| �Michelle!� �Pascal!� They ran together and hugged, and Dominic ran and joined them, and they both laughed at how cute he was. �I don�t want to talk here, Jareth will try to listen. How about we go for a walk?� �Ok,� said Pascal, a little unsure of this reasoning. So they walked into the labyrinth where they sat and talked old times. They remembered old teachers, not mentioning one certain teacher, they remembered old friends and not friends, and loads of private jokes they�d had. They felt like 2 old women sitting on a park bench. After a little while curiosity got the better of both and they told each other their full stories since that day 7 years before. Michelle�s was significantly longer than Pascal�s, who had basically stayed in the Underground ever since, apart from one visit she managed to beg from Jareth in which she saw her family. Michelle didn�t know whether or not to ask her about Jaden. She also didn�t tell her what had happened on the day, mainly because she was scared Jareth could be listening somewhere. She wanted to tell her. She was her best friend, had been for years, and no one knew in the whole universe except for herself and Jaden. It was a huge burden. She told her about when she ran away and how Jareth had reacted. Pascal didn�t react as she had expected her to. �Well, you can understand.� �What?� said Michelle, amazed. �He was scared, probably more scared than he�s ever been. He obviously loves you both very much.� �That man only knows how to love himself!� �No,� Pascal interrupted. �He isn�t that bad. He�s trying to look after you. He could have just taken Dominic, then where would you be?� �That�s what he said. He�s threatened to send me home without him before.� She sighed deeply. �Oh, his newest thing is that Jaden�s after me and Dom. Apparently he�d do anything to hurt Jareth.� �Well, he could be right Michelle. They don�t get on do they?� �Yeah, but he wouldn�t� you know�� she trailed off. She hadn�t told Pascal that bit, and wasn�t going to now. Then she tried again. �But we were with him, he had every opportunity and didn�t.� Pascal shrugged, �I don�t know,� she said. �I think you�ve misjudged Jareth though.� �Misjudged him? Pascal, he raped me!� �Don�t shout at me Michelle! I only thought� do you not remember how we used to talk? We both wanted him. We both wanted him to take us away. We both asked him to. Don�t you remember?� Michelle looked at her hands. She had never thought about it like that. There was something in her brain that had stopped her. �Maybe�� she said. �No! Jareth was still in the wrong. He shouldn�t have used me like that. It was sick!� They sat in silence for about a minute, contemplating. Then they apologised to each other, and laughed that neither of them had changed. �I wonder if Jareth�s listening,� said Michelle. �Do you think he is?� asked Pascal. �I don�t know. He didn�t want me to see you,� she replied, �he thinks you�re spying for Jaden.� �Jaden?� Pascal laughed a little, but not too much. �Talk about paranoia!� They met almost everyday, and talked about nothing, and their relationships with everyone they knew. They started playing duets again, though both admitted to being out of practice, and Pascal gave Dominic some piano lessons, and Dominic was glad of someone other than his mum who could play piano. Occasionally Gregory would come to be an audience, and one day Jareth came to hear Dom play, and applauded nicely. He came more often after that, and applauded, and Dominic would come out in front of the piano and do a very professional bow. Pascal and Michelle talked like they were still 16. They giggled incessantly, mainly about socks, a joke that no one else seemed to get. They sang random songs, mainly by Bowie, but forgot the words, and fell about laughing. Dominic got very confused and kept begging them to play catch or football, which they sometimes did. One day they were playing football, and they managed to persuade Jareth that they needed another player to make equal teams. What happened then was very much like something from a bad soap opera, probably on channel 5, but maybe even ITV. Or possibly neighbours. They played girls verses boys, and Michelle had the ball and was running towards the goal. Jareth was in between, and he tackled her. As neither of them really knew the rules, neither of them were sticking to them. They tripped each other up, and managed to land on the floor, with Jareth on top. �Are you ok?� he asked. �Yeah�� she said, looking up at him. She looked into his eyes, and felt him against her, and he smiled at her. It wasn�t a smirk, it was a real smile. �She will be once you get off her!� shouted Pascal. They both looked at her surprised before actually moving. Then Jareth apologised, and helped her up, and Dominic ran after the ball, and they continued. �I think I just need a shag,� she told Pascal later. They both burst into hysterics. �I hope it�s not a sock then.� Gregory was reading an Anne Rice book. He wasn�t particularly enjoying it, but he had promised Pascal that he would try it. He was confused as to why she was making him read all about vampires, most of who were male, but he decided to humour her anyway. He heard the door open, and he looked up to see the lady come through it and smile. �Back already?� he said. �Do you want Pascal again?� �That would be lovely,� Lucretia replied, smiling very sweetly. Gregory called Pascal, who came and grinned. �Hi,� she said, �did you enjoy Heathcliff?� �Very much,� replied Lucretia. �So now I�m back for more.� �I�ll leave you to it,� said Gregory and he wandered off to the kitchen. The ladies watched him leave. �They�re getting on very well,� said Pascal, without waiting for the question to be asked. �That�s good,� said Lucretia. �But, there�s something I don�t get.� �What�s that?� asked Lucretia innocently. �I don�t get what you get from it.� �What do you mean?� �Well, I know how Michelle will be better off now, and Jareth, and Dominic, but I don�t get why you wanted me to do that.� �Can�t I just be a concerned passer-by?� �I�ve never met one before.� �Well they both deserve some happiness,� she replied. �And what does it have to do with Mr� with Jaden?� Pascal was going to get the truth, especially since Michelle had told her how much the brothers hated each other. �Nothing.� �Nothing?� �No. Why should it?� �You said�� Pascal couldn�t think why it should. �Ok.� �Don�t worry, there�s nothing more to it. You�re friend�s going to be fine, and a lot happier now thanks to you.� Pascal nodded. �Well, what wonderful literature have you for me then?� �Er, how about some Louis de Berni�res? Have you ever read Captain Corelli�s mandolin?� �Well, it�s great. It�s set on this small Greek Island, mainly during the war. It�s a love story, sort of, but it�s quite sad. They made a film of it, but it had that stupid Penelope Cruz in it.� Lucretia laughed. |