Hi everyone. Sorry for the delay. Admittedly, I've been busier than I ever have been. My daughter is about to be one here on September 1st, and she is increasingly mobile and with that comes more supervision. My writing time is limited to her nap times, and whenever I can steal a few moments. Between that and work being slammed for at least a few more weeks, I've had little time to write. Couple that with terrible writer's block with this story (and admittedly One More Night as well) and daily housework, I've gotten little done. The good news is that I will have a week of "vacation" coming up next month while I go on a business trip to Las Vegas with my husband. The baby will be in safe hands with my parents, and I will be free to write when I'm not possibly having dinner with his acquaintances, or hanging out with my best friend who lives there too.

Anyways, I'm terribly sorry it has taken me so long to get this chapter done. I'm admittedly not happy with it, but I figured I should just post it and worry about possibly heavily editing it later. I think we're about halfway through this story now. The good news is that I at least have everything planned out, so I just have to get some motivation and time. Thanks again for your patience. Here's Chapter 14.

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Holly had decided that everyone should return to their normal lives for a moment, and attempt to get some rest before the next bit of the operation. She had some serious reporting and investigating to do back down in Haven now that the first siege was over. Alex was overly ecstatic that Holly had found her gun during the reconnaissance at Ortherion's headquarters, and had been the happiest of the humans. They had several members of his crew in custody and hopefully they would have some answers on his plans and whereabouts soon.

So Diana, Artemis, Butler, Alex, and Sebastian were all riding in Artemis' car on the way back to the school, or rather the coffee shop near Sebastian's apartment. Since he didn't live on campus like the rest of them did, he had asked to be dropped off there. It was a fair suggestion, since Artemis wasn't wanting to deal with the man any more than he had to. The back of the car was packed and silent. Sebastian and Alex sat on one side, while Artemis and Diana were on the other, snuggling close together as they slept quietly. It was enough to make Alex and Sebastian both uncomfortable, despite the fact it wasn't like they were doing anything other than sleeping.

Alex decided to break the unnatural silence in the backseat with some sass. "You're such a copycat, I hope you know that."

"What do you mean?" Sebastian questioned.

Alex crossed her arms and huffed. "You totally stole my signature head butt move."

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Sebastian said with a shrug. "Definitely hurt, but it definitely helped vent some of my anger."

"I was content with my fly tackle," Alex said.

"You can fly tackle?" Sebastian asked.

"It seemed like a good idea," Alex mocked Sebastian. They were silent for a moment longer as they came into town. Sebastian casually moved his hand over Alex's and twined his fingers around hers. Alex enjoyed it for a moment and welcomed it as his thumb rubbed against the side of her hand. Then she caught herself. She pulled her hand away and shook her head. "We have to talk."

He sighed impatiently. "After everything we've been through you still won't admit that you like me, not even just a little bit?"

"No," Alex answered quietly. She hated that she was a bad liar.

Sebastian saw through it, just like she knew he would. "Well we're not through working with each other, so maybe we should talk about this. Come with me to my place. We can talk there."

Alex's brain wanted to say no. As far as she knew this could be a trap. Yet, on the other hand, she knew this was a conversation that needed to happen whether she wanted to have it or not. Not to mention, Diana and Artemis were both sleeping so it wasn't like they would be much for company once they got back to the dorms.

She sighed. "Alright. Fine. We'll talk."

The car pulled into the alley and Sebastian and Alex exited the car, and started to walk towards his apartment after Alex assured Butler that she would be fine. After what seemed like a never-ending five minute walk, they arrived at an expensive looking apartment complex. Sebastian unlocked the door and led her up to his large apartment on the top floor. After unlocking one more door, he opened it to reveal a very open and modern apartment.

Alex took it all in. This was very different than the small dorm room she was used to sharing with Diana. There was a large living room in front of them and a full sized kitchen to the right with a bar dividing it from the living room. To the left was a lovely dining area, and just beyond that was a hallway she believed to lead to the bedroom and bathroom. The wall opposing the door was nothing but windows covered by vertical blinds.

Alex glanced around and took off her hoodie that she had recovered from the shuttle on the ride home. Something about all this seemed super suspicious. "How can you afford all of this?" she questioned. "You're supposed to be a broke ass college kid like we are. Well... except Artemis. He doesn't count."

Sebastian set his keys on the table by the door. "I've made some choice investments and sold some very expensive merchandise," he replied with a shrug.

Alex rolled her eyes. "You mean the things you've stolen."

Sebastian changed the subject much to Alex's annoyance. "Your gun is showing."

Alex turned to face him. "You already know I have one so it's not like I need to hide it. It's not like it's going to surprise you."

Sebastian shook his head and made his way to the bar and began pulling out glasses and select brands of liquor. "Care for a drink?" he asked as he dropped some ice in the glasses.

"What exactly do you think is going on between us?" Alex asked, ignoring his question and jumping right to the point. They were here for a talk, not to drink. Although she would be lying if the latter didn't sound delightful after all the hell they had been through the last couple days.

Sebastian poured a light brown liquid into the glasses. "I know you feel something for me," he went on, glancing up at her.

"I hate to disappoint you but you're sorely mistaken," Alex said coldly, hoping that she could bluff her way out of this. "There is no evidence to prove that."

Sebastian approached her with the glasses and handed her one. "There was something in that kiss that you didn't want to be known." He took a drink. "And in that room you were so gentle when you didn't have to be; you obviously care about me."

"My feelings aren't important," Alex shot back. "I don't even know who you are, Sebastian. Everything I know about you is based on a lie."

"My name is Sebastian and I was born in Dublin. My mother died when I was ten and my father was a drunk," he began, slowly walking towards Alex as he explained. "In order to survive I made a living for both my father and I on thievery. At first it was just general pick-pocketing, and then it progressed to shoplifting, then museum and bank jobs."

"I don't need to know your life story," Alex muttered before completely downing her drink in one gulp. The scotch burned in her chest and she was glad that it warmed her up.

"I used the funds I earned from that to pay my way through school to get away from all that," Sebastian continued, stepping closer. "I knew that I needed to change, no matter how difficult the transition to an honest life may be."

Alex rolled her eyes. "You are just like Artemis. He said he was on the straight and narrow too, and well, here we are."

"No," Sebastian finished his drink and reached back to place it on a nearby table before he placed his hands on either side of her on the wall, blocking Alex in. "I'm better than he is."

Alex looked him in the eye as she reached for her gun. Sebastian caught the movement and pinned her hand behind her back. Alex gasped slightly, more out of shock than pain. Alex needed to hide behind her gun so she could maintain control of herself. His sudden control of the situation was making it very hard for her to deny her feelings and her hormones.

"You can't hide behind that forever," His face was incredibly close to hers. "You'll run out of bullets eventually." He pulled her close against his body. Alex couldn't speak; all she could do was try to struggle from his grasp.

"We're two completely different people! It would never work!" Alex tried in a last attempt, trying her best to wiggle away from him, but her efforts were futile despite him not holding her tightly.

"Stop denying yourself!" Sebastian shouted back. "You are the only thing I have ever wanted this badly! There isn't a moment that passes that I don't think about you or what we could be."

"I hate you!" Alex fought against him as tears streamed down her cheeks. He had made her come to this place of anger and affection that she didn't want to go. He made her realize her feelings for him that she never wanted to come to terms with. This was madness.

"Well I love you!" Sebastian admitted.

Alex couldn't control herself anymore. This was a battle she was just going to have to lose. She lifted herself and forced her lips against his with such intensity that it almost knocked Sebastian backwards. Sebastian let go of Alex's arm and the gun fell to the floor. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her up and her legs wrapped around his waist tightly. Sebastian kept one hand on her legs to help keep her up and the other was tangled in her hair as he pushed her lips against his more.

This was the worst time for her to be falling for someone, let alone one of the guys who caused this whole debacle in the first place, but here she was. And there was no place Alex would rather be, even if this ended in tragedy.