Well here it is, once again sorry about the wait. 50% busy and 50% lazy hehe. I will try to be more consistent in the future.

Thank you very very much to everyone for all the reviews, pretty please keep it up and I'll try harder to update more often.

Anyways I'll shut up and get on with the story, enjoy.

oOo

"Rosto?" I breathed.

He grinned. "What's the hurry?"

oOo

Hurry? I thought, my mind going blank. Oh. I turned my head back towards the building and squinted into the shadows. There was no sign of the watcher, he must have seen me coming. I cursed quietly again.

"Beka?" Rosto asked, sounding confused.

I turned back to look at him and realised that he still had his arm wrapped around me and blushed.

"Uh." I put my hands against his chest and pushed lightly getting him to let me go.

He merely smirked at me.

"You cut your hair." He stated, reaching up to play with it frowning.

I nodded and asked. "What are you doing here?" My senses returning to me.

"Correction." He grinned. "What are we doing here."

I frowned and cautiously looked around him and gulped. Standing not to far behind him was Aniki, Kora, Ersken, Phelan, Tunstall and Goodwin were all watching us, amusement clear on their features.

"Okay." I managed. "What are you all doing here?"

"We're coming with you." Rosto declared and I fear my jaw may have hit the ground.

"Close your mouth Cooper." Goodwin ordered and it snapped shut.

"W..what?" I stuttered. "Why? Wait, how did you know where we were?"

"We're hardly going to let you have all the fun." Aniki grinned.

"And I'm the rogue." Rosto said as if this were the answer to everything.

Which is true, he has people every where, he knows more about the city then the dogs do I'd wager.

But I know for sure that he didn't have people in my world. So I turned to glare at Dom, who had materialised next to Tunstall.

"You told them." I said bluntly.

"No I didn't." He defended. "Didn't you heard Rosto, his people found out."

"If the rogue knows where we're going to be, then I should sack the lot of you!" I glared. "I might have been away for a long time Commander but I know how it works, no outsides, if anyone found out then they would be silenced. And Giles would have told me if he'd made an alliance with the rogue."

Dom sighed. "Alright so I told them."

"I know."

"Anyway." Ersken interrupted our argument. "When do we leave?"

"You, never." I replied bluntly. "Commander send out a group, there was a watcher by the house to our right." I ordered without turning around to look at the building.

Dom frowned but did as I asked.

My friends stared at me. "You're not coming. I will not have your deaths on my shoulders."

Rosto rolled his eyes. "Yet you will go? How do you know we will die?"

"Because I have to go, and you have no experience fighting assassins like the ones my father trains. I know your all excellent fighters but I don't want to risk it." Pleading starting to seep into my voice.

They might have been fine, but I highly doubted that they would all come back, if any.

"Please just stay here."

Goodwin frowned. "So you expect us to watch you wander off into the sunrise on your own? With your talent of getting into trouble?"

"Yes?" I smiled sheepishly. "Please, I don't want any of you in any more danger."

They were silent for a moment and Rosto stared down at me.

"There's no way we're getting on that boat is there." Ersken said finally.

I shook my head. "No." I had a whole army to hold them off with and I could just knock them all out, so I was confident.

Goodwin sighed, irritated. "Cooper, you had better come back, or I'll be over there to haul you back."

I grinned at her but cringed mentally. "Yes sarge."

I heard people behind me and turned to see Dom coming back flanked by two of our fighters.

"Nothing." He reported. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure." I returned. "They must have seen me coming and ran."

He nodded. "Very likely, we have caught a couple of them."

He made it sound like they were fish and I flinched.

"We're ready to set sail mistress." One of the coves said.

I nodded. "Get everyone one on board then, and if any of these try to get on, stop them." I gestured back at my friends.

The cove nodded. "Yes mistress." He turned and jogged back down to the boat.

Dom nodded at me and stepped onto the docks, giving orders.

"I have to go." I said finally looking at the familiar faces.

Kora nodded and walked over to me and wrapped me up in a bone crushing hug which Aniki happily joined.

"Be careful." Kora whispered and I noticed her eyes tearing up slightly.

"You're sure I can't come?" Aniki asked, smiling.

I smiled and shook my head. "I'm sure."

"Come home." Ersken said as I hugged him and kissed his cheek.

"I'll try." I whispered.

I hugged Phelan too and he squeezed my arm and smiled encouragingly at me. "Good luck Beka."

"Thank you, we might need it." I replied looking down the docks as the last of the crates waited to be taken aboard.

Tunstall clapped me on the shoulder. "You'll be fine." He said lightly but I saw traces of apprehension in his eyes.

I just smiled softly. I still didn't think I was going to be 'fine'.

I hugged my partner briefly and we grinned at each other. "The rats will get it a bit easier now the terrier is going away."

I chuckled. "They've still got you to deal with." I grinned slyly. "And they might get a message not to cause too much trouble."

He raised an eyebrow. "Sending out messages Beka?"

"Not yet, but I might, just to keep the rogue ones under control." I grinned. "I don't want to miss out on too much here."

"I think you'll have plenty to do where your going." Goodwin stated. "I don't want bored dogs."

Tunstall chucked. "Getting it easy for a while." He mused. "That would be a shame."

We all laughed.

"I'll see you sarge." I giggled at Goodwin.

She nodded, fighting a smile. "And remember, I'll be coming to get you if we don't hear anything."

"I'll send messengers." I promised.

"Try not to get into to much trouble." She said bluntly.

I chuckled and titled my head to the side. "I can try I suppose, but I doubt I'll be able to, you know me."

"Mmm."

They laughed again.

I turned still smiling to the docks, everything had been loaded and now Dom waited for me a few steps down the docks.

I looked at Rosto and smiled. "Take good care of this city Piper."

He nodded and smirked. "Don't I always?"

"So long as you keep it up."

He stuck out his hand and I frowned slightly but took it anyway, I thought he was going to shake it.

But as soon as I put my hand in his, he pulled me to him so my body was pressed against his. My hands immediately pressed flat against his chest, but before I could do anything he lent down and kissed me. Dead on the lips.

His hand that had grabbed mine wrapped around my waist and the other was at the back of my head, keeping me there and pulling me closer.

I froze and my eyes widened, almost leaping out of their sockets. But his lips were warm and I relaxed, half closing my eyes.

I didn't kiss him back though, but I didn't push him away like I should have. I vaguely heard the others chuckle a bit but I didn't take much notice.

Finally he pulled away and lent his forehead against mine. "That wasn't so bad was it Cooper?"

I smirked at him, blushing a bit and gently pushed him away. "Bye Rosto."

I turned and walked down the dock to Dom who was smirking, he fell in time beside me as we walked to the ship.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw him open his mouth. "One word, and you'll swim to the island."

He didn't say anything. And I heard the laughter of my friends.

Smiling to myself as I jogged up the ramp to the main deck I ordered the cast off.

As the men swarmed around the boat and we pulled away from the docks, I stood at the helm as the wind whipped my hair around my face and watched my friends and my home until I couldn't see them anymore.

Chapter eight finished! What did you think of it?

This one was a bit rushed as I did it in a day so it may not be as good as the others, but I'll let you guys be the judge of that.

Don't forget to review :D

Til next time….

xXAngelStormXx