A/N: I'm UPDATING! SORRY my wonderful followers, I kinda got distracted…for like, five months. But I'm back.

This is not my favorite chapter but I hope to update a lot sooner. After this fluff story I'm going to have two continuations in which they find out about each others' lives because I couldn't decide which one I liked better.

Just a random FYI

Oh, and THANK YOU ALL MY ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR REVIEWERS WHO STAYED WITH ME THROUGH THIS HUGE BREAK! THANK YOU!

I will have a reviewer appreciation chapter sometime soon.

SADIE

After escaping Carter for the third time in a row(I think he was expecting it this time) I strolled casually down the streets of New York, trying to blend in. It is, however, pretty bloody hard to blend whenever you're being trailed by a massive lion-creature and running for your life.

I managed, in New York City, the place where everybody is strange, to be that person that stuck out. You know? That girl running down the boulevard, screaming random nonsense words? Yeah, that's me. People were staring at me with concern and annoyance, like a mental hospital escapee.

Not fun.

I was already late for my date with Nico, but I couldn't exactly show up with two monsters to destroy the ice cream place. That would go over well.

The lion creature stalked above my head in hidden crevices and on top of buildings, but I figured I'd better get to a more deserted area before I fought it. Because a crazy monster in the street equals police and I figured the last thing I needed was to be arrested. Especially when I was supposed to be safely sitting in a remote graveyard with a god.

I did a sharp turn into an alley way I'd seen last minute, my stupid flats skidding on the pavement. This is what I get for trying to dress up. My wand, thankfully, was tucked safely in my jeans.

The alley was completely empty except for a dumpster, a couple trash bins and cardboard boxes. A chain-link fence separated the end of the narrow path from the other side. I cursed under my breath, using words Carter definitely wouldn't approve of.

I glanced up at the fence and grabbed a hold of it when the sound of something landing. I spun around, grabbing my wand and brandishing it at the creature.

It was large, and unlike what I first thought, it wasn't completely a lion. The Sphinx glared at me with calculating human eyes and screeched loudly at me. It's golden fur encased its body and it angrily scraped its claws against the concrete, causing a high pitching noise, like nails on a chalkboard.

I winced. It seemed to find pleasure in my pain and started closer.

"Stay back!" I shouted. It paused momentarily then narrowed its eyes and came closer. The gravel dug into my feet through the thin material.

"Sadie Kane, isn't it?" I jumped when it spoke. I didn't know some monsters did that. Freak didn't tend to say anything besides, well, 'freak'. The sphinx growled a surprisingly feminine accent to its voice.

"What's it to you?" I glared back, a lot more confident than I felt. When trying to defeat an enemy: bluff, bluff, bluff. It works every time. Well except that one time…..never mind.

"He will be pleased." She continued, ignoring me, circling closer and I backed up against the fence. Not good.

"Who is he?" I shouted at her. She just grinned creepily at me. "All in good time."

I was tired of this commentary and so I stuck with my personal favorite. "Ha-di!"

The small alley exploded into bits of pavement and smoke and I heard the sphinx hiss in alarm. I climbed to the top and vaulted over, the cold metal digging into my hand. I hit the ground in a crouch and started running.

I must have injured it pretty bad but it still screeched after me, I knew that wasn't the end of it.

I didn't stop running till I reached Marvin Drive. I doubled over, hands on my knees, gasping for air at the corner. The light was tantalizingly slow and I checked my watch. Nico would be wondering where I was by now. My jeans now had several rips from the explosion and my hands were dirty and scratched.

"Today of all days." I muttered, as the light signaled for me to walk. I glanced over my shoulder as ran. Nothing. Maybe it got bored. Maybe it was so injured it couldn't move.

I stopped right before the Ice Cream Shoppe to do a double check. Should I continue on with my date, or run home and be safe? Date, as long as it didn't appear to come back. That might put Nico in danger. I froze on the sidewalk.

What if Nico was already in danger because of me? What if the sphinx had come when I had been at the ice cream place? I frowned, unhappy with my train of thoughts. Was it right to risk Nico's life? He was just an ignorant human. What would he think of my life? A light bell sound interrupted my thoughts.

"Hey, you gonna come in?"

Nico was holding the door to the Ice Cream Shoppe open leaning his head out to grin at me. I swallowed my terrifying thoughts and began towards him. He must have seen me standing outside through the full wall window. His black locks were messier than usual, as if he'd tried to style them and failed. I tried not to laugh at the image of Nico sitting in front of a mirror attempting to style his hair.

"What's so funny?" He asked as I walked to the door.

"Nothing." I snickered. Nico eyed me suspiciously then shrugged. He led us over to a table nearby – by the giant window, like I'd thought. It would also give me a good view if something tried to attack again. It was a high table with polished metal retro round chairs.

"Sorry I'm late." I said as Nico pulled out my chair for me. It was an old-fashioned gesture, not one I'd expect from Nico. "Got held up."

I had to almost jump up onto the red cushion of the chair, using the foot rest as a step.

"What happened?" Nico asked suddenly. I looked down at him from my perch, a lie ready on my tongue about why I was late. But Nico was staring at my leg. Not like that, pervs.

He was staring at the patch of red across the side of my knee. The jeans had been cut open, probably from a piece of stone or metal from the explosion I'd caused. It wasn't too big of a tear, but it had scraped my skin pretty badly. It was a shallow cut, but it bled quite a bit.

"Oh, um…" I trailed off. "I, uh, fell."

Nico looked up at me, unleashing the full power of his chocolaty eyes. "Really? That's your excuse?"

Well, it was a really bad lie.

"That's my story and I'm sticking to it." I crossed my arms defiantly and sat back in the chair.

I figured he was going to question me some more but he just shrugged and glanced down at my leg again.

"Do you need a bandage?"

Caught off guard again, I answered without thinking. "I'm not going to a hospital."

Nico furrowed his brow. Stupid, Stupid! That makes me sound like I'm on the run.

"Did I mention a hospital?"

"But where -?"

"Come on." Nico said grabbing my hand. I blushed furiously, but jumped off the chair. Nico tried to hide it, but his face was totally red too. I struggled to hide my smile.

I didn't really want to leave. At least, not without ice cream. Don't look at me like that! I didn't want to sacrifice my date with Nico to a stupid cut.

"Can we still get ice cream?" I asked and pulled his hand so he turned to face me.

He raised an eyebrow. "What? I'm hungry. And that chocolate caramel flavor sounds really good." I pouted.

Nico sighed dramatically, like it was the hardest thing in his life to get ice cream, and dug a wad of cash out of his pocket.

Ten minutes later, I was feeling like I was on some dramatic high. Maybe from defeating the sphinx( who had yet to show up), maybe from the ice cream (which by the way, tasted awesome), or perhaps from just spending time with Nico.

It took forever to convince him I was fine and he still insisted on covering it with a handkerchief (Seriously, I didn't know those things still existed), which I managed to tie around my leg. It gave me quite a few concerned glances, but I tried to ignore them. I should probably take it off before I get home; Carter would freak.

We were walking along a path in a small park. There were benches and bushes along regular intervals. Green and yellow leaves strewn across the dirt, signaling the coming fall. Birds flittered around from tree to tree, blending against the bright sky.

Nico was still holding my hand and we swung it back in forth like a pendulum. He had gotten double chocolate ice cream and was making sarcastic comments between licks.

Freeze.

Could I do that? Could I just do freeze the world right now, as it is? Was there some kind of spell for that? It was only my first date and I felt like I was flying.

And it wasn't even over yet.

A/N: Too much romance? Too little? Tell me what you think. I'm not particularly fond of this chapter, next's will be better, I hope.

PLEASE REVIEW! (Reviewing is mandatory if any kind of chocolate has been consumed today)