AURTHOR'S NOTES: Just jamming to some Led Zeplin at the moment. Alright, Evanesance is okay, but you guys have to get some good music, some lyrics that actually mean something.

Stairway to Heaven, I Don't Want to Miss a Thing, Tears in Heaven, Amazing Grace, Ohio, Find the Cost of Freedom, Hey Jude, She's Always a Woman to Me, Only the Good Die Young, Dream On, Thick As a Brick, Hymn 43; these are kick-ass songs. Go out and find the classics, people!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own His Dark Materials. I wish I did, butÉ oh well.

DRYADS AND AEROSMITH

"So why exactly did you invite him to dinner?" Hafror asked incredulously.

"I don't know," was Mary's reply as she shook her head in confusion. "It just feltÉright, you know?

Hafror remained silent on her should, pondering the implications. It didn't need to be said that he knew how Mary felt, they both knew that he had felt it too. It wasÉa compulsion, a deep-seated need that suddenly came to surface within them. Hafror didn't like it, he never liked anything that he couldn't comprehend and understand.

"I know, Mary, but I don't understand.

"Nether do I, Hafror, nether do I.

With a sigh, the bird began to fade away from view, as Mary turned her attention to the up coming house.

Pulling into the driveway, Mary was surprised to find Elaine standing alone in the side yard, standing under the branches of a small tree. Mary remembered seeing that tree when she first came to live with the Parry's, just a few months ago. From its bark and leaf pattern, she recognized it as a yew tree. But, unlike when she first came here, it's leaves were brown and shriveled, and many of the branches were bare, their leaves fallen to the ground. It's much to early for Autumn, Mary thought as her brow knitted in confusion. It was then that the answer hit her: the tree was dying. But how could it have degraded so fast?

As Mary got out of the car, she noticed what exactly Elaine was doing. It looked like she was stroking the barkÉ no, not stroking, caressing, more like. Mary knew Elaine was a big gardener, but was she really that into plants?

It wasn't until Mary got closer to her that Mary saw the tears running down Elaine's face. Her eyes held dark rings about them and she looked paler then usual. But it was the eyes them selves that held Mary's attention. They held an unbearable loss. Mary had only ever seen one other pair of eyes like that: Will's. But Elaine had some kind ofÉstability that Will lacked. It was almost as if she was filled with despair, but knew that everything would work out in the end.

"Elaine?" Mary asked as she got closer, "Are you alright?

For a long moment Elaine didn't respond, simply stood there with tears in her eyes, staring up at the sickly leaves.

Then, without turning, Elaine replied, "John gave me this yew seed on the day of our marriage. He said that so long as it continued to grow, I would know that he was safe, and thatÑno matter where he was on earthÑhe would always be by my side.

Mary didn't know how to respond, and thought it best to simply wrap her arms around her friend's shoulders.

A heavy sigh escaped from Elaine's lips, and she closed her eyes as she leaned against the younger woman.

"Come on in, Elaine, let's get you in side.

Elaine simply nodded her head, as Mary lead her towards the door.

The bedroom was a mess, objects thrown about and left where they were dropped, as if the owner no longer cared. And he didn't.

Clothes were piled up in a corner, the bed left unmade. The wastebasket was overflowing with crumpled paper, and the desk was even worse. Sheets were scattered on its surface, various images and sketches on their faces. None were very good, but not for lack of trying. Some were colored in pencil, others done in pen. Many had been partially erased, and most were left incomplete. Sitting against the wall on the floor was the figured of a young man, his head bowed in his folded arms, resting against his bent knees. His face lay hidden under a mop of dark hair, but if he looked up, one would see his face streaked with tears.

A CD case lay on top of the stereo by the desk. In big white letters, the words "Big Ones" were written over a blue and black pattern, and above was stamped a red symbolÑa large "A" within a circle, with spread wings. From the speakers, a powerful blend of sounds were flowing. The crying of the harmonica sounded out in harmony with the passionate striking of an electric guitar. The melody resembled the American style of the Blues, and the lyrics were a testament to the musical roots.

"There was a time

When I was so brokenhearted

Love wasn't much of a friend of mine

The tables have turned - yeah

'Cause me and them ways have parted

That kinda love was the killin' kind.

The voice was that of a man's, but had a husky sort of quality to it that made the distinct impression of long hair and the terms "Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll.

"All I want is someone I can't resist

I know - all I - need to know

By the way I got kissed

"I was cryin' when I met you

Now I'm tryin' to forget you

Your love is sweet misery

I was cryin' just to get you

Now I'm dyin' 'cause I let you

Do what you do down on me

"Now there's not even breathing room

Between pleasure and pain

Yeah you cry when we're makin' love

Must be one and the same

"It's down on me

Yeah, I got to tell you something

It's been on my mind, girl I gotta say

We're partners in crime

You got that certain something

What you do to me takes my breath away

"Now the word out on the street

Is the devil's in your kiss

If our love goes up in flames

That's a fire I can't resist

"I was cryin' when I met you

Now I'm tryin' to forget you

Your love is sweet misery

I was cryin' just to get you

Now I'm dyin' 'cause I let you

Do what you do to me

The reverberating cords of the guitar sound out in a powerful solo, wrenching the heart in their desperate sounds.

'Cause what you got inside

Ain't where your love should stay

Yeah, our love, sweet love, ain't love

'Til you give your heart away

"I was cryin' when I met you

Now I'm tryin' to forget you

Your love is sweet misery

I was cryin' just to get you

Now I'm dyin' just to let you

Do what you do, what you do down on me

Baby, baby, baby

Suddenly, the harmonica's cries ring out stronger than before, and the other instruments mellow to allow the hoarse notes of the silver box to scream out their pain and suffering, love and loss.

"I was cryin' when I met you

Now I'm tryin' to forget you

Your love is sweet misery

I was cryin' when I met you

Now I'm dyin' 'cause I let you

Do what you do down to, down to, down to

"I was cryin' when I met you

Now I'm tryin' to forget you

Your love is sweet misery

The music faded away into silence, as a shadowy paw moved over the volume dial. Suddenly, a knock sounds on the bedroom door. The boy doesn't stir at either sound.

"Will" Kirjava murmurs in his ear.

"Will, I'm coming in," Mary's voice comes from the other side of the door.

The door opens, pushing aside pile of clothes and papers, as it did so, and Mary's figured stood in the threshold. Still, Will doesn't move.

"Dinner's ready, Will.

Will's only reply is an unintelligible mutter.

"Hurry down, before it gets cold," Mary says quietly as she leaves, closing the door behind her.

Will just sits there, unmoving. Softly, yet strongly, Kirjava butts her head against his, forcing it up to face her.

"Will, you need you're strength.

"Yeah, Kir," Will whispers, "I know.

Slowly, Will moves to rise.

The table was silent. The kind of unbearable, oppressing quite of the grave. Mary couldn't take it any more, and decided to force a conversation down the Parrys' throats. Turning to Elaine, Mary said abruptly, "I got my job back, today.

Elaine responded with a smile, though not as large as she the ones she once gave.

"Why, that's wonderful, Mary," she replies in a stained, yet warm voice, "Isn't it, Will?

Will looks up, a sad, forced smile on his lips. It quickly fades away as he returns to stabbing his plate with a fork. "Yea, it is," he mutters.

Hoping for a better reaction, Mary was a little disappointed. But she wasn't going to give up that easily. Besides, she still hadn't told them about tomorrow.

"UmÉ. To celebrate, I kind of invited my boss, Oliver, to dinner tomorrow.

"Oh," a more pronounced smile came to Elaine's lips, "that nice. Where?

"Here, if that's alright," Mary cursed her self; she hadn't thought about the fact that Elaine, and especially Will, might not want a stranger in their house.

"Oh, that's fine, darling, I don't mind. I'm sure Will doesn't either. At this Elaine looked over at her son, to find him glaring at her. His eyes left no doubt to his feeling about the matter.

"Fine, whatever," he says moodily, rising from his seat, "I'm going to bed.

The two women watched him as he leaves the table, his half eaten meal lying forsaken at his place, both sets of eyes shining with worry and love. Mary's was a hurt look of helplessness, while Elaine watched her son with a soft, delectate regret.

"He can't keep doing that," Mary says with a sigh, "He can't stay in his room for the rest of his life, brooding. He was doing so wellÑall things consideredÑa few weeks ago, but now

"Don't worry dear," Elaine said, patting Mary's hand reassuringly, "he's just going through a phase, that's all. I expect he'll perk up again soon, just give him time. He'll come out of this perfectly fine

But Elaine didn't voice the end of that thought, which echoed in her mind, Even if I can't.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: At the moment, all my writing juices are being sucked out for school (I'm taking two creative writing courses). The Bad News: less time and energy to write fan fiction. The Good News: when I'm done, the chapters will be much better, better dialog, better tone, better pacing.

Also, Props to anyone who can name the song from Will's stereo, as well as the group who recorded it (I gave several hints, besides the lyrics).

Please Review! Good, bad, indifferent, whatever.

And who knows how to make the second set of quotes appeare on the site? When I upload, the ending quotation marks just don't appear. And what's with the wierd symbols in place of the dash and elipses? Is it beacuase I have a iMac?