The sun was about to set when we finally decided on a reasonable plan to get the heck out. My first impulse was just to make a run for it. But that would have caused more trouble with the rest of the people and probably Stefan would have to hunt us down. Then Zoe suggested we actually asked Stefan to let us go, but I shut that idea down. There was no way he was letting us walk. No matter how much of a friend he had been to us, he was a soldier first.

It had been a few hours before we finally agreed. We had to sneak out. And in order to do so, we had to cause a distraction. After what seemed like an endless brainstorming session, Grayson suggested we use the flare gun that was always in the truck. It was a great plan. The light from the flare would be enough to distract everyone so we could make our exit unnoticed. But we still had to get our hands on the flare gun. There were four of them in total, one with each guard, one with the driver and a backup gun beneath the passenger's seat of the truck. It was plain luck that there were four of us too. Each of us would try to get their hands on a gun and fire it, so in the midst of the confusion we could sneak out. The rest of the plan consisted mainly of non-stop running until we reached Las Vegas.

Unfortunately, in order for our plan to work it meant it had to be dark. So, we waited. Hoping that by some random chance of luck the angels wouldn't make their appearance before the night.

We watched as the sun disappeared little by little behind the mountain hills on the west. Everyone was fidgeting, unable to stay in place. I, on the other hand, was as still as the night sky that was now above us. I took a brief notice of the faint stars, trying to recognize any constellation when I realized it had been so long since I stared at the night sky that I couldn't anymore.

"Are you ready?" I whispered. All three of them nodded as one. "Good," I said eager to get this thing going. "Tommy, you get the gun under the seat," I started recapping our plan. "Zoe, you try the driver, I think he had a crush on you, back in the day," I commented and her cheeks flared red.

Grayson seemed uncomfortable but didn't say anything. I gave a mental smile before continuing. "I'll take Stefan. And you," I said turning my attention to Grayson, pointing my index to his chest, eyeing his golden sword. "You take the other guard." He nodded in agreement and we all moved in our different directions.

I found Stefan standing in the middle of a human circle. He was probably trying to reassure everyone about what was to come and what needed to be done. He probably added a few words about the people going back to the headquarters and how they should carry on with their lives and duties.

"We all have a role to play. Our community cannot thrive without the help of each and every one of you." I heard him saying when I got close enough. I smiled at how well I knew him. Thrive is a bit of an overstretch, I thought to myself though I didn't voice my opinion.

His speech came to an end and the people around him cheered and clapped even though it seemed forced. It was hard to keep your hopes up in a world where everything came crashing down, and humans had no power over anything not even their own demises. I started clapping slowly, watching his every move. My eyes traveled to his waist and the flare gun hanging from his belt. How on earth am I supposed to get it?

Before I could even register a plan, Stefan's eyes found me at the far end of the crowd. He excused himself from the human circle and walked slowly toward me. His steps slow but sure brought him to a stop right in front of me. He scratched the top of his head, looking down at me. "Did you like my speech?" he asked with a crooked smile on his face.

I shrugged. "I've heard it before," I commented dryly but when his eyes turned serious I added with a smile, "It was as inspiring as ever."

The grin returned to his face. "I thought so."

We stood there for a few silent moments. My brain was working feverishly to find a way for me to get my hands on his flare gun. But I noticed that he just stood there, watching me, studying me.

"Something wrong?" I asked, suddenly aware of his eyes on me. I tucked a blond strand of hair behind my ear, my eyes finding the floor fast.

He didn't speak but I could tell he was shaking his head. That was when an idea popped in my head. I knew how to take the flare gun from him. Even though I hated it, it was the only thing that would surely get me the gun.

"Can we talk?" I asked him staring up at his bright eyes.

"Aren't we talking right now?"

"I mean alone," I said and nodded toward where I was standing a few minutes ago staring at the stars.

He nodded and started walking with me on his side. Every few steps we took my eyes dropped on the flare gun at his waist. Can I really do it? I wondered. I tried to find the determination I needed as we reached our destination.

Stefan didn't talk, instead he waited for me to take all the time I needed and start talking. I took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to pull through, if I could pull through. But it was already decided. I needed to do this for Zoe, for my friends.

I turned my eyes toward the night sky, and smiled. "You know I used to be able to tell all those constellations apart. Now they are just random stars for me." From the corner of my eye I saw him staring up.

"I was never one for astrology. I prefer the earth to the sky." He slowly put his hands to his waist stretching his torso with one huge breath. "Anyway, neither matters anymore."

I started at him confused. "What?"

"Sky or earth, neither belongs to us anymore. The angels have destroyed both. They have destroyed us." He looked down at me with a serious expression.

I wasn't sure if what I saw was anger or sadness or plain defeat, but either way I took a step closer to him and placed my hand on his broad shoulder. "I thought you said we need to keep our hopes up," I tried smiling but it hurt my face, so instead I frowned at him.

"That's for them, kid. You know that, right? It's not for people like you and me." He stared down at me waiting for my reaction that never came. I kept my face neutral. I couldn't watch him, Stefan, the one person who was always there to bring hope to our lives, fall apart. He flipped his head toward the sky. "We know how it's going to end, kid."

I felt the tears welling up in my eyes. If I started crying now, everything would be over. It was true, anyone with a functioning brain could see how everything would end, but that didn't mean I could accept it. It was in my nature to try to change the things I didn't like. I remember my dad telling me once that we should all accept the things we couldn't change, the things we had no power over. But I was never one for following advice.

Instead of falling to my knees accepting defeat I focused on the task ahead. "Yeah, sure," I said trying to sound uninterested. "By the way, you know I am not a kid anymore." I elbowed him playfully. Something that seemed so out of character to me, it was no shock he turned to stare at me confused.

My breath suddenly caught on my throat. "I mean I am 19 years old," I muttered dropping my head, staring at my feet. "I am not the little kid you had to protect all the time." The memory of his body standing between me and the dark angel popped in my head. I pushed it away. It was no time for distractions. I had a mission. "I mean..." I trailed off since I honestly didn't know what I meant.

It was only a second before I felt his hand on the top of my head. I snapped my head back surprised. His eyes were reflecting the light from a thousand stars as he stared at me, a huge smile on his face. A real smile, not one of those he used for his speeches. "I know that Reegan, but you'll always be that brave kid that faced a dark angel and lived to tell about it."

Warmth washed over my body originating from his hand that was still resting at the top of my head. I blinked, it was the only thing I could do at the moment. Brave. Stefan thought I was brave. I never thought myself as brave. Driven, yes, but never brave.

He cleared his throat at my obvious confusion. "But you are right. You are not a kid anymore." His hand slowly moved down my hair, fingers brushing through my locks.

I froze. My plan was working. Wasn't that what I wanted? Yes. So, why was I suddenly freaking out? I tried to make my mind snap back in action but it was pointless. I just stood there blinking, one heavy breath coming out of my parted lips after the other.

When my brain decided to start working again I registered his hand that was now resting at my back. I wanted to shrug away from it, make up a silly excuse for my behavior and stand at least a mile away from him. My body ached for some distance between me and Stefan, but my brain pushed me closer to him. Flare gun, I need the flare gun.

Stefan was studying the million emotions that were evident in my expression. I managed a dry swallow before I ordered my body to turn so I could face him completely. My arm somehow found its way toward his chest, resting right above his heart. I could feel the strong pulses coming beneath his skin. They were just as fast as mine.

His free hand worked its way gently up my bare arm finally coming to a stop at the side of my neck. His eyes were now filled with hunger.

How could I have missed that? All the time we had spent together I had never once saw this hunger, this need. Liar, my brain echoed. You knew. That's way you are standing here now. It was true. I always knew. I always saw the way Stefan looked at me. The way his hands ached to touch me. But I always kept my distance. I always told myself that there was no reason for me to get involved with someone in this fucked up world of ours. But standing only a few inches away from him, our eyes locked together, distance was the furthest thing from my mind.

It's now or never, I pushed the thought in my blurry mind.

I started taking a shaky step toward him but as I moved Stefan closed the distance between us with one quick move claiming my lips. His kiss was nothing I expected it to be but everything I needed. His lips moved soft and slow over mind, taking their time as I melted into his arms. After the sock of being kissed left my mind, all my thoughts were taken over by the sweet taste of his lips. I slowly opened my mouth letting him deepen the kiss. When his tongue found mine I felt sparks all over my body. For a brief moment I felt more alive than ever.

So that's how it feels like, a stray thought found its way in the blur of emotion. After a few more passionate moments more thoughts started registering in my mind. Don't just stand frozen, touch him. I followed my own advice and let my hands slide down his torso coming to a rest at the small of his back. It seemed like moving only made him deepen the kiss even more purring all his emotions toward our connected lips. I felt his hands travel over my body, sometimes resting on my cheeks, others encircling me in a tight hug.

It was hard to know how much time had passed since the kiss started. We never ever broke our connection for air. But at that moment I felt like if his lips moved away from me I would surely die. My fingers grabbed his shirt holding on for dear life. That's when I felt it jabbing at my elbow. The reason why all this was happening. The flare gun.

Stefan felt the change in me and pulled away, but only enough for our lips to part. He rested his forehead on mine and breathed in my sent. "I am sorry, I shouldn't have done that," he said but still didn't move away, his hands were clinging to my loose locks of hair. I didn't open my eyes but I still felt his tongue watering his lips. A shiver took hold of me.

No, I commanded myself. I need to do this. Get a hold, Reegan.

"You have no idea how long I waited for this." Stefan's words echoed in my brain.

I am such a terrible person. I shouldn't have done this. The place in my elbow where the cold flare gun touched me burned with anticipation. I have to, though.

I shook my head slowly, unable to find any words. I knew that if I started speaking I would probably change my mind. So instead I pressed a hand at the back of his neck, my other ready to grab the flare gun. He inhaled sharply as he felt my willingness.

But before we could close the distance between us once more, before I could even move my fingers toward the flare gun, the night turned into day. We both turned surprised to watch as the flare propelled toward the stars. Stefan's face became all business in an instant. "Stay here," he commanded me in his usual no bullshit tone. Even if I wanted to move, my feet were rooted in place. It took me only a few seconds to realize what was happening. It was time to go. I bawled my fists burying my nails in my skin, the pain made me snap out of whatever trance I was in. I gave one last look at Stefan's back as he run to find what was going on, a heavy feeling resting at the pit of my stomach. Ignoring it, I turned on my heels and started running toward our meet point.