Norah hadn't used the small tub for a bath yet, but she was thinking it was going to become a regular thing.

Her skin stung, the water too hot and Norah clenched her hands, breathing sharply through her nose as she waited for her body to become accustomed to the water. The lavender scent of her bubble bath filled the room and her body started to relax as peace stole over her.

The sound of her laptop playing music drifted through the closed door and she closed her eyes, enjoying something she hadn't done in a long time. Gradually, thoughts started drifting in and she processed them slowly, her fingers playing with the bubbles.

Norah felt terrible for Madison. The girl had obviously been head over heels and with no one to talk with, it was any wonder she hadn't gotten over him yet. They all treated her like a porcelain doll that would break at the slightest mention of Parker.

Norah opened her eyes, looking at the ceiling. She was only a doll because they had made her that way. The phone started ringing and she ignored it, knowing it would go to the answering machine. She wanted to help Madison get through this grief that had been eating away at her for nearly ten years. Grief was paralysing, and Madison would never be able to move on with her life until she dealt with it and to deal with it, she needed someone who wasn't afraid to show a little tough love to get her there.

She heard the beep of the answering machine and zoned it out, sinking lower into the tub. She would have to have a talk with Wendy about helping Madison. She knew they were best friends and she was sure she could convince Wendy to help. Feeling satisfied with her decision, she blocked out all other thoughts, allowing herself to simply enjoy the water.

Every now and then her characters would start playing on her mind, potential scenes drifting through her head and she allowed them to play out, sometimes changing a moment or two, or ditching the scene when it didn't properly reflect her character's personalities. Eventually the water started to cool and Norah climbed out, her skin beginning to wrinkle. Grabbing her towel, she padded through to her bedroom and quickly dried off, slipping into a pair of black shorts and purple singlet. The air was beginning to grow cold so she threw on her large grey sweater which hung down to her knees and pulled on a pair of pink and white bed socks. Her outfit was completely mismatched but she didn't care. Comfy clothes didn't have to match, that wasn't their job.

Feeling warmer, she went out to the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea before grabbing her computer. As the kettle boiled, the song changed to, 'Fly me to the moon' and Norah felt her heart twist. Leaning against the counter, she stared into space as she smiled softly.

She hadn't listened to this song since her father had died. And before that, when her mother died. It had been her mother's favourite song. Norah had so many memories as a child, of sneaking down the stairs long after her bed time, and watching her parents dance in their living room to this song. She used to poke her head around the corner, fascinated at the sight of her parents dancing to such a pretty song. On several occasions she had gone back to her room and tried to imitate their steps with a teddy bear as her partner, but it was never the same.

She had often longed for the day she was old enough to dance with someone like that. Now that she was old enough though, she had no one to dance with.

Norah's smile faded as the kettle whistled and she poured her tea, wondering if she would ever find that someone special to dance with. The flashing light of the answering machine caught her eye and she pressed the button, moving across to the table to grab her laptop when her insides turned cold.

"Hey, Norah. It's Alice. Now listen, don't get freaked out, but Daniel stopped by today. He was trying to be subtle about finding out where you were the little shit, but I managed to scare him off. Ray said I shouldn't tell you.."

The rest of the message fell on deaf ears. The cup slipped from her fingers, clattering to the ground and smashed to pieces. She didn't bother trying to clean it up, her mind was only focused on one thing; Daniel was onto her. If he had started hovering around Alice, it was only a matter of time before he figured out where she was.

Panic crept through her being slowly and started to hasten as her mind went through different scenarios of Daniel finding her. A little piece of her sanity told her that she was still safe, she hadn't been found, but the rest was determined that he was on his way here now.

Caught in her fear, she spun around and dashed to her room. The knife was still sitting in her bedside drawer and she clutched it tightly, hands trembling. Idiot! It won't help you, the sane part of her mind argued, but Norah wasn't listening. She couldn't see past the fear clutching at her chest, making it difficult to breathe and she stumbled into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. She managed to lock it and slid down onto the floor as a panic attack set in.

Breathe. Norah had had a panic attack once before; during her final year of school, her English Lit exam had been a killer and the night before she'd suffered a full blown panic attack. Except back then, Adam had been there with her, his voice a soothing anchor, calming her worries and easing her through it. Right now she was all alone.

Breathe, she instructed herself. Her chest tightened painfully, her breath coming in short audible gasps that pulled at her lungs. With each pull, her panic grew and tears blurred her vision as she rested her fist against her chest. Closing her eyes, she tried to recall Adam's face, his gentle tone telling her it would be all right. Just focus on your breathing, Norah, don't think about anything else. Just in and out.

She focused on those words, forcing her body to follow their instruction. Minutes passed and the tightening in her chest began to fade. Her breathing gradually began to even out and then finally, it was over. Her body trembled with exhaustion and she curled her legs up, burying her head in her knees. Her eyes drifted shut and she continued to focus on her breathing, only one thought passing through her mind.

I wish you were here, Adam.

*                             *                             *                             *

She was running, she didn't know why or where, but her feet kept moving forward, the panic in her chest warring with confusion. What was she running from?

"Norah, come out and play..." The words were light and accentuated, causing the panic to heighten and her breath to quicken.

Daniel.

"You know what I want, Norah. Just give me the diamonds and then we can have some fun..."

Her feet moved faster, arms pumping and looking around, she realised where she was - Bellvale Forest. She wasn't completely sure, but she hadn't been in many forests in her life and it was the first one that came to mind.

She wanted to turn, to see if he was getting closer, but her head refused to move to look behind. She heart footfalls, keeping pace with her own and her breath started coming out in short gasps, fear overriding her common sense that this was a dream.

"Norah."

The voice came from right behind her and shrieking, she fell to the forest floor. Her body finally turned and she backed herself against a large tree, the bark cold against her back and she finally came face to face with her nightmare.

Daniel looked the same; sometimes people would appear more evil, or darker to signify a person's fear of them in a dream, but he hadn't changed. Did that mean he was terrifying enough as he was? He crouched before her, leaning back on his haunches and his mouth was stretched from ear to ear.

"Dear, sweet Norah," he shook his head in mock disbelief. "You can't escape me."

"This isn't real," she whispered. A wolf howled in the distance and a strange hope flared through her - Rylan?

When he didn't appear, her hope faded and she jumped as Daniel touched her knee. "What's wrong?" he chuckled. "Are you afraid of the big bad wolf?"

Daniel lunged at her, his mouth elongating, teeth sharpening and he growled as suddenly it was a wolf, biting her throat -

"Norah!"

Her eyes flew open, she was surrounded by white and a large figure sat in front of her. Not thinking, she shrieked, "No!" And shoved her knife at her attacker.

A hand grabbed her own, stopping its advance and she met a pair of shocked pale blue eyes.

"Rylan." Her mouth opened in panic, opening and closing as her eyes moved lower to the kitchen knife protruding from Rylan's chest.

"Norah," he winced. "Calm down. That noise you're making is going to rupture my ear drums."

Small shrieks continued to make their way from her throat, she was too shocked to absorb Rylan's words. "O-Oh my god, I'm so sorry -" she tried to move the knife out and he hissed, holding her hand tighter.

This only made her shriek more and she released her hold completely, hands covering her mouth as tears started pouring down her face. "I have to get you to a hospital!"

She tried to move, but Rylan pushed her back against the wall. "It's all right, Norah."

"I stabbed you!" she cried, and he rolled his eyes.

"I got that part, trust me." Gritting his teeth, he pulled the knife out in one quick movement and she sobbed as the knife clattered on the floor. "Norah," his voice was gentle. "Look at me."

She raised her eyes from the blood covering his shirt and met his eyes. They were calm, with no fear. "Trust me." He reached down and tore his shirt open until the wound was fully exposed. Her breathing increased in tempo, and Rylan grabbed her trembling hand, covering it with his own. "Just watch."

Her eyes were glued to the wound, unsure of what she was meant to be waiting for, but it only caused her panic to grow as the blood continued to ooze out. She wiped her eyes angrily as tears blurred her vision, and Rylan eventually reached out with his spare hand and started brushing them away as they fell.

Norah didn't pay attention, her focus only on his chest. She was ready to drag him to a hospital before he bled to death when her breath caught in her throat. The wound began to stop bleeding and edges appeared to be getting smaller. Mesmerised, she watched as the wound continued to grow smaller, her breathing beginning to slow and the tears eventually stilled. Rylan's hand continued to stroke her cheek, his eyes solely focused on her.

Her breath hitched as she found herself staring at bloodied skin, the wound completely gone. Shaking, she reached out with her free hand and felt his chest. It was smooth, the skin only stained with blood, and her fingers kept moving over the spot, trying to make sure it was completely gone.

His stroking had ceased and his thumb pressed into her jaw line gently. "Norah." His voice was deeper, and she finally managed to tear her eyes away from his chest and meet his gaze. His eyes were warm, and strangely close.

She suddenly realised what position they were in but she couldn't bring herself to move. "I'm so sor-"

"Shh." He shushed her apologies, his fingers gently brushed her cheek and leaving a trail of fire across her skin. "Norah," he murmured. He moved closer, and without realising, her breathing stopped completely, their noses almost touching and her eyes started to close - "Why are you hiding in the bathroom with a knife?"

If ever there was a way to wake Norah from the daze Rylan had her in, that question did it. She moved her head back, hitting the wall and yanked her hand from his, removing herself from his touch.

"It's nothing," she lied, reminding herself to delete the message on the answering machine. "I was researching wolves and I heard a howl and freaked out. I came in here and fell asleep."

Her lie was mixed with truths, but the look in Rylan's eyes said he didn't believe one word of it. "You want to stop feeding me bullshit and try again? Why were you -"

"I told you! I just got freaked out. Now can we drop it, please? I need to move, my lower half has gone numb." She started to stand, and Rylan beat her to it, wrapping one hand around her back and the other under her knees, picking her up. "What are you -?"

"Shut it," he said shortly. Moving from the bathroom, he carried her to her room and dumped her on the bed. "You should sleep."

"But I have to make -"

"I ate earlier." He said coldly, reading her thoughts. "Get some rest."

She grabbed his shirt as he tried to turn and her eyes travelled back to the gaping hole. "I'm sorry."

The words were whispered, filled with defeat. She was sorry she had stupidly hurt him, sorry she couldn't tell him the truth, and sorry because he knew she was lying. He walked out, and she stared at the door, unsure what to do.

He returned moments later and threw a small object at her. It hit the mattress beside her and she looked down. "You didn't get one, did you?" She shook her head, quietly picking up the mobile phone.

"My number is already in there," he explained. "Don't lose it and keep it on you at all times."

She looked up to say thank you, but the words died on her lips. His face was closed off, and she didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure why she cared that he didn't like her lying.

In the end, she nodded and looked away. Rylan walked out to the kitchen and she heard the front door open and close. Her fingers moved over the edges of the black phone, she pressed button on the side and the screen lit up, a picture of a white flower the background image.

She hated lying, it had never been something she was comfortable with. Normally, she could push the words past her lips and that was the end of it. But she found she didn't want to lie to Rylan. In the short time she'd known him, he'd done more for her than most people she'd met, and she could see why he would want to know about the knife. But telling him about her brother, about Daniel... she just wasn't ready for that can of worms to be opened yet. She'd already involved Alice and Ray in her mess, she couldn't keep dragging people in.

Her thoughts drifted to his ruined shirt and she frowned. Standing up, she put the phone in her pocket and moved to her closet, searching through a box at the bottom. She threw the clothing on the floor until she found what she was looking for - a large black shirt of Pink Floyd's, Dark side of the Moon. She walked out through the kitchen and stepped onto the veranda.

Rylan was leaning against the railing, looking out at the ocean. "Aren't you meant to be sleeping?"

Norah laid the shirt beside his hand on the railing. "I thought you might need a new shirt," she said lamely.

He grabbed it, lifting it up and his eyes narrowed. "Bit big for you, isn't it?"

She looked out at the ocean, the wind blowing through her hair. "It's my brother's," she said quietly.

"You have a brother?"

She nodded, hands clenching the railing tightly. "Adam."

"Older or younger?"

"Older." She heard Rylan move, changing shirts and she kept her gaze fixed ahead, though her eyes continued to threaten to drift sideways.

"Is he going to come down and visit you?"

She shook her head, her mouth replying automatically. "He can't."

"Why not?"

She didn't want to say, she wanted to keep her problems private, but something inside her was forcing her to tell him, as if it could make up for what she couldn't say. "He's in prison."

She felt him shift and knew he was surprised. "Would not have guessed that. What's he in for, rob a bookstore for you or something?"

She knew he was trying to make light of the situation but it only made her feel worse. "Attempted murder."

She felt him stiffen. "Fuck, that's heavy."

The ball of nerves that had been sitting in her throat slowly started to unravel and she felt the tension leave her shoulders. After saying the words, she felt strangely relieved that someone here knew part of her secret. Rylan stayed silent and she took that to mean he was uncomfortable with the way the conversation had gone.

"I'm going to bed," she said finally when the silence became unbearable. She turned to leave and Rylan grabbed her arm.

"Your brother being in prison - it has to do with what you won't tell me, doesn't it?"

She tried to tug her arm away but his grip was strong. "Maybe," she whispered. She glanced up at him and saw the gears turning in his head.

He let go of her arm and gently pushed her towards the house. "I won't ask anymore tonight, but just remember this, Norah; you can trust me. Whatever the problem is, you don't have to run from it, I'll face it with you."

You have your own problems to deal with, she thought. Instead, she nodded and grabbed the door handle. "I'm used to dealing with my own problems," she murmured before heading inside.

Walking through the kitchen, she didn't hear his last words carried away on the wind. "Not anymore."

A/N - I didn't think I would need to put a note in, but apparently I do. For those who are beginning to demand I update sooner and don't take so long - I will take as much time as I need and if that doesn't suit you, then keep it to yourself. I have a life - just like the rest of you and I have been having problems writing Haven so of course it is going to take time. This may sound rude but the fact that I need to repeat this nearly every chapter is beginning to wear thin.