she and Jekyll will definitely get to have their kiss. In fact, I think I might take up a whole chapter describing it, because everyone wants to see it so badly!

To Mina: I'm sorry to cut things off when they get interesting, but great cliffhangers are a way to keep people interested in the story. If everything was solved by the end of a chapter, why bother to read the next one?

To Clez: *taking out plushie-sized pajamas for Tom plushie* Here, Tom, put these on! *smiling* They'll make Clez happy!

To Starlight16: Once again, Starlight16 is way too busy to pay attention to what I have to say. Dr. Jekyll tells me she's with her boyfriend somewhere. Dr. Jekyll, tell her I appreciate her compliments very much. By the way, Doctor, you don't have to blush anymore. You have a girlfriend, too!

Anyways, here's the next chapter. When we left off, I think Mina and Jekyll were still in Mina's bedroom.

*

Dr. Jekyll applied some soothing lotion to the swollen glands on Mina's neck, being careful not to irritate the two bruises she had gotten when Dracula had bit into her years ago. "Does that feel better, Mina?

"Yes, a little," Mina said quietly. She sniffled. "I'm so tired of being sick. I'm so tired of being cooped up in bed all day!"

"But Mina, dear, you can't get better overnight," Jekyll soothed her softly.

Mina nodded. "I know, but I'm just so tired of it," she moaned. "May I please get out of bed for just a little while? Maybe being around others will make me feel better."

"No, Mina. You're in no condition to be around others."

Mina began to weep. Jekyll hugged her. "On the other hand," Jekyll considered, "I'm so grateful that being ill hasn't destroyed your passionate spirit. You're still a fighter inside. I guess than that maybe you have enough energy to join us at the breakfast table for a cup of tea," he thought aloud.

Mina wiped her eyes with a handkerchief from her bedside table and nodded. "Oh, please! Just for a few moments!"

Jekyll finally nodded. "All right, then. Just for a few minutes, you may get out of bed for a cup of tea. Come, Mina, dear. We need to dress you appropriately."

Jekyll helped Mina into the thick burgundy bathrobe that Batsie had lent her, and slipped Mina's feet into her own white mink slippers. Mina carefully brushed her hair to look presentable, and put several handkerchiefs into the pocket of her bathrobe, just in case her nose got stuffy.

"I'll hold onto this bottle of cough syrup, just in case you need it," Jekyll told her gently, kissing her cheek.

Mina nodded. "Would you say I looked presentable enough to sit down to breakfast?"

"Mina, you're ill! You have an excuse!"

"But, even if I wasn't. Would I still look okay?"

Jekyll shook his head and laughed. "Mina, Sawyer just got out of bed ten minutes ago. He's still in his pajamas. Of course, you look okay!"

Mina just sniffled and hung onto Jekyll's arm to steady herself as she walked, dizzy from hunger. She hadn't had much of an appetite lately. Jekyll carefully held onto Mina and led her to the dining room, where everyone was still gathered around the table, looking very impatient.

Skinner was reading the newspaper. Sawyer had his head down on the table, and appeared to be sleeping. Batsie and Nemo appeared to be deeply in discussion about something, and McCane was arguing with First Mate Patel about the right way to perform a certain fencing move. No food was set out at the table, except for cups of tea, which had already been finished.

"What's going on? Why isn't anybody eating breakfast?" Jekyll asked, confused.

"There was a small accident in the kitchen, so breakfast has been delayed for an hour," Nemo explained. "We all just decided to sit here and wait." He noticed Mina. "Mina! How do you feel?"

"Well enough to have a cup of tea at the table," Mina smiled quietly.

"Excellent!" announced Skinner, looking over the paper at her. "Come, sit next to me!"

"Thank you, but I'd rather sit by Henry."

"Henry? We're on a first name basis with him, are we?" asked Skinner, hurt and jealous.

"Mr. Skinner, Mina is still unwell, and needs to be under the care of a physician," Batsie said quietly. "Don't make this more difficult that it already is."

Skinner just grumbled. Jekyll mouthed a thank-you to Batsie, who smiled at him. Jekyll helped Mina into a chair next to his own, and then sat down himself. Everybody sat in silence for a few moments. Skinner continued to read the paper.

"Skinner, don't read the newspaper at the table," Sawyer grumbled, his head still down. "It's indecent."

"Says who?"

"My Aunt Polly."

"Enough," Nemo grumbled, from the head of the table. "We don't need you two arguing." There was silence again.

Batsie cleared her throat. All turned to look at her. "Henry," she addressed Dr. Jekyll. "Would you still like to know how an angel was able to marry a common man?"

Jekyll raised his eyebrows. "Yes, actually."

"I would also like to know," added Mina. Everybody agreed.

"Well, it's actually very simple," explained McCane. "Like any other relationship, we met, we dated, and we married. Later, we fell out of love with each other, and we divorced."

"But I had to go through something first," Batsie explained. "You see, there are different types of angels. Some angels spend all of their time in Heaven. Some spend all of their time on Earth. Some divide their time between Heaven and Earth. Up until I met Andre, I was one of that last group. I divided my time between Heaven and Earth."

"When Batsie and I met in London in 1874, and I just fell in love with her personality," McCane explained. "She was so kind and generous, always helping the less fortunate."

"And nobody had seen beyond that before," Batsie admitted. "Andre McCane was the first man I had ever known that had looked beyond my exterior into my heart. By doing that, I definitely knew that this was the man I loved. I knew we were meant to be together, but we couldn't be together. Only angels who work on consistently Earth had the chance to enjoy the pleasures of human beings. To enjoy marriage with a mortal man, I had to change my nature. I became an Earth angel, never again to return to Heaven."

"So, you gave up Paradise to marry a man whom you knew you would outlive?" asked Skinner, his jaw open.

"She sure did," smiled McCane.

"But it was foolish, because the marriage never worked out," pouted Sawyer. "So, you shouldn't have given up Heaven at all!"

"I know," McCane sighed. "You see, we divorced because I fell out of love with Batsie and in love with something else. My work. I became a workaholic, and I was never there for her anymore."

"And like most other married couples, we couldn't live with that," Batsie added. "We had no choice but to divorce. And I had given my solemn word that I would never go back to Heaven, so I was stuck on Earth forever."

"What a shame," said Nemo sadly.

"Not quite," Batsie smiled. "I was able to find myself a new husband."

"Simon Linoge," grumbled McCane.

"But I believe that it worked out for the best," Batsie smiled. "You see, Simon Linoge is an angel too."

"But not the same kind as Batsie," McCane explained in a low voice. "Batsie works for the Lord, for Heaven. Simon Linoge works for somebody else."

There was a strong silence in the room. Finally, Sawyer spoke up. "You married an angel of SATAN?" he shouted.

*

I know this chapter was kind of boring, but I felt it was essential to the story. However, the story isn't over yet. Remember, Jekyll and Mina still need their KISS!!!! And will Mina ever get better, or not?

~ Alisonia