The Soul-The Host Fanfiction

Chapter 11: Separated

Here's the next chapter!!! Hooray!!!

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Chapter 11 Separated

We had lists from everyone in the caves of sizes, so it didn't take long to find clothes for everyone. Melanie and Lily did most of the shopping. They got Jared and Kyle to follow them around, carrying all of the clothes they picked out. Ian, Jamie, and I looked, but we weren't all that interested.

By the end of the day we had clothes for everyone, and we were starving. We decided to go into the restaurant, though it took some convincing to get Kyle to agree to that.

After we ate, we went to a hotel. I went in, told our story about our group of traveling Artists, and rented two rooms. Kyle, Ian, and I would share one and Lily, Jamie, Jared, and Melanie would share the other.

Everyone was hanging out in our room, watching the T.V. There was a documentary on about the Fire World. Jamie was fascinated.

When the documentary ended, everyone went to bed. I curled up next to Ian, under the blankets. Kyle flipped off the lights.

"Did you have fun today?" Ian asked in a whisper. His left hand was tracing warm patterns on my back. He was holding both of my hands in his right.

"Melanie, Lily, and Jamie were enjoying themselves, so even though I don't really like shopping, yes, I did."

Ian chuckled under his breath. "You're so...you. Beautiful." his deep blue eyes shone.

He leaned in and kissed me. My stomach fluttered. He pulled back and brushed my golden hair back from my face. I smiled.

"I love you." I whispered.

"I love you, too, Wanderer." I nuzzled my face against his chest. He tucked my head under his chin and kissed my hair.

I drifted off to sleep and dreamed that I was flying through a deep, sapphire blue sky.

Everyone at the caves was glad to see us. Not only did they worry when people left the safety of the caves, but they were excited. Big, new, interesting things rarely happened.

We got home at night. We planned to get everything unloaded and set up tonight and have the wedding tomorrow.

Everyone sat in the kitchen, eating cheese and bread and drinking milk. Sharon and Doc sat with Jared, Melanie, Jamie, Ian, and I. Maggie stayed in her usual spot, but I thought she looked less hostile than usual.

From Sunny, curled into Kyle so close that I thought they must be physically attached, I learned what had happened in the caves while we were gone.

Matt had taken up with Lacey. That didn't surprise me much; they fit together perfectly in my head.

Some Seekers had been spotted in the desert, presumably looking for Matt, but they had given up fairly quickly. It still made me nervous, though; too many people had gone missing in this desert. The Seekers had to be getting suspicious.

When Ian and I started to got to bed, Melanie stopped us.

"Where do you think you're going?' she asked.

"To our cave. We were going to bed, but if you need something, we can stay." I answered.

She rolled her eyes. "No, I don't need anything, but you aren't sleeping in your cave tonight, Wanda."

"I'm not?"

"No! You guys can't see each other tomorrow until the wedding. It's bad luck." She sighed as if this was rudimentary knowledge. I guess, for a human, it was, but Pet hadn't been human long enough to know these things and I had never thought about weddings while I still had access to Melanie's memories.

"Where is she going to sleep, then?" Ian asked.

"My room. Jared's got a bedroll and Wanda and I can share the bed."

"I can-" I began to protest.

"Don't you even start, Wanda." Melanie cut me off.

"Fine." I grumbled.

"C'mon, I'm tired." Melanie said.

We walked down the dark tunnel and stopped when we came to mine and Ian's room. Ian wrapped his arms around me.

"Good night." he whispered in my ear.

"Good night." I whispered back.

I stood on my tip toes and he bent his neck so his lips touched mine once.

"See you tomorrow." he promised.

I smiled and waved. He ducked into our room. Melanie and I stopped two doors down and she pushed the green screen back for me. I walked inside.

I hadn't been in my old room in a while. Everything still seemed bigger than it should be, because I was smaller than I had been. It was a very disorienting feeling.

I sat on the bed and Mel sat beside me. Sometimes I missed having her in my head, even though I knew that was wrong. I missed her thoughts. She was so strong and sure and always knew what to do. My head was lonely with just me.

Mel reached out and stroked my wavy, golden hair. It was wild and in my face. I tucked it behind my ear.

"You're so quiet, Wanda. I never noticed before...when you were in my body, because I heard your thoughts. I miss that."

"I was just thinking that I miss that, too."

"You can still tell me what you think all of the time."

"I know." I smiled. "I love you, Mel."

"I love you, too, Wanda."

We hugged for a long time. It felt good to be alone with her for a while.

"Are you excited?" she asked after a while. "For tomorrow?"

I smiled shyly. "I...yes. And nervous. Why am I nervous?" I laughed sheepishly.

Mel grinned. "That usually happens. Don't worry, it's completely normal. And human." she nudged me.

Jared came in. "Hey, Mel. Hey, Wanda." he greeted us. He knelt beside Melanie and kissed her. I smiled. Seeing them together made me happy because I knew they were happy. I was delighted when I realized that I felt no pang of jealousy when I watched them.

"Are you sure you want to sleep in the floor, Jared? I don't mind taking the bedroll and you can sleep with Mel." I offered. "I've slept on worse. Sort of." I added, thinking of my first weeks in the caves. I was in Melanie then, though...

"I know you have, and that was my fault, so I'm going to make sure you never have to again." Jared replied, interrupting my speculations. "Besides, Ian would not approve."

I rolled my eyes. "Overprotective." I grumbled, but I sighed and flopped back on the bed.

Melanie chuckled.

"So, we've got an early one tomorrow. Oh, God, I'm starting to sound like Uncle Jeb." Melanie shook her head. Jared and I laughed. "I'm going to do your hair and makeup. My mom used to own a beauty shop...before...you know." she sniffed. "Anyway, Jared is on strict orders to keep Ian away. We should probably get to bed."

"'Kay." I agreed. I thought about trying again to get Jared to take the bed, but his face the last time told me he was set in his decision, so I curled up on his side of their mattress and slept.

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