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Chapter 1: "Departures.."

Vesper paused opposite the doorway, watching as light of sunset glittered off the neon sign: Grendel's Pond, Bar and Grill. Her reflection looked back at her, matching the dishwater blond hair, the freckles and bright hazel eyes offsetting a perpetually confused expression that somehow seemed less bright, more confused.

It was her last day on the street - her bags had been packed for hours. Now all she had to do was pick an alley at random and walk into the multiverse: look out world, here comes Vesper. It had seemed an easy decision; for some reason she was having trouble making it.

The Joe Corps had started the long process of rebuilding; still much of J Street was in ruins. From somewhere close the silence in one of the deserted alleyways was suddenly broken.

"...I hear the sounds of guns, like a melody... I hear the sounds of guns..."

The snatch of song dissolved into whistling as it drifted towards her. Vesper had already recognised the voice before its owner slouched around the corner, hands deep in his pockets, an untidy silver fringe falling across his shades.

"Nope?"

The tune cut itself off with a wolf whistle as Nope Callahan reached up and lowered his shades. Vesper blushed; Nope laughed. "Hey, Vesper! I thought you'd left."

"Almost," she returned. "Bags are all packed. You?"

"Hanging with the JSTF on Earth J. Came back to pick up some stuff." Nope glanced around. "You want to go for a drink?"

Vesper shook her head with a slight shrug. "I can't drink, drink, y'know."

"Neither can I," grinned Nope, "but it's never stopped me before."

"Well... isn't that kinda illegal?"

"C'mon, you can go for a Coke if nothing else." The grin was warm and inviting; Vesper had a feeling she was being manipulated but, when in doubt, go with flow.

"...umm, 'kay. Where?"

Nope looked surprised. "Grendel's of course. Where else?"

"I don't know--" began Vesper, but Nope was somehow already at the door, pulling her in behind him. They nodded a greeting to Amazon, slipping into one of the side booths. Two large cokes bamfed onto the table as OzBat did the rounds. The wurlitzer began playing quiet jazz, somewhat to the annoyance of the other patrons.

Vesper shifted uncomfortably.

"Why so jumpy?" asked Nope. Ice clinked in his glass as he raised it, peering over the rim as he drank.

Vesper waved a hand at the surroundings. "Don't you feel weird? I mean, being in here when the Pantheon's gone and Grendel's --" Vesper looked down into her drink "--you know."

"--Absent," supplied Nope. "This place has more good memories than bad."

"Memories," echoed Vesper, "but only memories. Ever since the Pantheon left J Street has been - I don't know - incomplete some how. Purposeless. Empty."

"That why you're leaving?"

"Maybe." Vesper sipped at her drink. "Maybe out there, somewhere, I can find everyone who fled, tell them its safe to come back. Fill all those empty houses -- well, when they've finished rebuilding anyway."

"You don't have to leave J Street to do that," pointed out Nope. "A lot of the missing are still here. It's a big street -- not everyone who fled down it can find their way back." The bar had begun to empty. Ozbat was clearing the tables.

"What about Grendel?" asked Vesper, suddenly.

"What about Grendel?" echoed Nope in surprise.

"How do we know he's dead? I mean, really dead."

"Well," drawled Nope thoughtfully, "if there's anyone who could cheat death it's be Joe--" He broke off as Vesper's face lit up. "Now, hold on a minute, I'm not suggesting..."

"Come on, Nope," pleaded Vesper. "We're good at finding things. I'm sure we can find him if we --"

"If he's still around to be found," interrupted Nope. Vesper's face fell and Nope sighed, dropping his head into his hands. "Look," he said after a moment, "maybe we could go looking for Grendel--"

"Yeah," enthused Vesper.

"Maybe," repeated Nope. "But if he is alive, what makes you think he wanted to be found? Didn't you hear about the will? Amazon said no one was to search for--"

"Yeah, maybe Amazon knows where to start looking," said Vesper, jumping to her feet. "Come on!"

"Wha-- Wai-- Vesper!" yelled Nope. He jumped to his feet to follow her, swearing as he spilt the remains of his drink all down his front. "Vesper, I really don't think--" He stumbled, dodging Lucky who was suddenly at his feet and, by the time he had regained his balance, Vesper had already approached the other woman.

"...wondering, I mean, we're not really Pantheon and we could, well, it was just a thought but..."

"No." Amazon shook her head. OzBat paused behind the bar, watching.

"...and we couldn't do any harm just, you know looking for him and..."

"What exactly do you hope to achieve?" asked Amazon.

"...look and -- What? Well, you know, find Grendel and, er..."

"And what?"

"Um...?"

"No," repeated Amazon, sadness tingeing her voice, sadness and something else, almost -- regret? "There will be no search."

Nope put a hand on Vesper's shoulder to stop her pressing the matter further, pulling her back. After a second, Amazon and Ozbat blinked then returned to their original conversation is if there had been no interruption.

"Now what do we do?" asked Vesper.

Nope shrugged. "Give up, have a few more drinks?"

Vesper ignored him, turning back to the bar, and examining herself in the mirror. "I'm sure Grendel's out there. We've just got to find the right path." She tilted her head to one side, watching her movement in the reflection. "Mirror, mirror, above the bar, umm--"

"I really don't think you should--" began Nope.

"Show me where Joe Grendel, umm, are," finished Vesper, shrugging. Nope pulled a face. "Hey," she retorted, "at least it rhymed."

The surface of the mirror swirled.

"Should it be doing that?" asked Vesper. She and Nope exchanged a panicked look.

"Run," decided Nope. "Run very, very fast."

They didn't make it to the door...

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2: For The Love of...