A/N - Edit: I realized I had forgotten to put in the skinny-dipping scene! The rest of the chapter is still the same, just this entire first section of the last chapter was added. Sorry about that.

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Chapter 10:

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Wayne thought fast, and grabbed James by the collar, making them both evaporate into thin air, vanishing immediately in a puff of smoke, just as Damien poked his head out the window. Damien shot glaring eyes over his yard, scanning every inch for intruders. When he didn't see any, he suspiciously closed his window once more, and let it go.

James reappeared by his car with Wayne beside him. He was out of breath from the excessive Using, and puts his hands on his knees to let it catch up with him.

"That was close," he commented.

"A little too close," James said reproachfully, glaring at his friend with annoyance. "You know this is against the rules of the Covenant. If Damien saw--"

"He didn't see…" Wayne insisted impatiently. "Sheesh, stop sounding like the Elders."

"Well, pardon me, Wayne, for not wanting to start an all-out war between the Oath-Takers."

"Not today, at least," Wayne said, getting into James's car. James climbed into the drivers seat on the other side.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

"You know a war is inevitable," Wayne replied. "Someone is bound to break the rules someday. With all the tension between the groups, it won't take much to start one."

"I don't believe that."

Wayne shrugged like it was no big deal.

"Suit yourself. But you know I'm right."

James couldn't find the heart to reply. Inside, he did suspect Wayne was right, but like he said, he refused to believe it. Sure, they all were a little rowdy at times, but he didn't believe anyone on their side would ever go that far. Surely the breaking of the clans wouldn't happen in his generation. He wouldn't allow it, and he knew the others wouldn't either.

"You'd best not mention those opinions to the council tomorrow," James advised. Wayne respectfully nodded his agreement.

-

"Did you know that these halls once served as a safehouse for runaway slaves?" Glenn said as he walked Rosie back to her room once more. The very next day after their hangout at the library, Glenn had called her for another rendezvous. She had enthusiastically agreed. Glenn was thankful that she made this 'love' thing so easy on him. He loved every second he was around her, how easy it was being around her.

"I… said that already."

"Well, I wasn't going to point that out…" Rosie laughed. Glenn decided it was time for a change of subject.

"So where are you off too after this?"

"To the movies with my friend Meredith," Rosie replied.

Glenn recalled the blond that Rosie roomed with, and couldn't help but bring up old hostile feelings against her. The girl had been rude to him, and had obviously disapproved of his relationship with Rosie. He could only imagine why.

"Is Meredith a lonely person?" Glenn wondered.

"Very," Rosie replied. "She's pretty clingy—she wants to hang all the time. I like her though, so I don't mind. Why do you ask?"

She valued Rosie's friendship. That explained it.

"You know somebody interested in her?" Rosie asked. "Because I would love to get some time to myself every once in a while."

"Maybe…" Glenn replied with a nod. "I happen to know a lonely person myself…"

-

That night, Joe shot down another hard drink, having lost count of how many he had already, but knowing that it wasn't helping ease his pain. The council meeting was finally here, less than twenty-four hours away. He was going to have to face his father head-on. Would he step down shamefully with his head between his legs? That was surely the easy way out. But James's words to him made him reconsider his old decision. The others, they had faith in him and his powers when not even the council did. They would stand behind him if he presented his case.

But that meant standing up to his own father. Not like he hadn't done it before… but it was never easy, and it was never pretty.

"Hey!" he called to the bartender, tapping his empty glass upside-down on the counter. "I'm going to need another."

The bartender shrugged and sighed, grabbing a new one for Joe to consume.

"I suppose I shouldn't be asking you how old you are," the barkeep said.

Joe looked up and glared at the man as if with disbelief.

"Just give me another shot."

The bartender didn't argue further. It was probably too late in the night to care about some guy and his technical legalities.

"Give me one too," said a smooth female voice to his left. "On me."

Joe looked at the blond woman, a mysterious aura about her as usual and looking more beautiful than he had ever realized. She was wearing that long black jacket she always wore, along with stiletto heels and dark make-up. His mind drifted to what was underneath that long black coat, what she was hiding that she didn't want anyone to see, or if she was hiding anything at all… but what kind of a person wore heels everyday? He pushed his thoughts aside, and said nothing to her, not even a thanks, just waved off the barkeep to obey her.

The bartender shrugged, knowing it was too late to be asking questions, and grabbed a bottle of whiskey.

"No, no," she put up a hand to stop him as she took a seat on the stool next to Joe. "Wine, please."

He replaced Joe's shots for elegant wine glasses, then went back to the other side of the bar to finish his nightly cleaning, making himself busy running hand towels on the inside of freshly washed shot-glasses.

Joe breathed into his glass with as much competence on the substance as a professional. He sipped and savored the taste in his mouth, before letting it trail down his throat, a smoother taste than the harsh whiskey he had been drinking all night.

"Let me guess," she joked. "Wine tester in another life?"

"In this life," he admitted. His voice was low, ragged, and exhausted. His face was pale and sickly. He probably was drinking on an empty stomach. "My mother collects wines."

"Oh," she said with a smile and a nod, that kind of mocking smile that screamed 'wow, what a loser' all over it.

"Com'on," he countered in a low voice, not really having the heart for real argumentation. "Don't you have any embarrassing secret talents?"

She laughed and covered for it by taking a big sip of her wine.

"You have no idea," she whispered into her cup. There was a pause of complete silence for a moment or two, before Joe leaned back in his stool and looked at her directly.

"Not going to tell me, huh?"

"I don't know you well enough yet to confess my deepest darkest secrets."

"Another day, then," he agreed. "I'd settle for knowing your name, for now…"

She leaned in close to him, smiling seductively. It didn't expect it, but he didn't pull away in his surprise. Perhaps she had been drunk before she had even arrived. Perhaps he was drunker than he had thought. Her rounded lips pursed slightly in thought as they came closer to his face, then paused for a moment, as if wondering if this was a good idea after all. His breath abandoned him. A foreign feeling entered into him then, one he didn't recognize. Was this… attraction? Something was undeniably screaming inside of him for her not to pull away.

"It's…" she said very slowly, closing in on his mouth. "It's…"

She was definitely coming in for a kiss. Once Joe realized this, he took her offer heartily, seizing her mouth as his pains suddenly drifted away and his heart lifted back into its rightful place. It felt better than anything had ever felt in a long time, even Using. He let out a soft moan in pleasure, at which she chuckled under her breath at as they disconnected. Once more she kissed him, loving the feeling, before murmuring airily:

"Delilah. My name is Delilah."

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Please review.
Signed,
--RedRogue