The night was colder than the normality for the early fall season. Patricia wandered down her familiar road, wrapping her arms around her chest complaining under her breath about the usual things a woman of her age and "size" would complain of. "You know, if you talk to yourself, people look at you as insane." A deep voice commented behind her. Pat turned around slowly.

"Well, well, well, hello Darren. Thanks for noticing, I AM insane." She stated, sticking her tongue out at him childishly. He chuckled as he pulled some of his black hair behind his right ear. To her astonishment, he slid off his black leather jacket and put it around her shoulders. She slid her arms through the intended holes, blinking at him. His amused grin spread across his soft lips. "Thought you could use some more warmth." She blushed quietly. "I'll take that as a thanks." He winked at her, making her blush more. She hid her face and he reached his index under her chin, raising her eyes to his. Pretending to raise an eyebrow, she cleared her throat.

"You lookin for something Darren?" He smiled, very comfortable with his power over her.

"Well I was hoping I could ask you for a room. My trusty Tieranna.." He pointed towards his bike. "Has left me for the night, seems she's upset about something and decided to cut out." She chuckled at his referring to his bike like a wife but chose to not comment.

"Meh, you already know who all's home, I would love company. Sure why not." He grinned madly at her and walked with her back the other direction.

Darren sat in the basement of pat's house, flipping channels on the TV, looking for something good. "HEY PAT!!! THERE ANYTHING GOOD ON AT THIS TIME?!?" Patricia, who was upstairs listening to her music rather loudly, singing along, looked at her watch.

"OO YEAH! PUT IT ON CHANNEL 90, I'LL BE THERE IN A SEC!" She turned her music off and hopped over the stool, then quickly headed downstairs. She didn't notice the plastic bag on the second landing and slid, landing on her backside, groaning loudly. Darren, hearing the loud crash, hurried to her. She started laughing hysterically. He chuckled and pulled the group of hair that was in front of her eyes, behind her ear, muttering softly.

"Klutz." She grinned and tried to get up, wincing lightly. He scooped her in his arms and carried her to the couch. Pat was blushing madly, but Darren had her back to him so he couldn't tell. He gently put her down on the couch and they watched InuYasha together. By the end of the program, she was, unnoticeably, leaning agenst his chest, his arms around her.

It was 2:30 in the morning before the TV finally went off. By 2, Patricia was quietly sleeping in Darren's arms. He smiled down at her and kissed her forehead. "If only you knew what a gift you are to me." He whispered softly. He took his right arm and slid it under her knees and slowly lifted her up, careful not to awaken her. He stepped lightly, chuckling at the plastic bag, now at the foot of the stairs, and began his ascent. Her room was dark, lit only by her alarm clock. He stood on her bed, stooping slightly so his head didn't hit the glow-in-the-dark stars on her ceiling, and kicked her covers back, then he climbed down and laid her in her bed, covering her slowly. "You look so peaceful when you sleep. Like God let his prized angel live on earth after her incessant begging." He chuckled softly. "Yeah that defiantly sounds like you." His warm lips brushed across hers then he moved a hair out of her face and whispered. "Goodnight sweet angel of mine." Then he walked out, closing the door softly behind him and turned to the big bed room.

Patricia closed her eyes agenst the horror before her. The sky was covered with a trail of smoke. The ground in front of her was charred black. Where her house once stood, was a pile of burnt beams. An ambulance was parked in her mom's camery's usual spot. Two more were around it, blocking one side of the road. The fireman was shaking his head. Tears were leaking out of the bottom of her eyelids. She started choking and everything went black...

Patricia sat up, shivering, her pj's covered in sweat. Her eyes stared wide and were darting around her room. Everything was in place, nothing was black except the shadows. Tree branches were scratching at her window, a sign of the hard wind blowing outside. Pat raised her knees, wrapped her arms around them, and let her head fall on her arms as she sobbed long and hard. She gasped, coughing on her tears, too loud to hear the door behind her. Strong arms wrapped around the middle of her back and her knees. A hard body pressed agenst her back, pulling her agenst it.

"Sshhhh..." A deep voice comforted her. Arms rocked her back and forth till she unclasped herself from a ball and turned herself sideways. She rested a wet cheek agenst a clothed chest, her damp hair clung to her neck and forehead. The arms held her close, rubbing her back. She calmed slowly and looked up ad a dark face, trembling hard. Darren's mouth curved in a smile she had never seen him use. He pulled her hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes for a moment then opened them again. Attempting to smile, she hoarsely whispered.

"Thanks."

"You wanna stay with me the rest of the night? I promise I won't try anything." He said, first in a serious voice, then a little more jokingly. She nodded, her thoughts still a little clouded to even think of any possibilities. He scooped her up and carried her to the room her parents usually shared. He never asked her what happened, she didn't want to say. It almost seemed as if he knew what she saw. She refused to watch as they moved to her parents room. She feared the tears would come again and she hated crying. He sat down with her still in his arms, then let go. He scooted down so he was laying and she did the same, then rested her arm across his chest and rested her head agenst the right side of his chest, he wrapped his arms around her and stayed awake till she had stopped trembling and was fast asleep.