Out of Time (Collectors Cross-Over)

Chapter 1

Nate - Matched

"I realize you three have lived on your own for like a year, but I haven't," Sean was running through the house like was some crazed monster. I remember him being like this once when we were kids and he'd eaten way too much candy after trick or treating. "No parents, no rules, no curfew."

"We have rules," Emily called after him. "And you know it."

"How will they enforce them?" he ran back into the room missing his shirt.

"I swear to god, dude, if you come running back in here without pants, we're throwing you out," Brody walked through the room with a box. "And I do know someone who can pick your ass up and throw you out in the streets."

"Drew wouldn't do that," Sean came to a halt. I think he was more trying to convince himself.

"Yeah he would," I smirked. "I'd pay him."

"You guys suck," Sean picked up one of his boxes and sulked up the stairs to his room.

"This place is incredible," Emily walked through the house again. Another safe house that the vampires owned. "The garden out back is fabulous, and there's a grill for you."

"Who wants steaks?" I called up the stairs.

"All of us!" Brody called back down.

I knew what I was doing soon. The fridge was fully stocked, the fairies had followed us down to Georgetown. Which was good, because Brody and Emily were the only responsible ones of the four of us, and that fact scared me. Plus, she of course had soccer practice starting soon at her new school, but the rest of us were going to kick back and enjoy the fact that we were no longer in Frederick, Maryland.

"You're grilling, right?" Sean walked back into the room, and he had a shirt on.

"Are you over your moment of holy shit I live on my own?" I countered.

"Ah, come on!" Sean sounded like he was talking to one of his parents when they weren't giving in to his crap. "I get one moment of being an idiot."

Given that we had to grow up so damn fast, I was inclined to agree with him. "You're right."

"Who wants to go do the Exorcist stairs with me?" Emily came running back into the room. "Then we can come home and watch the movie."

"Who are you two?" I shook my head.

"I'll go," Sean told her. Encouraged her was more like it.

Brody was standing on the stairs listening to them. "Let them go and get this out of their system.

"I'm going to put away your clothes," I told Emily. I knew she'd hate that, but I also knew it wouldn't keep her here.

"I'll do it when I get back, just leave it," she waved her hand. "Come on," she said to Sean, then jumped on his back. He grabbed her legs, she wrapped her arms around his neck and he carried her out the door.

"What's up with them?" I looked at Brody.

"Dude, they're getting along," he walked on down the stairs and crossed into the living room. "We're down here way early, let's just kick back."

"Charles said we could go down to their beach house any time we want," I claimed one of the chairs and stretched my legs out in front of me.

"Awesome!" Brody dropped onto the couch and stretched out. "Damn, I hate moving."

I looked around the new living room. This entire house reminded me a lot of the condo we'd had in Frederick. Hardwood floors on the main floor, furniture that matched everything and every room looked like an interior decorator had gone nuts.