Tally's eyes fluttered open and she rolled over in her sleeping bag. A sharp rock scraped across her back but she ignored the almost imperceptible pain, her Special conversion kicking in with an extreme tolerance of pain. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the dark and Tally noticed David's empty sleeping bag. Adrenaline thrummed through her chest and she slipped silently out of the bag, scanning their campground.

All of David's stuff was still there, including his knife, which he brought everywhere. Tally expanded her senses, seeing if she heard any breathing. Faint markings in dust led away from the camp and Tally tiptoed over them.

Her eyes registered small markings along the path: a disturbed leaf, a broken tree branch, a thread from his clothing. The sky brightened along the horizon and Tally glanced once at the rising sun and scurried along the trail. The forest became slowly less crowded until Tally glimpsed the edge of the forest.

Her heartbeat racing, she disregarded the trail and sprinted towards the edge. Tally burst out into the open, feet skidding slightly on the pebbles on the ground. She stopped quickly and breathed inwardly in surprise. A huge cliff edge sat beneath her feet, a cliff edge she had nearly slipped off of.

"Tally?" David's voice called in surprise.

She whipped around and saw David sitting on a rock, leaning back nonchalantly. "David? What are you doing?"

He motioned to the sunrise and moved to the side of the rock, patting it slightly. His eyes met hers and Tally lowered her eyes. She breathed in deeply, slowing her adrenaline and lessening her heartbeat. The sun brightened David's face slightly and Tally smiled as he turned his face to its warmth. She couldn't help but sit next to him.

Their shoulder's barely brushed, yet Tally's sense of him was heightened. No words were exchanged, but Tally leaned into David and his arm slowly encircled her. Both of them sat in silence, cherishing the other's presence while the sun rose.

His chin rested on her shoulder and he whispered, "You told Aya the last person you kissed died." David's breath tickled her ear slightly, and Tally winced at his frankness. "Are you ready to change that?"

Tears welled in Tally's eyes, remembering Zane. Exiled, thrust out, unable to join in with the Crims due to his uncontrollable shaking. And the doctor, clipboard in hand, asking for the bed that Zane lay on in a vegetative state. The last boy she had ever kissed… And had killed.

David slowly turned on the rock, facing her. He lifted his callused hands to slowly cup her face, thumbs running over her defined cheekbones. "Maybe it's time for that to change," Tally responded. They slowly leaned forwards in unison. David's lips gently touched Tally's, and she sucked in her breath in surprise. It had been so long since they had last kissed… Tally slowly slid her hand behind David's neck, entwining her fingers in his brown hair. Tally leaned back just enough to look into David's eyes once more. This was the one place she belonged.