Prelude:

     Once upon a time in America, Maundy Goodfellow sauntered down the Path 
from Duke Villi's hold.  He had two important children to deliver this 
time.  He opened the lid of the basket and peaked at them.  Beautiful 
little children.  A boy and a girl.  I must be careful with them.  The 
duke will have my head if something goes wrong, though he'll be kind 
compared to what the Queen would do, he thought.

     As it was, it wasn't the Queen's wrath he faced.  He never saw the 
iron arrows until they bit into his back.  He fell dead within seconds, 
his last conscious action to set the children down so he wouldn't drop them.

     They found good homes, but not the ones that were planned...

*************************************************************************

The Summer People:

Episode 2:  "Fall Dance"

by John Biles

****************************************************************************

Harry said:

      It was one of those nights.  You know, the ones where everyone 
wants to ask you questions you can't answer?  It started when I was over 
at Angel and Tanya's room.  Angel was supposed to be back from studying 
over at Brigit's room by now, but she had called to say she'd be late.  
Tanya was writing a paper on her computer.  Well, trying.  As I did my 
physics homework, I could tell that she wasn't making any progress.  
Either that or page four was so crucial she had to spend an hour 
rewriting it.  Something was bugging her.

      I soon found out.  She wheeled around in her chair and said, 
"Harry, can I ask you a question?"

      I froze.  People only ask you if they can ask you a question if 
it's very important they get the RIGHT answer from you.  Which I usually 
don't know.  "Uh, sure."

      "What do you think about me and Thomas' relationship?  Honestly?"
She had an uncharacteristic look of worry in her eyes.  I sighed.  What 
had Thomas done this time, I wondered.  He's a nice guy...if you're not 
dating him.  

      "I think he doesn't treat you as well as he should.  He flirts with 
every woman in sight."  Including my girlfriend, I thought.  And she 
likes it when he does that.  I growled a little.  "Sure he may send you 
two dozen roses on your birthday and take you skiing, but where is he the 
rest of the time?  He's gone all the time, it seems like."  I tried to 
pull myself together before I could start ranting.  I do like Thomas, but 
I'd never date him.  If I was female, that is.  "You're the best 
girlfriend he could ever dream of having, and I don't think he 
appreciates it."  

     She sighed and gave me that look.  That look that no guy could ever 
possibly hope to understand, which usually preceeds some kind of 
pronouncement that you can't tell where it came from.  

     Luckily for me, the door flew open and Angel flew in.  Well, she 
walked in, anyway.  Salvation was at hand.  This wasn't a discussion I 
wanted to be having.  I'm too biased a judge.  Angel grabbed me and 
dragged me towards the balcony door.  "We have to talk."  I sighed.  Out 
of the frying pan and into the fire.

     The apartments on this side of Muggleton all have balconies.  It's 
nice on a cool night like this.   You can stand and look at the stars.  
Angel walked over to the balcony and stood staring off across the 
campus.  This is the side which faces the campus.  Muggleton's front 
doors are on the other side, opening onto a big circle road where the 
other dorms are.  I wish I had a balcony, but I'm on the front side, 
down on my floor.

     I walked over and stood next to Angel.  "What do we need to talk about?"

     "Harry, what would you do if I died?"  Angel asked, staring off at 
the Science building a little ways up the hill.

     I blinked.  "Why would you die?"

     "She's out there, Harry, somewhere.  Waiting to strike.  She could 
be climbing down from the roof right now, coming to get me."  She shook 
slightly.  I looked up instinctively.  No one was climbing down the wall 
that I could see.  

     Suddenly, I realized what she was talking about.  "You mean Splinter."

     She nodded.  "I just...had this awful vision on my way back to the 
room of her just stepping into the elevator and killing me.  The doors 
opened at my floor and Tanya found my body."

     I moved closer and hugged her.  "You're safe.  I think she's given 
up by now.  We haven't seen her in a week."

     She leaned into the hug.  "I'm starting to wonder if I should take 
my sword with me everywhere."

     "I think the teachers would freak."

     "I know.  I'm just worried."  She looked at the ring on her hand, an 
aquamarine set into a gold band.  "I hope this thing works."  Lady 
Aquamarine had given it to her and said it would protect her.  It seemed 
to be working.  At least, we hadn't seen Splinter in a week.

     "You've got two faeries watching out for you and me.  What more 
could you want?"  I paused.  "And to answer your first question...I don't 
know what I'd do if you died.  Something crazy."  I shuddered at the 
thought.  I didn't really want to have to think about this.  "And I'd 
miss you for the rest of my life."

     She looked up at me.  "You would?"

     "Honest injun."  

     She laughed.  "If you died, I'd find whoever killed you and I'd rip 
them limb from limb."  Her voice was tight, fiercer than I'd ever heard 
it before.  "I'd make them pay."  She was starting to scare me a little, 
but I was flattered at the same time.  

     "Don't worry.  I'm not going to die."  I hugged her a little 
tighter.  "We're both going to be fine."  I paused.  "Do you know why 
Tanya is so bothered?  Did Thomas do something again?"

     She squeezed me tightly.  "He sent her flowers."

     "Isn't that a good things?"  What did he do, send her black roses?

     "With another girl's name on it."

     I would have slapped my forehead if my arms hadn't been wrapped 
around Angel.  "He WHAT?"

     She began to laugh faintly, almost bitterly.  "Which probably means 
Mandi has flowers with a card addressed to Tanya that she's wondering 
what happened."

     "Not Mandi Walkins?"  I laughed.  I knew what happened.

     "You know her?"

     "She's dating Thomas...Thomas ATKINS.  Five will get you ten that 
the florist jumbled the delivery."  I strode inside.  Time to make a 
phone call.  

      I called Thomas Atkins.  He's in the physics club with me.  
Luckily, I had my notebook with the club phone list with me.  A quick 
phone call revealed I was right.  Tanya had been sitting and staring at 
me through the whole call.  I explained everything to Tanya.  

      She sighed and tugged on her hair like she does when she gets 
irritated with herself.  "I should have trusted him..."

      "Calm down, Tanya.  He's done enough stupid things before for you 
to be suspicious."

       Angel gave Tanya a hug.  "All's well that ends well, right?"

       "If this was an ending."  She sighed.  "I guess I'd better go see 
him and tell him I'm sorry I yelled at him."  She got up and gave me a 
tight hug.  "Thank you, Harry."

       I smiled and hugged her back.  "It was nothing."

      She sighed.  "You've..."  She stopped herself.  "Have a good night 
you two.  I think I'll be back, but..."  She paused.  "If you decide to 
have an orgy, call Thomas' room and let us know so I won't walk in on you."

      Angel blushed.  I laughed.  "Right.  So you two can BOTH walk in on 
us."

      She laughed.  "Naah, that's what the hidden cameras are for."  She 
winked and left for Thomas' room.

      Angel plopped down on her bed.  I sat down on Tanya's bed.  She 
shook her head.  "Orgy."  She seemed to want to say something, but wasn't 
sure what she wanted to say.

      I wish.  We're both virgins.  This is basically a voluntary 
thing...if we really wanted enough to have sex, we'd have had it by now.  
In my rational moments, I want to wait until I'm married.  We can't risk 
Angel getting pregnant.  It would wreck both our lives.  In my less 
rational moments, I couldn't care less about that risk, but...I just feel 
like I need to get Tanya out of my head before I try anything like that 
with Angel.  I know I'd do something stupid like call out Tanya's name, 
and that would hurt Angel a lot.  She deserves better than that.  I 
sighed.  She deserves better than me.  Thomas is a jerk, but at least 
he's romantic sometimes.  I'm never very romantic.  I don't know how to 
be.  

     "You know.  Like we have all the time when Tanya's not around?"  I 
laughed.  So did she.  

     However, she then sighed.  "I wish.  I just...I don't want to end up 
like my sisters, Harry."

     "I wouldn't abandon you, but I can't blame you for not wanting to 
get pregnant."
  
     She looked at me.  It wasn't a happy look, but it wasn't exactly a 
sad one.  "I know you wouldn't, Harry."  She smiled suddenly.  "I know I 
can trust you.  I just...I...You're not angry with me, are you, Harry?"

     I blinked.  "Why would I be angry?"

     "Because...well...I...I mean..."  I could guess what she was 
thinking.  I'm not totally clueless.

     I got up and went over to her, sitting down on the bed by her.  "We 
don't have to go over this again, Angel.  I can wait as long as it 
takes."  I have to wait.  I have to be ready for you.  I'm sorry.  

     She smiled.  "A lot of guys wouldn't be this patient."

     "A lot of guys don't have a heavily armed, sword wielding 
girlfriend."  

     She laughed.  "Angel Bedos-Rezak, Warrior Princess."

     "And her faithful sidekick, Gumby."

     We both laughed.  Soon the conversation turned to sillier matters.  
My strong point.

**************************************************************************

Angel said:

     I kissed Harry goodnight at the door.  We'd finally reached the 
point where we were getting comfortable with kissing.  I was glad.  
Meeting the Faerie folk had done at least one good thing for us. 

     The phone rang.  I answered it.  "Hello?"

     I heard the giggle first.  "This is Tanya.  I won't be home 
tonight.  Have fun with Harry and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

     I sighed.  "He's gone home."

     She laughed.  "I bet if you call him, he'd come back."

     "I'll think about it."  

     "Don't think too long!  Bye!"  Tanya hung up.   I went to take a shower.

      I spend a lot of time thinking in the shower.  I'm not sure why, 
but my brain always seems to work better when I'm bathing.  Maybe because 
I'm not busy singing like Tanya does sometimes.  Tonight I was thinking 
about Harry.  And Thomas.  And everything.  I always also busy trying to 
NOT think about what Thomas and Tanya were probably doing right this minute.
     
     Unfortunately, the harder I tried, the harder it was to stop.  I 
have a pretty powerful imagination.  I had a mental image in my mind and 
I didn't like it.  Damnit, this happens every time I know they're...

     I sighed.  I've got to get Thomas out of my head before I go nuts.  
I finished cleaning my body, wishing I could give my mind a shower this 
easily.  I got out of the shower, quickly drying myself off and wrapping 
a towel around my body.  Wandering into the bedroom to get my pajamas, 
(Unlike Tanya, I don't sleep in the nude or close to it), I saw the 
phone.  

     I didn't have to sleep alone.  That is something boyfriends are good 
for.  But...I knew if I called him, we'd...we'd...We didn't have to do 
that, I told myself.  People don't always have sex every time they sleep 
in the same bed.  

     I knew better.  I knew what I wanted at the moment.  This wouldn't 
be right.  I'd be using him to distract myself.  I wasn't really ready 
for this...I was just jealous.  Jealous of my roommate.  She was sleeping 
with my...with...I started pounding on the wall.  I had to do something 
to get these thoughts out of my head.

     The phone rang.  I stared at it.  What if it was Harry?  What 
if..wha...I grabbed the phone.  "Hello?"

     "WILL YOU STOP POUNDING ON THE WALL?????"  Someone shouted, then 
hung up.  I sighed.  I get mad, I pound on the wall, the people who live 
next door call and yell at me.  Some days this is the story of my life.  
I should have known it was just them.  

      The phone was beckoning me.  I didn't even quite realize what I was 
doing.  My hand knew what to do, the numbers to punch.  I was almost in a 
trance state, punching buttons.  The phone rang.  I was scarcely 
conscious of it...

***************************************************************************

Harry said:

      I kissed Angel goodnight and went up to my room.  Another crisis 
averted.  I was in a pretty good mood.  Freddy was already asleep when I 
got home.  He has morning classes.  In fact, he actually likes morning 
classes.  Oh, Freddy's my roommate, by the way.

      I tiptoed through the room to avoid waking him.  Mostly, this was 
habit.  It would take a nuclear weapon to wake up Freddy once he falls 
asleep.  Even then, he'd probably die before he woke up.  

      I took a long, slow shower.  Mostly this was because I have a 
tendency to zone out in hot water.  Naturally, the phone chose to ring at 
this point.  I hustled out of the shower and grabbed a towel.  Naturally, 
Freddy had moved the phone to his desk again.  Therefore, the cord was 
lying across the doorway to the bathroom.  This wouldn't have been a 
problem if I hadn't been running and distracted.  I tripped on the cord 
and unplugged the phone.  Sighing, I plugged the phone back in, then 
waited a little while and called the campus voicemail service to see if 
they had left a message.  No such luck.  Probably a wrong number.  I went 
back to my shower.

*****************************************************************************

Angel said:

       The phone rang three times, then voice mail kicked in.  I blinked, 
shocked out of my trance.  Voice mail ALWAYS kicks in after four rings, 
not three.  I must have missed one.  I hung up.  If he wasn't answering 
the phone, leaving a message wouldn't help.  Where could he be?

      I shivered a bit in my towel.  I put down the phone.  I can't call 
Harry, I thought.  We'll do something stupid if I do.  Although I WANT to 
do something...stupid.  I mustered my self control and decided to put on 
something warm and take a walk.  

    I tromped through the cool night air carrying the bag with my rapier 
in it.  Maybe Splinter was gone for good...but I wasn't going to bet on it.
As I passed the flower gardens, I saw someone hunched over, burying 
something.  I blinked.  A closer look revealed it was Mr. Greene, one of 
the gardeners.  He's a friendly old man who has been working here for 
about a million years.  I never expected to see him at midnight.

     He looked up and smiled.  "Hello, Angela.  Having trouble with Harry?"

     I blinked.  "I...How did you know that?"

     He looked at the bag.  "Or are you looking to challenge someone to a 
duel?"

     I blushed.  "It's...umm, dangerous at night."

     He nodded.  "So you are having trouble with Harry."

     "How..." I began.

     "Why else would you be wandering around in the middle of the night?"

     "Why are you out here?"

     He smiled.  "I got called away and forgot to finish planting these 
flowers, so I had to come back and get them planted before the Board of 
Regents arrives for tomorrow's meeting."

     I looked at the flowers.  They were new.  I thought for a moment.  
Ahh, mums.  "What was wrong with the ones that used to be here?"

     "They were going to die soon, due to the cold.  They insist on 
planting those tropical flowers that just can't take even our mild 
winters, then I end up having to plant these, which will just die in 
the spring, so that..."

     "This happens every year?"  I had never noticed.

     He nodded.  "So what did Harry do this time?"

     I sighed and sat down, watching him plant the flowers.  It was 
almost ritualistic to watch.  His movements were slow, but precise.  
"It's not him exactly.  It's..."

     "Your roommate and her boyfriend."

     Sometimes I wonder if he spies on us in his spare time.  "Yeah."

     "Who you wish was your boyfriend."

     "Mr. Greene!"  I really hate it when he does that.  Especially when 
he's right.

     He smiled.  "I may look old, but I remember how it was in my youth.  
So which one do you really want?"

     "I don't want to steal my roommate's boyfriend!"

     He planted another flower.  "You want him to come to you freely 
then, so you won't feel guilty."

     "Ye...No!"  I should have just left, but that would have meant 
admitting he was right.  Which he was.  I sighed.  Very quietly, I said, 
"Yes."

      "Well, then, what about Harry?"  He planted another flower.

      "I don't know...I almost..."

      "Almost what?"

      It's hard to describe how relieved I was that for once he didn't 
know what I was going to say.  "Almost did something foolish with him."

      "Part of love is being foolish.  Do you love Harry?"  His eyes were 
focused on the flowers.  He was almost done.

      "I..."

      "Is that a yes or a no?"  Two more flowers to go.

      "I'm not sure what love is.  Can someone...can you love two people 
at once?  In different ways?"

      He paused and thought.  "Yes, but it's almost impossible to have 
that kind of relationship with both.  Unless they're in love with each 
other too.  Which I don't think applies here."  He paused.  "I'd be very 
surprised."  Another flower went into the ground.  

      He wouldn't be half as surprised as I'd be.  I laughed.  "I think 
Tanya and I would both have a heart attack."

      "So which one are you going to pick?"  He asked.  The last flower 
went into the ground.  

      "I don't exactly have a choice."

      He arched an eyebrow.  "Don't you?"  He finished the flower and 
stood up, cleaning off his hands.

      "What's that supposed to mean?"

      "There are always choices, if not always good ones."  He cleaned 
off his hands as best he could.  "I choose to go to bed now."  He bowed.  
"Good night, Miss Bedos-Rezak.  Thank you for keeping an old man company 
for a little while."  He paused and smiled faintly.  "You remind me of 
your mother."

       I blinked.  "You knew Mom?"  No wonder Mom had smiled and nodded 
when I'd first mentioned Mr. Greene to her.  Mom went to Thornton too.  
Back in the sixties.  It was a wild and crazy place then, or so she 
claims.  

      He smiled.  "Yes, I knew your mother, before you were born, if not 
after.  She'd moved on by then.  Farewell."  He turned to go.

      I watched him walk away.  Old as the hills and twice as smart, 
Harry called him once.  Mr. Greene has a slight limp.  It's an old war 
injury from World War II, I think.  

      I sat down and stared at the flowers, all arranged in pretty little 
rows.  I wish my life was that neat and tidy.  I try to make it that way, 
but someone always stomps on my flowers or moves them.

      After a minute or two, I heard a faint tinkling noise.  It sounded 
like very faint music.  There was a strange glow, too.  I turned and saw 
a bunch of fireflies.  I blinked.  We don't normally get those around 
here.  Pretty soon, I saw we still didn't.  Those weren't fireflies.  For 
one thing, they were shining all over their bodies.  For another thing, 
they looked like a flock of two dozen Tinkerbell clones.  They all looked 
like tiny men and women dressed in green, with gossamer wings.  I was 
terrified and delighted at the same time.  They were so cute, but I 
wondered if I was going nuts.  Could this be real?  It had to be.  Either 
that or I was really asleep in the shower like Harry does sometimes, and 
was dreaming all of this.  

      One of them flew over to me, while the rest flitted about the 
flowers.  I held out my hand for a landing pad, and he lighted upon it.  
His voice was faint and hard to hear, so I brought him up close to my 
face.  "You can see me?"  he asked.  

     I blinked.  "I'm looking right at you."

     "Yes.  True.  I mean that mortals normally do not notice us as we 
are, these days."

     "Well, I've ...umm...met big faeries."

     "The Sidhe.  Ahh.  You are one of the Spring People."  He stared at 
my hand.  I was wearing the ring Aquamarine gave me.  "Under the 
protection of a noble, none the less.  Your lover?"

     I blushed.  "A lady gave it to me."

     "Ahh, so you're that way.  My apologies for presuming."

     I blushed more.  "I have a boyfriend.  She gave me the ring to 
protect me from this crazy Sidhe named Splinter."

     He nodded.  "A retainer, then.  Would you like to join our company 
for the revel?"

     "There's a revel tonight?"

     Now he blushed.  "Well, not much of one.  But would you like to join 
our company?"

     Why not.  If I'm hallucinating, I might as well join the ride.  
"Sure.  Sprinkle me with pixie dust."  Or whatever.  I feel like I'm in 
Peter Pan.

     He smiled.  "Ahh, you've done this before."  He got out a small 
bag.  I stared.  I don't believe it, I thought.  I was right.  He paused.  
"Shall we go collect your lover as well?"

     I nodded, dumbly.  "Yeah."  I paused, then tried to figure out how 
to fly.  Do I just think about rising into the air?  Suddenly, I found 
myself zooming upward.  STOP!  I halted.  I laughed.  "WOW!"

     I was about fifty feet up in the air, high enough to see over most 
of the buildings.  I looked and saw the balcony of my room.  The pixies 
zoomed up to where I was.  "I'll be right back.  Oh...someone will need 
to come with me so they can put the magic whammy on Harry."

     The pixie who had spoken to me earlier nodded.  "I will come with 
you.  My name is Stardust."  We flew around the building to Harry's window.  
Might as well do this the dramatic way, I thought.  I must be dreaming 
th...I keep saying that, but it seems real.  

     As usually, Freddy had left the window slightly open. I opened it 
the rest of the way and hopped in, with Stardust following me.  I could 
hardly believe what I was doing.  I tiptoed across the room to Harry's bed.

********************************************************************

Harry said:

     I was in the middle of a really great dream.  Luke Skywalker and I 
were zooming through the trench, about to blow up the Death Star.  Right 
as I was about to drop the proton torpedoes, I heard the voice of Obi 
Angel Kenobi, "Wake up, Harry."

      "I don't understand what you mean!  Are you telling me to use the 
Force?"

      "Open your eyes, silly!"

      I blinked and opened my eyes and woke up.  I was in bed, in my 
maroon pajamas, and Angel was sitting on the bed next to me in a jacket 
and pants, with a little glowing man with wings and green clothing on her 
hand.  "Hmm.  I think I must still be asleep."

      "Get up!  We're going to a pixie revel!"

      Then again, maybe I'm insane.  Angel dragged me out of bed.  The 
little man, a pixie, I guess said, "Hmm.  That clothing will never do."  
He wiggled his fingers and threw some glowing dust on me and Angel.  
Suddenly, we were both ready to make an appearance at Renaissance Faire.  
Angel had one of those funky women's hat things on her head and was 
wearing a tight-fitting blue dress with long sleeves, laced up in the 
front.  I was ready to star as Romeo or something, complete with tights, 
a white shirt, several layers of vests and jackets, and my own funky 
hat.  We both had long cloaks on as well.  

      I blinked.  "Wow."

      The Pixie smiled.  "Let us go."  He zoomed for the window.  He was 
flying.  If he wasn't so tiny, I could hardly believe it.  I reached the 
window and paused.  "How did you get up here, Angel?"

      She stepped out the window onto the air and hovered there.  "I flew."

      I almost fainted.  "What?"

      She reached in and dragged me out, then closed the window with her 
foot.  "Just like you will.  Lead us on, Stardust!"

      We zoomed off across the campus towards the flower beds, where 
dozens more pixies rose up to join us.  Following them, we flew across 
the campus and into the forest to the west of it.  "Umm...Angel, how are 
we flying?"

      "Pixie dust, silly!  All you have to do is think about it and you 
can fly!"

      "How long does this last?"

      "Until the next sunrise,"  Stardust said.

      Soon, we zoomed into the forest.  I felt like I was living the 
speederbike scene from Return of the Jedi.  It was great.  Angel and I 
flew along, holding hands, zooming around trees like complete maniacs.  
We could hear music in the distance.  

      We zoomed into a clearing in the woods.  There were hundreds of 
pixies there, flying about in a great cloud, performing a complicated
dance, as some of them played instruments.  As we flew into the clearing,
they all got a lot bigger.  I soon realized we had actually gotten
smaller.  The pixies were all dressed in clothing like ours, though
theirs was mostly in shades of green and brown.  Stardust put two 
pixies in charge of teaching us the dance.

      Luckily, while I am a bit of a klutz, I can dance pretty well.  
Well, I learn the steps, anyway.  Soon, Angel and I were whirring about 
through the cloud with the rest of them.  At least for once I could do 
all the lifts properly.  It was amazing fun.  I must have danced with 
dozens of pixies because we kept changing partners.  They were all such 
happy folk.  Pretty soon, I was all the way awake and in a really good 
mood, myself.

       The music built to crescendo.  We danced faster and faster, flying 
through the air in a whirl of light and sound.  The world began to blur, 
the dance a rite of sorts, building towards its conclusion...

     Then a massive gust of wind tore through the clearing, dousing the 
fire and scattering pixies everywhere.  Oddly, Angel and I hardly felt 
it, though it seemed to be very powerful against everyone else.  I turned 
and saw Splinter, standing at the edge of the clearing.  She looked angry.  
Oddly enough, she also looked dressed for dancing, like us.  I wondered 
for a moment if it was just bad luck that led us both to the same revel.

     "Let's see if your friends can save you NOW!"  She gestured and 
knives of ice formed in her hands. She threw them at us, and we 
dodged desperately.  

      We fled, of course.  Splinter chased us into the woods.  I prayed 
the faerie dust wouldn't wear off before we got away.  Unfortunately, we 
couldn't fly very fast, nor did we know where we were going.  Pretty 
soon, we were lost in the woods and still being chased by a homicidal 
elf.  All around us, things kept getting frozen by Splinter.  

     On the other hand, Splinter couldn't catch us either.  Finally, she 
stopped, and suddenly turned into a hawk.

     "SHIT!"  I said.  

     Angel just gasped and looked around desperately.  We spotted an old 
hollow tree and dived into it, huddling as far back in it as we could.  I
could see her talons raking about, trying to reach us, and I prayed she
wouldn't think to turn human and try to use her hands.

     She thought of this about thirty seconds after I did.  We both 
squeezed as far back in the tree as we could.  Not far enough.

     Splinter's hand closed around me.  I started screaming incoherently, 
not that that did any good.  Splinter pulled me out, took a quick look, 
then tossed me aside and reached in for Angel.  I flew up to her ear and 
screamed as loudly as I could, for lack of a better idea.

     I guess Faeries have sensitive hearing, because Splinter winced and put 
her hands over her ears.  Angel zoomed over to me and we took off again.  
Splinter chased us for about a minute, then two slightly disheveled 
figures came into view.  It was Aquamarine and Flamehair.  There was a 
pixie with them.  They both looked like they had been dragged out of 
bed.  They were tired and their clothing was a mess.  Running 
through the woods in the dead of night probably didn't help.  

     Splinter swore.  We both zoomed over to hide behind the two big 
faeries.  Well, big relative to our current tinyness.  Splinter sighed.  
"Run and hide, will you?"  She paused.  "Very sensible of you."

     As Aquamarine started to speak, Splinter became a hawk again and 
flew away.  Aquamarine turned to us.  "I'm sorry we took so long.  We 
were asleep.  Luckily, your friend here found us after Splinter broke 
up the revel."

     Angel yawned.  "We should have been asleep."

     I yawned too.  "Me too."

     She smiled.  "That can be arranged."

     Suddenly, I was back in bed.  The sun was shining in through the 
window.  I shook my head.  What a crazy dream.  Then I noticed the 
multicolored dust all over the sheets of my bed and that I was now 
wearing my BLUE pajamas.  Maybe it wasn't a dream after all.  

*****************************************************************************

Angel said:  

     I woke up in my pajamas in bed.  So what happened to me?  Had I 
somehow gotten into bed and forgotten it?  Had it been real?  Tanya 
wasn't back yet.  I must not have dreamed that.  I went to my closet and 
found my jacket was missing and I had somehow aquired the dress I dreamed 
about last night.  It wasn't a dream.  I tried flying.  Nothing 
happened.  I sighed.  Well, I lost a jacket and got an expensive dress.  
We had some fun too.  I hope Harry didn't miss any classes.  I wonder how 
we got back here...

     I got dressed and went to class.  I met Harry at lunch as usual.  
Our dorm is right next to the dining hall, which rather resembles a 
crashed alien flying saucer from a bad fifties sci-fi flick.  It's round 
with pillars around it, holding up the roof over the circular walkway 
that surrounds it.  There's a light on each pillar and at night, the 
whole thing looks like a spaceship.  The food often tastes like aliens 
made it too.  

      I had pizza today.  Harry was eating his usual roast beef sandwich. 
I think one day an army of dead cows is going to come after him for 
revenge the way he eats so much roast beef.  "Harry...did you...we..."  I 
wasn't sure how to bring this up.

      He nodded.  "So it did happen."  He smiled.  "That was a lot of fun."

      I nodded.  "We ought to go dancing more often."

      "We could go dancing with Thomas and Tanya this Friday,"  Harry 
suggested.  "I know they like to dance."

      "Cool.  Sounds like a plan to me."  Thomas and Tanya are both 
wonderful dancers.  Just don't EVER let Thomas sing.  He keeps trying, 
but he stinks.  It's probably the only thing he doesn't do well.  Soon, 
we were in the throes of planning another night to remember.

*************************************************************************

Epilogue:

     Splinter flew in the window of her room and landed on the bed, 
turning back to normal.  "Defeated!  AGAIN!  By that stupid mortal!"

     Opal sighed.  He was a tall, dark haired Sidhe, with grey eyes and
angular features which many people found handsome, although a few found
gaunt instead.  Clad in his usual black and grey, though with trousers
instead of the leggings affected by most Sidhe, he sat in a chair, reading
a book.  "Forget about her."

     "I can't forget about her!  I can't let this mortal best me!  
Everyone will laugh."

     He put down the book.  "If you don't stop, she'll kill you."

     "What?"  Splinter sat up.  "What makes you think some stupid little 
bink who doesn't even carry a PROPER SWORD could kill me?"

     "I had another vision."  Opal said casually.

     Splinter took him seriously now.  Opal saw the future sometimes, 
although you could prevent his visions from coming true.  "What...what 
did you see?"

     "You dead on the ground with a brown haired woman standing over 
you.  There was a rapier through your chest and a cold iron dagger buried 
in your neck.  The woman was dressed in mortal garb, and by her side 
stood a red haired boy, also a mortal most likely."

      Splinter shuddered.  "Cold Iron.  The Death from which there is no 
returning."

      "Administered by a mortal none the less.  In this very castle, in 
the courtyard."  He paused.  "Abandon this vendetta.  I do not want you 
to die, Splinter."  His voice softened.  "She's not worth it."

      "I can't believe it!  Killed by a mortal?  How would she even GET 
here?"  Splinter got up and started walking back and forth.

      "Do you really want to find out?"

      Splinter paused and said very quietly, "I want to live."

      "I want you to live too, Splinter."

      She smiled faintly.  "Thank you for telling me, Opal.  I just...I 
don't know what to do.  No one ever gives me any respect, and now they'll 
laugh at me."

      He got up and walked over to her.  "I won't laugh at you.  You know 
that."  

      She melted into his embrace, and stayed there for a very long 
time.  Not even he could see the tears in her eyes.