Chapter 2

I woke up in cold sweat at ten past four in the morning, shaking despite the house being warm. Sally and Simon had warned me they were going to the art studio at two in the morning for a lunar painting art class and I would be alone when I woke up but it didn't bother me. I was used to being alone – the only difference was if I didn't want to be, Zed would be with me in seconds. But now, with him fast asleep in his family house, I was completely alone and fully awake. I sighed, sitting up and grabbing one of Zed's old sweatshirts from the floor and throwing it on before grabbing my phone from the side. Waiting was a goodnight text from Zed, sent at 23:11pm, but also two unread Whatsapp from Grace.

'Sup, a few things about tomorrow; we had to change your flights around because of a glitch within the system at Heathrow. So you're now boarding the 17:08 flight from Denver to London Gatwick – LGW is the airport code if you need it. You'll be required to go through the normal procedure but later – I think the time they want you there is 16:02 and they'll sort it all out privately to protect identity or whatever. I'm telling you this and not my thicko cousin because you'll remember this.'

The first paragraph of the message read and I smiled.

'Oh, and Jack and I will pick you up from Gatwick from arrivals – duh – and drive you down to where you're living. The final few bits are being sorted as we speak; the furniture is second hand for now but you'll be able to upgrade when you can. There is also a car – don't expect anything too nice, it's a Corsa from 2005 but you're both insured already. Rent is in your name but it's being paid for under the FBI security protocol. I've filled in the paperwork for your student finances and that'll be heading to your bank account (of which I also opened for you,) within the next week or so, student finance will cover your asses for a while – you'd be getting around £2000 a month and Zed slightly less as well as bursaries and compensation pay from the FBI for fucking around with your degree so honestly, you're going to be loving life. All students are moving into dorms on the sixth of September and that's when enrolment is, so you'll need to head on campus to enrol and so on. Regarding your house; everything is due to come over early morning UK time so we'll move the boxes into the rooms like we agreed and I'll let you unpack. Jack's already cleaned the place down for you. We're living three or so minutes up the road from you. I won't be able to go to university all the time you're over there, but I'll explain why when you're over here. Also, you appear to have a resident cat that loves to come in.'

The message said and I read through it time and time again trying to memorise all the information she had sent me. Considering I had only met Grace, Zed's cousin, a number of times and her Soulfinder Jack even less, she had gone out of her way to try and make us settled in there as quick as she could, whilst involved her staying up to get the plans ready. I tried to work out what time it was in the UK but to no avail. I scrolled down to see the message underneath.

'You owe Jack and I a Nando's now,'

There was a loud rap on the window which made me shit myself. I looked up, dropping my phone on the bed as I stood up, poised to run and call Zed.

It is me, you muppet. Zed told me in my mind and I immediately relaxed, walking over to the window and drawing back the curtains. Zed sat in the tree outside my window in just a short sleeved shirt and a pair of trackies. I rolled my eyes as I opened the window.

'Why are you here?' I whispered.

'I couldn't sleep,' He simply replied as I stood out the way. He slowly climbed through the window, landing the small jump in near silence. I had moved my desk out of the way and left the window clear – Zed had quite often used my bedroom window as a way to get into my house when my parents, Sally and Simon, refused his entry. Especially at nights. They knew I feared the nights alone, but they feared me staying with a boy would lead to teenage pregnancy – or they feared me growing up. 'Where are your parents?'

'Lunar class,' I said, shrugging and he smiled, coming close to me. I squinted slightly, looking up at him as my arms wrapped around his neck.

'Oh, so you're home alone,' Zed whispered and I shrugged. We hadn't yet, you know, because I always was too scared. Zed understood this and never pushed it further and I respected him huge amounts for that but I had a notion all the time I was pushing it back, the more scared I was going to be. It lead to a deadly cycle which I'd have to break.

'Our flights have been pushed back – Grace text me the details of the new flights and when we have to be there.' I whispered and Zed raised his eyebrow.

'How long we have left?'

'Just under twelve hours,'

'We have time then,' Zed said, rocking my slightly. 'God, you're freezing, let's get the fireplace on,'

The fireplace Zed was referencing was electronic, so both of us sat around the fake fire, with realistic graphics and sounds thanks to modern technology, trying to warm me up. God could only know why I was so cold, but it gave me reasons for cuddles. I sat on the floor in my pyjamas which were fleece bottoms and a baggy fit grey shirt, with Zed behind me as I leant into his chest, his arms wrapped around me.

'You're scared,' Zed whispered.

'Of course I'm scared, Vick isn't telling us anything and Grace is being so cautious it's stupid and I don't know why,'

'She called me, explaining why,' Zed said and I froze. 'It was only an hour or so ago; it's why she called me. She thought it would be better for us to know so we could be prepared. That's why I came over,'

'Oh God,' I whispered, shuddering as I saw Zed's colours turn to a light mauve of fear.

'Grace is very high up and can access paperwork that no one else can, not even Vick, and that's what you have to remember. She was just doing background research on both of us to get the paperwork for our student accounts and she had to find your adoption certificate, but when doing that she found a temporary link. This was set up from the adoption agency to a potential background, which included foster homes and then tracked it back to when they found you at the service yard. Somehow, and she refused to tell me how, she found your medical history from after the house fire which had your parents in and found our your real name – she refused to tell me that too not that I asked. Basically, they think someone from your side of your biological family is trying to find you and track you down. It's finding a needle in a haystack, so they're finding every Savant in America who is going to college and tracking it down that way. They find someone they think it might be, take them, and they never show up again. That's why Grace demanded you came to England for university and Vick had to agree – if they found you we'd never get you back,' Zed whispered softly as I tensed up and the tears started. 'You'll be safe now we know,'

'How, Zed, how will I be safe?' I asked as he hugged me tight, kissing my neck.

'We know what we're looking for, so we can protect you,'

'But then why were you on the list?' I shot back at him as he frowned, but still rocking me gently.

'Grace thinks they know about us being together, but without names. But she's confident they won't find you, don't worry.' Zed said, and I just remained silent. What could I reply? Someone in my previous life, who gave me up and left me for dead at a motorway house, was now trying desperately to find me. What would they do if they found me? Six people had gone missing within the last year that everyone thought was linked to my Uncle and Aunt who took me after my parents died, who abused me before leaving me. Would they keep going until they found me?

'I'll be fine,' I whispered to myself but just trying to calm myself. Zed lifted my shirt up slightly to rub my waist and stomach.

'You'll be fine baby,' Zed said as I leaned against him.

They were here – I couldn't put a name to their faces but their sneers was enough for me to know they're here for me. To take me back. I wasn't sure where I was, or where I was heading, but I ran through the woods, jumping over rocks that scraped my feet, stumbling on branches on the floor. I could hear their feet pummelling behind me right on my heel. I broke into a clearing with a large pond in the middle, which reflected the spotlights cast by the lamp posts.

'Don't bother, you knew we were coming for you,' the man said, his finger nails thick and yellow with scar tissue from years of heavy smoking. His jiggered teeth which would make him comical and ideal for Jeremy Kyle in the moonlight made him look more like a vampire.

'We'll take you back now, girlie,' the woman said, her skin sagging but her make-up prominent. She looked like she had aged fifty years from when I saw her when I was sixteen, and I found out about her. I edged towards the pond.

'Oh, don't do that. If you leave, we're just going to... dispose of that boyfriend of yours,' The man sneered and I gasped.

'You can't,'

'Watch us, bitch,' the woman said.

'No, please, leave him alone,'

'Come with us and we will,' The man said. 'You'll never see him again, but you know he'll move on. You've always had doubts of your worth. He'l find someone else, and you'll come back with us. Family sticks together.'

'Blood is thicker than water,' The woman said, missing the "t" within the water and I cringed but I thought. I want Zed to be safe. It would kill me never to be with him and have the future we had idealised or had dreamed about. We'd never get married, have kids or become grandparents. We'd never see each other. But he'd be safe.

'Zed,' I whispered.

I jumped awake, immediately looking around to find Zed. I turned to my right and he was right there, topless, asleep. I must have fallen asleep earlier on when we were down by the fireplace and he carried me to bed. It took a moment to try and still my laboured breath, watching Zed calm. Knowing the dream wasn't real, and Zed was still here and no one had come to get me calmed down. He looked adorable, his hair going everywhere and lips slightly parted. I tried to listen to the house to hear is Sally and Simon were back, but nothing. Silence allowed me to understand they were out. Slowly, I settled back down into Zed's arms.

'Sky?' He asked after five or so minutes.

'Yeah?'

'You okay?' He asked softly, and I looked up at him. He was frowning at me, rubbing my lower back in small circles. I nodded, before moving up slightly and kissing him. The kiss deepened as he wrapped his arms around my back, pulling me in as I ran my hand up and down his toned body. I moaned slightly as the kiss got deeper and deeper, and I ended up climbing on top of Zed, his hand lifting up my shirt and pulling it over my head, a grin covering his face the entire time. He shook his head at me.

'You're brilliant, you know that?' He said and I just kissed him in reply. He wrapped his arms around my waist, rolling me over so he was on top, one hand on the bed keeping him up and the other hand running over my top half.

'Sky,' He said slightly sad. He knew I wasn't ready. But something had changed – I wanted him. I lusted for him. I love Zed to pieces, we both knew that. But I wanted to take it further.

'No, I want too,' I whispered in exhilaration.

'You sure?'

I didn't reply, I just kissed him again and carried on from where we left off.

So that's the second chapter - thank you so much for everyone who replied! I'm still not too sure if this is something anyone will want to read so please review if you do and what you'd like to see and so on. Also following the story would be brilliant but of course, that's only if you'd want too. ! :D

Thank you again!