They say "Never apologies for the things that make you happy." Procrastination makes me happy. Kidding, it was rather hard writing this chapter... I don't know why...

Hope you enjoy!

~ My soul wandered, happy, sad, unending. ~

Vivian was getting better at the arrow business. She kept practicing every waking hour and only a couple of days later she was hitting the target, even if it was still far from the bull's eye. Roan had been right once again – practice did make perfect. She was slightly annoyed at the grounder for always being right, but there wasn't much she could do except drink in his vast knowledge and hope that one day she will have as much expertise in survival as him.

There was also a slight improvement that Vivian had noticed in Roan's behavior. He was still grumpy and occasionally mean, but he also seemed, for a lack of a better word, brighter. He smiled and laughed more, he talked to her about their daily routine and sometimes even asked her what she'd rather eat or if she'd like doing something in particular. Vivian also thought that he was sincerely enjoying teaching her how to do things, as his eyes would always get gleeful.

Between the shooting practice, Roan had shown her how to make the arrows herself. It was a precaution, something she needed to know in case she ever needed it, though she highly doubted it. Most likely he was bored of doing them and dumped the chore to her. She didn't mind, she actually enjoyed carving the arrows. But, if she ran out of them during a fight, knowing how to make them did her little good. Best to just make sure there were, without fail, a whole bunch of arrows in her quiver before setting out.

She was finishing her training one afternoon when she saw Roan eyeing her from his spot. Her already burning cheeks heated up even more; it happened every time he looked at her recently. She was becoming more aware with each passing day that she was living alone with a man in a relatively small cave. That didn't stop her from trying to catch a better glimpse of the scars on his back. But every time he would start stripping off his clothes his eyes would fall on her, as if daring her to watch him. Sometimes she wished she was bold enough to stare at him while he undressed. After all, he didn't seem to mind the exposure so why wouldn't she enjoy the display? But her eyes would meet his and her resolve would falter as fast as it came.

He was making her extremely self aware. She would only change at night, after the fire was put out or in the morning after he left, she took great care of always having a clean face and clothes, she would keep her hair in neat braids and just generally try and make herself 'presentable', however she could with the few clothing items she had.

There had been a change in their dynamic, all because of her the little incident at the river and Vivian wasn't sure if she liked it or not. On one hand, Roan had become more open, he talked to her more about everyday things and cracked jokes, most at her expense. On the other hand, she was sort of uncomfortable. She didn't find him handsome, not in traditional way; he was different from the men she usually found attractive; she likes funny guys that made her laugh, with big eyes, dimples and full, ample lips. But somewhere along the way, Roan's piercing blue eyes were all she saw and his thin lips were the most kissable pair she'd ever seen. There was something definitely wrong with her!

There was a longing to reach out and touch his skin that hadn't been there before. And it drove her crazy, especially since she didn't know if she was attracted to him or just wanted some human contact. With the Ark crashing and having to survive the ground, romance hadn't been in her top priorities. But stuck in a small space with a hunky, muscle packed man that would sometimes look at her as if he was undressing her with his eyes did things to her hormones. His eyes following her as she approached him only multiplied the confused thoughts roaring in her head.

Roan watched her as she finished her routine and made her way towards him. He could've sworn her breath caught when she noticed him looking at her and the thought brought a wide grin on his lips. The little sky girl had it badly for him, he was sure of it. She was still bashful, but he'd seen her trying to peek at him and he noticed the blush that always appeared on her cheeks when their eyes would meet.

When Vivian sat down next to him she scooted just a little further than she used to. The frown appeared on his face instantly; he hated when she did that. It made him think she was afraid of him, and after all he'd done for her, that would be just plainly ungrateful. Moreover, besides a few jokes and some inoffensive teasing, he hadn't done anything to her, never even attempted to lay a hand on her in an inappropriate way.

He brushed the thoughts away; it wasn't important, whatever the reason behind her behavior. It wasn't like they would ever be together. For various reasons. He was heir to the Ice Nation, he had responsibilities to his people. An arranged marriage awaited him long before he had been banished and it would still be there when he returned. So anything that might happen between him and the sky girl would be bound to end when he'd leave to go bake home. And he realized he came to care for her, even if he probably didn't show it often. Breaking her heart and trust would be an awful way to end their… friendship. He had already lost enough friends. Best just keep pretending she's one of his Ice Nation recruits.

"You're getting better."

"Thanks to you." She was still not looking at him, eyes casted in the distance, face still flushed. She was rather beautiful like that, all bashful and disheveled, sweaty, with her dark hair messed up. NO! Appealing or not, she would always be a little sky girl! There was no need to complicate their already weird friendship.

"I only showed you the basics. The work is all yours." He really wanted to take his eyes off her, but it was like she'd cat a spell in him. What changed so drastically about her that made the sky girl so irresistible? She took a while to answer and Roan thought she wouldn't continue the conversation.

"Perhaps. But I would've quit before I truly even started. So thank you for encouraging me. And…" He hadn't thought she could get more flustered, but there she was, red all the way to the tip of her ears.

"And?" It came out with a small chuckle, her reaction amusing him to no end. Vivian was… sweet. She always had been, he guessed. But now he was seeing it better: her blush, her batting eyelashes, the biting of her lip, her restless fingers fidgeting the helm of her shirt, her pouting mouth when she was debating to ask or not a question.

"Generally, thank you. I'd be dead without you. Literally dead."

"You would have pulled through, I'm sure. You're a stubborn little thing." His hand stretched out and ruffled her already messy hair.

"Stop calling me little, will you? It makes me feel like an infant. And I'm pretty sure I would've found my end on the first day when I wanted to dip my feet in the acid lake. Wow, that seems like ages ago!"

"Speaking of lakes, come on. We have someplace to be." Roan got to his feet and offered his hand to Vivian, her skin on his leaving a tingling sensation.

"Oh, another surprise?"

"You could say that."

"And it has to do with lakes? I'm not sure I want to know…"

"I know you're curious. Come and you shall find out what I have in store for you." It might have come out just a tad too suspicious, but sure enough Vivian was trekking through the woods by his side in no time. They kept going for a few hours, Vivian slowly but surely getting on his nerves, asking every ten minutes if they were there yet. Roan let out a relieved breath when they came out of the forest.

"A lake?" Vivian was surprised and a little worried. Her last encounter with lakes would have ended poorly had it not been for the grounder. She turned her head from the glistering blue surface and watched Roan as he walked closer to the shore. "What are we doing here?"

"You are learning how to swim." Roam started pulling his shirt off and for a second Vivian's brain tuned out. She recovered when she noticed the slick grin he was flashing her way and turned her back to him and the giant puddle behind. Bastard! He was doing all of this on purpose for sure. Over her dead body she'd go in the god-forsaken water.

"Like hell I am! The last lake threatened to liquefy me!" Arms crossed and pouted lips, she felt a bit like a spoiled little child. So Roan's stern reply was somewhat well deserved and only increased her embarrassment.

"Don't make me throw you in." The serious tone in his voice made her turn to him. He was in his shorts and already knee deep in the lake. She already guessed that the water was not harmful there, but seeing the grounder splashing around in it enforced the feeling of security.

And the fact was, she really wanted to swim. On the Ark she would spend entire hours looking at the far-away blue planet and wonder how it would feel like to dip in an ocean. A lake was close enough to that childhood dream. And Roan appeared to like to teach her things, so maybe it was in his benefit as well. Her mind was made; she was going to give it a try.

Now all she had to do was strip and get in.

Vivian shuddered at the thought. She was in no way a prude, but for whatever reasons, she felt incredibly insecure around Roan. Thoughts about him judging her sky-girl body, with close to no muscles and no battle scars. And then there were the marks her skin did bare, proof of her own stupidity and incompetence, of her poorly made choices. She sighed, closing her eyes, and tried to motivate herself to pull the shirt over her head. But she knew she'd never do it, she felt the deep blush of her cheeks and just knew it was impossible to get in the water with him.

"We don't have all day." She nearly jumped out of her skin; Roan was standing in front of her, barely a foot away. When had he gotten out of the water?

"Wha- Damn, you're stealthy!"

"I actually made noise on purpose, in hopes you'd just get in the damn water." His arms were folded over his chest and Vivian mustered all her self-control to only look at his face. It didn't help much, as a smile played on his lips and his blue eye bore into hers.

"I… didn't hear anything…"

"You're still not very aware of our surroundings, are you?"

"I guess not."

"Now, tell me, do I have to carry you in?"

"I, uh, will manage on my own. Thank you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, yes. You can go ahead, back in the water." He shrugged, still amused, and turned his back. Instinctively almost, Vivian's eyes glued to the scarred skin. She had been right, it was a pattern not some randomly inflicted wounds. She wondered if they meant something or it was all just something grounders did.

As he went in the lake and dipped under the water, Vivian took off her clothes quickly, thankful that he didn't make a point to stare at her as payback for her peeping on him. She kept her bra and panties and thanked herself for liking black so much. Imagine if they were white or some other light color! She tentatively set one foot in the clear water. It was cool, but still warmer than the river water they usually wash in. It was nice. She took a few more steps until the water reached her hips.

"Took you long enough." She lifted her eyes to him and a shiver went down her spine. So close! Maybe it had been a bad decision to go in after all. She could still make a run for it perhaps, but she'd look incredibly silly running in the water. And he'd most likely tackle her before she actually made it out of the lake.

"What now?"

"First things first. You'll learn how to float."

"Yay! More floating." The word left a sour taste in her mouth, despite knowing the meaning differed from what she was accustomed to on the Ark.

"Lean on your back and relax." He did exactly that, staying above the water, his face towards the sky. Then he motioned for her to do the same.

"No way!"

"I'm right beside you. I'll hold you until you get the idea." He stretched his hands behind her as if to catch her. She leaned a bit, dipping her hair in the cool water. She felt Roan's hands on her back and she felt secure for a second. But when he lifted her off the lake's floor she panicked, trashing her hands and panting her feet in the silky sand, then backed away from him a bit.

"I can't do this. I'm sorry!"

"Do you trust me?" His question came out of the blue. She had been so eager to gain his trust that she never stopped to ask herself that. But the answer was clear as daylight. He had saved her more times than she could count, he hadn't pushed her away when she needed to be far from her camp and he was willing to teach her how to survive the ground. He might get grumpy and lose his patience over small things, but Roan was a good person and a good friend. There was no reason to believe he'd be nothing but trustworthy.

"I trust you." She lifted her feet off the bottom of the lake, letting him hold her above the water.

"Good. Now keep your body straight and the water will keep you up. Don't panic if your ears get under." She felt his hands lightly on the small of her back. Water was lapping at her face and she closed her eyes. "Just relax."

"Easier said than done…"

"Nothing's gonna happen, I won't let go of you." She really hoped the cool water was keeping her blush at bay, because, even if that statement wasn't meant to be cute, Vivian couldn't recall a moment when he was more lovable. Roan - mightily grounder warrior, whispering sweet nothings into her ear. Who would have ever guessed. Lost in thought, Vivian hadn't notice the hands on her back disappear.

"Aaah, Roan?"

"You're going great, sky girl." His voice came from somewhere on her left. She turned her head and the next thing she knew she was under water. It lasted only a second, as she found the bottom and supported herself. She realized Roan was laughing as she tried to get the water out of her ears. Her plated hair was heavy and no longer bound at the end, the braid starting to come undone.

"You liar! You said you wouldn't let go!"

"How are you supposed to learn to do it on your own then?"

"But, you said-"

"The water isn't deep. You wouldn't have drowned even if you wanted to. Come now, try floating on your own this time." She glared at him, trying to concentrate all her hate in the stare. It only seemed to amuse him; she must have looked like some defenseless wet animal. She sighed and leaned back, but went straight underwater.

"I can't!"

"You're not keeping your body straight. Also, try pushing yourself off the ground, don't just lean back." He was confusing. Floating was confusing, she didn't like it. Nevertheless, she did as he said, having decided to never doubt his wisdom. She kept her body as straight as a plank. She thought for a moment that she was going to skink, water splashing against her cheeks. She closed her eyes and held her breath, but he went under, the water only partially covering her ears.

"This isn't very comfortable…"

"Well, you got the hang of it. Let's try something else." Vivian let one of her legs down and planted her foot on the lake's floor before standing completely.

"Some actual swimming maybe?"

"Okay. This is the easiest way to swim; toddlers can do it. With your hands push the water down like this to keep you up. Your legs go up and down to send you forward." He demonstrated and Vivian had to suppress a laugh; he looked kind of silly. "Give it a try."

"Okay, here goes nothing." It was not that hard. But as with most things, she had to ruin it. Instead of heading towards Roan, she 'swam' further offshore. It couldn't have been more than a couple of feet, but, as her limbs tired, her body sank and there was no ground underneath.

She tried calling for Roan and that must have been the stupidest thing she could have done, for water invaded her lungs. She opened her eyes but in her panic everything was blurry. Her hair was floating in her face and she couldn't see where the surface was. She tried pushing through the water desperately, gasping for air but finding only water. Strong arms came around her and she clung to him, her life depending on it. Cold air hit her face and she had never been more grateful to see the setting sun in her life. She coughed up some water and took in shaky breaths.

"Are you alright?" There was something in his voice that didn't allow her to give a mean reply. He'd let her alone again, but he had came to the rescue and he was clearly distressed. "I swear, I get my eyes off you for a second and you're in trouble."

Their eyes met and Vivian's heart gave out for a moment. Roan's brows were furrowed with concern, the corner of his lips downturned. Drops of water rolled down his face. Her eyes followed one until it reached his mouth. She quickly lifted then to his eyes only to catch him staring at her own lips.

The sun was almost gone, taking with it all the sounds. All, except the drumming noise of Vivian's heart. She mentally cursed herself for being so open and expressive. Her hands were still around his neck and she thought of letting go, but the water was too deep for her. She swallowed hard as Roan's hands tightened around her waist, bringing her closer to him. Her eyes darted one last time to his lips before pushing away slightly and clearing her throat.

"I, um, I'm fine now." He was silent, still looking at her with clouded eyes. It both scared and aroused her. How incredibly hot it would be if he kissed her there, in the water, both of them wet and barely clothed. If his hands would roam her body and-

As the last ray of sunlight disappeared, the bottom of the lake went bright. Her eyes bulged as he watched the sand beneath them turn into a vibrant blue, radiating light. It was harder to appreciate how deep it was now, but it was breathtaking. There were little fish swimming peacefully that she did not notice before and some dark patched of plants on the cyan floor. She looked at Roan for an explanation and found nothing left of the drunken expression of his face. Instead he had that aggravating smirk of his.

"This was part of the surprise."

"It's beautiful. But how?"

"Radiation somehow made the sand in the area phosphorescent. The sand on the shore shines, too." She lifted one eyebrow, her lips pushed into a thigh line, but he let out a low laugh. She felt his chest rumbling against her. "Do you really think I would have gone in the water if I thought it dangerous?"

"Well, no, but radiation still sounds pretty bad."

"It's alright, little sky girl, there is nothing dangerous in this lake."

"Except you." Again, the words escaped her before she could think them trough. Roan's smirk widened and his eyes gave a predatory gleam. Or perhaps she was just imagining it, since the glow of the water made the blue of his eyes even more captivating.

"Shouldn't you be scared of dangerous things?"

"I should have, in the beginning. I realize that now."

"In the beginning, but not anymore?"

"Not anymore. Like I said before, I trust you, Roan." She kept his gaze and saw the exact moment his expression turned from amused to serious and then to something else she couldn't quite identify. It looked like e was having some interior conflict and Vivian thought that maybe she said something wrong. To her surprise, he muttered something she would always cherish.

"I trust you too, Vivian."

So, this took longer for me to write... I kept deleting things, kept changing the direction of the storyline... and I'm still not 100% happy with the result...

Also, I'm running out of colors for the chapter titles :)))

Anyways, hope you liked it and will let me know what you think. *wink*