It was way too late for any normal person to be here. When dark came, when dinner was long since past, you'd figure everyone had gone home to sleep. And everyone but one boy had. The young man was sitting at a table, scribbling and reading from a text book, scribbling down more notes, pause. Long pause, which could be him trying to sleep, or him thinking back on past events, or just him pausing because he was reading again. A few more notes are scribbled, and the page is turned.

"Excuss me, sir... Do you plan on leaving any time soon? It's two thirty in the morning."

A young librarian, most likely the newest worker, for she had gotten the night shift, called out across the room to the man who seemed to be studying. Overgrown, but not yet deemed 'long' blonde hair shook with the answer of no, golden brown eyes not leaving the page. A few more notes scribbled. The librarian whined now.

"Sir, I really would like to leave. Could you take yourself elsewhere?"

Something inside the man made him want to say no. Maybe it was her tone of voice, or maybe it was the fact that he needed to finish this. Maybe it was the fact that her job was to wait until everyone had left.

"Fine."

Curt answer, and the man stood. All five feet and nine inches of him, which wasn't something extrodinary, nor something pathetic. Plus, he wasn't sure if he had finished growing. Hands piled the papers into the open page of the book, tucked the pencil behind his ear, for lack of a better spot, and snapped the book shut. Picked it up, turned, and faced the librarian. It was now obvious the man had not slept well recently, if he had slept at all. Dark circles, messed hair. His clothes were wrinkled from use, and his left shoelace was untied. But he didn't care. Walked past the librarian and oput the door into the night.

The bitter cold and haunting night. Another reason he wasn't going to go home. Because that ment he'd have to go through all the places he knew he'd spot something that would make his blood freeze. No vampires for him tonight. He was sick of them anyway, and they were likely sick of him. No, he sat himself on the bottom stair, on the leftmost side, under the streetlight. And opened his book on his lap and continued the assignment. The one that was due in two weeks, but he decided to finish now anyway.

The librarian came out of the library, bundled in all her winter clothes, locked the doors, and walked past him, eyeing him suspiciously. Why was he still here? Why didn't he go home and sleep? Walked down the street, towards her home. The only sounds were that of the clicking of heeled shoes on pavement, and the soft scratching of pencil on paper.

The night was still.


((Reserved for Vanessa!))

OOC| *waves* Hiiie! |

The night was still. Until the sound of heeled shoes began again on the pavement. No, it wasn't the librarian returning, the sounds were coming from the opposite direction. After a few moments of the sound growing stronger, their source walked into view. Pointy white heels wore on the feet of a beautiful blonde woman.

"Oh, you damn cat.. " She muttered under her breath, then sighed and made her voice sweet. "Honey.. Here, kitty kitty kitty..." She called out into the air, leaving the words like a rope for the cat to come back to her on.

Bo had left the door open as he was yelling at them in anger, and the cat had taken the oppertunity to flee after hiding under the red armchair for the duration of the argument. As she streaked out, tuffs of fur and dust were left in her wake, and Hannah had wailed after her.

And now she was out in the middle of the night, looking for it. If it was up to her, she would have let it come home on it's own. She didn't like cats, anyway. But Hannah had sobbed hysterically and so she had promised to find the cat to keep her mentality safe.

Her blonde hair was parted at the side, and fell over her left eye when she tilted her head in the right direction. She wore a black leather jacket, tailored to her frame to fit nicely. It ended at the waist, meeting her dark, slightly flared jeans. And those pointy white heels poked out from under the hems.

"Here, Honey.. Here kitty.." She called again. If she didn't find it by the time she reached the end of this street, she was doubling back and telling Hannah she'd get her a new cat.

The man blinked down at his assignment. No, that wasn't her voice. He was having a nightmare. Just... no. Shook his head, and now everything was louder. She was closer, the clicking still there, the voice still calling out. Great. GREAT. Colton lifted his head to look over at the approaching figure. The one that hated him with a passion, most likely, and the one that was hopelessy pretty. Great.

Busied himself in his reading more. No, he'd not look up. Maybe she'd disappear. He wasn't afraid of this one, no, but he had this feeling. This, 'Don't talk to her, she's trouble' feeling. But then again, she had saved his sisters life. Maybe his too. No, not maybe. Definatly. Scribbled down a new note, trying to concentrate on World War II. And it just was not working. So, it had been ninety minute to destroy Rotterdam, and Hitler had killed 300,000 people just to make an example of his power... What if Bo went on a killing rampage...? NO! HISTORY!

"Arrrrg."

Muttered after starting to write what he had been thinking, and swiftly erased. Eyes back to the page, but not able to suck in the information. The clicking, resounding in his head. She was right there... He should just say hi. Looked up from his paper and watched her come closer. And sighed.

"Hello Lily..."

She had been looking down the street, she had noticed the boy sitting near the streetlight, but she didn't think it was Colton. Upon hearning her voice, however, she stopped and looked down at him, and realized that it was. What was he doing sitting on the sidewalk at this hour?

"Hello, Colton." She responded polietly, if not shortly.

Nodded. Blinked. She didn't give him anything to go off. If he could make it so easy as to just start his homework up again, flat out ignore her, and finish the assignment before school tomorrow, then he'd be rather happy. Then again, he had been the idiot to say hi in the first place.

"Ummm... You looking for your cat or something...?"

For lack of a better topic. And so there wasn't that creepy looming silence hanging over everything.

"I'm looking for Hannah's cat. Since she's currently in the middle of a mental and emotional breakdown. Because Bo's being an ass and she's worried he'll kill you or your sister." She said. Terse, and to the point.

Pretty sure that gave him something to go off with.

Great. This was great.

"... Oh..."

And now he felt that 'low' moment hitting him again. And sighed, retucked the pencil behind his ear, and closed the book again. Set everything down next to him, stood, and looked down the street.

"I'll help... It's all my fault anyway..."

In a way, it was. But he blamed himself for it all.

"You didn't leave the door open," Lily said as she tucked her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "Don't be stupid and blame yourself for something stupid like that. Now, for the whole situation with Bo, that is kind of your fault.."

She wasn't being too nice. But then, she really didn't think Colton would expect anything else. And she liked to give people what they were expecting, better than giving them an explanation for why they were disappointed.

Yea, it was, wasn't it? Maybe he shouldn't talk with her anymore. Maybe he should just ignore Hannah all together. That'd mean that he couldn't make her life worse. And he didn't want to make her life any worse. He'd already made it bad enough.

"Technically... You said Bo left it open cause he was yelling... Yelling at Hannah about me, so, yes. It is my fault..."

Because he did believe it was. And because he'd rather blame himself than let someone else be the scapegoat.

"I'll... Go look over there."

And shuffled himself over down the street a bit, looking around, not really seeing, but making the effort to keep him mind on the cat. And off Bo and Hannah and Lily and vampires in general.

"No, he was yelling at me. About Hannah. Why do you pretend you know everything?" Lily said as she started off after him. She paused when she passed the library, looking off down the little alley beside it.

"Hold up.." She called as she spotted a gleam of cat eyes and a flicking, yellow tail. "Actually it's nice that your here. I don't know my way around the city yet and I might as well learn it, I'm going to be here awhile." She said over her shoulder as she stared down the alley.

Didn't say anything to her comment, but sighed. Yea, he did assume too much. Though he was trying to justify him never talking to any of the three of them again. And thus, made up creative excusses. Because he didn't want to hurt anyone, nor get hurt.

The fact that she was staying around a while made him slouch a bit. His usual straight back and shoulders just hanging. Supporting him enough to keep him standing, but not enough for much else. Why slouch? Because he was now stuck with a girl who hated him for a while. Another assumption: she hated him, thus, he should ignore her.

Followed her down the alley silently, his eyes watching the cat's eyes. He liked cats. This one, though, he couldn't see well enough to decided if it was pleasing to the eyes. He liked pleasing things.

OOC| Skirr? |

"Oh, for heaven's sakes! Nobody said they hated you. Well, Bo goes without saying but he's the dominate male. He's supposed to." Her voice was crisp. This mortal was trying her nerves. Why was it Hannah found him so darling again? "If I'm staying here to keep you and your sister alive I think you can assume that I don't hate you."

She stopped a few feet from the cat, and placed her hands on her hips. A non-verbal, 'Ha! I found you!' When the eyes blinked and backed up, she sighed and crouched down. "Come here, precious..." She meowed teasingly, and surprisingly well for a human larynx.

At this bait, the cat meowed back and strutted out into sight. Very pleasing, but would a vampire own something that wasn't? She was small, yet full grown. Her fur was sleek and shiny, and it was obvious she had earned the name Honey from it's blonde-yellow hues. She came directly to Lily, though she cast an uncertain glance at Colton. Streching out before her, she then stood on her back legs and placed her paws on Lily's knees.

"Because I am staying here to keep the two of you safe. So I'll be here for.." Lily continued speaking to Colton as if she hadn't addressed the cat. She scooped her find up in her arms as she spoke, and stood up as she finished. "The duration of your lives, I guess." Honey purred once more, in delight as her holder scratched the nape of her neck. She closed her eyes contentedly and lifted her head into the hollow beneath Lily's chin.

((OOC: Long story... You can read it here if you want.))

"Pfft... Dominant male... Do I look like a threat or something to him? Because I want nothing to do with him..."

Which was true, to an extent. He wanted nothing to do with this Bo guy at all, and would avoid him at all costs. Then again, he was getting himself involved with Bo whether he liked it or not. Because he was getting himself involved with both the reasons Bo didn't like him for. Because he had a friendship with Hannah, and because of that friendship, needed protection from Lily. Oh, Colton could see it. He was defintaly in danger. And Lily would have her hands full.

"... As long as we live...? Codi is moving as soon as she gets the chance, probally this summer, and I might just tag along... I don't want to be a bother. There's nothing here for me anyway."

No opertunities, no jobs, no chance at peace. And if he moved, he'd get away from these vampire. Unfortunatly, he seemed to be spacing on the idea that vampires were everywhere.

OOC| Ahh.. I see.. *encouraging pat* I thought it was someone else posting on our board when I saw you had replied, I was going to get angry. *heee* |

"But you want something to do with Hannah, who belongs to him. At least, that's the way he sees it," Lily replied reasonably.

Honey moved her tail amiably, making an odd swish, swish, swish noise against the leather of Lily's coat. It was the only noise when neither she nor Colton were speaking. She kissed the top of Honey's head, expertly dividing her attention between the cat and the mortal. She seemed used to caring for more than one thing at a time, concentrating on more than one person.

"Well I'll be wherever Bo is while you're alive.. Or near you, I guess." She glanced over at him, figuring he would have a fit at this. He seemed to want to company of vampires as much as he wanted another hole in the head. "Don't dispare or anything. That doesn't mean you'll ever see me again."

Like that was comforting. She'd be keeping them safe while they had no clue of the danger. But then again, in mortal minds, she was danger. She would be like a warped guardian angel keeping vigil only at night. It was almost satirical that she had the face of an angel, yet none of the goodness or light attached to them.

"Why would you want all of your decisions dictated by your sister's will, anyway?" Lily asked suddenly. "I always hated it that Caitlin and I were meshed into one being, one perfect little Lady. I think that's the only reason I was so eager to marry William, I'd be the Baroness of Ashby and she'd still be The Honorable Cailtin Damara."

Colton blushed a bit, and looked back to meet Lily's gaze.

"Me and Hannah are just friends. Nothing more."

Because if he said that enough, he'd believe it, and then moving away'd be a little less difficult. And then Bo'd leave him alone. If he stated it enough, everyone'd have to believe it. He watched he kiss the cat, and sighed. This was different. The last time he had seen her, she had been... So cold. And now, she seemed like a different person. Well, no, but close to it.

Colton nodded. She'd be around. Good? Well, it made him feel better. Suprisingly. Because, even though he didn't like the idea of having vampires watching him, he already knew that vampires were stronger, faster, and all around better for protecting things than humans, They were just fleshy pink things that were so easy to kill. And, Colton verses Bo would not be pretty.

"Why? Because she normally has the right idea... And anyway, I am used to her dictating my desisions. She doesn't put me in any bad situations, and she's the natural leader..."

He truely didn't care. He knew that if he wanted to 'lead' himself, he could. He just chose not to.

"Tell yourself that Hannah's just your friend if it makes you feel better," Lily said in just that tone. "However, I highly doubt that she would call upon the biggest demon she had to keep just a casual friend safe."

She kept scratching Honey's neck thoughtfully as she let a moment slip by. "Just because you are used to something doesn't mean it's for the best. Your sister may always make the right idea for her, but they can't always be the things you truly want to do.

She watched him for a moment, posing a question in her mind before she repeated it aloud. "Or are you too afraid to think about who you truly want?" Another second danced away at her allowence. "Excuse me, of course I mean what you want."

No, she didn't. She didn't make mistakes like that, that much was obvious.

Colton blinked. And locked his eyes back on Lily. Did she say something that sounded close to something he was trying to avoid hearing? But something he wanted to hear?

"I thought she... But... No, wait... Wait..."

No, he'd not finish that thought. Because it would sound way too hopeful. And, the last thing he wanted was to sound hopeful for something that was probally more dangerous to try and attempt to get than he could handle. Plus, who was Lily to know about that topic? Oh, right... vampires could read minds. Had she read Hannah's? Now he was thinking too hopeful. Change the subject.

"I don't see anything wrong with taking Codi's lead. I truely don't. Because it's not what's best for HER that's on her mind when she helps make decisions for me. It's MY best intrest. Normally I am just too... Too whatever to see it."

Declined to answer her last questions, though they burned in his mind. He wasn't sure if he knew, but he had a lean towards one of the two girls in question. Codi or Hannah. Would he let his baby sister go and stay with some vampire woman who had a crazy, overprotective ex-boyfriend that was out to kill him? Or did he leave behind the one person, aside from his sister, that he could talk to, smile with, and lo-- No, too hopeful again.

"Colton, I can't tell you what to think no more than Codi can. All I can tell you is that you have a guarantee of my protection as long as Hannah wishes it. And that Bo will grow bored with this in a few years and leave both her and I again. And when that happens, I will go back to my family in New York, and Hannah will return to her home in New Orleans. So you'd better make your decision before then." She said all this firmly, though not unkindly. Bluntness was this woman's nature when the conversation was not of her own affairs. And she wasn't done yet.

"And because you haven't the will or resolve isn't an excuse good enough to justify not making one. I understand that Codi is your twin, and I know that twins are close. I have one too. But when you've got other conflicting interests such as the ones you're going through.. ? Your sister can't help you. Whether you want Hannah as a friend or a lover, you'll have to deal with the fact that she's a vampire. She'd probably like to change that more than anyone else, and not just for you, boy, but she can't. And you both know it."

"I can make my own decisions when I want to. I am not my sisters ragdoll. All I am saying is it really isn't my decision if I stay or go. Because I could stay here with Hannah or go wherever with Codi. But if I stay, Hannah has say too. She can tell me that she doesn't feel anything for me, and right now she..."

He wouldn't finish that. Colton turned away from Lily and lapsed into silence. He already knew how Lily hated his little assumptions, and it was all assumptions from there. Bring up facts, then.

"And I am not sure I want to stay here with her... Sure, it might be nice for a few years... But when I am looking my age of fifty and she is still looking like a twenty year old, what do I do? She's immortal. I'm not."

This being one of two details why he didn't want anything to do with any vampire. He'd hate getting to the age where he was ninety, dying, and staring into the eyes of a twenty year old, or so she'd seem, and having people see them, and say, 'His poor grand daughter.' That wasn't something he could ever deal with.

"She's... She's immortal. It could never work..."

Realization. And it hurt. It hurt him to think that it'd never work. It wouldn't. It couldn't. And it hurt.

Lily listened to him quietly, a respectful little look growing on her face. She was begining to be siezed by a sense of deja vu as he ended his rant. She remembered standing just this far away from another man, an older man of literary genius, who had said essentially the same thing. That he wouldn't waste away as he watched her stay young, fresh, and pretty.

And so she was exceptionally bitter sounding when she replied, "If you really, truly wanted her, it wouldn't matter. You would bear it." She paused for a moment, realizing she sounded harsh. "But that is beside the point," she sounded more natural again, "and this is a conversation you should be having with Hannah, not me."

So, Lily turned and began to walk out of the alley, still holding the cat carefully against her chest.

Colton didn't like the bitter. It wasn't as if she had had this desision on her plate. She WAS a vampire. And a rather attravctive one, which led him on to think that maybe some other guy had had the same delima. Maybe even with her. Ooooh... Creepy.

"... No. Bo'll kill me."

And for once, he actually sounds scared. Really scared. Because, yes, somewhere inside he knew he had more than just a friendship feeling for Hannah. Then again, he also had a strong feeling for his own life. Because he couldn't have a feeling for Hannah if he was dead, for one thing. There were other values to his own life, some more and less important to him than Hannah. They just weren't considered.

And, even though he he said no, he, too, left the ally to follow Lily. Because he wanted to see Hannah. Even though she might hate him.

Lily didn't reply to him, she just kept walking. And so the night was still once more.

She started directly for the same apartments Hannah had led Colton when they had first met. She was fully aware he was following her, but she didn't speak to him anymore. Every few moments or so she'd murmer something comforting to Honey as the cat meowed and attempted to wiggle out of her arms.

The silence was opresssing. Colton grabbed up his book and report and pencil from the stairs of the library as they walked past it, and seemingly hugged them to his chest. Because he was afraid. This time, Bo wasn't even an afterthought of why. He was afraid of what Hannah might possibly say.

Quietly walked behind Lily, knowing the direction well. Not because it was where Hannah lived, but because it was the way he walked home from the library every day he went there. He just went down a side street before he actually walked by the apartments.

Lily passed that side street. She walked confidently to the stairs to the glass doors, which the doorman pulled open as he saw her approach.

"Oh, Ms. Colwyn, I'm so glad you found the kitty.. I would have went after her, but I'm not allowed to leave my post." He said in a mildly apologetic tone.

"Of course, I understand. It's alright, we've got her now and she won't get away again." Lily replied as she walked into the building. She had the exact voice for dealing with servents or hired help. It was friendly, but firm at the same time. It made her seem like you could ask her to bend the rules, although you knew she never would. "Are you coming?" She said in this voice, as she turned inside the building and looked back at Colton.

Colton listened to the doorman. The same one that had been here the time he walked Hannah home. He offered a nod of recognition, because he had no hands for waving. Looked over to Lily, and nodded. Yes, he was coming, but first he had to collect his nerves. Walked inside, rather slowly, and stood next to her in the lobby.

"What am I going to do..."

Eyes were locked on the floor about ten steps away. It was both a question for her and a question for himself. He didn't know what he'd do, say, if he should even be here. And he was here, so he had to stay here.

"I don't know, Colton." She replied softly, and her voice, that instrument she played so well, was gentle now. "You have two choices. You either follow me and see Hannah, or you turn around and walk away and I won't ever tell her you were here."

She waited a moment, just one moment. Then she began walking again. Through the lobby towards the doors marked 'Stairwell.'

Colton paused, looked back at the doorman. He smiled and waved. And, thus, remembered him. Grand. Lily might not tell, but no one was keeping the doorman's mouth shut. Colton smiled back, and turned to follow Lily.

"Bo'll be here, won't he... He's going to kill me..."

Yes, he was afraid of Bo, but this was spoken just to get his mind off what he'd say to Hannah. He was more afraid of the rejection he was sure he'd get than the death he was also sure he'd get. Didn't even want to think of it, the rejection. Death seemed less frightening.

She stopped walking when he spoke, and turned halfway to look at him.

"Bo is not here right now, Colton, and if you keep doubting my ability to control him, it won't be him you need to worry about anymore!" She said sharply, though her voice did not rise any higher than it needed to for it to reach his ears.

"Now are you going to grow some balls and come with me, or run home with your tail between your legs? And don't worry about the damn doorman! Any excuse, hmm?"

Colton glared back at Lily.

"I HAVE balls. I just don't want to think that balls'll leave me invincible, Lily. I'd actually like to live longer than I have. Maybe, in all your years, you have forgotten that some people have less than one hundred years to do what they want. And that they have to be CAREFUL with those years, or they lose them all."

The comments were made for both the Bo and Hannah arguement, Hannah's part was more subtle in there, but it was there. His choices right now might affect the rest of his life, or could do nothing. And he didn't want them to affect his life in a negitive way. Practically stormed up the stairs after her, till he was right behind her, and giving her a, 'Are you going to move?' look. Though he was angry with Lily's utter lack of sympathy, she had reassured him. Because Bo'd not be there.

Lily smirked as he was ranting, looking for all the world like the bitch she was rumored to be.

"Well, at least you're not a complete pushover, though you are easily manuplitated." She said happily. Her bait having worked, she turned and finished walking to the third floor.

And kept moving down it. There were only four doors in total, and she went to the last one on the right. Turning the handle, she dropped the cat lightly on the floor and pushed the door open. Honey ran gratefully inside. She did a good job of pretending to be brave, but now the housepet was happy to be home.

"Hannah, your stupid cat is home.." She called as she went into the apartment and left the door open behind her for Colton. Honey pranced to the open door and stood half in - half out, looking at Colton as if daring him to come inside.

Held his glare with her back, and followed her down the hall. For all his bravado on the stairs, he became increasingly more nervous as they started down the hall. Two doors left... One more... Must be it. Lily opened it and dropped the cat, and announced her presence. He looked down at the cat and blinked. Dumb thing. Mocking him. Probally took lessons from Lily on the way up. He scooted in around it, and shut the door behind him.

Colton walked up behind Lily, and off to a side. Looked around at the room, and hugged the books tighter. There was no turning back from here.

The room he had stepped into was a large, L-shaped living room. It was decorated tastefully in oaks and pastels, with the old {a grand antique desk and chair set} mixed with the new {a large, flat-screen TV with stereo speakers}. There were three doors set into the soft peach walls, and as Colton entered, Lily opened one of them and disappeared into a flash of a red room.

A slight, muffled conversation could be heard, then silence. After a bit, the door opened once more and Hannah stepped out, closing it quietly behind her. "Hi, Colton.." She said softly.

She looked.. Tired. Dark circles lay underneath her eyes, and her skin was the palest it'd been in a long time.

As Lily disappeared, Colton sighed. Now it was him and the demon cat and the butterflies in his stomach. He was tempted to put down the books somewhere, and free his hands to pet the cat. Pets were soothing things, whether they be his or anothers. Instead, he looked around more, this time not to familiarize himself with the new room, but to pass the time. He could here the mutterings, but that was all they were. Mutterings.

Colton heard the door open again, and looked over to Hannah. And all the butterflies decided to die at once, leaving his stomach empty and devoid of any of the nervousness that had been there before. And blinked back at her.

"Hullo, Hannah..."

Said quietly, with a hint of worry. Because she didn't look all the well.

"... Are you alright?"

Took a small step towards her, and looked over her face again. Black circles, pale. He didn't like them.

"I'm fine.." She denied it half-heartedly, then sighed. "I'll be fine." She corrected herself. "I don't do well with stress."

She looked around the room, almost as if she had never seen it before. She just had to look somewhere, she couldn't look at him. She felt too guilty. She killed his boyfriend, and now she had marked him and his sister for Bo's hate.

"Um.. would you like to sit down..?" She said finally. She didn't know what else to say, so she said this and motioned to her long, low couch as she did so.

Colton felt a pang of guilt himself. Somehow, he knew she was stressed with the problems he had created for her. He wanted to leave. Wanted to leave so she wouldn't have to deal with him. Didn't remember that Codi might also be a reason in her stress. Figured it was his fault.

"... I'm sorry."

Looked over at the couch, and nodded. He'd sit down. Kept telling himself in his mind, 'No, I shouldn't sit. I shouldn't be here. Probally just making it worse...' Colton sat, and put the books down beside him. And stared down at his knees, because looking at her would make him feel guilty. Would make him do something he'd regret in a week. Or a day. Maybe even an hour.

"It's not your fault.." She said as she walked to the couch as well. Instead if sitting right down, she stepped up and stood on it, then lowered herself so she sat on her feet, with her elbow on the armrest. It was all one fluid motion, but it was still an odd way to get into a sitting position.

"I normally have a little spaz once a decade or so.. This one just came a little early.." She looked around the apartment again. When her eyes settled on the armrest she moved her hand to pick some imaginary lint off it it, keeping herself busy.

Colton shook his head.

"Don't lie, Hannah... I can't read your mind, but I know that I have something to do with why your stressed. Lily told me a bit of it... Told me you two hate each other. And you called her out here to protect me and Codi..."

Looked up from his knees, and watched her pick lint from the sofa a minute. Noted that she sat as if she was on edge, rather than relaxing and lounging back in the seat. Sighed.

"Hannah... Codi is going to leave soon. She wants to go off to the western coast of the United States. I don't know if I am going to go with her or not..."

Kept his eyes locked on the pick-pick-picking of her hands, and swallowed down the lump in his throat.

"If you would like me to go, then I'll go. I don't like seeing you... Like this."

Colton tore his gaze back to his own knees and hands that were resting on them. Squeezing them, and the butterflies had all decided to spontaniously skyrocket themselves into the walls of his stomach. He wanted to hear her answer almost as much as he didn't want to hear it, and couldn't stand the silence, however long or short it might be.

She stopped poking at the couch, and instead smoothed the already tight fabric out with her pale fingrers. "I see.." She responded evenly, carefully. Now was the time to choose her words carefully, she could not be rash and allow him to make a decision that would turn his life miserable. By her choosing, by making the right decision for her, he in turn should be left with the best option.

But.. what was the right thing, for the both of them?

"I already told you I'll be fine, people have bad days. Or weeks. Months. Years, for vampires." She was getting off track, and she steered herself gently back to it. "I would like you to do what you feel you should, what is best for you. You must please yourself with your lifetime. If you want to go, I will see you off with a smile. But if you decide to stay.."

She'd.. what? Tell him she killed his ex-boyfriend? Let her ex-boyfriend kill him?

Colton listened, and remained silent. What was best for him. Watched her smooth the fabric, listened to himself breathe. Shallow, quiet breaths. Nervous breaths? Worried breaths. Because he had to make a choice for himself, without anyone elses say. Stay, or go. Hard, but easy.

"The thing is, I don't know what is best for me. Leave my sister and her always being the voice for me when I don't have one, or staying with her, and letting her seem to have control of my life. I... I'm not sure."

Colton shrugged, an shifted his weight away from her. Not sure what to do, and hearing Lily in his head, telling him he had no balls. Which, under other circumbstances, he'd have wholeheartedly denied and proved her wrong.

"I want you to stay.." She said in a tiny voice. The words barely filled the room they were in, and once they were said they sunk to the floor like little weights. "But can't be selfish and tell you to do so."

She wished she could be more like Bogart. Now he knew how to let a woman go. Or man, in this case.