Oh my freaking God. I am sooooo sorry everyone. I have been traveling for most of the summer and just haven't had anywhere as much time as I've wanted to work on this story. But I am going to change that and finish this if it kills me. I really want it to be completed by Christmas. I know that that's a long time away but It might take that long. I'm really really trying and I will keep updating as much as possible. I love you all for sticking with me and dealing with my stupid long breaks. All my love goes to each of you :)

Chapter 11

Caine looked back at Diana in her and thought about staying. He would love to just sneak into the bed with her and wrap his arms around her and pull her into him. He wanted to make her feel safe. But she wouldn't be. It wasn't safe here and he was going to keep her safe her at whatever cost. He had never wanted to protect somebody, he'd always just screwed with people.

But looking at the girl lying in her bed he felt a deep pang of something like protection. Like he was here just to protect this wonderful being. Caine knew that she could take care of herself, he'd seen that. Many times. But when he felt like she needed him, he felt more himself then any other time.

Drake was standing in his door, smiling like an idiot. Then he looked a little past Caine and saw Diana curled in a ball with her face scrunched up. She looked like a lost kid. But weren't they all lost kids in here? "Is she okay?"

Caine moved in front of Diana, to block Drake's view of her. He stared at Drake for a second, with burning eyes. "She's fine. I got it."

"Hey, I'm just-"

"Just what Drake?" Caine raised his voice and was about to continue but he heard the sound of a body moving under sheets. He looked behind his shoulder to see Diana turning away from them. Still asleep. "Let's go," He said and walked out of the room, forcing Drake backwards. He shut the door then started walking down the hall, not waiting for Drake to follow him. Drake rolled his eye's but kept his mouth shut as he walked quickly to catch up with Caine.

A few second after matching Caine's pace, Drake spoke. "So, she's good?"

"Why the hell do you care?" Caine snapped, staring straight ahead.

"Just wondering," Drake said quietly. Normally he'd be totally up for a fight, especially with Caine, but he was tired and knew that he had another long day ahead of him.

"Why, Drake?" Caine barked.

"Because... I-"

Drake was up against the wall in a second. One of Caine's hands was held back, holding him with his power and the other was wrapped around the circumference of Drake's neck. Drake had been thrown so hard that dust from the ceiling fell, the plaster behind his head broke, and a picture a few meters down the hall fell form it's hook and shattered on the carpet.

"Why do you care? Why? Why now?" Caine yelled into Drake's face. Bits of saliva flew from his mouth like shrapnel on a battle field.

"Let go Caine," Drake said through his teeth, so incredibly unafraid. He wanted to grad Caine's skull and dig his thumbs into his eyes. Feel them squish like cooked tomatoes, dripping down his fingers and arms. But he didn't. Because he couldn't move.

"No! You start caring all of a sudden for no reason. Do you think that she'll think any different about you? Sh will always hate you. So stop playing with her mind because it's fucked up enough already. It doesn't need your help." Caine gave one last push then let go. He kept his power on Drake though, keeping him against the wall. "You'd stay away from her if you knew what was good for you."

Drake wanted to yell. He wanted to scream profanity and tease Caine about his pathetic crush. He wanted to smash his face into the ground and pull his teeth out, one by one. Drake wanted to flay Caine alive. He wanted to shoot him in the chest with an AK47 and watch the light slowly drain from his eyes as the blood slowly drained from his body. But he couldn't move. He couldn't fucking move at all. He could only say, "Fine."

Caine's barrier went down and Drake got up from the wall. Drake walked towards Caine who was still glaring at him. He advanced until the boys noses were centimeters apart. "You know that one day I'll kill you, right?" Drake asked.

"I know that one day you'll try."

The two boys arrived at the almost empty classroom a few minutes after the confrontation. They had walked the rest of the way in silence.

"She's in there," Drake said as they stood in front of the door.

"Let's do it," Caine said, more to himself then to Drake.

Drake pushed the door open and Caine walked in, hands out in case she tried to attack him. She didn't. Gale was in the corner of the room. Her arms were bound from the wrist up with tape, her mouth was covered, and her legs had been mummified by the tape as well. She was crying. Caine could see her small shoulders shaking and he could hear how clogged her nose was. She was a mess and for a second, Caine let himself feel sorry for her. Then he stopped. He remembered the threat's she had catapulted onto Diana and him and the insane glint in her eyes. This girl deserved what she was getting. Caine knew it. Drake knew it. They both felt it in their bones.

Caine walked lightly and Gale only noticed his presence when he was a meter away. She jumped and scurried farther into the wall, trying to get away from what any sane person would call a monster.

Caine adjusted his hands so they looked like a surrender. He held them up gently and let his face form into a sympathetic smile. "It's okay Gale. I'm not going to hurt you. No one is going to hurt you again. I won't let them." Gale loosened at his words and leaned forward slightly. "I's so sorry Gale. I should never have said those things to you." Gale frowned and tears fell more frequently from her eyes. Caine needed her to trust him. She needed her to come willingly with him.

"I just couldn't admit to my feelings."

Gale came closer.

"I've never been so comfortable around another person before."

Gale came so close, Caine could see, even in the dark of the room, the snot running over the duct tape on her mouth.

Time for the big reveal. "What I'm trying to say.. I... I guess I love you Gale."

She fell into his arms and Caine held her. He held her with stone cold arms and with bile in his throat. He held her with unblinking eyes and tight lips, holding back his disdain. He could hear Gale talking under her tape but he didn't want to remove it because he knew that she'd want to kiss him. He couldn't do that t himself. He was better than that. "Lets go. I want to take you to a bathroom and get you cleaned up. You're prettier when you aren't crying," Caine forcefully joked. He hated this stupid act and was so ready for it to be over. He felt Gale nod and he stood up, taking her with him. They walked together, Gale supporting herself on Caine, to the door where Drake was standing. Gale gave him the most menacing glare she could. I didn't do anything but make Drake smile. Caine felt her seize up and, again, felt sorry for her. But when he blinked he say Diana's traumatized face and he knew that Gale just made her worse. Caine would do anything for Diana. And he didn't get why. He just knew that he would.

"Let's go." He walked fast and Gale had trouble keeping up with his new pace. She tripped a few times and Caine had to literally bite his tongue to stop from yelling at her to just hurry up!

They finally made it to the boys bathroom and Drake locked the door. Gale didn't look scared at the click, she just looked pathetic. She was shivering and her eyes were still streaming and her nose was dripping. She looked like everything Caine hated in a person. She was just so weak. Even when Diana was weak, she was strong. She knew what she needed and could still boss everyone around. Diana knew how to pretend that everything was normal. That was strength in Caine's eyes. But right now, Gale was polluting his view and he couldn't wait to get rid of her.

Caine brought his hand up to the top left corner of the tape. "This is going to hurt, okay?" Gale nodded. And Caine pulled. The sound made Drake grin, and Gale scream, and Caine's stomach tense. Gale swore a few times but got over the pain relatively quickly. Caine thought that she would've burst into tears and needed him to hold her. And he really didn't want to do that.

"I'm going to grab some toilet paper to wash your face okay?" Caine gestured to a stall and started walking.

"Caine?"

He stopped and slowly turned.

Gale was grinning like an idiot and her eyes had begun to water again. "I love you too. I always did."

Caine forced a deadly smile and because he could no longer trust his voice, just nodded. It seemed to be good enough for Gale because she flew into a fit of giggles. Caine just turned around and walked into the stall.

He came out dragging a bucket full of grey sludge.

"What's tha-" Drake gabbed her arms and forced them behind her back. It took Gale a second to register what was happening. And she still didn't seem to get it.

"Caine, what's happening?!"

Caine smirked. "How many times are you going to fall for the same thing?"