How do you like this guys? Two chapter in two days! I think that this deserves a couple reviews don't you? :D And maybe a poll answer or two? C'mon, 111 peopel looked at this yesterday and I still have only three poll answers! Help me out here guys!

Chapter 11

After many tears are shed and at least several dozen hugs are given, Daisy ushers us into our tiny living room. It's strange seeing a place that I was once so familiar with become a place where I am just a visitor. A wave of sadness hits me as Aaron and I sit on our floral loveseat, so worn in places that the stuffing is coming through, while Daisy sits across from us in the matching arm chair, between us, a fire cheerfully crackles.

"So," I say us Daisy hands me a steaming mug of tea. "How have you all been? Did you get my presents?"

"It was a miracle," Daisy says seriously. "To tell you the truth Aspen, we would have starved without it. No matter what I said I was never any good at hunting or trading in the market."

I take in her clean blue pajamas, her now shiny light brown hair, and the light in her gray eyes. She's grown taller in the short time I've been gone, and she's put on weight which is defiantly a good thing. I hardly recognize my little sister anymore, I realize sadly.

"And how are Emerald and Pete?" I ask taking a sip of my warm, sweet tea.

"They're doing great. They love their new toys and they're healthier and happier than ever. I got mom into a great hospital and she's doing so much better Aspen, it's like she's a different person. She's actually talking, asks us how schools going. It's amazing."

"Really?" I ask completely shocked. Now that was definitely a surprise. My mom hadn't mumbled anything but gibberish for the past three years.

"Yeah, incredible what some pills and therapy can do isn't it?" Daisy says shaking her head in wonder. "But, enough about us, what happened to you? Where have you been all of this time? And, no offense, but who the hell is he?" She demands.

"Daisy, language," I reprimand her, my years of playing mother kicking in, but she only rolls her eyes at me. Yep, she was a full blown teenager now for sure. Guiltily, I remember her birthday was two weeks ago. "Ah, happy belated birthday Dais, sorry that I forgot."

"Don't try to get off subject," She warns. "Tell me everything."

"Well," I start off slowly, mentally crossing my fingers, desperately hoping that she'll buy this. "I was captured and sold at auction along with a bunch of other girls," I hear Daisy's sharp intake of breath and her eyes begin shooting daggers at Aaron. "But," I continue quickly, trying to stop her from killing him on the spot. "Aaron killed the vamp that bought me and we've been on the run. We ditched them a few weeks ago, so we figured it'd be safe for me to come home for a bit."

"But how did you manage to send all of that stuff?" Daisy asks, relaxing but now clearly confused. "And why do you two look so dirty and beat up?" I glance over at Aaron who is completely coated in dirt from head to toe, there's scrapes and gashes all over his skin and essentially he's a filthy bloody mess. And I'm not looking much better.

"Aaron's super rich and he let me send stuff to you. And we ran into a werewolf in the woods, but don't worry, Aaron killed it."

Daisy looks at Aaron wide eyed with awe; I can almost read her thoughts. This guy could take out a bunch of vamps and werewolves single handedly and live to tell the tale? Badass, rich and hot. She was totally crushing on him, and I look over at him with a smirk. He looks confused for a second, but when he sees Daisy's love struck expression, his eyes widen and he looks like he wants to bolt. I snicker at his panicked expression.

"Wow," Daisy says with a sigh, smiling at Aaron. "That was so brave of you."

"Well, um thanks?" Aaron says making it sound like a question.

"Hey, Daisy, do you mind if we go clean ourselves up a bit?"

"What…?" She asks still sounding dazed. "Oh sure," She shakes herself out of it. "You're lucky, today was a water day. I'll go get some fresh towels for you two." She says getting up and wandering down the hall.

"Aw, someone likes you." I say with a grin as soon as she's out of sight.

"Shut up," He says with a scowl, bumping my shoulder with his own. "And what did she mean by a water day?"

"Out here, we only get running water every three to four days. On the days that we get it, we fill up these enormous cement basins and that's where we get our water to cook, clean, and bathe with. They used to use them in some countries in South and Central America, they called them pelas, or at least that's what we learned in school." I say with a shrug. (Authors note: yes those things are real! When I went to El Salvador this summer that's how we got all of our water and to shower we had to dump buckets of cold water on our heads. Appreciate running water people!)

"Really?" Aaron asks, sounding completely shocked. "It's that bad here?"

"It's not so bad, I'm used to it. Or at least, I was. Taking a cold shower tonight's really going to suck." I say with a grimace. Daisy walks back into the room carrying a pile of towels.

"Here ya guys go. When you're done, you guys can have our old room Aspen. Emerald and Pete have been insisting that we all sleep in mom's bed since she left," She says rolling her eyes again. "And don't bother cleaning the couch; I'll take care of it in the morning."

"Thanks Daisy," I say sincerely, smiling at her. "I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it," She says smiling warmly back. "Is there anything else you need?"

"No, we're fine," I assure her. "Just go on to bed."

"Okay, goodnight." She says smiling again, this time at Aaron, before going down the hall and shutting the door.

"You can shower first," I say settling back down on the loveseat and clutching my warm tea as I shut my eyes. "I'll just rest here for a bit." I swallow the rest of my tea, and as it warms me, I must drift off to sleep because the next thing I know, Aaron is gently shaking my shoulders.

"Hey," He says, smiling down at me. "Showers open."

"Thank," I mumble groggily, before stretching and getting up. That's when I do a double take. Aaron's face is covered in quickly darkening bruises and scratches, and there's several deep gouges along his arms and legs. One running down his left arm looks particularly nasty; it's four claw marks dug deep into his skin, and it's still bleeding. "Aaron!" I exclaim with shock. "You look like shit!"

"Thanks," He says wryly. "That's what I've wanted to hear all night."

"I'm serious!" I hiss bringing my voice down into a whisper. "Are you going to be all right?"

"I'm fine," He tries to assure me. "Really, if you've got a salve or something, I'll be good to go."

"Are you sure?" I ask, still worried. "You don't need any, you know?"

"No Aspen I'm fine," He says giving me a reassuring smile. "I don't want them to get suspicious."

"If you're sure," I say, still not convinced. But I go to the bathroom and get a cream we make for scrapes and cuts, along with some bandages to wrap around them. "Sit down," I order him, before getting to work. I cover his arms and hands before wrapping them in the gauze. He sits there quietly throughout the whole ordeal, as I slather his legs and back with the stuff. As I'm wrapping his last arm, he gently lays a hand on top of my own, stopping me. I look down at him surprised and he smiles up at me, his blue eyes sparkling.

"Thank you," He says quietly, before grabbing my hand and turning it over as he places a kiss on my palm. I desperately try to stop my heart from racing, as I wrap it around a final time.

"No problem," I mumble, before bolting to the bathroom, eager to get out of there as fast as I possibly can.

I lean against the bathroom door for support once it's closed, trying desperately to stop the rapid beating of my heart. What was wrong with me? He was a vampire. I would not feel anything for him. I couldn't possibly feel anything for him! And if I did, it was just a side effect of the bond. Or maybe I was just unconsciously acting out what he felt towards me. Either way, it was not happening, not.

Banishing all thoughts from my mind, I pull of my filthy clothes and dump them in the hamper. I'd wash them tomorrow. I climb into the shower, while seriously wishing for some hot water, and dump the first bucket over my head, shivering at the cold. But hey, clean, is clean right?

After scrubbing every bit of dirt off of my body, which takes forever, I wrap myself in a towel before putting on the fluffiest pajamas that I brought. I then examine the damage the forest left on me. After seeing my reflection, I wince; my face doesn't look that much better than Aaron's. I'm covered in nicks and scrapes and more than my fair share of bruises so I slather some of the cream on to.

Then, I'm left with the daunting task of combing out my hair which looks like it was hit by a tornado. I contemplate just hacking it all off, but decide that I'll probably regret that in the morning. So slowly through dozens of painful tugs that make me lose a good amount of hair anyways, I finally manage to get my hair combed out.

I tiptoe down the hall to my old room and crack the door open. Light pours into the dark room, illuminating the two double beds where me and my younger siblings slept, and the twin where Sam used to sleep, which is where Aaron is right now.

"Aaron?" I whisper. "Are you awake?" He doesn't respond, so I shut the door and carefully walk over to my old bed.

When I lay down, I'm surprised, and okay I admit it, delighted to find my old, ragged, stuffed rabbit lying there. I had almost forgotten the poor thing, but now as I clutch it to my chest, it brings back so many good memories from my childhood. Of my fourth birthday, shortly before my father died, where I received the light pink rabbit, that was now a dull gray, with the bright black button eyes and the fluffy cotton tail. I remember how happy I'd been to get it, I remember Sam, teasing me by keeping it just out of my reach, and I'm glad to just remember him, I remember curling up on my mother's lap with it clutched tightly in my small fists as we sit before the fire and she rocks me to sleep. I remember all of these things and more as I fall asleep with a smile on my face, while trying to forget how Aaron's touch made my heart race.