"So, do you want to go to a concert with us tonight?" Christine asked. "It doesn't look like you have anything else to do."

Alex looked up from the magazine she had been aimlessly staring at for the past hour. "I thought you were going to talk to your friend tonight," she said to Christine.

"I am, at the concert."

"Oh. Sure then, I'll go. Who's playing?"

"Kyvve Jeesa."

"Kyvve Jeesa?!"

"Yeah, you've heard of them?"

"Hasn't everyone? They're just my favourite band ever. I've gone to dozens of their concerts with my friends. I could probably contact John Daniels and get backstage passes..."

"No need." Christine held up some passes.

"How'd you get those?"

Christine laughed. "I have connections," she said, and then added, "Plus, my step-father's George Harrison. I get passes to whatever I want. Now get ready. I want to get there very early to talk to my friend."

"Don't worry, I'll be ready," Alex assured her. "Kyvve Jeesa! I haven't seen them in almost two years!"

"I like to be fashionably early," Christine replied. "Plus, I want to talk to my friend before people get here and everything goes crazy. She has a lot to do, making sure everything is perfect. I hear John Daniels is very particular about things."

Alex smiled. "That he is," she agreed. "So, she works here?"

Adam laughed. "If that's what you call it," he said.

They drew up to a door and knocked on it. Moments later, a tall, blonde woman opened the door. "Christine?" she asked, and enveloped her in a hug.

Christine returned the hug as emphatically, and then said, "May I introduce Adán Telémakhos, the former Adam Ledo?" and the woman widened her eyes. "Adam, this is my friend, Beth Casperson."

"Actually, I'm Beth Daniels now," she said with a smile. "Have been for two years. And so, you've brought the infamous Adam? It's been a long time since the college days."

Wait," Alex interrupted. "Christine, your friend, the Invincible Monkee Girl, is Beth?"

The frontwoman of Kyvve Jeesa looked behind Christine until she found Alex, hidden in the shadows, and then she smiled. "That was many years ago. But Alex, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Oh, she's with us," Christine told her. "One of Adam's students, and of whom he's very overprotective about."

"Oh, well, it's good to see you in good company, Alex," Beth said, and turned again to Christine and Adam. "So, come in and tell me all about your life since I last heard." She ushered them into her dressing room, where they took seats on the plush couches. "You're staying for the concert? Good. John told me someone special would be coming tonight, but he wouldn't tell me who. I'm glad it was you. I haven't seen you since my wedding, and we have a lot to catch up on. Now, please help yourselves to some sandwiches. The caterers always give too much to me, and I don't want to lose my shape right now..."

"May I come in?" she asked, and Alex nodded. They sat in the parlour as Zamora rested on Alex's shoulder. "They are most magnificent, as Christine told me they would be. She is always honest, especially about such things."

"You're good friends?" Alex asked.

"The best, since 1997. We went to college together, lived in the same house. Those were the craziest four years ever: us two, Adam, and one of his students. Although, it was considerably hard for Christine. She had to deal with John and I starting a relationship, just when she had lost her love and her sister-"

"She lost her love?" Alex asked. "What do you mean?"

"She never told you about Percy?" Alex shook her head. "They were the perfect couple, with such an interesting tale. But I'm not the one to tell others' sob stories. You will have to talk to her about it. But she's had a rough life, just that one year. She gave up parents, whom she had just found, and lost her love and sister, whom she had also just found. She lost them all in the same day. We help her all we can, but only Percy and Kyrla can give her peace."

"And they might never come?" Alex asked. "It really makes you think about your own life, taking so many things for granted..." Suddenly, her yellow eyes blazed. "When I get back this summer, I'm going to tell everyone the truth. I'm not going to lie anymore."

Beth did not know what that meant, but she assumed she would find out. Yes, she's got Christine's spirit, she thought to herself.

"You're going to tell them?" Jen asked, getting up from her reclined position on the bed. "That will ruin everything!"

"Everything? All my plans?" her sister asked. "Will it? The reason I was disguised was so I wouldn't have to go to Jagmas. Even I don't know why I reacted so strongly to the idea of going. It doesn't seem that horrible anymore. But now the crew is back, safe and sound. These past few years, I've been lying to almost everyone about my identity. Father's been worried sick about me, and Mum was before she died. If I hadn't made that appearance at her funeral, everyone would think I'm dead. It's not far to everyone, especially Dad."

"What about your shield?" Rufus asked.

"What about it? It wasn't my intent to be a knight. It just happened that way. But although it's been worthwhile, the Queen's knights are no liars, and that's all I've been. I'd be happy if Queen Adela let me stay, but I don't expect it. I'll just return home and carry out the Goddess' instructions for me. I'll be happy with whatever I deserve."

"So that's it, then?" Joshua asked. "You've made up your mind, and nothing will change it. Truthfully, I think you're right. I'd often wondered why you kept up the disguise when it was no longer needed."

"Although, she did make a cute boy," Jen added, and three pillows were hurled at her.

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