Kiteria: Haha, we did it. From 602 to 2,280! Booyha bitches!

Erin: You just don't learn do you?

Kiteria: *looks at friend confused* What? I didn't say anything bad.

Erin: *simply shakes head at friend* We worked hard on this one, though Kit somewhat confused me on some parts, so please review!

Kiteria: How did I confuse you?

Erin: *walks away*

Kiteria: Erin! *starts to go after friend, but stops and looks back at readers* Please review. *runs after friend who is still walking away* ERIN!

A/N: All strange skits aside, we did work really hard on this. Please read and review and tell us what you think. And if you have any questions, feel free to message either one of us.

-Liz-

I walked out of Erin's bedroom and leaned up against the wall in the hallway as I listened to the shrill rings coming from the other end of my phone before the person on the other end finally picked up.

"Hello?"

I heard a familiar voice ask and couldn't help but smile.

"Hey Shi, you remember that time when I helped you out with those guys that were bothering you and you said you owed me one?"

I asked, knowing that getting Draco to meet Shikari was important, that and i wanted to see her again.

"Yeah..."

She said and my smile grew.

"Well hop on the next train to Magnolia and follow the directions in your text and I'll see you soon."

I said and got silence from the other end.

"What text?"

She asked when she finally spoke again until I heard her mumble something that sounded like a curse in my direction and smiled that much more.

"I'll be there by morning."

She said before I heard her end of the line go dead.

I shook my head as I closed my phone and walked back into Erin's room.

"She never was one for goodbyes."

I said with a shake of my head and earned yet more confused looks from Erin and Draco.

-Draco-

This human had a plan, one I didn't like. Though she wanted Erin to be happy she didn't fully understand what it meant to be a spirit, and yet I found myself hold a high hope for whomever Liz suspected could take Leo's place.

"I will be back."

I said to the girls and gave Erin a small grin.

-Leo/Loke-

I sat under the tree with my head in my hands. Since Erin left I couldn't make myself get up and go after her. She thought I was asking her to leave her home and life but I wasn't. I could never ask that of her.

"Sulking was always kinda your thing."

I snapped my head in Draco's direction, the remaining flames disappearing around her as she crossed her arms.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

She demanded. I couldn't open my mouth. Draco stepped forward.

"That girl was placed in my protection and when I felt her fear, her agony, I felt I failed my promise. I thought I failed Erin. Come to find out you just had to open your mouth and tell her the one thing I was trying to keep from her."

Draco pulled on my left arm until I was on my feet and falling forward. I hit the ground with a thud.

"I can't live without her Draco."

I said sitting up and I heard Draco sigh.

"I know that."

We stayed quiet for a few minuets.

"Look, her friend has found someone who she believes could take your title."

Draco said calmly and I looked at her.

"Will it work?"

I asked and saw my old friend bite her bottom lip.

"That all depends on the girl."

-Liz-

I did my best to coax Erin out of her dazed state as we waited for Shikari to arrive. It took me having to pull out my secret stash of Bicardi and almost half the bottle disappearing before Erin finally loosened back up to how I was used to her being. Thank God we could both hold our liquor or we'd be screwed by morning.

"So, tell me how you feel about all this E."

I said as I took the bottle from her and took a swig as I turned to face her on her bed. Draco had gone who knows where and she probably wasn't going to be back anytime soon and I wanted to know what was on my friend's mind.

-Erin-

The drink didn't help, but it numbed the state I was in.

"Erin?"

Liz sounded worried. I was never the one to break, but always the one in the fights.

"He wants to leave his home. Why would he do that?"

Liz wasn't really sure what to say and I could tell that much from the silence that came from her, though after a few minutes she did finally speak.

"Have you thought maybe because he's found something in this world that he can't live in the spirit world without is why he would do it?"

She asked beseechingly.

I thought on what she said before responding.

"You know just as well as anyone that I've never been the relationship type. I'm always the one to start or finish a fight, sometimes they'll be bigger than me or more powerful but I've never backed out. I'm the one who will tell you off simply because you looked at the ground wrong. Why would he give up everything he knows, his home, his name, his power for someone like me?"

Liz frowned at my statement.

"Erin, you're going to make me smack you."

She said and I looked at her about to ask what I did when she spoke again.

"You may not have the most experience when it comes to relationships, and you may be more of a fighting kinda girl, but you've managed to get Loke's attention being you, and that's something you should cherish."

She said and I heard her sigh before continuing.

"As I said before, he has found something-no, someone-that he can't live without. Do you know who that person is Erin?"

She asked, but I didn't answer.

"It's you Erin. I don't know about you, but if I was in your position I'd feel pretty damn special that someone cared about me enough to do what Loke's willing to do for you. So stop feeling so bad, you love him don't you?"

I didn't skip a beat.

"Yes."

"Then what the hell do you have to feel all upset about?"

She asked, playfully pushing me.

"If you two love each other, then that's all there is to it. Don't worry so much about things, just enjoy it."

She said and I couldn't help but smile at her.

At that moment I wanted nothing more than to find Loke. I jumped up off my bed and ran to the door. I stopped and turned back to a still smiling Liz.

"You know I hate it when you're right? But I still love ya."

I said before turning and continued to the front door, jumping over a small table and dodging a chair in the process.

-Draco-

I let out a deep breath when I returned to Erin and Liz's home. The scent in the air told me Erin had left but Liz was still here. I found said dragon slayer in the kitchen with a bottle in her hand.

"Where'd she go?"

I asked.

Liz turned at my question and looked me in the eye before shrugging nonchalantly.

"To find a certain lost little kitty."

She said with a smirk as she leaned back against the counter.

I shook my head.

"The same cat I just left pouting? Good, maybe she can knock a smile on his face. Erin's always been good at making the depressed smile, even if her ways involved immense pain and stupidity."

I leaned against the door frame.

I heard Liz laugh at my statement and I looked at her to see her smiling.

"Yeah, that would be Erin. She really doesn't see how much she means to people sometimes, but that's just her."

She said before lifting the bottle in her hand to her mouth and draining the last of whatever was in it.

"Who's the girl?"

I asked her. She placed the bottle on the counter behind her and sat in one of the four chairs at the table in the center of the kitchen. I sat in front of her.

"Forgive me for doing the out of nowhere thing but I have to know if she'll be a suitable replacement."

I expected to see an angry expression on Liz's face, but instead she had a small smile.

"It's okay Draco, I understand."

She said as she crossed her arms under her chest and leaned back in the chair so it was balanced on it's hind legs.

"I can tell you that Shi is a nice girl, but that's not what you're asking is it?"

She asked, but I didn't respond because I knew she wasn't really looking for an answer.

"Shi knows how to handle situations that most don't or can't really. I met her when Erin and I had gotten into an arguement some years ago before we reached Magnolia. You remember when Erin said she'd wanted to go find more keys and I had said I was tired of going on wild goosechases that never turned out to be profitable?"

She asked and I nodded as I remembered what she was talking about.

"She would tell me how she missed you and how she felt about making her best friend pissed at her."

I said and saw Liz nod and her smile disappear from her face.

"I had been pissed at her. We'd become friends the moment we met, but all those so called 'leads' about keys being here and keys being there had gotten old and I snapped."

She said, looking at the table between us.

"It was during the time that Erin and I were apart that I met Shi. It was an...unconventional way of meeting, but I'm still glad we did."

She said and I looked at her confused at her words.

"How did you meet?

-Liz-

"How did you meet?"

Draco asked and I smiled slightly as I remembered how exactly Shikari and I had met.

"I was looking for a place to stay after Erin and I had gone our seperate ways. I was passing by a restaurant when something was suddenly thrown through the glass window and knocked me to the ground. I had been about to tear into whoever it was or who threw it when I heard her apologize and watched her get to her feet. It wasn't until afterwards that she told me her name."

I explained.

"She simply stepped back into the restauarant and I'd heard shouts and more breaking glass so I went to see what was going on. I was shocked to say the least when I saw that one girl facing off against ten grown men."

I said and chuckled a bit when I saw Draco's eyes widen, but I continued.

"I had made my way into the restaurant and asked the waitress nearby what was going on. She told me that Shikari was fighting with the ten men because they had come into town demanding that the mayor hand over the deed, but since the mayor was out they had stopped by the restaurant for something to eat. They had eaten their fill and were about to leave when the owner of the restaurant told them they had to pay. The leader of the group of men had thrown the owner against the wall and said they ran the town now and didn't need to pay, everything would be free for them or else. Everyone had been so afraid of what the men would do next except for Shikari. She had gotten up from her table and walked up to the leader of the group and tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned to look her way she knocked him out and that was what got her thrown out the window."

I said and waited to see how Draco would respond.

"A girl who can hold her own."

Draco smirked and nodded.

"I'll have to meet her still, but I like that."

Draco stood and started to leave, but like Erin stopped and turned.

"Did you ever want to see Erin again? Was there a part of you that wished it was just you and that girl? A part that didn't want Erin to return?"

At Draco's question I frowned. I wanted to say no automatically, but I knew better than to try and lie to Draco despite how bad my answer was going to make me sound.

"At first, I did think of not going back and finding Erin and making up like we had. I'm not going to lie to you, I did think of it, but it was actually Shikari that talked me into going to make amends. Shi and I have a lot in common, but Erin and I...we have a bond that no one can break or compare to. I'm glad to have listened to Shi and made up with Erin, if I hadn't then I probably wouldn't be amongst the living anymore."

I said truthfully and wondered what Draco would say in response to that. I knew she wasn't a huge fan of me, but knew she didn't hate me either. Did what I just told her change that?

I saw Draco nod and a mix of shock and something else filled me as she was consumed in flames and vanished.

-Draco-

I left their home with a new respect for the water dragon slayer Erin had become friends with and a higher curiosity about this Shikari girl than before.