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Chapter five

The food had been eaten, drink had been consumed and darkness had descended upon the cabin. The fire was still burning strong, and all of the 'Titan' group were huddled around it for warmth.

"I wanna do s'more singin'," slurred Roy, haphazardly raising to his feet. Karen pulled him back down and he tumbled onto his butt.

"Can it, carrot-top. You're drunk."

"Am not," protested Roy, folding his arms. Karen laughed, opening another beer and taking a swig from it. Beside her, Vic and Malcolm followed suit. All of them were talking loudly, their chattering vanishing into the night air.

Rachel was curled up on the far side of the fire with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She had wanted to bring a book out with her, but the light was long gone so there seemed little point. She yawned, feeling sleepy next to the crackling fire. Pulling her blanket around herself she gave a small smile as she noticed the foursome now swaying and singing an incoherent version of 'Danny Boy'. Kori and Richard were sat together, looking up at the stars. Rachel's eyes drifted upwards and she noticed how clear they were from here. The constellations could be mapped almost perfectly by the naked eye.

"No emergency fluids for you tonight, huh?"

Rachel turned her head to the side, noticing Gar had sidled over. She wasn't sure where he'd been, but he had vanished for an hour or so. Rachel shrugged. "Everyone here drinks beer. You know how I feel about beer, Logan."

"I do," smiled Gar, sitting next to her and handing her a glass. "That's why I opened the red wine."

Rachel felt a strange hotness in her chest and was glad that it was dark enough to mask the rising colour in her cheeks. "Thanks, Gar."

"Anything for you, apartment wife," joked the young blonde, stretching his legs out. "How are you doing anyway?"

"Good. I was just looking at how clear the skies are here."

"I know, right? You don't realise how polluted the cities are until you come out here."

"Definitely. We couldn't see this from the apartment block's roof, that's for sure."

Gar laughed and shook his head. Taking a sip of his own drink he folded his legs beneath himself and watched the drunken quartet as they tried to sing a rendition of 'Whisky in the Jar'. He snorted. "Goddamn. What are they like?"

"Idiots," smiled Rachel, sipping her wine and leaning closer to the fire to warm herself. "But they're our idiots."

Gar nodded, wincing as they hit a note entirely in the wrong pitch. "Yikes. They'll never win Jump City Idol anytime soon."

"No, I think you're pretty safe in that assumption," smirked Rachel, watching them all collapse into laughter as they forgot the lyrics simultaneously. She looked at Gar in the half-light. What if what Kori had said was true? Maybe she did still have those old feelings for him. But what would that mean to him? Back at school he was clearly not interested. So, there was little to make her think it would be any different now.

She cleared her throat. "Have you been having fun?"

"Oh yeah. It's always good to see everyone," nodded the blond man, turning back to face her. The fire was flickering in his green eyes. "I'm glad you came along this weekend."

"As if I wouldn't," countered Rachel, lightly pouting. "I know I'm not the most sociable person in the world, Gar. But I'd do anything for my friends."

"No one is questioning that, Rach. I was referring to the fact that maybe I sensed you might not wanna spend time with me right now?"

Rachel's eyes widened in surprise. "Why would you think that?"

Gar shook his head, running his hand through his blond hair and sighing deeply. "Come on, Rae. We both know you've been distant this past month."

"So have you," countered the young woman, defensively. Gar fixed her with a long stare.

"Hey, Miss Perceptive. If you haven't noticed, I take my cues from you."

Rachel considered this for a moment, as she sipped her wine. Reflecting on their relationship it was true, she supposed. Shrugging, she gave a small smile. "That's because I'm always right."

Gar let out a loud laugh, shoving her gently with his elbow. "Is that a fact?"

"Yes," smiled Rachel, throwing the blanket down behind her and lying back to look up at the sky. She rested the wine glass next to her head and folded her arms behind her. The noise seemed quieter somehow from down there. Gar looked at her in a puzzled way.

"What are you doing, crazy lady?"

"Lying down," replied Rachel, dryly. "What's the matter, Logan? Afraid of a little dirt?"

"Pfft, please. I spend more time in dirt than you do," protested Gar, objectionably. He folded his arms and glared at her jestingly. Rachel smiled and closed her eyes.

"That's because you're a messy swine."

"Hey!"

"What? It's true. I clean up the flat, remember?"

Gar rolled his eyes and lay down next to her defeatedly. "Alright, we'll do it your way, Rae-Rae."

Rachel laughed as his blond curls landed next to her head. She tried not to think about his close proximity as they looked at the twinkling sky. "So where were you anyway?"

"What do you mean?"

"You vanished for a while."

"Oh," replied Gar, hesitating for a moment. "I had to take a phone call. It was just work, no big deal."

Rachel looked at him sidelong, her blue eyes narrowed. Something about the way he'd spoken told her he was lying but she didn't want to press it when they seemed to be getting along for the first time in weeks. She looked back at the stars. "Hmm. No rest for the wicked."

"Ain't that the truth."

"SARAH!" came a yell, that caused the two to look over towards Victor. He had his arms open and was tottering towards the young woman, trying to plant a big kiss on her mouth. She shoved him backwards, laughing at his state.

"You're drunk, Stone."

"And you're pretty. Come and sing with us!"

Rachel snorted with laughter. "Well, they do say love is blind."

Garfield snickered as Sarah tried to guide her intoxicated beau towards the fireside so he could sit down again. It was no mean feat considering their difference in size and stature. Eventually she half lowered him, half dropped him next to Roy who proceeded to giggle uncontrollably at the situation. Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Suddenly I'm glad we're on this side of the fire. Poor Sarah."

"Ah, she can take it," muttered Gar, dismissively. He folded his arms behind his head and looked back up at the sky. "Hey look, there's Orion's belt."

Rachel followed his eyeline and saw the constellation twinkling back at her. She nodded. "So it is."

There was a silence as they both contemplated the beauty of nature. It was quiet there, compared to the bustling life they were used to, and they drifted into a mindful state. The buzzing of their friends seemed to fade away somehow into the stillness they felt inside.

"It's quiet out here," Rachel said, eventually. Gar turned to look at her, a small smile on his face. She blinked, pensively. "I like it."

"Yeah. We should come back sometime. You know, when the flat gets too much."

"Right," laughed Rachel, a funny thought suddenly occurring to her. "Or Wilson tips me over the edge and I go on a murderous killing spree."

Gar pointed to a hedgerow down the hill. "Don't panic, babe. We can hide the bodies there."

Rachel started to laugh harder, tears forming in her eyes as he continued.

"Hey, there's plenty of bathrooms so we can wash your clothes. You can clean up and freshen up your murder weapons," the young man stated, his voice wavering slightly as he tried to stay serious. "Buy some time 'til the cops show up and we make good our escape, action movie style."

The tears were rolling down the brunette's face. She sniffed, trying to calm herself until nothing but a smile remained. "Oh, and you would help me, would you, Gar? You'd give up your freedom for my homicidal rampage?"

Gar rolled onto his elbow, propping his head up on his arm. "Are you kidding? Of course not. I'd rat you out as soon as the cops caught up to us and make out like you forced me to do it. I like you but I'm not doing time for you, Roth."

Rachel spluttered again, giving him a shove and turning on her own side to face him. Her face rested on her arm and she coiled into the foetal position. Silence lulled back over them. Except this time, they weren't looking at the sky, they were looking at each other. In the flickering light, she could see the green eyes she knew so well staring back at her. He still had that light smile on his face, and he looked like he was trying to work something out in his mind. Rachel smiled back, feeling inquisitive. "What?"

"Nothing," replied Gar, appearing suddenly unsure and shy. He ran his hand through his hair nervously. "It's just that..."

It was as though the words jammed in his throat. Rachel felt her heart picking up pace. That strange atmosphere was descending over them again. She swallowed, her nerves starting to jar. But she needed to know. The words she'd shared with Kori were resonating in her mind. "Tell me."

"Rachel, I want to ask you something. But I'm scared of how you'll react if I do."

"Of how I'll react?" parroted Rachel, her blue eyes searching his for an answer. "What do you mean?"

"I'm worried that things will become strange again. That you'll make yourself distant. That's not my goal here."

Rachel bit her lip. She knew that it was going to be something important, and already every inch of her was pressing to run. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Alright, here's the deal. You can say or do whatever you need to tonight. I promise not to disappear. But after this evening then if I don't want to talk about it again you have to promise me that we won't. Deal?"

"Okay," nodded Gar, considering her words. "Anything I want?"

"Anything."

"Okay, well firstly you know how I said I enjoyed that tofu casserole you made? I may have exaggerated—"

"Gar!"

"Alright, alright. I wanted to ask you something about...about that night."

Rachel knew instantly which night he was referring to. But she needed to buy time. As much time as she could to think. "What night?"

"The night that we...that things went a bit weird between us? After you told me about Wilson and the brat brigade," pressed Gar, gently. Rachel nodded, her heart almost in her throat. She was afraid to speak or move in case she broke her promise and jumped into the fire in a blind panic.

"I want to know what was going on for you," asked Gar, bravely. "Something was different about you; you were acting like you wanted to..."

The blond paused, biting his lip and looking away. He suddenly became interested in the fibres of the cheap blanket and wouldn't budge another inch. Rachel blinked rapidly, unsure what to do. She swallowed again, finding her words at last.

"Wanted to what?"

"Maybe I'm going crazy, Rach. You can tell me if I am, and I promise I'll never mention it again," reassured Gar, still staring at the blanket unblinkingly. "But it felt like maybe you wanted to kiss me that night."

Rachel felt her walls cracking under the pressure of the emotion she was holding back in that moment. She let out a noise that resembled a squeak, causing Gar's eyes to shift upwards in surprise. She placed her hand over her mouth, eyes wide in astonishment.

"Did that sound come out of you?" he asked, clearly trying to lighten the atmosphere. Rachel nodded her head, her hand still firmly clasped over her mouth. She didn't make any attempt to remove it, but instead sat looking at him feeling panicked. She was like a rabbit in headlights, frozen to the spot. Gar motioned towards her, going to remove her hand gently.

"Rae..."

Rachel shook her head and moved back a little, shrinking from his reach. She could feel tears coming to her eyes. The buzz of her other friend's laughter was ringing all around them. Shame was pouring from her heart and her mind. Garfield looked at her sorrowfully, realising she wasn't about to remove her hand and speak to him. He took a deep breath and then exhaled.

"Fine, we'll just do yes or no then."

Rachel blinked at him, unsure what he meant. Garfield placed his hand lightly on her arm, as he moved it each direction to show her. "Show me yes or no. You don't have to say it out loud if you don't want to. Will you answer my question like this?"

There was a pause as Rachel processed the request. She could feel her emotions bubbling inside of her. This wasn't what she was expecting. She wasn't prepared for this. And yet...

...part of her wanted to tell him. She wanted to believe that there was a small chance that maybe he felt the same way. What was next she had no clue, but she wasn't allowing herself to think that far ahead. She nodded her head slowly back and forth.

Gar's eyes wrinkled as he smiled. "Okay. I just want a yes or no. Did you want to kiss me that night?"

Pause. It was now or never. Rachel gave the tiniest nod. It was so miniscule that someone sitting a few feet away would have missed it. But Gar saw. He froze for a moment, yet his face didn't give away any emotion. He licked his lips anxiously.

"Is that why you've been distant?"

Nod.

"So, it's not that you don't want to spend time with me then?"

Shake.

"We're still best friends?"

Nod. Gar paused again, his questions seeming to come to an end. He looked a little dumbstruck, as though he was working out what was next in his own mind. "Huh. Somehow I wasn't expecting you to say yes."

Rachel felt her worst fears coming to pass. He didn't expect it. So, it was as she had predicted. He just wanted to be friends all along.

In that moment something snapped inside her. She needed to know. After the weeks of uncertainty, after the days of waiting. The suspense of it all was driving her crazy. Suddenly she pulled her hand away from her own mouth and placed it over his in a swift action. Gar's eyes widened and he looked at her in shock.

Rachel's eyes flickered closed and she took a deep breath. Eventually, she reopened them. Her voice returned to her. "Okay. Your turn."

Gar blinked at her, his eyes seeming to be calm and controlled. He nodded.

"Did you want to kiss me back?"

Pause. Rachel felt her heart hammering in her chest. It was as though the pause lasted a lifetime. She tried to keep her hand still and not move his head for her, though the temptation to shake it in a negative motion was unbearable. Then it happened.

Nod.

Rachel stared at him. She gaped, gawked and goggled. He was looking at her, concern in his eyes. Her hand fell away, landing on the blanket with a thud. She felt panic seeping over her, clutching at her with sharp claws and gnawing at her insides.

"What now?" she whispered, suddenly aware of where they were and who was around them. Her throat felt dry, her eyes blurring as the reality of what they had disclosed hit her. Gar looked equally confused and uncertain.

"Rachel, I—"

"So, who wants to come and play some games?" garbled a loud voice by their feet. Rachel shot up in the air as though she had been hit by an electrical current. Victor looked at her, surprise in his eyes at her reaction.

"Sis? 'Sup?"

"I'm going to bed."

"Rae," protested Gar, sitting up beside her and looking concerned. But Rachel was already on her feet. Victor called after her, but she was already on the move. Somehow, she had stumbled past the two men and made her way back towards the house. She noticed Kori's worried face, but she needed space. She needed to process what had just happened.

It wasn't in her mind. Everything had changed. They had changed. But what that meant, the young woman wasn't sure she was ready to find out.

Rachel paced back and forth in her bedroom. She was uncomfortable inside and out, her head reeling from what had occurred in the garden. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms as if to try and get some warmth inside. But truthfully, she didn't feel cold. Truthfully, she felt stupid.

Stupid to have deluded herself for so long about her feelings for Gar. Stupid to have let herself get pulled into this situation again. Stupid to have nodded when she should have shaken her head. All of this would be over now if she had simply done that from the start. And yet...

Part of her had wanted to know. Part of her was stupid enough to believe there was some sliver of hope that this could work out somehow. She couldn't visualise it, but maybe there was a way that they could be happy. Pausing, the young woman took a seat on her bed. The room was dark, the stars still glittering through the window at her. She lay back, eyes gazing outside, lost in thought.

They got on well enough; he was always there for her in a practical sense. He looked out for her, made sure she felt stable. They laughed a lot; often at Gar's expense, but he didn't seem to mind. They shared passions despite their differences; such as their love of the outdoors or desire to help others. Rachel smiled as she thought about how she felt when they were together in the apartment. She felt like nothing in the world could hurt her anymore. Like she was home.

A real home.

Not like the home she had shared with her father. Not like the home she had shared with Mal. Not even like the homes she had inhabited alone.

No, this home was spiritual as well as physical. He made her feel safe in a way that no one else ever had. He made her feel loved and cherished. Special. Even though she was different. Rachel recognised that Gar always seemed to uphold her differences, not seek to change them. To accept her as she was. He loved her unconditionally. And yet...

A voice in the back of her mind kept on saying the same thing over and over. 'What if we get hurt again. What if we risk what we have for something better and lose everything?'

Losing Gar didn't bear thinking about. Rachel clutched her chest, feeling pain seeping through her. Dramatic though it might seem, she felt it. It was too much to contemplate. A knock on the door broke her thoughts.

She sat upright on the bed, her heart hammering with shock. "W-who is it?"

No reply. Rachel froze, wondering if perhaps she had imagined the sound in her pensive state. Silence enveloped her room for a few moments before the knocking came a second time. Pushing herself to her feet, she ignored the strange twist in her gut and moved towards the door.

"Hello?" she whispered again, feeling fear enveloping her being. She could sense someone was there, yet there was no reply. Her hand shaking slightly, she reached for the doorknob and turned, pulling the door back. Two green eyes stared back at her, and Rachel blinked.

"Gar?"

He seemed immobile somehow, uncertain as to what he was doing. He looked at her blankly for a few beats before gently pushing her into the room and closing the door behind him. Licking his lips anxiously, he looked at her with a serious expression.

"Downstairs, you promised me that I could say or do whatever I needed to tonight and that you wouldn't run," Gar began, his voice slightly husky. Rachel nodded, still dumbfounded that he had followed her. Gar reached up and put his hands onto her shoulders and gave her a stern look. "Do you still mean that?"

Rachel nodded again, feeling as though she had lost her voice. She was trying to work out where he was going with this line of conversation. But Gar didn't want to speak anymore. He pressed his mouth against hers with such fervour that the young woman found herself stumbling back towards the bed at speed. Her feet hit the edge of the base and they both tumbled backwards onto the mattress scrambling for breath. The young man reached back in, recapturing her lips in the kiss. Rachel's eyes were wide as she suddenly acknowledged what was happening.

'Oh my God, I'm kissing Gar.'

Without realising her actions, she snaked her hands around his neck as he shifted his weight onto her. Her eyes flickered shut as she felt his tongue pressing against her lips. She opened her mouth slightly and allowed the kiss to deepen, feeling herself sinking into the moment. It felt so right, so natural. Not like kissing a friend, but like kissing a lover. Rachel gently pulled away, pausing to get her breath. Her heart was hammering so hard she could hear the blood pounding in her ears. Gar leaned back on his elbows and stared down into her eyes. His expression was a mixture between bemusement and pure passion. They looked at each other for a while, both panting and trying to grasp at what was happening. Her fingers twisted in his hair, and he caressed gently down her neck. She shivered, closing her eyes and allowing a small whimper to pass her lips.

"Rae," breathed Gar, his nose brushing hers as she came back to the present moment.

"Gar," she whispered back, nudging his nose with her own and looking at him through half lidded eyes. She could feel the desire radiating off him; it was almost tangible to her somehow. Yet he was tentative.

"What's wrong?" she asked, feeling slightly puzzled by his hesitance. Gar shook his head, a small lopsided smile on his lips.

"Nothing. You're beautiful," he replied, running his fingers gently down her face. "It's just...I don't want to push you into anything."

Rachel paused, considering his words. It was true she had given mixed messages by bolting from the backyard. But his kiss had not only felt wonderful but had also piqued her interest. Everything about this felt so right. What if this was just the way it was meant to be? If she stopped now she would never know.

"You aren't," Rachel replied, firmly. She reached her hand up to graze his cheekbone gently. "I won't run again tonight. I promise."

Gar's eyes examined her, as though he was trying to work out if she was being genuine. There was something behind his expression, as though he wanted to tell her something important. But their desire reignited and took over any further rational thought. Within a moment they had resumed their kiss, entangling themselves in the darkened room.

As sunlight rose over the mountain, the trees were drenched in a pastel hue. The air was cool, breath coming out of the noses of deer in white wisps as they grazed on the dewy ground. Rachel's eyes flickered open and she came into consciousness, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings of the room. Remembering where she was, she stretched her arms out and yawned. There was a warmth behind her, and she paused suddenly, memories of the previous evening pouring into her mind. She shivered, the cool air hitting her arms as she acknowledged the gravity of the situation in which she now found herself. Glancing over her shoulder, reality bit her in the nose.

Gar was in her bed.

Rachel blushed, feeling a sudden shame pouring over her as she realised how out of control she had allowed herself to be last night. Gar was still asleep, his nose wrinkling slightly and a small frown on his face. Rachel looked at him for a few moments, shifting her position to be more comfortable. The movement didn't disturb him, but he did mumble slightly in his sleep. The words were incomprehensible, but it looked as if he was having a strange dream. Rachel listened, but it was as though the words were in a strange language.

'Did he say 'hapana'?' she thought, keeping still and breathing evenly. Another few words slipped out, but they were the same unfamiliar tongue. 'That sounded like tazama and maporomoko ya maji. It sounds like an African language of some kind.'

Rachel was well read, and she considered herself intelligent. But she spoke only two languages fluently; English and Latin. The rest were a mystery to her. She tried to retain the words in her mind. Hapana. Tazama. Maporomoko ya maji. Perhaps she could ask him later. The distraction of his mumbled thoughts vanished from her mind, as she thought again about what had happened between them.

Their relationship had crossed a line, that much she knew for sure. But where did that leave them? Was this just a fling, a re-enactment of what could have happened that other night? Were they just friends who occasionally became lovers?

Or...

Did Gar want more? Did he want it to be exclusive? For them to be together, in a status that was more than friends?

As the questions radiated in her mind, Rachel wasn't certain which option scared her more. Being 'friends with benefits' felt safer in some ways. It didn't bring the emotional baggage, there was no need to worry about complications like jealousy. But it felt clinical, cold. This wasn't some man she had met in a bar. This was her childhood friend. Her best friend in the whole world. This was Garfield Logan. Surely the idea of being friends with benefits was ridiculous in this scenario. Feelings were already there. They were in a relationship already, albeit not a romantic one.

Rachel sighed quietly, feeling no clearer in her mind. Her peculiar gut instinct was to call Garth. She knew it was a kneejerk reaction to prove to herself that she wasn't falling for Gar. But she also knew that it would be a horrible thing to do and her morals wouldn't allow it, no matter how uncomfortable she was. She felt the young man shifting at her side, and his green eyes flickered open. He went through the same process she had; adjusting to his unfamiliar surroundings. But as his eyes landed on hers, he gave a sleepy smile.

"Good morning," he whispered, pulling her closer into a rudimentary hug. Rachel felt there was no option but to reciprocate, wrapping her hand underneath his arm and giving a gentle squeeze. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine," nodded Rachel, feeling strangely comfortable given the abnormal situation in which she found herself. She looked at him sidelong. "You?"

"Surprisingly well considering this is a tiny bed," joked Gar, using his free hand to brush his blond fringe out of his eyes. He looked a little sheepish all of a sudden, as if realising that everything was different. "Um, Rae...about last night..."

"It's okay," shrugged Rachel, looking at him softly. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"I know, but I don't want you to feel uncomfortable," he replied, green eyes full of concern. One of the downsides of him knowing her so well. He knew all of her triggers and wounds from the past. "So, are you okay?"

"I'm...adjusting," replied Rachel, honestly. She knew there was no point in lying to him. He was stubborn enough to pester her for the truth at the best of times. She gave him an uncertain look, asking the question that was on both of their minds. It echoed the previous night but held much more power this time. "What now?"

Gar paused, biting his lower lip in thought. "What do you want?"

"I don't think I can answer that," countered Rachel, absently drumming her fingers on his arm. "It's all a mess in my mind."

"I understand," said Gar, nuzzling his nose into her hair. She knew that he did. The contact gave her a bizarre sense of calm, despite the overfamiliar nature of it. She felt another shudder sliding down her spine, memories of last night flooding her brain. It had been wonderful, so natural and pure. Unlike anything that the young woman had experienced before. The reminiscence brought tears to her eyes, but she pressed them back. There was a small silence, and she could hear the young man's steady breathing matching her own. She shut her eyes, listening to it and trying to centre herself. His voice broke her mindful state. "You know we don't have to do anything right now, Rach. We can just enjoy the weekend with our friends and then talk about it when we get back home."

Home. Would it ever feel the same? Was it a home they shared? Their home? Or were they still flatmates? Pushing the questions to the back of her mind, Rachel screwed her eyes up tighter trying to think about his offer. He was trying to be gentle, to be kind. The uncertainty was driving her crazy, but the thought of knowing what he felt seemed somehow worse. Rachel cursed herself over and over, but it made no difference. As her eyes opened, she was still in the same situation as before. Letting out a deep sigh she turned to look at him.

"Maybe that's best," she agreed, allowing a small smile to pass her lips. "I'm a bit overwhelmed right now."

"I know you are," replied Gar, softly. He bent his arm, fingers gently brushing her hair behind her ear and resting on her cheek. "Rae, nothing has changed. I'm still here for you. I promise to keep my word on last night. You said I had a free pass on saying and doing what I wanted. What happened last night..."

He paused, closing his eyes and shaking his head. As he reopened them, a small wistful, smile was on his face. "It meant a lot to me. You mean a lot to me. If that was all that it was meant to be, I respect you enough to let it go."

Rachel blinked, a warm feeling seeping through her at his words. They were obscure in some ways, but the essence of the fact that he respected her so much made her feel so safe. Even in this position of vulnerability in which she now found herself. "Thank you, Gar."

"Anything for you, Rae. Now let's go get some breakfast."

I was planning to split this chapter into two smaller ones for tension...but I decided to give the readers what they wanted. This isn't the end, but hope you enjoyed anyway.

Review replies:

Golem XIV: I agree – Kori is the best! I always try to put across her more perceptive side in my stories (although of course it's sometimes fun for her little quirky naiveties to be there too) Hope your inner child loved this one too, it certainly was sweet enough, nom nom ;)

AWESOMEROCKSTAR101: Aw, thanks so much! I hope you enjoyed this chapter too :)

Crystal Koneko: Thank you! Hope this chapter didn't disappoint ;)

Azarath Cat: Hooray for Kori! She is always our little matchmaker. Happy holidays to you, lovely Azarath Cat! :)

Mr. Ursine: A 'chalice tale', hmm? I've never heard that before, but I love it! Hopefully this chapter may have sufficed to put you on, but we are far from the end. The chalice tale continues! :)

Miss Geek: I can neither confirm nor deny your assertions (but you may be right), most likely (probably) right... ;)

Kairu-Blackstar: Why thank you, what a lovely review. I also read AUs, normal TT, future, alternate dimension etc. But some people are fussy, so it always pays to make these things clear :) I'd never written a CySar before, thought I would try something new. I'm so glad your enjoying – let me know what you think of this chapter!

banjoist88: Your wish is my command :)

Sanzojoe: Glad you're picking up on the little nuances. You know my writing too well now! :) I try to be true to the comics where possible (tough with an AU but there we go)

Guest: Thank you so much – you're so sweet! Let me know what you think of this chapter too :)