Mad World

Ashleen breathed deeply through her nose as she inched closer towards one of the large windows that looked over the Enterance hall of the large school. She wasn't going to panick. She wasn't. She wasn't. She wasn't.

This wasn't the place to do so, and she had to prove that- that she could live with out Tre, she could walk about without Tre.... she could cope without Tre. She couldn't keep leaning on him, using him like oxygen. IF he wasn't around then she would start to panick.

She needed to get a grip on herself and just... Relax.

However, as she stood by the window, looking up sharply at any footsteps that came by, she just couldn't.... couldn't....

She wasn't sure where Tre had gone exactly... she hadn't exactly meant to lose him but... she couldn't say part of her hadn't been thinking about doing it. She wanted to prove that she could do this - that she could be alright on her own.

The only problem was.... She thought she might be failing miserably.

Ksenia sighed as she rearranged the books in her arms once again. It was almost the end of the year and the OWLs would be upon them soon; she needed to be ready, needed to maintain some sort of stability over what was happening to her.

The Slushatel was making her way from the dungeons to her dormitory when she spotted a familiar figure in the Entrance Hall. There was a shadow hovering over the girl, she could see that because there were plenty of shadows that have hovered over her in the previous few year. What surprised her however was the fact that the half-wit angel was not with the Hitrost girl.

"Ashleen," she greeted as she approached the girl. "Where is your boyfriend?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Her tone was distant as it usually was as she stopped a few feet away from the girl.

Ashleen looked up sharply at the sound of her name, her eyes going wide slightly as she could easily tell the voice wasn't Tre's, and her arms instictually tightening around herself.

She swallowed hard as she took in the figure coming towards her, and had to take more effort that it really should have to tell herself to not take a step back as the girl continued to forward.

"K-ksenia," she said with a slight nod of her head, her voice soft, and eyes still worried. She took a deep breath and tried to act like it wasn't a big deal to be alone - however if even Ksenia could notice that it looked wrong,s he doubted her act could successed. "I don't know; I-I'm a big girl. I-I can mange on m-m-my own for a bit."

She frowned and looked out over the enterence hall. Tre'd probably notice that she was MIA by now.

She bit her lip and turned back to the girl in front of her.

Ksenia frowned as the girl spoke. "What on earth happened to you?" she asked, her voice soft as she took another step towards the girl. This was certainly unexpended. Did she really depend so much on Treshawn for support? It certainly looked like that. She sighed. "Where is Treshawn?" she asked once again.

Ash picked up her foot, ready to take another step back, away from her as the girl stepped forward, she wavered, and almost did it. She was in fact proud that after a moment, and more force than anyone should ever have to put in one action, she put it back down and stayed where she was.

Her eyes widened however at the next question and she let out a small little squeak as she shook her head, "No-no... I can't... n-n-nothing h-h-happened... n-no-" she bit her lip and stopped her pointless protest. "I-I can't... I-I can't..."

She looked the girl for a moment before looking away.

"I don't know," she said softly. "I lost him."

She bit her lip and started to scuff her foot across the ground, watching the action with fascination. She bit her lip and closed her eyes. Her voice when she opened it again was so soft that people who weren't waiting for it, might have missed her say anything entierly.

"They touched me."

"They touched you," Ksenia repeated softly, confirming the girl's words, finally gaining some understanding of what had happened to her. She was so different from the girl she had met before. "It's okay. No one will hurt you here," she said as she raised her hands slightly, almost in surrender. "I understand," she whispered to the other girl. It was probably the most sincere thing she had said the the Hitrost girl.

Ashleen nodded her head, her hold on her self tightening as she heard the words again. Someone they seemed to hit her even harder hearing someone else say it - it was almost like.... someone was confirming it, it couldn't just be a nightmare if other people could say it.

"I-I didn't think anyone would-would then," she muttered softly, as she began to rock slightly on her feet. "I didn't think- didn't think- didn't-" think. She had never thought before she acted. That had always been her problem. She just never understood until this moment how quickly and easily that could backfire on her.

Her eyes flicked up to the girl in front of her; she knew that tone, "Did-did the- someone.... touch you?"

"Yes, these thing come quite unexpendedly," Ksenia said, her tone almost contemplative. "Yes," she said quietly. "Someone did more than touch me." It was easier to remember what Abraxas did to her now. Probably because of the fact that she got her revenge, she ended his life. That was quite a night to remember.

"I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYONE!" The seventh year yelled, his fingers trying and failing to pry Tre's hand from his throat. A snarl flew from Tre's lips, and the seventh year's feet left the ground.

"Blond." Tre repeated. "This tall." He lifted the boy higher, heedless of the girl who was standing behind the boy. "American." He growled.

"She's over there!" The girl yelled, pulling at Tre's arm as the boy's face went blue. "Near the window! Look!" His eyes slid over to the window where he caught sight of a familiar glint of blond hair.

His fingers dropped the boy, heedless of the way he crumpled or the way the girl dropped to his side. He was at Ash's side in a moment, blind to the path of thrown aside students in his wake. His arms wrapped around her, and he held her to his chest, his hold on her tightening.

His heartbeat had skyrocketed, and he didn't notice the tension and fear in him until it was gone.

"Don't scare me like that." He murmured into her hair, his darkened eyes lightening as he glanced at Ksenia before focusing back on Ash again.

Ashleen's gaze remand on the girl, stay now, though not less nervous, "I-I thought they were going to-to... there were so-so many of them.. too-too many... and he was so-so close to-to-"

Whether she would have been able to stutter out what she had thought they were going to do or not, was never found out for the yelling which had started out in a low murmur across the room - far too quite for the moment to crack through Ash's mental lock - increase dramatically, and she flinched back from the sound, eyes immediately drawing away from Ksenia and towards the sound, only she couldn't see very well what was making it. There were too many people in the way...

Or at least, there had been until they all seemed to disappear or get pushed aside.

The young girl let out a slight squeak as she was grabbed, only to relax against the familiarity of the arms around her, and the scent filling her nose.

Tre. It was just Tre.

"I-I'm sorry," she muttered into his shirt, "I dropped- dropped something and then when I stopped to pick it up, you were just... gone..."

She didn't want to admit allowed that after that she had been too afriad to try to follow him where she knew he should have been going. Her pride would not let her say that she was that weak out load, even if everyone probably already knew it with out her saying it.

Ksenia smiled softly, engouraginly as the girl spoke, not wanting her to shut her off. She knew that it was good to get these things out even though she herself did that very rarely.

Her head turned to the side as she heard the commotion. It was Treshawn. She stood still as he rushed towards the Hitrost girl. It was impossible to see how much she was dependant on him at the moment. "Treshawn," she greeted the boy with a slightly nod. "You are in good hands now," she said to Ash, smiling at her slightly. "I will leave you two," she said as she stepped back before turning away. The Slushatel moved down a hallway, thinking about what has become of Ashleen now.

Taking a deep breath through his nose, Tre relaxed slightly, holding the blond against him. He pressed a soft kiss to her temple before seeking out her lips, leading a gentle, undemanding kiss against them. His heartbeat slowed slightly once he was able to feel her against him; accept that she was safe. He would never trust anyone else with her safety. Not until the day he died, and probably not after that either.

"It's my fault." He murmured. "I shouldn't have let you go." His hold on her tightened as the sound of professors pushing through the crowd to try and get to the seventh year reached his ears, and then she was off the ground, cradled in his arms bridal style. He moved away from where they had been standing, carrying her easily from the crowded open space and into a broom closet and closing the door behind them.

"There." He whispered, setting her down on her feet and folding her into his arms. "No one will be able to touch you now. No one but me."

Ashleens eyes flicked briefly to Ksenia's retreating form, part of her wanted to call out a farwell, or a thank you.... or just anything, but nothing came out.

She let out the tiniest squeal of surprise, starting at anything these days, as Tre picked her up, before calming down and snuggling into his chest, not even caring enought to bother watching where he was dragging her to.

Ashleen blinked into the new dark surrounding, taking a moment to adjest to the new space, curling into Tre's hold once more, taking comfort in his closeness, and the distinct lack of room for anyone else. It was the only thing that kept the darkness from the new place from being completely unbareable as it was quickly becoming in any other situation.

"Only you," she muttered slowly, putting a shakey little smile on her face. She took another deep breath and ran her hand slowly along his chest, comforting herself with making soft little doodles.

Tre closed his eyes, leaning into her touch and resting his forehead against hers. His golden eyes ran over her features, still undecided on her safety, despite the locked door between them and the world.

Fingers trembling, he traced her features, eyes flickering over her face. "I-I was-" Gently, he pressed his fingers underneath her chin and guided her lips to his. It was innocent, soft, full of worry and love. He pulled away slowly, staying close. "...so worried..."

"I love you." He murmured against her lips before kissing her again.

His touch always did that; even in the darkest of times, up against the strongest of foes it was the only thing that calmed her. When her brain was hazy, lost in a swirl of panic, when she saw darkness everywhere, and feared everyone else's touch, his was a balm to a burn - the light that scared away the darkness.

She did not wish to admit it, but she was completely reliant on it; she had no idea how she could possibly survive without it for more than a few seconds.

Finally relaxing, she leaned into the kiss, needing to be close to him. Needing to feel... everything she felt around Tre. Feel wanted, cared about, loved... safe. Most of all she needed to feel safe.

No one made her feel safe like Tre did.

"I love you too," she responded softly, finally finding a sense of calm for the briefest of moments.

She needed this - if she didn't have this then-then-

Ashleen's eyes closed rather tightly as a spasm of her former panic shot through her.

"Tre," she all but moaned, biting her lip, and hating the way this panic seemed to make her sound... even feel like she was in physical pain. "Don't-don't... don't leave me.... I couldn't handle it if I had to- if I had to... please just promise me you won't-won't..."

"Don't leave me."

"Shhh..." He hummed, his hold on her tightening. "You don't need to worry about me leaving. I'm nowhere near strong enough to do that." He pressed another kiss to her lips. "Even if you don't see me, even if you feel completely alone... I'm there." He traced her features with his fingers, gently, barely touching. "Trust that."

The girl relaxed into his touch, nodding her head, and allowing his words, his closeness sooth her. There was no need to panic - Tre was there, he would always be there.

Part of her knew she was going to have to get better, that it wasn't healthy to be so dependant on the boy, but... there would be time for that later. Right now, what she needed was his touch, his soothing words - his protection.

She just needed him.

She leaned forward, and pressed the softest kiss against his lips.

"I trust you."