I am unreliable, because I'm lazy. Hope you enjoy. I don't own any of the Inkheart characters. And there's a convo at the end. :)

"My thing with strangers? Or about trust?" Meggie was quick to shoot back. The only crack in Dustfinger's angry facade was the small movement of raising his eyebrows.

"Trust? Who was the one who went off into a stranger's house without telling their significant other? Without trusting them with it?"

"You would have stopped me!" Meggie cried, defending herself. Dustfinger gave her a disappointed look.

"Meggie, I would have talked about it with you and treated the situation like an adult. Something you clearly are so far from." He tsked at her, and almost regretted his words when he saw the hurt look on her face.

"You are so quick to jump onto me about my age! I'm sorry if it's such a problem to you! I thought this was about love, and love has no limits on it." Meggie turned from him, looking out the window. Dustfinger thought she did it in anger, but Meggie did it so he wouldn't see the tears that had spilled over her face.

"Age is not the issue! It's you not trusting me. Again. It's you acting childishly when you are more mature than that. Again."

Meggie spun around to face him, looking at him so angrily he was surprised fire did not erupt from her.

Dustfinger looked into her eyes, fascinated that tears could make them that much prettier from the sparkle. He also felt guilty at being the cause of her tears. He hated to see her cry.

"I trust you!" Meggie declared, but Dustfinger knew better.

"Then here's your chance." His voice was much softer, and he lifted his chin.

"What's going on?" Meggie looked at him, and then sat on the bed.

"You won't believe me. You'll believe my mother and father."

Dustfinger sat beside her, and grasped her delicate face in his burnt hands. She tried to pull away, but he held on, bending down to look her in the eye.

"Try me. You are my priority Meggie. Your safety. Your side. So tell me." Meggie felt an irresistible urge to kiss him, and follow up on the desires she felt from just his touch, but swallowed it, knowing that this could be the breaker, the decider of what would happen next.

"I can't believe Mo believed her." she begun, but was interrupted.

"I can't believe you believed him. And just who is he? " Meggie glared at him.

"See! And I have a good sense of judging people's characters." Dustfinger snorted.

"Clearly!"

"Jeremiah used to be good. But revenge had just overcome him, finally defeated him, and pushed him into insanity. It was sad, but it wasn't inevitable. It could have been stopped. But he, he was telling the truth! Come visit him with me and see for yourself!" Dustfinger's eyes narrowed.

'You're going to go back?"

"Of course I am! I need to find out the truth, and Resa even admitted it before Mo came! I want my family to be happy, but not to be ignorance, because ignorance isn't bliss, Dustfinger!" He stood up and started pacing, turning away from her. Meggie suddenly felt cold, and wrapped her arms around herself as she watched him.

"I think you should let it cool down for a couple of days. And then we'll both go and talk to him." Dustfinger finally said.

"Let it cool down? I don't want to be in the same house with her! Or with him! And I won't!"

"You could come and stay with me." Dustfinger blurted out. Both froze, and he blushed.

"No Meggie, please control your thoughts. But if you can't stand staying here than I would much rather you be with me, somewhere I can keep an eye on you."

Meggie rolled her eyes.

"Still seeing me as a kid rather than an equal. When are you going to get past that?"

"I struggle with it, yes! Maybe when you are eighteen, or perhaps when you mentally grow up!" Dustfinger yelled. Meggie flinched, taking a step back with wide eyes.

Dustfinger had the grace to look ashamed of himself.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Get out." Meggie said coldly. Dustfinger looked at her, not arguing but not agreeing.

"Go. Clearly you agree with my parents, clearly you-"

"How can you be mad at me? I didn't go behind my lover's back to see another boy who just fed lies, did I?" he fumed back.

"But how can I be your lover when you don't treat me as an equal?"

"I'll see you tomorrow. Cool off. And stay here." Dustfinger walked out, and Meggie opened her mouth to call out, but he had already slammed the door.

She stayed frozen for a few moments, not believing what had just happened. It had all blown up in her face, and she was left alone.

Very angrily, Meggie sat back on her bed and dissolved into tears.

He turned away, not believing but, it was true. He had seen with his very own eyes. He wasn't surprised that they were together, but still to be so easily forgotten and judged. Although he was touched at the young one's sweet heart, the one he hadn't been able to stop thinking about. It was easy to stir up trouble when the truth was worse than any lie could be. It was like dangling a piece of string at a kitten, the kitten was going to hit back.

He smiled, satisfied, for now.

Meggie hopped from one foot to the other, staggering once again under the weight of the two bags. The door opened, revealing an older, yet attractive man. He looked at Meggie, surprised. Meggie took a step back.

"Do I know you?" he looked at her bags and then looked at her face, squinting. Meggie squirmed under his scrutiny.

"Boy! What have you done?" the man bellowed, and Meggie cocked her head to the side, confused. Raine came to the door, bewildered. He took one look and smiled sheepishly at her dad.

"Hey dad. She needed to know. It's time." They both looked at Meggie, and Meggie stared back firmly, holding her head high, letting them know that she agreed.

Me: I am so lame. I read back on our convos and laughed.

Dustfinger: You are incorrect. Do you even know what lame actually means?

Me: Yes. The definition is you.

Dustfinger: That was rude.

Me: No, that was funny.

Dustfinger: Why must you make my girlfriend and I fight? It's old. Run out of ideas, young in?

Me: No. It's interesting. Clearly I have new ideas because I have new characters? Who's dating a young in now..?

Meggie: I'd like to inform you that I am older than you.

Me: Only in this story.

Dustfinger: Can you shut up? The peace never lasts as long as it should.

Me: I thought we had something special.

Dustfinger: Than you should be in a mental hospital. And I mean that in an honest, nice way.

Me: Oh Dustfinger, guess who will be in the next chapter?

Dustfinger: Your mum?

Me: ...that was so out of character.

Dustfinger: Sorry, isn't that what your generation jokes about these days? It's quite...pathetic, really. Now I understand why you are the way you are.

Me: Shut your face.

Meggie: Bravo...

Me: Shut your face too.

Dustfinger: She did not deny it.

Me: I am awesome. Why deny that?

Dustfinger: Should we put that to a vote?

Me: ...maybe not...

Dustfinger: That is what I thought.

Meggie: Hey Bells, who's that creepy person?

Me: Like I'm going to reveal it silly child.

Meggie: The readers are probably curious.

Me: Nice try.

Meggie: Dang.

Dustfinger: I'll protect you.

Me: Haha, not if you two are fighting.

Dustfinger: How about you shut your face now?

Me: hahaha. No...! Keep that fire away from me! Meggie, unsick Dustfinger from me!

Meggie: Why would I do that? It's the benefits of your special friendship!

Me: Meggie!

Meggie: Fine! Bye readers, review, I once again clearly am more adult than Dustfinger realises because I am always breaking the fights up! Until next time..DUSTFINGER! Bells! Bells, turn that hose off...