Caleb looked down at Blair as she shivered in his arms at the pond's edge. As he looked at her she did nothing but star unseeing into the distance. It was as if he wasn't even there. Not knowing what else to do he took hold of her shoulders and turned her to look at him calling out to her in the hopes of getting some sort of reaction from her. The movement got no reaction and she only continued to stare off into the distance but Caleb refused to give up his worry for her spurring him on.

Next Caleb lifted his hands to cup Blair's face in them and turn her face up to meet his gaze. Caleb looked into Blair's unseeing violet eyes and shook her gently and once again called out to her.

"Blair snap out of it! It's Caleb! You're safe now. Come on sweetheart snap out of it," he spoke with gentle desperation.

"Caleb," she mumbled softly in reply as she looked up into his eyes.

Whether she would have said more after that would go unsaid as before she could mumble another word Blair passed out in Caleb's arms. Relieved that she had come out of her trance even for the brief moment Caleb picked her up and quickly began making his way back to the house where he would dry Blair and call his friends to inform them of what had happened.

Later that night Caleb found himself jumping awake at the sensation of a cold chill running down his spine. He didn't waste a moment as he allowed the power to fill him his eyes flashing with fire before turning midnight. Glancing around the room he waited to feel the familiar dark sensation again but felt nothing. It only served as a reminder of the darkness that hung overhead--- a darkness in the form of Chase. A whimper from beside him drew his attention back to the black hair girl that lay in his bed. From where he sat beside her he could see her face clearly in the moonlight. It had only been a few hours since Chase's attack and she'd had yet to awaken. Settling himself back into his chair beside the bed Caleb continued to watch over her diligently.

Slowly Blair began to fight her way out of the fog that clouded her mind. As she began to once again become aware of the world around her she realized that she was lying on something soft and comfortable and was much warmer than she remembered. As she fought her way through the thick fog Blair became aware of the warm gentle pressure that encircled her hand. She forced her eyes to open and when they were properly focused she took in her elegant surroundings. The bedroom was spacious with walls different shades of blue and silver. As she took in her surroundings Blair found that her body ached and was far too stiff to move. Ignoring the aching protest of her body she laid in comfortable silence but soon became aware of the warm pressure on her hand once again. When she turned to see what it was she found Caleb sitting at the bedside with her hand gently gripped in his. Caleb was looking down at her with his familiar warm smile that despite her aches and pains she couldn't help but to return.

"Hey," he said in a near whisper. "It's about time you woke up. I was starting to get worried."

"How long have I been asleep?" she asked in slight confusion.

"Twelve hours," he answered simply.

"What?!" she nearly yelled as she jumped up from her laying position only to fall back again when her stiff muscles protested at the movement.

"I called the school and gave them an excuse. You needed the rest after what happened. The others are worried too; they're waiting down stairs," Caleb explained.

Blair only half listened to Caleb's words as he spoke. Instead her mind whirled with images from the night before. She saw Chase attacking Caleb. She hadn't seen what had happened after she'd been dragged under the water. For all she knew Caleb was seriously hurt although she couldn't see any wounds on his body from where he sat beside her. However, the thought of him being hurt--- or worse in trying to protect her. She knew he would do it too and that was what she found so frightening. She couldn't risk losing him after just finding him. Within moments of the thought coming to mind Blair ignored the protests of her body and launched herself at Caleb searching over him frantically for any sign of being hurt that she may have missed.

"Are you hurt?" she asked near hysterics before her violet eyes locked on his blue ones.

"I am fine," he answered with a reassuring smile.

Leaning down he placed a gentle kiss on her temple before moving to her nose and then her chin. With each gentle kiss Blair felt her nerves begin to relax once again. Without ever realizing it she found herself laying back in the bed as the weight of Caleb's body covering her as his lips met hers in a deep and passionate kiss. With him so close Blair could almost believe his words that everything was going to be okay. At that moment he was real and warm and solid and unhurt. He was with her and she felt a nearly overwhelming sense of relief. She could almost allow herself to believe that everything that happened the night before was nothing more than a nightmare. Needing him closer Blair reached up to touch his face her fingertips feeling the light stuble that crossed his cheeks before combing them through his tick brown hair.

Unfortnately the images of the night before didn't stay at bay for long. If anything Caleb's presence only reinforced the horrible images of him attempting to protect her against Chase only to lose his life in her mind. As the images began to swirl in her mind once again she pulled away from Caleb pushing him away from her and sliding across the bed to put distance between them.

"We can't see each other anymore," she mumbled sadly keeping her eyes locked on the wall in front of her with her back turned to him.

"What?" he asked in confused anger.

"This isn't going to work. I thought that maybe I felt something for you but I was wrong," she replied her heart breaking with each word.

"I don't believe that Blair," Caleb replied with obvious suppressed anger.

Blair could feel her heart breaking with each moment she spent with him there. She could almost feel him looking at her from the other side of the bed. She knew that if she looked at him now everything she'd said would be for nothing, her will to separate from him would disappear. This was something that she had to do. If she stayed with him she would only be putting him in more danger. As long as Chase was after her she wouldn't risk Caleb's life or the life her friends.

In the few moments that she had been lost in thought Caleb had made his way around the bed to Blair's side. It was too late to avoid him when she realized his close proximity. Blair made to walk away from him without another word but Caleb didn't give her the chance. His arms shot up and his hands locked around her arms in a tight grip keeping her standing in front of him.

A storm of emotions raged inside Caleb as he looked down at Blair who still refused to look at him. He hadn't missed the sorrow that leaked out of her as she'd spoken to him about calling it quites on their relationship. No matter how intent she seemed on leaving him he couldn't let her. He loved her. She was everything to him. Without her--- he didn't want to think of that happening. He'd never told her but the moment she'd mentioned leaving everything that he felt for her suddenly became so clear. It suddenly seemed so obvious to him that he couldn't understand why he hadn't realized it before. The thought of telling her right then and there came to mind but the anger and frustration that he felt kept him from doing so. He wanted to tell her but he wanted it to be at the right time where his words wouldn't be laced and tainted with the negative emotions that were swirling within him. Instead he did the next thing he could think of to make the attempt to convey his feelings for her.

Blair had no time to react as Caleb's lips descended on hers. The kiss was passionate and hungry and filled with so much emotion that it caused her mind to reel with all the emotion. As he kissed her Blair thought about how easy it would be to give in to him. It would be so easy to let herself be with him even if Chase were to find and kill her tomorrow. At least she'd had the time with Caleb. But all that was impossible. She couldn't pretend that there wasn't no danger to him. Forcing herself to break away from the kiss Blair willed herself to look as angry and serious as possible.

"You should believe it," she told him numbly and without another word turned and left the room.

Caleb remained where he stood as he watched Blair leave the room and minutes later the front door shut behind her as she left. His heart and mind were at war with each other. At that moment he wanted nothing more than to follow her but her words continued to ring loudly in his ear. He wanted to pretend she hadn't said them--- to pretend she didn't mean it. His heart told him he was right in his assumption that she hadn't been honest in telling him she didn't want to be with him. He had no doubt that she felt as strongly for him as he did for her. She had been perfectly fine barely ten minutes ago and in that time something had obviously upset her enough for her to turn her back on him. Suddenly the anger returned in a rush. He wanted to keep her safe and considering the happenings of last night that wasn't working out as well as he wanted it to.

As the anger within him reached a peak Caleb lashed out his fist angrily making contact with the wall. The action sent a painful tingling sensation shooting up his arm but he paid it no mind too lost in his anger and frustration to care. Ignoring the blood that dripped from the scrapes on his knuckles Caleb worked to regain control of himself. When he was sure that he had regained some semblance of control her turned away from the door where Blair had disappeared and walked over to his night stand where he had left his phone. Within seconds he had relayed the message of his confrontation with Blair to his friends and gave them the instruction to let things be for now but to keep a close watch for any sign of danger.

AN: sorry about the ridiculously long wait. Finals are fast approaching and I am writing as fast as I can with my studying and classes. This story is near completion and I don't expect many more chapters unless I decide to cut some of my plot points into separate chapters. Thanks for your patience and let me know what you thought I'd like a few good reviews for this chapter before I update again.