Since last night we were all too disturbed by the unwanted arrival. We skipped distributing presents to today morning.

I didn't expect any of them to give Ethan or me anything. But they did.

"Thank you," I said to all of them for their wonderful presents.

As it was my turn, I got the bag in which I stored the gifts.

"Lilith," I passed Lilith her gift.

"Why's it so heavy?" She asked, as she unrapped it.

"Thank you." She said delighted.

I had given her a set of different books, that I thought she would love to read.

"You're Welcome." I was pleased that she liked it.

"Maia." Honestly, I gave Maia a box of candies.

I bought gifts according to what I knew about everyone.

Lilith- books
Maia- Candies
Harry- expired lolipops

No, I'm just kidding.

I bought Harry and Jake a keychain that looked like them.

As for Chris, I bought him a watch.
The watch meant something when I bought it. It had You'll find it in time carved on the back. He didn't see it, but I'm sure he will, when the time is right.

"And, this is for you." I came close to Ethan.

"It's a boy-ish chain, with an I. I want to be close to your heart too." He grinned.

"God so cheesy." Lilith chimed in.

"Ida," Ethan called, "Let's go."

"Where?" I asked.

"Out."

I looked at Ethan through the reflection, "Where are you taking me?"

"A place I haven't been to in years."

"Why?"

"Because I love you."

"The real reason?" I smile.

"Because you love me."

"Hmm," I hummed, looking over at the chain around his neck.

"Also," his grip on the wheel tightened, "Cuz' I need to tell you something."

I turned to face him, "Then tell."

"Not now."

I braced my chin within my palms, "Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Now?"

"No."

I asked after a minute that felt like an hour, "Now?!"

"No." Ethan stayed patient with me.

I stood up on my seat annoyed, "Where in the world are we?"

"Ida!" Ethan shouted and I flinched. "Sit down now!" My heart skipped, and I immediatly made an attempt to sit.

"I don't understand why you even rented a car for one," I raised my index finger, "day."

Ethan pulled the car to a stop.

"What are you doing?" I ask. "Don't kick me out on the middle of the road." I grabbed the seat.

Ethan didn't answer, and brushed past me.

I closed my eyes, half expecting something.

When I felt like nothing happened, I opened my eyes.

A smirking Ethan buckled my belt, "Atleast this shut you up."

I folded my arms and muttered, "If you wanted me to shut up, you could have told so."

I peaked outside the window as a bumpy road took way.

"We're here." Ethan pulled the handbrake and brought the car to a stop.

The first thing I did after climbing out is stretch. The surrounding was beautiful. A small lake stood silently a few meters down the hill. The trees rumbled with the soft breeze and the birds chirped.

"Wow," I said.

"I know," Ethan said, "Even I'm surprised this place never changed."

I sat down on the edge, "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"The past," Ethan passed the tea cup.

"My past." He cleared.

"I'm listening."

He sighed, "I'll start at the beginning." Ethan took a sip, "When my Dad passed away, Mom distanced herself from Lee and me. We hardly got to see her. She passed her time working most of the time. I think she needed space. You know," Ethan shrugged, "Her way of healing. A few years later I had gone on a trip. That's where I met Chris,  Maia, Jake and Harry. Lilith was not a part of our group back then." I remembered the time Lilith told me about it.

"Then things escalated and we started getting involved in... stuff. We disbanded the group and I joined Ace. Ace was an old and small group, but it started growing. They started having more influence and power. I didn't know how or what they actually used to do behind the curtains. It was horrible, I didn't like it. It wasn't what I originally joined Ace for."

"Did your mother know about this?" I asked.

"She's a cop. She wouldn't hesitate to arrest anyone, including me."

"You could have explained everything," I said.

"I could have, and I tried. As I told, I was deeply interwined with Ace. The slate was clean. There was no evidence to prove my innocence. So, I left Ace, and brought back our group. What I didn't know was that I was a threat to Ace, and they would do anything to save themselves."

"Did you tell Chris and the others about it?"

"No, I couldn't bare to burden them with all those horrible things. Besides, they were mine to deal with. And so I did. But then, Ace took it way too far. They targeted Lee."

I gasped.

"Lee lost his leg, because of me. He can't live a normal life, because of me. He should hate me." Ethan rolled the cup in his hand.

"Why didn't your Mom try and find the person responsible for Lee's leg?"

"Everything she did, led to a dead end. I wanted to spill everything at that moment, but I just couldn't. It would risk Mom's life too."

"Then?"

"I surrendered and left the group without a word. It was the only thing I could do to keep everyone safe."

I stayed silent for a few moments, processing.
Everything Ethan told made sense, as to why the group didn't like him. As to why Chris didn't like him.

"Say something." Ethan looked at me with pleading eyes.

I didn't know how or what to respond. So I sighed and put my head on his shoulder, "It's okay. They'll understand if they knew."

I place my hand on Ethan's leg as he kept fidgeting, "Is there something else?"  I look over at him.

He nodded, "If... if you want to stay to find your Mom. I'll stay with you."

"No," I layed my head on him again, "We shouldn't over stay our welcome."

I knew, Ethan felt exposed here. He's too afraid to loose someone if he gets involved with Ace all over again. And I was happy that he was willing to stay here for me. But this was not just about him or me or my Mom. It was also everyone else in the group. Their lives and loved ones would also be at risk.

And I wasn't ready to hurt anyone else for my benefit.

"When we go back, we'll file a case for your Mom." Ethan said as we fell asleep in each others arms.

×××

Ethan's POV

Three continous buzz's from Ida's phone woke me up,

I opened one eye after the other, distressed to not find Ida beside me.

"Ida?" I ask, as I find her smiling at her phone.

"Who is it?" I sat beside her, and snuggled in the crook between her neck and shoulder, "I want to kill them for ruining our date."

"Engine." She said, laughing as it tickled.

"Emm, what's it about?"

"The results just came out." She held her phone up for me to see, still smiling ear-to-ear.

"Oh." I pulled her on my lap.

"You seem relaxed?"

"Yeah, because I know I passed... somehow."

"I'm sure you did. Let's check them out."

I snatch the phone from her grasp, and held it far enough for her not to reach it. "Let's not."

"Hey! Give me back my phone." She struggled in my lap.

I could feel myself getting hard at her moment, "Don't move," I held her hip.

When Ida realized why, she turned away while biting her lip.

"Let's see the results after night fall." At no cost did I want to ruin our time together.

"What should we do till nightfall?" She said in a murmur.

I thought for a moment, "Watch a movie?"

She agreed, and I gave her a small kiss on the cheek before we packed up.

Soon enough we pulled in the drive-in-theater.

We parked the car in the middle of the slots, and I got some popcorn from the stalls.

As I climb in, I find Ida struggling with the seat, "What are you doing?"

"Where is that handle?" She looked on her sides.

I stretched across the seat and pushed the bar down, making her seat slip backwards.

"Comfy?" I asked.

"Yes." She said, placing her legs on the dashboard.

A small groan snapped my attention to Ida. The movie was on going, but she was distracted.

"What happened?"

"Nothing," she settled down again.

I frowned, "What are you doing?"

She looked away, "I may have slipped and hit my tail bone on a stone while packing."

"Do you want to go to a doctor?"

"No, it's not that bad... But, this seat isn't helping either."

I looked around for something that would help, but the car didn't have anything.

I sighed, "Come and sit here." I tapped on my lap.

"You sure?"

I nodded.

Ida stood up on the seat carefully. I held her sides, making sure she doesn't slip.

The room was too small for her to climb on the other side so, I lifted her up.

"IDAAA!!" I screamed in pain, as she put her leg right on me.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" She tried to help.

"Don't." I held her, "Don't move. Stay as you are."

"Okay."

This hurts so fucking much! I felt like crying. The crap was almost beaten outta me. Shit!

After the pain eased down, I allowed Ida to sit.

What I didn't think about was, the heat of the situation.

God! She's driving me nuts.

I was starting to get hard again. I wasn't able to pay any attention to the movie all this while, and the heat from her was crazy!

I was sure that she knew about it, her rigid posture and biting made it very clear.

I whispered in her ear, "I can't hold it in any longer."

Her breath hitched, and I knew that she knew what I meant.

She caught me off guard. Her hips moved up and down gently, I held her hips to rythem her movement with mine.

"I'd like so much more, but I don't have a condom right now," I whispered.

She turned around on my lap. Keeping up the rythem.

"Right babe, just like that."

I moaned, but she covered it up with a kiss.

"Wait." I made her stop. Realising that we were in the middle of the slot of cars.

I drove the car to the back, where there was no one to see.

She tried to open my zipper, but I stopped her.

"Babe no." I held her hand away, "I don't have a condom."

"But I feel empty," She argued.

I looked into her desperate eyes.
"Okay," I said.

I unzipped her jeans, and slipped my hand under her panties.

"Is this good?" I asked, and she answered with a moan.

"Good." She rubbed her hand over my length, making me moan.

"Do you want to do this after we go back?" I asked.

"Both." She answered boldly.

"Good choice," I muttered, delighted with the sound of it.

A/N

Oops, this chapter went a bit longer than It was supposed to ;) *winks, winks, winks*