Disclaimer: I don't own Community. If I did, I'd have a team of scriptwriters to write witty disclaimers for me so i wouldn't be running out.

Chapter 13 - Intermediate Dance

Author's note: I understand there's no evidence Greendale has a Spring Formal (and the other hand there's none that it doesn't…), but it's certainly the sort of thing Dean Pelton would randomly decide to do in his ambition to make Greendale look more like a proper college. And besides, I was inspired to write this chapter after seeing "Modern Espionage" and realising there are far too few stories where Jeff gets to wear a tux...

Week 18

(Study Room B, Monday 8AM)

"So Annie, you were nowhere to be seen on Family Day - what happened to you?" Marcia asked.

"Oh," said Annie in an elaborately casual tone of voice she'd been practising all weekend. "I spent the day with Jeff, he took me to Cutter's Creek - it's a ski resort, you know - and we didn't get back until almost midnight."

"OhmigodAnnie! Tell us everything!" Marcia squealed with amazement.

So Annie did. Marcia was less than impressed by the end, though she took care to hide it from Annie. I'm sure holding hands by starlight is very romantic, but is that really all you got after an entire day? That idiot's too comfortable with you being so patient, he needs to get shocked into action.

XXXXXX

(Editorial Meeting in Jeff's office)

"Congratulations, Kate," Jeff says, holding up the dummy front page with a simple one word headline - VICTORY - accompanying a story about the dismissal of Starburns as fry chef and a quote from the dean about how shocked - shocked - he was to find the kitchens were corrupt.

"Nice picture too, Radar." Jeff nods to Abed, the story is accompanied by a large picture of a thoroughly villainous looking Starburns being frogmarched out of the kitchen.

"you've earned this guys - " Jeff hands Abed and Kate a martini each from the still and raises one himself " - to freedom of the press." They clink glasses.

XXXXXX

(Later that week)

Jeff is playing pool with coach Bogner in front of a large crowd. Somehow, they have both ended up naked. As Jeff leans over the table to take a particularly difficult shot, nobody knows where to look.

Except for Annie. Annie knows exactly where to look…

XXXXXX

Week 19

Jeff landed in his chair in the study room with a weary sigh and pulled out his phone. He was just getting engrossed in a game when he heard someone address him directly.

"I'm probably going to regret asking this, but what's wrong with you?" Britta said. "You've been here for almost three minutes now and haven't snarked at anyone, and Pierce has already made two penis related jokes."

"There's nothing wrong with me Britta, I just need to study."

Britta laughed sarcastically.

"Jeff's having relationship problems." Abed cut in.

"What? Jeff isn't in a relationship." Britta said.

"I didn't say it was his relationship that was the problem." Abed replied.

"He's just come from the cafeteria where he spent half an hour talking to his friend Annie, and ten minutes holding her hands while looking in her eyes."

"It's true, bro." Troy said. "Abed and I were on the other side of the cafeteria doing run throughs of the script for our Kickpuncher fan video."

"It's really amazing you guys are still single." Jeff snarked.

"I know, right?" The sarcasm sailed over Troy's head.

"So, holding hands and gazing into her eyes?" Shirley was glaring daggers at Jeff.

"It's really not what it sounds like." Jeff scanned the solid wall of sceptical faces, and against his will felt forced to say more.

"Look, Annie's my friend - I've never denied that."

"We're your friends too Jeff, you don't hold hands with us and give us long lingering gazes."

"Do you want to, Abed?"

"Gay! Always said it!"

"Shut up Pierce!" Britta, Jeff and Shirley said at the same time.

"I try to make time for her because she gives me something the study group can't."

"And what would that be?" Britta's voice was practically dripping with disdain.

"She knows how to study."

"Ouch!"

"Low blow, Jeff."

"Don't let him change the subject, it's one of his lawyer tricks!" Britta was almost shouting now. "Holding hands, lingering gazes, remember?"

"Look, it really isn't like that." Jeff sighed, knowing they weren't going to allow him to deflect things. "The poor girl was a bit upset that nobody had asked her to the Spring Formal dance and I was just trying to cheer her up a bit by saying that all that that proved was that men at Greendale are idiots and there was bound to be somebody out there for her. That's all."

"No, there isn't anybody out there for her."

"What? That's really cold Britta. Annie's a bit high strung, but she's a great kid." Jeff was almost shouting now.

"Relax Jeff, don't go all Papa Wolf on me -"

"Since when did you start quoting TVTropes? Have you swapped brains with Abed?"

"Stop that, Jeff! We already agreed distraction techniques aren't going to work. And for once I'm not having a dig at your little friend. This one is entirely your fault."

Jeff was about to explode again, when he saw Shirley still glaring daggers at him and nodding agreement with Britta. He forced himself to reply calmly.

"How exactly do you work that out?"

"Look I'm only going to say this once because I know what it'll do to your ego, so pay attention. This is Greendale - the vast majority of men here are no hopers, either creepy like Starburns or Pierce ("Hey! I'm in the room!") or just totally socially inept like Garrett or Neil. There are a few cute and potentially intriguing guys like Abed" -raised eyebrows - "but there are maybe three genuinely hot, straight guys on campus. And of those three, Troy ("Heeeyyyy!" big grin) has already had a run at your little friend and been blown off and Vaughn has already dumped her. Which leaves you, Jeff."

"Actually, she dumped Vaughn." Jeff felt the need to defend Annie. "And it was because of the way he treated you Britta - as I said she's a really good girl."

Britta looked abashed for a moment.

"Oh, and I knew you thought I was hot." Jeff grinned.

"That's what you took from all that? Yes Jeff, by Greendale standards you're hot." Britta rolled her eyes in disbelief.

"Look, if the men at Greendale were a bunch of apes flinging their own faeces at each other in the trees - and let's face it, they practically are - then you would be a silverback gorilla. All the other primates will steer well clear of any female you put your mark on, and face it Jeff - whether you realise it or not, you've put your mark on that girl."

"Britta, you're being ridiculous." But Jeff couldn't help notice everybody else seemed to be agreeing with her.

"Am I really Jeff? Let's play a game, shall we? Put yourself in the shoes of someone like Garrett and imagine you'd just spent a month screwing up the courage to go and talk to Annie Edison, and when you are finally pumped up enough to do it - because the dance is only three days away and it's now or never - you track her to the cafeteria and find her holding hands with Jeff Winger and sharing lingering glances with him. What would you, as Garret, do then?"

"I'd… he'd... turn around and leave." Jeff barely managed to whisper.

"Aaaaand he finally sees it." Britta said.

"So, you're saying I'm not allowed to simply be friends with a girl because it scares off the likes of Garrett?" Even Britta could tell Mr too-cool-to-care was on the verge of losing it, so it was perhaps just as well Shirley spoke next.

"No Jeffrey, nobody's saying you can't be friends. Britta's just saying you need to have a talk with her, let her understand what's going on so she doesn't blame herself. That is what you were going to say, wasn't it, Brit-ta?" Shirley finished in a warning tone of voice.

"Yes Shirley," Britta muttered.

Jeff was unimpressed. "Now that we've officially established I'm a monster who ruins the lives of innocent young girls, can we get on with some actual studying?" He said tightly. "We've got an exam next week."

XXXXXX

With the well of gossip poisoned by that exchange, the group actually did manage to do some studying. Jeff then went on to his last class of the day, after which he suddenly found himself in an agony of indecision for normally at four o'clock on a Wednesday he would go over to Study Room B for an hour's session with Annie who would run him through her notes and give him some tips on how to tackle any homework he'd been assigned.

Now however, he couldn't forget what the study group had said and found himself asking how on earth he could possibly face Annie. He had in fact already turned towards the car park and was drafting a message of apology on his phone when he was interrupted by a cheery voice on his left.

"Hi Jeff!"

"Oh hi, Edison."

"Where are you going? The study room's over that way." She pointed to his right.

"Sorry - I thought I had time to drop something off in my car." Yeah - my dignity, self-respect and any reason at all for you to like me.

"Well, we're both here now, let's go and study."

"Okay."

Twenty minutes later, and Annie closed her book with a decisive thump.

"Jeff, what's going on? You're concentrating even less than usual."

"It's nothing, really."

"Jeeeffff…." Damn, Bambi's mother just got shot. Again.

"It's something my study group said." Jeff froze slightly before going on. This is where I lose my friend. "Abed and Troy saw us in the cafeteria. They didn't overhear anything, but they saw everything."

"...Oh."

"Then, when I got back to the study group, everybody wanted to know what was going on. So I told them what you said about nobody inviting you to the dance."

"Jeff…"

"They said it was my fault."

"What?"

Jeff sighed. "It's nothing to do with you - apparently I'm a silverback gorilla who's marked you as my property, or something. No other guy in Greendale will go near you for fear of trespassing on my territory."

"That's ridic -"

"No, it isn't." Jeff gasped out the next bit with what was left of his breath. "So apparently if you're not to spend the rest of your time here alone we either have to put some distance between us or you have to hope someone even hotter than me enrols at Greendale. And let's face it, how likely is that?" The feeble joke left no impression at all on her face.

"Is this what you want Jeff?" Annie said, tightly.

"What! No - "

"Do I get any say in this?"

"What? Of course -"

"Because if I did, I might choose to say I've got no interest in dating the sort of men who are afraid of my friends. I might choose to say now that I know what's going on I could do something about it. I might choose to say THIS IS MY DAMN LIFE AND NOBODY TELLS ME HOW TO LIVE IT! I have fought so hard, sacrificed so much, for the right to be myself, to make my own decisions, and I am never again going to allow an overgrown high school clique tell me who I am allowed to be friends with!"

Annie's face had gone white with rage.

"What about you, Jeff Winger? Do people get to tell you who your friends are?"

"Only one person, apparently." Jeff smiled, truly, for the first time that afternoon.

Annie smiled back, that special smile of hers that made everyone's troubles feel less important.

"Look," said Jeff. "I can't study any more right now. I feel like grabbing a takeaway and a sixpack and clearing my head before spending the rest of the night cramming. Do you want to blow too or are you going to stay here?"

"No, I need some fresh air too. Walk me to the car park?"

"A pleasure. Milady?" Jeff offered his arm.

"Thank you, Milord." Annie smiled, and took it as they walked out of the building and turned towards the car park.

XXXXXX

Across the Quad, Britta and Shirley were standing outside the library where they had been doing some late studying of their own.

"It looks like he didn't have that chat with her after all," Britta said.

"No, there's more than one way a talk like that could end." Shirley said.

XXXXXX

(At the car park)

"So," said Annie. "What are you going to do for the Spring Formal?"

Jeff pretended to think. "I don't have a date - I assumed I'd be going with Slater, and look how that worked out - so I was thinking of just throwing on a tux and dancing with the prettiest girl who was on her own." Jeff threw a smile at Annie that made it quite clear who he thought that would be.

Annie smiled back, showing she'd caught Jeff's meaning. "Me too," she said, only to blush furiously when Jeff's raised eyebrow drew attention to what she had said. "Erm, I mean - "

Jeff decided to let her off lightly. "I know - swap out 'tux' and 'prettiest girl' for 'dress' and 'cutest guy' right?" Annie nodded. "Though it would be way more interesting if you went with what you originally said…"

"Jeff!" Annie swatted his arm.

"See you tomorrow, Edison."

"See you tomorrow, Jeff."

XXXXXX

Jeff and Annie also had a pottery class that week. It was supposed to be a blow off class, but Jeff hated it and briefly got expelled. It wasn't helped by the presence of that smug now it all with the too-perfect grin who obviously wasn't a beginner. Still, by the end of the week Jeff managed to learn a useful lesson about not having to be the best at everything. Annie was happy to see him show a little character growth for once.

XXXXXX

(Night of the Spring Formal)

A good half of the quad had been decorated with flowers and lights to look like an open air dance venue - complete with a temporary floor, and with a marquee at one end hosting tables, catering and a bar. In the moonlight, it was surprisingly effective.

"I see you've brought out the big guns tonight, Winger." Britta said, looking at Jeff's tuxedo and black bow tie. He may be the most gratuitously sexist pig this side of - well, Pierce, but he does know how to wear a suit.

"Packing heat yourself, Perry." Jeff replied in the same spirit, allowing a moment of frank appreciation for Britta's sleeveless black dress that only just reached mid-thigh and classic heels. She may be the most annoying Soapbox Sadie outside captivity, but she does know how to rock a tight fitting dress.

"I'm up here, mister." Despite herself, Britta couldn't hide a small smile.

"So, what are the children doing tonight?" Troy and Abed were on the other side of Britta, scanning the crowd and whispering into boxes.

Britta rolled her eyes. "They've decided they're in a spy film and this dance is a cover for something. If they see you dressed like that, they'll probably decide you're James Bond. Don't try to do a British accent."

"Now you need to leave, Jeff."

Jeff was slightly stunned. "Sorry, Britta?"

"Your little friend has just arrived and she's scanning the area - people have started to notice and are waiting to see what you do, Silverback. She's already starting to look nervous - you've got maybe ten seconds before she spots you with me and loses it completely."

Jeff's eyes opened wide. "Thanks Britta - just one thing…"

Jeff walked past her, tapped Troy on the shoulder. "Troy, ask Britta to dance."

"What? Erm okay…"

Britta rolled her eyes. "Get your sexist, patriarchal ass out of here, Winger." She let Troy take her arm though.

Jeff turned around to face the entry, where he saw Annie fidgeting nervously and craning her head as she looked around. He eased himself into a relaxed pose as he waited for her to spot him, and when she did - with a happy little bounce and a wave - he began to walk through the crowd towards her. Jeff made no effort to avoid people on the floor, for he carried himself with the assurance of a man who took it for granted that the crowd would part for him. Which, whether because of his bearing or simply because he was fortunate in the route he took, they did.

He stopped about ten feet short and openly scanned Annie from head to foot and back again with a warm, appreciative smile on his face. Annie flushed under the unexpected scrutiny. "Looking good, Edison. Looking very good." He said at last, and finally closed the distance and offered Annie his arm before leading her on to the dance floor.

In truth, if they'd been strangers meeting at a bar Jeff probably wouldn't have given her a second glance. Her dress was a knee-length canary yellow affair that looked like a larger girl's prom dress that had been inexpertly taken in - with a sudden flash of insight and knowing what he did of Annie's back story, Jeff suddenly wondered if that was not exactly what it was - Annie had missed her prom because she was in rehab so had probably never had a chance to wear it before. As always though, what made the look unforgettable was Annie herself - hair, eyes and smile, now spreading from ear to ear as Jeff put one hand on her waist and the other took her free hand and started to move in time to the music. Stop thinking like that Winger, you're doing a friend a favour, nothing else - you like this girl too much to treat her like just another one of your women.

Britta Perry had watched the whole performance with a cynical, amused eye but with the grudging respect of someone who knew exactly what game Jeff was playing and how well he played it. She did spare a thought for the rest of the crowd though and found herself wondering just how many of the schmucks here even had the wit to realise they'd just been given a masterclass in how to make a girl feel desired. One thing she did see though - going by the number of envious glances being cast his little friend's way, even if the men didn't realise it the women did. Primates. Britta thought disdainfully.

Annie Edison may not have much experience in the ways of the world, but she was a long way from being naive and she was well aware she was being very efficiently seduced. What she wasn't sure about was whether Jeff was doing it because he wanted her, or because he wanted this crowd to think he wanted her - he was quite sufficiently vain to think that being pursued so ardently by him would raise her status at Greendale - sadly, she thought it was probably the latter as he had shown scant sign of any such feelings in all their private time together and he was probably still feeling guilty after their conversation the other day. Still, even if it was an act she was determined to enjoy it - it was time for somebody to feel jealous of Annie Edison for once. And Jeff was a very good dancer, though she tried to avoid thinking that - like the tux and the abs - the skill was probably a deliberately acquired weapon in his seduction armoury.

"So," said Jeff. "Have you spotted the lucky guy you're going to spend the evening dancing with yet?"

"Not yet," said Annie, with a smile. "What about you, have you spotted who you want to spend the night with yet?"

"Actually I was thinking about Joelle, but she's already with somebody and I'm not sure I've got the firepower to take down her date." Jeff efficiently rotated Annie through a ninety degree turn so that she could see her red-headed friend wearing a green dress and dancing with Garrett, trying very hard to stop him from standing on her toes.

Annie suddenly found herself fighting down a fit of the giggles. "Oh, Jeff! You've got to try and rescue her."

"That's the thing about knights in shining armour, Edison - we're supposed to concentrate on one lady at a time or it devalues the brand." Jeff suddenly went thoughtful for a moment.

"But if you seriously think she needs rescuing, I can have a word with Abed - he can cut in with his Don Draper impersonation or something."

"That's… really thoughtful of you, Jeff." Annie wished she hadn't sounded quite so surprised, she could tell from his raised eyebrow that Jeff had picked up on it. Instead Annie looked very deliberately over at Joelle, making eye contact. The other girl silently but equally deliberately mouthed back HELP ME! at Annie. "let's find Abed," she said.

Jeff had already spotted him by the DJ desk, and efficiently danced Annie over that way. Once they reached Abed, Jeff swiftly explained the situation.

"Cool. Coolcoolcool." Was all Abed said, but he turned and started to walk across the floor - even as he went his stride was changing into a much more macho swagger. They saw him walk up to Garrett and Joelle, saw Garrett's shoulders slump slightly and then Abed was off, spinning Joelle into the middle of the dance floor.

"Abed's a surprisingly good dancer," Annie said.

"Yes, he is." Jeff replied. "Don't get any ideas, Edison."

"Why Jeff!" Annie smiled. "Are you jealous?"

"Of course I am." but he was smiling too. "But you do realise we may have made a horrible mistake?" Jeff had an expression of mock seriousness on his face.

"Oh?" Annie looked confused.

"Two of the smartest, most scarily observant people around, who don't quite get how normal people work - can you imagine what their children would be like?"

Annie suddenly had a silly grin on her face. "Humanity is doomed! I for one welcome our new super-rational overlords..."

The music changed into a classic swing tune. Jeff recognised it and laughed suddenly.

There may be trouble ahead

But while there's moonlight and music

And love and romance

Let's face the music and dance…

He let go of Annie's waist with his left hand, spun her on the spot with his right, then took hold of her waist again and waltzed her into the middle of the crowd. Annie thought she must look ridiculous given how much she was smiling. She didn't care.

XXXXXX

Annie Edison was in something of a quandary. On the one hand, she was thoroughly enjoying dancing with Jeff - even if he was so much better than her that it felt at times like she was being pushed around the dance floor - and talking about stuff that had nothing to do with Greendale (even confirming Jeff's suspicions about her outfit did not upset her, so good was her mood); but on the other her feet were starting to hurt. Annie wasn't particularly used even to walking in high heels, never mind dancing in them and they were starting to protest. When one particularly tight turn caused her to wince with pain sufficiently obviously even for Jeff to notice he was instantly contrite and took her to a table to sit down, ignoring her protests as he did.

Once they'd got to the table Jeff offered to get some drinks, returning with a (non-alcoholic, he checked) fruit punch and a diet coke. By the time he got back Annie had kicked off her shoes and was resting her feet on a spare chair and trying to flex some circulation back into her toes. She took one look at Jeff's face - an amused expression she'd come to call his "Annie does something cute but childish again" face - and sighed inwardly. And there I was thinking I was doing so well being all grown up - I bet the blonde doesn't get sore feet from wearing high heels. Outwardly, she chose to smile and thank him for the drink.

"Is this your first formal dance, Edison?"

"Is it that obvious, Jeff?" She replied sadly.

"Actually, no." He replied to her pleased surprise. "You're doing pretty well - a lot better than at least half the people here, I think your performing arts credit is safe. It helps of course that you've got a good teacher." Jeff smiled and raised his glass as though toasting himself.

"Well, I don't think anybody thinks it's your first, Jeff." Annie smiled, rather ruefully, back at him.

Jeff shuddered. "No, it isn't. There'd be at least four or five a year at the law firm - I'd be expected to dance with clients' wives while the senior partners talked business with their husbands, I'd have to show interest in them - but not too much, if you know what I mean - and pretend to be flattered when they got a bit hands-on. Which wasn't too hard to do with some of the Russian trophy wives, but the old money, east coast heiresses -" Jeff shuddered again. "I was the best trial lawyer at that firm and was being used as bait and distraction because I was cursed with movie star good looks." He smiled wryly at her.

"And modesty and humility. Don't forget those too." Annie smiled back. "If you think good looks are such a curse you can always stop exercising and start eating carbs…"

"It's a burden somebody has to bear, Edison. I like to think I'm doing the world a favour by giving it me to look at." Annie just rolled her eyes, but inside she was thinking you're so vain Winger, even if you do have a lot to be vain about, especially in that Tux...

"Annie, can you spare Jeff for a moment?" Marcia had appeared from nowhere.

"Marcia! Shouldn't you be with Jack?"

Marcia shrugged. "We're on a break. So…?"

"Don't I get a say in this?" Jeff protested weakly.

"No." Marcia grabbed Jeff's wrist as Annie waved her permission. "Come with me, pretty boy."

"Have fun, Jeff." Annie was grinning again as Marcia dragged him away.

XXXXXX

"Just to be absolutely clear," Jeff said as he spun Marcia on to the dance floor, "but my study group will ask questions if I fail to appear tomorrow and find out you're the last person I was seen alive with."

Marcia sashayed back into hold. "Don't worry Jeff - I'm not here to kill you. Tonight, at least." She had a very serious expression on her face that didn't quite reach her eyes. "though I think you owe me an explanation as to what game you are playing tonight, you're going a bit all in for somebody who only wants to be friends." There was a warning note in her voice.

Jeff shimmied his way through a sequence of complex dance moves. To his surprise, Marcia followed him through them with ease. He resumed the ballroom hold, sighed and proceeded to explain, yet again.

"... so you see," Jeff wrapped up, "none of the guys around here will ask her out because they think she's off limits because of me, so the least I could do is make sure she got a dance out of the evening. There's no ulterior motive Marcia, and I'm pretty sure Annie get's that."

"So am I, Jeff." Marcia said. "I really think she's getting over you now."

"What?" Jeff's voice was less steady than he wanted it to sound.

"She told us all about your day in the mountains - she put everything she had into getting you to notice her, and all she got out of it was something about what a great friend she is."

"She is a great friend, Marcia!"

"And I think that she's starting to accept that that is all she's going to be. I don't think you have to worry about her crushing on you for much longer."

"That's… great." Jeff's voice had gone cold and dead. The music they'd been dancing to came to an end. "Well, it's been interesting. Now, if you'll excuse me…" He turned and headed back to where he'd left Annie.

XXXXXX

"Crap." The table was empty. Jeff turned around.

"Double-crap." He saw her halfway across the dance floor, in Troy's arms with a happy smile on her face.

"Looking for your little friend, Jeff?"

"I don't need this right now, Britta." Jeff hissed through gritted teeth.

"Hey - I've been dumped too." Her voice was light and sympathetic in tone, not at all sarcastic. Jeff turned to look at her, she had a slightly sad smile on her face that reminded Jeff she'd been mostly dancing with Troy all evening.

Jeff smiled back at her. "As one dumpee to another, do you want to dance?"

"This track has almost finished - I requested my favorite song for the next, you can ask me then."

Oh no, not this. Jeff said to himself as he recognised the opening beat. But instead he straightened up and said "have your dance classes covered the Tango, Britta?"

"I've had a few Latin classes, yes." She had a decidedly - sultry, Jeff realised it was - smile on her face.

"Then let's show these children how it's done." He rasped.

Roooo-xanne -

You don't have to put on the red light!

Those days are over

You don't have to sell your body to the night…

Jeff pulled Britta into him - hard - and swept her out on to the floor.

XXXXXX

The last notes spiralled down into silence. In the space that had been cleared in the middle of the floor by people moving out of their way to watch, Jeff and Britta came to a halt, their faces only inches apart and wearing expressions that were positively feral. Without a word, they backed away a couple of paces and span around on their heels, then marched off in opposite directions. Applause broke out.

"So." Said Joelle, who, with Abed, had moved up next to Marcia. "This plan of yours to get him so worried about losing Annie that he'd finally make a proper move on her, did that take the blonde into account?"

Marcia looked appalled. "Annie! Oh god - where is she? We've got to find her before she does something stupid!"

XXXXXX

Troy and Annie had been one of the couples that had moved aside to give Britta and Jeff room to dance. Troy was awestruck at what he had just seen.

"Annie - wow! Did you see that? Who knew Jeff-" He turned to face Annie, only to realise she was nowhere to be seen.

"Annie? Where'd she go?"

XXXXXX

Author'snote:this is another chapter that didn't go according to plan. In the preliminary outline, they ended the evening slow-dancing to Bette Midler's "The Rose" (seriously, that song could have been written for this couple) and be in a generally really happy place. Instead when I sat down to do detailed writing, *this* happened! (I guess my subconsciousness wouldn't allow me to forget that, however much we like them, this is a pair with rather severe abandonment issues.) Incidentally, this also means I've had to throw out the next chapter in order to sort out this mess. See you then...