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{{Awww! Aurora's so sweet! I remember that I wanted her to be in the story a lot more and hanging out with the girls. biggrin }}

When Ever felt as if she could breath a little bit, albeit raggedly, she slowly stood up. She sniffed and wiped at her cheeks quickly with her hands, trying to get rid of any evidence of tears. Obviously that wouldn't work very well, but she had to go back inside and try to find a ride back to school. She didn't want to be here anymore. This had been a really stupid idea of hers.

With a final sigh, she turned around, prepared to go back inside the house. However, as soon as she turned around, she gasped when her eyes fell on Ares. He was standing there, looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face. That was odd for him. At least it wasn't hostile or sarcastic. Ever wasn't sure she could handle that right now.

For some reason, Ever felt nervous now. She had no idea why. She had shared the most intimate experience with this man, but she was still nervous right now. She couldn't help but look down at her hands. She had no idea what to say. She probably shouldn't say anything. Her mouth always got her into trouble. That was one trait she definitely shared with the Greek Gods.

But she wished Ares would apologize. Ever knew she needed to apologize as well, but she didn't want to be the first one to. Ares had really hurt her, and she needed to know that he realized that. If he didn't realize that dancing with someone, anyone, like that when you're with someone else was wrong, then she didn't know what she should do.

Was it fair of her to expect and wish so much out of Ares, though? She knew what he was like before she got into this. He had hidden nothing from her. She hadn't thought that his wandering eye or refusal to ever admit he was wrong would affect her. She hadn't thought that she would want anything serious with him.

But when they were and just completely honest and open with each other, she couldn't help but fall for him. He was different with her. He brought things out in her that she didn't know were there. He made her want things that she hadn't known she wanted.

But this was Ares. This was the God of War. Could anyone have a real, committed relationship with him?

Ari moved to stand nearer to Aphrodite. "I'm ready to go home..." she whispered, tears in her eyes. Poor Nessa! What had she done to deserve... whatever the hell that was? Nothing. She had just kept Ari from making a mistake. Ness was good at that. What would she do if... NO. She had to think positive. Nessa would live.

Ares just watched Evermore, seeming to debate something within the realms of his mind, as if he were torn on what he was to say, to do. This girl was so frustrating. He didn't know why he continued to bother with her. But... Somehow, he kept trying. Even though it was getting more and more boring each time, because he was always the one doing the work, he kept trying. He was insane, expecting different results from the same experiment time and time again.

He watched her. "...Hey."

Yeah, same experiment. He should just be confined to Olympus for his insanity. He wasn't going to get any better. He would only continue to deteriorate in mental stability.

Meimei looked up sharply when three people--well, two people and one sphinx--suddenly appeared in her infirmary. Frowning in concern, she bustled over to them. She recognized Aurora, but the other girl must be new. "What seems to be the matter, dear?" she asked worriedly.

Aurora helplessly shifted Vanessa. "...I don't truly know, Meimei," she admitted quietly. "She just suddenly fainted."

Meimei frowned more, and helped Aurora to gently place Vanessa into a waiting bed. She performed a short series of spells to check the girl's vital signs and all else, and... the eerie thing was that there was nothing wrong. The only wrong that she could sense was an odd lack of activity, as if the soul... was just gone. But, if that were true, and her soul had been ejected in a normal way, then why...?

Meimei knew all about Aurora's 'condition.' She'd personally met with the girl's mother, who shared it, and they'd explained everything they knew--startlingly little--and asked Meimei to help her as much as she could should a, ahem, situation occur. So, for the nurse, it didn't make much sense for Aurora to have not reacted and for a more unusual situation to have taken place--where Vanessa's soul would end up residing in Aurora's body, despite her own body being perfectly healthy.

Glancing at the shapeshifter, there were questions in her eyes, but as she opened her mouth to voice them, Aurora shook her head. "For a moment... but then it was gone. I've been... feeling off for a while. I think there's something--someone--more than Vanessa, and she's... not safe, necessarily, but not lost."

Meimei nodded, but she didn't seem happy with this knowledge. This meant that it was possibly dangerous for Aurora. "I'll be right back, hun. Just sit down while I go make you up some tea. What would your familiar like?" Meimei was no stranger to familiars, though she did not have one herself.

Altan seemed pleased to have been remembered, and he purred when he jumped up into Aurora's lap after she sat in a chair next to Vanessa's bed. Milk or cream would be lovely, if you have any, he requested. Meimei smiled at him briefly, though it was quickly replaced by a worried and thoughtful frown as she bustled to the storeroom to prepare a small potion to ensure Vanessa's stability, as well as the tea she knew Aurora so loved and some milk for the sphinx.

Ares didn't fight the suggestion. Perhaps it was because the same doubts plagued his mind. Perhaps he truly didn't care as much as he'd thought he did, at one point or another. "Maybe," he conceded. It felt unusual, not fighting. He leaned casually against the doorframe. The music, still loud, seemed out of place in this setting, with these words and emotions.

He felt, suddenly, rather angry, and he didn't know why.

He scowled at her. Why was she being so weak? Did she really look to put so little effort into anything? He'd been the one doing all the damned work, and here she was, just throwing it back at him like a dirtied handkerchief. Why the hell wouldn't she fight?

She was too weak. If this was how she would react, then maybe she wasn't worth his time and effort after all. He was finding it all more appealing--to be free once more. Yes. He wouldn't do all the work then. "Alright." A simple statement of acknowledgement.

He hung around, though. Just for a moment. Just to see.

Ares snorted. Yeah, right. And he made a pretty lady. He gave her a steely glare. "I'd believe that... but that would mean that I'd have to believe you. Sorry, babe. Not happening."

He found himself growing angrier and angrier with her. Did she not realize that he had done all the damned work to make this relationship even happen? Did she not realize that he'd done his equivalent of bending over backwards for her? Did she not realize any of this?

Ares snarled at her. "Damn you! You stupid girl, can you not see with eyes that are not clouded by your own ignorance? You act as if you were working so damn hard, but when did you try? Answer me that, and you will have my attention. When did you try? When were you doing the work, and not the other way around?"

He didn't want to stay any longer. He couldn't stand her anymore. She was too young, too naive, too stupid. She blinded herself to the point that her mirrors clouded out the bad and reflected only that which she wanted to see. She needed to learn, to wise up. Her mirrors needed to be broken. Gone, permanently. He wouldn't mind being the one to do that.