Just a 1st draft, I'll prob come back and fix this..


"No! Get off me!" Caleb struggled to hold Will down against the wall as she kicked and screamed, tears rolling down her cheeks at an impossible rate; another pouring out before the first was even off her lashes. She'd made a run for it. She'd hastily pulled back on her little costume and avoided looking him in the eyes as he himself put his shorts back on. And then she'd gone for the window.

"Will! Měilì de Will! Belle Will! Lorem Will!" His voice was cracking. Cracked. He didn't know what to say, reverting to telling her she was beautiful in as many languages as he had learned. He'd never for a second thought she would.. That she could even think of.. "I don't want you to go."

He'd barely said it, but she stopped fighting him then. He refused to believe the action though, so instead he joined her heavy breathing; the panic wearing him out more than the chase as he continued to hold her shoulders firm against the wall. "I.."

"Don't do that Will, just stay, okay?" Caleb let his hands slide up her shoulder and protectively around her neck and hair as he leaned into her, holding her close, whispering into her ear, "Just stay."

"I've ruined-"

"You didn't ruin anything," Caleb felt his heart pounding and making him shake against her, if she couldn't hear his beat, she'd feel the energetic beating as he lay butterfly kisses in her hair; breathing in her scent. "You couldn't ruin anything Will."

Little hands shook and her cold fingers traced the edges of his lower back like a feather as she started to accept the hug, pressing herself against his chest. Then wailing. He'd never heard the sound and Will's frustrated pain made a lump in his throat as it muffled against his skin. He wished she's stop. He wished she'd keep going. It was everything he didn't like that had butchered and teased this girl, but it was also proof that she was alive. Here. Not on the sidewalk, outside in the cold.

"Marry me Will." It slipped out before he knew he'd said it, but her surprised red-rimmed eyes looking through a mess of red hair told him that he'd actually said and not thought it. But he couldn't tell what she was thinking. No happiness, no sadness, just surprise held in the hazels of Will's very soul. They were too young to be married. Well she was; not yet sixteen. And they were too young because this was Earth. She lived on Earth. She wasn't expected to fall in love yet. But he'd wait for her if he had to. He'd wait until she was old enough. He'd wait until she was expected.. He would watch her fall in love and marry as he waited through a thousand rising suns. And then he could go back to Meridian. When she was happy once again.

She closed and opened heavily lashed eyelids three times before burrowing back down against his chest and sniffing away the remenants of her ceasing tears. It wasn't a yes. But it wasn't a no. He doubted the girl would want to live on Meridian; Will had seen the questions raised when Elyon disappeared. But he could stay. As long as she did too. Hot breath lingered on his chest as her rhythm grew steady with calm. His heart was slowing too as he stroked along the line of her shoulder with the back of his fingers.

"I love you."