x.A.l.[0].n.e.// [Private! Only Angel]

[.W.h.i.s.p.e.r.]

Mind reeling, she stepped carefully into the guest room. Her stomach had rolled at his smug comment. Do I honestly care? No. A cruel voice in her head whispered. Bree nodded at Sci, and as he left she sat on the bed, wrapping a blanket around her. She gazed at the beautiful paintings around the room. Sci entered a second time and spoke. She did have a strong urge to shout in his face, for ruining her life, and making her come here, away from home. Her heart stuttered. "The bread!" She muttered to herself. In the oven. "How could I be so clumsy?" Bree swore at herself silently, knowing by now that her home was gone. "Sci, my home is probably burned down, since you kidnapped me!" She turned her head, murmuring irritably to herself. Yes, she was sure that her home was gone. The bread would of caught fire, sooner or later, at the heat. Then it would've spread to the oven, and the house... and especially with the extreme heats of the Fire Shadow Kingdom. Pain of sadness glazed her eyes.

[angel]

Sci jumped up in defiance. "Hey listen I know we don't like each other but I wouldn't burn down your house!" His mind churned at what she said. "Wait, what's this about bread?" Without letting her take in a breath he rushed out of the house and ran, as fast as he could, almost riding the wind to Fire Shadow. He skidded to a halt at the edge of the glassy lake to gape at the pile of rubbage, small flames flickering around the edges of Bree's worn house. "No..." Sci ran to the heap of remains and melted his ice, drenching it with water. He reached for a peice of what looked like her door and cursed loudly.

Not wanting to leave Bree alone, he sprinted back to his house and hesitated at the door. Silently, he entered and dropped the small fragment in her lap. He was terrible at showing empathy so without speaking, knowing his big mouth would set her off, hugged her and flinched at the heat. "Y-you can stay here or if you don't like it I can build a house or you could even live with my neighbor for awhile she's a girl!" He stuttered desperately knowing what she was feeling and fearing that he couldn't comfort her.

[.W.h.i.s.p.e.r.]

Disbelief washed over her in overwhelming waves. Her face hardened. "The bread was in---" But before she could finish her snapping remark, Sci was gone, leaving a wind blow over her face. A tear slid down her face. Luckily he wasn't her to see that. All her family pictures, all the memories shared in the home, everything. Even the money, her clothes, less important stuff, but a loss depite that. She had nothing left, except the memories stored with her.

A tremble ran through her as she heard Sci re-enter. She fingered the piece of burnt wood absently. She didn't raise her head to look at him. Oh, if I hadn't gone up to my bedroom. She mourned.

Her muscles stiffened and she sat up straighter as he hugged her. Hugged me. What's wrong with him? "It's fine." She murmured. "I'll figure something out." Bree pulled away from his hug on got in the warm bed, and lay still; silent. "I'll see you in the morning." Her voice whispered in the air. It was the saddest whisper anyone had ever heard. A mournful angel singing in the night. Bree's breathing slowed and deepened.

Moonlight streamed through a window and shined on her dark, silky hair, turning it a silvery color. Her mouth was slightly parted, her lush lips beautifully slack. Bree hadn't even climbed under the covers or taken her boots off, she was too grieved to notice.

In her dreams, fire stood all around her. Flickering images of her family appeared and disappeared in the flames. Screams echoed in her ears and her heart beat faster, sweat forming on her brow.

Bree kicked her sleep, moaning. "No..." The same, sad whisper filled the room eerily. If she knew she had been talking in her sleep in front of Sci, she would've died of embarassment. She would've probably taken it out on Sci. But for now, she didn't know that.

[angel]

Sci buried his face in his hands and felt the silent tears roll down his cheeks, freezing by the time they hit the ground. He was such an idiot for not seeing before. A wise man would have gone back to Bree's house before getting her medical care. "No," he told himself,"A wise man wouldn't have even glimpsed in Bree's direction that day by the lake. A wise man wouldn't have allowed his mother to do that to his father. A wise man would have protected his family."

Seeing as he had done none of these things, Sci figured he had to be the biggest idiot on the face of the world. Most of all, he didn't understand these violent mood swings that made him compassionate towards Bree, then attracted to her, then repulsed by her or angry with her. Was it just Bree or would he be having random emotional explosions about everything? He wasn't so sure he was ready to find out, he should just leave Bree in professional care then work on rebuilding her house and foraging for items that had survived the fire and she'd never have to hear from him again.

Her whispered moans pounded against his temples and either curiousity or concern or both urged him to her room. "Bree?" Sci asked but got no response. With a tingling feeling running across his skin, Sci pressed his ear to her door not daring to enter yet. Was she even awake? Was she in trouble or pain? Was she sleep talking?! He was determined to find out despite the scolding he'd probably recieve. He couldn't sink any lower so why not be a rebel one more time? He pushed the door open a crack and listened to her cracked voice feeling empathy swell up inside him; another change in emotion. Feeling like a new person, no longer the crude young man that had grown up in tears and wars, but a loyal and intelligent friend, he decided to spy no longer. With a shaking hand he reached out to brush some beautiful hair from Bree's face. It was not the mocking touch from earlier but a concerned gesture. He sat down next to her and didn't say a word, his fingers stroking her face and hair.

[.W.h.i.s.p.e.r.]

The light of dawn shined from the same window the moon had filtered through, and it's rays set Bree's face a golden color. Her long eyelashes brushed her tinged cheeks as her lids blinked open, revealing her amythest orbs. With aching limbs, she sat up slowly and looked around. Her lens of her eyes adjusting. Sci was sitting near the bed, his head laying on the edge; asleep. Had he been watching me sleep?! With fluid movements, she slid off the bed and left the bedroom. Bree had placed her foot on the stairs when it creaked loudly. She jerked back, silently.

Heart beating almost furiously in her desperation to not wake Sci, she sighed and closed her eyes slowly and concentrated. The muscles in her temples flexed and tips appeared in her shoulder blades. Bright, fiery tips. And they grew, sliding out of her back, taking the form of wings. But her flaming wings weren't the only transformation. Under her lids, her amythest orbs grew more intense and brighter. Her skin paled and she seemed a bit shorter, but every bit as powerful as usual. With the transformation complete, she fluttered downstairs on her near-silent wings.

The discovery of her part Faery origins had surprised her at first; 3 years ago. She knew for a fact she was mostly Fire Shadow, but she had wings. And most of all, Faeries usually didn't harness their powers like Bree had had. When she had first grown her wings, she had immediately set out to control them. So she no longer needed a certain emotion to burst forth with wings. Although she had harnessed her powers, the transforming thing was a slow process.

She vaguely wondered what Sci would think if he had saw her transform like this. But who was she to care? Her brighter eyes rolled slightly as she transformed back. Driven by hunger, she took a red apple off the counter. Chewing absent mindedly, she wondered, What now? My home is burned down, Sci apparhently does not wish me to stay here, and I don't either. I can't stay in the Ice Kingdom. She sighed. I could always live on the other side of Glass Lake, alone, as I always have been. Hopefully, Sci wouldn't find her there... ever.

Bree set out to search for a quill and parchment. Once she had found those items, she wrote,
"Thanks, I guess, for helping me out. But it's time for me to go. Bree. She didn't add how it was all his fault in the first place. She didn't bother to go through the list. She set it on the counter in clear view. Bree read it over again. She hated out her handwriting was so nice and neat.

She pushed herself away from the counter and stood with her hand on the door.

[angel]

Sci stirred to a door shutting in the distance. He looked around with eyes swimming with fear and suprise. "This isn't my room!" was his first thought until he saw the peice of scorched wood on the pillow beside him. "Bree?" If he had fallen asleep next to her with his fingers in her hair there was no doubt she probably just left to go put a bullet in her head. With the little dignity he had left if he had any at all, Sci tramped downstairs to the kitchen where he found Bree's short farewell note.

He supposed it was for her own good that he just let her leave like that but where would she go with that injury and no home? Knowing she wouldn't thank him for this next stunt, he called the police with a lump in his throat. "Don't bother her," he warned at the end of the conversation,"Just keep a look out to make sure she's safe." He hung up and leaned against the wall, praying.

[.W.h.i.s.p.e.r.]

A laugh almost escaped her throat, but she silenced it. "I'm still here, bonehead." She said and walked over, standing across from him. "You called the police?" She challenged, "And told them to make sure I'm safe?!" Bree scoffed, "I can take care of myself. The only reason I needed help is because you stabbed me and it's your fault that I have no home left! It's all on you. If you left me alone I'd be just fine!" By the end of her words, she was yelling in his face. Pftt, what do I care? If he starts crying, I'll laugh. But she didn't expect him to cry, neither did she want him to. That would be real awkward to see him at her feet, bawling.

Immediately, she stopped her amusing thoughts, but continued to glare at him with all her fury. All traces of weakness from last night were gone. She stepped back towards the exit. "Don't follow me." Bree said, and slammed the door behind her, leaving nothing, but the trace of her lilac scent.

As soon as she was out the door, her flaming wings exploded from her back. Strangely, her wings never burned her clothes, but she wasn't bothered by that. She was bothered in case Sci saw, which he probably did. Bree had never transformed so fast! And she hadn't planned it either. Was she losing control to her emotions? No time to think now. Bree shot high in the air, making her way to the Fire Shadow Kingdom has fast as possible, never looking back. Was she making the right choice?

[angel]

Sci had already prepared himself for these accusations and he knew that each were true so he merely stood and let her get what she needed out. He didn't move an inch as she screamed and stormed from his house but he knew that this string of events reminded him of a really sick romance/horror. It was messed up and yet he couldn't stop himself from rushing to the window to watch Bree leave, his heart lurching. Suddenly what looked like fire burst from her back and she flew from his lawn. "Bree!" He ran from the house and lost sight of the flurry of what he could have sworn were flaming wings.

[.W.h.i.s.p.e.r.]

//.[O]nce gaiN.x.

She's got the eyes of innocence,

The face of an angel

A personality of a dreamer

And a smile,

That hides more pain,

Than you can ever imagine.

[[ It was the full moon tonight. It's lulling, silvery light flooded the still valley, filtering through the bare trees of the forest, which clawed at the silent wind. Dark, threatening clouds hung in the sky gloomily in this dreary night. Though Winter, cold and snow did not befall the Fire Shadow Kingdom. Instead, it began to rain, small droplets pattering on the ground increased to a rather loud slapping sound. Thunder clashed, echoing, and lightning lashed out into midair; flashing.

Once again, here she was, alone, but in her home Kingdom. Or not exactly home. She sat in a tree, among the higher branches. Her left lef was swinging down below, and the other on the limb she was sitting on. She was also leaned against the trunk of the tree and her right elbow on the knee of her right leg. Her head hung, almost miserably.

And yet, she was somewhat content. Bree was confident that Sci would never again want to see her. Good. Finally outta my life. She thought, a small smirk edging over her face. But a sudden lump formed in her throat and her stomch churned. That morning, she had found Sci's fingers in her silky, blue-black hair. Bree almost retched. Ugh. What was always with him? Kidnapping her, stabbing her, then taking her to a medical center? She shook her head slightly, her lids closing of her beautiful gems briefly. And hate burned and gnawed at her insides for a long time. Her jaw clenched and unclenched. Why wouldn't she just forget about him? A tremble shook her and she craned her neck, lifting her head to relieve her flawless face from the shadows.

A searing pain jabbed through her leg and she violently gripped the place where she had been stabbed. Apparhently, it wasn't healed fully. Bree heaved a gasp and sat still for a moment, her normally full lips pursed.

Her ears pricked, almost like a cat. Was that a war cry? Confusion masked her senses and suddenly she saw an arrow fly in her direction, cutting through the rain. Nimbly, she rolled herself to the side. A stupid mistake. Bree fell from the tree and landed on her side on the ground with a loud thump. But not before the arrow had pierced her left shoulder, digging into her flesh. A scream escaped herr and she clamped her mouth shut immediately. Through gritted teeth, a moan still slid from her throat. The edges of her vision blurred a bit, but she remaind fully aware of the situation. Weakly, she dragged herself to her feet, holding her weight against the tree. Bree vaguely wondered who attacked her and little did she know, she was soon to find out.

It was the sound of an unsheathing dagger that alerted her. And then the cold point at her neck. Bree's heart raced and her blood roared in her ears as ragged men emerged from their hiding place. Bandits! She realized in sheer horror. The dagger dug deeper into her neck, creating a small cut. A single drop of her blood dribbled down her neck; scarlet red against pale white.
"Looks like we caught ourselves a little birdy. A beautiful bird." A man's voice rasped. A ripple of chuckles went through her audience. In the next moment she felt a scraggly beard against her cheek. As he spoke again, his tongue darted out of his mouth to touch her skin. "Missy, you're coming with us." Bree felt her wrist lock in his grasp, but she twisted away, and spat in his face. While he was occupied, she wrestled his dagger from him in quick, easy movements. Bree held it to his neck. His men took a sudden step forward but didn't dark advance any more. "I don't think so." She hissed. Bree threw the knife down and leapt into the sky, her flaming wings bursting forth. They hissed and seethed as the rain came down on the flames.
But before she could make her escape, one bandit slashed with his sword at the last moment, slicing her across the stomach. She cried out in pain, but flapped her wings ever so gracefully as an arrow pierced one. So much hurt.

One thing was obvious. The bandit would track her down, tearing down everything in his path.
I can't believe I'm doing this! Bree thought maddeningly. She was flying at top speeds back to Sci. Soon, his home was in view, quite easy to spot, even through the cloudy day, and the cover of snow. As soon as she had entered the Ice Kingdom, the rain had transformed to a blizzard of white. She nearly crash landed on his door step, and instead of knocking, she burst in his house, broken and bleeding and soaking wet. Her wings were still alight. "Sci." She said, spotting him instantly. "I need your help." There was no time for apologies now. As soon as she had spoken, she collapsed, her legs crumpling underneath her, and blood pooling on the wooden floor. Bree's breathing grew shallower, and the light faded, replaced with darkness. She was uncounscience.

Am I dying? Were Bree's thoughts. She couldn't be sure.

[angel]

occ;; Wow this is weird! Oh, and I remember being shocked at how long your last post was, but now it seems like something we'd normally do when starting off a thread =) Switching to first person by the way.

I had turned away when a band of theives caught my eye. Bandits. Only three. I squinted in surprise that they were loitering about in the grass like they weren't obvious at all, and I decided there had to be more. They had to be after something and these certain few were put on hold.

I approached with my palms turned upward and my skin cold and numb like the fresh rain-speckled breeze. Bree would have trouble flying in this if my eyes hadn't mistaken me and her wings weren't glowing with embers as red as the blood so many had spilled across my memories.

That was going a bit far with the description, but they were on fire, I couldn't have imagined that up. A few of the bandits looked up with daggers lacing their belts, but I had a reputation here. "You have no business here," I hissed in a proffesional manner. It was like I was planning on selling them something.

"Whatever you are after, you will not find it here, I will turn your faces inside out first." My words were solid, but hollow, which only made things more tense, and perhaps it made the bandits more fearful. They did not answer me, but turned with eyes averted and sucked in deep breaths of air.

It was written all over their posture, there was no deal to be made. It was too late to flee, the mission had been accomplished. I whirled around with my heart nearly breaking my ribs it was thumping so hard. I would have been embarressed, but Bree said my name, and I recognized the claim death nearly had on her.

The toll that gash in her stomach had taken was one of tough recovery, and I couldn't risk moving her. But it was the only way...I carefully gathered her in my mind feeling like half a person, and carried her as fast as my weakened legs could manage.

My shoulders held the weight of something very precious in the world, and I had eyes only for Bree's face and the medicine woman's house. I just let my sword slip an inch as I ran past the bandits, and I swore I could hear the satisfying sound of tearing flesh and crunching bone.

My foot crushed something when I passed them, and I held back a triumphant smile while whispering to Bree carefully. I was torn in two. Kill her. The ghosts of fallen Ice Kingdom warriors whispered death threats around our blurring forms, but Bree's face was always the reality.

She was alive, and she was not like the rest of her people. And if she was...it had to mean something that she came back. I was going to be the better Sci, as cheesy as that sounded, and I was going to forget my thirst for the blood of the Fire Kingdom. For now.

[You can be the medicine lady]

[.W.h.i.s.p.e.r.]

I blinked, my first image of the world coming in blurry and unfocused. I squinted, blinking again, to let my eyes adjust to my surroundings, then let out a slight grunt of grogginess. I twisted my head to look at the room and only saw a nightstand with a glass of water on it. With a trembling hand, I reached for it to take a shaky sip, which only resulted in me spilling it all over myself.

I swore automatically and tried to sit up so I could clean up the mess, but the slightest of stomach muscles used called me to shout in pain. I squeezed my eyes shut as I instantly relaxed and waited for the pain to subside; for the most part anyway.

I moaned, opening my eyes again, and pulled back the covers and lifted my shirt to gaze blankly at the bandages wound tight around my stomach. I could scarcely breathe.

I let my head rest back on my pillow, sweat already beading on my forehead. The memories came back after that, what had happened before I had blacked out. I grit my teeth in frustration. Stupid bandits. I remembered seeing Sci's face, but that's where it ended. I sighed. Where was I?

Just then someone burst into the room and I automatically leaped up, ignoring the excrutiating fire than ripped at my stomach. My hand flashed to my side, only to realize my dagger was not there.

I focused on the old woman in front of me as she pushed me back down on the bed. "You're going to rip your stitches." She complained in exhaustion. I struggled weakly against her. "Where... where is Sci?"

[angel]

The woman chuckled tenderly and warm-heartedly before stroking Bree's arm and carefully feeling around the wound on her stomach. "Sci? Why I thought you two didn't get along to well hmm? I believe he's waiting outside unless he convinced himself to track down those bandits that attacked you. Yes, he really his struggling with that."

She shrugged and patted Bree's arm before standing up and hobbling to the other side of the room with a strangled huff. "I'm getting to old for this, how many times have you been in here girl?! You'd better take good care of yourself from now on." She wagged a finger and winked at Bree in good nature. Perhaps, did Bree and Sci have feelings for each other?

The old woman narrowed her eyes and carefully studied Bree's face. It was possible, and if so, she would leave them a little present for the company. She had a lot of work to do on this mangled girl, but at least both of the teenagers had manners and cute little voices. "So tell me dear, is there anything you want? You'll be here for a few more days I'm sure, so can I get you anything at all?"

[.W.h.i.s.p.e.r.]

I frowned. I took care of the bandits myself, I just was caught off guard... I shook my head to myself and sat up again, clutching my stomach. "I'm fine, really! These wounds aren't fatal." I argued with a frown. All I wanted to do was go home.

Ugh, I didn't even have a home anymore.

Okay. so I wanted to go back to Sci's house. Besides, we had some talking to do. Major talking. And what had happened after I blacked out? And why, why, why, did he bring me here again?! I was seriously annoyed with this lady. Why couldn't he just wrap a bandage around my arm and stomach myself? It was so easy.

Maybe Sci was helpless.

I got to my feet, stuffing them into my shoes. I grabbed my clothes off the chair besides the nightstand and dressed hurriedly, shrugging of the stupid robe I was wearing.

"Thanks for your help, but I got to go." I said to the lady, hiding my irritation towards her. I threw open the door and hobbled down the stairs as fast as I could without doubling over in pain.

I grit my teeth and opened the front door to be attacked by a flurry of snow. I stumbled back in surprise, gasping as it freeze-burned by hot skin.

"Sci!" I yelled. "Get your ass over here!"

[angel]

I looked up at the sound of my name being called in such an urgent and intense tone. Obviously Ms. Prima Donna was as good as new. I smiled and stood up to face her voice.

"I'm right here sweetheart. Are you feeling better already? You nearly bled to death a few hours ago!" My legs were numb from sitting in the same spot outside the hut for about five hours in anticipation. I tried to cover up my fear for Bree and strange new attraction to her, by picking a fight.

What was she freaking out about? Had I done something wrong? She was the one who had burst through my front door after storming away and landing herself in a band of thugs.

My heart lept at the first sight of her face through the snow. Last time I had seen her face, she had been hurting so much...This wasn't fair! She had already lost her home.

[.W.h.i.s.p.e.r.]

I marched up to him, suddenly pissed. "Do not call me sweetheart." I growled in a deadly voice, grabbing the collar of his shirt in a tight fistful, bringing his face close to mine. I let him go, thrusting him away, but only ended up by unbalancing myself.

I put pressure on my stomach again by slinging my arm across my torso. "And for your information, I'm not completely healed. I just have to get out of here, alright? Now, I'm gonna go ho--" I stopped. Duh, I was thinking about this a moment ago.

"I just want to leave." I finished. "I can't stand laying in bed all day being served and stuff by that annoying lady." I rolled my eyes. "I guess I'm stuck with you." I drew up to my full height, which wasn't much, especially compared to Sci. But I still emitted with strong emotion.

I slumped against the wall, suddenly exhausted. My stomach and shoulder were throbbing with pain again.

[angel]

I smiled in satisfactory as, no matter how much Bree stretched up, she could not reach my height. I overpowered her, and she was too stubborn to submit.

"Bree, you have the will of a horse! Why can't you just stay in one place like every other wounded person, and wait until you're fully healed?" I caught myself before doing anything stupid and laughed to myself.

I already knew the girl's answer. She was not like every other wounded person.I gripped Bree's hand, a little too tightly, and turned so I wasn't looking straight into her eyes which I knew would piss her off.

"And what makes you so sure you're welcome at my home?" I asked with a questionable gloat. Of course, I was already beginning to worry like crazy about her clear struggle with injury.

[.W.h.i.s.p.e.r.]

"Maybe because I'm not like any other person." I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "And I just told you the reason anyway! I can't stand this place!"

Once I had finished talking he had gripped my hand. I tried to wrench it free, but my hand was too tightly interlaced. I tugged again, but only ended up making my shoulder throb. I winced, letting my arm fall limp. "Owowow." I moaned quietly, laying my free hand gently over it.

I looked up to glare at Sci, but found I couldn't even see his face. "Hello, let go of my hand! And you're the one that invited me to stay at your home when my house burned down." I scowled, seriously annoyed and pissed off. I wanted to leave. I had to get out of here. Sci was just stalling. "Which, by the way, was your fault."

[angel]

I refused to let go of Bree's hand, but I did raise an eyebrow at her comment and made a victory smile. "You want to come live at my house then?" I asked in disbelief, not quite sure why she couldn't just stay with the medicine woman who was Bree's gender, and would take better care of her.

"Fine then. Have it your way!" I made sure to swoop Bree up in my arms very gently, and I knew that she wouldn't feel anything from her injuries since I was being so aware, and then I whisked her away while whistling a care-free tune. She couldn't fight back if she didn't want to just do more damage to her body.

I would have a little fun with this opportunity. She had come willingly to me, so I would take my revenge by bugging the crap out of Bree until she wished she had just huddled in the ashes of her old home and left me alone. Too late now.

[.W.h.i.s.p.e.r.]

I gasped in surprise as he swung me up in his arms. Okay, this was going too far! First holding hands now this? I never consented to any of those gestures. I kicked my legs out and pushed against his chest -- rather weakly though.

I tried to speak, to protest, but nothing came out. For once, I was wordless. I didn't know what to say to his comment. No words were coming to me. I swore to myself and clamped shut my gaping my mouth.

Giving up, I huffed, laying rather awkwardly in his arms. Then he started whistling. I glanced up into his face, glaring. "Ugh." was all I said -- still speechless, you see.

--------------

Once we walked in his front door, I immediately started squirming again. He had carried me the whole way back, which, I thought, was worse for my health than me walking. His skin burned mine everytime we touched.

I think I fell asleep once along the journey, and worse, I dreamed about Sci and in the dream, I thought he was handsome and charming and I wanted to kiss him, but it was horrible because we couldn't touch each other for a long while without it getting painful.

I shook my head. How could I have dreams like that? Ugh.

"Okay, that's it, put me down!" I demanded.

[angel]

I gritted my teeth at Bree's harshness and gingerly set her on the doorstep to my small house before opening the door with more force then necessary. "What is your problem?!" I demanded and turned to her with pain swelling up in my bright orbs like small pebbles before an avalanche. Hurt was plain on my reddening face. "I have done everything for you. Everything!!! And it's time to face it Bree, you're alone! Your house is gone, you seem to have no real family, you're hurt, you're not in your own kingdom, people are out to get you. I'm trying to help you. I'm the only one left; you're not alone with me looking after you. I did something wrong, I took you from your home. Don't you understand?! You k-keep pushing....pushing me away. We're....so close to the end....you're alone."

I let my arms fall to limp at my sides and tumbled to the floor, sliding against the wall as I fell like dust in the wind. My color was fading and my eyes were dull now. I was a shell of myself. This girl...I cared for her. And I had exploded. The pain. I was helping an enemy, and she didn't realize the value of that. So ungrateful. So hateful.

[.W.h.i.s.p.e.r.]

[bree deserved that. xD ]

Finally, he put me down and relief washed over me, but that quickly dissipated when he started yelling at me. I stood there, astonished and speechless. Each word he spoke that formed into a harsh sentence struck me like a knife or a whip. I stared at his face in despair, seeing the endless pain reflected in it. He really was handsome, just like my dream, even though I knew I caused the pain on that angel's face.

I watched helplessly as he crumpled to the floor, an empty shell. I fell horribly and stupidly guilty. Tears formed up in my eyes as I recalled on his words. Yes, I was alone. Yes, Sci had helped me. Yes, I kept pushing him away.

But the realization of his words; that I was alone...

"Sci, I'm..." I attempted to apologize through a tight throat, but it wasn't turning out so well. I still felt incredibly hurt. His words stung me fiercely.

I stopped and swallowed, the tears spilling onto my cheeks. "But you don't ever try and understand me! You're just so... so..." So what? Mean? Charming?

A sobbed ripped at my lungs and I turned away and flung myself recklessly towards the door to head upstairs. He was right. I had nowhere to go, so there was no sense in running away again.

But the problem was my knife wound to the stomach, and partly the arrow wound to my shoulder. I gasped and stumbled, tear droplets flying everywhere. I tumbled to the ground and lay limp, but not before groaning quietly. I cursed myself and my weakness.

[angel]

It was her voice that stirred me more. Now I was so...what? In love? I nearly spit those words out in horror, wanting to erase them from mind, but it was possible. Wasn't it? The thought was unnerving. But I was also angry. She had made me furious. What was this love or hate?! I felt trapped. As if this was some sort of sick, twisted fairytale.

"I'M SO WHAT?! Wretched?! Evil?! Call me what you want Bree...I promise you I've been called worse." My tears were too hard to stop now. I was really shaking so violently that it hurt. I was so weak and pathetic. Why around her? The sound of a body falling caused my head to shoot up, straining my already aching neck, and I rushed to Bree's side, stumbling to lie at her side. And together, at the bottom of the staircase...we cried.

[.W.h.i.s.p.e.r.]

I cringed at his words. Wretched and evil... No, he wasn't... I curled into a ball, feeling bruised and beaten. I sobbed pitifully and suddenly felt the presence of Sci besides me. What the hell was he doing now?

I didn't say anything, but I forced my crying to quiet until I was silent. I didn't move. My muscles were rigid because of Sci's being next to me.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled and let myself sag into the floor. It was cold, and it stung my skin, but I didn't dare move.

[angel]

I sighed as I regathered myself, drying tears stung on my soft, delicate skin. I wanted to scream at Bree that she had better be sorry, but I could only imagine the outcome..."No. There's nothing to apologize for. It's just...you don't understand how much it hurts to be with you. After what happened to my family, I feel such relief with you, and such...pain."

The words couldn't flow together any other way. There was no way to know what she thought of me. I know what I would think, but this was someone different. More honourable then me by times I could not count. The distance between us in our minds was so far...so very far. But our bodies were so close together, that my heart beat struggled in my chest.

[.W.h.i.s.p.e.r.]

I turned my head, revealing my face to him. My eyes were puffy and red and I must've looked like hell. But that wasn't what was on my mind right now. I frowned. His words... didn't make sense.

"I don't know what you mean, Sci..." I whispered quietly, fingering a chipped wooden panel on the floor. I focused on that chipped wood, not daring to look at Sci.

That was the first time I'd said Sci's name sincerly. But you could hardly be surprised. I had had no idea that my attitude had affected him so much. I mean, he was from the Ice Kingdom and I was from the Fire Kingdom. We were born to hate each other. Born to be seperated.

The distance between or bodies were too short. I knew I liked it. Too much. But if he reached out to touch me, I knew I would burn his skin, and he would freeze burn mine.

[angel]

I almost said something I knew I'd regret, so my mind reeled as I mulled over every way I could answer Bree. "I guess...I don't want you to leave Bree, but at the same time, if you don't, what does that make me? I'd be betraying my family, but if I turned you away, then I'd be betraying you."

I cast my eyes on Bree's beautiful face and tried to connect our pain through the endearing stare. She would always be important, but could she tell me why? Because I would never figure out on my own...why I was so attached to this girl from the enemies domain. Why I felt this way around her. Or what this feeling was anyway...

[.W.h.i.s.p.e.r.]

I made the mistake of looking up at his face. My crumpled and shriveled up while I stopped breathing, my breath caught in my throat. I didn't -- couldn't -- move a muscle. I was frozen. Sci's gaze had me locked up, as if he could control me just with his eyes.

I got caught up in the moment.

Sci was so beautiful. I'd never seen such a handsome face before, especially one such as his caught in the twilight after glow of the sun shining through the window. It made his skin look golden. It made him look like a god.

My eyes finally tore away from his eyes, but not his face. My eyes traced his jawline, which had perfect, carved edges, yet a prominent look about them, showing maturity. My gaze traveled over his soft, flawless lips and up his nose back to his eyes again, which were set over by dark, arched eyebrows.

I blinked when Sci spoke, my lips parted a bit to suck in air. I grew dizzy for a moment and my eyes clouded, but it soon cleared.

When he said he didn't want me to leave, my stomach lurched at the feeling and meaning his words brought me. But then it lurched again with the same feeling, though slightly different, when he finished speaking.

His stare made me lose my focus again and I suddenly realized how close our faces were. Once again, all of my organs stopped working and I locked my muscles in place to prevent my hormones from making me lean forward.

Instead, in the end, I looked away, the effect from his words and from the intimacy.