A season's wish will come true
All seasons begin with you
One world we all come from
One world we melt into one
Just hold my hand and we're there
Somehow we're going somewhere

You ask me where did I fall
I say I can't tell you when
But if my spirit is strong
I know it can't be long
No question I'm not alone
Somehow I'll find my way home

Jon Anderson

John Coltrane has just left in a sudden flash of light, leaving behind a fragrance of raindrops on roses and crisp apple strudel that fills the room.

Phil opens the door as he enters, saying, "Hello, all. I've dropped the feller off at his House of Healing. He looks pretty rough, but they'll sort him out good and proper. I say, it smells well good in here – have I missed something?"

Dennis takes two amulets from a leather bag he carries, and gives them to Noel and Julian to wear. They are silver, thick and heavy, inscribed with the image of a blue lotus.

"Don't take them off," he instructs them, placing them around their necks. "These amulets will allow you to travel across time and space, and return to your bodies."

"Er, and everything will be alright, will it?" Julian asks nervously.

Dennis gives him a long, serious look. "I certainly hope so," he replies, before tying his bag up. "I can only say that you need to stay together, keep the amulets on, and have faith in your hearts. That's your best chance of getting home safely."

Julian doesn't think this sounds very reassuring, and he looks over at his soulmate. "You don't have to do this, Noel," he says. "Think about it – you're giving up Heaven for me."

"Heaven can ... um, Heaven can wait," he says with a guilty giggle, looking at Dennis. "We know we'll get there one day, so why rush into it?"

Julian and Noel say goodbye to everyone, Noel embracing and kissing Jeannie in gratitude. Julian and Marcus have a more subdued and slightly awkward hug.

"Thanks for everything, Marcus," Julian says. "There were times when I didn't know what you were doing, but you've saved my life. I'll never forget you."

"You will, straight away," Marcus says cheerfully. "All of us will remember you, though – I can guarantee you and Noel are going to become the biggest news at the Waystation since Miranda and Rudi. We'll be telling your story for hundreds of years to come."

Julian hardly knows what to say to Mary – her act of healing is too enormous for an ordinary thank you. She seems to understand though, simply clasping his hand, and saying, "Goodbye, Julian dear. Take very good care of yourself." She gives him a demure kiss on the cheek that makes him blush.

"You should see your face, Ju," Noel says afterwards, with a grin that has a glint in it. "I knew you had a thing for that Gideon woman."

Everyone seems to want to say goodbye to them. Nasati Dharmayama himself wishes them a safe journey home, and even Sheriff Lucien pumps their hands enthusiastically.

Pauline is the last person Julian says goodbye to in the assessment room, taking her hands and thanking her for helping them.

"You can ask me if you want, luvvie," Pauline says with a little smile. "You can ask why I sent you back to Earth last time."

Julian hesitates, and then said decidedly, "No, that's alright, Pauline. You would've had a good reason to do it, and you don't need to explain it to me."

"That's right luvvie, you've learned to have a little faith," Pauline replies. "Besides, it will be all the more exciting finding out for yourself."

Finally Phil says, "Well, it's been a funny old day, and no mistake. You two lads hop in my taxi – it's time I took you home."

The last thing they hear as they leave the assessment room is the sound of a bell, Nasati Dharmayama triumphantly ringing it to signal that the assessment is at an end.

**********************

Julian is almost sure that Bobby looks appalled at first when he sees two hotel guests return from the assessment room to be sent to Earth, but a moment later his face is smooth and politely smiling, welcoming them back to The Rose and Star.

"You will find your suite a very comfortable place to leave the Waystation, sirs, and may you both have an enjoyable journey."

He ushers them towards the lift, where Monty takes them up to the penthouse one last time. They thank him as they get out, and he says, "Have a pleasant evening, gentleman. And if you'll forgive me taking a liberty – well, have a nice life."

When Noel unlocks the door of the suite, they see that Sophia has cleaned it thoroughly, emptied the flower vases, and changed the linen. It feels very empty, just an anonymous hotel room. Luxurious, but blank and lifeless.

"Oh well, at least we'll be going back in style," Julian says with forced cheeriness.

Noel says he wants to write Sophia one more thank you note, and hastily scrawls a few words on the gold-edged hotel stationery, leaving it on the coffee table for her to find.

"I added a PS," he says with a cheeky smile. "It says, PS my mate reckons you look like a beauty queen, but I think you're prettier than that."

"I knew you had a thing for that Sophia woman," Julian teases him.

"Hey, I've got a soulmate – I'm not dead," Noel protests.

"You are, actually."

"Well, not for much longer," Noel says. "Um, so ... what do we do, exactly? Jeannie never told me how people go back to Earth."

"Marcus told me," Julian says. "We just lie in bed, and wait to fall asleep."

"That's it?"

"As far as I know", Julian shrugs.

"Oh, well. We'd better get into bed then," Noel says, trying to sound casual.

"The thing is," Julian says slowly, not moving, "Marcus only told me how to get back to Earth to start a new life in a new body. What if something goes wrong, and we end up as newborn babies?"

"Maybe we'll wake up next to each other in the same hospital nursery," Noel says. "It'll be genius – two soulmates, born the same day. We'll grow up together, and go to the same school."

He's smiling but his voice goes a bit wobbly at the end, and Julian pulls him close and kisses along his fringe.

"Let's just get into bed," he says. "It'll be alright."

They decide to take all their clothes off, Noel saying they came into the world naked, and they'll leave this world the same way. Julian insists on folding their clothes neatly and putting them on the blue velvet chaise longue to make it easier for Sophia.

They climb between the cool linen sheets, Julian pulling the blankets and satin coverlet over them. They put their arms around each other, Noel lying stiffly as if expecting to be raptured away in an instant.

"How long does this take?" he asks after a minute.

"Not long. Marcus said less than an hour."

"Oh. Do you think we've got time for - ?"

"No, we don't," Julian says firmly. "I don't want to go back to my body while doing that. And what if our amulets fell off in the middle of it?"

They both check that their amulets are still around their necks, and touch each other's as if to make sure. Noel settles himself more comfortably in Julian's arms, and rests his head on the pillow.

"It's weird," Julian says after a while. "We're lying here together, like this, and soon we'll be back on Earth, and we won't even remember it. We won't remember each other."

"I will," says Noel at once. "I already sort of knew you before. Don't worry, Joo'n. I'll find you. I think that's how it works with us."

Julian gives him a quick kiss, before saying in a low voice, "You know, you're making such a huge sacrifice for me. You're giving up Heaven so I can get back safely. I felt terrible when Mary said I only survived so long because I was draining your energy. It feels like – it feels like you're giving me too much, Noel."

"You really are a plonker, aren't you?" Noel says amiably. "Don't you get it? I died – and you came and got me, to bring me back from the Afterlife."

"Like Orpheus, you mean?"

"Better than that," Noel says. "Orpheus went back to get his missus. You never even met me. You risked your own life to save a stranger. So who's the one making the big sacrifice here?"

This is such a different way of looking at it that Julian has to rethink a lot of basic principles, rearranging his mind like moving all the chairs out of the way when you're having a party.

"I wonder which story they'll tell at the Waystation," he ponders. "Noel who gave up Heaven for his soulmate, or Julian who walked through the Afterlife to bring his soulmate back to Earth?"

"Either way we'll be famous," Noel says smugly. "I always knew I was going to be famous, you know. Ever since I was a kid."

"We'll both be famous," Julian says drowsily.

Noel yawns. "I think I feel a bit sleepy."

"It's so easy to sleep here," Julian mumbles. "Never had so many good sleeps in my life."

"Bed's so comfy," Noel says with a little sigh.

"It's nice being here with you," Julian says, already starting to drift off. "I'm glad we were together like this."

"I love you," Noel whispers, taking Julian's hand.

"I love you too, little man," Julian breathes, giving Noel's mouth a sleepy kiss.

And that's how they fall asleep. Naked, holding hands, with their lips together.

Notes

John Coltrane is accompanied by a divine odour of raindrops on roses and crisp apple strudel because he did a famous jazz version of My Favourite Things from the Broadway musical The Sound of Music - his own favourite of the songs he recorded. It predates the film version.

Nasati Dharmayama wishes them a safe journey home. The word nasati is from the Proto-Indo-European for "safe return home". Dharma is Sanskrit for "cosmic law", while Yama is the Hindu god of justice who judges the souls of the dead in the Afterlife. Dharmayama can be translated as "holding firm to the law, the process of law".   

The story doesn't say so, but when Nasati is promoted to being an avatar on his earthly mission with Dennis, and Marcus is promoted to a judge in his stead, then Eleanor will naturally be promoted to Case Worker to replace Marcus. All her detective work was crucial!