“Shane padded back to the couch and flopped, sucking on his own can of soda. Eve shot him an exasperated look. “Yeah, man, thanks for bringing me one, too.” The raccoon eye make-up exaggerated her eye roll. “Dork.”“Didn’t know if you wanted zombie dirt sprinkled on it or anything. If you’re eating this week.”

“Hey,” Shane said from the other side of the bars. “Trade you cigarettes for a chocolate bar.”Funny,” Eve said. She was almost back to her old unGothed self again, though there were still red splotches on her cheeks and around her eyes. “How come you’re always behind bars, troublemaker?”Look who’s talking. I didn’t try to outrun the cops in a hearse.”That hearse had horsepower.” Eve got that moony look in her eyes again. “I love that hearse.”

“I’m not a kid!” she told Shane hotly. “I’m only, like, a year younger than Eve!”“And girls are much more mature.” Eve nodded wisely. “So you’re about ten years older than Shane, then.”“Seriously,” Claire insisted. “I’m not a kid!”“Whatever you say, kid,” Shane said blandly. “Cheer up. Just means you don’t have to put up with me telling you how much sex I didn’t get.”“I’m telling Michael,” Eve warned.“About how much sex I didn’t get? Go ahead.”

“Anybody else think that was weird?' Shane asked as they got into the car. Eve sent him an exasperated glance; the three of them were, of course, in the backseat. Amelie had the front, with Michael.'Ya think? In general, or in particular?''Weird that we got through the entire thing, and I didn’t have to hit anybody.'There was a moment of silence. Michael said, as he started the car, 'You’re right, Shane. That is strange.”

“Fate" Eve said with a sigh"I'm not sure fate had to burn up your car to get the point across," Shane said, buckling his own seatbelt."No, not that. The hearse. I'm going to name it Fate."Shane stared at Eve for a long, long few seconds, then slowly shook his head. "Have you considered medication, or-"She flipped him off."Ah. Back to normal. Excellent.”

“Seriously, Shane? Ditto? That's the best you can do?"Shane and Michael exchanged identical looks and shrugs. Guys."Let me show you idiots how it's done," Eve said, and hugged Claire fiercely. She kissed her on the cheek. "I love you, CB. Please take care of yourself, okay?""I love you, too," Claire said, and suddenly her throat felt tight and her eyes burned with tears. "I really do."Shane and Michael watched them with identical expressions of blank bemusement, and finally Shane said, "So basically, it's what I said. Ditto.”

“Oh, hey, Claire,” she said, and blinked. “Where are you going?”“Funeral,” Shane said. On-screen, a zombie shrieked and died gruesomely.“Yeah? Cool! Whose?”“Hers.” Shane said.”