The car ride home was slow. Mostly because Lend was half asleep, and his father seemed to be extremely caught up in driving. As the car went over the speed-bump to leave the hospital parking lot, Lend slid over in the back of his sleep, completely unconscious, and his head rested atop of mine. As the back tired rode over the rest of the bump, his body was jolsted again, and his head landed on my lap this time.

I chuckled to myself, and hoped desperately that his father wouldn't look back at us. I ran my fingers through his hair, and rubbed his cheek with the back of my hand absently as David drove us all home.

It wasn't until I heard a car door slam that I realized I'd fallen asleep as well, with my head leaned over the back of the seat and my fingers tangled in Lend's for-now-black-hair. David opened the door to the back seat, and that's when my head snapped up and I looked around like a lost puppy.

"Hmm…?" I blinked fervently, trying to see through the darkness that now enveloped the scene, though, not having night vision, I failed miserably. Whilst looking around, I noticed that my neck was so stiff. Probably not a good idea to fall asleep like that in a car.

The second thing I noticed was that there was a big sign with blinking lights, and blown out letters. I hoped that it said "Hotel" instead of "Motel". In the movies, all kinds of crap went down in motels.

Where in the bleep are we?

David held out his hand toward me, offering to help me out of the car. "Evie, may I take your hand?" Was it me, or did David's voice have a faint echo to it?

I voiced the word 'yes', and went to move Lend off my lap, only to realize he wasn't there anymore. I looked around the car, checking to see if he had sat up or something, only to find I was now in the car by myself.

"David, where's Le..-?" Apparently, David thought my question would go best unanswered, because, mid-word, he grabbed my wrist and wrenched me out of the car, making me drop to my hands and knees, skidding them on the jagged parking-lot-pavement.

My hands felt as though they were on fire as I stood slowly, to examine my new injuries. God damn it, I thought, what is up with this jerk?

I wiped my fingertips against my knees, and inspected them, finding a scarlet-red, liquid color on them. Oh, bleep. I looked up at David with a hurt look on my face. As my gaze met his, he gripped my wrist again with his… glowing… hand? I yelled, and tried jerking it back, out of his hand. But that only initiated a burning feeling. It worked it's way up my arm, through my shoulder, and began itching at my heart. My knees buckled under myself, sending me to the pavement again, possibly scraping my bloodied knees further. Bleep!

"Augh! David, stop! Please stop!" I cried out, as loud as I could. My girly, scratchy voice echoed through the parking-lot, though no one came to help. Where are you, Lend? Where are you, Arianna?

I knew better than to think that this was Lend's dad. David can't do this. This was Reth in disguise. But, even though it was a disguise, I was still scared stiff of David.

I felt consciousness bidding me an adieu, then suddenly felt my right arm being tugged, followed by a hot voice on the same side's ear.

"Evie. Open your eyes, please, open your eyes," said the voice. It was a very familiar voice. One that I'd grown rather… fond of, rather attuned to.

(I'm sorry for breaking here. But, I just must share. While I got distracted… I was searching the interwebz, and I found that Supernaturally had come out. I HAD A NERDGASM EVERYWHERE. And then I bought the book a few seconds later. I am currently reading it. ^^J)

"My-… My eyes are open! They are open!" I pulled against the invisible thing tugging my arm, but it did no good. The grip was first, but gentle. Warm, but not burning me like Reth's currently was. Which reminds me…

"Reth! Stop! It hurts!" I cried out, but it did no good. My stomach churned with unease and panic as the heat got hotter and hotter, burning it's way up my arm, into my heart.

And, just like that, everything was gone. It was all black for a moment. The pain was gone. Though the panic was still fresh in it's course. I looked around frantically, until my vision adjusted, attuning itself to the darkness. We were in a car. In a parking lot. It was dark out. Up the road, one might notice lights coming from the bigger, busier part of the city.

"Evie?" Said an anxious sounding voice. It was his.

(Lend's POV. I dunno. I'm trying it out. I hope you guys like it? :D)

"Evie?" I asked. To my embarrassment, my voice shook, and tears were running down my cheeks. Wow, I'm such a baby. But, I love her, what else could I do?

While she was… spazzing out, I managed to unbuckle her from her seat, and slide her into my lap, in my haste to wake her up. I shook her shoulder, slapped her face (lightly!), whispered calming things in her ear-or at least something that sounded calming to me?

Her hand came up to my face and her fingertips lightly caressed over my cheekbone. I leaned my head into her hand, always finding her touch calming. Especially at the institute, when I was always scared. I was always afraid I was going to die. Always afraid they were going to bring me into some strange, plain, white room and dissect me. She sat beside me in my boring, little room, and always drew with me. That's when all of my troubles seemed to melt away. It was when she left that I always felt empty, alone, worried. She was amazing. She was beautiful. And now, she's mine. Therefore, I will protect her.

I raised my right had, doing to same to her cheek, and, in the process, wiping away her tears. "It's alright. No one is here to hurt you." I should get her an iron ring or something. With pink stones or something. She likes pink. A lot.

I should probably tell her it now, or something. No. I wanted it to be special. I wanted it to meant something for her, not it be something I say to her when she's in panic mode… instead I cupped her cheek in my left hand while moving her hair out of her face with my right. "I'm sorry, Evie. I tried waking you but-…" My words were cut short as she slanted her head forward and kissed me soothingly on the lips. At first is was small, sweet peck, telling me to calm down, to not overreact. Then it grew into a kiss that told me that she wanted a kiss. One that would last long; and I was all for it. She… we had, in my opinion gotten way better at kissing. But, how would I know? I mean, she's the only girl I've ever kissed; or like-liked, for that matter.

I slowly moved her off of my lap and onto the leather seat where she originally sat. Her fingers twined into my hair, making our kiss unbreakable, our lips inseparable. The more I moved closer to her, the more she slid down the back of the seat. The more she slid down the back of the seat, the more on top of her I was when she finally lay horizontal on the seat. My elbows rested on the cushy seat of the car on either side of her head; they were carefully placed there: not too close to her head, so I wouldn't pull her hair, not too far away, so I wouldn't fall off of the seat. Man, am I good.

"I'm so sorry," I mumbled against her lips over an over again. I knew what her nightmare was about. It was either her and Vivian or her and Reth. The Vivian dreams weren't as bad as the ones with Reth, though, as she'd explained to me. Her and Vivian were getting along just fine. That one incident in the hospital was just Viv trying to get her attention, apparently. She'd better not try it again, though.

After my eightieth or so apology, she bit my lower lip, trying to shut me up. And it worked pretty well. I took her upper lip between mine and licked it heavily, trying to gross her out. She never liked it when I did things like that, but, we were just messing around, and I wanted to make the mood a… bit lighter. A lot lighter.

But, no dice. Evie tilted her head more at an angle, and licked my lower lip gently, as if asking for an entrance. Wasn't I supposed to do that? Ugh. Opening my mouth wider, I waited until she mimicked my motion, and when she did, I slipped my tongue into her mouth with discreetness.

Her tongue flicked mine back, and I let out a low, husky chuckle after hearing her adorable, girly giggle. We stayed like this for God-knows-how-long, until the opening of a car door startled us both.

Our mouths detached from one another's in that instant. Sliding down a small bit, I rested my head on Evie's chest, smiling when I heard and felt the rapid beating of her heart in my ear. We both breathed out of our noses so we could regulate our breathing better, and make is unsuspicious at the same time.

Dad hopped into the car and settled himself into the driver's seat. He threw a full-looking back into the passenger's seat, along with a crumpled paper that looked small enough to be a receipt. He took a quick glance in his rear-view mirror at us. I snapped my eyes shut, hoping he wouldn't notice me awake. And, when the car started after a loud sigh sounded, I knew we were in the clear. Running my hand up and down Evie's side, I slid back up to her face, pecked her on the lips silently, and leaned my head down to her, pressing my lips to the skin just below it before murmuring, "I l-…"

Just then, Dad slammed on the breaks, causing me to slide right off of Evie, and onto the floor, in between the front seats and the back seats. Evie would have been next if she hadn't gripped the headrest on the back of my dad's seat, and the one on her's.

A loud, irritated groan-more like growl-escaped my lips as I propped myself back up and sat in in the middle seat, looking out the windshield, finding nothing but a red light. Was I ever going to be able to tell her how I feel? Like, EVER?

"Sorry, Lend!" Dad chimed in. His voice sounded rather amused. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Peachy." My voice was flat as I hung my head, and dropped them into my hands. Alright. I have to plan this, I guess. Okay… so, we have a date… and I wait till the… No! After a movie! A romance movie! I'll tell her! I'll take her to see… Twilight? N'aw. That movie sucks big time. The books were better. How about… A Walk to Remember? Hmm. Yeah, that was a cute movie. I'll rent it. Make sure Dad's not home. Or, we could watch it in my room? Plan, plan, plan. Ugh.

She's lucky I love her so much. Otherwise… I so wouldn't be acting like this.