Thanks to all my awesome reviewers! It's almost spring break, so I can get a lot of writing done then.

In this chapter, Kitty goes to dinner with Kevin and tells him about what happened to her (almost-ish). Sounds dull, but something interrupts it…some angst.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kitty or Rebecca or the background ideas of this story; I do, however, own Kevin, the restaurant, and most of the current British government. Haha, I feel powerful.

Table for Two

"Maybe it's good you can't see me,

'Cause tears made us both hurt inside,

But you promised me you'd see me outside the door,

And here I am waiting, not believing you lied…"

-Twisting Again

Kitty fussed with her hair in the mirror; it was a bit odd, seeing it dark again, but the dye looked real enough. She smoothed out the lines in her face for what seemed like the millionth time, knowing they would not disappear. Oh, well…Kevin wouldn't mind.

She checked her watch: it was five-thirty. That gave her a little time to sleep, which was good, because she felt exhausted. Kitty settled down in an armchair by the door and, closing her eyes, fell asleep almost immediately…

She stood in a giant, decorated room with a glass floor. Beneath her feet, she could see the lines of a pentacle…but what was it here for? Kitty saw magicians, some recognizable from the demons' revolt, clustered around the corners, hammering at the doors as though trying to escape. Some were piled upon the floor, looking battered and (with some) strangely disfigured.

There was a sort of ripple in the air above them, and she stayed well away from it.

Looking around, she saw that there was one figure standing: a small boy with a thin, pale face and dark hair. He looked no older than twelve…what was he doing here? A serving boy, perhaps? But then she saw what he held in his hands and knew immediately who and what he was.

Nathaniel walked slowly over to one of the piles of magicians, limping along like a wounded bird, and carefully placed the Amulet of Samarkand in the hands of a man she recognized as Rupert Devereaux. He looked up at her.

Their eyes met for only a moment, and then everything dissolved into thin air…

Kitty's eyes snapped open with a start, and pain lanced out from behind them; she winced, but it vanished as soon as it had come. She wondered for a moment what had woken her, but then she realized it had been the doorbell.

Kitty leapt to her feet and smoothed down her hair, then opened the door. Kevin smiled at her, then took her by the hand and led her downstairs.

"So…what did happen to you to make you look all…you know…?" Kitty laughed.

"Long story, like I said. I was stupid and got involved with demons, and then…"

"What? Come on, you can tell me, driving gets rather boring."

She laughed again, and then stopped, feeling ashamed. What right did she have to be happy after what had happened to Nathaniel? Kevin seemed to notice her sudden silence.

"What's up?"

"Nothing, I…um…hey, look, we're there."

"So we are. Here, I'll just find a place to park…"

When they got inside the restaurant, Kitty felt rather uncomfortable; it was full of people, laughing and joking and talking…would Kevin expect her to do the same?

"Table for two?" said the plump waitress brightly. They nodded. "Follow me, if you please."

They found a candlelit table and sat down, Kitty twisting her hands in her lap. When the waitress brought them the menus, she tried to hide behind hers until Kevin reached over and plucked it out of her hands.

"What's the matter, Kitty? You claustrophobic or what?"

"Nothing," she said, smiling at him. "What are you going to order?"

He frowned for the first time.

"Stop trying to change the subject, Kitty. You're hiding something from me."

"Kevin, I am not!"

"Whatever." He disappeared behind his own menu. "I just wish you would talk to me."

Kitty ordered a salad, then sat quietly after she had eaten it, staring at her fingernails. Kevin, who had seemed so talkative before, seemed to have lost the desire for conversation and was instead staring at her, his brow furrowed. Finally, he spoke up.

"So, what did you do for a year?"

She sighed.

"Worked at the Frog Inn, and as a – a librarian's assistant."

"Spent a lot of time around books?"

"Yes."

"So what does that have to do with demons?"

"Oh, you know. I did some research." Kitty blinked. Was it just her, were the lights quivering?

"And it gave you a few grey hairs? That's a bit illogical."

"I summoned one, all right? And I don't want to talk about it." She felt a familiar sharp pain behind her eyeballs and winced. What was happening? Kitty wasn't asleep…

"Kitty, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Just a headache." God, it was hurting…

"We should probably get home. It's getting late."

"All right."

The entire ride home, Kevin kept glancing at her strangely, as though he half expected her to fall over. It would have been odd had she not been feeling rather light-headed anyway.

When they got to her apartment building, Kevin parked by the sidewalk. They sat for a minute and looked at each other.

"Thanks," she said, wincing as the pain stabbed her eyes again. "I – I had fun."

"Me too." He was still watching her concernedly.

"Well – goodbye. You can phone me if you like." Kitty felt horrible, almost as if she was abandoning him…if only he would stop looking at her like that…

"Okay." She opened the door, smiling faintly at him, and walked a bit unsteadily towards the lobby entrance. Kitty heard the sound of his engine grow fainter as Kevin rounded the corner and was out of sight.

She wandered through the main room and towards the stairs, but she had barely gone ten paces when the pain behind her eyes flared again. Kitty fell to her knees, crying out in pain. Her eyelids fluttered shut…

She saw Nathaniel as he had been when she had saved him, prone against the wall. The golem stood frozen over him, one hand reaching out imploringly. Gladstone's Staff leaned against one of its massive legs and the scroll she had pulled from its mouth lay abandoned on the ground. Bartimaeus was nowhere to be seen…that was odd. This wasn't how it had happened, as far as Kitty could remember.

With a sudden shudder, the golem came to life again, shaking its head as though coming out of a doze. She could feel the intense cold radiating from it again, and the black cloud began to gather once again.

No…no…it was all wrong, she had saved him, she knew she had…

The golem gave a feral roar and lunged towards Nathaniel's unconscious body. There was a flash of blue light and he was nothing but ash.

Kitty cried out in pain…all useless…everything she had ever done was useless…

"Miss Jones!"

She opened her eyes, the pain fading away as if it were only a memory. The apartment manager, Mr. Firkins, was standing over her looking worried.

"My dear girl, are you all right? Should I call a doctor?"

"No." Kitty pushed herself to her feet, feeling her strength returning. What was that that she had just seen? And why had it happened without her falling asleep? "Thank-you, Mr. Firkin, I – just felt a little light-headed for a moment there."

"Are you sure? I can -"

"I'm fine." To prove it, Kitty turned back to the stairs and ran up them two at a time, wanting more than anything to just go home and sleep…

She reached her apartment door and turned the key in the lock. Kitty closed the door sharply behind her and leaned against, breathing hard as the terror she had felt coursed through her body. Why was she having these – these visions? And why did they all show her Nathaniel in danger?

He's dead, she told herself silently. He's dead, and there's nothing you can do to save him anymore.

So why did she feel so uneasy?

Oooo…darkness…please review! Next chapter next weekend!