The sea had calmed down and Michael took me onto the outside deck. I watched the stern of the ship cut through the dark waves as we moved closer and closer to the mainland.

I watched a cluster and twinkling lights in the distance and asked Michael, "What is that?"

"That's the Isle of Wight." He said. "We sail around it to get to the mainland."

"Have you ever been there?"

"I did once, on business," he paused and pointed to another cluster of lights twinkling on the black horizon, "We will be docking there, in the town Portsmouth."

"Portsmouth," I echoed.

It felt strange and unfamiliar on my tongue but I guess that I needed to get used to it as England was my new home.

A splash of cold rain on my nose shook me from my deep train of thought. The heavens opened and rain began pour over us. Moving quickly we found shelter underneath the over hang of the bridge.

"We will be docking soon." Michael said.

I felt my throat closing up in panic. Oh god, when we docked I would return to the coven and Michael would return to the government's headquarters. We would be separated and we would never see each other again. 

Causally I probed, "Do you ever hang out at the covens? I'm just wondering if we will bump into each other again."

"Not really," he replied nonchalantly.

My heart sank - he didn't seem to care that we may never see each other again. Clearly whatever was affecting me, wasn't affecting him. 

"Look, I don't mean to distract you from your work. I'm happy to hang out by myself until we dock."

"I do have some matters to attend to-"

"Then you should go. I'll head back inside," I said sharply and headed back inside. 

Once I was through the door and I doubled checked that Michael wasn't following me, I went calmly around the corner of the corridor and sunk to the floor. There was a pain inside me that I had no explanation for. It felt like someone had stuffed every emotion I had into blender, then switch it on at full speed.

I pressed my forehead against the dusty floor and fought back the tears building up inside me.

"Woah," a voice said, catching me off guard. 

I lifted my head and saw Barry, the man who had shot me, standing a few feet away from me.

"Er... sorry, did I catch you at a bad time? I'm looking for Michael?" he explained.

I calmly sat back onto my heels and replied, "He was on the outside deck a few minutes ago, but I don't think he is out there now."

"Oh really, I though he would be with you."

"He's not my minder. He doesn't need to babysit me," I snapped. 

I knew that I sounded immature and childish... but I didn't care. 

Barry crouched down next to me, "Listen to me, honey. I think we both know what is going on here. Let me get Mikey and he can stay with you for rest of the journey to London."

"No," I protested. 

"Barry," Michael's voice suddenly rang out. "You're needed up on the bridge. I will stay here with Lorna."

Barry nodded and quickly left me.

Michael stood over me and sighed, "Why did you dismiss me, when you knew that leaving me would cause such great distress?"

The question was a slap in the face. I'd never been so embarrassed in my life. In that moment I wanted the floor to swallow me whole.

Seconds past and when I didn't answer, he said, "Come on, let's go back out and stand back out on the deck."

"Why? It's pouring with rain." I said waspishly.

I rose to my feet and patted myself down. Micheal watched me silently, as I turned and walked away from him.

"Where are you going?" he called after me.

"I need to be alone."

"Why? Are you angry at me?"

"No- yes- oh, I don't know!" I said throwing my arms into the air.

His hand suddenly clamped down over my wrist and forced me to stop. For a brief second, I thought he had stopped me because he cared, but the he said, "You're not going to try running away from me? I really don't want to be chasing you around this ship."

My mouth opened slightly as it registered that he had only stopped me because he knew I could out run. I pulled my hand out of his grip and spat, "No, I wasn't planning on running."

"Then why are you so mad at me."

I took a deep breathe and said, "I'm not angry at you. I'm angry at myself. I can't control my emotions around you and for some stupid reason, my stupid brain keeps going into melt down every time I think about leaving you."

"Then I should stay with you."

"No! That just makes it worse. It's like having a crush on a school teacher. You obviously are unaffected while I'm... I'm - oh it doesn't matter!" I said walking away from him.

"Lorna, wait. This is not your fault-"

"Yes it is! I'm an adult." I said, feeling hot tears running down my face.

Michael caught up with me and said, "Lorna, listen, I don't care about your crush."

"But, I do!" I cried. 

This was a matter of pride and dignity and I did not want Michael's pity. 

"Now please leave me" I said.

"Where are you going?" Michael asked, grabbing my wrist again

"Please, let me go." I said struggling against him.

"Stop it. You're going to hurt yourself!"

"I don't need your pity Michael. I feel pathetic enough as it is... so let go...of.. me!" 

Michael lost his patience. His fingers tightened around my wrist, threatening to break the bone. He twisted my body and pushed me up against the wall. Yanking my head to one side, he exposed my neckline and stared down at it. 

I froze - a rabbit caught in the headlights.

His breathing was uneven and ragged. He pressed into me, lowering his head closer and closer to my bare shoulder. 

I should have been terrified, but all I kept thinking was that I wanted him to bite me.

He held me against the wall for a few moments and then calmed down. His breathing became softer, more controlled. He lifted his head up and whispered in my ear, "That is enough."

The tone of his voice was restrained, yet pleading. 

"Michael, I think it would be better for the both of us if we never saw each other again," I said.

He took a deep breathe in and replied darkly, "You are not leaving me."

I stared back at him, confused. 

"So you feel it too?" I asked.

"Yes, but I'm much better at hiding it than you." he said, letting go of my arms.

I opened my mouth to ask him more questions, but there was a sudden bang above us. 

Michael's head snapped up and he listened carefully. 

"That must be Raphael," he muttered to himself. 

He grabbed my shoulder and pushed me into the nearest side room.

"Stay here and be quiet. Do not come out until I fetch you," He ordered closing the door and then reopened it, "If the ship sinks I will rescue you. I promise." He added closing the door again.

What the hell? 

Was Michael in love with me too? Was I in danger? 

My mind was whirlwind of emotions and thoughts that it took me at least five minutes to acknowledge the big piles of folders labelled confidential. Not just any confidential warning labels but government confidential. 

I sat on the edge of a dusty couch staring at the folders that were tempting me to take a peek inside. One particular folder caught my attention, a brown folder labelled "ARCHANGELS" lay carelessly on the desk. 

Curiously I shuffled towards it to take a look. Hooking a finger under the first page, I lifted it and took a peek. There was a photograph of trashed laboratory and beneath a caption: 

'Fig 1.2 - Clinical area 201 where V-0 'Uriel' was found.'

I turned the page and there was another photograph this time with the caption: 

'Fig 1.3: Clinical area 207: V-0 'Gabriel' found with deceased lab technician (identification still pending)'. 

I turned over the page and stared at the grainy black and white photograph of a man lying in a hospital bed with hundreds of tubes attached to his arm. The caption read: 

'Fig 1.4: Laboratory 9: V-0 'Michael' found. A number of human remains (limbs, organs, teeth, hair and bone) were found in this area- ' 

...and before I could read the next line the cabin door opened and I snapped shut the folder. Barry walked in and stared at me and then at the folder on the desk.

"What are you doing here?" He asked suspiciously.

"Michael put me in here. I'm waiting for him."

"Did you read anything?"

I shook my head. 

"Good, they would have bored you to death. They are records of health and safety checks on board the ship."

"How's Francesca and Magda?" I asked changing topic.

"They've already left."

"We docked?"

"About ten minutes ago."

"Did you see where Michael went?" I asked.

"No... but since he's not around, I wanted to have a quick talk with you."

He gestured for me to follow him and so I did, leaving the little side room and following him up onto the observation deck.

"I'm going to shoot straight with you, Lorna. Slayers and vampires are polite to each other, but they are not exactly friends. Your friendship with Michael would not be welcomed among your own. Francesca and Magda should have discussed this with you, but with Emma tragic passing, they didn't get a chance."

"Okay," I replied, unsure where this conversation was going.

"Look, the bottom line is that no one in the coven can know about this thing with you and Michael."

"What thing?"

"You know - the thing between the two of you."

I stayed silent, choosing to neither confirm or deny his accusation. 

"Michael will need to stay close to you, but no one can know about the pair of you. Francesca and I, we need time to work out a plan," Barry explained.

"What plan?" Michael's voice suddenly interjected.

"Mikey," Barry laughed, "There you are, could you take Lorna down to the car?"

Michael studied him suspiciously and nodded, "Sure."

I walked to Michael and was surprised when his arm slipped around my waist and pulled me tightly against him. 

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded my head, "Yeah, I'm good."

"Come on."

We started moving through the ship towards the lower vehicle decks. Micheal kept his hand firmly on my waist, keeping me pressed against him at all times.

"So," he said coolly, "What did Barry say?"

"He explained that no-one can know about 'us'." I replied.

"He's right, unfortunately. We can't be seen together, once you have returned to your coven - which is going to be a pain in the ass."

"Why?"

"Don't play coy, you know why."

"Pretend I don't - I need to hear you say it."

He stopped and stared down at me with his cool grey eyes. 

"Lorna," he breathed, "I need you, as much as you need me."