So here's the next chapter. I'm so sorry I haven't updated sooner, I had a huge writers block for all my stories, and took a long time deciding on the twist in this one ;)


The slight breeze cooled off my increasing temper. I needed someplace to cool down and think. This was making me insane, this whole place. Everyone here. And most of all, Luke.

I scanned the main courtyard full of people with armor, and found a little secluded grove with a few trees a little ways away. Not thinking of the dangers where I was walking, I stalked off to the promising shade of the trees.

Suddenly somebody, somewhere yelled, "Heads!" and I tilted my head to the right to face them. I felt things whizzing past me, but I didn't get the chance to see what it was as I was immediately tackled and knocked to the ground, taking my breath away.

Pain surged up my healing arm and I gave a yelp as I felt a small sting a bit higher up from my hip. White dots appeared in my field of vision as I tried to focus on my surroundings. Struggling to form words I mumbled, "Get off me."

The strong arms that wrapped around my body protectively let go and I gulped in air trying to calm myself down. Lying on my back I looked up to see icy blue eyes. I gritted my teeth noticing who it was and I tried pushing him aside.

"Why'd you do that for! You had you're chance to kill me earlier." I said with as much hate as I could muster up at the moment.

He glared at me, traces of what seemed like worry left him and yelled back, "Is that what I get for saving your sorry life!?"

"Saving me!? Oh is that what you call it if you tackle people to the ground!?" I said with equal hate.

Luke gestured at the field where I was passing and said, "Well for your information this is a training ground, and you just walked past the archery range. This isn't a preschool park!"

I tried to stand up, but feeling muscles pulling on my side I laid back down again. Breathing deeply I checked where the pain was coming from. Just above my right hip, I saw half an arrow lodged between my armor and blood welling out.

Luke followed my line of sight and saw the broken shaft of the arrow; I thought I saw horror flash over his face before a mask of no emotion covered it.

I reached down to try to pull it out but he grabbed my wrist and said, "What do you think you're doing!?"

"Getting it out, stupid."

He opened his mouth to answer but thought better of it and instead looked up at the archers that were now finally realizing something was wrong and was walking slowly over. It surprised me how far away they managed to shoot arrows... but then again I was about ten feet away from the target without knowing it.

I felt surprise take over my pain for a moment, realizing Luke lifting me up with what seemed like ease and started to walk briskly.

"What the hell are you doing!? Put me down!" I tried to say, but my voice was becoming more slurred as more white spots entered my field of vision.

"Infirmary building. You can't stand up." Was all he said, never meeting my eyes.

Giving up a fight I had no advantage in I drew a ragged breath as I closed my eyes. I couldn't take it, it felt I was drifting slowly from the world. My old witty self completely leaving me and I was left with nothing but the urge to stay alive. The sting almost numbed my whole body, making me feel cold. I leaned my head on the crook of his neck, forgetting he was the person I hated the most. I was thankful for the warmth, and almost felt his heartbeat… if the guy actually still had a heart.

I guess this was how I was going to die.

"Luke honey, what's wrong with her?" I heard a female voice say soothingly like syrup with a hint of distaste. Those type of voices always disgusted me for some reason. Partly because it was always too sappy and they never actually mean what they say.

"Can it Tammy, I wouldn't sleep with you if you were the last empousa in the world." I heard Luke's voice faintly. I smiled slightly at that, still in my numb state of mind.

I heard her stamp a foot and walk off. "Master Luke, I'm so sorry. I… we shouldn't have shot those arrows." I heard another voice, more nervous and felt farther away.

"Arrow type?" I heard Luke's steely voice say sharply.

"slow reactant poison tips… sir." The voice said uneasily.

"You'll regret it later, if she doesn't live. What is with using real arrows when there's no real enemy." My ears cringed as his steely voice cut through the air.

I heard automatic doors sliding open and voices around me drifted away as I gave into my body's need to stop the pain and just fall asleep...

I felt my body being put on a stretcher and the rush of air as I was pulled along into an emergency room. The last thing I felt before completely drifting off was slowly disappearing voices and warm hands enveloping my left hand in a tight grip.

..........

Sunlight streamed through a glass window and I frowned not wanting to open my eyes just yet. Letting out a small sigh I peered at my surroundings.

I was in a small room, with stainless steel walls and a cream white roof. A small window, that seemed odd compared to the other things in the room, allowed sunlight to enter and give the room a nice warm glow.

I felt a body steer close by and I froze. Looking to my left I saw someone slumped over. His head was resting on his arms, sleeping. His sandy blond hair a mess, and his back rose and fell as he breathed.

In a lot of confusion I stared at the form until I heard a beep coming from somewhere. Looking over I noticed needles stuck in my right hand and tubes going to a machine, and a bag almost emptied of golden liquid.

I moved slightly and felt something wrapped around my stomach and found medical cloth wrapped around it, covering my right hip where the wound was. The fabric was stained with blood.

The machine beeped again and the boy stirred. I froze when he woke up, because he was the last person I expected to be anywhere near me.

Luke stared back into my eyes, and this time I didn't feel the harsh coldness of it, I felt pity and worry overtaking and I couldn't move a muscle.

He opened his mouth to say something, but the door opened and in came the nurse, the very same one I met yesterday. She smiled at me and checked the bag emptied of golden liquid attached to the tube.

Looking at Luke nervously, she said, "Master Luke, I think it's time you should go, if you don't mind me asking. You should get rested too, staying up so long last night."

Luke nodded at her and giving me one more glance left the room. The nurse turned to me totally amazed, "In all the times I have seen that boy, he has never shown this much kindness to anyone." She looked at the machine readings and continued, "That boy stayed up all night on that chair just watching you. He wouldn't listen to anyone."

I felt my cheeks growing warmer when she mentioned that. I did not expect that coming. It felt like my whole world turned upside down overnight. Luke actually being nice and me blushing, that was new.

"Hmm, I think that'd be enough nectar for you. Can't over do it or who knows what will happen." The nurse said carefully removing the needles the tube was attached to.

I winced at the pull and didn't say anything. The whole news about Luke was too overwhelming for any other thoughts to gather in my head.

"When can I get out?" I finally asked the nurse as she was leaving the room.

"Oh, probably later, dear. Don't worry, you rest yourself."

..........

I was sitting in the small hospital lobby when Trevor walked in casually. It had been a long day and I felt better already, good enough to walk back to my dorm, at least I wasn't bleeding anymore.

But after the nurse saw me stagger a bit, she insisted someone come and 'escort' me to my dorm. That meant Trevor, who, might I add, is very forgetful and late as usual.

"Gods Trev, took you long enough."

He held up his hand in surrender and said, "Sorry sis, there was something going…"

"Just take me back to the dorm." I sighed getting up from the chair I was sitting on.

We walked outside and I waved to the nurse as the doors slid shut.

"I heard what happened." Trevor said quietly, barely enough so I could hear.

"Yeah well, it doesn't mean anything." I said, denying a small voice at the back of my head.

Trevor stopped in his tracks and looked to his left. I checked what he was looking at and noticed a lone person sitting on a porch step. Looking at the sun as it went down for the day.

"Maybe it's time you get to know the guy better." He whispered. I thought he was being all stupid and tugged at his sleeve to keep him moving, but he stayed put and looked me strait in the eye.

Rolling my eyes I replied, "Oh come on Trev! So what, just because he managed to save my life, doesn't mean we're best friends now."

"No it doesn't. But you're being too impulsive again, just try and think it over. One talk wouldn't hurt." He gave me one long stare before he started to walk. Leaving me here, unable to move, still thinking it over.

Glancing at Trevor still walking across the nearly empty fields I sighed and walked towards the small building with the porch, where Luke sat.

"Why did you do that?" I asked sitting beside him on the porch steps. Maybe it was time to give him a last chance, to actually get to know him better. It was the least I could do for saving me.

"I… don't know." He whispered looking at the sunset.

I didn't say anything, because well, what was there to say. I wasn't the nice comforting type of person anyways. Trying to find words to say at the moment was hard for me, luckily I was saved.

"I guess it was just impulse, you know. I was still mad at you at the moment, but when I saw those archers draw their bows, and you being an idiot and not realizing anything, I… just… knew I had to help." He turned to look at me desperately, trying to get me to understand.

I was surprised at this Luke. This Luke was not a stuck up jerk, it was the part of him that he hid, the part that I glimpsed when we fought.

"And when I saw that arrow, I… felt scared… for the first time, in a really long time." He whispered almost intelligibly. Looking back into my eyes I didn't feel the cold cruelness in them anymore.

"Thanks." I said my voice breaking up a bit as I held back tears.

How could my whole world turn upside down with that one mistake of walking through that field? I wondered.

"I'm sorry." He whispered after a long uncomfortable silence.

"For what?"

"Being a stuck up jerk." I turned to face him and he looked back, sincere in his eyes. He continued, "After you told me to grown up, it made me think."

"Gee, I bet that was hard." I said smirking slightly.

"But you're right. That's what I needed to do. I guess I needed someone to pull me out of all the worshiping and pampering to realize what I really turned into."

I nodded, not able to face him again. I felt weird, like something else was changing, I couldn't describe what I was feeling anymore.

"You helped me realize who I am again. I can't hide from my past anymore, but at least it doesn't hurt as much."

This always got me curious, what was really about his past that was bad? Looking at the floor I asked, "What happened?"

After another long silence he began telling me a tragic story all the way back when he had his first dream of Kronos, in a camp. Being a human host for an immortal being. And losing everyone he loved in the end.

"It never actually killed me. I just felt like I was disappearing. And all the things I were when I got rid of Kronos, disappeared to, I felt like I wasn't myself. I guess when I came here, and saw people looking up to me, it made me feel superior." Luke said finishing his story.

I couldn't believe what I just heard. Here I was, thinking my life was still miserable, and all along, Luke has gone through more pain than me. I had an urge to comfort Luke, and it surprised me, his story changed the way I felt towards him.

The sun was completely gone and the moon took its place. Not being able to hold the question back I asked, "What's going to happen now?"

His blue eyes seemed more radiant in the moonlight and he smiled grimly at me, "I don't know anymore. You changed everything for me."

"Can't say you didn't change me either." I said whispering into the dark, blushing slightly.

I felt him looking at me, and I was thankful the darkness hid my blushing. This was all crazy, what is going on with me.

Faced him again, I held my breath. Looking at him from a totally different perspective I noticed how… handsome he was. I can't even start to believe I said that. Without warning he leaned in closer and my heart started to beat faster. Impulse took over and I found myself leaning towards him too. Our lips met and I felt a tingle at the touch.

Pulling away I gasped. That was not supposed to happen… but it felt right, like he filled the emptiness that was inside me. Whirlwinds of thoughts entered my mind, as he placed his lips gently on mine again. I felt like I had millions of butterflies in my stomach and I wrapped my arms around his neck, and kissed him back. I felt his arms around my waist slowly pulling me closer and I forgot everything other than Luke beside me.

Pulling away from our kiss he leaned his forehead on mine and I could hear him breathing hard. I can't say he didn't shake me up too, because I felt like my heart was going to explode.


Ah! Don't kill me! =D I thought it was finally time for a twist in the story. Again, I'm so sorry for not updating sooner (curse you writers block, but thank god It's finally over). What did you think so far?

Peace Out! ;)

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