He ran a hand through my hair gently kissing me, pressing my body tightly against his; tighter than what I had done before. I t was as if he were afraid i might disappear from his arms.

"I am back now, we are together again at last" he whispered.

It was as if someone inside my head had pulled open the flood gates and all that I had felt toward Riddle from so long ago came rushing back in a torrent of memories like they had never gone away and had always been there just waiting to be released. This is how I had used to feel; Safe.

When my family finally returned home about half an hour later I introduced them to the boy who I had fought so desperately to see when I first arrived. Much to my amazement they adored him, though I couldn't help smiling as I watched Riddle compliment my mother's cousin on the neatness of the house remembering how he had once told me he had a way with people. He sure had a way with my family. He spent the rest of the day with us and talked non stop fitting in as if he were part of the family.

Once night fell Riddle insisted he must leave and after constant polite refusals to not stay the night Riddle said that he had to leave as nobody knew where he was. I walked him to the end of our drive starting to feel the sadness weigh down upon me again. Goodbye was not what I wanted to say.

"Your relatives treat you well?" he asked giving me a quick sly side-glance as small amounts of snow began to fall from the sky.

"Yes they always have" I answered suspiciously wondering why he would want to know about my home life.

"Well" he smiled stopping and turning to face me "I guess this is where I leave you to return to the orphanage before they start to send out a search party" here he gave a short sarcastic laugh "we will see each other again tomorrow yes?"

My heart leapt in joy, "yes that would be fantastic"

He beamed at me before kissing me gently and before I knew it he was disappearing into the falling white.

***

I thought it was all a dream.

Yet it couldn't have been a dream it was all too real. All the same, I didn't want to open my eyes for fear that it actually was a dream and that I really wasn't going to see him again.

"Morning" a voice whispered in my ear.

No. let me sleep; let me cling onto that dream…it was so real…

A feather light kiss brushed my cheek and in a flash my eyes were open and there sitting on my bed smiling down at me was Riddle. Instantly I flung my arms around his neck absolutely happy that I wasn't dreaming about the events of yesterday.

"Bethany! You're chocking me!" gasped Riddle trying to pry my arms off from around him.

"s-sorry" I stuttered blushing, quickly pulling away.

"What's gotten into you today?" he asked looking slightly more ruffled (lets just say his hair wasn't as neat).

"I…ah…never mind" I muttered embarrassed, thinking that explaining that I thought he wasn't real would be particularly stupid and pathetic.

He rolled his eyes trying to flatten the bits of hair that I had ruffled "get dressed-we are going out"

I was about to say my okay when suddenly I remembered something...something that shouldnt have been over-looked.

"Oh no" I whispered more to myself than to him.

"What?" he asked automatically paying his fullest attention to me and not to his hair.

There are some things you can't tell a guy…then there are situations that should be avoided and now I was going to be thrown headlong into both problems.

"My…ah…friend is coming over today….I guess I forgot to tell you in my excitement of yesterday…" I mumbled not looking Riddle in the face because I knew he would be staring right at me.

"Your friend?" his voice was cold like the chill of snow.

"Yes…the one I mentioned before…" I continued to be interested in a thread on my blanket, picking at it.

"Oh him" he spoke coldly and I couldn't help but flinch at his iciness.

"Maybe we could leave our outing until another day?" I suggested hopefully.

"That would be best" he said not moving an inch from my bed "I suppose we shall have to stay here instead"

All colour drained from my face. For once in my life I wanted Riddle to leave but just for a little while not forever; it's just that I had thought my suggestion would have at least prompted him to go and he would come back another day.

"But…I thought…wouldn't they…I mean the people at the orphanage be wondering where you are?" my voice shook with fear and I found it difficult not to sound too eager for his departure.

"Why should they be?" he asked sounding cold once more, "don't you want me here? Are you afraid your friend won't like me?"

That was not was worrying me. What was worrying me was what Riddle would do once he got my friend cornered. Unfortunately I knew exactly what he would do if he got my friend cornered even if it didn't work on me.

"I just don't want you to do anything and I mean anything" I said warningly remembering how agressive and violent he could become.

"Oh you think I will come down upon him and make him squeal like a small school girl?" a small smile appeared on his face and there was a look in his eye that told me he had been thinking about it.

"Just don't hurt him" I said standing to my fullest height which wasn't much compared to Riddle.

"I wouldn't need to, my presence is intimidating enough" he winked slyly.

"Don't you dare! You are to treat him like you treat everyone else" I stated importantly.

His smile widened cheekily "I am sure I can do that"