I wrung my hands together, sitting on my bed in my room, then got to my feet and paced.

Then I huffed out a breath and pulled off my communication device.

I need you to do some sleuthing. I sent to Freesia, who was in the Common Cabin having dinner.

Tell me. She replied almost immediately.

I need to know where Rafe stays. I sent.

You're crazy. She replied.

So you're doing it? I asked.

Yes, of course. Was her reply.

I grinned.

You're the best. I sent.

Um. Duh. Was my reply.

I laughed, shaking my head. I waited then, for twelve minutes.

I've decided that there was nothing for me to be confused about. We were friends. I've never second guessed myself so much when I'm with Wolf, why would Rafe be any different?

And he's not different.

And I was not happy with what I did. Making Freesia go and get my device from him. In my defence, I needed a few minutes to myself.

Few minutes of the brilliant stroke of stupidity where I acted like a coward and sent Freesia after him.

Anya's message-and I was sure that it had to be Anya-sealed the deal for me.

If Rafe couldn't tell me who to be friends with, then neither could Anya.

My device chimed and I checked it quickly to find directions to Rafe's room.

You're a Goddess. I sent to Freesia in gratitude.

Build me a temple for me, then. She replied.

If I survive this, I will. I sent.

Then I started to step to the door of my room, running my bracelet over it and the computerised voice in my room spoke up.

"You have been detained to your room. You may not leave." It said.

I tossed my head back in frustration. Monitored. Of course.

Dammit.

I pulled out the Com that was still securely fixed to my communication device and fastened it to my ear.

Rafe. I said.

Given the way I had left things, I had estimated the probability of his replying to be on the lower side.

When I didn't hear a reply immediately, I spoke again. In my head.

I want to leave my room, but I'm not allowed. Help me get out.

I waited for ten tense, silent seconds, before the door in front of me opened without any resistance. I threw a fist pump into the air and stepped out, walking quickly to the elevator, hoping against hope that there weren't cameras that monitored me as well.

If there were, I would be in so much trouble, that no one would be able to dig me out of the shit I had jumped into. Willingly.

Did I mention how awesome it was to be friends with the a District Leader? I asked him, pressing the digit that would lead me to his floor.

He was on the top most floor of this building. Thank God, there was an elevator and not stairs.

Oh, so now we're friends? Rafe asked me, his voice deep and cold in my head.

I stayed quiet for a few minutes.

Why would you ask me that? I finally said, stepping out of the elevator and heading towards my destination.

Freesia had told me that he was in the farthest room, on the left hand side of the corridor. I stepped to the last Identity Screen and was about to place my bracelet on it when the door opened.

Rafe stepped out, his door closing behind him, garbed in the navy blue suits that the C'Riel wore for the night. His dark hair was slicked back and I realised he'd just had a shower. His tall looking form stood before me, his face impassive, eyes dark and stance defensive. He was in his Rafe pose again.

"How'd you know I was coming?" I asked him, after getting over the shock of seeing his proud forehead on display that did so much to accentuate the angles of his face, making him truly look like an Angel. An angry one.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I came to see you," I replied, slowly, my hands reaching up to tug on my snowflake necklace in nervousness, before I realised it was tucked safely under my suit that covered me upto my neck. I had forgotten to change out of it.

His eyes remained on mine, unforgiving.

Dark.

Angry.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked finally, when he didn't say anything.

"What do you think?" He asked me, his voice low, almost a growl.

Yep. Definitely angry.

I let out a breath.

"Okay, I'm sorry," I said, slumping. "I didn't mean to send Freesia-"

"You think that's why I'm angry?" He asked me, leaning forward, his eyes glaring into mine, the harsh beautiful lines of his face becoming more prominent in his anger.

I swallowed, watching as a single drop of moisture slid down Rafe's temple, from where his hair was still wet.

"I took you to introduce you to the woman who is as important to me as my own mother, and you walked out." He said, without inflection but I winced, realising I had hurt his feelings by being insensitive. He had been opening up to me and I had slammed the door on his gesture.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know the significance behind it-"

"What did you think we were doing there, Amour?" He asked me, stepping closer, his broad shoulders caging me.

"I didn't think anything-"

"Do I seem shallow to you? Waltzing you around sightseeing?" He asked me.

Oh shit, he was really angry. His anger...it may seem really wrong to say this, but his anger made him seem really attractive to me.

"I agree," I said, holding my hands up, "That you've never taken me anywhere without some meaning behind it. I'm sorry I didn't realise. In my defence-"

"In your defence, what?" He asked, a sardonic smile lifting his lips, "You saw Anya and ran? Like a coward."

"Hey, now." I said, letting out an awkward laugh, "Let's not say coward. It was more of-"

Rafe snorted, "It was cowardly, and you know it."

I huffed out a breath in anger, but I decided I wouldn't snitch on Anya. I wouldn't prove that Anya was out to get me by showing him the message. No. She was mine to handle.

I would take what he had to give. But I would handle it differently.

"Okay. Yes. I was scared. So sue me." I said, holding my arms out, "I'm on foreign land, surrounded by people who are not like me. I just got over the fear that I'm going to die and am now praying that I survive here."

Rafe's eyes narrowed.

"So yes, I'm a little jittery. So yes, I try to be more cautious. I don't want attention I don't need. I don't want trouble. So I got out of there." I explained.

Rafe let out a soft snort, leaning back and running his hand through his damp hair, mussing it up a little in such a way that some of the strands fell forward to caress his forehead.

I got annoyed.

"If we're going to continue this conversation, I request you put a paper bag on your head or something," I said, with feeling.

Rafe's eyes slipped to mine, his expression blank in confusion.

"A paper bag?"

"Or sack," I said, "Whichever. Anything that covers your face, I don't have preferences."

"Covers my face?" Rafe repeated, his anger temporarily forgotten.

"Yes," I huffed out, my hands fisted by my side.

"Why would I want to cover my face?" He asked me.

I waved my hand in front of his face.

"It's distracting. You're distracting me. Looking all hot. It's annoying. I need to think straight and your not helping my case." I growled out.

Rafe dropped his hands to prop them on his hips as he looked away, a soft surprised laugh leaving his lips.

My own frustration disappeared.

"Did you just laugh?" I asked, my jaw dropping.

He looked at me, running the middle finger of his left hand between his brows, his lips curving slightly, like he couldn't help it.

I bent a little to study his face that was practically facing the floor.

"Oh my God. You are," I whispered.

Was that the key?

I held my hands to my chest to portray earnestness.

"Oh my God, Rafe. You're so attractive," I said, fluttering my lashes at him, "Your devilish good looks and charm have me aflutter."

I fanned myself for good measure.

His hands still on his hips, he looked up to the ceiling, so that all I could see was the line of his throat.

He was muttering something in his language that I couldn't understand. It could possibly be prayers, the world may never know.

"Rafe," I said, latching my fingers onto his suit and tugging, uncaring if he gets pissed off about it, and forcing him to look at me.

When his aggravated eyes met mine, I continued, "Oh my Gosh. When you look at me that way, it feels like..." I fake a gasp, pressing the back of my free hand to my forehead as if I was feeling faint.

I peeked an eye open and watched Rafe press his teeth into his plump lower lip as if to keep from laughing.

"I shall never forget the day I saw you, while you stood there," I spread the hand that wasn't clutching his suit out, as if I were explaining a scene to him, "With the glorious sun casting it rays upon your masculine shoulders, shrouding my world in your magnificence-"

Rafe continued to mutter in his language before a chuckle slipped free from his lips. I let go of his shirt and pointed at him in triumph.

"Aha!" I said, beaming at him.

Rafe watched me, his lips curving into a smile, hands still on his hips. I dusted my hands off in a job well done gesture, with a pleased smile and a mental pat on the back.

Crises averted.

Mission Get-Rafe-UnMad was successful.

I beamed at him while he shook his head at me, then his smile dropped and so did mine in response. In a swift move I couldn't track, he caught my wrist and I let out a gasp even though he wasn't touching my skin.

He pulled me to him, the arm he was holding pressing against him, as I looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Do not turn your back and walk away from me again," he told me, his serious, serious eyes flicking between the both of mine.

I nodded.

"Say it," he ordered.

I licked my suddenly dry lips and said, "Alright." My voice sounded hoarse. If Rafe noticed he didn't show any signs of it.

His eyes continued to trace my face. His eyes that now looked...like they were searching for something. Something they desperately tried to find.

"What if I walked away while facing you?" I asked, seriously.

"Hills," Rafe growled out.

"What? It's a valid question!" I said, then grinned.

Rafe didn't return my smile, but the hand that wasn't holding my wrist, came up to push my hair off my shoulder, over my back, his gaze tracking that small movement.

That hand then, touched the small of my back and I jerked, a small gasp escaping me. I could feel the heat of his skin through my suit.

We're friends. We're friends, I chanted in my head. Don't gasp.

He dropped my wrist to take my bicep and turn me around so that we were chest to chest, his other hand pressing slightly so that I was pressed up against him with my hands caught in between us.

No part of our skin touched, but it didn't matter.

Nothing mattered as my heart fought against my ribs and I felt his heart. Steady but resounding against my chest.

"What are you doing?" I whispered to Rafe, my lashes lifting to look up at him, when the hand holding my bicep went to my back as well, to be fixed right below his other one.

Both my arms were still caught between us.

"I do not know," he admitted, his soulful eyes slipping between both of mine, searching. Always searching.

A crack of something jarred me out of my thoughts as my heart tripled its beat for a very different reason.

I whipped my head to the side as lightening ripped through the sky. My eyes widened as I realised the beauty of the sky could be seen through the translucent walls of the building.

Why hadn't I noticed that before?

I gasped, then looked back at Rafe, who's eyes were still on me. Two highly concentrated beams of fire and coal. As if nothing and no one could pull him away.

I swallowed as more lightening lit up the sky and the side of Rafe's face, making him seem...surreal.

More beautiful than possible.

Another clap of thunder and I jumped, my fingers curling into Rafe's suit.

"It is just thunder, Amour." He murmured, his head close to mine as I looked at the wall and the lit up sky beyond.

"Yeah," I said turning back to look at him, "Just thunder."

I looked up at him and asked him the question that had been bothering me.

"Does it annoy you that I touch you?" I asked.

His head tilted to the side, his expression and eyes so soft that my heart squeezed almost painfully.

"We have never touched." He said.

The way he said touched, had colour rising to my cheeks and spreading across my skin.

"You know what I mean," I chided gently.

He smirked down at me, his flat hands on my back, slipping lower to grasp either side of my waist, his thumbs moving back and forth.

Since I could finally move my hands, I brought them to rest on his biceps. I didn't realise how defined he was until I felt hard, unyielding muscles underneath my fingers.

"Does my touching you bother you?" He asked, his nose a hair span away from mine, his eyes almost glowing fire in the dark.

Because I had lost my voice, I just shook my head, no.

He nodded his head in approval.

Then I heard the pitter-patter and I looked back at the wall.

It was raining.

"It's raining," I breathed.

"Yes, it is," Rafe said, his eyes trained to the translucent wall as well. I looked at him, taking in my fill of his profile. His proud forehead, perfect nose, strong jaw and throat.

"I want to see the rain," I whispered.

I expected him to say no, but he turned to look at me and when I saw his eyes, I knew.

I knew I would be seeing the rain today.

______________________________________

Okay that was intense for me. Don't know how it was for you. *fans self*

Vote and comment beauties!