The air whistled through the tent, where Resa, Mo, Dustfinger and Meggie were sleeping, causing it to rustle noisily. It was cold, and not provided with everything they should have had. Resa was asleep in Mo's lap, and Meggie was doing her best to fall asleep. It was quarter past six-she had to go to sleep soon, for the thing was coming. They had no name for it, nor did they want to think of one tonight. Mo was drifting off-this night would be easy, they were all weary from the day. She felt Dustfinger shift, and she rolled over, her head in his lap. He picked up a few strands of her hair and stroking them gently.

"Go to sleep Meggie."

"I'm…I'm trying." She whispered, agony in her voice. Dustfinger stopped.

"Meggie. What is it?"

"I'm scared. I'm scared for everyone out there-some might die tonight and it will be my fault!" Meggie didn't even cry, she was too upset, too tired to. She was drained both emotionally and physically.

Dustfinger let out a sigh.

"Meggie please do not blame yourself. We have enough to worry about; we should be focusing on a way to stop this, not using it up to put blame on us. If you want to blame anyone, blame Orpheus or even Fenglio."

"No. I don't blame Fenoglio. Do you have a plan Dustfinger?" she asked hopefully. He let out a little laugh.

"Not yet princess. But if I started to think about it, I would get too into it, I would get fired up and not be able to sleep." He pointed out to her. Meggie nodded-that's how she got with books, even though they helped her sleep, they mostly kept her up at nights. Mo had used to scold her for it.

"Please go to sleep Meggie. I cannot sleep unless I know you are." He pleaded. Meggie smiled.

"Thanks Dustfinger, for taking care of me." She whispered.

"And I always will." He promised her. Meggie knew in her heart that he would, so she found nothing else to say. She closed her eyes, letting her worries float away as she did, too.

Meggie awoke later that night, her eyes wide, and a lump in her throat, stopping oxygen. It was pitch black, and all she could hear was the gentle breathing of the people beside her sleeping. Had the thing come? Was she still alive? Was Dustfinger alive? Her parents? Who had died tonight? She felt tears slide down her face, and she clenched her fists together. Was it still to come? Possibly not, it seemed far too late. Was not knowing worse than knowing?

"Meggie." She jumped, managing to stifle her scream just in time.

"Mo?" she whispered back. She felt him sit up, and saw the outline of him.

"Meggie…" his voice broke, and she flung herself into his arms, her tears leaking out onto his shirt. He rubbed her hair-her back, whispering things she barely heard, but knew he was trying to reassure her.

"It's over for now baby. You're safe Meggie. We all are. It's going to be okay. We're going to win. Good always comes out over evil. You know that." His voice was rough at the end, and she nodded against his chest.

"I love you, Mo." She responded. He kissed her head.

"I love you too Meggie, so much." He promised her, kissing her again and hugging her tightly.

"Please get some rest…before we wake up your mother."

"Too late." Meggie unwrapped herself from her father and reached for her mother. She took her hand, squeezing it.

"I love you Meggie. I'm so proud of how you are handling this…I love you so much. Missing out on all those years is pure agony for me, but I know we can make that up and we will. Stay strong, because you are." Resa kissed her daughter's forehead, and Meggie squeezed out more tears.

"I love you mum." She whispered.

"As I love you. Now we all need to go to sleep, I'm sure figuring out what we are going to do tomorrow is going to take our energy up."

"Bloody hell you picked a lovely time for a family reunion." Dustfinger's voice was gruff, but Meggie heard the teasing. She knew he had been safe, but hearing his voice, confirming it…brought another beat to Meggie's heart.

"Dustfinger!" she cried. He laughed.

"Meggie how many times must I tell you? I've died once and came back-they've tried so many times to kill me but haven't-I can't die! I'm Dustfinger." She gave a happy chuckle.

"Let's go to sleep before this happy moment is ruined." Resa put in, laying back down. Everyone bid the other goodnight, before following suit. Meggie turned to Dustfinger, and took his hand in her small one.

He squeezed softly.

"Sleep Meggie. Tomorrow is going to be a big day." She knew it would be. With trying to figure out how they were going to win, and dealing with Orpheus and his next step of revenge…Meggie wished she could just stay in this moment, this happy moment they had stolen back. But she knew that no story could ever end here, it had to have a conclusion. She just hoped this one would be a happy one.

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Meggie crawled out of the tent flap, being the first one awake. Horror overwhelmed her as she slowly stood up and looked around. As far as the eye could see children were screaming, mothers were crying and fathers were shouting. Some houses were broken, pieces lying on the ground. Kids were hurt, kids were confused…everyone was. Orpheus walked over to her. Meggie took a step back, turning away.

"How could you?" she whispered, shaking her head.

"You wanted revenge on us, fine. But how could you do this to innocent people?" Meggie cried, turning to him, her eyes screwed up with the anger she felt drilling through her veins.

"Part of the revenge sweetheart." He reached for her face, wiping a tear away. She shot back.

"Don't touch me."

"Or else what?" Meggie was aware of how dangerously close he was to her. And then suddenly he was on his feet.

"Or else that." Meggie heard Dustfinger's low, warning voice. She looked up at him as he came to a stop by her side. He looked down at her, his eyes scolding.

Orpheus picked himself up.

"You will regret that." He hissed. Dustfinger just laughed.

"I don't think so." Orpheus just looked at him. Meggie saw the sadness and longing in his eyes, but he blinked, and it was gone.

"I'm going to give you an hour to bathe and do what you need to."

"And then what?" Meggie questioned.

"Dungeons." Orpheus grinned at her, walking away. Dustfinger watched him go before turning to Meggie.

"You shouldn't have come out alone." He scolded her. She just looked back at him.

"Someone told me I should not be afraid."

Dustfinger hated it when people threw his words back into his face.

"Meggie…there is a difference between being afraid and being wise." He explained. She nodded.

"I know but…I don't want you guys to see me weak." Meggie said softly. Dustfinger let out a sigh.

"And perhaps being strong is letting other people see you weak. I don't like you seeing me weak either, Meggie. But it happens, because you are my weakness. And I hate it."

"Why? Why do you hate it?" she asked, thinking of something else.

Dustfinger cocked an eyebrow.

"Do you even have to ask?" Her silence was her answer.

"Because people will use you or hurt you to get to me. I have a lot of enemies these days, as you can tell. I hate it. I absolutely hate it." Dustfinger spat out. Meggie reached for his hand, and closed her fingers in his.

"I can take care of myself."

"Yes, I know that, too." He agreed. Meggie remained silent for awhile.

"I'm going to go for a bathe." She suddenly said.

"I'll come with." She flushed, going red, and Dustfinger paused.

"No Meggie, I mean to look out, keep an eye on you…" he trailed off, feeling embarrassed himself.

"No! I'll be fine." She promised, laughing.

"I'll send Resa down."

"No! She is pregnant, she's under enough stress already! Besides what could she do if something happened? I can protect myself."

"Mo?" Dustfinger went on as if he hadn't heard her. Meggie raised an eyebrow.

"She'll be fine Dustfinger." Resa spoke up, coming out of the tent and stretching. Meggie shot her mother a grateful look before disappearing. Dustfinger sighed.

"You love her." Resa said softly.

"I…what?" Dustfinger was too shocked to even give an answer, though that pretty much gave him away.

"We already know…take care of her, alright Dustfinger?" Dustfinger nodded.

"Haven't I always?" Resa gave him a pointed look.

"That was before…and even then I looked out for her as best as I could. But I always

will, you know that Resa. You know how I take care of the people I love. I'm not going to let anything hurt her. I'd die for her." Dustfinger said gruffly. Resa smiled.

"You're good for her, Dustfinger." She said softly, cupping his face and smiling at him. He took her hand and squeezed it before kissing it gently, releasing it, and giving it back to her. She smiled tenderly at him.

And from between the trees, Meggie's heart broke, once again.

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She stepped into the new clothes provided by Orpheus, wincing a little. Thankfully he had not given her his taste in clothes or else she would be wearing little. The shirt was long, and the pants, too. She shook her hair out, trying to get it to dry quicker. Did Dustfinger love her mother, and not her? What they had shared before, that moment, had certainly seemed like it. He had never kissed her hand before, only her cheek. Perhaps it had just been a kiss of friendship for her. But with Resa, that seemed more. A tear slipped down her face, and she angrily brushed it away. Boys, they were all fools.

"What's wrong princess?" Meggie spun around, thinking it was Dustfinger, but instead it was Orpheus. She rolled her eyes, turning back around.

"Oh let's see…you basically kidnapped us, forced Mo to read us here, forced me to read this thing here that kills and you want revenge on all of us…I don't know Orpheus what could possibly be wrong?"

"I'm detecting sarcasm here." She started to walk off, but he grabbed her arm. Hard. She turned around.

"Let go of me Orpheus." Her voice was defiant, and her eyes hard.

"Meggie you have grown into such a beautiful woman," he pulled her into him. She winced, trying to pull away.

"You could always come to my side…" he whispered into her hair, groaning slightly. Meggie pushed him away, pulling back before she started to sprint. She tripped over, and let out a cry as he pulled her back up, forcing his lips onto hers.

"Get off me!" She struggled to say, biting down on his lips. He slapped her across the face.

"Do as I tell you to!" he shouted, pressing himself into her, his tongue sliding into her mouth. She let out a cry of disgust, pulled sharply away and punched him in the nose. She spat, before her eyes widened at what she had done, and she turned and started to run once again.

"Come here you little bitch!"

Slam! She rebounded, but the person she had run into caught her, placing her behind him.

"What did you do to my daughter?" Her father's voice was livid, and if it had been directed at her, she would have been beyond frightened. But he'd never raised his voice at her. She'd never done anything to provoke that.

"Your bitch of a daughter punched me!" Mo frowned.

"Do not call my daughter that. And she must have had good reason. Meggie is not one to use violence. What did you do?" But Orpheus walked away. Mo ran after him, desperate now. He knew he must have done something horrid to her! Mo grabbed his shoulders and spun him around.

"Did you hurt her again? What did you do!"

"I did nothing! Go tend to your daughter it might be the last time you ever see her." Orpheus spat, shoving Mo off him. Mo stood there for a moment. Meggie wrapped her arms around her shaking body, turning around to walk off, not wanting to face her father.

"Meggie." Mo's voice cut into her heart, and she turned around slowly, her eyes downcast. She heard his movements, before feeling his arms wrap around her. As she had when she was younger, she buried her head into his chest, trying to stop the tears threatening to spill over. Cry, cry, cry, was that all she ever did?

"Meggie," he whispered, stroking her hair. She let out a shaky breath.

"What did he do?"

"He…um…can we not talk about it?" she pleaded.

"No. Tell me what he did. Now." She gave another shaky sigh, holding onto her father even harder.

"He kept forcing himself on me…He kissed me…" she buried her head deeper into his chest, but he pulled away, and bent down. She looked desperately away, but he took hold of her chin, forcing her to look at him.

Anger and pain danced in his beautiful eyes. Meggie hated to be the bearer of more bad news.

"He what?" Mo growled out, and Meggie just hugged him again.

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Hope you liked it. I'm finished the story, and there's probably going to be a sequel, or else it would be left untold. I hate stories that do that. So please review and let me know if you'd like me to continue. I feed off reviews. And I'm hungry!! lol.