Genesis stared at the scenery flashing by her as she crossed the border of the Hawkdale Region, a large sign proclaiming they were now in the Falk Region.

Tears leaked down her face, her bloody, bandaged feet pulled up onto the seat of the bus.

She had no clue where she was going, only that she was getting away from Finn.

Running away from her past.

Like always.

The bus wasn't that full, so no one really noticed the silent sobs coming from the purple-eyed girl sitting at the front of the bus. She was invisible, and that was just how she liked it.

Genesis closed her eyes, ignoring the odd painful sensation in her chest as she slipped into a deep sleep, only to be woken a few hours later by another woman taking the seat next to her.

"Hello..."

"Umm... Hi?" She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"Damien, stop glaring at her." The woman scowled, her murky blue eyes staring at the man who, rather begrudgingly, took the seat on the aisle next to theirs. "It's not her fault we got on this bus at a later stop."

"But I wanted to sit next to you, Lib..." He pouted.

"Please ignore him." The redhead sighed. "I thought he'd gotten over the overprotective caveman stage of our relationship a few hundred years ago..."

"Overprotective caveman stage...?"

"You know..." She smiled. "The first bit of time after you meet your mate - when all they do is growl at anything that comes close to you." She pointed at her collar, to where Genesis's own Mate Mark was showing. "Where is your mate?"

"Not here."

"Oh, so you're running away from them."

"How- What? No!"

"You're a terrible liar."

"Stop being mean to the poor girl, Liberty." Damien sighed. "Some men can be complete you-know-what-..."

Tears rolled down over Genesis's cheeks. "He didn't do anything. It was me..." She closed her eyes. "I did something bad to his family before I even knew him..."

"And now you're running because you're afraid to face him..." Liberty smiled sadly. "He probably doesn't even know that you're the one who hurt his family, am I right?"

Genesis stared at her in shock.

"I've been alive for a good few hundred years, kiddo." She said. "I've seen stuff. A lot of stuff."

"Am I doing the right thing...?"

"Well, all you're doing is prolonging things..." Liberty shrugged. "He'll catch up to you eventually."

"And when he does, you'd best hope he's not the really possessive type... and you'd best hope he hasn't marked you." Damien chimed in, weaving his fingers through his mate's.

"He hasn't."

"That's good." Her red-haired companion said, relaxing back into her seat. "That means the effects of the separation won't be as severe, although you will probably have a nice long make-up smooch."

Damien peered past her, his eyes locking on her shadowed purple ones. "How long had you been around him for...?"

"What is this, Damien? An inquisition?"

"I'd only been around him for a few days..." Genesis said, hugging her knees.

"So, the Bond between the two of you is very weak." Liberty smiled slightly. "That's lucky in some ways... The effects will be much less severe, seeing as how you aren't technically trying to fight the Bond."

"Yay me."

Liberty chuckled.

"What about you...?" Genesis turned the topic of the conversation away from her. "Why are you heading to-... Wait. Where is this bus even headed?!"

"We're going to Stonewall."

"Oh." She stiffened.

It was probably the second worst place she could've picked.

"We're going there for a group meeting... not to mention I want to go and pester some of our old friends..." The redhead grinned toothily, a dangerous gleam in her eyes. "You can tag along if you like."

"Huh?"

"From the fact you didn't even know where this bus was headed, I'm guessing you got on a random bus with no plan in mind other than escaping your mate." She sighed, leaning back into the comfy seat, staring at the red curtains that matched the interior of the bus quite nicely. "It might be dangerous, tagging along with us, but I've taken a bit of a liking to you..."

Genesis blinked.

"Not in a creepy way or anything." Liberty waved her hands in front of her. "You just remind me of my daughter... She'd be about your age, I believe."

"I'm nineteen."

"The exact same age, then." She said, her shoulders sinking slightly. "I've also got some business in Stonewall regarding her, too."

"Are you sure, Lib?" Damien glanced over at her. "She could get caught up in something nasty..."

"It'll be nice to have some female company." Liberty smirked, her murky blue eyes teasing his brown ones. "What's up, Hun? You jealous...?"

"Hardly."

Genesis smiled slightly, staring at the mated couple, rubbing her chest as she felt that odd pang in her chest again.

"I'm doing the right thing." She whispered, biting her lip to try and hold back the flood of tears ready to burst. "He'll hate me if he finds out the truth..."

An arm wrapped around her shoulders. "Shhh." Liberty patted her on the back. "It's OK... You'll be OK..."

Damien stared out the other window, his shoulders sinking as he spoke. "Nothing stays buried forever... You know that, right?"

Muffled sobs met his ears in answer.

"You know." Liberty said, all the while patting her on the back. "I've just realised I never got your name."

"Genesis." She lifted her purple eyes up from the redhead's shoulder. "My name's Genesis."

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