**Well, Ivy moved out here because she is the daughter of a very rich and powerful family. Well, the people looking for her either want to capture her and force her to marry him, obviously. So, maybe they could find out where Ivy is staying. It could cause a lot of drama.**
Ivy hated that Colton hadn't talked since they had left. She wanted to sit beside him and laugh everything away. To forget her past life and start fresh with Colton.
"Are you angry?" Ivy asked, quietly.
**Gr!**
Hermione, shut your ungodly, lopsided mouth and quit interrupting! 20 points from Gryffindor. You know, for the brightest witch of your age you can sure be a dumba** sometimes. *smiles* 10 points to Dumbledore!
Colt glanced back at her and shook his head. "Not really, just thinking." He replied. "Do you feel like your able to sit up here?" He asked. SHe nodded and he gently picked her up moving her on the seat next to him where he wrapped his arm around her pulling her close to him. He felt her snuggle against his side as they moved down the road. It was dark and her face was well hidden when three riders rode up.
"Howdy." He said as he pulled the horses to a stop his left hand resting on his thigh close to his left gun.
"Hi, you wouldn't happen to know where a Miss Ivy is staying would you?" The man asked. He felt Ivy stiffen in his arms.
"I believe there was one at the dance tonight, but I wouldn't really know. The missus here gets a tad jealous." He lied. The man eyed him then tried to get a good look at Ivy who stayed tucked against his chest.
"Thank you." The men rode off and Colt got the horses moving again.
Ivy pulled away from Colton. "We've got to get back to you're family. Now," she said urgently.
Colton looked over at her quickly. "What are you talking about?" He asked.
Ivy was looking back at the men frantically. "Keep your voice down. Just in case," she urged. "Those men are looking for me."
"What do you mean?" Colton asked, angrily. "Don't you worry about that. They won't be able to hurt you-"
"Colton, listen," Ivy interrupted, shaking her head. "I've just put you and your family in danger. I'm not going to do that any more. Those men, they're the reason why I was sent out here in the first place. They are extremely dangerous and will stop at nothing to find me, alright."
Colton looked surprised. "What do you want to do then?"
Ivy bit her lip. "It appears as if my departure is a little sooner than expected. I'm going to leave. I won't put you all in danger any longer. I can't live with that knowledge. Tonight, Winston and I are packing and I'll have to find somewhere else to go. I'm sorry."
The lump in Ivy's throat grew bigger. She turned her head down and away from Colton. Still, she refused to cry. She would NOT cry in front of him. Ever. No matter how much it hurt her...to the very bottom of her beart.
Hermione, shut your ungodly, lopsided mouth and quit interrupting! 20 points from Gryffindor. You know, for the brightest witch of your age you can sure be a dumba** sometimes. *smiles* 10 points to Dumbledore!
"You need someone to protect you. Winston can't protect you against men like that. I'll come with or without your permission and stay until I know you are safe." HE said firmly.
"What if it puts your family in danger?" She asked him. "I can't let you leave them. NOt Ella. Not your mother or your father."
Colton paused for a second and Ivy looked back at him sadly. Normally she would have been a little smug at this point, but not in a situation like this.
"My dad will take care of them. Whatever it takes," Colton finally spoke up. "You're in moe danger."
Ivy shook her head. "Fine," she agreed. "We leave at dawn."
She didn't care what Colt said. He couldn't go with her. It was too dangerous. She was going to be long gone before dawn ever came.
Hermione, shut your ungodly, lopsided mouth and quit interrupting! 20 points from Gryffindor. You know, for the brightest witch of your age you can sure be a dumba** sometimes. *smiles* 10 points to Dumbledore!
Colt narrowed his eyes. "What are you planning? You don't give up that easy?" He demanded.
"NOthing." She replied. "I agreed, ok." She said firmly.
"Ivy. You don't give in that easy, you never have." He replied. He made up his mind then and there, he would sleep in the barn, in a place that if anyone tried to get one of the horses he would hear. THe only way she could go anywhere was to get a horse. "Plus, if you left before dawn I could track you easily."
Ivy turned around. What was she going to do? How could she tell him that he wasn't involved in this?
"This is my battle, not yours Colton," she sighed. "I want you to come. I really do, but it would be selfish of me to let you come."
"So you were planning on leaving before dawn then?" He asked, shaking his head. "Well, I'm not going to let you."
Ivy huffed and turned away from him. Maybe if she acted like a completely jerk towards him he would realize he didn't want to come after all.
---
Ivy tried to help Colton put away the horses, but he seemed suspicious and shooed her away.
Ella was in their room and practically glowing. "Ivy!" She smiled.
"Hey, Ella," she said, putting on her best smile. Ella shook her head.
"Did you and Colton get into it again?" She asked. "Is that why you're so upset."
"No," Ivy laughed. She was so far away from the truth. "Look, I'm a little tired, but we can talk about your night."
Ivy sat on the other bed and listened to Ella tell her about her night.
Hermione, shut your ungodly, lopsided mouth and quit interrupting! 20 points from Gryffindor. You know, for the brightest witch of your age you can sure be a dumba** sometimes. *smiles* 10 points to Dumbledore!
Ella had fallen asleep quickly. From what Ivy had heard, she was head over heels for Adam. That was sweet. Ivy only wished things would be simpiler for her and Colton. Maybe she could fall in love with him. Sure, she loved him but...she didn't know if she was in love with him. Things were way too complicated right now.
Ivy stood, knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep with her nightmares. She had had them for a while now.
She was wearing a floor length white nightgown. It fit her body like a dress...well, except a little more revealing, but it was so comfortable.
Ivy had decided that she wasn't going to leave Colton. There was no point. He was going to track her and...well, it would be nice to be alone with him.
Quit that, she growled. That's not why you're going with him.
She walked outside. She was only going for a short walk this time. Ivy had checked to make sure no one was up, yet she felt like someone was watching her.
"Ivy!" A man's voice hissed. Her mind flashed back to the night in the woods. She was so helpless...not like she'd ever been before.
She shrieked a little and fell backward. Colton rushed foward and helped her up.
"What are you doing?" He whispered. she tried to regain her breath quickly.
"I was only going for a walk. You scared me," she tried to sound scolding. Really, she was angry with herself. She had never acted like that before. Had that night with the drunken men and what he had almost done, had it tramatized her that much?
"Are you alright?" He asked. Ivy nodded and blushed, realizing she was outside in hardly any clothes.
Hermione, shut your ungodly, lopsided mouth and quit interrupting! 20 points from Gryffindor. You know, for the brightest witch of your age you can sure be a dumba** sometimes. *smiles* 10 points to Dumbledore!
Colt pulled his coat off. "You shouldn't walk around at night without something warmer." He said wrapping it around her shoulders. She pulled it tight around her shoulders almost subconciously. (I think thats the word)
"I wasn't leaving if that is what you were thinking." She replied.
"I'd sure hope you weren't in an outfit like that. Your asking for trouble." He replied crossing his arms. "What are you doing out here so late?"
"I could ask you the same thing." She replied with a frown.
"Hey, don't get mad. You woke me when you opened the door." He uncrossed his arms after realizing that it made him look mad himself.
"So what are you doing out here," Colton asked, softer than before. Ivy just shrugged her shoulders, turnning away.
"Uh, to go see Winston and make sure he's packed," she lied. Colton shook his head. She knew it was obvious when she lied but Colton just seemed to find it funny.
"Dressed like that?" He asked. Ivy nodded.
"He's kind of like...well, like my dad," she replied.
"But isn't he sleeping over the old barn back there?" Colt asked, pointing behind him. Ivy blushed.
"I must have forgotten," she blushed. Colton looked back at her, his stunning eyes boring into her own.
"Ivy," he said, kindly. "You don't have to lie to me. You could just tell me that whatever you were going to do was personal."
Ivy caved. How did he do that?! "I had a bad dream," she finally admitted. "And it's getting worse after last night. I needed to come out forfresh air."
Colton reached out and pulled her against him. She felt his heart thump against her chest as she hugged him tightly. "It's alright," he assured her. "We all have bad dreams."
Ivy shook her head. "Colton, when I heard someone was behind me, I freaked out and all I could think about was being in the woods with that drunk man," she responded, worry making her voice sound higher than normal. "I think that it's...changed me. I haven't had too many bad dreams before and I...I just don't know."
Hermione, shut your ungodly, lopsided mouth and quit interrupting! 20 points from Gryffindor. You know, for the brightest witch of your age you can sure be a dumba** sometimes. *smiles* 10 points to Dumbledore!
"It would make sense that it's frightened you. He could've done so much damage had you not yelled. But that is the past, you got through it. Your a tough girl. Tougher then I would've ever though a city girl could be." He said softly. "Bad dreams come with fear, you just have to learn to not let the fear drive you."
Ivy breathed in the scent of him. As it turned out, the fresh air didn't send her bad dreams away, Colton did.
"I'm not that strong," she grumbled. "I'll just have to get over this. I know."
Colton ran his fingers through her long hair. "Well, I could argue with you all night, but I'd rather not."
Ivy smiled, grabbing his head and leading him back inside. "Could I-" she blushed.
"Could you?" He asked. Ivy swallowed. She didn't know a way to ask him without him taking it in THAT way.
"Well, since we're both leaving early, I just thought that it would be better if...well, I slept with you, in your bed. Not like that, but...oh nevermind," she sighed.
Hermione, shut your ungodly, lopsided mouth and quit interrupting! 20 points from Gryffindor. You know, for the brightest witch of your age you can sure be a dumba** sometimes. *smiles* 10 points to Dumbledore!
"If I wanted to ruin your name, then sure. But I don't." He watched her face drop a little. "But, I'm sleeping in the kitchen on a cot. You can sleep on the cot I"ll sleep on the floor."
"But I don't want to kick you out of....."
"No buts, come along." he smiled. He kissed her lips swiftly before leading her inside and showing her the cot then making a pallet on the floor a few feet away and then closing his eyes. He felt her fingers touch his shoulder and he rested his hand on her's to comfort her closing his eyes as he did.
