AN: so... I literally finished the book like half an hour ago and just had to start this..... It picks up right where the book left Sam and Astrid. I don't own anything... (Well, besides the plot)

Astrid P.O.V.

I held Sam's hand as we walked toward the beach. All the images of the fight still raced through my head, no matter how hard I tried to force them stop.

Sam whispered something in my ear, drawing me out of my trace. "were here." The words echoed softly in my mind, finally giving me some relief from the horrible images. He led me to a spot on the beach, just out of the almost-nonexistent Waves

reach. I sat, leaning completely into him. I felt his chin bury it's self in my hair. I was just about to kiss him when he stared to say something. I stopped and listened.

"I-I guess I should tell you what happened,when Caine and I almost blinked. You need to know in case something happens to me." "nothing is going to-" he cut me off.

"I don't know that. I need to tell you how to beat it."

"alright. But if you're gone I'm not going to stay." I consented, knowing it had to happen sooner or later.

"I'll try my hardest to be there. Anyways, when you start to blink, time stands absolutely still. But, you almost don't notice, because your mother or father is right there. Talking, arms out reached as if to hug you. You HAVE to refuse. No matter

how convincing they are, don't believe them. Think of me, think of now here on the beach. It will give you enough strength to say no. After a while what ever the thing is that makes that illusion, gives up and you're free again. Can you do that?"

I processed the information quickly. "Yes." I reached up to touch his cheek with my right hand. "Let's give me something more to remember." He thought about that for two seconds. I turned a little to look at his face, worried I had said something

wrong.

Just then, he flipped me around and kissed me firm on the mouth. "okay." His voice was almost glee-full as he moved to kiss my ear. Before he reached his target I pulled his face back to mine, and forced my lips to his passionately. Too passionately.

He fell backwards suddenly, landing with a thud on the sand. I broke the kiss and sat up a little. "oww.." He muttered, I noticed his head had bumped into a small rock that was partially embedded in the sand.

"Oh! I'm so sorry. Here, let me see how bad it is." I moved my hand behind his head to feel the small bump that was forming. No blood. thank goodness.

I was just about to pull my hand back when I pulled me down onto him, our noses only a half-an inch apart. "so... what exactly does elliptical mean?" He said as he started to play with my hair.

"well... I guess I can tell you, obscure or ambiguous." He pulled me closer, if that was even possible, and said, "so, what exactly is obscure about this."

"Hm... well, we're two teenagers, with super-human powers, stuck in a dome with no adults, kissing on a beach with no waves, after nearly dying in a battle the night before. If that's not weird I don't know what is."

"good point, but I have seen worse. Orc, for example." He tilted his head toward town. AN image of the almost-all rock Orc, flashed across my mind.

"you're right." I stared down at him, looking deep into his eyes, almost as if I was seeing his soul. We lay there for a while, just thinking to our selves, when a though struck me. "So.... what exactly were you thinking about me that held you here."

His answer surprised me, I thought he would say, when we kissed after Bette's burial, instead he simply said "I was thinking of how beautiful you looked when you said that you loved me. Your golden hair hanging in messy waves around your

face, that perfect face..." He trailed off, as he stared into my eyes again. My thoughts went wild.

What if I didn't look like this, what if I looked more like Diana? Would he still love me then? I pictured myself as Diana, dark and brunet.I was still thinking of me as Diana when Sam shook my shoulder harshly. I looked down to see a look of pure fear

and worry on his face.

"WHAT IS IT?!?" I practically yelled as I jumped up, looking around for danger. Seeing, nothing I spun back around to face Sam.

He was standing also, looking at me critically. I rushed forward, but he backed away the closer I got. "Sam, what is it? What did I do?" I asked pleadingly from my spot fie feet away from him. It was too far, all I wanted was to be in his arms.

"Astrid? Is it really you?" His question amazed me, how could he think I was someone different?!

"Of course. Who else would I be?"

"Well, I could have sworn, there for a second you looked exactly like Diana."

"I can assure you it's me."

"hmmm... I think it's you, but just to be on the safe side, what happened that night in the woods after the boat chase?" I knew exactly what he was talking about.

"I told you about when Drake hit me, and you used your anger to burn a tree."

"It is you." he breathed, taking the two steps forward to hold me again.

"What do you think happened?" He asked when we were back where we had started before I had scarred him.

"Well, I was thinking about what would happen if I looked like Diana, and well I did."

"Hmmmm.. I wonder if you could do it again? Try thinking of anyone this time."

I closed my eyes and concentrated, I tried look like Computer Jack.

After a minute of no response, I switched to trying to look like Edilio. Sam gasped, and I dropped the thought quickly. I opened my eyes to see him staring at me in amazement.

"Do you have any idea how weird it is thinking that I have Edilio laying across my chest? If you hadn't of stopped looking like him I might have pushed you off." I laughed quietly.

"So, I guess Edilio worked, but Computer Jack didn't. I wonder what the difference was.." I thought about it quietly, mindlessly running my fingers through his hair.

"have you ever touched Computer Jack?" I really wasn't following him.

"I don't think so... but I can't be sure."

"I think you can only look like a person if you have touched them. Try someone you have never touched without a doubt."

I closed my eyes again and pictured Sam's mom from the pictures I had seen in his house. No reaction.

"okay, I think your theory is correct."

"wow, that's a first." He laughed and pulled me closer. Just then a loud scream echoed down to us. "FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

AN: so, yeah, It's a cliffy.... I know it's not fair. I'll update as soon as i can. I just wanted to get this put up. Please tell me what you think!!!!!!!!! R&R!!