Laney POV

I'm still sitting on my bed, wrapped up in the sheets. "Darren" left about three hours ago. I don't know what time it is. I don't care. I'm just so tired, but my eyes refuse to shut. If I sleep, Steve will only make this illusion more elaborate. Maybe he'll throw in Evra, or maybe even Mr. Crepsley. That will only make it hurt more. I don't need any more hurt or numbness.

Why did this have to happen? Things were going just fine. Darren had told me the truth, and I was going to travel with the Cirque. He and Evra had become my friends. But Steve has taken that from me. No tears fill my eyes. I lie back down and curl up on my side. Why can't Steve just end this? I make up my mind – I'm not going to live happy in this fantasy. That's what he wants. He wants me to be very happy, only to shatter it and pull me back to the reality of that damn hole he's keeping me in.

I fight to keep my eyes open now. They've suddenly become heavy. I'm going to lose this battle. Despite my efforts, I fall asleep again.

Flames. Hot, scorching flames. They are coming closer, in multiple waves. I'm standing by myself in an open field. It is filled with dead weeds – the fire consumes the ground quickly, the dead weeds fueling it along. I try to move, but my feet are stuck to the dirt, tied down by the weeds themselves. I try screaming, but my voice isn't working. I only cough. That's all I can do. I want to scream again, because I'm coughing up ashes.

The fire reaches me, and it crawls up my legs, blackening and burning them. Everything goes red. The fire then swallows me whole, and I can't do anything about it. It goes down my throat and burns my heart and lungs. Ashes don't leave my mouth anymore. Flames have consumed them. I spit fire when I try to cry out. Heat – just heat everywhere.

The flames haven't taken my eyesight. In the distance, within the orange-red of the fire, I see a dark figure. First, I only see his wicked smirk. Then the rest of him appears; the broad shoulders, the stocky build, the sharp jaw, and the dark hair. He's worse than the flames. Why can't I just die already? Steve reaches me, and grabs my chin between his fingers.

"I know where you are. I'm coming for you and Shan. It's destiny." He's so close that our lips are almost touching. Can't he feel the fire? Steve's fingers burn my skin; they're even hotter than the fire – it feels like he's branding me. I can literally hear the sizzle of my flesh. Steve walks away, laughing. The flames intensify even more, and I'm lost in the red. I can't see anymore.

Red is everywhere.

I wake up, expecting to be living the nightmare. I'm not on fire. There isn't any red. I'm in a bed. I'm still in a bed. I'm sweating, and I notice the warmth of my burns under the sheets. I'm sweating, and my breath is quick. I feel a sting on my palm, and realize that I'm bleeding slightly. I open my fist to stop my nails from digging into my skin. I must have been clenching them in my sleep.

Steve is still keeping up the illusion.

Darren POV

It's been at least four or five hours since I left Laney at the tent. I talked to Evra afterward. He said I should give Laney space for a little while. How long is a little while? I just got her back. She's so close, but yet she's so far away from me. She seems so…angry – so unlike herself. Like it's the same body, but a different person inhabits it. Giving her space won't help her. How can I convince her that she's safe without being around to tell her? I'm going to try one more time today to talk to her. If she acts the same way again, you're going to leave her alone for a few days, I tell myself.

It'll probably be easier said than done.

Members of the Cirque give me sorry half smiles when I pass by. I give them a half-hearted one back. Everybody knows what's going on – there are no secrets here. I get back to our tent, and I stand outside it for a moment, bracing myself for a bad reaction when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn and see Vancha. His skin is a bright red from being out in the sun.

"Going to try again?" He asks.

"Yeah."

"Don't overwhelm her. Don't ask about the Lord of the Shadows. Don't ask her about what she remembers. Just let her know that you are there for her, and have a normal conversation."

"Normal – got it. And Vancha…you're insane." He looks at his arms to see the sunburned skin.

"I may be insane, but I know that it's working. I'll be able to walk around in the daylight, without turning into a lobster, one day." I chuckle lightly at this. He's been doing this for decades, and he hasn't seen any improvement. He thinks that he can become immune to the vampire's inability to be out in the sun without dying.

Vancha gives me an encouraging grin. "Good luck, sire." I nod, and he hurries to get to the shade. I shake my head briefly, and take a deep breath. Here goes nothing, I think.

Laney POV

I hear someone enter the tent, and my body tenses. I'm sure it's going to become a habit now. I don't turn onto my other side to see them, because I recognize the voice.

"Hi, Laney," It's Darren – Steve.

"Hi." I say. My voice is scratchy, and I clear my throat. I feel like the ashes are still there.

"Um…" He doesn't know what to say. Good. Maybe he'll go away.

"Are you hungry?" He asks. My stomach growls in response. I hadn't thought of food until now.

"You are. Come on, I think I saw a convenience store a half-mile from here." I don't move, even though my stomach is roaring, and my mind is telling me to get up.

"Laney, please. You haven't eaten in a few days."

I stay lying there for another long minute, and I give in. As long as Steve is deciding to feed me now, I should take advantage of it. I turn around, and sit up, pulling the covers off of me. I stand up and he gasps.

"You're hand is bleeding." I look down and that it is. I must've been clenching my hand harder than I thought. There are four deep cuts along the center of my palm, and blood streams down my scarred wrist. Steve grabs my arm and I pull it away. He looks at me with concerned eyes – ha, he really is trying to humor me. I search for a flash of Steve's natural blue-green eyes in "Darren's" brown ones.

"Just let me help you, please?" he asks. I continue to stare at him as he reaches for my arm again. This time when he makes contact, I only flinch, but I let him look it over. He guides me to him and Evra's side of the tent, and pulls a first aid kit out from a pile of things under his hammock. He wipes off the blood – both dried and fresh – and sprays some disinfectant on it. I wince a little, but it doesn't sting that bad. He wraps some gauze around it, and says that it'll be fine in a few days.

"You cut in pretty deep." Steve says. It's probably because of the extra tough nails that come with being a half-vampaneze. But of course he knows that – I don't have to tell him.

We leave the tent, and I squint because I haven't been in the sunlight for two weeks. Steve is silent as we walk through the Cirque Du Freak camp. Everybody looks at me funny. I try to keep looking straight to avoid their piercing gazes. I also wonder which one of them is really Murlough.

It doesn't take long to get to the store – about ten minutes. Steve asks me what I want, and I don't answer him. He waits for a few minutes, and when he gets no reply, he tells me to wait outside so he can go buy some food. I stand there, contemplating whether I should run away or not. I decide against it, seeing as I wouldn't get far. Steve would yank me right back into reality before I could even get as far as a couple hundred feet.

He returns with four hot dogs – two for me, two for him. I struggle to eat slowly, trying not to scarf the steaming food down. I finish, and Steve asks me if I want more food or a drink. I say no. He doesn't believe me, and goes to get another hot dog and some water. I eat the hot dog as we walk back to the Cirque. Time passes in a blur. I'm tempted to ask how much longer he is going to keep this whole thing up. I bite my tongue.

"Do you want anything else before I go see Mr. Crepsley?" Steve asks.

"No." I say. I walk into the tent, and chug down the bottle of water. I lie down on my bed again, and for the rest of the day – thankfully – "Darren" leaves me to my thoughts.

Darren POV

I wish I could have spent more time with her. She was just so quick to leave. I left her in the tent, hoping that she'd say more to me before I walked away – nothing. I feel accomplished though. At least she didn't scream at me.

It hurt when she had pulled her arm away from me. The look in her eyes was…distrust. Like I was the most repulsive thing she'd ever seen.

I make it to Mr. Crepsley's trailer a few minutes before sunset. He won't be awake for another hour at least. I dust off his coffin, and feed Madam Octa like I normally do.

As I shut Madam Octa's cage, I smile to myself. Laney didn't tell me to get lost. She didn't lash out at me. Sure, she might have kept silent, but I can still keep my promise from before.

I won't have to stay away from her for a few days.

I can try this again tomorrow.

A/N Hiya! :D This was one of the more difficult chapters to write since a lot doesn't happen, but the action is coming, I PROMISE. The next chapter will be MUCH longer than this one. Although this is a lot longer than my normal chapters. Anyways, thanks for waiting, reading, and reviewing!(: 3