Okay, this is my first fan-fic on my own.  Be warned, it has lots
of references to the Phantom of the Night saga, so I recomend
reading through P4 before reading this.  Oh, and don't worry
about not recognising any names that Sharm thows out that you
don't know.  She's like that.


A SINGLE STAR: Part 1

               THE NIGHT SKY

     Trevor leaned forward in his chair, all weiryness gone. 
This time it had taken him two years to find her, but found her
he had.  Maybe this time he could get to her before she found out
htat he was comming.
     Trevor opened his desk drawer and pulled out a pad of paper
and pencil and began writing down the adress that was showing on
the monitor.  He worried briefly that this might be another dead
end, then decided that there couldn't be *that* many rich red
heads in the city.
     After all this time, he finally had her.

     'Ella awoke half heartedly and reached to turn off her
alarm.  it took her a moment to realize that it wasn't the alarm
that had woke her, but the phone.
     "Hello?"  She mumbled into the reciver.
     "Hello, Miss Vifyeux?  I'm terribly sorry to wake you up
this early, but you told me to call you if anything like this
happened . . . ."
     'Ella glanced at the clock.  3:04.  "*What* happened?"
     "Well, I normally wouldn't have bothered you with something
like this, but someone hacked into our computer system a while
ago.  The odd thing was that they only looked at your name and
adress.  That was it."
     'Ella had gone deathly white.  "He's found me."  she barely
wispered.
     "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
     "Nothing.  Listen.  I want you to do me a favor.  Call Vivy
up and tell her I want her to execute Plan T.  She'll know what
I'm talking about."
     "Sure thing, Miss Vifyeux.  I'll get to it right away."
     "Thanks, your a doll.  Talk to you later!  Bye!"
     'Ella hung up quickly and began to dres as fast as she
could, before panic could set in.  How had Trevor found her? 
What had he done, hired a hacker, or become one?  She wouldn't
put the latter past him.  Where was she going to go?  What was
she going to do?
     'Ella pushed the questions out of her mind as she fished out
a suitcase.  Right now, all she needed to think about was packing
quickly.  The rest could wait.
     Suddenly a cheerful voice came from behind her.  "Morning,
Bright Eyes!  What ya doin' up so early?"
     'Ella didn't evern look up.  "Hello, Mother.  I'm packing."
     The fairy woman came into view.  'Ella wasn'nt surprised to
see that her feet didn't touche the ground.  The redheaded fairy
cocked her head to the side as she looked at the suitcase. 
"Why?"
     "Trevor found me again.  Do you know somewhere I can go?"
     "Trevor!"  'Ella's mother scowled.  "You're crazy, you know
that?"
     "Gee, I wonder where I got *that* from?"
     "I'm not that type of crazy, Estrella.  I'd never run away
from the man I love."
     'Ella shoved a blouse into the suitcase and slammed it shut
in frustration.  "What am I suppose to do, marry him?!  For
hevens sake, I'm not even *real*!!!"
     "What, you're just a figment of my imagination?  I don't
think so."
     "I'm close enough.  I'd be perfect for the part of a
holographic projection person on Star Trek!"  She made the motion
of punching through the suitcase, but it went through her hand
like it wasn't there.  "I can even make myself go through things
like them!"
     The fairy looked stricken.  "'Ella, I . . . . Darn it all, I
didn't do that on purpose!"
     Suddenly 'Ella felt very tired.  "I know, it's just . . . I
need to leave.  Are you going to help me or not?"
     "Your the only one I know that can make me feel guilty
enough to do something I don't want to do."  She sighed.  "Okay,
there's two little orphin gargoyles in Utah.  You find them and
take care of them, and I'll get you a decient place to stay. 
Fair?"
     "Fair.  I thought that the gargoyles had died out."
     A grim smile spread acrost her mother's face.  "Not if I can
help it."
     'Ella sondered how many people would realize how powerful a
promise from her mother was.  She also wondered how many humans
would find that they were suddenly a new species.
     'Ella impulsively hugged her mother before she could
dissapear.  "I love you, mother.  You need to visit more often."
     The red haired fairy grinned suddenly.  "I'll see if I can
fit you in somehow."
     'Ella just scowled at the remark.
     "If you want to leave before Trevor gets here, you'd better
hurry."  she pulled something out of her pouch and tossed it to
'Ella.  "And I've got to leave.  'Bye dear!"  And suddenly she
was gone.
     'Ella looked at what her mother had given her.  It was a
silver ring with a cresant moon on it and a gold star inside the
moon's shadow.  Her mother had an odd sence of humor.  Why in the
world did she give her a focus?  'Ella couldn't use magic.  Her
mother had tried to teach her before, and it had failed
miserably.
     Enough time for speculation later.  Right now she had to
leave.  She absently slipped the ring on her finger and went back
to packing.

     Trevor could hardly contain his excitement.  He kept on
telling himself that she would be gone when he got there, but
another part of himself said that there was no way she could know
he was coming.
     The elivator finally stopped and let him out.  He
practically ran to her door.  But before he could knock, a red
haired lady appered beside him, and it wasn't the one he was
looking for.
     "She's not here anymore."  The lady said.  She sounded
almost sorry for him.
     Trevor slid down the door, feeling himself deflate inside. 
No matter how many times he told himself she wouldn't be here,
this always happened to him.  "Is there any way I can catch her?"
     The lady smiled.  With a start, Trevor realized that her
ears were pointed, like an elf's.  He wondered how he had failed
to notice this before.
     "You can't catch her, but you can get there before she
does."
     "How?  Where is she going?"
     "Hold it.  I'll get to that in a minute.  Now, you are going
to be a landlord of a beautiful little castle.  She loves
castles.  Don't wait for a red head to try and rent it, she
won't.  Someone else will do it for her.  I will come and tell
you who it is when I know.  You yourself will live in a modest
house in the foothills.  Here are all the papers."  She handed
hima small stack.
     He took the papers dumbly and stared at her in shock.  "Who
are you?  Why are you doing all this for me?"
     "'Ella dosen't realize what a wonderful thing she's running
away from.  I'm going to make her see that, if it's the last
thing I do.  Luckily I have a plan, and it involves *you* getting
to Utah."
     "Utah?" Trevor thought a moment.  "There are castles in
Utah?"
     "There are now."

     "Modest house" indeed.  This thing was a small *mansion*,
compleat with *far* to many staircases.  Trevor happened to be
climbing up one of them at the moment.  How was he supposed to
upkeep this thing by himself?  At least that red headed elf lady
had told him it was only temparary.
     His house was on the edger of a vallylet next to the
transverse ridge.  Not only could he see over the vallylet, but a
good portion of the Salt Lake Vally as well.  And the castle.  It
*was* small, . . . for a castle.  But it was a beautiful little
thing.  And the odd thing was that it fit in.  Inside the
vallylet was an oldfashoned little place that most people knew as
the old mill.  The poor thing was borded up now, but no one had
the heart to tear it down.
     Trevor loved this place.  As soon as he had come to "The
Vally" he had fallen in love with it.  He supposed it must have
been the mountains.  Next to them, the mountains in the East were
just hills.  This place was beautiful.
     Trevor had barely reached the top of the stairs (third floor
from the basement) when the doorbell rang.  Trevor gave a sigh
then went back the way he came.  He didn't know why he even
bothered, the person would give up and leave before he got there.
     By some miracle, he was able to get to the door before she
left.  It was a young woman about sixteen years old.  She seemed
a little nervous.
     "Mr, Brelane?  I was sent here to keep house for you."
     Trevor ran a hand through his hair.  What was he supposed to
do with this girl?  "Let me guess.  A lady with long red hair
sent you."
     The girl nodded.  "She said you'd give me room and board
instead of pay."  She shrugged, "That's fine with me."
     Later, Trevor learned that Dalana (that was her name) was
from a family that sounded horrible to trevor, but Dalana had
only bided her time until she could leave.  She thought it was
pure luck that she had found this job, and thanked him for it
every day.
     Trevor was sitting in the room he had degned his office when
the red headed elf appeared again.  This time she was sitting
crosslegged in the air in front of his desk.  Trevor stopped
typing at the computer and turned to face her, his mind
struggling at the impossibility of her.
     "Hello again!"  She said cheerfully.  She leaned forward and
tried to look at the computer screen.  "Whacha doin'?"
     Trevor smiled.  One minute she was a competent scholor, the
next a little child.  "Right now I'm taking a break and doing
some work on a new novel.  Later I'll need to do some programing
and data entry."  He barely dared ask his question.  "Have you
heard anything about 'Ella?"
     "Yah, Mandy'll be here soon.  She's a blast!  You like the
girl I found to work for you?"
     "She's . . . interesting.  She found out what I knew about
keeping house and took over the place.  It's like she owns the
house, and I'm the one on room and board."
     "Good for her.  Now, I've got a few instructions for you
before Mandy gets here."

     Mandy was surprised at how long she had stayed in that shop. 
Natural Wonders was one of her favorite stores at the mall, and
this time she came out with a little rainstick.  Third(?) quarter
had just ended, and she was in despirat need of the break.  So,
she went shopping.
     She was just about to enter Clairs when she saw a woman with
a certain shade of red hair that she knew only belonged to one
person.  ~Now what is *she* doing here?~ Mandy thought.
     The woman ran a hand distractedly though her hair, a motion
that was deciedely unlike the person Mandy thought it was.  But
her curiousity way piqued, so she went over to them anyway.
     "You can't find *any* apartments?" The red  head asked
another lady with dark hair, despiration in her voice.  The other
lady shook her head.  "Okay, we'll think of something, Vivy."
     "Excuse me."  Mandy said boldly.  "Do you guys need a place
to stay?"
     "Not me." said the dark haired woman.  "I'm staying at a
hotel for a few days and going home."
     "I do."  the red head said with a sigh.  "I was suppose to
have an appartment when I got here, but there was some sort of
miscommunication, and they're full.  So's everywhere else in
town.  I'm about to go crazy!"
     "I suppose you could stay with me for a while."  Mandy
offered.  "There's room in the dorm, if you're willing to pay for
it, because of the end of the school year.  But be warned, my
landlady is a grouch, and I keep odd hours."
     "I'd be willing to stay at Dracula's castle at this point." 
she held out her hand.  "I'm Estrella, but you can call me
'Ella."
     "Mandy."  She clasped 'Ella's forearm out of habit. 
Surprisingly, 'Ella didn't even notice the difference.
     "Well, Miss Vifyeux, if that's all taken care of, I need to
get going.  Could I get your adress Miss?"
     Mandy gave the lady her adress and full name, then they both
said goodbye to her.
     "Thank you *so* much.  I'm sure if I was still in New York,
this never would have happened."
     "Don't mention it.  I'm happy for the company.  You have
*no* idea how lonely that place can get when no one's in it."
     "Well then, I'm glad you found me.  Shall we finish shopping
together?"
     Mandy smiled.  "Sure."  they walked to the next shop.  "Now,
what's all this I hear about Gargoyles in Manhatten?"

     ~One of the best ways to get to know someone is to spend the
day together~, Mandy thought as they went into her appartment.
     "That guy in the room with the landlady was giving you a
really *odd* look."  'Ella said as she waited for Mandy to open
the door.  When she did, she sweeped her arm about dramaticly. 
'Ella smiled.
     "I've gotten a lot of that since Christine . . . died."  She
hated lying about that.
     'Ella sat on a stool next to the counter.  "Was she your
sister?"
     Mandy shook her head.  "She's my best friend.  You hungry?"
     "Nah, I'm never hungry."
     Mandy got out some orange juce for herself, then the
doorbell rang.  Mandy went to get it.
     Sharm stood outside the door, wearing a wide grin, her
pesant blouse and a crinkle skirt.  "Sharm?"  Mandy said,
surprised. "What are you doing . . . ?"
     "Hi Mandy!  Wanna go to the dance tonight?"  she looked
around Mandy.  "'Ella can come too.  Hello 'Ella!"
     "Hello."  'Ella said into her hands, which was where her
head was.
     Sharm invited herself inside and stood next to 'Ella.  "I
would have come sooner, but Grace needed me to be there, don't
ask me why.  And I had to check up on Christine.  You remember
Christine?"
     'Ella shook her head.  "Not unless it's the Christine Mady
was just talking about, and she's supposed to be dead."
     Sharm grinned and took an apple from a basket on the
counter.  "That's the official story.  You should remember
Cristinge.  She was the little pink gargoyle of Terra's."
     "You mean Malcora?"
     "Wait a minute."  Mandy interupted.  "You mean 'Ella knows
everything?"
     "Not everything!"  'Ella answered,  "I want to know about
Christine being Malcora!"
     "'Ella!  I told you about the plans centuries ago!  And it I
told you the whole plan again in front of Mandy, she'd kill me
before I could do all of it."
     "Centuries ago?"  Mandy rubbed her temples.  "'Ella, could
*you* explain?  I know Sharm won't."
     "Oh, um, I . . . Mother, why did you have to give that
away?"  'Ella looked at Sharm in despiration.
     "Mother?!"  Mandy definitly had a headache.
     "You keep to many secrets, 'Ella."  Sharm said.  That made
Mandy laugh, but Sharm ignored her.  "You need someone to confide
in.  I've got lots of people."
     "Somehow, I doubt that."  Mandy muttered.
     "I do!  I tell a little to Grace, a little to Christine, a
little to 'Ella . . . ."  She trailed off.
     "Okay, okay!  Just tell me what's going on."
     "I'm her daughter."  'Ella began.
     "But not exactly."  Sharm interrupted.  "I sort of . . .
created her."
     "How?"  Mandy asked.
     "Magic!"  Sharm said, eyes sparkeling.
     "That was a long time ago.  I sort of grew up and then I
left to see what living a life as a human would be like.  I
hadn't much contact with any."
     "She looked like a human already, so the only problems she
had was not dying and not eating."
     "*And* going through things.  I couldn't control that very
well yet.  I still have problems when I get excited."
     "Huh?" Mandy felt like hitting her head against the door. 
"You guys are worse than the weird sisters."
     Sharm made a face at that.  'Ella just smiled.
     "I go through things."  'Ella explained and deminstrated by
putting her arm inside the counter as an example.  "In fact, I
have to concentrate in able to *not* go through things."
     "Oh, good.  Maybe you can get those keys I lost behind the
fridge."  Mandy joked.
     "Oh, 'Ella!  I almost forgot to tell you."  Sharm suddenly
said.  "You know that place to stay I promised you?  Here's the
address for the landlord.  He's a real eccentric, you'll love
him.  You can have Mandy go for you, since you don't like doing
those things yourself.  I still think your nut."
     "Mother, we've been over this before.  Please don't bring it
up again."  Mandy thought she senced a bit of heartache in her
tone.
     "I'll take care of it, after luch tomorow."  Mandy offered. 
"We were both walking all day, and I don't know about you, 'Ella,
but I need some sleep."
     'Ella suddenly yawned.  "Sleep is the only way I get energy. 
I need it despiritly."
     "Well,  you guys have fun.  I've got to much to do to
sleep."  She leaned over from her pearch on the counter top
(Mandy hadn't a clue when she sat there) and kissed 'Ella on the
forehead.  "By dear, see you soon."  And she dissapeared again.
     The room was unnaturally silent.
     "What did she mean by saying that she made you?"  Mandy
asked, breaking the silence.
     "Oh.  Well, Mother was very young at the time --"
     "How young?"  Mandy interupted.
     "18 or 19 years.  She had just gotten her powers and wanted
to see how much she could do with it."
     "And so she created you."  Mandy finished.
     'Ella nodded.  "She told me later that it was a bad idea to
do it, but that she's glad she did it anyway.  She didn't have
the problems most single mothers had, because all of our needs
were already taken care of at Avalon.  I hated it there.  Anyway
, she also had an unatural knack for being a mother."
     "Sounds like an interesting childhood."  Mandy said
sarcasticly then yawned.  "Come on.  I'll show you your bedroom."

     "Ow!  Jordan, why do we have to do this?  I just got another
sliver!"  the little gargoyle held up her thumb for him to see.
     Jordan rubbed his forehead.  Talons that could rip steel to
shreads, yet she still got slivers.  "Come here, let me see it."
     Sandy put down the board she was carrying and climbed into
Jordan's lap.  "Where is it?"  he asked.
     Sandy showed him her index finger and thumb.  "The first one
I got is here"  she pointed to her finger, "and the second one I
got is here." she pointed to her thumb.
     Jordan looked closely at them.  "Sandy, these don't look
like slivers.  They look more like blisters or bites or
something.  You sure the board did that to you?"
     "Uh hunh.  I didn't hurt 'till I picked it up."
     "That doesn't mean anything."  Jordan told her, while he
tried to think of what he should do.
     "Jordan?"
     "Hmm?"
     "I wish Mommy and Daddy were here."
     Jordan hugged her tightly.  "Me too, kiddo."
     "Do you think we'll ever find the other gargoyles that Mommy
and Daddy talked about?"
     "Maybe."  Jordan pushed Sandy of his lap and went to get a
look at the board.  "They never told us where they were, though."
     "Somewhere in California.  I heard Mommy say that."
     "California's a big place, Sandy.  It'll take a *long* time
to look for them there."  he bent down and looked carefully at
the peice of wook.  "Sandy, come look at this."
     Sandy put down the hammer she was playing with, and came to
look.  "What is it?"
     "See these red marks?  That's not normal.  At least, I
*think* it's not.  I think it might be the red stuff that made
you hurt."
     "Jordan?"
     "Yeah, Sandy?"
     "I'm hungry."
     "Me too."  Jordan stood up, "Tell you what, after we clear
this place up a bit more, I'll go check my traps.  You can build
a fire, if your *really* careful, over there."  He pointed to the
center of the stone floor.
     "Okay, can we burn *that*?"  she pointed to the offending
piece of wood.
     Jordan shook his head.  "I don't think that'd be such a good
idea.  it might be dangerous to burn, and I'd like to know what
it is before we get rid of it."
     "Oh, alright.  But come back soon.  I don't want to sleep
alone."
     "Don't worry,  I'll probably be back before you miss me."
     "You got that right."

     Jordan came back a few minutes wigh the few animals he'd
caught.  It wasn't much, and he couldn't name what it was (he
couldn't name most animals, but then, he was only 10 in gargoyle
years)  but it was enough to feed himself and Sandy.
     Sandy was laying next to the fire she had built.  The room
was getting smokey, but it was better than nothing.  She appeared
to be asleep, but when Jordan walked over to her, she opened her
eyes.
     "Jordan?"
     "Yeah, Sandy?"
     "I don't feel very nice."
     "It's probably some sort of side effect from the wood.  It
will be gone tomorow night."
     Sandy didn't reply, but tried to snuggle closer to the fire
without being burnt.
     "You wanna help me cook these?"  Jordan asked, holding up
the animals.
     "Okay."
     Sandy was pretty listless the rest of the night.  She barely
ate anything too, and Jordan would have been really worried, if
morning hadn't been so close.
     They just had to wait 'till then.

That's the end of it for now!  So what do you think?  I want you
guys to tell me every single thing that you thought about it.  If
you were surprised or mad or what at what.  EVERYTHING!

And don't worry, there's more.  I just have to write it.