Early the following morning, Rachel had just returned to the motel room with breakfast. Seating herself at the table after setting Zack's neatly onto the nightstand on his side of the bed to allow the man a couple more minutes of sleep. She also wanted more time to think about their situation and the conversation she had with the reverend the previous night. While some questions had been answered there were still some mysteries left unsolved.

Turned out he had been behind the man who had been tracking them with a chip that had been placed on Zack's scythe. He had apologized for the scare and regretted to hear the man had been killed but for security purposes he couldn't have the guy blabbing about Gray having been the one to hire him, nor give the man very much detail as to why he was wanting him to track down an infamous serial killer and a supposedly kidnapped teenager. The older man also had not anticipated them to cover so much ground in such a short period of time.

The old priest still hadn't given much detail as to his reasoning for wanting to meet with them, just that he was trying to redeem himself for his past sins and had some options for them. Options which he didn't go into further as he wished to discuss those things in person. After being on the run for so long surviving in rather poor conditions, the pair had agreed. Not to mention they had already come all this way for that very reason, at this point both desired to see it through to see what the older man could offer them as well as get some answers.

Either way she wouldn't mind talking to the ex B2 resident after hearing that he had helped save them both from the doctor. She wanted to thank him for everything he had done because had it not been for him they would both be dead right now. Whether she trusted him beyond that just yet however...the young blonde didn't know.

June

Over the past few months whenever they managed to get a hotel to spend the night or were taking a break from their travels, much of the time was spent with Ray attempting to teach Zack how to read. In the beginning it was rather frustrating for the man but determined to try to figure this out he made ample progress fairly quickly. He could now read most simple sentences, though he still had trouble with larger, more complex words which he would have to ask Ray for help with pronunciation.

Each stepping stone had the man quite pleased with himself, it was pretty damn satisfying to be able to read the names of stores and have somewhat of an idea of what would be inside without having to walk in, being able to read dates and times had also been fairly handy. While he still had trouble with the clocks with hands, he was able to read the digital ones just fine. The information had been particularly useful, as they edged closer to the town this all started.

Zack was waiting just outside of a gas station, while his companion headed inside to pick up a few snacks. Amber eyes surveyed the area ensuring that no cops showed up, his gaze coming to rest on one of the newspaper racks. Something that would normally have held no importance to him at all whatsoever was far more interesting now that he could read the words. Though it was not the headtitle or the name of the paper that caught his eye but rather the date which read June 8. The corners of the serial killers lips upturned into a smile at the information, remembering that it meant in 2 days it would be Rachel's birthday.

"Zack?" Her soft voice was accompanied by the tone of a bell as she opened the door and was now eyeing her companion curiously having noticed the odd smirk on his face. "Are you happy about something?"

His eyes flicked from the newspaper stand to meet her cerulean eyes, at the same moment a faint breeze swept through their hair supplying a bit of relief from the summer heat. Even though he had been with her, watching her all this time it still surprised him sometimes. Particularly now when she would be dressed in more revealing attire such as her jean shorts, sneakers and a somewhat fitted t shirt. Much as he pretended to not notice, Rachel was no longer that little stick figured girl he met back on B6. She had a much more womanly shape to her that seemed to grow even more prominent over just the past year, it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to not stare at her like some sort of creep.

"Kinda…" The man responded shifting his gaze away and shrugging one of the bags off of his shoulder so that she could stash the items they wouldn't be eating right away into one of the pockets.

Ray glanced up at him, her hair bobbing as she tilted her head with a rather curious expression on her face. Obviously wanting to know what it was that had suddenly placed Zack in a good mood. However, judging from the short response and the way he wasn't really looking at her she knew she probably wouldn't receive an answer.

"Well then…?"

She figured she would try her luck anyway to see if perhaps she could get some form of a clue or direct answer from the man.

"Well then what?"

The hooded killer glanced back in her direction, readjusting the bag onto his back again then proceeded to continue walking as he was eager to get a move on. If they covered enough ground they just might be able to get to their destination over the next couple of days. Though the blistering heat of June didn't make that a particularly easy task, especially for Zack. Luckily there seemed to be several towns between here and there, meaning they would be able to spend their nights in a hotel instead of the streets. Ray had also managed to acquire a very light weight jacket she had surprised him with a while back that helped at least a little.

He could hear the young woman sighing from behind at his lack of response but knew she wouldn't pry any further. Why he was so happy about being able to remember Ray's birthday was beyond him. Afterall, birthdays and holidays weren't something he ever thought much of until his time with her. Like him, she had a bad childhood and while she had more experience with all of those things than he did, they hadn't been what he supposed was a typical holiday experience. It was something simple and maybe even a little stupid that he just found himself wanting to do. However, he had noticed how his efforts to make up for all those years of shitty experiences and replacing them with something better seemed to perk her up.

Damn it really is a pain…actually giving a damn about someone sometimes…

That smile remained on his face as he walked side by side with Ray, tossing her an occasional glance from the corner of his eye. Never before had he felt the need to put so much thought into the things he did. Never before had he wanted to try to evoke various expressions and emotions from someone without the intent of trying to get some kind of high from itl. At least not anymore...initially he would look for any sign of an expression that might trigger him in order to fulfill their oath. That oath he knew he wouldn't be able to run away from forever, but also knew when the day came to fulfill he wasn't so sure anymore if he would even be able to...

By the tenth of June they reached the outskirts of the city they had been trying so hard to return to for so long. At some point Zack had clasped his hand around hers, surprising her from the sudden jolt she felt at the contact. Her assumption was that he was trying to lead them through the safest paths in order to evade the police and so she did not comment on his sudden gesture. It was not until he started to lead her somewhat away from the city that the blonde teen glanced up at the man with her brows pinched together in confusion.

"Zack...I don't think this is the right way…" Rachel finally spoke up after he led her off towards the woods. Though he seemed to know exactly where he was going, she was fairly certain that Gray had said his church was more inside the city and not out in the middle of the woods.

He didn't respond, merely continued to tug her along as she stared after him in confusion. Admittedly the whole thing felt kind of stupid, afterall he didn't typically pay attention to these sorts of things. For him it was nothing special at all whatsoever and while he might not have had the greatest memory, he did find himself able to remember enough when it came to Ray. Perhaps it wasn't so much that he had a bad memory as it was just never having cared enough to remember things in the first place until now.

Though oddly he found himself feeling a bit nervous the closer they got and honestly he didn't know why. It wasn't that he was worried she wouldn't like it, he knew Ray well enough by now to know with certainty that she would. So why then? Why did he feel tense? The only thing he conclude was that it was because of how stupid it felt to be doing something like this. It was very much not like him to think to do something like this.

After about a half hour walk, Ray still had no answer as to where they were going. Perhaps Zack knew of a short cut? Though she was certain this was the opposite direction from where they needed to be going. Blue hues glanced up at the man tugging her along with curiosity, unable to help but notice the subtle shift in his demeanor. She also noticed something else...his ears were beat red. While it was possible it was due to the heat as he was undoubtedly hot in that hoodie even if it was light material, it was more likely that he was embarrassed about something. This observation admittedly had her even more curious than she had been before.

"Zack…" She tried to call out to the man once more, "Where are we going?"

"Just takin' a detour, less likely t' get seen by the piggies out here right?" He responded after a couple minutes of silence. It wasn't a lie either since he did know of a way to cut back through the back alleyways from here without having to go through the city to get there.

Just a little further…

Thankfully his answer seemed to satisfy Rachel, who remained relatively quiet while they trudged through the woods. It wasn't until they came to a small clearing that he could hear a quiet gasp of awe from behind him. It was a little grove with moss covered rocks hugging the edges of a small stream but most notable was the flowers that grew wherever the sun was able to reach. Shades of soft blue and white petals painted the otherwise green landscape, as well as several honeysuckle bushes whose sweet aroma filled the air. A couple of butterflies and honey bees could be seen going from flower to flower. It really was quite a pretty place even if it was small.

Her love of flowers was a piece of information he had retained since being on her floor back on B1. Though, just the thought of all those smelly fake flowers make him cringe. It was surprising he had even remembered the existence of this place, having only come across it during a time period in which the cops were on full alert and he had to stay low in order to avoid getting caught. He had spent a night or two in this area many years ago.

"It's pretty…"

It was here that Zack finally relinquished his hold on her hand so that she could venture forward to take everything in while he remained just at the edge. Even though he had managed to cover up his real reason for coming here and Ray had seemed to buy it the man was still red as a tomato. He didn't know why he felt so damn embarrassed about it, it hadn't felt this weird even last year when he attempted to do something nice for her birthday back then.

More than that, things had started to feel a bit different though he couldn't quite place it, other than finding his eyes to be drawn to her far more frequently than they had been before. Hell he was doing it even now while she seemed completely enamoured by a particular flower that seemed to stick out amongst the rest.

Isaac averted his eyes as she turned around after plucking one of the blue flowers from the ground. In an attempt to seem nonchalant about the whole thing the man merely rolled his eyes at her then moved to set the bags down by a rock. He slung his weapon over his shoulder then, almost toying with it as he acted as if he was just surveying the area.

Rachel sat herself on one of the grass patches, twirling the flower between her fingers before shifting her attention to her companion. Afterall, she knew even despite the reason he gave for coming this way...even if it was true...they hadn't needed to go this far out.

"Zack…"

"Mmh?"

She shifted her legs beneath her, tilting her head a bit there as she watched him stand with his back towards her.

"Did you bring me here intentionally?"

"H-huh?!" His posture, how he was acting and the way he began to sputter as he turned to look at her with that incredulous look on his face really gave away his entire game. "Why would ya think somethin' like that?"

"Your ears are red, the entire way here you've been scratching at your cheek or tucking your hood down like you're embarrassed about something." The young woman managed a bit of a smile there, her cerulean eyes seeming to sparkle in a way that only he ever got the pleasure of seeing. She closed her eyes as she brought the unique blue flower up to her nose. "It's really pretty here...I never knew something like this existed so close to the city."

"Tch…"

The young woman slowly began to open her eyes, hearing the sound of his boots moving in front of her. Her gaze finding what she could of his hidden under the shadows of his hood as he crouched down in front of her; at the same time slinging his weapon across his shoulders with ease to use as an armrest.

"So how old are ya now?" It was here he finally raised his head a bit to peer down at her with those eyes she had grown so fond of.

However, the question had taken her by surprise as she had noted the date a couple of days ago but had forgotten today was her birthday. She was even more surprised by the fact that he actually remembered without her even making a single mention of it. Zack had never proven to have the best memory…

A pinkish hue bloomed across her normally pale cheeks as she blinked up at him. This time she was the one forced to look away, moving her eyes down to her hands now resting in her lap still twiddling the flower between her fingers. It caused her to feel very warm inside that he had again tried to do what he could for her on a day that had never been one worth looking forward to prior. There was a slight sting in the corners of her blue hues, words would never be able to express just how grateful she felt for the man in front of her.

"So whose th' one with red ears now?" A grin spread across his face, keeping his mismatched orbs fixated on her downcast face. His expression was quick to soften in that way it only would for the young woman before him.

Rachel's own lips curved up into a small smile, shaking her head at the man knelt in front of her.

"I didn't expect you to remember something like that…" She responded truthfully as she turned her head back to look up into that beautiful shade of gold.

"Tch...well then? Ya still didn't answer my question...how old are ya now?"

"Sixteen…"

It was rather strange when she realized how long they had been on the run together. That she was still alive when she was certain he would have ended her life by now. However, Zack had asked her to try to live first...what he hadn't specified was for how long. Sometimes she really did wonder if he ever intended to fulfill that oath that had knit them so tightly together. At some point she did intend to question him about it but not right now. Afterall, she had chosen to trust him with this and honestly...the thought of leaving him...and leaving him all alone made her feel sad.

"Still a brat then huh…"

Before she could respond she was granted a small thwack on the forehead, earning the killer a flat stare as she raised a hand up to rub at that spot. Of course she wasn't actually angry at him, especially not when he tossed that sly smirk of his her way. That grin only broadening from the faint shift in her expression.

"I am not…" Ray mumbled quietly. Her expression softened once more and she moved her hand from her forehead to cup the side of his face. Her head tilted curiously as she noticed how this simple gesture she had done several times before caused a stronger shift in his features than it had in the past. Zack's eyes darted away from her almost as soon as her palm reached his bandaged cheek. "Thank you Zack...it...really means a lot to me…"

"Y-yeah...whatever…" He shifted to sit back on his rear, moving away from her touch in the process. Meanwhile his eyes seemed to continue to look at anything but her.

The small blonde then looked up at him thoughtfully as her hand remained where it was a moment longer before dropping down to her lap. There was something else that had been on her mind lately with him. Lately, it felt as if there was something else there in his expression. Something she had started to pick up on over the past few months. She would sometimes notice his eyes lingering on her, only for him to quickly look away with a sheepish expression on his face once their gazes would connect.

While she too was aware of the changes in her own body, especially given she had found herself in the intimates section of a department store just the other week. While she didn't consider herself to be particularly large right now despite these changes it had become enough of a problem she felt she needed the extra undergarments to avoid any awkward situations. Not only this but her pants over time had become rather tight as a result of her lower half seeming to change as well.

However, she hadn't thought anything of this in regards to Zack noticing. If he even did notice at all, she wasn't sure he cared about those kinds of things? Afterall, anytime he had chased down a woman in the alleyways he never seemed interested in anything more than satisfying his itch for murder. At least as far as she knew he hadn't seemed interested though of course there were times he had gone off on his own for a while then come back either with someone else's blood or supplies they had needed.

Whatever the reason was for this behavior of his, she wasn't entirely sure and she had a feeling if she asked she probably wouldn't receive an answer. For the time being she had decided to just simply let it go and simply enjoy being in his company even if things were starting to feel a little different between them. It wouldn't change that much. Or would it?

After simply enjoying most of the day in that little piece of heaven in the forest, the pair of travelling companions had agreed to head back towards their destination. It was just after sundown by the time they had entered back into the city. Sticking close together as they slunk around through the back alleys in an attempt to avoid the possibility of bumping into any cops as much as possible. Despite how much time had gone by they couldn't be certain if at least one of them would be recognized or not; even if Rachel was proclaimed dead.

It was strange to be back in the city where it all began, every nook and cranny of these alleys was all too familiar for Isaac. As such it was without difficulty that he was able to navigate them around in the appropriate direction.

As they moved along the dimly lit pathways however he couldn't seem to shake the feeling that they were being watched. What he wasn't sure of was from where as his mismatched eyes surveyed the area for any sign of life. It had been eerily quiet even for where they were. Until the rustle of an empty can on the ground from just inside one of the old abandoned buildings that littered this part of the town alerted the both of them to someone else's presence.

Zack held out a hand to pause Rachel from proceeding further. She threw her hair into a sway as she nodded her head in understanding once he turned back to glance at her. She would take cover while he went to investigate just to ensure there wasn't anyone tailing them that might recognize who they were and potentially set the police out looking for them.

The hooded killer readied his favored weapon and carefully proceeded into the building, his keen eyes picking up on the movement of what was clearly a human shadow as he entered the trashed bottom floor. With the only source of light being from the orange glow of a nearby street lamp he made sure to stick to the shadows to avoid being seen by any potential threat from inside the building. Though the individual was probably already aware that he was in here given that eerie feeling he had moments before of eyes on them.

With his back against the wall he crouched behind some stacked crates, vigilant amber eyes catching another sign of movement across the room. It was a male that much was obvious from the shadow and the way he moved. Though it seemed more like this person was trying to hide from him rather than pursue. This realization caused a grin to curl up at the corners of his mouth. Zack kept low as he moved around the boxes, picking up the pace just a little as he headed towards the figure hiding behind an old piece of wooden furniture that had been left behind whenever the building had become abandoned.

Soon as he was within range hooded man leapt from the shadows, reeling his arms back and swinging his weapon with inhuman force easily splitting the wood in half. Laughter echoed through the derelict building as an old man fell back with his arms held over his head to protect from the splinters of wood that now covered his arms and beard. It was just a homeless man who had probably been watching to see if he could have an opportunity to steal something.

For Zack the reasoning made little difference, though in the back of his mind he was aware that Ray was still outside waiting so much as it disappointed him he had little choice but to make this a quick death in order to get back to her. "Well...no three seconds for ya I guess…" He shrugged his shoulders, grinning from ear as he looked down at the utterly terrified man who had started to beg for his life soon as Isaac Raised his scythe over his head with a laugh. One loud THUNK and it was over, the light faded from the man's eyes and his bloodied body fell to the floor with a thud.

Isaac pressed his boot down on the lifeless corpse as he pried his blade out from the top of the dead man's skull. A single flick of his blade to clean off the excess blood before slinging the weapon back over his shoulder. His grin still plastered to his face, looking pleased enough with himself as he made his way back outside. Though it wouldn't last long once he stepped out from the broken doorway to discover that Ray was nowhere in sight. His eyes scanned the alleyway, looking towards the dumpster he had watched her go to hide behind several minutes before but there was no sign of Rachel save for the small bag she often carried.

This was unusual given the fact that Ray always had that bag glued to her side, she wouldn't have just taken off without it or without giving him some kind of warning. So that meant…

Shit…

"RAY!?"

No response…

"Damnnit! Where the fuck are ya Ray?"

One of the emotions he had become more intimate with since he formed a bond with Rachel back at that building came bubbling to the surface - panic. Zack's combat boots thudded against the concrete as he wasted not even a second before hurrying through the back alleys in search of his small companion. Every worst case scenario ran through his mind, he was well aware of what kind of fucked up people lurked around back here.

He ran down alley after alley, every abandoned building he could recall being back here he searched and called her name with no luck. All his focus was on trying to find her, not even the sight of some happy saps walking down the street could draw his attention.

Every minute that passed only fueled that emotion, eventually even feeling fear...another one that was new...fear of losing someone...fear for someone else's safety. This was something he had only ever felt for himself prior to meeting Ray.

Though it had only been several minutes it felt like an eternity for him before he heard a familiar kind of laughter just down one of the corners into a dead end he must have somehow overlooked. That smug self satisfied laugh of a man who had caught himself an innocent victim to terrorize.

Normally he would have enjoyed going after someone like that, watching that expression shift to one of utter terror as they watched their life flash before their eyes. This time he felt a sense of utter dread, hoping with all his might that victim wasn't Ray...though the lack of a feminine scream and the chill that ran down his spine told him what the back of his mind already knew.

"Hold her still!"

Isaac grit his teeth as he neared the source of the voices, suddenly feeling his blood start to boil and his vision turned red.

"Might as well quit struggling, we're gonna be having a lot of fun tonight...if you cooperate I might try to be gentle."

Just around the corner was two middle aged men, first he caught sight of one holding a pair of pale wrists and the other trying to force his way between the girls legs. Her clothes were torn and she was nearly fully exposed. A pair of angry blue eyes laced with fear stared daggers at the man directly in front of her as she struggled to break free. Her lip was busted and her body had obviously taken a bit of a beating.

In an instant he had snapped over the edge, driven by anger rather than his usual craving for murder. Zack launched himself forward and with a single swing of his scythe blood sprayed over the area and the man that had been attempting to rape his Ray was raised up on the large blade then slung against the brickwall. The sound of his bones breaking from the impact and his body hitting the ground would be the last thing his companion would hear and see as he stared wide eyed trying to figure out what had even just happened.

"W-wai-"

His sentence was cut short as with another swing Zack's blade pierced the underside of his jaw and into his skull vertically slicing the man's face in half.

Had Ray not been laying there practically naked he would have made the sick fucks suffer more for daring to lay a hand on her.

"Z-zack...I...I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I was too weak to do-"

Her sentence was cut off as she was pulled up into his arms as he knelt down onto the ground with her.

"Shut up idiot, don't apologize for stupid shit...it's not yer fault...I should've paid more attention...I got too distracted…" He responded, hugging her sobbing form closer to his chest and trying to soothe her in his own way.

"I'm sorry...Zack…"

"Didn't ya hear me!? I said quit apologizing for stupid shit!"

They couldn't linger that much he knew, before anyone else came by...it was never wise to stick around dead bodies for long. He was at least relieved that he had managed to find her just barely in time before anything worse happened. Those mismatched eyes glanced down at to see that her body was covered in bruises and hand prints. Rachel's lower lip was bleeding and her palms and knees were scraped from being pushed to the ground most likely.

Beyond that her torn shirt was just barely hanging off her shoulders and her undergarment had been torn off. Meanwhile her lower body had been entirely exposed her shorts and underwear discarded off in the corner though it appeared they had been cut and were no longer wearable.

"I...Z-zack?"

Isaac blinked then uttered a loud curse as he found himself having to pry his mismatched eyes away from her body. At the moment he was mentally kicking himself in the foot for having allowed his eyes to linger in certain places far longer than they should have. He glanced at her rose dusted face briefly before averting his eyes so that he could shrug their bags off of his shoulders to pull out one of his large t shirts to for her to throw over her head for the time being. There wasn't time for them to linger here any longer as the sound of police sirens could be heard just around the corner.

"Shut up we gotta move." He ordered, waiting til it was safe to look back at her before picking their supplies back up and scooping her up into his arms since her shoes were nowhere to be found nor did she seem to be in any condition to walk in the first place.

He was grateful for the layers of gauze that hid his own tinted cheeks as he tried to convince himself that it was just because of how much she had changed. Ray's body was entirely different in comparison to how she had been when he first met her or even when he pulled her from that window. He was fairly certain she didn't have tits back then and that her hips didn't have so much of a curve to them. Not that it mattered...it was Ray...just Ray...and that didn't change anything...even if it had Rachel was too young for that shit. Fuck even if she wasn't it would probably be a cold day in hell before she would ever even think of looking at him the way he had just looked at her a moment ago.

Isaac grit his teeth as he carried her, feeling those blue eyes burning into him. Of course he had a feeling she would probably end up saying something. Ray was blunt and straight to the point, though that didn't stop him from praying to a god he didn't believe in that one she hadn't noticed what he was staring at and two that she would just not say a word about it. Just pretend it didn't happen, especially when that wasn't the main concern here. Though it could have been a lot worse Rachel still was in fair condition. Though she didn't utter a word of complaint she was in pain that much was clear from the dullness in her eyes and the bruises covering her body.

The fact that he had even looked at her like that after what had almost just happened in the first place made him feel disgusted with himself if he was being honest. Surely she probably felt the same way, if she could have read his mind at that moment he was certain she would probably want absolutely nothing to do with him anymore and he wouldn't blame her.

Luckily it wouldn't be long before they reached the church from their current location. A large building with stained glass windows a tall steeple and large dark wooden double doors up a set of steps, hidden down a vacant road surrounded by pine trees. Honestly it kind of creeped him out given how much it resembled B2. He had gotten far more acquainted with that floor than he would have liked as he nearly bled out on the floor. At least it was relatively hidden and there didn't seem to be anyone around.

Zack blew out a heavy breath of air, at long last they were here and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. The man hugged the small blonde clutching her hands at the front of his jacket closer to his body. Last thing he wanted was the creep getting too much of a look at her when she was in this state.

"This is th' place right?" He questioned her, staring straight ahead as he moved towards the set of concrete steps.

"It...kind of looks like the priest's floor...So I think that's a reasonable assumption." Ray responded quietly, her hands grasping tighter at the front of his hoodie. Her blue orbs winced in pain as she tried to shift her position.

This caused Isaac to grit his teeth in irritation, both at himself for not being more mindful and at the fact he hadn't made those pricks suffer. While she was lucky to have not had her virginity taken from her(...well at least he assumed she was still a virgin much like himself.), they had done quite a number on the small woman.

He let out an exasperated sigh as he carried her up the steps to the gaudy looking building. There was no grace in his action as he kicked one of the doors open and entered the church. Only one word came to mind once they stepped inside - dejavu. The inside looked exactly like the chapel on B2. Honestly he half wondered if there would be some hidden staircase if he smashed through that stained glass window behind the organ just ahead.

"Fuckin' creepy…" The hooded man murmured, his mismatched eyes darting around for any sign of the old man.

Rachel nodded against his chest in agreement. "It looks exactly the same doesn't it?"

Isaac didn't get a chance to make another remark in response as the sound of footsteps could be heard clicking against the wood from just around the corner. Moments later they were both staring into a familiar set of pale eyes staring down at them from the front of the chapel. As always he was dressed in a suit with that ridiculous purple coat and had a bible in his hand.

"I'm grateful to see it appears the two have you have made it mostly in one piece." The middle aged man frowned as his pale gaze trailed down towards the young girl in Zack's arms. "Are the girl's injuries severe?"

"Don't fuckin' look at her ya damn pervert!"

A small smile slipped across the older man's features as he watched Isaac hug Rachel closer in a protective manner. Over the past two years it was clear that the bond between the two has grown quite a bit. Both seemed to have matured in their own ways, Isaac seemed to have a softness to him that he didn't have before and Rachel was clearly no longer a little girl but was blossoming into a young woman. Though it seemed she had taken quite a beating in their efforts to get here.

"I'm fine…"

The small woman peered at the older man with eyes that seemed so familiar and yet unfamiliar. They weren't as lifeless as they once were when he had first come across the girl, rather they were quite lively in comparison even if it wasn't quite as much so as most people.

"Just fuckin' explain yerself already...we're here now whaddya want ya old man?"

Gray simply shook his head dismissively, there was quite a bit to discuss though he doubted Isaac would understand most of it. However, that could wait for now. Respectively he motioned towards Rachel with his hand as he stared into Zack's amber eyes.

"There will be plenty of time for that...for now tend to the girl...I trust her injuries are not serious…" The priest's hands clasped behind his back as he moved towards the hall to the right and motioned for Zack to follow along behind him. "I'm sure both of you are weary from your journey...there is an unused home this way behind the church. You can stay there for the time being and we can discuss everything in the morning."

"Rest.." Ray placed her palm flat against her companions chest to stop him from protesting, feeling rather tired if she was being honest. "Sounds nice...it's just bruises and a few scrapes...I'll be fine...please lead the way…"

Not only was she sleepy but her bruised body was sore and it was frankly kind of awkward to be laying there in Zack's arms practically naked. His shirt provided sufficient coverage but still it was just odd.

"Very well...this way." The purple cloaked man led them around through a hallway which led to the back of the church. "I am glad to hear it's not serious. May I ask how you acquired these injuries? I presume it was not the authorities…"

"I…"

"Fuck no!" Zack immediately cut her off, glaring at the back of the man's head as they moved out the back door.

"I see…Suppose in some ways you haven't changed much have you, Isaac?" A small smile slipped across his face as Gray proceeded to move forward.

"Huh?" Zack tilted his head at the man in irritation. "You still make no damn sense…"

A small one story english tudor style house could be seen just in the distance with a small yard just as the reverend had said. Around the base a light grey stone with a white stucco at the top. Dark wood accented the home along with a dark wood door with a stained glass window. While it was far more simplistic than the church it was still obviously catered a bit more to the reverend's tastes.

Rachel's eyes surveyed the area while Zack carried her over the cobblestone path which led up to the small home. Shifting her attention towards the back of the old priest's gray head.

"Do you live here?" It was a reasonable question and she was somewhat curious as to whether or not they would be sharing this small house with the man. The idea of which still had her a little unsettled despite the fact that he had helped them in the end it was still hard to entirely trust him. Even if everything he had done to her had only in the end resulted in hers and Zack's bond being strengthened further.

"You needn't be concerned, my quarters are on the second floor of the church." As always Gray seemed to have an excellent perception of what might be going through her mind.

The middle aged man slipped a hand into his pocket to retrieve a small key which he used to unlock the front door of the small house.

"This is simply a guest house for anyone who might need it...there are two bedrooms so feel free to make yourself comfortable and get some rest. There will be...much to talk about in the morning. Meet with me in the chapel around noon but not prior as there will be a congregation from 9:00 to 10:00."

"Tch...this some kind of trick?" Zack asked in a threatening tone, tightening his grip on Rachel as he moved to stand in front of the now unlocked door and taking the key Gray was now holding out to him.

"It is not a trick I can assure you." Gray closed his eyes as he shook his head, his lips curling upward as he shifted his focus on that familiar set of mismatched eyes. "I will see you at noon tomorrow…"

Once Gray had left them to their own devices the pair had moved through the door to the living room which was fitted with a dark gray sofa and a matching loveseat which went around a black wooden coffee table. Up against the wall above the flagstone fireplace hung a modest sized television. To the right the hardwood floors transitioned to tile as they entered the small kitchen and dining area. To the left was a hallway that led to the two bedrooms and a bathroom between the two.

Zack shrugged their bags onto the sofa, then carried Rachel into the first bedroom. His wild eyes scanned the dark blue walls for a moment before gently setting her down to sit at the edge of the queen sized bed.

"Ya hurtin' a lot?"

He swept back the hair that had fallen on her face, wearing a rather concerned expression. Seeing her like this made him feel like absolute shit...this wasn't a way he ever wanted to see Ray. Even if it could have been so much worse...

"I'm a little sore but it's not that bad." Her blonde hair swayed as she tilted her head back to look up into those amber eyes she had become so familiar with. "Thank you for saving me Zack…"

"Yer lips all busted up...and yer legs are scraped up pretty bad... ya look like shit…"

"I'm fine…"

"No...yer not…" The man shook his head as he turned to snag the bag with all of their first aid supplies from the living room.

Rachel was about to reassure him that she was perfectly fine even if she was a little banged up. However, once again he caught her off guard with his impulsivity. One moment he was standing over her the next he had promptly returned from the other room and was kneeling down in front of her pulling out bandages, antiseptic and ointment from one of their bags.

"Z-zack?" The young woman blinked questioningly at the man in front of her as he reached out to hold one of her legs out. Red splashed across her face as she noted how he was and the fact that she was literally wearing nothing except for that baggy shirt she had been forced to throw on in such a rush with no undergarments. "W-wait…"**

A small hand laid gently over his much larger one to halt his actions, earning her an annoyed look from the man.

"What's th' problem?"

"I...um…" Ray averted her blue eyes while her other hand tried to tug the large article of clothing down to keep herself more modest as she squeezed her thighs together.

"Oh…"

The young woman kept her face turned away as he quickly caught onto what her issue was. Something soft landed on top of her head, obscuring her vision and something else onto her lap. She pulled the blue T- shirt off her head then glanced down to see a pair of black cotton shorts she had recently purchased. Muttering a quick thankyou just loud enough for him to hear after seeing he had quickly vacated the room.

Two delicate hands curled around the hem of the shirt and carefully pulled it over her head.. From there it was a simple matter of shrugging the thicker material off and slipping the t shirt over her head then pulling her long strands through the neckline.. A frown slipped across her face as she realized he hadn't given her any underwear which inconveniently was in the bag still in the living room. She winced a little as she slipped into the comfortable cotton shorts, figuring it was better than nothing although if she moved a certain way...she would just have to deal with the undergarment part herself after her wounds were tended to. Now that she was alone in the room and had a chance to actually look at her legs she realized why he seemed so concerned. They did look pretty bad from being forcefully shoved to the ground…

"Hurry up!" The man called grumpily from the other room, causing a small smile to perk up the corners of her lips. She had grown quite accustomed to Zack's grumpy nature. It was quite amusing really; in some way he was like a small child and in others an irritable old man.

"I'm done...but I can do this myself Zack." She responded softly, her blue hues shifting up as Isaac re entered the room without missing a beat the moment she gave him the greenlight to do so.

"Like hell you are…" Zack immediately took up his prior position and prepared the antiseptic.

A warmer expression settled over her face as she found it kind of nice how he always took it upon himself to treat her wounds since the day he broke her out of that mental hospital. It was still a bit strange for her sometimes to have someone so concerned about her wellbeing, even if that same man was the one she had chosen as her executioner whenever that day should come.

"Thank you…" She whispered as she watched him gently take one of her legs in his hand.

The young woman winced from the sting of the antiseptic being swept over her wounds. Though despite that stinging sensation she couldn't help but notice another unfamiliar sensation that shocked her nerves from that gentle touch. A sensation that she only ever got with him and it was strange...she had a faint idea of what it was but...Zack...wasn't interested in those kinds of things was he? Then again...there was the way he had been looking at her earlier.

Being the more thoughtful of the two she was aware how much not only their relationship had changed over the past two years but also just how much they had changed as individuals as well. Her eyes weren't so dull and she liked to think she could smile a little better...at least that's what Zack would tell her...it was just a little better. Where as he seemed to be a bit more well thought out with some of his actions. Together they had grown close, so much closer than she had ever felt with anyone before and given his past she was fairly certain it was the same for him.

However, as she began to mature sometimes when he would touch her...especially like he was doing right now she would feel like she got shocked with a jolt of electricity. It almost felt embarrassing when he was touching her leg like this even if he was just cleaning and bandaging her up. It was kind of amazing how a gruff man like Zack could be so gentle with things like this.

"Yer probably gonna need some ice...looks like ya might have twisted yer ankle, it's a bit it just yer legs and yer lip that are bleedin'?"

Zack's mismatched eyes shifted up from her leg after he had finished bandaging her up. Content that the bandages would stay in place he collected the first aid items then moved up onto the bed to administer to her busted up lip.

"I...think so...the rest is just bruises...I'll be okay Zack. You don't need to blame yourself for this you know? It wasn't your fault…"

Ray looked up at him with those cerulean eyes, raising a hand to cup the side of his face with a reassuring expression. Really she didn't blame him for it and he had gotten there just in the nick of time. Everything was fine…

He stared into her eyes for a moment then continued trying to patch her up without bothering to give her a response. For a moment she wondered what he might be thinking, though it was obvious he probably would blame himself for it regardless of what she said.

"D'ya think that guys really gonna try t' help us?" It was a reasonable question...even if Gray had ultimately saved them...there were still the questions of why?

"Given all the effort he put in to try to find us...and everything you told me that happened after I passed out...I think I believe him." She wanted to believe him, that perhaps he could find some way for them to be in a better position, perhaps just living better in general. Not that she hated how they were now long as she had Zack but it would just be nice to not be on the run all the time. If they were in a better position...maybe Zack would be okay...when that time came…

Only time would tell..for now she would do as he asked and try to live. She wouldn't bring up the fact that she still felt she didn't deserve to live even if being with him had made her happy. She didn't deserve it…

-Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I apologize for taking so long to update I have just had a lot going on.

Also thank you for the kind reviews! As for those who have been asking if I will continue. YES! I intend to keep going until the story is finished. Not sure how many more chapters there will be just yet...but I do have all the events I want to happen mapped out. I would like to say I will update more regularly and I would like to but no promises as I am very busy.

Feel free to follow on twitter/tumblr for updates or if you have any questions. I am also an artist and have done some fanart for the fandom. Though I have only been doing digital for a year but I am pretty happy with a lot of what I have done. I mostly post that on my twitter linked below.

/ghostwulf0313