The big city.

"Help? With what?" Ashlyn asked. "Unless he can magically make an apartment appear, I don't need him." She turned to the job listings instead.
~!!~
Laurinda frowned. "What happened?" She asked quietly.

"I'm the smart rich boy." He said, a small smile. "Go to the stupid one if you need money." Suddenly he frowned. "I was the smart rich boy."

~!!~
"You saw it." Lance reminded her. "Shot through the forehead."

Ashlyn glared at him. "I don't need money," She said. "Why should I? I can take care of myself just fine," She said, standing up and walking over to the window. She glanced outside for a minute, then walked back over to the bed and picked up the newspaper.
~!!~
Laurinda flinched. "I know that," She said quietly. "But I don't see how it's your fault, is what I mean."

Mason sighed. "Yea, sorry."

~!!~
Lance closed his eyes. "Like I said, I promised to protect her. I couldn't. I failed her. She is dead because I couldn't protect her."

Ashlyn ignored him, and turned to the job listings.

"Bartender..." She mumbled, biting on the top of her pen. "Think I can pass for 21?" She asked, looking over at Mason.
~!!~
Heather frowned, and tried to take his hand again.

Laurinda shook her head. "I don't have any siblings," she said slowly. "But I really doubt she blames you for it. From what I saw, there was nothing you could have done."

Mason laughed. "No." He said. "You still have the cute teenage girl look to you." He teased.

~!!~
Lance looked down at his hand, the one Heather was holding. "I'm sure there was somthing, something I missed that could of have saved her."

Ashlyn quickly looked away, falling silent. She obviously didn't think it was very funny.

She crossed out a few more, and then sighed. "This city isn't much better than 'home'..." She mumbled. "But there's no dad! That's one thing."
~!!~
Heather sighed. Laurinda frowned, shaking her head.

"I don't think so..." she said quietly.

Mason looked over her shoulder, and pointed to one. "You could be a waitress." He said.

~!!~
Lance sighed, and he dropped it. "Do you need anything else?"

Laurinda shook her head. "I didn't need anything. You kinda dragged me here," she teased slightly.
~!!~
Ashlyn laughed. "I'm extremely uncoordianted," She said, but circled it nonetheless. She reached for her phone, then realized she had thrown it out the window.

"Note to self, get new phone..." She mumbled.

Mason pointed to the motel phone on the bedside table. "Use that one."

~!!~
Lance smiled. "Was that wrong?" He asked.

Laurinda shrugged, and looked away again.
~!!~
Ashlyn nodded, and picked up the phone, dialing the number of the restaurant on the newspaper. After about ten minutes, she hung up.

Lance sighed.

~!!~
"Nothing?" He asked.

"No, I got the job," Ashlyn said quietly, though she didn't sound too happy about it. "I don't think I'm going to school," She said finally, sighing and laying back on the bed.
~!!~
Laurinda glanced back at him. "I should go..." She said quietly, standing up again. "Thank you so much for everything. I really appreciate it, but...I should go," she said quietly.

"I can't say anything." He said. "When I ran away I didn't go to school ethier."

~!!~
Link smiled at her. "Come back anytime."

Ashlyn nodded. She sat back up and picked up the newspaper, going back to looking at the apartment listings.
~!!~
Laurinda nodded. "Thanks," She said quietly. Then she did something that surprised even her; she hugged him. She hated touching people, or having people touch her, but she hugged him. Then she ran to the door.

Mason looked out of the window.

~!!~
Lance was to surpised to hug her back. But he smiled as she ran away.

Ashlyn finally sighed and sat up. "Mason?" She asked, looking over at him.
~!!~
Laurinda was soon back outside, her bag on her shoulder. She actually found herself smiling as she walked.

"Yes?" He said looking over his shoulder.

"Anything that happened last night. That wasn't me," She said. "I was just upset. It didn't mean a thing. Got it?" She asked.

Mason nodded slowly.

---The Next Morning---

Ashlyn thanked the man again, but he just nodded and handed her the key. She opened the door, and looked around her new home.

The apartment was tiny and dirty. It held a kitchen hardly big enough for one person, a bedroom with a small bed and no room for walking, and a tiny room with a small couch.

"Home, sweet home," She mumbled, and closed the door behind her.
~!!~
Laurinda was walking down the sidewalk, hands shoved into her pockets. She didn't know where to go now, but she felt....good. She had clean clothes, she wasn't covered in dirt for once, she was 16 years old, and she had a friend. She stopped walking at the thought. A friend. It was an interesting though, to be sure.
~!!~
Lenora was sitting on the couch downstairs, a notebook open in her lap. She was working on a drawing. So far she had Jade drawn, along with Dawn. She just had Dust to go now. She wasn't sure why she was drawing this, but it had just...come to her. And so far, it was coming along great. She wondered how Dawn was doing, if she was okay. Her father hadn't shown his face at all lately, either. It was both a relief and a worry.
~!!~
Hymn was sitting in Chris' cave, again. She was asleep, curled up in a small ball in the corner. Her long hair fell over her face, covering her eyes. She was breathing slowly and evenly, as if she were having a good dream for once in her life. Well, 'afterlife'. It was impossible to tell just what she was dreaming of, though.
~!!~
Ava was outside, sitting with her back against the wall. She had been so worried lately about Nick showing his face again, but he hadn't come, which was good. But she felt like it was a time bomb, just getting ready to go off. He was either taking his time and making her worry, or he had finally given up. She leaned her head against the wall, groaning. Yeah, right.
~!!~
Cora was upstairs in the room she had been staying on, on the bed. She was worried, and felt guilty. She was worried that Robert would show up again. What had he been doing there? He had said he had something for her, but then left. She couldn't take this anymore. It was bad enough having to worry about Carlisle, but now she felt guilty about Damon. But she shouldn't, should she? It was all so confusing.
~!!~
Elliot hadn't moved since she had passed out the day before. She was laying on her side in one of the many corridors of the underworld, her breathing ragged and shallow. Her wings were throbbing with pain, and she was swimming in the darkness. She was hardly even aware of her surroundings anymore. She was just floating in the darkness, her forehead creased with pain.
~!!~
Sable was in heaven, looking for Jade. He was supposed to teach her how to swim today. He had taught Raven years ago, and had offered to take her with, but she had said she was busy. Busy with what, he didn't know. He just hoped it didn't have anything to do with Aden. He had given her permission to see him now, not that he needed her permission. But she sure seemed happier to have it.

He approached the crow tree, but she wasn't there. He frowned slightly, and sat down underneath it to wait.
~!!~
"This one??" Melody asked, holding up a simple one piece. "Wait, no, this one!" She said, holding up a bikini. She sighed. This was harder than she thought, helping Jade find a swimsuit.
~!!~
Raven was in the park on earth, alone. She didn't mind being alone. She didn't want to go to the ocean with Sable and Jade, because it made her think too much of her life. But being alone wasn't helping her wandering mind, either.

She was angry at Aden. Not that he had done anything, but because she couldn't stop thinking about him. He had done some pretty horrible things to Jade, and in turn to her brother, but she almost understood him now. It was annoying.

Mason was invisable. "After awhile you will be able to move some where better." He said.

~!!~
Dust appeared next to her. "What'cha drawing?" He asked.

~!!~
Blake walked outside. "Av? Are you okay?"

~!!~
Tyler picked her up. "Elliot, you should be more careful."

~!!~
Jade sighed, a played with the farbic of her 1800's dress. "Melody, do you really see me wearing something like that?" She asked.

Ashlyn shook her head. "I don't really care," she said. "My father isn't here, and that's all that counts." She set her bag down on the bed, then put her duffel bag down as well. She walked out into the room with the couch. She wasn't really sure if she liked that it was already furnished; after all, who knew who had come here before her?

"I start work today," She said. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't follow me." She was digging through her bag, that she had taken with her into the room, for something now. "I don't need any distractions."
~!!~
Lenora jumped.

"Ah, uhm..." she said. She slowly handed him the drawing pad, cheeks bright red. "I still have you to go..." She mumbled. "I was going to give it to you when I was done."
~!!~
Ava looked up and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine," She said quietly. "Just....thinking. He hasn't shown up again," She said quietly, staring out at the woods. "I'm worried.
~!!~
Elliot moaned in pain in her sleep, but didn't wake up. Her eyes were closed tightly, as if she were having a nightmare.
~!!~
"Yes, I do," Melody said. "Lenora was the same way, but pleaseeeeeee?" She asked, holding up a dark purple two piece. "Please?"

Mason became visable and nodded.

~!!~
Dust smiled. "I love it." He said handing it back to her.

~!!~
He sat down beside her. He couldn't stand to her that way. "Av. I love you. You know that right?"

~!!~
He disappeared, and reapeared on earth. By the river they use to play by as kids.

~!!~
Jade frowned and took it from her. "I don't think so."

Ashlyn grabbed her wallet and stuffed it in her pocket. She walked to the door.

"I'm serious about this," she said. "Don't follow me." Then she walked out, locking the door behind her.
~!!~
Lenora smiled slightly. "Um, thanks," She said quietly. She pulled her legs up onto the couch, setting the pad down on the table.
~!!~
Ava nodded. "I know," She said quietly, still staring at the woods. "I love you, too."
~!!~
Elliot finally opened her eyes, and looked around wearily. She looked up at Tyler, eyes tired and confused.

"Where are we?" She mumbled.
~!!~
"Please???" Melody asked. "Please please pleaseeee?" She asked, giving her puppy dog eyes. "Please???"