The Shattering of Souls

well, once again here we all are. you know... an author, some readers, sheets and sheets of paper filled with utter tripe. a bonfire of epic proprotions, eating away at the library of some poor soul stupid enough to leave their door unlocked. help yourself to that really expensive bottle of dom perignon and the beluga caviar. i\'ll make sure to spin an especially good yarn. but first let me say that i don\'t own a damn bit of this... other than a few bits here and there. but the majority of it, including snape, belongs to one j.k. rowling. she gets all the credit and the money. i get nothing. oh, the injustice of it all.

i\'m not sure if the smut bunny will hop into this or not. we\'ll just have to wait and see. as per my usual, i only wish to warn you, incase a rabid smut bunny suddenly hops out and starts humping away madly.i wouldn\'t want anyone to be startled or anything. prepared, yes. and i\'m not sure if the evil bunny will be joining the smut bunny or not. as i said.. wait and see.

and, finally, if you find the kindness in you, please let me know what you think. i do try hard to make everything i write enjoyable to one and all. i know i can\'t please everyone.... but i do like to know what you think. nicely, though. i should hate to have to sic the dragon on any one who is reading my stuff. i\'m odd that way.

Chapter Nineteen: The Return
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The forest was silent, not even the sound of rustling leaves on the gentle breeze to fill the deafening void. The lack of animal sounds gave the towering expanse of trees a feeling of death and longing. It felt as if the forest was holding its breath in hopeful expectation of... something. Bri sat on the thick bed of dried leaves and pine needles, her legs crossed Indian style, her hands resting on her knees. She was lost in meditation, her eyes closed to shut out the beauty of the clearing she sat in.

It was, in fact, the same clearing that she had brought her father to. Besides that one rather painful memory, she still found solace in the small forest glen. It was her only haven of peace away from the house and it was here that she came to be alone and think. She carefully tuned out the annoying quiet and the vague sense of unease brought on by the still of the woods and returned to her meditation.

She allowed her mind to clear, pushing away the thoughts that had plagued her since she had discovered what Snape was up to. For the past two days, she had found herself troubled by what she had learned directly from the source. Snape had been as courteous as ever, letting her know that she hadn\'t been discovered. But she had a hard time pretending to be clueless when she knew that he was silently gloating. It had been distracting enough to send her out of the house.

Bri sat in her small corner of the forest, her mind emptied of all her troubles for the moment. She could feel the call of the woods in her blood. It sang in her veins like a song she\'d known all her life She wanted to get up and shed her clothing and run naked through the trees. She wanted so desperately to become one with the nature that called to her that it took every ounce of discipline she possessed to remain seated where she was. She needed to find some sort of balance so that she could ground and center herself.

One moment Bri was sitting perfectly relaxed. The next saw her on her feet, facing the trees behind her. She had one hand lifted in a defensive gesture, her face settled into a blank mask. Her stance relaxed only slightly when she saw who stood there, but she did not lower her arm. \'Your reflexes are as sharp as ever, Miss Wallace. I am happy to see that some things do not change,\" Dumbledore told her. She stared at him a moment or two, finally gifting him with a faintly confused look.

His smile was gentle and slightly patronizing when he gave it to her. \'Please, Miss Wallace. There\'s no need to act with me. I know that you\'ve regained your memories. I\'ve come to take you back to the Mortal Realm.\'

\' I would have to decline, Sir,\' she told him, finally relaxing her stance fully. The arm held out defensively dropped to hang loosely at her side.

\'Might I inquire as to the why of that?\' he asked her, reaching up to adjust his glasses. She watched him a moment or two, then shrugged.

\' If we return to the Mortal Realm, then everyone will know that I have my memories back. For reasons I don\'t wish to divulge, I can\'t let that happen,\' she told him. He studied her for a moment or two, then his smile intensified.

\'Sadly, I cannot grant that wish, Miss Wallace. There are things happening at Hogwarts that do not allow me to leave you here. You must come back,\' he told her softly. She scowled, muttering a few choice swear words under her breath. \'However, I can keep your secret for you. For a time,\' he added.

\' I suppose that\'s all I can ask for,\' Bri nodded. Then she turned to look out over the scenery spread before her. \' It\'s going to be so hard leaving all of this. Even with the memory loss, I\'ve felt more at home here than I have anywhere else,\' Bri said. \'So very hard. I\'m going to miss Otherworld.\'

\'Perhaps, when all is said and done, I will bring you back here,\' Dumbledore told her. \'But for now, I need your help. Please, Bri.\'

\'Very well, Professor,\' she nodded and motioned toward the house. \'Shall we go back and let the others know?\' He smiled at her again, then took her arm in his and escorted her back toward the house. They were silent as they moved through the trees, each lost in their own thoughts. When they broke from the edge of the forest, it was to find a very aggrivated looking Snape heading their way. He stopped short for a moment when he saw Dumbledore with Bri, but soon enough finished his trek toward them.

\'Headmaster,\' he said, looking from one to the other. \'What brings you here to this gods forsaken bit of fantasy?\'

\' I have come to tell you that it is time to come back,\' the older Wizard replied, his hand patting Bri\'s gently. She managed to look completely oblivious to the meaning of his statement and instead tried to give the proper look of adoration when she turned her gaze to Snape. His eyes narrowed on her a moment or two, then snapped back to the man at her side.

\' Is that wise, Sir? Miss Wallace is still suffering from memory loss. To take her back now would mean... \' Severus\' words trailed off at the look his superior gave him.

\'There is no choice, Severus. There are matters at Hogwarts that cannot be ignored any longer,\' Dumbledore told the man before him. Bri found his choice in words interesting. It was obvious that something had bothered the Headmaster enough to come fetch her back. And it was just as obvious that he didn\'t wish to discuss it with her in front of anyone else. That told her that she was sure it was something that would test her hard earned control. She didn\'t think she liked it already, what ever it might be.

\' I have to protest, Headmaster,\' Snape glanced from Dumbledore to Bri. It was his way of saying that he protested going back without saying it aloud. So that Bri wouldn\'t have reason to be suspicious. Nor the Headmaster. She had to give him credit. He was staying true to his character. Both his characters, actually. He was being snarky the way Dumbledore remembered him, yet he wasn\'t so snarky that a less informed Bri would see the difference in his demeanor.

\'Your protestations are duly noted, Severus. Now, please. Let us get back to the house and collect the others. I\'m sure that they\'re as anxious to leave this gods forsaken bit of fantasy as you are,\' Albus smiled at his Potions Master, giving Bri a quick wink when Severus wasn\'t looking. She hid her smile, allowing Severus to escort her across the lawn to the house. Albus kept pace with them, lost in his own thoughts. Bri stole a glance at him out of the corner of her eye and saw that his face was lined and his shoulders heavy with concern. Whatever had prompted him to come fetch them now, it was something very serious.

The door was already wide open, Harry standing in it. The boy looked as if he couldn\'t believe what he was seeing. His smile, when it came, was genuine and he stepped down off the stoop and moved to meet them. \'Professor, its good to see you,\' he reached out and shook Albus\' hand enthusiastically and Bri was glad to see that he looked as if he were back to normal. Not that she believed for a moment that he was past the anger and aggression that he\'d showered Izzy with. That was still very much a part of him and a few carefully placed hints weren\'t enough to send it away completely. But every day that saw him learning to better control his temper and violent tendencies was another day closer to being able to put all of it behind him for good.

\'Harry!\' Dumbledore sounded genuinely fond of the dark-haired young man. \'You\'re looking well. Its so good to see you.\'

\'And you. Are you here to take us back?\' he asked eagerly.

\' I am. But you\'re still under lock and key. Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange are still on the loose and looking for you. I intend to keep you in Hogwarts. You\'ll have to remain hidden, of course. But that is only until he\'s caught. Which will be soon, I assure you.\'

\' I suppose I can handle that, Professor,\' Harry shrugged.

\'Very good. Shall we go inside and give everyone else the good news?\' Albus looked from Harry to Severus. They both nodded and Bri found herself being propelled forward into the house. Already, Remus and Bill were standing in the foyer while Izzy stood on the steps behind them. The three of them looked at the Headmaster expectantly. He motioned to the living room and, as a group, they all headed into it, Izzy trailing behind them. Tyler was perched on one of the chairs, hre strangely colored green eyes settled upon Dumbledore\'s frame with something less than enthusiasm.

\'Professor?\' Bill was the first to ask. The look on his face was hopeful, making it plain that he was more than ready to go back.

\'Yes, Bill. Its time to go back. I would like it if you would all collect your things and meet me back down here in thirty minutes. Then we can be on our way back to Hogwarts,\' he told them. Harry hurried off, as did Bill. Izzy followed behind them only by a moment or two. Severus\'s hand, still grasping her own, tugged her toward the doorway.

\'Come along, Bri. It is time to pack your things. Perhaps going back to Hogwarts will help bring your memories to the front,\' Severus commanded in what was, for him, a gentle tone of voice. She went along with him, allowing him to pull her up the stairs and lead her to the room she barely even slept in anymore. \'You heard the Headmaster. Thirty minutes. I shall expect you downstairs and ready to leave before then.\'

\'Yes, Severus,\' she replied meekly, then lifted up on tiptoe to kiss him. He watched her disappear into her room, then turned and went to his own.

~*~

\'Something troubles you, Remus?\' Albus asked the rumpled looking wizard as he settled into a chair somewhat apprehensively. Remus glanced up at him and offered a vague smile.

\'Not troubles so much as....\' Remus sighed as he let his words trail off. \'I would like to stay here, Headmaster.\' Neither man missed the small gasp that came from the only other inhabitant of the room. Remus turned to look at her, offering her a smile.

\'You\'re sure this is what you want, Remus? You know you\'re welcome at Hogwarts any time you wish to come back. You were instrumental in the war and no one would deny you your rightful place as a war hero,\' Dumbledore told him. Remus shook his head.

\'No, Sir. I\'ve finally found where I belong. I don\'t have to hide who I am here. And I\'ve also found someone who accepts me for who I am. I would like to stay here with Tyler and make a life for myself,\' the shifter told the older Wizard. Albus smiled at him.

\'Then I am happy for you, my boy. It is all I\'ve ever wanted for any of my students and friends. Do you want me to have Severus continue brewing the Wolfsbane for you?\'

\'Yes,\' Remus grinned. \'If for no other reason than it will chap his arse to do so.\' Dumbledore and Tyler both laughed at this. When her laughter subsided, she turned to look at him.

\' Is it true? Are you really staying?\' she asked him, her voice holding hope and fear. Remus offered her a gentle smile, nodding his head in the affirmative. She gave a loud cry of joy, then flew from her chair and threw herself into his arms. Albus smiled on as the two of them hugged tightly, then sank into a kiss that was both gentle and full of promise. When they pulled apart, Tyler was blushing a soft pink, her lips drawn up in a loving smile. Remus pulled her tightly into the harbor of his arm, drawing her body closer to his. The two lovebirds were still sitting this way when the first person stepped into the living area.

\' I do believe I will be ill,\' Severus\' sneering drawl broke Tyler out of Remus\' embrace. Instead of taking offense, both of them burst into laughter. The sound of merriment brought a deep and intense scowl to Severus\' face. It didn\'t take long after that for the rest of the group to make their ways down to the living room, bags in tow. Bri, keeping in character, moved to stand by Severus.

\'Remus has elected to stay here,\' Albus began. Both Harry and Bill looked to him, shock registering on their faces.

\'You\'re not coming back with us?\' Harry asked, staring at the man in confusion.

\'No, Harry. I\'m not. I\'m staying here. Where I belong,\' he told the boy, his arm tightening around Tyler\'s shoulders. Harry looked at him a few moments, then smiled.

\'Then I\'m happy for you,\' he told the man who had been his teacher and now was simply his friend.
\' I wish you all the luck in the world. Take good care of him, Tyler.\'

\'Oh, I will. Don\'t worry about that,\' the young woman said, giving him a look that made Harry smile rather mischievously. Remus was so relieved to see the look on the face fo his best friend\'s son, a boy who seemed so very much like his own after all they had been through together. The boy was no longer teetering on the very edge of madness. He had moved back some and was more like his old self. It was something that made Remus joyous to no end.

\'You\'re sure you want to stay here, old man?\' Bill clapped Remus on the back with a broad hand. Remus nodded silently, his gaze moving so that he could look upon Tyler\'s face with soft adoration. He heard Snape snort and ignored it. The man simply didn\'t understand what it meant to be in love with someone. To have someone accept him for who and what he was. \'Then make sure you keep in touch with us. I know Mum will have fits if she isn\'t kept informed on all of her friends. And you were there for her, for us, when we all needed you.\'

\'Not to worry. Severus will be providing him with Wolfsbane potion monthly, so there will no doubt as to being able to stay in contact with him,\' Dumbledore told them. Snape frowned in such a manner as to suggest that he clearly didn\'t wish to continue doing it. The Headmaster gave him a stern look over the tops of his half-moon glasses. \'Now, if we\'re all ready?\' Albus glanced from one person to the next. He was given a series of nods to let him know they were indeed ready to go home.

One hand slipped into his pocket and withdrew a large box. It was a very plain looking thing, no markings on it. Simply a dull brownish color that made it appear to be very old and ignored. He held it up so that everyone could put their hand on it. On impulse, Bri stepped away from Severus\' side and moved over to lean close to Remus. \'Congratulations, Remus. I hope you\'re eternally happy and that she\'s everything you could ever want. You deserve the happiness.\'

She stepped back and put her hand on the box, ignoring the look of curiosity on Severus\' face. Before he could ask her anything, Dumbledore was calling out the password to the port key. \'Fig newtons!\' They group felt a familiar tug just at the navel, then they were gone. Remus was left to stare where they had been, an odd look on his face.

\'Remus?\' Tyler asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

\'Severus is in such trouble,\' he replied, then broke into a round of true laughter, leaving her to wonder just what he meant by his comment.

~*~*~*~*~

\'You sent for me, Sir?\' Bri asked as she stepped into the Headmaster\'s office. He motioned to the door with one hand, sending it swinging shut behind her. She heard the lock click into place and could almost feel the silencing spell going up. He gestured to a chair before his desk.

\'Please have a seat, Miss Wallace,\' Dumbledore\'s voice was soft and gentle. She shook her head, preferring to stand. She crossed her arms before her and simply stared at him. \'Very well. I\'d ask if I could get you some refreshments, but I suspect you would turn that down as well. You always were my one agent who was all about the job.\'

\'Might we come to the point, Sir? I have a job to do and...\' Bri began. Dumbledore lifted a hand to halt her words.

\' I have something to show you, Miss Wallace,\' he said, then moved to a chest in the corner. She didn\'t hear him speak, but she felt the wards guarding the box fall. He levitated it over to her, setting it down on the desk before her. She stared at him a moment, thne lifted the lid at his silent insistence. It was only through sheer force of will that she didn\'t vomit then and there. She\'d seen some horrible things in her life, but nothing like this.

Carefully, and slowly, Bri sifted through the items in the chest. She read every letter. She studied every picture. She memorized everything. By all accounts, she figured that Lucius Malfoy had destroyed nearly a dozen lives. That didn\'t count friends and family. That was only the poor, innocent souls he\'d sent from the world of the living. She saw his madness plainly in everything. From the carefully poised individuals in the pictures to the elegant, orderly script that flowed across the letters. Male. Female. Old. Young. It didn\'t matter the age or sex. He simply took out his aggressions on them.

She shuddered as she recalled how he liked to take out his aggressions. Her back was a permanent testament to his depravity. As were the photos and letters in the box. She saw a pattern in each of them. Malfoy was taking people who bore a resemblence to Potter or knew him and using them to purge his demons. He was killing Potter over and over again. It was time to put his sickness to an end.

\'What do you see there, Miss Wallace?\' the Headmaster asked her in a voice that was lacking in emotion. She looked up at him, making sure to put the lid back on the chest so she didn\'t have to continue staring at its contents.

\'A man on the very edge of losing it all. Malfoy\'s grip on reality is slipping. He\'s as nutty as a fruitcake and getting nuttier by the moment. He doesn\'t care who he picks, so long as they share some physical characteristic with Potter. Then he takes the opportunity to murder Potter. Over and over again,\' she replied tightly. \'He wants Harry dead so badly, he\'s hoping that his acts of desperation will get him what he wants.\'

\'He wants both you and Harry, Miss Wallace,\' he commented, his gaze locked on hers to gauge her reaction. Her face remained impassive.

\'Then he can have me. And I\'ll do to him exactly what he did to me. I\'ll break him in two and leave him to rot in some rat-infested hole,\' she told the Headmaster, her tone of voice so very serious that he believed she would do just that.

\'You are not to do anything foolish, Miss Wallace. I have my own plans as to how to proceed with this. You were correct when you said you had a job to do. You will resume the job of watching over Harry,\' he told her. She opened her mouth to protest, prompting him to hold up a hand. It halted whatever she\'d been about to say and he went on. \'You will do so in secret. I want you to start spending more time with Harry and Izzy. She is to think she\'s still guarding him from Malfoy. Tell them that you wish to speak to them and find out more about who you were before losing your memories. I don\'t care what you do. Simply do it and be discrete about it.\'

\'Very well, Professor. I\'ll do that,\' she told him, her teeth clenched together so tightly that he was sure her jaw ached from it. \'Is there anything else?\'

\'There is a spy in our midst. They attempted to break into my office while you were gone. If not for Penrith, they may very well have succeeded. So you must be on the lookout on that front, as well. If this spy is able, they will tell Malfoy where to find Harry,\' Dumbledore informed her. She frowned upon hearing the news.

\'I understand, Sir,\' she nodded. He gave her a look, as if he wished to say something else. But before he could speak, they heard the knock on the outer door. Bri glanced at the wooden panel, then moved to sit in a chair. She pulled a slightly confused air about her, then waited. Dumbledore respelled the chest, then floated it back to its resting place on the floor. He turned and waved his hand at the room\'s only entrance. When the silencing spell was down and the locks opened, the door opened and in came Severus Snape.

\'Headmaster, I was....\' he began, then spied Bri sitting in the chair. \'Ah, never mind. I see she is here. Very good. I have had Miss Wallace\'s bags moved to an unoccupied room in Gryffindor Tower and...\'

\' I think, given the state of things, she should be moved to the dungeons. She responds to you best and it is perhaps for the better if she remains with you,\' Dumbledore told Snape. Bri watched, her face a perfect mask of confused ignorance, as the two men stared at one another a moment. Then Snape nodded his head and heaved a sigh.

\'Of course, Headmaster. You are, naturally, correct. I shall have a House Elf fetch her things to the dungeons. If you would come along with me, Bri?\' he held a hand out to her. Bri nodded, managing to give Dumbledore a look that Snape couldn\'t see, then she allowed him to pull her from the chair and toward the door. She went with Snape, her hand clasped loosely in his. She didn\'t note the faint smirk on the Headmaster\'s face as they went. Nor did she see the twinkle in his cornflower blue eyes. It was likely a good thing she missed them both, too.

~*~*~*~*~

Bri was mildly surprised to see Severus\' private quarters. His living room was done in tasteful shades of grays and dark blues. The walls were papered with a midnight blue that had small gray snakes coiled into little swirls spaced at even intervals across the surface. From a distance, the snakes looked like nothing more than little specks on the paper. It wasn\'t until one got up close that the snakes could be seen. Where large pieces of gothic furniture didn\'t cover the walls, there was a rich mahogany wainscoting visible on the lower half. The carpeting was a soft, dove gray that was deep and lush under the feet.

A living suite was settled before the hearth. A thick, old looking Oriental rug lay before the fireplace, between the coffee table and the brick hearth. There were two wingback arm chairs at either end of the table, the other side facing the couch. The material was a a solid blue about three shades lighter than the walls and soft to the touch. It looked thick and cushiony, despite the design that reminded Bri of something out of a mid-1800\'s parlor with wooden legs, sculpted back and scrolling arms. The chairs were styled in the same manner. The coffee table was low, of a wood stained almost as dark as the wainscoting. The legs had ball feet and were artfully designed. They flared out before drawing back in near the feet.

One wall was nothing more than bookshelves, crammed with tomes of all shapes, sizes and age. Some of them were yellowed at the edges while others looked to be fairly recent. There were sweeping panoramic paintings that covered the walls, tasteful and soothing to look upon. He had intricate candle lamps scattered about instead of plain candles that would likely give the room ambiance when lit. It was nothing like what she expected. She turned to find him standing behind her, watching her silently with his piercing black gaze.

\'You look as if you belong in this room,\' he told her, his voice pitched low and full of sultry seduction. She couldn\'t help the shiver that skittered its way up her spine. He moved toward her, but stopped the moment there was a loud pop. One of the castle\'s House Elves stood in the center of the room with her bags clutched in his hands. With one hand, Snape gestured to a hallway. \'Through there and in my private bedroom, please.\'

The small creature bobbed it\'s head, then headed off in the direction given. Snape was silent until it came out of the hallway and reported that the bags had been settled on a chair near his armoire. Then it was gone with a pop to rival the one it appeared with. Bri was surprised to find Snape standing before her almost instantly. She looked up at him, noting the smoky look in his eyes. His hands curled around her arms, drawing her up against his length. \'Now I can finally take you in my own bed,\' he murmured a moment before his lips covered hers.

Bri sighed, her hands creeping up around his neck, even though she told herself that she should resist him. He was already hard and his erection pressed firmly into her lower abdomen. His hands roamed over her back, reaching down to cup the cheeks of her arse. She sighed softly, drawing back so she could reach for the buttons on his coat. He watched her, his gaze hooded, as she patiently unbuttoned each and every one of the little black disks that held his clothing together.

When his jacket was unbuttoned, she shoved it down over his arms. She hated herself for being so addicted to him. She craved him like she craved sweets. It was disgusting and she didn\'t want to need him as she did. Yet she couldn\'t seem to help herself. The garment hit the floor, discarded and forgotten, while she attacked the buttons on his shirt. His hands started to work her clothes from her body in a painfully slow manner that only served to entice her more, driving her need for him higher.

He wore more clothes, but she had him naked before he had her fully unclothed. Her hands sought out his nipples first, pulling on them before slipping down over his abdomen and lower. Her fingers curled around his stiffened length and she watched as his eyes closed for a brief moment. Then they opened and he pushed her lace panties down over her hips. She tugged on him, just a little bit, and was rewarded with the burning heat of his palms over her breasts. His hands squeezed and fondled before slipping from their prize to delve lower. Her skin quivered with anticipation as his fingertips grazed over her belly.

When one finger slippped between her thighs and pushed up into her, she moaned. She knew she was soaking wet, her nether lips swollen for him. He added a second and a third finger, stroking the trio of them in and out of her body slowly. Her eyes closed, her grip tightening on his cock. \'So hot and wet. And all for me,\' he whispered in her ear. His hand withdrew and she started when she felt his slick fingers on one breast. He painted her nipple with her own juices, then bent his head to suck the nub into his mouth. She moaned low in her throat and threw her arms around his shoulders.

His teeth grated lightly over the peak caught between them. She sought out his head, her fingers twining in his hair to hold his mouth where it was. He sucked hard, drawing on the nipple and pulling it so far into his mouth that she felt as if he was trying to suck it off and swallow it. The pain only made her want him more. Her thighs drifted further apart when she felt his hand slip between them again. Once more, his fingers slid into her hot pussy, stroking in and out at a leisurely pace that had her head swimming from the overwhelming pleasure of it all. They retreated, to reach up and swirl moisture around the neglected nipple. Then he let go of the one he held to treat the glistening nipple to the same treatment.

When his head lifted, he looked her right in the eye. She suddenly found herself pulled up against him, then he was sitting down and he was taking her with him. She put her knees on the cushions beside his thighs while his hand moved her into position over his erect cock. She reached out to balance herself on his shoulders, watching his face. He was watching her hips as his hands urged her down. She slid one of her hands down over his chest until it found his thick shaft. Then she was holding him firmly, helping him lower herself onto him. When she sank down over him, she threw her head back and moaned in pure pleasure.

\'You feel so good inside of me,\' she whispered, trying to look down between her breasts so she could watch him pump up into her. She wanted to see him fill her, wanted to know that it wasn\'t a dream. \'Gods help me, I love you.\'

\' I know, pet,\' he murmured, then drove his hips up into her and began a rhythm that had her eyes closed and her hands curled so tightly into his shoulders, her nails drew blood. \' I know.\'

end chapter nineteen.
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as per the usual, i have to send out thanks to my homies! my support system, as it were. they are always there to listen to my idiotic notion that my stuff sucks and constantly tell me it isn\'t.i love them all very much and wouldn\'t get anywhere with out them. huggles to you all. you know who you are.

and, if there are mistakes in here.... they are purely my own. i\'m my own beta and even i occasionally make a goof. don\'t hurt me for it.

and finally, if you enjoy this... and yes, i know its dark.... please feel free to let me know. i promise i don\'t bite. i leave that to the dragon.

to Echo: thank you for being a constant supporter and for reading everything i write. that goes above and beyond the call of duty! blessings, honey.