-Cara-

The rain was literally covering every inch of her body as she stumbled over roots and stones in the woods. She shivered all over and was the most uncomfortable she had ever been in her life. Or rather; the most uncomfortable she could remember.

Cara had been walking for what felt like hours and was getting exhausted. Apart from being soaking wet and freezing, her knees were scraped after having fallen multiple times. They were bleeding and dirty, as were her palms from breaking her falls and having to get herself up after every time she'd fallen.

Just to make her living hell even worse, her lower abdomen was hurting intensely and nausea clouded her mind. It felt as if she wanted to throw up when she breathed.

The smell of when moss and dirt was the only thing that kept her spirit up. She loved every breath she took in of the scent, even though she almost threw up afterwards. The smell of rain and the nature around her was soothing and for some reason it made her feel at peace. Almost like a memory... One she could not remember.

"There has to be someone around..." She whimpered and looked around. There was not even a path to walk on and her feet were aching from trampling through the rough terrain. She stood completely still, feeling her toes sink into the wet moss beneath them.

Out of nowhere she heard voices shout in the distance. She looked in front of her, slightly to the right, where the voices were coming from.

A part of her wanted to run towards it, but she hesitated. Nothing assured her that it would be Keegan, or his family.

Why did I think of him first...? She wondered but somehow she already knew the answer. There was something about Keegan... and the way he looked at her whenever they were in the same room.

Nervously she decided to stay hidden whilst trying to get closer to whomever were shouting. It could easily be a stranger that would hurt her.

-Keegan-

"I need to speak to Jared." Keegan told his friend's mother who opened the door a short moment after he has knocked. The rain was pattering loudly against the windows of their house, and the stone tile he stood on had small pools here and there.

"Do you know what time it is, boy?" She asked him with her hand over her mouth, yawning. "And you need him to go with you, again? What are you two doing in the woods nowadays?" She questioned Keegan and leaned against the door. "You stay out for hours but come back empty handed every time. Did all the animals just disappear or are you not hunting?"

Do not remind me that I leave empty handed each time...

The sound of a door opening behind Jared's mother reached Jared.

"Stop your meddling, mother!" Jared's voice called from inside of the house as he hurried over and made her leave. She muttered dissatisfied as he shooed her away.

"If could at least bring some rabbits back so we can have a decent meal this evening..." She muttered before she left them.

"Just... Just leave, mother!" Jared exclaimed and rolled his eyes. He took a step out and closed the door behind him and observed the awful rainfall.

Keegan did not have to explain why he was there, Jared already knew perfectly well why.

"It is very early, Keegan... and the weather is absolute shite, are you aware of that?" Jared asked and crossed his arms. Keegan nodded.

"I am aware... I will buy you a round at the tavern." He said and did not even try to smile or make the offer more sweet. It was already sweet enough for Jared. He would never turn down a drink.

"You offer me this now? After I do not know how many times I went with you?" Jared exclaimed. Keegan glared at him in silence. "Fine!" Jared muttered. "I want two!" He demanded. "As compensation for the other times..."

"Very well. Get your coat." Keegan rolled his eyes and whistled at Blackie who had wandered off a bit. The large mass of black fur came trotting around the corner of the house. He was so wet that the rain just ran off of him in streams. Keegan felt a bit bad that he dragged the poor thing with him, and over the fact that the smell of wet dog would not appease his mother when they returned home later.

"What do you expect to find? If we did not find her the other times, why would we find her this time?" Jared asked, walked back inside and came out again in a matter of seconds. He put his coat on and pulled his hand through his hair.

"I do not know." Keegan muttered. "I just... I have to look one more time."

"You are almost obsessed with her." Jared stated in a sigh. Keegan looked at him as they walked towards the square.

"I-"

"Hey!" Jared scoffed quietly, holding his hands up, showing his palms. "I do not blame you... She is a very beautiful little creature... but please, do not look for her anymore if we do not find her today. It will not do you any good..."

Keegan pressed his lips together and did not answer.

"It will drive you insane." Jared continued.

No answer.

"Can I ask you something?" He suddenly asked and sounded almost nervous.

"What?"

"Are you in love with her?"

"What?" Keegan exclaimed. "I do not know her, I just want to make sure she is alright! That does not mean-"

"Keegan, relax!" Jared interrupted him. "I just had to ask. It just feels like that you would not have cared if it had been... someone else."

"You do not know that." Keegan objected.

I would have cared if it had been someone else... I am not made of stone.

"No, I know that... There was a reason for why I asked." Jared sighed.

"I am not in love with her." Keegan assured his friend. Somehow it felt like he was trying to convince himself as well.

When they arrived at the outskirts of the woods Keegan felt a knot appear in his stomach. It felt like they could turn around and walk back again...

There is no use. She will not be here... He sighed and looked up at the trees towering over the two of them as they approached them. However, there was something deep inside that forced him to keep walking. To look for her once last time.

An hour later...

Keegan shouted Cara's name over and over again, Jared occasionally chimed in. They had been walking for a while but had not found any trace of her.

"How long do you want to keep doing this?" Jared asked and stared out into the sea of trees around them. Keegan turned and looked at him; he had his hands on his hips and was scouting everything in front if him.

"I do not know." Keegan muttered. "Should we just head back?"

"Hey..." Jared suddenly mumbled and his brows furrowed. "Do you hear that?"

Keegan's body stiffened and tensed up as he listened. He could not hear anything. His heart started to beat harder and faster as they were quiet.

"I-"

Just when he was about to say that he did not hear anything he heard a twig break. Loudly. The two of them looked at each other and started walking slowly towards the sound. It had emanated from a large bush and they both observed how it swayed at the top from something moving inside of it.

"Do you have your knives with you?" Keegan whispered and Jared nodded. He skillfully threw one to him and they crouched a bit.

"If this is not something I can take home to mother I will scream." Jared whispered. "Please let it be a boar..."

Keegan rolled his eyes.

The bush swayed again and Jared threw his knife in a swift and forceful movement. Keegan was not far behind but the second he let go of the knife in his hand he heard a light high pitched scream from the bush.

"Keegan!" A female voice screamed as he watched the knife disappear into the bush. His heart stopped when he recognized the voice. "Stop it!" He froze.

"It is her." Jared whispered in fright. "Oh my God, Keegan... What if we killed her?"

Keegan disappeared into the bush in a hurry and was quickly surrounded by a sea of dark green and brown twigs.

"CARA!" He yelled and ripped his way deeper into the large mass of leafs. His hands moved leafage out of his way and it felt like it never ended. It was almost as if he was swimming in it and as soon as he had moved some away more appeared. "CARA!" He shouted again.

He almost stumbled over her. She had fallen to the ground and was pressing her left palm against her cheek. Blood was trickling out between her fingers and down her arm. The knife he had thrown had cut her.

"Cara." He breathed. She looked up at him and the blue eyes had him speechless in an instant.

"Keegan." She answered him and met his gaze. Then she curled up and made herself smaller. It was then he realized that she was naked, again. Just as she had been when Orla had found her.

-Cara-

Keegan knelt in front of her and placed his right hand underneath her chin. Carefully, he moved her face from side to side and were studying her.

Thank God... She sighed internally and could not hide how relieved she was that he had found her. She was not even mad about the cut.

"I am so sorry..." He mumbled with his dark voice and it sent shivers down her spine. "I did not mean to hit... well... yes I did, but I did not know that it was you." He breathed and brushed his fingers against her hand which was holding back the blood which was streaming down her face. "Why am I still talking?" He mumbled something and turned his gaze downwards into the ground.

"Keegan." She whispered his name and it made her feel so calm. He had a lovely name and she liked saying it. The beautiful green eyes assured her that she was out of harms way as of now.

A wide smile broke out on his lips and he looked into her eyes for a long moment.

"Is she dead? Did we kill her? Was it mine or your knife that-" A voice yelled at Keegan from the outside of the enormous bush she had taken cover in. Keegan interrupted the other person, shouting something back, and then chuckled.

When he looked at her again she knew she was safe. The exhaustion which had hovered over her this whole time washed over her before she could do anything about it.

"Cara?" Keegan said her name so wonderfully but he sounded worried.

Cara felt her eyes roll back as she let go. She could not fight her own tired body and mind anymore. Every part of her was screaming for a moment of rest.

The last thing she felt was how she fell forwards and how Keegan caught her, he was calling at her with concern dripping from his dark husky voice. Just before she fell asleep she felt how he tried to shake her back to consciousness, but she was just too tired.

-Keegan-

Cara practically fell into his embrace. Without hurting her he lifted her up in his lap and held her face with his right hand; his fingers brushing the skin right beneath her cheekbone while his thumb hovered over her lips. The only thing he wanted to do was to touch them. He needed to. It ached inside of him to brush his thumb over her ample lower lip, but he resisted the urge.

He placed his ear against her chest to make sure she was still alive. A strong heartbeat pumped on the inside of her chest and he breathed out in ease. She had fainted.

"What is taking so long?" Jared called.

"She fainted." Keegan answered him and brushed hair out of her face.

Do you really have to be so beautiful? It does not make things easier... He thought while he was completely incapable of tearing his eyes from her.

"Then pick her up and let us go back home! There is an even bigger storm coming our way." Jared called. "I would rather be inside when it arrives."

"I will be right there."

He took his coat off and placed it over Cara's naked body as he ascended from the ground.

"I guess I will sleep on the floor tonight." He chuckled as he started walking back the way he had entered. There was not a part of him that was upset about having to sleep there again. If anything, he was glad for it. Strangely, it felt like some sort of order had been restored into his life, and he was carrying it in his arms.

--------------------------------

Happy Sunday my sweet friends!

I hope you all are well and are staying away from this wretched virus (as best you can)!

Much much love,

Jenny