Grim: T'anks for all de reviews… -sarcasm-

Hey, Grimmy, who's writin' this story here!

Grim: I'm only tryin' ta-

NO.

Grim: But-

NO.

Grim: Fi-

NO.

Grim: … -mumbles and drifts away-

:D Thanks for all the reviews everyone:P Yah, new chapter up so soon. You're all thinkin' I'm crazy… well, I got news for you, I AM… NOT... A PICKLED COW!

Irule800- Hoorah! … can't think of anything else to say. xP

Switchback- I hope you're satisfied with the 'soonness' of the next chapter. :D

Grim and Mandy waited in their prison, sleepy from boredom. Once again Mandy found herself leaning against her friend while he occupied the only stop of bare wall. She would have expected it to be uncomfortable to lean against a skeleton, but it was actually quite snug.

Grim yawned, "So, when do you t'ink he'll be comin', mahn?" He directed his question to Nergal Junior, who was sitting on what was most probably his bed.

Grim's question was answered almost immediately as Nergal walked in at that moment, a disappointed look clouding his visage. "Well, I still see no Billy…" He shot a glance in the direction of Mandy and Grim. "You! Tell me where Billy is!"

Mandy shook her head, "How should we know? We've been trapped here, remember?" She crossed her arms.

"Well then, why isn't he here?" Nergal asked, gritting his teeth. Grim opened his mouth, but was side-tracked by Junior's gesturing. Grim raised an eyebrow as Junior pointed to Grim with one hand, then at Mandy with the other. He silently touched his pointer fingers to each other, attempting to remind Grim of the plan.

"Ugh," Grim prepared himself, only to be interrupted by Nergal.

"Perhaps I should be a bit more patient," Nergal paced, then turned to Junior, "hope you're having fun, Junior." He smiled, about to walk out the door.

Junior glanced at Grim and Mandy. 'Oh, I'll be having fun…' he thought, the words written all over his face as he anticipated the embarrassment of admitting their 'love.'

"Wait just a minute," Grim called to Nergal, sighing as the demon turned to face them. Grim glanced at Mandy hesitantly before continuing. "Er, you see, I don't t'ink it's fair for you to be holding us hostage, for, um, you see…" Grim trailed off as Nergal put his hands on his hips impatiently. "Well, uh…"

"Get on with it!" Nergal ushered them, waving a hand. Mandy was trying her best to look convincing for what as about to slip from Grim's dry lips.

Grim swallowed. "You see, uh, tonight was supposed to be… uh… a…" Grim paused, shifting uneasily. "Well, I-er, we…" Grim gestured towards Mandy, "We were gonna go out for… for a romanticnightogether." Grim smiled weakly, and began to break out in a sweat.

Nergal blinked. "What? I'm sorry, I didn't completely understand what you said…" Grim gulped, sensing a bit of cunning in Nergal's voice.

"I said… uh…" Grim was too nervous to say it again, and brushed the sweat off his forehead.

Mandy was slightly shaking beside him, twitching from the tension. "He said we were… going out for… a romantic night together…" Mandy grumbled under her breath, glaring at the ground.

Nergal grinned and said in a sing-song voice, "Still can't here you…"

Grim grabbed Mandy's hand in a sudden burst of anger, "WE WERE GONNA GO OUT FOR A ROMANTIC EVENING TOGETHER BECAUSE WE ARE IN LOVE!" Grim's chest heaved, one eye twitching. Mandy was too uncomfortable and mad at herself for being forced to go along with this to wrench her hand from Grim's grasp.

Nergal gasped, "All this time you two have been in LOVE?" He exclaimed happily, holding his hands together in front of him.

Grim forced a nod, his previous rage being washed away with embarrassment, his face flushing red. Grim let go of Mandy's hand, and she crossed her arms tightly, nearly cutting off the circulation. "Yes," she muttered, staring at Nergal.

The demon suddenly lost his dreamy smile, noticing Junior holding back a laugh. "Hmm… prove it. You can't just merely say it… What if you're trying to trick me?" He smiled deviously.

Mandy twitched slightly. "And how are we to prove-" Mandy was cut off as Grim took her in his arms, embracing her tightly to get this over with.

"Urgh!" Mandy grunted, then spotted Nergal, who was obviously not impressed. She sighed inwardly, inhaling deeply before wrapping her arms around Grim as well, trying to erase the scowl of disgust on her face.

"Dere, are you happy?" Grim asked in an aggravated tone as he released Mandy.

Mandy resisted the urge to brush herself off as Nergal replied. "No, no, no! Anybody could give a simple hug to a STRANGER. No, I need something MORE."

Mandy felt the blood drain from her face as a sinister grin stretched across Nergal's face. Just yesterday she was mad at Grim for suggestion to sleep in the same bed as her, and now she was practically being forced to do something she never imagined would happen.

Grim decided to play dumb… just in case what he thought Nergal was thinking wasn't true. "What do ya mean?" He crossed his arms.

Mandy looked at Grim, wondering what he was up to. Was it not obvious what Nergal was asking of them?

Nergal laughed. "Oh, come now, all I want you to do is KISS. The simplest form to show your eternal compassion for each other!"

Mandy looked around Grim, glaring at Junior. He saw Mandy, shrugging as he grinned toothily.

Grim's face became very hot. He had to KISS that terror? Nothing could be worse than THAT. Except being held captive… Grim sighed quietly. He looked over at Mandy, viewing her with half-opened eyes. Her face was not in his view, being turned to the ground. Her small fists were balled up so tight they were shaking. He lifted an arm and placed it on her shoulder tenderly, feeling the muscles jerk underneath his touch. 'Maybe it wouldn't be so bad…' He thought it with reluctance, attempting to picture what it would go like. He couldn't do it; couldn't even imagine kissing Mandy. But he'd have to do it. The only problem was Mandy. Grim's thumb stroked her shoulder; she didn't seem about to move at all anytime soon.

"I'm BACK!" Billy yelled, running towards the truck. With a dollar clutched tightly in his hand, held above his head. The hyper boy jumped in front of the few people who were still left in line, shoving his money into the ice cream man's face. "Ice cream please!"

The hairy, smelly man took the money, pointing to the now melted ice cream cone Billy had left before as he went to place the buck in his register.

"YAY!" Billy shrieked, shaking his ice cream around merrily, globs of the sticky cool substance splattering everywhere as Billy victoriously walked away from the ice cream truck.

"Mmm!" Billy licked his prize madly, emitting squeals of joy. Most of his treat had melted away already, but he didn't seem to mind. The young boy walked down the street, unaware of the open portal in the ground that he was approaching.

"Whoops!" Billy cried, tripping over an untied shoelace, limbs flailing as he tried to catch himself. Billy hit the ground, his delicious ice cream slipping from his loosened grip.

"NO!" Billy yelled as if he was going through excruciating pain.

Tut tut… poor Billy; gotta feel sorry for the little guy. And look at all that mush I put in there! Some of the things Grim did weren't even in the original story I wrote in the notebook :P I was feelin' sappy today, I guess.