Edward finished his song and walked out into the moonlight where Donald sit, still smoking. He lit his own cigarette again and sat next to him, at least for the company. He stared up at the moonlight as Hex jumped in his lap for a nap. He stoked her head and thought about how f-ed up this day had been. Oh well, he thought, there was always tomorrow. He knew Dawn and Adrian's secrets through his Third Sight, but he'd never tell them as much. Hell, he thought, we all have our problems. He took a long drag off his cigarette and continued looking at the moon, waxing full. He felt the fire in his eyes as the anger and frustration over the day's events consumed him inside. He could control his anger after this long, he knew, but not without stress to his body. He figured most of the power he'd used today would result in some gray hairs in the morning, but he didn't care. Fact was, he didn't care about much at that point. He just wanted to finish his smoke in peace.

"Oh Adrian." Dawn wanted him to forget, but a part of her mind (The part Jacobi influenced) knew she may one day want this as black mail. She killed the thought: that would never happen.

He couldn't let go of her. He was stuck on her. He felt his hand rubbing her shoulder again, under her shirt once more. He quickly pulled it out. No...not again...

Dawn looked up into his face. Her eyes seemed more orange than usual as she stared at him. Dawn leaned up and kissed him.

He felt it again. The rush of heat...she kissed him,and he felt as if she was sucking the air right out of him.

He wanted to do something, but in a public hallway. Two students had already walked passed and taken great care in noticing how they'd kissed.

He couldn't resist the urge...so he hoped she could.

Dawn did pull back, reluctantly. But she just kissed him again.

He fell over on top of her, and they were on the ground, rolling against the pillar, kissing, once more, like time had no meaning. He couldn't stop anything. He didn't want to...but in a hallway...come on...he wanted this...to get back at Jacobi. He hoped he was still in her mind...feeling this right now, being tortured by it yet again.

His hand ran across her back again. Once more...under her clothing.
He stopped.
'No', he thought to himself, 'last time...it ended too badly.'

He pushed himself away from Dawn and stood up, brushing some dirt from his pants and sitting down on a bench. She looked dissapointed.

He didn't want her to get the wrong impression. He didn't love her just for that. It wasn't all about that. No...it was more what was on the inside that mattered. They had just been so blind...he was sure she ever meant to sleep with him in the first place. He didn't want to do it again for some time...he refused to let Dawn think that was all he cared about.

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Her lip gloss shone on his skin. He thought back to when he first saw her, through the eyes of a tortured child. Was she this beautiful then? It had seemed so, but he had misunderstood her...he thought she meant him harm, but all along she was trying to help.

He touched his finger against the back of hand, swirling some of the the gloss around on his forefinger and touching it back to his lips. It tasted like cherry. He liked cherry.

Thats when he realized he was hungry again. He needed to eat, and stale bread wouldn't cut it anymore. But he didn't want to leave Dawn alone. Perhaps she would come with him.

Then he thought about Donald. Donald loved Dawn too, and Adrian was sure there was part of Dawn that found him attractive. Adrian owed Donald, something...anything. He had saved Adrians life. The only thing he had now was a guitar Donald gave him, and Dawn. The guitar wouldn't do, but Adrian couldn't let go of Dawn.

But he didn't want Donald to hate him...to despise him for what he'd done. He was afraid it was already to late for that. He would have apoligized, but he figured it wouldn't do any good at all. It would only hurt Donalds pride to act like he didn't hate Adrian now.

Then he felt something in Dawn. I lingering thought. His memories were connected to it. She wanted Adrian to forget...but there was something else. Black mail?

His heart throbbed...would she? He felt betrayed for a split second...but then forgot about it. She couldn't do that...they were in love? Right?

Dawn shouldn't think of the dream. Not about Donald's kiss. No, she was with Adrian. Long ago, she would have kept them both. But she wasn't that person anymore... Was she?

Donald finally spoke up after minutes of silence.

"You ever get the feeling we'd be better off at home, left to our own devices?"

He was thinking about jail. He'd be guaranteed shelter and food. Okay, so his size would probably make his showers hell, but whatever. He'd deal. But he couldn't go. For his mom. She tried everything she could to get him here, to pay the tuition. They were a poor family, but she dealt drugs to help get him here. He was here off of dirty money, and would probably use his control over Earth to make dirty money.

But such is life.

"Hey, I gotta go. Seeya later." Dawn started walking away. 'This can't happen to me, not again. God, I hate this.' Dawn sighed and headed for Donald. They needed to talk.

Donald heard her coming. He heard the shoes hitting the ground as she rounded the corner.

"I'm guessing you think we need to talk?"

"Yeah, we do."

Dawn sat on the ground and looked at him. "Why are you so mad at him?"

"Why do you think? As far as I'm concerned, I just adopted him as my brother, so he goes and sleeps with you. No mystery there. I save his life, I take away Alexander from him, which in turn kills me. Which, by the way, was completely and totally painful. I died by drowning on blood that I was coughing up. It was like being killed by tuberculosis in an hour. But anyways, look how that ended up. Was there any question how I felt when I asked Earth to make you a ring? What else is there to talk about. I'm pretty sure that was spelled out rather perfectly."

Dawn winced. "Then why did you tell him that?"

She was having second thoughts...he knew it. He would have followed her, but he refused to do that. He refused to listen in on her thoughts too. He knew where she was going...but not what she was doing with him.

If she wanted him, then he deserved her. He wasn't even sure he deserved her himself. Donald would be better for her.

He walked away, somewhat angry, but mostly depressed. It was for the best. His happiness was gone...she had lied to him...

He was hungry, and the dining hall was open.