Why I Run

Chapter twenty-four

Joules' POV

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I woke up the next morning to see my father standing over Lucius and I. I jumped in Lucius' arms, waking him up as well.

"So. I told you that you could stay here as long as you and my daughter did NOT sleep in the same room. What about that statement was not clear?!?" My father yelled at Lucius, causing him to look at me with a look that said, 'I told you he'd care'.

"Father, it was my idea. I got used to him keeping me warm so I asked him-" I began to say, but my father cut me off.

"Come with me, young man." My father said to Lucius. I was scared for him. He looked at me with an expression that assured me he would be safe, so I went downstairs to make breakfast. (Presumably not eggs.)

Lucius' POV

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I KNEW Joules' father would care, but I was so happy to be close to her last night that I didn't think much of it.

I followed Mr. Faemon into a far room and he began to yell.

"What exactly are your intentions with my daughter? Were you just building her trust just to sleep with her? Why were you beside her last night? Answer me, son?!?!" He yelled. I had gotten used to yelling, so I wasn't effected.

"Sir, by no means am I going to just sleep with your daughter. I love her. I simply wish to be close to her. For the past week or so, sir, I slept beside your daughter to keep her warm. That's all, sir." I said, trying to appeal.

"No. I can tell you just want her body. Not her. I know." He said.

"Sir, that's not-" I began.

"DON'T ARGUE WITH ME, BOY!!!" He yelled at me. Then, he slapped me.

I ran downstairs with Joules' father following me.

"Joules, I'm leaving." I said.

"What? Why, Lucius?" She asked, confused.

"I slapped the coward, Julia, so he's leaving." Her father said.

"YOU SLAPPED HIM???" She said, incredulous.

Joules' POV

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"YOU SLAPPED HIM???" I yelled, shocked.

"Well, yes, he was arguing." My father said, a bit abashed, but I kept going.

"You don't know how hard his life's been, do you?" I said to my father.

"Well, no..." He said. I caught Lucius' eye, and he saw the fierce look in my eyes. I was about to rant on his behalf.

"Listen, Father. Lucius has been abused all his life. He's been slapped, slashed, beaten, and whipped. He has scars all over his body because of his parents. They didn't even help him when the cut his stomach open. He bled for a week. Not one person helped. He was as good as dead. The night he left home was the night he gained his powers. So he never caught a break. Not once. And now he's on the run. Nobody cared, not even you, Father." I said, making my father look sad.

"I'm sorry, Lucius," my father said.

"Sir, about our argument earlier, you asked if I was just building her trust to get to her body," he sad, and snuck a look at me. Father said that? "But sir," Lucius continued, "that's not the case. I love your daughter more than anything, and.....she's the only family I really have." Lucius said, and looked down.

"I'm truly sorry," Father said after a minute. "It was hard raising a child on my own. Please forgive me."

Lucius waited a moment, and then forgave him.

We asked our question to my father, but he didn't know why our electricity was different, or why the male test subjects died.

"But I do know that you two are extremely rare. Gaining a power level is nearly impossible. That lot you lived in for a while? It has high levels of radiation. Normal humans would survive annoy three days in the lot, no more. But the radiation combined with the training you do has made you stronger."

We thanked Father for the advice, and voted to stay the night then leave after breakfast.

That night, Lucius was allowed into my room because of his "family" speech. I nuzzled into his neck, causing him to spark and make a purring sound. He pulled me closer to him, making me gasp. My whole body was fitted against his, and I felt his strong grip grow tighter as he said, "I love you."

"I love you, too." I replied, but he didn't loosen his grip. "Are you alright, Lucius?"

"I'm...I'm alright Joules." He said.

"What's wrong?" I asked once more.

He growled in frustration and said to me, "It's torture, Joules. I can't sleep knowing you're not next to me, but when I sleep beside you, I'm tempted sometimes. I don't know what to do. Maybe I should just sleep downstairs." He said.

"Please stay. My father would think we argued or something otherwise." I said. I tried to make it about my father, but he still wanted to sleep downstairs.

"Please. Stay for me..." I said, weakly.

He hesitated, and said, "I don't want to lose control of myself." He sounded upset.

"You won't, I promise." I said. We were just starting to drift off when we heard the gunshot. We hoped nobody was hit, but it was impossible to miss the ear splitting screams.

(A/N: I'm cruel aren't I? Cliffhanger. Anyway, I'm running out of ideas guys. Help!!! Again, should I off Zoran or not? And if not Zoran, then who do you guys suggest? Thanks, all of you!!!)