A.N: Hey guys! Here 19 and just so you know 20 will come soon as I'm already half way through it and it will be EXTRA long.

Chapter 19:

I woke up with a pounding headache and someone knocking at my door in rhythm.

"Just come in" I mumbled, pulling the bed cover over my head. I felt my bed switch as someone sat on the foot of my bed and squeezed my foot over the covers.

"Come on sleepy head, wake up. As much as I like the idea of you sleeping, we need to move." Said a deep manly voice that I couldn't believe was here, in my room

"David?" I asked moving out of reach. "What are you doing here?" I looked around, wondering if I was dreaming or what but no I was still in my boring safe room.

"What are you doing here…why are you here?" I whispered more for my benefit than his. Even thinking made my brain hurt. What the hell did happen to me?

David chuckled, looking away and it sound fake, so fake.

I frowned was paranoia a side effect of my brain malfunction? David had a lot of flaws I knew it first hand but he was honest.

"Trouble to remember yesterday?" He asked tentatively.

I rubbed my head and felt a tender spot. "What happened?"

David took a deep breath and stood a bit straighter like he was preparing for an argument of some sort.

"You drank a bit too much and hit your head pretty hard."

"I…drank?" I shook my head and the shooting pain reminded me that was a bad idea. "David….I don't drink."

He chuckled again and this time it sounded rich like it was before. "Yea and now I know why." He started to rub my leg through the cover.

"What do you think you're doing?" I slapped his hand away. "My brain might be hurting but I was not an idiot."

I saw hurt cross his face. "don't you remember anything?" I stayed silent. "Don't you remember that you are in love with me?"

I blushed furiously. "I-What? It's…I" I stuttered. I had loved David for as long as I remembered but the question was so unexpected. "Who told you that?" I asked out loud.

"You did….yesterday after I told you that I loved you."

"You told me you loved me?" I asked incredulous, hating myself for not remembering something like that. I have been dreaming of hearing these words for years….even after he betrayed Mary.

"How did that happen?"

He sighed. "Yesterday the council decided to send us both to Rome for two years mission."

"Rome?"

He smiled "I knew how much you want to go there but I also knew that being every day with you, sharing the same home….I wouldn't't be able to hide my feelings for you any longer and I thought it was only fair to tell you how I felt before you accepted or refused."

"Okay…." I trailed off trying to force my brain to remember.

"I came to see you I told you why I let Mary go, Mary and I….we never loved each other. She knew I loved you, I told her and she thought I was way too bigot to be with her, she kept telling me I was your perfect match but I had to wait years before telling you Sydney. I am older than you, quite older."

"You're only 24."

"And you are only 18..." he sighed.

"You forgave, if not understood, what I did and you told me you loved me too." He scoot higher on the bed, sitting as close as possible from my face. "I kissed you…I kissed those beautiful soft lips" he said gently brushing my bottom lip with his fingertips sending shivers down my spine. "I love you Sydney, love you more than anything." He bent down and gave me a chaste kiss.

I let him do it because I loved him….or at least I thought I did but this kiss, his lips against mine didn't feel right, it was not the explosion of feeling I thought it would be….Was I expecting too much?

"What about the drinking?" I asked avoiding to reciprocate the feelings, I was scared it would sound fake.

"We decided to celebrate and it seems you really can't handle alcohol….you were gone after two drinks."

"Do….do they know?"

"Know what?"

"About the drinking…about us."

"Well yes they do, and your father approves…" He beamed.

I forced a smile. "That's great."

David leaned for another kiss, but I pretended to look at the clock so his lips connected with my cheek. "So what's the plan today?"

"We are going on a real mission and the council think it would be good if you knew how to fight….not that you could defeat one of the vampire but maybe you could be ready enough to distract one and run away."

"Let me guess….you will train me?"

His grin widened, I didn't think I ever saw him smiled that much. "Well who would be more suitable than your boyfriend to be all close and personal?"

"Yeah…." I forced a smile.

David grin faltered slightly.

"I'm sorry it's just this headache…I think that a hot shower would help."

"And you also need to follow the Italy history class three times a week until our depart."

I nodded again getting out of bed. I knew everything there was to know about Italy, the history, architecture etc….but it was the other kind of history about the Moroi presence, their heads, the royal families present there, everything there was to know to be an efficient Alchemist in foreign territory.

"And you don't have to go in history class?"

"I've been preparing for this assignment for months." He stood up and walked to the door.

"Oh…but why are they sending me with you?"

David took a deep breath. "Because I asked them too. I love you and finally have you in my life….I couldn't bare the idea of losing you." He said before walking out without another word.

The next couple of weeks felt like I was having a strange dream, like I walked in the Twiligth zone and I didn't know how to get out of it. It seemed like everybody was walking on egg shells around me and I didn't know why.

During these weeks David taught me a lot if self-defense moves….not enough to actually kill a vampire like I saw Rose Hathaway do but it might be enough to take them by surprise.

"Okay lets do it once more" he said on Friday. standing behind me.

I sighed and I knew that my cheeks were crazy red and the gross feeling of sweat sticking everywhere on my body. I was a lot of things but I couldn't say I was physical….I was a brain and really it was all I liked to be.

"David….." I trailed off.

"Just once more."

I sighed but gave in.

David came to stand very close, I could feel his warm breath on my neck.

"What-" I started but stopped as his arms came around my waist slowly pulling me against his hard body.

"Sydney…you are driving me crazy" he whispered before kissing the nape of my neck before letting his lips go up and down my neck as a soft caress.

I shivered in a sort of disgust and I had no idea where it came from, I never expected to feel that with David but I just couldn't help it.

David clearly mistook my shiver for desire as he tightened his hold around my waist letting his lips wander to my ear lobe.

I wiggled out of his hold.

"What's wrong now?" He snapped with frustration.

I turned around, taken aback. "I…I'm all sticky David I just don't feel comfortable."

"You have been avoiding any kind of contact for the past weeks!" He said running his hand in his hair in frustration.

"No I-" I stopped knowing nothing could make it right.

"I thought you loved me."

"I do…." Or at least I know I should do I added for myself remembering all the time I wanted him and yet something changed and I had no idea what or why.

David looked at me silently for a minute. "Lets go out on a real date."

"A date?"

"Yes you know the thing that people do when they are in love."

"I know what a date is….what do you have in mind?"

"Tomorrow, it's Saturday let's go to the amusement park, get full of cotton candy and eat a caramel apple on the ferry wheel."

"Sure I'd love that." I said sincerely, maybe another setting will help me see things clearly.

He smiled and I saw his muscles relax, he extended his hand. "Come on, let me walk you home I need to talk to your father."

I took his hand and we walked home silently.

I went to take the shower as soon as got in.

"I'll see you tomorrow at 9."

I nodded, I took a quick shower but curiosity got the best of me, I wanted to know what David was telling my father…I didn't miss the look they were sometimes exchanging.

I went to my sister room and knelt under her desk before opening the vent that was directly under my father office. You couldn't hear a great deal but it was better than nothing.

"What do you mean it's not working?" Asked my father.

"She…she doesn't love me anymore…No matter how hard I try he is here, I can see it in her eyes, I can see HIM in her eyes."

Who? I wondered. There was nobody else in my life.

"Try harder" my father snapped. "You wanted her you have her, won't you fight for her?"

"Maybe it was not a good idea to -"

"It was the only option" my father roar.

His shouting made me jump and bang my head loudly on the desk.

"Damn it!" I groaned and the voices downstairs stopped.

I rushed in my room holding my breath. They didn't make any sense. Who were they talking about? The more I tried to understand the stronger my headache was….like if there was a wall in my head that stopped me from figuring it out.

The next day there was an even bigger edge between David and I, he was lying to me and that was something I never expected from him.

I asked him for time and to take things slow. I could see he was hurt but he agreed.

"Would you lend me that book now?" He asked as we made it back home way earlier than I thought we would….a real failed date that was sure.

I spent the whole day diverting any conversation by talking about architecture.

"Sure! It's in my room."

David followed me upstairs before I had a chance to tell him to wait for me in the hall.

When I opened the door I took a step had and bumped into David's chest. There as a creature of the night in my room, sitting on my bed obviously waiting for me.