A/N: I'm really really sorry about the delay! I've been in California, then our house's internet was down, and then I had writer's block… so I'm really sorry! Anyway I hope you enjoy and review!

DICLAIMER: The Host is still Stephenie Meyer's, not mine.

Tour:

In the caves, it was dark, well, only in the tunnels. It seemed as if they were like halls and corridors. I followed Jeb through the tunnels and suddenly we were spit into an atrium of sorts. A square field was in the middle of the room; it was filled with bright green plants, growing steadily in the brilliant light. I gasped, glancing at the ceiling but it blinded me.

"What's up there?" I asked, struggling to see what made the light so dazzlingly bright.

Jeb grinned widely. "I put up mirrors! The light was too dim without them so I thought mirrors would do just fine!"

"Amazing! That's incredibly clever," I told him and it was true. It was smart to put them up, more light was always a good thing especially for the crops I could see in the fields. People were in the field hoeing and raking and just generally working hard, but they did occasionally glance at me interestedly. I nodded at them, though I felt my face go slightly hot at more undesired attention.

Jeb stood up straight, throwing his chest out proudly. "You flatter me, hon!"

"What are you growing here?" I asked, peering at the plants and trying desperately to ignore the wondering eyes.

"Spinach and carrots," and when I made a face, he said, "Ha! I know. Spinach isn't the most appealin' vegetable in the world, but it's one of the few that will grow here."

I nodded, thanking the heavens that I was allergic to them. Jeb then walked around the garden and into another tunnel. I followed him, but then I remembered a question I'd had earlier. "So, Jeb, what exactly happened to Seeing Into Flames?"

Jeb was silent for a moment before he answered, "Put her in a cryotank, and—"

"That's the tanks that carry souls from planet to planet, right?"

"Mhmm. Anyway, Wanda sent her to the Dolphin World, should be a pleasant place from what Wanda's told us, and by the time she gets there you're grand children will be long dead, so don't you worry about her telling the souls about humans."

I nodded. For some odd reason I was happy they didn't just kill her. Then I realized if they had killed her, Seeing Into Flames' antics about humans being barbaric would have been proven true. Then I analyzed the rest of what he said. …should be a pleasant place from what Wanda's told us… What had he meant by that?

"What do you mean what Wanda has told you?" I asked, pacing myself next to him. I saw his face split into a grin.

"Wanda teaches us about the souls sometimes in the kitchens," he said. "It's mighty interestin'. And well, if your brothers weren't kiddin' when they said you were a genius than I think you'll find it interestin', too."

"Are you serious? I would love to attend!"

"Of course, of course! But after yer tour!"

The tour continued. He showed me the sleeping quarters, which I found out I would be sleeping with the girl named Holly, who Jeb had mentioned earlier, the washing rooms, which was interesting to see with the underground river, the storage rooms and then finally he led me to the kitchen. By the time we had entered it, people were gathering for a hardy meal. Seeing food and everyone stuffing there mouths made my stomach rumble loudly. I clutched it, trying to shut it up.

"Yer hungry? Well, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, you haven't exactly eaten in awhile," Jeb said, dragging me in between the filled tables to a counter, where food was being served. "I hope you don't have your brothers' appetite; I don't think we have enough fer three O'Shea's."

I laughed, knowing my brothers, they probably inhaled more food than they weighed. Jeb handed me a tray of food and I turned, searching for Ian and Kyle. From the other side of the kitchen I caught sight of them. I maneuvered through the room and at last I sat next to Ian, a grin on my face. It was nice to be back.

"Hey, Lauri," Ian greeted me, ruffling my hair lovingly. Along with Kyle and Ian sat Wanda and another woman. She looked familiar… and then I remembered her.

"Jodi!" I exclaimed, looking at her with excitement. I remembered when she had been captured, Kyle had been so broken up, the worst I'd ever seen him. But suddenly the light caught her eyes and I saw the silver ring around her pupils; I gasped and dropped the fork that I had picked up.

Kyle examined my reaction nervously. "Uh… Laurel, this is Sunny, Sunny, this is Laurel."

Sunny smiled timidly at me and held out her hand. I took it, feeling too formal. I still continued to gape at her. I couldn't believe it, Jodi hadn't come back. That much was obvious to my vast mind.

"Uh… hi," I said tensely. There was an awkward silence that was only broken when Melanie, Jamie, and another unrecognizable man came to sit next to us.

"Hey, everyone," Jamie greeted cheerily. He glanced at me and smiled, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"I'm Jared Howe," the unfamiliar man said, smiling at me.

Boy am I the popular one today, I thought before answering, "Laurel O'Shea."

"Nice to meet you," Jared said kindly then he went to talking to Melanie. It took me only a second to figure out I was surrounded by couples. I groaned, but no one seemed to hear me except Jamie.

He nodded sympathetically. "I know. You'll get used to it later."

I looked at him doubtfully. "I sincerely doubt that. Man, even Kyle…"

"I know," Jamie nodded again. "Just think what it was like for me before I had anyone to talk to… dear God, I thought I was going to vomit every second of the day."

I chuckled softly, eating. "What about Holly? Do you talk to her?"

Jamie shrugged. "She isn't really the talkative type."

"I see. I'm sharing a room with her and I'm trying to decide whether that is a good or bad thing…"

"Oh, don't get me wrong, Holly is incredibly nice but she's also shy."

I nodded. "So how old are you?"

"Seventeen. You?"

"Same," I paused and smiled. "This is brilliant. At least, there is someone my age. I was beginning to be apprehensive about that."

"Yeah, it got pretty lonely for awhile. I've been here for four or five years and Holly's only been here a year."

"Oh, man. That must have been dreadfully dull."

"It was, I guess. Sometimes, but there are other kids though they are much younger than you and I."

We stayed silent for a little while, consuming our lunch, for I figured it was lunch with the sun so high in the sky. Glancing up at the sky through the tiny breathing holes, I calculated it to be almost twelve or twelve thirty.

"So are you going to go to Sharon's school?" Jamie asked, looking at me hopefully.

"Um… I dunno. I don't really need to. I pretty much have everything memorized… But I guess I do need a bit of a brush up…"

Jamie nodded, but didn't say anything. I got the feeling he was hoping I would go with him, maybe the teacher was horrible.

"Is the teacher that bad?" I asked him. He stood up and I stood with him, walking to discard the trays. We left them on the counter before starting to walk towards the tunnel.

Jamie said, "Won't know until you meet her. Come on!"

Then he began to laugh, towing me behind him to a mysterious—and possibly severe—teacher.

A/N: Hope you liked it! Reviews would be marvelous! And I'm really sorry about the late update.