We'd left Karmen's in the morning, the realization that I'd see my sister that afternoon creating an infectious energy inside me. I could hardly keep still as we ate breakfast or when we loaded up our bags and left the cave once and for all. I practically led them back up the slope where the dove waited with the pilot sipping his coffee.

I strapped myself into the vest in the plane beside Cybele for this ride, feeling too awkward to endure too much closeness with Finn. Just the idea made my stomach churn as I put on my earmuffs. Was it a good kind of feeling?

It seemed like a pretty good one because whenever he looked at me, it made a weird nausea rise in my chest and I had to fight a blush from rising on my cheeks. It was so aggravating that he could just look at me, and now, all of a sudden, I couldn't help but think about... other things.

Particularly about the fact that maybe in the future, we'd... have sex if I were to get pregnant and have Finn's clone copy. 

My mind wandered a little too far at times and I had to think about the least attractive things possible to calm myself down. I spent a lot of the plane ride looking at Raphael.

Cybele fell asleep and of course, so did the black haired guardian, leaving only Finn and I awake. I was intent on avoiding his eyes like the plague. I'd closed my eyes, pretending to go to sleep just so that I couldn't focus on his hair or the fact that I really wanted to touch it. How had I missed this attraction to him all this time? I'd never felt any of this desire until after that walk in the Pearl.

I guess the shift to Gabrian had been traumatic for me, especially considering Leighton had screwed me over and broken my heart. That was probably the reason; I wasn't looking for anyone else and wouldn't let myself even think of new possibilities.

Now that Leighton was a distant memory as the situation had flipped 180 degrees. I was imagining what Finn's lips felt like instead of worrying about my past.Where was all this... need coming from? I'd never experienced something quite like it before, not even with Leighton.

I'd liked him a lot, but it was never as aggressive or urgent as it was currently with Finn. Leighton and I had been a soft love, shy and sweet as we slowly started to inch into the idea of one another. We'd been cautious and unsure until we weren't, but it hadn't lasted long enough.

Leighton had been a sure bet, the guy everyone saw me with in the end. I'd received enough teasing from the other Benton Brothers to know that they all were fully aware of what Leighton and I did in our free time. 

Plenty of jokes were made from their end, and lots of death threats from mine. They'd only wink or smirk, spit out some line about how smitten I must be or make a sexual reference that would make me want to be swallowed up in a hole rather than sit under their suggestive stares. They all respected that Leighton wanted me and backed off completely. Everyone of them pictured the two of us ending up together.

But, then we hadn't.

Finn was just... different. I had absolutely no idea if he felt the same way about me as I did for him. This whole crush had hit me like a freight train picking up speed to arrive at its destination on schedule.

He hadn't made any suggestive comments or given me any of those looks Leighton used to make when he wanted me. All the boys in East Sector and Ultrona made their feelings and lusts known by trying to grope me or by catcalling from across the street. They'd make comments about my body or try to pin me in a corner.

I got very talented at weaving my way out of many bad situations. I didn't want Finn to be like those types of people, but his calm disposition didn't give me very many answers. His feelings were a mystery.

But maybe he'd felt it too, the crazy, wild emotion that was tearing me to pieces after the clothe had been removed from my eyes. I cursed Karmen for exposing me to these feelings and allowing me to see my future. 

I liked him a lot, and it was terrifying because I wanted to be with him and yet at the same time, the idea of letting him get to know me was daunting. Leighton had really hurt me, and I just didn't know if I was ready to be vulnerable to the same kind of pain all over again even if I did like Finn more than I had Leighton. That could only mean it would devastate me more, which I couldn't imagine being possible after how much hurt I suffered through already.

I didn't want to be in love again. I... I just couldn't...

I needed to decide if this was what I really wanted, or if I'd let myself slide into this situation because the pearl told me so. The future fluctuated, Karmen had warned, and now was the time to test it. Maybe I didn't want a future in Gabrian.

But, did I really want a life without these people? Raphael? Cybele? Finn? I could see his warm face inside my head and it made me melt. The pleasant scent radiating off his body was enough to make me feel intoxicated. The attraction was there. Maybe it wasn't as fake as I wanted to paint it after all.

The idea only made me wrap my arms tighter around my body as I kept my eyes closed, taking a deep breath as a shiver ran through me. It was cold on this plane. I guess I'd been snuggled up with Finn last time so I hadn't noticed.

With courage, I opened my eyes, adjusting my earmuffs and pulling my legs up tight against my chest for a chance at warmth. I realized then that Finn wasn't in his seat, the vest undone and the guardian nowhere to be seen.

I sat forward, looking around the hanger. The door to the cockpit was open I noticed, and Finn stepped down from the set of stairs, laughing about something with the pilot.

He had a giant water bottle in one hand as he turned, his eyes settling on me. Those blue eyes read me like a book as he moved, pulling a blanket out of one of the storage containers in the wall.

Finn walked towards me, extended the fuzzy blanket  as I took it with a smile. He returned my grin before walking back to his seat. Was that friendly? Was it more?

Clenching my jaw, I ignored my thoughts and wrapped the blanket around my body, snuggling into its warmth as I hugged it close to my face. My eyes glanced up, catching Finn's eyes still lingering on me. He didn't even look away, only giving me a smug smile before resting his head against the wall of the dove and closing his eyes with a deep breath.

What did that mean?

I shook the thought away before it opened too many doors as the rumble of the plane began to die. We were going to land soon.

Cybele and Raphael were awake with the shaking, strapping themselves back into their vests as the dove started to descend. The rumbling began again, making me close my eyes shut as the engines roared to life before we hit the ground. The wheels squeaked as the brakes pulled the dove to a halt. Everything went quiet.

The ramp clicked when it began to lower to the ground, and this time I was up and grabbing my things along with the three guardians as we unloaded from the dove.

I sucked in a breath. We'd landed in the field, the field where I'd run from the Guard a long time ago. I turned around, the giant shadow of the city still looming on top of the rocks as a smile spread on my face.

Home.

I walked forward through the grass, gazing up at the familiar patch of rocks that formed the path up into the city. It was the trail where Malaki and I had gone before so long ago.

Turning to look over my shoulder, the three were scanning the area, alert and ready for any possible threats. The sound of the train's horn made them each tense, only causing a smile to rise on my lips.

"It's just the freight train." I told them, each pair of eyes looking to me. "It doesn't stop this time of day." My eyes lingered back to the dove, a shield coming around it so that it turned invisible to the eye. Perfect.

"We can head up along that side..." Raphael pointed in the wrong direction, and I gave him a smug smile.

"That's the long way, Raphael." My voice earned me a glare as I pointed to the other side. "There's a better path along that way with a lot less foot traffic. Come one, let's go."

I started to walk across the field, listening to their scurry of boots behind me.

"Wait, we need to scan the area..."

"You can see and hear threats coming from any direction because of the valley shape and the echo off the rocks." I replied over my shoulder. "We are perfectly fine. Trust me, we've tested this plenty and it is as accurate as it gets."

"Is anyone else concerned that she's leading us off into who knows where?" Raphael was complaining and I turned around to face him, walking backwards as I narrowed my eyes.

"Trust me like I trust you. Remember, I told you I'd come back and train if I saw my sister. I'll hold up my end. I didn't survive here without a little faith in my friends."

I faced back forwards, leading them through the tall grass towards the rocky path leading up into my city.

We slipped into the city unnoticed, each of the guardians throwing on dark cloaks to hide their wings. They'd draw in attention and I didn't want to risk it.

While the fire had changed plenty of the buildings, the roads and alleys were still the same as I guided the three through the back paths of old Ultrona. Except, the issue was that my old house no longer stood.

"Dammit, she's probably across the river." I muttered, staring at the burnt frame of my house with a sad pang in my heart. "The Capital most likely, and the only way is through Main Strip." I turned back to Cybele, Raphael, and Finn.

"So, you're only per say 50% sure where she is and you want us to frolic around looking for her?" Raphael sneered, "just rich! Demon attack is inevitable!"

"Stop it!" I hissed, "I know where she is if it survived the fire." Glancing down the alley way, I had a better idea. "Stay put."

"We do not just 'stay put'." Raphael snapped as I walked across the street, turning over my shoulder to look at him.

"He doesn't like a lot of people so he won't come out unless I'm alone." I pulled out a couple bags of food from my sack, gripping them in my fist.

"We aren't letting you go without us." Finn followed me, the other two trailing behind as I sighed.

"Fine. Just don't talk to him."

I walked down the alley way, taking a sharp right and then a left as I followed the path up to the main hub of East Sector. I prayed on my life that he was still at the same corner, and that he was still alive too.

The alley was coming up and I glanced back to the other three, holding a finger to my lips. They halted, watching me as I stepped around the corner and sunk into a crouch. I placed my fingers into my mouth, letting out a soft whistle followed by a long second and a short third.

Licking my lips, I squinted my eyes into the shadows and waited. The silence made my skin crawl until a familiar four beat whistle made a smile spread over my face.

"Mikey!" I stood up, hurrying down the alley before a hand waved behind a giant stack of cardboard. There he sat with a big smile on his face as I hugged him tight. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"I thought you were dead, kiddo." He patted my cheek. "The Benton house burnt to the ground, so I was worried about you."

"I've been gone for a while. And that's the information I need, Mikey. Where's Matilda? Have you seen her or Malaki? Any of the Bentons will do." I extended the supple bags of food and he opened them, eyes widening with joy.

But his eyes lost their sparkle as he froze, pointing past me. "There are people following you, Kate."

I turned over my shoulder, the three guardians trailing behind me looking particularly spooky in their cloaks. Looking back to Mikey, I smiled. "They're my friends and they were kind donators of this food. You're my eyes and ears, buddy. Where are the Bentons?"

He licked his lips, glancing into my eyes. "I haven't seen Matilda or Malaki. The only Benton Brother I've seen is..." He raised an eyebrow, making my smile fall.

"No, not him."

He nodded, "and he was headed for the pub not long ago. If you hurry, you might just catch Leighton and he can tell you where they are himself."