MurderEducationRomanceCurse etc Chapter 3: The Morning After, a lxg fanfic

Okay, so I enabled the review thingy so now anyone can review. Also, I have a few questions that I'd like my feedback to. Who would you like to see paired? I was thinking of doing an Alan/Sawyer thing, and would you like to even see Sawyer in this fic? Also, who would you prefer to see end up with Mina, Jekyll or Dorian?

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Jack, Skinner, Jekyll and Utterson were in the backstage area at the Billy Shears pub as they were preparing to perform before the main attraction of the evening.

Skinner peaked out and saw the anticipating crowd; he then retreated to his band mates.

"It's a nice turn out." said Skinner.

"Yeah, too bad they're not here for us." said Jekyll as he took of his jacket and tossed it aside.

"It's alright, we're still getting paid," said Utterson, "And plus, we're always going to be able to say we opened for Radiohead when we were in college."

Strangely enough, several of the people who are of interest to us just happened to be in the club that night, Mina, Lucy, Dorian and his girlfriend Sybil, Basil but no Nemo or Quatermain if that's what you're wondering. There was also a tall, pale handsome young man who seldom spoke, but it doesn't matter who he is, not right now anyway.

"Ladies, Gentlemen, and those of you who are neither" said an announcer as the spot light fell upon him, "These chaps aren't famous, you may not be here for them but that doesn't mean they're no good. Please welcome, Henry Jekyll on base and lead vocals, Gabriel Utterson on Guitar, Jack Seward on keyboards and Rodney Skinner on drums, give a hand for Ricevenom!"

The four pilled out on the stage with a moderate applause. They started playing a song of Utterson's composition, which included a multitude of four letter words but was well received by the audience as they gave them a generous applause when they were done, the four stood to bask in their moment of glory before scurrying off the stage at the manager's behest as how Radiohead were about to take the stage.

Mina managed to catch Jekyll's attention as he sat at the bar.

"Whose she?" he asked Jack.

"The red-head? Her name is Mina."

"Do you know if she's seeing anyone?"

"She used to see this guy called Harker, but he left her to work in Romania and she hasn't heard of him ever since."

"What're you talking about?" asked Skinner as he joined them before ordering a drink.

"The talent over there." said Jack as he gestured towards the table, "You guys should come and meet them."

"Nah," said Jekyll as he got up, "I think I'm going to turn in. I don't feel too well."

"Jekyll, you're really going home on a night like this?"

"In short, yes. Don't worry, I'll take a cab, see you guys in the morning."

Jekyll wasn't the only one who was instantly drawn to Mina, as Dorian couldn't help but look upon her as Sybil kept talking about something or another. There was something about the beautiful face surrounded by an aura of red hair struck him as magnificent.

"..Dorian?"

"Huh?"

"Were you listening to me?" asked Sybil with a pout.

"Sorry, darling. I guess I wasn't."

"I was asking if you were coming to see my play next week, I'm playing Juliet in 'Romeo...' and I expect you to be there."

"Of course I'll be there, and so will Basil." said Dorian as he kissed her.

"No, Basil won't be there. Basil has an important Seminar to attend, but I'll be there is spirit."

Jekyll was sipping his morning tea when Skinner poked his head out of a gap in his bedroom door.

"'Morning Jekyll, is Jack here?"

"No, why?"

Skinner retreated back in and disappeared for a few moments, then stepped out wearing only training pants and a white t-shirt, Lucy soon followed him and Jekyll didn't need his high IQ to figure out what they had been doing.

"Good morning," said Lucy as she bashfully waved at Jekyll, "You're Harry, right?"

"It's Henry, and you would be...?"

"Lucy."

"right, Mina's friend."

"Yes, do you know her?"

"Not really, just by name. Would like some breakfast? We've got tea and... cigarettes."

"Oh, no thank you, I'd better get back. Goodbye."

Lucy soon left and Skinner joined Jekyll in their poor excuse for a breakfast.

"So, you've rogered Lucy, eh?"

"Yeah, she seemed... what's the word?"

"Easy?"

"Well, I was going for carefree. Listen, I think Jack has a minor crush on her, and I don't want him-"

"I understand; mum's the word."

"Oh, good. You know, she's really something I actually think this might be going somewhere."

"What's her last name?" asked Jekyll.

"It's...errrr."

"I rest my case."

"So how was your night?" asked Skinner to change the subject.

"I got home and passed out."

"How come? Were you sick?"

"I'm always sick... never mind."

Skinner took a sip of tea and looked at a locked door in one corner of the apartment.

"What's that room?"

"It's my personal study."

"Personal study? What's in it?"

"My books, my research, things like that."

"Can I see it?"

"NO!"

"Jeez, what's in there? I'm paying my share in the rent, I should at least get to see what's in it, I practically own half of it, you know."

Jekyll looked at him intently, "Skinner, for your half of the rent you get full control over your room, you get to use the kitchen and bathroom as much as you like to a reasonable extent, you may use my stereo and television, you may use my records and CDs as long as you return it to their proper place and you can even go into my room if you need to borrow something. But while you're here, I kindly ask you to stay out of this room."

"Alright, If it's that important, I'll keep out of it. There isn't a dead body in there, right?"

"Right."

"Heroin stash?"

"No."

"Mini-brothel?"

"No."

"Osama Bin Laden?"

"He checked out last week."

"Well, that's good enough for me."

Utterson soon came by brining burgers and fries, the three started to eat the junky, yet slightly more nutritious meal when Jekyll suddenly looked up and said, "Did you hear a knock on the door?"

"No?"

"I don't think so."

"I think I did."

Jekyll got up and headed for the door and stepped out, soon, a pair of voices were heard arguing, one of which was Jekyll's.

"You're a real prick, Edward! What are you smirking about?" was uttered loudly on Jekyll's part, grabbing Skinner's attention. The rest of the conversation wasn't audible.

"What's going on, who is this Edward?" asked Skinner.

"Henry's identical twin brother," said Utterson with a mouth filled with mustard and beef, "You couldn't tell them apart of not for their different voices and general mannerisms."

"What's the deal with him?"

"He shows up every once in a while to cause trouble for Henry, then takes off leaving Henry to clean up the mess. I've met him once, I can't say I cared for him one bit."

Jekyll walked back into the apartment, obviously upset.

"All right?" asked Utterson.

"Huh? Oh, Edward got into an argument when we were at the pub with one of the neighbors."

"What did he do?"

"Ugh, he was a little overly mean to a little girl that bothered him, what an Arsehole!"

"What little girl?" asked Skinner.

"Lily from downstairs, the Greek family's daughter."

"Toothpick Lily? She's a little Angel! What the hell did she do to him?"

"Edward, like a dog, acts on impulse, then later tries to find an excuse for what he did."

"Well, now that he's come and gone, you can expect to have several weeks of peace." said Utterson.

"Oh," said Skinner, "We're invited to a party."

"We are? By whom and when and so on?"

"Tomorrow night, by Lucy and her room mate, what was her name?"

"Mina."

"That's the one, Mina! Anyway we're invited to this big party for students who will be starting at Gull on Monday, and seeing as how we're eligible, slightly handsome, interesting musician bachelors, we were invited."

"Yeah, why not?"

"I'll tell you why not!" objected Mina, "We're...I'm...I don't want to."

"Mina," said Lucy as she grabbed Mina by the shoulders, "You've got to snap out of the whole Nancy-Sinatra-My-Baby-Shot-Me-Down. For god's sake, none of us will be safe till you get shackeled, woman!"

"Shackeled!"

"Poor choice of words, darling. Look, two days from now, college will start and we'll be swarmed with demanding professors and endless work. Right now, we need to suck the marrow out of life. So please, do it with me?"

"Oh alright!" agreed Mina reluctantly.

"Excellent! Will you make the dip and other assorted munchies?"

"I might as well, who are you inviting?"

"Well, there's Skinner, the bloke whom I spent the night with, and his flat mate Harry."

"How about Jack?"

"Yeah, why not? Let's invite Utterson too, there is this Girl Sybil I've signed for a few classes with, she's bringing her boyfriend, there is also thus guy Alan and a Pakistani fellow I've met while I went visiting my cousin at Verne-Haggard Hall. Now, my parents are out of the country for the weekend, so we'll have the party there only we have to prepare everything."

"So, just those eight?"

"Of course not. There'll be at least twenty others. Oh! There was this cute Romanian fellow I met at the club, I invited him too."

"Romanian! So that's it, huh? You've been through every man in England."

"Ha ha, cheeky girl. I'm just welcoming him to Britannia, that's all."

"And by Britannia, are you referring to your pus-"

"I'm referring to the country!"

So, what do you think, do you have any comments, tips, suggestions, objections or anything of the sort?