Black lace fell from Scarlet in a waterfall of fabric, a leather belt hanging from the loops where it had been left unbuckled. The dress Thorne had chosen was both elegant and casual, a tight bodice that sprung out into a skirt that hung to her bare knees.

Scarlet stood awkwardly, her hands fiddling with the edge of the skirt as her eyes met Wolf's.

"Scarlet" He began "you..."

"You pull that off better than me!" Iko squealed, leaving Cress on the bed and running to grab Scarlet hands. "Ooh, can I do your hair?" she asked, "and maybe just add a little bit of lip gloss."

"It doesn't matter how I look, we're here to talk to Evret," Scarlet reminded her. "I heard you talking," she told Cress when she gave her a questioning look. Iko, however, was more interested in arranging Scarlet's hair in different ways.

"You won't need that," Iko said, taking the belt from Scarlet's waist, "your body fills it out perfectly."

"I'll try and take that as a complement," Scarlet said.

"It is," Iko smiled, returning to Cress who looked more nervous than before.

Scarlet stalked over to where wolf was sitting and sunk down next to him, the dress floating down around her.

"You look pretty," wolf said quietly as everyone else engaged in their own conversation. Though Scarlet looked as if she wanted to be angry, she blushed and tried to hide her smile."

"Okay," Thorne said suddenly, "so I've been conflicted, but I think I've found the perfect dress for Cinder." Cinder huffed but didn't bother protesting as Thorne pushed her into the bathroom. She went in mumbling about how pointless dresses and makeup where. Luckily Iko didn't hear.

When Cinder stormed out of the bathroom in a bright green dress with silk straps Wolf was glad he was on the opposite side of the room, safely sat behind Scarlet.

"You've got to be kidding me!" she fumed, waving the fabric in Thorne's face. It had a low neckline and was shorter than Scarlet's. The red head seemed oddly amused by Cinders rage.

"C'mon, it's not that bad," Thorne said, "Iko?"

"Iko likes," Iko said, having too much fun with her new role of stylist.

"I'm not wearing this," Cinder said, making a turn for the bathroom to change back, but Kai had already grabbed her hand, stopping her in her tracks.

"You might not realise Cinder, but you look lovely - with or without the dress."

"You don't mean that" Cinder said, trying to pull away, but Kai's grip was unrelenting.

"Don't wear the dress if you don't want to, but I just want you to know you look beautiful." Kai said, and even from across the room, even after not knowing him that long, Wolf could see something new in Kai's eyes.

---

Cinder didn't wear the dress, but Cress did. It hung around her ankles, but Cress found amusement in spinning around in it, blushing when Cinder, who had settled on wearing jeans after a lengthy argument with Iko, laughed at her fascination.

"Why don't the boys have to dress up?" Scarlet asked as they stood outside the bar Cress had found.

"None of them brought anything worth dressing them up in, Iko answered.

"Well we didn't come here expecting a party," Kai said from Cinders side. He had hesitantly wrapped his hand around hers when they left the Minibus, and Cinder had been glad for it. It was comforting to have him beside her, especially with what she was about to do.

All around them people in both fancy business attire and casual jeans entered the bar, some in groups, some alone. The group stuck close together as they passed through the doors, avoiding the glances of the scary looking bouncers.

Cress was squashed in between them all, and Throne had made sure he led the group, so when one of the bouncers asked for his ID he flashed it their way with a lazy grin.

"What about the rest of you?" The bouncer asked.

"We have business to attend to," Thorne explained and didn't hesitate to grab Cinder and Cress and rush past before the bouncer could see them properly. Kai was dragged along with Cinder, and shrugging Iko Wolf and Scarlet followed, Iko smiling as she passed the burly man.

Inside the bar Cinder stayed close by Thorne, who had released her hand once inside, and followed him towards the back of the room. On the other side of Thorne Cress' eyes were scanning the bar, possibly for Evret, possibly just for comfort.

It was stuffy and Cinder found herself sweating for no reason at all. She gripped Kai's hand harder and he gripped hers.

"Stay close to me," she warned and he answered with a nudge to her side.

"You're not scared are you?" he asked with a smirk.

"If by scared you mean scared you'll get your smart ass lost then yes I'm terrified."

At the back of the bar, in a dark corner the group found a place to sit and after a round of arguing Thorne agreed not to order a beer.

Iko got bored within a few minutes of watching the crowd.

"I'm going on an adventure," she said, "Thorne, want to come?" Thorne shrugged and offered Iko his hand before sauntering away with the blue haired girl.

Cinder didn't know where they went and she didn't want to know. She had squished herself against Kai who had wrapped an arm around her when she leaned against him, breathing him in.

Across the room Cinder spotted Iko and Thorne talking to a group of girls, and behind them...

Evret.

Her body tensed, but she found herself rising from her seat, dropping Kai's hand as she did, and without warning, she strode across the room, warning the others not to follow her. They didn't.

Evret didn't see her approaching, or wave a hand in front of his face.

"Uncle Evret?" Cinder asked. His eyes snapped to hers. Iko had told her to act surprised, to pretend she wasn't aware this is where Evret would be spending his evening, but that thought was lost when she realised she couldn't school her features the way she wanted them.

"Cinder?" he said, "Cinder – what are you... You really do have to stop this,"

"Yeah, yeah, I know I'm sorry but I really wanted to talk to you." She said hopefully, avoiding the glances from her uncle's colleagues.

He put his hands on her shoulders and gave her his unsettling stare. "What's done is done, I can't change Levana's mind, you know how stubborn she can be." He said the last part with a laugh and a shake of his head.

"But she's your daughter too!" Cinder pointed out, the volume of her voice rising, "for god's sake, she's not even Levana's biological daughter! Why does she get to decide?"

"I'm only doing what's best for my family," Evret said before turning away. Cinder grabbed his shoulder.

"At least tell me where she is, just so I know she's being looked after properly," Cinder said. Her heart racing. If he didn't answer now or had any idea what she was planning when she found out then it was all over, but maybe she should thank the cheering voices or the sweaty air, because he gave in and sighed.

"Pearl Garden Phyciatric Hospital, don't go looking it up. I love you Cinder, I really do, but this is for the best. Leave Winter alone until she's better."

Cinder couldn't tell if she was shaking with excitement or rage.

Without another word she turned around and slipped back into the crowd, a smile sparking on her lips.

---

A/N: So why am I updating on Friday instead of Saturday?

Well, my dear readers, tomorrow is that day I wake up really early to travel for an hour and then take part in a 3 day trek for my silver d of e award. I am going to have to sleep in a tent and am not going to be allowed to even text...

wish me luck!

I am so ready for this!

I've spent most of the day packing so it's lucky I got any time at all to write, but I made that time since I am not giving up my promise to update weekly so soon!

I WILL NOT FAIL YOU THIS TIME!

So this wasn't funny or exiting or cutsey but it had to happen and I have actual entertaining ideas for next chapter so yay! lets see if I actually stick to those ideas or forget them!

QOTD: Out of Thorne, Wolf and Kai who would kiss marry and hug for all eternity.

Or alternitively out of Cress, Scarlet and Cinder who would you kiss marry and hug for all eternity?

Me?

Kiss Thorne, marry Kai, hug Wolf for all eternity

or

Kiss Cinder, marry Scarlet and hug Cress for all eternity

I'm bi I play both games *evil laugh*

2nd QOTD: What's your sexuality? Are you out of the closet because if you answered the first part you've at least cracked the door open a little.

See you next Saturday!