Okay. I'm sorry for the sentimentalness of last chapter. (Is that a word?) Anyways, I can promise you from here on out that Steph will not die by Melody's hands. Sorry for worrying you all.

Also, sorry for taking sooooooooooooooooo incredibly long to update. I know you've all been patiently waiting, and trust me, this chapter will have been worth waiting for. Trust me. (The reason I didn't update sooner was because my computer glitched out and I only recently recovered the file.)

Have some virtual cookies as an apology. (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::)

It's Shark POV.

After Steph poured out her heart to Melody, I found myself watching her sympathetically. That poor girl. She wasn't quite like Tasi, but she had the same everlasting sadness.

I am embarrassed to say that I had had a crush on Tasi. For a long time- since she was ten and I was six. She was beautiful and witty if a little empty-headed. But suddenly I saw Steph in a different light. Her midnight black hair swirled around her slim shoulders, and she wasn't tiny, but was tall and slender. Her skin was pale and glowed, and her thick eyebrows, which I'd once called ugly, shadowed her eyes in mystery. Her facial structure used to be foreign and weird to me- too-skinny nose, wide eyes, thin lips, broad forehead- but now she was as beautiful as Tasi had been at her age.

I must have made some small sound, because she turned her head toward me. Her sparkling green eyes saw me and a thin veneer of pink spread across her cheeks. Her eyes widened and she gave the slightest shake of her head. Don't interfere.

There was a thump and the pounding of feet. Melody had leaped from the tree and hit the ground running, and I dashed out of the undergrowth to Steph. "You're okay? She didn't hurt you?"

The blush deepened. "No- I'm fine- we should- um-"

I smiled shyly. "Follow her?"

She nodded. Before I could lose my courage, I snatched her hand and dragged her in the path that Melody had taken.

000

Gail and Madge followed us as we shot through the forest. Not once did Steph try to pull away from my hand, which was wrapped tightly around hers. We ran in silence, following Melody crashing through the trees. Finally we ended up in a clearing. Melody was in the middle, a knife ready to throw. When we appeared on the outskirts of the clearing, she sent it spinning at Gail with a flick of her wrist, but Madge jumped at Gail and knocked her to the ground. In no time Melody had a second knife in her palm, pointed straight at me.

Steph jumped in front of me. I had to admire her courage. "Please, Melody, don't kill any more people. I'm tired of living like this, aren't you? Killing everybody and not having friends?"

"You have the pack," I muttered.

"Shh, Shark!" she whispered back. Then Steph turned her attention to Melody. "Come on, Melody- Mel. Can I call you Mel?"

"No," Melody grunted.

"Mel, honestly, doesn't killing get a little boring?"

"No," Melody grunted.

"But you could live a happy and peaceful life, maybe get married and have some kids-"

"The only way I'm getting out of here is if you all die!" said Melody forcefully. Steph had stepped out of my way so I could see Melody, but she jumped in and tried to take the knife Melody had meant for me. I tackled her and we both went to the ground, but the knife nicked both of our left shoulders.

Melody turned and ran gracefully across the clearing, but just as she was about to exit, there was a sharp crack and Melody was flung backwards.