"I guess."

I enter Ameana's room and close the door behind me.

"What ever he's about to ask, it's really important to him so make him suffer," Rio shouts from his room.

"Stop reading my Wave and mind your business," I shout back. Ameana smiles despite herself.

"Could I get rich off this favor you're about to ask? If so, we may have to stop off in Paris before we go back to the Light."

"You can't take these clothes with you. You'd only wear them for a few days."

"A few minutes in couture will satisfy a girl for a lifetime," she informs me.

I laugh at her. She smiles back at me. She hasn't done that in months. For a few moments I replay what we were like in the beginning. Ameana and I were opposites that complemented each other. Then over time we just became...opposites.

Still, there is nothing on earth or in the Light more radiant than Ameana Jones. Her smile illuminates every room she enters. I always wished she'd smile more. But even stone cold serious, there's an effortless grace in the way she does just about everything.

"I need to ask you for a favor," I hear the words coming out of my mouth yet I still can't believe what I'm about to ask.

"What's the favor?"

"I realized even without the Triplex, evil will always be on the hunt for Emmy."

"Well, evil has never been good at losing so...yeah."

"The only way I can guarantee that evil doesn't come after her is to make everyone believe she no longer matters to me. That way they won't hurt her in retaliation."

"Okay..." she says, not sure where the conversation is headed.

"In order to do that, we have to break up." The words are so heavy they drop to the center of the room.

"What does this have to do with me?" she asks.

"Knowing Emmy, she'd see past whatever it is I say. She'd know that I was breaking up with her to protect her. At this point my words wouldn't be enough. She would need to see proof that I no longer love her."

"Marcus, what are you asking?"

"I need you to pretend to get back together with me."

"Unbelievable," she says, clearly p.i.s.sed.

"I know it's crazy, but it's the only way Emmy will buy that I suddenly don't want her anymore. We're only here for a few more days. It's not like I could fall in love with another girl in that time. The only thing she'd buy is that I went back to you."

"That's crazy."

"Ameana, this is the only way to save her from danger in the future."

"I'm going to say this slowly so that you understand each and every word that comes out of my mouth. I. Don't. Give. A. d.a.m.n. About. Emmy."

"What about me? Do you still care about me?"

"How dare you try and use my feelings for you. You're such an a.s.s!"

"I know I have no right to ask this. If there was any other way..."

"No, Marcus. I'm not getting back with you to save your girlfriend. I think I've given up more than enough to Emmy and you."

"You're right. You shouldn't have to do this. But I'm hoping you will anyway."

"Why? Are you going to order me to pretend to get back with you?"

"No."

"Good, then we're done here," she says, turning her back to me. As I reach for the doork.n.o.b, I turn around and address her one last time: "When we're gone, Lucy could take her easily. She could be on her way to school, in her bed sleeping. Suddenly, she's being set on fire or ripped apart limb by limb or drowning in a pool of her own blood in some alley. Why? Because she loved the wrong guy."

"Marcus, what you're asking me to do crosses the line."

"I love her, Ameana. There are no lines."

"I'm sorry, Marcus."

I nod slightly and close the door behind me.

Now in the living room, I think back to when I first met her. She had her hair in a messy ponytail and wore an ill-fitted "Piglet" T-shirt. I was cold and rude to her, all the while wanting to spend the rest of my days looking into her eyes.

The thought of her dying on earth alone causes a sharp pain to run across my chest. I can't stop the images from coming to me. I see her in my head, broken, b.l.o.o.d.y, and still.

"Okay, I'll do it," Ameana says behind me. I turn and find her standing in the living room looking unhappy but settled.

"Really?" I ask.

"I'll pretend to get back with you."

I run up to her and embrace her tightly. Had she been human I would definitely have injured her. She pulls away.

"Don't do that," she says softly. She reads the confusion on my face.

"This is just pretend. I need you to remember that."

"Yeah, of course."

"Good," she clears her throat.

"Thank you so much."

"Whatever," she says, unable to look me in the eye.

"I don't want to mess this arrangement up, but I think you should talk to Wolf."

"We're not going out."

I roll my eyes.

"Well your 'not' boyfriend will want to know anyway."

I discussed the plan with the rest of the team. While they thought it was cruel to betray Emmy, they understood that it was in her best interest.

"Rio, she's gonna come to you and ask if I am hiding something."

"You want me to lie?"

"It's for her own good."

"Yeah, I guess."

"I need you guys to find I.M. Trouble and have him write about Ameana and I being back together. It needs to be front page of the Splash. That way everyone will know."

"Yeah, I'm on it," Jay a.s.sures me.

The team must have felt my apprehension because they begin to rea.s.sure me.

"It's what has to be done," Jay says.

"Emmy deserves a normal life after everything that's happened. You're giving that to her. That's a good thing," Miku adds.

"The worst part is what I have to do next..." I tell them my plan.

"You're really going to do that?" Rio says.

"Yeah, she'll hate me but that way we can sell the story better."

"How will you feel about her hating you?" Miku asks.

"It's fine," I lie. No one buys it.

"Did Ameana tell Wolf her plans yet?" Jay asks.

"She's on the roof talking to him right now."

As soon as I say the words, we hear a very irate rocker Angel shouting from the rooftop.

"WHAT??? THAT'S SO NOT RIGHTEOUS!!!"

We head up to the roof. I'm not sure if we went up to make sure Ameana was okay or if we just wanted to spy. Judging by the way we were all careful not to interrupt them, I'm thinking we were spying more than anything.

The two of them are on the other side of the roof. They're too deep in conversation to realize, or care, that we are there. Wolf is pacing back and forth as his wings rage against the sky.

"This isn't about me and Marcus," she insists.

"Everything you do is about Marcus," he protests.

"Look, I know it's a strange situation but-"

"Pretending to get back with your ex, who you aren't over, is not strange. It's stupid."

"I'm over Marcus."

"Please, you walk around like an open wound."

"Wolf, I'm trying very hard not to throw you off the roof. Help me by not being such a pain."

"Me? Because of you, all my Chakras are out of line!"

"Well, put them back in line and control yourself. I told you we're only pretending."

"See, okay. There goes my Yin. And wait, yeah. There goes my Yang. Now both Yin and Yang-unbalanced."

"You're doing it to yourself."

"No, you're doing it to me. This whole time, all I have wanted is you. And now I see you don't want me. You want Marcus. You will always want Marcus."

"That's not true! Not anymore."

"Really? How the h.e.l.l am I supposed to know you want me? Huh? You act like we aren't together. You won't let me save your life. You won't even return my calls. How am I supposed to know-"

Ameana shuts him up by wrapping her arms around his shoulders and giving him a big, long, deep kiss.

The team cheers and makes crude remarks.

"It's about d.a.m.n time," Jay says.

"How's your Yin and Yang now?" Rio asks.

"Leave some for me," Miku yells out to her best friend.

Wolf picks his Angel up and flies away with her, never once breaking from the kiss.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: THE ANOMALY.