Meg: Shut up.

Ellie: Aw! But you and Murtagh are such a-

Meg: SHUT UP.

Rebecca: But-

Meg: SHUT.

Brooke: You-

Meg: YOUR

Sarah: Love-

Meg: PIE-

Ellie: Him!

Meg: PENGUIN.

The other girls: What?

Avery and Jackie: The author only owns their OCs!

"You keep on denying who you are and how you're feeling; baby we're not buying. Hon, we saw you hit the ceiling! Face it like a grown-up, when you gonna own up that you got, got, got it bad?" -Hercules

Sarah felt like a third wheel to the others, though the two boys (men?) often came to her when they needed advice.

At the moment, she was sitting a few feet to the right of Murtagh who had been roused from his sleep at Ellie's cry. "I do not wish to wake her." He whispered, "Will you take her off so that I may climb on to Tornac?"

She nodded and pulled her friend off, grunting, "Gosh, Meg, you're a real dead-weight."

Murtagh chuckled, then pulled the sleeping girl into the saddle, resting her head against his chest and prepared to leave as soon as the others were ready.

For a long while, they traveled in their desperation to further flee Gil'ead. Eragon had healed the elf to the best of his abilities and though it taxed his strength greatly, he insisted that they ride through the night.

They stopped late in the evening, though Meg had woken up an hour before noon and had insisted on having Murtagh sleep while she controlled Tornac and he ended up sleeping four hours past the single hour agreement.

When they woke, his first question was the time. "It's six in the evening." Meg replied, rather smugly and grinned when his face fell.

"You were supposed to-"

"I know what I was supposed to do, I chose not to do so because you've barely slept and because I am feeling much better than before." She explained. He eyed her as though he didn't believe her.

At the next stop, the question that had been plaguing all their minds was brought up by Sarah. "What are we going to do?"

No one answered for a while; and Meg could not help but think about Murtagh's offer, she had more than enough time to come up with her decision. "The only thing we can do now is leave the Empire." She was startled when Murtagh's voice rang out and her head snapped up to met his eyes, a smile gracing her face. He continued to explain their options—which were really only the South and the East. Eragon thought carefully before eliminating the South as well. "So you want to go through the desert?"

The girls looked to Eragon, uncertainty and fear showing in their eyes, for they did not wish to go through the desert if they could avoid it. Murtagh and Eragon began to debate (or argue) about where they should go and almost naturally, Sarah zoned out. Ellie stealthily retreated from the conversation and retrieved her companions. "Come on," She whispered. "Impromptu meeting number four."

"I missed the first two?" Meg asked in mock surprise. They went by the horses, stroking their manes and drawing comfort from the voiceless beasts.

"I'm not keen on going through a desert," Sarah stated nonchalantly. "I'd rather go back to Angela and Solembum." Ellie and Meg snickered, drawing a confused look from their companion. "What?"

"Oh, nothing." Meg replied cryptically. "I will go if that is the only presented option."

"You mean, you'll go wherever Murtagh goes." Ellie corrected, a smug grin on her face. "I happened to have overheard his rather generous offer."

Sarah laughed and grabbed Ellie by the hand, spinning her in a circle and saying in the manliest voice she could muster, "Come with me, Meg, we could go anywhere we want! Do anything we pleased!" Then fell to the ground in a laughing pile.

She raised an eyebrow at their antics, "What are you two doing?"

"Oh, come on!" Sarah said. "We saw you two kiss! You're clearly in love!"

"You can't be serious."

"What, you deny that you are?" Ellie questioned. "Because you make the cutest couple."

"A. We're not together. B. I've already given you my opinion of relationships in the teen years and C. He's Murtagh, the most selfish, insufferable loathsome son of a monkey-"

"As well as tall, romantic and handsome."

"UGH!" She groaned and stormed off to her sleeping spot after being informed by a cautious Eragon that they would most likely brave the desert.

As they prepared to leave the next morning, Ellie and Sarah watched Murtagh like hawks, whispering like two year olds to each other.

"You ask,"

"No, you ask,"

"Will you please ask?"

"Fine. Murtagh! Ellie wants to ask you something!"

"Jerk."

"But I'm your jerk."

"Hush up, here he comes." Murtagh approached, an eyebrow raised, the single action asking them why the heck he was there without words. "Do you love Meg?"

"I beg your pardon?" He seemed utterly dumbstruck (something that was hard to do) and his face seemed to turn slightly more pale.

"We overheard your offer to her as well as wondered why she could ride on the back of a horse we were instructed not to touch. The only proper explanation is that you care for her." Sarah explained. "We couldn't help but ensure that you won't hurt her if you do."

"Well, I suppose she would be a fine companion." He stammered.

"Yeah..."

And whatever man has her would be a lucky one."

"Duh..."

Just then, Meg passed by, carrying a bag to Saphira and latching it onto her saddle. The girls noted how his eyes never left their friend and barely contained their squeals of delight. "Do you suppose she thinks of me?" He asked, surprising even himself when he asked the question. Stammering, he tried to regain his footing. "I mean, when I am not around, do you think she thinks of me as I do of her?"

"All the time." They assured him and he smiled, locking eyes with Meg who smiled back.

Sarah was so bored as they traveled, she had somehow managed to get the Dora Theme Song stuck in her head. With an exasperated sigh, she blew a stray bit of hair out of her face.

The ring of Meg's laugh drew her attention to M&M (yes, that was the nickname she had come up with during Stage 7 of her boredom.) At least they seemed to be having a good time. When Meg caught her eyes, she ceased to laugh subtly, as if remembering that she was supposed to dislike him.

She scowled and thought bitterly, Just wait, Megara, Ellie and I are going to change your views of boys.

When they reached the Ramr river, the boys were awfully happy, so Sarah faked joy to avoid questions. Honestly, she didn't really pay much attention to discussions, but it must've been a good thing. Then, the elf was brought up again. She had been perfectly content to be zoned out of everything when they traveled—even when they had to be stealthy upon passing through Bullridge—but the second the elf was brought up, she was glaring daggers. She hoped they would not have to bother with her later on (that they would find a place to leave her, not that she would die.) She could tell Ellie was annoyed, but all was forgotten when they reached the desert.

Ellie hated the desert. They traveled so long that they were exhausted, burnt, thirsty and cranky. Much to her (and Sarah's) surprise Meg didn't seem to be affected by the extreme temperature changes and her infamous, yet rare, temper never made the expected appearance. Murtagh, however, was temptingly irritable, though it was never directed towards Meg.

She went to Eragon, who was filling their waterskins with the water he had summoned and her face became red. They hadn't spoken since the kiss. "Um, hi, Eragon." She stammered and mentally face-palmed. She could already hear Brooke mocking her. "If you were a potato...you'd be a good potato."

He seemed startled at first, then released the water and slumped. She was holding him in an instant and carried him over to Saphira. "You shouldn't use all your energy for water." She chastised She placed a hand on his forehead and scowled. "And your cold, who gets cold in the desert?"

"Then perhaps you should stay with me." She froze, her hand still outstretched to retrieve a blanket. He was becoming bold.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Please don't make me repeat myself," He said with a sheepish grin. "It's terrifying enough."

Ellie raised an eyebrow before making herself comfortable beside him and looking at the stars. "Did you enjoy it?" Neither looked at each other; and in spite of his vagueness, she knew exactly what he was talking about. "Or was I being too forward?"

Ellie smiled and planted a kiss upon his cheek and whispered, "How's that for an answer?"

The longer they stayed in the Hadarac, the shorter the fuse became on Murtagh's temper. So Sarah and Ellie decided it was time to set him and Meg up. They even got Eragon and Saphira in on it as well. So when M&M were asleep (in each other arms, though they would both deny it.) They devised a plan.

Ellie and Sarah were experts on what Meg liked, so they were the reference and scout team. They "scouted" for a flower and had spent a good long while in doing so to come upon a desert flower (only Meg would know its name) from a cactus. ("Holy Lord in Heaven above!" Sarah had cried when a needle became stuck in her hand. "He better be the one or so help me, I will-" Eragon became frightened at the colorful consequences of hurting one of Sarah's friends.)

"Then what?" Sarah mumbled, her hand in her mouth to try and staunch the "river" of blood.

"Then we ditch the scene." Ellie explained. "We leave a note saying that we went scouting ahead and won't be back until the afternoon. Eragon, you can give the flower to Murtagh with another little note explaining what actually happened and inform him that if he doesn't make a move, we're leaving him and taking Meg with us."

"That's a little harsh," Eragon said, then went silent. "Saphira thinks it will be fun."

"You know she's going to kill us if she ever finds out."

"Yeah, probably."

Meg woke to an empty camp. "Murtagh," She whispered, shaking him gently. "Murtagh, wake up. Ellie, Eragon and Sarah are gone, as well as most of the supplies." She found the fake note and scowled. They weren't out scouting, this was a set up.

She turned around abruptly and came face to face with a flower (darn thing nearly gave her a heart attack.) She looked at it with a startled expression until she realized that Murtagh was offering it to her and she accepted it with a blush. "Thank you."

"'Tis a shame," he said as she placed the flower behind her ear. She gave him a confused look, though he only smiled. "That all the flowers of Alagaesia wilt in comparison to you."

She blushed even brighter and looked to her feet. He lifter her chin to meet his gaze and said quietly, "Your eyes mock the beauty of the fairest elf. You must have been blessed, for I have never met one whose beauty is as vibrant on the inside as it is on the outside."

"Why are you doing this?" She whispered, looking away. Her heart and gut were screaming for her to shut up and admit her feelings, but her mind and tongue refused.

He looked at her with knitted brows, "I trust you know of the scheme?" She nodded. "I am taking advantage of the time I am given to be with you."

She smiled, then laughed before wrapping her arms around his neck and enveloping him in a passionate kiss. When they broke away, breathless, Meg said, "When the others leave for the Varden, I will go with you." He smiled, relief and happiness emerging onto features that had, for a long while, been hardened by only dark experiences.

Sarah squealed with delight then quickly shoved her fist into her mouth. They hadn't gone three feet away from the camp and could see everything. Ellie was happy, until Meg took up the offer, then her face fell. She had already lost Rebecca—and by extension, Brooke—Sarah was interested in returning to Teirm and Meg had just agreed to leave as soon as they had the chance. Had she done the right thing?

Unable to stand it any longer, Ellie made their presence known. Meg looked happy, Sarah looked ecstatic. Ellie faked a smile.

Sarah: This chapter is dedicated to the lovely people who reviewed!

Brooke: *cough* Kyolover125 *cough* Kitty(guest) *cough*

Sarah: Geez, are you alright?