hey guys. here's the next chapter. please review! enjoy!

by the way, Ruiro's full name is Ruiro-Liposd-Nivuirt and Edru's host's name is Tanya Garcia. just so you know.

~Darath9873's View~

Ruiro immediately stopped sulking and it was as if some spark in him that I had not seen in four years suddenly lit up...

it's her! it's her! it's her! it's her! it's her! he said excitedly.

SHUT UP! I yelled.

She leaned close. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

I felt her warm breath on my face. There was no mistake in who it was...

Edru4364...

How was she alive!?

My host was fighting for control for the first time in four years.

He had something to fight for again...

"Either get out of him right now or die in three days." she said coldly.

"Yeah right." I said.

The darkness in her eyes made me nervous. She was Esplin's twin sister after all...

I was struggling to stay in control, he was fighting hard and it caught me by surprise.

He tried to lean in and kiss her but I stopped him.

Her face was inches from mine, waiting for my answer.

If I so much as barely reduced my efforts to control him, he would've had her up against the wall by now...

"And what happens if I come out?" I cocked an eyebrow.

"You'll see." she said.

I tensed up.

~Ruiro's View~

I could tell he was thinking about it.

I was going to be free!

I was in control! He stated crawling out of my ear and hit the ground with a loud SPLAT.

She picked him up and placed him in a small box.

She leaned in close and untied me.

I immediately grabbed her and held her close.

We kissed. I hadn't realized how much she meant to me until she was gone. When she kissed me I felt relief.

I was free of Darath forever, free of having to stick my head in that gray sludge ever again.

I could feel her steady heartbeat, her every breath.

She was mine forever.

"I missed you so much..." I whispered in her ear.

"Shhhhhhhhh." she whispered back. "I know."

I stroked her hair gently.

"Follow me." she said, so I did.

She lead me to a small wooden house, I think humans call it a 'log cabin'.

She smiled and we walked in.

It had 'country styled' furniture, deer and bear heads mounted on the wall, it looked comfortable actually.

"It took me two years to build this." she said. "And another year to build what's downstairs."

We walked downstairs and I saw a very small version of a yeerk pool.

"It's how I've stayed alive." she said.

She dropped Darath in a small sectioned off part.

"He's lucky I let him live." she said darkly.

We walked upstairs. I looked into her eyes, then were wonderful as ever.

"Hey, I need to ask you something." I said.

She looked at me.

I got down on one knee and pulled out the ring. "Will you marry me?"

Tears filled her eyes. "Oh my God, YES!"

I got up, put the ring on her finger and kissed her.

"This is the best day ever." she whispered.

A few weeks later...

Visser Five's View

I heard the piano played the best song I've ever heard.

I was trying not to jump around with excitement.

I walked down the aisle with my host's father.

We walked over to the alter.

The preacher said a few things then... "Do you Tanya Garcia take James Nivuirt to be your husband?"

"I do." I said happily.

"Do you take James Nivuirt take Tanya Garcia to be your wife?" the preacher said (James was Ruiro's fake human name).

"I do." he smiled.

"I pronounce you husband and wife." the preacher said.

We kissed.

A few months later...

Ruiro had called me into the living room.

"What?" I said.

I saw something covered by a sheet.

He smiled. "You gonna lift the sheet off?"

I did and I couldn't believe my eyes. A parrot!

"Oh my God!" I said excitedly.

I hugged him.

"So what's his name?" Ruiro asked.

"Hmmmm." I said, looking at the parrot sitting happily in it's cage. "I have a strange desire to name him Steve."

"Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve." the parrot said.

"It's a TALKING parrot!" I said.

It was AMAZING!

Ruiro laughed. "I think Steve likes his new name."

"Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve." Steve said.

We found a place to put Steve's cage. It was by the window in the dining room.

I yawned, it was late at night. "I'm tired."

"Steve tired. Steve tired. Steve tired. Steve tired." Steve said.

Steve closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Ruiro and I went into the bedroom and got into bed.

I kissed him and he turned the light out.

We went to sleep...

I woke up to Steve saying. "Steve hungry. Steve hungry. Steve hungry. Steve hungry."

I managed a sleepy smile and put a handful of birdseed in his food bowl.

Steve happily ate the birdseed.

"Morning." I heard a voice form behind me.

I turned around and smiled.

"Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve." said Steve.

Ruiro already had breakfast set out.

I sat down at the table and we started talking.

Steve said a few things too.

"So you thinking about teaching him some phrases?" Ruiro asked.

"Uh-huh." I said. "I'm going to teach him to say 'I know your secret'."

"Why?" he asked, partly laughing.

"So when people walk into the house and see Steve and say 'awww what a cute parrot', Steve will say 'I know your secret'." I replied and took a sip of coffee.

Ruiro laughed.

"Say 'I know your secret' Steve." I said.

"I know. I know. I know. I know. I know." Steve said.

"We'll work on it." I said to Steve.

"Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve." Steve replied.

That's pretty much how the rest of the day went...