It quickly became obvious that I was on my own for this one, and feeling the intense gaze burning a hole into the top of my head, I had no choice but to face the one person I had been trying my hardest to avoid.

Slowly tilting my head up, I actually cringed when I saw Vain's inscrutable, narrowed eyed gaze upon me.

Okay, either he's squinting at me because he hasn't got his glasses.... or he's trying to erase my memory of the last twenty-four hours with his psychic powers... or just plain blow my brain up...

Under the silent weight of his gaze, it took all my will power not to break down and start begging for forgiveness.

Then Vain actually moved, his giant, long-fingered hand shifting towards me.

"I'm sorry!" I cried, covering my head defensively and closing my eyes so that I wouldn't have to watch.

What was I saying about will power?

There came a small moment of hesitation, then a soft pressure pinched my raised arm, gently but indisputably, forcing my arm down from my face.

Not good, not good, not good, not good, not good, not good, not good.....

I sat frozen stiff as he slowly released my arm, fingers only moving away when it was clear that I wouldn't just put my arm back once he let me go.

Still not opening my eyes, like not seeing him would somehow deny him the power to affect me, it was all I could do not to tremble as the fingers shifted up to my face. Silently, delicately, he removed the tiny mask from my face.

Lips pressed tight together to hold back a small whimper, I managed to get one eye open for a peak.

My heart nearly stopped, a small sound escaping me when I found myself suddenly very close to Vain's eyes, not having even noticed the shift as the pale boy raise me to be level with his face.

He studied me closely as I fought to not start stress crying.... then after a long moment, he sighed, relief making his shoulders sag and his eyes close.

Staring back at him incredulously, I felt my temper spark.

"Seriously? " I demanded angrily. "I know that I'm wearing a dress and all, but how bad is your eyesight that you would have trouble recognising me with a mask on?! Surely the obnoxious voice alone would confirm...!"

"Shut up Maddison." He breathed, the exhaustion in his voice, taking away any bite from the words as he buried his face against his own forearm, below where I was seated in his cupped hand. Staring down at the white hair, the soft strands within reaching distance, I felt my heart wring.

Unable to touch, this somehow felt like the closest thing. Which is just stupid, cause...

"Of course I know it's you." He murmured, mostly to himself. "It's just.... harder than usual."

"Ah...Harder?" I questioned, voice wary.

That's right, Maddison, use conversation to stall him while you plan your escape! There no way that could ever backfire...

"To be avoided and hated... didn't really bother me as much when I could still see you... I suppose." He explained quietly, matter of factly.

Even as my face went bright red with my sudden inability to breathe.

How could he say something like that in such a sad way and yet still act like it's no big deal!? Why do you always have to be so calm about everything instead of just yelling at me like a normal person?! You...

"...idiot." was my only heartbroken reply. A pathetic whisper, as held in tears made the room blur.

"You're not supposed to make me feel this way. I don't care if you make me mad, cause you're a stubborn, arrogant jerk and I'm a hot-headed idiot, and it's pretty much unavoidable. I don't even mind if you hurt my feelings sometimes, because I know you lash out when you're worried. Trust me, I can handle all the painful things that comes with being close to an emotionally constipated control freak like you."

Blindly I reached forward and yanked on his hair, wanting to inflict some sort of sensation stronger than what my tiny body was capable of. "But how dare you? After making me go through all that just to be with you again, how dare you let me go."

The hand beneath me convulsed, shirking at the painful words even as Vain let out a humourless laugh.

"You too." He gasped, not moving as I still gripped his hair. "Why do you always leave me behind?"

Leave him behind?

Trembling, I forced myself to release the death grip I had on his hair, scooting back a little so that my back was pressed against his fingers.

For a long moment, I tried to think of something to say. Something that would turn the tables back on him, someway to deny or at least justify the idea that I would ever willingly abandon him.

But the way I had been going off and doing dangerous things without him almost our entire friendship.... sort of won him the argument right off the bat...

"I leave everyone behind Vain," I told him softly, voice hesitant with the fragile words. "Look at me now. Nigel and Artemis are still in danger, and here I am, having a heart-to-heart with Alex, then now probably you... and really, right now isn't the best time to be doing this, so if you want to just forget everything I said and head back on over.... okay not moving, that's good too, we'll just stay here then.... ahem, all of this because I don't have the brain capacity to focus on anything but what's right in front of me."

I shook my head tiredly, but Vain still wasn't looking at me... or acknowledging my words at all...

"I can't help but get caught up and carried away in the moment... And that pretty much makes me the most insensitive, oblivious, self-centred jerk I know.... and really, I know a lot of those guys, so that's saying something...." I took in a deep breath, trying to rein in the rant a little.

"What I'm really trying to say is that I just.... took the idea that you would always be there... for granted." Feeling sick, I curled an arm around my middle.

Finally, Vain's head shifted below me, his red-eyed gaze watching me guardedly, tiredly.

Like he had had enough.

Panic hit me like a rock, rapidly escalating to terror.

Because I was suddenly sure that he was going to tell me he was done.

That he couldn't handle it any more.

That this was the end.

And that thought made one traitorous tear spill over, even as a small smile quirked my lips, the rush of emotion making me light-headed.

"It's funny, how I always seem to have these stupid realisations when it's just too late. All along, I kept fighting what you and Devin tried to tell me. And now, at the last possible moment, I finally realise...."

I reached up to shove away at the damning little drop of water hell-bent on making me look vulnerable. Cause being five inches tall and stuck in his damn hand isn't enough...

"...I've just.... strayed too far away...."

Going very still, Vain slowly raised his head, and just like that, I wasn't on his level any more. He was looking down at me, controlling everything and the expression I saw made my body go numb.

Because Vain only has three expressions.

But this wasn't the usual calm face or even the mildly pissed off face. It wasn't even the so incredibly pissed that he looks calm face.

No, we had somehow crossed the line, and Vain glared down at me with the ultimate So incredibly insanely pissed off that he actually just looks legitimately pissed off face.

And all I could do was sit in frozen horror, waiting for the bomb to drop and kill us all.

"You listen to me Maddison Tramph." He snarled, lowering his hand as he turned on his heal so sharply I had to clutch at his hand for support.

Vain continued to speak, not looking at me as he furiously weaved his way through the crowd.

"Despite the fact that nearly ninety percent of what comes out of your mouth these days is complete nonsense, I've always done you the courtesy of patiently listening to every word, and trust me, I have been patient."

He sent me a sharp look that dared me to argue.

"And now, for the sake of my sanity, you are not going to say another damn word until this entire stupid situation is over. The very moment you are no longer too small to touch, you may resume your speech, in which case, I will proceed to shut you up in the only way appropriate. Understood?"

Touch?.... does that mean.... he's going to punch me...?

Well, I'm pretty sure Vain deserves one free shot at this point... so I guess I'm okay with it...

"Ahh... by not another word, do you mean I literally can't talk until I'm person-sized again... cause I can't really see that happening...."

Vain remained silent as if to say you may be able to talk, but I can still ignore you.

Jeez, he's in a bad mood... must have gotten cooties when Alex's mum smoothed him... does that make him like, a step got-to-first-base-with-ya-mum guy... haha, I think my brain melted.

The first clue that something was wrong was that Alan stood alone where we had left him.

Please tell me he didn't throw Apollo over the edge or something... cause I totally wanted to be here to see that...

As we approached, Alan looked over his shoulder and sent us an ecstatic grin, the most honestly happy expression I had ever seen from the charming boy.

Alan Floid looking like all his Christmases had come at once couldn't be a good thing.... right?

"Where have you guys been? You missed the surprise!"

"Like I need any more surprises," I muttered sourly, earning a wink from the redhead.

"Perhaps, but I never get tired of watching your reactions to them." He explained good-naturedly, turning his gaze back to the floor. "Honestly, it's half the fun."

Warily, I followed Alan gaze down to the commotion below.

The first person my eyes sort out was Nigel, and I found him, still huddled into a painful ball, but no longer making a sound. Grimacing at the sight, I let my gaze wander, eyes widening at the group of teens standing protectively near the tormented boy.

The first thing I noticed was that Robin had a sword. Like a legitimate kick-ass sword she had somehow managed to smuggle into the party.... and she stood next to Artemis, expression calmly determined.

Artemis himself stood rigidly straight, attentive and ready to fight, but also visibly restraining himself from touching the petite girl.

Or the equally petite boy that stood on his other side, glaring threatening up at the crowd.

"No fair... how come Apollo gets to join in on the action...." I began to complain, only to trail off when I saw who else had appeared on the floor.

The person who was currently glaring up at the furious Dr Cassandra Floyd, completely unafraid and prepared to tare the crazy lady a new one was literally the last person I expected to turn up.

"No way." I gaped, voice flat with shock.

"You know him?" Vain asked warily, obviously too curious to stick to his not talking policy.

I blinked up at Vain for a moment, then a grin to match Alan's lit up my face.

"That, Vain, is my lawyer."

Matthew Folics, legal attorney for the Shrink Program, had just crashed the Underground's party.