A/N: Fast update, mainly because of all the WONDERFUL reviews! Thanks so much you guys, I'm glad you like the direction that this is going...might not like this chapter so much...

"One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can't utter."

-James Earl Jones

I DON'T OWN GoT!

With Marduke apparently back from the dead (AGAIN) and creating a new line of super monsters, the Guard should be reasonably busy, right? Wrong. We don't know where he's keeping these monsters; we just know that they're not in the Underworld. Which I guess is smart, I mean, that'd be the first place the Named would look, right? But until their location is known (and they better be found soon-the thought of those kinds of monsters on loose makes my skin crawl). It doesn't surprise me much that my father is trying to play God, nor does the fact that he's still alive. Some people are just too cruel to die.

I shiver involuntarily at my last sight of him-barely human, determined to kill the people I love-and me.

"You okay?" Matt asks, carrying a box easily under his arm. He's helping me move into Rochelle's house. Since she has an extra bed now, she offered to room with me. I took it gratefully, since the whole traveling-in-from-Athens-every-morning thing wasn't quite working for me. I don't do commuting well, and there's not even a gas station on the way to stop and get coffee. The house is small; it has only two bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen, but it's…cozy, somehow. My room is pale pink, with creamy carpet, and a grayish-bluish bedspread. Rochelle's step mom had weird taste it seems, but it works somehow. And Rochelle is so sweet-she'd kill me if she heard that thought-but it's true. She's so organized, with jars on the counter for change, grocery money, and emergency fund. She immediately alphabetized our CDs, and the fridge is spotless. Obviously she's used to living like this.

"Neriah?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just…thinking." I answer, smiling to reassure him.

"Oh…well don't hurt yourself," he says, putting down the box on my bed. I don't have much stuff to move, but he offered anyways. I noticed though that he's carrying the small boxes. Heck, I could have done those. Ethan brought in the bookcase and TV, and then complained about his back collapsing, so Rochelle took him to McDonald's for a nice, healthy Big Mac. I could have probably just done the rest with Rochelle, but he wanted to help.

Probably to sneak some more shield spells on the house. Not that it needs any more…I swear an ANT probably couldn't even get in here.

"Haha," I respond sarcastically, but let him fold me into his arms anyway. It's nice and warm, and safe in there. Sometimes I just want to-

"HELLO? ANYBODY HOME? I'M HERE TO HELP-oh, hey Near and Mattie…not interrupting anything, am I? I'm here to help with the heavy lifting." Dillon walks in, bearing a bag of French fries.

"Dillon. She's Neriah. I'm Matt. And the heavy lifting's already been done." Matt tells him, obviously annoyed that he interrupted our "moment".

Like he really did any of the heavy lifting anyways. But whatever.

"Has it? Oh, man…sorry I missed it…" He seems to be recovering well, though, flopping down on my bed and popping a fry into his mouth. "Pretty comfy Near…so Matt, who're you taking to Prom?"

I roll my eyes at such a dumb question. Obviously he's taking-

"Oh, I'm not going."

What!

"Not going?" Dillon asks incredulously at the same time I manage to choke out "N-NOT GOING?"

"Well, no." Matt still hasn't looked at me yet, which is probably good. I'm about ready to kill him. After I get over the shock anyways.

"But…Matt…if you're not going, then I can't go." I remind him.

"Did you really want to?" he looks somewhat calm.

"Matt, it's your senior prom! You can't just not go!"

"Neriah, compared to the Guard work…it just all seems kind of…well, stupid."

He did not just say that. Prom is something that I've wanted to experience ever since I was little. I wasn't allowed to go out a lot, and consequently had no real friends, because Mum was always afraid that Marduke would find us. So my dolls went instead. "And what do you suggest doing instead, Matt?" I make my tone cold.

"Um…I don't know…bowling, maybe?" He actually looks kind of scared now.

"Bowling. Bowling?" I have to make sure that I heard him right. "You would rather go bowling than go to your senior prom?"

Matt's getting angry now too. "Why is this thing such a huge deal to you?" he asks. "Lots of people don't go. We could be working on finding Marduke's army, saving the world-"

"But we do that every day, Matt!" I don't know why this is such a big deal. I mean, it's a dance. A normal school dance, where there'll be drunken teenagers, dancing, dresses that shock the teachers, wild after-parties…but maybe that's just it. Because we're Named, we don't ever GET to be just normal, everyday teens. I just want one night of normalcy. Nothing in my life has EVER been normal, not with Marduke for a father. This could be my night. But before I can explain this, Matt speaks again.

"Look, Neriah…if you want to go, just go-"

"FINE!" I'm fed up by now. All I wanted was this one thing, and if he can't give it to me, then… "Dillon! Will you go to Prom with me?"

Dillon, who's been on the bed watching the whole time, looks stunned. "I…well…I mean, if that's what you want, then…sure…" he still looks unsure, and hasn't looked at Matt yet. Neither have I. "And now I actually, uh, have to go…do…something…"

When he's gone, I chance a look at Matt and immediately wish I hadn't. He looks like I've punched him in the stomach, although if I had, he certainly wouldn't look that hurt. I don't exactly pack a lot of muscle.

And all of a sudden, the adrenaline rush goes away and I feel horrible. "Matt…"

"Don't." One word, that's all. But it's full of all the emotion in the world…hurt, anger, betrayal…and then, he just turns and walks out. My composure lasts until the front door slams, and then I collapse and sit on the bed, in the spot Dillon had vacated moments before.

What did I just do?

Short chapter, I know...it was going to be a two-parter, but then I figured that I'd give you this one and post the next one over the weekend. The next one has more Guard stuff in it, this was just a filler chapter, with Neriah moving in with Rochelle and drama of the hearts... THANKS again to all those who reviewed, especially elven-jewel-18, WebofDreams89, 2runaway, Elledreamer, IssyArkarian, Agate16, mystikaldeath, Dancergirl51, IdiotAmerica56, -girrlzrule-, and anyone else. You make me happy : - )until next time...

HaLo