A/N: Sorry for the YEAR long delay. I'm working very hard to finish this fic so I can get started on another one. Thanks for being patient.

"So, let me get this straight. We are sitting inside of a box? Just a – box."

"Yep, just your average magic box. It's hard to believe at first, but you get used to the idea after a while."

Lilly and Elsie were still seated around the fire, though the flames had become embers by now and, in the soft glow, Lilly could only barely make out the shape of Elsie's face.

"Is there a way out? A door or something? I mean, we got in somehow, so there must be a way out." Lilly looked around frantically but couldn't see anything in the pitch black darkness.

Elsie just watched Lilly begin to panic. She couldn't say whether or not there was an exit. She didn't honestly know.

Lilly turned back to Elsie, "Well? Haven't you looked? Don't you know?"

Elsie shook her head, "I can't. There is a darker spell holding me here."

Lilly stood up, "Well, I'm going to find a way out of here. You can come with me or you can stay there. I don't care."

There were two knots in their kitchen table. Howard had discovered them whilst avoiding eye contact with Vince, who was sitting across from him, staring into his cold cup of tea.

"Howard?"

"Yeah, Little Man?" Howard looked up to see Vince staring at him like a lost child.

There was a long pause in which Vince took time to blink his wide blue eyes. He shook his head, and looked back down at the tea, "Never mind."

Howard frowned. Vince always had something to say. He always had an opinion or at least some sort of ridiculous comment he absolutely had to contribute. Howard was mildly shocked – okay, he was pretty shocked – that Vince hadn't made a comment about his atrocious state. Clearly, there was something wrong.

"Where's Lilly?"

Howard was startled by Vince's question. He was even more startled by the look on the younger man's face when he finally made eye contact. He looked hurt; like he already knew the answer.

"Well, Vince, she's…well, she decided…and then she appeared…but now I don't…" Howard was having a hard time coming up with an answer.

"You drove her away, didn't you?" Vince's look of hurt had changed to an accusatory one.

"Whoa now! I did no such thing, sir." Howard braced himself for an argument, "She left of her own volition."

"You didn't go after her?" Vince waited for an answer and when all he got was a guilty look, he pressed on, "What did you have left for you here when I was…gone? Absolutely nothing! She's all you had left! You just let her go! You know, Howard, I'm glad more people don't fall in love with you. You're just cruel!"

Howard slammed his fist on the table and yelled, desperately trying to defend himself, "She disappeared! What was I supposed to do, Vince? I'd already lost my best mate and then she up and disappeared when I needed her most! I needed her, Vince! I needed her desperately and she wasn't there!"

Vince sighed and crossed his arms, lowering his tone, "So she's just gone?"

Howard echoed Vince and shook his head, "Well, not exactly."

"What do you mean, not exactly, Howard? She's either here or she isn't."

Howard went back to staring at the table and mumbled, "She came back."

Vince made a noise of frustration in the back of his throat, "So where is she?"

"I haven't quite figured that out yet, Vince. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that you're sitting in front of me. Let alone where Lilly's gone off to." Howard sniffled, wiping his nose with the back of his hand childishly.

Vince looked up, confused, "Howard? Are you…"

"No." Howard pushed away from the table and stood up roughly. He moved to leave the room but thought better of it, instead turning and addressing Vince once more, "You know what, Vince? I was finally starting to deal with this…" He threw his arms out, gesturing, "…mess." He wiped away some more tears, angrily, "Now you've come back and it's all gone to shit again!"

Vince gaped at Howard's retreating back. He was blaming Vince for all this Lilly trouble! That Howard had some nerve.

The truth was, neither Vince nor Howard had any idea where Vince had been, why he was back, or how he got there. Howard knew the Hitcher had something to do with it but he couldn't quite lay his finger on the green man's role in the whole thing. But he knew who might have an idea.

"Naboo? Is that you?"

"Yes it's me, Howard. What are you doing calling me? Is there a problem with the shop?" Naboo rolled his eyes and held his finger up to Bollo, who was trying to pass him a joint. Bollo just rolled his eyes right back and passed the joint over Naboo to Saboo.

"No, the shop's alright, but I think you should come home. Something's happened."

"Spit it out, Moon! What's happened?" Naboo put a finger in his free ear and glared at Saboo, who was arguing with Tony Harrison.

"Just hold it to my lips!"

"I will do no such thing, you great ball sac!"

"Naboo? Hello?"

"I'm here, sorry. Now, what's the problem?"

"I said, Vince is back."

Naboo's eyebrows shot up on his forehead, "You said what?"

"He just showed up in the flat this morning. I have no idea how."

"Hold on, Howard." Naboo put his hand over his mobile's receiver and stage whispered angrily, "Would you two shut up?"

Tony Harrison swiveled to glare at Naboo, while Saboo took his chance and slapped Tony over the back of his big, pink, ball-shaped head. Tony Harrison let out a yell and turned back to Saboo, waving his tentacles about.

"You wanna fight? Is that it?"

"Maybe I do, you pink buffoon!"

Naboo sighed angrily and spoke into the receiver again, "Don't worry Howard. We're on our way."