Washington Center was packed with people waiting for the concert. Some were just waiting patiently, others were grumbling that they wanted it to start.They were playing some music videos in the background to keep them occupied. Somewhere in the crowd were three girls, struggling to hear one another or even stick together in the messy crowd. To avoid getting separated, they stayed close and caught hold of one another if they got jostled. But the crowd didn't deter their good mood.

“This is going to be awesome!” Jessica said excitedly.

“Yeah, we know, it's all you've been able to talk or think about all week,” Emily teased.

She and Isabelle laughed. It was true. Andie hadn't been around much, between school, rehearsing and looking after her sister. Jessica stuck her tongue at them, which only made them laugh even harder.

“Alright, enough!” she finally chuckled.

Finally, the girls gave in and calmed down, though their grins said it all.

“D'you know how she's doing?” Emily asked.

The other two girls shook her head.

“I've sent her texts, but she's probably turned her phone off,” Isabelle said. “Do you know if her parents arrived yet?”

“Yes, I saw them in the seats back there,” Emily said.

Isabelle looked around.

“It's like the whole town is here!”

Indeed it was. There was barely enough room to move around.

“You should have seen them in Seattle two years ago,” Jessica smiled. “It was at least ten times more crowded that this.”

Her friends exchanged a glance.

“I think you're probably exaggerating a little,” Emily smiled.

Jessica definitely had a tendency to make things much bigger than they actually were.

“No, I am not, I'll have you know.” Jessica grinned.

“How can we tell?” Isabelle asked.

“You'll just have to take my word for it. You would really see what I mean if you'd been there,” Jessica grinned.

Laughing, they put the debate aside, and turned their attention to the pictures of the band and Andie on the giant screen above the stage. Andie was standing on the front, her microphone in one hand, the other stretched out to the side like the two dancers behind her. But there was a definite gleam of excitement in her eyes.

“She looks great, doesn't she?” Isabelle commented.

“Yeah, look at that smile... hadn't seen that in a while.” Emily agreed.

“I know, right?” Jessica said, looking too.

“Well, now she's happy again.” Isabelle pointed out wisely.

“Yeah, and we all know why, right, Bane?” Jessica chuckled.

When no one answered, she looked around.

“Bane?” she called.

But he was nowhere to be seen.

“Where did he go?” Emily asked.

Isabelle chuckled.

“He said he had to see someone.” she said with a smile.

Andie was sitting in her dressing room, trying to sort out her outfit before going out onto the stage. She slipped on a black bracelet Jessica had given her and the earrings Emily had lent her. But she couldn't decide if she wore her hair up or down. She lifted it up with her hands and looked at her reflection.

“No, that looks awful...” she muttered, dropping her hands.

She heaved a sigh.

Okay... no need to panic... you can do this...

“You should wear your hair down,” said a voice behind her.

She glanced up. Standing by the door was Bane. He was leaning casually against the wall, his arms crossed, his eyes glinting mischievously. She smiled.

“Hey.” she greeted him.

“Hey,” he smiled back.

She hesitated, then got to her feet.

“How you doing?”

“I'm fine. What about you? Are you okay? You were in a coma several weeks...”

“I'm fine. A few days of physical therapy and the exercises they did when I was unconscious, and I'm as good as new.”

“Great.” Andie said. “Listen... if your uncle has trouble... with...”

Andie was never comfortable mentioning money.

“Don't worry about the hospital bills, we'll be fine,” he assured her.

Andie tried to read his face. But he seemed confident enough...

“Well... you know I'm here if you need me, right?”

He smiled.

“Yeah. Same to you.” he answered.

Andie smiled back. Then, wanting to lighten the mood, she grinned and said:

“I think you have a death wish.”

He blinked in surprise.

“What? Where did that come from?”

“This is the second time you break the rules,” Andie giggled. “This area is supposed to be closed to the public.”

Bane grinned at her.

“Oh, that” he answered, faking deep contemplation. “I hadn't thought of that. A security guard or two is certainly much worse than a demon prince. What in the world was I thinking?”

Andie laughed heartily.

“Yeah, that's for sure. Now I know you have a death wish,” she replied teasingly.

He shook his head in amusement. Andie then noticed they'd unconsciously moved closer to one another. Andie bit her lip, feeling slightly nervous. Bane didn't seem too at ease either. They hadn't been alone together since Andie had seen him in the park.

“... I'm really glad you're back.” Andie said.

“It's good to be back.” he said.

His hand brushed hers, and he withdrew it hastily, hesitant. Andie glanced at him.

“What, what's wrong?”

He took a step back.

“I don't want to force you into anything you don't want,” he said carefully.

Andie knew he was referring to the kiss in the park. He seemed to think she hadn't thought about it. But she had. She closed the space between them, trying not to show her nervousness too much.

“What if I do want to?” she smiled, taking his hand.

They looked at each other. Then, Bane reached up and took Andie's face in his hands and gently pressed his lips to hers. Andie's arms slid behind up to his shoulders and locked together behind his neck, her heart thumping madly, her entire body feeling as if it were being electrified and burning at the same time. Just then, a knock on the door made them jump and break apart.

“Miss Galestone?”

Andie and Bane looked at each other with wide eyes. If Bane was caught, Andie was sure he would be thrown out of Washington Center, let alone the room of the concert.

“Miss Galestone, are you there?”

“Uh... Yes!... just a second!” Andie called.

She glanced frantically around, trying to think how to keep Bane out of trouble. Just then, she saw her answer. Silently signaling Bane to keep quiet, she yanked him behind the door and whispered:

'Don't move.”

Bane nodded. Then, she opened the door, carefully so it didn't hit Bane.

“Yes?” she asked, slapping a smile on her face.

Before her was one of the backstage staff members in charge of ensuring everything on stage went smoothly. Dressed in black with an earpieces and microphone on his ear, he wore the standard black and orange shirt. He looked young, but friendly.

“I just wanted to let you know we're on in five minutes.” he said.

“Okay, great,” Andie said, a little too brightly. “Thanks, I'll be right there.”

He seemed to sense something was off, because he raised an eyebrow.

“Is everything okay?” he asked.

“Oh, yes, fine,” Andie assured him, trying to sound more natural. “I... I'm just a little nervous, I think.”

“Ah, don't worry. You'll do fine.”

He smiled encouragingly.

“Thanks.” Andie answered and smiled back politely.

Someone called him on his earpiece at that moment, so he took his leave. Andie waited for him to be completely out of sight and earshot to step back and close the door. Bane was grinning, keeping himself from laughing.

“You are crazy!” she chided playfully.

He chuckled as he stepped away from the door.

“Crazy about you? Definitely,” he smiled.

And before Andie knew what was happening, he had caught her waist and was kissing her again. After a moment, she pulled away giggling.

“Go,” she said, pushing him gently away from her. “Before we really get caught!”

He smiled and admitted defeat.

“Okay. You'll be amazing, I know it.”

She smiled back and watched him disappear into the corridor, hoping he wouldn't be caught, and yet glad that he'd risked being thrown out just to see her.

Andie took her position on the stage as the crowd rumbled excitedly behind her. She wasn't sure if it was for her or Devil Riot, but it didn't matter. Bane was back and she knew where she stood with him. That was all she'd ever wanted. She stood with her back to the audience hidden behind a curtain, so she couldn't see him or her friends, but she knew they were there. Jessica would have died rather than miss this concert, and the others would have come anyway just to support her and her performance. The music began. The curtain rose, the crowd went even wilder. She spun around and her voice rose, strong and confident. She was nervous, but she was also enjoying the experience. It was one of her favorite songs, and everyone was cheering. She let the music and energy fill her. She'd practiced, and she knew her steps and lyrics perfectly. At one point, the song slowed slightly, and she saw Bane, looking at her from the audience. There was no doubt in his eyes. He had faith in her. So she had to learn and have faith in herself. As she belted out the high notes, the crowd went wild. She spun and jumped around the stage, having the time of her life. She was sure Jessica would be taking more pictures than all the paparazzi in the world and would only get tired of looking and showing them when she was an old lady. No, not even then, she thought, amused. Sure enough, Jessica was bouncing up and down, flashes of light piercing the dark every few seconds. She wasn't the only one. Andie kept going, her moves perfectly coordinated. The lights, the sounds, everything felt both real and surreal to Andie. A few weeks ago, she would never have even dreamed of doing anything like this. She didn't think she would do it again in a hurry, because it was terrifying. But it was fun anyway. And she was amazed to see that people actually seemed to enjoy her performance. She hadn't expected them to hate it either, or at least she'd hoped not, but they were far more enthusiastic than she'd ever imagined they would be. As her voice filled the room along with the cheering of the excited crowd and the beat of the music, it carried outside, guided by the top of the line sound system surrounding her. Outside to the top of a building where two shadowy figures stood watching and listening. They didn't feel the cold, and it didn't matter that it was windy.

“They're here,” one of them said. “I can sense them.”

“As can I,” replied the older shadow, his long cloak billowing in the wind. “I can sense their cheerfulness. It is quite nauseating.”

He wrinkled his nose. The excitement, the cheering, the noise... it was most unpleasant. The Demon Realm prized itself in giving a deep feel of darkness and misery. This world had too much feeling and life to it for his taste.

“Shall we claim their power now, father?” asked the younger shadow.

The other thought a moment. Eventually, they shook their head.

“No. Not yet. We shall let them enjoy themselves. While they can.”