Once again, Steven and Dawn were sitting around a fire.
Except this one was a fake fire made from Lego's. Dawn was sitting atop a sleeping bag while Steven sat on a pillow across from her. They were in Stevens flat, not outside camping like before.
"I know this didn't go as you planned." Steven said, breaking the silence.
Dawn stayed quiet.
"Did you want to talk to Marc? I can get him out. Give him a good old push. Or, you can talk to me? I'm a good listener. I've won the goodest listener award. Goodest? Best. Best listener. Well, I guess I didn't win best Grammer award." Steven chuckled.
This did not cheer Dawn up. She only bobbed her head when she heard
"Hey, kid. Spill."
She couldn't figure out if it was Marc or Jake that spoke but in all honesty it didn't really matter.
"I'm just thinking about what he said. When someone who looks like Captain America puts on a mask and suit he gets praised. When I do it I become a joke. I kind of feel like nobody will be on my side."
"I'm on your side. And Layla. And Anubis. And Khonshu, if you can believe it. Maybe one day you'll be adored by the public. Or maybe not. I don't know what your future brings, kid. But I do know we'll be in it."
Dawn smiled and fell back into her sleeping bag. She looked at the wall across from her and noticed something new.
"Which one of you plays the guitar?" She asked, pointing at the acoustic guitar hanging on the wall.
"I do. Steven doesn't." Dawn had decided the one in charge of the body was Marc. "Says all the chords and frets confuse him."
Marc had gotten up and grabbed the guitar and began to play.
Dawn immediately recognized the song and tried to hide her face from her friend. Her voice trembled as she talked "why did you choose this song?"
"I don't know. It just came to me." Marc answered. Then he began to sing.
"When the night has come, come on Polly"
She began to sing along "and the land is dark."
They both sang "and the moon is the only light we'll see.
No I won't be afraid."
Dawn took solo "no I won't be afraid."
They continued "just as long as you stand. Stand by me."
Dawn fell silent as Marc continued "so darlin' darlin' stand by me. Oh, stand by me."
He began to strum a guitar solo more Latin in nature than the song is supposed to.
She stared at the man and felt a sliver of guilt because for the first time she genuinely could not tell who was in charge? Marc? Or Jake? Hell, it could even be Steven doing a very good impression.
This raised another problem. Once they find out she's been hiding Jake from them, would Marc and Steven still be on her side?
They'd leave, she decided, and Jude would be right. No one else would love her. Maybe she was better off with him.
"Stand by me. Stand by me." The man sang. "Stand by me."