She woke to a tapping at her window. Slipping out of bed, she went and threw up the sash.

"You're gonna break your neck," she told Mels, who was hanging outside, precariously balanced between the window ledge and the small overhang which shielded the back door from rain. "How many times have I told you...?"

"Seriously? Now? Just let me in before I really do break my neck, okay?"

Amy stepped back from the window to let her friend clamber inside. "What on earth are you doing here? It's the middle of the night."

Mels shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. Figured I'd drop by and see what you were up to."

"It's the middle of the night," Amy repeated. "What do you think?"

Choosing to ignore this, Mels threw herself down full length on Amy's bed, shifting to make herself comfortable before saying, "I looked for you after school. Where were you?"

Amy perched on the edge of the bed next to her. Rolling her eyes slightly, she answered, "Couldn't go out. Mum wouldn't let me."

"Bit another one?"

Amy sighed. "It's not my fault they're all stupid. What's wrong with having a friend from outer space, anyway?"

"Nothing. It's cool. Well... I think it's cool."

Amy smiled down at her friend. "Thanks. It is cool, isn't it?" Then, remembering, "Wait. I thought they said you were home sick today."

Mels snorted before saying, in a nearly perfect imitation of her foster Mum's voice, "I'm calling to let you know Mels won't be in today..."

"Mels! You're gonna get caught."

"Probably. Eventually. But until then..." She laughed. "Anyway? What are they gonna do?"

"So, why'd you skip class, then?"

Mels shrugged. "No reason. Just didn't feel like going."

Something in her friends tone caught Amy's attention. "What's up?"

"Nothing. Do I have to have a reason?"

"No." And then, because Mels did, in fact, usually have a reason, and also because she thought she recognized the look which had briefly clouded her friends features, she asked, "You okay?"

"Yeah."

And because that tone Amy really did recognize, she asked, "You sleeping?"

"Of course."

"Mels..."

"Well..."

"I thought you'd gotten over the dreams."

Mels shifted in the bed. "Yeah. I have." And then, when Amy remained silent, waiting for her to continue, she added, "Mostly."

"Mostly?"

"It was just last night. No big deal." Mels shrugged, dismissing Amy's concern before getting up off the bed and moving back toward the window. "Anyway, I should be getting back. There's always a chance someone will actually miss me."

"Hey, Mels?"

Mels turned, her hand on the window sill. "Yeah?"

Amy grinned. "I've got a new one if you wanna stay and hear it?"

Mels stepped away from the window. "Really? What's it about?"

"A giant spaceship and a whale that eats people. And the Queen of England."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

Mels returned Amy's grin and rejoined her on the bed. "Of course. How could I miss the Queen of England?"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The morning sun found the two girls curled together, asleep on Amy's bed. The light streaming through the window and into her eyes woke Amy first, and she shook her friend awake.

"Hey, Mels. Wake up."

"Huh?"

"You gotta get home. It's morning."

Shaking her head slightly to clear it, her friend sat up. "Yeah. I'd better."

As Mels stood up and headed to the window, Amy asked, "So, see you in school today?"

"Maybe."

"You don't wanna skip again today, Mels. You missed the moon landing yesterday... which was seriously stupid, cause if you were gonna ditch, you could have at least chosen a day we'd be studying something boring... but Mr. Miller said he'd be bringing in Apollo 13 today. And you can't miss a movie. Especially a movie about space. 'Cause what's cooler than space?"

"Yeah. Maybe," Mels repeated. And then, before Amy could get in another word, she'd ducked quickly out the window and was gone.

Only something in her friend's tone told Amy she wouldn't be seeing her in class after all. Which was crazy. 'Cause who on earth would want to miss a movie?