18. All Aboard!

4:47 PM.
Kim welcomed the warmth of William's arms, and her mind went back to when she snuggled next to his sleeping form as the snowstorm raged outside last night. When the wind gusted, the bedroom window made a cracking sound that in some aspects reminded her of her passage through the Resonance Conduit - the wind, and blurs of white rushing past her. It made her draw even closer to him, pulling the afghan around her. His warmth as he slept made her think of the sensations of receiving third-dimension attributes as she raced through the Conduit. Kim did a fast-flash rewind of the events after the cross, and how this event had been so unique from any other.

Though not as dark as that Sunday night when she first emerged through the mirror, the darkness of the bedroom when she turned off the light recalled her to that moment. William didn't freak. In fact, his first reaction when she tried to introduce herself was to faint dead away.

Even the next morning, when he discovered her sleeping just feet away from him, he didn't overreact. He didn't make a spectacle of the fact that Kim Possible was not only in his house, but a physical presence now very similar to him, yet with enough differences to be more than obvious. William didn't treat her as some fantasy that suddenly appeared - he treated her as a guest - an unplanned, but welcome guest. He didn't react with the usual amazement. He didn't ask her to "do some cartoon moves." He didn't ask her to dive off of a chair face-first into the floor and jump up, unhurt. He didn't "ooh and ahh" - from the very moment that he could speak to her, he had asked questions in an attempt to get to know her instead of the way nearly all other Fleshers "accept" and interact when a Celler enters their environment.

From the earliest opportunity, William had done everything in his power to make Kim feel like anything other than entertainment or wonderment - but like being part of his everyday life was as natural as the next day's sunrise.

Kim's mind continued to race, and she could feel the controls slipping from her hands. She wasn't ready to follow Angelica's ever-trusted advice. She did know that she had to break the moment, or be swept away by its rising swift current.

Kim took a step back from William, their arms sliding until their hands met. She looked up at him, her eyes slightly glassy. "Have you given any thought as to what you might feel like for dinner?" she asked, her emotions recovering and reeling in steadily.

"Hmm, I hadn't given it much thought," William replied. "That salad you fixed for lunch was so delicious and so filling, I haven't even thought about food." He thought for a moment - then, "I do have some good fish that I picked up at the market on Sunday. I could bake that with some sort of vegetable--"

"Nonono," Kim interrupted. "The kitchen is mine today." She sidestepped in that direction and extended her arms in a guarding motion.

"Kim, you've done so much today already," he protested. "You know you don't have to do 'work' around here."

"I want to," she returned. "Today...I want to."

William gave her just the slightest hint of an expression of exaspiration.

"Okay, I'll compromise with you," she said. "If you let me cook, I'll keep it simple. No work."

"Hmmm....what?"

"How about...something just perfect for a shivery winter's evening." She put her hand to her stomach. "Something that will keep the fire inside, while Old Man Winter gets his tweak on outside." She then put her finger to her cheek, thinking. "Something like...a nice hot bowl of tomato soup...and a grilled cheese sandwich?"

"Wow," William smiled. "Simple, but right on the mark." He extended his hand, meeting hers with a light slap. "That's a deal. You know where everything is except the soup. That's in the cupboard next to the fridge."

"Cool. I'll start the sandwiches." She turned for the kitchen, but was stopped with William's fingers on her upper arm.

"Kim?" he asked. "Are you okay? You looked a bit...sad just a moment ago."

"No," she replied. "I'm fine. It was just a little...you know," she said, waving her hand.

"Okay. I just wondered," said William. He gave her a warm smile, and she continued into the kitchen.

Almost, she thought, mentally wiping her brow. She slid the griddle out of the cupboard and turned on the heat. She then reached for the bread, opened the fridge for butter, took a knife from the drawer and began coating two slices while waiting for the griddle to heat up. She then remarked to herself that sad was the absolute furthest from how she felt.

William sat in the tall chair on the other side of the nook, watching Kim's actions. She coordinated like a machine, he thought; she didn't have to rush to check if something was burning. She was very deliberate and neat in her motions. She decided on a mix of American an Monterey Jack cheese, placing just the right amount on the bread, then adding the top slice, giving it a small pat. To watch her, one would think she had cooked in this kitchen for years. William had done it for over a year himself, yet still couldn't master creating a meal without leaving some sort of culinary debris behind to clean up afterward. Kim peeked under the sandwiches and turned them to cook the other side. The griddle hissed its intent to that other side as she flipped them gently, the butter spitting against the heated surface. The exposed side looked like it could grace the cover of any cooking magazine, just that shade of inviting golden brown, not even a hint of burning on the edges.

William honored Kim's mock request to stay clear of the kitchen, his capacity relegated to one of cuisinary cop, telling her where a spice or something else could be found. His only contribution to the meal was suggesting serving the soup in glazed earthenware bowls, using shallower bowls as an insulator.

Kim ladled the soup into the bowls and poured the last little bit, using the tip of her finger to capture a drip at the edge of the pot. She edged a spatula under the sandwiches when they were done, sliding them onto small paper plates, to which she added a spoon and set them atop the bowls.

Kim motioned William to his dinner. "I don't think I want to risk carrying both of these at once," she grinned. She then motioned her head to the bedroom. "Feel like more spanking-- errr, backgammon?" she said, trying to hide a giggle.

"Hmph," said William, starting off first down the hallway. "You probably drugged the soup so I'd lose more."

"Now why would I do something like that? Why would I have to do something like that?" she finished, letting a snicker escape.

5:18 PM.
They took their places on the bed, Kim biting into her sandwich, William starting on his soup. The tomato concoction made its presence well-known to William's tongue. "Wow," he exclaimed. "What did you do to the soup? It's got more personality than any tomato soup I ever tasted."

Kim smiled at his approval. "No big," she said. "A hint of garlic, a pinch of paprika, and just a -flash- of chili powder. I'm glad you like it." She picked up her own bowl and let a spoonful slide between her lips, the expected "Mmmmmm" coming forth in return.

"You have yet to cook something I don't like," he said. He then chuckled, "I think I'm getting a small taste of how a Celler views Flesher food."

William had once again committed the error of making a funny while Kim had liquid in her mouth. "Mmm-mMPHTH" She spluttered her mouthful of soup at him, her hand not moving quick enough to stop it. She managed to cover her mouth as she looked at William, a flurry of "hm-hm-hm-hm-hm-hm-hm-hm" behind it. "Go look in the mirror," she giggled as she reached for her napkin.

William went to the bathroom and found his face speckled with red dots. He let out a loud cry of mock shock. "Oh NO! I've got KIM POX!" He heard Kim erupt in laughter at this. He washed his face and glasses, and returned to the bed, sitting a little more at the corner, away from her.

"What??" she asked.

William made his fingers into the sign of a cross, then picked up his spoon and flicked at her, splattering her with drops of soup as well. He pointed, beginning to laugh, barely able to get out, "Kim Poxible."

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" she burst out bending forward, her eyes closed tightly. She raised her head and looked at William's shirt, then her own, both now peppered with tomato spots, and cracked up again. "You-u're infecte-ed," she managed through her laughter, wiping her face.

William responded matter-of-factly, "You're a carrier."

Kim leaned over on her elbow, laughing again. She then brought herself up, the last of her laughter coming out in falsetto. She tried to return to eating.

"There's probably no cure, either," William added.

A serious expression snapped onto Kim's face. "You're right. There is no cure. Forever more, you'll suffer from inferior backgammon skills." She snickered, "And tomato spots."

They finished their meals and started in on the backgammon. Kim won the first game by a fair margin - then lost the second, soundly thrashed by William.

"Ahhh," he commented smugly. "The spanker gets spanked?"

"No Duh," she replied. "The dice were with you that time. I dare you to try that again," she said, determinedly setting up her pieces for another game. He got a triple win, or backgammon, on her.

"This is ferociously bad," she said. She then made the motion of writing. "Note to self - do NOT play William in backgammon when he is suffering from Kim Pox."

"I've never done that to anyone before."

"Even Shego never beat me that bad." Further writing. "Other note to self - do not spice up William's soup." William chuckled in response. "Maybe this isn't Backgammon Night for me," she added. "Or maybe a shower will wash the Kim Pox off of me. Would you mind?"

"Go right ahead," he said. "I'll just be here...sucking on my shirt for a snack."

Kim laughed and went to the hall closet, picking out fresh clothes and popping into the shower. William changed into a dark blue polo shirt with the "M" logo from Meridian.

About 25 minutes later, Kim emerged from the bathroom, brushing out her hair. She was dressed all in white, sweatpants and another of her spaghetti-strap tops - cotton, with a small teddy bear sewn on the upper left chest. She caught William's attention the moment she walked in. "This feels much better," she said, twirling to model the ensemble for him.

Kim sat on the bed, leaning toward William. "I tried some of the makeup while I was in there, too. Tell me what you think."

William was stunned. Kim had applied just the barest hint of blush under each of her cheekbones; a thin wisp of liner on the edge of each eyelid matched the shade of her eyes; and a burgundy-red gloss now coated her upper lip. He didn't think that in this form she could look any more angelic - but it turned out that he underestimated the full impact of her beauty.

William somehow found the composure to contain himself, and said, "Kim, you look super even without makup...but...this is radiant."

Kim blushed, but didn't turn away. Her eyes once again appeared to start to glass over, and she blinked rapidly a couple of times. "Thank you," she cooed. "That's all I needed to hear."

7:10 PM.
Kim then laid back on the bed and looked over at him. "William..." she asked. "Tell me about your parents...what were they like?"

"They were pretty neat," William said. "Dad ran a hardware store...we didn't live in a big town...and Mom was an accountant. I think that's where I got my skill with numbers. I was always playing with her calculator, and later on, I started asking all sorts of questions when she would bring books home to balance."

Kim rested her head on her hand, listening with interest.

"They did just about everything together," he continued. "He taught her golf, and she taught him cooking. I think I actually learned how to cook from him. Mom was always the tough one when it came to punishment. Dad was a little more flexible. Sometimes when Mom would send me to bed without supper for a bad test grade, he would sneak me a plate."

Kim's face slowly grew a smile as he talked.

"Every Saturday night, they would leave me with a babysitter - even when I was 16 - and go into the next town for the weekly dance. They loved to dance. In fact, they were coming home from one on the night they were caught in the blizzard."

Kim leaned up and looked past William at the window. "Worse than this?" she asked, pointing out to the still-swirling snow.

"Much worse," he replied. "Dad had called before they left the dance and told the babysitter they were going to try to make it home, and that he'd pay her extra to sleep over. In the morning, they still weren't there. I called my aunt, and she took the babysitter home in her Jeep...then we came back to the house. The police called two days after that, and told her they had found my parents' car stuck in a snowbank by the side of the road, about 20 miles out of town. They said they just...froze to death."

Kim got a sad expression. "That's awful," she said. "I'm so sorry. Do you still miss them a lot?"

"Sometimes, yeah. But time has helped. After it happened, I missed like three weeks of school. I just couldn't get used to the fact that they were gone. Even when I went back to school, anytime someone mentioned their own parents, I would just about lose it all over again." William fidgeted with the edge of his paper plate as he spoke. "I guess that's the bad thing about having parents...eventually we all lose them. But it's tougher to lose them when you're at a young age."

"I think, even with that, I would have liked to have parents," Kim said.

William thought a moment. "You know," he said, "in a way, I think you could consider Angelica a type of 'parent'."

Kim let that register. "Yeah...yeah, you're right. She was just like a mother when she was helping us with our first cross." She then giggled. "The first time, I was really scared. I didn't want to even try it. She would just keep saying, 'Yeah, you'll love it'...like she wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. The night of the cross, I kept saying I didn't want the Resonance chemical thing all over me. She walked up to me with one hand behind her back...then she suddenly pointed behind me and said 'Look! It's Jonny Quest!' I turned around - and Blammo! I was coated! And off I went." William and Kim laughed softly.

"So when the Cross happens, the Resonance Conduit just...picks you up? Just like that?" William asked.

"Ever watch Star Trek? Same principle," Kim then sat up. "You said your parents danced every weekend."

"Yep - faithfully."

"Do you dance?"

"Well, I do," William said, still picking at the edge of his plate. "But...in here, dancing alone...you know." He made a face.

Kim smiled. "Yeah. You know, William? I don't even know what kind of music you like. You never change the radio from the pop station I found."

"I like some pop," he said. I also like a lot of rock...especially stuff from the late-60's and early 70's - you know - 'acid rock'," he said, holding up his hands and making quotation marks with his fingers.

"Do you have a lot of tapes or CDs?" she asked.

"You know the two cabinets on either side of the TV?"

"Yeah, but I haven't looked in either of them."

"Well, one is full of videotapes. The other one, that the stereo is sitting on, is nothing but tapes and CDs."

Kim took William's hand and jumped from the bed, uttering, "Show me" quickly.

"What about the dishes?" he asked.

"Leave them," she said hurriedly, pulling him down the hallway to the living room. "We'll get 'em later."

7:45 PM.
William pointed to the cabinet to the left of the TV, and sat on the couch. Kim went to the cabinet and pulled open the double doors. She sank slowly to her knees, as if she were worshiping a shrine. Row after row of CDs filled the body of the cabinet, with cassettes lining the doors.

"Wooowww," Kim let out slowly under her breath, gazing over the countless titles. Her fingers slipped down one row, then the next. "William, when I said you rock...I had no idea. You rock in stereo!"

William chuckled. "Quite a few of those belonged to my parents," he said. "I added the pop stuff, and there's some compilation discs I made from MP3s I downlo--"

William was cut short by a loud gasp from Kim. "No WAY," she exclaimed, pulling a cassette quickly from one of the doors, searching the label. "YES!" she shouted. "This was Angelica's all-time favorite song! She was always playing it." She turned to William, holding the cassette in both hands. "...can I??"

"Sure," he replied. "Anything you want. Toss me the remote from on top of the stereo."

She lobbed the remote across the room to William, who turned the receiver on and pressed the "eject" button for the tape deck. Kim slid the tape from the case, putting that on top of the stereo, and dropping the cassette into the deck, pushing the carriage closed. William pushed "play" and bumped the volume a bit. The strains of free-form guitar from Steppenwolf filled the room.

Kim turned to William, raising her voice to talk above the music, her excitement showing in her tone. "Angelica was all about songs that dealt with 'fantasy'," she said. "But this was her favorite." Kim then assumed a stance in front of the stereo; her feet slightly apart, knees barely bent; her hands closed and drawn together at her chest. When the lyrics and beat started, she began to swing her hips back and forth in time with the music.

-I like to dream-
-Yes, yes right between the sound machine-
-On a cloud of sound I drift in the night-
-Anyplace it goes is right-
-Goes far, flies near, to the stars away from here-

Kim then slid her arms over her head, interlocking her fingers and began to swivel her hips while turning in a slow circle, moving in an arc across the floor, a hypnotic joy taking over her expression.

-Well, you don't know what we can find-
-Why don't you come with me little girl - on a Magic Carpet Ride-
-You don't know what we can see-
-Why don't you tell your dreams to me-
-Fantasy can set you free-

William drank in her movements, mesmerized by the natural fluid motion of her body. He could now offer a theory into how the phrase, 'Mad Dog foams at the mouth' might have come to be.

-Close your eyes girl-
-Look inside girl-
-Let the sound take you away-

When the first chorus finished, Kim turned to William and reached for his hand to pull him from the couch, her other hand in that "come hither" motion, in front of her face. William wasn't sure he even had the legs to stand, much less dance. He rose to his feet and picked up on the rhythm, moving with her, remote in hand. "The words, William," she shouted. "Listen to the words!" She continued dancing as the second verse started.

-Last night I held Aladdin's Lamp-
-And so I wished that I could stay-
-Before the thing could answer me-
-Well, someone came and took the lamp away-

Kim reached down to the coffee table, grabbing the candle. "Catch!" she laughed, tossing it to him.

-I looked around-
-a lousy candle was all I found-

The song repeated the chorus and went into the long instrumental passage. Kim continued to gyrate. She moved like living quicksilver, William thought. He tried as best he could to keep up, but could never hope to imitate such moves.

The song finished, and William pushed "stop." Kim stopped, shaking her leg to one side, a wide smile on her face. "I haven't danced like that in forever," she said, switching to shake the other leg. "Put in something else...I feel like more."

William set the tape on top of its case, and searched through the rack of CDs. he pulled out a case marked "Feel Good Mix," and pushed the button to slide out the CD tray. "This is full of MP3s I got from the net," he said, placing the disc onto the tray and pushing it closed. "A lot of it is danceable." He nudged the volume up, now over halfway as the CD loaded. Kim waited with anticipation for the first song. A scream burst from the stereo.

-Everybody dance now-

Kim's expression widened, her teeth now showing. "C & C Music Factory? Danceable?" she said. "That's an understatement. We practice cheers to this!" Her body instantly took motion as the beat started, her shoulders rocking to and fro, her arms at her sides, slowly rising in an arc until they crossed over her head.

-Give me the music-
-Give me the music-

William was barely moving while watching Kim perform a series of sweeping motions with her arms, as if she held a pair of pom-pons, her hair alive and moving like a red streamer.

-jump to the rhythm-
-jump jump to the rhythm jump-

At the last "jump," Kim suddenly crouched with her feet together and sprang into a perfect double back flip, startling William. "Whoa!"

"Ooops," she giggled. "Sorry - I get carried away."

"Carry on," replied William, grinning.

They continued through the song, the music seeming to take Kim where it wished in her spontaneous "routine". Toward the end of the song, Kim offered William her hand. She raised their hands overhead and she twirled three times, falling back to the floor, William catching her just before she hit. She kicked one leg in the air and William, catching on quickly, pulled her swiftly upward, launching her across the room. She landed in a split and threw up her hands as the song ended, William applauding.

She rose to her feet. "Once again, cheerleading enhances my life," she laughed softly.

"Yeah," added William, smiling. Mine too, Kim, he thought ...mine, too.

9:23 PM.
They danced for well over an hour, driven by song after song as each jumped from the speakers, enjoying the atmosphere. They both fell to the couch, spent, giddy from the uplifting mood of the music.

"Whew," said Kim breathlessly, sweeping her hair back. "That was great. I haven't danced like that in a long time."

"Me either," nodded William, trying to decide if he was more out of breath from dancing, or just from watching Kim.

William raised his nose a bit, sniffing the air. "Kim?"

"Yeah?"

"Remember me asking at breakfast the other day about perspiration, and vanilla?"

"Uhhh...yeah..." she said, slightly apprehensive.

He nodded slowly, smiling. "I...think I have my answer."

Kim giggled, then blushed. "Okay...so I sweat vanilla."

"It's a good thing," he said. "It's...ummm...so not gym socks."

Kim smiled. "Angelica would have loved the dancing," she said. "She could dance pretty good herself. She should have been here." Then Kim's expression fell a bit as she remembered the verve of her friend. "She should still be here," she added softly.

William reached over, putting his hand lightly on Kim's shoulder. "I know you miss her," he said. "I do too. I just wish that there would have been something more I could have done to help you that night...something I could have said...but...I've never been good at finding the...'right thing to say' at times like that."

Kim brought her hand up, covering William's. "I'm not sure there was a 'right thing' you could have said right then. But you did something that meant more to me than any words at the time...you were there, William." She looked over at him, A single tear at the corner of her eye. "You were right there...and you held me when I needed it most. I think that did more to help me than words could have. Thank you again for that."

William reached to Kim, capturing her tear on the tip of his finger, his other hand still on her shoulder with hers. "I am here, Kim," he said. "It was only natural. You were hurting so much that night...I couldn't just stand by and watch you hurt. I did the only thing I could think of. I still wish it could have been more...but nothing else seemed right..."

Kim slipped past William's hand, laying her head against him. His hand was now at her other shoulder, his fingers curling gently to her upper arm. "It was just right," she said.

"At my parents' funeral, a lot of people came up to me, trying to say the 'right things'," said William. "They all said they were sorry, and things like 'How are you holding up', or 'You're too young to be without parents' - things that didn't really help or change anything, and I think they knew that. It was almost as if they just felt they were forced to say something. My aunt was different. She held my hand all through the funeral ceremony. She hugged me a lot...and just like you just said, that helped me more than the words did."

"And that's what you did when I was hurting," Kim said. "You didn't try to fluff it over. It was almost as if you knew what I needed most at that moment...and if you didn't, you did what worked the best with you when you were in the same situation." She looked up at him. "And that's why it meant more to me than some 'traditional' consolation would have." She laid her head back against his chest.

9:41 PM.
poof

A brilliant flash filled the room for a split second, which startled both of them. Then - near total darkness. Only the light from the stereo and the hood light over the stove, mostly blocked by the wall of the nook, remained.

They looked at each other, even though it was barely enough light to make out shapes. "Must be a dud," said William. "I only changed that bulb about two weeks ago. There are more in the hall closet."

"It's okay," Kim replied. "My eyes were beginning to bother me a little. I do have an idea, if you want more light." She reached to the coffee table and held up the candle.

"We can use the back of the mirror to catch the wax," said William, searching for the lighter in his pocket. She gave them both to him and he set them on the end table by the phone. Kim leaned over and watched while he lit the candle.

The candle sparked into life, emitting that eerie flame that, to William, still seemed a little unconventional. Their shadows played against the far wall. "Better?" Kim asked.

William set the lighter on the table and turned to look at Kim. His attention was immediately caught by her eyes, each highlighted by the flicker of the candle, seeming to accent the smoothness of her face even more with its soft glow. "Mmm-hmm," he grinned, and they settled to the couch again as before.

"Kim..." started William, "I know this might be a bit touchy...but there's been something on my mind about Angelica..and you."

"Okay," she said softly.

"You said that Cellers don't age...so by that, I'm assuming that you don't..."

"Die?" she finished.

"Yeah."

"That's right. In the Celler environment, we have no age...so there's no 'end', if that's what you mean. I'm not so sure about in the Flesher environment, though. I don't know if we age here or not. A Cross has never really lasted long enough to find out. Why do you ask that?"

"I was just wondering how the rest of the Celler community will deal with it. I know that Angelica wasn't a Celler...but she was very important there, with the Crosses and all. Will they have some sort of service or something?"

"I imagine they will," said Kim. "Yeah, she wasn't a Celler...but she was one of the three who first brought the concept of the Cross to us, as you read in the paper Wade sent." She then sighed quietly. "I'm not sure what will happen. This is the first time I know of that a Cross Agent has died. I would guess that they would hold a funeral wherever it is that the other Cross Agents come from."

"You're not sure where they come from?"

"Not really. They're very secretive with nearly everything about them. They told us just about anything we wanted to know about the Cross, but when it came to other things, they just kind of danced around it. We got used to that, after a while."

William was bracing himself for whatever answer she gave to his next question. "Kim...? Would it...be easier...if you were...there instead of here?"

Kim sat up quickly, turning to face him, looking a bit frightened at what he said. "What do you mean?" she asked slowly. "What...what are you saying, William?" She tried hard not to think that it was his idea or intention. Inside, she fought hard to steady the wheel against the emotional sea she had been battling off and on all day.

"...would it be easier for you to cope with this...if you were to go back?"

Her expression went somewhat blank. "No, William," she said softly, her eyes lowering to the couch. "No...it wouldn't. Whether there or here, there's nothing I could have done to prevent what happened - and there's nothing I can do now to change it. Everyone there knows how I felt about Angelica. She knew very well how I felt. We hung around a lot together...and I never hesitated to tell her how neat it was to know her." She looked at him. "When I look back on what happened that night...and how you dealt with it...I know that here was the best place I could be at that time." She took his hand, adding, "I can't think of anywhere I would rather be. And I don't care if it was a dream, or what it was - the talk Angelica had with me...the things she said...they did a lot to put my mind at ease about what happened. That, and..." she gave his hand a squeeze. "...and what you did just helped what she said make more impact."

Angelica's statement during the dream (?) came back to him-- 'I'll help out there, too. I'll talk to her, same as I'm talking to you.'

"That's something I've been meaning to ask," he said. "I know we both dreamed about the same place...but...what did she say to you?"

Kim gave a small grin. "You first," she said.

"Well...she told me just to be myself..."

"And are you?"

"Yeah," he said, smiling.

"Anything else?"

"...she said that what I was doing was 'exactly right'..."

"And it was," she replied. "In more ways than one. Anything else?"

"More ways than one?" he asked. "How do you mean?"

Kim looked at him for a long moment after that; then she shifted so that she was facing him on the couch with her feet drawn up beside her. She reached for the stereo remote and turned it down a bit, still playing at an audible level. She then set the remote on the coffee table and leaned to him, speaking in a soft tone.

"William," she began, "You know that when a Celler first comes through the Cross, everything is lit up for just the briefest split second - and then it's pitch black." He nodded once. "It's not just the lack of light, though - it's also the darkness of the unknown. We never know how a Cross is going to go until we go there and go through it. After I came through the mirror, the first light I saw was when you relit the candle." She flashed her gaze to the candle, then back to him. She then continued.

"The next light I saw was when I woke up the next morning - and you were there. You weren't huddled in some corner, trying to hide from me. You talked with me...not to me - but with me. You wanted to know about me. And when you said something that wasn't quite right - like the cartoon thing - you didn't just go 'wow'...you actually apologized. From the very start, you've treated me very well - and not just 'me'...but my feelings, too." She paused, turning his palm up, and slipping hers into it.

"You've seen to my every need," she went on. "I was hungry - and you were there, making me eggs and toast for breakfast. When I told you the way to send a Celler back, you did what you could to keep the vial and cap far from each other. When you found out that I wasn't going back right away - you were there, and bought me all those wonderful clothes."

Kim could feel her control begin to slip again as a tear rolled slowly down her cheek. "When I found out about Angelica, it was a very dark moment for me. Darker than the room after the Cross - darker than even the darkest ebony. It hurt. It hurt - and you were there, feeling for me, trying to share and take away my pain. You felt my pain along with me, William...and it touched me...it touched me deeply." Her voice wavered slightly as another tear came.

"Kim," William said, sliding his other hand over hers. "Why are you upset--"

"Shhhh," Kim whispered. "I'm not upset at all. I promise," she smiled through her tears. She paused for a few seconds to collect herself.

As she paused, William's attention was drawn to the stereo as another song started. He recognized it - "The Calling" by Yes. It seemed to be mixed a little louder than the other songs on the disc. William continued looking at Kim - and something inside him tied the group's words and hers together as the voices began:

-Feel the calling of a Miracle-
-In the presence of the Word-
-Now we hold the right to rearrange-
-How the stories can be heard-

William heard the whistle again, louder than it had ever been.

Kim began again, holding his hand tighter. "Things have happened since I arrived here - and through it all, no matter what it was - no matter how dark it was - you were here. You have been my light, William. You held me when I cried...you make me laugh...you've touched me in ways I couldn't have imagined a Celler would even attempt to. You make me feel so special, so...blessed to be here - and then you turn around and do it all over again. You've...you've made me feel as if--" She wiped away tears as more came. "--as if I'm a part of your life...a part that you don't want to be without. Of all the light here, William, you're the brightest and warmest one - you fill me with a warmth I've never felt--" She took his face into her hands...

The locomotive's high-pitched whistle screamed throughout the station, announcing its arrival as it coasted slowly to the platform, its large brass bell pealing; its ample headlamp flooding the area in a bright wash of light. William rose to his feet, taking a firm grasp on his valise. He took one step - and froze. He immediately heard Angelica's words from when she was there:

"you'll get there - either way it comes."

That train had indeed arrived at last, sliding into the station--

--from the other direction.

"William...I love you."

I've said it, thought Kim. I've said it, and I couldn't stop it. It was too close to the surface, and I couldn't hold it in anymore. Oh, no...why isn't he saying anything??

Kim wondered if she should begin to prepare herself to be sent back through the mirror.

William was dumbfounded. He never once stopped to consider that the track runs in both directions, much less that a train would come from the opposite way.

William looked at Kim, her eyes wide and shimmering in the candlelight from her tears. They almost seemed to adopt a slight glow of their own. Her cheeks were streaked with tears. He felt her hands begin to tremble as they held his face.

The stereo sang out as the song went into its second chorus:

-Feel the calling of a Miracle-
-In the presence of the Word-
-Head into the headlights-
-Don't turn from the rain-
-There's a fire raging somewhere near-
-Like a longtime friend who's seen it darker than ebony-

William suddenly felt two hands slap against his back, pushing him toward the passenger coach. Angelica's voice shouted above the noise, "Now, William! Now! ALL ABOARD!!!"

"Kim...I've loved you since the moment we met...even before, if that makes any se--"

He didn't get out the last of his sentence. "Oh-h-h my G-OD," Kim cried out interrupting him, her voice breaking into open weeping as she leaped forward into his embrace, throwing her arms around him tightly.

William was swept into the torrent of Kim's emotion as she held him even tighter, one hand at the back of his head, curling and uncurling in his hair, the other clutching at his back. She kept repeating the words in his ear..."I love you William...I love you...I love you..."

William pulled back, looking at Kim as his hands reached for her face, gently wiping at her tears. "Please don't cry," he said.

"Only if you don't," Kim answered, smiling warmly. Only then did William notice the trails on his own face as she caressed his cheeks.

They took in each other's expressions, eyes searching back and forth, storing memories of the moment.

Then they slowly drew toward each other.

William's first thought was liquid silk as Kim's lips touched to his. Warm, moist, soft liquid vanilla silk flowing against his lips.

Kim took in a slow rush of air as she felt the first contact with Williams lips. Tingles of electricity coursed through her as he returned her kiss.

:::Guardia swings and crushes this one to deep left center! The outfielder is chasing it back to the fence - he jumps at the wall - he can't get it! This one is GONE!:::

She pressed more into him, her hand gliding through the hair over his ear.

They parted slowly, lingeringly, remaining in each other's embrace. They were both still registering the flood of emotion and sensation which overtook them both this evening.

Kim was the first to speak, letting her fingers drift over his jawline. "William," she said, "This happened so fast...and yet it feels...right, you know?" He nodded. "Things might be a little...weird at first. Well, I don't mean weird...I mean...new. I've never been in love with a Flesher."

William smiled and laughed a little. "Well, it's not every day that a woman walks out of my mirror and captures my heart, you know." Kim giggled. "We're both here. We've come this far. We'll deal with whatever comes, as it comes," he said.

"Yeah," she smiled, agreeing.

"When did you know?" asked William. "When were you sure?"

"Space for me," replied Kim.

William laughed softly. "The medicine cabinet?"

"Yeah. That's when I knew that I couldn't deny that you saw me as a part of your life." She then looked a little puzzled. "You said 'even before we met'. When did you know?"

"Number One," he replied.

"What?"

"When you blew the dandilion at Duff Killigan and said 'Make a wish'. I don't know how or why...but that's when I knew."

"Oh!" Kim said, laughing. "The important part is that you knew. And now I know," she said, beaming. She then caught a glimpse out of the back kitchen window. "Look - it stopped snowing."

William brushed his finger lightly over her cheek. "Looks like it stopped raining, too," he said, kissing her upper lip softly.

Kim blushed, smiling. She then leaned forward into his arms. "William?" she purred into his ear. "Make a wish."

"I did," replied William. "Without knowing it, I made a wish--" He slid her back a little to look into her eyes. "--and look what happened."

"Awwww," she blushed again. "Then...do you mind if I make one?"

"By all means," he said.

Kim then leaned over to the end table - and with a puff of breath - blew out the candle.

11:06 PM.
to be continued...