Sam knocked on Howard's door loudly as Quinn shifted nervously beside him.

The two had decided the best place to start to look for Diana would be where the alcohol was, since drinking seemed to be a new habit of hers.

After a few seconds, John Terrafino answered the door, his breathing labored.

Sam and Quinn exchanged looks.

"I was just walking down the street… then she comes out of nowhere and points a gun at me," he said in a rush.

"She's in here," Howard's voice came from inside the house.

After taking a deep breath, Sam squeezed past John and walked into the alcohol-stanched living room.

The image he saw there was more than slightly disturbing.

Diana was lying sprawled across their couch, passed out, her head on Orc's lap.

Orc stared down at Diana in bewilderment, completely unsure of what to do.

"This looks a lot like a Story with a Hole in it," Quinn murmured from behind Sam.

Howard sighed. "She rang the doorbell, had a gun pointed at John's head and demanded a drink. Then she gets completely blasted and starts to try to ballroom dance with Orc. She gets tired, passes out."

Sam briefly wondered how she had gotten the gun before realizing she must have arrived with it. He rolled his eyes. Of course Quinn hadn't checked her for any weapons. No, he'd probably just let the sociopath's girlfriend roam around town with a grenade if she wanted to. Sam had no idea how, but Diana already had Quinn twisted around her pinkie finger. And she had accomplished that while drunk.

Well, I have to respect her a little for that, Sam thought dryly.

"Why didn't you get someone to fetch me?" he asked.

Howard gave him an obvious look. "I did. You weren't at home."

Oh, right…

Sam sighed loudly.

"What do we do now, Sam?" John asked, walking over to them. Sam should have gotten use to that question by now, yet every time it was asked, he felt completely helpless. He didn't know what to do, how could he? He was just as smart as any average kid.

"Well, we can't just make her go back, right?" Quinn questioned nervously. "I mean… she ran away from Caine. Chances are, she had a good reason for doing so."

"Well, what else could we do? She already threatened someone's life."

"She wasn't going to actually shoot John!" Quinn protested. Sam looked at him suspiciously. "I just know she wouldn't. She wasn't thinking clearly. Alcohol makes people act stupidly."

Sam turned to Orc who was still staring at Diana in utter confusion.

"You have a point," he mumbled.

There was a lingering silence in the room before Quinn spoke again. "I'll keep her with me."

"You didn't do a very good job with that yesterday," Sam said.

"I'll make up for it. I mean, what else are you going to do with her, lock her in a cellar like she's some kind of monster?"

Quinn had a point there. And either way, Sam really didn't have any other choice in the matter.

"Okay, fine. But if she gets out again, Quinn…"

"I know, I know." Quinn waved a dismissing hand.

"Okay… for now."

Until Caine comes for her, he noted in the back of his mind

Sorry this was another short one, but I hope you still liked it. I'll try to lengthen the next chapter and have a Quinn-Diana moment in there. Anyway, sorry for the wait. After PLAGUE came out, this story was so different, it was hard to continue with thoughts of PLAGUE in my mind. Though I do have to point out that Diana and Quinn totally had a tiny, tiny moment when Quinn came to fetch them on the island. I probably just imagined that, but still, it made me really happy. Anyways, as always, pleaseeee review. It was reading your wonderful reviews that inspired me to pick this story up again. Also, things are indeed about to get quite a bit more exciting… *coughlastlineofchaptercough* :D