Sam was up like a flash–no pun intended–his hands lit up the sky for what must have been miles around. Caine, however, was quicker, a flick of his hands levitated him. Not all of Sam, just his hands, so they were now pointed to the sky.

"Ah-ah-ah, no, no Sammie. If you aren't too busy boning Diana, I'd like a word with her," he snarled. His face was twisted into an expression of anger, and something that resembled disappointment. Diana had come to notice they both had something in common: a pretty quick temper. Perhaps there was a little familial resemblance within them after all.

"What on earth...? We were just sitting on the same bench!" Sam sputtered. Caine promptly ignored him, levitating him a good distance away.

"Right. I don't really care," he said nonchalantly. Diana knew better, though. He was just trying to look presentable, political, philosophical. Diana stood up calmly. She knew Caine's game better than he did himself, because she practically pioneered the art of it. Act strong, don't show fear, and never admit to being wrong. As soon as the other person starts acting unsure of themself, you go for the jugular.

Her feet made a soft pat as they hit the soft grass, wet with early morning–or rather late night–dew. It made her realize how quiet everything was. She was willing to bet it would get a lot louder soon, though. A lot louder.

"You know, I'd say we've got all of four seconds before the entire Perdido Beach area comes running out, wanting your hide," she said, snarkily, approaching him calmly. She silently reminded herself that this was her game, and that she was winning. She held all the cards, and he was just bluffing.

"It's good to see you too, Diana," he muttered, obviously focussing very hard on keeping Sam immobile. He kept his head half-turned so he could watch his twin. "I think, however, that I'll be taking my chances on that one. For a little while, at least."

Their eyes met in the darkness. They were both cold, both uncaring, and both lying. One of them had to break soon, the tension between them as stronger than any other. Diana found it amazing that they could keep eye contact for so long, each of their eyes holding a challenge, Caine's holding a desperation. It reminded her of the eyes of an animal, a starving animal, just trying to survive.

Somewhere in the distance–it sounded like it came from near Ralph's--a door slammed, a kid began yelling in the distance. Somebody had seen the flash of light from Sam's hands. It would have been hard not to see it.

"Now exactly how will you be doing that?" she batted back. She knew exactly what he was insinuating, and knew that Caine knew it. Heaven help her, she wanted to hear what he had to say.

"We can go together to talk, or we can go together to talk," he whispered. His hold on Sam released, and he tightened it on Diana. Although she wasn't moved, she could feel the pull of his power. It was almost a mental hold, like wearing a harness for rock climbing, even if you aren't falling you know it would stop you. It wasn't necessarily a bad feeling–it made her feel safe and secure.

"Are you proposing to kidnap me? Kinky," Diana raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. She tried to qualm the feelings stirring inside of her. She enjoyed speaking to Caine far too much.

"Only if you want it to be," he said suavely. He spread his arm in the direction of the horizon and invited, "Shall we go?"

"Really Caine? The power plant?" Diana asked. For the first time during the whole exchange she felt a fear stir deep within her. She couldn't blame Caine for falling under that Gaiaphage's control, but she certainly still feared it.

The desert had been a long trek, and they were both thirsty, hungry, and tired. For some reason, though, he had insisted on going here. It reminded her bitterly of another time he had insisted on going here.

"It was the only place that was convenient and empty. Plus, it was here I fell in love with you," he wrapped one arm around her. She shrugged it off icily. She entered the broken down gate and looked around pointedly.

"If I remember correctly, you were too busy wanting to feed your 'hungry in the dark' friend," she snapped, with a little bit more malice than she'd intended. Okay, maybe she was blaming him for being possessed. It had almost killed her, after all.

For almost a moment, Caine frowned. There wasn't any anger in his face anymore, now it almost looked like hurt.

"I wasn't–that's not what I meant. Last year, the field trip? Do you remember?"

Truth be told, Diana didn't really remember. She knew they had a field trip there last year, but she didn't know that she'd met Caine there, she thought they'd met for the first time later in the same year.

"You were talking to somebody–I don't know who, and I don't know why–and the teacher told you to be quiet... you said something, something about how..." he frowned.

"Unless I gain superpowers like Spiderman I don't need to know about radiation," Diana supplied for him, remembering the conversation. It had gotten her a week's detention for that statement. Wow, what were the chances she'd have actually developed superpowers–or that Caine would.

"Yeah, and it was the days after I'd moved something with my mind–the first time, I thought you might have somehow knew, understood. I looked at you, and you looked at me. Our eyes met, and I thought you knew, for sure. And I fell in love with you. You were the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen."

Diana took a step closer to him, and pushed off an attempt at an advance. "Look Caine. I thought you'd have known this by now, but it said in your psyche profile. You're a sociopath, it's clear as day. You don't love me, you lust for me. You don't like who I am, you just like what I am."

All things considered, he took it extremely well. "Of course I know what my own psyche file says. I didn't know you did, though. I can be a sociopath and still love you, can't I?"

"Not unless the definition of 'sociopath' has changed recently, no. Neither of us are ever capable of love, Caine."

"This is the FAYZ. Definitions are changing–or was that what you and my brother were talking about? How I'm such a sociopath that lusts after you?"

Their eyes met again. There was a challenge in Caine's, and an air of mystery. A shine that seemed to question everything, like this was just a trivia competition, a mystery to be solved. His smile was crooked, and his posture was short from perfect. It was like this was all a game to him, and he was just gathering the information he needed.

Diana loved it. But she hated it. She had to hate it.

"No. We were talking about how you always have some reason to hit me or slam me into a wall with your psychic powers. He was telling me I was smart for leaving you, because you were abusive." Okay, a little bit of a stretch of the truth there, Diana acknowledged. Not like it mattered either.

Caine flared up at this, self-righteous. "I-I--That teacher that felt you up, I protected you from him!"

Diana laughed. There was no humour in it. "He didn't feel me up. You haven't figured out that you're not the only one who can lie yet?"

Caine's face was stoic. It wasn't his usual blind rage, but she knew instantly that she'd overstepped her mark. His movements were calm and precise, his hands clenched into fists. She liked them that way–they were much less threatening.

What a world they lived in.

"I haven't lied to you. I haven't followed up on all of my promises, when the Darkness had its claws in me I... well, I don't remember much, but I don't think I lied to you. Still, I haven't lied to you. Never," he sighed.

"Whoop-de-doo," Diana snapped. She tried to think of an exact incident of him lying, but was stumped. That didn't mean it hadn't happened, though.

"You and Sam had a long, nice chat about how abusive I am, did you talk about how abusive you are?" he glared accusingly. Diana scoffed.

"No, for very obvious reasons."

"No? You may not have hit me, but do you not think you're abusive? You tease me, in more ways than one," he leered at Diana, not bothering to hide it. "you're manipulative, and you lie to me. I can't trust you, and then I see you and Sam Temple close enough to be doing who knows what! What was I supposed to do?"

"Umm... Maybe, talk with us calmly about it and not scare Perdido Beach half to death?"

They lapsed into silence. They both sat down against the wire fence, watching the sun begin to rise. Diana thought it was a pretty sunrise, and tried not to let the closeness between her and Caine affect her.

Caine's speech had affected her. She wasn't abusive, to be abusive like that you had to be in a relationship with them. Didn't you? Well anyways, it certainly wasn't her fault, this whole mess. All she wanted was for them both to survive this ordeal.

"Do you really think I'm not capable of love?" Caine asked abruptly. He looked troubled by something. Diana mentally scoffed, but nodded her head. Caine furrowed his brow and rested his chin on his arms, the very face of deep thought.

"How could I prove it to you?" he finally asked. He sat up abruptly, hope dancing in his eyes. "I'll either prove I'm not a sociopath, or I'll prove that I can love you. I've never been more serious about anything. Just say the word, I'll make it happen."

Diana mentally rolled her eyes. He'd never go through with it. "Well," she began. "a sociopath isn't known very well for their apologies. Apologize to everybody you've done wrong to." She smirked knowingly. She wouldn't forgive him, there was no way.

Caine said nothing. He looked to the sky momentarily–well, if there was a sky in the Fayz–before whispering, "No."

Diana smirked, almost gloating. "I'm sorry, what was that? You can't apologise? Score one for the psychiatrist."

"I wouldn't bet on it, baby," Caine grinned. That rockstar grin of his. Made her want to swoon, or slap him. A bit of both. "I have a question for you; are you angry at me, or your father?"

"One: don't call me baby. Two: don't talk about things you don't understand," she seethed. Her hands balled prematurely into fists. Memories flooded her and assaulted her.

"Don't understand? You're desperate to control any man in your life. I read your psyche file too, baby," he explained with an elaborate sweep of his hand. She pushed his hand away.

"You're hardly a 'man'. Just because you're the oldest in the FAYZ, well second oldest, it doesn't make you a real man."

"Fine, fine. Your father slept around behind your mother's back, then she was injured, and in an attempt to punish your father you get in trouble, and your mother gets back together with him. Now you're hostile to any genetic male you come within fifteen feet of–because you're afraid," Caine drew the word out to comical proportions.

Diana, however, wasn't laughing. She struck out, pushing the flat of her palm against Caine's chest, shoving. It wasn't a very useful tactic, and didn't seem to bother him at all. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! You sociopath!" Suddenly, tears were falling from her eyes. What were the odds of that happening? Not very likely.

Vulnerability threatened to swallow her, she crossed her arms defiantly and refused to look him in eye. She knew it was childish, but she didn't really care, if the truth had to be told. Caine placed an arm carefully on her shoulder, gently turning her to face him. Even so she avoided his eyes.

"Diana, I'm sorry, it's something I think I needed to say. I wanted to prove to you I'm not a sociopath. I needed to prove to you that I could understand you. I won't apologize not because I can't, but because I don't think apologizing is the answer, because then I'd just lie to more people. I'd just hurt more people."

Diana was momentarily stirred by how noble–and honest–of a statement that was. Could he be telling the truth? She dared to hope–but stopped. What were the chances? Not very likely. She composed her face, dried the tears, and kept ignoring Caine's attempts at eye contact. He took in a deep breath, as if bracing himself.

"I don't think I can lie through my actions. I'll work to make our life better–not as a leader, as a follower. I'll do this all," he choked up for a moment, and it occurred to Diana for the first time that there were tears in his eyes. They finally made eye contact. "all for you, Di, because I love you. And I'll prove it!" he spoke with such conviction and power that Diana found it hard to doubt him.

Something unnerved her. Something in his eyes. Not just that he had been crying, but that he had been showing true emotion at all. The emotion in his words matched the emotions written on his face, and showing through in his eyes. Everything was moving so quickly, Diana felt blown away.

Caine dropped to one knee. He fumbled for something in his pocket. "I honestly didn't think you'd let me get this far... I just have to ask you this. Diana Ladris... please, please marry me!"

Diana was speechless. Her head said no, logically listing reasons why this was all wrong, but her heart was speaking faster. As he pulled a ring from his pocket, it glinted in the sunlight. It wasn't pretty and it didn't have a huge diamond on it. Chances are it wasn't even his–just some adult's that blinked out–but this was the FAYZ after all. Even a wedding ring would come from some type of petty theft–oh god, he'd just given her a wedding ring!

"M-Marry? There's no marriage licenses here–no dresses, no altars," she rambled. Even in her disoriented state of mind she noticed she didn't say no. She noticed she was already imagining it. Her. Diana Ladris getting married–at age fourteen? What were the chances of that?

"I know. I can't give you the wedding I wish I could, I can't even give you a ring I think you deserve. I'm trying to not let that bother me, because I love you and if you take this ring, I know you'll love me too. I'll change. It'll be hard, but I'll do it, I swear," he pleaded.

Diana took one step back.

"Caine–we've just spent a good half hour arguing over who was the most abusive, and tied. Our whole," she hesitated waving her hand vaguely, not wanting to call it a 'relationship', "–you know... well, everything we've been together has always been using one another, hurting one another..." she trailed off.

Caine swept his arm to the side in a gesture as if to say 'nonsense.' "Just call this a radical form of 'marriage counselling'," he joked easily and naturally. "I'll change for you, become better. You... Diana, you're perfect the way you are." Their eyes met again. There was something strange in his eyes. Something Diana hadn't seen in anybody's eyes since the FAYZ began.

Except, maybe in Sam's. And Astrid's. Diana realized with a start. It was love. He really loved her, not just puppy love or lust like she'd always thought. That deep kind, the one that grew over time, the type of love she'd always wanted for herself. Strangely enough, now she only wanted it for Caine, whether she was loved in return seemed inconsequential.

"Please Di, take the ring," he pleaded. He shifted his weight onto his knee, apparently uncomfortable on the rough, rocky ground.

Diana took a deep breath, reached for the ring, but stopped halfway.

What were the chances? What were the chances that he'd follow through and become an outstanding citizen in the FAYZ? What were the chances he'd stay out of positions of power and still be happy? What were the chances he could tone down on the violence and she could get by without the manipulation? What were the chances this wasn't some type of game, some type of sick act or cruel joke?

She gently picked up the ring, and placed it on her ring finger.

Whatever they were, they were chances she would take.

That they would take.

A/N: Thereee we go. I changed the rating to T for two pretty obvious reasons. I'm remotely sure this is the first in-Fayz marriage in the Gone fandom. Not positive though. My apologies this took so long in getting put up: I've got a lot of excuses, but no real reasons.