The bell rang, cutting off the math teacher's words and rousing the bored students. 

"Alright, don't forget homework is due tomorrow," Mr. Harris said.

Carter snapped her notebook shut. The volume in the classroom rose as students took up dropped conversations and footsteps pounded on the floor. Swinging her strap over her head, Carter moved to the door, riding the river of students. In the hallway she broke away, heading for the library.

She was just passing Mr. Philips' classroom when the sight of him talking to the janitor stopped her. It was the same janitor she had almost run into in the hallway. She backtracked and took a step closer. Mr. Philips was pointing to the ventilation shafts.

"...have them checked out," he said.

The janitor nodded and Mr. Philips clapped the man on the arm. The janitor turned as Mr. Philips noticed Carter standing in the doorway. He started at the sight of her, but quickly regained his composure. The janitor's face remained impassive as he disappeared around a corner.

"Was there something you needed, Carter?" Mr. Philips asked.

He looked down at his desk and started stacking papers.

"Essay due Friday?" she asked.

"Yes, three pages. Please stay within that amount this time."

Carter made her way to the library and pushed the heavy wooden door open just as the second bell sent students scurrying for their classrooms. Patty the librarian looked up from her desk and smiled at Carter. Her graying brown hair was neater than Carter had seen it and she wore contacts instead of her usual glasses. Resting against the desk, Carter gave her a teasing smile.

"I see things with Mr. Miller are going well," she said.

"What would ever make you think that?" Patty said.

Carter pointed at Patty's face.

"You're wearing contacts, and your shirt and skirt are new, because you wanted to look nice for your lunch date. And if you're having lunch date, and not waiting until after school, that means it's going very well, because you're openly telling the other staff you guys are dating."

Patty just looked at her with wide eyes. Carter continued.

"Do you know what the big surprise for this weekend is?" she asked.

Patty frowned.

"How did you about -"

"He had us do an in-class project, which means the homework load will be light over the weekend. That way he is free to take you out and do something time consuming." 

Patty chuckled and shook her head.

"You are something different altogether," she said.

"Yeah, I know. Could you convince him to do something big next weekend as well? I don't really feel like doing homework."

Patty leaned back in her chair, laughing, the sound ringing in the silence of the library.

"No promises, but I'll see what I can do," she said.

With a nod, Carter walked away and found a table on the far side of the library, tossed her bag on top and pulled off her blazer, draping it over a chair. Pushing up her sleeves, she sank into a chair. Instead of pulling out her binder and notebooks, she tilted her chair back on two legs and rested her feet on the table. She closed her eyes, letting the quiet around her settle her active mind.

A few minutes later a familiar light laugh entered the library, followed by a subdued voice and a steady tread. The trio drew closer but Carter made no sign of noticing them. A finger prodded her shoulder and she snapped her hand out, catching the assailant's wrist.

"Good to know you are still aware of your surroundings," Donovan said in a low voice.

She smiled, but didn't look at him.

"Carter," Maddy said, "are you actually asleep?"

Carter let out a sigh and pulled her legs off the table, dropping the chair back to all fours.

"Nope," she said. "Not asleep."

"Good," Maddy said, as they all took a seat. "I was going to say that's probably not the best way to sleep, you could fall."

"Very true."

Maddy and Link missed the note of mockery in her voice, but Donovan didn't. Maddy shifted her chair closer to Link's and leaned her chin on her hand, staring at him. After a minute, Maddy seemed to remember the table's other occupants. She straightened.

"What are you all doing this weekend?" she asked.

All three of them exchanged looks before Carter shrugged, summing up their thoughts.

"Well," Maddy said, excited, "my friend's friend is throwing a party. I thought we could all go! You know, dance, hang out and stuff!"

She turned her expectant face towards Link, who looked at a loss. Carter looked at Donovan, one eyebrow raised in question, then moved her attention to Maddy, who was silently pleading with Link to say yes. Link was not receiving the message.

"That would be great," Carter said. "I assume we will find some sort entertainment, even if it is just watching our peers get roaring drunk."

Donovan fought back a smile, which Carter noticed. Maddy bounced, radiating happiness. Lacing her fingers through Link's, she beamed at him and received a wide grin in return.

"This will be so much fun!" she said. "I can't wait."

Link nodded in acknowledgement of this declaration but had no words. Maddy seemed unconcerned about his lack of enthusiasm, pulled her hand free and reached for her backpack. The group fell to work, though Maddy and Link seemed distracted by the other's presence. Carter and Donovan found great amusement in their frequent glances.

Eventually, Maddy gave up the attempt at work. She closed her notebook and stood.

"Link," she said. "I have to find a book, will you come help me?"

Her grin held a spark of mischief. Link glanced up at her then back at his math homework.

"I should probably finish this," he said.

Carter kicked Link under the table. He jumped and stared at her in surprise.

"I think the book Maddy is looking for is on the second floor, far back where it's really dark. You should help her because it's really hard to find anything up there."

Maddy took his hand, urging him from his chair.

With one last look at Carter and Donovan, still puzzled, Link left. Carter laid her head back on the top of the chair.

"I never pegged Link for being stupid," she said. "That's me wrong, for once. Do you think he'll know what to do?"

Pulling his attention away from where Link had vanished, Donovan turned his head to her and smirked.

"Once Maddy starts kissing him, I'm sure he will figure it out."

Carter leaned back in her chair, resting her feet on the table once more.

"How can he be so clueless?" she said.

Donovan titled his chair back, propping one ankle on his knee.

"You have to remember, Link has had very little interaction with girls. It was for his safety. He's also naturally a shy person."

Carter scowled.

"He talked to me just fine," she said.

"That's because you reminded him of me. Someone smart and straightforward. What he finds difficult to understand are the hidden messages in what girls say. You weren't hard to communicate with because you said exactly what you were thinking."

Carter let out a bright laugh, the sound making Donovan's mouth twitch upward.

"That has to be a first," she said.

Afternoon sunlight poured in through the window lining the walls. Students were grouped together around tables, heads bent together, but no talk of homework passed between them. Carter turned to Donovan.

"Seeing as how Link hasn't reemerged shocked and screaming, I imagine he's enjoying making out with Maddy.  So, how about that explanation you owe me: how did you end up with this job, anyway?

Donovan ran a hand through his hair and looked at the table as his thoughts sorted themselves out.  Before he began to talk, he glanced around the room, checking that they wouldn't be overheard.

"I grew up on a marine base," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "My father ran it and my mother was a therapist, who worked with soldiers dealing with trauma. I have three older brothers and was home schooled. I started out in a public school, but when I started causing trouble because I got bored quickly, my mother brought me home. It was easier and I learned fast."

Carter shifted closer, pulled in by the low rhythmic tone of his voice. 

"Growing up around marines gave me...a very broad education. By the age of ten I could assemble a gun. At thirteen, I was going through training ops with other marines. I jumped grades and was finishing up high school by the age of sixteen. That's when I got signed on for the job with Link."

"How did you get it?"

"My father knew President Douglas from the Marines. When President Douglas needed someone who could protect Link, he turned to my father. My brothers were all too old, and while I was fit, my face made me look younger. I was both trained and could blend in."

A cloud passed across Donovan's gaze, but was gone before it could settle.

"I said yes and like that six years of my life were spent going through school again. Except this time I couldn't cause trouble when I was bored."

Donovan's gaze focused and found Carter staring at him, riveted. He shifted, sliding his hands into his pockets.

"How have you possibly made it this long?" she asked.

He shrugged, unconcerned.

"I take college courses to pass the time and go to the gun range as often as possible. I will have a bachelor's degree in criminal psychology and a reference letter that will guarantee me a job at any place of my choosing. In the meantime, my three older brothers have been painstakingly working to rise up in the ranks. Although they do have a freedom I don't. And their jobs don't involve constant 'babysitting', as they frequently remind me. " 

He let out a low, wry chuckle.

"Doesn't mean this job has been easy. There have been plenty of  times of boredom. But that's a price I'm willing to pay for quick advancement."

He fell silent. Snippets of conversations drifted through the air, the words unintelligible. Carter broke the silence.

"Well, although it has been years of boredom and times of annoyance with the female aspect, I'm glad you decided to say yes."

Donovan gave her a smile.

"I agree," he said.

The bell rang and they both looked up, remembering where they were. Students rose and collected their stuff, their voices filling the library with bright, careless conversations.

Link and Maddy reappeared, hands clasped, pink in the cheeks and looking rumpled. Carter glanced at Donovan and he gave her a wink. They stepped up to the table, Link a little dazed and Maddy unable to control the size of her smile.

"How did the book search go?" Carter asked.

He looked at her, puzzled. "What book?"

*****************

Blue light flashed from apartment windows as TV's played. The temperature had dropped and Carter balled her fists inside her pockets, hurrying home later than usual. A burst of laughter caused her to look up, catching a glimpse of a family crowded around a kitchen table. The sound faded away as she entered the alley.

She gave the unfamiliar car, parked along a fence, half a thought. The sound of muffled voices emanated from inside.

"Captain, I'm home," she said, tossing the keys in the ceramic bowl. "You can call off the drones -"

The end of her sentence was caught in her throat as she turned to face the apartment. Sitting across from her father at the kitchen table was a woman. She was in her late thirties with styled, dyed blonde hair, a narrow tan face, bow lips and a curvy figure. Carter stared at the scene, every inch of her frozen with shock.

"Hello, Carter," her mother said.

Carter's face became a mask of anger.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

**********************************************************************

Cherry Chocolate Bordeaux Ice Cream! (....Woah, I think I just blacked out thinking about that. Right...story...focus!)

Huzzah! We got Donovan's back story! Some of our questions are answered and so now you must answer mine!

What did you think of it?

He's a marine, any guesses on how Steve will take this news?
(Cause I have a bad feeling about it. Oh Plot twist! Carter and Donovan will have to hid their love and eventually it will be the thing that brings around the destruction of the world! Wow that escalated really fast.)

What makes you smile?
(Yeah, I got bored of questions about my own story. Blah.)

(What makes me smile are your comments! No lie, they are the highlight of my day!)

Hair color preference for guys?
(I tend to go for dark and ethnic looking guys. Gosh there's nothing hotter than a Brazilian with a great smile working at a bakery. Of course until he stops working at the bakery and you never see him again! OH Higor! Why did you leave?! Sorry about that.)

Kérdésidő! (Hungarain) This question is from the Whimsical chasing_suns: Hamilton or Burr?

Answer: Looking at all the aspects of each person in question I have come to the rightful conclusion. And this was not an easy decision to make, do not think that I took it lightly. I have spent hours aggravating over my choice, trying to come to the right decision and here it is! My answer is... *Lin burst in* My name is Alexander Hamilton! Sorry Lin, I was going to say Burr. *gets shot*

Vote for Burr! Comment on the state of the government! And follow the leader! (I think that's wrong, whateves)

Crazy someone else made me another cover! I'm freaking out! These covers are made by the awesome angelicalrs!

What do you think?