Sam's POV:

The "small" dinner party that accompanied the final night of the conference was severely downplayed by David who I'm sure knew that if I had any idea how lavish and formal it was, I would try to run out the door as quickly as possible. It was actually a masquerade ball at the Four Seasons downtown and took over two ballrooms, a large foyer with a bar and the entire outside area, though the pool was closed off and there were rails up around the perimeter to cut off the trail that people ran on by the lake.

Lady Bird Lake, or Town Lake as the locals called it, cut right through the downtown area and it was gorgeous. Everyone loved to run the trails and kayaking on the water. I was really beginning to take a liking to the city. People were friendly, there was music everywhere and the energy was amazing. I told myself I would at least apply to the University of Texas, even if I didn't choose to go. What could it hurt?

"Sam!" Misty came up and gave me a huge hug as I clung to the glass of soda in my hand and tried to tuck myself into a corner in one of the ballrooms with my thoughts of college football games, Austin City Limits music festival, which I was assured was amazing, and other Austin attractions. "What are you doing back here?"

"Hiding. From all the people out there. No one told me that this thing was going to have freakin' Bono playing at it." I took a huge swig of my drink.

"He's really nice you know." Misty said genuinely.

"Bono? You've met Bono?"

"Well, yeah."

"Why am I not surprised?"

I looked up to see David strolling towards us, fussing with his tie and holding a mask loosely in this free hand. He hated wearing a tuxedo more than anything, but I loved how he looked in them. Especially a charcoal gray one like the one he was wearing tonight. It went well against my pale purple sleeveless Vera Wang dress that I was forced into by Misty, who donned an emerald green strapless number by Donna Karan. Both floor length numbers, Misty had the pageant princess glide down to a science, while I was constantly making sure not to trip and bust my head on the grand piano.

"Wow." David said as he walked up to me. "You look..."

"Ridiculous?" I asked.

"Beautiful." he said earnestly, sweeping his hand across my face in the way the men did in the old movies. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be? I've only tripped about half a dozen times, no big deal."

"But nothing other than that?"

"No."

Misty elbowed him in the side. "Oops...silly me." she said innocently. But then she shot him a look she was hoping I wouldn't notice. Too bad I did.

"What's going on?" I asked them, putting my free hand on my hip.

"Nothing." they replied in unison.

"Because that's believable."

"Let's dance." David said quickly as one of our favorite songs, This Year's Love, came on and people began to crowd the dance floor.

I shot Misty a look as he took my hand and quickly pulled me away, but she just smiled back at me.

We turned to face each other and he pulled me close. I laid my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. Whatever it was they were keeping from me suddenly didn't matter anymore. David had that effect on me and when he was up close and personal, I was powerless. Jelly was more useful than me. It was one of the things I hated about him.

"I love you." I heard him say. I opened my eyes and raised my head to see him looking at me intensely.

I felt my face break out into a huge smile. "I love you too. And I always will."

But there was no smile on his face, no happiness in his eyes. He looked unbearably sad and the room began to spin around me. This was not good, not good at all. That look came before the end of our relationship last time. And if he we broke up again, there was no guarantee that I would make it through this time.

He didn't say anything, just pulled me closer and continued to dance. I was trying my hardest not to panic, but I felt little waves of anxiety begin to bubble up in my chest and I couldn't hold it in.

I pulled away and put my hands on his shoulders, looking him in the eyes. "What's going on David? I want the truth."

He sighed heavily and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Colin. He...he escaped his security detail. They don't know where he is. But he knows about the party and they think he could be here somewhere."

I felt myself tense at the thought of running into Colin. What would he do if he found me? I shuddered at the thought. There were people with masks everywhere, laughing, talking, dancing. Lurking, plotting, preying. I felt like I was about to pass out from the anxiety of suddenly becoming terrified of almost every person in the party.

"It'll be fine. I have faith that it will all be fine." I said, trying to steady my breathing. "I mean, we're protected by the Secret Service, they're great at what they do. That's why they have their jobs!" A nervous laugh escaped my lips. "Everything will be fine."

But of course it wasn't.

David's POV:

Sam was standing in front of me, looking like she had had a bucket of ice water thrown all over her. She was shivering, not that she'd admit it, and was looking around frantically and it was almost as though I could read her mind. People, in masks, at a party that a psychopath is believed to be lurking. We have a problem.

It had taken every ounce of strength I had not to scream at the top of my lungs when they had told me Colin had escaped the security detail that was assisting him to the airport. He was supposed to be on a plane straight back to Washington so that he could be dealt with by the federal government. It was supposed to be over. Why couldn't it just be over?

"Everything will be fine." I heard Sam saying, more to reassure herself than me I would wager.

"Yeah, I'm sure everything will be fine. They deal with these kinds of things all the time." I pulled her close and started to dance again, trying everything in my power to make all the dark thoughts go away, wishing I could literally force all of the small bit of positivity I had into her small body so that she would stop shaking and the tears that threatened to overwhelm her would disappear.

But there was nothing I could do but hold her close and sway with the music, praying to God that everything would indeed, be fine.

OK, well first update in a while. Such a while that I forgot my password to here and the e-mail I registered with. At least I got it changed this time. Update soon!