If you are the type to avoid my authors notes, you might want to look at the one after reading this chapter... Ok story time!

Since it looked like Tulip had not heard through the walls about this date of ours, I definitely was not going to mention it. We had yet to discover much of New York so I knew Tulip would follow us if she knew of our plans, partially just to explore. But being Tulip, she would tell Crystal and Xav who would no doubt join her to watch us both like animals in a zoo: From a distance and with thinly veiled curiosity.

So, at twenty to six, I tied up my hair and went for a quick shower. I was just not up for trying to dry my hair and it was still clean and smooth from the straighteners so why bother? I then pulled on a blue top, skinny jeans, jacket and a simple pair of soft leather boots. No point in becoming a six foot something skyscraper in heels.

I yelled I was going out and Tulip just shouted "Watch out for murderers" in reply. Seems like setting up the WiFi in our apartment was more important than my possible murder. Good to know.

As I came out of the apartment and locked up, Will bounded down the stairs. Locking a door suddenly jumped to the same difficulty level of rubix cube to a caveman. And boy did I have to focus hard to keep my eyes from admiring the length of him. Wooow... Brain to Willow, remain looking at the face, I repeat, remain looking at the face. "After you." He said breaking my internal monologue of stupidity.

And apparently, Will had been busy planning tonight as he walked with a degree of direction towards a diner. Inside I could see the shiny red booths, the sparkling checkerboard floor and waitresses wearing short dresses as they flew about taking orders and serving food. "Was this choice for your benefit?" I asked, grinning as he pushed open the door.

"Nah, more for you to see New York's version of the classic American diner, something replicated but never quite right outside of this country."

I rolled my eyes but found myself enjoying memorising everything from the smell to the music. I'd never been to such a place and a very enthusiastic waitress, with her blonde hair pulled up in what was only describable as a "perky" ponytail, showed us to a booth near the back. By the time we had ordered and our food had arrived I was dying to eat. I'd meant to eat something before leaving but there was only the distant memory of cold pizza in my stomach.

"So should we talk about last night?" Will said quietly. I paused, my nearly finished cheeseburger halfway to my mouth. When it seemed like I was going to stay quiet Will moaned softly. "Did you not feel what I felt? People who are not "destined"," he said with air quotes, "to be with one another can still feel amazing things." He took a deep breath. "I felt something with you."

My brow creased with worry. "I felt something too but it could get messy so, so easy!"

"Willow, give this a chance. I don't know about you but that was the best kiss I ever had."

I nodded mutely. He understood and picked up his burger. Bringing this back to safer ground I took a bite of mine and by the time I swallowed I had a new topic that I was actually curious about. "So," I said, starting to smile at the thought. "Whatcha tell Crystal and Xav you were up to tonight?"

He laughed. "Funny enough, I was thinking about what you said to Tulip to escape. Nah, Crystal and Xav were arguing over whether some famous guy wore a coat Xav has better than him. For Xav's sake," Will said. "I hope Crystal was taking the famous guys side for the fun of it. So it was easy to slip out with just a bye."

"Oh, those two are nuts," I said grinning. "I think I'll say I saw a pic of this famous guy with his fancy ass coat and say he looked way better than Xav in it."

"Do!" Will replied with a clap of delight. "It would drive Xav nuts! Here, will we go see this awful comedy?"

I scooted out of our booth, picking up our order receipt as I did. "Sure, if we can have a drinking game during it. A shot for every time the audience laughs."

"So… Should we even buy a bottle?"

"Nope." I replied cheerily and handed in our order receipt. After growling over the bill for a few seconds, we split it. Since the film was not for another hour, we found ourselves just strolling in that general direction. "Ugh, I am so full." Maybe getting a double cheeseburger, large chips and brownie milkshake had been too much.

"You ate way more than me so I would say so!"

"I need to walk this off."

"How about we walk around until something catches our eye then?"

"Sure." And so we did. Most of the places that were open were takeaways and restaurants. On one street it seemed as though the few take out places left were trying to out grunge each other, each waiting for the day that a health inspector closed them down. I mentally memorised our route as I was not missing the film over stupidly getting lost. I had once gotten lost on my own in Madrid on a family holiday. The sheer terror of not knowing where my family was sent me into a blind panic and since I had not bothered learn Spanish and had only been there a day, I could ask no one for help. I ended up climbing onto a fountain center to get a better view only for me to learn it was on a timer. I ended up thoroughly soaking myself for the masses and, somewhat thankfully, my family to see. I shuddered even thinking about it years later.

"You ok?" Will asked. It was only then I realised I had zoned out in front of a discount store with Will looking at me curiously, his hands in his pockets and his head tilted to the right studying me. The dark green metal bars covering the stores windows puzzled me. Would a store like this really be robbed?

But in order not to be forced to speak of the Madrid incident, I gave him a bright smile. "Yep! Want to have a look in here?" I asked, hurrying into the shop, leaving Will to trail behind. Naturally, he took it in his stride. Near the door was a metal basket of bouncy rubber balls, all bright colours. Some had glitter mixed into them and others were a beautiful swirl of many different colours. Following my gaze, Will plucked up the one I had been admiring: the colourful one.

"Present for ya." Will drawled, tossing it up in the air a few times as he walked over to the counter to pay, slapping down a dollar and cheerfully waving bye to the zoned out teenage cashier. I hurried after him.

"Hey, we barely saw a thing in there!" I protested as I followed him out.

"Well we got what we needed." He said without turning. He strolled up the middle of the street whistling as he threw the ball up high. I quickly caught up to him and used telekinesis to fling the ball down the street.

"First one to catch it keeps it." Will said before he suddenly jumped forward and started running after it.

"No fair!" I yelled, running after him. While I considered myself fit-ish, it was clear this Benedict had a bit more in the tank than me. He was about fifty metres in front when he swooped down and picked up the ball triumphantly. He turned back to me, grinning from ear to ear as I slowed down. I took deep breaths as I tried to slow my heartbeat.

"Why do guys have to be better running?" I whined. I kicked the road with the front of my boot, ignoring the glances it earned from a few passersby. This street was mostly residential with grubby apartments over even dirtier stores. There were one or two cars parked by kerbs but I imagined this was one of the few streets even residents were not sure they could drive on.

Obviously not preoccupied with taking in his surroundings, Will gave me a lazy smile. "When you track through snow as a "job" at home, kind of hard not to get good." He stretched, closing his eyes with the pleasure. Opening them again, he remembered the ball and bounced it a couple of times.

I sighed but found myself smiling. The dying evening sun brought out the lighter tones in his hair that most of his brothers lacked and the pleasantly happy twinkle in his eyes. While he was bouncing the ball, I felt his eyes analysing me critically as though trying to understand something. Maybe that was why neither of us saw the car coming up behind him.

It drove like it was trying to write the letter S repeatedly and veered in the direction of an oblivious Will, lost in his own world. It registered with me only because it approached at a ridiculous speed with no apparent intention of stopping. My blood seemed to freeze and my quick heartbeat increased tenfold.

"Will!" I shrieked, dashing forward. Every fall of my boots grated painfully slowly against the asphalt. I was not fast enough. No, dammit, I had to be! My heart choked me as it filled my throat. Every part of me screamed save him! Save him!

My scream had just registered on Will's face as he turned to see what was behind him. A car. Too close. I just managed to shove into him when it hit us both. It took the last of my breath and I heard Will's be rammed out of him with horrifying speed.

The car shuddered into reverse and then raced off. A mere blip in its mad drunken reel through New York. All I could see was black and all I could hear were who knows how many muffled voices, all raised in varying degrees of alarm. The black and the noises were suffocating, intoxicating to the point I was forgetting who I was. I was Willow. Right? I was with…

Will I screeched out mentally, clinging to the final shards of consciousness before I lost it.

Willow. Oh my… Willow! He mentally gasped back, sounding only half as scared as I felt before a profound rush burned through me with frightening intensity. It felt shared and I momentarily got my vision back.

I saw Will's eyes briefly flicker open, his body lying mere centimetres from mine. It was indescribable the sheer beauty of his eyes that went soul deep to their honesty and calm despite the number of people I could feel milling around us. They left us alone, afraid to touch this moment perhaps despite our positions on the road.

I felt a thousand wordless feelings and thoughts flutter through the air between us until one was vocalised by Will.

Just before his eyes closed, mine soon to follow it appeared, he stared into the depths of my eyes and let the words dance like a perfect kiss to my very core. My soulfinder.

Then we both succumbed to the darkness, a jolt of fear being my last feeling.

Author person here,

I am so cruel leaving it at that! I know. I feel so evil. For all you know the story ends after twelve chapters... (I am so mean, so very mean suggesting that...)

Anyway, if I get ten or more reviews within this work week I will post the next chapter Friday night. Yep, only five days. Considering last time I updated was twenty four days ago that is pretty quick. If there is not ten or more, well, I get to relax on the writing/ editing...

And anyone who reviews gets a shoutout in the next chapter whether your review be positive or negative. :D (So if there is 52 or more reviews, new chap asap!)