FORTY TWO ELLEN There were times we did wish you had an answer to every question, but most times you didn't. Robb's fall, notes from a dead man, Cullen's mysterious plan; it all just seemed a little too much to grasp. I sighed, and gazed into the mirror, and the reflection that stared right back into my eyes. Terrifying, it was; the person that I had become. I couldn't recognise the woman who stared back at me. Phew! How delightful! Zach was seated on the bed, looking all glamoured up, and exquisite in his suit that evening. He had a book under his nose, and his eyes glancing briefly at me most of the time. I didn't pay any attention to him, as I applied a little makeup on my face. A little rouge to the cheeks, to give them a little colour, some eyeliner, and then some lipstick. Oh, dear! How dearly I wished for a break at that point. All these seemed naturally unnecessarily to me, but Zach wanted it, and that he was getting. "You should be quicker

ELLEN Suns streamed into the room through the window, and my eyes fluttered open, as the rays hit them. The room looked really different from what I was used to. Where was I? I found myself asking, as I sat up on the bed. How had I gotten here? And then, it hit me. I was at Big Joe's, and I had been here since the previous night. I had totally forgotten that I had come home with him. I rose to my feet, and stretched out, as I felt a sudden relief from my stressed joints. How long had it been since I had slept as peacefully as I had throughout the night? A year, or more? I didn't know. I strolled around the room, inhaling every moment of fresh air. This was all I had so longed for; peace. I walked to the door, and turned the door knob, as I stepped out of the room. "Hello," I called, walking about. I was aware that I wasn't supposed to touch, but I wanted to. "Is anyone home?" I called out again, but yet there was no reply. The ousd was eerily quiet, except

ELLEN A long wait, and the darkness as company. I had stayed up all through the night, waiting, and hoping B.J was alive. But still, there was still no sign of Big Joe yet. A few brief sleeps, and I was up again, and pacing about the room. It felt so wrong to be asleep, when I hadn't heard from Big Joe, or about their whereabouts. I sank into a couch wearily. Slowly, I had begun to tire out, and that wasn't nice. I rested my head against the couch yawning tiredly, maybe I needed a little sleep. Just a little though. I held my eyes open for a minute, and tried to blink hard to take out the sleep, but I knew I was going to give in soon. I closed my eyes, and yawned again. I wasn't going to be able to hold it in, as long enough as I had hoped to. This was it, I was finally going to doze off. And then, there was a loud honk just outside the door, and I jumped to my feet, and hurried to the window. I drew the curtains aside warily, and peeped through them. It wa

ELLEN A more entertaining crowd was what I had expected. But, when Big Joe's ex wife, Suzy, walked in with her husband Cole, I knew that it wasn't going to take long before all hell broke loose. I sat beside Big Joe, as his hands slid up my waist. This was so improper, but it was just an act. It wasn't going to matter once Suzy and Cole left. "You never told me you found love again, Joe?" Suzy buzzed, gobbling greedily on the turkey. "Well, I did. You don't expect me to tell you everything, Suzy. We're not together anymore." "That's right, I tend to forget that most of the time." She mumbled, as Cole remained quiet. "So, Cole what have you been up to these days?" Big Joe enquired. Cole picked the glass of water that was beside him, and emptied its contents before turning to Joe. "Well, I've been busy with a lot of businesses and investments. You know how all these things go." Suzy scoffed. "Well, he would, if he had any money to invest in businesse

ELLEN The night was a cold one. Winter had really begun now, and I wasn't so happy about that. I was wrapped with a thick blanket, Suzy had given me, and I had never been so thankful. We laid on the opposite sides of the bed, with our backs facing each other. He was pissed at me, for having a conversation with Suzy. And, I was pissed at him, for lying to me about Suzy. I stood to my feet, and strolled out of the room to get a glass of water. He didn't even come after me, as I had expected. What did it matter anyways? This was only a contract, and I was leaving the moment I felt Devan was safe again. "You can't sleep either?" I heard a voice say behind me, as I froze in my tracks. I turned hurriedly to see Cole smiling sheepishly. "You shouldn't scare people like that." I cautioned, getting a glass of water. "I'm sorry if I scared you, but that wasn't my intention though." He apologized. "Of course not," I replied in mockery, as I chugged down the content