James: “It’s been a great few years, Markus.”
Markus: “You’re making it sound like we’re not getting together on Tuesday. I thought you guys would be used to this sort of thing by now.”
Tristan: “Give him a few days to fully shift gears and he’ll be fine.”
James: “I guess I’m just a sentimental old fool.”

Markus: “Tuesday, James. And don’t let Serge see you crying or he’ll think I’ve just broken your heart.”
Tristan: “Though maybe the scandal would be good for your DJ popularity.”
James: “Hey, there’s a thought!”
Markus: “No.”

Tristan watched quietly as James laughed and gave Markus a quick but firm hug. In all the decades they’d known one another, this had never changed. As much as his friend knew all things came to an end, it was still never easy for him when the time came to move on.

Markus: “It’ll be OK, James.”
James: “I know, but still.”

Markus: “I’m going to head out and join everyone. I take it you guys are good to finish up back here?”
Tristan: “We shouldn’t be more than a few more minutes."
James: “Watch out for crazy fans.”
Markus: “Right, like those mobs of twenty-somethings who stand out on my lawn every morning tracking my daily routine in small, thread-bare journals.”
James: “So that’s where they’ve all been.”
Tristan: "You and Serge are still planning to pick up the gear tomorrow morning, right?”
Markus: "Yep, we just need to pick up the van from his brother. You can pick it up from the house whenever you get a chance, just as long as it's before four in the morning."
James: "I'll be by at quarter to then."

Markus grinned broadly before slipping out the door and into the mostly-deserted club beyond. After the heavy steel door latched shut, James turned back to his life-long friend.

James: “Were you serious about your mother?”
Tristan: “Completely.”
James: “Was she like a ghost, or what?”
Tristan: “Not at all. She was completely alive as far as I could tell.”
James: “You don’t seem like you’re in much of a rush to get back home to see her.”
Tristan: “Should I be?”
James: “You loved your family more than anyone I’d ever met. I just thought you’d jump at the chance to see any of them again.”

Tristan’s demeanor changed sharply from his earlier good nature to dark and almost brooding as he turned his back on James and knelt over a guitar case, pretending to be busy wrapping up a set of cords.

Tristan: “That was a very long time ago, James. I put them all to rest a lifetime ago.”
James: “You can’t pretend it’s not having an effect on you.”
Tristan: “I never said it wasn’t. It’s really mind-blowingly difficult to deal with; I don’t expect you to understand.”
James: “Sorry.”

Tristan exhaled sharply and stood up.

Tristan: “I honestly don’t know what to do about any of it. She’s a woman completely out of time. And yet, as far as she’s concerned, her middle son came home sick last night and made a miraculous recovery today while the rest of her family was off at a séance. How am I supposed to explain otherwise?”
James: “Sit her down as soon as possible and tell her the truth.”
Tristan: “The truth? ‘Hey mum, remember how you think I came home last night with a fever? Well it turns out I was actually dying of massive blood loss and a demonic virus. I got better just in time to watch you die of an opium overdose before dad and Robert chased me out of the house. Have I mentioned yet that was well over a hundred and twenty years ago?’”
James: “That’s a good start. If you don’t tell her, she’s going to start wondering why your siblings are spending such a long time in some medium’s parlor.”

There were times when Tristan wished his friend wasn’t so good at pointing out obvious truths.

Tristan: “Yeah, I know, and I will try to explain things to her as soon as I get home. But don’t hold it against me if I linger around the Xenon tonight.”
James: “Roger said we could hang out until 2, but then we have to clear out.”
Tristan: “This is not how I wanted to spend my weekend.”
James: “So I gathered. Ready?”
Tristan: “Quite.”

Tristan followed James out of the backstage area, trying not to be obviously fidgety as they paused to talk with a few lingering fans. He felt himself becoming irritated by the loud and shrill girls and tried to ignore it, but found he wasn’t doing a very good job of it. Emily caught his eye and smiled, instantly melting away everything else.

He slipped away as graciously as possible and crossed the remaining distance between them as fast as he could without breaking into a run.

Emily: “I was just telling Markus how great you guys were tonight.”
Tristan: “It was a good ending I think.”
Anthony: “I have to admit, I’ve never heard ‘Stayin’ Alive’ performed quite like that.”
Tristan: “Don’t tell him I told you, but James went through a really bad disco phase. I’m not sure he ever quite got over it to be honest.”

James: “This is coming from the man who nearly broke his neck trying to do the moonwalk!”
Markus: “Oh, no you didn’t…”
Tristan: “So how about that local sports team?”

Tristan raised an eyebrow as James gave Deanna a quick kiss before sitting down.

James: “Dr. Sutherland, was it?”
Anthony: “Call me Anthony. You guys put on a fantastic show tonight! Very entertaining. I’m just sorry I wasn’t able to catch you guys before tonight, and now it seems I won’t ever have another chance.”
James: “Thank you! Yeah, we felt it was time we moved on. I’ll be DJing here a couple nights a week; you and Mary should stop in and check out my show some time.”
Anthony: “We certainly will!”

Mary: “I’m absolutely ravenous. I didn’t get to eat anything tonight because someone here broke into my kitchen and ate my dinner, so I’m going to go on the prowl for some food. Did you guys want to find somewhere to eat?”
Serge: “I would love to, Mary, but I bought provisions earlier for a special night in with Markus. I was just about to excuse us.”
Mary: “I won’t stand in your way. Ready, Anthony?”
Anthony: “Of course! It was nice seeing you all again, especially under so much more pleasant circumstances.”
Deanna: “Likewise.”