A/N - I received a review mentioning that they hope that I will be using magic in the story. This one alludes to her acceptance of magic and I do intend to use magic on both of their parts in the story (for example, the dream walking scene that will be in the next chapter), though hers will be toned down a bit this time around due to Zoe's presence and the fact that I suspect that the Alchemists will be the larger threat in The Fiery Heart, they are in this story as well. Also, I have promised my friend that there will be a Sydrian Christmas in this story, so you can look forward to that as well. Thank you guys for the response to the story so far, it really does mean a lot that people like it.

Sydney watched Adrian for a few moments, though he was understandably speechless. She sighed softly, feeling horrible for breaking his heart all over again. She didn't want this any more than he did, but she didn't see any other way, not right now. She loved him and she knew it, but love wasn't going to keep her out of reeducation, especially since he wasn't her only indiscretion. She had been doing a lot of things lately that the Alchemists would look down on and with Zoe here, it just complicated everything.

"I'm sorry, Adrian," she said after a few moments of silence, when it became clear he wasn't going to say anything.

"No," Adrian responded, but it was all he said.

"Yes, Adrian, I am. I don't want this any more than you do," Sydney replied. "I know it hurts, believe me I know." Her own heart was shattering as she spoke.

"We aren't breaking up," Adrian replied simply. "I worked too hard to get you to realize your feelings for me and now that you have—now that I finally have you, I'm not letting you go that easily."

Sydney watched him, surprised, though maybe she shouldn't have been. Adrian was nothing if not passionate and somewhere along the line, he had become passionate about her. About keeping her safe, about getting her to be his. Why should it surprise her now that he would be passionate about keeping her, even when all was lost? "We don't have another choice," Sydney pointed out to him.

"Yes, we do," Adrian replied. "We made it through Strigoi attacking us and the crazy witch. We can make it through your sister being here and we will." He put his hands on either side of her face and looked into her brown eyes. "I love you, Sydney and I'm not letting you go. We will come up with something. I'm not letting them get you either." Adrian knew a little about re-education after what she had told him about seeing Keith, but he didn't know everything. Sydney didn't even know everything, but all of her speculations made it a horrible place that she never wanted to go, and she was sure that if she went she wouldn't love Adrian when she got back, she didn't want to lose that, even if it meant loving him from afar.

"What could we possibly do to keep all of this from her?" Sydney asked him. Adrian couldn't possibly realize the risk of Zoe being around. Alchemists were trained to pick up on the smallest leads and while Keith had wanted Zoe there to avoid being caught for his tattoo ring, Sydney had more faith in her sister than that. After all, they were both trained by the same father.

"The same thing we are doing to keep it from everyone else," he responded with a shrug. The only one who knew about them was likely Jill because of the bond, they intended to keep it from the others and she knew Jill would keep quiet about it. "We act normal in front of them and only do things like this…" he trailed off pulling her closer to kiss her, "when we are alone."

Sydney took a moment to process it. He made it sound so easy, but being together at all was a huge risk. Zoe wasn't only going to be in town and attending the school, she was going to be her roommate. She couldn't keep everything from her, could she? Zoe would be the first to notice anytime that Sydney was gone. She would have to make an excuse for every time she left the room. Though while she didn't have a car, it was easy for her sister to believe she had gone to the library tonight rather than leaving campus with a local vampire, she knew she would have to get a car soon.

"I'm scared, Adrian," Sydney admitted finally. That was what it boiled down to and she wasn't only scared of the Alchemists, she was scared of losing her sister. If Zoe found out, she would not only rat her out, but she would hate her.

Adrian pulled her close as though proving the point that he wasn't going to let her go at the same time as comforting her. "I know, Sage, but we will get through this. We have to."

Sydney glanced up at him, looking into his heartbreakingly beautiful green eyes. Adrian truly believed they could get through this okay and she wanted to believe him, really wanted to, but she was still scared. "What are we going to do?"

Adrian kissed her forehead gently and held her close. "I don't know," he answered her honestly. He wished he had a better answer for her, but he didn't.

They sat there, holding each other for a while, not saying anything. They could hardly say that they were enjoying the company, but it looked like they would be staying together and fighting whatever came. That was the big question in the air, however—what would come next for them? They knew it wouldn't be easy, they would both have to work hard to make this work, but they were willing.

Adrian pulled up outside the school and Sydney unbuckled her seat belt. She wasn't ready to leave him yet, which she found ironic seeing as she had been prepared to break up with him earlier. He reached out and pushed a strand of hair behind her hair, letting his hand linger. "If it's okay, I want to visit you in your dreams tonight," he told her.

Sydney bit down on her lip gently. She was still scared of that with Zoe sharing her room. After a few moments, she nodded. She was pretty sure she didn't talk in her sleep, at least Jill had never mentioned it. "That's fine," she replied. "I feel better knowing you're there when I'm sleeping," she added. That, too, was ironic. There was a time that she hated his dream walking. She had actually had a severe panic attack the first time he did it. After getting used to magic, however, it came easier to her. It was something she had accepted, not only about him, but about herself as well.

Adrian leaned over and kissed her quickly before pulling away. "I'll see you tonight," he promised her and Sydney smiled softly in response.

"Actually, before I get out, I had a favor to ask you," Sydney remembered. It was going to be a lot easier to ask him for a favor now than it would have been if he had let them break up.

"What is it?" Adrian asked, surprisingly unguarded considering the recent favors she had had to ask. None of them had been particularly easy. This one would be very easy.

"I need to buy a new car this weekend," Sydney explained to him. She had yet to explain that to Stanton, but she knew that she would need a car while she was here so Stanton would have to approve the expense. "I need a ride."

"Of course, Sage," Adrian replied with a smile. "I would do anything for you."

Sydney smiled and got out of the car, actually happy that things turned out the way they did. Adrian was a really good guy when he wanted to be and he was right, he would do anything for her. She had never had a guy in her life who would do that and she considered herself lucky to have Adrian there for her.

A/N - So the end of that conversation wasn't as bad as where I left the previous chapter off. I can assure you guys that this isn't going to be the last of their troubles. I can't promise they won't break up later on, I'm kinda going where this story takes me so we will have to see. For now, at least, they are together. And yes, there will be a dream walking scene next chapter.