Nic was confused for another brief moment before he got it. He paused as he tried to make sure he got the words right. "... I'll... be ready whenever you are," he explained quietly.

Laurel paused a moment, "I... am still a little scared," she admitted after a moment, "But... I really love you, Nic. And the more you tell me, the more I seem to love you." she whispered as she leaned a little closer. "But there's... one thing that's still really... bothering me."

Nic seemed rather hesitant. But after a long moment he asked, "What?"

"Why did you take that drug?" she barely whispered.

Nic relaxed a little after Laurel had asked the question. He took a few moments to think through his explanation. "I was indirectly responsible for Ming Yue going into that coma," he explained. "I had to try to help her - she was my sister."

"Then... why didn't you just tell me that?" Laurel stated, "If I would have known that I..." she sighed a little. What was past was past.

Nic thought about it a long time before shaking his head. "... You didn't get my note," he observed.

Laurel slowly frowned, "Note?" she whispered.

Nic sighed a little, wondering who had read it.

Laurel paused a minute before pushing slowly away from Nic and cussing, "... I'm so stupid," she whispered.

"No, you're not," Nic reassured Laurel. "... I... should have just told you," he told her quietly.

Laurel stroked his cheek, "And I should have just trusted you," she sighed.

Nic didn't say anything, but he rubbed Laurel's good shoulder a little.

Laurel smiled a little, "So... kiss me already," she ordered.

Nic raised his eyebrow a little before slowly moving in and kissing Laurel passionately.

Laurel returned his kiss a little more tenderly, still a little cautious. "I... love you Nic," she barely whispered as she kissed his neck.

Nic sensed the caution and toned it down a notch. He put his hand on her waist and kissed her forehead a bit before whispering back, "I love you... Laurel..."

Laurel seemed to melt as he spoke, she really lived hearing him say it. Slowly she started let her remaining guards down, allowing herself to trust Nic as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back passionately.

Nic did a little better job of gauging where Laurel's comfort level was. But he pushed at it a bit, hoping she'd become more comfortable.

After a few minutes, he pulled away a little. He seemed to feel a little guilty for pushing Laurel so much.

"It's okay," Laurel whispered as he pulled away, "I want you too." She scooted over into his lap before sweetly and a little awkwardly trying to push some boundaries herself. What she lacked in experience she made up with the purity of her love.

Nic encouraged Laurel to do her own thing for awhile. And even though she was less experienced, none of the little things seemed to be lost on Nic as some more of his boundaries started coming down and he began to express a little more emotion. But before his shirt came completely off, he picked Laurel up and started walking off to find a room.

Laurel didn't stop kissing Nic as he picked her up, or even as he started walking. She was completely engrossed with him.

Nic quickly walked through the maze a little while before coming to a mostly clean suite. There was a slight smell of tart coming from the kitchen. He had probably cooked the tarts in the kitchen. He passed a pile of his normal clothes on the ground as he took Laurel to the bedroom.

Laurel didn't seem to even notice as she continued to embrace Nic.

So Nic took Laurel inside and closed the door behind him.

--

Raven had left the gun range shortly after Laurel. He continued to keep out of sight though. After sneaking some dinner, he had found himself in his secret room where he had taken Wolfe for their date.

It took Wolfe awhile but eventually he came to the secret room and tried to open the door.

The door was open. And it sounded like Raven had found an old guitar. He was rusty, but it sounded like at some point he was at least a descent player. He was playing the tune of one of the current popular breakup songs on the radio and singing along every now and then as well. He didn't seem to know all the lyrics.

Wolfe watched silently from the doorway for a long moment before slowly walking over to him, his footsteps actually making sound. "Don't give up on me," he said quietly, managing to not sound completely pathetic.

Raven started a little and stopping as he glanced back. "... Huh?" he asked, seeming a little out of it.

"Why we're you in the gun range?" he asked quietly.

Raven was silent for a moment, strumming a few random cords. "... I was practicing," he replied.

"You hate guns," Wolfe stated almost blankly but with a bit of confusion showing.

"... Yeah," Raven confirmed, but he didn't explain.

Wolfe shook his head a little, "Don't try to change yourself," he muttered, clearly unhappy.

"... I have to change a bit," Raven disagreed. "I at least have to try to learn how to defend myself if I'm going to stay here; whether it will actually do any good or not."

Wolfe watched Raven for a moment longer before walking over and sitting beside him. It didn't take long before the leader mask fell off and the hurting Wolfe appeared once more, "Thanks... For being willing to do that," he murmured.

Raven didn't say anything, still hurting himself a bit. Even though he had already started to learn, he still seemed to have a lot of reservations about ever using a gun. Something else also seemed to be bothering him.

"There are ways to protect yourself other than that," he stated quietly, "Ways that won't kill."

"... I don't think a tazer would ever do me much good," Raven replied with a little sigh.

Wolfe shook his head, he wasn't talking about a tazer. "I'll show you," Wolfe said quietly as he stood, glad he could focus on Raven's problems instead of his own.