Disclaimer: Neal and Joren are not mine. Dang. If wishes were watch bands…But hey, Corinth totally is, so I win.

I broke off a piece of a Hershey's chocolate bar and let it melt in my mouth. Looking seriously down at the rest of the candy, I murmured, "It's been too long since I've tasted heaven."

Joren gave me a strange look from where he was sitting cross-legged on my bedroom floor.

"Do you want some?" I inquired, offering him a bit of my beloved chocolate.

"Not if it's anything like that 'pizza' you had me eat for lunch," he replied moodily, folding his arms over his chest.

I laughed anyway. How many guys got upset when you gave them candy because they are wary of pizza? Besides, now that I was finally back home, with my own bed and clothes and food (and my music! The hardest thing about life in Tortall was the absence of my stereo), life seemed great. Except for the fact that I had to buy two guys both lunch and clothing, I was doing fine. Luckily, neither Neal or Joren objected to Goodwill as a clothing store, so I didn't completely clean out my bank account.

Seeing my laughter, Joren smiled a bit too, but he tried his best not to show it. I could tell anyway; I have a younger brother, I know when boys are trying to hide the fact that they are pleased.

Silence fell in the room again. I had instructed each guy on how to use the shower and sent them off into my bathroom, which is connected to my bedroom. There is another one in the hallway, but my brother uses that one and I didn't want him to discover my two uninvited guests.

My plan was simple: 1) Make the boys take showers. 2) Lead the boys to my older sister's old room (She is in college, so doesn't sleep there anymore). 3) Go to sleep. That was the extent of my planning. I guessed they should go to school with me, but I wasn't even sure which classes they had. Hopefully, the same as me, but who could be sure?

At that point, Neal came out wearing the clothes I had bought him that day and stood aside to let Joren take his turn. I silently thanked my mom for making me clean my bathroom the day before and congratulated myself on the fact that my bathroom was not full of girly stuff that would make it unsuitable for any guy to use.

I suggested Neal try some of my chocolate bar, which was already half gone, and he did, not having felt the same as Joren about the pizza for lunch. He plopped onto the bed, sitting next to me, and readily helped himself to another piece of chocolate.

"Did mine ears deceive me, or did I hear laughter in here?" He cocked his eyebrow, assuming a comedic expression.

"Yeah," I giggled. "You know, he almost laughed. I could see him trying to stifle it. He has been relaxing all day; he smiled at the clothing store."

Neal laughed some more, but soon quieted, asking, "Have you thought about tomorrow? Should we come to school with you?"

"That'd probably be best," I admitted, nodding my agreement. "I have no idea what is going to happen yet, and you don't know anything about this world. I have to keep you two from getting into too much trouble."

As Neal got up and looked at my bookcase, stuffed full of all my favourites, I told him about each one in great detail. Between The Princess Bride and The Hawk and the Dove, a knock sounded on my door.

Both our necks cracked as our heads whipped around to view the doorway, which was full of Corinth's lean frame strolling into my bedroom. My heart sank. I had written more since I had gotten back, leaving him unconscious in an enemy stronghold, just before the evil mastermind discovers his true identity, bargains Corinth's life with all the people who want to kill him, and prepares to torture him for information about the heroine and the precious cargo that she carrying. Not something I would be happy about if it happened to me.

"Confused yet?" he asked in his quiet voice. It had an accent that fringed on southern, if there was such a thing in Beilglam, the country he came from.

Action in the back of my room caught my attention. Neal was advancing on my character, and fast. Corinth noticed too, but he let Neal both reach and punch him before twisting his arms behind his back and placing a dagger to his throat. "I don't know what your problem is, but you have to learn not to try that again." The knife was lowered. Corinth released Neal and pushed him away before turning his attention back to me.

"I'm sorry about barging in on you like this," he apologized, smiling wryly. "I'm supposed to be blacked out in that mansion by Sklarend, right?"

I traced the patterns on my quilt with one finger. "That would make a lot more sense then your being here. But I guess none one else is where they are supposed to be, so you might as well join the club."

Massaging his arm, Neal straightened and demanded, "Why do you keep coming here? I'm telling you this now; I don't trust you."

"That's one point for you. I'm not a person you should trust."

I knew his past. I knew what he was thinking. I had to protest at his unfair judgment. "That's not true, Corinth! I wrote you, and that's not true at all!" Then I realized I had just reminded him that I was the reason everything was happening this way. The only reason he doesn't kill me right now is because then he'd be stuck in that place forever, I scolded, mentally stabbing myself with a spoon.

Checking once more to ensure that his knives were all in the right places, Corinth glanced at me, walked out of the room and said over his shoulder, "The author has all the power."

"Why does he have to keep saying that," I sighed, not really looking for an answer. Then I remembered. "Neal! Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He glared at the doorway. "That guy just rubs me the wrong way."

"He's alright. He's just had a tough life." Quoting another character from his story, I said, "He might act quiet and mysterious, but he's trustworthy."

"You know best," Neal shrugged and went back over to the bookcase as Joren emerged from the bathroom. His light blue eyes flicked between the silent Neal and me. He broke the tension by asking, "Do we have to eat that same stuff for lunch tomorrow?"

"No," I smiled at him. "I usually pack my lunch. I'll make some for you guys, too. On second thought," I took his wrist in my hand, ignoring his glower. "You should come with me and try the food before I pack it." As he started to argue, I added, "If you find you don't like it when you're at school, you'll have to eat pizza again." His eyes widened and his mouth closed as he glared at me.

"Neal, I'll make you some, too." I told him. "Do you want to come?"

"No, I'll stay here, if that's o.k. I'll eat anything you give me." He grinned and gestured at the many books. "I'd like to look at more of these."

"All right." I smiled at Joren. "Come on. Have you ever had tuna fish?"