Evabelle made her way dazedly to her room, not really talking with any of the others, not really knowing what to say. Eventually when she found herself crawling into bed, she found herself agreeing with Faux. Except for the fact that it was kind of the opposite feeling she felt on Christmas Eve. The prospect of gifts and treats of the coming morn, left children buzzing with so much excited energy, that it was nearly impossible to fall asleep. That was not how Evabelle would have described what she felt, lying in bed. The buzzing energy was there, but it was a terrified, I'm going to be sick, kind of feeling instead. She did her best to get her mind off of it and try to think of anything else. There was nothing though.

The piano man wasn't playing tonight. They were probably getting to bed for the day tomorrow. Evabelle didn't realize how much she missed the beautiful chimes of that piano and its player until their night at Kalas Hem. When they had returned and he had begun to play that night, she had instantly calmed. It had been a relief, especially after the Del and Aza fiasco. But now there was only silence, leaving too much room for Evabelle to stress.

Suddenly a loud bang sounded against the wall, just outside Evabelle's room, causing her to shriek. She leapt from her bed and stared at the door, waiting for the sound to come again. Another sound did come, but it wasn't loud just an urgent knock on the door. Evabelle didn't move until she heard CJ. "Evabelle, please open the door!" he gasped. "Hurry, I—" But Evabelle had already swung the door wide. Something was definitely wrong. The boy was hunched over, looking starkly pale as he clung to his wounded shoulder.

"CJ!" Evabelle exclaimed. "Are you—?"

"Never mind that!" CJ wheezed as sweat trickled down his face. He leaned himself against the wall to keep himself upright. "Evabelle, it's me!"

Evabelle stared at him. "I can see that. CJ what did you do to your arm?" Had he banged it against the wall? "CJ, we need to take you to Calandra."

The injured boy shook his head. "No," his eyes were swirling in pain and...something else. "I have to tell you... don't... you can't... go... it's...." CJ's voice petered off as he slowly sank to his knees, his head bowed.

Evabelle knelt beside him. "CJ? CJ are you alright?" She grabbed his good shoulder and felt herself shaking. She turned her head about to cry for the others, but then CJ looked up.

Tiredness reflected in his hazel eyes. "Evabelle," he blinked at her, momentarily confused. "Evabelle, I'm so sorry." He rose to his feet with Evabelle's arms out in case he fell. "I guess I'm more scared than I thought. I don't want you to go." His voice still held a slight tremor.

Evabelle scanned the boy up and down. He still held his shoulder, but the panic in his gaze was gone. "CJ, I don't really have much of a choice. But you don't have to come. Maybe it would be better if you didn't."

"No!" CJ exclaimed. He snatched Evabelle's hands. "I won't abandon you. I'm coming."

"Alright," Evabelle acknowledged. "But go get some rest, CJ. If your arm hurts tomorrow, I want you to stay here. Okay?"

CJ nodded and released her hands. "Okay."

She watched him return to his room and she herself fell against the wall, the half moon shone through the great arching windows, reflecting in her eyes. How could she possibly be reassuring him, when she herself felt as though she might just have an anxiety attack.

Evabelle let her eyelids fall shut. Perhaps she should go to the library and find a story that wasn't her own, so that she could escape before being plunged into the topsy-turvy world that had become her life.

"Evabelle?"

Her eyes fluttered open. She turned her head to see Lucis standing at the mouth of the stairs.

He gave a smile. "Doesn't look like you're sleeping."

Evabelle pushed herself off the wall. "No, it probably doesn't look like that." She sighed. "Sorry, I can't sleep. It's just that I'm not sure that I can--"

"Will you come with me?" Lucis spoke before she could finish.

Evabelle blinked. Lucis sounded strangely excited. His blue eyes were such a contrast from earlier that evening. They had been completely serious and commanding, but now they held an almost Faux-like playfulness. Evabelle had never seen that in him. She took a step toward him then paused. "What about Calandra? She won't let us just wander around."

Lucis shook his head, still grinning. "If she gets mad, I'll take the blame."

Evabelle bit her lip. She still wasn't completely sure about this. She stepped up to him. "Where are we going, exactly."

Lucis took Evabelle's hand, giving her a shock. "It's a surprise."

Together, the two ran down the stairs. Evabelle's heart thumped in strange excitement. Breaking the rules was definitely not something she did on a regular basis, but she couldn't believe that it was Lucis who was the one dragging her on this. Aza was the one who did such things, but Lucis was responsible. However, Evabelle did remember that he broke the rules by bringing Aza and CJ here at all.

Lucis began to take Evabelle to the back door of the Sanctuary. "What about my shoes?" Evabelle whispered.

"You don't need them." Lucis replied. Then he slowly creaked the door open. The two froze for a moment, but the ruby-headed mage did not come to reprimand them. The two stepped out into the night.

It was warmer than Evabelle expected. There was a gentle breeze that felt glorious. Evabelle loved the wind. She glanced up at Lucis, who had his eyes closed a faint smile on his lips as the air ruffled his hair and feathers. It made Evabelle smile. "So what are we doing?" She asked.

Lucis opened his eyes, the stars reflecting in them like pools of water. "I want to take you somewhere."

"You mean we're not here?"

He shook his head and began to guide her across the soft, moist grass. He took her behind the wall of hedges that resided on one of the far ends of the island, with the flickering lights that were always dancing among them, and Evabelle's mouth dropped. That's where Lucis stopped and withdrew his hand from hers. He walked to the center of the secret garden and spread his arms. "This is one of my favorite places on these grounds."

With eyes wide, Evabelle turned on the spot trying to take it all in. Flowers of every color, even one she didn't even know existed swayed in the breeze. There were thousands more here than the ones CJ had shown her on their stroll around the island. The bushes that encircled the area glowed like multicolored lanterns. Moss covered, stepping stones created interlacing paths and at the center of it all laid a small silver fountain, jetting out a steady flow of glassy water that cascaded down into its surrounding pool. "It's so beautiful." Evabelle breathed.

"That's what I thought." Lucis smiled, watching Evabelle gape. Then his gaze softened. "Earlier today, you mentioned that you thought you knew me, but realized you didn't." Evabelle returned her attention to the blonde angel. Distractedly, Lucis looked away and glided his fingertips across the top of the gently churning water from the fountain. Then he pulled back. "I will tell you that sometimes, I don't know that answer myself. I can tell you that I want nothing more than to be good and kind." He flicked the water droplets from his hand. "A lot of people would call me weak for that."

"Why?" Evabelle shook her head. "Is it because guys are always supposed to be all tough and stiff?" Evabelle stepped closer to him. "Well I'm glad you're not like that. You are a true gentleman. I can actually talk to you. Most guys are so hard to approach." She hugged herself at the thought.

Lucis rolled his head back to her a slight smile returning to his lips. "You know, I'm still tough." Evabelle smiled. "But really, you have no idea how much you've changed from when we first met at that party."

Evabelle opened her mouth to ask the question that had been prodding at her, about whether Lucis and she had perhaps already met, maybe before her memories were taken from her. In the end, she thought better of it and closed it.

Lucis pushed off of the fountain. "But I guess that is kind of what I'm saying, but..." He trailed off, his blue eyes clearly wrestling with something. Finally he shook his head. "I may not be able to answer your question, but I can answer the one about you."

Evabelle tilted her head to one side. "What do you mean?"

"Evabelle," Lucis approached her, until he was almost as close as she had been with him in the training room. Evabelle felt as if she were drowning in the sky as she saw herself reflected in his irises. "Do you know who you are?"

Evabelle swallowed. She had a feeling she knew where this was going. To you I'm a princess who's miraculously going to save you from this mutating plague and the shadow angel bent on your destruction. To you I'm your hope, because you don't have enough to believe in yourself. You can't believe that, Lucis! These thoughts screamed in Evabelle's mind, but instead all she did was shake her head, expecting the inevitable lecture.

"You are a girl, who wants everyone to be happy."

Evabelle blinked.

Lucis continued, his breath warm on her face. "You are a girl, who hates to see anyone alone. You are a girl, who even though, is afraid, will do whatever she can to take the broken and put them back together." Lucis tucked some stray hair of Evabelle's behind her ear as her heart pounded at his soft touch. "I know you, Evabelle, and I want to do everything in my power to make you see what I see, to know what I know." He took a few steps back, his slight playful look returning. "I also know one of your more secret dreams. I know, Evabelle that you long to dance."

Evabelle gaped dumbly at him, her cheeks burning where his fingers had brushed.

"You long to dance without music. Even though it's not physically playing, you'll hear it, though. Someday, with the right person, you will dance and the music will be in your heart."

Evabelle couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could he possibly know that? It was one of the sappy wishes she had written in her diary when she had been, like nine, or something. It was almost word for word. Someday music will not be playing, but I will hear it. If I'm with the right person, we won't need the music that everyone hears. We will hear it from our hearts.

"That's the real reason I took you out here. I wanted to ask you to dance with me." Lucis held out his hand.

He certainly had chosen the right place, but Evabelle suddenly felt rather foolish taking his hand and dancing in silence. Did she really believe she would actually hear music with anyone? Now that wish sounded like the whims of a child. It had been written by one, after all.

Lucis took a step forward and Evabelle a step back. With his hand on her waist and the other in her own hand, he led her across the mossy stones in the secret garden. They continued a few more steps in the excruciatingly awkward silence. Evabelle couldn't look Lucis in the face, so she stared at his shoulder and prayed for something to say.

Evabelle wasn't in love with Lucis. She had figured that she would actually hear the music when she was in love with the person. It was true that she cared about Lucis a lot, but it wasn't like that.

The warmth of Lucis and his breath stirring her hair was making Evabelle want to break away and run. Maybe, if he opened himself up to her, perhaps they could— A glowing ball of light zipped above them. Evabelle gasped and looked up. Another starry beam soared overhead, along with another and another. A soft, sing-song laugh tittered behind Evabelle. She turned her head and saw a glowing woman encompassed in the bullion radiance.

A Fairy! Evabelle hadn't seen one at Kalas Hem, but there was no mistaking them. The fairy looked very much like the pixies, except she was taller and more graceful. Her kind eyes sparkled as she beamed at Evabelle and Lucis.

Lucis leaned down to whisper in Evabelle's ear. "By bringing you here, I may have cheated a little."

Evabelle finally looked back at him, confused. He winked at her as hundreds of shining fairies streaked over them, showering them in a glittery light that tingled as it touched Evabelle's skin. She gazed up at them, star struck. Their tiny voices did almost sound like a song. They circled around the pair, over and under, left and right. For several moments they blocked out the sky and flowery garden around them. Evabelle wrenched her gaze away for a moment to look at Lucis, to see him grinning at the brigade of fairies and the spectacular light show they created.

"This is...I can't even begin to describe...just how amazing this is." Evabelle said in awe.

"It gets better." Lucis murmured as the ocean of glowing beings thinned. He looked down at the ground, and Evabelle followed suit and felt her stomach drop out. The pair's feet were no longer resting in the cool grass, but hovered more than twenty feet in the air. The garden no more than specks of color making the rainbow of flowers and plants. The fountain looked like a shiny coin, glimmering up at Evabelle as a plummeting sensation began. She cried out and clung to Lucis, who only laughed. How had she not noticed her feet leaving the ground? Admittedly, she had felt rather light, but...

"Lucis!" Evabelle gasped, her arms wrapped firmly around Lucis's neck. "How did you—" Then she caught sight of his wings. They weren't flapping at all. They remained still and relaxed, just like the rest of his body.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of heights." Lucis said jokingly. He reached up and gently unclamped Evabelle's hands from around him. He beamed at Evabelle's shocked face. "Fairy dust. I'm assuming you've heard the stories."

Evabelle's eyes darted around at the fairies that still hovered nearby. They nodded at her, insisting her not to worry.

Slowly, Evabelle released Lucis's hands and allowed herself to float on her own. She didn't fall to her death. That was good. "I'm flying?" She whispered.

Lucis shook his head. "Not exactly. There's not the most control this way, but I thought I'd give you glimpse of—"

Evabelle felt her mouth split into a huge grin. A loud call of laughter escaped her. She spread her arms and moved them as if she were swimming. It worked! She moved to the right. She did it again and returned to the left. She laughed again, causing her to rise another few feet. "This is wonderful!"

She leaned back and several fairies darted forward, guiding her into a slow graceful back flip. She looked back at Lucis, who was beaming at her with his eyes bright. When she looked at him, he held out his hand again. "Shall we continue our dance, now?"

Small hands pressed against Evabelle's back and gently urged her toward the angel boy. Evabelle took Lucis's hand, unable to drop the smile on her face. "This is the most spectacular thing that anyone has ever done for me."

Using his wings and a little assistance from the starry men and women that swayed around them, Lucis led their dance in the night sky. At first Evabelle had trouble adjusting to the new atmosphere, and Lucis's grace was not easy to duplicate, but each time he spun her out and she twirled back to his side, it became easier. At one point, Lucis tossed Evabelle up into the air, and she rose slowly, but with one flap of Lucis's colossal wings, he caught her. Her heart soared, and she forgot all about the awkward beginning of their dance. The thought of the mission tomorrow had fled long ago. Never had Evabelle felt so free. She spun away from Lucis and climbed higher into the sky. Turning her head she gave Lucis a teasing wink, feeling giddy. He grinned and streaked toward her. They both laughed as he crashed into her, causing them to spin many times in the air as his arms wrapped around Evabelle.

The pair slowed and Evabelle's gold eyes shone into the azure. The calm flow the fairy dust caused in the air added to the sudden moment where everything seemed to fall away. Now, Evabelle felt herself unable to look away from Lucis. Those eyes were enrapturing. She remembered thinking she would hear music, but it was a silence that was far better and breathtaking. Normally being like this with any guy would have made Evabelle turn as red as a tomato and want to bolt. It was true that Evabelle's heart pounded in her chest, but it was different. She didn't want to run. She longed to get closer. She wanted—

The wall broke.

Evabelle saw the barrier in his eyes crack like glass. Lucis's warm smile fell to gape openly in shock, and the two of them plummeted more than half of the way down. Evabelle screamed and held to the angel, air rushing around them. Lucis spread his wings and slowed their descent until they landed a little roughly back on the grounds of the garden. He stumbled away from Evabelle, who stared up at the fairies that were zipping around in a panic. They all flew off in different directions, their high cries of alarm, even from the distance, managed to reach Evabelle's ears. She rounded on Lucis. "What's happening?" The peaceful serenity of the night, evaporating like a puddle on a hot summer day. "Why...?" She trailed off as she saw Lucis. His back was to her as he stood arched over the silver fountain, gripping the sides so tightly, his knuckles turned as white as his feathers. He was shaking, and she could hear his heavy breathing. Evabelle ran forward. "Lucis!" She cried. "What's wrong?" She reached out to touch him but he whirled around so suddenly, causing her to take a step back.

"I'm fine." He rasped. Then he cleared his throat and straightened up. "It's getting late. We really need to get some rest. Come on." Without looking at her, he strode from the hedged off garden and plowed toward the house.

For a moment Evabelle just gaped after him. Something had just happened. Something about Evabelle really seeing the real him, had shaken Lucis. But how could something like that freak someone out that much?

She shook her head, her hands feeling sweaty. Rubbing them anxiously on her pajama pants, she took another sweeping look of the garden. The magical feeling had been replaced by an overbearing chill. In one of the shrubs, where the fairies had returned to give the plants their mysterious glow, Evabelle caught sight of one of the little beings peaking out; before their faces had been elated with animated joy, but this one stared out of the bush with wide eyes as if she had seen a ghost. When the pretty maiden saw Evabelle watching, she bit her lip, and looked as though she wanted to say something to her, but then one of the fairy's friends pulled her away, deeper into the foliage.

Evabelle shook her head and stood up straight, now feeling spooked herself. Glancing up ahead, revealed that Lucis was nearly back to the Sanctuary. He hadn't even waited for her. She pulled herself away from the garden and began to race after him.

Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Lucis was good at hiding things, but something had happened that had changed him. Evabelle thought of his laugh and his sky blue eyes that for one brief moment had caught a glimpse of what lay beyond. Even the small hint of light she had seen had her craving more. Evabelle clenched her fists and set her jaw as she ran. Her determination roared to life. She was going to tear those walls down revealing his light and there was nothing that could stop her.

~(A/N: Alright here's a bit of Luvabelle action for those of you who like them...so what did you think? What do you think happened with Lucis?? What do you think he's hiding??? Anyway just please vote and comment with any suggestions or anything you want (no insults though, that's just rude :b)

Challenge of the night...it's a toughy...

Would you rather have a hot sexy kiss in the rain, or have a beautiful fairy dust dance in an enchanted garden? (I'll let you choose any guy (or gal) from the book to do which ever one you chose to do 'said' thing with ;) )~