“Note, subject Lucius- may also be called Atlas. Research is to be conducted on the true name of Subject Lucius Last Star”.

Morrie closed her notebook and looked out her bedroom window. She wished he would drop by her home just to talk. She missed his mean, smart and with a witty manner of speaking.

He had been in the hospital for three days. But that was four days ago. He had gone unseen scene. Morrie looked at the framed picture she had of Lucius. He wasn't the best looking guy around but his way of being just made her fall in love. Morrie looked at the ring and placed it back in the box. She looked at the tall willow in her yard. She had the image in her head. A beautiful dress, a handsome groom waiting under the tree. She wanted to sleep for the first time in a long time because she knew she would see him in her dreams. She lay in bed and soon drifted off.

She felt so cold. So cold. She opened her eyes and looked at the mountain blankets on top of her. She looked at the window and saw frost. Her soft breath made a pillar of steam. She was only able to move her eyes. She felt something else in the room. Something that made her feel like the world itself was pressing against her chest. She saw something move just within sight. She felt a chill run down her spine. Something turned to face her. She felt it. A feeling so old time itself had forgotten who had come first. It had a human form but lacked all humanity. She could hear it's heavy strained breathing. It hissed and sniffed at the air. When it spoke she knew the single word it had cried. It was in a language older than the whole of creation. But she knew the word. She could feel the word and began to cry. She didn't care about the beast as her sadness overwhelmed her. It opened the door to her room and she soon fell into a deep slumber.

She woke the next morning with only the feeling as a reminder. She sat up and got dressed. She walked through the empty halls and felt the lack of others.

“Alone” Said whispered to herself.

She forced herself to take each and every step. Then another and another. She grabbed her heavy backpack and pushed the door. She walked to her library.

She sat between the books filled with stories of loved ones and happy endings. She envied the stupid princess that would alway have their knights return home. She envied the close relationship of the hero's. She just wanted a little love. Was that too much to ask for. She held herself and could feel nothing but alone. Abandon by love. She wished for the knights that would never be able to come home. She wished she could be like the stupid princess and simply wish them back. She knew her last Knight would not come to save her. He had another princess. She sat in the ruins of her kingdom and cried. She didn't hear the intruder. She didn't know what would soon be upon her. She felt his arms wrap around her. She looked up at hellish eyes and felt joy overrun the feeling she had before.

“Hey” Said the knight.

“You're home!” Cried Morrie.

“How about you and me spend the day together? I hope it's not too much to ask” Pleaded the knight.

She kissed his cheek and whispered “That would be a dream come true”.

She looked at his bandage covered body and hugged him gently. She didn’t want to undo the work he had done to get better.

“I have something to show you” Said Lucius taking her hand.

He placed down his backpack and took out a large roll of cloth. It was the transport.

“Where are we going?” Asked Morrie.

“It's a surprise” Said Lucius.

They stood hand in hand. Before she knew it they were in a different world.

“This is a place called the Archive. It once belonged to an extremely powerful group of people. But they died off because of war” Said Lucius looking over the vast world. It was the largest of all the world's contained within the artifact. A monument to display their love for knowledge. The entire planet was the size of a small universe, just a few light years across.

“It's a giant library” Said Lucius.

“But the books aren't in English are they?” Morrie tilted her head as she asked.

“Well yes and no. The books can be transcribed” Said Lucius.

Morrie followed Lucius to a massive body of water. The shimmering water danced as they walked closer. It seemed to reach to the core of the planet. With water as clear as it was she wasn't so surprised that it looked as deep as it did.

“This is a proxy lazareth pit. I'll show you what is dose” Said Lucius.

Morrie turned bright red when he began to strip. Removing everything but his boxers.

“Care to join me?” Asked Lucius.

Morrie nodded and took a moment to calm her nerves. She removed the sweater Lucius had given her. She eventually had only her thin shirt, bra and skirt. She looked at the deep cuts over his body and looked at the hundreds of stitches. His body looked like darker where the scars sat. Nearly every inch of his body had the same darker color. He walked into the water and slowly sunk in. Morrie follow and felt amazing the instant the water bumped her toes.

When Lucius popped back out she could see several hundred new scars as his makeup floated away. Older larger scars that had sunk their fangs far deeper into his flesh.

“What happened to you?” Asked Morrie.

“People don't like me so they try to kill me” Said Lucius as if this was something natural.

Morrie hugged him and smiled. She knew she would never feel the way she did again as long as she had him. She wouldn't have picked up on the almost unnoticeable amount of alcohol if his lips had not pressed against her cheek.

“I didn't envy water till this moment” Said Lucius.

Morrie could not stop think about pressing her lips against his. But if Allison found out she would never stop bitching.

“Why?” Asked Morrie.

“Because water can touch every part of you at once, but I'm limited to my body” Said Lucius.

His eyes held something different. She didn't know it but it was lust. Morrie had her mind running wild. She would never have expected him to say anything like that. Of all thing he said that.

“You don't mean that” Said Morrie. She felt his hands touch hers.

“Morrie, I love you,” His drunken smile told a similar story. “you can take advantage of me if you want”.

Morrie knew it. He was intoxicated.

“I'm not like that Lucius, how about we read some books together” Said Morrie.

She wished he hadn't been intoxicated. He smiled his half smile. Morrie now knew something was up.

“Thank you, now I know I can trust you a little more” Said Lucius.

“This was a test?” Asked Morrie.

“Yes and you passed. You’re the first person I have tested so far. I will be testing one of you every month until I have tested all of you” Said Lucius.

“What's very interesting” Said Morrie.

“But we can still spend few weeks alone together in here. Reading is very fun after all” Said Lucius.

“I have a question for you. Do you promise to answer honestly?” Asked Morrie.

“Fine, as a reward for passing” Replied Lucius.

“Who are you really?” Said Morrie.

He smiled slightly, as alway giving his half smile, but maybe just a little more.

“Wow you really are smart. My name is Atlas. Atlas Astraeus Lugo Wilson. Nice to finally introduce myself” Said Atlas.

“Your name is Atlas? That's kinda ironic” Said Morrie.

“Now I have a question for you” Said Atlas.

“Go for it” Said Morrie.

“How are babies made and if you do know will you demonstrate how?” Said Atlas.

Morrie took a moment to take in the situation. She knew she couldn't just lie to him.

He had told her the truth and now she would.

“Well when two people love each other…” He interrupted and asked “Do you love me?”

She frozen and said “I'm already answering a question. Anyway when people love each other they give something to each other. One of them places something inside the other and a baby grows inside. And the baby comes out months later” Said Morrie.

“Will you show me how it is done?” Asked Atlas.

“When we are older” Said Morrie.

He nodded and said “By the way don't try and look up my name and don't tell anyone what my name is or I will die”

“Okay” Said Morrie.

She wanted to ask why but knew he had reasons.

“Let's read” Said Lucius walking to the library.

They sat together and when she felt sleepy they slept together. He didn't lie. They spent weeks reading and talking. She asked him on the last day.

“Lucius do you like me?”

“I can't tell, I might like you but it could be love. All I know is that I don't want you to go” Said Atlas with his emotionless voice.

Morrie could not grasp just how much those words meant. When they got back to earth only a few hours had passed. They spent about an hour together before Evelynn arrived.

“Hey kids you weren't doing anything indecent were you” Said Evelynn.

“Not at all,” Said Atlas.

“Morrie was just teaching me about reproduction”

“You're joking right” Asked Evelynn.

“Yep yep yes we are” Said Morrie.

“Did you enjoy your last days of independence because you're going to be stuck with me from now on” Said Evelynn.

“Yes I did and it's not like I don't enjoy your company” Said Atlas.

“Anyway I still have to help you with you know what and we have to get you know where” Said Evelynn.

“Goodbye Morrie I will be seeing you tomorrow” Said Atlas kissing her hand.