Heaven's Gates

Disclaimer: Same as Chapter One

Author's Note: I AM SO SORRY. LIFE SUCKS AND SCHOOL IS BAD. DON'T EAT SHELLFISH. BRUSH YOUR TEETH AFTER EVERY MEAL. USE NON-TOXIC MARKERS. AND IN CASE OF EMERGENCY (AKA, PHOENIX EVER ABANDONING THIS STORY FOR SO LONG EVER AGAIN), BREAK GLASS AND USE AXE LIBERALLY.

Again, apologies for the loooong delay. But…I'm back now. This chapter's a bit shorter than the others. This is because it is an interlude. Not really integral to the plot, but filled with waffy, fluffy stuff, plus some Nakuru- and Spinel-shaped humor. Anyone who's seen Labyrinth…YOU know what I'm talking about.

Interlude: Movie Night

Nakuru leaned over Tomoyo's shoulder and pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Tomo-chan?" she said after a moment.

Tomoyo hid a smile and didn't take her eyes off the television. "Yes, Nakuru-chan?"

There was a moment's pause, during which Tomoyo could practically hear Nakuru debating how to ask her question. Finally, the moon guardian exhaled slowly.

"What is that?"

The smile didn't quite stay hidden as Tomoyo tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and answered blandly, "Labyrinth."

"Labyrinth?"

Tomoyo turned to grin at Nakuru's consternation. "It's a movie, Nakuru-chan."

The guardian rolled her eyes. "Well, duh. Of course I knew that, Tomoyo-chan. What I mean is, what is that disgustingly ugly creature—there?" She pointed at the screen.

Obligingly, Tomoyo turned her face and studied the characters. The 'creature' of Nakuru's obvious repulsion was a short, squat man with wrinkled, grubby features and a long nose. He was also, quite obviously, not human.

"That," Tomoyo said after watching the screen, "is Hoggle."

"Who?"

"Hoggle. He is a gnome," explained Tomoyo with a smile. "And, or so he pretends, not a very nice one, either. But really, he's very sweet and has a heart of gold."

"He should, to make up for that face." Nakuru wrinkled her nose, then plopped down on the couch beside Tomoyo and leaned her head against the woman's shoulder. "What's this movie about?"

"A man who risks his pride and reputation and puts everything on the line to please the woman he loves." Eriol's voice made them turn around. He was leaning against the doorway with a smile.

Tomoyo nodded her head in greeting. "Is that so, Eriol-kun? I had a rather different idea about the movie's plot."

"Did you?" Eriol wandered into the room, and, to Tomoyo's surprise, sank down onto the floor beside her feet. "What is your idea, Tomoyo-san?"

Her lips curved. "I rather think that the movie is about a young girl who doesn't realize how fortunate she is, and the journey she undertakes to discover just that."

Eriol thought for a moment. "Agreed, somewhat. I would say that Sarah does not, as you say, realize her fortune—in having Jareth at her side."

"Jareth? He does nothing but plague her throughout the movie!" Tomoyo scoffed.

"Ah, but according to whose expectations?"

She grimaced—an expression Eriol found all too adorable on her. "I assume you mean that asinine excuse he gives her at the end of the movie?"

"Asinine? My dear Tomoyo-san, it is completely rational, when you consider Sarah's actions and behavior towards Jareth and his entire kingdom."

"Would you both please settle down so I can watch my movie?" Nakuru grumbled. "Or are you trying to spoil the ending for me?"

"Your movie?" Tomoyo and Eriol echoed in unison, sparing each other an amused glance.

"Hush," commanded the moon guardian, her eyes on the television. "You're being too loud. I can't hear properly."

"Somewhere, a vast majority of hell just froze over," commented Spinel as he floated into the room, making a beeline for Tomoyo's lap and settling himself comfortably. "I never expected to hear those words coming out of your mouth, Ruby Moon."

"That means you too, Suppi-chan." Nakuru flicked him an irritated glance. "Shut up."

"Nakuru, don't be rude," chided Tomoyo gently.

"…please," Nakuru added grudgingly, making Tomoyo roll her eyes, Spinel sigh, and Eriol laugh. "What are they doing?" she asked, scooting closer to Tomoyo so that she could lean on her more comfortably.

"Walking through a hallway in which various large stone pillars seem to be warning them to go back," Spinel said dryly. Nakuru swatted his nose. With a sound of outrage, Spinel moved from Tomoyo's lap to her knees.

"I can still reach you," Nakuru told him. Spinel glowered at her, then conceded the point and instead jumped down onto Eriol's lap.

"Play nice, you two," Eriol said absently. "Goodness, it's been quite a while since I've seen this movie. Where did you find it, Tomoyo-san?"

"Under the bookshelves in the library, in the cabinet where you keep your movies."

Eriol blinked. "Cabinet?"

"I put them there," Spinel interrupted. "Because Nakuru—of all the unexpected things—rarely ever ventures into the library. It was the only way I could escape from his self-proclaimed 'movie marathons.'" He turned a baleful eye on his counterpart. "I vowed to myself that he would never force me to watch fourteen straight hours of Disney ever again."

"Isn't this a Disney movie?" mused Eriol. Spinel sent him a long, slow look.

"It is not," he said testily. "It is a Jim Henson production."

"Jim Henson?" Nakuru flicked her attention toward Spinel for a moment. "Like, the Muppets? And Sesame Street?"

Tomoyo giggled. "Why am I not surprised that you watch American television, Nakuru-chan?"

Nakuru snorted indelicately. "Those Americans have some funny ideas about entertainment, let me tell you, Tomo-chan. I mean, a talking frog? A genetically-mutated elephant who's friends with a gigantic yellow bird? That's funny?"

"And educational," supplied Eriol. Nakuru rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I'm sure, Eriol-daioh—sama," she corrected herself hastily at his bland look.

"Oh, like that's much better," the magician muttered.

"Pick your battles, Eriol-kun," suggested Tomoyo, lifting a hand to stroke Nakuru's hair. With a sigh of contentment, Nakuru snuggled against Tomoyo's shoulder.

Eriol hid his amusement—and the swell of tenderness in his heart—at the picture the two of them made. Like a child and her mother, he thought, before hurriedly shaking the thought away. This was not the time for such thoughts. "The lesser of two evils, I suppose," he agreed casually. "As usual, your wisdom enlightens me, Tomoyo-san."

"Really, Eriol-kun," Tomoyo mock-scolded, "shouldn't you already know that by now?" She shook her head as if in exasperation. "You should listen to me more often."

"Your daily doses of sage advice are the light of my life," Eriol assured her.

At the tone in his voice—the slight inflection that only his own creations would have been able to detect—Nakuru's eyes snapped open and narrowed on her master. Spinel tensed slightly on Eriol's lap. Absently, Eriol lifted a hand to rub it along the cat's spine. Nakuru's gaze connected with Spinel's.

How many uh-ohs is that?

Seven, I believe. That would be 'septuple uh-oh.' Or something to that effect.

Nakuru snickered in amusement. Spinel rolled his eyes at the entire affair and settled himself under Eriol's soothing hand. Nakuru turned her attention back to the television—and let out a small shriek.

"What is that?"

Tomoyo sighed as the old man with the talking bird-hat wandered across the screen. "Maybe the movie would make more sense if we watched it from the beginning."

Eriol frowned. "Are you sure you don't mind starting it over, Tomoyo-san?"

"It's perfectly all right," she assured him, picking up the VCR remote with her free hand, as the other was still playing with Nakuru's long hair. "I really don't mind at all. This is one of my favorite movies, after all."

"It is?" Eriol looked highly doubtful. "But it's quite old—1986, wasn't it, when it came out? And the acting, especially young Miss Connelly's, is terrible. Not to mention the special effects are atrocious and the puppetry is quite mediocre."

"I know." Her grin was dazzling and amused. "I love it." She restarted the video and settled against Nakuru with a smile. The moon guardian beamed, too, at the prospect of seeing the whole movie with her entire family.

That thought gave her pause. My family? She peeked out of the corner of her eye up at Tomoyo, who was absently stroking Nakuru's hair, eyes focused on the television. Spinel, curled up on Eriol's lap, was watching the screen through half-lidded eyes, though the regular flicking of his tail bespoke his interest in the movie. Eriol was slouched against the couch, his head falling back against the seat cushion next to Tomoyo's knee. He looked as though he were dangerously close to leaning to the side so that his temple rested against Tomoyo's leg, but didn't quite dare make such a forward move.

Nakuru felt a small, genuinely happy smile curve her mouth. My family, she thought again, with not an insignificant amount of wonder. Mine, forever and ever. She let out a sigh and let her attention focus on the movie.

For nearly twenty minutes, as the opening credits and first scene flashed across the screen, not a word was spoken. Except for occasional comments from Nakuru, and even less frequent replies from Spinel or Eriol.

"That is one very large dog, don't you think, Suppi-chan?"

"Hush, idiot."

"What an obnoxious baby."

"Ruby Moon, shh."

"Ewww, gross, what are those things?"

"Goblins, of course, you moron, don't you pay attention?"

"Shut up, Suppi."

"Both of you, stop."

"Yes, Eriol-dai…sama."

Perhaps the most infamous commentary occurred when David Bowie, playing the role of Jareth, the Goblin King, made his first appearance. Nakuru's jaw dropped, and she whistled.

"Damn, he's cute."

"Nakuru-chan."

"Sorry, Tomo-chan. But he is very, very cute, don't you agree?"

"Yes, I think so."

Eriol turned to scowl up at them. "He's also old and fat now, you realize?" he pointed out. "And his hair looks awful like that."

"I think it's nice," Tomoyo countered vaguely.

The magician snorted. "And what's wrong with his eyes? They don't match at all." Nakuru waved a hand at him until he turned around, scowl still in place, and tried her best not to laugh at her master's poor attempt to mask his jealousy.

Then all hell broke loose as the camera got a full-body shot of Jareth the Goblin King in his skintight white suit.

Nakuru uttered incomprehensible sounds. Spinel sputtered indignantly. Eriol made a vaguely disgusted noise. Tomoyo only sighed and shook her head at their reactions.

"What—is he—wearing?" Nakuru choked.

"I would think that what he's not wearing would be more the issue," Eriol said reasonably.

"It's a bodysuit." Tomoyo fought the urge to giggle. "A very, very tight-fitting bodysuit."

"Obviously!" Nakuru goggled at the…rather well defined proportions of David Bowie's body. The cloth hugged him like a second skin and left absolutely nothing to the imagination. "Boy, would I have loved to be Jennifer Connelly for the filming of this movie, even if I needed my eyebrows waxed and couldn't act for peanuts."

There was a mutter from the direction of the floor. Nakuru stifled a smile and didn't say anything else. Spinel glared at the television the entire time David Bowie was onscreen, and Nakuru thought he heard him mumble, "Indecent and lewd…" What was more, Eriol patted the cat's head supportively. Nakuru caught Tomoyo's eye, and the two had to look away from one another before they laughed outright at the pair seated on the ground.

"You'd think the very least he could do would be to wear a codpiece," Spinel grumbled, causing Nakuru to break into a fit of giggles.

"Suppi-chan, who says 'codpiece' anymore?" she teased. "It's called a cup—"

"Regardless," Tomoyo broke in smoothly, as Eriol shut his eyes in mortification at the turn the conversation had taken, "let us continue to watch the movie, yes?"

This was agreeable to all, and as Jareth made his bargain with Sarah, there was contented silence. Until Nakuru opened her mouth again.

"I don't think a codpiece is what he needs," she mused aloud. "What he needs is a whalepiece."

For perhaps a second and a half, utter, shocked, stunned silence weighed heavily in the air. Then Eriol turned to Ruby Moon with a half-horrified, half-surprised look on his face. Spinel buried his face in his paws, eyes closed mournfully.

And Tomoyo collapsed upon the couch, helpless with laughter.