The big city.

Cora nodded.

"Yes, yes it's me!" She said, finally stepping back and looking at him, tears in her eyes. She didn't care if Blake saw them anymore.
~~~~~
Ashlyn jumped up suddenly, shaking her head. She gathered up her empty bowl and looked at him.

"You done?" She asked, pointing to his.
~~~~~
"Right," Elliot said, laughing nervously. "It says Cora is getting married! And we're invited to the wedding!" She exclaimed.
~~~~
Lenora saw Dust, but the look in his eyes was all too familiar.

"What did you do??" She demanded, stepping towards the goddesss. The fear that she should have had of her was gone.

Hymn was silent, still standing in the shadows, unseen, watching the events unfold before her.

"Can I please get some help?" Carlisle asked from the floor as he tried to sit up.

"I only claimed what is rightfully mine." She said. "He tuched the bottle willingly."

~~
"Yeah." He said handing it to her. "Why do you like to fight?" He asked suddenly.

~~
Tyler smiled. "I don't have to be as excited as you, do I?" He asked.

~~
Her father smiled. "Wonderful! Smiply wonderful!"

Blake frowned. "I like you better down there." But he helped him up none-the-less, since Cora seemed busy.

Cora laughed slightly, looking at her father, but glancing at Carlisle and Blake out of the corner of her eye.

"You're not disappointed in me, then?" She asked quietly, looking up at him.
~~~~~~
"No," Elliot laughed. "But you have to come!"
~~~~~~~
Ashlyn frowned, taken by surprise. She took the bowl and put it on top of hers. They were plastic, so she just walked to the trashcan in her room and threw them away before sitting back down on her bed.

"I don't, really," She said. "I mean, it all started just because....maybe because of my dad. But then kids wanted to keep getting in my face," She said. "I've always been this way," She shrugged, not realizing how much she had just said. Ether blinked in surprise.

"She never talks this much to anyone," She mumbled.
~~~~~~~
Lenora shook her head.

"No," She whispered. She walked straight up to the goddess. "No! Give him back his soul!!" She shouted. "Why would he do that? You're lying!!" She yelled. Hymn was still in the shadows, a slight frown on her face.

Carlisle winced slightly at the pain in his back, "Thank you." He said to Blake. He walked over to Cora and her father "I'm Carlisle." He introduced himsefl.

Dust suddenly stood up, and grabed Lenora roughly by the arms, and draged her away from the goddess.

"I am not. We showed him the bottle and he tuched it."

~~
"Why Whould I be?" He asked, then looked at Carlisle, frowning slightly.

~~
Felix smiled. "You say like it's a bad thing."

Mason frowned. He tuched a scar on his own arm, but said nothing.

~~
Tyler smiled. "I'll go." He said.

"No, that's not what I meant....I just mean...." She sighed, and smiled at him. "Nothing, it's nothing," She mumbled, and hugged him again. She had missed them both so much.
~~~~~~
Lenora winced, and tried to pull out of Dust's grasp.

"What bottle? Why would he do that?!" She shouted, trying to fight her way back to the goddess.
~~~~~
Elliot smiled, and folded both letters back up, placing them in a pocket of her dress.

"Good," She said. "Hopefully I can get away from Andrew enough to do that," She added under her breathe. He had been keeping an even closer eye on her. It was weird, to say the least.
~~~~~
Ether frowned, but said nothing.

Ashlyn watched him silently. She remembered what he had said, about his dad beating him. She didn't blame him fro running away.

"Ashlyn!" Her dad called, his voice loud and slightly slurred.

"Shoot," She mumbled, as his heavy footsteps came closer. Her door was locked, but he started knocking on it.

"Open the door!" He shouted.

She looked at Mason.

"Hide," She mouthed. Not that there was much of a place to hide.

Carlisle looked back at Mr. Redbird. "Did I do something?" he asked him.

Mason sighed, and slipped into Ashlyn's closet, colseing the door behind him.

~~
Mr. Redbird shock his head. "No." He said. "It is nice to meet you."

~~
"He thought it contained your soul." She said with a smile.

Dust dropped her roughly to the ground.

~~
"Why, is Andrew do something to you?" He asked.

Ashlyn walked over to the door and opened it. Her dad was there, and she could smell the alchohol on his breathe.

"What?" She asked simply. They started to argue, less than quietly, until finally he yelled something and a loud slap was heard. Ashlyn slowly shut the door, looking somewhat dazed.
~~~~~~
Lenora winced, and looked up at the goddess from the ground.

"Why would you do that??" She yelled, her voice growing even louder. "Why!?"
~~~~
Elliot didn't mention that he had kissed her again. And when he did, and she couldn't get him off, she had tried to use her power on him, but it didn't seem to work.

"No," She mumbled. "He just won't leave me alone, is all," she said quietly. It was obvious she was lying.
~~~~
Cora finally stepped back, next to her mother again, a smile on her face as she watched her father and Carlisle.
~~~~
Ava stood up in the park near James' and Link's house and, without thinking, began to play her violin. It was a slow, sweet, sad melody.

Blake heard the faint sound of a violin. "I have to go." He said quickly, and disappered.

~~
Mason opened the closet door, frowning. He was sitting crossed legged on the floor.

"You shouldn't let him do that to you." He said.

~~
Tyler frowned. "Your lieing."

~~

"It's nice to meet you too." Carlisle said, his smile returning.

Ava had her eyes closed, silent tears running down her cheeks. She didn't know what to do, so she continued playing.
~~~~
"No I'm not," Elliot mumbled, refusing to meet his eyes, as she always did when she lied.
~~~~
"Why?!" Lenora shouted again.
~~~~
"Do what?" Ashlyn asked, rubbing her right cheek, wincing. It hurt.
~~~~
Cora saw the smile on Carlisle's face, which only made her smile more.

"Because I can." She said.

~~
"What are you hiding!" He demaned then disappered. He reappered in the dark cravens.

~~
"Hit you, yell at you." Mason said. "It's not right."

~~
Mr. Redbird smiled down at little girl. "My little girl grew up to be a beautiful woman." He said.

~~
"Ava." Blake said sudenly appering behind her.

"But why him?!" Lenora yelled. Suddenly her voice was softer. "Please....change him back," She whispered, tears running down her cheeks. She was still sitting on the ground. It was more obvious now than ever that she was in love with him.
~~~~~
"Wait---" Elliot started. She sighed, and quickly followed him.

Andrew was crossing their path just as they reappeared. He smiled strangely, looking only at Elliot.
~~~~~~
Cora blushed lightly, and smiled.

"Thanks, papa," She said quietly.
~~~~~~
Ava thought it was in her head. She didn't stop in her playing, though the song grew sadder and slower.
~~~~~~
"You're one to talk," Ashlyn snapped, but quickly regretted it. She didn't take it back, however, and instead sat on her bed. Ether's face was impassive.

"I'd have to agree" Carlisle said affectionately. "Can I get you anything, Mr. Redbird?" he asked.

"Ava." Blake said again touching her hand.

~~
"No." He said simply. "But thank-you."

~~
Mason frowned. "I didn't let my father keep beating me, I ran away rember?"

~~
Tyler stepped in front of her. A frown on his face.

~~
Clara laguhed and took Lenora by the arm, and disappered. She dropped her on James couch and was gone again.

"That was the first time he did that," Ashlyn mumbled, still rubbing her cheek. It ws bright red. She quickly locked her door before sitting down on her bed again.
~~~~~
Andrew frowned when he saw Tyler.

Elliot peeked out from behind him.

"Hello, Elliot," He said simply. Elliot stuck her tongue out at him childishly.
~~~
Lenora didn't move from her spot on James' couch. She was shaking her head, mumbling 'no' to herself, over and over again.
~~~
Hymn finally stepped out, still frowning slightly.
~~~~
Ava jumped, and her violin fell to the ground. She looked at Blake, as if refusing to believe it. Her legs were frozen. In a moment she had gathered her things toether, had her violin on her back and Angel and Demon held tightly in her arms, looking ready to run as she took a step back, shaking her head sadly.
~~~~~
Cora was still smiling.

"I'm so glad you both are here," she said quietly, looking first at her mother, then at her father.

Rose had stayed silent, also making sure Carmen didn't didn't do anything either, That didn't last long as Carmen walked over to Carlisle and grabbed his hand "Well, Carlisle isn't it rude not to introduce people to your guests?" she asked

Carlisle looked down at her and immediately removed his hand away from hers and took several steps towards Cora, "Nows not the time for your games Carmen." he said gruffly.

Marlys frowned, as she wacthed. "You shouldn't do that." She told Carmen. "You aren't the one marring him."

~~
Mason frowned.

~~
Tyler frowned. "Why won't you let her be?" He demaned.

~~
Jade came down the stairs. "Whats wrong?"

~~
"No." Blake said reaching for her. "Don't go."

Lenora looked at Jade.

"Dust....Dust lost his....his soul agan," she said, in between sobs. "And it's my....my fault."
~~~~~~~
Cora couldn't help but smile slightly at her mother's words.
~~~~
Ashlyn looked at him.

"What do you want to do?" She asked simply.
~~~~~
"She....interests me," Andrew said simply. Elliot frowned.
~~~~~
Ava looked at him, her lips pursed tightly together. She said nothing. She though he was still angry with her, maybe even hated her. And she couldn't blame him.

"You can't possibly mean all the love you had for me is gone" Carmen said, she liked the occasional mischief

"I never loved you" Carlisle said, his voice still gruff.

"Then why marry me?" Carmen asked

"Carmen, quit it now. Before you get hurt." Carlisle warned.

Her father suddenly grabed Cora's wrist and pulled her away. "Cora is this really the man you want to marry." His voice laced with disappoval.

~~
Jade frowned. "I- I" She sighed. "I'll get it back." She was cring.

~~
Mason looked at her and shrugged.

~~
Tyler frowned. "How so?" He asked.

~~
Blake took a step towards her." "Ava, I'm not mad."

Cora frowned, watching Carmen. She turned to her father, and nodded.

"Yes, papa," she said, nodding. "I love him."
~~~~~~
Lenora shook her head, and stood up.

"I need to do this," she said quietly. "I'll help. But I don't know how..." She trailed off at the end, just as her father appeared next to her.
~~~~~
Andrew shrugged, and just smiled again.

"You should have heard her when we had the same charge. She was always depressed about Blake. It was Blake this, Blake that," he said. He looked at Tyler. "Are you Blake?" He asked, though he knew he wasn't. Elliiot glared at him. She knew what he was trying to do.
~~~~~
"What did you do at home....before?" Ashlyn asked, looking at him.
~~~~~
Ava still said nothing. She just looked at him, holding Angel and Demon as closely as she could.

Carlisle gasped at Mr. Redbird's words. He turned around and faced them, worry evident on his face. Carmen tried to turn him around but he didn't budge but simply said "Leave Carmen"

"But Carlisle?"

"Now." His voice not loud but it was rough. Carmen's eyes filled with tears as Cora said she loved him and she disappeared. "And I love your daughter, too. More than anything." he told Mr. Redbird.