new2

"Did you check out of your hotel?" Darren asked her, when they were alone in the office. "No, I just left in a hurry. So my things are still there."
"Do you wan`t me to get it for you?" Darren looked at her.
"Oh no Darren! I don`t want to bother you with that. I can go back myself."
"I won`t hear of it! He could still be there. And it`s no problem at all. Just give me your key, and I will go there right away."
Mel caved and gave him her key. She was actually terrified of going back, and thankful that he did this for her.
Leonie answered the phone when Mel`s mom called, and with her ability to make people talk, she had gotten short history about Mel`s husband`s death. Her mom told Leonie in a bisentence, that Mel haven`t had the time to grief, or the ability. It was like she had shut of her feelings. And it seemed like she was worried about that. Like she said it wasn`t healthy. Leonie was careful not to mention that the man was back for her daughter.
Darren came back with her suitcase." I just threw everything I could find in there.. Prabably not the best packing you have seen....."
"Thank you Darren...your so sweet" Darren blushed and looked at the floor. Leonie came walking in at the same time and laughed when she saw Darren`s face. "Tell me Darren....Many girls have said the darnest things about you,......to you. And when Mel says your sweet....you blush?!" Darren smiled, but didn`t answer.
"I better get going then. See you in the morning!" Mel lifted her suitcase.
"And where do I might ask.......you are going?" Darren had a strickt mine on his face.
"I`m going to check in in a new hotel."
"Oh no your not. Your going to stay with me. What makes you think he won`t find you in a new hotel. He`s been at your apartment, your hotel......and he will sure as hell find you now to. Nope, your staying at my house."
"Darren, I couldn`t possibly do that. What if he comes there? I won`t put you on the line for me. This guy doesn`t stop at nothing.......I know"
"Haaa......I have a little something called security!! And presides Leonie will be there to protect us!"
"Huh....?" Leonie looked so surprised that Mel and Darren started to laugh. "And I was thinking......." Darren started, but stopped at a evil look from Leonie.
"Oh God no......he was thinking...." Leonie mumbled to herself, and they had the most hysterical laugh that day.

Later that night. Mel had gone to bed in Darren`s guest room, and she fell asleep before laying her head on the pillow. She felt more secure knowing there were people around her.
Darren was walking to his own room, and stopped to close her door, so Obi couldn`t jump in her bed and wake her up. He stood there watching her sleep for a while, and in an instant he felt so connected to her. She was so beautiful when she was sleeping. He carefully walked in and tucked her blanket over her shoulder. "Good night Melody..." he whispered and left the room.

Mel woke up at crack of dawn, she stretched while she listened for some signs of anyone else up. All she could hear was the tapping of Obi. She opened the door and went to the bathroom. When she came back, she had company in bed.
"Oh....so you wanted to join me huh?" Mel stroke his soft fur. Obi licked her face. She was so preoccupied with the dog, so she didn`t hear Darren knocking on her door. He opened and saw Mel and Obi, laying side by side. By the sight of Obi`s extatic look, he would say his dog had the time of his life. Usually Obi didn`t like strangers, it took a long time before he let them pat him. But not Mel. It seemed like she had the ability to make people like her, to care for her. "She shouldn`t have to run from her life. She should have a happy normal life with someone who loves her, and to cherish her.....someone like me?" He shook that thought out of his head.
"Is my dog bothering you?" He smiled when she jumped around. "Hey Darren! No he`s not. He`s just being sweet...." Obi licked her ear, as if he wanted to thank her for calling him sweet.
An hour later they sat down and ate some breakfast. Discussing what to do next. Darren was going to record some more, and if they were lucky, they would have a sound sample in two weeks. Leonie rushed off to get a webcam. She wanted the first mini movie for their site.
"So you`re a star wars fan huh?" Darren looked up, and suddenly turned in to a little kid. Grabbing her hand and led her into his sample room. There were objects everywhere. He started to name some figures, and telling her all about it. Leonie was sneaking up behind them and started recording. Darren was so taken by getting the chance to tell someone about his obsession that he didn`t notice Leonie. And Mel was so taken by his liveliness, so she didn`t notice eighter. Darren was running around the room, still holding Mel`s hand. "Oh oh...and this one! OH, and that one...." Mel had to tell him that she had never seen a single star wars movie. Darren stopped" You have never seen a star wars movie? I can`t believe that!! How can you not have seen a single one??"
"Actually I don`t like sci-fi all that much....."
"Star wars, isn`t sci-fi.....it`s like the king of all movies.....It`s the real thing Mel" He looked so convinced of this, that Leonie couldn`t hold back anymore. "The Star wars- maniac-mini-movie!! Stop it Darren you are scaring Mel." Mel was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her cheeks. Darren was confused "What?....I`m serious....it is a crime not to have seen Star Wars! I meen it!"
"That`s what I am afraid of Dar! You take it all the way.......Anyway say hello to your fans!" Darren looked at the camera."Oh sh** ......you`re making a movie" he blushed. "Hi everyone!" He waived at the camera. Leonie was satisfied, and packed it down again. Mel tried to gain control of herself, but everytime she looked at Darren, she started to laugh again.
The week went on. Mel stayed at Darren`s place, and every day she had a complete fit of laughing. If it weren`t Star Wars, it were his inspiring moments, when he couldn`t keep track of anything. If it wasn`t that eighter...it was sure something else.
And for the first time since Michael died, she felt completely at ease, and felt like things were going to work out alright.
She couldn`t answer to herself why. Maybe it was because of Leonie`s constant ironic lines. But maybe it was because of a man named Darren

Midway through the next week. Darren had a soundsample ready for them. Mel worked all day trying to put it up, but soemthing was really wrong with her computer. She handed Leonie the cd. Leonie said she could be heading home, that she would take care of it. Mel gladly took that opportunity, as it had been a lot of late hours that week. The darrenhayes.com were up and running now, but not at the potentinal Leonie and Mel wanted. Leonie had plans to take over the world with this one.
Darren walked in the office an hour later. "Where`s Mel?" Leonie looked up and smiled. "Oh hi Daz. It`s nice to see you to! I`m fine thanks!" Darren looked at her. "i didn`t meen it like that. It`s always good to see you! But where is she?" He had been looking forward to see her all day. He always looked forward to that. They would drive home all together, sit in the garden, watch the stars and talk. He felt drawn to her in a strange way.
"I send her home...it`s something wrong with her computer, and it`s to late to fix it now anyway. She promised to make us something to eat."
"oh ok. How long before you finish?" Darren wanted to go home in an instant.
"An hour, hour and a half tops! She just left anyway..."
Darren sat down, and started to write on a song. He hummed a tune to himself, and Leonie was tapping on her keyboard.
"Aohhchh....!" Darren grabbed his chest.
"What...?" Leonie looked up, and saw pain in his face. He didn`t answer right away, and Leo sat down in front of him. "Darren ....what`s wrong?"
He looked at her and wrinkled his forehead."I`m not sure Leo...Just a sharp sting!"
Leo was conserned."Your heart?" Darren shook his head. "No, more like someone hit me hard in the chest. It`s gone now.....really!" Leo turned to the computer again. About 10 minutes later he heard someone mumbling to him, and a poke on his shoulder. He turned around. "What did you say Leo?"
"I didn`t say anything!" Darren shook his head, and turned back to his writing again.
"Go home Darren..." Darren looked around. "Leo? did you just say something?"
Leo turned around." No I didn`t. Are you feeling alright Darren?" Darren was silent. Then he heard the voice again. Stronger this time, urging."Go home!"
He grabbed his jacket. "Leo, I think we better go home......somethings wrong."

They stopped in front of the house, and when they walked out of the car they heard a dog barking from the lighthouse. Darren walked there and opened the door. "Obi! Why are you in here?" Something was very wrong. Mel wouldn`t shut Obi in. Darren started running up to the house. It was an absoulte mess inside. Broken glass everywhere. "Mel?" Darren walked towards the stairs. "Melody!" Obi barked and ran upstairs, and Darren followed. Outside of the her room, he stepped on something, and reached down to see what it was. It was a picture of someone who had to be Michael, someone had cut up his face and written something on the edge. "Do you want Darren to look like this?" He pushed the door open, and stared around. Leonie came behind him."What the......? This guy is sick Darren!!" On the walls it were written messages to Mel in red paint. It looked like blood."You`re mine Melody. Don`t ever forget!! I fixed Michael....I can fix Darren too". Their eyes fell on Mel, sitting in a corner. She was staring out in thin air, rocking back and forth. She didn`t seem to notice them. Darren walked up to her, and sat down. "Melody.....are you alright...." She stared at him, but it felt like she stared through him. He lifted her up, and carried her to his bedroom, who strangly enough was untouched.
He just sat there with his arms around her, hoping she would come to herself soon.
Leonie called the police, and a doctor. Leonie called Mel`s mom, and asked her to talk to the police, since she had more information about what was going on then she had. Mel`s father booked plane tickets right away, and Leo promised to pick them up at the airport next morning. The police placed some men outside, and decided to wait with further investigation till her parents was there. The doctor gave Mel some sleeping pills.
Darren was still holding her when she fell asleep. His legs were numb, but he didn`t want to let go of her. Not now when he had seen how close her had been of loosing her. Leonie came in and sat down on the bed. She looked at Darren. "How did you know Darren?"
"I don`t know Leo. It was a voice.....urging me to go home. When I think about it. I think it was a mans voice." Leo looked at him, and didn`t know if she should believe him or not.
"Come on Darren. I`ll make us something to eat. She`ll be sleeping for a while."
Darren didn`t want to leave her, but he promised himself that he would just eat and then go back to her.

Darren laid down beside Mel, and drifted into sleep. He woke up two hours later by Mel`s scream. He turned on the lights, and shook her shoulder. "Mel....wake up, it`s just a bad dream...." Mel jumped up, her eyes were big and she looked terrified at him. "Hey, Mel it`s just me.....Darren"
Mel swallowed."I don`t know what to do Darren, I don`t think I can live like this anymore......" and she started to cry. For the first time she couldn`t hold back anymore. This had been the last drop. Darren pulled her into his arms, leaned his cheek on her head, and stroke her back. "Just cry Mel, just let it all out....." .
That`s the way Leonie found them. She mimed to Darren that she was going to the airport. Darren nodded slightly.
Mel pulled away and wiped away her tears. Darren cupped his hand under her chin." Are you ok?" She bit her lip. "Yes I think so. so ok I can be I guess....can I take a shower.?"
"Yeah, come down afterwards and get something to eat......and the we can talk some more ok?" Darren left the room. Mel turned on the water, and leaned back in the shower, feeling so incredible numb all over. For the first time she actually wanted to tell someone about her feelings. About her thoughts. Wanting him close to her. He made her feel safe.
Darren made her a small breakfast, and sat and watched as she was eating. Mel looked at him and smiled weakly. Her eyes were red, and she looked tired, but still the thought occured to him that she was the most beautiful sight in the world.
"You must miss him terribly Mel.....just tell me if you want to talk about it...?" Mel took a deep breath. "I miss him every minute of the day. Sometimes I get so scared that I will forget about him, and sometimes.....I`m scared that I won`t be able to forget about him........does that seem strange to you?" Darren shook his head "No not at all!"
"I think it`s harder for me to cope with this, since that man always make sure to remind me...." she let out a sad laugh..."sometimes I`m so tempted by just giving up! It`s so hard to be on a constant run from your own life!" Darren took her hand, and looked in her eyes. "I`m here now. Leonie is here.....and us from down under, are the most stubborn people on earth! We won`t leave you........we`ll do anything to help!" Darren turned around when he heard Leonie`s car outside. Mel`s eyes widened as she saw who she had with her. "Mom! Dad!Jeremy!What are you doing here? Where is Dawn and Linda?" She just sat there and stared in amazement for a while. Jeremy run to her and lifted her up and twirled her around."Hey Tiny! Your lean mean Jem machine is here to take care of you now!" Mel laughed, but she got tears in her eyes. She turned to her mom, who just cried and hugged her. When her dad, pulled her into his arms, rocked her back and forth. She felt like a little girl again, so helpless and depending on her father. She started to cry. "I`m scared daddy!"
"I know Melody, I know.....but I`m here now, shh....daddy is here"