new3

They sat down around Darren`s kitchen table. Talking about what had happened. The police in England had talked to the police here, and it seemed like the FBI was on it. Jeremy was sitting beside Mel and held her hand during the conversation. It was easy to see that he was a typical big brother, doing everything to protect his younger sister.
Mel decided to go to bed kind of early. And Jeremy followed her upstairs. Leonie showed her parents to the room they could use. Darren went to watch some tv . All he really wanted to do was walk to Mel and hold her as he was convinced that she would have a really long night ahead of her. But with a protective brother, and parents, it didn`t seem like a very good idea. He was watching an episode of friends when Jeremy came and sat down beside of Darren.
"How did you do it Darren?" Jeremy asked Darren.
"What?"
"Mel have cried......I never once seen her cry! How did you do it?"
"I don`t know, I just held her, and....she cried" Darren didn`t know where Jeremy was going with this.
"Thank you....she needed that. You must be special...." Darren didn`t answer. And Jeremy stretched.
"I`ll see you later, Darren. I`m taking a nap."
"Sleep well"
Leonie came walking in, and sat down with Darren. "How are you feeling Darren? I`ve noticed that something is bothering you."
"Oh, it`s nothing really. I`m just worried about Mel, I don`t know how much more she can take."
"Her parent`s are here now. She`s strong, she`ll be ok. I`m sure of this. So...it hasn`t something to do with you falling for her?" Leonie glanced at him.
"Falling? Me? No......I just don`t want her to hurt anymore. I care for her....she works for me."
"Yeah...Darren. I`m sure that`s what it is!" Leonie answered sarcastic. They continued watching the tv, when they were interrupted by the doorbell. They looked at each other."Isn`t there police outside?" Darren asked Leonie. She nodded, and he went to open the door. A policeman was standing outside. "There`s a man here who claim to now you!?" Darren looked behind the policeman.
"Daniel?"

Daniel hugged Darren. "Good to see you mate!" Darren looked at him. "What are you doing here?"
"Ahh..,Leonie called and I got the impression that things were happening here. And you know me......I`m always where things tend to happen. " Daniel laughed. Darren looked at him. "Bullshit, Dan. You`re worried! You`re really worried about me!" He laughed and gave him a shuv. "You`re so sweet Dan!"
"Huh!ok ok, I was a little worried. This sounds serious!" Darren stopped laughing.
"It is serious, Dan. This girl is in trouble."
Leonie came running outside when she heard a familiar voice. "Dan! I missed you! How are you? How was your flight? Have you had something to eat? Do you want something to drink?Why isn`t Michelle with you?" Dan rolled his eyes to Darren while he hugged her.
"Good to see you Leonie. I hear you haven`t changed a bit!" Darren grabbed Dan`s bag, and headed inside. Dan looked around. "So where is she?"
"She went to sleep for a while. Her parents and brother came earlier today, and they are also taking a nap. It`s kinda crouded here at the time. But I think she feels more secure now that there are many people around her." Dan sat down. "So what is she like?" Darren looked at him. "She`s a very sweet girl." Dan raised his eyebrows. "a sweet girl huh? Leonie! What does Darren think about that Melody girl?" Leonie laughed and handed Dan a beer. She got an evil look from Darren, warning her about giving Dan any ideas. "Do I have to answer Dan?" Dan looked from Darren to Leonie. "Say no more Leo. I think I get the picture."
"Phuurrt......you haven`t got a picture at all! I care for her, because she works for me, and she`s a nice girl that`s all!" Leo and Dan just waived him off. "Yeah right!"

Darren went upstairs to check on Mel. He found out she was awake. She was listening to the affirmation album while reading the lyrics, he smiled at her when she looked up.
"I thought you were sleeping!"
"Yeah I did for a while, but then I woke up and I couldn`t sleep again. Leonie gave me this album. I haven`t heard it before, and I think that`s kinda bad when I actually work for you. This is amazing Darren, I actually had no idea."
"Thanks! Do you want to come downstairs for a while. Dan surprised us by coming here, and I think he wants to meet you!"
"Does he know?" Mel hoped he did. She didn`t think she could go back to pretending everything was fine.
"Yeah he knows. Leonie told him everything."
"I`ll be down in a minute."
Darren walked downstairs again and started to make cappucino. Leonie watched him. He looked up from what he was doing."What? She likes cappucino ok? I`m just being nice!"
Mel came walking down. Dan stood up and shook her hand. "Daniel Jones. Nice to meet you!" Melody gave him a soft smile, she instantly liked him. "Melody De Lamarre. just call me Mel. Nice to meet you Daniel. I heard so much about you."
Darren served cappucinos. And they sat down at the table. "You know Dan....I`m still not allowed to touch his cappucino machine." Leo said.
"You think that`s bad! I worked with him for many years, chared hotel room with him at times. Being around him 24 hours a day......but if I dared to touch his phone, he almost ahd an heart attack." Leo laughed. "Yes, that sounds like our Dazza!" Mel smiled and looked at Darren, who didn`t seem to be listening at all.
"Darren, how is your album going?" Darren looked up from his cappucino. "oh ok Dan. But I won`t tell you anything more, since we`re not working together anymore. You`ll have to buy the album when it`s released." Darren sat up an evil smile.
"Suit yourself. I`m not interested. You aren`t anything without me anyway!" Mel looked from Dan to Darren, were they always like this? Leonie nodded as if she could hear her thoughts. Darren and Daniel shared some memories with them, and it started to get late. Then Darren got the strangest feeling taht someone was standing behind him. He looked over his shoulder several times, but there was nothing there. "What are you doing?" Dan asked him. "Oh, nothing. It`s just a draft or something." Leonie wrinkled her forehead. She had seen this expression on Darren once before. The conversation went on, but Leonie was still watching Darren.
Darren couldn`t get rid of the feeling that someone was there, when suddenly;" Watch out Darren!" Darren looked up."Huh?" Mel and Dan stared at him, looked at eachother and laughed. Leonie on the other hand had an idea what was going on and didn`t laugh. Darren sat there and waited. And so;"WATCH OUT!" it came like a scream inside his head. And without thinking he jumped at Mel, and they fell on the floor, a second later the window shattered.

Suddenly it was total chaos. Leonie screemed, and Daniel was running around himself. Jeremy woke up by the noice and came running down. Outside the police where shouting, and Obi were barking. Luckily Mel`s parent seemed to be sleeping through it all. Darren was still on top of Mel. He lifted her chin with one finger. "You ok?" Her lips shivered, but she nodded. He stood up and pulled her after him. She leaned against him, hiding her head on his shoulder. "Everyone ok?" Darren looked around. Leonie had stopped screaming and were now investigating what made the window brake. "Stop it Leonie! Let the police take care of it." Dan will you sit down! You`re making Obi bark even worse. Jeremy go and check on your parents, and then go outside and look what the police are doing. Obi!! Be quiet...!" Darren was giving orders like a machine gun, while he still was holding Mel.
Jeremy ran upstairs. Obi quitted barking. Leonie and Dan quickly sat down. And looked surprised at Darren. Darren was usually the first to freak out. Always feeling, instead of thinking. This was a Darren they had never seen. Mel pulled away from Darren, and looked around the room. "Oh my God! This is all my fault.......!" Darren shuved her down in a chair. "Don`t say that! I won`t hear of it. It`s not your fault.ok?" Mel closed her mouth, and just stared at him.
Jeremy came running down again. "They are still sleeping" he said, and ran outside. Leonie and Dan were still quiet, after Darren`s strickt commanding, they didn`t even dare to move.
"Oh sweet lord! I didn`t ask you to freeze!" Darren looked at them.
A few minutes later Jeremy came back. "The feds will be here soon. The police didn`t see a thing! Sometimes I wonder what they are trained to do!" He walked over to Mel and laid his arm around her shoulder."Are you ok tiny?" She nodded.
Darren was behind the kitchen counter. "Oh I see what broke the window. It`s a rock! And it`s written a message on it it seems." He leaned down.
"What does it say?" Mel asked him silently. Darren looked at her, wondering if he should tell or not. He swallowed and started to read."If I can`t have you....I`ll kill you!"
Mel`s face turned white, and she closed her eyes. They sat in silence a few minutes. Noone knew what to say. Then Jeremy decided to break this tension. "I don`t think I like this guy!" Dan stared at him. "No, I won`t ask him out for a beer anytime soon." Leonie went on. "Bad pick-up line!" They turned their head to Darren. He was watching his cappucino maker that had been hit by the rock. He looked up at them. "Coffee anyone?". They all cracked. Laughter is good, even when it`s a hysterical one.

Mel had to go downtown to make a statement to the police. Her family followed her. And Darren, Leonie and Dan started to clean up the mess. Darren was still complaining about his cappucino maker. Leo was sweeping up the glass splinters. Dan seemed to be running around himself again. Obi was the only one that seemed to have calmed down, curled up under the table.
"Darren. Can I ask you something?" Dan stopped his tour around the room.
"Yeah, What is it mate?"
"How did you know that the rock was going to hit her?" Darren stopped his fiddling with the machine. "I didn`t....!"
"Then why did you throw yourself over her?......it looked like you saw what was coming." Leonie stopped and looked at Darren, she had an idea about what had happened. "Was it that voice again?" Darren nodded in answer. Daniel looked from Darren to Leonie, he didn`t understand a thing. "Sit down Dan. I`ll tell you" Leonie sat in the chair opposite Dan, and she told him what had happened when Darren had first heard that voice. And now it had happened again. Daniel didn`t know what to think. If Darren had told him this himself, he would just have laughed. But when it came from Leonie. She was more sensible.Reasonable. He sat at absorbed it for a while. Darren was trying to remember what the voice sounded like, but it was hard. It was like it wasn`t a voice a tall, more like words with sound. Whispers maybe, but definetly a mans voice.
"You know, I`m starting to think about guardian angels or something. The voice warns me, it want to help." Leonie looked at him. "I don`t believe in guardian angels, Dar. But if it does exist. I believe that your guardian angel would look after you, not Mel. She would probably have her own....!" Darren looked down. "Yeah, I don`t know.......I`m just making suggestions." Dan started to walk around the room again. He suddenly stopped, and turned to them. "What if her angel is uncabable of communicating with her, and it chooses a link.....someone close to her...?" Leonie stared at him in amazement. "Dan! You don`t believe what you say now, do you?"
"Hey, Daz does hear a voice......and I don`t think he`s making it up! It is something there......I don`t know what it is, but maybe........." He stopped and stroke a hand through his hair. "I`m gonna call Michelle" he mumbled and headed out of the room.
Darren was thinking about what Dan had said, and it didn`t sound so weird at all. "He could be on to something Leonie!" She gave him a strange look.
Dan was quick. He entered the room with a big smile." She said hi to both of you. Ahh....Darren, don`t freak out right now, but I made an appointment for you tomorrow. hmmm....your going to be hypnotized." Darren stared at Dan. "Say again Dan?"
"you`re going to be hypnotized. Yup...Michelle knew of one that her friend went to once, and he`s supposed to be good. Maybe you can find out who`s speaking to you!" Darren swallowed, and took a step back, grabbing for something to hold on to. He cleared his throat. "Ok, This can get interesting...."
Leonie looked at both of them and started to laugh. "I think you`re loosing it. Both of you!!" Dan turned to her."Oh, by the way Leonie. He wanted you to come to." Leonie`s smile ended. "Oh, no. I won`t even look at one of those." Dan smiled innocent. "But Leonie....if you don`t believe in it. Then what`s the danger?" Darren laughed. "Haa! He got you there!! Good one Dan. High five!" Leonie rolled her eyes. "I give up..Ok! You win. I`ll come with you. But I`m not getting hypnotized by this man. I won`t do that!" She continued sweeping, showing them that this conversation were over. Darren and Dan continued teasing her.
It was nighttime, when they heard a car park outside. Darren rushed up to meet Mel and her family.
"Hey, how did it go?" Dan took Mel`s jacket. She looked at him, and he could see how tired she was. "You ok?" He asked, and stroke her hair. Her father send him a weird look so he quickly removed his hand.
"I`m ok Dar. It just took a long time that`s all." She looked over her shoulder. "mom, just go to bed. I`m fine now." Darren served them some food, and sat down to join them. Mel`s mom went to bed. And they were left in an awkward silence. Darren knew there was something Mel wasn`t saying, but he could wait to find out later. Her father kept glancing at him, and he couldn`t quite figure out why. Dan came and sat down beside them. He didn`t say anything, after a while Darren looked over at him."Dan!" Dan was about to take a big bite of the bread he had grabbed. "Wha?"
"Didn`t you eat like an hour ago?" Dan smiled innocently."Yeah, well, I was hungry!"
Darren shook his head. "I don`t know how you get to be so slim. You`re always stuffing your face with something!" Mel laughed at them. "If I hadn`t known you,.....I would have guessed that you were brothers. "
"Yeah we would be like Brothers in arms!" Darren looked at Dan. "more like Kain and Abel I think!" Jeremy interviened" When we were kids.....Mel wanted so much to be a boy. She was always running around, getting dirty, climbing trees...:She insisted that we called us for Mario Bros." Mel protested. "It was you that came up with that name. And I didn`t want to be a boy...I was completely satisfied with being a girl, doing boy stuff."
"And I always got blamed for the things that you did."
"I didn`t do anything wrong....ever!" She sat up her blue Bambi eyes. Jeremy swallowed his last bite. "Dad, remember the time we were at that old hut, up in the mountains. And Dawn got locked inside the outhouse. And she crawled out........you know?She was covered with dirt, and smelled really bad. I got blamed for that, but....." He pointed at Mel. Her father looked at her. "No.....?" Mel laughed. "Ok ok, that was me. I ran to hide. I knew that I had done something wrong. But thankfully Jem took that punch for me." Jem pointed at her and laughed. "I took many punches for you." Mel smiled. "Yeah you did. You`re the best big brother in the world. You know, he always watched out for me when we went somewhere. No guy was gonna hit on his little sister. He even got in a fight at one time. That`s when I started naming him, the lean mean Jem machine........he easened up after a while. I got his permission to date his best friend Howard." Jeremy blushed at her description of him. "he got strickt orders about not kissing you the first date!" Mel smiled. "Where is Howie?"
"He`s here in San Fransisco. I`m meeting him tomorrow. He runs a chain of pubs here. Why?"
"He`s here? I didn`t know. I would like to see him again. Say hello to him for me will you......never mind why I asked." Mel giggled.
"Melody.....?" Jeremy`s voice warned her not to tease him.
"Ahh....lets just say that he didn`t listen to you when it came to not kissing me on our first date."
"I`ll kill him......" They all laughed. Even Mel`s dad had a smile on his face. Mel sighed and leaned her head in hre hand. It was good being surrounded by people that really wanted to take care of her. Her dad leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Goodnight tiny. Goodnight everyone!" The four of them also stretched and started to clean up, before they also went to bed. "What are you guys doing tomorrow." Darren and Daniel looked at eachother. "Ahh....we`re going to go visit a friend of Daniel. It should take long. Why?"
"No reason. I just wondered. I have to stick around here for a while, so the police can reach me if necessary. That`s it. Goodnight guys!" She waived and walked towards the stairs.
An half hour later, everybody was sleeping. Exept from Darren. He was nervous about tomorrow. But after an hour of tossing and turning he also drifted into sleep.

The next morning, Darren got out of bed, took a shower, and went to check on Mel. She was sleeping heavily, and Darren just watched her in silence, just letting his thoughts wander. After 20 minutes he teared himself away and walked downstairs. Leonie was up, but looked like she was sleepwalking. Not actually a morning person this Leonie.
"Hello. Did you sleep well?" Leonie gave him a mad look. " No actually, I was dreaming about being hypnotized. And that guy wasn`t able to get me out of the trance again, and I was doomed to spend the rest of my life crawling around on the floor." Darren laughed, and patted her on the shoulder. "you know I don`t think that`ll happen. And It`s me that is doing this, not you. You should be worrying about me."
"Huh...." Leonie mumbled something he couldn`t hear. Dan walked in with Obi. Wearing caps, black clothes and sunglasses. Looking very mysterious. "Why don`t you just go around and screem; I`m a popstar! Look at me!" Darren had learned that trying to cover up like this, was like screaming for more attention in SF. Darren removed his sunglasses, and sighed. "I wasn`t trying to get attention. I tried to lurk around the corners of the house and see if there was anything mysterious going on. And I was thinking that I had to look a little important, so if the guy was there he would get scared an run off." Darren stared at him, and bursted into laughter. " First of all Dan; This guy has killed a man. I don`t think that a man wearing an adidas cap, and oakley sunglasses will scare him. Second; You don`t actually have the physique to scare anyone!" Leonie measured Dan from top to toe. She turned to Darren again. "I see what you mean Dar!" Daniel just waived them off. "Oh, what would you know. I happen to have a very impressive physique!"
"Says who?" Darren and Leonie asked in unison
"For starters, Michelle" Daniel said. Darren and Leonie stared at eachother. "Well, sorry to say mate, but she lies!"

Two hours later they were sitting in a very little room, in a shabby looking building. A grey haired man with white beard was sitting opposite Darren, and told them a little bout what he was going to do. He said that if it was someone that was communicating with Darren, he would be able to find him in this trance. You only have about an hour before I have to wake you. And when you`re in that trance, an hour is more like 10 minutes. Are you sure what you`re going to ask the person when you see him?
Darren looked at Leonie and Dan. They just nodded to him. Darren looked at the man again. "I`m ready!"
10 minutes later Darren was in a trance, and all Leonie and Dan could do was to listen to him. Only the hypnotizer could communicate with him.
"Where are you?" They could see Darren`s eyes move, and they waited for the answer.
"I don`t know.......it`s so quiet here, ........and so bright. Strange.....it doesn`t hurt to look at it!"
"Can you move?"
"Yes, I can. But only forward. I can`t turn and go another way."
"Then it`s the way your supposed to go".
It was silent for a few minutes. Then Darren`s hand moved a littlebit.
"What do you see?"
"Someone is coming towards me......" Darren stopped and he took a deep breath.
"What do you see?" The man repeated the question. Darren was silent for something that seemed like an eternity, but was in reality just a few seconds.
"I think it`s Michael........"