A/N: I'm making this three chapters. We have some drama coming up =)

Disclaimer: night world belongs to lj smith

The rest of my day was uneventful. I mostly sat around the house and did nothing. That night, I decided to go to the movies to see Star Trek because Star Trek was awesome.

So that's what I did. The movie was awesome just like it looked but it had a lot more humor than the original series did. And they changed they famous saying from "To boldly go where no man has go before" to "To boldly go where no one has gone before" so I was going home mad because they can't just change it! What kind of person would do that? That's not a true fan!

As I was walking home, because I didn't like driving on our roads, I got the feeling I was being watched or followed, and that was the most uncomfortable feeling ever because you never knew if it was true or not.

I looked around and didn't see anyone that looked suspicious but that never meant anything. Most of the time people didn't look suspicious and then BAM, the girl ends up raped or murdered or something horrible like that. Cliché but whatever it's true.

The street I was on had lots of ally's but they weren't like the trashy rape ally. They were the friendly ally's where boys took girls to make out or something along them lines. But when you feel like you're being followed, you never like an ally.

I was walking by one of them ally's when someone came out of the crowd and dragged me in the ally and out of the crowd. I tried to scream but whoever it was hand their hand over my mouth. There was something particular about the feeling swarming around my head. It was familiar. It was that tingly feeling that I got when Ash grabbed my wrists them two times. Ash. Not again!

I bit his hand. "Ouch! What was that for!"

"For grabbing me! Why are you following me?!" I shouted.

"Shh! I'm not following you now shut up and keep quiet!" He tried to grab me but I moved away.

"No! Why are you following me?!"

"If you keep quiet I'll tell you! But I need you to be quiet and cooperate!" I crossed my arms and glared at him but I kept quiet and he seemed to be listening for something. Couldn't imagine what. Before I knew it, Ash had grabbed me and pinned me against the wall with his hand over my mouth again. "Shh, just cooperate for once in your life." He sounded serious so I did. There was a little bit of light from the street lights shinning in the ally and it was enough for me to see his face.

He looked concerned and alert. He was tense. And his eyes seemed like they couldn't settle on one color. After what felt like forever, he finally relaxed and let my mouth go and I was free to spout my mouth as I pleased. He only backed away a few inches, and he was still pretty close.

"Now tell me, what was that for?" I asked, annoyed.

"You were being followed."

"I know, by you, why?"

"It wasn't me! It was just a coincidence that I picked up on you being followed!" he said quickly. "Just let me explain!"

"Alright, go, you got one minute," I said and looked at my watch.

"You were being followed, but not by me, by some strong authority figures from my world."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know them people and what they look like. I read their thoughts and they know you know and they were looking for you, and they found you, so they were following you," he explained quickly.

"Why were you following me?"

"I wasn't! I only…" he trailed off.

"Well go on," I persisted.

"I wasn't following you ok? It's only a big ironic coincidence that I was around."

"Wait," I said, finally figuring it out. "You just saved my life." I saw his eyes drop to the ground.

"I helped prolong your life, not save it," he said.

"You still saved my life, why? You could of let them kill me and it would eliminated me from being a problem but you didn't! You were protecting me."

Ash sighed. "I'm protecting you because I realize that Kestrel was right. About you being my soul mate. I may not like it but I don't want anything happening to you until I figure it out."

"I thought you didn't believe in all that soul mate stuff?"

"It's hard not to believe it when every time I touch you, it feels like electricity going through my arm. Don't tell me you don't feel it too because you do."

"So what? You're only prolonging my life because I'm your so called soul mate and you want to figure it out and when you do, then what? You let me die? Because you know, that makes a whole lick of sense."

"I never said I wanted you to die," he said quietly. "Besides, they wouldn't kill you nicely." I rolled my eyes.

"Can I go home now?"

"Go ahead, just watch your back."

"And you better watch yours too," I unnecessarily threatened. "Wait, what about Todd?" I asked because Todd knew too and if they found me and knew that I knew, they had to know about Todd.

"Todd's got Jade, Kestrel and Rowan protecting him. You don't need to worry." I wasn't so sure, but I walked out of the ally and into the brightly lit streets. I looked back over my shoulder and saw Ash still standing there, looking miserable and vulnerable. I shrugged and walked home.

I didn't sleep very good that night. I dreamt of vampires and not good thing's about them either. I also dreamt of Ash. But I forgot about that when I woke up the next morning. The only reason I woke up the next morning because Todd came over and woke me up and asked me to come over to Jade's house. I grudgingly got up and did. Ash was there.

"So, we have a problem here," Rowan said when I walked in. "Night world authority is tracking down these two. They already attempted to get ahold of one last night but thanks to Mr. Ash here, that was averted," she added smugly. "What are we going to do?"

"Claim they don't know anything? It is possible for them to shield their minds. Simple," Jade suggested, standing by Todd protectively.

"But they already know about you and Todd, Jade. You can't hide that," Rowan said.

"What they don't know about is Ash and Ashlie. So we could probably protect her," Kestrel added. Ash glanced at me.

"If push comes to shove, we can always run away from here," Ash said. Everyone turned and looked at him.

"We?" Rowan asked.

"I meant you guys," he said quickly. "As in you, Kestrel, Jade and Todd."

"And what about you?"

"Me? I'll make up something about where you guys went and then go home."

"Oh you are so thick Ash, I'm not stupid, I can see how much you've changed since you realized that Ashlie, a human girl, is your soul mate. You care now. You may not see it or want to admit it, but it's true, Ash. Maybe you'll realize one day that you're still the kid you used to be," she said sourly. Everyone looked at Ash and starred at him. He did seem to of changed. A little. He cared what happened to his sisters and possibly me.

"That's not important right now," he said, shrugging off what she had said.

Needless to say, I was at the Redfern's house all day helping them come up with plans and what not. And learning to shield your mind but that's an ordeal we'll leave out.

I was out in the backyard when Ash came out. "Rowans right. I have changed," he said. "I don't want to admit it but I am changing."

"Why are you telling me for?"

"Because I think you should know."

"Why would I care?"

"You shouldn't be out here alone either."

"Since when do you care?"

"I told you I was changing. It's difficult because I've always thought of humans as-"

"Play things and food. I know."

"The thing is though, since I met you, you're the reason I'm changing, and I know this is going to sound pathetic and weird, but I seem to love you sort of desperately," he said, kicking at some dirt on the ground.

"You sound pathetic."

"I know. But I can't help it. I've tried to get rid of the….feelings I have for you but nothing worked."

"It's not very flattering to have someone tell you they love you against their will and character so I advise you to shut up."

"It's true though. You know it."

"Well I didn't ask for any of this soul mate crap. I hate you, you hate me. End of story. We're wrong for each other and what ever higher force deals with this stuff is stupid to make us soul mates."

"We're more alike than you think."

"Oh yeah? How?"

"For one, we're both sarcastic. And we both keep denying the fact that this thing between us is real."

"We're nothing alike. Both physically and mentally."

"Yes we are. You're tall, I'm tall. You're lanky, I'm lanky."

"That's not what I meant."

"What did you mean then?"

"I meant you're stronger and faster than me. We're not on an equal level. There's no way to deal with you on an equal level."

"If you had wood, you could." I rolled my eyes. "You could get rid of me with one good push to the heart." He walked over to a tree and broke off a branch and handed it to me.

"And you would let me kill you without a fight?"

"Yes."

"You're lying."

"I'm not." I wanted to test him, so I pushed the stick against his chest, near his heart. He didn't make any move to stop me so I pushed him against a tree and held him gently there with the stick. "I actually only meant if you were serious," he said, swallowing hard.

"Now look who's pinned against a tree," I teased.

"That can change in a heart beat." As if to prove his point, he knocked the stick out of my hand and practically slammed me against the tree. "See? Unlike you, I can get out of situations easily." This seemed to be a recurring theme. Him pinning me against some object. It was kind of sexy. I glared at him.

"That's not fair."

"Life's not fair,"' he teased. "You see? If you would except the fact that we're completely right for each other, we wouldn't have to go through this."

"Maybe it's funner to go through this," I stated, regretting it as soon as it came out of my mouth.

"So it's only an act."

"Just like you're whole life's been an act. Like Rowan was saying. You never used to be like this, you were. It's a cover to hide how scared you are, I can tell even though I barely know you. You're still that way," I said looking him straight in the eyes since he wasn't very far from my face….again.

"Don't bet on it," he said, flashing a mouth dropping smile. I rolled my eyes.

A rustling came from the bushes behind us and Ash was instantly all predator like and protective and was growling at whatever it was. Actual growling. Not like someone imitating a growl. A real growl like a dog.

"Get away," he growled at whatever it was. Whatever it was, it was human. Or.. vampire because it laughed.