Someone dressed in a black cloak, half their face hiding beneath the hood, has me pinned down. Others stand behind, crowding around me. I feel my cheeks are stained with my tears, as I sob, and plead to be free.

They ignore me, smiling like they've been possessed by the devil.

I'm scared. I'm alone.

"Please, someone help me!" I scream.

Through the crowd of mysterious figures, another one comes, only this time their holding a branding iron glowing an intense yellow and orange color.

My eyes widen as I try to struggle free, surprised I have any strength left in me. I scream and cry some more, the smell of hot metal coming closer. However, the man that has me pinned refuses to let me go, as his grip tightens.

"Why are you doing this?" I conjure up the gurgling words through my sobs. "Let go of me!"

"You can't get away." The hooded person standing over me says.

However, I come to realize his voice doesn't fit right. In fact, his voice sounds all too familiar, and the next thing I know my vision returns to the present of reality.

It's Teorus who has me pinned by the wrists, my bed against my back.

"You'll accept my love, right?" His lips creep hungrily up my neck, towards my lips.

Cold shivers crawl along my skin, as I try get a grasp as to what's happening. "Stop, Teorus! Get the hell off me!" I find my voice and scream at him, trying to struggle as I do so.

But, Teorus is far to strong as a god.

Anger boils inside me as I refuse to be held down like this again. "Do you really think taking someone this way will make you happy?!" I growl through my teeth.

Teorus' body freezes from my words. "What's wrong with what I'm doing? You're going to be 'special' to me, right?"

"Get off me!"

"You're going to teach me about real love or whatever."

"Teorus." I glare at him dead in the eye.

"Oh, I see how it is. You talk big, but in the end, you're not actually going to do anything are you?"

"I can't be 'special' to you, but I don't want you to feel like you're alone either."

"Pfft, you feel sorry for me?" He chuckles, with a twisted grin still on his face.

"I'm worried, idiot!"

"It doesn't make any sense for you to be worried about me!" He spits those icy words out at me as his eyes pierce into me. "I knew it, you don't understand a thing about me."

"At least I'm trying, Teorus!" I shake my head.

"I don't need anyone 'special'."

"You're so wrong, I want to hit you." I growl, I take a deep breath. "In your heat of hearts, you want someone to love."

Finally, Teorus lets me go and gets up. Letting out a tired sigh. "You got the wrong idea about me. You heard about my father from Hue, right?"

"Yes." I slowly sit up, eyeing him carefully.

"My father spent everyday drowning himself in alcohol and women. Strange women were always coming and going, ever since I was little. That was normal. That's what my father was like when I was growing up. It was normal to have relationships with lots of women. I never thought of it as bad." Teorus explains to me, his eyes in a daze as if he's reliving his past again. "To me, happiness is receiving lots of love and doling out lots of love in return." Up to this point Teorus was speaking calmly, however when his focus is back he looks at me and becomes angry. "So, I'd appreciate it if you could keep whatever personal opinions or judgments about me you may have to yourself!"

I grit my teeth together, ready to scream something, but Teorus's head cocks to the side as he stares down at me.

"Or… did you say that stuff because you were trying to get my attention?"

"No! Teorus—"

"Whatever, I don't care anymore." His eyes scan my body then my face. "Give yourself to me. Now."

My eyes widen, and this time I roll off the bed, landing on my feet. I run to my bedroom door but I don't make it far, as a sharp pain hits my wrist. I turn to see Teorus having a hold on me again and with his godly strength pulls me back to him, pushing me down back on the bed.

"Ugh! Stop!" I scream. Kicking my legs.

Teorus doesn't blink. "It's not use. Do you really think you can resist a god?"

That once fairy-tale prince aura I always saw him as is completely gone, as he becomes someone else who is cold, and cruel.

But I don't let it scare me, in fact it just makes me that much angrier.

"In the end, you're just like all the other girls." He adjusts his hand so both my wrists are trapped, and his other hand comes around my face.

I stare him down in the eyes, glaring at him.

"What are you doing?" Someone's voice interrupts the situation.

I turn my head to the side and see Leon and Huedhaut. And a wave me relief washes over me.

Leon steps closer, disapproving of the situation. "Teo, what are you planning on doing with that goldfish?" His voice is calm.

Teorus sighs. "What are you doing? I was just about to get to the good part. Don't get in my way."

Leon glances at me, taking note of me disheveled state, before glaring at Teorus. "Nothing about this looks anywhere near 'good'."

"Why are you guys here, anyway?" Teorus yells.

"We heard this goldfish's wish." Leon says.

I'm dumbfounded. "My wish?"

My wish for Teorus or…

"Abbey is the reincarnated goddess of fate. Her wishes reach us much more easily than the wishes of ordinary humans." Huedhaut steps forward. "We heard her plea."

"What?" I ask.

"How long are you planning on hanging out here like that?" Leon asks indicating to the position that Teorus has me in. "Time to go."

Leon walks over and forcibly tries to pull Teorus off the bed.

"Stop!" Teorus says. "This doesn't have anything to do with you guys." Teorus shakes off Leon's hand.

With Teorus distracted, I swing my hand and slap him across the face.

He holds his cheek in his hand.

"Listen to them, Teorus." I bark at him.

He stands up and backs away from me and I do the same.

"It has plenty to do with us." Leon tells him. "This woman holds the key to out destinies."

Huedhaut nods. "Yes. If we don't handle this correctly, we may never be able to return to the heavens."

"Let's go home for now, Teo." Leon orders him.

Huedhaut calmly smiles. "Come back to the mansion and cool your head for a while." He places a hand on Teorus's shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" Teorus's tone is low, almost like an angry growl and brushes Huedhaut's hand away.

I'm shaking with anger as Teorus acts worse than a spoiled brat.

Huedhaut huffs, as if growing irritated with Teorus' behavior. "Teo, if you don't give it a rest, we'll report you to the king."

"He could even darken your mar again." Leon warns him.

As much as I don't want to see him have his mark back to where it was before, after he's come so far to get it as faded as it is now, he's going to screw it up with how's he acting, but…

"Wait…" I raise my hand, to get everyone's attention. "It's not completely his fault. I stepped out of line, I was offensive and insensitive to him." After what Teorus has done, I find myself defending him.

"So, what?" Leon snaps.

"That's no reason to hurt a human." Huedhaut mentions.

I shake my head. "I'm not physically hurt, maybe mentally and emotionally, but as is he, because of me." I look at Teorus.

He avoids my gaze, then walks to the window, his eyes at his feet.

"Teorus…" I call him from where I stand. "I'm sorry if I acted like a know-it-all. I thought it was just something you needed to hear. So, you did what you did because you were angry, fair enough. You can get mad, but don't force yourself to be this way when I know the real Teorus is a kind-hearted god, okay?"

Teorus, again, remains silent.

"Just thought you should know." I tell him.

"This is pointless." Leon interrupts. "Let's just take him back to the mansion for today."

I let Leon and Huedhaut take over as they prepare to fly out the window.

"Take care of Teorus." I tell them in a quiet voice.

"That's not a request you're qualified to make." Leon smiles.

Huedhaut nods. "Leave everything to us."

I nod my head back. "Okay.

Before heading out a whisper leaves Teorus' lips. "…No time…"

"Hm?" I look at him.

"There's no time." Teorus says, finally looking at me with a serious expression.

Leon places a hand on Teorus' back, urging him forward. "We're leaving."

And with that, Teorus, Leon and Huedhaut leave.

Then the adrenaline rush of everything that just happen disappears. I collapse on my bedroom floor with my back against the edge of my bed. My face falls into my hands as I take in a deep breath. My limbs shaking uncontrollably, my heart racing, my thoughts all over the place its giving me a headache.

"What the hell is happening…." I tell myself, looking out the window they three gods left through.

I guess it's only fair he didn't want me to bring u his childhood… I know if it were me, and someone brought up my childhood, I would be pissed off too.

I think to how he looked, how he acted. Pinning me down, looking at me with his cold eyes, like I was nothing.

I was out of place talking to him like that, maybe I don't know anything about it. I've just gone off the information from what I've heard from others, and from what I've witnessed, but...It wasn't from him…

Damn it…

"I'm sorry, Teorus…" I whisper.

He can be an airhead but I didn't need to act like a know-it-all, as if I was an expert on him in someway.

The feeling of guilt and regret forms a knot in my stomach, and the image of Teorus in pain, upset and angry is stuck in my head.

"There's no time."

I recall Teorus' words before he left.

Although I'm stuck pondering those words, wondering what he meant, I manage to pick myself up, walk over to my desk and begin writing.

A Few Days Later…

Teorus doesn't contact me or visit me again after what happened. Neither have any of the gods.

So, what does this mean?

I sigh as I pick up dirty dishes from a table and make my way over to the kitchen, dropping them off at the dishwasher station.

The days seem to be dragging on since that incident, and my mind can't seem to think of anything else but Teorus.

"Abbey?" Hannah calls for me.

"O-oh, yeah?" I try to sound chipper.

"Come to the back with me, it's break time." She says, gesturing me into the break-room.

I adjust my ponytail and follow her in.

She sits on one of the couches, patting the spot beside her.

With a heartfelt smile, I do as she wants and I sit next to her.

We both remain silent for a moment.

"What's wrong, Abbey?" She finally asks.

I lightly shake my head, looking at my hands on my lap.

She remains silent, being as patient as she can with me.

I take in a breath. "It's…" I bite my bottom lip and stop myself.

"I know talking about your problems is hard for you, but I want you to know I'll listen. Whenever your ready." Hannah says, standing back up.

"It's about…a friend of mine." I say.

Hannah stops, and sits back down. "Is it about a friend? Or boyfriend?" She asks.

I shoot her a look "Pfft, what n-no. A friend."

"Okay, so, what of this friend?" She asks.

I look at her in the eyes, seeing the caring person she is, like a motherly love and I speak. "Something…happened.

She smiles, glad that I've finally said something. "Things do tend to happen sometimes…"

Yeah, like telling Teorus that womanizing and being a flirt won't make his heart whole so he pinned me down and tried to have his way with with. Something like that happened. I think to myself, wishing I could say but I keep the conversation vague.

I shake my head. "No…you see, I happened. I said some things that I should never have said which led him to do something…and…" I look at her again, seeing if she's following along.

She nods her, gesturing for me to continue.

"A-and, I might have slapped him…" I say.

Hannah looks shocked. "You slapped him? What did he—?" She stops herself and remains calm, not bothering to press me for answers. "Okay… "

"I…I just don't know what to do in this situation. I simple apology can't fix this, and I can't take back what I said or what I did.

"Well, did you mean what you said?"

"Yeah, but I didn't mean to hurt him, I just needed him to open up his eyes, but it sounded so ignorant of me to ramble on as if I'm an expert on him." My head falls into my hands, and strands of hair come loose from my ponytail. "I just thought I could understand and relate to him. I wanted to help."

"Do you think he meant to do what he did?" She asks and it catches me off guard.

"Er… no, I mean, yes, wait, no, he's sweet and kind. He would never want to hurt anyone, but he did what he did because, he was scared and angry." I sigh. "I don't know why I'm getting worked up over this."

Hannah's fingers come around my ear, tucking a strand of hair away to get a view of my face. "I think I know."

I lift my head.

She smiles warmly and takes my hands, using her thumbs to rub my knuckles. "Abbey, I've known you for a long time. Whatever it is that you and Teorus are dealing with… your both not alone, you both have each other. You'll get through it."

"W-who said it was Teorus?!" I panic.

She pats my knee. "Now come on, time to get back to work." She says in a positive manner.

"B-but, Hannah!" I get up to follow her to the door.

"Abbey?" She stops at the door.

"Y-yeah?" I pause, standing behind her.

"Thanks for talking to me." Hannah says.

With that Hannah exits the break-room and heads to the kitchen.

I take a moment to think over our conversation, how I felt a weight lift off my shoulders talking about it. Even if I didn't go into great detail, Hannah's words made me feel slightly better. With a skip in my step I get back to work.

A Few More Days Later

Still no visit or communication from Teorus or the rest of the gods. Not even Altair and Vega have stopped by. The days go by and I find somethings to distract myself with, like work… and…that's it.

Wrapping up a show for the evening at work, I take off the makeup, and change out of a cute dress that Emily let be borrowed and back into my comfy skinny jeans, hoodie and Converse.

I exit the restaurant and I notice something strange. I look up and the mixture of the colors pink and orange as they make their sunset. As beautiful as it may be, it's nine o'clock at night. It should have been pitch black out hours ago.

"What the hell?" I double check the clock on my phone, and it says that I'm not wrong about the time. "So… why is it still so light outside?" I say aloud as I wonder.

Ah, shit, is the world coming to an end?! For some reason that logic pops into my mind.

I slowly make my way to my truck as I can't help but look around the sky as if it's going to go back to normal any time.

Then from nearby a couple of giggling women catch my attention.

"Hey, did you see that guy just now? He was so hot!"

"Oh my god. Yeah! He looked like Prince Charming or something."

The two women pass by and their conversation has me thinking.

A prince? What?

"As if this night isn't weird enough." I roll my eyes.

I continue to reach my truck when all of a sudden, a voice from behind startles me.

"You're late."

I spin on my heels to face Leon.

"Oh my god." I press my hand against my chest as I manage to catch my breath. "Don't do that. And what do you mean late? Late for what?"

"I need to talk to you." He says.

I groan. "About what?"

He smiles wickedly. "We'll talk once we're back at the mansion."

"I don't hear from any one of you gods for a week and all of a sudden you pop up and want to talk. Geez, give me a call to give me heads up why don't you."

As I ramble on, Leon reaches out and picks me up into his arms and we fly off into the sky.

"Wha!" I yelp and cling to him. "W-what do you think you're doing?!"

"Pipe down and quit squirming, if you don't want to be dropped." Leon adjusts me as he tosses me over his shoulder like a piece of luggage.

I flail my arms. "But I have a vehicle! Gah! I could have driven there myself!"