The next day, Page was waiting anxiously outside the bookshop. Brittany had accompanied her to try and keep her relaxed. She was currently babbling in an effort to prevent her sister noticing the time.

"So now the contract's all signed up we don't have to worry about these disguises. There's nothing Harry can do…"

"It's nearly half past! Brittany, something must have happened!"

"I'm sure…" Brittany began but she was interrupted by Alvin running up.

"Brittany?" He stopped, shocked and out of breath. "Is that you?"

"Alvin? What are you doing here."

"Typical," he muttered. "I no sooner decide not to look for you when I find you."

"Alvin?" Page asked. "Why are you here?"

"You must be Page. Simon said you'd be here… though not with Brittany."

"Get to the point," the eldest chippette instructed.

"Alright, alright. Well, you see, I was sent by Harry to bring you back…"

"I knew it!"

"Only I took this detour through what I thought was a safe neighbourhood. Before I knew it four… no eight guys had me surrounded." He was pleased to note his audience look horrified. "I might have seen them off but they were armed."

"How did you escape?" Page inquired fearfully.

"Well, I'd taken out four of them and was just beginning to feel tired when who should turn up but Simon!"

"Simon!"

"Turns out he's not as weak as I've always thought and he helped me take down the other two."

"Two?" Brittany queried. "I thought there were eight originally?"

"There were… but two ran off."

"It's lucky Simon was there," Page noted.

"For me. But while we were distracted one of the guys jumped us and knocked him down. He took quite a knock to the head…" Page swayed on her feet before collapsing.

"Jeanette!" Brittany cried.

"Jeanette?"

"Long story. Just help me up with her." Alvin crouched on Jeanette's other side and helped sit her up. Brittany frantically fanned her until her eyes fluttered open.

"Ooh… sorry."

"Don't apologise…" Jeannette sat up suddenly

"Simon! What happened to Simon?"

"He's OK. He's resting at Seville's now. I gotta say, that guy's real nice."

"Unlike Harry," Brittany muttered.

"You said it doll." Alvin grinned across at her and Brittany flashed him a smile.

*

Back at Seville's house, there was a gathering of chipmunks. Simon was sat in a deck chair being fussed over by Eleanor while Theodore watched anxiously.

"Honestly, I'm fine. It was only a bump."

"But you and Alvin… against four guys!" Theodore worried.

"There were not four guys… there were two. And it was my own fault I got hit. I over compensated for his weight. Ow!" This last remark was prompted by Eleanor firmly pressing a pack of frozen peas to his head.

"Now sit still," she instructed before gathering up her first aid kit. Theodore dutifully followed her back into the house, leaving Simon alone. He sighed.

Things weren't going how he'd hoped. He'd hoped to meet Jeanette here but she wasn't back from the city yet. He'd hoped to meet Page today to get help overcoming his shyness but that hadn't happened. As if in answer to this thought he saw Page across the lawn.

"Page?" The figure approached and sat quietly in the chair vacated by Eleanor.

"How are you?"

"My head will be fine. My heart…" he wondered again why he felt so comfortable talking to this boy. He never usually discussed his feelings with anyone.

"I was going to ask you today…" there was a hesitation and Simon wondered why Page should be nervous. "Do you truly love Jeanette?"

"Truly I do. More than I ever thought possible." Page nodded.

"I can tell you… she loves you." Simon looked surprised.

"How could you possibly know that?" As if in answer, Page reached for the wet cloth Eleanor had left out. As Simon watched, Page pulled off the thick glasses and wiped the cloth across his face. The skin turned rosy before Simon's eyes. He looked at the now clear green eyes staring back at him. Without thinking he reached out and pulled the baseball cap off. Thick hair fell down about Jeanette's shoulders. He stared at her in shock.

"Do you still love me?" she asked in a small voice.

"Jeanette," he took her face in his hands. "I'll never stop loving you."

*

The months passed and Seville led the chipmunks to stardom. Their first album was a hit and before long they were back in the city at a celebratory party. Alvin had his arm draped round Brittany and was proudly boasting of the time he'd fought off ten men to save his brother when a familiar voice interrupted.

"Alvin! Brittany! How are my two favourite artists?" They turned to see Harry grinning at them.

"One, I was never your artist…" Alvin pointed out.

"And two… what do you want?" Brittany demanded.

"Can't an old friend say hello?" He held his hands out.

"You aren't an old friend."

"Well maybe old…" Brittany grinned. The smile vanished from Harry's face and he was about to say something else when another voice interrupted.

"Is this guy bothering you Alvin?" Harry turned to see Simon. He scowled.

"Nah. Nothing I couldn't handle."

"You'll regret leaving Harry boys," he warned.

"Actually," a soft voice replied. "Leaving you was the best thing these boys ever did." Simon turned with a smile to Jeanette. He pulled her close and kissed her forehead.

"It was certainly the best thing I ever did."

"Me too," Alvin grinned at Brittany.

"And if they were here, Theodore and Eleanor would say so too," she added. Jeannette smiled sweetly at Harry.

"They're on honeymoon."

"Your problem Harry," Alvin poked him roughly. "Is you never understood what was really important."

"It wasn't the fame, or the success," Brittany confirmed.

"It was that feeling inside," Simon smiled at Jeanette.

"That warmth of being loved."