{{Un-edited}} Marielle helped Sabine pick out a dress, which felt utterly surreal and in truth, they didn’t say much to one another. When Sabine tried on a black wedding gown that seemed too demure and frilly, and stood on the pedestal in front of the mirror practically frowning, she turned back to Han and Marielle. …

{{Un-edited}} “Vinnnnnnceeeeennnnnt!!!” The voice was so sing-song that it put knots in Vincent’s stomach. It wasn’t long after that the assailant began to sing… in Italian. It echoed eerily down the dark halls on the second floor at Valorant. Vincent took off running, and scurried around a corner, and into the lab. He glanced around …

{{Unedited}}   After waiting for their bags, Austin and Marielle walked out into the brisk New York air. It pricked Marielle’s skin and nose as they moved across the street to the car rental place. “That ain’t no ninety-degree weather,” he chuckled, both remembering how hot it had been even three weeks ago. “Yeah, I …

{{Unedited}}   Out of the shower, after towel drying her hair and dressing into fresh clothes, she went into Austin’s room to find him sitting on the bed writing in a journal. She cocked her head at him, curiously. He smiled at her, snapped it shut, and slipped it onto the bookshelf. It hadn’t been …

{{Unedited}}   Sometime in the night, she woke up again and he was still out. His breathing was low and deep and his thoughts were distant and foggy. He might be on the verge of a dream. She quietly peeled the red journal from the bookshelf, feeling giddy and opening it. It was true that …

{{Unedited}}   Marielle stood in the middle of the bedroom; her hands clasped nervously to her chest. The fingers on her right hand were wrapped around a single pearl that hung around her neck. Vincent had only given it to her a few days before. However, this was the first time that she’d ever used …

{{Unedited}}   Marielle was brushing her teeth when Austin rested his temple on the doorframe, he stood watching her for a moment in adoration. She spit, rinsed, and looked back at him. “What?” “Okay, so no tricks, but I didn’t know that this was happening.” He left that hanging in the air. “What?” Marielle glowered …

{{Unedited}}   Marielle stirred and looked up, realizing that she’d dozed off. The room was warm and cozy and the fire had died down a little. She was still wrapped in the blanket. At the end of the couch, Austin was leaning into the corner piece, temple in his palm, watching her. “You’re gorgeous when …

{{Unedited}} When Marielle woke again, her stomach twisted in knots as it all came flooding back and she buried her face and cried. He was there but had actually fallen asleep in the wee hours of the morning. The moment she began to sob he woke, and drew her back against himself protectively. “It’s okay,” …

{{Unedited}}   When the Moretti’s returned, there was brief exchanges of pleasantries and Austin announced that he was taking Marielle to The Village. Of course, she could only guess at what that meant, but Rick seemed to think it was a wonderful idea. -Did you tell them? She asked, as they got into the car …