With *YOU* by *MY* {side}, *I* will F-I-G-H-T and {defend}

As the moon shown from above, Ames walked out of the Dark Forrest. He had finished his business and was heading back to the school. His long-sleeve, blue shirt was tattered a little, but he buttoned it up and threw a vest over it. No one would notice. He would be inside soon. Even if he did cross someone, it was night. Even the bright moon didn't show the dirt on his shirt.

He was hesitant to go back to school. The night was still fresh and seemed to be beckoning for him to stay. He decided to make a lap around the lake to allow more time for his thoughts to mingle.

As he walked along the edges, occasionally picking up a rock and chucking it into the dark waters, Ames saw that he was not alone. Catalina was standing next to the lakeside. She looked intense for a few moments but then seemed to cool off. He bent down to pick up a flat stone. Aiming just right, he chucked it into the lake, making it skip close to Catalina. He hoped that it would catch her attention as he walked over.

Ames smiled as she recognized him. He changed his relaxed strode into a smooth a jog as he made his way over to Catalina. Without wasting any time or breaking a sweat, he was beside her. He took off his shoes and socks, then rolled up his pants. Throwing them to the side, he put his feet into the water. It felt nice and cold against his skin.

Ames shrugged, debating whether he should tell her or not. "Couldn't sleep," he said. It wasn't a lie. "Took a little walk through the forest, well, more like a run." He smiled charmingly as he corrected himself. "Decided to make a lap around the lake before going inside. It's very calming out here. And besides, you never know what or who you might run into. I like the mysteries of the night."

"What about you? Why are you out here?" he pressed.

He looked Catalina in the eyes as she gazed intensely into them. He blinked a couple of times wondering what she was thinking about. He then moved his gaze to the water. The nights were always nice to roam about and ponder about certain things, but it was also nice to spend with a friend.

"I enjoy the nights, too. And I like the moon as well," he added agreeing with her. He loved the moon, and was still debating whether he perferred it better through human eyes or wolf's. They both had their different perspectives. He smiled while looking up.

"So, you never answered my question," he said with a smile. "Unless you really are just out here because you like the nighttime."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw something shine. He looked over at Catalina and noticed that the moonlight was reflecting off of her locket. His mind instantly jumped to Nathalie and he smiled. "Someone I know has a necklace similiar to yours. Of course hers is an original, but it still has a lot of the same characteristics. Where did you get it?" he was curious. He thought back to his town and one of the boys who had given it to his sister. He wondered if hers had been from the same place. Maybe he was just imagining, though. Necklaces are necklaces. Maybe they all look the same everywhere you go, he thought to himself.

Ames coudln't help but to release a chuckle. "Your Ben?" he joked. "What exactly is a Ben? More importantly, where can I get one?" He wasn't sure if Catalina was playful and liked to joke, but he decided to find out. "Your necklace just has a lot of the same French characteristics as my sister's," Ames said honestly.

Ames looked down into the black water. It shown brightly in the moonlight. It had an almost purplish tint to it, the water did. It reminded him of a deep amethyst and he instantly thought of his mother. The lake acted like a mirror, almost. Ames looked at himself for a few seconds before looking at Catalina's reflection. He wondered if veela's reflections still had the same mesmerizing effect, or if photographs of them did, too. Her reflection mirrored her perfectly and Ames couldn't help but to smile. He liked Catalina. She was beautiful, sure, but there was something else about her too. Something about her, perhaps her intellect, made her very interesting. He knew she wasn't single, but this didn't intimidate him. He wasn't looking for a relationship. He was just looking for friendship. Besides, Ames had a lot of practice around veelas, so he didn't find himself always lusting after her.

He watched as Catalina got a glimpse of her own reflection and then look away disgustly. Ames frowned before saying, "Why do look at yourself with such disgust? You must see your own beauty? Or perhaps you are ashamed by it?" Ames asked trying to get to know her better.

Ames chuckled at Catalina's jokes. "I'll just have to go and find my own!" he added. He nodded at her comment about her French mother.

Thinking deeply about what she had just said, Ames looked down at the water, thinking before he spoke. The moon's face echoed in the water held the same complexion as Catalina's fair skin. Her reflection mirrored the girl so perfectly, that he wouldn't have been able to tell the difference except for a ripple caused by a frog jumping in the pond that disrupted the water. "Surely you must see the outer beauty," Ames reasoned. "Why else would men swoon over u? Perhaps you are searching for inner beauty? One that won't use her looks for vengenace or to her advantage."

Ames looked up from Catalina's reflection and resettled his eyes on the real girl. "Besides," he continued with a faint smile. "You don't need to see or understand the beauty that men see in you. They aren't seeing the beauty of Catalina. They are only seeing the beauty of a Veela. Ben sees the beauty of Catalina, and isn't that important to you?"

Ames was afraid that the mood was becoming to solemn. He enjoyed speaking to people and helping and listening to them, but he also enjoyed laughing and joking. He liked to include all of these in serious conversations. "If it helps, I find you utterly disgusting," Ames joked, while emphasizing the last word. He leaned over closer toward the water as he flicked some water at Catalina in a playful manner.