AN: Random little fic-let. I haven't read Diamond of Darkhold yet so don't kill me!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
-------xOx-------
Lina sighed as she gazed up at the stars. Nearly four years she'd been in this world, and yet, she couldn't get used to the strange, ethereal beauty of the stars. They seemed to say, as the twinkled down at her, "You are not alone in the world."
"Beautiful…" sighed a familiar, startling voice behind her, making her jump. She turned around to see her best friend, Doon Harrow, approaching her from behind. The light from the half moon glinted off of his dark hair. Lina was suddenly struck by how handsome he was – when had that happened? She wondered.
"W-what?" she asked, struggling to regain her train of thought.
Doon smiled a little bit. "The stars," he said, gesturing upward.
"Oh," said Lina, her head clearing a bit, "Yes, they are."
Doon came closer, and sat down on the wet grass. He patted the spot next to him, and Lina came over and sat. He looked at her, the moon reflected, tiny, in his dark eyes. "So," he said, smiling a little bit, "What were you thinking about, before I came out here and scared you?"
"I-I was…" Lina began, but then she realized with a start that she had been thinking about Doon, and she certainly didn't want to tell him that. He'd probably think she was weird.
Doon raised an eyebrow at her. "Well?"
"I-I was just thinking…" said Lina, trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice, "That, no matter how long I stay here, I'm never going to get used to the stars…"
Doon smiled again, but this time like he knew she was lying. "You know Lina," he said, casually, not looking at her, "You're a terrible liar." Lina sighed. "So," said Doon, looking at her, "What were you really thinking about?"
Lina contemplated fibbing again, but it was hard enough for her to lie when no one was looking at her, but sitting there, with Doon staring straight at her, she knew it would be impossible. She looked down, she looked at the sky, where the stars twinkled back at her, then she looked at Doon. "I…I was thinking about…you," she admitted.
She didn't know what she'd expected Doon to do, but it was not what he did. He looked her in the eye, and smiled widely. "Well," he said, "Isn't that ironic?"
"What is?" asked Lina, thoroughly confused.
"I was thinking about you before I found you," he admitted. "I wasn't looking for you," he added, "Just wandering around."
Lina smiled, feeling a bit braver. "What were you thinking about me?" she asked, looking up at him.
It was Doon's turn to be evasive. "W-well…I…uh…"
Lina smiled and laughed a little bit, "Come on, Doon! You made me tell you!"
Doon gave a shaky laugh. "Well…when I said 'beautiful' a minute ago…I wasn't actually talking about the stars."
Lina beamed at him. "D-did you really mean…"
"Yes, I did mean that…" said Doon, looking down, his face burning red – Lina could see that, even in the darkness.
Lina glowed. "Thank you, Doon," she said, and leaned over and kissed him on his burning cheek.
Doon looked up, his courage returning. He smiled and said lightly, "You missed."
And then he kissed her full on the mouth.
-------xOx-------
"LINA!" cried a high, slightly whiny voice. Neither of them stirred. Torren came tearing across the fields, calling her name at the top of his lungs. He was crabby at being dragged from bed, far too early, by the Doctor only to be told he was being sent out to look for Lina, who hadn't been in her bed this morning, and whom no one could find. The wet, dewy grass dampened the hems of his pants, and soaking into his socks.
When he found Lina, she was going to catch it so bad...
-------xOx-------
"Doon!" called Lizzie. "Doon!"
Of course SHE would be sent out, too early, to look for the stupid boy. Why HAD she volunteered? This was going to be impossible...
"Doon!" She cried again. "Doon, where are you!?"
-------xOx-------
"Doon!"
"LINA!"
The two in the grass heard their names being called, but it didn't seem to register with them, because when the two searchers rounded the top of the hill, they were greeted with a sight that, although not entirely unexpected, was something that neither of them wanted to see.
Lizzie, coming from the Pioneer Hotel, was the first to see it. Torren, from the village, was the second.
At first, all Lizzie saw was a huddled shape in the grass, not even definable as a person. So when one side of the shape sat up and looked around, she was startled to see...
"Lina!"
Then someone on the other side sat up and looked around. It was Doon.
Lizzie ran down the hill, but on the other side, the town side, of the meadow, there was a shrill cry of "LINA!" And Torren came bolting toward them.
Lina and Doon were wrapped tightly together, covered by Doon's jacket. Lizzie didn't want to think that, but that might have been ALL they were covered by.
Lina sat bolt upright, and pulled Doon's overlarge coat tight around her. 'Oh no...' Lizzie thought, 'They didn't...' It certainly looked like they had...
Doon still had - thankfully - enough of the coat to cover him, and Lizzie could see the dew glinting off his bare chest in the morning sunlight as he sat up. Although she'd never admit it out loud, she thought he did look handsome like that - his hair rumpled, eyes slightly glazed from sleep. She could see why Lina had done what she'd done.
Then she saw Torren approaching from behind the two, and she darted toward him.
"Torren, go home," she said, sternly.
"But I'm supposed to bring Lina back!" he wailed.
"Go home," said Lizzie, "Tell the Doctor and that she's on her way home."
Torren grumbled something and stalked off back toward town.
Lizzie came toward Lina and Doon, still sprawled on the ground, covered with a coat, and looking up at her apologetically.
"I don't want to know what happened last night," Lizzie said, coldly. "I'm going back to the Pioneer. People are looking for you two. Doon, I want you back at the Hotel in ten minutes. Lina, the Doctor is looking for you." And with that, she turned and walked away in the direction of the Emberite's camp.
Lina looked at Doon and said, "I think...we're in trouble."
Doon smiled a little. "I think we are too," he said.
"We-we should probably go back..."
And so they dressed, and Doon pulled his coat back on.
He looked at her then, really looked, and saw how worried she looked. He reached out and pulled her close, enfolding her small body in his strong arms. They just stood there for a moment, not speaking, not moving, before Lina began to pry herself away.
"Doon, we really have to get back now..." she said. She reached up on her tip-toes and kissed him gently, before fleeing back toward the village.
-------xOx-------
So, dear readers, you be the judges! Should I leave it, or should I keep going?? Tell me! R&R!
~SotD