Thanks again to pixievix for reviewing! As promised, the next installment. Sorry it took so long, I need to balance writing and not failing my AS Levels.
Enjoy!

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Neither Caitlin nor Eric spoke during most of the trip up to the cabin. After depositing Bandit back at the ranch Caitlin had snuck inside to retrieve her camera. Jim was at work and Dori had been called to an emergency at a neighbouring farm the night before, so had not been home for almost 15 hours. This luckily meant that neither parent had seen Caitlin's injuries, Jim not being the type to intrude when Griffen grudgingly informed him that Caitlin had gone to bed early as she didn't feel well. Whilst in the house Caitlin was confronted by Griffen.

"What you up to?" He asked her.

"Going out." She replied shortly, walking up the stairs to her loft bedroom, followed by a persistent Griffen.

"Where?"

"Out." Griffen stopped in his tracks outside Caitlin's door, as she grabbed her bag from beside her bed and checked that her camera was tucked snugly inside.

"You're being evasive… What are you up to?" He asked suspiciously, crossing his arms and eyeing her warily. Caitlin quickly shoved a flashlight into her bag and pushed past Griffen.

"See you later Griff." She called.

"What do I say to dad if he asks where you are?" Griffen scrambled after her, uncrossing his arms as he reached forward to grab Caitlin's shoulder.

"Tell him you don't know. You're not lying that way." Griffen stumbled and Caitlin sprinted down the last couple of steps, faintly hearing his voice call to her as she yanked open the front door and leapt into Eric's awaiting truck.

So now all Caitlin could hear was the truck's engine as they drove through the rapidly encroaching darkness. She cheek pressed against the cold glass and her face became colder as they drove into the mountains where the temperature dropped dramatically.

"We're here." Announced Eric, as he pulled the truck into the undergrowth by the road and shut off the engine. "We should walk from here, in case they hear my truck."

"Alright." Agreed Caitlin. She unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door. The cold hit her in a sheet of air, and she shuddered and pulled her leather jacket tightly around herself as she slid from the vehicle. There was an echo of doors slamming, and then silence reigned once more. Caitlin softly padded around the truck to Eric and began to walk ahead of her. The darkness crushed in on them, and Caitlin was finding it difficult to see him.

"Eric?" She called out softly. "I can't see you. Where are you?" Footsteps sounded again ahead of her and Eric emerged from the darkness. He took her hand, grasping it gently in his own, and began to lead her through the undergrowth. Sparks shot from the touching skin, and Caitlin's lower lip trembled. She followed mutely. It's just the cold. Think about revenge. She told herself.

"Can't I just get my flashlight out?" She asked, forcing her voice to remain level and nonchalant while her mind pictured the fingers enclosing her own tangling in her hair and stroking the back of her neck. Goddamn it stop that!

"We shouldn't risk it." Replied Eric, his own voice a whisper. "The cabin's just ahead." They emerged beside a rickety log hut, and the two released their grip on each other's hands as Eric led the way down a marked path of woodchip. They stopped once more and stepped off the path in the trees as a log cabin emerged in view. Cold wind once more cut through Caitlin's clothing, making her shiver and inadvertently huddle towards Eric.

"So what's the plan?" He asked her.

"We stand here and freeze to death." Said Caitlin sarcastically. Eric opened his mouth, about to voice an indignant reply, but Caitlin's hand covered it. "Quiet." She reminded him as she dropped her hand. She looked around them, and dropped her rucksack to the ground. She pulled her camera from the contents. "Guess I'll just have to sneak around and take a picture through the window." She made to walk away but stumbled awkwardly to a stop as Eric's voice sounded behind her, unusually gentle.

"Be careful." Anxiety and surprise knotted Caitlin, and she resumed her walk towards the cabin. Pressing her back to the wall, she edged along towards the first window. Looking cautiously in she saw only a dark, empty bedroom. The next window she encountered was above her head. It was narrow and the glass was frosted.

"Bathroom." She muttered. She continued her journey around the building, and heard voices before she saw the light spilling from the next window along.

With extreme caution she peeked around the window frame and looked into the room.

The entire defensive line of the football team, along with most of the offensive line, filled what was obviously the main living area. Teenage males sprawled on the rug, chugging from dark bottles of various beers, and many gathered around a keg which sat on a table further back. Despite all this, Caitlin's gaze snapped immediately to the seating area, where a sight which was more than she could of hoped for greeted her eager eyes. Daniel sat, on one side of him someone that Caitlin didn't know, the other, Mark. Beside Mark was again someone who Caitlin didn't know. Most importantly, clasped in Mark's callused right hand, was a small but luridly bright bong. Rainbow striped with a giant green marijuana leaf covering the body, it reminded Caitlin strangely of a quilt that Dori kept for guests who had to resort to sleeping on the sofa. As he lifted it, Caitlin lifted her camera to her eye.

Caitlin adjusted the zoom so that the unknowns were cut from the picture, and as Mark's lips clasped around the rim and he sucked inwards she clicked the shutter, capturing the image. She caught the image a few more times, ensuring to capture Daniel with the lighter, fuelling the illicit practice. With glee she watched the two swap bong for lighter and clicked furiously as Daniel now inhaled the smoke. She focused in on lips inhaling, swirling smoke beneath the transparent multi-coloured plastic, fingers clasping the instrument, a hand tipping the disposable lighter flame to the drug as it burned furiously and all other details she could capture. Bleary eyed, Daniel looked up from the bong.

Directly at the window.

Hurriedly Caitlin lowered the camera and stepped back. Too late. Daniel nudged Mark and whispered something as he jerked his head towards the window. Mark's gaze flew up and passing the lighter to the person beside him he stood. Daniel followed.

"Shit." Hissed Caitlin. She turned on her heel and heard the door slam open around the corner from her as she raced back towards Eric.

"Seeger."

The voice called out mockingly, teasingly as legs powered the boys towards her. Caitlin reached Eric, dropping her camera accidentally onto her bag. She bent to grab them both but Eric clutched her, pulling her away.

"Get them later." He insisted, pulling her with him.

Their feet pounded up the pathway. Eric stepped into the thick greenery and Caitlin followed.

"Up there!" The feet drew steadily closer and stepped behind a wide tree trunk. He grabbed Caitlin's arm and pulled her around the tree to him, hiding them both and pulling her close. Caitlin's breath stopped as both his strong hands clasped her upper arms, and she felt his welcome heat pounding through his sweater against her jacket. She stood once more nose to nose with him, and their gaze locked.

In the fierceness and passion of pursuit, adrenaline powers us, and instincts take over. The danger of a situation is over-ridden by physical and emotional needs.

Eric's hands released their vice-like grip on her arms, and slid round her back. His hands glided over the soft leather of her jacket until they reached the small of her back, where his fingers locked together and tightened, pulling her once again closer. He leant forwards and their lips touched. After a beat Caitlin's arms lifted from her side and wrapped around Eric's neck as she responded, forgetting everything around her as the moment exploded around them. The kiss deepened as Caitlin pressed against Eric, his body supported by the tree they hid behind.

A familiar voice drawled behind them.

"How comes he gets a kiss and I didn't?" Caitlin drew back and spun away from Eric. Mark stood nearby, a baseball bat in his hand. She made to run away but before the chance presented itself she felt a burning pain in her scalp as she was grabbed roughly by the hair and flung to the floor. She looked up and saw Eric respond automatically, swinging a punch at Daniel who had materialised from the darkness. Caitlin heard a resounding crunch as the cartilage in Dan's nose shattered beneath the blow. She scrambled to her feet and watched in shock as Mark swung the baseball bat, connecting heavily with the side of Eric's head. He fell like a log, and lay, immobile, on the ground. Before Caitlin had a chance to run to him hands grabbed the back of her head and she was pushed forward. Her own hands extended automatically before her, but she could not prevent her vision clouding as a rock loomed out the darkness towards her. She did not feel a thing as everything around her went black.

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Thanks for reading, the next chap is under way and shall get here at some point.