I'll Protect You (Re-Edit #2, 2016)

In the wise words of Demi Lovato, please don't forget

raise your hands right now and repeat after me: "i will not post major spoilers in the comments section." guys, i love your comments--i absolutely love reading them and replying to them, but please rememer that there aren't just rereaders here, there are new readers who probably aren't enjoying these spoilers. be mindful guys, so again no spoilers.

also, dedicated to Aria_SR for the absolutely lovely banner that totally fits in with this chapter!

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"Are we there yet?" Darkwood asked. 

"Shut up," Logan groaned. "How many times have you asked that?"

"Fifty-seven," I piped up. "Well, in the past hour, that is. Two-hundred and fifteen total."

"You guys really have nothing to do if you're counting how many times I've asked that question," Darkwood snorted.

"Look who's talking, Mr. I-Can't-Seem-To-Stop-Asking-The-Damn-Question," I shot.

"Just because your boyfriend isn't sitting next to you doesn't mean you have to be mean."

I swear to the gods, someone was going to end up six feet deep in the ground in Elijah's backyard. And it wasn't going to be Logan or me.

Logan got up from his seat and made his way to the back of the plane. He stopped between us and his hand smacked against Darkwood's head before quickly moving on to enter the bathroom. Darkwood made an irritated noise in the back of his throat.

"I can see you two haven't made up," he noted.

"Not this again," I groaned, not feeling like listening to another person talk about the tension between Logan and me.

"Is it because of my presence? Ever since I reappeared, you and him have been on off terms," Darkwood continued, ignoring my plea. "Do you like me and now he's jealous?"

"Just when I thought you couldn't be any more stupid than you already are."

"Is it because I'm more good looking?"

"There is a door ten feet ahead of me and I shove you out of it."

"Is it because you're ugly and even Cross has standards?"

Static rang overhead, cutting off my verbal promise to show the guy a whole new world while he free-fell from a jet. The captain spoke through the intercom, announcing our position in the air and that our flight was to end in about a half hour.

Once the jet went silent again, Darkwood said, "Are you fighting because--"

"I'm betrothed, Darkwood," I cut off, my tone clipped. "I don't know about you, but a betrothal tends to draw a riff between two people who like each other, especially when the betrothal isn't between them."

Whatever Darkwood was expecting, it certainly wasn't that. He leaned back, eyes wide as he appraised me with a skeptical expression, as though he was trying to find the lie. I could only give him a humorless smile. I hadn't meant to sound vicious, but I was tired of people bringing this topic up.

Just then, the bathroom door opened and Logan walked out. He passed by our seats without a single word and I watched as he sat himself down in the front, far away from us.

Far away from me.

I got to my feet and pulled up my backpack before making my way towards the bathroom. In there, I changed out of the summer blue dress my mother had urged me to wear and into a pair of dark jeans and a blue t-shirt with stars printed all over the surface. I kicked off the gladiator sandals and pulled on a pair of scruffy white sneakers.