A/N: No reviews, no posts. I get it guys, it's really hard to understand why a story is supposed to be about Seth and I'm starting it across the whole country, but it changes. Only if you give it a chance to.

Chapter Two - The Light at the Edge of the World

"Bye Lizzy," Anna said devilishly, kissing me on the cheek before climbing into Vince's beaten up truck. She did a hand signal telling me to call her later. I was reminded for a moment of my impossibly gorgeous camaro sitting back at Mom's, but I couldn't dwell for long. I'd probably never get to drive it again.

Darrell wrapped his arm around my shoulders and we watched together as everyone packed up and shipped out. He'd told me I should hang around for a little while and help him finish off the case of beer in the fridge. I'd hung out over here a billion times before, sometimes just me and him and I'd even stayed the night a few times from passing out drunk on the couch - but this time seemed different. More important. And I wasn't the only one who noticed.

We went back inside and I turned on some Darkest Hour. It was what I liked to call 'melodic metal' and it was great for relaxing.

"So," I began, pausing to swig my beer. "You taking me home later?" I usually grabbed a ride with one of the others.

Ana and me promised the guys we wouldn't walk home after dark anymore after one night when some perverts tried to fuck with us. I'd kneed one in the balls repeatedly while Ana cracked the other guys skull with a rock, but they were still worried when we called them so shaken up from the altercation.

"Nah." He waved a hand. "Stay with me tonight."

I shrugged. "Okay."

"Did you like that show in Mo-town last weekend?"

I laughed. "Fuck yeah, it was awesome!" We'd eaten mushrooms and then wandered the streets until the bluegrass started. Then we were surrounded by hippies dancing their asses off. We joined in, of course. Darrell was really light on his feet for such a big guy.

"Remember when you and Jamie left to smoke? You asked him, 'You really want to leave these girls here with all these hoodlums?' and he told you - "

"I'm more worried for the hoodlums!!" Darrell repeated while we laughed together. "At least I kept you from getting kidnapped by hippies."

I put my hands on my hips. "They did not want to kidnap me. They are a peaceful peoples."

"Whatever," he retorted. "I bet if I'd taken my eyes off you for more than two seconds, that mandolin player would've snatched you right up!"

"Hey! You said I was a beautiful flower and that everyone needs a muse on stage," I reminded him. His answering smile was so wonderful I visibly froze up for a moment. I collected myself and went to sit beside him at the table. He scooted his chair out and patted his leg for me to sit there. It wasn't unusual in our group, we all always did things like that.

"Legs... you're one of my best friends, aren't you?"

"Of course," I answered instantly, thinking over all the great times we'd had together.

His fingers danced lightly up my arm. "And you know I trust you more than anyone else, right?"

"I trust you, too."

He moved his mouth to just below my ear. "And you find me attractive, don't you?" He caught me off guard with that one, and his breath sent shivers across my heated skin.

"Yes," I breathed, the situation changing abruptly in my eyes from a friendly hang out to something much more significant. I started looking back over the past few months, seeing every word, every action in a new light. Darrell wanted me. Bad.

God, for such a smart girl I could be pretty dumb sometimes.

"So go out with me then," he said nonchalantly, while the way his big hands caressing my skin gave him away.

I turned my head to look at his face now, wondering if I would see more there now than I had before. 'The Light at the Edge of the World' started playing and it clicked into place then.

I wrapped my little hand around the back of his head and brought my lips to his, my body easily melting into his. It felt good. It felt right.

So many things ran through my mind then, things that would be there to stand in our way. His music career, his playboy lifestyle, his drug addiction. My own haunting past that loved popping into the present whenever given the oppurtunity. But none of it mattered. All there was was him and me, and we would make it. No matter what happened, we'd have eachother.

I'd never realized so much with one simpe kiss. Hell, I'd never realized so much in a full day. But he saw it too, I could tell when we stopped to breathe.

He placed his forehead against mine for a moment. "Is that a yes?"

"Yes," I laughed. "Definitely."

"Good. Because I've been in love with you for.... well, forever. Since we met anyways," he chuckled, still breathless.

"Really? Was it before or after I fucked you?" I teased.

"Before," he clarified. "That just cemented it for me. Sorry again, by the way," he said, still just slightly ashamed from our first encounter.
My last real boyfriend had a love for dark whiskey and cocaine, and for my current favorite band. I'd heard about "Darrell this" and "Ritchie that" for months, though he never even alluded to the fact that they all hated him. They'd seen the side of him that I got to know all too well. I wasn't even sure if they were still playing around here.

So one night, free of Jess, I finally met the infamous Darrell.

We'd met at a friends house, and I was so drunk I'm surprised I remember it right. I was good at not letting onto that fact, though, after years of practice with Mom and school. I got into his pants after a few hours, him not realizing how trashed I was. We never did anything again, just stayed friends, and he never even told anybody about that first night - showing me how trustworthy he really was. He'd always kind of felt bad, though. He said he felt like he'd taken advantage.

"Man, don't sweat that shit. I would've fucked you sober if you'd shown up a few hours earlier," I laughed. I was kind-of-sort-of the one who took a little advantage. I knew it would piss Jess off if he heard about it, so as soon as I found out who he was I had my intentions planned. It changed though, once I got to know him; he was sexy. And really awesome.

He looked up, his eyes shining. "Really? Then why the hell have I been working so hard this whole time?"

"Because I've been quite the idiot," I told him, embarassed all over again.

"You didn't know?" I nodded. "Damn, I thought you were just dissin' the shit out of me on a daily basis," he laughed. "I figured maybe you liked making me a punk all the time."

"Ummm... no. Sorry about that. I mean, I get it now I just didn't think a thing of it before." I fidgeted a little, nervous that I'd made him a bit mad. In my experience, it was not at all a good idea to make a man angry with you. And that's coming from a tough motherfucker.

He wasnt mad though. He seemed really happy, actually. He wrapped his arms tighter around me and stuck his nose into my hair, breathing me into himself. It was kind of poetic and beautiful, really.

"Well, I wish I could get you naked again after all this time, but you've been drinking since you got up this morning..."

I laughed. "Alright, I'll stay sober tomorrow, just for you. On alcohol, anyways. Want to do a bean and smoke some pot?"

"You're speakin' my language, beautiful," he smiled and pecked me on the cheek before I stood up.

A few hours later, it had still been months since I'd had sex, even though I was naked with two huge arms wrapped around my tiny frame. I had been laying here for hours listening to Darrell snore softly, trying to relax and get some rest but it was impossible.

I was happy. This felt right. But.... And isn't there always a but somewhere?

But I felt like something was off at the same time. Not Darrell or anything, I'd known him and all his friends and family for a long time now. Maybe it wasn't even directly related to me at all. Just.... something was wrong with the world right now. It was making me antsy.

So antsy that when Darrell very softly whispered, "Baby," in my ear, I jumped and almost had a heart attack. He woke up more then and sat up a little.

"What's wrong, Liz?" He sounded worried.

"I don't know," I told him honestly. "Something's making me feel kind of nervous. I'm just not sure what."

His lips smiled, just slightly. "Just try to relax and get a little sleep," he whispered as he pulled me in closer and moved his hand slowly up and down the side of my naked body. "I'm sure everything is fine."

And with that I slipped into a noisy, restless sleep. I dreamt of wolves.... wolves that roamed woods silently at night, moving at speeds incapable of anything I'd ever seen. It had been a good few years since I'd visited the zoo, but I was completely sure wolves were not supposed to be the size of horses.....

Those dreams haunted me for a very long time.