Wow been so long since I updated! Sorry! Well here you go, the long awaited chapter! Hope it was worth the wait! Please Read and Review, Would be great to know if people are still into this story and want more :) Enjoy xx

Shane

Everyone had gone off into Myrnins lab, leaving me alone and resting on the floor, a few pillows beneath my head and a small blanket over my chilled body, radiating only slight warmth as the air within the library was bitterly cold. I glanced around the room, trying to find an escape route, trying so desperately to find a way to get out to bring Lily back here. I knew I'd be in deep shit with everyone later but Lily...she's the last thing I have connected to Alyssa...I couldn't live with myself knowing she's in danger out there, especially with dad on the loose. If he finds her...I shivered at the thought of what might happen...Dad wasn't very forgiving on the best of days, god knows what he'd do if he found Lily...

I stopped my mind dwelling on those thoughts and focussed on the task of getting her to safety. There was a door at the top of stairs near the library, but it was blocked by stacks of books and sheets of paper, I stood up and headed over to my only exit, wondering how I could escape and leave everything the way it was. I knew this was an impossible things to do and so I carefully took each stack of books and papers down to the floor of the library, once the stairs were half cleared I could get up and out. I headed to get my jacket and leave when I realised it had been taken from the coat hanger stood in the corner of the room...fuck...Claire must have grabbed it for extra warmth. Snatching a blade off the table nearest me, slipping it down the side of my trousers I fled from the cave, heading up the constricted and darkened alley which connected onto a cul-de-sac. The wind was as cold as ice, chasing down my back, biting at me as if it were a wild dog. I paced down the housing estate, keeping as close to each light as possible, the shadows were still scary as fuck during the day. Grabbing out my phone I redialled the last number called and waited patiently for an answer.
"Hello?" A voice echoed from the other end.
"Lily, where are you?"
"Oh, Hey Shane! How are you?"
"Look, we dont have time for a catch up over the phone Lil. Dad's in town, his men are everywhere, I'm basically a sitting duck right now, so please I need to know where you are so I can come and get you. You need to be with me, atleast then I know you'll be safer than what you would be on your own. If Dad finds out you're here..." My voice broke for a moment, unable to finish what I was saying.
"Shit! Shane you should have told me right away! Okay I'm at the hotel opposite your club...can you get here to pick me up?"
"Lily that's too far into town for me..."
"Shit sorry yeah I wasn't thinking...hmmm where are you now?"
"The park. Y'know...the one about 20 minutes out of the main town. It's the safest place I can go. Listen to me okay, you need to disguise yourself, make yourself completely unrecognisable and bring some form of weapon Lil...I know you can fight well, if you get any trouble on the way here call me and I'll find you, I can't let anything happen to you..."
"Okay I'll be there soon." Lily's voice was shaky...I knew she was scared as fuck right now and it hurts knowing I couldn't do anything to comfort her...atleast not until I saw her...

The next 20 minutes were the tensest of my life. A figure rounded the corner and past the trees I was stood behind. I steadied the blade in my hand, ready to attack if it was anyone but Lily. A gentle yet frightened voice echoed through the air...so sweet, so gentle and so very innocent...for a moment my mind thought it might have been Alyssa, that maybe she'd come back to me...like she did before. I wish I could see her one last time, just hold her, tell her how much she meant to me and how much I loved her, but I knew I couldn't...

Lily approached me with caution, checking to see if it really was me, I stepped forwards to meet her half way, then jogging the rest and capturing her in a tight embrace. Minutes passed before we let go, our arms not fully removing themselves from each other, our eyes tracing each other, mentally blown away by how neither had changed in the slightest. I took Lily's hand and walked her through the trees and back the way I came, saying nothing until we reached the dark alley which led to the cave.
"Shane..." I could tell she was frightened, her voice was almost silent and ever so shaky. I embraced her hand tighter in my own and gently brushed my other hand across her face, taking a stray piece of hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear.
"It's alright Lil...just down here then you'll be safe okay, walk in front of me and dont stop until you reach a door. Once you find the door open it and go straight in and down the stairs, I'll be with you in a minute, I promise." Lily did as she was told and headed down the blackened alley, the clunk of the large metal door reassuring me she was now safe, I spun around, checking the perimeter and ensuring we hadn't been followed. All clear I thought to myself. I raced down the alley and slammed the door shut, locking every last padlock and bolt I saw attached to the door. Heading down into the dimly lit library I saw everybody stood there, arms crossed and a completely unimpressed expression struck across their face. Michael had a hold of Lily, gripping her shoulder so tightly, Lily's face wincing occasionally when she tried to shrug him off.

"Fancy explaining." Michael's tone was flat, his face expressing nothing more than disgust and anger. I glanced over to Claire who immediately broke any eye contact with me, turning away slightly, tucking herself closer into Eve, who looked just as disgusted as Michael.
"It's not what it looks like." I tried to sound as confident as possible but I couldn't quite muster up the power in my voice.

"Then what is it Shane?" His voice penetrated my body, leaving me shivering with fear of what he might do if I didn't explain soon.

"She...she...she's an old friend" I heard Claire let out a small sob, I couldn't face seeing her cry. I walked towards her, taking her by the hands before she had chance to move away. "Claire Bear it's not what you think..." She stared into my eyes, as if trying to see if I was lying to her. "Look, baby it's not what you think...she's a really old friend okay, she was friends with Alyssa...she was there the day Alyssa died..." Claire gripped my hands, tears brimming in her eyes, her mouth moving open and closed, looking as though she was trying to work out what to say...
"C...c...caannn sh...sh, sh, she help explain what you saw earlier?" Claire managed to say, her words stuttering from the gentle sobs escaping her.
"I think so babe..her name is Lily, and I didn't know she was here until early this morning. She's the last hope I have of reaching Alyssa one last time. She has powers, really amazing powers...when I found out she was in town, well I couldn't let her stay on her own...not with Dad on the loose. Out there, she's a sitting duck, if Dad found her...well..." I felt tears beginning to form in my eyes, I tried my best to stop them falling but one singular tear rolled down my cheek, I felt so weak crying in front of my baby girl, I needed to be strong for her...I just couldn't hold back any longer. "Claire I promise there is nothing going on between me and Lily, she's more like family to me...please don't make me send her back out there...she can help all of us...I know I did wrong going out and not telling you first but please Claire, forgive me, I love you so much"
"Shane...It's alright okay baby, I believe you, and Lily can stay here, if she can help then that's really good news. The more help we have the better off we'll be. Michael let her go. I think we should all give Lily a proper, nice welcoming." Claire let go of my hands and walked over to Lily, reaching her arms out and embracing Lily within them. "I'm Claire, nice to meet you Lily. I'm Shane's girlfriend. This is Michael, Myrnin and this is Eve. Come into the kitchen and we'll get you and Shane something hot to drink, you're both as cold as ice." Claire led Lily off towards Myrnin's kitchen, each of us following straight after one another. This was going to be a very long day...