Alright, the seventh chapter. This has some romance! If you don't like the pairing, TO BAD!! It's my story. Oh and by the way, Rodrigous is Mara's boyfriend. The King of the Deadly Rose. Just in case you didn't remember.

Chapter 7

(Back in L.A. -Rodrigous's P.O.V.)

I can't believe it. Mara's gone. They took her, Ninth Street took her. I'm sitting in my apartment. Everything smells of her, this was her favorite place to hang. A sparkle catches my eye. I walk towards it and pick up a sparkly blue hairband. It was Mara's. She'd dress in all black, with this one blue accessory and she was easily the most beautiful girl in the world.

I reach for my gun and bring it up to my face. Ninth Street will pay for what they did to my girl.

(Tortall)

The ball was full of the senseless chatter and giggling of court ladies. Mara rolled her eyes. She hadn't wanted to come to this stupid frilly party, but Jon and Thayet had made her. She rolled her eyes again as she looked over the garden. The view from this particular balcony was amazing.

Running steps were heard behind her and she turned, reaching for the gun that always accompanied her. She smiled when she realized that it was only Raoul. She stated this.

"Only me?!" he cried "Why my dear lady, don't you like me?"

"Of course I like you." she leaned on the balcony staring up at the quarter moon "Do you ever wonder, what it's like to be a normal person?" she asked quietly. Raoul glanced at her quizzically.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, just being a normal person. Never having killed, not having to worry about the safety of those you protect."

"I doubt that you ever protected anyone." he said. Her eyes snapped fiercely and the air got a little colder.

"I protect a lot of people. I protect them from Ninth Street. My gang is my army. The streets my battlefield. Do not speak of what you do not know, Sir Raoul." her voice was chilly. Raoul looked at her.

She didn't look angry, just sad and upset. A small tear ran down her cheek, freezing because of her emotional turmoil. There it sat, sparkling like a diamond in the moonlight. His arms ached to wrap around her small form and hold her tight, protecting her from the pain she felt. He wanted to kiss away her worries, wanted her to be happy.

He shook his head. Where were these thoughts coming from? He looked at her again, more frozen tears sat on her face this time. He couldn't stand seeing her like this anymore. He stepped over to her and gathered her into his arms. She fell into him, burying her face in his chest.

Gradually the tears melted and ran down the rest of her face, leaving their damp trail. He leaned down and kissed them away. He kissed her lips, surprised when she kissed back. She broke away and smiled, taking his hand she led him down to the garden.

They stopped and she leaned into him.

"I'm sorry." she whispered "I'm sorry, for everything I've done."

"It's okay." he whispered back, then reached over to the rose bush next to them, snapping the stem of one of the flowers. He offered it to her "Every rose has it's thorns." She laughed lightly.

"I think this is the most romantic thing that's ever happened to me." she told him. He raised his eyebrow.

"Really?" he leaned down "I think that it would be this." He kissed her passionately. She kissed back with just as much fervor. His arms wrapped around her waist as they continued, bringing her closer. They broke apart, both gulping for air.

She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, the knight had once again claimed it.

"Mara! Raoul!" someone shouted from a distance. Mara's eyes shot open, suddenly coming to her senses. She put her hand on Raoul's chest and gave him a little push.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I can't do this." she said.

"Why not?"

"Because! I have a boyfriend at home. One that I was perfectly happy with! Then I fall into this freaky alternate universe thing and meet you, and all of a sudden my world is upside down."

"I don't understand. What's the problem?"

"The problem," she screamed, then cooled down "is that I love you." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek then ran off.

Raoul stared after her.

"I love you too, Mara. But I know I can't have you." he whispered into the breeze. He picked up the rose that had been dropped during the kissing "I can't have you."

Okay, hope you enjoyed. Oh, before I forget. I'm going to be changing the title, but I don't know what title. So I'm going to hold a contest. Send me your title ideas, then in four days, I'm going to post them and you get to vote on them. Here are the instructions...

Go to my profile and find my e-mail, then send me the e-mail with the subject of 'Story Title'. Then in four days, look at the title ideas and vote. Vote by sending me an e-mail with the subject of 'Title Vote'. Today is Febuary 2nd, so I'll be posting the ideas on the 6th. PureElement.