So what now? (Katydid50 x 5Bulletproof-Marshmellows)

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Grace walked in silence for a bit, seeing as he was thinking. Whatever was on his mind certainly didn't seem to make him any happier. Brushing her hair away from her face once more, she glanced around. The tall pine trees didn't give her any comfort. This wasn't her place. Skyscrapers and city streets she would take any day. Biting her lip, she dodged branches as they walked, wincing when she moved her wounded arm out of habit though.

Listening when he spoke once more, she clenched her jaw. She had said too much before then. So much for trying to be slightly friendly. "I'd like to see you survive one day in the city." she told him, her voice going cold once more. Her face could be expressionless despite what he thought. Looking around, she saw the trees thin out ahead and a wide grassy plain ahead with fences in the distance. "I've got it from here." she picked up her pace slightly so that she walked past him. It was probably a good fifty feet before she was out of the forest but really it wasn't too far.

Not bothering to say anything to him as a farewell, she held her wounded arm and continued. She wasn't going to turn back. He had insulted her, then apologized, then went right back to doing the same thing. Her dark brown eyes narrowed a bit. If it hadn't been for her wound and her respect for his grandfather she would have pulled out her knife once more. He really did know how to get under her skin and annoy her. It was bad enough that the guys at school didn't have any respect for her until they saw her fight, now he was pushing it too. Boys were the same everywhere it seemed when she dug deep. Skin color didn't matter there.

Sighing, she knew she still had to stop by the creek before she went home. That would take a good chunk of time and then she would have to explain why her jacket was wet if someone saw her. Why hadn't they just stayed in the city? She could have handled herself out there at night and she could have handled herself here if it hadn't been for Wolf.  

[Katydid50]

Grace's reaction was very much what Wolf had expected. She had taken offense. Good. She didn't belong there. She belonged in her city with its cold, lifeless stone and steel, with its harsh, uncaring populace. She would fit right in. Her face told him as such, as any emotion at all drained from it and he was left with an empty mask. She was probably right, though, though he would never admit it aloud. He probably wouldn't survive in the city, just as she wouldn't survive here. Neither of them belonged anywhere else. They weren't suited to it and they weren't suited to each other so why bother trying?

When she said that she had it from there, he snorted. Yeah, right. She'd be lucky not to trip on her way out. Nevertheless, she started ahead of him, obviously determined to leave him behind. That just wouldn't do. He'd promised his father and grandfather -and to Grace, although he'd never said it aloud- that he would see her home safely and he never broke a promise so long as it was in his power.

He slowed, allowing her to put some distance between them, before he changed direction, following parallel to her. The undergrowth here was sparser but it was still more than enough to conceal him... and anything else wandering in the forest. He caught sight of a print in the ground beneath him. A distinctive bear print, small, probably young, but still dangerous. He sighed deeply, quickening his pace. There were tiny hints of the creature everywhere, fresh as far as he could tell. He couldn't have Grace coming upon the creature on her own.

Wolf caught sight of it at the last second, a mass of black fur all but sheilded by a large berry bush from which it was feeding before it started its winter hybernation. And Grace was almost to it. He jumped out of the brush behind her. One arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back against him. The other hand clapped over her mouth to muffle any sounds. He jerked back, hiding behind a large tree just as the bear raised its head over the bush. Wolf froze, his chest rising and falling with every quick breath, pressing against Grace's back. His breathing was far too loud for his liking but at least some of its was smothered by Grace's hair. After what seemed like an eternity, the bear went back to foriging and Wolf relaxed. "You are blind, stae twes," he whispered harshly, ever aware of the bear only feet from them.

Lowering his hand from her mouth, he moved his other arm to her uninjured one, pulling her along with him as he quietly walked away, praying the bear would pay them no mind for it was too much to hope it wouldn't hear them at all.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Grace's mind drifted to the fact that they might have to move back to Aunt Rose's when her new sibling was born. She didn't know if she would be able to handle that. Staying here for one day was bad enough, she had already managed to get wounded.. yet she knew that they wouldn't be able to handle living in the city with a baby that needed constant care. She had to go to school and so did Nicholas. Sighing, she stopped paying attention to her surroundings because of the stress that was building up on her shoulders.

Just as she was about to walk around a rather large bush, she was suddenly pulled back. Her eyes widened and she gasped just as a hand covered her mouth. Her hand reached for her knife but she had gone for it with her bad arm, making her wince from the pain just as she was pulled behind a tree. She then caught a glimpse of black fur just as her line of sight of the bush was cut off. Freezing, she then realized that it was Wolf. Pressed against him, she had adrenaline running through her veins, making her breathing quick.

For the moment she stayed there, shivering when she felt his warm breath go through her air, barely brushing her neck. Closing her eyes, she swore in her thoughts, realizing she had gotten herself into more trouble and Wolf, again as much as she hated to admit it, saved her. Grace still didn't want to be this close to him though her heart was hammering in her chest. She told herself it was because of the bear.

After some time passed, he whispered an insult and she jabbed him in the side with her elbow since she couldn't speak. A moment later and he moved his hand from her mouth. She thought he was finally moving away but she found him only pulling her along by her good arm. Doing her best to walk quietly as she possibly could, she followed him, not knowing if they would get away safely or not. It almost reminded her of how she had to seek away from the police at times when they stumbled upon them out of the blue.

The bear as far as she could tell from the rustling of leaves, continued to eat. She was glad that she didn't have to deal with wild animals that couldn't be convinced not to attack. Or at least she wouldn't be able to convince them otherwise.  

[Katydid50]

Wolf's heart raced in his chest, threatening to burst through his ribcage. That had been a close call, far too close. Did she not think that the forest was as dangerous as her city? Did she think that the woods was like going for a stroll through the park? Had she not already learned from the coyote that a person could not allow themselves to ever truly become distracted? Apparently not.

Sandwiched between the tree and Grace's back, he was distinctly aware of the heat radiating from her body. He swallowed thickly. He had only ever been this close to a female once. They had been doing something very different but had been interrupted. The situation had been different and the other girl had been red too. Even still... He roughly forced his focus back to the bear, listening carefully for the sounds that signalled the creature had returned to its feeding.

When he felt confident enough to whisper to her, he earned himself an elbow to the side and muffled his grunt against her hair. Unconsciously, he breathed in. She smelled like stone, concrete and car exhaust. But, underneath all that, there was something else. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on...

Shifting his grasp on her, he led Grace away, glad that she, for once, wasn't fighting him. As they moved away from the bear, Wolf gently pressed a hand to the middle of her back, moving her ahead of him as he cast a glance back at the bear. He didn't think it was going to attack them but better safe than sorry. Plus, he was better prepared to deal with such a situation. He knew what to do.

As they walked, Wolf kept looking back to make sure that the bear had not followed them. He kept his hand on Grace's back the entire time, to make sure she didn't get too far ahead of him. It wouldn't do for her to rush ahead and stumble right into another predator. Only when he was convinced that they were out of danger did Wolf pull his hand away, letting out a deep sigh of relief.

After a quick scan of the area around them -and the branches above them- Wolf finally set his sights on Grace. Immediately, his face contorted with a scowl. "Two minutes and you all but throw yourself at a bear." His face relaxed marginally, his scowl easing into a mere frown. He shook his head and sighed. "We don't want to get too close but it's blocking the most direct path to your aunt's. Come with me." He started walking away without waiting for her to answer. Even if she hated his guts, she must realise that he knew more about surviving here than she did.

Instead of going directly to her aunt's property, they would have to angle around the bear. That would lead them closer to Daniel Mark's house. They would then have to cut across road. It would take more time but they wouldn't have to worry about more bears.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Swearing several times throughout her thoughts, she wished she could put some space between them. It was too warm, even if it was fall and there was frost covering the forest floor. She didn't want him anywhere near her anyway.. especially since he dared to insult her as they both stood there. The only reason she didn't move was because of the bear that was happily continuing with it's meal by now.

Grace blinked when she realized he was breathing in, his face among her red curls. She suddenly couldn't help but feel self-conscious but why should she care what he thought about the way she smelled? Her scent probably was just concrete to him since he could prance through the forest breathing in all the fresh air and pick wild flowers. Biting her lip, she shook her head, to make him move and at the same time, try to release her anger. Why was she so mad at him?

To be honest.. she didn't think he could prance for the life of him but it still made a rather funny image. Grace could see him hunting though.. The image shifted in her mind but before she was able to finish the thought, they were moving again.

Feeling his hand at her back, she tried to shrug it off.. not that it was really possible but she hated feeling like a child being lead around a new place by their parent. Of course she tried to walk slightly faster, his hand stayed on her back though only annoying her more. It took some time but when she finally thought that they were a safe distance away from the bear, she turned around. "Quit touching me." she snapped at him. Perhaps the first thing she should have said was thank you but she was too distracted for that.

He spoke a moment later though he spoke as well. In her defense, she hadn't know the bear was there but then he would start talking about tracks and all these other things that he knew about, so she stayed quiet. He wasn't even waiting for an answer though and she frowned. It annoyed her that he could get under her skin so easily.

Sighing, she followed him. Fixing her hair after a moment, she knew that her family would be waking up in about an hour. Her mother still needed to get to work and Nickolas and her needed to go to school. She also had to figure out a way to overcome the difficulty of hiding her wound from the world. Biting her lip once more, she then looked up, knowing that she couldn't allow herself any distractions after what had happened.

Her eyes found Wolf and stayed on him, sometimes glancing at the ground to make sure she didn't trip over anything. She didn't want to make herself a bigger fool than she was in his eyes.  

[Katydid50]

Wolf ignored as she tried to shrug his hand off her back. It was probably starting to annoy her but he didn't care. If anything, it amused him, although not too greatly. He knew he would be much the same if someone tried to do that to him. All the same, it was for her own good. When she tried to move away from him, he quickened his pace, just enough to keep his hand on her back. He didn't want to make too much noise. Granted, she was making more than enough noise for the both of them.

Finally, she'd had enough. She spun aruond to face him, snapping at him to stop touching her. He glared back at her. "Gladly," he snapped back. Did she honestly think he wanted to be touching her? That was ridiculous.

Finally, they were moving again. She hadn't said anything to his comments for which he was grateful. He was tired of dealing with her and sore from sleeping in a chair the entire night. His back twinged with the memory. Stupid girl. This was all her fault. She shouldn't have been in the forest to begin with, nevermind at night. If she hadn't been there, she wouldn't have stepped in the path of his arrow and he wouldn't have had to take her home, she wouldn't have stayed the night and she certainly wouldn't have forced him from his bed.

Turning the course sharply, he headed for the edge of the forest. It wasn't too far and within a few minutes, the trees receded. Before them was a wide expanse of browning grass. In the distance was a lone house. It was hard to judge the distance but Wolf knew from experience that it was about half a mile away. It was also run-down and old, according to its owner and his landlord, but it was a house and Daniel was content with it. It wasn't as 'nice' as the other white houses -at least, it wasn't what the other whites would consider nice- but it did its job. Wolf personally perferred the longhouses they lived in with the tribe or even the cabin he currently lived in but to each their own.

He paused suddenly, debating. The fields rarely ever saw any kind of predators and they weren't nearly as dangerous. Surely she could manage on her own from here? All she had to do was make her way towards the road and follow it to her aunt's property. He glanced back at her, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. With her luck, she would fall in a ditch. He let out a silent sigh.

Looking back ahead, he started out onto the plain. "Keep close and follow my path. The grass hides quite a few nasty surprises." The grass was knee-deep in some places, waist-deep in others. There were several ditches around, as well as abandoned rabbit warrens, badger dens and other such holes. It was easy for a person to fall into one and break a leg. He had long since memorsied where all the holes and ditches were. It was possible that new ones would be made but he hadn't come across any yet. Granted, he didn't go out there often but still.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Of course he responded with the same attitude but at this point, she expected it. He almost reminded her of her little brother who annoyed her at times as well. If Wolf was like Deserai though, she would have run away long ago. She knew that they probably would always have something to fight about. She didn't even know if she would see him again and she wasn't completely sure she wanted to either.

As all her adrenaline left her body, she found herself feeling dizzy. She had skipped two meals and lost a decent amount of blood. All this walking wasn't making it any better. Of course she wouldn't have him carry her but she did hope he would leave her alone soon so that she could rest. Forcing herself to use whatever energy that she had left, she followed after him though not as quickly as before.

When he stopped, she almost ran into him. Taking the moment to lean against a near by tree, she hoped he would spend a little bit more time standing there. Of course, he took off the next second. With a sigh, she pushed herself onward.

Looking out across the grassy plain, she frowned. They still had a lot of ground to cover and she wasn't sure if she would be able to make it. Hopefully they would come across the creek soon so that she was able to wash her jacket and sit at the same time. Unfamiliar to this area just like she had been to the rest of the forest except some of the edges, she looked at him. He certainly seemed to know where he was going, as usual.

Hearing his voice, she didn't bother to speak but she nodded her head as if he had eyes at the back of his head that could see her every move. Looking at the grass that was bent, she stepped in those places, glancing up at him every once in a while to make sure that she was still close to him. Closing her eyes for a moment, she then felt the side of her foot stay slipping. Grace grabbed onto the first sturdy thing she could see out of instinct, which happened to be Wolf's arm though she had already started to fall back. Her eyes wide, she really wished she had eaten before she left the house but then again, there was no point in regretting what she couldn't change.  

[Katydid50]

Despite what she may have thought, Wolf was aware of her exhaustion. It only made sense. She had skipped at least one meal and she had lost a decent amount of blood. He himself would have been at least unsteady after going through such an ordeal and she was smaller than he was. All the same, he wouldn't offer any help to her unless she asked for it. Considering her pride was probably the same as his too, she wouldn't be asking anytime soon.

As they slowly made their way out onto the field, Wolf focused his attention forward and down. He walked slowly, not wanting to risk going to fast and hurting himself or leading Grace into getting hurt. The last thing he needed was for either of them to break or twist something. He still had to go out hunting when he got back and there was no way he was going to rely on his father's hunting ability.

Behind him, he could hear Grace moving. Her steps were quieter out here where there was no leaf litter underfoot, almost as quiet as his own. The only sound to be heard were their footsteps and the sound of grass rustling. Even still, it made him nervous. He preferred being under the cover of trees, despite the threat of a cougar attack. Out here in the open, there was nowhere to hide, no way to lose someone or something in a maze of tree trunks.

Suddenly, something latched onto his arm, pulling him momentarily off balance. Automatically, he forced his weight in the other direction, pulling Grace with him. In the split second he realized what had grabbed hold of him, he wrapped his free arm around her waist, pulling her against him and holding her upright. It was instinctive. If he'd had time to think about it, he still would have held her up but he certainly wouldn't have let her so close.

But, he could admit, to himself at least, that it was really nice, holding her. She was so warm and soft, in spite of her tough facade. Looking down into her face, so close to his own, he swallowed thickly, despite himself. "Um, maybe we should rest for a few minutes. You lost a lot of blood last night... and you didn't have breakfast." Which, as a matter of fact, neither did he, but he could handle going a few hours without food. She was weakened already and did not have the luxury. Realizing that he was still holding onto her, blood rushed to his face though it did not easily show beneath his dark skin. Slowly, he released her and took a step back, though still kept his arms up in case she showed signs of falling again.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

He didn't seem to be as comfortable out in the open as he did among the tall forest trees. She shared that with him. Being out in the open in the city meant that she was vulnerable and an easy target. In a sense she guessed that people were a lot like animals when it came down to it though the two still had plenty of differences. Grace let out a small sigh. To each his or her element.

When she had grabbed onto his arm, he had managed to stay upright. She felt a small shiver run through her when he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. Her hand loosened it's grip and she didn't dare look up for a moment. He was close. She could probably hear his heartbeat if she moved any closer. Glancing up at him, her eyes were uncertain for a moment before she averted her gaze, a tiny blush coming across her cheeks realizing that she hadn't done anything to move away. How did she always manage to get herself into trouble so easily?

Hearing his voice, she nodded her head. She definitely wasn't about to say that she could still continue. Grace patiently waited for him to let her go. While she stayed there though, she noticed that he had a sense of stability around him. She had never really run into another boy her age that had that. When he let her go, she moved her hand up to her wound briefly as she shifted her feet slightly so that she was standing on good solid ground.

"Thanks.." she said softly, it was barely audible but it was still there. Deciding that she couldn't stand for much longer, she slowly moved back a little bit and sat down. Avoiding his gaze, she looked at the ground, wishing that she had her health back so she didn't seem so weak in front of him. She absolutely hated this feeling of helplessness. Her fingers slowly ran over the long blades of grass, noticing a few bugs sitting here and there as well.  

[Katydid50]

When Wolf released her, she seemed steady enough. Even still, he wasn't entirely convinced she would stay that way. He was relieved when she finally sat down, taking away the threat of her falling. With a quick glance around, he sat down as well, cross-legged with his forearms resting on his knees. He didn't like being out there, especially having to rest but it was necessary before they could move on unless he wanted to carry her which he most certainly did not. It was bad enough that she was anywhere near him let alone touching him... being held by him. He hadn't been focused on it at the time but, thinking back on it, he remembered the way she shivered in his grasp, the almost-shy way she wouldn't meet his gaze, the blush that gave color to her features. His gut clenched in a slightly painful but not entirely unpleasant way.

He looked down at that. The last time he had felt the way was when he'd been with Sparrow Flying Low. Not many girls back at the tribe had even looked at him as anything other than the prickly boy who was hard to befriend let alone anything else. But Sparrow Flying Low had seen right through him. She had become more to him than a mere friend. By the time they had both come to recognise the opposite sex for what they were, he had already decided he would marry her one day. He would have too. Among their culture, people were allowed to get married at sixteen. But, just under a year ago, she had gotten sick. The healers hadn't known what was wrong with her but a trip to a white hospital, which Wolf had profusely protested, had revealed she had an advanced form of cancer. They had said treatment would not cure her, only delay the inevitable. She had died three weeks later.

It hurt to think about her but not with the same ferocity that it did his grandmother. He had cared about Sparrows, very much so, but he had not loved her. He would have, with time.

Sighing deeply, he judged that enough minutes had passed for her to have at least regained her stability. Raising just enough to be able to look over the grass, he scanned the area before standing. "Come on. We have to get moving."  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Sitting there, she didn't say anything. He had caught her at her worst. It wasn't like the first time she had met him when she had pulled out her knife and told Nicholas to go home. Grace absolutely hated the fact that she had been, in a sense, taken care of by him and saved several times. It stripped her of her pride and yet she knew at the same time that she would have rather gone back to the cabin then to the hospital. Closing her eyes, she knew she would have to get over everything that had happened soon. There were plenty of things to think about back home.

Pulling her hair over one shoulder, she swallowed. Food would be the first thing she took care of after she washed the blood off her jacket. If they were awake by the time she returned, it would cause way too much trouble. Her mother of course would question her. Deserai would as well. She didn't know what Nicholas would do. He might even stay quiet because he had left as well. Rubbing her arm gently, she then looked up when she was pulled out of her thoughts by Wolf.

Getting up cautiously, she then looked around as well. Walking in the direction he went, she was glad that her dizziness had passed for the most part. Grace continued to be quiet. There was nothing to say to him anyway. They weren't going to be friends and she didn't want to make him more of a rival either. Her eyes briefly glanced over the horizon to figure out what time it was by looking at the sun.
((Sorry it's kind of late >< ))  

[Katydid50]

As he walked, Wolf listened to Grace trailing after him. She was so different from Sparrows, in every way. Sparrows had been quiet and kind, bearing his ill moods and fits of rage -'tantrums', as his father referred to them- with patience and even occasional amusement. Grace didn't. She threw everything he gave right back at him. Sparrows took responsibility for her mistakes, instead of blaming someone else. It wasn't his fault she'd startled the deer and then walked straight into the path of his arrow. Sparrows wouldn't have blamed him. She would have apologised for ruining his shot, if she'd been able to take at all. She also hadn't had a very high tolerance for pain. She had been very fragile, for one of the tribe anyway.

He glanced back at Grace, just in time to see her look up at the sky. He followed her gaze before looking back ahead. "It's still early yet," he told her. "About five-thirty by your time." He did not follow strict hours and minutes like the whites did. Neither did his tribe. They just had no purpose for it. Even though many of the old ways had fallen away, they were still closer to their ancestors traditions than most of the others.

All the more reason to get rid of this girl as quickly as possible, he thought. As they crossed the road, he kept his gaze fixed forward but listened for the sound of any cars. There were not many vehicles that travelled this road, and that was at its busy time. That early in the morning, the only sounds to be heard were those of the few birds who had not yet, or would not, fly south. Once on the other side of the road, he turned sharply to head back towards the forest. On the off-chance that someone was awake, he doubted she would want them to see her approaching the front of the house. "To avoid being seen, should anyone be awake," he said in way of an explanation.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Glancing at him when he spoke of the time, she clenched her jaw slightly. She hadn't asked for the time from him, she didn't need him telling her everything from left to right. Perhaps the only reason she was getting bitter was because he was getting to her and she wasn't so sure she wanted that to happen. Deciding to not say anything, she just continued to walk, trying to not move her injured arm as well.

It wasn't long before they reached a road and her eyes lite up a little. Finally something she recognized. She couldn't wait to be back in the city in a few hours, far away from here. It wasn't that she didn't love Aunt Rose, she really did care for her, but this way of life just wasn't for her. She knew Nicholas would stay here in a heartbeat and Deserai wouldn't really care either way, but she would long to be back in the busy cement city. Grace knew it just as well as she knew the back of her hand.

Crossing the road, she was slightly surprised that he didn't turn back. Exhaling sharply at his explanation, she finally spoke, "I could have figured that out myself." She resumed to walk by his side now instead of being behind him since she was confident that she wouldn't run into anything else that could maul her. "I need to go to the creek," she told him before looking back at the house for a moment. "You can head back. I'm sure I won't get killed at this short of a distance." she said the last part in a slightly sarcastic tone. A part of her, a part that was buried deep deep down and chained, didn't want to let him go so easily but she would never in a million years admit that to anyone... even herself.  

[Katydid50]

Wolf kept his attention focused forward. Even still, he could feel the annoyance radiating off Grace in waves. It was all he could do not to smirk. She was so easy to annoy. It was almost comical. It would have been, too, if he hadn't been the same way. He finally understood how others felt when they purposely pissed him off. It was just fun. His almost-smirk faded into a scowl.

After his explanation as he turned towards the forest, he paused when she spoke. He looked back at her and raised a single eyebrow. "Could you now?" He didn't say anything else as she quickened her pace to walk beside him. She was a smart girl, sometimes, and he had no doubt that she could have figured it out on her own... but he wouldn't hold his breath.

They walked in silence for another couple of minutes before she spoke again. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. At her comment about not getting killed, he snorted, ignoring her sarcasm. "I wouldn't put it past you," he told her. He sent her a sideways glance. "Remember the coyote?" Besides, the coyote was likely to stick around that area, unless it got chased off or eaten. Now Grace was injured too. Her wound was probably still bleeding, at least a little, and the smell would attract predators. In fact, he was surprised that they had only come across the bear, and that it had ignored them.

"I was told to see you back safely, and that is what I intend to do," he said, glancing around. "If I left now and you managed to get yourself killed, I would never hear the end of it." Plus... he didn't know how he would live with himself. She may have been a stae twes, and white at that, but she was still a decent person, from what he could tell, and being killed by a pack of wolves, a bear or a rouge coyote were terrible ways to go.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Her eyes narrowed at his question. He knew perfectly well that she could have. She wasn't a.. well whatever he usually called her to insult her. It was the simplest rule of the book and every teenager knew that it was best to hide as you came up to the house. Parents had a tendency to look out windows. She was sure that even people in his tribe knew about hiding and being as quiet as possible when coming back home after sneaking out.

When he snorted, she raised an eyebrow. She was about to say that she could take care of herself when he mentioned the coyote. She could have handled it any other day but right now, she needed food and lots of rest. Even then, she was only going to get one of those. School really was going to take forever and she knew she was probably going to take a few naps during the day.

Being pulled out of her thoughts when he spoke once more, she moved her hand to hold her injured arm. "You probably wouldn't even find out if I got killed," she said in a low voice. "Either way, if you're going to continue walking with me, I need to go to the creek." she told him before looking around briefly and then heading in that direction. She was careful this time, more alert.. or at least as alert as she could be considering the circumstances.

Elenore sighed heavily as she opened her eyes. She was still thinking about what had happened last night. She had barely gotten any sleep despite the fact that she needed to go to work in the morning. Rolling over onto her side, her eyes stared at the blank wall. She didn't know what to expect from Nicholas and Grace when she had told them but she certainly didn't expect them to walk off into the night. Nicholas had been the first one to come back and she hadn't been able to stay up long enough to see Grace.

Closing her tired eyelids, she wrapped an arm around her waist that would slowly grow with time. She wished she could have woken up with Daniel at her side. Swallowing, her throat felt thick and tears began to form. I can't cry over this, she told herself as she tried to shake the feeling of loneliness away.