13.)
Everything's so blurry
And everyone's so fake
And everybody's empty
And everything is so messed up
Pre-occupied without you
I cannot live at all
My whole world surrounds you
I stumble then I crawl
The air was cold but Marcus was anything but. The clouds moved across the wide-open sky in a seamless darkened manner. The moon was half-full and shining with a graying-blue glow around it. They appeared at the end of an ancient graveyard. Snape reached out and grabbed Marcus' elbow. "You may be able to handle their magic but the Killing Curse will be an exception Flint and if you die do you know what will happen to Potter?"
Marcus narrowed his eyes. "You actually care?" He sneered.
Snape growled. "I have to care, Flint!"
"Why is that Snape?"
"His mother would have wanted me too," Snape snapped coldly.
Marcus regarded the man. "I can take Cruciatus - I'll chance my luck on the Killing Curse. I'm going to get him."
There was a brilliant white light in the distance, both Slytherins snapped their heads toward the direction, and Marcus was already setting off between the graying concrete monuments. The wind brushed across him, slightly stinging his eyes. The scent of blood wavered under his nose and he flinched harshly. He couldn't tell if it was Harry's blood or someone else's. He hoped it was someone else's.
The Death Eaters were so wrapped up in the happenings between Voldemort and Harry that no one noticed Marcus suddenly approaching quietly. He saw a man to the side shivering; he was exceptionally small with a silver hand.
Snape prodded him and murmured. "Pettigrew."
Marcus paused when he saw a bright white glowing dome heard music of a spine-tingling kind and gold rewrapped itself around said dome. Voldemort and Harry were in the middle; it looked like their wands were connected.
"Master! What do we do?"
"Nothing! Do nothing unless I command you too." Voldemort was a welcome sight. It was at that point that Marcus decided to rethink his terms for monster. Harry was right, Voldemort was the monster. He realized now what made Harry so sad every time Marcus called himself such.
He cringed inwardly.
Through the threads of spontaneous magic, Marcus could see a lot of damage done to Harry, his face was bloody, his robes were torn to shreds and one of his legs looked as though something sharp like a knife had sliced it open.
He didn't wait around, he stepped up to the largest Death Eater, quietly wrapped his arms around the man's neck and before anyone knew it, Marcus snapped his head causing him to fall and every one of the Death Eaters to spin around. They were so stunned in shock that it took a second victim for anyone to react. A few eyes widened through the bone white masks, when they took in Marcus and his size.
"Crucio!"
Marcus spoke no words as he grabbed the man who launched the Cruciatus at him. It rolled off just like the stunners shocking the Death Eaters who saw. He brought the man up to his level and ripped off his mask before grinning and snapping his neck like the others.
"Crucio!"
"Crucio!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
At the exact same time, that the last curse was fired a marble slab, conjured out of nowhere, blocked the Killing Curse. It bounced off and the Death Eater who threw it barely jumped back in time. Marcus knew it was Snape behind the scenes.
Voldemort snarled. "You killed my servants!"
"Yes, did you just notice that?" Marcus drawled the Cruciatus continued to land, Killing Curses continued to be deflected by shields popping up, and soon the Death Eaters scattered. "You stole what is mine, you know Slytherins don't like thieves."
Through the dome, Voldemort's blood red eyes narrowed even more. "Flint's son," he said coolly. "You were supposed to be mine."
Marcus rolled his eyes. "I was never yours, Seth Flint fucked up. He forgot that weapons could have a brain."
The Death Eaters realized that their feeble attempts with Cruciatus simply weren't working. Marcus didn't even notice them and so one of them got clever and began with Cutting Curses, which landed in small tears against his skin and robes until it gradually got worse. Marcus was slowly beginning to get a headache from the bracelet wrapped around his bicep. The intensity hadn't been felt before being too weak but now it was beginning to gain momentum, though it would take a lot more than shocks to make him fall unconscious.
Voldemort's eyes kept flickering from Harry to Marcus and glowering when he saw that no spell was working.
Figures were emerging one by one from Voldemort's wand. Trickles of blood ran down Marcus' arms but he didn't flinch. More Unforgivables were thrown out. Someone attempted an Imperio but Marcus remained immune. The Cutting Curses began again. Some Marcus dodged, others he took full on.
He saw through the thick strands of magic that the figures were humans - and one of them looked identical to Harry.
They began to speak to Harry but Marcus couldn't hear them. Harry's eyes widened and he gazed over at Marcus just noticing him.
"Oh Merlin!"
"You are coming with me, Harry," Marcus growled stepping around until he was behind him.
"Marcus…" Harry whimpered quietly. He sounded as though he were in pain. "Now…" The spell was released, the dome disappeared, but the figures remained hovering around Voldemort with haunting eyes.
Marcus grabbed Harry, the younger boy shouted out. "Accio Pettigrew!" The little man with the silver hand flew into Harry's tired arms with an undignified squeak. "Stupefy!"
"Crucio!"
"Crucio!"
"Lubricus!"
One of the darker versions of the Cutting Curse landed on Marcus' cheek from his ear to his neck.
Marcus didn't think he could Apparate with both Harry and the man, he'd summoned. His magic was never that good and now he was even weaker. He began to pull back as slowly one by one the figures began to disappear. Voldemort would be moving any second and they wouldn't have a chance.
From one of the lone Death Eaters who had not thrown any curses, a metal object was thrown in the air and zoomed toward him. Marcus glared straight at the Death Eater recognizing sharp blue eyes and the poised nature along with long strands of platinum hair.
He knew he shouldn't trust the man. But he had little choice but to try. Harry's life depended on it. Possibly doing something very stupid, he snatched the object in the air and the tug on his navel signaled a Portkey.
A cry escaped Harry's lips as he clutched Pettigrew with all his strength. The Portkey sent them landing at the start of the hedge maze. Harry was lying underneath Marcus, who was trying to stay conscious to see where they were.
"Harry?" Marcus grunted, his head blistering and the lack of blood beginning to weaken him immensely.
"We're back… we're safe!" Harry moaned painfully when he realized that all the blood trickling over him was from Marcus.
That was all the Slytherin needed to know before falling into a wave of blackness.
They were surrounded but Harry paid no mind, and continued to clutch Wormtail in one hand while staring down at the hands that were covered with blood. He could feel some of it seeping through his torn robes. Harry groaned trying to roll out from under Marcus but it was impossible the man was much too heavy.
"Marcus…!" Harry wailed shoving the stupid rat away from him and trying to move but his legs didn't let him. The spider had cut him pretty good and Voldemort's Cruciatus Curses were nasty. He'd suffered way too long, his nerves were twitching, and his skin was burning. The blood was from being shoved against a stone after getting desperate to stop Voldemort from killing Cedric.
Call him stupid but he was only fourteen! He didn't want to see his newfound friend killed. Marcus was levitated off Harry. Gasps and shrieks sang through the air.
"Marcus!" Harry called out again. Was he alright? "So much blood!" He managed to choke out as he rolled over onto his back and hissed at the pain.
"It's alright child, calm down."
"HARRY! HARRY! Oh my Merlin, is that-?" Bill, Harry thought? He could see nothing but the darkened sky with stars. That was it. Everything around him spun and his head was killing him.
There was a snarl. "Wormtail!" This came from Sirius and Remus simultaneously.
Harry whimpered. "Marcus! I need to see Marcus-"
"He's being taken care of Harry, he's alive," Dumbledore soothed getting down on his knees and curling his arms around Harry's small figure. "Calm down, breath softly." A warm hand fell on his coldly sweating forehead. Harry closed his eyes, breathing sharply.
"Harry! Professor? Is he alright?" Hermione's voice, had to be.
"Merlin, Marcus is a bloody mess!" Adrian breathed. "Is that all his blood?"
Harry whimpered again and that was all he needed, he could feel the warm tears trickling out of his eyes and down his face.
"Is he really back?" This was Hugh; he was breathing heavily and knelt down in front of Harry.
Harry nodded. "Yes," he choked.
"Let's get you to the hospital wing."
"Professor - the cup - it was a Portkey!"
"We know Harry," Dumbledore said softly. "We know it was an imposter. We found him."
Harry gawked and shifted to try and sit up, but his head spun even more. "Ulgh, who?" He couldn't make out anything around him. Everything was much too blurry.
"Don't move Harry, you have a massive amount of injury to your head," Dumbledore placated.
"Barty Crouch Junior," Bill answered softly. "He impersonated Moody. Moody tried to take Cedric Diggory and the Headmaster stopped him."
Dumbledore sighed heavily. "Now's not the time. We'll talk about this later. Right now we need the hospital wing."
"Professor -?"
"Shh, talk later. Right now, I am going to put you in a deep sleep."
"No, no! Wait…" Harry cried desperately. He didn't want to go to sleep. He had to talk, he had to tell him.
"Later…" Dumbledore placed his fingers to the boy's chapped lips and he could do nothing but fall into silence as a soft-spoken spell niggled around his body, sending him into a sleep.
(o)
Harry's eyes snapped open as soon as his mind came back to a coherent state. He sat up so quickly that stars aligned his eyes in a dizzy sense. He was in the infirmary and it was dark. He could hear breaths of different kinds and spotted Cedric in a bed across from him near the window and the real Alastor Moody was barely seen through the hospital drapes.
Marcus! Harry's mind spun and he whipped around to see the man in another bed, fast asleep. Shoving the covers down, he was aware of his leg having been fixed and all that was left with a strange stiffness in his body from the prolonged Cruciatus Curse.
He crawled off the bed, stumbled twice with a painful gasp. Harry grasped the edge of the bed and pulled himself up and over to the bed Marcus was on. His heart beat sharply in his chest as he saw tons of cuts and abrasions up and down his body. His arms were bare but you could see pinkish scars. Harry glared hard at the gold bracelet and noticed how irritated the skin around it was.
He stood there for several long moments staring. Marcus took up the entire bed so Harry couldn't get up next to him. He leaned in and kissed him softly on the side of the mouth.
"Hnn?" Marcus jerked effectively awaking. His eyes blinked open and he stared up into those familiar emeralds. "Harry!" He groused hoarsely.
"How are you?"
Rolling his eyes, the Slytherin curled his arm around Harry and pulled him down onto his chest. Marcus didn't speak and merely held onto Harry and buried his face into Harry's neck like he usually did. Harry smiled and straddled the man's strong stomach but it wasn't in a sexual way.
After several moments of Marcus breathing him in and clinging ever so tightly, he spoke. "Don't - scare - me like that again." The thought of Harry going anywhere near that monster made him nauseas.
"Me? You're the one who allowed everyone to curse you!"
"It didn't affect me…"
Harry spluttered. "You have cuts - everywhere!"
"Nothing that doesn't heal," Marcus said lowly. "What the hell was Diggory talking about when he said you pushed Voldemort?" He demanded. That was the first thing he wanted to know.
Harry blushed and ducked his head. "I didn't want him to die… I didn't want to see him dying Marcus I had to do something!"
Marcus scowled and sat up with Harry clutched to his chest. "You have any idea how stupid that was?"
Harry sniffled against him. "M'love you?" He tried instead of apologizing.
He got a squeeze for that and a kiss to the temple. Harry reached over for Marcus' wand. He had no idea where his was and conjured them some water. Both were rather hoarse and parched.
"What happened with your wand?" Marcus queried.
Harry shrugged. "No idea, but I saw my mum and dad… and several others. They came from Voldemort's wand. I don't understand why or how… that's what I wanted to ask Dumbledore before he put me to sleep." He quietly whispered to Marcus about Moody and the imposter.
He growled. "And he was here all this fucking time?"
Harry nuzzled into Marcus' neck and ran his fingers through the top of his hair to his back. The scar from his cheek, ear, and down his neck was still a livid red. Harry felt it with his thumb and rose up when Marcus discreetly flinched.
He tilted the man's face and stared at the scar.
"It'll heal."
Harry frowned before pressing a gentle kiss to it.
Marcus winced inwardly, making sure not to show his pain on the outside. His head was hurting, a pounding in the side of his temple. He lay back with Harry in his arms and summoned two more pillows for his head. He drew the blankets over them and squeezed Harry. "Go to sleep," he said into his hair.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
Marcus scoffed and tightened his hold. Harry was much too perceptive but there was no way he would own up to it. The two of them fell asleep together quite quickly after that.
However it wasn't more than five hours later when Marcus felt someone attempt to lift Harry out of his arms and he stiffened dramatically, snapped his eyes open and narrowed them on the nurse. "No!" He growled dangerously.
"Mr. Flint!" She yelped when she saw his lethal gaze.
"Leave him. Don't touch!"
She narrowed her eyes. "Now see here Mr. Flint, you are in need of extensive care and I can't do that with him laying on you."
"To bad, he doesn't move unless you want your arm ripped off," he hissed viciously.
She reared back as though she'd been slapped. Marcus continued to stare at her until she backed well away from them.
A short time after that, the infirmary opened letting a few people in. One being Dumbledore followed by Harry's makeshift family and Hermione. No one was surprised when they saw Harry lying on top of Marcus. But they were surprised to find Marcus wide-awake and picking at Harry's hair.
"Marcus? How are you feeling?" Dumbledore asked drawing up chairs as Remus pulled the curtains around the bed shielding them from view.
Bill then added some handy silencers. Sirius who was in Romulus format sat on the opposite side of Marcus and touched Harry on the forehead.
"I'm fine," he stated monotonously.
Hermione came around and winced. "Nasty scar," she said touching Marcus' shoulder and squeezing it. "How is he?"
Marcus nodded. "He's better," he grumbled. "I suppose you want to know what happened? Snape got back fine?"
"Yes, he arrived about twenty minutes after you," Dumbledore said warmly. "Thank you-"
"Don't, I didn't do it for you," he said steely. "Harry's mine and no one steals from a Slytherin."
Sirius smiled grimly. "Regulus said that same thing, my brother."
Marcus stared down at Harry and in a plain apathetic tone, he explained everything that happened. He told them he snapped several necks.
"You didn't use any curses?" Remus asked shocked.
"I didn't need too," Marcus said sharply. "Cruciatus Curses are nothing to me. It was the Cutting Curses that got through. Not to mention this fuckin' bracelet gave me one hell of a headache," he said glaring down at it coldly. He finished telling them about how he saw Harry and Voldemort's wands connecting and the figures coming out of it and what Harry had told him.
By this time, Harry was awake, eyes open and watching silently. Dumbledore beamed. "Good morning Harry."
"Eh?" He murmured raising his head from Marcus' chest. Everyone took their turn to hug him. Hermione having been the first to launch herself on him and then Sirius following right after with a playful glare to the brunette who stared at him smugly.
After a twenty-minute explanation of Priori Incantatem and then Harry's story of the potion used and then their duel, which coincided with most of what Cedric had told them, they all fell into a lapse of silence.
Marcus was once again holding on to the ends of Harry's hair, his eyes never leaving the boy's face.
Finally, Dumbledore looked up at Bill. "I suspect you know what to do?"
"I do Headmaster."
Dumbledore then turned to Remus who sighed and gave a nod. "I'll see where we stand."
Sirius frowned. "Time to open my manor?"
"I think so Sirius, we must make preparations. The Minister is having a field day; he has no idea what he's doing. He can't hide it now, there are way too many survivors and with Pettigrew and Crouch Junior's capture - Voldemort's so-called secret is very much out of the bag."
"What's going to happen with Wormtail?" Harry asked hopefully.
"Tried, convicted, and hopefully Sirius will be set free," Dumbledore said with a smile. "There will be no doubt in my mind that he will be fully pardoned. Fudge is walking on a thin wire as of now. Sirius was one of the first men he convicted without a trial. Any mistake he makes starting now regarding Voldemort will destroy him and the entire Ministry."
(o)
Marcus was kept in the hospital wing for two days and Harry remained by his side. He'd been released a day before. One of the judges came through with five hundred Galleons; apparently, he and Cedric were splitting the gold. Harry simply stared at it in disgust.
"Compensation for facing Lord Voldemort?" Harry sneered in a very Slytherin way. He was tempted to knock it off the bed, but he knew Madam Pomphrey wouldn't be pleased with five hundred Galleons in gold stretching across the floors.
The scar on Marcus' face was still a livid pink colour and Harry knew that it was likely to remain there. Apparently, he had been hit with a darker version of the Cutting Curse. The marks on his back and up and down his arms and chest were fading but Harry still saw Marcus bleeding at times when he closed his eyes. That had been a horrible sight.
One he never wanted to relive again. Kingsley came by the morning Marcus was getting out with the special keys to release the bracelet from his bicep early.
"How bad did this bother you when you went off grounds?" Kingsley asked concernedly as he placed the first key in one of the holes and then added another.
"Only a headache," Marcus answered watching carelessly as the bracelet unsnapped and dropped. "It was a minor obstruction."
"You are rather strong then. Our strongest tester lasted twenty minutes before going unconscious."
To Harry's utter surprise, Marcus didn't comment about him being a monster and instead said. "It takes more than a bracelet to actually hurt me."
"I just tug your hair," Harry hummed sliding off the bed as Kingsley chuckled.
Marcus smiled crookedly before following after him.
"It's been a pleasure to meet you Marcus and off the record, I'll see you later." Kingsley winked before ruffling Harry's head and walking out of the room, leaving the two staring.
"What did he mean?"
"I think Dumbledore might have recruited him."
They went to the Great Hall and a hushed silence fell over the room when everyone's eyes swiveled to them.
Marcus behind Harry glowered and clutched the teen to his chest as Hugh, Adrian, Hermione, Neville, and Viktor all met him.
"How about outside?" Neville suggested.
"Sounds better!" Harry looked briefly to Ron who refused to gaze up at him and shrugged. "Let's go," he said with a smile.
They left the Great Hall to their whispers and found their way under the holly tree. Hermione and Viktor conjuring the needed items. Adrian and Hugh were picking over Marcus' scars like they were the most incredible things they ever saw.
Hermione was telling Harry about the school and it's reaction.
"Karkaroff took off," Viktor said picking at his sausage. "Not like he vas much use anyvay."
"No surprise, he sold too many people out," Harry said remembering the Pensieve scenes. "I don't expect his reception will be well received."
"I wonder how well received your father will be?" Hugh voiced aloud.
"He's not even out of the hospital yet," Marcus growled. "Though that doesn't save Jezabel."
There was a bristling movement and standing before them was Cedric. He looked uncomfortable. "Harry? Can - I talk to you?"
Marcus narrowed his eyes at the Hufflepuff, but Harry squeezed his boyfriend's forearm gently before standing. "Of course Cedric." He walked off leaving Marcus hissing and Adrian and Hugh smirking.
Neville squeaked. "Harry doesn't like him."
"I know that," Marcus said steely. Still didn't help.
(o)
Harry sighed and brushed his hand through his hair. "How are you Cedric?"
"Weirded out," Cedric confessed. "Merlin - that thing - You Know - er - Vol- Voldemort?"
"Good you're learning," Harry teased and got a glare for it. "Cedric it's okay to say Voldemort, it's just a name created from Tom Marvolo Riddle. A simple half-blood with a bit of a magical boost."
"When you put it like that…" Cedric laughed. "Makes him sound weak."
"No, he's not weak," Harry said wide eyed. "By no means."
"I know, I'm just saying. You talk about him so easily - and he's well -"
"More dangerous than you could imagine. I talk about him so easily because I have too Cedric. My family wasn't the only one he destroyed. But given the circumstances, I, as Harry Potter have to deal with him. I will always be in danger whilst he is back. I have to get used to it and not let him get me down."
"Well, you do a good job of it. I can't believe you knocked him out of the way."
"I had to do something!" Harry squeaked. "I couldn't take it that he was torturing you. I know it might be stupid but I don't regret it. I don't want to see you dead."
Cedric smiled and briefly wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulder before gasping and moving away. "Sorry! I wanted to hug you."
Harry laughed quietly and hugged him. "You can hug me, Cedric. We are friends."
"After that - we damn well better be!" He said squeezing the Gryffindor close to him. "Though I suppose one wouldn't want to do this in front of your - er lover," Cedric said looking around swiftly.
Harry's laughter got louder and he shook his head. "You're silly. He may grind his teeth but he knows I love him."
Cedric sighed. "And he you, strangely enough. I suppose I understand a lot more now. I'm still jealous though."
Harry nudged him. "Don't be."
"Remember what I told you before we entered the maze? I told you, you were worth it."
"I still don't understand what the hell you meant by that, but I remember well," he said cheeks pinking.
"Well you are."
"Worth what?" Harry demanded.
Cedric grinned. "Come on, I better take you back before I get beat up."
Harry stuck out his tongue and elbowed Cedric in the rib. "Hufflepuffs."
"Gryffindors."
"Prat."
(o)
It was quiet the next morning. Harry lay under the covers with Marcus' arm around his body. He was practically glued to the man's chest. They were both awake and both refusing to move. Harry couldn't help but ponder the events of the last few days. Voldemort, Marcus, Cedric, and the looming summer.
"I'm so not looking forward to going back there," Harry murmured sadly.
"Where?" Marcus asked.
"My relatives," he turned over and snuggled against the man's chest.
"Why do you have too?"
"Something there protects me and I suppose it's more imperative than ever that I go back."
"What if I don't let you go?"
"I won't argue with that. I feel safest with you."
"Hmm." Marcus buried his nose into Harry's ear and tightened his hold. He grinned; no one could hug or hold him like Marcus. It wasn't possible! He thought wrapping a leg around the man's hip. "I want to apologize."
Harry opened his eyes and blinked. "For what?"
"I realize now why you get so upset when I call myself a monster."
"You're not one Marcus…"
"Well, I know I'm something, perhaps I'm not a monster but I am something vicious."
"You're mine," Harry said stroking his cheek near the pinkish eight inch scar. "That's all that matters, right? You're my Marcus. Do you have to be labeled as something?"
"No, I suppose not. I just don't think I deserve you." Harry glared and was about to open his mouth and perhaps yell at Marcus but the man placed a hand over his lips to muffle him. "Shut up a moment, however I know no one deserves you. There isn't a single person who deserves you. I believed at one point that a Monster in your life was not something you needed and then I thought perhaps you needed a Monster on your side to combat everyone and then I realized that by thinking this I was being a Monster because I was hurting you. Not physically but emotionally. I didn't understand it then. I saw you in that graveyard and I saw it all. I understood."
Harry was speechless. Marcus rarely ever talked so much or so deeply at all. Their last conversation had been about his family that was the deepest he'd managed. Conversations between them usually didn't run this far down but Harry was glad they were talking about it. He was also blissfully happy to know that Marcus no longer considered himself a monster.
Instead of speaking, Harry rolled the two of them over until he was settled on top of Marcus' stomach and pressed a searing kiss to his slightly parted mouth.
The response was immediate and Marcus' hands were sliding under the thigh length t-shirt. Nibbling against his bottom lip, Harry slid down across the hardening erection and rocked his hips until a hiss came from his lover.
"Mmm, don't flip me over," Harry murmured as Marcus sat up with him. "I want to stay on top-"
Marcus pulled the irritating shirt off the Gryffindor's body voraciously and bit down hard on his neck. Harry rolled his hips and backside until Marcus' swollen prick rubbed and grazed his entrance in a taunting way.
Groaning, Marcus clutched Harry's hips still. "There's no way you're taking me dry," he said huskily.
"I know, I just like to tease." Harry whined out a moan as fingers began to work him over in preparation. He covered Marcus' mouth smothering him with kisses and a needy desire. "Now!" The nerves inside of him were teasing and mocking him sending jabs of pleasure up into his spine.
"Demanding are we?"
Harry moaned piteously and buried his face into Marcus' now. "I need you… please! Mmm!" He clutched his lover and screamed with arousal as his plea was answered. Each shock of pleasure to his nerves, sent purrs streaming out off his lips. The tighter he held and the faster he rocked, the more frantic he became until the desire consumed the both of them and they were left covered in sweat and seed, kissing each other sloppily.
"You're not moving," Marcus growled licking Harry's chin.
Harry grinned and nuzzled Marcus. "What are you trying to say?"
The younger teen squeaked at the pressure placed on his aching spine. "You know what I'm saying," he mumbled quietly.
"What's that?" Harry asked feeling a tug on his hair.
Marcus rolled his eyes. "Do I have to spell it out for you?"
"Don't have too," he said kissing his neck. "Your actions are enough, realizing you're not a monster is priceless." He placed his chin against the man's shoulder and stared at the back wall.
"I love you," his words were spoken under his breath and they came up from his chest in a quiet rumble.
Harry snuggled Marcus, sliding closer. "You do."
"I have too."
You could be my someone
You could be my scene
You know that I'll protect you
From all of the obscene
I wonder what you're doing
Imagine where you are
There's oceans in between us
But that's not very far
Blurry - Puddle of Mudd
Special Thanks to Kamerreon as always!Also to Branwen777 for inadvertently giving me the right song for the chapter. I searched for hours. There is one more Chapter of this left... I couldn't swing for fifteen... the story itself wants to close. I*g wrote so fast because the story wrote itself and when that happens extending is not a good idea without winding up with complications. As for a sequel... I can't guarantee that. I might write a long one-shot later or something. But I think I might want to move on to one of my other much neglected stories. If I tick on my fingers how many stories I have I would have to add toes or someone elses fingers to the mix. I'm an easily distracted muse machine :)