(Kaylor) This Love

Together

"I've got time." Karlie says softly and for once, work isn't the first thing in her mind and at the moment she couldn't care less.

Taylor tells her. Everything. Why she's here, what she's supposed to do, about Ed and her brother. She tells her about The Queen and her mother.
Karlie feels bad for her, having to deal with this all alone. By herself in a foreign country- no, planet all alone.
Taylor manages to pull herself together, and looks over at Karlie.
"So... me running into you that night was... it was supposed to happen."
"You could say that." Taylor smiles.
"I'm... I'm sorry that you being here has put you in danger."
"I was always in danger. Even at home. I was never safe... but I didn't know it. Everyone around me has always been fighting to protect me," Taylor thinks of Ed.
He would be outside her house every single morning. He would always be beside her. No matter what. They were always partners, always together. And now Taylor knew why. He had to be. He was placed in the same city as her, which was rare.
"I think that... I think that people would be fighting to protect you even if you weren't Royalty." Karlie says, deciding whether or not she should grab Taylor's hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. She is about to when Taylor stands up.
"I... me being here has put you in danger too." Taylor says, pacing around the room. "I... think that I should stay somewhere else."
"What? No. Taylor I have security everywhere."
Taylor gives a sad laugh. "They will be nothing against Mars. The things we got told..."
"You seem to be forgetting that you are also incredibly powerful."
"How are you understanding all of this? You've basically just found out that the person sleeping in your house is an alien and you are fine about it?"
Karlie sighs, standing up.
"I don't think that you understand how lonely I was before you got here. Alien or not, Taylor... you make me feel something that nobody else has ever made me feel. You... you bring something out in me that makes me feel good." Karlie takes a step closer to Taylor and smiles.
"I... I wouldn't care if you had to make me one of you."
"I will never do that. I can't."
Taylor left out some significant details about how exactly Karlie could become one of them.
Karlie would have to die. She would have to be dying and Taylor would have to give Karlie a fraction of her essence. Karlie would rise again, just like Taylor. Not as strong, not as powerful, but she would gain access to Taylor's world and earth.
She can feel Karlie and knows that what she is saying is the truth. In fact, Karlie has never felt so warm. She can feel her curiosity basically radiating off of her.
"So what planet are you from?"
"Neptune."
"That is so cool." Karlie had loved learning about planets in high school. She had loved anything to do with space.
"No, I'm weird."
"No! You are so cool!" The inner nerd is coming out in Karlie and she blushes.
"Are Neptune and Mars enemies?" She asks and Taylor smiles.
"They weren't always. My Queen..." Taylor will not bring herself to say mother. "She is the daughter of Neptune. We have always been stronger than Mars, and that is why they want us. It is also believed that someone from Neptune had an affair with Mars. The war started twenty seven years ago."
"When you were born?" Karlie asks and Taylor frowns. She hadn't realised this fact before.
"Maybe... I'm not sure." She pauses. "I have to see Ed."
"Are you sure? It's nearly three in the morning and you haven't slept."
"I... I don't really need sleep." Taylor says softly. "It is just something I do to pass time."
"I wish that I didn't need sleep." Karlie says with a laugh.
"But you do, so you should sleep."
"But if you are in danger you shouldn't be alone."
"Karlie. I'm fine. I'll be with Ed."
"Okay. I'll see you in the morning?"
Taylor nods. She waits for Karlie to leave, but she doesn't.
"Please let me watch."
Taylor smiles.
"Okay. But then you have to go inside and go to bed!"
"I will!" Karlie laughs.
Taylor sighs and thinks of Ed. She then bends her knees and jumps up and is carried away by a light blue light.
Karlie smiles. Taylor looked so beautiful tonight. It was like Karlie had just gotten to see the real person Taylor was.
She stared in shock at the sky, realising that somewhere up there was Taylor's home and Taylor's family.
She also realises that she has had a princess living in her house.
She smiles, going inside and leaving the door unlocked.
She goes to bed and dreams of Taylor, and dreams of another distant planet and dreams of the dangers that Taylor might one day have to face.

Taylor appears in what appears to be Adams dining room and feels the frustration sink in.
She hears footsteps and sees Adam walk around the corner.
"Taylor?"
She hadn't expected anyone to be awake.
"Um... Ed said I could come in."
"Oh, I'll show you to his room." He pauses, studying Taylor's clothes. "Is that... glitter?" He asks with a smile.
Taylor looks down and curses in her head.
"Yeah..."
"Are you Okay? You seem pretty shaken up."
"I just need to see Ed."
"Well... he's out at the moment but-"
"Where is he?"
"I don't know, but you can wait in his room."
"How was your day?" Taylor asks, even in her darkest times focusing on others.
"It's better, now that you're here."
"Oh..."
Taylor looks outside and sees a flash of light.
She groans. The Queen is back.
"Never mind. You know... I um... I should get going."
"You don't need to-"
"I have to get going."
Adam just nods and guides her to the door.
"Thank you."
Taylor leaves and feels his eyes follow her away.
As soon as she gets outside, a gust of cold air makes her shiver.
"Aurelia." A cool voice says and Taylor turns around.
"I told you that I needed time."
"And I gave you time. You told Karlie." She says, and Taylor keeps walking.
"I told Karlie because I am putting her in danger."
"Taylor?" She hears a familiar voice and sees Ed, who stops in his tracks when he sees The Queen. "Your highness."
Taylor feels angry. "Where have you been?"
"I... I went for a walk. I needed to-"
"How could you not tell me?" Taylor says, and lashes out at Ed. "I had a right to know. You knew and everyone knew apart from me. You were only around me because you had to be. Were you even my friend at all?" She slams her hands against his chest, almost knocking him over.
She is stopped by The Queen, holding her waist, pulling her away from Ed.
"Aur-Taylor. He couldn't tell you. Do not hurt him."
"What? Taylor, of course I was your friend! Just because... Just because I had to look after you doesn't mean that I wasn't friends with you! You are... Anyone who looks at you can't help but love you."
"Aurelia."
"Will you please stop calling me that? My name is Taylor." She snaps, but can not take her eyes off Ed. "You were only ever there because you had to protect me."
"No I wasn't!" Ed yells. He lets out a frustrated sigh. "I was there because I love you!" There is a long period of silencenwhere his words hang in the air. "And I know that you don't feel that way back, but when you spend every single minute of every single day with a person..." He stops.
"Edward, I think that it is time you got back inside." Her words were not suggestive, they were commanding.
He nods, but grabs Taylor's hand as he walks past.
"I am so sorry, Taylor. I wanted to tell you every single time I saw you, but I couldn't."
Taylor can only nod, still reeling from the words I love you that fell from his lips earlier.
"There is still so much that you do not know, Aurelia... I mean Taylor. I think that this will help." The Queen hands her a sheet of glass, that when Taylor touches, illuminates with all kinds of words and writing. "Drop your Charm, Taylor."
"Why?"
"I want to teach you something. But you need to be natural for it to happen."
Taylor closes her eyes and the vibrant, electric blue returns to her eyes, swirling and moving.
"Open your mind."
"How?"
"Like I taught you in your lessons."
Taylor tries, relaxing and feeling sparks work through her body.
"Now what?"
"What can you sense?"
"You? The people in the buildings? Everything."
"Narrow it down. To Mars."
"I..." She sees red. It feels as if it is burning her head, and she gasps when she hears a voice.
Daughter of Mars and Neptune. The voice hisses and Taylor's eyes open immediately.
"What was that?"
"That was called dream walking."
"There... There was a voice... It said that I was a daughter of Mars and Neptune. I don't..." A look of dread passes over The Queen.
"It is true."
"But... The king, your husband..."
"Is not your father."
"I am confused."
"Aurelia, your father is the King of Mars."
The words feel like knives, slamming into her chest again and again.
"What?"
Mars was bad. This was bad.
"He wants... He wants you because as I said, you can give him access to Neptune, which is what he really wants and he will stop at nothing. Which is why I have arranged there to always be one of us with you. Meet Dimitri. He will follow you, and will alert me if any of them try to hurt you."
"What about Karlie? Who will protect her?"
"If it comes down to protecting you and protecting her, the answer will always be you. If Mars gains access to Neptune, we're all as good as dead."

***
Karlie will be coming into it more shortly!