In the middle of the room stood a creature of unearthly beauty.

A creature of regal elegance yet exuded a divine warmth.

A creature with wild, brilliant red hair and moonlight pale skin, clothed in gossamer white robes, falling barely half-way to its knees. White thigh-high boots cover its legs, while billowing sleeves slit from wrist to shoulder drape its arms.

Its eyes sparkle with starlight. Its golden circle glows on its forehead. Its bright red lips smile serenely.

David, Iman and Lexie can only gaze in wonder.

David cleared his throat, "Ziggy Stardust, I presume?"

Ziggy nodded, "I apologize for what my children have put your family through."

Iman's wonder wore off and quickly turned to anger, "Your 'children' tried to kill us!! How could such evil exist in such a good man??"

Ziggy bowed its head, lowering its eyes in apologetic sadness, "Evil exists in all human beings. All have the capacity to do terrible things--it is only the goodness in humans that keeps it in check."

David looks at Iman. Iman looks back, but with a good measure of fear and confusion. She clutches to Lexie.

Ziggy continues, "Even though it appeared that I 'died' almost three decades ago, I have always been aware of what went on within David's mind. Immediately after my 'death', a void appeared--a void the Thin White Duke tried to fill with greed, power and drugs. The void was created by lonliness..."

Ziggy carefully approached Iman, who tried to back away from the creature, "...but when you came into David's life, Iman, the void quickly dissapeared. A new energy--love--filled the void, and revitalized the body, and the mind. The Duke lied, David," Ziggy turns to David, "cigarettes don't fuel your creativity. Your creativity has always existed, right from the moment you were born. Whether you are conscious of it or not, it is the world and the people around you who inspire you. You are a chameleon, as they say."

David looks at the sweat-soaked piece of paper, still legible, containing the 'song,' "I was so afraid. I didn't know what else to do. I just started writing..."

Ziggy: "...and in doing so, you took away the Duke's power. It's one thing to be afraid, but you didn't give in."

David approaches Ziggy, staring intently at its face: "I can't believe I created you! All of you! This is just unbelievable!"

Ziggy blushes, "I caused quite a bit of trouble for you all those years ago. That's why I went away--to give away my energy to let other ideas grow."

David frowns, "But what happens now? I still can't remember anything. I'll have to start from scratch..."

Ziggy shook its head, "Not so. I will return to Suffragette City, and I'll take my children," points to its chest, "with me."

Iman interrupted, "Wait, if you go back, how do we know the Duke won't try to take over again? How do I know he won't hurt us again?"

Ziggy: "All the energies of the 'Bowies' are within me. When I return, I shall redistribute their energies, restoring the balance between Aladdin Sane and the Thin White Duke, and all the other personae. This episode will never happen again..."

Ziggy clasped David's face in his hands, "...and this will all seem like a bad dream..."

Iman: "Wait!"

Ziggy began to look annoyed, "What now?"

Iman: "How can you be so certain?"

Ziggy let go of David for a moment and looked into Iman's eyes, "Because he loves you and Lexie more than life itself. That power can defeat even the strongest of evils."

It's David's turn to blush.

Ziggy: "My children are telling me in my head, that when the body thinks of you, the sky shines brighter than daylight, and rose petals fall like rain, and the monkeybirds fly free across the sky..."

Iman: "O-kaaay...I guess I'll never fully understand what goes on in my darling's head, but that's why I love him." David takes Iman's hand in his.

Lexie gurgles and smiles.

Ziggy pets Lexie lightly on the head, "Take good care of Alexandria. The mind has certainly become a happier place because of her."

Iman, "David, do you mind...?"

David, "Mind what, darling?"

Iman takes Ziggy by the chin and gives him a peck on the lips.

Ziggy, "Oh my!"

Iman blushes, "I always wanted to do that."

Ziggy spins around to David, "Alright, master, your turn!"

David, "You mean...?"

Ziggy, "Mmm-hmm, pucker up, we're going home."

David, "Is this the only way?"

Ziggy cocked a non-existent eyebrow, "I could always try the back entrance..."

David, "THISWAYISFINETHANKYOU!!"

Ziggy laughs hard, with a musical melody.

Iman cups Lexie's ears, "Pay no attention to the dirty alien rock star."

Gently, Ziggy clasps David's head in its hands and plants a kiss. Bright light once again fills the room...

Outside the Cloisters...

"I can't wait any longer!!" Duncan get impatient, "I'm going in!" Despite the police's protest, Duncan charges through the gates, which now easily swing open. Duncan runs inside...

One of the officers sighs, "Bowie's got one crazy family..."

Another officer, "Look!" The dark clouds disperse and snow sprinkles to the ground.

Officer #1: "Snow? In August?"

Officer #2: "Hey? Do you smell peaches?"

Officer #1: "Kinda? Um, what are we all doing here?"

Office r#2: "I forgot. This is bad."

Suddenly, everyone at the scene forgot why they were at the Cloisters. The crowd outside slowly turned around and left. The snow continued to cover the entire island of Manhattan...

Inside...

The light blinds Duncan temporarily, but as soon as it fades...

"Dad?" Duncan finds David, Iman and Lexie in the garden.

David smiled at his son, "Will you stay in our lover's story..."

Duncan: "HEY!! You got your memory back!! But where's everyone else?"

David, "Who? Iman and Lexie are right here."

Duncan, "No I mean...eh? Darn it, I thought there were other people here, but I can't remember..."

Iman, "Why ARE we here? I though you were shooting the video at the Village, David?"

David shrugged, "I don't see the crew around...oh blast it all! This whole week's been one great big blur what with my headaches and all. Let's just go home."

As the four take to the city, Iman asks, "How is your head, by the way?"

David smiles, "Never better!"

Duncan, "Hey Dad, what's in your hand?"

David, "Oh...lyrics? Lucky I can still read them...I feel like I sweated five pounds off. What's today, anyway."

Duncan and Iman, "Sunday."

David nods, "...Sunday..."
***************************************************************************
Back in Suffragette City...

Ziggy Stardust walks through an empty city...

Through the Town Square...

Past the deli and beauty shop...

Past the Moonage Daydream tavern...

Past Celliers' and Nathan's offices...

Up the stairs to the Duke's castle...

Ziggy stops at the Duke's empty throne and with a wave of his hand, separates the Duke from his being. The dejected Thin White Duke plops like a rag doll onto his throne.

The Duke says, in his weary voice, "Why don't you just destroy me? I have nothing to live for."

Ziggy shook his head, "I can't be rid of you, although every remaining fiber of my being wants to be. We can't have good without evil, and besides, 'Station to Station' is a great album."

Ziggy stands over the Duke, as the thin wizard curls like a fetus into his throne in terror, "But be warned, Thin White Duke. Whether you know it or not, I am always watching. The body will have many album's worth of inspiration, without the cigarettes, and nothing, not even YOU can stop it. Because we will no longer tolerate your tantrums any longer!"

Ziggy turns on its tall heels and, in a cloud of stardust, disappears into the sky. The Duke, enrages, tries to conjure a lightning storm. He barely gets a spark. Horrified and defeated, The Duke curls back into his throne and weeps pitifully....

To be concluded!

Don't understand me, just love me

Edited by Kristin Machina on 10/06/03 09:23 AM (server time).