I am so surprised that there are no Mara Dyer fanfics so far. That is really disappointing but I thought I might as well get the ball rolling and start my own. I hope you like it! Please please review! And also, these characters and original story belong to the wonderful Michelle Hodkin.

Every time I close my eyes, I see her face. It plagues my thoughts every moment that I am away from her. I would do anything to see Mara again. I hate that we left on uncertain terms because in her mind she probably thinks I no longer want her. She would be completely and utterly wrong. She couldn't have had that power to manipulate that woman's free will. It just can't be possible. I refuse to think of the alternative because in reality, even if she could have made that woman take the shot, I am far too selfish to let her go. I wish I would have realized that sooner and not made her think what she most likely does right now. She is already going through more than enough and the predicament of our relationship is only making things worse.

That one moment I saw her sleeping in the hospital was torture. She looked so damaged and all I could do was stand there. I have heard everything from Daniel. They all think she is crazy but for some reason, without even hearing her ask, I already believe her. There is so much to this world that they are so oblivious to. But when someone decides to speak what is really happening, they are branded crazy, psychotic, and delusional. They are even talking about sending Mara to an inpatient center god knows where. I cannot let that happen.

I stood in the entrance to the Lillian and Alfred Ride Psychiatric Unit. The blonde receptionist admired me from her post at the front desk.

Well this is going to be easier than I had planned. I thought.

I walked over to her and told her a heartbreaking story of how my little sister is inside and how desperate I was to see her. The receptionist stuttered a response and graciously pressed a button opening a door to my left labeled "Commons". I strode through the door into a small hallway. On my right was a girls' bathroom, which could come in handy, and on the left was a large clearing. Small, round tables were scattered across the room. A nurse sat behind a small desk in the corner, two children were playing checkers and a couple more were playing with toys. I scanned the room until I found who I was looking for. Sitting at one of the tables, deeply concentrated on whatever she was drawing with those crayons, was Mara. I couldn't help but break into a smile, despite the circumstances of me being here. I pulled her drawing of me from that one day in art class at Croyden out of my pocket. On the back of it I had written, I believe you. This is what I needed her to know. She needed to know that someone was on her side. I wanted desperately to walk over to her but I didn't want to ruin her chances of getting her out of here. So instead I spotted a little girl, staring at me from a table in the center of the room. Well, I might as well stay with the little sister act. I walked over and crouched down in front of her.

"Hello there," I said to her.

She looked back at me with wide eyes and smiled. I took that as a good enough answer and went on.

"Would you be so kind to give this to the dark-haired girl over there?" I said, pointing over Mara.

I waited for a response but her eyes were on something else. I followed her gaze down to my pocket, where my silver lighter was peeking out. Oh, could it really be so simple? A devious smile crossed my face as I pulled out the lighter and asked, "Do you want this?"

Her eyes lit up as she nodded her head vigorously.

"I'll tell you what, you can have my lighter if you go give this to her. Okay?"

She nodded her head again and reached for the lighter. I held it back first and handed her the sheet, pointing at Mara one last time, and then gave her the lighter. The little girl stood up and began to walk over to Mara. I walked out of the room on stood in a small alcove across from the girls' bathroom and waited.

Within a minute, Mara came striding into the hallway, her head subtly searching all around her as she looked for me. I silently stepped out to my hiding place and gently grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the girls' bathroom.

She stared at me like I was the first real person she had seen in ages. It broke my heart to see all that love and pain in her eyes. But despite that, she looked genuinely happy to see me.

Before she could say anything though, I placed a finger on her full lips that made my heart ache and said, "We don't have much time."

She tentatively raised a hand and rested it on my waist. The warmth of her hand through my thin cotton shirt made all those days waiting for her worth it. It was all I could do not to kiss her right there.

She smiled at me and said, "What is with you and girls' bathrooms?"

The comment brought me back to the moment so long ago in the Croyden girls' bathroom. The moment where I almost kissed her. I do admit that the girls' bathroom has had its moments. I couldn't help but smile a little at the memory.

"That is a fair question. In my defense, they're much cleaner than boys' bathrooms, and they do seem to be everywhere." I said, amused.

She looked relieved by something I couldn't quite put my finger on. But I could still see the pain in her eyes. It reminded me of what I wanted to say.

"Daniel told me what happened." I said, letting go of that previous humor.

She met my eyes and blushed. "Did he tell you what I—what I said?"

I stared down into her eyes and said, "Yes."

"Jude's here." She said. Her heartbeat and breathes quickening at the mention of his name. All I wanted to do was erase that fear. All I could do at the moment though was whisper, "I believe you."

As the words came out of my mouth, I saw the effect they had on Mara. It was almost as if a weight was lifted off of her chest. But it was only one of the many.

"I can't stay here while he's out there—"

"I'm working on that" I interrupted her, glancing at the door behind me.

"Me too I think—I think there's a chance my parents might let me come home. But what if they make me stay? To keep me safe?" she said, obviously trying to conceal her nervousness.

"I wouldn't, if I were them." I said, remembering the lighter.

"What do you mean?"

"Any minute now…"

Two seconds later, an alarm filled the room. I can't believe it actually worked.

Mara stared up at me incredulously and asked, "What did you do?"

I started backing her up towards the door and asked, "The girl who gave you the note?"

"Yes…" She said back, trying to decipher the meaning behind my question.

"I caught her staring at my lighter."

She blinked. "You gave a child, in a psych ward, a lighter."

"She seemed trustworthy."

"You're sick." She said, but smiled despite it.

"Nobody's perfect." I said, and smiled back.