In the living room of the shack, a lone figure was seated on the couch in the flickering light of the eleven o'clock news. Half asleep, and still slightly tipsy from the earlier fun with Viktor, Hardin only half-heartedly glanced up as he sensed someone else enter. The glimpse of blond hair and slender frame was enough, and he stretched an arm along the back of the couch as the new arrival sat down next to him. "Feeling better?" he murmured.

His companion made a non-committal noise. "Better than...?"

"Better than earlier." With a sigh, Hardin let his arm slip down from the back of the couch to go around the blond's shoulders. "I'm still not sure what to think... except that I can't stand to see you so upset."

He received no reply for long moments, but this was sometimes how Sydney was, and so he said nothing as well. Absently, he rubbed his fingers along the base of his friend's neck, as he so often did to relieve the tension there, his hand moving slowly across to massage his left shoulder as well...

And suddenly realized that there was no telltale lip of metal overlapping flesh beyond. Another firm touch confirmed the feel of flesh, muscle, and bone beneath his hand - nothing more.

With a start, he snapped awake and stared at the young man who sat next to him. "...You're not Sydney."

"No," the stranger acknowledged with a bitter smile. "Hmm. I always suspected as much about you two."

Hardin did not feel too ashamed by his having mistaken this person for Sydney, for he looked remarkably similar, though several years younger. The features were not quite the same, but still seemed very familiar... "Who are you?" he asked in surprise.

The stranger's eyes darkened, much in the way Sydney's did when he was angry, and his mouth tightened similarly as well. "You don't even know me?"

"...Forgive me, no." Hardin was growing more confused by the second.

After a few moments' hesitation, the stranger moved closer to Hardin, settling himself in Hardin's lap, much to the older man's surprise. His arms went casually around Hardin's neck, hugging him as the blond head dropped to rest against his shoulder. "Does this refresh your memory?" the stranger asked.

Hardin was too startled and too puzzled to do anything. "...I'm afraid not..."

There was a faint sigh of irritation against his shirt, and then the boy reached across to the arm of the couch, picking up the remote control that rested there. With the push of a button, he turned the channel from the local news to a documentary about African wildlife on the National Geographic channel, and replaced the remote, returning to his former position against Hardin's shoulder.

Finally it clicked, and Hardin grabbed the stranger's shoulders, holding him at arm's length to examine him in astonishment. "...You? But... But that's... that can't be possible! How did..."

The boy met his eyes with a strange look, and Hardin's voice trailed off helplessly. How could it be possible? He'd put a four year old child to bed an hour or so before, and now an adolescent sat beside him - almost a young man, and definitely no longer a child. Suddenly, with a single swift motion, the boy leaned forward, his lips pressing softly against Hardin's in a sweet kiss.

Hardin jerked away in alarm. "Joshua! What are you doing?" A kiss on the cheek from a child was one thing, but this was something else entirely.

"What I've wanted to do for a long, long time." Despite the boy's words, his eyes were troubled, filled with shame.

"I... This... this isn't right," Hardin protested helplessly. "I don't know how you ended up like this, but... no matter how old you are, that's just not right!" Seeing the pained look in his young friend's eyes, he softened his voice, again holding the boy's shoulders, keeping a gentle grip on him. "I'm sorry if you misinterpreted... but the love I have for you is a father for a son, even if we are not related by blood. When I held you, it was an adult caring for a child, not like... that. Not at all."

"Do you think I wanted this?" Joshua asked furiously, his eyes flashing with rage. His resemblance to Sydney was uncanny, but he had a self-conscious, terrified look to him that Sydney would never have shown in such a situation. "I tried to tell myself exactly that for years, Hardin! But... but I know things I shouldn't know, I see things I shouldn't see... I feel things I shouldn't feel!" he finished, fists clenching. "I don't know why - the saints protect me, I don't know why. I don't want this! But I can't stop it, either!"

With that said, he broke free of Hardin's grip and leaned forward once more, his thin arms twining around Hardin's neck as he kissed him again, this time more fiercely. Dear gods, Hardin thought, too stunned to push him away, he even kisses like Sydney!

"Joshua," he murmured urgently against the boy's lips, trying to free himself. "Joshua..."

"Don't deny me this, Hardin," Joshua whispered back, on the verge of tears. "You've never been able to deny me anything... don't start now. If what the priests say is true, my thoughts have already condemned me - why should I not then make the most of what time I have?"

Unnoticed by either of them, a faint jingling sound broke the quiet of the night.

Still half-stunned, Hardin just stared at the boy, trying to sort through what he was saying. But then, just when his mouth opened to ask a question, his head suddenly fell to the side upon the back of the couch, his eyes closing in sleep.

"Hardin!" Joshua exclaimed, his hand going to the older man's shoulders to shake him, but Hardin did not wake. "You... you can't leave me, not again!"

The faint jingle sounded again, this time loud enough to catch Joshua's attention, and he looked up to see the priestess standing by the end of the couch, transparent and glowing faintly, clad all in gold and veils. "You!" he exclaimed, drawing back in disgust.

Her ornaments chimed against each other as she raised one arm, wagging a finger at him as if scolding a naughty child. This is not allowed, little one. You simply cannot exist in this state in his presence, nor the presence of my prophet. It is a logical impossibility. Her lips did not move, but the words were clear in Joshua's mind.

"Begone, witch!" Joshua spat, fury burning in his eyes as he rose, putting the length of the couch between them. "You have no authority over me - I deny you!"

Your life would be much simpler if you accepted me, Müllenkamp's voice sighed, but you are free to believe as you wish. You are not, however, allowed to do as you wish.

Joshua moaned faintly, the frustrations of many years overwhelming him. "You... you can't stop me."

Oh, but I can. The priestess smiled. Every bit as easily as I put your dear friend to sleep. Just because you think me a demon, it does not make me less what I am.

"Regardless, you're no god."

True, but I am the gods' ambassador - in this realm as well as Valendia. And you, little one, are overstepping the bounds they have set.

"Don't you tell me what to do! I serve a power greater than the Dark!"

The priestess sighed. Believe what you like - it does not change the fact that you've broken the rules. I've already taken it upon myself to erase this incident from his memory. Now, must I do the same to you, and force you to return to your normal state? Or will you do so of your own free will?

"I'll just do it again," Joshua declared defiantly. "If you're just going to erase this memory, I can do this as many times as I like, and you won't be able to stop it from happening. I've learned about you - if I don't accept you, your power over me is limited."

Müllenkamp paused, and her expression softened. You remind me a great deal of your brother - headstrong, and somehow able to do the near impossible by sheer force of will. The difference would be that he did not question me... but I understand, and you are correct - my power is not absolute as long as you deny me. For that matter, it is never absolute, but those who follow my will find themselves in a much more favorable situation than those who do not. Her eyes hardened again as she stepped around the front of the couch, standing between him and Hardin's unconscious form. And I will do what I must.

Joshua's eyes filled with tears in spite of himself as he realized he was helpless before this shade he so despised. "Just go away," he whispered, pleading. "It's bad enough I have to feel these things, and for someone I would not be allowed to have even if I wasn't so ashamed... I don't want to be dirtied by your evil presence. Just let me have this moment of indulgence, please..."

No. Her mental voice was quiet, but firm. Little one... better things await you, once you are not so torn by your conflicting beliefs, and your shame. There is one who has been prepared for you, who is far more appropriate for you than a man many years your senior, who only knows you as a little boy. This will drive away your confusion.

Joshua bowed his head in despair; in truth, part of him knew that the priestess would not lie to him. "...When will I meet her?"

In spite of herself, Mullenkamp's lips twitched in a smile. I should not think it would be much longer, before you meet... 'her'. Now is not the time, however - return to your natural state.

With a sigh, Joshua nodded. "...But this is not the end, witch."

His body flickered strangely then vanished, leaving in its place the body of a little boy clad in pajamas. His blond head lifted to regard the woman who stood before him, and tilted as he peered up at her, puzzled by her presence.

She gave him a slight ironic smile, then twirled about in her gold and silks, disappearing amidst the jingling of her ornaments.

Once again, the only light and sound in the room came from the television, and it flickered eerily upon Hardin's unconscious form. Suddenly uneasy, the little boy climbed up onto the couch, tugging at Hardin's shirt.

"Mmm...?" Hardin stirred at the movement, and lifted his head to glance down at the child at his side. "Did you have a nightmare, Joshua?"

Joshua shook his head, snuggling closer as Hardin's arm dropped protectively around him. "Well, all right," Hardin said with a yawn. "If you can show me what you need...?"

Joshua's only response was to snuggle closer still, and Hardin glanced absently at the television. "Lions... did you change the channel before you woke me?"

Again Joshua shook his head. "Hmm." It wasn't important, Hardin decided, and shrugged as he hugged the child tighter, settling in to watch the documentary with him. "But after this, you're going back to bed."

There was a soft sigh, the most noise Joshua ever made, as he reluctantly agreed.