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I'm trying to decide what story to focus on next so please let me know what you think of this by leaving a review!

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The waves crashed against the sand, the starry night sky and full moon twinkling above as a guiding light.

Small tan feet ran through the wet sand, leaving behind footprints that were immediately washed away with the tide. She had done this many times before, knowing when the waves would wash away all evidence of her path.

She pushed her blonde curls out of her face, panting from her run. She should have tied her hair back, but she hadn't had time and she liked the way her hair felt down and loose with the wind running its fingers through it.

"Seaweed Brain!" She called down the beach waving franticly. A young boy stood waiting, his dark hair blending in with the inky darkness and his sea-green eyes shining in the moonlight. He waved back, his usual troublemaker smile lighting up his whole face.

"Sorry I'm late," She huffed as she reached him. "It took forever for Daddy and Helen to fall asleep."

"It's okay Wise Girl. I just got here a minute ago." He assured her tweaking her nose.

She made a face, showing her displeasure. She hated it when he did that, it made her feel like a little kid even though he was only a year older than her.

Standing on her tiptoes she ruffled his black hair trying to aggravate him right back. Instead of getting frustrated, however, he only smirked down at her knowingly.

"C'mon, we better get started." He said with a laugh in his voice.

They set off down the beach to find the perfect spot to work on their project. They had been working on it for months, trying to create the perfect sandcastle. One that would last, standing against time and the waves of the ocean.

Finding the perfect spot, they sat down so that she could roll out the pages she had drawn the designs on. They spent several minutes studying the designs, Seaweed Brain asking questions with her clarifying. Once they were both clear on the plan, he started digging while she used a bucket he had brought to haul water up from the ocean.

"Wise Girl," he said after working in silence for a while.

"Hmmm?" She responded from where she was studying the plans, indicating that she was listening.

"What's your name? Your real one?" He asked seriously.

Stormy gray eyes met sea green ones, hard determination in them.

"We've been over this Seaweed Brain. I can't tell you my name and I don't want to know yours."

"But why?"

"Because I'm not allowed to tell anyone my real name. Daddy said so, we're hiding from the bad people."

He turned, leaving his project forgotten in the sand behind him. Kneeling before her, he gripped her hands pleadingly.

"But what if I can protect you from the bad people? Then you could tell me your name."

She shook her head firmly.

"No one can protect us. And if they find us then we'll have to leave and Daddy says that everyone is safer if they don't know who we are if we have to leave. Which means no names."

"But we've played together every day since you were four and I was five. You are my best friend. I want to know your real name."

Again she shook her head.

"We can't be best friends. We are only beach-playing friends. Nothing more. That's why we use codenames Seaweed Brain."

Pain filled his eyes at her abrupt statement. To him, she was the most important person in the world, his best friend. He even assumed that she was his soulmate even though he was only eight and she was seven and they wouldn't know for sure for another eleven years. To hear her say something so cold and harsh almost broke him. But this was his Wise Girl. He knew her better than anyone else and could see in her eyes that she was only saying these things because she had to.

"Wise Girl, please...I can keep a secret. You know I can." He didn't know why he was pressing, he just had a feeling, he knew deep down this was his last chance to get answers.

She turned her head away, eyes squeezed shut. Tears began to drip down her cheeks breaking his heart even more. The last thing he wanted was to make her cry.

"Wise Girl-"

Off in the distance, a boom sounded startling both of them.

They watched as a plume of dark smoke began to rise into the sky from a small building just on the horizon.

"Daddy!" She screamed, knowing exactly which building that was. No matter how many times she snuck out to play on the beach she always made sure that her house was visible. Just in case her Daddy or Helen came looking for her. Just in case something happened and she had to leave.

She jumped to her feet, Seaweed Brain not far behind. From where they stood they could hear distant shouts from the building. She started running toward them but he caught her by the arm and pulled her back.

"Wait! You can't go over there, it's too dangerous!"

"I have to! What if Daddy and Helen need me?" She protested, yanking her arm out of his grip.

"You'll only get yourself hurt." He argued.

"I don't care," determination clear in her tear-filled gray eyes.

"Well, I do! I won't let you get hurt!" He blocked her way, preventing her from moving forward. "You need to stay here where you're safe."

Her lip trembled as she looked up at him. More tears dripped from her chin onto the sandy ground below.

"I can't Seaweed Brain, I just can't!" She shouted sobbing and stomping her foot. "Daddy will be worried when he can't find me. I have to go."

He bit his lip, knowing that she was right, but still not wanting to let her run straight into danger.

"Fine," he relented. "But only if you swear that you'll come back tomorrow to show me that you're alright."

She paused, thinking about his request. It was probably futile to swear something like that since they would probably be leaving first thing in the morning. Fires drew too much attention even as accidents. And she didn't want to think about the possibility of the fire not being an accident.

Before she could respond he pulled her into a hug where he held her tight, trying to hold her there forever. And she hugged him right back.

"Swear it. Swear it on the sea." He whispered into her ear.

"I swear it." She hiccupped.

Abruptly she shoved him away with all her strength and ran as fast as she could toward the pillar of smoke, billowing in the air, her footprints once again being washed away by the waves.