Hi :) I published this last night, but then I rudely realised this morning that part of it had been deleted weirdly...Awkward... :)

This is the first W.I.T.C.H fic that I've written, and I love the WillxPhobos pairing, even though it's not popular. I've kind of accepted that I probably won't get many reviews for this, seeing as this pairing doesn't have many readers...but I hope that some people like this. I had this idea in my head and just really wanted to get it out...I hate that- especially when I have other fics to update...

Please excuse any mistakes you might find- I don't have any sort of computer editing, so it's all just been written on wordpad- which has no spellcheck or anything...I've been using the dictionary for things I'm not sure of haha :)

That'll do, I think :)

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN W.I.T.C.H!

"This wasn't how I wanted things to turn out, Mu`rin," his voice comes to me, forcing me to shiver as it enters my carefully constructed barrier of solitude.

Indignation flares up inside of me, and I wish I had the power to quench it; to show no reaction to the man that could be interpreted as a weakness, but I have never been one for self-control.

"Not how you wanted things to turn out?" I repeat; incredulity raising my voice to the range of hysteria. My pale hands grip the edges of my blanket as I whip around to glare at the man who looms omnipresently behind me. "You made this happen! Don't you dare come in here and speak to me as if this is my fault!"

My tirade is short, but it threatens to rekindle when I see that it has been ineffectual on the man who calmly waits for me to regain control of my emotions.

Begrudgingly, I know that I ought to not speak to him in such a way, so I reduce my inner rage to mere flames. My breathing is no longer similar to panting, and my heart rate decreases to that which is deemed medically safe.

I view it as slightly ironic that the man who I hate the most, is also the man who knows me better than anyone. He has an uncanny ability to ignite my anger or calm me down with just a single gesture.

I turn my gaze to the side; my hair obscuring my vision for a quick moment before I shake it away. I fall onto the bed behind me; landing down with a muffled sound of impact. The golden, finely-woven sheets crinkle from their state of neat perfection with my disruption. I eye the entire bed spread with disgust, knowing that I am recieving treatment that is far better than what my comrades are being subjected to.

"Are you calm?" The man asks, and I hear the sound of him sighing slightly in exasperation with my actions. I bite my lip; as I eagerly want to defy him, but I force myself to nod in reply to his question.

Now is not the time for childish antics. Sticking my tongue out at him and telling him to go shove his head up a colourful place is not going to help anyone- self included.

The man steps forward, his long robes rustling against the marble tiles. I don't know why people here like marble floors- I much prefer warm carpets. He stops a few feet away from me, and I can see the hem of his clothing from the corner of my eyes.

"You know you shouldn't speak to me like that, Mu'rin," he crosses his arms and I can feel the weight of his gaze pushing against me. I suppress a shiver and raise my face to meet his eyes, which I already know to be stern.

"You have no right to decide what is correct for my behaviour," I hiss in reply, my fists clenching to the point of whiteness. "I am in a land under your control, but I am free of will, and you hold no power over my actions."

He smiles, though I am satisfied to see the anger behind his eyes; anger at the knowledge that, whilst he may be able to influence my decisions through threats to his captives, he cannot control me. I am the only one who has no strings for him to puppeteer.

"Mu'rin, my dear," he speaks through clenched teeth, and I know that, if he didn't exceed me in the terms of self-control, I would be experiencing painful punishment. "I cannot control you mentally; but you are far too easy to manipulate physically."

I bristle almost visibly, and my gaze turns into a glare that burns with my hatred. He is right on that account, but I won't give him the satisfaction of knowing that such a fact irks me.

"I know you better than anyone," I reply to him, tilting my head so that I give the impression of mild curiosity. "You hate how you hold no sway over my mind because you're so used to that: control is your familiar territory. Without it, you feel vulnerable."

He chuckles, but I know that I am unnerving him slightly with my words. If I were more carefree, I would've saluted the sky cheerfully and noted that it was point one to me.

"You have grown much, Mu'rin."

"When you will you stop calling me that?" I roll my eyes and turn away so that my gaze is directed to the window that rests beside me. I have already attempted to escape through it, but I think it's spelled to alert my enemies of contact. "You know my name."

I hear him laugh under his breath before he decreases the distance between us by stepping forward. I start to flinch, but manage to cut it short; I can't let him know that he gets to me in such a way.

"I do know you're name, Mu'rin," he replies amiably, but I know that he is watching my every move like a hawk. I've been under close watch ever since I've arrived here, but they should realise that I will bide my time until the rebels manage to free my friends before I seriously attempt my own escape. "I just choose to use your proper name."
My lips curl into a cross between a scowl and a sneer, as I linguidly roll my head around to face the man, who is now waiting for my reaction.

"You're fully aware of my proper name," I remind him needlessly. "It's considered polite to address someone by it."
He tilts his head back and smiles almost benevolently. Mixed with the flowing white-blonde hair, he almost makes me believe his intentions are good. But, like I said to him before; I know him better than anyone.

"I am addressing you by your name, Mu'rin," he replies sincerely, and he leans down slightly to gently caress my cheek. Such an action is usually used to express affection, but I know that this is just a gesture to taunt me; to show me that I am under his control. "In Meridian, a name is not a label; as such, but an insight to the person themselves."

"Not many people need an insight into your person," I retort, knowing that his name conveniently meant 'fear.' I turn away from him once more, just so that I don't have to meet his gaze. I know that his patience is probably wearing thin with me, but I would rather waste away in this paradisial prison than give him what he desires.

He sighs in exasperation, and almost gently takes my hands in his. The skin is smooth, and unworn. Well, he is a prince, after all. I doubt he has to do any dirty work around here. Unless if it involves magic.

"It would be so much easier if you just surrendered," he whispers, his lips brushing my earlobe and dragging a shiver out of me involuntarily. "Everything would be better again."

Better again...Would it go back to the way things were when I didn't know anything about the Veil; where I wasn't a Guardian? My eyes haze over as I imagine living back in Chicago with Mother and Father. I can almost smell the wafting aroma of Mother's cooking from the kitchen; I can almost feel Father's arms around me as he scoops me up in a giant bear hug before he leaves for work.

I wish I could live that again.

"That would be such a lovely thing; for everything to be better again," I reply to my enemy; who has sat patiently in front of me, anticipating my next words. I shift my head so that I can meet his eyes; and light brown now meet ice blue. "But it can never happen."

The kind facade falls, and he snarls in anger as he jerks to his feet; his movements disjointed due to his ire.

I flinch slightly as he raises a hand- undoubtedly planning to whip it across my face- and I instinctively throw my forearms over my head to protect me in a small ball of my own being. I imagine my cells turning to diamond; so strong that pain does not reach my body.

The blow never comes.

I tentatively curl out of my ball, and see that the man has now calmed himself down; showing extreme cases of self control that I could never exhibit.

He kneels down in front of me so that his hands are now rested on my knees. I do not meet his eyes, as I'm scared of what emotion I will see burning in them.

"I hate seeing you like this, Mu'rin," he quietly tells me, his words soft and tender, though their meaning almost makes me yell at him again.

I feel his long blonde hair gently dance around my lower legs; moving to the rhythm of a wind that blows through the open windows of the room.

"I hate seeing you like this," he repeats; wanting a reaction out of me. I latch onto his gaze, my hateful eyes telling him much more than any words could. Smiling patiently, he raises one of his hands and caresses my cheek once more; as if I was an object of love to him.

"So broken..."

"Will, could you actually just focus for one minute?" Cornelia's harsh tone drags me out of my daydream; the sound of rustling hair accompanying my exit from imagination.

A hand swipes itself across my face; back and forth twice, before the brightness of Hay Lin and Irma enter my vision from both sides; both of them using the Chinese styled table's edge for support as they lean forward.

"Are you okay, Will?" Hay Lin asks, her eyes crinkling slightly in concern for my wellbeing, and her two long ponytails swinging gently with the wind of her movement.

"Yeah, you've been pretty out of it recently," Irma adds on, scooting over so that she can place her hand over my forehead; acting as though she could have any qualifications to be a physician.

I open my mouth to speak, but cut myself off as I see the two girls exchange knowing glances. This causes me to groan inwardly, as I know that anything that results from the interference of these two either involves mischief or trouble...Or both.

Usually both.

"I smell boy trouble!" Irma declares suddenly, her finger rising into the air like a war general who has cracked through the enemy's defenses.

"Is everything okay with Matt?" Hay Lin asks in reference to Irma's words; both girls having mistaken my present weariness for some social-life crisis.

I shake my my head; the movement sending strange vibrations into my hand that is supporting the side of my face. I'm cut off from the conversation as I recall the touch of another's fingers on my palm; gentle fingers...the type that are associated with the familiar warmth of a mother's caress.

"I hate seeing you like this, Mu'rin..."

"Will?"

Yet again, I flash back into the present meeting at the Sliver Dragon, and I realise that the group of W.I.T.C.H are now staring at me with concern. Even Cornelia- which gives me a shock. What with this emergency meeting, she's in her 'Bitchy Bossy, I'm the Best' mood, so I thought that she would have just scoffed at me and told the world that I was going epileptic on her.

I remember the question that was directed at me, and I decide that it is probably best if I answer it; it might divert some of the attention being placed on me.

"Everything's fine with Matt," I finally reply, lifting my head off of my palm so that I might look a bit more energized and into the meeting. I would be interested usually, and I feel a bit guilty about the fact that I'm not, but it's seven at night and I'm tired. It's dark and my body is just reacting naturally; telling me that it is time to sleep, not talk.

I observe the reactions of my peers. Irma and Hay Lin both appear to be confused; as they obviously believed their declaration to ring true. Cornelia frowns and her glossed-pink lips purse as she scrutinised my words. Taranee is peering at me, and I instantly curse how she knows me so well.

She is fully aware of my lie.

"She says she's fine," Cornelia finally breaks the silence, and she shrugs in co-ordinance with her words. "Just believe her. There are bigger matters on the agenda that we have to deal with than our leader's love life."
Irma jerks and her eyes widen to the size of saucers as her whole body takes on the air of mockery.

"Really?" She gasps in surprise and I see Hay Lin smiling and probably preparing her own joke to add to what Irma will undoubtedly say. "More important than Will's love life! That's impossible! What could possibly be more important than that?"

Cornelia directs a venomous glare towards the water Guardian and immediately quenches any words that might have exited Hay Lin's now clamped shut mouth.

"Irma," she begins through clenched teeth, "Shut up."

The brown-haired girl curls her lips back in her trademark grin as she cocks her head towards the Earth Guardian. I twist my arm- which is resting against the table- so that my palm rests in position where it can support me and knead my eyes at the same time. Sometimes I really wish that these two could just stop having a go at each other.

"As you wish, Cornelia," she replies, giving a fake bow. "I shall follow your command, seeing as you are our almighty leader-Wait! Hang on...no, no you're not; Will is."

I groan silently as soon as the patronising words have exited the girl's mouth. Cornelia, I think, has always been a bit bitter over the fact that I was chosen to be the leader of W.I.T.C.H over her; so the Water Guardian has obviously hit her weak spot.

The blonde's left eye twitches and she jerks as she struggles to contain herself from bursting out into a rage that would send the other girl off into the corner, quivering in fear. Well, that's what Cornelia would what...I doubt it would actually work.

"Our 'leader' has been fighting off sleep for the whole of this meeting!" She retorts and swipes her long, elegant arm around to point accusingly at my face. Hold on, when did this become personal? "I'm not sure that's what you'd call leadership material!"

My brow furrows as I struggle to come up with an insult to the tall girl who is now holding a triumphant air. Oh, maybe Cornelia didn't get leader because she's too much of a bitch to be able to deal with anyone else being better then her?

...Huh?

I frown, and give myself a harsh, mental slap. That was awfully mean of me...where on Earth did that come from?

Don't get involved, Will," I sit upright as I hear the voice of Taranee in my mind. I cast a glance over towards her and she is staring at me warningly. I sigh acceptingly, knowing that the Fire Guardian is the conscious of our group, and when she says something...it's usually right. You're tired at the moment; you might say something that you might come to regret.

I nod; glad that I controlled myself before I snapped back out at Cornelia. I would definitely have regretted that later. Besides, Irma isn't going to let the Earth Guardian win that easily.

"Oh, because you're just the perfect example of a leader!" She replies sarcastically, rolling her eyes at the blonde. "And, really; if Will wants to sleep; I am more than happy to follow!"

"Then I guess it's a good thing that you're not leader!" Cornelia snaps back like the crack of a whip. She casts a glare over the rest of our group, and sees that we're all rather weary- and not just because of her little fights with Irma. We're all tired, but I know that the blonde girl is probably going to blame me for it. 'Sleepiness is infectious,' my mother always used to say with a yawn, when I wouldn't go to bed.

Cornelia sniffs snobbishly, before turning around and starts to pack away her maps of Meridian's main street. This surprises me; she's giving up? Just like that?
"Well, it's great to see how much enthusiasm you all have in the rescue mission we'll be attempting in a few days time," she scathingly addresses us all. As she slams the cover of her backpack down, her hair dances as she slings the strap over her shoulder. "There's not much point even continuing with this, so I think I'll go talk to Caleb: He will, at least, be interested."

And with that final remark, Cornelia storms out of the Silver Dragon; golden feathers cascading to the ground in her wake.

"It must be someone's time of the month," I hear Irma snicker as we all depart from Hay Lin's place.

I frown; feeling guilty that I wasn't more involved in the meeting. That was probably what had sparked Cornelia's ire; I'm not sure how I'd take it if one of my peers was looking far less than interested in something I considered important.

"We all know the plan, though!" Irma declares, as if she could read my mind. She sighs frustratingly, her change of mood probably due to the lack of food she's had in the last hour. She tosses us a grin as she crosses the street that will take her to her house. "I'll catcha tomorrow! Don't be late, or Corny will have a hissy fit!"
I wave to the brown-haired girl before Taranee and I start walking faster; eager to arrive home due to the dark clouds circling above us. I frown, thinking perhaps Irma was going a bit far.

"I know what's bugging you; but it's just Irma and Cornelia going at each other again," Taranee reminds me peacefully. Wise, wise child. "Don't let it get to you. What I do want to know, however, is what is really happening with you and Matt."

I sigh, not really prepared to have this conversation just yet.

"Perhaps tomorrow, Taranee," I reply wearily, shrugging my jacket over my shoulder more snugly. "I promise I'll tell you then."

Taranee smiles acceptingly before waving me off as I cross into my building's path.

I unlock the door to my apartment, fumbling with my various keys as I struggle with all the old ones from my old home.

"Good evening, Will," the british voice greets me as I arrive. "I have a lovely pizza inside here waiting to be heated up. Your mother's just gone to shop to restock me, and will be back soon."

"Thank you, James," I reply with a grateful smile, silently loving how I don't have to open the door of my fridge to have to know what lies within. I retrieve the pizza and set the microwave timer to three minutes before pressing start.

"You look tired, Will," he replies, "Trouble sleeping?"
I collapse down onto my couch; the remote control flying off the edge of the comfy cushion as I do so. I laugh bitterly, remembering how my last previous nights have been plagued with nightmares of what will occur tomorrow and realistic dreams that I can't seem to shake.

"You could say that, James."

If you have the time; a review would be greatly appreciated :) If not, I hope you liked the first chapter. Please tell me if anyone was too OOC...I hate getting that in fanfiction :(