A/N: As you can see these early chapters are mostly laughs and fluff, but don't worry, sinister workings are at hand as we speak (or read) and in the next chapter, the first part of this 'trial' will reveal itself.

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Caleb absentmindedly twisted his fingers around Sarah's long golden locks, listening to the birds' serenade outside the window. The morning sun was flooding the room, warming the two of them as they lay in Caleb's room. Her breathing was silent, shallow, and his chest was beginning to yearn for a stretch, but he didn't mind, not at all.

Suddenly his phone rang loudly, and annoyingly, on his nightstand. Sarah, stirred, he knew it had awoken her, and he slightly frowned, disappointed that someone had disturbed his small sanctuary; their small sanctuary.

"Morning." Sarah smiled up at him, yawning and then dropping her head back on his chest. Though her eyes were open, focused, they weren't really focused on anything. She was listening. Listening to Caleb's heartbeat, to his breathing, to his aggravated sigh as he reached for his phone. It was like her own private orchestra piecing together the most beautiful overture she had ever heard.

"Hello?" Caleb asked, masking his voice fairly well. There was a moment of silence, though Sarah could hear Pogue's voice on the receiver. She gave another yawn, trying to be as quiet about it as possible, but Caleb only smiled down to her. She was so beautiful, resting there, looking up at him with those crystalline blue eyes. She was a goddess, his muse.

"Well how soon can you be there?" Caleb asked. Sarah sat up, pulling the sheets with her to cover her torso as she glanced at his alarm clock. It was already after eleven, almost noon. She couldn't believe she had slept so late. Kate, on the other hand, would say that eleven was still early, and would call Sarah crazy for feeling guilty about it. "Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can." He said, curtly hanging up as he tossed the phone back in its place on the nightstand. The two of them suddenly fell silent, not knowing what to say to one another.

"What do you think is going to happen?" Sarah asked him. The light in their moment was gone once again, and Caleb wasn't sure how to answer that question. He could comfort her, say it would all be okay, but he wasn't really sure that it would be this time.

"I honestly don't know." He told her. She looked down to herself, just remembering that she was still naked. It wasn't that Caleb hadn't seen her nude before, but she was raised with the notion that a lady is never seen indecently, and old habits are hard to break. However, seeing the concern in Caleb's face, she thought this may be the best way to take his mind off of his troubles. She stood, sheets still covering her front side, and then turned around, dropping sheets and all. Caleb watched her hips swivel as she walked away, slowly to his bathroom.

"I'm going to take a shower," she said over her shoulder, flinging her hair back and letting it fall. "Feel free to join me." She smiled, and disappeared around the door. Caleb couldn't help but spread his dopey grin across his lips. The girl was always something new, one minute she'd be sweet and kind, and the next she would be a fox, sultry and sexy, but in any case, she was always the one who could get his heart racing like no other.

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"Just give me a reason!" He yelled, dropping his arms to his side. Kate rounded on him quickly and eyed him with the vilest snare she could muster.

"You want a reason? You want a reason!?" she countered as he kept replying with an annoyed 'yes'. "You are too jealous, Pogue! And I'm not going to waste my time on you until you stop being an idiot!"

"If you don't answer my phone calls, how do you know I haven't stopped being an idiot?" He said, almost laughing at how quickly he'd contradicted her. Even Kate looked surprised, because he usually wasn't so fast, though not to say he was an idiot.

"Because look at what you're putting me through now." She said, sighing and shaking her head. "We've been split up for, what, three months now?"

"But Kate, you and me-"

"Are done." She said. And as much as it pained her to say those words, she needed to hear them come from her mouth, and so did Pogue. He lowered his head, frustrated, angry, confused, and most of all, heart broken.

"So you're still going to go on this date?" Pogue asked, his voice barely audible. Kate rolled her eyes and couldn't believe he had the nerve to ask her.

"Yes, Pogue, he asked me, I accepted, and like it or not I have to move on someday… you should too." She said, slinging her purse strap around her shoulder and talking past him to the door. "James will be here any moment, so if you don't mind," she said, opening the door, and waiting. As he turned and headed toward her, he noticed that she wouldn't even look at him. She just stared straight ahead, saying not a thing. He tried to make eye contact, to see what she'd say, but she turned away as soon as he walked through the door.

Her eyes used to speak to him, and only him. The thought of her ever speaking to another guy with those beautiful eyes was unbearable, and gut wrenching, but it was finalized with the door slamming behind him. He had lost her. The more he triad to keep her caged, the further she wanted to be away from him.

He walked, sluggishly, down the hallway, finally looking up when he heard footsteps. Rounding the corner strolled the luckiest man in the world. He was holding flowers, wore the best coat he owned, the works. Pogue didn't want to look at the guy, so he hung his head low. When he felt a hard bump on his shoulder from where the guy had bumped into him, it was the last straw.

"What the hell man?" Pogue yelled, snatching the guy by his collar and turning him around. The guy stumbled, and stood, straightening his coat. He sighed, and looked to the ground where he had trampled over the bouquet.

"Damn it, it took me hours to find her favorite flowers…" The bastard said. Pogue was feeling slightly cheerier knowing he'd ruined that much at least. "Look, I'm sorry man, I didn't see you coming, I've been trying to fix these cuff links, and…" The guy began as he straightened the creases in his shirt. He looked up to Pogue's face and a rush of realization suddenly washed over him. "Hey, you're Pogue Perry." He said, smiling and taking Pogue's hand into his own, shaking it. "I'm Weatherby Matthews." Pogue couldn't help but laugh mentally; what kind of a name was Weatherby? "Friends call me Matt."

"What kind of flowers are they?" Pogue asked, curious. He didn't recall Kate ever mentioning a favorite flower. Matt suddenly bent low to the ground and picked them up as if they were his children.

"Strelitzia; Birds of Paradise. I don't think she'll like them so much, now, but… I think she'll appreciate the thought." Matt said, smiling as he thought about this 'she'. "She's that type of girl, y'know? You don't have to shower her with expensive gifts, or show off any flashy rides… she likes me for me." He told him. "Wish me luck." Matt said and he started to jog the rest of the length to Kate's dorm. Pogue stood there, watching him run off, and thought about himself.

When he and Kate had their first date, he was just as nervous, though he, of course, down played it for reputation purposes. This guy Matt didn't hide his giddiness or nervousness at all. Maybe that's what attracted Kate to him? He was completely honest about who he was. Yet between Matt and Pogue's many differences, there was the small detail that Matt had the freedom to be who he was, and Pogue had to take his secrets with him to the grave.

Caleb told Sarah in no time, though she had more or less figured it out on her own. Things were just fine with them. Then Pogue had reached a decision that no one could talk him out of. He decided it was time that Kate knew as well. Maybe then she would understand all the secrecy, and then take him back. Maybe.

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Caleb shut off the water as Sarah stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her body. Caleb watched, mesmerized by her figure, her charm, as she walked out of the bathroom and into his room to go get dressed. He wiped the water out of his face, dripping from his hair, and walked to the mirror where he saw Chase standing behind him.

"Jesus!" Caleb yelled and he turned around to meet Chase's eyes. Chase laughed, and leaned against the wall, looking Caleb up from head to toe.

"You know I bet people work twice as hard as you do to look that good… you hardly put any effort into anything you do." Chase said, smirking as Caleb scrambled to wrap a towel around his waist. The guy was dead but it was still uncomfortable.

"What do you want now?" Caleb said, rolling his eyes and turning back to the mirror. The opened it to pull out his tooth brush and paste, when he only saw Chase staring back at him. Half of his body was coming out of the cabinet, and he continued where he had left off.

"So does she always make that face when you do that tongue trick of yours?" He asked, trying to hold a serious expression.

"That's it!" Caleb said, thrusting his fist at Chase's face only to meet the wall behind it. He opened his mouth, and a scream of pain should have come out of it, but it was so painful he couldn't even scream. He just withdrew his fist from Chase's snickering face and shook it out.

"I might not want to be alive again as long as I can follow your sorry ass around." he laughed, stepping out of the wall and facing Caleb, eye to eye. "Now let's talk about how we're going to handle our little 'task' ahead of us."

"Caleb, honey, are you alright?" Sarah asked, poking her head through the bathroom doorway and looking at him. "I heard yelling and then it sounded like you punched the wall."

"Punched the cabinet, actually." Chase remarked. Caleb looked from Chase, standing right by his side, and then to Sarah, who was wondering what he was looking at exactly. "Is she always this inquisitive?"

"Shut up." Caleb said. Sarah's eyes widened, and she pulled out of the bathroom. "No! Wait, not you! Sarah!"

"Wow, I think you messed up this time. Better run after her while you can." he said. Caleb started for the bathroom door when Chase called out his name, making him turn his head. Chase was gone, so Caleb didn't think twice about it. He turned around and ran into the door hard. He hit his face so hard he saw a white flash before he slipped and fell to the hard linoleum floor. The door opened and in popped Chase's head, smiling with a huge grin. "Yeah, I forgot to mention, I can't touch anything with a pulse but I can move inanimate objects. Like closing a door for example." he said, laughing before disappearing into a wispy vapor once more. Caleb let his head drop to the floor, and sighed.

"I hate him."

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"So what do you think is so important that he had to drag us all the way out here again?" Reid asked, twiddling his thumbs and tapping his foot impatiently. Tyler was silent ever since they had gotten there. Something was on his mind, but he didn't care to share it. Reid was grateful for that fact, and he didn't care to ask either.

"I don't know… he sounded concerned when he called, though." Tyler said. Reid rolled his eyes and adjusted himself in his chair.

"When doesn't he sound concerned? I bet he sounds 'concerned' when he's screaming Sarah's name." He said, Tyler heaving a surprised laugh, and looking at Reid. The two of them continued to laugh until Pogue showed up, making his way down the spiral stairs. The candles were lit, and he saw the two of them stifling their giggles as he looked at them.

"Caleb's not here yet?" Pogue asked.

"Does it look like he's here?" Reid replied, taking a deep breath and looking back at Pogue. Pogue sat down in his place, and stared at the fire before them.

"I don't get it, I called him almost three hours ago. I went by his place, and his phone is there, but he's not. Sarah's not answering her phone either." he said. Even Reid had a serious look resting on his face when he heard all of this.

"You think it has anything to do with what he wanted to talk to us about?" Tyler asked. Pogue shrugged, and pulled out his phone.

"I don't know but I'll call Kate and see if she knows anything."

"Whoa, I thought she was out on a date? Admit it you just want to make sure she doesn't have a good time." Reid smirked, and Tyler grinned. Pogue gave them both a look as to say 'shut it'.

"It's not a date, they're just having a picnic by the lake." he said. Reid and Tyler leaned in so they could hear when she was screaming at him, biting his ear off through the phone. He saw her contact listing, and debated whether or not he wanted to press the dial button.

"Do it, man. You know you wanna." Reid said, crouching to his level on his left side.

"But you know that she'll be really pissed off at you if you do." Tyler warned him, taking to his right said.

"Don't you want to make sure she's not having more fun with some two bit loser who trips on his own feet at least once a day, than with you?" Reid countered.

"But she expects more from you. You may not be together anymore but you don't want to ruin what friendship you've salvaged." Tyler told him.

Pogue wasn't sure what to do, but this angel/devil bit was beginning to get annoying. He placed his thumb over the dial button, and Reid and Tyler waited to see if he would dial or not.

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There was something about him that was sweet. Somehow she hadn't seen it all these years, but she looked at his eyes and couldn't help but smile. They were a sea blue, like the ocean after a storm, and the sun was trapped in them at all moments. His hair was always changing. In the sun, it was a fiery auburn, inside it was a dark brunette, and in the candle light it was almost a sandy blonde. Yet all of his good traits had been overlooked by her, and everyone else all these years by the simple fact that he had his dorky quirks. Though for some reason, lately, that's what she had come to like about him.

He looked up at the face, propped up on one elbow, and admired her beauty. Her skin was smooth and flawless, golden caramel and glowing. Her hair flowed in the wind, which he loved to see, for it was usually tied back. She was perfection in form.

"What?" she asked, as she caught him staring at her. He shook his head, but never once took his eyes off of her.

"You're gorgeous." he said. She felt her heart flutter as he spoke those words. No one had ever said anything remotely romantic to her, and she had never expected anything as much from Pogue. He was always trying to be something that she could never quite figure him out. Rather he wasn't trying to be something, but trying to hide himself from her. "Kate, I know we've only been on a few dates, but there's something I want to ask you." He began, but her phone interrupted the moment. It rang so loudly that she swore that whoever had ruined this moment would receive quite the hurting the next time she saw them.

"Who is it?" he asked, disappointment apparent in his face for being cut off. She looked at the face of her phone and didn't recognize the number. She offered only a shrug and an apologetic look.

"It'll be quick, I promise." she said, standing up and walking away for a moment. Matt sighed, and laid on his back, head in palms. He looked up to the branches of the tree they were sitting under and then glanced to Kate. Even walking away she was perfect.

"Hello?" she answered annoyed, waiting for a reply.

"Kate, thanks for picking up, I know you're on out with your date… it's Caleb."

"Oh hi Caleb, sorry if I sounded a little harsh… I just thought it was… well I just didn't think it was you." she said. Caleb knew where she was going, but he didn't push that subject. "Where are you calling me from?"

"I forgot my phone at my house. Listen, have you heard from Sarah?"

"Trouble in paradise?" she asked, generally shocked. They were Mr. and Mrs. perfect, the thought of them fighting was just unheard of.

"Well she thought I said something to her, and it wasn't directed at her at all." he said, hoping she would tell him where she is.

"So what did you say and who was it directed to?" she dug deeper. She heard Caleb sigh on the other end.

"I said 'shut up' and she thought I was talking to her, but I was talking to… well it's not important who I was talking to, just tell me if you've seen or heard from her?"

"Sorry Caleb, I haven't." she said, sorry that she couldn't help him out a little more than that.

"Thanks Kate. And hey, listen, if you do hear or see her, call me on Pogue's phone, I'll be with him for the rest of the day." Caleb said, and then when he heard her silence, he mentally kicked himself in his arse. "Forget that, why don't you call me on Tyler's-"

"No, it's okay Caleb, I'll call you if I see her." Kate told him, hanging up abruptly before he had a chance to say anything else. She swore that Pogue probably kidnapped her just to set this up so she'd call him. Standing in her spot, she stomped her feet and shrieked loudly, everyone in the lakeside park turning in her direction.

"Hey, hey," Matt said, taking her shoulders into his palms. Kate took a deep breath and let it out slowly, turning to face Matt with a smile.

"Sorry, just my way of blowing off steam." she laughed. He smiled and rubbed her shoulders. "Listen Matt, something just came up and I need to go." she told him. The way his smile dropped in an instant was so heart wrenching she hated to tell him that she had to go.

"Is it serious?" he asked, hoping she could blow it off. She lowered her head disappointingly.

"Sarah's gone missing."

"Oh so you need to be the detective and find out where she's gone?" he laughed.

"Don't laugh it's not funny. She could be in some weird killer's basement as we speak." she said.

"Well then do you need a chauffer to drive you around to where you need to go?" he offered, taking her hand in his. They swung their arms playfully, and she liked the sound of his offer.

"No, it's alright, I'll be fine." she said, looking back up to his face.

"Alright then. Call me when you find her, okay?" he said. Kate nodded, and stared into those eyes.

"I will." she said, forgetting that she was still holding his hand.

"Shouldn't you be going now?"

"Right!" she said and she began walking away, holding onto his fingers until finally they were too far to hold. She dropped his arm and hers as well, walking away, but turning around every few seconds to wave at him again.

"You'd better hurry if you want to keep the mad killer off of her!" he called to her.

"You're making me walk slow when I have to try and hear what you're saying!"

"I'm not the one turning around every two steps!" he shouted before she disappeared over the hill. He let out a sigh and just put his hands in his pockets. He'd just have to wait until next time to say what he'd been waiting to.

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I LOVE dead Chase… well I luv Chase anyway, he's such a fox. anyway REVIEW!!! They're like junk food for the fingers so we can keep typing!