Chapter 9

Lily's POV

I groan and roll over onto my stomach on the floor, feeling exhausted. I look up and see human form Anna collapsed and asleep on her bed. Pillows from our fight are flung all around her. I didn't fall asleep till Anna did, and that didn't happen till after dawn. I take a deep breath, my dark blue eyes stinging with every blink. I want to say that is from lack of sleep but it's probably a mixture of no sleep and tears. I think I slept for an hour.

I grab my phone and see that it reads 6:40. Not even an hour... I unlock the phone and call the house phone. Rings echo through my ears as I wait and on the last ring a groggily voice answers.

"Hello?" Aunt Dottie's voice asks in the phone. "Morning." I whisper not finding the strength to speak louder. Or wake up Anna.

"Didn't sleep? Want me to pick you up?" Aunt Dottie asks, already knowing what's wrong. "No and yes." I mutter.

"I'm on my way." She says. We hang up and I pick up my stuff and quietly leave the room. With a pair of shoes in my hand, and my duffle bag in the other I shut the door. My eyes stare at a thin line of yellow light, shinning under a door and I walk over to it. The fact that someone left a night on all night makes think that Tony is sleeping in here.

I carefully open the door and stick my head in. Yup. I was right. The light blonde boys is sprawled out on the floor, laying upon a mountain of pillows. His little body is tangled up in a mess of blankets and sheets. I tip tie in but it wasn't much use. My feet gets tangled up in some sheets and I stumble into the wall, my stuff falling out of my hands onto the floor. My hands cover my mouth so no one in the house has to come running out to see who screamed.

This is not my house, if it was, it would happen.

I look around to see no one stirring in their sleep and waking up. But I did happen to see something else. Laying on his back, a shirtless Rudolph soundlessly sleeps. Without a second thought I step over Tony and sit on the edge of his bed. He must have gave Tony all his sheets and pillows because the bed is strip bare. Nothing covers up his body and makes fall for him even more. I run my hand through his hair, memories flooding my brain at the touch.

"Please... Remember me soon. You keep hurting me and I don't know how much more I can take." I realize as my thoughts are flying off my lips in a whisper. Tears gather up in my eyes as I stare at Rudolph's peaceful sleeping expression. Honesty, I feel kind of weird doing this but he use to do this with me as I slept and he stayed up. Ugh. What a horrible twilight moment. My toes curl up as I shiver from my skin crawling in disgust.

"I would love to help by the way. But please at least stop shoving Gregory at me. I don't like him. I'm scared of him. Terrified even. If you won't remember me then please just with the match maker crap." I whisper not seeing the need to stop talking to a sleeping boy. To gets those thongs off my chest makes me feel a thousand times better. I lean down and press a peck to the conner of his mouth, lingering there. I swear I felt his body twitch but I think it's just my hopes getting to high. I stop kissing him, sighing into his cheek, feeling my cheeks darken.

I'm officially a creep. I stand up not really wanting to get up. I really just wanna curl up into Rudolph but that's okay. I run my hand through my hair then stiffen. My eyes widen and pounds in my chest. Is... Rudolph blushing?

His cheeks faintly glow with red in the morning light. No, impossible. I didn't do that. Not because he doesn't remember me, but because the boy is sleeping. Panic rises in my at the only conclusion possible.

Does he have a fever? He did sleep have naked in the cold for my cousin sake. My hand cups his forehead, then slides to his cheek. A little bit of heat trickles into my palm but I freak out when his head leans into my hand. A text sounds instantly from my pocket and I jump, the alarm not giving to process what's going on.

'I'm here.' Aunt Dottie's text reads on my screen. I gently nodge Tony with my foot and he stirs. I roll my eyes I unsatisfied at his deep sleep. I dig my heel into his shoulder and jumps awake. His mouth opens to yell at me, pairing very well with the angry glare on his face. I press my finger to my lips and point down at Rudolph's vexing sleeping form.

"Aunt Dottie is here. Lets go." I whisper and Tony just sleepily nods before putting on his glasses. "Oh and make you write a note this time." I whisper. With one shoe on Tony walks to Rudolph's elegant brown desk and scribbles something down on a stack of sticky notes. Tony sticks his note onto the door knob and grabs his other shoe and walks out, dragging his bag behind on the floor.

I roll my eyes and lean down to grab a pillow and blanket. I spread the blanket over Rudolph's body, sadly covering up his washboard abs. I gently pick up his head, feeling that the heat has dwindle away but feels like it is slowly growing again. I place his head on the soft pillow. I fight off the urge to his peck him with another kiss and go grab my stuff. Good for me, not becoming some weird pervert. I think I'm gonna reward myself with something unhealthy. My spinning feelings are telling I should.

BACK AT CATLSE THOMPSON

I feel asleep in the front seat, hugging my duffle bag to my chest, pretending that it is Rudolph. It became a really bad habit with my pillows too. I jolt awake as Tony's duffle bag slams into my face

"Tony!" Aunt Dottie scolds as I sleepily stare up at Tony glaring down at me from over the seat.

"That's for this morning. If you can't make me up gently then I won't ether for you." He states before jumping out the car and walking inside. I laugh a dry laugh before walking inside behind him. Unlike me, Tony forces himself to climb the stair's up to his bedroom as where I happily collapse onto the couch. My immediately fall shut and I get dragged into a nice deep sleep.

A sleep that is short lived.

"Lily. Lily, wake up." I sigh then turn away from the voice, burying myself deeper in the cushions. "No." I groan childishly. I hear a chuckle then a hand cups my shoulder and rubs circles into it, making sigh in pleasure.

"Don't make me take drastic measures." A smooth voice jokingly warns. My eyes snap open at the familiar enchanting British accent and I sit up. I can feel the alarm on my face as I stare at a smirking human Rudolph sitting next to me. He seems happier than usual, especially after last night's bad turns of events. His warm brown eyes have a familiar adoration shinning in them and I try not to hug him.

My eyes widen and I cup my mouth with my hands. Morning breath. Ew. Gross. I hold up a finger then get up but Rudolph's hand on my wrist makes me stop.

"Where are you headed off to? You don't want to see me that badly?" He asks and I shake my head no. Are you serious? That's such a stupid thing to think!

"Just give me ten minutes." I mutter against my hands and run up the stairs. I take the quickest shower of my life and get changed while brushing my teeth. I run back downstairs in navy blue skinny jeans and a gray v-neck t-shirt. With my hair still soaking wet but combed and untangled and bare foot. Rudolph's eyes brighten when they fall on me but I'm positive it's just the light.

I smile at him, baffled as to why Rudolph is here with me instead of playing with Tony. Plus, Rudolph is acting like last night never happened.

"You look nice." He says and my cheeks pinkin. "Thanks." I mumble shyly and his smile widens. "Lily, do you want to go an adventure with me?" He asks in that smooth British accent of his. I bite my lower lip trying to swallow the imitate yes that is bubbling up in my throat. "An adventure? What kind of adventure?" I ask.

"An adventure base off your hypothesis." He states. My face crisps over in confusion "But I said that I think it could be in the lake. Underwater." I say.

"Better get your swim suits." He says with a smirk. My cheeks darken even more and he stands up and walks over to me. "Go on and change into your suit, I'll go and wake Tony." He says running a hand down my arm. "A-alright." I stutter, we stay still for another minute, just gazing at each other. Rudolph hesitates before walking up the stairs to Tony's room. I awkwardly climb up the stairs to my room and shut the door behind me and change into bathing suit and green cover up dress. More like a huge over size t-shirt that hangs off my shoulder.

I walk out with flip flobs and go to Tony's door, seeing Rudolph struggling to wake up the little boy. I take the opportunity to walk down to the kitchen and pull out the family picnic basket. I know that I have no time to make sandwiches so I just throw the wrapped loaf of bread in the basket. Then deli meat, lettuce, tomatoes and cheese follow after the bread. I also throw half of Tony's juice box pack into the basket.

I grab it and walk out to meet both boys at the bottom of the steps. Tony is half dressed in his yellow swim trunks and I wonder how Rudolph is going to swim if he's dress in a jeans and brown v-neck. Then another thought bursts in my head, a really obvious one.

"How are we going to get to the cliffs? It over miles away." I ask. The cliffs are even farther than the book store. Rudolph gives me a sheepish expression. "I would have organized this hunt for later in the evening so we could fly there but it would have been to dark to salvage for the stone." Rudolph explains, answering a question that I didn't ask.

"Plus one of us could get hurt." Tony adds. "So... I was hopping you could transport us there yourself." Rudolph says and my mouth drops open.

"Transport... As in drive?" I ask, stun. "Yes." He conforms. " I-I can't. I don't have a driver's license." I stutter out

"I am aware of that." Rudolph says.

"And you still want me to drive illegally?" I ask and Rudolph nods his head making my eyes widen at him.

"It'll be fine if you don't get caught." Tony says and I give him a look. "Please Lily. The stone might be right under our noses and our parents would listen to us let alone go looking for it by our hunch. Please, I really want to remember." Rudolph begs. His last sentence makes me sigh.

"Fine." I say giving in because of Rudolph's memories are at stake. "Boy, are we lucky that mom and dad are out or what?" Tony asks. Aunt Dottie and Uncle Bob are out for brunch for business but the question is for how long will they be out? Hopefully for hours. I find Aunt Dottie's keys for her little white car and jingle it in the air.

See what I'm doing for you Rudolph? It's all out of love.

"I really hope I don't loose my license before I even get it." I sigh walking out of the castle and locking it. We all gather up inside the car and I start the engine. Rudolph sits next to me with Tony sitting in the back with the basket and I hope that he won't distract me and we'll die. Or that I get pulled over. I click the garage clicker then pull out onto the open road. Gosh, I hope this plan doesn't back fire on our asses.

I drive carefully and quietly as Rudolph and Tony chatter away. Honestly I hate this road, I flew over it with crazy flyer Anna and drove back home heartbroken. Yup you can say this road doesn't exactly hold the best memories for me. After twenty minutes we reach the cliffs I turn off the car and look at the place where I first lost Rudolph.

I feel tears prickle my eyes and my face twist up in grief.

"I'm guessing you don't enjoy the scenery here?" Rudolph asks and I turn to him. "No. Not really." I say quietly. Even though he is right in front of me it's not entirely Rudolph. The love he had for me is gone, so it's basically the equipment of him being gone as well. I get out of the car and walk to the point then turn back to the two boys getting out of the car.

"It's pretty easy to get down there, but how will we get back up?" I ask and Tony grins at me. Tony goes back to the car and pulls out a black rolled up fire ladder. "Don't worry, we got it covered." Tony says. I give an amuse and confuse look to the two boys. I remember that was in our loft back in San Francisco but not anywhere in the castle.

"Okay. Then." I say not wanting to know when and where Tony dig that out from. Rudolph nails the ladder to the ground with a rock while I inflate Tony's floaties. I stick up his forearms and glance at Rudolph bent over the ladder on the ground, checking if its secure. I can see his muscles ripple and I force myself to look away. The look of focus on his handsome face haunting me.

"You're blushing." Tony whispers with a smirk. I run my hand through my hair and groan. "Lets just get in the stupid water." I say walking over to the edge. "Tony be careful, Rookery fell down these cliffs and we never saw him again." I breathe. Tony gives me big alarmed eyes and Rudolph's face falls.

"Do you think Rookery's body is still down there?" Tony asks and I feel myself cringe. "Probably not." Rudolph says. We suddenly realize how dangerous this is and how this isn't just a swim. Rudolph's uncle Von got carries away by the tide to a cave. And what if we get carried away? Or worse swim deep enough and come face to face with Rookery?

"I don't wanna jump in anymore." Tony says and climbs down the ladder. "Good idea, mate." Rudolph says. "Be careful Tony!" I say.

I look up at Rudolph whose is looking down at me. "Are you ready for your dip?" He asks with a faint smile. I nod up at him, grinning. "Aren't you going to swim?" I ask. "Afraid not. I don't know how to swim." He confesses and my eyebrows rise up in surprise. I find that highly unlikely, how can somebody no matter what age never learn to swim?

"A gentlemen never should be nude swimming a filthy body of water." Rudolph says, explaining the society dos and don'ts of his era. I snort then burst out laughing.

"So-orry but that is really funny." I breath, my laughter dying down to a giggle.

"H-hey! L-l-lily! G-get dow-wn he-ere!" Tony's voice calls and I look down at the boy in the water shivering. "I'll be down in a minute." I call. "Lucky you don't have to go swimming in the freezing water." I say.

"Membership does has its privileges." Rudolph says with a grin. I suddenly wish I didn't know how to swim. "We'll I better get down there." I sigh, grabbing the hem of my cover up. This is embarrassing...

I hesitate before pulling the cover up over my head and throwing it on to the floor feeling self conscious immediately. I am not fat or anything, but I'm not the most confidante girl. And I hate showing to much skin. And I don't have curves. Just barely a dent for a butt and boobs that just make into a Bcup. Instantly my skin feels like it's crawling as Rudolph racks up and down my body with his eyes. Rudolph blushes slightly at the sight of the simple black two piece. It isn't sexy, or held together by thin string. It's just a simple fold waist and a halter top. No thin straps, or sexy triangle top. Just a very plain and supportive bikini.

I feel my entire body turn red at Rudolph's hooded expression and he takes a step closer to me.

"You look smashing." He says lowly in husky voice. I swallow hard and feel like I'm swaying off the earth.

"Thank you." I manage out with pink cheeks.

"Anytime my dear," he whispers making my heart pound and my cheeks darken. Where is this coming from all of sudden?

I start climbing down but Rudolph's voice makes me stop.

"By the way Lily. This morning... I was awake." Rudolph confesses and my eyes practically pop out of my head. A strange strangled cry comes out of my mouth and my face goes completely red. Suddenly my hands slide off the ladder and I fall off. Rocks blur past me and Rudolph and the sky distances itself from me in seconds. I catch Rudolph's shock expression before my body splashes into the water. I gasp only for my mouth to flood with dirty freezing cold water.

It feels like my mouth is being filled with ice cubes! I swim to the surface and spit out the gross water in my mouth. My body shakes with violent shivers and look at a shaking Tony.

"I wo-ould l-laug-gh but t-t-teet-th are ch-ha-attering t-to muc-ch." Tony stutters out.

"Lily! Are you alright?!" Rudolph's voice booms out making Tony and I both jump. I look up at a shirtless and shoeless Rudolph panicky looking over the edge. Was he going to jump in after me?

"Y-y-yes!" I shout at him. Rudolph sighs in relief and grabs his shirt off the ground. I look to Tony who is shaking in the water. I nod at him not able to say anything through my chattering teeth. With a deep breath I plunge under water, getting an even stronger blast of cold water on my body. I force my muscles to paddle me down to the bottom muddy floor and feel around. I only last seconds before my lungs start to burn with the need of air. I kick off the floor and hurriedly swim back up to the top. I break the surface and gasp a deep breath.

"F-find-d a-anything?" Tony asks and I shake my head no. I take another deep breath and plunge underwater again and again and again. "W-we've b-been lo-o-oking for an h-hour." I stutter out.

"A-and n-not-thing." Tony stutters out. "C-c-can w-we tak-ke a br-reak?" Tony asks and I nod. We climb back up the ladder shivering the entire time.

"Nothing huh?" Rudolph asks and we shake our heads no. "Here." Rudolph drapes a towel over Tony's head then quickly warps my towel over my shoulder then pulls me into him by the towel. My breath hitches and my heart starts pounding.

"Rudolph!" Tony whines in a muffle voice through the towel. My cheeks blush at Rudolph's smirk as he takes a step away just as Tony yanks the towel off his head. I gape at a smirking Rudolph and pull the towel tighter around my dripping wet body.

"H-how ab-bout lunch?" Tony asks. "... I-i-in th-he c-car." I stutter out still gaping at Rudolph. Tony runs off to the car to fetch the basket while I still gape at Rudolph. "So you didn't find it yet huh?" Rudolph asks. Still stun I shake my head after a moment. Tony returns with the basket and sets it down on the ground. Rudolph gives me one more charming smirk before walking over Tony.

I follow and sit down on the ground, making sure the towel is not reveling anything. I sit quietly between the two boys as we make our sandwiches and eat them. Rudolph is sitting on the edge and Tony is on my left, slurping away at a juice box. Just as I am about to lean back and relax I choke on a quick intake of breath.

Rudolph leans back but there is nothing left to support him. His eyes widen as he starts to fall and I reach out and try to grab him.

I miss his shirt by just centimeters.

For the second time a strange cry comes out my mouth. I spring up and run to the edge of the cliff, where Rudolph was just a minute ago.

"Holy crude!" I hear Tony shout as I jump off the cliff after Rudolph in my best attempt in a dive. Rudolph stares at me with wide scared eyes and I can't tell if he is scared for himself or me. Ether way that fear in his eyes makes me wish I could fly and catch him. Or at least fall faster. Rudolph spazzing body splashes HARD against the water.

Ouch.

That body slam gotta hurt.

I feel like I'm falling for eternity. How long does it take to fall?! Seriously? Rudolph could be drowning already! I feel like hours tick by painfully slow but in actuality it just another moment. It is taking so long that I can't tell if the water is getting closer or getting farther.

Finally.

Finally.

I plummet into the water and my arms instantly break into a breast stroke and help me along. I see Rudolph's brown hair sway messily in the water and I swim faster. His creamy skin glows deathly pale in the water, as if he is in vampire form. I reach out and grab him from under his shoulders and pull.

The breath I am holding burst out in a mass of bubbles as I gasp in shock at how heavy Rudolph is. I quickly close my mouth and give another pull. This time, using all my strength I pull him up to the surface. I take a deep breath and catch Tony's panic gaze from up at the cliff.

"I g-g-got h-him!" I shout up to Tony, sounding more a cry. "Is he okay?!" Tony shouts down sounding just as panic and scared as I am. I press my ear to Rudolph's nose and hear nothing.

"N-n-no!" I cry up and look around desperately. My eyes land on a boulder and I paddle over to it, dragging along Rudolph's body. "I can't carry him up, I'm going over to that rock to give him CPR!" I shout. I push Rudolph up onto the rock then pull myself up.

A strike of terror surges through me at the sight of his unmoving body and tip his head back. I press down on his stomach, above his belly button and count to myself out loud. After thirty chest compressions I pinch his nose and press my mouth to his and blow air in his mouth. I blow again and Rudolph starts coughing. I feel relief flow into my body but he stops and his head rolls to its side.

"No. Rudolph don't you dare fucking die on me! I'll forgive you for forgetting me but defiantly not this!" I yell before doing thirty more chest compressions. I pinch his nose for the second time and blow another surging breath into his mouth. I didn't get a chance to do another breath because Rudolph's hands cup my cheek and the nape of my neck to pull me closer. His lips mash tenderly sweet against mine but I snap back up. I stare wide eye down at him and tears fly down my face.

"Oh thank god." I whisper then hug him. My body shakes as it racks with sobs and Rudolph wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me against his cold shivering body. I bury my head into his shoulder before Tony's scared little face pops up in my head. I pull away from Rudolph and look up at the sky.

"H-he's okay!" I yell up. I look back down at Rudolph is staring at me and hug him again. "Please don't scare me like that again." I whisper into his shoulder.

"I promise. I'm sorry." He says. "Can you stand? Are you okay?" I ask cupping his face. "I do believe so." He says slowly standing up.

"Good. Really good." I say sighing then standing up. I jump into the water and Rudolph gives a hell no look. "I'm not jumping back into the frigid water!" Rudolph says firmly. "B-but yo-ou hav-v-ve to. S-so w-we can cl-l-lim-mb the l-ladder." I say through clattering teeth. "Is it really the only way?" He asks with pleading eyes and nod."Can Tony swing it over?" He asks and I shake my head. It's secured into the ground already by him. And Tony couldn't possibly hold the ladder while we climb it.

"Fine. If I must." Rudolph sighs the jumps in. I hurriedly grab him and he wraps his arms around me and clings onto me. "I-I-I g-got ya" I say through chattering teeth. He nods, shivering in the water. I pull us along to the ladder, letting Rudolph go first then climb up after him. The minute we reach the top Tony pounces Rudolph in a bear hug. I smile at the sight then wrap my already damp towel around Rudolph shoulder's.

"I thought you drowned." Tony says burying his face into Rudolph's stomach. Rudolph scruples up Tony's damp hair and grins down at the boy.

"Nah. You can't rid of me that easily." Rudolph says. They hug for another minute and I start putting our picnic basket back into the car, with Tony's damp small towel around my shoulders.

"I saw the stone." Rudolph's words makes me freeze and I spin around.

"Really?!" Tony asks with a huge smile on his face. "Really really." Rudolph says grinning down at him. "Are you serious?" I ask smiling.

"A hundred percent positive. That bloody stone was glaring up at me from the sandy floor before I went unconscious." Rudolph explains. "That means you were right Lily." Rudolph says with a huge smile.

"Boy is that rare." Tony says. I shoot him a look but it quickly melts away into a smile.

"Doesn't matter. Cause this I'm right. And that does matter." I say.

"But we'll have to come back another day for it. I have to get Aunt Dottie's car back. And soon. That brunch can't last forever." I say. And something tells me it's nearly over.

They both sigh and give me pleading looks. "Are you sure we can't go back for it quickly then you speed home?" Tony asks.

"If I speed, I'll get pulled over Tony." I state. "Sorry. I wish I could but I can't. I'll get super grounded and probably lose my license." I say and they give in.

"Fine." Tony gives in then quickly goes to the car.

Rudolph and I quickly roll up the ladder and throw into the trunk. Rudolph giving me sidelong glances the entire time.

That's weird.

He's probably just taken aback that a puny girl saved his macho life.