The night was long and worn out as I longed for sleep to come, Alice had offered to stay in my room again tonight and I accepted yet it didn't help. The terrors my dreams would bring were too much for me to bear and now we are to help those who may attack us in fear.

Worse is that I'm in charge of my clan, their behavior, their duties, the supplies as well. "Can you please try to sleep, Jace?" Alice cuddled up with me and yawned.  "Let me guess, you can hear my thoughts?"I sighed, a little bit annoyed that my private thoughts weren't private with her around.

"Yup, don't complain. You love me anyways." She said cheerfully. I blushed and stayed quiet. "Cat got your tongue?~" She slipped her hands under my shirt, feeling my abdomen and chest. My body got goosebumps and I tried taking my mind somewhere else but I heard her giggle and Alice started slipping off my shirt. I turned around and kissed her but removed her hands and smiled. "Nah uh uh uh... Not tonight."

She pouted. "Why don't wait till I pop the question? It's not that long from now." Her eyes became glassy with tears and she smiled. "Okay. I love you." She whispered and closed her eyes. I closed mine and kissed her forehead. I soon drifted off to sleep and dreamt about Alice and I in a field at night time, under the stars. We ran up a large hill in the countryside and kissed each other at the top. I got on one knee then my dream faded and the dawn came.

I opened my eyes and saw two silver ones starting at me and a smile. "You meant it..didn't you?" Alice asked, a little dreamily and with a glint of hope in her voice. "Yes, I wouldn't lie about it." I sat up and looked outside, it was still dark due to a storm which had rolled in recently by the looks of it.

"That's something I get to rub in Grace's stupid face." She muttered. I glance at her. "Hey, she hasn't ever overstepped her boundaries." I paused and thought about it. "Yet." We said in unison then giggled.

We stared at each other with utter adoration and warmth, in other words love. I got up and started packing. "Alright, enough lovey-dovey. We gotta pack and get on a plane " Alice rolled off the bed and flopped on the carpet. "Ugh, but I don't wanna. I wanna just kidnap you and keep you here with me, let all the political crap go with the others." She whined. She already mentioned that the relief project was most likely a bad idea because of the other people who didn't care or would start a fight. She was also afraid of someone attacking her, she still has a delicate and fragile nature despite her power and our training.

I went over to her and sighed. "If you don't get up, I will toss you on the bed." Alice groaned and got up. I kissed her lips and put my arms around her waist. "Thank you, you're such a dear." I said playfully.  "Mhm, you're a jerk." She smiled. I shrugged and put on a leather jacket with a white T-shirt and jeans. Alice blushed and looked away while I was changing. "So, you still think it's a good idea? I mean if something happens, it's gonna be bad and our fault." I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"Is the anxiety talking or are you? Have a little faith in me, Alice." I patted her head. She pouted like a little kid. "...Don't pat me like that, I'm not a little kid."  I hugged her and fell on the bed with her in my arms. "Oh my little Alice! You are adorable." She giggled and looked up at me.

"Why do you have to be so tall?" She complained about her height. "I don't know, short and tall couples are cute." I giggled and cuddled up with her. "We gotta go soon Rose." Her silver eyes sparkled at me as she stuck her lip out one last time. I sighed and nuzzled my nose into her hair.

"Nice try honey, but we're still going." I chuckled softly and gingerly stroked her cheek with the back of my hand. She sighed dreamily and kissed me. "Fine, only because I love you and don't wanna be away from you."  I smiled, blushing. I adored her saying things like that, I found it cute. We finally got up and exited the mansion with the rest of the clan. We boarded several planes but only clan leaders and their plus-ones sat up front in a completely different section. I had to sit with the First clan's leader and his girlfriend.

"Ugh..for someone with power he had to bring her.." Jeremiah's girlfriend whispered. I turned to her. "You probably don't know Alice very well then, Ms. Kendrick." She flinched and looked down. "Sorry."  Jeremiah sighed.

"You barely know her. I thought you were done with that gossip stuff." Jeremiah looked at Serena with slight dissapoinetment. "Sorry about that, Serena listens to the popular opinion too much. Finally, Jason Lai Wood. " He grinned and shook my hand. "I didn't know I was such a big deal to you." I said with a crooked smile, nervous. Jeremiah did mention that he enjoyed war and other hostile activities and for him to even defend me or Alice was unsettling.

"You fought off ex-military criminals from blowing Jacksonville sky high, a whole three squads with grenade launchers and bullets. Some of them were Gifted and you fought them off, defused that bomb, and still escaped the cops! You're a legend to me and I look forward to the tournament. No harsh feelings, but I won't hold back from anihilating you." He smiled with unnerving sincerity behind it.

Suddenly, I felt uncomfortable being in the same place as him. The atmosphere around him was hostile and bloodthirsty, he looked like a rabid dog. He studied me before meeting me, he didn't vouch for me at the ceremony out of kindness. I am his target. "None taken, I look forward to the tournament. It's been awhile since I have fought anyone." I grinned back then leaned in Alice's ear. "You know what he's thinking right?" Alice nodded and scooted right up against me, nervous.

It was going to be a long ride.