I am so sorry that I haven't updated! Our internet ran out and we've only just got it back so this is the soonest I could update! For being so patient, I've given you guys an extra-long chapter! I hope you enjoy it!

The next morning I trudged downstairs lethargically, as if I'd only gotten an hour's sleep, although I'd actually collapsed in bed pretty early. I'd probably asked myself a thousand times how I'd forgotten my own birthday and tried to figure it out about a million times, but all that resulted in was making me tired.

When I was halfway through my breakfast, Zoe flitted downstairs, as graceful and as beautiful as a butterfly, as always. Ruby danced in behind her, but her footfalls were too heavy and she kind of resembled a baby elephant trying to do ballet.

Zoe was unusually happy as she started getting breakfast for herself and Ruby, humming some song that sounded familiar but I couldn't place. Meanwhile, Ruby hugged me tightly and practically yelled, "Happy birthday, Dan!"

"Thanks." I mumbled as Zoe finished making Ruby's breakfast and the small girl climbed off me, walking around the table to where Zoe had placed her breakfast.

Zoe carried her own breakfast around the table and sat beside me. I turned my head to look at her and smiled slightly as she leaned across and kissed me gently, one of her hands resting on my shoulder.

I kissed back, but then Zoe pulled away, resting her forehead against mine and whispering, "Happy birthday, Daniel."

I reached out and touched her cheek, my fingertips sliding lightly across her skin.

"Happy birthday, Dan." Mark said as he entered with Kira and they both fixed themselves breakfast. I simply grunted in response and turned back to my breakfast.

"Dan?" Ruby asked.

I glanced at her, waiting expectantly for her to ask me whatever she wanted to ask me.

"Do you always get PMS on your birthday?" Ruby asked.

Beside me, Zoe started laughing.

"How do you even know what that is?" I asked her.

"She doesn't." Zoe replied between giggles. "She thinks it means grumpy."

"You still haven't answered my question." Ruby said, crossing her arms and pouting.

I sighed. "I'm just not used to a . . . happy birthday, Rubes." I said. "That's all."

"Oh." Ruby said. "Okay."

And then she went back to eating her breakfast and I was glad for Ruby's short attention span.

All I heard that day was 'Happy birthday' and 'Paris'. By the end of the day, when I was walking home with Tom, the two phrases were ringing in my ears. Zoe and Aneisha had gone to my foster home to start setting up for whatever they had planned for my birthday and they'd practically ordered me to go home with Tom. They'd actually ordered Tom not to let me out of his sight, which was pretty pointless. Zoe could tell me to jump off a cliff and I'd probably do it, just because it was what she wanted.

And I hadn't wanted anything special for my birthday anyway. So why would I sneak into it early?

Maybe the girls had told Tom to keep an eye on me because they were worried I'd sneak off so I wouldn't have to go.

Tom sighed as we entered his house, dumping his bag in the hallway. Zoe had taken mine, so I just followed Tom upstairs to his room.

"Where's your parents?" I asked.

Tom grunted as he pushed his bedroom door open, flinging himself onto the bed. He shrugged as he shifted himself into a more comfortable. "I dunno. Dad's probably at work and God knows what Mum's doing. I didn't tell you, did I?" Tom asked.

"Tell me what?" I asked.

"They're getting divorced." Tom replied, staring up at the ceiling.

"Oh." I said, dropping into the bean bag that Tom kept in one corner of the room. "Tom, I'm so sorry."

Tom shrugged. "It's not your fault."

"How long?" I asked.

"They told me two days before I found out about your Dad." Tom replied. "I was a little upset at first, but then when I saw your bruises and I found out about your dad . . . Well, I decided that there are worst things that could happen to me."

"Yeah, well . . ." I mumbled. "I suppose you're right. But even my situation could have been worse."

"How the hell could have been worse?" Tom said.

"He could have rarely fed me, but he didn't. He could have kept me locked up in the basement, but he didn't."

"I don't care." Tom replied. "He's still an asshole and I still hate him, no matter how much worse it could have been."

I sighed and raked my fingers through my hair. "The weird thing is that even after everything he's done to me, even as we're being uprooted to France and even as he's endangering Zoe, I still don't hate him. I still respect him."

"Well you should hate him." Tom replied, sitting up.

"If you say so." I replied. I twisted my head back, looking up at Tom's collection of Blade Quest video games.

"Do you have anything normal?" I asked.

"I've got Halo and Call of Duty somewhere." Tom replied. He stood up and moved towards the bookcase behind me that held all his video games. Finally he stepped back with two cases in hand. I guessed they were Call of Duty and Halo.

"COD or Halo?" Tom asked.

"Is Halo the one where you shoot aliens?" I asked.

Tom nodded and I pulled my bean bag over to the T.V that Tom kept in one corner of his room with nearly every gaming system known to man connected to it. "We'll play that. I'm in the mood to shoot some aliens."

Tom nodded and turned on one of the consoles, I think it was an Xbox 360.

"God, is that a Nintendo 64?" I joked, pointing to a PlayStation 2. Tom rolled his eyes as he grabbed two controllers and passed one to me.

"Just because you're a caveman, doesn't mean everyone else is." Tom said, sitting down on the floor beside me.

"Shut up, Tupper." I told him as the game started up and we started shooting aliens.

We played Halo for a few hours until Tom's phone beeped. He paused it and then quickly read the text before he moved forward, shutting off the Xbox.

"Time to go." Tom said. He then moved to the bookcase and threw some clothes at me and said, "Put them on." Before disappearing out the door.

I shrugged before pulling the clothes on. I noticed immediately that they were mine; they were my own jeans, my own black t-shirt and a brown leather jacket, one that was similar to the one I was wearing the day I was recruited to M.I.9. I found a pair of my shoes sitting by the door and I pulled them on as Tom walked back in, dressed in jeans and a grey hoodie.

I sighed. "Let's get this birthday over with."


As soon as I bounded up the front steps, I could tell something was off. It was too quiet.

My first thought was that KORPS had come and massacred everyone, taking Zoe with them. The imagery that flashed through my mind at the idea, of Kira and Mark and Ruby and Aneisha lying dead on the floor in pools of their own blood, was enough to make me feel sick.

My second thought was that Dad had come and taken Zoe and everyone was out looking for her. Almost immediately, I brushed it off. If Dad had come, someone would have told me. Surely.

Even though I knew that both possibilities were highly unlikely, I could feel unease twisting and twirling in my gut as I turned the knob on the front door and pushed it open, walking inside with Tom behind me.

"Hello?" I asked. "Neish? Ruby? Zoe, Babe?"

Tom and I both moved into the living room. The lights were off, just like the rest of the house. The unease started doing somersaults. This was bad. This was really bad.

My mind started going at three hundred kilometres per hour, trying to figure out what might have happened.

My hand slowly reached for the light switch, but before I got even close, someone else flipped it on. As my eyes adjusted, five shapes jumped out and yelled, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

As my eyes slowly adjusted to the light, I recognised who was in the room with Tom and I. I could see Mark and Kira standing together. Ruby was standing by Kira's leg, a massive grin on her small face. She was the only one in the whole room dressed even remotely formally, wearing a red dress that reached just below her knees. The sentiment was lost in the fact that Ruby wasn't wearing any shoes. Aneisha was leaning against the wall on the other side of the room, grinning as she watched in amusement.

And in the middle of the room, stood Zoe, looking as if she'd just organised the Queen's birthday party instead of mine.

I glanced around. "Please tell me you haven't got One Direction hiding in the corner."

"Pfft." Zoe replied, stepping towards me. "Those twelve-year-olds are idiots."

"And this is why I love you." I told her, embracing her tightly.

"Happy birthday, Dan." Zoe mumbled and pressed a kiss to the side of my neck.

"Presents!" Ruby cried as Zoe and I pulled apart.

"Fine." Zoe said. "Just relax, Rubes."

Zoe walked around, behind the couch and emerged with an assortment of wrapped presents.

"Zoe –" I started.

"Stop whining. It's your seventeenth birthday, not your seventh." Zoe said, cutting me off. I sighed, but I let it go. She was determined that I'd have a birthday and although if it was anything else, she would have let it go, she'd set her mind to me having a normal birthday.

So I was going to have a normal birthday.

"I wanna give him the first one!" Ruby cried, bursting forward. Zoe knelt down, holding the presents out for her. Ruby carefully selected one as I settled myself on the floor and waited patiently.

Tom moved to stand beside Aneisha as Ruby decided on what present she wanted to give me and moved towards me, practically shoving the wrapped box into my face. "Happy birthday, Dan."

"Thanks, Rubes." I said, taking the box from her and slowly removing the wrapping paper.

"Just take it off." Mark said. I glanced at him and grinned before gripping the paper tightly and pulling it off.

"Happy now?" I asked.

"Meh." Mark replied.

And I must have torn through countless sheets of wrapping paper in the time frame of about half an hour. When I was done, a stack was placed carefully beside me. Most of it was stuff for my guitar; a heap of new picks, a new strap which had my name sewn into it and a new tuner.

"Just one more." Mark said. "Zoe."

Zoe got up from her spot beside me and moved, again, to behind the couch. I watched her curiously as she emerged with a unusually-shaped wrapped present in her hands. She glanced around. "I suppose you want me to give it to him?"

Tom grinned. "It was your idea."

Zoe shrugged and sat down in front of me, pushing the object forward. "Happy birthday, Dan."

I gave her a small smile as I tore at the paper, peeling it away from the object. As the paper was peeled away, a leather guitar case was revealed. I flipped it open, revealing a brand-new jet black guitar. Curiously, I picked it up, drawing the instrument into my lap. As I did so, my fingers brushed against the neck of the guitar, feeling the small grooves carved into the wood. I carefully turned it over and read the writing engraved in the back of the guitar.

"Dan,

Sometimes demons are angels in disguise.

Zoe." I read aloud. I looked up, my eyes searching Zoe's. She smiled sheepishly and looked away.

"I wanted to put Tom and Neish's names on there but they wouldn't let me."

"It was your idea." Aneisha replied.

Zoe shrugged and looked back at me, her eyes shining with love. "I wanted you to have something special. Something that would mean something to you."

"Thank you." I whispered, reaching out and touching her hand. Zoe smiled and gently put the guitar back in its case. She crawled closer and wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me. Her mouth felt soft and I pulled her closer, uncaring that we were surrounded by people. I felt Zoe's grip on my neck tighten, her fingers slipping underneath my necklace.

"I love you." I mumbled, pressing my forehead against hers.


When I woke up the next morning, I woke up alone. It was weird, because I could remember falling into bed with Zoe beside me the previous night. Sighing, I rolled out of bed and trudged downstairs. Ruby was sitting at the table, playing on her iPod.

"Where's Zoe?" I asked, grabbing a bowl and some cereal and joining Ruby at the table.

"She went shopping with Aneisha." Ruby replied. "To get dresses."

I nodded. Apparently we were going to be having some kind of ball while we were in Paris, so of course Aneisha would yank Zoe out to buy dresses with her.

"Have fun last night, Dan?" Mark asked as he entered.

"Yeah. Thanks. Best birthday I've ever had." I replied.

"Good to know. But you should be telling Zoe that, not me. It was all her idea."

I smiled. "I imagine that it was."

Mark started to say something, but was cut off by my phone ringing. I pulled it out and saw on the caller ID that it was Zoe.

"Hey babe." I said, answering and holding it to my ear.

"Dan." Zoe whimpered on the other line. "There's some guy following us and I – I think it's your dad."

I cursed under my breath and Mark and Ruby looked at me in shock, but I ignored them as I moved from the table. I found my shoes and slipped them on as I asked, "Are you closer to here or Aneisha's or Tom's?"

"Tom's." Zoe said softly.

"Go there. I'll be there as soon as I can." I told her. "I'll ring Tom and tell him what's happening."

Zoe let out a long, shuddering breath. "Okay. Dan, I love you."

"I love you too." I said and then Zoe hung up. I walked back into the kitchen and Mark looked at me expectantly.

"I need you to drive me to Tom's." I said.

"Why?" Mark asked, getting up from his seat.

"Someone's following the girls and Zoe thinks it's my father." I replied. Mark nodded and turned to Ruby.

"Sweetie, stay here. Mummy's here and she'll look after you."

Ruby nodded as Mark and I walked out, out of the house to the car. As I climbed into the front passenger seat, I dialled Tom's number, waiting impatiently for him to pick up.

"Hello?" Tom asked. His voice sounded thick; I must've woken him up.

"Tom, thank God you answered." I said. "The girls are headed over there now."

"Okay, why?"

"Some guy is following them and Zoe thinks it's my dad and your house is closest."

On the other end of the line, Tom cursed. "I can see them out the window."

I heard dull pounding, he must have been running down the stairs.

"Tom." I said, my voice breaking.

"Yeah."

"Keep her safe. I trust her with my life. I'm trusting you with her's."

"He won't touch her, Dan. I promise." Tom said and then he hung up.

"Please tell me we're close." I practically begged as I shoved my phone into my pocket and Mark swung the car around a corner a little too fast and I was flung against the door.

"Nearly. Two more blocks." Mark replied.

When we finally reached Tom's house, I was out of the car before Mark had even breaked; banging loudly on the door with my fist. The door was flung open, revealing Tom standing there, a baseball bat held loosely in one hand. When he saw that it was me, he stepped aside to let me and Mark through and then slammed it shut behind us, sliding the deadbolt across.

I moved into the living room, where I could see Zoe and Aneisha sitting on the floor, shopping bags beside them. Zoe didn't have a weapon, but Aneisha had a baseball bat lying across her lap. Unlike Tom's, which was wooden, Aneisha's was made from metal.

"Zoe." I said, stepping into the room. Zoe turned, her green eyes filling with relief as she flung herself towards me, her arms wrapping around my neck. I buried my face in her hair and held her tightly as she rested her head against my shoulder and took a deep breath.

"Dan." Aneisha said. I slowly pulled away from Zoe, moving towards the window. I looked outside and my breath hitched in my throat.

My father was standing across the road, a malicious smirk on his face.

"Oh God." I whispered and yanked the curtains across, so Dad couldn't see us and we couldn't see him. I leaned against the wall as my breath started coming in quick, rasping gasps and my hands grasped at the wall against my back, trying to find something to hold onto, to steady myself with.

"Dan!" Zoe cried, grabbing my arm and easing me into one of the armchairs. She leaned down a little, so she was eye-level with me.

"Dan." Zoe said, her voice soft, but with underlying panic. "You need to breathe."

I gripped the armchair tightly, until the knuckles in both my hands turned white, but I forced myself to focus on the colour of Zoe's eyes and to breathe normally. As I worked to pull air into my lungs at a regular rate, I felt Zoe's hand move across my forearm gently.

I finally managed to get my breathing under control and Zoe sighed in relief, rocking back on her heels.

"Thank you." I whispered. Zoe nodded and turned, so she was sitting with her back against the armchair, between my legs. I reached out and ran my fingers through her hair, listening as Zoe sighed and leaned the side of her head against my knee.

"That was amazing." Tom said as he walked in, sitting beside Aneisha.

"Yeah." Aneisha agreed. "How much First Aid training do you have?"

"None." Zoe replied. "Everything I know – it's trial and error. When I was younger, I used to hyperventilate whenever I thought about the future too much. After I blacked out twice, I worked out that I wasn't getting enough oxygen and that's why I was passing out." She twisted her head so she was looking up at me. "I just wish there was someone there to calm me down."

I smiled and reached out, trailing my fingers across the skin of her cheek.

"He's gone. Dan, Zoe, let's go." Mark said as he entered. "Aneisha, I'll drop you home."

I nodded as we all got up, following Mark out to the car.


When Zoe, Mark and I finally arrived home, Kira was standing in the hallway with her arms crossed, an unusual mix of anger and worry on her face.

"What is going on?" Kira asked.

Quickly, Mark explained to Kira what had happened. As Mark talked, Zoe grabbed my hand, squeezing my fingers tightly. I gave her a weak smile as Mark finished and Kira's gaze flitted to me and Zoe, standing very close together.

"Are you two okay?"

I nodded and Kira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. She waved her free hand dismissively and Zoe and I ducked upstairs. As Zoe stashed the bag containing whatever she'd bought in her wardrobe, I collapsed on her bed, twisting my head to the side. I noticed the picture sitting on her bedside table and I reached out, picking it up. It was of Zoe and I, when we'd had to go to Blade Con. for a mission. Zoe was dressed as Zandu the Elf and I was dressed as Luke Blade, with my hair spiked up in every possible direction. Zoe and I were standing very close together and I had one arm around Zoe's shoulders, a toy sword clutched in my hand. The toy quiver that hung from Zoe's shoulder held fake arrows and a fake bow and the ends of the arrows were touching my cheek. We both appeared to be laughing, but there was something in my eyes, something that screamed that there was more to me than just a blonde teenage boy. I couldn't remember being even a little unhappy in the moment when the photo was taken, but then I hadn't been exactly happy.

I thought back to the way Dad had reacted when I told him I thought I was falling for Zoe, the way he'd shoved me off the chair, thrown me around as if I weighed no more than a feather.

I put the photo back on Zoe's bedside table as she lay down beside me, resting her head on my shoulder.

"You okay?" Zoe asked, resting one of her hands on my stomach.

"Mm-hm." I mumbled, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I was just thinking about when I told my dad that I was falling in love with you."

Zoe twisted her head up to look at me. "What did he do?"

"He shoved me off a chair and hit me until I passed out."

Zoe's brow furrowed. "Was that just after we arrested William Todd-Williams?"

I nodded.

"I remember that week. You had a cut, here," Zoe said, reaching out and touching the side of my head. "I just thought . . . I thought you got it when Todd-Williams pushed you down."

"I wish." I mumbled. Zoe sighed and her eyes drifted to the photo on her bedside table, of Luke Blade and Zandu the Elf. She smiled and looked up at me, a mischievous glint in her catlike green eyes. "Why did you start liking Blade Quest?"

"I told you why." I said, wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her closer.

"Then why do I get the feeling that that's not the whole reason?" Zoe asked.

"Okay. You did look really good in that costume." I said. My gaze flickered quickly to Zoe's wardrobe before moving back to her. "I supposed Aneisha's forbidden me from seeing your dress?"

"You suppose right." Zoe replied. "God, I'd hate to know what she'd be like with a wedding dress."

I laughed, tracing an invisible pattern on her hip. Zoe shifted, swinging one leg over my hips as she kissed me, her hands moving into my hair as she pushed herself closer to me.

Suddenly it hit me, that I could have lost her.

I pulled her even closer, pressing soft kisses to her mouth as I gently turned her over, so she was lying beneath me. I pulled back a little, watching her eyes as she lazily opened them, revealing beautiful green eyes that were so full of love that it made my heart ache because I knew, just from that look in her eye, that she'd never loved anyone as much as she loved me.

I suddenly remembered one of the first nights I'd slept in this house, the night Zoe kissed each one of my bruises.

"Can I try something?" I whispered, my mouth nearly brushing hers as I spoke. Zoe nodded once, her eyes looking up at me curiously as I pressed a gentle kiss to the corner of her mouth, my eyes flickering upwards to watch her reaction. Zoe gasped, her hands flying up to grip my shoulders as my mouth moved across her jaw.

I smiled against her skin as my mouth moved down to her neck, kissing every bare inch of skin I could find. Zoe gasped in my ear, her arms winding around my neck and her skin brushing against my necklace. I stopped myself from trembling and distantly, some part of me found it amazing that she had this effect on me, even when she was doing absolutely nothing.