мαxωεℓℓ's αcα∂εмү ғσя тнε gιғтε∂ [α∂vαηcε∂ яσℓερℓαү] discussion

Only eight o'clock in the morning, and Caitlyn O' Connor was up and about. It was quite chilly that October morning as winter began to really roll in, the forest's branches weighted down by last night's snow. She hugged her navy blue fitted peacoat close to her petite body, grateful for the layers she had decided on wearing that morning. She loved winter, as she could wear all her cute clothes without worrying about sweating the layers. Leggings were worn under her jeans, thick fuzzy socks accompanying the knitted black UGGs on her feet. Her blonde hair was loose under a slouchy beanie, a scarf draped around her neck. Being the tiny little girl she was with the weak body of hers in the winter, it was difficult for Catie to stay healthy. She constantly got sick because of her underdeveloped immune system, so she strived to enjoy snow while she could. Under her peacoat, her outfit consisted of a warm sweater with a white collared shirt beneath, with the school's logo on the breast. Plenty warm, right? No, Caitlyn was downright freezing.

Catie's boots crunched on the white fresh snow for a while, weaving her way through the forest without fear of becoming lost. Students weren't exactly allowed up in the forest without permission, but she knew she could handle it. What could hurt a plant elemental in her own realm? Caitlyn hummed a tune softly, rubbing her gloved fingers together as she hiked an upward slant of the forest without slipping. The fresh crisp air made everything easy to hear, the birds trilling melodies across the tall trees, students bck at the campus squealing at the discovery of the white morning, the soft panting of her breath that produced little clouds of air in front of her.

It was a beautiful, pleasant morning, and Caitlyn didnt want to leave the forest. She didnt care much for breakfast, what with the granola bar she had snuck along in her pocket. Today was one of her big chapter tests for Math, and Catie couldn't bear thinking of the class one bit. She'd fail this one, for sure! The teacher was wretched, and she didnt care much for the priss that sat beside her all class long. Sighing unhappily, Catie collapsed on a rock, not caring that the seat of her pants would soak through with the snow. She caught her breath looking out over the small clearing, her cheeks rosy as she allowed a small smile cross her red lips. What nature could bring was truly fascinating to Catie, a few snow flowers blossoming around the rock at her will.

She had discovered the rock hiking through the forest her first week here, when she had been so upset and ran from the campus. The peace and safety of the forest, all to herself, helped Caitlyn relax whenever she needed it. Catie could be herself here, be happy, be alone. Occasionally, squirrels or birds would accompany her, sitting for hours at her clearing. Catie wanted to set up a hammock one day between the two sturdy trees to her right, make the place her new home. Coming to a boarding school, with actual other kids her age, with mutations, had been all too much. Catie missed her best friend, constantly wondered where she had ended up. Her heart longed for her parents and her sister, as well as the new puppy.

The breakfast bell rolled in the distance, snapping Caitlyn out of her trance. She defiantly lay back on the rock, refusing to budge just because some bell told her to. Caitlyn could spend days out here, as it felt more of a comfort here than the dorms. The girls were rotten, and the boys smelled. Never had Catie felt more alone than at Maxwells Academy. Caitlyn sighed, puffing icy clouds into the air as her eyes wandered the bright blue sky, white fluffy clouds drifting above the trees scraping the sky.

It had been days since Samuel had seen any kind of civilization. He knew that he was definitely in Colorado, the location of the Academy where he was headed, due to the thick Aspen tree forests that he was trudging through. It seemed as if the thousands of trees would never end and for a while, they didn't. The forests seemed to go on, constantly expanding and seemingly becoming larger each day. It really was just all in his head though, like a lot of things. Like the constant nagging in the back of his brain telling him to turn around, to go back to the sorry excuse for a life that he had before. He couldn't trust these people. How had they even known who he was? How had they slipped that letter into his backpack without him noticing? It just felt extremely shady, suspicious, and he was already a paranoid person so this didn't do much to help.

His tattered jeans, black cotton t-shirt and converses all looked pretty worn, the trip having proven more wearisome than he believed. The clothes he'd managed to acquire before he started this journey were simple, nothing more than what an average person would wear in the summer, even though it was wintertime. Normal humans would have frozen, but not him. He couldn't develop hypothermia, it just wasn't something that could happen to him. Just like how he couldn't starve or die from malnourishment. His cells regenerated at a startling rate and prevented such things from happening to him. Death wasn't impossible though. There were a few ways that he could be killed and when things got tough he'd certainly considered it, but to him, it didn't seem like the solution he wanted. It was as if death wasn't enough to solve his problems and so he carried on, striving to find something to ease the pain, something to heal his broken heart.

Just when he was about to give up and revert back to the lost cause that he knew he was, he found the campus. It was so beautiful. The snow that had fallen the night before was blanketing everything in it's white majesty, making everything glisten with a breathtaking glittery affect. Cold weather was his favorite, snow especially. It reminded him much of himself, cold and covering what was lying beneath the surface. It just fit him and he'd always had a thing for it.

He lingered in the woods around the Academy campus, keeping hidden in the dense foliage that surrounded him. Moving silently, he circled around the property, watching people mill about as they seemingly headed towards their classes or something. He kept his eyes locked on the mansion as he walked, astonished as he saw all of the kids. The letter hadn't been a trap, a lie. Perhaps it really was a a good thing, a chance for him to not be so alone, just as the letter had promised. That's what the man from his childhood had promised too though, and how had that turned out?

As if things couldn't have gotten worse, he ran into a rock. Hitting his shin, he bit back the nasty things he wanted to say, literally biting his lip. Looking down, he saw a girl perched atop the rock. She had blonde hair, soft features, a small frame. She was beautiful and that was exactly why he did what he did. His blue eyes widened and he stumbled backwards, thrashing around as he kept his eyes locked on her. Twigs snapped and his skin glistened with the sweat that had frozen to it in the frigid winter air. How had he not noticed her before? How could he have been so careless?

Caitlyn was lying on the rock with her eyes closed, meditating calmly as the crisp air was inhaled into her weak lungs, then exhaled. She was whining to lose body heat quite rapidly, but it didnt matter much to her. Maybe if she caused enough trouble for herself, she could be sent home. Sent home? She could see her mom and dad, her little sister! She missed them all achingly, feeling as if she would never fit in, that she wasnt wanted around here. Mutual feelings, Caitlyn reminded herself. The air was quiet and serene, until Caitlyn felt uneasy. Something was approaching, she could feel it as the persons footsteps became more clear crunching through the snow.

Catie froze, terrified to the spot. She wished she could just disappear, her eart pounding in her ears. She wouldn't dare open her brown eyes, a lump forming in her throat. Whoever it was, the person had found her secret spot, and was most likely coming from the road, inward to the campus. What was it, a kidnapper? A man, she knew now by the way he walked, was approaching fast, wouldn't slow down. Like he didnt see her. Catie shot up, her eyes snapping open as she turned her head frantically. There he was, a young man in nothing but torn jeans, an old tshirt, some converse. Caitlyn screamed, hyperventilating. The man seemed to freeze with the same alarm, looking seemingly harmless. Definitely not the kidnapper type, but Caitlyn couldn't help but feel a little shaken up.

In winter, Caitlyn's power was basically useless. The Colorado area hardly got sunlight when it snowed later in the winter, and cold temperatures usually shut her inside. Catie had scrambled around to crouch on the snow covered rock, shivering as she cowered. Their eyes locked for ont moments, but Catie could read through him almost immediately. He was a student, by the backpack and the youthful appearance. Maybe a really old one, but a student nonetheless. Caitlyn sat stunned, gazing up at the mans beautiful blue eyes, startling her with his surprising good looks. He seemed to be afraid of her, mistrusting as he scrambled back furiously in the snow.

Cartie felt awful about having screamed, adjusting her damp clothes nervously. What was he doing? Why wasnt he saying anything? "Hello...?" Her soft angelic voice carried lightly over the crisp air, the man only a few feet from her in the snow. His large frame seemed to cower by the trees, his messy brown hair flipped carelessly over his blue eyes. Caitlyn scribbled ff the rock carefully, her foot slipping and nearly causing her to fall into the snow on her butt. Luckily, balance was caught and Catie could stand straight in the snow. Her teeth were beginning to chatter, and the school bells rolled again announcing the end of breakfast. Ten minutes to get to class, but Caitlyn was more concerned about... This stranger. He was obviously new, and something... Was off about him.

"I'm Caitlyn O-O'Connor... I go to that school...?" She offered meekly, nearly shaking in her own boots. She kept her eyes on him, knowing that if he dared to try and hurt her with those muscular arms of his, she could bring down a tree to her defense. "A-aren't you cold? I-I can wa-walk you down to the campus... The terrain is tricky," she continued, a pit knotting in her stomach. She was a bit alarmed with his unresponsiveness, her big brown doe eyes watching him cluelessly. Her navy fitted peacoat seemed to dwarf her, even if it was an extra small size in adults. For a sixteen year old, she was incredibly tiny, thanks to her premature birth and underdeveloped body.

Samuel propelled himself backwards until he felt the cool, dead bark of a tree behind his back. The ridges in the exoskeleton of the tree stabbed through his shirt, irritating his pale skin slightly with it's rough texture and bothering him but he didn't dare move. His big blue eyes were wide with fear, fear for this little girl who he knew couldn't harm him. Nothing really could. His mutation was a secure one, protecting him from plenty of perilous things in the past, but the reason why he was so scared was because there was one thing his metallic form could not protect, and that was his heart. After years of being so alone and longing for companionship, the actual task of getting to know someone and letting someone in terrified him. There was no way he could do it, not now and not ever.

His heart drummed in his chest at a seemingly dangerous pace, making him wonder if he was going to kill over from over-exertion or a heart attack. After a few seconds though, he realized that he was still alive and that he hadn't moved from his position. Blinking a few times and trying to steady his rapid and erratic breathing, he heard her voice. His breath hitched in his throat, the soft white puffs no longer gracing the air around him with their warm presence. The sound of her voice was like nothing he'd ever heard. It was so warm, so inviting, kind and gentle. It made him want to trust her and yet that was the very thing that drove him away. He couldn't trust her. He couldn't trust anyone.

Instead of answering her, he just clutched the hem of his shirt in one hand and rested the other against the tree behind him, ready to push off and bolt if he needed to. Over the years, he'd learned that an escape route was something that shouldn't be taken for granted. Ever. In a sticky situation, there was nothing better than being able to make a run for it and that's exactly what he planned to do if she came closer or tried anything funny. His senses were on high alert, honing in on her and watching for any signs that she would give him any trouble, though the thought seemed ridiculous. She was just a girl. A girl with big, beautiful brown eyes that looked gentle and compassionate. A girl who he knew he needed to get away from and yet...he was completely entranced with her.

He watched in silence as she stood up, almost slipping as she did so. She was alright though, regaining her balance almost immediately and standing up to her full height, which was fairly short compared to his stature but that was fairly normal to him. His freakish height was just another thing that made him stick out as different. Did anything about him seem normal? The answer was simple, no. Trying to distract himself from his thoughts, he looked her up and down, taking in her features. She was stunning really, in an innocent kind of way that made him want to give in to her kindness but he knew better. Her body was wrapped up in layer upon layer of clothing and yet, she was still shivering and even with the clothes on he could see how frail she was, how weak she looked.

She started speaking again, actually telling him her name. Her name. Not speaking to anyone really had made even something as simple as exchanging names a rare occurrence and this time....he just couldn't pass it up. "Samuel." He rasped out, his voice much harsher than he had intended but really, it was always that way but he honestly couldn't help it. Life had chewed him up and spit him back out, leaving a hard shell of a man who did his best not to feel, to shut himself off from other people. She offered to take him down to the school next and his heart skipped a beat. So that's what she wanted. She was only being him nice to get him to go there, it was a trap! His paranoia got the best of him and without another word, he took off. Bolting through the trees, snow and ice, he ran as fast as he could to get away from her. He knew that coming here would be a mistake.

Caitlyn hadnt been expecting the mans voice to be so harsh and scratchy, her heart leaping into her throat. Was he upset with her? All she had done was ask his name. Catie hugged her body, staring with concern at the young man who seemed to be absolutely terrified of her. It was such a shame, after a few months of not being seen or cared about, that samuel was running from her. This boy couldn't possibly be afraid of her, Catie figured, because he was a grown man, twice her size, triple even. It made her stomach churn as he studied her with those startling blue eyes, his back pressed up against the tree that seemed to be so flimsy compared to his build. Who was this guy?

"Er... Samuel?" Caitlyn repeated gently, taking a small tentative step forward. He seemed a little... Scared. She knew fear when she saw it, and this Samuel was definitely frightened. Of what, Caitlyn couldn't figure out. She checked behind her shoulder briefly to check of there was anything of interest that he could have been looking at, but it was only the scenic view of the school and more forestry. Samuel was poised to bolt, his knee slightly bent as if he were going to run any moment. His nerves were everywhere, his eyes piercing her skull with judgment. An awkward silence floated around them, Caitlyn's bold idea to talk to this guy slowly crashing down. She didnt feel so safe anymore, after looking him over a bit more.

"A-aren't you cold...?" Catie managed, each syllable causing little clouds to reappear. Her nose was beginning o run, and she had to get inside as soon as possible, to warmth. She had promised her parents she wouldn't get sick, but what about Samuel? He had short sleeves, and converse for crying out loud. His rosy cheeks seemed healthy however, no sign of a cold, no sneezing, no coughing. Caitlyn's toes were beginning to numb, her nose dripping icicles by then. "You'll get sick, come now... Surely you're hungry? You look like you've been out and about awhile?" Catie coaxed a bit desperate, not wanting to bail on Samuel yet finding the urge to get her frozen blood pumping again overwhelming her.

Suddenly, Samuel turned and sprinted. Just like that. Something had sparked in his eyes, anger, or some sort of distrust. She had done it now, scared him off into the woods altogether. In the snow. "Samuel! Wait! Please!" Caitlyn cried, panicking. He would get lost! Samuel didnt know the woods like she did, it was fairly easy to find yourself completely and utterly in the middle of nowhere, nothing but trees as far as the eye could see. Samuel wouldn't last a day! "Sam!" She shouted, hoping he'd turn back. To her alarm, Samuel seemed to speed up, leaping over fallen trees and running fast. Caitlyn gasped, her boots crunchin in the snow as she found herself chasing after him. What was she doing? What was she thinking? Catie knew she wouldn't forgive herself if Samuel went missing after all in the woods, and decided with finality she'd track him.

Athletics was never Catie's strong point, her weak skinny legs pumping as fast as they could, stepping on fallen logs and jumping down with a hop where Samuel could simply jump over them. Soon, the altitude and the cold air mixed with her inability to exert her lungs very much was beginning to burn. Caitlyn began to gasp loudly for air, sounding like some dying animal as things became blurry in front of her. Several times after tripping and falling in the wet snow, she felt like laying there awhile, but she had to find those blue eyes again. Samuel. The pain in her calves and sides became quite unbearable, Samuels figure slowly fading in the distance. She couldn't lose him! Not after this far!

"S-Sam-!" Caitlyn shouted feebly, her body quivering as she fought the frigid temperatures and lack of nourishment. "Samuel, come back... Please..." Catie whispered to herself, kneeling by a tree to catch her breath. She began to cough, her shoukders shuddering. Her powers helped her to keep a good idea where Samuel was, and Caitlyn found that he had slowed a great distance ahead. Despite the snow filling her boots and the urge to vomit sensing in her stomach, Catie pressed on. She caught up with him, sure enough, but Samuel took off only a couple hundred meters from her. "Samuel, stop-!" She shrieked with frustration, tears streaking down her cheeks and freezing immediately into icicles.

The chase continued over a course of twenty minutes, when Samuel took a turn she hadnt anticipated. He was headed down to the lake, descending the sloped mountainside too quickly. Caitlyn was so afraid for Samuels safety, panicked that he'd trip and roll the rest of the way with a broken spine. Using what she could of her powers even in her weak state, she used them to cushion Samuels steps, make sure he made it down safely. Why she was helping her enemy wasnt something that occurred to airline until she began to descend the slope, with Samuel already stepping foot on the lake with cautious steps.

By this point, Caitlyn had gone into a state of shock where she couldn't think clearly, stepping blindly and not really comprehending much. Her body was in so much pain, she could hardly bring herself to extend or stretch anything. Her limbs had frozen off even in her layers, leaving Catie with an oncoming dose of illnesses. A sneeze shook her body, her small feet maneuvering rocks and snarling vines. At last when her feet touched the ice, she could see Samuel was maneuvering around the edges of the lake, around the sides. Catie had one last hope in catching Samuel, and she knew shed be running across the middle of the lake to cut him off. It would work, it had to. Her UGGs slipped on the ice easily, leaving her on her bum on the cold wet ice, a shooting pain going through her rear and up her sides. Samuel was nearly around te lake to the other side, and Caitlyn knew she had to act fast.

Feet sliding, Catie hobbled across the ice, not noticing the ice was thinning quickly until she heard a crack. The crack made Catie panic, thinking of all those movies where the ice cracked and people went under, drowned because the ice blocked them coming back up. Screaming shrilly with tears streaking down her face and mean thoughts about Samuel running in her mind, Caitlyn scrambled across the ice in an embarassing clumsy manner. Then she heard one big crack, and she was under water. The piercing scream stopped abruptly, a freezing pain contacting with Caitlyn's skin. Oh god. Oh god. Catie flailed in the dark water, slowly sinking despite her light weight as she wriggled helplessly, brown eyes wide. She was running out of air, and a few moments later... There was no air. She would die, here. Catie couldn't think, couldn't breathe, couldn't feel the searing pain of her chest choking without its oxygen, and ice lake water began to fill Caitlyn's lungs. She floated under water, dying with every second, with the water that filtered ino er nose and mouth. Down, down, down she went, her brown eyes closed, her beanie floating beside her as her blonde hair splayed out angelically about her petite face.

((Whoa those a big posts. You guys are amazing writers!!! You should be really proud of ur selves!! I love these pieces of writing-9/10!! Woo! Mind if I join?))

((Don't worry I won't join :) have fun! You guys are awesome writers :D))

((Hahah thank you xD maybe later we can do all three, but for now it's gotta be means Sydney ;) ))

All of the offers for food and shelter were too much for Samuel's frozen heart. People weren't nice like that. There had to be some kind of catch and he wasn't going to wait around to find out what it was. Typically, on the streets, if someone was being nice to you it meant two things. Either they wanted to rob you or take advantage of you. That was it. There was no such thing as an act of kindness where he'd grown up and he was too old to believe in this fairy tale that the letter had proposed. Even the girl was in on it and he felt sick for even coming, for letting himself get his hopes up. There was nothing that could end the hollow feeling that filled his chest each night when he went to sleep, there was no one for him to talk to and share his feelings with and it was clear that there never would be. Life had just slapped him in the face yet again and he wasn't just going to stand around and wait for it to strike again. So, he ran.

He took off at top speed, pushing his body off of the tree and gaining as much momentum as he could. Running in the snow wasn't easy and he certainly didn't want the girl to be able to catch him, though it was pretty much impossible. Her skinny legs were no match for his long, muscular ones that tore through the woods with both tremendous speed and strength. Although his desire to get away was almost ravenous, a small part of him, one that he'd buried deep, begged him to stay. The prospects of having a home, friends and companionship made him want to turn around and run towards the girl, not away from her. His mind however, wasn't trained to trust so easily. Life had taught him plenty of things, one of them being not trusting anyone. Trust was like a drill and it slowly whittled it's way through whatever surface it was pressed to, before breaking through. His walls were built up in a way that made him feel some sense of security and he couldn't afford to have them tampered with. No way.

He heard her shouting his name and a chill ran up his spine, but it wasn't from the frigid temperature surrounding him. It was odd hearing someone say his name. It was strange and frightening, and though he'd never admit it, he really liked it. The way it rolled off her tongue was almost enough to make him stop. Almost. Pressing on, he jumped over fallen logs and rocks that were sneakily hidden beneath the glistening snow, potential fall hazards. Soon enough, he heard the soft pitter patter of her footsteps and he knew that he was being pursued. What was the deal with this girl? Why was she so interested in getting him to come to the school to eat and warm up? Did she actually....care? Shaking his head, he forced the thoughts out, knowing that he couldn't afford to think that way. They had just met! Why would she, why would anyone, care about him?

The snow was like powder under his feet, causing his movements to take up far more energy than he would have liked. After running for a good while, he could barely hear her calling to him or running behind him. Coming to a clearing, he stopped and knelt down on one knee as he tried to replenish his energy levels. His breathing was a bit rapid for his liking, but he dealt with it, focusing instead on the girl. Caitlyn. His gaze finally locked onto her, a mere blur of color in the white backdrop. It was clear that she had fallen but before he could even worry, she was back up again, running towards him and obviously struggling. Why was she doing this? He couldn't fathom any reason besides her wanting to lure him inside and do.....he didn't even know what. The longer he thought about it though, the more he realized how stupid his theory was. If someone was trying to hunt him down, why would they send her? Someone so fragile and weak. None of this made any sense to him. Keeping his eyes on her, he watched her labored steps in amazement. She was just so determined. "Caitlyn." He whispered, trying out the name for himself while he had a moment of rest. Once it had come out though, he wished he could take it back. It felt like a sin to say her name and he didn't plan on doing it again. If she was genuine...then he didn't deserve to speak her name.

She continually got closer and once he could clearly see her, blonde hair whipping behind her, he knew it was time to run again. Standing up, he took off for the second time, hearing her shouting his name behind him. Her voice made his name sound....pleasant almost and that's when he knew that he needed to lose her or else he was going to get dragged into an attachment that he didn't want to have. She was growing on him already and all they'd been doing was chasing one another around. It was odd because, no one had ever chased after him before. No one had ever cared enough to bother following him anywhere. His chest filled with an odd heat that he didn't understand and he growled, pumping his legs faster and trying to essentially outrun his feelings. Stupid emotions.

Having run from plenty of things in his life, it was clear that he needed to run in a different pattern. Straight paths were easy to follow, but sporadic ones were nearly impossible. He saw a slope to his right, leading towards what looked like a frozen lake and he decided to take it. Abruptly turning and slowing down just a bit, he began to make his way down the ridiculously steep slope, hoping that he wouldn't fall. It would be rathe painful and he didn't feel like sitting around and waiting for his body to heal after something like that. An odd thing happened as he continued down the angled incline. It almost seemed as if his steps became easier, more sure footed. He took advantage of it as he made it to the bottom, essentially creating a distance between them that she would never be able to close. Glancing over his shoulder though, as he skirted around the edge of the lake, he saw that she was still coming after him. This girl had to be insane.

He'd seen her cutting across the middle of the pond, in a last ditch effort to catch up with him. He didn't think much of it until he heard her scream. Stopping in his tracks, he continued to slide on the ice as he turned to see what was wrong with her. The loud shriek she'd let out wasn't anything like the others. Something was wrong, very wrong. His eyes locked onto a change in the ice, a hole that hadn't been there before and everything clicked at once. She'd fallen in. Throwing his backpack aside, he made a mad dash for the break in the solid ice. It looked almost like a painted mirror, one that had been shattered and was now showing the reflective glass that once had covered it's entire surface. Panic tore through his chest as he ran, hoping that she would be alright. He didn't know why he cared or why he was bothering to go back for her, he just did it.

Making it to the opening, he stopped and focused on controlling his abilities. In a matter of seconds, his skin had changed from it's fair tone to one of shining metal as the slick and indestructible substance came over him completely, covering him from head to toe. He jumped in, knowing that the sheer weight of his body in this state would cause him to sink, but that's exactly what he wanted. The freezing cold water surrounded him, but he didn't feel it's biting temperature, the metal protecting him completely. He sank all the way to the bottom, his feet hitting the bottom of the lake and sending sediment sprawling across the floor of the water source. It took him just a moment to find her, floating limply in the water as it chilled her despite all of the clothes she was wearing. They weren't going to do her any good now. Moving quickly over to her, the metal keeping him from floating up, he pulled her into his arms, careful not to grip her too hard. He didn't want to injure the poor girl.

Once she was firmly held to his chest, his arms wrapped around her torso, he looked up to relocate the opening where he'd come in. The shattered ice hadn't covered it and he was relieved. At least something had gone his way today. He moved a single step to the left, positioning himself beneath it and then the fun part came. He reverted back to his regular form, the icy water clinging to his skin the moment the metal wasn't safeguarding it. It stung worse than anything he'd ever felt before and strangled him, seeming to paralyze him with it's pinpricking chill. Little air bubbles escaped him as he gazed down at the beautiful girl in his arms. Her lips were blue and that's all it took to snap him out of the shock that had momentarily taken over him. Kicking his legs as hard as he could, he brought them up to the surface, gasping for air and climbing out as quickly as possible.

Samuel scrambled out of the water, careful to not be rough with the girl who was unconscious in his arms. He laid her down on the ice, getting on his hands and knees. Hovering over her, he gently brushed the wet strands of her blonde hair from her face, examining her to see if she was alright. Her skin was extremely pale and her lips were a faded robin's egg blue, obviously the results of her naturally pink lips becoming too cold. His instinct was to warm her up and he knew how, but he wasn't sure if she would be comfortable with something like that. "C-Caitlyn?" He stammered, shivering in the cold too but the difference between them was that this wouldn't kill him. He could live through something like this, but in her state, he wasn't sure if she would ever be okay. He remembered how much she'd been coughing, sneezing and sniffling during the chase. Was she already sick? He leaned down, putting his ear to her lips and trying to listen for her breathing. She had to be okay, she just had to.

His blood ran cold as nothing but silence came from her mouth. He couldn't feel any puffs of air hitting his skin and that scared him to death. Was she...dead? The possibility of that being the case hit him hard, like a stab to the chest without his metal there to shield him from the blade, and he was ready to do anything to help her live. To be able to see her eyes open and see her chest rise and fall would make him happy, actually happy. He quickly thought about what he could do, wracking his brain for ideas until he found one. Lifting his head up, he remembered how he'd learned CPR and mouth to mouth resuscitation from one of the women at one of the various orphanages he'd grown up in. Clawing at the memories that lingered at the back of his mind, he placed his hands one over the other in the correct position on her chest. Her skin was freezing to the touch, but it only made him work faster. After thirty quick chest compressions, he tilted her head back, resting his thumb on her chin and pulling her mouth open. He hesitated for just a second, realizing just how many of his own boundaries he had crossed today. Without giving it any more thought, he pressed his lips to hers', sharing the oxygen in his lungs with her. He pulled back after a long breath, repeating the process again and again with absolutely no change. Her condition was the same and he was afraid of what that could mean. He didn't want to bruise her skin or hurt her any worse, so he decided to give it one more go. Thirty chest compressions later, the moment of truth came. Leaning down, he whispered to her. "Please, Caitlyn." With those few words uttered, his lips pressed to hers once more, giving her as much air as he could, his lungs burning by the time he finished. Pulling back, he gasped for air, the warmth and tingling in his lips odd to him. Was that from her? He didn't know, but as he stared at her, catching his breath, his hope diminished completely. She was soaked head to toe and was lying there so lifelessly, her lips the only part of her body that had any color and that was from his efforts to save her life.

((OML. I love you. Ten paragraphs?? You're so good xD so many feels!! Except you might wanna add something about mouth to mouth, since she's not breathing with all the water in her lungs!! Unless she's just gonna come alive))

((Edited ;) ))

((AWWWWW! Working on a reply now :) so cute holy heck))

Caitlyn O'Connor lay flat on the ice, where Samuel had trekked across the other side of the lake on light feet with her lifeless body in his strong muscular arms. She was completely unconsious, her pulse ever so faint. Her heart could hardly pump any more blood, her body at a too low temperature o the point her fingers and toes were blue. She was missing her boot, scarf, and beanie, her blonde hair tangled in a mess about her face. Her skin was a ghastly pale, her lips purple and her cheeks without the rosy blush she usually wore. To anyone else, she would seem dead. Her clothes were completely soaked through, puddles forming under her body that quickly froze to slush. The biting air hit her skin, causing her body to be way colder with the breeze. Water plugged her airways, and without oxygen coming in, she was losing brain cells, her blood was stopping nearly all together.

Beside Samuel, her fragile body was dwarfed with his hulking form. When he begun performing CPR, his large palms constantly crushed her chest, those weak ribs that threatened to snap with each powerful compression. To Samuel, it would have seemed that his efforts at reviving her were fruitless, but it helped force the icy water sloshing in her stomach to work it's way out, up her esophagus. She had inhaled hefty amounts of the lake water in er struggle to resurface earlier, which had done further damage to her body. It didnt help that Caitlyn was tiny, her bones so weak they could snap. The fact that it was winter, the sun wasnt shining, and Catie hadnt eaten a single thing that morning didnt help the matter either. In fact, it made it the worst it possibly could have been.

Time was running out, and Caties heart was struggling to pump itself in those uneven, irregular thumps. Samuels heavy hands were hurting Caittns unconsious body, but it was doing the trick. By the fiftieth compression, the majority of the lake water had been forced from Caties throat. The water and acid from her stomach remerged in the form of really fluid throw up, the substance leaking from the corner of her lips as she was rolled on her side. Caitlyn didnt move for several moments, the air serene beside the school bells in the background, and birds chittering in the forest. Sam had begun to lose all hope, but all he could was watch and wait.

Meanwhile, Caitlyn's nostrils flared, her chest ever so slightly rising and falling underneath the navy coat she wore. With this much needed oxygen, little as it was, her heart began to recover from its frozen stupor, sputtering back to life and letting the blood surge through her body. The blood brought some color back to her face, her arms, her legs, and it only took ten minutes for Caitlyn to wake from her unconsciousness. She was extremely weak, her eyes hardly able to open themselves. All she could see was darkness, er eyelids frozen over her soft brown eyes. As she came to, her senses gradually reactivated. The first thing she could taste was vomit. Ten she could hear the breeze whistling in her ear, smell the fresh pine from the forest off the bank of the frozen lake.

Catie's eyelids fluttered several times in her desperate attempt to wake up, to find herself in this frozen nightmare. The memories flooded back, chasing Samuel through the forest, tripping too many times, falling in the ice, sinking. The last thing she had seen was the opening, the only source of light in the darkness. Caitlyn could hardly think, still brain dead from all the freezing that the winter had done her. All she could make out was Samuels worried expression hovered over her face, shielding from the daylights brightness. Catie was helplessly lost in his goregous blue eyes, watching them blink, hearing faraway sounds. It was his voice, asking if she was okay, calling her name as she slipped in and out of consiousness. Her entire body was numb, and her throat ached. The taste of vomit stuck to her tongue, her empty stomach churning and threatening to make an appearance of her intestines.

Caitlyn managed to turn her head to the side, spit out the nasty aftertaste as best she could, and swallow the saliva that had accumulated in her mouth. All she could think of was how cold she was, how much she wanted to be inside, how warm Samuel's knee was against her thigh as he knelt at her side. Wait. Samuel? Why was he here? Had he saved her? Risked his own life to revive his pursuer? Why had Samuel stopped for her? The way he had ran so quickly from her, and looked at er with such fear and distrust, it couldn't make sense to Caitlyn. Maybe she was in some alternate universe. Nobody would come and save her themselves, they'd call authorities. She'd be dead by then, but nobody would care because it was just that one quiet girl who sat in the back of class. And yet, here Samuel was, soaking from head to toe in his ragged clothing, his own body shivering in the cold. She noticed how his body shielded some of her body from the wind that had begun to kick up, sending flurries of snow skidding across the ice.

Another few minutes of recovering, and Catie was able to speak. The water in her hair and clothes had caused er body to become frozen to the lake's ice, her feeble attempts to sit up failing ever so painfully. Tears pricked Caitlyn's eyes, the warm drops rolling down her cheeks in fear, confusion, and frustration. A sneeze caused her whole body to shudder, her nostrils stinging with the impact. A weak cough escaped her lips, her body quivering on the ice. "S-s-s-s..." Caitlyn could only stutter, the tears coming faster now. They did much to thaw her cheekbones, but she couldn't see the man who sved her anymore. She couldn't see his blue eyes, everything was blurry. Se hated it, and it only reminded her of the view from underwater.

"Sam!" She managed to blurt, her eyes closing as she cried silently, trembling as she tilted her body naturally towards him, eager for his warmth, protection. Pneumonia was catching ahold of her, and fast. It didnt help that as a girl who was one with the plants and needed sunlight and proper nourishment to survive, that Caitlyn was running on an empty stomach, and that gloomy clouds spread across the Colorado skies. "C-c-c-cold," Catie whispered hoarsely, opening her soft brown eyes, spilling over with tears. Her hands were useless, so were her feet. She could hardly feel them, notice they were there. Everything was so... Numb, so distant. As if she were in a dream... "I-I-I'm so-so c-c-cold, s-sa-Sam-sa-Samuel," Caitlyn whimpered, her chest feeling as if it had been crushed by an elephants hooves, and her throat contracting and expanding as if she were choking again.

Samuel shivered in the gelid air that nipped at his bare skin. Ferocious goosebumps had formed along his arms, traveling up his neck and raising his hackles in the chilled environment. His hope was lost as he kept himself positioned above her, searching her features for any signs of change. It was insane to think about how he felt, so he didn't. He pushed all thoughts of actually caring for this girls safety aside and focused simply on the task at hand. After looking her over, he realized that the only way she was going to get warm was by not being covered in layer upon layer of clothes that were drenched in the frozen lake's water. Making a split second decision, his big fingers began to fumble with the belt of her coat. Failing quite a few times to unlock the clasp, he became desperate but kept his head level. Losing his temper right now would not be good for either of them. Taking a deep breath, he tried a gentler approach and, low and behold, the clasp unlocked. His eyes sparkled with achievement and he slowly peeled the soaking coat from her delicate frame. Next came her jeans, which he unbuttoned and pulled from her frail hips and legs. The sweater and her other shoe were also removed, leaving her in black leggings, socks and a white button down top.

The remaining clothing clung to her body, like skin on bones and something within him ignited. What exactly he was feeling, he wasn't sure but it was absolutely impossible to deny that he had formed some kind of attachment to this girl, some form of compassion for her. Here he was, trying to revive her after she fell into a lake of ice. That's not what he had taught himself to do. His instincts were to leave a man behind if it meant his own survival. He had learned to depend upon, and care for, no one but himself. So why was he doing this? Why did he care that the girl wasn't breathing, that her heart was beating at a dangerously slow rate? The answer was frightening, something far worse than death itself....love.

It wasn't that he was romantically involved with Caitlyn, no that's not what he meant. Love was the root of everything that he was feeling. Care and compassion got their start from an emotion deep inside of him that he thought had long ago been lost. On the streets and in the hands of those who had either shunned him or tried to take advantage of him, he'd lost sight of what love was. As he looked back, he wondered if he had ever felt something so sweet and so dangerous as love. His mind came up blank, no recollections coming forward of any kind of affection. It was sad really, not having the simple pleasures of a touch, a kind spoken word. Even things that some would view as simple managed to totally stump him. Like kissing for example, what was that all about? What was the point? Was there supposed to be a winner or something? How did they breathe when they were doing that? He just didn't understand it, the whole locking-lips thing, but there were times when he did wonder what it would feel like to share something so seemingly intimate with someone.

As he knelt beside her, lost in the depths of his thoughts, he thought he heard something. No....it couldn't be. Resting his elbows and forearms on the ice, on either side of her head, he leaned down and listened. Small puffs of air hit his face and he could have jumped for joy. "Caitlyn?!" He questioned, his tone still harsher than he had intended. He honesty couldn't help it. Even when he tried his best to speak softly, it came out gruff and uninviting. Usually, he viewed it as a gift but today it felt more like a curse. He didn't want to scare the girl away, he wanted to help her, see her live after all of this. He could hear her breathing but she hadn't responded to him. "Are you alright? Can you hear me?" He asked frantically, afraid that there was something seriously wrong with her. Maybe she was hurt and he hadn't seen it.... Freaking out, he tilted her head to the side gently and looked for any cuts or bumps that could have been hidden there. Being cold and not breathing was one thing, but brain damage was another.

It was then that he heard her spit something out of her mouth and knew that she was waking up. He hadn't seen anything that worried him on her precious little head and he relaxed slightly. It wasn't until she started moving around though that he noticed the trail of vomit, a mixture between stomach acid and lake water, that traveled from the corner of her lips to the frozen surface of the lake. His heart skipped a beat in his chest as he realized how amazing that was. He probably would have smiled if he remembered how. Samuel wasn't one who got grossed out by stuff, he'd seen worse things than a little vomit on the streets. Far worse. To him, it was beautiful. It showed him that her body had expelled the liquid that had threatened to drown her. Maybe his CPR had done some good after all....

A few moments passed and he gave her a moment to breathe, to regain her senses before he tried to do anything. Shock was something that could be brought on after something so traumatic and he didn't want to induce it. That would make things about a thousand times worse, as if they could actually get any worse. He was graced with the gentle brown shade of her irises, her eyelashes glittering with the tiny frozen drops of water that clung to them. The color was coming back to her skin and it was as if her health had taken a u-turn. She was waking up, actually trying to speak to him. What worried him though, were the tears that streamed down her cheeks, reaching her jaw and trickling down her neck. He brought his rapidly thawing fingers to her face, brushing away the tears tenderly as he listened to her struggling speech. At first, it was only his name and her words were so broken up that he could hardly understand it. Slowly though, her words became clearer and he was able to understand what she was saying. Everything made it clear, her drawing slightly closer to him, her shivering and trembling; she was cold. He couldn't have that.

"I know. Just stay with me Caitlyn. I'll get you warm." He promised, his determination solidified completely at this point. He was going to take care of this girl, just like she'd tried to take care of him. Sitting back on his heels, he reached behind his neck and grabbed his shirt, pulling it up and over his head in one fluid motion. Wrapping his fingers in the still slightly damp fabric, he wiped the vomit from her lips and jaw. He was surprised to find that he was worried about her delicate skin breaking out. What was wrong with him? Once her face was rid of the foul liquid, he tossed his shirt aside, leaving it atop the ice along with her soaking wet, and now freezing, clothes.

He moved his body closer to hers, sitting cross legged by her torso. Reaching out, he pulled her from the ice and into his lap with ease. One of his hands rested behind her knees and one on her back, supporting her as he held her in his arms. Samuel's metabolism worked at such a fast speed that his body had already fought off the hypothermia that could have set in for any normal person who would have jumped into that lake. Actually, his body's natural temperature was completely rebalanced. Due to his regenerative cells, his core temperature was raised slightly, a healthy temperature for him being 100.3. This made him the absolute best cuddler, though he'd never know it, because he was so warm. Cradling her to his bare chest, he hoped to share some of his corporeal heat with her. Her little fingers were so cold, and he was desperate to warm her up. Ignoring the chill that her skin gave his, he gently placed her hands flat against his chest, snuggling her as best as he could without having any kind of previous practice.

Samuel's deep voice rumbled in her ears, a warm inviting one that had a bit of an edge to it. She knew though, with her pure and loving heart, that Samuel could care for her, that he wouldn't harm her. After all, he had fished her out of the icy lake, risking his own life. She wasnt sure as she slipped in and out of a consious state, if Samuel had involved his powers at all, but she definitely could see that he was immune to the cold. At least, more than she would ever be. Her skin had taken on an ugly pale color, her fingers blue, threatening to become black and catch frostbite. Her clothing had been stripped of her, leaving her shivering in only thermal leggings, two layers of socks, and her button down shortsleeve. Whatever this guy was doing, she sure hoped he was smart.

"I-I-I-I'll try," Catie whispered feebly, closing her eyes weakly to relieve the stress in her vision. Her head pounded like no other, and her body was quickly withering in the cold. She was a delicate flower, too weak and fragile for the elements yet. Yet, Samuel seemed so set on saving her, she pretended she would make it alive, untarnished, into the next days of her life. She gasped softly upon reopening her eyes, seeing Sam shirtless. What was he doing? Trying to kill himself? Wasnt he cold, not even the slightest bit? Caitlyn opened er mouth to express concern, unable to get more than a croak from her dry lips.

Her heart swelled as well as her brown eyes, touched by Samuels gestures of what he did next. He used his own shirt, even when it was freezing out, to wipe the vomit from her cheek and hair, to make her more comfortable in her current situation. Caitlyn smiled with gratitude, her eyes squinting up at his bright blue ones. She was a bit confused as to why Samuel was getting comfortable on the ice, instead of fleeing indoors to get someone for help. She didnt mind it, knowing Samuel was doing his best. She had a special spot in er heart for him, for risking all he had for her sorry soul. Caitlyn O'Connor, the tiny sophomore who could hardly stand up for herself, couldn't even swim and save herself, chased after strane men in the forest.

He picked her up much to her dismay, alarmed at being carried by someone she didnt even know. She was laid in his lap ever so tenderly, Samuels soft features only portrAying his concern for her feeble condition that was only worsening with every passing minute. As soon as Caitlyn's hands were guided to his sculpted chest, Catie nearly began to sob. So, so warm. His skin was like a nice toasty furnace, and her icicles for fingers pressed as close as they could in desperation. Whimpering softly under her breath, Catie close her amber eyes and pressed her entire body to his chest. It didnt even matter that he was shirtless, way older than her, and had facial hair- he was saving her life.

Once Catie had recovered enough to the point where her body had stopped shaking so much, she opened her eyes to look up into Samuels blue ones. Their faces were awfully close, to where she could feel his warm breath puffing against her nose. As to his promise, Sam had succeeded in getting her warm, keeping her from the evil hypothermia that lurked about the uninviting winter day. "Y-you saved me from that lake, Samuel," Caitlyn's soft angelic voice spoke up, wavering only slightly as she held back a cough. "You risked your life for me, even w-when I was chasing you," she continued, her eye contact unwavering. Her hands still rested on his chest, her legs folded up in his lap.

"Thank you," Catie bit her bottom lip, absolutely heart warmed that someone like him had cared so much. She leaned forward, her wet locks brushing gently against his skin as she planted an innocent kiss on his sculpted cheek. "I-if it weren't f-for you, I'd be at the bottom of this lake," she whimpered, closing her eyes as her breathing quickened with panic of the memories. Once she had managed to get over her fears in the safety and everlasting heat of Samuels embrace, she leaned her head on his chest with absolute trust an comfort. "Why'd you do it, Sam?" Caitlyn inquired gently, looking up to him. She was extremely dwarfed in his muscular arms, looking somewhat of something wilted in her soggy clothes. Snow had begun to fall again in gentle breezes, the white flakes landing in Samuels hair.

Her body shuddered as she sneezed loudly away from Samuel into her shoulder, her sinuses aching with each violent sneeze. She was going to be confined to her room for a while, a few days at least. Maybe even a week or two, if she was lucky. It would give her an excuse to hide out in her empty room, dwell on the fact that she was alive instead of dead. It also taught her not to go out so far from campus anymore in the winter, especially when it was snowing. It had been a good thing that it wasnt raining, and the lake wasnt flooding like it did every year in the march and April months. She would have drowned instantly, been washed away in the muddy waters that formed small rushing streams down the sides of the sloped forest grounds.

Across the lake, surrounded by the forest, figured emerged in right yellow jackets. One had a red one on, and she recognized the figure as the kind headmaster that had done his best to make her feel welcome. Caitlyn gasped softly, not wanting to be torn from this moment of bliss she was encompassed in, alarmed as one of the figured elevate itself and approached too quickly for her liking. The other five had their own ways to get across, teleports or flying or some kind of device that took them across the dangerous ice. The hole she had fallen inside forty five minutes ago was now almost completely covered up again. "Sir, please hand over the girl! Step away from her, nice and slow!" A woman announced, the nurse she had disliked from day one when he had turned in her medications for her fragile bones and faulty immune system. Someone had been flying over the forest for a while in the snow, one of the staff members, and had seen Caite and Samuel hovered together on the lake. They hadnt liked the look of Samuel, thinking him to be a human, an Elite set on hurting her.

Samuel was utterly perplexed with himself. This act of kindness was so out of the ordinary for him. His harsh and brooding attitudes refused him the pleasure of doing kind things for other people. Saving her was something he never imagined that he would have done. It was too.....soft, too nice of him and he knew that he was letting his guard down by doing this. This girl was like a weed, a terrible weed that would grown through the cracks he'd just made in the walls surrounding his heart. She would flourish and find a way in, but there was no stopping it now. It was too late, he was in too deep. He could feel the roots taking up a place in his steeled heart, but it wasn't as if she was a terribly hideous weed. She was like a morning glory, an enchanting and rare beauty that would smother out his hardened demeanor. His mind told him that wasn't what he wanted, but his heart was telling him something else entirely.

Caitlyn's small and gentle voice drifted up to him and he gazed at her, his gaze unintentionally icy cold. It was almost as if he was scowling at her, but that was just a defense mechanism really. If he softened in any way, she would invade his heart completely and he'd never be able to root her out. It was as simple as that. Sam was the kind of person who avoided attachments, not only because he'd always been so alone, but because when he finally formed one with someone it was as if it took him over completely. When given the opportunity, Samuel was the most loyal and devoted person to any kind of relationship. So, he knew that if he allowed something to form, whatever it may be, between this girl and himself, there would be no going back. He'd dive in head first and never resurface.

As he looked into her big brown doe eyes, he felt himself relax slightly loving the feeling of having physical contact with someone. Her fingers were icy cold against his bare chest, but it was worth it to have someone actually touch him. She was recounting everything he'd done for her, and he stayed silent. Then, she said something that he'd never heard before. Ever. Thank you. His lip twitched slightly, whether it was indicating a smile or a frown not even he knew, but just hearing those simple words made him feel like he was worth something. For he longest time he'd felt like all of the things his bullies used to call him, a reject, a useless freak. But, here this girl was, thanking him for saving her life. It was astonishing really.

He watched as she changed positions slightly, wondering what exactly she was doing as she leaned closer and then....it happened. His walls burst completely as her lips made contact with his cheek. A warm and fluttery feeling filled his chest, rising to his cheeks and making them burn a rosy color. He could have died from the amazing feeling her gentle kiss had given him. So many firsts were happening for him today and he couldn't help but feel slightly overwhelmed. It was a lot to take in. It had been years since he'd had physical contact with someone. He'd never been thanked and he'd never been kissed in any way, she was opening up new doors for him but he was still far too afraid to step through them. When she pulled away, he heard her whimpering softly as she mentioned what could have happened and he pulled her in closer to him, cuddling her to him and relishing in the feeling of being connected to someone, especially her.

Her next question kind of stumped him though, why had he done it? It was complicated. More complicated than the human sequencing of DNA and he honestly didn't know how to express his motives behind his actions. "I couldn't let you drown." He whispered simply, feeling like that was the best he could do for now. It was still too soon for him to understand everything he was feeling and it would take time for him to adjust to actually having any kind of emotions besides anger, rage and sorrow. He felt tiny snowflakes begin to fall and come to rest on his shoulders, tickling his skin that felt oddly sensitive to anything touching it at the moment. The delicate little flakes didn't last for long though, melting soon after landing upon his hot skin, causing water droplets to form that slipped down his chest slowly.

Sneezes racked her body and he wished he could do something to help her, but his cells couldn't be used to heal others, only himself, though he would have given them to her in a split second if he could. She deserved to be well, to not be so weak and in such a miserable state. The feeling of her lips against his cheek still remained, his skin tingling and he wondered if it would ever stop, though he wished it wouldn't. As if on cue, he heard her gasp and turned to see a group of people coming towards them. However, these weren't ordinary people. They were mutants, some of them were flying and others were teleporting. True, he didn't have much experience with any fellow genetically enhanced human beings, he didn't underestimate them. Getting to his feet, he held Caitlyn to his chest and backed away from them. They demanded the girl and he thought they must be crazy. He wasn't giving them to her!

"No." He said simply, feeling his hackles rising in the current situation, a dangerous conflict seeming to be in the makings. He could feel his heart rate quickening and his muscles fidgeting with small spasms as he prepared himself for some kind of assault to be made upon him. He had no idea who these people were and he wasn't just going to let them take Caitlyn away from him, not without a fight. She needed to be cared for and that's what he planned to do. He was going to see to it that she would get better, that she would be safe and could heal her beautifully delicate being. With a simple thought, his skin was engulfed in a shimmering and smooth metal, protecting him and as much of Caitlyn as his arms could cover. His eyes shone with a silvery color, blue hues being hinted at through the protective covering that melded with his skin. He took a few more steps back, keeping his footing sure so that he wouldn't slip and injure the fragile female in his arms. Looking to the man in red, who appeared to be in charge of this squadron, he glared. "What do you want?" He asked, his voice coming out metallic and sharp, different from his normal voice.

((PROUD BBY!!!!))

((Thanks lovey ;) ))

Caitlyn sighed softly, curling up closer to Samuels chest as his arms tightened around her body. She had never even held this way before, or even remotely cared for by anyone but her family and her best friend who was probably dead. Her small icy fists rested in her lap, her eyelids fluttering shut as she enjoyed his musky scent, the way he held her with those incredibly warm arms. He had to be some kind of superhuman. Hearing his voice again and feeling it rumble in his chest was an odd sensation, one that left her in see of the man who was saving her, doing whatever he could to make it so she'd live. Samuel didnt have to go in the lake himself, he could have called somone for help at the academy. He was still here, even if she was plenty warmer but still a little unstable.

She was deeply touched by Samuels reasoning, sighing a bit dreamily as she became lost in those pretty blue eyes of his. "I owe you one, I guess... I-I'm sorry I scared you off in that clearing, getting myself into so much trouble..." Caitlyn murmured, lowering her brown eyes with shame. She had regained enough strength in her sore arms to squeeze out her tangled blonde-brown hair onto the lake, cringing at the ice that had settled in her locks. She yearned for a hair blow dryer. The hot air would have felt so nice on her prickling scalp! Catie dried her hands on her leggings, surprised she wasn't feeling too cold without her extra layers. He was a bit curious as to why he would bother taking her clothes off, slightly creeped out.

She never said anything about it however, only looking around to count that she still had her wet possssions somewhere on the ice. "My other boot! And my scarf, oh it was cashmere," Catie whispered, sounding deeply disappointed as she wiggled in Samuels arms to check the pile of clothes again with one arm extended. Nope. "And my beanie too? Rats," Caitlyn huffed a sigh, smiling weakly at Samuel as he had been watching her. She really got a look at him then, noticing the slight stubble and his squared jaw. How old was this guy? Was she falling for someone who was way out of her league? She was only sixteen! Catie knew shed be even more disappointed if it was another one of her silly school girl crushes.

The two sat cuddled in the snow as it fell onto Samuels broad shoulders, melting almost immediately and trickling down his skin in big fat drops. Catie brushed them away with gentle hands, gauging Sams reaction. Nothing. She wondered if he was just being shy that day, or if there really was more to him. At first, he had seemed extremely cold hearted, a crazy man in the woods who ran from little girls. Yet as time passed, she was convinced she was entirely wrong. When Samuel looked at her, she always saw a small glimmer of compassion and care in his eyes, a kind of concern that ran deep in his heart for the poor little girl who couldn't take care of herself and had some kind of osteoporosis, asthma, and a million other health problems.

Caitlyn wished she could have more time to herself when the officials arrived, the mutant teachers looking very well irritate that they were dealing with a possible elite. Now there came the stress if he knew of the school grounds and if he had told his teammates yet. They couldn't afford an attack on the mutant school, and now he had a hostage? They didnt like what the scene seemed to be, with their very own Caitlyn who had gone missing that morning halfway undressed from her winter clothes, and the mans own shirt missing as well. The staff could see the boy wasnt going to give Caitlyn up easy by the way his cold eyes glared at them, no sign of a weapon anywhere. They were a bit confused as to who this guy was, if he was hurting Catie or helping her, if he was good or bad. Glances were exchanged.

"Oh Sam, it's alright, they're good people," Caitlyn pleaded softly, seeing such a protectiveness come over his body language. He stood slowly, taking Caties breath away by how tall he really was, and how perfectly she fit in his arms. Her legs dangled off his arm, her own bare arms curled around Samuels neck. She snuggled her face close to his neck and shoulder, trying to keep the warmth and avoid the biting wind that was beginning to stir. She squeaked as a metallic color rose over his skin, suddenly his entire boy consisting of a strange smooth metal that outlined every feature. So he was a mutant! Catie gasped in awe, her small fingertips tracing a line to see what would happen on his arm. Solid metal.

His eyes had changed, gone was the tenderness. He was in a no-mercy mood, his silvery eyes challenging authority that was beginning to curl around them in a circle to capture Samuel, take the girl. She knew what was happening, she knew that they'd hurt Samuel with the way he was refusing. She had to stop this, only her word would save him! His rasping voice echoed across the ice, astonishing the stupid nurse and the groundskeeper. They all narrowed their eyes, determined to get their student back. "Give us the girl back, she is one of our students," the headmaster said firmly, assertively. "We mean you no harm," he added coaxingly, although the winged one floated above and ready to strike.

"It's okay Sam, you can let me go... They won't hurt me," she promised, whispering against his ear. She showed no desire to get out of his arms, in fact she thought shed stay right where she was. "D-don't hurt him! He saved my life, we're okay, Mister Maxwell," Caitlyn pleaded her case, her soft voice barely heard over the winds that now whipped her hair about in a frenzy. Another sneeze escaped her body, and the nurse tsked in disapproval. "Let Caitlyn go! She is ill, she could die out ere you crazy man!" She shrieked at Samuel, who didnt even flinch. The nurse was ready to lunge at this boy, but the headmaster wouldn't allow it.

((I was thinking maybe the flying guy makes a move because Samuel looks like he's about to hurt Catie somehow and that breaks off into a fight??))

Samuel certainly wasn't as afraid now as he had been back in the clearing when he first saw Caitlyn. Her radiant beauty was probably what startled him the most, seeing as physical attraction was typically the start of an attachment. Next came getting to know the person better and then after that there was no escape, the relationship was already in effect and couldn't be stopped without someone getting hurt. He still didn't really know who she was, but what surprised him was that he actually felt....better around her. Well, almost. There was still the lingering fear that all of this was too good to be true. Those moments happened in his life far more often than he would have liked and if he were to discover that this was all a ploy, some kind of trap to have him detained, then he would be far from happy and even farther from merciful. It was highly ironic that someone so afraid of connecting with people knew so much about the topic, but really it was a protection to him. If he knew the process of forming bonds then he could avoid doing anything that could initiate them.

Sam wasn't budging at all in his decision to protect Caitlyn. He didn't trust anyone and especially not these strangers in fluorescent jackets. They had ruined the wonderful embrace that he was sharing with her and he was already cross with them for that. The fact that they were encircling them didn't really help either. It made him feel especially nervous and a nervous Samuel was a dangerous Samuel. Typically in situations like this, he found it best to fight his way out blindly but with a beautiful girl in his arms, he couldn't be so careless. There was the risk that she could be caught in the crossfire, hurt unintentionally and he couldn't let that happen. Not to someone like her, no way. There was something about her, a kind of purity and innocence that struck him and seemed to move him to do things he wouldn't normally do.

Hearing her reassurances that these were 'good people' still didn't want to make him turn her over. He knew better than anyone that even good people did bad things. Therefore, he'd never trust anyone just because they were deemed 'good'. He wasn't that naive, or at least when it came to things such as this. Threatening situations were his specialty, having been involved in quite a few in his lifetime. Most of them involved much scarier men than those who stood before him now. Most of these people were wearing glasses and what looked like school uniforms. Being used to going up against government trained agents, he wasn't intimidated in the slightest bit. He'd take every single one of them down if it meant her safety.

Seeing her reaction to his mutation was something he knew he'd never forget. She seemed almost shocked that he was genetically different than most humans, but it wasn't like he had wings or scales or something constantly present physically that said, Hey, I'm a mutant. No, his powers could be activated and deactivated at will or if he was knocked unconscious but that was something he never told anyone. Ever. A survivor never revealed his weaknesses and if any word could be used to describe Samuel, survivor would be a suitable one. He was plenty of other things, but staying alive was something he always did and he had his superhuman cells to thank for that. She traced a finger along his arm and oh how he wished he could feel it. He knew that she was obviously intrigued but he didn't have time to focus on explaining his mutation at the moment. He had more demanding things to worry about, literally.

Setting Caitlyn down next to him after hearing her soft whispers, he kept an arm wrapped around her waist, basically daring anyone to touch her. He was challenging them no doubt and his gaze was unwavering as he glared right back at the crowd that had formed around them. A few cruel looks weren't going to scare him. He was Samuel Harper Reid, notorious for his harsh and cold attitudes, looks and words. He was the absolute King of intimidation and his currently silver lips twitched into a smirk ever so slightly as he watched a few of the weaker looking people fidget under his steely gaze. They were smart to be uncomfortable in his sight. This wasn't his first time being on the defensive and he was sure it wouldn't be his last. The only real difference this time was that he had something more to fight for than just his life. He had Caitlyn.

Her soft voice echoed across the icy surface beneath their feet and every word was clearly spoken, only lowered in volume by the gradually increasing wind. Sam didn't make the connection between the name of the Academy and the man whom she was addressing. He was far too focused on the winged creature that was hovering above them. His fingers were twitching and he didn't like what that could possibly mean. Keeping his peripherals locked onto the man above them, he heard Caitlyn sneezing and the nurse claiming she could die. He knew that already, and that's exactly what he was trying to prevent! Suddenly, as if on cue, he saw the flying man's hand make a grab for Caitlyn. However, Sam had been watching and was ready for him. Intercepting the man's arm, he clenched his hand on his wrist, pulling the guy from the sky and to the ground in a fluid motion.

His strength was unmatched, and the man crashed onto the ice painfully, a cry ringing through the eerily quiet setting. Perhaps it was shock that kept everyone so quiet, but he was not going to stand for anyone touching her. They'd have to go through him first and he was made of solid metal. His resolve was just as strong, and he placed a foot on the offending man's chest, pressing down until the man grunted. "Don't. Touch. Her." He said, his voice as cold and as the arctic and as harsh as the blaring sun in the Mojave desert. The threat was directed at everyone, excluding not a single person. He was feeling ravenous, his muscles itching for anyone else to come at him, for anyone to dare go up against him. It'd been a while since he'd been able to test himself, see what he could do. What better time than when defending the girl he'd saved once already?

((OH MAN!!! I love this Sydney, it's awesome!!! Replying in a second!!))

Catie had wanted Samuel to stand down, maybe so they could go have a nice hot cup of cocoa and cuddle by a fireplace she knew of in the west hall, get to know each other or something. But Sam made no move to show that he would listen to her, as much as her gentle voice pleaded. His eyes seemed untrusting, ready to hurt anyone who came within a few yards of them. She was completely flattered, but at the same time, fearful for what could happen to Samuel if he crossed the professor. The professor would take away his powers, use it to his own advantage to put her sweet Samuel down to rest. He'd be dragged off across the ice back to the academy, leaving Caitlyn in tears, and cold.

He set her down on the ice, her feet wobbling unsteadily until Sam steadied her with a firm arm draped around her waist. She liked that, a soft gasp escaping her lips. She could feel the ice shoot up into her bones, her thick socks still damp and now in a thin layer of fallen snow. Catie began to shake, hugging Samuels muscular metal torso with her eyes squeezed shut. She almost asked him to carry her again, soft uncontrollable whimpers overwhelming her. Sam was challenging the older mutants, who could no doubt hurt him immediately, and a irrational fear that Samuel would die gripped her. "Samuel, please," Catie begged, standing in her tip toes and not even close to her shoulder. Her head was titlted bck to see Samuels eyes, feeling dwarfed by his muscular form.

She didnt see what exactly happened next, only seeing a flash of wings and feeling a rush of air that knocked her backwards. Caitlyn had been surprised by the science teacher's wings flapping in her face, causing her to slip on the ice and panic. There she was, sitting in her leggings and short sleeves polo, with tears pricking her eyes as she bit down hard on her lower lip. Her rear felt bruised, and a sharp pain had shot up her spine. Was her tailbone broken? Now not only was she injured, but she was sick, and the lack of heat slowly made her freeze up, stop responding.

Whencaitlyn could register what had happened, she screamed and began to cry, absolutely horrified. The science teacher lay crippled, unconsious on the ice while something began to bleed, and his arm was stuck at an odd angle. She couldn't stop shaking, her vision bleary as Samuels voice boomed across the ice, the harsh tone nearly reducing her to pieces. This wasnt her sam. Where was the man she had fallen for, the boy she chased in the woods? Catie had taken on a fetal position with her arms bent in front of her, shaking violently to the point she looked possessed, with tears scorching her cold face. It hurt to cry, it hurt to breathe, it hurt to move.

The other staf members began to panic now, sensing that this mutant knew what he was doing, that he was troubled and upset. That never mixed well. They began to make silent conversation with thei eyes, seeming to understand one another perfectly. They'd advance, they had to put the man down before he hurt someone else, killed them, over a girl. "Caitlyn, hang in there, we will get you safe," the nurse shouted to her, but Catie couldn't hear. She didnt want to hear. She just wanted to be warm, safe, she just wanted Sam. One by one, the staff members lunged themselves at Samuel, threw attacks that were easily avoided by Samuel. Part f her rooted for him, the other hated him for ever putting her down.

Someone screamed out in pain, and that was enough for Miss O'Connor. She managed to clear her incredibly dry and achy throat, at the point where her pinkies were darkening, showing signs of frostbite. Her butt? Didnt exist. Everything was numb. "Stop i-i-i-it! Just s-s-sstop it! Stop! Sa-sa-Sam !" She shrieked shrilly, her eyes squeezed shut as she began to sob, feeling ever so miserable. "H-h-h-help me, I don't w-want to d-die out h-here! I j-just wanna g-go home!" Her voice had projected quite loudly, her body slumping in a pile on the ice. She had fainted, her breathing light as her eyes began to see little dots. She felt like the world was spinning, the science teachers awkward arm and Samuels harsh features remaining in her mind.

The staff had backed down, several injured with bruises from their attacks that had backfired on themselves. They stood clustered together, protecting the older headmaster, watching, monitoring how Samuel would react. They couldn't help her, only risk their lives and get hurt because of it. Catie needed medical attention, now, and only Samuel could sve her a second time. Time was running out, and Caitlyn began to close her eyes, her breathing labored. Her skin stung, her cheek sticking to the ice no matter how she tried to pry away, panic drowned out by weakness. She was dead out here.

Caitlyn's screams and cries filled his ears as he stared down with unwavering bloodlust at the man who had tried to grab her. That was a mistake, and as Samuel saw the way his arm was twisted, he knew that he'd broken it. Sometimes, especially when he was enraged, his strength got the best of him. To him, it'd only felt like he was pulling the man to the ground, when in fact, he was really tearing his arm from it's socket and breaking bone. Guilt didn't fill him, like it would with a normal person. Years of being numb left him without much of a conscience or a heart at all really. It took something really significant, extremely precious, to wake him from his soulless stupor. That girl had done it, but these men only brought out the worst in him. He didn't really want Caitlyn to see him like this, but there wasn't much of a choice at the moment.

The girl was out of his line of sight and that worried him, but just as he was going to look for her, the men and women around him came at him. They had tried to console the sobbing girl on the ice for just a moment before deciding to have a go at him. Well, he was ready for all of them. Dodging most of the assaults and dealing out his own skilled attacks, he managed to wound some of them mercilessly. Once the group thinned out a bit, he targeted the seemingly biggest threat of the group; the one in red. It was then that the winged creature caught his eye again, a woman huddling over his injured body. Her face was soaked with tears and she was clutching his shirt desperately. He could only assume that she was his wife or something, seeing as the man was certainly old enough to be married. A pain struck his chest as he saw something that he had avoided all of his life. Love.

The woman was a wreck and it wasn't until then that Samuel wished he hadn't hurt the man so severely. What was wrong with him? He didn't feel guilty about things so what was this odd sense of regret that filled him? He didn't have time to focus on his emotions though, because he heard Caitlyn shrieking loudly. His head snapped to the side, seeing her lying on the frozen ground, curled up and crying out for help and for him to stop. Dropping everything that he was doing, he shoved everyone out of the way and went to her side, falling to his metallic knees with a loud clanking noise. She was shaking again as her voice reached into his chest and squeezed his heart, trying to rip it from his chest. He'd upset her and that wasn't acceptable.

Seeing as the small fleet of mutants were now crowding around the man in the red vest, he lost interest in them. They weren't attacking anymore, just watching with judgmental stares that he had no problem ignoring. Scooping her into his arms once more, her cradled her as he got to his feet. "It's okay. I'll take care of you." He whispered, not wanting the others to hear but he had no idea that one of men had super human hearing. Turning on his heel, with the promise still lingering on his lips, he headed towards the gigantic mansion, towards warmth and safety for his Caitlyn.

His steps were even and sure, taking them closer and closer to the frightening estate as time went on. He was absolutely terrified of the myriads of people that could lie within such a monstrously sized academy, but he didn't let his fear stop him. The most important thing right now was getting this frail girl inside, getting her warm and making sure that she would be alright. He hated that he had scared her, knowing that she'd probably never see him the same way again. She'd never grace him with her kind words, her gentle touches and wonderfully soft lips. This was why he didn't do relationships. They always ended and what was the root of the problem? Himself. He was unlovable and with each passing moment, each passing year that he spent alone, he started to believe that more and more.

The walk was physically exhausting and he wanted to collapse by the time he'd made it to the stairs of the ominous school. Pushing forward with the last bit of strength he had, he climbed the stairs and shouldered the large wooden front door open. Warm air encircled both of their bodies as he stepped into the foyer. His metal slowly melted away, his energy completely depleted after everything that had happened; diving into an ice cold lake, battling mutants and carrying a girl through a dense forest covered in snow. She really wasn't very heavy, but it was still rather tiring. His body returned to it's normal, soft and vulnerable state, his skin losing it's hard protectant. He just couldn't keep it up. Standing there, he looked around, not sure where exactly to go. The warmth here would warm her, but was it really the best he could do?

The staff followed behind the stranger who was carrying one of their more fragile students, keeping a bit of distance between them. The headmaster was conferring with the mutant who had overheard Sam's promise to take care of Caitlyn. Understanding washed over him as they made it to the stairs, ready to tell the others not to harm him in any way. However, the enraged wife of the science teacher didn't listen. She was always on the more aggressive side and somewhere along the journey back to the campus, she'd picked up a wicked looking icicle that was sharp and lethal on the end. It closely resembled a dagger, something that shouldn't have been in her hands. She rushed forward, slamming through the front doors and heading for Samuel. She wasn't going to let him just walk away after injuring her beloved. Seeing that his metal was gone, she wrapped her fairly strong arms around him and stabbed the icicle into his flesh. It pierced through his soft skin, sticking out of his back in a grotesque way that was absolutely sickening. She released him, leaving the weapon lodged in him and snatching Caitlyn from his arms as he was distracted.

Samuel had been thinking about where to take Caitlyn to warm up when he felt cold arms wrap around him. "Wha-" He began, but was cut off as something stabbed into his lower abdomen, right above his hip. He gasped loudly, looking down at the wound as blood began to trickle from it, staining his jeans. The girl was snatched from him, but he was too shocked to do anything at the moment. Collapsing to his knees, he clutched the ice piece in his hand, taking a deep breath before yanking it out. A cry clawed it's way up his throat and he curled up on the floor, his hands coated in blood as he scrambled to apply pressure to the stab wound. His breathing was ragged from shock, his heart rate through the roof and only increasing the already profuse bleeding. The makeshift weapon clattered to the floor and he laid still, allowing his cells to work on repairing his body. While he may be able to heal, that didn't mean that he didn't feel pain. He hadn't seen who stabbed him and he was in too much pain to care at the moment. He shivered, the blood loss surprisingly more substantial than he would have thought. Perhaps it was his already weakened state that was causing his cells to take so long with their repair work. They'd been working overboard for hours, trying to keep him warm outside as he worked his body to the breaking point in the harsh conditions outside.

Nurse was wailing over her unconsious husband, and Catie was crying in her little bundle of suffering. She should have never followed Samuel, never pursued him in the first place, it had been none of her business. And now look where it got her. She was extremely ill, the staff had dropped eveything they were doing to 'save' her, and now someone could die because of her. It was all her fault, as always. Caitlyn cried for her ignorance, for Sam's cruel behavior over her, for the dying science teacher she didnt even know the name of. No matter how tightly she closed her auburn eyes, all he could see was the scientists awkwardly shaped arm.

The commotion had stopped, but Caitlyn was sobbing with what little energy she had left. She liked Sam, really. But how could she love a man who would hurt everyone around her? Catie tried to justify everything, but soon, the sharp pains shooting up her fragile bones was enough. Caitlyn fainted, closing her eyes for several moments before she heard him. This ominous, heavy metal footsteps that clinked and crushed the ice, made the lake tremble and threatened to break the ice. Caitlyn moaned softly as sam whispered to her his promises. She wasnt so sure anymore, but there wasnt anything she could do to stop him. "Sam..." She whispered faintly, lulled to rest in his arms, swayed by his continuous footsteps.

The staff members clearly saw the metal figure was heading towards he academy with Catie, and were guessing that he was bringing the girl where she belonged. They ambled along behind him across the edges of the lake, with one of the stronger staff members carrying the fallen winged man. Who was this guy, and what did he want? The headmaster showed regret, deep concern for the little girl. She seemed to be his weakness, as he had dropped everything just for her, turned his back on them when they could have easily taken advantage, just to attend to Caitlyn O'Connors cries of pain.

"Why... Why did you hurt him...?" Caitlyn whispered hoarsely, once her warmth had returned to her through Sam's metallic skin, if she could ven call it that. It was uncomfortable laying her was against something as hard as the metal, but she needed the warmth. By the time they began moving up the steps, Caitlyn had managed to warm up enough to the point that her eyes weren't iced shut, and there was feeling in er fingers again. She had her face pressed to his bare metal chest, her cheek nestled by his arm pit and rather muscular bicep, her fists curled beneath her chin. His skin had changed, the metal melted away to that soft flesh from earlier. How could she nt be in love?

Caitlyn opened her eyes again, breathing softly as sam slowly wandered into the main entrance, clearly looking lost. Just as she was about to point where her room was, the front doors smashed open, the nurse lady charging at them with such a look of fury. Before Caitlyn could even cry out, before Sam could turn around, nurse lady had hugged Sam from behind. What was she- abruptly, Catie was yanked from his comforting arms to the ground, the nurse lady gripping Catie's arm tightly. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you? That b*****d-!" She shrieked madly, grasping Caitlyn to her body and hiding the poor child's face from Samuel.

Caitlyn screamed SAMs name, wondering why now he wouldn't do anything. She managed to tear her fce from the nurses bosom for a few moments, seeing Sam kneeling on the floor. And there was blood, everywhere. Her Sam, sweet sweet Samuel. An icicle that was melting rapidly in the warm environment was red and sticky with blood, resting beside Samuels hand that braced the ground while the other held his abdomen. Nurse had stabbed Samuel. Caitlyn kicked the nurse as hard as she could muster, propelled by a new drive to get to the man who saved her's side. "SAM-!" She shrieked, slipping and sliding in her socks to her knees painfully on the wooden floors, crawling furiously with what little energy she could muster.

She held her stomach at the sight of blood, her small frigid hands reaching up to cup Samuels rugged face. "Sam, oh, Sam," she sobbed, her face blotchy again with tears as she rubbed his cheekbone with her fingers. Her forehead buried in his shoulder, her arms thrown around Samuels neck. "I'm so so sorry, Sam, I-ill get you help, I promise-! Just stay here, okay? Y-you'll be o-okay, I-I-I swear! D-don't die on me, please Sam, oh please-!" Caitlyn was a mess of bawling and shaking, her slender body trembling as she fell into a state of shock, unable to stand. She remained on her aching knees, the front doors banging open once more.

The staff members in their yellow jackets, as well as the headmaster. They all looked extremely concerned, startled by the scene ahead of them. "Get away! Get back!" She shrieked through grit teeth, furious. Little as she was, you didnt mess with those she cared for. Vines snarled from the little potted trees by the front doors, these growing into dangerously heavy stems that trapped the staf members in their tracks. Catie's auburn eyes were glowing a bright gold, her mouth gaping as she screamed in anger, trapping every last authority figure at the front doors before they could reach her and Sam. Nurse had tried lunging at her, but the woman was quickly taken care of with the same vines that yanked the woman from behind Catie to the other side of the room, with the others. They tried to get through to her, tell her to stop, that Samuel was a threat, but she didnt listen. She could only bury her face into Samuels shoulder, rubbing his back gently as she leaned on him greatly for support.