Amped - Part 30 (Final)
Nov. 30th, 2011 11:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gwyllionTitle: Amped
Author: gwylliondream
Genre: Modern au
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Words: 57,554
A/N: This was written for NaNoWriMo 2011. For additional notes, warnings, etc, please refer to Part 1 here.
Disclaimer: I did not create these characters. No disrespect intended. No profit desired, only muses.
Comments: Comments are welcome anytime! Thanks so much for reading!
Two weeks later...
Arthur rounded the corner onto his block. He killed the radio and accelerated down the tree-lined street. The air was ripe with the fragrances of the warmest months of the year, roses, lilies, hydrangeas…. He hoped it was enough to mask the scent that emanated from the back seat. He grinned and pushed his aviators up further on his nose. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Merlin’s face when he pulled into the driveway.
All of Camelot was still reeling from the incident at The Avalon Theatre. Morgause and Cenred, two of the region’s most popular musicians, were jailed. They awaited trial for attempted murder. Another man was dead, although deservedly so, if you asked Arthur.
Unfortunately, The Round Table Tour ended before it began. The Avalon Theatre, that was to be the home base for The Knights, was now under heavy renovations and couldn’t be used until the wiring was brought up to standard.
“Maybe by the end of summer,” Geoffrey, the Avalon’s owner, reluctantly told the band when they met after the ill-fated opening night.
Arthur thanked him and hoped that he would keep his word to allow the band to play when the theatre was ready.
“In the meantime,” Arthur said, standing at the head of the table at The Hasty Snail, “My father has promised to leave no stone unturned when it comes to finding suitable venues where The Knights can perform and practice their music.”
A loud cheer went up among The Knights, followed by the splashing of ale as they raised their glasses to drink to Uther’s plan.
“You’ll need all the practice you can get,” Merlin taunted, a bit tipsy from the ale. “If you hope your new front man will be ready to perform when the Avalon is ready.”
Gwaine slapped Merlin on the back. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, mate,” he said with a laugh.
The bandmates broke into a chant of, “Gwaine, Gwaine, Gwaine!”
“Don’t let it go to his head,” Arthur said to Elyan.
“I’m honestly afraid that it’s too late!” Elyan remarked. “He’s already got me calling him Princess!”
Leon swore to Arthur that he would do his best to make Gwaine look as good as, if not better, than Arthur did when he was the lead singer of The Knights.
Percival had no choice but to agree with his gorgeous scruffy-faced boyfriend.
Several pints later, Gwen pressed an emotionless kiss to Arthur’s lips. “I really wish you two every happiness together,” she slurred, before draping herself over Merlin’s lap. “Oh, Merlin, you’re so fucking pretty! How do you get your eyeliner to look so perfect? ”
“Uh, Lance,” Merlin raised his hand to get Lance’s attention. “You might want to put this one to bed before she gets into any more trouble.”
Their last evening as bandmates had ended on a positive note, with Arthur passing the torch to Gwaine. He and Merlin promised to return from their adventures to catch The Knights in concert when their earliest opportunity arose.
Arthur took a deep breath, slowed down the vehicle, and pulled into the driveway.
There he was- the most gorgeous creature to ever walk the planet, just sitting on a pile of boxes, waiting for Arthur to arrive at the Pendragon house.
He looked very concerned.
***
“Hey little boy,” Arthur yelled through the rolled-down window.
“Arthur? What the fuck?” Merlin said, standing up and running a hand through his hair.
“I need someone to lick my ice cream cone,” Arthur pouted.
“I’ll give you an ice cream cone to lick, you freak,” Merlin said, his thumb pressing the button on the conversion van’s passenger-side door handle, to no avail. “It’s got a fur dashboard, for God’s sake. And what’s that smell?”
“It’s perfect for us, isn’t it?” Arthur asked, reaching across the seat to open the door from the inside. “Besides, beggars can’t be choosers.”
“The hell they can’t,” Merlin said, climbing in.
Arthur liked how feisty Merlin had become. After only a few weeks at the therapist, he was ready to grab the world by the balls.
Freya had even recommended someone in Glastonbury that he could see when Arthur got settled at school.
That’s right, Arthur realised. He had exactly one month to get all the jamming out of his system because for the next four years, his nose would be buried in psychology books, learning the art of helping others that are in the same kind of mortal peril Merlin was when they first met.
Arthur was able to get a recommendation from the Camelot Police Department, as well as a few strings pulled by Uther Pendragon himself, to get into the program. Uther didn’t even mind paying for Arthur’s flat, as long as he was going to become a public servant at the end of the four years. Arthur couldn’t promise that he’d stick with this career path forever, but it sure sounded better than attending the Police Academy. Best of all, it met with Uther’s approval.
Uther was finally getting the son he wanted.
Arthur was getting what he wanted, too. He even managed to convince Uther that Merlin would make the perfect roommate, since they got along so well together, pointing out that Merlin never did have to sully the guest room with his vagabond presence, not even for one night, in the month that he stayed with the Pendragons. And, in the fall, Merlin would begin his apprenticeship to an electrical engineer, also arranged by Uther, who seemed to be treating Merlin as a second son. Arthur thought engineering was a brilliant choice on Merlin’s part, because everyone needs a little electricity in their life and he’d always have employment. Until then, Merlin would be paying his own way with the money earned from using Arthur’s guitar when they spent the rest of the summer at the beach, living inside the... in the…
“Where did you get this monstrosity?” Merlin asked.
“Bought it from a fellow named ‘Gilli’. You don’t know him, but he used to be a friend,” Arthur said.
Merlin shook his head. “At least it has more room in it than that yellow sardine-can did.”
“I think we’ll be quite comfy living in it. Besides, it’s only for a month. Are you okay with it? Because if you’re not…” Arthur took Merlin’s hand and threaded their fingers together.
Merlin leaned over the wide bench seat and kissed Arthur’s cheek. “I love you, Arthur,” he said. “I wouldn’t care if I were homeless and living in a car park, as long as I was with you.”
Arthur smiled. “Well, that’s a lovely sentiment, but I think we can do a bit better than that,” Arthur said. “And I love you, too. Speaking of people who love you, here’s another one now.”
Uther stepped out of the garage and into the driveway. “Well, I don’t know what you’re thinking, son,” he said, hands on his hips as he apprised the conversion van. He shook his head and muttered, “Kids!”
“It’ll be fine, Uther,” Merlin said, giving the door a shove so it would open.
Arthur got out of the van and met his father in the driveway.
“Is this all you’re taking?” Uther asked, pointing to the pile of boxes, stuffed with their belongings that sat in the driveway.
“That’s all we’ll need for now, father,” Arthur said, tossing the boxes into the van.
“Well, you’re only a few hours away,” Uther said. “You can come back to get more things as you need them.”
“Thanks, father,” Arthur said. “I’m sure we will. Thanks for everything.” Arthur embraced his father, hugging him with all his might. This ordeal with the band, and with Merlin, made Arthur feel closer to Uther than he ever had before. When he let go, Arthur got back into the van and revved the engine.
“And you,” Uther said to Merlin. “You’ll not get away that easily.” And with that, Uther hugged Merlin to him, just as if he were his own son.
“Thanks for everything, sir,” Merlin said, tugging on the van door so he could climb inside.
“You know, Merlin,” Uther said. “It’s too bad my son isn’t gay, because quite honestly, I think you’d make such a terrific son-in-law, I’d try to fix him up with you.”
Arthur cringed. “Goodbye, father,” he said, fastening his seat belt.
“Goodbye, son. Drive carefully,” Uther said. “You too, Merlin.”
Arthur bit his lip and pulled the van out of the driveway.
“That was a close one,” he said, when they turned onto the main road.
Merlin took his hand and squeezed it. “You’ll have to tell him someday,” he laughed.
“Someday,” Arthur said, and he squeezed Merlin’s hand in his own.
And the day would come when Arthur broke the news that he was gay to Uther, with Merlin at his side of course, but for today, they headed toward the sunny seaside where waves crashed along the shore, the seafoam bubbles expanding like Merlin’s dreams, endless, white and pure.
***
“Hey, Arthur…”
“Mmmmph.”
“Arthur?”
Arthur felt the mattress dip.
“Hey, look. Look what I can do now,” Merlin nudged Arthur’s shoulder.
“Merlin…” Arthur pulled the covers over his head to block out the sound.
Arthur heard Merlin giggle. He supposed he should be curious about what Merlin was doing now. Probably filling their bedchamber with toads or turning the washstand into a tentacled monster.
Whose brilliant idea was it for Arthur to allow magic in Camelot anyway?
He had to wonder at such times.
Arthur flopped onto his back and squinted his eyes open against the candlelight to see what in the five kingdoms was making Merlin laugh at this late hour.
“Merlin, come back to sleep,” he said, stretching his arm to run his hand over Merlin’s light summer sleep-tunic.
“I can’t. Watch this,” Merlin urged.
Arthur propped himself up on one elbow and watched as a circle of water, as large as a shield, floated through the air above their bed.
“What is it?” Arthur asked, straining his eyes to get a glimpse of the magic book that Merlin was still cautious about displaying out in the open, even after all these years.
“If you look into it, you can see the future,” Merlin whispered. “At least I think that was what the spell called for.”
“I don’t know if I want to see the future,” mused Arthur, carding his fingers through the hair at the nape of Merlin’s neck. “What if something happens that I’d rather not know about?”
Merlin took Arthur’s hand and kissed it. “I wouldn’t let you see it, if it was horrible. Or I’d find a way to change things, so it wasn’t so bad.”
“If I look at it, will you come back to sleep?” Arthur asked.
“Yes, Sire,” Merlin huffed. “Go ahead and look. It will make you laugh.”
Arthur gave Merlin a cheeky grin, like he did every time Merlin called him by his official honorific.
He gazed into the water that Merlin had magically suspended above them. He felt Merlin smile against his neck.
It was Gwaine. Or, rather an image of Gwaine, that appeared in the water. He was dancing around and singing a song. Arthur hadn’t seen anything so funny in a very long time.
Arthur wrapped an arm around Merlin’s shoulders and they laughed together with a joy so rich that it shook the castle walls.
The end
Author: gwylliondream
Genre: Modern au
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Words: 57,554
A/N: This was written for NaNoWriMo 2011. For additional notes, warnings, etc, please refer to Part 1 here.
Disclaimer: I did not create these characters. No disrespect intended. No profit desired, only muses.
Comments: Comments are welcome anytime! Thanks so much for reading!
Two weeks later...
Arthur rounded the corner onto his block. He killed the radio and accelerated down the tree-lined street. The air was ripe with the fragrances of the warmest months of the year, roses, lilies, hydrangeas…. He hoped it was enough to mask the scent that emanated from the back seat. He grinned and pushed his aviators up further on his nose. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Merlin’s face when he pulled into the driveway.
All of Camelot was still reeling from the incident at The Avalon Theatre. Morgause and Cenred, two of the region’s most popular musicians, were jailed. They awaited trial for attempted murder. Another man was dead, although deservedly so, if you asked Arthur.
Unfortunately, The Round Table Tour ended before it began. The Avalon Theatre, that was to be the home base for The Knights, was now under heavy renovations and couldn’t be used until the wiring was brought up to standard.
“Maybe by the end of summer,” Geoffrey, the Avalon’s owner, reluctantly told the band when they met after the ill-fated opening night.
Arthur thanked him and hoped that he would keep his word to allow the band to play when the theatre was ready.
“In the meantime,” Arthur said, standing at the head of the table at The Hasty Snail, “My father has promised to leave no stone unturned when it comes to finding suitable venues where The Knights can perform and practice their music.”
A loud cheer went up among The Knights, followed by the splashing of ale as they raised their glasses to drink to Uther’s plan.
“You’ll need all the practice you can get,” Merlin taunted, a bit tipsy from the ale. “If you hope your new front man will be ready to perform when the Avalon is ready.”
Gwaine slapped Merlin on the back. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, mate,” he said with a laugh.
The bandmates broke into a chant of, “Gwaine, Gwaine, Gwaine!”
“Don’t let it go to his head,” Arthur said to Elyan.
“I’m honestly afraid that it’s too late!” Elyan remarked. “He’s already got me calling him Princess!”
Leon swore to Arthur that he would do his best to make Gwaine look as good as, if not better, than Arthur did when he was the lead singer of The Knights.
Percival had no choice but to agree with his gorgeous scruffy-faced boyfriend.
Several pints later, Gwen pressed an emotionless kiss to Arthur’s lips. “I really wish you two every happiness together,” she slurred, before draping herself over Merlin’s lap. “Oh, Merlin, you’re so fucking pretty! How do you get your eyeliner to look so perfect? ”
“Uh, Lance,” Merlin raised his hand to get Lance’s attention. “You might want to put this one to bed before she gets into any more trouble.”
Their last evening as bandmates had ended on a positive note, with Arthur passing the torch to Gwaine. He and Merlin promised to return from their adventures to catch The Knights in concert when their earliest opportunity arose.
Arthur took a deep breath, slowed down the vehicle, and pulled into the driveway.
There he was- the most gorgeous creature to ever walk the planet, just sitting on a pile of boxes, waiting for Arthur to arrive at the Pendragon house.
He looked very concerned.
***
“Hey little boy,” Arthur yelled through the rolled-down window.
“Arthur? What the fuck?” Merlin said, standing up and running a hand through his hair.
“I need someone to lick my ice cream cone,” Arthur pouted.
“I’ll give you an ice cream cone to lick, you freak,” Merlin said, his thumb pressing the button on the conversion van’s passenger-side door handle, to no avail. “It’s got a fur dashboard, for God’s sake. And what’s that smell?”
“It’s perfect for us, isn’t it?” Arthur asked, reaching across the seat to open the door from the inside. “Besides, beggars can’t be choosers.”
“The hell they can’t,” Merlin said, climbing in.
Arthur liked how feisty Merlin had become. After only a few weeks at the therapist, he was ready to grab the world by the balls.
Freya had even recommended someone in Glastonbury that he could see when Arthur got settled at school.
That’s right, Arthur realised. He had exactly one month to get all the jamming out of his system because for the next four years, his nose would be buried in psychology books, learning the art of helping others that are in the same kind of mortal peril Merlin was when they first met.
Arthur was able to get a recommendation from the Camelot Police Department, as well as a few strings pulled by Uther Pendragon himself, to get into the program. Uther didn’t even mind paying for Arthur’s flat, as long as he was going to become a public servant at the end of the four years. Arthur couldn’t promise that he’d stick with this career path forever, but it sure sounded better than attending the Police Academy. Best of all, it met with Uther’s approval.
Uther was finally getting the son he wanted.
Arthur was getting what he wanted, too. He even managed to convince Uther that Merlin would make the perfect roommate, since they got along so well together, pointing out that Merlin never did have to sully the guest room with his vagabond presence, not even for one night, in the month that he stayed with the Pendragons. And, in the fall, Merlin would begin his apprenticeship to an electrical engineer, also arranged by Uther, who seemed to be treating Merlin as a second son. Arthur thought engineering was a brilliant choice on Merlin’s part, because everyone needs a little electricity in their life and he’d always have employment. Until then, Merlin would be paying his own way with the money earned from using Arthur’s guitar when they spent the rest of the summer at the beach, living inside the... in the…
“Where did you get this monstrosity?” Merlin asked.
“Bought it from a fellow named ‘Gilli’. You don’t know him, but he used to be a friend,” Arthur said.
Merlin shook his head. “At least it has more room in it than that yellow sardine-can did.”
“I think we’ll be quite comfy living in it. Besides, it’s only for a month. Are you okay with it? Because if you’re not…” Arthur took Merlin’s hand and threaded their fingers together.
Merlin leaned over the wide bench seat and kissed Arthur’s cheek. “I love you, Arthur,” he said. “I wouldn’t care if I were homeless and living in a car park, as long as I was with you.”
Arthur smiled. “Well, that’s a lovely sentiment, but I think we can do a bit better than that,” Arthur said. “And I love you, too. Speaking of people who love you, here’s another one now.”
Uther stepped out of the garage and into the driveway. “Well, I don’t know what you’re thinking, son,” he said, hands on his hips as he apprised the conversion van. He shook his head and muttered, “Kids!”
“It’ll be fine, Uther,” Merlin said, giving the door a shove so it would open.
Arthur got out of the van and met his father in the driveway.
“Is this all you’re taking?” Uther asked, pointing to the pile of boxes, stuffed with their belongings that sat in the driveway.
“That’s all we’ll need for now, father,” Arthur said, tossing the boxes into the van.
“Well, you’re only a few hours away,” Uther said. “You can come back to get more things as you need them.”
“Thanks, father,” Arthur said. “I’m sure we will. Thanks for everything.” Arthur embraced his father, hugging him with all his might. This ordeal with the band, and with Merlin, made Arthur feel closer to Uther than he ever had before. When he let go, Arthur got back into the van and revved the engine.
“And you,” Uther said to Merlin. “You’ll not get away that easily.” And with that, Uther hugged Merlin to him, just as if he were his own son.
“Thanks for everything, sir,” Merlin said, tugging on the van door so he could climb inside.
“You know, Merlin,” Uther said. “It’s too bad my son isn’t gay, because quite honestly, I think you’d make such a terrific son-in-law, I’d try to fix him up with you.”
Arthur cringed. “Goodbye, father,” he said, fastening his seat belt.
“Goodbye, son. Drive carefully,” Uther said. “You too, Merlin.”
Arthur bit his lip and pulled the van out of the driveway.
“That was a close one,” he said, when they turned onto the main road.
Merlin took his hand and squeezed it. “You’ll have to tell him someday,” he laughed.
“Someday,” Arthur said, and he squeezed Merlin’s hand in his own.
And the day would come when Arthur broke the news that he was gay to Uther, with Merlin at his side of course, but for today, they headed toward the sunny seaside where waves crashed along the shore, the seafoam bubbles expanding like Merlin’s dreams, endless, white and pure.
***
“Hey, Arthur…”
“Mmmmph.”
“Arthur?”
Arthur felt the mattress dip.
“Hey, look. Look what I can do now,” Merlin nudged Arthur’s shoulder.
“Merlin…” Arthur pulled the covers over his head to block out the sound.
Arthur heard Merlin giggle. He supposed he should be curious about what Merlin was doing now. Probably filling their bedchamber with toads or turning the washstand into a tentacled monster.
Whose brilliant idea was it for Arthur to allow magic in Camelot anyway?
He had to wonder at such times.
Arthur flopped onto his back and squinted his eyes open against the candlelight to see what in the five kingdoms was making Merlin laugh at this late hour.
“Merlin, come back to sleep,” he said, stretching his arm to run his hand over Merlin’s light summer sleep-tunic.
“I can’t. Watch this,” Merlin urged.
Arthur propped himself up on one elbow and watched as a circle of water, as large as a shield, floated through the air above their bed.
“What is it?” Arthur asked, straining his eyes to get a glimpse of the magic book that Merlin was still cautious about displaying out in the open, even after all these years.
“If you look into it, you can see the future,” Merlin whispered. “At least I think that was what the spell called for.”
“I don’t know if I want to see the future,” mused Arthur, carding his fingers through the hair at the nape of Merlin’s neck. “What if something happens that I’d rather not know about?”
Merlin took Arthur’s hand and kissed it. “I wouldn’t let you see it, if it was horrible. Or I’d find a way to change things, so it wasn’t so bad.”
“If I look at it, will you come back to sleep?” Arthur asked.
“Yes, Sire,” Merlin huffed. “Go ahead and look. It will make you laugh.”
Arthur gave Merlin a cheeky grin, like he did every time Merlin called him by his official honorific.
He gazed into the water that Merlin had magically suspended above them. He felt Merlin smile against his neck.
It was Gwaine. Or, rather an image of Gwaine, that appeared in the water. He was dancing around and singing a song. Arthur hadn’t seen anything so funny in a very long time.
Arthur wrapped an arm around Merlin’s shoulders and they laughed together with a joy so rich that it shook the castle walls.
The end
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-12-03 10:03 pm (UTC)After Merlin's speech about his scarf, Uther became the father Arthur deserved and I love how protective he became of Merlin, too. He's surprisingly warm and tactile now. It's delightful. I don't know why Arthur isn't telling him that he and Merlin are a couple, it would obviously make his father deliriously happy!
The idea of Merlin and Arthur summering in a conversion van, performing for beach crowds before starting school makes me grin. Merlin's really got the music back and I think he and Arthur will be making it together for decades to come. That last flashback was funny and sweet and this is just the life the two deserve to live in every reincarnation.
Thanks for wrapping this up. It was a pleasure to read over the past weeks at KMM.
no subject
Date: 2011-12-05 02:37 am (UTC)I was thinking Uther needed to be a bad guy too, but with my strict 50K goal, I couldn't justify making him all bad, so he changed his tune a bit when he was informed that Merlin was a victim. With so many other forces working against our protaganists, I had to cut them some slack somewhere.
I'm so glad you found the climax to be exciting! That is the kind of thing I love to write (way more than sex-lol) and it thrills me to no end that you thought it was scary.
My home fandom is Brokeback Mountain, where I am a slash moderator. Our writers spend 100K on the issue of whether the protagonists were gay or not, and what 'being gay' implied for each of them. It is such a joy to write Merlin, where the subject is not the heavy weight that hangs over every Brokeback writer who strives to right the tragic short story's ending.
I am so glad you were in board at KMM! Whenever the thought crossed my mind that I could throw in the towel... friends wanted to get together, my teenager wanted a home-cooked meal, my sister (who lives in another state) invited me to come early for Thanksgiving... I'd get a comment from you to the fic! It made it impossible to bow out, and I am ever-grateful for it. My first NaNoWriMo, and the second-longest piece of fiction I've written- I owe it all to readers like you.
Thanks for hanging in there! I had a lovely time writing this.
XO
Donna
no subject
Date: 2011-12-04 12:10 am (UTC)Thanks for inviting me along. :)
~b
no subject
Date: 2011-12-05 02:44 am (UTC)<3
Donna
no subject
Date: 2011-12-04 03:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-05 02:51 am (UTC)Did you know that Twenty Years Later and Amped have the same prompter? Amezzin!
I snuck some shirts into my fic and Merlin's scarf as well. It's the Brokeback in me!
Thanks so much for reading!
XO
Donna (aka Shirts!Anon)
no subject
Date: 2011-12-17 02:15 pm (UTC)That's kind of cool about the prompter. Nice prompting skills there!!
Aha, THE SHIRTS!! Well, it all makes sense now ...
xx
no subject
Date: 2011-12-05 01:46 am (UTC)First of all, a million thanks for filling my prompt. I'm honored and pleased that you found something in the idea worth pursuing.
And second, I'm just amazed that you turned this out, unbeta'd and on the fly, in just a month. I've seen people put in ten times the time and effort and still not produce something half as good. I have to say, it was fun reading it almost in one go, knowing that that was how you did it. It was sort of like watching a high wire act -- there were places where I was holding my breath, wondering how you were going to pull it off.
I'm also really surprised that the darker elements and the cracky weirdness of some of it (no wiring? really?) nevertheless managed to hang together.
Thanks again for writing this. And I'm glad you had fun with it.
no subject
Date: 2011-12-05 03:16 am (UTC)I am just bubbling over with joy that you liked this!
Just like you, I anxiously waited for this awesome prompt to be filled. So many people chimed in about what a great idea it was, another writer even said that they had started writing it! And before we knew it, a whole year went by.
When LG wrote her Chaste, I was thinking how much fun it would be to write a Merlin, instead of the BBM canon that I was involved in for Last Author Standing. I knew the title would have one word, I knew I'd write with the intention of never de-anonning while the story was in progress- I said that to you!
Then, there we were, at 3pm on the first day of NaNoWriMo, and I said, WTF? The worst that could happen is that the story sucks and I give up. No one even had to know! That was always such an easy out for me to use, which is one reason I was so glad no one knew I was writing. NaNo became a challenge all of my own, without any outside interference. I think that's why it worked for me. I have OCD and I am very deadline driven. Without those two, I would have given up after about a week.
I'm surprised you didn't hear me burst out laughing when I came up with the idea for the death in the water birth. OMG- that's just so off-color and just... just... plain wrong! That's what three hours of sleep per night will do to you! It helps you to produce crack! LOL!
All in all, it was very healing to write this. It was also so educational when it comes to the psychology of writing and creativity and what the human brain is capable of when put under extreme deadline pressure. I work pretty well under pressure, so pile it on, I say!
Thanks for being a good sport and for giving me this wonderful opportunity. I truly enjoyed every minute that I spent writing it.
XO
Donna