p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"Alice span style="color: #c4bc96;"ended up coming out of this whole thing alright./span Jess was good on a broom, as it turned out, and got Alice to the medical wing just in time, although there were some scars that they'd never get to fade./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"Guess some things will never be the same, no matter how hard you try fix them./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"They tried Willow as an adult. Her trial was expedited and she was given a 50 year sentence. It was... Incredibly difficult to watch. And the guilt I felt was immeasurable. Maybe she did some awful things but, dammit, that was my best friend and... And I span style="color: #c4bc96;"span style="font-family: Bahnschrift, serif;"span style="font-size: small;"span lang="en-ZA"guess I made some promises I couldn't keep./span/span/span/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I tried to write to her, but I have no idea if any of my letters ever reached her. Maybe she span style="color: #c4bc96;"didn't even/span get the opportunity to write back./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"The Ministry Of Magic, under Rufus Scrimegour, managed to help Hogwarts to see the year through. Us seventh years graduated, and the rest moved on. The atmosphere at the school was one filled with anxiety, paranoia and fear./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"But for the time being... We made it./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"We knew that this time, it was different. Plenty of kids knew that span style="color: #c4bc96;"next semester /spanthey weren't returning to Hogwarts. The one wizard who could stand up to The Dark Lord was dead./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"And nowhere was safe any more./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"So that was it. I graduated, and my best friend was in prison, and I was alone in the world. The house in Sheffield was still under my name. I was now 18, and legally, it was mine. Honestly, I just wanted to sell it as fast as possible./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"Imagine. Me, alone in this big house. The house where my parents died. I can't imagine anything worse./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I'd returned there, but almost as soon as I put my bags down, I left. I just needed to go somewhere else. Anywhere else. It just didn't feel like home and I wasn't ready to go in./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"Apparating somewhere, anywhere, I found myself in Diagon Alley./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"It was a dark, hollow husk of itself. The sky above even seemed greyer./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I shoved my hands in my pockets, and began to walk down past the shops. There weren't any people this time of night, just the occasional straggler. Some clerks closing shop for the night./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I found myself going past Borgin and Burkes, and guess who was bumming around./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"Draco Malfoy./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"And here I thought that I might be lucky enough to be rid of span style="color: #c4bc96;"him/span. Guess there were still a few surprises in store for me./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Figures I'd span style="color: #c4bc96;"find /spanthe likes of you skulking around." He said, but… Not in the arrogant teasing manner I'd grown accustomed to. There were dark rings under his eyes, there was a solemnity to his face. A hollow shell of a Malfoy stood in front of me, and I could barely manage the enthusiasm to retort./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Could say the same about you." I half-heartedly laughed./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""I just didn't really feel like being in the house right now." A scowl grew on his face./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Weirdly enough, I know exactly how you feel. span style="color: #c4bc96;"It's like/span the house isn't home any more, you know?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Like it's not even the same place." He sighed./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Heard some nasty rumours about you, Malfoy. That you'd gone over, joined them. That you helped them get into the castle." I prodded./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Believe whatever you want, I don't really care. But know you'll have to pick a side. There's war coming. I don't plan on dying for Dumbledore's ideals. Look where that got him." Draco said./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""It does not seems particularly profitable to join either side. One group of people hate me, the other wants to use me. Doing the right thing seems like a quick way to get myself staked, and doing the wrong thing… Well, it's the wrong thing, you know? End up like Dumbledore or become another Death Eater under Voldemort's thumb."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Go off on your own, then. You don't owe anyone anything, do you? My father tangled us up in his mess, with The Dark Lord. I don't particularly have a choice in sides, you know? If I were you… I'd go find somewhere far from everyone and everything and let the lot of them kill each other."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Hah, half a year ago I might have laughed in your face if you tried to give me life advice. Guess everthing is different now. And I guess... Well... Thanks. Thanks for… I dunno, not being a total git? Which makes me more worried than anything, are you doing okay?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Doesn't really matter how I'm doing. I'm one of them now. A servant of The Dark Lord. Speaking of, I should get back. I won't hear the end of it from my mother if I dawdle."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Good luck. Hey, Draco?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Yeah?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""I really hope we don't ever have to raise our wands against each other. You've been nothing but a prick to me and span style="color: #c4bc96;"snogging you half naked in the forest was a real low point for me/span but… I still don't want to fight you."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""That's up to you now, isn't it? But then again, you've always been soft, Ravenway. How many times have you threatened me? How many times have you walked those halls, scowl on your face, pretending to be ready to bite anyone and everyone, only to rush to save the first little fourth year you caught in trouble? You and Potter are both soft."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""span style="color: #c4bc96;"I guess you're right/span."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""For a vampire, you sure are all bark and no bite."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Was that a joke? Oh, gods below, it must be worse than I thought."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Is how it is. See you around. Or rather, hope I don't."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Hope we see each other on the other side of the war." I said./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"He walked away, and I decided to apparate back home./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"It still felt like my parent's house. Their furniture, their photos, their clothes in the cupboard, their sheets on the bed, their cutlery in the drawers. Mom's magazines, dad's ship in a bottle in the study. Mom's Beetle in the garage, dad's Nissan./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I went up to my bedroom. I laid there for a while, bag still packed, not sure what to make of myself./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I half began to fantasize about breaking Willow out of span style="color: #c4bc96;"Azkaban/span. We could go to Prague, or Toronto, or New York, or Moscow. Start a life away from everything./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"There was a knock on the door./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I got up, thinking nothing of it at first, but then my hand went to my wand, almost instinctually./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I held it at the ready, then peered through the peephole./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"Britney stood sheepishly on the other side. I opened the door, and there she stood. She was by herself./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Hey." She said./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Hi." I responded./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Figured someone should check up on you." She said./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""I'm fine." I lied./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Okay. But if you weren't, I mean… I talked it over with Alice and Jess, and let me tell you, I had to do a lot of apologizing and promises to change. But we had plans to rent a three bedroom apartment, but… There's a four bedroom house that's cheaper. And we don't really know what to do with the fourth room so… It's yours, if you want it. If this house is too… Empty, or whatever."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""That's… Really nice. You are being nice to me."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Not-enemies, yeah?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Not-enemies, yeah, it was my idea. Still, we're even. I didn't get you expelled, you saved me from the death eaters. span style="color: #c4bc96;"You don't/span owe me anything."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""But then you saved me from Willow. So like, I guess we aren't really square. But even if I wasn't, look… I… I'm sorry. Willow was right, I made your life miserable and that wasn't okay. I don't… I don't like that version of myself. I don't want to be the person who hurt you that night in the forest. There was a moment when… When she seemed so damn happy that she was going to kill me. Not out of like, enjoying killing or something, but because it was me. Because I'd… Because I'd been such a bitch to you all these years. Guess… Guess I thought I was fighting a monster but I'd become something of a monster myself, along the way."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Don't call me a monster."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""No, no, that's not what I meant, I… Look, you don't have to give me an answer right now. But the room is yours, if you want it. I want to… Make amends. That's it, sorry, I didn't mean to call you… That."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""I… Will think about it."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Okay. Yeah. Good, that's good. Let me know."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""How did you know where I live, anyway?" I asked./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Professor McGonagall. I asked her and after a long lecture I finally managed to get a word in. She didn't think you'd feel particularly inclined to accept but I guess… It was worth a try."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Didn't think there was still anyone looking out for me."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""She's worried about you, you know? Guess a lot of Dumbledore's responsibilities fell to her when he… You know. You were one of those responsibilities. At least, that's what she told me."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""I… I miss him. The old codger was always lecturing me but… God, what I'd do to hear him lecture me now."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""We lost a great wizard, and teacher."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Yeah, we did."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""So, like… Jess and Alice are really okay with this?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Yeah. They are."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""And you're okay with this too?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Yeah."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""And it wouldn't be weird?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Can't promise that it won't but… We'll try our best."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Sigh, I guess… Yeah, okay. If it's cool with you guys and if it won't be too weird, I could room with you."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Oh, uh, well, great."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Yeah, okay. Cool."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Uhm, well, I guess… We can move some stuff over. Now. If you like."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Yeah, okay."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""So, yeah, just… Take my hand."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I put my hand in Britney's and the world spun and changed around us./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"span style="color: #c4bc96;"Truth be told I couldn't wait to get away. And maybe this was the start of something new, /span a new story. There was darkness ahead of us, for sure, but there was also light, maybe some new people I could depend on. I knew in my heart of hearts that none of this would be okay until I got my best friend out but... I was just so glad not to be alone./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"span style="color: #c4bc96;"One of these days I hope I get to tell you more. /spanHopefully we don't remain strangers to each other. Times are tough, our enemies are numerous and our friends are few./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"Until then, keep your chin up, your eyes open and your mind sharp./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"There are larger fangs than mine lurking in the dark./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"Guess some things will never be the same, no matter how hard you try fix them./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"They tried Willow as an adult. Her trial was expedited and she was given a 50 year sentence. It was... Incredibly difficult to watch. And the guilt I felt was immeasurable. Maybe she did some awful things but, dammit, that was my best friend and... And I span style="color: #c4bc96;"span style="font-family: Bahnschrift, serif;"span style="font-size: small;"span lang="en-ZA"guess I made some promises I couldn't keep./span/span/span/span/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I tried to write to her, but I have no idea if any of my letters ever reached her. Maybe she span style="color: #c4bc96;"didn't even/span get the opportunity to write back./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"The Ministry Of Magic, under Rufus Scrimegour, managed to help Hogwarts to see the year through. Us seventh years graduated, and the rest moved on. The atmosphere at the school was one filled with anxiety, paranoia and fear./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"But for the time being... We made it./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"We knew that this time, it was different. Plenty of kids knew that span style="color: #c4bc96;"next semester /spanthey weren't returning to Hogwarts. The one wizard who could stand up to The Dark Lord was dead./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"And nowhere was safe any more./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"So that was it. I graduated, and my best friend was in prison, and I was alone in the world. The house in Sheffield was still under my name. I was now 18, and legally, it was mine. Honestly, I just wanted to sell it as fast as possible./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"Imagine. Me, alone in this big house. The house where my parents died. I can't imagine anything worse./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I'd returned there, but almost as soon as I put my bags down, I left. I just needed to go somewhere else. Anywhere else. It just didn't feel like home and I wasn't ready to go in./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"Apparating somewhere, anywhere, I found myself in Diagon Alley./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"It was a dark, hollow husk of itself. The sky above even seemed greyer./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I shoved my hands in my pockets, and began to walk down past the shops. There weren't any people this time of night, just the occasional straggler. Some clerks closing shop for the night./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I found myself going past Borgin and Burkes, and guess who was bumming around./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"Draco Malfoy./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"And here I thought that I might be lucky enough to be rid of span style="color: #c4bc96;"him/span. Guess there were still a few surprises in store for me./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Figures I'd span style="color: #c4bc96;"find /spanthe likes of you skulking around." He said, but… Not in the arrogant teasing manner I'd grown accustomed to. There were dark rings under his eyes, there was a solemnity to his face. A hollow shell of a Malfoy stood in front of me, and I could barely manage the enthusiasm to retort./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Could say the same about you." I half-heartedly laughed./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""I just didn't really feel like being in the house right now." A scowl grew on his face./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Weirdly enough, I know exactly how you feel. span style="color: #c4bc96;"It's like/span the house isn't home any more, you know?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Like it's not even the same place." He sighed./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Heard some nasty rumours about you, Malfoy. That you'd gone over, joined them. That you helped them get into the castle." I prodded./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Believe whatever you want, I don't really care. But know you'll have to pick a side. There's war coming. I don't plan on dying for Dumbledore's ideals. Look where that got him." Draco said./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""It does not seems particularly profitable to join either side. One group of people hate me, the other wants to use me. Doing the right thing seems like a quick way to get myself staked, and doing the wrong thing… Well, it's the wrong thing, you know? End up like Dumbledore or become another Death Eater under Voldemort's thumb."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Go off on your own, then. You don't owe anyone anything, do you? My father tangled us up in his mess, with The Dark Lord. I don't particularly have a choice in sides, you know? If I were you… I'd go find somewhere far from everyone and everything and let the lot of them kill each other."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Hah, half a year ago I might have laughed in your face if you tried to give me life advice. Guess everthing is different now. And I guess... Well... Thanks. Thanks for… I dunno, not being a total git? Which makes me more worried than anything, are you doing okay?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Doesn't really matter how I'm doing. I'm one of them now. A servant of The Dark Lord. Speaking of, I should get back. I won't hear the end of it from my mother if I dawdle."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Good luck. Hey, Draco?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Yeah?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""I really hope we don't ever have to raise our wands against each other. You've been nothing but a prick to me and span style="color: #c4bc96;"snogging you half naked in the forest was a real low point for me/span but… I still don't want to fight you."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""That's up to you now, isn't it? But then again, you've always been soft, Ravenway. How many times have you threatened me? How many times have you walked those halls, scowl on your face, pretending to be ready to bite anyone and everyone, only to rush to save the first little fourth year you caught in trouble? You and Potter are both soft."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""span style="color: #c4bc96;"I guess you're right/span."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""For a vampire, you sure are all bark and no bite."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Was that a joke? Oh, gods below, it must be worse than I thought."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Is how it is. See you around. Or rather, hope I don't."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Hope we see each other on the other side of the war." I said./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"He walked away, and I decided to apparate back home./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"It still felt like my parent's house. Their furniture, their photos, their clothes in the cupboard, their sheets on the bed, their cutlery in the drawers. Mom's magazines, dad's ship in a bottle in the study. Mom's Beetle in the garage, dad's Nissan./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I went up to my bedroom. I laid there for a while, bag still packed, not sure what to make of myself./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I half began to fantasize about breaking Willow out of span style="color: #c4bc96;"Azkaban/span. We could go to Prague, or Toronto, or New York, or Moscow. Start a life away from everything./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"There was a knock on the door./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I got up, thinking nothing of it at first, but then my hand went to my wand, almost instinctually./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I held it at the ready, then peered through the peephole./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"Britney stood sheepishly on the other side. I opened the door, and there she stood. She was by herself./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Hey." She said./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Hi." I responded./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Figured someone should check up on you." She said./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""I'm fine." I lied./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Okay. But if you weren't, I mean… I talked it over with Alice and Jess, and let me tell you, I had to do a lot of apologizing and promises to change. But we had plans to rent a three bedroom apartment, but… There's a four bedroom house that's cheaper. And we don't really know what to do with the fourth room so… It's yours, if you want it. If this house is too… Empty, or whatever."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""That's… Really nice. You are being nice to me."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Not-enemies, yeah?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Not-enemies, yeah, it was my idea. Still, we're even. I didn't get you expelled, you saved me from the death eaters. span style="color: #c4bc96;"You don't/span owe me anything."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""But then you saved me from Willow. So like, I guess we aren't really square. But even if I wasn't, look… I… I'm sorry. Willow was right, I made your life miserable and that wasn't okay. I don't… I don't like that version of myself. I don't want to be the person who hurt you that night in the forest. There was a moment when… When she seemed so damn happy that she was going to kill me. Not out of like, enjoying killing or something, but because it was me. Because I'd… Because I'd been such a bitch to you all these years. Guess… Guess I thought I was fighting a monster but I'd become something of a monster myself, along the way."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Don't call me a monster."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""No, no, that's not what I meant, I… Look, you don't have to give me an answer right now. But the room is yours, if you want it. I want to… Make amends. That's it, sorry, I didn't mean to call you… That."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""I… Will think about it."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Okay. Yeah. Good, that's good. Let me know."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""How did you know where I live, anyway?" I asked./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Professor McGonagall. I asked her and after a long lecture I finally managed to get a word in. She didn't think you'd feel particularly inclined to accept but I guess… It was worth a try."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Didn't think there was still anyone looking out for me."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""She's worried about you, you know? Guess a lot of Dumbledore's responsibilities fell to her when he… You know. You were one of those responsibilities. At least, that's what she told me."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""I… I miss him. The old codger was always lecturing me but… God, what I'd do to hear him lecture me now."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""We lost a great wizard, and teacher."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Yeah, we did."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""So, like… Jess and Alice are really okay with this?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Yeah. They are."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""And you're okay with this too?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Yeah."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""And it wouldn't be weird?"/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Can't promise that it won't but… We'll try our best."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Sigh, I guess… Yeah, okay. If it's cool with you guys and if it won't be too weird, I could room with you."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Oh, uh, well, great."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Yeah, okay. Cool."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Uhm, well, I guess… We can move some stuff over. Now. If you like."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""Yeah, okay."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;""So, yeah, just… Take my hand."/p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"I put my hand in Britney's and the world spun and changed around us./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"span style="color: #c4bc96;"Truth be told I couldn't wait to get away. And maybe this was the start of something new, /span a new story. There was darkness ahead of us, for sure, but there was also light, maybe some new people I could depend on. I knew in my heart of hearts that none of this would be okay until I got my best friend out but... I was just so glad not to be alone./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"span style="color: #c4bc96;"One of these days I hope I get to tell you more. /spanHopefully we don't remain strangers to each other. Times are tough, our enemies are numerous and our friends are few./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"Until then, keep your chin up, your eyes open and your mind sharp./p
p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"There are larger fangs than mine lurking in the dark./p