"Volt, I have to tell you!" Leah's voice cried, breaking the silence. I sat up, still half asleep, and looked into Leah's wide eyes. It was amazing how quickly her bruises were going away, and the gash on her forehead was fading as well. It was unnatural. Then again, maybe I just didn't notice them anymore. I realized, then, how beautiful she looked with the moon pouring through the window onto her hair, making it turn a little gold. She still sat wide eyed and frozen as if awakened from a nightmare. I blinked, realizing I had been asleep in the same bed as her.

"About last night?" She said, as if reminding me.

I nodded, still amazed, I couldn't remember how I wound up in bed with her.

Her eyes focused again on the wall, and she began to talk about many things at once. "I was going home last night but I couldn't find my way back.. My mother had turned off the light, I couldn't see my way home, a group of 4 guys and 3 girls came up to me and said something about you and how I had better stay away." She paused, and I saw another hint of fear in her eye. "The lead girl said something about you and she asked me. if you had fallen for me. I told her that we were in love, and that's when she struck me down. I tried to get out of the alley but they were all around me, and when I did finally get home, no one was there and I figured I couldn't explain how this happened to me. And. when it started to rain, I decided that I needed you, Volt. I'm sorry.. I didn't want to tell you it was over you.. I'm so sorry. They said they used to work with you and that you were a dangerous boy and that they were doing me a favor. I swear, I didn't know what they were going to do to me.. Volt, they said I didn't belong there, that I had failed my mission and that I was going to die as punishment. they called me a .hacker."

My eyes had grown wider, and I felt something rise in my body. It was anger. "Did they say anything about Mikado?"

Leah took a sharp intake of breath and nodded. "It was mentioned once. But, oh Volt, I don't know what they were talking about! I'm not a hacker and I don't remember anything since that night. What were they talking about?"

I had never thought about Leah's safety from Mikado, but I rememebered now that I had another soul to look out for. I was afraid for Leah then. I didn't know what to say to her. I couldn't send her away from me because I knew I would miss her being there, even if she was unpredictable. I couldn't let this happen again to her if I really cared about her, which I did. Maybe I was the only one who could protect her. Then, I decided against that. They knew where she was and she didn't know what they wanted.

Then another question rose up in my head

"Leah, I think you should go home." I said, after some serious thinking. My voice was unsteady because those were words I never wanted to say.

She looked confused. "You don't. want me here, Volt?"

I shook my head. "That's not it! I swear that's not it! I love you, Leah, and I love having you here. You don't know how long I've wished you could be here with me always."

Her eyes sparkled as she moved closer to me. "I can be."

It was then I realized that I could make it work. I loved Leah enough to protect her always, and I wouldn't ever have to worry about not seeing her again. I still wondered though.

"Leah, when we first met, how did you know my name? How did you know where to find me?"

She told me then, that people talk. She heard about me, and saw me a few times after her sister had died and she went into the bar for a drink. I accepted that for the moment because I didn't know what else to believe. It was if she was from another world, I thought. And yeah, I was pretty close to being right.. or so I thought.

"Let me take you home, Leah. I'm sure your mom is worried about you." I said, getting up from the bed. Although, I was serious, the mood was soon lightened.

She stared at me and giggled. I looked down and saw that my clothes had been tossed on the floor. A breeze came in through the now opened window, and I felt it. But around Leah, I was strangely relaxed again. I bent down and picked up my jeans and leather jacket off the ground. Then, I went into the bathroom to change to be alone. The whole time cursing myself for the fact that I had lost control the night before.