I awoke the next morning with a headache the size of Montana, and a smug little brother leaning over me. I groaned and rolled away from the open windows that were letting in the horrid sunshine.

Michael grinned. "Bad night?"

"Shut the curtains before I skin you and use your flesh to block the sun."

"Man, you must have had a REALLY bad night, you're always your most creative when you're tired."

"What time is it?" I groaned, rubbing my eyes.

"Nearly nine. You'd better get up and take a shower before Aunt Heidi comes in, you reek."

"No need, Michael. I all ready know about Mary's little outing." Heidi stood in the doorway with her arms crossed, and not looking especially pleased.

I blinked, trying my hardest to clear the cloud of fog that had descended on my brain. I wondered how she could have known, I was always careful when I...

Oh. Oh damn. Paul wouldn't have known...he'd have....

Shit.

"Good morning Aunt Heidi," I sighed, running a hand down my face.

"Hmph, indeed." She turned and stalked out.

Michael reached over and patted my back hard when I groaned and tossed my face back into my pillow. "Have a good day, sis!"

If I could have moved, I'd have killed him.

That day I was put to work for hours. I scrubbed, I vacuumed, I washed, I ironed, I waxed and I buffed. It was horrid. I hated every minute of it, but was happy that Aunt Heidi wasn't going to tell anyone about my 'outing'. At nine that night, I collapsed on the couch in the T.V. room, and peeled the rubber gloves from my abused hands. As I kicked my shoes off, Aunt Heidi came over and stood in front of me with her arms crossed and her lips pursed.

Uh-oh.

I sighed and raised my bloodshot eyes to her sharp blue ones. "Yes, Satan? I mean....Aunt Heidi," I corrected with a roll of my tired eyes.

To my surprise, Aunt Heidi smiled at that, albeit a cold smile, but still, a good sign....right?

"Very funny my little delinquent. I have one more job for you, however, before you pass out again."

I groaned in complete and absolute denial, but Heidi stood her ground, and shoved a small shopping list into my hands. "Corner market. Get a move on, it closes in an hour."

With that, she turned and walked away, and I swore I heard her chuckling.

Muttering something about Haynes bitches, I stood and crammed my bleeding feet (not really, but it's my story and I like drama) back into my shoes and wrenched myself from the comfort of the couch. Grabbing a jacket, I tossed open the door and slammed it behind me, growling when Aunt Heidi said something about it being nice for a change that I use the door to come and go.

I shoved the scrap of paper into my pocket along with my hands. I walked briskly through the lobby, knowing full well that everyone knew what had happened the night before. I kept my eyes firmly on the doors and tried to block out the whispers and pointing hands that followed me outside.

Great, now they all think I'm some sort of hoodlum. I'm not, I just don't like to be tied down with rules. I respect authority…to a degree, I just don't conform to it most of the time.

The wind was cold that night, and it bit into my cheeks as I lowered my head against it and made my way to the market. The little bell sounded as I entered the shop and dug the list out of my pocket.

"Hello, Mary. Cutting it a little close, aren't ya? We close in twenty minutes…" A pimpled teenager leered his braced smile at her as he stood behind the counter importantly.

"Hey, Steve. Yeah, sorry about the timing, but this won't take too long. Just a few last minute things that Heidi needs."

"Anything I can help you with?" Steve asked.

"No thanks, I got it. Be ready in a sec."

I glanced at the list and began collecting the items I needed, walking quickly up and down the isles, grabbing and tossing things into her basket as I found them. I handed my aunt's credit card to Steve when I had finished, and tried not to cringe as his hand lingered on mine a bit to long as he took it from me. I snatched it back quickly and forced a smile at him as he handed me the bags.

"See you around Mary! Maybe I can take you to a movie sometime?" He called after me. I forced a smile and waved, forcing down the bile that rose in my throat. Gross.

I sighed again as the cold wind hit me once I passed the clinking bell of the shop's doors as they closed behind me. I shut my eyes as the wind began to loosen strands of hair from my ponytail and whipped them into my face. The bags were nearly torn from my arms and I yelped, stopping and tightening my grip.

Where is this wind coming from? I thought to myself. The buildings should be blocking it…

Suddenly, the wind grew too fierce and I could no longer keep my hold on the bags. They flew out of my arms and their contents where lifted into the air and carried away quickly.

"What the hell?" my eyes widened a bit at that site. I'd never seen anything other than leaves and paper carried by the wind. Surely those cans would have been much too heavy…

I didn't get a chance to finish my thought however, as the wind suddenly changed directions and became even more powerful. I was literally lifted off of my feet and pushed violently against the wall of the shop I had just been in. I was freaked by now, beyond frightened. This could not be happening, it wasn't right, something was indeed very wrong.

My eyes squinted open and I tried to catch my breath. The wind was rushing past me so fast I couldn't seem to be able to get any of it into my lungs. My vision swam as my brain screamed for oxygen. I saw a figure approaching me. He was walking slowly and steadily, as if he saw girls pressed against buildings because of psychotic weather conditions all the time.

Wait, I thought, looking closer. He's not at all affected by this wind. His hair isn't even ruffling, what the hell is going on?

The man walked closer, his head down, only a small smirk visible on his face.

Shit…was the only word that would enter my brain as the man walked closer and stopped in front of me. He lifted his face then, and the remaining blood in my face drained.

Trace…

The roaring stopped in my ears, but I was still pinned against the wall. Trace smiled at my obvious confusion. "Hello, Mary."

"What the hell?!" was the only response I could muster right then.

Trace laughed at that. He shook his head a bit. "This whole show could have been avoided if you wouldn't have freaked last night."

"If I wouldn't have…" I was beyond fear by now, and beginning to get annoyed at being pinned to the wall. "You drugged me, Trace! Not my idea of the perfect first date."

"Oh please, I was only doing it for your protection, and if you hadn't run off with that idiot of yours, everything could have been explained without these…" he gestured to my situation on the wall, which pissed me off further. "…theatrics."

"My what?! How are drugs any sort of protection, and just what the hell are you so gallantly protecting me from?!"

"Relax," Trace sighed, and I immediately slipped down the wall, landing on my feet, but my legs were unprepared for the weight, so I slumped to the ground. I opened my mouth, about to rip into him again, but he knelt down and placed his hand over my mouth, silencing me.

"Shut up, and listen. I have important things to talk to you about, and I guarantee you are not going to believe a word of it. So let's go somewhere I can prove it to you."

I shook my mouth free. "Yeah right, so you can drug me again in private? I'm not an idiot, you know."

"Yeah well right now you're really convincing me otherwise. C'mon, Mary," Trace grabbed my arm and pulled me up against him.

"Trace, no. I'll scream, I swear-"

"Mary. I'm not going to rape you, alright? Jesus. Now come with me."

"Trace-"

"And stop calling me that."

That confused me as he pulled me along behind him. His grip wasn't painful or harsh, so I was a bit intrigued. I can't explain it, and I know you all probably think I'm the biggest idiot ever for not running, but I didn't feel that I was in danger with him. I know, I know, it doesn't make sense. But I just had this….feeling.

"Why can't I call you by your name?"

"That's not my name."

"Can't you hear?"

"But you told me last night-"

"Mary, I said, and did, a lot of things last night. That is what we need to talk about, now stop asking useless questions and just come with me."

That's when I noticed it. I was being pulled behind him at a very fast pace, I almost had to run to keep up. I didn't bother to comment on this at the time because of all the questions I was asking. But now that I had been effectively shushed by Tra, er, whatever his name was, I realized that I was at a near dead run. I was about to yell at him to cool it, when I looked at his feet, and gasped.

He wasn't running.

He wasn't even walking.

He wasn't…touching the ground.

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Bwahahaha. Another chapter. Sorry it took so long, but I'm out of college now for the summer and will hopefully have more time for writing again! Woohoo! That is…until work starts _. But oh well. Until then, read on, and review!!