Hola! I'm soooo sorry this took so long. I've been extremely busy and also writing another fic (In Front of My Nose, a Ron/Hermione Harry Potter fic). Hope you like this chapter and since I'm back into the whole "Alanna/George mode" the next one should come sooner. =)

Alanna swallowed hard as George re-entered the room, his smile fading when he saw her face.

"Alanna?" She opened her eyes feeling slightly uncomfortable now that she and George were alone again.

"Yes?" She focused on her fingernails, picking at the cuticles and dreading what was coming as she knew he was going to fuss over her again. Sometimes his concern was just too much. She never planned to fall in love or get married. Going on adventures and exploring the far corners of Tortall and beyond, would be postponed if she happened to have a child. No husband to tie her down would do her best...

"Are you feelin' alright?" She rolled her eyes slightly.

"I'm fine George." She forced out, her teeth gritted. He smiled slightly again, knowing that she hated to be fussed over.

He examined her face, trying to read how she was feeling but lately, she wasn't an open book, so easy to read, and he found himself confused by how much emotion she showed and how little he could comprehend.

"What?" She asked him curiously at the glint of thoughtfulness in his eyes. He blinked quickly remembering to keep his suspicions masked.

"Nothin'." He said, focusing on her face. "Alanna... you've been kind of distant lately." He was choosing his words carefully, before hesitating and adding, "Are you SURE you're alright?"

"YES!" She shouted and immediately regretted letting go of the reins of her temper. It was always flying loose in all the wrong situations. George looked taken aback for a moment, taking a step away from her bed.

"Alright then. So, glad to be back?" He tried to lighten the mood seeing that it might help her relax somewhat. The last thing he wanted was to have her nervous and uncomfortable in his presence.

"I suppose. It's nice to see you and your mother again." She sighed, calming down as best she could. George smiled.

"I missed you while you were away." He couldn't stop the words from coming. She felt butterflies in the pit of her tummy, the faint bubbling growing as he surveyed her with his enchanting eyes. He rested his palm on her knee. Her eyes fluttered closed, as her breathing became laboured. He let his fingers slide slowly up her leg, trying once again to read her face, tell what she was thinking.

"No!" She burst out sitting up and pushing his arm away. "George, please!"

"I-I'm sorry lass, I forgot, it was-it was..." He rasped hoarsely, giving up.

"I'm not ready for that again..." She pleaded with him, "Not now. Please, just let me be."

"Alanna, I'm so sorry, know that I didn't mean to hurt you... I can't help myself when I see you so vulnerable..." He forced himself to stand.

"George," She hadn't meant to make him feel so guilty. He stopped.

"I have to leave if I'm t'leave you alone." His forwardness always made her feel sick and rather scared. Watching his back as he exited the tiny room made her sigh deeply.

She let herself cry silently, tears she resented rolling down her cheeks. She knew she wanted to be loved, and needed to learn to love herself, but it seemed too soon after Jonathan... Could she even blame her fear on him anymore? Or was it just that she was afraid to give herself to someone?

"I do want you George..." She whispered to the walls, and Faithful who had returned a while back, preened himself knowing better than to remark that she was feeling sorry for herself again. "You have no idea." She didn't know what made her say it, but she did. It was as if the words were forced from her quivering lips but when they sounded, she knew they were true.

Thanks to the thief's remarkable spying skills, she never saw the shadow that slowly retreated from the crack of her bedroom door.

** George himself prowled away from Alanna's bedchamber, his heart beating faster than usual. He hadn't meant to overhear the girl's confession, he was merely going to say goodnight. Perhaps now wasn't a good time to do so... he'd spare her her dignity and retire to his own room.

That night as Alanna slept peacefully in her bed (the warmest one she'd experienced for a while), George lay awake thinking. She'd said so herself that she wanted him, but he couldn't help wondering if somehow he'd pressured her into saying that. But she didn't know she was announcing it to him, so his presence couldn't have affected her decision, could it have? His whole body tingled with hope, as he thought that maybe she really did want him.

He would have fallen asleep with his sensuous lips curved in a smile, but before his head hit the pillow, a terrible thought went through his mind at top speed: 'She'll want to leave for more adventuring soon. She won't stay with me...'.

A/N: Hope it was ok. The next should come soon =).