"I want to state for the record that if I get eaten by rabid albino alien cryptozoology specimens, it is absolutely your fault, my estate will sue, and I'll haunt your ass until the heat death of the universe, and even if we avoid that shitastic scenario I may turn out to be nothing but a collective hallucination of my fans and therefore shrivel up and blow away if I'm removed from Hollywood for too long," Dave said as he stepped out of the helicopter and onto Jade's roof. "Hey. Long time no see. Love what you've done with the place."

Jade had rarely felt their age difference as strongly as at this moment, when she couldn't decide whether she would rather hug Dave or scold him for being ridiculous and far too self-sacrificing for his own good. "If this is a bad time to be away from your studio, I could have risked a short trip to the mainland. You do know you didn't have to come to Hellmurder Island just because I asked, right?" she said as Rose also slid out of the helicopter, pilot's headset still resting on her shoulders.

Dave shrugged. "Yeah, I know. But you asked."

Beside him, Rose offered a faint smile of agreement and a matching nonchalant pose, though her eyes sparkled with clear knowledge of just how provoking their behavior was.

Jade settled for giving them both merciless noogies, before she drew them both in for a long overdue shower of kisses.