I sit on the dock until the sun has almost completely set. It casts hues of gold, pink, red and orange down onto the water. I watch as the sun falls beneath the waves, disappearing until it will rise again tomorrow. Suddenly my mind is filled with a memory I haven't thought about in quite a while. When I was six years old, I decide to run away. It was probably for some stupid reason, but I was just a child. I had put clothes into a small backpack and ran into the woods surrounding my house. I had been so proud of myself, until the sun started to go away. I had stumbled though the thick underbrush, tears streaking my small face. I had cried out for my parents, but no one could hear me. I eventually couldn't run any further, and collapsed on the grassy forest floor. When I woke up the next morning, I had been so lost. I managed to make my way to a park ranger station, and they contacted my mom and dad. And now, as I stare into the darkness, and the twisting and turning streets of London, I am feeling the same sense of panicked fear that I felt when I was a child lost in the forest. I stand up and try to think about which way I came. But in my mad dash, I had only been focused on one thing. To get as far away from Jem as humanly possible. Wow, I honestly never thought I would think that. I hadn't exactly been paying attention to the direction that I had been running. I walk back up to the road, trying to guess what direction I came from. In the end, I decide to go to the right. I'm pretty sure I entered the dock from that way. I walk down the street, shooting suspicious glances at everyone who passes by me. I am becoming extremely annoyed at this dress, which walks it very hard to walk at a brisk pace. I have no idea how I managed to sprint in it before. The street lamps create soft puddles of yellow light that break though the darkness, and I am very glad that they are there. I walk around for about an hour, until I give up. I see a bench and sit down in it. I put my head in my hands and try to collect my crazy thoughts. I'm coming up with every awful thing that could possibly happen to me, and it's not improving my already horrid situation.

"You look like you've had a rough day." Someone's voice interrupts my thoughts. I turn and see Jem standing under the street lamp, and a mix of relief and dread flood through me. I sit up and lean against the back of the bench.

"I've had worse." I say, staring off into the darkness.

"Some guy break your heart? A pretty girl like you must have someone special." Jem says, sitting next to me. I don't look over at him, but secretly feel an explosion of joy in my chest as he calls me pretty.

"No, not me." I play with the sleeves of the dress.

"Oh?"

"I haven't exactly been looking. Plenty of boys have offered to take me on a romantic evening, but I haven't felt anything for them. I guess I'm just waiting for love like in storybooks. Everyone tells me it's not going to happen. Everyone says I've got to get my head out of my fantasies." I say, looking up at the starry night sky.

"Well, I get the feeling that you're not the kind of girl who listens to people's opinions." Jem says, and I can feel that he is looking at me. I laugh quietly.

"You are quite right." I say, and an awkward silence falls between us. "I...I'm really sorry for kissing you. I mean, I don't regret it, because you're a great kisser, but, um...what I'm trying to say is that I shouldn't have kissed you, because you barely know me and it's probably kinda weird that I kissed you because of that and-." Words fly out of my mouth in a crazy, unorganized and extremely embarrassing way. I'm cut off as Jem lets out a small laugh. I look over at him like he's crazy.

"Aurelia, it's alright. I actually was looking to apologize to you. I thought you ran off because I kissed you. I mean...I'm not exactly...Will." He says, looking out into the street. I'm confused.

"Well, of course you're not Will." I say, wondering what he is trying to say.

"I just mean that Will, well, he's handsome. And I'm....most girls aren't into silver hair." He says with a laugh. If it were anyone else I would have heard bitterness, but with Jem, he said it like he was saying that the sun rose every morning. I shook my head, looking over at Jem with a concerned and fiercely protective look on my face.

"What? Jem, you are easily the most beautiful person I have ever seen. You are like an angel. And not just because of the blood that runs through your veins." I say, and he turns to me. There's a soft look in his eyes that melts my heart.

"You are too kind..." He murmurs, and I'm enchanted by the way he appears to be glowing in the yellow light of the street lamp. I can't help but wonder what exactly I did to deserve being here. It must have been something pretty spectacular. Jem stands up and holds out his hand. "I suppose we had better get back to the Institute and let everyone know to you've been found. Will, Charlotte and I have been searching for you all afternoon." I have a sinking feeling in my chest as Jem says this.

"Charlotte didn't contact the Clave...did she?" I ask warily. Jem shakes his head and I breathe a sigh of relief. I take his hand carefully, and gently. I stand up and we walk to the Institute, which is only a few minutes away from where I was. I guess I was going in the right direction. We're almost at the gate of the Institute when it starts to rain. And by rain I mean that the sky is intent on killing us by pelting us to death with thick, heavy raindrops. Jem and I sprint madly to the Institute doors, laughing the entire way. We push the heavy doors open and run inside. Our laughter echoes through the Institute, and soon enough, Will, Charlotte and Henry appear in the open front room. I suddenly feel really awful. Today is Will's birthday, and he had to spend it looking for me?

"Oh thank goodness!" Charlotte cries. She runs to me. "I thought something awful had happened when Jem came back, telling us that you were gone..." She says, looking me over.

"Oh, no, I'm fine." I look over at Jem, trying to see if he told them what happened or not.

"Oh we've been out all day..." Charlotte says and I sigh.

"I'm really sorry Will. For making you spend your birthday looking for me." I say quietly, brushing my dark, soaking wet hair out of my face. Will shrugs and smiles.

"Well I'm sure you've got a present that'll make up for it." He says and I smile. While I was sitting on the dock, I thought of the perfect gift for Will.

"Why doesn't everyone go and get their gifts, and we'll have cake in the dining room." Charlotte says, and everyone runs off. I run up to my suitcase, and pull out my gift for Will. I grab a pen and write a note on the inside of the cover, then sign my name neatly. Then I grab a bag of KitKat Minis to eat and I go downstairs. Will, Jem, Charlotte, Henry, Jessamine, and Sophie all sit around the table in the center of the room. I sit down next to Jem and hold my present underneath the table.

"Alright, Aurelia. What'd you get me?" Will asks, trying to look underneath the table to see it. "It can't possibly be any worse than Jessamine's gift. Honestly, no shirt should have so many ruffles on it." Will mutters and everyone laughs, except of course Jessamine, who glares at Will. I take a deep breath and hand Will my present. He takes it eagerly. It's a copy of C. S. Lewis' The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. It was what really made me fall in love with reading, and I was planning to read it while my dad and Jacob we're going fishing. I remember being a small child and sitting by the fireplace in the winter, drinking hot chocolate and reading this book.

"It's kind of a children's book, but I love it. I know you haven't read it yet, since, well, it's not published until the 1950's, but I hope you like it." I say, and Will smiles at me.

"Thank you Aurelia." He says, causing me to smile back at him. I open my bag of KitKat Minis and pop one into my mouth. Will looks at me curiously. "What are you eating?" He asks, trying to see. I lift the bag up.

"They're wafers covered in chocolate." I say, and Will looks interested. "Here." I say, and toss him a square. He eats it quickly, and looks back over at me, his eyes staring greedily at the red bag. I laugh and throw the bag to Will, who starts shoving them in his mouth. Everyone starts laughing and talking and I'm absolutely overjoyed. Sitting here, with the characters whom I love so dearly, I feel more at home than ever.