"You know if you don't have a break then your brain will go into overload and not take anything in?" a voice asked Emma as she sat in the library, her desk cluttered with books and open at random pages whilst she made notes in her leather notebook. She didn't need to look up to know who it was as she remained focused on her work.

"I'm quite fine," she replied and he chuckled, leaning against the large bookshelf whilst pulling a book off from her desk and looking into it. She looked up to him, her eyes narrowed as he flicked quickly through the pages. "And besides, should you not be studying? You are retaking a whole year."

"Thanks for the reminder," he snorted out to her, placing the book back onto her desk and folding his arms as he yawned loudly. "It is eight o'clock in the evening, Emma. Even I need a break. Why don't you come for a drink?"

"I'm quite fine here, thank you very much," she muttered back to him and he rolled his eyes, leaning down and snatching the pen from her grasp, a large squiggle going across her page due to the lack of control she had on it. Biting her tongue and turning her head upwards she saw him smirking at her, trying to hide it by coughing as he noted her face of thunder.

"You twit," she snapped. "Give me my pen back."

"Come for a drink," he retaliated and she rolled her eyes, cleaning her books away.

"No," she replied. "I am going back to my apartment where you're not going to be."

"Oh come off it, Em," he pleaded her, flapping his arms by his side as he did so and she raised a brow, standing up and placing some books back into her leather satchel along with her notebook. "You need some time off."

"True," she agreed. "But that time does not need to involve being with you, Damon."

"I said sorry," he hissed back at her and she shook her head, forcing herself not to grin sarcastically. "Let me buy you a drink. I won't stop until you agree."

"Fine!" she snapped, her voice echoing through the corridor of books as Damon looked around and people stared at them with glared eyes. Emma flung her hands over her mouth as Damon smiled, the motion showing his pearl white teeth as he picked up her books and placed them back onto the shelf.

"I am doing this to appease you and get you to leave me alone," she whispered as she walked beside him out of the large maze of books and he shrugged once.

"I'm just glad I got you to come."

…..

Erik detested Azazel. That much was obvious. He hated what he had done to Emma. He had almost killed her and he wanted nothing more than to destroy the mutant for that. But he had to realise that he had been working for Shaw just like he was now working for Erik. And he had his uses. Teleportation was one of them. And so that was how Erik found himself in Oxford that night. He wore his black suit, deciding to don normal clothes so that he didn't look out of place when he went to speak to Emma. He didn't know why he was going to see her if he had to be honest. She had made it quite clear that she wanted nothing to do with him and he didn't want to be with her because of that fact. But what he did despise was the fact that she was becoming close with her ex-boyfriend. It was unfair that he had Frost keeping tabs on her but he did it for her own safety. The stupid, naïve girl attracted trouble.

Oxford was brimming with students who were wandering about. A few of them were drunk and crawling about and some were looking at them with disgust. Erik continued to keep his own thoughts on the sights to himself as he walked into the Hound which smelt of smoke, alcohol and there was a slight tint of sweat. Erik sat himself down onto a bar stool, ordering a pint of beer before he scanned the room, looking for her.

As soon as the beer was placed in front of him he picked it up, swigging almost half of it back before he returned to his previous task. She wasn't that difficult to spot. She was sat near the large fireplace which was currently not emitting any heat and she had a glass of cola in her hands, sipping on it through a straw as she looked at the boy sat opposite her. He had his hands on the stained wood as he leant forward, almost looking at her pleadingly.

Erik took in his appearance all the way from his posh designer suit to his perfectly placed blonde hair. He deduced many things from just looking at him. It was a skill which he had acquired after sitting in numerous bars and searching for Shaw.

Emma looked across the room as Damon took a drink of his whiskey and he looked down onto his lap. Her eyes fell straight onto Erik but she ignored him for a moment before her brain kicked in. What was he doing here? She didn't want to see him again. She thought that much had been obvious even for him. She looked back into his cold eyes, neither of them showing any emotion as Damon picked up on her staring.

"Em?" he asked her, snapping her out of her daze as she looked back into his caring eyes and puzzled face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she lied quickly. "There is nothing wrong."

"Well that guy at the bar seems to be staring at you. Do you know him?" Damon wondered, looking back at Erik who was draining his beer once again.

"Yes…No…It's complicated…" she blabbered, her cheeks flushing as she spoke and she saw Erik move from his seat, straighten out his jacket and make his way over to their table. Emma quickly stood as he advanced towards them and Damon did the same, still fussing around his ex-girlfriend as she shrugged into her cream coat.

"Going so soon?" his deep voice finally asked as she bent down to pick up her satchel. She closed her eyes, her back still to him as she placed the strap onto her shoulder.

"Why are you here?" she asked, turning to face him, their bodies close together as Erik looked down at her, his eyes still stern and his jaw set in a stubborn manner as per usual.

"I need to talk to you."

"We're through talking, Erik," she promised him before Damon coughed once.

"Sorry to interrupt," Damon said, forcing a smile onto his face as he stepped in between them, his arm wrapping around Emma's waist as Erik looked at the motion and clenched his teeth together. Emma looked at Damon for a second, her brow raised as she moved herself from his hold. "I think it is clear that Emma isn't comfortable with you here."

"And if you know what is good for you," Erik said, his voice deep and threatening, "you will stay out of this. Besides, I know all about you."

"Oh?" Damon pondered aloud.

"Yes," Erik confirmed. "The cheating ex-boyfriend who slept with someone else because his girlfriend wasn't willing to become a little whore for him."

Damon remained quiet, his mouth dropping open as Erik couldn't help but stare smugly at him and Emma puffed her cheeks out, unwilling to believe what Erik had just said. It was none of his business what happened between her and Damon. She was none of his business in general.

"Go, Erik," Emma growled at him. "I'm not making a scene here."

"If I'm going then you're coming with me," he warned her as Damon's cheeks flushed red.

"That is no way to talk to her," Damon said. "You don't know anything about us."

"Do not test me," Erik snapped as people began to slowly stare at them, beginning to murmur as Damon stood tall, puffing his chest out as he came closer to Erik.

"Or what?"

"Enough!" Emma snapped at both of them, pulling Damon back by his arm and turning him around. He continued to look over her shoulder at where Erik was stood before she hit him on the arm once. "Look at me, Damon."

He forced his harsh stare down onto her as she looked back up at him.

"I will speak to you later, okay? Just go back home and I will see you tomorrow."

"Who is he, Em?" Damon whispered quickly. "Who the hell does he think he is?"

"I will tell you later," she promised. "Do this for me, Damon. You owe me this much."

"Fine," Damon snapped at her, grabbing his own coat and looking at Erik who was still looking stern but smug. He shrugged into the black material, buttoning it up as Emma watched him and people began to return to their own business.

"I will see you tomorrow," Damon said and he curled a finger under her chin, bringing his own lips down onto hers as he kissed her gently. Emma didn't even have time to react to what he was doing. She knew he was doing it to antagonise Erik. He wanted to see if it would evoke a reaction and he wasn't disappointed. Masochism at its best.

Erik quickly grabbed onto Damon's elbow, pulling him from Emma and pushing him backwards, his own fist moving into a ball but he had not time to strike. Emma grabbed onto his arm, pulling him back and standing in front of him, shielding Damon.

"Do not start this," she warned Erik and then looked at Damon. "Go home, Damon. Now!"

As soon as the Law student had scurried off Emma began to move through the pub with Erik hot on her heels, his hand on the small of her back as they reached the cool night outside and Emma looked at him as they began to walk down the cobbled road.

"What are you doing?" she snapped as she led the way and Erik placed his hands into his pockets as she moved the strap further onto her shoulder. "You do not come here and start fights in pubs!"

"I've done it many times before," he simply spoke and she glared at him, her hair flapping out behind her as she took in what he had just told her and she shook her head. "And I needed to stop you before you did the stupid thing and took him back."

"Why?" she wondered. "I am a big girl, Erik. I can take care of myself!"

"And this is where our opinions differ," he spoke, clapping his hands once whilst Emma rolled her eyes at him, moving past a group of drunk students as she went. "You cannot look after yourself. If you had stayed with Charles then I wouldn't be here. Does he know about you and Damon?"

"No!" Emma yelled at Erik. "And that is because there is nothing to know! You do not come back here and tell me how to live my life!"

"Well if I wasn't here to tell you then I could see you ruining it!" Erik roared back at her and she stood still, losing her balance slightly and Erik looked back at her, seeing that she was beginning to cry gently.

"It is already ruined!" she promised him. People looked at them but did not stop, sensing their brawl was too much for anyone to comprehend. "My brother is now in a wheelchair and my sister left us! And do you want to know the worst thing! You caused all of this, Erik! You're the one who ruined my life! And to top it off…you…you come here…and you tell me what I should do…and even though I think you're an utter…selfish and controlling…bastard…I still…" Emma took a breath, tears rolling down her cheek as Erik watched her, his face still stone cold as she ran a hand through her hair and turned away from him, taking a deep breath and trying not to cough as she swallowed. "I still love you."

Erik remained dumbstruck. She looked at him and he felt his mouth dry out. He was unable to say anything back to her as she shrugged once, looking up to night sky and then back at him.

"And you can't even say it back."

Emma turned around quickly, almost running down the road as people continued watching her and staring at Erik. It took a moment for the metal bender to realise what was happening before he ran after her, his feet pounding against the pavement as he finally found her on a quieter street, resuming her normal pace. He didn't say anything as he approached her. He remained silent as he grabbed onto her arm, hauling her back to him and then forcing her lips onto his. He felt her posture relax as she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, his own arms bringing her closer by her waist as she parted her mouth, allowing the kiss to deepen as she moaned against him and one of his hands found her hair, pressing her closer to him as he toyed with the black tresses.

Emma pulled away a moment after, looking at Erik before she shook her head.

"What are we doing?" she whispered.

"Well we were kissing," he muttered.

"Why?" she wondered. "We can't do this, Erik…we can't…"

"You don't need to complicate things."

"No," Emma shook her head. "You did that when we were on the beach that day."

And then Erik watched her as she scampered off, not bothering to chase her this time.

….

A/N: Thanks guys for reviewing! Please let me know what you think and if I can get past 100 reviews that would be great!