Ells' POV
No! I can't! I can't start this over again! If Astrid died, I wouldn't know how to handle it. He was, like, my bestest friend! I mean, being his girlfriend would be nice, but... Gah! No! Friends! Just friends! Close friends is all!

"He may not be fully trust worthy, but, he says he knows where my father is. My dad, Astrid. I remember my father very well, before he disappeared. I was only two when I heard that he died. But, the memories have stayed, all of these years. I'm going to do whatever it takes to see him. No matter how long this torture trip may take." I said, as his expression seemed very disappointed.

I hated this look. From anybody. It just made me feel really sad. Like, somehow, I wasn't supposed to belong here.

But, then, he started to smile a warm, gentle smile. I couldn't help but flush bright pink.

"Just, don't go to far, Ells. I care for you too much for that..." He said, as he stood up, looking into my eyes. I stood up with him, looking into his eyes with my own.

He started to walk back to bed, but something was urging me to stop him.

"Astrid?" I asked him. He turned around, with those wonderful eyes and slightly messy hair.

"Yeah?" He said to me.

"Umm... thank you... for everything..." I said, as my face brightened to a red. He started to smile again, which made my cheeks even hotter.

He walked over to me, and gave me a kiss on the forehead. "No problem, Ells Ender. That's what I'm here for... And thank you, for changing my life for the better." He said, giving me another kiss, on the cheek.

I know that I've told him that we can't date, but that doesn't mean we can't kiss... right?

I'm gonna do it. I went and kissed him on the lips.

That was one of my favorite nights of this whole journey.

~*Timeskip*~

"That was one of the best sleeps in my whole entire life!" Dimitry explained, as we sat down at one of the tables in the main lobby of the hotel.

"I'm going to go and get some breakfast, guys! Be right back!" Hunter said, as he walked off to the hotel's breakfast buffet.

"Yeah, and I need to pee. Bye." Violet said, walking to the ladies' room. A little too much info, Violet...

So, the four of us went ahead and talked, like normal people would do. My focus was mainly on Astrid the whole time. The kiss was just way too romantic to ever forget for the rest of my life...

But then, there was a scream. It was coming from the the hallway, where the ladies' restroom was. My head got out of focus on Astrid. There was trouble.

"Was that Violet?!" Dimitry said, immediately standing up, a worried look on his face. There was a few seconds of silence, before Simon replayed, confirming the noise was indeed Violet.