Minutes to Midnight.

I swallowed hard and Draco handed me the phone. I texted both Mia and Adrian one word:

RUN.

"Running? That's your plan?" Draco asked me.

"No, running like a bat out of hell is. Now run like you've never ran before, dammit!" I opened my door and bolted through the halted traffic, Draco, MiMi, and Adrian doing the same.

Naturally, MiMi ran the fastest. Stupid years of track...

I took off running into the forest - that was always my kind of fighting terrain. I'll admit it, part of me does miss my ninja days.

For cover, I ducked in the big tops of a tree, looking down for my prey. The song in my head now was 'Supermassive Black Hole' by Muse. I loved Muse. But now wasn't the time for that.

I heard footsteps running towards here and I knew them all too well - mine. Or...Mia's disguised as mine.

Just as she got past the tree I was hiding in, my heel got caught in the muddy ground and she fell face first. Two things; A) even I couldn't pull that off. And 2) SHE GOT MUD ON MY ONLY WHITE TUTU!! What the fuck!

I smirked, seeing the Guard right below me. What'd I do? Jumped him of course.

The Guard's head smacked hard on a rock. Ha, lucky break for us. That'd give us just enough time to run.

"Damn, I look good." I said as I helped Mia up. She rolled her eyes and we ran.

"Stop." I whispered.

"What?" She whispered back.

"Footsteps. Hide." We nodded and ducked behind a couple of trees. Being the smartass I am, I picked up a good sized rock and chucked it. Unfortunately, I recognized the agonizing groan and rushed out.

Mia started laughing hysterically upon seeing Draco keeled over from how my rock hit him right in the balls. Adrian and I resisted laughing as I helped Draco up.

"I'm sorry hun." I said, slightly laughing.

"Than I take it you're Isabelle?" Draco asked.

I nodded. "We're still each other - just in case."

"I don't think it's safe just yet." said Adrian. "We need a different car and to get the hell out of here."

"I'm on board with that plan!" I said.

Adrian went to say something, then swallowed hard and looked uber freaked. Draco did as well.

"Guys..." I said cautiously. Both mine and Mia's faces matched theirs for there were two Guards dead-set behind Adrian (who was in front of me) and Draco (who was next to him).

"Guards." We all said in unison.

Once more, fuck, my, life.

I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. Somehow, Adrian's and my hands found each other and clasped tightly.

"Prince Cromwell, you're going to have to come back to Court." One of the guards said warningly.

"As will you, Princess Bourdain." Another added.

I looked at Adrian with eyes that asked him what would happen if we ran. He shrugged, then looked back at me with eyes that were questioning as if saying, 'Wanna try?' I hesitated, then nodded.

I gave Mia my, 'Don't worry about me, I'm sorry' look. She bit her lip and nodded. Draco looked at me questioningly but I shook my head and gave him my, 'I'm so sorry' face.

Adrian clasped my hand tighter, and we nodded.

"Well," I said, "no way in hell I'm going down without a fight."

We had a perfect getaway (or so I thought) - the Guards were only behind us, not the sides. So Adrian and I ran to the side. That surprised the Guards, so we got pretty far before we were caught. That totally wasn't part of my plan.

"Who do you think you are?!" One of the Guards snapped at me as he held my arms behind my back tightly.

"Mia, fucking, Richards! Best friend of Isabelle Bour-fucking-dain!" I yelled at him.

The Guard holding Adrian cut his eyes at me. "No she's not."

Mia (as me) shrieked a little bit. Damn, we're busted.

As I was thrashing against the Guard's grip, both spells on Mia and myself broke - showing them who we really are.

"She is the Princess!" My Guard exclaimed.

"Yeah, and she's really my best friend!" I said towards Mia.

"What about the blonde guy?" Adrian's Guard asked suspiciously.

"He's my fucking boyfriend!" I said.

"So harm either of them and you're descrasing the Princess." Adrian said so royal like.

Now was not the time to find that sexy, Izzy.

~*~*~*~*~

We were being dragged to court. Literally.

The Guards had tied our hands behind our backs and shoved us along. However, I refused to walk. So my Guard was dragging my ass back to the rapist van. Did I mention it had tinted windows? Totally not sketchy. Nope.

Adrian and I were thrown (literally) in one, MiMi and Draco in the other.

"I hate not knowing if MiMi's okay..." I mumbled.

"What about Malfoy?" Adrian asked, looking at me quizically.

I shrugged. "He can handle himself just fine. I mean, I know MiMi can too - hell, she spent seven years in M.M.A. She's fine. But I just..."

"Can't trust...?" He nodded towards the Guards up front. I nodded.

"How long 'till we're at Satin's Doors?" I asked Adrian.

"About an hour or so." I groaned and nodded. "You should get some sleep after all that running." I was too tired to argue, so I put my head on his shoulder and passed out.