"You managed to escape Mike?"

Rudy nodded,"And it was hard"

"Alot of questions?" Ellie slipped her arm through his

"I guess"

"There's this place in Seattle, we can take the ferry" she said quickly.
"Be back tonight"

Rudy shook his head,"Can we talk?"

"Yeah" she nodded,letting go of his arm, and skidding down the hill
behind her house,"Follow me"


"Ellie?"

Her pale white arms were the only thing telling her apart from the shadows
of the dark trees."Over here"

Rudy listened for footsteps, her breathy gasps.


"What's wrong Rudy? Can't find me?" Ellie held her skirt up in her hands,
shoes dangling from her wrist.

***************************
Under a blackened sky,
Far beyond the glareing streetlights,
Sleeping on empty dreams,
The vultures lie in wait.
****************************
He ran his fingers through his hair,"We can't do this"

"Do what?" Ellie poked her head out from behind a tree.

Rudy chuckled,"This. Me and you"

She raised an eyebrow,"Peek a boo?"

"Ellie, I'm serious"

Ellie stopped, walking out from behind the tree.

Rudy jumped up from where he was crouching, to remove the pieces
of leaves stuck in her hair.He gently touched the side of her face.


"Because it interfers with work?" Ellie said quietly, holding his hand
to her face,"Because we're both professionals, and I keep stringing Mike
along.."


He closed his eyes, wrinkling his forehead,"I guess"

"Okay"

Rudy's eyes flew open,"What?"

"I said okay"
****************************
You lay down beside me then,
You were with me every waking hour,
So close I could feel your breath.
****************************
"You're just...."

She nodded,walking calmly down to the lake."You don't want to do this anymore,
I'm cool with it" Ellie let her dress fall from her shoulders

"Ellie! What are you doing?" Rudy swallowed hard,"You can't..."


"It's private property" Ellie stepped calmly out of her dress,"I can do
whatever I like"

"I..I should go"

Ellie dipped her foot into the shallow part of the lake,"Stay"

"I..I can't" he turned his eyes down to his shoes,"You know that"

"But you want to, don't you?" Ellie smirked as she walked further into
the water.

He closed his eyes, sighing loudly
*****************************
When all we wanted was to dream
To have and to hold that precious little thing.
Like every generation yields
a newborn hope unjaded by the years.
*****************************
"What if, by the time you open your eyes" the water was up to her neck,
"I was gone?"

Rudy opened his eyes at the sound of a soft splash,"ELLIE!" he
yelled,"Ellie! God..Ellie!"


The lake stood perfectly still

"It's not funny Ellie!" he yelled, throwing his jacket down on the damp
earth.Rudy kicked off his shoes, running into the water with a splash.

"They say" Ellie sighed loudly

"That's not funny" Rudy glared

"They say this lake houses mermaids" she snaked one arm around his chest

Rudy shook his head,"You don't know..."

"Were you worried?" Ellie tucked her limp wet hair behind her ears,
and swum around in front of him."Rudy?"

"You always.." he sighed loudly,"I don't know where to look.." he chuckled
embarrassed.

"Try my eyes"
***************************
Pressed up against the glass,
I found myself a warming sympathy,
To be consumed again,
Oh, I know would be the death of me
****************************

He rested his head on her shoulder while Ellie unbuttoned his shirt.

"You're quiet" she chuckled softly

"Well.." Rudy blushed as Ellie leaned over and kissed him

"It's a good thing.." she slipped the shirt off over his shoulders,
wrapping his arms around her,"Now.." Ellie held onto Rudy tightly,
"Ready?"

He nodded as she grabbed ahold of his hips

"Kiss me"

Rudy raised an eyebrow

"Kiss me.."

He grabbed her face in his hands pulling her closer to him.Rudy took
a deep breath, and grabbed her lips with his teeth.

She threw her head back...


"You're beautiful" he muttered

Ellie leaned up, smiling.

"Ellie?"

Her eyes got wide. Rudy closed his eyes, his bare back to the voice.

"Rudy?? Is that you?"

"H..hey Mike"