Disclaimer: I do not own Creedy, Quinn, or Alex. But I do own Erlina and Brenna.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A week of silence only led Creedy to believe that she was either a mute or she was avoiding him. Avoiding him seemed the better assumption. He didn't mean to make her cry. He only wanted to know about her. Creedy couldn't understand why he was so curious of her nature. He always looked at her when she talking to Brenna and he could almost hear her soft raspy voice. He looked at her face, of a medium pallor and her eyes light brown and a dark emerald around the edge of her iris. Her lips are what tempted Creedy most, full and of a light pink color. Her cheek was always naturally blushed with an opaque red. Her long, straight black curved outward and her bangs fell to her eye bone. Creedy stared at her now, as she scrubbed hard on a rusty tub. Sweat formed on her brow and pooled on her back, causing her white blouse to become transparent. Creedy could barely focus on working. Quinn hacked at the dirt wall with his pick and muttered evil things to himself about Creedy. Creedy leaned against the dirt and watched her like a hawk eyeing the first piece of meat, about to swoop down. Quinn looked at him sternly.

"Dammit Creedy, if you're not gonna help then don't make your staring so obvious," Quinn said sharply. Creedy looked at him and put his index finger to his lips.

"Shh...She'll hear you," Creedy said. Quinn rolled his eyes.

"Look, just go over there and apologize. I'm sure she'll accept it," Quinn said. Creedy shot his head toward him.

"How did you know about..."

"She told me," Quinn stated. Creedy clenched his fist.

"She tells everyone else about it but can't say a word to me. I'm the one who saved her and she just gossips freely," Creedy said. He picked up his shovel and began to dig again. Quinn smirked.

"Maybe you should make effort then."

" I have Quinn. Look, she's damn beautiful," Quinn looked at Creedy as he spoke," but she is a bitch." Quinn looked shocked.

"A bitch? Why?"

"Because, I saved her and she won't even talk to me. Like she despises me. I should be the one hating her," Creedy said, his cheeks flushed. Quinn laughed.

"I thought you did hate her." Creedy looked blank. The word, feeling, had no definite meaning when he talked about Erlina.

"Oh...uh...yeah. She sucks."

Later that evening, Creedy decided to give into his weakness and had a glass of moonshine. The fiery liquid burned all the way down his throat and he gasped as it hit his stomach. He sat at a wooden table, alone. He was lost in his thoughts. Shadowy figures danced along the hallway. Creedy felt his eyelids get heavier and he put his head down on the table. He closed his eyes ,not understanding at the time, and envisioned Erlina. Her face had already been permanently burned into his memory.

Brenna walked into her room, ready for sleep. She looked over at her bed and saw Erlina reading a book entitled The Outsiders. Brenna laughed softly causing Erlina to look up. Erlina smiled after seeing it was only Brenna.

"Isn't that a bit under your reading level deary?" Brenna asked sarcastically. Erlina giggled.

"Yeah but it's a classic. How was your day?" Brenna thought for a moment and then smiled devilishly.

"I talked to Creedy about you today." Brenna said casually. Erlina's mouth tightened.

"Why did you do that?"

"Because he was asking about you."

"Me?"

"Yes." Erlina paused and felt a warm sensation in her chest, soothing. She shook her head and looked to Brenna angrily.

"I can talk to him me self. Brenna you know I want nothing to do with him."

"But he saved you. Well then again perhaps its for the better if you two don't talk."

"And that's exactly why

"And that's exactly why I chose not to talk to him. I wanted to be left out there."

"Look, you did what you had to do. Just don't let go of the memories."

"I would never forget them. I loved them. Loved them and I killed-" Erlina was cut off by a soft knock on the door. It was Creedy. His eyes were fixated on Erlina.

"I was wonderin' if I could get a word in with Brenna." Creedy inquired, never taking his eyes off Erlina. Brenna smiled politely.

"Course ya can." Brenna answered.

"So….. you guys were talkin' about killin' were ya? Who did ya kill Erlina?" Creedy joked half seriously. Erlina looked at him and felt tears welling up in her eyes. She stood up and stomped out of the room past Creedy. Her scent invaded his nose, intoxicating him. Brenna shook her head.

"Not the best topic of conversation Creedy. Not at all." Brenna said. Creedy shrugged his shoulders.

"What? Is she like Travis Bickle or something?" he laughed heartily. Brenna smirked.

"What's on your mind, Creedy?"

"Erlina. I want to talk to her but she won't so much as look at me." Creedy immediately became serious. It was a rare moment.

"So…."

"So? How am I supposed to go about this, Brenna?"

"Go to the washroom. I'm sure she'll be there. Be assertive and say what's what. But don't scare her. And don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"I guess I'm gonna hafta walk on eggshells for this braud am I?"

"Yes Creedy. She's very sensitive."

"Well I just wanna talk to her… get to know her, that's all."

"How come?" Brenna asked knowingly. Her woman's intuition hadn't failed her yet. The had feeling for each other but neither would admit it. She didn't want them to feel for each other. Enough time hadn't passed yet since the "incident" with Erlina, through Brenna's eyes.

"Oh, nevermind." Creedy said and he turned from the doorway and headed down the hall. He gulped as he stood in front of the washroom door. He heart pounded furiously against his chest. He pushed the door open and saw Erlina hunched over a sink. She looked up in the mirror and saw Creedy standing there. Her heart raced as he walked toward her. She turned to face him.