• I didn't really know how to feel as I walked down the hallway, when I heard more steps echo through the hall. I looked up to see Ann just right before she smiled weakly, probably trying to feel stronger over her loss, and mine. I smiled back in the same manor, since we've both been having it rough. I could hear talking coming from what I think was a police officers office. I turned the corner just in time to see mine, and Ann's face on the TV. The anchor woman was just finishing up her sentence, "Finally the two teenage girls have been found after two weeks of missing. They were found in the middle of the woods by two teenage boys, injuries, and how they had been kidnapped have not been given out this is........................." She sad her name and then they went onto the weather. I couldn't believe it! They didn't know the half of what happened to us, and they were just making saying stuff that they got from the cops.

    I glanced up from the desk where I was signing my papers, listening to the television. I glanced at a seething alainna before finishing the work. My parents immedietly tried to usher me out the door. I waved to Alainna. "Bye," i whispered. "I'll call you." she nodded and I left the building. As I left I suddenly felt a warm hand on the small of my back. With a jerk I turned, but no one was there. Stomach churning, I hurried to the car and huddled down in the backseat, locking the door with finality.


    I had accidently knocked over a mug, as I slammed my hand on a desk. It broke into pieces, which just made me even more frustrated with myself. It's when I finally noticed a cop who had fallen asleep at the desk, when he told me not to pick it up, and leave it, he'd clean it up. Like Ann my parents had called me to leave, and go home. Well here comes the nagging and lectures, that I had pictured in my head as we were sitting in the car driving home.


    TIME SKIP
    My room was quiet. Comfortable. The second I got home I had sprinted up to my bed and lay there, finally having something cushiony to sleep on. My blue dolphin nightlight scared away the shadows and my turtle snowglobe was singing to me softly. I was slowly slipping back into a life of comfort, and safety...and then there was a tap on the window. Clutching my pillow i sat up and turned. There was a man hovering there, outside. I almost fled, almost called my parents. I had to cover my mouth with one hand. And then suddenly I remembered Slade. I'll come visit you, he had said. And then he had bitterly left me. So. Well, what worse could happen? i stood and crossed to the window, pushing it open. There was a flicker of light that illuminated a white haired head, and then a smile crossed the man's lips. "Ann," he said. "Nice to see you again. May I come in?" I froze. It wasn't Slade I was looking at...it was Dante.


    The car was moving every single light flickered by and as lights changed colors, on crossing lights, and pubs. I began to look up to the midnight sky to notice it was unusually clear out tonight. As I watched I couldn't help but notice, an odd shape in the sky. Keeping an eye on it, it was a bird of great proportions, still following, which got me wondering. Looking closer it jut so happened to be Ian following in the darkness of nighttime. 'What now?' I thought. The car swerved causing me to jolt upright. "Must've been a deer," I heard my dad say. Seeing the glare of the animals eyes, it happened to be bigger than a deer. A giant dog with a person on top, were running through the forest next to the car. Dimiti.............. I didn't know what to think, he was alive, but he's suppose to be dead.


    "Dante?" I gaped. Dante smirked and tapped a finger under my jaw. "Close your mouth or a fly'll go in." With this he clambered through the window into the room. Regaining my senses i hurried to my door and locked it, turning the lights down in case my parents or a neighbor looked in. I whirled. "Dante..." I said. "You're alive?" "Obviously." Dante used one hand to cup my face. "You look like hell," he said bluntly. My face flushed. "Really?" I said snidely. "I was only kidnapped, held hostage by two demons -daemons, i mean- and then rekidnapped by you and your little friend, and then thought you were dead, and now you're back, and-" He silenced me by pressing a finger to my lips. "The death was staged." he whispered. "but I can't talk about that now." His gaze flickered to the side. I looked down and saw a large crimson stain spreading out from his chest. He smiled sheepishly. "I need a bandaid."


    My gaze kept flickering between Ian and Dimitri looking to see if either noticed each other. By the looks of things they hadn't. I kept my eyes on Dimitri for a while watching as Cerberus moved swiftly through the trees. The next thing I knew was Dimitri looked over towards me, and waved. Slight I waved back, I was surprised and excited to see him. Dimitri winked at me as he pulled on Cerberus to turn, and he disappeared further into the woods. Disappointed I I looked back up to Ian and watched as he moved across the sky. He looked so peaceful up above. I wish I could be like that.

    I propped open my door and glanced left, and right. seeing no one I took Dante's hand and led him to the bathroom, making sure it was closed and locked before flicking on the light. "Take off your shirt," I whispered. He raised an eyebrow. "A little soon for that, wouldn't you say?" I glared at him and he shrugged, face expressionless as he tugged off his black leather coat and black t-shirt. I took these and draped them over the towel rack before looking at his chest. A large gash - not deep, but long, from the top of his right elbow down to his left ribcage (his left, not mine) and it was bleeding terribly. I splashed water onto his chest - recieving a sharp hiss in response - and then rubbed in some soap. Dante was white-knuckling the edge of the sink. "Soap's not going to work.' i murmured, washing it off with water and taking out a bottle of peroxide. "Um, Ann." dante's eyes flickered nervously, as I doused the same washcloth with peroxide. "You do know what you're doing?" "of course." I handed him a dry washcloth. "Bite down on this, don't scream, and this'll all work out okay."


    We had traveled all the way to our house, and the only thing I kept my eyes on were Ian, since Dimirti left. As I got out of the car, I didn't really care at the moment what my parents thought, since they were just gonna lecture me on it tomorrow. I climbed into bed thinking I was going to get to sleep. I had grown sleepy and fell asleep after what seemed like forever. I could hear scratching at my bedroom window, I thought it was my cat. "Go way Fluffy!" I yelled, but the scratching continued. Getting irritated I looked at the clock to see that it was only 2:13 A.M. I groaned getting up from my bed to look at the window. Opening the curtains to my rooms window I almost shrieked at what I saw. "You're not Fluffy," I exclaimed looking at the familiar three headed dog, that breathed into my face. "Someone needs mints I said, plugging my nose. Looking down at the dog collar I saw a piece of paper tied on to it. Picking it up it said ' Come outside by your garage I want to talk to you.' I hurried out of my room quick enough and silent enough so my parents didn't hear me sneak out.

    "Ow, God, you -" "Shh!" I hissed. After his torturous treatment, he was now laying on my bed shirtless, gripping his chest, which had white gauze bandages wrapped around it. I peered out the curtains. Nothing suspicious. I closed them and walked over to Dante, sitting down on the bed next to him. "How are you still alive?" I whispered. "I faked my death," Dante said, rolling his now-lilac eyes. "Obviously." "But how did you find me?" "I've been following you." He said sheepishly. "And I saw you dump your little daemon boyfriend." My face flushed and my heart wrenched. "I didn't dump him." i growled. "I was just under a lot of stress." He rolled his eyes again. "I'm going to pass out now. We'll continue this conversation in the morning." he closed his eyes. I leaned forward. "No, wait, my parents-" But Dante was already snoring. I let out a held breath. "Are going to kill me."


    Once I was outside I began to shiver, it was colder than I expected it to be. Ignoring the fact I trudge along the uneven ground without a flash light so my parents wouldn't notice. Dimitri was no where in sight. He wasn't here, I began to turn when I felt arms snake around my waist. I began to pull away so he'd let go. I kept looking at the ground so I wouldn't have to look at him. "Oh come on I'm alive at least, talk to me." Dimitri said, afterwards there was silence. "Okay fine don't!" Know his temper was coming back. He began to walk away, when I spoke. "Dimitri wait................... You could have at east told us you guys were alive before we got captured, and were taken to the cops," I looked up to notice something. Not only was Ian somewhere above us still, but Dimitri had a gash on his face, it'd look like it'd leave a scar. Dimitri noticed my eyes widen. "Don't worry it's only a scratch." And there's the ego that came with the attitude.


    For a while I sat in silence, looking at the slumbering Dante. His chest rose and fell rhythmically, and he looked so peaceful that I had to reach out and brush his hair aside, and set my hand on his forehead. it was warm - maybe a moderate fever. I stood to go get a cool washcloth when a warm hand grasped my hand, holding my back with a gentle squeeze. "I know that my showing up has just made things very stressful for you." he murmured quietly. "Thank you for everything." he paused for a second. "This is the first time, in a long time, that I've had someone to run to." i fidgeted nervously. "You have dimitri," I said lamely. "He's my partner. He works with me." Dante said, shaking his head slightly. "That says nothing for friendship." I turned my gaze away. "I need to go get you a washcloth." I said quietly. I made to leave, reluctantly letting go of his hand, before drawing near and kissing his forehead gently. "You have a fever." In the dark, I could see his lips shadow a smile, and I hurried to leave the room before I could be too embaressed.


    I glared," Okay then if it's only a scratch let me look at it." He looked at me with the you serious look, and I gave it back to him. Sighing reluctantly he came closer so I could look. I put my hand on his face so I could turn it towards the dim moonlight, and see how bad it was. I started to notice how bad it actually looked instead of what he had said. "This'll need stitches," I exclaimed. I looked up worriedly at him. "Are you sure your fine?" He looked down with a somber look. "I'll get Dante to stitch them up when I have to pick him up later anyways," He said, and then I noticed how lose we were.
    "Uh yeah, okay then," I looked away. "Don't give me the silent treatment," Dimitri said while pulling my chin up. I started to blush. He pecked my cheek quickly, before leaving and, shouting back, "Have sweet dreams!!"



    When I came back Dante was sitting up, flipping through a plain leather bound book with a look of mild amusement. I recognized it in an instant. "Hey!" I hissed, swiping it away. "you snoop!!" Dante grinned mischeviously at me. "Aw, you know I didn't mean anything by it." Still angry, I tossed him the cold washcloth. "Treat your own fever." I snapped, tucking the journal back into the drawer on my desk. Dante lay back down and slapped the cloth on his forehead. "I can't believe that you made a list of the traits you liked in a guy." My face flushed as he said this. "Shut up." Dante smirked. "Good sense of humour, a caring personality, tall and strong, modest, loves the little things in life..." Fuming, I tossed my seat cover at him. "Jerk!" I whispered. He caught the pillow and tossed it aside. "Well, you got 4 out of 5. I'm not modest." I crossed my arms. "And what are you trying to say?" Dante propped himself up on one elbow. "I'm telling you that I'm everything you want." I was silent for a long moment before pointing to the window. "You should probably go." His face fell. "Ann, I was just joking-" "i know. But my parents are obsessive lately, after the kidnapping thing." I drew back the curtains. "I don't want you to get in trouble. So hurry, please." Dante's gaze flickered downwards as he stood up and came over to me. As I looked up at him defiantly, he brushed a strand of hair away from my face. "Thanks for everything," he said, pressing his lips to my forehead before scrambling out the window.


    Watching as Dimitri galloped off to go find Dante, I guess. I shivered, and started to remember how cold it was outside, feeling my numb legs. I ran back over to my house. Once I was back in I checked my parents, still asleep. Phew, finding my way to my room, I locked the door so nobody could get back in. I flopped back onto my bed, when there was a stabbing pain in my back. Sitting up, and looking behind me, I noticed an unusually large black feather sitting there. Picking it up to examine, that's when it clicked. Ian had been here, but when. I then remembered that he had been following me, some as Dimitri. Setting the feather on my bookcase next to my bed I fell back asleep.

    I regretted kicking him out as soon as I saw him limp away - considering his condition and the fact that he had just 'risen from the dead' to come see me. But my parents seriously WERE a problem. I was surpirsed they hadn't put a video camera in my room just to keep an eye on me. This thought made me hesitate. Crap. Flicking off all the lights, a faint red one flickered from on top of my dresser. I reached up for it and, tugging it down, saw a video camera. i tossed it out the window with a sigh. Parents were so predictable.


    There was banging on my door. "Alainna get up now!" My father yelled. "And unlock this door," I heard his muffled footsteps go down the hallway I looked back up at my clock, 7:00 A.M. now what. Quickly getting dressed in jeans, and a sleeveless sweeter that I zipped up I went down stairs. I starred at my parents blankly. "Yes?" I questioned. They both looked sleep deprived, and irritable. "You're going to be grounded for a month," My mom said not looking up from her coffee. My eyes widened, "Wait, why?"
    "You were kidnapped we will not let you out of this house till we feel it is safe for you to go out again!" My dad yelled.

    My parents, being the kind, overprotectful people they were, barred my window and and let me spend the day in bed, bringing me up food and magazines for what they deemed the critical 'recuperation' stage. The whole time I laid in bed I tried to twist into the same position Dante was in, imagining the shadow of him there, trying to lay the exact way he was. I wanted him to come back. Knowing him, I was sure he would, but the thought of losing him again...Closing my eyes I tried to think of happy things.

    Parents were so............... Annoying. I know not good choice of words, but it was frustrating. I bet Ann was getting the same treatment. My father seeing as I had my door locked when he came and got me this morning decided to stick it on the outside so I wouldn't be able to get out. Man what if I had to use the bathroom, I asked him earlier, but he said I'd have to deal.

    I sighed. My phone had been disconnected (as I had discovered earlier). You think I wouldn't have been locked in my room - if my supposed kidnappers came back I wouldn't be able to go get help. That's where my parents had a flaw in their ingenious "keep annie-poo safe" plan. Soon it was almost nighttime. There was a quiet tap on my window. I practically leapt off the bed, dashing to the window and throwing the curtains aside. There was Dante, tapping the window in a rhythm only he knew. He didn't even notice me until I tapped back, and then he smiled slightly. He mouthed the words "let me in!". I sighed and tested the window. Stuck fast. I couldn't budge it. I blew on the window and wrote 'locked' in the fog. He, in response, pulled a long, thin piece of metal from his pocket and began to work it under the window. as he tried unlocking it, I went to turn the lights off so that no one could see. again. I was just turning around when there was a quiet 'click' and the window slid open. Dante slid in a moment later. "You shouldn't be here," I whispered. He smirked. "Can't help it." I shut the window with a frown and sat down by my desk. At least it was a change of pace.


    Ah life to be locked in your room during the night time! So boring being as the kidnapped person I was my bedtime was pushed back to 8:00. I sat next to my window waiting for Cerberus to come by and give me his sloppy dog lick from all three heads. "Why do I let you do this again?" I asked the doggies, and Dimitri hopped off.
    "You like them, and you know it, so stop complaining," I looked up at him, and pushed the dog heads away. "So it looks like tons of fun being stuck in your room like that. Can I come in?" He questioned.
    "How would you even get in exactly?" I asked oblivious to what he would do. He used his hand in a shooing motion, so I scooted back. He bent down, and took the screen out of my window. "Man you got mad skills," I said giggling as he hopped in.
    "Mad skills?" He looked at me like I was crazy.
    "Never mind," I slapped my hand against my face.

    "I guess it's just because I'm so, oh, I don't know, unbelievably attractive?" I said, grining wryly at Dante, who was flopped on my bed again. "Eh. Not really." Dante said bluntly. I threw my journal at him. He sat up, snickering, and set it aside. "Relax, touchy." he grinned. "It's not like I really think that." 'so you don't think I'm unbelievably attractive? With an awesome sense of humor? And more then enough patience to put up with you?" I spun my chair as I said this, and he came over and stopped it with one hand. "I do think all of that," he offered. "And I also think-" Suddenly there was a knock at my door. "Ann?" my mom called. "Who's in there?"