The big city.

"We can say it didn't happen all we want, but the fact of the matter is; it did happen." Lance said, handing her a bottle of water.

~!!~
"Don't lie to yourself like that." Aden said.

"Fine." Carlisle said. He said nothing more after that, he just stared at the floor, lock jawed.

"And you don't care?" Laurinda asked, hesitating before taking the water from him.
~!~!~
"It's not a lie, apparently. I hear it every day, She mumbled, and sat back down on the swing. "Besides, my brother would rather chase after Jade than me," She whispered, more to herself than to him.
~!~!~
Cora watched him for a moment, but soon saw that he wasn't going to say anything else. She stood up and grabbed back, quickly packing a few things before turning to look at him. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe she should stay. But each day it hurt more and more. She needed time. Just until the judgement.

She soon saw he would say nothing else, and turned and walked down the stairs.

Carlisle sat there as she walked out but quickly stood up and crossed the room, "Cora!" he called as he walked down the stairs.

Cora turned from where she was, at the door with one hand on the handle. She looked at him silently.

"Yes?" She finally asked after a moment.

Carlisle looked at her sadly before he kissed her forehead lightly, "I'll miss you." he told her, "But if this is what you think is right than I trust you."

Cora closed her eyes, and for a moment she was tempted to turn and unpack, and stay. But she didn't; she just nodded.

"Thank you," She whispered, and gave him a hug before turning and opening the door.

"Give your brother my regards." Carlisle added, his voice was fake as was his face. For a moment he considered buying more cigarettes but shook it off in the same instant.

Cora knew he didn't mean it, but just nodded. She turned and left, pulling the door closed behind her. She sighed and looked up at the sky, and managed to hold back her tears as she started to walk down the sidewalk.

"I do care about what I saw." Lance said. "I wish you didn't see my past; but you did."

~!!~
Aden shock her head. "No, you are importent, you just don't realize it. Your brother will always love you; but he needs more then just a love between his sister. It's not right for you to try to keep him to yourself." He was speaking out of personarl expince. His own sisters tried to keep him away from love when he was alive. Maybe that was why he didn't know how to love a girl the right way. He didn't know how to be gentle, because he never held a female in his arms.

~!!~
Blake was sitting next to Lance.

Carlisle sat on the bottom step and a lone tear slipped down his face. He whipped it away and stood up, walking back up the stairs and lying on the bed.

Cora soon arrived at Lance's house. She hesitated for a moment before knocking on the door.

Ava heard the knock and looked out the window. She saw Cora, and ran to answer it, confused.
~!!~
Raven knew he was right, but she was angry. Who was he to talk to her about that?

"Yet you kept him from love, too!" She snapped. "You pulled Jade away from him!"
~!!~
Laurinda just nodded.

"I don't want to go back," she mumbled suddenly.

Blake looked up when he heard someone knock.

~!!~
Aden slightly laughed. "I'm a guy; your his sister. There's a differentince, it hurts alot more when it's your sister pushing her away."

Raven didn't know if it was intentional or not, but Aden had pushed her over the edge. She sat down on the swing again, letting her hair fall over her eyes. Her shoulders shook softly as she cried. He was right; the moron was right. She had been horrible. She was horrible.
~!!~
Cora looked at Ava, tears in her eyes. Ava immediatly called up the stairs "Blake!!"
~!!~
Laurinda looked up when she heard Ava yell, but said nothing, still thinking.

Lance had been thinking. "You don't have to."

~!!~
Blake cameing walking down the stairs. "What's wrong?"

~!!~
Aden reached over and touch her arm. "I'm sorry." He whispbered, he was telling the truth.

Laurinda looked at Lance.

"What?" She asked, unsure of what he was talking about.
~!!~
Cora looked at Blake, and ran over to him, not caring if he saw her tears anymore. She hugged him, not caring what he thought of her right now.

Ava watched in surprise. What was wrong?
~!!~
"Go away," Raven snapped, but her voice was muffled by tears. She wanted Sable here. She desperately needed a hug. Maybe she was still a little kid.

"No." Aden said. "Not until you are done cring." He said softly.

~!!~
"Cora?" Blake said wrapping her in a hug. "What's wrong?" He was tempted to ask if Carlisle hurt her, but he already knew that he wouldn't of have.

~!!~
"Go back." Lance said. "You don't have to."

Laurinda just nodded.

"I could never go back there," She mumbled. "I'll just go back to the streets instead. They're more of a home than I ever had with them," she said quietly.
~!!~
Cora shook her head as she continued to cry.

"It's---" She started, but just shook her head. Ava stood near the door, unsure of what to do.

"Blake," Cora said quietly. "Can I stay here? Until the judgement," she said quietly.
~!!~
Raven glared at him through her tears, but didn't protest. She looked back down, and tried to calm herself.

"I never wanted him to be as protective as he was of me in life," she said suddenly. "He was always focused on me. I kept bugging him to get a girlfriend or something," She laughed lightly, then looked away. "Then I died, and I watched him from heaven. He died a few days later. I couldn't find him in heaven, no matter how hard I tried. He was a demon, and he would go insane at times. Jade helped change him into an angel, get him a chance, and then he went insane again. I blamed her. I was selfish, and stupid, and I don't deserve anyone worrying about me, him least of all," she said.

"You can come back when ever you need to; but for now, lay back down. Stay til you are better." Lance said.

~!!~
"You'll have to talk to Lance, and Betty." Blake said. "I'm sure you can."

~!!~
"You only wanted to help him." Aden said. "And he will always worry about him. Your his sister."

"I still don't understand," Laurinda said quietly, laying back down slowly. "No one is nice just to be nice. The world isn't like that. But then why are you?"
~!~!~!
Cora pulled back and nodded, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. She tried not to look at him.

Ava was still standing awkwardly by the door.
~~!~!~!~
Raven just nodded slowly. She looked up at him.

"Why did you do what you did?" She asked suddenly. "Love? But why that way?" She asked.

"I'm not stupid." Aden said. "I know no girl, no woman, could love me, would love me."

~!!~
Blake smiled sadly. "I'm sorry." He whispbered.

~!!~
"Because I'm not the world. I'm Lance." He said.

"You don't know that," Raven protested. "But you need to do it the right way. Jade loved Sable, and Sable loved Jade. She wasn't the right one. You just have to keep looking. You have all of eternity, you know," she teased lightly.
~!~!~
Cora shook her head. "Not your fault," She mumbled. Ava finally walked over to them slowly.
~!!~
Laurinda had to smile at that. She closed her eyes for a moment, her forehead burning up again.

"But what is all of time, when you are lonly?" He asked.

~!!~
Blake frowned. "No, I'm sorry that I was so against Carlisle."

~!!~
"You should smile more often." Lance said, handing her something for her fever. Then he thought again. "Any alliges?" He wasn't going give her something thatwould kill her.

As Carlisle laid there Carmen appeared on the end of the bed. "Why so glum?" she asked.

"Cora left." he said emotionless.

"Found out she didn't love you like she thought?" Carmen asked.

"No... Judgement is too much for her." he responded.

"Not for you?" she asked.

"Me too. I started smoking."

"Idiot."

"Sorry if that is how I deal."

"It's not me you have to say sorry to."

"I already did and I'm trying to quit cold turkey."

"Oh..."

Raven looked at him. She didn't understand why he acted the way he did. He had hurt her brother and the woman she loved badly, yet she could almost understand how he felt. Almost.

"Well, I'll be your friend," She said suddenly, looking up at him. "I mean, if you'll be mine."
~!~!~!~
Cora shook her head. "It's nothing Carlisle did that brought me here," She said quietly.
~!~!~!
Laurinda shook her head at the mention of allergies.

"None," she said, taking what he gave her. Him saying she should smile only made her frown deeper.