"What do you mean they still haven't stopped?" Pogue asked as they stood around the hood of the car. They all looked down at the map and the little line of blood traveling across it.

"As you can see," Nathan responded, his temper clear in his tone, "they're still traveling northwest."

"If they get any further north this will be a Canadian expedition." Caleb drawled, turning and leaning against the car door.

It was clear that despite everyone insisting they were coming on this road trip, they were all tired of being in the car. They had traveled almost across the country and now that they had entered the state they thought they would be stopping in, it looked like they would still be going further. If they didn't soon get to their destination, all their anger and frustration would be taken out on each other.

Aria was not used to feeling like the most level-headed one in the group but it seemed her concern for Branwen overrode even her short temper. "Look, we have no choice but to follow and then try again when we get to Shelby. There's no point arguing about it."

"We can't keep doing that spell." Nathan sighed. "You've gotten the least amount of rest out of all of us and we need you in functioning condition when we get there."

She felt Pogue and Caleb's eyes on her but kept her attention on Nathan. It was true that the spell took a lot more out of her than she had suspected, but they didn't have any other way to track Branwen. And to be perfectly honest, without being trained, she could only use instinctual magic or offer her own as a boost like she did for Nathan.

"It's one more time, Nathan. With their lead, if we do the spell in Shelby, they would have to have reached their destination or they'd be out the other side of Montana."

"And what happens if they're doubling back to try and lose us?"

"They probably don't even know we're tracking them. They don't know we can."

"Aria…"

"It's not a discussion, Nathan. It's my decision and I've made it. If you want me to rest, that's fine. I'll sleep on our way there but we don't have any other choice than to try again when we get there. They're almost there now and us standing here arguing only lets them get further."

Meaning what she said, Aria went around and climbed in the backseat. After a couple minutes of silence, the map was wiped off and tossed, and the boys climbed into the car. She hadn't really wanted to speak with Caleb, but she was still surprised when Pogue climbed in the back seat with her. The only time Caleb hadn't been in the backseat was when he'd been driving. She wondered why he hadn't jumped on the opportunity to be in the back with her but felt herself relax at the same time. Like she'd been tense at the idea she may have to deal with him on top of everything else.

She was also beginning to feel a friendship with Pogue that was comforting with Branwen not being with her. She hadn't realized how isolated leaving the coven had left them because they were almost always together. Now that they weren't, Aria realized that friends were not a commodity they had invested in. It really did illustrate the kind of root-less life they were trying to lead. They didn't have tethers anymore. That had seemed freeing at first. Being so restricted with the coven, freedom to do what they wanted and live they way they wished had felt like the best thing in the world. Now Aria was wondering if it just meant that they could float away and no one would really notice.

Aria nearly jumped when Pogue grabbed her hand. He looked at her and silently asked if she was okay. She nodded and mouthed back that she was just thinking. He squeezed her hand reassuringly. Just when she thought he was going to let her hand go, she felt the light scratch go across it and looked back up to see his eyes were black. When they went back to normal, she looked down at her hand and knew what he had done.

She gave him a disapproving look and mouthed that he needed to stop using. He just smiled at her before slouching down in his seat and looking out the window.

There wasn't a sign or anything, but Aria had the oddest feeling that Pogue's powers weren't controlling him the way Caleb's were. She'd caught Caleb using his a few times and he got a thrill from them. Like an addict getting a high; a rush of adrenaline that made his nostrils flare and his whole stature change.

Pogue didn't get that. The only thing Pogue seemed to do was give a weary sigh, like it was more burden than rush. There was no sparkle in his eye like someone who suddenly felt all-powerful. Aria didn't know why it seemed that way or even if it would last, but she hoped that they could sort out this whole mess with Branwen so they could spend some time on trying to help Caleb, Pogue and their coven fix or at least dull their power problems.

Despite her promise, there was no way Aria could fall asleep. Mind you, Pogue's little hand healing had actually made her feel a little more rested than she had been. Still, she didn't want Nathan to have a fit, so she closed her eyes and listened to the radio as she tried to imagine what was going to happen when they made it to wherever they were going.

Kieran, the Irish prick, was hard to read. Other than the being a prick part. That had been abundantly clear. And not just because he'd kidnapped her best friend. Aria had been able to tell when she met him. The way he stood, in all his tall ginger glory, spoke of an unquestioned arrogance, like he just expected all women to fall at his feet like the helpless souls he suspected them of being. The way he had looked her over, with those eerie eyes. She had green eyes, but hers were a deep, bright emerald. Like forest foliage, Caleb had once said.

Kieran's were more like a bright lime, slightly murky around the pupil where they were a dark gold. He had cat eyes, which seemed perfect for him since he seemed just as sneaky and sadistic.

"Aria?"

Aria jumped as she felt a hand on her arm. When she sat up and opened her eyes she realized she had actually fallen asleep. Caleb was looking at her darkly and Pogue looked worried. Nathan was glancing in the rearview mirror but he appeared more amused.

"Are you okay?" Pogue asked. "Your breathing started getting uneven. Were you having a nightmare?"

No, but this conversation was. She understood Pogue's concern given Branwen's darkling encounter. "I'm fine." She said, hoping they would leave it alone and not prod further.

"Sure." Nathan said, raising his name back to the top of her murder list. "Well, wipe the drool off your face and get ready, we're coming up to Shelby."

Brushing aside thoughts about how best to kill him when this was all over, Aria sat up straight in her seat and looked out the window as Nathan exited the highway and entered Shelby.

This time when Pogue healed Aria's hand, she just glared at him. She seemed to understand it didn't bother him the way it did with Caleb. Pogue felt a little better about that. He had begun to worry that he was just in denial. But he really didn't desire to use his powers. There wasn't a draw there. He could have easily let Aria heal normally. He healed her because she was tired and weak from the magic and their trip and they all needed to be strong and ready for whatever they were walking into.

He couldn't help Caleb, but he'd be damned if he'd let Aria sit in pain when she was the only reason they were able to find Branwen.

And they had. Right now they sat at a place called the Kickin' Horse Saloon. It was like they had taken Nicky's back home and replaced all the biker-themed décor with cowboy paraphernalia. It was small, country, a little rough around the edges, but you could tell that, to the locals, there was no better place to be.

Not that there were many options in Happys Inn, Montana. It was just a little town in the middle of the mountains, less than 80 miles from Idaho or the Canadian border. There had been more than one time Nathan had needed to use his magic to make sure they could stay on the road or get through the snow. It was a far cry from the Kansas trip they'd packed for. Pogue would honestly admit he'd found somewhere he wouldn't risk driving his bike.

After some arguing, they had all finally agreed that they needed to stop and get some real food and stretch their legs before they headed up the road to the spot where the trail finally stopped. As Nathan had pointed out yet again, they may very well need all the strength they had.

Pogue wondered if Nathan was hoping for a fight. He hadn't missed an opportunity to point out that danger was at the end of their trail and that they needed to be as prepared as possible. Nobody disagreed, but sometimes it felt like Nathan had suspicions he wasn't sharing with the rest of them.

It wasn't a warming thought considering he was the only one who really knew this Kieran guy. What did Nathan think Kieran was capable of? For that matter, what ideas did he have as to why Kieran would even take Branwen? It had been driven into Pogue's mind enough lately about Branwen being the all-powerful descendant, but Branwen didn't use her magic and what did they really expect to do with her? Was this about him? Because now that Pogue knew who she was and what it would mean, he wasn't in any hurry to be parted from his curse.

It took a moment for Pogue to realize what he'd just admitted. He'd known he loved Branwen. He hadn't known he loved Branwen so much that he was willing to doom himself, his friends and their descendants to the curse that could take their lives.

"You look like someone just kicked your puppy." Caleb said, sitting down beside Pogue. "I thought I was the new broody member of our coven. Are you taking back your title?"

He honestly hadn't realized he'd lost it. Pogue supposed that with everything going on he'd just been too busy to do anything but worry.

"Look, I know we have our problems right now, but I want you to know I've got your back." Caleb said, leveling Pogue with the first serious and clear look he'd given Pogue in a while. "I've always got your back."

Pogue was touched, but also uneasy. Especially since he just realized that he'd risk Caleb's powers taking him completely before he would demand Branwen give her life to reverse the curse. What did that say about him? How could he betray his friends like that? They were the only family he had.

"You guys done?" Nathan asked, walking over to them with Aria in tow. "We should get this over with."

"Yes, let's rush to our possible death." Caleb said, taking a drink from his glass.

"Would you prefer to drag it out or were you hoping your addiction would kill you first?" Aria rolled her eyes and walked away.

Caleb almost dropped his glass before looking at Pogue and Nathan. "Excuse me a moment, would you?" He didn't wait for an answer; he just got up and followed after Aria.

"I guess we'll wait a moment for that to explode." Nathan said, taking the seat Caleb had vacated.

"What makes you think it's going to explode? They've been having the same fight for days."

"The stress of possible death always brings things to a head." Nathan said, leaning back and resting his hands behind his head.

"Been to a lot of these things, have you?"

Nathan shrugged and sat forward again. "Just because we don't face trials and constant fear and persecution anymore doesn't mean there aren't problems to deal with. Your ancestors aren't the only ones that step out of line. Sometimes there are people who think that because we have magic we can do whatever we like. Sometimes to whomever they like. There are always upstarts and people who want to challenge the laws that keep us safe. Coven rules have to be obeyed just as much as the laws of the masses. Enforcing that can be dangerous sometimes."

Pogue frowned at Nathan, both confused and alarmed. "So you're saying that more people are being punished every day for rules that nobody gets a say in anymore?"

"We haven't all stayed alive and under the radar this long by just doing as we like."

"We haven't all stayed alive." Pogue said in a voice so quiet and low he didn't know he was capable of it.

Nathan narrowed his eyes at Pogue. "I thought you understood by now that what your coven experiences is mostly of your own doing and interfering with that is punishable."

Pogue wanted to laugh ironically but couldn't get his face to form anything but a sneer. "Actually, I wasn't talking about my coven. I was talking about Branwen's father, who found out about that interfering problem the hard way."

Clearly shocked and caught unprepared, Nathan opened his mouth to speak but closed it again. After a couple seconds he went to speak again but was interrupted when Aria shouted from the doorway.

"Are you idiots coming or not. It's not like we just drove forty hours to sit and wait." She walked back out, slamming the door behind her.

Clearly whatever happened hadn't gone well. Ignoring all the eyes on them, Pogue got up from his seat and followed after Aria, leaving Nathan with a conflicted look on his face. It looked good on the smug bastard.

That had most definitely not gone well. It was all Caleb could do not to turn around and glare daggers at the man he'd thought was his best friend. Caleb couldn't believe Pogue had told Aria about Sarah. How dare he think that was any of his business. At the very least Pogue could have given Caleb a heads up so he didn't walk into the conversation he'd just had without any preparation.

She had been standing by the car when he followed her out. Caleb had noticed since Branwen had been taken that Aria had grown very introspective and quiet. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing but he knew enough about her to know that for her, it was a way of channeling her best friend.

Aria was under the impression that Branwen was always quiet and sedate because she was always thinking. She had mentioned it to him a couple weeks ago. Since they had found out Branwen had been taken, Aria had spent long periods of time sitting, quietly thinking. Not out of the ordinary when you were packed in a car with a bunch of people who didn't speak to each other often, but considering how talkative Aria could normally be, it made him worried for her.

He walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She didn't jump but it was clear he'd startled her. And when she realized it was him, she wasn't happy about it. "Where are the others?" She asked, moving him away from him a couple steps.

Shrugging, Caleb turned to lean against the car. "Maybe they're making out in the bathroom."

She rolled her eyes and turned towards the building.

"Or they're giving us time to talk." He mumbled.

She stopped and turned towards him slowly. It wasn't as if he didn't know it was going to be a heated conversation, but it didn't mean he welcomed the skin-searing glare she gave him. "Why would we need time to talk? We don't have anything to talk about."

"You seemed like you wanted to talk in there."

"Is that the impression that me walking away gave you? Let me try again." She went to turn and walk away again. Given that they had no idea what they were walking into, there was no time like the present to get the adrenaline pumping. Maybe they could use the frustration as fuel for whatever happened later.

"Okay but don't blame me for not talking about things next time." He knew it would enrage her and he wasn't wrong.

Spinning round she walked over to him and poked him in the chest. "I will just blame you for every other time. Every time you've been in denial and refuse to talk about the fact that you have a problem. Every time I ask about who you were so angry about that you almost killed us both but you would deny it or shut down. Well at least I don't have that problem anymore. Not that…"

"What do you mean you don't have that problem anymore?" Caleb asked, his own temper, so quick to light lately, sparking. There was a little voice in his head that had always told him she had every right to ask but it was always drowned out by the much louder voice that screamed that the topic was irrelevant.

She opened her mouth to yell at him but shut it again as a little anger faded and a little regret showed on her face. It hadn't escaped him that Aria and Pogue seemed to have bonded over their loss of Branwen. Despite the drama, he had enjoyed the day he had spent with Branwen. It was nice having friends in your life that you could just relax around because they didn't know you enough to read into every action and there was no relationship connection that made you want to read into every action of their.

The moment she reacted he knew what had happened. "Pogue said something to you?"

She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him. "I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to. Who else would have said anything? Nobody else we both talk to knows." Hell, Pogue didn't even know the whole story. But apparently he felt perfectly fine telling what he did know to Aria. "He shouldn't have said anything."

"Well someone needed to and you certainly weren't!" She shouted, throwing her hands around. "Don't you get the hell that puts a girl through?"

He didn't. And his sudden confusion at her comment dulled his anger. It must have shown on his face because she rolled her eyes at him.

"From the moment we met I have known you had a problem with your powers."

"I don't…"

"Just shut up. I am so sick of hearing you deny it. You can't admit it to yourself, that's your problem, but I swear to god, you deny it to me again and I will use whatever power I can muster to slap you hard enough to rattle your brain. And I don't get how you can still deny it. How else do you explain how you look? Have you looked at the picture on your mother's dresser? You, Pogue, Reid and Tyler standing together in suits. It can't be more than a couple years old and yet you look like you're at least ten years older. You need to face the face that is looking back at you in the mirror.

"But regardless of that, I liked you. A lot. All the lessons I had growing up, telling me how you were cursed and to avoid you at all cost, went out the window. And being the typical girl I usually try to deny that I am, I went through the thought process of comparing myself to every other girl you could have possibly ever cared about."

So confused and feeling like he had whiplash from trying to understand her right now, Caleb massaged the bridge of his nose. "That…"

"Makes no sense? I know. But we all still do it. As we grew closer I let it go. I got comfortable with myself… with us. For the first time since leaving my coven I actually began to resist Branwen and my plan to leave everything behind once we received out doctorates. Do you understand what that means?"

He did. He remembered well the conversation they'd had about always putting their best friends before anything else. The idea that Aria had considered abandoning her plans with Branwen because she cared about him was a blow he hadn't expected.

"And then you lost your shit." She said, pacing away before turning and looking at him. "I spent hours sitting there, watching Nathan try to make sure you didn't die, not just worrying about whether you would ever wake up, but also terrified that I had invested myself in a flirtation with someone who was holding on to someone else. Even after you woke up, your downright refusal to divulge anything about this girl, who had obviously made a huge impact on you, proved that she still had a hold on you that you either can't or won't let go of."

Despite his issues he was beginning to see that he had failed to give her the benefit of the doubt when it came to her plans with Branwen and her feelings for him, causing Aria a lot more pain and unease for Aria than he had ever intended. He cared about her, so why couldn't he get past Sarah?

Aria groaned loudly and sighed. "You know, I don't even see the point in this conversation anymore. Yes, Pogue told me about Sarah. He told me because he could see how much it was bothering me and, unlike you, he thought I deserved to know. So now I know. And I understand. I get that she mattered in a big way to you. For the way Pogue spoke, I'd say she meant a lot to all of you. The first outsider that ever knew your secret. She sounded like a great person. But I will not sit here, feeling like I'm being measured against her, while you act like some spoiled, inconsiderate junkie. I am taking back my self-respect, Caleb. And if that means I have to walk away and start anew, well, good riddance."

She turned and opened the car door, climbing into the back. Still stunned and not knowing what to say, Caleb moved towards the car slowly. But just was he went to get in, thinking he had to say something, even if the words didn't immediately supply themselves, she grumbled. "Don't even think about getting in the backseat with me."

"What's wrong?" Caleb jumped at the sound of Nathan's voice.

"Nothing. Get in the car and let's go." Aria shouted.

Pogue climbed in the backseat and Nathan got behind the wheel before Caleb found the mental capacity to climb in himself.

Even as they pulled out onto the highway Caleb still couldn't think of a response to Aria's words. He had pushed her into a situation where she felt her only option was to give up. And he didn't know how to fix it. That frustration only served to set his temper flaring. Without cause to be upset with Aria anymore, his anger found it's focus in Pogue. For not keeping his stupid broody mouth shut.

His anger seethed and built all the way up until they pulled into the driveway of their destination.

Caleb had expected something sinister or, at the very least, dark and foreboding. Despite his affection for his own home, he knew the classical elegance and traditionally colonial façade lent a mysteriously creepy air to the house. This house wasn't dark. It had beautiful landscaping, was a modern take on a timber-frame and was lit up, like it glowed with warmth that radiated from the inside out. It was warm and inviting and the only thing Caleb could think was that he couldn't find it more suspicious if it were made of candy.

A/N: I apologize if there are any errors in this chapter. I wanted to get it up so I didn't double check it. Let me know what you think in the comments...