So I mean to upload this Chapter last night but I had just finished it when i MANAGED TO DELETE ALL 8 PAGES!!! >.< So I had to re-right it our again today -sighs- oooooh well, here it is anyway!!

ALSO, I want to put out a massive thankyou to all of my fans who have given me a whopping 1,017 votes on my first chapter of APK!! I saw it and I was just like WOW! ZOMG WOW! :D So thanks guys, you helped me get back up to #1 on the Adventure list!!

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(Circe's P.O.V)

I watched Obsidian stride away, a look of fury on his face. He was no doubt furious at me for almost killing him. I could feel my eyes filling with regret for the pain I had caused him, I couldn't believe how easily things had gotten out of hand.  I hadn't meant to hurt him and now that I looked back and could see just how much I had been control by the monster inside of me, I felt a deep disgust in myself. 

I had thought I was stronger than that.

Cobalts arms came around me, wrapping a woolen blanket over my naked shoulders and I looked at him, startled. 

His hands caressed my face gently. "Are you okay?"

I bit my lip and nodded, trying not to cry. All of this was just so overwhelming, I wasn't sure how I ever thought that I would be able to deal with it.

Hobbs gravely voice spoke up from my left as he paced a hand gently on my shoulder. I turned to find that his expression was one of kindness and understanding.

"That was th' worst o' it Princess, everythin' will git better from 'ere."

I felt my expression crumple as I burst into tears and Hobbs pulled me into a hug that reminded me so much of my Father that the tears doubled in flow.

"I can't do this," I sobbed. "I never meant to hurt him I swear, but I couldn't help myself and I was so scared."

Hobbs rubbed my back gently. "I know, I know, but you've got ter trust me. You will git through this, I will teach you 'ow."

I looked up at him and sniffed, feeling slightly resentful. "Why didn't you tell me that you were like me?" If he had told me sooner I wouldn't have felt so alone.

He sighed and ran a weathered hand through his hair. "I had to wait fer the right moment. I was assigned to guard you and not ta reveal who I was unless it were an emergency. If this whole thing hadn't 'append, you probably wouldn't 'av found out I was like you till we reached yer Mother."

I nodded and felt my resentment wash away. He had been under orders not to tell, it wasn't his fault.

"Now that you do know though, I'm going to have to teach you the proper way fer yer people ta behave." He winked at me. "Can't have you going round tearing everyones throats out now can we?"

I bubble of laughter escaped my mouth before I could stop it and he smiled. I smiled back through the tears, relieved that he didn't seem to be too worried by the situation.

"Circe? Are you okay?"

I turned to see a worried Lacy looking up at me. 

"Lacy what are you doing here? I can explain I-

I looked at Hobbs for answers but it was Cobalts voice that spoke from behind me. "It's okay Circe, she knows, she stitched up Obsidian while we were waiting for you."

I turned towards Colby his words washing straight over my head. Looking into his face that was so like his brothers, I felt another pang of guilt shoot through me. "Colby I'm so sorry, I never meant to hurt him I'm-

Colby pulled me slightly closer to him, pressing a finger against my lips gently. "Shhh it's okay, Obsidian will get over himself. The main thing is that you are okay."

I nodded and Lacy spoke up again, her little face determined.

"This isn't a normal ship is it?"

I looked at her. "No it isn't." I said truthfully.

"And you and Mister Hobbson, you aren't normal people are you?"

I shook my head. "No we aren't. I am part Siren and Hobbs ... well Hobbs is ..." I frowned and looked at him. "What are you exactly?"

He chuckled. "I'm a Merman." He said, addressing Lacy. "Part o' the royal guard ta be exact. All will be explained in time young'un, but fer now, it might be an idea to git ya back ter normal yes?" He said, directing the last part at me.

I looked down at the glimmering golden scales that coated the bottom half of my body, still having a hard time believing that they were attached to me so securely. "That would be nice, I'm kind of getting a little weirded out." I said honestly and Hobbs chuckled. 

"Well I need to you to lift your tail over the railing for me first. Can you do that?" 

I nodded.

"Good, Cobalt, hold her steady please, it wouldn't do to have her slipping over." 

I felt Cobalts hands grasp a little tighter around my waist as I concentrated on my tail, trying to find the part of my brain that made it move. The tip of one of my fins twitched and focusing on that small movement I gradually curled the rest of my tail up, heaving it over the side of the ship. 

"Why was that so hard?" I gasped, my breath coming out in puffs.

"Well yer very new ta this," Hobbs said gently. "It be taking a while fer ya to learn 'ow to control yer movements, jest like a baby learning to walk fer the first time."

"But it was easy before?" I questioned, remembering the wonderful way I had moved through the water with ease. "Why is it hard now?"

"Because when ya were seducing Obsidian, that was yer Siren part takin' over. The swimming and the actions were all instinct. It came naturally. Because yer 'uman part is in control now, it be 'arder fer ya."

I nodded, that made sense. 

"I'll be teachin' ya 'ow ta control yer Siren, so you can find a balance between the two." He continued. "An' once we git to yer Mother, no doubt she'll be wanting ya ta learn 'bout the Water Sprites as well."

I tried to take in all of the information he was giving me but it was a little too much. I had completely forgotten about the Water Sprite part of me. I didn't even know what they were, let alone how to handle them.

The look Hobbs gave me was one of understanding. "I know it seems a bit much but you will git used ta it." He chuckled. "Ya don't really 'av a choice."

Another idea had occurred to me as he spoke about all of this, one that had my stomach dropping slightly. 

If my Siren instincts had taken over while I was in the water, did that mean that I could swim now? Or would I still have to learn how to swim as a human the old fashioned way? I couldn't swim, I had never learnt how to, even though Naddy had offered to teach me many times. I wondered what would have happened if instinct hadn't taken over as soon as I had hit the water. Would I have drowned?

I had a niggling suspicion that the answer was yes. 

I tried to rewind in my mind, tried to find the moment that I had suddenly learnt how to move through the water without sinking like a stone but I couldn't find it. There was no specific memory, it had simply happened without thinking.

I looked behind me at the watery drop and gulped. If I fell backwards right now, would I be able to swim again? I shivered, trying to ignore the side of me that was itching to test the theory. 

I turned to Hobbs before I could act on the impulse, speaking quickly. "Alright, Im ready to become human now."

Hobbs chuckled. "Alright then." He held out a hand for the last blanket that was sitting at Cobalts feet and Lacy bent down to pick it up, passing it to him. He wrapped it around the lower half of my body so that my tail was covered. I looked at him in confusion and he explained. 

"Since it's yer first time changin' back, it might be a good idea if ya don't watch. Gradually you'll be gettin' faster at it, an' you'll be able ta do it without thinkin', but fer now it's probably best if ya close yer eyes."

I felt panic rising within me. "Will it hurt?"

He shook his head. "No it shouldn't be 'urtin' too much Princess, it'll probably just feel slightly uncomfortable. Yer ready?"

I took a deep breath and nodded, closing my eyes like he had suggested. "What do I have to do?"

"It's quite simple really, ya jest have ta imagine yer human form inside yer mind and yer body will do the rest."

My eyes flew back open as I gaped at him. "That easy?"

He chuckled. "Ya 'aven't done it yet, but yes, it be that easy. Now close yer eyes and concentrate."

I squeezed my eyes shut and concentrated on picturing my legs in my mind. The seconds ticked by and when nothing happened I felt myself growing frustrated. "It's not working!"

"Ya need to be calm Princess, imagine that yer tail is like clay, soft and pliable, able to be moulded into any shape you wish."

I nodded and concentrated again, imagining moulding my feet from my tail. First came the toes, then my ankles, followed by my shins and knees. Gradually I moved up, shaping my thighs and as I did I felt a weird sensation start in my tail. Like Hobbs had promised, it wasn't painful, but definitely uncomfortable. It felt almost as though a thick layer of dead skin was being peeled off my legs, but instead of falling away, it was being sucked back into my legs. At the same time I felt my bones moving under the skin, almost as though they were shortening back up and dividing out. When the tingling feeing stopped I was delighted to find that I had toes to wiggle.

"I have toes!" I said excitedly and our small group laughed. I turned to Hobbs. "I'll have to get you to explain how that works sometime."

He smiled. "I'll do my best but no doubt you'll be learnin' 'bout it in class once we reach the palace."

Before I could ask him what he meant, a figure burst through the door that lead below decks and hurried over to us.

Samson stopped a couple of feet away when he spotted me, still sitting up on the railing. He eyes flickered down to my feet and he gulped before turning to Hobbs and addressing him.

"The crew have all been briefed Hobbs, we be ready to prepare for cast off as soon as you or the Captain give the order."

Hobbs nodded, looking slightly amused as Samsons eyes continued to dart nervously towards me and then back again.

"Well then Samson, ya can probably be bringin' them up 'ere in a few, we will jest git Circe sorted and then I'll call fer someone ta come an' git ya."

Samson nodded. "Do we have a heading then Mister Hobbs?"

Hobbs pushed away from the railing and looked out to sea. "Yes." He said firmly. "Set sail in a general ..." He paused for a moment before pointing out to the horizon. "In a general that way direction."

Samson looked at him strangely. "Do you actually know where we are going?"

Hobbs grinned. "I be havin' no idea lad, can't say I've been there before. However I was told that in order to find where we wanted ta be going, we had to be utterly and completely lost."

Samsons brow furrowed. "So in order to find where we are going, we have to have no idea where we are going?"

Hobbs scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Aye, that be soundin' 'bout right."

"Right." Samson muttered, turning away and heading back below deck. "Right, no idea where we are going, in order to know where we are going. Right."

"You meant ta say find Sam," Hobbs called after his chuckling merrily. "We won't know until we git there an' even then I got me a feeling that we still won't be able ta confirm our bearing's."

"Bloody Pirates." Samson muttered before he shut the door behind him with a bang.

"Do you really not know where we are going?" I asked Hobbs curiously. He winked in reply.

"Oh I know where we are going Princess, I jest don't know 'ow ta git there." He chuckled. "Now we best be gittin' ya inside before the crew come up to top deck. I would say that we would take you to yer room, but we would have ta disturb Obsidian an' I'm not sure if he's in the best of moods at the mo-

"I'm fine."

My head snapped around to meet a pair of gold and silver eyes. My lips parted involuntarily but he only looked at me for a second before his gazed shifted to look at Cobalt. 

"Give her to me, I'll take her back to her room."

Cobalt spoke up, his voice furious. "Over my dead body," He snarled. "I gave her to you once and look what happened to her. She can come back and stay in my room for now."

"No." Obsidian growled, taking a step forward. His shoulders were incredibly tense and I could see the veins popping out along his arms as his hands clenched into white knuckled fists. "She is not staying with you."

My eyes travelled up to his face, taking in the cuts and scratches that covered his arms and no doubt his back. The thick white bandage that was wrapped around his broad torso was marred by a dark spot that was growing in the center of the cloth. I winced, knowing that it was the blood from his gash seeping through the material. 

My eyes lingered around his shoulders and neck, noticing the small bruises that were dotted  there. I felt my cheeks flamed instantly as I realized they were love bites. How embarrassing! 

The scratches from my nails were bad enough but those, how would I ever explain those when it was so blatantly obvious as to what they were! I felt my face turn red overtop of the red that was already there when I saw Hobbs laughing out of the corner of my eye.

Obsidian caught me looking and scowled deeply, the ferocious look making me shrink back into Cobalts side a little. He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me into him so my face was pressed up against his chest. I breathed in deeply, trying to make my red face go away.

"I am not leaving her in there when you are right next door!" Cobalt insisted. "She will be safer with me so I can keep and eye on her!"

Obsidian growled. "The whole reason she is in that room in the first place is because it is completely safe! No-one even knows that the room is there for Christ's sake, and even if they did they would never get her. They would have to kill me before that happened." He finished, his expression dark.

Cobalt opened his mouth to reply but Hobbs cut in before he could speak. 

"Obsidian has a point there Cobalt, that room is probably the safest place fer her." He said mildly and Colby glared at him.

"No."

"What if I stayed with her?"

We all turned to look at Lacy who shrunk back slightly, holding up her hands. "I'm just saying, I am the only other girl on the ship and I don't have a place to stay yet. I don't mind keeping Circe company, it could be fun." She smiled at me and I grinned back.

"Absolutely not." Obsidian stood stiffly and folded him arms over his chest. "The last thing I need is another helpless girl to look after if something goes wrong."

"Hey!" Lacy strode forwards, her little face furious. "You listen to me you great big oaf! Stop being so damn difficult, I am not helpless at all and you know it. I saved your life today and you are the last person that should be calling me that. I grew up on a Pirate ship for heavens sake! Just because I'm a girl, it doesn't mean that I can't look after myself." She finished, her slender shoulders heaving slightly.

Silence hung in the air as Obsidian stood dead still, his expression unreadable as he looked at the little girl before him. My heart was in my throat and I resisted the urge to run over and place myself between them.

Finally he spoke.

"Very well."

Lacy gaped at him. "What?"

"I said very well, there are two beds in that room anyway and if you think you are capable enough to be on this ship, you should have a chance to prove it. And you will prove it by protecting her," Here he pointed to me, "with your life. Understand?"

Lacy nodded, her face splitting into a wide grin before Obsidian caught her arm, his face turning dark.

"Insult me again and I will cut out your tongue."

I gasped at the threat but Lacy seemed to find it funny because she laughed, clicking her heels together in mock salute. "Yessir!"

I saw the corner of his mouth twitch up into a crooked smile before his face became a blank mask once again. He turned back to Colby, looking at him in distaste. 

"I believe what we have reached is called a compromise Brother, now hand her over." Without any more warning he strode over and scooped me up in his arms in one fluid motion, blankets and all.

I sucked in a breath at the feel of his arms around me, my hands acting on reflex and reaching up to wind around his neck so that I didn't fall. 

"Obsidian put me down." I said, my voice coming out slightly breathy as I realized that I was practically lying naked in his arms. 

He bent his head down so he could look me straight in the eye, his black hair falling across his chiseled face. He hadn't shaved today and a slight dusting of stubble decorated his chin and jaw, emphasizing his already ruggedly handsome looks.

"You know that you don't want me to." He whispered, his breath tickling my ear and his fingers tightening. I tried to ignore the fact that my body was screaming at me to kiss him and steadied my voice when I answered. 

"Yes I do. Put me down."

"You heard her Brother, put her down." Cobalts voice was smug and I resisted the urge to smack him.

Obsidian didn't break eye contact with me but ever so slowly, he lowered me down until my toes touched wood. My arms unwillingly slid down from his neck, to his chest, my fingertips resting on the bottom of his bandage. I pulled my eyes away to look at the thick white material, feeling the guilt surge through me again. I looked away from him and his strong hands that were holding my wrists abruptly released me. I stumbled, my legs wobbling but before I could fall, Cobalt came up behind me and steadied me.

"Come on Circe." He said, his voice tight. "Lets go."

I nodded and tried to step forward but my legs wobbled again. Two pairs of hands shot out to catch me but Colby's got there first and Obsidian withdrew his unneeded help, looking away with an unreadable expression on his face. 

Colby gestured to Lacy to come forward and together they helped me to Obsidians quarters, Lacy keeping the blanket tight around my body.

After exchanging some quick words with Hobbs, Obsidian followed after us, shutting the door to his room behind us.

I gently pushed Colby and Lacy away, smiling at them in thanks. "I think I can walk by myself now." I laughed. "It just took me a while to get used to having legs again."

Lacy laughed as well and I gestured for her to follow me. "Come on, I'll show you where we are going to stay." 

I crossed the room, still a little unsteady on my feet and halted in front of the mermaid door. Looking at it from this side of the room, I realized that it simply looked like a window and confused I looked for a door handle. When I couldn't find one, I turned to find Obsidian smirking at me, leaning back against his chair.

"You didn't think I would make it that easy for idiots to find you did you now?"

I sighed and turned around to face the 'window' again, realizing that he wasn't going to be moving anytime soon. 

Reaching out, I ran my slender fingers over the smooth wood, and finally found a notch in the wood. I pressed against it but it didn't budge. Frowning I tried sliding it, pleased when it slid to the side to reveal another wooden panel. After fiddling with this one for a moment I discovered that it slid downwards and triumphantly I reached through the gap I had made, tugging on the door-handle on the other side. The mermaid door swung open and I turned to Obsidian, poking my tongue out at him while Cobalt laughed at his disgruntled expression.

"Obviously not as safe as you though Brother." He said sarcastically.

Obsidian ignored him and pushed away from the chair he was leaning on and striding towards me. He held one tanned arm out and placed a small golden key on a chain in my palm.

"Keep this on you at all times. The key locks the mermaid door from the inside, so even if someone does figure out to get to the door handle, they won't be able to open the door unless you unlock it first. "

I nodded, impressed with his thinking.

He turned back to Cobalt. "That way you will keep unwanted idiots like my brother out."

"Hey!"

Lacy and I dissolved into giggles and entered the small passageway. I turned around, just in time to shut the door in Cobalts face, locking it securely and laughing at him through the stained glass.

"Come on Circe, let me in!" He whined and I shook my head, laughing again. "No can do," I smirked. "I'm going to my bedroom to get some clothes and then I'm going to sleep. You go and do Piratey things, I'll see you later."

I heard Obsidians deep laughter echo from the behind him and couldn't help the small smile that found its way onto my lips because of the sound. Finally Cobalt retreated, grumbling and I turned around, sighing heavily and running a hand through my still slightly damp hair. I was absolutely exhausted. Upon opening my eyes I found Lacy smiling at my sympathetically. 

"It's been a big day huh?"

I nodded. "Huge, I'm dead on my feet."

She laughed and caught up my hand, leading me down to the only door in the hallway. "I'm guessing this is your bedroom?"

I nodded again and she pushed the door open, tugging me inside. 

"Wow, nice piano!"

My eyes widened at the statement and my head shot up. "What? I don't have a piano."

"Well if you didn't before, you do now." Lacy pointed towards the gleaming baby grand that was tucked into the corner of my room. 

I gaped at it in amazement, floundering around for words. "But- but I don't have a piano!"

Lacy giggled. "Do you play?"

I nodded vaguely, still staring at the piano. Who had gotten it for me? When had they gotten it for me?

"Could you play me something?"

I turned to look at Lacy's eager face and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. "Maybe later Lace, I'm too tired right now."

Lacy's expression instantly turned apologetic. "Oh of course, I'm sorry." 

I shook my head, smiling slightly. "It's fine." I watched as she moved off towards the two bags that Cherry had packed for us that were sitting neatly at the foot of my bed. She started rummaging through one of them and I turned back to eyeball the piano, moving forward so that I could run my hand over the gleaming top. I eyed the doorway, coming to the decision that it would be able to fit through the doorway if the legs weren't attached. But even then it would be a tight squeeze and the legs would have to be screwed back on. I bent down, clutching my blanket around me and crawled under the instrument. Sure enough, each gleaming black leg was attached to the base by four little silver screws. Who would bother to go into all that trouble?

"Circe?" 

I jumped, banging my head on the underside of the piano and hastily scrambled backwards, standing up to face Lacy who was looking at me with an amused expression. She held out a white floaty night gown towards me, laughing.

"You might want to put this on before you go crawling under any more piano's," She said giggling and I blushed, taking the garment from her as she turned around.

I hurriedly dressed and at my indication Lacy turned back around to help me do up my buttons. 

I made my way over to my bed and sat down on the edge, Lacy coming to sit beside me, a small frown on her face. Curious I asked her what was wrong.

She dipped her head and I could tell that she was slightly embarrassed. "Well I don't mean to be rude, but there is only one bed in here and if I am meant to be staying with you, where am I supposed to sleep?"

I looked around the room, realizing that she was right. "I don't know, I'm sure that Obsidian said that there was two beds in here though."

Lacy tapped her chin, pondering for a moment before suddenly jumping around to look at the wall behind us and laughing loudly. She sprung up onto her feet, standing on the bed and felt along the wall, her nimble fingers quickly finding a notch in the wood. She slid it to the side in the same way I had slid back the panels to get to the door handle on the mermaid door.

Suddenly part of the wall fell forwards like a door, but instead of falling down all of the way, it jerked to a halt halfway and hung suspended in midair. Two thin chains were fastened to the outer corners of the door while the inside part of it was attached to the wall like a hinge. 

The overall effect was a curious flat panel of wood, wide enough and long enough for one person to lie down on, suspended parallel over top of my bed.

"Pirate bunks!" Lacy said gleefully clapping her hands.

I looked at her in confusion. "Pirate what?"

She stared at me in amazement. "Pirate bunks! My Father had them in almost every room on his ship and no doubt Obsidian will have them in the crew quarters below deck. Pirate bunks are one bed suspended above the other and mean that there is more room for people to sleep! They can be folded back away just as easy." She pushed on the bottom of the bunk, showing me how it could fold back up into the wall. She let it hang down again and swiftly climbed up onto it from my bed.

My arms jerked out involuntarily, terrified that the chains would snap and she would fall. "Be careful." I warned but she just laughed. I relaxed as she bounced around on it, it seemed pretty sturdy. She even stood up on it, although she had to duck because of the ceiling. Suddenly she disappeared.

"Lacy?" I called out, my voice panicked. Where had she gone?

Her head popped over the side grinning. "Im right here, I was just pulling the mattress out." 

Carefully I stood up on my bed, gripping the edges of the bunk and peeking over the edge, surprised at what I saw. When the bunk had been pulled down, it had revealed a large hole that had been built into the wall and seemed to be a wardrobe of sorts. It held a few blankets and pillows and a mattress that Lacy was currently tugging out. 

I helped her pull it forward until it lined up with the edge of the bunk. She tossed a couple of blankets out over top of it and I tucked the edges under the mattress so they would hang down.

"Would you pass me my bag?" 

I jumped down off my bed and grabbed her back, passing it back up to her, grinning as she tucked it away in the now empty space beside her freshly made bed.

"This is amazing."

She grinned back at me. "I know right, that's exactly how I felt when I first discovered them. I never wanted to sleep anywhere but a top bunk after that." She jumped down off the bunk onto the floor and sat down on my bed again, reaching out a hand to run her fingers through my tangled hair. I closed my eyes at the soothing motion, feeling relaxed for the first time all day. 

"Can I brush your hair?"

My eyes flickered open briefly and I smiled and nodded. 

Her fingers disappeared, only to be relaxed second later with a fine toothed comb and she began to gently ease out my knots, chatting away happily. She told me about what it had been like growing up on a Pirate ship and how the crew had taken her in, teaching her how to fight and use a sword and a dagger. She told me about how her Father had rescued Leonardo after he had been held captive on another Pirate ship and taken him under her wing. I gathered from how much she talked about Leonardo that she had a bit of a crush on him. It sounded as if the two were very close.

 In return I told her of my upbringing and where I was from, telling her all about Naddy and how we had grown up side by side like a brother and sister. Gradually our talking died down into comfortable silence as Lacy pulled the last of the knots from my hair and began to braid it, starting on top of my head, curving down the side, around the back and down the other side.

She sighed in contentment as I passed her a hair band and she fastened it around the braid. 

"You have such beautiful hair, I wish mine was like yours."

I smiled at her, reaching forward to tug at one of her tight black curls. "Your hair is beautiful too Lace, it suits you better and brings out your mischievous green eyes."  I teased.

She grinned at me happily and wrapped her arms around me in a hug which I gladly returned. 

"I always wanted a big sister like you," She said. "Someone that I could do girly things with you know?"

I nodded, happiness bubbling within me at her words. "I do know, I always wanted a sister that didn't hate me. I suppose I had Pearl, but she was only three and I didn't get to see her very often."

Lacy laughed. "Three year olds aren't really proficient in talking about the bigger things in life are they?"

I smiled, shaking my head. "No definitely not."

We both laughed and I let out a tired yawn. 

Lacy smirked at me. "Some one needs to go to bed." 

I nodded in agreement, looking out the single porthole that I had in my room. The sun had just disappeared, tendrils of lavender still sitting above the watery horizon. I yawned again, I hadn't realized how much time had passed.

"Are you going to go to sleep now too?" I questioned and Lacy shook her head grinning. 

"No, the night has just begun for me, I need to find Leo anyway. He will probably be wondering where I am." 

I nodded and got to my feet. "I had better let you out then, I think the hallway door is still locked."

She nodded and together we quickly made our way out the passage way and towards the mermaid door. As I fumbled with the lock, Lacy ran her hands over the stained glass, just marveling. 

"It's quite beautiful, I wonder where Obsidian got it made."

I straightened, looking at the mermaid as the door swung open. "I don't know, maybe you should ask him sometime."

"Ask me what sometime?"

I jumped and turned my gaze to Obsidian who was standing directly in front of us. I heard Lacy give a small gasp of surprise before she let out a nervous giggle.

"I was just wondering where you had the Mermaid glass made."

Obsidian stared at me intently and I looked away, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze. 

"It was a gift." He said shortly. "Now what are you doing?"

I looked up at him and was about to reprimand him for his rude tone but Lacy cut in before I could speak. 

"Circe was just unlocking the door for me so that I could go see Leo."

Obsidian nodded. "Well we have just cast off so he should still be out on the deck."

"Okay." Lacy edged past him, turning back to look at me, her eyes darting from me to Obsidian and then back to me again. "Will you be okay?"

I smiled gently at her and made a small shooing gesture with my hands. "I'll be fine, you go find Leonardo and I'll see you in the morning."

Lacy grinned at me. "Okay!" She hurried off and exited through the door at the other end of Obsidians room, leaving me to stand there awkwardly, Obsidian still staring at me.

I glanced nervously up at him and wrung my hands together. "I'm sorry!" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

"Whatever for?" His voice was surprised and I gulped, focusing my gaze on his chin unable to meet his eyes. 

"For what I did to you." I mumbled quietly my eyes lowering to the bandage wrapped tightly around his broad chest. The dark spot had expanded slightly and for a moment I felt nauseous. 

His hand suddenly came up and his lifted my chin up. I looked at his left ear, still unwilling to meet his eyes, afraid of what I might see there. 

"Look at me." He demanded and my gaze snapped onto his automatically. His face was hard but when I met his eyes his features softened slightly and his other hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumbs gently brushing along my cheekbones.

We stared at each other for a while before he suddenly spoke.

"Do you regret kissing me?"

The question startled me and I fumbled around for a moment, looking for the right words. I opened my mouth but nothing came out. 

Did I regret kissing him? Did I feel that way about him? I wasn't sure. There was certainly a spark between us but lust was different to love and I didn't know Obsidian well enough to love him. But did I want to push him away?

He must have decided from my hesitancy that the answer was yes because he abruptly dropped his hands and turned his face away from me, running his fingers through his hair. He made as though to walk away but before he could my hand shot out and gripped his arm, turning him back towards me while my other hand reached up to touch the side of his face ever so gently. 

"I regret the way that it happened." I said softly. 

And I did, I was telling the truth. I regretted the way that I had kissed him without meaning and simply for gain. 

My thoughts travelled back to that day two years ago when he had taken my first kiss from me in my bedroom without warning or my permission. Did I regret that? Or did I just regret the way that it had happened? He hadn't known anything about me. He hadn't felt anything for me. He had simply taken because he could.

The question bubbled to my lips and escaped before I could hold it back. 

"Why did you kiss me in my bedroom two years ago?"

He studied me carefully, his eyes filled with burning intensity, his brows furrowed.  When he spoke, he looked away unable to keep eye contact. 

"I don't know." 

His voice was soft and strained and his words made my stomach sink low in my gut. It was just like I had thought. It had meant nothing. He didn't even know why he did it. And now I had lost the chance to give my first kiss to a person that I truly loved. 

I bit my lip in thought before reaching up and sliding my arms around his neck, pulling his head down gently towards mine. I kissed him before he could ever register what was happening, his hands automatically moving to sit at my waist and pull me closer to him. I moved my lips against his softly, putting into the kiss all of the emotion that I had felt when he kissed me two years ago. When I finally pulled back his eyes were dazed and hooded and I drank in his full lipped pout and straight edged jaw, my arms unwinding from around his neck. 

His hands reluctantly slid off my hips . "What was that for?"

"That was for taking my first kiss," I said, stepping away, my hand on the edge of the door as my voice turned hard and bitter. "I just took it back you barstad." 

A hurt look flashed through his eyes before I slammed the door in his face and locked it quickly, spinning around and running back into my room. 

Tears were already pooling at the corner of my eyes as I slammed that door too, sliding down on the floor, my back against the wall and letting out a strangled sob. I rested my head in my arms, too exhausted to get up into my bed and let the tears flow. 

*