Disclaimer: All the characters and all the good stuff in the story aren't mine...they belong to J. K. Rowling and I have no intention of stealing them.
Chapter Eight: Sleepless
It had officially been a week since Lily had slept. She honestly didn't know how she was doing it. She knew that she kept herself occupied for hours on end doing all her homework the night it was assigned and always going overboard. Also she knew that she was doing extra work for each of her classes. She was sure that her weak sleepless potion was helping as well, but still, she didn't know how anyone could go a week without sleeping.
Kira noticed that Lily looked warn down. She knew that Lily stayed up much later than everyone else and that she always woke up the earliest. There was only one way to find out what was wrong.
"Lily! Lily! LILY!"
"What??" asked Lily peeved from lack of sleep and from the constant interruption in her study time.
"Come on! I need to talk to you. Now!" Kira marched her friend up into their empty dorm room and sat her on her bed. "Lily, what's wrong with you? You work too hard. God you're only eleven! Don't you ever sleep?"
"Of course I sleep, everyone sleeps," Lily snapped, not looking at her friend, "besides, I'm fine. And what does it matter anyway how old I am? Some people learn to see what's important earlier in life than others!"
"Lily, NO DON'T TURN YOUR BACK ON ME! I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOTTEN INTO YOU LATELY BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT YOURSELF! YOU'RE FALLING APART. GOD LILY DON'T WALK OUT THAT DOOR! LILY! LILY!" But it was no use, Lily had left not caring to hear what her best friend was saying. "Fine then. I'll see for myself if she sleeps or not. I don't care what it takes, I am going to crack the mystery of Lily Evans."
That night Kira stayed up as long as she could in the common room. Everyone else had long since gone up to bed and there was nothing left for her to work on. It was already well past one and Lily still wasn't making any sign of going to bed soon. Kira finally decided she would feign sleep and headed up to bed as well. She had wanted to say something to Lily, but she knew it wouldn't be worth it as they weren't talking anyway.
Kira looked at her watch again. "3:34:52" She gave a start as she heard the door creak open. Leaving her curtains drawn so Lily couldn't see her she moved as quietly as a mouse towards the edge of her bed so she could make out something of what was going on near Lily. Kira saw Lily's light go on and could very vaguely, through the two curtains and the darkness, make out Lily's shadow moving around on her bed. She watched as Lily sat in her bed obviously writing. ÔBut she's already finished all her homework....maybe Lily keeps a diary!' Kira stayed up the entire night. An hour or so after Lily had come upstairs she had been able to hear faint crying. Around 5:30 Kira watched Lily get out of bed and head into the bathroom for her shower.
Kira got up as well-no use trying to sleep now. ÔWell, at least I know now that Lily does not sleep.'
Lily and Kira were both extremely quiet at breakfast. James, Sirius, Peter, Remus, Cece, Hannah, Jill, Lizzy, Mandy and Emily had all heard Kira shouting at Lily the day before, they all assumed that the two were just angry.
Lily stole a glance at her best friend about halfway through breakfast. Kira looked terrible. She had huge bags under her eyes and she was unusually pale. Lily knew Kira hadn't slept the night before because of three things. One, that was exactly how she had looked after the first night she had gone without sleep-before she had discovered that the charms book from the library held the secret to making her look refreshed. Two, because she knew Kira pretty well by know and she knew that her best friend didn't believe her when she had said that she did sleep-she wasn't a pro with that charm, she was only a first year-and Lily knew Kira would have stayed up to see if she went to sleep. She had known that the night before and had considered sleeping-but she couldn't risk a nightmare. Then she thought she might fake it, but she also knew that she was exhausted and would fall asleep without meaning to. Three, she knew that their "fight" had bothered Kira and that even if the first two weren't true-Kira would have had a hard time sleeping after that.
Lily knew she wouldn't be able to avoid Kira for long-but she was determined to try as much as possible.
Lily spent the majority of the next two weeks with anyone but Kira. If Kira approached she would try to leave. Lily still wasn't sleeping but she still couldn't stop thinking about the nightmares. She had dozed off a few times and each time she did she woke in a cold sweat after having had the nightmare again. She was quickly wearing down and her after the next two weeks her other friends had begun noticing as well.
One night everyone decided to stay up extra late-it was a Friday and they wanted to have some fun. Lily decided she might have more luck avoiding everyone's questions if she went up to her dorm to ignore sleep. How wrong she was.
Kira noticed Lily quietly sneak up the stairs, no one else did. "Well, I'm gunna go to bed then. ÔNight," she announced as she got up and followed Lily's path to their dormitory. When she opened the door she heard muffled sobs. "Lily," whispered Kira exasperatedly. "Lily, I know you're mad at me but can I at least be a shoulder for you to cry on? It sounds like you need it..." Kira said softly as she pushed Lily's curtains back to reveal a very thin shaking child, for that's what Lily truly was, with flaming red hair curled into a ball shaking with sobs.
Lily let off a small sound of some sort that Kira couldn't identify. It was something between a scream, a sob, a groan, and a noise of defeat.
"Lily." Kira looked at her friend as if seeing her for the first time in three weeks. The lively redheaded preteen she had known for a short two months was long since gone. Instead there sat a defeated, frightened, weak, and exhausted child. Kira didn't know what else to do. The realization of what Lily had become scared her too much for her to be able to think clearly. She did the only thing that came to mind. She sat down and wrapped her arms around Lily and held her.
At first Lily flinched at the touch of someone else on her thoughts of Nik racing through her mind. But the touch was more like something her mother would do something filled with love and worry. Lily finally realized that Kira had come into the room and was holding her trying to comfort her. She readjusted and hugged her friend back so her head was on Kira's shoulder as she continued to cry.
They sat like that for half an hour. Kira stroked Lily's hair and muttered things in her ear like "hush" and "shhh" and "I'm here for you." Kira never once asked what was wrong. She wanted to, but she couldn't, she just didn't have the heart to ask.
Lily finally pulled away and dried her eyes. Then in a small and cracking voice she said, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to cry all over you like that...I'm so sooo very sorry..."
"Lily, its not a problem. Lily, did you hear me? I don't mind that's what best friends are for."
Lily gave a weak smile.
"Lily," Kira said sternly, "I'm not going to let you get out of answering this. I know you don't sleep hardly ever-at least not in the last three weeks. Why not?
The small redhead was so exhausted she barely managed to say, "Nightmares," before falling backwards onto her bed.
She had originally passed out. Kira was about to run for help when Lily finally turned over having passed into sleep. So instead, Kira went to sit on her own bed and wonder what nightmares could be so bad they would make an eleven year old decide not to sleep at all...
It was about 20 minutes later that Lily started to shake violently. She began tossing and turning with strength that Kira knew she didn't have. Occasionally she would mutter or groan letting words like "no", "please", and "stop" pass through her mouth filled with fear beyond the like that Kira could ever know.
Kira had run to Lily after calling her name a few times. She began shaking her-desperate to get her to wake up. But it seemed the harder she tried the worse the nightmare became and the less likely Lily seemed to be towards waking up. Kira began to cry and started pleading, "Come on, Lily! Y-you have t-t-to wake up. Lily! Lily! WAKE UP! Please! Oh Lily, I'm sooooo sorry I haven't been there for you....just please...wake up..." Kira knew she wouldn't be able to wake Lily up. Suddenly, after maybe ten minutes of thrashing Lily stopped moving. Kira's eyes grew wide. She couldn't hear Lily breathing. She didn't wait any longer. She ran down to the common room.
The common room was empty except for all the other first years. Kira just realized she was crying. "James! James!
"Are you okay, Kira?" asked Hannah, her voice full of concern.
Kira didn't seem to hear her. She didn't hear James ask what was wrong either. But somehow she managed to say "Lily...
James stood up and walked over to her, no one else knew where Lily was or what happened. They didn't even know that she hadn't slept in three weeks. James grabbed a hold of Kira's upper arms very firmly. "Kira, what happened? Where's Lily? What's wrong? Kira you need to talk to me.
Kira just opened her mouth and closed it-no sound coming out.
James shook her a little. "KIRA! Snap out of it! You need to calm down you need to tell me what's happened!
Kira gave a small nod. She had stopped crying and was in a state of shock. In a soft voice that James, who was a foot away from her could barely hear she said, "Dorm room...nightmares...shaking...thrashing...not breathing...
"Oh God!" James said in an equally quiet voice. "N-n-no-no-not d-d-dea-dead, is s-s-sh-she?
Kira's eyes just grew wide. James snapped. "Sirius, Remus, everyone go get McGonagall. I don't care what it takes tell her it's and emergency and she has to get to the common room right away. Wait, Cece and Hannah stay her and help Kira.
Everyone was worried and stunned and confused but they all did what James told them.
James already knew-from experience-that the girls stairs would turn into a slide if he tried to go up them. Thinking quickly, he realized that the first years girls' dorm was on the same level as the boys'. He also knew there was a ledge that went around the tower just under his window. It wasn't very wide but it would have to do.
James raced up the stairs to the boys dorm and threw the window open. He pulled his wand out and climbed out the window and quickly and carefully as he could. There was barely enough room for his feet of the small ledge. Holding on to the uneven rock protruding from the tower he moved his way over until he came to another window-about halfway around the tower. he jabbed his wand at the window and heard it shatter. He then mustered his strength and pulled himself into the room trying not to look down.
James fell through the window onto the hard stone floor. His head began throbbing and his hands had blood all over them from the jagged edges of the broken windowsill. James didn't bother to fix it as he raced over to the small figure sprawled across one of the beds.
Lily.
She was pale and gaunt. Why hadn't he realized how sick she looked? She was thin too.
He listened for signs of breathing but there were none. James grabbed her wrist and felt for a rhythm. After a bit he felt one-faint and irregular, but there none the less. She wasn't dead. At least, not yet. "Don't think like that, James!" he yelled at himself. "Okay, what to do what to do..." James remembered a muggle book he had read once that had talked about someone who had stopped breathing. What was it they did to force air into them? "Think, James, think...oh yes! Mouth to mouth..." James didn't stop to think about it. He took in a deep breath and bent over Lily. He opened her mouth and breathed into it. Again he did this.
No luck.
He grasped his wand again and pointed it at her. "Enervate!" he shouted remembering what Lily herself had told him-how Ôenervate' was the spell used to wake someone who had been stunned or passed out or something.
Nothing happened.
From below James could hear someone older, much older, inquiring what was going on. Asking what the emergency was. He grabbed Lily so her head was over one arm and her feet over the other. Then he stepped into the hallway and leaned back. The stairs turned into a slide and he held Lily close to him to protect her and the two flew down the steps. McGonagall looked shocked when she saw the petite redhead in the arms of James Potter. "Mr. Potter, explain how you got up there! And what the heavens happened to Miss Evans?
"I dunno, Professor. But she needs help. She," James stopped and looked around he didn't want to scare everyone. He saw the state Kira was in-she wasn't any better, Cece and Hannah hadn't been able to help her in the slightest. Everyone was already so scared. James gulped and said in a barely audible whisper, "she's not breathing...
McGonagall had noticed how quietly he had said it and how he had looked around at everyone else. She nodded and said, rather sternly, "I need you to help me get her to the Hospital wing. Miss Carrins, Miss Green will you please escort Miss Beckavar to the Hospital wing as well?"
The girls nodded, their eyes as wide as dinner plates. Hannah had tears streaming down her face.
The professor and the five students made their way as quickly as possible to the Hospital wing. McGonagall and James were flat out running. James was still carrying Lily-magical stretched couldn't move as fast and they need to go fast. Hannah and Cece fell way behind-helping Kira at a much slower pace.
Madame Pomfrey gave a start when she saw James holding Lily. She pointed to a bed and had a quick word with McGonagall as James put Lily gently on the bed.
"James what happened?" asked Madame Pomfrey.
"I'm not sure. Kira came downstairs crying and shouting my name. The only other thing she said was Lily. I finally got her to tell me what happened but all she said was Ôdorm room...nightmares...shaking...thrashing...not breathing...' I went up there and tried to get her to breathe. I tried mouth to mouth and enervate, but she didn't stir. Then I heard Professor McGonagall so I took Lily downstairs to her.
Madame Pomfrey began scurrying around trying to revive Lily. After about ten minutes, the other three girls walked in and waited until Madame Pomfrey had done everything she could. Well, no, Cece and Hannah waited, but Kira just sat there in a pure shock, no longer aware of where she was or what happened.
Well there's another chapter. Thanks for the reviews...keep reviewing :-P
Sorry about the cliff hanger...I just had to...hopefully there will be another chapter up soon...but please review!
Chapter Eight: Sleepless
It had officially been a week since Lily had slept. She honestly didn't know how she was doing it. She knew that she kept herself occupied for hours on end doing all her homework the night it was assigned and always going overboard. Also she knew that she was doing extra work for each of her classes. She was sure that her weak sleepless potion was helping as well, but still, she didn't know how anyone could go a week without sleeping.
Kira noticed that Lily looked warn down. She knew that Lily stayed up much later than everyone else and that she always woke up the earliest. There was only one way to find out what was wrong.
"Lily! Lily! LILY!"
"What??" asked Lily peeved from lack of sleep and from the constant interruption in her study time.
"Come on! I need to talk to you. Now!" Kira marched her friend up into their empty dorm room and sat her on her bed. "Lily, what's wrong with you? You work too hard. God you're only eleven! Don't you ever sleep?"
"Of course I sleep, everyone sleeps," Lily snapped, not looking at her friend, "besides, I'm fine. And what does it matter anyway how old I am? Some people learn to see what's important earlier in life than others!"
"Lily, NO DON'T TURN YOUR BACK ON ME! I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOTTEN INTO YOU LATELY BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT YOURSELF! YOU'RE FALLING APART. GOD LILY DON'T WALK OUT THAT DOOR! LILY! LILY!" But it was no use, Lily had left not caring to hear what her best friend was saying. "Fine then. I'll see for myself if she sleeps or not. I don't care what it takes, I am going to crack the mystery of Lily Evans."
That night Kira stayed up as long as she could in the common room. Everyone else had long since gone up to bed and there was nothing left for her to work on. It was already well past one and Lily still wasn't making any sign of going to bed soon. Kira finally decided she would feign sleep and headed up to bed as well. She had wanted to say something to Lily, but she knew it wouldn't be worth it as they weren't talking anyway.
Kira looked at her watch again. "3:34:52" She gave a start as she heard the door creak open. Leaving her curtains drawn so Lily couldn't see her she moved as quietly as a mouse towards the edge of her bed so she could make out something of what was going on near Lily. Kira saw Lily's light go on and could very vaguely, through the two curtains and the darkness, make out Lily's shadow moving around on her bed. She watched as Lily sat in her bed obviously writing. ÔBut she's already finished all her homework....maybe Lily keeps a diary!' Kira stayed up the entire night. An hour or so after Lily had come upstairs she had been able to hear faint crying. Around 5:30 Kira watched Lily get out of bed and head into the bathroom for her shower.
Kira got up as well-no use trying to sleep now. ÔWell, at least I know now that Lily does not sleep.'
Lily and Kira were both extremely quiet at breakfast. James, Sirius, Peter, Remus, Cece, Hannah, Jill, Lizzy, Mandy and Emily had all heard Kira shouting at Lily the day before, they all assumed that the two were just angry.
Lily stole a glance at her best friend about halfway through breakfast. Kira looked terrible. She had huge bags under her eyes and she was unusually pale. Lily knew Kira hadn't slept the night before because of three things. One, that was exactly how she had looked after the first night she had gone without sleep-before she had discovered that the charms book from the library held the secret to making her look refreshed. Two, because she knew Kira pretty well by know and she knew that her best friend didn't believe her when she had said that she did sleep-she wasn't a pro with that charm, she was only a first year-and Lily knew Kira would have stayed up to see if she went to sleep. She had known that the night before and had considered sleeping-but she couldn't risk a nightmare. Then she thought she might fake it, but she also knew that she was exhausted and would fall asleep without meaning to. Three, she knew that their "fight" had bothered Kira and that even if the first two weren't true-Kira would have had a hard time sleeping after that.
Lily knew she wouldn't be able to avoid Kira for long-but she was determined to try as much as possible.
Lily spent the majority of the next two weeks with anyone but Kira. If Kira approached she would try to leave. Lily still wasn't sleeping but she still couldn't stop thinking about the nightmares. She had dozed off a few times and each time she did she woke in a cold sweat after having had the nightmare again. She was quickly wearing down and her after the next two weeks her other friends had begun noticing as well.
One night everyone decided to stay up extra late-it was a Friday and they wanted to have some fun. Lily decided she might have more luck avoiding everyone's questions if she went up to her dorm to ignore sleep. How wrong she was.
Kira noticed Lily quietly sneak up the stairs, no one else did. "Well, I'm gunna go to bed then. ÔNight," she announced as she got up and followed Lily's path to their dormitory. When she opened the door she heard muffled sobs. "Lily," whispered Kira exasperatedly. "Lily, I know you're mad at me but can I at least be a shoulder for you to cry on? It sounds like you need it..." Kira said softly as she pushed Lily's curtains back to reveal a very thin shaking child, for that's what Lily truly was, with flaming red hair curled into a ball shaking with sobs.
Lily let off a small sound of some sort that Kira couldn't identify. It was something between a scream, a sob, a groan, and a noise of defeat.
"Lily." Kira looked at her friend as if seeing her for the first time in three weeks. The lively redheaded preteen she had known for a short two months was long since gone. Instead there sat a defeated, frightened, weak, and exhausted child. Kira didn't know what else to do. The realization of what Lily had become scared her too much for her to be able to think clearly. She did the only thing that came to mind. She sat down and wrapped her arms around Lily and held her.
At first Lily flinched at the touch of someone else on her thoughts of Nik racing through her mind. But the touch was more like something her mother would do something filled with love and worry. Lily finally realized that Kira had come into the room and was holding her trying to comfort her. She readjusted and hugged her friend back so her head was on Kira's shoulder as she continued to cry.
They sat like that for half an hour. Kira stroked Lily's hair and muttered things in her ear like "hush" and "shhh" and "I'm here for you." Kira never once asked what was wrong. She wanted to, but she couldn't, she just didn't have the heart to ask.
Lily finally pulled away and dried her eyes. Then in a small and cracking voice she said, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to cry all over you like that...I'm so sooo very sorry..."
"Lily, its not a problem. Lily, did you hear me? I don't mind that's what best friends are for."
Lily gave a weak smile.
"Lily," Kira said sternly, "I'm not going to let you get out of answering this. I know you don't sleep hardly ever-at least not in the last three weeks. Why not?
The small redhead was so exhausted she barely managed to say, "Nightmares," before falling backwards onto her bed.
She had originally passed out. Kira was about to run for help when Lily finally turned over having passed into sleep. So instead, Kira went to sit on her own bed and wonder what nightmares could be so bad they would make an eleven year old decide not to sleep at all...
It was about 20 minutes later that Lily started to shake violently. She began tossing and turning with strength that Kira knew she didn't have. Occasionally she would mutter or groan letting words like "no", "please", and "stop" pass through her mouth filled with fear beyond the like that Kira could ever know.
Kira had run to Lily after calling her name a few times. She began shaking her-desperate to get her to wake up. But it seemed the harder she tried the worse the nightmare became and the less likely Lily seemed to be towards waking up. Kira began to cry and started pleading, "Come on, Lily! Y-you have t-t-to wake up. Lily! Lily! WAKE UP! Please! Oh Lily, I'm sooooo sorry I haven't been there for you....just please...wake up..." Kira knew she wouldn't be able to wake Lily up. Suddenly, after maybe ten minutes of thrashing Lily stopped moving. Kira's eyes grew wide. She couldn't hear Lily breathing. She didn't wait any longer. She ran down to the common room.
The common room was empty except for all the other first years. Kira just realized she was crying. "James! James!
"Are you okay, Kira?" asked Hannah, her voice full of concern.
Kira didn't seem to hear her. She didn't hear James ask what was wrong either. But somehow she managed to say "Lily...
James stood up and walked over to her, no one else knew where Lily was or what happened. They didn't even know that she hadn't slept in three weeks. James grabbed a hold of Kira's upper arms very firmly. "Kira, what happened? Where's Lily? What's wrong? Kira you need to talk to me.
Kira just opened her mouth and closed it-no sound coming out.
James shook her a little. "KIRA! Snap out of it! You need to calm down you need to tell me what's happened!
Kira gave a small nod. She had stopped crying and was in a state of shock. In a soft voice that James, who was a foot away from her could barely hear she said, "Dorm room...nightmares...shaking...thrashing...not breathing...
"Oh God!" James said in an equally quiet voice. "N-n-no-no-not d-d-dea-dead, is s-s-sh-she?
Kira's eyes just grew wide. James snapped. "Sirius, Remus, everyone go get McGonagall. I don't care what it takes tell her it's and emergency and she has to get to the common room right away. Wait, Cece and Hannah stay her and help Kira.
Everyone was worried and stunned and confused but they all did what James told them.
James already knew-from experience-that the girls stairs would turn into a slide if he tried to go up them. Thinking quickly, he realized that the first years girls' dorm was on the same level as the boys'. He also knew there was a ledge that went around the tower just under his window. It wasn't very wide but it would have to do.
James raced up the stairs to the boys dorm and threw the window open. He pulled his wand out and climbed out the window and quickly and carefully as he could. There was barely enough room for his feet of the small ledge. Holding on to the uneven rock protruding from the tower he moved his way over until he came to another window-about halfway around the tower. he jabbed his wand at the window and heard it shatter. He then mustered his strength and pulled himself into the room trying not to look down.
James fell through the window onto the hard stone floor. His head began throbbing and his hands had blood all over them from the jagged edges of the broken windowsill. James didn't bother to fix it as he raced over to the small figure sprawled across one of the beds.
Lily.
She was pale and gaunt. Why hadn't he realized how sick she looked? She was thin too.
He listened for signs of breathing but there were none. James grabbed her wrist and felt for a rhythm. After a bit he felt one-faint and irregular, but there none the less. She wasn't dead. At least, not yet. "Don't think like that, James!" he yelled at himself. "Okay, what to do what to do..." James remembered a muggle book he had read once that had talked about someone who had stopped breathing. What was it they did to force air into them? "Think, James, think...oh yes! Mouth to mouth..." James didn't stop to think about it. He took in a deep breath and bent over Lily. He opened her mouth and breathed into it. Again he did this.
No luck.
He grasped his wand again and pointed it at her. "Enervate!" he shouted remembering what Lily herself had told him-how Ôenervate' was the spell used to wake someone who had been stunned or passed out or something.
Nothing happened.
From below James could hear someone older, much older, inquiring what was going on. Asking what the emergency was. He grabbed Lily so her head was over one arm and her feet over the other. Then he stepped into the hallway and leaned back. The stairs turned into a slide and he held Lily close to him to protect her and the two flew down the steps. McGonagall looked shocked when she saw the petite redhead in the arms of James Potter. "Mr. Potter, explain how you got up there! And what the heavens happened to Miss Evans?
"I dunno, Professor. But she needs help. She," James stopped and looked around he didn't want to scare everyone. He saw the state Kira was in-she wasn't any better, Cece and Hannah hadn't been able to help her in the slightest. Everyone was already so scared. James gulped and said in a barely audible whisper, "she's not breathing...
McGonagall had noticed how quietly he had said it and how he had looked around at everyone else. She nodded and said, rather sternly, "I need you to help me get her to the Hospital wing. Miss Carrins, Miss Green will you please escort Miss Beckavar to the Hospital wing as well?"
The girls nodded, their eyes as wide as dinner plates. Hannah had tears streaming down her face.
The professor and the five students made their way as quickly as possible to the Hospital wing. McGonagall and James were flat out running. James was still carrying Lily-magical stretched couldn't move as fast and they need to go fast. Hannah and Cece fell way behind-helping Kira at a much slower pace.
Madame Pomfrey gave a start when she saw James holding Lily. She pointed to a bed and had a quick word with McGonagall as James put Lily gently on the bed.
"James what happened?" asked Madame Pomfrey.
"I'm not sure. Kira came downstairs crying and shouting my name. The only other thing she said was Lily. I finally got her to tell me what happened but all she said was Ôdorm room...nightmares...shaking...thrashing...not breathing...' I went up there and tried to get her to breathe. I tried mouth to mouth and enervate, but she didn't stir. Then I heard Professor McGonagall so I took Lily downstairs to her.
Madame Pomfrey began scurrying around trying to revive Lily. After about ten minutes, the other three girls walked in and waited until Madame Pomfrey had done everything she could. Well, no, Cece and Hannah waited, but Kira just sat there in a pure shock, no longer aware of where she was or what happened.
Well there's another chapter. Thanks for the reviews...keep reviewing :-P
Sorry about the cliff hanger...I just had to...hopefully there will be another chapter up soon...but please review!