Chapter 5 (part 2/2) from Rebels with Guts Part One, The Fall of Nations by Skylar

When I arrived at breakfast 20 minutes later everybody was there except Ann Lee Lewis. Who is always late because she spends like an eternity on her makeup. She's one of those people who puts on like a million pounds of makeup everyday. And for her it's always black everything. Black makeup, black clothes, black accessories. 

   I took my seat on Pinky's right, Rosie was on her left. 

   "7:59, not bad sweetie, your times improving." Pinky said, looking at her high tech black watch. 

    "Jamzy you look so hot today! When are you going to confess your love to me? I know you want to." Kasey said, batting her fake eye lashes at me. 

    "When Hell freezes over, Kase." I said flatly, intertwining my right hand with Pinky's left. Pink grinned at me and put her head on my shoulder. Kasey looked at me disappointed then turned to Jamie to talk about some girl thing, I'm sure. 

  "I love you James." Pinky said, kissing me on the cheek. 

   "I love you more." I said, grinning. I kissed her on the lips.

    "Nuh uh I love you most!" Pinky one upped me. She kissed me back. 

     "Alright PDAs can you do that somewhere else I'm trying to eat here!" Nija  said, thoroughly annoyed.

     "Your just jealous." Pinky said ruffling my hair.

      "I am not! I got a guy!" Nija said, indignantly.

       "Yeah, your teddy bear doesn't count." Pinky said, flatly. As though dismissing the fact that Nija having a guy was even possible.

     Nija gave Pinky a murderous look. She looked about ready to pull out her gun and shoot Pinky right between the eyes. 

  "Please Pinky, we're all a little sick of watching you two be nauseatingly cute whenever we're trying to eat." Ella said, giving Pinky a pleading look. Pinky's jaw went slack in awe. Ella never spoke out or got involved in conflict. She must be really fed up with it if she was willing to standing up to Pinky about it. If it was anybody else asking Pinky to stop being such a PDA she would have blown up at them, but Pinky couldn't blow up at Ella. Ella was so innocent, she'd probably start crying.

  Pinky's face turned soft when she looked into Ella's pleading eyes. "Alright Ella we'll stop being PDA's so much at meals." 

   The rest of the meal was silent for the most part, other then when Ann Lee Lewis walking in around 8:50 when everyone was basically done. She was decked out in more makeup then I think Pinky wears overall in an entire month. It was all black, from her 3 pairs of fake eye lashes, to her black eye shadow and eye liner, to her jet black lip stick. Her clothes were on the extravagant side too; they were all black (obviously). She had on a very tight long sleeved black shirt, a tight black leather mini skirt,  tight black leggings, and nee high 8 inch heeled boots.

   "You look like a rotten banana, Ann." Jamie said, looking Ann over with a clear look of distain on her face.

   "Thank you." Ann said, giving Jamie an oh so fake smile.

   "That wasn't meant as a compliment" Jamie looked confused; she clearing hadn't sensed the sarcasm.

   "I know." Ann said, flatly turning her attention to the now cold food. "Do you guys ever serve warm food?" She poked the cold food with a look of disgust on her face.

   "We did, an hour ago when breakfast actual starts for people who feel the schedule applies to them." Nija said, giving Ann a look of pure hatred.

    "I'm sorry that some of us actually want to look like they tried." Ann gave Nija a look equally as hateful as the one Nija had given her.

   "Tried what? Looking like a three day old corps?" Nija gave Ann a defiant grin, that said, I know I win. 

   "Go to Hell." Ann said, scooping freezing cold eggs onto her plate.

   "No thanks, I'm good here on earth." Nija got up from the table and walked out of the room.

☼☼☼

   

   After breakfast we all headed down to the training room for fighting training and practice. Me and Pinky walked down together her head resting on my shoulder as we walked. I had just rested my head on top of hers when Pinky said something very unexpected.

   "So tell me about Beth."

   "W-w-what?" I stuttered.

   "Beth, when we first met you told me you loved her, but she died."

   "Why do you want to know about Beth? It was two years ago I'm over it ." (LIE!)

   "Because I want to know what kind of girl I'm competing with for your heart." Pinky gestured to my heart.

   "Pink she's dead there's no competition. My heart is yours." 

    "Please just tell me about her." Pinky gave me a pleading look. 

    "Alright..." I shrugged, thinking to myself, "Girls are weird." "Beth was the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes upon." Pinky gave me a look like, what about me? "Unit I met you of course..." I added hurriedly. Pinky seemed to relax. "She had long brown hair and the most gorgeous blues eyes I've ever seen. She was one of those peoples who was never mean to anyone. She never yelled, or caused any major gossip at our school. She was so smart like getting straight As in all honors classes smart. She had already been offered a full ride academic scholarship to Yale. But you know she didn't get to go since you know..." Just thinking about Beth almost brought me to tears. “Me and Beth were friends since seventh grade when I was finally put in the advanced classes, but for some reason she never wanted me to come to her house or meet her family. So we always hung out at my house after school. We could always bond over the fact that we were both nerds." At this point I was starting to wonder if I sounded really boring, but now that I'd started talking about Beth the words were just flying out.

   "I'll never forget the day I realized I loved Beth. It was a cold February day of our Sophomore year. I was at my locker when Beth walked up to me in her light blue puffy winter coat and the purple scarf her grandma had knitted her and said, “hey James, I can't believe how cold it is out! I had to pull out this puff ball of a coat!” I couldn't help but smile, I'd never realized how beautiful her smile was until then. 

   "Well it is February in Chicago. Not exactly the poster child of warm weather." I grinned at her. Beth playfully punched me in the arm. 

   “Did you study for the quiz we have in History today?" Beth asked. 

All of a sudden I began to realize things I'd never noticed before. Beth was so close to me I could reach out and take her hand right now, but would she think that was weird? Probably, but oh I wanted to do bad. I'd never thought of Beth as more then just a friend, but I was starting to realize Beth was so much more then just a friend to me. I couldn't even imagine a life without her. My mind was going a million miles an hour and I didn't know how to handle it. 

  "James are you still there?  I asked if you studied for the history quiz." Beth waved her hand in front of my face.

  "What? Oh..." I suddenly felt queasy. "I gotta go." I put a hand over my mouth, and rushed through the crowd of people to the bathroom. When I got there I locked myself in a stall and barfed. I couldn't help it; I mean it's not everyday you have the mind boggling revelation that your in love with your best friend.

   After that day it took me another year and a half to actually get up the nerve to tell Beth how I really felt, but the day I finally did ended up being her last. Kind of depressingly ironic, right?" 

   Pinky looked shocked; this may have been the one of the deepest conversation we'd had ever. "You still love her don't you? Even though she's gone." Pinky expression was hard to read, if anything it was blank.

   "Honestly, I do. I never stopped loving her, and I probably never will." 

   "Well um...good talking to you...I gotta go." Pinky bolted. I think I may have struck a nerve by admitting I still loved Beth, but hey she asked.

    The rest of the day was dull, and Pinky seemed to be avoiding me. I don't get it I told her what she wanted to know, but now she seemed to not want to be around me. "That girl makes no sense." I thought for most of the day. All I know is I need to forget about Beth and make Pinky my main priority, Or I could end up letting the second girl I’ve loved slip through my fingers.

Chapter 5 (part 1/2) from Rebels with Guts Part One, The Fall of Nations by Skylar

Chapter Five, A Walk Down Memory Lane 

(James) May 11th, 2067

TWO YEARS LATER

  It has been two years since Chicago was blown up, and my life has changed a lot since then. I became a part of Rebels With Guts; a secret organization fighting against Killian that consists of 12 teenaged girls, Rosie, and me. They have trained me in fighting styles, and my computer hacking skills were put to good use since I’ve joined. Beth's sister Rosie has also become a Rebel With Guts, and become quite the little ninja. And craziest thing of all I still miss Beth sure, but guess what I have a girlfriend! That girl Pinky, with purple and pink hair is my kick butt girlfriend! Score! She's smart, dangerous, and gorgeous what more could you want! We've been together for about a year, but I fell in love with her the first time I set eyes on her. Which oddly enough the first time I saw her she had a gun pointed at my head, weird. 

   Rebels with Guts has been a really great home for me; though it's a little weird being the only guy. The 12 teenaged girls who work here with me and Rosie are: Pinky Johnson (19), Kasey McAndrews (15), Ryley Lexar (16), Ann Lee Lewis (supposedly 17 though she looks much older), Kelly Brown (14), Nija Doughlas (18), Ella Thompson (13), Mia Jordan (17), Alexus (Alex) Cyrus (16), Samantha (Sam), Natasha Black (14), and Jamie Mcfez (15).

  They aren't that bad though. I mean they scream a lot, they also get a little wild, sometimes some of them try to kiss me, but now when they do that Pinky decks them. Also have you ever noticed how girls can talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk; did I mention talk? And just never ever ever EVER STOP! Other than that, their great. 

☼☼☼

    It was another typical Friday at Rebels With Guts; getting up precisely at 7:30 A.M., breakfast at 8:00, fighting training from 9:00 to 12:00, lunch from 12:00 to 1:00, break/lunch clean up from 1:00 to 2:00, study of Killains weaknesses/strategy meeting from 2:00 to 3:30, work at your Rebels With Guts job from 3:30 to 5:30, dinner from 5:30 to 7:00, completion of unfinished work/extra strategizing or training time from 7:00 to 8:00, bonding and chilling time from 8:00 to 10:00, getting ready for bed 10:00 to 11:30, lights out midnight.

   As you can tell are days are extensively planned out so not a minute is wasted. Which is convenient, but sometimes it's really annoying to always be on a schedule. 

    My alarm went off at precisely 7:30, and I shot my hand out to turn it off. I missed the side table it set on completely, and was propelled by the unstopped momentum of my arm onto the floor. THUD! "OW!" I exclaimed as my head clacked against the floor. "Stupid meanie of a floor! I thought we were friends!"

   "Natasha stop yelling at the floor; everybody knows you two hate each other! So stop pretending it's your friend!" Pinky shouted, from the other room.

    "Pink, it's me, James!" I yelled back, detaching my face from the floor.

     "Oh. Sorry sweetie, I thought you were Nat because she falls out of bed everyday!"

     "It's all good honey"

     Pinky came into the room and helped me up. She looked gorgeous as usual in a black tank top, black leggings, and nee high black boots. I however look horrible, but in my defense I just woke up. It has always amazed me how Pinky is always the first one ready, and usual looks the best of all us. I stared at her with glazed eyes thinking how gorgeous she was.

   "James? James!" Pinky snapped her fingers in my face, bringing me back to reality. 

   "Sorry..." I said sheepishly, "I was just thinking about how gorgeous you look." 

    “Aw, thanks sweetie! You look horrible by the way." Pinky pecked me on the cheek.

    "I know." I said, turning red with embarrassment.

    "I'd get ready pretty quick if I were you or you might be late to breakfast. I'll save you a seat next to me just in case." 

    "Okay, thanks." I pecked her on the cheek and walked out of the room to get ready.

Starting Point

See the window on the left?  That's where you live.  You notice the light come in as you get ready in the mornings, you notice the sounds of the city and signs of life in the street below, but you never notice what is going on in the window across from you, until today.

Who or what got your attention?  Are they trying to tell you something? Are they cute? What are they doing?  Should you respond? Should you close the curtains? Should you throw something over?  Should you call the cops?  What happens next?

Use this starting point to create a short story and earn at least 2 PUBLISHER POINTS.  This is the last opportunity before the Publisher of the Month is announced at the YA Council meeting.  Email your story to wcpldteen@gmail.com

Chapter 4 from Rebels with Guts Part One, The Fall of Nations by Skylar

Chapter Four, The Big Pink Bubble

(Beth) May 9th, 2065

I was falling, gathering speed. Things around me were exploding. I was praying I'd die on impact, and not from being blown up. I was about to hit the ground, but I didn't. I looked around confused and realized I was in a big pink bubble which was slowly movie upward. 

  "What the heck! Am I in The Wizard of Oz?" I said feeling around the bubble. "Nope not  The Wizard of Oz, Chicago doesn't get blown up in that movie." That's when it hit me, all I'd ever known was gone. 

  I sat down in the bubble and waited to see what'd happen. I was heart broken. Would I ever see James and Rosie again? And where was this weird bubble thing going? 

  All of a sudden I felt like I hadn't slept in years, and I could scarcely keep my eyes open. The bubble floated through the open sky for what felt like years, and I began to drift off into a fitful sleep, where my dreams were haunted by the nightmares of what just happened. 

  I was brought back to my senses by the bubble unexpectedly dropping an immense amount very quickly. It was gathering speed falling towards the ground. I braced myself for the worst for the second time today. But just as the bubble was about to hit the ground it stopped. I looked down, and discovered the bubble was just inches from the ground. 

  "That was not what I was expecting!" I said, in amazement.

  Then the bubble popped. I fell feet first hard into the ground. I must have twisted my right ankle because the minute my weight came on it, it gave out on me. I crumpled to the ground pain shooting through my right ankle. I let out a cry of pain.

  Then all at once people came out of no where it seemed. As I looked at them I realized to my surprise they weren't people; they were monsters. There were living skeletons, vampires, werewolves, a witch, goblins, trolls, and sirens. 

  "What the heck! Am I having some kind of crazy nightmare?!"

  "Do not be alarmed, I am Bob. You are safe now." A skeleton said, walking up to me.

   I screamed, "Your a talking skeleton! Get away from me!" 

   "It's alright there's nothing to fear here." He said, walking closer to me and stretching out his hand to help me up. 

   As soon as he was close enough I punched him in the face. 

  "Ow!" He exclaimed, putting his hands on his face.

    I shook out the hand I'd punched him with. His face was as hard as bone; oh wait it was.

   "Told you she was a feisty one!" A vampire standing a few feet away said, putting her hands on her hips.

   "Shut up Daisy! Let Bob handle this!" A werewolf behind her said.

   The skeleton who from the sound of it was named Bob tried again with a new set determination, "I can tell your a no nonsense kind of girl; so instead of trying to calm you done I'll get right to the point!" He snarled clacking his teeth together. "You possess great power, magical power. This power is powerful enough that if used properly it could take down Killian and his army. We would like you to become our leader so that we can destroy Killian's army and eventually him." 

  He finished, and I could practically feel all their eyes on me.

  "You're expecting me to believe I have magical powers, and I should become the leader of this crazy monster army of yours? You're delusional!" I shouted, "And if his army is a bunch of humans and your undead wouldn't the odds of winning be in your favor anyway?" 

  "They're monsters to!" Bob shouted after me as I began to walk away. I didn't stop.

  "Please I know it's hard to understand now, but where will you go if you don't come with us? We know about the bombing; you have no one left!" The vampire named Daisy shouted after me.

  I stopped, feeling as if I'd just hit a brick wall. She was right; I had nowhere to go. I turned around, and said, "You have ten minutes to prove to me that I should stay."

Chapter 3 from Rebels with Guts, Part One, The Fall of Nations by Skylar

Chapter Three, To Top Off the Worst Day of my Life, I Fall into a Pit

(James) May 9th, 2065

    I stepped into the helicopter, my legs giving way as I fell on to the vacant seat. 

  The helicopter pilot looked at me and said, "Where's your lady friend?" 

  I wished that I was invisible as everyone in the plane turn towards me. I took a shaky breath then said, "Dead," in a weak, defeated, sorrowful voice.

   "Oh" the pilot turned away, as if he was embarrassed that he had made me upset.  

  I put my head in my hands and began sobbing. I then felt what appeared to be small fists punching my back. I suddenly remembered Beth little sister Rosie was in my backpack. "Oops" I said weakly. I unzipped my bag and her little face popped out; the women next to me gasped. 

   "Where's my sister Beth's boyfriend she's not aloud to have. I couldn't see her hands, but I could tell she'd put them. On her hips. 

  Taking another shaky breath I said, "I know this is the last thing you want to here Rosie, but your sister is dead." 

  She burst into tears. A few people tried to comfort her, but it was no use, she wouldn't stop crying. 

   About thirty minutes later the pilot turned to us and said, "I'm going to drop you kids off just up here there's a little help center for kids who have become orphans about a mile away; they'll be able to find you good homes."

  A few minutes past then we landed and he told me and Rosie to get out. I walked unsteadily out of the helicopter and it took off again. Leaving me and Rosie in the middle of a deserted desert landscape about a mile from where he told us to go.

   I started walking figuring I'd find it eventually. After about three hours of walking around in what was most likely circles I sat down on a rock Rosie right next to me. Then I heard a rumbling and the ground under me and Rosie gave way, and I fell about about 10 feet into a dark pit. I hit the stone floor butt first. I moaned in pain, curling up into a ball. Then Rosie fell on top of me. 

  I screamed in pain and an alarm went off. A loud female voice said, "Intruder alert intruders put your hands in the air or you will be shot."

   I instinctively put my hands in the air. Rosie did the same, crying in terror.

  A teenaged girl with purple and pink hair who was beautiful in a weird and somewhat alarming way walked up to us followed by eleven other beautiful, but somewhat quirky teenaged girls. All of them with hand guns pointed at my head.

  "Welcome to Rebels With Guts, I'm Pinky. Do not be alarmed." 

  I fainted.

Chapter 2 from Rebels with Guts Part One, The Fall of Nations by Skylar

Chapter Two, My First Kiss

(James) May 9th, 2065

  I walked home from the Library with my new computer code cracking book under my arm. I had jitters all over because I had promised myself the next time I saw Beth May the cute, nice girl from school I'd tell her I loved her.  But I'd been telling myself this for years and every time my nerves got the best of me. 

  My reminiscing on my dismal thought was interrupted by the earth violently shaking under me. I was nocked off my feet; I fell like a ton of bricks onto my back. I lay sprawled on the ground near the street sign for Eljen and Creston roads as the ground continued to shake. 

  My book had skidded across the pavement and lay on its side in a large pot hole. I was about to attempt to get up when I saw a car heading straight for me. Shaken violently by the earthquake the car skidded along. The driver a beautiful teenaged girl tried frantically to regain control of the car.

  I braced myself for the worst, praying a little prayer. "Please don't make this hurt a lot." 

  Then a miracle happened; just before the car was going to hit me the driver slammed the brakes and the car stopped with its front bumper inches from my head. 

   The driver threw the door open and ran towards me, "OH MY GOSH! JAMES!? Are you okay?!" She said leaning down over me. I realized with a lurch that the girl was Beth May!

  "BETH!? Oh no! Not now I was supposed to be acting cool not lying on the ground! Oh this is all wrong!" I moaned looking up at her.

  "What's wrong? And why oh no?" She said in a mix between compassion and annoyance.

 "Oh alright I guess it's worth a shot," I took a deep breath,"Beth May I know I might be last guy you'd ever want to be with, but I love you." I said looking up at her.

   What happened next I totally hadn't expected she put her hands on the back of my neck leaned down and kissed me full on the lips. The kiss lasted about ten seconds and those were the best ten seconds of my life. 

   As she pulled away and helped me up, a building behind us exploded. I grabbed Beth and pushed her behind a dumpster.

  "Are you okay?!" I asked wondering if I had hearts in my eyes? "Your a great kisser!" I added sheepishly.

  She playfully slapped me, then added "I know." 

   "But what's going on? Why are there suddenly a bunch of earthquakes and explosions?!" She asked peering out from behind the dumpster. 

  "I think the answer to your question is up there." I pointed up at the sky.

  In the sky there was an airplane dropping bombs; farther in the distance were more bombers.

  "Oh my gosh we're being bombed!" She gasped looking up. "Should we run? We need to find cover!" She said all in a jumble.

   "Okay." I said. 

   Suddenly I heard a child scream and a little girl with her brown hair in two little pigtails and piercing blue eyes, who slightly resembled Beth came running out from behind a wall as a bomb exploded near the spot she'd just been at!

  "Rosie! Over here!" Beth shouted standing up and waving her arms. The little girl ran towards them and fell crying into her arms.

  "Beth! They blew up are house," She moaned her face buried in Beth's white blouse. 

   "Oh my gosh! Beth gasped.

   "I'm scared Beth!"

   "Don't worry me and James will protect you." Beth said reassuringly 

   "Who's James?" Rosie asked sniffling.

    "James this is Rosie my little sister; Rosie this is my new boyfriend James." Beth said giving me a squeeze.

  Inside my head; "oh my gosh! Oh MY Gosh! OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!She called me her BOYFRIEND!!!!!!"

On the outside; I have a weak smile on my face and I shake Rosie's little hand.

  "I thought Mommy said you weren't aloud to have a boyfriend till you were 18?" Rosie said questioningly.

   "Sweetie who says she had to know, and it's not like he's my first boyfriend." She said. I felt as though she had just stabbed me. I mean I know she'd obviously had boyfriends before me, but was I just a toy to her?! Would she play with me then cast me aside and find someone better?!

  I cast this aside, a bomb had nearly blown up Beth's little sister and I was worried about how devoted she was to me what kind of loony was I?!

   "Beth we need to find a bomb shelter or something!" I shouted as another bomb went off not to far from us. 

  "There's a bomb shelter under the middle school!" She shouted back sheltering Rosie from the falling debris. 

  "How do we get there?" I asked.

   "There's a man hole in the football locker room that's right above it, but we need to be really careful the school might get bombed!" Beth said grabbing the lids of the garbage cans we were hiding behind. "We can use these to cover are heads from falling debris. 

   "Okay there are only two how will we protect Rosie?" I asked plugging my ears to keep out the screams of people a few blocks away were another bomb had just gone off.

  At this Beth took her back pack off her back and dumped out the content. An assortment of book, pencils, pens, pieces of paper, and other school related things went tumbling onto the ground. "It's not like I'll need this stuff if there's no school left to go to." She said in a very matter of fact tone.

  She looked down at the pile and retrieved a few things a small book with the word diary on the cover of it and a few pieces of paper one of which had the words: will always love you my sweet little girl, love, Dad. On it. She stuffed the papers in her pocket and then she turned to me and said, "Can you put this in your bags it's important to me?" 

  "Sure," I took the small book and placed it in my backpack. "Who's your dad anyway you never talk about him?" I asked remember the piece of paper I'd got a glimpse of.

  "You wouldn't know him, he's dead." She said, looking as though she wanted to cry.

   "Never mind, let's just get to the bomb shelter." I said, afraid I'd upset her.

  "Right!" Beth said, regaining her composure.

    We ran like there was no tomorrow praying we wouldn't die. Rosie was tucked away in Beth's now empty backpack because she thought that would be a safe enough place to keep her since she couldn't run as fast as us.

  Over are heads I saw a chopper with a spotlight surveying the debris for trapped citizens. Then it's spotlight fell on us; I was blinded by the extremely bright light. 

   I loud clear voice said, "young citizens we will be dropping a rope ladder, please climb it and get in the chopper. We will take you to safety." 

  A long rope ladder unrolled from the chopper. The end of it hit the ground about a yard from me Beth and Rosie.

  "Come on James!" Beth said, grabbing my hand.

   We ran as fast as we could things erupting around us every few seconds. 

   "You first," I said gesturing to the ladder. 

   "No I have Rosie, she'll slow me down." She said.

   "Give me her." I said holding out my hands.

   She gave me a look that said 'I hope you know what your doing.' Then handed me the backpack that Rosie was stuffed in. I slung it over my back and began to climb the rope ladder as fast as I could. It was a very hard climb considering the rope ladder was very flimsy and it was very windy. Ash flew into my eyes as I climbed Beth close behind me.

   Suddenly the ladder shook violently. Beth shrieked from below me.  

"Beth whats wrong?' I asked looking down at her. Beth was hanging on to the remaining part of a half severed rope which was the remains of what used to be the bottom of the rope ladder.

"Grab my hand!" I said holding my hand out to her. She grabbed for it, but her hand slipped through my fingers, She fell as the last bit of the rope snapped. She fell about 40 stories down to the ground. The ground around where she fell exploded, and I knew she was dead.

"No! Beth! You can't be dead! No!" I moaned and shouted the whole way up the rest of the ladder because I knew the only girl I'd ever loved was dead.

Chapter 1 from Rebels with Guts Part One, The Fall of Nations by Skylar

You don't know how brave You are until being brave is the only option.

Chapter One, The Fall

(Pinky) May 9th, 2065

  I was sharpening my sharp edged dagger when the alarms sounded and are TV switched on. On the screen I saw a reporter screaming, "Chicago is under attack! I repeat we are being bombed! Chicago is down!" As soon as the words had left her mouth an explosion behind her blew her off her feet and the camera went black. 

   The screen changed to a view of explosions in Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, Orlando, and Washington D.C. All of them looked awful and totally devastating, but on the screen showing Chicago I saw a strange but heart warming thing. Through all the explosions I saw a boy who looked to be about 16 with messy brown hair and a beautiful girl who looked around the same age as him with long, gorgeous straight dark hair Kissing! Their world was exploding around them and they were kissing of all things! 

  "What weirdos!" I said shaking my head. "Right, this has to be Killian's doing; let's get to work girls."