Hello! Here's another chapter for all my readers! Thanks to all those who review Chapter Three. I didn't get as many reviews as I wanted, but I suppose I deserved that after not updating for months. ) Anyway, I just wanted to say that I'll have more time for updates now so I should get more chapters up more frequently. Maybe even another chapter today...No promises though

For all those who have been waiting for a little Gregor/Luxa fluff, this chapter is for you. There isn't much, but I think it's still cute...Enjoy!

Ares and Aurora swooped in just as Gregor was putting Boots to bed. His stomach was full from dinner and it almost hurt to move. Hazard crawled into bed next to Boots, but didn't lay down.

"I will get her to sleep, Gregor. You need some rest yourself," he offered, patting Boots on her tummy.

"Thanks, Hazard," Gregor said gratefully. "Are you sure?"
Hazard gave him a nod and Gregor left him softly singing a lullaby to the sleepy Boots. He passed Luxa on his way out as she went in to bid her brother goodnight. "Do not sleep yet, Gregor. I need to speak with you," she said as she passed him.

Gregor nodded, but suspicion rose in his stomach. He had a feeling Luxa had more planned than just to talk with him. And when he saw the bats with rolled up blankets on their backs, he knew he was right. They were going somewhere. He greeted Ares, placing his hand in his claw and nodded polietly to Aurora. "So, does anybody want to tell me where we're going?"

"Do you not trust me, Overlander?" Luxa asked, coming back into the room with a slight smile.

Gregor pretended to consider this for a minute. "I haven't made up my mind yet. But seriously, where are we going?"

"I just want to get out of the palace for a while. Ever since I returned, the Council hasn't allowed me to leave, but if I am in the company of the warrior, they could hardly object."

Gregor had wondered about that. Luxa went missing on the trip to find the Bane and had found refuge with the mice in the jungle. She had accompanied Gregor, Hamnet, Ripred and Lapblood in their quest to find the cure to the plague. In her absence, Narissa, her sickly, weak cousin, had had to take her place as Queen. Narissa could not handle it, though she tried, and all of Regalia was happy to have Luxa home.

"Why would they let you out if you were with me?" he asked.

"You are the Overlander, the savior of the Underland," Luxa said with a hint of sarcasm. "If anything should happen, who better than to fight along side me?"

Okay, so he got it now. But Gregor still didn't think the Council would want her out of the palace, with or without him. Sure, he was the warrior, but since he had let the Bane live instead of killing it, he'd lost a lot of points with the Regalians. But he didn't say anything further and mounted Ares, accepting her answer. He did trust Luxa, with his life in fact, and she was his friend. He understood what it felt like to need to just get away.

So he followed her and Aurora to Ares's old cave, where the bat went when he wanted to escape the world and be alone. They spread out the blankets and lit three torches before settling down on their pallet. Luxa seemed happy to be out and she stretched luxuriously on the blankets. "That's better," she sighed in content.

Gregor sat stifly to her right, not relaxing. Being so close to Luxa made him nervous, so he talked to his bond, not only to busy himself but also because he'd missed him since they'd been apart.

"How're things, Ares?" he said casually.

"Things could be better, Overlander. But they are good now that you are back," came the answer. Poor Ares. He was not well liked among bats or humans because he had saved Gregor on the first quest rather than his old bond, Henry, breaking the oath he'd sworn to him. And of course, not killing the Bane when Gregor wouldn't didn't exactly help him either.

After a while Aurora and Ares huddled together in the corner to sleep, leaving just Luxa and Gregor together. "I wonder where Jake is," he mused aloud, still sitting stifly.

"Vikus will still be speaking with him, telling him the story of Sandwich and showing him the Prophecy Room. Everything he did for you when you first arrived," Luxa answered, laying on her side facing him, with her cheek resting in her palm.

"Right. I don't think that'll make too big a difference," Gregor muttered, not very happily.

Luxa's face darkened. "Let us not speak of such unhappy things, Gregor. Can we not have one moment of peace, just to relax?"

Gregor immediately felt guilty. The whole point of coming out here was to get away from the palace and from Regelia's troubles. Talking about Jake just ruined it. "Sorry," he said quickly, kicking himself.

Luxa's smile returned and she returned to her laying flat on her back position. Gregor sighed quietly, running his fingers through his hair. His lower back was already starting to ache from sitting up so straight and his knees felt cramped. Luxa noticed his discomfort and said to the ceiling, not quite meeting his gaze, "Make yourself comfortable, Gregor, I do not know how long I wish to stay."

Gregor hesitated, but then obliged. He lay as far away from Luxa as possible, though it still wasn't very far because the blankets they were on weren't that big. Stretching out his aching muscles, he sighed pleasantly, allowing himself a small smile. They sat in silence for several minutes, but Gregor couldn't tell if it was an awkward silence or a comfortable one. They both stared fixedly at the darkness of the ceiling above, listening to the silent purring of the sleeping bats.

Finally, it was Luxa who broke the silence. "Why do you sit so far away? Does my smell offend you?" she asked, only half-jokingly.

It was then Gregor realized the distance he'd put between them offended her and made it seem like he didn't want to be there. "No!" he said quickly. "It's just...I..."

Luxa turned her head, smiling. "I understand." But did she? Gregor wondered. "But I must have you know, I do not bite. You may come closer." On the last sentences she looked away from him again and spoke quietly. Gregor knew then that Luxa was just as shy about this as he was.

He scooched her way, placing his hands behind his head as she did, until their elbows were touching. Even though she wasn't looking at him, Gregor could tell Luxa was smiling. "Tell me about the Overland," she demanded suddenly in an attempt to leave the awkwardness behind.

So Gregor did, putting on his storytelling voice he used with Boots when putting her to sleep. He talked about Central Park, how people went there to have picnics and play with their dogs or familes. He told her about his school and his friends and he told her about New York City at Christmas time, how all the lights made everything look like something out of a fairytale. Soon, he could hear Luxa's breathing slow and he knew she was asleep. He knew he should wake her up, so they could go back to the palace, but he liked laying next to her and he was feeling really sleepy himself. So he just closed his eyes and let sleep take him over.

Gregor woke up to frantic voices cutting through the silence and he opened his eyes to see a tall figure riding on a bat swoop into the cave, a torch held in his hand. "They are here!" he called over his shoulder and two more riders quickly joined him.

Gregor was still not completely awake when Mareth's face loomed over him, shaking his shoulder. "Awake, Gregor."

Someone was doing the same to Luxa and as Gregor sat up, groggily rubbing his eyes, he saw it was her cousin, Howard. He was looking pretty furious. Luxa bolted up, her hand reaching for her sword. But when she realized what was going on, she relaxed slightly. "Howard?" she asked uncertainly, obviously not yet fully awake.

"Up, Overlander," Mareth said gently, pulling Gregor to his feet. Ares moved closer to Gregor and his pressence made him feel a little better. He could tell by Howard's anger that he and Luxa were in serious trouble and having Ares by his side made him feel reassured.

The third male, an Underlander Gregor didn't recognize, rolled the blankets up and stapped them to his bat's back as Howard scowled dangerously at Gregor and Luxa, obviously struggling to hold back his anger. "What were you thinking?" he hissed. "The people of Regelia are beside themselves with worry! Half the city is out searching for you!" he shouted at Luxa. "And you," he said, turning to Gregor, who did his best not to flinch. But Mareth cut in before Howard got a chance to say anything more.

"Please, let us return to the Palace so everyone knows they are safe. That is the important thing," he reasoned, gently pushing Howard towards Nike, the zebra stripped bat he'd taken to since his bond, Pandora, had been eaten alive by the mites. Luckily, Howard did as he was told and mounted the bat, giving Gregor a dangerous glare.

Luxa was seething with anger herself; she didn't like that Howard had yelled at her. She was on the verge of shouting when Aurora wisely flipped her onto her large back and took off after Howard. Gregor looked apologetically at Mareth. "Man, I'm sorry for all the trouble we've caused. It was just--"

"Mount up, Gregor. It is not me you have to explain yourself to," he answered, mounting his own bat. Gregor sighed and he and Ares flew after Luxa, Mareth and the Underlander Gregor didn't recognize flying after him

Man, were they in for it.

Hope you guys liked it! But I need some comments on how well I am doing on staying in character and stuff. I'm flattered that you all love my story, but I could use some helpful comment every now and then! D

Thanks for reading! Now take just a little more time and review! Please? Remember, more reviews more chapters!