All the way home, I was thinking about Sky and our conversation. I could feel Sky's reluctance to believe me – her trepidation and her excitement. I wished I could go on thinking about her all evening; that is, before I realised I would get one better than that. I would get to see her.

"We're going," Mum said in that this is final tone that all mothers acquired "and that. Is. That."

"But it's black tie!" Yves moaned, fingering his loose tie helplessly.

"But you're young, and pretty," Mum reasoned with a smile "I'm sure you can get away with it."

"Mum," he groaned, but she interrupted.

"Your brothers are doing it," she pointed out "even Zed isn't complaining. And this is special; this is the opening of the Arts Centre. This is important to Sky's parents and Sky, and you're friends with Sky, right?"

"Yeah," he sounded like he was regretting it "OK, fine. Zed, get down here!" I was already half way down the stairs – smartly dressed in my suit; I was going to make Sky proud of me tonight.

"You looked very handsome," Mum commented.

"Always the tone of surprise." I tutted "C'mon, let's go – I don't want to be late."

My older brothers had decided to grace us with the presences, and met us at the Arts Centre. When we all walked into the building, all eyes turned to us, but I only had eyes for one girl – the belle of the ball. Sky. I caught sight of her and had to stop a gasp – she looked stunning. Her pale skin was brought out by the forget-me-not blue of her strapless dress, giving her shoulders a timeless elegance, and the skirt was just above the knee, giving tantalising flashes of thigh and leg. Her blonde hair ran in a cascade of princess-like curls down her back, pulled back from her pixie face by silver clips. She had just the right amount of make-up on, a highlight instead of a cover-up. She was perfect, an angel cursed to live among us mere mortals – and she deserved so much better. Well, Lord knows I'd do anything to be even half as good as she was. Zoe leaned over and whispered something in her ear and she looked over at me, spearing me with those blue, blue eyes of hers.

. .. looks like a team of superheroes; but the jury's still out on whether they're on the side of good or evil. There's Zed – God, he looks great in that black shirt and trousers...

"Pants." I corrected with a mental image of my smile.

"I don't want to know about those." She replied, but she was smiling. I raised a challenging eyebrow.

"Don't you?" I could see her blush from all the way across the room.

"Get out of my head." She was still in denial. Baby steps, Zed, take it in baby steps.

"I can't cut it out now I've started. Has anyone told you that you could stop traffic in that dress?"

"Is that good or bad?" This is mad – I'm replying to a disembodied voice.

"It's good. Very, very good." I looked her up and down again, examining every inch of her, from her shoes to the flyaway hairs on her frizzy head. Oblivious to our silent conversation, Zoe giggled next to Sky.

"Oh my, Zed's looking at you as if he's going to eat you!" she squealed, making no attempt at keeping her voice down "Be still my beating heart!" Sky angled her shoulder at me – brushing me off – and tried to regain her calm.

"He's not." She said snottily, turning her nose up. Yep, Sky, who would have thought it, was playing hard to get, even if she didn't know it.

"It's not me he's looking at, more's the pity. Then again, that still leaves Trace, Uriel, Victor, Will, Xavier and my Yves to enjoy. Aren't they just –" she trailed off, looking for the right word. Sky whispered something in reply. Zoe gave a long-winded reply with lots of hand actions. Half way through, I gave up and started walking over. Zoe noticed me first and said something to Sky, pointing to me. She looked up and saw me approaching.

"Hi, Zoe, Sky." I greeted and grinned.

"Zed." Zoe waved at someone behind me "Everyone home?" Unfortunately, I thought darkly.

"We had a bit of family business. You both look great." It wouldn't do to ignore Sky's friend in front of her, and I had sworn to be polite. Gentlemanly.

"Thanks, Zed." She said, even though the compliment wasn't exactly meant for her "You don't look so bad yourself. I'm just gunna go catch up with Yves. See you." And she swaggered off, twirling her hair in her fingers. I stood in front of Sky, making our corner of a room full of people seem private and alone.

"Hi, there." I said in a low voice.

"I thought we'd said hello already." Wow, this boy is sending out heat.

"I said hi to both you and Zoe before. That one was just for you."

"Oh." She looked like she wanted to laugh "Hi."

"I wasn't joking when I said you look amazing." I reached over and brushed a loose curl behind her ear "Where did all this come from?"

"I keep it tied back at school. It can be a nuisance."

"I like it like this." She looked like a fairy. It was cute.

"Well, you don't have to brush the tangles out each night." She snorted.

"I'm more than happy to volunteer."

"Oh." Her head whirled with thoughts and feelings all at once.

"Yeah, oh." I laughed and put my arms around her shoulders – partly as an excuse to touch her, partly to warn off the other staring boys in the room; a message that she is mine "Shall we go mingle?"

"Do we have to?" she groaned.

"Yep. I want you to meet my Mum and Dad."

"Have you told them?" she sounded scared. She was still in denial, but I knew in her soul she could feel it was right, that I was right – she just needed her mind to catch up with her heart.

"No, I want you to be happy with the idea when we let them know. They'll be unbearable when I break the news." I was dreading telling them, but it still couldn't put a damper on me for long – I had a soulfinder! Sky still didn't trust me, but I guess I deserved it – I just needed to earn her trust.

"What about your brothers? Can I meet them?"

"You can meet Yves as you know him already and the damage is done, but I want you to keep well away from the others." I warned. I had memories of them telling embarrassing stories of me to girls, friends, people I planned on spending time with, and they were still physically painful.

"Why? Wouldn't they like me?" she sounded like she understood and I rushed to reassure her.

"How can anyone not like you?" I stroked her arm gently "It's not that. It's just they they'll tell you all the most embarrassing stories about me and you'll never speak to me again."

"I don't think that's very likely." She brushed off and my heart inflated again.

"No, I don't think so either." I looked down at her and smiled tenderly; a new smile just for her. We paused by Keneally, who was on the piano, and joined in the applause as he finished his set. He frowned when he saw us together.

"Would you like to play, Sky?" he offered – trying to separate us.

"No thanks, sir. Not tonight."

I tightened my grip on Sky's shoulder and thought back to my new oath – be polite, Zed!

"Would you like me to get you a drink, sir?"I offered. Keneally did a double take.

"That's very kind of you." He looked at us again "Glad to see she's a good influence on you."

"Early days yet," murmured Sky.

"I'll have a soda – a Coke."

"Be right back." I let go of Sky and went on a waiter-hunt. I could sense Sky's amusement at my efforts. Keneally started talking quickly to Sky – I could get the gist of it. But Sky just kept on smiling and shaking her head. I returned as fast as I could.

"One Coke, sir. Ready to move on, Sky?"

"Yes. Bye, sir." Keneally shot Sky a worried smile.

"Thanks for the drink, Zed." As we walked away, I heard Mahler's Funeral March from behind us and smiled.

"Message for me?" I whispered to Sky.

"Or me. People can't work out why we're together."

"Can't work out why I've got the prettiest girl in the room with me? Then they've no imagination." I laughed when she blushed again and brushed my thumb over her cheek "You are the definition of sweet, you know that?"

"I hope that's a compliment."

"Meant to be. I knew it even when I gave you that warning – you know, about going out after dark. You listened, didn't you?" she nodded. I smiled and picked up a tendril of hair, tickling her neck with it.

"I was full of resentment that I had to do it because of my vision – I'm still worried about that – but even then, it did filter through that you were kinda cute."

"You never showed it." I smiled wryly. Isn't that what I had been berating myself for ever since I had discovered who Sky really was?

"I do have an image to maintain, you know." I teased instead "I think I might have fallen for you that day in the parking lot. Nothing sexier than an angry woman."

"Cute and sexy? I'm not like that." she didn't believe me.

"Sure you are. If I'm a tuning fork, you're the perfect A, making me hum."

"Zed, ssh!" she hissed, her face red as a beetroot. I was getting her mind all jumbled again.

"What, you don't like compliments?"

"Of course I do – I just don't know what to do with them."

"You just say 'Why thank you, Zed – that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.'" I mimicked her accent again.

"Will you stop putting on that fake English accent – it so doesn't work!" I couldn't help but laugh at that, drawing eyes to us, and kissed her palm.

"You are just great." How's that for the understatement of the century? "You know, I can't understand why I was slow to realise what was going on with you."

I can't talk about feelings yet – keep it practical, Sky "These visions of yours – do they always come true?" I frowned at her change of subject.

"One way or another." I admitted "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you. I'm gunna take very good care of you, Sky." Sky changed the subject again.

"You know, Tina doesn't think you're my type." She gestured to where Tina was chatting with Sally. She looked good, in an earthreal kind of way, but I didn't want long legs, green silk and dark hair; I wanted floaty blue chiffon, delicate limbs and hair the colour of the sun.

"Oh?" I said amusedly – let Tina try to come between us – she wouldn't succeed "And your type would be?"

"Tina's opinion or mine?"

"Yours." that was the most important one after all. Sky smiled at the floor then risked a peek at me. I almost felt the butterflies in her belly as my own. Or were they my own?

"Right now my type seems to be tall, arrogant, angry and secretly really kind." She said shyly. I grinned.

"Nope, nobody I know." Unfortunately, I also felt the need to keep this casual for now. Enter parents.

"Sky, isn't it?" Dad interrupted – again pretending to forget Sky's name – "How are you?"

"Sky," Mum smiled and patted Sky's wrist affectionately.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs Benedict." Sky said politely.

"Our boy apologised to you yet for how he spoke to you at the river?" Dad gave me a hard look.

Sky glanced up at me.

"In his own way." Her eyes glittered.

"I see you understand him. I'm so pleased. It's difficult for him." Mum touched Sky's cheek briefly before her eyes went misty – we all knew that look too well "But you – you've seen things too – lived them, which is much worse. I'm so sorry." Suddenly, Sky's face went deathly pale and she froze, her eyes draining of all emotion but fear and shock.

"Mum," I warned "stop it. You're scaring her." I added in her head, but she wouldn't listen.

"I can't help but see." She turned to me.

"Yes, you can." I growled threateningly.

"So much sadness so young." Sky had closed her eyes and was shaking her head slightly. Her lips had gone pale too. It scared me, to see her like this.

"Karla, Sky is here to enjoy herself." Dad lightly said and pulled Mum away "Come visit us anytime, Sky. You'll always be welcome."

Run, Sky's voice was yelling at her, run away, you don't want to go there! Dark place! They're making me see things again. I can't. NO!

"Sorry about that." I tugged at my collar awkwardly "Shall we get some air?" I was desperate to get away from all these prying eyes and eavesdropping ears.

"She's like you." Sky began to shake "She was reading me – getting too much like you do."

"Hush now." I soothed, but inside I was panicking – what could make Sky, strong, happy Sky, feel like this? "Don't think about it." I tried to shield her with my body.

"What am I? An open book or something?"

"It's not like that. It's not just you."

"I think I'd like to go home now."

"I'll drive you back."

"No, it's OK. I'll get Tina to take me." I can't be around any of the Benedicts right now.

"It's not OK. If you want to go, I'm the one who's going to take you. You're my responsibility now. I've got to keep you safe."

Doesn't make me feel safe. I feel the opposite. Sky started to back away "Just leave me alone, please." And then, out of nowhere, Tina arrived.

"What's the matter, Sky?"

"I. . . I'm not feeling well." She stuttered. I stepped between them.

"I was just about to drive her home."

"I can take her." Tina said quickly.

"No need. She's with me. I'll look after her."

He's angry with me. Angry that I want to run.

"Sky?" Tina appealed to Sky. She hugged her arms around her waist.

It's easier not to argue. Just get home as fast as possible – you can deal with Zed for a few minutes "Zed'll take me. I'll just go tell my parents." Simon and Sally agreed, but Simon looked me up and down coldly before letting us leave. The tenor of his thoughts would have been amusing in any other circumstance.

"Your Dad does that well," I said, staring the ignition in the jeep.

"What?" she replied tiredly. Her head was leaning against the side window.

"Do the ball breaker thing. He was letting me know that if I put a finger on his little girl, I'm already dead." Sky gave a hiccupping laugh. I was relieved to hear the sound.

"Yeah, he does get a bit protective." A lot like Zed. I let the thought go. She didn't need my telepathic nonsense now.

"Why do you call them by their first names?" I asked – I had been wondering it for awhile now.

"I've only been with them since I was ten. We all agreed we were more comfortable with first names. They felt they were too old to start as Mummy and Daddy."

"You agreed or they suggested?" I could tell I had hit the nail on the head.

"I was fine with it." Was all she replied. I didn't believe her, but it wasn't my business.

"My Mum – she does that to people. What can I say? Sorry?" what could I say? I would desperately love to apologise for my mum, but I loved her and I knew I would never really be that sorry – I wouldn't change her for the world.

"Not your fault."

"I took you over to them. I should've headed her off. Don't let what she said worry you."

"It's just not. . . not nice thinking someone can sense stuff about you."

"You don't have to tell me – I live in the same house as her." I sighed.

"She can see stuff about you too?" I smiled. The similarity made her feel better.

"Oh yeah. Being a Benedict is no bed of roses." I slowed up at her house and stopped, taking in the empty house. Only the porch light was on. I related Sky to this house – the outside light was on and was working properly, but the back lights and everything inside was still firmly turned off, leaving it deliberately cold and dark. Denied and disused. But I was willing to sit in the car outside for as long as it took for Sky to open the door and let me help to turn the lights on. I looked at Sky next to me. She was reluctant to be in a car alone with me, but didn't want to invite me in either – she was scared I would take it that way.

"So we'll keep it in the car then. Just one small step," I whispered. It seemed wrong to talk at normal levels in this silent space. I leant in and rested my lips to hers, just a small kiss. I felt some barriers melt away with that one, tiny kiss, and I wondered what would happen if it were to last longer.

"Where's your Dad? Am I dead yet?"

"That wasn't a finger. You said my dad only thought about a finger." She said dreamily.

"True." I trailed my fingers down her shoulders, taking in the feeling of her silky skin "Sorry, I just had to do that. That dress should be outlawed."

"Hmm." Zed Benedict is kissing me – how could this possibly be real?

"Yeah, I really, really like you, Sky. But if I don't stop now, your dad will kill me and that will be the end of a beautiful friendship." I stole one last kiss – for now – and forced myself away, jogging round to the passenger side to help Sky out the car "I'll just turn some lights on then head back to the party." Without you. I'll be so bored, not to mention Tina bombarding me with questions.

"Thanks, I don't like going into an empty house." She admitted.

"I know." I smiled and took out her key, opening the door and darting in to check the rooms. When I was sure, and even double sure, they were safe, I waited on the porch, jingling the keys. I felt reluctant to leave her, and I let it show on my face.

"I don't like leaving you alone. Promise not to go out?"

"I promise."

"Are you sure you'll be all right?"

"Yes. I'll be fine."

"And I'm sorry about Mum. If it's any comfort, her sister, Aunt Loretta, is worse."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Hard to imagine, isn't it? Keep clear of our house at Thanksgiving – they're an unstoppable combination." I pulled her close and kissed the tip of her nose "Goodnight, Sky."

"Goodnight." She breathed. Leaving a hand on her cheek, I stepped back.

"Make sure you lock the door behind me." I stepped away, keeping my fingers on her cheek until the last second, and walked away, hearing the lock click behind me, and sat in the jeep, willing myself to drive back to the party where my family would be expecting me. In the end, I gave up and, sharpening my mind, I concentrated.

"I'm guarding Sky's house while she's alone." I sent – my mind-voice was faint, but still audible – and sent an image of me sitting in the jeep outside the house.

"OK, Zed," my Dad was the one to reply "we'll make our own way home. Keep her safe." After tonight, my whole family knew my interest in Sky was more than protective now. I just hoped they didn't know how much more it was. They didn't seem to know she was a savant, but if they did they would be one step away from finding out about us. And I wasn't ready to tell them yet – and neither was Sky.

Hope you enjoyed this one! Sorry it took so long to update, but i couldn't find time to finish this one! hope to have the next bit up soon, not too long until Sky meets the family!