Ow

It's day three in my five-day marathon, and I'm starting to feel the fatigue of the pace, making me glad I'll have the weekend to rest my little bunny brain.  It helps that I'm working on the conclusion and the pace is fast.  It also helps that Trent showed up in the 21 pages of not-so-bad text I hammered out  yesterday–his presence far stronger than I had intended.  (21 pages and I still had time to go out for waffles for dinner.  Yay!)  As usual, Trent got the better of Rachel with his cool, in-control mien, even when he wasn't, but there was a major concession on his part which has her seeing him as less adversary and more arms-length team member.  And where in the heck did the gargoyles come from?  Glad they showed up, too.  I have a very cool image in mind that I wanted to share but had no idea how to do it.  They make it easy, and even better, logical.

Today I might be able to bring Al back in as I start the final wrap up, and I'll have my two favorite men on the page at the same time.  I still don't know what the final comfy cozy coda is going to be.  I usually have some idea at this point but all I'm seeing is a horse race and the people who are there.

Rachel, I think you managed to keep your ruby glass slippers out of the fire one more time.  Phew!