A/N: This is just a little thing written in Heath's POV from the beginning of 'Marked'. I'm a big Heath fan. My cousins have got the books right now so I'm not entirely positive I've got the truck information correct, but if I don't I'm sorry. I'll make sure to look it up and edit if needed when the books come back into my possession.

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from the House of Night series belongs to P.C. and Kristin Cast. I'm simply exploring with their characters and having a bit of fun.

"Stop!" I screamed and hollered as Dustin drove away from the spot Drew and him had just kidnapped me from. I hit and kicked and shoved the back of Drew's seat, cursing Dustin for not having four doors on his damn truck. "Let me go back to Zoey!"

"No way man," Dustin shook his head.

"Yeah," Drew added on. "She's one of them now."

"NO!" I hollered, satisfied when they both flinched at the anger in my voice. "That's Zoey! She's my Zo! Bring me back to her!"

"She's not the same anymore," Drew shook his head, ignoring my demand. "She's been marked."

"I DON'T CARE!" I roared. "STOP THE DAMN TRUCK!"

I'm not sure if it was the urgency or anger in my voice, but they must have decided they'd gotten me far enough away from her so Dustin pulled over. Dustin and Drew shared a quick look before taking a deep breath each and turning back to me.

"Look Heath, you know we've always liked Zoey," Drew started.

"Yeah, she has always been real great and all," Dustin helped him out.

"But she's going away now. She's one of those freaks."

"Zoey is not a freak!" I snapped instantly in defense. Nobody talked bad about my Zo in front of me.

"I'm just telling it like it is," he held his hands up as if to say 'don't blame me'.

I didn't really care what they thought of Zoey. I've never cared what anyone thought of her before and I won't start now. So she's got a new tattoo on her forehead and she's going to be changing a bit. Big deal, she'll still be my Zo. And I needed to tell her that. I knew there was only one way I'd be able to get out of this truck so I heaved a sigh and rubbed my face with my hands.

"Why'd it have to be her?" I asked quietly, not having to put much effort into faking the anguish in my voice. I mean, my girlfriend was going to have to go away now and it's never been fun being away from her, especially since I know she'll be gone for a long time this time.

"We know," Drew shook his head sympathetically, reaching behind the seat to put a hand on my shoulder. "Nothing can be done now though. It's too late."

"Yeah," I mumbled. "I guess."

"Want another drink to get it off your mind?" Dustin asked with a small smirk, offering comfort the only way he really knew how.

"Sure Dust, that'll help."

He climbed out of the cab and went back to the cooler in the bed of the truck. I watched him and as soon as his head was hidden behind the lid of the little cooler he had back there I shoved his seat forward and climbed out the door he'd left open.

"Heath no!" Drew called, trying in vain to reach me. "Shit! Dustin he's making a break for it!"

I was just cutting across the street when I heard Dustin's heavy footsteps behind me. "Fuck Heath! You don't know what you're dealing with! Don't make me chase you!"

"Don't bother!" I called back, not pausing in my run. "You're not going to catch me!" I bent my head and ran as fast as my legs would let me, ignoring all their calls. Eventually his footsteps grew quieter until I couldn't hear them at all and I grinned in triumph. Now I could go see Zoey. I was only a few blocks from the school now and then everything would be okay.

Except when I reached the parking lot my heart stopped. Her little old bug wasn't parked in it's spot anymore. She'd left. I couldn't let her get to the House of Night with out saying my proper goodbye to her though so I turned and ran again. I'd never been so happy that coach had run so many drills to increase our stamina than right now. It was going to be quite a run to her house from here but I'd do it. I was half way there when I heard the sound of that stupid truck finally finding me.

"Don't be an idiot Heath!" Drew called, hanging out the passenger's side window. "Get back in the truck!"

"Never!" I laughed, slight insanity slipping into my tone. I didn't care; I was desperate. I took a sharp left turn (again thankful for all my football drills, I wasn't the star quaterback for nothing you know) and dashed across whoever's yard I was in before hopping the fence and taking off through back yards. I heard one of the truck doors shut before it's engine revved and took off but I couldn't be bothered to figure out what they were doing. I had to concentrate on where I was going because this detour was making it take more time. It was just lucky that I knew the whole area enough not to really get confused where I was going.

It was when I was trying to climb over the McKinley's obnoxiously high fence that I heard him. Like an idiot I faultered and turned back to see what was going on and that's when Drew ripped me off the fence and tackled me to the ground.

"Fuck Drew," I snapped, fighting against him. "Why can't you just let me go?"

"No," he said simply but firmly. "And you might as well stop struggling, you know you won't get up."

I reluctantly stopped struggling and hoped that maybe that'd make him loosen his hold but he didn't budge for even a second. He was smarter then I thought he'd be.

"Why don't you understand that I need to see her?" I asked.

"Look Heath," he sighed. "If anybody knows what you feel for Zoey it's me. You know that right?" I nodded reluctantly; he'd been in love with his girlfriend for several years, not as many as Zo and me, but more then anyone else around here. "And I know how bad you want to see her, I'd probably be freaking out too if it were Alyson instead of Zoey. You can't honestly tell me though that if it had been Alyson you wouldn't be stopping me from going to see her. You'd be doing exactly what I am now."

"If you can sit here and say you'd be doing the same thing as me if it were Alyson how can you not let me go?" I asked desperately. The longer he held me here the more chance of Zoey being gone there was.

"Because you need to understand that once someone goes to the House of Night, they don't come back."

"And still, you won't let me say goodbye."

He shook his head over me. "You didn't see the way she was looking at you when you were bleeding. It wasn't natural, Heath. It was fucking freaky."

I sighed and closed my eyes. "I don't care Drew," I told him honestly. I opened my eyes and locked mine on his, speaking very seriously. "I've never cared less about anything then I do about her being marked or how it'll effect her. Nothing will change the fact that I love her. Nothing will change the fact that I want to be with her the rest of my life. It's been that way for years. Third grade," I reminded him, "I fell in love in the third grade and I've loved her ever since. And she loves me too. This won't change that."

He was quiet for several moments and I knew he was thinking over what I'd said and what his options were. I tried to refrain from struggling against him knowing that if I fought he'd just reinforce his hold on me. It felt like an eternity had past when he hung his head and sighed. "I can't Heath."

"Please?" I asked pathetically. I didn't want it to have to come to this, but I wasn't about to give up with out trying all my options, even begging. "Drew, please. You know, you know that if it were Alyson I'd let you go. Even if I resisted at first, I'd let you go if you were determined. And I'm determined. I know she has to go, but I can't let her go without saying goodbye. Please don't deny me saying goodbye to her. Who knows when I'll even see her again."

"Damn it Heath!" he groaned, releasing one of my shoulders and slamming his fist in to the ground beside my head. "Go, but Dustin'll be waiting there for you."

The second he released me fully I was on my feet and moving again. I paused only long enough to sincerely thank him and then I was over the fence. I hopped the other side of the McKinley's fence with ease and shot straight through the rest of the yards that were thankfully fenceless. I hit the end of the street and was on the road again. Quick look around and I didn't see Dustin's truck anywhere, perfect. Only two blocks now.

When I finally reached her street my heart stopped again. There was Dustin's truck, coming right for me, and there was her car, driving away down the road. There was no way I could get past Dustin and stop her in time. I knew the second I stepped into Dustin's range he'd restrain me. So I stopped. I couldn't catch her; it wasn't possible. She was already so much farther away. I stood there breathing heavily, just watching her car until it turned a corner and was out of sight. She left and I didn't get to say goodbye.

"Get in the truck," Dustin demanded as he pulled the truck up next to me. I blinked and turned to him. I just stared at him a few minutes until I heard footsteps behind me.

"What'd I miss?" Drew asked, walking up casually to stand beside me.

"She's gone," I said quietly. "I missed her." There was a very real chance my eyes would start to water in the next few minutes and none of us wanted that to happen.

"Hey," Drew said, clapping a hand on my shoulder sympathetically. "You'll figure something out."

"Seriously man, have that drink now," Dustin grinned, holding a can of beer out the window to me. I accepted the drink and climbed back in the truck. Drew was right, I'd figure something out. I would see Zoey again. I'd make sure of that.

A/N: Thanks for reading! And sorry if you think his character is off. When it comes to Zoey I kind of picture him doing anything.