Seven Devils Chapter 6: Falling, a covenant fanfic

I'm still here baby! And I'm really sorry about the wait, but life came and inspiration and time flew! Here's the overdo, Chapter 6!

Special thanks to; When I Make It Shine, Babaksmiles, and Vaughn Tyler for reviewing the last chapter!

And thank you to all those that added this story to alerts and favorites! :)

Disclaimer: I'm just visiting this world. Lena & Abby and time spent writing belong to me.

"The truth of the matter is, 'uncomfortable' does not equal 'unsafe,' and 'disagreement' does not equal 'danger.'"

-Kat Timph

The very last thing that Lena expected when her day started was that it would take such a wild turn. She had just survived an impossible crash with her three friends and everyone apart from Abby was hiding something from her. They were hiding something so big, that it would be unsafe to tell her while they stood in the hospital.

It wasn't boding well for her.

Also it didn't help that she wasn't entirely sure she should be trusting them as it was more than obvious that they hadn't been honest in her time of knowing them.

She had always suspected as much but it didn't make her feel any better now.

Yet, after some convincing and a call for a taxi, they had made their way to the Danvers' Mansion because his mother wouldn't be home and because Caleb was the designated adult of the group. What he said usually went.

The taxi ride had been quiet and dare she say awkward. She was pressed against Reid, who was deliberately not making any type of eye contact with her. She would be a liar if she said that it didn't bother her. Because more than anything she wanted him to speak to her.

Her mind was reeling and she thought perhaps if he just looked at her, she'd feel less like she was falling.

Or maybe she would feel worse.

Because there was something about Reid…something about him that made her want something she couldn't put her finger on. And being this close to him after everything that had happened in the last couple of hours and him not speaking to her…Her chest felt tight.

It had been a huge relief when the Mansion had come into view and the car stopped rolling.

Reid had hopped out immediately and Lena followed just as fast, where she started to pace. Tyler had paid the driver and Abby had wandered over to Caleb's car.

All of it leaving Reid to stand there alone with her, his hands deep in his pockets and his gaze on anything but her.

She wanted to reach for him, but if the car ride had been of any indicator that would be a bad idea. And what if whatever they had to tell her was so bad they never spoke again…

And despite everything that had happened in the last few hours, she didn't want that to happen. She wasn't sure she would be able to stomach it.

Eventually, they'd entered Caleb's home and she found herself curled up on the couch in a blanket that had been thrown around her—apparently she'd still been shaking.

However, she slightly glared as Caleb offered them something to eat.

"Caleb," she sighed. "I know you're just trying to make us as comfortable as possible before you potentially drop a large as fuck secret but you're actually starting to piss me off."

"Amazing," Pogue said. "She sounds just like you Reid."

Reid was leaning against the wall by the fireplace, his arms crossed in front of him. He didn't respond, in fact he hadn't moved a single muscle to indicate that he had heard any of the conversation.

"She's right," Caleb sighed. "I am just prolonging the inevitable. I guess because I'm not sure how or where to begin."

"The beginning is usually a good place," Abby suggested.

Caleb nodded. Sitting in an armchair, he sighed and started to speak, his voice tired.

"As you know, the four of us are the descendants of the four oldest families of Ipswich. We inherit more than just our family wealth through the generations. We inherit the Power…"

Lena and Abby shared a glance when he had said 'power' but neither spoke to interrupt him. And thus he continued.

"In the beginning there were five families. Danvers, Parry, Garwin, Simms, and Putnam. The families had fled to the New World during the witch hunts in England. They'd settled in the Ipswich Colony and formed a covenant of silence. No one could know what they were…"

Lena had been very much aware that Caleb was implying that these families were dealing in witchcraft. That they were witches or warlocks or whatever. That was insane.

But was it?

Caleb continued to tell them of how the fifth family, the Putnams, had been banished from the covenant for their search for power. But during the witch trials the family line had ended. Or so they had believed for years to follow.

It was the start of the new school year when Chase Collins had shown up, how in the weeks he had been there he'd done so to get revenge and to take their power for his own. How he had put a curse on Kate in the guise of a spider bite. How he had wounded Pogue and drained him. How he used Sarah to get to Caleb as Caleb would be coming into his full power.

That using the power once ascended would slowly kill you. Lena absently looked at Reid, but like before he avoided looking at her.

"Wait," Abby interrupted, "I have a lot of questions but let's start small. How is Chase a Putnam descendant, you said that the family was wiped out?"

"Ah," Caleb nodded, remembering this detail. "Agnes Goody Pope had made claims that John Putnam had come to her in her dreams as an incubus after she was widowed. She gave birth nearly eleven months after her husband's death."

"She was raped is what you're telling us," Lena growled, snapping her attention back to Caleb. "And somehow Chase blames you all when it was his ancestors being shitty? He's only alive now because his many great-great-grandfather was vile."

"In a nutshell," Caleb mumbled. "But you can't really reason with people like Chase."

"Clearly," Lena grumbled. "But please continue, this story is fascinating."

"The night of the fall dance and my eighteenth birthday, I got rid of him. Or I thought I had. I guess I hoped. We hadn't seen him in weeks. And then you showed up, Lena. You showed up and things were starting to get strange. We watched you, we spent time with you, but…"

"But what?" she prompted.

"It wasn't you…"

Lena glanced at the others, her heart pounding. If she were to admit it, she'd say her feelings were a tad bit hurt.

They weren't spending time with her to genuinely get to know her. But she had suspected that, hadn't she?

She pressed the hurt back down, shook her head and stood.

"Let me get this straight," Lena said slowly. "You want us to believe that you're descendants of a line of warlocks that date back as far as if not further than the Salem Witch Trials?"

"It's a good story but it is a bit far fetched," Abby agreed. "And what are you two?" she asked, indicating Sarah and Kate. "Witches of another secret coven?"

"Oh no," Kate said waving her hand dismissively. "We don't have anything to do with that. We're as normal as normal can get.'

"Boring even," Sarah added.

"Then this is definitely some sick joke," Lena said, her eyes drifting back to Caleb. "You've been spying on me, but you just want us to believe this is why? To take your word? This is a terrible joke that you're playing and I don't appreciate it at all. Sure it could explain all the shit that has been happening but you can't just say it and think I'll just believe it. If you're not going to be completely honest then—"

Lena broke off as she watched Caleb's brown eyes ring with fire, his eyes turning pitch black. The same black she had sworn she'd seen Tyler with in the car. She glanced at the other three and their eyes too were just as black.

The fire roared and Lena jumped back as she watched the flames burst out of the gate, but yet stay contained. They defied all sense.

It wasn't possible.

But it was.

All things considering, Lena should have been like Abby. Her friend had jumped back further into the couch, a hand covering her mouth at the sight of the boys' eyes turning from their natural colors to black. The fire in the fireplace blazed brighter before simmering and with it their eyes had faded back to normal.

But Lena stood there fascinated and oddly enough vindicated.

She wasn't crazy. It also meant that all the terrible things that were happening around her were real.

Very real.

"This…this can't be real," Abby's hand had dropped. "I knew you guys were weird, but this is too much…don't you think?"

"We shouldn't have survived that accident, Abby," Tyler said softly. "Think about that."

Abby swallowed hard but didn't say anything. Lena glanced at her friend and shrugged off her blanket and wrapped it around her.

"We're really on some Harry Potter type bullshit here," Lena said, turning back around. Reid scoffed making it the first sound he's made since the hospital. "Boarding school, a scorned enemy with a vendetta that dates back from before any of you were born. It's all there," she continued. "How terrifying," she ran her hand through her hair. "Everything you said is real. Holy shit."

She began to pace in front of them, "But it doesn't explain why I'm being targeted. From what you said Chase targeted Kate and Sarah to get to you guys. But me…I barely knew you when I first saw him. And he makes it seem like he's been watching me for awhile. So why? I'm not…" she wagged her fingers.

"She's taking this a little too well don't you think?" Pogue said.

"I'm a better actress than I thought then," Lena replied. She didn't think taking it well was how she would describe herself. Tittering on the edge of a mental breakdown was probably more fitting. "But you didn't answer my question. Why is he for lack of a better phrase, haunting me?"

"We can't answer that," Caleb sighed. "Not because we don't want to, but because we really don't know."

"Awesome," Lena deadpanned.

"I think I might be sick," Abby muttered. She was coming out of her initial shock. "You guys are warlocks and the reason I'm alive right now is because of what you did…Tyler?"

Tyler must have been doing something subconsciously because he looked slightly startled at being addressed. He looked toward Reid but he looked just as surprised.

"I mean…we kept you in the car but…" Tyler trailed off. "But for a moment…I could have sworn…"

"The car stopped," Reid picked up, a reluctant tone in his voice. "You were laying there but it was clear that you weren't here."

"What do you mean I wasn't here?" Abby asked standing, the blankets falling from her shoulders. "Where could I have gone?"

Lena was aware that the attention had gone to her but she didn't understand. She wasn't magical. She was just her.

"We've been keeping an eye on you because you're not normal, Lena," Reid said. It was the first time he'd spoken directly to her since the hospital, the first time he'd looked at her directly. It was quiet around them and if it weren't for the sudden burning under her skins and buzzing in her ears, she would have sworn he sounded a bit regretful.

"But I didn't do anything," she told him. "I couldn't have," she said. "All I did was…"

"Hey Abby…Can you hear me? Please, please. Abby, please. This is all my fault…Please…come back…can you hear me?"

"I am not a witch!"

"But you might be something," Caleb said calmly. He was too calm. "There must be a reason you could see Chase before anyone else. Why he's targeted you."

Lena sat down now and she looked up at Abby before looking down.

"...come back…" Echoed in her head.

"Are you saying I brought her back?"

"That or Tyler and Reid are wrong about what they felt," Pogue said.

"You're a freak…"

Lena looked toward Reid, "Do you think you were wrong?" she asked him. Reid looked tired but he shook his head. "Oh…" Lena swallowed around the lump that had formed in her throat. "Death follows you and with it life," she mumbled. "That's what he told me."

Her hands were starting to shake again, she clasped them together so tight they hurt.

"When?" Caleb asked.

"Tonight," she responded. "While on the balcony. I thought he was trying to scare me by bringing up—" she cut off and brought her hand to her mouth. "Ah…I—I think I need to go…"

She was no longer tittering on the edge.

She was free falling.

But she didn't want to go back to the Academy. Even though the sun was starting to peek through the windows, brightening the room.

Even though going back to the Academy would give her a chance to shower off the dirt of the night.

She did not want to go there.

She wanted to be alone, yet…the thought of being alone scared her…

She was burning and she needed...what did she need?

She didn't know but she knew one thing: She was not okay.

She wasn't sure if it was because Caleb was just nice or if her internal panic wasn't as internal as she thought it was. But he had knelt in front of her so that she could look him in the eye.

"We've been up all night," he said. And though he said it to her, he was speaking to the room. "I think it would be best if everyone stayed here to rest. There's more than enough room."

Reid didn't like being left alone with his thoughts for too long. It was mainly the reason why he filled his time with a number of distractions if left alone too long because without one, it would surprisingly be worse than his most dangerous distraction. But the level of danger his distraction typically relied on how anxious he was about something. And the higher those levels were the more likely he was to use excessively.

Which would only make Caleb upset. And though Reid had 'picking a fight with Caleb' on his list of distractions, he consciously made the decision not to stress his friend out any more than he already was.

As he stood in the shower letting the water run over his head, he couldn't stop thinking about the last couple of hours. Even as the water washed away the dirt and grime of the night. He couldn't get the unease he'd felt the moment he'd seen Chase on that balcony.

Chase was speaking to Lena and Lena was transfixed, her eyes glazed over…a panic had flooded through him then.

Then at the accident, that scream. The scream he had heard Lena release in the backseat of the car before he'd gotten back to get her and Abby out rang in his ears. The jolt of pain that hit his chest wouldn't go away. The burning under his skin wouldn't stop.

He could feel the way her hand clung to his shirt as they laid on the cold road. The unspoken request for him to not let her go. He could see her hollow eyes as she exited into the waiting room at the hospital he could see it every time he shut his own.

When Pogue said she was handling it well, Reid didn't agree.

He could just feel she wasn't okay. That she was only pretending to be until she couldn't pretend anymore. And he should have said something to her.

But it was hard for him to speak to her. Even to look at her.

And as the hours went on, he was finding it increasingly more difficult to keep his distance. The ride in the taxi to Caleb's had been excruciating…

Because when he looked at her all he wanted was to…

Reid abruptly shut off the water and grabbed a towel.

He dried off and began to pull on the clothes that Caleb had given him. As he made to grab the shirt a knock came at the door. Reid stared at it for a moment, forgetting the shirt. He figured it was probably one of the guys. More than likely Tyler.

Tyler was always trying to get Reid to talk rather than partake in any of his crazy distractions. But more than likely all the talking did was convince Tyler to join him. Even if it were mostly so Tyler could make sure Reid didn't get himself killed.

Even still Reid would welcome any distraction at this point.

Running his hand through his wet hair, Reid stood from the bed and walked over to the door. Pulling it open, he froze when seeing who was actually standing there.

Lena.

Apparently he and the universe had different definitions for the word distraction.

Her dark brown hair was curling from being wet, the ends wetting the shoulders of her too big borrowed gray shirt. Her phone was held tightly in one hand. She looked him over before her brown eyes met his blue ones, searching before she dropped her gaze.

"I'm sorry to bother you," she mumbled. "You weren't sleeping were you?"

"Nah," he said leaning his head against the door. "Something wrong?"

Lena frowned slightly, "No…it's just that I…" she looked up at him again, "Could I come in?"

Reid turned indicating she could enter. Lena nodded a bit in thanks and stepped inside the room. She glanced around a moment before stopping in the middle, her arms crossed in front of her.

Reid watched her as he closed the door and then made his way back to the bed. He fetched up his shirt and pulled it over his head before turning to look at her again.

"Was there something you wanted?" he asked, crossing his own arms.

He's aware that it sounded harsh the moment he said it but words were always more of Caleb's thing. And Lena made him even more on edge. More aware.

She faced him, "I—" she sighed. "I don't know, I was restless and I just found myself outside your door," she paused and looked toward the window. "I figured if anyone was going to still be awake it would be you," her brown eyes found him again. "Plus I don't take kindly to you ignoring me."

"I'm not ignoring you," he responded. "I just don't know what to say to you."

"I suppose that's fair."

Lena ran her hand through her hair and she sighed again, "It's probably not fair for me to even come in here after everything and expect you to give me anything. Like an answer to whether any of the time you spent with me was real or if it was strictly because you needed to keep an eye on me. It would certainly explain a lot."

Reid shook his head.

"...as I told you before, I didn't have real friends. The people I knew, we were friends because it was convenient. Not because of loyalty or anything like that…"

"Do you still feel like that? Like you don't have real friends."

"I think you guys make up for it plenty."

"Good," he smiled. "That's what matters."

They had had that conversation less than eight hours prior, yet it felt like a lifetime ago.

"Lena if there's one thing you should have learned about me by now, I don't do anything I don't want to. I wanted to spend time with you and that had fucks all to do with Chase."

Her shoulders seemed to relax just a bit, "That's good to know because I think it's too late to try to make friends with our other classmates. Would hate to start over."

She was joking, but it seemed to be more a defense than to give actual humor to the situation. He'd go as far to say she still felt hurt, which he didn't think was all too surprising.

He would have been livid.

"Listen, Lena…" he sat on the edge of the bed. "We should have been upfront with you, but would you have believed us if we just told you we were a group of warlocks?" He asked. "The situation wasn't exactly easy. And we didn't want to hurt you—"

"Who said I was hurt?" she cut him off with a sharp laugh. "I'm fine. Y'know, minus the few cuts and bruises from the night. My feelings don't hurt, Reid. I understand what you guys were doing."

Reid ran his hand through his hair, he thought she was lying.

"Yeah, alright," he said. "Sure. Was there any other reason you were here?"

Lena looked down at her hands. She moved toward him and sat beside him on the bed. The urge to touch her called loudly at him. "Yeah, I need a favor."

"Which is?"

"It's a bad idea to leave me alone," she explained. "Even though I might act like I wanted to be left alone most of the night, I have a tendency to act out if left to my own devices."

Reid actually laughed, "And you thought I was the best person to turn to? Bad ideas are kind of my thing, babe."

Lena met his eyes, "Which is why you'll agree."

"Agree to what?" he asked. He was hesitant to ask due to the fact that she didn't bother to chastise him for calling her babe.

She glanced behind them at the head of the bed before making eye contact with him again.

"Allowing me to stay here with you."

She was right.

It was definitely a bad idea and she was also right that he would agree to it.

"And why would that be a bad idea?" he asked instead. Lena looked away from him.

"Who knows," she mumbled.

He knew. He knew that she knew.

Because something had been brewing between them the moment they met and if she stayed, who knew what would happen next?

He didn't nor did she.

It was a bad idea, but a bad idea that he would not say no to.

A bad idea that bordered on good.

Or perhaps that was him looking for justification.

"You can stay," he said out loud. "Caleb's house creaks and who needs you screaming down the hall."

"Ah, so you'd come to my rescue," she smiled slightly when she looked at him. "How knightly of you."

"I'm not a knight," he responded.

"And I'm no maiden in need of saving," she replied.

"Believe me," he remarked leaning back on his hands. This was safer, he thought. "I know."

Another beat passed between them before Lena turned to him fully.

"I should apologize to you too," she said. Reid raised an eyebrow in question. As far as he was concerned there was nothing she would need to apologize for.

"For what?" he prompted.

"For the way I acted after what happened on the balcony…" Lena explained. "I don't know why I was so angry…but I…I'm really sorry about it. You were only trying to protect me."

"Don't worry about it," Reid said. "The night's been fucking insane." She had begun to turn her phone around in her hands. She'd been a little preoccupied the moment she'd entered the room. "What is it?" he asked.

Lena stopped fidgeting with her phone, throwing it to the side as she frowned at him as though she was trying to figure something out before she scooted closer to him. Closer now, Reid wasn't sure either of them were breathing properly, but the burning under his skin he'd been feeling all night seemed to shift into something else.

An electrifying feeling similar to the one that he'd felt that night at Nicky's was back. Enthralling and beckoning him to her this time.

Her hand lifted slowly and her fingers brushed his hair off his forehead before curiously trailing down and cupping his cheek. Her thumb ran lightly over what he knew to have been a small cut caused from the crash.

Reid wasn't sure when he'd let his restraint come undone but he had shifted and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her just a tad closer to him.

He had become aware of every breath she was taking, the warmth coming from her body. She was so warm. Burning almost. Was he burning too? He thinks he might be.

The need he always felt when around her growing…much like on the balcony before he pulled away.

He didn't want to pull away now. Something was telling him he shouldn't. His other hand came up to push her hair from her face.

"Lena…" he breathed.

"Hm," she hummed.

"Tell me what you need," he whispered.

Her eyes flashed to his eyes clearly surprised by his request. Her eyes searched his eyes before…

"Reid, I need you to kiss me…" she exhaled. "Please, I need you—"

Lena let out a soft gasp as Reid captured her lips with his.

The car had been flipping over and over, and she had felt the snapping of her seat belt. Saw Lena reaching out to her, and then nothing. Just darkness and then she was standing in a room that seemed far too bright.

For a moment she thought she was alone before Chase Collins stood before her. Abby had never spoken to the boy when he'd been her schoolmate. He was handsome of course, but the Chase Collins standing before her scared her. She wanted to get away but she couldn't, her body wouldn't do what her mind was screaming for her to do.

Run.

Chase began slowly moving towards her.

RUN.

"You can't run from here," he said as if reading her thoughts. "You're not even the one I was trying to see, but you have enough of what I need. After all you're only here because of her."

He was so close now and she couldn't run away, she couldn't scream. She wasn't even sure she was breathing.

As he made to grab her another moved in between them, her hand outstretched as she pushed Chase back.

Lena?

Or at least she looked like Lena, but she seemed different somehow.

"She isn't yours to have," Lena said to him. "She's not your means of return you stupid, selfish boy."

Chase growled and made for her.

"Cute," Lena said as she lifted her hand and Chase screamed. It was a horrible sound that he made before he disappeared. Lena turned to Abby, her eyes wide and sorrowful…and hazel. Weren't Lena's eyes a deep brown?

But this had to have been Lena, right? She looked like her, she had her voice, but…

"I really messed this one up," Lena said. "Are you alright?" she asked, placing her hand on Abby's shoulder. It was like suddenly, Abby could breathe properly again. "Hey, Abigail are you okay?" she repeated.

Abby nodded slowly, and Lena released her shoulder and ran her hands through her hair with a groan.

"This is all my fault," she muttered to no one in particular. "I helped her all those years ago. It was harmless, at least I thought it was harmless and it was just so easy to send her back. She had already been on a damn leyline for crying out loud, I honestly should have known better. I liked her the moment I saw her and I wanted to help her live but I think I may have…" she paused in her rambling and looked at Abby again. A new curiosity filled her features.

"You're different too aren't you, Abigail? You've always seen and felt the world differently, eh?" she asked. She tilted her head to the side as she studied Abby. "When you get back, you might find yourself feeling or sensing a bit more…"

"What do you mean when I'm back?" Abby asked. "Where am I?"

Lena's eyes roamed over Abby again. She seemed to be thinking of how she wanted to answer her, if she wanted to answer her at all.

"I suppose, between," she responded. "I'd elaborate but it'd do you no good. Just know it's not time for you to go beyond this point. And if Chase Collins stopped trying to make his own rules he'd know that."

"He's far more dangerous than I thought he was going to be when I first felt him fluttering about," her tongue clicked in irritation. "He just had to be sent away at the same time she lost control at that party. He's got good luck that's for sure," she grumbled before sighing.

"In any case Abby, time runs differently here, but I've kept you too long. She already willed you back to her, she protects you now. And he will ground her from the side effects of the power she possesses. But please remember that you'll all need each other. You will need to protect and be there for each other." Lena shook her head and sighed. "You have to go now."

"I don't understand," Abby choked out. "Who protects me? What do you mean? Who am I protecting? Who is he? Chase?"

"God no, not Chase," she spat. "I'm sorry," she groaned. "There's a lot I'd like to explain but I don't have the time, I've seen a lot of what could happen and I have never been as sorry for people as I am now. To you. To Lena. To the Sons of Ipswich. I'm so sorry for what may come."

"But why? Why are you sorry?" Abby gasped. She was finding it hard to breathe again. "And why are you talking like that? You are Lena."

She seemed slightly amused, "Oh, is that who I am to you?" she asked quietly.

But she wasn't waiting for a response, "I'm sorry, but this might hurt," she lifted her hands and pushed Abby back. Abby screamed as she fell backwards into emptiness.

Abby woke up gasping for air and fighting the bed sheets, her hair was sticking to her face with the cold sweat that had covered it. As she sat there trying to regain her surroundings and air she wasn't sure if what had just happened to her was a dream or a memory.

It felt too real to be a dream.

Finally having calmed her breathing, she grabbed her phone to check the time when remembering that it was broken. Sighing, Abby swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her limbs still felt stiff and she winced when she stood up and attempted to stretch.

"That hurts," she mumbled. Running her hands through her hair a few times she glanced at the window and figured that if she was up then others must be too.

She hoped they got better sleep than she had.

Was it even a dream?

Abby shook her head. She had a good imagination but considering everything she had learned and that had happened. She would bet a lot of money that what she had just experienced was not a dream at all.

Slowly she headed to the door and noticed the door across from hers was opened. If she remembered correctly that was where Lena had been. She went to the room and peeked inside. Her friend wasn't there, the bed unslept in.

"If you're looking for Lena, she's probably with Reid."

Abby turned to see Tyler walking toward her. He looked far more awake than she thought he should have been. As he stopped in front of her he frowned just slightly and cocked his head to the side.

Why are you looking at me like that?

She wanted to ask but instead, "Did you see them together?" she asked.

Tyler shook his head, the frown disappearing, "No, but they always seem to find their way near each other don't they?"

Abby thought perhaps he had a point but…

"Reid seemed hellbent on trying to avoid her last night," she pointed out.

"Yeah," Tyler shrugged. "That's true, but you still can't deny that there's something about those two. I've known Reid my whole life and I've never seen him like this."

"Like what?"

"Shakeable."

Abby didn't get to ask him to elaborate because Tyler got sidetracked by his phone ringing. He looked at it, grimaced and silenced it before stuffing it into his pocket.

"I know that face," Abby said. "Parents?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "After making sure we were okay, they and Reid's parents have been tearing me a new one for like the last hour. My parents also want to yell at Reid because he's basically their second child, but he's not answering his phone for his parents nor mine," he rolled his eyes. "But that was specifically my mom again," he added. "My dad might be the one with the powers but I'm definitely more afraid of my mom."

Abby laughed softly, "Aren't most of us more afraid of our moms?" Tyler chuckled and nodded. "But I take it the Hummer is done for?"

"Totaled," Tyler answered mournfully. "On the bright side we're alive and what's that to a stupid car?"

"I suppose you're right," she said. "Still feel bad that you've lost your mode of transportation."

"Seriously it's fine," he shrugged. "Insurance is covering a big part of it," he paused. "I've already been told we'd get a replacement but that I'm on thin ice," he smiled a little. "See, like I said, stupid cars. Those can be replaced, lives can't."

Abby nodded in agreement as her mind wandered a moment:

"Where am I?"

"I suppose, between."

She's brought out of it when she noticed Tyler had tilted his head to study her.

"Abby, are you okay?" he asked. "You look a bit pale…"

She coughed and shook her head, "Honestly, Tyler," she said. "I don't know…I was skeptical before but…I had the strangest dream, I'm not even sure that it was a dream. Tyler, I really do believe that I died and Lena brought me back."

Tyler's blue eyes widened a fraction, "What did you see?" he asked.

Abby shook her head again, "Chase for one thing and…Lena, but it wasn't her. It couldn't have been. Not with the way she was talking."

"Jesus," Tyler breathed. "Do you think what you saw could be helpful?"

"Yeah, I do," she replied. "That or it could make things worse…"

"At this point I think anything is helpful," Tyler said. "Caleb won't say it but I think he's halfway to a mental breakdown because he keeps hitting dead-ends."

Abby hummed as she could relate to that.

"So where is everyone?" she asked.

"Caleb's in the library with Sarah, they're looking over family documents I think. And Kate and Pogue in the kitchen," Tyler said ruffling his already messy hair. "And like I mentioned earlier I'm pretty sure you'll find Lena and Reid together but no one's seen either of them. So assuming they haven't ran away together they're probably in Reid's room."

"You think they'd run off together?" Abby asked.

"Anything's possible," Tyler shrugged. "But want to come with me to go see if they're together?"

Abby nodded and Tyler smiled as he turned and started back down the hall from the way he came. He slowed his steps so that she could keep up with him easily.

Abby had always liked Tyler. Of the four Sons of Ipswich, he was the one she had had the most interaction with over the last four years. She could remember the first time they'd spoken. They'd been paired up in their freshman Biology course.

He had been super nice to her, introducing himself and then talking to her as though he hadn't just met her. That had been the first time, she had felt comfortable at Spenser and she had him to thank for that.

Though over the years he always made it a point to greet her and ask her how she was, it wasn't until recently she was able to actually call him her friend.

"Hey Tyler," she said. He looked over at her. That was another thing, he always gave her his full attention. She liked that about him. It was never half anything with him. "Do you remember when we met?"

"Bennett's bio class," he grinned. "We'd been given the project on the nervous system," he said. "Why do you ask?"

"I was just thinking," she said. "We got along well then too. I was wondering why we weren't friends sooner? You know it took us until now."

Tyler's cheeks redden and he looked away, "I never knew how to ask you to hang out," he admitted. "I'm sorry about that."

"Oh," she exclaimed. "No, don't apologize!" she said. "I could have asked you, you know? So don't worry about it! I was only curious."

"Yeah?" he inquired. "I like hanging with you by the way. Wish all the other crazy stuff wasn't happening but I'm glad we're friends and can spend time together."

They were coming to a stop.

"Me too," she said.

Tyler smiled at her again before turning to the door to his right and knocking on it.

There's a stretched moment before the door is flung open. Reid stood before them shirtless looking one part as though he'd just woken up, his hair sticking in all types of disarray, and another part wide awake, his eyes seemed to shine brightly at them.

"What do you want Baby Boy?" he asked.

Behind him, Lena was sitting on the edge of the bed legs crossed, her chin resting on her propped up hand.

She raised the other hand lazily, "Hey."

"First off, answer your phone dude. I've had the great pleasure of being yelled at not only by my own parents but yours," Tyler said. "Secondly, I'm not surprised you two are together. I really should have bet money on this."

Reid rolled his eyes, "Okay great, phone's dead, but glad you got that out your system. Is that all?"

"No," Abby piped up and Reid's eyes cut to her and his brow furrowed.

Why is he looking at me like that?

It wasn't any different to the way that Tyler had looked at her…was there something on her face?

Abby crossed her arms and shook her head, "We need to talk," she said. "Not about whatever you two are doing. I don't really care," she added when Reid instantly seemed to bristle. "Something else, I think it might help…or it could confuse us more…"

"Great," Reid drawled.

Lena had been startled awake by the feeling of something vibrating under her. She tried shifting to get to it but found the arm around her waist tightened holding her firmly against the person it belonged to.

Before she could try again the buzzing stopped and she took the time to look up at Reid. His eyes were closed but there was a slight furrow in his brow. He would probably not stay asleep much longer.

Staring up at him, Lena recalled what had happened before they'd gone to sleep.

They hadn't done anything other than make-out, but Lena had never felt like she had a few hours ago.

She hadn't come to Reid to have a reason to kiss him. She really did want to stay with him, but that was it. Just to talk. Just to stay. She thought just speaking to him and being near him would have made her feel better. And though it had helped, she had still felt too warm. Too much as though she was falling and she needed someone…she needed him to catch her…and somehow she thought that maybe he needed her too.

The moment she touched him she felt as though something was going right, but she had needed him closer, even closer than when he had wrapped his arm around her…So when he said…

"Tell me what you need."

She had been surprised, but she told him what she needed. She needed him to kiss her. And that he did.

He had been slow, taking his time before she grew frustrated and nipped his bottom lip. He smirked against her mouth and with it his kiss grew heavier and hungrier. His hand slid into her hair, while the other had slid under her shirt.

Her own hands had wandered under his shirt feeling the hardness of his abdomen, moving up his chest as she pushed the shirt up, separating from each other long enough to pull it over his head. She remembered thinking he should have never put it on in the first place as her arms snaked over his shoulders.

But what she remembered the most was that as they kissed how she was suddenly no longer feeling as though she was falling. No longer feeling as though she was too warm. As a matter of fact, Reid had been burning too she thinks…now he wasn't.

Eventually, they parted. Panting softly, their foreheads resting against each other.

He had grabbed her without saying a word and moved further up the bed, holding her to his chest as they both lulled to sleep, their bodies finally succumbing to the night's exhaustion.

Lena was thrown from her thoughts again as the vibrations that had startled her awake to begin with started again. It had to have been her phone.

Reid must have felt it this time too because he groaned and Lena looked up to see him blink open his eyes a few times before throwing his left arm over his face.

"Why is the sun so fucking bright?" he mumbled. "And what the fuck is that?"

"I'm pretty sure it's my phone…" she said. "You mind?" Reid removed his arm from his face to blink at her before loosening his hold on her with his other but only enough for her to wiggle the phone out from under her.

"Shit," she groaned. "My parents. I have to call them back…" she made to get up but once more found Reid still holding on to her. "Reid…"

"I'll be quiet, I promise," he mumbled, closing his eyes as if to sleep again, "Just stay here, you're basically my blanket right now."

She laughed softly before going to her call button, "Okay, well, be ready for this shit storm…"

"Hm, I take back my promise…"

The phone rang once before the other side picked up, keeping Lena from responding to Reid.

"Oh thank god, Lena!"

"Hey Dad, I'm sorry I didn't cal—"

"We got a call from the hospital that you had been there due to an accident. We called the school and they had no idea where you were, then we called you multiple times and you're just now calling us back. It is nearly one in the afternoon. You had us worried sick! What did you do? Where are you?"

Lena took in a deep breath, they were worried but he hadn't bothered to ask if she was okay. No…something bad happened and it was of course her fault…

Typical.

"Don't worry," she said. She could feel her mood falling. "We're at a friend's house," she continued. "They picked us up—"

"Who's us, Lena" he interrupted.

"Abby and I," she growled. "Oh and we're fine by the way. We'd gone to see a late showing of that new Saw movie with a couple of friends and on our way back to campus when we hit a bit of slick road, we lost control of the car. So don't worry, I wasn't out there letting your investment go to waste."

"It has nothing to do with that," he argued. "You should have called us! Immediately!"

"Dad," she sighed. "I'm sorry but I'm fine. I would have called. It was a long night and—"

"That's no excuse, Lena," he snapped. "It's always something with you. There's never a moment where you think about the ramificat—"

The rest of her father's sentence she didn't hear as the phone was plucked from her hand. Reid had taken it and brought the phone to his ear.

"Hello Mr. Shaw," he drawled, his icy blue eyes looked more awake than ever as he looked at her when he spoke. She could hear her father's voice on the other end but not what he was saying. "Wow and people say I have terrible language," Reid said. "But in any case, your daughter is alive and trying to rest. It was a long night, you should be more grateful she's here."

There's a pause and Reid chuckled, "Oh yeah, I'm definitely that degenerate that you met when you dropped her off."

Lena went to grab the phone from him but Reid switched it to his other hand and pressed it to his other ear, while his right hand came down and firmly pressed her back against him.

"You do a lot of talking, Mr. Shaw," Reid chuckled. "People always tell me I should listen more but I find you're not saying anything worth listening to. Again Lena's alive and safe, why don't you try being a little grateful. And maybe she'll call you back when you stop being a dick."

And with that Reid hung up the phone and threw it onto the bedside table when it didn't ring again.

"What?" Reid asked her.

"I could have handled that," she said.

Reid rolled his eyes, "I'm aware of that," he said. "But if you could see your face…" he trailed off. "Babe, you did nothing wrong and he was acting like you couldn't have died."

"True but you still shouldn't have done that," she replied.

"Your dad's an asshole," he responded as if that was the only reason he needed. "He makes my dad look like father of the year," he added. "Was your dad always like that?"

"No," she answered. "After I came back from camp both of my parents were different…or maybe I was, I don't know. I just know I stressed them out because I got into a lot of trouble all of a sudden. They thought I was acting out, which I mean, I was in many ways or whatever, but they acted like I was some devil child. And who knows maybe I am."

"You're hardly a devil child," Reid said.

Lena scoffed, "We don't know what I am," she said, laying her head back down on his chest. Absently she started to draw patterns across his stomach. How was it that she was so comfortable with him?

Why was it that he seemed so comfortable himself?

She never took Reid for the type to cuddle.

Yet, here they were.

A lot of things about him and her didn't make sense to Lena. It didn't make sense yet it made all the sense in the world.

"Reid…" she sighed.

"Hm," he hummed.

"About us kissing…"

Reid didn't reply and she looked up at him. He was looking back at her through his lashes. She couldn't read him. Was he closing up on her? No that wasn't it…

"I'm not sure what this is between us but what I do know is that despite everything happening, I feel somewhat like myself again…All night I'd felt like I was falling or like my body was…" she trailed off unsure how to explain it.

"Burning?" Reid asked quietly. Lena sat up and he let her.

"Yeah, exactly," she pushed her hair out of her face. "Were you feeling that too?"

Reid pushed himself to his elbows, "Yeah, I guess. I don't know how to explain it, Len," he said. "But since meeting you I have been wanting to…" he stopped, frowning. "Fuck, I'm not trying to sound like a fucking creep or whatever. But Lena there's something that's been growing between us, right? It's fucking weird."

"I don't know what any of this means," he continued. "All I know is that I am physically aware of you with the littlest of things and that's something I've only come close to feeling with the guys when one of us uses."

Lena bit her lower lip, "Does that scare you?" she asked.

Reid forced himself up into a sitting position making him eye level with her.

"No," he said. He cocked his head to the side, studying her, "Does it scare you?"

"No," she shook her head.

And she thought perhaps it should have scared them. It should terrify them. But when Reid looked at her with confidence in what he was saying, how could she be afraid?

Of all the madness that was happening in and around their lives, this was the least chaotic of them all. Whatever this was.

It had been stabilizing.

Stability was something she realized she hadn't had in a very long time.

Reid Garwin, resident so-called bad boy. As chaotic as they come…he was a fire and she was drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

And she didn't care if she burned.

She leaned toward him and he met her halfway, kissing her, before falling back on the bed pulling her down on top of him and his hands wandering up and down her body. Lena had kissed enough people before and yet it was like she had never been kissed. She had never felt need or want like this before. Not like this.

There was desire in his kiss, yes, but something else.

Something that felt like healing…

Healing? She mused as his lips left hers and he trailed a line of kisses down her neck. She hummed softly and tilted her head to give him more access, temporarily forgetting her thoughts as he sucked and nipped her neck before soothing it with a kiss and a soft flick of his tongue.

"Reid…" she breathed without meaning to and she was annoyed at herself because it caused him to stop. Stopping was the last thing she wanted from him. She wanted to get lost in him. She wanted to continue to feel like she was…

He lifted his face from her neck to look at her. His eyes danced across her face before settling on her eyes. Her thoughts once again left her.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing's wrong," she responded, moving to connect her mouth to his again, but he turned his face to keep her from doing so. Lena frowned, "Did I do something wrong?" she asked.

Reid looked back at her and shook his head.

"No," he voiced. "I just thought I felt—" he stopped and shook his head again. "It's nothing," he said before smirking, "Where were we?"

Despite the tiny voices telling her to ask him to continue his thought, Lena smiled, "I think you were going to continue to kiss me."

"Oh yeah?" he asked, tugging her back down and making to do just as she wanted when a knock at the door stopped him. Lena wasn't sure which one of them growled or if it had been them both. But they made eye contact and Lena could just see he was contemplating ignoring whomever had come to the door. She was tempted to as well, but her better judgement won.

She pushed herself off of him and he sat up rolling his eyes. He swung himself off the bed and started to the door but stopped, looking back at her.

"I swear this better be good or I'm going to be pissed," he told her. Lena had moved to the edge of the bed, crossing one leg over the other and propping her chin on her hand.

"You assume we were going further, Garwin," she chuckled. Reid rolled his eyes again and turned back to the door, yanking it open.

"What do you want Baby Boy?" he asked leaning against the door. Lena could see around him that it was Tyler and Abby on the other side.

Lena lifted her free hand, "Hey," she greeted.

Lena raised her eyebrow but didn't get to voice her question as Reid spoke.

"Okay great, phone's dead, but glad you got that out of your system. Is that all?"

"No," Abby piped up. For whatever reason Abby seemed surprised when Reid turned his head to look at her.

What am I not seeing? Lena wondered, tilting her head as though that would give her a better look.

Abby crossed her arms and shook her head, "We need to talk," she said. "Not about whatever you two are doing. I don't really care," she added clearly because even from where Lena sat she could just feel Reid's irritation. "It's something else, I think it might help…or it could confuse us more…"

"Great," Reid drawled.

Lena moved off the bed scooping Reid's shirt off the floor as she came to stand beside him at the door. She handed him the shirt as she looked at their two friends, "Should be fun."

Sorry! You know how life gets lol. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I had fun with it and actually it was also supposed to be longer but I think at nearly 9,000 words…enough was enough. Plus the next part is better on it's own lol. Can't have too much information given in one chapter, right?

I hope you enjoyed it!

On that note, I know the world has been shit, but I hope that wherever you are that you and your friends and family are staying safe.

Let's take care of each other.

Much love,