DISCLAIMER: The characters do not belong to me they belong to Stephanie Meyer's author of the wonderful book 'The Host'

Chapter 7: "Home" Sweet Prison

I still felt the car moving as I woke up from my nap. My head hurt and my eyes still felt heavy. The place where my head rested against the door was warm so I moved my head to rest against a cold spot. This was the only benefit of 'going home'. The cold was nice against my head and the over cast sky blocked the sun behind my eyelids.

"I appreciate you coming with us." Cloud Spinner said quietly from the driver's seat, "It makes me feel safer with you here. And I'm sure Pet would agree if she was awake."

"Your quite welcome." Landon said from the back seat of the small SUV. "I'm glad to be of any assistance. She has been through so much. I just hope to make her load lighter."

Landon was nice. He was a soul and thought of others. It was nice to be around souls that thought that way. Though I wish that they weren't so…. One dimensional. They didn't much think of themselves so there was a lot of politeness and irritatingly empty smiled. God! I missed my humans.

"I must ask speaking as her mother, if you might have any other intentions. I do understand the way that these bodies work. My husband has told me of the way young men's minds work and I don't mean to be rude by suggesting-"

"No need to worry Cloud Spinner. I shall not lay a hand on Pet without her complete consent. It is true that her body is beautiful but I wish to know her more before perusing anything physical."

I felt uncomfortable with the way that the conversation had turned. Me and Landon? NO! My whole being screamed inside my head. It took a great internal strength to not turn and tell them that it would never happen because both my human heart and my soul belonged to one human and one human alone. Ian O'Shea. My LIFE BELONGS TO IAN O'SHEA! I wanted to cry.

"She is young, Landon. She is barely seventeen." Cloud Spinner said a little tense.

"Oh." Landon said disappointment very evident in his voice. "I didn't know."

Ha!

"I am her mother but she is her own being, if she consents then I don't have a problem with it as long as your intentions are pure and not lustful."

Damn.

"I'm sure that she won't think of me in anything more than platonic for some time. She's been through such a traumatic experience."

I won't ever think of you anything more than platonic.

"Yes. I won't be surprised if she has nightmares every night. What I'm most worried about is what Romes the Ice Fields told me about."

"And that would be?"

Cloud Spinner cleared her throat, "Well he said that she'd told him that a human, I forgot the name, touched her inappropriately. I'm worried that she'll be scared."

Scared with LOVE! Wow. My thoughts were so mean…. So…. Human. I wanted to laugh but that would alert them to me being awake. I'd like to be as less of the picture as possible. I didn't want to get attached, I wouldn't be staying.

"That's barbaric. I would have thought humans would have had more decency then that but I guess not." I could hear the anger in his voice, it was obvious "I apologize." he said after a moment.

"It's quite alright. It's very understandable." Cloud Spinner said.

I took deep breaths, what I wouldn't give to be seeding or irrigating the fields right now. Arguing with Ian and Mel about wither I should be working. Ian dragging me to bed and…. I closed my eyes tighter. I couldn't think about Ian that way. It was too painful. I wanted him so much, to end the pain I was in; that nothing but his touch could cure.

I tried to clear my mind and I did fall asleep, only to dream of Ian.

"Pet. Pet. Walk up sweet heart."

I groaned. I didn't want to wake up. Ian was kissing me. I smiled a bit.

"Pet. We're home it's time to wake up. You can sleep more after dinner."

I, reluctantly, opened my eyes. Cloud Spinner was tapping my on my arm and Landon was standing on grass stretching. I sat up and unbuckled my seat belt.

When I got out of the SUV I surveyed my surroundings. I was in a quiet little neighborhood that looked both familiar and totally new to me. The houses on either side of the one we were parked in front of looked very similar. The only things that were different were the way the souls living inside the houses decided to decorate. Pet's…. I mean my house was decorated in flowers and a couple of cute statues. It was painted white with the windows and door a navy blue. Even the decorative thing that was covered in plants going up the side of the house was part of a design. It kind of looked like a doll house that a little girl would play with her dolls in.

The houses to either side were painted too. One was pink, which I thought was a terrible idea, and the one to the right was a nice brown color; I thought it worked. I looked down and looked at the green grass. I smiled and bent down to run my hands against it. Pet's body had missed green. She'd missed the grass and the tree's and even missed the dark sky's full of clouds.

"You were in the desert for too long." Cloud Spinner said smiling, "You must have missed home."

I looked at her, almost all the happiness drained out of me. Home. That's what that little playhouse was called? To me home had been where I was surrounded by my family. Where I'd wake up next to Ian every morning, starring into his beautiful blue eyes. Where I could hug Mel every morning and we could make Jamie go to school. Where I could get teased by Jared. Where I could get my hair played with while standing waiting for the bathing room. Where Jeb would continually tell everyone that it was his house and his rules, yelling at everyone to do their chores. This place wasn't home, that was my home.

"Yes." I said looking at the sidewalk, "I miss home."

"Well you don't have to miss it anymore because you're home." Cloud Spinner said turning and walking up to the house.

I stood up and reached into the car to grab my things.

"Let me help you with that." Landon said behind me.

I pulled my pajamas and brush to my chest, "I can carry them. Plus you have your own things to get don't you?"

He nodded smiling, "Yes. It's nice of your family to let me stay with you until I can find a place of my own."

"My mother is nice." I said dryly. Everyone is nice.

I walked up the driveway that had a large truck in it already. I wasn't really sure why Pet didn't miss her father. Her father, Brandon, worked a lot leaving Pet to be mostly raised by her mother. I had very few memories to see of Pet and her father. I guess I'll have to make my own.

I hesitated at the door with my hand on the doorknob. I didn't feel like I could just enter, it wasn't really my house after all. Luckily I didn't need to, it was opened and a man was standing there holding it open with the TV remote still in his hand.

He was tall. He had kind light green eyes that shone brightly contrasting with his dark tan. His hair was a dark brown but it looked like the roots were blonde. He had hair on his face, it wasn't a beard but it was a gotee. He was actually quite handsome.

"Pet." He breathed and rushed forward to embrace me. He hugged me tightly to his chest for a moment, "I'm so glad that you're safe."

I relaxed a bit. His voice was comforting, I liked him already. I hugged him back and pressed my face into his chest. He smelt like wood and cigarette smoke; for some reason that smell calmed me, not as much as Ian would have but pretty close.

He pulled back and I walked through the door. The house was almost as cute on the inside as it was on the outside. It was homey and relaxing but also bright and happy. The front room, to my right was painted sunshine yellow with a light brown couch and arm chairs.

I looked down the hall that I remembered would lead to the kitchen and dining room. Instead of going there I started to walk up the stairs. They creaked as I took a step. I heard people fallowing me but I didn't mind. I needed to be alone but I could do that in my room.

When I got to the top of the stairs I looked down the hall. To the left was a door at the end then there was a door just to the left of the stairs but I turned to the right. Both doors on this side were closed. The one at the very end had a sparkly flusha C with pictures of famous actors and actresses around it.

"C…." I said. That had to stand for this host's name but I couldn't remember it.

"Remember Pet, Your hosts name was Carmen." Cloud Spinner said from the stairs.

"Oh yea." I said. I didn't really remember but I'd take her word for it.

The other door had a sign on it that read, Property of Carmen Pet! DO NOT ENTER!

I decided I'd look in there later and walked all the way to my bedroom. I turned around at the door to see my parents and Landon looking at me. Cloud Spinner was in the front with a smile on her face while Brandon and Landon only had half smiles.

"Ummmm. Do you think I could just be alone for a moment?" I asked looking down at the floor as the shyness got me.

"Oh of course." Cloud Spinner said, "We'll show Landon the spare room." She turned and assured Landon to the door right off the stairs while Brandon continued looking at me.

I gave him a small smile and turned the knob backing into my room and closed the door. I turned the little lock on the back of the handle and sighed. This might be harder than I thought. I knew from Pet's memories how she acted but I wasn't sure that I could be that same way until I could either be rescued or make my escape. I decided to be myself with a touch of Pet. I couldn't tell them that I'd replaced Pet because that would lead to questions about how I'd been inserted and how and where Pet was. I took a deep breath to collect my thoughts and I looked around at my new bedroom.

It was nice. It was clean except for a couple of clothes laying next to the hamper by the door that led to my bathroom. There were four big pieces of furniture in the room. There was a vanity that had a stool that you could sit on for applying make-up and for doing hair. There was a big wooden dresser that had a few drawers half open and some totally closed. Then there was the bed, it was a queen sized four poster bed that had white see-thru curtains surrounding it. Then there was the desk. It had some books, papers and writing utensils on it. There was a TV sitting on a stand that had stacks of CD's and DVD's on either side of it. There were bedside tables on either side of the bed that had half lamp and half some tube that had some liquid in it.

I got onto the bed and sat cross legged with my pajamas and brush sitting in front of me. I felt so alone and isolated. I wasn't sure how to get to Ian or even help him find me. I took a couple of deep breaths and closed my eyes. Mel…. Mel…. I thought. Maybe I'd get to experience something like I did in the hospital.

I swear I got a short glimpse of Ian and Jamie sitting in front of me and I could almost feel Jared beside me but then it was gone. I groaned and opened my eyes.

There was a knock on my door and I took a breath before saying for them to come in. It was Landon and he walked over to the bed, "Hi Pet. I was wondering if you'd like to go on a walk before dinner. You'll be quite safe with me. I'd like to get better acquainted."

I took another deep breath and smiled, "Sure."

This should be interesting. Leave a review to let me know what ya think and fallow so you can see what happens next.