Sorry it's been so long, hope you enjoy this chapter! I don't own the covenant or any of its characters.

Chapter 8

Riley sat in Caleb's living room shifting nervously. Everyone was looking at her waiting for her to do something.

"Riley, are you sure that you…," Tyler trailed off not really sure what he meant to ask.

"I feel fine Tyler," Riley said easily. Everyone fell silent as they continued to study her.

"Ok," Reid said breaking the silence. "I have a legitimate question. We had a funeral for Riley. Everyone thinks she is dead. How do we plan on explaining this one?"

Riley leaned back against the sofa and waited for someone to suggest an idea. Pogue shifted in the armchair and met Caleb's gaze. Tyler and Catherine shook their heads in confusion. Tristan sighed loudly and flopped onto the floor.

"Can't you guys just wipe everyone's memory? Make them all think she went on vacation or something," Addyson suggested. "I mean in a way she was on a vacation."

"Study abroad," Catherine suggested. "Riley was studying in Canada. That can also explain why Addyson is here."

"Are you staying," Riley asked quickly.

"I think its best for you stay until we figure out how this happened," Caleb pointed out. "You'll be safer with us."

Addyson snuck a glance at Pogue before speaking. "I'll stay. It's not like I have anything to go home to anyway," she said sadly.

"Its going to take a lot of power to wipe the memory of everyone that knows," Tyler said.

"Isn't there a spell we can do," Reid asked.

"No," Riley, Caleb, Tristan, and Pogue all said together.

"It was just an idea chill out you guys," Reid said defensively.

Riley laughed softly and glanced at Caleb. They had all lit up when she laughed. "How bad was it," she asked.

"What," Pogue asked cluelessly.

"Burying me, thinking that I was gone for good, how bad was it," Riley asked looking directly at Caleb.

"Bad," he said lowly.

"It totally sucked," Pogue replied. "Catherine and Tristan made me go shopping with them."

Riley shook with laughter at Pogue's comment. "That's because you have excellent taste Pogue," Riley joked.

"No it was actually because he can carry several shopping bags at once," Tristan pointed out. Everyone laughed good naturedly. Riley smiled slightly and continued to gaze at Caleb.

Tristan glanced at her brother before shooting a look at Reid. "So um… I just remembered that I've got that test on Monday so… Reid why don't you drive me back to the dorms so we can study," Tristan suggested in a very deliberate voice.

Reid stared at her in confusion before realizing what she was getting at. "Oh yeah that test, Tyler you and Catherine should come too, I need to take your hummer anyway," Reid said quickly.

Pogue picked up on the situation and glanced at Addyson. "I bet you're tired, why don't we go back to the apartment," he suggested.

Addyson nodded slowly glancing at the sons and daughters. "If you guys wanted to let Caleb and Riley be alone all you had to do was say so," she said easily. "I think they would understand and appreciate it."

Riley blushed slightly and glanced at Caleb, "Thanks guys."

Goodbyes and hugs were exchanged as the rest of the covenant trickled out of the room. Caleb remained sitting on the sofa watching Riley. Tyler had just walked out of the room and she was staring after him, a strange expression on her face.

"Everyone thought it was the hardest for me after you disappeared. I think it was worse for Tyler," Caleb said softly.

Riley stiffened at Caleb's words. She turned away from him and moved toward the window. "Caleb, don't please. I know," she said.

Caleb looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean you know?"

Riley sighed and leaned her forehead against the cool pane of the window. She closed her eyes and relived the memories she had absorbed from the others. By touching them she could see and feel what they had felt recently. There had been things she didn't particularly want to see, like Reid and Tristan's latest sexual escapades. She'd also seen the nights Caleb had spent awake in bed, unable to sleep because the pain was too much.

"I saw it," she whispered. "I felt it too."

"You lost all of your power Riley, how could you see and feel it?" Caleb climbed off the sofa and crossed to her. He laid a hand on her shoulder but withdrew it when she stiffened.

"You can't lose power like mine Caleb, it manifests, it gets stronger, it doesn't go away," she explained.

"But the spell," Caleb said as Riley turned toward him.

To prove her point Riley let her eyes flash with power. Instead of the usual red fire bleeding to black, it was blue that bled into white. "It didn't work like you thought it would. Whatever put me back in my body, brought back my powers. They are stronger than before the fight with Elizabeth. I don't know if I can control them Caleb, I don't know if I can keep them in check."

Riley's eyes shifted back to green as she stared at Caleb. She refused to touch him, knowing that she would feel every emotion he was trying to hide or keep in check now. His brown eyes allowed her to see straight to his soul. Several minutes passed before he spoke.

"We'll figure it out Riley, all that matters is that you are back. The rest of it, we can figure out."