Author's Note- sorry for the long wait, but here is chapter 4 at last! And I got lotsa ideas for later in the story…heheh, things are gonna get interesting…

Tallacus- I know it seems fast, but it'll slow down. I swear. I hope…and we'll see more of Quinn's hard-coreness in a bit…when dragons get involved, heheh…

Dawnstag- hehe, truth be told- I've never read one either…I just decided to write one And glad you like the characterization…I'm writing Creedy as I see him, so I hope it's fairly accurate, heh…thanks for reviewing!

Laure- Thank you much! And glad you like the characters! Thanks for reviewing.

Chapter 4

Short Lived Truce

Jen sighed as Creedy lead her through the dimly lit castle once more. She sighed and tried to avoid looking at him. It would only make her mood worse. "So…uh…does that little scaly thing have a name?" Creedy asked out of no where, hoping to make conversation. "Amber."

"Amber?" He gave her an odd look. "Her eyes are the color of amber…" Jen replied aloofly, studying her surroundings. "I see." Silence.

"You know. We might as well try to act civil around each other. I know you don't like me, and quite frankly, I'm not overly fond of you. But, since we are both stuck here, we might as well learn to grin and bear it."

"Should we? But it is such fun to get on each other's nerves." She replied with a smirk.

"Fun as it is, we should stop."

"Maybe I don't want to." She replied with that calm yet mocking manner of hers. Creedy wanted to wring her neck. Why couldn't she just be…rational? Agreeable? Civil? Perhaps it was all just a game, perhaps it wasn't. "Just stop at dinner tonight, alright? I don't think everyone will appreciate us bickering more."

"Fine, fine." Jen said with a sigh. "Truce?"

"Truce." Creedy agreed, shaking her hand. "It ends as soon as dinner is over." Jen told him briskly, then walked away, leaving him standing and glaring after her.

XxXxXxXxX

Creedy arrived to find Jen already sitting and chatting with a few of the rooms occupants. She wasn't talking much, of course, he doubted she was very talkative, and all the information she gave away was that her name was Jen and she studied dragons. Creedy also noticed how she ignored to acknowledge the fact that there was currently a little dragon in the castle. He would have said something, but didn't.

Dinner passed rather dully, as usual, and Jen stood to leave smiling and excusing herself. As she walked past him he grabbed her arm and pulled her closer, whispering to her. "I want to meet with you later."

"Why?" she whispered back. "I want to show you something."

"Alright," she thought for a moment, "Knock on my door when you are ready, and I'll come out." With that she yanked her arm free and was gone.

XxXxXxXxX

Jen was sitting at her desk, sorting through the papers that had been left in it. She would give them to the room's former occupant once she had sorted and organized them. Creedy was not the most organized man in the world, she had realized rather quickly after spending a few minutes in the room. Paper was strewn about everywhere, miscellaneous items had been placed wherever convenient at the time, and everything was covered in dust. She sneezed as a reminded to take care of that.

When she finished with the sheet she was reading over, she placed it gently into a pile, then picked up the next, completely oblivious to the person watching her. Amber looked up sleepily and hissed softly. Jen simply stroked the scaly back to calm the dragon chick down. When she hissed again, then hopped lightly off the table, taking flight, Jen looked up. "What are you doing here?" she asked coldly, eyes narrowing at the sight of the man in the door way.

"Making sure you are alright." He said simply. "Didn't I tell you to knock?" she asked. Jen's glare could have frozen him to his place if it were much colder. "I did. I came to get some of my stuff."

"Take it and leave." She looked down at the paper once more, and began to read. Creedy crossed the room in a few easy strides and sat down on the edge of the desk. "Did you forget our…date?"

Jen looked up, then thought for a moment. "Oh, yes…it…slipped my mind…"

"I can understand. Trying to find anything else to judge me by?" he asked looking at the newly organized stacks of his belongings. "No, simply tidying up."

"Ah. Well, are you ready?"

"I guess…Amb-"

"Don't bring the dragon. Not yet." Creedy told her. Amber whimpered softly. Jen pouted, attempting to persuade him. He rolled his eyes. "No. You don't want to scare the kids."

"Alright, alright. Then let's go before I change my mind."

"Touchy, touchy…this way." Creedy took her arm lightly and lead her back to the large room they had been to earlier- the one where the orphaned kids stayed. When he opened the door, Jen noticed there were far more people in the room than there had been earlier. "Just take a seat where you want." He told her. Jen nodded slightly and sat in the corner, away from everyone. Well, that is, until a friendly looking girl who looked about 20 approached her. "Hi." She said. Jen looked up and attempted a smile. "Hello."

"So, you must be the new dracologist. I'm Lizzy, I just help out around here with what needs done." Jen studied the girl and nodded. "Yes, I am." Lizzy was of average height- thus shorter than Jen, but pretty with shortish blond hair and bright blue eyes. "Mind if I sit with you?"

"Not at all." Jen scooted and watched as Creedy and Quinn attempted to quite the younger kids.

"I take it you have had the run down of how things work." Lizzy said, attempting to start conversation. Jen nodded. "Yah, I have." She nodded in Creedy's direction. "He gave me the lay of the land."

"Creedy. Nice guy. Not bad to look at either. Watch out for him though, I hear he can be a ladies man." Lizzy grinned and Jen laughed. "I don't think I'll have a problem. Apparently my first impression on him wasn't that good."

"Odd, he seems to get along with everyone. So, where are you from? Your accent sounds Scottish."

"Ah, yah." Jen shrugged. "I'm from the London area actually, but my family moved to Scotland a few years before the dragons came. About the time the dragons attacked I came back over here." She shrugged again. "And you?"

Lizzy thought for a moment. "Here, I believe- I can't remember moving around much. Dragons…" Jen nodded sadly.

"Alright, so, what story you guys want tonight?" Creedy's voice cut through, stopping their conversation. An army of shouts answered the Scotsman, and Jen laughed and put in her own idea. "Jurassic park." She shouted, and a confused look appeared on Creedy's face. "Could you repeat that, Miss Lerake?"

"I said, Jurassic Park. Like the T-Rex scene." She smiled smugly and he nodded. "Alright, something new. Now, Miss Lerake, or Jen if you don't mind, would you mind coming up here and helping us?"

"Eh…I guess…" she shrugged and stood. Quinn motioned her to a corner. "So, what should happen? It's been awhile since I saw that…you know, since before the dragons." Jen grinned. "I know, same…I watched it a lot as a kid though, so I have it mostly memorized. Alright, we'll do this…"

The story ended around 30 minutes later with some kids half scared out of their wits, others laughing at the bad acting, and all of them enjoying it immensely. Jen took a bow at the end with her fellow 'actors' and they were met with much applause and shouts of "More! More!".

"No more for tonight." Quinn said. "Go to bed." Creedy added. Once everyone was settled in the Scotsman approached Jen and smiled. "See, that was fun."

"I suppose." She said, keeping her expression indifferent. In truth, she had had more fun in the past thirty minutes than she had had in a year. "Well…I uh, guess we should head off to bed too…want a drink first?"

"What is this, a date?" Jen asked, raising an eyebrow. Creedy shook his head vehemently. "No, no, not at all. Just welcoming you to the family."

"Right…" Jen gave a half-believing nod. Creedy shrugged. "I think you need to be put to bed to. You get cranky."

"What changed? I have been like this all day."

"You weren't a few minutes ago." Creedy pointed out. "There were kids around. When around other people we are civil, when we aren't, I can be the biggest bitch you've ever met."

"Glad to know that…and you can know that I won't be any nicer!" Creedy shouted as she walked away. "Hey…don't leave me!"

"Why not?"

"I'm in charge here." Creedy grabbed her by her shoulders. "And I said stay." Jen snarled at him. "Bastard." She hissed. "Oh, so now I'm the bad guy. Figures. Well just so you know, I'm twice the man you'll ever get."

"Is that so?" Jen shot back. Her eyes narrowed. "Well, I guarantee you, I'll find someone better than you if and when the time comes."

"You know what," he asked shortly, "you're right. You ARE the biggest bitch I've ever met, and I'll be damned if I spend more time around you. Goodnight." With that he stormed off, leaving Jen standing in the hallway, chuckling. "Goodnight to you to…and unfortunately, you'll have to deal with me tomorrow whether you like it or not…"