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Part One: Aurora Lockhart

Starting is always the hardest part. At leastthats what Ive alwaysthought. Then againI dont always think clearly. Im too confusing. Let mestart again. Like I said, starting is always the hardest partbut starting againis usually quite easy.

When I returned to my quiet little hometown on the coast nearlyeverything had changed. The people welcomed me back, sureBut it didntfeel quite right. Maybe Id been away for too long, or maybe Id just gone toall the wrong places, but it didnt feel like home. I didnt expect things to beexactly as I had left them, or for everything to be fine and dandy as thoughnothing bad had ever happenedBut I didnt expect this. Guess I wasntquite ready to come back after all.

I walked into class my first day of senior year and breathed a heavysigh of relief when I saw that nothing at school had changed. I slumped back

in my seat and squeezed my eyes shut tight, recollecting my thoughts of theprevious year.

Id managed to escape my small coastal prison for a much moreenclosed asylum in the mountains. I lived as a recluse- my only company thesquirrels and the Doc. Before Id left for home I was pretty confident inmyself; I thought that I could just go back and let bygones be bygones. Deepdown inside I knew that nothing could ever be so simplistic again. Still Iprayed, like the nave little girl that I really am, that when I got back home hewould be waiting for me just like the good old days and I could just run intohis arms and be safe again. I missed feeling safe.

The bell rang. I opened my eyes and snapped back to reality. Calculus;at least Id be distracted. Avidly taking notes, I actually tuned in and paidattention to what my teacher was telling us. It was mostly a review of mathanalysis- everything I learned (or was supposed to, at least) last year. I foundit quite repetitive and mundane, but like I said- it was something to focus onand would distract me.

The rest of the morning passed similarly- after Calculus thenGovernment and English. Lunch was what I was really dreading; that waswhen I would see him again. I crossed the lunch room, paper bag in hand,scanning the faces of the various other studentsSearching Then I saw

him. I gulped- he was just as Id remembered. Dark green eyes vibrant withlife and energy flickered to and from the faces of the others who sat aroundhim. His dark brown tousled hair still sat perfectly upon the top of his head. Acoy smile settled perfectly upon his face- dark skin causing him to stand outamongst the crowd of pale teens. Dark, dark, darkEverything about himwas dark. His appearance, his personality, his outlook on lifeWell now Imjust being judgmental. Taking a deep breath, I approached his table with a

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smile. He looked up to acknowledge me, and showed no signs of beingsurprised at my presence.

Hey. He murmured, reaching up and gently brushing my arm with thebacks of his knuckles. Long time no see. He beckoned me closer, and Iawkwardly took the seat next to him. He shifted his weight so that he waspositioned closer to me, as opposed to the girl on the other side of him.

As I looked around the table, at his group of friends, I tried desperatelyto recognize the faces that I saw. I failed. I was disappointed; and I hadthought that things wouldnt have changed here at school. Sensing myconfusion, he gently took my hand and smiled, gesturing to the five people infront of him. Sorry to be so rude; I nearly forgot. He began with the boynext to me. This is Sam, Alexandria, Benji, Daniel, and Patty. He settled hisother hand- the one not holding my own- on Pattys knee. I tried not to glareresentfully at her, but I was only slightly successful. Everyone, this is Rory.

I smiled as genially as possible at them. Nice to meet you all. I feltlike an outsider in my own environment.

They all responded in a similar way. They didnt seem to care about memuch, although Patty did shoot me interesting looks once she saw the wayour hands were intertwined. Lunch ended and I quickly gathered my thingsand stalked off to Physics. I walked quickly, trying to avoid both him and thelunch crowd. However, my hopes dropped when I walked into my classroomand saw him sitting in the back corner. Reluctantly, I walked over andcasually sat down next to him, sighing audibly as I did so.

Is there a problem? He asked, not bothering to look over at me. Hewas too busy writing something down in a blue spiral notebook.

No. I said quietly. I spoke too softly for anyone else to hear me, but Iknew that he got the message; I also knew that he was aware of my lie. Hedidnt address the matter, much to my dismay. Id been gone far too long- Iwas craving some sort of attention.

The teacher walked into the room and began the class. I trieddesperately to pay attention as I had done earlier that morning, but hispresence next to me was distracting.

Aurora Lockhart? I raised my hand.

Dane Warren? He raised his. The sound of his very name sent shiversdown my spine. I was almost positive that my name had the same- if not atleast a similar- effect on him as well. I refused to look at him for the rest ofthe period from there on.

The bell rang, releasing me, and I headed quickly for Film Studies,where I was able to put my head down and rest. So much had changed. So

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much. By the time the day was over (after Film Studies, and later Dance) Iwas more than eager to head home, maybe do some homework, and thentake a long, reflective walk on the beach. I had been away from the open seafor too long. It beckoned to me as a mother beckons to her child. Alas, onceagain, my bubble was burst as I was approached by the person I was trying

to escape from. Nevertheless, I smiled politely as Dane grinned andappeared at my side. I was trapped.

Yes? I asked, hoping my tone of voice would indicate how little Iwished to converse with him. If it did, he ignored my silent request.

How was it? He skipped the niceties and went straight to the point.He was always very straightforward- glad to see that part of him hadntchanged.

I dont want to talk about it. I said simply. I hoped I didnt sound rudeor angry. I shrugged nonchalantly just in case. Just drop it.

A slight frown crossed his features for only a fraction of a second- longenough for me to notice, but not long enough to steer our chit chat in anyother direction. As you wish. He murmured, walking away. His tone was oneof disappointment, and though it pained me to cause him any sort ofdiscomfort, I was glad that he was gone now- it had been hard for me toconcentrate on anything while he was around.

The walk from the school to my small home on the beach was also verydistracting for me. It wouldve been nice to have been able to walk home inpeace and quiet, or at least with something relatively legitimate to thinkabout. Instead, I dealt with welcome back and good to see youre back intown from every single person that I passed on my way. Thats the problemwith living in a small town like I do- everybody knows everybody else andtheir business. Theres no privacy, unlike in the mountains where yourelucky if you even get to meet your neighbors within the first week. By thetime I got home, I had seen nearly everyone in my town

The door swung open easily; I hadnt bothered locking it when Id left inthe morning. I stepped inside and the absence of shoes in the front hallindicated that nobody was home. I dropped my bag on the kitchen table andgrabbed an apple on my way back out the door. I bit into it and began mywalk down the beach, taking as many deep breaths as possible to take in the

salty sea air. Id left my shoes back at the house- the sand felt good as itsquished familiarly between my toes. The wind whipped gently through myhair and felt cool, soothing, against my skin.

You came back. A voice stopped me dead in my tracks and removedall traces of blissful nostalgia from my mind. I wish I could say that Imsurprised.

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I took another deep breath, trying to focus not on the speaker, butrather his words. Why wouldnt I come back? This is my home just as muchas it is yours.

Im not blaming you. Im not accusing you. Im simply not surprised.He kept his voice level and calm, which only angered me more. He wasntsupposed to be the one in control here- he wasnt supposed to be theinnocent one. That would be me.

So then what do you want? Did you really need to come hunting medown to verify that Id returned? Couldnt you just ask around? I asked. Ishouldnt have egged him on; I shouldve just given him a straightforwardanswer so that hed go home.

How fun is that? You know me well enough- I like to do things myself.He snickered arrogantly. I resisted the urge to turn around.

Fair enough. I continued walking. He stayed persistent. I ignored him.Are you going to muster up enough courage to turn around and face

me?

No. I know, I seemed cold, but he deserved it; trust me. Pleaseleave me alone- its my first day back and Id rather not spend it here withyou. I stopped again; this time he was closer to me than beforemuchcloser. I could almost feel his smirk upon the back of my head.

So youd rather spend it here alone? Or somewhere else with me? Hesneered.

I turned around slowly- he was just as Id remembered as well. Crystalblue eyes winked at me in a mocking manner. Nearly platinum blonde lockswere set perfectly in place, framing his face down to the tops of his ears.Paper white skin gleamed in the sunlight of the crisp September afternoon.Every time I saw him I had to make a comparison to Dane; whereas the latterwas the personification of darkness, the former was that of light. I foundirony in this observation, as they were merely surface level judgments. Onceyou got past that, I found it to be quite the opposite. People are funny thatway.

Nathaniel, I want you to get out of my face. I said quietly. Im goingto walk past you and go home, and youre going to let me go whether itswhat you want or not.

He stepped to the side, granting me access to the straight path back tomy house. Youre lucky Im granting you this. He said as I started backhome. Unlike your little dog, I have my own free will.

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I glared at him and said nothing; I knew he was right, and thats whatpissed me off. When I got back home I immediately closed and locked thedoor behind me. I noticed a pair of shoes sitting next to mine in the fronthallway. The doctor was in.

Im home!I called out; I didnt get a reply. I wandered into the kitchenwhere the crock pot was sitting on the stove simmering nicely and providinga very tantalizing scent that wafted gently through the room. Through theback window I spied a white lab coat on the back of a lawn chair out in theyard. I opened the screen door and went back outside.

Im in the garden! I heard a voice call back to me. I located thesource- a man in his mid twenties was kneeling down in the small patch ofdirt on the side of our house, trowel in hand, digging small homes in theground for the package of flowers sitting delicately beside him. When henoticed my presence, he looked up. His glasses were smudged with dirt- Icouldnt hold back a sigh. What took you so long? I expected you to be here

by the time I got back. It wasnt an interrogative tone he used with me,rather one of concern. I suppose living with me in an enclosed environmentwas different than when I was given space to roam, which I was known to do.He was just inexperienced.

I took a walk on the beach; I shouldve left you a note, Im sorry. Isaid. It did kind of make me feel bad- hearing the slightest hints of worry inhis voice. It wont happen again. I added for safe measure.

He smiled softly. Thats fine. He stood, brushing his slacks free of soiland fertilizer and placing his hand shovel gently beside the remaining

flowers. Are you hungry? Dinner should be ready soon.

My stomach rumbled audibly. I felt my cheeks reddening. He chuckledand ruffled my hair, which I immediately scowled at. I swung playfully at him,and barely grazed the back of his arm as he led me into the house. Hegrinned back at me, quickening his pace. Did he think Id actually meant tohit him? No. Did he believe Id try to hit him again if he antagonized me? Yes.Was he right? Absolutely. I ran after him, slamming the screen door behindme as I entered the kitchen, and grabbed him around the waist, spinning himaround before he could reach the crock pot.

No fair! He gasped, caught off guard. Youre young and agile- Im

old! I released him, and he coughed weakly in mock agony. I rolled my eyes,sitting down at the small circular table in our kitchen. As he served up ourmeal, I thought about him.

Doctor Anthony Scarborough had been my legal guardian ever since Idretreated to the Sierra Nevada last summer in order to escapewell we cancome back to that part. Point is, Tony was supposed to be like a father figureto me; the key word being supposed. It was more like I was being watched

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by a cousin, or a very lenient drill sergeant. Its difficult to explain therelationship Id managed to build with him over the past year. Sometimes hewas my best friend- the guy I could (never mind had to) tell anything andeverything to. We had similar interests (perhaps that was why he was chosenfor me) and neither of us was above forfeiting an evening out with our own

friends to spend some quality time together. On the other hand, he neverforgot that he had a job to do- these werent just all good times and laughs-he was legally responsible for me, and that meant not screwing up when itcame to teaching me a life lesson. We rarely fought, but disagreementswerent unheard of, and I could recall going days without speaking or evenlooking at him before one of us cracked and apologized. It wasnt yournormal parental situation (then again, Tony wasnt a parent, nor was oursituation normal in any conventional sense of the word), but we got alongpretty well and nobody had died yet

He set a bowl of stew and a slice of French bread down in front of me

and I inhaled deeply, the aroma causing my stomach to growl once morebefore I could mollify it. A tall glass of milk followed- my dry throat pangedwith delight. I took a large first bite.

How was school? Tony asked carefully. He knew by now how I wouldreact to most situations- he was a smart one.

I took a few more bites before answering him. Fine. I gulped downsome milk and took another bite of stew. I saw you-know-who.

He raised an eyebrow. Which you-know-who?

Both.

He said nothing. I told you he was smart. Instead, he ate his own foodand glanced out the window. There was a perfect view of the church from ourbackyard, and you could see the steeple over the trees from our backwindow. We finished our meal in silence, and he resumed conversation whileI was doing the dishes.

When youre done Ill take you down to the cemeteryIf you want.Of course I wanted to go. That was the first thing I wanted to do, but Tonysword was law in my life, and he decided that school had to come first.

I nodded wordlessly and quickly finished the dishes, leaving them inthe rack to dry instead of hand drying them like I usually did. He laughed andwe exited the house together, smiles on both of our faces. Walking along thebeach towards the town, I mustve done something to indicate myhappiness, because he chose to speak again.

Glad to be back, I see.

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I really was. I loved my hometown- I loved the beach, the sea, thepeopleEverything about it was just perfect. I disliked change, so movingaway- even if just for a year- was difficult for me. Now that I was back, it waskind of disheartening to see the changes that had occurred while I was away,but comforting to return to my niche. We reached the cemetery- right beside

the church- and I took a deep, shaky breath.

Ill be in the church. Come get me when you want to leave. Tony saidquietly, turning from me.

I was alone now.

Youre never alone.

A cool wind blew through the open gates, as though gently coaxing meinside. I followed its orders. Id only been to this cemetery once or twice- Iconsidered it a blessing- yet I still was confident that I could maneuver to my

destination with my eyes closed. I wasnt about to try it, just in case, but thatconfidence got me there quicker. I sat cross legged down on the grave,peering solemnly at the head stone.

Collin Matthew Stark, December 30 1990-June 17 2006

The woods are lovely, dark and deep/But I have promises to keep/Andmiles to go before I sleep/And miles to go before I sleep

I sighed, tracing his name. I mouthed the words as I did so, silentlycalling to him. That took me back to better times- back before I went away;back before Nathaniel and the Clan andEverything else. I felt my face

growing hot and my eyes began to sting. I refused to cry- Collin hated to seeme cry. I did less of it now that he was gone, which was pretty darn ironic.The wind blew again, raising goose bumps on my arms. It was gettingcolderand darker.

Its bad luck to be in this cemetery after dark, you know. The winddied down, but my goose bumps stayed.

Why cant you just leave me alone? I asked, squeezing my eyes shutand keeping one hand on the head stone. The other hand found comfort inthe damp earth; as though the closer I got to his corpse the closer I got tohim.

Why are you still chasing ghosts? That isnt normal for a teenage girl.I could feel each of his footsteps as he came closer and closer towards me.

I nearly smiled. What? Are you telling me now that you dont believein ghosts? Or that Im a normal teenage girl? Dont kid yourself Nathaniel-Im not stupid.

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He chuckled. I nearly forgot how smart you are. Good thing you cameback to remind me.

I didnt come back for you. I spoke a little too quickly.

Well just so youre aware- more has changed than you think. Hes got

himself a girlfriend now.

Yeah. As though I didnt know. He even introduced us. Whats thatsupposed to change?

The wind blew again, masking a cold laugh that resonated throughoutthe air, cutting the innocence of the area like a hot knife through butter. Youthink everything can just go back to the way it was? Youre wrong- nothingwill be the same, Ill see to that.

I made a fist in the dirt. I wanted so badly to stand up, whirl aroundand hit him, but I remembered all that Tony had taught me, and I insteadtook a deep breath. He continued to speak.

Me telling you wont do anything, though- I do know that. Ill let youfind out for yourself. Tomorrow, I promise. Then he was gone. I wanted tocry.

Oh cmon Aurora, dont be like that.

Another voice from nowhere made me jump slightly. Once I recognizedwho it was I calmed down. Dont be like what? I asked aloud. Whatd Ido?

Well for one youre talking to yourself.

So? Im also talking to a ghost.

Yeah and youre talking to a ghost. I could nearly see his grin.And fortwo youre starting to cry again, and I hate that. For three, youre sitting onmy face.

I shifted so that I was lying down on my stomach and rested my headon my hands. Well when that ghost is you its anything but normal, and Imnot crying. Still, I wiped my cheeks just in case. Better?

Yeah. But I wish youd stop crying.

Im not crying!!! I nearly shouted, hitting the dirt with my fists.

Well not outwardly. You dont need to talk out loud by the way. I onlyhear your thoughts.

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That explained it. Now I could stop making a fool out of myself. Iwanted to leave soon anyway, but I still had one more burning question thatneeded to be answered. Why wait until now to talk to me?

Its too complicated, Aurora. Besides, you werent in the healthieststate of mind until recently; I didnt want to upset you. I have bad news.

That figured.

Itll be harder to stay away from them this year, and dont count onDane to protect you. Id do it myself, but Im kind of dead. Just rememberwho they are and what they did. Stay close to Tony and stop by every nowand again to check up, okay kiddo?

I didnt like it when he called me kiddo, but I guess there wasntmuch I could do about it. Okay. I stood, letting my gaze linger on his headstone.

But I have promises to keep/And miles to go before I sleep

I walked back to the church. Tony was waiting for me- sitting down onthe steps. He stood and pulled me close to him; I couldnt help but let a fewtears escape and roll down my cheeks.

Everything will be okay, Rory. He said softly as we made our wayback home. Trust me. I wanted to, but I couldnt. Collin had told meotherwise, and unlike Tony, Collin couldnt lie to me even if he wanted to. Itjust didnt work like that.

Collin and Dane were a package deal, so to speak. If I wanted one I gotboth. They were polar opposites which was why they worked so welltogether; which was why they were meant to go together. Collin was unableto lie to me- everything that came out of his mouth directed towards me in aconversation could only be the truth. However, it didnt matter what I said tohim: he did what he wanted. He could refuse to speak to me if he so chose inorder to keep important things from me. Dane, on the other hand, couldntrefuse me at all. If I told him- even asked him- to do something, he had to doit. He walked the walk just as Collin talked the talk. Both of them were senthere to protect me; both had succeeded, but it cost Collin his life. Now thatdanger was back, what would happen?

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That lingering thought made it difficult for me to sleep that night. Iconsidered going and sitting on the beach, but Nathaniel would probably endup finding me, and that would be bad. I considered going on a jog throughthe town, but that would wake me up more than anything- not make mewant to come back home and fall asleep. Sighing, I swung my legs over theside of the bed, staggered out to the hall and pulled on a sweatshirt whileslipping on a pair of shoes. I allowed my feet to carry me away from myhouse on the beach, and wasnt exactly surprised when I found myself on thesteps of the church. I half laughed before walking inside.

I missed being home. I wasnt what you would call a religious fanatic,but I did attend regularly. Not mass- I usually went while no one was there.Amplifies the experience, if you know what I mean. I sat down in the frontmost pew on my right and gazed up at the crucifix before me. I was waitingto have an epiphany- maybe once I did Id know how to fix everything- but

nothing would come. Id prayed every single day I was gonemaybe thisyear Id be rewarded.

Hey. A soft voice welcomed me. I could feel the air shift as a figureslipped in beside me. You should be in bed.

I shrugged. What does it matter to you? You have enough to beworried about- you shouldnt bother with me. But I wanted him to botherwith me. He was doing exactly what I secretly wanted by chasing me.

But thats why Im here. He wasnt only speaking of being in thechurch. For you.

I dont need you. I snapped, keeping my head turned away from him.I wrapped my arms around myself, as though I might fall apart if I didnt holdmyself together.

Instead, I felt his hands guide my own down to my sides and his armsreplacing mine around me. His cool breath ticked the nape of my neck as hecontinued to speak to me. You do. Collin cant protect you any longer, sonow its my job.

So now he wanted to step up and take some responsibility? Now that

Collin was dead and there was nobody else to do his job for him? I cantbelieve you. I breathed, uncomfortable in his grasp (if I can use a word withsuch violent connotations) yet willing to struggle out of it. Why not just orderhim to leave? Did I really miss him that much? Apparently so. I cant believeyou would do this to me.

I dont understand you.

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Get off of me! He automatically recoiled and I jumped to my feet,nearly enraged. You dont understand me? Then tell me what you dontunderstand. Could he refuse such an order? No; I was glad.

It seemed as though the words were ripped from him forcibly, againsthis free will. Why did you leave? And more importantly, why did you comeback? If things here were too dangerous for you, what brought you back?

I wasnt supposed to go! I tried to reason with him, but I knew itwouldnt take long before I cracked. Why would I want to leave right afterCollin died? If anything I shouldve stayed nearer to you- it wouldve done mebetter emotionally. Leaving was all the hospitals idea- they didnt, still dont,think that youd be able to take care of me like Collin did.

I could. He sounded hurt, and with good reason. Id alreadymentioned that Collin and Dane were a package deal, but that doesnt meanthat they were completely equal and opposite. Both of them cared for me,

but that care was different. To Collin, I was like a sister. Id lived with him foras long as I could remember, and hed taken care of me. Dane and I, on theother hand, had a more romantic relationship. It hurt me returning to see himwith another girl, but I suppose I wasnt in any sort of position to complain. Itwas I whod left him in the first place. I knew that Dane cared about me, but Iwasnt too confident that he could take care of me like Collin could.

Dane, I dont think that I trust you like I used to. When I spoke, myvoice was so soft even I could barely hear it. Before I even realized it, hisarms were wrapped around me again, pressing my face into his chest.Dane. I tried to speak again, but my voice was muffled. He was smart

enough to know that if I couldnt speak audibly, he wouldnt be forced toobey me. This meant it was his turn.

I wont tell you not to lie to me, but I really wished you wouldnt. Hisvoice was still strong, and gave me no indication of whether or not he waslosing it as much as I was. Collin mightve been able to tolerate it, but Icant.

Dane, let- I was cut off again as his arms constricted me tighter. Itdidnt hurt, but I didnt appreciate being interrupted.

Now, Im glad youre back. I didnt believe him. And I need you to

trust me when I tell you this.

Then dont lie to me. I managed to say before he cut me off again.

I love you more than anything else in this world. Yeah, in this world.And when I found out that youd returned I cried because I was so happy.ButI love Patty, and lets face facts Aurora. He took my shoulders andmoved me an arms length away from him so that he could look into my eyes.

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His green eyes pierced right through my blue-gray ones and directly into mysoul. I shivered. We dont work together.

I began to cry. It hurt too much to hear him say that. Secretly Idalways known it- we werent supposed to have a romantic relationship; wewere breaking the rules. I thought, truly believed, that we could do whateverwe wanted. Collin thought so too.

There was never any hope for usas a couple. He paused to take along, shuddery breath. His voice nearly cracked. We arent exempt from therules he set, Aurora. We dont get any special treatment. Im sorry. I saw itin his eyes that he was on the verge of crying. It made me feel bad.

Dane, I love you.

He pulled me closer to him once again. I closed my eyes and tried notto let many tears escape. I expected him to do the same. We stood together

like that in the church in front of the crucifix for what seemed like no time atall before he pulled away from me.

I spoke with Collin earlier today. Both of us said at the same time. Iconsidered laughing, and then decided that it really wasnt that funny. Hespoke first.

Ive got to step up and protect you now. And I promise you that I willdo my job. He said solemnly, as though my life meant something to him.

Thats what he said. I verified. Tell me what danger he was talkingabout.

I dont know. Perfect. He was the mind reader, not me. I dont eventhink he knows for sure. The only threat I see around here is Nathaniel, andhe isnt stupid enough to try anything ever since He trailed off; I wasgrateful that he didnt finish his sentence. I hadnt yet confronted the eventthat led to my departure that summer, and I wasnt ready to either.

Im still keeping away from him. I muttered. But hes been worryingme. Ive seen too much of him in the past day. Hes trying to instigatesomething, but I havent figured out what it is. Maybe hes- A beepinterrupted me. My eyes flickered to the watch around Danes bare wrist. Iwas freezing- it was at least in the fifties- but here he was in a short sleeveshirt and track pants. Id nearly forgotten that about him

Its nearly four. He said to me. I have to be up in half an hour.

Why do you set your alarm earlier than you have to get up? I asked.He never used to do this. The Dane I knew slept as often as he could- Ithought at one point he was borderline narcoleptic.

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Four thirty is the time I need to be up, not the time I do get up. Afterseeing the puzzled expression on my face remain he continued. I dontsleep very well these days.

Too many late nights with Patty? I thought bitterly. Instantly, I scoldedmyself. I shouldnt be like that.

I should get you home. He took my hand- as he had earlier that dayin the lunch room- and escorted me out of the church. As soon as we hit thenight air, I felt colder and clung to him out of pure reflex. He chuckled,finding it amusing, but I thought it to be inappropriate. He was almostnothing to me now- only a protector. I had to get over him.

Dane, I said once I began to spot my house. I had to make this quickand relatively painless. You have to do something for me.

Anything. The reply was automatic.

You have to let me go. His hand dropped mine instantly. You have tomove on and stop worrying about me. If Im going to get over you it needs tobe a clean break. I spoke slowly, trying as hard as I could to keep any sort ofinfliction out of my tone.

I cant do that. He replied just as slowly. I have to protect you- youknow that. Its the only reason Im here. He kept his focus straight ahead,trying not to look at me. I wished I was strong enough to do the same.

I know, and Im not asking you to not do your job. I kind of was, Irealized, so I revised my order. I want you to stop thinking of me as

someone you care about. Keep doing your job, but think of it as just that- ajob. We have no relationship other than employer and employee. Stop lovingme. By now we had reached the steps leading to my house. Hed sloweddown, giving me more time to speak. Now, he had almost stoppedcompletely- I was the one walking away from him. When I reached my frontdoor I turned and looked back at him. His head was hung and his arms hunglimply at his sides. Dane?

He slowly looked up at me, but as the moon shone upon his face, mymind registered a significant change in him that frightened me: his oncebeautiful dark green eyes were now a powerful, illustrious gold. He cracked

an eerie grin and flashed too-white teeth at me as he spoke in a low,distorted voice. As you wish.

Shivering, I quickly retreated inside the house. When I looked out uponthe front yard from my bedroom window, he had gone. Even his footstepshad vanished from the sand.

I settled back into bed, praying that sleep would come. I couldnt helpbut continue to worry about him. Would he follow my orders with an air of

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reluctance? Tomorrow, would I catch him trying to look at me no matter whathis orders were? That final image of him flashed through my mind, makingme shiver again. Id brought this upon myself- I couldnt complain. Still, Iknew that giving him up wouldnt be easy for me. Luckily, that night at least,the sandman came for me.

I had the most bizarre dream. I think I was at some sort of amusementparkbut there was a volcano in the middle of the roller coaster that I was inline for. As I got onto the roller coaster, but before I had sat down in my seat,the volcano began to erupt. I panicked, and tried to get off of the ride, but Icouldnt move. I looked back over my shoulder at the explosion, and I feltsomeone gently take my hand and lift me up out of the car. I turned my headin time to see a black gloved hand guide me onto the back of a motorcycle. Iimmediately wrapped my arms around the back of the person whod savedme, pressing my face into his back as we rode on the roller coaster track. Hestopped the bike once we were back on the ground and I dismounted.

Thank you. I remembered thinking to him.

He turned and grinned at me. He had wild, blood red eyes and white,shaggy hair that brushed his ear lobes. If Dane and Nathaniel were to havean illegitimate child together (do NOT ask me how that would ever happen),this man would be that child. You know how in dreams you know thingswithout knowing how you know them? Well I knew this guy was an exactcombination of Dane and NathanielBut what was his name? Daniel? No. Itwas Dante.

I reached out towards him, and his hands met mine.

Catch ya later Rory. He spoke without moving his lips. He turned andbegan to walk towards the volcano. I watched him go, wanting to follow, butknowing if I did then I would regret it. My dream continued, but ceased toremain interesting. When my alarm went off at six thirty, a mere two and ahalf hours later, I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes. I was not ready to facethe world that day. Nevertheless, I got out of bed and got myself to school.

I arrived twenty minutes before the bell rang. Still drowsy, I leanedagainst the library and shut my eyes. I wasnt looking forward to seeing Danewith his new group or Nathaniel and his smug face. I missed the usualsuspects- the friends Id had two years ago who graduated while I was gone.

Lea and Max and Zak and Casey and TiffanyGood times dont last forever; Ihad to learn that the hard way.

You came.

I didnt open my eyes. Seeing his face would only anger me, and I kindof wanted to stay lost in melancholy.

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Of course. You arent worth skipping school. I tried to stay calm. Itook a lot of deep breaths. Nathaniel never used to bug me this much, butmaybe that was just because of Collin. Nathaniel hated Collin.

Im not, but I know someone else who is.

I didnt move. It was easy to not react too hastily while Nathaniel wasaround. Just the thought of him kept me in check. I needed to be able to bethis calm with everybodyespecially Dane.

I dont know what youre talking about. I said with a slight shrug. I letmy eyes open very slowly. The sight of him repulsed me, but maybe if I onlytook in a little at a time it would be tolerable. Dont you have someone elseto torture?

His smirk was almost too much for me. Why would I seek out anotherwhen I have you?

I glared at him now. The way he said that last sentence unnerved me-it was the way he said when I have youit almost sounded endearing, asthough I belonged to him. You dont have me. I muttered, carefullystraightening my back and leaning away from the building. Maybe if I waslucky I would be able to escape.

Not yet. I stopped; he had more to say. Do you think that Imcompletely stupid? I know what happened in the church last night. His blueeyes were narrowed; no longer was he smirking at me.

Devil. I accused, allowing some fear to creep into my voice.

He laughed, a low, hollow, cold sound that chilled me to the bone. OhAurora He crooned my name; I flinched. He walked towards me until myback was against the wall again.

Get away from me. I ordered, squirming and feeling uncomfortableunder his gaze. I brought my hands up to my chest.

He laughed again while I prayed for someone- for anyone- to walk by,but no one would come. Nathaniel wouldnt have dared to confront me ifthere was even the slightest possibility of someone stumbling in on us. Athought occurred to me; that if I called out for him to help me he would have

to come. I took a deep breath and prepared to yell, but I couldnt. Nathanielstopped me- pressed his hand to my mouth and pulled me close to him.

Listen. He murmured. He kept one hand clamped firmly over mymouth and one hand against my back as his arms kept me in place. Youdbe better off without that mutt, so hurry up and get over him.

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I pushed him away from me. You dont know anything. Id meant toshout at him, but the force of the push alone drained nearly all of mystrength. Thats none of your business. Havent you caused me enoughgrief?

He stepped back- my push seemed to do little but momentarily fazehim. He quickly recovered. If youre talking about your other watch dog, Imsurprised you havent gotten over it already.

The bell rang. Both of us stood unmoving, glued to our spots, glaring ateach other. I wasnt about to move first; I could afford being late to class.

Rory! I didnt recognize that voice. I didnt turn, and soon enough,the girl whod called me grabbed my arm from behind and started to dragme off to class. It was Patty. I quickly turned my head away from Nathaniel,hoping he would leave.

What were you doing, just standing there? Do you want to be late forBjurmans class? She asked. Her red hair was in her eyes, despite twoperfect braids that settled on either side of her head. She seemed childlike tome, but she had to be a junior if she was in Calculus and Id never seen herbefore. That meant she was, how old? Sixteen? At least.

Oh, um, I was just I stuttered. I was horrible at making things up onthe spot, and I was unprepared for someone to catch Nathaniel and I therelike that. Thank God Id pushed him away when I did.

She shook her head, either out of impatience or to get the hair out ofher face, I couldnt tell which. Well anyway, here we are. She walked me

into Calculus and took the seat next to me. She was pretty smart for a junior,then.

Thanks, Patty. I managed to spit out. I knew my manners werehorrible, but I was still getting used to this whole human interaction thing.

She smiled at me; she had green eyes too, just likehim. Anytime.What are friends for?

Friends? Since when had we become friends? Id only met her justyesterday, and Id gleaned hatred from the looks shed been shooting at meduring lunch. Then again, now that Dane wasnt holding my hand as thoughhe was myboyfriendMaybe hed given her some sort of explanation aboutour relationship- he was pretty good at talking him way out of trouble, atleast from what Id remembered.

Surprisingly enough, when Patty insinuated friendship, she meant it. Itwas just like having Lea or Tiffany sitting beside me; we asked each other forhelp, double checked our answers together, and snuck in some small talkwhen Mr. Bjurman had his back turned. It reminded me of old times and

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He shrugged, leaning back and putting his hands behind his head. Tobe honest I dont know why or how I got here. I just kind of tend to go withthe flow, if you know what I mean. He closed his eyes.

I couldnt take my eyes off of him. His blood red eyes, white hair andcoy smileHe really was a mix between Dane and Nathaniel. His skin waslight, but not as pale as Nathaniels. He had striking, distinguished features,but not as much as Danes were. He had Nathaniels arrogance and Danessmart mouth. He hardly seemed real to me; as though if I reached out totouch him I would grab nothingor I would wake up again.

Reading my mind for a second time, he sat up and took my hands inhis. Calm down, Aurora. Im here. Aint going anywhere.

I felt like I could trust him, but I couldnt afford to make any decisionsbased on gut feeling alone. I shouldve been wary of him- a strange manfrom my dreams shows up outside of my government class reading my mind.

It sounds strange, but when youve lived through some of the things that Ihave you kind of get used to it. I mean, Id only been back in town for a fewdays and Id already spoken with the dead. I wasnt too shocked to see mydream man live in person.

The bell rang, snapping me out of my thoughts and waking Dante fromhis slumber. Cmon. He said as I headed out. Ill walk you to English. Hetook my hand and led me out, walking at a slower pace than I was used to. Ikind of missed the feeling of being romantic with someoneWait, what was Ithinking? I wasnt romantically involved with Dante- I wasnt even positivethat was his name- but I suppose you reach a point after speaking with the

dead and dealing with the devil and just acting on impulse to where thingslike this just really arent a big deal anymore.

We got to my English class and he let my hand go. This is where wego our separate ways. He said.

I pouted playfully. Oh Dante, how could you leave me? You said youwerent going anywhere. I was laughing to myself as I spoke; I wasntserious.

He looked at me with a sad look in his eyes. They seemed lighter now-not so much a blood red as almost a purple color. Yeah, I wasnt quite

expecting this to be honest with you. He admitted. Sorry babe. Ill be nearthough. Just call for me if you need me. He leaned in and kissed meforehead.

I was too much in shock to recoil or tell him off. WhatWhat are youtalking about? I managed to ask.

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He rolled his eyes at me. Just go. I turned to obey his orders, andhesitated before going inside the classroom. Rory, go. His voice soundeddifferent now, almost like Nathaniels I turned around, but he was gone. Iwent inside, following someone elses orders for once. I really hoped that Iwould see him again soon.

English passed quite easily- it was still early in the year, so we hadntgotten too in depth yet. Lunch came, and I found myself not dreadingreturning to Danes lunch group. Pattys kindliness helped, and so did Dante.I approached their table in the lunch room with confidence, smiling amiablyat them. They returned the friendly gesture and I took a seat in betweenPatty and Daniel, where I didnt have to look at Dane, who was sitting onPattys opposite side. All eyes were on me; just like old timesIt was prettycreepy.

So whos excited for the party this weekend? Benji asked. It wasapparent that he was, if his large grin was any sort of indicator.

Party? I asked. It crossed my mind that it really wasnt my business,but I was no longer an outsider- at least in my eyes.

Dannys having a party on the beach Friday night. Patty explained tome. Bonfire, barbeque, a house boat, the works.

I didnt comment on it. Not many teenagers lived in houses on thebeach- I was one of the lucky few- and if you were it meant that your parentsmade a lot of money. Tony and I didnt have a lot of money- we were fundedalmost completely by the hospital- so I didnt like to tell people about myplace of residence solely because I didnt want people making that falseassumption about me.

Alex and I are going together. Patty continued. Wanna come overafter school on Friday and go with us?

Im good at reading peopleIts just a skill Ive picked up. Not justsurface level stuff, like Hes smiling but hes really depressed or She isntreally having problems, she just wants attention, but the stuff that mostpeople dont even realize about themselves. When I first met Tony I got awaywith reading him for about two months before he called me on it andembarrassed me. He has OCD, and he didnt realize it until I pointed it out.

Its easy to spot OCD, but why he developed it was not so easy to identify.People in the hospital told me that he wasnt always like that. Tony wasraised as an only child by a single mom; everything wasnt kept very neatand tidy both at home and in his life. He wasnt very messy himself- thatwould almost be a too simplistic psychoanalysis- but he wasnt as OCD as heis now. When his mother died everything changed.

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Its because you dont want to end up like her. Id told him. Sheddied of lung cancer- from smoking. You dont realize it, but thats why. Twomonths later he found me out.

Patty was a little harder to read, just because I didnt know her on apersonal level. From what I could glean, she was trying to get on my goodside. An underclassman looking up to an upperclassman- I was someone sheautomatically assumed deserved her respect. That bugged me.

Sure, thanks Patty. I said politely. I didnt really want to go. Danewould undoubtedly be there and that would just make things uncomfortable.I didnt have anything better to do, though, so I accepted her invitation.

Make sure you bring a date. Alex said, winking at me.

I instantly turned red, mostly because when she said date the firstthing I thought of was Dante.

Hey, no! Shes got me or Ben to choose from. We dont need anymore competition. Daniel said, shaking his head. That made me turn evenredder- they laughed.

Cool your jets Danny, Rorys already got a boyfriend. Patty said. Shelooked over at me. Right? That guy I saw you with during the secondpassing period was your boyfriend, right?

She meant Dante; I laughed. I almost wanted to look over at Dane tosee his reaction, but I wouldnt. Oh you mean Dante. I confirmed. No, heisnt my boyfriend. Hes What? Just a friend.

A close friend. Patty laughed. You should bring him along anyway.Itll be fun.

I doubt Dane would be able to handle it if I brought Dante along. I thinkI wouldnt be able to handle it if Dante came to a party with me. I wasnt avery social personThis thing would be awkward enough and I didnt exactlyneed the stress.

What about that guy you were talking to this morning? Benji asked.My blood ran cold. I was almost positive that nobody had- or couldve- seenus. I wouldve thought, however, that the way we were conversing wouldve

conveyed the message that we were not having a very friendly conversation.

What about him? I asked carefully, trying to keep any sort ofinfliction indicative of my feelings towards him out of my voice.

Benji shrugged. Well he started acting weird ever since you showedup, Rory. Then I saw you guys arguing this morning and he didnt show up for

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Statistics third period. I just thought it was kinda weird. Did you eat him orsomething?

I was nearly speechless. I dont know. I didnt do or say anything thatbad to him.

You know what was weird though Benji continued, leaning in asthough he only wanted us to hear what he was about to say. There was adifferent guy there who claimed to be Nathaniel. He looked totally different-white hair, red eyes- and had a completely different demeanor. I knew therewas no way this guy could be Nathaniel, but everybody bought it.

It could only have been Dante. ButBenjis story didnt make muchsense to me.

Maybe were the only ones who can see him. Sam said. Id almostforgotten about him- hed stayed silent for so far. Were the only oneswho He trailed off, nervously glancing from me to Dane.

Maybe he is Nathaniel. Daniel suggested.

No. Dane spoke for the first time. Hed have no reason to dosomething like this. The imposter is posing as Nathaniel for his ownpurposes. He too is a devil.

The group reacted with little surprise and more panicbut they werentpanicking because of what hed said.

Dane! Now she knows! Sam hissed, enraged. Chaos broke out assoon as he spoke. Everyone else had something angry to say about Daneswords. I realized that they were talking about me.

What do I know? I asked.

Quiet! Dane commanded harshly. They all became silent. The bellrang. Nobody moved. Well continue this discussion after school. He stood;everybody except for me followed suit. Go. They departed, leaving Daneand I alone. I was scared.

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He began to walk to Physics and I trailed along behind him. When wereached the class he took his seat beside me again.

After school. He said without looking at me. Go to the harbor.

Why? I was surprised he was talking to me. He didnt answer. So

much for that. I sleepwalked through the remainder of the day, curious andeager about going to the harbor. I assumed when he told the others wellcontinue this discussion after school that was what he meant. The final bellrang and I was probably the first one gone.

My house was right by the harbor, so I stopped at home first and left anote for Tony. Down at the harbor with Dane. I wrote. Dont wait up. I leftmy things- and indicator that I wouldnt be gone long- and headed back out.

When I got there, everyone was waiting for me. Their positions werehostile- heads bent, hands in pockets, backs turned. Dane stood proudly

behind them as the head of the pack. I thought of Max, and my heartpanged.

Okay, Im here. I said fearlessly. I had to muster up and rely on everyshred of dignity I had left. What do you want? I dont know if I would callmyself a courageous person. I wasnt completely helpless, but I did have mydamsel in distress momentsmore so now than ever before.

You know. Sam said bitterly. He pulled the hood of his jacket over hishead and sat down on the harbor, letting his feet dip into the ocean water.The sea shouldve been freezing, and this minute detail piqued my interest.

Dane ignored him. Were here because theyre aware that you know.When I gave him an even more confused look he continued. I didnt tellthem that you know who you are. They were under the assumption that youwerent supposed to know.

Oh. I said flatly. That was kind of confusing. Why would he lie aboutsomething that ridiculous? Well of course I know. That shouldve beenobvious to all of you. After all, I could see the not-Nathaniel. I caught myselfabout to say Dante but was careful not to.

They stood, staring dumbfounded back at me. It was kind ofintimidating.

Granted, Dane said, somewhat amused. I didnt tell themeverything. That made me feel better. I wasnt too comfortable with a bunchof strangers knowing everything about me.

What did you tell them? I asked warily. Though he didnt tell themeverything, I was still not keen on his idea.

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Just everything that they were supposed to know. He said simply.What happened, who you are, who I am.

You told them what happened?? I asked. Why would you do that?Nobody needs to knowabout that

Swiftly, he approached me and took my face in his hands. I expectedhim to be angry with my near-hysterics, but his touch instead was gentle andsoothing. Take a deep breath, Aurora. Its alright. He reminded me of Collin.I obeyed his words and took a deep breath. I didnt want to look at Pattysreaction; I knew it wouldnt be a very happy one. Once my heart rate hadslowed he released me and continued.

These people are likeme. He said slowly, pausing a bit after eachword. But each of them is differentThey are us.

My thoughts raced to the us that Dane was talking about: himself,

Collin, Max, Lea, Zak, Casey and Tiffany. There were seven of them, and nowthere was one. No, now there are six.

Seven. Sam said. The not-Nathaniel.

Dante made seven. Dane, Dante, Benji, Sam, Alex, Daniel, and Patty.Dane, Collin, Casey, Zak, Max, Lea, and Tiffany. Everything was startingagain- it was coming past full circle and continuing.

How much do you know? I asked, somewhat absentmindedly. Howmuch?

They all looked at each other, unsure of how to respond to me. Theyobviously didnt get it. Dane didnt tell them enough.

Tell me! I commanded. How much do you know? When I still got noresponse from them I looked to Dane. Well?

One of you tell her. He growled impatiently. We went over this! Wellapparently I was wrong. Wouldnt be the first time.

Well what doyou know? Alex challenged, ignoring Dane.

Pride! Dane snapped. Alex froze up and shut her mouth. Pride? Max

was pride.We Patty started. We know who we are and why were here. The

seven of us are the mortal representations of the seven deadly sins: envy,pride, sloth, lust, wrath, greed, and gluttony. I was somewhat surprised thatshe actually knew what she was talking about. I kind of had an idea of whichone she was, but wasnt about to say anything and ruin the rest of thesurprise. And were here because in past lives we didnt pass judgment toget into heaven, so now were trying to earn our wings. She looked to Dane

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for verification. He nodded slightly and she finished. Were doing this toreplace the six who already earned their wings: Collin, Max, Lea, Tiffany, Zak,and Caseyright?

Wait, stop. Something didnt seem right to me.The six? OnlyCollin I couldnt finish; I already had an idea of what my answer would be.

Aurora, Dane said softly. Theyre gone too. Last autumn.

Gone? No- they graduated last summer, right? Just in Junethatswhat happened. What do you mean last autumn? I already knew what hewas going to tell me, I just didnt want to believe it.

No. They all vanished. These five took their places. Ive been guidingthem for the past year.

I looked to the five he was speaking of and refused to accept the factthat these were the ones who replaced my best friends. It seems like not toolong ago when we were all together last; sitting on the harbor with our feet inthe water, Collin and Dane on either side of me, laughing and joking. Wedknown each other practically our whole lives- Lea and Tiffany were likesisters to me. Max was our all-knowing leader. Casey was the fun guy- thejokester who kept us all lighthearted and grounded. Zak was the logical one;always kept us (especially me) in check. There was no way that these fivekids replaced my family.

Whos who?

Dane sighed. He was growing tired of me; that was a good sign. Open

your eyes. I did.

Max was the true leader of our pack; always had every answer to everyproblem, always bailed us out when we were in trouble. He was cocky andthought he knew everything. He was pride. Alexandra.

Casey was always the one to have the last laugh- he never knew whento stop or when hed gone too far. Thatd given him problems when he wasnearly kicked out of school, but he kept coming back for more. He was aglutton for punishment; gluttony. Benjamin.

Zak was the quiet kid in the back of the room who always had his head

down but always had all of the answers. Whenever wed break out intohysterics he was always the one who spoke up at the last minute to providea rational solutionsloth. Samuel.

Tiffany was the wild child; green hair, self pierced, tattoos. She wasalways out partying and we rarely saw her on weekends. Id heard at least athousand stories of her wild nights and unreliable lifestyle. Lust. Patricia.

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Lea- my best friend, my sister- always wanted what she couldnt have.Always longed for his grades, or her looks, or his this or her that. Lea whonever shared anything and never told me anything, even though we werepractically sisters. Lea Stevens: greed. Daniel.

Dane: the one I thought was my soul mate, the one Id be with forever.Hostile to everything and everyone around him, not trusting- even of me attimes- and quick to anger. Quick to jump to conclusions and snap. DaneWrathful Warren. That stayed the same.

That left Collin; myCollin, my soul twin. The only person who everreally understood me. My Collin who wanted me all to himself, who secretlydespised Dane- his partner in crime; his blood brother- for simply the way Ilooked at him, the way I loved him. My envious Collin Matthew Stark whosacrificed his life in order to keep the peace and save both Dane and I. MyCollin who earned his wings and died two summers ago underneath the bluemoon. Who replaced him? Of course; Dante.

Rory?

I looked up, a blank expression on my face. Patty was looking at mewith a worried expression on hers.

I asked if you wanted me to continue. We only know a little more.She said carefully, as though if she spoke too loud or said the wrong thing Iddo something unexpected. I wasnt that unpredictable, jeez. I nodded.Welland we know about Nathaniel and the others. How theyre goingthrough the same thingbut thats it. We dont know why, or anythingspecific about him and them.

So Dane didnt tell them about me. I was a little disappointed; and hereI thought I was special.

So then you really dont know much. I finally said. Id suspected itever since I knew they knew, but I had to be sure. Maybe this was Danesway of showing me that he still cared enough about me to respect mywishes. I hadnt told him to do anything concerning this. Howthoughtful ofhim (as unordinary as that was).

They allowed me this victory. Well then why dont you explain it to

us? Benji asked, raising his eyebrows. Or do you not know yourself?

I was miffed by his tone. Why should I tell you? Again, I kind of knewwhy it wouldve been better if I just told them, but I wanted to see what theywould say.

WellBecause, uhWehave a right to know? Daniel tried. Orsomething.

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I nodded. He was the guy I was walking to English with. He was in myGovernment class instead of Nathaniel. Now that we were all on the samepage it was a little easier to talk about him. And he was in a dream that Ihad last night. The dream itself was fading, but I still remembered himclearly.

Heres what we do. Dane spoke. We play it by ear; see what he doesand see what happens with Nathanielwherever he is. Well resume thisdiscussion after school tomorrow. He began to walk away, and everyonefollowed him like dogs. It was perturbing. Patty instantly joined him at hisside and he wrapped his arm around his waist. Goose bumps rose up on myarms and I turned away from them, heading home.

When I got there, Tony had left a note in reply to my own. Rory, wentback to the office, be back late late late. Youre on your own for dinner, loveTony. I rolled my eyes; it figured. I made myself a sandwich and headedback out- to the cemetery.

This time I did walk to the grave with my eyes closed. It was gettingdark and I was starting to get spooked. All of my troubles vanished, though,when I spied Collins head stone and read the familiar words of Frost thathed always whispered to me when I was distressed.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep

Hey Collin. I murmured, sitting down on top of the grave.

Hey babe. Hows it hanging?

Im stressed. You?

Dead; what else is new? Hey- hows Big D? I havent talked to him in afew months.

A few months? I was under the impression that Dane talked to Collinright around the time I did- yesterday. Hes alright. Got himself a newgirlfriend.

Yeah sorry about that, doll. I hear shes Tiffs replacementThats adrag. Shes got some pretty big shoes to fill there.

I stifled a laugh. Do you see much of the old gangyou know, inheaven?

Oh man, I forgot youd been gone for so long. I didnt make it toheaven.

I thought my heart had stopped.

Aurora? Aurora get a grip on yourself, please.

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Youdidnt make it? I asked softly with a wavering voice. I was tryingmy hardest not to cry, but the news had hit me like a ton of bricks. Collindidnt make it to heaven.

Hold your horses. Thats not to say that all hope is lost for me. Im inlimbo; like purgatory I guess. The big man upstairs decided I needed moretime, so I get to chill here for awhile. Its why I can talk to you guys.

Id thought Collin could talk to us though he was dead because hecould do that even when he was alive. See, some of the seven deadly sinincarnates had a tweak; a little special power that set them apart from theothers. Collin could alter mental communications; he could talk to you, youcould talk to him, you could talk to each other, you could talk to otherpeople, or he could block everyone outor he could let everyone in. It waspretty nifty, but he liked to mess with people and would often do just that.

But dont sweat it- Ill get there eventually. The others all made it

through just fine. I guess they really were holier than thou. That calmed me abit. But enough about me; tell me about you.

There isnt really much to tell. I paused. That was a lie. Well, notmuch that I suspect you dont already know. You know all about Patty and hernew crew, right?

The fab five who replaced our usual suspects? Sure, sure; I know allabout them.

And you know about Dante?

Oh. Him. I shouldve known to go to Collin first about this. He alwayshad outsider information that was ridiculously useful. Yeahhow do you likehim?

Should I be honest? I love him.

I could picture Collin as he spoke- a sad look in his eye and a forcedsmile on his face to hide the fact that he despised sharing me with anybody-that he hated the relationships I had with other people even though I lovedhim more than anybody else in the worldand he knew that. Good. Im gladyoure happy, RoryI want you to be happy. Of course he did; he would evensacrifice his own life to make me happy. It was his destiny. Hes a good guyA little unorthodox, yeah, but hes a good guy. Got a big heart and all thatjazz. Much better than I ever was. Pretty envious though.

Wow Collin; you just described yourself.

I could picture his face lighting up in wonder as he contemplated mywords. Yeah I suppose. Bet hes better looking than me though.

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I compared Dante to Collin: my pale skinned, dark haired, freckle facedCollin. Collin with his thick glasses and thin wrists, the dimples that poppedup whenever he smiled wide or laughed too hard and his big brown Bambieyes that he used to get what he wanted because I could never resist them.

Hes more attractive, I suppose. I said thoughtfully. But yourecuter. I smiled.

I heard him chuckle. Thanks Rory. Limbo needs more people like you.Everyone here is so

Dead? There I go again, trying to make light of the situation.

He actually laughed. Yeah, that. How did you know?

I laughed with him, but it was bittersweet. I really miss you Collin. Iwas beginning to tear up.

Oh cmon now, and you were doing so well. Cheer up, honey, thingsarent that bad yet. Well that made me feel better- yet.

Dont cry.

I hadnt even realized that my eyes were closed. I was so absorbed inour conversation that I hadnt noticed leaning forward on my knees with bothof my hands on his head stone. When I heard that voice- the one that mademe seethe with anger- my eyes shot open and my hands instantly turned tofists. Leave me alone. I hissed.

Hands were suddenly on my shoulders, gently guiding me to my feet.They rested on my upper arms, gently rubbing circles with his thumbs tosoothe me, I assumed. Relax, Aurora. Its only me.

How is that supposed to make me feel better? I clenched my jaw.

He chuckled. Oh cmon now, babe.

Not the voice, but the attitude was what made me turn around. Dantewas there, grinning at me in the darkness. A wave of relief washed over me.

Oh thank God. I breathed. Id thought you were Nathaniel.

His breath caught in the back of his throat. Him. Why would you thinkthat?

Because you are him. I automatically replied. Did I know if it was trueor not? No; but at least I had something to go on.

He sighed. We need to talk.

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That was fairly obvious. I took his hands and walked him away from thegrave and out of the cemetery. I began to head towards my house, but hesteered me towards the church. We settled on the front steps.

Im not allowed inside. Of course he wasnt; only the people I sawworthy were allowed to enter, and Id only chosen two so far. One was dead,and the otherwell we already saw how well that turned out. And yet I feelcompelled to come here. Why?

You think I know? I did know, but I wasnt supposed to tell- that waspart of it, figuring it out for yourself.

I know you know. He challenged me, his blood red eyes staring intomy gray blue ones. His look was different from both Dane and Collins- theirslooked right through me; saw me for who I was, whereas his simply looked atme. It made me feel safe, as though I was hiding behind something thatmade me untouchable.

Who are you?

I hesitated. You dont know?

Babe, I dont know much except for what I feel. And right now Imfeeling you and this church. His hands were beginning to be warmed up bymine, but were still cold- cold as death.

It isnt my place to say. I looked away from him, a sure sign of mybluff.

I saw you at the harbor today. That didnt surprise me. Wellhe sawyou. I saw through him. That did.

What? I snapped my head back to face him, though I already had ahunch as to what he was getting at. What do you mean?

Nathaniel. He said simply. I saw through Nathaniel. Were in thesame body. No; Im in his body. He grinned sheepishly. Im just a visitor, Iguess.

I knew that already, but his verification made me feel better about theassumptions the group and I had made earlier. Now I felt compelled to tell

him everything.

Youre envy. I said. I spoke fast, hardly allowing him breathing room,let alone enough time to get a word in edge wise. One of the seven deadlysins sent to the world of the living from hell in order to repent and try andgain entrance to heaven. Youre here to protect me, in the place of CollinStark who died two years ago trying to save me. Youre in the body ofNathaniel Reeve, who is also a sin- wrath- and who is doing, or at least trying

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to do, the exact opposite of what youre supposed to be doing. I dont knowwhy youre in his body, but I do know that Collin didntmake ittoheaven A thought occurred to me at that moment, leaving me speechless.If Collin didnt make it to heaven, then Lucifer couldnt send another to takehis place. He only made it half way, so Youre half way here. I said.

Surprisingly, Dante seemed to have followed my rant. Half way here?

Yeah- see, Collin didnt make it to heaven; hes stuck in Limbo, so thatmeans that Lucifer couldnt send someone to take his place because hedidnt pass the judgment testyet. So instead of sending you as a full, ablebodied individual, he sent you to be a part of Nathaniel, probably until Collingets into heaven. However long that would take. I still didnt know all of thedetails about Collins saving, but I guessed he wouldnt get his wings untilthe danger he was talking about had passedNot that it helped notknowing what that danger was

The two of us stayed silent for a long time, standing in front of thechurch, holding each others hands and staring into each others eyes. Hadanybody been passing I was sure theyd have mistaken us for lovers, andsadly that was not the case. Finally, he spoke. His words were shockingly outof place.

HeyI know I shouldnt be asking you this, butThis weekend. Wouldyou want to take a trip out of town with me?

I was taken aback and didnt know how to respond or what to say. Istuttered like an idiot, and he grinned at me.

Just for a day- like on Saturday. Itd be nice to get out of this town fora little while. I wanna spread my wings. He stretched his arms out, takingmine with him, as if to emphasize his point.

DanteI dont think that would be such a good idea. I said, choosingmy words carefully so as not to offend him. Dont get me wrong, its a sweetoffer, but given the circumstances, I just dont think He cut my off byplacing his finger on my lips to shush me.

Forget about Nathaniel. Ill take care of him for the day. He wasgrinning slyly now, providing a contrast to his broad smile before.

You can do that? I asked, almost completely baffled. I had assumedthat everything for Dante was involuntary when Nathaniel became involved-it was Nathaniels body, so shouldnt he have nearly complete control overit? I tended to assume a lot of things; it was a habit in dire need of breaking.

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He nodded triumphantly. Yes, of course. We have something workedout, I guess you could say. Hes reasonable enough- he lets me stay and Idont screw up what he already has going. We help each other out.

That sent up a red flag in my mind. We help each other out. How was Ito know that this wasnt some Nathaniel plan cooked up and delivered to mein a beautifully Dante wrapped package? Why should I put my trust insomeone I hardly knew that was affiliated so closely with the one who Ishook my head, dispelling those thoughts. I had Collins word, I had Danesfacts. Surely that would be enough evidence as to why I should agree to gowith him.

Let me think about it. I said instead. The weekend was still two daysaway- plenty of time. And when I have my answer Ill come give it to you.

No. Dont find me. Let me find you. He said sternly, all seriousnessnow. I dont need you catching me- or Nathaniel- at a bad time. True, we

have an arrangement worked out, but that doesnt mean we can controlwhen who has the body. So I was right about one thing- their control overthe body that they shared could not be determined by either of them. It wasup to someone else, and I had a good idea of who that someone was.Dantes words were a sign that he was trying to protect me- from Nathaniel-just like all the othersEspecially like Collin. It was reassuring.

Its getting late. He murmured. I hadnt realized how quiet the nighthad grown. Ill walk you home. And that he did, gently holding my handand leading me towards my home on the beach. It reminded me of the walk Ihad the previous night with Danebut at the same time it was completely

different. There was no tension in this air- no nervousness and apprehensioneven though I was with a stranger. When we reached my home he pausedagain to hold both of my hands and look me in the eye.

Promise me. He said, even softer than before. His voice wasbeginning to change again, and in the moonlight I could see his once bloodred eyes beginning to lighten and become a very light, crisp, baby blue color.Promise me that youll just let me take care of you and try not to take careof things yourself. I was a bit surprised at his request. I liked to do thingsmyself, although they all usually ended in disaster. They say some peoplenever learnI guess Im just one of those people.

I nodded and he gently pulled me into a warm embrace, comforting onsuch a chilly night, and I noticed that he too was not wearing a jacket or along sleeved shirt. In contrast to Dane, where his skin was always ice cold asthough he were a corpse, Dantes skin was very warm- very human. I liked it.I closed my eyes and rested my head against his chest. My mind registeredan oddity- something that I was not used to, but I couldnt quite put myfinger on it. After awhile whatever it was went away, but the thought stayedin the back of my mind for me to later dwell on.

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You should go inside now before you find yourself in even moretrouble.

I instantly pushed him away from me. Nathaniel retreated from mysight, but I knew he was smirking to himself. He always was.

I went inside, locking the door behind me. Tonys shoes werent in thefront hallway, so I knew he was still out working. I slipped into bed and laythere unable to sleep for a good thirty minutes. I was still trying to figure outwhat had been out of place while Dante was holding me; I assumed whateverit was had stopped or changed the second Nathaniel regained control of hisbody. Right as I was beginning to drift off into dream land, listening to thegentle, erythematic lapping of the oceans waves against the shore, Irealized what it was.

Dante had a heartbeat. All of the others did not- not even I had aheartbeat. What made him so different? Again I had assumed that because

he was one of them- especially because he was not completely here- hewould not have a heartbeat. The presence of one baffled me againnotknowing this much was unbelievably frustrating. I had to know more. At thatmoment, I had my answer. Saturday, I had a date. I slept surprisingly wellthat night.

The next day, however, I was in for it. Dane and company did notappear to be very happy with me as I approached them early in the morning.I slowed my pace as soon as I saw them and continued apprehensively.What?

I saw you with him last night. Sam hissed. For sloth he wasnt verysloth-like. He was beginning to get on my last nerve. Dane quieted him.

Perhaps we should establish some ground rulesfor this newsituation. He said very slowly and calmly. Might I suggest not socializingwith neither Nathaniel norDante? The others seemed to agree with him;clearly theyd been over this before Id gotten there.

I see no problem with it. I said equally as calmly. I was challenginghim, and I saw it in his eyes right off the bat that he was not okay with that.What does it matter if I was with him last night? I was with you the nightbefore, Tony the night before thatI know a lot of guys. I kind of chuckled,

trying to lighten them up, but it didnt work very well I kind of expectedthat.

Rory, this is kind of different. Patty started. It didnt seem as thoughshe wished to continue, but when I looked to her expectantly she saw thatshe had no other choice. I meanthis is kind of dangerous, and were onlylooking out for your safety.

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Why? Because you have to? I shot back. In truth, I didnt like the fiveof them. I wanted to, I started to, but I just couldnt. They were trying to likeme too, I could feel it, but the natural chemistry just wasnt there. Theoriginal five I had known all my life. I met them when we were all reallyyoung, back before any of us were old enough to understand the mechanics

of our situation. Maybe that was why we got along so well- there was no sortof pretense behind our friendship. When we all later found that out it onlyintensified the bond we all hadNot like this.

Nobody knew how to respond to my question. Dane sighed heavily; Icould tell that he hadnt been getting much sleep lately. It was evident in hisappearance and his demeanor.

Fine then. He eventually said. The others all turned to him-captivated by his every word. It still freaked me out. Do whatever you want;I dont give a damn anymore. He turned abruptly and walked away from meand the rest of his group.

Now that their leader was gone it seemed like none of them knew whatto do with themselves. They stared at me awkwardly until I politely wavedgood bye and stalked off to Calculus. Luckily, Patty didnt follow me. Whenclass did start, she sat far away from me at the back of the room; for that, Iwas grateful. After Calculus was Government and as I took my seat Nathanielapproached me. He looked annoyed and reluctant to see me.

You have an answer. He said blatantly. And Dante wants to knownow.

Yes. Was all I said. That was good enough for him, and he left mealone, surprisingly.

English was uneventful, and at lunch I hid out in the library, hopingthat no one would come looking for me- not Dane, not Patty, not Nathanielnor Dante. I wasnt in the mood to talk to anybody. Instead, I opened up mycopy ofInferno and began to read. The name Dante stood out every time itappeared on the page. Was there some sort of relation? Where was Virgil? Idoubted any of it was connected, but it still intrigued me. Deciding that I hadenough to think about at the moment, I forgot it and moved on to somethingelse. When the bell rang, I considered ditching Physics, but knew I couldnt.When I got there I simply sat on the opposite side of the room from Dane and

tried my best to not steal glances at him. It was hard, but it was gettingeasier. I had better things to think about than him Like Saturday. Thatthought certainly helped me through that day as well as the next. By Fridaynight, Tony knew something was up.

Okay kid, spill the beans. He said to me at dinner. I was never goodat keeping secrets, and Tony knew by now how to see right through me andpractically read my mind. He was grinning though, which was a good thing.

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Oh Im just going out tomorrow with a friend of mine. I said quietly,keeping my head down to hide both my blush and my own smile. Were onlygoing out of town for the day- Ill be back by dinner time, and if thingschange Ill call you. I tried to tell him as much as possible at once so thathed drop the subject and not ask me anymore potentially revealing

questions.

Is this frienda boy? He asked. I was able to gauge by his tone thathe wasnt being apprehensive or judgmental, just curious. When I nodded henodded in reply and changed the subject- now he was talking aboutsomething that happened to him at work. I kind of tuned him out; I was usedto this by now. I didnt want to tell Tony about Dante. Tony wasnt part of mylittle Satan Circle, as Tiffany used to call it. He didnt know anything aboutmy situation or the seven deadly sins, or anything. The people at the hospitalknew, but they all decided that it would be better for everyone if Tony, myguardian, had no clue. If they had consulted me, I most likely wouldve

agreed, but they hadnt, so that shows how important my opinion is.I slipped into bed early that night- I could hardly wait for the adventure

that I was bound to have the following day. For the third night in a row, forthe first time inwell since I could rememberI slept soundly and withoutany sort of disturbing dreams. I counted that as a good omen, just as Icounted all of my bad dreams as bad ones. If history was any sort ofreference, I would be right.

My alarm went off at seven thirty- I was out of the shower and ready togo by eight fifteen. At eight thirty, Tony still sleeping, a very quiet knock washeard at the front door. I was impressed that he would be so courteousor

maybe he was being too careful. Either way, it was a thoughtful gesture. Iopened the door just as quietly and slipped out before either of us could saya word to each other. When the door was firmly closed and locked behindme, I smiled up at him- he grinned back down at me, reflexively pulling mecloser to him.

Hey babe. He breathed, blood red eyes darker than Id ever seenthem before. Howve you been? Its been awhile.

I rolled my eyes and began to walk with him. Oh dont ask; Ive beentrying my hardest to forget it so that I could just go and have a good time

today. We naturally intertwined our hands and walked down the beach. Theonly car I saw was a green pickup truck, and I assumed it was his. Thoughmy assumptions werent always accurate, as weve seen previously, this onewas. He opened the passengers side for me and closed it for me when I wasbuckled in. He slid in the drivers side and started the engine. The car wasdingy and looked like it was going to die any day now. It wasnt a very oldmodel, but it was obviously well used.

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Its Nathaniels fathers car. Dante said. I had nearly forgotten that hecould read my mind, just like Collin could. I hoped that he would be as politeas Collin was and not read it on a regular basis. I had once asked Collin aboutthat and when he replied he smiled warmly at me, shrugged, and said, Iskim. That had made me feel better. Its run down, but itll get us to where

we want to go and back without any problems.

The car ride there was silent, yet there was absolutely no tension in thecars stale air. Both of us were equally as relaxed and I remember himreaching over at one point during the trip and taking my hand in his, placingit on the center console. Whenever he had to shift gears he would use bothof our hands- his on top of mine- and gently squeeze my own. Dane hadnever done things like this when we were together. Everything was muchmore strained, almost forced. Every silence was an awkward one and everytouch was hesitant and very apprehensive. I liked this much better.

Finally he exited off the highway and pulled into a small shopping

center.

Whats in here? I asked him as we both got out of the car.

He shrugged. Hell if I know. I just kind of followed the road until I knewwe should probably get off. Ive never been here before; neither hasNathaniel. Id nearly forgotten his situation. How was he supposed to knowabout places like this if Nathaniel didnt? Was there no privacy? Did Nathanielhear my thoughts too? That thought sent shivers down my spine, and Danteplaced a reassuring hand on my back. All worry vanished instantly and Irelaxed.

We walked around the shopping center, just browsing and seeing whatthere was for us to do.

Sorry this is turning out to be kind of a bore. Dante said to me. Ireally just wanted to get out of that town. I feel like Im trapped- like itssuffocating me. I thought it pretty funny for him to be saying that when hewas sharing a body But then again I understood what he was talking about.Personally, I had never felt trapped by my little hometown by the sea,especially since my little mountain retreat. However, Collin often talkedabout the need to get out and always expressed the desire to run away- notnecessarily to a big city, but to just get out of our town. The similarities

between the two of them were beginning to get easier and easier to spot.

I shrugged. I dont mind. I needed a little vacation. I smiled at him,and he smiled back at me.

Heres a coffee shop. He said to me, motioning to the building wewere next to. Lets go. He pulled me inside, keeping one hand in his jacketpocket and the other hand firmly keeping a firm hold on mine. As we stood in

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line he kept me close to him, and so I rested my head on his upper arm. Itmustve looked like we were some sort of couple, and that made me questionthe relationship we had. Why was this all so natural to me? It wasnt like anysort of relationship Id had before- not like the soul twin one Id had withCollin, and definitely not like the soul mate one Id had with Dane. I liked this

much better than either of those.

We got our coffee and departed the small shop, hot drink warming mycold hands just like his hand had done. I sipped slowly at my coffee as hequickly gulped his down; tossing the cup in a trash can as he passed by it.Slowpoke. He teased as I carefully drank mine. I rolled my eyes andignored him.

We circled the center two times before getting bored and retreatingback to the truck. It was ten thirty, and we still had the whole day ahead ofus.

Lets go see a movie. Dante said, turning to me with a large grin onhis face.

Which movie? I asked. And where is there a theater around here?

Lets just drive around for awhile until we find one. He suggested.Theres bound to be something good playing. Im in the mood for a goryhorror. Again he resembled Collin, who loved scary, bloody movies. I hatedthem, but somehow always wound up going to see them with him. I usuallyspent the entirety of the movie with either my hands over my eyes or myhead in the toilet in the girls restroom. I did not have a very strong stomachfor that kind of stuff.

Instead of getting back on the highway we drove through the town,passing libraries, schools, more shopping centers, and finally stumbled upona small movie theater in a larger shopping center. Luckily for him, andunluckily for me, there was a slasher flick playing. He dragged me insideagainst my will and sat the both of us in the back. He sat on my left. You canescape easily if you need to. He said reassuringly. But youll be fine. Trustme.

I sighed and slumped into my seat, dreading the moment that themovie would begin. The previews werent half badexcept one that caught

my eye. It was about a girl who moved to a rainy little town, kind of likemine, only with more rain, and ran into a lot of vampires and a lot ofwerewolves who were trying to protect her from even more vampires Itseemed ridiculous and boring, but something that the general public wouldbe interested in.

Kind of like you. Dante said, leaning over to whisper to me. Howeverybody wants to protect you; how everybodys fighting for you. I hated

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how nearly everything he said to me made me think. He had a point- usuallydid- and this one made an even more lasting impression in my mind. It mademe look at things from a different perspective- it wasnt about who was rightand who was wrong, they were just different views. Maybe Nathaniel and hisclan wasnt necessarily evil, as we had all originally assumed (there I go

assuming again; nothing but trouble it caused me), they just had differentintentions.

But what about what Nathaniel did? What about all the harm andproblems hes caused? I didnt know his motives behind them. I didnt knowanything about him- who was I to pass judgment? My thoughts on thatsubject quickly dissipated as soon as the movie began- I drew my hands upto my chest and my breath hitched in the back of my throat. I didnt enjoybeing scared- Id had enough life threatening scares in my life, and I didntneed some movie to recreate those feelings for me.

Dante reached over and took my hands in his, across the arm rest. I

relaxed a little bit, but was still nervous and tense. He released one of myhands to move the arm rest up and pulled me into his arms so that I waslying across his chest as well as my own chair. He draped his arms aroundme, letting his hands rest on my right shoulder and rested his cheek on thetop of my head. See? He said. This isnt so bad. Which it wasnt, until thefirst person died. I squeaked and buried my head in his chest. I felt it rumblegently, and knew that he mustve been laughing at me. I remained in thatposition for the remainder of the film and only moved when the lights cameon and Dante stirred. He gently lifted me off of him and guided me out of thetheater back out to the shopping center. Well that wasnt horrible. Not a lotof blood, but it was suspenseful enough.

Well not horrible for you. I cant stand those kinds of movies. Iadmitted, shaking my head. So lets not do that again. He smiled at meand nodded in agreement. We got back in his truck and I looked at the time;it was now one forty five.

Hungry? He asked; I shook my head. Good; neither am I. I kind ofwondered how anybody could be hungry after watching a movie like that, butthen decided that I didnt really want to know. Want to go up to theobservatory? He asked me, starting the car and pulling back onto thehighway.

Sure. It was my turn to grin. Ever since I was a little kid I loved to goto the observatory, but trips up the mountain there were limited since it wasso far away. We were already pretty far out, and it was kind of a trip on awhim, but it seemed appropriate. I hadnt been there in years- Collin took meon his motorcycle the last time we went. From our town by the beach it wasa three hour round trip to the observatory on the top of the mountain, notcounting any sort of traffic or potential roadblocks due to the weather or

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anything else like that. The route was a very scenic one- mostly trees andcliffs showing down to the valley or a view of the ocean and our town as well.Dante turned the heater on and I prepared to ride the rest of the way- onlyabout twenty five minutes or so- in silence, but he began to speak.

Nathaniel explained everything to me. He said. About whathappened, andDane and the rest of the group. He talked to me about theseven deadly sins thing some more, and I think now I understand it allbetter But I still dont know one thing. Nobody seems to know this. Helooked at me expectantly, as though he wanted me permission to continue.He mustve seen my approval in his eyes, because he continued. You. Youconfuse me; everybody feels t