DISCLAIMER: If I was Philip Pullman then I wouldn't be sitting on me arse at me crappy computer writing this.

Authors note:

When I came home from school today (where I do all my fanfiction posting) I had one review for chapter one of this. By the time I come back tomorrow I might have more or I might not but it doesn't bother me because what matters is that I've got at least one person out there reviewing for me. So long as I've got at least one review for a chapter I'll post the next (though more is always good.) Anyway, I've forgotten the name of the person who gave me the review on the last chapter because my memories shot but you know who you are. Hope you got the e-mail I sent you in thanks.

WARNING: THERE IS A REFERENCE TO SOMETHING LESS THAN INNOCENT IN THIS CHAPTER! WARNING! IF YOU DON'T APPRECIATE IT AVOID THE LITTLE SECTION IN THE MIDDLE OF LYRA'S SECTION. THIS IS ONLY A WARNING. PLEASE DO NOT STOP READING

Chapter two; Midsummer Dream

There is a place where everything is done in twos, there is no silence except the friendly silence of companionship, and there is nothing but the care between two work partners. How come we can't develop like this? I feel it is something that needs fixing, or at least changing for the better.

Lyra's world

"Thanks for understanding Davie. I know it must be hard but it's something I have to do for my friend." Lyra had never once used Will's name when she was talking to David, whenever he asked him she said it was too painful to talk about and he accepted that. Ever since their talk a week before when Lyra had told him a story to cover up her mid summers day escape David had been way more understanding. Well, he'd been understanding, but he'd also been slipping into her rooms during the night more often and had once tried to touch her breast, at which she had moved away his hand and stood up, saying something about being very tired and having a big test the next day. He had accepted this excuse, if not a bit unhappily, but Lyra could never have let him touch her there. No-where even slightly private was open to him. She belonged to Will and Will only, and that was the way she wanted to stay. While Will had doubts about them ever seeing each other again Lyra had no such doubts. They would meet again because it was part of her destiny as Eve. While Adam and Eve had been thrown out of paradise for eating the apple Will and Lyra had taken the other path and she was sure this would result in eternal happiness for both of them. Her memories of Will were precious, and she thought back fondly to that time so long ago when she and Will had realised they were in love, and had basked in their new-found realisation.

They were under the big tree, and the moon was out. Will reached out and took her hand in his, his other hand touching her stomach. She understood, and rested her hand on him. Then, as if in slow motion, she moved it down below his pant line. He didn't protest, but moved his own hand down along her hip bone, following the line of it to where it was lost below her skirt. He looked at her, and she nodded, knowing that it was what they both wanted. He moved his hand down below her skirt, exploring, touching, and finding his way. She made a small noise as he touched her down there, but didn't protest and he continued. She moved her hand away from his and unbuttoned his shorts, and he helped her. The moon went behind a cloud and all was dark.

Although faith in the church had pretty much evaporated since Metron had been destroyed and the authority died in the battle of the many worlds (as it had come to be known.) Lyra had faith in the more almighty powers that made the world turn round and placed all her trust in dust and the alethometer.

"I don't really understand why you need to do this but I suppose you have to. I'll pick you up at ten past one outside the Botanical garden and we'll spend the rest of the day together. That'll be fun and then maybe we can go bowling or something. Not that I understand why you say the Botanical Gardens, but it's your choice. If you want to meet in the middle of nowhere then I'm not going to argue."

"Hmm, maybe." Lyra replied. It was eleven o'clock on mid summer's day and she was preparing to go to the place she would sit with Will for the third year in a row. Her and Pan would sit there for the full hour as agreed and if Will was there then maybe they could share some simple words. It was possible if you really thought hard enough, as they had found on previous occasions. Although it took a huge effort to say more than a few words it was enough to say what they needed to.

Lyra arrived on the bench in the botanical garden at five to twelve after walking all the way from Jordan College on her own. She would never get to the garden any other way and she always took the rout her and Will had taken in his world that last day together, even though it meant walking past the gate to the garden and approaching it from the other side. She feared she was late or that he wasn't coming for the first few seconds after she arrived, but as she looked at her watch to check the time (two minutes to twelve) she felt his comforting presence with her. Pan came up beside her and laid his pine marten head on her knee and she stroked his fir gently.

"He's here, I can feel him."

Me too, her I mean.

"Can you sense her when we're not here? I feel you sometimes know more about her than you tell."

I can sometimes, if I need her enough, when I need to talk to her she's always there for me. We're lucky; not many can converse with one in another world. Even to daemons it is unusual but it is a talent we are proud of.

"Does she tell you how Will is? Does he think off me?"

Lyra, you know the answer to that question without even needing to ask. She says he misses you with all his heart. He has found another but he doesn't really love her. His heart and hers will always belong to us.

"And ours to them. You've seen the way me and Will try to contact each other when we're here. Even the slightest of words is enough, but it's not enough at the same time."

I can see that, and Kirjava sees the same thing in Will. Both of you feel a huge amount of pain when you try to converse and we as your daemons feel it too. That's why we spoke with the Angels. They have agreed to bend the rules so that you and Will shall be able to talk today, but on one condition and one condition only.

"What condition?" Lyra asked, her voice filled with hope. "Does Will know too?"

Even as we speak Kirjava is telling Will the same thing in their world. You and Will shall be able to talk from here on mid summers day but there is one thing you must remember before you take the first step and talk together for the first time.

"Go on."

From the second you and Will first speak to each other you will be bound by the powers of the universe. Talking to each other now will unleash a destiny that will be hard but easy and rewarding at the same time.

"What will it be? Nothing could be worse than not being able to talk to him!" Lyra tried desperately hide the excitement in her voice, but she needn't have bothered, from the second he had spoke of contacting Will Pantalaimon had felt her hope and love for Will pouring off her.

I know, and that is why both Kirjava and me promised the angels that you would help them. You will have to go to Farder Coram, John Faa and the other Gyptians so you can collect the knife Gonséither, the dust maker, and use it to find a world in which you and Will can live together in harmony. The Gyptians have kept Gonséither for you for long enough, it is time we took it from their care. Will shall have to re-forge the Subtle Knife and learn to use it without unleashing the Spectres; we will have no such problems because Gonséither is made of pure good.

"But we will return to Will and Kirjava?"

Yes. But there will be one more catch

"What?"

once you and Will are united both knifes will break, they will be useless after their destiny is fulfilled. Do you accept this fate Lyra.

"You know I do, will you show me how to contact Will?"

Yes

"Then what are we waiting for. How can I contact Will?"

Will's World

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you? You know I'll come with you if you want me too."

"Yea, I know. But I just can't let you come. I'm sorry, I really am. I need to do this for Lyra, and who knows, maybe today will be the day she comes."

"You don't honestly believe she will do you?" Lydia smiled at Will awkwardly, not expecting the reply that came.

"Yes." He replied simply. Lydia looked at him questioningly and Will elaborated

"She will come because we're connected. If she is still alive then she'll come some time and I know she's still alive because I would feel it if she wasn't, well, you know, if she'd gone on to the, to what comes next." Hiding his knowledge of the afterlife and what came next was a constant pain to Will but he would never admit to what had really happened, not to anyone but Mary Malone, who Will still saw a lot of.

"Anyway, you do take someone else with you. I've seen you before, walking with that Mary Malone woman one day just before twelve on mid summer's day. You can't say that you let her come with you and not me."

"No, Mary doesn't come with me. She's my auntie and she loved Lyra with all her heart so we come together often to talk about her and what a great loss it is. Mary knows where I go on mid summer but she never asks to come with me. She understands that this is a time for me and Lyra to be close even if we aren't really. I would be lost without Mary but she doesn't come with me."

"It always looks like she does. Where can you leave her that she's not in the middle of know-where when you go off on your own? Wouldn't she get lost?"

"Mary might not seem like a city person to you but when I first started being close to her, when I was thirteen, she was living here in the centre of Oxford. She only got the house in the suburbs when she couldn't cope with the city anymore. She lost a close friend in the area where we lost Lyra, because when she went back a few years later her friend wasn't there anymore. She was really sad over it but the people there told her that she had died happy and that was what mattered. Mary loved that friend to pieces and I think it was as much loosing her as loosing Lyra that upset her and caused her to move. This person was Mary's best friend, and they were like sisters. The Mary you know is nothing like the old Mary." With that Will turned and left the coffee shop, stopping at the door to wave to Lydia.

"See you later yea."

"Yea, see you Will." with that he turned and set off, walking towards the Botanical Gardens where he knew Lyra would be waiting for him on the little stone bench hidden from view by the large trees.

"Can you feel her? She's here isn't she!"

Yes, she's here; her and Pantalaimon were waiting for us when we arrived.

"You sensed them too?"

I always sense Pan. We converse on a regular basis.

"And you never told me?"

There was never any need. Until today, when we decided to tell you of the final part of your destiny, of Lyra's destiny as Eve, and yours as the chosen Adam.

"There's more to come? Oh, I don't know. I guess I hoped we wouldn't have to go through anymore pain."

There will be pain, but there will be joy too. Will this is our final chance. The angels are letting us go back to Lyra and Pan, but we must do one more thing for them before we can.

"What, how could I see Lyra again? What would it take?"

You must re-forge the subtle knife and use it to find your way to a world you can both live in harmony, but first you must talk to Lyra. She has a mission in this too, she must find Gonséither, the dust maker, and she must use it to destroy all and any spectres that come from us using the knife.

"Gonséither? This sounds a bit unreal to me. How can there be more than one Subtle Knife?"

Gonséither is no less or more real than the subtle knife. Each of them is special in their own little way, we are the bearers of the subtle knife and they are the bearers of Gonséither. That is the way things were meant to be from the start.

"I understand." Will spoke calmly although his heart was jumping with the joy of the chance to talk to Lyra again. "How do I talk to Lyra?"

Chapter two done, and thanks again to all and any of you who reviewed the first chapter. You know what to do now, don't you? There's a little purple button to the corner of your screen which should say 'submit review'. Please click it and leave me a nice little note, though Flames are also welcome as it helps me to get my act together. Thanks again to my loyal fans (! I have fans!). love and peace as always, Stargazing Maiden.