"There's only room for one hero in this story-and everyone knows the devil doesn't get to be the good guy." 
-Joe Hill

The school Angel and Devil were late to sixth hour.

At first I was worried, that was before I realized I had literally nothing to worry about because they banged the door open and strolled in -both silent with blank looks.

And the movie was boring, I was still frowning while my eyes struggled to stay open.

My conversation with Jessamine made me so tired.

As I watched the guy chase the giggling girl through the park I slowly start to drift off to sleep.

Suddenly my phone goes off, making me jump. Scrambling into my pocket as the class turns to look at me, I quickly stand as I recognize my cousin's number. Pointing towards the door my teacher nods and I quickly stumble outside. 

"C-Cameron." I stutter, my tired voice betraying me. "You...okay?" 

"Ems?" He says slowly. "How tired are you?"

"Pfft," I tilt my head towards the hallway ceiling. "Not tired at all. What's up?"

"I'm sort of in the hospital but-"

"What?" I shout, clamping my hand over my mouth. "Which one -Do your parent's know? How hurt are you? What happened?"

He laughs, but that only increases my worry. Cam laughs in the most serious situations and has a hard time keeping a straight face. "Calm down, I'm fine." He backtracks. "Well, almost fine."

"Almost." I say, my voice a tired squeaky. "What does that mean?"

"It means I got into a small teeny tiny fight with a German Sheppard that looked misleadingly nice and he clawed my chest and bit my arm." My mouth drops at his words, images of blood instantly fill my mind. "So I need you to come and bail me out of the hospital before my dad finds out." 

I take a deep breath, clenching my fists. "Text me which hospital and your room number. Idiot." 

"Aw, that's my favorite cousin." Cameron coos at me. "I love you."

My heart clenches at the words, imagining who else I could say them to as I respond. "I love you too. But you're still a idiot." 

"I know," He laughs, hanging up. 

I bang the back of my head into the lockers, exhaling deeply before I slip inside the classroom and go straight to the teachers desk. The stupid sub is asleep, making me roll my eyes as I switch courses to my desk.

Xavier is sleeping when I past him, I don't know why it feels like we're in the middle of a argument but it does. 

I hate that feeling, that maybe he'll ice me out again.

With a clenched jaw I silently pick up my bag, I make my way out of the class -surprised when a hand pulls on my elbow. 

Ripping myself from who I see now is Cal I exhale in relief, giving him a weird look. "What?" I snap, highly strung after Cameron almost gave me a heart attack.

"Where are you going? If he wakes up and sees your gone I'll be the one he's asking." He explains, making my frown deepen.

"Hospital, I have someone there I need to pick up." I tell him. "I'll be home tonight, you don't have to look so freaked out. Tell Jessie would you?" 

He nods, but looks reluctant. "Who should I say it is?" 

I begin to walk again, throwing Cameron's name over my shoulder.

"You're such a idiot." I hiss at Cam, punching his shoulder the second I see him. "What made you think you could go up to a random dog and start petting it?"

He should know better then this, working on our grandparent's farm every summer for almost two months gave us both knowledge about animals. He should have known.

Tears prick my eyes as I realize how badly he could have been hurt.

Animal attacks are serious things.

Dogs can kill people.

As he engulfs me in a hug I start to pound on his chest. "What the fuck Cam? What were you thinking? You could have been seriously hurt! Do you know how I would feel if you let yourself get killed because you wanted to pet something? God you're so stupid. So fucking stupid." 

"Ems," Cam grabs my arms, holding me still. Instantly I glare up into familiar grey eyes. "Calm down. I know it would suck if I was seriously injured but the important thing was that I wasn't."

"Yeah," I say, trying to control my emotions. The one thing I can't deal with is people hurting my actual family, Jessie, Cameron, my grandparents, Julian and slowly Cal and Xavier. "That would suck."

"Now I need you to do some acting," He fishes out his phone, handing it to me. "My dad knows I wasn't in school but I need an actual excuse as to why and a reason I need to stay the night with you. By the way I'm spending the night with you." Cameron grins, I narrow my eyes at him.

I told him Monday I moved out, and I know he really just wants to check out Jessie's house. 

"Fine, phone." 

He places it in my hands, I unlock it- -him being my favorite cousin too we're pretty close, his she beast of a sister will never be my family. She hates me, is a common bully- -and call his dad.

"Cameron," Uncle Wyatt says. "Why weren't you-"

"In school?" I interrupt, adding in a fake sniff as I glare at a smirking Cameron. "I'm having a really bad day a-and Cam drops everything f-for me. He's helping me s-so much." I sniff again, making my voice come out shaky. "C-can he please s-spend the night?"

"Emmeline?" My uncle asks, quickly catching on. "Are you okay? Of course he can. Tell Jessamine I said hi, get better." His voice instantly changes, always having a soft spot for me. 

"T-thanks." I say, quickly saying goodbye before I hang up. "You're a dick for asking me to do that Cam."

"I know Ems," He plants a kiss to my temple in a brotherly way, making me smile. "But you love me anyway." 

Soon he's discharged and we get to leave, it's around one in the morning and I was already tired so I end up falling asleep in the car. My poor- -I honestly have no sympathy- -cousin has to give me a piggy back ride to Jessie's front door.

"Just knock." I mumble. 

"Her parent's are still gone?" He asks, I nod. "Cool."

Cameron bangs his knuckles on the door three times, tightening his hold under my knees as he feels me start to slip. In response my arms slung loosely around now grip him so I won't fall. My head falls onto his shoulders and I rest my eyes, feeling my exhaustion take over.

Hospitals can do that to a person.

"We don't have much longer before you can sleep, hang in there small one." His voice is teasing as we hear loud and cranky footsteps. "I believe in you."

"Shut up, idiot." I half heatedly insult him. "I can't believe in you anymore. You're the one that let a random dog attack you."

"I didn't let it attack me." Cam defends himself. "It just happened."

"That's what she said." I mumble, hearing the door open I lift one eyelid to greet my livid best friend. Her anger is quick to leave when she sees how tired I am, empathy cracks her mask. "Hey," I croak. "I'm sorry it took so long."

"Don't be, you look horrid." She giggles after accidentally offending me. "Come in Cam, I'll get you some of Jules's things to sleep in. I know usually you'd stay in Emma's room but her boy space friend is in there." The way she says that with a wink makes me flush as Cameron turns to wiggle is eyebrows at me.

"Sounds okay to me, it's time this midget gets some." He says.

 I gasp, hitting his thigh with my ankle. "I'm not a midget asshole, I'm just short."

"Same difference." He snorts, tapping my thighs. "Okay, hop down. It's time we get some rest."

Slipping off him Jessie steadies me, smiling as I shoot Cameron a dirty look. "No more dogs."

He salutes me, a wide grin on his stupid face. "Aye aye captain."

I shake my head, kicking off my shoes before I drag my feet to my door -I barge in before I realize Xavier is on my bed and slightly close it behind me.

Pulling off my jeans I sit on the edge of my bed, rubbing my sore ankles before taking off my bra and slipping into one of my large pajama shirts. 

Yawning while get under the blankets I see how peaceful the Devil looks, stomach down on the bed with his arms wrapped around my favorite pillow his legs tangled in my sheets. 

He groans lightly, raising a lip in a silent growl to protest the movement that's waking him up. 

I sigh, cupping his cheek lightly before pecking him on the lips. 

It's safe to say I was shocked when he responds, lifting his head up to put more force into it. 

"Emma..." He says, confirming the fact that even in his sleep he can recognize me. 

Moving away completely I sag against my pillows, brushing my thumb against his cheek. "Sorry," I whisper. "Just go to sleep."

"You're back." He says, voice husky with sleep. 

"Yeah," I say back, almost interrupting myself with another yawn. 

"Can I hold you?" Xavier asks.

"That'd be nice." I respond, melting as he pulls me under him and encases me with his heat. I hum in contentment and relax completely, letting the weight of the Devil's body and the sound of his raging heart lull me to sleep.

"Ems." Something pokes my cheek, making me jerk awake out of my nightmare. "Emma wake up."

The first thing I notice is the absence of warmth, the absence of Xavier.

The second was how close Cameron was to my face.

Yelping in surprise I scramble up, almost colliding my nose into his forehead. "What the hell Cam?" 

"You're pale." Cameron observes. "Jessie told me to wake you up if it got to be eleven so you could meet her at lunch." He explains, I need to go back home too but I just wanted to make sure you got to school okay."

"Thanks," I mutter, feeling strangely dejected. "Yeah, your dad's gonna kick your ass." I grin at the thought.

"Just get ready," My cousin rolls his eyes. "You have to drop me off before you go to school. If you want to make your lunch hour we have to go in ten minutes. Chop chop, peasant."

I ignore this and kick him out of my room, slipping on a long but tight Set It Off long sleeve and some grey leggings I take care of all my bathroom needs and am ready to go before he is. This give me time to lace up my converse instead of struggle my foot into them.

Warning him about animals one last time before I let him go I'm met with a ringing bell as I walk into the office.

My lunch hour has begun.

Making my way to my table I try to manage a smile as I see Jessie and Cal but only manage a awkward grimace. 

I'm always jumpy and act weird after a bad nightmare, my best friend knows this. 

That's why she narrows her eyes at me in suspicion. 

"Stop giving me that look." I tell her. "I'm okay now, really." 

Jessamine gives me a hard look before relaxing, I turn my eyes to the empty spot beside me before looking up to Cal.

"Not here." He says.

I didn't even have to ask.

Swallowing against a dry mouth I nod, "Okay."

After ten minutes of my silence and their conversation Calum shoots me a look, I raise a eyebrow at him. "Yes?"

"It's not because of you." He says randomly. "Zay just has bad trust issues, it took him forever to fully trust me like he does now. The reason he won't date you is-"

"Why are you telling me this?" I ask, thankful for the information either way. "If he wanted me to know something, he'd have told me. I'm okay where I'm at, really. I plan to enjoy it while it lasts, while we figure this out. Let me be okay with it."

"But you should know." Cal persist. "He won't tell you unless you figure out part of it first."

"Then I won't know," I say. "Whatever this is I know it's better coming from him than you. You don't have the right to tell me private things about Xavier unless he said you can."

The Angel sighs, realizing I'm actually right for once. 

"Fine, but you need to talk." Cal says.

"We do all the time." I shoot back, quickly diving back into my world of make believe.