A/N: I know I know. It's been such an awful long time since I uploaded and I do have excuses but I'm not going to waste your time babling, my updates will be slow due to A-levels but I swear to you all I haven't forgotten you, even if you've forgotten me. I think you all may like this chapter... Spoilers! Enjoy.

The castle at N.I.C.O had entered a "quiet" period. Tawni remained locked up in her room, though quiet is not a word to describe the throwing of heavy objects and screaming, luckily Puddy-two-shoes had been left in the safety of the carriage all the way at the other end of the city. Nico had taken to moping around whimpering to himself then disappearing for hours at a time before scaring someone by suddenly appearing in a darkened corner; moaning. All the fan girls had mysteriously stopped gathering outside the castle and had gone back to their daily lives (though that happened when Nico started wondering the grounds alone [?]). The magma lamp in the hall had been turned off and remained still, the joyful face of the plump boy now transparent and cold.

Over the first few days, things felt off and I had a few more encounters, the feeling of eyes on my back, misplaced objects after seconds of placing them down and an ever present shadow that had no place being there.

After a while of absence, Chad started to follow me around. He didn't make noise, he didn't speak, he just watched. No matter what I did, whether I was reading Nico's "colourful" range of books or simply eating supper. The only time I gained any peace was when I was in my room but whenever I came out he was there...waiting. Wherever I was he so happened to be, "coincidentally", there. It soon became creepy.

It was a Tuesday afternoon in N.I.C.O, when Nico himself had disappeared and Tawni was still locked away in her room, that I decided enough was enough. The castle had been in its "quiet" period for over a week now and Chad was still following me around. I headed out into the gardens behind the castle and down towards the far reaches where it had been rumoured I may find peace there. I could hear Chad trailing behind me making a mess of himself amongst the bramble lining the overgrown pathway. The trees seemed to tug at him and no matter how quiet he tried to be he couldn't help yelping when a thorn caught at his shirt. I suppressed a snicker at the sound of his girlish screams and carried on though the autumn wood.

I came to the opening at the edge of the densely packed trees to be faced with a huge oak gate set into heavy stone walling. Hesitantly I pressed my palm against the smooth, weathered wood, hearing Chad gaining ever closer, and pushed lightly. There was a soft click as the gate buckled under the light pressure revealing a large garden that had obviously been left unattended for quite some time. The yellowed grass was tall and wiry, leaves were scattered everywhere, catching themselves amongst the weeds. The border flowers had all withered and died leaving brittle skeletons protruding from the earth. Cracked paving stones created a pathway that opened up in to a circular dais. In the centre there was a fountain whose water had dried up long ago and now only ivy clung to the splintering paint, suffocating the spout. Beyond this subtle air of decay there was a large hedge creating a backdrop of twisted branches and thorns. There appeared to be an opening though not easily spotted as the gap had started to grow back in on itself, though severely halted by the fact the plant was dying. The hedge was thick and seemed to have no end. I flicked over to the fracture in the thicket. It was not a hedged wall at all but instead appeared to be a maze that weaved for miles and miles, swallowing the landscape. I lingered by the entrance undecided on whether to go in or not. The latch on the gate clicked. I bolted forward without thinking and turned left into the unknown. I heard the gate slam shut and Chad shout me but it didn't stop me from running. I didn't know why but I pushed myself as fast as I could, taking corners without any consideration to where I was going or how far in I was. Eventually Chad's calling ceased, either he had stopped shouting or I had gone so far into the endless labyrinth that I could no longer hear him.

I stopped running, to catch my breath. I paused. There was a tangible silence that didn't quite hang right in the air. Chad's screams had long been absent from the misty gardens but there was a sense that someone still lingered in the shadows. All I could see was an endless corridor with twists and turns that led goodness-knows-where and behind me a great lurking shadow in the corner. I set off walking this time, trying to think before I turned, seeing if I could turn back on myself without going back the way I had come. Veering right I came to a dead end. I slowly backed up and started on the footpath. There was a loud rustle of leaves and a snapping of branches from the empty dead end. Gasping loudly I quickened my pace, bracing my hands against the rough branches to push myself along. I dared not glance backwards. Heavy footsteps broke the ground, the pace remaining steady and sinister. I dug my hands further into the briar to increase my speed. I winced, taking a sharp intake of breath and grasped my hand to my chest. Not taking time to check my palm I carried on hurtling further and further towards the centre, though never managing to reach it.

The sky had begun to darken by then and black clouds smothered the sky. The air turned colder as darkness approached. I didn't know how long I had been running when I collided with the sharp branches of another dead end. This time there was no escape I could hear the footsteps so near to me that I panicked. Letting out a throat-ripping scream, I sank to the ground and curled into a ball, fisting my hands over my ears and squeezing my eyes shut tight. A warm thick liquid oozed from the deep gash in my palm and trickled on to the damp undergrowth. I tried to block out the all consuming fear that pooled within me and hummed the lullaby my mother used to sing to me to make the nightmares go away.

Rocking back and forth I hummed maniacally. I could sense him getting so close that I could hear him breathe, that I could reach out and touch him. The sky had already darkened so that the shadows were all one and whether my eyes were closed or not, I wouldn't have been able to see a thing. I felt the earth around me stir.

Then... nothing. I waited for him to startle me by suddenly grabbing me. A moment passed. And then...another. Nothing. Nothing at all. I ceased humming and slowly opened my eyes. There was nothing there. I couldn't help it but I stayed tense. Afraid he may pounce from behind the thicket. Minutes passed, then hours but nothing happened and my body started to ache and become numb. In the time that I had waited the skies had opened up and a heavy down pour of rain fell upon the garden. I was soaked to the bone, a chill settled over me. I shivered violently and my body fell limp. I laid there on the cold ground not caring about anything anymore. I choked on a sob and then without warning tears streamed down my face and my chest was heaving, trying to keep me breathing whilst dealing with my gasping sobs. I rolled on my side and curled up in a little ball as I broke down.

I was in the middle of an unknown garden in a strange kingdom, far from home, lost in the centre of a labyrinth, in the pouring rain, in the darkness; all alone.

Instead of finding peace; I had found terror.

I cried and cried and cried until I could no longer tell if they were tears or rain anymore. My eyes felt so heavy and my body, weighted to the ground. I must have laid there for hours until I fell into the abyss.

My dreams were chaotic, filled with moving shadows and a light I could never reach though it was only ever a fingertip away. I was constantly running but never getting anywhere and there was something whispering my name. Louder and louder. "Sonny. Sonny. Sonny."

It felt like the whole world was rocking gently as my name grew louder and more frantic. I was suddenly lifted and the churning feeling it caused startled me awake. A pair of frightened blue eyes stared desperately into my own. Before I even had time to think I had been gathered up in to a pair of strong arms and engulfed in a frantic embrace. Chad. The warmth hit me like an unstoppable wave and I shuddered uncontrollably. I hadn't realised how cold I had been until now. I clung to him trying to steal as much as possible. He held me at arm's length.
"Sonny, you're ice cold! Here." He unfastened his cloak and wrapped it around me, clasping it shut and bundling me in his arms. Chad was considerably taller than me ergo his cloak was also considerably larger so I could be completely and totally consumed by it. Chad rested his palm against my cheek and gently caressed my cheekbone with his thumb. The rain was still pouring, only lightly now, but Chad had realised before even I that I was still leaking bitter salty tears.

He did not ask questions nor did he search for answers in my face, he simply placed his hands firmly around my waist and legs and lifted me swiftly. Seeming to have a sense of direction, he kept his trained gaze forward only concentrating on where he was going and getting there quickly, his pace even and steady. He manoeuvred expertly through the maze minding the sharp branches did not tug at us or tangle in my loose hair.

Silently I stared at him. Taking in all of him, his smooth skin, his perfectly chiselled features, the small creases near his mouth that crinkled when he smiled, his delicate, soft, sandy blonde hair that was cut short and drenched sticking to him and dripping down his face, his blue eyes sharp and focused. My eyes travelled lower to his chest. Although he appeared skinny and weak,when his chest rose and fell as he breathed slowly, the muscles there tightened showing them strong and defined. His arms were covered in thick bands of muscle that I could feel as he held me close. He was clearly very strong. As a Prince he had probably had good training in the art of battle, demonstrated in his earlier conquest of James. Looking at him I realised, he wasn't just some pampered Prince with a huge ego.

He is a man.

A deep blush swelled across my cheeks, luckily Chad didn't notice. His gaze was unfaltering. Even if he had noticed he would have probably mistaken it from the cold or my tears which had subsided for now.

Thinking over it I realised somewhere deep inside me that something was tugging at a deep and buried thing. I couldn't put my finger on it but I felt it and it made me reel with a dizziness that was nothing to do with my feverishness. Closing my eyes and breathing deeply I rested my head in the crook of Chad's neck trying to dispel the light-headedness, though the finding the warmth there extremely comforting.

Without having even realised, we had emerged from the maze and Chad was now fumbling with the latch on the heavy gate. With a simple flick of his wrist the lock clicked and the gate peeled away from its frame at an agonisingly slow pace, Chad gave it a sharp kick sending it reeling into the wall with a loud bang before pivoting back on itself and slamming shut just as we had passed through.

The journey was over before I knew it, he had masterfully stomped through the knee length meadow, trailing the path to the castle, the walk up to the castle had taken seconds and before I knew it I was swaddled in a blanket, Chad's cloak tossed aside, in the receiving room with a cup of hot chocolate being thrust at me. A rare delicacy, so expensive that I savoured and marvelled at each and every deep gulp of the thick warming liquid. Chad had done it all and now sat across from me still and unmoving, staring. His gaze made me feel uncomfortable, almost naked.

I finished the drink and gently placed the cup on the table between us with a small clack. The expression "silence is deafening" is one I had never understood until now. It was almost tangible, a thick miasma suspended between us.

"I think I had better..." I started, worming my way out of the blanket trying to stand.
"Sit back down." His voice was clipped and filled with something I could not perceive. Anger or sadness? I did as he had said and settled back down, the blanket spilling around me leaving me uncovered. The silence resumed. He continued to just stare unwavering. I stared back. I noticed he was still completely drenched. His wet hair that had been stuck to his faced was now pushed back from Chad running his fingers through it many times over as he fussed around, tousled in a way that it highlighted his features. My gaze wandered. His white shirt was now clinging to every taught muscle on his torso, leaving little to the imagination. His black riding trousers stuck to his lean legs emphasising the shape of them. I blushed again. I was then very conscious of my own appearance. I had only been wearing a simple thin dress as the weather was unusually warm in N.I.C.O. I could feel it sticking to me like a second layer of skin; I could only imagine what Chad was seeing. I felt exposed and even more vulnerable than before. My blush deepened and I swiftly grasped at the thick heavy blanket, covering myself up in its entirety.

Chad's expression did not change. As I clutched at the material a sharp burning pain seared along my left palm, I winced loudly cradling the hand to my chest. I recalled doing the same thing in the maze. I remembered catching it on one of the branches. Chad had noticed and his empty expression turned to one of concern, he rose from the large sofa and came to inspect my hand.

"Sonny, what is wrong? Is your hand hurt?" I nodded, a glaze of tears across my eyes. "Let me look." He placed his palm out and pulled my arm so he could look. Gently he cupped my fingers with his own and pulled them back to get a good view of the cut.

It was deep, very deep. Crusted blood and mud caked the sides of the gash that had pieces of branch stuck in it. His eyes were fixed on it, his face betraying no emotion whereas my face was a mask of horror. The sight of it made me reel and I had to close my eyes to stop the sickness from coming up. Pain flared up again as he turned my hand towards him. I bit my lip and shuddered. He worded a quick apology and excused himself in a mumbled torrent.

I took back my hand, clutching it tightly to myself and burying it under the blanket. Not quite sure where Chad had gone or if he was even coming back, I pressed myself further back into the sofa. Exhaustion forced my eyelids closed and my head lolled against the cushions.

What felt like moments later, which in fact turned out to be an hour later, a warmth pressed against my shoulder and a soft voice whispered my name against my ear.

"Chad?" My response came out mumbled and slurred, my voice thick with sleep.
"Yes, it's me Sonny. I brought some things to clean your hand with. Now come on get up." He pressed his hand to the back of my neck and lifted my head. My eyes opened to see him kneeling in front of me. Something tugged inside me again. I brushed it aside and buried the feeling deep within as I adjusted my position with one hand to sit upright facing him. "Give me your hand Sonny." I shook my head. "Come on Sonny. I just want to clean it and fix it up for you." I shook my head again. I knew it was childish but it would hurt if he touched it. "Sonny," his voice was measured, calm but his tone hinted his impatience. "give me your hand; please." I looked at his hand that was held out and then to the box on the table containing medicinal herbs, cloth and bandages. I fumbled around in the blanket trying to free my hand. His face perked as he saw that I was giving in. I placed my hand palm up in his. He smiled at me then calmly said "The other hand, Sonny." I pouted and pulled back my hand into the depths of the blanket and stubbornly shook my head. "Stop being stubborn and give me your hand Sonny." The calm had drained from his voice leaving behind raw impatience. I made to shake my head but before I could even muster up the thought he had dived into the blanket and pulled out my injured hand. A cry escaped my mouth and tears sprung to my eyes. The rough movement had jolted my hand causing it to pull at the gash. As Chad held it, he apologised quickly "I did tell you Sonny. I'm sorry if it hurt you." I could feel something hot and sticky filling and oozing from my clenched palm. Chad looked guilty as he pulled back my fingers carefully, blood dripped from my hand and landed on Chad's trousers. Unfazed by his covering of blood he apologised profusely again, seeing the blood and agony on my face. Obviously when he pulled my hand the jolt had caught the wood still inside it and opened the wound again.

Chad pushed the table aside slightly and positioned himself directly kneeling in front of me. He then reached into the box and pulled out a cloth which he pressed against the gash making me wince again. Once he had stemmed the flow of blood he sighed deeply and placed the cloth on his lap. Just then the door opened and a servant came in holding a basin of hot water, steam visible above the edges. Chad thanked her as she placed it on the hard wooden floor beside her. Underneath the basin was another basin. She separated the two and placed them side by side before leaving. Chad then placed the bloodied cloth in the empty basin and reached for the box, pulling out a pair of tweezers.

My eyes widened as I realised what they were for. I struggled and tried to pull my hand back but Chad had been one step ahead and had already tightened his firm grip on my wrist. It only caused me more pain so I ceased. He smirked at my defeat. "It won't hurt much. I promise I'll be gentle; I just need to get these out and clean it so it doesn't become infected." He gave me a reassuring squeeze before delving into the wound to retrieve the twigs lodged deeply within. He managed to get hold of one rather easily and pulled it out smoothly with very little pain. This happened with the next two pieces. However the fourth and final piece was embedded much deeper. He tried to pull it out slowly but it caught and caused my voice to cry out in a broken shriek. Blood pooled a little as he tried again. Whimpering slightly I sucked in a deep breath, trying to ignore the pain as he tried again. I could feel it twinge and pull deep in the cut, feeling sick I blocked it all out by humming. I felt myself pale further as he pulled again. "I'm sorry Sonny," he spoke rushed as he grabbed the cloth trying to wipe away the excess blood so he could see. "It's just... really... stuck!" on the last word, he twisted and the branch fragment came free. I shuddered a huge sigh of relief escaping from my lip. Chad smiled as the satisfying clank of the piece hitting the pot filled the room.

He then immediately set to dipping cloth in the warm water and cleaning the cut. "Sonny, what were you doing in there?"
"Hmm? Oh in the maze? I guess I was just trying to find some peace, Tawni's been screeching and banging all week, Nico's been in a depression that rivals today's weather and you've been like a second shadow. I needed to get out of it all." He chuckled at the comment about Nico but soon found himself choking on it when I mentioned his own antics.
"You've been tense and jumpy all week. Don't think I haven't noticed. Something is bothering you beyond the mental decline of our host and the tantrum fits of the pampered princess upstairs."
"You're one to talk about being a pampered princess."
"I'd like to see Tawni do what I've done today." He cocked his eyebrow at me and I couldn't help admit defeat as he expertly applied a healing salve to the cut as he cleaned it. "But honestly Sonny, I have better thing to do than be a 'second shadow'. You have not been the perky peasant I know you as." I couldn't help being a little offended but I brushed the offhanded comment aside.
"I don't know strange things have been happening around here. Things I can't explain. Besides Nico himself." He didn't smile but stopped and look at me straight, as if to say stop hiding and tell me. "You won't believe me." I thought back to the incident in Tawni Town but shoved it aside, they were only pranks.
"Try me." I don't know what it was but something clicked and I wanted to tell him everything, pour out my heart and soul to him.
"Just strange things that I'm not sure are even real. I felt it the first time back in Tawni Town when we were in the library. Before you appeared it felt like there was something... wrong with the place, like nothing was real and someone was watching me. Then afterwards I told you both about the weird butler, you remember... Phobus? But then when we got here, strange coincidence, I don't know but I was in the library looking at Nico's... interesting... collection of books when it felt as though I wasn't alone, someone was there with me, I thought I saw something move but there was nothing. Then ever since even stranger things have happened, for example I'll place a book on the table, take my eyes off it for not even a second and look back and it has been moved to some inconvenient place that I can't reach. Don't laugh! Ouch!" I winced as he applied some strange liquid to the cut and then pressed a warm cloth to. "There's been other things, like the feeling that I am never alone there is someone watching me, and there is this shadow that isn't attached to anyone at all and it just comes and goes, even when the light is in the wrong direction or there is no light at all. Then the other night, I was soundly asleep dreaming of home when something touched me. Something cold. It grabbed hold of my wrist. I shrugged it off as nothing, but then it caressed my face it's touch was like ice. It scares me Chad. I'm so scared. I can't sleep. And then today in the maze!"
"It was there with you?"
"Yes. It followed me but it couldn't possibly be a person because it came from a dead end, a dead end I had but moments ago been stood in. It chased me until I couldn't run any longer and I waited for it to come for me... but... it didn't. And then you found me. I don't think I've ever been so pleased to see you!"
"What are you talking about? You're always pleased to see the one, the only Prince Chad Dylan Cooper!" he but on a booming voice and acted like one of the town criers. He succeeded in making me laugh, whether that was his goal or not. "Seriously and you wonder why I was following you?" He finished bandaging my hand and came to sit beside me on the sofa. He placed his arm around the back of me. " Has anything happened to you when I'm around?"
"Well... no but..."
"Well then, you've got nothing to fear Sonny. I'll keep you safe. I promise." His arm tightened protectively around me and his voice sounded so soothing and sincere I couldn't help but believe him.
"Pinky promise?" I thrust out my 'good' pinky. He chuckled but nonetheless wrapped his little finger around mine and said
"Pinky promise." I smiled and released his finger. He looked smug with himself but so strong. My eyes felt heavy again. My head found its way to Chad's shoulder and I nestled myself there closing my eyes contentedly. I felt him stiffen, but he soon relaxed and soothingly rubbed my arm.
"I can't shake the feeling that I've felt the same presence before, that it's all linked."
"It will all be fine, I pinky promised didn't I?" I giggled at this.

We grew quiet for a moment. I brought both my hands up to my chest when I felt the rough material of the bandage and remembered. I opened my eyes to take a look at Chad's handiwork. It was clean and well wrapped, I couldn't tell where it started or where it finished but it stayed tight and secure. The bonus was the throbbing pain had stopped as well. Half asleep I whispered "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Everything..." the world faded slowly in to darkness the last thing I remembered was Chad's arm around me and him whispering something into my ear. What is was I don't think I'll ever know.

A/N: Told you that you might like it, well I hope you did! I still have yet to reveal the Winner of the N.I.C.O suggestions I have one in mind but if you do have anything N.I.C.O could stand for, please send them to me! Hope you've had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! Now you've read... pretty pretty please review. It makes me write quicker ;)