Needing to check on my sister's condition. Danny and I walk up from the store to the house to get in his truck and drive to the hospital. We get out and walk up towards the hospital, only to encounter Amber in the parking lot. She is scowling in my direction.

"What's your problem with me?" I shout at Amber

"Him!" she yells, as she points at Danny.

"Me?" he questions, pointing at himself.

"Yes!" She then turns and looks directly at Danny.

"She always had your attention, your loyalty—her own personal guard dog. You didn't see any other girls when she was around."

"He saw other girls." I argue.

She turns and narrows her eyes at me. "When you weren't around, sure he did." she stops abruptly, puts one hand on her hip and taps her chin with a finger from the other hand, "well, there's that other friend...what's her name? Greer. But never a girl from our school. Always someone's cousin or distant relative."

"There were no girls in school I was interested in. They only liked my looks and the fact that I played sports. Did anyone try to get to know me—the real me?" he responds.

Amber doesn't answer and just swings around to face me.

"Top grades, pretty without even trying, sweet and giving. All the guys wanted your attention." she rants.

"Me?" I gasp. "Guys never asked me out."

"Of course, you had your own personal guard dog to fix that problem."

"He did what?"

Amber turns towards Danny and smirks. "You never told her, did you?"

Danny pales at this comment before she continues. "Except for Emerson and Jared, every guy that tried to talk to you got warned off. One guy got a black eye for talking smack about you."

"Danny, you didn't." I question in disbelief.

Danny stays silent, but his face turns pink. With this, I don't need an answer.

"I was only protecting you," he whispers.

"See! Your own personal guard dog," she says triumphantly.

"If you call Danny a dog, one more time, you.will.regret.it!"

"Dog. Dog. Dog. A personal guard dog is what he is."

My body heats and my muscles tense as I glare at her.

Amber starts to hold her throat.

"What are you doing to me?" she croaks.

Someone touches my arm.

"You need to stop." whispers in my ear. It's enough to break my trance.

"Did you do something to me?" Amber asks me.

I shrug. "How can I do anything to you? Maybe it was some god striking you down."

Just as I finish saying this, I conjure a small breeze directed at Amber's legs. That small breeze is all it takes to flip her skirt up and expose her to the crowd watching the scene.

She gasps, eyes wide, looking to see if anyone saw. She turns red and bolts from the area.

After the crowd disperses, Danny and I start heading back towards the hospital.

"'Some god striking you down' Really?" Danny questions.

"How else was I supposed to defuse the situation?"

"By exposing her, though?"

"She seemed to want you to see her, so I obliged," a grin gracing my face.

We are finally able to actually get into the hospital, and I retrace my steps to the ICU waiting room.

"Hey pumpkin, I was waiting for you. Your sister woke up early this morning, and they think they can move her up to a room by dinner time."

Hugging my dad, I reply. "That's great to hear. Grandma and I will be leaving tomorrow morning."

"Let's go see your sister."

My sister looks horrid, but I've seen such a sight as seeing her eyes open, and her conversing with the nurse currently in the room.

Danny and I visit for a while before I get sleepy, so we head out.

A nap is next on my agenda, especially since Danny needs to go do some work at the shelter. Mom comes home for a bit, and we eat a meal together.

The next morning is even harder than the first time I left. Dad and Danny are the only ones able to be at the house when I leave.

"Tally, I ... I ..."

I put my finger up before he continues. "I think I know, and we will talk about it later. Now isn't the time." I look at Grandma, glancing back and forth between me and the road.

"I have to go." I say and run to the car.

I get in and buckle.

Grandma barely makes it a few feet. "Wait, stop Grandma!"

I jump out of the car and run towards a sad looking Danny.

He holds his arms out and jump into them and hug him around his neck. As soon as the tears roll, I slide down. I look him in the eyes as I take something from my pocket. I put it in his hand and closed it into a fist.

"I didn't forget our anniversary." I say once my feet hit the ground.

"I didn't either, but I left it somewhere I can't get to quickly."

"That's okay. I didn't buy you anything new, but I hope this is just as special as any other gift I've given you."

More special than any other gift. I just hope this isn't a foolish plan.

"Soon." I tell him and turn to run back to the car.

I gulp and cover my mouth, trying to hold the sobs in. We drive off with Danny standing in the driveway watching us leave.

We aren't very far out of town when Grandma stops the car.

"Love, are you okay?"

"I will be."

"What did you give Danny?"

I smile widely at the thought. "A gift that I hope tells him how much I care, and something I hope he takes as a promise."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, Grandma. Now wasn't the time for us to talk about the future between us. I have training to do and a rebellion to concentrate on. Our time will come." I say and pat her hand.

She returns the smile and starts back out onto the road that will take us to the interstate. The interstate that will lead us back to the cabin. Back to the beginning of my new journey.