Are you mad at me? I’m sorry about before, by the jeep. I didn’t do anything, you know, so it’s not really fair —

She interrupted me, exasperated. Oh, stop. I’m not mad at you. Leave me alone.

Why won’t you talk to me?

No answer.

I pushed a little harder, hoping to pick up the direction of her thoughts. She tried to keep me out, to put the wall in place, but it was too weak from disuse. I saw her plan.

I tried to keep my mental tone even. Have you lost your mind?

In a manner of speaking, she teased halfheartedly.

You think that if you can make yourself disappear, that will stop me?

What else can I do to stop you? If you’ve got a better idea, please share.

I don’t get it, Melanie. Don’t you want them back? Don’t you want to be with Jared again? With Jamie?

She writhed, fighting the obviousness of the answer. Yes, but… I can’t… She took a moment to steady herself. I find myself unable to be the death of you, Wanda. I can’t stand it.

I saw the depth of her pain, and tears formed in my eyes.

Love you too, Mel. But there’s not room for the both of us here. In this body, in this cave, in their lives…

I disagree.

Look, just stop trying to annihilate yourself, okay? Because if I think you can do it, I’ll make Doc pull me out today. Or I’ll tell Jared. Just imagine what he would do.

I imagined it for her, smiling a little through my tears. Remember? He said no guarantees about what he would or wouldn’t do to keep you here. I thought of those burning kisses in the hall… thought of other kisses and other nights in her memory. My face warmed as I blushed.

You fight dirty.

You bet I do.

I’m not giving up.

You’ve been warned. No more silent treatment.

We thought of other things then, things that didn’t hurt. Like where we would send the Seeker. Mel was all for the Mists Planet after my story tonight, but I thought the Planet of the Flowers would be more fitting. There wasn’t a mellower planet in the universe. The Seeker needed a nice long lifetime eating sunshine.

We thought of my memories, the pretty ones. The ice castles and the night music and the colored suns. They were like fairytales to her. And she told me fairytales, too. Glass slippers, poisoned apples, mermaids who wanted to have souls…

Of course, we didn’t have time to tell many stories.

They all returned together. Jared had come back through the main entrance. It had taken so very little time—perhaps he’d just driven the jeep around to the north side and hidden it under the overhang there. In a hurry.