08 September 2037
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Jessica Crowley John Crowley Daniel McMurran

Jessica: Snuggled up to John.
John: Glad. Holds her close and strokes her hair a little. …When would you like to take that trip?
Jessica: Tiredly. …Where…?
John: With the kids. To Disney Land.
Jessica: Oh, yes… Not right now… It's late.
John: …Of course. Kisses the top of her head. We should rest.
Jessica: Mm-hm.
John: You don't want to be exhausted the next day, do you…?
Jessica: Mumbles. I haven'tbeeneeping very well, John.
John: I'm sorry to hear that, dear… Would ask why she hasn't been, but he's pretty sure that he knows why.
Jessica: Silent.
John: …If there's anything I can do to help…
Jessica: …If you could just hold me close…
John: Arms tighten around her, gladly bringing them closer together.
Jessica: He can soon feel tears on his bare chest.
John: Hugs her tighter when he does, gently running his fingers through her now shortened hair. I love you, Jessica.
Jessica: Sniffs. I love you, too, John.
John: Tries his best to sound soothing. And I will always be here for you.
Jessica: …I… wish I could say the same.
John: You can… because you will be in the ways that matter the very most.
Jessica: I'm losing you… and everybody else.
John: …Remember what you said…? We have to live in the present… You're still here, Jessica…
Jessica: Nods. I-I'm trying so hard to be strong…
John: I've never met a stronger woman, Jessica… but you don't have to deal with your troubles by yourself… I'm here for you… I always have and I always will be…
Jessica: Sniffs. I'm such a cry baby.
John: Oh, honey… You're no cry baby.
Jessica: I'm trying to be strong and crying… and being irritable and… taking it out on you…
John: You've always been strong for me, no matter what the problem was… Now I'm being strong for you… Don't even think about feeling bad for your mood.. I don't blame you in the least.
Jessica: You've been too good to me, John.
John: And here I thought that you've always been too good for me.
Jessica: Oh, what good have I ever done?
John: I'd recount everything, but I wouldn't be halfway done by the time morning came.
Jessica: Laughs. And you're supposed to be honest… Affectionately said.
John: I most certainly am. Said as he snuggles to her, to show that he wasn't trying to argue, but just assure her that he'd been sincere in his words.
Jessica: Sighs and strokes his hair a bit. You should rest.
John: I should… but… the only way I'm going to is if you do as well.
Jessica: I'll try.
John: Thank you… I'll be dreaming of you.
Jessica: Smiles. I hope I dream of you, too. Eventually falls asleep.
John: Waits until he's sure that she is… and drifts off himself.

Daniel: Dare you trust the music of the night? Close your eyes, for your eyes will only tell the truth and the truth isn't what you want to seee!!! In the dark, it is easy to pretend… but the truth is what aught to be. Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind in this darkness that you know you cannot find. The darkness of the music of the night. Close your eyes, start a journey to a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. Close your eyes and let music set you freee!!! Only then… can you belong to meee. Touch me. Trust me. Savor each sensation. Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in to the power of the music that I write. The power of the music of the niiight.
John: Okay, okay! What do you want?
Daniel: You alone can make my song take flight. Help me make the music of the night.
John: Fine then.
Daniel: Quite an evil laugh. Look at me now. Will I ever learn? I don't know how… but I suddenly lose control. There's a fire within my soul. Just one look and I can't hear a bell ring. One more look and I forget everything.
John: Well this gigolo's jumpin' salty, ain' no trade out on the streets. Half past the unluck, an' the hawk's a front-row seat. Dressed in full orchestration, stage-door Johnny's got to pay and sent him home talkin' 'bout the one that got away.
Daniel: Yes, I've been broken-hearted. Blue since the day we parted. Why did I ever let you go?
John: So what possessed you to sing?
Daniel: I dunno.
John: I see.
Daniel: Oh, fine… Lemme see… Closes his eyes.
John: Just stares, wondering what he's playing at.
Daniel: Where John is dissolves around him, including Daniel himself. John is now in small dark room. Jessica sits against one wall, head in her arms.

John: Takes a few seconds to get himself together, since that was quite disorientating for him. It doesn't take him long, however, to see Jessica. …Honey?
Jessica: Looks up. Appears quite surprised, tears wet on her cheeks.
John: Surprised to see her as well, though he doesn't make that obvious by his expression. Just goes to her and kneels down to get eye-level with her.
Jessica: …John? Unfolds out of herself to touch him.
John: Stays where he is so she can. It's me…
Jessica: Smiles and touches his cheek.
John: Smiles back to her, leaning his head on her hand.
Jessica: The room they're in begins the lighten up and grow larger… with open windows and curtains blowing gently in the breeze and dappled sunlight casting a warm glow on everything. A vase of wildflowers sits on a table and gives off a sweet scent.
John: The change was definitely for the better. The new room seeming more comforting than a dark one. He moves from her hand, though only so he could take it into his own.
Jessica: Takes it. You never tell a lie, do you?
John: Squeezes her hand gently. I try my best to be honest.
Jessica: Smiles and into his arms she goes.
John: Smiles as well and holds her close.
Jessica: Unfortunately wakes up after awhile and John is back with Dan.
John: Aww.

Daniel: Stares a bit.
John: Isn't too bothered by it. He enjoyed his time with her. Just smiling.
Daniel: You wanna hug me instead?
John: Sure. C'mere.
Daniel: Uh… Comes there. Don't hit me.
John: Laughs and does indeed hug Daniel.
Daniel: Hugs back. …Not that I could feel it.
John: It's the thought that counts.
Daniel: Share each day with me each night, each morning. Say you feel the way I do. That's all I ask of you. Do you tell Jessica you're cheating on her in your dreams?
John: Okay, no more hugs for you.
Daniel: Anywhere you go, let me go too. John, that's all I ask of you.
John: Stares.
Daniel: Sighs and sits back down. What's up?
John: Chuckles a little. Not much. Did you watch the entire dream?
Daniel: I didn't watch any of it.
John: How did you know I hugged her then?
Daniel: I made the assumption.
John: I see.
Daniel: Did you have all kinds of fun last night learning about me?
John: It was interesting. So, did you want to ask anything else?
Daniel: Well I can get out my list of 1,000 questions…
John: I meant something more intrusive than what kind of beans I find most likely to plot a military coup.
Daniel: Laughs. I dunno… Do you have anything to ask me?
John: What kind of beans do you find most likely to plot a military coup?
Daniel: Um… Thinks. …Peanuts.
John: Those are legumes.
Daniel: Same difference.
John: Alright then. Now you can ask me something. Bounce the conversational ball.
Daniel: Why did you bleach the top of your head?
John: I was struck by lightning.
Daniel: That's a lie.
John: I know. I did it just because.
Daniel: Okay… It's your turn… I guess.
John: If you like singing so much, why not choose a career focused in it?
Daniel: I don't like singing in particular. I've never taken any sort of music lessons or practiced. I just like singing sometimes. I don't think I do it particularly well.
John: Ah, I see.
Daniel: How was your relationship with your father? You talked a lot about your mom.
John: In a way, I looked up to him, actually. Even when I was distancing myself from my parents. Maybe it's because he taught it to me at a young age, but he never did anything halfway. If he attempted something, he put all of his efforts into doing so. If he failed, he just tried and tried again. I never really told him that I had admired that, but I took that to heart when I went to school and it helped me a lot.
Daniel: Nods. That's pretty cool.
John: He tried to help me as well, but also treated me like he always had, even after the surgery.
Daniel: I noticed that with Adam…
John: What do you mean?
Daniel: When Adam was sent to stay there after what happened to him. Your father continued to treat him like a normal child.
John: That wouldn't surprise me.
Daniel: Nods.
John: Adam didn't seem much better after we took him back home, though. Maybe it wasn't the best idea.
Daniel: Oh yeah. He was suicidal, wasn't he?
John: …Yeah…
Daniel: Thought he always kinda had a tendency towards depression.
John: Nods.
Daniel: Really weird kid.
John: It's good that he's recovered at least.
Daniel: Yep!
John: If you could have had a pet, would you? Or did you have one?
Daniel: When I was little, we had this goldfish named Mosquitobedito. And my sister had a cat named Chester. Uh… That's about it.
John: Did you like them?
Daniel: I don't remember the fish. The cat was okay. There were cats around the castle and I had kids to take care of, which are sort of like pets. Laughs. Never too fond of dogs and Jessica's scared of 'em.
John: That would explain it
Daniel: What?
John: She never seemed very comfortable around Ernest's dogs.
Daniel: I very vaguely remember her not going to school for… a few weeks or something in elementary because dogs attacked her.
John: …I see.
Daniel: When did you start hating TV?
John: My dad was never big on T.V. to begin with and both of my parents encouraged me at a young age to think of better things to do.
Daniel: Nods.
John: Though when I was younger, I did enjoy old movies on the VCR.
Daniel: Hence the tapes Elijah dropped on the floor.
John: Saw that too? Yeah… I had some of the original Bond movies.
Daniel: You never watched them together.
John: We never did get around to it. I would have liked to, though.
Daniel: Elijah used to be so adorable. Grins.
John: Heheh… Indeed.
Daniel: Stares a little.
John: What?
Daniel: Still a bit weird, oddly enough. I keep thinking you just found Elijah to be an annoying kid wearing an arm sleeve.
John: When I first met him, that was true.
Daniel: Then you got to know him and found out he was really an annoying kid wearing an arm sleeve. Laughs.
John: Laughs a little as well. That was the second step…
Daniel: But he wormed his way into your heart because he kept talking to you nonstop.
John: …Pretty much… Hahaha!
Daniel: Stares.
John: Stop undressing me with your eyes.
Daniel: Eww… Why are you laughing?
John: Because life is funny.
Daniel: I sometimes think he had more to do with your great turnaround than I did.
John: You could be right. Bridget never liked me, heh. Nor did their daughter, I think. Never really got to know them too well.
Daniel: Bridget's kind of a weird match for Eric… but… I guess he loves her.
John: Stranger things have occurred. If they're happy, then more power to them.
Daniel: Well, I don't think you ever loved me, at least. Laughs.
John: Well, I love you like another guy likes a friend, if that makes sense.
Daniel: Awww, that's sweet. The father of your children… Snorts. Puts his head down in his arms, laughing.
John: Stares.
Daniel: Coughs. …Sorry.
John: No problem. I just realized now… That when Jessica and I take that trip to… Disney Land, of all places, with the kids…
Daniel: Yes?
John: Well, I'm sure she'll want to bring Elijah and Celena. If Elijah goes, he'll most likely want to bring Vlad and Aidae. And if Celena goes, she'll want to bring Middler and their children. And we're bringing Rose, Danielle, and Adam.
Daniel: And Feemy will probably want to bring Renasi.
John: Indeed. So… This is making me glad that I never cancelled my bank account.
Daniel: Ask Elijah and Jessica to help pay?
John: I wouldn't, but they'd insist anyway.
Daniel: Say only your biological children can come.
John: No. Maybe Dad will come with too.
Daniel: Say only Crowleys can come.
John: Maybe. I should talk to Jessica about it, see who she wants to bring along.
Daniel: Everyone and their dog… Well, not their dog. I don't see me getting an invite.
John: You're cordially invited to come to Disney Land with us.
Daniel: Ask Adam to get me and I'll go with you.
John: Maybe.
Daniel: Wouldn't that be awkward?
John: Yeeep.
Daniel: I wonder if you get a discount for being dead?
John: Perhaps. I change my answer about the shovel and saw question, by the way.
Daniel: What's that?
John: Need a saw to get rid of Feemz' horns, so we don't get asked about them.
Daniel: Meany.
John: I'd never.
Daniel: Maybe you should wait a month or so and then go.
John: I didn't think of going tomorrow or so. I still need to talk to Jessica about setting a date.
Daniel: Then the whole outing would be entirely unpleasant.
John: If we went soon?
Daniel: No, if you went too late. Morning sickness. Mm?
John: Good point.
Daniel: Hope she doesn't have twins again.
John: …Hm.
Daniel: What?
John: Thinking about if she had twins again.
Daniel: You'd have your hands full.
John: I would indeed.
Daniel: She might not survive the pregnancy.
John: In her condition, I'm worried enough about the pregnancy and her. Even without it being twins.
Daniel: You know, she'll probably be buried next to me.
John: I figured.
Daniel: Maybe they'll save a plot on the other side of her.
John: Are you buried in some sort of "royalty only" plot of land?
Daniel: Yeah, but spouses are usually buried next to them.
John: I see. Maybe.
Daniel: That'd be somethin'.
John: You think?
Daniel: I dunno. Julius and Gwen don't even have graves.
John: I might not either.
Daniel: Why do you say that?
John: When she dies, I'm going to just wander off and never be seen again.
Daniel: I hope you're joking.
John: A cruel jab at Gwen.
Daniel: Oh geez. Leave behind your… God, how many is it now? Seven? Eight children?
John: And my father.
Daniel: Jessica was like, "I just wanna have one more child." With Adam. Laughs.
John: She was kind enough to have a child with me.
Daniel: Eh, Adam loves you to pieces.
John: I know.
Daniel: So does Elijah, I guess.
John: You guess?
Daniel: Yeah.
John: I know he does. I don't know where I would be without the love of my children and wife.
Daniel: A grumpy chain-smoking butcher.
John: Ah, yes.