Disclaimer: I don't own The Covenant.

Co-Author: SkyyRyder

A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed! There are more character pictures in my profile. And Amma means grandma in Icelandic. So enjoy, and please review!

Fallen Now is Babylon the Great

Chapter 5: Worship

-Babylon's POV-

"I'll take the special today, over easy, white toast." I quickly scribbled the man's order down.

"Okay, it'll be a few minutes," I said, skating behind the counter and humming the Elvis song that was playing over the jukebox before slapping the piece of paper onto the cook's counter.

I went back out to the dining room, filling some coffee mugs as I lost myself in thought, waiting for my orders to be up. Unfortunately, the events of last night had been plaguing my mind non-stop. And those events included Reid Garwin.

As hard as it is to admit, last night wasn't terrible. I suppose if I have to consider that my first date, it wouldn't be a completely horrible memory. It could have gone a lot worse. Garwin could have tried to put a move on me, which he surprisingly didn't bother doing until the end of the night when he brought me back to my house. Though I could still feel his disgusting hands all over me from his pool tutorial.

I'm absolutely positive when I opened my front door to go inside my house, leaving Reid on the doorstep where he belonged, he leaned in to kiss me. But the boy got the door in his face after insisting on walking me to the steps. Too bad. The date wasn't a complete nightmare, but it certainly wasn't ideal either and definitely not worthy of my first kiss.

I still can't believe I am being forced to go to the Harvest Masquerade and the annual Parry Halloween bash with him though. I should have kept my mouth shut. Obviously Garwin has his sights set on me for whatever reason and I should have known better than to think he would make a bet that would spoil whatever plans he has without it being a guaranteed victory.

How much pool does he play?

The costume is what worried me the most though. I am petrified of what I'm going to have to wear to this event Pogue is throwing. No doubt it will be some heavy metal stoner vomit party by the looks of the biker. And I'm sure all the females in attendance will be in underpants with witch hats and devil horns on. I can only imagine what a guy like Reid Garwin's ideal outfit for a woman to wear is going to be. Surely, I'll be horrified.

Maybe if I cut off a limb of some sort I won't have to go...

No, I have to be strong. I will not give the gossip whores at Spenser the satisfaction of knowing I went back on my word so they can call me a prude princess or something ridiculous. Just because I don't spend every other night in some boy's dormitory, does not mean I'm a prude.

"Order up!"

-Reid's POV-

"Did you hear that Hastings has some new freshman swimming their freestyle? How lame," I informed the boys as we got ready to face off against the referred to school in the locker room.

"Wow, really? That's pretty sad," Pogue agreed, nodding his head.

"Don't sell him short guys. This kid is that far as a freshman for a reason," Caleb added his two cents in.

"Whatever Caleb," I muttered. Always the voice of reason. My ass.

"So Reid, how did last night go?" I smirked at Baby Boy's question and glanced a few lockers down, making sure Aaron was close by to hear my glorious tale of victory.

Oh, he is definitely eavesdropping.

"How do you think it went Baby Boy? Do I look mad?" Tyler's eyebrows rose at my casual response and I leaned against the lockers.

"No."

"That's because I'm not. We're going to the Masquerade and Pogo's party together." I triumphantly smirked as I heard Aaron's locker slam behind me.

"Bullshit Garwin," he growled, unbelievingly as he came over to my group. "There is no way you got that prude bitch to go out with you again. I watched you last night at Nicky's and by the looks of it, she wasn't all that happy to be there."

"It's not about what happened there Abbot. It's about what happened after we left," I said with a wink. I knew nothing actually happened after we left Nicky's. Hell, the bitch shut the door in my face before she even got a taste of these magical lips. All in due time though, all in due time. "Trust me, we'll be at the dance and the party together. And I get to pick out what she wears to Pogue's." I tapped my fingers on my chin as I pushed off the lockers and headed to the pool. "A naughty cop? How about a cowgirl? So she can ride me all night long!" I called after me, getting a round of laughter. To quote The King:

Thank you; thank you very much.

-Babylon's POV-

I helped my grandmother out of the car and in to her wheelchair; it was Sunday and the family was attending morning services at the local Lutheran Church. My gaze settled on my mother who was tiredly ushering Imogen and Shenandoah out of the car and towards the large gothic structure.

I looked down at my grandmother who offered me a small smile, which I returned.

The church we attended was amazing in structure. It was built in the Gothic stage, and much like most of the larger buildings in Ipswich, gave that dreary look that just fit in so well with the oppressive weather of Massachusetts. The stained glass windows were amazing, and always took my breath away, no matter how many times I had seen them.

We had attended this church for as long as I could remember; attached were many memories. Our visits became more frequent after Imogen was born and though Amma came, I don't believe her heart was in it anymore. No, her faith disappeared when my father did, leaving his family behind. I think she only comes to keep up appearances and for the sake of my sisters and myself.

I could feel my face fall thinking about it, straightening my posture; I pushed the thoughts of the man that abandoned us years ago far out of my mind. I pushed Amma towards the church, putting on a forced smile for my mother.

Mom had interrogated me ruthlessly after my 'date' with Reid, and she had done so again this morning as we got ready for church. She asked if I was going to see that 'divine' young man again. Divine? Who is she kidding? He is Satan's spawn!

But he had her fooled, much like everyone else. I told her that we would be attending both the Harvest Masquerade together as well as Pogue's Halloween party. That had made her impossibly happy. She skyrocketed through the roof I think this morning, boasting around. I think my mothermay have a small crush on the blonde Son of Ipswich.

The thought was bitter, and I couldn't help but shake it from my memory. That look of admiration on her face when he opened that door.

If only she knew...

"Hey—" Shenandoah's voice brought me out of my daze as she pointed up towards the entrance of the church. "Babylon, isn't that the boy who took you on a date? Reid, right?"

My gaze snapped up as I stared forward. Sure enough dressed in a pair of black slacks and a button up olive shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbows was Reid Garwin. I think I'm about to lose my breakfast.

What is he doinghere? How did he know?

I shook my head. He is seriously stalking me. This is getting creepier and creepier. I asked Shenandoah to take Amma inside as my mother gave me a small smile.

"Why don't you invite Reid to sit with us during the service?" she asked.

I groaned inwardly, telling her to go inside as I stopped in front of him. I stared him down for a minute. How dare he have the audacity to show his face here, of all places.

"What are you doing here?" The question was firm and to the point, no use in beating around the bush.

"I came for some good, old-fashioned Bible worship," he grinned at me, shoving his hands in to his front pockets. He titled his head to the side and gave me a small pout. "You know I love God just as much as the next guy Baby."

I can't believe he's saying such a thing. Ugh! Of all the low-down dirty things a person could do, this was by far one of the worst.

"How dare you say that!" I scoffed at him. "This isn't some game, Reid. This is church; a place of worship and prayer," I stated calmly.

"I'm here in all seriousness." He gave me a straight face.

"I swear on all that is holy..."

I couldn't say anything else to him. I would much rather show him how much I disliked him physically, but I couldn't do that. Not here. Not in my place of worship. That would be wrong. Sovery wrong.

I took my seat next to my sisters and heard him shuffle in behind me, saying a few polite excuse me's and thank you's.

Ugh, please…

His false charm was really starting to itch my last nerve. I sat quietly as the sermon began. The pastor took his place as different parts of the congregation read from the transcripts. I could hear Reid making useless comments about everything they were saying.

"That's right Baby, hate the sin, and love the sinner."

What I wouldn't give to reach behind me and slap that smirk, that I know is on his face, right off. He was reallystarting to irritate me now. He was saying it low enough so that only I could hear it, breathing down my neck, and I was going to beat him with the first thing I could get my hands on after we left the church.

"Our next reading is from Matthew 2:1-12…." The woman smiled to the church. I could hear Reid's brain rumbling waiting for the first sign of something that sounded like he could make it into one of his perverted and grotesque jokes. "… wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, 'Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising…"

"That ain't the only thing rising." He was right behind me, talking to melike that. Well, I am not one of the stupid girls he plays around with in school, who thinks it's cute and funny when he acts like a disrespectful jerk. I whirled around angrily to glare at him.

He was close to me, too close to me for my liking. I stared him down hard as Imogen yanked my attention back to the reader. I prayed that he would leave me alone for the rest of the sermon. Or that he would just spontaneously combust. Would God grant me that request if I prayed hard enough?

After we had all been dismissed Reid waited behind as my mother went to the pastor to speak with him. He was close with our family, and had always been. I instantly narrowed my eyes, seeing the blonde approach me.

"You have some nerve coming here and acting like you did," I barked at him, low enough so that my grandmother and sisters couldn't hear.

"I just came to pay my dues to the great man upstairs." He grinned, his blonde hair hanging in those horribly captivating blue eyes. I had to look away, feeling a little like I was being hypnotized.

"You're impossible," I mumbled as I walked towards the pastor. Maybe he can give me some guidance as to what exactly I should do with this situation.

"Babylon, my dear, it's been awhile since you've come to see me." He smiled cleaning up the accessories used during the service.

"Yes Pastor, I haven't really had a problem like this before, and I need to know what I can do to make it go away," I stated softly, glancing over at the blonde who smirked at me.

"I see." He followed my gaze and grinned. "Does it have to do with the lovely young man that happens to be looking this way?"

"Pastor, he's anything but lovely, I assure you. He's not even here to worship! He's here to bother me and make a mockery out of our beliefs. Can't you… make him go away?" I realize the request came out rather childishly, but there had to be some way to instill a lifetime ban on this guy. Reid had no business anywhere near a church; in fact, I'm amazed the place didn't go up in flames the second he walked through the doors.

"My dear," the Pastor smiled at me. There was always something so warming about his smile. I looked up at him expectantly. "The Lord doesn't turn anyone away. Perhaps he's testing you. Perhaps it's Fate."

I stared up at my Pastor and took his words to heart. He was right; God was probably testing me, testing my patience and my will power. I will not give in to temptation, never. No matter how hard Reid tries, how badly he wants my attention, I have to stay strong.

I stared at the blonde who was slinking out the front of the Church but not without giving me the nod and a small grin. That didn't make me loathe him any less.

My distaste for him only intensified the next day when I walked in to Spenser. It seemed like the normal typical Monday, where nothing was going terribly wrong, or at least not yet.

It all turned upside-down as soon as I opened my locker. I felt a wave of embarrassment crash over me seeing a picture of a scantily clad 'police officer' taped to the inside of my locker. I tore it down and looked down at the picture. In bold black marker it said at the bottom; 'What do you think?'

I crumbled up the parchment and tossed it into the trashcan near my locker. He had somenerve.

It continued like this all day, the costumes kept getting worse and worse. Less clothes, more skin, each note more provocative than the last, everything from, 'Which one should I pick?' to 'Will you be my naughty school girl?'. The pictures and words made me want to do something terrible to him. Something so bad I just couldn't even fathom it.

I nearly gagged looking at the last one I got for the day. It was a 'nun' costume that had a plunging neckline, was nearly painted on the model, and stopped right before her backside. At the bottom of the picture was another message; 'Get on your knees and pray.'

I didn't bother crumpling this one up; I tore it to shreds and slammed my locker shut. I wish this week would end so I would never, ever have to speak to Reid Garwin, ever again.